What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demoncrat]

Noted FT, loved The Horseman so SOLD.

[Demoncrat]

Ninja Operation 6: Champion On Fire (1986, Godfrey Ho)

Django remake with ninjas anyone?

Yes, Harrison pops up this time.
A "catholic priest" wanders Asia about carrying that old rugged cross. Meeting up with a trusting sort, the adventures begin in earnest. Yet again Joy Division feature on the ST which just makes me love this even more.
A great way to start your day imho.

[Frankie Teardrop]

ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME – Who hasn’t dwelled on a friend's odd remark or questioned the motives of a supposed pal? It’s a slippery slope, though – enter AMFHM, which stars Tom Stourton as a thirty something who’s been invited to celebrate his birthday in the stately home of one of his uni buddies. When the rest of his chums turn up in tow with a strange new figure (who makes quite the entrance, toting a live goose), mind games commence and psyches unravel. AMFHM is spiky and well observed. With old friendships, the whole “Who are we now? Who were we then, even? Erm, do I actually know you?” thing is always in the background, and AMFHM milks it very well. Its comedy of social humiliation tilts gradually away from nuance towards something more sinister, until every encounter is blurred by a miasma of paranoia. This ever-souring mood is quite intoxicating and is well exploited by the makers, who use it to obscure the loose ends and the things that don’t add up. Aside from minor narrative quibbles and the holes that couldn’t be filled, I found AMFHM highly entertaining and absorbing, a semi-horror film that I imagine many of us might have featured in to some degree over the years.

[Demoncrat]

Another great review there FT.


Ahem. Whilst firing up my lovely new BD player (cheers again Justin!!!), I found myself revelling in the possibilities ahead.
Whether you'll agree that my first port of call turned out to be the AFGA port that 101 put out of Barry J. Gillis' Wicked World but that's for history to decide. The film ... is what it is .... but the commentary gave me exactly what I wanted.
IE another peek into the unique worldview of BJG. After a slow start, we begin to learn just how he likes his sets to run, his outlook on casting etc.
This being a far more "professional" production than Things
... which couldn't be hard, surely? For those of us who have seen WW, you already know the answer to that
You get your moneys worth as well ahem.



So next I finally get to see this Severin disc of Vampire Circus and would have to say that the sound is always the first thing I notice with any film I'm even semi familiar and this was no exception. Belting out of the tv came the main theme, and even the incidental stabs were jolt worthy (must sit further away next time )
The colour seemed vibrant if grainy in places.
The film is the one I always had a problem with as a child, it didn't quite fit my criteria then I suppose, all I see now is what it is, one of Hammer's more successful later efforts.
The locals take up arms in discovery of bad stuff at the nearest castle. Check! Neeeeeed I go on??

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Crawlspace (1986)

Klaus Kinski plays the son of a Nazi war criminal who owns an apartment building, renting the flats out to women whom he proceeds to spy on from the buildings ventilation shafts.

After a promising and fairly sleazy opening this becomes rather run of the mill. Klaus as a psychopath is almost stereotypical, but the film falters because it fails to really explore his madness via his actual human frailties instead offering up soul searching sessions in which he pretty much mumbles us and his many rats to death.

There are a few kills - Kinski murders male lovers of his female tenants - but gore and shocks, aside from the fact he keeps a woman in a cage and body parts in jars, are few and far between.

Crawlspace isn't a bad film but it's not a great one either it's just fairly underwhelming all round.

[Demoncrat]

Bonded By Blood 2 (2017, Greg Hall)

Yes, more geezertastic shenanigans
No, it doesn't end in a Range Rover
Being the misadventures of another group of "lairy" types. Yes, the cocaine is snorted. The violence is mostly verbal, with the odd actual unpleasantness being sparing for once.
Oh, and the same actor who always played the same character in those Footsoldier things is in this as well ... playing that character
Avoid.

[Dave Boy]

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THEY SHOOT HORSES DON'T THEY? (1969)

Set in depression era USA, Jane Fonda teams up with Michael Sarrazin in a dance marathon against other desperate couples including Suzanna York, Bruce Dern and Red Buttons. With only minimal breaks, the couples are brought to exhaustion and Fonda, who is is already so depressed with the world, want's her life over..
This is a great movie and was nominated for multiple academy awards and very well deserving of them.

[Demoncrat]

Lux Aeterna (2019, Gaspar Noe)

Going behind the scenes at a film shoot are we? How meta.
We meet the highly strung director, the female lead and various folk at the staging of a particular sequence. Tis all a bit humdrum until the scene actually gets filmed. Then Noe does his thing. Epilepsy warning I suppose, though I found it comforting after a while
Next, his dalliance with Argento, but first .....!




The Happening

How I love this silly silly film (tied only with The Core for sheer WTFness). Marky Mark looks like a dog who's just been told that the cat is in charge of the feeding schedule for the entire film. See people try to outrun wind
The obligatory MNS cameo is extra special this time and all.

[Demoncrat]

The Selfish Giant (2013, Clio Barnard)

British social realism anyone?
Two youngsters faff about in Bradford. No, it's not Loach under a false name
Decent enough performances from both lads lend this an air of authenticity, even if it was "inspired" by an Oscar Wilde short story.
Falling foul of local authority, they endeavour to make a fist of things when they fall in with a scrap dealer.
Thrilling innit? Tough. I grew up watching this sort of stuff and will still watch anything of this ilk and will continue to do so whilst there's still breath in my body.
Ahem.

[Demoncrat]

Higher And Higher (1970, Peter Baumgartner etc)

A searing look into groupie culture
When Vicki falls for a rock singer, her whole world gets turned upside down.
At least there's some nice scenery. Ideal for Daily Mail readers who like to tut at things as it contains every cliche under the sun and then some. Drugs, free love, even some scatting maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. But under 80 min, so wasn't as bad as some. Of course, it ends on a sobering note, as a "warning" to others. The demon laughed a lot at this part.