The skeleton-garbed super-criminal is menacing the Old West in this Turkish movie, also known as Kilink vs. Django, and it is up to the popular western character Django to try to stop him. The performances are rather less than compelling, and the storyline no better than OK. It is always at least minimally entertaining to …
Month: September 2021
Goliath and the Sins of Babylon (1963)
Mark Forest, among the more charismatic of the strongmen in the swords-and-sandals epics, has the title role in this one, originally titled Maciste, l’eroe più grande del mondo, as he battles both to free a nation from the domination of Babylon and to help a friend (Giuliano Gemma) win the hand of a princess (José …
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Funny Friday: Context Matters
The Mysterians (1957)
Apparently friendly aliens arrive, seeking a small area of land for their use; at the same time, cities on Earth are suffering from giant robot attacks. Are the two connected? And how will Earth’s nations respond as they learn more about the mysterious visitors and their true goals? Well-crafted science fiction, originally titled Chikyû Bôeigun. …
Argoman the Fantastic Superman (1967)
There’s over-the-top action as superhero Argoman, who is in reality Sir Reginald Hoover (Roger Brown), battles and romances the archvillain Jenabell, aka Regina Sullivan (Dominique Boschero), after she has stolen the crown of King Edward. Sir Reginald has a far-out seaside home, and Regina drops in via her personal hovercraft, and then the sparks fly. …
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Song of the Thin Man (MGM, 1947)
The long-running Thin Man series draws to a close with this solid entry. Nick and Nora (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are among the attendees at a dance where a band leader is murdered, and a young couple turn to them for help because the new groom is suspected of the crime. Dean Stockwell as …
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The Night Rider (1932)
Harry Carey projects quietly humorous confidence as an undercover lawman who has come to town to put an end to the depredations of “the Night Rider.” George “Gabby” Hayes (as Altoonie) and Julian Rivero (as Manuel Alonzo Valdez) provide solidly amusing support, and Tom London does well with a sizeable role, too. A good example …
Lord Edgware Dies (1934)
Agatha Christie’s novel comes to the screen with Austin Trevor appearing for the third time as Poirot, but it’s a pretty sad affair altogether. Lady Edgware (Jane Carr) is supposedly American but has a terrible fake American accent. Trevor’s Poirot has an odd accent, too, and lacks the trademark mustache, although he’s reasonably entertaining. Captain …
Xiang xi shi wang (1993)
A young woman and her friend travel to a remote region for her father’s funeral, but a complicated situation awaits them, and they are soon contending with a supernatural menace, aided by a young man from the local village. The juxtaposition of some comedy with the horror is sometimes rather awkward, but the setting has …
Cannibal Attack (Columbia, 1954)
Johnny stars as a character named Johnny Weissmuller rather than Jungle Jim in the first of three such pictures made after the last of the Jungle Jim movies, are well-nigh indistinguishable save for new names for the protagonist and the chimp. This time around, Johnny investigates reports of thefts of cobalt from a uomine operated …
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