Bad Future

 

 

 (imdb)

FUTURE WAR-1997-Some aliens,cyborgs and dinosaurs invade Earth. A nun (Travis Brooks Stewart) and an alien tracker (Daniel Bernhardt) try to stop them. The dinosaurs are terrible plastic models but they act better than most of the cast. The tracker, a Jean-Claude Van Damme clone battles the head cyborg (Robert D'Zar) in the finale. Forrest J. Ackerman has a bit role. 

The director Anthony Doublin did visual effects for some big budgeted Hollywood movies (HISTORY OF THE WORLD Part 1; 1941) but went on to a shot on video atrocity SLAUGHTERED.

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Mexican Werewof

 

 (imdb)

EL HOMBRE Y MONSTERO-1959-In this stylish and eerie Mexican horror film, Samuel (Enrique Rambal) makes a pact with the devil to become a great pianist but unfortunately when dealing with Mr. Scratch there's always a catch. Now whenever Sam tinkles the ivories he turns into a hairy werewolf like creature. He lives with his mom and a young protégé he's training. However a nosy reporter (screenwriter Abel Salazar) learns that Sam has the corpse of a female rival he killed in a room and every so often talks to it. After terrorizing he transforms during a big concert and is shot by the police. Director Rafael Baledon also made ORLAK,THE HELL OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN.

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Mummy in Spain

 

 (imdb)

VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST-1974-A voodoo priest in the Caribbean is burned for having an affair with a married woman named Kenya. Many years later he comes back as a revenge seeking mummy when he's discovered by an expedition and brought aboard a luxury liner. He wakes up and sometimes he's crusty looking but most times he's normal. He cuts off the head of a steward and puts the head in the bed of Silvia (Eva Leon), a woman who may be the reincarnation of his girlfriend. Then he has a guy he's made his slave run over a doctor with a steamroller. A short rotund police chief figures out what's going on and the mummy is burned up. 

This production from Spain is pretty bad. The director Manuel Cano also made THE SWAMP OF THE RAVENS.

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What?

 

 

 (imdb)

THE WHIP AND THE BODY-1963-Kurt Menliff (Christopher Lee), a sadistic disowned son returns to his family because his brother Christian (Tony Kendall) is about to be married. Kurt's return doesn't sit well with his dad, The Count (Gustavo De Nardo). In fact, Christian is going to marry Kurt's ex-fiance Nevenka (Daliah Lavi) but Kurt blew it when he had an affair with a servant girl who later committed suicide. Kurt has come back to claim his birthright which he seems to think includes Nevenka. When two meet on the beach, he whips her and they have sex. Later Kurt is stabbed to death but it seems his ghost has come back for revenge. 

Great atmospheric photography by Mario Bava. An incomprehensible version titled "What!" used to play on local TV in the '70's. It's since been restored but the version I saw was dubbed (Lee's voice included).

 (imdb)

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Do You Believe?

 

 (amazon.com)

BURN, WITCH, BURN! -1962-Norman Taylor (Peter Wyngarde), a college professor finds out his wife Tansy (Janet Blair) has been using voodoo she learned in Jamaica to make him successful. After he makes her burn all her charms and talismans, a female student accuses him of rape and a male student threatens him with a gun. After a weird episode at their home, Tansy is convinced Norman will die, so she decides to take his place. He frantically searches for her. She almost drowns herself but Norman saves her using the occult practices he doesn't believe in. Flora Carr (Margret Jackson), a vengeful college secretary seems to be behind it, using voodoo to destroy The Taylors because she feels her husband Lindsey (Colin Gordon) was passed over in flavor of Norman. The climax is good. 

Veteran sci-fi/horror writers Charles Beaumont & Richard Matheson (both worked on TV's The Twilight Zone) collaborated on the script (based on Fritz Leiber's “Conjure Wife”) for AIP's James Nicolson who later turned it over to their British affiliate Anglo-Amalgamated. They wanted Peter Cushing to star but he was busy. 

Director Sidney Hayers (CIRCUS OF HORRORS) does a competent job of holding everything together despite a low budget and provides some good scares. In the 1980's he came to the US and directed for TV. The Universal Pictures “Inner Sanctum” entry WEIRD WOMAN (1944) is also based on Leiber's story. Known in the UK as NIGHT OF THE EAGLE, the US version has a short prologue by Paul Frees.

 (wikipedia)

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PS: There was also a band in the early 2000's called "Burn Witch Burn" lead by "Dead Milken" lead singer Rodney Linderman. Their only release is great!

 (amazon.com)

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

 

 (imdb)

REPTISAURUS-2009-Pretty much a garbage production about a government experiment that accidentally produces a creature that kills people. Gil Gerald is an insane army officer. Director Christopher Ray also made the pretty bad ALMIGHTY THOR. His dad Fred was one of the producers.

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Confessions

 

 (imdb)

CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM EATER-1962-In San Francisco's Chinatown in 1802, a Tong war rages. Soldier of fortune Gilbert de Quincey (the one and only Vincent Price) is hired by newspaper publisher George Wah (Richard Loo) to help stop the auctioning of illegally obtained Chinese women for Chinese men living in the US. Ruby Low (Linda Ho) and Ching Foon (Phillip Ahn) are the leaders. The story features de Quincey in and out of trouble while trying to save the women. He's almost like a secret agent! Visiting an opium den, de Quincey has a pipe and has a wild dream where he fights, run, watches a butcher behead a pig and falls off a roof, all in slow motion! Angelo Rossito appears selling newspapers. 

Rather bizarre drama directed by Albert Zugsmith (SEX KITTENS GO TO COLLEGE). It's based on the novel of the same name by Thomas De Quincey.

 (amazon.com)

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Hopefully They Stopped Walking By Now...

 

 (imdb)

GHOSTS THAT STILL WALK-1977-A nice kid named Mark (Matt Boston) is having trouble with his medulla oblongata. His grandma (Ann Nelson) takes him to see a psychiatrist. The shrink (Rita Crafts) believes Mark's trouble might stem from the fact that his mom (Caroline Howe), an author, has suffered a nervous breakdown. Mark hears voices and says he tried to kill grandma who agrees to undergo hypnotism to find some repressed memory. She remembers when she and hubby bought a motor home and went to the Calico ghost town then a horrifying experience when their vehicle went out of control. Then the old folks are attacked by boulders on a salt flat desert while the theme from SPIDER BABY plays. Then while grandpa is fixing the air-conditioning, their vehicle starts up by itself and takes him and granny on an unscheduled driver less ride.

 Back in the present, grandma and the shrink have a long pointless discussion. At night the shrink reads the notebook of Mark's mom which relates the story of 3 ancient mummies she has and astral projection. Later it seems that Mark is being possessed by an American shaman who died a long time ago but still exists in his Astral form. Grandma's prayer to God saves the day. 

This boring incoherent mess was the brainchild of director/writer James T. Flocker who was involved in several low budget productions and wrote the original story for the movie that became THE CURSE OF BIGFOOT.

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Thr Rubber Tongue

 

 (imdb)

THE BRAINIAC-1962-In 1661, during the Spanish Inquisition in Mexico, the evil baron Vitelius (Abel Salazar; the film's producer) is burned for heresy among other things. Before he dies, he curses the judges who condemned him and says he'll be back in 300 years to get his revenge. Cut to 1961. Renaldo and Victoria, two astronomy students cut their dancing short to visit Professor Milan and check out some heavenly bodies. Milan tells them that a strange comet should be making an appearance for the first time in 300 years. Coincidentally, the same comet passed by when the Baron was burned. 

The comet drops the Baron off and he's now a long-haired monster with claws and a rubbery tongue who sucks out victims' brains. He seeks revenge on the ancestors of the judges and kills several women too. Actually, he collects the brains in bowls and whenever he's feeling down, he has a tablespoon. He plans on making Renaldo & Victoria his next victims but Renaldo discovers the brain stash and two investigating cops show up with flamethrowers and burn the Baron a second time. 

This is another weird Mexico produced outing with a strange creature and outrageous plot. Frank Zappa references this movie in the song "Debra Kadabra" (sung by Capt. Beefheart) on The Mothers album "Bongo Fury".  Director Chano Urueta later made several movies with luchador Blue Demon.

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Low Budget Trilogy

 

 (imdb)

GREEDY TERROR-(aka SHOCK CHAMBER)-1985-A trilogy of terror from Canada. 

1) “Symbol of Victory”-The nerdy son of corporation head is sweet on a woman who couldn't care less. He buys a love potion and tragedy results. 

2) “Southern Hospitality”- A husband & wife and two dimwitted brothers kill a guy with poison for his money and find out he was a kidnapper traveling with the ransom money. More deaths follow and the survivor gets a big surprise in the twist ending. 

3) “The Injection”-Two brothers are involved in an insurance scam. One brother is given an injection that makes him appear to be dead. But an insurance investigator seems to catch on. This is the worst of the 3 with very bad acting, stupid characters and a woman sings a terrible song. 

This was the first movie for director Steve DiMarco who later directed a lot of cable TV.

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Killer Babe

 

 (tcm)

IT'S ALIVE-1974-A woman named Lenore (Sharon Farrell) gives birth to a monster baby that kills all the doctors and nurses who helped bring it out. Frank (John P. Ryan), the monstrosity's father acts weird and wants to know what happened to his baby. His boss (Guy Stockwell) wants him to take a vacation. Meanwhile the mutant moppet kills people (the milkman victim is particularly crazy). A university head (Andrew Duggan) wants the baby body dead or alive. The cause of it may have been some birth control pills and the CEO of the company (Robert Emhardt) wants the baby destroyed. SWAT teams converge on it at one point but only find a normal harmless baby. The killer babe goes home and mom hides it in the basement. It threatens their older son and kills a neighbor. Mom goes crazy. 

Eventually the police trap it in a sewer but Frank feeling fatherly saves it. It screams a lot and Frank tries to convince the cops it's harmless (right after the shootout what looks like to me a UFO dots across the sky...). The baby is killed but a police lieutenant gets a call that another mutant baby has been born. 

IT'S ALIVE was the brainchild of maverick writer/director Larry Cohen, made in between HELL UP IN HARLEM and GOD TOLD ME TO. It caused a stir upon its initial release. Many people didn't like the idea of a “killer baby”. It still holds up well today and is better than most modern dunnage that passes for horror. (There was a remake in 2009!) Cohen made two sequels.

Of course I reviewed the Part 2 first!

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Huh?

 

 (indb)

BLACK MOON-1975-In the future Lily (Cathryn Harrison), a young woman, travels around the countryside in a land ravaged by a war between men and women. After seeing a unicorn, she follows a woman riding a horse and encounters some naked children playing with a pig. She enters a house where a piglet is in a highchair. After drinking a glass of milk, she's almost strangled by a bed ridden woman (Therese Giehse) who afterwards gives a description of Lily in a radio transmission (“She has a punk nose”). Later the woman seems to strangle herself to death and Lily meets the opera singing gardener (Joe Dallesandro) named Brother Lily. He and Sister Lily (Alexandra Stuart) seem to be in charge of the children. It ends with Lily getting ready to breast feed the unicorn. 

If you like movies that seem to make no sense but might be some kind of allegorical puzzle with fantasy and horror aspects, you might enjoy it. French director/writer Louis Malle filmed much of it on his own estate with Sven Nykrist as the cinematographer (he shot most of Igamar Bergman's films). Star Harrison (1959-2018) was the daughter of Noel Harrison and granddaughter of Rex Harrison.

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It Never Ends

 

 (imdb)

CATACLYSM (THE NIGHTMARE NEVER ENDS)-1980-A couple, Clare and James Hanson (Faith Clift and Richard Moll) vacation in Las Vegas after Clare complains that she dreams about demons. At a show, a psychic shows her a scene of Nazis celebrating. Then a guy from the SS kills the women playing music. Clare invites the psychic to dinner but he's killed before he can attend. Meanwhile Mr. Weiss (Marc Lawrence) gets very upset when he sees Mr. Olivier (Robert Bristol) on TV. He tells police captain Sterne (Cameron Mitchell) that the guy killed his family 35 years before but since Olivier is in his 20's, the captain doesn't believe him. Weiss goes to kill Olivier and is killed by a monster. 

This is actually a feature length version of the third story of the horror paste up anthology NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR. It's almost twice as long as that version and there have been at least 4 other versions in one shape or another! The male voices in this seem to be slowed down and dubbed by the one person!

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Santo Saves!

 

 (wikipedia)

SANTO VS. THE HEADHUNTERS-1969-After our hero Santo of the Silver Mask (himself) beats up four guys, he discovers one of them has an ancient knife. Meanwhile, an explorer Don Alonso Grijalva (director/co-writer Rene Cardona) tells his guests about The Jivaro Indians and their propensity for collecting human heads. He even shows them a shrunken one. His daughter Mariana (Nadia Milton) is also present. Meanwhile one the guys Santo beat up is part of the headhunter cult and he tells the leader of his troubles. With the help of a Jivaro spy aka Don Alonso's butler, they kidnap Mariana and plan to make her a sacrifice. Santo leads an expedition to save her. And besides encountering hostile locals, Santo has to fight a crocodile and a leopard. Later the luchador extraordinaire fights the biggest warrior to save Mariana's life.

Another crazy south of the border production. Director/actor Cardona also made SANTO IN THE TREASURE OF DRACULA and the comedy SANTO VS CAPULINA as well as NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES.

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God of Battle

 

 (imdb)

ARAGAMI-2003-2 young Samurai, wounded in battle, seek refuge in a secluded castle. While his companion dies, the other (Takao Osawa) awakens and his wounds are healed. The owner (Masaya Kato) claims to be Aragami, the god of battle. He says he wants the samurai to kill him but it's not that easy. This 3 person Japanese tale has good swordplay and acting but was too talky for me. The director Ryuhei Kitamura also made VERSUS and GODZILLA: FINAL WARS.

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Puroresu

 

 (wkipedia)

THE GREAT SASUKE-2015-Nice documentary about the Japanese pro-wrestler, The Great Sasuke, covering his ups and downs in the ring, his short-lived political career, family life and helping the victims of the tsunami in Northern Japan. He's an honest hard-working guy with a never say die attitude who's devoted to his sport. Fellow wrestler Taka Michinoku also appears. Directed by Mikiko Sasaki.

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Curiouser and Curiouser

 

 (imdb)

THE CURIOUS FEMALE-1970-In the far future where Los Angeles is a floating island and the world is controlled by "The Great Computer" a group of groovy swingers (including Angelique Pettyjohn) wearing underwear watch some movies in secret (all movies are banned). This innocuous badly made soft core porn probably wasn't even funny when it first released. Director Paul Rapp had worked for Roger Corman and was assistant director on films like BOXCAR BERTHA, THE TRIP, THE TERROR and others.

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Wilburys

 

 (wikipedia)

THE TRUE STORY OF THE TRAVELING WILBURYS-2007-Great overview documentary about the last real super group (George Harrison,Bob Dylan,Roy Orbison,Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne with drummer Jim Keltner) and why it came about and how they wrote, played and recorded the album in the spring of 1988 at Dave Stewart's house. It's ultimately a little sad of course since Roy Orbison died so suddenly (and Harrison & Petty are both gone now...). Probably could have been longer but nevertheless a nice little documentary.

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More From Mexico

 

 (imdb)

THE BLACK PIT OF DOCTOR M-1959-Dr. Aldama (Antonio Raxel) & Dr. Mazali (Antonio Raxel), two doctor/buddies make a pact that whoever dies first will come back and tell the other about the hereafter. Dr. A goes first and he sends a message through a crazy gypsy fortune teller. He comes back as a strangely menacing spirit while Dr. M and his staff deal with an insane patient who throws acid on Elmer, an orderly, disfiguring his face. Later Elmer kills the insane woman and Dr. Mazali is accused of the murder. He's tired, convicted and hanged. He dies and comes back. But because of his meddling in such things, he comes back as Elmer! 

This is a very moody, atmospheric piece from Mexico directed by Fernando Mendez (LADRON de CADAVERES, EL VAMPIRO)

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Salt Water Shemp

 

 (ebay)

SALTWATER TAFFY-1933-Elmer Waggonbottom (Jack Haley) and Wibur the kleptomaniac (Shemp Howard) are 2 near-do wells who accidentally join the navy and get in trouble with the CP0 (Lionel Stander). It's fairly a amusing and only about 20 minutes long. A rifle routine could have influenced the famous Abbott & Costello routine but both were probably taken from vaudeville. Director Ray McCarey was the brother of director Leo McCarey, who directed The Marx Brothers in DUCK SOUP the same year.

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TV Ape

 

 (imdb)

THE IVORY APE-1980-Range (Derek Partridge), a murderous English poacher captures the super rare albino ape and plans to sell it in Cuba. In Bermuda, the dopey Bax (Steven Keats) and the frigid Lil (Cindy Pickett) try to stop the ship carrying the ape which escapes and kills a ship mate that taunted it. Later the ape terrorizes the island but really doesn't kill anyone else directly (a cop falls off a cliff running away, a woman crashes her car when the ape is in the middle of the road). The police constable (Earle Hyman) hires Marc Kazarian (Jack Palance), an ex-hunter haunted by the death of his son, to get the ape after the vigilante mob fails. The ape is eventually trapped in a church where something unexpected happens. 

Cheesy made for TV ABC movie of the week, one of 3 US-Japan made co-production between Rankin/Bass and Tsuburaya Studios. It was shown in theaters in Japan to unsuspecting patrons. Directed by Tsugunobu “Tom” Kotani also made THE LAST DINOSAUR and THE BUSHIDO BLADE. Only recommended if you're a Jack Palance fan and want to see everything he's done.

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Amicus Anthology

 

 (imdb)

ASYLUM-1972-A young Dr. Martin (Robert Powell) has a job interview in an insane asylum where the head doctor Rutherford has gone insane and is now a patient. Or so says his replacement (Patrick Magee). He says if Martin can identify the loony doc from the other patients, he gets a position.

The first story, “Frozen Fear” is related by Bonnie (Barbara Parkins) and how her lover Walter (Richard Todd) murdered his wife with an ax, chopped up her body and put it in a freezer. The pieces come back to life and kill hubby. Bonnie has to fight the pieces too and winds up insane and disfigured.

Then comes the tale “The Weird Tailor”. Bruno (Barry Morse), a tailor who can't pay his rent, is visited by a Mr. Smith (Peter Cushing) who wants the tailor to make a special suit for his son. He needs the suit to bring his son back to life. After he accidentally kills Smith, Bruno wants to burn the suit. His wife (Ann Firbank) wants to call the police. Fortunately, she puts the suit on Otto the dummy. An episode of Thriller is based on the same story.

In the third story “Lucy Comes to Stay”, a woman named Barbara (Charlotte Rampling) comes to live with her stuffy brother George (James Villiers) after a mental breakdown. She has an annoyingly cheerful nurse called Higgins (Megs Jenkins). After Barbara takes some pills, her mysterious friend Lucy (Britt Eklund) shows up and convinces her that George is trying to kill her. But Lucy is just an illusion.

Last up is “Manikins of Horror”. Dr. Byron (Herbert Lom) makes little dolls that he says he can bring to life through thought control, which he does in the finale but there's a fatal twist ending for poor Dr. Martin. 

This is a cool horror anthology from Amicus with all the stories written by Robert Bloch who had performed a similar duty the year before on THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD. Director Roy Ward Baker's previous horror movie had been DR. JEYKLL AND SISTER HYDE (1971).

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??

 

 (wikipedia)

CHARIOTS OF THE GODS-1970-Erich Von Daniken's highly speculative bestselling book is the basis for this German made speculation film that proposes aliens visited Earth in ancient times, were the gods of mythology and build the pyramids,Nezca lines and other structures. Director Harold Reinl later made two more movies along the same lines IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS and MYSTERIES OF THE GODS but prior to CHARIOTS, he made THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM and some other horror films and two movies featuring the Dr. Mabuse character

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Tomato

 

 (imdb)

TOMATOS ANOTHER DAY-1930-In this subversive, ahead of its time avant-garde short film, a woman and her lover part. He leaves his hat. The woman plays solitaire and her husband comes home. While kissing her he finds the hat. He asks if a man has been here. She says no. Then when he asks who that was who just left, she says it was her lover. He doesn't seem perturbed by this and they kiss again. The lover comes back for his hat. More senseless dialogue is spouted with phrases like the title and "cigarette life". It ends in a shooting. 

The acting and dialogue are terrible on purpose as it's supposed to be a satire on "talking pictures". It was screened only once in public and no one got the joke and it's easy to see why. The director James Sibley Watson had made a silent version of “Fall Of The House Of Usher” in 1928. He made one more short film after TOMATOS, LOT IN SODOM in 1933. You can read more about him here:

ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Sibley_Watson

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I'd Rather Watch Konga!

 

 (imdb)

QUEEN KONG-1976-Inane British musical comedy take-off of King Kong, (the Dino DeLaurentis bomb was made the same year). A bitchy director (Rula Lenska) and her all female crew set out for Africa to film a movie. She "shanghaies" an imbecile con man Ray Fay (Robin Askwith) to be the star. Some "native" dancers sing "Kong! Kong! Kong!" but the director says it has no significance. Then like Linda Blair, their heads spin and they vomit pea soup. On the island of Nabongas, the chief (Valerie Leon; BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB) takes a liking to the imbecile Ray. Nearly unwatchable thanks to the purposely awful cliche script and tongue in cheek acting, a giant gorilla (man in a suit) does show up. Linda Hayden plays a singing nun. 

Director Frank Agrama made one movie after this, THE DAWN OF THE MUMMY in 1981. Much later he was involved in producing games and videos featuring the anime “Robotech”.

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Ghost?

 

(imdb)

THE GHOST TRAIN-1941-On a train in England full of very English people, music hall performer/pain in the ass Tommy Gander (Arthur Askey) loses his bowler. He pulls the emergency brake to stop the train and retrieve his hat. All the passengers are very loud and complaining except for a couple who plan on being married the next day (the guy's a wimp though). They all get stranded at a train depot and want to stay the night but the station master says they can't because the place is haunted. (It also seems he might want to get rid of them for some other reason…). He tells them a story about a train wreck and leaves. Later after Gander acts like a complete and annoying asshole, the station master is found dead. Then a frightened woman shows up looking for the ghost train. Then a man (Raymond Huntley) who claims to be her brother comes looking for her. The final conclusion is not supernatural at all. 

Star Askey was a music hall performer before entering film in the late '30's. He became very famous in England and later had his own TV show. Co-star Raymond Huntley had originated the stage role of “Dracula” in the 1927 English stage production (Lugosi would play it on Broadway and of course in the movies version). Director Walter Forde made several other movies with Askey (brave guy....).

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She's A Witch! Burn Her!

 

 (imdb)

MARK OF THE WITCH-1970-A woman condemned as a witch curses her accusers. Then she's hanged. In the present, a college professor Mac (Robert Elston),has a group of students who study witchcraft, mainly as a lark. Jill (Anitra Walsh),a student who works at a bookstore,finds an ancient book and the group decides to summon a witch. It doesn't seem to work but Jill seems affected. The witch has possessed her and wants revenge. 

The psychedelic finale with abrupt twist ending is the best part of this talky supernatural low budget junk with bad acting. Director Tom Moore later directed RETURN TO BOGGY CREEK for Charles Pierce and was producer on several other projects for Pierce.

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Gorilla Brains

 

 (wikipedia)

THE MONSTER AND THE GIRL-1941-The first half of this horror/sci-fi story is told in flashbacks. During a trial it shows how Scott Webster (Phillip Terry) was convicted for the murder of a guy named Stanton. He was actually framed by a bunch of gangsters lead by Mr. Bruhl (Paul Lukas). Webber's sister Susan (Ellen Drew who also narrates) tells a story about how she unknowingly married gangster Larry Reed (Robert Paige). At a surprise party everyone gets drunk and Reed disappears but it's all a scam to make Susan a call girl. Webber is sentenced to death but at “the big house” he's visited by Dr. Carey (George Zucco), a scientist who wants Webber's brain after he's dead. Meanwhile Sam Daniels (Ron Cameron), a reporter, tries to help Susan. In his rather large lab Carey transplants Webber's brain into that of a gorilla. The operation is a success but the gorilla (George Barrows) has revenge on his mind and breaks out and kills the DA (Onslow Stevens) who convicted Webber. Every bone in his is broken. Web-grilla visits Susan at night and kills another gang member (Gerald Mohr). When the gang boss Deacon (Joseph Calleia) goes to kill an unreliable thug (Marc Lawrence), it's two for the price of one gorilla killing! Carey tips off a policeman that the gorilla has a human brain but the cop doesn't believe him. Webber/ape kills the last two gang members but is shot and killed by the police while sis watches. 

This kind of crazy Paramount release came under fire from many censor boards and was eventually pulled from release. Director Stuart Heisler also made the seldom scene AMONG THE LIVING the same year. He later directed Gary Cooper in ALONG CAME JONES, Bogart in two features TOKYO JOE and CHAINED LIGHTENING and made I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES, a remake of HIGH SIERRA with Jack Palance and Lon Chaney.

(imdb)

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Sheriff Billy The Kid

 

 (wikipedia)

SHERIFF OF SAGE VALLEY-1942-Billy the Kid (Buster Crabbe) and his two cohorts Fuzzy (Al St. John) and Jeff (Dave O'Brien; REEFER MADNESS; CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT) become the law in Sage Valley when they save a stagecoach from being robbed and the sheriff is murdered. They take on Sloane (Charles King), who runs the local crooked casino and his gang but the real boss is Kansas Ed, Billy's twin brother (also Crabbe) who kidnaps Billy and impersonates him for a while. Billy's buddies save him and they stop Kansas but are almost hanged anyway. 

This PRC western quickie was directed by...who else but the speed demon himself Sam Newfield using his frequent alias, Sherman Scott. His brother Sigmund Neufeld produced. According to my (not so reliable) calculations Buster Crabbe played a character called Billy the Kid in 36 westerns!

Read about the real outlaw: Billy the Kid | Biography, Death, & Facts | Britannica

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Jolly Old England

 

 (you tube)

MIDNIGHT AT MADAME TASSUAD'S-1936-Sir Clive Cheyne (James Carew) makes a bet with his friend that he will stay overnight alone at “The Chamber of Horrors” section of Madame Tassaud's wax museum. Meanwhile Cheyne has a problem with Nicholas (Kim Peacock; also one of the screenwriters) the philandering, neer do well fiancé of his niece Carol (Lucille Lisle). Nick is in cahoots with Newton (Charles Oliver), an associate of Cheyne's, who owns Cheyne money. Jerry Melville (Patrick Barr), a snooping reporter tries to get the low down on the engagement. He has a comical assistant named Stubbs (future first Dr. Who star William Hartnell). After Melville exposes Nicholas' illicit affair, he goes to the museum to save Cheyne who's going to be killed by Newton's gang. Wax figures of Mae West, Marie Antoinette and Lawrence of Arabia also appear. 

This British production was the second to last film directed by George Pearson who way back in 1914 made the first movie adaptation of a Sherlock Holmes story (A Study in Scarlet).

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Moles

 

 (imdb)

THE MOLE PEOPLE-1956-The oddball introduction to this film is done by Frank Baxter, a college English teacher who sometimes appeared on TV as “Mr. Research”. He talks about the hollow Earth theory. Then a group of archaeologists journey to a sacred Asian mountain after finding some unusual Sumerian artifacts. They find the ruins of a city and one guy (Phil Chambers) falls through the floor and is killed. That leaves Dr. Bentley (John Agar in his only horror/sci-fi role in 1956)), Dr. Bellamin (Hugh Beaumont), Prof. LaFarge (Nestor Paiva) and their guide (Rodd Redwing) to descend into the Earth in a rather long scene. An avalanche kills the guide and traps them underground. They discover that the Sumerians created their own “ark” just before the Great Flood. Then they are attacked by the big-eyed reptilians of the title (I know, I know. Moles aren't reptiles...). They are sort of rescued by a pasty-faced tribe who use the mole people as slaves. The trio are condemned to death, to die in “the fires of Ishtar”. They escape but LaFarge is killed. A flashlight saves the surviving duo, and they are revered as gods. Bentley falls for Adad (Cynthia Patrick), the only blond-haired woman. The high priest Elinu (Alan Napier) stirs up trouble and bad influence with the wimpy king. The guys are put in the “fire” but it's just ordinary sunlight. The moles revolt and kill everyone except Bentley and Bellamin who escape with Adad but she's killed in another earthquake when they reach the surface. Robin Hughes (THE THING THAT WOULDN'T DIE) has a small role as a guard. The next year co-star Hugh Beaumont played Mr. Cleaver on the long running TV show “Leave It to Beaver”.

This low budget Sci-Fi fantasy was directed by Virgil Vogel in his debut. He does the best with what he's got. He went on to work on many TV shows. Screenwriter Lazlo Gorog wrote mostly for TV but also did the screenplay for the ultra-cheapy THE LAND UNKNOWN (which Vogel directed) the next year. William Alland was the producer.

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Buck It Up

 

 (imdb)

BUCKTOWN-1975-Duke Johnson (Fred Williamson) goes to a small racist town in Alabama to sell the club his brother Ben owned before he was killed. Aretha (Pam Grier), a realtor friend of Ben's, becomes Duke's lover. The racist white police chief (Art Lund) and his two flunky deputies harass Duke, start a fight in a bar, then try to kill him. Duke calls his friend Roy (Thalmus Rasulala) who brings in some “muscle”. The chief says “Just remember we're the law. God is on our side”.Duke, Roy and their gangs proceed kill all the white bigoted lawmen and hold the chief hostage. Roy and his flunkies decide to take over as the law after they meet up with Roy's alcoholic friend (Bernie Hamiton). When they try to rape Aretha, Duke builds a tank and attacks them. He has a fisticuffs showdown with Roy in the finale. 

This is more blaxploitation hi-jinks from director Arthur Marks who made FRIDAY FOSTER with Pam Grier the same year. He made the much more enjoyable J.D.'S REVENGE the next year.

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