WEEKEND VIEWINGS

[The Burgomaster]

Here are a few that I watched over the weekend:

* THE ALPHA INCIDENT - This is a real low-budget piece of crap from director Bill Rebane (THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION).  The story involves a deadly microbe from the planet Mars that infects a group of people at a remote train station.  The plot has gigantic holes in it (for instance, the government decides to transport the deadly microbe in a freight train and the only security is one government agent who falls asleep and allows a railway worker to get into the storage car and infect himself).  Run away from this movie.  But if you MUST watch it, you can find it in the CHILLING CLASSICS 50 MOVIE PACK.

* HELL'S HOUSE - This is a good one for fans of old, black and white, juvenile delinquent movies (in the tradition of THE DEAD END KIDS).  The story involves a rural teenager whose mother dies, forcing him to move to the big city to live with his aunt and uncle.  He gets involved with bootlegger (Pat O'Brien) and his girfriend (a very young and thin Bette Davis).  The kid ends up in reform school where we get to see how the boys are subjected to inhumane treatment.  I enjoyed this movie.  You can find it in the HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS 50 MOVIE PACK.

* THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME - A much-copied story about shipwreck survivors being hunted by the owner of a mysterious island.  This classic black & white film stars Joel McRae as well as Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong (who were also in KING KONG together).  Another enjoyable movie (with a running time of about 1 hour).  You can find it in the HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS 50 MOVIE PACK.  

* PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID.  See my separate thread about this one.  A solid, violent Sam Peckinpah western.

[BoyScoutKevin]

"Hell's House"

The teenager was played by 17-year-old Junior Durkin, a well-liked young actor in Hollywood, who would tragically die three years later in an automobile accident in San Diego, California. Also killed was Jackie Coogan, sr., the father of Jackie Coogan, jr., who would be injured, but survive the accident.

This was Davis' second year and sixth film in Hollywood. Durkin would be one of the first to recognize Davis' talents as an actress. He was quite fond of her, so fond of her, during the film, he went around with an obvious bulge in the front of his pants, when in her presence.  While the footage of this was excised  from the final film, the outtakes made the circuit of Hollywood stag parties for many years.

"The Most Dangerous Game"

While many of the stars of "King Kong" appeared in this film, many of the people who worked behind the scenes on "King Kong" worked on this one as well. Indeed, the sets for this film should look quite familiar. As the same sets were used both for "The Most Dangerous Game" and "King Kong."

[Scott]

Don't think I've seen THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, but what Burgomaster said reminded me of BLOODLUST which probably came later.

[The Burgomaster]

Scott:

BLOODLUST is basically a remake (rip-off) of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME.

[Scott]

I'm going to put THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME on my list.