Review by james trainsmash

Ultimately forgettable, weird and genuinely/laughably creepy (in parts) Exorcist rip-off with a superb soundtrack by Franco Micalizzi.

I've just watched this Japanese preview DVD and the film (though playing the cute cards) looks totally brilliant. The film does seem to centre more on the little (orphan?) boy's life who cares for the baby 'Toto' (which starts out as a tortoise (!) and grows into Gamera). There's some great scenes as the new born monster learns to fly and cough flames, then later when he fights with that new spiky enemy monster. I can't wait to see the film no matter how much cute stuff is in there. The only down side with this DVD (and the current releases of the actual film) is that there aren't any English subtitles. And when will the 60's Gamera films get re-released on DVD?

I (surprisingly) really enjoyed this. I've never seen anything with Eric Bana or Jennifer Connelly in it. Sam Elliott was in 'The Legacy' ('78) which I love and 'Frogs' ('72) so I reckon he's pretty cool. Anyway the Hulk is SO cute, he's kind of like a green King Kong - I so hope a follow up gets made. Nice to see Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno make cameo's though they are far too short.

Yet another superb compilation release from Verita Note showcasing Argentinean-born Luis Bacalov's varied soundtrack recordings. The tunes on this CD are all culled from 'Rebus', 'L'amica', 'La bambolona', 'A ciascuno il suo', 'La pecora nera', 'La supertestimone', 'L'ultima chance', 'Lo scatenato', 'A qualsiasi prezzo', 'Cuori solitari', 'Django', 'Una questione d'onore' and 'The Summertime Killer'. Don't be silly and buy this now!

A must-have purchase if you are a fan of the great Armando Trovaioli (or any of the Italian soundtrack composers of the 60's and 70's). Nice mix of fun easy listening tunes, nearly all instrumental. Track 12 'Kinky Peanuts' is insane. Don't think twice, get it.

Yet another superb Japanese compilation of the great masters of Italian soundtracks. My stand-out track is 'Lady In Black' by Armando Trovaioli but there's loads of great breezy easy tunes. If you're a fan of the Easy Tempo / Mood Mosaic collections don't let the campy cover put you off, this is one to own!

Track listing: 'I'll Find My Way To You', 'Emphasis', 'Papaya', 'Alfredo, Salomone E Il Grimaldello', 'Solitude', 'La Gita Alle Cascate', 'L'ispettore Anticrimine', 'SUSTAIN1&2', 'Dedicato A Una Stella', 'Il Colpo', 'Beautiness Of Your Eyes', 'Un Regalo Per Pasqualino', 'Pandora', 'Astaroth', 'L'amore Dei Giovani', 'Mother's Theme', 'Baby Death', 'The Hot Chase', 'Turning Point' and 'Emily's Studio'. Stelvio Cipriani is one of my favourite composers, so I didn't need to think twice about purchasing this gorgeous compilation. Opening track has vocals by Grace Jones which was used in Massimo Dallamano's crime thriller 'Quelli della calibro 38' (where she mimes pitifully as a club singer). This CD is a great show-piece of Signore Cipriani's work with breezy easy listening lounge tunes. Stand-out tracks are 'L'ispettore Anticrimine', 'Baby Death' and the fantastic 'The Hot Chase'. Get it!

While this CD features many tracks previously available on other past releases, it is still a 'must have' purchase. Stand-out tunes include 'Profkranz Tedesco Di Germania', 'Sycamore Trails' and the wonderfully exotic 'Katmandu'. The other releases (all from Verita Note) look promising too although I already have many of the tracks. Get it!

This has to be one of Madonna's best films ever, it's certainly my favourite anyway. If you are a fan of Madonna you'll know the story back to front. Budget priced DVD comes with huge OBI and the menu is just gorgeous (huge close up of Madonna's lips). As for special features there's a couple of trailers and an alternate ending (that I've never seen before, which is just bizarre). Gorgeous print too. A must have for fans of Madonna and the eighties.

Now this was lots of fun and great to watch on a weekend afternoon. I finally bit the bullet and bought the Japanese DVD, which cost a fortune but was well worth it (I'm no longer buying dodgy bootleg copies). This time around Gamera returns to fight evil bat/bird creature Gaos, who's been awakened from his long slumber thanks to construction workers. There's an annoying boy (again) who knows all about our giant turtle and even gets to ride on his back when Gamera rescues him from the clutches of Gaos's claws - when he does rescue him, he leans against a Ferris wheel so he can escape to safety. My favourite part is when the government trick Gaos into drinking artificial human blood on a spinning platform to make him dizzy (!) cool! DVD disc is lovely as is the menu. Special features include a few trailers for other Gamera movies, if I remember correctly. I love Gamera films and only wish I could afford one of the few Japanese DVD box-sets on the market, the newest one has such a cool figurine of the turtle hero. Ah well, just have to get the single issues, if and when I'm flush.

Finally got around to watching the Japanese DVD I've been wanting for ages and ages. Was it worth the wait? Well, not really, I mean it's a good enough giallo but it's not very fizzy. Carroll Baker plays a mute (caused by witnessing the death of both of her parents) which I found frustrating, you just know at some point she's going to scream. Familiar player Evelyn Stewart is in it too as Baker's singer cousin, but her role is wasted and she looks bored. There are some nice touches though, like the inclusion of a gang of devil worshippers, an English drug addict with gorgeous contact lenses, three funerals (yes, three! all with the same congregation that keeps getting smaller) a black gloved killer with a knife, a wind-up Donald Duck and a hoard of red herrings. Gorgeous DVD cover and disc, that looks very 'art' like, features include a trailer.