EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 (SHOUT FACTORY)

A Bert Gordon classic comes to Blu-ray. >br />

Joan Collins forever won my heart by starring in "Devil Within Her" and what a joy to see her in this cheap but fun film directed by Bert Gordon.

Collins is a real estate seller that takes a small group of prospective buyers on a trip to look at her proposed property, and soon the entire party is threatened by enormous ants that have been made that way by radioactive materials that were carelessly dumped into the ocean and then washed ashore.

One of my favorite actors, Robert Lansing, is Dan Stokley, a boat captain that has taken the group out to the isolated area. His boat is overrun with giant ants and destroyed so the group must make their way up river on foot. Several of the group including and elderly couple are killed while trying to get away. It seems the ants are herding the humans into a small town.

When the survivors arrive in the town they notice something isn't right. The sheriff (Albert Salmi) is a liar and trying to hide something. It is soon made clear that the ants have taken over the town and are controlling people using pheromones to keep them under control and work for them.

Lansing wants no part of this so he sets the queen ant on fire with a road flare when he is given the chance and then the ants begin killing everyone in town. Collins dies and the other four survivors make it to a boat and escape. But the ants are still deep in the everglades as the movie ends.

This is based on the story by H.G. Wells, but in reality, the only thing it has in common with the book is the title. Gordon made his own film. The rest of the cast includes Pamela Susan Shoop, Robert Pine, Brooke Palance, Jacqueline Scott, John David Carson and Irene Tedrow.

Most reviewers are too harsh on this film, and that is sad because it is a lot of fun, and the Blu-ray looks very good. Shout has turned this out on a double feature with another movie entitles "Jaws of Satan" which will be reviewed here later.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Clint Eastwood is 85, and Brooke Shields is 50.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Stephen Tobolowsky is 64, Clint Walker is 88, Jennifer Ellison is 32, Ruta Lee is 80, and Deanna Lund is 78.

COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU......

TCM is making this summer a little special for classic movie fans.

June 21st and 24th JAWS will be playing in select theaters around the country, and I will be able to see it right here in my town. I haven't seen it in the theater for 40 years!!

Then in July, 19th and 20th to be exact the 1946 film noir gem DOUBLE INDEMNITY will be playing around the country as well. This is one I do NOT want to miss.

Great stuff, and a huge thanks to TCM for making this possible.

SHORT TAKES....

Watched a couple of films I haven't talked about for a very long time.

GUNS DON'T ARGUE 1957 (SINISTER CINEMA) This is a fun film all around. It is compiled from three episodes of the show "Gangbusters". This film tells the exploits of several major gangsters in the 20's and 30's and how the FBI hunted them down.

The film moves along at a very fast clip and the cast line-up is a who's who of B movie heaven. Myron Healey is John Dillinger, Jean Harvey is Ma Barker, Paul Dubov is Alvin Karpis, Sam Edwards is Fred Barker, Richard Crane is Homer Van Meter, Tamat Cooper is Bonnie Parker, Baynes Barron is Clyde Barrow, Doug Wilson is "Pretty Boy" Floyd plus you have Jim Davis, Lyle Talbot, Lash La Rue and sexy Jeanne Carmen.

I have always liked this film and it has been a long time since I'd seen it. If you like gangster films or film noir you might want to give it a try.

BULLET DON'T ARGUE 1964 (SINISTER CINEMA) Rod Cameron stars in this excellent spaghetti western about a newly married sheriff that must track down and bring back the men that robbed the bank on his wedding day.

Cameron is Pat Garrett, Horst Frank is Billy Clanton and Angel Aranda is George Clanton. Billy and George are caught by Garrett, but they find the road back is going to be tough with Billy needing medical help after being shot, lack of water and a horde of Mexican bandits after the money that has been recovered.

This is a good western that should please most fans. The print from Sinister is very good and it's widescreen.

Both of these films made for excellent viewing on a cold and rainy afternoon when I had a day off.

RAMBLINGS......

Some people may not like what I say here in this post, but then do I give a damn? Nope.

Over the last few months I have been going to different blogs, movie sites and listening to pod casts, and I see a very disturbing trend, at least to me anyway.

I do know some of the people that write blogs and do pod casts, and this is not an attack on them, but the way they do the presentations. Every time they do an older film, they let their PC shine thru. I have read and listened to things about such movies as "ZAAT", "Rocket Ship XM" and many other about the portrayals of women in these films.

They blather on about "sexist" comments in the script or anything else they can find to complain about. The truth is, women are portrayed as women in these films and that is it. If you're stupid enough to watch a film and "feel" bad about comments made, then maybe you shouldn't watch the film, period.

I read that someone felt that Osa Massen's character in "Rocket ship XM" is mistreated because she won't come around to a man's way of thinking. What rubbish!! Where do people get this shit from?? Or in "ZAAT" the female scientist is second class person because she doesn't have all the goodies a male character does and she ends up having to sleep with the lead male. What crap that is.

I am not "sensitive" to any of this garbage because I was raised in a different and better time when people weren't a bunch of limp wristed, spineless idiots who "feel" everything. These are MOVIES, PEOPLE and they are entertainment, not ideologies set up by anyone. The progressive left wing pieces of crap that permeate this country have made people feel guilty about everything. Well not me.

The women are treated as women, no matter if they are ass kicking or not. I happen to like both, but I do not sit and cringe as these so called "reviewers" do whenever something touches their PC infected brains.

The thing I can't stand most about most of these liberal clowns is that they listen to modern music that uses such terms as "bitch", "ho", "slut", "nigger" and other such terms to describe women, and that is fine with them, but God forbid a woman is portrayed as weaker in a film, or should I say weaker to their PC infected brains.

Yep, you gotta love the one way street of current liberals. Is this political? Yes it is. You won't see that garbage here at all. Maybe this is the reason I never get asked to do pod casts, but that is fine with me. Most people cannot understand truth anyway, so why bother.

This is the reason I can hardly stand anything online anymore. Good Christ, if you're going to watch a movie and review or talk about it, then do just that, don't get all liberal and left wing PC about it.

I am sure this little rant has infuriated a few people who will read this, but who cares. The people it will make angry don't need to be here anyway as there are PLENTY of progressive sites for them to visit. A BIG THANKS to those who read the blog and understand what I am saying.

FACELESS MONSTER 1965 (RETROMEDIA)

This is also known as "Nightmare Castle". It has been a long while since I have seen this film.

Retromedia brings us the complete uncut 100 min. version in a very nice DVD package. Barbara Steele stars as Muriel Arrowsmith, a young woman who is having an affair with a man who works for her. Muriel's husband, Steven finds out and catches them. He then tortures and kills them both and cuts out their hearts.

Steven then marries Muriel's sister Jenny to keep all of Muriel's money in the family. Jenny starts having strange visions and acting very odd. Jenny is also played by Steele and she does an excellent job at playing a very naive young woman caught in circumstances she doesn't understand.

Meanwhile Steven is having an affair with Solange, the housekeeper played by gorgeous Helga Line. Finally things get out of control when Muriel and her lover come back from the dead and seek revenge. The make-up on Steele's face as a corpse is and always will be stuck in my mind. I first saw the picture in Famous Monsters magazine many years ago and never forgot it.

The print on this disc is beautiful and thanks goes to Fred Olen Ray for releasing this several years back. Of all the versions out there, this is the version to own. Steele is lovely as always and Paul Muller is his usual good self and so is Rik Battaglia as Muriel's doomed lover. RECOMMENDED!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Carroll Baker is 84, and Gladys Knight is 71.

SHORT TAKES......

Watched a very interesting 70's double feature the other day. Both have been talked about here before, but it has been a while.

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME 1977 (MGM) This is my favorite James Bond film. Roger Moore essays the role very well. His Bond is second only to Sean Connery. In this classic adventure Bond is sent to get some top secret microfilm an finds himself working with a very sexy Russian agent called "Triple X" played by the gorgeous Barbara Bach.

A wealthy madman named Stromberg, played by Curt Jergens also wants the microfilm, which will help him take over the world. Helping Stromberg is a giant of a man called "Jaws" played by Richard Kiel and the ultra sexy Naomi as portrayed by none other than Caroline Munro.

The action never lets up in this wonderful adventure film. Flawless entertainment.

THE OMEGA MAN 1971 (WARNER) Charlton Heston is Robert Neville, the last surviving human after the rest of mankind has been wiped out by germ warfare in 1977. He must fight off a large group of deformed and homicidal killers known as "The Family" who seek him out at night. they are sensitive to light and must stay inside during the day.

Heston soon finds a young black woman (Rosaland Cash) and a small group of children who are still human. He develops a relationship with the woman named Lisa and tries to help her and the children fight the disease since anyone can turn at any time.

This has been a favorite of mine for a long time, and I guess it always will be. This is the second official filming of the novel "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson. Heston and Cash are both at the top of their game here and Paul Koslo is very good as Dutch.

One of the best of it's kind and a great Saturday night film.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Christopher Lee is 93, Linnea Quigley is 57, Kip Niven is 70, and Eric Bischoff is 58.

ECW UNRELEASED VOL. 3 (WWE)

The third volume of this series is finally out and it is a great 2 disc Blu-ray or 3 disc DVD set.

Joey Styles hosts along with Steven Richards and Blue Meanie. Some of the great matches include Public Enemy vs. Sabu and Taz from Hardcore TV in 1995, Shane Douglas vs. Bam Bam Bigelow from Hardcore TV in 1997, Lance Storm vs. Chris Candido from Cyberslam 1998, Spike Dudley and Balls Mahoney vs. The Dudleys from TNN in 1999 and so much more.

There are a lot of Blu-ray exclusives on here as well, and I cannot see any true wrestling fan over the age of 30 who wouldn't like this set.

This is good stuff for the fans and it is good to see it has been so popular that Vol. 3 has been done. There are 23 matches, some excellent promo material and 11 Blu-ray extras.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Stevie Nicks is 67 and the gorgeous Pam Grier is 66 today.

FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM 1987 (SHOUT FACTORY)

Easily one of the most disturbing horror films I have ever seen.

Director Jeff Burr brings us four tales of unbelievable horror as well as a nice little wrap around story. The film opens with a death by lethal injection of a young woman convicted of murder. Her name is Katherine White (Martine Beswick) and presiding over her execution is the Warden (Lawrence Tierney) and several witnesses including a reporter (Susan Tyrell), who, after the execution seeks more information about the executed woman.

She travels to the home of Julian White (Vincent Price) in Oldfield, Tennessee and there he introduces her to some of the history of the town in four chilling tales.

The first tale involves a rather bizarre man named Stanley Burnside (Clu Gulager) who has the hots for a young woman working in the same company as he does. Stanley lives with his demented sister who loves him in a very UN-sisterly manner. Stanley finally convinces the woman to go out on a date. He ends up killing her and going to the funeral home to have sex with the corpse.

Nine months later Stanley kills his sister and then is visited by his offspring that has crawled out of the grave and goes looking for Daddy!!

The second tale involves a greedy man and petty crook named Jesse Hardwick. he is set up by his girlfriend and then shot by gangsters and left to die in the swamp. He is saved by Felder Evans (Harry Caesar). Jesse learns that Evans is using voodoo to have eternal life, and he wants it too.

Jesse kills Evans and tries to steal the secret, but Evans returns from the swamp an delivers to Jesse a revenge that is more horrible than any death. This is by far the most disturbing story, and a great commentary for the bad side of living forever.

the third tale involves a young man in a carnival that has the ability to eat glass, razor blades, screws, etc. A young woman named Amarillis Caulfield is in love with him. However, the carnival is run by a voodoo priestess named "Snakewoman" and played by the wonderful Rosalind Cash.

She forbids the relationship but the young man does not listen. After killing the Sankewoman's right hand man they both flee from the carnival but learn that voodoo justice is not limited by distance as everything the man has ever eaten begins coming out of his body and spraying blood all over the room.

Amarillis is then seen in the carnival as the "Human Pincushion" in a very shocking ending.

The fourth and final story concerns three civil war soldiers who are held captive by some very bizarre and monstrous children. Cameron Mitchell stars in this segment. The children spend their time torturing and killing the men and even indulging in a bloody game of "pin the body part on the cadaver!!

In the conclusion of the wrap around story the reporter kills Julian by stabbing him in the throat with a knife, an thus the horrors continue.

This Blu-ray is an excellent presentation an has some of the best extras ever for a film like this. Ballyhoo Productions brings us two great documentaries. The first is a feature length look at the making of this very interesting film. It includes interviews with director Jeff Burr and many others.

Ballyhoo really knows how to make these thing entertaining, and tell almost everything you wanted to know about the film and the people behind it. This documentary is essential!!

The second feature length documentary from Ballyhoo is entitled "A Decade Under The Innocence" which really brings back tons of memories for me. This details Jeff Burr and his friends as they grew up in Dalton, Georgia and made movies on Super 8 film, and how that love of films stayed with them.

I said this brought back memories for me as I also made about 13 short super 8 movies when I was growing up, and I can really relate to these guys and their love of cinema. Again, this IS essential viewing!!! Ballyhoo really delivers the goods. Picture and sound quality are both top notch on this Blu-ray.

If you are a horror fan, then this should be added to your collection as soon as possible. Well worth the 17 bucks I paid for this. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! And remember...when in Tennessee, please visit Oldfield!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Ann Robinson is 86 and Leslie Uggams is 72.

SHORT TAKES.....

Well, after correcting an embarrassing error I made on this blog involving a birthday, I guess it is time for another double feature I watched the other day.

SHE DEVIL 1957 (OLIVE)..I reviewed this when I finally got a chance to see it when live released it a short while back. Albert Dekker and Jack Kelly are scientists who inject a dying woman with a new serum they have created and it turns her into an indestructible monster.

Mari Blanchard is excellent in the lead role of Kyra Zelas, a woman who has nothing and is suddenly given all the power she could ever dream of. It's fun watching her steal things and kill and then escape by simply changing her hair color in seconds.

as I stated before, this is nothing but a fun little film that has sadly been overlooked, but thanks to Olive we can all enjoy it.

CRACK IN THE WORLD 1965..Another classic from Olive. Dana Andrews is a scientist who has a theory of sending a missile into the center of the earth and getting out the magma for a new energy source. Kieron Moore is a scientist who believes that this will cause a crack in the world and possibly destroy it.

Andrews goes ahead with the project anyway and it does indeed cause a huge crack that cannot be stopped. This is a great film with a top notch cast and very good special effects. Janette Scott is simply gorgeous as the young wife of Andrews.

I would highly recommend this disaster gem to anyone who likes a good sci-fi story.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Sybil Danning is 63.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Joan Collins is 82.

COSMIC MONSTER 1958 (TCM VIEWING)

Another great 50's sci-fi film that aired recently on TCM.

Forrest Tucker stars as a scientist who is helping another scientist with tests involving magnetic fields. These tests get more and more intense until a mysterious planet sends an emissary to earth.

The alien, played by Martin Benson warns Tucker and his assistant, Gaby Andre that their experiments are changing life on this planet. It is creating monstrous insects and causing people to go insane.

This is one of three films Tucker made in England that are sci-fi. the others being "Crawling Eye" and "Abominable Snowman" which also starred Peter Cushing.

I have always liked this film an it was interesting to note that the title Cosmic Monsters appeared on this print instead of "Strange World Of Planet X". TCM has run this a few times, and it is always a joy to watch. I do with this would come out on DVD and Blu-ray.

This make for a fun 75 minutes monster romp as the Army is called in to fight the insects, an one scene in particular is shocking for it's time. Check it out if you haven't already.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Richard Benjamin is 77, Barbara Parkins is 73, Marilyn Joi is 70, and Ashley Renee is 51.

X THE UNKNOWN 1956 (TCM VIEWING)

I really love this film. I used to own the DVD, but when I left Ohio I lost it and have never been able to replace it. When I saw TCM was airing it I just had to watch it again.

This is an excellent horror film about a radioactive blob of mud from the inner earth that comes to the surface and wrecks havoc. Dean Jagger is Prof. Royston, a man who tries to stop the ever growing terror.

Hammer Films produced this gem which takes place in Scotland, and it have a very effective use of music and some of the scenes are quite effective. There are several scenes of people melting from getting too close to the creature, and these are well done.

The story slowly builds to a great climax in which the scientists try and stop the monster when it again comes up for a bite. the ending is an open one that clearly leaves it open for a sequel that never happened.

I wish I knew somebody that had the ability to record this and put it on a disc for me, but I will just have to make due for the time being. If you haven't already seen this film, you should. A fine production from Hammer.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Just a quick note to say thanks to everyone who has supported this blog for the last five years. The five year mark was reached on May 17th, and I have been so busy working I forgot all about it.

SHORT TAKES.......

As you know I have Sinister Cinema in the spotlight this month and I watched a couple of movies this weekend and one was from Sinister. Both have been talked about here before, but I figured they deserved a second look.

DIMENSION 5 1966 (SINISTER CINEMA) This is a fun and well made spy film starring Jeffrey Hunter as a secret agent who is working with a sexy Chinese agent to stop the import of materials into Los Angeles to build an atom bomb. France Nuyen is gorgeous as Kitty, and Harold Sakata is menacing as Big Buddha.

Hunter and Nuyen use time travel belts to help them thwart the criminals, and that is what makes this film fun. I have always liked this movie and am very glad Sinister has released it.

HORROR HIGH 1974 (CODE RED) I first saw this on "Nightmare Theater" on KCPX from Salt Lake City many years ago, but I had never seen the UNCUT version until Code Red turned out this great DVD.

Pat Cardi is a nerdy high school kid named Vernon Potts who is constantly tormented by the jocks and ignorant teachers. Vernon is working on a project in science class with his only friend, "Mr. Mumps" a guinea pig. The serum Vernon is working on turns the guinea pig into a killer that kills the janitors cat.

The janitor fins out and forces Vernon to drink his own formula, and of course this leads to trouble as he is transformed into a wild killer. The janitor and several others are killed in very brutal and bloody ways. Teachers and tormentors are killed by acid, amputation of fingers, and stomped to death.

Austin Stoker is Lieutenant Bozeman, who suspects Vernon, but just can't prove it. His cool style is very odd against the high school background, but it really works. This film was shot in Irving, Texas and the rest of the cast includes the lovely Rosie Holotik, John Niland, Abner Hayes, Chuck Beatty and many other football stars.

This is a great film with a cool score, good actors and pure, undiluted 70's taste. No matter how violent the killer is, the audience cannot help but root for Vernon. RECOMMENDED!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Constance Towers is 82, and Joan Staley is 75.

RIP ERIC CAIDIN

You know, sometimes I hate making entries here, especially those on people I know who pass away.

Eric was the owner of Hollywood Book and Poster, the premier store for movie memorabilia in the world.

Eric's other passion was for Professional Wrestling. He promoted wrestling events since the early 70's. Nobody, but nobody knew movies and things like Eric. The world of fandom has lost a very good friend.

Damn, I will miss you Eric.

SHANTY TRAMP 1967 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Wow, it had been a while since I saw this little gem.

This story is about a small town tramp who seduces the leader of a motorcycle gang. His attempt to have sex with her is broken up by a local man named Daniel who happens to really like her. Emily as she is known watches as Daniel beats the hell out of the gang leader.

Daniel helps Emily get to safety, but then the gang finds and kills Daniels mother. meanwhile Dan is having sex with Emily when her father comes in and catches them. Emily then claims that Dan tried to rape her, and because he is black the police will believe her instead of him. This brings tragedy to Dan as he is killed in a car accident.

Emily's father then learns the truth and begins to beat her with a belt. She stabs and kills him, and then with the police hot on her trail she escapes into the traveling trailer of a minister. She actually gets away with her crimes!!

Joseph Mawra directed this gem and believe it or not it was produced by K. Gordan Murray! This is an unheralded exploitation gem that everyone simply must see. The opening is a classic set to the song "When The Saints Go Marching In".

As is usual the film captures the real taste of Louisiana that Hollywood never could. Highly recommended!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....

Nancy Kwan is 76.

TOURIST TRAP 1979 (FULL MOON)

This very bizarre and sadly neglected film arrives on Blu-ray.

A car breaks down on a lonely road and several young people are plunged into a nightmare world of insanity and much more.

Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Robin Sherwood and Tanya Roberts and the young people who fall into the clutches of a madman running an old gas station and wax museum where the mannequins seem to be alive.

they are killed one by one, and the most nightmarish death is suffered by a young woman strapped to a table who has plaster put over her face as suffocates to death as the killer taunts her. This is easily the most disturbing scene in the film, and one I will never forget.

Chuck Conners is Mr. Slausen, a sicko who is also his own brother!! Conners plays it to the hilt and makes it all very believable. Tanya Roberts looks so damn delicious in this film and it is a shame to see her character killed.

Also on this disc is a wonderful documentary from Ballyhoo Productions about the making of this film. It runs about 25 minutes and is very well done, as are all Ballyhoo documentaries.

if you haven't picked up this disc yet, I suggest you do so soon. It makes a great late night viewing experience. I was first introduced to this film when I saw it UNCUT on KWGN TV from Denver Colorado. It made an impact.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Diane McBain is 74, and Jimmy Snuka is 72.

RIP GARO YEPREMIAN 1944-2015

One of the best remembered football kickers has passed away.

His career spanned from 1966-1981 and his greatest fame was when he played for the Miami Dolphins during their undefeated season.

He was born in Lanarca, Cyprus and came to the US and signed with the Detroit Lions in 1966. He later went to the Miami Dolphins where he had his best fame. he also kicked for the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Bucs.

He passed away on May 15th, 2015 after a short bout with brain cancer. Look him up on Google and read about some of his very comical incidents during his career. He will never be forgotten in the annals of Football.

SHORT TAKES....

I have been working a lot lately but had time to catch up to two movies I haven't seen in a while. When they first came out I reviewed them here and now I am doing a re-visit.

X FROM OUTER SPACE 1968 (CRITERION) Shochiku was the name of a small Japanese company that made four very odd journeys into the realm of horror and science fiction, and this is probably their most well known effort.

A mysterious UFO covers a spaceship with spores and the crew takes one back to earth which happens to grow into a giant monster that needs raw energy to live. The monster is called Guilala an it is one of the most bizarre monsters ever! It's been called a chicken monster, but I can't see that at all.

The monster tramples Tokyo and surrounding cities before finally being destroyed. This is nothing but a fun film and should never be taken too seriously. Good stuff.

NEANDERTHAL MAN 1953 (SHOUT FACTORY) This ultra low budget feature is one of my favorites as I saw it many, many years ago on TV at just the right time.

Robert Shayne is a scientist who wants to prove man is not getting better thru evolution. He creates a serum that changes a cat into a saber tooth tiger that terrorizes a small California mountain community. Shayne is the perfect ma scientist as he portrays a man with little or no patience for anyone including his girlfriend and daughter.

After the tiger is killed he then decides, after a rather intense meeting with disbelieving colleagues, to change himself into a neanderthal man to prove his theory. He terrorizes the countryside and then is hunted down.

This is a fun and ultra cheap little film and it also marks, sadly the last film appearance of Tandra Quinn. Kudos to Shout who actually gave this a Blu-ray release in early 2014.