Alligator Time

 

 (imdb)

THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE-1959-Under hypnotism nurse Joyce Webster (Beverly Garland) tells the tale of how her husband Paul (Richard Crane) went missing on the first night of their honeymoon. Her search for him leads her to a plantation in The Bayou. The owner Mrs. Hawthorne (Frieda Inescort) says she's never heard of Paul but it's obvious she's hiding something. Her friend Dr. Sinclair (George Macready) is doing experiments on people. Trying to find a cure to regenerate limbs with hormones extracted from alligators, he accidentally turned Paul and his other patients into "alligator people". A risky experiment with a cobalt bomb might help but drunken alligator hating ex-worker Manon (Lon Chaney) with a hook hand messes it up and Paul turns into a full-grown alligator man (wearing pants and walking upright). Quicksand and an explosion wrap things up. 

Two shrinks (Bruce Bennett & Douglas Montgomery) who are recording her repressed memory debate whether to tell her or not. 

This crazy sci-fi horror film is fairly entertaining despite the cheap effects. Chaney gives a great performance as the crazed Manon. Beverly Garland once again portrays a strong-willed female intent on finding out the truth. 

Director Ray Del Ruth does a competent workman like job. He started out directing shorts for Mack Sennett and eventually made it to features directing the first version of THE MALTESE FALCON and BLONDE CRAZY (with James Cagney) in 1931. He directed all sorts of films and in 1948 made the notorious THE BABE RUTH STORY. He had directed one horror movie previously THE PHANTOM OF THE RUE MORGUE in 1954.

 (imdb)

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'50's Horror with Boris and Lon

THE BLACK CASTLE-1952-In Vienna Sir Roland (Richard Greene; later the star of TV's THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD) goes undercover to investigate the deaths of 2 friends he believes were killed by the evil Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally), a sadistic guy with an eye patch who's very mean to his wife The Countess (Rita Corday) and keeps a live panther in his dungeon which he plans to release and hunt in the Black Forest. He's assisted by the mute and equally sadistic Gargon (Lon Chaney Jr.; also in HIGH NOON the same year). There's even a pit of alligators downstairs. John Hoyt and Michael Pate are two foppish nobles loyal to the count. Of course Roland falls in love with the abused countess. Unfortunately Boris Karloff (in his only movie appearance for the year) is wasted in the role of the count's alcoholic doctor who helps the new lovers escape the baron's clutches by giving them a drug that makes them appear to be dead (it almost works too good!).

THE BLACK CASTLE was the first feature film directed by former Oscar winning art director Nathan Juran. Some might like it's fake horror trappings but for me it just wastes the talents of Chaney and Karloff who are good in the few scenes they have. Juran later made many well known horror/Sci-Fi films of the '50's including ATTACK OF THE 5O FOOT WOMAN, THE DEADLY MANTIS and 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH. He even directed Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis in HELLCATS OF THE NAVY. Later he did TV work including episodes of several Irwin Allen series.

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