December Quick Picks and Pans

 

Next of Kin (1982) Director/co-writer Tony Williams’ engrossing Australian gothic tale is full of surprises. Linda (Jacki Kerin) inherits her aunt’s retirement home (replete with the residents), an old gothic mansion (filmed at Overnewton Castle in Keilor, Victoria). She rekindles her romance with Barney (John Jarratt), an old flame, but soon discovers that all isn’t what it seems within the dusty recesses of the house. As the residents start mysteriously dying off, she begins to suspect that someone is gaslighting her – but for what purpose? This slow-burn thriller features excellent cinematography, strong performances by the cast, and a literally (and figuratively) explosive finale. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and Tubi 

The Shadow of the Cat (1961) This John Gilling-directed film fits in nicely with the black-and-white Hammer thrillers of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. With the help of his loyal servants, scheming husband Walter Venable (André Morell) perpetrates the death of his wealthy, elderly wife to secure her estate. The only witness to the murder is her beloved cat, who continually evades the tormented co-conspirators. When his niece Beth (Barbara Shelley) comes to stay with them, she quickly suspects something is terribly wrong, starting with their irrational fear of the cat. While The Shadow of the Cat might not be the best-remembered Hammer thriller of its era, it has enough atmosphere and twists to merit a watch (or two). 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

 

Looker (1981) Albert Finney stars as Dr. Larry Roberts, a Los Angeles-based plastic surgeon who fixes imperfections (perceived and otherwise) in fashion models, bestowing them with more desirable attributes. After the sudden deaths of some of his clients are chalked off to suicide, he attempts to prevent the same thing from happening to another model, Cindy Fairmont (Susan Dey). He stumbles upon a sinister plot, with signs pointing to unscrupulous Digital Matrix CEO John Reston (James Coburn). Writer/director Michael Chrichton’s tech-thriller is surprisingly prescient, with its concept of using virtual, computer-generated personalities to replace flesh-and-blood actors. The execution is sloppy, with plot holes galore, but the ahead-of-its-time premise makes this well worth a look. 

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

 

Idaho Transfer (1973) Peter Fonda directed this bleak, low-key science fiction film, which raises more questions than it answers. As part of a top-secret experiment (hidden from the scrutiny of the feds), a small group of young people travel 50+ years into the future. Due to an environmental cataclysm, most of the Earth’s population has been wiped out, so their mission is to repopulate the planet. Unfortunately for the intrepid bunch, things don’t go quite as planned. The movie suffers from lackluster performances by the young (mostly unknown) leads, and pacing borders on tedious. It’s almost redeemed, however, by its unique, lo-fi approach to time travel (travel by anyone over age 28 results in fatal kidney damage), and an ending that will make you wonder what you just watched. 

Rating: ***. Available on DVD and Tubi

The Man with Two Heads (1972) Writer/director/cinematographer Andy Milligan strikes again; this time, with his take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s enduring story, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Denis DeMarne stars as Dr. William Jekyll (inexplicably changed from Henry Jekyll in the original story) devises a serum to isolate the evil that dwells within all men, using himself as guinea pig. An eager assistant mucks up his formula, causing him to undergo a radical transformation, and bringing out suppressed violent urges. While Milligan’s film looks about as professional as your grandparents’ home movies, The Man with Two Heads manages to be more entertaining than Amicus’ more polished, albeit tepid, version, I, Monster, thanks to the main character’s vacillating moods and sadistic tendencies. Considering Milligan’s capricious nature, I suspect there were some autobiographical elements that came into play.   

Rating: **½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Tubi and Midnight Pulp