Topic: My review - unseen and unwatched january marathon

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Psychomania
Year: 1974
Director: Don Sharp
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h26
Video:  Widescreen 1.33:1
Audio:  English Dolby 2.0
Subtitles: No subtitle

Stars:
George Sanders - Shadwell
Beryl Reid - Mrs. Latham
Nicky Henson - Tom
Mary Larkin - Abby
Roy Holder - Bertram

Plot:
Motorcycle, violence, the occult and suicide extremes - all in one movie ! Tom is a nihilistic leader of a motorcycle gang who decides to explore just how much chaos he can trigger. With the help of his occultist mother, he finds a way to bring the dead back to life. He and his gang are determined to be the first live test subjects of this theory. They all decide to commit suicide - each biker picking a more bizarre way to die than the last - and wreak havoc in a peaceful pre-punk English countryside when they are resurrected !
Extras:
No extra (not even a menu)

My Thoughts:

This movie like many others in my colection was a blind buy, but 2 things had told me that I've to own this movie : The first phrase of the synopsis and Ann Michelle is in it. This is a good film, but not as good that the plot indicate (normal it's a seventies movie, I can't count how many time a trailer of this period fools me). The basic idea is good, but the results aren't that good. Just one exemple : One of the biker kill himself on a skydiving accident and is body have not a single scratch.

Even if it is not perfect this is a movie that I've appreciate. The major problem is the fact that the Geneon release of this film is cut (10 minutes are missing), but I have read that a region 2 edition will be release somewhere in 2008 by the BBC who now owns the international rights. So it will be to buy again if this is a complete version.

Finally the print use for the DVD is not so bad, there are some scratch on the picture but nothing dramatic for a budget release of a movie made more than 30 years ago. The sound is corect.

Rating : 3/5 (because the movie is cut by 10 minutes)

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Killing Machine
Original Title Daehakno-yeseo maechoon-hadaka tomaksalhae danghan yeogosaeng ajik Daehakno-ye Issda
Country South Korea
Year: 2000
Director: Nam Ki-Woong
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h00
Video:  Widescreen 2.00:1
Audio:  Korean Dolby 2.0
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Lee So-Woon - Teenage Student
Kim Dae-tong - Teacher
Bae Soo-Baek
Kim Ho-Kyum
Yang Hyuk-Joon
Plot:
A sadistic teacher discovers one of his teenage students is a prostitute and blackmails her into becoming his sex slave. When she becomes pregnant, he arranges her demise. His henchmen brutally murder her, slicing and dicing the corpse. At this point a mysterious, twisted Dr. Frankenstein-like character intervenes and rebuilds the remains into unstoppable cyborg whose body parts have a memory. Now robotically revived and ready for revenge, the "Killing Machine" sets out to settle the score with her newly built "hardware."
Extras:
Kangshul (Short movie by the same director)
Photo gallery

My Thoughts:

I have no idea what's make me buy this movie, but it's probably just the cover and the fact that it's an unknown Asian movie. This movie is an art film and because of this the plot explain more the movie than the movie itself (honestly I think that the synopsis is just a way to sell the movie to a mainstream audience). The visual is good and the music serve the movie greatly (the soundtrack is mostly made of opera song). The movie is hard to follow sometimes and it doesn't always make sense (it's an artistic movie it doesn't have to).

Not the kind of movie that I listen usually, but I was pleasantly surprise. This is a good way to spend one hour, even if the movie is hard to follow. The general ambiance make the viewing a good visual and auditory experience. I recommand to see it if you think that the Asian cinema is just about grey ghost and martial art.

The short is interesting too, because of the musical choice (piano composition) but I can't say nothing about the story since it's only in Korean with no subtitle.

Rating : 4/5

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Flesh and Blood Show
Year: 1972
Director: Pete Walker
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h36
Video:  Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio:  English mono
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Ray Brooks - Mike
Jenny Hanley - Julia
Luan Peters - Carol
Robin Askwith - Simon
Candace Glendenning - Sarah
Plot:
A group of young actors take a job with a mysterious repertory company to improvise "The Flesh and Blood Show". Their rehearsal space is an abandoned pier where they will live and breathe the theater. But in between impromptu outbursts of acting, some of the cast turns up missing while others turn up dead. There's a maniac on the loose who's out for flesh and blood!
Extras:
Original Trailer
Photo Gallery
Pete Walker Trailers
Interview with Pete Walker

My Thoughts:

First, I'm a fan of Pete Walker since I've seen "Die Screaming, Marianne" some years ago and "Cool It Carol!" is one of my favourite exploitation movie. Secondly, the plot description of this movie make me think of "Theatre of blood", a movie starring Vincent Price that I strongly recommand if you're a fan of mr. Price. So it looks like a winner for me, a good horror film with an exploitation taste.

It seems that everytime a movie sound great the result is always the same ... it don't work. The movie consist of 80 minutes of talking and nothing really happen. Everybody talk and talk and talk and talk, someone is kill but we don't see it, the others talk and talk and talk (I think that you understand what I want to say). Something finally happen near the end when the killer is reveal and we see in a flasback what is the motivation for is action, but after 80 minutes of nothing I was not interested anymore.

Like any other movie by Pete Walker they are a lot of beautifull British girls (Luan Peters is the best looking here) and honestly this is the only good thing in this movie.

This movie is one of my bigger DVD deception, a bad script and as much action than a polish black and white movie made 60 years ago. Not recommanded at all.

Rating : 2/5

[Najemikon]

Shame. With a cool cover like that too. 

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

                               
Title: Virgin Witch
Year: 1972
Director: Ray Austin
Rating: Unrated (DVD) / R (Movie)
Length: 1h29
Video:  Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio:  English mono
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Ann Michelle - Christine
Vicki Michelle - Betty
Keith Buckley - Johnny
Patricia Haines - Sybil
James Chase - Peter
Plot:
Vicki Michelle of 'Allo, 'Allo ! fame and her sister Ann Michelle (House of whipcord, The Marquis de Sade's Justine) are two young models who are lured by a lecherous lesbian to spend a weekend at a country house being photographed by a trendy photographer. In reality, Ann is being set up for a virgin sacrifice and induction into a witches' coven.
Extras:
Theatrical Trailer
Stills Gallery

My Thoughts:

The English exploitation movies have always something different than the American one... class. That doesn't mean that I don't like the American one, but an English movie feel like a movie they have a story and they are not just an excuse for showing naked ladies. But does this one is a good movie?

The story is not original, but honestly not too much movie are. This movie is exactly what I was expected, so no deception here. The production is professionally made, even if the budget is really low. In their first screen role the Michelle sisters had done a perfect job, this is not a surprise to see that they continue to work 30 years later. The synopsis as usual make the movie sound "dirtier" that it really is, sure the 2 sisters are often naked but if you want to see hot lesbian action forget it (this is not "Where the boys aren't #X"). If you like this genre of movie I recommand it.

Just one last thing and this is not about the movie. I hate it when a DVD have a bad cover like this, I don't ask for the original poster but if a DVD cost 24$ I want a professional looking cover. 

Rating : 3.5/5

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Idaho Transfer
Year: 1973
Director: Peter Fonda
Rating: PG
Length: 1h30
Video:  Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio:  English mono
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Kelly Bohanon - Karen
Kevin Hearst - Ronald
Caroline Hildebrand - Isa
Keith Carradine - Arthur
Dale Hopkins - Leslie
Plot:
A secret scientific project sends a group of young Idaho college students 56 years into the future... to the year 2044. Their mission is unknown, but the pieces of the puzzle slowly fall into place when they find out that all of humanity has been wiped out by an environmental holocaust. In order to save the human race, a handful of youths from the past must permanently settle in the ecological nightmare of this future world. As a few of the students travel even further ahead in time, they are relieved to learn that humankind has recovered from the edge of extinction... or has it?
Extras:
Biographies
Filmographies
Photo Gallery

My Thoughts:

This movie is not really know and it was shown only one week at theatre (the distributing company had made a bankruptcy). So the movie dissapear completly untill 1988 when it reappear on video. This is one of the three movies directed by Peter Fonda (he is the producer, writter and one of the protagonist in "Easy Rider") and it's the least known of them. Now, the question is : So how is this movie? Is it a good thing that it was saved or not?

This is a science fiction movie with a limited budget and it's a time travel movie too (Tom maybe this will interest you). The only experience actor in the cast is Carradine, the others are no acting experience (they were science students from different university) but surprisingly this is a good thing : they sound natural and nothing look forced. The strong points of the movie is the place where it was film, this is a perfect place for setting a movie about the end of the world (we can feel that everything is gone). This is hard to explain but we feel the emptiness that the world will become. At times the movie is hard to understand (one watching is not enough) and the end is surprising (the sixth sense have not invented the twisted ending).

One last thing : I agree completly with the concept of the time travel in this movie. The only way to travel is forward and return, so no past time travel. This is more realist (if we can say it) scientifically they are too much paradox and impossibility for travelling back in time. But this is not the place to discuss about this.

I really recommand it. A good Sci-fi movie who don't involve alien and big special effect, only a good story with a good cast (even if they are not actors). This is the best one that I've reviewed on this thread. 

Rating : 4/5

[Tom]

This is a science fiction movie with a limited budget and it's a time travel movie too (Tom maybe this will interest you).
[...]
I really recommand it. A good Sci-fi movie who don't involve alien and big special effect, only a good story with a good cast (even if they are not actors). This is the best one that I've reviewed on this thread. 

Rating : 4/5

Could be 
Thanks! I will order it the next time. It only costs $0.87 

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Curse of Lizzie Borden
Year: 2006
Director: Ford Austin
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h22
Video:  Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio:  English Stereo
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Randal Malone - Josiah Moody
Danielle De Luca - Cassy
Jed Rowen - Professor Blaisdale
Kerry Lynne Feirman - Emma
Monte Hunter - Eli
Plot:
Nestled within a quiet California town, a museum dedicated to the legend of Lizzie Borden has been opened. Cassy, a beautiful college student is drawn to the museum, taking a summer job as a tour guide.

Cassy is quickly propelled into a mystery of the folklore surrounding the legend of Lizzie Borden. It began to consume her every waking moment. She begins dressing, acting and talking as if she were Lizzie Borden. And there are the dreams. Dreams of blood and death !

One by one her friends are found murdered and her boyfriend Andrew begins to fear the worst. Cassy may be next !

Is some madman killing off all their friends ? Has the ghost of Lizzie Borden come back for a bloody rampage ?

Will Cassy and Andrew be able to stop the killer or will they fall victim to the same fate that Lizzie's parents did so many years ago ?

Untill the final bloody axe falls, no one is safe from the CURSE OF LIZZIE BORDEN.
Extras:
Theatrical Trailer (the movie is a direct to video  )

My Thoughts:

Sometimes I like to give a chance to a new director that I knew absolutly nothing about and try one of his movie. The results are not always the same : I've found some great one (Penetration Angst and The Roost), a lot of so-so (Left in Darkness, It waits and Zombiegeddon), some really bad (Camp blood, Die you zombie bastard and I'll always know what you did last summer) and the movie that are just stupid (The Bagman). This movie is one of those, but in wich category does it fit?

Imagine the worst film that you've ever seen, Painfull memory isn't it? Now just think that this movie is worst. A red fish in a bowl is more entertainning. I heard you say "it can't be that bad... you overeacting", ok let discuss this masterpiece.

Look at this actor and imagine that he is the star of this movie, can we say charisma? But that's not all with the cast one of the actress get this with her credit : "And introducing...", this is not her first movie this is her third one . One last thing with the credit : two actors are guest stars, what is that? Melrose Place... Wow! Just see the credit and it's already wrong. The "special" effect are bad, just some exemples : Everytime that someone is kill someone pitch a lot of fake blood on the victim (imagine that all the murder are done with an axe and all the blood came from behind the killer not the victim after an axe whack), they use sausage when a girl is whack on the belly (ok it's a small budget, but why the zoom in?), one of the girl is decapitated but this is not the same hair colour and every effects are like that. The killer is suppose to be a secret (they try to hide is head), but because the camera guy is untalented the framing is bad and we can see her (anyway without this it's not that hard to guess, after 5 minutes I've already found that). They use the same image (the parent muder's) over and over, why is it necessary? She killed her parents we got it the first time. I think the best thing of the movie is in the beginning when one of the actor run from this movie, he is in a summer class and he learn that he doesn't have to be there and he get out for the rest of the movie (I'm certain that he has read the script the day before and he has decide to not do the film  ).

Usually I try to find something positive with each movie, but I can't with this one. It is not even so bad that it's good, no it's just a mediocre movie. To quote one of the actor line in the film : "This is a waste of my fucking day". This movie could've been better with an audio commentary by the director telling "I'm sorry" during all the film.

Trust Mr. Smiley on this.

Rating : 0/5

[Najemikon]

  Excellent review!

[Jimmy]

Excellent review!

 

Maybe the trick is to watch only the really really bad movie that we hate. It seems more easy to write when it's the case. I just hope that I will not have another bad surprise like this on my marathon.

I listen to my new DVD of Hermes House Band, since I've reviewed this movie. I have to listen something enjoyable, but my roommates is probably tired to listen it 

[Najemikon]

  You have to be careful though. I did a film studies exam a few years ago. Passed quite easily, except for one part. It asked for a balanced review of My Beautiful Laundrette, which just so happens to be one of my least favourite films and has political themes that make me very angry! Needless to say, I ran out of space to be "balanced"...

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Great American Snuff Film
Year: 2003
Director: Sean Tretta
Rating: R
Length: 1h26
Video:  Wide Screen
Audio:  English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Mike Marsh - Grone
Ryan Hutman - Roy
Melinda Lorenz - Patti
Holi Tavernier - Sarah
Jason Dinger - Chuck

Plot:
Based on the journals of serial killer William Allen Grone, "the great american snuff film" despicts a series of events involving the kidnapping, torture, and eventual "snuff" film murders of two young women in 1995. While the film is a dramatization of the events, it is told trough Grone's personal journal entrie's. The viewer experiences the brutal nature of this mad man : first hand. This disturbing journey concludes with actual footage from is film.

Extras:
Making of
Extra "Snuff"
Trailer
Audio Commentary
Music Video

My Thoughts:

I don't write a long introduction for this review since I've bought this movie for the exact same reason than the precedent reviewed : giving a chance to a new director.

This movie prove me something : God doesn't hate me  This movie is not bad. I've bought this one one year ago and it was unwatched since than (certainly a record for me), but I didn't feel an emergency to see it because of the cover. The production was a low budget affair (2000 US$ according to the commentary), but it doesn't look like it at all. The cast is good (too good for one of them, but more about that later) and the effects are effective and realist. What I mean by the last statement is that the director don't overuse the gore (like Hostel) and that give a more credible look. The director use two way for showing the movie, the first is the conventional way (not on digital and it's surprising for the budget) and the second, use for the footage filmed by the killers, is in a box (don't really know the good term, but the film is presented only in the center of the screen with all the four sides cut). The only negative thing that I can say about the film is the music choice, I don't think that "techno" is a really appropriate music for those kind of movies but it's only a personal preference.

After I've wrote all of this, the rest of my review will surprise you. I don't really recommand it, yes it's a well made movie but I don't think that I will be able to watch it another time. I know that it's just a movie, but it look to real to me. Everything is fake and it's very clear after the extra, but like I've said one of the actress give a too much realistic performance and that's made feeling bad while I was watching. I can say without a doubt that the director succeed with is first movie and I will buy his next production without hesitation.

Rating : 3.5/5

Trailer

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Boston Strangler
Year: 1968
Director: Richard Fleischer
Rating: R
Length: 1h56
Video:  Wide Screen
Audio:  English, French and Spanish
Subtitles: English and Spanish

Stars:
Tony Curtis - Albert DeSalvo
Henry Fonda - John S. Bottomly
George Kennedy - Phil DiNatale 
Mike Kellin - Julian Soshnick
Hurd Hatfield - Terence Huntley

Plot:
One by one, the victims fell, each death more gruesome than the last. The actual murders that rocked Boston in the '60s are the gripping subject matter of this unforgettable police thriller. Henry Fonda stars as the investigating police detective. Tony Curtis delivers a stunning performance as the psychopath Fonda must conquer. Filmed in a documentary style that makes the horrifying events all the more real, 'THE BOSTON STRANGLER' is one of the most powerful films in its genre.

Extras:
Fox Movietone News : Boston Strangler
Backstory : The Boston Strangler
Theatrical Teaser
Theatrical Trailer

My Thoughts:

With this one I'm not on unknown territory since I've read the book by Gerold Frank who is the inspiration of the movie and like almost everyone I've read a lot of documentation about this case and some others like it.

This movie is an Hollywood production so it's evident that it will be more mainstream. The first good thing to mention is the cast of the movie, all the principal actors are well cast (It's hard to understand why Curtis and Fonda didn't get a nomination for the Oscar, but maybe the subject was too dark for the members of the Academy) and the majority of the others (Kellerman in particullar) does a good job too. The utilisation of the split screen (sometimes there are 4 different at the same times) is an imaginative way to show the different point of view and it give a way to move the movie faster. But there are a lot of fact from the book that are not mention and some of those are not really important (some of the suspect), but some of those omission are hard to forgive. By exemple the fact that Desalvo was in the army for 8 years, the fact that his girl had an handicap, the fact that he had an anormal level of sexual need, the complete omission of the role of George Nassar for the conection between Desalvo and the strangler, the fact that Desalvo was not prosecuted for the strangler case but for the Green man case (he got a life sentence) and the worst case of volountary omited fact : Desalvo was found mentally competent to stand a trial.

That's doesn't means that the movie is bad, but if you know about the case the agenda by the director is very easy to spot : the mental disease are responsible of the crime in the society.   

Rating : 3.5/5

More information about the case

[Najemikon]

I looked at your previous review, Jimmy. It certainly sounds interesting, but I don't think it's for me. I need more of a dramatic angle to take the edge off... 

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Sombre
Year: 1998
Director: Philippe Grandrieux 
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h51
Video:  Wide Screen
Audio:  French (Stereo)
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Marc Barbé - Jean
Elina Löwensohn - Claire
Géraldine Voillat - Christine   

Plot:
Director Philippe Grandieux's contreversial feature debut is a psychological thriller that delves into the warped mind of a serial killer. While on a murderous rampage through the backroads of France, Jean picks up two sisters, Christine and Claire, whose car has broken down. the encounters turns into a nightmare of terror culminating with Christine being viciously attacked. Inexplicably, Claire gives up her chance for escape and stays with Jean in a desperate attempt to save him from his demons.

Extras:
Theatrical Trailer

My Thoughts:

It's very rare that I buy a movie in my native language, since the France and the other french country (Province of Quebec include even if it isn't one) doesn't produce the genre of films that interest me. But, I've decide to give a chance to this one because of the synopsis who looks promising.

What a deception... This movie promises a nightmare of terror, a murderous rampage and a study of a killer mind. Nothing of that appear really, some murder happen at the beginning but blink your eyes and you miss them. This is a boring story and the movie is seemingly endless, nothing happen and honestly after 30 minutes I wanted to stop it but I've to reviewed it so no choice : I've to go on with the torture.

The only moment of what this movie coul've been happen after one hour and it's the only reason why I don't give it a zero. The killer and one of the girl are at some kind of public party and they go at a private house to continue it. They are with 2 other guys and by the camera movement (constant change of POV and unclear picture) and the music choice (Bela Lugosi's dead by Bauhaus; great song by the way) we see how they are more and more drunk. I'll stop here (don't want to spoil the only good moment of the movie), but I can say that it doesn't end the way I was thinking.

Maybe a movie for the peoples who like the french psychological bore fest, but this is not my cup of tea.   

Rating : 1.5/5