Shot On Location!

 

 

 (imdb)

DAWN OF THE MUMMY-1981-In ancient Egypt, a mummy is entombed with a curse placed on it to whoever tries to break in. In the modern day, a group of photographers and models go to the desert for a shoot while some grave-robbers look for an ancient treasure. After a lot of talk the mummy comes back to life and brings some other mummies with him. They turn out to be cannibals too. Later the mummy horde invades a wedding, killing and eating guests and the bride and groom. 

This was shot mainly in Egypt with too much talking, dark scenes and actors bellowing when scared. The director Frank Agrama also made QUEEN KONG (1976) and later was involved with the US production of the Japanese anime ROBOTECH.

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"Let's pay Mr. Tartu a Visit"

 

DEATH CURSE OF TARTU-1966-In a pre-credit scene Dr. Hunter (exploitation film director Brad Grinter) gets trapped in an underground tomb and is killed by an Indian warrior. After a decrepit hand shows us the credits we are now in the Everglades where Dr. Gunter (Frank Weed) and local yokel Billy (Bill Marcus) argue over ancient spirits. Billy leaves the doc to his exploring. He drinks coffee and digs up an artifact. As soon as he does a dead witch doctor Tartu (it reminded me of The Aztec mummy) awakens in his coffin and turns into a snake. Gunter is crushed to death by a giant python. Enter Ed Tison (Fred Pinero) and his wife Julie (Babette Sherffill) and some of his students. They go looking for Gunter but only find the artifact he dug up. After the students have an impromptu dance party, Tartu (Doug Hobart) rises from its tomb once again. It turns into a shark (?) and kills Tommy and Joanne, two of the students. When all they find is one bloody limb they agree something evil is going on. Johnny sets out alone for help. Tartu turns into a snake again and bites Johnny to death. After the remaining student Cindy has a dream Johnny is dead, the trio go looking for Tartu's tomb. There they find Hunter's corpse. Cindy flees in terror and is killed by an alligator. They try to open Tartu's coffin but instead Tartu rises and turns into a scary native warrior. He beats up Tison and chases Julie through the swamp. Tison recovers from his beating and pursues them. While Julie sinks in quicksand, Tison and Tartu scuffle again. This time the ancient warrior falls into quicksand and Tyson saves his wife. 

Despite its low budget restraints and its barely seen monster TARTU director William Grefe' manages to provide a fairly haunting and claustrophobic atmosphere in this technicolor low budget horror film . Grefe' (STING OF DEATH) went on to make THE DEVIL'S SISTERS (with Pinero and Sherrill), THE NAKED ZOO (with Rita Hayworth) and IMPULSE (with William Shatner).

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No Pain, No Money

THE BRASS TEAPOT-2012-A married couple of likable losers Alice (Juno Temple) & John (Michael Angarano) find a ancient teapot that gives them money every time they feel pain. Of course this leads to many comic situations as they try and figure out new ways to feel more pain and get more money. After the guy has it appraised on an “Antiques Roadshow” type TV show many people want it including some Hasidic Jews who beat John up to try and steal it! A Korean doctor (Steve Park) shows up and explains the history of the 2000 year old teapot and how the couple are actually in a lot of trouble. Things get a little more serious later on but the story goes on too long. Apparently director Ramaa Mosley used a short film with the same title as basis for this, her first feature film.

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