SHORT TAKES II

Philip Winchester of In My Sleep

IN MY SLEEP (2010) presents a young massage therapist named Marcus (Philip Winchester of Law and Order: SVU) who suffers from a sexual addiction as well as from being a parasomniac, which means he can do virtually anything while sleepwalking, including having sex with his best friend's wife. When he wakes up all bloody one morning he wonders if he killed someone while asleep. The film is absorbing, suspenseful and well-acted, but it hasn't got much style, and another problem is that there's really only one major suspect. The basic plot might have worked better had it been used for a Dario Argento-type giallo film with several more murders. Written and directed by Allen Wolf. **3/4.

Kim Cattrell and Jeff Fahey

EVERY WOMAN'S DREAM is a 1996 telefilm based on the true story of David Russell Miller (herein called Mitch Parker and played by Jeff Fahey), a narcissistic sociopath, pathological liar and bigamist who keeps two women (DeLane Matthews and Kim Cattrell) on the string while he indulges in a high end lifestyle on other people's money. Mitchell uses a perpetual stream of deception to keep one step ahead of his wives and creditors. He even convinces his first wife that he is an agent for the CIA! It all leads up to a terrible tragedy. This is an absorbing and well-acted telefilm directed by Steven Schachter. ***.

Emrys Jones and Zena Marshall

DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (1953; directed by John Gilling) presents a prisoner on the run who manages to change places with a perfect lookalike, only to discover that the lookalike is responsible for worse crimes than he is. There are interesting story elements to the movie, but the film is just lackluster and fails to take advantage of any of its potentially dramatic situations. It doesn't help that the lead actor, Emrys Jones, is kind of dull no matter which character he's playing. The other actors, including Zena Marshall as the fugitive's ex-fiancee, are much better, and Joan Hickson, famous for her portrayal of Miss Marple many years later, scores as the housekeeper, Mrs. Fenton. **.

Mary Germaine and William Sylvester

HOUSE OF BLACKMAIL (1953) has a woman (Mary Germaine) picking up a hitchhiker (William Sylvester) -- a possible fugitive -- and enlisting him in a scheme in which she hopes to outwit a nasty fat man who is blackmailing her brother over some bad checks. Instead the man is murdered in his mansion, and all of the suspects are locked inside. Although made in the fifties, House of Blackmail comes off more like a 1930's movie, and may indeed be a dusted-off script, The identity of the murderer comes off like a joke. This was directed by Maurice Elvey. Despite his British accent in this, Sylvester was born in California. **.

So superior: Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe

A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL (3 part 2018 UK mini-series.) stars Hugh Grant as British politician Jeremy Thorpe, who was put on trial for allegedly planning the assassination of his former lover, Norman Scott (Ben Whishaw). This true, if heavily fictionalized and rather sordid story suffers from the fact that neither of its two lead characters are especially admirable, and it unavoidably wallows in a pre-Stonewall time period when homosexuality was seen as sinful. Attempts to add some kind of Gay Lib perspective don't really work. However, the series is absorbing for the most part, and Grant, Whishaw, and others in the large cast all give superior performances. **3/4. 

BEGINNING OF THE END

giant locust attacks 

BEGINNING OF THE END (1957). Director: Bert I. Gordon. 

Ace lady reporter Audrey Aimes (Peggie Castle) is perplexed, to say the least, when she is told by the military that the whole town of Ludlow, Illinois has been cordoned off. Later she learns that every building in town has been completely demolished and all 500 inhabitants have disappeared. She encounters entomologist Dr. Ed Wainwright (Peter Graves of Death Car on the Freeway) who uses a small amount of radioactivity in his experimentation. Investigating a grain storage facility that was wrecked from the inside out, Wainwright's deaf-mute assistant Frank (Than Wyeen) is suddenly set upon and devoured (off-screen) by a humongous locust. Now Audrey knows what happened to those 500 missing people! 

Peter Graces and Peggie Castle

Aside from fans of "Mr. Big," Beginning of the End has been roundly excoriated, but I will gladly say that the movie has always given me the creeps, along with those scary giant grasshoppers (even if the cheap process work makes them look washed out). The picture has a solid script, a fast-pace, unnerving sound effects of the critters chirp-chirrrping before an attack, and a very effective score by Albert Glasser. Graves and Castle make convincing enough leads, with the female emerging as just as courageous as the male, if not more so. The well-constructed climax has the couple attracting the monsters to their building in downtown Chicago so that they can flick a switch that will, hopefully, send them out into the river so they can drown. But will they manage to survive long enough for that to happen?

locust and truck

One can certainly quibble about some of the cheap effects, but that doesn't stop the movie from being entertaining. The "battle" scenes between soldiers and locusts are well-done and often horrifying. For inexplicable reasons the official DVD of the film cuts a shot of a giant locust nearly catching up to a truck full of soldiers upon whom it would certainly pounce, so just to catch that nifty, chilling moment I watch an inferior TV print (see pic on the left). Some well-known character actors are in the cast, including James Seay, Thomas Browne Henry [20 Million Miles to Earth], Hank Patterson, and Morris Ankrum as the general in charge of the whole operation. Gordon also directed Earth vs the Spider and many others. 

NOTE: For more info on this film and many others like it see Creature Features: Nature Turned Nasty in the Movies. 

Verdict: Low-budget insect disaster film with disgusting and voracious monsters. ***. 

UFO TARGET EARTH

Nick Plakias

UFO TARGET EARTH (1974). Director: Michael A. DeGaetano. 

Alan Grimes (Nick Plakias) is a communications researcher attached to a small-town college. One day some telephone lines are crossed and he inadvertently overhears a conversation at the nearby military base about UFOs. Grimes becomes convinced that there is some strange activity occurring out near a power plant and the adjacent lake, and enlists the help of psychic Vivian (Cynthia Cline), Dr. Mansfield (LaVerne Light), and associate Dan Rivers (Tom Arcuragi). Alan discovers that there is indeed something weird in the lake, and encounters strange aliens of pure energy who have a rather unhealthy use for him. 

That hair! Phil Erickson and Nick Plakias

The memory can play tricks on you. I actually saw this film in theaters long ago and my recollections told me to take another look at it. Too bad. Yes, it has its eerie moments, but it's not very good. The acting can best be described as earnest but uninspired. It has the look of an ambitious student film that is padded with all sorts of stuff just to get an acceptable running time. One of the most amazing things in the movie is the hairdo affected by Dr. Whitham (Phil Erickson), which reminds one of Donald Trump's! General Gallagher, whom Alan tries to interview at the military base, is played by Brooks Clift, the older brother of the famous Montgomery Clift! Most of the people who participated in this film had few if any additional  credits. 

Verdict: Atmospheric but rather dull hodge podge. *1/2. 

FREDDIE STEPS OUT

Freddie Stewart and li'l cutie

FREDDIE STEPS OUT (1946). Director: Arthur Dreifuss. 

In the second "Teen Agers" film from Monogram studios, Whitney High School student Freddie Trimball (Freddie Stewart) winds up in hot water when he is mistaken for his double, a crooner named Frankie Troy. Troy has run away from everyone because he wants some peace and quiet, but a rumor is started that Freddie is actually Frankie -- which infuriates his gal Dodie (June Presisser) when "his" wife and baby -- actually Frankie's -- show up. Things are further complicated when the principal, Professor Townley (Milton Kibbee), comes to the mistaken conclusion that the baby belongs to Dodie. 

High School kids? Frankie Darro and Noel Neill

Freddie Steps Out is a cute if minor musical comedy with at least one fairly memorable production number, "Patience and Fortitude." Also on hand are Jackie Moran as Freddie's rival, Jimmy; Frankie Darro as Jimmy's pal, Roy; Noel Neill as Roy's on-again/off-again girlfriend and Dodie's sister, Betty; Belle Mitchell as teacher Miss Hinklefink; Warren Mills as the jittery Lee; and Anne Rooney, now playing Dodie's other sister, Addie. Douglas Fowley [Lady in the Death House] plays Troy's anxious manager, Mr. Adams. There's also an un-credited but very adorable baby. Whitney is probably the only high school in history that has its own dormitory! 

Verdict: Actually has a few good chuckles. **1/2.   

NO TRACE

Hugh Sinclair

NO TRACE (1950). Director: John Gilling. 

Robert Southley (Hugh Sinclair) is a best-selling mystery writer, radio host, and former actor. Patronizing and chauvinistic, he has a secretary, Linda (Dinah Sheridan), who puts up with him probably because she's in love with him. Inspector MacDougall (John Laurie) doesn't think much of Southley's crime novels, and thinks he should learn more about police procedure. This opportunity presents itself when Southley murders a blackmailer (Michael Brennan), and MacDougall invites him to tag along on their investigation. Southley finds himself in a bit of a sticky wicket, and now Linda is beginning to have suspicions herself ...

No Trace is an entertaining and well-acted British suspense film -- Laurie is especially good in this -- and other cast members include Dora Bryan as the dead-common Maisie, who lives in the same boarding house as the victim, and Barry Morse as Sgt Harrison, who is an assistant to MacDougall and is also sweet on Linda. 13 years later Morse became famous as the policeman hunting David Janssen on the long-running TV series, The Fugitive. You would never have known that Morse was actually an Englishman who emigrated to Canada and eventually got many American roles; he amassed about 150 TV and film credits, and that's not even counting his numerous stage credits. 

Verdict: The acting, a fast-pace, and interesting situations put this over. ***. 

DEAD SILENCE

Donnie Wahlberg with dummy

DEAD SILENCE (2007). Director: James Wan. 

Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) and his wife, Lisa (Laura Regan), receive a box containing a ventriloquist's dummy. Not much later, Lisa is horribly murdered, and Jamie -- at least as far as Detective Lipston (Donnie Wahlberg) is concerned -- is the chief suspect. But Jamie thinks he might get answers if he goes back home to the town of Ravens Fair where there is a local legend about an evil and dead ventriloquist named Mary Shaw. Then more killings, similar to Lisa's death, begin to occur ... 

Ryan Kwanten

When I first saw the dummy in this movie I was afraid Dead Silence was going to be just a knock-off of Child's Play/Chucky, but fortunately that isn't the case, as this has a completely different storyline (albeit dolls do play a significant role). Dead Silence isn't perfect, but it is a slick, classy horror-thriller with first-rate cinematography (John R. Leonetti) and an exciting, sinister score (Charlie Clouser). 

Whatcha lookin' at? 

With all the actors waiting tables in Hollywood, I'm surprised the producers chose Ryan Kwanten as the lead because, in this at least, he can best be described as mediocre -- he's just not much of an actor. Donnie Wahlberg is better as the detective, even if his role of a world-weary, cynical cop is beyond a cliche these days. The best work probably comes from Michael Fairman as the local undertaker, although there is also good work from Joan Heney as his terrified sister, Bob Gunten as Jamie's father, and Amber Valletta as his step-mother, Ella. Judith Roberts certainly makes an impression as Mary Shaw. James Wan also directed the first Saw movie as well as Aquaman and the surprisingly awful The Conjuring. 

Verdict: Despite flaws, this is one of the better 21st century horror flicks. ***. 

BAIT

An interesting but atypical shot from Bait

BAIT (1954). Director: Hugo Haas. 

Marko (Hugo Haas) teams up with young Ray Brighton (John Agar) to find a lost gold mine and agrees to split everything fifty-fifty with him. But Marko is supposedly tempted by the Devil (Cedric Hardwicke!) to want all of the gold for himself, so he cooks up a scheme involving sexy and allegedly immoral waitress Peggy (Cleo Moore) in which he hopes to murder Ray without consequence. Marko makes Peggy his wife, and they all stay in the same small cabin together, while Marko watches the two younger people like a hawk, hoping they will eventually succumb to their obvious attraction to one another ... 

John Agar has gold fever

Bait is one of several films that director Haas made with his favorite leading lady, Moore, but this is not one of the better ones. The plot makes it sound like this might at least be entertaining, trashy fun, but be forewarned that it isn't. Moore and Agar both seem too old for their roles, and as for their performances, they hardly work up a sweat trying to act. Haas is much better, as usual, but not as good as he has been in other films directed by himself or others. Worse, the movie moves slowly -- very slowly -- and nothing much happens until the last few minutes, where there's just a slight bit of irony in play. Somehow Haas inveigled Sir Cedric Hardwicke to play the Devil in a prologue -- he's terrific -- and to add some observations in voice-overs throughout the movie. Bruno VeSota has a small role.

Verdict: A misfire on virtually all levels. Haas and Moore fans would be better off with the far superior Hit and Run with Vince Edwards. *1/2. 

OSS 117 -- PANIC IN BANGKOK

Kerwin Mathews 

OSS 117 -- PANIC IN BANGKOK (aka Shadow of Evil aka /Banco a Bangkok pour OSS 117/1964). Director:  Andre Hunebelle.

Operative Hubert Bonisseur (Kerwin Mathews of The Boy Who Cried Werewolf) -- a lover boy with a real line -- is assigned to replace a murdered agent who was investigating a series of plague outbreaks in Thailand. In Bangkok Hubert works with a man named Leacock (Henri Virlojeux) and gains an enthusiastic and helpful assistant in Sonsak (Akom Mokramond). After interviewing Professor Hogby (Jacques Hilling) and his pretty blond secretary, Eva (Dominique Wilms), Hubert set his sights on a charismatic character named Dr. Sinn (Robert Hossein) -- or rather Sinn's lovely sister, Lila (Pier Angeli). Hubert is unaware that Eva is Sinn's lover. Sooner or later, Hubert hopes to uncover exactly who is unleashing the deadly plague -- and why.

Robert Hossein as Dr. Sinn

Well, with one character named "Dr. Sinn" you may not be too surprised at the identity of the villain in this, but you may be surprised that OSS 117 is as (modestly) entertaining as it is. Mathews makes an effective leading man, and Hossein is equally good as his adversary, A group called the Elected People have decided to wipe out most of the world's population and start over again, or something like that. There's a nifty fight scene in a hotel, some nice photography and music, and the Bangkok settings are well chosen. However, while the movie holds the attention it utterly lacks the big scale action and excitement of the best of the Bond films, so some viewers may find this a snooze. OSS 117 was a character in French spy novels, and after the success of Dr. No, OSS 117 is Unleashed  -- also starring Kerwin Mathews -- was released. with Panic in Bangkok being the sequel. Since then there has been a whole series of foreign eurospy OSS 117 movies from the sixties until today with the part being played by John Gavin, Frederick Stafford and others. Kerwin Mathews and Pier Angeli reteamed for Octaman. (In French with subtitles.)  

Verdict: So-so spy film with Mathews making like a lower-key Bond. **1/2. 

BURKE'S LAW (1994 )

Gene Barry and Peter Barton

BURKE'S LAW (1994 CBS TV series). 

In this revival of the fun 1960's mystery series, Gene Barry is back as the wealthy Amos Burke, who drives around in a limo with a chauffeur, aide and cook named  Henry (now played by Danny Kamekona), and is now Chief of Police of Los Angeles. Widower Burke still goes to crime scenes with his detective son, Peter (Peter Barton), who never solves the crime the way his father does. Another cast member is Bever-Leigh [!] Banfield as all-in-one pathologist and crime scene investigator, Lily. At first Banfield didn't seem to have a clue as to how to play Lily, but eventually she settled in and became an asset to the series. A "guest star" on every episode was Dom DeLuise as the Burkes' friend, Vinnie, a restaurateur and jack of all trades who serves as comedy relief and is often quite amusing. 

Bever-Leigh Banfield

The tone of the revival is very similar to the original show, light-hearted in its approach but only occasionally veering into outright silliness. Barry and Barton are excellent in their roles and are quite good at exploring the loving father-son dynamics between the two men. Most of the episodes of the show were B+, but there were a few "A's" as well. "Who Killed the Host at the Roast" has a comedian electrocuted at his own comedy roast and features Milton Berle and an excellent Gavin McLeod. Amos turns down a proposal from Shirley Jones in "Who Killed the Gadget Man?" in which an infomercial specialist is murdered, and features an especially good guest-star turn from Vicki Lawrence. Robert Vaughn is great fun as an actor who plays vampires in "Who Killed the Movie Mogul?" and a handsome, womanizing lifeguard is murdered in his pool in "Who Killed the Lifeguard?" In "Who Killed Nick Hazard?" a private eye is murdered at a convention, and Anne Francis, who first appeared as Honey West on the original Burke's Law, essays the role of P.I. "Honey Best."

The revival lasted for two seasons for a total of 27 episodes, and was produced by Aaron Spelling. It is not a classic, but nevertheless it's a clever, well-acted and entertaining program that is recommended to fans of the original series. The new theme music seems pretty insipid at first, but it grows on you. The original show eventually metamorphosed into Amos Burke, Secret Agent, which lasted one interesting season. 

Verdict: No classic, perhaps, but a fun and smoothly scripted show. **3/4. 

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD

Tony Wright and Patricia Dainton

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD (1960). Director: Montgomery Tully. 

David Linton (Tony Wright) is a struggling novelist who lives off of his increasingly impatient wife, Jean (Patricia Dainton). Jean inherits a lovely if somewhat rundown country house -- Four Winds -- from her aunt, which means no more paying of rent, but even that doesn't satisfy David. The house is supposedly haunted by a poltergeist that the housekeeper, Mrs. O'Brien (Anita Sharp-Bolster), calls "Patrick," only because he reminds her of her late husband. As David concocts a plot to do away with Jean for her money and property so that he can be with sexy typist Valerie (Sandra Dorne), Patrick keeps interfering ...

The acting is good in Marsh Road, with Sharp-Bolster perhaps making the best impression as the peppery servant who always speaks her mind. It's an entertaining enough time-passer with a truly despicable protagonist in David. There is an interesting score by John Veale. 

Verdict: Acceptable British suspense film with supernatural overtones. **1/2. 

ORPHAN

Such a lovely child: Isabelle Fuhrman

ORPHAN (2009). Director: Jaume Collet-Serra. 

After Kate (Vera Farmiga of Godzilla, King of the Monsters) and her husband, John (Peter Sarsgaard) lose a daughter in the womb, they decide to adopt a sweet nine-year-old girl, Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), from the Ukraine. Esther seems to get along with her little deaf sister, Maxine (Aryana Engineer), although her older brother, Danny (Jimmy Bennett), is not as happy with her. Gradually Kate, a reformed alcoholic whose drinking led to Maxine's deafness, becomes convinced that there is something very wrong with Esther after some disturbing incidents, and makes up her mind to discover her true origins. Sister Abigail (CCH Pounder), who ran the orphanage where her new parents first encountered Esther, tells Kate that she may have reasons for concern. Then someone takes a hammer to the nun's head and beats her bloody and dead ... 

Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard

Orphan is a clever and suspenseful "paranoia" film that starts out like a modern version of The Bad Seed -- a better movie -- but turns out to be something perhaps even more diabolical, becoming more sinister with each sequence. Farmiga and Sarsgaard offer convincing performances and young Isabelle Fuhrman, only 12-years-old at the time, is nothing short of miraculous. Pounder is as wonderful as ever as the ill-fated sister. There are some illogical moments, and little Aryana Engineer, while adorable, isn't really an actress, but the film has a thrilling climax and its shock-cut moments are effectively handled. The revelation at the end channels a famous short story by, I believe, Ray Bradbury. The movie may have influenced a real-life couple to claim that their adoptive Ukrainian daughter was -- well, that would be telling.  

Verdict: Creepy and absorbing suspense-thriller with a nifty twist and a nun-kill. ***. 

MAN ON THE PROWL

James Best and Mala Powers

MAN ON THE PROWL (1957). Director: Art Napoleon. 

Living with his horrible mother (Vivi Janiss), Doug Gerhardt (James Best of Killer Shrews) has developed a positive hatred for women. He beats one poor gal who resists his advances to death with his fists. Then Doug accidentally encounters Marian Wood (Mala Powers), who is married to car dealer Woody (Jerry Paris) and has two cute little boys (Josh and Jeff Freeman).  Arrogant and attracted to Marian -- one senses she is drawn to Doug despite her love for her husband --  Doug does his best to court her, but she will only agree to having a beer with him because he tells her they went to the same school. This only makes Doug obsess more over Marian, putting both her husband and her children in mortal danger. 

Man on the Prowl may have been the only starring role for James Best, who gives a strong performance as the psychopath, with good work from Mala Powers and Jerry Paris as well. Ted de Corsia is fine as the detective on the case, and Vivi Janiss makes an impression as Doug's monster mother. The film features a tense and suspenseful climax. Art Napoleon directed only two other films, the Diana Barrymore biopic, Too Much, Too Soon, starring Dorothy Malone and Errol Flynn, and The Activist ten years later. 

Verdict: Worthwhile minor suspense film ***. 

THE KNIFE SLIPPED Erle Stanley Gardner

THE KNIFE SLIPPED. A Cool and Lam novel by A. A. Fair (Erle Stanley Gardner). Written 1939. Hard Case Crime/Titan; 2016.

NOTE: On occasion B Movie Nightmare will review genre books as well as movies. 

Erle Stanley Gardner is most famous as the creator of Perry Mason, but he also wrote many books in a crime series devoted to the exploits of Bertha Cool and Donald Lam. Cool is a obese but solid middle-aged woman who has a tough, no-nonsense approach and is primarily concerned with making money for herself through her small detective agency that takes cases other agencies won't touch, such as divorces and political assignments. Her chief operative is the much younger and smaller Donald Cool, a twenty-something who may be short but is still good-looking enough to attract many of the ladies he encounters. He, however, is not that much good in a fight and "the little runt," as Bertha calls him, takes a beating more than once. 

The Knife Slipped was originally to be published as the second in the series, but the publisher rejected it, finding Cool's depiction too mercenary and sordid, among other things. The book was not published (posthumously) until many years later. The Knife Slipped has Cool and Lam taking on a woman client who feels that her son-in-law is cheating on her daughter with a blond. This son-in-law is later murdered, and there are numerous suspects, including a switchboard operator at his apartment house that Donald becomes stuck on. Lam has an almost 21st century attitude toward women and their sexuality, and Cool is cynical (or realistic) about certain aspects of life and love. The Knife Slipped is entertaining and well-written, but frankly it seems a cut below similar books by, say, Raymond Chandler. I've read only one other Cool and Lam book and felt the same way -- good but forgettable. 

However, if you're crazy about private detective fiction, I must say that Bertha Cool and Donald Lam are unusual operatives and highly interesting characters. That alone makes their stories of interest. And one of these days I may pick up another one in the series.

Verdict: Perry Mason might be appalled by these two. **3/4. 

SECRETS OF A PSYCHOPATH

Mark Famiglietti as Henry

SECRETS OF A PSYCHOPATH (2015.) Director: Bert. I Gordon. 

Henry (Mark Famiglietti) lives with his sister, Katherine (Kari Wuhrer), in their large family home. Apparently the only woman Henry can have sex with successfully is his sister, but he makes attempts with other women he meets on the internet and at the movies. He has gone so far as to get engaged to Grace (Mary Anthony), whom he has also met online. But when Grace shows up at the house to tie the knot, she finds a jealous future sister-in-law  waiting, and discovers she is in the midst of a deadly and frightening situation ... 

Secrets of a Psychopath is a comeback of sorts for Mr. BIG, aka Bert I. Gordon, who worked on so many fun creature features in the fifties through seventies such as Earth vs the Spider, The Magic Sword, The Food of the Gods and The Cyclops. Gordon even managed to snare no less than Orson Welles to star in one of his minor B productions, Necromancy. At the ripe young age of 93 Gordon directed this, his last feature to date -- no mean achievement. Unfortunately, while I'd like to report that this is Gordon's masterpiece, it's not that great a movie, and certainly much, much less fun than Mr. BIG's flicks on giant spiders, grasshoppers and Amazing Colossal Men. 

Wuhrer, Anthony and Famiglietti

The shame of it is that Secrets of a Psychopath has some damn good things going for it. There's the attractive lensing by Brett A. Hart which gives the picture a clean and polished look, and an effective score by Scott Glascow (although it generally tends to be a bit too languid, unfortunately, along with the film's pacing). Then there's an excellent lead performance by the appealing Mark Famiglietti, who makes Henry another charming if no-less-deadly sociopath. Although I have never heard of her, apparently Kari Wuhrer has achieved some kind of minor fame in little-known B horror flicks, and she is good as Henry's sensual sister, Katherine. Mary Anthony is also very good as the ill-fated Grace. However, most of the rest of the cast, including Henry's other victims, are played by amateurs who lower the whole tone of the movie.

The film's premise is workable, but Gordon's script is full of holes and moments of illogic  -- Henry buries one body in broad daylight, and there's this whole incredible business with two children improbably drowning in a small plastic lawn pool and the apparent lack of repercussions to this. As mentioned, the pace of the film at times seems glacial and there's only a decent spurt of energy at the very end. Gordon's direction betrays none of the flair that would make this psycho-thriller really sing. Too bad. 

Verdict: Psychologically dubious and not much fun but it's still Mr. BIG! **. 

HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS

Yvonne Lime and Brett Halsey

HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS (1958). Director: Edward L. Bernds. 

Joyce Martin (Yvonne Lime) is the new girl in town, and she's a decent kid, even if her father (Don Shelton) thinks she wears too much lipstick. On her first day in high school she meets Connie Harris (Jana Lund), who tells her in no uncertain terms that she's the head of an all-female gang called the Hellcats, and if Joyce doesn't pass the initiation, she might as well just kill herself. Trying to fit in, she complies with what Connie and her friends wish, while also dating the soda jerk Mike (Brett Halsey, his name misspelled "Bret" in the credits). Mike worries that his girlfriend is getting in with the wrong crowd, but she goes to a party and after the lights go out, someone dies ... 

A moment of teenage angst

High School Hellcats is an entertaining teen movie with effective enough performances from the leads. However, the best acting comes from Jana Lund as the incredibly bitchy Connie, and especially from Susanne Sidney as her chubby, conspiratorial pal, Dolly, who has some sterling moments at the climax. Rhoda Williams is fine as a sympathetic teacher, Miss Davis; she had more credits than the other ladies combined. The executive producer for this film was Charles "Buddy" Rogers, husband of Mary Pickford and an actor himself. 

Verdict: Fun if you're in the mood for a silly fifties teen flick. **1/4,  

BEHEMOTH THE SEA MONSTER

The giant behemoth invades London

BEHEMOTH THE SEA MONSTER (1958/original UK version of The Giant Behemoth). Directors: Eugene Lourie and Douglas Hickox. 

Atomic testing has revivified a sleeping, gigantic, and electrically-charged dinosaur -- a fictional paliosaurus -- that has become dangerously radioactive. In addition to stomping across the coastal areas, it leaves tens of thousands of dead fish in its wake, causing decided consternation for Cornish fishermen such as John Duncan (John Turner). While American Steven Karns (Gene Evans) of the Atomic Energy Commission tries to convince Professor James Bickford (Andre Morell) of the existence of this strange "behemoth," it attacks a ferry boat and then smashes into London itself. How can they destroy the beast without blowing all of its radioactive pieces into every part of the city? 

Gene Evans and Andre Morrell

This is the original UK version of The Giant Behemoth, and to my surprise, there are a number of differences. For one thing, the British version is eleven minutes shorter, which tightens up the picture and eliminates some unnecessary sequences -- all of the dinosaur scenes appear to be intact, however. The American version puts back some crowd-panic scenes and some stock footage. In the original version, when the behemoth struts through London, the music stops abruptly so that all you can hear, besides screaming pedestrians, is the ominous thud thudding of the monster's footsteps as well as its breathing and the occasional snarl or roar. Somehow it makes the sequence more chilling. (In addition to the music, the American version puts in the sound of an unseen man screaming as the monster's foot smashes down on his car, and also adds more screeches of soldiers as they are burned to death by the behemoth's terrible radioactive glare.) The announcement made on the radio at the very end of the film is slightly different in each version. 

Leigh Madison and John Turner

During the ferry-attack sequence, the monster is portrayed by a rubber model which looks good but has decidedly limited mobility (reportedly it had more mobility until it broke down just before filming). However, when the creature attacks London, Willis O'Brien's fluid stop-motion effects take over, and while the rampage is comparatively crude and low-budget (particularly as compared to today's FX work), the animation is still well-done and the sequence exciting. Edwin Astley's musical score adds to the generally eerie tone of the picture. Jack MacGowran is fun as a paleontologist who hopes to track down the monster, and Leigh Madison plays the daughter of a fisherman who becomes one of the behemoth's first victims. 

Verdict: Grim and absorbing. ***.

WHILE I LIVE

Audrey Fildes and Sonia Dresdel

WHILE I LIVE (aka The Dream of Olwyn/1947). Director: John Harlow. 

On the Cornish coast, young composer Olwyn (Audrey Fildes) lives with her older sister, Julia (Sonia Dresdel) while she tries to put the finishing touches to a composition entitled "The Dream of Olwyn." Unfortunately, Olwyn sleepwalks one night and winds up taking a header off of a cliff. Twenty-five years later Julia lives in the same house with her young cousin Peter (Clifford Evans), whom she raised, and his more practical wife, Christine (Patricia Burke). One evening into the household comes an unexpected visitor (Carol Raye), who claims she has no memory but has a connection to Cornwall and the family. Julia is convinced that this young lady is the reincarnation of her dead sister, but Christine is a little suspicious, leading to conflicts between her, her husband, and his somewhat domineering aunt. 

Clifford Evans and Patricia Burke

While I Live could have gone in several different directions -- oddly, no one wonders if this woman might be a con artist when you consider that Julia appears to be quite wealthy -- but what it offers the viewer (very little, in fact) is like a mild, forgettable episode of One Step Beyond stretched to 80 minutes! I won't give away any more of the film's flimsy secrets in case there are masochistic viewers who have a need to see virtually every bad British movie ever made (apparently I'm one of them!), but this has to be classified as a time-waster. You keep hoping something of real dramatic interest will occur but it never quite does. The acting is professional at least, with Tom Walls making the best impression as the house man Nehemiah. As for Olwyn's pleasantly romantic musical composition, it sounds like warmed-over Rachmaninoff but was composed by Charles Williams. 

Verdict: Based on a stage play that must have been equally dull. *1/2. 

ACCOMPLICE

Richard Arlen and Veda Ann Borg

ACCOMPLICE (1946). Director: Walter Colmes.

Private eye Simon Lash (Richard Arlen) gets a surprise visitor, Joyce (Veda Ann Borg), the woman who left him at the altar years before to marry a wealthy man. Now her husband is missing and Joyce wants Simon to track him down, although he is wary that this is merely a divorce case, which he wants no part of. Simon's investigation takes him to a mink farm, where he encounters the suspicious Sheriff Rucker (Archie Twitchell), along with a couple of bodies. Eventually the trail leads Lash to a mysterious castle in the desert (not to be confused with the Charlie Chan film of that name) where elderly men with shotguns have got an operation running that might put Lash in a bit of difficulty.

Accomplice is a fast-moving, interesting PI story, although towards the end it does get a little ridiculous. However, the acting is sharp, there are certainly interesting settings, and the action is all resolved in a satisfactory and exciting manner. Although Arlen makes a more than credible private eye, he was never to play Lash again. 

Verdict: Entertaining PI flick from the forties. **3/4. 

SWIMFAN

Erika Christensen

SWIMFAN (2002). Director: John Polson. 

Rhode Island high school senior Ben Cronin (Jesse Bradford) is a bright light on the swim team, and he has a cute and charming girlfriend in Amy (Shiri Appleby). One afternoon he helps the new girl in school, Madison Bell (Erika Christensen), when her locker door gets stuck, and the two strike up a friendship. Ben winds up sleeping with Madison and both agree it should not happen again and remain their secret. Unfortunately, Madison doesn't keep her end of the bargain, and considers Ben her new boyfriend, come hell or high water. And she's perfectly willing to kill to keep him. 

Jesse Bradford and Shiri Appleby

A teenage version of Fatal Attraction, Swimfan is a modestly entertaining little thriller with good performances from the three leads, who are appealing actors, especially Bradford and Appleby. The best-known member of the cast is Dan Hedaya, who plays the coach of the swimming team. James DeBello makes an impression as Madison's weird cousin Christopher, and some of the students are well-portrayed. In the long run Swimfan suffers from the fact that most of the characters aren't that dimensional, and I've no doubt some teenagers were disappointed by the movie's complete lack of gore. There's a fairly exciting climax in the high school swimming pool, however. Too bad Madison is such a psycho, as her interest in classical music already gives her a certain, more positive distinction over most of her classmates. 

Verdict: There have been worse ... **1/2. 

DANGEROUS YOUTH

Carole Lesley and Frankie Vaughan

DANGEROUS YOUTH (aka These Dangerous Years/1957.) Director: Herbert Wilcox. 

In Liverpool there is a spot known as Dingle Point, and the young male residents, prone to getting into trouble, are known as "Dingle Boys." One of these boys, Dave (Frankie Vaughan), wins a singing contest after beautiful Dinah (Carole Lesley) does a lovely rendition of "Isn't This a Lovely Evening?" and figures she is a shoo-in. Dinah is not a gracious loser -- frankly she's much better than Dave, who does a hokey Presley imitation --  and throws a shoe at him. Later on Dave and his buddies are drafted and a number of melodramatic situations ensue -- one boy is killed when a mine explodes and there is a fight involving fists, a knife, and a gun -- after which Dave goes on the run accused of murder, and winds up hiding out in Dinah's apartment. Can these two singers actually fall in love?

Frankie Vaughan

Dangerous Youth is full of incident but is still dull. Vaughan was a British pop star whose most famous moment was performing with Marilyn Monroe in Let's Make Love. He is adequate as an actor but only had a few credits, having a much bigger career as a vocalist. Carole Lesley, who has winning looks and personality, managed about twice as many credits as Vaughan. George Baker plays an army chaplain or "padre" who tries to help Dave. 

Verdict: Nothing much in this cheapie. *. 

CHILD'S PLAY 2

Chucky on the attack! 

CHILD'S PLAY 2 (1990). Director: John Lafia.

Two years after the events of Child's Play, little Andy (Alex Vincent) has been placed in foster care while his mother is undergoing psychiatric evaluation. His foster mother (Jenny Agutter) is more understanding of Andy and the trauma he underwent, but his foster father (Gerrit Graham) is not certain he even wants the boy in his home. None of them realize that the crazy Chucky doll has  been (improbably) reconstructed and that it is still infested with the spirit of a serial killer (Brad Dourif) whose goal remains the same: to transfer his consciousness into Andy's body.

Andy overhears his foster parents 

Child's Play 2 is an acceptable sequel to the original, but it does have some problems. Alex Vincent is still a cute kid but he's called upon to be a little more emotional in this and isn't quite up to the challenge. As fellow foster child Kyle, Christine Elise is too perfunctory in key moments. The musical score is so overdone that at times you get the impression you're supposed to be watching a space epic with a huge budget. There are at least as many anti-climaxes in this as in the original. On the other hand, there are some inventive killings, such as one interesting bit with a terrified old lady teacher and a copy machine. One can't quite get over the feeling -- unlike the original -- that this is essentially a moron movie.

NOTE: This was followed by Child's Play 3 in which Andy is now a teen at a military academy and Chucky comes a'callin but picks out a new victim to place his soul into. 

Verdict: Entertaining if imperfect sequel. **3/4. 

IRRESISTIBLE

Susan Sarandon and Sam Neill

IRRESISTIBLE (2006). Written and directed by Ann Turner. 

Sophie (Susan Sarandon) is an illustrator of children's books who lives in Australia with her husband, an advertising exec named Craig (Sam Neill). Craig has a special computer assistant named Mara (Emily Blunt), but Sophie finds the younger woman a little bit creepy. When things -- including one of her favorite dresses that Mara later shows up wearing -- start disappearing from the house, a paranoid Sophie is convinced that Mara is behind the strange thefts. Or is she losing her mind? Other weird things begin happening as well. 

Emily Blunt

Irresistible is a strange, suspenseful and intriguing movie that keeps you wondering what's going on and eventually provides a reasonably satisfying conclusion along with at least one extra twist. The three leads are excellent, and the couples' children are adorable. However, Irresistible nearly derails a couple of times due to some utterly illogical moments. (I can't imagine a person actually taking their boss's spouse to court, for instance, and that the work situation wouldn't become extremely awkward afterward). Some of the characters' actions may have you scratching your head as well. 

Verdict: Pretty good if flawed suspense film. ***.