Radio review – SG – “The Glass Key” (1946) ***

Alan Ladd returns, but we have Ward Bond instead of Brian Donlevy and Marjorie Reynolds instead of Veronica Lake. This is still a decent radio adaptation of Hammett’s story, punching through the action in 30 minutes; the Ladd-Reynolds romance feels a bit sudden, bit it did in the film too. Ladd is in good form; this was one of his best roles.

Radio review – CP#10 – “The Green Goddess” (1939) ***

Welles played this in vaudeville, a disastrous experience, just before he went to Hollywood. It sort of sticks out like a sore thumb in Orson Welles’ theatre career – Shakespare, Marlowe, Native Son… and a junky melodrama about some British citizens captured by an Oriental despot. So it’s fascinating to hear it on radio.

But you know something... junky or not, this is still pretty good fun, with Orson having a high old time as a prince threatening to kill Madeleine Carroll and her two colleagues unless the British release some prisoners. Welles’ character is interesting – he keeps saying he doesn’t want to do it, but has toin order to keep the locals happy; of course he falls for Carroll. I had to listen hard to catch the fact that the British come to the rescue in the end.

Book review – “Love in a Goldfish Bowl” (1961) by Jack Sher

A novelisation of Columbia’s entry into the teen pic genre – it really works because it can get inside the head of the lead character Gordon, and is limited by the acting abilities of Tommy Sands. This is decent enough teen fiction – two platonic friends, both with neglectful parents, go for a holiday together, and jealousy rears its head when she strikes up a romance with a local coast guard. The character of Gordon does admittedly read a little gay at times – notably his lack of interest in any other female – but his uniting with Blythe does work.

Movie review – “Man with Two Brains” (1982) ***

Steve Martin is very entertaining and is magnificently matched by Kathleen Turner, sexy and funny as hell. It’s amazing to think this was still one of her first performances (also interesting that the way she looks at the end of the film is how she looks now). Sissy Spacek’s voice is also ideal. It motors along and remains bright; I don’t have the attachment to this that I do of Flying High but there are several classic moments: Martin talking to the girl at the scene of the accident, the drink driving test, David Warner’s apartment.

Movie review – “Queen of Blood” (1966) **1/2

A number of American films were made in the 60s using footage from Russian science fiction movies. This was one of the best ones, mainly because they made a decent attempt to create a new film. It also has a pretty good cast, including Basil Rathbone, Dennis Hopper and John Saxon, and a great credit sequence with some weird music over some odd paintings.

This really is a two parter – part one is a mission to rescue a foreign space ship on Mars, involving two expeditions. Part two has them find one survivor and take them back to Earth – only to realise that survivor lives off human blood (just like Alien). The second part is the strongest and is genuinely spooky, especially the discovery that she has left eggs all over the ship.

I recognise this isn’t the best movie in the world – all those awkward segues to cover major plot points (eg discovery of life on another planet), all that set up to get the people to Mars (there's an incredible amount of plot in order to justify John Saxon and his mate joining the expedition) – but it has a unique atmosphere; there’s just something about it. Florence Marley has genuine creepiness as the alien, the eggs are effective, there's surprising feminism (the lead women is a scientist and full part of the expedition and the other cast members don't go on about it incessantly and/or sexually harass her constantly).

NB I saw this again on DVD at one in the morning – it’s totally the way to see it. In a quiet house, flicking image on a television, no one to judge you for watching it…

Movie review – “Dust Off the Wings” (1997) **

A decent enough subject matter for the film – the troubles of being faithful to the one partner in the la-la land of Bondi – has a fair structure – a 24 period incorporating a buck’s party and hen’s night. But it’s not very good. There was no real excuse for a film made in a suburb populated by actors to have non-actors playing the bulk of the important roles; Ward Stevens in particular is a debit. (Kate Cebrano is the best of the non-professionals; she's a bit awkward but is better than the two leads.) The film also really needed to see the bride’s point of view to make an impact, and even out some of all that misogyny. I've got to say though - bits of it linger in the memory for a long time, and not in a bad way.

Movie review – “The Marihuana Menace” (1931) *

A lesser known example of 30s exploitation: a news reporter goes under cover to expose marijuana smokers. As usual, mull makes people laugh, skinny dip and crash cars, and have the requisite parties with kids laughing and attempted stabbings. But apart from a great opening scene where an old lady crashes her scooter and all these kids laugh this movie is too sensible and non-stupid to be really fun. The finale in a courtroom is even a bit reminiscent of a Judge Hardy film – the actor who played gramps was reminiscent of Lionel Barrymore. The blonde with a screwed up face reminded me of Hatchet Face in John Waters’ Cry Baby.