War of the Satellites

 

This is a 1958 horror sci-fi film directed by Roger Corman and stars Dick Miller, Susan Cabot and Richard Devon.

Satellites have been sent into space and then mysteriously destroyed by unknown. It's soon discovered that a more advanced alien doesn't want humans to travel through space, but seems to cause damage on Earth. The aliens are violent and trying to frighten humans into not venturing into space. However, a scientist has other ideas. 

Elements of this film are familiar. The sound effects appeared in a 1953 classic "The War of the Worlds." Parts of the spaceship was in "Lost in Space" (1965) and "The Time Tunnel" (1966). The acting is stylish, the sets are pretty convincing and the imagery of outer space is quite detailed with some beauty. Parts of the film is almost silly with the teenage couple in a car, and the rest has a creepy vibe. I rate this a startling 7/10.

Blood Strawberry 

Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight

 This is an animated fantasy film from 2008, directed by Will Meugniot. The stars include Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Rosenbaum and Lucy Lawless.

The world has been sent into chaos by an age of dragons, but the gods abandoned the world because of warfare amongst humans and other species. A group of friends find a barbarian woman with a magical staff. A horde of goblins and monstrous dragons are looking for it and use its healing powers for evil with the plan to dominate after taking control of everything.

This is based on the Dragonlance novels by Tracy Hickman, George Strayton and Margaret Weis. This film is based on the very first book of the series, "Dragons of Autumn Twilight", and that was part of a trilogy. Many more anthologies and novels have been written, going into generations of characters. In total there are about 150 Dragonlance books. I love the epic Dragonlance books, although the animation of this film was below par with mistakes. I rate this a basic 5/10.

Blood Strawberry

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock

This is a 1962 horror thriller, directed by Riccardo Freda. The stars includes Barbara Steele, Robert Flemyng and Silvano Tranquilli. 

Set in the year 1885 with the advancement of medicines, Doctor Hichcock is drawn to giving strange experimental drugs on his patients. He's also into something sinister at home in private, resulting in the death of his wife. Twelve years later, after marrying again, his new wife becomes afraid of ghostly activities in the spooky house of the doctor.

A mad doctor film made in Rome, Italy, which was later dubbed in English by some of the actors themselves. Robert Flemyng almost didn't want to appear in this because of the subject of necrophilia. The setting for the film, in the spooky doctor's house, is Villa Peruchetti, the place that also featured in another film "The Hyena of London" of which I shall review in the future. This was a gothic film with beautiful sets and lovely costumes. I rate it a horribly pleasing 7/10.

Blood Strawberry   

The Screaming Skull

The Screaming Skull is a 1958 horror film directed by Alex Nicol. The cast includes John Hudson, Peggy Webber and Russ Conway. 

A newlywed couple, Eric and Jenny Whitlock, move into a fancy big house. The nice garden with peacocks is maintained by a gardener, a troubled young man with learning difficulties. While the couple settle in and meet their neighbours, there are eerie screams at night and a ghostly skull. Within the garden is a grave of a woman who died tragically and her portrait unsettles Jenny. 

There are some scary and ghastly scenes. The film is based on a 1906 supernatural story of the same title by Francis Marion Crawford although it wasn't credited. The author was inspired by the legendary screaming skull in Bettiscomb Manor, Dorset, England. During the filming, actress Peggy Webber, who played Jenny, was pregnant and couldn't do a scene of her falling down the stairs. The director of the film played the gardener. The carving on the gravestone is a reproduction of L'Inconnue de la Seine, a death mask of an unknown woman who drowned. 

I rate this ghostly thriller a 8/10.

Blood Strawberry