Hercules (Reg Park) rescues a princess (Laura Efrikian) left to be prey for a monster but then must protect her further from her wicked mother, the queen of Atlantis (Fay Spain). Not the most thrilling of adventures for the Greek hero, but reasonably entertaining nonetheless. Original title: Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide. Mildly recommended. Otto …
Read the full post →“<em>Hercules and the Captive Women</em> (1961)”
A fungus brought back to Earth by a space probe becomes an ever-growing menace after a scientist brings it home to his lab for examination. The ensuing movie is rather more a procedural investigation (it reminded me a bit of Highway Patrol and Dragnet) than interesting science fiction, and it was weakened by some flaws …
Read the full post →“<em>Space Master X-7</em> (Twentieth Century Fox, 1958)”
I’ve long been a fan of Hank Ketcham’s creation, Dennis the Menace, and I pick up old collections of the strip whenever I get a chance. I bought a copy of this Fawcett Gold Medal paperback at a local book sale a couple years ago and got around to reading it earlier this year. The …
Read the full post →“<em>In This Corner…Dennis the Menace</em>, by Hank Ketcham”
A race car driver (Etsuko Shihomi) doubles as a government agent as she tries to avenge her father’s death, aided by her step-siblings and a lady wrestler. The villains are ruthless and strange, and the plot is at times rather chaotic, but it does hold the viewer’s interest. Original title: Karei-naru tsuiseki. Mildly recommended. Otto …
Django (Terence Hill) uses trickery as a hangman to rescue innocent men being executed. He forms them into a gang to get justice on the crooked men who murdered his wife, but some of the members of the group have other ideas. Watchable revenge tale, originally titled Preparati la bara! Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks …
Read the full post →“<em>Django, Prepare a Coffin</em> (1968)”
The return of an old boyfriend (Malcolm ‘Bud’ McTaggart), just released from prison, threatens to spoil the planned marriage of an incoming assistant district attorney (Charles Quigley) and his former secretary (Marjorie Reynolds), especially after the man is shot and the gal’s brother (Howard Masters) is the prime suspect. A rather implausible sequence of events …
Two inept reporters get mixed up with an invasion from space, as alien women land their flying saucer in the environs of Istanbul and use their technology, including a robot, to pursue their goal of finding Earthmen to take back with them. Part of the plot involves the reporters trying to sell the aliens’ elixir …
Read the full post →“<em>Uçan daireler Istanbul’da</em> (1955)”
Personable Johnny Mack Brown is a ranger called in to help Sheriff Ed Lowery (Lyle Talbot) and Wells Fargo agent Ben Williams (Marshally Bradford) by investigating the robbing and murder of Wells Fargo riders carrying gold. He clashes with town tough guy Chet Murdock (Myron Healey, who also penned the screenplay). After he is targeted …
Read the full post →“<em>Colorado Ambush</em> (Monogram, 1951)”
Rogelio (Armando Silvestre) battles criminals as the masked wrestler La Sombra Vengadora (“the Avenging Shadow,” played by Fernando Osés). The bad guys are led by La Mano Negra ( “the Black Hand”), who is trying to force scientists to decipher a formula that he wants to use. This early luchador film is fairly undistinguished but …
