THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957). Not that it's saying much, but feel this is Bert I Gordon's (BIG) best film, although he obviously didn't have extra cash for special effects and most of them here are pretty threadbare. Decent story of a kind act of humanity being horribly punished by the fickle finger of fate and a good performance by Glenn Langan. Also, dig the inventive use of a hypodermic needle! ***

I saw this as a kid and the hypo scene devastated me. It's a real horror film, a true gut punch. But I only saw it once as a kid, hard to remember. Have to see it again sometime.

THE BLACK ZOO (1963). Herman Cohen production with nasty Michael Gough (other than BATMAN, don't think he was EVER kind) using his private zoo to get back at various enemies and pretty sadistic for the time. ***

MR HOBBS TAKES A VACATION (1962). Jimmy Stewart is a burned out business man who wants to take a vacation with wife Maureen O'Hara (still incredibly lovely) but she has rented a beach house for their two younger children, two grown up daughters with their families, a cook (Minerva Urcal from THE APE MAN) and dropping ins.
Of course the house is less than satisfactory and family situation not so hot, but things do get better.
Decent enough story with JS getting most of the laughs with his befuddled, exasperated moments with this group of people he loves, but can't quite figure out (including John Saxon as a brainy Son-In-Law).
Personally, I would have told all these people I was going on a drive to pick up Ice Cream...and keep on driving. **1/2

Duck Soup (1933)
7/10

Wackiness and clever lines is what it's about. The story isn't that cohesive, and certainly not pertinent, but if you must know, it's about a fictional country called Freedonia that's going bankrupt. One wealthy widow will make a lone only if Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) is made "president". Firefly wants her money via marriage, as does the ambassador (Louis Calhern) of neighboring country Sylvanian, which hires Chico and Harpo Marx to spy on Firefly and eventually invades.

Basically, the Marx brothers are wacky and break the forth wall while everyone else plays it straight. There really isn't any great social commentary, though some want to see it. Also, the Marx brothers did not write the script. There's a great famous scene where Chico dresses like Firefly while spying on him in his palace and breaks a giant mirror. When Firefly arrives, Chico mimics everything Firefly does as though he's the reflection.

THE BIG SLEEP (1946). Just finished reading the Raymond Chandler source novel and have always liked this one immensely. Such great dialogue and poweful turns by Bogart, Elisha Cook, Martha Vickers (great as the slutty hophead-also in CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN and also at one time Mrs Mickey Rooney::shocked::!) and Dorothy Malone. Even though the story is amazingly convuluted, the film doesn't suffer at all.

Remember Sculpt had mentioned an alternate version (1945), which is what I watched this time. Apparantly, Lauren Bacal's films after TO HAVE AND TO HAVE NOT were less than successful, so Warners figured more scenes with Bogart would help (By this time, thy were married) and the film was released almost a year later. While the 1945 version is more linear, the 1946 version has more scenes, some trimming of parts which really didn't help the story much and even a different actress playing Mrs Eddie Mars. As far as I'm concerned, the 46 version is the one to watch and definitely in my Bogie Top 10. ***1/2 (1945), ***** (46)

Interesting to hear a review of the 45, never seen it. Yeah, the film has such a fast pace and punchy, the details of the story don't matter much. Maybe you can PM me where you happened to come across the 45 version?

HORROR ISLAND (1941). Despite the impressive technical aspects, this is just an awful waste of time with Dick Foran and two annoying sidekicks offering a cruise to an island with an old mansion and maybe buried trasure. Feel the script was supposed to be funny and is just exasperating.
Dick Foran (THE MUMMY'S HAND) is somewhat engaging here as is Peggy Moran (also in TMH), but that's about all I can say about it.
According to UNIVERSAL HORRORS (a 1990 book about the 1931-46 Scare flicks from them-if You like these films, this Brunas Brothers/Tom Weaver tome is essential), the production on this was extremely rushed with everyone working long days. Might have been better if Exec producer Ben Pivar (noticed his name in a lot of Universal's that don't cut it) lenghtened the schedule and the $. *

Looking for the name of one of the Creature Feature/Chiller Theater B&W's
 

Hi all, I'm a newbie here, I have been trying to find anything on an old B&W
horror movie that was aired late 60's - 70's the movie was aired on Creature
features and Chiller, near as I can remember the name was either Return from
the Ashes or Return to the Ashes, it was actually 4 short movies the only one
I can clearly remember had to do with a vampyre taking in a border and at the
end tries to feast on him on the front porch of the house but to the vampyer's
surprise the full moon changes the border into a werewolf and he attacks the
vamp end of story, if anyone even knows the name of the classic horror flick
please let me know, many thanks !

This is RETURN FROM THE PAST aka DR TERROR'S GALLERY OF HORRORS (1967). Michael Weldon's PSYCHTRONIC ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FILM mentions the scene You spoke about.
Pretty sure You could find this on YOUTUBE.
Hope this helps.