The Magic Voyage of Sinbad (1962) / Sorceress (1982) / Deathstalker (1983) / The Warrior And The Sorceress (1984) / Wizards Of The Lost Kingdom (1985) / The Dirt Bike Kid (1985) / Deathstalker II (1987) / A Very Unlucky Leprechaun (1998) / Sting Of The Black Scorpion (2002) ///
Sorceress (1982) Despite its commercial success, an awkward spin on the Conan genre with twin sisters the only hope to overthrow an evil wizard. Disappointingly bland direction from Jack Hill with individual scenes colliding with each other rather than creating a cohesive story.
Deathstalker (1983) Directed with crisp efficiency, the first of the Sword & Sorcery series Corman co-produced in Argentina sees the titular character sent on a quest that would inspire three sequels. Full of gratuitous nudity and violence, it made a surprising fan-favourite out of Lana Clarkson.
The Warrior And The Sorceress (1984) An unapologetic reworking of Yojimbo via A Fistful Of Dollars, John Carradine is the taciturn stranger pitting factions against each other on an alien planet. Having a spirited Maria Socas almost continuously naked verges on parody.
Wizards Of The Lost Kingdom (1985) A nonsensical prologue rehashes footage from previous productions, while the tale itself is a more family friendly fantasy that sees a young boy with magical powers as the only hope to beat an evil wizard. Somehow it provoked a sequel.
The Dirt Bike Kid (1985) An amiable, swiftly told riff on Jack And The Beanstalk has Peter Billingsley waste grocery money on an old motorbike not knowing its magical properties will transform his life and his community. Broad laughs, silly fantasy, generally engaging.
Deathstalker II (1987) Despite its title, any relationship with the original is jettisoned in favor of juvenile humor and painful one-liners as our hero must save the princess and kingdom from an evil wizard. Clumsy visuals, cheap production, not funny in the right way.
A Very Unlucky Leprechaun (1998) Background and production testimonies behind Roger Corman's Galway studio are far more interesting than this awkward, fitful entertainment. Even the narrative is confused, despite Warwick Davies' efforts and the sunny locations.
Sting Of The Black Scorpion (2002) After two cable movies had unexpected success, a TV series detailed the further adventures of police officer turned vigilante Black Scorpion. A feature length compilation provides a breezy intro that is standard comic book without real imagination.
No comments:
Post a Comment