The Spy Who Loved Flowers (1966)

The Spy Who Loved Flowers 2014 PosterAhmed wears a carnation on his suit whenever he’s out and about trying to kill those who would defend and fight for freedom! He goes undercover with his sinister Chinese partner (Mei Lang) at a flower shop that magically transforms into an antiques store whenever the police come to investigate! Most diabolically of all though is that he even works on cross breeding different flowers all the while he’s got the good guys locked up in his secret lair, his hideous evil culminating when he announces the creation of a brand new flower that he calls…Oriental Sunset! Continue reading “The Spy Who Loved Flowers (1966)”

Superseven Calling Cairo (1965)

Superseven Calling Cairo Poster 2014Superseven is the guy who gets the assignments that James Bond would reject as not flashy enough. Thwarting supervillains bent on world domination and equipped with monstrous secret bases is one thing, but recovering the zoom lens from a primitive video camera is something best left to a junior varsity squadder like Superseven. Or the guys from the old TV show Riptide. Continue reading “Superseven Calling Cairo (1965)”

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

The place is China, a billion years ago when the Tartars had invaded and subjugated the people, ruling over them with an iron fist. Unable to defend themselves, they look wistfully to the temples of Shaolin where the monks know the ancient art of kung fu.

If only they would teach the common people their ways (but not make them shave their heads), they could rise up against their oppressors, kick them out, and make China once again safe for freedom to take hold in the form of Communism. But the teaching of kung fu is forbidden to outsiders. The monks only desire to hang out at their temple, keeping it clean in between workouts! Continue reading “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)”

Ring of Steel (1994)

RingOfSteelCoverIt’s a fencer’s worst nightmare come horribly true! Three time state champion Alex Freyer is battling for a potential national title as well as a spot on the next Olympic team! During his match after a bunch of thrusting, parrying, and whatever else passes for manly fighting action in a fencing contest, Alex sticks his opponent in the chest! And total disaster strikes! His sword breaks and goes right into the guy’s face! Continue reading “Ring of Steel (1994)”

The Crazies (1973)

By now I think that every one of us is sick to death of seeing the original Night of the Living Dead and the original Dawn of the Dead. I suppose a few of you are suffering from a little Day of the Dead fatigue as well, but for my money, I can never get enough of that profanity-inclined group of dysfunctional soldiers and scientists that inhabit their cozy little missile silo while they farm zombies for some crackpot reason. Continue reading “The Crazies (1973)”

Warbus (1986)

Warbus DVD CoverFernando Baldi, who spearheaded Italy’s efforts in the early 1980s revival of 3-D movies with Comin’ At Ya! and Treasure Of The Four Crowns, followed those films by taking up the flag for the “school bus goes to war” genre and he proves himself as more than capable of bringing out the drama that’s inherent in a tale of grizzled marines driving a bright yellow school bus through an enemy-infested Vietnam.

While inevitably inviting comparisons to other school bus war movies such as Pierluigi Ciriaci’s War Bus Commando, Warbus takes a more realistic approach to driving a school bus in the middle of a warzone and ratchets up the suspense by giving each character a tortured backstory. Continue reading “Warbus (1986)”