harrygbutler takes a ride on the Reading — 9

By LHOON from Mechelen, Belgium - Steamtown, Scranton, PA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

Welcome to my ninth thread for 2020! I’m Harry, and this is my fifth year in the 75 Books Challenge. By training I'm a medievalist, by occupation I’m a project manager, after many years as an editor. My taste in reading runs to Golden Age and earlier mysteries, pulp detective and adventure fiction, Late Antique and medieval literature, westerns, and late nineteenth and early twentieth century popular fiction, among others. I also have a fondness for collections of cartoons and comic strips, and relatively recently I have begun collecting pulp magazines from the first half of the twentieth century. I usually have a few books going at once.

I'm also an inveterate movie watcher, and I track my viewing in my thread, too. I watch a wide variety of genres — mystery, western, comedy, adventure, science fiction, horror, and more — and tend to watch older movies, particularly from Hollywood's Golden Age in the 1930s and 1940s, but extending through the 1980s and only rarely later.

My wife Erika and I live in eastern Pennsylvania with three cats — Elli, Otto, and Pixie — and a dog, Hildy. Our pets occasionally make an appearance in my thread. My other interests include model railroading, gardening, and birding, so you'll sometimes see something related to them as well.

I try to provide some sort of comment on the books and magazines I read and the movies I watch, but they are short and aren't really reviews.

I finished 168 books in 2019. I'd like to up that total to 170 in 2020.

Books finished in the first quarter

1. Vengeance Is Mine, by Mickey Spillane
2. The Voice of the Night: The Cases of Jeff Fanchon, Inquirer, by Hugh Pendexter
3. When a Feller Needs a Friend, by Clare A. Briggs
4. The Customs of Catalonia Between Lords and Vassals, by the Barcelona Canon, Pere Albert: A Practical Guide to Castle Feudalism in Medieval Spain, by Pere Albert; trans. by Donald J. Kagay
5. Warlords, Warlocks & Witches, ed. by D. M. Ritzlin
6. Don't Step in the Leadership, by Scott Adams
7. The Savage Salome, by Carter Brown
8. Roman Antiquities, Books 3-4, by Dionysius of Halicarnassus; trans. by Earnest Cary
9. Fair Blows the Wind, by Louis L'Amour
10. German Romance, Volume III: Iwein or The Knight with the Lion, by Hartmann von Aue; trans. by Cyril Edwards
11. Death of a Citizen, by Donald Hamilton
12. Death Walks in Eastrepps, by Francis Beeding
13. Lord Lister, Known as Raffles, Master Thief, by Kurt Matull and Theo Blankensee; trans. by Joseph A. Lovece
14. The Hurricane, by Terence Robertson
15. The Ferguson Rifle, by Louis L'Amour
16. Walt Disney's Donald Duck: "Christmas in Duckburg", by Carl Barks
17. The Milliner's Hat Mystery, by Basil Thomson
18. Death Dealers & Diabolists, ed. by D. M. Ritzlin
19. Breakheart Pass, by Alistair MacLean
20. Best Cartoons of the Year 1950, ed. by Lawrence Lariar
21. A Good Year for Dwarfs?, by Carter Brown
22. The Knight of the Parrot: Early Adventures of Young King Arthur, trans. by Thomas E. Vesce
23. Hope and History: Five Salzburg Lectures, by Josef Pieper
24. Death in the Cup, by Moray Dalton
25. A Talent for Revenge, by John Cutter
26. Ghost Breaker, by Ron Goulart
27. Hagar's Knight Out, by Dik Browne
28. Arrest the Bishop?, by Winifred Peck
29. The Wrecking Crew, by Donald Hamilton
30. The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat, by Thornton Burgess
31. Cartoon Laffs, ed. by Clyde Carley
32. The Life of Lazaros of Mt. Galesion: An Eleventh-Century Pillar Saint, by Gregory the Cellarer; trans. by Richard P. H. Greenfield
33. Anonymous Footsteps, by John M. O'Connor
34. The Red Pavilion, by Robert van Gulik
35. Over on the Dry Side, by Louis L'Amour
36. The Case of the Poisoned Cat, by K. P. Bahadur
37. Dennis the Menace—All-American Kid, by Hank Ketcham
38. Easy Company and the Suicide Boys, by John Wesley Howard
39. Diagnosis: Homicide, by Lawrence G. Blochman
40. Caravan to Vaccares, by Alistair MacLean
41. Treasure-House of Mysteries: Explorations of the Sacred Text Through Poetry in the Syriac Tradition, trans. by Sebastian Brock
42. The Blonde, by Carter Brown
43. Granddad! It's Morning!, by Bil Keane
44. The Crime at Diana's Pool, by Victor L. Whitechurch
45. Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works, by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite; trans. by Colm Luibheid
46. The Removers, by Donald Hamilton

Books finished in the second quarter

47. Everything's Archie!
48. Borden Chantry, by Louis L'Amour
49. The Body, by Carter Brown
50. Buck Fever: Deer Camp Cartoons, by Bruce Cochran
51. Reading the Psalms with Luther
52. The Phantom Spy, by Max Brand
53. A Murder Is Arranged, by Basil Thomson
54. This Petty Place: A Book of Drawings, by Mary Petty
55. Three Mysteries by Johnston McCulley
56. The Lives of the Monks of Palestine, by Cyril of Scythopolis; trans. by R. M. Price
57. Roman Antiquities, Books 5-6.48, by Dionysius of Halicarnassus; trans. by Earnest Cary
58. Marmaduke Sounds Off, by Brad Anderson
59. The Pleasure Cruise Mystery, by Robin Forsythe
60. North to the Rails, by Louis L'Amour
61. The Moving Shadow: Electrifying Bengali Pulp Fiction, selected and translated by Arunava Sinha
62. The Floating Game, by John Garforth
63. The Rescuers, by Margery Sharp
64. Heathcliff Rides Again, by George Gately
65. Theodulf of Orléans: The Verse, by Theodulf of Orléans; trans. by Theodore M. Andersson in collaboration with Åslaug Ommundsen and Leslie S. B. MacCoull
66. Best Cartoons of the Year 1954, ed. by Lawrence Lariar
67. The Eel Pie Murders, by David Frome
68. The Born Loser, by Carter Brown
69. Atlantic Fury, by Hammond Innes
70. Death Squad, by Don Pendleton
71. Easy Company and the Medicine Gun, by John Wesley Howard
72. The Tough Guys, by Mickey Spillane
73. Swords of Steel Omnibus, ed. by D. M. Ritzlin
74. Best Cartoons of the Year, ed. by Lawrence Lariar
75. Thrilling Pulp Detective Tales, Volume 1, ed. by Jonathan W. Sweet (editor) and Jules Sweet (associate editor)
76. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
77. Sacking Paris on a Budget, by Dik Browne
78. The House of the Vanishing Goblets, by Arlo & Carmen Edington
79. Take a Murder, Darling, by Richard S. Prather
80. Cy Whittaker's Place, by Joseph C. Lincoln
81. Tombstone & Speedy, Range Detectives, W. C. Tuttle
82. Death Sails the Nile, by F. Burks McKinley
83. East of Desolation, by Jack Higgins
84. Terror Comes Creeping, by Carter Brown
85. Not Reverse!, by Mort Walker
86. Sorry, Chief..., by William Johnston
87. Blondie, by Dean Young and Jim Raymond
88. The House That Kills, by Noel Vindry; trans. by John Pugmire
89. Two Dead, by Vernon Loder
90. Riders Against the Moon, by Johnston McCulley
91. Oh, Murderer Mine, by Norbert Davis

Books finished in the third quarter

92. Never Turn Your Back, by Margaret Scherf
93. The Mighty Warriors, ed. by Robert M. Price
94. Choice Cartoons from Sports Illustrated by Charles Preston
95. Zothique, by Clark Ashton Smith
96. Too Funny for Words! 125 Cartoons That Speak for Themselves, ed. by Phil Hirsch
97. The Brazen, by Carter Brown
98. Red Sonja #1: The Ring of Ikribu, by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney
99. Submarine Commander, by Rear Admiral Ben Bryant
100. The Winds of Gath, by E. C. Tubb
101. One Lonely Night, by Mickey Spillane
102. Roman Antiquities, Books 6.49-7, by Dionysius of Halicarnassus; trans. by Earnest Cary
103. Rivers West, by Louis L'Amour
104. Dead Man's Quarry, by Ianthe Jerrold
105. Nifft the Lean, by Michael Shea
106. The Poison Belt Together with "The Disintegration Machine" and "When the World Screamed", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
107. March Upcountry, by David Weber and John Ringo
108. March to the Sea, by David Weber and John Ringo
109. March to the Stars, by David Weber and John Ringo
110. The Crime Coast, by Elizabeth Gill
111. The Man from the Broken Hills, by Louis L'Amour
112. Death of Anton, by Alan Melville
113. Poseidonis, by Clark Ashton Smith
114. Marmaduke Hams It Up!, by Brad Anderson
115. The Best of Thrilling Adventures
116. The Hunt Club, by Norman Daniels
117. Battle Mask, by Don Pendleton
118. Exemplary Lives: Selected Sermons on the Saints, from Rheinau, ed. and trans. by James C. Wilkinson
119. Fugitive from the Cubicle Police, by Scott Adams
120. Lives of the Visigothic Fathers, trans. by A. T. Fear
121. The Emperor's Pearl, by Robert van Gulik
122. A Rival from the Grave, by Seabury Quinn
123. Necromancy in Nilztiria, by D. M. Ritzlin
124. The Desired, by Carter Brown
125. Lookin' Good, Beetle Bailey, by Mort Walker
126. Milo Talon, by Louis L'Amour
127. Serpents in Eden: Countryside Crimes, ed. by Martin Edwards
128. Two Works on Trebizond: Michael Panaretos / Bessarion, ed. and trans. by Scott Kennedy
129. The Daffodil Murder, by Edgar Wallace
130. But Theriously Folkth, by Johnny Hart
131. The Man from Missouri, by Frank Gruber
132. In Search of the Sacred: Contributions to an Answer, by Josef Pieper; trans. by Lothar Krauth

Books finished in the fourth quarter

133. Red Sonja #2: Demon Night, by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney
134. The Rider of Lost Creek, by Louis L'Amour
135. Addams and Evil, by Charles Addams
136. Hard-Boiled Detectives: 23 Great Stories from Dime Detective Magazine, ed. by Robert Weinberg, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, and Martin H. Greenberg
137. Miami Massacre, by Don Pendleton
138. Hardcase for Hire, by Clay Randall
139. So What Killed the Vampire?, by Carter Brown
140. Let's Change Places, Beetle Bailey, by Mort Walker
141. Poets and Murder, by Robert van Gulik
142. The Adventures of Mr. Clackworthy, by Christopher B. Booth
143. Many Rivers to Cross, by Steve Frazee
144. The Fastest Hound Dog in the State of Maine, by John Gould
145. Mystery at Olympia, by John Rhode
146. Poems, by Venantius Fortunatus; ed. and trans. by Michael Roberts
147. Best Cartoons of the Year 1948, ed. by Lawrence Lariar
148. Red Sonja #3: When Hell Laughs, by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney
149. The Vampire Murders, by Robert Wallace
150. Moral Essays, Volume I, by Seneca; trans. by John W. Basore
151. Scream for Jeeves: A Parody, by P. H. Cannon

Art by Glen White, for Argosy All-Story Magazine - http://rebelsofmars.blogs.com/rebels_of_mars/a_merritt/, Public Domain, Link

I read relatively few magazines last year, but I'd like to get back to the many pulps I've acquired, as well as some current pulp-inspired magazines, so I'm setting a goal for myself of averaging one magazine per month this year.

Magazines completed in 2020
1. Storyhack Action & Adventure, Issue 2 (neo-pulp)
2. Tales from The Magician's Skull, No. 4 (neo-pulp)
3. G-8 and His Battle Aces, October 1935
4. Storyhack Action & Adventure, Issue 4 (neo-pulp)
5. Storyhack Action & Adventure, Issue 3 (neo-pulp)
6. Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924
7. Storyhack Action & Adventure, Issue 5 (neo-pulp
8. The Blue Book Magazine, April 1926
9. Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1920
10. Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925

In my first couple years in the group, I found I was avoiding reading shorter works — short stories, essays, treatises, sermons, etc. — found in books where I didn't intend to read the whole book at one go, because they wouldn't contribute to my totals. I'm tracking them now. I've set no particular goal for a total for this year, nor have I remembered to capture all that I've read, but I'll list what I can.

Shorter works read in 2020

1. "Ghost of a Crown," by Sterling Lanier (first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1976)
2. "Witch-House," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, November 1936)
3. The Sultan of Hell, by Capt. Kerry McRoberts (first published in Thrilling Adventures, March 1934)
4. "The Terrible Parchment," by Manly Wade Wellman (first published in Weird Tales, August 1937)
5. "Orchid of Doom," by Lieut. Scott Morgan (first published in Thrilling Adventures, July 1934)
6. "Lost Treasures of Eden," by Capt. John Powers (first published in Thrilling Adventures, December 1934)
7. "Children of the Bat," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, January 1937)
8. "Interlude's End," by Robert Leslie Bellem
9. "The Lagoon of Monsters," by Johnston McCulley (first published in Thrilling Adventures, December 1934)
10. "Satan's Palimpsest," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, September 1937)
11. "World of Doom," by Ray Cummings (first published in Thrilling Adventures, January 1935)
12. "Pledged to the Dead," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, October 1937)
13. "Mother of Toads," by Clark Ashton Smith (first published in Weird Tales, July 1938)
14. "The Web of the Green Spider," by Capt. Kerry McRoberts (first published in Thrilling Adventures, February 1935)
15. "Sublevel Seventeen," by Paul Ernst (first published in Thrilling Adventures, February 1935)
16. "Murder on the Lotus Pond," by Robert van Gulik
17. "The Two Beggars," by Robert van Gulik
18. "The Wrong Sword," by Robert van Gulik
19. "Living Buddhess," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, November 1937)
20. "The Curse of the Shining God," by A. Leslie (first published in Thrilling Adventures, April 1935)
21. "Flames of Vengeance," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, December 1937)
22. "Hell's Oasis," by Arthur J. Burks (first published in Thrilling Adventures, April 1935)
23. "Frozen Beauty," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, February 1938)
24. "The Wooden Horse: Some Possible Bronze Age Origins, by Donald F. Easton (first published in ipamati kistamati pari tumatimis: Luwian and Hittite Studies Presented to J. David Hawkins on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday)
25. "Incense of Abomination," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, March 1938)
26. "The 'Shamraken' Homeward-Bounder," by William Hope Hodgson
27. "Suicide Chapel," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, June 1938)
28. "The Venomed Breath of Vengeance," by Seabury Quinn (first published in Weird Tales, August 1938)

I also listened to Vincent Price's reading of "Chu-bu and Sheemish," by Lord Dunsany.

Our cat Otto is a big fan of movies: When we start to watch one, he comes running to the living room from wherever he may be and settles in for the duration, though he chiefly dozes rather than actively watching.

I fell just short of 350 movies in 2019, so that number was my target in 2020.

I'll be giving Otto a place in my comments on movies. At present, the three ratings are as follows:

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movies watched in January

1. Mark of the Gorilla (Columbia, 1950)
2. Footsteps in the Night (Allied Artists, 1957)
3. Isle of Forgotten Sins (PRC, 1943)
4. Three Crosses Not To Die (original title: Tre croci per non morire) (1968)
5. The Inner Circle (Republic, 1946)
6. The Battle of the Damned (original title: Quella dannata pattuglia) (1969)
7. Beyond the Time Barrier (American International, 1960)
8. The Extra Girl (Mack Sennett Comedies, 1923)
9. The Fighting Renegade (Victory, 1939)
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles (Twentieth Century Fox, 1939)
11. Traitorous (original title: Da tai jian) (1976)
12. Bowery at Midnight (Monogram, 1942)
13. Shall We Dance (RKO, 1937)
14. Commandos (1968)
15. Stagecoach (UA, 1939)
16. Let's Get Tough! (Monogram, 1942)
17. Make Mine Music (Disney / RKO, 1946)
18. Hands of a Gunfighter (original title: Ocaso de un pistolero) (1965)
19. The Range Feud (Columbia, 1931)
20. The Burning Court (original title: La chambre ardente) (1962)
21. The Hidden City (Monogram, 1950)
22. Bikini Beach (American International, 1964)
23. Non-Stop New York (Gaumont British, 1937)
24. The Death Kiss (K.B.S. Productions / Sono Art-World Wide, 1932)
25. The Hell's Wind Staff (original title: Long hu men) (1979)
26. The Black Camel (Fox, 1931)
27. Aces and Eights (Puritan, 1936)
28. Buccaneer's Girl (Universal, 1950)
29. A Candidate for a Killing (original title: Un sudario a la medida) (1969)
30. They Were Expendable (MGM, 1945)
31. The Atomic Submarine (Allied Artists, 1959)
32. Feud of the West (Diversion, 1936)
33. Locker Sixty-Nine (Anglo-Amalgamated, 1962)
34. Death Trap (Anglo-Amalgamated, 1962)
35. The H-Man (original title: Bijo to ekitai ningen) (Toho, 1958; Columbia, 1959)
36. Death on High Mountain (original title: La morte sull'alta collina) (1969)
37. Where's That Fire? (Twentieth Century Fox / Gainsborough, 1939)
38. The Ghost Camera (Real Art / RKO, 1933)
39. The Night the World Exploded (Columbia, 1957)
40. Action Man (original title: Le soleil des voyous) (1967)
41. The Lady in Scarlet (Chesterfield, 1935)
42. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Twentieth Century Fox, 1939)
43. The Living Ghost (Monogram, 1942)
44. 12 to the Moon (Columbia, 1960)
45. Phantom Rancher (Colony, 1940)
46. The Ghost Walks (Invincible, 1934)
47. Destroy All Planets (original title: Gamera tai uchu kaijû Bairasu) (Daiei, 1968)
48. Seven Steps of Kung Fu (original title: Qi bu mi zong) (1979)
49. The Thirteenth Guest (Monogram, 1932)
50. Sagebrush Trail (Lone Star / Monogram, 1933)
51. The Seventh Curse (original title: Yuen Chun Hap yu Wai See Lee) (Golden Harvest / Paragon, 1986)
52. F.P.1 (Gaumont British / Fox / UFA, 1933)
53. Charlie Chan in Paris (Fox, 1935)
54. Lawless Land (Republic, 1937)
55. Crazy Knights (Monogram, 1944)
56. Palmy Days (Goldwyn / UA, 1931)
57. Time Table (Mark Stevens Productions / UA, 1956)
58. Dead Men Walk (PRC, 1943)
59. The Vampire Doll (original title: Yûrei yashiki no kyôfu: Chi wo sû ningyô) (Toho, 1970)
60. Texas Wildcats (Victory, 1939)

Movies watched in February

61. The Loves of Hercules (original title: Gli amori di Ercole) (1960)
62. Midnight Limited (Monogram, 1940)
63. Awkward Hands (original title: Manos torpes) (1970)
64. Pajama Party (American International, 1964)
65. X Marks the Spot (Republic, 1942)
66. Lake of Dracula (original title: Noroi no yakata: Chi o suu me) (Toho, 1971)
67. Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (Universal, 1942)
68. Danger Ahead (Monogram, 1940)
69. Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (Allied Artists, 1965)
70. Mozambique (1964)
71. The Gunman (Monogram, 1952)
72. Sink the Bismarck! (Twentieth Century Fox, 1960)
73. Evil of Dracula (original title: Chi o suu bara) (Toho, 1974)
74. The Human Monster (Monogram, 1940) (originally released in the UK as Dark Eyes of London by Pathé, 1939)
75. Riders of the Desert (Sono Art-World Wide, 1932)
76. Win Them All (Park Films, 1973)
77. Gallery of Horror (American General, 1967)
78. Ice Station Zebra (MGM, 1968)
79. Murder on the Yukon (Monogram, 1940)
80. Midnight Manhunt (Paramount, 1945)
81. Santo el enmascarado de plata y Blue Demon contra los monstruos (Santo and Blue Demon vs. the Monsters) (Cinematográfica Sotomayor, 1970)
82. The Red Blood of Courage (Ambassador, 1935)
83. Charlie Chan in Egypt (Fox, 1935)
84. Satanik (1968)
85. Caught Plastered (RKO, 1931)
86. Attack of the Monsters (original title: Gamera tai daiakuju Giron) (Daiei, 1969)
87. My Name Is Pecos (original title: 2 once di piombo) (1966)
88. Bulldog Drummond (Goldwyn / UA, 1929)
89. Goldsinger (original title: James Tont operazione U.N.O.) (1965)
90. Pecos Cleans Up (original title: Pecos è qui: prega e muori!) (1967)
91. Tiger Fangs (PRC, 1943)
92. The Weird Man (Shaw Brothers, 1983)
93. Condemned To Live (Invincible / Chesterfield, 1935)
94. Wrangler's Roost (Monogram, 1941)
95. Kriminal (1966)
96. The Beach Girls and the Monster (U.S. Films, 1965)
97. Candles at Nine (British National, 1944)
98. The Deadly Duo (Shaw Brothers, 1971)
99. Gog (Ivan Tors / UA, 1954)
100. Sky Bandits (Monogram, 1940)
101. Upperseven, l'uomo da uccidere (1966)
102. Return of the Deadly Blade (original title: Fei dao you jian fei dao) (1981)
103. Fenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankamen (original title: Fenomenal e il tesoro di Tutankamen) (1968)
104. Africa Screams (UA, 1949)
105. The Vampire Bat (Majestic, 1933)
106. Alias Boston Blackie (Columbia, 1942)
107. Prairie Law (RKO, 1940)
108. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (Universal, 1942)
109. Da Istanbul ordine di uccidere (From Istanbul, Orders To Kill) (1965)
110. Song of Old Wyoming (PRC, 1945)
111. The Street Fighter (original title: Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken) (Toei, 1974)
112. The Bellboy (Paramount, 1960)
113. Treasure Hunt (IFD, 1952)
114. General Stone (original title: Shi san tai bao Li Cun Xiao) (1977)
115. Man on the Spying Trapeze (original title: Anónima de asesinos) (1966)
116. Murder by the Clock (Paramount, 1931)
117. Borderland (Paramount, 1937)
118. The Hidden Hand (WB, 1942)

Movies watched in March

119. Santo contra Blue Demon en la Atlantida (Santo vs. Blue Demon in Atlantis) (Cinematográfica Sotomayor, 1970)
120. Breakout (Independent Artists / Anglo-Amalgamated, 1959)
121. Charlie Chan in Shanghai (Fox, 1935)
122. Heart of the Rockies (Republic, 1937)
123. Gammera the Invincible (1966)
124. The Ghost Rider (Monogram, 1943)
125. Come rubare un quintale di diamanti in Russia (Mission Phantom) (1967)
126. The Lion Hunters (Monogram, 1951)
127. Peking Blonde (original title: La blonde de Pékin) (1967)
128. Hercules, Prisoner of Evil (original title: Ursus, il terrore dei kirghisi) (1964)
129. Stage to Chino (RKO, 1940)
130. Miss Tulip Stays the Night (Grand Alliance, 1955)
131. Finders Keepers (UA, 1966/1967)
132. The Monster Maker (PRC, 1944)
133. The Snow Devils (original title: La morte viene dal pianeta Aytin) (1967)
134. Orphan of the Pecos (Victory, 1937)
135. Iron Monkey Strikes Back (aka Duel at the Tiger Village) (original title: Jue dou Lao Hu Zhuang) (1978)
136. Colpo in Canna (Loaded Guns) (1975)
137. Murder on the Campus (Chesterfield, 1933)
138. Assalto al tesoro di stato (Assault on the State Treasure) (1967)
139. The Mysterious Miss X (Republic, 1939)
140. Romance on the Range (Republic, 1942)
141. Last Man To Kill (original title: Un milione di dollari per sette assassini) (1966)
142. Charlie Chan at the Circus (Twentieth Century Fox, 1936)
143. Blue Demon y Zovek en La invasión de los muertos (Invasion of the Dead) (1973)
144. War Between the Planets (original title: Il pianeta errante) (1966)
145. Ridin' the Lone Trail (Republic, 1937)
146. Murder in the Big House (WB, 1942)
147. Borman (1966)
148. The Hurricane Horseman (Willis Kent, 1931)
149. Argoman vs. Diabolicus (original title: Superargo contro Diabolikus) (1966/1968)
150. Snake River Desperadoes (Columbia, 1951)
151. Calling Bulldog Drummond (MGM, 1951)
152. Every Day’s a Holiday (Grand National, 1964)
153. Perry Grant, agente di ferro (aka The Big Blackout) (1966)
154. 7 donne d'oro contro due 07 (1966)
155. Deathsport (New World, 1978)
156. Comanche Station (Columbia, 1960)
157. The Star Packer (Lone Star / Monogram, 1934)
158. Detective School Dropouts (Cannon, 1986)
159. Hercules in the Haunted World (original title: Ercole al centro della Terra) (1961/1964)
160. The Night of January 16th (Paramount, 1941)
161. Project Moon Base (Lippert, 1953)
162. Mrs. Pollifax – Spy (UA, 1971)
163. Sands of Iwo Jima (Republic, 1949)
164. Journey to the Center of Time (1967)
165. Black Magic (original title: Jiang tou) (Shaw Brothers, 1975)
166. Rogue of the Range (Supreme, 1936)
167. Sherlock Holmes in Washington (Universal, 1943)
168. The Case of the Frightened Lady (British Lion, 1940)

Movies watched in April

169. James Tont operazione D.U.E. (1966)
170. Devil Bat’s Daughter (PRC, 1946)
171. Rip Roarin' Buckaroo (Victory, 1936)
172. Supercolpo da 7 miliardi (aka The Ten Million Dollar Grab) (1967)
173. Sky Racket (Victory, 1937)
174. Death Journey (1976)
175. Ator, the Fighting Eagle (original title: Ator l'invincibile) (1982)
176. Sunset Range (First Division, 1935)
177. Jin Niukou (aka Gold Button) (1966)
178. The Time Travelers (American International, 1964)
179. Dick Tracy (RKO, 1945)
180. The Marshal of Mesa City (RKO, 1939)
181. Werewolves on Wheels (1971)
182. 28 minuti per 3 milioni di dollari (aka 28 Minutes for 3 Million Dollars) (1967)
183. The Flying Guillotine (original title: Xue di zi) (1975)
184. Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (original title: Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes) (1962)
185. Hold ’Em Jail (RKO, 1932)
186. Caryl of the Mountains (Reliable, 1936)
187. Blood Money (original title: El kárate, el Colt y el impostor) (1974)
188. One Armed Executioner (1981)
189. The Swiss Conspiracy (1976)
190. Space Raiders (1983)
191. Desert Gold (Paramount, 1936)
192. Il marchio di Kriminal (1968)
193. Planet of the Vampires (original title: Terrore nello spazio) (American International, 1965)
194. Meet Nero Wolfe (Columbia, 1936)
195. Sister Street Fighter (1974)
196. The Lost Missile (UA, 1958)
197. The League of Frightened Men (Columbia, 1937)
198. Flying Guillotine 2 (1978)
199. Hills of Kentucky (WB, 1927)
200. Charlie Chan at the Race Track (Twentieth Century Fox, 1936)
201. The Great Alligator (original title: Il fiume del grande caimano) (1979)
202. The Stranger (RKO, 1946)
203. Mean Johnny Barrows (1975)
204. Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring (Columbia, 1941)
205. Fatal Flying Guillotine (original title: Yin yang xie di zi) (1977)
206. Phantom from Space (UA, 1953)
207. Exterminators Of The Year 3000 (original title: Il giustiziere della strada) (1983)
208. The Man from Utah (Lone Star/Monogram, 1934)
209. Dick Tracy versus Cueball (RKO, 1946)
210. The Skull (Amicus, 1965)
211. The Killer With A Thousand Eyes (original title: Los mil ojos del asesino) (1973)
212. Goliath and the Dragon (original title: La vendetta di Ercole) (1960)
213. Mission Stardust (original title: ...4 ..3 ..2 ..1 ...morte) (1967)
214. Elephant Stampede (Monogram, 1951)
215. The Super Inframan (original title: Zhong guo chao ren) (1975)
216. Charlie Chan at the Opera (Twentieth Century Fox, 1936)
217. The Old Corral (Republic, 1936)
218. Supermen Against the Orient (original title: Crash! Che botte... strippo strappo stroppio) (1973)
219. Jungle Heat (UA, 1957)
220. Along Came Jones (International / RKO, 1945)
221. Operation Atlantis (original title: Agente S 03: Operazione Atlantide) (1965)

Movies watched in May

222. Fangs of the Wild (Metropolitan, 1939)
223. The Cobra (original title: Il cobra) (1967)
224. Invasion of the Star Creatures (American International, 1962)
225. Monster from Green Hell (1957)
226. Le solitaire passe à l'attaque (1966)
227. Agent X-77 Orders to Kill (original title: Baraka sur X 13) (1966)
228. The French Key (Republic, 1946)
229. Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops (original title: Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi) (1961)
230. Womaneater (1958)
231. Texas Terror (Lone Star / Monogram, 1935)
232. Blackmail (Republic, 1947)
233. Call of the South Seas (Republic, 1944)
234. How To Make a Monster (American International, 1958)
235. Ellery Queen, Master Detective (Columbia, 1940)
236. Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime (Columbia, 1941)
237. Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery (Columbia, 1941)
238. The She Beast (1966)
239. The Case of the Bloody Iris (original title: Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?) (1972)
240. Dogora (original title: Uchû daikaijû Dogora) (Toho, 1964)
241. Un dollaro tra i denti (aka A Stranger in Town (1967)
242. Shaolin Devil Shaolin Angel (original title: Tie shou wu qing zhui hun ling) (1978)
243. A Close Call for Ellery Queen (Columbia, 1942)
244. A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen (Columbia, 1942)
245. Dick Tracy's Dilemma (RKO, 1947)
246. Murder with Pictures (Paramount, 1936)
247. Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (original title: Se tutte le donne del mondo... (Operazione Paradiso) (1966)
248. Thunder Trail (Paramount, 1937)
249. The Comedy of Terrors (American International, 1963)
250. Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (Universal, 1943)
251. The Set Up (Anglo-Amalgamated, 1963)
252. Electra One (original title: Con la muerte a la espalda) (1967)
253. The Bloody Vampire (original title: El vampiro sangriento) (1962)
254. The Invasion of the Vampires (original title: La invasión de los vampiros) (1963)
255. Uncle Was a Vampire (original title: Tempi duri per i vampiri) (1959)
256. Green Eyes (Chesterfield, 1934)
257. Kung Fu Zombie (original title: Wu long tian shi zhao ji gui) (1981)
258. British Intelligence (WB, 1940)
259. Discarded Lovers (Tower, 1932)
260. The World of the Vampires (original title: El mundo de los vampiros) (1961)
261. Un uomo, un cavallo, una pistol (aka The Stranger Returns) (1967)
262. Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938)
263. Beast from Haunted Cave (Allied Artists, 1959)
264. Rocky Mountain Mystery (Paramount, 1935)
265. Jiang shi pa pa (The Close Encounter of the Vampire) (1986)
266. The House of the Arrow (1953)

Movies watched in June

267. Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947)
268. Up in the Air (Monogram, 1940)
269. Temptress of a Thousand Faces (original title: Qian mian mo nu) (Shaw Brothers, 1969)
270. The San Antonio Kid (Republic, 1944)
271. Ladrón de cadaveres (aka The Body Snatcher) (Internacional Cinematográfica, 1957)
272. Tomorrow at Seven (RKO, 1933)
273. La mujer murcielago (aka The Batwoman) (Cinematográfica Calderón, 1968)
274. Blue Steel (Lone Star / Monogram, 1934)
275. 002 operazione Luna (1965)
276. Charlie Chan at the Olympics (Twentieth Century Fox, 1937)
277. Leyendas macabras de la colonia (1974)
278. The Westland Case (Universal, 1937)
279. El robo de las momias de Guanajuato (1972)
280. The Cowboy Counsellor (Allied, 1932)
281. La nave de los monstruos (1959)
282. Danger on the Air (Universal, 1938)
283. African Treasure (Monogram, 1952)
284. If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (UA, 1969)
285. Aventura al centro de la tierra (1965)
286. The Kansan (UA, 1943)
287. Unforgotten Crime (edited version of The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine) (Republic, 1942)
288. Hold That Woman! (PRC, 1940)
289. The Caribbean Mystery (Twentieth Century Fox, 1945)
290. Las luchadoras contra el robot asesino (1969)
291. Scared Stiff (Paramount, 1945)
292. La casa del terror (1960)
293. Streamline Express (Mascot, 1935)
294. The Vengeful Beauty (original title: Xue fu rong) (1978)
295. Amazons and Supermen (original title: Superuomini, superdonne, superbotte) (1974)
296. The Spider Woman (Universal, 1943)
297. Riders of the Law (Sunset / Aywon, 1922)
298. The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968)
299. Get Mean (1975)
300. Charlie Chan on Broadway (Twentieth Century Fox, 1937)
301. Assignment Terror (original title: Los monstruos del terror) (1970)
302. Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)
303. The Shadow (1933)
304. Green Dragon Inn (original title: Qing tian jian piao xiang) (1977)
305. The Crime Doctor's Courage (Columbia, 1945)
306. The Man from Painted Post (Artcraft, 1917)
307. While New York Sleeps (Twentieth Century Fox, 1938)
308. Dangerous Passage (Paramount, 1944)
309. Ghost Town (Commodore, 1936)
310. The Lady Confesses (PRC, 1945)
311. Kung Fu From Beyond the Grave (original title: Yin ji) (1982)
312. The Face Of Marble (Monogram, 1946)
313. Legion of the Lawless (RKO, 1940)
314. Carry On Camping (1969)
315. The Lone Wolf Strikes (Columbia, 1940)
316. The Devil's Possessed (original title: El mariscal del infierno) (1974)
317. 13 Lead Soldiers (Twentieth Century Fox, 1948)
318. Adventure of Shaolin (original title: Zhang San Feng du chuang Shao Lin) (1976)
319. Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (Twentieth Century Fox, 1937)
320. The Battle Wizard (original title: Tian long ba bu) (1977)

Movies watched in July

321. Espionage in Tangiers (original title: Marc Mato, agente S. 077) (1965)
322. Charlie Chan's Secret (Twentieth Century Fox, 1936)
323. Ninja Swords of Death (original title: Fei yin hu die zhan) (1978)
324. The Crimson Key (Twentieth Century Fox, 1947)
325. The Vampire's Ghost (Republic, 1945)
326. Heads for Sale (original title: Nu xia mai ren tou) (1970)
327. The Crime Doctor's Warning (Columbia, 1945)
328. Holy Flame of the Martial World (original title: Wu lin sheng huo jin) (1983)
329. Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster (original title: Gojira tai Mekagojira) (1974)
330. The Cape Town Affair (Twentieth Century Fox, 1967)
331. Revenge of Mechagodzilla (original title: Mekagojira no gyakushu) (1975)
332. Little Dragon Maiden (original title: Yang guo yu xiao long nu) (1983)
333. Charlie Chan in Honolulu (Twentieth Century Fox, 1938)
334. Legend of the Eight Samurai (original title: Satomi hakken-den) (1983)
335. Voodoo Island (UA, 1957)
336. Desperate Mission (original title: Agente Z 55 missione disperata) (1965)
337. Blue Demon: El Demonio Azul (1965)
338. Breakheart Pass (UA, 1976)
339. Mothra (original title: Mosura) (1961)
340. Wandering Dragon (1978? / 1981?)
341. The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle (original title: Der Würger von Schloß Blackmoor) (1963)
342. Pals of the Silver Sage (Monogram, 1940)
343. Arañas infernales (1968)
344. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (original title: San daikaijû: Chikyû saidai no kessen) (1964)
345. The Bells of Death (original title: Duo hun ling) (1968)
346. The Missing Corpse (PRC, 1945)
347. Atragon (original title: Kaitei gunkan) (1963)
348. The Spider Woman Strikes Back (Universal, 1946)
349. Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (Twentieth Century Fox, 1939)
350. King Kong (RKO, 1933)
351. Fire Maidens of Outer Space (Criterion, 1956)
352. Invasion of the Astro Monsters (original title: Kaijû daisensô) (1965)

Movies watched in August

353. The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman (original title: La noche de Walpurgis) (1971)
354. Boy God (original title: Rocco, ang batang bato) (1983)
355. Between God, the Devil and a Winchester (original title: Anche nel west c'era una volta Dio) (1968)
356. The Beast Must Die (Amicus, 1974)
357. The One-Armed Swordsman (original title: Du bei dao) (1967)
358. Charlie Chan in Reno (Twentieth Century Fox, 1939)
359. Una pistola per Ringo (1965)
360. Il ritorno di Ringo (1965)
361. Latitude Zero (aka: Ido zero daisakusen) (1969)
362. The Lady Hermit (original title: Zhong kui niang zi) (1971)
363. 6 donne per l'assassino (aka Blood and Black Lace) (1964)
364. The Westerner (Goldwyn / UA, 1940)
365. The Green Jade Statuette (original title: Shen dao liu xing quan) (1977)
366. Number One of the Secret Service (1977)
367. Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (Twentieth Century Fox, 1940)
368. The One Eyed Soldiers (aka Colpo di stato) (1967)
369. Hips, Hips, Hooray! (RKO, 1934)
370. The Witch with Flying Head (original title: Fei tou mo nu) (1982)
371. Deadly Silver Spear (original title: Xue lian huan) (1977)
372. Step On It (Reliable, 1936)
373. Wolf Devil Woman (original title: Lang nu bai mo) (1982)
374. Thor and the Amazon Women (original title: Le gladiatrici) (1963)
375. La morte cammina con i tacchi alti (aka Death Walks on High Heels) (1971)
376. The Five Venoms (original title: Wu du) (1978)
377. Firewalker (Cannon, 1986)
378. Escape from Galaxy 3 (original title: Giochi erotici nella terza galassia) (1981)
379. Kilink Istanbul'da (1967)
380. Ten Wanted Men (Columbia, 1955)
381. Charlie Chan in Panama (Twentieth Century Fox, 1940)
382. Iron Monkey (original title: Tie hou zi) (1977)
383. Sihirbazlar Krali Mandrake Killing'in pesinde (1967) 8/22
384. King Kong vs. Godzilla (original title: Kingu Kongu tai Gojira) (1962)
385. Hanuman pob Jed Yodmanud (original title: Urutora 6-kyodai tai kaijû gundan) (aka: Hanuman vs. 7 Ultraman) (1974)
386. That Man in Istanbul (original title: Estambul 65) (1965)
387. Murder over New York (Twentieth Century Fox, 1940)
388. Fun at St. Fanny's (1955)
389. Convicted (Supreme / Weiss Brothers Artclass, 1931)
390. Shoot, Gringo, Shoot (original title: Spara, Gringo, spara) (1968)
391. Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (Columbia, 1942)
392. Fearless Fighters (original title: Tou tiao hao han) (1971)
393. Devilman Story (1967)
394. Death Goes North (Columbia, 1939)
395. The Black Abbot (1934)
396. Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (Twentieth Century Fox, 1940)

Movies watched in September

397. Wheels of Fire (1985)
398. Triple Justice (RKO, 1940)
399. Se incontri Sartana prega per la tua morte (aka If You Meet Sartana... Pray for Your Death) (1968)
400. Sono Sartana, il vostro becchino (aka I Am Sartana, Your Angel of Death) (1969)
401. Quiet Please, Murder (Twentieth Century Fox, 1942)
402. C'è Sartana... vendi la pistola e comprati la bara! (aka: Sartana's Here, Trade Your Guns for a Coffin) (1970)
403. Have a Good Funeral, My Friend... Sartana Will Pay (original title: Buon funerale, amigos!... paga Sartana) (1970)
404. Light the Fuse... Sartana Is Coming (original title: Una nuvola di polvere... un grido di morte... arriva Sartana) (1970)
405. The Kid with the Golden Arm (original title: Jin bi tong)
406. Return of Sabata (original title: È tornato Sabata... hai chiuso un'altra volta!) (1971)
407. Seven Footprints to Satan (First National / WB, 1929)
408. Dead Eyes of London (original title: Die toten Augen von London) (1961)
409. Return of the One-Armed Swordsman (original title: Du bei dao wang) (1969)
410. Destroy All Monsters (original title: Kaijû sôshingeki) (1968)
411. Halleluja for Django (original title: La più grande rapina del west) (1967)
412. Dead Men Tell (Twentieth Century Fox, 1941)
413. The Cat O' Nine Tails (original title: Il gatto a nove code) (1971)
414. Appointment with Venus (aka Island Rescue) (1951)
415. The Fat Man (Universal, 1951)
416. La dama rossa uccide sette volte (aka The Red Queen Kills Seven Times) (1972)
417. Probability Zero (original title: Probabilità zero) (1969) 9/10
418. Tômei ningen to hae otoko (aka The Invisible Man vs. the Human Fly) (1958)
419. Gung Ho! (Universal, 1943)
420. Fog Island (PRC, 1945)
421. The 72 Desperate Rebels (original title: Qi shi er sha xing) (1978)
422. The Alien Dead (1978)
423. Oath of Vengeance (PRC, 1944)
424. Wonder Man (Goldwyn / RKO, 1945)
425. Think Fast, Mr. Moto (Twentieth Century Fox, 1937)
426. Dai tozoku (aka: The Lost World of Sinbad) (Toho, 1963)
427. The Pit and the Pendulum (American International, 1961)
428. Curse of the Devil (original title: El retorno de Walpurgis) (1973) 9/16
429. Shaolin Fox Conspiracy (original title: Han shan fei hu) (1982)
430. Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117 (aka Shadow of Evil or Panic in Bangkok) (1964)
431. The Black Raven (PRC, 1943)
432. The New One-Armed Swordsman (original title: Xin du bi dao) (1971)
433. Stage to Blue River (Monogram, 1951)
434. Kindar the Invulnerable (original title: Kindar, l'invulnerabile) (1965)
435. Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (American International, 1965)
436. ¡En peligro de muerte! (1962)
437. The Scarlet Claw (Universal, 1944)
438. The Dragon's Vengeance (original title: Chung kuo ren) (1972)
439. Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (original title: Le spie vengono dal semifreddo) (American International, 1966)
440. Incident at Midnight (Anglo Amalgamated, 1963)
441. The Rogues' Tavern (Puritan, 1936)
442. Yôsei Gorasu (aka: Gorath) (Toho, 1962)
443. Castle in the Air (1952)
444. The £20,000 Kiss (Anglo Amalgamated, 1963)
445. On the Run (Anglo Amalgamated, 1963)
446. Dressed To Fight (original title: Zhe jian chuan ji) (1979)
447. The Creeping Flesh (Columbia, 1973)
448. Bonanza Town (Columbia, 1951)
449. They Came from Beyond Space (1967)
450. Where the North Begins (WB, 1923)
451. Eyes in the Night (MGM, 1942)
452. The Game of Killers (original title: Xiao mian sha shou sha xiao zi) (1978)
453. Charlie Chan in Rio (Twentieth Century Fox, 1941)
454. Tom Dollar (1967)
455. The Return of the Durango Kid (Columbia, 1945)
456. The Murder in the Museum (Willis Kent, 1934)
457. 00-2 agenti segretissimi (1964)
458. House of Mystery (Anglo Amalgamated, 1961)

Movies watched in October

459. To Have and Have Not (WB, 1944)
460. Up the MacGregors (original title: 7 donne per i MacGregor) (1967)
461. Sugar Hill (American International, 1974)
462. The Big Sleep (WB, 1946)
463. Sartana in the Valley of Death (original title: Sartana nella valle degli avvoltoi) (1970)
464. House on Haunted Hill (Allied Artists, 1959)
465. Bao biao (aka Have Sword, Will Travel) (1969)
466. Carry On Screaming (Anglo Amalgamated, 1966)
467. Both Barrels Blazing (Columbia, 1945)
468. A Fistful of Dollars (original title: Per un pugno di dollari) (1964)
469. Castle in the Desert (Twentieth Century Fox, 1942)
470. For a Few Dollars More (original title: Per qualche dollaro in più) (1965)
471. The Runaway Bus (Eros, 1954)
472. For a Few Dollars Less (original title: Per qualche dollaro in meno) (1966)
473. The Black Abbot (original title: Der schwarze Abt) (1963)
474. Yongary, Monster from the Deep (original title: Taekoesu Yonggary) (1967)
475. L'assassino ha riservato nove poltrone (aka: The Killer Reserved Nine Seats) (1974)
476. Find the Blackmailer (WB, 1943)
477. Blood of the Vampire (Universal, 1958)
478. Outlaws of the Rockies (Columbia, 1945)
479. The Nurse's Secret (WB, 1941)
480. Pygmy Island (Columbia, 1950)
481. 18 Shaolin Riders (original title: Xuan feng shi ba qi) (1977)
482. Meet the Wildcat (Universal, 1940)
483. Hantu Jerangkong (aka: The Skeleton Ghost) (1957)
484. Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (Monogram, 1944)
485. The Curse of the Aztec Mummy (original title: La maldición de la momia azteca) (1957)
486. Smartest Girl in Town (RKO, 1936)
487. A Night of Magic (1944)
488. Sumpah Pontianak (aka: The Curse of Pontianak) (1958)
489. Godzilla vs. Mothra (original title: Mosura tai Gojira) (Toho, 1964)
490. Go-Get-'Em, Haines (Republic, 1936)
491. Two Great Cavaliers (original title: Ci xiong shuang sha) (1978)
492. Blazing the Western Trail (Columbia, 1945)
493. The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (original title: La momia azteca contra el robot humano) (1958)
494. Duo qing jian ke wu qing jian (aka: The Sentimental Swordsman) (1977)
495. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (American International, 1971)
496. Dr. Phibes Rises Again (American International, 1972)
497. The Curse of Nostradamus (original title: La maldición de Nostradamus) (1961)
498. Mo jian xia qing (aka: Return of the Sentimental Swordsman) (1981)
499. The Monsters Demolisher (original title: Nostradamus y el destructor de monstruos) (1962)
500. The Mummy (Universal, 1932)
501. Hebi musume to hakuhatsuma (aka: The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch) (1968)
502. Ren pi deng long (aka: Human Lanterns) (1982)
503. The Chinese Cat (Monogram, 1944)
504. You gui zi (aka: Oily Maniac) (1976)
505. Our Man Flint (Twentieth Century Fox, 1966)
506. Xiao shi yi lang (aka: Swordsman and Enchantress) (1978)
507. Mummy's Boys (RKO, 1936)
508. Xiao Xia Long Juan Feng (aka: Chivalric Tornado) (1989)
509. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (Hammer / Paramount, 1974)
510. Rim of the Canyon (Columbia, 1949)
511. Tien ya ming yue dao (aka: The Magic Blade) (1976)
512. The Trygon Factor (1966)
513. Lawless Empire (Columbia, 1945)
514. Die, Monster, Die! (American International, 1965)
515. Just Before Dawn (Columbia, 1946)
516. Fight for Glory (original title: Jue dai ying xiong) (1980)
517. The Jade Mask (Monogram, 1945)
518. Muscle Beach Party (American International, 1964)
519. Behind Green Lights (Twentieth Century Fox, 1946)
520. Oasis of the Zombies (original title: La tumba de los muertos vivientes) (1982)
521. Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (Hammer / Paramount, 1974)
522. Blood Orgy of the She-Devils (1973)
523. The Fake (UA, 1953)
524. Lady Frankenstein (original title: La figlia di Frankenstein) (1971)
525. The Ghost Galleon (original title: El buque maldito) (1974)
526. Maneater of Hydra (original title: La isla de la muerte) (1967)

September recap:

• 20 books finished


• 8 shorter works finished


• 3 magazines finished


• 62 movies watched

Year-to-date (as of the end of September):

• 132 books finished


• 26 shorter works finished


• 9 magazines finished


• 458 movies watched

I am slightly ahead of schedule for my book reading and have caught up on my magazine reading. I'm well past my original target of 350 for my movie watching and should be well-positioned to get to at least 500 movies this year.

Next one's yours!

Happy new thread!

>22 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

Happy new thread, Harry!

>24 mstrust: Thank you, Jennifer!

Happy new thread! I researched a family earlier this year for a client whose men worked as porters for the Reading Railroad. When I saw your thread name, it jogged my memory about your theme.

>26 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori! The railroads were such big employers.

Movie 452. The Game of Killers (original title: Xiao mian sha shou sha xiao zi) (1978)

Martial arts action fest, with many, many fights between different experts (the "killers" of the title) with differing techniques. Not much of a plot; just enough to hang the fights on.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 453. Charlie Chan in Rio (Twentieth Century Fox, 1941)



Charlie Chan travels to Brazil to arrest a woman wanted for murder, but before he can make his arrest, she is murdered on the eve of eloping with a wealthy young man. A bit perfunctory, but a nice romantic interest for Jimmy.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 454. Tom Dollar (1967)



Movie based on (and starring the star of) a fotoromanzo (a graphic novel illustrated with photos rather than drawings) has a secret agent investigating the assassination of an Iranian prince ahead of his signing a uranium deal with the U.S. and also aiming to protect the prince's daughter from the killers who would like to stop the deal. Some of the twists are fairly obvious, but it was an OK time-filler.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 455. The Return of the Durango Kid (Columbia, 1945)



In 1940, Charles Starrett starred in the movie The Durango Kid, one of many various westerns he filmed for Columbia Pictures. In 1945, the studio revived the character name for this movie, which kicked off a run of 64 Durango Kid movies over the next several years (the last in 1952). In this one, Starrett plays Bill Blayden, who has come to town to clear his father's name and does so by helping Buckskin Blodgett defend her stage line against conniving crooks. To accomplish his purpose, Bill sometimes appears as the masked rider The Durango Kid. Perhaps not as strong as some of the later entries, but nonetheless an entertaining enough little western.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

112. Death of Anton, by Alan Melville



A Scotland Yard detective inspector on holiday for his sister's wedding ends up investigating the murder of a visiting circus's tiger tamer. The well-constructed plot weaves together several strands of interest, both criminal and personal, and although one aspect of the solution to the mystery was fairly obvious, several other elements were effectively deployed. Mildly recommended.

Happy new one, Harry.

Happy new thread, Harry!

>33 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul!

>34 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

Movie 456. The Murder in the Museum (Willis Kent, 1934)



Clunky low-budget mystery is of more interest for its view into sideshow/carnival attractions of the early 1930s than for the story it presents. A few recognizable faces, but a dull story about a murder committed amid the crowd, but with no weapon found.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 457. 00-2 agenti segretissimi (1964)



Inept thieves Franco and Ciccio are lured into a trap, drugged, and then set loose as bait for enemy agents looking for an important microfilm apparently concealed behind a filling in Franco's tooth. Lots of humorous incidents follow, with the boys' very ineptness foiling enemy plans and making them look like super secret agents; though not all the scenes work, and a little of Franco's mugging goes a long way, it's still a fairly entertaining early spy movie parody.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 458. House of Mystery (Anglo Amalgamated, 1961)



A house-hunting couple arrive at a bargain-priced house they thought empty and are greeted by a middle-aged woman who tells them the story behind the house and its previous inhabitants, a story filled with betrayal, murder, and ghostly apparitions. The twist is fairly obvious, but the understated story is entertaining nonetheless.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

113. Poseidonis, by Clark Ashton Smith



Dark tales of sword and sorcery in various realms, including the last surviving remnant of Atlantis, from the pen of master Clark Ashton Smith. Recommended, but best read with some spacing between the stories.

Found and starred!

>41 fuzzi: Thanks for stopping by!

Happy new thread!

>43 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

Movie 459. To Have and Have Not (WB, 1944)



Solidly entertaining wartime story set in the French West Indies, deliberately reminiscent of Casablanca, is notable for the chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in their first screen teaming, and for an effective turn by Walter Brennan as a liquor-soaked old sailor whom Bogart's character looks after.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 460. Up the MacGregors (original title: 7 donne per i MacGregor) (1967)



Boisterous sequel to Sette pistole per i MacGregor (which I've not yet seen) is a lighthearted, yet violent, tale of a robbery and its aftermath, with quirky characters (the Scots and their Irish neighbors, for example, or a wandering dentist) and some over-the-top action (including use of a small cannon).

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 461. Sugar Hill (American International, 1974)



When the man she loves is attacked by gangsters who want to take over his nightclub, Sugar Hill (Marki Bey) turns to voodoo and Baron Samedi's zombies to take the battle to the crooks. Limited character development, particularly of the lead, weakens this tale of supernatural vengeance, but the story has some interest, and Baron Samedi (Don Pedro Colley ) is quite creepy.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

114. Marmaduke Hams It Up!, by Brad Anderson



Average Marmaduke collection is worth a look for fans. Mildly recommended.

>45 harrygbutler: that is one of my MOST FAVORITE movies!

"Was you ever bit by a dead bee?"

>49 fuzzi: It really is very good; I've seen it at least a few times.

Movie 462. The Big Sleep (WB, 1946)



Complex but consistently entertaining mystery, scripted in part by William Faulkner and Leigh Brackett, based on Raymond Chandler's novel, has Humphrey Bogart in an excellent turn as detective Philip Marlowe, dealing with blackmail and murder. Lauren Bacall's chemistry with Bogart is on display, and the supporting cast — including Dorothy Malone as a bookshop clerk and Bob Steele in a quite unexpected role — delivers the goods.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 463. Sartana in the Valley of Death (original title: Sartana nella valle degli avvoltoi) (1970)



A gunman breaks three crooked brothers out of jail but then is betrayed by them and in turn seeks his revenge. Weakened by plot elements that don't really go anywhere, a rather implausible desert sequence, and some padding, but watchable.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 464. House on Haunted Hill (Allied Artists, 1959)



Pleasing little tale of people invited to a house that has seen several deaths for an overnight party, with those who stay all night (and survive) splitting $50,000 among them, where all is not as it seems. Vincent Price is excellent as the host, and Carol Ohmart quite good as his gold-digging wife; their mutual loathing makes for some enjoyable scenes. Richard Long and Carolyn Craig (perhaps hired for her screaming ability) are OK, and Elisha Cook, Jr., as the owner of the house, makes a good doomsayer.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

>53 harrygbutler: did you recognize Elisha Cook, Jr in The Big Sleep? (another one of my favorite movies)

>45 harrygbutler: I have that waiting in my DVR queue. I know it will be good.
>53 harrygbutler: I've seen this one so many times, just coming across it, and I have to stop and watch Vincent Price. Also, I just can't get over how much Julie Mitchum looks like her brother Robert.

>54 fuzzi: Of course. A more sympathetic role for him than some.

>55 mstrust: I hope you enjoy To Have and Have Not!

I was surprised to find it had been more than 2 years since I'd last watched House on Haunted Hill. Since we gave up cable, I don't run into movies of interest that just happen to be on.

Movie 465. Bao biao (aka Have Sword, Will Travel) (1969)



A poor wandering swordsman comes to the aid of a security team guarding a shipment of silver, despite the hostility of one of the main guards. Rather long on drama, with a heavy emphasis on the mutual fondness of the swordsman and another, and the jealousy of the woman's fiancé that is meant to add depth but unfortunately gets repetitive.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 466. Carry On Screaming (Anglo Amalgamated, 1966)



Disappointing entry in the Carry On series is more fizzle than sizzle, despite some occasional good lines and amusing bits. This one can be skipped.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 467. Both Barrels Blazing (Columbia, 1945)



Texas Ranger Kip Allen (Charles Starrett) takes a vacation across the New Mexico border to track down a gang of robbers and the loot with which they escaped. He ends up in a town run by a gambler (Al Bridge) with ties to the gang, and it will take Kip's efforts, both as himself and as the Durango Kid, to thwart a plot to "launder" the silver. The Durango Kid series was still feeling its way, leading to a situation in which many people know the actual identity of the Kid. For completists only, I'd say.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

115. The Best of Thrilling Adventures



From 1931 to 1943, the pulp magazine Thrilling Adventures brought readers a mix of contemporary action, historical fiction, science fiction, westerns, sports stories, and more. This volume collects 21 such stories first published in the magazine between 1933 and 1935, all with an emphasis on adventure. Perhaps a bit too much space in the book is given over to a single character's adventures, but there's something here for science fiction or western fans, too. Certainly worth a look; mildly recommended.

Movie 468. A Fistful of Dollars (original title: Per un pugno di dollari) (1964)



Powered by Clint Eastwood's performance as the taciturn stranger who pits rival crime families against each other, A Fistful of Dollars is a slow-building movie punctuated by episodes of frenetic and violent action, well worth a look.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 469. Castle in the Desert (Twentieth Century Fox, 1942)



Summoned by a request from the mistress of Manderley Castle in the Mojave Desert, Charlie Chan finds himself investigating cases of poisoning that point toward the woman in question (a descendant of the Borgias), but it soon becomes clear there is much more going on. The final Chan movie from Twentieth Century Fox is one of the weaker entries despite some complexity, and likely only of real interest to fans.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 470. For a Few Dollars More (original title: Per qualche dollaro in più) (1965)



In the second film in Sergio Leone's "Man with No Name" trilogy, the character (again played by Clint Eastwood) enters into a temporary partnership with another bounty killer, the Colonel (an excellent Lee Van Cleef) to target a vicious bandit who has broken out of jail and who plots a bank robbery. There's more humor in this entry, and the rivalry between Eastwood and Van Cleef's characters is enjoyable to watch, but the time spent with the moody crook, and excessive flashbacks, just didn't work well for me. Worth watching nonetheless.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

116. The Hunt Club, by Norman Daniels



Cold War spy thriller has agent John Keith, who has a cover as a public relations man, looking to keep the enemy from recapturing or neutralizing an escaping general, and if possible to persuade the general to share his knowledge with the West. The action is OK, and the plot moves along reasonably well, but there's too much repetition (e.g., the first-person narrator tells the reader someone is dangerous, then explains that the person is dangerous to someone else, and then later recaps in yet another conversation that this person is dangerous). I'll likely read other books in the series if I encounter them, but I'm not tempted to go out and hunt them down. Mildly recommended.

Morning, Harry!
>62 harrygbutler: >64 harrygbutler: You watched some movies I've heard of! Those two are some of my husband's favorites.

>66 mstrust: Hahaha! I was prompted to revisit them because I just discovered a parody of the second, titled For a Few Dollars Less, and I wanted For a Few Dollars More fresh in my mind before I watched it ... and I didn't want to jump right to the second movie of the trilogy. I'll probably go ahead and watch The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as soon as I find my DVD.

Movie 471. The Runaway Bus (Eros, 1954)



With Heathrow socked in because of fog, a few passengers board a bus for a distant airport that is open, even as a gang of crooks steals a fortune in gold bullion from a warehouse at Heathrow. Assorted comic misadventures follow, with an abundance of mistakes and hidden agendas and identities.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 472. For a Few Dollars Less (original title: Per qualche dollaro in meno) (1966)



Parody of the Sergio Leone film may have its most amusing bit right at the start, but it nevertheless provides a fairly entertaining echo of its more famous model.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 473. The Black Abbot (original title: Der schwarze Abt) (1963)



Complicated German Edgar Wallace film has Joachim Fuchsberger as secretary to his cousin, who is a monomaniac focused on finding the long-hidden family treasure, which others also wish to possess. I think there may have been a bit too much going on, as the whole ended up feeling rather disjointed and also underdeveloped.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

117. Battle Mask, by Don Pendleton



After the debacle at the end of Death Squad, Mack Bolan decides to go it alone in his battle against the Mafia — but first he needs a new face, so that he can infiltrate a local crime family. Some slam-bang action follows in this solid entry in the series. Recommended for fans, but the previous novel is important for this one, so I wouldn't start here.

Movie 474. Yongary, Monster from the Deep (original title: Taekoesu Yonggary) (1967)



Imitation Godzilla film, with a giant monster (who both breathes fire and shoots a laser from his horn) menacing Korea, has some interesting ideas (such as the monster's source of sustenance) but struggles with tone. Probably only of interest for fans of giant monster movies.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 475. L'assassino ha riservato nove poltrone (aka: The Killer Reserved Nine Seats) (1974)



Unsuccessful blend of mystery (with a masked killer knocking off members of a group visiting an old theater) and supernatural story attempts to build suspense by moving slowly, but stupid decisions by the characters undercut the tension. A telegraphed twist late in the movie leads into a muddled ending, with too much left unexplained.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 476. Find the Blackmailer (WB, 1943)



Jerome Cowan (who played doomed Miles Archer in The Maltese Falcon) gets to chase his own black bird in this fast-paced but chaotic Warner Brothers programmer released a couple years later. I'm not quite sure it all hangs together, but it was an enjoyable, brief little story.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

118. Exemplary Lives: Selected Sermons on the Saints, from Rheinau, ed. and trans. by James C. Wilkinson



Selections from a late medieval collection of sermons for saints' feast days perhaps provide some insight into popular religious concerns, though I wish that the whole had been included in the book. Mildly recommended.

Movie 477. Blood of the Vampire (Universal, 1958)



Hammer-like tale of nineteenth-century mad science has a doctor convicted (for trying to use a blood transfusion to save a patient) and diverted to a prison for the criminally insane whose warden experiments upon the inmates (in a search for a cure for a blood disorder). Slow pacing and some far-fetched action (as well as the absence of an actual vampire, even if the warden, who was brought back from the dead through a heart transplant and who needs blood transfusions to survive) keep this one from being more successful.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 478. Outlaws of the Rockies (Columbia, 1945)



When a friend is accused of participating in a bank robbery and later escapes jail, a sheriff finds himself a wanted man as well, and he (and his alter ego The Durango Kid) work to find the gang behind the crime and their mysterious ringleader. A decent early entry in the series.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 479. The Nurse's Secret (WB, 1941)



When a young man is found dead in his bedroom, was his death the result of suicide, accident, or murder? A big insurance payout depends on it not being the first, and a police detective suspects the last — and gets a nurse of his choosing brought into the house to help with the investigation. Plenty of suspicious characters and an obvious suspect help fill the time, but the writing is weak. Worth a look for fans of such old mysteries, but not otherwise likely to appeal.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

119. Fugitive from the Cubicle Police, by Scott Adams



Fun collection of Dilbert cartoons from fairly early on, before all the characters had completely settled into their appointed looks. Recommended.

Movie 480. Pygmy Island (Columbia, 1950)



Jungle Jim (Johnny Weissmuller) aids an Army expedition looking for a missing captain and the source of a plant with marvelous properties, a plant that is also the focus of enemy agents.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 481. 18 Shaolin Riders (original title: Xuan feng shi ba qi) (1977)



Incoherent martial arts action picture has to do with a group of Robin Hood-style bandits, but poor editing, unexplained narrative jumps, and badly choreographed and shot fight scenes make this one a waste of time.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 482. Meet the Wildcat (Universal, 1940)



Magazine writer on assignment in Mexico witnesses a man steal a painting from a museum. Has she photographed the Wildcat, whose art thefts have been plaguing the city? Modest movie is well-served by stars Ralph Bellamy and Margaret Lindsay (soon to be paired in the Ellery Queen series) but not particularly memorable.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 483. Hantu Jerangkong (aka: The Skeleton Ghost) (1957)



In this early Malaysian horror movie, a witch makes a deal with the Devil to live forever. She dies but returns as a skeleton ghost, strangling her victims and drinking their blood, and in other ways serving her Satanic master. I appreciated the elements of local lore, and enjoyed the unexpected musical interludes as well, but thought the ending a bit abrupt. Certainly worth a look for those interested in the genre.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

120. Lives of the Visigothic Fathers, trans. by A. T. Fear



Five hagiographical texts from seventh-century Spain give insight into history and religious life under the Visigoths. The works vary in length, interest, and quality, and include King Sisebut's life of Saint Desiderius of Vienne and De viris illustribus (On the Lives of Famous Men) by Ildefonsus of Toledo, a continuation of the earlier work of the same title by Isidore of Seville. Worth a look for those interested.

Hey Harry! Have you ever taken a long cross-country type of railroad trip?

I have been seeing ads for the Rocky Mountaineer excursions, and I was curious how expensive they are, so I did some research.

They want $1700-$2400 approximately for two days, including meals and a hotel stay. That's still too expensive.

I could get a coach ticket for Toronto to Vancouver for less than $500, but I'd still need airfare...

>85 fuzzi: My trips by rail have all been relatively short — under 600 miles, from D.C. to Ohio, from western New York to Boston, and the like — or even shorter. My aunt and uncle went all the way across the country by rail back in 1998 and quite enjoyed it, but they did not want to fly. In general, I have found that rail travel in the U.S. outside the Northeast Corridor is sufficiently costly that it is not really an affordable alternative unless one wants to do it for the experience. And if I were going for the experience, I'd avoid coach travel and go by sleeper.

Movie 484. Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (Monogram, 1944)



Charlie Chan came to Monogram Pictures in this mystery set in wartime Washington, D.C., as an inventor working on an advanced torpedo is murdered for the plans of his invention. There's a houseful of suspects, including a brusque refugee, a foreign trio who may be concealing some secrets, a tight-lipped housekeeper, and more. Also on hand are two younger members of the Chan clan, son Tommy and daughter Iris, as well as an actor whose comedic stylings would prove a highlight of the Monogram Chan movies, Mantan Moreland.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 485. The Curse of the Aztec Mummy (original title: La maldición de la momia azteca) (1957)



The second of the Aztec Mummy movies is largely devoted to the machinations of the evil Dr. Krupp, aka The Bat, who escapes from police custody and seeks to gain control of the treasure hidden in the tomb the mummy guards. The good guys are aided, to some extent, by a masked wrestler (who does no wrestling), El Angel. Silly fun.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

121. The Emperor's Pearl, by Robert van Gulik



Judge Dee again tackles a series of intertwined mysteries, aided by aged Sergeant Hoong, after a death during the annual Dragon Boat festival is revealed as suspicious, and other deaths follow, perhaps tied into the secret of a long-lost imperial treasure. Recommended.

Movie 486. Smartest Girl in Town (RKO, 1936)



A photographer's model (Ann Sothern) who is intent on landing a rich husband finds herself falling for another man (Gene Raymond) whom she believes a poor working fellow like herself. Slight comedy benefits from a strong supporting cast, including Erik Rhodes (as a wealthy nobleman who collects eggs), Eric Blore (as a butler), and Helen Broderick (as the gold digger's sister).

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 487. A Night of Magic (1944)



A man prone to drink opens a mummy case and finds a living mummy, a beautiful young woman, and they take in some entertainment and even travel through time. This movie really isn't much more than a string of musical numbers (with some comedy as well), much of which is of poor quality, although one or two of the songs performed by Billy Scott were OK.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

122. A Rival from the Grave, by Seabury Quinn



The fourth volume of collected stories about occult investigator Jules de Grandin takes the reader through much of the 1930s. Quinn continues to offer up interesting takes on the supernatural, but I agree with those who recommend spacing out one's reading of the stories. Recommended.

Almost 500 films watched!! That's amazing to me. Congratulations.

A hearty wish for a good weekend batch.

>93 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! I hope to get to 500 soon.

Movie 488. Sumpah Pontianak (aka: The Curse of Pontianak) (1958)



Perhaps more drama with monsters than horror, with the lead spending more time as a sad woman than as the creature of the title, and even in monstrous form serving rather as a protector than a killer — though there are others about to fulfill the role of menace. It might have been more successful had the two previous movies about the character survived (they are apparently lost), but I think it worth a look even so.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 489. Godzilla vs. Mothra (original title: Mosura tai Gojira) (Toho, 1964)



A typhoon brings a giant egg to the coast of Japan, which a greedy businessman hopes to use as a tourist attraction, refusing to return it to Mothra Island; meanwhile, Godzilla is set free from imprisonment in the soil. He begins a rampage, leading eventually to a big monster battle. An excellent entry in the long-running series.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 490. Go-Get-'Em, Haines (Republic, 1936)



Though William Boyd is best known for his portrayal of Hopalong Cassidy for many years, he played in a variety of roles before settling into that character for good. This movie is one of his last non-Hopalong films, about a reporter who ends up on an ocean liner voyage while pursuing a story about a fleeing magnate. When a killer strikes, the reporter takes it upon himself to find the culprit. There's a bit of romance, a bit of comedy, and a modest number of suspects, but nothing special.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

123. Necromancy in Nilztiria, by D. M. Ritzlin



Collection of sword and sorcery tales by D. M. Ritzlin, whose DMR Books has published an assortment of new and reprinted work, mostly in that genre, is fairly successful. Though not every story was a good fit for my tastes, even those that were not for me were reasonably well written. Recommended for fans of sword and sorcery or pulp fantasy.

Hey Harry! You want to keep reading L'Amour books next year, or would you be interested in expanding the challenge into classic "adventure" books like those by MacLean and Hammond Innes?

>99 fuzzi: Either option would be fine with me, and I'd even be up for shooting for two challenges, perhaps in alternate months.

>99 fuzzi: & >100 harrygbutler: Don't forget me! I'm always up for Innes and MacLean.

>101 PaulCranswick: Of course, Paul! The more the merrier!

Movie 491. Two Great Cavaliers (original title: Ci xiong shuang sha) (1978)



In this movie, also known as Blade of Fury, former fellow students attempt to persuade a young man traveling with his fiancée to return to a hidden village to defend it against a villainous official and his meiny, who are after a list of rebels. Plenty of fighting and treachery as well, though sometimes it is difficult to follow the story.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 492. Blazing the Western Trail (Columbia, 1945)



After the murder of Jeff Waring's uncle, who was the dupe of crooks aiming to secure a transportation monopoly by fair means or foul, Jeff (and the Durango Kid) take a hand in the proceedings, both to identify the actual guilty party and thereby clear the man falsely suspected of the murder and to help out a stage line that had been the focus of the criminals' activities. This early entry in the series benefits from multiple numbers by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 493. The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (original title: La momia azteca contra el robot humano) (1958)



Slow, talky horror picture once again has Dr. Krupp as the main villain, continuing his experiments (this time creating a robot to fight the Aztec mummy so that he can secure the treasure it guards). Much of the movie is given over to narration of past events, however, which drags out the first half and keeps the goofy robot action off-screen for too long.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

124. The Desired, by Carter Brown



An auto accident that leads to the discovery of a murdered man puts Lieutenant Al Wheeler in the middle of a high-profile case involving a labor leader subject to governmental scrutiny, a union man with too close an association with hoodlums. OK twists and reasonable red herrings keep this one humming along. Mildly recommended.

>105 harrygbutler: "Aztec mummy"? Most "mummies" from Mexico are natural not intentional.

But hey, why let archaeology ruin a bad plot, right?

Happy viewing week ahead. 500 by Tuesday?

>101 PaulCranswick: I've suggested an AdventureCAT here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/325375#7291662

If enough people vote for it, it can be an official challenge in that group. If not but there's some interest, I can create a mini-CAT challenge, a KIT. I've done that with SciFi for a few years now. 😁

>107 richardderus: It's pretty clear that the Aztec mummy series leaned pretty heavily on Universal mummy lore.

I just finished watching #498 a few minutes ago, so there's a good chance I'll hit #500 tonight.

Movie 494. Duo qing jian ke wu qing jian (aka: The Sentimental Swordsman) (1977)



An alcoholic (and perhaps tubercular) master of martial arts returns to his home after a long absence (he left because the man who saved his life was in love with his fiancée) to face the Plum Blossom Bandit, who has reappeared to wreak havoc. Along the way, the protagonist makes a friend, faces treachery, and reveals his fighting prowess, building up to a climactic battle and a less-than-cheerful denouement. Effective but too gloomy for my tastes.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 495. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (American International, 1971)



A widowed mad genius, with the aid of a mysterious helper, takes his revenge on the medical professionals he blames for his wife's death on the operating table in a series of gruesome crimes. Darkly humorous, with Vincent Price excellent as the title character, some cleverness in the killings, and solid support from the rest of the cast.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 496. Dr. Phibes Rises Again (American International, 1972)



Dr. Phibes (Vincent Price) heads to Egypt to find a way to bring life to his dead wife, ruthlessly (and creatively) slaying all those who stand between him and his goal. In particular, he squares off against a man who apparently has artificially extended his own life (Robert Quarry) and is seeking the same goal as his time runs out. A distinct letdown after the first movie, but modestly entertaining nonetheless.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

125. Lookin' Good, Beetle Bailey, by Mort Walker



More fun at Camp Swampy, with Beetle and the gang. Recommended for fans.

>111 harrygbutler:, >112 harrygbutler: The loveliest of memories, those Phibes jobs. Make me chortle even now.

100 ho!

>114 richardderus: I didn't really recall the second one when we watched it this time, so I must not have watched it recently.

497. The Curse of Nostradamus (original title: La maldición de Nostradamus) (1961)



The last descendant of Nostradamus is given the wizard's power and, essentially a vampire, uses killings to try to compel the head of a group opposed to superstition to concede his ancestor's abilities. A wacky plan that leads to odd scenes that keep the movie more static than would be ideal. The first of a four-movie series only likely to appeal to fans of the odd.

Not really recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 498. Mo jian xia qing (aka: Return of the Sentimental Swordsman) (1981)



The title character is back after a few years, this time to confront the ambitious Money Clan. Good fights (except for some annoying instances of slow motion) and a complex web of relationships, but still too much drama for my tastes.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 499. The Monsters Demolisher (original title: Nostradamus y el destructor de monstruos) (1962)



Two boys playing hooky inadvertently bring about the reappearance of the dread vampire in this second of the Nostradamus movies. The villain immediately resumes his interrupted plan to compel acknowledgment of his ancestor's abilities by killing named targets. There's a bit more of interest in this one, including strife between the professor who has already fought our vampire and the society opposed to superstition, though the ending is quite abrupt.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 500. The Mummy (Universal, 1932)



An archaeological expedition in Egypt uncovers the mummy of a man buried alive, perhaps for some great sacrilege, and together with him a chest that contains the Scroll of Thoth, with the spell used by Isis to bring Osiris back to life. Curiosity leads to madness at the time, and some years later, another archaeological expedition is led by Egyptian Ardath Bey to find another tomb, of the Princess Ankh-es-en-Amen. It soon becomes clear that Bey has sinister motives in facilitating the find, and soon a young woman finds herself drawn into a web that stretches across the millenia. Karloff is solidly menacing, and the rest of the cast provides good support; the atmospheric scenes help as well. My favorite of the early Universal horror cycle.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Ooo such a good 500th film! And from the year it was made, I offer this relic:

>121 richardderus: Thank you! At the price of used DVDs around here, I think I could buy about 250 if I had one of those (assuming it was only worth its face value).

>122 harrygbutler: I keep wondering why, in this day and time of deeply debased money, they don't print 500s and 1000s.

I guess to avoid reminding us how debased the money is, now that I think about it.

>120 harrygbutler: Nice one! Do you have all these on DVD?

>123 richardderus: If they were in circulation, I might be tempted to request them just once, so I could say I'd had them in hand.

>124 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! We have quite a few movies on commercial DVD (they're in my Movies collection on LT), but we've also been watching many movies online this year (which I'm cataloging in a Watched - Other collection).

126. Milo Talon, by Louis L'Amour



Footloose cowboy Milo Talon takes on the job of finding a man's missing granddaughter, only to discover that murder has struck, and may again, in the plots that surround the girl — threatening not just Talon, but also another whom he befriends. A bit too repetitive in the narrator's insistence that he's not cut out for the job of detective, and in speculations that don't really advance the plot, but enjoyable nonetheless. Mildly recommended.

So many Halloween movies! Mr. Phibes!
>112 harrygbutler: The bug on the face bothers me more than the bleeding eye.

>128 mstrust: There will certainly be more horror movies between now and the end of the month, but I'm not sure just how many.

That certainly is a creepy poster.

Movie 501. Hebi musume to hakuhatsuma (aka: The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch) (1968)



As the movie opens, we witness a maid being scared to death by having a snake thrown at her in the dark. We then shift to an orphanage, where we meet our protagonist, who is being reunited with her birth parents after many years apart. Though she is happy to be going to a home, all is not well there — the mother suffered an injury some years before that left her odd, and there's obviously something else going on, something that comes to the fore when the father goes away on business ... another young girl, the protagonist's "sister," who resents her intrusion. What follows is plenty of weirdness, with dreams (or visions, or maybe reality) filled with snakes, a white-haired witch, and more. What is really going on? In the end rather a disappointment, but probably worth a look.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

127. Serpents in Eden: Countryside Crimes, ed. by Martin Edwards



Collection of short mysteries with a rural or small town setting has some solid entries but also some duds, as one would expect, particularly as Edwards has shown himself a less than ideal anthologist. I was particularly dismayed by the lack of detailed information regarding the initial publication of the stories in this anthology. Mildly recommended.

>130 harrygbutler: Haw! Thieved.

>132 harrygbutler: I think I'd buy a tree-book of Serpents in Eden because I love the title rather than I want to read short mysteries. They almost always disappoint me.

>133 richardderus: I grabbed the image of The Thing reading from someone's blog myself.

I think the short story works better for crime and detective stories with plenty of action, as there's generally too little time to develop the clues necessary for a fair-play mystery with leisurely investigation.

Movie 502. Ren pi deng long (aka: Human Lanterns) (1982)



Disappointing Shaw Brothers horror movie has a weird figure kidnapping and killing people and then using their skins, apparently, as part of a process of making lanterns. Though there is a vengeance plot going on, too, as well as a tale of rivalry between two leading citizens (with consequent opportunities for martial arts battles), the overall lack of sympathetic characters and general unpleasantness make this one a chore to watch.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 503. The Chinese Cat (Monogram, 1944)



Charlie Chan has just 48 hours to solve a murder that left the police baffled and a woman under a cloud of suspicion (reified in a new novel); he finds much more than mere murder going on, including the clue of the title statuette. The climax in a funhouse is pretty enjoyable.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

128. Two Works on Trebizond: Michael Panaretos / Bessarion, ed. and trans. by Scott Kennedy



This volume in the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library contains two important sources for the history of the Empire of Trebizond, a fragment of the Byzantine Empire left independent after Constantinople's capture during the Fourth Crusade. The chronicle by Michael Panaretos gives an interesting account of events and personages over the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The later Encomium on Trebizond, written by (Cardinal) Bessarion, offers information about its location, features, and qualities, with the praise of a native son. Recommended.

Trebizond! I thought that was a joke's punchline ("topless towers"), not a place.

>138 richardderus: I'm afraid I don't know the joke; the only "topless towers" I know are those of Ilium.

Movie 504. You gui zi (aka: Oily Maniac) (1976)



A young man crippled by polio learns from his uncle a secret method of gaining not just health, but more than health, via magic and oil. He uses this to take vengeance on assorted criminals, but will he also be able to find happiness? A dark tale, and not particularly enjoyable.

Not recommended. Otto thinks your time would be better spent staring at the wall.

Movie 505. Our Man Flint (Twentieth Century Fox, 1966)



In the first of two lighthearted espionage movies featuring the character, James Coburn plays the unflappable and expert Derek Flint, here taking on scientists controlling the weather with an aim of controlling the world. Some of the parody is a bit heavy-handed, but Coburn's charisma carries the very 60s film even through those patches.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

129. The Daffodil Murder, by Edgar Wallace



When the owner of Lyne's department stores is found murdered, suspicion focuses on the young employee who had rejected his advances, and whom he accused of theft as well, but the detective investigating the crime, who himself may have had a motive for the murder, does not consider her guilty, especially as it becomes clear that even more was going on. A bit disappointing despite plenty of action; not one of Wallace's stronger books, though still quite readable. Mildly recommended.

>139 harrygbutler: It was a Blackadder joke, episode set in Renaissance London, about Baldrick getting Marlowe's line wrong.

>140 harrygbutler: Oh dear. "The Oily Maniac" sounds like it would have a lot in common with "The Greasy Strangler" but your synopsis makes it clear that they are nothing alike. ;-)

>143 richardderus: Thanks for the explanation. I've seen a few episodes of Blackadder and must have missed that one.

>144 mstrust: The Oily Maniac probably had more in common with the Toxic Avenger, but without the aim for humor.

Movie 506. Xiao shi yi lang (aka: Swordsman and Enchantress) (1978)



The two best swordsmen (Lien Cheng-pi, played by Tony Liu, and Hsiao Shi-yi Lang, played by Lung Ti) are seeming rivals for the wondrous Deer Cutting Sword (though the footloose Hsiao disclaims interest, villains attacking those with the sword claim to be acting on his behalf). Then circumstances result in Hsaio rescuing his rival Lien's wife (Li Ching), and further developments foster a growing affection between the two. Some interesting fights and definitely some unexpected twists, as well as some wild settings, including a puppet village. Worth a look.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 507. Mummy's Boys (RKO, 1936)



Wheeler and Woolsey take part in an expedition to Egypt intended to return excavated treasures to a tomb to avert a curse that has already resulted in the deaths of many members of a previous archaeological dig. Not one of the boys' stronger movies, but enjoyable enough for what it is.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 508. Xiao Xia Long Juan Feng (aka: Chivalric Tornado) (1989)



Children, a priest, and mysterious others help a vampire family battle an evil king who wants to use the vampire child to escape from imprisonment after 700 years. There are some decent fights and odd monsters, but also some low humor mixed in.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

130. But Theriously Folkth, by Johnny Hart



Fairly amusing collection of B.C. comic strips will appeal to fans but may come up short for others. Mildly recommended.

>148 harrygbutler: I can *almost* find that one in my memory banks. I think, at some point, I bought the entire available RKO DVD catalog. Can't remember what I did with them...but this one rings a big ol' bell.

>150 harrygbutler: I used to love BC cartoons until Hart went full-tilt into his religion. Now, no.

>151 richardderus: I'm pretty sure I had seen Mummy's Boys in the past, having a fondness for RKO myself, but I didn't really recall anything about it.

>152 harrygbutler: I remember feeling a warm little glow when I found out Dina Merrill owned the RKO name and the rights to ~1000 unproduced scripts...sadly, nothing ever came of that, though.

>153 richardderus: That's too bad, though I suspect it would be a challenge producing a picture in recent years using a script from RKO's heyday.

Movie 509. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (Hammer / Paramount, 1974)



The final Hammer Frankenstein movie is a rather gloomy piece, set in a prison for the criminally insane, where the doctor (now using a pseudonym, as his death has been faked) experiments on the inmates. He enlists the help of a young surgeon condemned to prison for similar experimentation and with his aid moves forward rapidly on his latest creation — with foreseeable results.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 510. Rim of the Canyon (Columbia, 1949)



Gene investigates goings-on around a ghost town and must also deal with three escaped convicts. Fun enough little story whose structure seems to owe a good deal to the plotting of the later Durango Kid movies (also from Columbia), with a chunk of the story given over to recapping events of the past.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 511. Tien ya ming yue dao (aka: The Magic Blade) (1976)



Fights galore, with plenty of odd combatants, including the poison-wielding Devil Granny, keep this slight movie, involving hired killers targeting warriors on behalf of a mysterious leader, moving.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

131. The Man from Missouri, by Frank Gruber



In the first of two stories in this volume, a man looking to forsake his outlaw past finds that retirement is none too easy when others want the ranch he inherited. And in the second story, "Outlaw," another ex-outlaw investigates the killing of his father while facing the hostility of his hometown. Action and interesting characters make for some pleasant reading. Recommended.

>155 harrygbutler: Shane Briant is in that one, so it's aces with me. Unfortunately for him though, they used a real firehose and hurt him.

>158 harrygbutler: new author to me!

>159 mstrust: I'm not familiar with Briant's work, but I'm planning to watch Captain Kronos this week (before it, too, leaves Amazon Prime), so I'll be seeing more of it. Too bad about the injury!

>160 fuzzi: I don't really know his work well, though I've seen his name for years and have a few other books by him, including a collection of pulp detective stories I read several years ago and a collection of stories related to the TV show Tales of Wells Fargo that I began but set aside.

Movie 512. The Trygon Factor (1966)



Decent crime movie stars Stewart Granger as a Scotland Yard detective investigating the disappearance of another and strange doings at a manor in part given over to an obscure order of nuns. Robert Morley is good as a nervous businessman with something to hide.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 513. Lawless Empire (Columbia, 1945)



Steve Ranson (Charles Starrett) takes a job as sheriff to avenge his murdered brother, and as the Durango Kid helps homesteaders combat the gang that wants to drive them away. Nice music in this one, mostly courtesy of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 514. Die, Monster, Die! (American International, 1965)



An American (Nick Adams) finds horror when he visits the Witley estate to see his fiancée, daughter of hostile Nahum Witley (Boris Karloff) and the sickly Letitia (Freda Jackson). Why do the local villagers hate and fear the place? Why is an area near the manor blasted and dead? What secrets is Nahum concealing? Adaption of H. P. Lovecraft's "The Colour out of Space" may be lacking the element of cosmic horror, and as usual Adams is grating, but Karloff of course delivers.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

132. In Search of the Sacred: Contributions to an Answer, by Josef Pieper; trans. by Lothar Krauth



In this volume, Josef Pieper brings together addresses and an essay dealing with aspects of what we mean by the "sacred" and the "sacramental," exploring the former term and its negation, what exactly makes a priest, what in fact makes a building a church, and Real Presence. As usual, Pieper brings both intelligence and wisdom to his endeavors. Recommended, but likely not the best place to start with Pieper's work.

>165 harrygbutler: and as usual Adams is grating

And AIP knew it...his image is exactly nowhere on that poster. Wouldn't've put hineys in the seats.

>167 richardderus: Yeah, Karloff is a much better choice.

Movie 515. Just Before Dawn (Columbia, 1946)



Summoned to a neighbor's party to help a diabetic, Dr. Ordway (Warner Baxter) administers the man's insulin shot, but shortly afterward, the man dies, poisoned. Though police do not suspect the Crime Doctor of murder, he nonetheless pursues an investigation to find the person(s) who had set him up to serve as the means of delivering the fatal injection. It's fairly straightforward to spot the guilty, but Baxter as always delivers a pleasing performance.

Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 516. Fight for Glory (original title: Jue dai ying xiong) (1980)



When a woman's clan leader father and master swordsman fiancé are both murdered, she recruits the two best fighters (one reluctant to take up arms again, the other exacting a high price) to avenge their deaths by defeating the mysterious villain Cold Moon and his "Stars."

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

Movie 517. The Jade Mask (Monogram, 1945)



When a paranoid inventor is murdered, Charlie Chan is called in because the man was working on a formula for a gas in which the government is interested. Relatives who hate the man, a hostile assistant, a butler who may be concealing matters of importance, all add to the challenges of uncovering the guilty — made even more difficult by the puzzle of how a dead man can walk.

Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great.

133. Red Sonja #2: Demon Night, by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney



Wild, weird sword and sorcery, with Red Sonja among a number of people caught up in the fate of a hidden city and the strange beings that menace it. Fairly fast-paced, with a range of characters and unexpected developments keeping things interesting. Recommended.

Happy Halloween!

>173 harrygbutler: 😂😂😂

Happy Sunday!

>175 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

Come join me on my new thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/325916