game of death (1978)

"One must share one's wealth with others."
A martial arts film star, Billy Lo (Bruce Lee), fakes his own death after an assassination attempt is made on his life. Following some plastic surgery, he's free to take revenge on a gang who were intimidating him.
Cobbled together mess following Bruce Lee's death in 1973. Making extensive use of archive footage of Bruce, and obvious body double's, the producers show real exploitation flair, even using shots of Lee's real funeral for the fake on! But on the plus side, there are a number of good action sequences.

the ghost goes gear (1966)

"A ghost!"
The Spencer Davis Group find out their manager Al Rice (Nicholas Parsons), is actually the Rt. Honorable Algernon Rowthorpe Plumley, when they visit his ancestral home, a run down haunted manor. Finding the family are on their uppers they suggest opening the house to the public. Cue a 'gear' happening featuring tea on the lawn and lots of groups.
Passable fluff that's little more than a showcase for SDG's soulful pop, along with those of the M.5, St. Louis Union, Sheila White, The Three Bells, and Acker Bilk etc.

just for you (1966)

aka Discotheque Holiday. Disco-Tek Holiday.
"All this lying about makes me dead tired."
A rudimentary plot, where Sam Costa, the DJ, is badgered to get up by his automated bed, but he would rather watch a number of pop videos from the likes of The Applejacks, Peter and Gordon, Louise Cordet, and Freddie and the Dreamers.
A wonderful dip into 60's beat pop.

house on bare mountain (1962)

"She was the newest member of our group, she was 12, but took a lot of vitamins."
Grannie Good (Bob Cresse), runs a girls school, where the caretaker is a giant werewolf, and she has a moonshine business on the side.
A run of the mill nudie cutie, with typical burlesque humour and where ever excuse to show women topless is ruthlessly exploited to the max.

bloody pit of horror (1965)

aka Il boia scarlatto.
"You are eternally damned."
A photoshoot in an old castle goes wrong when, even though they are told not to, they go into the dungeons! For these are the cursed and damned dungeons of the 17th century Crimson Executioner (Mickey Hargitay).
They break into a castle, they steal the owners wine, accidentally kill one of the models, and then carry on as if nothing much has happened. All in a days work for a photographer! A fun piece of hocum, that features some fantastic exotica music by Gino Peguri.

the werewolf of washington (1973)

"Guess you won't have Jack Whittier to kick around any longer."
A political correspondant (Dean Stockwell) returns from a trip to Hungary with a souvenier, a bite from a werewolf. Thus when he takes up his new position as the Presidents press agent, people start turning up dead, as if savaged by a wild animal.
A would be political comedy, with some horror on the side. Unfortunately it has too little of either.
American, Comedy, Horror, Diplomat,

the house that screamed (1969)

aka La Residencia. The Boarding School.
"All you have to do is obey me."
It's the 1900's and Teresa (Cristina Galbó) is sent to Mrs Fourneau's (Lilli Palmer) strict boarding school, and soon falls prey to the bullies who maintain order in the school. Also at the school is Luis, Mrs Fourneau's son (John Moulder-Brown), a housebound invalid, who still finds time to court some of the girls, behind his mother's back. But girls keep 'running away' and one of the bullies gets suspicious that they never hear of any of them ever again.
The slow paced murder mystery will not be to some people's taste, but it develops a brooding atmosphere, as the camera prowls the corridors, that holds your attention.

blood and roses (1960)

aka Et mourir de plaisir.
"My name is Millarca. I lived in the past, I live now."
Carmilla Von Karnstein (Annette Vadim) becomes obsessed by a distant ancestor, who was considered to be a vampire. So much so she becomes possessed by Millarca's spirit. But is it all in her mind, or is she really under the spell of her vampire relative?
An intelligent take on Sheridan Le Fanu's tale, updated to the modern day. A gentle, surreal and dream like horror, where unrequited love spans the generations. Though I enjoyed this version, I would love to compare it to the European print, which leaves the viewer to make up their own mind as to whether Vampires exist. The American version being narrated by a Vampire leaves one in little doubt.

license to drive (1988)

"So you are still picking me up tonight."
Les Anderson (Corey Haim), alongside Corey Feldman, is a typical teenager, dreaming of that impossible girl. Then one day she (Heather Graham) notices him. Now the impossible is possible, if only he can pass his driving test and get a car! Then reality hits when he fails. What does he do, come clean or steal his granddads car and take her to the city?
The standard 80's teen comedy, with the standard cool kids, nerds and slapstick.

picture mommy dead (1966)

"Do you think mother is still angry with me daddy?"
Susan (Susan Gordon) is traumatised by the death of her mother (Zsa Zsa Gabor) in a fire, and is sent to a convalescent home to recover. Whilst there her father Edward (Don Ameche) marries Francene (Martha Hyer). We open three years after the fire, with Susan returning to the family estate. to be told that she owns the lot. Unless she goes insane that is, and her father and new wife like living the high life! So it's no surprise when she starts being plagued by visions of her mother, and the suspicion that she was responsible for her death, and Francine starts campaigning to have Susan declared insane.
The standard haunted house whodunit with the usual twist ending, but done well.

let's kill uncle (1966)

"I see that you've been teaching Chrissie the game.
A millionaire dies, leaving his money to his 12 year old son Barnaby (Pat Cardi). He's subsequently shipped off to live with his only living relative, Uncle Kevin (Nigel Green). But uncle Kevin is soon trying to kill Barnaby. With the adults not believing him, that leaves teenager Chrissie (Mary Badham) as Barnaby's only hope.
Starts slowly, but it livens up half way though when Nigel Green turns up as the WWII hero who treats his attempts to kill Barnaby as an exciting game. Comes across as a black and twisted saturday morning adventure.

dark intruder (1965)

"It is the essense of pure evil."
An occult specialist, Brett Kingsford (Leslie Nielsen), is brought in to help the police catch a serial killer. Brett soon comes to believe that it all seems to centre around one of his friends Robert Vandenburg (Peter Mark Richman).
Originally produced as a TV pilot, this was released in cinemas when not picked up by the networks. And thankfully so, because otherwise it may have been lost, as this turns out to be a fun little film, with a great turn by Leslie Nielsen as the boys own hero.

tomb of ligeia (1964)

"She will not rest because she is not dead."
The film opens on Verden Fell (Vincent Price) burying his recently deceased wife, whilst the tomb is watched over by a stray cat. He subsequently meets and falls for the Lady Rowena (Elizabeth Shepherd), and they marry. But thoughts of Ligeia his first wife are never far from his mind...and the cat continues to plague the pair.
One of Corman's gothic horrors, which although entertaining, lacks the stylised atmosphere of his other Poe adaptations, due to the heavy usage of location filming, rather than the more usual studio sets.