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Blood From the Mummy's Tomb, a review by Danae Cassandra

Blood From the Mummy's Tomb
Year of Release: 1971
Directed By: Seth Holt
Starring: Andrew Kier, Valerie Leon, James Villiers, Hugh Burden, George Coulouris
Genre: Horror

Overview:
A British expedition team in Egypt discovers the ancient sealed tomb of the evil Queen Tera. But when one of the archeologists steals a mysterious ring from the corpse's severed hand, he unleashes a relentless curse upon his beautiful daughter. Is the voluptuous young woman now a reincarnation of the diabolical sorceress or has the curse of the mummy returned to reveal its horrific revenge?

One of Hammer's most notorious productions, BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB was plagued by the sudden deaths of director Seth Holt and the wife of original star Peter Cushing, leading to rumors of a real-life curse. Andrew Keir (QUATERMASS AND THE PIT) and the luscious Valerie Leon star in this supernatural shocker based on Bram Stoker's classic novel JEWEL OF THE SEVEN STARS.

My Thoughts:
This is an atmospheric, romantic, Gothic horror style tale that Hammer Films was so well known for.  We have all the elements we need - possession, a powerful magical being whose good or evil is questionable, a beautiful woman with ample cleavage, the concerned boyfriend, the worried father who knows more than he lets on, and the dastardly manipulator who thinks he can control things (and of course, he can't).  The ending is left open.  All of the performances are quite good, though Valerie Leon's Margaret/Tera and James Villiers's Corbeck stand out the most.  While I liked Andrew Keir's portrayal of her father, I can't help but wonder what Peter Cushing (one of my favorite actors) would have done with the role.  If the choices in design (clothes, cars, sets, etc) don't always match in era, it only adds to the otherworldly feel of the film.  I enjoyed it a lot and would recommended for fans of Hammer's style of horror. 

Bechdel Test:  Pass

Overall:  3.5/5

(From Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon on October 1st, 2014)

Triumph of Love, a review by Tom

Title: Triumph of Love
Year: 2002
Director: Clare Peploe
Rating: PG-13
Length: 112 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Mira Sorvino
Rachael Stirling
Ben Kingsley
Jay Rodan
Ignazio Oliva

Plot:
Academy Award-winners Mira Sorvino and Sir Ben Kingsley star in this sexy and surprising romantic comedy that is "erotic...inventive...witty!" (Peter Rainer - 'New York Magazine')

Mira Sorvino is captivating as a Princess who has fallen head over heels in love with her sworn enemy, Agis (Jay Rodan), the rightful heir to her kingdom. Driven into exile, Agis now lives with a philosopher (Sir Ben Kingsley) and his spinster sister (Fiona Shaw), who have taught Agis to hate the Princess. Determined to win Agis' love, the Princess travels to his secluded villa. There, armed with her incomparable talent for disguise and deception, the bold and beautiful Princess spins an ever-tangling web of seduction that will leave no passion unstirred...or heart untouched.

Extras:
Closed Captioned
Scene Access

I bought this originally because of Mira Sorvino. She is good in this movie (as usual). This time I also recognized another actress: Rachael Stirling who played Nan in Tipping the Velvet. Again she plays a woman who disguises herself as a man.
This movie is staged like a play including all the dialogues. The first time around I wasn't expecting it. But this time I knew this and I could enjoy it more.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on June 11th, 2009)

Xena: Warrior Princess Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

1. Sins of the Past
Xena vows to change her evil ways - then must face off against a warlord who's determined to keep her on the wrong side of the law.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed watching this pilot episode again. It is a good introduction to most the characters. But while it touched on it... not so much for Xena herself. You wouldn't be lost if you never saw her in Hercules... but it definitely would help.

My Rating:

2. Chariots of Fire
After being befriended by a homesteader named Darius, Xena takes on a bloodthirsty warlord and his son, who have mercilessly pillaged Darius's community in an effort to drive the settlers off their land.

My Thoughts:
Another episode I enjoyed. In this one both Xena and Gabrielle found someone they probably could be happy spending the rest of their lives with. But they felt the need to continue their journey and in Xena's case continue to make up for her past and right wrongs wherever she could find them.

My Rating:

3. Dreamworker
Xena enters a mystical realm known as the Dreamscape to save Gabrielle, who has been taken there and forced to complete a series of tasks that will make her worthy of becoming the bride of the dream god, Morpheus.

My Thoughts:
This episode is definitely different then the previous two... but is a fin episode. I like it that Gabrielle is interested in learning to fight as well. As I said... I like strong women. But I also like that Xena doesn't want to teach her to fight. It goes along with the character. She knows how fighting and killing effected her life... and she don't want that for her friend.

My Rating:

4. Cradle of Hope
Xena and Gabrielle set out to find the parents of an abandoned baby, and discover that the infant's been marked for death due to a prophecy declaring him a future threat to a local king.

My Thoughts:
This show really has been consistantly very good. Of course it is still early into the series yet with only four episodes down. While the story about the baby was good... in this episode I enjoyed the side episode a little more. The side story dealing with the loss and attempts to get back Pandora's Box.

My Rating:

(From Xena: Warrior Princess Marathon on November 19th, 2009)