Kung Fu Method

AVENGING BOXER (aka METHOD MAN)-1979-Young Shao Yung (Peter Chang) witnesses his father's death at the hands of Wu Pa Fong (Casanova Wong). He hides out with his uncle's traveling martial arts show, trains and plots revenge. There's a lot of comedy in this Jackie Chan inspired story but there's also long stretches of boredom (made even longer for me since I saw a DVD version in Chinese with no sub-titles) but the exciting well choreographed  finale makes this worth watching. Director Jimmy Shaw also made FISTS OF FURY 2.

Thanks for reading!

The Secret Word Is Holdout...

THE HOLDOUT-1962-This is an interesting find! I've read about it but never saw it till recently. It's a half an hour drama, part of The General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan.

 It's about two college students (Dennis Hooper and Brooke Hayward; married in real life at the time) who want to get married immediately and not wait for  graduation. Her mom (Dorothy Green) is all for it but dad (Groucho Marx in his only really non-comedy role) is opposed to it. Not the marriage but the timing. He believes they should wait, graduate and land jobs so they can live independently of their parents. His father (Fred Clark) disagrees which puts a strain on his friendship with Groucho, who plays it straight but delivers some funny "Groucho" type lines in a non "Groucho" way. 

Director Charles Haas was a busy TV director at the time. It was written by novelist Max Erlich.

RX

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. RX-1942-Universal quickie with private investigator Jerry Church (Patric Knowles) getting involved in a rash of murders by a mysterious killer known only RX. He just wants to move to Boston and work in the family business but a famous attorney (Samuel S. Hinds) hires him to investigate the murders since all 5 victims were clients of his. Church also agrees to help a police captain (Edmund MacDonald) who's dopey assistant is played by Shemp Howard! Add in Church's man servant played by the great Mantan Moreland and you have at least two reasons to watch this minor whodunit. Need another? The equally great Lionel Atwill hangs around wearing thick glasses but only gets to show his stuff at the climax. Church's ex-flame Kit Logan (Anne Gwynne) is also a reporter who marries Church half way through the story. Near the end the masked killer uses a gorilla and the threat of a brain transplant to intimidate his victims. There's also a brief reflection of studio lights in a windshield. 

This seldom seen quickie was one of seven low budget films directed by the fast but competent William Nigh who also made BLACK DRAGONS with Lugosi the same year.

Thanks for reading!