I’ve also got Oldboy (the Spike Lee one) sat on my pc awaiting my inclination to bother with it. I’m not keen on Lee but I don’t mind Josh Brolin and of course I adored the original movie so I WILL watch this one, sooner or later. When the mood finally takes me. The reviews aren’t exactly inspiring.
The Family (Malavita) (2013)
I haven’t seen so unfunny “comedy” in ages. It doesn’t even works as black comedy to which we are not supposed to laugh. I haven’t read the reviews prior to watching it. It had De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, Pfeiffer - how bad could it be, right? I wasn’t even aware it was directed by Luc Besson until the end credits, by looking at the movie you’ll get no clue that this is directed by the guy who once directed the Big Blue. Characters don’t develop, they remain the same as they are presented at the beginning, making fun of dumb French stereotypes about Americans in fact looks like dumb stereotypes about French, unnecessary violence is probably supposed to be funny, but will make you feel disgusted instead (and I watch violent movies all the time). At one exemplary worn out attempt at a joke, De Niro and Lee Jones are watching the begging of the Goodfellas - I couldn’t help but wish I was watching it too instead of what I was watching.
Some other good ones with Vincent Price: The Haunted Palace, Masque of the Red Death, Laura, House on Haunted Hill and my favorite: Witchfinder General
It’s Valentine’s Day, so I took a trip inside the Hanniger Mines. Can’t go wrong with the original MY BLOODY VALENTINE.
Zulawski: On the silver globe
-Polish science fiction made in 75-77 but the production was stopped by authorities and the film was finally released in 1988 with new material where director explains what happens in the scenes that were lost or never filmed. Visually the film is awesome, it looks like something between Jodorowsky and Parajanev film. Like usual for Zulawski the actor do amazing job, really insane and physical roles. Camera work and editing is excellent and way ahead of it’s time. Interestingly first hour of the film consist of “cameraman’s point of view” in the style of cannibal Holocaust or Blair Witch Project. There’s also a scene with impaled men which also made me think of Cannibal Holocaust. The scene in On Silver Globe is just much more gruesome and surreal as we see a group of still living men impaled on 100 ft poles. It’s really weird film and not definitely a film for everyone but I think it was one of the best sci-fi films I’ve seen.
Ah, Zulawski! Looking forward to watching his two other polish feature films on the big screen from 35mm (hopefully) in April. Can’t wait!
I’d love to see his films on big screen. I use to say that I don’t understand his films but I still love them.
I completely forget that one. Yes the best one from the director for me also a very clever film, but it just helps my point, when he gets away from racial issues and the more dogmatic stuff he made his best work.
I like Spike Lee stuff but he most definitely has a rather large chip on his shoulder. Even when one of his films isn’t a racial one he has to get little sly comments in there.
Have had this one sitting in queue for years now. Been almost turning it on several times in the last week, but held off because it was a bit longish. I’ve always thought it looked really great though, along with the other works from this director. Probably will go ahead and watch it in the coming days
H20
For me, Big Mike died at the end of H2. So the sequels (aside from H3) have been pretty lackluster in my eyes. It was good to see Jamie Lee Curtis back, though. And I really like the bathroom scene where Big Mike steals the car keys. Another great way to end the series with Big Mike’s decapitation. But nnnooo!!!
Just finished a double feature: Emergency Squad with Tomas Milian. Not a top Poliziottesco but I liked it a lot. Then it was on to Ninja in the Killing Field. One of the best really bad movies Ive seen in a while. Definitely junk food for the brain 
Dark City - one which I saw at the cinema and thought was a total bore, but have since liked it more with each viewing. The ending is beautiful, and even more-so in HD
Coast Of Skeletons - Harry Alan Towers produced adventure film about an insurance investigator (Richard Todd) sent on a task to oversee what they think may be a dodgy operation with their untrustworthy client (Dale Robertson). Action, murder and diamonds on the high sea. Nothing out of the ordinary for this type of film but enjoyable enough. The captain of the ship is played by German Krimi actor Heinz Drache, Marianne Koch and Derek Nimmo also star.
The House In Nightmare Park - Ham actor Foster Twelvetrees (Frankie Howerd) is invited to perform in a manor house by Stewart Henderson (Ray Milland) but not is all it seems, I enjoyed this a whole lot more than I was expecting to, not hilarious but it had me smiling throughout. Also starring Hugh Burden and Kenneth Griffith (in one scene in blackface!) among others.
Konga - Ridiculous fun from Merton Park Studios, Biologist Dr. Charles Decker (Michael Gough) returns from Africa a year after going missing and presumed dead with an astonishing discovery, he makes Insectivore plants grow to a huge size and become carnivorous. He tries out the serum on a Chimpanzee and for some reason it grows into a Gorilla! He orders it to kill his adversaries and people who get in his way, until it gets given too much serum and the next thing you know there is a giant beast on the rampage.
[size=12pt]KOMMISSAR X - Drei Goldene Schlangen[/size] (Island of Lost Girls - 1969, Roberto Mauri)
The fifth and penultimate entry in the Kommissar X series, starring Tony Kendall (who, according to himself, was asked by Leone at a certain point to become No Name) and muscle man Brad Harris. They were cheap 007 imitations, half serious, half spoofy, always corny, more or less like the OSS 117 or the Matt Helm movies. Kendall played a chain-smoking Casanova who also happened to be the brain of the duo, Harris his rock-solid friend, with enough muscles for two. Some of the early movies were good fun (most of them were directed by Gianfranco Parolini, of Sartana and Sabata fame), but in this late entry Kendall and Harris seem to have lost interest, they both look terribly bored. Set in Thailand, where American women are kidnapped and brought to a remote island, where they are used as sex-slaves. We’re in the late sixties so the boobs have arrived in the series: Asian boobs that is, the American women - sex-slaves or no sex-slaves - keep them covered. How subtle.
[size=12pt]THE HAMMER OF THE GODS[/size] (2012, Farren Blackburn)
A Viking movie set in Britain, 871 AD. The reign of the Vikings is threatened by the advancing Saxons, who are vastly superior in number. A dying Viking King asks his son to go searching for his older brother, who was banished years before, but is their only hope to throw the enemy back. Big brother has started his own kingdom in the heart of the British jungle and is not willing to help his dad and little bro. Does the story ring a bell? Yes, it Apocalypse Back Then. Basic storytelling, superficial characterizations, but makes Gladiator look like a kiddie movie in comparison. We jump from one visceral action scene to another, with all kinds of nastiness in-between the man-to-man fights. Blood & Guts British style, in the line of Neil Marshall’s Centurion. I must admit that I found it quite entertaining. Don’t watch it with the family.
On a bit of a British B kick there mate.
How was the quality on the Edgar Wallace disc? I’ve been thinking of getting the whole set but have been put off by some negative reviews about the sound quality.
@KOMMISSAR X
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Kommissar X series… it’s silly stuff, but it’s fun and entertaining to watch. Tony Kendal and Brad Harris were a good team together.
HALLOWEEN RESURRECTION
Aside from an okay beginning, this film is awful. Can’t believe I even killed time revisiting it.
[quote=“Phil H, post:11156, topic:1923”]@Yodlaf
On a bit of a British B kick there mate.
How was the quality on the Edgar Wallace disc? I’ve been thinking of getting the whole set but have been put off by some negative reviews about the sound quality.[/quote]The Edgar Wallace disc was ok, nice 2.35:1 transfer, you occasionally get flickering grain (if you know what I mean)
I think the issues regarding the sound on the Edgar Wallace discs are the TV ones (that’s what I’ve read anyway), I’ve got them too and have watched 5 or 6 of them at the moment but haven’t come across any with low sound (yet). What I enjoy a lot about these Merton Park studio ones is that a lot of them are filmed in and around the areas I grew up in.
A double bill of classics last night:
‘Night of the Hunter’, followed by ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (both on bluray).
The old ones are definitely the best!