SCI-FI September!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

The Thing with Two Heads (1972)

Have you ever wondered what you would do, if a two headed gorilla went on a rampage in your scientific laboratory...?no,And I expect Ray Milland never ever thought about it either until he made this film..Out of all the scripts that must of come his way (although at his age and at the time these would of been dwindling) what would of made him think that this was the one.Then again he would go on to work with Frankie Howerd,appear in the Love Boat and make the TV Movie The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana so he would be no stranger to horror and misery.Although im pretty sure no one ever suggested that to save Lady Diana,they should have her head transplanted onto the body of Camilla Parker Bowles,all the while being filmed by the guy that gave us The Black Gestapo (1975),maybe in a parallel universe perhaps...Factoid,Rick Baker plays the gorilla,this was in his gorilla phase where he was the go to guy for anything simian..No doubt this has made its way onto a few so bad its good lists,but I think its genuinely better than that,every body involved gives it 100%,theres no gurning at the camera or stupidness for the sake of it,in fact while it obviously had a meagre budget its still very well made and dare I say well directed. Of course it helps if you embrace the whole madness of what your seeing,a racist doctor having his head transplanted onto a rather large black fella 'Rosey' Grier,but hey if people can watch and enjoy Avatar (2009) then anything is possible.Also it pays not to study Ray Millands head to much when he's not in close up....You jive.

You do make me want to check out films, Inspector. You're a bugger for that with your quirky reviews.

Then again. I've never forgiven you for making me buy Werewolves on Wheels.

Should have been called Werewolves on Wheels In the Last Two Minutes.

[Inspector Abberline]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

You do make me want to check out films, Inspector. You're a bugger for that with your quirky reviews.

Then again. I've never forgiven you for making me buy Werewolves on Wheels.

Should have been called Werewolves on Wheels In the Last Two Minutes.

I promise that this film has at least 90% two headed transplants in its content...no werewolves included...

[nosferatu42]

I've never seen it either but despite lack of werewolves i'm pretty certain there's some two headed Evel Kneivel shit goin' down.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Lockout (2012)

A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.

Writer/producer Luc Besson's take on Escape from New York, except it's in space; and that's all there is to say about it really. You'll know if it's your bag, you'll know from Besson's past performance that it will be a fast, loud, shoot em' up where shit WILL blow up.

What this film does possess and certainly contributes to it as being more than merely 'worth a watch' is a charismatic lead with a wry line of one liners in Guy Pearce and two great villains in Vincent Regan and former Misfit Joseph Gilgun whose psychotic performance steals the film.

I've seen this twice now and thoroughly enjoyed it both times.

[Demoncrat]

Gilgun great in Preacher btw D

Likes all round!!

The Thing With Two Heads is an exploito masterclass imo

[MrBarlow]

Westworld 1973.

A theme park where guests can visit three different worlds of Roman World, Medieval World and Westworld. The attractions are life like robots that look human, after a malfunction they start attacking the patrons.

James Brolin and Richard Benjamin play the wannabe cowboys along side Dick Van Patten who tries to be a tough sherrif of the town but looks like he has no clue what to do. The main bad guy is Yul Brynner who seemed to have repeated his role from The Magnificent Seven persona added in with a creepy blank stare who won't stay dead.

Adapted by his own novel Michael Crichton keeps us entertained from start to finish with a good music score that fits in from Fred Karlin, there are a few errors in this but they can be ignored. 8 out of 10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Elysium (2013)

District 9 writer / director Neill Blomkamp returns with pretty much more of the same, except with star names in Matt Damon and Jodie Foster and a far bigger budget.

In Elysium the super rich have decamped to the man made paradise in space known as Elysium. Earth bound drone worker, Damon, is determined to get to this utopia so he can have life saving medical treatment. However the authorities on Elysium find out and security chief Foster, sends out big bad Sharlto Copley to kill Damon.

Although Elysium is a stirring tale of social inequality - those on earth live in slum like poverty, whilst the rich live a life of luxury - it's also no holds barred, lock n' load, sci-fi action. Whilst this isn't quite as good as 2009's District 9 it's still a riveting bit of science fiction where shit blows up.

[Inspector Abberline]

The Mutations. (1974)

Bearded scientist and all round egghead Donald Pleasence as Professor Nolter,is engaging in some rather peculiar experiments with plants,and some sort of weird cross pollination with human beings,resulting in some rather bizarre creatures being spawned.And while you would think that a scientist would want to keep his dodgy experiments and kidnapping clandestine from the world,it does make you wonder why he uses the rather large and hulking Lynch (Tom Baker) who sticks out like a sore thumb and isn't exactly inconspicuous. Nolter promises Lynch that he will make him normal In due course,as long as he keeps bringing him people to experiment with...Nothing says exploitation and bad taste more than using real deformed people in your movie,its all most like watching a David F. Friedman exploitation film,only difference being that Mutations (Freakmaker) is set in the doom and gloom ridden setting of 1970's of Battersea,where life is a million miles away from the sun kissed B-Movies of which Friedman made with Herschell Gordon Lewis...But do not worry as glamour is on hand with the ever lovely Julie Ege and American hunk Brad Harris to brighten up the proceedings and add some much needed romance to all the mutating plants and general skulduggery..Mutations or Freakmaker depending on your preference is a tawdry and unpleasant piece of British film making,which is probably why I love it so much and is why it does seem to be slightly forgotten when it comes to getting a general release.So if you enjoy gawking at people with deformities,(no not Pleasence's beard) and like the idea of giant human hybrid plants then you could do a lot worse,although im not sure how.You do get the impression that there trying emulate Tod Browning's Freaks but it wildly back fires,as it does seem to revel in its freak show carnival theme,that saying all the performers involved just about keep there dignity,apart from the guy with bulging eyes whose just asking for trouble doing that kind of nonsense.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Beast in Space (1980)

There's an old saying that goes "If you can't say something nice then say nothing at all".

So with that in mind, here goes.

Sirpa Lane has nice breasts.

CEX gave me £3 cash for it which was the same amount as i paid for it in Fopp.

[Demoncrat]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

The Beast in Space (1980)

There's an old saying that goes "If you can't say something nice then say nothing at all".

So with that in mind, here goes.

Sirpa Lane has nice breasts.

CEX gave me £3 cash for it which was the same amount as i paid for it in Fopp.

Review!! It's an oddity. Whilst the hardcore adds absolutely no-thing to the film, I found that version to be more 'palatable' ... such is life