Shameless Self Expression

AKA “Crypt of the Vampire”   The Karnstein family has been cursed for generations, with one family member sentenced to death for supposedly being a witch. Count Ludvig von Karnstein (Christopher Lee) is worried for his daughter Laura (Adriana Ambesi), who is plagued by nightmares involving blood-sucking. Could Laura be the next Karnstein in line to be cursed as some kind of sinister supernatural being? Jose Campos plays a young historian hired by the Count to uncover more of his family’s ancient secrets. Nela Conjiu plays family housekeeper Rowena, who might have some sinister secrets of her own. Also stopping by the family castle is beautiful young Lyuba (Ursula Davis), whom Laura takes an immediate and rather intense interest in.   An atmospheric 1964 vampire tale from director Camillo Mastrocinque ( “An Angel for Satan” with Barbara Steele) that only works in fits and starts, and wastes Christopher Lee in a rather dull role. I guess he was happy to not be playing ...

The story of Reginald Dwight (Taron Egerton), later to become the famous singer-songwriter Elton John, largely featuring moments from the first half of his life and career. For all of his musical success, Elton is a lonely man longing for love and companionship as a gay man.   “Bohemian Rhapsody” may have been lauded with awards, but it was for me one of the worst films of its year. Now comes this 2019 musical biopic from director Dexter Fletcher (Spike from “Press Gang” . I’m sorry, but that’s what I mostly know him from. Loved that show!), who took over the reins of “Bohemian Rhapsody” once Bryan Singer vacated the position. Since Fletcher was at the helm the entire time of this one, he gets the blame almost exclusively to himself here. A dreadfully wrong-headed film that is far more musical than biopic, it’s only a slight hair above “Bohemian Rhapsody” in my view.   Scripted by Lee Hall ( “Billy Elliot” , the dreadful “War Horse” and largely mocked film versio...