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I had seen stills of this 1911 Italian epic for many years but it wasn’t until 2005 that I had the opportunity to see it. That was shortly after this DVD was released by Snapper UK. A quick look at the other titles available from that label indicate that they primarily released concert footage ofContinue reading “L’INFERNO (1911): Dante Goes To Hell And He Can Take The Soundtrack With Him”

In the mid 1970s Kevin Francis (son of legendary cinematographer and director Freddie Francis) made a foolhardy attempt to keep alive the old school of British horror that he had grown up with (and to which his father had made significant contributions). Unfortunately he was tilting at windmills as his company Tyburn, which had previouslyContinue reading “SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE MASKS OF DEATH (VHS Only): Tyburn’s And Peter Cushing’s Last Hurrah”

Edward L. Cahn has become a forgotten man among low budget filmmakers. Not as gifted as Edgar G. Ulmer nor stunningly incompetent like Ed Wood Jr or as prolific as William Beaudine, Cahn was nevertheless responsible for many of the more memorable moments which occured in 50’s B movies. To the first generation raised onContinue reading “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1962 – VHS Only): Low Budget Version Is Well Done But Is Still Underappreciated”

Back in 1988 MGM in conjunction with Turner Entertainment (no Turner Classic Movies back then) released this version of Erich von Stroheim’s masterwork GREED on VHS as part of their Silent Classics series. The print used was prepared by England’s Photoplay Productions the number one restorer of silent films at the time and is basedContinue reading “GREED (VHS Only) : This Is The Version That SHOULD Be On DVD”

I have recently developed an appreciation for low budget British filmmaker Robert Hartford-Davis (1923-1977) after watching a handful of his horror films such as BLACK TORMENT (1965), CORRUPTION (1968), and THE FIEND aka BEWARE THE BRETHREN (1972). The constant thread running through these and such films as BLACK GUNN (1973) are imaginative camerawork, crisp butContinue reading “BLACK GUNN: Robert Hartford-Davis In America”

An Oxford scholar (Patrick Mower), doing research in Greece, is abducted by a group of “swingers” who introduce him to LSD, orgies, and other things. The leader of the group (Imogen Hassall) gets him addicted to sex & drugs and has him completely in her power. Two friends join forces with a British colonel (PatrickContinue reading “INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED / BLOODSUCKERS: A Mess Of A Movie With Peter Cushing On Hand”

…or may ever want to see him again. 1968’s CORRUPTION is surely the most uncharacteristic movie Cushing ever made. Not that he isn’t his usual dignified self, it’s just that every thing around him seems so whacked out. Actually it’s vice-versa. This is Swinging London ca. 1967 and in this enviornment Cushing seems as outContinue reading “CORRUPTION: Peter Cushing As You’ve Never Seen Him Before…”

BLACK TORMENT was a movie I read about in books on British horror films but it was one which I had never seen until I was recently able to rent it locally. I was so impressed that I went out and bought it. It’s not a classic but it is very well done. BLACK TORMENTContinue reading “THE BLACK TORMENT: A Genuine English Gothic”

Director Michael Winner (1935-2013) made a number of my favorite films during the 1970s. It started out with LAWMAN (1971) followed by his breakthrough year, 1972, when he made THE NIGHTCOMERS, with Marlon Brando and 2 Charles Bronson flicks CHATO’S LAND, and THE MECHANIC. 1973 saw SCORPIO with Burt Lancaster and then came the reviledContinue reading “THE SENTINEL (1977): Stylish Horror Thriller Even Better On Blu-Ray”

To mark the passing of Michael Winner and to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary(2013) the time would now seem to be propitious to finally release this movie on DVD even if it’s only a DVD-R as most older movies are these days. Of course it all boils down to who currently owns the rights. OriginallyContinue reading “THE WICKED LADY (1983): Historical Romp Or Melodramatic Trash?”