The 1962 original version of The Manchurian Candidate is one of my all-time favourite movies. (The less said about the 2004 remake the better). Star Frank Sinatra has never been better and Laurence Harvey is incredible as his poor doomed military colleague, brainwashed to be a political assassin. The movie has many great scenes, none…
Dr Terror’s House Of Horrors
Dr Terror was the first of Amicus’ studios portmanteau horror movies. These were based on the format of Ealing Studios’ classic Dead Of Night. They all began with a tenuous linking device to bring together a disparate group of people, which would then lead into individual short stories told by or about each person, and…
The Natural
For some reason, I have amassed more promotional material for The Natural than any other movie. At last count, I have a UK quad, a French grande, a press book and a variety of stills – all of which are for sale here. It’s not that I have a particular affection for the movie. Its…
Billion Dollar Brain
Billion Dollar Brain was the third and final movie in the Harry Palmer spy series, starring Michael Caine. What started out in The Ipcress File as a grittier, more realistic take on international espionage than the James Bond series had by the time of this third instalment morphed into something approaching Bond-level of supervillain craziness….
The Dam Busters
The 1955 Dam Busters is one of the most famous of all classic British World War II movies. It tells the true story of how Barnes Wallis developed the famous ‘bouncing bomb’, and the pilots who (spoiler alert!) successfully flew at very low altitudes over water to use it to destroy a strategically vital German…
The Fly
The original 1958 version of The Fly starts with a wife crushing her husband’s head in a mechanical press and is told in flashback from there. The 1986 David Cronenberg version is better known today, but the concept is essentially the same: an over-dedicated scientist attempts to teleport himself, only unknown to him a fly…
The Hunger
If you like your vampires stylish and sexy, you probably like The Hunger. This was the directorial debut of Tony Scott, and its very much a case of style over substance – all billowing curtains, slow motion and expressionistic lighting. The ho-hum plot involves centuries-old modern-day vampire Catherine Deneuve and her partner David Bowie, who…
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is perhaps the most famous the late 60s/early 70s wave of American counter-culture movies. Dennis Hopper’s movie was both hugely successful and influential. I saw it at the cinema years ago, but I must admit I didn’t really “dig” it. Hopper and Peter Fonda play two hippie bikers taking a road trip through…
Robin And The 7 Hoods
The Rat Pack are in full swing in this 1964 musical comedy. Starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, the movie takes as its inspiration the Robin Hood legend, transposed to 1920s Chicago. Sinatra and pals play gangsters with the names of Robby, Little John and Will. Bing Crosby also pops up as…
Rio Bravo
Howard Hawks’ 1959 Western Rio Bravo was made as a riposte to the (allegedly) left-leaning High Noon. John Wayne stars as the decidedly un-conflicted, courageous sheriff, and Dean Martin hardly stretches his acting abilities to play the town drunk who helps him heroically defend the town from a gang of ranchers. Hawks liked the story…