The Wish List: 'Underrated Sci-Fi' Edition

The cold and dark of the winter doldrums makes me want to retreat into my mind like Sam Lowry. Perhaps it's because I binged on some random sci-fi films last month, but I've been thinking about some underrated entries in the genre that deserve to be on my latest Wish List:

Looker (Michael Crichton, 1981)

If you're willing to accept the premise of a middle-aged, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, portrayed by Albert Finney, as the film’s hero, you will be rewarded with a compelling conspiracy thriller beyond its time. Looker not only predicted deep fakes in media over forty years ago, but also presented the nefarious concept of subliminal messaging in television used to influence consumer behaviour and political decisions.

Looker is desperately in need of a remaster. The picture quality of the Warner Archive Blu-ray is far too grainy and the colours are flat. Arrow or Indicator would be ideal labels to restore the film, including inserting the famous deleted scene, featuring James Coburn, which provides crucial context to the plot.

The Hidden (Jack Sholder, 1987)

A gloriously 1980s sci-fi action film about an alien insect that crawls inside people and causing them to commit crimes, while blasting uptempo rock music. 

While The Hidden is frequently included in lists of underrated 1980s science fiction films, its status has largely remained unchanged. I revisited this film after noting its obvious inspiration for The Cat (1992) last month. Pleased to say that it has lost none of its appeal since first discovering it during my teens.

A film that would benefit with superior treatment from a label such as Vinegar Syndrome or 88 Films. 

Fortress (Stuart Gordon, 1992)

Admittedly, labelling this film underrated is tenuous, given its box office success and producing a sequel. However, pretty much anything directed by Stuart Gordon that isn't Re-Animator or From Beyond barely gets the same sort of physical media love as them. 

Set in a dystopian future, where having more than one child will get you a life sentence in a subterranean, maximum security prison, a remote explosive device in your stomach, and a cyborg Kurtwood Smith trying to steal your wife, Fortress is one one of the better movies to star Christopher Lambert where you needn't worry about him talking in a horrible Scottish accent. Pure B-movie entertainment, and a personal favourite amongst prison movie canon.

Fortress would make for a worthy release on 88 Films or Kino Lorber.

Beyond the Black Rainbow (Panos Cosmatos, 2010)

 

Given its abstract cinematography and deliberate slow-pacing, Beyond the Black Rainbow is more of a mood-driven experience than one with a traditional narrative. This gives it a certain pretentious art-house quality, for lack of a better description. However, its stunning retro-futuristic visual aesthetics make the feat of deciphering it, surprisingly worthwhile. It eventually treads into familiar slasher territory, too. That would explain why I find it so appealing.

Panos Cosmatos followed this film with the similarly experimental Mandy (2018), starring Nicolas Cage; another film that I adore.

Beyond the Black Rainbow would be a suitable release for a label like Second Sight, which knows a thing or two about curateing both modern cult films and traditional titles. 

The Platform (Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, 2019)

I recently reviewed this allegorical film set within a dystopian brutalist prison. It is worth reiterating my profound impression of the film. While some scenes are very disturbing, it remains a captivating and challenging watch. Regrettably, its sequel was a significant disappointment and even undermined the original, to an extent.

Although a Netflix exclusive, The Platform was released on Blu-ray in Spain and Japan. These releases were not English-friendly. Therefore, the film is definitely in need of a Blu-ray release with English subtitles. Second Sight would be my pick to deliver the goods.

Underwater (William Eubank, 2020)

Similar to her former co-star Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart has starred in several films to distance herself from her association with the cultural ruin of the Twilight series. More recently, she starred in the enjoyable film Love Lies Bleeding (2024). My favourite example of this is Underwater, a science fiction thriller set at the bottom of the Mariana Trench with sea monsters. It might also be because K-Stew and Jessica Henwick wear skimpy underwear in it, too.

Sadly, this eneergetic, creature feature was caught up in the Covid kerfuffle. It's never received an official Blu-ray release in my region. Any of the aforementioned labels  would be a good distributor, to be honest. 

Original Gangster

Little Caesar (Mervyn LeRoy, 1931)

Other than some notable exceptions, pre-Code films are relatively unfamiliar territory for me. This is surprising given that films from nearly a century ago containing sex, violence and various other morally corrupt virtues are of great curiosity to me. Mervyn LeRoy’s Prohibition era crime drama Little Caesar (1931) is a prime example of this; a film which remained unseen by me until recently. Anyone with a vested interest in cinema would be aware of the film by its title alone, along with it being Edward G. Robinson's breakout performance in it. What's more, Little Caesar would serve as the quintessential template for the gangster movie; creating an entire subgenre in cinema.

Adapted from William R. Burnett’s 1929 novel, Little Caesar centres on an out-of-town hoodlum, Caesar Enrico “Rico” Bandello (Edward G. Robinson), who seeks to establish himself within Chicago’s criminal underworld. His reluctant partner Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) is more interested in women and dancing, but nonetheless joins an uncouth Sam Vettori’s (Stanley Fields) gang with Rico. The pair become increasingly distant over time; Rico’s imposing presence and influence within Vettori’s gang contrast with Massara going straight as a dancer at The Bronze Peacock; a club owned by rival gang boss "Little" Archie Lorch (Maurice Black). Furthermore, Joe develops a relationship with his dance partner Olga Stassoff (Glenda Farrell), who wants him to cut ties with the mob, further distancing him from Rico.

Despite the order from the Don, known as "Big Boy" (Sidney Blackmer), for everyone to remain discreet and avoid attracting the attention of the new Crime Commissioner Alvin McClure (Landers Stevens), Rico and his associates commit a robbery at the Bronze Peacock during the New Year celebrations. This results in Rico murdering the commissioner as he leaves the nightclub. Instead of being punished for this breach of protocol, Rico is rewarded for it; including the respect and takeover of Vettori’s gang. Incidentally, the capo acts oddly relieved with his demotion to soldier status once the crew choose Rico over him.

The murder of McClure has Police Sergeant Flaherty (Ralph Ince) investigating the gang and waiting for a potential slip-up. Getaway driver Tony Passa (William Collier Jr.), already a nervous wreck from the robbery, is a weak link. A chance meeting with Otero (George E. Stone), Rico’s new right-hand man, reveals that Tony wants no more to do with the gang; not even in wanting his share of the stolen loot. Tony plans to confess to the local priest. Thus, he is brutally gunned down in a drive-by on the church steps.

Tony Passa’s grand funeral procession through the streets of Chicago is a scene which could have been lifted from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather films. Rico and his associates ride in the motorcade without any sign of grief. Ironically, the wake is nothing more but a banquet held in honour of the gang's ruthless leader. Amidst the boozy celebrations, the teetotal Rico, ironically foreshadows his own demise:

"And I wish you birds wouldn't get drunk and raise Cain, because that's the way a lot of birds get bumped off." 

Rico’s public exposure and celebrity status provoke contempt from Little Archie Lorch. The rival gang boss plots a hit on the underworld V.I.P. This scene draws a comparison to Coppola’s Vito Corleone being gunned down on the streets. Both characters are highly cautious of anything that might be perceived as suspicious. Rico mocks his would-be assassin after being wounded, remarking, “Fine shot you are!” Joe Massara’s warning about Little Archie’s hit prompts Rico to reminisce about his former partner and wanting to bring him back to the fold. First, however, he has to make an important visit to his Little Archie's club.

In a scene that Brian De Palma obviously took major inspiration from in his film Scarface (1983), Rico runs his rival out of town. With the acquisition of Little Archie's properties and business enterprises, Rico's empire grows. Eventually, the titular rogue takes over "Diamond" Pete Montana's (Ralph Ince) second-in-command position for Big Boy.

Rico’s meteoric rise is entertaining because it further inflates his egomania. The failed assassination attempt only fuels his thirst for power even further; anyone in his way will be met with his "Shoot first, argue afterwards." method.

The bling he wears is not merely for show but serves as trophies taken from those who were once above him and in his way. The derby hat, dapper suits and spats shoes also materialistically exemplify his increasing social status. When Rico is made the new boss of Northside Chicago, the expository on-screen text reads:

"Rico continued to take care of himself, his hair and his gun — with excellent results."

Homoerotic subtext is evident in the film. This is most apparent in Rico’s complete lack of interest in women and his scorn for Joe’s relationship with Olga. When Joe rejects the offer to help run Rico's empire and wanting out of the game, it culminates in a threatening ultimatum from the crime boss:

Rico: "You didn't quit. Nobody ever quit me. You're still in my gang, you got that? I don't care how many fancy skirts you've got hanging onto you, that Jane of yours can go hang. It's her that's made a softie out of you."

Joe: "You lay off Olga, Rico!"

Rico: "I ain't laying off her; I'm after her. One of us is gonna lose, and it ain't gonna be me. There's ways of stopping that dame."

This eventually leads to Rico drawing a gun on Joe. As he walks menacingly closer to his old partner, the camera closes in on Rico's face. His face is blurry and unfocused. Symbolic with the doubt in Rico's mind. For the first time ever, Caesar fails to pull the trigger. Thus, sealing his own doom.

For clarity, Olga is the one who goes squealing about McClure's murder to Sergeant Flaherty, causing Rico's gang to be apprehended. Therefore, Rico was essentially correct in disliking her; subtext or not. Rico instantly regrets not murdering Joe once the law give chase, "This is what I get for liking a guy too much."

More overt homoerotic subtext is present between Rico and his sycophantic right-hand man Otero. The mirror scene, where Otero assists Rico in dressing for his meeting with Big Boy, suggests a sexual act. Otero stood below Rico's groin, says much. 

After months of evading capture and without finances, Rico finds himself returning to the gutter from whence he came. He is no longer a teetotaller and is now a destitute drunk residing in a flophouse. From a person reading a newspaper aloud, he learns of Sam Vittori’s execution and a now promoted Lieutenant Flaherty’s denunciation of Rico of being a coward. This is an obvious ploy to lure the former crime boss out of hiding. It works. Rico’s conceited ego takes the bait. He telephones the lawman and is even more outraged by Flaherty’s verbal sparring. This provides sufficient time to trace the call and locate Rico.

Flaherty spots Rico next to a billboard, one which is poetically advertising Joe and Olga's dancing act. A defiant Rico won't give up and hides behind the sign. Armed with a tommy gun, Flaherty sprays the billboard with bullets, fatally wounding the criminal. Ever the narcissist, Rico's famous last words are spoken in third person (your humble host would never ever, dear reader) as if lifted from a newspaper headline, "Mother of mercy! Is this the end of Rico?"

Despite its somewhat rough edges, Little Caesar remains a compelling film largely due to Edward G. Robinson’s energetic performance. The actor’s distinctive, rapid delivery is particularly memorable. His confident swagger and Napoleon complex make Rico a highly alluring character. This is why Edward G. Robinson’s iconic portrayal of the character has left an indelible mark on popular culture.

Although Little Caesar may not have been the first gangster film, it established the narrative and template that subsequent films of its kind would follow. Consequently, some of its shortcomings are easily overlooked given its role in defining an entire subgenre in cinema. 

Recommended.

Free to watch on YouTube. 

Dada Debaser Note: 

Watched Little Caesar on New Year's Day, unaware it had just become a public domain film that same day.

Infamy! Infamy! They've All Got It in for Me

Happy New Year!

We've reached the same year when the post-apocalyptic sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) was set. 

Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the film at first, it has really grown on me since then. The Shakespearean rivalry between Caesar and Koba was made it finally click for me in the end. I still don't give a damn about all the forgettable human survivors, however.

Similarly, here is a list of other films — most of which I was too young to appreciate at the time  — that have also improved for me: 

The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles, 1947)
Forbidden Planet (Fred M. Wilcox, 1956) 
Beat Girl (Edmond T. Gréville, 1959)
The Brides of Dracula (Terence Fisher, 1960) 
Taste of Fear (Seth Holt, 1961) 
Doctor Zhivago (David Lean, 1965)
Barbarella (Roger Vadim, 1968)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Peter R. Hunt, 1969) 
The Holy Mountain (Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1973) 
Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir, 1975)
Saturday Night Fever (John Badham, 1977)
Martin (George A. Romero, 1977) 
Caligula (Tinto Brass, 1979)
Maniac (William Lustig, 1980)
Murder Rock: Dancing Death (Lucio Fulci, 1984) 
Once Upon a Time in America (Sergio Leone, 1984)
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (Danny Steinmann, 1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge (Jack Sholder, 1985)
Withnail & I (Bruce Robinson, 1987)
Dead Ringers (David Cronenberg, 1988)
Society (Brian Yuzna, 1989)
Singapore Sling (Nikos Nikolaidis, 1990)
Popcorn (Mark Herrier, Alan Ormsby, 1991)
Bad Lieutenant (Abel Ferrara, 1992)
Split Second (Tony Maylam, 1992)
Twelve Monkeys (Terry Gillian, 1995) 
Ravenous (Antonia Bird, 1999) 
Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001) 
The Aviator (Martin Scorsese, 2004)
Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2009)
Dream Home (Edmund Pang, 2010)
Green Room (Jeremy Saulnier, 2015) 
Limbo (Soi Cheang, 2021)
The Sadness (Rob Jabbaz, 2021) 

Viewings: December 2025

 

Blogging may have taken a substantial hit, but I still managed to cover a bunch of new and old film discoveries worth writing about in 2025. Hope to repeat the same for next year.

Lam Nai-Choi's bonkers sci-fi actioner The Cat was easily the best find for me this month. It features one of the most epic fights you will ever witness between a cat and a dog; not to mention a multitude of other insane sequences.

Close behind is the N.Y.C. crime thriller Night of the Juggler. A cult film which was rescued from video hell this year, and was well worth it.

 

Film:

The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1947)

Dial M for Murder (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)

Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, 1956)

North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)

Ikarie XB1 (Jindřich Polák, 1963)*

Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (William Beaudine, 1966)*

Carry On Screaming! (Gerald Thomas, 1966)

Carry On Doctor (Gerald Thomas, 1967)

Carry Om Camping (Gerald Thomas, 1969)

Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (John D. Hancock, 1971)

Horror Hospital (Anthony Balch, 1973)

Sex of the Witch (Angelo Pannacciò, 1973)*

Torso (Sergio Martino, 1973)

Rollerball (Norman Jewison, 1975)

The House with Laughing Windows (Pupi Avati, 1976)

Logan’s Run (Michael Anderson, 1976)

Death on the Nile (John Guillermin, 1978)

New Year’s Evil (Emmett Alston, 1980)

Night of the Juggler (Robert Butler, Sidney J. Furie•, 1980)

The Hidden (Jack Sholder, 1987)

Lustmord (Hisayasu Satô, 1987)*

Love Letter in the Sand AKA Pervert Ward (Hisayasu Satô, 1988)*

The Cat (Lam Nai-Choi, 1992)

Death Machine (Stephen Norrington, 1994)*

Chicken Run (Peter Lord, Nick Park, 2000)

Darkness Falls (Jonathan Liebesman, 2003)*

The Belko Experiment (Greg McLean, 2016)

Malignant (James Wan, 2021)

Stelios (Girogos Tsemperopoulos, 2024)*

Nosferatu (Robert Eggers, 2024 / 2025)

Strange Harvest (Stuart Ortiz, 2024 / 2025)*

Bugonia (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2025)*

Reflection in a Dead Diamond ( Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, 2025)*

The Running Man (Edgar Wright, 2025)* 

 

Television:

The War Between the Land and the Sea (Dylan Holmes Williams, 2025)

Mastermind - Episodes 20-22 (Various, 2025 / 2026)* 

 

 

* First time viewings.

• Uncredited. 

 

Dada Debaser Notes:

• I wrote about some of my very favourite queens of giallo this month.
• Speaking of giallo, there aren’t too many that I like produced in between Argento’s Deep Red (1975) and Tenbrae (1982), Pupi Avati’s The House with the Laughing Windows, is superb, however. Additionally, it also happens to be a fantastic folk horror, too.
• I wish James Gunn stuck with writing horror screenplays instead of comic book movies. His irreverent humour felt more natural in The Belko Experiment compared to being shoehorned in Superman (2025).
• One half of The Vicious Brothers is back! It’s another faux TV show, too. Strange Harvest could have been another cult horror film like Grave Encounters (2011), but I found it somewhat lacking, despite the cosmic horror appeal.
• Reflection in a Dead Diamond might be one of the best looking films for me this year, but it's also one of the biggest disappointments as well, sadly. The constant flip-flopping of meta levels of reality and eras in time made it a slog to sit through. This experimental treatment just doesn't work in a what's essentially a throwback to Euro-spy films like it did with the directors' prior films.
• I was going about to blog about Russell T. Davies's latest unintentional comedy, The War Between the Land and the Sea (2025), but never had the time nor the motivation. The best thing about it was its acronym being changed to T.W.A.T.B.L.A.S.T. by Doctor Who fans.
• Bidi-bid-bidi rest in peace, Gil Gerard! Best known as Captain William "Buck" Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979). Coincidentally, two recurring characters, Colonel Wilma Deering and Princess Ardala, are featured in Buck Roger's 500 year wet dream in the opening credits of the pilot, despite the astronaut having not even met them yet.

In terms of the blogosphere, I enjoyed The Martorialist's fave choons old and new in 2025; Glen McCulla's in depth piece on Sergio Martino gialli; and The Flashback Fanatic's review on Rollerball (1975), which inspired me to rewatch the film and a host of other sci-fi flicks this month.

No Flesh Shall Be Spared

Hardware (Richard Stanley, 1990)

2000AD was a weekly comic I would read throughout most of the 1980s and early 1990s. It was a font of creative talent exemplifying the comic book renaissance at the time; some of that talent, would be poached by the Big Two (Marvel and D.C.) and eventually see their works adapted into film.

It's no big secret that Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi classic, Robocop (1987), took blatant inspiration from 2000AD's flagship lawman Judge Dredd during its pre-production.

Similarly, writer and director Richard Stanley tapped into the Dreddverse with his debut feature film Hardware (1990). Evidently, Fleetway Publications, the owner of 2000AD, thought Stanley's film was doing more than just taking inspiration and successfully won a copyright case against it. Despite Stanley denying he ever read, SHOK!, the seven page story which first appeared in the 1981 Judge Dredd annual. Thus, SHOK!'s creators, Steve MacManus and Kevin O'Neill, were credited subsequent prints of the film.

Hardware is set in a dystopian future ravaged by atomic warfare. Nomads scavenge for scrap in an irradiated wasteland. Ex marine, Hard Mo' Baxter (Dylan McDermott), acquires a robot skull from one particular nomad. He gifts it to his sculptor girlfriend Jill (Stacey Travis) upon his long return home as a Christmas present. (Yes, it's a Christmas movie!) However, both Mo' and Jill are unaware that the skull is part of a deadly M.A.R.K. 13 robot capable of resourcing power, reassembling itself and delivering a fatal toxin. Furthermore, it is later revealed that the M.A.R.K. 13 was programmed by the government to reduce the human population.

The mise-en-scène is central to Richard Stanley’s vision, with the plot serving as secondary.  Dystopian cyberpunk imagery is prevalent. Future tech, metallic junk and urban rubble are everywhere. Computer generated wire-mesh visuals rotate on crummy monitors. Steam is ejected from unknown vents. And colourful lights cast Bava-esque beauty on metallic surfaces. Hardware is an unapologetic film that's all about style over substance. 

This is a nightmarish future. A stark example of the grim state of the human race is a child tied to its deceased mother on a forgotten apartment level. Furthermore, nonchalant media announcements for enforced sterilisations commencing in the New Year are chilling.

The performances are mixed. Stacey Travis and Dylan McDermott are great as the leads, maintaining professional composure throughout Richard Stanley’s avant-garde direction. They do their best with the material that they have available. John Lynch’s character Shades, is both shallow and superfluous. This is largely due to the character’s flat profile rather than Lynch's performance. Additionally, his Ray Bans and aviator jacket would have been more suited on a background extra in Top Gun than here. The character's solo scene, in which he appears high in his apartment, adds nothing to the film and is a time waster.

Mark Nothover plays Alvy, a dwarf junkyard trader whose voice appears to have been dubbed by an American actor. Despite his limited screen time Alvy’s role is more integral to the film than Shades and genuinely serves a purpose. The merchant is the one who discovers how dangerous the M.A.R.K. 13 is; adding urgency to the mix.

William Hootkins, best known for his role as fat X-Wing pilot Jak Porkins in Star Wars, plays Jill’s stalker neighbour. He is memorable as an odious pervert and for his bizarre singing of They All Walk the Wibbly-Wobbly Walk . You’re just praying for him to die horribly.

Given Richard Stanley’s background as a music director (credited for directing Superfly Guy by S-Express and Blue Pearl’s Naked in the Rain), he features several musicians in his film. The aforementioned nomad is played by Carl McCoy of Fields of the Nephilim, while Lemmy of Motörhead is a water taxi driver, crossing a polluted river with Ace of Spades playing on his stereo. However, the most memorable cameo is Iggy Pop as the off-screen DJ Angry Bob, whose over-the-top performance is notably quote-worthy::

"This is Angry Bob, the man with the industrial dick. Coming at you loud and clear on W.A.R. Radio. Rise and shine, folks! It's a beautiful day! Just look at that sky; it's a work of art. Huh! Nature never knew colours like that. And a friendly reminder: when you look at it, be sure to wear your shades! The radiation count's way up in the heatwave and ain't expected to let up, either. Weather Control tell us it'll probably hit 110 down town, before nightfall. As for the good news: there is no fucking good news! So let's rock with one of our golden oldies" - Angry Bob

Elsewhere, Public Image Ltd’s The Order of Death is prominently featured in the film. Soundtrack composer Simon Boswell provides an original score, consisting of loud industrial  and brash synthesisers. It may be considered intrusive by some, but complements the film’s high tech and junkyard metal aesthetic.

The film’s premise, a woman confined to her apartment with a killer robot, may evoke moments from other science fiction films such as Saturn 3 (1980) and The Terminator (1984), but Richard Stanley seems to forgo all that for much of Hardware's run time and spend most of it on the cool cyberpunk world he's realised. Admirable as that might sound, it does come at the expense of a very long wait for some slasher style action. At least forty minutes have to pass by before the M.A.R.K. 13 begins its murderous rampage. 

An example of Stanley's avant-garde approach is the surreal sequence involving the deadly toxin running through the veins of one character. A hallucinatory M.A.R.K. 13 appears like a dance artist on Top of the Pops, followed with acid trip style spiral patterns. Dramatic opera music soundtracks the fatal psychedelic experience.

Hardware did not resonate with me, initially. Despite its connection to my teenage interests at the time, its unorthodox style was too ostentatious for my liking. However, the film has grown on me considerably since then; largely due to its technical merits being so accomplished on a shoe-string budget (less than £1M, believe it or not). It retains a remarkable cyberpunk aesthetic that is both stunning and more stylish than numerous bigger budgeted studio efforts. 

Although not an easy recommendation, it is definitely worth checking out for any sci-fi film enthusiast and fan of cult cinema. Better than Alphaville, that's for sure.

Merry Christmas!

Best Old Films Discovered in 2025

As a realist, the chances of ever discovering a lost giallo on par with Tenebrae are none. As a dreamer, I'm watching dud after dud like Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes to prove myself wrong, regardless. That's why I'm always excited to watch an unfamiliar film as if it might potentially be a long, lost treasure. Granted, there could be booby traps everywhere, but occasionally you do find that precious gem. And that's what this lot of films are for your host:

The Mask of Fu Manchu (Charles Brabin, 1932)

The Mask of Fu Manchu is an outrageous, yet amusing gem from the pre-Code era. Like one of Fu Manchu's concoctions, the fact that it's over ninety years old and still a potent mix of sex, sadism and racism, makes it cinematic gold for me. ★★★★

 

Scarlet Street (Fritz Lang, 1945)

Fritz Lang’s morality tale unfolds unpredictably, shifting from melodrama to comedy before ending on a sour note. Edward G. Robison embodies the male mid-life crisis, while Joan Bennett is the quintessential femme fatale. Superb noir. ★★★★

 

Gun Crazy (Joseph H. Lewis, 1950)

Incredibly sexually suggestive film involving a Bonnie and Clyde like duo of gun nuts. In most films, there is a natural inclination to root for the underdog, in the case of Gun Crazy, this is particularly evident in the outlaw couple’s thrilling and tense heists. The film also stands out for its remarkably modern filmmaking style which has earned it a reputation for being ahead of its time. ★★★★

 

Yield to the Night (J. Lee Thompson, 1956)

Thompson, a staunch opponent of capital punishment, delivers a powerful film from his early oeuvre. Yield to the Night also showcases the acting talents of Diana Dors who shuns her glamourous image to demonstrate her acting abilities as a sympathetic prisoner awaiting her execution. It is unfortunate that Dors never had the opportunity to demonstrate her skills in more of her work, as her performance in this is exceptionally strong. ★★★½

 

The Demon (Brunello Rondi, 1963)

Daliah Lavi delivers a fantastic performance as a beautiful peasant woman whose rejection by her lover leads to madness and despair. To the town locals, she is a possessed woman. This unconventional Italian horror, shot in a mondo style at times, draws damning parallels between peasant superstitions and the Catholic Church. Highly recommended. ★★★★

 

Incubus (Leslie Stevens, 1966)

Despite its reputation as a poorly received and cursed film, Incubus exceeded my expectations. In fact, I actually found it to be a very good film. The pretentiousness of the Esperanto dialogue and its pretence of emulating an European art house production were not detracting factors, either. They were all part of its surreal charm. I also found William Shatner’s performance to be superb, too. A remarkably strange film that is undeserving of its negative reputation. ★★★½

 

The Ear (Karel Kachyňa, 1970)

Ludvík, a deputy minister, returns home from a political gathering with his intoxicated wife, Anna. Upon arrival, they encounter unsettling events, leading to paranoia and anxiety. Flashbacks reveal potential clues to their dire predicament. A tense and paranoid thriller, expertly filling a jigsaw puzzle and a fractured relationship over the course of the night  This was easily the standout title amongst the Eastern Bloc films I discovered this year. ★★★½

 

Night of the Juggler (Robert Butler, Sidney J. Furie, 1980)

Night of the Juggler is a film that really has earned its cult following. It’s a fascinating blend of sleaze, violence and a delightful nod to unapologetic film making seldom made today. It will definitely find appreciation by anyone who loves gritty crime thrillers from the 1970s and early 1980s. It’s packed with a dark and cynical atmosphere and keeps you on the edge of your seat with genuine suspense and tension. ★★★½

 

The Cat (Lam Nai-Choi, 1992)

The Cat is an amazingly eccentric film that should appeal to anyone with an interest in unconventional and whimsical films from around the world. Its influences are evident yet it instils its own brand of bizarre entertainment; making it a unique viewing experience. ★★★★

 

Tesis AKA Thesis (Alejandro Amenábar, 1996)

Alejandro Amenábar’s Hichcockian style thriller, centred on snuff tapes, is notable for its abundant plot twists and its red herrings. This is a particularly impressive film given its obvious low budget and the fact that it was written and directed by a 23-year-old film graduate shooting in his university. ★★★½

Cure (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 1997)

A chilling psychological thriller that makes me question why I didn’t watch it sooner. Unlike typical police procedurals, it develops in a rich, nuanced and intelligent way. It’s a slow-burn shocker that lingers on, especially after that final scene. Its subesequent influence on J-horror seems very obvious, in retrospect. ★★★★½

 

The Platform (Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, 2019) 

The Platform is a disturbing film; brutal, nihilistic and difficult to recommend to the squeemish. However, its most extreme aspect is its sci-fi concept. The brutalist construct that confines everyone to various levels serves as an allegory for both capitalism and the class system. Can't believe I slept on this film for so long. ★★★★ 

 

In hindsight, there were a few films which grew on me the more I marinated on them. At the very least, they warranted an honourable mention here: 

 

Mystery of the Wax Museum (Michael Curtiz, 1933) 

Phantom Lady (Robert Siodmak, 1944)

Where the Sidewalk Ends (Otto Preminger, 1950)

Assault! Jack the Ripper (Yasuharu Hasebe, 1976) 

Her Vengeance (Lam Nai-Choi, 1988)

Polytechnique (Denis Villeneuve, 2009)  

Best Films of 2025

With so many so-called blockbusters, Oscar-bait films and international sleepers, I managed to see 37 titles released in 2025 which potentially appealed to me; some of which were technically released in another country last year. The overall quality was slim pickings and a substantial downgrade compared to the previous year. Anyway, here are the best new films I saw:

Warfare (Alex Garland & Ray Mendoza)

A gripping and intense story based on the memories of two Navy SEAL platoons involved in a tense firefight after the Battle of Ramadi in 2006. It’s a tough film to watch due to its harrowing and uncompromising nature. Both the sound and visuals made me regret not seeing it in the cinema during its brief theatrical run. ★★★★

 

The Ugly Stepsister (Emillie Blichfeldt)

Emillie Blichfeldt’s twisted take on the classic Cinderella fairytale is a grotesque critique of impossible beauty standards and its prestigious value in society. Inspired by Cronenberg’s body horror and Borowczyk’s baroque erotica, it’s one of this year’s unexpected surprises. Glad Second Sight is releasing it on 4K UHD early next year. ★★★½

 

Steppenwolf (Adilkhan Yerzhanov)  

From Kazakhstan comes a bleak and brutal post-western featuring a protagonist who's more villainous than the archetypal antihero we're accustomed to. The contrast of life being treated worthlessly against the stunning vista of the Kazakh Steppe evokes the post-apocalyptic Mad Max films by George Miller. ★★★½

 

Weapons (Zach Cregger)

Cregger’s sophomore effort, a compelling mystery about the disappearance of a school class during the night, unfolds through non-linear chapters told through the perspectives of individual characters. It’s a surprisingly engrossing slow burner featuring one of this year’s most ghastly film characters. ★★★½

 

Nosferatu (Robert Eggers)

You know it's been an abysmal year for cinema when Robert Eggers's weakest effort thus far still makes it on your end of year list. It's also testament to the auteur's skills and talents surpassing any major misgivings I had with his remake of the bootleg Dracula tale. ★★★½

28 Years Later (Danny Boyle) 

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland created what's arguably the most significant game changer for zombie movies since George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) with 28 Days Later (2002). Their return to the franchise proved to be highly divisive, as it diverged from audience expectations. Despite this, I found it fascinating to learn about the evolution of the Rage virus along with a ravaged Great Britain. What I didn't expect were a compelling family drama and a commentary on Brexit. ★★★½

Lurker (Alex Russell, 2025)

Alex Russell’s directorial debut is a gripping psychodrama about a disturbed fan’s parasocial relationship with a rising celebrity. The film’s cringe-worthy moments and awkwardness are so intense that they leave you feeling unclean. Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe deliver great performances. ★★★½

 

The Surfer (Lorcan Finnegan) 

Nicolas Cage undergoing some form of mental breakdown or existential crisis has practically become a genre in itself. Lorcan Finnegan’s The Surfer is a surreal comedy and psychological thriller that showcases Cage’s talents and the best film I've watched set mostly in a parking lot. Cage's most entertaining movie since Mandy (2018). ★★★½

 

Warfare | Opening minutes

Alex Garland & Ray Mendoza | 2025

 

 

Around this time of year, I usually try to be open-minded and hope to find notable films I might have missed in the foreseeable future. However, for the time being, I’ve really had enough. The output was so poor to mediocre that I can't even be bothered with compiling a Worst of 2025 list.

 

I hope 2026 is a significant improvement, or else I might lose my mind.

A Million Bucks or Chunks of Meat?

Night of the Juggler (Robert Butler, Sidney J. Furie, 1980)

Robert Butler and Sidney J. Furie’s Night of the Juggler (1980) doesn't feature any juggling in it. Also, very little of it is set at night. What it is, however, is a tough, frenetic and very gritty crime thriller set in New York City during the late 1970s. Furthermore, it serves as a perfect snapshot of the urban metropolis and its people from this period, in a similar vain to The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Ms. 45 (1981) and Wild Style (1982). All films which also received the 4K UHD treatment this year. 

In the heart of New York City's Central Park, a teenage girl is snatched by ruthless psychopath, Gus Saltic (Cliff Gorman). He's set his sights on a million dollar ransom for the city that he believes has wronged him. He refused to acknowledge the young girl he has abducted is not the daughter of a rich property developer, but of blue-collared truck driver and former ex-cop Sean Boyd (James Brolin). Boyd will do anything in his power to rescue his daughter from Saltic, including facing off with various seedy lowlifes and a cop who harbours a personal vendetta against him.

James Brolin’s wild mountain man look—shaggy hair, bushy beard and plaid shirt—seems intentional, almost designed to set him apart from the New Yorkers portrayed in the film. But since Night of the Juggler was shot in 1978, just before he starred in The Amityville Horror (1979), where he looked and dressed almost the same, I’d say that was merely Brolin’s fashion sense back then. His character, Sean Boyd is introduced as a bit of a cheeky Jack the Lad in the film. His early scenes show him decapitating a poor rat with a paper guillotine, saving the office secretaries from anymore distress. Following that, he purchases three hot dogs for breakfast for himself and his young daughter, Kathy (Abby Bluestone). The tough living of father and daughter is really touching, establishing the bond between the pair before the event of the kidnapping.

Boyd is almost unstoppable as he desperately tries to get his daughter back. The chase scenes both on foot and on wheels are exciting and thrilling. In one sequence, a sympathetic cabbie, played by a young Mandy Patinkin, seems to be having a blast weaving through New York traffic with Boyd. His Latin accent is like a sneak peek to his most famous line from his filmography.

In another scene, Boyd searches for a possible clue to find Saltic in a seedy peep show. It's delivered with comic effect as the desperate man has to feed coins into a machine to question a naked dancer, played by none other than the famous pornographic actress Sharon Mitchell, to chase a possible lead. A scene reminiscent of the Frankie Goes To Hollywood sequence from Body Double (1984).

Cliff Gorman appears to be having the time of his life as a racist psychotic antagonist. An odious individual, nicknamed by the South Bronx locals as The Moleman because he lives below the ruins of his tenement and lurks in the sewers. Saltic mistakes Boyd's daughter for the child of a wealthy property developer who he blames for ruining his area:

"All the rich bastards lie. That's how they get rich and that's how they stay rich. They're not putting anything over on me because I'm wise to their tricks with their taxes and bullshit and all the little games they play so good, huh? They're all in it together, juggling the books. Well now they're gonna pay. Now I'm gonna be the juggler. I'm gonna juggle the books my way and it's gonna balance out to me." Gus Saltic.

Gorman’s performance is incredibly menacing and deeply unsettling. His opening scene is him sitting at a diner, transforming his breakfast into a face and then ruining it with heaps of ketchup. You don’t need to be a psychiatrist to realise he’s playing a complete nutter. Another wonderful detail about Gorman’s madman is his giggle, which is reminiscent of Renfield’s iconic laugh from Dracula (1931). 

Ironically, he would play a polar opposite character as a compassionate detective in the part after-school special, part sleazy crime thriller Angel (1984).    

Richard Castellano, best known for playing Clemenza in The Godfather (1972), portrays Lieutenant Tonelli, the typical world-weary cop, who is both helpful and a hindrance for Boyd. He even keeps Saltic in the dark about the fact that he has kidnapped the wrong girl. Every movie cop has a little quirk or something odd about them; Tonelli’s is the headache from his daughter’s wedding plans. He talks about it all the time in the film, even using it as an excuse to call home while he’s conducting a phone tap.

Dan Hedaya plays Sergeant Barnes, the crooked cop who’s got a grudge against Boyd. Boyd snitched on him and destroyed his life. Thus, Sgt Barnes acts as a secondary antagonist in the film, and is quite possibly almost as unstable as Saltic. He recklessly shoots at Boyd with a shotgun on the busy streets, even though there are civilians everywhere. Plus, when he finally catches Boyd, he shows how little he cares about his former colleague’s daughter by refusing to send the police to her recently discovered location.

Finally, Maria (Julie Carmen) is a beautiful clerk at the dog pound who assists in locating Saltic. She feels for Boyd’s plight and joins him in his search for Kathy. This decision adds a further obstacle to the mix: the local Latino gang, who are not happy with a "gringo" on their turf with a Butter Pecan Rican. 

Night of the Juggler, based on William P. McGivern’s 1976 bestseller, had a rather bumpy journey to the screen. James Brolin got hurt on a stunt prop, which left him with a limp and a plaster cast. Sidney J. Furie wasn’t happy with how things were going and left after filming about a third of the movie. Robert Butler then took over. Filming begun in the summer of 1978, yet the finished product would not be released until two years later. The fast-paced chase in the first act isn't repeated for the rest of the film. But don’t worry, there are still some amazing moments too, like Boyd’s final showdown with Saltic.

Lieutenant Tonelli’s constant complaints about his daughter’s wedding feel a bit forced and predictable. Thankfully, they are not annoying enough to be irritating.

Seargeant Barnes might seem a bit out there in the film, though. Having a secondary antagonist among all the other challenges Boyd has to overcome to find his daughter is a bit much. Still, Hedaya’s performance is really memorable, no matter what.

Night of the Juggler is a film that really has earned its cult following. It’s a fascinating blend of sleaze, violence and a delightful nod to unapologetic film making seldom made today. Plus, its reputation really took off as a title that wasn’t given a proper home on physical media, other than being only available on VHS. Thankfully, this changed thanks to Kino Lorber in the US and Radiance’s new Transmission imprint in the UK.

I really enjoyed this. It's essentially "What if Taken was a Seventies film?" It felt like a trip down memory lane and it truly lived up to its reputation, even with a few obvious flaws. Night of the Juggler will definitely find appreciation by anyone who loves gritty crime thrillers from the 1970s and early 1980s. It’s packed with a dark and cynical atmosphere and keeps you on the edge of your seat with genuine suspense and tension. I’d definitely recommend it.

Moggy Cheung

The Cat (Lam Nai-Choi, 1992)

Hong Kong cinema is often characterised by its eccentricity and unconventional style, drastically  distinguishing it from Hollywood. Consequently, its genre output attracts international audiences with a taste for insane content. My first exposure to Lam Nai-Choi’s work was his unofficial adaption of the popular manga, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1992). Set in a sadistic prison, the film’s excessive violence and gore made it a splatterfest classic comparable to Peter Jackson’s Braindead also released that year. Regrettably, I remained unfamiliar with Nai-Choi’s other films until they became more available relatively recently. Produced directly after his magnum opus, The Cat (AKA The 1000 Years Cat, 1992) is a surreal sci-fi horror that achieves almost the same heights; a feat in itself, considering how much Riki-Oh is an incredibly tough act to follow.

Sourced from the popular series of books written by Ni Kuang, concerning the paranormal/science fiction novelist Wisely, played by Waise Lee (seriously!) in the film. The Cat is an adaptation of The Old Cat. The film revolves around three extraterrestrials stranded on Earth: one, a young woman named Princess (Gloria Yip); her elderly bodyguard, Errol (Lau Siu-Ming); and a black cat known as the General, who are after an artefact which will aid them to defeat a powerful enemy and help them return home.

The plot is largely secondary to the film’s visual spectacle, which is just as well as the original director assigned to direct The Cat constantly demanded for script changes, as revealed by screen writer Gordon Chan in an interview in the 88 Films' Blu-ray release. Amusingly, once Nai-Choi was hired to direct the picture, he wasn't in the least bit bothered about the screenplay. For those familiar with 1980s cult sci-fi classics The Thing, The Terminator, The Hidden, and The Blob you will no doubt spot their inspirations on the film. A gun deal involving the possessed Wang Chieh-Mei (Phillip Kwok) unfolds in a manner that is reminiscent of the scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger's killer cyborg is tooling up in a gun shop.

Aside from the melting pot of obvious influences, the film also exhibits unusual tonal shifts. While The Cat primarily qualifies as a science fiction horror film due to its subject matter, gory violence and special effects, it occasionally resembles a Saturday morning children’s show in relation to its peculiar sense of wonder and naivety. Conversely, some scenes featuring Wisely and his girlfriend Pai So (Christine Ng) are shot in a manner reminiscent of an erotic film. Wisely is portrayed as intensely horny around his partner, while the camera focuses on Pai So’s perspiring body. The gratuitous close-ups are predictably jarring from the rest of the film.

The pièce de résistance is an epic junkyard brawl between the titular character and a dog. The sheer absurdity of the fight is difficult to describe, but the sight of a cat performing a suplex on a dog is a sight for the eyes and one that won't be forgotten easily. This was all achieved before the advent of computer-aided effects, with much of the grandiose battle executed using hand puppets, stop-motion animation and practical effects. It is undoubtedly one of the most ludicrous fights I involving domestic animals I have ever witnessed. Incredible.

Nai-Choi’s film does not merely culminate in a single impressive fight sequence; it merely set a precedent for the remainder of the film. A particular highlight is the alien antagonist, still possessing Wang Chieh-Mei’s body, conducting bullet-ridden destruction upon Wisely’s home. The scene is characterised by a distillery's worth of vodka stored in the premises used as Molotov cocktails, which burn with napalm-like intensity. You know you aren't watching a Hollywood film when one of its main cast members is doused in flame retardant and performing their own stunts amongst all the fire and carnage. Then again, how many of Hollywood's thespians are like Phillip Kwok, serving as a stunt co-ordinator on their film?

The alien antagonist undergoes transforms into an even more monstrous entity once the General is revitalised by a beam of light from its home world. Simultaneously, the antagonist attacks diners in a canteen with appendages reminiscent of the creature from The Thing. The practical effects are remarkably well executed and evoke a sense of nostalgia for an era when computer-generated visual effects were not so prevalent. Ultimately, the extraterrestrial villain smothers the entire building when it assumes the form of a colossal, gelatinous mass. This is what I live for.

According to Asian film expert Frank Djeng, the villain was an analogical representation of  Britain's handover of Hong Kong to China. Thus, the scenes where Philip Kwok acquisition of black market Chinese Army weapons, along with him manifesting into a giant, red amalgamated monster, depicts the fears and woes of Hong Kong's citizens. You would never know it, unless someone told you. As an ignorant foreigner, I just assumed it was all inspired by some of Hollywood's greatest sci-fi horror films from the 1980s. 

Interestingly, a Japanese version of the film titled Nine Lives was produced concurrently using some of the same cast, sets and effects. The differences between the two films are numerous but the use of an alternative director and Japanese actor Hidekazu Akai as the lead are the most significant. Admittedly, I have not yet seen the Japanese version but further details regarding the changes between the two films are listed on this website.

 

The Cat is an amazingly eccentric film that should appeal to anyone with an interest in unconventional and whimsical films from around the world. Its influences are evident yet it instils its own brand of bizarre entertainment; making it a unique viewing experience. The fact that Lam Nai-Choi chose to retire from the film industry after helming The Cat is noteworthy, as it's a magnificent mic drop for any director. 

 

Lovers of psychotronic cinema will dig this.