Poster advertises film as Taste of Fear

     Scream of Fear

1961  NR  DRAMA  1h 18min

CAST— Susan Strasberg, Christopher Lee, Ann Todd, Ronald Lewis

MUSIC— Clifton Parker  DIRECTOR— Seth Holt

     B-grade suspense yarn with a snail’s pace. A paralyzed young woman visits her father’s home only to hear from her new stepmother that he is away on business. However, the girl begins to see her father’s dead body here and there despite everyone’s claims that he is alive and well. Is the answer to the mystery supernatural or is the answer something sinister (yet simple)? Quite dull until the twisting, turning finale. Christopher Lee is wasted in a bit part. AKA: Taste of Fear.

OUR RATING— **

     The Scarlet Pimpernel

1935  NR  DRAMA  1h 34min

CAST— Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon, Raymond Massey, Nigel Bruce, Bramwell Fletcher, Anthony Bushell, Joan Gardner, Melville Cooper

MUSIC— Arthur Benjamin  DIRECTOR— Harold Young  BASED ON— The Scarlet Pimpernel (novel), by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

     If you’re in the mood for action, adventure, swordplay and more, than look elsewhere, because The Scarlet Pimpernel is not that type of hero. His days consist of stealing into France, saving what few aristocratic necks from the guillotine that he can, and secreting them back to England, all in time for tea. Back in his English digs his wife is oblivious to the fact of his hidden identity, viewing her husband as a droll bore, never living up to his potential. Yet when a representative of the French government rides into town he makes a proposal that may alter her life forever. Long on words, slow on everything else, don’t expect an aristocratic Zorro. More like a less than intriguing espionage novel.

OUR RATING— * ½

REMADE AS— The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)

     Scared to Death

1947  NR  MYSTERY  1h 5min

CAST— Bela Lugosi, Douglas Fowley, Joyce Compton, George Zucco, Nat Pendleton, Angelo Rossitto, Molly Lamont

MUSIC— Carl Hoefle  DIRECTOR— Christy Cabanne

     Absolutely ludicrous tale of a newly-dead being prepped for autopsy who recounts the tale of her unfortunate demise. She had been a seemingly hopeless neurotic (with a fear of blindfolds, of all things) who begins to subconsciously fear for her life. Soon, a strange character appears at the door: a mysterious hypnotist that just may have the answers to her past. Suddenly, strange things begin to occur including assaults, death-like fugues, and floating masks. Hopefully you’re not afraid of blindfolds because you’ll need one if you’re gonna sit through this one. Bela Lugosi’s only film shot in color.

OUR RATING— *

Trailer Unavailable

     Savannah Smiles

1982  PG  COMEDY-DRAMA  1h 45min

CAST— Mark Miller, Donovan Scott, Bridgette Andersen, Peter Graves, Chris Robinson, Michael Parks

MUSIC— Ken Sutherland  DIRECTOR— Pierre DeMoro

     A sappy sentimentalist story designed to tug at the heart strings while simultaneously teaching of moral redemption. An emotionally neglected little rich girl hides in the car of two ne’er-do-well fugitives. After some debate, they decide to keep her safe until her parents offer a reward. Little do they expect to fall in love, of course. Told with stereotypical cuteness, the film may appeal more to the grandparent set.

OUR RATING— **

     Sartana in the Valley of Death

1970  NR  WESTERN  1h 35min

CAST— William Berger

MUSIC— Augusto Martelli  DIRECTOR— Roberto Mauri

     Instantly forgettable film featuring an unofficial version of Spaghetti Western character Sartana. Here we have a frightfully blond tough guy who falls in with escaped convicts seeking revenge and gold. They get their revenge one bullet at a time, drink whiskey and play with music boxes. Somewhere along the way blondie falls out of their favor and is forced to wander the desert before seeking his own revenge. Seemingly endless, this one could’ve stayed in the Valley of Death. In English dubbed from Italian. AKA Sartana nella valle degli avvoltoi, Ballad of Death Valley.

OUR RATING— *

     Saps at Sea

1940  NR  COMEDY  58min

CAST— Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Ben Turpin, Richard Cramer, Harry Bernard

MUSIC— Marvin Hatley, Leroy Shield  DIRECTOR— Gordon Douglas

     Entertaining L&H outing, featuring the boys dishing out the funny after Ollie has a nervous breakdown. While working in a horn factory, Ollie discovers to his dismay that he has an allergic nervous condition due to the sound of horns. Or something. Anyway, his doctor suggests a nice rest, perhaps an ocean voyage. The fun really begins once the boys procure a vessel. While at dock, a deranged killer sneaks aboard, leaving Stan and Ollie with bigger problems than any found in a horn factory. One of the shorter feature-length comedies, but solid material nevertheless.

OUR RATING— ** ½

Trailer Unavailable

     Sands of Iwo Jima

1949  NR  ACTION  1h 40min

CAST— John Wayne, John Agar, Adele Mara, Forrest Tucker, Arthur Franz, Julie Bishop, Richard Jaeckel, Wally Cassell, Richard Webb

MUSIC— Victor Young  DIRECTOR— Allan Dwan

     A gripping, action-packed WWII tale chock full of goodies; from John Wayne’s gruff sergeant to thrilling battle sequences, this one has it all. Wayne (in his first Oscar-nominated role) plays a tough as nails sergeant assigned to whip a group of young men into shape, if, that is, they are to become Marines. He puts them through the grinder and back again, toughening them up; all the while his recruits hate his very guts from morning to night. But the finished product? Another platoon of young men ready to serve their country as part of the United States Marine Corps. There are additional stories going on here as well, such as a half baked love story between a recruit and a native New Zealand girl (who sounds nothing like anyone born anywhere even remotely close to New Zealand), but the real attraction is the action, which there’s plenty of. Two key battle sequences highlight this wartime drama and you won’t want to miss a moment of it. Semper Fi.

OUR RATING— ***

     Sam Whiskey

1969  PG  WESTERN  1h 36min

CAST— Burt Reynolds, Clint Walker, Ossie Davis, Angie Dickinson

MUSIC— Herschel Burke Gilbert  DIRECTOR— Arnold Laven

     Another Western comedy that fails to take off. Burt Reynolds plays the titular cowboy, a drinkin’, gamblin’, schemin’ jack of all trades. When Angie Dickinson asks a favor of him it takes a little friendly persuasion (not to mention $20,000) to talk him into it. The favor? Recover a load of gold bars from a sunken riverboat and (now here’s the catch) return it to the U.S. mint. Reynolds partners with a hard fighting blacksmith and a hard drinking inventor to uncover the loot. But they must watch out for a band of thugs following their every move. Sometimes fun, sometimes lackluster, but always rich in character (if not in originality).

OUR RATING— ** ½

     Saludos Amigos

1942  NR  ANIMATED  42min

CAST— Lee Blair, Mary Blair, Pinto Colvig, Walt Disney, Norman Ferguson, Frank Graham, Clarence Nash, José Oliveira, Frank Thomas

MUSIC— Paul Smith, Edward H. Plumb  DIRECTORS— Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts

     Prepare for some flavor and flair in Walt Disney's first anthology film. The narrator explains that this will be a tribute to various regions and countries of South America, a travelogue of sorts, which several animators and musicians documented while touring the region. Along with live action footage of traditional dances and local peoples of the area, the film consists of a few animated segments showcasing Latin American culture. In Lake Titicaca, Donald Duck tours the lake and the surrounding Andes Mountains by way of reed boat and long-suffering llama. Pedro tells the tale of a young airplane in Chile who is finally given the assignment to deliver the mail, come heck or high water. Next, El Gaucho Goofy transplants Texas cowboy Goofy to Argentina, where he learns about the similarities and the differences of the Argentinean cowboy, the gaucho. Finally, Donald Duck is back, now making acquaintance with a Brazilian parrot named José Carioca, who shows Donald how to samba in Aquarela do Brasil. Though no doubt intended to be entertaining yet informative, honestly the film barely registers on the radar. Whether that's because of its super short running time or just because of rather bland animated sequences should be left to the viewer to decide. Adios.

OUR RATING— **

FOLLOWED BY— The Three Caballeros (1944)

     Salt

2010  PG-13  ACTION  1h 44min

CAST— Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofer, Daniel Olbrychski, Andre Braugher, August Diehl, Daniel Pearce, Hunt Block

MUSIC— James Newton Howard  DIRECTOR— Phillip Noyce

     A super spy thriller with an edge. Angelina Jolie is Evelyn Salt, seemingly a mild-mannered company exec, in reality a deadly CIA operative. When a Russian defector seeks out the agency he spills a fantastic tale, claiming that Russian spies have infiltrated the US government and are planning to assassinate the Russian president, thereby igniting a war between the two countries. The defector now claims that Jolie is one of these spies. Ardently denying these allegations Jolie sets out to prove her innocence… or does she? So begins a nail biting adventure full of conspiracies, double agents and double takes that leaves the viewer guessing which pieces of the puzzle can be trusted. A high octane, high sodium treat. Unrated versions also available.

OUR RATING— ***

     Salem's Lot

1979  NR  HORROR/TELEVISION  3h 4min

CAST— David Soul, James Mason, Lance Kerwin, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres

MUSIC— Harry Sukman  DIRECTOR— Tobe Hooper  BASED ON— 'Salem's Lot (novel), by Stephen King

     The second novel published by proficient author Stephen King is given the miniseries treatment, with solid results. A writer gets back to his roots by returning to his hometown of Salem's Lot (officially named Jerusalem's Lot). Not much has changed in this sleepy little town, not even the looming house on the hill. For decades the Marsten House has been reputed to be haunted, the purposed subject of author David Soul's novel. He discovers that a mysterious someone has bought the house and that this someone is planning to open an antique shop in town. Other than that no one in town knows a thing about the stranger. Curiosity piqued, Soul begins to snoop around, the feeling surrounding the house just plain creepy. Shortly people begin to disappear, only being seen in the dark of night, usually with glowing eyes and a newfound ability to levitate. Needless to say the fear factor intensifies. Despite the townsfolk seemingly wishing to sweep these phenomena under the proverbial rug, Soul begins a one man mission to rid the Lot of its evil, an ancient vampire who uses his human familiar to deliver his meals and protect him from wooden stakes and the like. For a TV miniseries from the '70s the film manages to be quite creepy, from the fashion of the era to the vampiric villain (who kinda looks like Count Orlok after being rejected from Blue Man Group). The special effects are well done and the misty atmosphere keeps things chilly. The main problem is a seriously underutilized villain, the position of main baddie being relegated to the antiques guy. Still, one could do much worse. Theatrical re-edit also available. AKA Salem's Lot: The Movie, Salem's Lot: The Miniseries, Blood Thirst.

OUR RATING— ** ½

FOLLOWED BY— A Return to Salem's Lot (1987)

REMADE AS— Salem's Lot (2004)

     St. Vincent

2014  PG-13  COMEDY-DRAMA  1h 42min

CAST— Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Jaeden Lieberher

MUSIC— Theodore Shapiro  DIRECTOR— Theodore Melfi

     Melancholy tale featuring bravura performances all around, particularly by a crusty Bill Murray. He plays Vincent, an all out curmudgeon who lives life with the least amount of human contact as is humanly possible. His new neighbors, a single mother and her son (Melissa McCarthy and Jaeden Lieberher, respectively), see only his grumpy exterior (well, they undoubtedly sense his dour interior, as well). When circumstances call for Murray to care for the boy (strictly by the hour) he introduces the child to his daily routine. Trips to the race track, local bars and strip clubs are seen as the norm. So is caring for his ailing wife, his cat and a pregnant stripper. Murray is seen as alternately callous and caring, cowardly and heroic, as his character deals with life in his own way: the way of the down-trodden fogey. A dramady that has its moments (along with its flaws) but can’t sustain the emotional pull it strives for. The afore-mentioned stellar performances may be all that resonate after viewing. A conflicted character-driven comedy-drama.

OUR RATING— ** ½

Trailer Unavailable

     A Sailor-Made Man

1921  NR  COMEDY  47min

CAST— Harold Lloyd

MUSIC— Silent  DIRECTOR— Fred C. Newmeyer

     Early feature-length effort from Harold Lloyd plays out like two mismatched sketch ideas in the same film. He plays a spoiled millionaire out to prove himself to the father of his lady love. So off he goes to join the Navy, where he becomes somewhat of a pariah to his fellow sailors. Six months later, while on shore leave, he must rescue his girl from the clutches of a sheikh. The two ideas never seem to gel and the comedy is often sketchy in this less than remarkable silent.

OUR RATING— **

Trailer Unavailable

     Safety Last!

1923  NR  COMEDY  1h 13min

CAST— Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Bill Strothers, Noah Young

MUSIC— Silent  DIRECTORS— Fred Newmeyer, Sam Taylor

     An impressive silent feature from Harold Lloyd. Again he plays the meek “Boy” out to woo the “Girl” of his dreams. But first he’s determined to make something of himself. Off he heads to the big city, only to find a meager position in a major department store. But whenever he writes his sweetheart he claims to have made the big time. When she decides to pay him a visit he desperately tries to prove himself to her. Some very amusing gags that are oh so Lloyd, culminating in a nail biting climb up the face of a building. Good stuff. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.

OUR RATING— ***