DIARY OF THE DEAD 2007 (DIMENSION) BLU-RAY

George Romero's much maligned film is on Blu-ray.

This has been out for a while on Blu-ray and I reviewed this a long time ago on regular DVD and I figured I'd give it another look since I picked up the Blu-ray.

The story centers around a group of young film makers making a horror film deep in a secluded area when they start hearing reports on the radio that tell them the dead are returning to life.

They decide to try and get back home and one of the young people, Jason Creed, (Joshua Close) starts video taping all of the events so there will be a truthful account of what is happening.

There are some great set pieces in here including the running down of a dead sheriff and three other zombies in the middle of a lonely road, the attack on an old farm and the opening scene is pretty cool as well.

This was Romero's addition to the "hand held camera" genre that was popular during the early 2000's but has thankfully died off. I do admit I like this story and the way it is presented. Romero, as everyone knows was a genius behind the camera and knew how to make a film work effectively.

I would very much recommend this film for horror fans and Romero fans. Good stuff indeed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Daniela Bianchi is 76.

RUMBLINGS....

You notice I didn't say ramblings this time because I am rather upset, and here's why.

I have been doing this blog on an almost daily basis for damn near 8 years. Why? Because I love movies and I still have a child like fascination with them, which I will never lose.

I have received several comments which I will not publish, and several emails involving the idiotic #metoo movement. I'm not going to bore you with details, but I cover and review what I want in this blog and if people don't like it they don't have to read it.

Yes I am a Pro American Pro Donald Trump guy and VERY seldom do I ever get political in a review. That is not what I do this for. The #metoo movement is a bowl movement to me and nothing but garbage that fat, ugly women use to get even with men being men.

Now that I have said that, I am asking the ones writing to me about this to STOP. NOTHING you ever send me will be published, at least not on this blog. This is about a love I have and want to share and write about. THANK YOU.

LIGHTNING GUNS 1950 (MILL CREEK)

This time Durango has to stop a dangerous feud.

Two men, Luke Atkins (William Bailey) and Captain Dan Saunders (Edgar Dearing) are feuding over the building of a dam. Atkins wants to build it to help the people living in the valley, but Saunders is strongly opposed to it.

When a banker that was going to lend the money to build the dam is murdered, Saunders is blamed and arrested. The Durango Kid comes to the aid of the valley and tries to clear Saunders of the murder and find out what is really going on.

For a short running "B" western, this film has a lot of plot twists and turns. Charles Starrett does his usual great job as Steve/Durango and the rest of the cast really helps the film.

I know I have reviewed a lot of these films here lately, and there are a few more to come, but if you like these kinds of westerns I highly recommend the set from Mill Creek. I have read that the audience for "B" westerns is disappearing, and that could be true, but if you have never seen one, check it out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Rebecca Quin is 31.

RIP DON SULLIVAN 1938-2018

Chase Winston has passed away.

The actor best known for his role in the 1959 sci-fi film "Giant Gila Monster" has died at the age of 80.

Sullivan starred in a few of my favorite films including the above mentioned titles as well as "The Rebel Set", Monster Of Piedras Blancas" and "Teenage Zombies".

He also had an uncredited appearance in the excellent 1959 Universal film "Curse Of The Undead". He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and when he left acting in 1962 he used a chemistry degree he held from the University Of Idaho to become a top chemist in the hair industry.

Don Sullivan was a staple for many of use as we grew up watching monster movies on the TV. He passed away on Jan 6th, 2018, just five days after his 80th birthday.

I ESCAPED FROM DEVIL'S ISLAND 1973 (SHOUT FACTORY)

A Roger Corman production I had never seen until a few days ago.

Jim Brown and Christopher George star as two men who, after much abuse, decide to escape from the penal colony in French Guiana.

Brown is Le Bras a man whose life is spared after the death penalty is revoked and his life is nothing but hell. He meets up with Davert, (Chris George) who is trying to get a group to rebel against the cruelty.

The two plan an escape an manage to get off the island, but find themselves pursued by Maj. Marteau (Paul Richards) and his men. Davert and Le Bras are trying to reach a boat which will take them to safety and Marteau is catching up to them quickly.

This is not a bad Roger Corman production. Both he and his brother Gene produced this, and while it is nothing new, it's not bad either. Brown is commanding in the lead role, as usual and he works well with George.

William Whitney directed this fast moving film and the rest of the cast includes Jan Merlin, Richard Ely, and Richard Rust. This is included on a four action movie set from Shout, and if you like this kind of movie, then I recommend it to you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Tom Selleck is 73, Katharine Ross is 78, and Marc Singer is 70.

TRAIL OF THE RUSTLERS 1950 (MILL CREEK)

The Durango Kid returns again.

The entire Rio Perdido valley is in danger of falling into a criminal gang's hands and the Durango Kid must come to the aid of the valley.

Chick and Jed Mahoney (Don Harvey, Myron Healey) lead a gang intent on taking all the land. They want the land because they have discovered that and underground river is running under the town and could bring in a fortune.

They make things in the valley so miserable that almost everyone has decided to leave except for one rancher who stands his ground. He is killed and his daughter Mary Ellen Hyland (Gail Davis) and her young brother named Tod (Tommy Ivo) are then aided by the Durango Kid to keep the land.

Another in the long line of Durango Kid films, and another good one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbi Benton is 68, and Jack Hill is 85.

THE YOUNG LAWYERS 1970-71 (CBS)

An interesting TV show that only ran one season.

I reviewed the pilot movie here last month and now I have viewed all 26 episodes of the show.

The main focus of the show is on a legal organization called the Neighborhood Law Office which is run by David Barrett. The NLO helps those that cannot afford regular legal help, and the law students working there can take their cases all the way to the highest court in the land.

One of the young lawyers is Aaron Silverman (Zalman King), a young and very headstrong idealist who will take up any cause for justice. Pat Walters (Judy Pace) is a savvy and streetwise female student who also fights for justice.

In each episode interesting problems are brought before the NLO such as poverty, racism, divorce and much more. The show really started to focus on the Silverman character and that seemed like a problem, even to the actor King and he stated so in an interview about the show when it was running.

The characters of Pat Walters and David Barrett (Lee J. Cobb) almost seemed to fade into the woodwork a lot of the time. However, an show with Judy Pace is well worth watching. What I believed killed the show so young is that is started after Monday Night Football which was always a deadly time slot for any show.

However, I enjoyed all 26 episodes and found it a nice little time capsule of the era which I love best and grew up in. I recommend this even though I know it isn't of interest to most people who read this blog. And as I always say JUDY PACE FOREVER!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Bridget Fonda is 54.

LARAMIE 1949 (MILL CREEK)

Charles Starrett returns as Steve Holden/Durango Kid in this fun little outing.

In this film there is a major Indian uprising brewing and all Wyoming outposts are put on alert. To stop was, Colonel Dennison (Fred F. Sears) has a meeting with Chief Eagle (Shooting Star) and his son Running Wolf (Jay Silverheels). During the meeting Eagle is shot and killed.

War is imminent and Steve Holden is called in to investigate the killing. He discovers that it has been a planned attack by a scout named Cronin (Bob Wilke) who hopes to make a ton of money by selling the Indians some guns for the impending war.

This is a fast paced little film, as they all are and it's a hell of a lot of fun. Seeing Fred F. Sears in an acting role is unique. As a director Sears made tons of low budget and wonderful films for Columbia studios. Sears died of a heart attack in 1957 and his last five films were released after his death.

This is part of the Durango Kid film series that Mill Creek has issued and the quality is excellent, as usual from Mill Creek's Columbia library.

If you're a fan of B westerns, you can't go wrong with this one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Scott Glenn is 77, Kathryn Leigh Scott is 75, and Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado is 26.

RIP ROBERT DOWDELL 1932-2018

Lt Comdr. Chip Morton has died.

Robert will always be remembered by many, many people as Chip Morton on the long running Sci-Fi TV show "Voyage To the Bottom of The Sea". He appeared in over 100 episodes of that great Irwin Allen series in the 1960's.

Dowdell also starred in Stoney Burke as Cody Bristol, and then he got his break with Irwin Allen. Dowdell was a very quiet and reserved man who left acting after 1995.

He was a staple of my childhood every Sunday night on Voyage. His cause of death is unknown as I write this since it was reported on his FB page and the Irwin Allen site. He was 85.

YOR: HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE 1983 (MILL CREEK) BLU-RAY

An Anthony Dawson classic.

Reb Brown stars as Yor, a young prehistoric warrior who doesn't know his own past. He sets about to find it and becomes involved in many bizarre adventures.

After saving the life of a young woman named Kalaa, the woman and her father help Yor discover his past. Kalaa immediately falls in love with Yor. There are some great little set pieces in here including battles with weird looking dinosaurs, clan of cavemen who resemble apes and lastly a futuristic world run by an evil "Overlord" (John Steiner).

Director Anthony Dawson is actually Antonio Margheriti, and while a lot of US horror fans know his name, most associate his name with this film. Why? Well it could be that an entire generation of people got to see this on VHS and it got more exposure than his other works, at least at the time.

Whatever the reason, it really doesn't matter as this is one damn fun film. You have great locations, the acting is good. You have sexy cave women like Corinne Clery as Kalaa and to me she is actually one of the sexiest women to ever grace the silver screen. I was first introduced to her in "The Story Of O" back in the day. You also have a plot that is one of the most bizarre ever conceived and it moves at a good pace. Once the movie starts it never slows down.

Mill Creek has given us the 35th anniversary edition Blu-ray and it's beautiful. For under 10 bucks you too can own this little 80's gem that has a huge following. Hell Corinne Clery in hardly any clothing makes it all worth while to me anyway. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RELEASE!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Michelle McCool is 38.

THE FIGHTING FRONTIERSMEN 1945 (MILL CREEK)

One of the many Durango Kid westerns churned out in the 40's and 50's.

Mill Creek has released a set of 10 Durango Kid films, and many of them are fourth coming on this blog. I love these kinds of films.

Charles Starrett stars as Steve Reynolds who is also the Durango Kid. In this outing a prospector, Cimarron Dobbs (Emmett Lynn) finds a treasure that once belonged to Santa Anna's army. Dobbs is kidnapped by the owner of the local saloon and he and his henchmen try to make the old timer tell where the treasure is.

Saloon hostess Dixie King (Helen Mowery) summons Reynolds and soon the Durango Kid and his sidekick Smiley (Smiley Burnette) soon arrive in town. The saloon owner John Munro (Robert Filmer) tries in vain to make Cimarron talk.

Durango sets up a plan to rescue Cimarron and get the treasure and give it to needy ranchers in the area. These films ran about an hour or less, and they really move. Western fans shouldn't be disappointed with this or any other Durango Kid western.

The quality of this Columbia release is beautiful and I am very pleased this has been released on DVD. RECOMMENDED!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Nastassja Kinski is 57, and Elaine Giftos is 73.

TREASURE OF THE FOUR CROWNS 1983 (SHOUT FACTORY)

A bizarre film to say the least.

When this was released on Jan. 21, 1983 it was at the end of the 3-D craze of the early 80's. This print is nit in 3-D of course, but you see everything thrown at the screen.

The first 20 minutes of this film involve J.T. Striker (Tony Anthony) going thru many dangerous obstacles to obtain a priceless key. When he retrieves it, it sets up the entire rest of the film.

He gets together a group of adventurers to get some very rare and mystical gems that are currently owned by a deranged religious cult leader. Most people who saw this film were in their teens and remember it fondly. I had never seen this film until the other day, and it was ok, but it just didn't come together.

Most of the effects are ok, but you can really see the wires on a floating key, and while that is no big deal to me anyway, I think the film makers were just getting sloppy. And you really can't or don't care much about the characters, most of which don't make it to the end of the film.

I guess this is ok for a one time viewing, and the film does have it's fans but I have to admit I am not one of them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Mariska Hargitay is 54, Tiffani Thiessen is 44, Rutger Hauer is 74, Gil Gerard is 75, and Reg Lewis is 82.

SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL 1959 (SHOUT FACTORY)

A remarkable film!

Again, a film I had never seen until I got it on a four movie set.

James Cagney stars as Dr. Sean Lenihan, a surgeon and freedom fighter with the Irish Republican Army as they battle the British "Black and Tans" in 1921 Ireland.

A young American student, Kerry O' Shea (Don Murray), gets drawn into the war when he helps a friend of his who has been shot by the British. Over time he come to realize that Lenihan is becoming a fanatic and wants to kill just for the sake of killing.

When they kidnap a beautiful English woman, Jennifer Curtis (Dana Wynter), and use her for leverage she starts falling for O' Shea and he for her. All Lenihan wants to do is kill her if their demands are not met.

This all leads to a surprising climax on the beautiful cliffs of Ireland. A top notch film with beautiful photography and direction. The rest of the cast includes Glynis Johns, Michael Redgrave, Richard Harrison, Sybil Thorndike, and Cyril Cusack.

If you haven't seen this film, you should. I glides along smoothly ans takes you into a world that is not explored much in any film. Murray almost steals the show from Cagney, and Dana Wynter proves why she was one of the sexiest women to ever grace the silver screen in the 50's.

The print from Shout Factory is beautiful and has no problems.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Linda Blair is 59.

THE FINAL OPTION 1982 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Not too bad of an action film.

Lewis Collins stars as Capt. Peter Skellen, a trooper with the British Special Air Service who is forced out due to violence against his own men.

It soon turns out to be a ploy as he is assigned to infiltrate a radical group who is planning several terrorist attacks as well as kidnapping high ranking US Military dignitaries.

There is plenty of action and plot twists to keep the viewer interested and I found that I was kind of sucked into the plot. Judy Davis is Frankie Leith, the female leader of the terrorist organization that falls in love with Skellen.

There are some very well known actors in this film including Richard Widmark, Edward Woodward, Robert Webber and Patrick Allen. However, I was really surprised and pleased to see Ingrid Pitt in this film as a terrorist who becomes more and more unhinged. Her performance is excellent.

I had never seen nor heard of this film before I got it on a DVD set, and when I looked it up, all I could find was the usual negative crap. Don't buy the crap! Watch this for yourself and see if I'm not right about it being a good action film. I enjoyed it. I hope you would as well.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Maryse Mizanin is 35, and Audrey Dalton is 84.

RIP DOROTHY MALONE 1925-2018

One of my favorite people to see in films has passed away.

Dorothy Malone started her long acting career in 1940 and after appearing in a few uncredited roles in such films as "Convicted Women" and "Falcon and The Co-ed's" she got her first bog break in the 1946 film noir thriller "The Big Sleep" with Humphrey Bogart.

Dorothy never looked back after that and appeared in other excellent films such as "Flaxy Martin", "The Killer That Stalked New York", "Convicted", "The Bushwackers" and many more.

I was first introduced to this sultry beauty in a couple of film noir gems entitled "Private Hell 36" and "Pushover". She moved to TV in the early 60's and hit it big with her performance of Constance Makenzie Carson on the long running "Peyton Place".

Dorothy was a very beautiful woman that stood out in any film she made and was a huge favorite of mine. She passed away on Jan 19th, 2018...just 11 days shy of her 93rd birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Tom Baker is 84, and Jack Grinnage is 87.

RIP BRADFORD DILLMAN 1930-2018

Another star from my youth has passed away.

Just a few weeks after his co-star in the movie "Piranha", Heather Menzies died, Bradford Dillman has also passed.

Dillman stared in many, many feature films an TV shows and a lot of them are favorites of mine. He is best known for the above mentioned "Piranha" as well as "Bug", "The Swarm", "Legend Of Walks Far Woman", "The Enforcer" and much more.

He was always a very recognizable face in the films and TV shows he appeared in. He passed away on Jan. 16th in Santa Barbara, CA. at the age of 87.

His most famous role in my mind was that of Richard Upton Pickman in the classic Night Gallery episode entitled "Pickman's Models". A class act all the way.

SPEEDWAY 1968 (MGM)

Top notch Elvis.

This is a typical Elvis film on so many levels, yet it is quite different as well.

Elvis plays a stock car driver named Steve Grayson who, due to his friends gambling problem and bad bookkeeping is now deeply in debt to the IRS.

An IRS representative, R. W. Hepworth (the great Gale Gordon) sends an agent out to collect the money. Her name is Susan Jacks ( gorgeous Nancy Sinatra).

There are several musical numbers in the film, of course, but the highlight to me is Nancy singing "Your Groovy Self". I love that song, and damn, Nancy is sexier than ever.

Co-stars in Elvis films didn't sing except for Ann-Margret and Nancy Sinatra. I believe it's because both of these women were actress "royalty" so to speak and one has to admit they have the best chemistry with Elvis.

For lighthearted fluff this film is perfect. The music is good and so is the acting. The rest of the cast includes Carl Ballantine, William Schallert, Bill Bixby, Ross Hagen and Richard Petty.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Shelley Fabares is 74, Tippi Hedren is 88, John Richardson is 84, and Linda Hayden is 65.

BLUE, WHITE AND PERFECT 1942 (20TH CENTURY FOX)

Lloyd Nolan returns as Mike Shayne.

In this outing Shayne promises his future wife that he will be giving up the detective business and get a regular job.

This doesn't work out as planned and he finds himself trying to locate a bundle of stolen industrial diamonds. He traces the diamonds to a man named Vanderhoefen (Steve Geray). Shayne finds the trail getting cold and soon he loses the diamonds.

After more investigating he again discovers the diamonds and that they are heading for Hawaii on a luxury liner. being industrial diamonds, they have no worth on the gem exchange, but they do have a use for Nazi spies.

Shayne teams up with a FBI man named Juan Auturo O' Hara (George Reeves) to stop the diamonds from entering Hawaii and it almost costs them their lives.

There are a few more twists and turns before all is solved and Mike tries to make amends to his girlfriend. This is another fun little entry in the long running mystery series and a very entertaining one at that. The rest of the cast includes Mary Beth Hughes, Helene Reynolds, and Curt Bois.

So far, the four Mike Shayne films I have written about over the last week or so are the only ones available on DVD. I await the rest of them, and hope it is soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Ted DiBiase is 64.

SLEEPERS WEST 1941 (20TH CENTURY FOX)

Lloyd Nolan is Mike Shayne, the tough detective who is now in deep trouble.

In this outing, Shayne is escorting a secret witness to a high profile trial via train, and as usual there is murder and plenty of twists and turns.

Lovely Mary Beth Hughes stars as Helen Carlson, a star witness that Shayne must protect and get to San Francisco at any cost. Her testimony can help save a man from a prison term, and there are those that want her dead.

There are a lot of red herrings in this film and Shayne has to go thru each one to find a killer and protect his client. A nosy female reporter, Kay Bentley (Lynn Bari) makes the case more complicated.

This film has a brisk pace and is a joy to watch. I was surprised to see Mantan Moreland show up as a porter on the train. He is always a welcome addition to any film.

This is another fun and entertaining entry in the series and if you've never seen any of these films, this isn't a bad place to start. Recommended.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Cristina Galbo is 68.

MAN WHO WOULDN'T DIE 1942 (20TH CENTURY FOX)

An excellent entry in the Mike Shayne series.

Lloyd Nolan again stars as Shayne in a fine outing. The movie opens during a raging storm as we see several people burying a body in a estate cemetery.

A young woman, Catherine Wolff (Marjorie Weaver) shows up at the estate around the same time and is nervously greeted by her father and step mother. Later that night someone takes a shot at her in an attempt to kill her.

Catherine calls Mike Shayne in on the case and has him pose as her husband since nobody n her family has seen him yet and he is away on business for 3 days. This sets up some rather interesting and sometimes comical situations, but in this film the horror builds and is not faded by the light comedy.

As Shayne digs deeper into the mysterious shooting he finds blackmail, lies and more murder. All of the characters in the film are well played with Weaver and Helene Reynolds being the standouts.

A great little film for both mystery and horror fans, and one of the best of the series. Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Caroline Munro is 69, John Carpenter is 70, and Marilu Tolo is 74.