End of the Road (1970)

End Of The Road DVD

Allied Artists
Directed by Aram Avakian
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Warner Bros.)

New college grad Stacy Keach has a "catatonic episode" on a railway station platform. Outrageous "doctor" James Earl Jones taunts him out of his stupor, then supervises his "recovery" at his asylum. He is subjected to visual and aural sensory overload in a special room. After regaining some semblance of sanity, he takes a job teaching English at a local college. He is befriended by another professor and his wife, with whom he becomes involved in an adulterous affair. She becomes pregnant and demands an abortion, performed by his former psychiatrist, leading to tragedy. Cult item broke many Hollywood barriers, for better or worse, including a long, graphic abortion. However, it succeeds in capturing the feel of the times, both intellectually and emotionally, which few films can claim.

Red Heroine (1929)

Directed by Yimin Wen
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

A woman agrees to become the concubine of an invading army's leader when he falsely arrests her father for treason. She eventually escapes and with the help of her brother, a wandering hermit and a flying superhero-woman takes revenge. Pure escapist entertainment overcomes a confusing plot and absolutely horrible English inter-titles. Raised to another level entirely by a modern soundtrack by the Devil Music Ensemble perfectly synched to the on-screen action. Originally part of a longer serial, apparently now lost.

The War Wagon (1967)

The War Wagon (Blu-ray + DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Burt Kennedy
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Universal)

Rancher John Wayne, just released from prison for a crime he didn't commit, returns to his dusty western town where he plans to rob the man who framed him. He gets help from gunslinger Kirk Douglas, in a delicious nasty role complete with leather shirt, and wisecracking Indian Howard Keel. Their target is a converted stagecoach, complete with a Gatling gun and steel frame and guarded by about dozen men on horseback, loaded with bags of gold dust. It doesn't go as planned. Fairly predictable western, loaded down with dated 60s sexism. John Wayne appears to be going through the motions in one of his most forgettable roles.

It Happened Here (1965)

It Happened Here DVD

Lopert Pictures
Directed by Kevin Brownlow and Andrew Mollo
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

In an alternative history, the Nazi's win WWII and occupy England. There is an active underground resistance, but one nurse decides to make the best of the situation and takes a job as a "black shirt" and works for the regime. She is subject to intense propaganda and eventually buys into it. While visiting some old friends she reluctantly agrees to help them with an injured resistance member. Her superiors find out and transfer her to a "hospital" where forced euthanasia is used on immigrants. She protests but is arrested and joins the resistance. A low budget helps gives this an authentic, documentary feel, replicated newsreels are especially effective, but the acting, mostly amateurs, suffers.

Black Snow (1965)

Kokuei Company (Japan)
Directed by Tatsuji Takechi
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

A teenager works as a "houseboy" at a hotel/brothel for American GI's. He gets involved with local gangsters and murders one of the brothel's customers whom he had spied on earlier with his mother (one of the prostitutes). He steals a gun, which becomes a sort of sexual crutch. He falls in love with a virginal local girl and seduces her in a public cinema. Later, he uses the gun to commit matricide. He is arrested and executed by firing squad. Controversial film landed the director in Japan's first obscenity trial, but he was acquitted. It has lost some of its punch today, but still a virile piece of post WWII anti-Americanism.

Killer by Night (1972)

Killer By Night DVD

CBS
Directed by Bernard McEveety
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, CBS/CreateSpace)

Robert Wagner is a doctor tasked with trying to stop a diphtheria epidemic from getting out of control. He butts heads with police captain Greg Morris, who is more concerned about a series of robberies that has resulted in the deaths of some of his officers. The two plot lines converge when it turns out a homeless man with homicidal tendencies is also "patient zero" in the diphtheria epidemic. Potentially interesting mix of genres, disaster and police procedural, too often succumbs to TV-movie cliches, especially in the time consuming romantic subplot between Wagner and co-worker Diane Baker, but still manages to be engaging.

The Doll (1962)

Film AB Corona (Sweden)
Directed by Arne Mattsson
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

Night watchman Per Oscarsson steals a mannequin from a department store and takes it back to his small boardinghouse room. He dotes on it, sleeps with it and talks to it, all in an effort to relieve his overpowering loneliness. Soon, he imagines that it comes to life. At first she is devoted totally to him but over time starts to make demands. His talking while supposedly alone gets the attention of others in the house. Virtuoso performance by Oscarsson overcomes unusual subject matter. Gio Petre is convincing as the living doll.

A Lovely Way to Die (1968)

Kirk Douglas: The Centennial Collection DVD

Universal Pictures
Directed by David Lowell Rich
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Universal)

Police detective Kirk Douglas takes a job as bodyguard to wealthy beauty Sylva Koscina. When she is accused of killing her much older husband, Kirk thinks she is guilty. He manages to seduce her one night anyway and she convinces him of her innocence. He uses his detective skills to help her prove it. Some dated psychedelic dancing and Sylva's omnipresent figure provide most of the entertainment.

The Master Touch (1972)

The Master Touch DVD

National General Pictures
Directed by Michele Lupo
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

Safe cracker Kirk Douglas, fresh out of prison, is recruited by his old boss for one more big heist. Douglas, reluctant at first, decides the payout is worth the risk, but only if he does it his way. He recruits amateurs, including his girlfriend and a trapeze artist, to help him. There is a good car chase through the streets of Berlin. The break-in takes up the final half hour or so and there is an unexpected plot twist. Very good of its kind, but in desperate need of a full restoration and rescue from the public domain.

For Love or Money (1963)

Kirk Douglas: The Centennial Collection DVD

Universal-International
Directed by Michael Gordon
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Universal)

Lawyer Kirk Douglas his promised a large sum of money if he can arrange the marriages of the three daughters of a wealthy client to the men of her choice. Kirk, something of a playboy, finds himself in a series of compromising situations with the three beauties. He falls in love with the oldest, Mitzi Gaynor, while still trying to set her up with his best friend to fulfill the contract. It's a silly, predictable, dated 60s sex comedy, notable mainly for its cast, including future Catwoman Julie Newmar, here a health food/physical fitness nut.