blood orgy of the she devils (1972)

"So mote it be."
Lorraine (Leslie McRae) and Mark (Tom Pace) come under the influence of Mara (Lila Zaborin) a witch who foretells the future and undertakes past life regression. When she is commissioned to kill someone for a client and is subsequently killed herself Lorraine and Mark turn to Dr. Helsford (Victor Izay) for help.
Cheap cash-in that tries and fails to chase the witchcraft loving audience following the popularity of Rosemary's Baby. Alas this has no plot, charisma or humour to keep your attention.

the gay dog(1954)

"That dog has only one chance of catching that hare...if they put it in the trap with it!"
Jim Gay (Wilfred Pickles) loves his racing greyhound but, out of town, he finds a dog with a better chance to win. His friends bet on his dog while he bets against.
A mildly diverting comedy that features Petula Clark as Jim Gay's daughter.

easy rider (1969)

"They're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em."
Two bikers (Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper) journey across America on their way to Mardis Gras in search of the real American dream. Along the way they encounter a drunken lawyer (Jack Nicholson), love, hate and death.
An American counter-culture classic.

the serpent and the rainbow (1988)

"I want to hear you scream!"
An anthropologist Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman) wants to investigate the medicinal properties of the drugs used by voodoo priests use to create zombies in Haiti. But to do so he has to tread a fine line between the voodoo priests, and the Tonton Macoute, the violent thugs running Haiti.
A disturbing horror, due to its being situated within the very real brutality of the Papa Doc regime, where life was cheap and Zakes Mokae playing a more than convincing paramilitary leader with a more than just a nasty streak.

queen of blood (1966)

AKA Planet Of Blood.
"I'm afraid we will have to proceed in the dark as it were."
Sometime in the future, 1990 in fact, and a space research centre receives messages from an alien spacecraft that plans to visit earth. When the craft crashes on Mars a planned mission to Mars becomes a rescue mission. The astronauts including Allan Brenner (John Saxon) and Paul Grant (Dennis Hopper), find only one survivor who is brought aboard for the return to earth, but soon it is apparent that something is attacking them and draining them of blood. Can they get home to the safety of earth before they become victim to the bloodsucker.
The low budget and slow pacing cannot cover up a fun 60's sci-fi.

grim prairie tales (1990)

AKA Grim Prairie Tales: Hit the Trail... to Terror.
"Wanna hear a story... city boy?"
Two travellers in the old west, one a young clark (Brad Dourif), the other a bounty hunter (James Earl Jones) meet at sundown on the prairie and decide to tell stories to pass the time.
A portmanteau film featuring four stories as the two story teller's attempt to out do and psych each other out.

night on earth (1991)

"You called a taxi? No, we called a garbage truck. But you'll have to do the job."
An anthology that follows five different cab drivers, and their passengers, in five different cities on the same eventful night.
The use of five different stories leads the audience on a journey around the globe, from LA to Helsinki, via New York, Paris and Rome, and through pathos, and comedy. Well written and intelligent, with a bit crazed Italian in the middle!

the 5000 fingers of dr T (1953)

"We should always believe children. We should even believe their lies."
Bart (Tommy Rettig) hates his piano teacher, Dr Terwilliker (Hans Conried), but no one will believe his assertian that Dr T plans to enslave 500 boys in order to force them to practice on his enormous piano 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Entertaining childrens fantasy film, which features some fantastic sets.

vixen! (1968)

"I know it's strange, but your body really turns me on!"
Vixen (Erica Gavin) is a sex maniac in rural Canada, who whilst getting it on with virtually everyone she can, but gets involved with some Vietnam draft dodgers and an IRA terrorist.
Meyer gives us broad comedy and a hint of some politics, but you're not watching for the plot are you, there are the usual large busted women to distract you from the lack of plot so that's ok then!

violent playground (1958)

"Just think what you're doing johnny."
The mean streets of Liverpool are patrolled by Detective Sgt. Jack Truman (Stanley Baker), a Juvenile Liaison officer. He then encounters a dangerous teengang leader in the form of Johnny (David McCallum) and tries to return him to the straight and narrow.
A moody and stark film that throws in an unnecessary love story and features fine performances by Stanley Baker Peter Cushing and David McCullum.

rumble fish (1983)

"If you're going to lead people, you have to have somewhere to go."
Rusty James (Matt Dillon), a hoodlum, tries to live up to his older brother's reputation. His brother, The motorcycle boy (Mickey Rourke), returns after an absense of a couple of months, but is distracted and not the same person that controlled the local gangs previously. Rusty struggles with life, as it falls apart, and he loses his friends, and his confidence.
One of those films where every frame seems to be perfect. Artwork as much as a piece of entertainment.

bill and ted's big adventure (1989)

"Party on dudes!"
Bill and Ted (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) are two slacker teenagers who have to pass their next history presentation, or Ted will be shipped off to military school. Luckily Rufus (George Carlin) turns up from the future and he gives them a time machine to help them collect various historical figures who can teach them.
A no brainer of a film, full on light entertainment, disengage your brain and sit back...

liquid sky (1982)

"I was taught that to be an actress, one should be fashionable, and to be fashionable is to be androgynous."
Invisible aliens arrive in New York looking for heroin and find that human pheromones created during orgasm are much better. They then take to stalking a model and her casual sex partners in order to obtain the chemicals.
A low budget sci-fi, that is full of new wave fashion, and lots of solarised psychedelic cinematography. This has lots of potential, but mainly squanders it.

the young girls of rochefort (1967)

AKA Les demoiselles de Rochefort.
"Life, joy and happiness."
Delphine and Solange Garnier (Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac) are twin sisters determined to leave the small town of Rochefort for the bright lights of Paris, but over the course of one weekend their lives are turned upsidedown.
A pastel shaded and candy coated musical about fate and love featuring the music of Michel Legrand and appearances by George Chakiris and Gene Kelly. A perpetually sunny film, (even when they find out one of their friends is a murderer it is laughed off), that cannot help but charm you with its amateurish homage to Hollywood musicals.

hound of the baskervilles (1959)

"The hounds! Let loose the pack!"
Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) undertakes to protect the new Lord Baskerville (Christopher Lee) from the curse that has stalked his family for generations.
Hammer put their patented spin on the detective story, with Cushing and Lee giving their usual outstanding performances. A fine adaptation is the result.

lifeforce (1985)

"They look like bats, giant bats."
A crew are sent to survey Halley's comet. They find a spacecraft inhabited by dead bat like creatures, and three cocoons containing humanoids, which they pick up to study further. Then all contact is lost and by the time the craft is recovered only one of the crew is still alive. He and the humanoids are brought back to earth. Then the female humanoid wakes and escapes, wreaking havoc where ever it goes, draining the lifeforce from all she contacts. With London and possibly the earth under threat Col. Colin Caine (Peter Firth) is given the task to track her down.
Given a big budget Hooper produces an interesting mix of vampire and space.

q (1982)

AKA Q The Winged Serpant.
"Just your good old fashioned monster."
New York police detective Shepard (David Carradine) is investigating the death of a window cleaner, who literally lost his head whilst cleaning a skyscraper. Then a body is found flayed alive in a hotel room. Shepard looks at sacrificial rites and is told of one which is performed for Quetzalcoatl, an ancient god of the Aztecs. A god that takes form as a giant winged serpant. Then reports come in of a giant winged creature flying around New York, could it be that such a creature exists and has settled in the metropolis as its hunting ground.
A run of the mill creature feature is enlivened by Michael Moriarty as a small time crook who is down on his luck and hopes to profit from the creature.

alligator (1980)

"I need your badge...you pushed too far."
David (Robert Forster) is a Chicago detective investigating body parts found in the sewerage system. Whilst in the system he finds what's been chomping on people: a huge alligator. Whilst everyone is running round trying to trap and kill it he starts to wonder how the creature got so big. His leads to take him to an animal testing lab, but the owner has some mighty powerful friends.
An environmental subtext adds a depth to the this underrated creature feature due to a taught script, well played by the leads.

oil city confidential (2009)

"I remember being in Wilko's room and him snorting a line of speed and then saying, 'Right, I'm going to bed now!'"
Documentary about Dr Feelgood, a pub rock band obsessed with the blues, who emerged from the otherworldly area of Canvey Island in the early 70's, and helped spark the London based punk rock scene.
Film that shows how to produce a documentary, great and inventive use of archive, which is used to illustrate the rise and fall of the band and the influence they had on the London music scene.

rosemary's baby (1968)

"He chose you, honey! From all the women in the world to be the mother of his only living son!"
Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse (Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes) move into a new apartment in a old building. They are soon settled in and start to spend lots of time with their elderly neighbours Roman and Minnie Castevet (Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon), especially Guy. But Rosemary is plagued with strange nightmares, which are forgotten about when Rosemary falls pregnant. Initially overjoyed Rosemary soon starts to feel ill and she starts to suspect her neighbours and their intentions, especially towards the baby. Worse still she cannot get out of her mind the thought that her husband may not be the father of her child!
Polanski does it again, producing a work where we are slowly drawn into the relationships and begin to feel a real unease at the situation presented. The apparent reality of the position Rosemary finds herself in makes the horror all the more real.

the boys from brooklyn (1952)

AKA Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla.
"Did you take a bath this morning? Why is there one missing?"
Duke Mitchell and his pal Sammy Petrillo (cut price Martin and Lewis impersonators) on their way to Guam to entertain the troops end up on the jungle paradise of Cola-Cola. They are found by a friendly tribe and helped by the chief's daughter Nona (Charlita). She introduces them to Dr Zabor (Bela Lugosi), who jealous of how well Mitchell is getting on with Nona turns him into a gorilla.
Poor imitation of Martin and Lewis, with poor jokes to go along with it. Meanwhile Lugosi passes through on his way to obscurity and Ed Wood Jr's films.

revenge of the crusader (1964)

AKA Genoveffa di Brabante.
"Your in my hands now. There is no one here to save you except myself..."
Count Treviri (Alberto Lupo) marries Genevieve (María José Alfonso), before he is summoned to go on a crusade. Treviri leaves immediately, entrusting the safety of Genevieve and his estate to Golo (Stephen Forsyth), his most trusted man. Golo soon becomes dictatorial, extorting taxes out of the peasants. He also has eyes for the fair maid and when she spurns his advances has her tried for adultery and sentenced to death. Fortunately she is helped by one of the guards who convinces Golo that he has killed her, but she is left with her newly born son in the woods to fend for herself. Meanwhile the Count has been captured by the Saracens. Will they ever find their way back the castle and each others arms?
A run of the mill peplum, with only Stephen Forsyth standing out as the evil Golo.

fantastic planet (1973)

AKA La planète sauvage. The Savage Planet.
"Deprived of lessons, I decided to run away."
Set on a strange world where the human like 'Oms' are treated like pets or vermin by the giant Draag race. Terr a domesticated Om learns to understand Dragg history and writing before escaping and linking up with a tribe of wild Oms. Armed with superior knowledge of the Draags Terr hits back at them when they try to exterminate the wilds Oms.
There is nothing so trippy as a Chech annimation from the early 70's, and boy is this out there! In reality I was bored of this very quickly, I think this is one of those 'you had to be there' at the time sort of films.

son of godzilla (1967)

AKA Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son. Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko.
"...it appears to be teaching its son. "
A team of weather changing scientists are conducting a number of tests on an island when one goes wrong, creating a radioactive storm. This causes some animals, to mutate and grow. The scientists try and study these creatures when they uncover a giant egg. The egg is cracked open and produces a baby Godzilla. When some mutant preying mantises attack it the youngesters distressed cries bring Godzilla to the island. Cue Godzilla teaching the youngster how to stomp monsters and blow smoke rings.
Not one of the better Godzilla films, mainly due to a lack of stomping city action.

CB4 (1993)

"They were the biggest rap group in the world. They sold more records than Elvis Presley and Greta Scott King Combined. They'll forever be known as the worlds most dangerous band: Cell Block 4."
CB4, a gangsta rap group, are having a documentary made focused on their rise into the biggest band in America. But following a drive by shooting the leader of the group, MC Gusto (Chris Rock) reveals that all is not as it seems.
A psuedo documentary, a la Spinal Tap, this never reaches those heights, but has some great points to make about hardcore rap and the music business in general.

whisky galore (1949)

AKA Tight Little Island.
"They don't do things for the sake of doing them like the English. We play the game for the sake of the game. Other nations play the game for the sake of winning it."
Its 1943 and the Scottish isle of Toddy is in mourning. Due to the war the island is dry, bereft of whisky, the water of life itself. Then a ship smashes on the rocks stock full of the stuff, and the islanders waste no time in 'rescuing' the cargo. The only problem is Captain Waggett (Basil Radford), the English commander of the home guard, who had determined to recover it. There then follows a game of cat and mouse, with the islanders becoming ever more ingenious at hiding the contraband.
Based on a true story, this fictionalised account is one of the great Ealing comedies.

inn for trouble (1960)

Alf Larkin (David Kossoff), Ada (Peggy Mount) and the rest of the family are given a small village pub to manage by Belcher's Brewery. Unfortunately they soon come into conflict with the locals by replacing the local brew with Belcher's, a drink none of them can stand. So the family have to come up with a few enticements to bring the locals back.
Comedy done by the book, if the book was called 'mildy diverting, run of the mill comedy'. Leslie Phillips and Charles Hawtrey pop amongst others, but don't make much of a difference.

count yorga, vampire (1970)

AKA The Loves of Count Iorga, Vampire.
"...one must be vulnerable to all superstitions, conceivably even those of vampires."
Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) arrives in Los Angeles and quickly fixes up some victims via the seances that he holds in his mansion. But once he has vamped Erica (Judy Lang) and moves onto Donna (D.J. Anderson), it starts to dawn on their partners Michael (Michael Macready) and Paul (Michael Murphy) that the Count may well be a vampire, and as no one wants to believe them it may be up to them alone to save LA.
A modern re-vamp of the bloodsuckers story, but still with enough nightgown clad females to keep the faithful happy.

journey to the centre of time (1967)

"I've set the time syncronisation to 24 hours into the future."
Scientists Manning, Gordon and White (Anthony Eisley, Abraham Sofaer and Gigi Perreau), believe they are close to a breakthrough in time travel, but are told by new boss Stanton (Scott Brady) they only have 24 hours to produce some results or have their funding axed. Pushing their equipment breaking point they finally manage to travel into the future and then the past, but then they struggle to return to the present.
An ultra-cheap, over-wordy, but entertaining sci-fi, if sometimes for all the wrong reasons.