For lovers of movies from the silent era to modern day with an emphasis on horror, sci-fi, exploitation, WIP, westerns and anything of the fantastic and bizarre. THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO BOB WILKINS, GEORGE ROMERO, ALAN FREED ,ROGER CORMAN, CAROLINE MUNRO, JOHN FREDRIKSEN, JOHN ZACHERLE, CLEO MOORE , ROSALBA NERI, ERIKA BLANC, FEMI BENUSSI, SHIRLEY CORRIGAN, ROSANNA YANNI, MIRTA MILLER, KARIN DOR, BARBARA BOUCHET and, of course, CASEY KASEM.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA SEASON 1 VOLUME 1 (FOX)
In my opinion this was one of the greatest shows ever made for television.
This show ran from 1964 to 1968 and had 110 episodes all of which thankfully are on DVD. When these were released to disc they were always cut into two volumes for each season. I hated that as it was more expensive to purchase them that way, but I had no choice if I wanted to see them, and of course, I did.
The first season was in black and white and a lot of the shows dealt with spies and espionage, but there were a few monsters and bizarre elements in some shows.
ELEVEN DAYS TO ZERO 9-14-64...This is the pilot episode and introduces us the the Seaview and some of it's crew including Admiral Harriman Nelson (Richard Basehart) and Captain Lee Crane (David Hedison). This episode finds the Seaview dispatched to try and stop a predicted massive polar earthquake.
CITY BENEATH THE SEA 9-21-64...After a couple of ships disappear off the coast of Greece, the Seaview is sent to investigate. Hurd Hatfield and the gorgeous Linda Cristal star.
THE FEAR MAKERS 9-28-64...During a mission to find a missing sub the crew of the Seaview an enemy agent unleashes a fear gas aboard ship. Lloyd Bochner, Edgar Bergen and Martin Kosleck star.
THE MIST OF SILENCE 10-5-64...Several of the crew are kidnapped by a crazed Latin American leader while trying to rescue the former leader of said country. Rita Gam and Alejandro Rey star.
THE PRICE OF DOOM 10-12-64...One of my favorite episodes. The Seaview is invaded by every growing plankton from a research experiment gone wrong. David Opatoshu, John Milford and Jill Ireland star. Look for the always beautiful Pat Priest in an uncredited role at the beginning of the episode.
THE SKY IS FALLING 10-19-64...A spaceship lands in the ocean and the Seaview is sent to find out if it's friend or foe. A very good and thought provoking episode.
TURN BACK THE CLOCK 10-26-64...Nick Adams and Yvonne Craig star in this episode that finds the Seaview discovering a mysterious prehistoric world in the middle of Antarctica.
THE VILLAGE OF GUILT 11-2-64...Seaview travels to the North Sea to battle a huge sea monster and stop an evil scientist who has created it. Richard Carlson ans Anna-Lisa star.
HOT LINE 11-9-64...The Seaview rushes to Soviet scientists to help disarm a nuclear weapon that has crashed off the California coast. Everette Sloane and Michael Ansara star.
SUBMARINE SUNK HERE 11-16-64...A great and tense episode about the Seaview trapped in a minefield under the sea. One of the best of the entire series.
THE MAGNUS BEAM 11-23-64...After several mysterious crashes involving U-2 spy planes, the US sends Seaview out to find out what is happening.
NO WAY OUT 11-30-64...A defecting Soviet scientist and his female friend are being protected by those aboard the Seaview, while an antsy government agent seeks to speak to the scientist. A pretty good twist ending. Jan Merlin and the delicious Danielle De Metz star.
THE BLIZZARD MAKERS 12-7-64...Werner Klemperer stars as a scientist.madman who has found a way to divert the gulf stream, thereby making him the most powerful man in the world. Admiral Nelson must stop him.
THE GHOST OF MOBY DICK 12-14-64...A obsessed scientist uses the Seaview to hunt the biggest whale that ever lived. Edward Binns and June Lockhart star.
LONG LIVE THE KING 12-21-64...A young boy inherits a troubled kingdom and the Seaview must make sure he arrives in his home country without incident. Carroll O' Conner, Michael Pate and Sara Shane star.
HAIL TO THE CHIEF 12-28-64...The President of the United States has been involved in a serious accident and it puts some peace talks in serious trouble. He is smuggled on to the Seaview for a delicate operation and enemy agents discover this fact and attempt to kill the President. Viveca Lindfors, Malcolm Atterbury, Nancy Kovack, John Hoyt and Ed Platt star.
Well that wraps up season 1 vol. 1 from Fox. Every season was broken into two volumes. More from season 1 coming soon.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Rae Dawn Chong is 58, Mimsy Farmer is 74, Stephanie Beacham is 72, Frank Bonner is 77, and Cristina Raines is 67.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
RIP LISA SEAGRAM 1936-2019
The lovely actress who appeared in many TV shows has died.
Seagrams career started in several un-credited roles in movies like "Shadows" in 1958, but TV was where she was seen the most.
She was in shows such as "Wagon Train", "My Three Sons", "Gunsmoke" and "The Farmer's Daughter". I remember her most from a "Batman" episode as the female trouble causer named Lila in the episode entitled "Louis The Lilac" opposite Milton Berle.
She also made numerous appearances in "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Burke's Law".
Lisa passed away on Feb. 1st at the age of 82.
PHANTOM PLANET 1961 (IMAGE)
Enjoyable AIP sci-fi film.
This is the first print I have seen that includes the original AIP logo that so many of us loved as kids watching monster movies on TV.
In the year 1980 a mysterious asteroid has caused the destruction of a few spaceships and the military wants to know why. They send Capt. Frank Chapman (Dean Fredericks) and Lt. Ray Makonnen (Richard Weber) to investigate.
During the flight they run into a meteor shower and have some minor damage they must repair. Makonnen is struck by a fragment and sent drifting into space. He recites the Lord's prayer as he knows his doom is sealed. That is a pretty unforgettable scene in itself.
Chapman and the craft are drawn to the asteroid. He regains consciousness and suddenly sees little people around him. He passes out again and his face shield comes open. As the alien air gets into his suit he begins shrinking to 6 inches in height, after which the tiny inhabitants bring him out.
Chapman lives his days as a resident of the self contained planet called "Rheton" but pines to get back home. He is wooed by a beautiful woman named Liara (Coleen Gray) but Chapman finds a beautiful mute girl named Zetha (Dolores Faith in her film debut).
Soon the asteroid/planet is attacked by a race of monsters called Solarites which are bizarre looking creatures and pretty cool. Richard Keil plays the monster who gets loose on the planet.
Will Chapman make it back to Earth? You can probably guess the answer to that. The print from Image is the best I have ever seen this film look and it's included in a set of films entitled "Weird Worlds" and is part of the Wade Williams collection. This movie is available on many other sets, but this is the best one.
The rest of the cast includes Anthony Dexter, Francis X. Bushman and Al Jarvis.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Monday, February 25, 2019
RIP CHARLES CRAIG 1932-2019
Another actor from Night Of The Living Dead has died.
Charles played the newscaster who appears on TV and tells people of the disaster.
Craig wrote his own copy for the newscast and it is still one of the best remembered scenes in horror movie history. For fans of the movie this is a sad loss.
Charles died on Feb. 24th at the age of 86.
JAIL BAIT 1954 (IMAGE)
Interesting crime drama directed by Ed Wood.
As far as I can tell the title refers to the gun a gangster character carries in the film.
Vic Brady (Timothy Farrell) is a slimy gangster that drags a young man named Don Gregor (Clancy Malone) into a world of crime eventually leading to murder.
Don's father (Herbert Rawlinson) is a famous plastic surgeon who, along with Don's sister Marilyn (Delores Fuller) tries to keep him on the straight and narrow, but Don wants to follow Vic.
During a burglary Don kills a night watchman and decides to turn himself in so Vic kills him. With the heat on from two cops, Lt. Bob Lawrence (Steve Reeves) and Inspector Johns (Lyle Talbot) he comes up with what he thinks is a brilliant plan.
Vic tells Dr. Gregor that he is holding is son until he performs plastic surgery on him and changes his face. Vic and his girlfriend Loretta (Tedi Thurman) force the doc and his daughter to perform the surgery. Dr. Gregor discovers Don's dead body and plots a very unique revenge.
This Wood film isn't as bad as people say and it moves along very well. There is a bizarre scene in a nightclub that features a comedy routine with an actor in blackface and it really doesn't fit, but it makes the running time longer I guess.
I liked this movie and am not ashamed to admit it. Actor Herbert Rawlinson died just days after making this film from cancer. The print from Image is very good and if you haven't seen it and enjoy crime dramas, you might like it.
The rest of the cast includes Mona McKinnon, Bud Osborne and Don Nagel.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
RIP BEVERLY OWEN 1937-2019
Marilyn of the Munsters has passed.
The actress who played Marilyn Munster on the first 13 episodes of the classic TV series has died.
After appearing in TV shows such as "Wagon Train" and "The Virginian" and a movie called " Bullet For A Badman" Owen got the role of Marilyn in "The Munsters" and did the first 13 episodes until she retired from acting for a normal life and marriage.
She was replaced by Pat Priest. Owen died on Feb. 21st at the age of 81.
DEATH NOTE 2017 (NETFLIX VIEWING)
Caught this at a friends house a few days ago.
I knew absolutely nothing about it but from researching this I found out it's a live action remake of an anime cartoon. I guess because I detest anime I knew nothing of this.
The story revolves around a young man who finds a book entitled "The Death Note" and the demon who goes along with it. Ryuk, the demon tell him that any persons name written in the book will die.
The young man decides to get rid of all the criminals including the one who killed his mother. Soon people all over the world with criminal ties start to die in various gruesome ways.
Soon a detective who only goes by the name of "L" is on the case. The teen meets a young girl that also has the same intentions as he does and they begin a world-wide spree of killing that soon escalates out of control.
It's not too bad for a modern movie, but since I don't follow anime at all I was somewhat lost by the characters and some of their motivations. I guess I'm just too damn old for this.
However, the demon Ryuk is an interesting creation.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
PROJECT MOONBASE 1953 (IMAGE)
This was a pilot film for a TV series but was changed into a feature film instead.
The producer simply shot more footage and made the TV show 63 minutes which was a feature length film back in 1953, at least for low budget films anyway.
Donna Martell stars as Colonel Briteis, the leader of a group of people who are attempting to set up permanent bases on the moon.
One of the group turns out to be a saboteur whose mission is to blow up a strategic space station. The saboteur is caught but not before causing some damage and stranding both Briteis and Major Moore (Ross Ford) on the moon.
The United States sets up a rescue plan to save the two. As you can see, the plot is fairly simple but there is some fun to be had with this obscure outing. One of the co-writers was Robert Heinlein which was a surprise to see.
The rest of the cast includes Hayden Rourke, Larry Johns, Herb Jacobs and Barbara Morrison. You may or may not like this, but it's worth a look anyway.
Friday, February 22, 2019
BRIDE OF THE MONSTER 1955 (IMAGE)
I wrote about this film 7 years ago and decided to give it another look after finding the superior DVD from Image at a store a while back.
A few weeks ago I dropped into a store in Boise, Idaho I hadn't had a chance to get to in NINE, count em NINE years!! I found a ton of stuff including this film and some others that will be reviewed in the next few days. It was an eclectic purchase as it included Ed Wood films along with westerns, 50's sci-fi and much more. The coming reviews over the next few days will be most of that package.
The print from Image and the Wade Williams Collection is the best you can get on this movie. Bela Lugosi stars as Dr. Vornoff, a mad scientist living in an old house referred to as The Willows Place.
Vornoff has a huge servant named Lobo (Tor Johnson) who captures people the doctor likes to use in his experiments in which he is trying to create a super race.
This movie has been written about endlessly and you all know the plot and behind the scenes stories. It has also been an easy target for critics. No, it is no masterpiece. However, it is far MORE entertaining than anything made today. It is Lugosi's last performance and he handles it as well as expected under the direction of Ed Wood.
The rest of the cast includes Harvey B. Dunn, Tony McCoy, Loretta King, Delores Fuller, Paul Marco and George Becwar. Yes, I like the movie, so sue me.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
RIP PETER TORK 1942-2019
Another member of The Monkees has died.
Peter Tork, a member of The Monkees died on Feb. 21st at the age of 77.
Tork shot to popular culture icon as a member of the hugely successful pop rock group and never looked back. He appeared in 58 episodes of the popular TV show named after the band, did 6 albums and eventually left the Monkees and started a solo career.
He will be missed by music fans everywhere and especially by people of my generation who grew up with The Monkees.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
3 days late, but a belated birthday to Raylin Christensen who turned 32 on Feb. 18th.
RIP CHELO ALONSO 1933-2019
One of the most exotic and beautiful women ever to grace the screen has died.
You may not know her name, but if you're a peplum movie fan you know who she is. Between 1959 and 1969 she appeared in 19 films in Italy and most all of them were peplum.
Some of the films she appeared in include "Goliath And The Barbarians", "The Pirate And The Slave Girl", "Son Of Samson", "Atlas Against The Cyclops" and she even had a small role in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly".
Her dance scene in "Goliath And The Barbarians" was forever burned into my mind when I first saw it and I have never forgotten it. Chelo passed away in Italy on Feb. 20th at the age of 85.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
DARK PASSAGE 1947 (WARNERS)
This is the third of four films Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart worked together on.
Delmer Daves directed this excellent example of film noir on many San Francisco locations.
Bogart stars as Vincent Parry, a man who has escaped from prison after being convicted of killing his wife. Parry is so well known in the bay area that he seeks to have his features changed by some plastic surgery.
All the while he stays with a young woman named Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) because she offers him her help because she tells him she attended his trial and knew he was innocent. Irene cares for Vincent as he slowly lets his face heal.
After the bandages have come off Parry seeks to find the real killers of his wife. He runs across many obstacles and life threatening situations, but finally he happens upon the real killer.
This classic was filmed in a unique style that was first done in the film noir entitled "Lady In The Lake". It's done for the first third of the film in first person, meaning you never see Parry's face until after the bandages come off. Warner Brothers wasn't too high on the idea, but it pays off very well.
Bogart and Bacall were married at the time, and their chemistry is just what you'd expect...perfect. The rest of the cast includes Bruce Bennett, Agnes Moorehead (in a great hard as nails performance) and Douglas Kennedy in a small but great performance as a suspicious detective trailing Bogart's character.
The disc also contains the original trailer and a great look at the making of this film, plus a great Bugs Bunny cartoon. Any film noir fan should love this presentation. Recommended!!
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
DANGEROUS CROSSING 1953 (FOX)
Another wonderful film noir, this one starring the gorgeous Jeanne Crain.
Crain stars as an heiress named Ruth Stanton Bowman who arrives on a ship with her new husband John Bowman (Carl Betz).
No sooner than they board the ship John disappears and Ruth is frantic. As she enlists the help of members of the crew she learns that his name is not on the passenger list and all of his luggage has disappeared. Not to mention that the cabin number they checked into has changed.
Everyone begins to think that Ruth is crazy. The ships kindly doctor, Paul Manning (Michael Rennie) takes her under his care and tries to help her, but even he thinks she is losing her mind.
However, Ruth gets a phone call from John and soon spots him a couple of times. He tells her they are both in great danger but that is all he says. Ruth starts to doubt her own sanity until the climactic fight between Manning and the "missing" John Bowman results in Bowman's death.
This is a film noir gem shot in 19 days for $500,000, and directed by Joseph Newman who handles the material very, very well. This isn't a wasted moment in this tight film that just keeps building on the suspense and terror of a young woman.
Crain and Rennie work very well together and the supporting cast which includes Casey Adams, Mary Anderson, Marjorie Hoshelle, Yvonne Peattie and Willis Bouchey are just as good.
Extras on the disc include the trailer and a documentary on the making of this fine film. This one is a keeper.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Sunday, February 17, 2019
THE INDIAN FIGHTER 1956 (MGM)
Fine western from United Artists.
I'd never heard of this movie and as soon as I saw it sitting on a store shelf I knew I had to see it.
Andre de Toth directed this film starring Kirk Douglas as Johnny Hawks, a former Indian fighter who is now a scout who is helping a wagon train across the west into Oregon.
Hawks has trouble with greedy white men who want to destroy the land in order to get gold, and the Indians who want to stop them as well as falling for the Sioux Chief's daughter Onahit (Elsa Martinelli in her 3rd movie but her first credited role).
One night Hawks disappears from camp to spend time with Onahit and two men, Wes Todd (Walter Matthau) and Covington (Lon Chaney) kill some Indians that have come to their camp for trading. This action sets up a potential massacre of the white settlers as well as Indians.
Johnny Hawks must come up with a way to stop it before it gets out of hand. de Toth handles the material with his usual excellence and the cast is perfect for this kind of film. It also includes Alan Hale, Jr., Frank Cady, Diana Douglas, Elisha Cook, Jr., Ray Teal and Eduard Franz as Red Cloud.
This movie seems to be somewhat neglected but it is a great little film, and the overt sexuality between the two leads caused a little bit of a stir for conservative audiences back in the day. If you like westerns, I recommend you check it out.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Hal Holbrook is 94, Jim Brown is 83, Yvonne Romain is 81, Don Cocarelli is 65, and Lynne Moody is 73.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
FORTY GUNS 1957 (FOX)
Sam Fuller makes a classic western.
From the opening scene with Jessica Drummond (Barbara Stanwyck) and her 40 men riding past a small wagon with three men and kicking up a huge cloud of dust to the bitter ending, this is a gem that should be seen by every western fans.
Barry Sullivan stars as Griff Bonell a new Sheriff who comes to Cochise County and runs head long into trouble right upon his arrival. A good friend is killed in cold blood by a drunken young man named Brockie Drummond (John Ericson). He is jailed for only a matter of hours before his sister Jessica rides into town, 40 men in tow and pays to have him tried and released within a matter on minutes.
Bonell and his brothers Chico (Robert Dix) and Wes (Gene Barry) soon find that the current Sheriff, Ned Logan (Dean Jagger) is a coward and the judge named Macy (Paul Dubov) is firmly in Jessica's pocket.
Griff goes back out to Drummond's ranch and serves another warrant for one of her men and after he has been delivered to jail he is shot and killed under mysterious circumstances. Griff suspects Brockie did the killing but can't prove it.
Slowly, over time Griff starts falling for Jessica as he starts to see the real woman behind all of the ballyhoo. Their relationship becomes very intense and is put to the real test when Wes is gunned down by Brockie on his wedding day.
The tension builds and builds until the incredible climax in which Griff does something I have never seen in any western before or since. The ending to the film is bittersweet and handled expertly by both cast and director Fuller.
The rest of the cast for this classic includes the gorgeous Ziva Rodann, Gerald Milton, Hank Worden and Sandy Wirth. If you like westerns this is a MUST see film with imagery not to be forgotten. I mean, this even has a rendezvous between Griff and Jessica interrupted by a tornado!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Friday, February 15, 2019
ORGY OF THE DEAD 1965 (RHINO)
What a bizarre film this one is.
Stephen Apostolof directed this Ed Wood written story about...well I really don't know.
A couple, Bob (William Bates) and Shirley (Pat Barrington) are involved in a car accident near a cemetery and when they awaken they stumble upon a terrifying nightmare (just kidding).
Actually they stumble upon The Emperor (Criswell) and his servant The Black Ghoul (Fawn Silver) judging souls and deciding if they should be condemned to hell or worse.
These souls are represented by naked dancing women in various costumes such as Hawaiian, Indian, Slave and many others. Bob and Shirley are captured by a Mummy and Werewolf and tied to stakes to watch the rest of the dancing. The Emperor tells them that they will die by the end of the evening.
The dancing continues as the Mummy tells the Werewolf about his life during the time of Cleopatra (no, I am not kidding). The Werewolf howls like his scrotum is caught in a vice!! I have never heard anything like that in a film before.
The Black Ghoul wants Shirley for her own use, but all does not go as planned and before Bob and Shirley can be killed the sun rises and everyone disappears or turns to skeletons. The police arrive with the ambulance crew and assure them both that everything has only been a dream.
The plot is not much by any means and neither is the acting, but I do have to admit a small fondness for this movie and that may be due to the fact that the gorgeous Pat Barrington is looking so fine.
All I can say is that if you like Ed Wood written movies, lots of naked women dancing around, bad acting or Pat Barrington you might like this movie. It has been years since I saw this and I found it totally by accident in Boise, Idaho.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Jane Seymour is 68, Sherry Jackson is 77, Marie Liljedahl is 69, and Melissa Manchester is 68.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
FRANKENHOOKER 1990 (SYNAPSE) BLU-RAY
As the tag line says "A terrifying tale of sluts and bolts".
Frank Henenlotter directed this film, so you know you're in for one hell of a wild ride.
This 1990 horror tale starts out with the death of a young women who is killed when a remote controlled mower runs her over and makes her into a human tossed salad.
Her boyfriend Jeffrey (James Lorinz) keeps some of her body parts out of his obsessive love for Elizabeth (Patty Mullin) and vows to make her whole again.
Jeffrey is a klutz who means well, but he just doesn't know how to go about getting his girlfriend back together again until he happens upon something called "super crack" that when smoked it blows people to pieces.
He has a party with a few prostitutes and they smoke the deadly drug and before you know it Jeffrey has all the body parts he will ever need. He goes about putting the pieces together and during a fierce thunderstorm brings Elizabeth back to life. She is hilarious to look at with her long black hair, dead white face and some very nasty scars all along her body.
She escapes and goes thru the night asking people such questions as "Wanna Date?" and making uncontrollable facial gestures and generally acting like a demented cracked up whore.
The ending is very humorous and something I won't give away here, but it did kind of leave the door open for a second film which never happened. Director Henenlotter knows his stuff and has a very keen and twisted mind. If you've seen his other works such as "Basket Case" you know what I mean. The rest of the cast includes Shirley Stoler, Zacherly and Louise Lasser.
The Blu-ray contains some very good extras such as an interview with Mullin, make up artist Gabe Bartalos and actress Jennifer Delora. These are all very welcome additions to the disc with Delora coming off as the kind of person I could really like.
This has been on the market for some time now and I am sorry I had to wait so long to see this one again. It's a gem of a horror comedy that has something for everyone. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)