Reviews

Okay. So this review is coming a year late. I've nothing negative to say though. I thoroughly enjoyed this survey of motorcycle culture and made me more than a little envious. Don't lose your wonderful enthusiasm. I hope you'll be following all this up with a second series. I've only ridden a motorcycle once in my life but I can say with confidence that I enjoyed it. I'd like to see more! -Alisa C.

Considering that One Girl, Two Guns was made with such a tiny budget, it wasn't a bad way to pass the time. Two young women, Rachel and Jane, are money runners for a powerful drug lord. But when Jane's friend dies, she finds herself outnumbered by adversaries.

Be warned, this film is violent and the language on the extreme side. According to the Alternative Cinema web page, the original lead actress and a few members of the crew quit due to objections to the script. Amusing rumor regardless of whether it's true or not.

Kirsten Moss who replaced the lead actress is decent enough in her role as Jane. The only criticism I have is that she seemed just a little self-conscious in front of the camera. Renee Roland fared better as Rachel. It's unfortunate she didn't have more screen time.

I got this print from Video Search of Miami, not really knowing for sure what I was in for. I was under the impression that this was a possession movie, and it is, sort of. Unfortunately, all of the characters are so boring that after a while you stop caring who's doing what to whom. The basic plotline is this: young girl becomes possessed by the spirit of her dead mother while left in the care of her tyrannical father. There are a number of other people living in the house, but it isn't really explained what they're doing there. In fact, there isn't much in the way of a plot either. There a few really sleazy moments which I won't give away for you exploitation fans. Ultimately, this one is for diehard fans of the genre only.

This is easily one of the most inventive horror movies I've seen in years. It's a shame that it seems to have fallen by the wayside.

A group of young people agree to be filmed while trying to live together in a large isolated house. As time progresses, the house is revealed to be a death trap. The murders are unusually creative and the viewer gets a really good look at the inside of a mentally ill killer's mind. Genuinely atmospheric and creepy.

The only criticism I have of Kolobos, is directed toward the soundtrack. Music composed for this movie is clearly almost directly "lifted" from an earlier horror movie, Suspiria. Kolobos is so creative as a whole; it deserved a better music track.

This very weird short demonstrates the fine line to be drawn between talking and communicating.

All of the characters in this piece are not capable of communicating with one another. As a result, there is the expected confusion, and ultimate mayhem.

There is very little plot. It has something to do with a nervous chattering woman who may or may not have a hidden history with the man who lives in the basement.

Worth the time, but this is no slight diversion. Don't watch it if you can't devote your attention.

Rose of Iron, as it is known in English has been difficult to find and largely neglected up until this point. Not only has it been subtitled into English, but the video I own includes a brief introduction by the director, Jean Rollin. He claims the film was inspired by a real life incident.

Rollin refers to Rose of Iron as an art film. Why it has garnered the label of horror can only be because Rollin is largely a director of horror movies. This one isn't. Not really.

The plot concerns a young couple who decide to take a stroll through a quiet, seemingly unending cemetery. When night falls, the lovers realize that they cannot find the way out. As time progresses, fear gives way to madness.

There is much to recommend this film. It is beautifully shot, the cinematography almost having a surreal, dreamlike quality. The performances are quite good also for relative unknowns. If you have the patience, give this one a try. That is, if you can find it...

When made, this movie was supposed to be a futuristic prison movie. I get quite a kick out of that, since it really doesn't look futuristic at all. I saw this one at the Nevermore Film Festival and it was great fun.

Cheesy, unintentionally hilarious and with some of the most chunk blowing scenes of gore I've seen in a while. I saw this one subtitled (if you can believe that). I must admit that something was lost in the translation. Most of the subtitles were grammatically incorrect (another thing about this movie that I found hilarious) and didn't make a whole lot of sense. Don't worry, it doesn't really matter if the plot is incomprehensible. If you're a gorehound, you'll come away happy.

Check out the warden's son. He was my favorite character.

I enjoyed this film very much on the whole. However, there really were some areas that could have used editing and should have ended up on the cutting room floor. At 178 minutes, Camelot is too long. I also, didn't understand the necessity of all those extreme close-ups. Franco Nero is wonderful to look at, but I'm just not interested in looking up the man's nose.

As for Vanessa Redgrave, she has a passable voice, but I do wonder why they didn't just have Marni Nixon dub for her. Vanessa Redgrave has star quality, grace and beauty, but let's face it. A Broadway belter she's not.

In all other ways, Camelot is a treat to watch.

Admittedly, the performances are not perfect, but I actually like Susan Shentall in the role of Juliet. Her acting is subtle and refined, which is more than I can say for many other actresses who have taken on the role. Why is it that so many actresses playing Juliet feel the necessity to shout their lines? Olivia Hussey does this. So does Megan Follows.

I will agree that Laurence Harvey is awful as Romeo. I find his delivery a bit too mannered for my taste even if his true age is more appropriate than Leslie Howard's. (Although, truth be told, Howard's Romeo seems ageless to me.) His costumes aren't much better than his acting. In the scene where he marries Juliet and the subsequent duel, he is wearing a blue and yellow ensemble that makes him look like a demented superhero.

I'm still waiting for a film version of Shakespeare's wonderful play with an actor who truly seems to understand the character of Romeo. Sumptuous, sumptuous cinematography and music though, and well worth a look if only for that.