BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA 1971 (TUBI)

A great film indeed.

Every Giallo fan should see this film. A detective named Tellini (Giancarlo Giannini) investigates what he thinks are ordinary murders. He soon discovers that there is a serial killer loose that has a most unusual way of killing.

The killer uses a serum that paralyzes the victims so they are still alive when he cuts their stomachs open. This is exactly how black wasps kill tarantulas, and slowly but surely Tellini makes this connection as well as the fact that all of the victims are somehow connected to a spa.

This is a great film and moves along with lightening speed. I was never gored for one second watching this finely crafted little film. The cast includes three women who starred in James Bond films, and that is delicious eye candy.

Claudine Auger, Barbara Bouchet and Barbara Bach are all lovely here and Bouchet is the first victim we see of the deranged killer. That is disturbing enough to set up the rest of the film.

The score by Ennio Morricone is wonderful and adds much to the film. I saw it on streaming, but it is also available on Blu-ray and DVD. Recommended.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbara Carrera is 76.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Eliza Dushku is 41, Russ Tamblyn is 87, Kelli Maroney is 56, Lloyd Kaufman is 76, and Jeff Lynn is 74.

MASTER MINDS 1949 (WARNER ARCHIVE)

Fun little Bowery Boys film.

When Sach (Huntz Hall) eats too much sugar he goes into a trance. Slip (Leo Gorcey) tries to take advantage of this and sets up a carnival show where Sach predicts the future.

Everything seems to be going ok iuntil a mad scientist named Dr. Druzik (Alan Napier) and his henchmen kidnap Sach in order to switch his brain with that of a mindless monster (Glenn Strange).

I really enjoyed this film. It makes for a great time and there are some good laughs along the way. As is usually the case with Bowery Boys films, there isn't much plot, but who really cares. This is how entertainment should be

The rest of the cast for this romp includes Jane Adams, Gabriel Dell, William Benedict, Skelton Knaggs, and Minerva Urecal. If you get a chance and need a good laugh you may want to check this out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbara Steele is 84, and Yvonne Elliman is 70.

RIP ANTONY CARBONE 1925-2020

A great actor whose death is just now being made public.

I grew up watching Antony in hundreds of TV shows and movies. He was a very familiar face to anyone who watched TV in the 50's thru the 90's.

He started his acting career in 1958 in an episode of "Peter Gunn" and never looked back. His many TV appearances include "The Twilight Zone", "Thriller", "Tales From The Darkside", "Man From Uncle" plus many more.

I never saw a performance of his I didn't like. His movies are too many to mention them all, but I think some of his best include "Creature From The Haunted Sea", "Bucket Of Blood", "Pit and the Pendulum", "Last Woman On Earth", "Inside The Mafia", and "Arson For Hire".

He had a great career and a good long life. Carbone passed away on Oct. 7th 2020 at the age of 95. RIP Sir.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Nichelle Nicholas is 89, and Taryn Terrell is 36.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbara Crampton is 63, Bill Goldberg is 55, Charles Band is 70, Melissa Moore is 58, Thea Trinidad is 31 and Megan Gallacher is 38.

RIP AGATA LYS 1953-2021

A very well known Spanish actress has died.

The very beautiful actress was known as the "Marilyn Monroe" of Spanish cinema and most of her films haven't been seen by American audiences.

The one film that is well known in the USA is "Las Alegres Vampiras De Vogel". She was a very talented and beautiful woman whose films should be better known here in the states.

She passed away on Nov. 12th, 2021 and it is just being reported as of now. She was 67. She would have turned 68 on Dec. 3rd.

PRIVATE PROPERTY 1960 (TUBI)

A film once thought lost has been found, and what a disturbing film it is.

This film was directed by Leslie Stevens of "Outer Limits" fame. It's a 10 day $60,000 wonder.

The story revolves around two young thungs. Duke (Corey Allen) and Boots (Warren Oates) hang out at a California gas station after robbing it until they catch a ride from a business man named Ed Hogate (Jerome Cowan). They order him to follow a beautful woman who pulled into the station to ask directions.

When Ed attempts to drop them off early we get our first glance at just how psychotic these men really are. Hogate escapes with his life while Duke and Boots change their attention on the woman they followed home. Her name is Ann Carlyle (Kate Manx) and Duke has promised Boots to soften her up so he can have her.

Duke slowly gets to know Ann as he tells her lie after lie. Duke can sense that she isn't a happy woman. Her husband Roger (Robert Wark) seems more interested in work than his gorgeous wife. Things slowly spiral out of control, especially when Roger leaves town for the day and that's when Duke and Boots make their move.

Duke slugs Ann and Boots tries to stop him. Boots is killed and then Duke totally looses it and tries to kill Ann. Roger arrives from the airport and fights for his and Ann's life. Ann gets a gun and takes care of Duke.

This is a tense and very well made thriller. Stevens made some really off the wall films back in the 60's and all of them are very well done. All of the performances are top notch and Kate Manx does an exceptional job. In her short life she made two movies and several TV appearances, but this film really shows off her ability.

Manx took her own life on Nov. 15th, 1964 at the young age of 34. She was married to Stevens. If you get a chance to see this, do so. I think you'll be impressed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Trina Parks is 74.

TOP DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASES FOR 2021 PART 2

A MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, and now on with my top pick for 2021.

13...TICKS 1994 (VINAGER SYNDROME) BLU-RAY...Solid horror film about giant mutated bloodsucking insects. It was nice to see this get such a stunning presentation. I am proud of this film, and always will be.

12...LADY VAMPIRE 1959 (SINISTER CINEMA)...A woman retunrs home after she has been missing for 20 years. She looks just as she did when she vanished and her daughter and boyfriend investigate. This is a great Japanese horror film that is presented here in a beautiful widescreen transfer.

11...SAMPO 1959 (SINISTER CINEMA)...Excellent 2 DVD set with the original version of the film we all saw as children on TV under the title "Day The Earth Froze". A MUST SEE film and as usual, a beautiful picture.

10...BLOOD O RAMA (AFGA) BLU-RAY...This set contains three films!! They are HELP ME, I'M POSSESSED, NIGHT OF THE STRANGLER and CARNIVAL OF BLOOD. The first two films are the reason for having this set. HELP ME, I'M POSSESSED is an unbelievable film which I wrote about earlier this year as is NIGHT OF THE STRANGLER with Mickey Dolenz. The third film really sucks, but you have to take the good with the bad.

09...DR. X 1933 (WARNER ARCHIVE) BLU-RAY... Wonderful film about a cannibal killer starring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. The picture and sound quality are gorgeous and it's a very good thing this has finally arrived on Blu-ray.

08...THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK 1946 (KINO) BLU-RAY...Great Universal film about a young woman who goes to work for a woman with sinister plans for her.Kudos to Kino for bringing this lost gem to Blu-ray.

07...SNOW WOMAN 1968 (SINISTER CINEMA)...Japanese horror tale about two men whose lives are changed forever when they encounter an evil witch during a snow storm. A haunting and damn good movie. The print from Sinister is in beautiful widescreen color and subtitled.

06...FLIGHT TO MARS 1951 (FILM DETECTIVE) BLU-RAY...A 50's classic about astronauts visiting Mars and the trouble it causes. I have never seen this film looking better than it does in this 4k restoration.

05...THE NIGHT STALKER TV SERIES 1974 (KINO) BLU-RAY...My second favorite TV show finally made it to a beautiful blu-ray set thanks to Kino. Simply A MUST for fans.

04...ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT 1949 (SINISTER CINEMA)...This is also known as SIREN OF ATLANTIS and it has been on my want list for decades. Sinister brought this out in early spring and what a release it is. Gorgeous Maria Montez rules a lost desert city in this adventure tale.

Well, that wraps it up for this week. I'll have the top 3 for 2021 on New Years Day, and I can tell you they are all from the same company.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbara Mandrell is 73.

THRILLER SEASON 1 1960-1962 (IMAGE)

One of the greatest TV shows ever conceived has been out on DVD for sometime now, and I am finally getting a chance to see every episode. Boris Karloff hosted the show which aired from 1960-1962.

This show started out as a thriller/crime show, but changed to horror after their Halloween episode in 1960. It went on to become a classic of it's time with many, many memorable episodes.

THE TWISTED INAMGE 9/13/60...Leslie Nielsen stars as a man whose life takes a bizarre turne when rwo mentally ill people either want to become him or marry him. Natalie Trundy and George Grizzard also star.

CHILD'S PLAY 9/20/60...A young boy is caught in a fantasy world and he takes a rifle from his father to hunt for someone he calles "Black Bart".

WORSE THAN MURDER 9/27/60...A woman's dead husbands uncle doesn't leave her any momney so she uses a diary to blackmail her sick mother-in-law. Constance Ford stars.

MARK OF THE HAND 10/4/60...A young girl is accused of murder and refuses to speak to anyone again.

ROSE'S LAST SUMMER 10/11/60...Mary Astor stars as Rose French, an aging actress who is murdered and members of her family know more about her death than they are willing to tell.

THE GUILTY MEN 10/18/60...A man tries to get his portion of the syndicate out of the narcotics business but finds his friends have betrayed him. Everett Sloane, Frank Silvera and Jay C. Flippin star.

THE PURPLE ROOM 10/25/60...This started the show on it's way to becoming a horror classic. A skeptical man must spend a night in a haunted mansion willed to him by his brother. Rip Torn, Richard Anderson and Patricia Barry star.

THE WATCHER 11/1/60...A deputy sheriff starts investigating a muder that was covered up during the summer in a small town, and finds even more corruption.

GIRL WITH A SECRET 11/15/60...A young woman must keep the whereabouts of her new husband a secret, but finds pressure from all sides. Interesting story with Rhodes Reason and Myrna Fahey.

THE PREDICTION 11/22/60...Boris Karloff stars as a man whose predictions in a stage show start coming true. He has visions of people's deaths and also tries to stop those, with bad results.

THE FATAL IMPULSE 11/29/60...A woman has a bomb secretly planted in her handbag by an assassin, and the police must find her before time runs out.

THE BIG BLACKOUT 12/6/60...A recovering alcoholic cannot remember his past finds himself confronted by criminals who want revenge. This is a pretty good episode starring Charles McGraw.

KNOCK THREE-ONE-TWO 12/13/60...Bizarre tale of a man who needs money so bad he enlists the aid of a serial killer to rid him of his wealthy wife.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE 12/20/60...A man overhears a murder and kidnap plot and as much as he tries to avoid it, he becomes caught in the middle.

THE CHEATERS 12/27/60... Great tale about a pair of glasses that allows the wearer to see what others are really like. Based on a story by Robert Bloch.

THE HUNGRY GLASS 1/3/61 William Shatner and Joanna Hayes star in this chilling episode about a married couple that move into a house and are terrorized by images in the mirrors. Russell Johnson also stars.

THE POISONER 1/10/61...A man uses his collection of poisons to try and rid himself of his in-laws and an abusive uncle.

MAN IN THE CAGE 1/17/61...An American in Tangiers finds himself involved in the search for cocaine. Excellent crime drama!

CHOOSE A VICTIM 1/24/61...Larry Blyden stars as a beach bum who latches on to a lovely, but lonely woman. Lots of twists and turns in this episode which also stars Susan Oliver and Vaughn Taylor.

HAY FORK AND BILL HOOK 2/7/61...A Scotland Yard inspector is called in on the case of a man accused of witch craft being murdered in a small Welsh village.

THE MERRIWEATHER FILE 2/14/61...An intruder in the home of Ann Merriweather (Bethal Leslie) fails to kill her and then soon after she is murdered and her husband is arrested. It's up to a lawyer to unravel a very twisted plot of revenge.

THE FINGERS OF FEAR 2/21/61...The police arrest a metally challenged brute named Ohrback in connection with the murders of several children. A police inspector begins to believe they have the wrong man.

WELL OF DOOM 2/28/61...Excellent episode about two men kidnapped by a being called Moloch (Henry Daniell) and his hulking assistant Styx (richard Keil) and taken to an old estate. This is a great example of television terror.

THE ORDEAL OF DR. CORDELL 3/7/61...Robert Vaughn stars as a man who, thanks to a gas chemical he ingested, turns into a raving maniac killer whenever he hears a bell ring.

TRIO OF TERROR 3/14/61...Three short tales of terror involving murdered warlocks, wanted criminals and living dead killers. Michael Pate, John Abbot and Robin Hughes star.

PAPA BENJAMIN 3/21/61...John Ireland stars as a composer who steals a voodoo tune and is cursed by a voodoo believer.

LATE DATE 4/4/61...A man helps his brother cover up the murder of his wife by blaming it on her lover. Another well written and acted show with a great twist.

YOURS TRULY, JACK THE RIPPER 4/11/61...John Williams stars as Sir Guy, who believes that a string of violent murders is being committed by the original Jack The Ripper.

THE DEVIL'S TICKET 4/18/61...Excellent tale about an artist who pawns his souls to the devil and can only get it back when he paints a picture of another intended victim. Macdonald Carey, Patticia Medina and John Emery star.

PARASITE MANSION 4/25/61...A young woman is held captive in a mansion by a twisted family with a very dark and deadly secret,

A GOOD IMAGINATION 5/2/61...A avid reader uses plots from the books he reads to do away with his wife's lovers. Another top notch episode.

MR. GEORGE 5/9/61...A young girl is seemingly watched over by the spirit who protects her from her greedy relatives.

TERROR IN TEAKWOOD 5/16/61...Guy Rolfe stars as a concert pianist who is so obsessed with playing a certain piece that he robs a dead man of his talented hands. Hazel Court also stars.

PRISONER IN THE MIRROR 5/23/61...A professor allows the spirit of Cagliostro (Henry Daniell) to escape from a haunted mirror and take over his body. One of the best episodes of the entire series in my opinion.

DARK LEGACY 5/30/61...Harry Townes stars as a second rate magician who uses magic with the help of a demon, but finds there is a horrible price to pay. Henry Silva also stars.

PIGEONS FROM HELL 6/6/61...Two young men who are stranded stay in an empty mansion and find nothing but terror. A local sheriff is also pulled into the demonic web. Brandon de Wilde, Crahan Denton and David Whorfe star in the episode many, including myself consider to be the best piece of TV horror ever made. A MUST SEE.

THE GRIM REAPER 6/13/61...The final episode of season 1 stars William Shatner as a man who warns his aunt of the curse on a painting of the Grim Reaper she just purchased. A great episode with a shocking ending.

So, Season 1 ended on a super high note and Theriller had finally found it's feet and became a top rated show for NBC. Boris Karloff would return as the host for the second season which had a great number of all time classic horror episodes.

The qualitry of each episode on this set is beautiful and if you get a chance, check these out. You'll have no regrets.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Edwige Fenech is 73, and Donna Martell is 94.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Joan Severance is 63.

ARACHNID 2001 (TUBI)

Not too bad of a film, but it could have been so much better.

The story centers around the search for a cure to a strange viral infection.

Some scientists who are investigating the virus survive a plane crash on a small tropical island, and find even bigger problems. It seems the island is inhabited by mutant spiders that have actually come from space.

Yes, the idea sounds stupid, and the director of the film also says that. but some of it comes off as very good. The cast is made up of people I don't know, but that has never been a problem.

Some of the spider effects come off very well and even creepy, but then again I hate spiders anyway. The movie was filmed in Barcelona and the location of the island is beautiful.

This is a passable horror film made early in the 21st century and it has been bashed by the director, but I really think you might want to give it a try. You could do worse.

DIRECT TO VIDEO 2020 (TUBI)

A very interesting documentary about a very interesting time in entertainment history.

I have read a lot of bad reviews for this, and I don't see it as being bad at all. This covers the 80's and 90's video store period when there were tons of stores all across the USA.

The need for product to fill the shelves was great and it opened up the doors for a lot of independent film makers to make their low budget films and have an outlet for them.

These stories are told by such people as Fred Olen Ray, Kelly Maronie, Clint Howard, Lloyd Kaufman, Jim Wynorski, Brinke Stevens and many, many more.

The only problem I saw was the fact that a lot of the movies weren't identified and suddenly some of these people would be talking about a movie from out of the blue. True horror fans would know what they were, but people who are not huge fans will be kind of confused.

I did enjoy this as it took me back to a time when I was making the very same kind of movies, and yes, I did help fill the shelves of various video stores. Good times indeed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Pamela Austin is 80, and Angel Tompkins is 79.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Kristy Swanson is 52, Elaine Joyce is 76, and Marlene Clark is 72.

TOP DVD AND BLU RAY RELEASES FOR 2021 PART 1

In my opinion there were not a lot of standout releases in 2021, but a few stand out, 23 as a matter of fact.

This year some of the companies represented include Sinister Cinema, Severin, Warner Archives and many others. So here we go.

23...HORRORS OF MALFORMED MEN 1969 (SINISTER CINEMA)... This bizarre Japanese horror film is beyond description, but it is highly recommended for people who want something very different. I believe Synapse turned this out a few years ago as well.

22...FLOWER AND SNAKE 1974 (SYNAPSE) BLU-RAY...Nikkatsu bondage film about a man who hires a young employee to train his wife in pleasing a man, but things get out of control. A great presentation here and the film never looked better.

21...FOREST OF THE WOLF 1969 (SINISTER CINEMA)...A great, and obscure film about a peddler who has seizures and becomes, in his mind, a werewolf. A disturbing and sad film that should be seen more. Beautiful picture and sound with subtitles.

20...SECRETS OF THE BLUE ROOM 1933 (KINO) BLU-RAY...Very sought after early horror film about mysterious deaths in a room that hasn't been occupied for 20 years. Kudos to Kino for finally getting this lost little fulm out in such a beautiful presentation.

19...AMAZONS/BARBARIAN QUEEN 1984 (SHOUT FACTORY) BLU-RAY...Great double feature featuring all kinds of beautiful women in peril and battle. Lana Clarkson stands out in Barbarian Queen. Exploitation classics that needed a Blu-ray release.

18...GHOSTS ROYALTY 1965 (SINSTER CINEMA) Ultra rare film about a young student at a college who becomes obsessed with a dilapidated mansion and it's strange history.

17...MILL OF THE STONE WOMEN 1960 (ARROW) BLU-RAY...Strange tale about a man who kills women to try and save his daughters life and then encases the bodies in wax. Stunning picture on this blu-ray.

16...STAR OF DAVID: BEAUTIFUL GIRL HUNTER 1979 (SYNAPSE) BLU-RAY...Another unforgettable Nikkatsu film about a man who kidnaps women and torture them in his private torture chamber. Weird and bizarre, but a MUST see for erotic Japanese cinema.

15...ONIBABA 1964 (CRITERION) BLU-RAY...Epic horror tale about two women fighting for survival in medieval Japan. When one finds a mask and puts it on the terror really begins. Beautiful picture and sound on this Blu-ray which has been long overdue.

14...MANIA KILLER 1979 (FULL MOON) BLU-RAY...A surprise release!! Strange film about a group of people who kidnap "loose" women and torture them to clean their souls. Robery Ginty and Chuck Conners star along with Bo Svenson.

Well, that wraps up part 1. I'll have more come next Saturday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Victoria Pratt is 51, Steve Austin is 57, Trish Stratus is 46, and Rob Van Dam is 51.

FEMALE PRISONER 701: GRUDGE SONG 1973 (TUBI)

This is the final installment of the series.

Meiko Kaji returns as Nami. The movie opens with her escaping from the law once again and hiding out. She is discovered at a wedding but escapes again with the help of a strip club owner who has a grudge against the police.

She is badly injured in the escape, but the man hides her and helps her heal from the wounds. Slowly she begins to trust him, but should she? The police arrest the man and torture him to the point where he tells them where she is hiding, and then the chase is on again.

This easily isn't up to par with the previous three entries, but it's always good to see Kaji as she really carries the entire film. One can tell that the budgets for these have been slashed by the time this one rolled into theaters, but it is still entertaining.

The acting is top notch and so are all of the action sequences. If you're a fan of the series, check this one out and enjoy it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Milla Jovovich is 46.

RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER 2016 (SONY)

This is the final of the 6 film series.

It's not too bad of a film as these films go, but it did miss a lot of potential. This picks up right after the events of Resident Evil: Retribution. That was supposed to be the final stand of humans againt the Umbrella Corporation, but it wasn't

With the film we find Alice the last one alive and having to head back to Raccoon City for a final showdown with Dr. Isaacs (Iain Glen) and Wesker (Shawn Roberts). Both men run the Umbrella Corporation and are determined to wipe out all life on the planet, except for their inner circle.

There are a couple of really good scares in this film, and then there are a few things we have seen in almost everyone of the others. Milla Jovovich again does a great job as Alice, and she really has to carry the entire film.

The scenes with thousands of walking dead invading a destroyed Raccoon City are great set pieces and if you liked the previous five films, you'll probably like this as well. It's not the best, but it sure isn't the worst either.

The rest of the cast includes Ali Larter, Fraser James, Ruby Rose and William Levy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Gail Thackray is 57 and Sid Eudy is 51.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Helen Slater is 58, and Lorena Velazquez is 84.

TIGER OF ESCHNAPUR 1959 (TUBI)

Earlier this summer I reviewed a film called "The Indian Tomb" which is a follow up to this film.

A wonderful and colorful film directed by Fritz Lang. A man named Harald Berger (Paul Hubschmid) has come to a small Indian kingdom to help the people and build a modern hospital there.

He falls in love with a dancer named Seetha (Debra Paget) but the local Maharadjaj Chandra (Walther Reyer) has his sights set on Seetha and this sets up crosses and double crosses as Chandra is not used to losing the things he wants.

The colorful sets and costumes really make this film enjoyable, but the high point is ALWAYS gorgeous Paget. This woman was one of the most beautiful women in the world and her dancing in this film will make your blood pump. If it doesn't you're probably already dead.

Seetha and Harald escape from the city and try to trek across the desert, but get caught in a horrific sand storm, and this is where the film ends and the second picks up.

If you get a chance to see this film and the follow up, do so. The rest of the cast includes Luciana Paluzzi, Sabine Bethmann, Claus Holm and Rene Deltgen.

Man I tell you, actresses as beautiful as Debra Paget just are not around anymore.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Dee Wallace is 73, Janette Scott is 83, and Alan Ormsby is 78.

RIP KAREN JOY 1940-2021

She only made two films, but what movies they were.

She had a walk on part in the film "Murderer's Row" starring Dean Martin, but she will always be remembered for a film called "Gallery Of Horrors".

She was the very beautiful Julie Farrell in the story entitled "Witches Clock". She also played a vampire in another story in the film. A very beautiful woman who captured my attention when I first saw the David Hewitt classic.

She passed away on Nov. 15th at the age of 81.