pmc-17741 Reviews

Shock Waves (1977)

A Near Perfect B Movie

[9/10 · 26 October 2021]

I recall seeing this movie on our local CBS station late night Friday Chiller Theater. That was likely 1977 or 1978. The movie makes more sense if back then when WWII was merely 30+ years away and my dear dad was a career Army kid as an officer in the Far East, but I knew of kids who dads fought into Nazi Germany and the artifacts they captured. Our dad had a Samurai sword, for example.

Buy and update to a blu ray player and that blu ray has multiple commentaries. The directors first US movie, for example, they had no distributor. They only had a few couples and had to drive the reels from city to city which became impossible. That is why it saw early TV distribution.

Compare this movie to Zombie Lake, Oasis of the Zombies, or Night of the Zombies and Shockwaves is miles above this other more mainstream drive in B mess ups. Sure it could of been improved, but the newer stuff does not appeal to me as do not need to see blood and guts being eaten over and over.

Carmilla (2019)

A Novella from 1872

[8/10 · 20 October 2021]

I have seen and own the Hammer trilogy that is famous for being one of the first to adapt the story, and I would call them tame by 1980 standards, but yet still interesting to view. I would say the same for this adaption. Being 60, I grew up in the era of plot driven stories that at drama and so do not believe that every movie is non stop action as it has been since 2000. It is not a porn flick either, it is an attempt to understand the author point of view. There are other adaptions from this time period that I have not seen. I found a new Blu Ray and paid less than $30 for it and will add to my library of fine films and movies as well as B movies that I love.

The Wicked Lady (1983)

If its Cannon, prepare to be disappointed.

[3/10 · 5 June 2021]

Back in the day of 1983, I was 22 and really did not care about quality in movies like I do now at 60. There is a place for cheesy movies or drive in movies, but Cannon chose to skip and save on each budget to hoped to fund their next idiot production of knock off movies. I caught Wicked Lady 1983 for the first and final time after doing a Faye Dunaway search. When I saw the other movies were Cannon, I did not expect much. A period movie with customs was nice, but cannot compare to Richard Lester the 3 and 4 Musketeers and see for yourself the difference in quality. In defense of Michael Winner, he was a mans man director, meaning his style worked best with men who were stage actors and needed little or no direction, they could improvise out on rugged locations. Chato's Land a release by United Artist.

Diablo (2015)

Scott Eastwood, a chip off of his father's block and well done.

[8/10 · 18 May 2021]

I caught this movie by chance, and from the opening it reminded me of The Outlaw Josey Wales, but every step takes it into its own story and merely pays homage to his famous father. Like Jackson pays homage to The Good the Bad and The Ugly, and probably more. Scott is not indestructible, or a dead eye gun fighter and find he lives in a fantasy world with regards to his wife who was not his wife. I just saw it as a wonder what happens next.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Story of our collective lives

[10/10 · 17 May 2021]

The director was born in 1977 when I turned 16. I experienced boredom in the afternoon or early evening when I watched all the shows I was interested in, read too much earlier, and friends were out of town, or moved away. The worst behaviors that teens got into were finding someone to buy hard street drugs, mostly speed and downers, and mom and dad hard liquor stash. Also grand theft auto, no not the games, but really stealing a car, drive it out of state, and sell it to be stripped down for parts and walk away with $500 for each guy on a car worth $1500 to $2000.

For the Clark Kents like me, I had a friend who was attractive to older women, age 30 to 45 and had sexual fantasies of his aunt. He would go on the next panty raid, but winter he went with one of her bras and later pantyhose. One school morning 9th grade he decided to wear her pantyhose to school and as he walked, he had to keep checking that in his mind that he did not have gym class that day. Each morning class he felt ashamed and even frighten, so he ran home during the lunch hour and used his mom's sewing sheers to chop it off of him instead of rolling them down to save. It took until the next week that he told me about this event and I said something like you are not a cross dresser. We both had a good long laugh over it. He did eventually get married at age 23 to a woman his same age and we stay in touch to this day.

From another friend, I heard that during last summer, they wanted to see if a fart was inflammable, so one had gas and lower his pants and underwear and prepare to go, and the other one had a Bic lighter and he said they had ignition. Really dangerous for the one farting should the flame travel inside of him, he would need hospitalization.

I was a paperboy 7 days a week and mowed lawns for my grandma, so made $100 a month and if you keep busy working like I did; you stayed out of major trouble. Class chums thought my family was rich, as I had money when they were broke. If you played little league sports or dance or boy girl/scouts that is how much of us stayed out of trouble.

There is not one movie that every single person appreciate, but then we have something to discuss face to face and not only in a forum.

Dracula's Last Rites (1980)

If its a Canon release expect to be disappointed and ripped off

[2/10 · 15 May 2021]

I have seen the review for this movie in the Psychotronic Movie Guide 1983, by the way, mine is split into 4 pieces after 38 years of consulting. I would recommend avoiding all of Canon's releases as always putting out a inferior effort to save money for the next idiot concept. Look at AIP instead who became Orion and you get top shelf movie like fantasy Excalibur which still holds up in our post modern era, smerk. Canon's answer is to make a quick knock off to reach the constant cheesy level and no originality. These movies are often available on free streaming channels and sub channels of your local TV station which is how I watch them

This becomes true for everything they released since 1979, but you maybe able to find something that appeals to you going backwards to 60s and just depends on your preferences, as I developed an interest in Jean Rollin movies from France.

I really do like B movies and with digit media documentary commentaries are often more interesting to how they put it all together. Most of the directors where movie buffs like we are, and had to learn as they went along. Clint Eastwood is the most successful of this type of director, where as film school gave us Coppola, Lucas, and Spielberg.

A Name for Evil (1973)

It is true a comment

[2/10 · 12 May 2021]

One thing about heterosexuals guys, or this one, I do not care how good he is looking, I do not want to see another guy naked. Just reacting to the comment I just read..

Hoax (2019)

Hoax 2019 popcorn movie

[7/10 · 4 May 2021]

I like to watch Brain Thompson in almost anything he has done and I still cannot find this on dvd or blu ray. I did find it on You Tube, and saw it twice. So if you want to watch it yourself and form an opinion, go ahead, I did not care for how the movie ended. It is a minor movie, possible a C movie, worth one watch if needing to kill time. Pauly Shore movies are F which means not worth watching.

Untamed Mistress (1956)

IN DEFENSE OF B MOVIES

[7/10 · 3 May 2021]

I love physical media, and for a lot of movies, not just B movies, but A ones as well, the back story is far more interesting than the show itself, or equal to. I would dare anyone to use analogue technology and figure out the math on using a mechanical zoom lenses which had to be metered off with chalk on the ground as to how far the camera had to be moved, try working with a 35mm camera and the car battery packs they ran off of, and count every penny of expense, because film cost big bucks especially in color. The real nightmare was if your distributor pulls out of the deal and they picked up the cost of duplicating all the reels that had to be sent out to all the movie theaters, and they took a good percentage of the profits for the risk. Movie makers often mortgaged their home to pay the financing capital to make a B movie that cost $300,000 by the late 60s to early 70s. I would not try to make a movie with the technology they had and many an idiot making worse movies today with digit media affordable and distribute yourself.

Nude Nuns with Big Guns (2010)

Flashback to 1970s drive in movies

[8/10 · 2 May 2021]

This film is not to be taken seriously, there is never one police investigation at town or state level for many 1st felonies. There is dark humor throughout. I an a non practicing Roman Catholic with basic Christian believes. I do not see this movie glamorizing the content of this movie, as instant justice is dealt out by the nuns with big guns. Frankly, I was hoping for a sequel and some lawsuit with who owns the rights is preventing that.

The Female Bunch (1971)

THE FEMALE BUNCH FOR ME

[6/10 · 25 April 2021]

I agree that this movie is disappointing and poorly directed and acted in many parts. No heath care benefits for Lon Chaney Jr or any other star who died before their time. Still, I was able to watch it all the way through on Tubi. I can think of far worse, Biodome, or any Pauly Shore movie.

Leadbelly (1976)

Rodger E Mosley only leading role in motion pictures.

[10/10 · 14 April 2021]

I have been a fan of Rodger E Mosley after spending many years with him on Magnum PI, but generally I have been disappointed that in the movies, his true charismatic personality does not show up, such as Unlawful Entry. But in Leadbelly Roger is beautiful. I have been trying to find this movie for over one year, and was tired of being burned and disappointed, but yesterday I did find it on a free on demand channel, not on a premium channel. I did find it one eBay for about $20 which I will pay for blue rays, and $10 to $15 for standard DVD, but for a ten star..... I asked for a $16 dollar offer. All of Rock n Roll or dance music came from African Americans like Leadbelly.. The Beatles and many UK acts of The British Invasion were also interested in this older style of music, as well as our Rock N Roll White performers that developed into Rock Pop, and later Progressive Rock.

Tomboy (1985)

Tom Boy 1 of 12 Too Cool for School DVD Pack

[6/10 · 11 April 2021]

Not a flashback for anytime of my young boy to teenager 1970's, or my young adult to college BA and Master degree then first professional job in 1989, nor does it represent the hundreds of people I knew and worked or studied with during this time. However, it simply is a mindless ride into what might of been if all the stars were aligned and an actual UFO had landed inside your favorite college or NFL stadium and world peace had spontaneously broken out. Grab some popcorn, your favorite drink, put the top down on your convertible, and shot for the stars. A Crown International Picture, and thank God, not a Cannon production. I bought a used 12 pack of Too Cool for School as wanted to see The Van, and I will say that you get a full 1920 Kps with 12 chapter index, while a Cannon 4 pack had no chapter indexes and usually 75 minute run time, while AIP run a full 90 minutes. I also own AIP 200 movie pack of drive in both horror and sci fi and most US movies are filmed with professional care, unlike Canon and many International producers.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

[2/10 · 9 April 2021]

I recall buy a ticket to see this movie in the theater, and paid good money and refused to walk out before it was over. The main issues with this from a production point, the original's charm came from its low budget and use of a 16mm camera, while 2 had a much higher budget I guess with a 35mm camera and looks as slick as a 70mm camera. The acting performances for the most part are from season performers where the original they were for the most part just starting out just as Tobe Hopper was. I understand that Cannon released this movie and did a complete re edit. This in itself would explain all the problems that everyone has found with it, and I would hope to find a director's cut of this movie some day. Tobe Hopper obviously was influenced by Alfred Hitchcock which is only a great thing to understand where he is coming from. I did watch this movie for the second time a few years ago, and almost liked it, well in parts.

Three on a Meathook (1972)

Not a Tobe Hopper Movie

[3/10 · 7 April 2021]

I came across this movie in Psychotronic Movie Guide Vol I, and was surprised I could watch it on YouTube. I have done this for Ms. 45, went a few years back to the movie house re release and bought the Blu Ray. What I say on YouTube was unimpressive, the script really was the problem, as the story does not flow as in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I suspect this was the director first or one of his early movies and did not attend film school, and this is true for many independent directors who learned what they could from other directors and production staff including Clint Eastwood. While TCM plays like a reality movies TOaMC is more like a HS dropouts nightmare and I would not have done any better. Watch it, just to say you included it in your viewing history of B movies, but try to watch it free the first time before you invest in a copy.

Magnum, P.I.: The Return of Luther Gillis (1984) Season 4, Episode 16

Filled with laughs

[8/10 · 5 April 2021]

I would agree with the first review that Luther Gillis, but he is a comic foil to Magnum, and throw in Luther's newphew who looks like a Pee Wee Herman 77 lbs weakling who refers to his uncle as Unk with a major studder, and they steal the show. The newphew actually nails his uncle for doing something wrong, and I will not go any further than that. I am 59 now, I was 22 when this episode was new, and had a long standing joke with my local aunt regarding my Unk. She was 48 and now 85 and every member of my central Ohio family loves to laugh. I suspect that most people do.