No End

 

WORLD WITHOUT END-1956-4 astronauts on a spaceship probing Mars have trouble getting home. John Borden (Hugh Marlowe) is the kind of leader. There's also Dr. Galbraithe (Nelson Leigh), Ellis (Rod Taylor) and Jaffe (Christopher Dark). They crash land on an unknown planet that has gravity, oxygen and snow. After they encounter two giant spiders, they bed down for the evening and are attacked by disfigured caveman. Of course, they are actually on the future Earth (after an apocalypse). They retreat to a cave and meet the underground survivors of mankind. A bunch of male fuddy duddies and beautiful short-skirted women all led by Timmak (Everett Glass). The men wear bathing caps. The jealous Mories (Booth Colman) plots to destroy the astros when Borden falls in love with Garnet (Nancy Gates), the leader's daughter. Later they build a bazooka and fight the mutants. Borden then has to fight the mutants' one-eyed leader. Borden wins the fight and mutants and humans live together in harmony. 

This science fiction post-apocalyptic adventure is pretty funny with the astronauts conveniently landing on Earth (no spacesuits), travelling in regular hiking clothes with knapsacks and the weapons being guns and an axe. Still the premise is fairly interesting. 

Paul Brineger, Strother Martin, Mickey Thompson and Herb Vigran have uncredited roles. Sam Peckinpah was the dialogue director. Director/writer Edward Bernds was working on the “Bowery Boys” series around this time and later worked a lot with The Three Stooges.

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Witney Western

 

 (imdb)

THE LONG ROPE-1961-In a town run by a rancher named Ben Matthews (Robert J. Wilke), a judge (Hugh Marlowe) comes to preside over the trial of a Mexican accused of killing Matthew's brother. With the reluctant help of the sheriff (Alan Hale, Jr.), Stone investigates. He also meets gun-slinger Reb (Chris Robinson) who tries to reform. There's a trial where the real murderer is revealed and a quick gun fight. Also with William Kerwin and Lisa Montell. 

The Long Rope was produced by actress Margia Dean (she's in MESA OF LOST WOMEN). She hired veteran B-movie director William Witney who does a good job with this low budget minor western. Dean had planned at least one more movie but no more were ever made.

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Harryhausen

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EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS-1956-Dr. Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe) and his wife Carol (Joan Taylor) have a UFO encounter. Later while overseeing Project Sky Hook, Marvin's father-in-law General Hanley (Morris Ankrum) advises him to cancel a scheduled rocket take off. Aliens land and metal robots cause some destruction. It seems their original message was misunderstood so they attacked. Later Martin and Carol, Major Huglin (Donald Curtis) and a police officer (Larry Blake) are taken aboard a saucer. There they see Hanley has been abducted and become the aliens' unwilling spokesman. They want to make Earth their new home as their world is dying. Martin and Prof. Kanter (John Zaremba) invent a sonic gun to kill the aliens. While it's being built, the aliens create some explosions on the moon and saucers attack DC. One is shot down and crashes into The Potomac. The Washington Monument and The Capital are among the buildings destroyed. Mostly caused by the shot down UFOs. 

The SFX (by the master Ray Harryhausen, who goes uncredited!) are the real highlight of this black and white science fiction film directed by the unheralded super-fast Fred Sears who made 8 other movies in 1956 including ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK and THE WEREWOLF. Thomas B. Henry is an admiral and Paul Frees is the voice of an alien. One of the screenwriters was Curt Siodmak.

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Why Are They Scared?

13 FRIGHTENED GIRLS!-1965-This talky, innocuous drama shows the decline of once popular "gimmick" director William Castle. 

13 girls from a Swiss boarding school (all daughters of diplomats) get into trouble while on vacation. The story focuses on one girl Candy (Kathy Dunn) who's diplomatic father is played by Hugh Marlowe (EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS). Khigh Dhiegh (in THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE the year before) is the Red Chinese diplomat who's niece Candy befriends. Murray Hamilton and Joyce Taylor are the special agents Candy helps. Despite the violence and espionage this almost seems aimed at teenage girls!

Emil Sitka has an un-billed role as the school's care taker. Castle made the comical remake of THE OLD DARK HOUSE the same year. Screenwriter Robert Dillon also penned Corman's X-THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES the same year.

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