the awful dr orloff (1962)

aka The Demon Doctor. Gritos en la noche.
"My name is Orloff and I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."
The police are baffled. A number of beautiful women have disappeared. What they don't know is it's actually Morpho (Ricardo Valle), the deformed assistant of Dr. Orlof (Howard Vernon) and the Doctor. The good doctor is trying to use their skin to repair his daughter's scarred face, a procedure he has yet to perfect.
This is an entertaining period thriller, despite it being a rehash of Eyes Without A Face. Not original, but still one done well.

stop me before i kill (1961)

aka The Treatment. The Full Treatment.
"Why would you want to kill me Alan?"
Newlyweds Alan and Denise Colby (Ronald Lewis and Diane Cilento) holiday in Southern France following a bad car accident. Since the crash Alan is quick to anger, and resort to violence, especially against his wife. Following a stormy dinner, at psychiatrist Dr. David Prade's (Claude Dauphin) house, the doctor tries to help, but Alan resists. Then one morning Alan awakes to find Denise gone, and Prade alludes to the possibility that Alan may have murdered her...
Crisply filmed, this is a psychological thriller which brings out the best in Diane Cilento as the tormented wife. Unfortunately the film gets bogged down with talk, and what could have been a taut 90 minute thriller is stretched and loses its way.

girly (1970)

aka Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly.
"One more game, just one more game before bye byes."
A disfunctional family who entice dropouts to stay with them, then makes them pretend to be part of a perfect family. If they refuse to play or try to leave they are sent to the angels. Then they meet up with New friend (Michael Bryant), who has some ideas of his own to enliven the games...
This low key film slowly draws you in as Michael Bryant comes to terms with the weirdness that is this family, then watches as they disintergrate further.

switchblade sisters (1975)

aka The Jezabels. Playgirl Gang.
"We're the Jezabels..."
The 'Dagger Debs' support their men the 'Silver Daggers' and terrorise the neighbourhood. They are led by Lace (Robbie Lee), who befriends Maggie (Joanne Nail), a new girl in town. Maggie soon joins the gang, but Lace starts to mistrust her, a mistrust which is unfounded, and leads to some unwanted consequences.
A fine example of exploitation cinema; fast paced and full of action, it even manages to throw in a laughably cheesy women in prison scene.

starcrash (1978)

aka Female Space Invaders. The Adventures of Stella Star.
"Circuits don't fail me now!"
Whilst on the run from the imperial police two smugglers (Marjoe Gortner and Caroline Munro) pick up a castaway. He is the only survivor from a mission to destroy the evil Count zartham's latest superweapon. The smugglers are soon recruited to complete the mission, and also rescue the Emperor's son. A normal days work for your friendly space smuggler.
A cheap but fun rip off of Star Wars meets Buck Rogers, if produced using Ray Harryhausen as special effects consultant. And being Italian it features rather more scantily clad women, especially Caroline Munro, who spends much of the film in the most essential of space clothing, black leather bikini and thigh boots!

primeval (2007)

"The crocodile is exceptional. A creature of far greater value."
An American team of journalists and biologists journey to Burundi to capture and bring home a giant crocodile. But along with the croc not really wanting to leave, they do not take account of the tribal warfare that has plunged the area into civil war.
Suitably overthetop gore during the croc attacks, is countered with shocking human attrocities, as the group stumble into the brutality of ethnic cleansing. A typical monster flick is tempered with a hint of politics.

goliath and the vampires (1961)

aka Maciste contro il vampiro.
"Those who are responsible will pay..."
All the women in a village are kidnapped by the evil wizard Kobrak, to power his army of robots using their blood. So Goliath (Gordon Scott) sets off to save them.
A fun beefcake epic, chocked full with an evil socerer, dancing girls, a race of blue men and scheming women.

the illustrated man (1969)

"and on that sign it said skin illustrations."
Depression era American and a young man (Robert Drivas) meets up with a hobo (Rod Steiger), who is covered head to toe in 'skin illustrations'. The hobo says he is looking for a certain house, and the woman (Claire Bloom) who tattoo'd him. Whilst they sit round the camp fire the hobo tells of how he got the illustrations and some of the stories behind them.
A portmanteau piece linking three of Ray Bradbury's visions of the future.