Cold War 50's

SHACK OUT ON 101-1955-A greasy spoon on the California coast is the setting for this cold war film noir drama and it's cast of characters: short tempered owner George (Keenan Wynn), sexy waitress Kotty (top billed Terry Moore from MIGHTY JOE YOUNG), sleazy cook Slob (Lee Marvin, who was in BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK the same year) and Sam (Frank Lovejoy from HOUSE OF WAX), a professor at the nuclear facility who's also Kotty boyfriend (talk about an odd couple!). Also featured is Whit Bissell as George's friend Eddie who has a fear of blood.

Between the characters talking about their problems and feelings some espionage goes on as Slob is passing micro film from the professor's facility (with the help of delivery man Len Lesser) to unknown agents. One night Kotty hears Sam and Slob talking and realizes her stuffed shirt of a lover is part of a spy ring. Frank DeKova shows up in one scene as a crooked professor who gets killed. Some comic scenes involving Wynn using barbells and scuba equipment are thrown in as well.

It's an ok low budget thriller with Marvin kind of stealing the show especially when he turns violent in the finale. Donald Murphy who later played the mad doctor in FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER has a small role as a federal agent posing as a truck driver.

Director Edward Dein went on to make the vampire western CURSE OF THE UNDEAD. Earlier he made SOUL OF A MONSTER.
http://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2010/03/not-that-much-soul.html

I could write another whole entry on co-star Frank Lovejoy, who as I have mentioned before seems to have none of his last name in any of his acting. His love scenes with Terry Moore are awkward at best!

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This Price is Right!

HOUSE OF WAX-1953-This is one of the best horror films of the ‘50’s and not only is it in Technicolor but it was originally filmed in 3-D! Vincent Price is in top form as Prof. Henry Jarrod, gifted if eccentric wax sculptor obsessed with Marie Antoinette. When his greedy partner (Roy Roberts) burns down their museum for the insurance money Jarrod is presumed dead. He re-emerges as a scarred killer with a wax facemask, He pretends to be wheelchair bound and opens up a new museum with the help of Igor, a mute sculptor played by Charles (Bronson) Buchinsky. He covers his murdered victims with wax and uses them as exhibits. He takes a liking to Phyllis Kirk and decides to make her his new “Marie”. Paul Picerni plays her boyfriend, a sculptor who briefly works with Jarrod. A Police Lieutenant (square jawed Frank Lovejoy) investigates. Strange that an actor with such a last name would have neither love nor joy in his performance. The wax figures have more expressions! Familiar character actor Dabbs Greer is his assistant.


Carolyn Jones is also featured as one of Jarrod’s early victims. She was in WAR OF THE WORLDS and Fritz Lang’s THE BIG HEAT the same year. The story goes that HOUSE’s director Andre De Toth had only one eye and therefore couldn’t even experience the 3-D effects. This makes sense considering how little it’s used. The most famous scene doesn’t even involve horror. It features the paddleball talents of one Reggie Rymal (who died in 2002). Still De Toth’s “flat” direction keeps the story moving.

HOUSE is a remake of the 1933 film MYSTERY IN THE WAX MUSEUM that was shot using an early 2-color process. Lionel Atwill had the Price role in that one. Both are based on a play by Charles Belden.

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves"-Confucius

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