Horror In The Philippines

 

 (imdb)

THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE-1972-Matt Farrell (John Ashley) is forced on to an island ala Dr. Moreau run by Juan Pereira (Eddie Garcia). He wants to use Farrell to create a new species of human beings. Pereira's experiments aren't very successful as he has a lot of animal creatures in cages. Things go bad for the doc when his daughter Neva (Pat Woodell) decides to help Farrell escape after disposing of Pereira's bi-sexual, drug addict second in command Steinman (Jan Merlin). Neva escapes with some animal people, a bat guy (Tony Goselvez), an antelope man (Ken Metcalfe) and a panther woman Pam Grier). Steinman musters some troops to go after the escapees while the manimals fight and act crazy. Neva tries to teach them manners. Permo (Kim Ramos), an ape man, tries to rape her. Meanwhile, Farrell captures Pereira. The panther girl kills some of the guards but goes crazy, even attacking wounded antelope man. Eventually, all of the mutants are killed except for the bat guy who kills most of the bad guys except for Pereira who's killed by the most horrible mutant, his wife and first failed experiment. (like in THE SHE DEMONS). 

This crazy low-budget shot in the Philippines horror tale was directed by the prolific Eddie Romero (BRIDES OF BLOOD (1968)) between BEAST OF THE YELLOW NIGHT (starring Ashley) and THE WOMAN HUNT (starring Ashley and Woodell). 

Thanks for reading!

Hail Atlantis

ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT-1961-While out plying their trade a Greek fisherman Demetrius (Anthony Hall aka Sal Ponti)) and his father rescue Antilla (Joyce Meadows) a bitchy princess ( "Don't touch me. You smell of fish").

Eventually she convinces the superstitious and easily deceived young man to take her back to her home beyond "the pillars of Hercules" which of course turns out to be the legendary Atlantis before it became lost. Somehow they fall in love. After they are picked up by an Atlantean submarine Demetrius is made a slave. Edgar Stehli is Antilla's weak kneed father/king and Ed Platt is the high priest who knows that doomsday is near. Though technically and scientifically advanced (they have a death ray and make human slaves into animal people sort of like in ISLAND OF LOST SOULS) it's an evil and despotic empire. Demetrious battles a giant in the ridiculous ordeal of fire and water to win his freedom and is visited by a blue skinned Neptune in a dream sequence. The scheming Zaran (John Dall) plots with Sonoy the astrologer (Frank DeKova with eye patch and earring) to attack the rest of the world. Demetrious leads a slave uprising just as Atlantis is destroyed but he and his love get away. Berry Kroeger is a scientist ("Why do they always take my best specimens away?" ) and Gene Roth has an un-billed role (and if you had to wear the embarrassing head gear he wears you'd want to be un-billed too!).

William Smith, Jay Novello and Nestor Paiva are also in it with Paul Frees narrating. This George Pal directed fantasy is very entertaining and imaginative but not nearly on the budget of his previous effort THE TIME MACHINE. Some action scenes were lifted from Pal produced THE NAKED JUNGLE and QUO VADIS. It's based on an English play.

Thanks to my pal Tony for getting me this and thanks for reading!