SUDDENLY 1954 (MILL CREEK)

Frank Sinatra stars in this film noir classic from 1954.

I have been on a film noir run recently and this is one of the best.

Sonatra stars as a hitman hired, along with two others, to assassinate the President of the United States as he passes thru a small California town called Suddenly.

The three gangsters take over the quiet home of a young woman, her son and his grandfather and wait for the arrival of the train. The woman is played by Nancy Gates and her father is played by James Gleason who is damn near perfect in the role.

Sterling Hayden is the cop who is also involved when he comes to the house and gets shot by one of the gangsters. This is a tight and well made film that Sinatra actually had pulled from circulation and then tried to destroy all the prints.

I have no idea why he would want to do this. All of the performances in this film are very good and it's a film that shouldn't be missed. I think it holds up very well today as a matter of fact.

It's in the public domain and so is available from hundreds of little companies. Some prints a better than others. This one from Mill Creek was pretty average.

The rest of the cast is rounded out by Paul Wexler, Willis Bouchey,Paul Frees and Kim Charney.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Tsai Chin is 83, Trinity Fatu is 29, and Dian Parkinson is 72.

KILL PANTHER KILL 1968 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Another interesting entry in the Kommissar X series.

This time Captain Rowland and Joe Walker are on the trail of three criminals who are looking for over three million dollars worth of stolen diamonds.

Their search takes them from Europe to the Calgary Stampede. It's interesting to see the Stampede used as a background for this type of film, but it makes for interesting viewing.

Gorgeous Erica Blanc is a young woman caught in the middle of all the spies and stolen jewels, but she proves not to be what she pretends in a very neat twist ending.

Brad Harris and Tony Kendall are, of course, Rowland and Walker, and they do a fine job as usual. The print from Sinister is excellent and Blanc makes the picture for me.

If you like the Kommissar X series you'll like this as well. Good stuff and a very good release for the entire year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Jerry Lawler is 67, and John Layfield is 50.

RIP FRITZ WEAVER 1926-2016

A great actor whom I liked in everything he did has passed away.

Fritz Weaver is an actor I have watched for years in many and various films and TV shows. He could act better than most in his profession and has made some very memorable performances.

My first introduction to him was from a "Twilight Zone" episode entitled "Third From The Sun". His performance and voice were one of a kind. He topped that performance with an even better episode entitled "The Obsolete Man".

Weaver appeared in literally hundreds of TV episodes and movies and I will ALWAYS remember him from the 1982 George Romero film, "Creepshow" in the episode called "The Crate" which he starred with Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau.

Other film appearances he made of the bizarre nature include "Demon Seed" and "Jaws Of Satan"

He died on Nov. 26th at the age of 90.

GHOST CAT OF OTAMA POND 1960 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Wonderful Japanese ghost tale!

The film opens with a young couple lost near a pond and they simply cannot find their way out.

They eventually find a run down abandoned house and take shelter there, only to be haunted by some odd looking ghosts. They find a doctor who treats the wife who seems to have come down with a sickness.

The doctor relates the tale as to why the wife is ill and the pond is haunted.

The majority of the film is told in flashback, but it is an excellent tale a vengeance from beyond the grave. There are some very strange and disturbing images in this little thriller.

The widescreen print quality from Sinister is beautiful and I can't recommend this film enough. In Japanese with English subtitles. One of the best releases of the year! Check it out!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Ed Harris is 66, Joe Dante is 70, James Karen is 93, and Danielle Moinet is 33.

DEATH TRIP 1967 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Fun entry in the Kommissar X series.

Tony Kendall and Brad Harris return and this time they are looking for stolen LSD.

This leads them into a far off desert where Joe Walker (Kendall) and Tom Rowland (Harris)fight to destroy the drugs and save two beautiful women.

Once out in the desert there is a lot of action and well staged sequences including a great motorcycle chase between Harris and Samson Burk.

There are some scenes int his film you'll never forget including the much talked about "bath" scene and much more. The print from Sinister is excellent.

If you're a spy movie fan, this is for you. The cast is rounded out by Herbert Fux, Olga Schoberova and Christa Linder.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Kapri Styles is 35.

RIP RON GLASS 1945-2016

Ron Glass has passed away.

Glass was best known for his character Det. Ron Harris on "Barney Miller".

Glass appeared in hundreds of TV shows during his career but I remember him from the Fred Olen Ray film "Deep Space" in 1988.

He passed away on Nov. 25th at the age 71.

CROSS-ROADS/ULTIMATE BOB WILKINS INTERVIEW 1955/1986 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Interesting presentation from Sinister Cinema.

The first is an 18 minute short starring Christopher Lee as a hitchhiker picked up by a lovely young woman. It soon become apparent that he is a vengeful spirit seeking revenge, but against whom?

It plays out like a very good episode of "Twilight Zone". Rare and a real treat for fans of Lee or horror in general.

The second feature on here is a real treasure. Sonny Joe Fox from KMEL sits down for an interview with the greatest horror host of all time, Bob Wilkins.

Wilkins spins some great tales about the movies he ran and the guests he had on the show. he talks about George Lucas and Boris Karloff as well as John Carradine and much more.

His favorite film during his entire 14 year run as a horror host was "Night Of The Living Dead" and I found that quite an honor and a surprise.

This is a wonderful 25 minute talk and it is sure to please anyone who grew up in the Bay area in the 70's watching Wilkins show.

A HUGE thanks to Greg Luce at Sinister Cinema for putting this out. Another top release of the year!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Lisa Moretti is 55.

SEVEN TIMES SEVEN 1968 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Interesting comedy/caper film.

Seven men who are in jail plan an ingenious crime to escape, print British Pounds, keep the bills hidden, return to prison and then when they are released they will have plenty of money.

Lionel Stander is one of the escaping inmates and he only wants to get out and not go back as planned. His performance is a key factor that makes this film entertaining. it's no classic, but it is engrossing as far as films like this go.

It is very reminiscent of "Who's Minding The Mint". The one reason I purchased this film is because of Erika Blanc, but I failed to see her in the film even though her name is indeed in the credits. I may have to re-watch this to see if I missed her, but whatever.

If you like this kind of film, you'll be happy with this one. I enjoyed it, but I have seen much better. The print from Sinister is ok.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Christina Applegate is 45, Kathryn Grant is 83, and Beverly Washburn is 73.

TURKEY DAY COUNTDOWN PART 2....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!

On this day of giving thanks I am always thankful to have these two gems to celebrate the season with.

BLOOD FREAK 1971 (SOMETHING WEIRD)..What can I possibly say about this film that hasn't been said already. Steve Hawkes is a man turned into a turkey headed monster that has to drink the blood of drug addicts to stay alive.

The film is badly acted, edited and photographed but it does have a couple of beautiful women in there and a totally ludicrous monster, so how could on go wrong?

THE GIANT CLAW 1957 (SONY)..A 50's gem about a giant buzzard coming to earth to lay an egg. Yep, this is always on my list for this time of year. Jeff Morrow and Mara Corday try to find a way to kill the strange creature.

As you all know, the monster is one of the silliest things ever to hit the big screen, but that is where it's charm lies.

I can't think of a better way to spend the holiday than with friends like these.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Debra Lamb is 53, and Beth Phoenix is 36.

TURKEY DAY COUNTDOWN PART 1...

We are just a day away from Thanksgiving and I hope everyone has a great time.

I spent some of my time preparing for Turkey Day by enjoying a couple of cinematic turkeys. Don't get me wrong, I love these films, but a man can only take so much.

THE CREEPING TERROR 1964 (MILL CREEK)....A bizarre looking monster that has always reminded me a a cross between vacuum parts and a carpet sample lands on earth and proceeds to eat almost all of Lake Tahoe.

This film is legendary for it's twisted backstory and totally off the wall presentation. The best scene in the film as far as I am concerned is where the "army" fights the monster. That has to be seen to be believed.

If ever a movie was made for turkey day, this is it.

Secondly I watched MONSTER A GO GO 1965(SYNERGY) Herschell Gordon Lewis and Bill Rebane bring us a masterpiece if well, I'm not sure.

An astronaut goes into space and comes back as an 8 foot tall monster with oatmeal on his face. He kills several people and when the military is finally closing in the film pulls a switch which is still unbelievable, even to this day.

These are two films I hold dearly so don't get me wrong, I never tear apart an old film, as everyone here knows. These two are BAD films, very BAD but enjoyable on their own level.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Robert Towne is 82, and Jeannie Bell is 73.

THE MUMMY'S REVENGE 1975 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Spanish horror film starring Paul Naschy as an evil Egyptian ruler returned from the dead.

Naschy is Amenhoptep, an evil despot who rules under torture and death. He is soon overthrown and buried alive as a mummy. His mind is still active and will remain so.

Flash forward 3000 years and his tomb has been uncovered by a Prof. Nathan Stern (Jack Taylor) and is soon to be put on display for the world to see.

A stranger named Assad Bey arrives back in London when the mummy arrives and while passing himself off as a writer he is actually bringing Amenhotep back to life via blood sacrifices of virgins.

I like this film a lot and it does have it's moments. There are scenes where the mummy crushes a man's head and later smashes several faces to pulp.

Naschy does a very good job as the Mummy and it's always a pleasure to see Helga Line in ANYTHING. Here she plays the role of Bey's helper Zanufer, and yes she is hotter than hell.

This also seems to be a Naschy title that is always overlooked by most, but holds up very well today and is just as entertaining as anything else the man ever made.

If you want a good time for 90 minutes, check this one out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Jamie Lee Curtis is 58, Scarlett Johansson is 32, and Margaret Markov is 68.

THE GREEN GLOVE 1952 (MILL CREEK)

I had never seen this film until recently.

Glenn Ford stars as a solider in WW2 who returns to France after the war and finds himself accused of murder while at the same time, trying to return a valuable artifact to a monastery.

Count Paul Rona (George Macready) is a man who will do anything including murder to own the Green Glove. Ford meets a young woman named Chris (Geraldine Brooks) who becomes entangled in his life and murder as well.

Rudolph Mate directed this and the plot moves along very well and is well acted. I have read that it should have included more sex and violence, but I think it is fine the way it is.

The final chase scene between Ford and Macready is excellent and perfectly done. The print from Mill Creek is acceptable and very watchable.

The rest of the cast includes lovely Gaby Andre and Cedric Hardwicke. Recommended for mystery fans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Nicole Garcia is 33, and Brianna Garcia is 33.

HE WALKED BY NIGHT 1948 (MILL CREEK)

Richard Basehart stars in this fine film noir thriller.

Basehart is a man named Roy Martin who is an electronics genius, however he steals others people's inventions and sells them on consignment to a dealer (Whit Bissell) who thinks they are Roy's.

One night an off duty policeman sees Roy attempting to break into an electronics shop and is killed for his interference. This brings the police in a wild chase to capture the killer.

Roy is highly intelligent and always one step ahead of the police and had an ingenious way to escape detection. he uses the Los Angeles sewer system for his travels.

This is an excellent piece of film making from Alfred Werker. Scott Brady and Roy Roberts are two cops who are determined to catch the cop killer. Look for Jack Webb in a pivotal role as a police lab worker.

The film is tense and gripping and is one of the best examples of Film Noir ever made. The final chase scene where the police close in on Roy is very reminiscent of the ending of the sci-fi film "The Indestructible Man" . The print from Mill Creek is about as good as I have seen this film.

Highly Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Mie Hama is 73 and Carolyn Brandt is 76.

BUBBA HO-TEP 2002 (SHOUT FACTORY) BLU-RAY

One of the most unusual films ever made finally comes to Blu-ray.

Shout Factory has done the world a favor by letting the masses see this film in a beautiful transfer. Bruce Campbell is Elvis Presley, who isn't really dead but living in a rest home in east Texas.

His day to day living is hell and he has a cancerous growth on his penis which has to be drained almost everyday. He meets a black man named Jack (Ossie Davis) who is, in reality, John Kennedy who has been turned black and has part of his brain in the white house being controlled by the politicians there.

These two old timers must do battle with a 4000 year old soul sucking mummy that comes out of a swamp near the rest home.

This wild plot is full of comedic moments and spot on acting from the two leads who play well off of one another. However, besides the comedy and thrills there is a very sad tale of how old people are disregarded by society, and I can really relate to that as well.

Don Coscarelli really gives the film life and gets the very best out of everything despite the very low budget. The disc comes with interviews of several key people including Campbell, Davis, Coscarelli and more.

Easily one of the best releases of the year, this is simply a MUST SEE film. Check it out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Valli Kemp is 66, and Lorna Maitland is 73.

THE STRANGER 1946 (MILL CREEK)

This one is a winner from start to finish.

Edward G. Robinson is an investigator on the War Crimes Commission trying to find a Nazi hiding in the USA. His name is Wilson and the man he seeks in Franz Kindler, a Nazi who has seemingly destroyed every bit of his past.

Wilson releases from prison Kindler's friend Meinike, who immediately travels to a small New Hampshire town with Wilson in hot pursuit. Meinike is murdered before he can identify Kindler, but that does not deter Wilson.

Orson Wells is Prof. Charles Rankin aka Franz Kindler, and he finds his past catching up with him. Loretta Young is his new wife and she too is pulled into a whirlwind of lies and murder by her husband.

Wells also directed this fine film noir and he really pulls out all the stops. There is a terrific build up to suspense and then the film never stops until the end title card.

All of the actors are very good, of course and each one makes you really believe that they are who they are playing in the film. This has a classic ending atop a college clock tower. Once seen not forgotten.

Highly recommended film and the print from Mill Creek isn't too bad.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO........

Peta Wilson is 46, Shari Shattuck is 56, and Ian McCulloch is 77.

THE CHASE 1946 (MILL CREEK)

Interesting film noir.

Robert Cummings is a down on his luck man named Chuck Scott who finds a wallet and returns it to the owner.

The owner happens to be a gangster named Eddie Roman (Steve Cochran). Chuck is hired on the spot as a chauffeur because of his honesty. Roman's main henchman, Gino is played to the hilt by Peter Lorre.

As the story progresses it becomes obvious that Chuck is falling in love with Roman's wife Lorna (Michele Morgan) an this leads them head first into trouble.

Now if case you didn't know, the entire movie is a plot twist and just when you think it has come to an end, the entire plot virtually starts over again! Yes, this is somewhat confusing, but it makes the film unique.

The print from Mill Creek is shitty at best and I have seen much better prints elsewhere (Sinister Cinema). The title card is missing and there are a lot, and I mean a lot of splices.

However, this is a great film noir and one not to be missed. Talk about bizarre!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Zoe Bell is 38, Rance Howard is 90, Daisy Fuentes is 50, and Gordon Lightfoot is 78.