Hands!

"Now 75 years later in an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods and minds like empty rooms, I still plod along with books"-Harper Lee





HANDS OF A STRANGER-Allied Artists-(1962)-Cheap, very boring rip-off of "The Hands Of Orlac"(filmed at least 3 times before) with a pianist (James Stapleton) receiving a "hands transplant" from a doctor (Paul Luklather) after his are mangled in a car crash. Unfortunately, the hands he gets are those of a killer. He can't seem to accept this and kills some people (including a child). He sets his girlfriend (Irish McCalla) on fire and just acts generally crazy. The story hints that his love for his over-protective sister (Joan Harvey) who falls for the doctor might be behind his problems. The investigating detective (Lawrence Haddon) is pretty funny but it's mostly just talk and bad acting.

Director Newt Arnold was mainly a career second unit or assistant director on many films (he died in 2000) and HANDS was the first of only three movies he would make. Strangely the next two would both have "blood" in the title. He'd make the Phillipines lensed BLOOD THIRST in 1971 and the early Jean-Claude Van Damme starrer BLOODSPORT in 1981. He even acted in a few movies.

Then unknown Sally Kellerman has a small role in HANDS but the only other "name star" is Irish McCalla who had gained fame in the '50's as TV's "Sheena Of The Jungle" (and the female lead in SHE DEMONS). She retired after this to become a successful artist despite battles with brain tumors. She died in 2000.

"There are many things in life that are more important than money. And they all cost money"-Fred Allen

Thanks for reading!