Starring Richard Harrison, Anna Ranalli, Arturo Dominici, Leo Anchoriz, Antonio Molino Rojo
Directed by Alberto De Martino
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The cruel rulers of Argos use a savage dragon and the Medusa, whose gaze turns men to stone, to cut off the city of Serifo's trade routes, but the young hero Perseus leads a challenge against them.
This Italian film, originally titled Perseo l'invincibile was one of several films dubbed and repackaged for American television in The Sons Of Hercules series, which is the source I was able to see this from. Ironically, according to Wikipedia, Perseus was actually a half-brother of Hercules, but that's hardly worth quibbling about, when the film is only a very loose adaptation of his mythic adventures. Harrison, although per IMDB starred in a number of sword & sandal films, is an interesting choice here. He's far from the musclebound hero of other films of this type, and in fact never takes his tunic off. The film's entertaining enough but focuses more on the conflict between the cities than the monsters or the mythology. As for the monsters, they're portrayed by men in suits and are very distinctive looking, with the toothy dragon rising from the sea to attack its victims, and Medusa resembling a giant walking plant with a single glowing eye. They might not pass muster by today's standards, but I certainly found them fearsome and unique. There's also a number of interesting names in the cast and crew, according to IMDB, with Black Sunday's Arturo Dominici playing the villainous King Acrisius, The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly's Antonio Molino Rojo playing Tarpete, Carlo Rambaldi (who later worked on Alien and E.T.) providing the special effects, and Amando de Ossorio (a writer & director of several Spanish horror films) credited with visual effects.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Thursday, August 30, 2018
The Werewolf (1956)
Starring Don Megowan, Steven Ritch, Joyce Holden, Eleanore Tanin, Kim Charney
Directed by Fred F. Sears
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A small alpine town is shaken by a murder which the sheriff discovers was committed by a werewolf, but the man behind the beast is as much a victim, transformed by a doctor's cruel experiment.
This werewolf film from Columbia Pictures and producer Sam Katzman borrows quite a bit from The Wolf Man and other earlier films focusing on lycanthropy, but has a heart all its own, embodied in the sympathetic performance of Ritch as the man-beast. Megowan, as the town sheriff also is quite likable, playing a weary but noble man, who's more than willing to listen to arguments to be understanding in hunting his quarry. Robert E. Kent & James B. Gordon's screenplay offers an intelligent blending of science fiction and stirring pathos with the horror tale, and Edward Linden's cinematography showcases the wide open spaces of the town and surrounding mountainside to illustrate the difficulty of the search of the werewolf. The creature makeup even gives a unique look to the beast. I don't think the film can compete with The Wolf Man, but it is still a compelling tale with good performances.
Directed by Fred F. Sears
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A small alpine town is shaken by a murder which the sheriff discovers was committed by a werewolf, but the man behind the beast is as much a victim, transformed by a doctor's cruel experiment.
This werewolf film from Columbia Pictures and producer Sam Katzman borrows quite a bit from The Wolf Man and other earlier films focusing on lycanthropy, but has a heart all its own, embodied in the sympathetic performance of Ritch as the man-beast. Megowan, as the town sheriff also is quite likable, playing a weary but noble man, who's more than willing to listen to arguments to be understanding in hunting his quarry. Robert E. Kent & James B. Gordon's screenplay offers an intelligent blending of science fiction and stirring pathos with the horror tale, and Edward Linden's cinematography showcases the wide open spaces of the town and surrounding mountainside to illustrate the difficulty of the search of the werewolf. The creature makeup even gives a unique look to the beast. I don't think the film can compete with The Wolf Man, but it is still a compelling tale with good performances.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
The Face Of Marble (1946)
Starring John Carradine, Claudia Drake, Robert Shayne, Maris Wrixon, Willie Best
Directed by William Beaudine
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist and his assistant are on the verge of success in bringing the dead back to life, but their experiments have unintended side effects, exploited by their voodoo-practicing housekeeper.
An interesting cast and unusual story, if derivative of a great many other films, make this low budget effort stand out. Carradine is excellent as the kindly but unethical scientist and it's good to see Shayne (of TV's Adventures Of Superman) as his more principled assistant. Drake and Wrixon, primarily known for their poverty row productions, are good enough, and although Willie Best again plays his usual stereotypical manservant, he surprisingly isn't turned to for comic relief, and is largely inoffensive this time around. With limited sets, mostly interiors of the scientist's house, and a meandering script, the picture does drag quite a bit. However, it's special effects are a bit more advanced than I expected, with plenty of Strickfadden-like equipment in the lab, and creatures with the ability to walk through walls. Overall I'd say, especially since this movie has been hard to see over the years, it's worth checking out, but it doesn't elevate itself to much more than any typical Poverty Row production. The film's title comes from the appearance of the scientist's subjects' skin after being resurrected, although it's pretty hard to make out in black and white.
Directed by William Beaudine
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist and his assistant are on the verge of success in bringing the dead back to life, but their experiments have unintended side effects, exploited by their voodoo-practicing housekeeper.
An interesting cast and unusual story, if derivative of a great many other films, make this low budget effort stand out. Carradine is excellent as the kindly but unethical scientist and it's good to see Shayne (of TV's Adventures Of Superman) as his more principled assistant. Drake and Wrixon, primarily known for their poverty row productions, are good enough, and although Willie Best again plays his usual stereotypical manservant, he surprisingly isn't turned to for comic relief, and is largely inoffensive this time around. With limited sets, mostly interiors of the scientist's house, and a meandering script, the picture does drag quite a bit. However, it's special effects are a bit more advanced than I expected, with plenty of Strickfadden-like equipment in the lab, and creatures with the ability to walk through walls. Overall I'd say, especially since this movie has been hard to see over the years, it's worth checking out, but it doesn't elevate itself to much more than any typical Poverty Row production. The film's title comes from the appearance of the scientist's subjects' skin after being resurrected, although it's pretty hard to make out in black and white.
Monday, August 27, 2018
The Angry Red Planet (1959)
Starring Gerald Mohr, Nora Hayden, Les Tremayne, Jack Kruschen, Paul Hahn
Directed by Ib Melchior
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A rocketship sent on a mission to Mars is found drifting and is returned to Earth by remote control, where one of its crew is able to tell the horrific story of their experiences on the red planet.
A sci-fi adventure co-written by producer Sid Pink and director Ib Melchior, the picture was promoted with the gimmick of Cinemagic, a process used for the scenes on Mars, where a combination of black and white film of the actors and hand-drawn alien backgrounds were covered in a reddish hue. I read some background on this on Wikipedia, and it described it as a cost-saving measure since the rest of the film was shot in color, although it does certainly lend an eeriness and distinctive look to the Mars scenes, augmented by Paul Dunlap's eerie score, though I wouldn't describe the backgrounds as very convincing. The process is at its most engaging when practical effects rendering creatures of Mars are placed in front of the backgrounds, nearly creating a 3-D like feel. Mohr and his silky voice as the mission's pilot and commander, and the ever reliable Tremayne as the chief scientist among the crew, are standouts in the cast, but Hayden is also likable enough, as is Kruschen, playing the familiar stereotype of a jovial New Yorker with duties aboard the ship. Although the screenplay doesn't give us a very extended look at the planet Mars, the narrative works well enough to make this one of my favorite Melchior films. My friend Dan Day Jr. pointed out that producer Norman Mauer, who also had a hand in the Cinemagic process, was a son-in-law of The Three Stooges' Moe Howard.
Directed by Ib Melchior
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A rocketship sent on a mission to Mars is found drifting and is returned to Earth by remote control, where one of its crew is able to tell the horrific story of their experiences on the red planet.
A sci-fi adventure co-written by producer Sid Pink and director Ib Melchior, the picture was promoted with the gimmick of Cinemagic, a process used for the scenes on Mars, where a combination of black and white film of the actors and hand-drawn alien backgrounds were covered in a reddish hue. I read some background on this on Wikipedia, and it described it as a cost-saving measure since the rest of the film was shot in color, although it does certainly lend an eeriness and distinctive look to the Mars scenes, augmented by Paul Dunlap's eerie score, though I wouldn't describe the backgrounds as very convincing. The process is at its most engaging when practical effects rendering creatures of Mars are placed in front of the backgrounds, nearly creating a 3-D like feel. Mohr and his silky voice as the mission's pilot and commander, and the ever reliable Tremayne as the chief scientist among the crew, are standouts in the cast, but Hayden is also likable enough, as is Kruschen, playing the familiar stereotype of a jovial New Yorker with duties aboard the ship. Although the screenplay doesn't give us a very extended look at the planet Mars, the narrative works well enough to make this one of my favorite Melchior films. My friend Dan Day Jr. pointed out that producer Norman Mauer, who also had a hand in the Cinemagic process, was a son-in-law of The Three Stooges' Moe Howard.
Friday, August 24, 2018
The Ghoul (1933)
Starring Boris Karloff, Cedric Hardwicke, Ernest Thesiger, Dorothy Hyson, Anthony Bushell
Directed by T. Hayes Hunter
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A dying Egyptologist wants to be buried in his own sarcophagus and tomb along with a valuable jewel that will grant him entrance to the Egyptian afterlife, but several others covet the jewel.
Karloff co-stars with some fine British thespians in a horror film released quickly on the heels of the actor's success as The Mummy, and although the Egyptian-focused plot doesn't offer as memorable a part for Karloff, it's still a fine film in its own right. The lighting and cinematography by Gunther Krampf is very well-done, highlighted by some eerie closeups of Karloff and Thesiger in particular. The music score is dark and moody, with drumbeats echoing Karloff's footsteps when he returns from the grave. The film's sets and art direction are impressive, from the castle-like home of Karloff's character to the Egyptian tomb he constructs for himself. Although the comic relief offered by Kathleen Harrison's interactions with mysterious Egyptian Harold Huth doesn't add much to the film, she is afforded an admirable chance to stand up for herself at plot's end. I really enjoyed the picture and the chance to see all these actors together- in addition to Karloff, Hardwicke, and Thesiger, Ralph Richardson also has a key role as a bicycle-riding minister.
Directed by T. Hayes Hunter
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A dying Egyptologist wants to be buried in his own sarcophagus and tomb along with a valuable jewel that will grant him entrance to the Egyptian afterlife, but several others covet the jewel.
Karloff co-stars with some fine British thespians in a horror film released quickly on the heels of the actor's success as The Mummy, and although the Egyptian-focused plot doesn't offer as memorable a part for Karloff, it's still a fine film in its own right. The lighting and cinematography by Gunther Krampf is very well-done, highlighted by some eerie closeups of Karloff and Thesiger in particular. The music score is dark and moody, with drumbeats echoing Karloff's footsteps when he returns from the grave. The film's sets and art direction are impressive, from the castle-like home of Karloff's character to the Egyptian tomb he constructs for himself. Although the comic relief offered by Kathleen Harrison's interactions with mysterious Egyptian Harold Huth doesn't add much to the film, she is afforded an admirable chance to stand up for herself at plot's end. I really enjoyed the picture and the chance to see all these actors together- in addition to Karloff, Hardwicke, and Thesiger, Ralph Richardson also has a key role as a bicycle-riding minister.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Die! Die! My Darling (1965)
Starring Tallulah Bankhead, Stefanie Powers, Peter Vaughan, Maurice Kaufmann, Yootha Joyce
Directed by Silvio Narizzano
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
An engaged young woman visiting London decides to visit the mother of her former boyfriend who died tragically to give her closure, but the puritanical older lady wants to cleanse her of indecency.
Based on the novel by Anne Blaisdell, and effectively scripted by Richard Matheson, the film offers an ideal showcase for former Hollywood star Bankhead, and she turns in a bravura performance. Like Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Barbara Stanwyck, among others, studios were tapping stars of Bankhead's era for suspense and horror films in the 1960s, and Bankhead's performance stands alongside the best of them. Playing a former actress "rescued" from her "sinful" life by a now-dead husband, the script's gradual revelations of just how prim her beliefs are add tension to the plot, and once she imprisons Powers' character, we're not sure quite how this will end. Powers is fine, although nowhere near as distinguished in her role, but has to play a number of difficult scenes where she's put through harrowing experiences, and should be credited for that. Produced by Britain's Hammer Films, it's surprising how many non-Brits are in the cast, including Bankhead, Powers, and a young Donald Sutherland, playing Bankhead's mentally challenged handyman. Narizzano, per IMDB, was to that point primarily known for directing for television, and makes a strong impact here on the silver screen.
Directed by Silvio Narizzano
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
An engaged young woman visiting London decides to visit the mother of her former boyfriend who died tragically to give her closure, but the puritanical older lady wants to cleanse her of indecency.
Based on the novel by Anne Blaisdell, and effectively scripted by Richard Matheson, the film offers an ideal showcase for former Hollywood star Bankhead, and she turns in a bravura performance. Like Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Barbara Stanwyck, among others, studios were tapping stars of Bankhead's era for suspense and horror films in the 1960s, and Bankhead's performance stands alongside the best of them. Playing a former actress "rescued" from her "sinful" life by a now-dead husband, the script's gradual revelations of just how prim her beliefs are add tension to the plot, and once she imprisons Powers' character, we're not sure quite how this will end. Powers is fine, although nowhere near as distinguished in her role, but has to play a number of difficult scenes where she's put through harrowing experiences, and should be credited for that. Produced by Britain's Hammer Films, it's surprising how many non-Brits are in the cast, including Bankhead, Powers, and a young Donald Sutherland, playing Bankhead's mentally challenged handyman. Narizzano, per IMDB, was to that point primarily known for directing for television, and makes a strong impact here on the silver screen.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
It Came From Beneath The Sea (1955)
Starring Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis, Ian Keith, Dean Maddox Jr.
Directed by Robert Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After an atomic submarine encounters an underwater creature that nearly cripples the ship, its commander teams up with a pair of scientists who discover the creature is a giant octopus.
Stop-motion effects wizard Ray Harryhausen begins a long partnership with Columbia Pictures and producer Charles H. Schneer with this film, in which Harryhausen convincingly animates the giant creature, bringing real menace to its tremendously long tentacles, and making it seem real with its fluid movements. The monster's attack on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is a definite highlight and impressive movie moment. Kenneth Tobey, already familiar to fans of science fiction pictures for his roles in The Thing From Another World and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, makes a fine lead as the sub commander with a friendly demeanor, although George Worthing Yates' story and screenplay shows his character has a lot to learn about contemporary women. This development and Faith Domergue's importance to the storyline is refreshing in the light of sexism in the other films of the day, although clearly there was still a long way to go. It's a fun picture, and Harryhausen's work is really first-rate, although he would admit his octopus only had six legs to animate, unlike the real sea creature. Although Harryhausen would later dazzle us with multiple and varied creations in films to come, I think this movie is still a key component of his filmography.
Directed by Robert Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After an atomic submarine encounters an underwater creature that nearly cripples the ship, its commander teams up with a pair of scientists who discover the creature is a giant octopus.
Stop-motion effects wizard Ray Harryhausen begins a long partnership with Columbia Pictures and producer Charles H. Schneer with this film, in which Harryhausen convincingly animates the giant creature, bringing real menace to its tremendously long tentacles, and making it seem real with its fluid movements. The monster's attack on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is a definite highlight and impressive movie moment. Kenneth Tobey, already familiar to fans of science fiction pictures for his roles in The Thing From Another World and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, makes a fine lead as the sub commander with a friendly demeanor, although George Worthing Yates' story and screenplay shows his character has a lot to learn about contemporary women. This development and Faith Domergue's importance to the storyline is refreshing in the light of sexism in the other films of the day, although clearly there was still a long way to go. It's a fun picture, and Harryhausen's work is really first-rate, although he would admit his octopus only had six legs to animate, unlike the real sea creature. Although Harryhausen would later dazzle us with multiple and varied creations in films to come, I think this movie is still a key component of his filmography.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Little Orphant Annie (1918)
Starring Colleen Moore, Tom Santschi, Harry Lonsdale, Eugenie Besserer, James Whitcomb Riley
Directed by Colin Campbell
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Young Annie enjoys her orphanage life, and engages the other orphans with tales of the goblins that will get them if they practice bad behavior, but her life changes when her cruel uncle comes for her.
I had the privilege of attending a screening of this rare silent film last night, which has been lovingly restored from five different prints with varying quality and missing scenes among them. The restoration by film historian and preservationist Eric Grayson given these challenges, was an amazing piece of work. Yes, you can see some quality dips here and there, but the bulk of the film looks wonderful, and many scenes that had been missing from earlier prints are now back in the film for us to see. The film is even introduced by the author of the poem it's based on, Hoosier poet & author James Whitcomb Riley, in rare footage shot for Indiana's Centennial film that according to Grayson was repurposed for this picture. For those more familiar with the contemporary musicals and the comic strips before featuring Annie, they too were inspired by Riley's poem, but feature far different storylines. The silent picture, per Grayson, was based on both Riley's poem, and his prose work Where Is Mary Alice Smith, and offers scenes of joy, tragedy, and more than its share of chills. Moore stars as Annie, and easily engenders audience sympathy for her travails and that of her poor cat at the brutal hands of her belligerent uncle and aunt. Adding amazement to such an early film are the effects and makeups used to render Annie's tales of witches, goblins, and giant animal creatures, that appear seamless on the screen, and surely would have unnerved young children back when it was first shown. It's a remarkable production, and happily available for home viewing in a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack at Amazon.com.
Directed by Colin Campbell
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Young Annie enjoys her orphanage life, and engages the other orphans with tales of the goblins that will get them if they practice bad behavior, but her life changes when her cruel uncle comes for her.
I had the privilege of attending a screening of this rare silent film last night, which has been lovingly restored from five different prints with varying quality and missing scenes among them. The restoration by film historian and preservationist Eric Grayson given these challenges, was an amazing piece of work. Yes, you can see some quality dips here and there, but the bulk of the film looks wonderful, and many scenes that had been missing from earlier prints are now back in the film for us to see. The film is even introduced by the author of the poem it's based on, Hoosier poet & author James Whitcomb Riley, in rare footage shot for Indiana's Centennial film that according to Grayson was repurposed for this picture. For those more familiar with the contemporary musicals and the comic strips before featuring Annie, they too were inspired by Riley's poem, but feature far different storylines. The silent picture, per Grayson, was based on both Riley's poem, and his prose work Where Is Mary Alice Smith, and offers scenes of joy, tragedy, and more than its share of chills. Moore stars as Annie, and easily engenders audience sympathy for her travails and that of her poor cat at the brutal hands of her belligerent uncle and aunt. Adding amazement to such an early film are the effects and makeups used to render Annie's tales of witches, goblins, and giant animal creatures, that appear seamless on the screen, and surely would have unnerved young children back when it was first shown. It's a remarkable production, and happily available for home viewing in a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack at Amazon.com.
Friday, August 17, 2018
Torture Ship (1939)
Starring Lyle Talbot, Irving Pichel, Jacqueline Wells, Sheila Bromley, Anthony Averill
Directed by Victor Halperin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist trying to correct criminal tendencies in human beings lures a group of hardened criminals aboard a yacht as test subjects, before telling them they may not survive his experiments.
An interesting low budget suspenser from Halperin (director of White Zombie), with an enjoyable cast, the picture definitely entertained me, and I thought Halperin balanced the action, performances, and thrills admirably. There's lots of familiar faces among the actors, with Pichel playing the unscrupulous doctor, Talbot his straight-arrow nephew captaining the ship, Wells (from The Black Cat) playing a convicted woman who may be an innocent victim or may not, Wheeler Oakman as the chief criminal, and the always creepy Skelton Knaggs as another felon. The script, which IMDB credits to Harvey Huntley & George Wallace Sayre, based on a Jack London story, is at times overly simplistic, but also delivers its share of surprises and balances roles for the large cast very well.
Directed by Victor Halperin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist trying to correct criminal tendencies in human beings lures a group of hardened criminals aboard a yacht as test subjects, before telling them they may not survive his experiments.
An interesting low budget suspenser from Halperin (director of White Zombie), with an enjoyable cast, the picture definitely entertained me, and I thought Halperin balanced the action, performances, and thrills admirably. There's lots of familiar faces among the actors, with Pichel playing the unscrupulous doctor, Talbot his straight-arrow nephew captaining the ship, Wells (from The Black Cat) playing a convicted woman who may be an innocent victim or may not, Wheeler Oakman as the chief criminal, and the always creepy Skelton Knaggs as another felon. The script, which IMDB credits to Harvey Huntley & George Wallace Sayre, based on a Jack London story, is at times overly simplistic, but also delivers its share of surprises and balances roles for the large cast very well.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
World Without End (1956)
Starring Hugh Marlowe, Nancy Gates, Nelson Leigh, Rod Taylor, Shawn Smith
Directed by Edward Bernds
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Four astronauts and their spaceship are propelled 600 years into the future in a freak accident, and return to an Earth decimated by atomic war, forcing the civilized survivors to move underground.
The special effects are fairly weak, and the short skirted outfits the women are outfitted in rather sexist, but I still found this to be a fun example of 1950s sci-fi, with characters I cared about and a screenplay effectively filled with conflict. Battles between the astronauts and the one-eyed mutants on the surface are well-staged, and the film had something to say about humanity in its focus on the underground people, whose comfort with their settlement and technology was dooming them as a race. Familiar faces abound in the cast, including a young Rod Taylor, and the design of the underground settlement was believable if somewhat spartan. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, but it's far from the most distinguished sci-fi picture, which I didn't have a problem with.
Directed by Edward Bernds
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Four astronauts and their spaceship are propelled 600 years into the future in a freak accident, and return to an Earth decimated by atomic war, forcing the civilized survivors to move underground.
The special effects are fairly weak, and the short skirted outfits the women are outfitted in rather sexist, but I still found this to be a fun example of 1950s sci-fi, with characters I cared about and a screenplay effectively filled with conflict. Battles between the astronauts and the one-eyed mutants on the surface are well-staged, and the film had something to say about humanity in its focus on the underground people, whose comfort with their settlement and technology was dooming them as a race. Familiar faces abound in the cast, including a young Rod Taylor, and the design of the underground settlement was believable if somewhat spartan. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, but it's far from the most distinguished sci-fi picture, which I didn't have a problem with.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Strangler Of The Swamp (1946)
Starring Rosemary La Planche, Robert Barrat, Blake Edwards, Charles Middleton, Effie Parnell
Directed by Frank Wisbar
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A village is haunted by the ghost of a wrongly condemned man who is strangling the men who brought about his death as well as their descendants.
I'd judge this as one of Poverty Row studio PRC's better horror films, perhaps due to the touch of Frank Wisbar, who per IMDB emigrated from Germany after running afoul of the Nazi government, and co-wrote and directed the film. The movie's swamp sets are drenched in fog, which create a spooky atmosphere, while also serving to hide the appearance of Charles Middleton as the strangling ghost, who never appears in tight focus, but menaces his victims with the actor's chilling voice. The filmmakers do an admirable job of bringing forth eerie moments on a low budget without using any special effects, and although their limitations are also on display, they've put out a film well worth seeing. A young Blake Edwards, later to be acclaimed for creating the Peter Gunn TV series and writing the Pink Panther movies, has an acting role as La Planche's love interest.
Directed by Frank Wisbar
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A village is haunted by the ghost of a wrongly condemned man who is strangling the men who brought about his death as well as their descendants.
I'd judge this as one of Poverty Row studio PRC's better horror films, perhaps due to the touch of Frank Wisbar, who per IMDB emigrated from Germany after running afoul of the Nazi government, and co-wrote and directed the film. The movie's swamp sets are drenched in fog, which create a spooky atmosphere, while also serving to hide the appearance of Charles Middleton as the strangling ghost, who never appears in tight focus, but menaces his victims with the actor's chilling voice. The filmmakers do an admirable job of bringing forth eerie moments on a low budget without using any special effects, and although their limitations are also on display, they've put out a film well worth seeing. A young Blake Edwards, later to be acclaimed for creating the Peter Gunn TV series and writing the Pink Panther movies, has an acting role as La Planche's love interest.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
The Head (1959)
Starring Horst Frank, Karin Kernke, Helmut Schmid, Paul Dahlke, Dieter Eppler
Directed by Victor Trivas
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist who's created a formula to keep body parts alive after death takes on a new assistant, not realizing the man is mad and wants to use the formula on human beings.
Here is a distinctive horror film from Germany which may have been one of the first of the "living head" movies, and I have to say the special effects or makeup the filmmakers use to create the disembodied head's appearance are first-rate, well interposed with actor Michel Simon's actual head. Frank, whose character's madness is not revealed initially, plays the sinister Dr. Ood with cool calmness before fervor overtakes him at the film's climax, and makes a fine villain. Kernke, who transforms from a hunchbacked nurse into a new person after another of Ood's experiments, also gives a fine performance. The print I viewed appeared to have a number of scenes cut out of it, but what remains is still an interesting picture with some creepy scenes and disturbing subject matter.
Directed by Victor Trivas
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist who's created a formula to keep body parts alive after death takes on a new assistant, not realizing the man is mad and wants to use the formula on human beings.
Here is a distinctive horror film from Germany which may have been one of the first of the "living head" movies, and I have to say the special effects or makeup the filmmakers use to create the disembodied head's appearance are first-rate, well interposed with actor Michel Simon's actual head. Frank, whose character's madness is not revealed initially, plays the sinister Dr. Ood with cool calmness before fervor overtakes him at the film's climax, and makes a fine villain. Kernke, who transforms from a hunchbacked nurse into a new person after another of Ood's experiments, also gives a fine performance. The print I viewed appeared to have a number of scenes cut out of it, but what remains is still an interesting picture with some creepy scenes and disturbing subject matter.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
The Magic Carpet (1951)
Starring John Agar, Lucille Ball, Patricia Medina, George Tobias, Raymond Burr
Directed by Lew Landers
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a Caliph is murdered for his throne, his infant son is saved via use of a flying carpet, and grows up into a doctor who leads a double identity as the Scarlet Falcon, in order to battle the new regime.
As the lead in this colorful Arabian fantasy from Columbia Pictures, Agar stands out a bit as the only Arabian without a beard, but looks good in his red cloak and brandishing a sword. I wouldn't put this film anywhere in the same class with the adaptations of The Thief Of Bagdad, and those expecting magical characters and grand visuals, will have to settle for the carpet, which is the only fantastic element in the film. Nonetheless, it's competently directed, and sports quite a cast of familiar faces, with future TV comedienne Ball, future Perry Mason Burr, familiar Republic serial villain Gregory Gay as the Caliph's usurper, and Patricia Medina in a winning role as the feisty sister of one of Agar's followers, who wants to fight with the men, and cease the romance between Agar and Ball. It's a pleasant enough diversion but not a truly memorable film.
Directed by Lew Landers
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a Caliph is murdered for his throne, his infant son is saved via use of a flying carpet, and grows up into a doctor who leads a double identity as the Scarlet Falcon, in order to battle the new regime.
As the lead in this colorful Arabian fantasy from Columbia Pictures, Agar stands out a bit as the only Arabian without a beard, but looks good in his red cloak and brandishing a sword. I wouldn't put this film anywhere in the same class with the adaptations of The Thief Of Bagdad, and those expecting magical characters and grand visuals, will have to settle for the carpet, which is the only fantastic element in the film. Nonetheless, it's competently directed, and sports quite a cast of familiar faces, with future TV comedienne Ball, future Perry Mason Burr, familiar Republic serial villain Gregory Gay as the Caliph's usurper, and Patricia Medina in a winning role as the feisty sister of one of Agar's followers, who wants to fight with the men, and cease the romance between Agar and Ball. It's a pleasant enough diversion but not a truly memorable film.
Friday, August 10, 2018
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal Of The Universe (1953)
Starring Judd Holdren, Aline Towne, Gregory Gaye, Richard Crane, Craig Kelly
Directed by Harry Keller, Franklin Adreon, & Fred C. Brannon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The Earth enlists the masked Commando Cody in defending the Earth against attacks from The Ruler, an alien despot eager to conquer the world.
The last of the "Rocket Man" serials from Republic Pictures, and a bit of a novelty in that there are no cliffhanger chapter endings, it came in the era when Republic was repurposing footage from their past serials for new entries, and it may well have used the most. Expect to see Republic serial staples like the lumbering robot, the melting mountain, and plenty of previously used explosion and disaster footage, including the tidal wave threatening New York from 1933's Deluge. Holdren, playing a different character from the Rocket Man he portrayed in Zombies Of The Stratosphere, fares I think much better here than in that serial, seeming to have an improved screen presence, and maybe the mask helps a bit. Unlike other serials, this one also shuffles its cast fairly early on, with Cody's chief assistant played by William Schallert replaced by Richard Crane after just a few episodes. Schallert is great, but I love Crane though so no ill feelings about that switch. How does the serial itself measure up? I think it's a lot of fun, and benefits from the more universal setting, allowing Cody and his team to rocket off to a variety of planets (even though they all look the same), with technologies both interesting and a little far-fetched at their disposal. Although most of their effects work is likely taken from past films, the Lydecker Brothers' work still manages to impress, even if we can see the wires on Blu-Ray.
Directed by Harry Keller, Franklin Adreon, & Fred C. Brannon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The Earth enlists the masked Commando Cody in defending the Earth against attacks from The Ruler, an alien despot eager to conquer the world.
The last of the "Rocket Man" serials from Republic Pictures, and a bit of a novelty in that there are no cliffhanger chapter endings, it came in the era when Republic was repurposing footage from their past serials for new entries, and it may well have used the most. Expect to see Republic serial staples like the lumbering robot, the melting mountain, and plenty of previously used explosion and disaster footage, including the tidal wave threatening New York from 1933's Deluge. Holdren, playing a different character from the Rocket Man he portrayed in Zombies Of The Stratosphere, fares I think much better here than in that serial, seeming to have an improved screen presence, and maybe the mask helps a bit. Unlike other serials, this one also shuffles its cast fairly early on, with Cody's chief assistant played by William Schallert replaced by Richard Crane after just a few episodes. Schallert is great, but I love Crane though so no ill feelings about that switch. How does the serial itself measure up? I think it's a lot of fun, and benefits from the more universal setting, allowing Cody and his team to rocket off to a variety of planets (even though they all look the same), with technologies both interesting and a little far-fetched at their disposal. Although most of their effects work is likely taken from past films, the Lydecker Brothers' work still manages to impress, even if we can see the wires on Blu-Ray.
Sunday, August 5, 2018
House On Haunted Hill (1958)
Starring Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Alan Marshal, Carolyn Craig
Directed by William Castle
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Five strangers are invited by a millionaire to spend the night locked in a haunted house for a cash reward, and on accepting, are soon given reason to fear for their lives.
Probably William Castle's best remembered horror film, the picture has endured thanks to the lure of Price in one of his most iconic roles, as well as the wide audience that has had access to the film since it fell into the public domain. Although some more subtlety and suspense would have probably served the picture better, and the camerawork is somewhat flatly photographed, it is well staged on its limited sets, and Castle's shock scenes still carry a bit of a jolt. There's no big names in the cast besides Price, but they play their parts well in sustaining the mystery at the heart of the film, and Ohmart, playing Price's venomous spouse, is very memorable. Price himself is a delight to watch, charming and distinguished in one scene, and snide and hateful in another, leaving the audience to guess if there is a malevolence beneath his skin, or if that's just another of the screenplay's deceptions.
Directed by William Castle
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Five strangers are invited by a millionaire to spend the night locked in a haunted house for a cash reward, and on accepting, are soon given reason to fear for their lives.
Probably William Castle's best remembered horror film, the picture has endured thanks to the lure of Price in one of his most iconic roles, as well as the wide audience that has had access to the film since it fell into the public domain. Although some more subtlety and suspense would have probably served the picture better, and the camerawork is somewhat flatly photographed, it is well staged on its limited sets, and Castle's shock scenes still carry a bit of a jolt. There's no big names in the cast besides Price, but they play their parts well in sustaining the mystery at the heart of the film, and Ohmart, playing Price's venomous spouse, is very memorable. Price himself is a delight to watch, charming and distinguished in one scene, and snide and hateful in another, leaving the audience to guess if there is a malevolence beneath his skin, or if that's just another of the screenplay's deceptions.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Isle Of The Dead (1945)
Starring Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Marc Cramer, Katherine Emery, Helene Thimig
Directed by Mark Robson
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When a wartime plague infests a Greek island, a general quarantines the island and tries to protect its residents, but then begins to believe that a young woman is a creature of evil causing the deaths.
I wouldn't categorize this as one of the best of producer Val Lewton's horror films, nor one of the lesser ones, but I don't think it quite hits the mark like Cat People or I Walked With A Zombie does. It is a handsome film to look at, and Ardel Wray's screenplay has a definite poetic beauty to it within the rhythm of the dialogue, enhanced by Jack MacKenzie's shadowy photography. I just think the filmmakers don't do enough to convince the audience the vorvolaka (the evil creature of Greek legend that Drew's character is accused of being), could really exist. Karloff's presence in the film is appreciated, but he's not showcased in a way to make his character seem really dangerous, or create genuine suspense. I do think the actresses in the film come off well and have some very worthy moments, but the borrowing of some Edgar Allan Poe material to create the film's climax seems ill-advised, and disconnected from the rest of the story.
Directed by Mark Robson
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When a wartime plague infests a Greek island, a general quarantines the island and tries to protect its residents, but then begins to believe that a young woman is a creature of evil causing the deaths.
I wouldn't categorize this as one of the best of producer Val Lewton's horror films, nor one of the lesser ones, but I don't think it quite hits the mark like Cat People or I Walked With A Zombie does. It is a handsome film to look at, and Ardel Wray's screenplay has a definite poetic beauty to it within the rhythm of the dialogue, enhanced by Jack MacKenzie's shadowy photography. I just think the filmmakers don't do enough to convince the audience the vorvolaka (the evil creature of Greek legend that Drew's character is accused of being), could really exist. Karloff's presence in the film is appreciated, but he's not showcased in a way to make his character seem really dangerous, or create genuine suspense. I do think the actresses in the film come off well and have some very worthy moments, but the borrowing of some Edgar Allan Poe material to create the film's climax seems ill-advised, and disconnected from the rest of the story.
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