Alfred as a Scientist

 

 (imdb)

ISLAND OF LOST WOMEN-1959-Two pilots Mark Bradley (Jeff Richards) and Joe Walker (John Smith) have plane trouble enroute to Melbourne and are forced to land near a mysterious island where just before they crash a disembodied voice tells them to stay away. They are greeted by Dr. Paul Lujahn (Alan Napier; later Alfred in the Batman TV series) and his three beautiful daughters: Mercuria (June Blair), Venus (Venetia Stevenson) and Urana (Diane Jergens). They live in a cave with furniture, books and lighting. Lujahn was one of the scientists who help create the A-bomb and decided to get away from reality with his wife and kids. 

Unfortunately, his wife died. He's now invented a newer, quicker way to enrich uranium. Bradley wants to blab the doc's story to the whole world so Lujahn destroys their plane with a flame thrower pistol so they can't leave. The two older sisters help the guys build a raft. They become sweet on each other and Walker kills a shark. Things go awry when a fire breaks out and Walker is locked in a nearby room. Lujahn gets conked on the head but Walker is rescued just before a complete meltdown of the island. Needless to say, the atomic explosion gets the world's attention and they are saved. 

Crazy low-budget sci-fi romance from director Frank Tuttle (THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942)) who's career went back to silent movies. He was blacklisted in the late '40's and struggled to get work, This was his last movie.

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Hit The Beach

 

 (imdb)

SURF PARTY-1964-3 women Terry (Patricia Morrow; TV's 'Peyton Place”), Junior (singer Jackie DeShannon; she was in INTIMACY in 1966) and Sylvia (Lory Patrick) take their trailer from Arizona go to the California beach to meet Terry's brother Skeet (TV actor/stuntman Jerry Summers). A police officer (Richard Crane from THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE) isn't happy to learn that Skeet is Terry's brother. They take surfing lessons from Len Marshall (Bobby Vinton; his song “Blue Velvet” was a hit the year before). Skeet is a big man on the beach but everyone blames him for a surf accident a guy named Milo (Kenny Miller (I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF) who sings “Pearly Shells”) has. Len who is sweet on Terry, thinks Skeet is a bad influence. 

There's music by The Astronauts and The Routers (with Scott Walker) but the women sing too. Things just seem to get started when Skeet's sugar mama (Martha Stewart) returns and throws him out. The girls leave, still single. 

This little teenage musical was made by the team of Harry Spauding, writer and Maury Dexter, director to cash in on the popular Beach Party movies of AIP. The duo had already made THE DAY MARS INVADED EARTH, HOUSE OF THE DAMNED and HARBOR LIGHTS. They must have thought this was good because the next year they made a similar “beach movie”.

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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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They're Not That Young

THE YOUNG RACERS-1963-This serious racing drama is really unlike any other film director Roger Corman has made.

William Campbell stars as Joe Machin, an arrogant womanizing race car driver. He steals the fiancée’ of a writer and former driver named Stephen (Mark Damon, who for some reason had his dialogue re-dubbed by Bill Shatner). To get revenge Stephen decides to write a tell all book about Machin exposing him as a dumb asshole. Much soul searching and character studies ensue. Luana Anders is Stephen’s new love interest and W. Wright Campbell (who also scripted) is Machin's brother. Patrick Magee shows up midway as a critic who stirs things up. Un-credited assistant Francis Ford Copolla made DEMENTIA 13 at the same time which also featured Damon, Anders and Magee.

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