THE CAR

THE CAR (1977). Director: Elliot Silverstein.  

A small California town has its complacency shattered by a series of murderous attacks on its citizens by an automobile that seems to have no driver. Sheriff Wade Parent (James Brolin) is at his wit's end after one of the victims is his boss, Everett Peck (John Marley). It quickly becomes apparent that there is something almost supernatural about this car and its abilities, and the incidents become more vicious and outlandish. Parent may have to accept that this may be something that it will be awfully hard to fight ... 

James Brolin and Ronny Cox

While I would have preferred that there be a human antagonist behind the actions of the car -- James Bond films have already shown that some autos can do amazing things and remote control cars have been featured in such shows as Science Fiction Theater -- but The Car has a more demonic slant, which, fortunately, doesn't decrease its suspenseful and entertaining quotient in the least, although some might find it way too farfetched. The screenplay presents fully realized characters, mostly decent people up against a formidable and inexplicable enemy. The acting is generally good, with Kathleen Lloyd as Wade's ill-fated girlfriend, Elizabeth Thompson as her co-worker, Doris Dowling (of The Crimson Key) as a victim of spousal abuse, and John Rubinstein as an early victim of the car. Leonard Rosenman has contributed a chilling score, and there is top-notch widescreen photography from Gerald Hirschfield. Director Silverstein was mostly a television director, but his other theatrical films include Cat Ballou. He knocked one out of the ballpark with The Car. 

Verdict: Quite memorable and unusual horror film. ***1/4. 

WATCH ME WHEN I KILL

 WATCH ME WHEN I KILL (aka Il gatto dagli occhi di giada/1977). Director: Antonio Bido. 

Mara (Paola Tedesco), an actress who needs some aspirin, is nearly on the scene when a pharmacist is murdered, and the killer seems to think she knows more than she does. When another person is brutally murdered, her boyfriend Lukas (Corrrado Pani), thinks it all may have to do with a jury trial and a murderer who has escaped from prison. Upon further investigation -- and more murders -- Lukas realizes that there is something very different at play here. But will he arrive at the solution before either he or Mara become victims of the killer?

Watch Me When I Kill is an intriguing and suspenseful movie with a convoluted plot and solution that reminds one quite a bit of the storylines of Dario Argento's movies. Alas, director Antonio Bido is not Argento, and aside from one energetic if clumsy bathtub murder (with opera in the background), the film doesn't have much style. Lukas spends an awful lot of time running around from place to place asking questions. An unusual aspect of the movie is that for once the killer has a perfectly plausible motive for snuffing certain individuals. The screenplay is not strictly logical, however. 

Verdict: Take with a grain of salt and this is quite entertaining. ***.  

NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME

Arthur Kennedy at the wheel 

NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME (aka Nove espiti per un delitto/1977). Director: Ferdinando Baldi.

Liberto (Arthur Kennedy of Impulse) takes members of his family for a two-week vacation on his private island. His guests include his young, unfaithful wife, Giulia (Caroline Laurence), who only married him for his money; his sons Lorenzo (John Richardson of Torso) and Michele (Massimo Foschi); their wives Greta (Rita Silva) and Carla (Sofia Dionisio); psychic Patrizia (Loretta Persichetti); son-in-law Walter (Venantino Venantini); and Aunt Elisabetta (Dana Ghia). For the first few hours they spend their time on the island berating each other and cheating on their spouses. Then one of the members of the party drowns. A killer begins stalking the others, and Elisabetta talks hysterically of how her lover Charles was murdered and buried on the island twenty years before ... 

John Richardson

Nine Guests keeps you watching, but the film has absolutely no style and very little tension. Characterization only consists of people being bitchy with each other and talking about how much they all hate each other -- to say these people are unsympathetic is an understatement. The gore is minimal, and a severed head that tumbles off a bed looks just like the phony prop it is. Some of the murder scenes are actually comical, and when the killer is revealed you can't quite imagine that this particular person could be responsible for all of these deaths. 

Verdict: Mediocre giallo. **1/4.

MURDER IN PEYTON PLACE

Stella Stevens

MURDER IN PEYTON PLACE (1977 telefilm). Director: Bruce Kessler. 

"I want to destroy Peyton Place." -- Stella Chernak

After two theatrical films and two TV series-- nighttime in 1969 and daytime in 1972 -- this TV movie returns to the lusty town of Peyton Place where Stella Chernak (Stella Stevens), a disgruntled former resident, is out for payback against real and imagined enemies. As Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow, who played lovers Rodney Harrington and Allison MacKenzie in the original series, had gone on to greener pastures -- Farrow only appears in a flashback -- they are (apparently) killed off in this sequel. Dorothy Malone and Tim O'Connor return as Allison's parents, as does Christopher Connelly as Rodney's brother, Norman and Ed Nelson [Attack of the Crab Monsters] as Dr. Rossi. The cast, characters and storylines of the afternoon soap Return to Peyton Place are ignored. 

Priscilla Morrill, Hedison, Nelson, Connolly

While the notion of a vengeful woman wanting to destroy an entire town sounds like it might at least be good television, this is not exactly The Visit. Murder in Peyton Place is, frankly dull, and while I was never a fan of the original series I can't imagine that those who were would be that pleased with this production. We know who the culprit is almost from the start, and Stella Stevens is surprisingly perfunctory as the villainess. Not even the presence of a boy toy (a creditable Robert Deman) and his mean-spirited Dobermans can help. The acting is of the soap opera variety, which means everyone is professional but no one exactly puts themselves out. Janet Margolin has replaced Barbara Parkins as Betty Anderson -- they look alike -- and David Hedison takes over from James Douglas as Steven Cord. Linda Gray plays Cord's wife. Marj Dusay is fine as Ellen Considine and Jonathan Goldsmith makes an impression as sexy bad boy Stan, who is married to one of Allison's sisters and fiddles with yet another.

Verdict: Things have never been more boring in Peyton Place! *1/2.  

THE CRATER LAKE MONSTER

The monster from Crater Lake

THE CRATER LAKE MONSTER (1977). Director: William R. Stromberg.

"I've been stuffing my shoes with newspapers for so long that my feet know more than my head does." -- Mitch. 

A meteor flashes across the sky and lands in Crater Lake in Oregon. The heat from the meteor causes a prehistoric egg to hatch, and before too long a long-necked, big toothed plesiosaurus -- the same creature that is supposedly in Loch Ness -- is snacking on the locals and a few tourists as well.

Glen Roberts and Mark Siegel

The Crater Lake Monster is a low-budget and generally forgettable monster movie that does boast some good locations, atmospheric photography (Paul Gentry), and some decent stop-motion and model work by Dave Allen. The monster has a battle with a steam shovel, but its appearances are simply too infrequent to make this pic a contender. To pad out the running time, there are such characters as a magician and his wife, as well as a convenience store robber and killer, all of whom encounter the creature. There is also way too much footage devoted to two buddies, Arnie (Glen Roberts) and Mitch (Mark Siegel), who rent boats to some of the victims; their allegedly comical appearances only dissipate the film's minor tension. At least Siegel gets the movie's funniest line (see above). 

Richard Cardella and Bob Hyman

Richard Cardella, who plays Sheriff Steve, also co-wrote the screenplay with the director, and Bob Hyman is cast as the town doctor.  Most of these actors had no other or very few acting credits, although Siegel has done a lot of work in visual effects. This was Stromberg's only directorial credit. Animator Dave Allen has the monster moving much like the dinosaur in The Giant Behemoth in one sequence. An unconvincing prop head is also used for other shots. An unintentionally hilarious moment occurs when one character talks about how she can supposedly see thousands of stars in the sky but it's broad daylight outside! The movie has a downbeat conclusion. 

Verdict: A monster you can miss. **.