PodBill Just what I expected

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Scott LeBrun "Dark Intruder" stars the incomparable Leslie Nielsen as Brett Kingsford, an occult expert who is brought in to help the police investigate a series of ritualistic slayings. In each case, an ivory carving of a gargoyle is left at the scene. Brett has a friend, an importer named Robert Vandenburg (Peter Mark Richman), who is deathly afraid that he might be responsible, given that he is prone to blackouts.Set in San Francisco in 1890, this decent spook show was a busted pilot for a proposed TV series, which then ended up playing in a number of theatres. Therefore, it's not exactly highly cinematic, but it's certainly a respectable effort, just the same. It makes one think that any series that might have resulted would at least be fairly entertaining. Director Harvey Hart ("The Pyx") gives it superb atmosphere and suspense, and the period recreation is reasonably impressive. Granted, the story (credited to Barre Lyndon) falls short in terms of the mystery quotient, but overall this is fun and a painless way to kill just under an hour.Nielsen is fun, as usual, playing an unflappable hero with a sense of humour. Richman delivers the standout performance as the story's ultimately tragic character. There's a show stopping role for Werner Klemperer as the mysterious Professor Malaki, an energetic portrayal by Judi Meredith as Roberts' fiancée Evelyn, solid work by Gilbert Green as the police inspector, and an appealing performance by Charles Bolender as Bretts' diminutive butler Nikola. Character actors Vaughn Taylor, Peter Brocco, Bill Quinn, and Richard Venture lend some valuable support.Punctuated by a shuddery score by Lalo Schifrin, "Dark Intruder" is definitely good of its kind, and worth a look for any fan of genre TV of this period, or Leslie Nielsen completists.Six out of 10.

Spikeopath Dark Intruder is directed by Harvey Hart and written by Barre Lyndon. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Gilbert Green, Charles Bolender, Mark Richman, Judith Meredith and Werner Klemperer. Music is by Lalo Schifrin and cinematography by John F. Warren.A murderous fiend is terrorising San Francisco 1890, so supernatural expert Brett Kingsford (Nielsen) takes special interest in the crimes.A pilot for a TV show that wasn't picked up, Dark Intruder is a whole bunch of spooky fun. Clocking in at just under an hour in length, the pic makes up for what it lacks in mystery inventiveness, with sheer schlocky shenanigans. Moody courtesy of the period setting, complete with lots of fog, shadows and gaslights, the narrative indulges us in gods, oriental mysticism and Sumerian demons, whilst a dwarf, a sinister fortune teller and a mandrake plant all add quirky qualities to the play. There's even a kicker at the finale, so as to not rest on its laurels.Recommended for sure. 6.5/10

Leofwine_draca This fast-paced film breaks no boundaries, and yet remains a solid little chiller-thriller with an amusing central performance from Leslie Nielsen. This is one of those films which they just don't make anymore, an old-fashioned thriller in which Nielsen and his friends try to work out the motive of a murderer and stop him killing again. It's all very conventional, and yet there is something about it which raises it above average. Perhaps the atmospheric scenes of a shadowy mutant stalking about in the shadows, murdering people, which brings to mind one of the better versions of Jack the Ripper. Or maybe it's Nielsen himself, who brings a lot of comedy to the film, perhaps practising for his later roles as a comedy star in hits like the NAKED GUN films.Here, Nielsen plays a character who acts like an American Sherlock Holmes, although this man's identity and history is never revealed to us (this was to be the pilot for a never-made television series). His character isn't very well developed, which is probably a flaw in the script instead of with Nielsen's light performance. I mean, he keeps on disguising himself as to protect his identity, but for what reason? If Nielsen's character had been fleshed out a little more it would have given us a stronger lead to identify with - as it is, we don't really feel or care for him throughout the film.The plot keeps us guessing by dropping clues in every ten minutes or so (the film only runs for an hour, so we never have long to wait), and even draws in some occult science - including a horrible statue, made with flesh and bone, which feels "hot". The twist ending is surprisingly downbeat, and all the more effective (although Nielsen's closing jokes seem to be rather misplaced). The makeup for the deformed killer is quite good, and there's a wonderful transformation sequence where a man dissolves from being handsome into a clawed fiend. The violence, unfortunately, is kept strictly offscreen, although there are a couple of fight scenes which involve Nielsen getting scratched by the killer's clawed hands.Mark Richman is very good in a supporting role and reminded me of a young Charles Dance - his blackouts here are especially unnerving, when we don't know what they mean. The only false note is with the insubstantial female lead, who literally does nothing for the film's short running time except scream occasionally. A sign of the times. There's even a dwarf servant in there for good measure. This light, easy entertainment is never made anymore, and I really do miss it after watching films like this. DARK INTRUDER is an engaging, and best of all, fun thriller, an oddity which deserves to be tracked down.

ctomvelu1 Atmospheric TV movie about a Sherlock Holmes type (Leslie Nielson) who occasionally assists the San Francisco police with serious crimes. Set in 1890, the whole thing feels very Jack the Ripper-ish, and there is a Mr. Hyde styled monster running loose in town seemingly killing people at random. Nielson's breezy private detective eventually puts two and two together, and realizes the creature has something very specific in mind with each murder. Mark Richman plays a troubled acquaintance who may hold the key to the mystery, and Werner Klemperer of all people plays the Mr. Hyde-ish killer. Tame by today's standards, this low-budget but fanciful tale still packs a punch. Later released theatrically. Too bad it wasn't shot in color. Nielson, whose hair was still dark in those days, is an absolute hoot.