DVD Collectors Online

Blood and Black Lace, a review by Danae Cassandra

Blood and Black Lace (Sei donne per l'assassino)
Year of Release: 1964
Directed By: Mario Bava
Starring: Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok, Thomas Reiner, Ariana Gorini, Dante DiPaolo
Genre: Horror, Crime, Suspense/Thriller

Overview:
The Christian Haute Couture fashion house is a home to models... and backstabbing... and blackmail... and drug deals... and MURDER.

Having established a template for the giallo with The Girl Who Knew Too Much, Mario Bava set about cementing its rules with Blood and Black LaceBlood and Black Lace afresh and offers newcomers the ideal introduction to a major piece of cult filmmaking.

My Thoughts:
I've just started watching giallo films, and this reinforces my thus-far enjoyment of the genre. This is certainly a beautiful film. Bava has an eye for gorgeous visuals, with a rich color pallette, interesting use of light and shadow, and inventive and wonderful camerawork.

The technical aspects of the film are so good that it's a shame the characters are underdeveloped. The viewer doesn't care about any of the victims, nor do we really root for the police to solve the crimes. I found myself detached from the characters, instead absorbed in the beauty of the film. The story is good, and Bava skillfully takes you from kill to reveal to twist, but I didn't care about anyone.

That aside, this is a beautiful, influential film, and anyone interested in giallo, or in slasher films (of which this is considered the prototype) should definitely see it.

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

Bechdel Test: Pass
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

Horror/Halloween Challenge Films: 36/52

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on October 25th, 2016)

The Mummy, a review by Dragonfire

Deep in the Egyptian desert, a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3,000 year old legacy of terror. Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal's legendary 1932 horror classic, THE MUMMY, starring Brendan Fraser, is a true nonstop action epic, filled with dazzling visual effects, top-notch talent and superb storytelling.

My Thoughts

I still really enjoy this movie.  It is a fun adventure and there is a decent amount of action and humor throughout the movie as well.  The characters are entertaining and I think the cast is good.  The effects are done well, though a few things look a bit dated now.  The plot is kind of silly and not realistic at all, but it still makes for a fun, entertaining movie that is worth seeing.  It isn't something that appeal to everyone though.

 

I did get a review posted on Epinions a while ago.

The Mummy

(From Dragonfire: What I've Been Watching on May 27th, 2009)

The Adventures of Mini-Goddess, a review by Tom

Title: The Adventures of Mini-Goddess
Year: 1998
Rating: NR
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo , Japanese: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English

Plot:
Super Small = Super Cute!

Whenever Keiichi leaves the house, Belldandy, Urd and Skuld shrink themselves to play with the other residents of the area - including their clueless rat sidekick, Gan. Whether it's a battle against Gan-zilla or adventures in kitchen appliance romances, the goddess adventures are dangerously funny!

Gan-chan: Although frequently the butt of the goddesses jokes and the victim of their mistakes, Gan the rat persists in his absolute devotion to Belldandy and never questions whether Urd and Skuld may be dangerous for his health


I have just watched all 48 7-minute episodes in two sittings with my brother. This is a great series which I can watch again and again. The producers of this show simply took our three beloved goddesses in their mini form, added a foil in form of the rat Gan-chan, and then had simply fun with them. Be it in a parody of Godzilla movies, or Die Hard or other crazy adventures.
Probably you will need to know these characters in their normal form (either through the OVA, TV series or manga) to get a lot of the jokes.

Rating: 
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DfNfiwTixiw

(From Tom's Random Reviews on March 29th, 2008)