Starring Irish McCalla, Tod Griffin, Victor Sen Yung, Rudolph Anders, Gene Roth
Directed by Richard E. Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A spoiled rich girl and the men traveling with her are shipwrecked on an island where a Nazi scientist is transforming native women into savage monsters.
Another of Richard Cunha's quartet of independent sci-fi/horror films made for the drive-in circuit, it's fun and entertaining despite its flaws. Bookended by obvious stock footage for the hurricane that wrecks McCalla's boat and the volcano that dooms the island, what lies between is low budget but still interesting. McCalla's beauty, the monster makeups, and the cruelty of the Nazi officers are depended on to carry the film, and for me at least, do that successfully. That being said, the white actresses playing the native women stretch credibility, and a sequence where chief villain Anders explains his experiments goes on too long, but he gives a good performance, and Nicholas Carras' ominous score sets the right tone. I found McCalla, Griffin, and Sen Yung likable enough and the fight sequences well choreographed, although Griffin's stunt double quite noticeably looked far older than the actor. Still, the movie projects that 1950s sci-fi atmosphere well enough, and is a treasure for that alone.
Showing posts with label Richard E. Cunha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richard E. Cunha. Show all posts
Friday, November 2, 2018
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Giant From The Unknown (1958)
Starring Edward Kemmer, Sally Fraser, Bob Steele, Morris Ankrum, Buddy Baer
Directed by Richard E. Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After murder strikes a mountain resort community, a geologist falls under suspicion, but while the police investigate, he teams with an archaeologist looking for the remains of an ancient giant.
One of director Richard Cunha's four independent sci-fi/horror features, filmed and released in the late 1950s, I would judge this one as probably the best, although all four are entertaining in their own way. Frank Hart Taussig and Ralph Brooke's screenplay follows the blueprint for a monster movie, with all the key elements in place, from a legitimately creepy monster to a stalwart hero to his love interest to the clever scientist and an unusual setting leading to the climactic confrontation between Kemmer's hero and Baer's creature. The veteran actors in Cunha's cast are also a big plus, with Ankrum who had already been a staple in these kinds of pictures for some time, and Steele, coming to the end of a long career after making his name in a long series of westerns. Perhaps the film's strongest asset is Jack Pierce, the creator behind the makeup of so many of Universal Pictures' classic monsters, who gives Baer's murdering conquistador a fearsome look with weathered skin and decomposing teeth. With the wise decision to keep Baer's monster mute, and Baer's icy stare and Albert Glasser's menacing score also making important contributions, the filmmakers have succeeded in making an effective horror film on a low budget, and one that's definitely fun to watch.
Directed by Richard E. Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After murder strikes a mountain resort community, a geologist falls under suspicion, but while the police investigate, he teams with an archaeologist looking for the remains of an ancient giant.
One of director Richard Cunha's four independent sci-fi/horror features, filmed and released in the late 1950s, I would judge this one as probably the best, although all four are entertaining in their own way. Frank Hart Taussig and Ralph Brooke's screenplay follows the blueprint for a monster movie, with all the key elements in place, from a legitimately creepy monster to a stalwart hero to his love interest to the clever scientist and an unusual setting leading to the climactic confrontation between Kemmer's hero and Baer's creature. The veteran actors in Cunha's cast are also a big plus, with Ankrum who had already been a staple in these kinds of pictures for some time, and Steele, coming to the end of a long career after making his name in a long series of westerns. Perhaps the film's strongest asset is Jack Pierce, the creator behind the makeup of so many of Universal Pictures' classic monsters, who gives Baer's murdering conquistador a fearsome look with weathered skin and decomposing teeth. With the wise decision to keep Baer's monster mute, and Baer's icy stare and Albert Glasser's menacing score also making important contributions, the filmmakers have succeeded in making an effective horror film on a low budget, and one that's definitely fun to watch.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Missile To The Moon (1959)
Starring Richard Travis, Cathy Downs, K.T. Stevens, Tommy Cook, Nina Bara
Directed by Richard Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
On the verge of losing control of his planned spaceflight to the moon, a scientist takes off with two escaped convicts as his crew, and on landing, they find the moon inhabited by gorgeous women.
The last of Richard Cunha's four low-budget science fiction thrillers he directed in the late 1950s, this one is also something of a remake of 1953's Cat-Women Of The Moon, and has the same kitschy charm, although there's plenty of sexism on display. Each of the moon women is costumed in outfits meant to attract the male gaze, which they try not to let us forget, overemphasizing their chests to an almost incredible degree. That doesn't mean the picture isn't fun, with clunky rock monsters and giant spiders on noticeable wires menacing the Earth astronauts and entertaining us. The film also adds the new story element of a power struggle between the moon's aging queen and her upstart lieutenant, which doesn't have any depth to it, but adds some witchy conflict where its sorely needed. Alert viewers should notice stock footage from several other science fiction adventures, and Cunha clearly made this on a shoestring, but it's a shame his series of entertaining cult favorites had to end here.
Directed by Richard Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
On the verge of losing control of his planned spaceflight to the moon, a scientist takes off with two escaped convicts as his crew, and on landing, they find the moon inhabited by gorgeous women.
The last of Richard Cunha's four low-budget science fiction thrillers he directed in the late 1950s, this one is also something of a remake of 1953's Cat-Women Of The Moon, and has the same kitschy charm, although there's plenty of sexism on display. Each of the moon women is costumed in outfits meant to attract the male gaze, which they try not to let us forget, overemphasizing their chests to an almost incredible degree. That doesn't mean the picture isn't fun, with clunky rock monsters and giant spiders on noticeable wires menacing the Earth astronauts and entertaining us. The film also adds the new story element of a power struggle between the moon's aging queen and her upstart lieutenant, which doesn't have any depth to it, but adds some witchy conflict where its sorely needed. Alert viewers should notice stock footage from several other science fiction adventures, and Cunha clearly made this on a shoestring, but it's a shame his series of entertaining cult favorites had to end here.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Frankenstein's Daughter (1958)
Starring John Ashley, Sandra Knight, Donald Murphy, Sally Todd, Harold Lloyd Jr.
Directed by Richard Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.co
A kindly scientist fails to realize that his uncooperative assistant is actually a descendant of the infamous Frankenstein family, and is engaged in secret experiments of his own.
More famous for its laughable monster than anything else, (a stocky man plays the female monster with only some lipstick on to convey it's a lady), this low-budget effort from producer/director Richard Cunha seems an attempt to capitalize on the success of Herman Cohen's teenage monster movies. Had they kept the focus on Sandra Knight's character after being transformed into an ugly creature after taking a potion from the film's villain, it might have been a more respectable effort but the filmmakers try to go all out with the titular creature and fail miserably. Nevertheless, the picture brings the fun, particularly for fans of 1950s horror, and I must confess a certain fondness for the featured song, "Special Date," from Page Cavanaugh and His Trio, who would go to enjoy more success than this movie.
Directed by Richard Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.co
A kindly scientist fails to realize that his uncooperative assistant is actually a descendant of the infamous Frankenstein family, and is engaged in secret experiments of his own.
More famous for its laughable monster than anything else, (a stocky man plays the female monster with only some lipstick on to convey it's a lady), this low-budget effort from producer/director Richard Cunha seems an attempt to capitalize on the success of Herman Cohen's teenage monster movies. Had they kept the focus on Sandra Knight's character after being transformed into an ugly creature after taking a potion from the film's villain, it might have been a more respectable effort but the filmmakers try to go all out with the titular creature and fail miserably. Nevertheless, the picture brings the fun, particularly for fans of 1950s horror, and I must confess a certain fondness for the featured song, "Special Date," from Page Cavanaugh and His Trio, who would go to enjoy more success than this movie.
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