Slammer Girls

 

 (imdb)

GIRLS IN PRISON-1956-Prison pastor Rev. Fulton (Richard Denning) tries to help Ann Carson (Joan Taylor; EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS the same year)), in the slammer for a crime she didn't commit. She's in a cell with no nonsense Jenny (Adele Jurgens, in one of her last movie roles), nutty Dorothy (Phyllis Coates) and lesbian Melanee (Helen Gilbert). The matron (Jane Darwell; Ma Joad in THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)) seems pretty ineffectual but Fulton still wants to help. Old time actress Mae Marsh plays Grandma Edwards. Meanwhile, a bank robber (Lance Fuller) threatens Ann's con man father (Raymond Hatton) trying to find some still missing money everyone thinks Ann has. 

Typical 50's moral drama directed by Edward L. Cahn who also made THE SHE CREATURE (also with the acting challenged Fuller) and SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROCK! the same year, both penned by GIRLS screenwriter Lou Rusoff who also wrote IT CONQUERED THE WORLD for Roger Corman in '56. Denning, Jurgens and Hatton had all been in Corman's THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED the year before. Alex Gordon was one of the producers along with Samuel Z. Arkoff and James Nicholsen. Music by Roland Stein.

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The She Creature

THE SHE-CREATURE-1956-This AIP movie features one of the most recognizable monsters in ‘50’s horror history, thanks in part to Forrest J. Ackerman’s publishing many stills of it in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. The monster (created and played by Paul Blaisdell) is cool.

Unfortunately that can’t be said of the movie itself.

Sideshow hypnotist The Great Lombardi (Chester Morris in his last film role for many years) can regress his assistant (Marla English) to the 1600’s where she talks with an English accent. Through her he can also summon a giant clawed “prehistoric” monster to do his bidding. A psychologist (Lance Fuller who gives a very weird performance) tries to break the spell. Tom Conway (“The Falcon” and “The Saint” in better days) is the promoter who makes Lombardi a sensation. El Brendel (one of the stars of the strange ’30’s Sci-Fi flick JUST IMAGINE) is the comic relief Swedish butler. AIP regular Cathy Downs is Fuller’s fiancé and Mark Hudson (Harry in ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN) is a drunk. Kenneth McDonald (from late period 3 Stooges shorts) plays a doctor in one scene.

Despite being directed by the great and underrated Edward L. Cahn THE SHE CREATURE is big disappointment. In between sporadic monster appearances it’s all talk! There’s lots of scientific mumbo jumbo about love, hypnotism and past life regression (which was in the news at the time) and Fuller seems to be under some kind of spell himself. What a bad actor!

Screenwriter Lou Rusoff (brother in law of AIP co-founder Samuel Z. Arkoff) wrote many of their productions including THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED and the England based CAT GIRL. Morris was a Oscar nominated actor best known for playing the title role in the Boston Blackie series. Although active in TV he would not make another feature film until 1970’s THE GREAT WHITE HOPE. Unfortunately he died soon after completing his role.

English, Conway, Fuller and the monster (with a different head) all appeared a year later in VOODOO WOMAN. Fuller was also in Cahn’s WOMEN IN PRISON the same year. Also with Ron Randall, Frank Jenks, Frieda Inescort and Paul Dubov.

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I'm pretty scary though!
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