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A film following the last months surrounding the life of Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), IRA member convicted on firearms offenses who died after 66 days on hunger strike in 1981.
A very stark and striking film, that is not without its beauty. Mostly filmed in what is made to look like natural light and often in long static shots that make you concentrate on the mundane aspects of prison life. This is a true horror film, one that focuses on the horrors man inflicts on man, and on themselves. The harrowing shots of Bobby Sands emaciated and covered in sores, wracked with pain, but still determined to see it through. At times beautiful, mundane, thought provoking and horrific, this is a film that divides people for so many reasons, whether along political grounds, the inability to take the violence or the long static shots of the tedious side of prison life. All these things make this a fascinating film.
aka Mud Honey. Rope. Rope of Flesh. Rope of Love.
Depression era Missouri and Calif (John Furlong) is trying to get to California. On his way he is decides to take a job at the Wade farm, despite being warned not to. He soon wishes he had heeded the warnings as he gets entangled in the domestic disputes of the family. Things get worse when a local preacher begins a smear campaign about Calif, and his attraction to the bosses sister, who is married to the local nogoodnick Sydney.
This early Meyer effort is a Southern Melodrama, packed full with bad men and women willing to make them feel better! This plays out with little of the Meyer trademarks, though he has packed out the female parts by his usual buxom beauties including Lorna Maitland as a deaf mute who likes men and isn't afraid to show it.
aka Il cieco. Il pistolero cieco.
A blind gunman (Tony Anthony) has been double crossed. He was given the job of escorting fifty mail order brides to a mine, where their husbands to be are waiting. But his partner decided to sell them to the Mexican bandit Domingo instead. Once Blindman finds out what has happened and has dealt with his by now very ex partner, he tracks Domingo down and asks for them back, but Domingo is disinclined to do so. After all, what can a blindman do?
This is a spaghetti western version of the Japanese Zatoichi character, and once you get over the inherent daftness of a blind gunman it plays out rather well, if in a surreal and incoherent way. Watch out for a guest starring role from Ringo Starr (who is surprisingly good).
Modesty Blaise (Monica Vitti) is a former crime boss lured back for one last job by the British government. She and her side kick Willie Garvin (Terence Stamp) have to prevent evil mastermind Gabriel (Dirk Bogarde) from stealing a shipment of diamonds bound for an arabic leader.
A mod/pop art comedy crime caper, which tries to parody the spy genre. Unfortunately the comedy comes over as laboured. It's not aided by some bizarre episodes either, such as the lamentable song, as neither Stamp or Vitti can sing a lick, and some lackluster direction by Losey. But all in all it still manages to entertain, due mainly to a great camp performance by Bogarde, the pop art sets, fashions and some surreal and self parodying moments.
UNCLE are in the middle of an operation called 'the August Affair' and THRUSH would like to know what it is. They come up with the cunning plan of capturing Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) and replacing him with one of their own agents sugically made to look like Solo. Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) slowly becomes suspicious of his friend, due to his behaviour. Can Kuryakin figure out what's going on before the false Solo gets the information, or can the real Solo escape and stop the Thrush double before it's too late.
As with other Man from UNCLE movies this is made up of two episodes of the TV series combined. Fans of the series will love this, it has all the elements a 60's spy film should have, but others may feel it's a little lacking, betraying its origins as a TV show and subsequent lack of funding compared to most films. Never the less, if you want a lightweight spy thriller with guns, girls, and action you could do a lot worse than this.
aka Daredevil. Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Thai Fist.
Ong-Bak, is the sacred Buddha of a village. When it is stolen, the village descends into depression and drought. Ting (Tony Jaa) the village champion is given the task of traveling to Bangkok to rescue the treasure. He's an expert in muay thai (a type of martial art), but is forbidden to use it, but soon finds it come in handy whilst walking the seedy underworld streets of Bangkok.
Whilst the story is nothing new, its acted with conviction, and the cinematography gives it a real sheen, but what makes it stand out is the sheer ability of Tony Jaa and the action scenes. They almost literally burst out of the screen and you feel every punch and kick as we are introduced to this traditional Thai martial art in all its viceral goriness.
Cornelia Van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead) is a mystery writer who is trapped in a house, terrorised by a mysterious criminal called The Bat. Following one attack she fears her housekeeper has been bitten by a real bat so she calls in Dr Wells (Vincent Price), who is conveniently researching bats. But there is more to him than that, he knows that there is some money hidden in the house, and he's willing to kill to find it. Can they find out who the bat is before he murders again and can the police find the money before Wells does?
Agnes plays the feisty lady to a tee, in this rather interesting whodunit, which has some nice one liners scattered throughout to ease the tension. Lots of clues are dropped along the way - can you solve who the bat really is before Agnes does?
aka The Passionate People Eater.
Seymour (Jonathon Haze) is nice but klutzy guy, who works in a flower store. One day he manages to breed a bizarre looking plant, a plant that starts talking to him! Seymour, being the helpful type becomes friends with it and tries to help when it gets hungry and pleads for him to 'feed me'. This is when he finds out that it loves nothing more than chowing down on human for lunch!
A delightful black comedy, that in usual Corman style was mostly knocked together over a couple of days, when a set became suddenly available. Watch out for the fantastic cameo by Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient.
The everyday life of the Maneaters, a female motor-cycle gang is one of bike races, parties, loving and fighting. Led by Queen (Betty Connell) they chew up and spit out men for the fun of it, but new initiate Karen (Christie Wagner) seems to be rather taken by one particular man, something that just ain't done in the Maneaters. To prove her loyalty Karen has to watch as he's beaten, then made to drag him behind her bike. But this idealistic lifestyle is threatened when a rival male gang decides to move into their territory. It's time for the Maneaters to prove they ain't no pushovers.
By 1968 there had been a few successful bikesploitation films, enough to attract the attention of Lewis, who decided he wanted a part of the action. What he provided was a low budget film with a motley assortment of women in go-go boots and bikes looking for thrills, which involves lots of implied sex, and visual violence. It's Lewis's usual mix of poor acting, and bad direction, but even so there is enough here to make it watchable, and even entertaining in parts, even if it is for the wrong reasons.
aka The Case of the Missing Brides.
A woman dies whilst at the alter for her wedding, one of many such deaths where their bodies subsequently disappear. A pushy society journalist Patricia Hunter (Luana Walters), senses a hot scoop and investigates, following a trail to a Dr Lorenz (Bela Lugosi). Dr Lorenz sure seems wacky, could he be a mad scientist, trying to keep his wife (Elizabeth Russell) young by harvesting glandular fluids from dead bodies and using them to keep her young?
This throws all the cliche's at the screen, mad scientists, devilish housekeepers, hunchbacked assistants, wicked dwarfs, and stormy nights in creepy old mansions. It all signals an outrageous horror; Bela hams it up whipping his half-wit assistant. Who in turn manages to stalk a woman whilst eating a turkey leg! These bizarre characters appear and disappear, scaring the reporter, who spots Bela and wife sleeping in coffins, and still she doesn't get the hint! A campy classic that manages to retain a chilling atmosphere, whilst also giving the odd unintentional laugh.
A film following the last months surrounding the life of Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), IRA member convicted on firearms offenses who died after 66 days on hunger strike in 1981.
