parry_na Reviews

The Violent Professionals (1973)

Cracking Italian drama!

[8/10 · 8 May 2024]

'The Violent Professionals' - originally known in its native Italy as 'Milano trema: la polizia vuole giustizia' - is a riot from start to finish. After a frenzied first few minutes, in which characters either dispatch or are dispatched with shocking regularity, you can hardly blame smouldering 'tec Giorgio (Luc Merenda) for wanting to walk away. Except he doesn't - he becomes one of those maverick cops who doesn't play by the rules. You know the type. But he does it with a scowl and a pout that makes his journey irresistible.

The pace doesn't slacken; each set piece is meticulously orchestrated and directed (by ever-reliable Sergio Martino). If it occurs to you that some parts of this twisting, complex story might be a little improbable, the violence and car chases make it easy just to go with it: it's one heck of a ride, and I had a lot of fun for the entire 95 minutes. Terrific. My score is 8 out of 10.

Old Dracula (1974)

Vampira!

[3/10 · 8 May 2024]

Vampira is a boring film that without its terrific cast would likely be unwatchable. For a horror/comedy, there's nothing remotely creepy about any of the set pieces and only a smattering of lukewarm jokes.

David Niven injects a lot of charm into the character of Dracula, scurrying through his lines, and Teresa Graves is beguiling as his resurrected wife Vampira. That the subsequent merriment is based on the fact that Vampira has become non-Caucasian as a result of a blood mix-up, the results could have been a lot more awkward. Whilst the humour is always treading water (except at the end), it is never mean-spirited, just not very funny.

And that's the problem. Events roll on and on, with only a familiar face cropping up every so often to sustain any interest. Written by Jeremy Lloyd, who with David Croft co-wrote many successful UK sitcoms, 'Vampira' suggests that Croft might have been the funny one. My score is 3 out of 10.

The Dirtiest Girl I Ever Met (1970)

Cool it, Carol!

[7/10 · 8 May 2024]

As I write these words, 'Cool it, Carol!', directed by Pete Walker who is perhaps better known for his horror films, is close to its silver anniversary. It's sobering to remember that 25 years before the film came out, World War 2 had just come to an end.

A lot changes in 25 years. This story, sometimes known as 'The Dirtiest Girl I Ever Met' stars Janet Lynn as the titular strumpet - and she isn't a strumpet at all. Demure, shy even, she tells her wannabe boyfriend Joe (Robin Asquith) that she just doesn't see sex as a big deal. This comes in handy when the two of them try to make their fortune in London. In other circumstances, Joe becoming her pimp and managing her earnings might portray him as a bit of a git, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

We're never really witnesses to the various sex acts, but rather Joe's reaction as a number of old men disappear into the bedroom with Carol. When she wanders out after it's over for a nice cup of tea, she's not remotely fazed by the ordeal.

Based on real-life events, this slice of exploitation is both naïve and eye-watering in its depiction of the ambitions of these young people, both of whom are well portrayed.

While Askwith became a household name with a series of bawdy comedies, Lynn settled down to a life of domesticity away from the cameras. Jess Conrad, Stubby Kaye and DJ Pete Murray bolster the cast with a series of cameos.

I found this an enjoyable slice of what is now 'period drama'. My score is 7 out of 10.

Paganini (1989)

Kinski's final fling.

[6/10 · 8 May 2024]

This film has a less-than-stellar reputation. Paganini is portrayed by Klaus Kinski in his final film; after failing to persuade his best 'fiend' Werner Herzog to direct, Kinsi did the job himself, electing to use only natural lighting. The resulting scenes are often obscured because of this. Kinski energetically mimes to the frenzied violin playing of Paganini, with his right hand. In close-ups of the genuine player that are spliced in, the instrument is being played with the left hand. These things, the meandering story, and the tasteless sex scenes between the titular character and a series of underage girls, have been used to berate the film. They don't bother me that much, particularly the latter, because that was an undeniable element of the character.

What sets my teeth on edge is the consistent use of screeching, choppy violin 'music' throughout the 81-minute runtime. Of course that was the sound Paganini was known for. Of course it represents his genius and torment (traits Kinski seized upon when he made the film, probably because of the similarities between them both). But it's present all the time, as a backdrop to all the varied emotional moments. What makes Paganini's final, and very powerful, scenes so effective is the comparative silence in which they are represented.

By this time in his life, as the Blu-ray extras attest at length, Kinski felt he was spent, that he 'did not exist', and this exacerbated his extreme behaviour (one commentator tells how every morning, after checking his make-up, the star would smash the mirror, explaining the reflection only has the right to see his image once). I'm not sure whether no one wanted to work with him at this stage, or he wouldn't listen to advice anyway. Whatever, this film cries out for additional eyes during production, a more restrained voice.

'Paganini', or 'Kinski Paganini' has many fine moments. Much of the superb location is well captured, the period and settings are well realised, many of the performances are very good (Kinski's son Nikolai in particular) and there's no denying that Klaus the actor was a force of nature, and delivers a final bombastic performance. It could just have benefitted from a less grating soundtrack. My score is 6 out of 10.

High Tension (2003)

Twisted French slasher

[7/10 · 8 May 2024]

Also known as 'High Tension', this is a violent French slasher directed by Alexandre Aja. Two appealing best mates Marie (Cecile De France) and Alex (Maiwenn Le Besco) are visiting Alex's parents who live in the remote countryside. It's not a complete surprise when people start getting carved up in some graphic and impressively staged set pieces. That's the story for most of the film.

For such subject matter, I found the relentless 'going through the motions' of such a genre film tough going after a while, and the antagonist is somewhat underwhelming, both in terms of presence and physicality. Just an ordinary, middle-aged man, really.

When filmmakers (or writers of fiction in general) choose to plant a big twist toward the end of a story, it presents a huge risk. For the biggest misfire I'm aware of, we have to travel all the way back to 1935's 'Mark of the Vampire', where all the carefully layered and staged elements that made the viewing experience so delightfully gothic were all undone when a giant revelation ripped the ground from under the audience and destroyed the atmosphere. As far as twists go, I either love them or hate them.

Except for here. The reveal is expertly done, and very well played. And yet as soon as it happens, I wasn't sure whether it actually made sense or undermined much of what we'd seen thus far. Ultimately, I recommend just going with it. The twist may not stand up to scrutiny, but is undeniably entertaining, and answers as many questions as it poses. My score is 7 out of 10.

Wrath of Dracula (2023)

Enjoyable low budget horror ...

[7/10 · 11 March 2024]

Mark Topping plays a hesitantly spoken chauvinistic Van Helsing, and Hannaj Bang Bendz is a resilient, modern-looking Mina Harker in this wordy adaption of Bram Stoker's most famous story. The project is helmed by prolific writer/director Steve Lawson, the man behind the equally dialogue-driven 'Jekyll and Hyde', 'Ripper Untold' and 'Mummy Resurrection' among others, all released over the last few years. He specialises in modestly budgeted productions, alongside Creativ Studios who maintain that the limited number of sets and locations look good.

Films like this are an acquired taste. Some reviewers seem offended by the static style of such productions, but they are obviously successful enough to continue. I rather like them - they are invariably well-acted and the stories are interestingly told. This is an adaption that creates an even bigger enemy than Sean Cronin's bullet-headed Count - sexism against women. Mina, always glamorous and confident, interrupts her vampire hunting, where she's hoping to rescue Dean Marshall's wet hubby Harker, to explain how able women generally are, and how the world seems designed to undermine them, often with a raised eyebrow; Van Helsing can only bow his head in quiet agreement.

Some of the action sequences don't work, but other than that, this is up to the usual standard of Steve Lawson's productions. It won't appeal to everyone. But what it does, it does well. The performances are very good (there's a real sense of menace and power from Cronin's Dracula) and the adaption is thoughtfully told. Interestingly, a series of out-takes play under the end credits. My score is 7 out of 10.

Here Comes the Devil (2012)

Ahí Va El Diablo

[7/10 · 11 March 2024]

'Here Comes the Devil', or to give it its Mexican title 'Ahí va el diablo', is a splendidly disturbing story about a couple who manage to lose their adolescent children Sara (Michele Garcia) and Adolfo (Alan Martinez). This comes after a prologue where a serial killer disappears amidst a body of caves, exactly where the siblings go missing.

What follows is a slow-moving chiller that grows more uneasy as it goes. There are few obvious scares, but when they come, they are surprisingly gory. The deliberately erratic camerawork and pulsing, ambient incidental score both contribute to this, giving the film a real sense of its own identity, despite comparisons with various other 'possessed children' tales.

Perfectly normal landscapes and locations look increasingly sinister, and the entrance to the cave has an almost vulva-like appearance, which is fitting given the suggested sexual flavour this possession has.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

The body and the blood!

[6/10 · 11 March 2024]

It takes verve to helm a sequel/reboot to a film so horrific and controversial that it was banned for over 10 years in the UK. To match it in terms of reputation, you might have to risk making something so frightening that it runs the risk of being banned for a further 10 years. Either that or offer something new to the franchise.

David Gordon Green, who directed the recent Halloween Trilogy, has bitten the bullet and gone with this. At the time of writing, any hopes he had of handling a further planned trilogy - or if there will be a trilogy at all - are up in the air; Exorcist Believer has met with hostile reviews and disappointing box office receipts.

Making a mainstream film that genuinely shocks people is, in my view, near impossible these days, when people are encouraged to be offended by so many things. Also, a big company like Universal would doubtless like as wide a demographic as possible for this, so nothing too hostile has been allowed. In other words, the project was doomed before it started. Nothing compares to the original. Even as far back as 1977, and the first ill-fated sequel, something entirely different was produced. At least, if you'll forgive me, that had balls; this doesn't really.

We go through familiar Exorcist beats here. The concept has been the subject of many possession films over the years, some a good deal worse than this, and others rather better. It's a mixed bag to be sure. The two girls at the centre of it all play their roles as well as they can be expected to do, but their progressive make-up is increasingly silly, and we cease to know them in the way we got to know Regan all these decades ago. Equally, there's something vaguely comical when we have them both going through the throes of their possession, all tongues and grimacing, like a pair of gurning cabbage patch kids. That said, often in these kinds of chillers, 'troubled' children come across as petulant and pandered to - at least we're spared that.

Of the two families, widower Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) isn't easy to warm to. Not very neighbourly, and not very considerate to anyone other than his daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett), it's only through his suffering do we have any empathy for him. The second girl, Katherine West (Olivia O'Neill) is less central to things, and her parents are virtually superfluous to events.

Things begin promisingly as the two youngsters venture into a forest to perform a séance to contact Angela's dead mother, and are not seen for three days. When they do turn up, they display increasing symptoms of possession. After this, things lose their way a bit as more characters are introduced - including Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) from the original, who has a sticky time of it, mainly due to Victor's extraordinary decision to allow the 90-year-old woman to face the horrors alone. The resultant exorcism is drawn out and follows the beats of the original, but far less effectively.

I don't think this production is anywhere as near as bad as some say; neither is it particularly good. There's a chance that, like the Halloween Trilogy, future instalments would add elements to make this Chapter One of a far more fulfilling experience, but as a standalone film, Exorcist: Believer is a victim, not of demonic possession, but of mainstream cinema's apparent inability to make anything truly unnerving for fear upsetting people in today's fragile world.

Flesh for Frankenstein (1973)

Hang him on my wall ...

[7/10 · 11 March 2024]

Paul Morrissey, best known for his association with notorious pop artist Andy Warhol, writes and directs this adaption of Mary Shelley's famous monster yarn. Arguably, the monster in this version is the driven Baron Von Frankenstein, played by the excellent Udo Kier. He wants to create an artificial couple to mate and produce an army that will obey his commands. Nothing understated there then, and that includes Kier's performance which is rich, wide-eyed and convincingly insane. In an interview, Kier admitted his command of English was shaky at the time; he wasn't aware of what a gall bladder was - the most famous line in the film 'to know life, you first have to **** death in the gall bladder' no longer quite has the same impact!

Meant to shock as a priority, the film's release was originally released in 3D, hence much is made of bloody body parts appearing to pour out of the screen. Some moments are revolting, and the mix of sex, death, dissection and necrophilia is heady. The open-ended finale is frustrating - especially for Srdjan Zelenovic!

Acting is variable. Monique van Vooren is effective as Baroness Katrin Frankenstein, as is writer, model and actress Dalila Di Lazzaro as the nameless silent female 'monster'. The Baron's two children witness much of the gore, especially in the latter stages of the story; I'm sure that such a thing wouldn't happen nowadays. Surely someone somewhere would be offended on behalf of the juveniles. It didn't do young Nicoletta Elmi (Monica) any harm. Elmi appeared in many Mario Bava and Dario Argentino thrillers throughout the '70s and '80s and was a familiar face even here, at the age of 9.

Frequently grotesque and surprisingly dull in places, but featuring a musical score (by Claudio Gizzi) that is often breathtakingly gorgeous, Flesh for Frankenstein is nevertheless a must-see if you are a horror film fan. My score is 7 out of 10.

Vampyrer (2008)

Not like Others!

[7/10 · 22 December 2023]

I love the classic idea of vampires, the grand, cape-swirling children of the night. But I also really enjoy films that suggest that vampires are perfectly ordinary people you would pass in the street.

This Swedish vampire story deals with two sisters who make the mistake of killing and draining a key member of a biker gang (which could easily be seen as self defence as he was trying to rape one of them at the time). Suddenly our sympathies are with Vanja and Vera and the remaining bikers - the ordinary people - are very much the aggressors as they follow them relentlessly through streets and town centres.

This isn't an eventful film, but I get the impression it is deliberately low-key. It's just one event in the day-to-day (or night-to-night) existence of two vampires in the modern world, and as such it it worth watching - not least for the performances, which are excellent, and the night-time filming, which really puts over the loneliness and desolation the two sisters have to deal with.

Raised by Wolves (2014)

Better than you might imagine ...

[7/10 · 22 December 2023]

Sometimes when watching slasher films, it's difficult to sympathise with the teen heroes/cyphers, who are depicted as writers think teens always are - either horny, drunk or stoners. In this one, they're all three and more besides. Any attempt to make this bunch likeable has been left firmly at the door. So with that in mind, it's easier to sit back and enjoy the fun when this group stumble across an abandoned house in the middle of the desert. The house has a history; there's a very good reason it's been abandoned.

From here on in, 'Raised by Wolves' is a good, satisfying example of its type. Retired adult film star Jenna Haze is top-billed on some of the promotional material, but her appearance is little more than a cameo. The rest of the film is occasionally effectively spooky, and you do get a sense of 'something' playing with these pretty irredeemable characters. My score is 7 out of 10.

The Frankenstein Theory (2013)

Monster fun in the snow ...

[8/10 · 20 December 2023]

I'm not sure the phrase 'you've been had' is quite as apt as it is with this film. And rarely has it been so enjoyable to be on the receiving end of such a big tease. Director and co-writer Andrew Weiner has assembled a fine cast and crew to helm this found-footage extravaganza which takes in extensive location filming in Canada, although the end credits state filming in Alaska. Another little tease?

We spend much time with a group of filmmakers eager to capture the sight of the legendary Frankenstein Monster, rumoured to be hiding in the showy wastes. It's wonderful to believe the poor Creature has indeed made a home for himself far from humankind and is relatively happy. Entrepreneur Jonathan Venkenheim (Kris Lemche) isn't interested in the Monster's contentment; he wants to make a name for himself. The crew he gathers around him are caught up in his dreams, but become increasingly - and understandably - despondent. All are very well cast and share many moments of amusing camaraderie - or not.

So good is their company, that I almost forgot what I watched this for, and it's just as well because we have to wait an inordinately long time before we set eyes on the furious focus of Venkenheim's obsession. You may feel cheated by the outcome, or you may thoroughly enjoy this venture. I did.

Family Life (1971)

Wednesday's Child

[9/10 · 9 November 2023]

There was a slew of grim kitchen sink dramas around the '60s and '70s in British cinema, and they were often done extremely well. Such is the case here with Ken Loach and David Mercer's superficially simple story of Janice, played by Sandy Ratcliff. There might be said to be extra poignancy given that Ratcliff had a public battle with her own demons following her successful stint on BBC1's EastEnders years later. As Janice, she conveys heart-breakingly the fragility and difficult journey she faces - as well as the battles with those around her.

Her parents, a suitably gruff Bill Dean and Grace Cave (the characters are not given names, which distances them from the audience further) have moments when they appear genuinely to care for their daughter, but for the most part, they are monstrous in their belittlement and dismissal of her, whilst clinging onto their perceived decency and morals; the ultimate hypocrites. Non-conformist boyfriend Tim (Malcolm Tierney) genuinely wants to look after Jan, but has no concept of seeing beyond his own sense of rebellion. Those in charge of the hospital division interested in offering care for the girl are themselves at the mercy of cut-throat penny pinchers more concerned with ticking boxes and self-promotion than actually listening to what's going on.

Jan is at everyone's mercy, and it is difficult to watch her decline. The film ends midway through a scene, offering us no hope of any answers. We'd like to think she'll be alright. Wouldn't we?

Very powerful. Almost too much so at times. Not based on a true story; this is based on too many true stories. Times have changed since the early '70s of course, but the issues still remain, and so do the outside elements that exacerbate them. My score is 9 out of 10.

The Reckoning (2023– )

An appalling true horror story.

[9/10 · 19 October 2023]

'The Reckoning' follows, in flashback, a series of increasingly harrowing events that made up the life of Jimmy Saville. The effective thing for me, having grown up in an era when not only Saville, but other personalities were subsequently revealed as private perverts, is that the revelations about his private personality fit exactly with my memories of him on television. Unlike Rolf Harris, for example, who came across as loveable and avuncular, Saville's onscreen personality always had a hard edge to it. Stories of 'being feared in every girl's school across the land', T-shirts emblazoned with 'I'm An Animal', a fondness for girls over women because 'they don't know as much' were happily flaunted on his television appearances. So seeing him disappearing back stage after an episode of 'Jim'll Fix It' with a young boy into his dressing room is horrible to watch but not entirely unsurprising.

Hiding in plain site, indeed. His confidence increased the more he got away with his crimes, and in turn, his net of victims widened. This highly polished, grim docu-drama never allows us to see what happened behind closed doors, but we're left in no doubt. And yes, Steve Coogan is brilliant in the role. What a brave performance.

The main criticism I've seen of this is that it wasn't a straight documentary. Once it became a professional drama, critics have said, it becomes 'entertainment', which it should surely never be? I can sympathise with that point of view, but I honestly feel that if we just had a series of talking heads describing events, we wouldn't be allowed to feel the horror and revulsion of the unfolding dramatic events. Certain liberties were taken with what happened, but an interesting inclusion is the suggested fear Saville had of the afterlife and his subsequent punishment. Of course, his public persona never showed an ounce of self-doubt, and that undoubtedly contributed in him getting away with it. Perhaps his private remorse was included to make us viewers feel that there may be an element of karma, a possible reassurance that ultimately, he will have paid a price.

The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle (1982)

Looks like Jess Franco lost interest ...

[5/10 · 6 October 2023]

In a film with this kind of title, directed by Jess Franco, it's no surprise that not ten minutes have gone by before the two main characters are enjoying each other's company intimately. Emmanuelle and her husband Andreus have chosen a curiously unfrequented wax museum to indulge in some brief sex. Franco regular Antonio Mayans, billed here as Robert Foster plays hubby.

Of all the many females to have adorned Jess Franco's productions, Muriel Montossé is the one I find the most titillating. That's a purely personal view of course, but apart from her stunning looks and shape, she is also a very good actress, really capable of selling the allure of the two - surprisingly similar - main characters she has played for Franco. In fact, the similarities between this film (which contains no orgies, by the way - the title is typically provocative more than it is accurate) and the following year's 'Cecilia' are palpable. In both productions, the two actors play an equally fractious couple who find their rocky relationship fuelled by their peccadillos.

Here, we have rugged Tony Skios playing Marqués who the film is eager to show us from the opening voiceover onwards, is an absolute swine. His sharp-dressed swagger and smouldering looks paint him as a very laconic rotter, except other than proving to be less sexually impressive than he believes himself to be, he proves to be as much of a cypher as the other characters. The plot peters out into a flurry of thankfully non-invasive sex scenes, all accompanied by briskly plucked flamenco guitar music. No need to worry about missing any vital parts of the storyline because there aren't any - but then, any aficionado of Franco would be familiar with this approach. By the end, it is unclear whether the viewer has lost interest in the film, or Franco himself; it does seem very slapdash in its final act.

Muriel Montossé has escaped the fate of some of Jess's performers and enjoyed a prolific career, and she certainly gives Emmanuelle more overt sexuality and character than we might otherwise have got, but despite the lip-smacking locations, there's not a huge amount to get excited about here. My score is 5 out of 10.

Psycho Storm Chaser (2021 TV Movie)

'This isn't Shakespeare, it's a storm.'

[6/10 · 6 October 2023]

Rib Hillis, whose name looks like a typo, has great fun investing the titular character with as much pantomime villainy as possible; he leads the cast of this TV Movie. It has an interesting, if not bizarre, premise. His character Carl Highstrom uses extreme storms to cover up his crimes.

There is an impressive arsenal of effects on display that do their best to convince us there is extreme storm activity, there's overacting, and there's a surprisingly undramatic story. Several unevenly staged effects are employed to make Highstrom appear as evil as possible, but he never rises above daytime television nastiness. My score for this is 6 out of 10.

House of Shadows (2020)

Well played but unhorrific horror ...

[5/10 · 6 October 2023]

I quite enjoyed this low-key tale of a young couple moving into a house in Spain. It has been inherited by Sarah (Elena Delia) much to her surprise, and her and boyfriend Jared's (Luke Bailey) delight in discovering the spacious rooms and new home comforts endears us to them. So, when inevitably unpleasant things start to happen, we're on their side.

Unfortunately, these occurrences are far from horrific and this isn't down to the low budget. Director Nicholas Winter fails to invest anything that might frighten, or indeed much in the way of atmosphere. Instead, it falls to the small cast to react to and fall under the influence of the evil influence Sarah's dead mother (whose house this was) has left there. This asks too much of the actors, who work hard, but aren't helped by a lack of any tangible nastiness. My score is 5 out of 10.

Prey for the Devil (2022)

Predictable but entertaining horror ...

[5/10 · 6 October 2023]

There have been many exorcism films produced in the fifty years since 1973's 'The Exorcist'. So how come none have come close to the original? It might seem unfair to compare possession films, but William Friedkin's take on William Peter Blatty's screenplay was so wholly dark and horrifying, and cast such a huge shadow, it's perhaps not astonishing nothing since has come close.

Here we have a fairly formulaic exorcism film, featuring impressive production values and often very strong acting. The story goes through the usual paces and produces a few moments that might chill the viewer. If this is the first such film you ever saw, you might be impressed, if a little bored.

Daniel Stamm's direction makes good use of the locations and goes through the motions of CGI which works some of the time and looks ludicrous at others. Performances from Posy Taylor as Natalie, Jacqueline Byers as Sestra Ann, Colin Salmon as Ojciec Quinn and a frail-looking Ben Cross as Kardynal Matthews (he died ten days after completion) are notable in a sea of good performances.

Yet 'Prey for the Devil' buckles beneath the shadow that falls across it, and remains a box-ticking exercise in emulating scenes from other such productions. My score is 5 out of 10.

It Came from Below (2021)

Claustrophobic, low-key thriller

[6/10 · 6 October 2023]

This is a kind of 'Descent'- inspired horror featuring a group of youngsters - not the best of friends by any means, which creates some interesting dynamics - tramping through some splendidly creepy woodlands to explore an equally creepy cave system.

The incidental music is very effective, but often too loud so that it drowns out some of the dialogue, and the acting is fine, if never spectacular. All in all, this is a very decent independent production. It even has elements of found footage, when the characters chart their progress with a webcam, although not much is made of this approach.

Jessie's (Megan Purvis) not having much fun. Her family and past have some connections with these caves, which is her reason for being in this production. We see little of the reptilian cave-dwellers, and perhaps wisely for a low-budget venture such as this, they are shrouded in darkness. Sometimes there is so much shadow it's difficult to know what's going on - another regular challenge with independent films. This is played with gusto and makes the most of its location. My score is 6 out of 10.

Watcher (I) (2022)

Intersting, well filmed chiller ...

[7/10 · 6 October 2023]

A lonely housewife, bored and isolated in a foreign place, imagines she is being stalked; meanwhile, there are news reports of a killer on the streets. Is she imagining her predicament, or is it real?

Not the most original premise for a plot. It's been done many times before, but Chloe Okuno directs her story so artily and invests the Bucharest location with such an atmosphere, and the acting is so good, that it's difficult not to become immersed in this. Every player makes the most of their roles without ever overdoing things. There's a certain restraint all around, in fact, that the moments of revelation - and there are a few - are that much more powerful. All accompanied by a backdrop of seemingly endless city rain

Kudos to Maika Monroe as Julia, whom no one believes, Karl Glusman as husband Francis, who begins sympathetically before proving to be absolutely useless. Madalina Anea deserves mention as Irina, a welcome shoulder for Julia (at least for a while) to lean on and Burn Gorman as Daniel, whose sly glances and furtive gait are open to interpretation throughout.

'Watcher' tells its story well and then leaves the viewer to join the pieces together. Possibly there's an overuse of un-subtitled Romanian chit-chat to convey Julia's feelings of exclusion away from home, and it's true to say that some of the cast could do with speaking up more. But I found this very enjoyable - and yes, it does all make sense. My score is 7 out of 10.

The Flesh of the Orchid (1975)

Looks good, but ...

[4/10 · 6 October 2023]

This is a beautifully photographed thriller starring a cast of prolific actors, from Charlotte Rampling, Bruno Cremer (whom I recognised from the wonderful Vanessa Paradis vehicle 'Noce Blanche/White Wedding') and Hugues Quester (from Jean Rollin's extraordinary 'La Rose de fer/The Iron Rose'). If I was more familiar with French cinema, I'm sure a lot more actors would be recognisable to me.

Rampling does here what she always does - adds a lot more to her role (that of Claire) than is written. Yet, even she cannot make anything compelling out of this wafer-thin story, which involves little more than shunting her from one freezingly stunning location to another. There's sporadic blood and violence, but the main attraction this has for me is to enjoy the way the story is told, rather than the story itself. Even that becomes somewhat laborious from time to time, sadly. My score is 4 out of 10.

The Long Night (2022)

A horrific descent into delirium ...

[8/10 · 6 October 2023]

The first few minutes of Rich Ragsdale's 2022 film had me feeling cautious. I couldn't see how this cosily directed story about an attractive, slightly annoying young couple could shift in style throughout its 91 minutes enough to be a convincing horror. I think it was about the time that Grace (top screamer Scout Taylor-Compton, probably best known for her enthusiastic turn as Laurie Strode in Rob Zombie's two enjoyable 'Halloween' films) was having a shard of glass removed from the underside of her foot by her plank of a husband Jack (Nolan Gerard Funk). It's a jarringly gruesome scene, and the camera is in no hurry to move away from it.

I can't help but notice other reviewers have pointed out that this story is little more than horror set-pieces and clichés taken from other genre films. I can't really disagree with this - there are certainly some familiar ideas here - but also should point out that you wouldn't necessarily notice this sense of déjà vu if you weren't an avid horror film watcher. As such, it's unfair to expect every genre film to present something entirely unlike the plethora of other horrors seen. There's bound to be a certain similarity with other like-minded productions, especially those of 'folk horror', a niche into which 'The Long Night' (also known as 'The Coven') happily falls.

There's also a continuing thread featuring snakes, which doesn't add hugely to the story, other than to allow a scene during the climax to look extremely unpleasant.

I liked this film a lot. To begin so meekly, and then to develop into something increasingly twisted ensures the gruesomeness during the latter half is satisfyingly unexpected, and its leaning into delirium is powerful indeed. My score is 8 out of 10.

Girl on the Third Floor (2019)

Interesting and unusual horror ...

[7/10 · 6 October 2023]

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the nastiest of them all? Hot-tempered philanderer Don (CM Punk, under his real name Phil Brooks)? He has a one-night stand while his pregnant wife is away working to keep him in money, and he explains the affair by saying 'it is what it is'. Or maybe it's sultry temptress Sarah (Sarah Brooks) who, knowing his marital situation, is more than happy to get her leg over? Certainly, it isn't Cooper, his Alsatian, whose every glare can either be charming, intimidatory, funny or just plain hungry.

Whatever the deficiencies in the characters, they are at least interesting, and the continual haunted mischief of the house he is trying to renovate ("Who paints a room pink?") is well-staged and eerily relentless. The unravelling story is strangely compelling and the flawed characters are well played. Director Travis Stevens does a good job of piling on the menace, and if it isn't particularly scary, it is certainly brutal and something that makes an impression. I like the way Don's beloved death metal music seeps into the incidental, providing quite a unique score.

Like Stevens' 2015 film, 'We Are Still Here' (a favourite of mine), 'Girl on the Third Floor' leaves us with questions only generally skirted over - which I have no problem with. I'm not a fan of undoing all the carefully built-up atmosphere by explaining everything away, but we're made to wait until near the end before Don's behaviour is - partially - explained. My score is 7 out of 10.

11th Hour Cleaning (2022)

A world within a world ...

[8/10 · 6 October 2023]

A nicely paced, carefully made low-budget horror film, with a small cast of convincing actors and some immersive sound design. Director and co-writer Ty Leisher creates here a character-based, claustrophobic nightmare featuring my favourite setting - a world within a world.

Four crime scene cleaners find the house they are refining is under the spell of a Nordic demon, which you might consider to be bad enough - but it also makes escape impossible and maintains that whatever goes on inside is imperceptible to those outside. That's to say anyone calling will find the house impenetrable but there will be nothing of a suspicious nature, entirely impervious to the panicked cries of those inside the dwelling unable to make themselves heard.

The rising panic is well conveyed, and the occasional reminders of the characters' personal situations cause additional friction. The marrying of the mundanities of every day relationships and the madness of demonic possession is effectively conveyed. Only the familiar modulated voices and glowing CGI eyes advertise any unoriginality. My score is 8 out of 10.

Legend of Hawes (2022)

Decent horror Western ...

[6/10 · 6 October 2023]

A curiously produced film, inconsistent in tone. Very talky scenes are followed by often boringly staged action sequences that tend to drag. Shortly after we've been introduced to the characters - Emily Whitcomb as Harriet, the lone survivor of a vicious attack and the gunman she hires Hawes, played by Mike Markoff - there's a long scene with a widower and her young son, that serves no purpose, and is never referred to again.

Director and co-writer Rene Perez has proven prolific in low-budget horror and, despite the erratic nature of 'The Legend of Hawes', is an interesting name nonetheless. Visually, this has a washed-out look, as if the saturation has been filtered down, giving an oddly grey sheen to the often-sunny locations. Also, Perez has decided to liberally embellish the film with faux scratches and blurs from time to time, perhaps in a bid to liven up the very long dialogue-heavy scenes.

I find it hard to be too critical of this; it was clearly made with little budget and boasts a convincing cast of actors who do their best to breathe life into the lacklustre characters. The rampaging murderers who make lives miserable in this Wild Western location are a curiously interesting bunch of outlaws, growling behind their effective flesh masks, although we learn little about them. There's a refreshing pro-religion theme lightly sprinkled throughout too, which doesn't happen often. My score is 6 out of 10.