DVD Collectors Online

The Invisible Man, a review by Rogmeister

The Invisible Man (1933)
Director: James Whale
Cast: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, Una O'Connor, William Harrigan, E.E. Clive (plus a few "don't blink or you'll miss them" bits for John Carradine and Walter Brennan)

This is based on a novel by early science fiction writer H.G. Wells.  It is about a scientist who discovers a way to turn himself invisible...but he hasn't found an antidote and the chemicals he has given himself are driving him insane and he runs amuck in a British countryside village.  This is probably more science fiction than horror but I still enjoy watching it this time of year as the wintry landscape evokes a similar feel to some other classic scary movies though it doesn't quite reach that level, but Una O'Connor certainly gives us her best screaming fits.  I enjoyed the film a great deal and it's ironic that Claude Rains (in one of his earliest roles) is in the entire film without his face actually being seen...until the final shot. 

I decided to watch this as my first entry in this marathon since the leading lady is Gloria Stuart...who passed away just days ago at the age of 100.  She certainly looks nothing here like she did in her great come-back role as the older Rose in "Titanic".  She is young and vibrant, a perfect leading lady for such an early time.  I watched this via the Legacy Collection of The Invisible Man which includes 5 total films, four Invisible Man movies and one Invisible Woman film.  The picture and sound quality are first-rate and I highly recommend this film.  It's also a very short film...an hour and 11 minutes.  They don't make 'em that short anymore! 

(From 2010 October Horror Marathon (Discussion thread) on October 2nd, 2010)

Baron Blood, a review by Achim

Title: Gli Orrori del castello di Norimberga
Year: 1972
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: NR
Length: 98 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Joseph Cotten
Elke Sommer
Massimo Girotti
Rada Rassimov
Antonio Cantafora

Plot:
An American student's family curse, an ancient Austrian castle of torture and a demonic incantation that resurrects the infamous 16th Century sadist known as 'Baron Blood'. Director Mario Bava returns to his gothic roots -- albeit with a modern day Technicolor twist -- in this indelibly atmospheric thriller that pays tribute to the sumptuous horror classics of the '30s and '40s while delivering the black humor and grisly shocks of the drive-in '70s. Joseph Cotton, Elke Sommer and Massimo Girotti star in one of the most visually haunting films of Bava's later career, now presented in its uncut European Version featuring footage not seen in the original American release.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Radio Spots

After the previous film (Four Times That Night, produced the same year) Mario Bava goes back to the genre he fells much more at home in. While the look follows a lot what the Hammer films looked like, Bava very much makes it his own. The camera work is inventive, the atmosphere tense, the make up effects are top notch (for its time, obviously) and the story telling, while most of the time rather conventional, has some inspired moments.

Joseph Cotton is the token film star, mostly phoning in his performance in. It seems in those days it was common for aging film stars to appear in small horror films, supposedly to pair their bills (see also Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, heck even Christopher Lee did it for a while in the early 90s). Elke Sommer, who you may have seen in the Dr. Clouseau flick A Shot in the Dark, does her usual overacting. No complaints about the other members.



(From Mario Bava marathon on July 14th, 2009)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Ramen Fighter Miki (2006/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia Anime Works (United States) Length: 300 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

---

Plot:
In a world where terror grips the land and innocents have no solace from violence and brutality, one girl walks the line between life and death to bring her own special brand of... Ramen.

Miki Onimaru works at her parent's ramen shop, making deliveries, waiting tables, and attracting customers with cute, girlish charm. Somehow, Miki can't complete even one of these simple tasks without the full employment of her extensive bone-crushing, skull-splitting martial arts moves and penchant for unleashing relentless destruction. Can Miki get through the day without messing up and angering her Mom, who makes her look like a gentle kitten in comparison?


Ramen Fighter Miki
1.01 The Invincible Poster Girl/ The Other Poster Girl
Writer: Jun Sadogawa (Original Material By), Toko Machida (Writer), Toko Machida (Screenwriter)
Director: Nobuo Tomizawa
Cast: Hitomi Nabatame (Miki Onimaru (voice)), Ami Koshimizu (Megumi Kannazuki (voice)), Yuichi Nakamura (Akihiko Ohta (voice)), Sayuri Sadaoka (Makiko Onimaru (voice)), Kiyotaka Furushima (Fugetsu (voice)), Yudai Sato (Junior High School Student (voice)), Hiroshi Iida (Customer (voice)), Saori Seto (Child A (voice)), Kei Kobayashi (Child B (voice)), Fumie Mizusawa (Teacher (voice)), Ayumi Fujimura (Child 1 (voice)), Megumi Yamato (Child 3 (voice))

Rather over the top comedy about a fighting girl working in a Ramen shop who has a rivalry with another girl working in a neighboring shop.
The first episode is not that good but I remember enjoying later episodes.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on June 24th, 2012)