Full steam ahead with no hockey to get me sidetracked. Just Blue Jays baseball. The piles of unopened discs are getting out of hand from some of the boutique labels like Vinegar Syndrome, Severin and Arrow Video so plenty of exploitation films are getting watched lately.

1930’s ….

The Shining Hour (1938) Warner Archive DVD. Melodrama Joan Crawford style. Joan’s a nightclub gal who marries into a wealthy family. Her new hubby is Melvyn Douglas so she’s off to the farmlands and his country estate that he shares with his brother Robert Young and his wife played by Margaret Sullavan. Things are going to get complicated when Young falls for his new sister-in-law and she reciprocates. Not bad but Fay Bainter as Melvyn and Robert’s spinster sister is far too nasty and does her best to sabotage the film.

Red River Range (1938) Olive Films blu ray. Not much to say. John Wayne and his Mesquiteers bring justice to the range. The Red River Range. Nostalgic and a must for Duke fans.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

MPI blu ray. Basil Rathbone cemented his association with Doyle’s famed sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, making the role his own for generations of film goers when he tackled the Baskerville curse. Superior production from MGM with Nigel Bruce costarring as Dr. Watson. The pair are hired on to prevent Richard Greene from meeting the same fate as his ancestors. Also stars John Carradine, Wendy Barrie, Lionel Atwill and Mary Gordon as Mrs. Hudson. The series of Rathbone/Holmes films would continue for a total of 14 adventures coming to a close in 1946.

1940’s ….

Hold That Ghost (1941) Shout Factory blu ray. Bud and Lou tangle with gangsters, Shemp Howard and supposed ghosts in an old dark house. The Andrew Sisters drop in for some music and it all works for me.

The Woman In the Window (1944) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray.

Fritz Lang film that casts Edward G. Robinson as a meek criminologist who finds himself caught up in a self defense killing and along with the title character played by Joan Bennett he’s opted to cover it up and make like it never happened. Raymond Massey is his friend/police inspector on the case and then there is Dan Duryea who turns up with blackmail on his mind. Dated but if you love classic films and Noir in particular you’ve got to give it a shot.

The Invisible Man Appears (1949) Arrow Video blu ray. Early Japanese sci-fi flick plays much like the 1940 Universal film, The Invisible Man Returns in which the title character’s invisibility is used in a crime caper. Not bad and an early film from F/X wizard Eiji Tsuburaya of Godzilla fame.

1950’s ….

The Desert Hawk (1950) TV. Yvonne De Carlo looks gorgeous in this sands and sandals adventure with Richard Greene in the lead role. Can he save Yvonne and defeat the evil Caliph? Yeah probably and you’re even treated to an early Rock Hudson appearance if you snag a copy.

Destination Gobi (1953) 20th Century Fox DVD.

A group of navy men led by Richard Widmark find themselves stationed as a weather platoon in the Gobi desert. Eventually they are cut off from military contact and make the decision to trek 600 miles to the coast and the allies. Danger ensues when the navy climb aboard camels for transportation. Not bad from director Robert Wise. Along with Widmark you can see Don Taylor, Martin Milner, Earl Holliman, Rodolfo Acosta and Willis Bouchey.

Hell On Frisco Bay (1955) Warner Archive blu ray. Alan Ladd Vs. Edward G. Robinson – gangster style.

Time Limit (1957) MGM DVD. Richard Widmark stars in this military drama that proved to be the only credited directorial effort from Oscar winning actor Karl Malden. Officer Widmark is trying to get to the truth concerning Richard Basehart who is accused of cooperating with his captors during the Korean War and is in fact refusing to defend himself. Nothing is as it seems and things get heated towards the conclusion in this solid effort that also stars Rip Torn, Dolores Michaels and Martin Balsam.

The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly (1957) Arrow Video blu ray. A second feature from Japan involving The Invisible Man again tangled up with criminals and a mastermind with a potion that reduces a psychotic criminal into a human fly. Plays better than you might think.

The Hangman (1959) Olive Films blu ray.

A far better western than I recall starring Robert Taylor in the title role. Taylor is a U.S. Marshall looking to bring a fugitive to justice. Problem is he doesn’t know what he looks like. The trail leads him to a frontier town and while he suspects his man is Jack Lord he can’t prove it and no one is helping. Least of all Tina Louise who can identify the man Taylor seeks. Also stars Fess Parker, Mickey Shaughnessy and Gene Evans. It’s also hilarious to see Taylor ducking Mabel Albertson who has her eye on him. You may remember her best as Dick York’s Mom in Bewitched or perhaps from the Andy Griffith show as Howard Sprague’s overbearing Mom.

1960’s ….

Secret of the Red Orchid (1962) Severin blu ray. An Edgar Wallace/German flick with Christopher Lee proving his versatility by lending his own voice to the proceedings minus the use of a dubbing artist. He’s a Chicago cop (seriously) on holiday in London teaming with Scotland Yard to solve a complicated extortion and murder case. Don’t be surprised if Klaus Kinski is involved as a heavy. A definite curio provided you see the German language version with Lee and Kinski’s vocals on the negative.

Monster of the Opera (1964) Severin blu ray.

Italian shocker that is an early template for teens having sex and getting slaughtered in the 1980’s. A troupe of young actors and dancers rent an old theater to put on a ballet/opera and while they flirt and mingle with each other there’s a vampire on the loose claiming victims. Love these black and white chillers from Europe.

Advance to the Rear (1964) Warner Archive DVD. A military comedy with Glenn Ford is par for the course. Only difference this time out is setting it during the American Civil War. Glenn is wearing the Northern Blue and assigned to a troop of misfits commanded by Melvyn Douglas. Played for laughs which are minimal at best, Glenn falls for Stella Stevens (who wouldn’t) who is spy for the south looking to organize the theft of a gold shipment Ford’s in charge of. Passable thanks to a superior cast including Andrew Prine, Jim Backus, Joan Blondell and Alan Hale among them.

Seventh Grave, The (1965) Severin blu ray. Another black and white Italian shocker featuring mad doctors, seances and a touch of Giallo as this rarity speeds towards it’s finale.

An Angel For Satan (1966) Severin blu ray.

Horror Queen Barbara Steele returns to a Black Sunday theme as a young woman who is overtaken by the evil spirit within a statue that has been raised from the sea. Black and white thriller is a fine entry in Miss Steele’s catalogue. Also stars Anthony Steffen who is a name most Euro fans of this era should be familiar with.

The Tale of Tsar Saltan (1966) Deaf Crocodile blu ray. A Russian fantasy film from director Aleksandr Ptushko has a distinct look and flavor like his earlier effort Ilya Muromets though not as good. Evil sisters try to keep a King from his true love and younng son by exiling them to a far away land but lovr will conquer all.

The Unknown Man of Shandigor (1967) Deaf Crocodile blu ray. A rather inventive black and white spy thriller that plays it straight with a heavy slice of parody when it feels the need. The world’s leading countries are after a scientist and his invention which renders nuclear weapons useless. Cult fans are sure to appreciate the appearance of Jess Franco regular, Howard Vernon as a cool and calculating assassin representing the U.S.

True Grit (1969) Paramount DVD.

The Duke puts on an eye patch and wins an Oscar. A long time favorite from Henry Hathaway that gave the Duke not only one of his best roles but one of his best female costars in pint sized Kim Darby who won’t be swayed from her mission of bringing the man who killed her father to justice. What a cast! Glen Campbell, Strother Martin, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Jeremy Slate, Jeff Corey, John Fiedler, James Westerfield and John Doucette among them.

Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray.

A fine film from the once blacklisted Abraham Polonsky who hadn’t scored an actual directing credit since 1948’s classic noir movie, Force of Evil. What a great year 1969 was for westerns and this one deserves to be better known among it’s contemporaries, The Wild Bunch, Once Upon a Time in the West and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It’s another turn of the century story with Sheriff Robert Redford hunting a young Indian wanted for murder played by Robert Blake who along with his girl, Katharine Ross, is leading a posse into his own territory with heartbreaking results. Also stars Barry Sullivan, Charles McGraw and Susan Clark. Beautifully photographed by Conrad Hall. Well worth your time.

1970’s ….

Queens of Evil (1970) Mondo Macabro blu ray.

I had a great time with this low budget thriller that fits right into the era of movies like Daughters of Darkness and Vampires. A bit of an arthouse appeal finds a young biker stranded late at night and finding refuge at an abandoned house in the countryside. By morning he’ll be confronted by three attractive women who begin to spin their web of lies, love and deceit around him. I’ll be watching this one again and wish I had been exposed to it years ago like the other titles I mentioned.

Scream of the Demon Lover (1970) Severin blu ray. Italian thriller finds a young woman arriving much like Jonathan Harker in Dracula at a Castle that the peasant folk want nothing to do with. She’s a biochemist arriving to assist a creepy scientist suspected of numerous murders in the countryside. Is he the killer or is there a dark secret creeping through the castle halls late at night? With the 1970’s came sex and sadism taking center stage.

Lady Frankenstein (1971) Severin blu ray.

Cult classic with sexy siren Rosalba Neri in the title role who decides to play like her father Joseph Cotten in the laboratory and create a man/monster who can satisfy her nightly desires. Seriously, you have to see this one to fully appreciate it. Mickey Hargitay also stars and no, not as the monster.

The Werewolf Vs. The Vampire Woman (1971) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. One of the better Paul Naschy horrors that sees him playing the tortured Waldemar Daninsky who makes like Lon Chaney Jr. when the moon is full. Things get hairy when a couple of lovelies arrive at his sanctuary looking for the crypt of a Vampire Queen who would surely remind historians and Hammer fans of Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Not sure of that reference? Consult your history books.

Young Frankenstein (1974) Universal blu ray. What can I say. It’s a Mel Brooks/Gene Wilder classic that pays homage to the Universal Monster films on the 30’s and 40’s. A MUST SEE.

Dracula and Son (1976) Severin blu ray. Catching up with the recent blu ray release on a film I previously spotlighted.

The Missouri Breaks (1976) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray.

Despite Marlon Brando trying to throw everyone off their game with a bizarre performance, I still like this frontier western with a cast of favorites. Jack Nicholson and his gang of rustlers are beset upon by Brando’s “regulator” who has been hired by a cattle baron to remove them. Permanently. Jack’s gang includes Randy Quaid, John P. Ryan, Frederic Forrest and a solid Harry Dean Stanton as Jack’s main partner. Could have been so much better even if you can’t take your eyes of Marlon. I hear he drove director Arthur Penn crazy on set. Not crazy on the final showdown and that’s because I feel cheated on the Jack/Marlon conclusion. Still with all this talent involved it’s required viewing and it’s photography and scenery are at times breathtaking.

Breakheart Pass (1976) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray. Great cast in this enjoyable Agatha Christie style western led by Charles Bronson.

The Amityville Horror (1979) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. I was a kid when this one came out and it had everyone’s interest thanks to it’s being based on a “true story.” James Brolin and Margot Kidder move into a house where the previous occupants were violently murdered in their beds and things start happening to them and their kids which are cause for concern. I saw this years ago and didn’t think much of it and still don’t. Nothing really holds it together and I find it all rather muddy. If it weren’t for the real life incident it’s supposedly based on I don’t think it would have gathered as much attention as it did. Rod Steiger also turns up as a priest on the sidelines who is sure something evil awaits Brolin and his crew. Looks great on 4K and really enjoyed an interview with Brolin and costar Don Stroud included on the disc. Bottom line is I’d rather watch a number of other haunted house flicks with 1973’s The Legend of Hell House leading the way.

A Force of One (1979) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray.

Earlier Chuck Norris effort finds him lending his martial arts skills to the police force as they track down some dope dealers. Jennifer O’Neill is the officer he teams up with while Clu Gulager is the Captain and Ron O’Neal is the cop gone bad. Passable but Chuck was still to hit his peak once the 1980’s came along.

1980’s ….

Death Wish II (1982) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. Bronson returns to delivery his own brand of justice in his second go around as cinema’s most accomplished vigilante.

She (1984) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray. Yawn. Bizarre apocalyptic flick with Sandahl Bergman playing the title role. Skip this one and seek out the not to bad Ursula Andress flick of 1965.

Mask of Murder (1985) Severin blu ray. Low budget effort is a definite curio for fans of Rod Taylor, Valerie Perrine and Christopher Lee. Taylor is a Canadian cop in a small town looking to put an end to the reign of a serial killer. Perrine his wife and Lee plays his Captain on the force. Rod gets his man in the opening segment but it would appear as if there is a copycat killer on the loose. Strange that the film is set here in Canada yet was filmed in Uppsala, Sweden? It’s usually the opposite with movies filmed here in Canada fronting for other worldly locales.

Curse of the Blue Lights (1988) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. Cool f/x is all I can really point out in this low budget mess that fits right into the straight to video era of horror and sci-fi titles.

Dead Heat (1988) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray.

Third times a charm. Right? Not in this case. Saw this when it came out, then on VHS tape and now years later on a 4K blu ray release and I still think it’s far from memorable though it does have it’s fans. Treat Williams plays a cop who gets killed on the job but comes back as a zombie like crime fighter. My main problem with the film is I can’t stand his partner on the force played by Joe Piscopo. The guy just ain’t funny though he sure struggles to be. The major advantages of the film are some cool make up effects and a trio of elderly villains played by Keye Luke, Darren McGavin and Vincent Price.

The Dead Pit (1989) Code Red blu ray. This one’s a fun Zombie flick that deserves some love. Jeremy Slate stars as a doctor running an asylum for the mentally challenged who has buried a secret in the depths of the basement for years but the evil he thought he had done away with is about to rise when a young girl arrives for treatment. A VHS era classic with plenty of blood and gore for the horror hounds.

Rush Week (1989) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. A surprisingly tame slasher film at the tale end of the genre’s peak years. A college campus has young women being murdered but no one seems to bother calling in the police. Least of all the College Dean, Roy Thinnes. Tame as far as blood is concerned but that didn’t stop the producers from ensuring we see plenty of topless babes running around.

1990’s ….

Cadillac Man (1990) MGM DVD.

Robin Williams as a car salesman makes perfect sense to me. The comedic situations available to Williams are boundless. Turn him loose on unsuspecting tire kickers and I’m ready to die laughing. No, they decided to have Tim Robbins arriving at the car dealership with a gun holding Williams and everyone else hostage. Sure I laughed at times but I wanted Robin Williams in a film like 1978’s Used Cars.

Delta Force 3 (1991) Cannon Video DVD. Chuck Norris is nowhere in sight but we do get his son Mike Norris taking on some baddies over in the middle east alongside Cassavetes, Douglas and Penn. The names sound good on a poster but let me explain. That’s Nick Cassavates, son of John. Eric Douglas, son of Kirk. Matthew Penn …. no not a brother of Sean but rather the son of noted director Arthur Penn. If you like explosions tune in.

In the Line of Fire (1993) Columbia blu ray. A rarity in that it stars Clint Eastwood in a film he never directed. This one is from the celebrated Wolfgang Petersen and it doesn’t disappoint. No it hits a homerun. Clint is an aging secret service agent playing cat and mouse with a psychotic John Malkovich who is out to assassinate the President. A truly tense film with Clint and John demanding your full attention. Rene Russo also comes along for the ride and makes for a great romantic interest for Clint as she did most leading men of this era.

Hard Target (1993) Kino Lorber Studio Classics blu ray.

An action classic of it’s time thanks to the wizardry of action director John Woo. It’s also the best film of Jean Claude Van Damme’s career for my money and that’s in large part to the villains JCVD has to tangle with played with finesse by both Lance Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo. The pair are offering down on their luck ex military men a large payday if they can evade big game hunters who have paid large dollars to hunt down the most dangerous of predators … man. JCVD is going to find himself on the run from a number of men looking to take him out while plotting to turn the tables on them in a climatic showdown with Lance and Arnold as only John Woo can bring us.

The Wax Mask (1996) Severin blu ray. Entertaining feature from producer Dario Argento and director Sergio Stivaletti. More or less an Italian remake of Vincent Price’s House of Wax for the gross out crowd and it works. Nice to see this one turn up on blu ray. Saw it years ago on VHS and enjoyed it.

Air Force One (1997) Columbia blu ray.

“Get off my plane.” It’s a thrill a minute when screen legend Harrison Ford plays the President of the United States and tangles with a master terrorist played by Gary Oldman. Great cast and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just needs to trim back that extra 10 minutes or so once Gary gets his comeuppance.

as of late ….

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) Scream Factory blu ray. Bruce Campbell as Elvis! One of the first films I spotlighted here ages ago.

The Piano Player (2002) Artisan DVD. This might not be the worst Dennis Hopper film ever made but it’s the worst one I’ll see this year. He’s an accountant for some voodoo like mobster who is now out to kill him and under the protection of a piano playing crack assassin portrayed by a very bored looking Christopher Lambert.

The Man Who Saw Frankenstein (2010) Vinegar Syndrome blu ray. This 70 minute documentary on the life and career of horror star Paul Naschy is easy to recommend to those who might be interested in learning more about the Spanish actor and his rise to prominence in the world of fantasy films. Plenty of faces like Joe Dante and John Landis join in to offer their thoughts on the actor, his career and his impact on horror cinema.

Red (2010) e one blu ray.

Just plain fun. Action packed effort that sees Bruce Willis teaming with an aging group of retired assassins, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich looking to take out an enemy from their past who has marked them all for death. This one’s a winner and did well enough at the box office to secure a sequel. Well paced with plenty of comedy mixed into the action. Also stars Mary-Louise Parker, Richard Dreyfuss, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, James Remar and even offers up one of Ernie Borgnine’s final film roles.

Red 2 (2013) e one blu ray. Time to bring the old gang back for some more assassinations and crime fighting miracles to save the world from the threat of a nuclear bomb hidden inside the walls of the Kremlin. Coming along for the ride this time are Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones and Lee Byung-hun. Fun but not as fun as the previous adventure.

Hard Target 2 (2016) Universal blu ray. A belated sequel/remake with Scott Adkins stepping in to JCVD’s shoes. Adkins plays a former kickboxer in a deep depression who finds himself reaching for the bait supplied by Lance Henriksen wannabe Robert Knepper who like Lance in the original gets to chew the scenery. Overlong by about twenty minutes this “B” flick still offers up plenty of action but in no way erases the memory of John Woo’s film of 1993.

Nobody (2021) Netflix.

WOW. I loved this violent 90 minute special that finds a somewhat mild mannered Bob Odenkirk see his life go off the rails following a home invasion. The violence is like an aphrodisiac to this long retired CIA specialist who handled all the dirty work for God and Country. Sure it goes over the top in the final shootout but I’d rather watch this then the sequels to John Wick which for me are like watching my sons playing video games. There I said it! Lastly it’s about time we all got to see Christopher Lloyd pick up a gun and kick some ass.

The Munsters (2022) Universal blu ray.

Yes I want to like this film. No it’s not all that good but to be honest I have a feeling it’ll grow on me. Made by super fan Rob Zombie I for one have to tip my hat to him for trying. It’s a prequel to the original TV show from the 1960’s and it’s Daniel Roebuck coming off best as Grandpa Munster. The colors are in your face like a poor imitation of a Tim Burton film and I can’t help but wonder if they should have went with black and white photography. As for Sheri Moon Zombie and Jeff Daniel Phillips as Lily and Herman? They’ll never top Yvonne De Carlo and Fred Gwynne’s classic portrayals of the happily married Munsters.

The Out-Laws (2023) Netflix. I like the set up that sees Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin as the parents of Nina Dobrev who is set to marry a bank manager played by a very annoying Adam Devine. Turns out Pierce and Ellen are professional bank robbers and just can’t help themselves as they need some heavy cash to settle an old score. Yeah I laughed on occasion and consider myself a fan of Brosnan’s work outside the world of Bond but Devine’s character is not very likable and kind of ruins the film as a whole. It should be noted that Michael Rooker is a welcome addition to the film as the police officer trying to put Pierce and Ellen behind bars.

Total seen – 53

New to me – 21

Revisits – 32

Of the new to me titles from yesteryear I’d like to suggest Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here and of the revisits I’d point you to are The Hangman, Breakheart Pass, The Woman In the Window and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

For the post 2000 crowd Red was fun to see again and Nobody was a first time viewing I’d like to suggest you give a shot.

Till next month’s wrap up. Drop me a line and let me know how many of these you’ve checked out. What you liked and what you would pass on.