Change Your Image
Silentsaregolden-539-660514
Reviews
Le viol du vampire (1968)
Dumb movie
A very muddled, incoherent story, hard to follow, dumb ending. People who are not vampires return from being dead, vampires are killed with a gun (mowed down with a machine gun at the end), daylight does not bother them, no one gets killed with a stake in the heart...more like a cult trying to act like vampires. And the "Queen" vampire is ridiculous. There is no well defined "hero" to cheer for. Just a conglomeration of people with no one to really take the lead. Lots of nudity which is apparently what Jean Rollin was depending on to attract viewers. Supposedly Rollin lost the script three days into the movie and improvised from there - and it shows. The first part about the four girls who believe they are vampires shows promise, but three are quickly killed off. What may have been a good psychological thriller was lost. The second part is just all over the place with no cohesiveness. If you want a good story, pass this one up.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
A great finale to a legendary series
I can't understand why anyone would find fault with this film. It's loaded with action, has human interest, actors are perfectly cast, and in spite of being over two and a half hours long, I was engrossed for the entire time. Don't let the super critical sway you from seeing this film. It works on so many levels. Back in the day, the old westerns stars were the heroes of young boys who flocked to the theatres to see their favorite. Indiana Jones fills the bill for that demographic today. Take your son or grandson to see this one. It's a perfect father and son outing. Nothing bad here - just lots of action and fun!
Bill Cracks Down (1937)
Lots of potential never realized
This film could have been better than it was. It's a standard story of a steel magnate who, in his will, leaves the running of his company to his favorite, devoted employee, Tons Walker (Grant Withers). The magnate wants to make a man out of his artist son, Bill (Ranny Weeks) who has been living in Paris off Dad's money. So, the will stipulates the son must work in the mill for a year, then he can inherit everything. Grant Withers is well cast as the devoted employee who adores his boss and only wants what is best for the company. However, he and the shiftless son, played ever so annoyingly by Weeks, clash. Actually there are times when we want Tons to punch Bill in the nose and doesn't. Here's where the story falls apart. Tons and secretary Susan Bailey, played by Beatrice Roberts, are engaged. However she sympathizes with the son having to work shoveling coal in the mill. Eventually she falls in love with him. They go out, date, and kiss without Tons' knowledge who is working nights to keep the company going. Of course, through a series of events, Tons and Bill come to like each other - so much that Bill gives Tons half interest in the company - and Susan realizes she really loves Tons. Really? He actually wants her back after she threw him over for another guy. Not only unbelievable but dumb. Someone else other than Weeks would have been better in this part, and, by the way, the lovely and talented Judith Allen is wasted as Bill's gold-digging girlfriend.
The Ring (1927)
Jack, you're an idiot!
Hitchcock always does good direction and adds nice touches that enhance the enjoyment of the film, but this story, written by Hitch himself, is hard to swallow. Jack and Mabel are engaged to be married. Jack boxes at a sideshow. Boxing champ Bob and his manager come along and decide Jack is good enough to be employed as Bob's sparring partner - and fight some minor fights. While Jack and the manager work out the details, Bob is off with Mabel kissing her. He also gives her a bracelet that she treasures. Sure, Jack and Mabel do get married, but while Jack's working his way up in the boxing ring, Mabel is out partying with Bob. She doesn't hide much from Jack either - her arm around Bob at a party, playing piano while staring at a photo of Bob (and Jack is looking over her shoulder and she knows it!), even going over to Bob and talking at length to him after a sparring session, not to her husband. Sure Jack is jealous, but he does nothing except look angry. Supposedly he'll get his "revenge" in the ring one day when he's won enough matches and worked his way up to a match with the champ. In the meantime, Mabel continues going out with Bob. What can Jack be thinking? It all comes to a head one evening after Jack has finally won the match that will qualify him to fight the champ. Mabel comes home late after partying with Bob (Jack sees her from an upstairs window get out of a car, then go back to it leaning in the window and obviously kissing someone goodnight.) In the heat of the fight, Mabel picks up the photo of Bob that Jack threw on the floor, runs from Jack to the bedroom and locks the door. Jack goes to "the club" (there's always a "club" in the films) where he confronts Bob, slugs him and says Bob can get his revenge in the ring if he wants to. When Jack goes home, Mabel has left him with a note saying she's going to people who treat her properly. What does that mean - that she's going to Bob? You would think Jack would write her off at this point and never have anything to do with her. But wait. The night of the big match comes up. We see Mabel go into Bob's dressing room. Hitchcock wisely does not let us know what is said, but from the looks she's giving, she's still "mooning" over Bob. Here's where it gets very cliché and hokey. Jack is losing the fight - literally knocked out until saved by the bell. At his worst, Mabel goes to the barely conscious Jack in his corner between rounds and tells him she's in his corner, she's with him. I'll bet you can't guess what happens next? Yep, he gets up and wins the fight. What a surprise! And further still, the two of them are reunited. Jack, you're an idiot! Oh, and we are to suppose that because Mabel takes off the bracelet after Jack wins the fight and drops it on the floor that, symbolically, it's now over with Bob? Sorry, but it's hard to believe any man could be the willing cuckold Jack is in this movie. Rather than cheering for Jack and wanting to see them get back together, you spend your time wanting to knock some sense into Jack and tell him to go find someone else who he can trust when his back is turned!