Track the Films You Watch (2008) - Page 44

Martin Teller · 07-10-2008, 12:37 AM

Not feeling too wordy tonight...

The Two of Us - Truffaut may have loved this film, but I thought it was merely good. I'm not a big Michel Simon fan. I liked how you didn't really know which way the movie was going to go. I don't have much else to say, I guess. It was a fine movie, just didn't leave a big impression on me. Rating: 7

Reflections on Black - This is some REALLY early Brakhage. It's possibly the closest he ever came to a straight narrative... which is still not that close. It's more akin to Bunuel, by way of Maya Deren. Brakhage hasn't found his voice yet, and doesn't really "get" this kind of filmmaking... but it's actually not that bad. I like it more than Deren's stuff, anyway. Rating: 6

The Dead - No, not the John Huston film, but yes, another Brakhage. This is closer to his style, but I didn't connect with it that much. It seemed kinda sloppy and random. Rating: 5

Martin Teller · 07-11-2008, 12:46 AM

The Long Goodbye - Altman puts his spin on Chandler just like he did to westerns in McCabe & Mrs. Miller. He's got some good ideas, and peppers the film with interesting touches. The assorted tributes to noirs of the past (including an ending straight out of The Third Man) are particularly clever. As is the repetitive use of the theme song in different variations. The movie is plotted well... kinda sluggish, but I understand how Altman sometimes wants to focus on things not directly related to the story. But I've decided I don't like Elliot Gould. I think he might actually be a terrible actor. I don't mind Altman taking liberties with the Philip Marlowe character, I just don't like the way Gould... exists. I also didn't think the climax flowed naturally from the character or the story. I get Altman's point, but I don't think he sells it well at all. Overall, I guess it's entertaining, but Gould ruins it for me and I wouldn't ever watch it again. In fact, this is my least favorite Altman film of the 70's. Rating: 6

PatW · 07-11-2008, 01:06 AM

The Naked Prey (1966)

I always heard my brother raving about this movie and thanks to TCM I finally had a chance to see it. I enjoyed Apocalypto and it's certainly obvious that this picture was a big influence. This is a first rate movie with gorgeous cinematography utilizing the African landscape to full advantage. There was some disturbing scenes in this film, ( one in particular) not that we haven't seen much worse nowadays but still the thought of it was extremely upsetting but still a great movie.

In Bruges (2008)

A very well written outrageously funny gangster/comedy with great acting and great photography. I started to watch this one with John but after about 1/2hr. he got up in disgust and left to watch the baseball game exclaiming it was the slowest most boring movie that he's seen. He couldn't have been so wrong but I was grateful to watch this in peace though it would have been preferable to watch it in the theatre with an appreciative audience. The story is very cleverly written, starting out slowly so we get to know and care about the characters even though they are hitman. Each scene builds on the last and we are introduced to a rich array of characters that are all important to the plot. The dialogue is crisp and oh so funny with many memorable lines and an overuse of the f-word which was funny in and of itself. This is not a movie for those easily offended because it's very violent, full of four letter words plus it doesn't spare any group from fat people, Americans, Canadians, smokers to even midgets. This is the most enjoyable movie that I've seen this year so far.

george kaplan · 07-11-2008, 07:39 AM

1900

I've posted my thoughts in the S&S thread.

Mario Gauci · 07-12-2008, 12:09 AM

07/08/08: I WILL WALK LIKE A CRAZY HORSE (Fernando Arrabal, 1973)

This was my third Arrabal movie after VIVA LA MUERTE (1971) and THE GUERNICA TREE (1975); all three were released as a DVD Collection by Cult Films – however, I came to own all of them via alternate formats…which, frankly, saved me from doling out my hard-earned cash for the set (especially since I only really liked THE GUERNICA TREE)!

To be honest, Arrabal has here reconfirmed himself an exponent of the kind of Surrealism which I find hollow, ostentatious and positively grating – much like the work of his contemporary Alejandro Jodorowsky (though in his case I’m 50/50, as at least I’m partial to two of the four films I’ve watched so far). Mind you, as I’ve said more often than I care to remember, my all-time favorite film-maker is Luis Bunuel – perhaps Cinema’s foremost Surrealist – and the art form itself is one I feel to be most congenial to the language of film…but not when it resorts to emetic, shocking-for-shock’s sake detail (such as the pointless images here of ejaculation, scatology, various sexual perversions, and ending with cannibalism)!

What little plot there is concerns a murder mystery, which then develops into a chase when the victim’ own son is somehow targeted as the perpetrator; the unsubtly-named Police Inspector Gay follows the handsome anti-hero into the desert, where the latter meets a magically-endowed dwarf. In spite of the danger, the man returns to the city (Paris) and takes the little man along: the latter’s incongruity with his surroundings – he’s a shepherd who never caught up with the modern world – is fairly perceptive and, even if the midget’s behavior is generally nothing short of obnoxious, this constitutes just about the only tolerable aspect of an otherwise grossly self-indulgent film. For what it’s worth, everything comes to a head when one character takes over the personality of the other!

Incidentally, given the number of ‘humiliating’ scenes she appears in, it’s baffling how a respected actress like Emmanuelle Riva (playing the mother) allowed herself to be involved with this kind of extreme stuff! And, just as much of a paradox is the fact that, for all his intended savagery and pointed irreverence, Arrabal gives the film a curiously polished look – which is accompanied besides by a quite agreeable soundtrack (highlighting gibberish children’s vocals)…

07/09/08: TEENAGE CAVEMAN (TV) (Larry Clark, 2002)

To begin with, I was surprised to learn that controversial director Clark (of whose work I had previously only watched KIDS [1995] and ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE [1998]) had lended his services to a series of made-for-TV remakes of schlocky Grade-Z movies from the 1950s entitled “Creature Features”. Actually, not only was this the first of these revamps that I’ve watched but I haven’t checked out any of the originals either!; for the record, the first version of this one was made by none other than B-movie guru Roger Corman (though it’s not considered one of his better titles).

Anyway, while the film displays Clark’s typical fixation with the promiscuous (and vapid) lifestyle of teenagers – though hardly to the graphic extent that he’s used to – it also serves up the expected sci-fi/apocalyptic trappings of the plot. In the future, the world – devastated by man-made nuclear warfare – has virtually reverted to a prehistoric era, with humans newly reduced to caveman status; the youngsters are forbidden knowledge of their ancestors (though they still retain the ability to speak and read, which is the basis of evolution in the first place!) and, disgusted by the attitude of their elders – a mix of religious fanaticism and hypocrisy – a small group of teenagers set out into desert. Eventually caught in a storm, they’re saved by another young couple but who seem more advanced (they even live in a hi-tech building amid the ruins of a big city and own a car!); at first, the former cave-dwellers find the liberty offered by the others intoxicating – cue a lengthy sequence (occupying practically the film’s entire mid-section!) detailing the former’s initiation by the latter into sexuality and drug abuse.

However, two of the kids – the son of the raving and lecherous leader of the cavemen, and his intended ‘bride’ – mistrust the couple and isolate themselves for the night; the trouble is that the city-dwellers have some form of disease (a clear reference to AIDS) which ravages – indeed obliterates – the infected kids in extremely gory fashion and, apparently, in no time at all! Incidentally, the former (who are actually quite old but have retained a youthful appearance – in fact, when wounded, their scars heal instantly) seem to be able to metamorphose themselves into other people: for instance, when the heroine determines to see one of her companions (who is really dead but is told that she’s only been taken sick), the female host takes over the deceased girl’s semblance!; similarly, when the couple want to infect the hero, she presents herself to him as his girl (and seduces the boy into making love to her)! Actually, having by this time done some work on the virus, it doesn’t destroy the hero – rather, he acquires the same level of knowledge and brutish strength as his male host; however, the former caveman won’t join his ranks and the film culminates in a duel between the two (for which they take monstrous shape – a condition which had turned up intermittently throughout for the city-dweller but which he was previously able to control). At the end, the survivors return to the caves – but the hero has basically taken the role of a more benevolent version of his former host (complete with stupid coiffure)!

The film is perhaps less interesting – certainly far less entertaining or titillating – than this synopsis might suggest; for one thing, most of the characters are obnoxious – especially the ‘superior’ young man – even if the girls do look good. Of course, I can’t compare this to the Corman flick – which had starred, of all people, Robert Vaughn! – but I’m sure that version, while definitely a cheesier prospect (after all, the characters there get to grips with prehistoric creatures!!), must be worthier to sit through in the long run…

07/10/08: CONDORMAN (Charles Jarrott, 1981)

Being a superhero flick made by Walt Disney Productions, one couldn’t expect the violent thrills associated with the genre – but, then, neither was it the kiddie-oriented fare I was dreading. In fact, it’s more espionage stuff (the narrative occurs in a variety of European locations) in clear imitation of the James Bond extravaganzas, complete with multi-purpose car, than outright fantasy (the hero is a mild-mannered cartoonist and the “Condorman” outfit emerges to be decidedly quaint, getting very little mileage into the bargain!).

Still, it’s engaging and pleasant-looking for what it is – though the simplistic “Condorman” theme wouldn’t rank among famed composer Henry Mancini’s most memorable pieces. The cast enters gleefully into the absurd spirit of the thing: Michael Crawford as the unlikely hero; Barbara Carrera as a luscious defecting Russian agent (she would eventually feature in the “Odd Bond Out” of that series i.e. NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN [1983]); Oliver Reed, a bit glum but at least non-hammy as the chief villain; James Hampton as Crawford’s C.I.A. agent pal; Jean-Pierre Kalfon as Reed’s top henchman, a one-eyed menace; and Dana Elcar as the C.I.A. operative who unwittingly puts “Condorman” on the map.

Typically, we get a number of disguises (at one point, both Crawford and Hampton don the garbs of Arab sheiks!), chases (on land and sea) and stunts (directed by the ubiquitous Remy Julienne) – not to mention romance (Crawford, of course, falls for Carrera and models his fictional “Laser Lady” character on her!). Incidentally, while we’re obviously not treated to an action prologue here like in the Bond films, we’re given an animated sequence instead – which is a nice way of acknowledging the film’s comic-strip aspect. Finally, I wouldn’t say that CONDORMAN is hilarious…but it does contain one good in-joke – a crack by Hampton that “not everyone in the C.I.A. is Robert Redford”, clearly a reference (and a very apt one given the title!) to that star’s own espionage venture THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975).

Michael Elliott · 07-12-2008, 01:13 AM

07/09/08

Aerosmith: You Gotta Move (2004)

Aerosmith: You Gotta Move (2004) (V) - IMDb user comments

07/10/08

Two-Alarm Fire, The (1934)

Dave Fleischer

Olive Oyl's house catches on fire so rival firemen Popeye and Bluto race to the scene to try and save her. This here is one of the lesser shorts I've seen in the series as there aren't too many laughs to be had. I found most of the jokes to be rather weak and overall the film didn't feature the strongest writing. The animation was quite good however and this includes one scene where Olive runs from window to window to get help only to have the fire following her each step of the way. Popeye and Bluto do their usual fighting but nothing here comes off very fresh.

Dance Contest, The (1934)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye and Olive Oyl are at a dance contest but the poor sailor can't dance so Bluto cuts in. This here is another enjoyable short from the series and manages some nice laughs as well as some good fighting scenes. The highlight here is without question the sequence where Popeye beats Bluto to a pulp but he does it here with the step of a dance. Wimpy is also on hand as the judge and of course eating his hamburgers. There are several funny sequences including the way Wimpy gets rid of the bad dancers.

We Aim to Please (1934)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye and Olive Oyl open a new diner but things get a little rough when Bluto walks in and refuses to pay. This short contains all the greatness that the series had to offer in that it's fast, hilarious and action packed. There are countless laughs to be found here with the biggest coming from a trick Popeye plays a Bluto, which involves a napkins around his eyes. The action scenes are also very well done with some great fights and a hilarious ending. Wimpy is once again featured here and I believe this was the first short where he asked for a hamburger only to pay next Tuesday.

Beware of Barnacle Bill (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye asks Olive Oyl to marry him but she turns him down because she's in love with Barnacle Bill (played by Bluto). This short isn't as funny as most in the series and the fighting scenes aren't the greatest but the movie remains quite fresh since all of the dialogue is being sung by the characters. This was done before but it works quite well here as the dialogue sounds very good being sung and makes for some smile enticing charm.

Be Kind to 'Anminals' (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye and Olive Oyl are in the park feeding birds when they witness Bluto beating up on his over worked horse. This here is another high mark for the series, although I'm sure PETA members would throw a fit about the abuse the horse takes here even though the film is animated. There are plenty of laughs throughout the film including a terrific sequence where Olive is feeding birds with her feet. There's plenty of action as well as we see Bluto beating the horse before finally getting the tables turned. One strange thing I noticed here is that the voice of Popeye was a lot different than in previous shorts and I didn't care for the change too much.

Pleased to Meet Cha! (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Olive is at home alone when Popeye and Bluto both call on her at the same time. The two men agree that whoever does the best trick gets to stay while the other leaves. There's nothing too overly fresh here but there are enough laughs to make this a good entry in the series. The tricks range from pies in the face to plates to the back of the head and these here get the most laughs. The best sequence in the film is when Olive gets her own justice when the boys mess up her house.

"Hyp-Nut-Tist", The (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye and Olive go to see a hypnotist and once there he puts Olive under a spell, which doesn't sit too well with her boyfriend. The entire running gag of this short is that the hypnotist keeps putting Popeye under various spells to where he thinks he is various animals and this small gag works well enough for several laughs with the best coming when Popeye thinks he is a donkey. The animation is very nice throughout and it all leads up to Popeye pulling out the spinach to get even.

Choose Yer 'Weppins' (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye is running a pawn shop when a man enters demanding to sell some knives, which aren't worth a dime yet he insists on more money. There aren't a lot of laughs here but the ones we do get are good enough to make this film worth seeing. The highlight of the film is when Popeye must prove to the man that the knives aren't worth very much money and he does this by trying to cut a piece of the man's hair, which of course doesn't work and leads to a funny joke. Wimpy also makes a short appearance as a cop who was originally taking the man to jail but gets sidetracked by a hamburger store.

Evenings of a Voyeur Couple (1978)

Jean Claude Roy

French adult movie about a couple who get thrills off of watching themselves have sex. Soon they realize that watching the other spouse with different people might be an even bigger turn on. There were two reasons I wanted to watch this film and was one because I had heard so many good things about the French XXX scene of the late 70's and early 80's. From what I had read the French were making more "artful" film, which were against American films like Deep Throat. The second reason, as a Euro sleaze fan, I wanted to check out Brigitte Lahale who seems to have the biggest cult following. As for the film, it wasn't too bad for what it is but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to call it a masterpiece. The film was in French without subtitles so I couldn't understand any of the dialogue but it seems that the movie was just meant for fun as there are countless scenes and situations, which are meant for laughs or charm. The movie was made to look like an art film, which is the main difference I noticed compared to the classic American porns. I can't say I'm a fan of porn, although I've seen the American classics as well as the stuff directed by the likes of Jess Franco and Joe D'Amato but I guess for what the film is it's not too bad. As for Lahale, I certainly see what all the hype was about as she's a very beautiful woman and her natural charm really shines through. Her lesbian scene on a moving bed was certainly the highlight of the film. I'm not sure how adventurous I'll be when it comes to checking out these French films but I do have one more sitting here.

Toolbox Murders, The (1978)

Dennis Donnelly

Notorious slasher was highly controversial when first released and while the film starts off good it quickly falls apart. A man wearing a ski mask is using items out of his toolbox to brutally murder women in an apartment complex. This film is highly talked about amongst horror fans due to the creative death scenes but for me the film is a major disappointment because of the sudden change in tempo after the half hour mark. The opening twenty-minutes contain one murder right after the other and the creative kills mixed in with the slow pacing of the murders really builds a strange atmosphere that works quite well. Sadly, after these sequences the film tries to become a Hitchcock like mystery but the screenplay isn't strong enough to keep the film moving and it quickly falls flat on its face. I'm really not sure why the filmmakers, clearing making an exploitation film, would deliver the goods so quickly and then turn their back on them and try to deliver something smart. The film is certainly worth watching due to the death scenes, which involve hammers, screwdrivers and various other objects but the highlight of the film is the infamous scene where a woman in masturbating in the bath when the killer breaks in with a nailgun. Cameron Mitchell is on hand to cash a paycheck and delivers a pretty bad performance, although I guess alcohol could be involved. The rest of the cast members are all pretty bland but they're no worse than what you'd expect in a film like this.

For Better or Worser (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye, unable to cook for himself, decides it's time to get married so he goes to a marriage agency and picks out Olive Oyl but Bluto is also there and also has his eyes set on the skinny one. This is a pretty good entry in the series thanks to a very funny opening where we see Popeye trying to cook. The fights between Popeye and Bluto aren't the best we've seen but they have enough charm to make them work. Wimpy plays the Justice of Peace.

Dizzy Divers (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye discovers a treasure map and brings Bluto in as a partner but Bluto steals the map and heads out on his own so Popeye and Olive Oyl must catch up. This is another winner for the series, which contains a lot of laughs as well as some great underwater fights. The highlights of the film are when Popeye has to battle various ocean life including a shark and a great battle with an octopus. The scenes of Popeye having to row his boat are also very nice and the animation is at the top of the game as well.

You Gotta Be a Football Hero (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Olive Oyl forces Popeye to go to a football game where she ends up leaving him for Bluto, In order to win her back Popeye joins the other team. The highlight of this film is a scene where Popeye think he has the football and is running it back for a touchdown but in reality he just has Bluto's head and is dragging him. The football action is pretty nice throughout as Popeye ends up having to plan the other team by himself. Wimpy appears in a couple scenes and adds some nice laughs as well.

King of the Mardi Gras (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye and Bluto are working at Coney Island as sideshow's and soon the two are fighting over Olive Oyl. This is one of the lesser entries in the series but it's still mildly entertaining. I found most of the writing to be rather lazy compared to other shorts in the series and I really didn't laugh to much at the situations or the fights. The highlight of the film would have to be when the three characters are on a roller coaster but even this doesn't deliver too many laughs.

Adventures of Popeye (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Live action mixes in with the animation here as a young boy is getting picked on by a bully so Popeye teaches him how to handle these situations. For the most part we see clips from earlier Popeye films but they use some of the better clips from the series, which leads to plenty of laughs. The live action stuff is pretty good as well and it mixes very well with the animation. We see earlier clips of Popeye battling Bluto, a wild bull and a giant snake among other things.

Spinach Overture, The (1935)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye is trying to lead his band to play a new song but he keeps messing up so Bluto steps in to try and show him up but soon Popeye is taking some spinach and coming out on top. This here is probably the weakest film I've seen in the series as I felt it ran too long and really didn't have many laughs. There were a few scenes that put a smile on my face but and I honestly don't remember laughing once. The fighting between Popeye and Bluto is mainly them playing on various musical instruments and none of it comes off well.

Vim, Vigor and Vitaliky (1936)

Dave Fleischer

Popeye opens up a fitness club for women, which soon starts to take business away from Bluto's restaurant. Bluto dresses in drag to beat Popeye to a pulp so that he can claim Popeye shouldn't be training women. seeing Bluto dressed in drag is certainly the highlight of the film as he has to be one of the ugliest women in the history of cinema. Popeyes claims that no woman is stronger than him makes for some nice fights between him and Bluto. I'm sure this film would be called sexist today, which might explain the warning when the Warner DVD comes on, but it still remains fun.

Felix Doubles for Darwin (1924)

Otto Messmer

Felix is starving to death when he notices a newspaper ad offering a large reward for anyone who can prove Darwin's theory that man comes from monkeys. When Felix heads off to find the answer in South Africa I kept waiting for something racial to happen but it never did, which was pretty shocking considering when this film was made. On the whole, there really isn't too many laughs here and in fact not too much happens throughout the running time. The best scene in the film is one where Felix finds a "family tree" of monkeys and asks them if they are related to humans. The old style animation might be tough for some viewers to take but I've always found it quite charming.

Felix Finds Out (1924)

Otto Messmer

A little boy wants to study for his school work but Felix makes him quite so that they can go and get hots dogs. The boy eventually fails his work and gets homework asking what makes the moon shine, so Felix sets out to find the answer, which leads him to a moonshiner. I really didn't find this short too entertaining, as I found the writing to be fairly weak and there weren't too many laughs to be had. The highlight of the film is when Felix calls the man in the moon down to answer the mystery but things don't work out as plan. Having the cat run into a moonshiner should have brought some mild laughs but that wasn't the case.

Felix Gets the Can (1925)

Otto Messmer

Felix, hungry as usual, strikes out at fishing but gets a tip that if he wants real fish then he needs to travel to Alaska where all the big ones are. Once there he finds a new problem in the form of an evil trapper. I'm still rather new into this series but so far the bug hasn't hit me on it. I once again found myself not laughing and in all honesty I wasn't having much of a good time either. I'm really not sure what it is with the films I've seen so far but the humor seems to be missing in the form that the writing isn't even trying to be funny. The animation is certainly nice but that's about all this movie has going for it.

Felix in Hollywood (1923)

Otto Messmer

Felix and his owner need to get to Hollywood but without any money the cat must get a job first. He starts working at a shoe store where he plans on bringing people in by making them step in bubble gum. This here is certainly a step up from some of the shorts I've seen in the series but I still wouldn't go all the way and call it a good movie. The best gag comes when Felix must disguise himself in order to travel with his owner. The rest of the film doesn't contain too many laughs but Felix's personality at least shines through some rather poor writing.

Felix Monkeys with Magic (1925)

Otto Messmer

Felix is out walking around when he bumps into a magician and decides to learn some tricks on his own. Out of the seven or eight Felix shorts I've watched this one here is without a question the worst. I haven't been overly impressed with any in the series so far but the majority of them at least had some sort of charm but that's not the case here as I was bored out of my mind at the two-minute mark. The animation was quite nice as usual but the story was just the pits.

Felix All Puzzled (1925)

Otto Messmer

Felix wants a glass of milk but his owner won't give it to him until he can figure out the final word to his crossword puzzle. In order to do so Felix must travel to Russia to see what the seven letter word is. This is a better than average entry in the series but it only runs three minutes, which is probably the main reason this one worked better for me. The final word to the puzzle makes for a cute joke but it's nothing too hilarious. The animation is nicely done though.

Bold King Cole (1936)

Burt Gillett

Felix gets caught up in a bad storm so he takes shelter at the castle of King Cole, a man who claims to be brave but is in fact a coward. After getting fed up with all his bravery lies, a group of ghosts come out to tach the King a lesson but Felix gets caught up in the middle. This was my first Felix short from this era and I've heard this period isn't the best but I didn't find the movie too bad. I was expecting some sort of horror/old dark house spoof but it pretty much stayed away from those cliches. There's one good song in the film but there aren't too many laughs to be had.

Neptune Nonsense (1936)

Burt Gillett

Felix's best friend, a fish, is lonely in his bowl by himself so the cat jumps in a pond to find him a friend but the fish's down there get the wrong idea. This film is from the company Commonwealth so I'm guessing they were working on a low budget because the film looks that way. Even though the budget is low the screenwriters came up with some pretty nice scenes including one where a group of fish keep eating one another. I'm going to guess the ending was meant to be some kind of message but that pretty much gets lost.

07/11/08

Black Candles (1980)

Joseph Beaunstein

Spanish horror film has a sister and her boyfriend going to a rural castle in Spain to search for her brother. What she doesn't know is that her brother got involved in a sex crazed Satanic cult and they've got their eyes on her now. This film is best known for all its softcore sex scenes, which eat up at least half of the 82-minute running time and this isn't a good thing. The film tries desperately hard to be an erotic horror picture but it fails on both levels and by the ten minute mark I started watching the clock waiting for this thing to be over. The sex scenes are trying to be erotic but they often times create some unintentional laughs and this includes a scene where a woman is raped by a goat. Nothing graphic is shown but this is just one example of this film being watered down compared to other movies that were out there in this era including several by Joe D'Amato, which didn't stop at softcore scenes. The horror elements, clearly inspired by Rosemary's Baby, are also very lame and don't contain enough suspense, gore or violence to keep things moving. The pacing of the film is the biggest problem because you'd expect eighty-minutes to fly by in an exploitation film but that's not the case as each scene just drags on and on. This includes the before mentioned sex scenes but the dialogue sequences are even worse. The performances are all bland, which is just the death nail to this thing. Director Beaunstein made films in this horror/sex manor before so all the blame must fall on his shoulders.

Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

Al Adamson

Count Dracula visits the ailing Dr. Frankenstein (J. Carrol Naish) and asks him to bring the monster back to life so that he can use him to bring in fresh blood. The doctor and his mute assistant (Lon Chaney, Jr.) agree but soon the monster goes off on his own and turns against Dracula. Yes, this is a really poorly made film but I seriously doubt that director Adamson and producer Sam Sherman were making this to try and nab a Best Picture Oscar. I'm fairly certain that they wanted to deliver an entertaining drive-in picture and that's exactly what they've done. It seems Adamson just took suggestions from a suggestion box and threw everything except the kitchen sink into this film and its surreal nature really makes it stand out in the genre. We've got one of the ugliest monsters ever, Dracula's weird voice and a drunken (and depressing to watch) Chaney going around with an axe. The movie has an incredibly low budget but this just adds to the charm of the film. The movie remains entertaining due to all the weirdness but I think Adamson would have made a better film if he would have cut out scenes of the couple trying to uncover the truth and stuck in more monster mania. Heck, even the dwarf is more entertaining than a lot of the scenes involving the couple. This was both Naish and Chaney's final film, which is pretty sad when you consider the type of film this is. I think both men bring a lot of fun to the film but as I said earlier, it's rather sad seeing Chaney in such bad shape due to his alcoholism. Naish actually manages to turn in a pretty good performance. When the showdown between Dracula and the monster finally happens it's a bit of a mixed blessing. The way the two fight and the outcome are very entertaining but the scene is shot so dark that it's hard to see some of the action, which is a shame. In the end, this film is pure camp and isn't meant to be judged as an Orson Welles film. If you enjoy drive-in trash then this is one of the best out there.

To the Devil - A Daughter (1976)

Peter Sykes

Hammer's final horror film is a real botch job as it tries to cash in on the success of films like Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist. A child is born, her mother dies and her father agrees to give the child over to a Satanic leader (Christopher Lee) once she turns eighteen. Eighteen years later the father wants to go back on the deal so he hires an expert (Richard Widmark) to protect his daughter (Nastassja Kinski). I'm not a die-hard fan of Hammer but I do enjoy their great works but this here certainly isn't one of them. I wasn't sure what to expect after hearing rather mixed reviews of it but in the end it turned out that I think this is one of the studios worst. The film looks incredibly good, is well made and features some fine performances but the incredibly bad pacing and lack of energy really kills it. There's no energy or emotion in this film so you have to wonder what Sykes was up to considering he had done a few previous Hammer's that turned out pretty good. The Satan story had been done countless times in this decade and it seemed like a new one was being released each and every week. For the period, this movie comes off very dated and doesn't feature anything too shocking to keep it moving. There are a few infamous scenes including the demon birth scene, which is well filmed and edited. The other notable scene comes at the very end when Kinski, Klaus' daughter, has a completely nude scene. I really enjoyed the performances from Widmark who steals the film and that of Kinski. Lee has a few fun moments but this isn't one of his best movies. There's also a lot of controversy over the ending, which I have to agree with because it is quite stupid.

Vampiras, Las (1969)

Federico Curiel

One of four Mexican horror films that Carradine made in a row features him as a Count ordering vampire brides to get new victims but there's a masked wrestler to the rescue. If you're coming into this expecting an out and out horror film then you're going to be disappointed but the majority of the action takes place with the wrestler, which is certainly just a rip on the Santo series. I wasn't a fan of that series and I'm not a fan of this movie, which dr