DJANGO AND SARTANA'S SHOWDOWN IN THE WEST 1970 (TIMELESS)

Another great spaghetti western.

Franco Borelli is Django and Hunt Powers if Sartana. they team up and defeat a mad killer who talks to himself in the mirror and actually plays cards with his reflection and accuses himself of cheating!!

This mad killer is known as Black Bert Keller and is played by Gordon Mitchell in a role I will never forget him playing. Some have said this is one of the worst westerns ever made, but I don't understand that.

Simonetta Vitelli is a buxom beauty they kidnap in order to flee across the border to Mexico with, but they never actually leave!! Strange film, but fun for spaghetti western fans.

GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE 1989 (ECHO BRIDGE)

This fine film finally comes to DVD.

At last, this Godzilla film finally makes it to DVD in fine form and for the very low price of $6.99!!

Godzilla fights a monster that is a combination of his own DNA and a plant. The monster called Biollante is very interesting and gruesome at the same time. This film bombed at the boxoffice and Toho believed it was due to the fact that Biollante wasn't familiar to many monster fans, and that could be very true.

There are a lot of great battle scenes in this film and if you are a true Godzilla fan, you will not be disappointed. The disc has a making of documentary and some other cool things as well. Recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Martin Milner is 81, and Taryn Terrell is 27.

RIP GEN. H. NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF 1934-2012

One of the last great Military leaders of my day has passed away at the age of 78. Norman Schwarzkopf died today. He led two very successful campaigns, one in Grenada in the 80's and the one big one was the 1991 Gulf War.

RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE 1944 (COLUMBIA)

Bela plays a vampire of a different name.

Bela Lugosi is Armand Tesla, a vampire resurrected during WW2 by a stray bomb dropped by the Germans. Lugosi is his menacing best and he also has a werewolf slave named Andreas.

Freda Inescort is Lady Jane Ainsley a woman who is hunting Tesla and is determined to drive a stake thru his heart, as she did many years ago before the war. Nina Foch is the lovely daughter of Ainsley that the vampire is trying to victimize.

Wonderful 40's horror with an exceptional cast. Highly Recommended!!

DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT 1973 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Another great Euro classic!!

Mark Damon stars as a young man who goes to Castle Dracula to do some research and finds the incredibly sexy Rosalba Neri living there. She is actually the bride of Dracula and is getting ready to sacrifice 5 virgins on the night of the full moon!

She also bathes in the blood of the young women to stay young and has a zombie maid named Lara who is also pretty damn sexy. This is typical euro horror in all it's glory. This is an episode of Elvira's Movie Macabre and Elvira pokes fun at the film, but not as much as usual.

This is the uncut version with all the nudity and violence intact and it is a recommended addition to your DVD collection.

THE LIVING SKELETON 1968 (CRITERION)

One of the best Japanese horror films I have seen!!

Criterion finally releases this obscure Japanese horror film about the ghost of a woman killed by pirates seeking revenge in a small seaside town. This film is filled with very atmospheric imagery such as skeletons floating below the water, lots of bats and ghostly images.

Nobody tells a ghost story better than the Japanese, and there are some interesting plot turns in this horrific story. Kikko Matsuoka is a very lovely woman and handle the dual role of her and her twin sister very well.

Not widely seen in the US for years, I am very pleased Criterion decided to include it in their Eclipse series 37 entitled "When Horror Came To Shochiku". This is simply a must for horror film fans, and I guarantee you'll love this black and white gem.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Bill Goldberg is 46, Maryam d'Abo is 52, Barbara Crampton is 54, and El Zappato (a legend in his own mind) is 50.

RIP CLIFF OSMOND 1937-2012

Noted actor and acting coach Cliff Osmond passed away on Dec. 22nd after a four year battle with pancreatic cancer. I will always remember him for such memorable roles as the sadistic policeman in "Sweet Sugar", the policeman in "Invasion Of The Bee Girls" and the episode of the Twilight Zone entitled "The Gift". He appeared in hundreds of TV shows and movies during his almost 40 year career. Another real actor that will be missed.

DRESSED TO KILL 1946 (TREELINE)

Another great Sherlock Holmes film.

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are back as Holmes and Watson, this time investigating the theft of three small music boxes.

They find a trio of murderers who are trying to get a secret code. One of the murderers is a very attractive woman who want Holmes out of the way quickly. Patricia Morison is excellent in the role of cold blooded Hilda Courtney.

Highly Recommended for mystery fans.

ONE BODY TOO MANY 1944 (TREELINE)

Another Bela Lugosi classic.

Jack Haley stars as an insurance salesman who comes to an old house to sell a man insurance and finds the man already dead and a killer lurking around.

Lugosi is the butler and has little to do, but he does try to poison people who like coffee!! Jean Parker, Blanche Yurka, Lyle Talbot, Douglas Fowley, Fay helm and Lucien Littlefield round out the very good cast.

This is a fun little film which is entertaining as films are supposed to be. Recommended!!

TNA VICTORY ROAD 2010 (NAVARRE)

Going back to the archives of pro wrestling I watched this interesting card from 2010.

There is some pretty good action here with such matches as Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez in a steel cage, Ric Flair vs. Jay Lethal, Madison Rayne Vs. Angelina Love and much more.

If you're a wrestling fan and are so inclined, you might want to check this out if you haven't seen it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO......

Kathleen Crowley is 81, and Maria De Aragon is 70.

MACABRE 1958 (WARNER ARCHIVE)

William Castle directed this under appreciated movie.

A doctor receives a mysterious phone call from someone who claims to have buried his daughter alive and he has five hours to find her.

This is a tense little film that has more plot twists and turns than most movies ever could have. William Prince is the doctor, Jacqueline Scott is his secretary, Jim Backus is the town Sheriff and Ellen Corby is the child's caretaker.

Castle insured everyone for 1000 dollars against death by fright, the gimmick worked and Castle was off to Exploitation Heaven. One of his best and for some reason not talked about a whole lot. Thanks to Warner Archive for putting out a beautiful print of this film. Recommended!!

RIP CHARLES DURNING 1923-2012

One of the greatest character actors in the world has passed away at the age of 89 from natural causes.

Durning's career started in 1953 when he was in a small role in the TV show "You Are There" and it never stopped as he was in such great films as "Dark Night Of The Scarecrow", "Dog Day Afternoon", "When A Stranger Calls" and hundreds more.

He has left us a wonderful legacy. RIP