Wednesday 20 February 2019

Yvonne (Lynn Redgrave) and her best friend, Brenda (Rita Tushingham), head for the big city - in this case, London - with dreams of hitting the big time. But when they arrive and quickly lose their savings to a robber, they find that city life is tougher than expected, and success may be more elusive than they planned. The pair separates, and after Yvonne unexpectedly turns a bad song into a hit single, she begins to wonder about the cost of fame, and the whereabouts of her old friend.



That Night (1992)

A romantic take on teenage love, set in Long Island in the 70s. Alice Bloom is a shy teenager who looks up to her older neighbour, student Sheryl O'Connor, but after the death of Sheryl's father, her life spirals downhill. When she becomes pregnant by Rick, only Alice can bring the two separated lovers together in this unassuming but engaging film.

Sweet Hostage (1975)

An escaped mental patient takes on the role of teacher, friend and lover to his illiterate teenage captive. An adaptation of Nathaniel Benchley's novel `Welcome to Xanadu'.

Savage Streets (1984)

After nearly being run down in the street by a gang known as the Scars, Brenda (Linda Blair) and her deaf-mute younger sister Heather (Linnea Quigley) and their friends trash the car of the gang leader, Jake. Jake exacts his revenge by getting his cohorts to gang-rape Heather. A fight between Brenda and her friends and the Scars at a local nightclub results in Brenda's pregnant, soon-to-be-married friend Francine being murdered by the Scars, who throw her off a viaduct.


When Brenda learns who is responsible for Heather's rape, and that Francine is dead and the Scars are responsible, Brenda arms herself and sets out to avenge them. Finding them at a nearby warehouse, Brenda impales one of the gang members, Fargo, with an arrow; kills another, Red, by snapping a bear trap shut upon his neck; and then begins to torture Jake with arrows shot into his thighs and a hunting knife as he hangs by his feet from a gate. However, he then manages to free himself and attacks her. The showdown ends in a nearby paint store; as a burglar alarm blares, Brenda douses Jake in paint and then sets him on fire with a cigarette lighter that she has previously had difficulty getting to produce a flame, just before the police arrive.


The movie ends with Brenda (who is presumably facing prosecution for the murders of Fargo, Red and Jake), Heather and their surviving friends visiting Francine's grave, and Brenda comments, "At least we set things right," to which her friend Stevie replies, "No, Brenda. You set things right."


Monday 18 February 2019

Mysterious Planet (1982)

A spaceship crash-lands on a planet, and the crew is astonished to find that it holds a beautiful woman who can heal the sick and injured and a race of super-intelligent beings.

Mudhoney (1965)

As the Great Depression wears on, Calif (John Furlong), who's fresh out of prison, wanders into a backwoods Missouri town, where he becomes a hired hand under farmer Lute (Stu Lancaster). Hannah (Antoinette Cristiani), Lute's pretty niece, is strongly attracted to Calif, and the feeling is mutual, but their shared passion enrages Sidney (Hal Hopper), Hannah's drunken lecher of a husband. With the help of an unhinged preacher, Sidney turns the locals against Calif and organizes a lynch mob.

Born Innocent (1974)

The victim of an abusive father and an indifferent mother, Chris Parker (Linda Blair) runs away from home repeatedly until her parents give up on her. After her latest attempt at escape, she becomes a ward of the court and is sent to live in a group home for girls. Life there, however, is not much more agreeable than it is at home. When Chris excels in her schoolwork, the other girls avenge themselves by raping her in the shower, and things only get worse from there.

Tuesday 26 June 2018

Riding the Bullet (2004) DVD

Ever since his father passed away, art student Alan Parker (Jonathan Jackson) has been hypnotized by thoughts of death. After his girlfriend, Jessica (Erika Christensen), breaks up with him, Alan attempts suicide but is rescued by his friends. The next day, he learns that his mother (Barbara Hershey) has just had a serious stroke, and he sets out to hitchhike to her hospital. Along the way, he meets a series of strange people, including sinister George Staub (David Arquette), who may be Satan.

It Follows (2014) DVD

After carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay's friends don't believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her flee or defend herself.

007: Spectre (2015) DVD

A cryptic message from the past leads James Bond (Daniel Craig) to Mexico City and Rome, where he meets the beautiful widow (Monica Bellucci) of an infamous criminal. After infiltrating a secret meeting, 007 uncovers the existence of the sinister organization SPECTRE. Needing the help of the daughter of an old nemesis, he embarks on a mission to find her. As Bond ventures toward the heart of SPECTRE, he discovers a chilling connection between himself and the enemy (Christoph Waltz) he seeks.