Night Of The Big Heat (1967)

Based on a novel by John Lymington, Night Of The Big Heat brings together a few main Hammer stalwarts (although it's NOT a Hammer film) for a slice of sci-fi horror that's enjoyable enough, even if it feels like everything could have been improved by bringing the talented Nigel Kneale on board.

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing have two of the main roles, which is really all you need to know. Oh, if you MUST know more then I'll tell you. The film is set on a remote island, Fara, and everyone is getting a bit hot under the collar due to an inexplicable spell of hot weather. REALLY hot weather. The locals have a variety of explanations for the insufferable heat, but the truth may be even stranger than they could imagine. Meanwhile, Jeff Callum (Patrick Allen) finds himself in a bit of a pickle when a woman that he once had a passionate affair with (Angela Roberts, played by Jane Merrow) turns up on the island and tells his wife (Sarah Lawson) that she is to be Callum's personal assistant. Which causes temperatures to rise even further.

It's Terence Fisher in the director's chair, and Ronald Liles on screenplay duties, so I have no complaints with the technical side of things here (well, apart from the special effects in the last third of the movie, but I'll refrain from saying any more for fear of spoilers). Everything is competent, at the very least, and actually builds to something worthwhile and interesting, after a slightly wobbly start. The characters are introduced in a way that will have many modern horror audiences rolling their eyes and/or laughing aloud, but as relationships are more firmly established, and the strong sense of community is draped over everything, it all becomes easier to enjoy and get caught up in.

And then we have Messrs Lee and Cushing, two fine gentlemen who add bonus points to any project that they're involved in. I may be a big fan of Lee, but I'll watch Cushing in absolutely anything. Watching the two men work together is always an absolute delight, and their performances here more than make up for the relative weakness of Allen in the lead role. Merrow and Lawson also help, portraying two very different women who both seem too good for Allen (well, until he steps up in time for the finale). Kenneth Cope is always good to see onscreen, but that's simply down to my affection for the old seasons of Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) that I used to watch.

What works against Night Of The Big Heat is the fact that it doesn't actually allow any of the characters to make much headway until a rushed, and sometimes preposterous, third act. Some may complain about the pacing, but I have no issue with that. This isn't a film full of jumps and shocks. It's about a small island that finds itself dealing with something strange, something that may have repercussions for the rest of the world, and it just wouldn't be believable if everyone raced along at a pace more in line with city dwellers.

An easy film to recommend for fans of the talent involved, but it won't necessarily become an instant favourite.

7/10

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One Million Years B.C. (1966)

Take the eye-popping dinosaurs from Jurassic Park, add the violent apes from 2001: A Space Odyssey, throw in some tribal dancing from Apocalypto, narration from any BBC nature show and then add a pinch of symbolism with water being a portent for imminent danger and what do you get? Certainly not this film, although it does contain some of the aforementioned elements. That doesn't mean it isn't fun though.

This remake (and I haven't seen the original, a movie entitled The Cave Dwellers from 1940, so cannot compare - I didn't even know about it until checking out the details here) tells the tale of two brothers, both cavemen (so they have thick hair and beards, as does almost everyone else in the entire movie), who fight and grunt and generally get on each other's nerves as brothers do. When one meets another tribe he begins to discover new ways to handle situations and perhaps even a better way to deal with his own tribe. And dinosaurs fight each other or pick up some puny humans for dinner while people run around in fur pants or bikinis. That sums up the movie, basically.

There's also a love interest in the form of Raquel Welch, who is indeed beautiful (and absolutely iconic in that, arguably, most famous of movie posters), but I personally prefer the gorgeous Martine Beswick and hope other fans appreciate the charms of that woman. It's just a shame that director Don Chaffey and screenwriter Michael Carreras forgot to make an excuse to include any snoo snoo (Futurama fans should get that reference).

Poor John Richardson and Percy Herbert (who play the brothers, Tumak and Sakana, respectively), they must have known when they signed on for this film that they were going to be forgotten as soon as Welch and Beswick were onscreen.

So, you have a love interest, brotherly rivalry, peer pressure and dinosaurs. Nothing too impressive . . . . . but wait! Fans will be delighted to know that the dinosaur action is mainly provided by stop-motion legend Ray Harryhausen (though some are just provided by some trick photography) and very good they are too. It's not his finest hour but there are certainly enough little scenes in here to please those, like myself, who have always had a great affection for his work. It may be harder to appreciate in this age of such rapid technological advancement but it still retains a certain charm and care that, much of the time, a bunch of pixels can never replicate.

It's a lesser Hammer movie, but certainly not amongst the worst, and many people who grew up with the advertising imagery may well find they have an affection for the movie that has lain dormant until you end up seeing it once more, preferably on a big screen and with an understanding partner who will bravely model some fur garments afterwards.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Ultimate-Hammer-Collection-Disc/dp/B000HN31KQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369586652&sr=8-1&keywords=hammer+films

Mysterious Island (1961)

Another great adventure movie featuring the work of Ray Harryhausen, Mysterious Island is yet another movie that I can't view without a warm cloak of nostalgia draping itself around me. These movies make up the main threads, the strongest ones, that hold together the patchwork of movie memories from my childhood. Even after trying to wipe the rose tinting from my glasses, figuratively speaking, I can't help but still view these as really good films. People may accuse me of being unable to look at the films subjectively nowadays. Or there's a chance that, y'know, maybe many of these films that made use of Harryhausen's creations are just really good films.

Set during the American Civil War, the plot sees some POWs grabbing hostages and escaping from their prison in a hot air balloon. They then find themselves at the mercy of the elements until eventually landing near to the titular island. Working together to survive, the men find themselves in unexpected danger from a giant crab, some huge bees, pirates and more. Thankfully, they also welcome a couple of women into their group after they are washed up on the shore, and they seem to receive a helping hand from someone else who chooses not to show himself.

Based (VERY loosely) on the novel by Jules Verne, Mysterious Island has a decent script from John Prebble, Daniel B. Ullman and Crane Wilbur, and solid direction from Cy Endfield. The cast - Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Michael Callan, Gary Merrill, Herbert Lom et al - also do a good job. Whether they're battling that aforementioned giant crab or being terrified by a huge chicken monster beastie (to use the technical term), they react appropriately and somewhat convincingly. They may also, for the most part, be a group of people rather than memorable individuals, but one or two main characters (including, of course, a certain Captain Nemo) just manage to do enough to stand out. Just.

While this is, obviously, a better movie for those wanting to see some more work from Harryhausen, the fact that it has many enjoyable moments without any creatures involved makes it a more wholly satisfying experience than some of his other outings. Lovers of the book may take offence at the numerous changes, but they work well in terms of making the whole tale more exciting and cinematic.

Not one of the absolute classics, but a very, very good film.

8/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mysterious-Island-DVD-Michael-Craig/dp/B000071WJ1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368552106&sr=8-1&keywords=mysterious+island