John Agar

HAND OF DEATH-1962-A guy investigates a bunch of dead sheep and passes out. Scientist Alex Marsh (John Agar) & his assistant Carlos (John Alonza) revive him and say they were conducting a secret experiment for the government and he mustn't tell anyone. Back in civilization, Alex visits wheelchair bound Dr. Ramsey (Roy Gordon), his kind of girlfriend Clara (Paula Raymond) and another scientist Tom Holland (Stephen Dunne). He tells them he’s invented a nerve gas that can also hypnotize its victims. Clara doesn't like it. She thinks it's too dangerous. One night while working he knocks over a beaker containing some experimental gas. He passes out and has a dream about floating test tubes and lab mice. He wakes up with a dark sunburn and when he touches Carlos he dies. Alex packs a bag, sets the place on fire and leaves. Joe Besser plays a happy gas station attendant who's cheerful outlook doesn't pay off. I’ll watch anything with John Agar in it but I’ll never forgive him for killing lovable Joe Besser! 

Alex hides out at Ramsey's place while they try to find a cure. Tom comes up with something but by then poor Alex turns into a lumpy faced monster (he resembles the original version of The Thing from the Fantastic Four comic books) who accidentally kills Ramsey. Despite his obvious pathetic grunts that are pleas for help when Clara sees him she flees in terror (ok, I would have done the same…). Undaunted he puts on a floppy hat and trench coat and goes for a ride. That doesn't work out so he wanders around aimlessly scaring women until he kills a cabbie and steals his cab. With the police on his trail Alex ditches the cab and wanders on the beach. After he collapses a little kid (Butch Patrick) almost touches him, Alex goes to Tom’s beach house for help but surprise! Clara is staying there instead. Tom and the police arrive and when Alex becomes aggressive a cop shoots him. Tom can have Clara all to himself. 

This seldom seen low budget horror movie was the first feature length film directed by Gene Nelson, also an actor who went on to direct Elvis Presley in KISSIN' COUSINS but worked mainly in TV. 

Thanks for reading!

Hollywood Horror

HOLLYWOOD HORROR HOUSE-1969-This junk is like the classic HOLLYWOOD BLVD. but with gore, psychedelic dream sequences and characters using drugs. 69-year-old Miriam Hopkins (in her last role) plays the Norma Desmond type former silent screen star named Katherine Parker. Between drinking vodka and dreaming about a comeback she falls down a flight of stairs and breaks her leg. She hires Vic (John David Garfield) to assist her in her recovery even though it’s obvious he’s a loony who as flashbacks of his mother having sex with several men just before he cuts off her hand. He has an affair with the young maid (Virginia Wing) but she gets chopped up.

After a dinner party with Katherine’s very boring old friends (one guy falls asleep at the table) she and Vic have an (ugh) affair and he takes her to a wild party and gives her drugs. In one bizarre scene Katherine hallucinates she’s in The Santa Claus Lane Parade! Former Hollywood screen villain Gale Sonnergaard (in her first film role in 20 years!) is Katherine’s secretary who suspects something’s up. Another real life former ‘30’s star Florence Lake is the housekeeper and Joe Besser has a small role as a tour bus driver.

Later after killing Katherine (and everybody else) Vic talks and sleeps with a mannequin of her!

Hopkins gives a pretty good performance considering the circumstances (all rotten). Her character doesn’t have the has-been type decadence of Gloria Swanson. She still looks fairly glamorous (and threatens a topless scene!). Garfield (the son of the famous actor who died at 39) was also a film editor. I hope he was better at that job. His acting was somewhere between standing still and not caring.

The director of grisly embarrassing mess was one Donald Wolfe who’s other claim to fame seems to be that he edited THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS. He also wrote and produced it so there are not too many other people to blame...

HHH is also known as SAVAGE INTRUDER and THE COMEBACK.

One note: My friend Mike lend me this video. He told me there is a scene where you can see “the clapper” before the scene starts (much like in MANOS-HANDS OF FATE) but I didn’t notice this and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna watch this thing again!!

Thanks for reading!