Evil Cult

 

(imdb)

 

THE DEVIL'S HAND-1961-A man named Rick Turner (Robert Alda) has mysterious reoccurring dreams about a beautiful woman. His fiancee Donna (Ariadna Welter) seems supportive until they visit a doll shop and see a doll that resembles his dream girl. The owner Mr. Lamont (Neil Hamilton) says Turner ordered the doll but he denies it. Then they see a doll that resembles Donna. She gets upset. Lamont seems to be practicing voodoo as he sticks a pin in the Donna doll and she winds up in the hospital. Finding out who it's for, Turner delivers the dream girl doll and meets Bianca Milan (Linda Christian), a breathy beauty who knows all about him. "You're evil but fascinating and beautiful…" he says. She belongs to a cult that worships "Gamba, the devil god of evil". Turner falls under her spell and dumps Donna. Although he's pledged his allegiance to Bianca and Gamba, he sneaks into their basement temple one night and removes the pin from the Donna doll. When Lamont finds out, he and Bianca plan to sacrifice Donna to their god (Bianca really just wants her out of the way) but Turner shows who he really cares about in the fiery finale where he saves Donna and frees himself from Bianca's spell...or does he?

 Little black & white supernatural thriller is like an overlong episode of 'Thriller". Not bad but drawn out. Director William Hole Jr. also made THE GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW (1959) and worked mostly in TV. Bruno VeSota and Jeanne Carmen have small roles. Lead actresses Christian (who was once married to Tyrone Power) and Welter were sisters. Screenwriter Jo Heims later wrote PLAY MISTY FOR ME.

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Lorre Goes Bonkers!

THE BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS-1946-This rarely seen underrated psychological horror film features Peter Lorre in a standout whacko performance.

When an eccentric wheelchair bound pianist dies it seems that his severed hand has come back for revenge. It plays the piano and menaces Lorre whose character is obsessed with astrology. Robert Alda & Andrea King star along with J. Carroll Naish as a police inspector.

BEAST was written and directed by Robert Florey who co-wrote the original FRANKENSTEIN (but was cheated out of the credit by James Whale) and directed Lugosi in the over looked MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE.

An out of place comical final scene almost ruins it but it’s still a mini-classic. Thanks TCM for showing it!!!


"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer."-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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