Capricorn One (1977)

4.5 / 5 Dec '09
Tagline: The mission was a sham. The murders were real.
Directed by: Peter Hyams
Written by: Peter Hyams
Actors include: Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Sam Waterston
Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi
Length: 123 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This was one exciting thrill ride that I didn't expect at all! See it starts out getting to know three Men (James Brolin, Sam Waterston, O.J. Simpson and who are to go to Mars with the NASA space program. When they are pulled from their spaceship at the last moment before take-off many questions are left unanswered. The public believes they are onboard as the shuttle launches and our astronauts are left with a very unappealing option. Elliott Gould plays a reporter trying to crack the case and find out what's really going on though it puts him in some major peril. Seriously when this started I figured I was in for an Apollo 13 style film, but this is so much more and it goes through so many different exciting action sequences. I hate that I can't say anymore because there are so many wickedly awesome things that happen within this tale but you really should just watch it and find out for yourself. No wonder there are so many conspiracy theory people, they likely saw this movie!

Availability:  On DVD

The Spell (1977)

4 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Lee Philips
Written by: Brian Taggert
Actors include: Lee Grant, Susan Myers, Helen Hunt
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama
Length: 86 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Imagine you are a 15 year old girl named Rita that is slightly overweight. Now imagine you have a perfect thin little sister aged 13 (in this case played by a young Helen Hunt) who can do no wrong in your Parent's eyes. Now imagine that you are teased constantly at school, then when you get home your Father seems to hate you as does your sister also because you are overweight. It's oddly very realistic seeming...this sort of thing does go on and it's very much the way it's portrayed here, the acting in this is quite impressive really. When things start to go wrong with those who make fun of the 15 year old people are getting scared...could Rita have anything to do with this? It definitely does echo Carrie in several ways but I wouldn't exactly say that this is a rip-off, it's quite different. This isn't filled with blood and torment (though the boiling from the inside scene is quite a treat), it's more of a drama with horrific elements but it's a good drama. It's a rather intense tale and for a made-for-tv movie it's quite good really and it's available to watch for free on the internet...who can argue with that?

Availability:  Not on DVD but available to watch for free online here:  http://www.hulu.com/watch/92741/the-spell

Holocaust 2000 (1977) aka Rain Of Fire aka The Chosen aka The Hex Massacre

3.5 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: The world will be destroyed in a rain of fire. It is written.
Directed by: Alberto De Martino
Written by: Sergio Donati, Alberto De Martino
Actors include: Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Length: 106 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Sure this isn't the movie for everyone, it's very cheesy implausible and over the top but I think that's why I liked it. At first I thought it was going to be a dull talky with Kirk Douglas in it...that is until they stabbed his wife in the groin violently! (p.s. I didn't know that could kill someone?) Turns out Mr. Douglas is in charge of building a Nuclear Power in the Middle East. Douglas' creepy ugly son Angel seems to have very definite plans of his own, and doesn't mind taking over either. When Douglas meets and impregnates a new girlfriend things get even worse...especially when he hears that "his seed is evil"! Let's just say he doesn't want her to have the baby because he thinks it will be evil, but what if it isn't? Really I guess you could say this is an Italian take on The Omen with touches of Rosemary's Baby only way more ridiculous and campy. This is a must for those who love bad film that is entertaining, but a pass for those who like films that make sense.

Availability:  On DVD

The Last Wave (1977)

4.5 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: The Occult Forces. The Ritual Murder. The Sinister Storms. The Prophetic Dreams. The Last Wave.
Directed by: Peter Weir
Written by: Peter Weir, Tony Morphett
Actors include: Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnett, David Gulpilil
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 106 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Another extremely mysterious film from Mr. Peter Weir that is gripping yet puzzling until of course things start to come together. It takes place in Australia of course after an Aboriginal murder, our main character is the lawyer set to defend the Aboriginal client. The deeper he seems to go into their beliefs and the possibility that the murder might be something more. This same lawyer happens to suffer from horrific nightmares of bad things happen and worse still unexplained things are happening in reality. The water seems to overflow, it appears to rain frogs...it's very dark and gloomy which I did like. I've never really seen a film quite like this one as it is sort of part disaster film as well plus it's so depressing, it really should be seen. Without spoiling anything the end is so powerful yet in a way they took the easy way out (you'll see what I mean) which will please some and irritate others. I found this to be beautifully filmed, very interesting and since it deals with things I know basically nothing of I found it to be all the more frightening. Go into this with a blank mind and don't read too much, I think you'll get more from it.

Availability:  On DVD

Rollercoaster (1977)

3 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: You are in a race against time...and terror. You are pursuing a nameless, faceless man through America's greatest amusement parks...and, for the first time, you are experiencing the most sensational rides of our time, IN SENSURROUND
Directed by: James Goldstone
Actors include: Timothy Bottoms, George Segal, George Widmark
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Length: 119 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Although this does have one sweet disaster scene near the beginning involving a derailed rollercoaster, the rest is all downhill and it's a patronizing ride. I'm not saying that disaster movies have to be intelligent, far from it but this was beyond cookie cutter and obvious and pretty much nearly eye rolling along the way. It's about a terrorist (Timothy Bottoms who looks disturbing like George W. Bush) who makes bombs and blows up or interferes with rollercoasters for profit...I think. Our lead on the case Agent Harry (George Segal) takes our maniac seriously and therefore he's somewhat trusted by the villain. During a money drop scene things couldn't get more tedious as he's being directed to ride most of the attractions at the theme park...and we get to tag along? It's sort of like an anti-tourist video for theme parks and a really unthrilling thriller all rolled into one! Also be on the lookout for a performance from the band Sparks from whom I do like an album but definitely not the song from this movie. It's a shame this wasn't something I really dug because this formula should have spelled success.

Availability:  On DVD

Death Game (1977)

3 / 5 Apr '10
Tagline: The object is to stay alive.
Directed by: Peter S. Traynor
Written by: Anthony Overman, Michael Ronald Ross
Actors include: Sondra Locke, Colleen Camp, Seymour Cassel
Genre: Thriller
Length: 91 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one unusual low budget exploitation flick. The story is about a married fellow who on his 40th birthday has two young attractive girls show up on his doorstep. They claim they can't find their way to a party and ask to use his phone and wait there. Oddly enough this friend never shows up and before he knows it, the two young girls are throwing themselves at him. Although he tries to do the good guy thing, he gives in and has one hell of an evening. When he wakes up though something is clearly wrong, the girls don't want to leave and they are acting like insane animals and such rather than innocent girls. When he asks them to leave he learns awful fast that these are some miserably nasty girls who wish to claim he raped them and that they were underage. It really gets more looped and insane after that including some really surreal make-up and much more. The thing is, the story isn't all that rewarding, it feels a bit unfinished. Although the girls were pretty great as psychos the fella wasn't much of an actor. Worst of all was the insipidly obnoxious theme song that they played over and over throughout the movie. The music guy should never have been allowed to work again after this film, it made it way dumber than it actually had to be. It's one of those films that you likely won't forget seeing and well if you want to see Sondra Locke naked and acting like a nutbar you'll get that too. Amusingly Sondra tried to sue Clint Eastwood for ruining her career later on but she did this before she was with him...

Availability:  on DVD

Rolling Thunder (1977)

4 / 5 May '10
Tagline: Major Charles Rane Is Coming Home To War!
Directed by: John Flynn
Written by:  Paul Schrader, Haywood Gould
Actors include: William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes
Genre: Thriller
Length: 95 minutes
Banned: Norway, Finland

Review:
I expected an exciting thriller out of this but instead was treated to a disturbing revenge drama which works too, it's just not what I thought. William Devane plays Major Charles Rane, a fellow who finally gets to return home after over 2000 days of being tortured during the war. As a reward he was given 2000+ silver dollars, one for each day of his torment. When he returns, his Son doesn't recognize him, and his Wife has moved on to another man. Soon a group of violent thugs turn up at Charles' door demanding the silver dollars, but when he won't cave they torture the heck out of him (it's hard to watch). Finally his Wife and Child return home in time to tell them where the money is. After some recouping Charles goes on a mission to find the men who did this to him. Soon a "groupie" starts to follow him about and ends up on a road trip with her after he finds the culprits. It's a different kind of revenge film that has a very dramatic middle section, it's a slow moving film but it's purposeful and touching. It does have some exciting and violence but it's not filled with it, still a very effective picture though.

Availability:  not on DVD, only VHS currently

Der Amerikanische Freund (1977) aka The American Friend

3.5 / 5  Apr '11
Tagline:  N/A
Directed by:  Wim Wenders
Written by:  Patricia Highsmith, Wim Wenders
Actors include:  Bruno Ganz, Dennis Hopper, Lisa Kreuzer
Genre:  Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Length:  125 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review: 
The cinematography is simply gorgeous and the music within perfectly suited.  Heck I like the cast too and the basic concept, I just felt like something very big was missing from this.  It's definitely more of a character study (which is fine) except a little more "why" info might have helped out significantly.  We meet Tom Ripley (Dennis Hopper) who is an art forger that is offered an opportunity to become a hit man.  Instead of agreeing to the task he suggests his friend who is a picture framer for the job.  See the picture framer has a deadly disease and a family to support (very Breaking Bad no?) so why wouldn't he jump at the extra chance for income?  Although this is interesting it's too stretched out and some more clarity would have been appreciated.  Still a very interesting '70s German thriller that should at least appeal to most though it wasn't my absolute favorite or anything.

Availabilty:  On DVD

3 Women (1977)

4 / 5 Jan '11
Tagline: 1 woman became 2/2 women became 3/3 women became 1
Directed by: Robert Altman
Written by: Robert Altman
Actors include: Shelley Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Janice Rule
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Length: 124 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is a weird drama but great actresses and Robert Altman's surreal style make this more than worth a watch. It's very character driven, rather slow at first but it's captivating and purposeful. Pinky Rose (Sissy Spacek) is a new employee to the drab and depressing rehab/elderly patient center. She meets Millie Lammoreaux (Shelley Duvall) who she quickly idolizes. Millie has several male friends and seems to live in her own little bubble with style and personality. There is also a strange woman who paints grotesque figures in their pool. As the film goes on it becomes strangely obvious that Millie and Rose are switching personalities and everyone is sort of shifting until they find the lot in life they are happy with. It's not your usual film that much is for sure but if you are looking for something a little different and oddly satisfying this should work wonderfully for you. Thanks to cosmicnoiree for suggesting this to me.

Availability:  On DVD

Sorcerer (1977)

4.5 / 5 Mar '11
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: William Friedkin
Written by: Walon Green, Georges Arnaud
Actors include: Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal
Genre: Thriller, Action, Adventure
Length: 121 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Wow, though it starts out in a violent and confusing journey around the world nearly with different characters around every corner it morphs into one of the most exciting action/thrillers I've ever seen. Yes, it's a remake of Le salaire de la peur [The Wages of Fear] and although I haven't seen the original I can say this is one heck of a wild ride. A group of Men from around the world who basically have gone into hiding in a dangerous area of South America. They all really need money, so when jobs come up to rickety drive trucks into some scary jungle terrain they all take on the task. The thing is, their cargo is deadly explosives that can go off at any time! I'm sure just by hearing that you can see why this is such an edge-of-the-seat thriller. The cast is wicked, and the situation couldn't seem more perilous if it tried, even the Tangerine Dream seemed fitting. I really recommend this and thought it was great, I only wish the beginning was a little clearer or less scattered seeming.

Availability:  On DVD