TD-11 Reviews

Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon of Death (1979)

Must See Wanton Violence

[9/10 · 28 August 2010]

Watch the Magnum (1985) VHS version if at all possible. The DVD is completely worthless with a horrible transfer (unwatchable picture) and 21 minutes cut from the film. The old Magnum VHS tapes still show a clear very watchable picture. Don't even bother with the DVD and some of the other VHS versions are also quite inferior.

The film is about a mad doctor who develops a drug that turns humans into fighting animals. He then puts people in cages often men vs women and lets the fight to the death for his own enjoyment and research. Women and men engage in brutal combat which is often quite real looking. The women are at least as strong and ferocious as the men and the fights are very interesting to watch. Since the point of the film is to watch and study these matches, they take up most of the movie. If you like ultimate fighting, death matches or women beating the hell out of men, then you would be interested in this film.

White Fire (1984)

Beautiful nude martial artist makes White Fire very memorable

[9/10 · 28 August 2010]

It is important that you watch the big box TWE VHS tape which has a clear vibrant picture instead of the fuzzy washed out DVD put out by Westlake entertainment. Like many old movies, the DVD is made from a far inferior print to the VHS. You really want a nice clear look at Belinda Mayne's body.

There are a couple of scenes that make this movie a classic. The one that comes to mind is Spectacular Belinda Mayne taking a nude swim and providing full frontal nudity view of her spectacular body. Think a Ursula Andress, but better looking and nude. After some playful banter with her brother, Ingrid (Belinda's character) is attacked by a gang and uses martial arts while wearing only a white towel to kill or dispatch them.

The movie is fun, campy and watchable. You might also enjoy the sadistic female villain.

BloodRayne II: Deliverance (2007 Video)

Wow - I can't believe how great this movie is

[9/10 · 7 October 2007]

This one really surprised me an blew me away with style, story, humor and sensuality. I expected a vampire movie on the order of Blade and got that, but so much more. Uwe Boll made an absolutely fantastic western in the tradition of Sergio Leone. Take out vampires entirely and this has to be one of the best Western's made in the last 40 years. While many characters are vampires, only Billy the Kid played by Zach Ward seems to be a real vampire with traditional tastes. He has made the rest of the town's thugs into lackey slaves with fangs. If anything Natassia Malthe is even sexier and more effective playing the role of Rayne that Kristina. I loved her high kicks and would like to have seen more of them. Expect more bullets than bites, more gunfights than stakes through the heart and more leather than skin on Rayne. This is absolutely in my top 50 movies of all time and I've seen over 10,000. I prey for Uwe to make Rayne 3 as well as more westerns and I can't wait to see more of Natassia Malthe in anything.

Anna to the Infinite Power (1983 TV Movie)

The Brilliance of this movie is timeless

[10/10 · 15 July 2007]

I first saw this movie over 20 years ago. My memory was of the basic plot, but I had forgotten all the subtleties as well as the film's brilliance. I honestly can't think of a film that is as haunting and captivating as this wonderfully told tale. Martha Bryne puts in an all time great child actor performance and Donna Mitchell plays a great mentoring taskmaster. I can only imagine that the premise of this story while probably completely fiction would be well within the realm of possibility in the modern world. As scary as the film is, it gives great hope for the human spirit to overcome pre-disposition and also shows the importance of heart and feeling over mechanical perfection. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys thought provoking and well written movies.

Vendetta (1996)

Decent Thriller

[6/10 · 8 July 2007]

I enjoyed the movie for style and pace. Rapists who were either acquitted or not charged are being castrated and murdered by a beautiful woman out for overall revenge. There is no gory detail, but the little knife is shown being removed from the garter of the leather clad dominatrix before she strikes. It is no secret in the plot that the murderer is a police woman since she is working off the same list of potential victims as the police are. The question is which Policewoman is doing the deeds. If you look carefully at her hand just above the knuckle of her index finger, you will see that the killer has a mole. Watching the hands of the police women, you can figure out who the killer is by finding who the mole belongs to. I will say that the movie ends 5 minutes too late. We know who did it definitively because of the very obvious mole. The movie should end when she dies. However, it then goes on that another policewoman suspect makes a virtual confession as she cuts fruit with the exact same type of little knife used in the castrations. How stupid does the director take the audience to be? I can only believe that somebody forced them to throw that weird open ending in after the fact. To me, it ruins the movie since it is 100% against the facts and 100% impossible that the woman is the killer. If you are smart, start the rewind as soon as the killer dies.

Hunting Season (2005)

In the Tradition of I Spit on Your Grave

[9/10 · 8 July 2007]

"Hunting Season" is a low budget, but very entertaining Rape/Revenge movie in the tradition of "I Spit on Your Grave", "Deep in the Heart", "Her Vengeance", "Ms 45", "Outrage", and "Deadly Darling". It is much better than other recent attempts at the genre such as the horrible "I Will Dance on Your Grave" series. As with many low budget DVDs, "Hunting Season" is a re-release of a film released on VHS "Grave Vengeance". The DVD version is double sided and gives you the option of 2D or 3D as well as throwing in a few extras.

If you don't like super low budget and you don't like fairly graphic gore, then this movie is definitely not for you. However, if you appreciate the movies that I listed above and enjoy a strong female character taking matters into her own hands, then you should watch this movie.

Hatley High (2003)

What a great little movie

[10/10 · 29 April 2007]

I often see teen movies and they usually provide a chuckle. Some are so awful, that they are instant eject button. Sometimes they just force me to keep my finger on the fast forward button. Hatley High was an absolutely GREAT movie. There were many depths and subtleties underneath a movie that kept my undivided interest every step along the way and provided many laughs as well. The chemistry between all the characters is great and there are several interesting relationships that develop. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is young at heart wants to see a good movie with some chuckles along the way. I am so glad that I stumbled upon it.

God of Gamblers (1989)

Awesome - One of the best movies ever made

[10/10 · 3 October 2004]

All I can say is WOW! This movie has it all. There is action, comedy, drama, suspense. I have never seen a movie combine all elements as well as this one. I've seen about 10,000 movies in my life and this one rates in the top 5. It is that great! Chow Yun Fat is brilliant and certainly would have deserved an Oscar if this film had a proper US release. His comic genius is present in all aspects of his character. The supporting cast does a fine job, but he is the God of Actors and not just the God of Gamblers. The direction is superb as well. The timing, the camera angles and the music make this movie an absolute pleasure to watch. I just finished watching the DVD and will order the remainder of the series as soon as I'm finished typing here. WATCH THIS FILM!

Ted & Venus (1991)

Painful to watch.

[2/10 · 30 November 2003]

I enjoyed the first 15 minutes of this movie. After that all I could do was cringe at this movie and each and every character in it. Stay away. I don't understand why anyone would make a movie like this. I can only imagine that half of the audience walked out.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Grade A Tribute to B movies of the past

[10/10 · 10 October 2003]

I have been waiting for this movie to come out since I first heard of it around 2 years ago. It is hard to live up to anticipation like that, but Kill Bill 1 was better than I ever could have hoped. There were so many subtle and not so subtle references to grade B action flicks even I may have missed a few. I clapped at the opening splash on the screen that said ShawScope. What a wonderful tribute to Hong Kong cinema. Every scene was complete within itself. The audience knew what to expect from seeing the thousands of films to which this one paid tribute. Quentin delivered what the audience expected and what they wanted, but he did it better an more stylishly than they could have hoped for. I was completely absorbed in this comic book came to life, and it delivered over and over again. I loved each and every vanquished villain and would love to see a whole movie about each one and what came before. I can't wait for volume 2.

The Party (1968)

The Funniest Movie Ever Made

[10/10 · 6 August 2001]

I originally saw this movie first run in the theater and was litterally rolling in the aisles. I've even come close to laughing that hard about twice in my life. Peter Sellers played many brilliant characters, but this was his most classic as a poor well meaning Indian baffoon who moves from one misadventure to the next. My favorite parts are his interaction with "Wyoming Bill Kelso" and when he tries to give the bird some seeds. If you have to see just one comedy, see this one.

A Book of Heroes (1986)

Absolute Classic

[10/10 · 24 October 2000]

This is one of the greatest Hong Kong films ever. Three totally kick ass females destroy their male opposition in countless fights. This one has a great story, great humor, and great looking femme fatales. What else do you want from a movie?

How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1967 TV Movie)

In a class of its own

[10/10 · 22 October 2000]

I'm so glad to see that others agree with me that this may well be one of the greatest films ever made. It is absolutely brilliant as an unwinding tale of suspense and intrigue. I think that I've seen this movie 5 times over the years on TV, but have never caught it on tape. Most of the times, I saw it was before I had a VCR about 1980. Maybe, we could get AMC to show this true classic. The casino scene was one of the most chilling scenes that I've ever seen. So many great scenes in this film.

Knights (1993)

Mixed Fighting, Mixed Fighting, and more Mixed Fighting

[9/10 · 9 October 1999]

Champion martial artist Kathy Long can fight like nobodies business. If you don't like mixed fighting, you will not like this film. There is virtually no plot, but simply a vehicle for Cathy Long to beat up and kill more men than anyone has ever killed in a movie. She is a fighting machine. There is no signature scene and the fighting is somewhat repetative. It doesn't match her masterpiece "The Stranger" for the quality of her fights, but the sheer quantity is unsurpassed.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Awful man bashing movie

[1/10 · 9 October 1999]

This movie is one of the worst ever made. It could have been decent if it had given some respect to at least one or two of the male characters in the movie. I was frankly insulted watching this piece of trash. It infuriated me to think that some women could actually view men this way. I don't know any men who in any way act like the sick characters in this film. A resounding BOOOOOOOOO to one of the worst films ever made!!!!!

Fighting Madam (1987)

The Best Hong Kong movie ever!!!!

[10/10 · 9 October 1999]

"Angel" practically defines the "Girls with Guns" genre. Yukari Oshima, in the finest role of her great career, plays a hit woman and steals the show. Any fan of action movies must see Angel!!!!!!!!!! One of the greatest femme fatale scenes of all time is in this movie characterized by Yukari's line: "I am just a poor defenseless woman!" Yeah, I'll bet. this film is a winner all the way.

Lovely But Deadly (1981)

Lucinda Dooling looks great and fights great

[10/10 · 9 October 1999]

An absolute classic for fans of mixed fighting. Actually, this is my favorite film of all time. A Young lady goes after a gang of drug dealers to get revenge for the drug related death of her brother. There are many nice mixed fight scenes in the movie. The greatest scene of all is after Lucinda has beat up a pusher, she pins his arms under her knees behind his back and rubs his throat forcing him to drink his own drugs. Simply awesome.

Modesty Blaise (1966)

Rossella Falk steals the show.

[10/10 · 18 July 1999]

Rossella Falk plays the incredible Claira Fothergill in one of the greatest villain roles in film history. She plays the perfect psychopath and turns what would just another 60's spy film into the best of its genre. Monica Vitti's instant wardrobe changes were very bothersome to me. In fact Monica was an extremely poor choice to play Monica. She could pull off the sexy aspects of Modesty, but was unconvincing in the tough physical aspects. This film has been a favorite of mine since I first saw it in the late 60's. I keep hearing about a remake and plan to be first in line.

Fighting Madam (1987)

Angel is one of the best movies ever made, certainly the best movie to ever come out of Hong Kong!

[10/10 · 29 May 1999]

Angel is an absolutely superb movie. This is undoubtedly the king of the girls with guns genre. Yukari Oshima plays probably the greatest villain of all time. The scene where she says "I am just a poor defenseless woman", before beating the holy hell out of a man is maybe my favorite scene of all time. If you want great fighting action from gorgeous leading ladies, then this film is for you!

Hundra (1983)

A must for fans of mixed fighting.

[10/10 · 11 May 1999]

Hundra is one of the best films of its genre. It combines humor and violence with attractive women doing most of the fighting. The movie starts with an ambush of an Amazon village and the destruction of all but one of the Amazon warriors. Her adventures and vengeance ensue in what only can be described as a very fun movie. The light soundtrack adds to the fun as some of the fight sequences come across almost as dance production numbers. But, it's not all fun and games. The characters can be and often are vicious and kill their opponents without mercy. This movie is 100 times better than its sister film "Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold" also starring Laurene Landon and filmed back to back.