the gamma people (1956)

"You'll get me into trouble."
A pair of reporters (Paul Douglas and Leslie Phillips) are accidentally stranded in the small dictatorship of Gudavia. Where the local ruler is experimenting with gamma rays to create geniuses, but has the unerring habit of transforming some of his subjects into mutated henchmen.
A bizzare sci-fi, that doesn't catch the imagination.

the gilded cage (1955)

"Look Steve, I'm in some trouble!"
Harry (Michael Alexander) is framed by some crooks who have stolen a valuable portrait, and subsequently arrested. His brother Steve (Alex Nicol) sets out to try and prove his brother's innocence, by tracking the gang down.
Filled with the usual nightclubs, gang punch-ups, and some nice views of 50's London.

the voice of merrill (1952)

aka Murder Will Out.
"Parker's secretary has been murdered, Jean Bridges."
Alycia Roche (Valarie Hobson) falls for struggling writer Hugh Allan (Edward Underdown). Along with her husband Jonathan (James Robertson Justice) they get involved in the search for the killer of secretary, who had a sideline in blackmail.
Slow to start, but as the net closes, the tension and entertainment value builds, especially when JRJ does his bear with a sore head routine.

the gilded cage (1955)

"There are some things that I must tell you. They concern Harry."
Steve (Alex Nicol) arrives at the flat of his brother's girlfriend, and finds his brother, Harry (Michael Alexander), trying to leave what is now a murder scene. Steve (Alex Nicol) lets his brother go determined to prove his brother's innocence, and gets involved in a frame up and an art theft.
Standard quickie fare, nighclub scene, American star, and some basic detective work.

runaway railway (1965)

"We'll have to think of a way to raise some."
A small train line is set to close, and her engine, Matilda set for scrapping. But four young kids who love helping on the line, are determined not to let that happen.
Children's film, full of comedy, and gunge-ho enthusiasm.

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.

the scarlet blade (1964)

aka The Crimson Blade.
"We are to remain here until the last royalist is hanged."
It's the English Civil War, and King Charles I has been captured by the tyrant Colonel Judd (Lionel Jeffries) and his right-hand man Captain Sylvester (Oliver Reed). Edward Beverley (Jack Hedley) plans to rescue the King with some help from Judd's daughter Claire (June Thorburn), who is opposed to her father's political sympathies.
Historical, boys own adventure, that is ultimately forgettable.

idol on parade (1959)

aka Idle on Parade.
"I'm not ready for the army."
Rock star Jeep Jackson (Anthony Newley) has his career interrupted by a stint of National Service. Inevitably his posting causes a lot of consternation in the ranks...
Entertaining tale of army life, with some passable rock songs.

vampire over london (1952)

aka Old Mother Riley Meets The Vampire.
"Where is my robot, my beautiful robot."
An evil scientist (Bela Lugosi) dubbed 'the vampire' is kidnapping women in London, for no apparent reason! He also has plans to build an army of robots, and to this end kidnaps Miss Loretti (María Mercedes), the daughter of an Italian scientist. But when his first robot is mistakenly delivered to Old Mother Riley (Arthur Lucan) things get complicated.
An unfunny comedy, that lacks any form of drama, thrills or horror, but does have early outings for lots of popular female comedians, including Dora Bryan, Hattie Jacques and Dandy Nichols.

the flesh and the fiends (1960)

AKA Mania. Psycho Killers. The Fiendish Ghouls.
"Ain't that what we all want, to end our days in peace."
Edinburgh in 1828 and the respected anatomist, lecturer and surgeon Dr Knox (Peter Cushing) needs bodies to dissect. He comes to employ Burke and Hare (George Rose and Donald Pleasence), who seem to have an unending supply, no questions asked.
Pleasence and Cushing give their usually great performances, in this adaption of the true story, that evokes the grim atmosphere of an 19th Century Edinburgh.

shadow of the cat (1961)

"That cats got a mean streak in her, like her mistress."
Ella Venable (Catherine Lacey), a rich elderly woman is murdered by Walter (André Morell), her gold-digger husband and Andrew (Andrew Crawford), her butler. They in turn pay off the other relatives, the only exception being Ella's beloved niece Elizabeth (Barbara Shelley). But there is one problem, their was a witness, Tabitha, Ella's cat, and she decides the crime cannot go unpunished.
A Victorian horror made in the inimitable Hammer horror style, using Hammer locations, personnel and actors. At 75 minutes this romps along and doesn't outlast its welcome.

the reptile (1966)

Harry Spalding and his wife inherit a country cottage when his brother dies and they decide to move in. The locals are inhospitable apart from the pub landlord and Mad Peter, who both give them vague warnings to leave. Peter subsequently dies and Harry soon finds out that there was more to the death of his brother and Mad Peter than at first thought, and it all points towards the sinister Dr Franklyn, their closest neighbour.
This runs through the standard formula, strangers come to town, gruesome deaths and the shock discovery. But this doesn't matter, as the film rattles along quickly and is never overplayed by the cast. So what could have been low budget nonsense turns out to be a well made film that deserves a look, a small time classic Victorian horror.

the mummy's shroud (1967)

In a sand pit in Berkshire, (it certainly doesn't look like Egypt), an archaeological expedition discovers the tomb of an Egyptian prince. On returning home the expedition members find the traditional curse seems to being enacted, as one by one they are being killed. How can they stop this murderous rampage?
The third incarnation of mummy's by Hammer runs through the by now standard mummy formula. It looks good, with some great performances, without rising much above the average. Enjoyable in itself but nothing great to write home about.

plague of the zombies (1966)

aka The Zombies.
The new doctor in a Cornish village is baffled when men start dying mysteriously and asks his old Professor for help solving the problem. The Professor's daughter persuades him to help and they travel down, managing to antagonise the local gentry on the way. When they arrive they find the locals distrustful of the doctor and unwilling to help him discover what, or who, is killing their family members. Then a villager swears that he's seen his dead brother on the moors.
John Gilling keeps things rattling along nicely, with plenty of shocks along the way. This is another example of a how good Hammer films could be.

pirates of blood river (1962)

Hammer decided they would branch out into pirate adventure films...the only snag being they didn't have a boat. So welcome to a small sub-genre of land locked pirate films!
The plot revolves around pirates hunting for treasure in a village of Huguenot refugees. Christopher Lee is suitably menacing as the pirate captain Le Roche in this romp.
Seemingly this was the only Hammer film that went from a provisional X certificate to a U cert when the censors saw it!

the night caller (1965)

aka Blood Beast from Outer Space. Bloodbeast from Outer Space. Night Caller from Outer Space.
Starts as your typical sci-fi, with a mystery object spotted over London. It lands and is being investigated by Ministry of Defense scientists when
mysterious things start to happen, and an inhuman presence makes itself felt before escaping. Subsequently the film flips into a detective noir, as young women start disappearing, and the scientists and police both try to hunt a mysterious killer down.
A gem of a film that showcases the fact that a low budget does not necessarily mean a low rent film.