What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Death Ranch (2021)

Poverty row auteur Charlie Steeds film about three black siblings on the run from the law in early seventies Tennessee as they hole up in an abandoned barn and end up at the mercy of cannibalistic KKK members.

A very low budget film where, at least for me, the only downer was the lack of money but this only really showed in the digitally shot photography as it never really looked like the 70's exploiter it was supposed to emulate. Given the chance to work with film rather than digital i really feel Steeds could create something pretty impressive. The sound design was top notch with all five speakers active throughout. The acting from the three unknowns was also good, in particular the opening fifteen minutes as we got to know them a little. Considering it's normally these scenes where i think "Can't you just die right now you irritating gits?" i was impressed by all three, helped no end that it was shot in the deep south with an American cast which gave the film a more authentic feel.

As an exploitation / blacksploitation film i thought the film excelled. If you are offended by racist slurs it's best to give this a wide berth, but if you did you'd miss all the terrific mayhem and bloodshed as the film ran head first into a nicely gripping finale with eyes gouged out, arms cut off, heads split open, a KKK member forced to eat his own intestines... you get the picture. Death Ranch isn't for the squeamish viewer and the effects are satisfyingly gruesome and thankfully non-CGI.

I thank @Frankie Teardrop for bringing this to my attention, it's been a while since i last saw a modern indie horror as fun as this. Probably Steeds own A Werewolf In England back in 2020 to be precise.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Ground Zero: The Deadly Shift. 2008. aka Polar Opposites.


Another made for T.V. movie with some good well known actors,

Who? I didn't recognise anyone when i looked it up just now.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Who? I didn't recognise anyone when i looked it up just now.

Clive Revill, Beth Grant, Lee Arenberg, Jackie Geary, are you not familiar with any of these names?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Clive Revill, Beth Grant, Lee Arenberg, Jackie Geary, are you not familiar with any of these names?

Heard of Revill, that's all. The rest are obscure with the most well known having a bit part in a couple of Pirates of the Caribbean films.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Heard of Revill, that's all. The rest are obscure with the most well known having a bit part in a couple of Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Must have just been me that recognised them, my bad

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Must have just been me that recognised them, my bad

You do watch a hell of a lot of stuff, so no wonder.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

You do watch a hell of a lot of stuff, so no wonder.

Yeah that could be it

[iank]

Airport. A snow storm and a would-be bomber cause trouble for a busy airport. Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, George Kennedy and Jacqueline Bisset star in this 1970 film, which effectively kickstarted the disaster movie genre, though as often noted the disaster movie stuff doesn't really ramp up until the third act, with the film being just as concerned with the workings of the airport and the relationships of its characters. Despite this and a long running time, I found this very engaging with a good cast (I don't honestly know if I've seen a film with Lancaster and Martin in before, but I enjoyed both of them and it took me a while to recognise Bisset as she's younger here than I've seen her before, though her voice and mannerisms eventually gave her away), even if some moments (esp with the passengers) are echoed so much by Airplane! that you have to restrain a chuckle. I really rather enjoyed this though.

[nicholasrope]

Studio 666

Foo Fighters Horror/Comedy in which they go to record a new Album in a house in which turns Dave Grohl into a murderous psychopath. It has it's moments but it's too long and they are definitely better Musicians than Actors.

Codename: Vengeance

Robert Ginty is a Prisoner who is sent to rescue a President's Wife and Child who have been kidnapped by a rebel force. Shannon Tweed co-stars in this very below average Film. Shame really as it's usually the sort of Film, I like.

Commando

Bona-fide Classic 80's Action Film which sees Arnold Schwarzenegger race against time to save his kidnapped Child from a Warlord and former Soldier. Full of Action and witty one-liners and I think that this launched Scwarzenegger into the big time as a Lead Star (With lines)

Uncharted

Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg are after treasure in this very disappointing Movie as I thought that it would be like National Treasure. It's long and rather boring.

Internship

Referred by some as Goggle: The Movie, this gets more criticism than it deserves. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson reunite to attempt to win jobs at Goggle. It's funny (Especially the Quiddich game) and has it's charm where they teach their team mates that there's more to life.

Island

Somewhat under rated Film in which Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johanson find out that they are Clones and are hunted down. Forgot that it was a Michael Bay Film and it has the obligatory long Car Chase. A bit long but it has it's funny moments as well.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Death Walks on High Heels (1971)

You'll find more red herrings here than in a North Sea trawler net as director Luciano Ercoli teams up for the first time with star Nieves Navarro.

Navarro, billed here as Susan Scott, plays an exotic dancer who believes her boyfriend may be plotting to kill her for some stolen diamonds. Scared she runs off with a doctor (Frank Wolff) to England, or at least a coastal part of Italy pretending to be England. However it soon becomes apparent that she is still being stalked at her seaside English retreat.

As much a bizarre love triangle between Scott, Wolfe and boyfriend Simon Andreau as anything, Ercoli's film twists and turns in the greatest giallo traditions with the excellent Scott at the centre carrying the film beautifully whilst decked out in outrageous seventies chic trying valiantly to escape the clutches of a voice boxed, blue eyed razor slashing madman.

I watched this again for the first time in years to see if i should upgrade my dvd to Blu-ray but the answer is no. The NoShame dvd looks stunning as it is.