Sports or movies, what to watch tonight? I did my best to see plenty of both. On to the roll call for movies I checked out in May.

1930’s …

Born Reckless (1937) Rarefilmm : Cave of Forgotten Films. Brian Donlevy takes the lead as a fun living race car driver who falls on hard times but doesn’t let that get him down. Heading back to his roots he discovers an old pal in the Taxi Cab business and his father, Harry Carey, are being victimized by local hood Barton MacLane and his protection racket. B flick it may be but nice to see the usually mean spirited Donlevy playing hero in a role we usually see Jimmy Cagney assigned to during this era of movie making.

The Shadow Strikes (1937) Mill Creek DVD.

Boring….. Needed more of “The Shadow”. For the record Rod La Rocque stars in the title role. At 61 minutes this one played like it was 91 minutes. Still it was probably better than that 90’s edition with Alec Baldwin.

The Cat and the Canary (1939) Universal DVD. Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard face off against thrills and chills in this old dark house chestnut.

1940’s …

Romance of the Rio Grande (1940) Fox Cinema Archives DVD. Cesar Romero stars as The Cisco Kid and his double, the nephew of a wealthy landowner. When the nephew is wounded and marked for death, Romero’s Cisco Kid takes his place to discover who is out to kill both the Uncle and the nephew and then steal the land. Did I mention Ricardo Cortez costars? Oops, I guess I just played spoiler. Sorry bout that. Fun series entry.

Honeymoon For Three (1941) TCM.

A lesser screwball effort from Warner Bros. and house director Lloyd Bacon. George Brent is a well known writer amongst the ladies and always trying to stay one step ahead of matrimony. His secretary/keeper is none other than Ann Sheridan who tries to keep him on the straight and narrow. Wanna guess who he ends up at the altar with? Fun yet minor entry.

The Cat Creeps (1946) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray.

Nice to see this rare title turn up on blu so a special thank you to the folks at V.S. It’s one of the final films from the original horror cycle at Universal studios. Minor entry but as a completist it’s nice to have finally seen this one starring Paul Kelly and Noah Beery Jr. There’s money hidden away in an old house and a black cat might be housing the spirit of the recently departed.

1950’s …

Cavalry Scout (1951) WB Monogram Set DVD. Rod Cameron takes the lead in this Lesley Selander B western. An above average cast joins in as Rod attempts to stop the sale of Gatlin guns to the Indians. Among those joining in are a young James Arness, John Doucette, Audrey Long, Jim Davis and James Millican.

Fort Osage (1952) WB DVD. Another pairing with Rod Cameron starring and Lesley Selander behind the camera that works in the B category. Rod plays the hero who turns up to see who is taking the money from homesteaders expecting to be safely transported via a wagon train to greener pastures and not delivering. Instead rousing up the Indians to hit the warpath. Needs a better cast but it does have Jane Nigh, Morris Ankrum and Iron Eyes Cody.

The Black Knight (1954) TCM.

Enjoyable action fest even if Alan Ladd is horribly miscast in the title role of the Black Knight looking to expose the evil Peter Cushing at the Round Table as an enemy to the King while at the same time win the hand of the fair lady, Patricia Medina. I may be mistaken but I think Ladd’s stuntman (whomever he may be) had more screen time than the top billed star had over the course of the film’s 87 minutes. Andre Morell comes off best as the elderly Knight who takes Ladd under his wing to train him to take on Peter and his cohorts. In five short years Peter and Andre would make one of the screen’s better teams of Holmes and Watson for Hammer in their take on The Hound of the Baskervilles which is by far a better film than this one. Sorry Alan, I’m still a big fan but prefer you playing tough in a back alley against various hoods and thugs or facing down Jack Palance in a dusty saloon.

The Abominable Snowman (1957) Scream Factory blu ray. Just prior to hitting the box-office jackpot with The Curse of Frankenstein, Hammer Films, once again brought in an American actor, in this case Forrest Tucker whom they paired with Peter Cushing (making his Hammer debut) and sent the duo on an expedition into the Himalayas to find the elusive Snowman of lore. A fun entry from Val Guest and proved along with the earlier Quatermaas film just which direction the studio’s projects would lean towards in the years to come making their name famous amongst movie goers and film buffs to this day.

1960’s …

The Mouse on the Moon (1963) MGM DVD. No Peter Sellers but here’s a new tale of Grand Fenwick, the smallest country on Planet Earth. Led by Ron Moody, Bernard Cribbins and Margaret Rutherford, the befuddled country enters the space race by shear accident against the major players, The United States and Russia, and beating them at their own game. Good for a few laughs and with Terry-Thomas on board for the fun it’s worth checking out even if it isn’t as memorable as 59’s The Mouse That Roared that saw Sellers playing multiple roles.

McHale’s Navy (1964) Universal DVD.

Big screen sitcom. McHale wasn’t a show like Gilligan’s Island or Andy Griffith that I had been exposed to as a kid so I have very little nostalgia attached to it aside from the fact that I’m a lifelong fan of Ernest Borgnine who played the title character. So what I’m trying to say is that it’s just not that funny to me though I did crack a smile on occasion. Especially the antics of Tim Conway who I adore on The Carol Burnette Show but then again I saw those as a child so do carry fond memories of Tim and Harvey comically sparring. If you like the series then I’m sure you’ll like the movie. George Kennedy also turns up as he did in many films opposite Big Ernie like Flight of the Phoenix and The Dirty Dozen.

House of Horrors (1965) Mondo Macabro blu ray. Japanese thriller that sees a crazy looking hunchback wreaking terror in “an old dark house.” Not bad but I’ve seen better like the next film on the list…..

Lady Morgan’s Vengeance (1965) Arrow Video blu ray. Genre names, Erika Blanc, Paul Mueller and Gordon Mitchell star along with Barbara Nelli playing the title role. It’s a black and white Euro thriller where our three heavies are trying to drive Miss Nelli crazy and to suicide. They do succeed but are doomed to regret it. Effective chiller for those of us who love those Euro horror flicks of the era. Not quite on par with the films of Bava but enjoyable just the same.

Spinout (1966) WB Elvis 75th Anniversary Set DVD.

“The King” tangles with sportscars and women in this typical Elvis fare once the template had been set in stone by the Colonel. In between taking the wheel and singing songs, Elvis, finds himself being pursued by both Shelley Fabares and Diane McBain. Hard not to like if you’re a fan of the King even when you know he deserved better scripts. Girl next door Fabares also starred opposite Elvis in 64’s Girl Happy. TCM fans might enjoy seeing long time screen veterans Cecil Kellaway and Una Merkel making a brief appearance. Unfairly listed in the 50 Worst Films of All Time.

1970’s …

Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies (1973) Rarefilmm : Cave of Forgotten Films. I took a “flyer” on this one due to the fact that I like Cliff Robertson but haven’t seen too many of his films over the years. Not much to recommend here overall. He’s a flyer back in the barnstorming days with his young son tagging along as they explore the depression era countryside. Plenty of drinking and bedding women in the towns they come upon. I did learn something here though while keeping my eyes on the opening credits. Steven Spielberg is the credited writer. I had no idea. Apparently this was a big let down early on in his career. For completists only.

Lady Ice (1973) Scorpion Releasing blu ray.

Donald Sutherland takes the lead as an insurance investigator nosing around a well to do daughter, Jennifer O’Neill, of the seemingly wealthy, Patrick Magee. It all has to do with a stolen necklace and where the trail leads him. Of course there’s plenty of flirting going on between Don and Jenny while cop Robert Duvall gripes and complains on the sidelines that Donald better be playing this one straight and keeping him up to date on all the information he uncovers. So-so but I do like the poster.

Sugar Hill (1974) Scorpion Releasing blu ray.

What the hell took me so long to finally watch this one!!! Loved it. When Robert Quarry and his mob outfit eliminate Marki Bey’s boyfriend over a real estate deal she turns to her ancestral family’s penchant for voodoo by having a voodoo master, Don Pedro Colley, rise from the dead. Using black magic and Colley to her advantage she sets about bringing her wrath of vengeance upon Quarry and company. A blaxploitation thriller that I’ll be watching again and again.

The Intruder (1975) Garage House Releasing blu ray. A slasher film akin to Bava’s 5 Dolls for an August Moon. More interesting than the film itself is the fact that this appears to have been a lost film that was rediscovered for the blu ray market. Not only that but it stars Mickey Rooney, Yvonne De Carlo and Ted Cassidy. Rooney drops off a group of middle aged folks by boat on an island and is promptly removed from our story. Miss De Carlo gets a scene or two and is next to go. So much for the high priced talent who I would think did a day, maybe two for their paycheck. Then Cassidy takes over for the final stanza. A definite curio.

Gray Lady Down (1978) Indicator blu ray.

Enjoyable Naval disaster flick with the always stoic Charlton Heston taking the lead in a downed sub. Among Chuck’s crew you’ll see Ronny Cox and Dorian Harewood. Above the seas planning the rescue are some above the title names, David Carradine and Stacy Keach. Ned Beatty chips in to assist Carradine in a submersible and always looking over Keach’s shoulder in the planning is a pre-Superman, Christopher Reeve. No classic but fits nicely in the list of disaster flicks from the 1970’s with an above average cast and execution. Nice to know there’s some real military ships on camera and actually being filmed on water. Today it would all be done with CGI and phony as hell.

1980’s …

Night of the Demon (1980) Severin blu ray. A sasquatch flick with one hell of a bloody dismembered member scene. The often used set up has a group of college students going out in the wilderness to track a bigfoot supposedly living in the countryside. Works well but I thought it faded down the stretch.

Jekyll and Hyde … Together Again (1982) Legend DVD.

Low brow comedy of the Airplane variety but damn it’s hard not to laugh through the whole affair that finds Mark Blankfield as the world famous surgeon Dr. Jekyll who basically discovers a narcotic that turns him into a freakish looking Dude named Hyde. Gold rings, chains, a hairy chest and apparently a rather large…… I recall seeing this back in the VHS days with some buddies and howling like hell at all the crazy hijinks that the very “high” Hyde would get up to. Still a good laugh and here I am years later noticing that nurse in surgery with the face mask on. Incredible eyes and a lot of cleavage. Wait a minute, that’s no nurse, that’s Elvira, Mistress of the Dark!

The Devonsville Terror (1983) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. Kind of a modern day Black Sabbath for the 1980’s VHS era minus Barbara Steele but it does have Donald Pleasence which is always a positive. Ulli Lommel directs his real life wife, Suzanna Love, who like Miss Steele, will be burned at the stake during the witch hunts centuries ago only to be reincarnated in a modern day setting to seek vengeance on the descendants of those who burned her alive in the opening scene. It’s no Mario Bava feature but it is fun and one has to appreciate the melting face scene in the final minutes.

Insignificance (1985) Criterion DVD.

An oddity from Nicolas Roeg that supposedly puts Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Joseph McCarthy and Albert Einstein together over the course of a 24 hour period in a New York hotel. Not my kind of film but I did appreciate the performances of Theresa Russell as Marilyn, Gary Busey as DiMaggio, Tony Curtis as McCarthy and especially Michael Emil as Einstein. I also loved the fact that not one character was ever referred to by name but as viewers we are all making the assumption as to just who we are watching. And by the way, Tony Curtis looked great in a Fedora.

Primal Rage (1988) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. This effects laden thriller combines the elements of a zombie film with a lab experiment gone terribly wrong at a college campus. Science Prof. Bo Svenson is monkeying around with a new serum and a baboon. All of which leads the aggressive animal to bite an after hours intruder. And so begins the violence when the victim himself turn into a bloody mess attacking and killing others thus spreading this new strain of violence that Svenson has unleashed. Not sure how I missed this back in the VHS rental days. I liked it.

1990’s …

Midnight Ride (1990) VHS.

Low budget affair from Cannon as the company was on the verge of financial ruin that stars Michael Dudikoff as a cop tracking a crazed killer, Mark Hamill, who has taken his wife as a hostage while on a road trip to visit his psychiatrist. Plenty of blood in this flick that combines elements of both slasher films and Rutger Hauer’s Hitcher. Hamill makes for a real creepy psycho and deserved a better flick for his performance. Now for the real reason I finally checked this one out. It’s one of the final film appearances by the legendary Robert Mitchum. Mitch probably only worked a day or two to collect his paycheck playing Hamill’s Doctor. No big deal but would fit nicely on a blu ray edition from the likes of Vinegar Syndrome.

Pure Country (1992) WB DVD. Country Music legend George Strait stars in his one and only movie.

Sudden Death (1995) Universal DVD. Far fetched Die Hard wannabe with Jean Claude Van Damme lacing up the skates to play goalie for the Pittsburgh Penguins in order to thwart Powers Boothe from blowing up the arena and leaving the V.P. of the United States a dead man. Not surprisingly, Boothe steals every scene he’s in leaving me to only wish he had turned up as a villain in one of the Die Hard follow-ups or even better, a James Bond flick.

as of late …

Anger Management (2003) Columbia DVD.

I saw that Jack Nicholson recently came out of hiding for the NBA playoffs which prompted me to grab a comical flick off the shelf that had me in stitches years ago and did once again thanks to Jack playing up his off screen persona while winking at the camera. Adam Sandler fare that sees the comic arrested for losing his temper on an airplane and being assigned to an anger management specialist. You just have to love that setup knowing it’s Jack. Hilarity ensues and yeah I know this is far from the best film Nicholson ever made but that doesn’t mean it isn’t funny. Add in Marisa Tomei, John Turturro, Luis Guzman and Harry Dean Stanton and it’s a a riot.

A Beginner’s Guide to Endings (2010) e one DVD. Plays like a Tarantino script. Harvey Keitel stars as a father to 5 sons. He’s continually done them wrong and following his death tells the story of his and their redemption from beyond. Comical and it kind of works in an ironically lighthearted way. Also stars Scott Caan, Jason Jones and Paul Costanzo with J.K. Simmons also scoring as Keitel’s brother and priest. More than anything this film reminds me of just how many Keitel films are out there to discover.

Moneyball (2011) Columbia DVD. A second go around which only confirms that I really enjoy this film and as a baseball fan it comes off as a very realistic look behind the wall that keeps all of us fans from knowing what really goes on in the front office of a MLB team. In this case the Oakland A’s. Brad Pitt stars as the GM with Philip Seymour Hoffman as the team’s bench boss and Jonah Hill scoring as the mathematical wizard behind Pitt’s many decisions in his attempts to put a winning team on the baseball field. Bottom line….. you don’t have to be a baseball fan to really enjoy this one.

The Heat (2013) Fox blu ray. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy are the Odd Couple reinvented as an FBI agent and an undercover police officer. Sandra the prim and proper by the book FBI agent and Melissa the foul mouthed slob with a hair trigger temper to boot. Yeah I laughed at times but the caper and film as a whole are not all that interesting. Kind of forgetful in the end and as there hasn’t been a sequel by now I suspect my opinion is akin to those who have taken the time to check it out.

Kindergarten Cop 2 (2016) Universal DVD.

So did you know this film even existed? Be honest. It’s Dolph Lundgren’s turn to take on the little people while at the same time face off against some baddies. Nice to see Dolph playing it light and if it weren’t for the earlier Arnold film, maybe this one might have played better. As it is it’s just recycling plenty of the jokes Arnold went thru in his classroom adventure. Still if I had some kiddies running around the house I’d be happy to let them sit in on this one as they’d be less judgmental.

Cry Macho (2021) Neflix. Clint Eastwood returns in a tailor made role as a long forgotten rodeo rider still working with horses for his employer/pal, Dwight Yoakam. Dwight needs a favor. He needs the world weary Clint to drift into Mexico to bring back his son from his estranged Mexican wife. Turns into a road picture with Clint and the kid attempting to get out of a bad scene south of the border with of dose of Clint’s wisdom bestowed on the youngster. Harmless film that plays with the Clint mystique and if I never see him on camera again I’ll always love his final scene in the movies dancing in the arms of a beautiful woman. He’s earned it.

On a Wing and a Prayer (2023) Amazon Prime. Oh boy. I thought the trailer looked good if that’s any consolation. Dennis Quaid and wife Heather Graham take off in a small Cessna plane with a pilot and their two teenage girls. Things get real serious when the pilot dies of a heart attack leaving amateur Quaid to fly the plane against all odds. Every cliche is hauled out of retirement here and I couldn’t help but think we need Leslie Nielsen on board to lighten the mood. Yeah it’s a harrowing true story that probably looked good on paper. I must say I did like the musical track of the old standard I’ll Fly Away over the closing credits and was genuinely surprised to see it was Dennis Quaid doing the vocals. What this movie really needed was George Kennedy on the ground to bring them in safely. With Big George in charge the movie would have been a lot shorter and less intrusive of my time.

Totals….

35 films seen

21 new to me titles.

14 rewatches.

Of the new to me titles I’d strongly recommend Sugar Hill. Especially for those that like the exploitation flicks of the 1970’s.

Of the films I rewatched I guess I laughed the most at Anger Management and laughter I’ve heard it said is good for the soul so give it a go yourself.

Thanks for stopping in and let me know what you liked or think might be worth tracking down.

I’ll close with a nod to Jim Brown. A member of The Dirty Dozen. The film I most often reference as my all time fave along with that shark flick I saw as a kid at the theater. R.I.P.