psychoren2002 Reviews

The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967)

The beginning of the end

[6/10 · 30 November 2006]

In the 60's series of five Fu Manchu movies made by Cristhoper Lee as the Chinese fiend, this is the one in the middle, without the direction of Don Sharp (replaced by Jeremy Summers) who made the better two entries. It's still an interesting movie, Fu Manchu tries to ruin his enemy reputation by replacing him with a killer lookalike (done with a complicated facial surgery) and, as usual, planning world domination as the boss of a new international organization. Douglas Wilmer shines as Nayland Smith or the zombie-like killer, Lee is perfect as usual and the always reliable Howard Marion Crawford as Dr. Petrie (a character clearly inspired by Conan Doyle's Dr. Watson) got some good moments too. Sadly, after "Vengeance" trashy Spanish director Jesus Franco took the series for the last two film, the less interesting entries by far.

Eight Hundred Bullets (2002)

Having fun with Alex de la Iglesia

[8/10 · 23 November 2006]

"800 Balas" is another funny and cool movie from Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia, the guy who did the absolutely wonderful "El Dia de la Bestia", one of the best comedy/terror movies ever made. But I must tell you, people, if you don't speak Spanish, no matter how accurate the subtitles will be, you're missing half of the fun. And I mean Spanish from Spain, literally, because here in Argentina we speak Spanish too but in a complete different form and mood. Spanish people are hilarious when they insult each other (and there's a lot here) using some expressions that just can't be translated, like "me cago en la puta leche". But it's a funny and well delivered film no matter the language. A kind of homage to spaghetti westerns and all those little cheap movies from the 60's done with an excellent cast. Recommended.

The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966)

Fu Manchu is back!

[7/10 · 22 November 2006]

Sequel to "The Face of Fu Manchu", "Brides..." is even better if you look movies just to be entertained. It's the kind of silly, funny, absurd, kinky time capsule movie that never loses his charm. Of curse, plot holes and mistakes are a plenty (it's in the 20's but girls looks very 60's) but Lee's terrific performance and a good cast full of familiar faces (even Pink Panther's Cato is here!) helps to sustain interest. Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie are a later version of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, but Fu Manchu is the main character here, cruel, sadistic and totally evil, probably the best villain ever, sadly forgotten today due to his racial connotations. The franchise will continue on three more films, but "Face..." and "Brides..." (both directed by Don Sharp) are the real thing. By the way, the 5 films are available now in a box set released in Spain by Manga Films (region 2), but beware: the last 2 movies (by Jesus Franco) are in Spanish without subtitles.

The Return of Doctor X (1939)

Return of the Bogie man!

[6/10 · 15 November 2006]

This is the infamous picture that Humprey Bogart hates, but, no matter what the legend says, is still a funny film to watch. Of course, Bogey characterization of Doctor Xavier is odd, to say the least, but the plot actually makes sense, and his few minutes on screen are a must see. It is not a sequel of "Doctor X" (1932), with Lionel Atwill as the mad scientist, but a complete different story about resurrection of the dead using artificial blood, and Bogie, as a thinking zombie-like killer looks creepy and macabre. The brand new DVD restoration is amazingly clear, and offers another rarity: the theatrical trailer, made in a 90 per cent with deleted or alternate scenes, some of them very different to the final print. Don't miss the chance to see Bogey as a boogie man!

Doctor X (1932)

Those were the days...

[7/10 · 14 November 2006]

One of the many jewels included in the new DVD box set "Hollywood Legends of Horror", Doctor X works far better as an horror film than a romantic comedy ,the other intention of the script. In fact Lee Tracy as the journalist almost ruined the entire picture, acting like a character in a Three Stooges short instead of an horror drama. But Lionel Atwill got a solid presence as Doctor Xavier, Fay Wray (before King Kong fame) as his daughter is delicious, and the rest of the cast is in top form. The sets deserves a special mention, visually stunning, and the two color system adds atmosphere. Of course, you can't see this kind of film with today's eyes, but a more candid approach will make you enjoy Doctor X as it deserves. Classic!

The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962)

Far from their best

[5/10 · 13 November 2006]

First of all, let me tell you that I'm a huge stooge fan. I consider them one of the most underrated teams in comedy history, only supported by a huge fan base but not for the critics. The stooges are much more than Moe hitting the others or flying pies. But sadly, the last years of his glorious legacy are far from the rambocious, lunatic and uproarious days with Jerome "Curly" Howard or even with Shemp. And this movie is a clear example. Slow paced humor and only a few good jokes aren't enough for sustain a 90 minutes film. The old stooges try to do their best, but even the scrip doesn't help. The martians are fun to watch, Emil Sitka was always a good companion for the boys, but the overall feel is bittersweet. I prefer them in their legendary Columbia shorts, the kind of stuff that influenced Seinfield's trio Jerry, George and Kramer, and many many others.

Mark of the Vampire (1935)

First film ever ruined by a stupid twist

[7/10 · 8 November 2006]

It's impossible to understand why the makers of "Mark of the Vampire" choose such an idiot twist for an ending, after 45 glorious minutes of atmospheric Gothic horror, amazing sets, and some phenomenal jobs by Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill and Carol Borland in a role that was a direct source of inspiration for Ed Wood's Vampira and Morticia Addams. In fact the first half of the movie is even better than the classic "Dracula", visually astonishing, with a plot that caught you completely, but all is ruined with one of the most ridiculous twists ever made in Hollywood. But I must recommend this movie, no matter the ending, to any fan of classic horror films. It's sad to know than almost 20 minutes of footage was cut and lost, with some extra footage and a different finale this movie could easily rank among the greatest horror movies of all time.

The Plague of the Zombies (1966)

Another Hammer horror masterpiece

[8/10 · 3 November 2006]

SPOILERS!! "The Plague of the Zombies" is another great film from the legendary Hammer studios, sadly the only one they made about this genre. This time the plot refers much more to the real source of zombies (vudú from Haiti) than the usual Romero "living dead" movies, with flesh-eating creatures. Here instead, the zombies are used as slaves and have enough attitude to attack his own master at the end. The story is captivating, and the cast (without any of the usual Hammer stars, except for the reliable Michael Ripper)is in top form. All the charming elements from Hammer are here, the sets, the music, the slow pacing, the suspense. It's not for fans of ultra gore zombies, but a real gem for fans of classic horror. The DVD also features an interesting Hammer documentary, narrated by the late Oliver Reed. Recommended!

Friday Foster (1975)

Pure blaxploitation charm

[5/10 · 30 October 2006]

"Friday Foster" is one of the best blaxploitation films in terms of time capsule. The clothes, the afros, the music , the cars and the overall feel of an era is really displayed here better than other movies of the genre, but sadly it's not a good movie if you consider the story, the plot, and the action. Half a comedy, half a detective story with less violence or sex than "Coffy", "Foxy Brown", "Shaft" or other similar movies. But the exceptionally good cast deserves attention: Yaphet Kotto (Alien, Live and Let Die) is a wonderful actor here in excellent form, both strong and funny, Carl Weathers, years before stardom in "Rocky", Eartha Kitt (the black Catwoman from TV's Batman), Ted Lande (the bartender from "Love Boat"!), Thalmus Rasulala, Julius Harris, Jim Backus, etc. Far from the best of Pam Grier, but a charming movie to watch.

Dracula's Daughter (1936)

Unusual sequel

[7/10 · 29 October 2006]

It's difficult to understand why Universal Studios choose this film as an official sequel to the legendary Bela Lugosi's "Dracula", more than five years after, since "Dracula's Daughter" works better as a female vampire film rather than the follow up to such landmark movie. Is clear to see some lesbian undertones in the story, even for those times, and it was a clever idea to start the film exactly after the Lugosi/Dracula's death, with the same actor (Edward Van Sloan) playing Van Helsing again. It helps to keep the viewer interested, even when the film lacks some of the eerie atmosphere of the original, and the climax is pretty rushed and dull. Gloria Holden was a perfect choice for the role of the Countess, Otto Kruger is convincing as the good doctor and Margarite Churchill as his secretary looks just gorgeous. Worth seeing for fans of classic Universal horror.

Vampire Circus (1972)

Another great Hammer movie!

[8/10 · 9 October 2006]

Surrealistic, innovative, slow paced and plenty of creepy moments, "Vampire Circus" ranks among the best of Hammer Films. A rare gem, this movie creates an atmosphere of fear, darkness and despair using not only the common vampires stuff, but a few unusual details: the circus itself, a curse, a mirrors gallery. The story follows the steps of a village that beats the plague of vampires once, but can't avoid damnation, death and the vengeance of the night creatures. Sadly, it's easy to see the low budget of the movie, the FX are very basic and poorly edited, but overall the film deserves the attention of Hammer and vampire movies fans. Just for fun: the burgermeister (Thorley Walters) looks exactly like Rip Taylor!!

Black Mama White Mama (1973)

Only for Pam Grier fans

[6/10 · 9 October 2006]

Pam Grier is always hot to see, and the women prisons genre is pure fun, but "Black Mama, White Mama" is not the best of both worlds. After a promising start (and a long shower scene) the movie became slow, and all the sub plot related to revolutionaries is overlong and boring (the idea of giving the name Ernesto to their leader is an obvious reference to the popular "Che" Guevara real person, and in fact the actor who plays the role looks similar) But the girls do a convincing job as fugitives, so the movie becomes more watchable near the end. It's the kind of movie for a late Friday night with your buddies, you can easily make jokes at almost every scene. Don't take this flick seriously.

The Lost Continent (1968)

Bizarre but absolutely brilliant

[8/10 · 3 October 2006]

This movie is a gem. I just can't recall any other film with so many elements in. The old ship, the dangerous cargo, the passengers (each with a dark story behind), the hurricane, the mutiny, and suddenly a complete different picture: the red skies, the weird man-eating plants, a lost Spanish galleon with the survivors of a religious cult, giant monsters on an island, people floating over the plants with balloons and it goes on a on. The word IMAGINATION was created for that kind of stuff. An ultra rare Hammer production without stars, but with lots of visual creativity. And, if you are into British 60's music, take notice of the smooth, retro cool organ sounds by The Peddlers, a trio that recorded a few albums but never achieve the success they deserved. And the gorgeous busted woman at the end (Dana Gillespie) later found a career as a blues/rock singer. This is a must for fans of the bizarre!!

Elvis Has Left the Building (2004)

Half a bad movie, half an insult to the King

[2/10 · 23 September 2006]

Being an Elvis fan, I can't understand how this proyect could be done. Is by far the worst Elvis related movie of all time, totally unfunny, silly and plenty of mistakes about The King. Come on, Elvis' grave in a public park? A mention about Suspicious Minds in 1958?...and these are just two examples. Some people in the cast tries to do their best, Mike Starr is funny (specially as an impersonator), the Tom Hanks cameo is a surprise, but the guy playing the young Elvis sucks.Overall the movie lacks fun and becomes more boring minute after minute. If you want to see an ultra cheap, insane but absolutely funny little film related to Elvis, I truly recommend you "Bubba Ho-Tep" instead of this mess.

Pavement (2002 TV Movie)

It works for me

[6/10 · 31 August 2006]

This movie is not a wonderful surprise, but a solid thriller with an interesting twist on the "psycho-killer" style, with good performances by the lead actors. The idea of a man from a far and wild land in a big city is not new, or the pairing of a female detective with a victim's relative, but here these elements are presented in a simple and convincing plot that makes you keep interested all the way. Robert Patrick is perfect for the role of a lonesome hunter, and Lauren Holly is both strong and sexy. I really don't understand why so many people here wrote negative reviews about this movie, it works for me as a late night filler perfectly. If you want to see a decent thriller, don't miss the chance. Recommended.

Night Moves (1975)

Great film, great acting, a real surprise

[15 August 2006]

"Night Moves" was a surprise to me. I assumed it could be a far more simple mystery/action film, but the whole thing caught my attention and really amazed me. What a great study in murder, infidelity, cruelty, sex, and relationships between strangers. A kind of film noir with dark overtones and a slow but effective suspense, the story starts as a simple investigation about a runaway teenager, but grows more and more into a complex drama plenty of unexpected twists. Gene Hackman is superb as the rude detective, the rest of the cast is also in fine form, but the real shock is to see a very young, hot (and naked) Melanie Grifith doing a terrific performance. James Woods is also here, with less impact but great to see too. An excellent film, one of the finest 70's underrated movies.

Mr. Wong, Detective (1938)

Boris Karloff is Chinese!!!

[7/10 · 4 August 2006]

In the great tradition of Chinese detectives as Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto, Boris Karloff's Mr. Wong was a solid addition to that venerable kind of films. Is really difficult to think in Karloff as a Chinese person, but the British actor delivers a solid performance, if you can dig his weird accent. The plot is simple, the strange murders are against logic, but Mr. Wong's patience and intelligence can solve the mystery. The other actors are far below Karloff, but the overall fell of the movie is candid and likable. Another completely different Mr. Wong was played before by Bela Lugosi, a villain, but this detective deserves your interest if you are a fan of the genre.

The Skeleton Key (2005)

Great supernatural thriller

[13 July 2006]

Fresh ideas, a solid plot that makes sense, nice settings, great acting, chills, this is a fine example that Hollywood is still capable of doing great movies in that genre. Is better for you, the reader, to know the less possible about the plot, because is full of surprises at the end, but let me tell you: you won't be disappointed. Add a few extra points for the music, in the best blues and jazz tradition of New Orleans and we got a winner little film. John Hurt shines in a minimalistic composition, Gena Rowlands delivers a great performance (half nice old lady, half evil witch)and Kate Hudson is in fine form as the young maid in the middle of a hoodoo curse. Highly recommended!

Fiend Without a Face (1958)

A movie with brains

[7/10 · 12 July 2006]

"Fiend without a face" is a solid example of 50's sci-fi, that kind of lovely low budget film in the same vein of "It! The Terror from Beuond Space" and many others. In this case, the first half of the movie is very slow, and the lack of a visible monster is an extra turn off, but the second half (and specially the last 20 minutes) are clearly among the best of the genre. Finally, the now visible brain-like monsters are great to see, looking menacing even in his primitive form. Star Marshall Thompson and the rest of the cast do their humble best, but overall it's a fun ride. And they blew away an atomic plant with explosives without any ambiental consequenses!! Beware of the Brazilian edition, the disc are all damaged, it's impossible to see the credits.

Pursued (2004)

This movie is terrible

[3/10 · 7 July 2006]

Oh my god!...this movie is terrible. The plot is silly, the goofs are very easy to find, the editing sucks, and everything is predictable. Is sad to see cool actors like Slater and Duncan Clark doing that kind of crap. The character played by Gil Bellows is probably the most stupid genius in movie history... a computer expert who can't find a way to show everybody what's happening to him. And the idea of a liquid tracking system is too much. The wife just can't believe in her husband, the boss looks strong like a bull but is terminally ill, and the security expert follows the car of a maniac without any precaution. Don't waste 2 hours of your life in this movie, really...

Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000)

Nothing new here

[5/10 · 28 June 2006]

I was expecting much more from this movie, from the cast and the director (I really enjoy Il Postino and The Merchant of Venice). But it's just another boring view at the lives of strippers... in a Hollywood fashion. Each one of the girls is a cliché: the sad one, the silly one, the wild and self-destructive, the woman with a dark past, all of them lacking a real love and a real life...come on, a far more complex point of view could be done. Knowing now that most of the dialogue was improvisational, it's easy to figure it out what was wrong...no script, no story. Near the end, the last character (a porn star on tour, played amazingly by Michelle Bahuer) is a lot credible, but is too late for the movie. The best moment is when Jennifer Tilly, looking for some extra bucks, becomes an S&M dominatrix. Not my kind of kinky stuff, but funny to see! Finally, the music chosen just don't work for strippers, too slow, too sad... like this movie.

Blood for Dracula (1974)

A pathetic Dracula

[5/10 · 27 June 2006]

This version of the legendary Bram Stocker character by Paul Morrisey is one of the worst, if you see it as an horror movie. Nothing is creepy, really. Udo Kier is the less menacing Dracula ever, a pale and sick figure in a wheel chair looking for virgins' blood with the help of his assistant. But this Count can travel and live by daylight, so his vampire condition is really odd. But if you're not looking for a Dracula in the Lugosi-Lee vein, this Andy Warhol production is funny and entertaining. Check for Roman Polanski in a brief cameo, or listen to the terrible Vittorio De Sica's accent. Compared to him, Lugosi sounds like a BBC narrator. Sex and nudity are plenty, and the vampire killing is closer to Monty Python than Hammer or Universal (no Van Helsing here). A curious and odd Dracula movie all the way, but a must see for fans of 70's extravaganza.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

Nothing but crap

[1/10 · 24 June 2006]

This movie is only church propaganda, and the catholic church is the most negative force of our world. This is the same people that just burn women for witchcraft a few centuries ago, and today holds the most incredible, huge fortune on Earth doing nothing for the poor, for the starving people and for the millions who died without medication. And they take advantage of ignorance and poverty, selling nothing but a stupid, medieval idea about the good and the bad. After that, let's go back to the film. Is really a pity to see a great cast wasted. In one point, one of the lawyers says "¿What is this? ¿A bad Twilight Zone episode?" Exactly! Even worst is the fact of two BIG mistakes about exorcisms in this movie: 1- Only the Vatican can approve the making of an exorcism, and only after a long study of the case. Here the priest just ask his superior, and starts the next day. No way. 2- Never, by any reason, can a person stays in the room during an exorcism like the boyfriend does here. Only the priest (one or two) and, if necessary, someone in the family. It's nothing but crap...religious crap. And, by the way, I started writing this exactly at 3:00 in the morning....BUUHH!

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)

mummy-a-rama!

[23 June 2006]

Rare mummy film by the legendary Hammer studios, this is by far the worst. For the real thing you must see the original effort with Christopher Lee, or maybe two other low budgets mummy pictures from the studio, "Blood from the Mummy's Tomb" (with the gorgeous Valerie Leon) and "The Mummy's Shroud", but this one is very slow, and when finally the mummy goes rampage, nothing very creepy happens. Other weird touches: the mummy is blue instead of white, and was played by a pretty fat guy! Let's face it, the mummy always was one of the most unconvincing horror characters, and this movie is just another entry in the series. Only for Hammer completists.

Die, Monster, Die! (1965)

Boris Karloff + H.P. Locvecraft + A.I.P.

[7/10 · 15 June 2006]

Good for a low budget movie done in 1965, "Die, Monster, Die" is another AIP Gothic horror film, more in the Poe-Corman-Price vein of the same period, but this time based on a Lovecraft story. So, all the usual elements are here, the old house, the gloomy gardens, the dark passages, the creepy noises...with one major difference: outside the house is 1965, we see cars, telephone booths, and modern elements, but inside everything looks like 100 years ago. Weird stuff. But if you can dig this (and other minor goofs) it's pure fun. The legendary Boris Karloff is here, doing a very good job, specially if you consider he was very ill at the time. The DVD also includes "The Dunwich Horror", another H.P.Lovecraft vehicle. Recommended for fans of Boris, AIP and the Gothic horror genre, but NOT for Lovecraft purists.