Lado. Lazenby. Strindberg. Elmi. Celi. Morricone. Venice.....Perfection!!
Sunday 25 November 2012
Sunday 11 November 2012
Death Steps In The Dark (1977)
Slightly average yet a mild guilty pleasure, this second giallo from director Maurizio Predeaux didn't quite live up to all my expectations.
I really enjoyed his 'Death Carries A Cane' and sure this has all the elements anyone could ask for in a giallo: black gloved killer, razor murders, eyeball close-ups, lesbians, nightclubs, etc it also contains too many lame attempts at humour for my taste.
Leonard Mann is an ok lead and Robert Webber a serviceable police inspector but the rest of the cast are pretty forgettable.
Never got bored during it's 90 minutes but can't see myself returning to it too often and even Riz Ortolani's score has already slipped from my memory.
Leonard Mann is an ok lead and Robert Webber a serviceable police inspector but the rest of the cast are pretty forgettable.
Never got bored during it's 90 minutes but can't see myself returning to it too often and even Riz Ortolani's score has already slipped from my memory.
Death Occurred Last Night (1970)
Being a fan of Duccio Tessari's 'Bloodstained Butterfly' and 'Puzzle' i had high hopes for this, his first giallo.
I wasn't disappointed. Much more a crime thriller/polizi than pure giallo it's still an engaging mystery with a powerful and violent conclusion.
Raf Vallone is the father who's mentally retarded 25 year old daughter goes missing and could have been sold into prostitution, while Frank Wolff and Gabriele Tinti are the cops desperately searching for her.
Pretty powerful performances from all involved including Beryl Cunningham as a hooker, much more substantial than her usual roles that require her to do nothing more than take her clothes off......
The music by Gianni Ferrio is pretty bombastic and in your face at times but perfect at upping the ante during tense scenes.
It's certainly not a feel good movie but highly enjoyable nonetheless, a must see.
I wasn't disappointed. Much more a crime thriller/polizi than pure giallo it's still an engaging mystery with a powerful and violent conclusion.
Raf Vallone is the father who's mentally retarded 25 year old daughter goes missing and could have been sold into prostitution, while Frank Wolff and Gabriele Tinti are the cops desperately searching for her.
Pretty powerful performances from all involved including Beryl Cunningham as a hooker, much more substantial than her usual roles that require her to do nothing more than take her clothes off......
The music by Gianni Ferrio is pretty bombastic and in your face at times but perfect at upping the ante during tense scenes.
It's certainly not a feel good movie but highly enjoyable nonetheless, a must see.
The Fourth Victim (1971)
aka
La última señora Anderson
aka
Death at the Deep End of the Swimming Pool
La última señora Anderson
aka
Death at the Deep End of the Swimming Pool
Fairly enjoyable British set Spanish giallo from Eugenio Martin director of Horror Express.
Carroll Baker is the new wife of Michael Craig's character Arthur Anderson who's previous three wives have all died in mysterious circumstances, will she become the next (hence the title of the movie).
Shot around Windsor and Ascot the scenery is quite lovely and it's always interesting to see how foreign films portray our constabulary. Portly and inept this time around although the inspector does have a fantastic Welsh accent that brightens up the proceedings and provides a few chuckles.
Great smooth score from Piero Umiliani keeps things rolling along nicely and there's a certain
amount of tension in the final third to keep one interested.
Worth checking out i'd say, especially if you're a Baker fan.
Carroll Baker is the new wife of Michael Craig's character Arthur Anderson who's previous three wives have all died in mysterious circumstances, will she become the next (hence the title of the movie).
Shot around Windsor and Ascot the scenery is quite lovely and it's always interesting to see how foreign films portray our constabulary. Portly and inept this time around although the inspector does have a fantastic Welsh accent that brightens up the proceedings and provides a few chuckles.
Great smooth score from Piero Umiliani keeps things rolling along nicely and there's a certain
amount of tension in the final third to keep one interested.
Worth checking out i'd say, especially if you're a Baker fan.
Thursday 8 November 2012
OK Connery (1967)
aka Operation Kid Brother
Connery. Bernard Lee. Lois Maxwell. Adolfo Celi. It must be Thunderball.
Nope not when the Connery is younger brother Neil, playing plastic surgeon, playboy and secret agent "Neil Connery".
Alberto De Martino's entry into the euro spy genre is a delirious mixture of guns, gals and gadgets that's every bit as enjoyable as a 'legit' Bond movie
It's not Spectre but 'Thanatos' this time around bent on domination and only kid brother can save the world.
Nope not when the Connery is younger brother Neil, playing plastic surgeon, playboy and secret agent "Neil Connery".
Alberto De Martino's entry into the euro spy genre is a delirious mixture of guns, gals and gadgets that's every bit as enjoyable as a 'legit' Bond movie
It's not Spectre but 'Thanatos' this time around bent on domination and only kid brother can save the world.
Moneypenny, sorry "Miss Maxwell" gets to fire a machine gun and From Russia With Love starlet Daniela Bianchi is the eye candy.
I loved this from start to finish, pour me a martini.....
I loved this from start to finish, pour me a martini.....
Tuesday 6 November 2012
The Devil’s Kiss (1976)
Extremely low budget Spanish horror movie from director
Jordi Gigo that sounds a lot better
on paper than actually sitting through it’s rather laborious
90 minutes.
Frequent Naschy leading lady Silvia Solar headlines as a
Satanist medium seeking revenge
for the death of her husband by using a reanimated corpse to
kill those she holds responsible.
After a bright start it
settles into a fairly talky and at times quite boring run of the mill Eurocine
clunker.
Not really much more to say on this one, just
disappointing.
Thursday 18 October 2012
Drunken Master 2 (1994)
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Retitled to The Legend of Drunken Master and slightly edited for it's current release this is one of Jackie Chan's last truly great movies.
The plot involving British diplomats stealing Chinese artifacts is secondary and really just there to propel the story between the stunning fight and action sequences.
A great supporting cast includes Andy Lau, Ti Tung and the late Anita Mui while Ken Ho is a more than worthy opponent for Chan in the climactic fight.
Sunday 16 September 2012
The Shuttered Room (1967)
Engaging British horror movie based loosely on a HP Lovecraft story and set on the remote Dunwich island, supposedly near New York but actually filmed in Norfolk.
Carol Lynley returns to her childhood home with new husband Gig Young only to face hostility from the local delinquents and warnings of a family curse from everyone else.
Oliver Reed is suitably psychotic as one of the islanders and adds to the overall sense of dread that the movie creates so well.
There's a manic jazz soundtrack that i personally didn't like too much but that was really the only negative point to this enjoyable film.
Carol Lynley returns to her childhood home with new husband Gig Young only to face hostility from the local delinquents and warnings of a family curse from everyone else.
Oliver Reed is suitably psychotic as one of the islanders and adds to the overall sense of dread that the movie creates so well.
There's a manic jazz soundtrack that i personally didn't like too much but that was really the only negative point to this enjoyable film.
So Sweet So Perverse (1969)
The second of the four Umberto Lenzi directed giallo's Carroll Baker made in the late 60's and it's a highly enjoyable movie at that.
The plots were all pretty interchangeable and here it's the usual blackmail, ominous phone calls, double crossing spouses, etc.
Jean-Louis Trintignant plays the role usually taken by Jean Sorel or George Hilton as the playboy industrialist and Erika Blanc is his unhappy wife, while Baker gets the mistress role this time around.
Helga Line co stars as another of Trintignant's mistresses and Beryl Cunningham does what she usually does in these films.....
Riz Ortolani provides a decent score and there's a catchy theme song in "Why".
The plots were all pretty interchangeable and here it's the usual blackmail, ominous phone calls, double crossing spouses, etc.
Jean-Louis Trintignant plays the role usually taken by Jean Sorel or George Hilton as the playboy industrialist and Erika Blanc is his unhappy wife, while Baker gets the mistress role this time around.
Helga Line co stars as another of Trintignant's mistresses and Beryl Cunningham does what she usually does in these films.....
Riz Ortolani provides a decent score and there's a catchy theme song in "Why".
Saturday 15 September 2012
The Sweet Body Of Deborah (1968)
One of Carroll Baker's first Italian movies this giallo light has a great cast of Euro stalwarts and a plot that seems very familiar.
While on honeymoon in Switzerland and France Baker and husband Jean Sorel are stalked by a man (Luigi Pistilli) who claims Sorel was responsible for the death of his ex girlfriend (Evelyn Stewart).
It's a pretty standard plot for this type of film, nobody is exactly who they seem at first glance and it has the obligatory twist ending (2 in this case).
George Hilton is also on hand as the American neighbour who may have ulterior motives, while the score by Nora Orlandi is a lounge masterpiece, breezy and cheerful.
Romolo Guerrieri also directed The Detective with Franco Nero and Florinda Bolkin which i enjoyed, will have to check out his City Under Seige which looks interesting.
Sunday 9 September 2012
Revenge (1971)
Gritty little thriller from Sidney Hayers, director of the excellent Night Of The Eagle.
Joan Collins and James Booth headline as the parents whose daughter is abducted and murdered by a child killer at large. Convinced that they know the identity of the killer an elaborate scheme is hatched to abduct and kill him that goes awry and threatens to tear their family apart.
With a great use of a pub as the central location this enjoyable slice of 70's british drama has enough moments of tension and a thrilling climax to make it an enjoyable viewing experience all round.
Joan Collins and James Booth headline as the parents whose daughter is abducted and murdered by a child killer at large. Convinced that they know the identity of the killer an elaborate scheme is hatched to abduct and kill him that goes awry and threatens to tear their family apart.
With a great use of a pub as the central location this enjoyable slice of 70's british drama has enough moments of tension and a thrilling climax to make it an enjoyable viewing experience all round.
Sunday 19 August 2012
Kidnap Syndicate (1975)
Great Fernando Di Leo movie has Luc Merenda and James Mason as the parents of two children kidnapped and held for ransom.
Supposedly regarded as one of Di Leo's lesser movies it still has all his usual hallmarks, exciting chases and violent bloody shootouts.
Luc Merenda is great as the father turned vigilante forced to take the law into his own hands while Vittorio Caprioli is perfect as the harassed police commissioner. Mason is rather cold as the other parent although that may have been down to his role having been dubbed into Italian.
Has Di Leo ever made a bad movie, i've yet to come across one....
Supposedly regarded as one of Di Leo's lesser movies it still has all his usual hallmarks, exciting chases and violent bloody shootouts.
Luc Merenda is great as the father turned vigilante forced to take the law into his own hands while Vittorio Caprioli is perfect as the harassed police commissioner. Mason is rather cold as the other parent although that may have been down to his role having been dubbed into Italian.
Has Di Leo ever made a bad movie, i've yet to come across one....
Island Of Fire (1990)
cameo's with Tony Leung Ka-fai the real star of the show.
Sent undercover into one of Hong Kong's most brutal prisons to expose the corruption and brutality policeman Leung faces the usual for this type of movie, organised fights, vicious guards, a despot warden, etc.
Chan has a couple of decent fight scenes, Hung provides the sentimentality as the repeat escapee missing his son and Lau plays against type as the local gang boss.
Tipping it's hat to Cool Hand Luke in a couple of scenes it moves along at a fair pace and is certainly better than many similar movies in this genre. Recommended.
Saturday 18 August 2012
Anima Persa (1977)
19 year old Tino (Danilo Mattei) arrives in Venice to stay with his aunt and uncle (Catherine Deneuve & Vittorio Gassman) in their run down mansion while attending art school.
Curious as to what is in the locked room in an abandoned part of the building he starts to hear
strange sounds at night, while ominous cracks in his aunt and uncles relationship start to show.
Equal parts old dark house mystery and art house movie director Dino Risi slowly creates an air of tension and hidden threat that eventually leads to a completely unexpected ending.
Fine performances from all the leads and a great score from Francis Lai make this a highly enjoyable if downbeat experience.
Double Face (1969)
aka Liz et Helen
Mildly diverting murder mystery from director Riccardo Freda that is closer in tone to the German krimi film than the Italian giallo.
Klaus Kinski gives a fairly reserved performance as John Alexander a man accused of murdering his wealthy wife Helen, only problem being she may not really be dead.
Margaret Lee is the wife and Annabella Incontrerra her lover Liz (hence the films alternate title).
As with most Freda films it's very stylishly shot but there are a couple of extremely poor effects shots that let the film down big time, a train crash that is honestly laughable and some rear projection tobogganing that doesn't work at all.
Plus points are a couple of groovy nightclub scenes and an ending i certainly didn't see coming at all, worth 90 minutes of anybody's time.
Klaus Kinski gives a fairly reserved performance as John Alexander a man accused of murdering his wealthy wife Helen, only problem being she may not really be dead.
Margaret Lee is the wife and Annabella Incontrerra her lover Liz (hence the films alternate title).
As with most Freda films it's very stylishly shot but there are a couple of extremely poor effects shots that let the film down big time, a train crash that is honestly laughable and some rear projection tobogganing that doesn't work at all.
Plus points are a couple of groovy nightclub scenes and an ending i certainly didn't see coming at all, worth 90 minutes of anybody's time.
Sunday 12 August 2012
Pensione Paura (1977)
Fantasticly moody little film from Francesco Barilli director of the brilliant Perfume Of The Lady In Black.
Part giallo part drama and set in a rundown hotel during the second world war the film is carried by a fabulous performance from Leonora Fani as the teenage girl waiting for her father to return from the war.
Left to run the hotel alone after her mother is murdered the increasingly debauched guests make life hell for her, until that is they start turning up dead themselves.
Luc Merenda is memorable as a sleazy conman and Francisco Rabal great as Fani's mother's
lover hidden away in the hotel.
The score from Adolfo Waitzmann is quite brilliant, ranging from lightweight dancehall tunes
to ominous guitar driven themes.
An absolute gem of a movie that just has to be seen by any serious fan of euro cult cinema.
Part giallo part drama and set in a rundown hotel during the second world war the film is carried by a fabulous performance from Leonora Fani as the teenage girl waiting for her father to return from the war.
Left to run the hotel alone after her mother is murdered the increasingly debauched guests make life hell for her, until that is they start turning up dead themselves.
Luc Merenda is memorable as a sleazy conman and Francisco Rabal great as Fani's mother's
lover hidden away in the hotel.
The score from Adolfo Waitzmann is quite brilliant, ranging from lightweight dancehall tunes
to ominous guitar driven themes.
An absolute gem of a movie that just has to be seen by any serious fan of euro cult cinema.
Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay (1971)
Very reminiscent in places of a Jean Rollin film this French offering from director Bruno Gantillon is part dark fairytale and part softcore erotica.
Two young female holidaymakers become trapped in the domain of witch Morgana and held as captives in her saphic harem.
That's basically the plot and it's a rather thin one at that, not a lot really happens.
Softcore lesbian couplings punctuate the endless dialogue and a little drama is created when one of the girls trys to escape the witches domain but it really is an exercise in tedium.
There's no doubt the cast all look stunning and some of the shots manage to capture the dreamlike atmosphere of Rollin's work but it's not enough to keep ones interest and as a result it becomes rather a chore to sit through.
Two young female holidaymakers become trapped in the domain of witch Morgana and held as captives in her saphic harem.
That's basically the plot and it's a rather thin one at that, not a lot really happens.
Softcore lesbian couplings punctuate the endless dialogue and a little drama is created when one of the girls trys to escape the witches domain but it really is an exercise in tedium.
There's no doubt the cast all look stunning and some of the shots manage to capture the dreamlike atmosphere of Rollin's work but it's not enough to keep ones interest and as a result it becomes rather a chore to sit through.
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