Mad Mission 4: You Never Die Twice (Cinema City & Films Co., 1986)
I've only seen one of the Mad Mission movies - but wow I wish I could see all of them! Maniacal Hong Kong energy, strange Western actor cameos, and lots of Bond-spoofing action. Right up my alley, as it were!
The Savage Bees (Alan Landsburg Productions/Don Kirshner Productions, 1976)
I thought this was a feature film - but I guess it was a TV movie for NBC - directed by my fave Bruce Geller - creator of Mission: Impossible! He got a pretty good cast, including then-recent Oscar winner Ben Johnson, and I vaguely remember (from watching it the night it premiered, most likely) that it was a decent killer bug movie. I guess others thought so too, as the above poster attests that this flick played theaters somewhere in the world!
Deep Red (aka Profondo Rosso) (Rizzoli Film, 1975)
This is my favorite Dario Argento movie - so far; I can't say I've seen them all - with David Hemmings turning in good work in a typically gory Argento suspense fest. If you've never seen an Argento movie you really should give one a try!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
I don't know that I've seen a Mad Mission movie, but I have seen a couple B-Movie Bond spoofs that were a blast. I think it makes a difference when the cast knows they're shooting a tongue-in-cheek film--and the audience walks in expecting to see the same. Guess you can pull that off with a small budget. A big budget film...not so much.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure you have seen a Mad Mission movie - I remember you telling me about it - I think it had Peter Graves in it. The attitude can definitely completely alter the entertainment value of certain movies! And there is a certain lugubriousness that comes with a bigger budget that doesn't work well with this kind of manic nonsense.
DeleteI have not seen Argento's Deep Red. Is it really that good?
ReplyDeleteIt is that good. And Maynard pointed out another of Argento's movies that I seem to have had a brain moment on - because I love Suspiria too. In fact, I'm changing that to a tie between those two movies for Favorite Argento movie.
DeleteI know that I have seen a Bee-horror-movie in my younger days, though I can't remember if it was The Swarm, The Bees or this one here. Well, I guess they're all pretty much the same :)
ReplyDeleteSame for the Mad Mission movies. In my youth they showed them regularly on Austrian TV and I guess I've seen all of them - but which one was which? Don't remember.
@Neb:
Yes, it is that good. Deep Red is undoubtedly one of Argento's greatest and most impressive works. IMO only Suspiria, and maybe Phenomena, are better.
What Argento flicks have you seen so far?
Well, if you've seen one bee-horror-movie...you want to see the rest of them... ;)
DeleteThat's wild that the Mad Mission movies played on television in Austria - they're too manic and anarchic for a Saturday afternoon showing on Channel 11 KPLR out of St. Louis, Missouri, let me tell you!
Maynard - I don't know how I momentarily forgot about Suspiria - brilliant movie. Thanks for reminding me!
LOL I guess you're right. Just checked... The Bees 1978 full movie is on YT! :)
DeleteI clearly remember that they always showed them on Saturday afternoons, same with the Police Academy flicks.
my pleasure :)
I love Argento! My splatter god. ;) I love, love that poster. You have got to love a doll with a bloody knife and noose around her neck. Suspiria is awesome, too.
ReplyDeleteSavage Bees, I vaguely remember watching this as a kid. Either this or was it The Swarm? I can't recall at the moment.
Yeah, Argento is a genre unto himself - there's slasher, there's splatter, and there's Argento! Yeah, you know, all the bee movies played TV - The Swarm, The Bees, and there was also at least one more TV movie - and really, like Maynard said - they aren't all that different from each other...although The Swarm does have the chintziest effects on the biggest budget...
DeleteGreat posters! Love the Bees! Nothing like a good swarm movie to keep you on your toes. I've never seen this one, but I remember one where the bees had swarmed a VW Beetle. The girl drove it into an astrodome and someone turned the air conditioner up to COLDEST! The bees dropped off and the girl was saved. I remember being grossed out when she turned on the windshield wipers to wipe them off.
ReplyDelete