"Riders of the West" (Howard Bretherton, USA, 1942) Corrupt businessman Mason and larcenous banker Miller combine to rustle the cattle and foreclose on the mortgages of local ranchers to gain control of the valley. but the undercover Riders thwart their plans. Another good episode of the Rough Riders’ serie with great trio Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton. 6,5/10
"Down Texas Way" (Howard Bretherton, USA, 1942) The sixth film of Monogram's eight-film series, "The Rough Riders", has U. S. Marshals Buck Roberts and Tim McCall coming to a Texas town to visit their friend, U. S. Marshal Sandy Hopkins, only to learn that he has disappeared, and is suspected of the murder of John Dodge, owner of practically the whole town, except the hotel Sandy owns and runs when he isn't on an assignment as a Marshal. The murder has been committed by the henchmen of Bart Logan, who intends to take over the dead man's property and whose men are holding Sandy prisoner to make it appear that he fled after arguing with and killing Dodge. Just before the murder, Logan sent a letter to Dodge with the news that the latter's long-missing wife is returning, and in a short while, Stella, a Logan accomplice, arrives posing as the missing Ann Dodge, thus establishing her right to the Dodge property. Sandy, allowed to escape, returns unsuspectingly to town and is jailed by Sheriff Trump. Mary, Sandy's niece, appeals for help to Dave Dodge, the murdered man's son, who doesn't know his mother since she left when he was a baby. Meanwhile, Tim has taken charge of the town under his authority as a U. S. Marshal, and Buck, pretending to be a fugitive criminal, has worked his way into the Logan gang. Locating a photograph of the real Mrs. Dodge, he confronts Logan with the picture, who confesses the plot. Buck immediately arrests the whole gang, but Logan escapes. Dave traps him in an old mine, where he is captured by Buck and Tim. Another great Entry in the rough Rider’s serie 7/10
"Below the Border" (Howard Bretherton, USA, 1942) A gang of rustlers blackmails young Joe Collins into helping them, Sandy poses undercover as a janitor in the leader's saloon, and Buck impersonates a well-known crooked fence. A good Rough Riders’ movie as usual… 6,5/10
"Fugitive in the Sky" (Nick Grinde, USA 1936) Reporter Terry Brewer goes to the Los Angeles airport to say goodbye to his sweetheart, airline hostess Rita Moore. He notices G-Man Mike Phelan among the passengers and assuming Phelan is on the trail of a criminal, decides to go along to get a story. When the plane makes a stop in New Mexico, passenger Mrs. Tristo buys a hunting knife from an Indian. Late that night, a shadowy figure approaches the sleeping Ramon Duval and plunges a knife into his heart. Phelan assumes charge of the situation and begins to question the passengers. Wanda Terrell, who is wanted-fugitive Killer Madsen in drag disguise, holds up Phelan and announces he is now running the show. He orders pilot Bob White to head the plane to Evansville, Indiana, Masden's hometown. When Rita offers Masden a cup of coffee, which includes a powerful sleeping potion, the suspicious Masden exchanges cups with co-pilot Johnnie Martin who passes out. The annoyed Masden knocks out pilot White and Rita is forced to take over the controls. A heavy dust storm (thanks to Fred Jackman's visual effects) has clogged the plane's motors, but White comes to in time to bring the plane to a landing in the worst of the storm area. The passengers and crew all take refuge in a farm house, still held captive by Masden. The fugitive forces White and Terry to go with him to repair the plane, but Rita has gotten a shotgun from the farmer and follows them. A quite good small B with pretty Jean Muir Warren Hull. Howard Phillips as the Killer is quite good. 6/10
"Ghost town Law" (Howard Bretherton, USA 1942) When two of their Marshal friends are killed, the Rough Riders are sent to investigate. They have to find the killers in a ghost town where the houses and an old mine are interconnected by secret passages and tunnels. Aquite interrestng episode of the Rough Riders’ serie with many reference to the small world of cinema ! 6,5/10
"Rimfire!" (B. Reeves Eason, USA 1949) An undercover army officer investigating the theft of army gold shipments takes a job as deputy in a small town that's being terrorized by what they believe is the ghost of a gambler who was wrongly convicted and hanged for those robberies. The last feature film directed by veteran action specialist B. Reeves Eason. He did some second-unit work on features after this and some television directing, but this was the last feature he directed. For B fans only. 6,5/10
"Gunfight at O.K. Corral" (John Sturges, USA 1957) After a long career as a lawman that made him a legend, Wyatt Earp decides to quit and join his brothers in Tombstone, Arizona. There he would see them in a feud with the Clantons, a local clan of thugs and cattle thieves. When the showdown becomes inevitable, the help will come from Doc Holliday, a terminally-ill gambler who happens to be another Wild West legend. Rewatched this nic western with huge casting !! 8/10
"Power Rangers" (Dean Israelite, USA 2017) High school outcasts stumble upon an old alien ship, where they acquire superpowers and are dubbed the Power Rangers. Learning that an old enemy of the previous generation has returned to exact vengeance, the group must harness their powers and use them to work together and save the world. Another group of mighty teens save the world… 2/10
"Undercover Agent" (Howard Bretherton, USA 1939) When Bill Trent a United States Mail Inspector for the railways, uses his gun to foil a robber, he gets a probation sentence from the service. So, the next time he encounters a gang of crooks---forgers of sweepstakes tickets---he brings them to justice and jail without the aid of a gun. A quite interesting small B… 6,5/10
"Largo Winch" (Jérôme Salle, France/Belgium, 2008) Billionaire Nerio Winch (Predrag "Miki" Manojlovic) is found dead, drowned. An obviously suspicious death as Nerio is the founder and majority shareholder of the powerful and sprawling "W Group". Who will inherit this financial empire? Officially, Nerio had no family. But he had a secret he kept well-hidden: a son, Largo (Tomer Sisley), adopted nearly thirty years before from a Bosnian orphanage. The only problem is this young heir has just been thrown in prison deep in the Amazon. Accused of drug trafficking, he claims he's innocent. Nerio murdered. Largo in prison. What if these two events were part of a plot to take control of the Winch empire? A classic adventure movie wih lot of improbable action and so on. 5,5/10
"The Red Dragon" (Phil Rosen, USA 1945) Chan is faced with suspects in a stolen atomic bomb formula case, that are being killed with bullets that are not fired from a gun. Another funny episode of the serie with Sidney Toler who brings dignity to the role of Charlie Chan, even in these poor Monogram entries. The script isn't original, but it's still good to see Toler as Chan soon at the end of his carreer and some of Hollywood's important supporting actors such as George Meeker, Don Costello, and Charles Trowbridge and Willie Best is fine as Chattanooga Brown. For fans of Chan 7/10
"The Feathered Serpent" (William Beaudine, USA 1948) n order to learn the location of a fabled Aztec treasure, a professor kidnaps his colleague, the only man able to read the ancient Aztec script that is supposed to reveal the location of the treasure. Charlie Chan and his #1 and #2 sons journey to the jungles of Mexico to find the victim and bring the kidnapper and his gang to justice. The serie nearly reaches his end with this episode with Roland Winers as Chan. But the serie is still good ater those years… 6,5/10
"A View to a Kill" (John Glen, USA 1985) James Bond has one more mission. Bond returns from his travels in the U.S.S.R. with a computer chip. This chip is capable of withstanding a nuclear electromagnetic pulse that would otherwise destroy a normal chip. The chip was created by Zorin Industries, and Bond heads off to investigate its owner, Max Zorin. Zorin may only seem like an innocent man, but is really planning to set off an earthquake in San Andreas, which will wipe out all of Silicon Valley. As well as Zorin, Bond must also tackle May Day and equally menacing companion of Zorin, while dragging Stacy Sutton along for the ride. Not the best James bond but still interesting and entertaining. Pure 80’s indeed with Grace Jones and Christopher Walken ! 7/10
"The Man with the Golden Gun" (Guy Hamilton, UK 1974) Scaramanga is a hitman who charges one million dollars per job. He becomes linked to the death of a scientist working on a powerful solar cell, and James Bond is called in to investigate. As he tracks down Scaramanga, he realizes that he is highly respected by the killer, but will this prove to be an advantage in the final showdown? A james Bond with Christopher Lee as the bad guy can’t be bad… 7/10
"L’aile ou la cuisse" (Claude Zidi, France 1976) Charles Duchemin, a well-known gourmet and the publisher of a famous restaurant guide, is waging a war against fast-food entrepreneur Tricatel to save the French art of cooking. After having agreed to appear on a talk show to show his skills in naming food and wine by taste, he is confronted with two disasters: his son wants to become a clown rather than a restaurant tester and he, the famous Charles Duchemin, has lost his taste. Yes I know, but… I love it ! 7/10
"The Sky Dragon" (Lesley Selander, USA 1949) All the passengers on an airplane headed for San Francisco are drugged, and when they wake up, it is discovered that a quarter-million dollars is missing. Charlie Chan--and, of course, his #1 son--must discover the identity of the person who doped the passengers and stole the money. The last Charlie Chan movie the end of great serie !! I watched them all !! 7/10
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (George Roy Hill, USA 1969) Butch and Sundance are the two leaders of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. Butch is all ideas, Sundance is all action and skill. The west is becoming civilized, and when Butch and Sundance rob a train once too often, a special posse begins trailing them no matter where they run. Over rocks, through towns, across rivers, the group is always just behind them. When they finally escape through sheer luck, Butch has another idea, "Let's go to Bolivia". Based on the exploits of the historical characters. Rewatched it with much fun…. 8,5/10
"Club Havana" (Edgar G. Ulmer, USA 1945) Edgar G. Ulmer directed this film about a number of different characters unfolding love, hate, and death problems during an evening in a fashionable Latin nightclub. A poorly known Ulmer movie not it’s best but still a ‘touche’ even with few means, and especialy so indeed… 6,5/10
"The Sombrero Kid" (George Sherman, USA 1942) When Marshall Holden discovers gold, Martin tricks him into signing a deed and then has him killed. His natural son replaces him as Marshall but his adopted son Jerry accidently kills a man and is wrongly convicted of murder. But Martin also has a son and he is the key to solving Jerry's problems. A good small B western with Don ‘Red’ Barry ! 6/10
"The Omaha Trail" (Edward Buzzell, Edward L. Cahn, USA 1942) Vane hires Candel to haul his locomotive by freight wagon to Omaha. Ross knows that the railroad will mean the end of his freighting business and plans to make sure the locomotive does not get through. When his attempts are foiled, he and his men take all the guns and leave. With the Indians about to attack, , <USA Candel and his crew find themselves defenseless. A good unknown small B. 6/10
"Man-Eater of Kumaon" (Byron Haskin, USA 1948) A doctor hunts a vicious, man-eating tiger that terrorizes a native jungle village. In time the doctor experiences a personal change when he accepts their native customs and beliefs. A small adventure B movie with sabu…. 6,5/10
"The Rangers Ride" (Derwin Abrahams, USA 1948) After the Texas Rangers are disbanded, the the reconstruction years following the Civil War, a private state-police force extorts money from the citizens in a "protection" scheme. Ex-Rangers Jimmy Wakely and "Cannonball" Taylor foil an arrest by state-police officers Hamon and Kelly. Commissioner Jed Brant tells his nephew that his old friend Jimmy is plotting against the law-and-order forces. Vic's fiancée and ranch-owner, Sheila Carol, refuses to sign up with the crooked police outfit, and believes Jimmy is an outlaw. On Chief Barton's order, Hamon shoots ex-Rangers Murphy and Payson, so they can be blamed for a raid on Sheila's ranch. Jimmy Wakely and sidekick Dub Taylor star in this small B. 6/10
"Range Renegade" (Lambert Hillyer, USA 1948) After Marshal Jordan is honored by Jimmy, Cannonball and others for his forty years as a law officer, the Sawyer mine is blown up by Belle's foreman, Kern, following Sawyer's refusal to sell out. Dan Jordan, the Marshal's son, interested in Belle, secretly the head of the outlaws, is lured by her from scouting the road on which his father guards a ore shipment. Jimmy and Cannonball drive off the outlaws, headed by Kern and Burton, but the Marshal is fatally wounded. The town council appoints Jimmy the new Marshal, which disappoints Dan, but Belle persuades him to become Jimmy's deputy, in order to get information from him about ore and payroll shipments. Dan quits as deputy and fights Jimmy when the latter suspects Belle of involvement in the robberies. Another good entry for Jilmy Wakely ! 6,5/10
" Lonesome Trail" (Oliver Drake, USA 1945) Jimmy and partner Dusty have bought a ghost town in the Cherokee strip. When they arrive they find their other partner Lasses has sold 51% to four crooks. The four then fake a gold rush to bring in people. Jimmy's plan is to have the strip annexed to Texas but when election day arrives the outlaws control the ballot box and also seal off the town to keep others away. Not the best of the serie ut still watchable. 6/10
"Riders of the Dawn" (Oliver Drake, USA 1944) Jimmy Wakely and Dusty, traveling with the medicine show owned by "Lasses" White, stop at the Ferguson ranch and find the rancher and his wife killed. They take the Ferguson baby to their camp, where outlaws Joe, Slick and Pete attempt to kidnap the baby, while Dusty is reporting the murders to Sheriff Beasley and town mayor Melinda Pringle. Wakely and his singers hide the baby from its legal guardian, Doc Judd Thomas, as they suspect him of being connected with the Ferguson murders. When Melinda and her niece, Penny, discover where the baby is, Jimmy enlists their aid. The sheriff discovers that Melinda has the baby and jails her, Jimmy and Dusty. Using his medicine show troupe as a diversion, "Lasses" breaks them out of jail. They search the doctor's office and find that he had the family killed after he discovered oil on their property, and is waiting to get custody of the baby so he can sign valuable contracts with an oil company. Jimmy Wakely and Lee 'Lasses' White are the leads of this small B, 5,5/10
"Le casse" (Henri Verneuil, France/Italy 1967) In 1970s Athens a group of professional burglars plan an emerald heist from the home of a gem collector but the corrupt Greek police inspector Abel Zacharia is on their trail. Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Omar Sharif face in this crime movie wich is also a nice post card for tourism in Greece ! 7/10
"Le père tranquille" (René Clément, Noël-Noël, France 1946) In the Charente, during the Nazi occupation, Edouard Martin, a fifty-year-old man with apparently peaceful life is in fact the leader of a resistance network. Poorly known but interesting film ideed. 7,5/10
"Karumen kokyo ni kaeru" (aka “Carmen Comes Home”) (Keisuke Kinoshita, Japan, 1951) A girl who had left her small Japanese village for the excitement and adventure of the big city--in this case, Tokyo--returns home years later for a visit. However, scandal erupts when the villagers find out what she has been doing in Tokyo all these years--she's a stripper. Very Funny and ahead from it’s time. Ideko Takamine is excellent !! 8,5/10
"Y a-t-il un Français dans la salle ?" (Jean-Pierre Mocky, France 1982) Horace Tumelat,a powerful politician was raised by his uncle Eusèbe.He has to find a letter written by his uncle who committed suicide. Not the best Mocky but still ferocious. 7/10
"Rookies in Burma" (Leslie Goodwins, USA 1943) Even in the jungles of Burma, U.S. Army Privates Jerry Miles (Wally Brown), and Mike Strager (Alan Carney, are still spending most of their time on KP (Kitchen Police) duty. But they are captured by the Japanese and taken to a prison camp and discover that their long-suffering Sergeant Burke (Erford Gage0 has also been captured. They manage to escape into the jungle and find their way to a Burmanese village in which two American showgirls, Janie (Joan Barclay and Connie (Claire Carleton, who have escaped from Shanghia, are stranded. The fivesome borrow an elephant and head for India. Wally Brown and Alan Carney are not Abbott and Costello but the whole is still fun ! 5,5/10
"Posse from Hell" (Herbert Coleman, USA 1961) Murphy goes after bad guys who shot his friend the sheriff and abducted a local girl. In a plot reminiscent of High Noon, the posse of town blowhards gradually abandons Murphy; only tenderfoot banker Saxon remains, to prove his manhood. When they find the girl, obviously abused by her captors, Murphy shows her acceptance and sympathy whereas the others disply only revulsion. A good Audy Murphy entry also with a good John Saxon ! 7/10
"Hell Bent for Leather" (George Sherman, USA 1960) When Clay Santell stops in the town of Sutterville after having his horse stolen, he is mistaken by townspeople for a murderer named Travers. The townspeople capture Santell, and turn him over to lawman Harry Deckett. Deckett, who is tired of chasing the real Travers, decides to kill Santell and pass him off as Travers. Santell escapes from Deckett, taking lovely Janet Gifford hostage in the process. Janet comes to believe Santell's story, and helps him in his struggle to prove his real identity. A good western quite violen with good Audy Murphy and Stphen McNally. 7,5/10
"Le comte de Monte Cristo" (Claude Autan-Lara, France/Italy, 1961) Edmund Dantes is falsely accused by those jealous of his good fortune, and is sentenced to spend the rest of his life in the notorious island prison, Chateau d'If. While imprisoned, he meets the Abbe Faria, a fellow prisoner whom everyone believes to be mad. The Abbe tells Edmund of a fantastic treasure hidden away on a tiny island, that only he knows the location of. After many years in prison, the old Abbe dies, and Edmund escapes disguised as the dead body. Now free, Edmund must find the treasure the Abbe told him of, so he can use the new-found wealth to exact revenge on those who have wronged him. A colorfull adaptaion of the famous Dumas’s novel with convincing Louis Joudan. But I prefer Robert Vernay’s adaptation. 7/10
"Violence" (Jack Bernhard, USA 1947) Undersover magazine reporter Ann Mason is able to infiltrate a neo-facist organization that recruits disgruntled war veterans with a paranoiac populist message that views both labor and management as enemies. She becomes secretary to the organization's leader, True Dawson, a smooth-talking con artist who uses the member's dues and the organisation's manpower for his own nefarious ends. Fred Stalk, one of Dawson's enforcers, suspects her motives but lack of evidence and his attraction to her keeps him from acting against her. While en route to break her exposé, Ann's taxi is pursued by government agent Steve Fuller, and the resultant crash leaves her with a concussion and loss of memory. Fuller uses the opportunity to convince her he's her fiancé and gains access to the racketeers. A curious movie quite originalfor it’s time. Nancy Coleman is good. 6,5/10
"Dune Warriors" (Cirio H. Santiago, USA 1991) After the end of the world, Earth is a thirsty planet ruled by vicious warlords. One woman is brave enough to fight back; she bands together five warriors to save her town and their precious water. Santiago is a specialist of enjoyable bad movies and if you ad Davis Caradine at the cast you’ve got must see !! 3/10 (10/10 for fans of bad cinema)
"The Mutations" (Jack Cardiff, UK/USA 1974) Students have been going missing from the local college, and the one person who knows what's happened to them is Dr. Noller, a rogue biologist. Not satisfied with the pace of natural selection in driving evolution, Noller wants to push things further by creating his own genetically engineered creations. Having already created some amazing specimins by mixing the DNA of plants and animals, the doctor has now set his sights higher, and want to work on modifying humans, as well. Funny psychotronic small horror flicks with Donald Pleasance !! 4/10 (much more for fans of bad movies !!)
"La veuve Couderc" (Pierre Granier-Deferre, France 1971) Her youth has been spent working for a farm family, being raped by father and son, marrying the son who has now left her a happy widow. She is happy because World War I is over and she is enjoying being in control of the farm. And then she hires the handsome stranger who helped her carry the new incubator for chicks from the bus and across the canal. In the house by the canal with the job of raising and lowering the bridge for passing boats lives the widow's envious sister-in-law along with husband and nubile daughter. Cruel and excellent ! 8/10
"Mystery of Marie Roget" (Phil Rosen, USA 1942) A detective tries to unravel the strange circumstances surrounding the death of a young actress. A small crime B with appearance of famous actress Maria Montez. 6,5/10
"Tintin et le lac aux requins (Raymond Leblanc, Belgium/France 1972) Tintin and his friends visit Professor Calculus at his country laboratory, only to find him and a pair of local children threatened by criminals after the inventor's work. A good anime of the famous comic’s heroe ! 7/10
"Le deuxième souffle" (Jean-Pierre Melville, France 1966) Gustave Minda, better known as Gu, a dangerous gangster, escapes from jail. He goes to Paris to join Manouche and other friends, and get involved in a gangland killing. Before leaving the country with Manouche, Gu needs a final job to get some money. But that's not so simple when you have Inspector Blot tracking you, and have to deal with the consequences of the shooting in Paris… Frenche crime cinema at it best, Melville, Ventura, Meurisse, Pellerin… Jose Giovanni on script… What else ?? 10/10
"Rocco e i suoi fratelli" (Luchino Visconti, France/Italy 1960) The widow Rosaria moves to Milano from Lucania with her 4 sons, one of whom is Rocco. The fifth son, Vincenzo, already lives in Milano. In the beginning, the family has a lot of problems, but everyone manages to find something to do. Simone is boxing, Rocco works in a dry cleaners, and Ciro studies. Simone meets Nadia, a prostitute, and they have a stormy affair. Then Rocco, after finishing his military service, begins a relationship with her. A bitter feud ensues between the two brothers, which will lead as far as murder... Rewatched this true classic… 10/10
"Mélodie en sous-sol" (Henri Verneuil, France/Italie, 196) After a long period in jail, Charles returns home and does not accept the plan of his wife Ginette of moving to the countryside for a quieter life. He plots the heist of a casino and invites his young cell mate Francis and his brother-in-law to participate. They check into two different hotels posing as millionaires and Charles' plan works perfectly. But when Charles finds that Francis has compromised his plan with a silly attitude, things go wrong. A true classic of French crime movie at it’s golden age. Gabin/Delon are excellent. 9/10
"Night Editor" (Henry Levin, USA 1946) "Night Editor" was based on the already existing radio program in which a newspaper editor would recount the 'inside story' of some bit newspaper story, and later became a television series: This time, a night editor of a newspaper is telling a story to a young reporter, who is neglecting his job and wife and beginning to drink too much. The story begins as a police detective, although devoted to his wife and young son, has entered into an affair with a society girl, also married, and while they are parked out in the boonies on a lonely road, they witness a murder. The detective, because of the circumstances of being where he is for the reason he is there, does not attempt to catch the killer and does not report the crime. He is later assigned the case and soon realizes that an innocent man is about to take the blame, and the only way he can clear him is to arrest the killer and become a witness against him. The story-teller also has a vested interest in the old case. A ypical noir with a great Femme fatale Janis Carter is ecxcellent !!