killercharm

An orphan goes from the horrendous life of the orphanage to the abusive life in a foster home, all in the Victorian era. He escapes from the undertaker who was fostering him and walks for seven days until he reaches London. There a child gang of cut-purses and pick-pockets takes him in. When two of them are caught stealing from a gentleman they run, leaving Oliver to take the fall. Instead he gets adopted by the gentleman. The story is mostly about the gang stealing him back and trying to keep him, all against his will. This is the best adaptation I've ever seen of this story, so much so that I love it. For so long, when it came to Charles Dickens, seems like my choices were either TV quality or so old that they seemed to be made in the Victorian era. I don't know what to think of the musical. In the new millennium wonderful adaptations of Dickens have made him more accessible, or, actually, more fun.

Wonderful B horror written and directed by the Cairnes brothers, Strine horror directors. These two have written and directed a low budget gem. It's all about a late night tv show from the 70s, Night Owls with Jack Delroy. It's a low budget show that gets second place and no higher in the ratings repeatedly. No matter what, the host of the show is sweet, sincere and honest. He mines his life for content, but not in a detrimental way. When the devil comes acalling Jack Delroy has no sins to worry about. The whole movie has a wonderfully realistic 1970s look and feel to it. The particular brand of corn peddled on Jack Delroy's show is SO 70s. On Halloween night of their sixth season the guests include a James Randi type professional sceptic, and Dr. June Ross-Mitchell, and June's latest subject, 13-year-old Lilly D'Abo who is purportedly possessed by a demonic spirit. Once things get going the devil inside the girl, who may be Abraxas, gets a little full of himself and starts to making trouble.

That Val Lewton! He is something else. This is pretty much a basic b-flat flick until you add in the deep noir of the Lewton Unit and you get this visual feast. B horror master that he was, some of Val Lewton's deep dark shadow-play becomes other worldly, with shadows appearing at wacko angles reminiscent of supernatural horror. He really is the best part of this movie, lifting it. A goody two-shoes Kim Hunter goes alooking for her sister who's been missing lo these last six months, unbeknownst to her sweet self. Kim plays Mary, and Mary is sweet and she's young, just finishing school (she drinks milk at the diner, foisted on her by Hugh Beaumont of all people) but she's developing a backbone. She's finding her voice and it's because she has to use it to find her sister. So she's off to the big, shadow-filled city, encountering characters as only a noir horror can provide. She finds out her sister is mixed up with a satanic cult. So now it's Polly Purebred vs. The Devil, a mild mannered devil, but still.