FORCE OF EVIL 1948 (OLIVE)

Fine film noir.

John Garfield stars in this movie about a lawyer working for the syndicate that desperately tries to save his stubborn brother from losing his entire business on a fixed numbers racket.

Thomas Gomez is Leo Morse who runs a small numbers racket in a large city. Joe is his crooked brother and both Garfield and Gomez play off of each other very well. Noir staple Marie Windsor is Edna Tucker, a typical bad girl that wants Joe, and he shows absolutely no interest.

At the time the film was made, these little numbers rackets actually existed and most of the people involved were not criminals anyway, but the money went to corrupt politicians, city officials, police and judges....much like today but only very different. Back in the day some politicians were honest, but in this day and age, none are.

Anyway, the movie is an excellent example of film noir and Garfield was one of the best actors for this kind of role. Director Abraham Polonsky was blacklisted after this film and didn't work again for over 20 years. Olive has turned out an excellent Blu-ray disc of this noir classic and I highly recommend it for any fan.

10,000 DOLLARS FOR A MASSACRE 1967 (SHOUT FACTORY/TIMELESS)

A great western with some interesting music.

Gianni Garko is Django, who is a bounty hunter looking for a killer known as Manuel and when he finds him he actually teams with him to commit a robbery. Django patiently waits until the bounty reaches $10,000, then he will kill Manuel.

Manuel is played by Claudio Camaso and he is one of Spaghetti Westerns top villains. Every time he is on screen the music turns into something from a 50's or 60's horror film with very strong theremin backing. The music is very unique for a movie of this sort, but best of all, it works.

This film is, of course, very violent and SW fans wouldn't have it any other way. The plot is tight, the cinematography is beautiful and the movie runs a smooth 100 min. This is actually rated #28 in the top 100 SW films ever made. Highly Recommended.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.......

Daniela Bianchi is 72.

VOODOO MAN 1944/CORPSE VANISHES 1942 (LEGEND)

Legend had turned out these two films in a very entertaining double feature drive in program.

First up was Voodoo Man from 1944. Bela Lugosi is a man who attempts to bring his dead wife back to life using kidnapped women and Voodoo rites. She has been dead for 22 years and he hasn't given up trying yet. John Carradine is on hand as a half wit who kiddnapes the women once their cars get stalled on a lonesome dirt road.

George Zucco is a gas station owner who knows Voodoo rites and calls Lugosi every time a lone female stops at his station. I find it ironic that the town they are headed to is called Twin Falls since that is where I live....lol.

The entire movie is totally entertaining and it is the bizarre antics of Zucco and Carradine that steal the show. Tod Andrews is also on hand as the hero and Wanda McKay makes a lovely leading lady. One of the best Bela Lugosi films that eserves to be seen more than it is.

The Corpse Vanishes is another Lugosi vehicle in which he kidnaps brides in order to keep his dying wife alive. He steals the gland fluid from their bodies as she needs it to stay young. Lugosi is as menacing in this film as in any other, but the role of his wife as essayed by Elizabeth Russell tops them all. She is cruel and very uncaring except foe her own well being.

Tris Coffin is the young hero who discovers what is happening along with a female reporter played by Luana Walters. This is good fun and the entire DVD was an experience to behold. Besides the two films you got all the usual Drive in commercials and coming attractions. A great disc from Legend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.......

Dorothy Malone is 89, and Elsa Martinelli is 79.

RIP GORDON HESSLER 1930-2014

A very underrated director has passed away.

Gordon Hessler, the man who directed such films as "Scream And Scream Again", "Cry Of The Banshee", "The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad" and the unforgettable "Kiss Meets The Phantom of The Park" died in his sleep on Jan 23rd at the age of 83.

RIP Mr. Hessler, an thanks for the memories.

YOUNG NURSES 1973 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Another of the Corman Nurse's series of films.

Three nurses lead separate lives but also work together and fight a drug ring inside of the hospital. Jean Manson is the sexy blonde who falls for a boat racer. Joanne, played by gorgeous Ashley Porter is a nurse who breaks protocol while trying to be a doctor and finally you have a socially conscious nurse played by Angela Gibbs who investigates the drug ring running out of the hospital.

There is, of course, the usual exploitation elements in this film as well and that makes this worth while if you're a fan of this kind of film. The rest of the cast includes Don Keefer, Allan Arbus, and Linda Towne. Not the best of the series or of this kind of film, but certainly not the worst either.

I would recommend this film to exploitation fans and film fans who love seeing beautiful women in tight nurses uniforms.

PITFALL 1948 (FILM CHEST)

Tense and well made film noir.

Dick Powell stars as a insurance salesman who has grown tired of his 9 to 5 routine and wants to find something different. Things get much better, or so he thinks, when he pays a visit to a femme fatal named Mona in order to collect gifts she got from her boyfriend who stole money to get them.

He falls for her in a hard way an the two have an affair. Mona is played by gorgeous Lizabeth Scott and it's easy to understand why Powell would fall for her.Powell's character, John Forbes in a married man with a child and he jeopardizes everything for the other woman. Jane Wyatt is his wife Sue and Jimmy Hunt is their son, Tommy.

This ill fated affair is complicated even more when insurance investigator J.B. McDonald, played by Raymond Burr decides he wants Mona for himself. Burr's character comes off as one of the most evil and cruel men in film noir, and Burr was excellent at playing those kinds of roles.

Andre de Toth directed this dark and moody film which really packs a punch. Nobody comes out good in this film, but that is what makes Film Noir so good. I am glad all of these kinds of films are seeing the light of day on DVD, and I am still waiting for "Devil Thumbs A Ride".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Heather Graham is 44, Tom Selleck is 69, Katharine Ross is 74, Marc Singer is 66, and Richard Bakalyan is 83.

BLOOD FOR A SILVER DOLLAR 1965 (SHOUT FACTORY/TIMELESS)

Well made spaghetti western.

Giuliano Gemma stars as a confederate soldier who returns from the war and is hire to kill an infamous outlaw...which turns out to be his brother. After he kills his brother by accident he is shot and presumed dead by the people that hired him.

He is nursed back to health and seeks revenge on those that had him kill his brother and left him for dead. This is a very moody and haunting western which would fit in with the best of American westerns. Gemma is always good and this is no exception.

The opening theme is also a haunting one that isn't easily forgotten by film fans. Lots of gunplay and violence as is usual for this kind of film and if you're fan of spaghetti westerns you won't be disappointed.

CREATURE OF THE WALKING DEAD 1965 (VCI)

Jerry Warren patchwork film.

I reviewed this film last year on a bootleg and now it has finally been given an official release from VCI on "The Jerry Warren Collection Vol. 2".

The main part of the Mexican horror film doesn't look too bad. It concerns a mad scientist who is executed for his crimes and then his ancestor comes to the old house, finds the body, revives the long dead scientist who then begins another reign of terror.

Warren should have left this film alone, but he chose to add new scenes featuring Katherine Victor, Bruno VeSota, Chuck Niles, Lloyd Nelson and lovely Barbara Wilson.

I still believe I might be the only one who bought this and Vol. 1, but they are simply "have to have" items for people like me. Anyway, the film isn't too bad and maybe someday the original will turn up and we will all get a chance to see another unique Mexican horror film. The print quality isn't bad.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Barbi Benton is 64, and Jack Hill is 81.

ZOLTAN: HOUND OF DRACULA 1978 (IMAGE)

A one of a kind movie......

Russian soldiers uncover a tomb of Dracula and his servants during an excavation and one of the servants comes back to life as well as a hound of Dracula. Both head for America and seek out the only living descendent of Dracula.

Reggie Nalder is the descendent of the vampire who seeks to keep the bloodline alive and the hound, named Zoltan is terrorizing the family while they are on vacation. Zoltan sinks his fangs into the area dogs in scenes that are very amusing and downright odd.

Michael Pataki is Michael Drake, a descendent of Dracula who is sought to keep the bloodline alive. This is drive-in fodder at it's very best. It is indeed one of the oddest films I have ever seen. Jose Ferrer is also on hand as an Inspector from Russia that is hot on the trail of the monsters.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Bridget Fonda is 50.

PRIVATE DUTY NURSES 1971 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Roger and Julie Corman strike again.

Corman's New World Pictures turned out this exploitation classic about three gorgeous female nurses who fight murder, underground drug traffickers and racism at a local hospital.

As is usual, that is the very basic plot of these films. Usually something very simple as people who watch these are not looking for anything too deep, and that goes for me as well. I like this film. The women are gorgeous and it reminds me of the best times of my life in the 70's.

The band that sings the title song and also appears in the bar sequences is Sky, an they are very good. I believe they released two albums during the early 70's and were produced by Gary Wright. The nurses are played by Kathy Cannon, Joyce Williams and Pegi Boucher. Rounding out the cast is Paul Hampton, Joseph Kaufman and Paul Gleason. On a quick trivia note..there are four women depicted in the poster...one was a model who NEVER appeared in the film!!

PRIVATE HELL 36 1954 (OLIVE)

Another fine film noir on Blu-ray.

Steve Cochran and Howard Duff are two policemen who steal $80,000 from a dead crook. Cochran has fallen in love with Lilli Marlowe, a bar singer and wants to go to Mexico and start a new life. Duff is an honest, married cop who has a guilty conscience and wants to turn the money in.

Cochran is great as Cal Bruner a cop without honor. This fascinating film was written by Collier Young and Ida Lupino, who also plays Lilli Marlowe. Lupino always did great work and this is a shining example. Dean Jagger is their Capt. named Michaels who quietly suspects something happened to the money and actually sets up a unique way to entrap Cochran.

Don Siegel directed this film and he does his usual good job.

Thanks to Olive, this obscure film noir is finally available to see and it looks stunning. The rest of the cast includes Dorothy Malone, Dabbs Greer and Bridget Duff. Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Anne Jeffreys is 91.

ZOMBIES ON BROADWAY 1945 (WARNER)

Fun little 40's comedy/horror film.

Bela Lugosi stars in this film about two bumbling talent agents who are sent by a gangster, who is opening up a nightclub, to a small remote island to find a real zombie to use in an act.

Wally brown and Alan Carney are the two agents who run afoul of scientist Bela Lugosi on a small island. They meet a sexy nightclub singer named Jean, played by gorgeous Anne Jeffreys. Sheldon Leonard is the gangster, and this part fits him perfectly.

There are a lot of sight gags in this film which does have is humorous moments. Lugosi is menacing as the mad doctor who already has created one zombie played by Darby Jones, who was also a tall zombie in the classic "I Walked With A Zombie".

Good fun for those not looking for anything too serious. The rest of the cast includes Frank Jenks and Russell Hopton.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.......

Gregg Palmer is 87, Stephanie Bellars is 38 and Michelle McCool is 34.

SHOOT GRINGO...SHOOT 1968 (SHOUT FACTORY/TIMELESS)

Interesting Spaghetti western.

A Mexican land owner offers to save a man from hanging if he agrees to find and bring back his son, Fidel. Brian Kelly is Chad Stark a man who was going to be hung, but now is looking for a young man to take back to his father.

He find Fidel, played by Fabrizio Moroni working for a gang of thieves headed by Major Charlie Donaghan played by Keenan Wynn who didn't do his own voice overs. What follows is a long fight to bring the man back to his father, and then we have the twist at the end that really blindsides the viewer.

The performances are very well done and it is always nice to see Erica Blanc in a film, but damn she wore way too many clothes in this, but you can't have everything I guess.

Spaghetti western fans will like this film as it has everything the genre usually has...violence, light comedy and tons of gunplay.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Nastassja Kinski is 53, and Wayne Farris is 61.

THE WALKING DEAD 1936 (WARNER)

Michael Curtiz directed this very well done Boris Karloff film.

Karloff stars as a man wrongly executed who is brought back to life by a scientist. The man then seeks those that framed him. Karloff is quite somber as the living dead man named John Ellman, who cannot seem to remember his past until it slowly creeps back into his mind.

Ricardo Cortez is the crooked lawyer who put Karloff behind bars and Edmund Gwenn is the doctor who brings him back to life.A slow moving but well done film that should please horror fans. The rest of the cast includes Wayne Hull, Marguerite Churchill and Barton MacLane.

YOU'LL FIND OUT 1940 (WARNER)

Fun little haunted house film.

Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Bela Lugosi star in this comedy/thriller about a young woman, an heiress throws a birthday bash and has a killer trying to do her in.

Helen Parrish is the victim in question and with the help of Kay Kyser and his band, they eventually discover who the killer is. Now, this is a fun film that makes no pretense as to what it is. Lugosi, Karloff and Lorre are sinister as it should be. Kyser is slapstick funny, again as it should be. Lugosi is the evil swami, Lorre is the insane investigator and Karloff is the sinister judge.

It's always good to see Kay Kyser and his College Of Musical Knowledge which also included and musician named Ish Kabibble, who is excellent as a funnyman for Kyser. Truth be told, this is actually a vehicle for Kyser, who was one of the most popular band leaders in the 40's. This is one of the best horror spoofs I have seen in a long time.

The rest of the cast includes Dennis O' Keefe and Alma Kruger. Good fun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Tiffani Thiessen is 40, Mariska Hargitay is 50, Gil Gerard is 71, and Sonny Chiba is 75.

BRING IT ON: FIGHT TO THE FINISH 2009 (UNIVERSAL)

Well I lost a bet and now I have had to watch this and review it.

This is the fourth entry in the series and I have to admit I have no idea about the first three. I will also admit that there is eye candy o' plenty here.

Gorgeous Christina Milian is a cheerleader from east LA who moves with her parents to Malibu. She takes charge of the local cheer team at her new school and has to combat the ultra competitive captain of the rival cheer squad. She has to call her old friends from east LA and they come to the school and teach the group how to be a real cheer team and finally they are good enough to compete in the Spirit Championships.

There are a few classic lines in this film such as "I'm Bi-lingual....I speak bitch too" and "I don't speak Taco Bell". I do have to admit I like the film and did get caught up in it. Some of the music was ok and I really liked the song at the end credits entitled "I Gotta Get To You" sung by Milian.

The rest of the cast includes Vanessa Born, Cody Longo, Rachele Smith, Brittany Carlson and Meagan Holder. This is probably the only Christina Milian film I will ever review here unless she appears in some low budget sci-fi film, and I can only hope that will happen. Maybe I should cast her in my next extravaganza. If you want to see this film I suggest the Blu-ray.

MISTRESS OF THE APES 1979 (DVD-R)

What an experience.

A woman, played by Jenny Neumann goes into the jungle looking for her missing husband and finds a race of primitive cavemen. She decides to stay with them as they are better company than other men.

Larry Buchanan directed this mess, and I generally like his movies because they are very odd, but this one takes the cake. Neumann and co-stars Barbara Leigh are very hot and always good to look at, but that is the only thing this movie has going for it.

Besides being surprised that Leigh would be doing a Buchanan film, I was also pleased to see Stuart Lancaster as a poacher. All in all this is a mess and while it held my interest for a while, it eventually lost out to other things. If you're a Buchanan completest, see the film, if not stay away.

One more word of warning....be aware of the theme song entitled "Mistress of The Apes". My ears are still bleeding and I am still laughing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

John Hurt is 74, Linda Blair is 55, and Piper Laurie is 82.

THE KEEP 1983 (DVD-R)

Why the hell isn't this on DVD????

This film has been so elusive to see it isn't funny. It's not a bad movie at all. I saw it on HBO when the network first started and I recorded it on VHS.

Jurgen Prochnow is a German army offer whose troops move into a castle in the Romanian mountains. The soldiers accidentally let loose the very evil force that has been trapped in the Keep for years. The Nazi's show up and force a Jewish scientist and his daughter to help them vanquish the evil.

Scott Glenn is a mysterious stranger who feels the evil presence from his home in Greece, and travels to the keep. The evil itself is a pretty interesting looking being when finally seen. The acting and the effects are both top notch and the direction by Michael Mann is good. As a matter of fact, this is the only good film Mann has ever been associated with.

My personal belief is that Mann doesn't give a damn about this film and so there is no hurry to put it on DVD. Well anyway this is an excellent film and should be seen more. The rest of the cast includes Alberta Watson, Gabriel Byrne and Ian McKellen.

WASP WOMAN 1995 (NEW CONCORDE)

A very good remake produced by Roger Corman.

Jennifer Rubin stars as Janice Starlin, the head of a cosmetics firm that is growing older and desperately seeking a way to stay young and keep her company afloat. She meets Dr. Zinthorp, played by Daniel J. Travanti who uses a special serum on her made of wasp enzymes and it slowly makes her younger.

The doctor disappears after being attacked by his now mutated wasp/cat and Janice panics. She takes too much of the new drug and soon finds that she is changing. And what changing it is!!

The scenes of Rubin morphing into a wasp monster are very well done an the direction by Jim Wynorski is good as well. This stays pretty close to the original movie directed by Corman back in 1959. The rest of the cast includes Maria Ford, Jay Richardson, Fred Olen Ray, Gerritt Graham, Richard Gabai, Julie K. Smith and the always sexy Melissa Brasselle. Recommended if you can find it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Audrey Dalton is 80.

SAVAGE ISLAND 1985 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Patchwork filmmaking.

Linda Blair and Leon Askin star in the wrap around footage for two Italian WIP movies, an the results are somewhat confusing.

Blair is seeking revenge on Askin for his running a slave operation where women are used as slave labor to get emeralds for the black market. Blaire narrates some of the scenes from other films in flashback. I like the original "Escape From Hell" movie that is used as stock footage, but none of this makes too much sense.

I don't really know why this film was made, but I found Linda to be very watchable of course and as I mentioned, I like "Escape From Hell", but it just didn't add up as characters came and went way to fast and sometimes they appeared out of sequence.

It's only good for passable entertainment if you are hard up, but there are plenty more WIP films worth seeing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Stacey Dash is 47, Tom Baker is 80, and Jack Grinnage is 83.