At the Earth's Core (1976)

At the Earth's Core (1976)

Dir. Kevin Connor

A subterranean fiction story in which a senescent British scientist (Peter Cushing) and his American sponsor (Doug McClure) tunnel through a hill in a Jules Verne-esque contraption dubbed the Iron Mole, which would be a good name for an album by a stoner doom band, if it isn't one already.

The duo go way off course and end up far beneath the Earth's crust, wholly unprepared for the dodgy FX that they find there.

The draw for me was Cushing and Caroline Munro, but he'd little of value to do and she disappeared for about half of the movie.

The bizarre flora was fun, but the fauna was bad. The rubber-suit flying things could've had some menace if the lighting had worked in their favour, but it was bad, too. Overall, the movie was a bag 'o shite, even by Amicus standards. It was just about worth it to hear Cushing say, "You cannot mesmerise me, I'm British!" right before getting totally mesmerised.

The Omen: Films (1976-06)

The Omen: Films (1976-06)

Dirs. Various

01. The film that single-handedly caused kids named Damien to get targeted by bullies at school throughout the 80s (and beyond?), The Omen (1976 / Dir. Richard Donner) is a 1970s suspense / horror film that relies on mood and pace to elicit a progressive sense of dread in the viewer.

Gregory Peck is utterly believable as the American Senator with an evil little shit for a son (Harvey Stephens). Throw in some horror convention, a creepy nanny, a house that lacks life, and a biblical poem and you have a classic that looks dated but still manages to shock and entertain.

In lesser roles are David Warner, Billie Whitelaw, and Patrick Troughton, all of whom are equally great. Prolific composer Jerry Goldsmith's musical score adds an extra layer of palpable eeriness.

King Kong: The De Laurentiis Movies (1976–86)

King Kong (1976)

Dir. John Guillermin

The biggest difference between the original 1933 version and the 70s remake is that the latter movie is full colour. It wasn't the first Kong movie to use colour film stock, but it was the first English language one to do so.

The second major difference is that Kong is now a human actor in an ape suit, whereas previously he was a model that had been brought to life by the magic of stop motion animation. It seems as if Hollywood were taking cues from Japan, specifically Toho, who had used the King Kong character in their Godzilla franchise over a decade previously.

Likewise, the impressive scale model landscapes used in the Hollywood version seem to be inspired by Japan's movies. [1]

Rocky: Films (1976-2006)

Rocky: Films (1976-2006)

Dennis Potter's Brimstone and Treacle (1976 / 1982)

Brimstone and Treacle (1976)

Dir. Barry Davis

Barry Davis's Play for Today version of Dennis Potter’s controversial B+T was banned by a fearful and controlling BBC before it was even broadcast. The institution eventually relented in 1987 and it’s currently available to purchase on DVD.

Michael Kitchen stars as a wicked confidence trickster named Martin Taylor who worms his way into the home of an older couple, Tom and Amy Bates (Denholm Elliott and Patricia Lawrence).

With an angelic smile on his face Martin causes chaos, all the while pretending to care for Pattie (Michelle Newell), the old couple's sick daughter.

There’s more to the goings on than that but it‘s best if the viewer discovers it by themselves. If you know Potter’s work then you’ll know to prepare for strong views and shocking turns as the layers of consequence are gradually revealed.

John Carpenter: Films: Part I (1974-79)

Dark Star (1974)
Dir. John Carpenter

Unless you're a hopelessly dedicated John Carpenter fan, then you'll likely want to stay far away from Dark Star. It's his low budget student film expanded to feature-length.

It's pretty terrible, really, but it's also interesting for a number of reasons. Most notably the script was co-written with Dan O'Bannon and plays like a prototype of his later success, Ridley Scott's Alien (1979).

Also, the music has that cheap and creepy Carpenter vibe. I love Carpenter's music.

DUNE: The Original Novels (1965-85)

Dune (1965)

Author: Frank Herbert  |  Page Count: 562 (605 inc. Appendices)

"What do you despise? By this are you truly known."

-From 'Manual of Muad’Dib' by the Princess Irulan

Frank Herbert's Dune Saga is the story of the planet Arrakis, also known as Dune, upon which is found a rare and valuable resource that every Great House in existence depends upon. Without it interstellar trade would end. Even the Emperor of the Known Universe would be rendered mostly powerless in all but name. Whosoever controls the retrieval and distribution of that specific resource will be a formidable foe in a never-ending and far-reaching power struggle.

The first book concentrates on the rise of a reluctant messianic figure from not-quite-humble beginnings towards something he never expected to be.

The two things are connected but are each only a small part of what the novel contains. There's a staggering amount of depth beneath the surface, exploring everything from petty feuds and familial concerns to the basic needs of evolution, ecology, society and the intersection of religion, politics and power.