Cyber City Oedo 808

This is a 1990 OVA (Original Video Animation) I viewed on Arrow's streaming site: 

Viewing an OVA during Spooky Season is new to me; heck, I’d never seen an OVA period until last night. Adult anime is still a blind spot for me, despite viewing such work as Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Perfect Blue, Vampire Hunter D, and Wicked City. Recently, Arrow’s streaming site added some anime, including OVA’s. Note that they’re the original Japanese versions and NOT any dubs. Other reviews inform me that the English dub for Oedo was incredibly vulgar-the original language thankfully isn’t.

A Google search told me this was likely up my alley—and it was. Of course, I laugh that the setting of its universe is 2808 Tokyo… excuse me, “Oedo” yet the vehicles and tech are futuristic versions of 1980’s products. But that’s part of the tech noir charm it has. Yes, tech noir is a generally accepted term for films like Blade Runner. That and the cyberpunk vibes are strong w/ Cyber City.

Through three episodes, we see a trio of criminals become anti-heroes as they are freed from prison to work for law enforcement… w/ explosive collars around their necks. No, I don’t know if Suicide Squad stole that idea from here or it’s the other way around. They catch criminals & solve crimes to reduce their sentences. As each are jailed for hundreds of years—they might as well be Sisyphus. However, it’s more fun than prison in space. Songoku is a standard cool 80’s dude in a red leather jacket, Gogul looks from the neck-up like Vernon Wells in The Road Warrior, and Benten resembles an 80’s rocker chick… albeit androgynous.

There are three episodes, each a little more than 40 minutes in length-one character is spotlighted per episode. While the first and more so the third have horror plot points rather than have a strong focus on the genre, I was happy to have viewed an OVA w/ awesome animation (the various hues of blues representing Oedo at night alone was stunning), a quality 80’s score, the vibes, the AI and other tech that assist our antiheroes, the aesthetic, the City Pop songs… viewing anime more often might not ever become a thing for me, but those I do seek out, I prefer to be like this. It is a disappointment that there weren’t further adventures of this wild trio, at least not on screen.

Concerning director Yoshiaki Kawajiri, I enjoyed both this and Wicked City. In October the plan is to see at least one horror anime-more specifically, one from Kawajiri.

The People Under the Stairs

The People Under the Stairs (1991)

Runtime: 103 minutes

Directed by: Wes Craven

Starring: Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A.J. Langer, Ving Rhames

From: Universal 

I had an unintended Ving Rhames doubleheader. Shortly after viewing Piranha 3D on Prime Friday night, this played on the Universal Monsters streaming channel-I hadn’t tackled People before so it featuring Rhames in a prominent role was a surprise. Besides the opportunity to see a Wes Craven joint new to me, I’m always down for seeing a Black-centered horror film. After viewing, I really missed out on not giving this bizarre picture a chance much sooner. My apologies to Wes Craven—not everything I’ve seen has been loved but most ranged from OK to very good.

This horror-comedy is also a satire; gentrification and capitalism is skewered as a couple (Everett McGill & Wendy Robie, cast as a REALLY weird couple as they were a couple-presumably weird-in Twin Peaks) are A-hole white landlords who attempt to price out poor Black-dominated apartments so they can be bulldozed for white businesses. Our lead is a 13-year-old Black male nicknamed Fool. As his mom has cancer, Leroy (Rhames) brings pal Spenser and Fool along to burglarize the house of a large stash of coins. It goes awry…

Production design deserves credit; what dingy, macabre digs our villains have—dirty, retro furniture, yet containing then-modern tech to keep the titular people under the stairs. Of course I won’t spoil who those people are except that I was with this film despite its most outlandish moments or plot twists. McGill and Robie were unforgettable as the villains-what an unusual dynamic they had w/ each other. Brandon Adams as Fool did a swell job as a teen who was believable in such a scenario and was easy to root for. So was A.J. Langer as Alice, the most normal person in that house of horrors—a key theme is not knowing what lies behind closed doors.

Stairs was a wild ride which delivered a not-so-subtle message but did so in a fun manner while delivering satirical barbs against its targets-a message that sadly hasn’t diminished in importance. Apparently, Jordan Peele noted it as an influence; others reminded me it had to influence Don’t Breathe. Even I noticed the parallels to Barbarian. If it has not been made clear already, many genre fans should give this a shot if they love the director, appreciate social commentary in their horror, like horror-comedies, and/or want to see teenage leads that aren’t unbearable. As I say often, this sort of genre exercise is preferable to much of what we get in modern times.

Piranha 3D, Revisited

I was finally able to revisit this film and give it a proper Letterboxd review. Frankly, I’m not as fond of a film as I was in the past, especially w/ the theatrical 3D experience fifteen years (!) ago. The luxury yacht in the room is the pastiche of Girls Gone Wild that’s the main plot thread. In hindsight, it is unfortunate in American culture that for a few years in the early 21st century, some asswipe would film girls at Spring Break and convince them to flash their breasts, engage in wet t-shirt contests, and worse then release the footage to the public. Jerry O’Connell as Not Joe Francis at least did a swell job in portraying a loathsome sexist jerk who encourages debauchery at the Arizona Spring Break location, the fictional Lake Victoria.

For better or for worse this is entirely different from the original Piranha from Joe Dante. Various characters are followed as an earthquake released an ancient breed of the title creature from a fissure. Some of this undoubtedly hasn’t aged well & I’m not just referring to the CG. The depravity shown w/ the intoxicated college kids will never sit well with some, nor will the gratuitous moments of female nudity. This certainly was a movie where Eli Roth plays the host of a wet t-shirt contest & there is plenty of pulsating dancing music.

Those moments noted, I was still entertained by Piranha 3D. This has an over-qualified cast for this B-movie nonsense and lead guy Jake was likable as a local doofus who somehow was lucky enough to be friends w/ Jessica Szohr and befriended Kelly Brook… both have aged gracefully in the preceding 15 years, as I just discovered. The movie is a horror-comedy which does have some laughs and for those that love graphic, gory carnage… there’s an unforgettable stretch where the film delivers, aided by practical Greg Nicotero effects. How extreme that carnage was, it’s the dominant memory I had of Piranha since the theatrical viewing 15 years ago.

The other two memories of that viewing… at the time, a friend was a teacher in Lake Havasu, Arizona (where this was filmed) and at least some of her students were in this as extras! In addition, while the screening I was at was far from sold out, several CHILDREN were present. Previous viewers should be AGHAST this happened. Anyhow, Piranha 3D has an over-qualified cast for this B-movie nonsense… a BTTF reunion w/ Elisabeth Shue and Christopher Lloyd, Ving Rhames, Adam Scott, Paul Scheer, Dina Meyer, and… Richard Dreyfuss.

It required a big paycheck from… Harvey Weinstein’s brother Bob (regrettably, The Weinstein Company released the film) but at least Dreyfuss donated it to charity as he dressed like Matt Hooper and if the viewer didn’t catch on, he sang Show Me the Way to Go Home. It’s incredible Dreyfuss spoofed one of his most famous characters and (spoiler) had him killed off in the opening scene. Arguably, it’s the best moment in the film.

No, the sequel-Piranha 3DD-hasn’t been tackled nor do I ever plan on doing so. Enough reviews have been read that it’d be a film for me to avoid.

I Revisited All the President's Men

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Leprechaun in the Hood

Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by: Rob Spera

Starring: Warwick Davis, Ice-T, Anthony Montgomery, Rashaan Nall, Red Grant

From: Trimark

Before I am suitably chastened for viewing such a film, let me explain… in my life, only the original and this film have been tackled before—I saw the OG as the adult more than once and reviewed it 2 ½ years ago; Hood was rented on VHS in probably ’01 for the absurdity of it all. Of course it was a bad movie (I’ve never loved the original, to be fair) yet the reasons why had faded by 2025.

The movie has spoof elements and it’s not like I never laughed with the movie—undoubtedly I laughed at it sometimes. Of course it was stupid nonsense involving Ice-T in the 70’s finding the leprechaun’s gold, including his golden flute… along with a trio of stooges who are supposed to be our protagonists, but they are massive dorks who try to be “positive rappers” and hardy har har, one’s a virgin! Somehow, I wasn’t enchanted by A-holes named Stray Bullet, Butch, and Postmaster P.

If I had the time or talent, I’d write rhymes on the level that Warwick Davis delivered throughout the film; his were better than the ones Moe, Larry, & Curly gave us! There’s also a trans character-while not the most offensive portrayal, our leads are stereotypically not nice to her, and that’s not the only questionable trans moment; that’s not even mentioning the Black stereotypes present. The worst sin of all: too many of the kills are pulled away from, or not shown at all. Two of them were shown & had nice gore so it’s not a complete loss. So is an inspired moment or two. I don’t know what to make of COOLIO’s cameo as himself-it was absolutely pointless.

Of course, the highlights were Ice-T and Warwick Davis. The former wears an afro & dresses like a pimp in his opening scene, and the latter talks about “tapping that ass” while smoking weed! If that wasn’t surreal enough, the end scene was Davis in his Leprechaun garb RAPPING A TUNE in a club! His droppin’ bars was also better than the rhymes that our protagonists were spittin’!

Leprechaun in the Hood is not a movie I recommend unless you’ve viewed the previous four films & love all four. The Leprechaun rapping is on YouTube anyhow. This also solidifies my decision to not check out the sequels, including 2003’s Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood.

Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch

Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch (2024)

Runtime: 88 minutes

Directed by: Dutch Marich

Starring: Suziey Block, Marco Antonio Parra, David Morales, Tonya William Ogden, Laurie Felix Bass

From: Luminol Entertainment

For those that like the Mr. Ballen vibes of spooky supernatural happenings in remote locations… last year I reviewed the first Horror in the High Desert, then several years ago the second picture. Desert is a series of found-footage films concerning people vanishing in the High Desert area of eastern Nevada, where there are large swaths of areas barren of lifeforms. The antagonists have the appearance of weirdos living off the grid, but as the finale implies, they could be something else—I’m unsure of that direction they took in the finale although perhaps it will become better in future installments w/ further explanation.

The franchise won’t be for all tastes—it has measured pacing and long scenes where a threat is present but the villain might not appear. Typically, that won’t bother me, as long as I have at least some investment in the story. In Firewatch (named because there’s wildfires in the western half of Nevada; it’s an explanation for how our protagonist Oscar can easily wander around private property) I’d like to watch Oscar’s mouth out with soap but otherwise he’s sympathetic… homeboy had prior substance abuse and mental health struggles.

More backstory is provided concerning the villains; Oscar attempts to find Gary Hinge, the missing hiker chronicled in the first film. Expect drone shots, and wandering around more abandoned mines & buildings than is reasonably safe for the average person. I could nitpick various aspects-such as a score that could be overbearing at times-yet I’ll be positive instead. There was plenty of suspense during those long scenes in anticipation, in areas that are still scenic.

A fourth film has been announced although a release date (not even a release year) has been announced as of yet.

Revenge of the Ninja

Revenge of the Ninja (1983)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by: Sam Firstenberg

Starring: Sho Kosugi, Arthur Roberts, Keith Vitali, Ashley Ferrare, Kane Kosugi

From: Cannon

This was the time to see some B-action movie cheese, especially from the 80’s and especially from Golan-Globus. A few months ago I viewed 1981’s Enter the Ninja, the first in Cannon’s Ninja trilogy of the 80’s; it won’t be long before I finally check out the infamous Ninja III: The Domination.

Revenge stars Sho Kosugi; his family (except for infant son) are executed by ninjas in Japan; an American pal convinces him to move to Los Angeles. 6 years later, we see him, son (real-life son Kane) and Sho’s mom in LA… only there’s chicanery going on w/ the dolls imported from Japan for Sho’s gallery—hilariously 80’s in that it includes random neon lights.

The movie set the tone in the opening—another of Sho’s sons is killed via shuriken to the face! There’s nudity, Professor Toru Tanaka in sumo garb sexually assaulting a woman, 6-year-old Kane using martial arts against both bullies his age and to steal a line from a Letterboxd mutual, “a blonde bimbo”… better action than you might expect from a low-budget 80’s American ninja movie, brawls on a playground, and Italian stereotypes, including a guy who sounds just like Joe Pesci.

I had a lot of fun between the sleaze, the nonsense, and genuinely impressive scenes, including a quality bit involving an old Dodge van and Sho hanging on to it for dear life. Salt Lake City made a surprisingly decent substitute for Los Angeles, including the long finale involving several different moving parts and it all was a gas. Of course, I enjoyed the score that included synth work from W. Michael Lewis of Shogun Assassin fame. This has a cult following-perhaps not as large as for Ninja III, but it’s understandable why multiple Letterboxd mutuals have noted this as a childhood favorite.

 

A Pair of Stooge Shorts

Creeps: 

(Short # 168 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

While this wasn’t the plan early in the year, I am glad a Stooge short could be part of Spooky Season for 2025, i.e. a part of the list I do where my reviews for horror and related content for about a 2-month period are together. Even better is that it is one featuring actual ghosts & a talking skeleton-named Red Skeleton-rather than the faux supernatural a la Scooby Doo which sometimes occurred. This is a remake of The Ghost Talks!

The opening was different: most of The Ghost Talks! is shown as a flashback to a spooky story that the Stooges tell to their offspring… which of course were portrayed by the Stooges playing little kids wearing bonnets in a giant-sized crib. The Ghost Talks is the trio w/ the blue-color job of “furniture movers” & in a spooky castle during a long, story night, they encounter a ghost voicing a suit of armor. That spirit is… Peeping Tom!

Only in this case, the spirit is just a dude named Tom who doesn’t want removal from the castle; there’s no backstory revolving around Lady Godiva. The other new scene besides the opening & ending: the suit of armor runs around w/ a sword, and pratfalls occur w/ a guillotine. While not as good as Ghost, Creeps is still fine. Note that this is no Ghost, We Want Our Mummy, Spook Louder, Spooks or If a Body Meets a Body in terms of appropriate creepy or spooky-themed Stooge shorts.

Flagpole Jitters: 

(Short # 169 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

This was the last footage Shemp shot as a Stooge, although there was one more short that was released afterwards; after this and For Crimin’ Out Loud are the four Fake Shemp efforts… shudders. The short this takes stock footage from: 1949’s Hokus Pokus, revolving around a lady in a wheelchair, the Stooges are paperhangers, and a mystic known as Svengarlic is involved.

Unlike Mary faking her disability as part of an insurance scam in Pokus, she legit needs a wheelchair in Jitters. The first half was all from Hokus… the boys shave each other (it’s not as lurid as it may sound!) and Shemp can’t set up a table as they make breakfast for Mary. The second half has some new footage which at least had some amusing slapstick. Also, Svengarlic is the villain here; he and some pals are bank robbers.

As mentioned many times by now, I wish the latter half of the Shemp era wouldn’t have been so heavy in remakes/stock footage. Usually they were fine although the originals are preferable; that’s the case here, silly finale aside. That is the case here. Next time I’ll give more props to Shemp while discussing the last released short he was in.

Sssssss

Sssssss (1973)

Runtime: 99 minutes

Directed by: Bernard L. Kowalski

Starring: Strother Martin, Dirk Benedict, Heather Menzies-Urich, Richard B. Shull, Tim O’Connor

From: Universal

A movie reviewed via request. Recently I talked about Venom, the wild movie starring Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, and a black mamba snake. Someone suggested I view this picture-wild in a different way-concerning mad scientist Strother Martin attempting something extremely unethical w/ his new assistant Dirk Benedict. Normally it’d be hard to track this down… except that sometimes, it plays on the Universal Monsters streaming channel. Well, this was on last night and I was curious to view something that had an outlandish 70’s body horror sort of plot yet was hoping would be a hoot.

It was. There is a slew of different serpents shown: a black mamba, a boa constrictor (which Martin gives bourbon to!), a hognosed pit viper, a two-headed snake, and the species that is put over hard: a king cobra. The movie has what I call “measured 70’s pacing” which I know not everyone is in favor of, especially if you suspect the end of this journey. However, like typical I didn’t really mind. Wacky moments occur and I was amused that Benedict fell in love with the scientist’s daughter, portrayed by Heather Menzies-Urich. The most hysterical scene: the two skinny-dip, only foliage obscures the nudity a la Austin Powers. This foliage was obviously superimposed after the fact, as if they decided afterwards to make this PG instead of R.

I was also amused by such things as the various characters shown at a carnival (including one named TIM MCGRAW), two goofball cops & a minor role for Reb Brown. There was enough entertainment in the first two acts before business picked up in the final act. Heck, one scene is the 70’s version of a Saw trap. The opening of the film noted all the venomous snakes in the film & credited the cast and crew for interacting w/ such creatures. The legit danger did help set the proper mood for the viewer.

I dare not spoil the finale, except that its OOT nature charmed me. A nice cast, a decent score, and general B-movie cheese made this a fun time. The practical 70’s effects were rather rad in my eyes; a dream sequence was of its time, as was a big moment in the final act involving optical effects. My enjoyment of the characters kept me invested with the plot when the horror elements weren’t present. The film isn’t as glorious as its title, but that’s what I suspected even before seeing the film.

Shake, Rattle & Roll

Shake, Rattle & Roll (1984)

Runtime: 124 minutes

Directed by: Ishmael Bernal/Emmanuel H. Boriaza/Peque Gallaga

Starring: Many different Filipino actors

From: Athena Productions

I may never know why a long-running Filipino horror anthology franchise named itself after a 50’s R&B song first made famous by Big Joe Turner and later covered by both Elvis and Bill Haley & the Comets… but it’s a film I’ve known of for years (how I did is lost to history) yet a copy w/ English subtitles was impossible to find, let alone any version that didn’t look terrible. At least, until recently stumbling upon a Facebook video upload, of all things. I downloaded it-but you didn’t hear that from me!-and I’m happy to discuss something successful that many in the West likely aren’t familiar with.

This copy was thankfully restored, although at times there was print damage they couldn’t fix and the final scene of the second segment (oh, what a segment it was) ends abruptly as that small segment of the print was completely wrecked & couldn’t be saved. That said, no complaints otherwise. The three segments in this anthology were at least different, compared to each other and the other anthologies I’ve viewed.

The first revolves around an Ouija board; even in the Philippines, those are bad news. Two dudes and a young woman take one of those boards to a spooky old house, where they contact a trio of spirits that were part of a doomed love triangle long ago. It’s not clear right away, but they are possessed by those spirits then we get a LONG flashback to this doomed romance. That backstory was needed, although boy was it lengthy and it was never scary until the end of the flashback. The spookiness continues in present time and while the ending was fine, this was clearly the weakest of the three.

The second… I’ve always known this and I’ve always been captivated. You see, there is no delicate way to phrase this, so I’ll be blunt concerning the villain. It is: A HAUNTED KILLER HORNY REFRIGERATOR. Mom, kids, a nephew, and a maid move into a new house for a surprisingly cheap price. Mom is of the tyrant variety, while both the daughter’s boyfriend and the nephew are horny themselves. The latter is a Peeping Tom who is randy for his “distant cousin” and he smokes a cigarette DURING sex w/ the maid. I laughed with and at the segment, played deliberately humorous. Unintentionally hilarious, I howled at the unauthorized usage of both Michael Jackson and The Eagles.

It's a shame then that the final scene wasn’t complete, even if it appeared to be solely exposition. It was the most entertaining segment; judging by other Letterboxd reviews, its director (Ishmael Bernal) has plenty of respect in the Pinoy film world and perhaps needs a deeper dive by me, or more ideally more attention shone on him by Western film buffs.

Anyhow, the final segment was undoubtedly the scariest; it used local folklore to present a wild creature in the woods. A manananggal is-at least here-a vampire creature disguised as a young attractive lady who goes after a young teenage boy, his two siblings, and his grandmother in a shack; religion is a key theme, and not just because this is set on Good Friday. Oh, and I almost forgot: this creature also detaches its top half from its bottom half as it sprouts wings. That effect was better than you might suspect. The most frightening moments are here.

It's a shame the movie can’t be tracked down much easier in the West, meaning restored & w/ English subtitles; after all, some of the sequels are available for streaming rental and the 17th (!) from 2023 (Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme) is on Netflix--an 18th movie is coming out theatrically late this year. I was happy to spotlight a popular franchise that likely has little penetration in the West; those that do track this down, stick with it even if the first segment doesn't jive with you.

Out of the Blue

Out of the Blue (1980)

Runtime: 94 incredible minutes

Directed by: Dennis Hopper

Starring: Linda Manz, Hopper, Sharon Farrell, Don Gordon, Raymond Burr

From: Discovery Productions

Well, this was the feel-bad movie of the year… yet Out of the Blue hasn’t left my mind since last night. That is enough justification from me to award it a rare highest-possible rating.

As happened recently, a film playing on the Criterion Channel’s 24/7 stream finally pushed me to see a motion picture known by me for years. In 2019, Chloe Sevigny and Natasha Lyonne lead a crowdfunding to have the movie restored; the latter’s unfortunate opinions concerning AI in movies aside (and that’s due to her beau literally working in the AI field) I was glad to see what was to be a random Canadian family-friendly drama about a troubled teen before the original director-Leonard Yakir, one of the screenwriters-was let go after early filming was apparently a disaster. Lead male Dennis Hopper stepped in, rewrote the script w/ the input of Linda Manz, and created a DARK film.

I knew the movie would be rather downbeat-one detail known beforehand was that it BEGAN w/ a drunk Hopper crashing his semi-truck into a school bus full of children. He goes to prison, but somehow is paroled after only 5 years… I guess the law is different in Canada than the United States. The focus is on Cindy (i.e. Cebe), as portrayed by Linda Manz. Now, I’ll admit that Days of Heaven is a movie that probably deserves another review from me. In early 2017, I wrote that her character in the movie sported “an odd accent” & I downplayed a performance I recall as liking. It’s not something I remember as well as I should anyhow.

That admission is made because I must have missed the mark then… at least here, Linda Manz was outstanding in the role-I mean, incredible. She earned her love of Elvis from her father but due to having a dysfunctional life at home (this is even before the volatile Hopper is released from prison; her mother abuses drugs) she loves punk rock and has the false persona of a tough punk rocker… a girl who still sucks on her thumb in quite the juxtaposition.

This raw, unwavering film was uncomfortable in the first half w/ multiple adult men acting gross to Cebe and other underaged girls. The second half is even more distressing; Out of the Blue may be one of those great films that is never viewed again… at least in full. The main cast do a quality job, from Sharon Farrell to Don Gordon and Raymond Burr in his two scenes. However, both Hopper and Manz were the standouts. As many have noted already, what a message from the director of Easy Rider to have the lead shout the punk refrain “Death to hippies” and have a likely former hippie in Hopper’s Don as an abusive alcoholic irredeemable lout. The hippie dream is dead, especially in that small rural town in British Columbia.

The music of course was a highlight; besides the Elvis and punk songs (including two from the Vancouver punk band Pointed Sticks, who appear as themselves for a few minutes) there’s Neil Young’s My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue); Young & Hopper were friends and the lyrics were an obvious inspiration to the latter as he rewrote the movie’s script. “It’s better to burn out than it is to fade away” is a line that has entered the public consciousness since 1979 but it is uttered here & is a mantra Cebe subscribes to.

This review is too long anyhow for me to bemoan how Manz faded away from cinema—she did raise a family before passing away 5 years ago although leaving and only briefly returning in the late 90’s was apparently due to not finding enough work. At least I can be happy that she shone bright and gave a jaw-dropping performance as Cebe here. While I hope that broken homes aren’t such a maelstrom, a real nightmare for the poor innocent children affected, sometimes it is. No matter your childhood, Out of the Blue worked even better for me than expected.

Three Days of the Condor

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Runtime: 117 minutes

Directed by: Sydney Pollack

Starring: Robert Redford (RIP), Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow, John Houseman

From: Paramount

RIP Robert Redford

A star of his magnitude, my paying tribute couldn’t be delayed even a day. Actor, director, activist, champion of independent film, founding the Sundance Film Festival… his accolades don’t need further explanation from me, except that he lived a long, fruitful life. Years past, I’ve reviewed a trio of films among his most popular: Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President’s Men. All three are great and didn’t need another review from me; those movies should be seen by those who haven’t yet.

Yet, despite my viewing of some classic 70’s paranoid conspiracy thrillers in the past, Condor was one not seen by me before. There was no better time than now-thankfully it is a very good motion picture. Redford was Joe Turner, a codebreaker at the CIA who works at a clandestine location in New York City. Literature is read to discover if info is hidden in the printed word. He notices an obscure novel is translated in a few random languages despite awful sales.

He's literally out to lunch one day as the rest of his office is executed. Now he’s on the run; desperation forced him to randomly form a relationship w/ Faye Dunaway… an awkward and in fact occasionally (or perhaps more often than occasionally) uncomfortable relationship, it was. At least the two leads were quality in their roles, although arguably Cliff Robertson (as a superior) and especially Max von Sydow as a scholarly hitman type were just as memorable and portrayed the most fascinating characters.

Condor-the codename that Redford’s Joe Turner has in the CIA-was both exciting and measured in its pacing, allowing for action, quiet character moments, and the lead’s attempt to solve the mystery while avoiding capture at the right moments to make this enthralling for its almost 2-hour runtime. Naturally, of interest to me would be both the cynical 70’s nature of the plot and the awesome jazz-fusion soundtrack from longtime Sydney Pollack collaborator Dave Grusin, still alive today at the age of 91. 

Redford was the highlight; what a leading man. Even when the romance with Dunaway’s Kathy can be best and most kindly be charitably described as “of its time,” I was invested in his plight, thrilled when he used the 70’s version of hacking to his advantage, disappointed when he made a mistake against his foes, but was happy when he outwitted them. It was bittersweet realizing that this along with some other movies featuring him should have been reviewed here already. At least many here have seen more than me and can even better appreciate the career he had. Those that enjoy 70’s paranoid conspiracy thrillers should at least give Three Days of the Condor a shot.

Oh, and not only does this take place around Christmas, New York City is presented well, whether on familiar streets full of businesses & dwellings, or grungy alleyways.

The Boogey Man

The Boogey Man (1980)

Runtime: 82 minutes

Directed by: Ulli Lommel

Starring: Suzanna Love, Ron James, Nicholas Love, Raymond Boyden, John Carradine

From: The Jerry Gross Organization

By now, many people will know why it is timely to review a movie concerning a haunted mirror. Elsewhere, I laughed that such a motion picture would be inspired by Ulli Lommel’s most famous directorial effort. What a bizarre career in the cinematic industry he had… acting in several Fassbinder movies, then directing off-and-on for many years—somehow resulting in him becoming (according to reliable sources) an atrocious director in the 2000’s, creating ½ star efforts where he never shot more than one take per scene. How that happened is beyond my comprehension.

What an opening to The Boogey Man: the opening synth song (what an interesting soundtrack) combines both Tubular Bells and the Theme to Halloween. A little boy and even more little girl watch Mom make out with her lover outside via window. She puts her stocking on his head & he looks like Francis Dollarhyde during the final act of Manhunter! They get caught, the boy (Willy) is literally tied up, the girl (Lacey) cuts him free, probably not expecting him to kill the stepfather. The rest is 20 years after the murder; Lacey has a family but Willy is a mute.

It's awhile before that mirror shatters and the murders begin; that’s one way to interpret the old canard concerning broken mirrors & bad luck. While trauma & grief in horror now comes off as tiresome, in older movies it usually seems more tolerable. That includes The Boogey Man, believe it or not. The movie takes its time in presenting the characters; both Willy & Lacey are clearly troubled by the past. Many won’t like that Lacey’s husband is the gaslighting type, nor will some like that he’s a police officer. 

When the second half occurs, the plot becomes increasingly crazed & irrational. That said, it was still quite entertaining, especially during the bonkers finale which at least had some originality. I laughed at that, along with the random teenage cannon fodder or that even a little boy wasn’t immune to the spirit released from the mirror. Hilarious is that the musical cues were a sign that this would unapologetically rip off both Halloween & The Exorcist… not a coincidence either is that the farmhouse much of the film takes place at suspiciously looks like 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York…

Despite the flaws, I was amused by this claptrap which combined many old ideas & some new ones into a burgoo stew of a supernatural slasher which contained a decent amount of atmosphere. It was also nice seeing John Carradine for a few scenes. A key detail to note: the film was a family affair. Lommel’s then-wife Suzanna Love (to steal a line from a mutual, Not Daisy Edgar-Jones) was the adult Lacey, while her on-screen brother was portrayed by real-life brother Nicholas. She is a DuPont heir and apparently that’s where the money came from to allow Lommel to make some of his movies independently. Besides me giving her flowers for delivering a fine performance here, she co-wrote this and three other movies w/ Ulli divorcing him in ’87.

Wait a minute… is that why (at least judging by IMDb ratings) the quality of his movies went downhill after 1987? Did I crack the code? In any event, I do know of Boogeyman II, a strangely meta sequel which could give me plenty to talk about-such as it apparently using more flashback footage than Silent Night, Deadly Night Part II!-but apparently is atrocious so it’s not a must, especially when there might be other rancid films reviewed in the near-future.

Three More Stooge Shorts

Hot Ice: 

(Short # 165 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges) 

I'll have a review of a feature film tonight... it will be posted a few hours later than usual, due to the cockeyed schedule I have this week.

Perhaps I am a little generous in just giving Hot Ice a passing grade. After all, it sort of awkwardly combines the opening few minutes from The Hot Scots (the Stooges apply to be “yardmen” at Scotland Yard, not knowing it means “they pick up the trash in the yard” with Crime on Their Hands, a short which had film noir elements-you see someone murdered, an event that never happens in the Stoogeiverse-and this version lost most of those elements. Heck, their wardrobe between the new and old footage obviously doesn't match if you're paying even a bit of attention.

Yet, I still laughed again as they looked for the Punjab Diamond, and still laughed that Shemp accidentally swallowed it, and still laughed that a gorilla somehow became involved. That old footage felt sillier in this context and the new ending was so oddly flat... yet that unintentionally made me laugh and there was a quality new bit where they search a lady's purse & pull out various weapons, including dynamite, a hatchet and poison. Sometimes, something as simple as that can win me over.

Blunder Boys: 

(Short # 166 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

The last worthwhile Three Stooges short starring Shemp. I can’t proclaim this with 100% accuracy as there’s only 4 more after this he appears in. However, there’s a strong degree of certainty just from the fact this the last wholly original Shemp short-there’s no stock footage and it’s a new story. Heck, it could be the final very good effort period, given the few Joe Besser efforts I’ve seen and the poor reception the Besser era has among fans.

Furthermore, this is a spoof of Dragnet. At least some will be familiar from the 1987 comedic spoof of the property; while it’s unimportant for the viewer to know this to enjoy Blunder Boys, Dragnet was originally a police procedural drama revolving around LAPD Detective Joe Friday, who investigates cases in a realistic milieu. Friday is attached to the phrase “Just the facts, ma’am”… although that is a misquotation and he never said that exact phrase anywhere. It was a TV show on several occasions, most prominently from 1951 to 1959, then from 1967 to 1970.

Instead of star-franchise creator Jack Webb as a master of his craft, we first see the trio in the Army; they bungled their way to success. Then, off to college to major in criminology; despite their usage of fancy $10 words, they in fact blundered their way to barely passing, then more blunders occurred w/ their first case, involving a slippery cuss known as The Eel.

Along the way there are funny pun names, new routines, some running gags, absurd scenarios (such as the boys entering a women’s Turkish bath), and more magic that reminded me of the Good Old Days with these good old boys, no matter who the third Stooge was. This featured a few other lasts; that includes the final appearance of Al Thompson-a supporting actor who appeared in several dozen shorts for the preceding 20 years-and the last short released when Shemp was alive. This was filmed in early ’55 but released November the 3rd of that year; he died from a heart attack 19 years later. I’ll give a better eulogy once his final appearance is reviewed soon.

The final few years of the Stooges at Columbia don’t have a great reputation; at least Blunder Boys is well worth seeing for those that like Howard, Fine & Howard yet haven’t tackled this yet.

Husbands Beware: 

(Short # 167 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges) 

Believe it or not, they even remade Brideless Groom. As that’s one of the most famous Stooge shorts (partially due to its public domain status and partially due to Groom being one of the best they ever did, full stop) an explanation of how it was “inspired” by Buster Keaton’s Seven Chances and permanent bachelor Shemp was forced to marry a lady to earn a huge inheritance. 

This was less than the sum of its parts. The first almost seven minutes are Moe & Larry marrying Shemp’s sisters. They are best described as “fuller-figured” and in stereotypical fashion, they suddenly turn into shrilly harpies who demand their husbands cook them a meal. Them attempting to cook a turkey that still has its feathers on (don’t worry, those feathers were removed… via shaving them off!) was as wacky as expected. That said, an entire short where Moe & Larry suffer further abuse from their new wives could have been a lot of fun.

After that, a truncated version of Brideless Groom which either excludes or edits down all the great moments & routines that made Groom legendary. Laughs are still present but the strongest feeling I got from Husbands Beware: I’d rather revisit Brideless Groom. There is a new ending to Beware, and… “confusion” was my main comment concerning that. At least Emil Sitka got to say The Line on several occasions.

The Invisible Man Returns

The Invisible Man Returns (1940)

Runtime: 81 minutes

Directed by: Joe May

Starring: Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, John Sutton, Cecil Kellaway

From: Universal

Not only is classic Universal Horror great for this time of year, so is Vincent Price. For awhile now, I’ve heard several different sources praise this first sequel to The Invisible Man; while this doesn’t have as much gleeful joy from a Claude Rains that went bonkers from becoming invisible, this was still pretty good telling a different story that contained many of the same elements.

The younger brother of Rains is a doctor himself; he helped Price become invisible and escape from a hanging. He was falsely accused of murdering his brother. The doctor works on an antidote to make Ol’ Vincent visible again before going bonkers while Ol’ Vincent attempts to locate the real killer. Thankfully, the special effects are great for the time; there are new ways that law enforcement attempt to find an invisible person; likewise, such elements as rain create an obvious outline.

The only other recognizable face for me was Sir Cedric Hardwicke; he was a character that amused me although of course Price was the highlight. Not being able to see Price is irrelevant when he has That Voice; furthermore, it was a fascinating character as he attempts to prove his innocence while his mental health deteriorates. He was more an antihero than Dr. Jack Griffin in the first; this is as Price causes death himself.

There’s a bit of atmosphere in this tale which has a decent score & cast; it also made me realize that Austrian director Joe May is sadly unheralded as a pioneer of German cinema who emigrated to the United States. Probably a reason that he isn’t praised like Lang and Murnau: his work (especially the silent era) is far harder to track down, if it isn’t completely lost. May did a fine job here-in the far-off future I’ll check out more of his work.

While I wasn’t completely sold on the finale, The Invisible Man Returns was still a pretty good time between the revenge plot, some colorful supporting characters, the ticking clock attached to Vincent, the clever attempts to ensnare him. Who knows about the subsequent films in this series-at least the first sequel was solid.

Apaches

This is an infamous 1977 short from the United Kingdom: 

It is about the danger from children playing on rural farms, from the director of The Long Good Friday. During each Spooky Season, there’s been more than fictional movies that are reviewed. I’ve covered cartoon shorts, documentaries, other public safety films, etc. This fall there could be even more variety depending on if certain things can be fit into my schedule. Apaches obviously left an impression on none other than Edgar Wright; he’s recommended the short in the past.

What the title references: six children run around a random British village then mosey their way to a farm, while cosplaying as Apache Indians, to use a term from the time. The reason why this is infamous & traumatized many of the youth in the UK: the children are killed via accidents and no F’s were given. Example: the first kid is run over via falling off a flatbed towed by a tractor. Not only do you see the flatbed run over something, a toy rifle is shattered and there’s some blood shown! I won’t spoil all the deaths but there’s someone who accidentally drinks a mysterious liquid; their subsequent screams due to their poisoning… rather chilling.

As an adult, it is affecting to see children act like typical children on a dreary working farm (complete w/ adults along with cows and pigs) and suffer accidental deaths. During all this, a child narrates their parents holding “a party” & how they don’t like adult parties. The final scene explains what this “party” is. That along with a final text scroll noting actual deaths by children on farms in the UK… blunt, although at the same time the images and messages presented in Apaches were seared into the memory of all the children that viewed it at school.

As it was better-made production-wise than you’d expect from a random PSA, that made this fascinating for a dumb middle-aged American dude like me.

The Conjuring: Last Rites

The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)

57% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 164 reviews)

Runtime: 135 minutes

Directed by: Michael Chaves

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy, Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan

From: New Line Cinema

A good time… as long as you don’t believe this as reality. An uncomfortable truth is that IRL, Ed & Lorraine Warren surely seem like charlatans, dishonest in their purported claims of the alleged paranormal events they investigated. Ed & Lorraine probably shouldn’t be lionized like this… at the same time, I’ve seen all the films in The Conjuring Universe (the one about La Llorna apparently doesn’t count) and I at least liked most of them. Films in that style are preferable to most of that elevated nonsense or those new slashers that just feel so smug, as if the filmmakers are either trying way too hard to be “cool” or they feel above the material.

The movie versions of Ed & Lorraine Warren are still likable. The same holds true for them in Last Rites, where the focus is on them and their adult daughter Judy. It’s awhile before they investigate the Smurl family in the eastern portion of Pennsylvania. As always, those alleged hauntings as documented are FAR different than what was portrayed on screen. The Smurls claimed those events happened for FIFTEEN years; furthermore, they did not occur due to a haunted object (the identity of such made me how with laughter; who knew a certain low-budget 80’s horror flick would be influential?) that had previous contact with Ed & Lorraine.

The story they presented was ludicrous; the finale, laughable at times, to be frank. Even so, I still liked this film; an improvement on the third installment, it was. Liking both the Warren and the Smurl family did help—insert your own Vin Diesel joke if you wish. The music was nice, along with hearing 80’s songs that were either familiar or not overplayed to death like you get in most big-budget films of modern times that use them. As sappy as it may sound, both families were nice & charming in their own ways.

That’s why I earnestly enjoyed this movie, despite its flaws & implausibility. The present of some nice scares was of course the other critical reason why I can give this a passing grade. The first two Conjuring movies were better than this, but at least 4 was better than 3. This is the purported last Conjuring movie—but of course this did way better than expected at the box office so already, a prequel was announced. That’s not as bad a way to continue the franchise if they felt it was absolutely necessary. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will be missed in their roles.