B-MOVIE OF THE MONTH - WITHOUT WARNING (1980)

Greetings All - It would be cool to do a post one time called the ten most essential B-flicks, sort of a B-Movie 101 thing. If that ever happened I would have to include this sci-fi horror classic from Graydon Clark (Black Shampoo, Satan's Cheerleaders.) This one's a don't pass go and don't collect $200 folks, just see it, Or watch it again. I'm not even going to begin to explain the plot except you have these flying disc things that attach themselves to people, in this case campers on an outing and kill and feed on them. Eventually these discs are tied to an alien, a hungry alien. A forerunner to 1987's Predator sort to speak and with a flat-out goofy cast. Jack Palance and Martin Landau, say what? And looking drugged out I might add but the real surprise here is veteran character actor Larry Storch, from the '60's, a guy who knew 150 dialects and here he is in this as a boy scout leader lol. Also known as It Came Without Warning, this gem is streaming free now only on Plex. 2.75 stars/2.75

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

JACK LEMMON IS IN LOVE WITH HIS BOSSES WIFE AND ABOUT TO ALOPE WITH HER TO PARIS IN "THE APRIL FOOLS" (1969)

 

Jack Lemmon must have been a pretty happy guy back in 1969. He got to film two movies back to back that take place in NYC, have dynamite leading ladies and work for two legendary directors, Stuart Rosenberg here and then Arthur Hiller for Neil Simon's Out Of Towner's which would follow. And while I'm a huge fan of The Out Of Towners and was actually in attendance in Radio City Music Hall during it's first week showing, admittedly it's a bit of a bummer trip. This rom-com is much lighter and a full-on time capsule for '69. The film's lengthy opening scene at a party in a swanky Manhattan apartment is one curio after another of pop art of the era as is the safari restaurant scene and a fabulous Tarot reading scene with Myrna Loy. There's even a scene filmed in the new Madison Square Garden right after it was built in '68, you can smell the cleanliness and pristine newness of the now legendary hall. 

A great supporting cast all around and look for Harvey Korman of Carol Brunett Show fame as a drunk on a train (the same train btw that was used in Out Of Towners) in a hilarious cameo. Shirley McClaine was supposed to be cast here opposite Lemmon but I'm glad they went with Deneuve, I don't think Lemmon & McClaine can top their union in The Apartment. Some very 1969 music here with Dionne Warwick, Taj Mahal and others, put it all together and you'll feel like you took an acid trip back to '69. A must for Lemmon fans, a really nice movie that just finally came to VOD release.  3.0 stars/5

The original trailer, almost 4 minutes and cut kind of bizarrely. Not sure if it does the movie full justice and where is Myrna Loy? Lol. 

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

B-MOVIE GAZETTE RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars - Only awarded to the precious few.
4 Stars - Excellent, see by all means.
3 Stars - Very Good, you should like.
2 Stars - Fair, like a frozen dinner.
1 Star - Poor, like a spoiled dinner.

ALL B-MOVIES, DRIVE-IN MOVIES AND TV MOVIES HAVE A MAX AWARD OF 2.75 STARS.