Sunday, June 30, 2013

ANGELS BRIGADE 1979 (SCORPION)

Gorgeous Katarina Leigh Waters is your hostess for this fun action film.

Gerydon Clarke directed this fun film involving six beautiful women who decide to destroy a drug cartel. Former Playboy Playmate Sylvia Anderson heads the group and they kick ass in very odd ways.

Some of the film is played for comedy, which is fine and the women all look very good so there is plenty of eye candy. This is a movie with a once in a lifetime cast including Peter Lawford, Arthur Godfrey, Jim Backus, Neville Brand, Pat Buttram, Alan Hale, Jr., Jack Palance, Liza Greer, Noela Velasco and many more.

Velasco really struts her stuff and is easily the most attractive of the women. The gunfights are well done as are all the stunts. If you like campy good humor mixed with action and hot women then check this out. Ignore all the negative press and judge for yourself.

It's always good to see Katarina Waters introduce movies as she actually loves these kinds of films and is very informative about the entire production.

TOP 25 RIVALRIES IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY 2013 (WWE)

This three disc set is something very different.

As the title says, some of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history are spotlighted in this excellent set. You have such rivalries as Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper, Tazz vs. Sabu, Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA, Bruiser Brody Vs. Abdullah The Butcher and many, many more.

The matches are shown on discs two and three while disc one talks about all of them and how they started. Back in the good old days of the sport these feuds lasted as long as 15 years or more. Now they last only until the next PPV event which is usually 4 weeks.

If you're a wrestling fan you will want to have this set. My personal favorite is Brody vs. Butcher since that to me anyway was and still is the greatest feud in history.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

RIP MATT OSBOURNE 1957-2013

Former pro wrestler who wrestled under the name Matt Bourne and Doink The Clown has passed away in Plano Texas at the age of 56.

At this writing it is not known what was the cause of death. His girlfriend found him and called 911. His father was a famous wrestler called "Tough" Tony Bourne. Another one bites the dust way too young.

RIP DON BOWMAN 1937-2013

The first host of American Country Countdown passed away on June 5 at the age of 75.

Bowman was the host of the show when I first started listening to radio back in the days when it was good and he also starred in two of my favorite films "Hillbillies In A Haunted House" and "Las Vegas Hillbilles".

Bowman was a talented comedy writer and penned such songs as "Wildwood Weed" and many, many others. A sad loss in the world of music I hold dear to my heart.

DON'T OPEN THE DOOR 1974 (VCI)

Texas made horror thriller.

Susan Bracken plays a lovely young woman who is slowly driven insane after being trapped in a house with a homicidal maniac.

S.F. Brownrigg directs this film well and there are some very good moments and the leading lady is very easy on the eyes. There are a few slow spots that I wish they had cut out because they weren't needed, but the film as a whole works as a well made psychi thriller that really packs a punch.

The ending of the film is a bizarre one, but very fitting. You will recognize some of the actors from numerous made in Texas thriller from Larry Buchanan. I would recommend this for horror fans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Maria Conchita Alonso is 56, and Fred Grandy is 65.

Friday, June 28, 2013

WORLD OF HAMMER: MUMMIES, WEREWOLVES AND THE LIVING DEAD 1990 (ANCHOR BAY)

Another great episode.

Oliver Reed narrates this episode which talks about such films as "Plague Of The Zombies", "Curse Of The Werewolf", "The Mummy" and many more.

There are some great clips shown in this show including the classic nightmare sequence from "Plague of The Zombies" and the death scene of Oliver Reed in "Curse Of The Werewolf." I have been watching and reviewing a lot of Hammer films lately and this is probably the best of the World Of Hammer episodes I have seen thus far.

PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES 1967 (ANCHOR BAY)

One of the best of the Hammer horrors.

A small village in Cornwall is plagued by the deaths of many young people and a doctor and his lovely daughter travel there after being invited by a one of the doctors former students.

Andre Morell is the doctor who arrives to help his student solve the mysterious "curse" hanging over the village.Diane Claire is his daughter and John Carson is the town Squire and it is he who is causing people to die and then turning them into hideous zombies in order to work a dangerous tin mine to make millions of dollars.

There are some excellent sequences in this film including a nightmare scene where the zombies rise and a female zombie, played by Jacqueline Pearce has her head cut off. Director John Gilling does an exceptional job as does the entire cast. the first time the zombies are shown is something I will never forget.

Highly Recommended horror film that shouldn't be missed.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

NEW POLL ADDED

I added a poll to the blog asking about movie studios. Feel free to vote if you like.

MUMMY'S SHROUD 1967 (ANCHOR BAY)

An often overlooked Hammer horror.

The slave of a young Egyptian boy comes to life after a sacred pledge is spoken, and it goes on a killing spree to destroy all who desecrated the boy's tomb.

Andre Morell is the leader of the expedition who is double crossed by his boss and sent to an insane asylum for his trouble. The boss is played by John Phillips and he does a very good job playing a scum bag. Lovely Maggie Kimberly is the language expert who is also menaced by the mummy. She went on to a role in Witchfinder General after this and never did another film. What a shame.

The death of Morell's character is painful to "hear". they don't show you anything but you hear his head being crushed. The cast is rounded out by Michael Ripper, Richard Warner and Dickie Owen as the mummy Prem. Recommended for Hammer fans.

WORLD OF HAMMER: CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN 1990 (ANCHOR BAY)

This episode looks at the Frankenstein films from Hammer.

Oliver Reed again narrates and we see clips from such films as Revenge of Frankenstein, Curse Of Frankenstein, Evil Of Frankenstein and Frankenstein & The Monster From Hell. It's good to see these clips and from time to time Reed's narration is informative.

These are 25 minutes long and so things have to move quickly and sometimes they move too quickly and could give more info, but it's fine. if you are a Hammer film fan you will enjoy these no matter what. This particular episode I caught on the disc of Four Sided Triangle. Recommended!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

AMERICAN TOP 40 THE 80'S

This weekends broadcast is from 6/29/1985.

This week we will go to a time when Limahl told a "Never Ending Story", DeBarge wondered "Who's Holding Donna Now", Wham told us "Everything She Wants", Katrina And The Waves were "Walking On Sunshine", and Eurythmics asked "Would I Lie To You" plus so much more.

Listen to this on WMGN 98.1 in Madison, WI on Sunday at 11:00 AM mountain time.

AMERICAN TOP 40 THE 70'S

This weekends broadcast is from 6/30/1973.

It was a great era for music. This show takes us back to a time when Jeanne Pruett sang of "Satin Sheets", Bobby "Boris" Pickett did the "Monster Mash", Seals and Croft wanted a "Diamond Girl", The Carpenters wanted "Yesterday Once More" and Sylvia loved "Pillow Talk" plus much more.

Listen to the broadcast on WMGN 98.1 from Madison, WI on Saturday night at 8:00 PM Mountain time or KHLA 92.9 from Lake Charles, LA on Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM mountain time.

WORLD OF HAMMER 1990 (ANCHOR BAY)

One of 13 episodes about Hammer Films.

This episode is entitled "Lands Before Time" and looks at varioius Hammer films such as "One Million B.C.", "Lost Continent", "Prehistoric Women" and many more.

Oliver Reed narrates and some very interesting clips are shown. I can't see anyone who likes Hammer missing these episodes which have been put on various DVD's of the Hammer Collection. Check all of these out if you can and see what made this studio one of the best in the world.

EL CASTILLO DE LAS MOMIAS GUANAJUATO 1973 (BCI)

Wrestling and monsters...what more could you want?

Three masked wrestler..Superzan, Blue Angel and Tinieblas fight a mad doctor and his killer dwarfs who bring a horde of mummies back to life.

The doctor needs the mummies to torture people in order to extract a certain serum from their bodies. He uses the serum to stay eternally young. Wall to wall wrestling action in and out of the ring make this a very fast paced winner. The mummies look very cool an they even know some wrestling holds!!

I love this kind of stuff and highly recommend it to anyone who has a serious interest in south of the border horrors. Thus film also contains some very bizarre scenes of torture, but hey, that's what these movies are all about..the truly bizarre.

BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN 1971 (MILL CREEK)

One of the best horror films made.

A family finds themselves trapped in a small town in the desert where the devil worshiping seniors recruit the children to worship Satan so that they may have eternal life thru those same said children.

Produced by Alvy Moore and L.Q. Jones, the same team who brought you the magnificent "Witchmaker" and "A Boy And His Dog" really turn up the heat in this tense thriller which also stars Moore and Jones as well as Charles Bateman, Strother Martin, Charles Robinson and the gorgeous Ahna Capri.

There are some genuine scares in this film including a doll that comes to life and a statue that decapitates a man. Martin is the town doctor ans Robinson and Capri are the parents of a young girl who the evil seniors want. This is a highly recommended thriller and Mill Creek brings us a pristine, widescreen print.

RIP RICHARD MATHESON 1926-2013

One of the worlds great fiction writers has passed away at the age of 87.

Richard Matheson who wrote such great stories as "I Am Legend", "The Shrinking Man" and many more has died. Matheson was a driving force behin such TV shows as "The Twilight Zone", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and often wrote some of the best episodes of those shows.

He also penned films such as "The Raven" and "Comedy of Terrors" for director Roger Corman. His novel "I Am Legend" was made into a great 1964 horror film starring Vincent Price called "The Last Man On Earth" and was the inspiration for George Romero's "Night Of The Living Dead".

They don't have writers like Richard anymore and he will be forever missed by people like me who grew up watching his stories on TV. RIP.

Monday, June 24, 2013

LIVING COFFIN 1958 (CASA NEGRA)

Interesting Mexican horror/mystery film

Gaston Santos stars in this film about a cowboy who is an undercover agent that helps a ranching family that seems to be under attack by the spirit of a woman long dead.

A woman fears being buried alive and has an alarm set in her coffin in case she wakes up. This reminds me so much of "The Premature Burial" and several other movies. Santos is very good in his role as is lovely Maria Duval as a young woman being terrorized at the ranch.

Casa Negra brings us an excellent print with new subtitles and I do recommend this for anyone who likes south of the border horror.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN 1977 (SCREAM FACTORY)

Another great Charles Pierce production.

Ben Johnson stars as Chief J.D. Morales, a policeman called into a small town called Texarkana in Arkansas after a series of brutal attacks and murders by what appears to be a sadist.

The killer wears a white hood over his head and likes to bits his female victims. Very strange stuff indeed. Andrew Prine is the local deputy sheriff who tracks the killer. There are some very effective moments in this lively thriller by Charles Pierce and this is a film that shouldn't be missed by suspense fans everywhere.

This is loosely based on a true case in 1946 and it co-stars Dawn Wells, Robert Aquino and Earl E. Smith. A hugh thanks to Scream Factory for finally putting this out in a gorgeous widescreen DVD and Blu-ray.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

LAST GUN 1964 (MILL CREEK)

Cameron Mitchell stars in this classic Italian Western.

Mitchell is a former gunman who gives up his evil life and decides to live quietly in a small town that is suddenly taken over by bandits.

He finds himself drawn back into the world of gun-fighting, but this time for good as he sets out to secretly defeat the gunmen one by one andd foiling their every attempt to rob and kill.

Mitchell handles the role very well, and yes, his voice is dubbed by someone else but that won't detract you from enjoying this well made Spaghetti oater.

UNTAMED WOMEN 1952 (VCI)

Ultra low budget hijinks.

Mikel Conrad stars as a man rescued from a raft in the middle of the ocean after his army bombing plane crashes. He tells the story of himself and three others stranded on a mysterious island populated by women who are the last survivors of the Druids.

The men are captured and the women want to sacrifice them, but others want them as mates. They must fight the women, dinosaurs and a tribe of huge cavemen who want the women for breeding.

This movie is a trip and a half. It was filmed for about 25 bucks and while it is entertaining on certain levels, only people like me who adore bad cinema will really appreciate it. The acting is none too good, and the best performance comes from Morgan Jones and Lyle Talbot, of course.

Recommended for bad movie lovers every where.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Bruce Campbell is 55, Kris Kristofferson is 77, and Lindsay Wagner is 64.

Friday, June 21, 2013

UNHOLY ROLLERS 1972 (DVD-R)

Gorgeous Claudia Jennings on roller skates.

Claudia is a woman who decides to quit her boring job and enter the Roller Derby. She proves herself to the team and the owners, but is never really accepted. This causes friction in the group but Claudia keeps on going.

Roger Corman produced this classic exploitation film that was released by American International. Jennings, who died tragically at the age of 29 in a traffic accident does another excellent job and some say this is her best film. The action sequences are top notch.

What is not to like about this film??? You have Claudia as well as Roberta Collins and a bevy of other very nice looking women, roller derby action, great camera work and a very fast pace. Highly recommended if you can find it.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

RIP KATE WOODVILLE 1938-2013

Very lovely and prolific actress Kate Woodville has passed away at the age of 74. She starred in many, many TV shows and movies during the 70's including one of my favorite "Night Stalker" episodes entitled "Primal Scream".

She also appeared in such shows as "Mannix", "The Virginian", and movies such as "Posse" with Bruce Dern and Kirk Douglas.

LONG HAIR OF DEATH 1964 (MIDNIGHT CHOIR)

Barbara Steele is gorgeous as always.

Here she is a woman who returns from the dead to seek revenge on those who have wronged her. Antonio Margheriti does his usual great job directing and using very interesting camera shots to male this look like a really haunting film.

The terror slowly builds and builds until a climax in which the evil man gets his just desserts in a most bizarre way which is very reminding of "The Wicker Man".

Top notch Italian horror that is a sure bet for any horror fan. Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Nicole Kidman is 46, Martin Landau is 85, Candy Clark is 66, Brett Halsey is 80, and Anne Murray is 68.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

HOWL OF THE DEVIL 1987 (DVD-R)

Paul Naschy stars as several classic movie monsters.

He is a has been actor who invites prostitutes to his home and plays sex games with them while in disguises such as Fu Manchu among others. His nephew lives with him and he has problems of his own...big problems.

Howard Vernon is his butler who likes to talk with the dead and the luscious Caroline Munro is the maid who Naschy lusts after, and who can blame him. My God she looks hotter than hell in this film.

Naschy plays Frankenstein's Monster, Mr. Hyde, Phantom Of The Opera, Waldamar Daninski, Quasimodo and The Devil. This is a highly recommended film that any horror movie fan will enjoy. I wish this was available in the US, but sadly it isn't. If you can find it check it out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Paula Abdul is 51, Louis Jourdan 92, Ray Lovelock is 63,and Rosalba Neri is 74.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

SWITCHBLADE SISTERS 1975 (LIONSGATE)

A classic exploitation from from Jack Hill.

Robbie Lee is Lace, the leader of a gang of girls who seems to be in charge until a new girl arrives and is accepted into the gang, then things begin to change and a lot of infighting starts.

Joanne Nail is Maggie, the new girl who stirs things up and eventually becomes the target of an inside plot to kill her. Jack Hill does his usual great job directing and getting the most out of his actors. Everyone in the cast is very good and the action never seems to stop.

If you like action and exploitation films with gunfights, beautiful woman and great ddialogue, then this is an instant classic for you to see if you have not already.

Monday, June 17, 2013

WALK THE DARK STREET 1956 (ALPHA)

Interesting and obscure film noir.

Wyott Ordung directed this tense film noir about a madman, played by Chuck Conners who hunts a man down in a big city in order to kill him. Conners blames the man for the death of his brother in Korea.

Conners plays the role of the madman to perfection. Don Ross is the unsuspecting man Conners wants to kill and Regina Gleason is the woman who tries to warn him.

Director Ordung has a small role as a hotel clerk and even though the quality is a little lacking from Alpha, I would still recommend this film for noir fans.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

DOG EAT DOG 1964 (DARK SKY)

AKA "When Strangers Meet".

Jayne Mansfield open the movie gyrating on a bed in her underwear surrounded by millions of dollars!! Seeing this you know you are in for one hell of a film.

It seems thieves have stolen used money being shipped back to the USA and they fin themselves in a hotel on an island run by a madman and lived in by psychos who will do anything to get the money for themselves. This is a sometimes violent and well made thriller that works very very well.

Cameron Mitchell, Dodie Heath and Ivor Salter round out a bizarre international cast. Gustave Gavin and Richard Cunha directed this gem which is unlike any other crime drama I have ever seen. It has a perfect film noir ending however. I Highly Recommend this film to any film fan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Joan Van Ark is 70, Vilmos Zsigmond is 83, Dagmar Lassander is 70, and Suzan Farmer is 71.