Actuarial Science Movie Reviews

There is a funny looking android thing in this film that is so ineptly wrought that it is just fascinating to look at. Is it papeir mache or something else. Is that a cardboard box that the robots head is made of? Who could tell. Wonderfully cheap!

Well, you get what you pay for when you purchase a title like "The Curious Dr. Humpp". That said, it's not a terrible movie as it does achieve the number one goal that every film should aspire to and that is to entertain.

The problem with "Dr. Humpp" as I see it is not with the movie itself, as it is with the American distributer, Jerald Intrater. When the production sought American distribution Intrater picked it up but wasn't confident that it could stand on its own as an exploitation flick so he filmed a whopping SEVENTEEN minutes of additional nude footage so it could be shown on the "adult" circuit. The liner notes credit Intrater with bridging these new scenes nicely with the original product but they are far from flawless. It also doesn't help that nearly thirteen of those seventeen minutes come right at the beginning of the film. You get about two minutes of setup before being launched into thirteen minutes of sex scenes with no dialog!

This aside, the main body of the film is still intact and is, as I mentioned, rather entertaining. Aldo Barbero does a fantastic job as the sexually domineering Dr. Humpp, and Ricardo Bauleo is shockingly blase as the investigative reporter on the case.

Something Weird Video makes "The Curious Dr. Humpp" a worthwhile DVD acquisition for those who enjoyed it on video. It's packed with extra features. More than I've seen on most recent movies even. It is evident that they've gone out of their way to bring the viewer the most comprehensive representation of this film so far.

Without a doubt Frank Henenlotter deserves praise for finding this film in some NYC basement. Ususally one who steers well clear of fan adulation bordering on the insane, I must admit to being knocked for six by this incredulous mishmash of trashy delights. I'm stumped trying to remember any film that contains so many cross-genre elements and moments that border on surreal lunacy. HUMPP races and tramples other exploitation wonders in its way into my top ten exploitation films. It now resides alongside such stalwart performers as PINK FLAMIGOS, as a totally original peice of work. Recommended for those jaded with films that are over-hyped in the exploitation/ trash arena. This gem delivers the goods in all its unique glory - stamping its signature as the most whacked out mad scientist-raving bubblin' brain-goateed swingers-lesbian fondling-monster-a-go-go EVER COMMITTED TO CELLULOID.

Nineteenth Century Italy is beset by attacks from Neanderthal men living in a cave- when the villagers manage to overpower one of them, beating him to death Count Frankenstein uses the body for experiments. A quick shave and a brain-transplant later and the Neanderthal man is transformed into a monster called Goliath complete with goofy Hong-Kong Phooey hair. Grave robbing is specialised in by Frankenstein's '..., a randy hunchback, a misfit butler, a man in a black hat and Genz the evil dwarf (Michael Dunn). The thorn in Frankenstein's side, Genz is always getting into trouble, and eventually is thrown out of castle Frankenstein. Vowing 'I'll get my revenge on Doctor Frankenstein' Genz befriends local Neanderthal Ook ('Boris Lugosi'/Salvatore Baccaro). And with Ook the brawn to his brains the dwarf embarks on a second career as a ..., for when he's not spying on people undressing, he has his Neanderthal right hand man abduct village girls and take them back to a cave. The villagers already planning to storm Castle Frankenstein when dead girls go missing ('I'd go with you myself if I wasn't so crippled' moans one have-a-go villager) become even more enraged when live ones start to disappear as well, and the torch waving mob are only kept at bay by Edmund Purdom's Prefect of police who does his best to sustain law and order. Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks is an uncharacteristic slice of Italian horror, in that it seems more influenced by the old Universal horror films and the peek-a-boo ... of American ...-cuties than anything coming out of Italy at the time. No combination like that could be completely without interest but Frankenstein's Castle never quite lives up to its potential (or its English language title) and is crippled by slow pacing and too much dead air in-between brain-transplants and wench worrying. Veterans Edmund Purdom and Rossano Brazzi both look to be fighting back the boredom as the Prefect and Count Frankenstein. Brazzi makes for an uncharismatic, unenthusiastic Frankenstein and when Purdom's character remarks 'I just don't understand this kind of madness' you can't help wondering the actor's reaction to the script was any different. Even less swinging times were had by Xiro Papas and Michael Dunn- both of whom passed away after acting in Frankenstein's Castle. Dunn who wasn't actually a dwarf per se (he suffered from a childhood disease that causes bones to become severely arthritic) appears to have spent the final years of his life travelling the world and appearing in the most offbeat movies you could imagine. He popped up in the UK (The Mutations), France (Too Small My Friend), Spain (House of the Damned) before this stop-off in Italy. Of all these films Frankenstein's Castle offers Dunn his largest role, but bigger was certainly not better with Genz portrayed as the textbook evil dwarf, forever ogling the women, being manhandled by the rest of the cast and called a 'miserable little worm'. To add insult to injury while Purdom and Brazzi dub their own voices Oklahoma born Dunn is dubbed by someone putting on a 'squeaky' voice that robs him of any posthumous dignity.
The token/Pseudonymous nature of the credits has always made the identities of the people behind Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks hard to determine. The Something Weird/Image DVD claims that director 'Robert. H. Oliver' is really the late exploitation movie mogul/producer Dick Randall. Hmmm..... Unquestionably Randall's money, business sense and second-hand car-salesman mentality made the world of exploitation films a more colourful place as his productions like The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield, King of Kong Island (both 1968), The Bogeyman and the French Murders (1972), Pieces (1981) and dozens more illustrate- but Randall's involvement with the creative side of filmmaking is more arguable. A year or so ago I asked director Mel Welles about Randall's involvement with his film Lady Frankenstein, and while Randall was crucial in setting that film up he had minimal on-set involvement... so I'm slightly sceptical he ever directed a film. Randall probably had some involvement with Frankenstein's Castle, but more likely candidates to be the man behind the camera are co-writer William Rose who also directed the Randall-produced Girl in Room 2A or DP Mario Mancini who made the wonderfully tacky Frankenstein 80.
With nothing by way of an audio commentary (most of the cast/crew mentioned are either dead or M.I.A) or the informative sleeve notes you'll find on their releases of Bloody Pit of Horror and Horrors of Spider Island, the Something Weird DVD isn't about to shed light on this mystery production but it does do the film justice. Presented full-screen with crystal clear quality the film looks like it could have been shot yesterday, something that can't be said of the film's tape incarnations over the years.
Of the extras only one relates to the feature (the original US trailer) the others are shorts that share Frankenstein's Castle's themes (gratuitous nudity, man made monsters). 'The Monster and the Maiden' is a B/W ... short from Sonny Amusements with the mildly entertaining spin that a ... stage-bound act is interrupted by the Frankenstein monster who rises from his coffin and eventually has to be dragged off-stage by the girl. While in 'Frankenstein and the Naughty Nurse', Dr.Frankenstein leaves his monster tied to a table with a leggy nurse for company. And because 'there's a man laying there, even if he is a monster' the nurse decides to pass the time by ... to easy listening music 'after all plenty of girls ... for middle-aged industrial magnates who are uglier than he is'. All in all, it's hard to completely dislike a film full of familiar faces, top heavy females, hunchbacks, pseudo-dwarfs and all manner of self-proclaimed cripples, but of all the Italian horror DVD's on the market, Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks isn't the one you're likely to return to on a regular basis.

Just seen this DVD..., i happened upon this title searching information about Xiro Papas and Frankenstein 80... If Frankenstein 80 is REALLY REALLY BAD, I think Castle Freaks is much better... i mean: lighting is sometimes good, editing is made by someone with minimum talent, and directig and performings are equally apropiate for this kind of movie. These things doesnt mean this was a good movie..., but it deserves one viewing at least. When you see it, you got the feeeling that the guys WANTED to do a creditable job..., and here the value is. Moreover, movies like Dracula VS Frankenstein(Adamson) are REALLY BAD( altough i love this title) and got a hit status and this one is able to make you feel sick or sad..., and it is almost unknown...Watching Castle Freaks will leave you with a bitter taste... i dont know exactly why, but i felt it...
Now watch how are portrayed the "freaks" specially the dwarf and the monster(Ewing)... dont you feel something unhappy???

Enjoyable.

Devotees of the horror genre must see this film!

Another in Navarre's series of public domain titles put together as a budget release. The entire collection is hit or miss. The first film, Monster from Green Hell, is a classic Grade Z feature made by the same people who produced Robot Monster. While the film is not as bad as its infamous predecessor, it isn't very good either. Monster from Green Hell is mostly endless stock footage interspliced with scenes shot in California's Bronson Canyon. The movie appears complete, the framing is good and the sound is adequate. However, the print's picture quality is abysmal. Devil Girl from Mars is a fun, British, science fiction film about a spaceship from Mars landing in the Scottish Highlands. It's similiar in look and tone to Ulmer's Man from Planet X. The print is in excellent condition, appears complete and the framing and sound are good. Rocketship X-M is a Robert Lippert film rushed into production to beat George Pal's big budget Destination Moon to release. Again, the print is in excellent condition. It's a little dark, but, for the most part acceptable. The print is also complete with proper framing and very good sound. The sequences on Mars are sepia-toned. Wade Williams Productions offers this same movie on DVD. Williams modified his version of the film by inserting new special effects shots in place of the stock footage of V2 rockets used in the original print. I understand the original Rocketship X-M no longer exists. Navarre's print appears to be the Williams version. Frankly, considering the quality and completeness of this print it would be silly to spend the extra money for the Wade Williams release. Three stars for two good prints and films out of three.

This triple feature has something for everyone. First, "Devil Girl From Mars" (worth having for the title alone) involves some pub owners, an escaped convict, a kid, his mum, and some scientists, as they match wits with the bodacious devil grrrrl! She has a weird ship, a cheesey robot, and a cool leather outfit! She wants a man to take back to Mars for breeding purposes. Who wouldn't go?? "Monster From Green Hell" is an epic slab of moldy limburger, starring J.R. Ewing's daddy (on Dallas) Jim Davis. It seems we've sent a rocket full of wasps (???!) into space, only to have them crash, mutate into giants, and start eating folks in "Green Hell" Africa. Only Jim Davis can save us! The "monsters" were snatched from some poor kid's toybox for sure! Enjoyable for it's pure schlock-factor. "Rocketship X-M" Yes, it's Lloyd Bridges as you've never seen him before! He heads a crew on a mission to the moon that goes awry. The ship goes off coarse and heads toward Mars instead! Who knew that Mars was inhabited by cavemen? I was hoping for more devil women!! You'll recognize lots of the cast from other movies like "Kronos", and from the '70s TV hit "Rockford Files" (Jim Rockford's dad). A nice little diversion...

Ok, first check the price. Now you can not expect three movies all carefully restored before being transfered to DVD. Having said that, Devil Girl from Mars and Rocketship X-M came from print that has few, if any distortions, the Monster from Green Hell was pretty poor, but even when it played on TV it never was very high quality. If you are trying to build a collection of old B-rated sci-fi movies, this is a good economical choice. I gave it 4 stars primarily for its low cost, and movies that have many actors/actresses that are early in their careers.

With this kind of movie you know three things are going to happen: (1) lots of explosions, (2) naked women, (3) none of it will make sense.

As mentioned by another reviewer, most of the "action" is seeing a bunch of motorcycles being driven around fields, rocks, and something that appears to be borrowed from a monster truck rally.

The climatic swordfight has only one good choreographed move, when Moor does a nice somersault kick--too bad Oshay forgot to react. Almost the entire sword fight is filmed really close-up so you don't see them actually hitting the swords together, just swinging elbows. Of course, since the "crystal" swords are clear plastic, they would have broken on the first hit.

If you really want to see this movie, wait until you can rent it for free at your local video store. Should you get the VHS or DVD? With a movie as lousy as this, does it really matter?

This DVD lacks all but the bare essentials as far as special features go. There's a scene index, some trailers, mini-biographies, and the movie, and that's it. The Roger Corman interview by film critic "Lenard" (sic) Maltin is listed on the case, but it is absent on the disk! Even the Corman data booklet is missing, although it too is listed on the case. I guess they just ran out of'em,

The movie itself has all the bare essentials--a bare Claudia Jennings (Playboy Playmate, Nov. '69) and a bare Valerie Rae Clark (Penthouse Pet, May '77.) Their nude scenes in Lord Zirpola's torture chamber are about all that make this film worth its price. And Claudia Jennings alone would be worth it. Her career was cut short when she died in an auto accident in 1979, at age 29.

David McLean plays the evil Lord Zirpola, in what was evidently his last movie role. He's best remembered by most as the unfortunate Marlboro Man, but I remember him for his short-lived 1960 TV series "Tate" in which he played a one-armed gunfighter!

David Carradine plays Kaz Oshay, a "Range Guide," a wanderer in the wilderness, in what is basically the same role he's played many times before and after, that of a rebel outcast fighting what little structured society there is left in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Richard Lynch is Zirpola's henchman Ankar Moor, a Range Guide, once good, but now gone bad, who serves the oppressive, corrupt city-state of Helix. Sound familiar? Everything about this movie is familiar. Except the dialog, which is ludicrous, particularly the Range Guide mantra chant. And in the escape scene Carradine says to the others "We'll fire together, one at a time!" Good trick!

The action scenes are mostly just long, confusing motorcycle chases through desert terrain, although the sword duel at the end is nicely done. The motorcycles are called "death machines." They seem to cause the deaths only of their riders. The special effects--lots of explosions, red laser blasts, mutant makeup, etc.--are pretty good for a low budget film. I recommend this DVD to all hard-core Roger Corman fans!

Death Sport is the greatest movie ever made. It was on clearance ...and although i own 100,000 copies i couldnt resist so i bought it. the movie has some great action scenes all leading up to the final duel between some guy and another guy who looks like chuck norris. In one scene you can actually see a rope connected to the stuntman. Also scenes are used over and over just with different noises. there is some great machines in the movie such as a scooter painted silver made to be a motorcycle. this movie shows that with the trillions of dollars it costed to make it the movie was great

The old 1958 B horror gets a new millenium style update.Three computer geeks, Sol, Bug and Hardcore- a psychotic brick-outhouse hippie, are recruited by a computer company to create a scary new game, EVILUTION for a cool $1 million. One of the perks of this is that the boys get to see a REAL LIVE NAKED WOMAN!! (with plastic boobs) in order to get the characters formed right- this actually makes no real sense and just seems perfunctorily pasted into the film, but it's certainly a big thrill for them. However, once the game starts taking shape, the creature within the game comes to life when Sol puts on a virtual reality suit and is transformed. Predictably, he goes on a murderous rampage; because no Creature Feature would be the same without one. Meanwhile, a pretty girl named Laura, who is helping the misfits is receiving threatening e-mails. All this leads up to a virtual kung fu battle. Wow!
The result is so-so, and I just wanted to yank the cyber clowns from the TV set and slap them silly. This movie will probably appeal to 12 and 13 year old boys when they get tired of their Pokemon stuff. For anybody else it's pretty basic and predictable. What next? A CF remake of THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER with Fozzie and Gonzo going rabid? Wocka wocka!!

I recently watched this movie, and I must admit that I was entertained. It is not necessarily for everyone since it is somewhat gory and not entirely original. Specifically, it's essentially Swimming with Sharks meets a monster movie, which is not particularly surprising since George Huang was the writer and director of both movies. That being said, I'm sure many people would, like I did, find it relatively entertaining.

To be honest, I initially watched the film because Steven Culp, a favorite actor of mine, was in it. (Yes, that's a cheesy reason to watch a movie.) The plot sounded a little silly, so I had my doubts going in. To my surprise, it was brilliant.

Basically, the film is a social commentary disguised as a B horror flick. The movie attempts to define what actually constitutes a monster, and probes the extent to which there is the capacity for darkness in everyone.

While the movie can be a bit contrived in parts, the film delivers overall. I found myself lulled into believing the movie would end predictably, but was pleasantly thrown for a loop.

The characters, as in any good B horror movie, are overblown and a bit unbeleivable. The exceptions are Culp and co-star Clea DuVall. Both are engaging individually, and together, they have a believable chemistry. DuVall's evolution as a character and Culp's final speech were worth the entire movie.

Between E.T., Poltergeist, and yes Star Wars, this movie had nothing original to it! And I'm not just talking about the plot, I'm talking lighting effects, camera angles.......And I also found myself dozing off more than once during this movie.
I recomend watching Poltergeist and E.T. instead.

MAKING CONTACT, perhaps more properly called JOEY in Germany, tells a magical fable about a boy named Joey Collins.

As the story begins, Joey is a lonely nine-year-old whose beloved father has just died.

One night, while mourning the loss of his father, Joey is surprised when his many toys and games begin to move around his room.

This is how Joey's adventure begins.

The devastating death of his father has also somehow awakened in Joey a strange power that allows him to communicate with and sometimes even control the forces and energies of an unseen world.

Suddenly, incredible events begin to unfold that defy conventional explanation.

A simple toy robot seems to come to life, and only Joey can understand the machine's chirps and whistles. It tells him that its name is Charlie.

As an old toy telephone begins to ring in Joey's room, phones all across his beach community ring as well. In answering that call, Joey hears a voice that claims to be his deceased father contacting him from beyond the grave.

Joey's world becomes one of magic and wonder, and he is so overwhelmed by it all that he is eager and willing to believe the voice is who he thinks it is without much thought on the matter.

But Joey's surprise and joy over his newfound abilities eventually give way to fear, doubt and even outright terror.

His loving mother first thinks his abilities, especially his telekinesis (the power to move objects without touching them), are only possible as the results of some schoolyard tricks.

Most of the other children at school refuse to believe in his abilties, either, or that he is the intended recipient of the strange phone calls that have plagued the community.

His teacher thinks he's suffering deep psychological traumas and needs professional help. He is only trying to help the troubled Joey, but how can he believe that Joey is talking to his dead father on the telephone?

Only one girl in Joey's class at school even tries to be his friend after seeing the troubles he has, but Joey is shy after losing his father. Still, he seems pleased when she reacts in a positive way about his use of his telekinetic abilities.

Joey's mistreatment at the hands of the neighbor kids is a reaction of fear. They don't understand his claims, nor do they really comprehend his powers. Their fears are understandable, but no less hurtful to Joey.

Joey ends up needing all the allies he can find, though, because these are only the beginning of Joey's troubles.

On a walk with Charlie, Joey decides to use his friend's diminutive size to help him explore a nearby derilect house that once belonged to an aged ventriloquist.

But the house holds many sinister secrets from the past.

The ventriloquist's dummy is as alive as Joey's robot. More importantly, though, the dummy seems threatening, as malevolent toward Joey as Charlie is friendly. Worse for Joey, the dummy claims to know the source of Joey's powers and the origins of the phone calls.

Are the calls really coming from Joey's father, or from some unknown force from the other world trying to trick the boy? What is the true nature of Joey's mysterious gift?

Before the answers are known, Joey will become the center of a conflict over his life and his destiny. Will he bring his wonderful gifts to the world, or will he come under the control of a terrible evil?

Now that I've told you a little about the story, I'd like to comment on the actual movie. If you don't want any of the film's secrets ruined for you, stop reading this review! I go into specific details about some of the plot points of the film from here onward, so you've been warned!

MAKING CONTACT, finally available on DVD, comes courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment. This package contains both the German and American releases of the film and you'll want to watch them both. Be sure to check out the differences in the dialogue between the two. Several scenes interpret the story in slightly different ways and can help make sense of some of the film's mysteries on another viewing.

The film has been criticized by some for "stealing" ideas from other films. However, a more careful examination of the film should show that this isn't a fair thing to say without understanding some major points from the story. Joey's powers come from his ability to tap into an imaginary world. When a person comes into contact with that world, they will see images from themselves and also imaginary things that come from things the person has seen or heard, like that person's greatest heroes or darkest fears. It is only natural that a boy of nine, given this power, would use his magical gift to recreate things he has seen in movies and television. Furthermore, the elements from other sources all receive very affectionate credit. Roland Emmerich appears to want to make it clear that these elements come from other movies and shows. Would someone who was trying to "steal" from RETURN OF THE JEDI include bedsheets that show the title of the movie and characters from that movie? Would that person include pictures and toys from that movie? A more accurate statement might be that this film includes playful references that reflect things you might see in a typical child's imaginative play. The references aren't mean-spirited, sarcastic, sardonic or insincere. A child gifted with the power to make his imagination real would most likely include characters from STAR WARS, and he might want a friend like E.T. in his life, especially if he were as lonely as Joey is.

Finally, a word of caution: this film deals with elements of death and loss. Children who have recently lost a relative may find it hard to handle.

But for those who are willing to let their preconceived ideas about what a movie has to be, what special effects have to be, what a story has to be... welcome to Joey's unforgettable world. I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I have over the years.

Co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich ( Independence Day and Stargate) has created this 1985 supernatural fairy tale which tells the story of a 9-year old named " Joey" who's father recently died and is living in Los Angeles. Things start to turn unusual for Joey as he gains Telekinetic powers including ESP and the ability to communicate with his deceased father on his Toy Phone. Not only those, but he gets picked on at School constantly by Bullies and only has one friend, one day he finds a Ventriloquist Dummy in a Old mine above a creepy House, it turns out the dummy is possessed by a evil being with powers similar to Joey's but stronger that unleashes a supernatural force threating his house and city, as the battle between good and evil start.

A visual, terrifying, and surreal supernatural horror fantasy from Germany, it was a hit in it's own country and received acclaimed there as well. It was brought here in the U.S. in 1986 from New World Pictures in a Dubbed and Cut version, now Anchor Bay has re-issued this movie on a 2-Disc Edition which contains the American version and the full-length uncut German edition. I still remembered when i was a kid, this movie scared the hell out of me, this movie is a unique and thrilling adventure with good special effects and a twisted ending, this is in my opinion is Roland Emmerich's best movie. This film may be too scary and intense for small children.

Also recommended: The Sixth Sense, Akira, Hellraiser, House ( 1986), Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, The Shining, Carrie, Child's Play, The Wizard of Oz, The Exorcist, Poltergeist, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, From Dusk Till Dawn, Phantasm, Big Trouble in Little China, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, The Dark Crystal, Ghostbusters, Labyrinth, The Neverending Story, Star Wars, Return to Oz, The Princess Bride, Flight of Dragons, The Last Unicorn, Puppet Master, Hellraiser II, Total Recall, The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell, The Fifth Element, The Crow, Army of Darkness, The Others, Dark City, Witchboard, City of the Living Dead, House on Haunted Hill, Beetlejuice, Secret of NIMH, Thi13een Ghosts, The First Power, Lord of Illusions, Dead Zone, Final Destination, Vampire Hunter D, Krull and Lucio Fulci's The Beyond.

The rest of the reviews here already state most of the details (story, extras, etc.), so I won't rehash it yet again. I wanted to see this flick since I was about 12 or 13, so I am pleased to not only get the opportunity to see it, but to own it (and the extras, which really matter to me). But that is where it loses points, too. Apparently, the pressbook art that is displayed from the Extras menu is supposed to be accompanied by "Radio Rarities", or radio spots from the theatrical release. Instead, we hear the audio tracks for the trailers of PDEMM and The Hungry Pets (same film, alternate release title). Considering the meticulous detail on restoring these films, shorts, trailers, etc., I find it impossible to believe anyone involved believed these to be radio spots, so identifying them as such is simply a lie. Somewhere, real radio spots exist, though.

Also, I'm not crazy about Keep Cases, since they damage too easily, but that's just a quibble. Considering the fact that this Novac restoration did not include a second feature, as most of the Boxoffice International/SWV restorations have, I expected better extras. They could have included more trailers, for example. The SWV Raids Harry Novac's Film Vaults is an interesting piece of filler that will only appeal to hardcore fans. Thumbs up for using the original poster art on the cover, rather than the lame tripe used on most DVD covers that try to employ modern style art with photos of cast members.

Aside from those notations, I'm still happy with the purchase. A great period piece that belongs in every library of collectors of Novac, Meyer, and their ilk.

A shy and timid man who lives with his mother (and resembles Mel Brooks) buys a plant he thinks talked to him. His loneliness is very apparent in the way he tries to turn the plant into a friend. Well, the plant is carnivorous and can talk with a woman's sexy voice.

Henry, our protagonist, now has two joys in life. One is being a voyeur (he is much too shy to actual talk to a girl) and the other is his new plant friend. Soon he discovers the plant likes bugs (and then frogs and dogs and cats but he draws the line at elephants). Eventually the plant wants to try a delicious woman, like in the pictures Henry has hanging in his room.

One day Henry's mother breaks into his room thinking to confront him with a woman and all she can find are Henry and the plant. But soon the plant eats her and discovers that woman are really tasty. When detective O'Columbus shows up, the plant discovers she does not like eating men, just women.

Eventually the plant experiences urges and Henry finds a male specimen. The male eats men while the female eats women. One woman is willing to end Henry's life of virginity but accidently gets eaten. Henry is broken and tries to kill himself while the plants get passionate with one another. Henry is to clumsy to succeed and changes his mind when he sees all of the little baby plants.

Some aspects of this movie are a direct spoof of Roger Corman's Little Shop of Horrors while others seem to have been spoofed by the musical remake.

But spoof aside, this is a fun and titillating film. Henry is excellent in his role and has facial expressions to rival the best silent-film star. The main plot is peppered with scenes of couples having sex with some graphic full-frontal shots although no pornography.

A funny and titillating film for fans of spoofs, comedies and sexpoitation.

This little parody of Little Shop of Horrors is great light entertainment for those who enjoy nudity and laughs. The acting is appropriately comical and decent for this type of film. The women look very nice except for the ... girl towards the end of the picture ... Cute face though. I enjoyed the lead actor's facial expressions in reaction to the events going on. Those who require a lot of substance in their movies will be disappointed, but probably wouldn't consider watching this anyway. My only complaint is that some of the softcore sex scenes run a little long and start to get boring. Young adolescent boys would probably love this movie but it may be a little strong for some parents' tastes. Kick back with some buddies and enjoy because this kind of pure fun will not be found at any public venue in this day and age. That's too bad, but at least there are companies like SWV that will do these titles justice and re-release them with the respect they deserve so that others can relive these kind of movies or discover them for the first time.

I visited the official website for this movie and saw some video clips and read reviews... such as "Gut-busting funny..." and "pants-peeing funny".
I am generally amused by corny stuff, but this didn't inspire one audible laugh outta me. Since I'd watch some video clips from the website, I had already seen the only moderately humorous stuff that takes place in the movie. I don't think I laughed out loud once.
Really this movie was not unique or insightful.
It really provides nothing more than if you bothered to watch your boring brother's homemade footage of himself walking through a UFO convention while buying alien knick-knacks and souvenirs. The real let down is that there is no real genuine interaction between Knonfeld and the UFO enthusiasts. It gets about as in depth as when he occasionally asks someone, "Do you believe in UFOs." Wow, now that is a pretty deep portrayal of people wrapped up in a phenomenon, huh? Sorry to say there were a lot of missed opportunities. And it could have been achieved with a charismatic, talented actor. Instead, they had Kronfeld. If the lead actor was a legitimate cornball it wouldn't make it any funnier... instead he is just a poor, uncreative comedic actor. I'm totally bummed I spent $26.98 to find this out the hard way. I was thrilled when Amazon.com got this to me so quickly. And I was heartbroken when my expectations for a good comedy/documentary were crashed in to the ground like some misguided alien spaceship.

The Truth is out there...and that awful truth is this docu-comedy is not worth the time or money to sit through. (-If you want a good "docu-comedy" go with "American Movie", not "6 days in Roswell".)

This film really belongs in the category of "Mockumentary." Most of the scenes are terribly contrived and our hero, Richard Kronfeld, comes across as a nerd playing even more of a nerd. You are constantly aware that he is mindful of being on camera and is playing to it. This is true of most of the performers--the word that best fits the people in this film. The outtakes you can view on DVD only further this observation (the scene with the luggage on the stairs is embarrassingly amateurish). As a result, "Six Days in Roswell" is about as funny as a government film of crash test dummies.

I'd give this film one star for being just plain stupid, except that it introduced me to singer Suzanne McDermott, who gives us the most honest, genuine and professional performance in the entire film.

The "viewer from Belmont, Ca" had better have ducked, cause this went right over his/her head. It's supposed to look faked. It's making fun of many documentaries and the people who play up to them on camera. It's subtle genious !

The Alpha Video Copy of Atom Age Vampire is a short version and runs 68.8 min on my DVD player (running time on cover lists 87 min), so the storyline is sometimes a little bit confusing due to some cuts. Picture quality is not very crisp, the audiotrack has a sort of overlay, a tone in the background, not very loud but permanent. For me it's okay for 8 bucks, it's fun to watch, but don't expect a quality better than a rather bad video tape.

If your idea of a good time is watching badly dubbed actors run around and scream "Pierre!" and "Jeanette!!" in nighties and trenchcoats, or ogling the mad scientist's assistant who looks like a lesbian Betty Paige in cat-eye glasses, or reveling in dialogue like "I know this project means the world to you, Professor!", then "Atom Age Vampire" may be your cup of tea. The Grade Z Franco-Italian import does contain a lovely score by Armando Travioli that was, unfortunately, never released. Also has a wonderful title sequence where a bat turns into a "V".

For the record, this flick has a little of the visual flavor of a Twilight Zone episode, Way Out, or even Alfred Hitchcock Presents, if that turns you on. The sets are spare, and the photography intermittently "choice" & rather pedestrian black & white. All in all, it is about as atmospheric as the budget allowed. (It may help put you in the proper mood to imagine yourself making a horror feature in a few days, on sets you can only use at night, after the real owners have gone home. Under such circumstances, the fact that the makers had any kind of product at all to show is amazing.) Work with it.

Not many Lessing novels make it to the screen, and David Gladwell adpated this one back in 1981. While no one could be better cast than Julie Christie, the film suffers from Gladwell's lacklustre but competent direction and realization. It's one of those novels that is very personal, and plays better in the imagination than on the screen, especially when it comes to depicting the feral children. The electronic score seems misplaced until the last strains, and film remains as oblique as the book, which is good. Watch it for Christie - luminous as always - but read the novel beforehand.

doris lessing is my favorite author, i turn to her shikasta series when things get really tough and i need to have a long term view. it is my understanding that "memoirs" was written in response to her editors request for an autobiography. i have read the book a number of times and still have to think about the ending. this is why a rating of three stars, i suppose for some people that would be reason for a five star (at least it makes her think)

this film is perfect for the time we live in as her time could become our time, after september 11, ase as we say. in this film there is no sense of safety, there is no sense of continuity, there is no sense. it is the "end of time" for what may be civil society in a small area of england.

i intend to have "viewing parties" for my friends. bleak views can be mitigated in unexpected ways...and, there is re assurance in numbers.

thanks

Though I was more impressed with this movie when it had it's theatrical debut in the early 1980s, I still recommend this mysterious mood piece. The DVD transfer is great and some care went into the menu and chapter selections. The story concerns a quiet middle aged woman (Julie Christie) living alone during some catastrophic breakdown of modern society. Young illiterate kids live like rats in the subways, garbage covers the streets and nomadic people scavenge in aimless traveling groups. The woman is given a young teenage girl (Leonie Mellinger) to take care of and the girl becomes sexually involved with a young man who takes on the task of caring for homeless children (while he simultaneously sleeps with them). Alongside this melancholic tale, there's another dimension revealed when the woman descovers a victorian family living inside a strange membranous wall of her apartment. There are curious psychological parallels between the world in the wall and the goings-on in the woman's other dystopian world. The final scenes are truly wierd and puzzling so if you like your movies straightforward with tidy narratives, this one isn't for you. For those who enjoy the bizarre and challenging, take a look. My only real criticism is the truly awful synth soundtrack (by Mike Thorne-any relation to Ken?) which constantly works against the imagery.