the spy in black (1939)

aka U-boat 29.
"If I am to be shot it is as an officer."
1917 and a German u-boat captain (Conrad Veidt) is sent to the Orkney Isles to aid in the blockade of Britain and help sink some of the British fleet. To do so he is ordered to report to the local schoolmistress (Valerie Hobson), who is a German spy. She has a means to help him in his mission.
Powell and Prestburger's first collaboration is a spy story with a twist. Much of it follows the U-boat captain's story in a dispassionate way, making him less of a villain then one would suppose, but then the film was made a year before the second world war started.

adventures of a private eye (1977)

aka Adventures of a Private Dick.
"I'm Bob West by the way and I'm a private detective."
Bob West (Christopher Neil) is an assistant working for a private detective. His boss goes on holiday just as Laura Sutton (Suzy Kendall) walks in the door needing help. So Bob takes on the case. Unfortunately he is accident prone, and not a detective...
A role-call of British comedy talent pack out this lacklustre and uninspiring film, from Harry H. Corbett, Liz Fraser and Diana Dors.

adventures of a taxi driver (1976)

"Where to miss?"
Taxi driver Joe North (Barry Evans) gets into various scraps that give him plenty of opportunities to have sex, and throws in a jewellery heist gone wrong to add to his troubles.
Popular enough for it to spawn two sequels, this is a limp film (and yes that is a deliberate pun), with pitiful little sex or comedy! Features Judy Geeson and Adrienne Posta as two to the girls and with Dianna Dors popping up.

zatoichi meets yojimbo (1970)

aka Zatôichi to Yôjinbô.
"We don't see too many good amma around here."
Tired of killing, Ichi (Shintarô Katsu) heads to a village he remembers for its tranquility, to recoop. Unfortunately since his last visit it has been overrun with gangsters overseen by Boss Masagoro (Masakane Yonekura) and his enforcer Yojimbo (Toshiro Mifune). A father/son feud, and a rumoured stash of stolen gold hidden somewhere in the village complicate matters further and make sure that Ichi far from having a peaceful time, stumbles instead into trouble...
The series sees the arrival of another famous character to reinvigorate the storyline. What we get is a good if not great installment.

they made me a fugitive (1947)

aka I Became A Criminal.
"I'm ashamed of you Bert. Standing in the way of a job for an ex-serviceman. Sometimes I wonder what England's coming to."
Ex-RAF pilot Morgan (Trevor Howard), seeks more excitement than civie street can give, hooks up with Narcy (Griffith Jones). Narcy runs a number of rackets including armed robbery, but Morgan falls out with him before an armed robbery. Morgan is pursuaded to take part in the caper, only to be fitted up for a murder and subsequently jailed. But this only gets Morgan mad and he escapes seeking revenge, sheltered by Sally (Sally Gray), Narcy's ex-girlfriend, who inevitably falls for him.
A stand out performance by Howard, and shockingly casual violence, lifts this into a competent noirish thriller.

murder at 3am (1953)

"3am, 6th of December, at the Roxy."
A mugger is on the loose, but this time he has killed his victim whilst robbing them. Detective Peter Lawson (Dennis Price) has no clues and is under pressure from his bosses and the press. Then his sister's fiance Edward King (Phillip Saville) comes up with a theory and Lawson begins to suspect Edward may be the murderer.
A competent quota quickie that unusually casts Price as the hero, rather than his usual cad role. Listen out for the shockingly melodramatic, and intrusive, organ soundtrack, straight out of a Todd Slaughter murder mystery!

blythe spirit (1945)

"She's probably planning some sort of spiritual remarriage. I wouldn't put anything past her."
Author Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison) sets up a seance as research for his next book. Unfortunately for him Madame Arcarti (Margaret Rutherford) brings forth Elvira (Kay Hammond), his first wife. Just as unfortunately Charles is the only person who can see her, but that doesn't stop Ruth (Constance Cummings), his second wife, from trying to get rid of Elvira.
Based on Noel Coward's understated comedy, which is dominated by the comic genius of Margaret Rutherford.

cash on demand (1961)

AKA The Gold Inside.
"Its rather a good plan, don't you think?"
Fordyce (Peter Cushing) is a pedandic, bullying, and charmless bank manager, who comes up against a ruthless but superficially charming crook Hepburn (André Morell). Hepburn annouces that he has had Fordyce's wife and child abducted to ensure his total co-operation. But a flaw arises when the bank staff realise that something is not right and Fordyce has to beg them to keep quiet for his family's sake.
A claustrophobic little thriller well played by all concerned. For no apparent reason this was shown in 1961 in America, but the UK had to wait another two years to see this gem.

city of the living dead (1980)

aka Paura nella città dei morti viventi. The Gates Of Hell. Fear In The City Of The Living Dead.
"The city of the dead. The living dead. A cursed city where the gates of hell have been opened."
A priest commits suicide in the cemetery of a small New England town. This prompts the opening of the gates of hell, allowing the dead to rise. A young psychic, Mary (Catriona MacColl), experiences visions of this and teams up with a hardened New York journalist Peter (Christopher George), to save the earth. Meanwhile in the town psychiatrist Gerry (Carlo De Mejo) and one of his patients Sandra (Janet Agren) realise that something weird is happening. Can they close the gates before the dead rise to kill the living?
Fulci's follow up to Zombie Flesh Eaters has a few memorable set pieces, using atmosphere as well as gore, tied together with the thinest of plots. Interesting and entertaining genre piece.