The mysterious and sinister Fouracada (Sebastian Cabot) arrives in England, capturing the attention of the country’s top agents. Soon the bodies are piling up and Barton (Don Stannard) and Snowey have another mystery to solve as the population of entire villages are being wiped out, their brains dehydrated and shrivelled without a mark left on the bodies. What device could be capable of such destruction? And can it be stopped?
Directed by Godfrey Grayson with cinematography by Cedric Williams.
The Last Alarm is a 1940 American Monogram Picture film directed by William West.
Captain Jim Hadley, Fire Chief, has his retirement dinner after 40 years in the service. Next day, time hangs very heavy on his hands so that he even chats to a brush salesman (who has a perfect Elmer Fudd voice.) Bored he later visits his old fire station; Fire Company No.7 and talks to the men there, who are called out on a fire. The Great Eastern Insurance Company where Frank Rogers (who is interested in Hadley’s daughter Jane) works. There has been a number of fires lately and a firebug (arsonist) is suspected. This thought is echoed at the Arson Bureau where Lieutenant King, chased up by the Mayor, tells Henderson and Roberts he wants results. They know it is an arsonist who uses time bombs and petrol. The arsonist turns out to be the keeper of an antiques shop, which Joan visits.
Jim is making plans for the future with Burt Stafford who is due to retire soon. Burt is called out on a fire with the others and is very badly injured there. He dies in hospital, with Jim standing beside him. The antiques man has called at the Hadley home to bring a salt and pepper set he had to do minor work on, which Joan had bought. She sees the gleam in his eyes when she lights a match. Jim joins the arson investigation at the bureau, having had some experience when he was in the fire brigade. Spectroscopic analysis of wood found at the scene of the last big fire reveals that part of the burnt time bomb box Jim found was maple wood, so he, Henderson and Roberts scour the city for the maker of the boxes and who they sold them to.
At another big fire, Jim comes across a statue of Vulcan (Roman god of fire) which the arsonist dropped, it being his inspiration. The arsonist gets it from Jim’s unlocked car where he put it. Mention of this statue later and the fact that Frank and Joan saw it in the antique shop window provide a strong lead so they get a search warrant. They do not find any bomb making equipment but Jim finds wood shavings which later analysis reveals to be the same wood as that used for the time bomb box. Jim and Frank go after the arsonist who has lost his bureau tail. The arsonist goes to the basement of the Hadley house where he plants a time bomb. He goes upstairs and confronts Mrs Hadley and Joan and as Jim and Frank realise he may be back at their house, having been seen in the vicinity, the bomb goes off and the basement catches fire. The arsonist tells the women Jim should not have interfered in his work. The men bust in the door and while Frank escorts the women outside, Jim goes after the arsonist, who now babbling about being the god of fire, falls down the basement steps into the burning basement and dies. Some time later there is another dinner in honour of Jim who has got a new job. Honorary Fire Chief of the city.
The film contained film from a number of large authentic fires, a fire station, and firemen rushing to the fires and fighting the fires. No acknowledgment was given to the fire service. The unnamed city was probably Los Angeles.
—
Directed by William West, produced by Ted Richmond (associate producer) and T.R. Williams (producer), written by Al Martin, starring J. Farrell MacDonald as Jim Hadley, Polly Ann Young as Joan Hadley, Warren Hull as Frank Rogers, George, Pembroke as Wendell, Mary Gordon as Mrs Hadley, Joel Friedkin as Burt Stafford, Bruce MacFarlane as Jack Henderson, Eddie Hart as Dick Roberts, Willard Hall as Briggs, Charles Anthony Hughes Lieutenant King, Charles R. Phipps as Stevens, Eddie Kane as Fire Chief, James Coughlin as Cummings, Ted Richmond, T.R. Williams, Lee Zahler, Harry Neumann, Russell F. Schoengarth, Chris Beute, Glenn Cook and Karl Zint.
—
Source: “The Last Alarm” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 13 December 2011. Web. 19 September 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Alarm.
Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang
Release Date: August 31, 1931
Genre: Crime Thriller
Synopsis
This thrilling drama of crime, pursuit, and vengeance has got to be on anyone’s list of all-time greats. A psychotic murderer of little girls terrorizes, and enrages, a large German city. Although the police conduct a thorough investigation, they remain baffled. But their search so disrupts the city’s underworld that the criminals decide to hunt him down themselves. More efficient — and fascistically brutal –than the establishment, and aided by a network of colorful beggars, they catch the murderer (“M”). During the subsequent mock trial, their fierce thirst for revenge bursts forth, leading to an exciting climax. Aside from being an engrossing manhunt melodrama, the film is a fascinating semi-documentary on scientific deduction methods, and astute study of schizophrenic mind, a thoughtful meditation on justice and capital punishment, and a downright chilling reflection of German society’s confusions, anxieties, and violent tendencies on the eve of the Hitler era. Add to these Fritz Lang’s customary excellence at expressionistic camerawork, lighting, and symbolism, creating a claustrophobic nightmare from which the killer, his victims, and audience can’t escape. Watch for the dizzying high angles and geometric spaces that turn the streets into terrifying mazes; or the shot in which “M,” framed by a circle of knives in a cutlery shop’s window, suddenly seems trapped by his own weapons of destruction. Peter Lorre manages to make the fat, bug-eyed little psychopath both frightening and pathetic; his half-whimpered, half-screamed plea for mercy turns the character into a tragic victim of uncontrollable instincts. And Lang turns his first attempt at the new sound medium into a tour de force, using dialogue and sound effects to bridge locations and scenes, and orchestrating ingenious sound-picture counterpoints. A mother’s desperate cries for her missing daughter reverberate off screen while we see unforgettably poignant images of the child’s ball rolling down a hill, and her balloon entangled in telegraph wires — a violent death made horrifying not by gory special effects buy by our imagination. “M” ultimately gives himself away by haunting Grieg melody he compulsively whistles before killing; just hearing that tune is enough to turn our blood instantly cold. A masterpiece of visual and aural expressiveness — and an absolutely first-rate suspense drama! In German with English subtitles. 99 minutes.
Cast
Peter Lorre …….. Hans Beckert
Ellen Widmann …… Frau Beckmann
Inge Landgut ……. Elsie Beckmann
Otto Wernicke …… Inspector Karl Lohmann
Theodor Loos ……. Inspector Groeber
“Phantom Ship”, also known as “The Mystery of the Marie Celeste” is one of the early films from Hammer Film Productions and was directed by Denison Clift. The leading actor is Béla Lugosi. The story is based on the history of the ship Mary Celeste. The ship was found floating near Portugal in 1872 without a crew. The film is an attempt at a rather unspectacular explanation of the events around the well-known spirit ship, without supernatural occurrences.
Captain Briggs (Arthur Margetson) and Captain Morehead (Clifford McLaglen) are best friends. Capt. Morehead is in love with Sarah (Shirley Grey). He brings Briggs to New York to meet her. Briggs himself falls in love with her. Sarah also falls in love with Briggs. Both men propose to her the same day. Sarah chooses Briggs. Sarah and Briggs open their marriage plans to Morehead and he gets furious with jealousy. He’s also mad with Briggs for going behind his back. But Briggs tells him that he will marry Sarah even if that means the end of their friendship. As the couple plans to sail, the husband – Briggs is short on crew. He asks Morehead to forgive him and help. Morehead agrees and sends a man, Volkerk Grot (Herbert Cameron), not to help, but to do something to the ship. Briggs also recruits some other men, including Anton Lorenzen (Béla Lugosi) who is a sailor who has suffered a lot and is about to break down.
As the sail begins, the crew realizes that there is a murderer among them who is killing them off one by one. Meanwhile a crewmember tries to rape Sarah, but Lorenzen saves her by killing the man. But then he cries because he can’t stand the pain of killing a man.
Soon, everybody has died or disappeared except 1st mate Bilson, Lorenzen and a third crewmember, Ponta Katz (Gunner Moir). They decide that one of them is a killer and they will soon find out. Katz realizes that Lorenzen could not kill, he was too soft, so he runs after Bilson. Bilson shoots Katz and then celebrates with Lorenzen on becoming the new Captain of Ship, making plans for future.
Lorenzen gets mad and tells Bilson that it is he who was shanghaied 6 years before, on the same ship. And he was doing all this to get revenge. Then he shoots Bilson and throws him into the sea. Just after killing Bilson, Lorenzen is hit on the head by the boom. He runs everywhere on ship in hope of finding Bilson, and in his madness he jumps off the ship.
The ship drifts with the wind until it is spotted by another ship. The ship is totally abandoned – except for a black cat! A final scene shows Morehead handing money to his man Grot, commenting “I am thinking of Briggs and her, dead!”
—
Directed by Denison Clift, produced by Henry Passmore, written by Denison Clift (story) and Charles Larkworthy (scenario), starring Béla Lugosi as Anton Lorenzen, Shirley Grey as Sarah Briggs, Arthur Margetson as Capt. Benjamin Briggs, Edmund Willard as Toby Bilson, Dennis Hoey as Tom Goodschard, George Mozart as Tommy Duggan, Johnnie Schofield as Peter Tooley, Gunner Moir as Ponta Katz, Ben Welden as ‘Sailor’ Hoffman, Clifford McLaglen as Capt. Jim Morehead, Tom Bastable as Olly Deveau, Matt Ramage as Andy Gilling, Terence De Marney as Charlie Kaye, Edgar Pierce as Arian Harbens, Herbert Cameron as Volkerk Grot, Wilfred Essex as Horatio Sprague, James Carew as James Winchester, Monti DeLyle as Portunato, Alec Fraser as Commander Mahon, Mary B and Mitchell as the ship Marie Celeste.
—
Source: “Terror by Night” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 5 July 2012. Web. 14 September 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mystery_of_the_Marie_Celeste.
“Penny Serenade” is a 1941 film melodrama starring Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Beulah Bondi, and Edgar Buchanan. It was directed by George Stevens and written by Martha Cheavens and Morrie Ryskind. It depicts the story of a loving couple who must overcome adversity to keep their marriage and raise a child. Grant was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.
While listening to a recording of “Penny Serenade,” Julie Gardiner Adams (Irene Dunne) begins reflecting on her past. Roger (Cary Grant) and Julie Adams suffer a tragedy when she miscarries in an earthquake during their 1923 stay in Japan. They are told that she cannot have children. They request to adopt a two-year old boy, but ultimately adopt a much younger girl. They struggle to make ends meet and to retain their parental rights when Roger loses his job. When the little girl dies suddenly, the emotional strain threatens to destroy their marriage. Songs mark episodes in the action from records from their collection—the title refers to a song of the same name. In the end, they are offered the opportunity to adopt a little boy who matches their original request, miraculously saving their marriage.
—
Directed and porduced by George Stevens, written by Martha Cheavens and Morrie Ryskind, starring Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Beulah Bondi and Edgar Buchanan.
—
Source: “Penny Serenade” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 29 May 2012. Web. 31 August 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Serenade.
“Kansas City Confidential” is a 1952 film noir crime film directed by Phil Karlson and starring John Payne. The film was marketed with the tagline “Exploding like a gun in your face!” and released in the United Kingdom as “The Secret Four”.
Four robbers hold up an armored truck, getting away with over a million dollars in cash. Joe Rolfe (John Payne), a down-on-his-luck flower delivery truck driver is accused of being involved and is roughly interrogated by local police. Released due to lack of evidence, Joe, following the clues to a Mexican resort, decides to look for the men who set him up both to clear his name and to exact revenge. What he doesn’t know is that the heist involves a retired policeman who is also intent on revenge. The plot was inspiration for Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.
—
Directed by Phil Karlson, produced by Edward Small, screenplay by George Bruce, and Harry Essex, story by Rowland Brown and Harold Greene, starring John Payne
Coleen Gray, Preston Foster, Neville Brand and Lee Van Cleef.
—
Source: “Kansas City Confidential” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 14 August 2012. Web. 31 August 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_Confidential.
“Last Woman on Earth” is an American science-fiction film produced and directed by Roger Corman. It tells the story of three survivors of a mysterious apocalypse which appears to have wiped out all human life on earth. The screenplay is by Robert Towne, who also appears in the film billed as “Edward Wain”.
Harold Gern (Antony Carbone), a successful businessman from New York who has been in a lot of legal trouble recently, is spending a holiday in Puerto Rico with his attractive wife Evelyn (Betsy Jones-Moreland), whom he married “between trials”. They are joined by Martin Joyce (Edward Wain), Gern’s friend and lawyer, who has come to discuss legal matters. Not in the mood to talk business, Gern invites him along on a boat trip during which all three try out some newly bought scuba diving equipment. When they resurface they realize to their astonishment that they are unable to breathe without using their oxygen tanks. They climb back into their boat and find Manuel, their servant, dead on board asphyxiated. Unable to start the engine, they row ashore. With 40 minutes worth of oxygen left they enter the jungle, where, due to the plants giving off oxygen, they can soon breathe normally again (and light a cigarette to calm their nerves).
Gradually it dawns upon the three that they might be the only survivors in the area, maybe in the world. They briefly speculate on what has happened (“an act of God … or bigger and better bombs”) but try to “keep that kind of talk to a minimum” and mainly concern themselves with becoming self-sufficient, for example by moving to a villa near the beach. The two men teach themselves how to fish as only animals that live in the water have survived but when they see insects again they realize that they must have survived inside their eggs. Accordingly, they feel that in the long run they will have to move North to a colder climate to avoid an insect problem and also problems with food preservation and to increase their chances of meeting other survivors.
Very soon the Gerns and Martin Joyce can no longer cope with the triangular situation. Although they still keep up appearances Evelyn is still wearing jewelry, and Harold Gern, a tie for their seafood dinners Martin points out to Gern that neither the latter’s marriage certificate nor his money mean anything any more. Evelyn feels attracted to the lawyer, who eventually tells her husband what he really thinks of him (“The way you made your money stank. And furthermore, Harold, you stink.”). After a short fistfight Martin pretends to be leaving the couple but at the last moment Evelyn hops into the car, and the two lovers drive off. Harold hotwires the other car and follows them. At the harbour another fight between the two men ensues during which Martin is fatally injured. The two survivors are left wondering where they will go or what they will do now.
—
Directed by Roger Corman, produced by Roger Corman and Charles Hannawalt, written by Robert Towne, starring Betsy Jones-Moreland, Antony Carbone and Robert Towne (billed as Edward Wain).
—
Source: “Last Woman on Earth” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 13 August 2012. Web. 31 August 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Woman_on_Earth.
“Of Human Bondage” is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Cromwell and is widely regarded by critics as the film that made Bette Davis a star. The screenplay by Lester Cohen is based on the 1915 novel of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham.
Sensitive, club-footed artist Philip Carey is an Englishman who has been studying painting in Paris for four years. His art teacher tells him his work lacks talent, so he returns to London to become a medical doctor, but his moodiness and chronic self-doubt make it difficult for him to keep up in his schoolwork. Philip falls passionately in love with vulgar tearoom waitress Mildred Rogers, even though she is disdainful of his club-foot and his obvious interest in her. Although he is attracted to the anemic and pale-faced woman, she is manipulative and cruel toward him when he asks her out. Her constant response to his romantic invitations is “I don’t mind,” an expression so uninterested that it infuriates him – which only causes her to use it all the more. His daydreams about her (her image appears over an illustration in his medical school anatomy textbook, and a skeleton in the classroom is transformed into Mildred) cause him to be distracted from his studies, and he fails his medical examinations.
When Philip proposes to her, Mildred declines, telling him she will be marrying a loutish salesman Emil Miller instead. The self-centered Mildred vindictively berates Philip with nasty insults for becoming romantically interested in her. Philip begins to forget Mildred when he falls in love with Norah, an attractive and considerate romance writer working under a male pseudonym. She slowly cures him of his painful addiction to Mildred. But just when it appears that Philip is finding happiness, Mildred returns, pregnant and claiming that Emil has abandoned her. Philip provides an apartment for her, arranges to take care of her financially, and breaks off his relationship with Norah. Norah and Philip admit how bondages exist between people (Philip was bound to Mildred, as Norah was to Philip, and as Mildred was to Miller). Philip’s intention is to marry Mildred after her child is born, but a bored and restless Mildred is an uninterested mother, and gives up the baby’s care to a nurse.
At a dinner party celebrating their engagement, one of Philip’s medical student friends, Harry Griffiths, flirts with Mildred, who somewhat reciprocates. After Philip confronts Mildred, she runs off with Griffiths for Paris. A second time, Philip again finds some comfort in his studies, and with Sally Athelny, the tender-hearted daughter of one of his elderly patients in a charity hospital. The Athelny family is caring and affectionate, and they take Philip into their home. Once again, Mildred returns with her baby, this time expressing remorse for deserting him. Philip cannot resist rescuing her and helping her to recover from another failed relationship. Things take a turn for the worse when Mildred moves in, spitefully wrecks his apartment and destroys his paintings and books, and burns the securities and bonds he was given by an uncle to finance his tuition. Philip is forced to quit medical school, but before he leaves the institution, an operation corrects his club foot. The Athelnys take Philip in when he is unable to find work and is locked out of his flat, and he takes a job with Sally’s father as a window dresser.
As time progresses, a letter is sent to Philip which informs him that his uncle has died, leaving a small inheritance. With the inheritance money, Philip is able to return to medical school and pass his examinations to become a qualified doctor. Later, Philip meets up with Mildred, now sick, destitute, and working as a prostitute. Mildred’s baby has died, and she has become distraught and sick with tuberculosis. Before he can visit her again, she dies in a hospital charity ward. With Mildred’s death, Philip is finally freed of his obsession, and he makes plans to marry Sally.
—
Directed by John Cromwell, produced by Pandro S. Berman, written by Lester Cohen,
based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, starring Leslie Howard, Bette Davis and Frances Dee.
—
Source: “Of Human Bondage (1934 film)” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 15 August 2012. Web. 31 August 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Of_Human_Bondage_(1934_film).
Nancy Drew… Reporter is a 1939 American film directed by William Clemens and starring Bonita Granville, as Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew, competing in the local newspaper’s amateur reporter contest, clears a girl named Eula Denning of murder charges.
—
Directed by William Clemens, produced by Bryan Foy, Hal B. Wallis and Jack L. Warner, written by Mildred Wirt Benson (stories) and Kenneth Gamet (screenplay), starring Bonita Granville as Nancy Drew, John Litel as Carson Drew, Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson, Mary Lee as Mary Nickerson, Dickie Jones as Killer Parkins, Larry Williams as Miles Lambert, Betty Amann as Eula Denning, Thomas E. Jackson as City Editor Bostwick, Olin Howland as Sergeant Entwhistle and Sheila Bromley as Bonnie Lucas.
—
Source: “Nancy Drew… Reporter” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 21 June 2012. Web. 28 August 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Drew…_Reporter.
If you like this movie and our channel, please subscribe: https://goo.gl/0qDmXe