The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on September 12, 2019

It's another Region A Hammer release from Shout Factory--this time it's the 1972 psychological thriller FEAR IN THE NIGHT. In the early 1960s Jimmy Sangster wrote a number of twist-filled contemporary-set shockers that were made by Hammer and influenced by the French film LES DIABOLIQUES. Two of th   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on September 10, 2019

THE UNDEAD (1957) is almost impossible to categorize. It's a wild mixture of reincarnation, time travel, medieval witchcraft, devil worship, and post-WWII science-fiction. The movie was produced and directed by the legendary Roger Corman, and released by American-International Pictures. Nearly ever   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on September 9, 2019

A couple days ago TCM aired the 1966 Euro Western RINGO AND HIS GOLDEN PISTOL, and I was able to watch it last night through an Xfinity app. The original Italian title of the film is JOHNNY ORO. It was released in American by MGM and presumably re-titled to reference...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on September 4, 2019

Have I seen every bizarre old horror/science fiction movie? Certainly not. There's plenty I haven't gotten around to, or haven't had the time--or the inclination--to view. But yesterday I did take the opportunity to watch one of the most infamous films ever made--TROG, the 1970 British production th   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on September 1, 2019

L'ARGENT is a 1928 French silent film that I had no knowledge of until I learned earlier this year that it was going to be released on Blu-ray from Flicker Alley. What caught my attention was finding out that the movie starred Brigitte Helm. I've been fascinated by the German...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 31, 2019

Shout Factory's series of Region A Hammer releases carries on with HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN (1970). This movie is the product of one of Hammer's most quizzical production decisions. By 1970 the company had made five Frankenstein features starring Peter Cushing. The latest film in the series was the b   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 27, 2019

Sergio Corbucci's DJANGO (1966) became one of the most renowned Spaghetti Western films, and it inspired a slew of imitators. One of those productions has been released on Blu-ray by Synapse Films. DJANGO THE BASTARD was made in 1969, but according to Euro Cult movie expert Troy Howarth, it was...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 19, 2019

Chinese director Zhang Yimou has made such films as HERO, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER. I'm particularly fond of those three titles. His latest film is SHADOW. The movie is set in ancient China, and concerns two kingdoms, Pei and Yang, who are jockeying for...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 17, 2019

The Sprocket Vault and Kit Parker Films present more rare product from the Hal Roach Studios with their CHARLEY CHASE AT HAL ROACH: THE TALKIES VOLUME TWO 1932-33 DVD set. The set is made up of fifteen different short subjects on two discs. All of the shorts were made at...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 13, 2019

I've seen almost every British horror film from the 1960s.....but DEVIL DOLL (1964) has until recently eluded me. The movie is not to be confused with MGM's 1936 THE DEVIL DOLL directed by Tod Browning. DEVIL DOLL is about a stage hypnotist and ventriloquist called the Great Vorelli (Bryant Haliday)   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 10, 2019

This main disc cover of this Shout Factory Blu-ray presents the movie's title as QUATERMASS II. The reverse of the disc cover sleeve displays the American release title of the film: ENEMY FROM SPACE. The actual on-screen title of the movie is QUATERMASS 2. Whatever you want to call it,...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 9, 2019

Shout Factory continues its series of Region A Blu-ray Hammer releases with THE REPTILE (1966). THE REPTILE was made by Hammer immediately after THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES. The latter film has the better reputation, but THE REPTILE is a nice little movie in its own right. Directed by John...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on August 4, 2019

THE KEY is a 1934 drama produced by Warner Bros. and directed by Michael Curtiz. The movie is set in 1920 Dublin, during the Irish "troubles", and it stars William Powell and Colin Clive. Powell plays British Army officer Captain Bill Tennant, who, at the beginning of the story, has...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 29, 2019

Quentin Tarantino's latest film, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, is a hard movie to review. For one thing, I don't want to reveal the ending for those who haven't seen it--and the climax really deserves its own separate discussion anyway. There's also the fact that you can't really compare...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 27, 2019

If there was any actor that truly fit the definition of "cult movie star", it was Klaus Kinski. Whether it was his looks, his temperament, his lifestyle, or his professional choices, there was nothing mainstream about him. The man made several appearances in German Krimis, Spaghetti Westerns, and l   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 25, 2019

Universal's 1955 THIS ISLAND EARTH is one of the greatest science-fiction films ever made. It's a magnificent, colorful adventure, bigger and bolder than any of the black & white sci-fi features the studio made during the same time period. It is also never really been given its proper appreciat   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 23, 2019

I'm currently reading Troy Howarth's book REAL DEPRAVITIES: THE FILMS OF KLAUS KINSKI. It's a fascinating volume, as Howarth covers all sorts of obscure productions. Klaus Kinski was the ultimate cult movie actor--nothing was mainstream about him, whether he was on or off the screen. One Klaus Kins   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 20, 2019

The 1945 British film DEAD OF NIGHT is the granddaddy of all modern horror anthology films. The five tales presented in it have influenced numerous other movies and television episodes. The influence of DEAD OF NIGHT has been so pervasive that those now who see it for the first time...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 17, 2019

CENTRAL PARK, from 1932, is one of those Warner Bros. films from the early thirties that is short on running time but stuffed with plot. Despite being just short of an hour, there's enough situations to fill about three different movies. What makes this film stand out is that it...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on July 10, 2019

Frank Dello Stritto's CARL DENHAM'S GIANT MONSTERS is a follow up to his magnificent book A WEREWOLF REMEMBERS: THE TESTAMENT OF LAWRENCE STEWART TALBOT. Both volumes are "biographies" of famous fantastic film characters. CARL DENHAM'S GIANT MONSTERS covers the life of the man who captured King Kon   read more