Dickens/Serling

 

 (imdb)

CAROL FOR ANOTHER CHRISTMAS-1964-An updated version of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol written by Rod Serling for The United Nations. 

A man, Daniel Grudge (Sterling Hayden) left bitter by the death of his son in the war is visited by 3 ghosts, Past (Steve Lawrence), present (Pat Hingle) and yet to come (Robert Shaw). In the H-bomb devastated future, Imperial Me (Peter Sellers) tries to make survivors think only of themselves while Grudge's butler (Percy Rodrigues) tries to unite humanity and is ridiculed. 

This all-star TV special also features Ben Gazzara, Eva Marie Saint and James Shigeta. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz a year after the colossal flop CHEOPATHRA.

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Filmed in NYC

 

 (imdb)

THE ORACLE-1986-New tenant Jennifer (Caroline Capers Powers) finds a spirit writing planchet. When she and her dick head husband (Roger Neil) and two friends use it, they seem to unleash the spirit of a dead man. A stupid janitor stabs himself to death and her hubby gets his head ripped off. Meanwhile, two thugs try to kill her because in a vision she saw them kill the dead guy. Jennifer is committed to some kind of mental hospital. She escapes but is captured by the dead man's wife and a butch hit woman. Horrible drawn-out junk with bad acting and cheap gory SFX. Filmed in NYC by Roberta Findlay (also the uncredited cinematographer).

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Bud and Lou and Me and You

 

 

 (wikipedia)

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN-1951-Bud Alexander (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis (Lou Costello), new graduates of the Dugan Detective School, take on the case of Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz; in THE SNIPER the next year)), a boxer accused of killing his manager. Nelson goes to his girlfriend Helen's (Nancy Guild; CAGLIOSTRO (1949)) house where her uncle, Dr. Gray (Gavin Muir) is working on the invisibility formula originally invented by John Griffin. Gray won't inject Tommy with the formula because it will drive him crazy. When no one is looking Tommy injects himself. Lou sees him fade away but no one believes him. Detective Roberts (William Frawley; just starting TV's "I Love Lucy") thinks Lou is crazy and takes him to a psychiatrist but Lou makes him fall asleep. Later they help Tommy clear his name. Lou becomes Louie the Looper, a boxer and challenges Rocky Hanlon (John Day), the boxer owned by gangster Morgan (Sheldon Leonard; also in the team's HIT THE ICE (1943)) who sends his moll Boots (Adele Jurgens; later in Corman's THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (1955)) to set Lou up for a dive. Lou fights Hanlon with invisible Tommy helping him. Lou has some trouble when Tommy is knock unconscious. Syd Saylor, Bobby Barber, Milt Bronson and Herb Vigran have bit roles. 

Good sfx with a comical if kind of weird ending. One of 9 Abbott & Costello movies directed by Charles Lamont, who also started doing The Ma & Pa Kettle series around this time. The comedy duo made COMIN' 'ROUND THE MOUNTAIN (also directed by Lamont) the same year.

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It's Alive?

 

 (imdb)

THE STRANGE LIFE OF DR. FRANKENSTEIN-2018-Bizarre little documentary is not so much about the character of Dr. Frankenstein as it us about Mary Shelley's reasons and influences on writing her famous novel. Several writer-historians (and a plastic surgeon) give their opinions. Although they all don't really seem happy with it, Karloff as the monster is used a lot. Some modern-day mad scientists are also touched on like Vladimir Demikhov and his two headed dog experiments, Robert White and his monkey head transplants, Luigi Galvani's experiments with electricity and Eugenics freak Alex Carrel. This French production was directed by Jean Froment.

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Movie of the Week

 

 (imdb)

WHERE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE GONE? -1974-This is an ABC movie of the week presentation. Steven Anders (Peter Graves; a year after MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE ended) and his kids Debbie (Kathleen Quinlan) & Alex (George O'Hanlon Jr.) are on vacation, exploring some caves. After his wife leaves to attend to her job, they go to explore a cave. There's an intense flash of light and an earthquake. Everything seems OK but the friend who was with them dies of what seems to be radiation poisoning. They high tail it back to town but the place is devoid of people. In another town, they find the shell-shocked Jenny (Verna Bloom; in HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER the year before) and an angry dog. Later they are held up and stranded when a gun toting motorist steals their car. They come upon a farm and meet Michael (Michael James-Wixted), a young boy whose parents were killed. They travel by a horse drawn buckboard and run into some more canine trouble. When it's discovered wife/mom is dead everything almost falls apart. When Jenny is saved from suicide Ander's survival speech gives them all hew hope. 

What exactly happened isn't explained precisely. Maybe a solar flare caused some kind of epidemic. 

Director John Llewelyn Moxey (from Argentina) began his film career as an editor and second unit director. In 1960, he directed Christopher Lee in THE CITY OF THE DEAD (aka HORROR HOTEL). He did lots of BBC TV productions and in 1966 again directed Lee in CIRCUS OF FEAR. Later he relocated to the US where he worked largely in TV and directed the standout TV horror movie THE NIGHT STALKER (1972).

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Wood on TV?

 

 (youtube)

FINAL CURTAIN-1957-In an empty theater, the lead actor (Duke Moore) in the play "The VAMPIRE" investigates the spirit world which is supposed to exist after the living have left. He thinks about various spooky things and screams when he hears the cries of a cat. Later he decides to explore. In one room he finds a life like mannequin (Jenny Stevens; also in NIGHT OF THE GHOULS) which seems to come to life. Eventually, he finds what he's looking for. 

This short film (22 minutes) was produced, written and directed by Ed Wood Jr. as a pilot for a planned TV series “Portraits in Terror”. If the scenes with the mannequin seem familiar, most of it (probably Wood's best work) was used in his NIGHT OF THE GHOULS (1959). The bombastic desperate out of control (but typical Wood) narration is by Dudley Manlove.

Once thought to be a lost film, a copy was discovered by the great grand-nephew of Paul (Kelton the Cop) Marco.

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German Robles

 

 (imdb)

EL ATAUD DEL VAMPIRO-(THE VAMPIRE'S COFFIN)-1958-A mad doctor steals the coffin of an infamous vampire Count Lavud (German Robles; returning from the first film) in the sequel to EL VAMPIRO. The doctor's greedy grave robbing companion wants the medallion the vampire wears which is unfortunately partially wrapped around the stake embedded in the vampire's heart. Naturally he pulls out the stake and the count returns, making his savior his slave in the process. A doctor (Abel Salazar; also back from the first film) tries to convince anyone a vampire is loose, to little avail. Meanwhile, the Count hides out in a wax museum and sets his fangs on a nurse (Alicia Montoya; also returning from the first film) who is also a dancer. 

Not bad, although the count is kind of wimpy in his fight with the doctor in the finale. 

Directed by Fernando Mendez (THE BODY SNATCHER (1957); THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M (1959)). Star bloodsucker Robles (in only his second movie) went on to play another vampire Nostradamus in a series of Mexican produced movies.

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Early Boris

 (imdb)

THE PUBLIC DEFENDER-1931-Rich playboy Pike Winslow (Richard Dix) is actually the mysterious crime fighter The Reckoner who investigates a group of corrupt businessmen who framed their partner, the father of Pike's childhood sweetheart Barbara (Shirley Grey; later in THE MYSTERY OF THE MARY CELESTE). He's assisted by the erudite Professor (Boris Karloff) and big lug Doc (Paul Hurst). They meticulously plan each attack they make on the bad guys looking for evidence to clear the wronged man. 

THE PUBLIC DEFENDER seems similar to "The Shadow", also created in 1931 and may have been an influence on the creation of Batman (although that was 8 years away). 

Star Dix was an Academy Award nominated best actor in 1931 (for the western CIMARRON, the first movie to win the best picture Oscar). Karloff was just a few months away from playing the monster in FRANKENSTEIN. Interesting ahead of its time crime drama directed by J. Walter Ruben. 

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Late Karloff

 

 

 (imdb)

TARGETS-1968-Famous horror star Byron Orlok (Boris Karloff) decides to retire. He feels he's too old to be working. His director Sammy (Peter Bogdanovich) tries to talk him out of it. His personal assistant Jenny (Nancy Hsueh) isn't happy either. Meanwhile, local boy Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly) stockpiles guns and ammo. He seems to have something terrible in mind. 

Though it appears he has a nice family life with his parents and wife, his domineering father and guns seem to occupy his life. There's obviously something wrong but no one seems to realize it. While Orlok agrees to do a live drive-In appearance, Bobby goes on a killing spree. After shooting and killing from a tower overlooking a highway, Bobby hides out behind the screen of a drive-in movie where Orlok will make a personal appearance. After more killing, the two have a confrontation. (The real Karloff film THE TERROR is used on the screen). 

This is a great modern horror film made only because Karloff still owed producer Roger Corman a couple of days work and features one of Boris' best performances (his reciting of “The Appointment in Sumara” is awesome!) and it's only been in recent years that the film has been getting it's due. It was also release around the time of the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy which caused AIP to withdraw the film then re-release it with a prologue about gun control. 

This is Karloff's last great performance. He made THE CRIMSON CULT a little later and two TV appearances. His last movies unfortunately were the four productions for Mexican producer Luis Enrique Vergara but all of Karloff's scenes were shot in LA by Jack Hill. 

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It Started Here!

 

 (imdb)

LA LLORONA-1933-In Mexico a man dies on the street after hearing a wailing voice. Then a doctor (Ramon Pereda) and his wife (Virginia Zuri) have a birthday party for their 4-year-old son. The doctor's father-in-law Don Fernando (Paco Martinez) is worried because his own son disappeared on his fourth birthday and was later found dead. Unbeknownst to them, a hooded figure is spying on them. Don Fernado tells the doctor the story of how La Llorona, "the crying woman" came to be, set in " New Spain". After this rather long flashback, in the present the hooded figure kills Fernando and tries to steal the son but is unsuccessful. The police are called in. Another flashback and the hooded culprit is revealed. 

This slow moving, talky Mexican horror tale was the first to use the legendary La Llorona which later was featured in several horror films. It was directed by Ramon Peon.

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Kick!

 

 (wikipedia)

AMERICAN KICKBOXER-1991-An arrogant stupid kick boxer BJ Quinn (stuntman John Barrett) accidentally kills a man in a fight. He's convicted of murder, goes to jail and is suspended from competing. After he gets out of jail, he helps an up and coming fighter Hunter (World Karate champion Keith Vitali) in a kickboxing tournament where asshole dirty fighter Jacques Denard (Brad Morris) fights. After a few misadventures and a lot of talk, Quinn winds up in the ring with Denard and despite getting his ass kicked for most of the match, survives to destroy his rival.

 Standard martial arts fare from Cannon, who specialized in this type of thing at the time. The acting is pretty bad. It was the last of a handful of movies directed by Frans Nel.

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Bram Stoker?

 

 (imdb)

BRAM STOKER'S SHADOWBUILDER-1998-A weird priest with a gun (Michael Rooker) battles a shadow demon who wants a kid in a small town. Bugs sting a deputy to death, an old man axes his wife, dogs turn on their master, fun stuff like that. The town lunatic (Tony Todd) helps out. The script and acting are pretty bad.

 The script is based on the story “The Shadow Builder” by Bram Stoker from a short story collection “Under The Sunset”, published in 1881 and of course it's nothing like this movie. Director Jamie Dixon did visual effects for other movies.

Illustration from Stoker's original story

(classic-literature.com.uk)

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Ghost on The Beach

 

 (imdb)

THE GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI-1966-Recently dead old guy Hiram Stokley (Boris Karloff; he did HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS the same year) is told by his dead sister Cicely (Susan Hart) that if he wants to go to heaven and be young again, he has to do one good deed. He decides to make sure his estate goes to his rightful heirs. Chuck Phillips (Tommy Kirk), "not very bright but a nice boy", Lili Norton (Deborah Walley), Myrtle Forbush (Patsy Kelly), plus his attorney Reggie Ripper (Basil Rathbone; in QUEEN OF BLOOD the same year) and his "vile sidekick" J. Sinister Hulk (Jesse White). 

After Myrtle's nephew Bobby (Aron Kincaid) and his friends arrive, Nancy Sinatra sings "Geronimo". The young people frug arrogantly and act dumb at the pool. Ripper introduces his daughter Sinestra (Quinn O'Hara) and she tries to kill Bobby. Then Princess Yolanda (Bobbi Shaw) and her Indian companion Chicken Feather (Benny Rubin) with a gorilla (George Barrows) show up to help get rid of the relatives. The Rats, a motorcycle gang led by Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) arrive because their stupid leader falls in love with The Princess. Then Stokley's butler Malcolm (Francis X. Bushman in his last movie role) shows up to warn Chuck to leave. Meanwhile, Stokley watches on a crystal ball and comments and Cicely intervenes to help. Chuck's not very bright friend gets terrorized by some fake monsters and the slapstick finale takes place in a torture chamber. The Bobby Fuller 4 also perform. 

Director Don Weis made this hokey dated beach movie but the old guys seem to having a good time.

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Stan & Ollie

 

 (imdb)

CHICKENS COME HOME-1931-The owner of a fertilizer company Mr. Hardy (Oliver Hardy) sees his political career jeopardized by an old flame (uncredited Mae Busch). He sends his general manager, Mr. Laurel (Stan Laurel) to stall while he has a dinner engagement with his wife (uncredited Thelma Todd). Stan tries to stop the woman from going to Hardy's house. An old biddy tells Stan's wife (Norma Drew) he's fooling around. Mrs. Laurel goes after him with an axe. James Finlayson plays Hardy's butler. Pretty hysterical Laurel & Hardy short.

Director James W. Horne had worked with the team before and would direct them again in THE BOHEMINAN GIRL and WAY OUT WEST. Later he directed several serials.

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Thor!

 

 (imdb)

ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE-1987- After his father is killed by some punks when he was little, Tony Washington (Jon Mikl Thor) is a nice muscle-bound softball coach who lives with his mom, but he's run down and killed by some new punks. His mom hires a voodoo woman to exact revenge. Tony comes back as a ghoul and kills his killers. Things really take a downturn when stupid police captain Tom Churchman (Adam West) shows up to investigate and examine his cigar. Turns out he was involved in the murder of Tony's father. Terrible talky trash from Canada with West giving a bad performance. 

Before this director John Bravman made porno movies under a pseudonym. Screenwriter John Fasano (who plays Tony's father) directed ROCK AND ROLL NIGHTMARE the same year which also featured Heavy Metal singer/body builder Jon Mikl Thor. I once saw Thor perform at a comic convention where he also bent metal with his teeth and blew up a hot water bottle until it burst! ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE was also the feature film debut for actress Tia Carrere.

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Witchtrapped

 

 (the moviedatabase)

WITCHTRAP-1989-A group of psychic researchers go to the haunted Lauder House. 3 moronic security officers accompany them. The first victim of the group is Ginger (Linnea Quigley), who takes a nude shower and has the good sense to get killed (by a shower head) early on. A woman named Whitney (Kathleen Bailey) has a lot of seizures. A psycho handyman roams around too. The acting is terrible. 

Writer/director Kevin S. Tenney (who also has a role) also made WITCHBOARD, NIGHT OF THE DEMONS and THE CELLAR.

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