Cliff Note Reviews #13

 

Cliff Note Reviews is an ongoing series where I briefly state my thoughts on recent films I've watched but don't have the desire to create a full review surrounding. Short and to the point opinions on films that might make decent weekend watchers when you have nothing else to do, films to completely stay away from, and occasionally a few highly recommended films that I simply don't feel need to be given a full review due to already overexposure.

Maroc 7 (1967)

As far as Euro-spy films go Maroc 7 isn't half bad, sure the story is ridiculous, the acting pretty awful and the twists somewhat predictable at times, but it's essentially a sub genre of B-movie so this is all something you should expect ahead of time.   For me entertainment is the key to these films and does it keep a brisk pace and hold your attention?  Maroc 7 ticked all those boxes for me, I was pleasantly surprised.  You can check it out on Netflix Instant.   7/10

Society (1989)

Society is bizarre, for me that was about the only thing that kept me watching.  Actually a majority of the film it's a pretty decent horror / mystery as a kid begins to feel out of place in his snobby family and their social network.  But the final twenty minutes where everyone turns to putty and starts sucking on each other takes it all to a whole other level of bizarreness, for me that's when the film went from mildly entertaining to a blatant attempt to gross out viewers.  It all doesn't add anything to the story and the fact they drag it out for so long seems to suggest they were grasping at straws for an ending and settled on any sort of shock value they could get as it adds nothing more to the film than that.  Throw in the hot young Devin DeVasquez and Society is good for the first hour. 6/10

Five Golden Dragons (1967)

Five Golden Dragons is the type of Euro-spy film that's a chore to sit through.  Between losing interest and falling asleep it took me a total of three individual sittings to make it through this and when it was all said and done I still couldn't figure out the point of the film.  First off the film's plot and purpose was pretty vague and pointless, what's a guy from the US Treasury doing attempting to infiltrate and mob organization based in China?  Second Robert Cummings in the lead only added to this film's pathetic existence, Euro-spy films are corny enough on their own, Cummings simply made it unbearable.  Imagine a second rate Dick Van Dyke in a wannabe James Bond film and that's what you have here.  The only real positive aspect I can comment on is the rest of the cast was pretty good, and in a better film would have brought something to the table, a lot of familiar cult icons such as Margaret Lee (who sings, easily the highlight), Klaus Kinski, Christopher Lee, and Maria Perschy. 3/10