Movie review - "Star Portal".(1997) *

 One of the cheapies made in Ireland by Roger Corman, this has a strong source material, Not of This Earth but is just ineptly done. I like Athena Massey and it's cute to see her blending in to the world learning about sex and taking her clothes off, and Steven Bauer was sweet as a doctor with glasses who pursues her rather like Ryan O'Neal in What's Up Doc? but there's no suspense or horror and the film gets dumber and more incompetent as it goes on.

Movie review - "Lords of the Deep" (1989) *1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 Roger Corman's attempt to hop on the late 80s "deep sea" craze is another version of Alien with a small group of people on a vessel and something lurking. You never feel like you're underwater. The cast all seem wrong, a bit off. Bradford Dillman once gave a good performance for Corman in Piranha but here is silly. The support cast all seem off. There's someone from Three's Company  in it, some dude with a silly moustache. The blocking and pacing are poor.

It's just so medicore. Cheap looking monster. Silly ending (most of them live).

The one big novelty is that Corman has a speaking role as a corporate type. Good on him.

Movie review - "Dead Space" (1991) **

 Remake of Forbidden World doesn't have the gratutious nudity but doesn't replace it with anything else much except a lower budget. Marc Singer is in the Jesse Vint role - his physique gets lots of loving close ups which I guess is progress. There is a little bit of nudity and gore.

The big novelty of this is Bryan Cranston has a decent role - he looks the same as he did for the next few decades. There's a creature on board killing people one by one etc etc. It doesn't feel as though it takes place on a ship, just a set.

It's a little too vanilla but it's not bad.

Movie review - "Baby Face Nelson" (1996) *

 Roger Corman went back to the gangster well a few times in the 1990s - Dillinger and Capone and this, which is about Baby Face but also features Dillinger (Martin Kove) and Capone (F Murray Abraham).

The budget isn't big but is big enough to cover period clothes and extras. The script is full of cliches but that's not fatal.

What kills this is C. Thomas Howell's hilarious attempts to play a Chicago tough guy. It really is something.

Lisa Zane is the girl.

Movie review - "Chopping Mall" (1986) *** (re-watching)

 Combination of action film and slasher as some teens are locked in a mall with killer robots. Full of affectionate nods towards the Roger Corman oevre - Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov as a couple, Dick Miller as "Walter Paisley", clips from Attack of the Crab Monsters.

It's well made -this shows what Jim Wynorski could do as a director before his career got sidetracked. The actors look a little bit too much alike - I had trouble telling them apart - they needed to be costumed differently or something.

It's a great role for Kellie Moroney who plays a final girl but a really active, clever one.

Movie review - "Equalizer 2000" (1987) **

 Concorde made a bunch of films in the Philippines that ripped off Mad Max 2 so in a way it's appropriate the hero of this is Aussie Richard Norton.

It's set in a post apocalyptic Alaska (!). There's lots of rock quarries and souped up cars and leather. Robert Patrick is in this.

Norton speaks in his Australian accent which is cute. Connie Wahl is ideal as the heroine.

It's fine. Hits the spot if you're in the mood.

Movie review - "Amazons" (1986) *1/2

 I liked all the fighting women, the cast are athletic and attractive, it's set mostly at night which works for an atmosphere, there's always something happening.

The story is confusing. It didn't have to be confusing. There's a lot of running around and I struggled to tell the characters apart. There was the bald man with beard (JosephWhipp) and the old queen but all the warriors blended in. The film was crying out for some solid C list star to anchor it. Was Katt Shea too busy? Too expensive?

There's also magic and shape shifting. The nudity livens things up. But it's frustrating to watch because it's so needlessly confusing.

Movie review - "Vendetta" (1986) ** (warning: spoilers)

 This revenge drama is quite well done. It has a silly premise - woman gets herself convicted of crime deliberately to investigate death of her sister in that prison (what if they'd sent her to another prison?) - but completely commits. The prison is a hilariously over the top hellscape where the new fish is harassed and the burly gang leader (Sandy Martin, terrific and completely committing) is hassling her straight away. There's nude showers and stabbings.

I think the film might've been more fun set in the Philippines - it's set in America. It's a big chance for lead Karen Chase who I think is a stunt performer normally. She's believably physical but not that great in the fight scenes. The movie might've been better using a female martial artist champion or something. I did like the action though - enjoyably brutal and hard core. And the production values. I assume the budget was low but it doesn't feel it.

I did like that time was given to sketch support charactders - Chase's cellmate, a drug addict prisoner, Martin's sidekicks, the sleazy warden, the sleazy guard, a nice guard (Roberta Collins who was in a few movies from Chroma III around this time - she gives an adequate performance, not up there with her 70s splendour - she's a bit expressionless - but it's fun to see her).

The character of the boyfriend is underutilised. He just sort of hangs around. It would've been nice if he was part of the villainous gang maybe - like he arranged for Martin to attack the sister or soemthing. The film could've done with a third act twist - we know who did it, Chase figures it out quite quickly, and kills them off one by one. It's very linear. I expected Collins to turn on Chase but that doesn't happen either.

Still, quite solidly done.Director Bruce Lyon tried to make a good movie and it shows.

Movie review - "The Destroyer" (1986) **

 Richard Hill and Katt Shea from Deathstalker are reunited in another Corman financed film from the same director, only this one is set in present day. He's a Vietnam vet - his old commanding officer is killed in a small town by some baddies who beat up Hill who then get his old comrades together to kick ass. 

Some interesting characters are set up among the ex soldiers but not much is done with them (burly idiot, driven guy, sort of rich guy).

Shea and Hill have one of thse awkwardly shot sex scenes like we saw in Ciro Santiago's Cocaine Wars.

I didn't mind the film. It looked as though it had some budget and there were lots of explosions. I wish - as I so often do with these 80s Concorde movies - that a little more time was spent on the characters. Just a little more. It would've made the action stuff mean more.

Movie review - "Wheels of Fire" (1985) **1/2

 I liked this - one exception. There's a long rape plot - the hero's sister is abducted and then molested by baddies. She's periodically molested throughout. Then she's killed. Downer. Change that - cut out the rapes - this would be fine for kids. Exploitation I guess.

It's post apocalyptic. Doesn't look too rough. Great productin value. Lots of car smashes. Extras. Army. Three strong women roles. Two killed. The nebbish one lives. But still, three.

Hero looks absurdly like Mel Gibson in Mad max 2. Not as terrible as I'd heard. New World refused to distribute this so Roger Corman set up Concorde.

Movie review - "Last Resort" (1986) **

 Roger Corman's (Julie Corman's, rather) attempt to cash in on that National Lampool Vacation money suffers from looking too cheap - it's set on not-overly-pretty Catalina Island when it cries out for Hawaii or something - but it has a decent star in Charles Grodin (who rewrote the script) and is full of emerging stars in small roles, like many a Corman film: Mario Van Peebles having a high old time as a local (it's set in the Caribbean), Megan Mullaley (wearing a bikini and quite hot as Grodin's horny daughter forever making out with a local hunk), Phil Hartman (who has a funny scene discussing 'Step by Step' with Grodin), and Jon Lovitz (bartender).

This isn't bad. It took a while to get its groove. I like how the women were more sexually aggressive eg the wife who goes topless. That felt different. Plots felt undeveloped - all the kids needed a resolution. The local revolutionary plot was really small - they only come in at the end.

It's like the script needed another pass or just a script edit and then some more production value.

I love how Julie Corman kept trying to produce medium level comedies - that was novelty.

Movie review - "Some Nudity Required" (1998) ***

 Thought provoking documentary about nudity in Hollywood, power imbalance, etc twenty years before metoo. Roger Corman was upset about this apparently but he comes out of it as always - rational, reasoned, fine. 

The film is also fascinating because it's a personal essay from the filmmaker Odette Springer, who was music supervisor for Corman at New Horizons. She talks a lot about herself which isn't always interesting but it does mean the work has a personal vision.

Some great other talking heads like Sam Arkoff of AIP, Dan Golden, Fred Olen Ray, Andy Sidaris etc.

Movie review - "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom" (1985) **

 Enjoyably daft. Starts off like a trailer for other Corman sword and socrcery films using footage from them. Then settles down to an old fashioned "wizened warrior escorts royal boy across the plains" film.

The weirdness is endearing - there's someone in a bear suit and a little person wizard.

The presence of the kid means there's less breasts, torture and rape. Bo Svenson, a familiar Hollywood face, is the hoe. Thom Christopher from late period Buck Rogers is outstanding as the villain.

This was actually sweet int it's way once the story got up and going.

Movie review - "Cocaine Wars" (1985) **

 Roger Corman south of the border in Argentina - which gives this film decent production values. It feels like it's in South America because it, well, is - polo matches, old colonial towns, winding roads, jungles.

It's a silly undercover DEA agent working for drug dealers story - silly because the undercover agent struts around drawing attention to himself. But that is part of the film's charm - John Schneider from Dukes of Hazzard running around with a moustache and longish hair, constantly smoking, acting like the toughest guy on the bloke. It's so sweet - he's having such fun.

There's familiar characters - feisty reporter, drug tycoon, corrupt general - plus some wilder ones, like two exiled Germans I think.

There's some action, a Commando style finale, an awkward sex scene, odd car chases. It's very rough but has pace. Royal Dano is in it as a drunk.

Movie review - "Streetwalking" (1985) **1/2

 Realism from New Horizon/Roger Corman - one of those "we talked to a lot of runaways turned hookers for research" films. Not bad. Melissa Leo has an early lead role.  She goes nude, as required but it does make sense. There's drugs, rape, guns.

There's nice camraderie among the hookers - Leo plus two older ones (one black one white, the latter played by Julie Newmar). Cast also includes Antonio Vargas, Greg German from Ally McBeal and Dale Midkiff, as the indestructible villain (at the end he keeps getting knocked over and charging at Leo).   Midkiff overacts at times.

The filmmakers have tried to make a good movie. It doesn't always mesh with the melodrama. But you keep watching.

Movie review - "The Haunting of Hell House" (1999) **

Not even Roger Corman could recapture the success of his 1960s Poe films, as proved by this late 90s attempt, shot in his short-lived Irish studio near Galway. It actually wasn't a bad idea to have a go though because the beautiful albeit gloomy Irish countryside was ideal for a Poe film - I should say Poe-esque, because this is based on a Henry James short story.

Corman produced, but he doesn't have the collaborators - Michael York adds some class but is no Vincent Price, the authors are no Richard Matheson/Robert Towne/Charles Beaumont, the set design is no Daniel Haller, the female lead is no Hazel Court/Barbara Steele, the cinematographer no Floyd Crosby, the music no Les Baxter and the director is no Corman. The male lead is weak but I admit that is in keeping with many of those films (eg John Kerr).

It's an okay film - the basic story is good, there are spooky moments. It looks alright. I didnt mind it - it just lacks the magic and atmosphere of those 60s Poe movies.

Movie review - "The Unborn" (1991) **1/2

Roger Corman gets his hands on a decent script and miracles ensue - well maybe not "miracle" but this is a massive step up from the bulk of New Horizon/Concorde films... at least, until the last half hour when things go wonky.

Up until then this was a pretty smart, creepy horror film - in my eyes anyway, the film has received some hysterically bad reviews. I wonder why? Because it involved pregnancy? The piece is flawed to be sure - some wonky handling - but it is not a terrible film. It has imagination and its the spots in some key scenes. The writers are good and have done research, the lead is played by Brooke Adams, which automatically elevates things, there's lots of creepy moments with babies crawling around in stomachs.

It does go off the boil in the last act, when things should accelerate, and get more condensed, it seems to "spread out" - too many time jumps, it becomes too confusing. I wasn't sure of the role of the husband or his relationship with his wife. And there wasn't nearly enough of the mad doctor or his motivation. In my opinion anyhow - I accept these are the decisions the filmmaker made. But it meant that it wasn't finished off with a flourish.

Still above average for New Horizon at the time and not coincindentally one of the few post 83 Cormans where the alumni went on to achieve major things - the DOP went to work for Chris Nolan for instance, and Kathy Griffin (as a lesbian parent) and Lisa Kudrow have small roles.

Movie review - "Kocking on Death's Door" (1999) **

Absolutely fine haunted house film from Roger Corman's Irish operation. Not a classic but its competent. A young couple move into a house that's apparently haunted and weird stuff happens. That's about it.

There's only a few support roles - David Carradine in a doctor (shooting most of his scenes in the one spot), a local redneck, a slimy professor. There's some "sexy" moments that slightly clang - Kimberly Rowe and Brian Bloom have soft core-ish make out sessions (no nudity in the version I saw it just was filmed like a soft core), she masturbates. They should've gone further with this or pulled back altogether - because the amount that's there is off putting.

No classic, not even a good film, but solid and professionally done and it is set in Ireland.

Movie review - "School Spirit" (1985) *

One of the first films from Roger Corman's new distribution company, Concorde, can in hindsight be seen to give a clear indication that the great days were gone. It makes Screwballs look like a masterpiece - it's shockingly badly constructed, awfully unfunny and has this horrible rapey vibe.

It should be a simple idea - a Lothario is killed and comes back as a ghost. But it's hopelessly confused - the guy is a ghost yet he can walk around, talk and touch people... just occasionally turn back into a ghost. Or be invisible. I think.

The first 30 minutes is devoted to Lothario trying to get this girl into bed (she's toity toity but kind of into him, she just insists on a condom). We meet the Lothario's friends - he's got two housemates, the girl has a yen for the guy... There's also a stuffy guy who is the Lothario's rival and the Lothario has a dead old uncle who is meant to be his nephew's guide in his new life.

Then 30 mins in these characters are basically dumped and we go off on a plot where we spend all this time with a businessman (played by Larry Linville from MASH), and his nubile daughter and this French woman, who the Lothario falls for.  Everyone is reunited at a finale involving this party. It's a mess.

It's also very rapey. The lead dude is constantly molesting women... sometimes they go with it, other times they seem genuinely annoyed. One time he undresses a woman while she's asleep. I get it's an 80s sex comedy but even by those low standards this is full on.

It's shot  on film at least. And the acting is quite good, it has to be said. At times I liked some of the characters. The dodgy lead becomes nice when he romances the French girl - but he's such a turd during those first 30 minutes he never wins you back.

Roberta Collins pops up as Linville's wife but it's real blink and you miss it stuff.

Movie review - "It Came from Connemara" (2014) ****

Roger Corman's 80s and onwards career isn't as well documented as his 50s to early 80s glory years so it's great to see this look at one of the most interesting chapters from his later years... when he set up a studio in Ireland. The Irish government wanted to build filmmaking in that region because... oh I'm guessing because it's cool... and figured that Corman would be a good person to learn from.

And you know something? That's not a bad idea - because Corman is famous for giving people chances out of cheapness, promoting from within. I would have loved an opportunity like that myself - a little bit of money was better than nothing.

The studio became controversial when critics got a look at some of the output - then it became an issue of whether tax payers dollars should do into supporting exploitation. (My view - its fine as long as the stories touched on Irish culture and the key creatives were Irish). It's not very well known today because none of the films are well known - I mean none, despite occasionally featuring people like David Carradine, and James Brolin - and no really well filmmakers graduated from that particular "class".

Corman says the studio closed because of the end of an EU loophole, rising wages in Ireland, and decline in the film market. I have read that the company had some tax troubles - these aren't really addressed in this documentary which is mostly sympathetic to Corman (maybe that's how they got him to agree to be interviewed).

It's not a white wash - the film is upfront about the erratic quality of the films, the difficulty sourcing good actors and talent, the troubles with unions, the snobbish atittude of Dublin (where Corman really should have based the studio - simply more talent eg all those Abbey Theatre actors).

Other talking heads include James Brolin (who directed a film), Corbin Bernsen, Alexandra Paul, plus some locals - several of who speak in Gaelic which was cool!

The films look all terrible - I had no enthusiasm to seek them out. This is probably the best movie to come out of it - its extremely entertaining.