Poe One

 

 (imdb)

THE HOUSE OF USHER-1960-Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon who died in May 2024) comes to the Usher home to visit his fiancée' Madeline (Myrna Fahey). Brother Roderick (Vincent Price) says he must leave because Madeline is confined to her bed. Rod says that Philip can never marry her because both siblings suffer from an inherited disease that he calls a curse. Philip is told by Bristol, the butler (Harry Ellerbe) that Madeline walks in her sleep. Philip is determined to take his future wife away but Roderick forbids it. He shows Philip portraits of his ancestors who all came to bad ends. After a fight with her brother, Madeline dies. When she is put in the family tomb, Roderick admits he buried sis alive! After Philip has a nightmarish dream, Roderick seems to lose his mind believing Madeline is coming for revenge. However, it appears he's right! 

A great fiery climax caps this the first Edgar Allan Poe adaptation by Roger Corman and Richard Matheson (and Vincent Price). It may just be me but at times Damon's voice sounds like Derek (David Love) from TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE!

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Bava

 

 (the moviedb.org)

BLACK SABBATH-1963-Three tales of terror are hosted by Boris Karloff in this Italian American co-production presented by AIP. 

The Drop of Water-A woman (Jacqueline Pierreux) is terrorized in her apartment after stealing a ring off a dead woman. Dripping water, weird lights and the dead woman seemingly back for revenge all help in the thief's demise. Credited as based on a story by Anton Chekov but he never wrote such a story.

The Telephone-A woman named Rosie (Michele Mercier) receives threatening phone calls from a man she thought was dead. Credited as a story by Tolstoy but not Leo, the author of “War and Peace” but a minor author Aleksei.

The Wurdaluk-A man (Mark Damon) stays with a family and awaits the return of their grandfather (Boris Karloff) who may now be a vampire. Based on a story by Guy de Maupassant. Usually said to be the only time King Karloff played a vampire.

Mario Bava directed this using lots of style and clever camera work. The original Italian version has a different story order, different music and alternate narration by Karloff. Plus an unusual ending for the vampire story. Bava made THE WHIP AND THE BODY the same year.

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Teenage Gangs

THE REBEL BREED-1960-Police Lt. Brooks (Gerald Mohr) sends two rookie cops into a tough high school to infiltrate two gangs there. Frank Serano (Mark Damon) is posing as half Mexican-half African American and Don Walters (Douglas Hume) is a white guy. There's a black gang (the word Negro is used throughout the movie) called The Ebonies led by Satchel (Al Freeman Jr.), a Mexican gang The Caballeros and a white gang called The Royals. Almost immediately Frank gets beat up by The Cabs because Lola (Rita Moreno) the sister of gang leader Manuel (Richard Laurier) is assigned to a school project with him. Meanwhile she's making time with Jimmy (Don Eitner), a white guy (and Royal). Of course the real bad guy is Buck (Richard Rust), pot pushing leader of the racist white Royals who report to Mr. Elliot (Charles Franc). Manuel is a good gang leader though. He won't let his boys use grass. Later Buck accidentally kills Jimmy in a fight but makes it look like Manuel did it. He’s so bad he gives Satchel's little brother a joint to smoke. Many other things happen: Lola is pregnant, Buck finds out his slutty white girlfriend is actually black and the Royals paint Satchel white. Things come to a head at a pot party thrown by Buck that Lola joins trying to find evidence that Buck killed Jimmy. Frank infiltrates the party and Lola’s dad (Jay Novello) also shows up (he found out she’s preggers) to get harassed. Things really get out of hand when Muscles rats that Buck killed Jimmy and Frank and Don reveal their real jobs. Mr. Elliot appears with a gun. Thank god, the Cabs show up to help save the day. When Lt. Brooks gets there he lectures them (“When are you going to learn?!”). Love blooms for Lola and Frank. Everyone else is forgotten.

 I like the fact that THIS REBEL BREED lays most of the blame on the shoulders of the kids involved because they can't get along simply out of prejudice. The editing is a little sloppy but two directors are credited which could have something to do with it. The first Richard L. Bare had directed shorts and a few movies but was doing the TV western “Maverick” around the same time. He later directed all 166 episodes of the TV comedy “Green Acres”. One of his last films was the split screen slasher melodrama WICKED, WICKED. The second was William Rowland, a producer/director of low budget films (most of which I know nothing about...). Some mild “soft-core” sex scenes were added to the 1965 re-release of THE REBEL BREED and dubbed THE BLACK REBELS.

https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2012/01/wicked-stuff.html

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Hannah

CRYPT OF THE LIVING DEAD-1973-A man spends a lot of time walking around in the dark. He finds a tomb and upon examining it is strangled from behind. It's then made to look like an accident. His son Chris Bolton (Andrew Prine) arrives to find out more about Dad’s death. He meets Peter (Mark Damon) a writer/blacksmith (looking suspiciously like the killer) and his sister Mary (Paty Shepard) who tell him the legend of Hannah, the young bride of Louis 17, who became a vampire and was buried alive in the very tomb that crushed Chris' father. None of the weird locals pay him any mind. Chris decides he wants to give his dad a decent burial. (“Do you think my father started to believe in this garbage?”) While trying to hoist the marble tomb off of dead dad the lid comes off revealing the perfectly preserved corpse of Hannah! Now awake she turns into a wolf and kills a blind man’s dog. Chris and Mary fall in love and it turns out Peter is a nut who worships Hannah. There's also a one eyed crazy guy who seems to be her henchman. After terrorizing the town, Chris sets her on fire. She becomes an ugly monster. The men surround her and Chris puts a stake in her heart. He and Mary leave but someone is left to carry on for Hannah. This Spain produced shot in Turkey horror is too dark in spots and very drawn out. American Ray Danton shot additional scenes for a US release. Aka: HANNAH, QUEEN OF THE VAMPIRES. Prine also starred in SIMON, KING OF WITCHES. 

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They're Not That Young

THE YOUNG RACERS-1963-This serious racing drama is really unlike any other film director Roger Corman has made.

William Campbell stars as Joe Machin, an arrogant womanizing race car driver. He steals the fiancée’ of a writer and former driver named Stephen (Mark Damon, who for some reason had his dialogue re-dubbed by Bill Shatner). To get revenge Stephen decides to write a tell all book about Machin exposing him as a dumb asshole. Much soul searching and character studies ensue. Luana Anders is Stephen’s new love interest and W. Wright Campbell (who also scripted) is Machin's brother. Patrick Magee shows up midway as a critic who stirs things up. Un-credited assistant Francis Ford Copolla made DEMENTIA 13 at the same time which also featured Damon, Anders and Magee.

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