The Ghost Bride - 2020 - Taiwan

The Ghost Bride - 2020 - 6/10

 
The Pan family are having hard times financially.
One solution is for daughter Li Lan to marry a recently deceased man from a wealthy family.
Down in the Underworld, dead son Tian Ching couldn’t agree more.
He lives a luxurious life, but wants an attractive consort.
Wait!  Then there is a Heavenly Guard, trying to bring the corrupt son to Judgment.
Attractive costumes, imaginative sets, but the story is young fantasy.
Juvenile at times, awkward, swoony romantic.  Better for young teens.

The Raven - 1963 - USA

The Raven - 1963 - 6/10

 
Splendid cast, silly movie.
Rival magicians need no prodding to start bickering, arguing, finally dueling in a preposterous battle.
Richard Matheson, tasked with penning a script based on Poe’s poem, rewrote it as a comedy.
One watches for the stars:  Karloff, Price, Lorre.  Also for Lorre’s ad-libs and one-liners, which upset Karloff.
If you are in the mood, this nonsense may tickle.

It Came From Beneath The Sea - 1955 - USA

It Came From Beneath The Sea - 1955 - 5/10

 
Our creature being, what appears to be, a gigantic octopus.
Blame radiation from nuclear testing in the South Pacific again.
Said radiation is also killing the natural prey, so Ole Octi starts heading towards people snax.
Arriving at San Francisco, where the producers flat drop the ball.
Look, there are tasty sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf, squealing turistas jostling the Embarcadero.
Best, hundreds of convicts, eager to fight, out on Alcatraz!
Yes, yes, there is military business, with torpedoes and explosions, but this remains kinda dull.
Watch with a couple of six-packs, maybe a jumbo order of fish n chips.

Mothra - 1963 - Japan

Mothra - 1963 - 5/10
AKA - Mosura

 
Pint sized twins telepathically summon giant caterpillar to rescue them from greedy tycoons.
After what seems like ten hours later, said insect metamorphosizes into a gigantic moth (reference title).
Then proceeds to devastate Tokyo.  Before that, talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk.
Big pile of whiffle.  This put me to sleep decades earlier.  So why rewatch?  I need a brain transplant.
Watch any Godzilla instead.  Shoot, watch Gamera.

Unwelcome - 2022 - Ireland

Unwelcome - 2022 - 5/10

 
The city is too tough, too perilous, too much for Maya and Jamie.
Then, blessed saints alive, Aunt Maeve dies, leaving them a country home with woodlands.
There comes a price.  Locals warn them to leave a daily portion for the wee folk.
“What, leprechauns!”  scoffs Jamie.
More troublesome are the builders, shunned by the locals, who Jamie hires.
Two thirds in, this is a fair, slow burn horror flick.
Before nosediving straight into laugh out loud absurdity, making me think of Troll 2.
Dismal ratings warned me, the fool and his naïve hopes.

Horror Island - 1941 - USA

Horror Island - 1941 - 5/10

 
Aaarrr!   Ahoy, mateys, reckon there be pirate’s gold out there on Morgan’s Island!
Young Bill, a college boy, owns a deserted rock off of Florida.
He acquires half of a treasure map that may, or may not, be authentic.
Who cares!  He charts a vessel and ferries paying suckers on treasure hunts.
Typical B-film from Universal has assorted characters mixing mysteries, scares, yucks and romance.
The atmosphere stand outs.  Solid choice for lovers of cheap quickies.
A favorite video of mine for late night dates, this usually yielded good results.

Beach Girls And The Monster - 1965 - USA

Beach Girls And The Monster - 1965 - 3/10

 
Zelda sees a listing for this at a nearby Mexican theater and exclaims,  “Look, Jon Hall, Ramar!”
While surfer dudes catch the waves, beach bunnies keep getting slashed by a monster.
A monster who trudges the sand in a rubber suit, mind you.
The narrative is paper thin in this film of mostly surfing, dancing, music, murders, mystery.
Neither shocking nor satisfying.
Jon Hall’s last role (he also directs).
Zelda, a true Ramar fan, enjoyed more than I.

Death Curse Of Tartu - 1966 - USA

Death Curse Of Tartu - 1966 - 3/10

The preliminary guide has disappeared, the campsite is a mess.
Several of the archeology students are concerned and wonder what they should do.
“I know!  Turn on the transistor radio and let’s twist!”

 
One thing for sure.  They are trespassing on an old Seminole burial mound.
Cursed, by the way, from long gone medicine man, still haunting the site.
Ineptly acted, unless one appreciates screeching, with glacial pacing.
Most of the meals – oops, victims – are either stupid or arrogant, so good riddance.

Prisoner C33 - 2022 - UK

Prisoner C33 - 2022 - 8/10

 
He refers to himself simply as “C33” to avoid malice and retribution.
His prison cell is beyond grim, “It needs a woman’s touch,”  he tells his visitor.
The visitor?  Something of a fabrication, his younger self.  Healthier, stronger, glorious.
Banter is a barrage of quotes, clever phrases, epistles, brilliant lines.
The dialogue sparkles and bubbles like fine champagne.
Prisoner C33 and visitor are Oscar Wilde, the ruined man and the legend.
Toby Stephens magnificent in this one-man show.
Theatre junkies, Wilde fans, well worth your time.

A Pair Of Silk Stockings - 1918 - USA

A Pair Of Silk Stockings - 1918 - 5/10

 
Molly and Sam (Constance Talmadge and Harrison Ford) quarrel over money.
For her, money is for spending and enjoying.  For him, let’s be sensible.
He tries to play a joke, it backfires.  Tries another, and it backfires spectacularly.
Stuffy Silent comedy is hurt by unlikable characters across the board.
Despite those shortcomings, the 20 year old Talmadge and Ford have a charming rapport.
Akin to a sophisticated drawing room comedy (ala Noel Coward), it is too slow.
Print I saw was fairly battered, perhaps cut.

Hollywood Censored - 2015 - France

Hollywood Censored - 2015 - 7/10
AKA - La Censure à Hollywood

This starts in the Pre-Code era, during the Depression.
To gain back audiences, film studios juice up films with sex and violence.
The Legion Of Decency and similar Catholic groups until Will Hayes and Joe Breen tighten the production code.
Documentary focuses on the period from mid-30’s to mid-50’s when the Code was most stringent.
And how studios creatively maneuvered around it.

 
Banter and innuendo replaced risqué situations.  That and a final comeuppance.
As for violence, well, the States have always been extremely comfortable with bloodletting.
Sex, intimacy, not so much.  The doc is in English.

Parting Shots - 1999 - UK

Parting Shots - 1999 - 6/10

 
Harry receives the news – six weeks to live.
Advised to get his affairs in order, he does just that.
By killing those who wronged him, stole his life savings, destroyed his career, etc …
Black comedy has been trashed and reviled in England, but it is not that bad.
This boasts an absolutely fabulous cast, although the lead, Chris Rea cannot act, has no charisma, no presence.
Honestly, he is worse than wooden, whereas the rest of the cast is having a lark.
For mystery fans, the look is sunlit cozy, à la St Mary Mead.

Warning Shadows - 1923 - Germany

Warning Shadows - 1923 - 6/10
AKA - Schatten: Eine Nächtliche Halluzination

 
Perhaps a high-water mark in Expressionistic cinema, but this may prove tedious for many.
A successful man suffers a young wife with a roving eye.
Suitors arrive at a house party: three older man, and a youthful stud.
Whom the flirtatious wife clearly has designs on.

 
Then there is the puppet show by a practitioner who may be using actual magic.
Aside from opening cast introductions, there are no inter-titles.  No dialogue, no comments on actions.
Audiences must infer everything in this garish, if slow, blend of horror, melodrama, surreal.

Von Ryan’s Express - 1965 - USA

Von Ryan’s Express - 1965 - 6/10

 
“Messerschmitt!”
Big ole WWII flick isn’t half bad, and is one of Sinatra’s finest roles.
Huge group of Allied POW’s escape from a prison camp in Italy.
Hijack a freight train and thunder towards neutral Switzerland, SS in pursuit.
From there, this becomes cat and mouse.
Sinatra’s character, Colonel Ryan, is not exactly likeable, and is called Von Ryan by fellow soldiers.
Plenty of action throughout in steely macho adventure.
The ending?  Sinatra insisted.