Category: Z-View

The Spoilers (1942) Starring Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott & John Wayne / Z-View

Posted on by

The Spoilers (1942)

Director:  Ray Enright

Screenplay by:  Lawrence Hazard, Tom Reed based on  The Spoilers novel by Rex Beach

Starring:  Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, John Wayne, Margaret Lindsay and Harry Carey

Tagline: BOLD WOMEN! BRAWNY MEN! Living…loving in the Hot-spot of the Frozen North!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Roy Glennister (Wayne) and his partner, Al Dextry (Carey) are goldminers in a partnership with saloon owner, Cherry Malotte (Dietrich).  The trio’s goldmine has a rich vein and they found it.  Things are looking good until the new gold commissioner, Alex McNamara (Scott) arrives.  McNamara is claim-jumping mines that are paying off! He’s doing it “legally” with the backing of a crooked judge that he secretly has in his pocket.  In addition, to Glennister’s mine, McNamara has his eyes on Glennister’s woman, Cherry Malotte!  The tension mounts as it becomes obvious there is only one way this will end…

I was surprised at the innuendo in dialogue and actions of Dietrich, Wayne and Scott.  There is a whole other level to this film that you usually don’t see in westerns of the 1940s.  Wayne’s character is a player!  I loved Randolph Scott as the bad guy!  There is chemistry between the Dietrich, Wayne and Scott that adds to the believability of the film.  The climatic fight between Wayne and Scott lives up to it’s reputation.  The Spoilers is a fun ride and rates 4 of 5 stars.

“The Velvet Vampire” aka “Cemetery Girls” (1971) / Z-View

Posted on by

The Velvet Vampire aka Cemetery Girls (1971)

Director:  Stephanie Rothman

Screenplay by:  Stephanie Rothman, Charles S. Swartz, Maurice Jules

Starring:  Michael Blodgett, Sherry E. DeBoer and Celeste Yarnall

Tagline:  She’s Waiting To Love You…To Death

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Lee Ritter (Blodgett) and his wife Susan (Miles) meet and take a liking to a mysterious woman named Diane LeFanu (Yarnall).  When Diane asks them to spend a weekend at her remote desert home, they accept.  Only too late do they discover that Diane is a vampire!

The Velvet Vampire is a perfect example of low budget 70s horror films that often became the second or third films shown at drive-ins.  The movie features a small cast (of low-level stars), a remote location, women who bare their boobs and sex scenes spaced throughout the film. (Where you usually find the bare boobs.) There’s even a dune buggy scene in The Velvet Vampire!  Does it get any more “early 70s” than that?   Diane isn’t your traditional vampire – she goes out in the sun (but too much isn’t good for her).

Normally movies I make it through earn at least a 2 star rating.  I made it through The Velvet Vampire and (despite the bare boobies) it only earned a 1 of 5 star rating.

Dead Man (1995) / Z-View

Posted on by

Dead Man (1995)

Director:  Jim Jarmusch

Screenplay by:  Jim Jarmusch

Starring:  Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Crispin Glover, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott, Eugene Byrd, John Hurt, Robert Mitchum, Iggy Pop, Gabriel Byrne, Mili Avital  and Billy Bob Thornton

Tagline:  Sometimes it is preferable not to travel with a dead man.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

William Blake (Depp), a mild-mannered accountant, travels by train to a small town on the edge of the frontier.  There he meets a prostitute named Thel (Avital) who takes him home.  The next morning Thel’s ex-boyfriend, Charlie (Byrne) confronts Blake and Thel while they’re still in bed.  Charlie shoots at Blake.  The bullet hits (and kills) Thel and then strikes Blake in the chest when the bullet passes through her.  Blake picks up Thel’s gun and kills Charlie.  Blake then hightails it out of town.

Although he escaped into the wilderness, Blake’s chest wound is serious.  He passes out.  When he comes to he is surprised to find a huge Native American named Nobody (Farmer) standing over him.  Nobody says that the bullet is too close to his heart to be removed.  Blake is a walking dead man.  Nobody says he will help Blake prepare for his journey back to the spiritual world.  Along the way Blake has run-ins with many unusual characters including the three notorious killers hired by Charlie’s dad (Mitchum) to avenge his son’s murder.

Jim Jarmusch brought together an all-star cast to tell a strange, almost mesmerizing tale,  Dead Man was shot in black and white, with fadeouts after each scene enhanced by an improvised Neil Young soundtrack.  Truth be told, I started to watch Dead Man years ago and couldn’t get into it.  This time, I loved every minute.  Dead Man earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Attack of the Puppet People” (1957) / Z-View

Posted on by

Attack of the Puppet People (1957)

Director:  Bert I. Gordon

Screenplay by:  George Worthing Yates from a story by Bert I. Gordon

Starring:  John Agar, John Hoyt and June Kenney

Tagline:  Terror Comes In Small Packages!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Mr. Franz (Hoyt) owns a doll company that makes popular, lifelike dolls.  Little does anyone know that Mr. Franz’s personal doll collection is made from real people that he has shrunk to doll size.  When Mr. Franz’s secretary, Sally Reynolds (Kenney) discovers what Franz has been doing, she goes to the police.  Of course they don’t believe Franz is doing anything wrong,.. until Sally turns up missing and Franz has a new doll in his collection!

Attack of the Puppet People was given the greenlight due to the success of The Incredible Shrinking Man.  It was rushed into production with Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man) at the helm.  Fair warning,  if the poster for Attack of the Puppet People sold you on the movie, please know… 1) They weren’t really puppet people.  2) There were no “Doll Dwarfs”. 3) No “giant beasts” were crushed or did crushing. 4) No giant dog vs steak knife wielding little folks… Just so ya know.

Attack  of the Puppet People earned a 2 of 5 star rating.

“The Deadly Mantis” (1957) / Z-View

Posted on by

The Deadly Mantis (1957)

Director:  Nathan Juran

Screenplay by:   Martin Berkeley based on a story by William Alland

Starring:  Craig Stevens, William Hopper and Alix Talton

Tagline: The most dangerous monster that ever lived!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

When volcanic eruptions set a gigantic prehistoric preying mantis free, the world becomes his buffet.  It is up to Col. Joe Parkman (Stevens), Dr. Nedrick Jackson (Hopper) and Marge Blaine (Talton) to find a way to stop this giant insect.

Documentary footage of Eskimos and jets taking off make poor filler footage.  The giant praying mantis looks good in scenes where it is busting into a building, but not so good when flying.  This viewing didn’t rate as high as the first time I saw The Deadly Mantis.  Of course I’m no longer eight.  The Deadly Mantis rates 2 of 5 stars.

“The Thing” (82) / Z-View

Posted on by

The Thing (1982)

Director:  John Carpenter

Screenplay by:  Bill Lancaster based on a short story by John W. Campbell Jr.

Starring:  Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur,  T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan,  Peter Maloney, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, Thomas G. Waites and Adrienne Barbeau (uncredited computer voice)

Tagline:  Man is The Warmest Place to Hide.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Members of a US Antarctica research station go on full alert when a Norwegian helicopter begins buzzing their outpost.  One of the Norwegians is shooting at a husky that’s running towards the American station.  The helicopter lands and more shots ring out missing the dog and nearly hitting members of the US team. Garry (Moffat) shoots back, killing the Norwegian.  A fire caused by wild shots leads to the explosion of the helicopter and death of the pilot.

MacReady (Russell) and Dr. Copper (Dysart) fly to the Norwegian base.  Everyone there is dead! MacReady and Copper discover a disfigured burned vaguely human-looking corpse.  MacReady and Copper return to the US base with the corpse and more questions than answers.

The Norwegian dog had been given free reign at the US base.  When MacReady returns the dog is placed in a kennel with the US huskies.  Once the lights are out, the Norwegian dog begins to transform as it kills the US dogs and assimilates them.  The dogs’ screams alert the base and everyone shows up.  They’re shocked, but use a flamethrower to incinerate the thing.

They ultimately learn that the Norwegians discovered an alien ship.  One of the creatures from the ship thawed and began killing them.  It made it’s escape in the form of the Norwegian dog.

Dr. Blair runs computer simulations and realizes odds are that at least one of the US team has been assimilated.  The computer also shows that if one of the things makes it to civilization, humans will be wiped out.

Dr. Cooper suggests a blood test to determine if anyone has been compromised.  Before that can happen, the blood supply is destroyed, as are every means of communication and the transportation.  At least one of the US team is no longer human.  But who?

As they struggle for a solution, the lack of sleep and paranoia makes each person as much of a danger as the thing.  Will anyone survive?  And what of the human race?

Bill Lancaster’s script is closer to John Campbell’s short story than the 1951 film.  Everything comes together.  John Carpenter is the right director for this project — he respects the source material.  He’s supported by a wonderful cast led by Kurt Russell, and each cast member gets their moment to shine.  Stan Winston’s effects were groundbreaking for the time and still impress.  Ennio Morricone provides music that adds to the tension.

When I saw The Thing on it’s original release, the theater was nearly empty.  Over the years, The Thing developed a following and the props it deserves.  My initial rating for The Thing was 4 of 5 stars, but over the years, I’ve bumped it up to a more proper 5 of 5 stars.

“Desperate” (1947) / Z-View

Posted on by

Desperate (1947)

Director:  Anthony Mann

Screenplay by:  Harry Essex,  Martin Rackin (additional dialogue), Dorothy Atlas (story)

Starring:  Steve Brodie, Audrey Long and Raymond Burr

Tagline:  Desperate was their nightmare of FEAR!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Steve (Brodie) and Anne Randall (Long) are ready to celebrate their wedding anniversary when Steve gets a call from a man named Walt Radak (Burr) about a trucking job.  Since they need the money, they decide to postpone the celebration until Steve gets back.

When Steve arrives at the warehouse, he learns that Radak and his crew are thieves who want him to haul stolen property.  Steve refuses, but is forced at gunpoint back into the truck.  As the crooks load the goods, Steve is able to signal a cop walking by.  A shootout ensues.  The cop is shot and killed as everyone scrambles to get away.  Only Radak’s brother is caught.

Steve returns home, gets his wife and they go on the run.  Steve needs to prove his innocence since the cops think he’s part of the cop killer gang.  Radak blames Steve for the bungled robbery and his brother’s capture.  Steve is on the run and desperate…

Desperate is the first and only feature film to star Steve Brodie (which is surprising).  It is also Raymond Burr’s first time playing the lead heavy.  Desperate is a good film noir and rates 3 of 5 stars.

“G-Men” (1935) Starring James Cagney / Z-View

Posted on by

G-Men (1935)

Director:  William Keighley

Screenplay by:  Darryl F. Zanuck, Seton I. Miller (uncredited) based on the novel Public Enemy No. 1 by Gregory Rogers

Starring:  James Cagney, Margaret Lindsay, Ann Dvorak, Robert Armstrong and Lloyd Nolan

Tagline: Hollywood’s Most Famous Bad Man Joins the “G-MEN” and Halts the March of Crime!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Because he won’t play ball with crooks, Brick Davis (Cagney) isn’t making it as a lawyer.  So when Brick’s recruited to join the FBI, he does.  We then follow Brick through training and his efforts to bring down a crime syndicate.

Cagney’s star power is evident in this pretty much by the numbers outing.  With that said,  G-Men rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Double Whoopee” (1929) Starring Laurel & Hardy / Z-View

Posted on by

Double Whoopee (1929)

Director:  Lewis R. Foster

Screenplay by:  H.M. Walker (titles), Leo McCarey (story)

Starring:  Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy and Jean Harlow

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Stanley (Laurel) and Ollie (Hardy) show up for their temp services jobs at a posh hotel when they are mistaken for visiting dignitaries.  Things go downhill from there once they begin their jobs as a doorman and bellman.  Jean Harlow who was just 17 during filming appears in one of her earliest roles.

“The Open House” (2018) / Z-View

Posted on by

The Open House (2018)

Director:  Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote

Screenplay by:  Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote

Starring:  Dylan Minnette, Piercey Dalton, Patricia Bethune and Sharif Atkins

Tagline:  You can’t lock out what’s already Inside.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

When her husband is hit by a car and dies, Naomi (Dalton) and her son, Logan (Minnette) are left in a financial bind.  Naomi’s sister allows them to live in her secluded house that is up for sale.

During the day, it is an open house which creeps out Logan.  He hates the idea that strangers roam through the house that he and his mother sleep in at night.  Soon after Naomi and Logan move in, weird things begin to happen.  Objects are moved, someone telephones but doesn’t speak, the pilot light on the water heater keeps going out and more.  Logan and his mom realize that it could be one of the strange people that they’ve met in the neighborhood… but is this person a prankster or dangerous?  They will soon find out.

The Open House sets up an excellent premise for a horror film.  It provides a supporting cast of possible folks who could be responsible for the weird stuff going on.  Then it makes the two leads fairly unlikable and gives us an ending that (my wife) and I absolutely hated.  In all fairness up until the ending, The Open House was on track to a two star rating, but that ending brought it down to one star of five.

“You’re Darn Tootin’ (1928) Starring Laurel & Hardy / Z-View

Posted on by

You’re Darn Tootin’ (1928)

Director:  Edgar Kennedy

Screenplay by:  H.M. Walker (titles), Hal Roach (story)

Starring:  Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Stanley (Laurel) and Ollie (Hardy) are already behind in their rent when they are fired from a band.  Desperate to raise money they begin playing on the street, hoping for donations.  Things take a turn for the worst when they raise the ire of a local policeman.  Soon enough they’re having problems with uncovered manholes, sewer workers, and each other!

The final scene is Laurel and Hardy at their best.  They are upset and strike out at each other.  Before it is over they’ve caused a riot with everyone getting de-pantsed!

“Do Detectives Think?” (1927) Starring Laurel & Hardy / Z-View

Posted on by

Do Detectives Think? (1927)

Director:  Fred Guiol

Screenplay by:  H.M. Walker (titles), Hal Roach (story)

Starring:  Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Viola Richard and Noah Young

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Ferdinand Finkleberry (Laurel) and Sherlock Pinkham (Hardy) are the world’s two worst detectives.  When a killer (Young) who has vowed to slit the throat of the judge (Finlayson) who sentenced him escapes prison, Finkleberry and Pinkham are assigned to protect him.

This early Laurel and Hardy film features the first time they wore the derby hats that became one of their trademarks.  It also features their famous derby hat mix-up routine. James Finlayson as the scared judge gets his share of laughs.  Do Detectives Think? is a solid Laurel & Hardy film and rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Man from Toronto” (2022) Starring Kevin Hart & Woody Harrelson / Z-View

Posted on by

The Man from Toronto (2022)

Director: Patrick Hughes

Screenplay by:  Robbie Fox, Chris Bremner from a story by Robbie Fox, Jason Blumenthal

Starring:  Kevin Hart, Woody Harrelson, Jasmine Mathews, Kaley Cuoco, Pierson Fode and Ellen Barkin

Tagline:  Hitman Meets Dead Man

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Teddy (Hart), a mild mannered man,  is mistaken for an elite assassin/torturer known as The Man from Toronto (Harrelson).  The FBI convince Teddy to continue playing as The Man from Toronto in an effort to stop an upcoming hit on a visiting dignitary.  Everything goes sideways when the real Man from Toronto shows up…

The Man from Toronto has a great premise.  Kevin Hart is the right choice to play Teddy and Woody Harrelson makes a convincing hitman.  Director Patrick Hughes knows his way around action scenes.  The movie starts off well enough, but the last act went way over the top (some may say that it happened even sooner).  Still there were enough laughs to rate 3 of 5 stars.

“How to Make a Monster” (1958) / Z-View

Posted on by

How to Make a Monster (1958)

Director: Herbert L. Strock

Screenplay by:  Herman Cohen. Aben Kandel

Starring:  Robert H. Harris, Paul Brinegar, Gary Conway and Gary Clarke

Tagline:  See the ghastly ghouls… IN FLAMING COLOR!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Pete Dumond (Harris) has been a monster movie make-up man for American International Pictures for decades.  When the studio is sold, the new owners decide that monster movies are on the way out.  They fire Dumond and his long-time assistant, Rivero (Brinegar).  Dumond uses mind control to get the actors playing the teenage werewolf (Clarke) and teenage Frankenstein (Conway) to kill the new owners one-by-one.  When the clues begin to point towards Dumond all bets are off on who will be the next to die!

How to Make a Monster is more clever than good.  It’s clever because…

  • It brings back monsters (Teenage Frankenstein and Teenage Werewolf) from their past movies for a team-up.
  • It uses American International Pictures (the real movie studio that released the film) as the studio in the movie.
  • It takes us behind the scenes on the studio of American International Pictures when in reality AIP didn’t own a studio!  They rented space from other studios.
  • The monster head props and movie posters that appear in the background of scenes are from past AIP monster movies.
  • The ads say that you will see the monsters (Teenage Frankenstein and Wolfman) in color for the first time, but only the last scenes were shot in color to save money!

How to Make a Monster rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Near Dark” (1987) / Z-View

Posted on by

Near Dark (1987)

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Screenplay by:  Eric Red, Kathryn Bigelow

Starring:  Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, Tim Thomerson, Joshua John Miller and James Le Gros

Tagline:  At dawn they hide. At dark they wake. At night they search for blood…pray for daylight.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers

Unknown to Caleb (Pasdar), his new girlfriend (Wright) is vampire.  When she turns him, Caleb reluctantly joins her coven which consists of their leader, Jesse Hooker (Henriksen), Diamondback (Goldstein), Severen (Paxton) and Homer (Miller). Each night the group goes out to hunt and feed. Sickened by what he has become, but with nowhere to turn, Caleb goes with them.  When things go sideways, the coven finds the police as well as Caleb’s father closing in on them.  Caleb will be forced to make a choice… but at what cost?

This modern day vampire tale is a blast.  Bill Paxton fills the screen as a vampire who enjoys his undead life.  It’s a thrill to see the Aliens trio (Henriksen, Goldstein and Paxton) together again.  The scene in the roadside bar still terrifies while at the same time makes audiences smile.  This movie’s influence can be see in many films that followed it.  Near Dark is so entertaining it easily rates 4 of 5 stars.