The Appointment (1981)

 Edward Woodward stars in this slow-burning British horror movie, which feels closer in spirit to the 70′s anthology movies than the 80′s VHS era it was released to.

It might not be to some people taste, as the slight story is stretched butter-thin over 90 minutes. Indeed, contemporary reviewers dismissed it as boring, and the film had only a limited cinema release. This is a shame as it does contain some memorable moments, and sustains an unsettling vibe for most of the film.

After a powerful opening scare involving a girl in the woods, we flash forward to meet Woodward, a family man who breaks the news to his precocious daughter that he will be missing her school violin recital due to a work appointment. From this point on, bad omens, nightmares, and premonitions suggest he’d be better pulling a sickie, than driving to his ill fated appointment…

This is director Lindsay C. Vickers only full feature, which is unfortunate, as he shows a lot of panache in the set-scenes. The movie's feverish dream atmosphere builds to an enjoyable over-the-top ending.

The film is currently on YouTube split into 7 parts.

Death Wish 3 (1985)

Charles Bronson's acting reaches new heights of somnambulism in this demented flick by the late, great Michael Winner.

In the first two revenge flicks, Winner had killed off everyone remotely close to our anti-hero Paul Kersey. So in Death Wish 3, he takes the franchise to its next logical step. Bronson is now a guardian-angel drifter, who returns to New York to meet an old friend whose being terrorized by a local street gang. 

With the same bad luck as all his other acquaintances, Bronson's pal is beaten to death before he can say 'no dice', and is immediately framed for the murder. The chief of police, played by seasoned-pro Ed Lauter (Longest Yard), recognizes him as the vigilante from the first film, and lets him return on condition he takes out the street scum which is turning the neighbourhood to hell. 

the streets of this unnamed suburb looks more like a post-apocalyptic war zone than 80's NYC. This might be because it was actually shot in London!

The main slime-ball spends a lot of the movie eyeballing Bronson and vice-versa. So its a bit odd that Bronson doesn't target him first. Instead he seem to arbitrary take out car thieves and bag-snatchers, rather than the main perps who are murdering the neighbours one by one. They're quite easy to spot due to the ludicrous gang paint/hairstyle combo.

Some of the funniest bits occur in the tacked on romance with his young beautiful court appointed lawyer who,  for some reason, has a thing for mysterious monosyllabic elderly  murder suspects. She literally begs him for a date, which Bronson begrudgingly  accepts. The date has some hilarious bad dialogue and their relationship ends as badly as you'd expect.

As Bronson's rep grow within the community, the big bad leader calls up dial-a-gang, and a biker group ride into town to spice things up. The movie conclude with a neighbourhood free for all, as everyone grabs a gun and all hell breaks loose.

Bronson barely raises a sweat or his pulse in this movie, which is probably only sensible as he was 64 at the time. The only emotion he portrays is a sad stoicism, and it's not too surprising that this is his last collaboration with Winner. Even though the stupidness makes this film a lot easier to take than the first two, it still contain some ugly scenes.

Things to look out for:

Alex Winters (of Bill and Ted fame) plays a street punk

Marina Sirtis (Dana Troy from Star Trek Next Generation) plays a small role

Street Thug: " They killed the Giggler!"

Kathryn: " I hope you like chicken, it's the only thing I know how to make."

Kersey: " Chickens good. I like chicken"

 Fraker: "Truth is, I hate creeps too. But there's nothing I can do about them. I'm a cop."

This Movie is presently available on YouTube

The Red Salute (1935)

Barbara Stanwyck stars in this weird mix of 30's screwball comedy and anti-communist propaganda. It's caused a mini-riot when it was first shown in New York, when protests by left-wing students ended in arrests. It's interesting to compare with the red-scare movies of the 50's that Hollywood later churned out. In fact it was retitled and re-released in 1953 as Runaway Daughter.

Stanwyck plays Drue Van Allen, the military General's daughter whose causing all kinds of embarrassment due to her scandalous behavior. She's involved with the campus left-wing radicals, and plan on marrying Leonard Arner, the lead communist agitator. Her father is having none of it, and tricks (well, basically kidnaps) her into a trip south of the border to Mexico.

From here, the story becomes classic comedy Hi-jinx. Stanwyck tries to get to Washington with everyone chasing her, accompanied by an AWOL soldier (Robert Young) who wants to go the opposite direction. The script is full of one-liners, and the plot is light and pacy through this middle section.

There's a hint of Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, when Stanwyck and Robert Young pass themselves off as a couple at a hotel (It was made the same year). With her quick wit and pithy put-downs, Stanwyck character is strong, opinionated and intelligent. Of course in the film, this is considered a major problem. The movie can't allow her to have her own way, and everyone ultimately agrees with her father that she needs a good dose of "common sense" and to settle down with the right man (The soldier who Stanwyck nicknames Uncle Sam).

As all films are documents of their time, it's curious to see such support for American militarism before World War 2. It concludes with an impassioned speech by Young at the Student Rally. He wins half the crowd round with an appeal to their patriotism and causes a large free-for-all brawl amonst the audience. In the confusion Stankwyck and Young get together and Arner gets strong armed out of the country!

The film is presently on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR5WJhkEOVo

Welcome to Dangerous Movies

In this weird futuristic age where nearly every film is available for instant viewing, I plan on diving into the murky depths of Video On Demand and YouTube for obscure gems and insane stories.

Some will be unappreciated classics. Most will be just enjoyably terrible. If you have any suggestions to check out, please post a comment!

Thanks,
Stu