WARRIOR AND THE SORCERESS 1984 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Offbeat sword and sandal film.

David Carradine stars in this weird film about a man with a sword for hire that comes upon two men who fight constantly over a well of water.

While selling his services to the highest bidder he also keeps his eyes on Naja, a beautiful sorceress. Luke Askew, Harry Townes and Maria Socas as Naja co-star. Watching this film I was beginning to think that the plot wasn't really thought out very well and the movie just kind of rambles.

It's ok for what it is, but there are better films of this ilk out there.

SECRET OF THE RED ORCHID 1962 (RETROMEDIA)

Pretty good "krimi".

"Krimi" is German for crime or mystery in a film or book. This is based on the Edgar Wallace novel "When The Gangs Came To London" and it stars Christopher Lee in his second "krimi" , Klaus Kinski, Adrian Hoven and the always sexy Marisa Mell.

People are offered protection by a group calling themselves "Patrons of the Rich" and if they don't pay they are brutally murdered. Lee knows that the gang is run by a Chicago mobster he ran out of the States, and soon the chase is on. This is a very good and well made story and if you are a fan of Edgar Wallace material, you'll like this.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Gabe Kaplan is 68.

NIGHTMARE IN BLOOD 1976 (IMAGE)

Interesting fan flick.

John Stanley, the host of "Creature Features" after Bob Wilkins left, directed this interesting movie about an actor in horror movies that turns out to be a real live vampire.

Shot in San Francisco and Oakland this is a unique film for people who watched "Creature Features" in the 70's and 80's. Stanley does a good job directing and Bob Wilkins even has a very small non speaking part in a crowd scene in front of a theater. Lots of cool movie posters and comics are seen in the backgrounds or hanging on the walls in many scenes.

The DVD includes several interviews Stanley did on his show and it even has the original opening to "Creature Features" when Stanley hosted it. It should be noted that this is the final screen appearance of Kerwin Matthews who has a small role in the beginning of the film. Recommended!!

INVISIBLE WOMAN 1940 (UNIVERSAL)

Interesting and offbeat comedy!

Virginia Bruce stars as a young woman who answers an ad in a newspaper from a scientist who is testing a device capable of rendering someone invisible. She becomes invisible and takes revenge on her cruel boss before getting involved with three bumbling gangster who steal the professor's machine for their own use.

This is a very light, but fun entry in the "Invisible" series from Universal. Bruce does an excellent job as does the rest of the cast which includes John Barrymore, John Howard, Charles Ruggles, Oskar Homolka, Margaret Hamilton, Shemp Howard and Anne Nagel. Look quickly for Maria Montez as a model in the agency where Bruce takes revenge on her boss, played by the one and only Charles Lane.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

John Astin is 83.

ROCKET ATTACK USA 1961 (MILL CREEK)

Interesting low budget sci-fi.

Ultra low budget film about a spy sent to Russia to see how far their missile program has gone ahead of ours. He finds they have gathered enough information from Sputnik to build a nuclear weapon which is directed at the USA!!

Very bleak film as all are killed and New York is nuked!! This is probably more timely today than is was back in 1961. I enjoyed this film a lot and maybe you will to. Directed by Barry Mahon.

THE RAVEN 1963 (MGM)

A Roger Corman classic!!

Vincent Price stars as a magician who is visited by a Raven which turns out to be Peter Lorre after a run in with an evil man named Scarabus, played by Boris Karloff. Lorre, Price, his daughter played by Olive Sturgess and Lorre's son played by jack Nicholson soon visit the home of Scarabus and that's when trouble starts.

The laughs are fast and furious as Lorre ad libs his lines and the comedic play between all three is simply perfect. Gorgeous Hazel Court is Price's wife whom he thought was dead. Hazel never looked better. I highly recommend this fun and comical feature for late night viewing. One of the best.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Lucy Lawless is 45.

RIP ROBERT NICHOLS 1924-2013

Character actor who appeared in hundreds of TV shows and movies has passed away at the age of 88.

Nichols starred in such 50's sci-fi gems as "The Thing" in 1951, "This Island Earth" in 1955 and other classic films such as "Giant", "Westworld", "Escape From the Planet of The Apes", "Wicked, Wicked", "God Told Me To" and many more.

He also appeared in such TV shows as "Green Acres", "Alias Smith And Jones", and "Sugarfoot" among others. His performances in the films I have seen him in are always unique and he will be missed.

COMEDY OF TERRORS 1964 (MGM)

One of the best horror/comedies ever made!!

Vincent Price stars as a mortician who kills people to stay in business and Peter Lorre is his bumbling helper. When Price decides to do away with his landlord, that's when things get out of hand as the man won't stay dead. Basil Rathbone is the landlord who spouts Shakespeare constantly.

Joyce Jameson is Price's wife who sings opera so badly all the glass breaks in the house and Boris Karloff is the senile old father whom Price is always trying to poison. This film never fails to make me laugh out loud and sometimes I laugh until i cry watching this and listening to the insane dialogue. A true classic.

GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI 1966 (MGM)

Good AIP fun.

Boris Karloff is a ghost who, in order to enter heaven must do a good deed. Enter sexy Susan Hart, another ghost who worked with Karloff when he was alive and she decides to help him with the deed. Turns out his will is being read and he wants to make sure the money goes to the rightful heirs.

The heirs include Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley and Patsy Kelly. These three must try and stay alive after the will is read so they can locate the missing money in a haunted house. The great cast also includes Basil Rathbone, Jesse White, stunning Quinn O' Hara as "Sinistra", Harvey lembeck as Eric Von Zipper, Aron Kincaid and gorgeous Nancy Sinatra, who also sings a song or two.

The comedy is pure slapstick and good humor. This was the end of the line for the "beach party" films from AIP. Nothing but good fun and Highly Recommended.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Robin Hawdon is 74.

GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW 1959 (MGM)

Another rare 50's gem!

Simple story of a group of drag racing kids who have formed a club and move into a secluded mansion that is said to be haunted. This film marked the end of the horror cycle of AIP in the 1950's and it is also known as the only screen appearance by King Of the Monster Makers, Paul Blaisdell.

For kids like me who grew up watching these films on TV, Blaisdell was a genius and created such monsters as "The She Creature" which appears in this film as well. He also created the monster for "Day The World Ended", "It Conquered the World" and many more. This is a must see film from the fab 50's with cool music, neat monsters and just plain fun.

BRAIN LEECHES 1978 (SINISTER CINEMA)

One of the rarest movies ever made.

Fred Olen Ray made this obscure and really bizarre film for $298 bucks back in 1978 and it really has to be seen to be believed. It seems an alien has arrived on earth and is taking over people and turning them into either flesh eating zombies or slaves that wear sun glasses to hide their transformed eyes.

Fred actually re-shot some of the zombie scenes for his later film "Alien Dead". The ending is abrupt and the films runs a scant 55 minutes. This is basically a home movie, but what a movie!! I love this film and ANYONE who has ever made their own movies will know exactly why.

Fred let Greg Luce at Sinister Cinema release this film and I want to thank Fred for letting this obscure gem finally be seen. Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Talisa Soto 46, Michael York is 71, and June Wilkinson is 73.

MISSILE TO THE MOON 1959 (IMAGE)

Another classic 50's sci-fi film.

This is a remake of "Cat Women Of The Moon". A small group head to the moon in a rocket developed by a scientist who is obsessed with getting there. He forces two escaped juveniles into piloting the ship and his daughter and her boyfriend are also trapped when the rocket takes off.

The scientist played by Michael Whalen dies after he is struck in the head by a falling object inside the rocket. When they land on the moon the find a race of "rock men" who menace them and upon entering a cave they find a race of gorgeous women and even some giant spiders. Lots of other surprises await our small group of space travelers.

The rest of the cast includes Tommy Cook, Richard Travis, Gary Clarke, Laurie Mitchell and gorgeous Cathy Downs. If you love fun 50's films, this is for you.

WONDER WOMAN SEASON ONE (WARNER)

One of my favorite shows of all time!

The incredibly sexy Lynda Carter stars as Wonder Woman who helps the USA in it's fight against the Nazi's during WW2. This three disc set contains all 13 first season episodes and the movie pilot.

Lyle Waggoner stars as Major Steve Trevor whom Wonder Woman always has to save and her other identity is that of Diana Prince, the secretary of Trevor.

Some of the guest stars include John Saxson, Lynda Day George, Roy Rogers and in her debut, Debra Winger as Wonder Girl. Total comic strip fun and one of the best series ever made for TV. There is a documentary about the history of Wonder Woman included. All very interesting and HIGHLY RECOMMENED.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Leonard Nimoy is 82, and Diana Ross is 69.

GILLIGANS ISLAND SEASON ONE 1965 (WARNER)

One of the best known television shows ever made!!

All 36 first season episodes are on this 6 disc set from Warner. This is actually the best season for the show because the episodes are the funniest.

You get introduced to the seven castaways and various visitors to the island including "Wrong Way" Feldman played by Hans Conreid, Kurt Russell as a jungle boy and much more. The best epsiodes from this year are "Waiting For Watubi", "Music Hath Charms" and "So Sorry, My Island Now".

In the "Watubi" episode, Gilligan helps the Skipper by pretending to be a great mystic God named Watubi and the results are hilarious. In "Music Hath Charms" the castaways play musical instruments and a tribe from a nearby island take the music as war drums and attack the island. In "So Sorry, My Island Now" a japanese sailor takes the castaways prisoner on the island.

Good fun and always recommended!!

EARTHQUAKE 1974 (UNIVERSAL)

A great disaster movie!

An all star cast including Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, Lorene Green and many other fight for survival amid a huge quake that hits the LA area and destroys it.

The special effects are top notch and the use of "Surroundsound" actually has theaters shaking as the quake played out in the film. I remember it well. The movie was a huge money maker and is one I will never forget seeing for the first time.

The cast is rounded out by Lloyd Nolan, Victoria Principle, Richard Roundtree, George Kennedy, Genevieve Bujold, Marjoe Gortner, Barry Sullivan and Walter Matthau. Recommended for fans of disaster dramas.

VENOM 1981 (BLUE UNDERGROUND)

This is a damn good movie!

Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed and Susan George are three people who have plotted to kidnap a young boy and demand a ransom. What they don't forsee is that a dangerous Black mamba snake is loose in the apartment in which they hold the child, his grandfather and a female cop.

The first victim is Susan George and watching her slowly die from the snake bite is very hard to do. This is a very tense movie that has been torn apart by most critics and it really doesn't deserve that.

Blue Underground released this on a double feature with Rats..Night Of Terror. Highly Recommended double bill.

TRAPPED BY TELEVISION 1936 (MILL CREEK)

nteresting crime drama.

Lyle Talbot and Mary Astor star in this early film about a new scientific invention called Television and how they try to protect it from gangsters who want to steal it.

Not too bad of a film which has been called science fiction, but in reality it is a crime film. This has a great fight scene at the end of the film. That alone makes this worth watching.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO........

William Smith is 80, and Lynn Borden is 74.

SHE DEVIL 1957 (OLIVE)

Rare 50's sci-fi finally on DVD.

Jack Kelly and Albert Dekker are two scientists who treat a dying woman with a serum made from fruit fly enzymes and it save her life. She then turns into an indestructible monster that cannot be killed.

Pretty cool film that has been ignored over the years. the sexy Mari Blanchard plays the female monster of the title. The widescreen and black and white presentation are top notch and this is a must for 50's sci-fi fans. A hugh thanks to Olive for finally making this obscure film available to the public.

Blanchard plays the role to the hilt and it's interesting to see her hair change from black to blonde so she can escape a police hunt for her after she attacks a man in a clothing store.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.......

Corinne Clery is 63, Lori Williams is 67, and Loreta Tovar is 61.

MONSTER OF LONDON CITY 1964 (RETROMEDIA)

Good German horror.

Based on a story by Bryan Edgar Wallace, this "krimi" is about a fiend who kills much like Jack The Ripper and copies the crimes in a local play about the Ripper.

The police are always one step behind him and it is a race against time to stop the killings. The style of the film is above par as is the norm for crime films made in Germany around this time. If you are a fan of this particular kind of film, then I am sure you will not be disappointed.

SWEET SOUND OF DEATH 1965 (TROMA)

This will be one of the finest films you could see.

A young man named Pablo is in love with a stunning beauty named Dominique and she convinces him to take a vow that if one of them should die that he or she will return to help to other to the afterlife. When the plane that Dominique is on crashes and everyone is killed, Pablo receives a call the next day...it is Dominique.

The ending to this film is very bittewrsweet and romance lovers will hold it very dear. The black and white photography is beautiful and so is the actress who plays Dominique, Dyanik Zurakowska. This film was included as an extra on the Trome release of The Hanging Woman and is a VERY welcome extra to say the least.

It's a haunting love story and very creepy in spots. Highly Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

William Shatner 82.

BARBARIAN QUEEN 1985 (SHOUT FACTORY)

One of my all time faves.

The gorgeous and incredibly sexy Lana Clarkson is Amethea a young woman who's wedding day is ruined when her village is invaded by an evil warrior and his men. All are killed except lana and a few other busty women who have made their escape. Now they plan on killing the evil ruler and getting their enslaved friends back as well.

The action is hot and heavy, the dialogue not so hot, but ok and Lana ALWAYS looks good. Her scenes on the torture rack are the most remembered, especially when the torturer tires to rape her on the rack. Anyway, this is a very well made film and should keep you very entertained. Thanks to Shout Factory for finally getting it out to the public. now if we could only get Barbarian Queen 2.

FUTURE HUNTERS 1986 (MILL CREEK)

Cirio H. Santiago action flick.

A lone adventurer from the future travels back to earth in 1989. He is mortally wounded and so he gives a young couple the most godless artifact in history and tells them that they must return it to it's sheath and end it's reign of evil. The mysterious object is, of course, a sword.

Not a bad film in any way an the action never seems to let up. The young couple are chased by Amazons, secret agents and even Nazi's. The film is fun and I do recommend it for a rainy day.

IT'S ALIVE 1968 (RETROMEDIA)

Wow oh wow.

Larry Buchanan directed this classic? film about a derenaged man, played by Bill Thurman who kidnaps people to feed to his underground monster. The monster is the same one that showed up in Buchanan's "Creature of Destruction."

Tommy Kirk is the hero and lovely Shirley Bonne is the woman he is held captive with along with her husband. There is a super long flashback with no dialogue which always leaves me scratching my head. The monster is goofy looking as usual, but this is a fun film if you are a masochist, which I happily am.

DISCIPLE OF DEATH 1972 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Another rarity from Sinister Cinema.

Mike Raven stars as a disciple of Satan who tries to get young virgins he needs for his sacrifices.

This is a bizarre film if ever I saw one! It reminds me of something Andy Milligan might have done had he had more money to work with. Raven's character fins the woman he wants to make his eternal bride, but she refuses and so he condems her to be stretched on the rack for seven days until she meets him in hell.

Movies like this don't come along very often and that's a shame. I loved this film and if you get the chance to see it I think you will to.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

Kathy Ireland is 50, and Steve Borden is 54.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

I missed one...

Patricia Morison is 99.

CHAMBER OF HORRORS 1966 (WARNERS)

What a great movie!!

This was originally a TV movie that NBC thought was too violent and so they sent it to theaters instead. I believe it was going to be a series for TV but it never happened.

Patrick O' Neal is a killer who chops off his own hand to escape the police and the uses a variety of weapons on his new arm including hooks, knives and hatchets. He seeks revenge on those who tried to send him to prison. O' Neal plays the role very, very well.

Wilfred Hyde White and Cesare Donova are two men who own a wax museum and they try and catch the killer. For publicity reasons a "horror horn" and "terror siren" were added tpo the film and flashed before each killing.

The cast is rouned out by Marie Windsor, Jeanette Nolan, Wayne Rogers and lovely Laura Devon. Good fun and good chills and watch for Tony Curtis as a gambler in a whorehouse. Recommended!! As a side note gorgeous Laura Devon only made five films before getting out of the business..which is a shame but totally understandable.

BRIDES OF FU MANCHU 1966 (WARNERS)

The second of five films with Fu Manchu.

Christopher Lee is again the evil Sax Rohmer villian and this time he has kidnapped the daughters of important men and is forcing the women and the men to work for him in building a powerful ray that will help him take over the world.

Douglas Wilmer is Nayland Smith and he tries to stop Fu before it is too late. Howard Marion Crawford is again Dr. Petrie and lovely Tsia Chin is Fu's daughter Lin Tang.

Good pulp fun and adventure as are all of these films. The cast is rounded out by Marie Versini, Rupert Davies, Burt Kwouk and gorgeous Carole Gray.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Ursula Andress is 76, Jan Shepard is 85, and Gail Kobe is 81.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Peggy Dow is 85.

BEST OF WCW MONDAY NITRO VOL. 2 2013 (WWE)

Another excellent WWE release.

Once again WWE brings more great WCW action to a 3 disc DVD set. This volume contains even more great things that made Monday nights a true heaven for wrestling fans in the mid to late 90's.

The Cruiseweights such as Rey Mysterio, Dean Malenko and Juventud Guerrera are spotlighted as well as the NWO, The ultra sexy Nitro Girls, The Wolf Pack and Bill Goldberg, plus so much more.

The set is hosted by Diamond Dallas Page, who also hosted the first one. Lots of good stuff here if you are a wrestling fan and remember it for what it was, not what it is today.

JACK THE RIPPER 1976 (FRONT ROW)

Klaus Kinski as the Ripper.

Jess Franco directed this Swiss/German horror film about a respected doctor who dismembers prostitutes by night. Kinski does a very good job with his role as expected and Lina Romay is one of his young victims.

After a few killings the local Inspector's girlfriend goes undercover to catch the killer and finds out just what a maniac this guy is. This is a good period piece and a well done Franco film. A good bet for horror fans.