The Ghost Breakers - 1940

Next on our horror list was this movie starring Bob Hope. Once we saw his name pop up, we had the feeling it wasn't going to be a serious movie. And it wasn't.

Mary has inherited a haunted castle in Cuba. She's getting ready to leave when Larry barges into her room hiding from the police. He thinks he's murdered a gang member, and he needs to get out of the hotel before he's caught. He hides in Mary's trunk, and he ends up getting transported onto the ship headed for Havana.

Once they finally get there, the mystery continues. The murdered man was trying to warn Mary not to sell the castle, a government official is suspicious, and so are about five other people. Plus, there's a zombie. And a ghost. Larry has a valet, Alex, who is basically a servant and the butt of many jokes. A lot of them are racist, so there's that.

The humor in this was weird. The one liners with dead bodies around were a bit disturbing. They added in a billion suspicious people, but I never did figure out what the deal was with the clumsy guy. He acted super suspicious, but he just disappeared after a while. Alex was the real hero of the movie. He saved Larry a few times, and he was responsible for saving everyone at the end.

This is one of those movies I probably would've skipped if I'd known it was a comedy ahead of time. It's like the Abbot and Costello ones on the Universal Monster list. We didn't watch those, either. Alex 100% made this worth watching. Everyone else seemed pretty stupid. Mary ran into the house to escape the zombie, but did she close the door? Nope. Alex spots the zombie, and what's the first thing he does? Tries to leave. Smart! If only more of the characters were as smart as Alex.

And why does the ghost on the poster have a nose?!

Target for Tonight - 1941

This is basically an hour-long recruitment video for the RAF. It follows a raid, specifically the plane "F for Freddie" as they fly to Freihausen to bomb a storage facility in Germany.

It was interesting to see all the different people involved in the mission. A few actors were in there, but there were also real servicemen. According to the film's director, most of the the flight officers and crew that appeared didn't make it through the war.

There isn't much to say about this movie. It's short and shows what it's meant to show. It hides certain things that would have been advantageous for the enemy to see, and certain names and numbers are changed for the film. I found it to be really interesting, but I can understand why not everyone would agree. Personally, I'm giving it a Good Movie! review.

The Horse Soldiers - 1959

In my quest to see almost every John Wayne ever, I needed to see The Horse Soldiers. This movie is based on a book that's based on an event during the Civil War. It's like nesting dolls. The book was written by Harold Sinclair, and that book was based on the Grierson's Raid, a Federal cavalry campaign to interrupt the rail lines of the Confederacy. 

John Wayne plays a colonel of the Union cavalry in charge of getting his men to Newton Station. After that, he's planning to take the unexpected route of heading south to Baton Rouge. When he makes his final decision, he discusses it in the home of Miss Hunter, a southern belle who is willing to spy and tell the Confederates the plan. Thus, the cavalry has two women along now.

Along the way, the colonel is at odds with the doctor, who seems determined to be irritating. Eventually, they'll either make it to Baton Rouge or they won't. 

The really sad part of this movie was when the rebel guy went to the academy and pulled out all the troops. The highest ranking troop was a 16-year-old. They sent a bunch of children to the lines, and they were led by an old reverend. What the heck. The Civil War was brutal.

The movie itself was okay. It had moments of levity, and the woman wasn't totally in the way the whole time. Just parts of it. Wayne's character was complex and take-charge as usual, but I didn't see anything here that would raise this into one of my favorites. It might have something to do with the setting. The Civil War is a time period I don't watch or research very often, so that may have contributed to my enjoyment. The other thing is I was always worried about the horses. It's still a Good Movie!, it's just not one of my favorites.

Side Note - I really did love the song that went with this movie, especially the line about leaving a letter in the "holler" of the tree!

The Battle of Midway - 1942

This short 18-minute film briefly takes footage from the Midway battle and presents it to the audience.

It was shot while renowned director John Ford (who worked a lot with John Wayne) was on the island for purposes of shooting footage for the Navy. He was actually injured in the process.

The film itself is strange. The tone is all over the place. We're lighthearted as we watch the "natives" - seagulls. Then we're serious as the battle begins. Afterwards, we check in with the pilots and ask how many we've taken out today. It's lighthearted. Then we're somber as we remember the dead. The reflective music is abruptly interrupted by a patriotic march as we take stock of the Japanese losses and end with a red painted "V" for victory.

I could barely understand the narrators, and the mother figure was the absolute worst. "Oh, dear Johnny. I know him. He's a sweet boy from down the road." Or some such nonsense. I appreciate that Ford had footage of the boys just hanging out waiting for something to happen, but he should've left Granny in the kitchen.

I read that Ford spliced in footage of Franklin Roosevelt's son, and the president's reaction was that he wanted every mother in America to see the movie. It also protected Ford from censorship. That being said, I didn't really see anything graphic that would warrant cutting. 

This movie reminded me of Combat America, where Clark Gable gave the audience an inside look of the 351st bombardment group. I think that was one a bit more interesting, though.

Overall, I think the footage was (and still is) significant, but for some reason, the way it was put together didn't really resonate with me. That surprised me, since I've enjoyed most things I've seen where John Ford was involved. Oh well, can't win 'em all I suppose.

The Man with Nine Lives - 1940

Next up on the weird list I found is The Man with Nine Lives. It stars one of my favorites, The Grinch.

A doctor has been experimenting with "frozen therapy" aka piling ice on people for five days and curing them of cancer (we won't talk about the coffee enemas to wake them up). He's heard of a scientist who performed amazing experiments 10 years ago, but no one has seen him since. When the doctor gets somewhat reprimanded for not stopping other people from saying he cured cancer, he heads off with his nurse fiancé to locate the scientist. 

A local fisherman warns them not to poke around on the island, but of course, they don't listen. The nurse falls through the floor, and they're on the trail of the scientist's secret lair. When they locate the icy room, they locate the scientist and thaw him out. Then, they thaw out the other four guys that were accusing him of murder 10 years ago. One of them freaks out and burns up his formula for safely freezing people, so now The Grinch is going to use these "already dead" people as guinea pigs to recreate his formula. It's really because he can't remember three numbers.

Parts of this thing were too weird, and other parts were amazing. The Grinch had great facial hair. He was also sorry about one of the people he killed, so that was nice. The woman in this thing was so worthless. She wore HEELS to ramble on the island and explore. Then when everything is going sideways, her contribution is to make tea, cook soup and scream. The real hero of the movie was the fisherman. Hands down.

The #1 most surprising thing I learned about this movie?! It's based in part on the experiments of a real life biologist named Robert E. Cornish. He was a child prodigy who got himself a doctorate at 22. He experimented with resuscitation and claimed to resurrect 20 dogs. They were named Lazarus I-XX. He wanted to try and resuscitate an inmate on death row, but was denied, because if it worked, there was a concern the reanimated murderer would have to be released due to double jeopardy.

I think my standards are lowering, because I didn't think this movie was that bad. It's probably because The Grinch makes everything better. I also liked his deathbed medical directives. They went on forever. And celebrating the madman who was willing to kill random people? Why not?! I also liked how the ice walls changed thickness all the time. And let's just tell the scientist we're not on his side anymore instead of just bopping him on the head and taking his gun. Anyway, this one is getting a Good Movie! review from me, but whether it would have gotten one six months ago is a mystery...

Danger UXB - 1979

I found out about this after doing some research into bomb disposal. It was after I'd watched The Hurt Locker, and it came to my attention that bomb disposal was an important part of the blitz of WWII. That's what this show is about. And it stars Anthony Andrews! The Scarlet Pimpernel!

Over the course of the show, I was introduced to the various bombs that evolved over the nighttime bombings of London and the surrounding areas. I met characters, and not all of them made it. Bomb disposal isn't a safe job. I was surprised by the number of different types of bombs that were used. It was diabolical, really. The most maddening were probably the butterfly bombs. I hadn't heard of those, and the unpredictable nature of them was insane.

The show is based on the memoir of A. B. Hartley. I'd like to get my hands on that one day for sure. I was impressed at the detail in the show, and I was VERY aware of the use of silence. When there was a tense moment defusing a bomb, the screen would go silent, and at times, I would find myself holding my breath. I was so focused on what they were doing. If there was a jump scare, I'd about leap out of my skin!

My one qualm with this show was the soap opera elements. I didn't give a hoot about Susan and her relationship with Brian. Yes, she was married, and they were in love. Whatever. I didn't care. I know the show wanted to portray the men as humans with lives outside the war, but bomb disposal was what brought me to the show, and it's what I was there for.

The end of the show was going to swing me one way or the other. I was afraid they were going to end the sappy way with Brian and Susan. I was going to riot and hate the show forever. But never fear! The show ended beautifully.

I really loved this show. I recommend it if you want a look at the way bombs were handled during WWII in London. I learned a lot, and knowing it was made in a way to be fairly accurate means a lot to me. Good Show! 

The Sign of the Ram - 1948

I was scrolling for something to watch one night, and I happened across this movie. I didn't know anything about it and had never heard of it. I went in blind.

Leah has been in a wheelchair since she saved Mallory's children. Since then, she's used emotional manipulation to run the house the way she wants it. The kids are in her debt, and they seem happy to make her happy. But now that they're grown, they're starting to want to have relationships and possibly move out. That's not acceptable.

The first thing I thought of while watching this was that it was a tame version of This Was a Woman. Strangely enough, they came out the same year. While Leah sticks with lies and emotional manipulation, Sylvia (This Was a Woman) tried to kill a dog and did actually murder her husband. The main thing that bugged me about this movie was no one took two seconds to think through anything. Some decisions that could have used a moment's reflection:

* Deciding to just stop talking to the man you're in love with because your stepmother tells you he's talking to you out of pity and doesn't think of you like that

* Leaving in the middle of the night without telling your fiancé you're checking on a rumor when you know it involves her and your stepmother is creating trouble

* Deciding to try and commit suicide without factchecking anything the obvious disapproving stepmother tells you about your birth

* Poisoning the random lady that was brought to your house (for reasons I still don't understand) because you think she is responsible for all the problems there

* Chucking yourself over a cliff because you think you're going to be alone even though you haven't done anything illegal

I could go on, but I have other reviews to write. I'm behind. I did want to give some props to the actress who played Leah. Her name was Susan Peters, and I didn't realize it, but she was a pretty tragic figure. First, I was impressed she could play the piano. Most of the time, actor and actresses are positioned in such a way you can tell they can't play, or if they aren't, they should've been. One particular episode of Columbo always comes to mind. As a trumpet player, it always made me cringe to watch this one guy know absolutely nothing about and not even be close to the music. Anyway...

Susan Peters was actually paralyzed. She'd been in a hunting accident, so she wasn't in the wheelchair as part of the acting. I was just impressed with her acting to be honest, so I was saddened to learn that she struggled with depression and ended up basically dealing with health problems and starving/dehydrating herself to death at 31 years old. That's so sad. She was talented, pretty and so young. She was my favorite part of this movie.

The movie had potential if everyone wasn't so dang stupid. If more people had common sense, it would've been better, but if I had to choose between the two similar movies, I'd choose This Was a Woman.

Sahara - 1943

I can't really remember what prompted me to want to see this, but it was one of those that fit into a time slot. I'm especially not sure what put it on the list, since it stars Humphrey Bogart, an actor I rarely enjoy in movies.

Three men have survived a German attack in the desert and are trying to make it back to their own lines. As they try to find information about where to go in their tank, they come across some Brits, a Sudanese man with an Italian prisoner, and eventually they shoot down a German pilot. Their group heads across the Sahara trying to find water. Once they find water, they have to decide whether to continue back to their own lines or try to delay a German battalion who they know are also in desperate need of water.

This movie was pretty good. Bogart wasn't the usual robot actor that I was used to, and I saw some real expressions cross his face. The entire movie didn't revolve solely around him as well, so that helped. I do wish poor Jimmy could've made it, though. I have to say, it doesn't pay to get attached to any of the characters in this movie. You have a high chance of being disappointed.

The movie is based on a book called Patrol by Philip MacDonald. That was written after WWI and is in the public domain. The premise has been adapted a few times, and I've got the book in my ever-growing list of things to read. I found this particular movie to be well worth the time, and it gets a Good Movie! review.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - 1949

I was looking though some of the movies I still needed to watch, and the amount of time I had, and this movie fit what I needed. 

John Wayne plays the Captain at a U.S. Cavalry post in the west. He's nearing retirement, but he needs to go on one last patrol. The mission has an added twist: he has to escort two women to the stagecoach. There are raids by the dog soldiers, and this takes place not long after Custer's last stand.

There's a side plot with a young woman playing two men against each other. She's annoying for that, but she gets called out for it numerous times. I just felt a bit bad for the one guy that didn't see what she was doing.

I want to mention the ending. I thought it was really cool the way the Captain handled the impending war. Also, major props to breaking tradition on killing the guy who's on his last mission. These days, it seems like anyone who's on their last day/last mission, etc. gets killed.

The movie was pretty good. The scenery was neat, and it was filmed around the Monument Valley on the Arizona/Utah border. Very pretty. I recognized some of the actors, mainly a couple from The Quiet Man. Apparently, this was one of Wayne's favorite movies. I liked it, but I don't think this one will rank up there as one of my favorite John Wayne movies. It still gets a Good Movie! review.

Dr. Cyclops - 1940

The next horror movie in the strange list I've got was Dr. Cyclops. It was a big change from the last one. While Son of Ingagi was blurry and in black and white, this movie was crisp and clear, and it even had color! Unfortunately, it didn't really help the "plot."

Dr. Cyclops (I can't remember his name) murders his assistant, so he needs to summon some experts to join him in the jungle to help him in his research. By help, he means look in a microscope for two seconds. They mention some iron crystals, the doctor is happy, and then they're released. The doctor doesn't need them anymore and tells them to leave.

The stuffy Dr. Bulfinch doesn't accept the dismissal and stays. He's brought along a beautiful, blond assistant, a reluctant ne'er-do-well, and a donkey minder. They decide to work together with Pedro, a man who can't find his horse, to discover what's really going on in the camp. And what's the big mystery? Dr. Cyclops is miniaturizing things!

He tricks the oblivious snoopers into the room to shrink them, and then it's basically the mad scientist trying to examine his new toys. I was curious how they chose to make their clothes. The old dude got some kind of Roman robe, the woman got a dress, and the other guys got togas. Except Pedro. They really did him dirty. They basically gave him a diaper. Even later, when they had colored fabric clothes, he had a red flowered diaper. Rude.

Anyway, the stuffy Bulfinch calls him Cyclops because he's not very smart. Not because the doctor has to use coke bottle glasses and is having issues seeing. Later, they break one of the lenses, so then he can really be Dr. Cyclops. I don't know what happened to the horse or the dog. Bulfinch's death was kind of funny. But RIP to Pedro. There's got to be a gem in this list somewhere...doesn't there?

Son of Ingagi - 1940

After watching Black Friday, Mom and I decided we should keep checking out those old horror movies we'd never heard of. It might be a decision we end up regretting...next up on the list was Son of Ingagi.

A woman is attending a wedding and then goes home and lets a monster out of her basement. Actually, it looks like a tall dude in a ski mask, but we'll gloss over that for now. She's perfected the most wonderful invention known to mankind (we never find out what that is), but then she leaves it downstairs with N'Gina. He immediately drinks the whole thing and goes berserk, killing the doctor.

The newlywed couple are suspected of the murder of the doctor, but I guess that gets sorted out, because they're just living there now. N'Gina is still hanging out in the basement and makes food disappear. The lawyer comes by and ends up dead when he plays with the gong that summons the beast. The husband is suspected again, and a detective is posted at the house to keep an eye on things. In the end, the house burns down, the beast dies, and the detective pops out of a bush with bags of gold.

It sounds like this would be a fun hour, but it isn't. The newly married couple are ambushed at their house on their wedding night by all their friends and have to listen to The Toppers for hours. The monster was just strange, and the detective was supposed to be funny, but that made the tone of the film confusing. Was it supposed to be funny or scary? And who the heck is Ingagi? I mean, if the doctor just found him in the jungles of Africa, how did she know his dad's name?

John Wayne "triple feature" - Rio Bravo (1959), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) & Donovan's Reef (1963)

The past couple of days can bring back some bad memories. To counteract the passing of my dad, I watch John Wayne movies. Growing up, even after I was out of the house, it was a good bet if there was a John Wayne movie on TV, it was on his TV. This year, I put on two new ones and an old favorite.

First up was Rio Bravo. John Wayne plays a Sheriff who is holding a criminal in the jail. He is part of a wealthy family and normally gets away with everything. This time, though, he's under strict guard of a trigger-happy old coot and a smart man. I liked this one for the most part, but it had the one thing I hate in certain John Wayne movies. A shoehorned woman. There was a woman in this, and there was zero reason for her to be there. The only thing she did was break a window, and Carlos (the hotel owner) could've done that. It's okay, but definitely not a favorite.

Next up was The Sons of Katie Elder. I'd heard Dad talk about this one a few times. And this one was much better than the other one. Wayne is a gunfighter trying to stay out of trouble. He's just trying to come back home for his mother's funeral. Unfortunately, trouble has followed him. A man named Hastings is wanting to take over the town and has already taken over the Elder's old home. He's determined to hang on to what he's got. No matter what. Big shoutout to the music during the funeral. It really struck me. Good Movie!

Finally, an old classic. Donovan's Reef is one of my favorites. It makes me laugh and has one of our inside family jokes in it. My dad used to greet me on the phone with "Daughter! D-O-T-T-E-R!" In this movie, John Wayne plays an old Navy man who is running a saloon on a South Pacific island. When his friend's stuffy daughter from Boston shows up, he's part of the plot to make sure she's not out to cause trouble for him. One of the best John Wayne movies for sure. Great Movie!

Sky Sharks - 2020

While the boyfriend was scrolling through the shark movies for his pick (see Shark Huntress), this movie caught my eye. The preview that played on the screen was hilarious. Flying sharks ridden by Nazi zombies?! What the heck?!

So, I guess some researchers found this ship, which awakened these beasts. They take down a passenger plane for no real reason (and they take an unnecessary long time to do that), so the skies are no longer safe.

I have so many regrets for picking this movie. The nudity and sex was unnecessary, and the gore was way too much for our group. Yes, I know it was a horror movie. If it was just the gore, maybe I could've dealt with it.

One thing I'll say is that at least there were sharks. I loved the sharks and their little landing pads in the ship. And those parts of the movie looked surprisingly good. I will give the movie a lot of credit for that. Unfortunately, the story was a mess. Why were the zombies attacking passenger planes? Who was telling them the planes were in the air? Who's the one behind the scenes pulling the strings? And why couldn't they just give the one lady the antidote if they knew she was already infected!?

The ending of this was super weird. When we saw the credits were so long, my daughter fast-forwarded and found the end credit scene. And that just raised more questions. Was I supposed to know who that lady was? Was she trying to give a rousing speech to an army of zombies? Is she trying to create a new Reich for herself and her assistant? I'm sorry to my group of watchers. It was a bad pick.