6.12.15

where has poor mickey gone (1964)

"I hearby pronounce you one of us."
Things turn nasty when four lads on a night out are ejected from a nightclub and then decide to assault a courting couple before robbing a magic shop, and terrorise the owner (Warren Mitchell). But then they find out the shopkeeper deals in more than just magic...
Nihilistic, (for the time), thriller, that has a twist in the tale.

vampire buster (1989)

aka Zhuo gui da shi. Ninja Vampire Busters.
"Boo!"
An ancient demon sealed in an urn, is unwittingly released Centuries later, and takes control of a Councilman's body. Luckily there is a priest (Kent Cheng) on hand to try and return the demon to his prison.
The humour (and lack of vampire) detracts slightly from this otherwise entertaining horror.

we are the best (2013)

aka Vi är bäst!.
"We are best!"
Two 12 year old girls (Mira Barkhammar & Mira Grosin) bond over their love of punk music and decide to form a band, ignoring the fact that they cannot play, and have no instruments. Then they hit on the idea or involving another girl (Liv LeMoyne) who is shunned by everyone for being Christian, but she has one thing they don't have, a guitar and the ability to play it.
Fine slice of life drama.

holiday (1957)

A short film examining the phenomenon of the Blackpool summer holiday.
Soundtracked by the best of British trad-jazz, this throws up the various delights that Blackpool has to offer.

it could be you (1957)

"Soon our natural British inhibitions shrank."
A short following a couple of models as they toured Germany after winning a competition.
Of little interest unless you want to see Jackie Collins pre achieving fame as a bonk-buster writer.

department store (1935)

aka Bargain Basement.
"The sight of women fighting in the sales sickens me."
Timothy Bradbury (Garry Marsh) joins Johnson's department store in an undercover capacity to report back to his uncle, the owner, about the management, but is mistaken for a petty criminal fresh out of jail, and is given a porters job. Whilst in this position he starts to learn how the firm is really run.
Cheap but entertaining quickie.

four days (1951)

"He didn't suspect a thing."
Lucienne (Kathleen Byron) is the wife of a businessman (Hugh McDermott), who is neglecting her, so she turns to one of his employees Johnny (Peter Reynolds)...
Melodrama with little to get interested in.

the long haul (1957)

"I can put you back amongst the pigs!"
Desperate for money, truck driver Harry Miller (Victor Mature) falls in with an unsavoury gang. Then makes things worse by getting involved with the big shot's lady, Lynn (Diana Dors).
Passable drama.

the reformation of st jules (1949)

"I must tell you how I came into contact with this fella."
A short gothic thriller as told by the author Algernon Blackwood, with a twist in the tale.
Laid back and rambling.

zodiac (2007)

"What do you want? Time off? A hug?"
Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a cartoonist on a San Franciscan newspaper when the Zodiac killer sends them a letter. Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), their crime reporter, follows up, but all roads lead to dead ends. Fours years go by, and the one person who cannot forget is Robert, who doggedly pursues what is now considered a dead case.
Compelling drama, that pulls you into the frustrations of a long term investigation, made more compelling as it is based on real events.

the boy who turned yellow (1972)

"Yellow plague hits London, wow!"
John (Mark Dightam) looses his pet mouse whist on a school trip to the Tower of London. Back at school his inattention due to worry he is sent home, and whilst on underground an accident turning all of the passengers yellow. He then finds out that it is due to the alien Nick (Robert Eddison), who lives on electricity, and shows John that he has newly found powers, which he uses to rescue his mouse...but was it all a dream.
Powell and Pressburger bring their twist to this children's production.

the black camel (1931)

aka Charlie Chan in the Black Camel.
"There is old saying, 'Death is a black camel that kneels unbidden at every gate.' Tonight black camel knelt here."
Beautiful actress Shelah Fane (Dorothy Revier) is stabbed to death after consulting famed psychic Tanaverro (Bela Lugosi). This leads to Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) arriving and clearing up a couple of other cases along the way.
Lugosi sleazes nicely as the clairvoyant, but the films one failing is crow-baring in so many characters, distracting from the main plot.

highlander: endgame (2000)

"Duncan, watch your back."
Kell (Bruce Payne) again threatens the remaining Immortals Connor (Christopher Lambert) and Duncan Macleod (Adrian Paul). So they join forces to finally defeat him.
a re-treating of the story, before bringing it to its conclusion.

the man from nowhere (1975)

"Do you believe this idiotic story?"
Alice (Sarah Hollis Andrews) is orphaned and sent to live with her elderly uncle who she does not know. Whilst journeying to his house, she is confronted by a sinister man, who tells her to leave as she is in danger. Obviously none of the adults believe her story, especially as the sinister man continually confronts her, and tells her to leave...
Gothic horror for kids, thus lacking any sort of scares.

the voice of merrill (1952)

aka Murder Will Out.
"Parker's secretary has been murdered, Jean Bridges."
Alycia Roche (Valarie Hobson) falls for struggling writer Hugh Allan (Edward Underdown). Along with her husband Jonathan (James Robertson Justice) they get involved in the search for the killer of secretary, who had a sideline in blackmail.
Slow to start, but as the net closes, the tension and entertainment value builds, especially when JRJ does his bear with a sore head routine.

laxdale hall (1952)

aka Scotch on the Rocks.
"People in the country need good roads as they need bread itself."
A political delegation is sent to a remote highland village who are refusing to pay their road tax until their one road to the village is repaired. Obviously they think they know better than these back water provincials.
Ealing style comedy, that works well with its David Vs Goliath theme.

lock your door (1949)

"She'd been shaken a bit, but was alright."
Short gothic thriller 'lock your door' as told by the author Algernon Blackwood, laying out his story about a woman who unwittingly spends a night in a haunted house.
What seems like an improvised and rambling tale lacks any atmosphere at all.

cross-roads (1955)

aka Crossroads.
"Please don't do anything silly."
Following a car crash Harry Benton (Christpher Lee) returns from the grave to avenge the death of his sister, which he blames on Bernard Maskell (Ferdy Mayne).
Short and obvious horror, but one that plays out well.