The Scarlet Claw -1944 - USA

The Scarlet Claw -1944 - 7/10  

 
Non-canon, but this late cycle Rathbone & Bruce adventure of Sherlock is one of the finest.
A series of deaths occur in a small Canadian village.
The beast appears to be a deranged beast, and superstitious villages feed the fears.
Holmes, eminently logical, begins to investigate.
Photography is outstanding in this, a fusion of Gothic and Noir.
The plot is a retooling of “The Hound Of The Baskervilles”, yet no lazy copycat.
Old-fashioned mystery, superbly done.

Christmas Carole - 2022 - UK

Christmas Carole - 2022 - 6/10

 
Sour holiday bon-bon starts with a flourish, adds extras throughout, ends in treacle.
Carole, president of her company, sells Christmas tat.  Junk.
Overpriced festive twaddle, guaranteed to break and need replacing.
Yuletide profits, you dreamers.
Her merchandise is disposable, as are her employees.
Owing to numerous references, this is for Brits and Anglophiles.
(Test:  Are you familiar with Morecambe and Wise?)
First two-thirds are pure gold, final act is the equivalent of penalty kicks.
English subtitles = https://subscene.com/subtitles/christmas-carole/english/3245914

Red Snow - 2021 - USA

Red Snow - 2021 - 5/10

 
Mid-Winter, a bat crashes into a windowpane, falls into the snow, bleeding.
I don’t know about you, but I would summon one of my cats and say,  “Hey, snacks.”
Olivia, however, rescues the mite infested, rabies carrying varmint, and soon discovers it’s a vampire!
Slow boil horror flirts with Twilight territory, although the tone stays light and amused.
Respect to the crew for a smart, sharp film on a minuscule budget.
Ending is poorly thought out.
Despite holiday tropes, this is not the Yule beast you were hoping for.

Solaris - 1972 - Soviet Union

Solaris - 1972 - 6/10

 
My first exposure to Tarkovsky, watched in 1977 was a cure for insomnia.
(Unfortunately, along with a plethora of SciFi’s at the Nuart, trying to cash in on the Star Wars phenomsena.)
In between yawning and checking the theater clock, I sat there bewildered.
The crew of the station orbiting Solaris are exhibiting signs of madness.
A psychologist is dispatched, and he soon suffers hallucinations.
Most intriguingly, the planet is an organic being.  An over-mind, or unisoul.
The plot is maddeningly vague, however, with nonexistent pacing.
I appreciate Tarkovsky more now, but even this recent rewatch, I cannot get into this one.

Saint - 2010 - Netherlands

Saint - 2010 - 6/10  
AKA - Sint

 
Every time December 5th occurs during a full moon, Saint Nicholas reemerges.
Not the jovial bearer of gifts, but the malevolent plunderer.  Of children and adults.
Even though this is Amsterdam, snow laden streets and quays seem deserted.
Expect brutal dismemberments, along with splittings, yet little blood.
Scare factor is quite low, as is the humor.
Entertaining while watching, but little more.
Another lump of coal for your Holiday Horror mix.

Your Christmas Or Mine - 2022 - UK

Your Christmas Or Mine - 2022 - 6/10

 
“There's lots of things you don't know about me, James Hughes.”
So says Haylay inside Marylebone Station as she and James head off to their respective family homes.
Then, in an O. Henry twist, they board the wrong trains and wind up at the other’s home.
Whereupon they swiftly discover they did not “know” that person they were in love with, at all,
Feel-good holiday romcom leans on a formula, but it is energetic and good natured.
As far as the “new ones” go, you could do a lot worse.  Enjoyable, if slight.

Holiday Affair - 1949 - USA

Holiday Affair - 1949 - 6/10

 
WWII vet Steve works at a big department store.
Connie is an early “industrial spy”, meaning she buys goods, gets the price and returns items.
(Why she can’t just look at shelf tags or prices on the box is beyond me.)
Anyway, he tags her, then cuts some slack which gets him fired.
What should he do?  How about, let’s go on a date?
Forced RomCom, guilty pleasure for many (me included) have major limitations.
Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum display no chemistry (Mitchum has more with child actor Gordon Gebert).
Leigh is, as ever, comes across as brittle, on edge, never relaxed.  Simmering anxiety.  Mind you, this film came after Mitchum’s notorious reefer bust, and most actors were afraid to be seen with him.
Mitchum fans, yeah, he’s coasting.  OK Christmas fare when you want an alternative.

A Christmas Carol - 1941 - USA

A Christmas Carol - 1941 - 6/10

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A radio perennial that aired regularly for decades before fading away.
Ronald Colman makes a crisp Ebenezer Scrooge, bolstered with assorted supporting actors and musical accompaniment.
What is surprising is how much of the Dickens tale is distilled into a half hour.
My ancient vinyl is paired with the Christmas section of “The Pickwick Papers” read by Charles Laughton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RmnelkRvfk

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story - 2022 - UK

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story - 2022 - 7/10

 
Outstanding theatrical performance of Dickens.
As always, light predominates the mid-section, waning as Christmas lasts but a day.
Mark Gatiss has sprinkled a few embellishments here and there that enhance the proceedings (check the bookend twists).
Ebullient dances, brief singing, some sharp repartee.
This play also contains humorous moments, relieving the grim sets and grimy apparel.
Nonetheless, this is faithful to the story and makes one long to have been in the audience for this one.

The Great Race - 1965 - USA

The Great Race - 1965 - 5/10

 
Excessive film still shows up on whatever marathon channels there are.
Circa 1908, the motorcar race goes from New York to Paris, the long way round.
Main contenders are the Great Leslie and Professor Fate, along with other teams, including one with a feisty suffragette.
Everything in this harks back to Silent melodrama, perhaps vaudeville or music hall.
Broad comedy attempts Keystone Kops slapstick, but always feels forced and phony.
I saw this when it came out, I was bored.  Rewatched now and then on TV, yawn.
So, when relatives loaded this dud, I started drinking more Cabernet.  Not enough.

Christmas Eve On Sesame Street - 1978 - USA

Christmas Eve On Sesame Street - 1978 - 8/10

 
Oscar the Grouch rattles Big Bird to the core when he asks how dump truck sized Santa gets down tiny chimneys.
Bert & Ernie become the “Gift Of The Magi”.  Skating mishaps.  Self destructive appetites.
Along with songs.  Standards, as well as three new numbers.
This features early cast members, which is probably why PBS ceased airing this instead of allowing this to become a holiday classic.
Funny, tuneful, with an enormous heart.  At an hour, it never outstays its welcome.

The Vote - 2015 - UK

The Vote - 2015 - 7/10

 
Adventures of precinct workers at the local polling station.
The election is a close one, and every vote counts.
One volunteer recalled a previous contest, where the winner won by four votes.
And the constituents stroll in.
Confused, inebriated, argumentative, foreign language speakers, lonely.
A veritable cross section, more or less.
This is a comedy and grows progressively rambunctious.
Mark Gatiss as the local head is a study of bottled emotions, about to explode.
For British film and theatre buffs, this is studded with cameos.
Subtitles = https://subscene.com/subtitles/the-vote/english/3222685

Hapkido - 1972 - Hong Kong

Hapkido - 1972 - 6/10 

AKA - Lady Kung Fu // 合氣道

 
After five years of learning, three students say farewell to their Korean teacher.
They return to China, now threatened by militaristic Japan, and open their own Hapkido school.
(Hapkido is a martial arts style focusing on joint holds, throws, kicks.)
The Black Bear school, Japanese, bullies townfolk and intimidates the other schools.
Headstrong and impulsive Fan Wei (Sammo Hung) attacks and thereby provokes a war.
This is Angela Mao’s vehicle, however, and she is a master of the slow boil.
Also, a hapkido artist.  For the knowledgeable (I am not) this is a great film to analyze different styles and techniques.
Melodrama and overblown villains scream chopsocky, but the choreography dominates.

Road Games - 2015 - France

Road Games - 2015 - 7/10
AKA - Fausse Route

 
Jack, English, doesn’t understand French.
Otherwise, he would not be hitchhiking in rural France, in front of a sign that warns against picking up hikers.
And he might be aware that a serial killer is extremely active on this lonely stretch.
Fortunately, he meets a stray French girl, also on walkabout.
Then a car stops and the driver, a talkative soul, offers them a ride.
The lies are small initially, as lies so often are.
Convoluted thriller excels in offering numerous shady characters, including Jack.
Similar to Only The Animals (2019) with a tangle of threads that stitch together.

The Racket - 1928 - USA

The Racket - 1928 - 7/10

 
Silent mobster film, packed with bullets, steeped in cynicism.
Mob boss Scarsi (think Capone) is muscling in on a rival’s territory.
Despite a police presence, the downtown shootout is violent with a surprising amount of deaths.
Copper McQuigg, trying to arrest the criminals, is reassigned to an outlaying precinct.
By the mayor – per request by mob boss, Scarsi.
Louis Wolheim as Scarsi steals the film from star Thomas Meighan.
The notion that crime controls politicians would be whitewashed by the Production Code.

 
Marie Prevost fetching as a gold digging hussy.
On par with The Underworld (1927) this provided a template for hundreds of gangster flicks.

Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas - 2021 - UK

Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas - 2021 - 7/10

 
Shaun realizes his stocking is smallish and decides to appropriate the Farmer’s.
Along with a very young confederate, they enter the home for a quick burgle.
Whereupon the plans misfire, the youngling disappears, and Shaun is in big trouble.
What to do?  Head to the village, High Street merry with people.
Brisk outing is chocked with jokes, visual and musical gags, and a stream of mistakes.
Thirty minutes of pure confection.

How The West Was Won - 1962 - USA

How The West Was Won - 1962 - 7/10

 
Overlong “Western” is as good or bad as any given chapter.
The West sweeps from the  Alleghenies to Arizona in a rough fifty year span.
Generations of one family are profiled, but they are stand-ins for everyone.
Yarns about river pirates and the Civil War seem the weakest, with poorly drawn characters.
The wagon train is too Hollywood for my taste, but this has one of the few roles I’ve enjoyed Gregory Peck in.
Final two chapters are rousing excitement.
Railroad going though Indian territory, unflinching is observing (broken) agreements with tribes.
An outlaw gang trying for a train robbery as civilization begins to the “wild” West.
Recent BluRay addresses / fixes the Cinerama bars.
I originally saw this old-fashioned Hollywood spectacle with my grandfather, and a recent rewatch reminds me of how completely immersive it had been – and how it is less now.

Lone Wolf Spy Hunt - 1939 - USA

Lone Wolf Spy Hunt - 1939 - 6/10  

 
Retired safecracker, Michael Lanyard (the Lone Wolf) is set up.
War Department plans are stolen and dropped clues incriminate Lanyard.
While police are skeptical, and he provides alibis, he remains suspect #1.
Meanwhile, a bright-eyed young heiress (Ida Lupino) wants to marry the reluctant bachelor.
Plot zig zags between mystery, cheeky innuendo, and farcical comedy.
More silly than sinister.
William Warren effortless as the Lone Wolf, Rita Hayworth makes an alluring femme fatale.

Spitting Image Christmas Special - 2021 - UK

Spitting Image Christmas Special - 2021 - 6/10

 
Not quite the old series, which irks the faithful, yet this has its moments.
Elton John, mixing two chestnuts, is visited by ghosts and learns what life was like for his closest if he had never existed.
Three magi, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg sing how important their empires are to Yule.
This is short, swift and rushes, which is good.  Parts feel out of touch, though.
Hits vs. misses = 50-50.

Still Mine - 2012 - Canada

Still Mine - 2012 - 7/10

 
Both are old, elderly, but Craig notices his wife has slight dementia.
Their two-story Canadian house is too much for her, especially the stairs.
Consequently, he decides to build a smaller home for them.
Build, as in DIY, using his own trees, his own blueprints, just as he had done decades earlier.
Of course, there were no building codes back then.  And no “rules is rules” inspectors.
Enthralling film of the fiercely independent soul clashing with the bureaucratic machine.
James Cromwell’s character will linger with you for weeks, and all scenes with Geneviève Bujold are the definition of “growing old together”.

The Whistler - 1944 - USA

The Whistler - 1944 - 6/10

 
Tycoon Earl, bumming after the death of his wife, hires a killer to snuff him out.
Only condition, he doesn’t want to know when or where.
Then he finds out his wife ain’t dead.
When he tries to cancel – oh, hell.
Fast paced B-film makes decent Noir, although undermined by absurd plot twists.
Richard Dix, the businessman, looks disheveled most of the time, with ill-fitting suits.
The OTR on which this is based is a terrific series, worth listening to.

Hoosiers - 1986 - USA

Hoosiers - 1986 - 7/10

 
One of the great basketball films out there.
Small town team has the same ambitions of thousands of high school programs.
Make their way to the annual state tournament.
Their new coach, soon in trouble, receives strategic advice from the town’s alcoholic.
The focus is on the boys, however.
Well paced film is an underdog fable, set in a world that is now a ghost.
Sports before steroids, before endorsements.
Evoking a lost Americana that may never have existed.

Night Shift - 2019 - UK

Night Shift - 2019 - 6/10

 
Luv looks forward to the Halloween party with his girlfriend.
Until his boss hands him a stack of work he needs completed by morning.
His lone colleague is the weird new guy, going on about the messenger of death.
Tight horror short builds atmosphere, although overly bright interiors work against it.

Lawman - 1971 - USA

Lawman - 1971 - 6/10

 
Predating Robocop by decades, Burt Lancaster plays a zealously by-the-book marshal.
After a shoot ‘em up leaves an old man dead, a lawman arrives to arrest the whole ranch gang and bring to trial.
The usual “bargaining” is applied to no effect.  Lancaster’s sheriff is righteous to the point of being insufferable.
Some exchanges are akin to negotiating with a computer.
Revisionist Western filled with hotheads, weaklings, cowards, grafters.
Robert Ryan as aging sheriff, glory days well behind him, makes a compassionate conscience.
Slow boil throughout with violent finale, without heroism.

Diva - 1981 - France

Diva - 1981 - 7/10

Jules, passionate about opera, makes an HQ copy of his favorite singer, one who has refused any live recordings.
Round about this time, a hooker drops an expose cassette into his mail pouch, before she is killed.

 
Police want Jules, hired killers plan to murder him, music bootleggers want his tape.
Visually arresting film, packed with memorable characters and high energy.
Terrific chase in the subway are one of many highlights.
Dominique Pinon, in his second role, is unforgettable as the lethal “priest”.

Slumdog Millionaire - 2008 - UK

Slumdog Millionaire - 2008 - 5/10

 
Low caste Jamal is a contestant on popular quiz show (version “Who Wants Be Millionaire?).
Defying the odds (ha!) he performs well.  Really well.
So much so, authorities suspect cheating.
Extensive flashbacks narrate his life and expertise.
Overtly manipulative aims for feel-good, but this is highly calculated.
Every twist, every reveal, felt contrived and obvious, and I began disliking this film intensely.
This was the movie that had me reevaluate director Danny Boyle.
I truly enjoyed this earlier films.  From this point on, not so much.

Bend It Like Beckham - 2002 - UK

Bend It Like Beckham - 2002 - 6/10

 
When this came out, I knew there was no escape.
My wife, fan of World Cup, Premiere League, Man U.
Resistance is futile.
Friends Jesminder and Jules want to be professional footballers.
Parents of the girls feel otherwise, for different reasons.
Cultural and social.  Obstacles are emotional, physical, schedules.
Nevertheless, this is feel-good so there will be important moments.
Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley would go on to big careers.
Entertaining, even if you know jack diddly-doo about football (soccer).

Payback - 1999 - USA

Payback - 1999 - 7/10

 
Porter is left for dead by his partner, Val, who pockets the $70,000.
Left for dead ain’t the same as dead, however, and after an ugly recovery, Porter comes after the money.
Val, it turns out, used the funds to join a crime family.
Where Porter starts killing his way through the ranks.
Powerful Mel Gibson film, far darker than his popular persona of this period.
Exceptional male cast includes Kristofferson, James Coburn, William Devane, Bill Duke.
Director’s cut is more hard-nosed, less audience friendly, and superior in numerous ways.

Stay Tuned - 1992 - USA

Stay Tuned - 1992 - 5/10  

 
Lazy salesman spends his home life watching TV.
To the fury of his wife smashes the set – whereupon – a visitor arrives with a satellite dish.
Capable of viewing 666 stations.  666.  Does the couple pick up on that?  Please.
Soon enough they are sucked into the set, into bizarro, deadly programs.
Parodies of TV shows aren’t vicious enough.  Horror elements, silly.
“Stars” John Ritter and Pam Dauber lack oomph, chemistry, charisma.

Saw this when it originally screened and left me sputtering for days.
In 1989, I had pitched a highly similar premise to the old television series, “Friday The 13th”.
Male viewer is sucked into a weird TV, forced by Satan to participate in programs in Hades.
“Friday The 13th” was canceled, my 30” pitch returned (as were those to countless freelancers).
I eventually decided Stay Tuned was just coincidence.  Thems the breaks, folks.

Anatomy Of A Fall - 2023 - France

Anatomy Of A Fall - 2023 - 6/10  
AKA - Anatomie d'une Chute

 
Author Sandra is being interviewed at her Alpine home.
Not for long, however, as her husband begins blaring music at ear rending level.
Jealousy, spite, wounded male ego?  In any event, the interview ends abruptly.
And, within an hour, the husband falls to his death from an attic opening.  
Did he fall by accident?  Was it suicide?  Was he pushed?
Suspect number one?  You got it, the wife, the famous writer.
The police and coroner are inconclusive, leaving the verdict to the French judicial system.
Owing to insufficient evidence, the prosecutor’s strategy is to besmirch.
Courtroom drama compels, but is overlong to the point of tedium.

The Believers - 1987 - USA

The Believers - 1987 - 6/10

 
Recently widowed psychologist relocates from the Midwest to Gotham.
Where, he being working with the NYPD as they investigate a voodoo cult, sacrificing children.
Oh, yeah, our psychologist has a child of just about the right age.
The Santerai elements are skirted over, although blood embellishment is heavy.
An undercurrent of Yuppie scum predominates, much as resentment of that group heightened during the 1980’s.
Frightening moments seem at war with the moralizing.

The Devil's Stairway - 1964 - S Korea

The Devil's Stairway - 1964 - 6/10  
AKA - Maeui Gyedan // 마의 계단

 
The affair between the head surgeon and an attractive nurse has frayed.
His attitude is, “This is all fun, but not permanent.”  Her reply is a terse, “I’m pregnant.”
Meanwhile, the director of the small hospital wants to make the surgeon his successor.
Contingent on him marrying his attractive (and younger than the nurse) daughter.
So, nurse Jin-suk has become a major inconvenience, and needs to be sorted.
Solid psychological thriller looks like a Noir, with supernatural overtones.
Since solving the “nurse problem” leaves surgeon Hyeon in a worsening state.

The Case Of The Frightened Lady - 1940 - UK

The Case Of The Frightened Lady - 1940 - 6/10

 
Similar to the family Usher, the Lebanon family bloodline has run thin.
Consequently, Lady Lebanon orders her son to marry his cousin.
Before the murders begin.
Creaky whodunit, based on an Edgar Wallace novel, boasts an absolutely gorgeous, gloomy manor.
Stone in and out, vast ceilings, rooms lit by candlelight or fireplace.
Let’s not forget surly servants, and the toffy son who would rather pound the piano than woo his cute cousin.
This plays out like an early talkie, although fans of Wallace should enjoy, as will cozy fans.
If you are lucky enough, this still reps as a popular theatre play.

Running Man - 1987 - USA

Running Man - 1987 - 6/10

 
In the near future, one of the cops in the US police state is framed and imprisoned.
Only to be given a “chance” if he participates in life and death game show.
Contestants square off against the television heroes, and generally all lose.
Yes, Barney, the fix is in!
Action adventure film based on novel by Richard Bachman (who quickly started hollering, hey I’m really Stephen King, so buy this here book!).
Empty headed fun, part of a string of Schwarzenegger hits.
Richard Dawson as smarmy host, genius casting.

The Gilded Age - 2018 - USA

The Gilded Age - 2018 - 8/10

 
By the 1880’s, the wealthiest dominate the US landscape.
Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan, Vanderbilt, etc …
The notion of “democracy” one man, one vote, is usurped by capitalism, where the richest hold vast sway.
Politicians bought, laws bent to benefit the powerful.
While the rest of the nation, those looked down on as maggots, starve.

 
Matters come to a head in 1896 when, as will so often happen, the Electoral College gives the Presidency to the candidate with fewer votes.
One question lingers:  Does government represent the people?  Or does it represent wealth?
Exceptional documentary, sadly, still resonates to this day.
Voters endlessly reelect candidates who promise to work for then, only to enrich themselves.
The democratic alternative is what, mob rule?
Who bears ultimate responsibility?  Turn to the looking glass.
Subtitles = https://subscene.com/subtitles/the-gilded-age/english/3214067

Cat People - 1982 - USA

Cat People - 1982 - 6/10

 
Stylish, steamy, sexy remake of the Val Lewton film.
Troubled Irena begins relationship with zoo curator, flirtatious, but not sex.
Not so with her brother, Paul, who seems eager engage in incestuous procreation.
Meanwhile, escaped panthers have been killing, leaving mutilated corpses.
As remakes go, this is far more imaginative than the norm.
Malcolm McDowell especially memorable as Paul, lithe, graceful, deadly.
Terrific erotic thriller, doused with horror.

Footlight Parade - 1933 - USA

Footlight Parade - 1933 - 7/10  

 
Director of Broadway musicals, which aren’t doing so well, changes gears and puts on Broadway preludes.
Yes, another variation of,  “Kids, let’s put on a show!”
Except this one is spectacular.
James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler headline the cast.
Cagney’s performance is on-fire ferocious, while Blondell is sexy and wisecracking as ever.
One watches, however, for the outrageous Busby Berkeley dance numbers.
“The Honeymoon Hotel” is beyond risqué, while “Shanghai Lil” is set in a bordello and opium den.
Fantastic musical and brilliant gem from the Pre-Code era.

The Great Escaper - 2023 - UK

The Escaper - 2023 - 7/10  

 
He’s 90, he’s forgetful, plus he worries about his wife, who seems to have less remaining time.
Anyway, that explains why he forget to reserve a place on the Normandy ferry to commemorate D-Day.
Instead, as always, he wings it, leaves the nursing home early, buys a ticket, and recalls memories.
Memories of his wife of 70 years, back when they were dating.
Memories of the soldier whose fears he tried to ease during the choppy beach landing.
A quiet film.  Remembering others, paying tribute, holding onto love in the twilight of time.

 

Best Of Enemies - 2023 - UK

Best Of Enemies - 2023 - 8/10

 
USA national party conventions of 1968.
Bottom ranking network ABC pulls a stunt, allowing two outsiders to engage in post-days’ debates.
William F Buckley and Gore Vidal.
Two intellectuals, both erudite, using words like rapiers, eviscerating both parties and each other.
Very heady adaptation of the 2015 documentary.
Attempts are made to include historical context and outside figures amidst the trenchant dialogue.
That said, US Boomers may be the last to have real time memories of these events.
For theatre junkies, this is riveting drama, wickedly funny, to boot.
Political obsessives, yeah, you will enjoy too.
For others, appreciate the intelligence expected of viewers in 1968.
English subtitles = https://subscene.com/subtitles/national-theatre-live-best-of-enemies/english/3210584

Land Girls - 1998 - UK

Land Girls - 1998 - 6/10

 
During WWII, three young women are dispatched to work farms while the men are off fighting.
A flirt, a reserved studious sort, a romantic dreamer.
Friendships, emotional entanglements, and work.
Stories are not hackneyed, but somewhat predictable.
Scenery is lush and will be eagerly devoured by armchair pastorale travelers.
Easy rolling film with a lovely feel for time and place.
I saw this when it first came out, and it still offers a nostalgic charm.

Count Dracula - 1977 - UK

Count Dracula - 1977 - 7/10

 
Criminally overlooked version of the Carpathian count.
Louis Jourdan readily has the elegance and panache of the aristocrat.
The story is faithful, right down to the moonlight snack Vlad offers to his brides.
Darkish throughout, and much of the colors seem drained.
Frank Finlay makes a worthy adversary in Van Helsing, yet Jourdan dominates every scene.
Why has this never had a restoration?  This is one of the most faithful versions of the count.

Dracula In Istanbul - 1953 - Turkey

Dracula In Istanbul - 1953 - 5/10  
AKA - Drakula İstanbul'da

 
Young lawyer travels to Romania to help reclusive count buy kiosks in Istanbul.
Gloomy castle, one wife, aroused and thirsty, rooms forbidden entry into.
For thirty minutes, the plot is fairly faithful, until the scene shifts to Istanbul.
The lawyer’s wife, Güzin, is a cabaret dancer, while her sister, Sadan, is a sleepwalker.
Dancing, dancing, more dancing, coupled with declining health, and red-eyed bats.
Final act brings back Count Drakula, as well as his enemies, led by Dr. Nuri.
Curiosity got the better of me – again.

Savage Three - 1975 - Italy

Savage Three - 1975 - 7/10
AKA - Fango Bollente

 
The three work for a huge computer / data-information company.
Work is monotonous and dehumanizing.
They are cogs in an electronic grid.
Releasing steam, and to feel alive, they engage in escalating criminal behavior.
Provoking riots, car theft, causing traffic accidents, beatings, murders, rapes, brutality.
The theme is 40-50 years ahead of its time.
Excellent German commentary equating this prescient film with ongoing human madness.
Dallesandro leads a forceful cast in what turned out to be a fantastic surprise for me (I was expecting a routine Poliziottesco or Euro-Crime).

Eyes In The Night - 1942 - USA

Eyes In The Night - 1942 - 6/10  

 
An old flame reenters Norma’s life, and this time he is seducing her 17 year old step daughter.
For advice, Norma seeks out her blind friend, private eye Duncan Maclaine.
Who soon deduces nefarious activities swirl about Norma’s quiet home.
While blind, Mac’s remaining senses are as razor keen as a Hollywood scribe’s imagination.
As with so many disabled crime fighters, he has a formidable sidekick in his dog, Friday.
MGM programmer could have been a franchise, but faltered after a second installment.

The Black Pirate - 1926 - USA

The Black Pirate - 1926 - 6/10    

 
After his father is slain by pirates, the young lord secretly joins the ship, biding his time for revenge.
In short order, he outduels the buccaneer captain and becomes leader.
Followed by romance (a princess!), treasure, and ship to ship combat.
The drama, the story, drags a little.
Huge compensation – if you can find it – this was shot in early Technicolor.
Douglas Fairbanks, trim and fit, performs amazing stunts.
Chief among them, the sail shredding, copied in numerous swashbucklers.
Several DVD / BluRay choices (of varying color saturation) are available.
https://www.silentera.com/video/blackPirateHV.html

No Hands On The Clock - 1941 - USA

No Hands On The Clock - 1941 - 6/10  

 
Private eye Humphrey, on his honeymoon in Reno, is tasked with finding a missing man.
Several shady ladies fuel his new bride’s jealousy, while mobsters try to rub him out.
There are also scattered murders, suspicious cops, and FBI agents.
Pre-Boston Blackie Chester Morris glides effortlessly through muddled, percolating script.
I never knew what happened to the son, or why gangsters assumed Humphrey was one of them.
Jean Parker, as the new bride, makes a great foil to Chester.
Typical B-film:  fun, forgettable.

Madame Blanc Mysteries: S01 - 2021 - UK

Madame Blanc Mysteries: S01 - 2021 - 6/10  

 
After her husband dies, wife Sally (antiques dealer) goes to France to tidy affairs.
Where she learns he had been murdered by his “other” wife.
Whom no one ever describes, even though they all saw her.
Spotty local mysteries follow, with a weak, ongoing arc of the husband’s death.
While set in France, most of the cast are Brits in postcard series in the cozy world.
Alright if you curb your brain – I tagged the murderer by the first episode.

Night Shift - 2021 - USA

Night Shift - 2021 - 6/10

 
Two sheriffs chat in the coffee shop, one rookie, one seasoned.
Next, break-in at the bowling alley.
The rookie is an eager beaver, while the older man digs into the alley’s history.
Horror short grows progressively darker and creepier.
Director David Pratt is someone to keep an eye on.