The final version of Frankenstein to be suggested for viewing by the Sci-Fi Chronicles book is this 1994 adaptation by actor/writer/director Kenneth Branagh. He takes on this version of the tale by creating a lush and beautiful looking period film. Despite the films he would later make, this one feels restrained, not quite stuffy but…
Tag: vengeance
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) – Fred Niblo
The next film up on the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film list of recommendations following my screening of Intolerance is this tale of Ben Hur (Ramon Navarro), a young Jewish prince intent on vengeance for the ruin of his family at the hands of the Romans, interwoven around the tale of Christ…
Fear Clinic (2014) – Robert Hall
Available today from Anchor Bay is that interesting horror offering from Robert Hall. Based on the web series of the same name and starring film icon Robert Englund, the film follows a group of tortured souls, haunted by their fears, and a unifying incident, and their plea for help from their doctor, Andover (Englund) who…
The Rockford Files (1979) – The Man Who Saw The Alligators and The Return of the Black Shadow
Private investigator Jim Rockford (James Garner) finds himself in all manner of trouble this week. First up is The Man Who Saw the Alligators, written by David Chase, and originally airing as an extended episode on 10 February, 1979, you can catch glimpses of Chase’s Sopranos in this episode, as a gangster on parole,…
Pumpkinhead (1988) – Stan Winston
The always so cool Lance Henriksen stars in this creature-feature, cabin-in-the-woods horror film that was the directorial debut of the late, and much-missed Stan Winston. In a film packed with people I recognize, two of them from my favorite television show ever, Quantum Leap, the film plays within the typical B-movie tropes, but with…
Touch of Evil (1958) – Orson Welles
The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of Citizen Kane, is this noir film starring Welles, Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh. This film was stunning for the beautiful camera work alone. Everyone talks about the opening shot, but it’s always amazing to see it. And…
Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982) – Honor They Brother & The Lady and The Tiger
Jake is off to high-flying melodrama and adventure in this week’s installment of Tales of the Gold Monkey! The first episode originally aired 24 November 1982 and was written by Danny Lee Cole, Jeff Ray, William Driskill and George Geiger. It starts back in 1937, with Jake (Stephen Collins) still serving in the Flying Tigers,…
Greed (1924) – Erich von Stroheim
The Great Movies – 100 Year of Film book brings me the first drama title to take a look at. Directed by Erich von Stroheim and based on the novel, McTeague by Frank Norris, Greed is a massive story, that when originally put together by Stroheim for a screening, ran for nine and a half hours!!…
The Crow (1994) – Alex Proyas
The 101 Action Movies brings this dark, goth, ultraviolent actioner based on the comic by James O’Barr. A film now infamous for and overshadowed by the death of its lead actor, Brandon Lee, on-set, it is still, in fact, a wonderfully made film, taut in its script and characterizations, and brutal in its action sequences. Eric Draven (Lee) and…
Foxy Brown (1974) – Jack Hill
The iconic and lovely Pam Grier stars in this blaxploitation film that makes a very welcome appearance on the 101 Action Movies list. Grier is sexy, kicks ass, and sets the stage for future action heroines as the titular Foxy Brown. When her boyfriend, the original Battlestar Galactica’s Colonel Tigh – Terry Carter, a narcotics…
