18.4.09

screaming mimi (1958)

Anita Ekberg is Virginia, a woman commited to a mental asylum with traumatic stress, after she is attacked by an escaped lunatic, who is killed by her step brother. The psychiatrist falls for her and he helps her escape, vowing to cure her. She ends up dancing in a nightclub run by Gypsy Rose Lee and sparks the interest of the local nightlife reporter. Life then gets more complicated when she is attacked by a potential serial killer.
A film noir that exudes sex and torrid emotions from every angle. Maybe not the greatest noir, it still has enough style and twists to keep you interested, and some great nightclub scenes. As the poster says 'Suspense around every curve!' The story, by Fredrick Brown was later adapted very loosely by Dario Argento for his film The Bird With The Crystal Plumage.

el topo (1970)

aka The Mole.
Essentially a simple story that is saturated with symbolism and beautiful imagery from the start. We follow the journey of a black clad gunfighter and his naked son as he quests to find enlightenment.
At every turn there is a weird character wrapped in a mix of religious symbolism and theosophy.

A spaghetti western drenched with acid, that will either draw you in or infuriate you.

14.4.09

30 days of night (2008)

An isolated town gets ready for the month long night of an Alaskan winter. This includes sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) and his wife Stella (Melissa George), who are having marriage difficulties and have just separated. As the town battons down for winter he finds a series of grizzly murders and soon the town is under seige from a number of Vampires. Unfortunately for the town the Vampires are fast and powerful predators, intent on laying waste to everyone in the township. Can they fight and survive until sunrise, which is unfortunately 30 days away!
The film plays up the dread rather than the gore lending extra shocks when the vampires eventually attack. The only downer is the contrived ending, otherwise its thrills all the way.

the orphanage (2007)

aka El Orfanato.
Laura moves with her adopted son Simón into an old house, which was her home when she was an orphan. Simón talks to her about his five invisible friends, but she believes this is just his imagination and pays it little attention until she sees a mysterious masked boy and Simón vanishes.
A well made and wonderful looking film, that never quite catches fire and has plot holes that are impossible to ignore. But suspend your belief, after all this is a horror
film and not real life and you'll find an enjoyable Ring style horror.

doctor x (1932)

A wisecracking newspaper journalist is trying to get a scoop on the "Moon Killer" murders, in which the victims are strangled, and cannibalized, but only during a full moon. Police believe that a scientist at the Academy of Surgical Research is responsible and question Dr. Xavier, who runs the place with a number of scientists. The journalist hides out and follows Dr X's experiments as the Dr himself tries to discover the killer. But can they do it before the next full moon, and save the Doctors daughter played by Fay Wray?
A slow start does nothing to prevent this enjoyable film soon rattling through the possibilities as we try to second guess the script and find the killer.

13.4.09

shiver of the vampires (1970)

aka Le frisson des vampires. Sex and the Vampire. Strange Things Happen at Night. The Terror of the Vampires. Thrill of the Vampires. Vampire Thrills.
Isle and Antoine are honeymooners on their way to visit her cousins, her last remaining relatives. Upon their arrival, they find out that they died the day before. They decide to visit the chateau anyway and find two young women in residence.
This film is gloriously over the top. Fantastic wildly lit Gothic sets, and a dreamlike pace, are enhanced by a groovy psychedelic soundtrack. Topped off by two soporific lesbian vampires and hippie cousins. It may not be your cup of tea, but everyone should see this once!

black candles (1982)

aka Los Ritos Sexuales Del Diablo. Hot Fantasies. Naked Dreams. This Eurohorror starts interestingly enough. A man has a heart attack whilst having sex, promted by a woman using a voodoo doll. His sister and her husband subsequently travel to England for the funeral, staying at her dead brother's house with the widow. Slowly they get drawn into a devil worshiping cult, that seems to be more of an excuse to show lots of naked women than actual satanism. More of a pot boiler than a true horror, with little or no suspence. It's a bit like the Stud or the Bitch, with some satanism thrown in for added spice, the film never really gets going but does have a few stand out scenes.