Jack!

THE LODGER-1926-This silent suspense drama established Alfred Hitchcock as a director who was going places. It’s based on an English novel and the real Jack The Ripper. It doesn’t use that many title cards and instead relies mostly on visual effects. Ivor Novello portrays a mysterious stranger who comes to room in a London boarding house when a killer is on the prowl in the foggy streets. Is he the killer? Very well done but the print I saw was very worn (gee…I wonder why?).

The future Sir Alfred makes the first of his many cameos too (I’ve read he appears twice but I must have missed one!). Novello also starred in a 1932 British remake (somehow he also wound up writing dialogue for TARZAN OF THE APES in 1932!). The 1944 US version starred Laird Cregar and MAN IN THE ATTIC (with Jack Palance in 1953) covered similar ground.

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Sci-Fi '50's

RIDERS TO THE STARS-1954-Scientist Herbert Marshall needs a meteor from outer space. He and a group of scientists set out to find three men to fly rocket ships (with wings) into space to get one. William Lunigan (a busy TV actor at the time) is the scientist most qualified. He’s also Marshall’s son. He falls in love with Martha Hyer while being trained. Richard Carlson (who was in THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON the same year) co-stars and directs as well. I’ve read “film doctor” Herbert Strock directed some scenes un-credited. It’s an early serious science fiction tale (based on a story by Ivan Tors) and it’s in color! Curt Siodmak wrote the screenplay.

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I Bury The Living...How 'Bout You?

I BURY THE LIVING-1958-A department store owner (Richard Boone, the same year he started his hit western HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL on TV) has to take over the operation of a cemetery for one year. The centerpiece of the dingy office is a large map of all the burial plots. Black pins in the map indicate that the plots are “occupied”, while white pins signify the owners are still living. When Boone accidentally puts black pins into the plot of a couple still alive, they die a few hours later. This happens several more times until Boone begins to think he has some kind of power over life and death. It’s a fairly interesting thriller (I’ve heard Stephen King says it’s one of his favorite movies..) but has a pretty improbable resolution..

Theodore Bikel (in terrible old man make-up) plays the soon to be retired caretaker. He was in THE DEFIANT ONES the same year. Also with Peggy Maurer, Robert Osterloh, Herbert Anderson (one year away from playing Mr. Mitchell on the long running DENNIS THE MENACE TV show), Cyril Delevanti and Russ Bender.



Director Albert Band (Father of Charles & Richard) made the seldom seen FACE OF FIRE with Cameron Mitchell the same year.



The once mighty Jack P. Pierce did the make-up for I BURY THE LIVING.



Writer Louis Garfinkle later co-wrote THE DEERHUNTER.


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I Turn To Stone...

THE MAN WHO TURNED TO STONE-1957-Strange goings-on at a women’s penitentiary as a group of scientists (lead by an oily Victor Jory) experiment on inmates and try to cover it up. Apparently they are all around 200 years old and need healthy women of child bearing years to help them say young and not turn to stone when they die! I’m not making this up. How would you like to turn to stone when you die?

William Hudson (later the philandering husband in Bert I. Gordon’s ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN) investigates. Friedrich (Von) Ledebur is the zombie like Eric who eventually does turn to stone. He’d played Queequeg in John Huston’s MOBY DICK the year before and was in VOODOO ISLAND and THE 27TH DAY the same year as TMWTTS. Busy TV actress Ann Doran is Jory’s assistant. Also with Charlotte Austin, Jean Willes and Paul Cavanaugh. 

Hungarian born director Laszlo Kardos also provided the story for DANCE WITH ME HENRY, Abbott & Costello’s last movie.

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K

K-2002-This is a strange meandering film based on stories by Franz Kafka. It uses scenes similar to those in his famous stories but isn’t really an adaptation of any one work except for part 3 which is kind of a version of “In The Penal Colony”. Otherwise it’s more Kafkaesque than Kafka and seems very European but it was actually made in the US.

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It's A Bird, It's A Plane....

HOLLYWOODLAND-2006-The “mysterious death” of George Reeves is the topic of this fictional biopic. Ben Affleck plays the actor who gained immortality playing “Superman” on TV in the 1950’s. Adrian Brody is the fictional PI investigating his suicide. Diane Ladd is slightly miscast as Reeves’ married lover Toni Lanier. It touches on several conspiracy theories but in the end seems to say that Reeves did in fact kill himself.


Affleck is good but lacks whatever it was that made the real Reeves so likable and perfect as the man of steel. It’s really not his fault though. There’s probably no actor around who could have captured it!

Since Brody’s character is fictional why delve into his personal life? Who cares? This side story really brings the film down a notch.

Bob Hoskins is Eddie Mannix, Toni’s producer/husband. Also with Robin Tunney (TV’s PRISON BREAK), Jeffery DeMunn and Larry Cedar. This was the first theatrical movie for director Allen Coulter who’d previously done TV episodes of THE SOPRANOS, THE X-FILES, SEX AND THE CITY and other shows. 

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It's In German!

TITANIC-1943-Yes, this is a version of the famous Ocean Liner tragedy only it’s in German and was made during WW2! Here however The English are viewed as being greedy capitalists who care more about money than they do human life. Of course The Germans in steerage are quite honorable.

Supposedly Hitler’s minister of propaganda Joseph Gobbells decided after its initial release that it was too much of a “downer” during such a turbulent time and recalled it. For many years it was considered a lost film but fortunately copies turned up. Parts of it are hard to follow because everyone is speaking German but it’s well made and acted. 

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.Hong Kong

AB-NORMAL BEAUTY-2004-A young photographer becomes obsessed with photographing death after taking some pictures of a car accident victim. She seems to be haunted by a childhood rape and is eventually made an S & M victim by a stalker who sends her a snuff tape. Her girlfriend tries to help her but to no avail. Although there are some well-done scenes in this strange drama it is once again (as in many Hong Kong produced horror tales) mostly style over story.

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Serious but Funny...??

JIANG HU-THE TRIAD ZONE-2000-Tony Leung plays a Hong Kong Triad boss in this kind of unusual but entertaining action film. It’s a comedy/drama satire with some seriously violent overtones. Leung is Jim Yam, a mob boss who’s frequently shot at. He has a wife (Sandra Ng) and mistress (San-san Lee) and most of the situations are played for laughs despite the violence. Things take a weird turn though when Anthony Wong shows up playing Master Kwan, an ancient god who saves Jim’s life! Though at times the story becomes very serious it always returns to comedy. Eric Tsang plays Jim’s jailed ex-bodyguard in a poignant scene. Director Dante Lam somehow makes it work and provides a very good shoot-out in a flower shop.

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Another Quickie

TARNATION-2003-This is the true story of Jonathan Caouette. and his childhood ordeal of growing up with his schizophrenic mother Renee.

He uses films he shot, pictures, TV images and music to tell his story, however some parts especially of him emoting as an adult seem staged. Fascinating at times but gets lost in it’s own shelf indulgence.

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A Puzzle

MARATHON-2002-This arty filmed in black and white story concerns a young woman (Sara Paul) as she tries to solve over 70 crossword puzzles in 24 hours. The burning question is: why??

Most of it takes place on various NYC subway lines but later she returns to her apartment and seems to lose it big time! It’s fairly interesting at first but loses steam, as the story has nowhere to go.

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J-Horror

DARK WATER-1999-Excellent Japanese ghost story by the makers of RINGU. A mother and daughter move into a rundown apartment while the mother goes through a divorce and hunts for a job. Water dripping from the ceiling of her apartment sets things in motion in this subtle but eerie film. A US remake followed a few years later.

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Quick Hound

HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES-1972-Many people seem to have forgotten this TV movie version of the famous A. Conan Doyle story was ever made. 

It features Stewart Granger as Sherlock Holmes and Bernard Fox as Dr. Watson. They are not the best actors to play the team but for a TV movie they aren’t bad. Capt. Kirk himself William “Canadian Ham” Shatner is the suspicious and smirk George Stapleton and also plays the doomed Richard Baskerville in a pre-credit flashback. Also with Anthony Zerbe, Sally Ann Howes and Allan Caillou as Inspector Lestrade. Director Barry Crane was a busy TV director at the the time.

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Seems Like Hammer But It Isn't-Part 2

MADHOUSE-1974-Entertaining Amicus/AIP production features Vincent Price as Paul Toombes a famous horror actor who may have taken his most famous role of Dr. Death too far and killed his fiancé (after learning she was once a porno actress). Scenes from real Price horror films (HOUSE OF USHER THE RAVEN TALES OF TERROR PIT AND THE PENDULUM) are shown to depict the fictional Toombs’ career. Fellow actor Peter Cushing brings him out of retirement for a stupid TV producer (Robert Quarry) and people start getting killed. Also with Adrienne Corri. Natasha Pyne Linda Hayden and Barry Dennen.

It’s ok but a little reminiscent of THEATER OF BLOOD though it’s based on the novel “Devilday” by horror writer Angus Hall. After this Price would make only two films (but do voiceovers and make TV appearances) until 1980. It was the last of 7 films by usual film editor Jim Clark. 

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