WEB OF THE SPIDER 1970 (FILM MASTERS) BLU-RAY

I wrote about this movie, which I saw a few months ago on the Sinister Cinema label.

I just wanted to add that the Film Masters restoration of the film is gorgeous and you should pick it up. I have never seen the film looking or sounding better than this.

Not to shabby of a remake of "Castle Of Blood".

If you've seen the earlier version you know the plot.

Anthony Franciosa stars as Alan Turner, a newspaperman who takes a bet that he can spend the night in a haunted castle. He is taken there by the castle's owner and Edgar Allen Poe (Klaus Kinski).

Once there Alan meets a beautiful woman named Elisabeth Blackwood (Michele Mercier) who is the sister of the owner. Alan falls in love with the delicious Elisabeth, but soon learns the terrible truth.

There are others in the castle as well and Alan learns that all of them, including Elisabeth a dead and come to life one night a year a re-live their murders and the murders they committed.

Antonio Margheriti has remade his own film from 6 years earlier and did a good job with it, as usual. I'm not sure why he remade it, but it works no matter what.

Mercier makes a very sexy female character here and she exudes a very different character than Barbara Steele in the original. That's a good thing however.

The rest of the cast includes Peter Carsten, Silvano Tranquilli, Karin Field and Irina Maleeva.

I really liked this Italian horror film and recommend you check it out as well.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Jeff Bridges is 75, Max Baer Jr. is 87, Tyra Banks is 51, Jimmy Hunt is 85, Sherry Alberoni is 78, and Brooke Adams is 40.

IN THE DEVIL'S GARDEN 1971 (VCI)

A very well made thriller.

This is also known as "Assault". The movie opens with the rape of a schoolgirl in the woods near a private school and this sends her into a shock in which she cannoe speak.

The police have no clues to go on and everything seems to quiet down until there is a second rape that ends in murder. A police psychologist befriends a beautiful teacher played by gorgeous Suzy Kendall.

She decides to set herself up as bait and gets into a very dangerous situation.

This is an excellent thriller that never stops moving and never settles down until the end of the film. All of the actors do an outstanding job and the movie is entertaining despite the subject matter.

Kendall looks fantastic as always and makes a VERY believable victim. Sidney hayers directed this movie and his efforts pay off big time.

The rest of the cast includes Frank Finlay, Freddie Jones, James Laurenson, Lesley-Anne Down, and Tony Beckley.

If you get a chance, don't miss this first rate thriller.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Daryl Hannah is 64, Holly Marie Combs is 51, and Melody Anderson is 69.

RIP BARBARA BESTAR 1930-2024

The American actress has died.

Barbara Bestar may not be a household name, but I know you've seen her in many things.

Bestar's career included both TV and movie roles. Some of her TV appearances include such shows as "Dragnet", "Sheena Queen Of The Jungle", "The Millionaire" and "Tales Of Wells Fargo".

Her movies included "Two Dollar Bettor", "White Lightning", "Safari Drums" and her best known role among genre fans was alongside Peter Graves in "Killers From Space".

The beautiful Barbara Bestar passed away on August 19, 2024 at the age of 94.

RIGHT HAND OF THE DEVIL 1963 (FILM MASTERS) BLU-RAY

This is a very rare crime film that has resurfaced thanks to Film Masters, and what a beautiful treatment they gave it.

Aram Katcher was the art director, story writer, screenplay writer as well as producer and director of this very effective crime thriller about a self serving baddie who has no redeeming factors whatsoever.

Katcher is Pepe Lusara, a man planning a massive robbery of an L.A. sports arena after a world title fight. He carefully gets himself a rag-tag band of men to help him.

He seduces a much older woman who runs the cash department at the stadium and worms his way into everything. The robbery goes off but Pepe has to kill one of the members because he tripped and fell.

However, we learn that Pepe is insane and he kills off everyone who helped with the robbery with either poison or an acid bath!! He even kills the older woman by getting her drunk and then pushing her car off of a cliff.

For months Pepe live the good life with his stash of money, but eventually fate catches up to him in a horrifying way, and it comes a a surprise. It is both effective and shocking.

According to what I have found out, it seems this film didn't do well at all and Katcher tried to destroy all of the prints as he was very disappointed in the box office. There are some very well done and shocking set pieces in this movie including a scene with an artificial limb that really stands out (no pun intended).

If this is true, I am glad he failed as this is a great slice of film noir history that should really be seen. I cannot recommend this enough and hope that you decide to check it out.

As with their "Door To Door Maniac" the Blu-ray is excellent quality from Film Masters.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Lucy Liu is 56, Britney Spears is 43, Cathy Lee Crosby is 80, and Arch Hall, Jr. is 81.

THE TOUGH ONES 1974 (GRINDHOUSE RELEASING) BLU-RAY

Another amazing Italian crime film.

Umberto Lenzi directes with his usual flair for non-stop action and over the top set pieces.

Maurizio Merli stars as a cop named Leonatdo Tanzi, who is sick of having his hands tied by the law while criminals run free and people die because of it.

Tanzi is the kind of cop who will slap around the suspects, shoot first and ask questions later and much more. In other words the kind of cops we really need in the world today. In this film he is after a top crime boss and will stop at nothing to bring him down.

It's ironic that Tanzi's girlfriend, Anna is a social worker who turns out the criminals as fast as Tanzi arrests them. Anna is, of course an exceptional beauty played by Maria Rosaria Omaggio.

There is a ton of action in this film and believe me, it never boring. Everything just clicks so well in this film and while Merli is very good in the lead role of Tani it is Thomas Milian as Vincenzo Moretto, the insane hunchbacked , deformed psycho killer who really steals the show.

This is great fun and shouldn't be missed. The BLU-RAY presentation is beautiful and I recommend you check it out as soon as possible.

The rest of the cast includes Arthur Kennedy, Ivan Rassimov, and of course, Luciano Pigozzi.