ALIEN ROMULUS

The monster moves in for the kill

ALIEN ROMULUS (2024). Director: Fede Alvarez. 

Rain (Cailee Spaeny) is a young woman who works for a mining corporation and wants out. Her constant companion is Andy (David Jonsson), a black android that has been programmed to protect her but is obviously damaged. Learning she has to stay in this dismal place for several more years, she agrees to flee to an abandoned space station with several acquaintances -- including Tyler (Archie Renaux), Navarro (Aileen Wu), Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and Kay (Isabela Merced) -- from whence they can hopefully reach another planet. Andy will be of much help as well. Unfortunately, the station is infested with the same deadly lifeforms as in Alien, and after being outfitted with a module from the android Rook (a digital Ian Holm), Andy is much more interested in protecting the interests of the corporation than he is of Rain's and the others ...   

Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson

If you're looking for something completely different with Alien Romulus, be advised that you won't find that with this movie. A sequel to the original Alien, which occurs before that movie's other sequels (such as Aliens) this picture makes full use of all of the general tropes of this sci-fi/horror series. For the first 20 or 20 minutes you might think you're simply watching a remake of Alien, but fortunately the movie sort of goes in different directions with different, moderately interesting characters. Alien Romulus works not because it's original -- which it isn't -- but because it's well-acted, well-directed, has superior FX work, and several thrilling sequences -- the main reason to sit through one of these movies. The climax, which makes use of an alien-human hybrid (which is gross and scary) -- as did Alien: Resurrection -- is a decided highlight. 

Verdict: Entertaining and slick with some excitement and scares. ***.   

KING DINOSAUR

King Dinosaur licks his chops

KING DINOSAUR (1955). Director: Bert I. Gordon.

A new planet named Nova is orbiting around the sun, closer to the Earth than any other planet. A team of four scientists are sent by rocket ship to explore this new world. They are Ralph Martin (William Bryant), his fiancee Pat Bennett (Wanda Curtis), Nora Pierce (Patti Gallagher) and Richard Gordon (Douglas Henderson of Invasion of the Saucer Men). On Nova they discover that the planet is very Earth-like, but as Earth was during the prehistoric era. After encounters with an alligator and a giant ant -- which none of the four even remark upon -- they decide to explore an island and discover it is full of carnivorous monsters! A particularly hungry lizard, referred to improbably as a T-Rex -- hence "King" Dinosaur --  is hell bent on having them for a snack! 

Bryant, Curtis, Gallagher, Henderson

King Dinosaur was the directorial debut for Bert I. Gordon, Mr. BIG, who came out with several movies starring outsized monsters, such as Beginning of the End with its huge grasshoppers. King Dinosaur is not an auspicious debut by any means, but the movie has a certain zero budget charm to it. Although some of the musical score reminds one of a poor man's "Bolero," it whips up some suspense and excitement during the climax on the island. The sound FX are excellent, as they generally are in giant monster flicks. The actions of our heroes are at times inexplicable, and it's also hard to believe that an iguana -- I believe that's what King D actually is -- could beat a crocodile in a fair fight! Both Bryant and Henderson had a long list of credits. Patti Gallagher did only a few films, and Curtis, who was basically a singer, appeared only in this movie. 

     

Verdict: Low-grade monster flick is of interest to Mr. BIG fans. **1/4. 

JAMES BOND AND THE SIXTIES SPY CRAZE

 JAMES BOND AND THE SIXTIES SPY CRAZE. Thom Shubilla. Applause; 2024. 

Author Shubilla presents a no-frills history of spy movies  of the 1960s, beginning with 007, with chapters on Bond, other American agents such as Matt Helm and Derek Flint, spy movies that were not part of a series such as Agent for H.A.R.M., British spy films, eurospy films, Mexican spy films, and finally, TV shows dealing with secret agents, including Man from UNCLE and Mission: Impossible. This is essentially a just-the-facts kind of book -- the only critical notes come from snippets of contemporary reviews -- and it really doesn't say too much about the TV series. There is much more info on some of the individual films. Whatever its flaws the book is a fun read, and one can take notes on unseen movies that the reader may want to investigate. Shubilla only covers a small percentage of the incredible number of eurospy features, which could take up an entire book of its own. An annoying aspect of the book is that instead of using footnotes Shubilla lists his sources right in the text in a very weird fashion, almost as if this were a term paper (which it might have been)! 

Verdict: Entertaining if imperfect look at spy movies of the sixties. **3/4. 

GIRL WITH AN ITCH

 

Kathy Marlowe

GIRL WITH AN ITCH (1958). Director: Ronald V. Ashcroft. 

Hitchhiking Mari Lou Waverley (Kathy Marlowe) is picked up by Jake (Scott Douglas) and taken to a ranch owned by widower Ben Cooper (Robert Armstrong) to pick the crops. But Ben has other plans for Mari Lou and invites her to stay in his house, where they begin a relationship. Mari Lou also continues flirting -- and more -- with Jake, and makes a play for Ben's son, Orrie (Robert Clarke of The Incredible Petrified World), who wants nothing to do with her. Before long Ben is using the payroll to buy expensive clothing for Mari Lou and Orrie is having none of it. Does the scheming blonde have her hooks tight enough in Ben or will his son be a more formidable opponent than she can handle? 

Scott Douglas, Kathy Marlowe, Robert Armstrong

Kathy Marlowe was an eternal starlet with mostly uncredited bits and this was her one big, starring role, and she delivers. Unfortunately, not enough people probably saw the film to make much of a difference. Robert Armstrong of King Kong fame and Gang Busters gives a solid performance, as does Clarke as his concerned, angry son. Patti Gallagher of King Dinosaur plays Jake's girlfriend, Emma, and gets into a watery catfight with her at one point. Scott Douglas certainly makes an impression as Jake, although most of his credits were for TV shows. He was also a professional dancer and the long-time companion of a well-known male choreographer. While none of the characters are as well-developed as they should have been, Girl with an Itch is well-acted and absorbing.

Verdict: Entertaining minor melodrama with good performances. **3/4.  

DEAD BODY ON BROADWAY

George Nader and Heinz Weiss

DEAD BODY ON BROADWAY (aka Broadways Deadly Gold aka Todesschusse am Broadway/1969.) Director: Harald Reinl. 

FBL agent Johnny Peters (Hans Heyde) infiltrates a gang run by Joe Costello (Miha Baloh), but manages to hide the three million in gold they stole before he is murdered. Costello has his face altered, kills off the surgeons, and tries to get ahold of Peters' girlfriend, Cindy (Heidy Bohlen), thinking she knows where the loot is hidden. Having always suspected that her Johnny was on the side of the angels, she bravely decides to work with Jerry Cotton (George Nader) and Phil Decker (Heinz Weiss) as a decoy. Another player is wealthy Woody Davis (Horst Naumann), who runs his own gang and is also out to find Cindy -- and the loot. His niece, Alice (Michaela May), is innocently embroiled in the intrigue. 

Miha Baloh

This is the eighth and last in the West German Jerry Cotton film series starring George Nader as Cotton. As usual, it has a fast pace, a lot of running around, lots of fist fights and gun shots, and some exciting sequences, although it isn't the best of the series. Joe Costello is such an utterly loathsome villain that at one point he kidnaps a young boy, then later hands him a loaded grenade hoping to blow the child up -- fortunately Jerry saves the boy's life. Costello gets his just desserts but his death isn't nearly horrible enough. The flick, shot in West Germany, features second unit work in New York and Las Vegas, where Jerry takes a brief detour. Locations of shattered ruins, garbage-strewn back alleys, and dank tunnels add much to the atmosphere. Two times during the film Cindy sings one of the most dreadful pop numbers I've ever heard, "See You Later, Alligator." 

Apparently Nader was dubbed for these German productions, but fortunately his real voice is used for the English-dubbed versions. His performances as Cotton are always on the money, adding a soupcon of humor and style to his square-jawed characterization. German actor Weiss is never given as much to do, but is also effective. 

Verdict: The last of the sixties Cotton movies. **3/4.