What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[keirarts]

Deadly Camp 1999

Coming from Wong Jins studios I expect most people will have an idea of what to expect, needless to say this is a lot of fun and worth picking up.
Appropriating lots of staples of American horror, this one has a group of teens head off to a remote island for a few days of fun. While there they meet another group of people who seem to be on the island for more clandestine purposes. Given the leader of the group is HK stalwart Tony Wong one would normally expect him to be some kind of David Hess style lunatic. However there is a bandaged bloke wielding a chainsaw on the island who turns out to be the real nutter. He seems intent on 'protecting' his retarded son by butchering anyone who comes to the island.
While not as OTT as one might expect, the film still has some outrageous moments including an infamous scene where Tony Wong has to Jack off chinese leatherfaces son to avoid being sawed to death. That aside it plays a lot like a standard survival horror with the terrorised teens mounting a fight back against the lunatic. Its an awful lot of fun and worth grabbing if you can get it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Thief (1981)

Michael Mann's directorial feature debut is an ultra stylish preview of what was to come from the director's future output.

A fine opening sequence of a diamond robbery and the meticulous detail of the crime set to the music of Tangerine Dream establishes the mood and tone of this crime thriller that feels like it's almost too high brow for the genre it falls into, especially as it's talky content practically seems to have fallen out of the back of Scorsese's Mean Streets, though the criminal detail seems directly influenced by Dassin's 50's masterpiece Rififi.

Where Mann excels, and he always does, is in the atmosphere. The director's use of neon lit cityscapes is second to none and the driving sequences were surely an influence on Winding-Refn's Drive (2011) and would all pop up again in later works such as Collateral (2004). The part where Caan sets alight his own car lot stands out and is neon-lit heaven.

Speaking of Caan, James Caan stars and hold this film together, featuring in practically every scene his portrayal of a pro safe cracker who wants to go straight until he becomes involved with the mob. His performance is strong, tough when needed yet also drawing audience sympathy to his predicament. But his performance is especially strong when on the attack. That said the pacing is a tad slow at times. One sequence in a restaurant with Caan and Tuesday Weld lasts ten minutes and is far too long.

For all it's technical qualities the film just didn't connect with me as it should during the middle section until the final half hour's explosive bullet strewn climax. Thief is a film i'll return to though. Have no doubt about that.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

This past week's viewings:

Tormented (1960)



60/100


The Milky Way (La Voie Lactée) (1969)



75/100


The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)



13/100


The Brainiac (El barón del terror) (1962)



57/100


Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961)



23/100


Werewolf in a Girl's Dormitory (1961)



38/100


Hands of a Stranger (1962)



57/100


The Old Dark House (1963)



63/100

[davidmurphy.dm19]

The Boogens - 1981;

Bit of a slow burner this one. Took ages before anything significant happened, and when the creature finally did show up, it was pretty underwhelming. Nice to see Jon Lormer - from Creepshow - and Anne Marie Martin, who went on to star in the comedy series:- Sledgehammer. The HD transfer from Olive Films, while far from perfect, looked really good for most of the movies running-time. The movie ain't anything special, but is worth watching...once!



Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

This past week's viewings:

The Old Dark House (1963)



63/100

Anything with Robert Morley is worth watching. An absolute star.
I'll have to pick this up. Just available on demand from Colombia isn't it?

[Inspector Abberline]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Anything with Robert Morley is worth watching. An absolute star.
I'll have to pick this up. Just available on demand from Colombia isn't it?

William Castle Film Collection - 5 Movie Pack: 13 Ghosts, Mr. Sardonicus, Homicidal, The Old Dark House, 13 Frightened Girls

Also in this set all film excellent PQ.

818I5U9Tk0L._SL1500_.jpg

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

William Castle Film Collection - 5 Movie Pack: 13 Ghosts, Mr. Sardonicus, Homicidal, The Old Dark House, 13 Frightened Girls

Also in this set all film excellent PQ.

Attachment 178558

Oh of course. I'd forgotten about that, Inspector. Thanks. Must get round to ordering it.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

William Castle Film Collection - 5 Movie Pack: 13 Ghosts, Mr. Sardonicus, Homicidal, The Old Dark House, 13 Frightened Girls

Also in this set all film excellent PQ.

Attachment 178558

Any extras Inspector? Womdering how it compares to this set

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

Any extras Inspector? Womdering how it compares to this set

It doesn't except you can get it for about £6.50 delivered. I'm pleased the Inspector has reported great picture quality on the Mill Creek set.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

It doesn't except you can get it for about £6.50 delivered. I'm pleased the Inspector has reported great picture quality on the Mill Creek set.

As opposed to about £70 which is about the cheapest I've ever seen the other set. Aren't Mill Creek putting these out on blu now?
Either way I've just ordered the Mill Creek set at £6.41 delivered from AllYourMusic