Maria Vincent Movies

The producers of this French film took approximately 100 people, put them on a soundstage and had them improvise this film based on the premise that they are on a spaceship escaping from the dictators of earth and only have a few days to live. Improvisation is a dangerous art-form; unprepared amateurs invariably come up with gross caricatures when challenged to improvise. The actors' choices in this film include an allegorical pageant of the life of Jesus, a marriage, an orgy, and some genuinely affectionate moments. Nonetheless, as an experimental effort in large-group improvisation, the film is instructive. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

A group of aspiring young thugs from Marseilles move in on established gangsters. They spend the time torturing, killing and intimidating the gangsters until they either pay up or die. One punk with a sexual attraction for his sister is turned in by the girl after a degrading sex scene. The newcomers shake down bars and bistros in their efforts to become part of the violent and brutal criminal underworld. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This unusual western from prolific director Jesus Franco begins in 1863 Venezuela during the closing days of the civil war. Georges Rollin, in his final role, portrays Col. Saltierra, who storms the hacienda of ruling Colonel Mendoza (Felix Dafauce) and kills everyone inside except for Mendoza's son Jose (Jose Suarez), who escapes with a servant (Roberto Camardiel). Several years later, Saltierra has gained complete control of the area, but finds himself constantly sabotaged by a shadowy band of revolutionaries led by a man known only as "The Jaguar." The Jaguar is really Juan Mendoza, seeking revenge for the death of his father. At this point, the film turns into more of a romance than might be expected, as Juan falls in love with Saltierra's pretty daughter Ines (Marta Reves). Ines is engaged to marry Lt. Alberto Kalman (Todd Martens), but Juan intervenes, leading to the expected conclusion. Sylvia Sorente's steamy performance as a dancer-informant also romanced by Juan is the highlight of this entertaining curio, which also includes an appearance by 1960s pop stars Los Machucambos as a trio of revolutionaries. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

This cruel crime drama centers on a Turkish drug smuggler and his partner. The two get into terrible trouble after double-crossing their American suppliers. The suppliers hire a hit man to kill the two and soon they are embroiled in a convoluted mess of turn-arounds, betrayals and more double-crossing. In the end, all but one person involved survives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This is an interesting but no more than routine drama by director Raoul Andre about the fragile nature of sanity when one is under extreme duress. Set during World War II in France, the story begins when a resistance fighter is given shelter in an asylum by a friend who manages the institution. Soon after, the manager is arrested by the Gestapo, which gets the resistance fighter involved. He finds the informer who set his friend up and kills him. But then no one will believe his story about the informer and he becomes desperate enough to start losing his own mental balance. A young doctor and the daughter of one of the inmates help him keep it together, but he knows he cannot continue like this for long. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide