THE DANMAN CAN

10 To  Midnight   (1983) is a minor sleaze classic. The fact that  J. Lee Thompson , director of 1962's  Cape Fear ,  The Guns Of Navarone   (1961) [ review ], and two of the '70s  POTA   films, including one of the very best, 1972's  Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes   made this film has  something to do with it. Adam Greenberg 's beautifully lit cinematography and Robert O. Ragland 's top notch score also have something to do with it. For the most part, I didn't grow up watching  Cannon Group / Golan  &  Globus  pictures (save for a few), so it's been a real treat digging into their catalog in my 30s and 40s. Their brand of exploitation is recognizable across genres and carries with it a certain mark of quality, despite the low to mid level budgets of their movies. Of their  films that I've seen , none are complete schlock and they are frequently and consistently entertaining. The production valu...

"I could stand on my head nine months." "God, don't kill them. Let me do it." "I need some fuckin' shoes." Tense, gritty, beautifully scored , over the top, occasionally very funny, occasionally quite moving, and always incredibly entertaining. Runaway Train (1985) is a strange bird—a  Cannon  film, based on an  Akira Kurosawa  screenplay, made by a distinguished Russian director ( Andrei Konchalovsky ), full of larger than life performances (and ridiculous accents) by Jon Voight , Eric Roberts , and John P. Ryan , requiring a great deal of suspension of belief. Somehow it all works wonderfully.

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story Of Cannon Films (2014) is a really fun documentary about the infamous  Cannon Group  that paints a picture of what sounded like a truly unhinged time in cinema history. Several of the films discussed were shown at Weirdo Wednesday  during its  Luna Theater  run, so it was fitting to screen this for Freakout Friday at  The Owl Theatre . Can anyone tell me why 1986's  Cobra  (one of Cannon's best films, in my opinion) wasn't even mentioned though? If you'd like to hear more about documentaries shown at WW, take a listen to Episode Ten of the podcast that I cohost with   Uncle Spooky  and  Lil Spooky .

I love   Ninja III: The Domination  (1984). It's ludicrous. I love it  because  it's ludicrous. It has ninja, a glowing, floating sword, a love scene involving V8, aerobics, a demonic possession scene featuring  James Hong , an arcade game that shoots rainbow lights and a fantastic soundtrack/synthesized score. Producers  Menahem Golan  and  Yorum Globus , director  Sam Firstenberg , and writer  James R. Silke  pull no punches (while the characters deliver  all  the punches) and go all out  and  all in. Extremely rewatchable. Recommended for fans of  Revenge Of The Ninja   (1983) [ review ], and  Big Trouble In Little China  (1986) [ review ], and  Miami Connection   (1987) [ review ]. Sam Firstenberg Feature Films Ranked

Revenge Of The Ninja   (1983) is virtually nonstop action and fun starring the king of '80s ninja films,  Sh o   Kosugi . While  Revenge  doesn't have the supernatural aspect of its in-name only sequel  Ninja III: The Domination  (1984) [ review ], it is nearly as bonkers, thanks to  Sam Firstenberg   and  James R. Silke , who directed and wrote both films, respectively. The plot borrows many elements from classic  Bruce Lee  films—family members killed, a sworn oath of non-violence (which of course must be broken), a move to America, a business acting as a front for drug dealing, gangsters that must be taken out, etc. Despite a great deal of goofiness, the stunts and martial arts are impressive, and the score is awesome. It's a blast to watch Kosugi Sho(w) (sorry) all those baddies who's boss and his real life son  Kane   kicks some major ass (literally). Sam Firstenberg Feature Films Ranked

Loads of ninja action, goofy dialogue, and an amazing score. White ninja, black ninja,  Franco Nero 's intense stares,  Sh o   Kosugi 's physical skills, Christopher George 's smarmy charm. Not sure what more you could ask for.

"I sent them a message." Michael Winner 's Death Wish 3 (1985) is the most economical, relentlessly paced, patently absurd revenge movie ever made, distilling the vigilante action picture to its very core. It employs every trope imaginable, with zero concern for any of its characters, zero narrative arc, and basically zero character development. Cartoon villains, ridiculous tonal shifts, hilarious dialogue, and Charles Bronson stoically blasting endless baddies with no remorse—all set to a pulsing Jimmy Page synth score. Pure entertainment. Absolute insanity. An exploitation film that delivers. A Cannon film through and through. Michael Winner Feature Films Ranked

Cobra   (1986) is an action fan's delight—delivering muscular thrills, impressive stuntwork, slick cinematography, memorable one-liners, an excellent score, a catchy soundtrack (🎶 Workin' too hard, tryin' to make a living 🎶), and an iconic poster. '80s excess is in abundance (including a modeling sequence with robots and a foundry-set finale with sparks, fire, chains, and hooks hanging from the ceiling), the villain is  very  intense, sweaty, and  over the top , and director  George P. Cosmatos  leans heavy on the horror tropes, giving the film a slasher feel at times.  Cobra  is slim on character development, plot details, and plays it by the numbers, but it's like a night of junk food—always satisfying when you're in the mood. If collecting movies is a disease,  Arrow Video ’s  4K UHD  is the cure. Recommended for fans of the  Dirty Harry ,  Rambo   and  Death Wish   series. George P. Cosmatos ...

 " Be kind to my mistakes. " Nicolas Roeg Feature Films Ranked

Writer  Dan O'Bannon  and director  Tobe Hooper  crammed  Lifeforce   (1985) to the brim with everything and the kitchen sink—space vampires, zombies, over the top acting, ridiculous dialogue, gonzo special effects, breakneck pace, explosions, London in shambles—all set to a gigantic, rousing score by  Henry Mancini .  Steve Railsback  goes off the rails in one of the most oddball lead performances that truly has to be seen to be believed.  Mathilda May   hypnotizes every male character (and viewer) with her clothes-defying performance and impossibly perfect features.  A lot of films get labeled as "bonkers" or "batshit," but  Lifeforce   is one that truly deserves those descriptors. Even by  Golan  and  Globus  standards it's nuts.   The Cannon Group   gave Hooper $25 million and a sandbox and he created an insane sci-fi freakout that flopped tremendously an...