DVD Collectors Online

Kingdom of the Spiders, a review by Danae Cassandra

Kingdom of the Spiders
Year of Release: 1977
Directed By: John "Bud" Cardos
Starring: William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode, Lieux Dressler, David McLean
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Overview:
William Shatner stars as veterinarian "Rack" Hansen in this cult classic about an Arizona town infested with eight-legged killers, which turn on the humans whose insecticides have depleted their normal food supply. Woody Strode, who played the title role in John Ford's Sergeant Rutledge and won a Golden Globe Award for Spartacus, is Rack's friend, rancher Walter Colby, whose livestock first fall victim to the angry arachnids. Entomologist Diane Ashley (Tiffany Bolling) arrives and tries to help Rack deal with the crisis, but with the big country fair fast approaching, Mayor Connors (Roy Engel) refuses to let them quarantine Colby's ranch. Soon, the remaining residents are barricaded at Emma Washburn's (Lieux Dressler) lodge, fighting for their very lives, in this skin-crawling chiller featuring Shatner's then-wife, Marcy Lafferty, as his sister-in-law, Terry.

My Thoughts:
This was a lot better than I was expecting. Granted, I wasn't expecting a lot based on the cheap DVD release I have, but even ignoring that it's still a movie from the late 70's titled Kingdom of the Spiders. I picked it up for my collection solely based on the presence of William Shatner, because I'm that much of a trekkie.

Shatner gives the performance I'm expecting here, which is to say solid and heroic, but not particularly nuanced (this is no Boston Legal). Still, I enjoy seeing him. I was pleasantly suprised by the portayal of his love intrest, who is a competent and knowledgeable scientist, and is proven right even when no one believes her. I also liked the low angle, tarantual perspective shots, which added to both the camp and the threat of the film.

If the film starts fairly predictably, it certainly doesn't end that way. The ending is unexpected and I really enjoyed that. Recommended if you're a Shatner fan, or if you're looking for a good creature feature. This definitely was one.

Watched For: Hoop-tober 3.0, Scavenger Hunt 19, Horror/Halloween Challenge 2016

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5

Horror/Halloween Challenge Films: 39/52

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on October 28th, 2016)

Noirs et blancs en couleur, a review by Danae Cassandra

wikipedia

What We Watched:


Noirs et blancs en couleur (Black and White in Color)
Year of Release: 1976
Starring: Jean Carmet, Jacques Dufilho, Catherine Rouvel, Jacques Spiesser, Dora Doll, Maurice Barrier
Directed By: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Genre: Comedy, War

Overview:My Thoughts:
While I haven't seen its rivals, judged solely on its own merit I can see why Black and White in Color won the Oscar.  It's a really well done film.  It reminded me a lot of Dr. Strangelove - obviously because both are satires, both are well done, and both are very funny.  The film has a lot of good points to make about the treatment of Africa by the West, but it's not just a film with a message.  It's also really entertaining.  It's clever and ironic and timeless.  Recommended.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Around the World in 86 Movies on April 16th, 2013)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

Title: Fat Friends: Series One

Certificate:15
Year:2000


Plot:Series 1 of ITV1's BAFTA nominated comedy drama Fat Friends has finally arrived on DVD.

Meet Betty, Kelly, Lauren, Alan, Val, Jamie, Aysha and Joan. They are all shapes and sizes and come from all walks of life but there's something which unites them all - a constant struggle with their weight. Every week, the group meets up at 'Superslimmers' for the all-important weigh-in. Will it be euphoria at the loss of a couple of pounds - or desperation when the scales reveal that elusive target weight is slipping further away?

Written by Kay Mellor (Girls' Night, Playing the Field, Band of Gold) and starring Alison Steadman (Abigail's Party, Shirley Valentine), Gaynor Faye (Coronation Street), Josie Lawrence (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) and Janet Dibley (Eastenders).

1 Love Me Slender


My Review:
Family friendly comedy, focussing on the current fascination of dieting and fat clubs, with the obvious jokes associated with such.
Some good laugh out loud moments, but generally not enough to inspire immediate further viewing of the series nor anything but an average rating.
Interesting to see Ruth Jones and James Corden (writers and stars of Gavin & Stacey) in early roles. plus Alison Steadman who plays Gavins mum.
 



(From My PILOT Marathon on September 28th, 2009)