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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Tomb of Ligeia (1965) in Movies
Dec 13, 2020
Cat!!!!!
The Tomb of Ligeia- is anethor Roger Corman, Vincent Price and Edgar Allan Poe Collab.
The plot: Verden Fell (Vincent Price) is shattered after the death of his lovely wife. But, after an unexpected encounter with Lady Rowena Trevanion (Elizabeth Shepherd), Fell soon finds himself married again. Nevertheless, his late wife's spirit seems to hang over the dilapidated abbey that Fell shares with his new bride. Lady Rowena senses that something is amiss and, when she investigates, makes a horrifying discovery -- learning that Fell's dead wife is closer than she ever imagined possible.
Corman later gave Martin Scorsese permission to use a clip from the film in Mean Streets.
Roger Corman later said he thought the film was "one of the best Poe pictures and Vincent's performance in the film was very good. It was simply a matter of age."
Its a really good movie.
The plot: Verden Fell (Vincent Price) is shattered after the death of his lovely wife. But, after an unexpected encounter with Lady Rowena Trevanion (Elizabeth Shepherd), Fell soon finds himself married again. Nevertheless, his late wife's spirit seems to hang over the dilapidated abbey that Fell shares with his new bride. Lady Rowena senses that something is amiss and, when she investigates, makes a horrifying discovery -- learning that Fell's dead wife is closer than she ever imagined possible.
Corman later gave Martin Scorsese permission to use a clip from the film in Mean Streets.
Roger Corman later said he thought the film was "one of the best Poe pictures and Vincent's performance in the film was very good. It was simply a matter of age."
Its a really good movie.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Avalanche (1978) in Movies
Mar 10, 2018 (Updated Aug 3, 2019)
I really hoped it would be better
Tier 1 vintage disaster films Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure. Tier 2 the Airport franchise. This would be tier 3 for sure. B movie producer legend Roger Corman financed this very low budget looking disaster flick starring Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow.
SFX were bad including Styrofoam made to look like big rocks of snow and huge fake snow flakes. Acting wasn't bad, but was left wanting more peril and even B movie goodness.
Oh well.
SFX were bad including Styrofoam made to look like big rocks of snow and huge fake snow flakes. Acting wasn't bad, but was left wanting more peril and even B movie goodness.
Oh well.
Georgia Hubley recommended White Dog (1982) in Movies (curated)
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Haunted Palace (1963) in Movies
Apr 19, 2020
Brooding Gothic horror from Roger Corman and Vincent Price. A notorious warlock is killed by an angry mob, but a century later his great-grandson moves into his old mansion and is possessed by his ancestor's spirit. One of the stronger and darker Corman-Price movies, but disingenuously billed as part of their Poe series: the story's fixation with the influence of the past on the present and the horrors of miscegenation would mark it out as an H.P. Lovecraft adaptation even if they hadn't retained the original character names and references to HPL's wider mythology.
Memorable more for an unsettling atmosphere than for being actually scary, though there are some very creepy moments concerning the deformed mutant villagers Price's experiments have produced. Terrific performance from Price, as you'd expect, also from Lon Chaney Jr as his sidekick, which you perhaps wouldn't. A seminal movie for Lovecraft followers and a pretty good one for anyone who likes old-style horror films.
Memorable more for an unsettling atmosphere than for being actually scary, though there are some very creepy moments concerning the deformed mutant villagers Price's experiments have produced. Terrific performance from Price, as you'd expect, also from Lon Chaney Jr as his sidekick, which you perhaps wouldn't. A seminal movie for Lovecraft followers and a pretty good one for anyone who likes old-style horror films.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Targets (1968) in Movies
Jun 18, 2020
Targeting Frankenstein: A Horror Icon
Targets- is a very suspenseful film that stars a old boris Karloff. His performance in this film is different. Usually he is type-cast in a horror movie. Targets is not the cast, its a more serious role for Karloff and I liked it alot. He is dramatic in Targets. It was Karloff's last appearance in a marjor american film, before he passed away in 1968.
The plot: After unhinged Vietnam vet Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly) kills his wife and mother, he goes on a brutal shooting spree. Starting at an oil refinery, he evades the police and continues his murderous outing at a drive-in movie theater, where Byron Orlock (Boris Karloff), a retiring horror film icon, is making a promotional appearance. Before long, Orlock, a symbol of fantastical old-fashioned scares, faces off against Thompson, a remorseless psychopath rooted in a harsh modern reality.
Even Karloff's charcter is a retired horror film actor, so he can never get away from the horror genre/type-casting.
In the film's finale at a drive-in theater, Orlok – the old-fashioned, traditional screen monster who always obeyed the rules – confronts the new, realistic, nihilistic late-1960s "monster" in the shape of a clean-cut, unassuming multiple murderer.
Bogdanovich got the chance to make Targets because Boris Karloff owed studio head Roger Corman two days' work. Corman told Bogdanovich he could make any film he liked provided he used Karloff and stayed under budget. In addition, Bogdanovich had to use clips from Corman's Napoleonic-era thriller The Terror in the movie. The clips from The Terror feature Jack Nicholson and Boris Karloff. A brief clip of Howard Hawks' 1931 film The Criminal Code featuring Karloff was also used.
American International Pictures offered to release, but Bogdanovich wanted to try to see if the film could get a deal with a major studio. It was seen by Robert Evans of Paramount who bought it for $150,000, giving Corman an instant profit on the movie before it was even released.
Although the film was written and production photography completed in late 1967, it was released after the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy in early 1968 and thus had some topical relevance to then-current events. Nevertheless, it was not very successful at the box office.
Quentin Tarantino later called it "the most political movie Corman ever made since The Intruder. And forty years later it’s still one of the strongest cries for gun control in American cinema. The film isn’t a thriller with a social commentary buried inside of it (the normal Corman model), it’s a social commentary with a thriller buried inside of it... It was one of the most powerful films of 1968 and one of the greatest directorial debuts of all time. And I believe the best film ever produced by Roger Corman.
Its a excellent mystery suspenseful thrilling starring Boris Karloff, last appearance in a marjor american film, before he passed away in 1968. A great film to end your career on.
The plot: After unhinged Vietnam vet Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly) kills his wife and mother, he goes on a brutal shooting spree. Starting at an oil refinery, he evades the police and continues his murderous outing at a drive-in movie theater, where Byron Orlock (Boris Karloff), a retiring horror film icon, is making a promotional appearance. Before long, Orlock, a symbol of fantastical old-fashioned scares, faces off against Thompson, a remorseless psychopath rooted in a harsh modern reality.
Even Karloff's charcter is a retired horror film actor, so he can never get away from the horror genre/type-casting.
In the film's finale at a drive-in theater, Orlok – the old-fashioned, traditional screen monster who always obeyed the rules – confronts the new, realistic, nihilistic late-1960s "monster" in the shape of a clean-cut, unassuming multiple murderer.
Bogdanovich got the chance to make Targets because Boris Karloff owed studio head Roger Corman two days' work. Corman told Bogdanovich he could make any film he liked provided he used Karloff and stayed under budget. In addition, Bogdanovich had to use clips from Corman's Napoleonic-era thriller The Terror in the movie. The clips from The Terror feature Jack Nicholson and Boris Karloff. A brief clip of Howard Hawks' 1931 film The Criminal Code featuring Karloff was also used.
American International Pictures offered to release, but Bogdanovich wanted to try to see if the film could get a deal with a major studio. It was seen by Robert Evans of Paramount who bought it for $150,000, giving Corman an instant profit on the movie before it was even released.
Although the film was written and production photography completed in late 1967, it was released after the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy in early 1968 and thus had some topical relevance to then-current events. Nevertheless, it was not very successful at the box office.
Quentin Tarantino later called it "the most political movie Corman ever made since The Intruder. And forty years later it’s still one of the strongest cries for gun control in American cinema. The film isn’t a thriller with a social commentary buried inside of it (the normal Corman model), it’s a social commentary with a thriller buried inside of it... It was one of the most powerful films of 1968 and one of the greatest directorial debuts of all time. And I believe the best film ever produced by Roger Corman.
Its a excellent mystery suspenseful thrilling starring Boris Karloff, last appearance in a marjor american film, before he passed away in 1968. A great film to end your career on.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Humanoids from the Deep (1980) in Movies
Apr 10, 2020
Roger Corman-produced mash-up of Jaws and Creature from the Black Lagoon aims for maximum schlock and succeeds; ends up with a vague resemblance to The Shadow Over Innsmouth which it really doesn't deserve. A chemical accident produces a race of fish-men in cheap-ass monster suits who have the hots for anything in a bikini. The disreputable godfather of any number of dodgy Sci-Fi channel movies, and the kind of thing Hannibal used to appear in between episodes of The A-Team.
The odd thing is that credited director Peeters seems to have been trying to make a relatively serious movie; much of the more explicit fem jeop stuff was edited in by Corman having been filmed separately by Jimmy Murakami. The rather primitive production values and slightly stodgy plot means this would never have been a particularly great film, but the brazen tackiness of the fish-want-girls plotline makes it feel that bit more trashy. Doug McClure, to his credit, looks vaguely embarrassed to be participating. These days, much of it leaves an unpleasant aftertaste; certainly less enjoyable than it sounds.
The odd thing is that credited director Peeters seems to have been trying to make a relatively serious movie; much of the more explicit fem jeop stuff was edited in by Corman having been filmed separately by Jimmy Murakami. The rather primitive production values and slightly stodgy plot means this would never have been a particularly great film, but the brazen tackiness of the fish-want-girls plotline makes it feel that bit more trashy. Doug McClure, to his credit, looks vaguely embarrassed to be participating. These days, much of it leaves an unpleasant aftertaste; certainly less enjoyable than it sounds.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) in Movies
Feb 13, 2018
Superior first-wave Star Wars cash-in from Roger Corman, recycling the plot of The Magnificent Seven (et al); writer John Sayles shows he knows his stuff by including all the requisite space battles and funny aliens, but also references to Kurosawa, whose films originally inspired George Lucas.
Peaceful alien yokels known as the Akira (told you so) are menaced by galactic despot on a tight timetable; farm boy is dispatched to recruit space mercenaries to help fend him off when he comes back. Ropy model-work courtesy of a young James Cameron is the film's biggest weakness (the best special effect is probably Sybil Danning's costume); rousing score from a young James Horner is a major plus. Robert Vaughn's performance here is just as good as the one in The Magnificent One - makes sense, as it's essentially the same one. Film has a lovely adventurous tone about it, isn't afraid to treat the audience with intelligence; much better than many other more prestigious sci-fi films of this period.
Peaceful alien yokels known as the Akira (told you so) are menaced by galactic despot on a tight timetable; farm boy is dispatched to recruit space mercenaries to help fend him off when he comes back. Ropy model-work courtesy of a young James Cameron is the film's biggest weakness (the best special effect is probably Sybil Danning's costume); rousing score from a young James Horner is a major plus. Robert Vaughn's performance here is just as good as the one in The Magnificent One - makes sense, as it's essentially the same one. Film has a lovely adventurous tone about it, isn't afraid to treat the audience with intelligence; much better than many other more prestigious sci-fi films of this period.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Galaxy of Terror (1981) in Movies
Oct 20, 2020
Listen, I enjoy a trashy Roger Corman horror effort as much as the next person, but Galaxy of Terror is a chore to get through.
These films are known for being cheap, but they usually have a sort of charm to them, that I just found lacking here. The main issue is that it's not very cohesive. Various aspects of the narrative are so unexplained and seemingly random, that it's ultimately super boring, and very easy to zone out. I mean, I watched it earlier today and I've already forgotten how it ended...
Even the usually reliable gore is mostly rubbish, with the exception of a couple of half decent practical effects.
The only aspects that I found positive was seeing Sid Haig, Robert Englund, and Grace Zabriskie in early roles and some of the synth music is fun but other than that, it's straight up bollocks.
A lot of films tried to ride the coat tails of Alien following it's release and Galaxy of Terror does nothing more than remind you that you could be watching that instead.
Final note - definitely in the running for Most Misleading Movie Poster Ever.
These films are known for being cheap, but they usually have a sort of charm to them, that I just found lacking here. The main issue is that it's not very cohesive. Various aspects of the narrative are so unexplained and seemingly random, that it's ultimately super boring, and very easy to zone out. I mean, I watched it earlier today and I've already forgotten how it ended...
Even the usually reliable gore is mostly rubbish, with the exception of a couple of half decent practical effects.
The only aspects that I found positive was seeing Sid Haig, Robert Englund, and Grace Zabriskie in early roles and some of the synth music is fun but other than that, it's straight up bollocks.
A lot of films tried to ride the coat tails of Alien following it's release and Galaxy of Terror does nothing more than remind you that you could be watching that instead.
Final note - definitely in the running for Most Misleading Movie Poster Ever.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Raven (1963) in Movies
Aug 21, 2020
Vincent Price (2 more)
Boris Karloff
Jack Nicholson
Campy and Chessy
The Raven- is a excellent slapstick comic-horror film that is based off of Edgar Allen-Poe's Poem. The effects are cheesy meaning bad but those were effects back in the 60's. Now we have CGI. So looking back those were the effects that their had. And it got better overtime. I just love the campest of this film. Its horror but slapstick horror with cheesy effects.
The Plot: Magician Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price) is still deeply depressed two years after the death of his beloved wife, Lenore (Hazel Court). One day, he's visited by Adolphus Bedlo (Peter Lorre), who has been transformed into a raven after losing a duel to Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff), an evil wizard. After Craven transforms Bedlo back into a human, Bedlo claims to have seen Lenore's ghost at Scarabus' castle, prompting the two to head to Scarabus' castle to seek Craven's lost love.
I love the performaces by Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson. Three generations of actors right their. Plus Roger Corman directed it.
Its a cheesy campy film but got to love it cause of the slapstick.
The Plot: Magician Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price) is still deeply depressed two years after the death of his beloved wife, Lenore (Hazel Court). One day, he's visited by Adolphus Bedlo (Peter Lorre), who has been transformed into a raven after losing a duel to Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff), an evil wizard. After Craven transforms Bedlo back into a human, Bedlo claims to have seen Lenore's ghost at Scarabus' castle, prompting the two to head to Scarabus' castle to seek Craven's lost love.
I love the performaces by Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson. Three generations of actors right their. Plus Roger Corman directed it.
Its a cheesy campy film but got to love it cause of the slapstick.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Humanoids from the Deep (1980) in Movies
Oct 13, 2020
I'm completely aware that Humanoids from the Deep (originally titled Monster) is trashy as hell, but dammit I'm just a sucker for this kind of film.
It has a lot of issues - it's pacing is off for a start. A lot of the narrative focuses on a new fishing cannery in the seaside community of Noyo, a plot point that of course turns out to be completely irrelevant. It has some absurdly choppy editing - it has scenes that take place at the same time, in the same location, from different character perspectives, that inexplicably take place at different times of day. The big final scene has a sudden shot of an earlier part of the movie for no apparent reason other than saving money and time.
The same scene also has horrendously obvious looped sound editing. It's incredibly messy.
And yet, its still way more entertaining than it deserves to be. The mutant fish monster things look ridiculous of course, but it's the kind of hammy and gratuitous man-in-a-rubber-suit creature horror you just don't see these days.
There's plenty of gore and the usual Roger Corman endorsed nudity that sold these kind of films.
It has a respectable cast as well, including Doug McClure, Vic Morrow, Ann Turkel and Anthony Pena. It's a far cry from the copious amounts of teenagers usually associated with the genre during this era, and lends the film a sense of class amongst all the silliness.
Humanoids from the Deep is a film not to be taken seriously. That way, it's a pretty good time despite it's many flaws, and is an entertaining enough creature feature.
It has a lot of issues - it's pacing is off for a start. A lot of the narrative focuses on a new fishing cannery in the seaside community of Noyo, a plot point that of course turns out to be completely irrelevant. It has some absurdly choppy editing - it has scenes that take place at the same time, in the same location, from different character perspectives, that inexplicably take place at different times of day. The big final scene has a sudden shot of an earlier part of the movie for no apparent reason other than saving money and time.
The same scene also has horrendously obvious looped sound editing. It's incredibly messy.
And yet, its still way more entertaining than it deserves to be. The mutant fish monster things look ridiculous of course, but it's the kind of hammy and gratuitous man-in-a-rubber-suit creature horror you just don't see these days.
There's plenty of gore and the usual Roger Corman endorsed nudity that sold these kind of films.
It has a respectable cast as well, including Doug McClure, Vic Morrow, Ann Turkel and Anthony Pena. It's a far cry from the copious amounts of teenagers usually associated with the genre during this era, and lends the film a sense of class amongst all the silliness.
Humanoids from the Deep is a film not to be taken seriously. That way, it's a pretty good time despite it's many flaws, and is an entertaining enough creature feature.