Category Archives: Uncategorized

Every lover of film has had a pivotal film experience, the movie that made such an impact on them that they have never forgotten it. For me WITCHFINDER GENERAL is that film. I first saw it in 1969 as THE CONQUERER WORM (AIP’s American release title designed to cash in on the Vincent Price/Edgar AllanContinue reading “WITCHFINDER GENERAL / THE CONQUEROR WORM (1968)”

I clearly remember seeing this American International release in 1970 when it first came out and really disliking it. The movie was directed by Gordon Hessler who became AIP’s go to Poe director after Roger Corman moved on. It really seemed like a slipshod affair with a jumbled storyline and poor editing. I’m rather surprisedContinue reading “CRY OF THE BANSHEE (1970): WITCHFINDER GENERAL 2”

The trinity of producer Louis (Deke) M. Heyward, writer Christopher Wicking, and director Gordon Hessler, under the auspices of American International, were responsible for a series of 4 British horror movies from 1969-1971. 3 of these were marketed as Edgar Allan Poe movies. Their approach to the Gothic horror film reflects the cynical attitudes expressedContinue reading “THE OBLONG BOX (1969): The First Of The Price/Poe Pictures Not Directed By Roger Corman”

According to the numerous reviews of SWORD OF THE VALIANT, the majority are mostly positive although those that don’t like it REALLY don’t like it. Then there are those, like myself, who fall somewhere in the middle. However, of all the reviews, few mention the fact that director Stephen Weeks made an earlier version inContinue reading “SWORD OF THE VALIANT (1984): Not Nearly As Good As The Director’s First Version”

In 1973 Stephen Weeks directed the first of 2 versions of the SIR GAWAIN & THE GREEN KNIGHT saga. He would remake it 11 years later in 1984 as SWORD OF THE VALIANT. As far as I’m concerned, this first version is the best one by far. It’s also the film that Monty Python tookContinue reading “GAWAIN & THE GREEN KNIGHT (1973): The First & Best Of Stephen Weeks’ 2 Versions”

Between 1960 and 1971 American International Pictures (AIP) made 12 movies based on works by Edgar Allan Poe. They were HOUSE OF USHER (1960), THE PIT & THE PENDULUM (1961), TALES OF TERROR (1962), THE PREMATURE BURIAL (1962), THE RAVEN (1963), THE HAUNTED PALACE (1964), THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964), TOMB OF LIGEIAContinue reading “MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1971): Better Than I Remembered”

THE BRIGHTON STRANGLER and I have an interesting history together. I first saw the movie back in 1962 when I was 10 years old. I was home from school sick and it was shown on a local TV station. Back in those days, the morning news stopped at 9am and the game shows didn’t begin until 11.Continue reading “THE BRIGHTON STRANGLER (1945): From Out Of The Past To Influence My Future”

I first read about the legendary German silent film THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE (1926) when I was 15 years old. Now almost 60 years later, I finally got to see it in a restored version from the Munich Film Museum and it made quite an impression. Of all the legendary German silents, STUDENT is theContinue reading “THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE (1926) Is One Of Conrad Veidt’s Best.”

 I have waited more than 30 years for the 1993 Photoplay Productions restoration of the 1921 anti-war epic THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE to become available in a quality home video edition and now it has. Mention Rudolph Valentino to most people and they immediately think of THE SHEIK. However it was the earlier FOURContinue reading “THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (1921): Rudolph Valentino’s Breakthrough Role”

During the mid-1940s, the success of the B movie horror units at Universal and at RKO tempted 3 of the best known Poverty Row studios (Monogram, PRC, and Republic) to produce B movie horrors of their own. A great deal of attention has been paid to the horror films of the first two outfits withContinue reading “CATMAN OF PARIS (1946): Republic B Movie Features A Fearsome Feline Figure”