SAVAGE SISTERS 1974 (MGM)

I waited a long time to finally see this film and it was worth the wait.

Philippine made action film that stars John Ashley as a man who plots to steal one million in cash that a corrupt general is trying to smuggle out of a banana republic.

Ashley's character of Billingsley gets three very sexy women to help him. Mei Ling (Rosanna Ortiz), Jo Turner (Cheri Caffaro) and Lynn Jackson a sexy and very sadistic prison guard (Gloria Hendry).

They try to get the money from Malavasi (Sig Haig) and One Eye (Vic Diaz) who are the smugglers.

There is the usual action and titillation, but there is really no nudity as is expected in these kinds of films. Still, this is a fun outing and the great cast helps sell the film very well.

Caffaro has always been a favorite of mine, but the high point for me was Gloria Hendry. I know some are disappointed in this film because it has no nudity, but you really cannot let that get in the way of a fun story.

The women are lovely and Haig and Diaz are always a treat to watch. This is released from MGM on a made on demand basis and the picture quality is very, very good. The cast is rounded out by Eddie Garcia.

Eddie Romero directed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Daniela Bianchi is 75.

COMING ATTRACTIONS.....

Arrow has announced that one of my favorite films is coming to Blu-ray in a 2 disc set.

The 1959 Italian sci-fi film CALTIKI THE IMMORTAL MONSTER is finally coming to Blu-ray.

A gigantic blob-like monster comes to life and creates havoc in this wonderful little film. I have this from Sinister Cinema, but and really looking forward to this release.

One of the top releases of the year!! Due out on April 11th.

Also from Arrow comes two Italian horror gems set for an April 18th release. NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE starring the very sexy Erica Blanc and THE RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES with the incredible Sybil Danning and Barbara Bouchet.

These are two films that I also been waiting anxiously for a DVD release. 2017 is looking pretty good so far.

TOWER OF THE SEVEN HUNCHBACKS 1944 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Odd and very obscure little horror/mystery.

This is a Spanish mystery film with touches of horror and the print from Sinister is subtitled.

A young man plays roulette one night in order to get some money to take a woman he likes out to dinner. He has some help from a mysterious stranger who turns out to be the ghost of a man who was murdered.

The ghost is of Don Robinson De Mantua an archaeologist who implores the man to help save his daughter from criminals and help her solve his death, which everyone says was a suicide.

This film is very atmospheric an tends to copy the Universal films which were popular at the time. I like the story a lot an it does hold your interest.

I was thrilled at finally being able to see this film and I wasn't disappointed. The print from Sinister is beautiful and I highly recommend this to and horror fan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Dorothy Malone is 92, Elsa Martinelli is 82, and Rebecca Quin is 30.

THUNDER ROAD 1958 (MGM)

Robert Mitchum runs illegal booze in this timeless classic.

Robert Mitchum stars as Lucas Doolin, a vet who returns from the Korean war and takes over the family moonshine business.

Doolin discovers he has plenty of trouble from both the Feds and a gangster who wants to move in and take over all the operations.

Gene Barry is a Government agent who tries to stop Doolin and the gangsters and his role is a weird one as it really doesn't side with anyone in the film.

Gangster Carl Kogan(Jacques Aubuchon)will try anything to collapse the Doolin empire. Aubuchon and Mitchum play off of each other very, very well and their scenes are some of the best in the film.

Robert's son Jim stars as Robin Doolin and the rest of the cast includes Trevor Bardette, Keely Smith as Lucas's girlfriend, and gorgeous Sandra Knight as Roxanna.

This is a great film which never slows down and keeps the viewers interest until the end. All of the performances are top notch.

This is a Highly Recommended little gem. See it if you get a chance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Tom Selleck is 72, Katherine Ross is 77, and Marc Singer is 69.

MERCILESS TRAP 1961 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Interesting Japanese film noir.

Rarely seen Japanese crime film that is well told and acted by many faces anyone here would recognize from many Godzilla films.

Makoto Sato is an ex-con trying to make good and start a new life for himself and his new girlfriend. All seems to be going well until a theft and a murder are tied to him.

His girlfriend Masako played by the always sexy Kumi Mizuno disappears and everything seems to be against him. A police inspector thinks the case is too perfect and helps find out what is going on.

Director Jun Fukuda does a very good job with this black and white thriller. It's dubbed into English and is very hard to find which is a shame. I wish more people would actually see these films.

A well told story with a great cast, and anything with the lovely Kumi Mizuno is worth watching. The bonus here is you also get Mia Hama looking as hot as ever. Recommended.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Barbi Benton is 67, and Jack Hill is 84.

RIP JOHN HURT 1940-2017

A good friend I had worked with has passed away.

Actor John Hurt, best known to people who read this blog as one of the stars of the 1979 sci-fi classic "Alien" has passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 77.

Hurt began his career in 1962. I first became aware of his work in 1972 with his film "The Pied Piper" and then later the 1975 British horror film "The Ghoul".

Hurt worked on a huge variety of films and TV shows both here in the US and in Britain. I had seen him in the 1977 TV horror film "Spectre" and the "Alien" and "The Elephant Man" before finally getting to work with him on "Heaven's Gate".

He will be missed by friends and family but he has left a rich legacy for film fans.

RIP BARBARA HALE 1922-2017

The loss of people from my TV growing up years is still going strong.

Barbara Hale played secretary Della Street on more than 290 episodes of Perry Mason which ran from 1957 to 1966 and then she also starred in a slew of Perry Mason TV movies during the 80's and 90's.

Her career began in 1943 in several uncredited roles in such film fare as "Gildersleeve's Bad Day", "The Seventh Victim", "Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event" and "Government Girl".

She continued making film and television appearances until her big break came in 1957 when she got the role of Della Street and her star was quickly on the rise.

I remember her best from both Perry Mason and her film entitled "Giant Spider Invasion" which also starred her husband Bill Williams.

Another one of three TV personalities who have died in the last four days. She was 94.

RIP MIKE CONNERS 1925-2017

Another of my childhood favorites has died.

The man who played in one of my favorite shows of all time, Mike Conners died yesterday at the age of 91. Conners will always be remembered for "Mannix" a TV private eye show that lasted for 8 years and never once failed to entertain me.

My first introduction to Mike was in such films as "Voodoo Woman" and my all time favorite 50's sci-fi film "Day The World Ended".

Conner appeared in many TV shows and films, but Mannix was a standout for several reasons. One reason is that is was, at the time, a very violent show for TV and secondly it featured the lovely Gail Fissher as his no nonsense helper, Peggy Fair.

Other films Conners starred in include many for AIP and other companies. Some of the titles are "Flesh & The Spur", "Shake Rattle and Rock", and "Suicide Battalion".

A great and versatile actor who will be missed, but has left a great legacy behind. He died of natural causes.

A SCREAM IN THE NIGHT 1935 (MILL CREEK)

Early starring role for Lon Chaney, Jr.

This film waited 8 years to be released! Astor pictures picked it up after Chaney, jr. became a star. It was released in 1943 one year after Universal's "The Wolfman".

Chaney is a colonial police detective named Jack Wilson. Wilson is called into a case where a bar owner's niece comes into possession of a valuable ruby called "The Tear Of Buddha". She is kidnapped and the ruby stolen.

Wilson then assumes the identity of a bar thug named Butch Curtain. Chaney is good in both roles, but I liked him better as the Wilson character.

The story moves along at a good pace and the film makes for a good time. The cast is rounded out by Sheila Terry, Phillip Ahn and Richard Cramer.

The print from Mill Creek is pretty good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Bridget Fonda is 53.

RIP MARY TYLER MOORE 1936-2017

One of the most recognizable people in the TV business has passed away.

Mary Tyler Moore has died at the age of 80. She got her start in the TV business in 1952 and worked on many TV shows such as Steve Canyon, Bronco and Hawaiian Eye until breaking into the big time starring opposite Dick Van Dyke in the Dick Van Dyke show as his long suffering wife Laura Petrie.

The show ran from 1961-1966 and after the show ended Moore made several films including "Change Of Habit" opposite Elvis Presley.

In 1970 she became even a bigger star with her self titled show that ran for 7 years and spawned two shows entitled "Rhoda" and "Phyllis".

In the "Mary Tyler Moore" show she played Mary Richards, a young woman making it on her own working for a small television newsroom in Minneapolis.

I watched this show every single year for 7 years. Moore was a talented actress who knew the meaning of both dry wit and out right slapstick humor. Nobody could have done the role better than Moore.

A talented actress and another from my childhood that has passed on. She died from complication from diabetes.

MARTIN 1977 (LIONSGATE)

A landmark George Romero film.

John Amplas stars as Martin a young man who believes he is an 84 year old vampire. This is reinforced by his cousin with whom he comes to live with.

Lincoln Maazel is Tata Cuda, Martin's cousin who, when Martin arrives in the small Pennsylvania town in which he lives, vows to save his soul and then kill him.

As pointed out at the very beginning of the film, Martin is not a conventional vampire at all. He uses drugs to put his female victims to sleep, cuts them open with razors, drinks their blood and has sex with them.

Yep, Martin has some problems allright, but when he come to Braddock, PA his life is slowly changed. Martin actually starts falling for an older married woman who also wants him.

The problem is she is married and very unhappy. There is an ironic ending to this film and when I first saw it I was amazed, and really still am to some extent.

Romero has perfect direction here as he takes the vampire lore to another level and even makes the young man a hero on a late night radio talk show.

There has never been a film like Martin and I doubt there ever will. One of the most original films I have ever seen and one of my personal 20 all time favorites.

If you haven't yet seen this George Romero shocker, I'd say do it soon. Now I am just waiting for the Blu-ray.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Anne Jeffreys is 94.

DAY THE SKY EXPLODED 1958 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Pretty good sci-fi film.

Paul Hubschmid stars as John McLaren, as astronaut shot into space in a nuclear rocket. He is forced to eject and the rocket continues into parts unknown.

Soon however a cluster of meteors is heading towards the Earth and if they make contact Earth will be destroyed. The rocket has apparently caused this problem, and noe scientists must figure out how to save the Earth.

This is an unusual sci-fi film for several reasons. First, the astronaut Mclaren looks very ill during his flight yet the point is never touched on and the plot sort of changes from adventure yarn to out and out sci-fi.

Hubschmid also starred in "Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" several years earlier and it's odd hearing him dubbed in this film. The plot and acting are good enough to keep the sci-fi fan entertained.

This film is a PD film and available from many sources, most of which are crappy prints. However, the print from Sinister is a beautiful 35mm transfer. I have never seen this film looking so good.

The cast for this little gem is rounded out by Ivo Garrani and Giacomo Rossi Stuart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Tobe Hooper is 74.

THE LADY IN SCARLET 1935 (MILL CREEK)

Interesting little mystery.

Reginald Denny stars as Oliver Keith, a private investigator who is called in on a very odd case.

It seems an art dealer has been murdered and Keith is called into the case and finds a web of corruption, blackmail and a lot of stolen bonds.

Patricia Farr, who plays the wise cracking secretary Ella Carey, steals the show and she and Denny have a bizarre kind of chemistry.

The ending is much like most of these kinds of films and even the "Ellery Queen" show of the 70's. All the suspects are gathered in one room and Denny makes his pitch until the killer is revealed.

Not too bad of a time waster from Chesterfield Pictures.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Tatyana Ali is 38, and Nastassja Kinski is 56.

DIABOLICAL DR. Z 1966 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Excellent Jess Franco thriller.

I hadn't seen this film in years and had actually forgotten how enjoyable it really is.

A young woman, Irma Zimmer (Mabel Karr) seeks revenge after her father dies trying to convince the medical doctors he used to work with that his experiments are a success.

Irma sets out to kill all of the doctors who spurned her father and to accomplish this she uses a weird machine that can make the victim completely obey a "master". She then finds a very attractive dancer with extremely long fingernails whom she brainwashes and uses as an instrument of revenge.

The early Franco films were among his best in my opinion and this is definitely one of them. Some of the images in this film one never forgets including such things as Irma's fake "suicide" that results in her burning her face and then with Irma training her tool of revenge, a dancer named Nadia (Estella Blain)with a whip and chair just like an animal.

Blain pulls off the role of Nadia very well and it's easy to see why the men she kills easily fall for her. She is simply stunning. Franco himself appears as a police officer investigating the strange deaths.

A Highly Recommended blend of sci-fi, horror and mystery.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Mariska Hargitay is 53, Tiffani Thiessen is 43, Gil Gerard is 74, Arlene Golonka is 81, and Reg Lewis 81.

THE DEFILERS 1965 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Disturbing David Friedman production.

Two young men who are bored and looking for kicks in Los Angeles decide to finds some new ways to keep themselves entertained.

They spot a young woman who is new to town named Jane and they even give her a ride to another part of the city at the behest of her landlord.

Soon however they kidnap her and keep her in a basement of a building as their personal sex slave. Jane, played by lovely Mai Jansson is slapped, whipped and generally abused by these two scum bags until one of them realizes that what they are doing is wrong.

Byron Mabe and Jerome Eden are the young men and Mabe gives a very good performance as the leader of the two who thinks women are nothing but objects.

One of the best David Friedman productions I have ever seen. I like the grittiness of the story and it really hits you. Grim, yes, but a must for exploitation lovers.

The print from Sinister is very good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Linda Blair is 58, and Seymour Cassel is 82.

HISTORY OF THE HARDCORE 24/7 CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 (WWE)

Another fine release from WWE.

This is a three disc set hosted by Mick Foley, Raven and Rob Van Dam, three men who know what hardcore is all about.
You get over 40 matches and some of the participants include Al Snow, Rhyno, Hardcore Holly, Big Boss Man, Crash Holly, Tazz, the above mentioned three hosts and many more.
The Hardcore Championship was started in 1998 and concluded in 2002 at the end of what is known as "The Attitude Era". There is more blood, broken furniture, outlandish situations and brutality than I have seen in a DVD set from WWE in sometime.
If you are a wrestling fan, I cannot see you missing this set. It is one of the best releases from WWE in a while and I look forward to more in the future.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Maryse Mizanin is 34, and Audrey Dalton is 83.

MURDER IN THE MUSEUM 1934 (MILL CREEK)

Odd who done it set in a carnival.

The simple story revolves around the murder of a city councilman at a carnival that is reputed to be the center of drug activity.

The daughter of the murdered man and a reporter investigate to find the killer.

These kinds of 30's B programmers were usually all the same, but this one has the distinction of having a carnival setting and a lot of talk about drug use.

The acting is better than most and the print from Mill Creek is fine, except for the opening credits which are pretty unreadable.

Recommended for mystery fans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Tom Baker is 83, and Jack Grinnage is 86.

THIS REBEL BREED 1960 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Interesting but somewhat muddled effort.

It's whites against blacks against hispanics in this film starring Mark Damon, Rita Moreno and Dyan Cannon.

Damon is an undercover cop trying to break into a black gang and finds he is slowly falling for a young named Lola (lovely Rita Moreno) in her debut. His partner is trying to stop a drug pusher and the two work together to make this happen, but find a lot more than they bargained for.

The racial tension in this film is touched upon, but never really fully explored. I think director Richard Bare handled everything fine with the production, but what really annoys me is that another director made insert shots that are in the film and makes no sense.

There are many breaks in the story to see people partying and even some nudity. Now while I understand this form of film making I really don't think these inserts did the film any good, as a matter of fact it really brings it down.

If you can get past all the silly inserts it's not a bad film at all.

AKA Black Rebels.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Shelley Fabares is 73, Tippi Hedren is 87, and Linda Hayden is 64.

COOL BREEZE 1972 (WARNER ARCHIVES)

Finely crafted crime drama.

This was the first time I had ever seen this film and it met all of my expectations.

Thalmus Rasulala is Sidney Lord Jones, a ex-con who is released from prison and sets out to rob a brand new bank in town. He sets out to look for the right people to help him pull the job off.

Once he has his people in place the robbery is carefully planned and yet when pulled off there are several hitches including one of the men being shot.

From that point on Jones and his gang are on the run from Lt. Brian Knowles (Lincoln Kilpatrick) and Lt. Carl Mager (Biff Elliot).

The cast also includes Julian Christopher, Margaret Avery and Pam Grier in one of her first roles and she does her usual fantastic job as a prostitute who attempts to get in good with Jones.

Lastly, the best thing about the black remake of "The Asphalt Jungle" is second billed Judy Pace. Now, anyone who reads this blog knows that Judy is one of my all time favorite actresses and I will watch anything with her in it. She looks sexier than ever in this film and carries it quite well.

It took me a while, but I finally got to see this film and I wasn't disappointed at all. Highly Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Ted DiBiase is 63.