A sorcerer (Paul Naschy) and his mistress (Helga Liné) are executed in the fifteenth century for their crimes, but not before they curse their executioners, including the sorcerer’s brother, and promise vengeance on their families as well. In the current day, a group that includes the descendant of the sorcerer’s brother (Paul Naschy again), dabbling …
Read the full post →“<em>Horror Rises from the Tomb</em> (1973)”
A mad scientist abducts and kills women to perform experiments using their blood, in a quest for immortality, but he is captured and pays the penalty for his many crimes. Many years later, his grandson becomes obsessed with his grandfather’s research and begins his own crime spree to revive his ancestor. Fairly slow-paced, but occasionally …
Spies from various countries compete — and sometimes cooperate — to try to secure a scientist’s formula for specially hardened steel in this moderately entertaining but unmemorable Eurospy effort set in Lisbon. Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great. Movie 277 for 2021.
A gang of outlaws is terrorizing ranchers into selling their land and moving away — but why? U.S. Marshal Johnny Mack Brown is called in by the local sheriff to put a stop to the depredations, figure out the reason, and identify and capture the crooks. The story moves along at a good clip, and, …
Read the full post →“<em>Law of the Panhandle</em> (Monogram, 1950)”
Stalwart Ralph Byrd and comic pal Eddie Quillan are archaeologists caught up in an investigation into a jewel robbery, for which a missing man is blamed, though Ralph has reason to hope it isn’t true, as he has fallen for the man’s daughter (Sigrid Gurie). Decent atmosphere is provided by the sets and photography, and …
Read the full post →“<em>Dark Streets of Cairo</em> (Universal, 1940)”
A young woman (Erna Schurer) inherits a castle from her uncle but is urged to sell it, and various creepy — or simply odd — happenings, including murder, follow, in this fairly atmospheric Gothic thriller, also known as The Doll of Satan. Certainly not the best of this sort of movie, but a decent lead …
This later German Edgar Wallace Krimi packs plenty of both action and humor into its running time, as Scotland Yard investigates murder tied to a nightclub, as well as drug dealing and human trafficking. Inspector Perkins (Horst Tappert) is the lead investigator; his boss, Sir Arthur (Hubert von Meyerinck) takes a hand from time to …
Read the full post →“<em>Der Mann mit dem Glasauge</em> (1969)”
Götz George stars as gunfighter Mace Carson, who agrees to take on the job of marshal in a town where outlaws are targeting the mine of crippled rancher Sam Martin (Pietro Tordi), whose son disappeared years ago, and also disrupting the business of freighter Dave Walton (Hilario Flores), who is murdered for his effort to …
Read the full post →“<em>Sie nannten ihn Gringo</em> (1965)”
A disfigured former professional wrestler, El Murciélago (the Bat), driven mad by his condition, lives a life in hiding, scheming for opportunities to best other wrestlers — he has henchmen kidnap them and bring them to his secret lair for that purpose — and obsessed with a beautiful singer. Fortunately for the world, the masked …
Read the full post →“<em>La sombra del murciélago</em> (1968)”
Action a-plenty and lots of dancing are to be found in this Turkish Batman and Robin movie that is marred by poor editing, unappealing “heroes,” and a rather jumbled plot in which the Dynamic Duo take on a murderous gang targeting various young women at the behest of a criminal mastermind. For completists only, I’d …
