jameselliot-1 Reviews

Girl on a Chain Gang (1966)

Southern smarm

[6/10 · 20 November 2023]

The inspiration for this Jerry Gross exploitation movie was most likely the real life murders of 3 civil rights workers in 1964 Mississippi. In real life, the victims were male. In the 1965 film, the trio of two men, one white, one black and one attractive white girl played by Julie Ange are stopped and put through hell by a group of crazy redneck "law men." The guys are beaten mercilessly and the girl is raped in her jail cell by the sheriff (William C. Watson). Even though it's a crude, grisly exploitation movie, there's a true-to-life tone. I've been to Mississippi, one of the most backwards states in the USA, and found many of the smaller town folks were stupid, aggressive and racist, exactly as depicted in the movie. William Watson went on to a busy career in TV and films. Julie Ange and Arlene Farber (playing a very sexy "friend" of the sheriff) also starred in Gross' unbelievable epic of teenage angst, Teenage Mother.

The Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966 TV Movie)

EG Marshall takes on Oddjob

[7/10 · 9 October 2023]

I've always liked this quirky movie. I'd like to find a quality version. What I've seen on the web and video is garbage. It's mind-boggling to see EG Marshall, a life-long sedentary, middle-aged actor, kill Quayle and Sakata and beat up Roland. Director Hamilton restages his From Russia With Love slugfest on a moving train. Eli gets my award for funniest, over the top ex-Mafia hood. Not enough photographic emphasis was given to Angie's legs, world class in 1965. Hayward's role was thankless. She deserved better. Yul must have enjoyed his part. He gets a fancy costume and a noble horse and commands a squad of Iranian cops in the desert years before the extremists took over the country.

The Falcon's Brother (1942)

Poor way to sign out George

[4/10 · 8 January 2023]

This is the worst of the Falcon series. There's not a shred of mystery and suspense. The comedy is lame except for Keye Luke's bits. Why confine Sanders to a bed with a concussion and never have him and real life brother Tom Conway work together to solve a mystery is an unforgivable omission by the writers. I don't know their personal history or if there was a conflict. Both brothers were masters at playing easygoing, extremely bored, well-dressed, disdainful sophisticates. Sanders had the edge on Tom in that department. Jane Randolph with her smart sex appeal provides the only spark in this dry timewaster.

Girls Town (1959)

Another Zugsmith classic

[8/10 · 14 December 2022]

Go ahead and throw out your money on another boring Spielberg piece of worthless, egotistical garbage. Or you can watch this American masterpiece of exploitation story telling with a fantastic cast topped by the spectacular sweater stretching Mamie Van Doren who is backed up by Gloria Talbot, Elinor Donahue, Gigi Perreau and other 20-somethings playing teens. The only very serious problem is Paul Anka. He comes close to destroying the film singlehandedly. A barf bag might be required for some viewers. Mel Torme is ok as a hot-rodding thug who wants to quote ship Mamie's sister Elinor to Tijuana unquote. He doesn't get to sing.

Humanoids from the Deep (1980)

Remake of a 1964 creature feature

[2/10 · 3 December 2022]

What I haven't read in any reviews is that Humanoids From The Deep is an uncredited remake of Del Tenny's Horror of Party Beach released in 1964. The cast was local amateurs and a few semi-pros plus a rock and roll band The Del-Aires in concert at the beach in the beginning. This low-low budget story is about fishmen created by radioactive waste, not genetic tinkering as in Humanoids. They proceed to attack a Connecticut seaside town, and slaughter anyone they find. The centerpiece of the movie is the monsters raiding a slumber party held by sorority girls in a house near the water and killing every girl except for two nightgown clad students they carry away alive. The writers of Humanoids had to have seen this film or been aware of it. It's played on TV for years usually with the gore censored, made money at the drive-ins for years and even the wiseguys at MST2K mocked it. (Svengoolie never got around to it.) The publishers of Famous Monsters of Filmland created a fumetti style magazine using film frames from the picture. Because this movie was made for teenagers, and because it was 1964, there is zero sexual material, rape and nudity. There is lots of gore, but toned down by the black & white photography. Tenny made several other local movies, one with newcomer Roy Scheider (Curse of the Living Corpse), and another with James Farantino and Sylvia Miles (Psychomania) plus a few others (I Eat Your Skin aka Zombie). In a monsterkid way, it's more fun to watch than Humanoids and has a great experimental synth soundtrack from the music library of Eric Siday.

Perry Mason: The Case of the Misguided Model (1966) Season 9, Episode 27

Worst Mason?

[4/10 · 26 October 2022]

Even the title, Case of the Misguided Model, doesn't work. Mary Ann Mobley knows exactly what she's doing. There are so many plot holes and so many ridiculous situations that this ranks as the worst ever Mason story. It was a poor way to bring the long running series to a close. Badly written is an understatement. It's stupid beyond belief for the Mason producers and should have been trashed before shooting began.

Why would Mason walk to the cabin when Duke threatens to blast him with a high powered rifle. Why didn't the police restrain him from taking that walk? The idea of placing a photo of Mobley with a geezer in front of the camera is too dirty even for Mason. It would have accomplished nothing. Driving most of the cast to the police standoff is beyond crazy. That Duke has no charges for his actions is the height of absurdity.

Mannix: To Quote a Dead Man (1973) Season 6, Episode 22

Terrible cliched ending

[4/10 · 11 October 2022]

Instead of staying in a crowded airport terminal with lots of people around, Babcock runs with the stolen loot to a deserted parking garage with crime boss Lloyd Bochner and his thug in hot pursuit. The writers and story editors couldn't think of a better, more novel climax than this ridiculous plot device that was already ancient in the 1930s? This is almost as predictable as Joe getting hit on the head from behind nearly every week. Otherwise, Bochner was always terrific playing sophisticated businessmen, politicians and scientists as well as criminals and had a great voice perfect for narration work.

Demon Rage (1982)

The producers should be grateful Lana Wood starred in this

[7/10 · 29 August 2022]

In how many movies did a topless Lana Wood dry hump an invisible incubus for most of the running time? This is it and a good reason to watch it. It deserves a BluRay release. Britt Ekland, no slouch in the sexy department during her prime years, does not have invisible sex with an incubus or even take her clothing off. That hurt. This is the film that horror king Paul Naschy should have made in Spain with Emma Cohen and Rossana Yanni. Apparently this troublemaking incubus likes to latch onto sex starved brunettes with big bazooms and disinterested husbands so it picks Lana for nightly pump parties, becoming more material and less ghostly with each visit.

Ann and Eve (1970)

Boredom from Arne Mattson

[6/10 · 24 July 2022]

Marie Liljedahl was gorgeous in every way and was meant for better films than the ones that sleaze kings put her in. This misogynistic junk is one of her worst. If you're a fan of this beauty, see it. She was the solo reason I watched it.

My Partner the Ghost (1969–1971)

Fun show

[9/10 · 22 June 2022]

Very enjoyable and essentially light spirited (excuse the pun). Mistreated by the empty suits, people not qualified to work in the TV industry. So only one season and it was killed off despite good ratings.

Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962)

One of the greatest motion pictures ever made

[8/10 · 7 May 2022]

This is a 50s era men's magazine committed to film. Delores Reed and Gloria Victor are the ultimate alien space invaders. Throw in two idiots, Bob Ball and Frankie Ray and you have the American equivalent of a Franco & Ciccio comedy. This movie is why the camera was invented.

The Phantom Gunslinger (1970)

Distributors didn't want this trainwreck

[2/10 · 14 April 2022]

Redeemed only for its female cast. Sabrina was badly underutilized by the film industry. Elizabeth Campbell was wasted. It's difficult to believe the man behind High School Confidential, College Confidential, Platinum High School and The Beat Generation was behind this mess. The budget should have been donated to charity.

Crime & Punishment, USA (1959)

Dank Russian heaviness transported to 1960s Los Angeles

[7/10 · 11 April 2022]

The twisted, mentally ill Hamilton in Crime and Punishment might have done justice as Norman Bates in Psycho.

The seedy, hopeless environment of downmarket Los Angeles 1960 is captured in this sub-realistic neo-noir. The acting is overstylized at times especially by John Harding. Mary Murphy caught the right tone as a bitter, secretive prostitute. Having sex with Hamilton right after he confesses to being a killer is a transgressive moment. Frank Silvera was always an interesting actor who added details to his characterizations when other actors would have cookie-cuttered.

Blue Light (1966)

A very good show that was not given a chance by ABC

[8/10 · 22 March 2022]

Goulet was excellent. He brought gravitas to the role of David March and all of the cast were very good. The guest stars and supporting players were well chosen and familiar from previous Nazi roles including Eric Brayden from Rat Patrol, Francis Lederer and Oscar Beregi. The actresses were all knockouts, of course. Unfortunately, the show lasted slightly over half a season. An official DVD and Blu Ray would be terrific but seems unlikely while crap gets the green light instead of the blue light.

The Love Statue (1965)

Beyond garbage

[6/10 · 16 March 2022]

The girls are pretty and sexy. The movie is horrendous sewer trash. The actress who plays Lisa was good. The actress at the end the apathetic, overacting artist rescues had a thankless role.

Johnny on the Spot (1954)

Awful

[2/10 · 10 March 2022]

One of the worst acted movies I've ever seen and I've seen tons of British crime thrillers. Thriller does not apply here. The girls are attractive and chirpy, small consolation.

Two and Two Make Six (1962)

Ok comedy drama

[8/10 · 9 March 2022]

Jocelyn Lane and Janette Scott didn't need Chakiris and the other actor. A movie just about the two girls would have been fine. No actress today can match Lane in her prime for sexiness, seductive powers and beauty.

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (1975)

Made by the greatest pros in the business...What happened?

[2/10 · 6 March 2022]

Easily the worst Euro western I've ever seen. The people behind and in front of the camera are a who's who of fantastic filmmakers including Damiano Damiani, Ennio Morricone and Terrence Hill and because of that, it's even more upsetting. The script is total gibberish. How McGoohan wound up in this embarrassing mess is something I'm curious about. The Bardot-esque Miou-Miou adds some feminine cuteness but her dub artist was terrible.

The High Commissioner (1968)

Engaging political thriller

[9/10 · 4 March 2022]

Taylor and Plummer work well together in a very underrated, now forgotten thriller. They play off each other very well. Taylor plays an Australian cop and of course excels. He's a human wrecking ball surrounded by dumb Bobbies and even dumber British secret agents. There's no actor today like Taylor although Hugh Jackman might come close.

Vagabundo en la lluvia (1968)

Good cast in a time waster

[6/10 · 2 March 2022]

The characters behave irrationally in a contrived story. Linder knows someone broke into her house and instead of calling the police, and leaving, she loads a shotgun and goes looking for him. Slow and filled with silly conversations.

Furia a Marrakech (1966)

Euro spy 66

[7/10 · 26 February 2022]

Stephen Forsyth as Bob Dixon (the lead in Hatchet For The Honeymoon) was a good fit for the Eurospy genre. Fury In Marrakesh was his only spy flick. Providing eye-candy back-up was Thunderball's Mitsouko as the good girl spy, Cristina Gaioni (Operation Atlantis, A Hyena In The Safe) as the bad girl spy and Dominique Boschero (Argoman the Fantastic Superman) as the good/bad girl spy. Dixon doesn't sleep with any of them, unusual for a Bond knock-off. The locations were colorful, the cinematography was a 7 of 10, the dubbing was grotty and the music by Carlo Savina was excellent. Giallo master Ernesto Castaldi wrote the screenplay. There's a funny take off on the 007 films' weapons-master Q. He invents a viewer that allows the user to see through girls' dresses and a balloon harness that acts like a parachute. The film moves quickly despite time-outs for conversation. There's no furniture-smashing punch-outs that filled the Eurospy movies of Lang Jeffries, Richard Harrison, Brad Harris and other genre leads. I knew who the main villain was right away.

Nobody (I) (2021)

The worst movie I've ever seen

[13 February 2022]

Garbage is a nice word to describe this moronic film. The screenwriter must have repeatedly binged on all 5 Charles Bronson Death Wish films, Commando and all 3 Taken films. Bob Odenkirk looks trimmed down from his Better Call Saul series and can take a 5 inch knife in his side, no problem..

Action immédiate (1957)

Before the cinematic 007 there was Coplan, not well-known in the USA.

[7/10 · 28 January 2022]

Coplan as played by Henri Vidal is more ruthless than James Bond and any number of 007 clones. There is a scene at the beach where Coplan repeatedly and brutally submerges Nicole Maurey underwater by her hair. It is tough to watch because of the sheer savagery directed at this beautiful woman, done in a realistic way. He doesn't drown her because he needs information. The fight scenes also have a realistic, nasty edge unlike the Eddie Constantine movie fights that are comical in style and technique, like Popeye punching Bluto.

The Fugitive: The One That Got Away (1967) Season 4, Episode 17

Bronson and Janssen

[6/10 · 18 January 2022]

I caught this on Metv and they often cut footage to add more commercials. We see Kimble pull Schuyler (Bronson) out of the burning engine room but its not explained exactly what his injury is and how the boat was able to get to the town where Drake the embezzler is hiding. Thats why I'm thinking the episode was chopped up.

Naked City: A Wood of Thorns (1959) Season 1, Episode 39

Two excellent actors stuck in a badly written script

[2/10 · 21 December 2021]

The story and dialogue is so absurd, it could be one of the worst Naked City episode of the lot. Silliphant's heavy handed moralizing also made some episodes of Route 66 tough sledding.