Last Seen 70s/80s Movie

[Tommy Jarvis]

Midnight Run 1988 ★★★★

A very enjoyable buddy comedy in the line of Beverly Hills Cop.

De Niro can do good comedies – you would tend to forget that after his more recent comedy productions – and he and Charles Grodin have good chemistry.

The action moves along at a solid pace, the jokes work – I like the banter between De Niro and Kotto – and the delivery is very good. The actors make it work

And last but not least plenty of recognizable faces like Dennis Farina and John Ashton.

Good stuff for fans of eighties flicks.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Martin 1977 ★★★½

Martin is a bit of a mean spirited horror from the late George Romero.

At the start, Martin goes to live with his uncle, a god fearing loon who sticks with his delusions, even thugh Martin at two occasions shows him how this is nonsense (It's just a costume). He keeps thinking that Martin is some kind of demon and at one point even has an attempt at an exorcism. An attitude that leads to Martin's sad demise.

Not that he is entirely wrong, mind you. Martin is indeed a deeply disturbed little boy and there are a lot of things wrong with him. Thus providing nature vs nurture material. How much of this insanity came by nature and how much of it was nurture? Because, as we can tell from the flashbacks, the way he was raised did not help either. He is socially inept and nearly incapable of expressing his emotions or having a fluent conversation. Which oddly lands him the attention of a woman who is sick of all the superficial and unwanted opinions floating around in daily life.

This brings me to the oddest things: his views on sex. Sometimes, he comes across as asexual and at others, you're not really sure what he really wants. I'm pretty sure he himself does not even know what he wants or what gets him off. At the start of the film, he murders a woman in a creepy scene, to then feel some disturbing form of intimacy when he cuddles with the naked corpse. Only to then methodically remove all traces from the scene of the crime. While he may be disturbed, Martin is also disturbingly methodical in his method of killing. He is not chaotic crazy and knows what he is doing.

As mentioned before, a mean spirited little horror with (hardly) anyone to root for. The most “fun” comes from seeing a young (and moustacheless) Tom Savini and perhaps from Martin's odd phone calls with a local talk radio host.

For people who like their horror a bit more outside the mainstream lines.

The Running Man 1987 ★★★★★

My personal favorite Schwarzenegger movie.

An interesting concept, certainly when it came out. Nowadays... well, there are no shows that actually kill people, but the level of exploitation might come closer than we all like to admit.

Highly entertaining and excellently paced action. From the first scene, you are tied to the rollercoaster for a great ride.

Cameos by both Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa. You guys wanna buy a hot stereo?

And last but not least: Arnold at his most Arnold. Amazing fightscenes and oneliners galore.

Great stuff.

[FryeDwight]

Originally Posted by Tommy Jarvis

Martin 1977 ★★★½

Martin is a bit of a mean spirited horror from the late George Romero.

At the start, Martin goes to live with his uncle, a god fearing loon who sticks with his delusions, even thugh Martin at two occasions shows him how this is nonsense (It's just a costume). He keeps thinking that Martin is some kind of demon and at one point even has an attempt at an exorcism. An attitude that leads to Martin's sad demise.

Not that he is entirely wrong, mind you. Martin is indeed a deeply disturbed little boy and there are a lot of things wrong with him. Thus providing nature vs nurture material. How much of this insanity came by nature and how much of it was nurture? Because, as we can tell from the flashbacks, the way he was raised did not help either. He is socially inept and nearly incapable of expressing his emotions or having a fluent conversation. Which oddly lands him the attention of a woman who is sick of all the superficial and unwanted opinions floating around in daily life.

This brings me to the oddest things: his views on sex. Sometimes, he comes across as asexual and at others, you're not really sure what he really wants. I'm pretty sure he himself does not even know what he wants or what gets him off. At the start of the film, he murders a woman in a creepy scene, to then feel some disturbing form of intimacy when he cuddles with the naked corpse. Only to then methodically remove all traces from the scene of the crime. While he may be disturbed, Martin is also disturbingly methodical in his method of killing. He is not chaotic crazy and knows what he is doing.

As mentioned before, a mean spirited little horror with (hardly) anyone to root for. The most “fun” comes from seeing a young (and moustacheless) Tom Savini and perhaps from Martin's odd phone calls with a local talk radio host.

For people who like their horror a bit more outside the mainstream lines.

The Running Man 1987 ★★★★★

My personal favorite Schwarzenegger movie.

An interesting concept, certainly when it came out. Nowadays... well, there are no shows that actually kill people, but the level of exploitation might come closer than we all like to admit.

Highly entertaining and excellently paced action. From the first scene, you are tied to the rollercoaster for a great ride.

Cameos by both Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa. You guys wanna buy a hot stereo?

And last but not least: Arnold at his most Arnold. Amazing fightscenes and oneliners galore.

Great stuff.

TRM is a great little film, certainly an entertaining one. I love all the great one liners..."What a Hothead!" and "He had to split" are favorites and cool seeing Professor Tour Tananka , one of the best Pro wrestling "heels" in here. I would give this ****.

Some good observations on MARTIN...I think it's one of Romero's best. Very creepy and intriguing how it's never determined just what is going on with Martin. I'm leaning more toward what You said...He does know what He is doing...watching him prep and clean up reminded me very much of the TV show DEXTER. John Amplas is very good and was ultra cool when my wife and I met him at HORRORFIND. I'd give MARTIN ****1/2


THE CANDY SNATCHERS (1973)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPOILERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Another extremely mean spirited exploitation drive-in flick that is pretty damn good all the same. A Brother/Sister and their friend kidnap a teenager, (Candy) stuff her in a shallow grave with a limited survival potential and drop off blackmail instructions to her wealthy father who does.....nothing. The one thing that struck me in this is what SHITS just about everybody in here is. The other plot device is the kidnappers are seen burying the girl and observed by a little boy, who I got the impression is autistic. His parents are no bargain, especially his mother, who seems to dwell more on what He's doing wrong than anything else. Quite suspenseful in parts with a somewhat grim wrap-up.
I knew of Tiffany Bolloing, who is pretty good in her, but I've heard she HATES TCS, claiming it "ruined" her career. And in the "Life is stranger than fiction" are Susan Sennett (as Candy-she was also in the racy BIG BAD MAMA and on the ultra wholesome TV series OZZIE"s GIRLS with Brenda Sykes) married Graham Nash of The Hollies and CSN while Phyllis Major who is the "assistant" to the father was married to Jackson Browne for a year or so before committing suicide. ****

[Tommy Jarvis]

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

TRM is a great little film, certainly an entertaining one. I love all the great one liners..."What a Hothead!" and "He had to split" are favorites and cool seeing Professor Tour Tananka , one of the best Pro wrestling "heels" in here. I would give this ****.

Here's Sub Zero. Now... plain zero!

Did not know he was a wrestler. Thanks for that little nugget. Did he and Jesse Ventura ever have a match together?

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

Some good observations on MARTIN...I think it's one of Romero's best. Very creepy and intriguing how it's never determined just what is going on with Martin. I'm leaning more toward what You said...He does know what He is doing...watching him prep and clean up reminded me very much of the TV show DEXTER. John Amplas is very good and was ultra cool when my wife and I met him at HORRORFIND. I'd give MARTIN ****1/2

Did not see the parrallel with Dexter, but I can see what you mean.

Martin reminded on something I once read on serial killers either being super organized and methodical or very impulsive and for a lack of a better word, chaotic.

It's certainly a very good horror, but I cannot bring myself to rate it over the original Dead-trilogy.

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

THE CANDY SNATCHERS (1973)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPOILERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Another extremely mean spirited exploitation drive-in flick that is pretty damn good all the same. A Brother/Sister and their friend kidnap a teenager, (Candy) stuff her in a shallow grave with a limited survival potential and drop off blackmail instructions to her wealthy father who does.....nothing. The one thing that struck me in this is what SHITS just about everybody in here is. The other plot device is the kidnappers are seen burying the girl and observed by a little boy, who I got the impression is autistic. His parents are no bargain, especially his mother, who seems to dwell more on what He's doing wrong than anything else. Quite suspenseful in parts with a somewhat grim wrap-up.
I knew of Tiffany Bolloing, who is pretty good in her, but I've heard she HATES TCS, claiming it "ruined" her career. And in the "Life is stranger than fiction" are Susan Sennett (as Candy-she was also in the racy BIG BAD MAMA and on the ultra wholesome TV series OZZIE"s GIRLS with Brenda Sykes) married Graham Nash of The Hollies and CSN while Phyllis Major who is the "assistant" to the father was married to Jackson Browne for a year or so before committing suicide. ****

Skimmed this one (so no spoilers yet ) and it gives me an excuse to head over to plex some time soon. Thanks for the heads up.

[FryeDwight]

Originally Posted by Tommy Jarvis

Here's Sub Zero. Now... plain zero!

Did not know he was a wrestler. Thanks for that little nugget. Did he and Jesse Ventura ever have a match together?



Did not see the parrallel with Dexter, but I can see what you mean.

Martin reminded on something I once read on serial killers either being super organized and methodical or very impulsive and for a lack of a better word, chaotic.

It's certainly a very good horror, but I cannot bring myself to rate it over the original Dead-trilogy.



Skimmed this one (so no spoilers yet ) and it gives me an excuse to head over to plex some time soon. Thanks for the heads up.

Here's more info for You, TJ
I started getting into Pro Wrestling when I was 9 out in the an Francisco Area and about a year later started reading the magazines (I preferred the Weston Mags, like THE WRESTLER and INSIDE WRESTLING, whose covers always featured some poor slob with a blood drenched face on the cover, usually Bobby Heenan). My first one had an article on the feud between Tananka and Pedro Morales and later on, The Prof held the WWWF tag team title with Mr Fuji. To the best of my knowledge, He and Jesse never locked horns in the ring, although both of them are in TRM.

I would rate the DEAD films higher than MARTIN as well, but it and KNIGHTRIDERS are Romero films I quite like.

You're welcome about THE CANDY SNATCHERS...pretty rough, but kept Me interested for sure.

BLACK MAMA, WHITE MAMA (1972). AIP Women In Prison (WIP) film shot in the Philippines. Two prisoners ; one a Prostitute (Pam Grier) wants to escape with extorted money from her pimp and the other a Revolutionary (Blonde Margaret Markov) cause enough problems at their prison to warrant being sent to a Maximum Security Pen handcuffed together until they manage to escape, but a big problem has them handcuffed together, with different agendas and having complete dislike for one another.

This probably sounds a lot to You as very similar to THE DEFIANT ONES, which it certainly is, but of course, a friendship or at least an understanding builds. Some off the wall moments (How a dog is thrown off their trail, A Prison Matron doing more than just watching Women prisoners in the shower, cheesy dialogue) and another great turn by Sid Haig, who chews the scenery with gusto. Oddly enough, with a big mustache and a Cowboy hat, He looks a lot like Jim Croce! ***

[FryeDwight]

I sent the last review without consulting my notes...I noticed a "X-Rated" Horoscope poster in the Pool Hall scene that I had when I moved into my first apartment. it's a pink color with "interesting" poses for whatever sign is being highlighted.

[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

I sent the last review without consulting my notes...I noticed a "X-Rated" Horoscope poster in the Pool Hall scene that I had when I moved into my first apartment. it's a pink color with "interesting" poses for whatever sign is being highlighted.

What a coincidence! Sounds interesting. Probably a collectors item.

Phase IV (1974)
5/10

A sci-fi story about outsmarting evolving ants.

This film's story is a bit slow and plodding with shallow characters. It has a rather surfacy commitment to the sci-fi, in that there's science equipment applied to observing and interacting with the ants, but it's lacking in detail and follow up with any topic presented. There's an implied chess match between the human group and ants; and if the story had dove into that with some detail and suspense, the theme and sets could have provided for a nifty sci-fi thriller, but there was no such devotion.

There's some nice closeup, micro photography of ants, and some artful cinematography.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

Here's more info for You, TJ
I started getting into Pro Wrestling when I was 9 out in the an Francisco Area and about a year later started reading the magazines (I preferred the Weston Mags, like THE WRESTLER and INSIDE WRESTLING, whose covers always featured some poor slob with a blood drenched face on the cover, usually Bobby Heenan). My first one had an article on the feud between Tananka and Pedro Morales and later on, The Prof held the WWWF tag team title with Mr Fuji. To the best of my knowledge, He and Jesse never locked horns in the ring, although both of them are in TRM.

I was totally into it when it was on tv here towards the end of Hulkamania. I remember Heenan and Fuji from that time, both as managers.

By the time the attitude era came around, I had moved on to other things in life, but over the past years, I got into YT channels like Whatculture Wrestling and the OSW review podcast.

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

I would rate the DEAD films higher than MARTIN as well, but it and KNIGHTRIDERS are Romero films I quite like.

Have you seen The Amusement Park?

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

BLACK MAMA, WHITE MAMA (1972).

Pam Grier and Captain Spaulding in the same movie?

[FryeDwight]

Originally Posted by Tommy Jarvis

I was totally into it when it was on tv here towards the end of Hulkamania. I remember Heenan and Fuji from that time, both as managers.

By the time the attitude era came around, I had moved on to other things in life, but over the past years, I got into YT channels like Whatculture Wrestling and the OSW review podcast.



Have you seen The Amusement Park?



Pam Grier and Captain Spaulding in the same movie?

I loved the Wrestling in the San Francisco era, then Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in Norfolk Va, then while living in Panama Canal Zone, the TV stations would show WRESTLING FROM THE OLYMPIC (older matches, I believe filmed in Los Angeles CA) and later WWWF matches when Vince MacMahon was a color commentator. When I moved to Chicago IL, would tune in occasionally but sort of lost interest until the mid 80's when the WWF was all over, really enjoying THE BIG EVENT on TV. I sort of lost interest again after WRESTLEMANIA 4 as the story lines were getting too silly.

I never even heard of THE AMUSEMENT PARK and THANK YOU for pointing it out. I glanced on Wiki and saw lots of familiar names in the Romero canon and will have to give it a look.

Yeah, Pam and Captain Spaulding together...two of may favorites.


SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT (1984).>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPOILERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>
I've written less than kind remarks on this infamous slasher about a killer Santa Claus which ruffled all kinds of feathers during release with parents worried how children might react to children seeing a "Killer" Santa Claus on TV commercials, probably not remembering how Santa has portrayed as homicidally minded in other films, namely TALES FROM THE CRYPT. While it's not anything I would show to a child who still believes in SC, it's aged pretty well and a decent back story of how Billy is led down his sad path. Being scared shitless by his Grandfather, then the extremely nasty murder of both his parents (especially Tara Buckman almost raped and then slit) and the draconian corporal punishment dished out by The Mother Superior in the orphanage...the poor kid never had a chance! What is sad is MS (well played by Lily Chauvin-who is also in 1960's BLOODLUST) probably feels she is doing the right thing, despite the helpless disapproval from her assistant (well played by Gilmer McCormick, who was also in GODSPELL). So, not great by any means, but better than I remembered. ***

[FryeDwight]

THE CAT CREATURE (1973). TV movie that tries to be an homage of sorts to the Val Lewton CAT films of the 40's, even with Kent Smith of both of the films appearing briefly. A amulet is taken from a mummy leading to mysterious goings on, mostly around an antique shop. Pretty good cast with David Hedison (VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA), Meredith Baxter Birney (FAMILY TIES) and most impressively Gail Sondergaard (lots of 30's-40's films before being blacklisted), who really takes the honors here. It's very heavily implied She may have Lesbian tendencies, but that couldn't really be focused on in the early 70's. Script could be better-apparently time issues, so there had to be some taking out than adding in and honestly, a silly ending. Ok, but not much more. **1/2