jamesabutler

Many other reviewers have characterized this film as "high noon in space". They're right. Connery, at 51 when the film was made still exudes the qualities that made him in my opinion the best Bond! He portrays a principled federal space marshal crossing swords with a corrupt mining director. Frances Sternhagen rounds out the cast as a grumpy yet effective medical officer. The film is darkly shot and gives you the impression that you are in space. After the first 15 minutes things quickly deteriorate boy with the central character's personal life and his professional one. The film keeps you engaged right up to the pivotal climax. I highly recommend it!

This week entry in the Hammer Dracula franchise has Dracula reincarnated by a bat. The appearance is given that the film picks up where Taste The Blood of Dracula has left off, but in typical Hammer fashion, continuity is thrown out the window in the Count's remains are on the same altar but in his castle rather than the church which was the scene is demise in the prior film. This continuity issue extends to yet another iteration of his castle and a German village - Kleinberg in this film, Kleinenberg in the third and Karlsbad in the second. Lee is given more dialog in this film but retains the sinister demeanor if past efforts. The story is a muddled mess full of gratuitous violence and sex. As with all Hammer films, you watch them for their atmospheric schlockiness and nothing more.

This film tells the story of a group of friends hiking the woods of Sweden. The trip was originally supposed to include another member of their group who recently died under tragic circumstances. They leave the trail and opt to take a shortcut through the forest due to an injury. The trip, having been planned before his death, is intended to honor his memory. Things start out innocuously at first until they start seeing signs that perhaps the woods aren't the best place to be! At night things really get frightening and ultimately they realize that they have made a huge mistake taking the woods as a shortcut!