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The Man from Laramie (1955, USA, Mann)

If 100 years of western movies have taught us anything, it is that when you’re the boss of a sleepy, isolated town, and a dangerous-looking stranger arrives, you should not burn his wagons, shoot his mules, drag him through the dirt, and then return his gun to him and hope he leaves town peacefully. Watched it all.

Bride of the Monster (1955, USA, Wood)

This Ed Wood movie is almost competent. The way he goes straight to the fun part – evil scientist! monster! giant squid! – makes me wish he had the abilities to match his vision. Imagine what a genuinely good screwy sci-fi-horror filmmaker could have done with Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson. Watched 14 minutes.

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Violent Saturday (1955, USA)

The kind of caper movie where the team Assembles in the first part, Executes in the second, and Fails Tragically in the third. I’ve seen this story before, and will see it again. But for some reason that I can’t explain, this particular version of it feels epic, like a long train building up speed. Watched it all.

A Generation (1955, Poland)

I love the scene in every Communist propaganda movie where the young girl stands before the crowd and holds a stirring speech about the People, the fire of truth burning in her eyes, and also the scene where the wise old worker explains his Marxist faith in simple, folksy terms, like a Communist Jesus. It makes me want to have myself put up against a wall and shot. Watched: 30 minutes.