Wuchakk

In the mid-1950s, a pompous American & his wife (Keith Carradine and Paris Jefferson) hire dubious guides to go up a river in search of diamonds in Sarawak. Meanwhile a haunted Korean War veteran (Billy Zane) keep an eye on them with his native protégé.

"The Diamond of Jeru" (2001) originated from an unfinished 1950s' story by Louis L'Amour, completed by his son Beau and used for this movie (eventually published in audio form in 2015). While I suppose it's comparable to Indiana Jones movies and, especially, David Keith's knockoff "The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck," it lacks the flippancy of those flicks, as well as similar ones, like "King Solomon's Mines" (1985) and "Firewalker." This is a serious jungle adventure with bits of "Apocalypse Now," just on a less-impressive TV-budget and script elements reminiscent of L'Amour's "The Quick and the Dead" with Sam Elliott (1987).

I felt disappointed the first time I watched it, but appreciated it more on my second viewing for several reasons. I liked the realism and was drawn into the characters as I paid closer attention to the dialogue. Like Elliott's "The Quick and the Dead," there's breathtaking cinematography (the jungle in this case) and a mature approach, not to mention Paris' beauty, emphasized in an understated, tasteful way.

There's an undeniable bond between Mike Kardec and Helen Lacklan, which is obvious to the husband (and reminiscent of "Shane"). Perhaps you can relate: You stumble across someone of the opposite sex and instinctively sense a palpable connection, some kind of profound mutual fascination, yet - for whatever reason - pursuing an intimate relationship is not an option. In an entire lifetime you will only experience a handful such 'connections,' or less. These exchanges are permanent because they are so potent they are forever burned into your psyche. The movie showcases this well.

Also, it's nice to see Billy Zane as the protagonist for a change (after his effective portrayals of villains in "Dead Calm" and "Titanic"). He's quite good in the part. As for Keith Carradine as the pompous American husband, I'm glad he wasn't made out to be an over-the-top villain. Instead, L'Amour made him a human being with flaws and attributes. Notice how Mike and John sit on the beach together in the final act, both wounded, having an honest talk and gazing at the woman they both adore.

It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in Queensland, Australia, including the Old Government House in Brisbane.

GRADE: B-/B.

An Australian detective (Rod Taylor) is sent to London to bring back the High Commissioner (Christopher Plummer) for a possible crime in 1951, but he's involved in delicate peace talks for the UN, not to mention dealing with a leaker and assassination attempts.

"The High Commissioner" (1968) is also known as "Nobody Runs Forever" and works well enough if you're interested in a way more believable, dialogue-driven substitute to the 007 flicks with Sean Connery. Clive Revill is entertaining as a grumpy butler while suave Calvin Lockhart is notable as an American involved in the diplomatic proceedings.

Exotic-looking Daliah Lavi stands out on the feminine front. Her character is involved in an unconvincing romantic sequence, which wasn't in the 1966 novel (the creators obviously wanted to spice up the story for moviegoers). Camilla Sparv and Lilli Palmer are also on hand.

There's something too mechanical about the movie. The director described himself as a "hired hand" and brushed it off as "okay." I wouldn't pay top dollar at the cinema to see it, but it's enjoyable enough for home entertainment if you're in the mood for a talky 60's big city drama/thriller with lots of political intrigue and a quality cast.

This was the first of two movies featuring Aussie detective Scobie Malone; the other came out in 1975 and was titled "Scobie Malone," minus Rod Taylor in the role.

It runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot at Pinewood Studios, west of London, as well as in the city, including Wimbledon. There are also shots of Sydney and the opening sequence appears to have been shot in the Outback.

GRADE: B/B-

Herman and Grandpa are taken into custody in Los Angeles with the crimes they're accused of verified by several eyewitnesses. They trace their troubles to the owner of a wax museum (Sid Caesar).

"The Munsters' Revenge" (1981) is the second and final Munsters movie to feature the three key cast members, Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis and Yvonne De Carlo. Eddie is played by a lookalike actor since the original actor was obviously too old by this point.

Meanwhile Marilyn is replaced for the third time by blonde Jo McDonnell, who happens to be the best actress in the role, at least up to this point (I haven't seen the two Munsters movies from 1995 and 1996). Marilyn's role here is bigger than usual and Jo is a highlight. At one point, she even disguises herself as the wax museum's resident cave girl (played by Rachel Sorteberg).

Other highlights include Herman's inadvertent destruction of a police precinct and what happens to Igor when he & Grandpa visit the latter's old haunts in Transylvania, not to mention what happens to the Pharaoh's mummy at the end. Then there's newbie Cousin Phantom (of the Opera). As with the TV series and first movie, "Munster, Go Home!," it's the charm of Gwynne & Lewis and their camaraderie that makes anything with them in it amusing and endearing.

I favor this flick over the first one simply because there seems to be more entertaining highpoints. Speaking of which, don't miss out on Rob Zombie's underrated origin movie from 2022, which I loved.

It runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot at Universal Studios in the Los Angeles area.

GRADE: B.