Horoscope Mystery

 

 (imdb)

WHEN WERE YOU BORN?-1938-Interesting but forgotten Warner Brothers mystery feature with Anna May Wong as astrologer Mei Lei Ming and her pet monkey. She predicts the death of a merchant named Corey (James Stephenson) who's partner (fake Chinese) Mr. Gow (Leonard Mudie) wants some letters Corey had in his safe. Through the use of the horoscope Mei helps fat police Sgt. Kelly (Frank Jacuet) and Inspector Gregg (Charles Wilson) solve the case. Who's the culprit? Doris Kane (top billed Margaret Lindsey), Corey's fiancée? Her brother Harry (Anthony Averell), who had an argument with Corey? How about Shields (Eric Stanley), Corey's butler? Olin Howland is a lawyer in one scene. 

Bela Lugosi's pal, Manly P. Hall (who's credited with the original story) explains that astrology is a science in an introduction to the film. Also Jack (Clayton) Moore and Maurice Cass. Director William C. McGann (SH! THE OCTOPUS (1937)) made over 50 movies and also did SFX on many others (THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT (1945), THE BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS (1946)).

It's a shame this wasn't considered for a whole or at least a sequel but perhaps Hollywood's prejudice toward Asian actors (American born or otherwise) at the time had something to do with it. A white American actress has top billing over the Asian American real star after all!

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It's War!

 

 (imdb)

BLACK ENFORCERS aka THE BLACK GESTAPO-1975-The People's Army, a black military like group formed by “white money” for “blacks to help blacks” wear red berets and arm bands. Their leader The General (Rod Perry) is sincere but his second in command, the Colonel (Charles Robinson) wants war, especially after some thugs hassle nurse Marsha (Angela Brent) and beat up one of the army's members. Later, after dirt bags Vito (Phil Hoover) and Ernie (Wes Bishop, one of the writers) beat up and rape Marsha, the Colonel and his small faction castrate Vito while he's taking a bath. His group eventually drive the wig wearing crime boss (the movie's director Lee Frost) and his gang out of town. 

The Colonel and his troops occupy a mansion and train for battle. They switch to all black uniforms and Swahili names and take over the numbers, protection and prostitution rackets. This all goes on right under the General's nose as he's too busy trying to save the neighborhood and having sex with Marsha. Eventually, the General brings them all down. Uschi Digard makes a brief appearance. 

Terrible Blaxploitation movie with a bad script and ridiculous acting. Director Lee Frost started his career in the early '60's and seemed to make every kind of exploitation film: HOUSE ON BARE MOUNTAIN (1962), MONDO BIZARRO (1966), CHROME AND HOT LEATHER (1971), THE THING WITH TWO HEADS (1972) among them.

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Opium Kung Fu

 

 (themoviedatbase)

OPIUM AND THE KUNG FU MASTER-aka LIGHTENING FISTS OF SHAOLIN-1984-Tieh (Lung Ti; THE SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN (1977)) is the leader of a Chinese militia and martial arts teacher. A master turns his place into an opium den. Many of the men become addicts, abandoning their wives, losing their jobs and generally slacking off. Ti is defeated by his nemesis Yung Feng (Kuan Ti Chen) because of his own addiction to opium. After his son is killed, a blind priest helps Ti break his habit. He goes through the usual back breaking retraining. In a rematch, Tieh not only has to fight Yung but his two henchmen who have huge shields. 

The movie features some great fights but the strangest part is that a kind of comedic character becomes an addict, leading to the deaths of his wife and children and his suicide. One of three movies actor Tang Chia (SHOALIN INTRUDERS (1983)) directed for the Shaw Brothers.

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New Fox

 (themoviedatabaae)

NEW TALES OF THE FLYING FOX-1984-Two “heroes” have a sword fight. Hu Feng (Alex Wong) is a knife (scimitar) master and Miao (Alex Man) is a sword master. They fight but are evenly matched, however Miao's brother and his wife put poison on Miao's sword and when Feng gets a little scratch he dies. His wife commits suicide after his death entrusting the care of her son to Miao but before he can pick up his new charge, a servant takes the baby and runs. The baby Wu-Fei grows up to be an excellent Kung-Fu guy who wants revenge against Miao who he believes killed his father. Later there's a lot of talk about poisoning. After several awesome fights, Miao and Wu Feng must fight a group from Tibet and then the evil brother who has two powerful weapons. 

This Shaw Brothers production directed by Sze-Yu Lau, is based on book by Louis Cha. 

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Deadly

 (themoviedatabase)

THE DEADLY KNIVES-(aka FISTS OF VENGEANCE)-1972-A young man named YenTzu-Fei (Yun Ling) returns to his village with Kuan Yue-Hua (Li Ching), his new love. His adopted sister Cha-Cha (Lily Li) is jealous. “Evil” Japanese want a forest for timber but Yen's father, who has a deed to the land, stands in their way. Ogawa (Miao Ching), a pervert, declares this love for Cha-Cha quite violently after fantasizing about her taking off her clothes. An all-out battle ensues at the end of course. 

This Shaw Brothers production was directed by Il-Ho Jang (THUNDERBOLT FIST (1972).

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Fistful

 

A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE-aka DUCK, YOU SUCKER!-1971-An ignorant violent Mexican bandit (Rod Steiger) and an IRA explosive expert (James Colburn) on the run from the British team up with a doctor (Romolo Valli) and his revolutionaries in Mexico to rob a bank. Unfortunately for them, there's no money. The bank was being used to house 150 political prisoners. They are liberated and the bandit becomes a reluctant political hero. 

This overlooked “spaghetti western” was the last western directed the legendary Sergio Leone (also a co-writer). He hadn't planned on directing but one story says Steiger insisted on it. 

Of course there's also a great score by Ennio Morricone. New Zealand actor David Warbeck who years later was in 2 films by Lucio Fulci appears in a flashback.

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Purple Haze

 

JIMI HENDRIX-1973-Great documentary about Hendrix (made 3 years after his passing), better than any recent bio. Lots of good performances from the Marque Club, Woodstock, Monterey, the Fillmore East and even his last performance at the Isle of Wight. There are interviews with his father, Mick Jagger, Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Billy Cox, Eddie Kramer, Mitch Mitchell, Lou Reed, Little Richard and lots of drug talk. Experience bass playing Noel Redding wouldn't give a new interview as he was suing the Hendrix estate over royalites at the time. 3 directors are credited.

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Warren Oates

 

CHINA 9, LIBERTY 37-1978-Weird western (made in Italy) with Warren Oates as Matthew, a miner with a young wife Catherine (Jenny Agutter) who's visited by Clayton (Fabio Testi), a condemned man hired by the railroad to kill Matthew. Of course, Catherine and Clayton have an affair. She stabs Matthew and the two run away. Matthew and his brothers go looking for them. The couple visit a circus where Sidney Lassick works. Sam Peckinpah shows up too as well as Helga Line (HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB (1973))! 

A modern song during a sex scene seems out of place. Cult director Monte Hellman was no stranger to unusual westerns having made THE SHOOTING and RIDE THE WILD WIND (both 1966) earlier.

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Film Noir Robbery

 (imdb)

ARMORED CAR ROBBERY-1950-Dave Purvis (William Talman) masterminds a hold up at LA's Wrigley Field with Al (Steve Brodie), Ace (uncredited Gene Evans) and Benny (Douglas Fowley) who hopes the money from the job will help him win back his ex-wife Yvonne (Adele Jurgens), a stripper now with Purvis. They botch it up and a policeman is killed. The slain officer's partner Lt. Cordell (Charles McGraw) vows to get the killers. 

Fast paced, cool little film noir directed by Richard Fleischer (son of animator Max). Also with Don Haggerty, James Flavin, Paul Bryar, Frank Scannell and Anne Nagel.

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Dialogue of a Dead Man

 

 (imdb)

THE FINAL COMEDOWN-1972-Rats terrorize children. Cops shoot black people. A white pawnbroker charges 2 dollars for everything. Jimmy Johnson (Billy Dee Williams) is a black militant racist who hates whites and believes violence is the only solution. One character says “Your blood brother is losing blood” and there's a pretty hysterical drug induced Vietnam flashback. Apparently all the white cops have to annihilate the blacks. Some white hippies try to help but everyone gets killed including Jimmy's mother (Maide Norman). D'Urville Martin plays his friend, Billy Joe. 

This was released by Corman's New World company and was written, produced and directed by Oscar Williams (DEATH DRUG (1978)). Corman had Allan Arkush add some new scenes and re-leased as BLAST. Williams was in LADY SINGS THE BLUES the same year.

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In Your Pants

 

 (imdb)

EMPIRE OF THE ANTS-1977-Con woman Joan Collins tries to interest a boat load of prospective suckers into buying Florida swamp land. 

Unfortunately for the party, giant ants (contaminated by radioactive waste) decided to invade and munch on the cast. The phony insects superimposed on the screen is a riot. They're too big. “Oh my God, they're herding us like cattle!” says one disgruntled character. Robert Lansing holds things together as the grizzled boat captain (with an earring). John David Carson (THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE) helps out. Brooke (daughter of Jack) Palance gets killed. When Albert Salmi (also in THE COMING for the same director) shows up as a sheriff it develops into a conspiracy story involving a sugar factory and slavery lead by the queen ant. 

Bert I. Gordon (who died in 2023 at the age of 100) made this giant bug movie which seems influenced by his earlier projects, FOOD OF THE GODS and VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS. Gordon from Wisconsin made TV commercials before making his first feature KING DINOSAUR in 1955.

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You Go, Streetfighter

 

 (themoviedb.com)

SISTER STREETFIGHTER-1974-When her undercover cop brother (Lee Long) is exposed and captured by gangsters, the police enlist his sister Tina (Etsuko Shihomi), a cute but dangerous Kung-Fu fighter to help get him back. The head gangster has lots of henchmen (one is called Hammerhead) and Tina gets to fight them all. She also gets help from the original streetfighter (Shin'Ichi “Sonny” Chiba) who seems to have a little problem with women as streetfighters. 

Shihomi made 2 sequels and is also in MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978). She and Chiba also starred in LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI (1978). Director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi also directed the two SISTER sequels and KARATE BEAR FIGHTER (1975) and KARATE FOR LIFE (1977) with Chiba.

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No Arrvial

 

 (themoviedb.org)

SECOND ARRIVAL-(aka ARRIVAL II)-1998-Slack ass computer dork Jack (Patrick Muldoon from “The Days of Our Lives” soap opera) stumbles upon a alien invasion plan after his brother is killed. The aliens can assume human form and have collapsable knees. Michael Sarrazin is a helpful professor. TV actress Jane Sibbett is an investigative reporter. It's pretty dull. 

Director Kevin Tenney made the entertaining NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (1987) and WITCHTRAP (1989) both with Linnea Quigley but his recent efforts have been pretty boring.

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Not Really Horror

 

 (imdb)

FACE OF FIRE-1959-In a small town, a good old boy named Monk (James Whitmore) saves his employer's son from a fire. The kid is ok but Monk severely disfigured. A judge (Robert F. Simon) suggests he should be killed but his employer (Cameron Mitchell) wants to help him. Monk tries to act normal but no one wants anything to do with him. After a lot of conflict there's a happy ending. Also with Royal Dano, Bettye Ackerman, Richard Erdman and Lois Maxwell (a few years later she was “Miss Moneypenny” in the James Bond series). 

Albert Band directed and co-wrote the screenplay which was adapted from the Stephen Crane story “The Monster”. This is not a horror movie although it was sometimes advertised as one.

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I Don't Know Any Sane Ghouls. Do You?

 

THE MAD GHOUL-1943-Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco), who teaches at a local college recreates a poison gas that an ancient Mayan tribe used to cause “life in death”. He hires a student, Ned Allison (David Bruce), to help him over the summer. Ned is in love with a radio singer named Isabel Lewis (Evelyn Ankers). When Morris says things like “There is no good or evil. Only true and false”, it's obvious he's mad. To top that, he's in love with Isabel too and in order to get Ned out of the way, the deranged doc turns his student into a living dead slave via the ancient concoction. Ned turns into a pasty-faced ghoul who carries out the doc's bidding. 

 (imdb)

Later they visit a cemetery where ghoul-Ned performs a cardiectomy because a human heart is needed to bring Ned back to the land of the living. Police Sgt. Macklin (Miburn Stone) and newspaperman “Scoop” McClure (Robert Armstrong) investigate. It turns out the antidote isn't permanent. Ned goes to another town where Isabel is performing to propose but Isabel doesn't love him anymore. She now prefers her pianist Erik (Turhan Bey). After she spurns him, he turns back into a ghoul and he and the doc visit a cemetery and take the caretaker's heart. When the doc finds out Isabel & Erik are an item, he sends Ned to kill Erik but Isabel's scream saves him. Meanwhile McClure figures out that a new heart stealing murder happens whenever Isabel gives a recital. He sets a trap to catch the deadly duo but he's killed in the process. The Sgt. and his detective Garrity (Charles McGraw) up their game to catch the killer. Later, when things get too hot and Ned suspects he's being used, (“What am I? Alive or Dead?”), the doc sends Ned to kill Erik then himself but Ned tricks the doc into inhaling the gas himself. Ned goes to the recital hall but is killed by the cops before he can carry out the murder. The doc dies at the cemetery unable to procure a human heart. Also with Rose Hobart and Addison Richards. 

This enjoyable, eerie Universal quickie was the last film directed by James P. Hogan (LIFE RETURNS (1934) who died of a heart attack shortly after this was finished. He had also been directed much of the “Ellery Queen” series at the time. The great George Zucco had another banner year in 1943, appearing in SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON, 2 PRC productions: DEAD MEN WALK and THE BLACK RAVEN and The Ritz brothers comedy NEVER A DULL MOMENT. Top billed David Bruce was in the “Inner Sanctum” entry CALLING DR. DEATH the same year as The Mad Ghoul. Leading lady Evelyn Ankers was also in among other things SON OF DRACULA.

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Phantoms (?)

 

 (imdb)

PHANTOMS-1998-A woman (Joanna Going) and her younger sister (Rose McGowan) visit an old resort town in Colorado and find the whole population missing. After they discover some decapitated bodies, they meet the local sheriff (Ben Affleck) and his two deputies (Liev Schreiber and Mickey Katt). Katt's character is such an asshole but thankfully has his face ripped off by some kind of giant moth. It turns out something dubbed “The Ancient Enemy” is controlling things. The army steps in and walks around in decontamination suits. It kills in various ways and reanimates its victims. Peter O'Toole hams it up as an expert on the blob like amoeba monster. 

Typical loud violent nonsense with the standard “shock” ending. Also with Robert Knepper and Bo Hopkins. It was adapted by author Dean R. Koontz from his own novel. Director Joe Chappelle had made the infamous HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS in 1995. After PHANTOMS he went into TV.

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More Spencer Williams

 

GO DOWN, DEATH!-1944-In this long forgotten “race” film, Big Jim Bottom (Spencer Williams who also directed) runs a gambling joint. He decides to frame the new reverend Jasper Jones (Samuel H. James) because he has too much influence on the town. His goons take an incriminating photo of Jones and a woman hired by Big Jim. Jim's adopted mother Caroline (Myra D. Hemmings) pleads with her son to end his bad ways but he refuses. She prays for guidance to a picture of her dead husband. His ghost/spirit comes back to help by taking the incriminating photos out of Jim's safe and giving them to Caroline. Jim tries to take them away from her. He pushes her to the floor and she hits her head. He pretends to not know anything when niece Betty Jean (Eddye Houston) comes into the room. Caroline lies in bed dying and a choir sings. Betty and Rev. Jones discuss the circumstances while Jim paces and drinks. When Caroline dies, the reverend gives a long sermon while images of heaven are shown. Jim's conscious gets the better of him and he drinks even more. He tries to run away but he can't escape the sinister accusing voice which shows him a vision of hell (from a foreign movie) where he'll “be with his own kind”. Later they find Jim dead in a canyon. 

Much like THE BLOOD OF JESUS it uses crude sfx, characters superimposed on other scenes and gospel singing. Sometimes there's dialogue but the actors' mouths don't move. The sermon the reverend gives is the poem “Go Down Death” by James W. Johnson. Although the acting and editing isn't very good it's nice to see this film rescued from obscurity. This is one of 14 movies actor Spencer Willimas directed between 1928 and 1949. Some were religious morality tales like this. Others were cool musicals. Williams later played Andy on the (now) controversial TV sit-com “The Amos 'n Andy Show”.

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Ozu Double Feature (sort of...)

 

 (youtube)

A STRAIGHTFORWARD BOY-1929-Once a 38-minute silent short, all that remains of this adaptation of an O. Henry story by Yasujiro Ozu is about 14 minutes. You get the gist of the comic tale, two kidnappers grab a little boy but he proves too much for them. It has a funny final scene.

 (imdb)

I GRADUATED, BUT…-1929-Unfortunately, this feature silent film by Ozu is very incomplete. Only around 10 minutes survives! A recent college graduate turns down a receptionist job thinking it's beneath him. He has no other offers and has to keep his secret from his wife and mother.

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McHale's Shop of Mystical Wonders

 

 (imdb)

MERLIN'S SHOP OF MYSTICAL WONDERS-1996-A grandpa (Ernest Borgnine) tells his grandson a story about the title place. While two women talk about not getting pregnant, one woman's son wanders into the shop and meets Mr. & Mrs. Merlin. Then jackass columnist Jonathan and his wife visit while some trolls watch them. Merlin gives him an ancient book of spells and tells him not to use it. Of course he does. Merlin also gives Jonathan's wife (who wants a baby) a wishing stone. For some reason, Jonathan turns his cat into a demon cat and it almost kills him. He also ages dramatically. When he makes a potion (using his wife's blood) and drinks it, he turns into a baby and the wife gets her wish. Next, a burglar steals a toy monkey from the shop. A woman gives it as a birthday present to a young boy. Plants die and then a goldfish. Later a fire breaks out and kills a doorman. A psychic tells the boy's father he has to perform an exorcism on the monkey. He throws it away. When it almost kills his son, he buries it. When grandma visits, she brings the monkey as a gift. It seems like it might kill them but Merlin saves the day. The second story which in some ways resembles a Stephen King short story written years before, is actually a re-edited short with a new ending, Writer/director Kenneth J. Berton never made another movie.

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English Wolf

 

 (imdb)

NIGHT WOLF-2010-Bloody awful English horror film with a family being terrorized in their house by a bloodthirsty creature. Simon MacCorkindale (in his last movie role) is their doomed father. After this director Jonathan Glendening followed with STRIPPERS VS. WEREWOLVES (2012). Also known as 13 HOURS. 

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More Spaghetti

 

 (imdb)

THE GREAT SILENCE-1968-Somewhere in the old west (Italy), bounty hunters like Loco (Klaus Kinski; in I BASTARDI the same year)) are out of control and the governor wants to put a stop to it. Roaming the countryside is Silence (Jean-Louis Trintignant from A MAN AND A WOMAN (1966)), a gunfighter who's hired by families to kill bounty hunters to avenge the deaths of their loved ones. A widow (Vonetta McGee; later in BLACULA (1972)) hires Silence to kill Loco who murdered her husband. Meanwhile, a store owner hires Loco to kill Silence. In recent years critics go on and on about this western allegory that tries way too much to be like Leone (Ennio Morricone scored it) and director Sergio Corbucci (also one of the screenwriters) needs a history lesson. 

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The Lash of LaRue

 (imdb)

GHOST TOWN RENEGADES-1947-The Cheyenne Kid aka Marshall Davis (Lash LaRue) and Fuzzy Jones (Al St. John) are dispatched by the chief Marshall (Henry Hall) to investigate the disappearance of 2 surveyors. They come up against evil lawyer Vance Sharp (Jack Ingram) who wants the land owned by Diane Trent (Jennifer Holt; sister of Tim). He has two henchmen (Terry Frost and Lane Bradford). Although Fuzzy is pretty tough and good in a fight, he still supplies the comic relief when they spend the night in a ghost town. Also with William Fawcett. 

Pretty decent low budget western (only 59 minutes) from PRC. One of several Cheyenne Kid features LaRue (who uses his trademark bullwhip several times) made between 1945 & 1948. Prolific director Ray Taylor made several serials and many more westerns (some with LaRue). Screenwriter Patricia Harper wrote screenplays for many movies in the 1940's after a brief turn as an actress.

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Boggy

 

 (imdb)

BOGGY CREEK ll: AND THE LEGEND CONTINUES-1983-Anthropologist Dr. Brian Lockhart (writer/director Charles B. Pierce) takes 3 students, Tim (Chuck Pierce), Tanya (Serene Hedin), Leslie (Cindy Butler) on a trek to find “The Boggy Creek Creature” in Arkansas. They wander around and Lockhart tells some Bigfoot stories (shown in flashbacks). At night, while camping they have a creature encounter. Lockhart shoots it with a tranquilizer dart but nothing happens. The “dumb” girls go joy riding and get stuck in the mud. They kind of encounter the creature and run away. Later, they meet Old Man Crenshaw (Jimmy Dlem), a fat, shirtless hillbilly in overalls who's holding a wounded baby creature. During a storm, the creature attacks but Lockhart gives it the baby and it leaves. 

Stupid, low budget, badly acted sequel although it is actually the third movie in the “Boggy Creek series”! Chuck Pierce had previously starred in his dad's WINDS OF AUTUMN (1976).

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Time Travelling On A Budget

 

 (themoviedb.org)

TIME CHASERS-1994-Nick (Matthew Bruch) invents a plane that can travel through time. Unfortunately, he signs a contract with a huge corporation GenCore who only want to exploit it for evil. A female reporter Lisa (Bonnie Pritchard) warns him but to no avail. They become lovers and have dinner in a diner in the 1950's. Later they discover a post apocalyptic future that was created when he told corporate head J.K. Robertson (George Woodward) about the plane. Nick and Lisa go back in time to try and change things. Everyone winds up during the Revolutionary War (obviously a battle reenactment). 

Low budget time travel film written and directed in Vermont by David Giancola, who later made ICEBREAKER (2000) with Bruce Campbell as a bald villain. The movie lost money but when “Mystery Science Theater 3000” picked it up, the licensing fees brought profits into the black.

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It's Mutiny!

 

 (imdb)

SPACE MUTINY-1988-On a spaceship going somewhere, the evil, insane Commander Calgon (John Phillip Law) plans to take over. He's assisted by the sadistic McPearson (James Ryan; KILL AND KILL AGAIN (1981)). Some alien women called Bellerians who speak telepathically are also aboard. Commander Jansen (Cameron Mitchell, with Santa beard) is in charge and his daughter, Lea (Cissy Cameron) blames pilot Dave Ryder (Reb Brown; HOWLING 2 (1985)) for the death of a professor. Of course, they fall in love. 

This very cheap looking filmed in a warehouse space opera was started by director David Winters who left for personal reasons. It taken over by Neal Sundstrum with scenes of the Bellerians added by David A. Prior after filming was finished. None of them were happy with the final product. Filmed in South Africa. Brown and Cameron are married in real life.

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Go Back To Sleep!

 

 (imdb)

PATRICK:EVIL AWAKENS-2013-Nurse Cathy (Sharni Vinson) goes to work for Dr. Roget (Charles Dance) and his uptight daughter Cassidy (Rachel Griffiths) in a ward for comatose patients. She meets Patrick (Jackson Gallager), a young man who's in a coma and Roget's “special case”. There's one patient who is awaken though, Mr. Frazier (Chris Fortuna), a victim of an electrical fire who operates a lighthouse. Cathy becomes friends with Paula the other nurse there. She comes to believe that Patrick is aware of things around him. She has weird dreams. But Patrick is controlling things, even using a computer and makimg her boyfriend burn both of his hands. 

Drawn out junk from Australia directed by Mark Hartley. It's based on the 1978 Richard Franklin film PATRICK.

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Jethro Makes Bad

 

 (imdb)

MACON COUNTY LINE-1974-Two ignorant redneck brothers Wayne (Jesse Vint) & Chris (Jesse's real life brother Alan) drive around causing trouble before they are scheduled to join the army. They pick up hitchhiker, Jenny (Cheryl Waters). While waiting for a mechanic (Geoffrey Lewis) to fix their water pump, they run into deputy sheriff Reed Morgan (Max Baer; Jethro Bodine from TV's “The Beverly Hillbillies”). He questions them and picks up his son (Lief Garrett) at military school. Two perverted criminals kill Baer's wife. After killing a cop, they are arrested. Baer believes the brothers are responsible and with his 10-year-old son in tow, goes after them. 

Terrible, violent low budget drive-in fodder. Also with Doodles Weaver, Jay Adler, Sam Gilman, Emile Meyer and Joan Blackman. Jed's nephew was a co-writer (with director Richard Compton) and co-producer on this obviously trying to throw off his dumb hayseed image.

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Lee Leaves

 

 (kungfufandom.com)

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO, SAI FUNG?-1999-Short docu-drama about Bruce Lee’s last days in Hong Kong before leaving for his temporary stay in the US. It stars Stephen Au who also produced, wrote and directed it and has become a big item in Asia. One story says Lee's estate stopped it from being release. It's also been announced that Au was working on a re-tooled DVD release.

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Martial Arts Soccer

 

 (imdb)

SHAOLIN SOCCER-2001-A crippled soccer player Golden Leg Fung (Man-Tat Ng) and Mighty Steel Leg Sing (co-writer/director Stephen Chow) who want to promote Shaolin Kung Fu and idolize Bruce Lee form a Shaolin soccer team with his 5 Shaolin brothers. They come up against Fung's ex-employer (Hung Yin Tse) and his Team Evil. 

Zany, anything goes, sometimes out of control comedy. Chow returned a few years later with KUNG-FU HUSTLE (2004).

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Chi

 

 (wikipedia)

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE 10 RINGS-2021-Watch this unintentionally funny talk fest at your risk. Shang-Chi (Simu Liu, a Canadian actor born in China) is reunited with his estranged father Wenwu (Tony Leung) and his bug up her ass sister Xialing (Menger Zhang). Dad wants to find the land of Ta Lo where his wife is. Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery (The Mandarin in IRON MAN 3) acts like he just stepped out of a Monty Python skit. Shang has an annoying female friend Katy (Awkwafina) who provides gravel voiced bon mots (not). The actress who used to look like Michelle Yeoh is his aunt, the guardian of Ta Lo. 

Much of it seems to be an apology for having Asian stereotypes in other films. The director Destin Daniel Cretton (from Hawaii) must have known what he was doing as this was a colossal hit. He's said to be filming a new Spider-Man movie at the time of this writing.

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Where's My Piranha?

 

 (imdb)

PIRANHA-1972-Art (TV actor Tom Simcox) & Terry (Ahna Capri; had a role in ENTER THE DRAGON the next year), brother and sister photographers go to the Amazon with an American guide Pendrake (Peter Brown). She doesn't like guns even after Pendrake saves her life killing an attacking snake. After riding around and semi-exploring they meet a guy named Caribe (William Smith) at a bar. For some reason, Brown challenges Caribe to a motorcycle race. This takes up a good portion of the movie and still no PIRANHA! Then they all go to a diamond mine. Then an endless scene of people panning for gold. Then a sloth climbs a tree. We learn a lot about the characters background but not much about piranha. Not much happens until Caribe shows his true colors and rapes Terry. The killer fish do make an appearance in the finale. 

AKA “Piranha, Piranha”, it was filmed in Venezuela by someone named Bill Gibson. Smith and Brown had co-starred together on the “Laredo” TV series and had been in CROME AND HOT LEATHER the year before.

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Shatner & Spiders

 

KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS-1977-Rancher Colby (Woody Strode) has sick cattle. His prize calf dies. Dr. Rack Hansen (William Shatner) takes some blood samples. Entomologist Diane Ashley (Tiffany Bolling) says the calf died of a spider bite. After Colby’s dog is found dead, he and his wife (Altovise Davis) show Rack & Diane a huge mound made by the spiders. They burn the mound but that doesn't seem to make the ants go away. While Rack & Diane are out horseback riding with his niece, Linda (Natasha Ryan), Colby is killed by the spiders. The mayor (Roy Engel) decides to crop dust the area with a deadly poison but the spiders make the plane crash. Linda's mom is also done in by the arachnids. Soon they are all over town and mass hysteria takes over. The survivors hole up in a cabin, where the next day seemingly forgotten by the outside world, the entire valley is one giant spider web. Also with Hoke Howell. 

Former actor John “Bud” Cardos (THE DARK (1979) directed this pretty decent low budget horror movie that's fairly creepy at times (especially the final scene). For years there was talk of a sequel form various sources but nothing ever panned out.

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Silent Western

 

 (youtube)

THE INVADERS-1912-Ancient western about a broken treaty between ranchers and the Sioux. Sometimes considered the “first great western”, its typical cowboys vs. Indians plot was probably pretty new in 1912. Star Francis Ford (younger brother John) co-directed it with Thomas Ince. Ford directed many short silent films and also acted into the 1950's.

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Mabuse Is Back

 

 (imdb)

THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE-1933-A counterfeit calls Capt. Lohman (Jim Gerald) to tell him he knows who's behind the ring but he goes insane before he can say who the leader is. Then a college professor gives a lecture on the history of the evil mastermind Dr. Mabuse, who's now in an insane asylum scribbling incoherent notes. 

Lehman investigates. At the asylum the man in charge sees an apparition while visiting Mabuse (Rudolph Klein-Rogge). Later, his assistant suggests that the doctor may not be crazy and using hypnotism to commit crimes. On his way to the police, he's killed. There's also Lilli (Monique Rolland) & Tom (Gustav Diessl) who are lovers. But ex-con Tom is torn between his love for Lilli and his criminal activities. When Mabuse dies, it seems his plans are still being carried out. Is he really dead? 

This followed Lang's first Mabuse movie DR. MABUSE, THE GAMBLER (1922), a gigantic 4 hour epic that had to be shown in 2 parts! It wouldn't be until 1960, 27 years later, that Lang would return with another sequel. The Mabuse character was created by German author Norbert Jacques in 1921.

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Creepy Hand

 

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THE CRAWLING HAND-1963-Mel Lockhart (Ashley Cowan), an astronaut coming back from the moon, seems to crack up and turns ghoul like. Steve Curan (Peter Breck) is in charge of the project and Allison Hayes (in her last movie role) is his kind of secretary. 

After the ship is deliberately blown up, Doc Weitzberg (Kent Taylor) thinks there's some kind of new organism being created. While rollicking on the beach with his gf, Marta (former Miss Iceland, Sirry Steffen), a guy named Paul (Rod Lauren) finds the severed arm of the astronaut. He wraps it up and takes it to his rooming house where it kills his landlady Mrs. Hotchkiss (Arline Judge in her last role). The sheriff (Alan Hale) and deputy (Ross Elliot) investigate. Paul is attacked by the hand but he doesn't killed. The hand seems to possess him. He acts strange and almost kills a restaurant owner (Syd Saylor in his last role). The hand slithers around. Occasionally, “The Bird's The Word” by The Rivingtons is heard. Also with Tristram Coffin and Richard Arlen. 

This cheapy sf horror was produced by Joe Robertson who served the same capacity on THE SLIME PEOPLE (1963) and AGENT FROM HARM (1964). He later got into porno films and wrote and directed 2 movies featuring Ed Wood,Jr., LOVE FEAST (1969) and MRS. STONE'S THING (1970). 

Noted “film doctor” Herbert L. Strock (HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER (1958)) directed. One of the screenwriters Joe Cranston, who later wrote THE CORPSE GRINDERS for Ted V. Mikels, was the father of actor Bryan Cranston. Co-star Rod Lauren had a brief musical career, made a few movie and TV appearances and later married a Philippine singing star. He in 2001 he was suspected of her stabbing murder. He fled to the US and committed suicide in 2007.

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Hope This Won't Be Me On Sunday!

 

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FROZEN ALIVE-1964-2 scientists Dr. Frank Overton (American actor Mark Stevens; once a contract actor at Warner Bros.) and Dr. Helen Wieland (German actress Marianne Koch; also in FISTFUL OF DOLLARS the same year) are doing research on suspended animation. After they win a special scientist award, the director Sir Keith (Walter Rilla; Dr. Mabuse' in several movies around this time) wants to break them up. When Frank wants his floozy, cheating wife, Joan (Delphi Lawrence) to retire and raise a family she refuses. Later, she gets drunk and insults Helen. Frank decides he'll use himself as a human experiment. While Frank and Helen are making preparations, elsewhere, Joan accidentally kills herself with a gun she stole from her lover. A police detective (Wolfgang Lukschy) thinks her death and hubby's experiments are related. Sir Keith agrees, thinking it's Frank's attempt at an elaborate suicide. Believing Frank will be arrested for murder when he wakes up, Helen decides to let him die. But then word arrives that Frank is innocent! She manages to correct her mistake and saves him. Everyone lives happily ever after. 

This low budget, un-thrilling West German/UK production was directed by Bernard Knowles who worked on several different UK television shows (“Col. March of Scotland Yard”, “Ivanhoe”). He made a few other feature films like SPACEFLIGHT IC-1(1965). He was also a cinematographer shooting many of Alfred Hitchcock's English films.

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Musical Carradine

 

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DOWN MISSOURI WAY-1946-Innocuous, low budget musical about a professor of agriculture (Martha O'Driscoll; HOUSE OF DRACULA the year before) and her educated mule (Shirley playing herself) and a film company using her land for a production. Mostly forgettable except for John Carradine as Thorny Dunning, the movie within a movie's director giving a deliberately hammy performance (he seems to be channeling John Barrymore). The professor and the movie's producer Burton (William Wright) fall in love. Singing star Gloria (Renee Godfrey) is jealous. 

The songs seem abnormally long in PRC production directed by Josef Berne and produced by Sam Sherman. Also with Roscoe Karns, Will Wright and Eddie Craven. Now forgotten leading man Wright was once touted as “World War 2's answer to Clark Gable”.

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Stuntman

 

 (themoviedatabase)

I'M STILL ALIVE-1940-Self-assured stuntman Steve Bennett (Kent Taylor) insults stuck up actress Laura Marley (Linda Hayes) and it's love at first sight. They get married and everything's fine until Laura gets upset at his stunt work. He decides to quit. Unfortunately, he has a hard time getting on without doing stunts. After a young stuntman is killed, Steve hits the skids and then barnstorms the country. Film producer Walter Blake (Ralph Morgan) tries to help. Eventually, his best friend Red (Howard DeSilva) helps him straighten out his life. Dick Elliot, Selmer Jackson, Sam McDaniels, Herb Vigran and retired silent film director Fred Niblo (as a film director) have unbilled roles. 

Harmless little B-movie directed by Irving Reis (THE GAY FALCON (1941)).

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Out of Season

 

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SEASON OF THE WITCH-2011-During the Black Plague, two former Crusaders Bemant (Nicholas Cage) and Felson (Ron Perlman) are dispatched by a dying, scarred cardinal (Christopher Lee) to deliver a witch (really a demon) to a group of monks who can destroy her power and break the plague. Good luck, I mean to the viewer, not them. 

Despite Nicholas Cage's deadpan performance, many of the characters dialogue seems modern and out of place. The CGI sfx are pretty LORD OF THE RINGS inspired. With the line: “We're going to need more holy water”. Director Dominic Sena had made GONE IN 60 SECONDS (2000), also with Cage.

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