Valley of the Dragon

 

This is a 1961 fantasy sci-fi film that was directed by Edward Bernds. It stars Cesare Danova, Sean McClory and Joan Staley. 

Two European men are about to fight in a life or death duel, while in a Algeria on expedition. The dispute was over a woman and they were about to shoot one another and then disaster struck. A comet hurtles towards Earth and sends out a shockwave, blowing everyone away but the two main characters manage to keep holding on. When the comet itself leaves, the men realise that they're not where they should be. Everything has gone but instead there's jungles, dinosaurs and Stone Age people. 

This interesting adventure flick is based on an 1878 Jules Verne novel called "Hector Servadec" or "Career of a Comet." The novel itself explores far more depth of rational people trying to understand where they are. The comet itself is called Gallia which has become the new home world of the survivors complete with oxygen, animals, more humans, monsters and plants. While the film does explore possibilities about space and how they're really on the comet because of the Earth being visible in the sky. Parts of the film used some materials from the 1940 film "One Million Years BC". There has never really been any recent adaptions of the story apart from the Australian animation titled "Off on a Comet" made in 1979. 

I rate this unknown little gem a 8/10. Spoiler and also my comment below.

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Spoiler: The Internet Movie Database wrote that the two men are taken to the moon, but they're actually living on the comet. The characters discuss when the comet will return to the earth again and they all hope this will be their chance to go home. 

Circus of Horrors

This is a 1960 horror film directed by Sidney Hayers, and stars includes Anton Diffring, Erika Remberg, Yvonne Monlaur and Donald Pleasance. 

A plastic surgeon Dr Rossiter, is on the run from police with two accomplices, a brother and sister who end up hiding in a shabby part of town with a small circus. It's run by a poor man with his child whose face is scarred, then the doctor treats her with facial beauty and becomes happy. Later the circus transforms into a popular show with glamour and full of beautiful looking people, whose lives were turned around by Dr Rossiter. However it's got a sinister reputation and the police investigate why there are so many deaths. 

This is a glitzy circus with some magic and beauty, although underneath it all, not really. The circus travels across Europe getting a bad reputation. This was filmed at Billy Smart's circus, a very popular travelling fairground in the early to mid 20th century. The same circus was also used in the 1967 horror film "Bersek". This film contains some violent gruesome scenes. 

Rating this 7/10 for madness. Spoiler below!

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Spoiler: Not only can the doctor make beautiful faces but he can also somehow transform ordinary people into terrific acrobats as well.          

The Mad Magician

 

This is a 1954 horror film directed by John Brahm. It stars Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor and John Emery. 

A magician has a very stunning performance played on a set but his arch enemy has blackmailed him, threatening to expose his magic tricks and taking his work, as this same man also took his wife. So the magician kills him and tries to cover this up, avoiding any issues when police are searching for the missing man. When the magician's former wife appears looking for her husband, she becomes suspicious. 

A very twisty atmospheric film, set during the 19th century when police started to use fingerprints as evidence in their investigations. There are some incredible and gruesome scenes of disposing of a body, such as on a huge party bonfire that no one ever suspected. It was only after the fire went out that police were able to find human bones. The crematorium is also a scary magic trick that seems to be difficult to fool as it was in a visible glass container. I rate this hot magic film 7/10. 

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Spoilers: A crime novelist character might be a foreshadowing of the TV series "Murder She Wrote". 

Beyond Atlantis

This is a 1973 fantasy adventure film by Dimension Pictures. It was directed by Eddie Romero. It stars Patrick Wayne, John Ashley, Leigh Christian and Sig Haig. It was mostly filmed in the Philippines. It's also called "Sea Creatures". 

A strange woman able to breathe underwater gives precious pearls to a regular visitor to her sacred island, which is cut away from the rest of the world and is uncharted. He becomes greedy and invites a bunch of friends of criminal intentions to the island. Meanwhile, the island itself has a sacred statue, a number of treasures and a curious race of fish people with large eyes. All of them can breathe underwater. A possible romance could happen, although things become darker.

Often scenic and an interesting story, it's my view that there's elements of the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" here. There were plans to make this film feature topless women but actor Patrick Wayne wanted this to be a PG rated film. While somewhat weird, that might've been an even scarier film if they had gone ahead with making something with nude fish people. The Atlantis princess Syrene is roughly treated by the islanders and her father the king allows it. I rate this a watchable 5/10 but the music score is awful, as it's the same theme tune to the British "News at ten" show. If you want to see a spoiler then look below if you dare.

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Spoiler: In the traditional story "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen, the mermaid is spurned by her prince who falls in love with a human woman. In this film, magical Syrene is spurned by the handsome Vic played by Patrick Wayne, as he falls for the scientist woman instead. 

The Boy who Cried Werewolf

 

This is a 1973 horror film directed by Nathan Juran. The stars includes Kerwin Matthews, Elaine Devry and Scott Sealey.

A man with his son drive out into an isolated mountain cabin near the forest. They both decide to go out fishing until a werewolf appears and bites the father. Afterwards, the man experiences a horrible transformation every full moon and kills innocent people travelling by. Only his son is aware of what's truly going on although nobody believes him, not even his own mother. 

This film should be called "My dad is a werewolf" instead but it's other name is "Varulvens Son". Located in Redwood City, California, a small budget film that is the last Nathan Juran, also called Nathan Hertz,  ever directed. The film is quite silly in places with a few laughs. I couldn't resist mentioning that! The hippie commune camped nearby the boy's dad's cabin was a nail in the coffin for this. I rate this a mediocre 3/10. Spoiler below if you want to risk it!

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Spoiler: Really big hairstyle werewolf dad!