(HORROR) A Taste of Evil - 1971 ****

 

After spending seven years in an asylum after being raped when she was a child Susan is welcomed back to her family home with open arms by her mother Miriam. Miriam is now in a volatile relationship with an alcoholic named Harold whom Susan quickly suspecting is stalking her around the house and gardens near where the attack happened. Things however are not what they seem, and Susan soon realises that she cannot trust anyone.

A rather gritty and gripping little thriller, very enjoyable, easy to watch and downright scary!

(HORROR) Something Wicked - 2014 **

 

The ultimate tragedy is not that this film was horrifically bad, but that Brittany Murphy looked so close to death during the filming. Despite the release date of 2014 this film was actually made in 2009 but was put on the shelf for a number of years whilst the director decided whether it should be released. It's not hard to see why it was so hard to decide.

The story centres around a young couple, Christine and James, who have decided to get married when a tragic accident leaves Christine without her parents. The couple make the decision to go ahead with the wedding they have planned, but as the day gets closer, Christina becomes terrified that someone is stalking her.

The premise sounds a lot better than the film actually is, and Murphy spoils it with her drugged up, wooden performance.

 

Anna Nicole - 2013 ***

 

Agnes Bruckner does a fantastic performance of Anna Nicole Smith here, in some ways even more realistically than Anna herself ever did. The story is tough going, about Anna's troubled upbringing, her experience of stripping, right through until her marriage to octogenarian Harold Marshall. It also chronicles her dependence on drugs, her relationship with her son and her out of control demeanour that ultimately takes a toll on her. Hard not to find ANS's story very sad and disturbing, but one must remember that despite her obsession with being a celebrity she was effectively catapulted into a life of fame and fortune without really knowing how to deal with it, and therefore ending up paying the ultimate price. Worth a watch.

(HORROR) Dark Summer - 2015 *

 

Another horror film that has such a scary poster it lulls you into a false sense of security thinking you are about to see a great picture. The movie itself is pretty rubbish, and like so many others of it's genre. Daniel is a troubled 17 year old under house arrest for the obsessive stalking of his unrequited love Mona. However, what he doesn't count on is that Mona will be keeping track of his whereabouts, with terrifying results for both him and his two friends.

It's exceedingly badly done, and I really didn't enjoy this.

Dames - 1934 **

 

Joan Blondell is a rather hard actress to decipher. I find her amusing and infuriating in equal measures, and here she continues to display all the traits that make her a complete pain to watch. She definitely didn't have the beauty of Jean Harlow, or the wit of Carole Lombard, and it seems strange that she was so popular. But that is a personal opinion. Dick Powell was also rather popular during the early 30s, and I honestly can't see the appeal. His talent was being flashy and brusque which fit rather well in the Busby Berkley-esque style of this film, that and the quite frankly garish musical numbers, which include Blondell screeching along to 'Then Girl at the Ironing Board', and Powell imploring Ruby Keeler to 'Try to see it My Way.' This is no 'Fred and Ginger' production, neither in style, nor in actor nor in song. Apart from the odd scene, overall this doesn't feature highly on my list of likeable films.

My Woman - 1933 **

 

Such a disappointing movie. Helen Twelvetrees is so beautiful and funny ordinarily, but I found her entire performance drained and uninspiring. Wallace Ford was below par here too, which was a crying shame, as usually his work is excellent.

Connie is a stunning singer and dancer, eager to get a big break for her untalented and arrogant husband Chick. In doing so she makes friends with a radio executive named John, who seems to find the good in Chick that no one else can. When Chick becomes famous, he abandons Connie, and she finds support in John. A rather poor and pointless film.

(HORROR) Body Bags - 1992 ****

 

I don't think I have ever seen such a good cast in a horror film before! John Carpenter heads up this terrifying trio of gruesome tales, with appearances from Wes Craven, Sam Raimi, Roger Corman, Tobe Hooper and even Twiggy! We visit a gas station in the middle of the night, where a serial killer is stalking a young girl. Next is a man obsessed with growing a thick head of hair, regardless of how much it will take over his life. Third is the story of a man who loses his eye in a tragic accident, and is given a replacement eye from a murderer, killed in the gas chamber - what will he see?

I genuinely thought this was a great film, it was just the right length, the acting was good, it was deliciously scary but also very dry and amusing. Very worthwhile.