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 Eat Your Skin (1964)

Starring William Joyce, Heather Hewitt, Betty Hyatt Linton, Dan Stapleton, Walter Coy
Directed by Del Tenney
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A publisher coaxes his star novelist into traveling with him to a tropical island for inspiration, but when they get there, voodoo sacrifices and zombies make it a hazardous vacation.

An efficient thriller from independent producer Del Tenney, who also made The Horror Of Party Beach and The Curse Of The Living Corpse, this doesn't have the depth or shock value of some other voodoo/zombie pictures, but it's fun and doesn't overstay its welcome.  IMDB says the original title was simply Zombies, but it wasn't released until 1971, and then renamed I Eat Your Skin, probably to capitalize on the popularity of 1968's Night Of The Living Dead- there's no actual skin-eating in this movie as there was in that film.  The zombie makeups are distinctive if not groundbreaking, with decaying skin and crusted-over eyes, the voodoo rituals are well-staged, and Tenney's script mixes in enough humor and romance to keep things moving at a nice pace.

The Horror Of Party Beach (1964)

Starring John Scott, Alice Lyon, Allan Laurel, Eulabelle Moore, Marilyn Clarke
Directed by Del Tenney
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Toxic waste dumped in the sea creates blood-drinking sea creatures that emerge on land and stalk teenage victims.

This is by no means a great movie, but it is fun in its own way, and I enjoyed it on that level.  Independent filmmaker Del Tenney, who earlier made the horror films Violent Midnight and The Curse Of The Living Corpse, brought this movie to life, merging horror and the rock'n'roll musical, to a certain extent.  Tenney's earlier films were a bit gorier than standard studio shockers, and this one continues that trend, but is lightened up a bit more by several songs by the Del-Aires, who perform amidst partying bathing-suit clad teens.  They're good enough tunes, I wouldn't say really all that catchy, but certainly not a chore to sit through.  The monster makeups are certainly distinctive, with ridged foreheads, bulging eyes, and vegetable stalks protruding from the creatures' mouths.  Maybe a little bit over-the-top, but their swaying movement as they stalk on land sold me and the cinematographer's cloaking them in shadow for their attack scenes was the right choice.