Bad Movie Logo
"A website to the detriment of good film"
Custom Search
HOMEB-MOVIE REVIEWSREADER REVIEWSFORUMINTERVIEWSUPDATESABOUT
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 29, 2024, 06:27:37 AM
713392 Posts in 53058 Topics by 7725 Members
Latest Member: wibwao
Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Good Movies  |  Recent viewings « previous next »
Pages: 1 ... 44 45 [46] 47 48 ... 795
Author Topic: Recent viewings  (Read 2101240 times)
Rev. Powell
Global Moderator
B-Movie Kraken
****

Karma: 3100
Posts: 26772


Click on that globe for 366 Weird Movies


WWW
« Reply #675 on: October 19, 2008, 09:41:01 AM »

ASYLUM OF SATAN (1975):  A beautiful young woman is transferred against her will to an asylum where the patients dress like Klansmen and sing hymns to Satan. Through a combination of fog machines, rubber snakes, and talk, talk, talk, a vaguely movie-like substance eventually congeals on screen.  One half star bonus for having the least scary Lucifer ever to appear onscreen: it's an actor in the worst Halloween mask they could find.  1.5/5.

ABBY (1974):  A conservative pastor's wife is possessed by an evil African spirit and turns into a blaspheming slattern. Carol Speed does well playing the split personalities of title character, but the film begs the question: since it's such a blatant rip-off of "The Exorcist" with a mostly black cast and co-stars William "Blacula" Marshall, why not just title it "The Blacorsist"? After Michael Weldon praised this to the skies, I expected to like it a lot more than I did.  2/5.

One weird thing about this double feature is, after watching ASYLUM OF SATAN, I thought it was clear that by ABBY William Girdler had really grown a director: the editing, acting, and pacing were all more professional looking.  Then today I realized that ABBY was made before ASYLUM, meaning that Girdler actually regressed!
Logged

I'll take you places the hand of man has not yet set foot...
Andrew
Administrator
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 0
Posts: 8457


I know where my towel is.


WWW
« Reply #676 on: October 19, 2008, 10:41:40 AM »

One weird thing about this double feature is, after watching ASYLUM OF SATAN, I thought it was clear that by ABBY William Girdler had really grown a director: the editing, acting, and pacing were all more professional looking.  Then today I realized that ABBY was made before ASYLUM, meaning that Girdler actually regressed!


His best is probably "The Manitou," though I also have a soft spot for Day of the Animals.  Abby has a couple of really over-the-top high points, but you're right that it pretty much motors along for much of the film.

Hey, give "Asylum of Satan" props for one thing: the awful hero who apparently saved the day by taking the girl's virginity.
Logged

Andrew Borntreger
Badmovies.org
Rev. Powell
Global Moderator
B-Movie Kraken
****

Karma: 3100
Posts: 26772


Click on that globe for 366 Weird Movies


WWW
« Reply #677 on: October 19, 2008, 10:57:49 AM »

One weird thing about this double feature is, after watching ASYLUM OF SATAN, I thought it was clear that by ABBY William Girdler had really grown a director: the editing, acting, and pacing were all more professional looking.  Then today I realized that ABBY was made before ASYLUM, meaning that Girdler actually regressed!


His best is probably "The Manitou," though I also have a soft spot for Day of the Animals.  Abby has a couple of really over-the-top high points, but you're right that it pretty much motors along for much of the film.

Hey, give "Asylum of Satan" props for one thing: the awful hero who apparently saved the day by taking the girl's virginity.


THE MANITOU is currently #2 on my Netflix list.  After that I think I'll be done with Girdler!   Twirling

To me, ABBY suffers from the same problem that most EXORCIST flicks do--too much character devleopment before the spirit possesses the body!  Get that demon in there in 15 minutes, tops!

I thought the love scene in ASYLUM OF SATAN was just another of the heroine's nightmarish halluicinations. 
Logged

I'll take you places the hand of man has not yet set foot...
Pilgermann
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 210
Posts: 1769



« Reply #678 on: October 19, 2008, 01:37:55 PM »

I was at that same show last night.  It's cool that the print of Asylum of Satan was the original one from the premiere but good God it was in awful shape.  There was so much ineptitude in this film that I found it to be pretty entertaining.  Martine, the "woman" who kept checking on the girl cracked me up!

It's a shame that they had to project a shoddy DVD-R (the print arrived missing the first reel) of Abby, it was nearly unwatchable at times.  I'm sure that the print wouldn't have been great, but I would assume it would've been an improvement.  I agree that he movie was kind of a letdown.  One would think that the exorcism scene would be a highlight but it was awfully uneventful.  I found Asylum of Satan more amusing for its absurdity.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure that IMDB has the dates wrong.  According to www.williamgirdler.com Asylum of Satan was filmed in 1971.

Now I've seen 4 of Girdler's films, the other 2 being Grizzly and Day of the AnimalsDay of the Animals is my favorite one, but I haven't seen The Manitou.
Logged

 
Rev. Powell
Global Moderator
B-Movie Kraken
****

Karma: 3100
Posts: 26772


Click on that globe for 366 Weird Movies


WWW
« Reply #679 on: October 19, 2008, 02:22:42 PM »

Not to turn this into a William Girdler thread, but I wanted to add that my rating of the movies doesn't reflect my enjoyment of the evening.  Seeing the films in an audience, where laughter is infectious, made these dumb movies more enjoyable than the otherwise would have been. 

But the guy behind me during ASYLUM who was trying to MST3K the thing was a little annoying (hope it wasn't you, Pilg  Wink).
Logged

I'll take you places the hand of man has not yet set foot...
asimpson2006
Bad Movie Lover
***

Karma: 46
Posts: 887



« Reply #680 on: October 20, 2008, 08:21:02 AM »

Spawn ** out of ****

Didn't think this film was that great overall.  The CGI was awful and it reminded me of the CGI that was uesd in Fantastic Four (The unreleased 1994 version, not the recent ones).  If the film was longer or split into several movies I think it would have been better.

Logged
lester1/2jr
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 1109
Posts: 12271



WWW
« Reply #681 on: October 20, 2008, 08:29:44 AM »

I loved Abby and the Manitou. 



the collins kids at town hall party-  this was not produced by William girdler or anybody for that matter.  this is a kinoscope, which is basically where they woud put a camera in front of a tv to record it for prosperity as there was apparently no other way to do so or something.  Town Hall Party was like a cuontry American Bandstand.  the kids are great.  Laurie seems mature beyond her years and has an elegence to her playing almost like jacquline Onassis or something.  It's a perfect counter to the  ridiculous ecstatic showboating of younger brother larry who can't stop smiling and clowning around ...or rocking!!  They do silly but good rock songs like chantilly lace, great balls of fire and a blues number during which laurie really seems like she is about to strangle larry for messing up the song and playing the thing for laughs. 


blonde in bondage- he ridiculously overblown title doesn't do a very good job in describing this but isn't that always the way.  this is a decent late 50's pg exploitation title that has good seedy elements and likeable characters but is too long and nondescript to hold your attention unless you are a die hard fan of the style and era. 
Logged
JJ80
Nutter Magnet
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 464
Posts: 6346



« Reply #682 on: October 20, 2008, 05:17:33 PM »

"Distant Drums" - A decent little period adventure/western movie from 1951 which feels a little like "Northwest Passage" transplanted to the Florida Everglades. Gary Cooper plays 'Captain Quincey Wyatt' who leads his elite troops on an attack on a fort held by gunrunning pirates and renegade Seminole warriors. This feels quite routine but there are some pretty good moments. The big nighttime attack on the fort is well handled as is the scene where a straggling soldier is pulled into a swamp by an alligator(prompting an early 'Wilhelm Scream'). The most memorable scene perhaps comes when Cooper discovers that the Seminoles have fed a few of his men to alligators when he finds their hats floating in the water. All in all dated but rather entertaining.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2008, 05:21:09 PM by JJ80 » Logged

There are few things more beautiful than a sporting montage with a soft-rock soundtrack
HappyGilmore
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 772
Posts: 12286


I know Quack-Fu.


« Reply #683 on: October 20, 2008, 08:38:51 PM »

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- 1990 live action movie starring Elias Koteas as Casey Jones, Judith Hoag as April O'Neil and a few stunt actors as the Ninja turtles.  In this movie, it sort of tells the tale of the ninja turtles and how they came to be, as well as their first encounters with April and Casey, their two human friends.  We also meet the Shredder for the first time, who has a bit of a backstory with the Turtles and their mentor Splinter.  The movie was well done, and tried to bridge the gap by taking elements from the underground comic book and elements of the tv show, which was vastly different.  Jim Henson's Creature Shop did the effects for the Turtle suits.  The jokes were great, the action as good as could be expected for a kids flick.  ***.  Most people, I would imagine, pretty much are aware of the turtles by now, so there's no real need to go into it.  I heard this was one of the highest grossing movies of 1990 or something, and was one of the highest grossing 'indie' flicks for a little bit, but I can't seem to find anything to verify that.
Logged

"The path to Heaven runs through miles of clouded Hell."

Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide.
Pilgermann
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 210
Posts: 1769



« Reply #684 on: October 20, 2008, 10:13:35 PM »

But the guy behind me during ASYLUM who was trying to MST3K the thing was a little annoying (hope it wasn't you, Pilg  Wink).


Sorry, but that wasn't me.  I sat in the second row I believe.

Recent viewing:

Queen of Blood -- I admire Curtis Harrington's stuff, and while this wasn't a favorite, it's still pretty enjoyable.  It takes place in the future world of 1990, where some astronauts recieve signals from Mars or someplace, and they're led to a crashed alien ship and they end up rescuing a green-skinned female alien.  She of course ends up being a danger to the crew, hence the "Queen of Blood" title.  This is sort of one of the precursors to Alien.  It's super low budget and uses footage that Roger Corman aquired from Nebo zovyot aka Battle Beyond the Sun.  Most of the film is original work from Harrington, though.  As I said I enjoyed it, and it has some eerie moments, but it's pretty cheesy for the most part.  I wish that there was a good DVD release of this (it's available on a region 2 PAL disc, but I know nothing about it otherwise).

Logged

 
Jack
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 1141
Posts: 10327



« Reply #685 on: October 21, 2008, 07:36:09 AM »

Offerings (1989) - your basic Halloween ripoff.  Not that there's anything wrong with that if they do something interesting with the premise, but they don't.  A kid is picked on by the other kids because he doesn't talk.  He eventually falls down a well and although he survives, he's brain damaged and spends ten years in an institution.  Then one night he escapes and makes his way back to Haddonfield or wherever to take revenge on the kids who teased him.  Two-thirds of the movie is spent with the police investigation.  There's just nothing more exciting than spending an hour watching the cops figure out stuff that the audience already knows.  As far as the teens who are victimized by this guy, the kills are very weak and almost funny in their stupidity.  The two female leads are totally hot, but there's no nudity, not even any sexy outfits, hell, not even so much as a bra strap.  The guys come over for a makeout session, but have to leave early so they can get a good night's sleep because they're going "critter hunting" in the morning.  Oh yeah, these people know how to give the slasher fan what he wants  Lookingup The killer looks about as menacing as your typical Special Olympics participant. 



There's no suspense at all, whatsoever...  2/5.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2008, 07:40:21 AM by Jack » Logged

The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.

- Paulo Coelho
Psycho Circus
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 1531
Posts: 12049


Shake The Faith


WWW
« Reply #686 on: October 22, 2008, 03:16:55 PM »

Blade Runner (1982)

The film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019 in which genetically manufactured beings called replicants – visually indistinguishable from adult humans – are used for dangerous and degrading work on Earth's "off-world colonies". Following a small replicant uprising, replicants become illegal on Earth and specialist police called "blade runners" are trained to hunt down and "retire" (kill) escaped replicants on Earth. The plot focuses on a brutal and cunning group of recently-escaped replicants hiding in Los Angeles and the semi-retired blade runner, Rick Deckard (Ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment. All I can say is - WOW! I had never actually seen this film before and it lived up to the hype after all these years. This is the most visually stunning movie I have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes upon! My only possible gripe is the pacing of the film (I watched the "Final cut"), some more action scenes or a sub-plot thrown in may have added to the overall story, but it's still wonderful.

5/5  Thumbup
Logged

Allhallowsday
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 2280
Posts: 20726


Either he's dead or my watch has stopped!


« Reply #687 on: October 22, 2008, 08:36:14 PM »

His best is probably "The Manitou," though I also have a soft spot for Day of the Animals.  Abby has a couple of really over-the-top high points, but you're right that it pretty much motors along for much of the film...


THE MANITOU is currently #2 on my Netflix list.  After that I think I'll be done with Girdler!   Twirling...
That's for sure! 

I recently watched LA DOLCE VITA which I've had cued for about a year.  I've seen it, but had forgotten how devastating it can be.  What a wonderful, cynical, disturbing and astounding film!   It spooks me, though.  Bluesad 

Blade Runner (1982)  The film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019 in which genetically manufactured beings called replicants – visually indistinguishable from adult humans – are used for dangerous and degrading work on Earth's "off-world colonies". Following a small replicant uprising, replicants become illegal on Earth and specialist police called "blade runners" are trained to hunt down and "retire" (kill) escaped replicants on Earth. The plot focuses on a brutal and cunning group of recently-escaped replicants hiding in Los Angeles and the semi-retired blade runner, Rick Deckard (Ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment. All I can say is - WOW! I had never actually seen this film before and it lived up to the hype after all these years. This is the most visually stunning movie I have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes upon! My only possible gripe is the pacing of the film (I watched the "Final cut"), some more action scenes or a sub-plot thrown in may have added to the overall story, but it's still wonderful. 5/5  Thumbup
I, too, recently watched BLADERUNNER (the director's cut.)  I prefer the theatrical release, believe it or not.  BLADERUNNER is one of the few films I went to see multiple times when it was in theatres, new.  Despite some problems, it is visually stunning.  And I really like VANGELIS' score.
Logged

If you want to view paradise . . . simply look around and view it!
Jack
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 1141
Posts: 10327



« Reply #688 on: October 23, 2008, 07:17:33 AM »

Death by Engagement - A woman leaves her husband-to-be standing at the alter, but he tracks her down and kills her, and is then killed by the cops.  The cop needs a big engagement ring for his girlfriend, and these people don't seem to have any further use for the big rock on the dead girl's finger, so he makes a little exchange - his little ring for their big one.  After giving it to his girlfriend, a psycho killer shows up and kills her.  The ring then makes its way into the hands of several other couples, with the same results each time.  A pair of detectives investigate the case.  This is a slasher/comedy, and I'm not a fan of these sort of things, but thin one actually works very well.  It made me laugh several times, as all the comedy consists of extremely witty characters.  The story is also pretty good, with some complexity and the cops contribute to the storyline in the end.  The acting is also top notch, which makes the whole thing work really well.  The only problem is that it gets a tad slow in places, probably ten minutes could have been edited out of the last half of the movie.  Being a comedy, it's completely lacking is suspense as well.  Overall, 3.5 out of 5.  A bit too good to get a 3, but too forgettable to get a 4.

The Stay Awake (1987) - A murderer is executed, but before he dies he gives an evil laugh - Mwahahahaha - and promises to return.  Some years later, we're at a girl's school in, I dunno, France maybe.  There are about 8 girls there, and a few of them are in spandex outfits doing aerobics!  They're participating in a "stay awake" to earn money for the school.  There's a teacher present of course, and she hears strange noises in the chemistry classroom.  We get about ten minutes of POV shots of the evil...whatever he is.  We look at hallways, from both ends, and more hallways, as the spooky music plays.  Then we meet the caretaker, he's got an apartment on campus.  We spend a great deal of time with this old guy as he watches MTV, then comments "music...huh", and puts on an old record.  Yeah, anyhow, this is pretty much the movie.  Lots and lots of POV shots, like 1/3 to 1/2 of the movie.  The young girls manage to get on screen once in a while.  They take a shower!  But instead we get to watch the old guy watching TV.  The killer finally makes his presence known, he looks like Kermit the Frog's evil twin.  Seriously.  Once Kermit shows up, the girls start acting like they're in the exciting part of a Lizzie McGuire movie.  It does rate pretty high on the so bad it's good scale.  The scene where the they throw javelins at Kermit, and the teacher tells them to aim for the eyes, LOL.  They're lucky if they can hit the other end of the hallway.  The theme music in the second half is WAY too upbeat for a horror film, which almost makes it into a comedy all by itself.  I'll give it 3/5.

Sometimes They Come Back...For More - There's trouble on an arctic research station, one person has gone mad and started killing the rest.  Two MP's are called in.  They arrive to find two survivors, and apparently the killer is lurking about in the tunnels under the base.  Okay, that part wasn't too bad, but the last two-thirds of the movie are just a joke.  Turns out the killer has found a Satanic altar under the base, and if he sacrifices enough people he can bring Satan to life or something.  And one of the MP's is the brother of the killer, and they're both like 100 years old or something.  And the bad guy has turned his victims into zombies, and the female survivor falls in love with the good guy, even though she's only known him for a few hours.  Blah blah blah.  This is just a mess, way too many plot elements introduced way too late in the story, and most of them don't even contribute anything to the story, other than that it kills time as they're explained to us.  It's just a sloppy jumble of ideas that end up not working at all.  2/5.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2008, 08:54:48 AM by Jack » Logged

The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.

- Paulo Coelho
Rev. Powell
Global Moderator
B-Movie Kraken
****

Karma: 3100
Posts: 26772


Click on that globe for 366 Weird Movies


WWW
« Reply #689 on: October 24, 2008, 03:43:17 PM »

ANGEL HEART (1987):  Detective Angel (Mickey Rourke) is hired by a mysterious, sartorial client (Robert De Niro) to track down a missing man, and the search leads him to new Orleans and a voodoo cult. Supernatural film noir with a very chilling twist, if you don't guess it early on.

Actually, my main question about the movie is the twist.  When I first saw it, I didn't see it coming, but I was relatively new to thrillers.  On a second viewing it seemed like there was a pretty blatant clue given very early on that would give the whole thing away.  Since the effect of a movie like this largely depends on the twist, I'm upset that I can't watch it again with my memory wiped clean and see whether it was as easy to figure out as I know now it to be.

Still, it's atmospheric and has the then-infamous Lisa Bonet sex scene.  4/5.  Someone whose never seen this before should watch it and tell me if it's as obvious to them as it is to me now. 
Logged

I'll take you places the hand of man has not yet set foot...
Pages: 1 ... 44 45 [46] 47 48 ... 795
Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Good Movies  |  Recent viewings « previous next »
    Jump to:  


    RSS Feed Subscribe Subscribe by RSS
    Email Subscribe Subscribe by Email


    Popular Articles
    How To Find A Bad Movie

    The Champions of Justice

    Plan 9 from Outer Space

    Manos, The Hands of Fate

    Podcast: Todd the Convenience Store Clerk

    Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

    Dragonball: The Magic Begins

    Cool As Ice

    The Educational Archives: Driver's Ed

    Godzilla vs. Monster Zero

    Do you have a zombie plan?

    FROM THE BADMOVIES.ORG ARCHIVES
    ImageThe Giant Claw - Slime drop

    Earth is visited by a GIANT ANTIMATTER SPACE BUZZARD! Gawk at the amazingly bad bird puppet, or chuckle over the silly dialog. This is one of the greatest b-movies ever made.

    Lesson Learned:
    • Osmosis: os·mo·sis (oz-mo'sis, os-) n., 1. When a bird eats something.

    Subscribe to Badmovies.org and get updates by email:

    HOME B-Movie Reviews Reader Reviews Forum Interviews TV Shows Advertising Information Sideshows Links Contact

    Badmovies.org is owned and operated by Andrew Borntreger. All original content is © 1998 - 2014 by its respective author(s). Image, video, and audio files are used in accordance with the Fair Use Law, and are property of the film copyright holders. You may freely link to any page (.html or .php) on this website, but reproduction in any other form must be authorized by the copyright holder.