the case of the scorpion's tail (1971)

aka La coda dello scorpione. Tail of the Scorpion.
"My skills don't regard the dead, they regard the living."
When a plane explodes with Lisa Baumer's husband on board, the insurance company dealing with his substantial life insurance bring in Peter Lynch (Geroge Hilton) to investigate. Did Mrs. Baumer (Ida Galli) plant the bomb with an accomplice, and if so who?
A complex, convoluted and gripping plot, aided by a great score and the appearance of Anita Strindberg as an investigative reporter.

blackie the pirate (1971)

aka Il corsaro nero.
"It's a secret!"
When it is revealed that there is a shipment of gold coming his direction, Blackie the pirate (Terence Hill) sets out to make it his, with the help of Don Pedro (George Martin). But news of the treasure comes to the attention of other pirates, who are just as determined to purloin it. But luck is on Blackie's side when he buys a prisoner from a raid that turns out to be the wife of the local Viceroy (Silvia Monti)?
Rip roaring high seas adventure made for a fraction of the cost of Johnny Depp's make up bill on Pirates of the Caribbean.

heights of danger (1953)

"Gosh I'm late."
John Burton (Basil Appleby) runs a small garage in an English village. Unfortunately it's not making money and one of his children comes up with the idea of winning a mountain rally on the continent for the prize money. But standing in their way is Croudson (Jack Melford), the owner of a chain of garages, who is determined to buy Burton's garage, and will stop at nothing to prevent Burton from winning.
Made by the British Pathe Documentary Unit as a showcase for the MG TD sports car, this is a 'jolly hockey sticks' type drama, focusing on the children and the adventures they have. They certainly don't make them like this any more.

the twonky (1953)

"A twonky is something that you do not know what it is."
Carolyn West (Janet Warren) has to visit her sister, and gets a new TV set installed to keep her husband, college professor Kerry (Hans Conried), company whilst she is away. He immediately notices that the set is alive (well he is a college professor)! Especially when is proves intent on regulating his daily life.
A cautionary tale about how television can (and was) taking over people's lives, in the form of an interesting and quirky comedy.

ip man 2 (2010)

aka Yip Man 2.
"Injuries are inevitable in friendly fights."
The continuing story of Ip man (Donnie Yen), sees him move to Hong Kong and his attempts to establish a Wing Chun martial arts school, despite opposition from the existing schools led by Hong Zhen Nan (Sammo Hung).
Whilst not as gripping as the first episode, this is still a classic in the making, although a flawed one, spinning a fair amount of fiction into the biopic.

the pit and the pendulum (1991)

"Stand witness to the work of the holy inquisition."
Spanish inquisitor Torquemada (Lance Hendrickson), takes a fancy to Maria (Rona De Ricci), and being a sadist decides to treat her to some of his most fiendish tortures.
Well made, perhaps too well made, version of the Poe tale, as my only problem was the cleanness of everything, it needed to look darker, more menacing and dirtier.

the grip of the strangler (1958)

aka The Haunted Strangler. Strangle Hold.
"I want his whole history investigated."
A writer, James Rankin (Boris Karloff), re-opens the case of 'the Haymarket Strangler'. Was the man hanged as the strangler really an innocent victim of injustice? Rankin believes that a Dr. Tennent, a surgeon who had since disappeared, was much more likely to be the murderer, and sets out to prove it.
Interesting twisting of the Jekyll and Hyde story. British, Horror, Robert Day,