The Fearless Vampire Killers

"The Fearless Vampire Killers" is a 1967 horror comedy film. It's original name is "Dance of the Vampires". It was directed by Roman Polanski who also starred in it with Jack MacGowran, Alfie Bass, Sharon Tate and Ferdy Mayne. Polanski wrote it along with Gerard Brach. 

A strange pair investigate vampires in remotest Europe and arrive at a village almost frozen to death. The professor and his clownish apprentice stay at an inn full of garlic protection. When Sarah, the daughter of the innkeeper, is kidnapped by a vampire, both professor and his apprentice go to the rescue. They follow a trail of grimness, until they reach the sinister castle of Count von Krolock.

Eerie and atmospheric, this is a very gothic horror with amazing scenes. It's got some humour but it's silly and most of all the film is rather creepy. There are elements of this film that makes it even quite sad. In the making of the film, dozens of coffins were used as props, scaring people enough that a sign was soon put up notifying everyone that there had been an outbreak of plague! There are some many cool surprises including bizarre looking family portraits in the castle!  

Do I have complaints about this film? No.

My rating for this dark comedy is 7/10. Spoiler below!

Blood Strawberry

SPOILER: The dress worn by Sarah at the vampire ball is beautiful!

King Dinosaur

"King Dinosaur" is a 1955 science fiction B movie in black and white. A planet has just appeared near the Earth and many are excited to go up and have a look! Four professionals, two men and two women, are selected for the mission. A lot of experiments of rockets finally succeed with the journey to the strange world. It's name is Nova and the four heroes discover many interesting surprises. They even find out it's very similar to Earth! 

Directed and written by Bert I Gordon with co writers Al Zimbalist and Tom Gries. The stars include William Bryant, Wanda Curtis, Douglas Henderson and Patti Gallagher. The film's production company is named Zimgor Productions. 

This was filmed at Bronson Canyon in Los Angeles. The scenery is wild and gorgeous with amazing views. Some of the scenes are real stock images and also used in other films, but the rest is hard to watch for animal lovers. In the film the team of scientists abandon their space rocket for some camping in the monster woods before heading off to a dangerous island. Thunderous roars and an active volcano doesn't put them off. The film is quite cheesy fun to watch for a rainy day. Among the cast is an iguana who was given the biggest starring role playing Tyrannosaurus rex! 

Do I have complaints about the film? Yes.

My rating for this awful masterpiece is 2/10. Read spoiler below maybe.

Blood Strawberry

SPOILER : There is a cute alien fluffball called Joe played by a kinkajou actor. 

100 Monsters

There is a curse made on ruthless officials because they destroyed an old village shrine. The people living there threatened with eviction got themselves brutally punished by thugs. It seems everything is lost but hope comes in the form of a handsome young hero, a former samurai, and a variety of paranormal entities. 

A Japanese horror film made in 1968 fully titled "Yokai Monsters:100 Monsters" or "The Hundred Ghost Stories" and was originally called "Yokai Hyaku Monogatari". Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda and written by Tetsuro Yoshida. The stars  includes Jun Fujimaki, Miwa Takada and Sei Hiraizumi. 

Based on Japanese folklore of the Yokai spirits, with exceptional costumes and marionettes. There are many yokai types including the fireball, mountain hag giantess and a long-neck woman. The film is entertaining and is full of surprises. I didn't count all the monsters in the film but it seems the 100 includes the multitude of yokai in a dancing parade and objects flying around. This can be light hearted as it's quite funny with some spooky atmosphere. There's some violence but no gore. This is the first film of a trilogy.

Any issues with the film? No.

My rating is 7/10. Read my spoiler below if you will.

Blood Strawberry

SPOILER: Don't draw umbrellas on your wall!

The Children of Green Knowe

There is a boy who lived in a boarding school during WW2. He was sent to live with his great grandmother in a castle with a moat. Due to flooding and bad weather, he was given a taxi ride on a boat, at night during darkness with a flood. All is set for an atmospheric ghost story.

This is a 1986 TV mini series made by the BBC and it stars Alec Christie, Daphne Oxenford and George Malpas. It's based on the novel "The Children of Green Knowe" by author Lucy M Boston. 

This is a Christmas ghost story with dark elements, such as the creepy outdoor stone heads and the giant statue called the "Green Knowe". The castle is haunted by children from the 16th century who died of the bubonic plague. While the boy listens to his great gran tell him interesting stories, he learns more about the history of the place. This is what I used to watch as a kid, but after seeing it again I felt it deserves a place here for a review. Not in any way violent as its made for children and it's a spooky ghost series with a nice Christmas feel. 

Any issues with the series? No.

My rating is 8/10. Read my spoiler below for fun.

Blood Strawberry

SPOILER: There is an epic dolls house which is a copy of the castle interior and there's even a rocking horse figurine that matches the one in the boy's room, which also resembles the horse that belonged to one of the ghost children

Day the World Ended

"Day the World Ended" is a 1955 sci-fi in black and white. After major cities have been destroyed in a global nuclear war, a few escape and meet up in a house that acts as shelter. The owner of the house lives there with his daughter and they often scan everything for radiation. Just the two of them have only enough provisions to feed three people but many more come to stay.  

Directed by Roger Corman and written by Lou Rusoff. The stars includes Richard Denning, Lori Nelson, Adele Jergens and Paul Birch. The production companies are Golden State Productions and Selma Enterprises.   

The house is isolated and protected by hills rich in lead. There is very little food left and not much drinkable water either. The film is 1 hour and 20 minutes long roughly. The characters are Jim a former sea captain and Louise his compassionate daughter, Rick the handsome geologist, Tony a villainous gangster and Ruby his tough girlfriend, Pete a gentle old farmer and Radek a poorly nuclear survivor. While they struggle to get through existing, something creepy lurks outside leaving bones. 

Any issues with the film? No.

My rating is 9/10. Read my spoiler below if you dare.

Blood Strawberry

SPOILER: Ruby is statuesque and is able to wear the same clothes borrowed from the smaller woman Louise. Incredible really.