Cult Connections

Ian reviews three classic sci-fi novels and decides if they would make good screen adaptations. The Stars My Destination (1956) by Alfred Bester The City and The Stars (1956) by Arthur C Clarke Greybeard (1964) by Brian Aldiss

What happened when French action star Olivier Gruner teamed up with Israeli writer/producer Avi Nesher for a string of straight to video action movies. Automatic (1995). Directed by John Murlowski. Written by Avi Nesher. Co-starring Daphne Ashbrook, John Glover and Troy Evans Savage (1997). Writen and Directed by Avi Nesher. Co-starring Jennifer Grant, Kario Salem and Sam McMurray Mars (1997). Dir...

Ian and Mark "Planty" Plant head west to return to their "favourite" director. Lawman (1971). Directed by Michael Winner. Written by Gerald Wilson. Starring Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan and Lee J Cobb

Familiar faces and places await our trio The Judas Goat. Directed by Paul Krasny. Written by John Meredyth Lucas. Guest starring Nicholas Hammond and Lance LeGault

This week our trio encounter sinister scientists and more corridors Fear Factor. Directed by Gerald Mayer. Written by John Sherlock. Guest starring Ed Nelson and Jared Martin

Fresh from reviewing Top Gun Ian ending up bingeing a whole load of other 1950s westerns. Here are four of the highlights. Man of the West (1958). Directed by Anthony Mann. Written by Reginald Rose. Starring Gary Cooper, Julie London and Lee J Cobb The Gunfighter (1950) Directed by Henry King. Written by William Bowes and William Sellers. Starring Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott and Millard Mitchell...

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the hugely popular action blockbuster Ian has decided to  review the 1955 western with the same name.  Top Gun (1955). Directed by Ray Nazarro. Written by Steve fisher. Starring Sterling Hayden, William Bishop and Karin Booth

Ian is joined by Holger Hasse to review Andre Hunnebelle's trio of 60s films about the French pulp fiction criminal mastermind Fantomas! Fantomas (1964) Fantomas Unleashed (1965) Fantomas v Scotland Yard (1967) Directed by Andre Hunnebelle. Based on the books by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain. Starring Jean Marais, Louis De Funes and Mylene Demongeot

Ian reviews the sequel you never knew you needed.  Greenland 2: Migration Directed by Ric Roman Waugh Written by Mitchell LaFortune Starring Gerard Butler and Monica Baccarin

Pat Veil comes back as we review episodes 4,5&6 of Nigel Kneale's cult anthology series Beasts Episode 4: Baby. Directed by John Nelson-Burton. Starring Jane wymark, simon MacCorkindale, T.P McKenna and Shelagh Fraser Episode 5: What Big Eyes. Directed by Donald McWhinnie. Starring Patrick Magee, Madge Ryan and Michael Kitchen Episode 6: The Dummy. Directed by Don Leaver. Starring Bernard Horsfall...

We hit a high and low point on our jourfney through the Logan's Run tv series! Episode 7: Crypt. Directed by Michael Caffey. Teleplay by Alfred Hayes. From a story by Harlan Ellison. Guest starring Christopher Stone and Reva Patterson

Rocket launchers, gaudy plastic and corridors!  Episode 6: Half Life. Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. Written by Shimon Wincelberg. Guest starring Willaim smith and Kim Cattrall

Ian and Nathan continue their adventures in time and Spain  with a trip to 1971 and encounter comedy tramps, avaricious civil servants and colourful duvet monsters.  Doctor Who: The Claws of Axos. Written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Directed by Michael Ferguson. Starring Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning.

Episode 5: Man Out Of Time Directed by Nicolas Colasanto  Written by David Gerrold  Guest starring Paul Shenar, Mel Ferrer and Woodrow Chamblis

Ian reviews season one of the cult BBC dystopian drama.  1990 Season One. Created and written by Wilffred Greatorex. Starring Edward Woodward, Barbara Kellerman and Robert Lang You can watch 1990 on YouTube via this link https://youtu.be/KayCsPZF1fY?si=zGtAHVoN01lQlm5O

It's psychokinesis and dodgy 70s interiors in this instalment of our rewatch Episode 4: The Innocent. Written by Ray Brennan and DC Fontana. Directed by Michael Preece. Guest starring Lisa Eilbacher

Ian reviews Tron:Ares and gives his thoughts on the franchise in general. Tron: Ares. Written by Jesse Wigutow. Directed by Joachim Ronning. Starring Jared Leto, Grace Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner Smith and Gillian Anderson

In this episode the Sandmen become the runners! Logsan's Run Episode 3: Capture. Written by DC Fontana. Directed by Irvine J Moore. Guest starring Horst Bucholz and Mary Woronov

Beasts is rightly regarded as one of the many highpoints of the works of writer Nigel Kneale. In this episode Ian is joined by Pat Veil to review the first three episodes of the anthology series.  Episode 1: Special Offer. Directed by Richard Bramall. Starring Pauline Quirke, Geoffrey Bateman and Wensley Pithey Episode 2: During Barty's Party. Directed by Don Taylor. Starring Elizabeth Sellars and...

To mark the 62nd anniversary of Doctor Who I'm joined by Alice Maguire of the TARDIS In Tayside Society to review what is widely thoought to be the worst ever stroy in the shows history.  Underworld (1978). Written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Directed by Norman Stevens. Starring Tom Baker, Loiuse Jamieson, John Leeson, Alan Lake and James Maxwell

Our trio continue their travels and almost become Lost In Space Episode 2 "The Collectors". Directed by Alexander Singer. Written by James Schemerer. Guest stars Angela Cartwright and Leslie Parrish

Nigel Kneale was a pioneer of British drama on both the big and small screens creating characters such as Professor Bernard Quatermass and revered shows like The Stone Tape and Year of the Sex Olympics. My guest for the next three episodes, Pat Veil, is a huge fan of his 1976 anthology series Beasts which helped to cement his love of 1970s British TV. In this opening episode we review Murrain from...

Following on from Battlefield Ian and Nathan decide to travel to Gabriel Chase for the story which immediately follows it!  Ghostlight (1989). Written by March Platt. Directed by Alan Wareing. Starring Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Sylvia Sims, Michael Cochrane, John Nettleton and Frank Windsor

Ian gives his views on the 1970s spin off series Logan's Run! Episode 1: Logans Run. Written by Saul David and Leonard Katzman. Directed by Robert Day. Starring Gregory Harrison, Heather Menzies, Donald Moffat and Randy Powell

Like World on a Wire 1999s uThe Thirteenth Floor is also an adaptation of the novel Simulacron-3.And rather unfortunately released one month  after The Matrix!  Holger Hasse did the hard work and decided to read the book so why not join us as we compare the two versions and spend more time waxing lyrical about Werner Ranier Fassbinder.  The Thirteenth Floor (1999). Directed by Josef Rusnak. Writte...