Moonstalker (1988)

Another trailer for a direct-to-video movie from the late, great Cliff Twemlow.  Moonstalker is about the hunt for a Beast of Exmoor type creature, with Cliff as the Fiat Panda-driving great white hunter brought in to track down the mysterious beast, (which naturally turns out to be a werewolf).  The Fiat Panda was the result of a typically astute bit of budget-saving business by Twemlow, who did a deal with a local Fiat dealership to provide the car for free.  Unfortunately, Cliff Twemlow films aren't always easy to get to see these days - Moonstalker is another tht I've never seen in its entirety.  I've always maintained that if he had been American and working in the US, Twemlow's films would have cult status and be available on specialist DVD labels.  Sadly, here in the UK, a lot of snobbery still surrounds the world of film criticism, these sorts of direct-to-video movies, in particular - still being shunned and condemned to obscurity.  The fact is, that while no cinematic masterpieces, Cliff Twemlow's films, (at least, the ones I've seen), are solidly crafted pieces of low budget entertainment.  He knew his audience and delivered what they wanted from a direct-to-video experience.  Bearing in mind their tiny budgets and lack of resources, the level of professionalism on display is surprisingly high.

Anyway, the reason for this particular 'Random Movie Trailer' isn't quite so random as usual - I ended up thinking about Cliff Twemlow this evening while watching a film on TV.  The ever excellent B-Movie TV (available via Roku) ran Into the Darkness, a relatively obscure 1986 British direct-to-video stalk and slash movie.  It could almost have been a Cliff Twemlow movie.  Not only was it directed by David Kent-Watson, who directed a number of Twemlow's films, but the cast also included frequent Twemlow collaborators John St Ryan and Brett Sinclair (aka Brett Paul), who also had writing credits.  Mainly shot in Malta, it clearly had slightly better financing than Twemlow's films, (it was a UK/Swiss co-production), leading to a somewhat slicker look and the presence of a couple of 'name' actors, in the shape of Donald Pleasance and Ronald Lacey.  (To be fair, one of Cliff Twemlow's films featured Oliver Tobias and Charles Grey, while another co-starred Fiona Fullerton).  To be honest, both are featured in what are really extended cameos, with Donald Pleasance (who is clearly enjoying an expenses-paid working holiday in sunny Malta), also acting as the obligatory red-herring.  While nothing out of the ordinary, Into the Darkness is a solid ninety minutes of entertainment, but like so many British direct-to-video films of its era, its largely forgotten nd unheralded in the UK.  Thankfully, US based streaming channels like B-Movie TV seem happy to screen it.  Which leaves me hoping that, someday, they might also see fit to stream some of Cliff Twemlow's films, (they have, after all, given a late night screening for Derek Ford's Urge to Kill, which as about as obscure as they come).