Sting Of Death (1966)

If you  are going to watch some low-budget nonsense about people being terrorised in watery environments then I think you owe it to yourself to watch at least one of the memorable features directed by William Grefé. I am not saying they are memorable for the right reasons, but I cannot bring myself to dislike his goofy attempts to entertain viewers. His films feel dangerous, he often has ambition far outweighing his resources, and they at least try to do things that are, for better or worse, a step removed from the norm.

Sting Of Death is a title that comes close to evoking what the movie is about, but doesn’t quite give you the full picture. If you expect some dangerous jellyfish then you would be correct. You probably wouldn’t expect someone to have figured out a way to become half-human and half-jellyfish though, and that is the extra silliness that is served up here.

Valerie Hawkins plays Karen Richardson, a young woman who is visiting her father, a doctor (played by John Nagle), with a group of friends accompanying her. There is another doctor present, the handsome John Hoyt (played by Joe Morrison), and there’s also an “Igor”-like assistant named Egon (John Vella). And numerous jellyfish, of course.

If you want some real scares, lively dialogue, and something that feels as if those involved had more than $50 available to them then this isn’t for you. The script, written by William Kerwin (credited as Al Dempsey), is flimsy, and also laughable, and Grefé doesn’t let any limitations stop him from showcasing his special effects, which seem to be a number of plastic bags being used in place of various jelly creatures.

The acting is generally quite poor, although Vella is hugely entertaining with his over the top performance, and there is a random sequence that has cool kids dancing to a groovy tune and partying in a lifeless way that feels exactly like what it is, filler, but the strange mix of weak performances just adds to the charm. Grefé seemed to rope in anyone he could (I am not staying this as fact, but he certainly seemed to go for availability ahead of talent), knowing that the focus would be on the creature(s).

Again, I need to finish with an emphasis on this, Sting Of Death isn’t a good movie. And I would still rewatch it ahead of many other films. What it lacks in skill and polish, it makes up for in a sense of pluckiness, charm, and DIY derring-do.

5/10

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Barracuda (1978)

A small town finds itself losing people to some vicious underwater predator in this film from the 1970s. Yes, if you'd read that sentence in any other context then you'd assume that someone was talking about Jaws, but if you've read the title of this movie review then you'll know that I am actually referring to Barracuda, one of many Jaws rip-offs that came along in the wake (no pun intended) of ol' Bruce's Box Office bonanza. Although it starts off as just a poor imitation of the classic Spielberg movie, I'm pleasantly surprised to say that the final third sees Barracuda turn into a slightly different beast (again, no pun intended) and instead earns its place alongside some similiar paranoid thrillers from the '70s.

Written by, directed by, and starring Harry Kerwin and Wayne Crawford, Barracuda could easily be a sloppy vanity project. Despite the low rating it has on IMDb, I don't view it that way at all. In fact, this is a film that could have become a firm favourite of mine if it had just managed to cover up a few of its more obvious failings, such as the varied acting and the more ridiculous moments.

The plot sees Crawford, as Mike Canfield, investigating water pollution in a small town that is worryingly close to a chemical plant owned by the nefarious Papa Jack (Bert Freed). Mike is arrested by Sheriff Ben Williams (William Kerwin), but the Sheriff is only going through the motions that he has to. He's just as suspicious of recent activities in his town and thinks that maybe Mike can help him. The Sheriff's daughter (Roberta Leighton) also thinks that Mike can help her, but in a different way. As more corpses turn up on the beach, it soon becomes apparent that the problem may be something more than just local sealife turning vicious.

Actually, the more I think about it the more I realise that Barracuda is a poor movie raised up a notch or two by a great final 10-15 minutes. The barracuda attacks are okay, I guess, but the rest of the film doesn't exactly keep viewers riveted to the onscreen events.

Crawford is okay in the lead role, Kerwin is the best of the bunch as the good Sheriff, Leighton is fine and Cliff Emmich is likeable enough as Deputy Lester, a man who clearly prefers the quiet life to any rocking of the boat (no pun intended). Bert Freed, Harry Kerwin, Bobbie Ellyn Kosstrin, Bob J. Shields and Scott Avery are a mixed bag, but Jason Evers is fairly good as the local doctor who may be able to help Mike and the Sheriff figure out what's going on.

Although I may not have done the movie any favours in my opening line of this review, don't mistake Barracuda for just another Jaws rip-off. It's much more than that, even if it gets by more on charm than any film-making prowess.

6/10

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Double-Feature-Barracuda-Island/dp/B001APM41M/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1378937657&sr=1-1&keywords=barracuda