Hey_Sweden Reviews

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Premonition (1955) Season 1, Episode 2

A cracking episode.

[8/10 · 1 May 2024]

John Forsythe ('Dynasty') plays Kim Stanger, a composer / musician who returns to the U. S. from Paris. He's had a premonition that something was very wrong back at home. He finds that his younger brother (Warren Stevens, "Forbidden Planet"), sister-in-law (Cloris Leachman, "The Last Picture Show") and her lawyer father (George Macready, "Paths of Glory") are all being extremely cagey about the fate of Kims' father Greg.

The less you know about this solid script (by Harold Swanton), the better. As I begin to work my way through this legendary TV series, I found that there was a real delight in getting to the "big reveal", in much the same way that the later, equally memorable series 'The Twilight Zone' also worked. And then I went back over the story in my mind, and realized that the clues to the end *were* there, a proper element of good writing.

Ably directed by Robert Stevens, who guided 44 episodes of this series in total (and who also worked on 'Suspense' and the aforementioned 'The Twilight Zone'), this is fine entertainment indeed, given gravitas by an excellent cast also including character actors Percy Helton ("20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"), Harry Tyler ("The Grapes of Wrath"), and Paul Brinegar ('Rawhide').

This is even better than the first episode, 'Revenge'.

Eight out of 10.

Endless Night (I) (1972)

Some are born to endless night.

[6/10 · 29 April 2024]

Welsh actor Hywel Bennett ("Percy") plays Michael Rogers, a fairly aimless young working man who still wants some of the finer things in life. He falls in love with a piece of land called Gypsy's Acre, and subsequently, a luminous American rich girl named Ellie Thomsen (a gorgeous and effervescent Hayley Mills). Despite some initial misgivings on his part about carrying on with such a wealthy person, they enter into marriage, living on a luxurious estate designed by architect Santonix (Swedish actor Per Oscarsson, "The Night Visitor").

Although this seems to be a fairly unremarkable love story for much of the running time, this IS an adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel, so it DOES make you curious as to where it's going. It does lead to a pretty good twist late in the game, whether the viewer sees it coming or not. Then one may realize just how much they've been manipulated up to that point.

The cast is game, with Bennett doing a particularly good job. Mills of such Disney fare as "Pollyanna" and "That Darn Cat!" makes for a VERY appealing leading lady, with the equally lovely Britt Ekland ("The Man with the Golden Gun") leaving a strong impression as a slightly overbearing character named Greta. The excellent supporting cast includes Lois 'Miss Moneypenny' Maxwell, George Sanders ("All About Eve"), Aubrey Richards ("The Ipcress File"), Patience Collier ("Fiddler on the Roof"), Peter Bowles ("Blow-Up"), David Bauer ("Diamonds Are Forever"), Helen Horton ("Phase IV"), Madge Ryan ("A Clockwork Orange"), Windsor Davies ('It Ain't Half Hot Mum'), and Walter Gotell ("The Spy Who Loved Me").

Atmospheric handling, by screenwriter-director Sidney Gilliat ("The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery"), and slick film-making make this a reasonably absorbing story with a finale that made the whole thing worthwhile for me.

Six out of 10.

Spider-Man: Spider-Man Meets Dr. Noah Boddy/The Fantastic Fakir (1967) Season 1, Episode 12

"If I don't get off these nails, my feet will be Swiss cheese!"

[8/10 · 28 April 2024]

'Spider-Man Meets Dr. Noah Boddy'.

The title villain (voiced by Henry Ramer) starts framing Jameson for crimes after the publisher refused to print any stories about Boddy's mastery of invisibility. Good fun for Spidey fans, with the web-head having his work cut out for him at first, having to confront a villain whom he can't see. But some well-placed ink creates a trail for Spidey to follow. The segment also benefits from a typically maniacal, grandiose bad guy well voiced by Ramer. One of the biggest laughs happens when a net Spidey tried to use to catch Boddy lands on Jameson.

'The Fantastic Fakir'.

This time around, the bad guy - a fakir is a Hindu holy man with a command of magic - uses his flute music to create illusions and obstacles for Spidey to overcome, while plotting to steal valuable gems. This antagonist is voiced by Paul Soles, also the regular voice of Spidey / Peter Parker, and he's a hoot, although modern viewers, in this politically correct era, may be thunderstruck by some of the characters & lines. Best of all is when the villain is able to place hot coals and needles under Spidey's feet. It's just too hilarious watching Spidey dance in pain before he is able to get past these obstacles. The episode ends with yet another of Jamesons' slams against kids.

Eight out of 10.

Star Trek: The Omega Glory (1968) Season 2, Episode 23

It's still "we the people", right?

[7/10 · 28 April 2024]

The Enterprise finds another starship, the Exeter, in orbit around the planet Omega Four. Kirk & others beam aboard the starship to find your standard-issue "ghost ship": all the crew is dead of a disease that drained all the water from their bodies and left only crystals. The landing party then beam down to the planet to find a Federation captain (Morgan Woodward, "Battle Beyond the Stars") who has gone rogue. He's interfering in the war between two of the peoples, in order to find the secret of their incredibly long lives.

Roddenberry himself scripted another in the line of stories involving the violation of the "Prime Directive". As such, it tells a pretty familiar tale, but there are still good ideas present, especially at the end when Kirk is able to make some of the characters see reason, in his inimitable way. We also get to see Kirk in full "action hero" mode, as he repeatedly tussles with Captain Tracey as well as a character named "Cloud William" (Roy Jenson, "Chinatown"). The real joy for me in this episode was the presentation of the initial mystery, and in watching Shatner as Kirk again attempts to be the problem solver. Guest star Woodward is just as effective here playing the madman as he was in the first season episode 'Dagger of the Mind'.

Most interesting here is the fact that Scotty does not appear in this episode (nor does Chekov). In his place, Sulu assumes command while Kirk & Spock are off the ship. Also, during the original airing of this episode back in 1968, NBC announced that the series *would* be renewed for a third season, and told viewers that sending any more letters would NOT be necessary!

Seven out of 10.

Three's Company: The Harder They Fall (1979) Season 3, Episode 18

"He was so tall, everything he said went right over my head."

[7/10 · 28 April 2024]

Janet is working at the flower shop when she meets a handsome customer, Gregg Halliday (Rod McCary, "Stir Crazy"). She decides to bring him back to the apartment, letting Chrissy know that she would like the place to herself for a while. But Jack ends up falling down the steps, and breaks his leg. So he pretty much *has* to stick around now. Meanwhile, Stanley's only concern is not for Jacks' welfare; he's afraid Jack will sue him due to Stanley having hosed down the steps earlier.

'The Harder They Fall' is a pleasant, at times very funny, but not quite uproarious episode. It's at its best and brightest when it comes to showcasing Johns' flairs for physical comedy. To that end, the final bit of slapstick, involving several of the principals, is highly amusing; Stanley ends up with a potted plant on his head. There's also another of those typical 'Three's Company' moments when Jack & Chrissy overhear Janet & Gregg discuss her ferns, and *they* think that she's talking about her breasts. One of the best laughs I had was when Jack easily predicted a line that Gregg does in fact utter presently.

Guest star McCary would return to the series in season seven, playing a similarly sleazy character.

Seven out of 10.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)

Not prime early Argento, but still worth a watch.

[7/10 · 27 April 2024]

Michael Brandon ("Lovers and Other Strangers") plays Roberto, drummer in a rock band. He's seen a mysterious man follow him around, and angrily decides to confront the guy. In the process, he accidentally kills him! Then he realizes that someone else has witnessed this killing - a person who then proceeds to terrorize him. Rather than involve the police, he tries to deal with the problem himself.

The final film in master stylist Dario Argentos' "Animal Trilogy" (after "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" and "The Cat O'Nine Tails"), this was considered to be a "lost" film for a long time, since it had not been available on home video. While the film shows Argento to be in good form - as usual, he knows how to create great visuals - the story is only so-so; even this viewer saw the ending coming a mile away.

Brandon is a dull actor here, playing an uninteresting protagonist, with Mimsy Farmer ("Autopsy") coming off a bit better as Robertos' wife Nina. There *are* some colorful supporting characters to compensate: French actor Jean-Pierre Marielle ("The Da Vinci Code") is a standout as the gay private detective whom Roberto hires; Oreste Lionello ("The Case of the Bloody Iris") is a hoot as a hammock-dwelling kook called "The Professor". Bud Spencer (the "Trinity" films) makes a very welcome handful of appearances as a friend of Robertos' who is addressed as "God".

Overall, "Four Flies on Grey Velvet" is good entertainment, and worth a look for Argento completists. The Ennio Morricone score is a heavy asset, although a disagreement between composer & filmmaker would prevent them from working together again for many years. In the meantime, Italian rock band Goblin would become regular composers for Argentos' pictures.

Seven out of 10.

The Glass Shield (1994)

Fairly powerful urban cop drama.

[7/10 · 25 April 2024]

Michael Boatman ('Spin City') plays J. J. Johnson, an ambitious young black policeman who gets singled out for an honor: he is posted to the Sheriffs' Department at Edgemar Station. As the only black lawman there, he is a definite outsider, as is Deborah Fields (Lori Petty, "Point Break"), the only female cop with the department. J. J. Is at first content not to make waves, and to support his fellow officers, but he comes to learn just how crooked and racist they all are.

The main story thread deals with an innocent young black man, Teddy Woods (Ice Cube), who is hassled and turned into a convenient suspect when a mans' wife is murdered.

This is a good story inspired by a real-life case and an un-produced screenplay by Ned Welsh. We do see how these men in these positions of authority have been abusing that authority for a long time, and we are properly frustrated at seeing how hard it is to take them down. It benefits from having a lead character who is not so squeaky-clean, making his big mistake by initially taking the side of his fellow officers. The antagonists are all thoroughly disreputable types guaranteed to get some viewers' blood boiling.

Boatman does a solid job anchoring the tale with his sincere performance, and has good chemistry with Petty. But this thing has an *amazing* supporting cast full of familiar faces, including, but not limited to, Richard "Oscar Goldman" Anderson, Don Harvey ("Die Hard 2"), Elliott Gould ("The Long Goodbye"), Bernie Casey ("I'm Gonna Git You Sucka"), Wanda De Jesus ("Blood Work"), Victoria Dillard ("Ali"), Michael Ironside ("Starship Troopers"), Sy Richardson ("Straight to Hell"), and M. Emmet Walsh ("Blood Simple"). Casey is a standout as a savvy defense attorney.

Scripted and directed by Charles Burnett, whose other pictures include "Killer of Sheep" and "To Sleep with Anger", this made for a compelling tale indeed.

Seven out of 10.

Serial (1980)

Honor thy wife...and everyone elses'.

[7/10 · 23 April 2024]

"Serial" is a bright, upbeat comedy that does an excellent job of satirizing some of the tropes of sunny southern California of the period, focusing on one fad-crazed bunch in particular. The only "normal" one in the group is the flustered Harvey Holroyd (a likeable Martin Mull, in his first starring role), who has to navigate his way among all these trendy "types" (played by - among others - Sally Kellerman, Peter Bonerz, Nita Talbot, Pamela Bellwood, Barbara Rhoades, and the ever-adorable Tuesday Weld, who plays Harvey's wife Kate).

Based on a novel by Cyra McFadden, and scripted by TV veterans Rich Eustis & Michael Elias, "Serial" offers on-target jabs at its subjects without ever being particularly mean-spirited. It's hard to resist, especially with such a talented cast playing these characters. Also putting in appearances are Bill Macy, Tom Smothers, Stacey Nelkin, Clark Brandon, Robin Sherwood, Mark L. Taylor, Rosanna DeSoto, Peter Horton, and Scott Paulin. My personal favorite cast member was the great Sir Christopher Lee; although his role is relatively minor, it's also one of the unlikeliest of his career, and it's nice to see him cast against type (and equally interesting to see him playing an American).

The surefooted direction is by Bill Persky, the wonderful cinematography by Rexford L. Metz. A definite highlight is the priceless orgy scene, although the finale is lively and a real hoot as well.

This has been overlooked for a long time, so people looking for Hollywood diamonds in the rough are advised to check it out.

Seven out of 10.

Breaking Bad: Bit by a Dead Bee (2009) Season 2, Episode 3

"Hey, you oughta disappear more often."

[8/10 · 21 April 2024]

Having successfully gotten the Hell out of Dodge (without Hank spotting them), Walter and Jesse return home, where one of Walters' first orders of business is to strip naked inside a supermarket in order to sell the idea of a "fugue state" and the idea of his supposed amnesia. The two of them manufacture cover stories to try to explain their disappearances, although Jesses' doesn't hold water with Hank, who unsuccessfully tries to grill him.

Hank even brings in wheelchair-ridden Tio Salamanca (Mark Margolis, "Requiem for a Dream") to influence the interrogation, which works (and gives Jesse a temporary uneasiness) until we can see how far gone Tio is.

One of my favorite bits has Walter realize that the psychiatrist (Harry Groener, "About Schmidt") conferring with him cannot divulge almost anything they discuss, so Walter "comes clean" - to a degree. He certainly doesn't tell the guy that he's cooking crystal meth, or that he's living this double life. Another element I enjoyed was the "Gods' eye" perspective as we watch Walter & Jesse making the long trek home by foot (although Walter eventually is able to hitch a ride).

Jesse, meanwhile, is working hard to remove the evidence from plain view, cleaning out his basement and paying to have his RV taken away.

As always, I'm struck by the visual tricks that the directors of these episodes are able to incorporate, as well as the musical choices.

This series really is "pulp fiction" taken to another level. As such, it's incredibly entertaining from beginning to end.

Eight out of 10.

The Forest (1982)

Amusing nonsense for those who crave backwoods horror.

[6/10 · 21 April 2024]

Daddy's going hunting in this tale of two urban dudes, Steve & Charlie (Dean Russell, John Batis) who decide to go on a camping trip. Preceded on the trip by their wives (Tomi Barrett, Ann Wilkinson), who want to prove to their knucklehead husbands that they can hack it on their own in the wilderness, Steve & Charlie meet a forest-dwelling hermit named John (Gary Kent, a B movie mainstay for many years) who will eat ANYTHING to survive. And two ghostly children (Corky Pigeon of 'Silver Spoons' and Becki Burke) try to offer assistance to our protagonists.

Sometimes serious, and sometimes tongue-in-cheek, "The Forest" was the work of exploitation veteran Don Jones, whose other credits include "Schoolgirls in Chains" and "The Love Butcher". It's NOT an especially "good" entry in terms of rural body count flicks, but I admit I found it to be entertaining in its silliness. It's hampered by less than stellar dialogue, and protagonists who really are senseless, unlikable dummies, but the supernatural touch lends it a unique quality. The forest atmosphere is well captured, the music is good, and there's a fun dark-as-Hell comedy component (Charlie eats something that is definitely NOT a doe, as John claims it to be). There's also a hilarious sequence around the 51 minute mark, as John blunders through his efforts to kill his late wifes' current lover.

In any event, watching some very attractive ladies, and seeing Kent in fine form made this work fairly well for me.

Jones appears on screen as a forest ranger.

Six out of 10.

Deadwood: A Lie Agreed Upon: Part II (2005) Season 2, Episode 2

"I'd settle for a vigorous hand-holding."

[8/10 · 17 April 2024]

Seth, continuing to behave more erratically, and Alma face an uncertain future in terms of their relationship. He leaves it up to her to make a decision; meanwhile, he's primed for another confrontation with Al. Jane reappears in the camp, in a drunken state, but pulls herself together after some examination by Cochran, and backs up Seth (along with Charlie and a still-recuperating Sol) when he goes to see Al at the Gem. Tensions between Dan and Silas come to a head, resulting in the death of an incidental character.

The non-stop profanity is amusing, as always, but one realizes that, even when the writers don't fall back on it, the scripts still have quite a poetic and thoughtful quality. That is definitely the case here, especially when Al not only gives an account of the confrontation to Merrick, but muses on the conditions & future of the camp. And there is still time for humor - the placement of a prostitutes' thumb is quite amusing indeed.

The acting from all concerned is once again simply excellent, with a number of the principals given real showcase moments. Ian McShane (Al) in particular does a wonderful job right near the end.

I will say, also, that it's nice seeing Jane again, given the fact that she was missing in action for a while.

Eight out of 10.

Spider-Man: The Night of the Villains/Here Comes Trubble (1967) Season 1, Episode 11

"I guess we didn't see eye to eye."

[7/10 · 16 April 2024]

'The Night of the Villains'.

Wax figure expert Parafino (voice of Len Carlson) returns, this time sending out robots modeled after historical figures - Jesse James, the executioner of Paris, Blackbeard the pirate - to commit robberies. Spidey is of course mystified that he seems to be the only individual who's seeing these characters. Yet, he figures everything out in due time. But before that, Spidey's alter ego Peter Parker is deemed to be in need of a vacation when he brings up the idea of Spidey seeing Jesse James to Jameson. The ending is priceless, with Spidey presenting the "value pack" of villains to a stunned Jameson.

'Here Comes Trubble'.

The title villainess (voiced by regular cast member Peg Dixon, who usually voiced Betty Brant), who is an expert on Greek mythology and who runs a used book store, keeps pestering Jameson to let her write a column on the subject. In the meantime, she uses a magical treasure chest to conjure up mythological characters, mostly sending them after Spider-Man but also utilizing them for the occasional robbery. The best part is Spidey's fight with the Cyclops, as he offers up some choice quips, also including, "You got it all wrong! I'm not Ulysses!"

Seven out of 10.

Paganini Horror (1988)

This is not just strange, it's weird.

[6/10 · 15 April 2024]

"Paganini Horror" is a passable bit of Italian cheese-horror in which a female rock band comes to a haunted mansion to shoot a rock video. All present will soon be in peril, as the famed Italian violin player is re-imagined as a psycho-slasher wearing a creepy mask, and he's determined to punish them for intruding on his domain.

With genre icons Donald Pleasence and Daria Nicolodi on hand for name value, this is all watchable enough, if decidedly nonsensical. Director Luigi Cozzi gives it some atmosphere and general weirdness, although the story is strictly ho-hum and the characters pretty inane (although the female cast are certainly attractive). Much about it is tacky - effects, music, dubbing, etc. - but it will still appeal to some fans of cult European horror. Granted, if you're hungry for some Italian horror, you can do a lot better, but this DOES have its moments.

This also has a fairly trim run time, but due to its slow pacing, it may actually seem longer than it is.

I admit I had *some* fun with it.

Six out of 10.

Blue Sunshine (1977)

A real trip.

[8/10 · 14 April 2024]

Various individuals begin to lose their hair, eventually going crazy and turning homicidal. It turns out that they are suffering delayed reactions after taking some BAD acid (the titular Blue Sunshine) at Stanford a decade ago. A character named Jerry Zipkin (Zalman King, "Some Call It Loving") comes under suspicion after a friend "wigs" out at a party and kills some of the other people there. So, out of the need to clear his name, and also out of a morbid curiosity, he tries to figure out what's going on.

Cult favorite filmmaker Jeff Lieberman scores again after his great "nature in revolt" horror film "Squirm". Here, he takes a satirical jab at his subjects while crafting a fairly creepy and involving story with some truly memorable images & moments. Granted, the "mystery" becomes apparent to the viewer early on, but Lieberman still takes the viewer on an interesting ride. This includes a scene in a disco, and truly creepy Sinatra and Streisand puppets being utilized at a political rally.

I can't help but feel that future softcore auteur King is miscast in the lead: what with his "Method" acting, he comes off as too eccentric himself, and is also not as sympathetic as he ought to be. But the decent supporting cast is helpful, as it includes Deborah Winters ("The People Next Door"), Mark Goddard ('Lost in Space'), Robert Walden ('Lou Grant'), Charles Siebert ('Trapper John, M. D.'), Ray Young ("Coffy"), Richard Crystal ("Fun with Dick and Jane"), who is the brother of Billy C., Bill Adler ("Van Nuys Blvd."), Barbara Quinn ("The Clairvoyant"), Meegan King ("Humanoids from the Deep"), and cameo appearances by Alice Ghostley ("Grease") and Stefan Gierasch ("Carrie"). That's a young Brion James ("Blade Runner") as the guy doing his best Rodan imitation at the party.

Enhanced by Charles Gross' eerie score, "Blue Sunshine" is another off-the-beaten-track and entertaining effort from Lieberman, that builds to a terrific suspense sequence in a department store.

Eight out of 10.

Star Trek: By Any Other Name (1968) Season 2, Episode 22

"We do not colonize. We conquer! We rule!"

[8/10 · 14 April 2024]

Various Enterprise crew encounter a species called the Kelvans, who are stranded on a fairly lush planet. The Kelvans, however, are anything but grateful, overtaking the landing party and forcing their way onto the starship where they completely take over. They're determined to fulfill their mission of conquering numerous other parts of the galaxy.

We've seen Kirk be an excellent problem solver before, but this time he really has his work cut out for him. He has to watch as crew members get reduced to blocks of matter. Seemingly, there's no way of combating these Kelvans. Finally, he & Spock realize that this species - ordinarily of immense size and sporting a great many tentacles - are bound by the laws of these human forms that they've assumed. So he realizes what he has to do: OVER-stimulate the Kelvans!

We're treated to another classic Kirk fight, as he tussles with Kelvan leader Rojan (Warren Stevens, "Forbidden Planet"), and we watch as he shows his amorous side with luscious Kelvan babe Kelinda (the stunning international icon Barbara Bouchet ("Casino Royale")). A hilarious bit of business occurs when Scotty drinks Kelvan character Tomar (Robert Fortier, "McCabe & Mrs. Miller") under the table. His drunken "It's....green." line is a classic Scotty moment.

While the conclusion, where Kirk manages to make Rojan see reason, is not really convincing, overall this is a bright, lively episode with some great moments, and typically wonderful interplay between the regular players. The very good script is by D. C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby, based on Bixby's story.

Stewart Moss ("The Bat People"), who'd previously been in a first season episode ('The Naked Time'), Carl Byrd ("Telefon"), and Julie Cobb ("Just You and Me, Kid") also guest star.

Eight out of 10.

Three's Company: The Best Laid Plans (1979) Season 3, Episode 17

Of mice and Jack.

[7/10 · 13 April 2024]

Janet is terrified because she has discovered a mouse in the girls' bedroom. Jack offers to let her sleep in his bed, partly because he's scheming to charm his way into Chrissy's bed. To that end, he asks that Larry keep his mouth shut when Larry reveals that he's killed the mouse. Stanley also has his reason for requesting that Larry keep mum. "Was this mouse somebody important?" Larry quips.

John is in very fine form here as Jack acts so utterly shamelessly. If he weren't ultimately a harmless individual, his actions would come off as pretty sleazy. Then again, this is a sign of the times, and the material probably wouldn't have passed muster even a few years later. Some of his hilarious moments include his exaggerated yawning, and the way he makes a BIG production out of getting ready for bed. (Incidentally, you can see Chrissy reading "Quorum", a made-up book that Jack was seen reading in a previous episode.)

Stanley has yet another of his classic moments, as he himself schemes to avoid spending ANY time with Helens' mother, whom he really dislikes.

One of the best bits has Jack interrupting Larry's entertaining of a gorgeous blonde (Jenny Sherman, "Mean Johnny Barrows"). Larry had conned her, claiming to be a talent scout for MGM! Anyway, he and Jack keep getting her name wrong, cycling through several female names beginning with "D" (her actual name is Diane).

Seven out of 10.

The Witch's Mirror (1960)

Return to death what belongs to death.

[7/10 · 13 April 2024]

With this Mexican horror film, you very much get two genre stories for the price of one. After an introduction in which we are educated on the activities of witches, we're introduced to young bride Elena (Dina de Marco), who is unable to escape her fate of being murdered by her cheating husband Eduardo (Armando Calvo). But Elenas' Godmother Sara (Isabela Corona) is a bonafide witch, and Sara conjures Elenas' spirit for the sake of revenge.

The second half then turns into something very similar to the more well known French film of the same year, "Eyes without a Face", as Eduardo, a very bad doctor, steals corpses and harvests the body parts to aid his new wife Deborah (Rosita Arenas).

Very well directed by Chano Urueta (who later did the very weird "The Brainiac", and appeared as an actor in "The Wild Bunch"), this is a very fun horror picture. It's also well acted, and has some great atmosphere during its best moments. Corona is a standout as the housekeeper / witch who's determined to do right by her Goddaughter. Urueta is able to create good visuals in an often talky but basically entertaining story.

"The Witch's Mirror" is worth watching for genre fans; it may make a viewer interested to check out the other works of the director, who was VERY prolific from the 20s through to the 70s.

Seven out of 10.

The Blob (1958)

It glides, and slides across the floor....

[7/10 · 12 April 2024]

Falling to Earth inside a meteorite, a living pile of slime attaches itself to the first unlucky human it finds, and starts rapidly swallowing up victim after victim, adding to its mass. Steve Andrews (28 year old "Steven" McQueen, in his first starring role) is the teenager who knows the score, and determines to warn the rest of the town.

Although the 1988 remake FAR outdoes this one in terms of the horror content, this drive-in classic from the 50s is an endearing bit of schlock. I'm actually in agreement with Leonard Maltin for once on this one: this version of "The Blob" may not be that GOOD, but you just can't bring yourself to hate it. It has a goofy, giddy, innocence about it, with generally positive portrayals of the youthful protagonists (the only thing that Steve and his buds are really guilty of is reckless driving). The adult characters are either mostly tolerant of the kids (Earl Rowe as Lt. Dave is not a bad guy at all), or grumpy sticks-in-the mud like the kid-HATING Sgt. Bert (John Benson). Of course, nobody will take Steves' story seriously, so he HAS to go out (with girlfriend Jane (Aneta Corsaut) in tow) for evidence of this monsters' existence.

Beginning gloriously with an infectious, silly title ditty composed by Burt Bacharach, "The Blob" is generally a good deal of fun. Its effects may pale next to those in the 1988 version, but some of the shots & scenes ARE iconic, so "The Blob" '88 director Chuck Russell was wise to pay homage to them.

At the core is a nifty premise of this creature that horribly ABSORBS people, a premise that the remake exploited to the fullest. And even if some of you, like me, prefer the remake, there's no denying that this original is a memorable experience indeed.

Seven out of 10.

Dinosaurus! (1960)

An absolute hoot.

[6/10 · 11 April 2024]

An American crew preparing to build a harbor on a tropical island manage to unearth two dinosaurs with their depth charges: a tyrannosaur and a brontosaur. They also unearth a caveman, but won't be aware of this for a while. Jut-jawed hero Bart Thompson (Ward Ramsey, "Cape Fear") and his cohort Chuck (Paul Lukather, "Hands of a Stranger") marshal the islanders in a desperate attempt to ward off the creatures. Unscrupulous local Mike Hacker (Fred Engelberg, "The Lost Missile") figures to profit from his knowledge of the cavemans' existence.

I don't want to over-sell this movie - I wouldn't say that it's that "good" - but it does offer a fair amount of ridiculous, utterly fun escapism. While I wish that the two dinos got more to do (although the budget probably allowed for limited use of the effects), Hacker makes for an appropriately hissable human heavy. You can't WAIT to see him get his. While the movie does have an occasional moment that may be intense for the youngest of viewers, for the most part it's decent family-friendly nonsense. The caveman is gamely played by Gregg Martell ("Space Master X-7"), and he has some very funny moments as he reacts with shock to the modern world; he chops up a radio, is mystified by a mirror, and runs in terror from a toilet.

Complete with a VERY annoying kid (Alan Roberts, in his only credited feature film appearance) who wouldn't be out of place in a Japanese Kaiju picture, stereotyped characters, character names like "Dumpy" and "Mousey", and a typically solid schlock music score by Ronald Stein, this is overall agreeable entertainment.

From the same people who brought you the original "The Blob" and "4D Man". Producer Jack H. Harris has a cameo as a tourist.

Six out of 10.

Training Day (2001)

It's not what you know. It's what you can PROVE.

[7/10 · 9 April 2024]

Denzel Washington completely commands your attention in the role of crooked narcotics detective Alonzo. He's a cheerful, cunning rogue, and a man with his own agenda. He shows rookie detective Jake (Ethan Hawke) an extremely eventful day, as the younger man is eager to advance in rank. What Alonzo proves is that he's really no better than the lowlife criminals whom he regularly rousts. In fact, some people might say he's WORSE.

"Training Day" aims to be an uncompromising look (from screenwriter David Ayer) at life on the meaner streets of L. A. Directed with gusto by Antoine Fuqua, it tells a mean, entertaining story in which the nasty violence is an inevitable part of the package. While ultimately it starts getting pretty conventional - with the well-meaning Jake DETERMINED to see Alonzo brought to justice - and reliant on coincidences, I felt it still made for solid viewing. At the very least, it wasn't boring.

Oscar winner Washington completely dominates the proceedings; his is the kind of antagonist whom you can't help but like to some degree. He has that kind of charisma. Yet, of course, he can be totally intimidating when he needs to be. Oscar nominee Hawke does a fine job of mostly reacting to this highly unlikely would-be mentor. Jake certainly does get the kind of education he never could have expected. The stars are extremely well supported by a cast including music notables Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray, and Dr. Dre, as well as Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Raymond J. Barry, Cliff Curtis, Eva Mendes, Nick Chinlund, and Raymond Cruz. Appearing uncredited are Peter Greene, Terry Crews, and Ayer himself as one of the Russian hitmen.

It certainly helps that Ayer and Fuqua really know the territory. Other than the magnetic performance at the core of the story, it's really their authentic approach that makes this work as well as it does.

Seven out of 10.

Spider-Man: The Revenge of Dr. Magneto/The Sinister Prime Minister (1967) Season 1, Episode 10

"I could have been immortalized in marble."

[8/10 · 8 April 2024]

'The Revenge of Dr. Magneto'.

The title character (voice of Bernard Cowan) - not to be confused with the later X-Men nemesis - is thoroughly disgruntled, like so many mad scientists before and after him. Since his peers have refused to acknowledge his advances in the field of magnetism, he intends to strike back at society. Of course, Spidey foils him at every turn. Good fun for fans of the series, this segment has the usual give and take between hero and villain, with the web-head ultimately defeating our bad guy with "anti-magnetic" webbing!

'The Sinister Prime Minister'.

A phony is masquerading as the leader of an impoverished country, who comes to NYC to implore authorities such as Jameson for a 20 million dollar loan. (The phony is savvy enough to know all that he has to do is appeal to Jamesons' ego.) Just like lots of Spidey's nemeses, he has a special weapon, a cane that can do a bunch of different things. But Spidey is not to be deterred, as he manages to get on board the plane transporting the creep & his ill-gotten gains back to his fictional country.

This segment features the best exchange in the episode:

Jameson: "A statue! In my honor!" Betty (to herself): "The pigeons will love it."

Eight out of 10.

The Package (I) (2012)

Not bad as these kinds of movies go.

[6/10 · 7 April 2024]

Stone Cold Steve Austin plays Tommy Wick, a debt collector for a crime figure named "Big Doug" (Eric Keenleyside). One day, Big Doug sends Tommy and his cohort Julio (Mike Dopud) on a delivery assignment, with the package seeming to be an ordinary wallet. Things go awry as you can imagine, with Tommy alternating between taking it on the lam and taking the fight to assorted psycho bad guys, who each want their hands on that package.

The package itself actually turns out to be a MacGuffin, although I will refrain from spoiling anything more on the matter. That in itself makes this a hair better than many DTV action thrillers I've seen. Stone Cold is his usual stiff, largely expressionless self, although of course he excels at doing the badass stuff. Much of the plot is typical, with the bad guys tending to be persistent but not very bright. This being shot in and near Vancouver, BC, it has the typical drab look you often get from movies shot there, and there is some inclement weather in some shots.

Dolph Lundgren gives the proceedings a little shot in the arm that it definitely benefits from, playing his ultimate crime kingpin character of the mysterious "German" with some nuance and humor. Other familiar faces include Lochlyn Munro of "Freddy vs. Jason" and William B. Davis of 'The X-Files'.

Overall, this is decent action fare with the director, Jesse V. Johnson, handling the action scenes better than one might expect (not so much jittery camera-work here). A watchable "one viewing and done" sort of picture.

Six out of 10.

Hill Street Blues: Praise Dilaudid (1983) Season 4, Episode 6

Another slam-bang episode.

[8/10 · 7 April 2024]

Currently, an armed robber is on the loose, one who is known for his steadfast politeness. His girlfriend (Marilyn Jones, an episodic TV veteran) rats him out to the police, and he's revealed to be Nicky Kasner (Michael Horton, "Star Trek: First Contact"), a junkie. Later, Nicky escapes from custody, and holes up in a house where he *demands* to get his fix or else he'll kill the homeowner. The bust at Murray's Wonderland ends badly for Murray himself (Milton Selzer). While single mother Doris Robson (Alfre Woodard) is ultimately set free, Daniels' shameless maneuvering once again shows him up for the slimeball that he is. His mayoral campaign derails due to several factors, including a debate that goes badly, and the fact that Fay takes him to task in front of reporters.

Jon Cypher is just so good portraying Daniels as this sleazy character that he makes him a great example of the "love to hate the character" concept. One other great example of humor is when Renko opens the suitcase that Kasner had been carrying when Renko & Bobby busted him. As a result, the dye pack explodes in Renkos' face instead of the criminals'! "Oh Lord, I'm green!" He tries various means throughout the episode of getting the dye off. Also of note is Jeffrey Tambors' re-appearance as shameless lawyer Alan Wachtel, who is going through gender identity issues; Tambor is always seen wearing the same dress.

There are typically wonderful guest star turns, as well as a riveting standoff finale where Henry figures to let Kasner get his fix in order to apprehend him in a "clean" manner. I'm sure other people besides me breathed a sigh of relief when everything worked out in that instance. And we get more touching & effective character moments for Belker, as he realizes that Murray is not such a bad guy; it's wonderful when Belker tells off Mahoney, stating that he would have rather worked for Murray than ever be a cop under Mahoney's command.

Eight out of 10.

Mr. Woodcock (2007)

Not terrible, but you pretty much know what to expect.

[5/10 · 5 April 2024]

John Farley (Seann William Scott) is a small town boy made good, having recently gotten a self-help book published and lauded. He returns to his hometown, to the delight of his mom (Susan Sarandon, lovely as always). However, he's dismayed to learn that she is now dating his number one childhood nemesis: his tough, unyielding, intimidating Phys. Ed. Teacher Jasper Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton). This does NOT sit well with him at all, and he schemes to break up this relationship.

Overall, "Mr. Woodcock" is quite mild and predictable, as it plays out in the expected way of Farley ultimately overstepping boundaries, over-reacting, and ignoring whatever advice *he* supposedly gave in that book. That's not to say that there aren't some decent laughs here and there. It mostly works due to the cast: Scott is earnest, Sarandon is luminous, Ethan Suplee is fairly amusing as one of Farley's childhood cohorts, and Thornton is expertly deadpan. Even when Woodcock "jokes around", the expression on his face barely changes.

Eventually, of course, the protagonist has to have an epiphany where he realizes his mistakes and tries to atone, but he also determinedly squares off against this "bete noir" of his life, who, it is revealed, could possibly show some signs of humanity. (When we meet Woodcocks' father, it goes a long way in explaining things.)

An assortment of familiar faces (Melissa Sagemiller, Amy Poehler, M. C. Gainey, Brent Briscoe, Kurt Fuller, Melissa Leo, Bill Macy) and a reasonably trim run time keep this watchable enough, if ultimately unmemorable. It will likely resonate more for people who've known characters like Woodcock in their own lives.

Five out of 10.

Hoodwinked! (2005)

Please consume goodies responsibly.

[6/10 · 3 April 2024]

"Hoodwinked!" takes the familiar Little Red Riding Hood story and puts a VERY irreverent spin on it, also incorporating the "Rashomon" plot device of having various characters tell their own version of how they all arrived in the same circumstance. In a woodsy setting, a "Bandit" is making off with peoples' recipes left and right, and among those involved are Red herself (voice of Anne Hathaway), Granny (voice of Glenn Close), the Wolf (voice of Patrick Warburton), and the "Woodsman" (voice of Jim Belushi).

This is kind of like an Agatha Christie, "Ten Little Forest Critters" type of deal, with an angry bear police captain (voice of Xzibit) and a Hercule Poirot style frog (voice of David Ogden Stiers) overseeing the interviews. For this viewer, the film was certainly very lively, but the comedy content varied: sometimes it got tiresome, and sometimes it was indeed quite funny. (For my tastes, it's the Wolf, hilariously voiced by Warburton, that tends to steal the show, although zany squirrel Twitchy (voiced by director Cory Edwards), and singing goat Japeth (voice of Benjy Gaither) give him some competition.) The animation is actually not of paramount importance in this instance; certainly some people may find it to be pretty crude. The songs are unmemorable but at least they are passable.

The big name voice cast (also including Anthony Anderson as Lieutenant Stork, Chazz Palminteri as the lamb informant, and Andy Dick as Boingo the rabbit) is energetic, for sure. They go a long way in selling this material, which may actually appeal more to adults, what with its hip humor & approach, than to kids. That's not to say, though, that kids couldn't still take to these characters. Overall, its silliness proved hard to resist.

Followed by a sequel.

Six out of 10.