(1960)
Dir - Fritz Lang
Overall: MEH
Notable as the final movie from famed director Fritz Land, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse, (Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse), also kicked-off an eight-deep film series produced by Artur Brauner. Lang had previously done two movies with the character, (1922's two-part Dr. Mabuse der Spieler and 1933's Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse, respectfully), yet this one was based on an unrelated 1931 novel Mr. Tot Buys a Thousand Eyes by Jan Fethke. It follows the krimi formula where we are introduced to several characters, the police are investigating a series of murders, some mild comic relief happens, and the culprit can be anyone. Lang takes an adequate yet unassuming approach to the material, limiting the violence as well as any extravagant visual gags and presenting the convoluted crime story in a manner that would have fit 1940s superhero serials. The various disguises of the title character are fun, (even if he is ultimately uncovered by something as silly as a dog), with that of a blind clairvoyant being the most striking. Also, Jesús Franco's favorite actor Howard Vernon shows up as one of Mabuse's thugs.
Dir - Fritz Lang
Overall: MEH
Notable as the final movie from famed director Fritz Land, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse, (Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse), also kicked-off an eight-deep film series produced by Artur Brauner. Lang had previously done two movies with the character, (1922's two-part Dr. Mabuse der Spieler and 1933's Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse, respectfully), yet this one was based on an unrelated 1931 novel Mr. Tot Buys a Thousand Eyes by Jan Fethke. It follows the krimi formula where we are introduced to several characters, the police are investigating a series of murders, some mild comic relief happens, and the culprit can be anyone. Lang takes an adequate yet unassuming approach to the material, limiting the violence as well as any extravagant visual gags and presenting the convoluted crime story in a manner that would have fit 1940s superhero serials. The various disguises of the title character are fun, (even if he is ultimately uncovered by something as silly as a dog), with that of a blind clairvoyant being the most striking. Also, Jesús Franco's favorite actor Howard Vernon shows up as one of Mabuse's thugs.
Dir - Poul Bang/Sidney W. Pink
Overall: WOOF
A rare, (perhaps lone?), giant monster movie from Denmark, Reptilicus is no more or less dated and boring than any of its Japanese or American counterparts, though it boats some of the cheapest production values that one can find for such silliness. In fact this was a co-production between Denmark and the US, with two different versions being shot in each country's respective languages, though the English-speaking one was heavily reworked by American International Pictures to cover up those Danish accents. Unfortunately, this is solely for history buffs since it is laughably inept and cliche-ridden as an actual film. Of course it takes forever until the wiggly-necked dragon creature shows up and it looks about as menacing as a hand puppet, made more ridiculous by the fact that all of its appearances are in broad daylight. Also of course, the plot has scientists and military people standing in sparsely decorated rooms, endlessly arguing over what can be done about the beast. For bad movie fans though, there is an extra cringe factor in an off-putting comic relief doofus in overalls and an embarrassing musical number that has none of the banger qualities of the same year's Mothra theme song, plus some people jump off of a bridge and they ultimately kill the monster by filling up a missile with drugs.
(1964)
Dir - Gerardo de Leon
Overall: MEH
The first of two vampire films from Gerardo de Leon, The Blood Drinkers, (Kulay dugo ang gabi, Blood is the Color of Night, The Vampire People), sticks to the director's M.O. of combining alluring visuals with nonsensical plotting and wretched pacing. Catholicism reigns prominently in the story here where an undead doctor wants to resurrect his wife, only to be combated by diligently praying townspeople. There are fangs, capes, hilariously stupid looking rubber bats, wooden stakes through the heart, and lots of holy symbolism, so all of the standard motifs are in place. It balances between standard color to scenes that are either blue or red tinted and this mixed with plenty of fog and atmospheric locations create the right kind of Gothic tone. The bald, main bad vamp is a ridiculous character who is deadly serious at all times while simultaneously making goofy faces and hand gestures, being on the verge of tears professing his love for his lady, and constantly getting people within his grasps only to let them go Tall Man from Phantasm style so that he can do whatever the hell he intends to do with them at a latter, less convenient time. It all makes for a sluggish watch, with a plot line that grows increasingly incoherent and boring, despite how eerie some of the proceedings look.
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