Nothing But the Night

"Nothing But the Night" (1973) starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Diana Dors, Georgia Brown, Keith Barron and Gwyneth Strong is a mystery/horror movie about a mysterious girl and the foundation that takes care of her.

The trustees of the Van Traylen foundation which takes care of orphaned children keep ending up dead and it appears to be suicide but police colonel Bingham (Lee) doesn't believe they may be murders.  During his investigation, he seeks the help of his friend Sir Ashley (Cushing) who is a psychiatrist.  One of the orphans from the foundation survives a bus crash and is soon caught up in the mystery.  The sinister goings on lead the policy and psychiatrist to a remote British island where the Van Traylen foundation and orphanage is based.

"Nothing But the Night" is a good mystery / horror movie that is also somewhat of a police procedural.  The mood and atmosphere is filled with a sinister quality that keeps the story engaging.

Five Dolls For an August Moon

"Five Dolls for an August Moon" (1970) starring William Berger, Ira von Fürstenberg, Maurice Poli, Edwige Fenech, Howard Ross, Helena Ronee, Teodoro Corrà, Ely Galleani, Edith Meloni and Mauro Bosco is a psychedelic murder mystery from Italian horror director Mario Bava.  

George Stark (Corra) is an extremely wealthy man who owns a mansion on a remote Mediterranean island.  He invites a group of friends and potential investors for a weekend of relaxation and potential business investment involving a brilliant chemist Professor Gerry Farrell (Berger).  The business rivalries soon end up overriding any friendships and intrigue turns to murder as one by one the guests turn up dead.

"Five Dolls for an August Moon" is like Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" on acid.  It takes place in the swinging '60s and all the characters are good looking and dressed glamorously.  The music is over the top fun and the extreme sudden close ups of the characters add to the overall visual feast which is this movie.  You'll want to watch the fantastic opening cocktail party scene over and over just for the fun of it!

Children of the Stones

"Children of the Stones" (1977) starring Gareth Thomas, Veronica Strong, Peter Demin, Ruth Dunning, Iain Cuthbertson and Katharine Levy is a British serial that takes place in a sinister village and is geared toward children but fun to watch at all ages.

Scientist Adam Brake (Thomas) and his son Matthew (Demin) are moving to the sleepy English village of Milbury for three months to do some research on the magnetic forces surrounding the local stone formations that circle the village.  They soon meet Margaret (Strong) and her daughter Sandra (Levy) who also have recently moved to town and start telling them about the weirdness going on in the village.

Milbury is full of happy people.  They say "Happy Day" to each other instead of good afternoon and everything is always well.  They also like to go to the stone circle, hold hands and chant every once in a while in the middle of the night.  What are they all up to?  Well, our group of adults and children work together and try to solve the mystery before it's too late because, you see, all the newcomers eventually turn into a "Happy Dayer".  Not only that, but Matthew and his father are somewhat receptive to the psychic energies and visions coming off the stones.

"Children of the Stones" is a world where the children are smart and the parents actually listen to them.  The village is full of strange characters that just want our characters to be part of the town and join with them and mysteries galore.  A very fun adventure/mystery show with a sinister atmosphere throughout!

Dead Man's Island

"Dead Man's Island" (1996) is a mystery/thriller made for TV film that takes place on a remote island, starring: Barbara Eden, William Shatner, Roddy McDowall, Morgan Fairchild, Traci Lords, David Faustino, Christopher Atkins, Olivia Hussey, Jameson Parker, Christopher Cazenove and Don Most.

Chase Prescott (Shatner) is a rich man who owns many companies and a beautiful mansion on a remote, private island.  He invites a cast of characters from his businesses, friends and family to the island retreat because he thinks one of them is trying to kill him for his fortune.  He has also invited an old friend, Henrietta O'Dwyer Collins (but everyone calls her Henrie O.) (Eden), who is a renowned journalist so she can investigate these suspects and let him know who the would be killer is.

The list of suspects include: Valerie St. Vincent (Fairchild) who wants Chase to back her on a Broadway play; Trevor Dunnaway (McDowall), Prescott's attorney; Miranda Prescott (Lords), Chase's beautiful young wife; Burton Andrews (Most), Chase's private secretary; Lyle Stedman (Parker), Senior Vice President at Chase's company; sons Haskell (Faustino) & Roger (Atkins); and housemaid Rosie (Hussey) and butler Milo (Cazenove).

Barbara Eden does a good job as Henrie O (although her Texas accent is less than convincing) - asking all the guests the uncomfortable questions everyone would rather not talk about.  Not only do we have a possible murder on the island - there is also an approaching storm to add to the suspensful atmosphere and drama!  "Dead Man's Island" is a fun murder mystery with an all star cast of characters.

The Beast Must Die

"The Beast Must Die" (1974) starring Calvin Lockhart, Peter Cushing, Marlene Clark, Charles Gray, Anton Diffring, Ciaran Madden, Tom Chadbon and Michael Gambon is a fun horror movie from Amicus Studios where the viewer gets to decide who the werewolf is.

Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockhart) is a rich businessman / hunter who wants to hunt the biggest and rarest game there is - a werewolf.  He has done the research and narrowed it down to the following guests who he has invited to his remote mansion and estate and accuses one of them of being the werewolf:

• Arthur Bennington (Charles Gray) - the diplomat
• 
  
• Jan Jarmokowski (Michael Gambon) - world renowned pianist
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• Davina Gilmore (Ciaran Madden) - student & wife of Jan and old friend of Tom's wife
• 
  
• Caroline Newcliffe (Marlene Clark) - Tom's wife
• 
  
• Paul Foote (Tom Chadbon) - an artist who had been in prison
• 
  
• Prof. Lundgren (Peter Cushing) - an archaeologist and a werewolf expert
• 

Tom has brought his guests together on the night of the full moon and has rigged his entire estate with cameras, microphones and other surveillance systems to help him hunt the werewolf.  

Things don't go as smoothly for him as planned and the werewolf gets the upper hand even with all the precautions.  One by one, the guests and Tom's associates are getting killed off.  Will Tom accomplish his deadly task?

This is a very enjoyable werewolf movie from the 70s.  Everything about it screams the 70s, including the clothing, decor and the fantastically funky music!  The cheesy "Werewolf Break" which comes after all the clues have been given and allows the audience to choose which person they think is the werewolf.  "The Beast Must Die" is a must see for fans of old horror movies!

Who is the Werewolf?

Five Desperate Women

"Five Desperate Women" is a 1971 made for TV movie that aired as an ABC Movie of the Week, starring: Robert Conrad, Anjanette Comer, Bradford Dillman, Joan Hackett, Denise Nicholas, Stefanie Powers and Julie Sommars.

Years after graduating from a private college, five friends reconnect for a reunion by chartering a boat to take them to a remote island off the coast of California where they will stay at an isolated seaside house.  The only inhabitants of the island are the five women: Lucy, Dorian, Joy, Gloria and Mary Grace as well as two men: the caretaker Michael & the boat captain Jim.  Unbeknownst to the women, there is a maniacal killer on the loose from the local insane asylum who at the beginning of the film kills a man on the beach and steals his clothes which have the island resort's company logo.

 The women are each taking a break from the lives they have ended up with since college.  At the beginning they all make it appear that each is doing well but little by little the truth surfaces and we learn that their lives aren't so happy after all.  When one of the women is found strangled in her bed, this makes the other four even more desperate to get off the island and away from the two men - one of which has to be the murderer.  Just when they try to get away, the boat explodes and the suspicions grow.

Will the four remaining women make it out alive?  Will they learn new things about themselves and their lives and be able to pick up the pieces if they make it out?  This is a pretty standard made for TV thriller that nevertheless is fun to watch.