Allison Hayes

ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN-1958-Wealthy alcoholic Nancy Archer (Allison Hayes), a socialite fresh out of a mental hospital has a close encounter with a giant alien. No one believes her of course. Her husband Harry (William Hudson) carries on with floozy Honey Parker (Yvette Vickers) and is only around for her money and would like to send her back to the hospital and take possession of her famous “Star of India” necklace. Later Nancy and Harry go out into the desert and at first find nothing. Nancy is ready to commit herself until the UFO shows up and a rubbery giant alien hand terrorizes her. Harry hops in the car and abandons her! The sheriff (George Douglas) and his stupid deputy (Frank Chase) investigate and arrest Harry when he and Honey try to skip town. Nancy is found on  the roof of the bath house exonerating Harry. 

Later on Nancy grows to an enormous size and two doctors Cushing (Roy Gordon) and Loeb (Otto Waldis) think it's due to radiation. The sheriff finds huge footprints in the garden and he and Jess, Nancy's faithful butler (Ken Terrell) follow them. The duo find the spacecraft, enter it and find a collection of jewels including Nancy's “Star of India”. They are chased away by the same giant giant Nancy encountered and he wrecks their car and flies away in his ship. Eventually Nancy breaks free and combs the town for hubby yelling “Harry! Harry!” She finds and kills him just before being electrocuted herself. 

Although this a fun low budget Sci-Fi movie it's really hampered by terrible SFX. Director Nathan Juran didn't like it and is credited as Nathan Hertz (he made THE  7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD the same year). Screenwriter Mark Hanna had written THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN for Burt I. Gordon the year before!

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Air Farce

 

THE STARFIGHTERS-1964-In this cold war documentary like yawn inducer, seasoned Air Force major Stevens trains three newbies on refueling planes in the mid-air including Lt. John Witkowski (Robert Dornan), a senator's son. This movie is excruciating in it's boredom. The lead actor later became a controversial racist senator. Director Will Zens made a handful of other movies like CAPTURE THAT CAPSULE and HOT SUMMER IN BAREFOOT COUNTY. Even MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000's version couldn't save this thing!

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Nazi Manhunt

 

OPERATION EICHMANN-1961-Nazi Adolf Eichmann (Werner Klemperer) is in charge of the “ Final Solution”. His assistant is Hoss (John Banner) who talks about extermination around the dinner table with his wife and children. Eichmann berates the captain of Dachau (Theodore Marcuse) for his killing quota being down. He keeps his wife in Munich while he romances his mistress Anna (Ruta Lee) in Berlin. After orchestrating many atrocities he escapes with Anna. A guy named David (Donald Buka) who'd watched his parents gassed at Auschwitz forms a group that hunts Nazis. They discover Eichmann in Madrid. He flees to Kuwait branded a Jew (a story made up by David's group) but an official (Oscar Beregi) helps him escape. He winds up in Argentina but nobody likes him there. It ends with him captured, being taken back to Israel to stand trial. 

Though obviously produced on a low budget this little docu-drama is very well made by director R.G. Springsteen, who's greatest output was westerns. It's also weird to see Klemperer along side Banner in such serious roles as a few years later they would play comic Nazis in TV's “Hogan's Heroes”. The real Eichmann was executed in 1962.

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“Rotten Stinking Mouthpiece”

 

THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MAN-1956-A police officer Dick Chasen (Casey Adams aka Max Showalter) relates the story of Butcher Benton (Lon Chaney Jr.), a criminal double crossed by his partners and sentenced to death. He's also the only one who knows where the 6 hundred thousand dollar haul is. His lawyer Paul Lowe (Ross Elliot) is behind the whole thing. After vowing revenge, Benton is executed but two scientists (Robert Shayne and Joe Flynn) accidentally bring him back to life. Unable to talk anymore he becomes a mute revenge seeking monster impervious to bullets. He goes after Lowe and his pals Squeamy Ellis (Marvin Press) and Joe Marcellia (Ken Terrell) but first stops off to see his Burlesque dancer girlfriend Eva (Marion Carr). After getting even with most of them Benton meets his demise in a sewer where he's burned to death. 

This fast moving low budget horror crime drama also features intense close ups of Chaney's eyes. Director Jack Pollexfen produced and wrote many low budget features including THE NEANDERTHAL MAN, DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL and THE ATOMIC BRAIN.

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William Whitney

 

THE CAT BURGLAR-1961-Jack Coley (Jack Hogan, later in the TV series “Combat!”) is a cat burglar who steals a suitcase with valuable papers from Nan Baker (June Kenney from EARTH VS. THE SPIDER). She gets help from a wino (Bruno VeSota) and a pawnbroker (Gene Roth) to get it back but an important notebook is missing. Since Jack threw away the plans he tries to forge a new copy. The guys who want the papers Reed (Gregg Palmer) and Leo (Will White) beat Jack up. Nan's boyfriend Alan (John Baer; NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST) is mixed up in a spy ring. Everyone but Nan dies in the final shootout. 

A seldom seen little crime drama directed by veteran William Whitney who was doing lots of TV at this time but also made MASTER OF THE WORLD the same year. Actor Leo Gordon wrote it.

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Based on The Truth

 

39 STRIPES-1979-Director/co-writer Ron Ormond presents this dramatization of the real life preacher Ed Martin (Tim Ormond who wrote the script with dad), a former chain gang convict who found Jesus and was born again. Boring with too much talk. The acting and direction suck.

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I Am The God of Hell Fire!

 

BURNING HELL-1974-A preacher tries to convince everyone that the Bible says there is a real Hell and sinners will burn there forever if they do not repent and accept Jesus. He's mocked by 2 bikers but when one of them is decapitated the other goes to hear the preacher's sermon which tells the story of a king of Babylon who goes to Hell where sinners are a burnt bloody mess. Maggots eat up Herod in another scene. Then there's the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The greedy rich man winds up frying in Hell while the beggar Lazarus ascends to heaven and sits with Abraham (who looks like Rip Van Winkle). "The Bible says" is his favorite term. 

This Christian scare film is badly made and acted and co-written and directed by Ron Ormond who along with his wife June and son Tim (who plays the surviving biker in this) made many more religiously twisted exploitation films.

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Mothra

MOTHRA-1961-A group of scientists, photog Michi (Kyoko Kagawa) and Bulldog (Furanki Sakai), a stowaway reporter go to investigate an island they thought was deserted after learning of an A-bomb testing by the nation of Rolisca (stand in for the USA). They discover “Shobijin” two tiny ladies who save Dr. Chujo (Hiroshi Koizumi) from some killer plants. An evil guy named Neruson (Jerry Ito) tries to capture the duo and natives surround the group. They leave but Neruson comes back, kidnaps the little pair and takes them to Japan where he plans to exploit them. Bad move. They sing a song about Mothra who eventually comes to Japan as a giant caterpillar. When the army fails to kill it, Mothra spins a cocoon and becomes the colorful winged giant moth. Neruson is killed and the girls are returned to their island. Bulldog's editor is played by the great Takeshi Shimura.

 Ishiro Honda directed and did his usual great job despite a restricted budget. It was the first entry in a new Kaiju series that would eventually rival Godzilla in popularity in Japan. The J-pop duo “The Peanuts” played the little ladies (they were really twin sisters).

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Daminsky!

 

THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN-1971-Two college students Elvira (Gaby Fuchs) and Genevieve (Barbara Capell) are looking for the grave of a blood drinking countess. They stumble upon the home of writer Vladimir Daminsky (Paul Naschy) who seems very hospitable until they mention the countess. He invites them to stay over and at night a strange woman tries to strangle Elvira. It turns out to be Daminsky's "mentally disturbed" sister Elizabeth (Yelena Samarina). The next day she attacks Genevieve. 

With Daminsky's help the women find the countess' tomb and open her coffin. Genevieve cuts herself and her blood drips on the corpse. Then Elvira is attacked by a skeletal faced figure dressed like a monk (some say this brief character may have influenced "The Blind Dead" series, the first of which was made several months later). At night Genevieve falls under the spell of the countess (Paty Shepard). Somehow Elvira and Daminsky fall in love. The countess kills Elizabeth and Daminsky explains it will soon be Walpurgis night when the devil rules and vampires take over. At night while Elvira is in the village with the dumb handyman, Daminsky finally turns into a scary werewolf. Elvira has a weird dream and the next day she learns her lover boy's secret. Genevieve bites Elvira but when Vlad kills her, Elivra gets better. The countess seems to disappear into the catacombs. 

Elvira chains up Vlad but the handyman tries to kidnap Elvira. Daminsky escapes and kills him. Elvira's boyfriend Marcello shows up to cause more trouble but he and Elvira are made prisoners by the countess. Vlad saves them just before the devil (director Carlos Aured) arrives and transforms into a wolf and kills the countess. Elvira stabs her wolfman with a cross and "frees him" (until the next movie). 

Leon Klimovsky directed from a screenplay by Naschy (under his real name Jacinto Molina) and the two would later team up for a few more horror outings. This fifth installment was a huge hit in Europe.

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Like Father Like Son? Think About, Won't You?

 

THE ASYLUM TAPES-2012-This found footage nonsense was made by Sean Stone, son of Oliver (Run! He's breeding!) and covers no new ground in the rapidly declining “found footage” genre. Some idiots go to an abandoned mental hospital and spend the rest of the time saying "Did you hear that?” and yelling “Let's just go, man!” and cursing. One guy vomits. It may have to do with devil worship, shadow people and/or self inflicted madness. Dad Stone appears at beginning as himself. 

On DVD it's called GREYSTONE PARK. 

Monique van Vooren (FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN) has a small role.

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Expose The Negative!

 

EXPOSURE-2018-A husband and wife Jimmy (Owen Lawless) and Myra (Carmen Anello) go to his secluded childhood home to try and mend their marriage. After a lot of nothing happens he turns into a monster. She bites off his tongue which is really his penis when he attacks her and later pulls out his heart. Lynn Lowry (THE CRAZIES, SHIVERS) appears briefly as Jimmy's grandmother. 

Director/co-writer Austin Snell: Please find another profession!

More '80's Stuff...

 

NIGHT SCHOOL-1981-In Boston,a killer in a leather suit and motorcycle helmet beheads his victims. An idiot police Lieutenant and his stupid Sargent investigate. A red herring dish washer talks like Torgo from MANOS, THE HANDS OF FATE. The lieutenant suspects college professor Millet (Drew Synder) is the murderer since he's an authority on headhunters in Borneo. He also fools around with his students and takes a weird bloody shower with his live in assistant (Rachel Ward in her film debut). 

Another typical '80's slasher movie (aka TERROR EYES), this one directed by Ken Hughes who in better days had made CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, CROMWELL and OF HUMAN BONDAGE. His previous movie had been the infamous SEXTETTE (starring the 85 year old Mae West). NIGHT SCHOOL was his last feature.

'80's Slasher Stuff

 

FINAL EXAM-1981-Typical '80's slasher movie obviously influenced by HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13th. After a couple is killed by a masked killer, it's mostly talk and false scares for 40 mins. until the next murder occurs. Eventually an unknown killer knocks off most of the jerks but one overage teen manages to stop him. 

The director Jimmy Huston also made MY BEST FRIEND IS A VAMPIRE.

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Bug!

 

BUG-1975-In a small town an earthquake unleashes cockroach like bugs that can start fires. A bug doc James Parmiter (Bradford Dillman) and student Gerald Methbaum (Richard Gilliland) investigate.They get help from a chemist Mark Ross (Alan Fudge). Most of the invaders die from air pressure but Parmiter keeps one specimen alive. When she wife (Joanna Miles) is killed she goes a little crazy and breeds the remaining bug with everyday roaches and creates a fast breeding bunch of intelligent flying roaches (worse than before). They kill Ross' wife (Patty McCormack) and terrorize Parmiter and set him on fire. He falls into a fissure and the flying bugs seem to follow him. Also with Jesse Vint and Frederic Brown. 

BUG's screenplay was co-written by the legendary William Castle (who also produced) and Thomas Page who wrote the novel the movie is based on. French born director Jeannot Szwarc mostly worked on TV series (NIGHT GALLERY; KOJAK) and made for TV movies. BUG was a rare theatrical release but in the early '80's he made several high profile feature films (JAWS 2; SOMEWHERE IN TIME; SUPERGIRL; SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE). BUG is genuinely creepy and the story is a little more unusual than most.

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Accept No Substitutes...

ALONE IN THE DARK-1982-Dr. Daniel Potter (Dwight Schultz) comes to work at a clinic for mental cases run by the eccentric pot smoking Dr. Leo Bain (Donald Pleasence). His star patients are Ronald Elster (Erland Van Lidth), a child molester, the paranoid Col. Hawkes (Jack Palance), ex-preacher Byron Sutcliff (Martin Landau), an arsonist and John Skaggs who strangles people when he gets a nose bleed. Hawkes believes Potter killed their former doctor and wants revenge (“There are no crazy people, doctor. We're all on vacation”). 

 At a club The Sic F*cks do “Chop Up Your Mother”. A blackout allows the nutty gang to escape. During a riot of stealing they get weapons. Skaggs leaves them but the rest go looking for Potter, whose sister meets a guy named Tom (Phillips Clark) at a “no nukes” rally and invites him to dinner at her brother's house. Tom helps fight off the loonies when they attack. Bain comes to help but Sutcliff cuts off his ear. (Bain is never seen again but I suppose he's killed) Despite helping the family (and killing Elster) Tom turns out to be “the bleeder” Skaggs but they kill him. 

When Hawkes closes in for the kill the electricity comes back on and a timely news report confirms the previous doctor is still alive. Hawkes evades the police, beats up a bouncer at a club and meets a weird woman while The Sic F*cks play. Hawkes pulls out his gun and points it at the woman. She just laughs. So does Hawkes. 

This was director Jack Sholder's first feature film and it's a great debut but after making NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE and THE HIDDEN he seemed to drift into TV movies. Both Palance and Landau went on to win Academy Awards.

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Ray & Rosey

 

THE THING WITH TWO HEADS-1972-Ray Milland (obviously paying back old debts to AIP) stars as Maxwell Krishner, a dying racist doctor who plans to live forever by having his head transplanted to another body (like the millionaire in THE MAN WITHOUT A BODY). He's kind of pissed when his head is put on the body of an African American death row inmate Jack Moss (former football player Rosey Greer) who claims to be innocent. Rosey/Ray awakens from the operation early and escapes and takes slighted black doctor Fred Williams (Don Marshall) with him/them. They embark on a silly journey to find Jack's wife Lila (Chelsea Browne). They even ride a motorcycle in a dirt race! White cops chase them and smash ups ensue and Krishner's colleague Dr. Desmond (Roger Perry) looks for them too. 

After all these years I'm still not sure if this is intentionally funny or not. Typical '70's styles and attitudes abound. Jack gets away at the end but is never actually proven innocent. Co-writer and director Lee Frost (who also appears as a cop) had made LOVE CAMP #7 and CHAIN GANG WOMEN.

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Good Things Come In Threes

 

TALES OF TERROR-1962-This trilogy from AIP is based on stories by who else but Edgar Allen Poe. All three star Vincent Price (He also made THE RAVEN with Corman (and Lorre) the same year).

Morella-Daughter Lenora (Maggie Pierce) gets a disturbing unwelcome from her estranged dad Locke (Vincent Price), a recluse in a gloomy cobwebbed mansion where he mourns the death of his wife Morella (Leona Gage). He seems to blame Lenora for her death since she died in child birth. When Lenora finds the mummified body of her mom in bed Dad confesses that excessive partying actually killed her. After it seems Lenora dies, Morella possesses her body and kills Locke but Lenora really did the deed. Morella smiles...

The Black Cat-Drunken Montresor (Peter Lorre) mistreats his wife Annabel (Joyce Jameson) and her black cat. At a wine tasting he meets pompous wine expert Luchresi (Vincent Price). When Montresor gets very drunk, Luchresi takes him home and meets Annabel. They fall in love. Montresor finds out about their affair and walls them up in the basement. After a drunken dream where the clandestine lovers play catch with Montresor's head, the police arrive looking for his wife. Of course the hated cat was walled up with the couple. Uses parts from “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado”.

The Facts in The Case of M. Valdemar-Carmichael (Basil Rathbone), a hypnotist helps relieve the pain of the dying Ernest Valdemar (Vincent again). His young assistant James (David Frankham) smells treachery. Valdemar agrees to be hypnotized on his death bed as part of Carmichael's weird experiment. James was right of course. The hypnotist will not let Valdemar die unless his wife Helene (Debra Paget), agrees to marry him. When Carmichael tries to molest her, Valdemar rises from his un-dead death bed and kills his tormentor.

Roger Corman (director) and Richard Matheson (screenplay) score again with this great anthology. The acting, direction and SFX are top notch and the middle story inspired Corman and Matheson to make A COMEDY OF TERRORS.

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Manila Dead

 

THE THIRSTY DEAD-1974-In Manila (where this was filmed) some young women, Bonnie (Chiqui da Rosa), Claire (Meredith McConnell; THE DOLL SQUAD), Laura (Jennifer Billingsley) and Ann (Fredricka Meyers) are kidnapped by some hooded thugs and taken to a remote place. At first they believe they're prisoners of white slavers but then they learn they are captives of an ancient cult lead by Ranu (Tani Gutherie) and Baru (John Considine; a year after DR.DEATH-SEEKER OF SOULS). They have special leaves that when mixed with the blood of young women make a potion that gives "the chosen" eternal life. They all worship a head in a red crystal like stone. They want Laura to join them but she refuses so Baru locks her in a dungeon where some hideous women with long fingernails attack her. They are former victims drained to uselessness. An old woman helps the quartet escape but when they stop in a tiny village they are recaptured. Randu does a dance in front of the head while Baru talks to Laura about life before eternal youth. After the old woman who helped her is killed Baru decides to help them escape. Claire falls to her death but he leads the others through the jungle after letting free the ugly victims as a diversion. Unfortunately he goes beyond the "ring of age" and starts getting old. The girls escape but when Laura brings back the police lead by a grouchy Lieutenant (Vic Diaz) they are unable to find anything. Ken Metcafe (later the male lead in FIRECRACKER) is a helicopter pilot. 

This is the only full length feature directed by actor Terry Becker (Sgt. Sharkey on TV's “Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea”) after many TV credits. He also co-produced it and provided the story.

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https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2009/08/one-from-japan-one-from-philippines.html

https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2019/05/dr-death-and-mr-howard.html

"It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters"

 

MOTEL HELL-1980-At the Hotel Hello where the “o” burns out Farmer Vincent (Rory Calhoun) rescues Terry (Nina Axelrod) from a motorcycle crash and brings her to his hotel/farm where he lives with his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons; later in the PORKY'S series of movies). A nosy animal doctor finds out the farmer's secret. He's “harvesting” kidnapped people to make his famous sausage products. He sets traps that make a rock band's van crash, then plants them. The same goes for an S & M couple (Elaine Joyce and Dick Curtis) while a TV preacher (Wolfman Jack) is on TV. Jealous Ida tries to drown Terry but Vincent saves her (it looked like an accident) and Terry agrees to marry him! Bruce (Paul Linke; later a regular on the TV show CHiPs) the stupid sheriff discovers Vincent is up to no good. Some of the victims get loose and kill Ida. Bruce fights Vincent (in a pig mask) in a chainsaw battle finale. He kills Vincent and saves Terry before she's chopped up. A clip from THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD shows up on TV. 

This weird horror comedy was directed by Kevin Connor (THE LAND THAT TIME FORGET, THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT) who went on to direct many US TV shows and movies (He made GOLIATH AWAITS with Christopher Lee and John Carradine the next year).

Star Rory Calhoun had been in the successful TV western "Tales Of Welles Fargo" (1957-1962). 

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Late '80's Horror

THE VIDEO DEAD-1987-A guy receives a TV set anonymously. He watches a black and white zombie movie that continues to play even after he pulls the plug. Overnight zombies come out of the TV and kill the guy. 3 months later brother and sister Jeff (Rocky Duvall) and Zoe (Roxanna Augesten) are living in the house waiting for their parents to come back from Saudi Arabia. Jeff finds the TV in the attic and helps neighbor April (Vicki Bastel; also in THE BAD LIEUTENANT) look for her lost poodle. The dog dies and there seems to be zombies in the local woods. While Jeff is smoking a joint, a woman comes out of the TV and kisses him. She goes back into the TV and her throat is cut by “The Garbage Man”. When Jeff tries to get rid of the TV a severed hand attacks him. Zombies invade April's home and do dumb things like sitting around a table pretending to eat. One puts on a wig and is scared by a blender. A zombie pops out of a dishwasher and kills a woman. A man has his head twisted around. A guy name Daniels (Sam David McClelland) shows up and says the TV's haunted. After April is killed Jeff, Zoe and Daniels fight the zombies. The guys are killed and Zoe has to fight some zombies by not showing fear. Unfortunately she goes insane. You might too. 

Robert Scott, the writer/director of this nonsense was was actually a second unit director on many TV shows.

Robot Puppet

ROBOT HOLOCAUST-1987-Low budget post apocalyptic nonsense about survivors of a robot uprising who oppose “The Dark Lord”. The acting, sfx, direction and script are terrible. Most of the monsters are puppets. 

Director Tim Kincaid also made BREEDERS, MUTANT HUNT and BAD GIRLS DORMITORY around the same time. He directed SHE'S BACK with Carrie Fisher in 1989 but he's biggest output were gay porno films usually under the name Joe Gage. 

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Rambo

NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON-1974-A newlywed couple David (Dack Rambo) and Jill (Rebecca Dianna Smith) participate in a weird hick ritual where they have to run away from their wedding while a group led by Jill's father (Pat Hingle) tries to catch them, The couple elude the party but while skinny dipping at a secluded motel they witness two thugs Sandy (Roy Jenson) and the psychotic Lee (John Beck) kill an embezzler (David Huddleson). They discover the couple, knock David out and rape Jill. The redneck asshole sheriff (Richard O'Brien) is no help. David plots revenge. He roughs up smug local boss Ruskin (Jay Robinson) and fights it out with Lee fight in the climax with Jill's life at stake. Dennis Patrick, Jim Boles and Bob Steele have small roles. 

This pretty dismal MGM production was filmed in and around New Orleans by director Eliot Silverstein (CAT BALLOU, A MAN CALLED HORSE) who's next film would be THE CAR in 1977.

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Corman's Swamp

 

SWAMP DIAMONDS-1956-In New Orleans during Mardi Gras, a female police Lt. Lee Hampton (Carole Mathews) poses as a hardened criminal to infiltrate The Nardo gang or at least the women serving life sentences for a jewelry robbery their men were executed for. Their leader is Josie Nardo (Marie Windsor) plus the flirty Billie (Jill Jarym) and the trigger happy high strung Vera (Beverly Garland). Hampton plans their escape and they head for a Bayou swamp to get their stash. When their boat springs a leak they confiscate a boat carrying oil speculator Bob (Mike Connors) and his dumb girlfriend Marie (Susan Cummings). Their guide is killed and the gang for some reason take the pair hostage. The women argue, fight, lust after Bob and verbally abuse Marie who tries to sell out Bob and winds up alligator bait when she tries to escape. They find the diamonds and get happy but Vera steals the diamonds (and Bob). When the remaining members go after her she tries to ambush them but is killed. Hampton over powers the remaining two and rescues Bob (who has no idea she's undercover) just as the police arrive. Ed Nelson (as a police officer) and Jonathan Haze (as a pickpocket) have small roles at the beginning of the film. 

Also known as SWAMP WOMEN, this kind of crazy in color women out of prison movie was made by Roger Corman a year after his first science fiction film (and third movie) THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (also with Connors). The same year he also made IT CONQUERED THE WORLD and two westerns GUNSLINGER (also with Garland) and OKLAHOMA WOMAN. Parts of it are fairly improbable but it's still fun with Beverly Garland giving a good performance as the ruthless Vera.

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Thunder

 

THUNDER ISLAND-1963-In Puerto Rico, an American hit man Billy Poole (Gene Nelson) is hired by Anita Chavez (Miriam Colon) to kill Antonio Perez (Jose' de San Anton) the former dictator of her South American country. He plots to have another American Vincent (Brian Kelly) take him to an island where his would be victim lives. It also involves Vincent's wife Helen (Fay Spain) and their daughter being used as hostages. 

This forgettable little drama was written by Dean Devlin and Jack Nicholson and lead to executive producer Robert L. Lippert hiring Nicholson to write and direct FLIGHT TO FURY in '64. Director Jack Leewood directed only one other movie but produced a lot more including THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE and LOST CONTINENT. 

Lead actor Gene Nelson began a second career as a director soon after this but continued to act, mostly on TV.

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WW2

 

PRISONER OF JAPAN-1942-During WW 2 David Bowman (Alan Baxter), alcoholic conscientious objector and astronomer living on a South Sea island eventually rises up to rebel against the (phony) Japanese agent (Ernest Dorian) who's keeping him a prisoner. He gets help from Toni Chase (Gertrude Michael) who's on the same island for some reason. It has a sad ending. 

Patriotic war time low budget take from PRC directed by Arthur Ripley from a story by Edgar Ulmer (some sources say he directed parts of it too). This was Ripley's first full length feature after making many short films.

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William Castle

 

STRAIT-JACKET-1964-Lucy Harbin (Joan Crawford) comes home early from a trip to find her younger husband (un-billed Lee Majors in his screen debut) has been doing the nasty with an old flame. Outraged she chops them up with an ax. Unfortunately her young daughter Carol sees the whole thing. Lucy is confined to an insane asylum. 20 years later Carol (Diane Baker) tells her boyfriend Michael Fields (John Anthony Hayes) all about it because mom has just been released and is coming for a visit! 

Carol has been living in anonymity with aunt Emily (Rochelle Hudson) and uncle Bill (Leif Erickson). "My mother....a murderess". Lucy arrives and they get along at first but she's reluctant to meet Michael and seems to like knives. While shopping with Carol she freaks out when some kids sing "London Bridge". She wakes up with decapitated corpses in her bed and a bloody ax. But of course when everyone comes to look there's nothing there. She really gets upset when she sees the weird handyman Krause (George Kennedy) kill a chicken. When her doctor (non-actor Mitchell Cox) pays her a visit he winds up axed in the slaughterhouse. When Krause finds the dead doc's body he gets axed too. When Michael's parents refuse the marriage Mike's father (Howard St. John) is the next victim. A whacked out ending reveals whether Lucy is crazy or not. 

William Castle made this fairly suspenseful if predicable little tale that was originally suppose to star Joan Blondel in the lead but an accident forced her out and “Mommie Dearest” herself Joan Crawford signed on but not before Robert Bloch had to completely rewritten the script to suit Crawford including the final scene. At the time Joan was on the board of directors of the Pepsi company (her late husband had been the CEO) and made sure there was some product placement as well as getting Mitchell Cox, the Pepsi vice president to portray her doctor! 

Castle also made THE NIGHT CALLER with Barbara Stanwyck the same year. He and Crawford teamed up again the next year for I SAW WHAT YOU DID.

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Tiny Planet

 

THE PHANTOM PLANET-1961-After an Earth rocket ship that look off from the moon is destroyed by some kind of asteroid Commander Frank Chapman (Dean Fredericks) and his philosophical co-pilot Makonnen (Richard Weber) investigate. When Makonnen is killed saving Chapman, the ship is drawn to an asteroid and is forced to land. When Chapman steps onto the planet he passes out. Later he wakens and encounters some tiny inhabitants. He passes out again and shrinks to their size. They seize him and bring him to a court overseen by Sessom (Francis X. Bushman). It seems he's on the planet Rheton and can never go back to Earth. Sessom wants Chapman to be a productive citizen even offering the astronaut his choice of a wife, his daughter Liara or the mute Zetha (Dolores Faith). 

Sessom's second in command Aron (Anthony Dexter) is the troublemaker who gets jealous when Liara takes a liking to the alien Chapman. Meantime, a search party is sent out to find the missing astro. 

He seems to prefer Zita but green eyes Aron challenges Chapman to "the duel". When Chapman bests his rival he refuses to kill Aron and let's him live. Then Aron wants to help Chapman leave so he can have Liara all to himself although Chapman already told her to bug off. Before the escape plan can be implemented, their dreaded enemies The Solarites attack. They destroy the attackers but a captured Solarite (Richard Kiel in his film debut) escapes and attacks Sessom. Chapman is eventually rescued but thinks it all might have been a dream except he has a stone Zita gave him. 

There's some minor narration at the beginning by Marvin Miller. Director William Marshall (not to be confused with the actor who played Blacula) also produced and co-wrote this unusual space opera. 

Richard Kiel and Dolores Faith were reunited a few years later in THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS (1965).

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???

 

BLOOD FARM-2018-A freak (Thomas Sunken,the executive producer) who wears a dish towel over his head and makes weird screaming noises kills people, chops up the bodies and cooks them. An amateur vigilante SWAT team is hunting him and describe him as the "legend that never dies". He seems to commit all his murders in broad daylight so I don't see why finding him is such a problem. He has some weird flashbacks and later puts on a blue wig and suspenders and terrorizes two team members. The night time scenes are like a YouTube ghost video. 

Ganon Gorder, the writer/director plays one of the hunters. This annoying, boring, hopeless mess was filmed in Iowa.

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Recent Horrors

 

THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA-2019-Anna (Linda Cantellini) a child abuse case worker investigates the death of two children under her care. The kids' mother blames La Llorrona, the weeping woman, a Mexican ghost/demon condemned to wander the Earth looking for children to kill. Anna's own children seem to be next on La Llorona's list! When the evil spirit leaves burn marks on her kids' arms she's investigated for child abuse. Eventually the priest from ANNABELLE (Tony Amendola) sends them to a defrocked priest (Raymond Cruz) who performs some weird rituals that seem to work until the daughter breaks the protective barrier. When the mother of the dead kids shows up things get even worse but a well placed cross helps get rid of the evil...I guess...

This stand alone entry into the “Conjuring” universe is an nice thriller that doesn't go overboard and provides some good chills. It was directed by Michael Chaves and produced by James Wan.

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The Mummy!

 

THE MUMMY'S HAND-1940-An Egyptian high priest of Karnak (Eduardo Ciannelli) summons his fez wearing son Ab (George Zucco, round of applause) to an ancient tomb. Before he dies he tells the tale of princess Ananka who died and how grieving lover Kharis stole the secret of eternal life from Isis (tana leaves) but was caught and buried alive. For 3000 years Kharis has protected his former lover's tomb. Dad also gives son the lowdown on tana leaves and how they control the mummy. (3 keeps him alive, 9 brings him to life, more than 9 is a no-no). In Cairo, Steve Manning (Dick Foran) and Babe Jenson (Wallace Ford) meet magician Kim Sullivan aka The Great Solvani (Cecil Kellaway). Manning is an archaeologist who convinces Sullivan to invest in his expedition to discover Ananka's tomb. This upsets his daughter Marta (Peggy Moran) who had planned to go back to the US with Dad. Since Ab had visited her earlier to warn her of con-men she naturally suspects Steve and Babe. In the desert they find "The tomb of the seven jackals". They open up a sarcophagus but only find a male mummy. Ab brings the mummy (Tom Tyler) to life and the first victim is Dr. Petrie (Charles Trowbridge). Ab plans on killing everyone except Marta who Kharis kidnaps. Ab plans on making her his immortal high priestess. Babe puts a crimp in Ab's plans by shooting him. Steve finds Marta and sets Kharis on fire before he can drink his tana leaves. 

This sequel to THE MUMMY with Boris Karloff is the best and most entertaining of the sequels that followed. Journeyman director Christy Cabanne got his start in 1914 and was also a screenwriter and occasional actor. A few years later he directed SCARED TO DEATH (1947), Bela Lugosi's only color film.

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Space Vampire

QUEEN OF BLOOD-1966-In 1990 the world prepares for the human exploration of Mars and Venus. The whole project is overseen by Dr. Farraday (Basil Rathbone). Space transmissions say that an ambassador from Mars is going to pay a visit but later it's found out the transmission is actually an SOS. The Space Institute decides to help and they send Laura James (Judi Meridith), Paul Grant (Dennis Hopper)) and Anders Brockman (Robert Boon). They run into trouble with a sunburst on the way. Laura figures they need better equipment to local the aliens, so two Earth bound astronauts Tony Baratta (Don Eithner) and Allan Brenner (John Saxon who passed away on July 25 of this year)) convince Farrady to send another ship that can land a Phobos, a moon of the red planet. It works and the duo hook up with others. They also find a creepy green faced female alien (Florence Marly). The next day Paul is found dead after an encounter with “their guest” who it turns out lives on blood. She kills Brockman next then goes after Allan. Laura stops her and in the process scratches the alien who bleeds to death. On their way back the surviving duo learn that the alien was a “queen bee” who laid eggs on the ship! Laura convinces Allan not to destroy them and instead bring them back to Earth where they can be studied. Forrest J. Ackerman (as a minor lab technician) has the honor of holding them for the final scene. 

This color science fiction outer space adventure from AIP isn't bad but a little shoddy at times due to the extreme low budget. Director Curtis Harrington (who made NIGHT TIDE with Hopper earlier) does a decent job with most of the special effects incorporated from two Soviet Union features. The year before QUEEN Rathbone had done new scenes for AIP's VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET and was in the beach party ghost movie THE GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI.

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Time Travel

 

DIMENSION 5-1966-A secret US organization Espionage Inc. lead by Kane (Donald Woods) battles the far East evil org Dragon led by Big Buddha (Harold Sakata). Kane has captured an enemy agent and tries to keep him alive long enough to talk. Special Agent Powers (Jeffery Hunter) is sent to help out. He has a special belt that helps him move back and forth in time. He's assisted by Sato (Robert Ito). The good guys have a machine, the Psycho Inducer that can interrogate the enemy agent, invented by their equivalent of Q (Jon Lormer). It looks like a salon hair dryer. Unless the US removes all its armies from Asia Dragon will destroy LA on Christmas day. Powers new partner Ki (France Nuyen) seems to be a double agent assassin. At a Chinese restaurant, Powers tries to get info on Buddha from owner/smuggler/friend Kim (Kam Tong) but instead is given a statue with a bomb in it. Their car blows up. Later after it's revealed Ki is really working for Espionage, Powers gives her a time belt. Then they visit Ming Products where Buddha in a wheelchair resides. When one of his flunkies disagrees with him he has a big bald guy Ghengis (Lee Kolima) lock him in a trunk with no air. The duo go ahead in time to prevent Buddha's plans. I really didn't understand why they went ahead in time. 

This very cheap looking science fiction spy adventure drama doesn't make much sense to me. Director Franklin Adreon was busy in TV when he made this and CYBORG 2087 the same year. Both were written by Arthur C. Pierce who wrote and produced THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS and worked with Jerry Warren on INVASION OF THE ANIMAL PEOPLE.

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Van Cleef vs. Palance

GOD'S GUN-1976-Sam Clayton (Jack Palance) and his gang stop over at the town Juno after a bank robbery. One of Clayton's men kills a man and they take off. The sheriff (Richard Boone) wants to let them go but the local priest (Lee Van Cleef) goes after them. He brings the killer back to the jail but the gang breaks him out and shoots up the town and the priest is killed. A young boy named Johnny (Leif Garrett) who helped the priest around the church goes to Mexico to find the priest's brother Lewis (also Van Cleef). It seems the trauma of the killing leaves him mute but he finds Lewis and they go back to Juno. Along the way we get a flashback to the last time the two brothers met. Meanwhile Clayton's men molest the womenfolk until Johnny's saloon owner mother (Sybil Danning) reveals that Sam is her son's father. A flashback shows that as a Union soldier he raped her. Sam's pretty happy about this but before anything can happen Lewis returns in his brother's robes and some of the dumb outlaws think he's come back from the dead. Lewis gets his vengeance in a gun fight and Johnny gets his voice back. 

Great cast, terrible drawn out movie. Boone left before filming was completed so he only shows up sporadically with a dubbed voice that sounds like it's on helium. Palance usually makes anything he's in worth watching and his elation at finding out he has a son is the movie's highlight. 

This Italian-Israeli production (filmed in Israel) was directed by Gianfranco Parolini/Frank Kramer had early made THE RETURN OF SABATA with Van Cleef.

Also known as DIAMANTE LOBO.

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Short Western

 

OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS-1943-The Kincaids battle corruption led by bad guy Whip McCord (Warner Anderson) and his gang of thugs (including Charles Middleton). When Pop Kincaid (Erville Alderson) is framed for murder, son Nate (Robert Shayne) finds evidence that proves his innocence but while he's off finding the judge (Addison Richards) McCord leads a lynch mob that hangs dad. He and McCord have a furious fist fight and McCord is killed. Nate becomes sheriff and marries the judge's daughter Jean (Juanita Stark). 

First in a Warner Brothers series called "Santa Fe Trails", most starring Shayne but playing different characters. This 20 minute short was directed by B. Reeves Easton who made many westerns and short subjects and the serial UNDERSEA KINGDOM (1936) starring Crash Corrigan.

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Tierney Returns

THE HOODLUM-1951-Vincent Lubeck (Lawrence Tierney) is released on parole thanks to the pleas of his mother (Lisa Glom) even though the warden (Gene Roth) was against it. He goes to work in the gas station owned by his brother Johnny (Edward Tierney; real life brother of Lawrence). Unfortunately it's right across the street from a bank! He finds the armored car in front very enticing. Also the bank's secretary who comes in to get her car fixed. It's clear Lubeck has other things on his mind. When Rosa (Allene Roberts), Johnny's girlfriend tries to talk to him, he puts some unwanted moves on her. He runs into old pal Marty (John DeSimone) and convinces him to join his plan to steal the armored car. He has an affair with Rosa, then wines and dines the secretary (Marjorie Riordan) to get info. When Rosa becomes pregnant, Vince dumps her and she commits suicide. He figures out a plan and his newly acquired gang execute it. One of them dies as do two guards. They use a funeral procession as a cover but when they go to divvy up the loot Vince gets too greedy and the others knock him out and take the swag. Newspaper headlines tell us that the gang is captured and finger Lubeck as the ringleader. He goes to the secretary but she makes him leave at gunpoint. Then he visits his mother who tells him off, regretting all the times she defended him. Then she dies. Johnny wants to kill him but can't and Vince is fatally shot by a police Lt. (Stuart Randall) in the city garbage dump. 

This gritty forgotten film noir crime drama should have been called "Women and mothers are stupid. Wardens and brothers are smart". This was the third film German born director Max Nosseck made with the infamous star Lawrence Tierney. DILLINGER and KILL OR BE KILLED are the two other must see thrillers. THE HOODLUM may also be the first American film to have a character use the word “pregnant”.

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Christian Exploitation

SECOND CHANCE-1950-Socialite Emily Dean (Ruth Warrick) reflects on her life after being diagnosed with a fatal illness. She married Ed (John Hubbard) and they are happy. A local minister (Hugh Beaument) lectures them about keeping in touch with God and sharing their faith. They get religion and go about bothering I mean recruiting people. They become good devoted Christian church goers. They have a baby boy. Even though they do a lot for the church and community, they keep getting asked to do more. When they politely refuse, they are made to feel guilty. There's a few rough spots but they wind up with two kids, social community positions and a new house in "the better part of town". The minister still shows up with an ulterior motive. 

Emily becomes a frustrated socialite then WW2 comes. They do their part but they lose their oldest son and Emily blames God. Later Emily becomes a real snob who drives her remaining son from the house then ostracizes his new bride. Ed tries to talk sense to her but she's too far gone. A kind of cop out ending inspires Emily to change her ways and go back to God. 

The Protestant Film Commission produced this religious theme message film and got William Beaudine to direct it! He also made several Bowery Boys comedies the same year.

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Another Not So Fine Mess

DEAD NIGHT-2018-In 1961, after a woman's husband?/boyfriend? is killed by a creature, the woman is tied up and gives birth to a baby girl. Many years later a dysfunctional family (mom, dad, stupid daughter and her friend and a loser son) go for a vacation at a cabin build on top of iron oxide. Meanwhile the creature seems to be preparing for their arrival. When they get settled in the story becomes an episode of a fictional TV investigation show "Inside Crime". According to the show's host (Daniel Roebuck) the family was slaughtered by the mother who was dangerous psycho but the friend was never found. It even features a commercial for a woman Leslie Bison (Barbara Crampton) running for governor! It bounces back between the story and the TV show. While the masked creature hangs around, the group find Leslie in the woods acting very weird. People are killed and reanimated and the mother kills her hubby by accident. It seems to be the work of some witches cult. 

Originally titled APPLECART, this movie was re-edited and re-titled DEAD NIGHT. Sorry but some of the plot must have been edited out. It's an incomprehensible mess! Director Brad Baruh later made video shorts for Marvel Studios.

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The Dirty 8?

THE DEVIL'S 8-1969-Federal agent Faulker (Christopher George) helps 6 convicts break out of jail. He's assembling a small gang to bring down bottlegger Burl Long (Ralph Meeker). Murderer Frankie (Ross Hagen), mechanic Billie Joe (Tom Nardini), Bible reading Chandler (Larry Bishop), ace driver Henry (Robert DoQui), Sam (Joe Turkel), Sonny (Fabian) and Martin (Ron Rifkin) who's not a convict, just a rookie federal agent. They learn to fight, shoot and drive fast cars and they're all a bunch of assholes. Later when they are dealing with Long, Frank has sex with Cissy (Leslie Parrish) his ex-girlfriend now Long's mistress. The others do a lot of drinking and start a fight at a bar. Cliff Osmond is Long's assistant. Nice theme song. 

Bert Topper directed this DIRTY DOZEN influenced story for AIP. He later worked with Fabian again on SOUL HUSTLER.

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Frozen Nazis

THE FROZEN DEAD-1966-In a compound of old Nazis living in Germany, Dr. Norberg (Dana Andrews) is conducting experiments with soldiers frozen at the end of the war. He's assisted by Karl (Alan Tilverne). General Lubeck (Karel Stepanek) and Dr. Tirpitz (Basil Henson) come to see a soldier get defrosted. It seems 1500 Nazis were frozen. While reviving the latest Nazi, Norberg's niece Jean (Anna Palk; THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING)) and her American friend Elsa (Kathleen Breck; SPACE FLIGHT IC-1) come for a visit. Unfortunately most of his experiments don't come out very well. Fortunately (?) the doc's zombified brother (Edward Fox in his first credited role) kills Elsa and Norberg revives Elsa's severed head so he can study it. Then Dr. Roberts (Phillip Gilbert) comes from the US to help Norberg, who also has a wall full of arms that move by electricity. Like in THE THING THAT WOULDN'T DIE, the head with no body seems to have telekinesis. Meanwhile Jean investigates her friend's disappearance. Later she learns everything from Roberts. When Lubeck tries to harm Jean the head has the arms strangle him and Norberg. Jean meets her dad who tries to kill her. He's shot by the police. The head's last words: “Bury me”. 

This THEY SAVED HITLER'S BRAIN influenced horror nonsense is very shoddy. Director Herbert J. Leder made a few other rarely shown movieS including IT!, a low budget Golem influenced story with Roddy McDowell. At this point in his career star Dana Andrews was making a lot of low budget independent features. He made HOT RODS TO HELL the next year.

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Beware The Horror Horn!

CHAMBER OF HORRORS-1966- In Baltimore a nut named Jason Cravatte (Patrick O'Neal) murders a woman and then has a minister marry them at gunpoint. Police detective Albertson (Wayne Rogers) investigates. The cigar smoking Mrs. Perryman (Jeanette Nolan) calls in Wax Museum proprietors and "amateur" criminologists Anthony Draco (Cesare Danova) and Harold Blount (Wilfred Hyde-White) to catch her nephew, the murderer Cravatte. They are assisted by little person Pepe (Tun Tun). Draco figures out Cravatte is hiding out in a whorehouse run by Madame Corona (Marie Windsor). He's arrested, tried and sentenced to hang. On his way to the death house he manages to escape but has to chop off his own hand to do it. The chief inspector assumes he died but of course he didn't. In New Orleans he has a (fake) Chinese guy (Berry Kroeger) design a hook hand with several unusual extras. He uses Maria (Laura Devon), a hooker to set up his revenge on the judge (Vinton Haywood) who condemned him. Gravette uses a butcher knife attachment to kill him. He then sets his sights on Draco, once again using Marie. Meanwhile Draco takes time to romance old flame Barbara (Suzy Parker) while Gravatte does away with the doctor (Richard O'Brien) who said he was sane enough to stand trial. Later he kills Albertson, the arresting officer. They set a trap for Gravatte at the museum but he gets by it, terrorizing Maria and trying to kill Draco. They fight and Gravatte is killed. It ends with the duo stumbling upon a new murder right in their museum. 

CHAMBER OF HORRORS was originally made for TV and based on HOUSE OF WAX but it was thought to violent for TV and it was turned into a feature film and added two "William Castle like" gimmicks: "The Fear Flasher" and "The Horror Horn" which would warn the viewer a murder was coming. 

Tony Curtis has an unbilled cameo and for some reason Patrick O'Neal's name is omitted from the end credits! I'm sure the serial killers union had something to say about that!

Director Hy Averbach worked on many TV shows and TV movies but around this time made several other features with long titles: I LOVE YOU ALICE B. TOKLAS, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT and SUPPOSE THEY GAVE A WAR AND NOBODY CAME?

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Frost

JACK FROST (FROSTY)-1965-In this comedy fairy tale from the Soviet Union, a young girl Nastenka is treated terribly by her stepmother who dotes on her ugly older daughter. There's also Ivan,a conceited young man who receives a bow and arrow from Father Mushroom who feels Ivan is ungrateful and turns him into a bear. After he helps a blind woman, he's cured and looks for Nastenka who he met early and became infatuated with. Unfortunately the girl is abandoned in the snowy forest. Ivan goes for help to someone called "the humpback fairy" who brings trees to life and wants to eat him! Nastenka is saved from freezing to death by Jack Frost, a Santa Claus like character who has a scepter that freezes things. He takes her to his home to live but while he's out she touches his specter and is frozen (she was tricked by the fairy). Somehow Ivan cures her and they live happily ever after with her older sister being rejected by Frost and publicly humiliated.

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