Ok, first off, why do people trash this film so hard? It's not like it was meant to be taken too seriously. This movie is SO much fun and one of the most entertaining features hammer or the Shaw brothers ever did. It doesn't get much better than kung fu and vampires. Not to mention armour-clad zombies that rise from their shallow graves to do the bidding of the 7 golden vampires (who are well learned in kung fu). Make sure you view the anchor bay "Hammer collection" version of this film, as it contains the original version AND the cut up U.S. release as well as its trailer. My only complaint is that the kung fu sequences would have been much more enthralling if the Shaw Brothers got to have their own director do them. But, oh well, the vampires make up for it. Oh, and peter cushing gives a great performance, too. I'm sorry to all of the critics who think this movie was a waste of time, but this film is too fun for me to pretend I didn't enjoy it. It's great, give it a look.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Killer's Kiss
(1955)
very stylish, very under-rated
3 December 1998
Simply put: one of the most stylish film noirs. Stanly Kubrick's and Film Noir's most under-rated titles. It kept me enthralled with its visuals and strong mood. Entertaining to say the least. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in noir.
Armored Car Robbery
(1950)
nice little programmer
3 December 1998
One thing I'd like to say about this 1950 film noir is that it is this first film that comes to mind when I think of a programmer. The plot concerns, well, an armored car robbery. I probably don't need to mention that it soon goes bad when a cop ends up dead. Looking for social message? Try this one: Because one cop gets killed, a bunch of people have got to be killed also? Yeah, a bunch of people do get killed in this one. Well balanced amount of style here. To be quite frank, I would enjoy going to the theater today to see a quickie like this (under 70 minutes) if it was as well made as this. Solid.
The Blue Dahlia
(1946)
Chandler comes to life
3 December 1998
Raymond Chandler wrote this script and it is him through and through, I think. It's a very bleak tale of returning war veterans' findings when they reach "home." Unfaithful wife, hoodlums, and just general corruption and bleakness. The scenes with Veronica Lake are the shafts of light in this one's blackness (what did you expect, she's Veronica Lake, one of the most beautiful screen starlet ever), but all in all it conjours up dark images in one's mind. I once heard someone argue that this wasn't film noir. I disagree as much as I can. There is much inner struggle in the characters, settings of bleakness, amnesia, corruption everywhere, unfaithful spouses, murders, cops, criminals, and finally the dark visual expression (with rain as an added bonus). Do not miss this film.
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