Lady in the Lake (dir. Robert Montgomery, 1947) Philip Marlowe (Robert Montgomery) has decided he has had enough of being a private investigator. The day is terrible and the work is demeaning at best. He instead decides, much like Raymond Chandler himself, to turn to writing. After submitting a story to a pulp magazine put … Continue reading Lady in the Lake (1947)

Christmas Holiday (dir. Robert Siodmak, 1944) Charlie Mason (Dean Harens), recently inducted into the army in the midst of the war and even more recently dumped by his fiancee back home for another man, finds himself in New Orleans on Christmas Eve. He finds himself in a nightclub and meets the singer employed there, a … Continue reading Christmas Holiday (1944)

Blast of Silence (dir. Allen Baron, 1961) Remembering out of the black silence you were born in pain. Easy, easy does it, little mother. You’ve never lost a father. Your job is done, little mother. You were born with hate and anger built in. Took a slap on the backside to blast out the scream … Continue reading Blast of Silence (1961)

Lucky Stiff (dir. Anthony Perkins, 1988) Ron (Joe Alaskey) is a real schlemiel. His fiancee Frances (Barbara Howard) left him at the altar. Not having anything better to do, he attends his honeymoon anyway. At a Lake Tahoe resort, he finds what might be an unlikely rebound relationship in Cynthia Mitchell (Donna Dixon). She invites … Continue reading Lucky Stiff (1988)

3615 Code Pere Noel (dir. Rene Manzor, 1989) An entitled and insufferable child defends his family’s home from an intruder using makeshift traps. No, it’s not Home Alone. 3615 Code Pere Noel, also known variously as Dial Code Santa Claus, Hide and Freak, Deadly Games, and Game Over, predates that abomination by a year. This … Continue reading 3615 Code Pere Noel (1989)

Elves (dir. Jeffrey Mandel, 1989) Kirsten (Julie Austin) has a more difficult life than most teenagers. Her home life is frankly horrifying. Her mother (Deanna Lund) is emotionally abusive. Her German immigrant grandfather (Borah Silver) hits her. Her little brother has some boundary issues. Her only friend in the household, as she says, is her … Continue reading Elves (1989)

Silent Night, Deadly Night (dir. Charles E. Sellier, Jr., 1984) Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (dir. Lee Harry, 1987) Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (dir. Monte Hellman, 1989) Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (dir. Brian Yuzna, 1990) Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (dir. Martin Kitrosser, 1991) Silent … Continue reading Silent Night(s), Deadly Night(s)

Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life (dir. Peter Capaldi, 1993) How do you make the act of writing visually compelling? You don’t. It is one of the dullest things you can depict. Typing. Deleting. Retyping. Checking a reference. Cleaning a room, toilet, kitchen, potentially an entire dwelling. More typing. Maybe if you’re Chantal Akerman you … Continue reading Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life (1993)

It’s a Wonderful Life (dir. Frank Capra, 1946) It took me until my late twenties to see It’s a Wonderful Life. I’m not sure why exactly. I was in no way averse to classic cinema. I had seen and enjoyed other Capra films like It Happened One Night and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. James … Continue reading It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Don’t Open Till Christmas (dir. Edmund Purdom, 1984) The sleaziest Santas in the sleaziest sections of London are being murdered in gruesome ways. The detectives at New Scotland Yard are on the case, but ill equipped to handle anything like this. DCI Ian Harris (Edmund Purdom doing double duty as an actor as wells as … Continue reading Don’t Open Till Christmas (1984)