A UFO causes a plane to crash in a remote location, and the survivors of the crash must then contend with hostile aliens that turn their victims into vampires. Vivid, unrealistic colors give the movie a visual presence, but the story drags a bit, with some implausible behavior by the characters and perhaps a bit …
West of the Law (Monogram, 1942)
There’s more undercover work for Rough Riders Buck, Tim, and Sandy (Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, and Raymond Hatton) in the last entry in the series, with Buck pretending to be an outlaw, Tim a preacher, and Sandy an undertaker. This time around, the marshals are out to stop a gang that is hijacking miners’ gold. …
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Kaidan semushi otoko (1965)
A woman comes to visit a country home that had belonged to her deceased husband, and there she meets the house’s hunchbacked caretaker and finds the atmosphere decidedly unsettling. Her decision to visit was an unfortunate one. This creepy tale of a haunted house and the doom that befalls those who recklessly visit it (also …
The Forger of London (1961)
Someone is flooding England with counterfeit bank notes. Could the wealthy Peter Clifton (Hellmut Lange), who is subject to blackouts, be responsible? His new bride, Jane, finds an indication that may be the case. Fortunately, Chief Inspector Bourke (Siegfried Lowitz) is on the case in this West German Edgar Wallace Krimi, originally titled Der Fälscher …
Pioneer Justice (PRC, 1947)
Cheyenne Davis (Lash La Rue) and partner Fuzzy Jones (Al “Fuzzy” St. John) are sent in to investigate after the killings of three U.S. deputy marshals near Buffalo Gap, and they soon learn that Bill Judd (Jack Ingram) and his gang are bent on driving out the area’s settlers. Yet Judd is not the true …
The Black Raven (PRC, 1943)
A stormy night forces various travelers to take shelter at the Black Raven Inn, a hostelry located near the Canadian border and run by Amos Bradford, aka the Raven (George Zucco), who is said to be able to smuggle those on the lam across the border. Among those cast together at the inn: an eloping …
Master Minds (Monogram, 1949)
A number of the Bowery Boys pictures revolve around something strange happening to Sach (Huntz Hall), and the amusing Master Minds is no exception. This time, Sach develops the ability to predict the future, and Slip (Leo Gorcey) looks to exploit it by setting him up as a carnival attraction. Yet there’s menace in the …
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The Head (1959)
Complex West German horror film (original title: Die Nackte und der Satan) has a conscience-less scientist (Horst Frank) exploiting the discovery of another scientist (Michel Simon) to keep that scientist’s head alive after a fatal accident and force it to assist in a scheme to transplant a woman’s head onto a new body. Murder and …
The Devil Bat (PRC, 1940)
Bela Lugosi is in fine form as kindly Dr. Carruthers, who harbors a sinister secret. Resentful of the success of those who purchased a valuable formula from him — though he had turned down an opportunity to partner instead — and who have since become quite wealthy, he has developed a means of taking his …
Killer Ape (Columbia, 1953)
Middling entry in the Jungle Jim series is another with the air of the fantastic, as mad scientists testing animals as part of germ warfare research intrude into the lands of a giant apeman that begins a rampage. Enjoyable for what it is, but not the place to start with the films. Mildly recommended. Otto …