The Curse Of The Crying Woman (1961)

Starring Rosita Arenas, Abel Salazar, Rita Macedo, Carlos Lopez Moctezuma, Enrique Lucero

Directed by Rafael Baledon

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A witch descended from the legendary Crying Woman plots to use her niece to resurrect her ancient ancestor.

Based on a Mexican legend, this film amps up its horror elements as the evil witch Selma murders to fulfill a prophecy that will gain her absolute power if she can get her niece to fulfill her end.  Played by Rita Macedo, her evil doings are given heightened menace by the actress wearing black contact lenses giving her a very creepy spider-like visage.  Niece Amelia and her husband get drawn into her web, and also must contend with Selma’s insane husband and Juan, her scarred clubfooted partner in crime.  Baledon and his crew pack lots of dark imagery into the tale and creepy sights like rats and decaying corpses.  I’m not sure all the elements come together to make a unified whole and I thought the Crying Woman’s backstory was given too short shrift within the tale, but it’s still a worthwhile picture.

The Blancheville Monster (1963)

Starring Gerard Tichy, Leo Anchoriz, Ombretta Colli, Helga Line, Iran Eory
Directed by Alberto De Martino

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A young woman returns to her ancestral castle for her 21st birthday, only to be stalked by her disfigured father, ready to fulfill a prophecy that requires her death.

This moody psychological thriller starts out with a bang as the camera pans through a leafless forest during an electrical storm before moving to the dark foreboding castle in the background illuminated by lightning.  With a very atmospheric music score, and dark shadowy photography, there's much for the horror fan to enjoy, as we're introduced to the characters, with Colli's innocent damsel discovering her brother, his doctor, and their housekeeper all possessing dark secrets that will eventually be disclosed.  Although the film introduces its "monster" early on, I did find the story a bit slow-moving with numerous scenes where not much happens.  Nonetheless, this is still a work of quality, which looks great and is worth additional viewings.

The Curse Of The Living Corpse (1964)

Starring Roy Scheider, Helen Waren, Robert Milli, Margot Hartman, Hugh Franklin
Directed by Del Tenney

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

In 19th century New England, a cruel landowner dies, but warns his heirs that his spirit will hunt them down and murder them if they don't abide by the conditions of his will.

Del Tenney, probably best known for his horror-musical The Horror Of Party Beach, also made this horror film which is quite different, a stark period piece with victims being stalked on the grounds of a New England estate.  Scheider, later to star in Jaws, is the standout among a cast I was largely unfamiliar with, playing a smarmy drunkard who gets quite the showcase.  The horror scenes are generally well done, with a variety of attacks built around the characters' worst fears, and are broken up by the comic relief of a rotund constable who bumbles his way through trying to protect the family.  Although suitably unique from other fare of the time, the film is somewhat slow moving and not very involving with most of the main characters being unsympathetic.  Nevertheless, it's a good try by Tenney and has some worthwhile dark atmosphere.

I Married A Monster From Outer Space (1958)

Starring Tom Tryon, Gloria Talbott, Peter Baldwin, Robert Ivers, Chuck Wassil
Directed by Gene Fowler Jr.

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

On the eve of his wedding, an insurance salesman is secretly replaced by an alien being using his body, but before long his new bride begins to suspect he's an imposter. 

A distinctive and memorable science fiction drama, the picture has a well-written screenplay that slowly builds suspense as Talbott sees more and more evidence Tryon isn't the man she fell in love with.  It also has wonderful special effects for the era, courtesy of Universal veteran John P. Fulton, with luminous aliens, clouds of billowing smoke that envelop their victims, and atomizing ray gun blasts.  Talbott makes a lovely heroine, Tryon gives a stiff performance befitting a stranger in a strange body ignorant of human emotions, and there's good support from John Eldredge as the town's police chief and Ken Lynch as it's doctor.  The music and cinematography also contribute to the film's dark tone, creating a frightening tale of paranoia.  

The Haunted Strangler (1958)

Starring Boris Karloff, Jean Kent, Elizabeth Allan, Anthony Dawson, Vera Day
Directed by Robert Day

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A novelist tries to prove the man convicted and executed for the strangling murders of women was not the guilty party, not realizing he may have his own personal connection to the crimes. 

We have here a nice vehicle for Karloff, one of a couple of films he made for producer Richard Gordon in England.  He is quite believable as a dogged investigator of the crimes of the "Haymarket Strangler," trying to prove his point that the man executed was not only innocent, but would have never been convicted if he had the money for a good lawyer.  The film has fine production values illustrating its period setting well, and Karloff is well supported by a good cast around him.  Eventually, the identity of the true strangler is revealed, prompting a return to his terrible killings in a clever and gruesome makeup in scenes well-staged by Day and his crew.  It's a well-done horror film, well-suited to the film's legendary star.

Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe (1940)

Starring Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, Charles Middleton, Anne Gwynne, Frank Shannon
Directed by Ford Beebe & Ray Taylor

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

An attempt by Emperor Ming to spread a deadly plague across the Earth leads Flash Gordon and his friends to return to planet Mongo to thwart Ming's schemes once and for all. 

The third and final Flash Gordon serial returns Crabbe, Middleton, and Shannon as Gordon, Ming, and Dr. Zarkov, but fans will be disappointed the other regulars are recast, notably Carol Hughes replacing Jean Rogers as leading lady Dale Arden.  Still, the fun factor of the serial remains high, with adventures in the woodland kingdom of Arborea, the frozen wasteland of Frigeia, and the desolate cliffs of the Land of the Dead, underscored by classic music cues from Universal's library, particularly the Frankenstein films.  Future Universal horror staple Anne Gwynne has a meaty villainous role as a spy employed by Ming.  There's not as much of an emphasis on fantastic sights as the earlier serials, with the exception of some stock footage used from the first one, but there's spaceship battles, mid-air rescues, and fire and electrical traps that Flash must brave.  Fans of the past entries should find enough to enjoy, although it doesn't measure up to the gold standard of the first serial.