MOVIE: The Pack (1977)

The Pack aka The Long Dark Night

US 1977, 95 mins, Warner Brothers

DVD: Warner Archive Collection (US import), UK Cert 15

After the close of the holiday season, the residents of an island find themselves terrorised by a pack of dogs. All are discarded strays, left to fend for themselves by careless holidaymakers.

Hitting the animal horror boom of the mid-to-late 70's, The Pack does have quite a novel premise in that man's best friend turns on humankind through being abandoned and mistreated. Perhaps a tad padded at the beginning, and feeling at times like a TV-movie writ large, it is nonetheless entertaining enough once it gets going.

The attack sequences are effectively handled by director Robert Clouse (Enter The Dragon), whilst a cast of reliable performers like Joe Don Baker and RG Armstrong inject life into some more unusual characters than you normally find in this kind of movie. Not for those seeking major chills, this is more of an action thriller with horror overtones. Still, it's a good matinee for a wet afternoon with a bit more thoughtfulness than many of its peers.




Original Theatrical Trailer:

MOVIE: The Sentinel (1977)

The Sentinel

USA 1977, 92m, Universal

DVD: MediumRare Entertainment (UK) - Cert 18

Neurotic model Alison Parker (Christina Raines) moves into a surprisingly modestly priced apartment in a New York building, despite the misgivings of her boyfriend Michael (Chris Sarandon). She finds the house populated by a host of seemingly eccentric characters, and a reclusive blind priest (John Carradine) who lives on the top floor. As the behaviour of her neighbours becomes ever more strange, and Christina's nerves go to pieces, it seems that there is more to this building than meets the eye...

Directed by Michael Winner, who also scripted from Jeffrey Konvitz's novel. Although a cinema release, it has more of the feel of a TV movie, and that is meant as a compliment. I've always thought of the 1970's as a high water mark for horror films produced specifically for television, and there's something about the structure and pacing of the film which places it favourably alongside offerings of the period from the likes of Dan Curtis and John Llewellyn Moxey. This actually makes the more graphic scenes in the film slightly unnerving, as they stand out somewhat incongrously from their setting. It's almost like Winner is trying to do a Ken Russell in places.

You can't help but be impressed by the supporting cast. Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith, Sylvia Miles, Eli Wallach, John Carradine... Further down the cast list, there are early appearances by Jeff Goldblum, Beverly D'Angelo, Tom Berenger and Christopher Walken.

Although Michael Winner arguably became something of a figure of fun later in life (and, to be fair he sent himself up a great deal), it is worth remembering that he was a highly proficient, if not necessarily spectacular director. The Sentinel is probably one of his best works, a good, solid, fun horror movie. If Winner's name wasn't on the credits, one can't help feeling it might be a bit more highly regarded. His commentary on the DVD is an absolute hoot.

 Original UK paperback - I remember my grandmother having this back in the 1970's, but I never got around to reading it myself...

Original Theatrical Trailer:

MOVIE: The Car (1977)

A mysterious black car appears from nowhere in the desert, and immediately sets its sights on killing two cyclists. Soon after, a hitchhiker is the next victim and the local police force is alerted. As the car stalks and kills more, it begins to become apparent that the law has more on its hands than a reckless driver, especially when it seems that the vehicle may be driverless...

Yes, it was going to happen at some point, and the devil appeared in automotive form in The Car.  Daft but fun, it plays like a 70's TV movie (albeit a superior one) writ large in Panavision. It isn't that surprising once you consider that most of the cast were familiar TV regulars, reliable performers like James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, R.G. Armstrong and John Marley. Meanwhile, the crew were mostly under contract to Universal and were more commonly to be found working on their shows of the period like Columbo, MacMillan & Wife or The Rockford Files as well their "Movie Of The Week" strand for US television.

The surprising overseas theatrical success of Steven Spielberg's made-for-TV Duel (1971) must have played a part in The Car getting the green light, but so too may Jaws (1975). It's worth remembering that Universal had been considering pulling out of theatrical production entirely to focus on TV, before that killer shark kick-started the modern phenomenon of the blockbuster movie as we know it. It wasn't long before every Hollywood studio was throwing cash at the kind of films AIP used to knock out in days for a fraction of the cost.

Whilst The Car doesn't quite boast the same production values as some of its contemporaries, it does feature some neat stunts and effects. Light on the gore, the attacks by the driverless vehicle are well staged, and there are some genuinely impressive moments. Director Eliot Silverstein (A Man Called Horse, Cat Ballou) keeps things mostly in high gear, although a couple of earlier scenes do feel like padding. In fact, almost as if it was originally intended to fit a 2-hour TV slot with commercials...

Ultimately, The Car sets out to entertain you for 96 minutes, and this it does in style. It's not the "bad" movie some would have you believe. Indeed, as John Landis points out in one of the blu-ray's extras, none other than Guillermo Del Toro is such a fan of the film that he had an exact replica of the vehicle built, in which he can be spotted driving around California...

Blu-Ray Notes - Another fine release from Arrow Films, and a nice HD transfer. Extras are a director's commentary, effects featurette, interview with actor John Rubenstein, plus John Landis discussing the trailer.



USA 1977 - Universal

96 Minutes

Certificate - 12 (UK), AA (UK original release)

Blu-Ray/DVD: Arrow Films (UK)

Original Theatrical Trailer

SINGLE: The Saints - "This Perfect Day" (1978)

UK - EMI/Harvest HAR 5130 (July 1977)

It was Bob Geldof who once said: "Rock music in the seventies was changed by three bands—The Sex Pistols, The Ramones and The Saints". Their lack of success in the UK is no reflection of how good their records were. "This Perfect Day" would be their only UK hit, peaking at number 34. As with so many great records, it deserved better.

I've posted it here today because:

a) It's brilliant.
b) It came on in the car earlier and I had to play it another couple of times after it ended.
c) I thought I ought to spread the word to anyone who isn't familiar with this great band.

You can read more in their Wikipedia entry here

SINGLE: The Motors - Dancing The Night Away (1977)

UK - Virgin VS 196 (September 1977)

If I was to ask you what was voted the number one record in John Peel's Festive Fifty poll for 1977, the year that punk swept the UK, chances are you might say The Sex Pistols or The Clash. In fact, they peaked at positions 11 and 9 respectively. Meanwhile, both the number 3 and number 1 positions were held by The Motors, and this particular track held the top position.

The Motors rose from the ashes of pub rockers Ducks Deluxe (as did Graham Parker & The Rumour and The Tyla Gang). Signing with Virgin (then still an independent label), Dancing The Night Away was their first single. It gained considerable radio play, and the band appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test to promote it.

I clearly remembered the song being on the radio a lot at the time, but never caught the name of the artist. Frustratingly, when my Mum took my sister and me into Jack Hobbs' Records in Eastleigh, and I tried to explain that I wanted a record about dancing away (not helped by the fact I was only four-going-on-five years old), we somehow ended up with Baccara's Yes Sir I Can Boogie.

I'm shuddering now, just thinking about it...

Anyway, the song stayed stayed lodged in my mind, and when I did eventually find out who it was by (some 12 years later!), I was fortunately able to track down a copy.

I assume the Baccara record ended up in a landfill site somewhere in Hampshire.

Dancing The Night Away has turned up on a number of "punk" compilations in more recent years. The Motors weren't a punk band, of course, but at least it makes this marvellous record relatively easy to find.

The Motors would hit the top ten the following year with Airport, but Dancing The Night Away would inexplicably stall at number 42. I assume shopkeepers continued selling Baccara records by accident, as they went to number 1...

WHERE TO FIND IT:

101 Punk & New Wave Anthems (EMI/Virgin CD 2010)
Airport - The Motors' Greatest Hits (Virgin CD 1995)