black sabbath (1963)

aka I Tre volti della paura. The Three Faces of Fear. The Three Faces of Terror. Les Trois visages de la peur.
A horror in three parts, introduced by and featuring Boris Karloff as the Wurdalak. Firstly, The Telephone where a woman recieves a series of phone calls from her ex-pimp who has escaped from prison. She enlists the help of her lesbian ex-lover Mary, who comes over, but this just serves to rack up the tension and claustrophobia as they await the coming of Frank. Second we have The Wurdalak: A 19th Century tale of a young man who stumbles on a family awaiting the return of their father, who they now believe to be a Wurdalak. A walking cadaver who feeds on the blood of the living, preferably close friends and family. The final story is The Drop Of Water. In Victorian London a woman is called to a house to dress the corpse of a medium, and whilst doing so steals a ring. She is subsequently plagued by a fly and visions of the corpse. The fantastic photography and lighting lends extra atmosphere to these three very claustrophobic and stylish stories. See this film, but preferably in the original Italian version. AIP for some reason decided to tamper and released it with the stories rearranged and eliminating some of the sub plot elements.

the angel who pawned her harp (1954)

Very much in the style of an Ealing Comedy, this is the story of an angel who has to earn her wings by helping a series of people in 1950's London. Starring Diane Cilento as a glamorous angel, who lands appropriately at the Angel, Islington and through a variety of means helps bring out the emotions of a variety of people in different ways. A feelgood film, that uses a certain amount of sentimentality, but is never mauwkish.

demons (1985)

aka Dèmoni
Cheryl has preview tickets to a movie at a newly renovated theater and decides to take her friend Kathy. In the lobby a pimp and some of his girls are checking out a display featuring a demon mask. One tries it on but it cuts her. During the film she becomes a hideous demon, attacking the audience. Everyone she attacks becomes a demon in turn. With demons everywhere, it becomes a battle for survival, will Cheryl and Kathy make it out of the theatre alive?
Written in part by Dario Argento, this is a cheesy and over the top horror, but is effective nevertheless, featuring a variety of strange and fascinating characters, that only inhabit these sorts of films. I ask you when was the last time you saw a blind man at the cinema?

popcorn (1991)

aka Phantom of the cinema.

A group of film students are setting up an all night horrorthon in an old cinema. Whilst working on it they discover a film made by Lanyard Gates, a filmmaker who killed his family live on stage, fifteen years before. The film has a profound effect on one student, Maggie and she sets out to find out more about Lanyard, but soon a shadowy figure resembling the killer starts stalking the students.
This film has it's moments, and has an interesting concept. But it never quiet clicks for me, especially following the reveal of who the murderer actually is, and how they have remained undetected for so long.

the ambushers (1968)

"Let Helm put you in the driving seat."
Agent Matt Helm (Dean Martin) is assigned to recover a top secret spacecraft that had been stolen mid flight. To do this ICE sends Helm to Acapulco, as a fashion photographer. Cue much ogling of beautiful models, wonderful one liners and a slight plot.
The third of the four Helm films continues just like the others, spoofing spy films, in particular the James Bond franchise, with it's beautiful women and gadgets. Though sited as the worst of the Helm films it still has a great theme, music by Hugo Montenegro and exudes fantastic 60's cool. All in all it's not the greatest film in the world, but it's still wonderful campy fun.

dracula's daughter (1972)

aka Daughter of Dracula. La Fille de Dracula.
Luisa Karlstein (Britt Nichols) visits her dying grandmother and is told of the family curse, that they are descended from Dracula. Will she succumb and become a vampire? Meanwhile women are being found murdered, something of obvious interest to a local policeman and a journalist. Could there be a link?
Beautifully photographed in a languid style that is almost soporific, especially when added to the fact that there is precious little horror or suspense. It being little more than an excuse to show women indulging in some sapphic love, but if that's your thing then give it a look. Otherwise not essential.

zombie flesh eaters (1979)

aka Zombi 2. Island of the Flesh-Eaters. Island of the Living Dead. Gli Ultimi zombi. Zombie. Zombie 2: Gli ultimi zombi. Zombie 2: The Dead are Among Us.
An abandoned yacht drifts into New York harbour, and the subsequent death of a policeman prompts a journalist to investigate. Following the trail to a Caribbean island, he tries to trace the whereabouts of the scientist who owns the boat and stumbles on more than he bargained for.
This is an influential 'video nasty', featuring a number of memorable scenes, including a zombie attacking a shark. Chock full of gore, it also manages to be an effective horror that makes fine use of it's locations. Making the Caribbean look like a tropical paradise, that quickly becomes a hell hole!