boy eats girl (2005)

"See you tomorrow children."
School boy Nathan (David Leon) has a crush on Jessica (Samantha Mumba), which turns into an obsession when he dies and comes back from the dead.
Hormonal teen fantisists horror, i.e. needs work.

shock (1946)

"She keeps insisting that she witnessed a murder."
Janet Stewart (Anabel Shaw) witnesses a murder, and disturbed by the event goes into shock. Her husband at his wits end has her committed to a private sanitarium, unfortunately it happens to be run by Dr Richard Cross (Vincent Price), the very man Janet saw killing his wife...
Melodramatic noir, which has its moments.

grizzly (1976)

aka Claws. Killer Grizzly.
"We've got a killer grizzly on our hands."
A grizzly decides to start snacking on park visitors. Unfortunately Park Ranger Kelly (Christopher George), is hampered by a disbelieving manager, and the arrival of hundreds of drunken hunters.
Think of Jaws in the woods, and you have this pale imitation.

the giant of marathon (1959)

aka La battaglia di Maratona.
"You are as beautiful as a statue of a god."
Phillipides (Steve Reeves) is having a good time winning Olympic wreathes and being a hero. But he has to battle politicial intrige whilst falling for Andromeda (Mylène Demongeot), and then Darius invades with his mighty Persian army.
Above average Peplum, that plays fast and loose with the legend.

killing them softly (2012)

"Ah yes, we are all the same, we are all equal."
A trio of no hopers have the idea to hit a protected card game, and bring down the wrath of Jackie (Brad Pitt), a mob cleaner.
A fine gangster flick, that doesn't shy away from showing the consequences of their actions. Juxtaposing these actions with the current economic and political climate.

battle beyond the sun (1959)

aka The Heavens Call. The Sky Calls.
"A monster of evolution."
Two super powers race to have the first successful landing on Mars, with one having to rescue the other, before landing on Mars and finding some monsters.
AIP took a Russian space flick, add some cheesy new material and create something less than the sum of its parts.

curse of bigfoot (1976)

aka Teenagers Battle The Thing.
"A monster of evolution."
A guest lecturer in a high school classroom recounts his amazing story of his encounter with Bigfoot fifteen years earlier.
A so bad its bad 60's creature feature is given renewed interest, by the addition of extra footage, featuring the same lead character fifteen years later, using the original material for the flashback.

cosmos war of the planets (1977)

aka War of the Planets. Cosmo 2000 - Planet Without a Name.
"My complements Captain, you are the first man to set foot on this planet.S"
Captain Alex Hamilton (John Richardson) is sent with his spaceship and crew to an unknown planet and find a giant robot enslaving the population, and agree to help the humanoids to free themselves...
Some potential is thrown into the garbage can and given a good kicking...

Dead in tombstone (2013)

"Never again!"
A small mining town is overrun by a vicious gang, who rob the bank, and then murder their leader Guerrero (Danny Trejo). Finding himself in hell, Guerrero makes a deal with the devil - deliver the six souls of his former gang in 24 hours, and he gets his soul back.
Predictable, though fast paced actioner.

prom night (1980)

"Killers are coming."
Four teens (including Jamie Lee Curtis), are stalked by a masked killer, on their prom night, as the maniac holds them responsible for the death of a child six years earlier.
Average slasher flick.

bodycount (1987)

"I'll guarantee you this will be a weekend you will never forget."
You know the routine, a gang of teens head up into the wilderness for a weekend away, but we know something they don't: there is a killer on the loose. Could it be the Shaman from the old Indian burial ground, that the camp is situated on?
Standard Italian slasher, though one with its tongue firmly in its cheek.

leadbelly (1976)

"You see it's easy."
Roger E. Mosley plays Huddie Leadbetter, a resident of US prison service, for murder, who finds a way out through his ability with a song.
A fine dramatisation of the life of the blues maestro Huddie Leadbetter, better know as Leadbelly. From his life on the chain gangs to fame.

boots!, boots! (1934)

"It's them pork pies!"
John Willie (George Formby), is a shy boot black in a hotel. He loves Snooky (Beryl Formby), but cannot bring himself to tell her. Meanwhile the various inhabitants and staff, sing, and tell jokes.
Music hall turns, committed to celuloid, and showing why the music hall died!

claudine (1974)

"You know I am your mother."
Claudine (Diahann Carroll) is a 36 year old mother of 6, living on welfare, and trying to bring up her kids right. Then she meets garbage man Roop (James Earl Jones), who is determined to romance her.
Fine drama, that portrays a family battling for their place in the world.

the magnificent six and 1/2: peewee had a little ape (1969)

"There is another one, a real one."
The vicar has a jumble sale, and the gang brings some brick-a-brack to sell, and one of the kids is given an ape costume, but when a Chimp escapes from a circus, confusion reigns.
Slapstick comedy, that's best left to kids to watch.

the magnificent six and 1/2: it's not cricket (1968)

"It's not my ball."
The gang have a game of cricket, but when their ball is confiscated, it leads to an outbreak of falling down on a nearby building site.
Short film, of the slapstick kind with an early appearance of Sheila Hancock.

haunts (1977)

aka The Veil.
"You're some housekeeper Ingrid."
Ingrid (May Britt) is a seemingly innocent farm girl convinced that her uncle (Cameron Mitchell) is a serial killer, responsible for the bloody murders of several girls.
Patchy, and often slow, thriller.

the seventh victim (1943)

aka The 7th Victim.
"Don't come back, whatever you do, don't come back...one must have courage to live in this world."
Mary (Kim Hunter), is told that her sister (Jean Brooks) has disappeared and her boarding school fees are way overdue. Worried about her sister, Mary goes to New York to find her. Then whilst filing a missing persons report, she is approached by PI Irving August (Lou Lubin), who says he can find her sister, and decides to continue, even after he is warned off the case.
Captivating mystery thriller, looking like a film noir, that descends slowly into horror, with nothing more than a few words and some shadows. Val Lewton, (as producer), again proves you can do a lot with a little.

junket 89 (1970)

"Strange thing Junket. Wherever you are there is trouble."
Troublesome school kid Junket () causes an accident, that enables him to travel through time and space, causing mayhem along the way.
Early outing for what would become household names on British TV, in this enthusiastic children's adventure.

orphée (1950)

aka Orpheus..
"Here is the legend of Orpheus."
A popular poet in France, Orphée (Jean Marais), is detested by his fellow writers. Then one day he spots the Princess (María Casares), and is struck by her beauty. But Eurydice (Marie Déa), his wife, is less enamored of his infatuation.
Imaginative re-telling of the classic tragedy.

the gentle gunman (1952)

"The trouble with you Englishmen is that you haven't got the imagination to know what it's like to be an Irishman."
Terry and Matt (John Mills & Dirk Bogarde) are active members of the IRA, during WWII. But whilst Matt is fervent in his belief in the cause, Terry has begun to doubt that violence is the way, and is seen by Matt with the English police when two other IRA men are arrested. The IRA find out that the two are being moved to Belfast, and plans are made to break them out. Then Terry turns up...
Despite Bogardes dodgy accent, this is an interesting plea to give up violence as a political tool, though one with far too much 'blarney'.

crooks anonymous (1962)

"Had a hard day?"
Petty crook Dandy Forsyth (Leslie Phillips) agrees to go straight after badgering by his girlfriend (Julie Christie), but temptation is never far away...until she is introduced to Crooks Anonymous, who act as guardian angel (Stanley Baxter), stopping the client from giving in to these temptations.
A good solid comedy, enlivened by the sex kitten antics of Julie Christie.

roadie (1980)

"The world don't end at the county line!"
Engineering wizard, Travis (Meat Loaf), leaves his dead end Texas life for a job as a roadie, when he falls for groupie Lola (Kaki Hunter).
Should be cult film, wraps a quirky story around performances from Blondie, Roy Orbison and Alice Cooper, amongst others.

hitler's children (1943)

"Blood calls to blood, and German blood runs deep."
Prof. Nichols (Kent Smith) is a teacher at the American school in Berlin, in 1933. Opposite is a German school, one populated by Hitler Youth. Inevitably there is conflict, especially when Anna (Bonita Granville), a former student and teacher is taken way on orders of the Gestapo.
Propaganda piece that attempts to show the insidious rise of the German war machine on the home front, with brainwashing and intimidation of its own people.

shadows over chinatown (1946)

aka Charlie Chan in Shadows Over Chinatown. The Mandarin's Secret.
"Wait a minute, I've been robbed!"
Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) gets involved with an investigation of an insurance fraud, with a side order of murder, whilst in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Mantan Moreland adds his comic side kick routine to this very standard whodunnit.

octaman 91971)

"This specimen begs for further study."
A team of scientists, including Susan Lowry (Pier Angeli) discover a strange type of octopus. Unfortunately for them this new discovery is the offspring of a mutation of man and octopus and it's annoyed at the kids being stolen and proceeds to terrorize the scientists and get its children back.
Laughably idiotic film, with the most amazingly bad rubber creatures!

thirsty for love, sex and murder (1972)

aka Aska susayanlar seks ve cinaye. Turkish Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh.
"You are the devil in the flesh."
Mine (Meral Zeren) returns from Europe, having suffered a nervous breakdown. Once home she finds out that there is a sadistic killer loose, raping and murdering women, which harks back to the cause of her breakdown.
Basically a freaked out remake of the classic Italian giallo The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh.

the swinging barmaids (1975)

aka Eager Beavers. Room Service Sex.
"Don't call me sonny!"
A serial killer specialising in murdering waitresses is being hunted by detective Harry White (William Smith). When the psycho is caught in the act by three barmaids at the Sing-a-ling club, he changes his appearance and goes to work there!
Yes this film is that dumb! Cheap, trashy and nonsensical.

went the day well? (1942)

aka 48 Hours.
"Any person who attempts to escape or communicate with the outside world will be shot!"
1942 and an advanced party of Germans, disguised as British troops invade a small village, in preparation for a full invasion. The villagers at first believe them to be British, but soon suss them out, only to be betrayed by a fifth columnist.
A fine piece of propaganda, well played giving some edge of the seat moments and comedy amongst the grim act of war.

shadows of the mind (1980)

aka A Heritage of Blood.
"Please help us Elise."
Elise Halsted (Marion Joyce) is a highly unstable young woman, who is released into the community, but is still suffering flashbacks to her father and stepmother's drowning. Once back at the family home, she wanders around a bit, then her step-brother (G.E. Barrymore) arrives and the murders start happening...
Far too slow to pick up, and by the time it does, it is too late, I've lost interest.

i eat your skin (1964)

aka Caribbean Adventure. Zombies. Voodoo Blood Bath. Zombie Bloodbath.
"There is something strange happening on this island..."
Writer Tom Harris (William Joyce) is sent to Voodoo Island to get some ideas for his next novel. There he discovers that there are a mass of people who have been turned into zombies and they are all itching to get their hands on Jeannie Biladeau (Heather Hewitt), for some sort of sacrifice.
Fine exploitation fare, where a great title and movie poster matters more than the plot or the acting!