| Movies U must C - Q to TMovie Reviews - RRetroactive – A taut, tense, highly effective time travel/road movie with a novel set up, Retroactive was one of the finest films of 1997. The film begins when central protagonist Karen's [Kylie Travis] car breaks down; she is ultimately picked up by two strangers, Frank [James Belushi] and his girlfriend Rayanne [Shannon Whirry]. Frank is a  shady character who unbeknownst to his fellow travellers, is on his way to meet a contact to sell them some stolen computer chips. However, after repeatedly calling Rayanne’s fidelity into question, Frank eventually resolves to violently blow her away. Karen manages to escape the car with a crazed Frank hot on her heels. She finds her way into a fenced off laboratory, where it transpires that a time travel experiment is being worked on; she forces the lone scientist to send her back in time to prevent Rayanne’s murder. The time travelling device works and she finds herself back in Frank and Rayanne’s car earlier that day. Unfortunately her plans to save Rayanne’s life are continually beset with unforeseen circumstances; every time she travels back in time something goes wrong. Moreover, certain acquaintances of Frank become increasingly involved at various junctures, leading to an escalating bloodbath which ultimately spirals out of control. To divulge any further details would ruin the surprises the film has in store, suffice it to say that Retroactive is a clever, witty, Action-packed Sci-Fi Thriller about the consequences of time travel which has to be seen to be appreciated. | | Trivia: The film received a straight to video release in the UK. Former US President Bill Clinton’s brother Roger appears in a small role. Roger Clinton also co-starred as the Mayor in Pumpkinhead 2: Bloodwings [1994] and played ‘Agent Clinton’ in the Leslie Nielson ‘comedy’ Spy Hard [1996]. Star Kylie Travis was a regular on short lived 90’s television show Models Inc, a bitchy babe-fest of epic proportions. | | Directed by Louis Morneau – 1997 – 103 minutes – Starring Kylie Travis, James Belushi [K-9], Shannon Whirry [Animal Instincts 1&2], Frank Whaley [The Doors, Pulp Fiction], Sherman Howard [Day of the Dead], Guy Boyd, Jesse Borrego [“24”] and M. Emmet Walsh [Blade Runner, Blood Simple]. | | If you like this you may also like: A.P.E.X. [1994] – Enjoyable time travelling Sci-Fi nonsense about a robot drone being sent back in time from 2073 to 1973, an experiment with disastrous consequences which adversely affect the time line, leaving humankind overrun by murderous robots. | | Reason U must C – It’s an intense, ingeniously plotted time travel Thriller packed with excellent Action set pieces. | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Roadgames - A very enjoyable and underrated Australian horror thriller. A serial killer is on the loose murdering hitchhikers and then disposing of their dismembered bodies en route. In possibly his best film role, Stacy Keach is wonderfully cast as Pat Quid an eccentric long distance lorry driver who begins to suspect that a van driver on the same road could be the killer. As Pat begins to investigate and gets closer to discovering the killer he finds that he is being framed for the murders. Jamie Lee Curtis also co-stars as a hitchhiker, who gets herself caught up in the deadly game of cat and mouse. It has a touch of Duel about it at times, combined with some very nice Hitchcockian touches - Director Franklin is obviously a fan, and he went on to make Psycho 2. | | Trivia: Writer Everett De Roche and Director Richard Franklin also worked together on the cult classic 'Patrick' about a hospital patient with deadly psychokinesis skills. Franklin also directed Psycho 2 and F/X 2. | | Directed by Richard Franklin - 1981 - 101mins - Starring Stacy Keach [Escape from LA], James Lee Curtis [Halloween], Grant Page, Marion Edward and Thaddeus Smith. Also know as Road Games. | | If you like this you may also like: The Hitcher [1986] with Rutger Hauer is perfect as the cold blooded killer toying with C. Thomas Howell. Breakdown [1997] in which a confused Kurt Russell tries to find out what has happened to his wife who disappears on the highway. Duel [1971] and early Steven Spielberg film in which Dennis Weaver upsets an unseen lorry driver. | | Reason U must C - Keach and Curtis make the ideal mismatched pair in this great chase thriller - but who's chasing who! | | Find a film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Road House – An immaculate Martial Arts/Exploitation film about the life of a tough, Tai Chi trained, almost mythically legendary Bar room bouncer. His name is Dalton [Patrick Swayze], and he doesn’t know the meaning of the word pain, as he remarks to the sexy female  Doctor [Kelly Lynch] stitching up one of his wounds: ‘Pain don’t hurt.’ A mark of his status is conveyed by a running joke whereby any time he meets somebody new they greet him with; ‘I thought you’d be bigger.’ The story begins with Dalton being hired as head bouncer at the Double Deuce, the toughest Bar in Jasper, Missouri, where a brutal punch up/glassing is never more than a minute away. He soon becomes involved with the sexy Doctor who stitches him up and with his level-headed, hard-arse efficiency, cleans up the Double Deuce. However he hadn’t reckoned on dealing with Brad Wesley [Ben Gazzara], a crime boss with the whole town under his thumb and the ex-husband of the Doc. Wesley takes a disliking to Dalton when the latter sacks one of his boys from the Double Deuce; he likes him even less when he discovers who he’s been courting. The conflict between the two men escalates, with Dalton calling on his old amigo Wade Garrett [Sam Elliott] to assist him, while Wesley uses his power to divert alcohol supplies from the Double Deuce and sends his Martial Arts lackeys to rough the place up. The scene is set for more violent confrontations – Dalton has the power to tear out a man’s throat - and more outrageous dialogue -‘I used to fuck guys like you in prison!’- than you can shake a bloody great stick at. Excellent fight choreography abounds in this extremely well made, flawlessly paced, shamelessly entertaining brew of ultra-cool, knowingly silly action goodness which stands as a true classic of its kind. | | Trivia: Keith David [The Thing, They Live, The Rock, etc.] cameos as a bartender. The late Jeff Healey, who features predominantly as blind singer/guitar player Cody, was in reality a blind singer/guitar player, the front man for The Jeff Healey Band. The film originally suffered 2 brief cuts lasting 10 seconds, to remove a double-ear clap [the depiction of which used to be illegal in the UK] and a groin punch as well as accompanying dialogue. These ludicrous cuts [to an ‘18’ certificate film no less!] were restored for the DVD release. Co-star Terry Funk is a well known and highly regarded Wrestler; he also co-starred in and choreographed the fights for Sylvester Stallone’s Paradise Alley [1978]. | | Directed by Rowdy Herrington – 1989 – 114 minutes - Starring Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch [Curly Sue], Sam Elliot [Hulk], Ben Gazzara, Jeff Healey, Kathleen Wilhoite, Red West, Julie Michaels, Terry Funk and Marshall R. Teague as ‘Jimmy’. | | If you like this you may also like: Murphy’s Law [1986] – An enjoyable Charles Bronson vehicle featuring a more prominent role for Road House co-star Kathleen Wilhoite as Bronson’s foul-mouthed comic foil. Striking Distance [1993] – An enjoyable subsequent film from director Herrington, starring Bruce Willis as a waterlogged cop. Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger [1993] – Head Road House lackey Marshall R. Teague is upgraded to head villain in this feature-length TV movie pilot to the long running Chuck Norris series. | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Runaway – Tom Selleck stars in this underrated Sci-Fi Thriller from director/novelist Michael Crichton. Set in a future where robots are so commonplace they help out with everyday chores, the film’s hero is Sergeant Jack Ramsay, a specialist in malfunctioning machine cases. Ramsay is partnered up with the attractive Officer Karen Thompson [Cynthia Rhodes] and the two of them become embroiled in a mystery involving robots inexplicably turning into murderers. Dr. Charles Luther [Gene Simmons] is the villain  responsible; he is the instigator of an insane plot designed to raise an army of killer robots for him to be able to command at his every whim. As well as boasting a suspenseful opening featuring a house robot going haywire and a subsequent cat and mouse hunt between it and Ramsay, Runaway also features several memorable Action set-pieces throughout. These include; A scene where flying robot assassins glide super swiftly through the air as they mercilessly hunt their prey, all filmed from the robots P.O.V; An exciting set-piece featuring endless torrents of explosive robotic spiders vigorously pursuing Ramsay’s car on a busy motorway; The finale’s nerve-wracking, vertigo-inducing confrontation between Ramsay and the spider robots, taking place on an out of control, open air, high rise elevator system. Jerry Goldsmith provides the film’s strange electronic score, which sounds slightly dated now and remains an acquired taste; it is undeniably stylish and interesting however. Runaway of course considerably benefits from the presence of Tom Selleck, a sorely underrated actor with considerable range; he is believable as ever as Ramsay, ably conveying the fragile, human side of his character as well as nailing the tough, heroic Sergeant characteristics; this remains one of his best film roles to date. Fans of Sci-Fi Thrillers should definitely give Runaway a look and it contains all the requisite thrills your average Action fan craves.
| | Trivia: Head villain Gene Simmons is better known for being the front man for rock band Kiss. | | Directed by Michael Crichton – 1984 – 99 minutes – Starring Tom Selleck [Magnum P.I.], Cynthia Rhodes [Dirty Dancing], Kirstie Alley [Cheers], Gene Simmons [Wanted: Dead or Alive], G.W. Bailey [Police Academy], Stan Shaw [Rising Sun, Snake Eyes], Joey Cramer [Flight of the Navigator], Chris Mulkey and Anne-Marie Martin. | | If you like this you may also like: Westworld [1973] – Michael Crichton’s highly influential 70s Cult Classic starring a brilliantly cast Yul Brynner as a malfunctioning robot cowboy. Crichton sure does like his malfunctioning robots! Magnum P.I. [1980-1988] – Tom Selleck’s signature role as Hawaii based Private Investigator Thomas Sullivan Magnum III. A truly great series with a wonderful cast, Magnum P.I. has aged like a fine wine, or better yet a great beer. | | Reason U must C – It pits Tom Selleck against the demonic-tongued Gene Simmons and an army of robot spider assassins; what’s not to like? | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Movie Reviews - SSilent Rage – Chuck Norris is back as small town Sheriff Dan Stevens. The film begins with a loving family man going insane and hacking his wife to death with an axe; Sheriff  Stevens is sent in to stop the killer from harming anyone else. He manages to detain the man, but the maniac breaks free and kills one of his police captors; the cops are forced to shoot the maniac to death. When more killings begin in his town, Stevens investigates and is pitted against a mad killer who it transpires is the reanimated body of the man he and his colleagues had previously shot dead. You read that right; it’s Chuck Norris vs. Zombie killer and every bit as good as that sounds! Ron Silver co-stars as a Doctor who is opposed to his colleagues’ experimental tampering with the dead, but his warnings go unheeded and a la Frankenstein the reanimated monster kills his creators; indeed he kills a good deal more people than that! However he hasn’t counted on Sheriff Chuck Norris, who when he isn’t busy kicking the shit out of a gang of marauding bikers, or re-courting his ex, is more than capable of giving any invincible madman a run for his money. As the film’s awesome tagline states: ‘Science created him. Chuck Norris must destroy him!’ Silent Rage is truly a film that has it all; it even includes a Chuck Norris sex scene for the ladies [or any men that way inclined]! Chuck gets hot and heavy with a lucky lady to the strains of slushy pop ballad, ‘It’s a time for love’. Chuck junior doesn’t make an appearance though – sorry ladies! Silent Rage is an intriguing mishmash of Chuck Norris Karate Action, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and John Carpenter’s Halloween, an endearingly bonkers cult gem with fine performances and a cool synth score; it’s worth checking out. | | Trivia: While the film passed uncut upon its initial cinema release, the video release wasn’t safe from the scissor-happy BBFC of the 1980s; they cut 41 seconds, removing random moments of violence throughout and toning down intense scenes, damaging the impact and cohesiveness of the film. Unfortunately Silent Rage is such an obscure title it has not been resubmitted to the BBFC for many years, therefore all UK releases are the same old cut version and are best avoided. The region 1 DVD is uncut. | | Directed by Michael Miller – 1982 – 103 minutes – Starring Chuck Norris, Ron Silver, Steven Keats, Toni Kalem, Stephen Furst, William Finley, Brian Libby and Lillette Zoe Raley as ‘Tatooed Biker Mama’. | | If you like this you may also like: The Octagon [1980] – Cult Ninja movie starring Chuck Norris and Lee Van Cleef. Forced Vengeance [1982] – Norris returns in this woodenly acted but brutally effective Martial Arts Exploitation movie. | | Reason U must C - It's Chuck Norris Vs. Zombie killer premise is reason enough! Plus Chuck has a romantic subplot! | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Silent Running – Silent Running stands tall as a unique gem of Science-Fiction cinema. Bruce Dern stars as Freeman Lowell, one of several men in charge of tending to the last remaining remnants of Earth’s plant life. This precious garden is located on a space station. Lowell, who considers his job to be of immeasurable importance, is horrified to  discover that those in charge of the operation have deemed the garden’s preservation to be a pointless enterprise, wasteful of resources and have designated the termination of the project. Lowell’s colleagues are nonchalant about the garden’s imminent destruction and are simply happy to be leaving the dreary space station. Lowell therefore deigns to personally prevent his colleagues from carrying out the orders of his superiors, even if it means employing violent means to do so. Silent Running is a strange, poignantly affecting work of speculative fiction from writers Deric Washburn [The Deer Hunter, Extreme Prejudice], Michael Cimino [The Deer Hunter] and Steve Bochco [Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blues]. It showcases a truly beautiful performance from the wonderful Bruce Dern, who has the unenviable task of being the sole human on screen for two thirds of the film’s running time, yet he delivers in spades with a fully nuanced character study, variedly conveying the nature of living alone with only silent robot drones for company. Lowell humanises the robots by giving them names; Huey, Dewey and Louie; after a while they truly become personable and were a clear influence on Star Wars’ R2-D2 character. The special effects are also excellent in this low budget film, which marks a superb directorial debut for Douglas Trumbull. A moving, powerful Drama about outer space botany; who’d have thought it? This film would never be made today and remains a truly unforgettable experience. | | Trivia: Freeman Lowell’s Drone robot companions Huey, Dewey and Louie, were operated by four multiple-amputee actors. Director Douglas Trumbull devised the state of the art special effects for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968] and also worked on the visual effects for Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind [1977]. The film’s main theme is sung by folk legend Joan Baez. | | Directed by Douglas Trumbull – 1972 – 89 minutes – Starring Bruce Dern, Ciff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Cheryl Sparks, Steven Brown and Larry Whisenhunt. | | If you like this you may also like: The Cowboys [1972] – Bruce Dern is terrifying as the main villain in this highly underrated John Wayne Western about boys going on a cattle drive. The Driver [1978] – Dern assays the role of ‘The Detective’, a man determined to catch Ryan O’Neal’s getaway driver, in this existential Crime Thriller, which features superb car chases. | | Reason U must C - Bruce Dern's performance is incredible as is the films' unique premise. | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
The Sorcerers – A bleak horror thriller starring the inimitable Boris Karloff as
 Prof. Marcus Monserrat, a man who creates a device with the power to control peoples’ minds and enable Boris and his wife to feel the sensations the people are feeling. He and his wife take advantage of this power by inviting an unsuspecting young man to their house under false pretences and hooking him up to the device which will link his consciousness with theirs. Now they are able to control the young man, manipulating him into committing acts of sex and violence and feeling these sensations in the comfort of their own home. The Professor’s wife becomes addicted to the power and the sensations she is able to feel without repercussions and the Professor ultimately realises he must stop her before it’s too late. This film can be seen as a commentary on the nature of cinema and the viewer and their relation to one another. Voyeurism is a key theme; the film makes the bleak point that one of the things we as an audience find so appealing about the cinema is the fact that we are witnessing and revelling in the projections of violence and sex in the safety of the cinema or in our own homes, viewing things from a safe distance and as such not unlike the cruel puppeteers the Professor and his wife become. | | Trivia: Director Michael Reeves co-directed his first film at the young age of 21, working un-credited on Castle of the Living Dead [1964]. His first solo directing credit came two years later for The She-Beast. After directing two more films to general acclaim, he sadly died of an accidental barbiturate overdose at the age of 25. | | Directed by Michael Reeves – 1967 – 87 minutes – Starring Boris Karloff, Elizabeth Ercy, Ian Ogilvy, Victor Henry and Sally Sheridan. | | If you like this you may also like: Matthew Hopkins: Witchfinder General [1968] – Director Michael Reeves’ last film and arguably his best, with stunning cinematography and a mighty central performance from Vincent Price. It’s an even bleaker film than The Sorcerers and is brutally violent for its time. Peeping Tom [1960] – Another horror classic with a voyeurism theme, focusing on an obsessed cameraman who films his victims as he kills them. | | Reason U must C - It's an unforgettably bleak, thought provoking Horror film which provides the great Boris Karloff with one of his finest roles | | Find a film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone – An underrated gem of Sci-Fi cinema, this charming, memorable film is as cult as they come. Peter Strauss stars as weary intergalactic space hero Wolff, who is assigned to rescue some Earth women from the clutches of the villainous Overdog [played with relish by Michael Ironside], a menacing, part mechanized dictator who rules the dark reaches of the Forbidden Zone, a particularly grim section on a disease ridden planet. Along the way Wolff meets a stray named Niki, who makes a deal with him in exchange for showing him how to get into the Forbidden Zone; a funny odd couple relationship develops between the pair; Wolff ultimately admits to feeling a fatherly affection for the young girl. Washington [Ernie Hudson on fine form], a former associate of Wolff’s, also arrives on the scene and he and Wolff eventually form a reluctant alliance, teaming up to rescue the Earth girls and split the reward. Spacehunter is an action-packed adventure with a nice dose of comedy as well as a smattering of horror thrown into the mix. It has several memorable set pieces including one involving weird, giant, slug-like cocooned creatures overrunning Wolff and Niki; Wolff becoming surrounded by a tribe of alluring but fatal Amazonian women who live in a watery domain which is also inhabited by a snake-like lizard creature; hapless kidnapped slaves running around in Overdog’s nightmarish maze, trying desperately to avoid the various blades, acid pits and death machines in their path. In short it’s a nicely acted, highly enjoyable, inventive, well-paced Sci-Fi Adventure. | | Trivia: Spacehunter was filmed in 3-D. Ghostbusters star Harold Ramis has an un-credited vocal cameo near the beginning of the film as the man talking to Wolff over the intercom. | | Directed by Lamont Johnson – 1983 – Starring Peter Strauss, Molly Ringwald [The Breakfast Club], Ernie Hudson, Michael Ironside [Scanners], Andrea Marcovicci, Hrant Alianak, Deborah Pratt, Aleisa Shirley and Cali Timmins. | | If you like this you may also like: The Octagon [1980] – A cult, low budget Chuck Norris Ninja movie which briefly features a young Ernie Hudson. Soldier Blue [1970] – Another starring role for Peter Strauss. He plays a naïve young US Cavalry Private who will soon discover how savage his people really are in this ultra-violent Western/Exploitation blood-bath. | | Reason U must C - Michael Ironside's role as the villainous part-cyborg Overdog, a bald, mechanical armed bastard so gleefully sadistic you can't help cheering him on. | | Find a Film: Seach Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
The Station Agent - This really is a beautiful film which keeps you totally engrossed, despite being about basically nothing very much. A dwarf railway enthusiast  inherits an old train depot in New Jersey. Hoping for peace and quiet, he soon finds his life disturbed and then entwined with that of a mouthy hot-dog vendor and a depressed artist who live nearby. In spite of his early resistance and their total differences the trio eventually become the best of friends. The three lead actors (Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale) are all superb, lending a depth and sympathy to their characters performances, as each tries to cope with their own inner problems, troubles and ultimate loneliness. A great debut from writer/director Thomas McCarthy. | | Trivia: The films writer and directorThomas McCarthy is better know for his roles as an actor, having appeared in TV dramas Boston Public, Law & Order and The Wire. In 2007 he completed his second film The Visitor, which has also received rave reviews. | | Directed by Thomas McCarthy - 2003 - 88 minutes - Starring Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale, Josh Pias and Richard Kind. | | If you like this you may also like: Sideways [2004] the intelligent wine tasting road trip drama-comedy starring Paul Giamatti. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai [1999], admittedly more violent, but Jim Jarmusch's cool film deals nicely with the aspects of loyalty and loneliness. The Science of Sleep [2006] the strange relationship comedy from the mind of Michel Gondry. | | Reason U must C - Peter Dinklage's central performance is terrific | | Find a film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Movie Reviews - T Tales of Ordinary Madness - This is a bit of an odd one. I’m not saying it’s good, but it certainly is curious! Tales of Ordinary Madness is loosely based on the autobiography of German American beat-poet Charles Bukowski. It revolves around a very drunken poet Charles Serking [played superbly by Ben Gazzara] who staggers around the seedy streets of Hollywood, drinking, meeting women and occasionally writing poems. One of the women he meets, Cass [the beautiful Ornella Muti, probably better know for her role as Princess Aura in Flash Gordon], he really falls for. She’s a hooker with a history of inflicting self harm and he’s a poet with a history of drunken disorderly. Surely they’ll make the perfect couple? I won’t spoil the ending, but this is a rather strange film, which continually flits from silly, to sleazy to sad. While not always makings pleasurable viewing, it never fails to keep your attention, with underrated cult director Marco Ferreri once again delivering the goods, albeit in a damaged packet. | | Trivia: The 1987 film Barfly starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway deals with a very drunken writer in LA who meets an attractive woman in a bar and is also based on the life of poet Charles Bukowski - It looks like he led a one-track life! | | Directed by Marco Ferreri - 1981 - 101 minutes - Starring Ben Gazzara [The Big Lebowski], Ornella Muti [Flash Gordon], Susan Tyrrell [Big Top Pee-wee], Tanya Lopert and Judith Drake. | | If you like this you may also like: Betty Blue [1986] following the sad descent into madness of the originally happy-go-luck Betty. Barfly [1987] also based on the life of Bukowski. Bye Bye Monkey [1978] and surreal piece of work from director Ferreri, in which Gerard Depardieu discovers the body of King Kong on a beach in New York and with it King Kong's orphaned son. | | Reason U must C - All the glitz and glamour of Hollywood is cast away in this drunken, erotic and tragic love story |
Targets - A testament to the uniqueness of this brilliant, endlessly fascinating film is that it feels like two styles of filmmaking combined; on the one hand it presents us with a post modern look at the making of the typical Roger Corman horror fantasies with a wonderful Boris Karloff, and in stark contrast to this is another grittier story about a chillingly normal and even more frighteningly, unmotivated psychopath. These contrasting styles serve to add to the film's juxtaposition and ultimate conflict between fantasy and reality. In some ways Targets could be seen as a commentary about a transition period of film in general, going from the more traditional horror of the early 1930s to the mid 1960s into the less comforting everyday horrors which were becoming increasingly commonplace in the real world in the late 1960s. Tellingly, at one point in Targets Boris admits that the days of his type of film are largely over. More than anything, Targets along with Bonnie and Clyde [1967] and Night of The Living Dead [1968] poignantly represents the end of an era. | | Trivia: Unlike the vast majority of films, Targets has no music score. Director Peter Bogdanovich was allowed to direct this, his debut film on the condition that he used Boris Karloff for two days shooting and that he incorporated footage from Producer Roger Corman’s film The Terror. The films’ very low budget is estimated to have been a paltry $130,000. The films’ impressive location shooting was done without permission. Director Peter Bogdanovich also stars as director Sammy Michaels, a character named in tribute to the great writer-director Samuel Fuller, who made important un-credited contributions to Targets’ screenplay. | | Directed by Peter Bogdanovich – 1968 – 90 minutes – Starring Boris Karloff, Tim O’Kelly, Peter Bogdanovich, Nancy Hsueh and Arthur Peterson. | | If you like this you may also like: Dirty Harry [1971] – Clint Eastwood has to stop a psychopath with a similar penchant for sniping at innocent people. The Sorcerers [1967] – Another bleak modern classic starring Boris Karloff, who plays a man who devises a device with the power to control peoples’ minds and enable Boris and his wife to feel the sensations they are feeling. | | Reason U must C - The films powerful, highly original collision between fantasy and reality packs a punch; the casting of Boris Karloff adds poignancy to the film. | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
Tears of the Black Tiger - It is rather difficult to describe this classy Thai western. The story is basically that of a love triangle between Rumpoey, the daughter of a rich city governor, who is being forced into an arranged marriage to Kumjorn the local police captain, while rekindling her affections for her childhood sweetheart-turned bandit Dum [The Black Tiger]. Meanwhile Kumjorn is out trying to capture The Black Tiger who is wanted by the police. It sounds straightforward, but director Sartsanatieng uses a kitsch psychedelic colour scheme, flashbacks, location and staged settings, some rather gruesome shoot-outs and a cast that are as camp as Christmas, in order to conjure up a lot more than your standard western. The result is a very stylish and entertaining film that kind of defies categorization and really must be seen to be believed. | | Trivia: The eccentric soundtrack includes Dvorak's "New World" Symphony, which will be better known to UK audiences as the theme tune to the classic Hovis bread advert with the boy walking up the big hill [which incidentally happened to be directed by Ridley Scott!]. | | Directed by Wisit Sartsanatieng - 2000 - 110mins - Starring Chartchai Ngamsan, Stella Malucchi, Arawat Ruangvuth and Supakorn Kitsuwon. AKA: Fah talai jone | | If you like this you may also like: Zatoichi [2004] the stylish and colourful Japanese story of a blind masseur who is also quite nifty with a sword. 800 Bullets [2002] the quirky Spanish western about a group of washed-up stuntmen finally having their day of glory. | | Reason U must C - The stylish camerawork and pastel colours make this a brutal camp classic | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
They Live - Great action/horror/comedy/thriller, from back when  John Carpenter made interesting and exciting films. Ex-wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper stars as a drifter who accidentally discovers that LA is being taken over by a bunch of Aliens brainwashing the nation with their subliminal advertising. Finding a pair of sunglasses through which he can actually see the Aliens without their human disguises, he decides to try and destroy their transmitting station, which is allowing them to go undetected via mind control. The result proves to be a fantastic crowd-pleasing movie, with plenty of great action scenes and some great wisecracks - as Roddy famously puts it "I've come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubblegum". | | Trivia: The main star Roddy Piper was a pro-wrestler from 1973-1987. The films writer 'Frank Armitage' is really John Carpenter (and yes he did the music as well!). The concept of wearing sunglasses to reveal the aliens true form was later 'borrowed' for the computer game'The Simpsons: Bart Simpson Vs. The Space Mutants'. | | Directed by John Carpenter - 1988 - 93mins - Starring Roddy Piper, Meg Foster [Blind Fury], Keith David [The Thing, Pitch Black], Peter Jason and Sy Richardson. | | If you like this you may also like: Blind Fury [1989] Rutger Hauer stars as a blind sword fighter in this classic action thriller. Showdown in Little Tokyo [1991] violent action movie in which Brandon Lee famously compliments Dolph Lundren on the size of his manhood. | | Reason U must C - The five minute fight between Roddy Piper and Keith David is excellent | | Find a Film: Search Amazon.co.uk - Amazon.com - eBay.co.uk - eBay.com |
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