Vultural

Naked Poison - 2000 - 5/10
AKA - Shou xing xin ren lei// 獸性新人類

Office lackey Man Chi is bullied and taunted by colleagues and superiors.
Instead of approaching girls, he prefers upskirting and peeping at neighbors.

A spineless milquetoast, who, despite that, longs for the clout of authority.
After grandfather dies, Man Chi takes over the medicine / herbal shop.
And concocts a potent aphrodisiac. Females devolve into sex starved slaves.
Cat III nasty boasts a lot of soft core ruttings, and sticky business when potion side effects hit.
Not as lurid as it pretends to be. I imagine Cat III was given because of the unsavory undertone.

Rulers Of The City - 1976 - 6/10
AKA - I Padroni Della Città

Tony is a low level enforcer, busting heads when marks fall behind in protection payments.
He is actually a small fish in a second rate group.
The bigger unit belongs to Scarface (Jack Palance), who cheats the group out of money.
Taking the initiative, Tony cons Scarface big time, and sets off a gang war.
Contrary to how it sounds, this is played with a light touch.
True, beatings and killings abound, and there is a lengthy shootout in the slaughterhouse.
Nevertheless, the pace moves like quicksilver, Tony has charm, and the film is fun.

Empire Of Light - 2022 - 6/10

Hilary is the duty manager of the Empire Theatre.
Word has it that the theatre will premier a new film, “Chariots Of Fire.”
Time, 1981, place appears to be Margate, a seaside town.
The theatre has a staff of 6-7, which takes one back to before video rentals slashed attendance.
Hilary sees a therapist who inquires about her Lithium dosage.
Like most, she feels numb; like many, she skips her meds from time to time.

Although other films are referenced, and there is a feast of posters, old photos, lobby cards, this is essentially a character study.
Hilary soon bonds with new hire Stephen who has seen his own dreams crushed amidst racism, sexism, violence.
The film bites into several topics, without getting too obvious or righteous.
Rapier like, making points, stepping back.

Collins, Wilkie - No Name

Highly unexpected, not to say awkward, and certainly uncomfortable.
At least for the sisters Vanstone, who, upon the sudden death of both parents, discover said parents were not exactly married. Meaning sisters Norah and Magdalen, legally, are out of the will.
The inheritance new falls to their father’s estranged brother.
The narrative rapidly shifts to young Magdalen, she of a theatrical bent, who hatches a series of schemes and shenanigans to gain back part of the money.
For fans of Victorian literature, there is plenty to enjoy here. Particularly a few of the minor players, including the genial swindler, Captain Wragge, and the competition, the avaricious Virginie Lecount.
Well plotted, although eighteen year old Magdalen often seems too experienced in light of her youth and previous (sheltered) existence.
This is a good choice for those who have read Mr. Collins’ more popular titles and are curious about others.

Flat - 2018 - 7/10

Driving home from a trip, Matt detours into Joshua Tree.
Off the main highway, his car has a breakdown.
Coming to assist is not the sweaty, fat, hairy mechanic our driver expects.
Great little short. Well acted, well shot, sharp dialogue.

Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/flat/english/3142560

Tarantula - 1955 - 6/10

So, this isolated desert laboratory is experimenting to enlarge lifeforms for food.
Outstanding, if you are growing huge wheat sheaves or super-colossal shrimp.
But when a spider gets exposed to the growth hormone, away it goes, and away it grows.
Chowing down on livestock and moronic humans who don’t know to run from a gigantic arachnid.
As a kid, I found this notion plausible, growth hormone, I mean.
Still a good late-nite monster flick, one of the better bug ones (yes, and a spider ain’t no bug).

The Great Escape - 1963 - 7/10

The plan was innovative – and true!
A mass breakout of hundreds of Allied POWs from an escape-proof German camp.
Who scatter in endless directions like a disturbed ant mound, forcing the Germans to waste time and resources chasing them across the Reich.
Very long build up, overlong perhaps, relying too much on shenanigans and comic touches.
That said, there are numerous characters and this works to help ID them alter on.
Because once the plan unfolds, this movie rolls!
Powerhouse cast, memorable score, solid action and stunts.
Classic film, if a little dodgy, history wise.

Search For Beauty - 1934 - 6/10

Pre-Code satire of the fitness craze of the 1930’s.
I suppose every generation goes through healthy diets and exercising before succumbing to second portions and lethargy.
A viral Buster Crabbe plays an Olympic swimmer (Crabbe medaled twice), Ida Lupino an Olympic high diver.
Swindlers convince them to promote their “fitness” magazine, which is little more than cheesecake and beefcake.
Along with very lurid stories and testimonials.
Beauty may be valued, but sex sells.
Naughty film, laced with innuendo, scanty clothes, male & female objectification.

The Monolith Monsters - 1957 - 6/10

Meteorite fragments smash into the desert – then the pieces start to grow!
Doom disaster of towering rocks? Toppling into chunks, then growing again.
Half intelligent SciFi replaces alien malevolence with something closer to a plague.
Luckily, the small town has a scientist who attempts to stop the rocks.
Add a thoughtful, no-nonsense sheriff, and desert temps that don’t appear to be 120°.
Once a mainstay of late nite Chiller theater, this is still better than any teen monster flick.

Demolition Man - 1993 - 6/10

Psycho killer Phoenix is sentenced to cryo-prison for killing, thieving, and being a public menace.
Hard nosed copper Spartan is sentenced to cryo-prison for excessive force.
Who’ve thunk both would be revived at the same time?
Into a peaceful future with no crime, no sex, and no toilet paper.
Near-future sets work half the time, other times this seems kinda cheap.
Foolish, action overload entertainment.
Wesley Snipes is a real hoot as the scene chewing killer.
Early support role for Sandra Bullock who would soon break big.

Tuttle, Lisa - Riding The Nightmare

A new Lisa Tuttle collection is pretty much a must-buy for me.
Stories here range from the 190’s to recent.

“Bits & Pieces” is an unexpected delight. After each casual encounter, Fay discovers a missing part left behind. Foot, arm, passive, not so passive. Better, she can connect them!

“The Mezzotint” speaks M. R. James. This clever take hears Mel, our protagonist, declare she has never seen that picture before. “Don’t give it too much thought,” her new partner suggests. Of curious disposition, however, is Miss Mel.

A twisted homage to C. Augustus Dupin unfolds in “After The End.”

Forming new friendships can be difficult, especially if you are an introvert. And an opera lover? “The Wound” features one of the more surprising and unusual twists I have read in years.

Night Visions 3 was where I first I read “The Dragon’s Bride.” I did not recall reading the story, until the end when one scene popped with clarity.
For this collection, Tuttle has revised and expanded this brooding tale.
Isobel has been summoned to her aunt’s in England. Even as her own mother presses her to visit, Isobel stalls, then detours into New York. Something about her aunt, about an unremembered experience when she was there as a child, fills her with dread.
Fate, however, coaxes, pulls, and draws her closer and closer to the dragon.

A diverse collection, inventive throughout, and a lot of fun.

She - 1965 - 6/10

Color remake of the Rider Haggard novel.
Archeologists hear of a lost Egyptian city and set forth.
Once there, they discover it is not quite a dead civilization after all.
Hammer film, bypassing their usual horror tropes, this is adventure territory.
Ursula Andress is fetching as the ageless Ayesha, “She who must be obeyed.”
Nonetheless, either Ursula cannot act or Ayesha’s social skills lapsed over the centuries.
Stiffer than baked cardboard. As is romantic hunk, John Richardson.

Hudson Hawk - 1991 - 5/10

I only knew a handful of people who enjoy this, aside from Bruce Willis.
A singing burglar is hired (coerced) into thieving da Vinci secret weapon plans.
The singing may have put audiences off.
Of the notion that this is a comedy, a rather surreal comedy harking back to James Coburn’s Flint movies.
Willis is at once in on the joke, yet earnest throughout.
My wife, who likes slapstick, loathed this film to the point it gave her a headache.
I dislike slapstick, yet enjoyed it when it came out, and still enjoy it.
Nevertheless, if you take a gamble on this, have a backup film ready.

The Adventures Of Don Juan - 1948 - 6/10

The Spanish queen, besieged by schemers and disloyal courtiers, relies on Spain’s greatest swordsman.
And renowned lady-killer.
Splashy costume action would have been ideal a decade earlier.
Post World War II, it seems old-fashioned.
Flynn, perfectly cast, resembles more of a roué than a gallant knight.
This looks spectacular, especially the restored print. Costumes, sets, Technicolor.
Rousing Max Steiner score is one of his finest.
I adore this film, although I realize it was quaint when it came out.

Earth Vs. The Spider - 1958 - 4/10

Wrong, Barney. A more accurate title would read, Teenagers vs Big Spider.
Annoying teenagers, at that. One longs for the arachnid to feast on twist-crazed, unhappy meals.
Anyhoo, our house sized predator chills in this ole spider cave.
Locals don’t seem to notice until, well, I guess it ran outta varmints, and now chomps on long pork.
Lessons for viewers include – DDT good, rock and roll bad.
Probably an excellent drive-in flick back when. So boring, you will find other activities to engage in.

Duffy, Steve - The Faces At Your Shoulder

A fistful of long stories. From the unearthed creature, to the original bargain dealer. From the den of lions to the utopian world of the future.

“The Oram County Woosit” caught my attention straight off. Oram, well, Mr. Duffy is simply disguising Orma in the middle of West Virginia. And Peck’s Ridge? Shoot, that’s gotta be Peck’s Mill where my father lived for forty years.
The yarn is a pulpy nail-biter, too. Swinging from West Virginia to Alaska then back again. No Mythos pastiche here, although HPL would smile.

Casting back to bygone Hollywood, “The Soul Is A Bird,” arrives in ultimate luxury, the Duesenberg, followed by the exiting star. What would you give to be famous, to bed wealthy, to stay forever young? Or to simply stay alive?

I wrote about the Southern Gothic tale, “The Psychomanteum” before, so I’ll just echo what I wrote previously. Mother is a faded belle, highly strung, riddled with delusions. In her childhood, she had fashioned a construct, as well as a pact, with her brother – her precious brother – the golden son. When he mysteriously summons her, Mother hurries her family back to the plantation.

Set in 1939, restless with uncertainty, “Futureboro” is one of the favorite exhibits of the World’s Fair. A gleaming, perfect future that ordinary folk can aspire towards. Except, beneath the surface, the electrical / mechanical is skewing badly. Seems the future ain’t what it’s supposed to be.
Neither is humanity.

The Witcher: S03 question.

OK, I stuck with S01 and S02.
Each season seems to suffer more disrespect.
Any of you who have watched S03, what do you think?
I doubt I will stick with the series after Cavill leaves.
His reasons, straying from the source, resonate.

The Circle - 2023 - 6/10

After thirty years away, Lady Catherine returns to the family she abandoned for a lover.
She was ostracized, her lover, whom most predicted to be the next Prime Minister, saw his career ruined.
Lady Catherine returns to see her son, her ex-husband, and her daughter-in-law, dallying with a tennis player.
On surface, a morality play, this is funny and the plot twists and coils endlessly.
While you can predict how scenes will transpire, they follow their own logic.
Seldom performed Somerset Maugham play benefits from excellent cast and clockwork pacing.
Drawback: the miking is poor. Even at deafening volume, some actors are inaudible.

The Night Has Eyes - 1942 - 6/10

Doris and Marian head for a refreshing holiday on the moors.
After all, that was where their friend, and fellow teacher, Evelyn, disappeared!
Reaching their destination, they encounter howling gales and treacherous bogs.
Luckily, they find shelter at a gloomy house owned by a brooding gentleman.
All the elements for an excellent rainy night film.
The look is Noir and high Gothic. There are mysteries and murders.
Above, the protective housekeeper, troubled male, imperiled heroine.

The Bullet Vanishes - 2012 - 6/10
AKA - Xiao shi de zi dan // 消失的子弹

Recently transferred investigative detective aligns with a local cop and his partner.
A series of odd deaths plagues a munitions factory, and workers say it is a curse.
Their methods mix cerebral and gunplay, each man respecting the others abilities.
Mystery angles and deductions will please classic fans.
1900 era Shanghai street scenes are heavily populated and bustling.
Nicholas Tse and Ching Wan Lau have an understated rapport.

Any Number Can Win - 1963 - 6/10
AKA - Mélodie en Sous-sol

Charles returns home from five years in the slammer, his second stint now.
His wife wants him to settle down, move to the southern coast.
Only no, he’s had five years to work out the big heist – the last score!
Charles has the smarts, but he’s old and needs a young partner.
One who turns out to be a little too full of himself.
Outstanding caper film, methodical, assured, expertly shot.
The pairing of Jean Gabin and Alain Delon is classic.

Jon Richardson: Old Man Live - 2018 - 6/10

Player on the standup circuit and popular guest on telly quiz shows.
Richardson shares his new marital experiences, his thoughts on encounters, personal phobias, likes, dislikes, aiming for what most can relate to.
He overshares his adventures navigating the perineum. Perhaps I’m squeamish.
Still, he seems to go over well with a lubricated Blackpool audience.
From the couch, he went over fair.

Black Widow - 1987 - 6/10

A Federal agent pursues a secretive husband killer.
Both “sense” each other as adversaries, yet seem to form an uneasy bond nevertheless.
While they may not genuinely like each other, they share a rapport, and an element of respect.
Efficient thriller benefits from keen performances by Debra Winger and Theresa Russell.
Well shot, composed, good time killer.

Various (Editor: Palmer, Eric) - Monterey Pop Festival 50th Anniversary Interviews

A collection of interviews and recollections commemorating the 50th anniversary of the festival.
More or less average attendees here, no musicians, critics, organizers. Primarily folks who bought tickets, or crashed the gates, or merely sauntered the booths and fairgrounds.
Recollections are mixed. Revealing memories include the patrolman who relished the peaceful vibe. The amateur photographer who lucked out and launched a career. Or Owsley’s cousin, who shared family stories.
Other interviews betray the untrustworthiness of memory. Otis Redding did NOT sing “Dock Of The Bay” there. Buffalo Springfield did NOT sing their protest hit, “Love The One You’re With”. And no one was able to see Bessie Smith at the Monterey Folk Festival in 1963.
This document (available as a pdf) is best for people who have viewed the concert documentary over and over. And for those who regard Monterey Pop as THE festival, eclipsing all others.

The Grave - 2019 - 6/10
AKA - Graven

After an earthquake, three graves are revealed in an Israeli wildlife refuge.
Police arrive. Medical exam provides the DNA. DNA identical to three living individuals.
Investigations around three “survivors” yield more puzzles than solutions.
Promising SciFi is underwritten, and suffers a rushed conclusion.
Dual police work is the most entertaining aspect.
Concepts of slipstream and parallel universes poorly elaborated.
Alright attempt, should have been better.