The Gate (1987)

****

The latest Night Drop Box selection is this 80's unsees movie, been on my watch list for longer than I care to remember.

For starters I have no idea how this movie remained a 15 rating, it must have been terrifying to watch as a kid. Face melts and all sorts, that phone call early on got me, I thought that was genuinely creepy. You can conly applaud a low budget film in the late 80's that can muster up effects like that, truly old school.

I really did enjoy this one, I can see where Joe Dante got most of his ideas from for The Hole. It borrows elements from certain movies like The Pit while also managing the tough task of coming up with it's own ideas. I really enjoyed this one, a real creepy movie.

Dance Academy (1988)

****

Wow! Another dance movie that I hadn't seen! Could this be true? It is!

I thought I had seen all dance movies the world had to offer but then along comes Dance Academy, a low budget movie based around the Fame, Flashdance and Breakin' scenarios.
This movie is like a wet dream for me, the dance scenes are phenomenal and the soundtrack is incredible. Yeah, so the acting is awful at times but what do you expect? In my opinion it only adds to the awesome feel of the movie.

This is no Heavenly Bodies or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun but it's pretty damn close. Next up on the screening list is War Dancing.

China O'Brien (1990)

***

After my recent craze on all things martial arts I came across the trailer for this movie, I have been unable to think of much else since. The VHS tape was delivered this morning.

I love it when movies decide to abandon all the rules of great filmmaking and go straight for the throat. In this movie you will find no acting skills, it's practically No Retreat No Surrender in that sense. But what it lacks in acting it more than makes up for in action. The fighting is spectacular, rigid as hell but most definitely spectacular nonetheless. I loved the bad guys too, they had me so worked up for a cheesy movie it's unreal, I was almost punching my projector screen they got me so mad.

This film is simply magical. If you like no holds barred all out action with very little sense of direction, this is the movie for you. Cynthia Rothrock is an angel sent down from heaven to entertain and kick some ass. She does both with a huge smile on her face. Seek it out now! I'm on the hunt for the sequel.

Dudes (1987)

***½

This screening is part of the Night Drop Box and was chosen at random by the world of Twitter.

I'm not a massive fan of Jon Cryer let that be said, and I never thought i'd find him slightly charming again since Pretty In Pink but I have to say he sort of won me over in this one. I love my cross-country road trip movies and this is no different. It has a dumb but fun plot and features some ridiculous acting and characters. Elvis singing at a Rodeo? Cowboy and Indian ghosts? Flea in another acting role? Weird to say the least but it oddly comes together to make for a very fun ride.

Like most of the CBS/FOX titles i've rented and purchased over the years this one has not let me down. Thanks for choosing it for me Twitter!

Christine (1983)

****

One of the very few Carpenter movies that passed me by, this and Dark Star were the only two that I missed. You couldn't touch him in the late 70's to early 80's, the guy was on fire.

This movie is fantastic. Following on from the likes of Duel and The Car, Carpenter has made his very own killer car movie but with a twist, there is a face to the car. It's menacing in it's prey and relentless too, I love the fact that as it's speechless it uses the radio by way of warning, playing a tune with you in mind. It's genius!

I also loved the score too, besides the Dreamboats and Petticoats tunes that play throughout, you also get a slice of Carpenter's personal synth touch and it works wonders for the scenes.

It's an amazing piece of work and one which I benefited from holding on to. It's just got me craving for Dark Star now.

Too Much (1987)

**

Screened as part od the Night Drop Box.

The box art for this movie is fantastic, my mind instantly thinks Short Circuit and I am quickly transported back to my early rental days. The cover however overpowers the movie, it just never lives up to the promise.

I hated the girls face, felt the music was all over the place and the film very ordinary. I thought we were going to hear the girls narration the whole way through the movie but thankfully for my sanity she belted up, it was getting too much.

The movie starts rushed but towards the end of the movie it does start to level itself out and become genuinely intriguing. One major plus pointis the fact that I got to see alot of Japan, a place i'm dying to visit one day soon. Very creepy when the 'WE ARE FOR TOO MUCH!" starts to riot. - That needs to be seen to be believed. I was properly freaked out when that theme kept playing.

A lesson to parents everywhere, don't give your kids everything.

Best of the Best (1989)

***

This movie started very strongly, that opening credit track was sensational. Sadly the movie took a bit of a nose dive right after and never recovered.

Now I love my martial arts movies, Bloodsport, Kickboxer, No Retreat No Surrender etc. but for the life of me I just could not get into this one like I should have. The characters were pretty lifeless, which is more than I can say for Eric Roberts's hair, gorgeous is how I would describe that. The acting isn't too bad and the fighting scenes are superbly and violently executed, especially the ones involving Tommy. I thought Penn's character was an asshole, the intention I know, but seriously? Come on.

The nail in the coffin for me was the final scene, the big fight off. I won't name names because it would spoil it for some but basically it's the dialogue and acting in those final few moments that sealed it's fate.
 James Early Jones was also very annoying, I wanted to drop kick his miserable ass throughout.

A very average martial arts movie that tries to pull above it's weight but just can't seem to break through. See Kickboxer instead, or any other Van Damme movie for that matter.

3:15 (1986)

****

This is one movie that I knew very little about. I purchased it for a few quid when I was about 13 from my local VHS market stall, it was in the big boxed Virgin release. After sitting on my shelf for the next year or so I decided to take it back down the market and trade it in for something else, little did I know i'd revisit a few years later and find out it was amazing.

This movie is like a mash-up of my favourites. There's the My Bodyguard element, the Three O'Clock High theme and even the gangs from The Warriors. Tie it all together with a great lead in Adam Baldwin, some of the worst gang members you'll ever see and then let the magic happen, with the amazing soundtrack playing throughout. Really though, the Cobra's are the most wimpiest of guys you'll ever come across and the little chubby guy who can't act is really annoying, I wanted to kick his ass. In fact most of the acting is terribly annoying in this but you forgive it because it's awesome.

I loved everything about this film and I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone. I've just got to try and track down that VHS again now.

Wild Thing (1987)

**

Screening this as part of the #nightdropbox.

This movie is insane. It's basically a modern day (80's at least) retelling of the Tarzan story. A young child witnesses the murder of his parents at the hands of a lunatic and realising that he might be next, jumps into the river. After being raised by a tramp on the streets he has hardly any grasp of the English language and so communicates via TV commercials and radio voices. He falls in love with a woman who was attacked by a local mob boss, the same guy is the one who killed his parents and after realising this... The rest you'll have to see.

The soundtrack for this is pure gold. 80's electro synth at times with the odd classic track thrown in for good measure.

It's a decent film but highly forgettable.

Frankenhooker (1990)

***

The very generous @popmortem on Twitter donated this US tape to my collection, I finally had time to screen it.

This movie is batshit insane, beyond mental. Only in the eyes of Henenlotter could this be made.
First of all let me say how hot I think the final product is, Patty Mullen is unbelievably cute as Elizabeth Shelley. "Wanna date?" "Lonely?" " Got any money?"

I enjoyed the film a lot, never thought I would but it's a riot. Mullen (as well as being hot) is very funny and Lorinz is quirky enough to pull off the lead role, just. The story is beyond belief but blended with the humour element it somehow works, like Jackson's Braindead and Bad Taste.

No Retreat No Surrender (1986)

****

Nobody can prepare you for the awesomeness!

I had many rumours about this movie, not knowing which was face and which was fiction. Let me tell you that everything you hear about it is true and crammed into 90 minutes too.
The acting is beyond awful, the dialogue is pretty much non-existent but somehow it just delivers greatness on every level. Van Damme barely speaks and barely gets any screen time but when he's there he owns the screen, such a shame he plays the bag guy really.
Just when you think you have experienced the bad, the weird and the downright silly, in walks the ghost of Bruce Lee to train the young Jason. Now that is movie magic! His friend RJ is pretty great too, highly quotable.

The movie is terrible but in the way that I love, it just works. Also, check out the soundtrack when you get a chance, it compliments the film perfectly. This would go down excellently with a slice of The Last Dragon, double-bill it. Sho'nuff.

Wargames (1983)

****

It's time to educate the wife once again. She spotted this one among the collection and uttered the dreaded words... "What's this about then?". My heart sank almost too quick for me to grab the tape and insert it into the VCR.

I've always loved this movie but I had no idea that it was released two years before I was born! I grew up with this, Flight of the Navigator and The Boy Who Could Fly, they were always on TV and I would never miss them when they were. Matthew Broderick is immense in this, always makes me jealous when I see his tech setup in his bedroom. Ally Sheedy is smokin' hot here too, especially during jogging.

One of  my childood faves and happy to report that it still holds up very well indeed. Shame they're planning a remake, they just can't leave well alone.

Kickboxer (1989)

****

After screening the also magnificent Bloodsport a few weeks back, the martial arts bug has well and truly bitten me. Hard!

This film is breathtaking, absolutely stunning. As soon as you see Tong Po warming his shins up on the pillar in the changing room you know you're in for a treat. That guy is brutal.
JCVD is amazing too in this, especially when he's drinking the Black Death shots in the bar and then decides to get up and start dancing. I haven't laughed so hard in years, my jaw still aches. The training is very Rocky-esque, which I love, and the fight scenes are very well choreographed (by JCVD no less).
I love this film, truly love it, and I won't stop here either, i've got plenty more martial arts movies and JCVD movies planned.

If you are one of the unfortunates who haven't seen this one, get out there and track a copy down, you will not regret it. I would find it very difficult to pick a favoruite between this and Bloodsport, they're both special.

The Karate Kid III (1989)

***

It's time to complete my revisit of the trilogy.

After the terrible time I had with the second movie it almost put me off finishing the set, then I remembered that number III did at least have some redeeming qualities. Of which actual fighting was one.
Other than the first movie it's amazing at how little I remember of the other two, especially this. There is a fantastic bad-ass new guy on the scene in Mike Barnes and an even better villain in trainer Terry Silver. Those are the plus points. The low points are Macchio's acting, the obsession with the god damn Bansai trees and the exclusion of the "You're the best, the beeest. Nothing's ever gonna keep you down" theme tune. I hated Macchio in this one, he bounces all over the screen like he's forgotten how to walk.

Much better than the second instalment as there is actual Karate in this one but it's still nowhere near as good as the first, lost it's charm somewhat. Still a decent watch though.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)

****

Rarely do 80's dance movies get anywhere close than the likes of Heavenly Bodies, an exception is made for this movie.

My head was moving from about the third minute and it barely stopped until that final credit rolled. The soundtrack (which I now own) is phenomenal. I thought Roller Boogie had a great soundtrack, this is right up there.

It was weird seeing a very young Helen Hunt and an almost horseless faced Sarah Jessica-Parker. Lee Montgomery who played Jeff was great, shame he hasn't done much since though. Ed Lauter showing up too? A very nice touch, very nice.

The film is a poison, once you get a little bit of it inside you, it takes control of your entire body and owns you. I loved it and plan on seeing it again and again as well as recommending it to others. If you love your dance movies with killer soundtracks then you have to see this, our life will always be that little bit darker for having missed it.

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

***

Samuel L.Jackson as a nasty neighbour? Where do I sign?

I'd heard good things about this movie for years but never bothered to check it out, but then there always comes that day when nothing is on TV and you'll check anything out, and be pleasantly surprised by it too. That was exactly the case with this movie. I'm a pretty big fan of Patrick Wilson's and he's great once again here, but it's Jackson who must take all the plaudits as the racist neighbour. He is so intense and scary  that you cringe at some scenes, you just can't help it. Especially when he's surrounded by Wilson's friends who have no idea how to take him.

The only flaw with this one is that you know exactly how it's going to pan out from the moment go. It is a little predictable but for me it doesn't harm the film that much, it is what it is and I had a good enough time with it.

A decent film that will fail to excite most but if like me there is nothing else on, you could do a hell of a lot worse.

The Go-Kids (1986)

**

This film is also known as The Quest and Frog Dreaming, I prefer The Go-Kids title and the UK box art.
This is also only my third Brian Trenchard-Smith movie.

Henry Thomas is a loveable kid and after the huge success of E.T. and Cloak and Dagger, I can see why most directors would want to cast him. My only problem with this one is that the story is quite weak, there's no real substance to it. If you were to base the movie on the cover above you'd think it was the greatest kids movie of all time, sadly this is not. I loved the relationship between Cody and his Guardian, it reminded me a lot of my youth (i'm still young). I was out roaming the woods and things by the age of 8 onwards, a littel dangerous now if you think back.

I guess I raised my expectations a little, it's still a decent film but it's not one i'll be pushing on people in a hurry. I still think Henry Thomas' best work came in the two other movies I mentioned.

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

***

I had avoided this film since the day it came out, mostly because it stars Vinnie Jones.

This isn't a terrible movie, I was quite surprised about that. Cooper is great and Jones is bearable, not giving him a speaking role was a masterstroke. If only other directors could take the same approach.
The murders are good and inventive, a little CG heavy but still good. You'll also notice some cool cameos in this, from Ted Raimi to Mr.T. Well, from the new film anyway.

It's not a bad film overall, some good deaths here and plus it moves along quickly enough. I'd recommend it to most horror fans to be honest.

Just Like Heaven (2005)

**

I'm a pretty big Ruffalo fan and Reese Witherspoon also generally puts a smile on my face, a guilty pleasure I guess. Totally excluding Election from that though as there's nothing to be guilty about there.

I kind of expected a bit more from this one, I gotta be honest. It felt very sickly to watch and quickly lost all of it's early and promising charm. Yes, the two do a decent job as usual but I wasn't feeling the chemisty there, add to that the odd character that Jon Heder plays and it's a bit of a sweet mess. Having said that, I never at any point wanted to turn it off and the moments of charm were quite nice.

Overall it was a big let down but i'm not exactly sure what I what I was expecting. I couldn't honestly see myself recommending this to anyone soon or ever.

Masters of the Universe (1987)

****

This was my pick for my wife, I was shocked when she told me that she hadn't seen it.

Regardless of what people think about this film, I genuinely believe that it holds up. It was another of my earliest video rental memories, rarely out of the VCR. Dolph Lundgren was the perfect choice to play He-Man and the casting of Frank Langella as Skeletor was nothing short of a masterstoke. It's a classic, even Courtney Cox looks like she can act in it. It has amazing characters, great make-up and brilliant set designs.

A movie that you could rewatch over and over again, a true 80's classic in every sense of the word. Massive fan of this movie.