WORLD WITHOUT END 1956 (WARNER ARCHIVE) BLU-RAY

A true 50's science fiction masterpiece.

A great cinemascope color classic about 4 men who are on a space mission taking pictures of Mars and after they are done decide to head for home.

During the return trip they are suddenly engulfed in a bizarre storm in space and begin traveling over 100 miles per second. the ship crashes in the snow on a distant planet. When the men regain consciousness they fin themselves stranded on the planet.

They make their way out of the snowline in the mountains they crashed in and are attacked by mutant men and a couple of giant spiders in a cave. When they happen upon an old cemetery they discover the truth. They have traveled thru a time warp and are actually on earth in a far distant future.

Once again they are attacked by mutants and take shelter in a cave in which they discover a metal door. It opens and they are greeted by a mysterious underground civilization. The astronauts (Rod Taylor, Hugh Marlowe, Nelson Leigh and Christopher Dark) are greeted by men who seem to be very weak and scared to try anything to improve their dying race.

The women on the other hand are very sexy and include Nancy Gates, Lisa Simone, Shawn Smith and others. The women dress in m mini skirts and heels and are attracted to the new arrivals.

They are accepted into the new world and find out it is the year 2508 and that a world wide nuclear war ended most life on Earth and the survivors moved underground. Marlowe tries to convince them that living above ground is much better for them but is met with hostility from a man named Mories (Booth Coleman). Mories sets the astronauts up by killing someone and having them blamed.

The astronauts are finally found to be not guilty and are allowed to help the underground people fight the savages on the surface.

This is a fun film and I have always loved it. The plot may not be very original, but the actor pull it off very well and the women are incredibly sexy in outfits designed by Vargas.

The Warner Archive blu-ray is simply beautiful with excellent picture and audio. I hope they continue to turn out more genre pictures like this. Highly Recommended.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Christopher Walken is 74, Richard Chamberlain is 83, and Diane Jergens is 82.

TEENAGE EXORCIST 1991 (RETROMEDIA)

Fun little time waster from Fred Olen Ray.

Grant Austin Waldman directed this comedy/horror film from a script by star Brinke Stevens.

Stevens is Diane, a college student who finds a huge mansion for rent at a very cheap price. She soon finds out why.

The mansion is haunted and a demon takes possession of her and she terrorizes her sister and brother in law when they arrive at the house.

Elena Sahagun is the sister, Sally, and Jay Richardson is hilarious as her husband Mike. Robert Quarry is a priest that attempt to exorcise the demon and fails. His frantic call to his bosses results in a call to a pizza delivery place and before you know it Eddie Deezen shows up as a goofy delivery man.

All of these people end up fighting the demon and the walking dead. The plot is pretty simple and this film is a good time waster.

Others in the cast include Michael Berryman, Oliver Darrow and Hoke Howell.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Warren Beatty is 80, John Astin is 87, Dana Gillespie is 68, and Greta Thyssen is 84.

COMING ATTRACTIONS...

Kino has announced a Mario Bava classic is going to be released on Blu-ray.

The Bava gem KILL BABY KILL is coming to Blu-ray on June 13th. This is another in a long line of very welcome releases this year so far.

WHEN THE A BOMB FALLS 2017 (ALPHA)

This is an interesting little DVD.

This is a pretty cool compilation of 5 films produced by the US Government about what to do in the event of nuclear war.

First up is the 1953 film "Let's Face It" which is narrated by Reed Hadley. It tells us the danger of nuclear war and how to survive.

The second one is called "United States Civil Defense In Action" and it tells about the three groups that would be around if our country were attacked. Those beyond help, those needing help and those who can help. This film actually tells you that certain people, if prepared enough can survive the nuclear war. Made in 1953.

The third is called "A New Look At The Atom Bomb" and is hosted by Val Peterson the then governor of Nebraska. This is from 1955. This is a bizarre little film as he tells us that "Now, I am not here to frighten you". Then he proceeds to do just that when he tells us that people at ground zero will be vaporized and people living in the "fringe areas" are doomed.

The fourth is "Operation Cue" from 1955. This is a film about APPLE-2 which was a nuclear test in the Nevada desert. A reporter discusses what she saw during the test and the effects. The reporter is played by an actress, and she assures us that the "harmless" radiation will not kill us. In real life most of the people at the test site died of cancer from the radiation.

The fifth and final film was made in 1978 and is called "Protection In The Nuclear Age". This is a weird animated film that was sent to television stations across America in the event tensions between us and Russia reached a peak. It instructs people on what to do if a nuclear war were to take place. The animation is by Shamus Culhane and after you've seen this little gem you'll not soon forget it.

The quality on all of these films is very good. I enjoyed this look at a time gone by and it's interesting to note that none of these films ever talk about the lingering effects of radiation and what it can really do to a human body. I recommend this release for a look at an America past.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Lucy Lawless is 49.

INVASION OF THE SAUCERMEN 1957 (DVD-R)

A 50's sci-fi classic.

I can't believe I haven't talked about this film before on this blog in the last 7 years!

I first saw this as a small child on KHQ from Spokane, Washington on a Saturday afternoon, and NEVER forgot it. Small alien invaders with huge bulbous heads land in a spacecraft near a small town.

These invaders are discovered when one is run over by a car driven by two teens coming from Lovers Lane. Thus begins a night of the teens trying to convince the police that aliens are running around.

The monsters created by Paul Blaisdell are some of the most iconic ones ever made. Everybody knows the monsters even if they have never seen the film.

Edward L. Cahn handles the directing chores very well as is usual, and he gets fine performances out of Steven Terrell, Gloria Castillo, Frank Gorshin and Lyn Osborn as well as many AIP stock players.

I have to admit I will probably not live to see the day that this and many other AIP classics are released on either DVD or Blu-ray here in the US, but if you can find them elsewhere I highly recommend them all.

This is one of my all time favorites and to me anyway it still holds up very well. Who can ever forget the crawling hand with the eyeball in it or the battle between a cow and one of the invaders.

THE COMPLETE BOB WILKINS CREATURE FEATURES 2012 (NOVEMBER FIRE)

I gotta thank a good friend of mine, Joe Lucier for sending me this wonderful disc.

A labor of love from November Fire, this DVD is extremely comprehensive in the coverage of Wilkins and his iconic show "Creature Features".

There are many clips of Bob in his early days as a weather man and commercials that he did. There are also interviews with such greats as Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, John Landis, William Marshall and many more.

You also get plenty of trailers, ad copy, and clips from Wilkins show and a history of it from 1966-1981. One of the best parts of the DVD is that at the bottom of the screen is a constant running list of every movie ever shown on Creature Features along with the date of airing.

I can't see ANY Creature Features fan not having this DVD! It is essential!! When I was a child my mother used to let me stay at my grandparents house in a small Montana town that actually had Creature Features come on after the PBS station signed off the air. It was a 122 mile round trip, but well worth it for me anyway.

Check out this wonderful DVD and have a great time going down memory lane. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Quentin Tarantino is 54, Talisa Soto is 50, Michael York is 75, and June Wilkinson is 77.

RIP TONY RUSSELL 1925-2017

An actor born in Wisconsin who is best known for his Italian action and Sci-Fi films.

Russell appeared in a lot of US TV shows but will always be remembered for films like "Wild Wild Planet" and "Planet On The Prowl" in which he played the same character, that of Cmdr. Mike Halstead.

He passed away on March 18th at the age of 91 from natural causes.

RIP LOLA ALBRIGHT 1924-2017

A favorite actress of mine has passed away.

Lola Albright is probably best remembered for her role as Edie Hart on the excellent TV show "Peter Gunn". The show ran for three years and she appeared in all 84 episodes.

Albright also appeared in many films including one of my genre favorites "The Monolith Monsters". She was mostly in TV during her career, but everything she was in I watched as I found her to be a very beautiful and talented actress that was overlooked by a lot of people.

She passed away at the age of 92 from natural causes.

BRAIN EATERS 1958 (DVD-R)

Another classic AIP sci-fi gem.

Ed Nelson stars in this film about alien parasites invading the earth.

The story takes place in the small town of Riverdale, Illinois. A mysterious cone shaped object is discovered and it happens to coincide with the disappearance of several people.

Scientists and the government try to find out what the cone really is. While they are investigating several people in town start acting rather strangely.

Soon it's discovered that small parasites have attached themselves to the necks of these people and are attempting to take over. It is also discovered that the aliens are from inside the Earth, not outer space.

Actor Bruno Ve Sota directed this nifty little film based on Robert Heinlein's novel "The Puppet Masters". It is extremely low budget but fun none the less.

The rest of the cast includes Joanna Lee, Alan Frost, Jack Hill and Jody Fair. Look for Leonard Nimoy in a small role as the leader of the parasites. The film runs an hour and never has time to slow down.

This is another in a long line of AIP films that will probably never see the light of day on DVD or Blu-ray. A rare film that I feel is well worth checking out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Diana Ross is 73, and Scotty Morrow is 71.

NYOKA AND THE TIGERMEN 1942 (DVD-R)

My all time favorite Republic serial.

This was originally called "Perils Of Nyoka". William Witney directed all 15 chapters of this classic cliffhanger.

Beautiful Kay Aldridge is Nyoka Gordon. She and her friends are trying to locate her missing father while at the same time locate the Golden Tablets Of Hippocrates, which carries with it a secret treasure and a cure for cancer.

Also looking for the tablets is Vultura, Queen Of The Desert. Vultura is easily the sexiest villain in movie history as played by gorgeous Lorna Gray. She and her assistant, Cassib, played by Charles Middleton will stop at nothing to get the tablets.

During the course of the 15 chapters there are plenty of fistfights, explosions and thrills to keep the viewer very interested. Nyoka is put in plenty of peril by Vultura including being suspended by her wrists over a pit of fire, stretched on the rack and attacked by a gorilla.

As I said, this is my favorite all time serial and it is because of the storyline as a whole and the two lovely leading women. Aldridge and Gray play off of each other very well and even manage to have a couple of great fight scenes.

I was first introduced to this serial when I was about 9 years old and bought a 50 foot reel of it from K Mart. It was called "Nyoka In The Caves Of Death" and featured the "pit of fire" suspension scene. Imaine the effect that had on this 9 year old!

Anyway, I keep hoping this will come to Blu-ray soon. Highly recommended if you can find it.

WARLORDS 1988 (TRIMARK)

Another Fred Olen Ray gem.

David Carradine stars as Dow, a lone mercenary hunting for his lost wife in a post apocalyptic world. He meets up with a woman named Danny (Dawn Wildsmith). Dow is searching for someone called "The Warlord" whom he claims has taken his wife.

The two encounter many strange people and finally run into the Warlord who takes them captive with the help of his assistant named Beaumont (Ross Hagen).

Both are held captive and Dow is tortured for information. Sid Haig if The Warlord and does an excellent job of hamming it up. Eventually Dow learns the truth about his wife and he and Danny plot an explosive escape.

It's hard to believe that four of the leading cast members are no longer with us. Is this film really almost 30 years old!!! Anyway, if you like Fred Olen Ray sci-fi, horror and action films you will probably like this too if you can find it.

The rest of the cast is rounded out by Robert Quarry, Fox Harris, Brinke Stevens, Michelle Bauer, and Debra Lamb.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

William Smith is 84.

FASTER PUSSYCAT KILL KILL 1966 (DVD-R)

I hadn't seen this film for about 6 years, and it's just as good as ever.

Russ Meyer directed this film and it is one hell of a film. Tura Satana, Haji and Lori Williams are three gorgeous go go dancers who are out for kicks when they come upon a young man and his girlfriend having time trial races in the desert.

Needless to say this ends badly for the young man and his girlfriend. He is killed in a fight with Varla (Satana)and the girl is kidnapped because she is the only witness to the crime.

This brings the women in touch with an elderly, crippled man (Stuart Lancaster) and his two sons. The women believe the old man has a hue stash of cash and they want it.

There are too many scenes in this movie to cover in one small review, bit one seen you'll never forget and of them. Satana plays Varla with a certain air of deadly killer with absolutely no soft side. Haji is Rosie who loves Varla, but feels betrayed at every turn. Then we have Lori Williams character of Billie. Easily the sexiest of the three and the most man hungry.

Nobody knew or for that matter knows how to make movies like Meyer. From the very opening scene, this films holds you and won't let go. If these women don't get your libido running, you must be dead.

The innuendos and double entendres fly like the wind and will have you in stitches. These women are never exploited in Meyer films...they are the exploiters and it is no more apparent than in this modern American classic.

If you haven't seen this film you owe it to yourself to find it and savor every sweet moment. One of the greatest films ever made.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Corinne Clery is 67, Barbara Rhoades is 71, Monique van Vooren is 92, and Lori Williams is 71.

CASTLE OF EVIL 1966 (DVD-R)

Unusual and bizarre horror film.

Several people are invited to a castle by a mysterious man named Kovac. He has passed away and the people who are invited are ones who knew him in the past thru different business ventures.

before the will is read they must spend a certain amount of time in the castle. Soon people are being killed one by one.

It turns out that Kovac has had a robot created in his image and it is the one doing the killing. The cast is very good for this low budget film. Scott Brady is the hero, Virginia Mayo is a discarded mistress, Hugh Marlow is a doctor and gorgeous Lisa Gaye is also on hand.

The film moves at a good pace and the cast keeps in interesting. This is a hard film to find and to the best of my knowledge it has never been released on anything but VHS.

I like this film and if you haven't seen it maybe you should give it a go. The rest of the cast includes David Brian, Shelley Morrison, and William Thourlby as Kovac.

Made by the same people who brought us "Destination Inner Space".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

William Shatner is 86, and May Britt is 84.

COMING ATTRACTIONS....

Warner Archives has announced another of my favorite 50's monster movies is coming to Blu-ray!

The 1957 film FROM HELL IT CAME is coming soon. No date announced yet, but this is sure to be a top release of the year!!

THE TOBANGA LIVES!!!!!

LAW VS. BILLY THE KID 1954 (DVD-R)

Enjoyable William Castle directed western.

Scott Brady stars as William Bonney the famous outlaw and James Griffith is Pat Garrett.

Bonney is forced to kill for the woman he loves and then one thing leads to another and he becomes the famous outlaw called "Billy The Kid".

Betta St. John is Nita Maxwell, the woman Bill loves. The plot is pretty standard and most of it is fictional, but still, it makes for a great viewing.

Castle handles the directing chores well as one would expect and I do like the color photography. It moves along at a brisk pace and never lets us.

The cast is rounded out by Alan Hale Jr., Paul Cavanagh, and William "Bill" Phillips.

COMING ATTRACTIONS....

Warner Archive has announced one of the greatest westerns ever made for a Blu-ray release.

RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY will be coming to Blu-ray sometime later this year. No date has been issued yet, but I recommend this as essential viewing.

3:10 TO YUMA 1957 (SONY)

The original and the best version.

Glenn Ford turns in a top performance as outlaw Ben Wade. Wade has been arrested and nobody wants to make sure he gets on the train as his gang is making very sure he is freed.

The townspeople hire a down and out farmer named Dan Evans (Van Heflin)to do the job for $200, which Dan needs to save his struggling ranch.

This film builds tension upon tension as Ford and Heflin play off each other very, very well. The only help Heflin can get is that of the town drunk, Alex Potter (Henry Jones) and Mr. Butterfield (Robert Emhardt) who owns the stagelines that Wade robbed and killed the driver.

Everyone turns in top notch acting jobs thanks to director Delmer Daves and the death scene of Potter is unforgettable. The cast is rounded out by Felicia Farr, Leora Dana as Heflin's wife, Richard Jaeckel and Richard Devon.

Highly Recommended and much better than the remake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Kathy Ireland is 54, and Steve Borden is 58.

RIP BERNIE WRIGHTSON 1948-2017

The co-creator of Swamp Thing had died at the age of 68.

As a avid reader of comics during the 70's and 80's I came to know and love Wrightson's work.

One of my most treasured possessions is the 1982 comic version of CREEPSHOW which Wrightson illustrated. Bernie had a certain way of drawing and you could always distinguish his work from other artists.

He had been ill with brain cancer for some time and finally gave in to it on March 19th, 2017.

DEMON SEED 1977 (WARNER ARCHIVE) BLU-RAY

Horror thriller based on the Dean Koontz novel.

Fritz Weaver is a brilliant scientist named Alex Harris who develops an organic super computer he calls Proteus 4. Over time the computer starts to develop a mind of it's own.

It refuses to do certain things and also has a growing interest in humans. it takes a bizarre liking to Harris' wife Susan (Julie Christie).

Susan and Alex have a failing marriage and Alex moves out. Their home is completely computer controlled, which is bizarre in and of itself. This allows the Proteus 4 to completely take over the home and keep Susan as a prisoner.

Susan soon learns that the Proteus 4 wants to impregnate her and live forever thru the offspring. Life is turned into a living hell for Susan who is brainwashed by the computer, tied to a bed and Proteus does his thing.

The ending is a bizarre and somewhat twisted one that you really have to see to believe. I first saw this on VHS many, many years ago a recalled liking it very much.

The Blu-ray from Warner Archive is beautiful and a pleasant surprise. I found the movie to be just as good as I remember. Weaver is always good in anything he does and Christie looks as beautiful as ever.

There are several shocking scenes in this film and I highly recommend this thriller. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Gerrit Graham, Berry Kroeger and Lisa Lu.

A big thanks to Warner Archive for bringing this to Blu-ray.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Ursula Andress is 81, Patricia Morison is 102, A.J. Brooks is 30, and Jan Shepard is 89.

RIP CHUCK BERRY 1926-2017

The founding father of Rock n' Roll has died.

Chuck Berry has died at the age of 90. He was a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose talent was legendary.

He was born in St. Louis, MO and that is where he passed away today.

Berry had a long string of hits including "Johnny B. Goode", "Roll Over Beethoven", "My Ding A Ling", "Rock N' Roll Music" and many, many more.

During the 50's Berry and Disc Jockey Alan Freed appeared in a few films together and Berry never failed to entertain. In 1978 he was in the all time classic film "American Hot Wax" and his performance in that is a standout.

Berry was one of the men who took rock music and introduced it to an eagerly waiting American public. His talent was and will always be unmatched and his musical legacy will live on forever. Hail hail Rock n' Roll.

WICKED WICKED 1973 (DVD-R)

The only film ever made in "Duo-Vision".

Gorgeous Tiffany Bolling stars as a young female singer, Lisa Simmons, who is appearing at a hotel that has been the scene of several disappearances of beautiful blonde women.

She soon finds that she is the next target of the maniac haunting the hotel. He ex husband is the house detective and he tries to help but gets no cooperation from the management nor from the police.

The police are led by a rather inept police Sgt named Ramsey (Scott Brady). There are several attempts on Lisa's life and she and her ex husband race against time to find the killer.

This was filmed in what was called "Duo Vision" which simply means that there are two separate pictures at the same time. This can prove to be a little distracting to many viewers, but I found it kind of cool.

This allows you to see the potential victim doing her daily routines while also watching the demented killer planning his next move. It works well for this movie and anything with Bolling in it is well worth catching. I recommend this film for anyone who wants to see something a little different.

The cast is rounded out by Arthur O' Connell, Diane McBain, Edd Byrnes and David Bailey. Director Richard L. Bare is best known for directing over 100 episodes of "Green Acres".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO....

Vanessa Williams is 54.