Abbott,Costello and Karloff

 

 (binged.com)

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE-1953-Slim & Tubby (Abbott & Costello) are two Americans working as bobbies on the English police force. After they are beat up by a group of suffragettes, they are thrown off the force. Vicky (Helen Westcott), the leader of the group who is also a music hall dancer, is romantically pursued by crime reporter Bruce (Craig Stevens) who is investigating the mysterious murders credited to a monster. It turns out this is true as her guardian happens to be Dr. Henry Jekyll (Boris Karloff) who transforms into Mr. Hyde when he wants to eliminate an enemy. Tubby figures out Jekyll's secret but no one believes him, especially their ex-boss the inspector (Reginald Denny). Jekyll tricks the duo into staying overnight at his house. While Tubby is snooping around, he's menaced by scary henchman Batley (John Diekes) and discovers Jekyll's lab. Later after they escape Tubby turns into a mouse. Jekyll wants to get rid of Bruce because he's in love with Vicky. Later when the doctor is outed as the monster, a big daylight chase takes place and Tubby becomes his own Mr. Hyde. 

Good comedy ensues when A & C are on screen and the presence of Karloff brings it up a notch. Eddie Parker appears mostly as Mr. Hyde. This was one of 9 Universal comedies director Charles Lamont made with the team. Although Karloff made several TV appearances, this would be his only feature film in 1953. 

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Killer Monster Alien Thing

 

 (imdb)

DEEP SPACE-1989-Two police detectives McLemore (Charles Napier) & Merris (Ron Glass) run afoul of a government created monster on a killing spree. Their hard-nosed captain (Bo Swenson) is always on their asses. A police coroner (Anthony Eisley discovers an organic rock at a crash site and later while studying it an "Alien" like creature emerges and kills him. The duo takes two rocks from the site too. Meanwhile a group of scientists led by Forsyth (James Booth) and a general (Norman Burton) debate on what to do. The Alien type monster with big teeth kills a wino. The government tries to cover it up but the cops are persistent. Meanwhile a psychic (Julie Newmar) warns Napier about the killings but he's too busy romancing Clara (Ann Turkel). After Merris is killed, McLemore goes after the monster. 

A bloody finale featuring a chainsaw caps this typical '80's monster horror movie that's better than most at the time thanks to enthusiastic competent direction of Fred Olen Ray.

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Late Santo

 

 (imdb)

THE FIST OF DEATH-1982-During a very long pagan ritual, a woman (Grace Renat) dressed in black transforms into a monster, a tiger and a snake. Her sister (the same actress), clad in white banishes her for blasphemy and using "the star of great power" for evil. An "oracle" sends El Santo (himself) and his whiny assistant Cliff (Cesar Suarez) to help the good sister who is also trying to protect "The Jungle Girl" who was raised by wolves. She also plans to marry a Chinese prince (Steve Cheng). Both sisters are fairly bursting out of their furry bikinis and the bad one does an erotic dance several times. Santo fights a furry man beast and a tiger. 

The fights and pacing are terrible. The ending sets up a sequel (FURY OF THE KARATE EXPERTS) which was made back-to-back with this film. Both were filmed in Florida by director Alfredo B. Crevenna. 

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Another Rip Off

 

 (imdb)

LORDS OF THE DEEP-1989-Low budget "Alien underwater" trash co-produced by Roger Corman (who makes a cameo). An undersea exploration team is terrorized by an extraterrestrial life form. Kind of nutty Commander Dobler (Bradford Dillman) wants to destroy the creature they pick up but biologist Claire (Priscilla Barnes) has other ideas and seems to be getting communications from the aliens. This is the only feature film (so far at least) directed by Mary Ann Fisher who previously produced ANDRIOD (1982) for Corman.

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Vaughn's Debut

 (tcm)

 

NO TIME TO BE YOUNG-1957-Three immature losers can't face reality. Robert Vaughn (screen debut) is Buddy, a wise ass mamma's boy who wants to run away because he's afraid when he's drafted. He's also dating one of his college teachers Mrs. Dexter (Dorothy Green). Bob (Roger Smith) works in a grocery store and wants to marry waitress Gloria (Merry Anders) but he's partially responsible for her broken back. Stu (Tom Pittman) is a failed writer who lied to marry his wife. After much drama and Freudian plot twists they decide to rob Bob's place of business. Despite some reluctance on Bob and Stu's part, they go through with it but Buddy shoots the store manager. The trio fracture and Bob and Stuff are arrested. Buddy loses the money (while dancing…) and crashes a stolen truck. It's unclear whether he dies or not.1940's Superman Kirk Alyn has an unbilled role. 

Director David Lowell Rich later directed the 3 Stooges in HAVE ROCKET-WILL TRAVEL. He did a lot of TV later but occasionally did a big screen film (MADAME X (1966), THE CONCORDE: AIRPORT '79 (1979)). Vaughn starred in TEENAGE CAVEMAN the following year.

 (imdb)

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Agent Karloff

 

(tcm)

BRITISH INTELLIGENCE-1940-During WW1 German spies are causing much sabotage under the leadership of the mysterious Hans Strendler. British Intelligence is called in to help and send a plane to pick up their best agent but the plane picking him up is shot down. The pilot Frank Bennett (Bruce Lester) is taken to the hospital and nurse Helene (Margaret Lindsey) takes care of him. He seems to fall for her but she abruptly leaves. With good reason she's a German spy! Later she's placed in the home of cabinet minister Bennett (Holmes Herbert), Frank's father where scarred limping butler Valdar (Boris Karloff) seems to be a double agent working with Colonel Yates (Leonard Mudie). 

There are several twists in this patriotic spy story directed by Terry O. Morse whose last work would be the credited director for the added American scenes in GODZILLA; KING OF MONSTERS (1956). One of 9 movies King Karloff appeared in 1940 along with THE TOWER OF LONDON, THE APE and Mr. Wong entries.

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Lee and Cushing..again..

 

 (imdb)

NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT-1973-Someone is killing the trustees of the Van Traylon orphanage. A police inspector (Christopher Lee; also one of the producers)) enlists the help of Dr. Ashley (Peter Cushing). Meanwhile Dr. Hayes (Keith Barron) studies a traumatized little girl Mary (Gwyneth Strong) who lives at the orphanage. A reporter, Joan Foster (singer Georgia Brown) hooks up with Mary's mother Joanna (Diana Dors) who seems psychotic. Everything seems connected to the orphanage in Scotland. There's long stretches of talk leading up to a very bizarre finale. Michael Gambon (in only his second feature film) has a small role. 

This was the only film produced by Lee's short lived production company Charlemagne Films. Peter Sasdy (COUNTESS DRACULA, HANDS OF THE RIPPER) directed. Lee & Cushing were also teamed in THE CREEPING FLESH and SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA the same year.

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Anime Short

 

 (myfreewallpapers.com)

NEGADON:THE MONSTER FROM MARS-2005-In the overpopulated world of 2025, the globalization of Mars is a success. However, a returning spaceship brings back a monster that proceeds to destroy everything. A professor haunted by the death of his only daughter uses a giant robot he created years ago to battle the creature and save Earth. Impressive computer-generated Japanese anime short (21 minutes) by Jun Awazu.

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Based On a Play?

 

(youtube)

THE GALLOWS-2015-Really annoying found footage nonsense about a bunch of high school dorks who plan on finishing a play that was interrupted 10 years earlier when a kid was accidentally hanged during the performance. A bunch of them get trapped in the theater and seem to be terrorized by the dead kid's spirit. Lots of shouting, characters making faces and emoting outrageously, shots of the floor and characters feet. Occasionally a guy in a hangman's outfit shows up. Of course, a sequel was made. 2 directors are credited.

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Deafula

 

 (imdb)

DEAFULA-1975-This is the first movie done completely in sign language. Funny that it's a horror movie. A guy named Steve (hearing impaired writer/director Peter Wechsberg) kills some people and drinks their blood. When he was a kid his father/minister gave him blood transfusions, but he still killed his pet dog and drank its blood. In the present he's going to church when a stoned hippie couple try to rob him. When the male hippie stabs him multiple times Steve turns into Deafula in black cloak and phony nose. He makes them drive their motorcycle off a cliff. Butterfield (Dudley Helmstreet), a detective from England and a nameless local detective search for clues. Turns out the detective knows Steve. Even though he called in Butterfield to help, the detective treats Butterfield like an idiot even though it's clear he knows something about Steve. Deafula kills a woman then hypnotizes 2 punks into mutilating her body. 

Later there's an eerie flashback to Steve's birth where we learn Steve suffers from a rare blood disease and can only survive if he gets a blood transfusion every month. After his father dies Steve visits his mother's friend Amy who was there when Steve was born (and his mother died). She has a weird looking servant who has tin cans instead of hands. She relates her own flashback. And Steve learns the truth. Dracula is also his father (his mother was his victim). 

There's really no other horror film like DEAFULA. It's the first all ASL film and takes place in an alternative universe where no one speaks. Original shown silent, the version I saw had subtitles and a narrator.

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France

 

 

 

 (imdb)

A TASTE FOR WOMEN-1964-Jerome (Guy Bedos), a writer meets Violette (Sophie Daumier) by accident and falls madly in love with her. Many stupid events happen when he's around including two murders. It all leads to a secret sect that eats women. I found this black comedy from France very annoying and unfunny, but you might like it.

 It's the only feature directed by Jean Leon, assistant director to Alain Resnais on HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR and LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD.

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Evil vs. Evil

 

 (imdb)

DR. SATAN VS. BLACK MAGIC-1968-Dr. Satan (Joaquin Cordero) is awakened by the real Satan and told to go back to Earth to stop vampire Yei Lin (Noe Murayama) from obtaining a formula that turns metal into gold. I'm not exactly sure why Beazelbub cares about this but he does. Satan hypnotizes two women (who sleep in coffins) to assist him. In a fight Lin almost turns Satan into a vampire but evil triumphs over evil in this Mexican tale directed by Rogelio A. Gonzalez (THE SHIP OF MONSTERS).

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More Mantan

 

 (imdb)

YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK-1941-Frankie O'Reilly (Frankie Darro), an elevator operator and Jeff Jefferson (Mantan Moreland), a porter, are witnesses to the murder of Mr. Dayton, a pro gambler. Darro's policeman brother Tom (Richard Bond) investigates. Dayton's roommate Whitney (Tristram Coffin) seems a likely suspect. Tom enlists his brother and Jeff to aid him. This doesn't work out so well. The duo trail Whitney to a nightclub where he forces owner gangster Johnny (Willy Castello) to give him 60 thousand dollars. When Whitney realizes if he leaves the club he'll be killed he gives the money to Frankie to give to his late partner's sister Joyce (Janet Shore). Whitney is killed and Frankie almost gets his brother thrown off the force but everything works out in the end. Moreland has some good lines but should have been used better. Director Howard Bretherton had directed Darro & Moreland in UP IN THE AIR the year before.

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Hey Cat!

 

 (imdb)

DARK CAT-1991-In this slight anime, 2 brothers Ryoi & Hyoi, are actually shape shifting cats battling their former master Jukokobu, a green faced demon at their high school. Tentacled monsters attack and two students are caught in the middle. Generally dissed by anime smarties because of it's dubbing, I kind of liked it. Director Iku Suzuki is also known for URUSEI YATSURA and RANMA ½.

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Canadien Zombies

 

 (imdb)

CORPSE EATERS-1974-This was made in Canada by a guy who owned a drive-in. It starts off with a warning that a "green man'" will appear when something bad will happen. Then a mortician prepares a customer for display while his boss drives and rants. Then 3 couples ride around endlessly in a motorboat. When they finally stop to relax, 2 of the women go topless. They decide to visit a graveyard. A storm kicks up and they take shelter in a mausoleum. When one of the guys recites some kind of black mass prayer, the dead come back to life and attack the group. 3 are killed but one couple and a wounded guy escape. They go to a hospital where the guy dies on the operating table. The woman becomes "infected" and kills her boyfriend and a nurse. Then the alcoholic undertaker seems to be eaten by his clients but it ends with him being put in a straitjacket in a mental hospital (?). 

Director Klaus Vetter also served as cinematographer.

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Which Witch?

 

 (imdb)

THE WITCH-1966-Sergio (Richard Johnson; in KHARTOUM the same year) meets old lady Consuelo Lorente (Sarah Ferrati) who wants him to catalogue the manuscripts her dead husband wrote about her. When she has some kind of fainting spell Sergio meets her daughter Aura (Rosanna Schiaffino; MINOTAUR, THE WILD BEAST OF CRETE) who he falls for immediately, but a dead cat spoils their first meeting. Just when it seems like Sergio and Aura are going to get it on, they are interrupted by Fabrizio (Gian Maria Volente; FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE), the guy who Sergio has replaced, who is madly in love with Aura, who then suddenly rebuffs Sergio and tells him to leave. He talks to a female neighbor who tells him Lorente has no daughter. He returns to the apartment and has a fight with Fabrizio who's killed accidentally. 

Sergio must figure out what's going on just like the viewer in this very arty, stylish supernatural tale from a book by Carlos Fuentes. This Italian production was directed and co-written by Damiano Damiani who went on to make AMITTYVILLE ll: THE POSSESSION (1982) and many Italian based crime dramas.

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