Don't watch alone...2009

[Ralph]

I was looking up that one on IMDB - it must be one of the last collaberations of Cushing/Lee as it's a 1983 movie

[Ralph]

From what I can see this is the only way to watch "La Cabina" as it's no where to be seen on DVD or elsewhere. It's split into four 8 minute segments, the movie being half an hour in length...

Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NBiI...eature=related

no subtitles but then not needed! The other 3 parts are alongside.

[Thasc]

Hi Thasc,
One of my contacts has this film, & i should be getting a copy in the next week or two. I'll let you know.

Okay dokey I look forward to reading your comments

[Paul Monk]

I like House of the Long Shadows. Its fun. Not scary at all really but like watching a load of old guys really enjoying what they do.

[Ralph]

Frankenstein (1931)

Well thanks to Wayne I got the opportunity to see this...I think I possibly saw it sometime back in the 70s but my memory of how it might be and how it actually is are entirely different.

It's pretty slow and to be honest didn't excite me much at all - I'm sure it was great in 1931 but now it just fails for me as a piece of "entertainment". To be honest it had the same impact on me as Nosferatu...

I now conclude that Hammer's 1957 "Curse of Frankenstein" is for me my favourite version of the original movie. Indeed this film and many of these "old pictures" make me realise how much I enjoy the Hammer offerings.

It's a 4/10. Thats 4 for kicking off the Frankenstein legend on the big screen.

[Ralph]

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

This one starts off a lot better than the last one and the music is quite good but my interest faded again quickly - I see these films as landmarks in movie history but lacking in much entertainment value for the modern viewer. Once again Hammer's Frankies are now without doubt in my view the most atmospheric and fun to view I'd give this one another 4/10

[Wayne]

lacking in much entertainment value for the modern viewer.

Except for all those 'modern' viewers that enjoy these movies.

[Ralph]

The Skull (1965)

"A collector of esoterica, Dr. Maitland, buys an unusual skull from his ordinary source of artifacts. The skull is what remains of marquis De Sade. Much too soon he discovers how the skull affects him: by turning him into a frenzied killer."

Peter Cushing and Chris Lee do their best as usual but somehow this one failed to grip me - it has several well known actors including Nigel Green also but in my view fails to use them to any great effect. By comparison I really enjoyed "Creeping Flesh" which involved a full skeleton and again had Chris Lee in a limited supporting part. I think this one has some nice touches such as the atmosphere and the effectively evil presence of the skull but I feel it just fails to fulfill the potential of the fine cast on offer and feels largely to me an opportunity missed. For Cushing being in a possessed part I found "Corruption" much more effective despite it's shortcomings. Being a video transfer will reduce impact a bit so in fairness I have to take that into account. My verdict 5/10 and thats for Cushing & Lee ... my thanks to Wayne for lending

[Wayne]

Interesting to get your point of view, Ralph. I found this one so much more atmospheric than 'Corruption' which seemed like a B Movie by comparison.
My full thoughts on it are here.

[Ralph]

"It's certainly no classic, but i did quite enjoy it, & i think i'd enjoy it even more when i get my nice clean digital tv copy ."

If you do indeed get such a copy I think that would help enormously - having "You are viewing the Skull" and "next Patton at 8pm" does take away from the atmosphere a bit It's a very visual film as you say so needs better quality to demonstrate this.

[Wayne]

"It's certainly no classic, but i did quite enjoy it, & i think i'd enjoy it even more when i get my nice clean digital tv copy ."

If you do indeed get such a copy I think that would help enormously - having "You are viewing the Skull" and "next Patton at 8pm" does take away from the atmosphere a bit It's a very visual film as you say so needs better quality to demonstrate this.

There was some confusion over that one, & i'm afraid it never transpired.
There are rumblings on the British Horror Frorum of it getting an R1 release. Not definitely confirmed by any official sources, but strongly rumoured. Let's hope it turns out to be true. Even an R1 digital copy would be miles better than a video transfer.

[Thasc]

Great review there Ralph

[Ralph]

Thanks Thasc, I take it you were thanking me on my brevity

[Wayne]

I should be getting back into this thread pretty soon, honest! My list of upcoming films still somehow manages to keep expanding.
Forthcoming attractions:

Blue Blood (1972)
The Corpse (aka: Crucible of Horror) (1970)
Theatre of Blood (1973)
Dan Curtis' Frankenstein (1973)
Symptoms (aka: The Blood Virgin) (1974)
The Mutations (aka The Freakmaker) (1974)
The Legacy (1978)
Venom (1981)
Identity (2003)
Coma (1978)
Phantoms (1998)
The House of Whipcord (1974)
Crucible of Terror (1971)
Hour of the Wolf (1968)
The Shuttered Room (1967)
The Mist (2007)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1962)
The Raven (1963)
House of Wax (1953)
Death Line (1972)
The Brood (1979)
House of the Long Shadows (1983)
Salem's Lot (2004)
Die Screaming Marianne (1971)
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)
House of Wax (1953)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Shadow of the Cat (1961)
Tales of Terror (1962)
Godzilla (1954)
Gorgo (1961)
Konga (1960)
Behemoth: the Sea Monster (1959)
The Lost Continent (1968)


Most are first timers for me, with the odd few that i've not seen in a few years that i've sought out for a fresh viewing. And there's a few monster movies included that i've also to do, but i might put those on the Sci-Fi thread.

[Thasc]

Thanks Thasc, I take it you were thanking me on my brevity

You're welcome it was to the point and very informative

[Thasc]

I should be getting back into this thread pretty soon, honest! My list of upcoming films still somehow manages to keep expanding.
Forthcoming attractions:

Blue Blood (1972)
The Corpse (aka: Crucible of Horror) (1970)
Theatre of Blood (1973)
Dan Curtis' Frankenstein (1973)
Symptoms (aka: The Blood Virgin) (1974)
The Mutations (aka The Freakmaker) (1974)
The Legacy (1978)
Venom (1981)
Identity (2003)
Coma (1978)
Phantoms (1998)
The House of Whipcord (1974)
Crucible of Terror (1971)
Hour of the Wolf (1968)
The Shuttered Room (1967)
The Mist (2007)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1962)
The Raven (1963)
House of Wax (1953)
Death Line (1972)
The Brood (1979)
House of the Long Shadows (1983)
Salem's Lot (2004)
Die Screaming Marianne (1971)
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)
House of Wax (1953)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Shadow of the Cat (1961)
Tales of Terror (1962)
Godzilla (1954)
Gorgo (1961)
Konga (1960)
Behemoth: the Sea Monster (1959)
The Lost Continent (1968)


Most are first timers for me, with the odd few that i've not seen in a few years that i've sought out for a fresh viewing. And there's a few monster movies included that i've also to do, but i might put those on the Sci-Fi thread.

Quite a list there Wayne. I haven't seen any of those apart from House of The Long Shadows/Coma/Fall of The House of Usher. Looking forward to reading your reviews

Have you seen House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price, it's quite creepy in places

[Wayne]

Looking forward to reading your reviews

Have you seen House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price, it's quite creepy in places

Thanks Thasc.
Yes, i've got House on Haunted Hill in a box set of 50 old movies that someone gave me, but i'm yet to get around to watching it/them.

[Ralph]

The Shuttered Room is one that I recall vaguely as being good but that was back in the late 70s

I was looking out for it on DVD without success.

[Ralph]

Freak Maker/Mutations (1974)

"Students have been going missing from the local college, and the one person who knows what's happened to them is Dr. Noller, a rogue biologist. Not satisfied with the pace of natural selection in driving evolution, Noller wants to push things further by creating his own genetically engineered creations. Having already created some amazing specimins by mixing the DNA of plants and animals, the doctor has now set his sights higher, and want to work on modifying humans, as well."

This is one weird movie starring no less than Tom Baker kitted out in his Who floppy hat and long jacket.... The featurette confirms the people shown here are real abnormal people and not special effects with the exception of Tom of course. The acting is pretty poor from the "normal" actors matching the crappy script. As for Tom he must have jumped at the opportunity to do Doctor Who after this! This has got to be his acting pits!! As for Donald Pleasance it's clear he wasn't too fussy to make a few quid!

The oddest thing is the unfortunate individuals who decided to exhibit themselves in the movie - it's really weird to watch knowing they have these abormailities which I only discovered after the movie - the guy that can pop his eyes outside his head is just really freaky!

As a movie I can only give it 0.5/10 Thanks for lending Wayne just to see what Tom was up to pre Who!

[Wayne]

Freak Maker/Mutations (1974)

0.5/10

Looks promising!

[Ralph]

Well Wayne I'm not sure what you'll make of it - you might be more sympathetic to what the filmmakers were trying to do - in the featurette it would seem they feel it could have been edited better but overall not a bad movie....

[Wayne]

Freak Maker/Mutations (1974)

This is one weird movie starring no less than Tom Baker kitted out in his Who floppy hat and long jacket.... The featurette confirms the people shown here are real abnormal people and not special effects with the exception of Tom of course. The acting is pretty poor from the "normal" actors matching the crappy script. As for Tom he must have jumped at the opportunity to do Doctor Who after this! This has got to be his acting pits!! As for Donald Pleasance it's clear he wasn't too fussy to make a few quid!

The oddest thing is the unfortunate individuals who decided to exhibit themselves in the movie - it's really weird to watch knowing they have these abormailities which I only discovered after the movie - the guy that can pop his eyes outside his head is just really freaky!

As a movie I can only give it 0.5/10 Thanks for lending Wayne just to see what Tom was up to pre Who!

Well i've just finished watching this one for the first time, & as you say Ralph, it's one wierd movie!
I actually think the idea behind it is a good one, & the half plant/half man thing should've been a lot more promising. The creature itself looked reasonably good i thought, but film's plot (such as it was) didn't gel at all, & i was wondering what was going on half the time. It had a couple of atmospheric moments, & a couple of interesting themes in there but it was all over the place, really!
With the sole exception of Tom Baker who still managed to give a credible performance, the acting was of a very poor standard it has to be said. Even Donald Pleasance is totally bland, & the less said about the rest (especially Julie Ege who was particularly wooden), the better. At least she & Jill Haworth were nice to look at, but the only other thing i can think of that's praiseworthy was the film's weird, cerebral music that kind of reminded me a bit of Tristram Carey's early Dr Who work on 'The Daleks'.
Having said all that, i do think 0.5/10 is a bit of an exaggeratedly low score, but then you've not seen all those really bad movies that i have. It has to be said that it's not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but bearing in mind the minor plus points that i've mentioned, for my money there's enough here for a 3/10. Just. And it's nothing to brag about!
I might have time to fit in 'Theatre of Blood' later, after Corrie & Torchwood. But i should be making more headway into that list as the weekend progresses.

[Ralph]

Well Wayne, your review made me laugh - you gave it a very fair chance and 3/10 is extremely generous

By the way what did you make of the guy with the popping eyeballs?...manky or what!

I checked out "Theatre of Blood" and I have to say I think to watch this next is being a bit hard on yourself... at best I'd give it 4/10. It's Price at his hammiest and I can't stand him when he's unchecked. It's just dull and not worthy to be in the shadow of an average Hammer

It's not a mistake we've left some of these to last!

[Wayne]

Yes, i can't say i enjoyed the freakshow aspect.......

I checked out "Theatre of Blood" and I have to say I think to watch this next is being a bit hard on yourself... at best I'd give it 4/10. It's Price at his hammiest and I can't stand him when he's unchecked. It's just dull and not worthy to be in the shadow of an average Hammer

Well we'll see. If you're giving it a 4 then at least it's more than 3 times better than Freakmaker.

[Ralph]

Well we'll see. If you're giving it a 4 then at least it's more than 3 times better than Freakmaker.

this turd's 3 times nicer!