I have seen people saying these films are "home movies" and this is nothing but a lie started by the MST3K crowd. Ray Dennis Steckler made some very colorful films starring his friends during the 60's and this film along with two others are well done, fun and they show that film making doesn't always have to be about making money.
Steckler based the Lemon Grove kids on his idols, The Bowery Boys and there are a lot of Bowery influence in these films. In Lemon grove Kids Meet the Monsters, a cross country race finds our hero Gopher, played by Steckler running into a monster ape named Kogar and then a living Mummy all of which turns out to be a movie being made. The comedy is fun, clean and still makes me laugh to this day.
The second feature on this disc is Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Green Grasshopper and The Vampire Lady. The Vampire lady is played by lovely Carolyn Brandt and she and her cohort grasshopper hypnotize almost all of the Lemon grove Kids and attempt to drink their blood until Gopher comes along and foils the plans. This one has a typical twist ending.
The third and final story is Lemon Grove Kids Go To Hollywood. In this story Gopher gets in good with a sexy Hollywood starlet again played by Carolyn Brandt.
All of these stories employ slapstick humor, but it never gets vulgar and again, it shows that movies can and were made not only for money but with love and care. Steckler passed away in 2009, but his legacy lives on in these films. They are recommended for a very family friendly Halloween.
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