The Prey Of The Wind - 1927 - France

The Prey Of The Wind - 1927 - 6/10
AKA - La Proie du Vent

 
Owing to turbulent weather, Pierre is forced to land east of France, on castle grounds.
There, he recuperates from injuries and falls under the spell of Countess Elizabeth.
Then he discovers the rightful countess, Helene, imprisoned, who begs him to help her escape.
Story becomes a watch and wait slow boil.
Which sister is truthful?  Is either?  Does Pierre still need to remain, or is he a captive?
Fairly creaky French thriller borders on melodrama.  Fine restoration.

Robinson Crusoe On Mars - 1964 - USA

Robinson Crusoe On Mars - 1964 - 6/10

 
After crash landing on Mars, the lone surviving astronaut must find water, oxygen and food.
The isolation, the loneliness, proves to be the most challenging.
First half is a thoughtful SciFi, close to hard science, at least for the 1960’s.
Afterward, it goes into action adventure territory.
Flashy special effects, excellent models and miniatures.
The cinematography is quite widescreen, and beautiful (I think Death Valley locations).

The Prisoner Of Zenda - 1937 - USA

The Prisoner Of Zenda - 1937 - 7/10

 
The King Of Ruritaria is kidnapped before his coronation.
By chance, a distant English cousin resembles him and is asked to impersonate before villains seize the crown.
Brisk moving adventure holds up strongly.
Mystery, some romance, the duplicity of relatives, dangers of drink.
The paraphrase the page turners, this is a thumping good romp.
A large chunk of the “British Colony” seems to be here.
Ronald Colman excellent in dual roles.  Douglas Fairbanks Jr., however, is absolutely unforgettable as the charming rogue, Rupert Of Hentzau.

Enemy Gold - 1993 - USA

Enemy Gold - 1993 - 4/10

 
During the Civil War, or War Between The States for you lost cause diehards, a pair of Johnny Rebs hide a mess of gold in the roots of a tree.
Their plan to retrieve the loot later on dies when both are killed.  D-E-D = dead.
Jump ahead 130 years later, when Federal agents, tracking swamp drug dealers, find the stash!
Who’d’ve thunk it?
In no time flat, crooked Feds are after the trio, along with the drug gang, and a female assassin in a bikini.
(How she ain’t getting all bit up by mosquitoes, ticks and chiggers is beyond comprehension.)
Oh, wait a minute!  The good agents, they find time to get naked and get frisky whenever the mood strikes.
Nonsense from Drew Sidaris (Andy’s kid).
Fans of Julie Strain will relish watching her try to out-act a tree stump.

Dead Or Alive - 1999 - Japan

Dead Or Alive - 1999 - 7/10
AKA - Deddo oa Araibu: Hanzaisha //  犯罪者

 
The opening ten minutes is demonstration time!
Unbelievable sequence of quick cutting introduces characters, a decadent yakuza, a high voltage heist.
The editing is a jaw dropping example of concision, along with the show, don’t say ethos.
A low level street gang robs a powerful yakuza boss.
The boss, in turn, coerces an indebted cop to track the gang and bring them to him.
What follows is a weird, ugly crime film of betrayals and vengeance.
A film that grows progressively stranger, with an off-the-rails finale.

The.Walls Of Memory - 2019 - France

The.Walls Of Memory - 2019 - 5/10
AKA - Les Murs du Souvenir

Followup to The Mists Of Memory, which was adequate at best.
This is more of the same, as the detective wrestles with personal problems, while that forensic anthropologist is something between needy teenage, puppy love and outright stalking.
Their personal stories blow, man.  The duo exhibit negative chemistry.

 
Meanwhile, a dead Totenkopf SS officer is found inside a wall during demolition.
The plot is immediately suspect.  99.9% of French would say,  “Oh, dead Nazi from 70 years ago?  Who cares.  Common grave.  Case closed.”
Nope, not here.  There are complications.
Far-fetched story, ludicrous finale, two leads with appeal of wilted zucchini.

Rye Lane - 2023 - UK

Rye Lane - 2023 - 7/10

 
Dom is in rough territory.  His girlfriend has left him for – who else – his best friend.
While crying in a bathroom stall, a female overhears and comments.
“This is the men’s room.”  He says.  “No, unisex,”  she answers.
Aha, the “meet-cute” moment in his RomCom set in South London.
The pair skip the train, skip the bus, and start a walk home.
Talking the whole time.  Eventually turning into the Quest.
Both characters are intelligent, the visuals highly entertaining.
Yes, there is a cameo.  Yes, that’s him!

The Vampire Family - 1990 - Soviet Union

The Vampire Family - 1990 - 6/10
AKA - Semya Vurdalakov

 
The newspaper photographer is renowned for capturing gruesome scenes.
Next assignment, the small village where most of the residents have died or fled.
It is remote, primitive, and the last household is superstitious.
The dead don’t stay dead.  They return within nine days.  Hungry, no, make that thirsty.

 
Visibly dark film manages to be claustrophobic and eerie.
The city guest is out of his depth, but he makes an ideal observer.
Looking without grasping.
The film is not remotely slick, in fact it is incoherent at times.
Nevertheless, the otherness of the place, along with the forbidding suspense. is chilling.

Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy - 1994 - France

Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy - 1994 - 6/10
AKA - La Cité de la Peur

 
The slasher film, Red Is Dead, is so bad, even critics refuse to write about it.
Until life imitates art, and a maniacal series killer starts cutting theater staff.
Bad press is better than no press, and murders are best of all!
Suddenly the terrible movie is buzz worthy at Cannes.
Hit n miss comedy is loaded with film references, gags, and lots of cameos.
The form swings between farce and innuendo and slapstick.
Misfires might have been French puns that I missed.
If you have a fondness for silly (and those around me laughed throughout) this is for you.

Boiler Room - 2000 - USA

Boiler Room - 2000 - 7/10

 
Investment advisor cold calls the sheep.
OK, deadbeat Seth hires on as trainee at small, high-rolling brokerage house.
Specialty?  Aggressive sales of shaky stocks and municipals.
Targets?  Greedy rich, overworked professionals, wannabees, fools.
This is hardly a legitimate firm.  Ethics are casual.
Rapid fire, blistering paced film is an soured fun ride.
Probably worse if you are among the fleeced.

The New Age - 1994 - USA

The New Age - 1994 - 5/10

 
Odd indie film about the yuppie couple, going broke in glossy LA.
They are foolish with money, their careers unsatisfying.
Satire of the hyper materialism of the Reagan / Bush years into the brink.
The couple (low key Peter Weller, crackling Judy Davis) try to reinvigorate themselves.
Today’s fads are tomorrow’s failures, and the noose of financial reality tightens.
Uncomfortably funny film, dated for a few years, now resonating again.
Watch for Judy Davis, and a surprisingly good Adam West.
Finale in the boiler room is sad, poignant, hopeful.

Weird Woman - 1944 - USA

Weird Woman - 1944 - 6/10

 
Professor Reed comes across a South Seas tribal ceremony.
Among the villagers, Paula, daughter of his old mentor.
Even before we witness sparks, the pair are stateside, newly married.
Where the college is now something like a snakepit.
Fortunately for Prof Reed, Paula knows magic spells to protect him!
Version of Fritz Leiber’s “Conjure Wife”, bears passing resemblance to the source.
Nary a supernatural element in this academic melodrama.
Breezy commentary by Justin Humphreys and Del Howison goes into Leiber and Chaney.
As well as the three leading ladies who had deep roots in Horror.
At barely an hour, watch the film, rewind for the comments.