Sparrows Can't Sing

Director - Joan Littlewood (Oh! What a Lovely War, Peierrots)

Starring - James Booth (Pray for Death, Bad Guys), Barbara Windsor (The Great Bang, Double Vision), and Roy Kinnear (Scrooge, Watership Down)

Release Date - 1963

Genre - Comedy/Drama

Tagline - "Sailor, sailor home from the sea.  Whose little stranger can this one be?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      A few weeks back I was sent several new releases from my friends over at Severin to review.  The package included the amazing set Bloody Legend: The Cliff Twemlow Collection along with several films from director Peter Medak.  I really enjoyed MOST of the film the films that I was sent directed by Medak with the exception of the film Negatives.  I was not a fan of the film but it was the first film in a double feature with the 1963 comedy Sparrow's Can't Sing.  I had assumed that the film was directed by Medak as well but that was not the case.  Regardless, I couldn't wait to check it out in hopes it was better than the other film in the set.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young man who is returning home after 2 years at sea.  He learns that his neighborhood, his home included, has been demolished.  He can't find his wife and starts looking for her around town while meeting many familiar faces that he knew before he was gone.  When he is able to find her, she is shacked up with another man and taking care of their child.  

     I went into Sparrow's Can't Sing completely blind and it wasn't until the opening credits that I realized it wasn't directed by Medak.  That didn't really turn me off to the film, and while it was better than Negatives, it still wasn't as great as I would have liked.  The acting in this one is actually pretty well done.  I loved the cast and the characters they brought to life.  While the characters are pretty cliched and generic, the cast does a great job which made the film a little more enjoyable.  The story for this one is a bit messy but I did like several elements of it.  The humor, if the film had any, did not find it's mark.  It may have been funny if you had that old style sense of humor but from today's standpoint, it was not funny.  I didn't realize it was meant to be a comedy until I was putting the review together and saw it listed as such on the imdb page.  Also, I didn't like the way that the film focused more on the protagonist's interactions with supporting characters instead of his search for his missing wife.  The movie plays out the same way that I play sandbox games.  Finally, the film has no blood or gore so those looking for carnage will be very disappointed.  Overall, Sparrows Can't Sing is a movie that had promise but fails to pull anything together.  I liked the acting and the baseline for the story but the execution fell flat.  I really wanted to like this one but I couldn't.  Skip it.  

Negatives

Director - Peter Medak (The Changeling, Species II)

Starring - Peter McEnery (Witchcraft, Hammer House of Horror), Diane Cilento (The Wicker Man, Dead Planet), and Glenda Jackson (Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Devil is a Woman)

Release Date - 1968

Genre - Drama

Tagline - "A bizarre modern drama of a man and two women locked in a sensual game of sex"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Severin recently released a few of Peter Medak's more not so known films.  The first was the 2018 documentary The Ghost of Peter Sellers which was about the making of his ill-fated pirate film with comedy superstar Peter Sellers.  It was then that I realized just how extraordinary Medak's career had been.  He helmed the classic horror film The Changeling along with episodes of Masters of Horror, Tales from the Crypt, The Twilight Zone, Breaking Bad, and many more.  Talk about a fucking legend.  When Severin sent over The Ghost of Peter Sellers, they also included a few more releases with one being a double feature featuring the 1968 Medak film Negatives.  This was another new one to me and I couldn't wait to check it out.  Like always, I want to thank the fine folks over at Severin for sending this one over!

     The film follows a couple who stay to themselves and their sexual exploration is mostly role playing with each other.  However, their worlds come crashing down when a new woman moves in near them and becomes infatuated with the couple.  The man wants to begin role playing as a different person than his normal persona and this causes a rift between the long time couple.

     I went into Negatives really excited after watching The Ghost of Peter Sellers and The Odd Job.  I really enjoyed both of those films but Negatives just wasn't for me.  Hell, I don't know who this movie would be for but it sure as shit wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is probably the best part of the movie.  The cast does a wonderful job and the characters are rather enjoyable.  Honestly, I wish these characters had a better story to shine in than what they were given.  The story for this one is a bit of a drag but had some interesting ideas.  A young couple who never got along unless they were role playing finding themselves falling apart with the introduction of a new woman has every right to be a fantastic sexploitation film.  However, making this story fit into a cheap drama with no humor or sex appeal is a huge miss.  Finally, those wanting blood or skin will be greatly disappointed.  The film is a character driven story that would have worked if it embraced the sex and not the weird drama tone it went for.  Overall, Negatives is a movie that I was really looking forward to but just couldn't get into.  While I loved the characters, I disliked everything else with this one.  Skip it for The Odd Job!

Lady Desire

Director - Errikos Andreou (Morning Star, The Hook)

Starring - Kosta Prekas (High Treason, The City Jungle), Christine Allen, and Stefanos Stratigos (The Man with the Carnation, Proud Eagles)

Release Date - 1969

Genre - Crime/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My favorite thing about boutique labels are the ones that doesn't just cater to forgotten horror and no budget action flicks from the direct to video era.  While I love regional horror and no budget action, I also like films from other parts of the world that defy genres.  I love, and I mean love, exploitation flicks that that blend different sub-genres together into something unique and a bit different.  A few weeks back Mondo Macabro sent over a Greek double feature with the films Sexomania and Lady Desire.  I knew nothing about these films prior to reviewing them and couldn't wait to check them out.  After spinning Sexomania, it was time to dig into the 1968 film Lady Desire which was also released under the title I Blame My Body.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over.

     The film follows a woman who has tried to hide from society finds her family heirlooms have been stolen.  A local constable investigating the robbery becomes somewhat obsessed with the woman that he knows nothing about.  His investigation uncovers her sordid history and all the romantic partners she has had over the years.

     Lady Desire is not what I was expecting it to be but does live up to the title.  I went into this one expecting it to be a full late 60s nudie flick in tune to the counter culture hippie films of the time.  However, what I was given was something like that with a story a little more complex.  Honestly, I liked it but I don't see myself revisiting it any time soon.  The acting in this one is good all the way through.  The movie itself is very heavy on dialogue in some scenes while others are completely lacking yet the cast is able to carry the story through it all.  They body language and mannerisms to convey emotions in some of the scenes while others are great examples of well rounded acting.  I was very surprised by this cast.  The story for this one is not necessarily a nudie flick or a sexploitation film like I was expecting.  The movie is more a crime mystery with some sex scenes inserted at times when the story needed them.  We follow the constable or whatever he's called as he pries into the young woman's backstory.  We do have those scenes but I wouldn't call this a nudie flick as these scenes are not the point of the film.  They only add to the film while the plot itself is enough to carry the viewer's attention.  Finally, this is just like the other film in the set. It doesn't feature any blood or a body count.  It's focus is on the characters and story which is does a great job on.  Overall, Lady Desire is not going to be for everyone.  Hell, even the sexploitation fans may not dig this one but I really enjoyed it for what it was.  I highly recommend it.  

Sexomania

Director - Marios Retsilas (Guilty Relationships, I Ora Tou Lykou)

Starring - Maria Ioannidou (The Brightest Star, King of Liars), Vasilis Mitsakis (The Asphalt Fever, The Daughter of the Sun), Stavros Farmakis (Guilty Relationships, The Terrorists) 

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Drama/Thriller

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started writing reviews, over 15 years ago now, I never expected that I would be reviewing films from different regions of the world.  I've been fortunate enough to reviews movies from the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Russia, Italy, Spain, and so on.  I've also been fortunate enough to review several titles from Greece thanks to my friends over at Mondo Macabro.  A few months back I was sent the erotic dramatic thriller Sexomania for review.  I had never heard of this 1974 flick before and was really looking forward to checking it out.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows a rich and successful man who has overlooked his wife's carnal needs resulting in her secret infidelity.  He takes her to a doctor to see why she is suffering mentally and everything about her secret life starts to unravel.  

     Sexomania was nothing like I expected but I did enjoy it.  It's not the sexiest film I had seen but it had a solid story, some beautiful cinematography, and the story wasn't that bad.  Sure, it's not a movie that I would normally review for the site but there will be some out there that dig sexploitation and international dramas.  The acting in this one is inconsistent but it's not bad.  In fact, I actually liked it for the most part.  There was a few scenes where the cast was a bit stiff an lacked any emotional range but the overall film was very well acted.  The story for this one is a bit all over the place but I still enjoyed it for what it was.  I liked the idea of the neglectful husband trying to save his wife's mental state with a professional only for her to spill her guts about being unfaithful.  The movie could have used a decent trim and some better editing to make the story a bit more cohesive but sometimes things are lost when you are forced to read the movie.  Finally, don't expect a bloody flick.  We get some skin and a lot of story rich scenes but that is about the extent of it.  Fans wanting some blood and gore should have been more diligent with what they were choosing.  Overall, Sexomania may not be one of those sexploitation films that sticks with you for days after watching but it is a solid first time watch.  Collectors and fans of sexploitation should really check out this release from Mondo Macabro.  

The Punishment

Director - Pierre-Alain Jolivet (Black Mirror, Le Grand Ceremonial)

Starring - Karin Schubert (The Panther Squad, Black Venus), Georges Geret (Little Roma, Stranger in the House), and Amidou (Victory, Ronin)

Release Date - 1973

Genre - Drama/Thriller

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I just spent the entire month binging as many horror movies as I could while sneaking in several of the action flicks from the Bloody Legend boxset sent over from Severin/Intervision.  I love horror and have built a career out of reviewing horror titles for over 15 years but sometimes I do need a break.  That's why I love these boutique labels that not only release horror but other cult and often overlooked films.  A few weeks back I received a couple of the new releases from Mondo Macabro which featured a Bollywood horror classic and a few sexploitation films.  After my month long horror binge I decided to check out the French erotic thriller The Punishment from director Peirre-Alain Jolivet.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for review.  

     The film follows a young woman who finds herself bound in a prostitution ring.  She is then taken to a homemade dungeon in the basement of a mansion to be disciplined for not doing what was told to her by one of her Johns.  She is then subjected to various punishments and sex acts in order to discipline her for not performing.  

     I kind of knew what I was getting myself into by the name and artwork that was present on the Mondo Macabro release.  The film's original title. La Punition, and artwork paints a very straight forward picture which lets you know that the film does focus on the S&M side of sexploitation and have inspired the more popular The Story of O.  The acting in this one is surprisingly well done.  The characters and their writing is not consistent but it doesn't take away from the film.  Some of the characters are rather flat and cliched while others are more developed.  This gives the cast a little more to work with and it shows.  I liked the acting for the most part but some of the more "graphic" scenes are a bit overacted.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward but it is still a fun journey.  Honestly, this is one of those films where you know where it is headed but the ride there is still enjoyable.  Honestly, it's a nudie flick for those into spankings with some blood.  Finally, the film has some blood and minimal effects.  This isn't something that really stands out or is memorable.  In fact, it does move the story along but it's not something that would need to be in the film.  Overall, The Punishment is a surprisingly entertaining early 70s French sexploitation flick.  It does try to be a roughie for the most part but fans of these types of films would have seen worse especially from this time.  I highly recommend checking out this one on blu from Mondo Macabro.  

The Odd Job

Director - Peter Medak (The Changeling, Breaking Bad)

Starring - Graham Chapman (Monty Python's The Life of Brian, Monty Python and the Holy Grail), David Jason (Count Duckula, Dramarama), and Diana Quick (Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka, Kolchak: The Night Stalker)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Comedy

Tagline - "It's murder having the Odd Job man around"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never realized just how legendary Peter Medak's career was.  I knew he helmed an episodes of the iconic horror series Masters of Horror, Tales from the Crypt, The Twilight Zone,  along with the classic horror films The Changeling and Species II.  I had no idea his career involved episodes of Breaking Bad, Hannibal, Carnivale, 7th Heaven, The Wire, and so much more.  His career is pretty insane when you sit back and look at it all.  He started in the mid-60s and was directing movies up until 2018.  That's incredible in it's own right but the quality of these films and television episodes are phenomenal.  I was extremely excited to check out this earlier films that was sent over for review from Severin Films.  I started my little marathon of his films with the 1978 comedy The Odd Job.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one my way!

     The film follows the dull and boring Arthur (Chapman) who returns home on his wedding anniversary to find his wife leaving him.  He's unable to cope with her absence and decides to kill himself.  However, he has a problem with that.  He's doesn't have the balls to do it. He then gets the idea to hire an odd jobs man to do it for him.  Things then take a weird turn when his wife returns to him forcing him to try to stop the hit he has on his own life.  That turns out to be rather difficult when he is unable to find the odd job man.  Now, he is wanting to live his best life again with his wife while keeping an eye over his shoulder looking for his would be murderer.  

     The Odd Job is a movie I knew I was going to enjoy before I even hit play on it.  I wasn't around during the height of Monty Python's fame but I did watch several of the movies growing up with my Dad.  I was a fan and would often revisit them during my high school and college years.  I still watch Holy Grail and Life of Brian from time to time and consider them to be timeless classics.  I was already familiar with Graham Chapman and was looking forward to checking out another comedy with this legend.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  We have an energetic performance from Chapman and David Jason.  These two made the film for me and their chemistry on screen lead to a lot of laughs.  The supporting cast is solid, with some laughs brought in by them as well, but it's these two that made the film what it was for me.  The story for this one is not something new especially by this point in the 70s.  I've seen several other films, mostly comedies, featuring films with someone that paid to have a hit on someone only to change their mind.  With that being said, this film was funnier than those other films but still painfully predictable.  The laughs does cover up the predictability but it just doesn't have the replay value of the other films I've seen with most of this cast in it.  Finally, this is not a film with a body count of bloodshed.  It's a comedic film based heavily on character interactions and development.  Overall, The Odd Job is a must see for fans of 70s cinema or those that find the Monty Python films and shows funny.  I highly enjoyed it and recommend checking out this release from Severin.  It's well worth it.  

    

The Ghost of Peter Sellers

Director - Peter Medak (Masters of Horror, The Changeling)

Starring - Peter Medak, Joe Dunne (Superman II, Space: 1999), and Simon van der Borgh (These Final Hours, In Tranzit)

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "A comedy legend, a hot new director and a 17th century pirate movie.  What could possibly go wrong?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Severin and Intervision is a company that has been at the forefront of releasing horror, cult, and exploitation films.  While they are not the only company focused on preserving cinema, they are one of the handful of the boutique labels that I greatly admire.  Severin, and their partner label Intervision, has released some fantastic horror and exploitation flicks that many would have slept on.  With that being said, they branch out on occasion to release something that many would not associate with them.  Case in point, a few weeks ago Severin sent over a blu release of the 2018 documentary The Ghost of Peter Sellers from legendary filmmaker Peter Medak.  I'm always up to watch a documentary and this was a new one to me.  I want to thank the folks over at Severin for sending this one over!

     The documentary follows director Peter Medak as he recalls the saga behind the biggest blunder of his career when he was tasked with director international comedian Peter Sellers in a 1973 pirate film.  Through interviews with various cast, fans, and friends of those still alive from the production, we see that actor Peter Sellers, along with some of Peter Medak's insecurities, made the filming damn near impossible resulting in a film that never received an official release. 

     I looks like it has been over a years since my last documentary review and that was the Florida based horror doc Blood, Guts, and Sunshine 2.  While The Ghost of Peter Sellers was not a horror doc, it was still interesting for what it was.  I may not be the ideal demographic for the film, it was still enjoyable for a first time viewing.  The interviews for this one are a bit one sided.  We follow Peter Medak and others as they discuss what it was like filming, the process behind preparing for the film, and what it was like working with Peter Sellers.  While Sellers had been gone for sometime by the time this was made, he is obviously unable to verify or take up for his actions which leaves most of this up to speculation.  With that being said, it was interesting hearing some of the stories from filming and what it was like, though one sided, to work with Sellers during this time.  The topics discussed range from preparing for filming, to filming, and what it was like working with Sellers.  While the title implies that most of the film would be based on Sellers, that was only a fraction of what it was about.  With that being said, a lot of the interviews felt like they were whining and blaming others for their shortcomings.  There wasn't a lot of people holding themselves accountable and a lot of finger pointing.  Finally, the editing and videography on this one is great.  We have smooth transitions, great camera work, and some gorgeous shots.  Overall, The Ghost of Peter Sellers is an odd yet interesting look into a film that I never knew existed.  While this made me want to see the actual train wreck that they filmed, this doc about it is pretty damn good.  Sure, it's one sided but what documentary isn't completely unbiased?  Check it out.  

His Motorbike, Her Island

Director - Nobuhiko Obayashi (House, Turning Point)

Starring - Kiwako Harada (Godzilla vs King Ghidorah, The Drifting Classroom), Noriko Watanabe (Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., True Horror Stories), and Riki Takeuchi (Battle Royale II: Requiem, Tokyo Tribe)

Release Date - 1986

Genre - Romance/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It was about 10 years or so ago that I found myself binging as many Japanese splatter films that I could find on Netflix.  I had always knew that Japan had releases a lot fantastic genre titles over the years but I never ventured into them until then.  Now, I'm always on the lookout for an Asian horror I can find but I rarely take the plunge into other genres because of my obsession with horror.  A few weeks ago my friends over at Cult Epics sent over the 1986 Japanese romantic drama His Motorbike, Her Island to review on blu.  I knew it wasn't a horror release but I was still curious if I would like it or not so I added it to my watch list.  I want to thank Cult Epics for sending this one over.  I really enjoyed this one and look forward to checking out other Japanese non-horror titles.

     The film follows a young man who breaks up with his girlfriend and uses his motorbike to travel around Japan.  He finds himself on a small island where he meets a young woman who is very much different than his ex.  He falls for her but soon worries that she may be more interested in his motorbike than him.  

     I went into this one completely blind not knowing what to expect and was greeted with a beautifully shot film that may not be a movie that I would typically watch but enjoyed it just the same.  I know a lot of my readers will quickly skip over this review but fans looking for something a bit different will not be disappointed.  The acting in this one is a bit inconsistent at the beginning but as the film progresses we get some great performances from the cast.  I didn't care for the characters, to be honest, but the cast did the best with what they had and delivered some grounded performances.  The story for this one is more of a drama than anything but the romance aspects do show up from time to time.  The film has great pacing and with the story we have we get a lot of dialogue heavy scenes that does work for the most part.  However, my lack of interest in the genre mixed with the unlikable characters made a few of these scenes feel like they were a lot longer than they were.  Finally, this is not a bloody one for you looking for the red stuff.  This character driven romantic drama is more about the story than anything else.  Overall, His Motorbike, Her Island is not something I would normally review but Cult Epics was nice enough to send it over and I was interested in checking it out.  It's not horror but I enjoyed it and the blu from CE looks great.  I highly recommend checking it out.

G. B. H. 2: Lethal Impact

Director - David Kent-Watson (The Eye of Satan, The Assassinator)

Starring - Cliff Twemlow (The Benny Hill Show, Dead of Night), Terrence Hardiman (The Demon Headmaster, Doctor Who), and Brett Sinclair (Target Eve Island, Killer Waiting)

Release Date - 1991

Genre - Action

Tagline - "Beyond the law.  Beyond redemption.  Beyond Vengeance"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've worked through dozens of box sets and collections over the years and very few offered up such a strange and interesting catalogue of films as this set has from Severin under their Intervision label.  These films are not entertaining, at least not in a traditional sense, but I've really enjoyed watching them.  They are a type of bad that doesn't necessarily make them "so bad they are good."  It's more like a train or car wreck.  You can't look away no matter how hard you try.  However, one film in the set was surprisingly entertaining and that was the crime thriller G.B.H.  I knew there was a sequel to the film in this set but it wasn't paired with the original film.  I decided to watch the movies in the order in which they were in the set and that took me some time to get to the sequel.  Sadly, it was not as enjoyable as the first film.

     The film follows the man from the first film that didn't actually die at the end.  Instead, he survives that his niece was sex trafficked and forced into under age adult films where she eventually takes her own life.  He sets out to bring the organization down that did this to her.  

     I had no idea where a sequel to the first G.B.H. was going to take me but I had high hopes for it.  However, it was quickly evident that the film had no idea where it was going either.  I wanted to like this one but the lack of plot and complete disregard for the ending of the first film makes this one another rough watch which seems to be the theme with these films.  The acting in this one is more of the same.  We have some super cliched characters that have no originality to them brought to life with stiff performances and emotionless dialogue.  With that being said, this is the kind of acting that I dig with cheap action flicks and found myself somewhat enjoying the performances even if it was for unintentional humor.  The story for this one is an interesting idea wrapped in a lot of bloated scenes that go absolutely nowhere.  The movie tries to Death Wish it's way into a serious gritty action film around rape and so on but that's as far as they were willing to write it.  We then follow that up with random death scenes with very little pay off or explanation as to why.  It's implied that those being murdered had something to do with the sex trafficking but it never fully explains.  Having a finished story would have went so much further with this one.  Finally, the film has some gun deaths and a lot of stuff happening off camera but that's about it.  Nothing memorable or original happening in this regard.  Overall, G.B.H. 2 borrows heavily from the Death Wish films but forgets that there is more to it than just copying someone's homework.  It fails to deliver on anything other than some corny acting.  Skip it.  

Tokyo Sunrise

Director - Mike Sullivan

Starring - Max Beesley, Brian Doherty, and Hghtower

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Action

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My journey through the world of Cliff Twemlow has been one that I'm glad I was able to do but I don't see myself wanting to revisit it any time soon.  I like watching movies even if the movies are bad and most of the films in this set are just that.  I hate to say it but these films are rough and difficult to finish.  However, there is a lot of movie fans out there that like to experience movies the same way I do that would love to sit through all these.  As I make my way to the last two films in the set, I find myself  struggling to finish these films.  Maybe watching one of them at a time over the course of several months would have been beneficial than marathoning them back to back.  Regardless, here I am on one of the few films left in the set which is the unfinished action film Tokyo Sunrise.

     The film, or should I say scene, follows a group of what appears to be drug dealers preparing for a meeting when a man wielding a shotgun busts into the room and slaughters everyone.  We soon learn that a well known company has switched gears and is manufacturing a new drug.

     I had no idea this was an unfinished film prior to viewing it and it was cool that the film had an introductory explaining what I was about to watch and why it wasn't finished.  It was a cool to see this before seeing what they had filmed.  It is a bit odd to review an unfinished film but I will try to make it work.  The acting in this one is a little better than the previous films.  The characters are just as cliched as the other films but the cast is not as stiff.  They get into their roles even though it was for such a short period of time.  The story for this one is very 90s which makes me suspect that these scenes were originally shot sometime in the mid to late 90s before it found itself shelfed.  What we have is more action in this 15 or 20 minute segments than most of this set has altogether.  It would have been cheesy but I have a feeling this film would have been the best in the collection if it was completed.  Finally, the film has some surprisingly fun gun deaths that I was not expecting.  The gag is a bit bulky on one of the stuntmen but it still looked good.  Overall, Tokyo Sunrise is was surprisingly fun for what it was.  I seriously wish it would have been finished and what caliber of film it would have been if it was.  Check it out if you get a chance.