Roy Ward Baker (1916–2010)

This is a quiet film – a quiet title, and only the minimum of action. It is set after WW2, so no enemy to ramp up the tension. Although a submarine disaster film, there are none of the usual scenes of high pressure seawater bursting through valves while greasy sailors battle to seal them off. For this is primarily a psychological drama, about how people react under pressure. The upper lips are certainly stiff, but there is plenty of talk. This was made on a tight budget – very obviously show more – but perhaps all the better for it.
One admirable trait of the film is its lack of sentimentality. Although the first part has women to establish domestic milieux, there is no milking of that later in the film. And the ending is unblinking and clear. It is unfortunate that for dramatic purposes the officers are seen to be guilty of a serious moral lapse. But overall, well worth seeing. show less

C+ (Okay).

A lesbian vampire moves in with her victims.

This is a premise that should have been difficult to mess up, but they managed it. For example, when they didn't have the special effects budget to do a scene (which could easily have been rewritten to something cheap to shoot), they just did it anyway, then had a character explain afterwards what we were supposed to have seen.

(Oct. 2025)

It isn't difficult to see why "The Monster Club" has a bit of a reputation as a bad film. The tortured story-telling, the absurd monster masks and make-up, the (mostly) awful songs and some of the bad acting all make for a wildly uneven watch. Overall though, the story of old horror writer R. Chetwynd-Hayes (John Carradine) being invited to a "monster club" by elderly vampire Erasmus (Vincent Price) and at the club being told three tales of terror is charming and decidedly old-fashioned. The show more stories themselves (based on the works of Chetwynd-Hayes) are fun and partly played for mild laughs. There is a distinct lack of anything remotely horrific going on, there are no scares to speak of and the blood is very much minimised. Roy Ward Baker directs in a non-flashy manner but still conjures up some stmospheric sets and some nice set-pieces. Vincent Price is as always magnificent and Donald Pleasance gives a nice semi-comedic turn as a special branch vampire hunter. Overall then the many flaws of "The Monster Club" are entirely evident, but the final film from Amicus is still an enjoyably endearing little effort that manages to elevate itself over its short-coming by simplicity and old-world charm. show less

A film starring Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick (MGM, 1971).

A scientist needs cadavers in order to turn himself into a woman and possibly become immortal.

C+ (Okay).

It is by no means a well-crafted movie. But they managed to take a ridiculous, minefield of a premise which I would not have expected 1970's Britain to be able to handle, and ended up with something watchable, which is kind of impressive.

(Oct. 2022)