Hangover Square (1945) Murdering Maundering Madman Is Musical Genius

With no messing about, this film jumps straight into a POV murder. First a stab with a dagger then a double tap with a gas lamp. The victim isn’t just gonna die, he’s gonna burn too! In the first of a series of shocking and macabre death scenes Hangover Square really grabs your attention. I love it when a movie gamble pays off. Went into this film really for it’s short runtime. Not the ideal way to pick a film, I know. Had way too many late nights and the thought that if I ain’t digging it I’ll turn it off and get myself an early night. Haha no chance. I was hooked and instantly invested in the plight of George Harvey Bone (Laird Cregar), right from that first hard hitting opening scene.

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Woman on the Run (1950) Banter, Roller Coasters, A Feisty Lady And A Packet Of Smokes

If your looking for a nifty noir with razor sharp dialogue and a killer roller coaster ride through the streets of San Francisco then Woman On The Run is just the ticket.

Taglines – As Startling as Your OWN Scream in the Night!

Green for Danger (1946) Doctors, Flirting, Doodlebugs, Murder and Alastair Sim

Joseph Higgins (Moore Marriott) was the friendly village postman. He fondly remembered back to before the war had turned his quaint little village into a WWII hospital. Now it was over run by doctors, surgeons and nurses. Being on the flight path of the German V1 rocket bombardment of England there wasn’t a day go by without that terrible sound filling the skies. The probability you were gonna be blown to smithereens was an everyday worry! Oh how he wished to be sat in the local pub knocking back a few bevvies with his mates.

The Reckoning (1970) Marler Raced Up North For Revenge Before Get Carter

Before Jack Carter (Michael Caine) swaggered around the north brandishing a shotgun with his tackle hanging out. There had been another! Michael Marler (Nicol Williamson) preceded the London bad boy as the returning prodigal son. Both had family deaths to revenge and women to bed. Jack speeds around in his humble Ford Cortina in Newcastle upon Tyne whilst Michael rockets to Liverpool in his posh Jaguar. Jack was a gangster. Michael is a cutthroat businessman. Both had payback on their minds.

Gattaca (1997) Only Genetic Perfection To Fly To The Stars

The future is here. Eugenics will change the world! No more lottery on your unborn baby having some form of deformity, however minor. Or even lets say, a lesser intelligence! Why would you take a gamble on your child’s future? Why not have some genetic selection cross referenced to ensure the best quality hereditary traits are met. Why roll the dice with a high percentage of heart disease when a little tweaking of the DNA code could almost guarantee a piston like pump into old age. To be able to eradicate certain unthinkable horrific life changing disorders like Motor Neurone Disease before a child is even born. But wait! Then no Stephen Hawking or at least a different Stephen Hawking. Yeah I know, that is an extreme case.

Obsession (1949) British Politeness, A Hot Water Bottle & A Perfect Murder

Storm Riordan (Sally Gray) is not to be confused with a certain naughty Stormy who turned tricks for a President with bouffant hair in her spare time. Or even be mistaken for that African American lady who causes pandemonium with her weather controlling superpowers when she’s in a bit of a mood. No, this Storm is a pretty normal lass, goes to work, likes the cinema and entertaining friends. She loves her cute little dog, Monty but unfortunately she has fallen out of love with her husband Dr. Clive Riordan (Robert Newton)

In a Lonely Place (1950) Angry Bogie’s Fury And An Alternative Ending

Before doing this blog I was blissfully unaware of Humphrey Bogart being bad! I’d only seen a handful of his movies and what with his legendary status following you around since whenever I can remember. Call me naive, I’d always thought he played good guys.  Well rogues or strong willed tough guys with a heart of gold or a cast iron moral code. Well I couldn’t have been more wrong! He was somewhat naughty in The Desperate Hours but I have to say I didn’t expect him to beat his despicable me part in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. So you see I wasn’t ready for Dixon Steele to turn up in In a Lonely Place and not reading anything about it when going in I’d expected him to be another Samuel Spade style PI.

No Way Out (1950) Sidney Poitier In Spinal Tap Of Prejudice

With enough N-Bombs to make Quentin Tarantino blush, No Way Out is one helluva tough watch that’s for sure. However it processes an important social message about racial prejudices and bigoted hatred.  This is the story of a young black man and his encounter with narrow-minded, blind, racial intolerance.

Murder on the Orient Express (1974) (2010) (2017) A Three Way Poirot Face Off

First up, there’s no spoilers to the victim, or the murderer and nothing about the motive. So if like me you haven’t seen it and I’d be very surprised if you hadn’t as I was to myself, there’s no spoils to be had.  Well if I’m very honest I had seen the 1974 version as a kid on the telly but thankfully I couldn’t recall a thing. Well apart from some snow,  obviously a train and a fancy Michael York looking all dandy.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) Panting Barefoot Panic Starts The Hammer

And there I was sitting in a world where Stacy Keach was the only Mike Hammer from the hands of crime novelist Mickey Spillane. Stacy’s Mike smashed his way though our 80’s television screens like a, well, Hammer. Stacy Keach was perfect for the part as the tough, gruff and brutally efficient, hard-boiled private investigator. I just didn’t know there was a whole gang of different Mike Hammer’s bringing justice throughout the ages. Kolchak The Night Stalker very own Darren McGavin played him in a 50’s series and in a universe defying paradox, creator Mickey Spillane actually plays his own “baby” in the 1963 film The Girl Hunters. (I need to see this)