What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Cinematic Shocks]

Rocky (1976)

****1/2 out of *****

Rocky II (1979)

*** out of *****

Rocky III (1982)

***1/2 out of *****

[Mojo]

A BLACK VEIL FOR LISA

John Mills stars as a police inspector investigating drug smuggling and murder, while trying to keep an eye on his ( much younger ) wife, whom he suspects of cheating on him.
Although this has some Giallo elements to it, this is more like a late 60s police drama, but with enough twists and turns to keep you interested. John Mills is excellent in the leading role.

COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE

Robert Quarry is the titular Count in this surprise hit of 1970.
Apparently it was originally written as more of an exploitation pic, but was changed to a more straightforward ' modern day' tale. As a result, it's a bit of a mixed bag, with too many scenes of people sitting around talking about whether vampires exist or not, and not enough action.
It does have its moments though, particularly towards the climax, but it is a bit of a surprise its success spawned a sequel.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Solomon Kane (2009)

Based on the character created by legendary fantasy author Robert E Howard, he of Conan fame, Kane is a lesser known Puritan hero but no less deserving of celluloid adventures than the more famous muscle bound hero. In fact i'd say Solomon Kane the film is better than any that Conan has featured in at any time.

It's a rather simple film, old fashioned in it's action and indeed it's lack of CGI until the final couple of minutes. Given a new back story, James Purefoy is extremely charismatic as the West Country accented Kane, sworn to devote his life to good and vowing never to kill again after escaping the clutches of hell by the skin of his teeth for past sins.

Although it's never a basic sword and sorcery affair, it's lifted by Purefoy and an outstanding support cast including the ever watchable Pete Postlethwaite, Alice Krige, Max Von Sydow, Jason Fleming, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Mackenzie Crook as well as stunning location filming in the Czech Republic and a rousing score from Klaus Badelt. The film proves solid in a Biblical sense with some potent imagery not just of the church but of the fear of witchcraft which was prevalent when this film was set - 1600.

Not overlong, well plotted with nicely rounded characters you care for, Solomon Kane is in my opinion the best film of this ilk.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Dracula 2000 (2000)

Where to start with Dracula 2000? I have to say it would be easy to hammer this newish (it's now 16 years old) take on the classic Bram Stoker story. Brought kicking and screaming into the modern day for the youth of today, Dracula 2000 owes little to the classic Gothic horror films of the past. Gone is the atmosphere of old and wham-bam here is The Matrix style action.

Starring Gerard Butler as Dracula, Christopher Plummer as Van Helsing, Johnny Lee Miller and Justine Waddell as the object of Dracula's desires, not to mention the delectable Jennifer Esposito and Jeri Ryan as vampiric brides, the film, Plummer aside, is horribly miscast in comparison to the films we all know and love.

In fact it really doesn't have an awful lot going for it. Except somehow, whilst you are watching it, it's actually diverting and quite entertaining in it's attempt to modernize a classic. However it's also completely forgettable come the next day.

Despite my misgivings Dracula 2000 is an ambitious failure that i do enjoy from time to time.

[Cinematic Shocks]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Solomon Kane is in my opinion the best film of this ilk.

I really like it it's very good but I still think the original 'Conan the Barbarian' is the best of its kind.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Dracula 2000 (2000)

I haven't seen this since it was at the cinemas and renamed 'Dracula 2001' because it was released later in the UK. I don't remember being overly impressed and more entertained by the person I went with who kept nipping to the toilet whenever it became too scary for her!

[Justin101]

I've never seen it, but the sadist in me wants to get on MusicMagpie and buy a copy, it's probably £1.19 Although I might get one in CEX for 50p

[Frankie Teardrop]

CEMETERY OF TERROR – Hugo Stiglitz appears to have a really limited range of facial expression. He generally looks really serious or intense. Either that, or he looks pained in a manner I can't quite describe, but which makes it seem like he's midway between taking a constipated dump and stabbing a rapist. An exaggeration of course, and I've only ever seen a handful of his films, so you can probably ignore everything I've just said. 'Cemetery of Terror' is a mid eighties Mexican horror movie which owes an obvious debt to JC's 'Halloween'. It does mix things up in its own way, though. It's about a serial killer called Devlon, pretty much the embodiment of evil, who's just died. Hugo, his former psychiatrist, is really into the idea of destroying his cadaver as soon as possible, and we know he's serious because he has THAT expression on his face. What's he so worried about? It's not as if a bunch of half cut medical students are going to break into a morgue, steal Devlon's corpse then reanimate it by way of black magic. 'Cemetery of Terror' is pretty creaky and is generous with the rickety eighties low budget horror vibes, delivered here by the grain and warp of scratchy old celluloid and atmospheric lighting. Despite the presence of gore, it's too dumb and well mannered to be truly grim and a bit too slow to be consistently entertaining, but it's certainly enjoyable. It's a film of three parts, in a way – a scene setting build up, a mid section which sees those pesky med students being sliced and diced by a zombieifed Devlon, and a last half hour where some trick-or-treaters are chased around a graveyard by the living dead. It's during this latter phase that 'Cemetery of Terror' comes into its own. Zombies just rise for the hell of it, no explanation needed. A tree falls on top of Hugo unbidden, although one helpful kid telegraphs it well in advance - “watch out for that tree (that's about to fall on you for absolutely no reason at all apart from that we wanted something else to happen besides loads of people running around and screaming.)” Hugo having a go at some zombies with a gigantic crucifix, and looking like a bit of a knob. 'Cemetery of Terror' isn't mean spirited enough to throw those kids to the zombies in a graphic horror fashion, but all the aforementioned is pretty good fun, and seems to harken back to a different kind of horror movie than the slashers referenced in the film's middle bit. Maybe it wants to be an old fashioned monster movie at heart. Whatever, it's worth some of your time, I think. I've been on annual leave from work this week, and instead of doing necessary stuff like finding a new place to live I've amused myself by going over to my folk's house and searching through my archives. This particular release reminds me of the start of the DVD revolution, when outfits like Image Entertainment were putting out films I'd probably never hear about otherwise, so it's been an exercise in double nostalgia in some ways.

[Deadite]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Solomon Kane (2009)

Based on the character created by legendary fantasy author Robert E Howard, he of Conan fame, Kane is a lesser known Puritan hero but no less deserving of celluloid adventures than the more famous muscle bound hero. In fact i'd say Solomon Kane the film is better than any that Conan has featured in at any time.

It's a rather simple film, old fashioned in it's action and indeed it's lack of CGI until the final couple of minutes. Given a new back story, James Purefoy is extremely charismatic as the West Country accented Kane, sworn to devote his life to good and vowing never to kill again after escaping the clutches of hell by the skin of his teeth for past sins.

Although it's never a basic sword and sorcery affair, it's lifted by Purefoy and an outstanding support cast including the ever watchable Pete Postlethwaite, Alice Krige, Max Von Sydow, Jason Fleming, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Mackenzie Crook as well as stunning location filming in the Czech Republic and a rousing score from Klaus Badelt. The film proves solid in a Biblical sense with some potent imagery not just of the church but of the fear of witchcraft which was prevalent when this film was set - 1600.

Not overlong, well plotted with nicely rounded characters you care for, Solomon Kane is in my opinion the best film of this ilk.

Yeah, it's a really good film IMO. I saw an interview with Purefoy where he was talking of their hope that the film would spawn a franchise - which the stories by Howard could certainly support with a bit of jiggery-pokery. As there's been no talk of a sequel since, i presume the film didn't perform well enough.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Cinematic Shocks

I really like it it's very good but I still think the original 'Conan the Barbarian' is the best of its kind.

While I'm not claiming its the best of its kind i think the relatively recent Conan redo with Jason Momoa is quite underrated.