A Dog of Flanders (1959)

A Dog of Flanders DVD

Twentieth Century-Fox Film
Directed by James B. Clark
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Koch Vision)

An elderly man and his young grandson deliver milk from the country to the city every day in turn-of-the-century Antwerp. One day when returning home they find a dog left to die by his cruel owner on the side of the road. Despite their dire poverty, they bring him home and nurse him back to health. Meanwhile, the grandfather has his own health problems and worries about the boy's future who has aspirations of being an artist. Luckily, he is taken under the wing of another successful artist, played to the hilt by Theodore Bikel. Simple story with good location photography, finally available in its original widescreen presentation.

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

Atlantic Releasing Corporation
Directed by Michael Radford
My rating: 4 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Twilight Time)

In a bleak London future, a totalitarian government controls every aspect of daily life. John Hurt works in the propaganda department censoring newspaper articles to reflect the party line. He is aggressively pursued by fellow worker Suzanna Hamilton, eventually meeting for sex in the countryside, which is strictly forbidden. They continue to meet in the months ahead in a rented apartment above a pawn shop, unaware they are still be watched by the omnipresent tv screens. They are arrested, tortured and brainwashed into confessing their "crimes". Harrowing adaptation of the classic Orwell novel, with Hurt giving a bravura performance. The original de-saturated color palette has been restored for blu-ray, as well as the orchestral soundtrack, but the one featuring the Eurythmics is just as good.

Death Car on the Freeway (1979)

CBS
Directed by Hal Needham
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

The "death car" is actually a van, driven by a man behind tinted windows who pursues single women on the LA freeways while listening to manic fiddle music! TV reporter Shelley Hack is determined to expose him, while fighting off her ex husband George Hamilton. Director Hal Needham appears as a defensive driving instructor, too bad because he needs instruction in direction in this strictly by-the-numbers made-for-tv movie. Most of the stunts are predictable, except for the van-in-flames finale, which has to be seen to be believed.

Rome Against Rome (1964)

American International Pictures
Directed by Giuseppe Vari
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

A centurion is sent to a remote Roman province to recover a stolen treasure. He finds a corrupt magistrate beholden to a religious fanatic who follow the pagan god Osiris. He falls in love with the handmaiden of the magistrate's wife, who is under the spell of the religious leader. He is framed for murder and must prove his innocence, but not before defeating an army of centurions brought back to life. A plot both melodramatic and outrageous is saved by colorful, atmospheric sets and an over-the-top performance by John Drew Barrymore as the Aderbad, the religious zealot. Maybe one day a restoration will bring this back to life, as the only prints available are slightly cropped on the sides and have terrible color.

People on Sunday (1930)

People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Directed by Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Criterion Collection)

Lackadaisical account of a double date involving a bored taxi driver, his best friend a flirtatious wine salesmen and the two young girls they take to the lake for a picnic one Sunday. The appropriately named Wolf strikes out with the other man's date but takes away his own to a secluded spot where he apparently succeeds. This rather boring day at the lake takes up most of the film, the rest a montage of shots in and around Berlin.

Scalawag (1973)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Kirk Douglas
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

Pirate Kirk Douglas sets off in search of gold buried by a spurned gang member. The key to its location is held by a parrot voiced by Mel Blanc. The kid from Oliver! and Lesley-Anne Down are siblings who get caught up in his search. It's an odd mixture of the pirate and western genres, with a few songs thrown in for good measure. Director Kirk can't control actor Kirk, or anyone else for that matter, who over-act in broad strokes.

The Scarf (1951)

United Artists
Directed by E.A. Dupont
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

John Ireland escapes from a mental institute and ends up at the turkey ranch of James Barton in the middle of the California desert. The fast talking Barton likes to philosophize about the meaning of life on the turkey farm, but can also handle a bar brawl just fine if needed. Ireland picks up hitchhiker, waitress and lounge singer Mercedes McCambridge on the highway. He fails to win her over romantically, but his friendly manner wins her friendship. Later, she refuses to turn him into the police and helps root out the real killer which framed him. Entertaining if far-fetched and a bit talky noirish drama.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers [Collector's Edition] [Blu-ray]

United Artists
Directed by Philip Kaufman
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, MGM/Fox)

Health inspector Donal Sutherland, with the help of lab assistant Brooke Adams, slowly realizes that San Francisco is being overrun by aliens. Friends and neighbors are being replaced with doppelgangers grown in pods while they sleep. The emotionless doubles point out people who have not been replaced with horrifying screams. Pretty good remake is just a notch below the original, with its star Kevin McCarthy making a brief appearance. Excellent soundtrack by Denny Zeitlin, his only one, makes full use of surround sound.

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story DVD

CBS
Directed by Fielder Cook
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Paramount)

Nostalgic account of life in a rural Virginia home during the Great Depression. It takes place entirely on Christmas Eve, with a large family anxiously awaiting the return of their father from a nearby town. They hear over the radio about a bus crash and injuries, worrying his wife who sends out their oldest son in search of him. He has various misadventures, including an encounter with a couple of elderly bootleggers. A bit too saccharine at times, especially with the younger children, but very authentic and well photographed in Wyoming with snowy outdoor scenes complimenting the indoor studio sets.

The Mysterious Island (1929)

MGM
Directed by Lucien Hubbard
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

Lionel Barrymore pilots a newly engineered submarine on its maiden voyage, but it is disabled and sinks to the bottom. Crumbling under the pressure and running out of air, all hope appears lost until they spot little men with fish eyes running from a nearby ocean-bottom city. However, the men turn out to be enemies and release a series of monsters to destroy the sub. Luckily, a second sub comes to their rescue. Convoluted amalgamation of several Jules Verne stories, marred by hokey special effects. It might be fun if viewed from the perspective of a low budget serial, but don't expect some long lost special effects extravaganza, unless you are Roger Corman. Might improve if you can see the original Technicolor print.

King of the Mountain (1981)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Noel Nosseck
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

Harry Hamlin is the "king" of illegal street racing on the twisting Mulholland Drive in the hills near LA. His best friend, who arranges the betting for the races, is also an aspiring songwriter. Hamlin starts a relationship with pretty singer Deborah Van Valkenburgh (the daughter on TV's Too Close for Comfort), which conflicts with his racing. Even after his songwriter friend is killed in a race, he won't give it up. Meanwhile, crazed garage mechanic Dennis Hopper is eager to take the throne, leading to their climactic race. Hopper is a detriment here, his character totally over the top for no justifiable reason. The melodrama between Hamlin and Van Valkenburgh doesn't help much either. However, there is some good racing footage, if that is your thing.

Kidnapped (1978)

Directed by Eric Mitchell
My rating: BOMB
IMDb
(YouTube)

Non-film of some irritating people hanging around an apartment, talking, dancing to Devo and eventually kidnapping someone for the fun of it. Technically inept, the "actors" are seen reading their lines from paper taped to the wall, we hear the director say "action" and talk about camera placement, which by the way is nailed to the floor and pans around randomly. In the running for worst movie ever made.

Grendel Grendel Grendel (1981)

Hoyts Distribution (Australia)
Directed by Alexander Stitt
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

A contemplative monster named Grendel in medieval Denmark spars with a brutal king. He turns to an omniscient dragon for help, who tells him his only purpose in life is to terrify (and occasionally eat) humans. He regularly does so at the famous mead hall, until the arrival of a foreign hero named Beowulf. Literate animated film bites off more than it can chew, so to speak, with poor musical choices and too much comic relief. Peter Ustinov is good, though, as the voice of Grendel.

Female Artillery (1973)

ABC
Directed by Marvin Chomsky
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

Outlaw Dennis Weaver befriends a wagon train of women and kids stranded in the mountains of the desert southwest. He stashes his latest haul from a bank robbery with them while eluding his former gang members who want their cut. They find an abandoned cavalry fort where they try to fake out the gang outside by pretending to be soldiers, hence the title. It doesn't work, and neither does the film. Weaver is basically playing his McCloud character here (it debuted later the same year), even wearing a similar iconic coat and hat, but comes off as an annoying woman chaser.

The Naked Prey (1965)

The Naked Prey (The Criterion Collection) DVD

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Cornel Wilde
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Netflix)

African safari guide Cornel Wilde advises his client not to ignore a demand for gifts from a local tribe. When he does, they end up being captured, tortured and put to death. Wilde is given a chance to live by being let loose naked and unarmed and given a head start. Through a combination of luck, cunning and athleticism, he survives in the unforgiving wilderness while being relentlessly pursued by the tribes best men. Marred somewhat by graphic hunting and fighting scenes of African animals and a pat ending, still a minor classic featuring minimal dialogue and a fantastic soundtrack of African tribal drums and chanting.

The Gunman from Bodie (1941)

Monogram Pictures
Directed by Spencer Bennet
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

The Rough Riders infiltrate a gang of rustlers who stoop to murdering an entire family for their herd. One of them poses as a bad guy to gain their trust, while the others get friendly with nearby ranchers who fear they are next. Fairly typical if unexciting early Monogram programmer.

Futz (1969)

Astral Films (Canada)
Directed by Tom O'Horgan
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

A man is accused of bestiality (with his pet pig) in rural Canada. The locals revolt. He is put in prison but insists that he really loves his pig. There are breaks for songs and a few psychedelic segments. Basically a filmed play by O'Horgan's "experimental theater" troupe, the hillbilly stereotypes are so exaggerated it becomes almost unwatchable, though there is some serious satire lurking underneath, way underneath.

Blackhat (2015)

Blackhat (Blu-ray + DVD + DIGITAL HD)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Michael Mann
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Universal)

Imprisoned hacker Chris Hemsworth makes a deal with the US government to get released in exchanged for tracking down another hacker manipulating global stock markets through terrorism. The trail leads to China, where a nuclear reactor has exploded, Hong Kong and eventually Malaysia. The final showdown with the mysterious hacker takes place in a crowded public festival. For director Mann, style always takes precedence over substance, but this throbbing, noirish thriller is so much fun to watch it doesn't really matter that Hemsworth is miscast and seems to be indestructible.

The Day the Sky Exploded (1958)

Excelsior Pictures
Directed by Paolo Heusch
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

A malfunctioning, atomic powered rocket is abandoned in space. It later explodes in the asteroid belt, sending them on a deadly collision course with Earth. Luckily, the moon passes in front of most of them, but still some get through. Can a last minute plan to launch every nuclear missile on the planet save us? Early Italian sci-fi outing has too much stock footage to take its anti-nuclear message seriously.

Sullivan's Marauders (1968)

Dario Argento Double Feature: Probability Zero / Sullivan's Marauders DVD

Directed by Armando Crispino
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Code Red)

Lee Van Cleef assembles a ragtag group of Italian-Americans to pose as Italians in order to take over their camp in north Africa. They parachute-in during the night and slaughter most of the camp, many in their beds while sleeping. Their ruse works for awhile, but when German officers visit from a nearby unit things start to fall apart. Entertaining if far-fetched Italian-made war film, with Van Cleef charismatic as usual and interesting locations.

The Cheaters (1945)

Republic Pictures
Directed by Joseph Kane
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

Wealthy, screwball family in NYC conspires to inherit millions from a "rich uncle" who left his fortune to a showgirl. They find the girl and invite her to live with them, needing to hide the fact of her inheritance for a week to get it themselves. Meanwhile, an alcoholic, down-and-out actor that they have taken in as a "charity case" serves as their moral compass. Over-plotted nonsense has a few wacky moments and Christmas theme, but tough sledding.

Scrooge (1970)

Scrooge [Blu-ray]

National General Pictures
Directed by Ronald Neame
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Paramount)

The familiar Charles Dickens' story of a miserly London accountant visited by a series of ghosts on Christmas Eve is given a musical treatment. Albert Finney is quite good as the titular character, in heavy make up most of the time, we get a glimpse of him without as he plays his younger self when visited by the ghost of Christmas past. However, the songs can get a bit too much, especially those sung by the children, and the special effects aren't always up to par. It's all great fun, though, especially near Christmas on those cold, snowy days.

The Twelve Chairs (1970)

The Mel Brooks Collection [Blu-ray]

Universal Marion Corporation
Directed by Mel Brooks
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Fox)

A dying woman in an impoverished Russian town tells her son-in-law that she hid the family jewels by sewing them in the seat cushion of a chair. He attempts to track down the chair along with a homeless con artist who has talked his way into the pursuit, but they must compete with priest Dom DeLuise, who is also in on the secret. They follow the trail of chairs across the country, providing plenty of opportunities to satirize communism and Russain stereotypes. The least successful of the early Mel Brooks works, not nearly as good as The Producers which preceded it or Blazing Saddles which came a few years later.