What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[MrBarlow]

Mark Of The Devil. 1970.

In 1700 Austria, a young witch finder apprentice begins to doubt his mentor with the witch hunting and brutality of those accused of being a witch.

There is films that have been daft and stupid we have watched and some may have been tough to sit through, and this was once labeled as the most horrifying film ever made. I'm not sure if i agree with that statement but it was something new to behold that didn't really hold back on the torture that may have happened during the witch hunt.

Herbert Lom stars as the witch finder Lord Cumberland sent in as the witch hunt has become a joke headed by Albino (Reggie Nalder) who seems to accuse everyone that breathes. Udo Kier plays Christian who follows Lord Cumberland and begins to doubt those who are imprisoned are guilty or innocent.

The torture scenes were well done and almost accurate on how people were forced to admit to being a witch with the rack, the finger vice, hot pokers on the soles of the feet and the tongue being forcibly removed from the mouth, the acting was at it's best, it's not the greatest from all who were in it, but it does have it's moments of karma.

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[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by nicholasrope

That song got annoying after a while

A bit, yes. Dragons Forever only has that one song and it isn't the greatest match of music and lyrics in the history of sound to begin with!

[SymbioticFunction]

Originally Posted by nicholasrope

From Russia With Love

Bond Film where he tries to retrieve a De-Coder but SPECTRE have a seemingly well thought out plan. I did not think much to this. I thought that there was too much Bond along with the Russian Spy SPECTRE sent. Also I thought that SPECTRE should have been focused more. One of the more boring Bond films I've watched.

FRWL is actually my favourite Bond film. Only Daniel Craig's Casino Royale has come close to knocking it off the top spot.

[Dave Boy]

Original_1966_UK_One_Million_Years_B.C._poster.jpeg
ONE MILLION YEARS BC (1966)

Hammer Films goes Prehistoric in this remake of the One Million BC (1940).
Ray Harryhausen adds great stop motion animation, this time mixed with live lizard footage blown up to look dinosaurs. Ray said that he did not know if it was his dinosaurs or Raquel Welch that made the film so popular.
Raquel looks absolutely stunning. A photo shoot in the fur bikini was adapted for the movie poster and "That crazy little dinosaur movie" that Raquel thought everyone would forget is the film she is most remembered for.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Heart of Dragon (1985) ★★★

Some films age very well, others don't. Unfortunately for Heart of Dragon, it fits into the latter category. When you have the director/one of the lead actors playing a developmentally disabled 30 year old who is referred to as "retarded", you need a degree of sensitivity in the screenplay to play it as a drama.

Because of the characters, you have one of the 'three brothers' who is renowned for his kung fu ability playing someone who doesn't know kung fu and is barely involved in the fight sequences. Similarly, Jackie Chan has much more of a dramatic role than most of the action-comedy films he made in the 1980s and it's a role where he never seemed to be fully at ease.

For this to be a film which was an accomplished drama, it was essential for Sammo Hung's character, Dodo, to be played with nuance and be treated with sensitivity. Sadly, he isn't. From his haircut and wardrobe (he looks like a man-sized baby) to the scenes where his mental disability is played for laughs such as trying to teach his toy to swim in the bath or trying to convince a friend's head teacher (all his friends are young children) he's receiving appropriate education at home, this made me feel uneasy and frequently cringed at some of the dialogue and physical humour involving Dodo.

This is a very unusual Sammo Hung film, featuring very little in the way of martial arts, only including two of the 'three brothers' on-screen (Yuen Biao was involved in choreographing the action sequences), and almost no comedy which I found funny. It's definitely one of the lesser 'three brothers' films and, apart from checking out the other cuts and language tracks on this release, not a film I'll be in a rush to rewatch.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

North Sea Hijack 1980 ★★★½

"Both my parents died tragically in childbirth."

I think Roger Moore had an absolute blast making this film – his character, Ffolkes, is such a quirky and unusual action star (he is a misogynist who loves cats and does a needlepoint to help him think) and has some lines which were perfect for the incumbent James Bond, one who was often provided with quips and zingers.

Away from Roger Moore, I quite liked Anthony Perkins as the villain, James Mason (who is always good value for money) was very good as the stuffy Admiral who is part of the British government's hostage rescue mission, and it's directed with skill.

The film moves along at a good pace, never dragging or feeling baggy, and was a great way to spend 100 minutes on a Saturday evening. Although it isn't the greatest action movie ever made, it's a really enjoyable watch and I didn't want much more from it than that.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984) ★★★★

As one of the Shaw Brothers' most highly regarded wuxia films, one which influenced characters, music, and action sequences in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films, I had high expectations for this and was pleased that I was not disappointed.

From the opening sequence, a brilliantly choreographed and visually stylish battle through the character development, the exciting action sequences, and the drama right through to the final showdown, it's a great example of how to make a period action film interesting and emotionally engaging.

Directed with a real sense of spectacle, excitement, and dramatic tension by Liu Chia-Liang, this is a very watchable and high-quality Shaw Brothers martial arts film. Alexander Fu Sheng, who tragically died in a car crash during production, is an excellent lead and it's a tribute to Liang's filmmaking skill that he was able to finish the film without his main actor.

I really enjoyed this and am very pleased it's in the 88 Asia Collection as it's unlikely I would have ever seen it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Manhunter (1986)

Michael Mann's take on Thomas Harris' classic novel Red Dragon is one of the best serial killer movies around.

Exquisitely stylish in that cool blue Miami Vice look, the movie is sumptuous visually and Mann's direction is spot on making Manhunter a compelling piece of film making.

William Peterson in the role that surely nailed him the CSI gig is on top form as the former FBI agent dragged out of retirement to help track down a suspected serial killer cheerily monikered the Tooth Fairy by the press. Mann draws out strong performances from all his cast, Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecktor is a natural stand out even though he's barely a bit part player and Tom Noonan as Francis Dollarhyde aka The Tooth Fairy is quite brilliant in a blood chilling performance that eventually gives way to sympathy and it's testament to author Harris, director Mann and actor Noonan that such a sadistic and evil person can become an object of empathy.

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Heart of Dragon (1985) ★★★

Some films age very well, others don't. Unfortunately for Heart of Dragon, it fits into the latter category. When you have the director/one of the lead actors playing a developmentally disabled 30 year old who is referred to as "retarded", you need a degree of sensitivity in the screenplay to play it as a drama.

Because of the characters, you have one of the 'three brothers' who is renowned for his kung fu ability playing someone who doesn't know kung fu and is barely involved in the fight sequences. Similarly, Jackie Chan has much more of a dramatic role than most of the action-comedy films he made in the 1980s and it's a role where he never seemed to be fully at ease.

For this to be a film which was an accomplished drama, it was essential for Sammo Hung's character, Dodo, to be played with nuance and be treated with sensitivity. Sadly, he isn't. From his haircut and wardrobe (he looks like a man-sized baby) to the scenes where his mental disability is played for laughs such as trying to teach his toy to swim in the bath or trying to convince a friend's head teacher (all his friends are young children) he's receiving appropriate education at home, this made me feel uneasy and frequently cringed at some of the dialogue and physical humour involving Dodo.

This is a very unusual Sammo Hung film, featuring very little in the way of martial arts, only including two of the 'three brothers' on-screen (Yuen Biao was involved in choreographing the action sequences), and almost no comedy which I found funny. It's definitely one of the lesser 'three brothers' films and, apart from checking out the other cuts and language tracks on this release, not a film I'll be in a rush to rewatch.

I hated this one, even by 80s standards I found it to be too insensitive!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Insidious (2010)

Twenty minutes into James Wan's Insidious i was thinking to myself 'Why the hell did i keep this?' following my initial viewing as it was an opening so formulaic with the cheesiest musical jump scares imaginable.

Then suddenly it kind of changed tack. Rather than derivative jump scares we began to get character development and Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson lost their one dimensional nature and became fully rounded whilst the addition of psychic Lin Shaye and a couple of ghost hunters took the movie in a new less linear direction.

In the end Insidious proved a rather captivating little horror film with one or two genuine scares along the way culminating in an effective and surprising cinematic sucker punch. Certainly parts of it feel like riffs on other movies but taken as a whole it works.

So impressed was i, i've just bought the sequel.