23.2.12

tarzan's savage fury (1952)


aka Tarzan, the Hunted.
"Boy speak English. Boy English."
Two men (Charles Korvin & Patric Knowles) visit Tarzan (Lex Barker), one masquerading as Tarzan's cousin. They are not there on a family visit, but are after diamonds, and convince Jane (Dorothy Hart) that they need to get control of those diamonds for the good of England.
Another solid jungle adventure.

tarzan's peril (1951)


aka Tarzan And The Jungle Queen. Tarzan's Mate in Peril. Jungle Queen.
"I go find out and nobody sorry."
Escaped convict Radijeck (George Macready) is gunrunning to a warlike tribe and Tarzan (Lex Barker) has to give a few of them a slap whilst rescuing a tribal leader (Dorothy Dandridge).
Third of the Barker Tarzan's and it's obvious that the producers were now hitting their stride, giving up a ripping adventure yarn.

tarzan and the slave girl (1950)


"these are good people."
The Lionians are kidnapping women with the aim of adding them to their harem, and help repopulate their village, which has been devestated by disease. Eventually they get round to Jane (Vanessa Brown) and a nurse (Denise Darcel)and Tarzan (Lex Barker) has to rush to their rescue, whilst defending himself from blowgun attacks from the Waddie tribe, disguised as bushes.
One of the best Barker Tarzan's, with comedy, adventure and suspense.

the fog (2005)


"it came back."
An island off the west coast of America is celebrating its founding a century before. Nick Castle (Tom Welling), a descendant of one of the founders, starts to puzzle why there are so many startling and bizarre events occurring, including some gruesome deaths associated with a mysterious fog. Could it all have something to do with the founding fathers?
Remake of the 80's John Carpenter original, unfortunately it managed to jetison coherence and frights, to put a piece of stylish mush out instead.

the indian tomb (1959)


aka The Tomb Of Love. Das indische Grabmal.
"his love will make a fool."
The continuing story of love in India. A Maharajah (Walter Reyer) loves Seetha (Debra Paget), a temple dancer, but she runs off with Harald Berger (Paul Hubschmid), a German architect. The Maharajah feeling slighted sends his cavalry to get her back. His army corners the lovers, he falls to his 'death', and she is brough back to the palace. Thinking her lover is dead Seetha is forced into a loveless marriage, but you know that Berger will be back...
A beautifully realised vision, that much like Black Narsisus weaves a story of love and death, and lets you see past some of the cheesier special effects.

the thief (1952)


""
A nuclear scientist (Ray Milland), selling secrets to a foreign power, comes under suspicion of the FBI. With the authorities getting closer, the spooked scientist goes on the run...
Shot entirely without dialogue, which although an interesting experiment, only serves to slow the film down. Never the less this is still an intriging thriller, powered along by the central performance of Milland.

tarzan's magic fountain (1949)


"We go back now."
A pilot (Evelyn Ankers), whose plane went down many years previously, emerges from the jungle looking no older. All courtesy of a fountain of youth, hidden in a secluded valley. Hunters (including Albert Dekker), seeing this miracle obviously want in on the secret. Tarzan (Lex Barker) then has to come to the rescue when Jane decides to take them to the forbidden valley against Tarzan's wishes.
Baxter takes over the mantle from Weissmuller in what is a lesser entry in the series, but one that still lots of fun to watch.

the tiger of eschnapur (1959)


aka Tiger of Bengal. Der Tiger von Eschnapur.
"The Gods are Indian..."
Architect Harald Berger (Paul Hubschmid) arrives in Eschnapur, a rural part of India, to build a hospital for the Maharajah (Walter Reyer). One of his traveling companions is Seetha (Debra Paget), a temple dancer, who he saves from a man eating tiger, and ultimately falls for her many charms. But she is promised to another...
If you can overlook the dodgy special effects, the tiger fight and the plastic cobra being two of the treats in store, then you have a romantic epic to wallow in.

20.2.12

twenty-four hours to kill (1965)


"Don't try to be a hero."
Airline pilot Jaimie Faulkner (Lex Barker) has engine trouble whilst bound for Athens, and so is forced to land in Beirut. Told it will 24 hours to repair, the flight crew are left with nothing to do but get involved in a kidnap plot centred on crew member Norman Jones (Mickey Rooney). But why are these people after Jonesy?
Uninspired thriller.