(1972)
Dir - Andrew Meyer
Overall: MEH
Another in a long line of snake lady films, Night of the Cobra Woman is also another in a long line of American B-movies that were shot in the Philippines to save a buck. Marlene Clark appeared in two such similar properties, (1974's Black Mamba was the other), and this one at least had the good sense to keep John "stick in the mud" Ashley out of the proceedings, though Roger Garrett is his own brand of stiff as the head Caucasian guy who looks perpetually bored while having two different women at his disposal to have sex with. Vic Diaz is of course present though, this time as a mute invalid with a deformed face. Such nasty, reptilian-produced ailments lie at the heart of writer/director Andrew Meyer's poorly thought-out story which has Clark's native lady bedding men and then in turn making them addicted to her youth-granting venom or something. A New World Pictures production with Roger Corman held at least partially responsible, the presentation is curious to say the least. The sound goes dead at regular intervals and most of the actors even besides Garrett seem to be stumbling around in a haze as nonsensical things happen around them. It must be something in the Filipino water then.
(1976)
Dir - Robert L. Burrill
Overall: WOOF
As technically inept and aggressively terrible as any film has ever been, The Milpitas Monster, (The Mutant Beast), is Z-grade garbage made by local yokels who clearly have no idea what movies are, but also seem to be enjoying themselves while throwing their hat into the ring. The only movie of any kind from director Robert L. Burrill, (who handled multiple levels of production along with other friends and community folks), the results are adorable on paper considering the non-existent budget and lack of skill set for anyone involved. A giant monster movie with a goofy agenda, it goes for a 1950s throwback vibe that unfortunately channels the abysmal work of Bill Rebane instead of anybody else who would have been preferable to emulate. Everyone's lines are post-dubbed and rarely match their lip movements, the cast of non-actors only embarrass themselves, there are but a handful of shots of the giant garbage stealing creature and hardly any before the fifty-five minute mark, the pacing is slower than a nine inning game of baseball played by geriatric patients, and the plot is too stupid to mention. More than anything though, the movie is relentlessly annoying. Whether its yahooing teenagers who look thirty, "stupid wino fall down and be drunk" gags, or scene after scene of nothing funny happening yet everyone pretending that funny stuff is happening, it has a baffling tone that is equally aggressive and mind-numbingly boring.
(1978)
Dir - Steven Hillard Stern
Overall: MEH
A sensationalized interpretation of the 1972 Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 disaster, The Ghost of Flight 401 examines the documented alleged ghost sightings that followed the crash and the psychological toll that was felt by rational professionals who were faced with unexplained phenomenon. This is a age old concept for horror films and nothing unique is done with it in such a setting, but the ABC Movie of the Week steers clear of exploiting a real life tragedy for the sake of genre adherence. This is due to the serious tone, one that is too serious in fact since the whole thing suffers from major pacing issues and only a scant few supernatural encounters are shown on screen. These moments are also never frightening, since even the best actors or director in the world cannot convey the scary in merely seeing Ernest Borgnine sitting or standing silently with his co-pilot uniform on. Borgnine is delightful during the first act as a happy-go-lucky family man who likes overdoing it on the cologne and he is joined by a cast of familiar TV faces, as well as a young Kim Basinger in one of her earliest roles with significant screen time. Even if director Steven Hillard Stern fails to make the material gripping, the production's sincere intentions seem to be correctly aligned at least.
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