The Maltese Falcon

SETTING: 1941 San Fransisco, California.

RATING: Unrated. Crime, Mystery, Noir

PLOT: A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.

QUOTES:

     SAM SPADE:  When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it.
   
     Joel Cairo: You always have a very smooth explanation...
     Sam Spade: What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?

THOUGHTS:  What is there to say about a classic? Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade, I highly doubt there would have been any other actor to portray this character as efficiently. As actors to their characters each brought soul to the life of each. But then again I am Into the black n white noir films, (thank you Paul).

SYNOPSIS: it's was a dark and stormy night.....O.K. it wasn't. The night started out with Sam Spade's partner tailing a man and winding up dead for his efforts. Sam didn't much like his partner Miles but when a 10 walks through your door asking for assistance what do you do? Miss Wanderly/O'Shaughnessy has found herself in quite the precarious position. All over a black statuette of a Falcon? Brides offered, threats given, Hell even slaps across the face abound! one things for sure Sam gets the Falcon, the girl and kills the bad guy. Bogart rules

THEIR RATING: Reelviews (

James Berardinelli) gave this film 4 of 5. "The Maltese Falcon is among the most important and influential movies to emerge from the Hollywood system - as significant in some ways as its contemporary, Citizen Kane. In addition to providing the cinema with a new kind of private investigator (move over, Nick and Nora Charles)"

MY RATING: 5 OF 5, being the very first of many films to portray the P.I. as a true tough guy, who is quite rough around the edges, this film did what another rendition of the Maltese Falcon could not. excite audiences. Bogart playing the quintisential ex-cop, there would have been none better. Mary Astor played the role of O'Shaughnessy well. and then of course there is the veritable henchman Joe Cairo played by none other than Peter Lorre, who better to be the bad guy! definative watch, for those that love the realm of noir, this best be in your library of films.

Night of the Living Dead

SETTING: A farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania.

RATING: UNRATED, HORROR, MYSTERY

PLOT:Eastern seaboard panic ensues when the dead return to life. thought to be from radiation shrouded satellite that had fallen from space. A small group of people hide out in a farmhouse to wait out the night.

QUOTES:Field Reporter: Chief, if I were surrounded by eight or ten of these things, would I stand a chance with them?
Sheriff McClelland: Well, there's no problem. If you have a gun, shoot 'em in the head. That's a sure way to kill 'em. If you don't, get yourself a club or a torch. Beat 'em or burn 'em. They go up pretty easy.

THOUGHTS: Well what can we say about an iconic Zombie Flick! let us start with the fact that protagonist is a handsome fella of African descent. very Avant-Garde considering that the Civil rights movements were running wild and the portrayal of Ben was a very strong willed and boisterous individual. LOVED IT! With that, the gore in the film was a bit racy for the "mainstream" film goer of the day. all in all WAY to much good to say about the film. a must see for those who love the zombie, but those who loved to be scared might not get the kick they are looking for but well worth the watch. 

SYNOPSIS: Siblings Johnny and Barbra are traveled to a rural cemetery, where they visit their father's grave. They are approached by a pale-faced man who stumbles toward them and attacks Barbra. Johnny pulls the man off of Barbra and struggles with him, but is killed after tripping and hitting his head violently on the edge of a gravestone. The man then pursues Barbra back to the car, but Barbra cannot start it because the keys are in Johnny's pocket. She takes the car out of gear and it begins to drift away on its own, but she accidentally steers it into a tree. She abandons the car and runs down a roadway to a nearby farmhouse, with the man still pursuing her. She discovers the house seemingly deserted, and the phone is out of order. Her attacker stumbles around the outside of the house looking for her, and is joined by several others. They all seem to be in a kind of trance, behaving in an feverish way. Exploring the house further, Barbra makes a gruesome find at the top of the stairs (but your gonna have to watch the movie.)
In a panic and attempting to flee the house, Barbra is intercepted by Ben, who arrives in a pickup truck and attacks the mysterious figures with a tire iron. Barbra is further driven into hysteria when she sees Ben violently smashing the skulls of the strange men who keep trying to get into the house. Ben urges her into action and the two of them begin boarding up the doors and windows from the inside with dismantled furniture and scraps of wood. They awkwardly trade their stories; Ben seems to be a drifter who was passing through the area when suddenly a wave of unexplained violence began unfolding. He tells Barbra about a scene of mayhem that he encountered at a diner, and Barbra tells him about the incident with Johnny in the cemetery. Barbra becomes hysterical and wants to go out after Johnny.
Ben goes upstairs and finds a rifle and a radio as Barbra lies incapacitated on a couch in the living room listening to the radio report. Emergency broadcasters tell stories of widespread violence and mayhem being committed by people who seem to be in a trance. Suddenly, Barbra is startled when the cellar door opens and people emerge from the basement. Ben is attracted by her screams and they confront the newcomers. An older man introduces himself as Harry Cooper, and the younger man is named Tom. Harry says that he has his wife, Helen, and his daughter, Karen, in the basement as well. Karen has been hurt and cannot be moved. Tom has a girlfriend named Judy, also in the cellar hiding.
Radio reports explain that an epidemic of mass murder is sweeping across the eastern seaboard of the United States. Later, Ben discovers a television and the emergency broadcaster reveals that the murderers are recently dead human beings who have returned to life and who are consuming their victims' flesh. Experts including scientists and military generals are not sure of the cause of the reanimation, but one scientist is certain that it is the result of radiation emanating from a Venus space probe that exploded in the Earth's atmosphere. The report instructs that a gunshot or heavy blow to the head will stop the "ghouls" and that posses of armed men are patrolling the countryside to restore order. And I ain't gonna say anymore, watch the film.

THEIR RATING: BBCi gave this film 5 of 5 stars, "This lack of a cosy conclusion and the unpredictable nature of this film shook up horror film-making, and allowed fresh talent to explore a whole new chilling level of terror."

MY RATING:5 of 5, for me this film really shook up alot of stereotypes of the day. I shant go into to much detail but it was great! the ending by far was the highlight of the show. the gore in days gone past really didn't gety to vivid, but this movie really brought it to your face. love horror? you will love this film.