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  #58011  
Old 22nd April 2022, 08:34 PM
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A brilliant cannon film and a fantastic and chilling performance from the late great Rutger Hauer here he plays a deranged hitchhiker that's picked up by C Thomas Howell it's not long before he suspects there is something off which his passenger getting him out of his car he thinks that's the last of it, but it's only the beginning as deadly game of cat and mouse as Hauer torture him both physically and mentally , the last act still shocks and the hitcher is truly evil individual with no sense of remorse or emotion , he appears and disappears almost at will giving a supernatural quality and with how utterly evil he is , could he be the devil?

A giant creepy crawly double bill for tonight.



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  #58012  
Old 22nd April 2022, 10:12 PM
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Underworld (2003)

Vampires vs Werewolves part one.

For the first hour this is pretty much bog standard nonsense memorable only for Kate Beckinsale in her latex catsuit as she doesn't really convince as lead material. However the whole thing bucks up with the introduction of Bill Nighy's great vampire as the plot gained a bit of substance and the film a bit of acting clout, culminating in a very decent last half hour.
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  #58013  
Old 23rd April 2022, 04:02 AM
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The Medium. 2021.

A documentary crew travel to Thailand to film Shaman's and how they help people.

Shot in the style of found footage scenario, this felt a bit too long until half way through and got a bit more interesting, somewhat based on folklore and god/goddess and a medium who can help and heal people. This goes one way then gives out a good curve ball then another one. The acting is good and doesn't rely on jump scares but there is one or two scenes that can be upsetting, best watched in the dark and it is subtitled.

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  #58014  
Old 23rd April 2022, 05:52 PM
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Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970)

I've only seen this and The Tenth Victim from Elio Petri's body of work and from what i've seen so far he's an excellent director. Some of the fluid camera work obviously influenced Dario Argento, especially thinking of a scene where the camera moves around the bottom of a spiral staircase moving up it taking in all the people gawping down at the police investigation below, the camera replacing the gaze of Gian Maria Volonte's police inspector.

The film is a classic Italian police procedural thriller at heart, although it must be said with a huge difference. The story involves said newly promoted inspector Volonte killing his mistress then covering up his involvement with the crime. However he also insinuates himself in with the murder via other methods. At one point a colleague tells him the only prints on the scene of the crime were the inspectors. On the door handle, on a glass, on drawers, in the bedroom, in the shower. It becomes almost farcical as the lower ranked officer has all the clues and then says but it couldn't have been you, you probably just became careless whilst investigating the scene.

The way the film then plays out is both gripping and absurd. I won't go into detail so as not to spoil it for any potential viewers. But will say it's a perverse satirical look at police methods and how power corrupts.

I was talking with @Justin on another thread about the film this week prior to seeing it and he suggested that my description of the film as a Poliziotteschi wasn't really accurate. I see now what he meant. It's still a Poliziotteschi for me but certainly not a typical example. It's like the film takes place utilizing the police officials ranked above the 'all action inspectors' played by the likes of Maurizio Merli and Luc Merenda. These cops aren't in it at all. The nearest example of a Poliziotteschi i've seen so far is No, the Case Is Happily Resolved (1973) in the way it deals with those seemingly above the law and the ludicrousness of the justice system.

A special mention of star Gian Maria Volante. He gives an absolutely mesmerizing performance. I couldn't take my eyes off him he's that good. In fact the same can be said of the film as a whole.

You won't be able to take your eyes away. It's that good!
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  #58015  
Old 23rd April 2022, 06:27 PM
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Caveat. 2020.

Isaac who suffers partial memory loss is offered a job to babysit Olga, a young woman suffering from a psychological problem on a isolated island. Isaac accepts unaware on what comes with the job and what he will uncover.

This seemed like a decent film, isolation, a very creepy old house in the middle of nowhere and two main characters suffering trauma from their past. Generally it starts off with some righting a wrong, Barrett offering a man he hurt a job but as it goes on uncovering a hidden secret, this fell like a pancake landing on the floor. The pace is very slow, the acting isn't great, the atmosphere looses it's potential and the twist wasn't played out well. Not one for me to return to.

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  #58016  
Old 23rd April 2022, 09:29 PM
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A young girl is found in the desert in catatonic state, not long after there are a number of deaths , a scientist and his daughter arrive and the scientist believes giant ants are responsible, he is soon proven right , the military and a local cop set out too exterminate the nest unfortunately the queen escapes and sets of for LA.

Very enjoyable 50s monster movie and the blu ray looks great. Look out for a young Leonard Nimoy.



Another cracking monster B-movie made a year later . Here a scientist is experimenting on making giant animals , after a " accident" a Trantula escapes and grows larger and larger threating a small. It's up to the local doctor and military to try and stop it.

The town might look very familiar as it's none other than the courthouse Square from back to the future.


Now watching.


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  #58017  
Old 24th April 2022, 07:26 PM
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Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers. 1956.

Extraterrestrials make contact with a scientist and release their plan to enslave the human race.

3 years after the release of War Of The worlds, the aliens are back in this film trying to conquer the earth, this has very little to do with the H.G. Wells story but based on a non fictional book by a retired U.S. Marine Major. Were people paranoid about Aliens coming to earth in the 50s that inspired all these movies in one era?

The acting is pretty decent from Hugh Marlowe and Joan Taylor who play the abductees and are told of the invasion and plan of the extraterrestrials and soon begin to attack. There is good direction and cinematography but think the person who should get more mention is Ray Harryhausen who created the special effects of the U.F.O.'S and the creatures we see in this.

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  #58018  
Old 24th April 2022, 09:25 PM
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A brilliant bit of bizzare cheese its the film of two Half's the first half is a hammer film a woman and her boy friend arrive in Romania the boyfriend is killed she is rescued by Paul Naschy who just happens to be a werewolf after some trouble from the pitchfork welding locals they both escape to London once there the woman visit's her friend who just happens to be the great grand son of Dr Jekyll he comes up with a plan that using his grandfather's formula he can cure him, but of course things don't go as bland when Mr Hyde takes control , this is when the movie jumps in to high cheese with Naschy running around groovy 70s London in top hat and tails killing people brilliant!



After a spectacular meteor storm most of the planet is left blind but this is not the worst of the earth's problems as the giant triffids are on the move and munching on everyone they come across , we follow some seeing Survivors which include Howard Keel as they try too survive. Thank I will watch the 1981 BBC version later this week too see how they compare.

Now watching

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  #58019  
Old 24th April 2022, 10:02 PM
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These Final Hours. 2013.

In 12 hours before a cataclysmic event will end life as we know it, James is on his way to all end party, along the way he rescues a small girl Rose searching for her father. With the burden and guilt he is forced to to go with what actually matters before time runs out.

Some apocalyptic films can be a hit or a miss for me but this one took me by surprise. Set in Australia Nathan Phillips plays James who seems to think for himself until he rescues Rose played by Angourie Rice and shows him that there is more to the end than a party. Both leads play their characters well and believable that two strangers can help and protect each other and never to late to change.

From the start there is sex and some harsh violence but isn't over done to the extreme that can shock us (machete and hammer attacks) and see it for a brief few seconds. The cinematography can seem a bit amateurish and shaky in some scenes that lasts a few seconds and a nice haunting background score by Cornel Wilczek. Worth a watch.

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  #58020  
Old 25th April 2022, 12:38 AM
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Undergods. 2020.

In a dystopian future, the lives of two men K and Z look for dead bodies to sell for food and share their dreams and stories in which everyone is seen in a new world that connects to the present.

This had a good assortment of familiar faces of actors, set pieces for the ruined city look good and dark for a apocalyptic world but the segments shown seem to be unfinished or just intentionally left open to the viewers imagination as to what would happen to people. It seemed to go in one direction then crosses over to a different one, it can have it's good and slow pace moments but not one I will return to.

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