Category Archives: Uncategorized

While the Arrow Films GOTHIC FANTASTICO boxset does contain 4 Italian tales of terror, the title is somewhat misleading as only two of the films are truly Gothic. Of the two that aren’t Gothic, one (THE THIRD EYE) is a ripoff of Hitchcock’s PSYCHO while the other (THE WITCH) takes place in a modern setting.Continue reading “THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER / HORROR (1963): Italian Faux Poe Is Wonderfully Evocative”

Having recently written a review for WEB OF THE SPIDER (1972), Antonio Margheriti’s color remake of his 1964 CASTLE OF BLOOD (LA DANZA MACABRA), I should also write one for CASTLE. As mentioned in that earlier review, CASTLE is one of the most important and highly regarded examples of Italian Gothic cinema, second only to MarioContinue reading “CASTLE OF BLOOD / LA DANZA MACABRA (1964): One Of Italian Gothic Cinema’s Finest Offerings”

The European phenomenon of the German crime film or Krimi lasted from 1959 until 1972. The vast majority of these films were inspired by the works of British mystery writer Edgar Wallace (1875-1932), and most of the rest focused on the writings of his son Bryan Edgar Wallace (1904-1971). Two production companies were involved in theContinue reading “THE MAD EXECUTIONERS (1963): One Of The More Notable Examples Of The German “Krimi””

THE WEB OF THE SPIDER (1972) is director Antonio Margheriti’s color remake of his 1964 DANZA MACABRA (CASTLE OF BLOOD) which, along with Mario Bava’s LA MASCHERA DEL DEMONIO (BLACK SUNDAY) is considered one of the twin pillars of Italian Gothic Cinema. This genre flourished from 1957-1972 making SPIDER one of the last examples to beContinue reading “WEB OF THE SPIDER (1972): Antonio Margheriti’s Color Remake Of His 1964 CASTLE OF BLOOD”

NEITHER THE SEA NOR THE SAND (1972) is a very obscure film that predates THE WICKER MAN and Bob Clark’s celebrated cult offering DEATHDREAM yet it contains elements of both. It also borrows from W. W. Jacobs’ THE MONKEY’S PAW and Edgar Allan Poe’s story THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF M. VALDEMAR. It wasContinue reading “NEITHER THE SEA NOR THE SAND (1972): The Last Movie Produced By Tigon Films”

That’s the question butler Oliver Reed asks of aristocrat Fiona Lewis in Andrew Sinclair’s BLUE BLOOD (1973), one of the oddest movies you’ll ever encounter. Novelist Sinclair had just come from doing his interesting but quirky adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ UNDER MILK WOOD with Richard Burton & Peter O’Toole. This time around Sinclair adapted aContinue reading “BLUE BLOOD (1973): “You May Own This House, But Do You Possess It?””

THE LEGACY (1978) features Katherine Ross & Sam Elliot as interior decorators who travel from Los Angeles to an English country estate to fulfill a commission that they have received. Once there, they meet 5 beneficiaries including Roger Daltrey and Charles Gray who are gathered for the reading of a will. All 5 of themContinue reading “THE LEGACY (1978): This Clone Of THE OMEN Has Merits Of Its Own”

TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000 (1958) was one of innumerable low budget B&W American International horror/sci-fi movies that flooded local TV stations in the early 1960s. I first saw it in 1961 when I was 9 years and unlike other AIP favorites such as THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN, THE SCREAMING SKULL, and EARTH-vs-THE SPIDER, itContinue reading “TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000 (1958): Interesting Premise Defeated By Low Budget Production”

After the runaway success of the 1953 3-D HOUSE OF WAX with Vincent Price, Warner Brothers followed it up with another turn-of-the-20th century horror film, THE PHANTOM OF THE RUE MORGUE. Also successful but not as well known, PHANTOM is much harder to view. In fact, as of 2025, it has yet to receive aContinue reading “PHANTOM OF THE RUE MORGUE (1954) A Companion Piece To HOUSE OF WAX”

It hs been over 60 years since Clayton Moore & Jay Silverheels last rode off into the sunset. With his white horse, white hat, black mask, and silver bullets, the Lone Ranger was an errant knight who came to save the day aided by his faithful squire Tonto. Moore, a veteran of B movie serials,Continue reading “THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER (1981): Not As Bad As Most Reviewers Say”