The Shout (1978)

 

 

A traveler by the name of Crossley forces himself upon a musician and his wife in a lonely part of Devon, and uses the aboriginal magic he has learned to displace his host. 

Well-made semi-horror tale seems more surreal than actually frightening, but is intriguing enough to hold your attention.

Halliwell*: "Curiously gripping but ultimately pointless fable, very well done to little purpose."

Maltin**1/2: "Well-filmed but obscure yarn...Worth a look on a slow evening." 

The Rose (1979)

The tragic life of a self-destructive female rock star who struggles to deal with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager.

From memory: Revved-up musical biopic overdoes its simulation of the wild rock showbiz life on the edge, but Bette Midler is great in the title role.

Halliwell (no star): "An unattractive, hysterical, foul-mouthed show business biopic roughly based on Janis Joplin, this does afford an undisciplined night-club talent a role get her teeth into."

Maltin**: "Spin-off of the Janis Joplin saga equates showbiz with hell, then concentrates on giving the audience too much of the latter. Midler...and Forrest deliver dynamic performances, but film leaves a lot to be desired. Impressive photography by Vilmos Zsigmond."