- Island of the Burning Damned
Very British, 23 September 2017
Fara Island, off the coast of Scotland, is experiencing some very unusual weather. While the rest of country is in the midst of a normal cold winter, the island is hot. The temperature has hit 100 F and continues to rise. And it's not just the heat - people are hearing odd buzzing noises and sheep are dying in mysterious ways. What's behind the strange goings on? A scientist working on Fara thinks he has the answer - the heat, noises and deaths can be attributed to an alien invasion.
Night of the Big Heat (or Island of the Burning Damned if you prefer - I've actually seen it under both titles) is a very low-budget, very British sci-fi film with an unbelievably strong cast. I've seen this movie at least four or five times and it never fails to entertain. It's not a thrill-a-minute type movie, but it excels in tension and atmosphere. The plot may seem silly, but its presented in a manner that works for me. I believe square-jawed Patrick Allen, shirt dripping with sweat, when he tells me it's hot. I believe Christopher Lee's ramblings about the heat being generated by creatures from another world. And I believe Peter Cushing when he stumbles on one of the creatures in the middle of the night. This cast could make me believe just about anything. Lee and Cushing may be the big names in British genre films, but Patrick Allen is their equal when it comes to acting. Together, they make Night of the Big Heat a lot of fun.
I wish the filmmakers would have made the decision to not show the aliens. I've read a lot of comments and some people can't seem to get past their appearance - a cross between a fried egg and a roasted marshmallow. I would have preferred that either they not be shown and left it up to the viewer's imagination or take the cop-out route a lot of other low-budget sci-fi films of the era did and make the creatures invisible. Seeing the creatures is not necessary. All the work building tension and atmosphere had already been accomplished. The low-budget effects don't add to what came before - they only serve to detract.
7/10
Entertaining despite its weaknesses, 23 September 2017
A group of scientists working in an undersea station discover an alien spacecraft. They, quite naturally, investigate. They discover a cylinder shaped object and bring it to their station for further testing. Before you can say "guy in a rubber suit", the thing hatches an amphibious type creature who immediately goes on a rampage. The good guys must try to stay alive and destroy the alien craft before any more of these things show up.
Admittedly, there are a lot of problems with Destination Inner Space. It's goofy, features from ridiculous acting, and has obvious budgetary limitations. But despite all that, there is a good deal of fun to be had. Fans of monster romps should find something to enjoy. I found the monster suit surprisingly effective. It's a unique design quite a bit different form what I've seen before. I especially enjoyed the use of color. Makes it look a bit like the sunfish I used to catch as a child when I went fishing with my grandfather. A decent amount of action, some scientific mumbo-jumbo, and some cheap, but fun miniatures are other highlights. Overall, a decent amount of entertainment despite the weaknesses.
Two other things worth mentioning:
1. I got a real unintended laugh out of star Scott Brady. First, he's a complete fish out of water. He has no business being in this movie. Second, just watching him try to buckle his diving vest over his pooch is a hoot.
2. I'm not sure I've ever actually seen Mike Road in a movie, but I knew that voice as soon as I heard it - Race Bannon. Too cool!
5/10
I always enjoy seeing Keye Luke, 22 September 2017
Mundy goes undercover as a member of the State Department assigned to a young Asian prince. Mundy's job is to spot and stop any nefarious goings on. Good thing, as the prince's uncle has his sights set on a valuable jewel encrusted statue. The theft of the statue will lead to tension between the US and prince's country and will give the uncle his chance to make a power grab. After the uncle steals the idol, Mundy must get it back and replace it before anyone notices it's missing.
As my rating clearly indicates, When Good Friends Get Together is not among my favorite episodes. It's good, but just nowhere near as good as some of the others. The problems I have include: Patrick Adiarte's prince is super annoying, Mundy's woman of the week played by Rosemary Forsyth is super dull, and the heist is super simple. I think just about any State Department employee with a half decent golf game could have handled this case. No need to bother a master thief like Mundy.
Although he was only on-screen for a few seconds, I really enjoyed seeing Keye Luke. He's been a favorite of mine since I was very young and would stay up late to watch Charlie Chan films. It was an unexpectedly nice, but all too brief, cameo.
5/10
I'm a sucker for Egyptian mumbo-jumbo., 22 September 2017
At the exact moment that Egyptologist Professor Fuchs (Andrew Keir) and party are opening the tomb of the Egyptian Queen of the Darkness, Tara, Fuchs' daughter is born dead in a London hospital. The two events are connected as Tara's spirit enters young Margaret Fuchs (Valerie Leon) and bring her back to life. Unaware of their connection, Margaret grows up to be the spitting image of Tara. Nearing her 21st (?) birthday, Margaret begins having unsettling dreams of Tara. Thus begins Tara's resurrection. To complete the transformation, Margaret/Tara must collect the artifacts from her tomb that are now in the possession of Professor Fuchs' colleagues who assisted in the original expedition. Collecting the objects will lead to a trail of bloody bodies, each with its throat ripped out.
Writing that poorly worded plot synopsis was much more difficult that it should have been. The problem is that the plot in Blood from the Mummy's Tomb is a mess of ideas going in several different directions. It's entertaining, but it is admittedly a mess. I quite enjoy the story, but as I've written before, I'm a sucker for Egyptian mumbo- jumbo. Throw in some hokum about an evil queen, possessed artifacts, stars aligning in just the right way, and a traveling, disembodied hand and I'll eat it up. So, despite the many flaws in the plot, none of it really matters to me as I always have great fun watching Blood from the Mummy's Tomb.
Watching the film last night for the first time in about 10 years, I realized I had forgotten much about the plot and really most everything else. One thing I hadn't forgotten was Valerie Leon. I defy anyone to watch this movie and not remember Ms Leon. I realize she wasn't hired for her acting ability, but she isn't all that bad. She may be a bit wooden in some scenes, but at worst, she's always watchable. I know Hammer used young women like Ms Leon, but at least Hammer provided her and others the opportunity to star in film. Hammer gave actresses like Ms Leon, Yutte Stensgaard, and Jennifer Daniel a chance for a role with some meat to it. None will be remembered as award caliber actresses, but all are memorable to fans in the various Hammer films/roles.
Beyond Ms Leon, the rest of the cast is surprisingly strong. Andrew Keir was a real pro and is quite good as Professor Fuchs. James Villers, as the scheming Corbeck, is a scene-stealer. He's one part smarmy and one part evil. An entertaining combination. The rest of the cast is solid with Aubrey Morris, George Coulouris, and Mark Edwards giving memorable performances.
To summarize, Blood from the Mummy's Tomb features a messy but very fun story, the memorable Valerie Leon, and a solid supporting cast. I'm keeping the 7/10 rating I gave it 10 years ago.
7/10
"Hey, that stuffed shirt's got something on the ball!", 21 September 2017
Working out of his Park Avenue office, Dr. Clitterhouse (Edward G. Robinson) is a well-respected doctor who handles society's elite. But his real passion is the study of the criminal mind and what makes them tick. He decides the best way to study criminals is to become one himself. After a series of successful robberies, he decides to expand his study and finds a fence for his merchandise. In no time at all, Dr. Clitterhouse is leading a band of thieves on one successful robbery after the next. But not everyone in the gang is happy about taking orders from Dr. Clitterhouse. A real hoodlum named Rocks Valentine (Humphrey Bogart) would like to see Clitterhouse out of the way.
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse is one amazing movie! I love "discovering" a wonderfully entertaining film that I've never seen before. The Amazing Dr. Clitterhosue is just a lot of fun. My opinion of Robinson as an actor has softened over the years. As blasphemous as this may sound, there was a time when I really didn't care for him. The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse has finally brought me all the way around on Robinson. Here, he gives a fantastic performance. His portrayal of Clitterhouse is a real joy to behold. The scenes where he meets the gang, especially his handling of the police officer, are as entertaining as anything I've seen him do. The writing here is superb. Robinson is given some of the best dialogue imaginable. And he delivers. What a performance!
The rest of the cast is just as strong. Bogart plays the tough-talking thug to perfection. Clare Trevor is Bogart's equal as the fence, Jo Keller. It's interesting to watch her character's transformation from the tough as nails fence to a woman who falls in love. It's just as interesting to watch Robinson's Clitterhouse totally unaware of Keller's feelings as he's blinded by science. The rest of the supporting cast is incredibly strong and enjoyable with Allen Jenkins, Maxie Rosenbloom, and Gale Page giving especially wonderful performances.
I've read a few complaints regarding the film's ending. While I would have loved to see more, the finale was more than satisfying for me. It's quite a Catch 22 – Clitterhouse on trial, his attorney using an insanity defense, and Clitterhouse reluctant to be labeled insane as it will negatively affect his scientific work. It's an interesting set- up. It may be a bit rushed, but it plays out nicely.
9/10
"Maybe people really aren't worth saving.", 20 September 2017
Five seemingly random individuals find themselves mysteriously on board an alien craft. The alien gives each person three capsules. Each capsule is capable of wiping out vast sections of the Earth's population, but will not harm anything else. The five are sent back to their homes with their powerful weapons and told that they have 27 days in which to either use their devices to destroy humanity or find a way to live in peace. If they should chose to wipe-out the Earth's population, the aliens will take over the world. If not, the aliens will move on and look for another home. Each of the five is left with a horrible dilemma – how to handle this kind of power?
I was going to get into detail on a whole political thing about some of the deeper aspects of The 27th Day, but I've since thought better of it. I usually write about the entertainment value of a film and what I liked and didn't like. I tend to leave the deep thinking for people who are much smarter than me. All I say on the subject is I would hate to see anyone allotted this kind of power given the current state of affairs in the world where words are considered a form of violence. I'd hate to see what someone would do with these capsules just because they felt slighted, etc. The ending of the films is especially troubling. So the people in the film discover how to use their devices to kill only those they consider evil because they do not support freedom? How do you decide who is in favor of freedom and what is your definition of evil? Were all those communists you wiped out really evil? Or were some of them living under a regime they did not agree with? Just a silly, illogical, nonsensical way to end the film.
On to other things. So, was The 27th Day an entertaining film? Reading through some of the comments on IMDb, I know it has its fans, but I'm not really one of them. The film is well made, it has a reasonably interesting premise, and it features rock solid acting. But, unfortunately, it is all pretty much a bore. I found most of the movie as dry as dust. I had to fight with myself to stay awake. The relatively short 75 minute runtime just seemed to drag on and on forever. People talking and talking and talking with nothing much happening. Not what I call entertainment. And then there's that ending I've already discussed. What a mess.
My one sentence summary: The 27th Day is a well-made film that suffers from a deathly dull script and an ending I find especially troubling. An unfortunate 4/10 from me.
4/10
"I'm a simple thief. Killing has no place in my book of rules, especially when it applies to me.", 19 September 2017
Mundy is tasked with retrieving a microdot that contains weapons' plans. The microdot is in the possession of a fashion photographer. Mundy goes undercover as a Texas oil millionaire to infiltrate this world of high fashion and beautiful models. What a tough job!
A Spot of Trouble might not be the best episode I've seen so far, but I still had a decent amount of fun with it. The problem I have with the episode is the theft Mundy pulls off. The intricate heist I so love is totally missing. Instead, it's a relatively simple breaking and entering job. The rest of the episode, however, is really good. The models actually look the part and William Campbell is exactly what I'd picture as a 60s photographer. The hired muscle, played by Cliff Osmond, comes across as especially menacing. Osmond would have made a great Bond heavy. He's big and believable in a fight. Finally, I didn't think I would care, but I enjoyed seeing Katherine Crawford in a return performance. Here, her contribution is vital to Mundy's success. Finally, I got a real kick out of the microdot's hiding place. What a clever idea!
6/10
Not unentertaining in its own modest way, 19 September 2017
The body of a private investigator, who also dabbled in a bit of blackmail, is literally dumped on the police department's doorstep. The case becomes politically charged when the prime suspect is determined to be one of the mayoral candidate's daughter. And to complicate things further, one of the city's newspapers may also be involved. Lt Sam Carson (William Gargan) has to get to the bottom of things. Problem is, he's fallen for his #1 suspect.
I really enjoyed this little movie much more than I could have imagined. Behind Green Lights will never be confused with a noir heavyweight like Double Indemnity, but it's not unentertaining in its own modest way. The story is compelling enough and director Otto Brower keeps things moving throughout the film's (too) brief 64 minute runtime. Budgetary restrictions can be seen in the limited number of sets (there are really only two or three that matter), yet the film never feels confined or stagey as I've seen before with similar films. Again, a tribute to Director Brower. The film has the benefit of a nice cast. Gargan might not be the most engaging lead, but he's solid and gives a real workmanlike performance. His character falling for the main female character, Janet Bradley (Carole Landis), is certainly believable. Speaking of Landis, she also gives a nice performance. I'm not overly familiar with Ms Landis, but what a tragic figure. Supporting players, including Richard Crane of Rocky Jones "fame", Mary Anderson, and a very young John Ireland, are all strong. My only real complaint is with the doctor character. I'm not sure how this man, who could so easily be tempted to basically break the law, kept his job as a police medical examiner. It's just doesn't make sense.
So, to summarize my thoughts, Behind Green Lights is an engaging little film that's aided tremendously by a nice cast.
6/10
A&C's first screen appearance, 18 September 2017
Like a lot of 1930s-era romantic comedies, One Night in the Tropics has a central plot gimmick it employs in an attempt to differentiate it from the plethora of similar fare. Here, the plot device is something called "love insurance". In this case, Steve Harper (Robert Cummings) buys a policy from Jim "Lucky" Moore (Allan Jones) to insure he will marry Cynthia (Nancy Kelly) or collect on the policy. Problem is that Steve is really in love with another woman, Mickey Fitzgerald (Peggy Moran), and Cynthia falls for Lucky shortly after meeting him. That's the basic set-up – so let the comedy begin!
One Night in the Tropics will forever be remembered as Abbott and Costello's introduction to American movie screens. They've got a few funny bits (I particularly like the $1 a Day gag), but they aren't the central figures in the film Instead, A&C play second fiddle to the rather predictable melodrama I've briefly described above. It's all harmless enough entertainment, but it's really not that clever and never funny enough on its own to be much more than mediocre. No real attempt is made to incorporate A&C into the script. Their routines, regardless of how good they might be, never fit into the rest of the movie. It's 15 minutes of movie followed by 5 minutes of A&C. This pattern is repeated throughout. Another real negative for me is the singing. One song by Allan Jones is one song too many. And he has something like four or five numbers in the film. I couldn't have taken much more.
To summarize, One Night in the Tropics is harmless enough, but not great. A&C have some funny bits, but it's not an A&C movie. And, though I'm sure he has a good voice, Allan Jones sings far too much for my liking. I'll give this one a very average 5/10.
5/10
