Der Goldene Schlussel (1966)

A colour cutdown version of The Diadem a 13 minute black and white short, where Diana Rigg gets to wander around in the slightest of crime drama's made for the 8mm market, by a German producer.
This version has Diana do much of the same things as the Black and white version, just omitting some of the chasing around, a fight scene or two and includes a different reveal ending. Neither are essential viewing, unless you have to watch everything Diana Rigg has done!

mini-killers (1969)

Four, essentially silent, 10 minute shorts trading on the back of Diana Riggs fame as Emma Peel in The Avengers TV series. Here she plays a tourist in Spain, who gets involved in a plot, where people are murdered using walking toy dolls. This involves mainly sunbathing and drinking coffee, interspirsed with the odd bit of wandering around, and occassional tussle with a bad guy. Hmmm, not the best use of Dame Diana Rigg's talents that I've seen.

doomed to die (1940)

aka The Mystery of Wentworth Castle.
"Young Fleming did it...and if he didn't I'll eat my hat."
A shipping magnet is shot, and all the evidence points towards the son of his biggest rival Dick Fleming (William Stelling). Hot shot reporter Miss Logan (Marjorie Reynolds) believes his is innocent and calls in ace detective James Lee Wong (Boris Karloff) to find out what really went on.
Apart from the obvious unpcness of Karloff playing a chinese detective, this is a straight up detective story, but with some zingy dialogue along the way.

embryo (1976)

aka Created To Kill.
"Who am I Paul?"
A doctor (Rock Hudson) discovers a hormone that stimulates embryo's to grow exponentially. Having successfully experimented on a dog, he secretly moves onto a human embryo, with dramatic results, a beautiful woman (Barbara Carrera).
The standard 'thou shalt not tamper with mother nature' sci-fi, suffers from an extremely dubious and slow plot. And why does Carrera have a foreign accent, when she is taught to speak by Rock Hudson?

doa (1949)

aka Dead On Arrival.
"I want to report a murder."
Frank Bigalow (Edmond Obrien) walks into a police station to report a murder, his own! He then sets about telling us and the police in flashback how he came to be poisoned.
Classic noir, that goes beyond the simple thriller format, as Bigalow comes to terms with his imminent mortality, whilst searching frantically for his killer.

the invisible ghost (1941)

"I knew you would come back."
Kind and considerate Dr Kesler (Bela Lugosi) believes his wife (Betty Compson) died in a car accident, as she left him for another man. What he does not know is that she is secretly alive, but unwilling to come back. Meanwhile a series of murders are occuring, one of which is pinned on Ralph Dickson (John McGuire), and he is subsequently sent to the chair. At this his brother arrives, determined to clear his Ralph's name.
Wacky and convoluted hocum, but somehow entertaining.

28 days later...(2002)

"Plans are pointless. Staying alive is as good as it gets."
An incurable virus sweeps the world, decimating civilisation, leaving but a few humans clinging to life, surrounded by cannibalistic zombies. Into this nightmare awakes road traffic victim Jim (Cillian Murphy). He has to quickly adapt and find some form of sanctuary.
A startling vision of post appocalyptic Britain is laid out, re-imaging Day of the Triffids as a zombie flick and although it dips towards the end, it still makes for an entertaining ride.

house of wax (2005)

"I heard something!"
Six friends on a road trip, take a detour and end up in what seems like a ghost town. But a town with a special attraction, a wax museum with very realistic models.
Not so much a reversion as an mash-up of every teen slasher flick thats gone before it. Making for an average teen horror, with stock characters, who take every opportunity to rummage where they shouldn't.

crossfire (1947)

"How about a cup of coffee soldier."
A group of soldiers hang out in New York after leaving the army. One night a man is murdered, and suspicion falls on Mitchell (George Cooper), but his mate Keeley (Robert Mitchum) doesn't believe he has it in him. But if Mitchell didn't do it, who did, and why?
Film noir, that delves into the unsavory world of anti-semitism.

voyage to the prehistoric planet (1968)

"Prehistoric Planet."
A pair of astronauts, take a robot to explore Venus, but soon they come under attack from carnivorous plants and animals. Then the violent storms begin, and it looks increasingly like they may get trapped there.
Russian film Planeta Bur, is picked up by AIP, who add some extra footage, and there you have it a completely new film! So pleased where they with this, they actually did it twice, also producing 'Voyage to the planet of prehistoric women', by adding some film of some Blondes by the sea. Both times I wish they hadn't bothered!

teenage zombies (1959)

"Lets go water ski."
Some teenagers land on what they think is a deserted island, and end up in a dungeon for their pains. Enslaved by a female scientist with a thing for cocktail dresses and the soviets. Those trecherous commies are developing a nerve gas that will enslave the population.
A gee ain't teens great film, made on a shoestring, and it looks it. Throw in the red menace, a corrupt sheriff, the army and a zombied up gorilla, and you still have a terrible film!

black dragons (1942)

"When a young woman's nerves commence to give way it is time she sought refuge in a strong man's arms."
Life during wartime, and a number of senior industrialists plot to disrupt the war effort. Into the mix is thrown Alice Saunders (Joan Barclay), the niece of one of the industrialists. Then Monsieur Colomb (Bela Lugosi) turns up, just in time for the murders to start. But who is Colomb and why is he killing these men?
Far fetched and not at all convincing thriller. Still, its worth a watch if you've nothing better to do.

avp: alien vs predator (2004)

"This whole thing was a trap. Without us, there could be no hunt."
An expedition journeys to the polar ice cap, when a pyramid is discovered there, built underground thousands of years ago. What they do not realise is that they are venturing into the hunting ground of the predators, a warlike race of aliens who like nothing more than a good hunt. And the greatest prey they can hunt is the Alien race. Thus the team are trapped between two creatures built to kill. Can any survive?
Good looking, but ultimately unabsorbing actioner.

bulletproof monk (2003)

"You got a little quickness in ya, don't ya."
A buddist monk (Chow Yun-Fat) is tasked with protecting an ancient scroll, that if read, gives the reader power over the world. Inevitably a nazi commander (Karel Roden) is intent on relieving him of the burden. The chase takes the duo to New York, and the monk takes on a young street kid (Seann William Scott), to mentor as his replacement.
Entertaining, though derivative, actioner.

superstar: the karen carpenter story (1988)

"Sing, sing a song. Sing out loud. Sing out strong."
A biography of Karen Carpenter's tragic life, produced using Barbie dolls. It also delves into anorexia, its causes and the problems associated with it.
Though banned, (due to copyright infingement on the numberous Carpenter songs in the film), this is easily obtainable, and rewards viewing of this homage to the singer.

horrors of spider island (1960)

aka Ein Toter hing im Netz.
"A dead man in a huge web!"
A troop of dancing girls are stranded on the titular island when their plane crashes on a tour of the far east. Gary (), the manager is then attacked by a giant spider, and although he kills it, is biten and mutates. Now what are the girls to do?
Ultra low budget exploitation feature, that through blatant use of good looking women hopes to dazzle enough to make one forget that the plot could fit on the back of a cigarette packet.

atom age vampire (1963)

aka Seddok, l'erede di Satana.
"I owe you more than life itself."
A scientist (Alberto Lupo) develops a treatment which can restore a woman's beauty after she (Susanne Loret) is disfigured in a car accident. He has to continually inject her with a special serum, but then the serum starts to run out, and the doctor's only source is that of other young women.
A film delving into the power of radiation rather than that of vampirism.

the amazing mr x (1948)

aka The Spiritualist.
"Fly away. I don't need you any more."
Following the death of her husband, Christine Faber (Lynn Bari), starts believing he is trying to contact her. She then meets Alexis (Turhan Bey), who seems to know a lot about her, and he draws her into his spiritualist world.
Slow moving, but ultimately absorbing morality tale about trusting psychic mediums.

assassin of youth (1937)

"To me its murder by marijuana."
Undercover journalist, Art Brighton (Arthur Gardner), gets to know good girl Joan Barrie (Luana Walters), a young woman set to inherit a fortune, if she can fulfill a morals clause in her grandmother's will. But other relatives are trying to frame Joan, so they will inherit instead. Brighton decides to help Joan but his only chance is to get her to stop hanging with her friends as they are dope dealing no-goodniks.
A slightly less hysteric version of Reefer Madness, making it more rational and interesting, though less comic affair.

angel on my shoulder (1946)

"He's someone I don't know any more."
Just out of prison, Eddie Kagle (Paul Muni) crime boss, is killed by his trusted Lieutenant. In hell, he does a deal with Nick (Claude Rains), who sends him back in the body of Judge Frederick Parker, to spoil Parker's political asperations. In return Kagle gets to take revenge for his murder, but whilst there Kagel starts to fall for Barbara Foster (Anne Baxter), the judge's fiancée.
A curious film, that takes us to hell and back, literally, and one that takes us through horror, romantic drama and comedy. Well made, it holds the attention, but fails to truely spark, as it falls between too many of these stools.

the shakedown (1960)

"He's the big man now."
Crime boss Augie Cortona (Terence Morgan) arrives home from a prison stretch to find his business has been taken over by Goller (Harry H. Corbett). He needs a new scam, and hits on one when he meets Jessel Brown (Donald Pleasance); a model school and photography studio, with blackmail on the side. But unknown to Augie one of the models (Hazel Court) isn't as innocent as she seems.
A neat little b-movie crime drama, with no-nonesense direction and solid acting.
British, Alliance, John Lemont, Rank,