TV Guide: Klaus Kinski

Video: Deadly Sanctuary

Video Detective — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:43:04 -0500

One of cult director Jesus Franco's most popular films, this uneven adaptation of the Marquis de Sade's notorious Justine stars Romina Power, daughter of actor Tyrone Power, in the title role. Justine and her sister Juliet (Maria Rohm) are poor orphans in 1700s France forced to leave school and find a way to survive in Paris. Juliet soon becomes a prostitute, while Justine is employed as a maid by Scrooge-like innkeeper Mssr. de Harpin (Akim Tamiroff). Eventually, Justine is falsely arrested for stealing a brooch and sentenced to death. Escaping prison with the murderous Mme. Dubois (Mercedes McCambridge), Justine becomes a fugitive. In her efforts to hide from the law, Justine finds herself captured first by a perverse gay Marquis (Klaus Kinski), who subjects her to various tortures, then by a group of sadistic monks led by Brother Antonin (Jack Palance in an amazingly bizarre performance). Rosemary Dexter was originally intended to portray Justine, and might have done a better job than the wooden Power, but

Video: Cobra Verde

Video Detective — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:41:35 -0500

Director Werner Herzog, as usual, has spared no one -- especially himself -- in bringing this story of 19th-century African slave trading to the screen. Klaus Kinski plays an enterprising young Brazilian who after impregnating the three daughters of his plantation-owning employer, is sent to West Africa to round up slaves. Kinski goes to great lengths to befriend the very people he hopes to enslave and he eventually manages to overthrow a mad monarch and set himself up as king. As the years pass, Kinski grows wealthy -- and careless. However, despite enslaving the tribe, he does show some signs of humanitarian benevolence. This fifth and final collaboration between director Herzog and Kinski is considered the weakest of the five features. Though the title translates literally as Green Cobra, Cobra Verde was released in the U.S. as Slave Coast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide.

Video: Creature

Video Detective — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:14:37 -0500

Less than a year before James Cameron's turbo-charged sequel, Hollywood (or its overseas counterparts) still managed to find ways to retread the badly-worn theme of Ridley Scott's Alien, as evidenced in this 1985 low-budget item. When a mysterious canister is uncovered on Saturn's largest moon Titan, a dormant, eons-old monster is released, making lunch of both the explorers who discovered it and the rival corporation's exploration team which investigates their disappearance. The most enjoyable creature in this otherwise pedestrian film is the ever-leering Klaus Kinski, who plays the lecherous sole survivor of the previous expedition, but the only real source of entertainment -- the depiction of gooey, gory effects and gratuitous nudity -- is spoiled by inadequate lighting and static camera set-ups. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide.

Video: Android

Video Detective — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:08:57 -0500

Several movie genres collide head-on in Android. Klaus Kinski plays a slightly cracked scientist, working in solitude on a remote space station. Kinski is hoping to develop a race of humanlike robots, the prototype of which is Max. 404 (Don Opper). He is interrupted by a coed gang of space-hopping escaped convicts. One of the cons, the lovely Brie Howard, falls in love with Max. 404, and he with her. The android's less attractive traits are exhibited when he jealously attempts to destroy female robot Kendra Kirchner. Though there's no budget to speak of, Android is one of the more likeable second-echelon sci-fiers of the 1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide.

Video: Bloody Dead

Amazon Video on Demand — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:53:13 -0500

Film icon Klaus Kinski stars as both an insane killer and innocent victim in this startling shocker, complete with cruel asylum tortures and creepy doings in an old dark castle which harbors a prowling, hooded maniac. Based on a novel by internationally renowned mystery legend Edgar Wallace.

Video: Bloody Dead

Amazon Video on Demand — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:53:00 -0500

Video: Creature With The Blue Hand

Amazon Video on Demand — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:26:27 -0500

Video: Creature With The Blue Hand

Amazon Video on Demand — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:09:42 -0500