Too Tufts To Die

 

 (imdb)

SERPENT ISLAND-1954-A rummy sailor Pete Mason (Sonny Tufts) agrees to help Miss Ricky Andre (Mary Munday) find the family treasure using the infamous Andre Letter which she carries. They charter a boat for Haiti from Capt. Ellis (Tom Monroe) who doesn't like Mason and vice-versa and eventually they have a fight. Pete and Ricky go off to an island as he doesn't believe the gold is in Haiti. On the island Pete puts his moves on Ricky. At first, she resists but then accepts it and judging by the scenes of crashing waves they have a great time! Pete and Ricky are captured by the island natives. There are actually only two. The rest is stock footage. Pete even knows the head priestess (Rosalind Hayes). Her servant Jacques (Don Blackman) has a couple of fights with Pete. The gold they are looking for is an idol worshiped by the locals. A giant snake almost kills Ricky but Pete saves her. Ellis however has other plans but he's bitten by a snake. Pete & Ricky escape, gold-less but in love. 

This romantic adventure story is very cheap with a minimal cast. This was writer/director Tom Gries debut but he went on to TV in the '50's and '60's and much later made some bigger budgeted movies like WILL PENNY (1967), the TV mini-series HELTER SKELTER (1976), THE GREATEST (his last in 1977) and others. Mr BIG himself Bert I. Gordon was the producer and cinematographer, a year before he directed his first film, KING DINOSAUR! Star Sonny Tufts had been in CAT-WOMAN OF THE MOON the year before.

Thanks for reading!

Burtgordonus Rex

KING DINOSAUR-1955-The Earth sends a manned rocket to the newly discovered planet Nova. Narrator Marvin Miller explains the tests, plans and preparation that goes into sending a human into space. The crew includes anthropologist Richard Gordon (Douglas Henderson), geologist Nora Pierce (Patti Gallagher), Dr. Ralph Martin (Bill Bryant) and Prof. Patricia Bennett (Wanda Curtis). They discover Nova has the same atmosphere as earth and is home to a lot of stock footage Earth animals. Nora is intrigued by a smoky volcano and the island it's on. No one else shares her enthusiasm. At night Ralph and Pat leave their camp to be alone as they are apparently more than science colleagues. Ralph is mauled by a crocodile. Then he and his honey encounter a giant insect. Later while Ralph recovers Richard and Nora (and their pet lemur Joe) investigate the island. Richard is slashed by a giant iguana saving Joe. Then the giant reptile fights a giant alligator. 

Of course since Mr. BIG Burt I. Gordon directed this they are just small animals blown up by the magic of film. The group sets off an A bomb to destroy the nasty monsters who never did anything to them and return home. 

This was Burt Gordon's directing debut and started him on a career of fondly remembered, enjoyable horror/science fiction junk (THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and it's sequel, THE SPIDER, ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE). Executive producer Al Zimbalist produced ROBOT MONSTER (1953).

Thanks for reading!

More Jungle Bungle

THE BEAST OF BORNEO-1934-On an expedition in Borneo to find the elusive “orang-utan”, explorer Bob Ward (John Preston) finds and adopts a baby ape. Back in London, “celebrated Anglo Russian” scientist Dr. Boris Borodoff (Eugene Sigaloff) needs an orange ape for an experiment. When he learns the expedition can't secure one, he goes himself with assistant Alma Thorne (Mae Stuart). In Borneo Borodoff meets Ward and wants to hire him to catch an “orang” but Ward refuses (he doesn't capture animals for science). Somehow he changes his mind and the three venture into hostile territory with a bunch of natives. Borndoff professes his love for Alma and is jealous when she and Ward become close.

 After 3 weeks they trap a huge orang in a tree. They lure him out with fruit spiked with Gordon's Gin (the label is prominently displayed). But one of the crew is killed and the natives desert the white people. When Ward learns the professor wants to cut open the ape’s brain (although he promised not to) he decides to free it so Borondoff knocks him out. The orang escapes and takes Ward. Borondoff tells Alma Ward is dead but she doesn't believe him. Her efforts to find him fail and she and her boss prepare to leave. But then Borondoff decides to do his operation on Ward's baby monkey Joe which Alma will have none of. She flees into the jungle, finds Ward alive and the evil professor is mauled to death by the adult orang. 

Later jungle drums say a rescue party is coming for the survivors. This thing moves at a snail's pace, could be missing a scene or two and the acting is pretty stiff. Especially annoying is actor Sigloff's heavy accent. Stock footage was left over from EAST OF BORNEO. The orang makes some weird noises. Director Harry Garson made many films in the silent era and continued into sound but developed heart trouble and died in 1938 making only one more film after THE BEAST OF BORNEO.

Thanks for reading!

In The Big Year Of 1931

EAST OF BORNEO-1931-In this early Carl Laemmle produced “talking picture”, a young woman Linda Randolph (Rose Hobart) comes to Borneo looking for her husband Dr. Allen Randolph (Charles Bickford). It turns out Randolph is now using a new name and 300 miles away. Since she's his wife she needs to make the journey despite the warnings that it's no trip for a white woman alone. Nevertheless she sets out with a kind of huge crew led by Hrang (Testu Komai) and sees stock footage of crocodiles, lions, hyena and an orangutan family. At night a giant python visits but does no harm. Then a leopard attacks and mauls one of the white crew. Hubby Dr. Randolph is a drunk chess playing companion to Hashim, the prince of Naruda. Randolph seems to be down on women and doesn't know his better half is searching for him. When Hashim (Georges Rentavent) learns a white woman is soon to arrive he decides to greet her even though Randolph asks him not to. Hashim welcomes Mrs. Randolph and invites her to dinner where she meets hubby who's plastered. 

Later the couple talk. Randolph doesn't want his wife because he believes she left him for another man, although she denies this saying that her relationship with this other man was merely platonic and only happened because of her husband's workaholic ways. Randolph has none of it and sends her away. Things don't go too well for the Mrs. after she sees a man eaten by crocodiles and a baby monkey killed by a tiger and she wants to leave. Then she accidentally ruins Randolph's experiment. He’s looking for an antitoxin for yellow fever. The prince seems desirous of the white woman and won't let her leave but in a fit of sober allegiance to his wife Randolph tries to help her escape. Of course they are recaptured and Randolph is set to become croc food but when the prince puts his moves on Linda she shoots him! He doesn't die and Randolph operates on him but the volcano erupts and Hashim is killed. The Randolphs get away. 

EAST OF BORNEO was made by Universal pictures the same year as the horror classics FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA but is forgotten today. There is a tenuous connection between this jungle romance and Dracula as Randolph's slave is played by Luptia Tovar (who died in 2016 at the age of 106!) who would play Mina in the Spanish language version of Dracula that was shot at night after Tod Browning’s version wrapped up for the day.

Thanks for reading!

Queen Of What?

QUEEN OF THE AMAZON-1947-Boring nonsensical basement budget adventure made up mostly of animal stock footage and African tribes dancing. Jungle guide Gary Lambert (Robert Lowery) leads an expedition looking for some white guy. Jean Preston (Patricia Morison), the guy's fiance goes along as do Col. Parker (John Miljan), Gabby (J. Edward Bromberg) and Monroe (Keith Richards). They find the guy among a female tribe of warriors led by Zita (Amira Moustafa). The guy (William Benge) actually likes living with the tribe and wants to marry the queen! Trouble plagues the group (lion attacks, mysterious murders) and it turns out the comic relief cook is actually the mastermind of a ivory poaching ring! 

Director Edward Finney only directed 5 films but produced over 40. Mainly westerns. In 1949 star Lowery would play Batman in the serial BATMAN AND ROBIN.

Thanks for reading!

Bomba

BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY-1949-A photographer Charles Harland (Onslow Stevens) and his daughter Patricia (Peggy Ann Garner) come to “the jungle” to get some photos. After showing some footage to Andy (Charles Erwin), “a glorified game warden” and his servant Eli (Smoki Whitfield) they set off on safari and see lots of animal stock footage. Patricia is saved from a leopard attack by Bomba (Johnny Sheffield), a white curly haired jungle boy. He wants to be nice but she pulls a gun on him so he walks away. Later she asks for his help but he wants none of her (“You try hurt me”). He cools to her and she tries to explain what a family is. He tells her about an old guy who taught him English. He gets shot for his efforts but later shows her around the jungle and his cave home (and animal friends). She dons a cave dress and they even go swimming together. When danger threatens in the form of some hunters Bomba saves everyone by starting a fire. There's also some talk of Bomba being left alone after his father (?), a misanthrope named Cody died.

 It's based on a series of books by Roy Rockwood (probably not a real person)and often sighted for it's racist overtones. The prolific Ford Beebe directed it and a number of others in the series (there were 12 entries in all). DC even published a few comics based on the character in the 1960's.  

Thanks for reading!

No Dragons Though

VALLEY OF THE DRAGONS-1961-In 1881, 2 guys are going to have a duel. Hector Sevadac (Cesare Danova), Frenchman  and Michael Denning (Sean McClory), from Ireland are starting their paces when a comet seems to sweep across Earth. At first they think civilization has been destroyed and they are the last survivors. They battle comical looking cavemen and a large phony spider. They also encounter the overused footage of the Earth cracking open and little lizards made up to look like dinosaurs from ONE MILLION BC. When night finally falls and they look up in the sky and see the planet Earth they realize the truth. They have in fact been swept up on the passing comet! 

The duo save each others life and forget their duel and become friends. After much exploring they come upon a tribe of human inhabitants but the group runs away. Eventually Hector is found by Deena (Joan Staley), a blonde haired female of a local tribe. He tries to teach her English (shouldn't he had tried to teach her French?) and of course winds up kissing her.  Meanwhile Michael falls in with another tribe and has his own female problems in the form of cave brunette Nateeta (Danielle De Metz) and Anoka (Mike Lane), her cave guy. He causes trouble but Michael uses a sling-shot to keep him in line.

Later after Hector and Deena frolic (too long) in an underwater love scene they wander into a cave and are attacked by creatures that look suspiciously like The Morlocks (George Pal's version of THE TIME MACHINE was made the year before). Deena escapes the Morlock wannabes but is captured by another tribe. Fortunately it's the tribe Michael has been hanging with.  Just when it seems as if the two tribes are going to fight the nearby volcano erupts more stock footage. When the smoke clears everyone gets together to help rescue some survivors trapped in a cave. Hector creates gunpowder and makes a bomb to destroy the giant lizard guarding the cave! Everyone lives happily ever after on the prehistoric comet. 

VALLEY is a very low budget production with lots of stock footage, super-imposed monsters and jungle and cave scenes obviously filmed in a studio. The biggest surprise though is a cameo appearance by Japan's Rhodan! Yes, a flying creature shown quickly several times is none other than Godzilla's old pal!

Perhaps it shouldn't  be that much of a surprise as one of VALLEY's producers was Al Zimbalist, the man behind ROBOT MONSTER!

Director Edward Bernds made this between THE RETURN OF THE FLY and THE THREE STOOGES MEET HERCULES. Bernds worked a lot with The Stooges and The Bowery Boys as well. He died in 2000 at the age of 94.  

VALLEY is based on the Jules Verne story "Career Of a Comet".

Thanks for reading!

Franky In Space

FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACEMONSTER-1965-Another “classic” bad movie, most of it filmed on Long Island in New York. 

U.S. space ships are observed then destroyed by some aliens: Princess Marcuzan (Marilyn Hanold) and pasty-faced Dr. Hadir (Lou Cutell; as of this writing still an active TV actor). NASA and the army team up to send a man to Mars but instead of using a real astronaut they send Col. Frank Saunders (Robert Reilly), a kind of “synthetic man” made up it seems of human body parts (just like...well you know...). The aliens destroy his ship but he ejects to safety...sort of. 

The aliens land on Earth and one of the crew finds Frank and blasts him. He doesn't die but one side of his face becomes horribly burned. It turns out that the aliens' home planet (never named) had an atomic war (“They lucky ones are dead”) and radioactivity has made the place uninhabitable. They also need “breeding stock” ( i.e.: women) to repopulate. Frank wanders around San Juan and kills a guy. The scientist in charge of the project, Dr. Steele (James Karen), his assistant Karen (Nancy Marshall) and army general Bowers (David Kerman) fly down just as the aliens begin kidnapping women in Puerto Rico (there are scenes actually filmed there!). The princess checks out their first captured “breeder” while Steele and Karen take a motorcycle ride around town. They find Frank in a cave and Steele tries to repair him while Karen goes for help. Unfortunately at that very moment the aliens invade and at a swinging pool party all the women there are taken captive and Karen is kidnapped as well. She's the only one who doesn't go quietly. All the rest of the captured females seem to be quite docile and unperturbed by the fact that they are in a UFO being watched over by its strange looking inhabitants who are treating them as livestock! 

Frank is taken prisoner later on but Karen gets him to save her and the others while he's forced to fight a very dumb looking monster to justify the title. Unbilled Bruce Glover appears as another alien. 

The alien make-up is really bad and lots of stock footage is used to pad out this strange movie. Star Marilyn Hanold (from Jamaica, NY) was the Playboy Playmate of the Month for June 1959. A few years before FMTS she had appeared in another “notorious” horror film THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE. She didn't do much after this except marry a Texas oil tycoon and quit show biz. 

Well known character actor James Karen was also in the experimental Buster Keaton FILM (written by Samuel Beckett) the same year. This was director Robert Gaffney's only effort. He was later the director of photography on SUPERFLY TNT and may have made some uncredited photographic contributions to 2OO1: A SPACE ODYSSEY...

Thanks for reading!

Alice Has A Date With Ro-Man

ROBOT MONSTER-1953-One of the best “bad” movies ever. ROBOT MONSTER seems have been forgotten in recent years. On viewing it recently I can say it's as crazy now as it was 25 years ago when I first saw it! 

Anyone who cares already knows the whole story. Invading alien Ro-Man Extension XJ-2 (from the planet Ro-Man) destroys almost all of the inhabitants of Earth with a his strange (and annoying) C ray that turns everything negative when he uses it. Only 5 people are left. They are “The Professor (John Mylong with a distracting German accent), his wife (Selena Royale), grown daughter Alice (Claudia Barrett, still living at the time of this posting), two younger children Johnny (Gregory Moffet) and Carla (Pamela Paulson) and Alice's scientist/boyfriend Roy (George Nader). They are immune to the deadly “Ro-Ray” because of a serum Dad invented. The group  hide out in a burned out bunker  with some kind of electric barrier that keeps Ro-Man from finding them. 

It's strange that since Ro-Man can't find them and the family are the only people left in the whole world he just happens to have his headquarters (a cave in the famous Bronson Canyon) a hop, skip and jump away from their hideout! But then that's the least strangest thing! 

Take the terrifying Ro-Man! He's a guy (famous man in a gorilla suit actor George Barrows) in a ape costume but instead of an ape head he has some kind of modified diver's helmet! He threatens the family by a special view screen and occasionally talks to Ro-Man leader “The Great Guidance” (probably the same guy). Ro-Man's dialogue is funny stuff. “The great one is never wrong”.  In fact all the dialogue is funny!

Anyway, his base is a cave that seems to be guarded by a bubble machine! Ro-Man is ordered by “the great one” (for all I know Jackie Gleason could have been in the costume...) to destroy everyone but it's obvious he has “feelings” for the comely Alice (he may look and act like a doofus but he's no fool apparently). When trying to reason with the alien diver helmeted hairy menace fails Alice and Roy have a toss in the grass. When they come back to the shelter they announce they want to get married! And The Professor does the job! And then the newlyweds leave the protected area to go on their honeymoon with Ro-Man still running around! Then Carla chases after them to give her big sister some flowers. On the way back she meets Ro-Man who proceeds to strangle her (off-screen). He then breaks up the honeymoon by throwing Roy off a cliff and kidnapping Alice. He takes her back to his place and tears off the top of her dress! 

Just then The Great Guidance calls (Mr. perfect timing) and Ro-Man gets some rope to tie Alice up. He can't seem to do this so he clouts her with his hand. His boss is quite peeved to learn his henchman has yet to kill everyone. Ro-Man 'fesses up that he wants Alice and can't kill her. “I must but I cannot. Where do must and cannot meet on the graph?”. And I guess there are elves in the cave with Ro-Man because when next we see Alice she is bound tightly! Fairly pissed and completely through with letting XJ-2 ruin his plan “the great one” unleashes prehistoric animals and earthquakes to destroy the Earth (and Ro-Man). (Why didn't he just do this in the first place????)

But of course it was all a dream Johnny had after hitting his head! Yet after the seemingly happy ending The Great Guidance Ro-Man is seen emerging from the cave (3 times!). 

RM was originally shot in 3-D. I always like the opening credits as they were shown over a backdrop of comic books. According to most sources director Phil Tucker shot the whole thing in 4 days for a budget of about $16,000 and grossed around $100,000 despite bad reviews. To some it's consider one of the worst movies ever made but to me it's one of the most enjoyable bad movies ever made! 

There is also the story that Tucker tried to commit suicide after the movie opened when he realized how bad it was. Though he did try to kill himself, it was probably due more to depression over personal woes than bad reviews (they may have heightened his depression) because the film actually made money! The same year as RM Tucker also made DANCE HALL RACKET starring Lenny Bruce (who also wrote the script) and his wife Honey Harlow. He made the low budget Sci-Fi movie CAPE CANAVERAL MONSTERS in 1960 and was mostly an editor (and inventor) after that.

Shanghai born screenwriter Wyott Ordung also wrote TARGET EARTH, directed MONSTER FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR and later was the assistant director on a film 10 times worst than RM, THE MUMMY AND THE CURSE OF THE JACKALS! He occasionally acted too. Executive producer Al Zimbalist was also behind CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON, KING DINOSAUR and THE MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL. 

Leading man George Nader was signed to a contract with Universal Pictures the next year (but not on his RM performance). He became good friends with fellow contract player Rock Hudson and like Hudson was a gay man hiding his true nature. 

He was later the star of movies like THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS and AGENT FROM H.A.R.M. According to The Internet Movie Database after quitting movies Nader wrote a Science Fiction novel in 1978 called “Chrome” which featured gay robots! 

Selena Royale was a popular character actor in the 1940's (THE FIGHTING SULLIVANS) before being blacklisted. Her role in RM was one of her last. 

Final note: Near the beginning of RM when Ro-Man destroys the rocket heading for space, look closely the final time and you can see a hand operating the “burning rocket”....

Thanks for reading!

Jungle Jim 2

THE LOST TRIBE-1949-This was the second installment of the Jungle Jim series starring ex-Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller. ]

A travelogue opening uses stock footage to explain the various local animals. 

When Jim rescues Li Wanna (Elena Verdugo the doomed  gypsy in  HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN), a native girl from rampaging animals he learns she is from a lost city “beyond the mountains”. Her tribe needs Jim's help because “white men” want the tribe's stash of diamonds. When a lion attacks a gorilla and it's baby, Jim wrestles the king of the jungle and kills it with his knife. He seems none the worst for wear except he loses his hat but the gorilla (man in a suit) seems grateful. Jim also gets help from Kaw-Kaw, a crow and Skipper, a dog. 

A guy named Calhoun (Joseph Vitale) is after the diamonds and fortunately Li Wanna's brother Chot (Paul Marion) is sweet on Norina (Myrna Dell) who is in cahoots with Calhoun and a ship captain (Ralph Dunn) to obtain the mother lode. Later (in a badly staged scene) Jim kills a shark threatening some pearl divers. I liked the introduction Jim gives to Norina when she asks his name : “Jim. Just Jim”. Most of this is Jim running back and forth from the jungle to the town then swimming to the ship and going back to the jungle. He has a lot of fights but never runs out of energy. Finally when he's forced to lead Calhoun and his men to the lost city, a gang of gorillas kill the intruders. Jim's relationship with the apes is kind of funny!

The weirdest thing about this Sam Katzman low budget production is the “un-Africa” like setting. There are no black natives. Most seem Asian or Polynesian!

Johnny Weismuller's last Tarzan appearance was in 1948's TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS. Except for one movie in 1947 (SWAMP FIRE with Buster Crabbe, another film Tarzan) the only movies he'd make would JJ films until 1977 when had a cameo in WON TON TON: THE DOG THAT SAVED HOLLYWOOD! 

THE LOST TRIBE was directed by William Berke, the veteran low budget director who'd helm a few more in the series.

I reviewed the first Jungle Jim entry here: http://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2010/01/jungle-jim-jumps-in.html

Thanks for reading!!!

Terror of Warren

TERROR OF THE BLOODHUNTERS-1962-This no budget junk is suppose to take place on Devil’s Island but of course since it was written and directed by Jerry Warren it means a minimal cast, stock footage and a lot of talk.

Bingo! Jerry scores on all three!! Robert Clarke (THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON) is a painter/writer who tries to escape with the help of the warden’s daughter (Dorothy Haney) and another guy. Meanwhile the daughter’s fiancée Whorf (Robert Christopher) hunts for them in a surrounding jungle where we see footage of native girls dancing and panther attack. Later Whorf and his second in command (Warren regular Steve Conte) ran afoul of headhunters and Clarke tries to save them.

It’s just a lot of boring talk. Warren released FACE OF THE SCREAMING WEREWOLF in 1964.

Happy Birthday Harry Houdini where ever you are!

Thanks for reading!

Price In South Africa

THE JACKALS-(South Africa)-(1967)-This is a weird seldom seen spagetti western influenced drama that takes place in The Transvaal.

Some outlaws rob a bank then almost die of thirst in the desert ( while arguing constantly). The leader is a cardboard no nonsense type (Robert Gunner). They take refuge in a ghost town where they meet an old prospector (Vincent Price ) and his weird looking granddaughter (Diana Everson) who's tougher than any of the outlaws. Everyone sleeps out in the open even though (stock footage) wild animals are everywhere. The thieves have a falling out and the cardboard guy teams up with grandpa and gandaughter to beat his ex-partners and turn over a new leaf. He even returns the money he stole from the bank! Price is a hoot in the lead, mugging and laughing like a maniac and is really the only reason to catch this.
T
hanks for reading!

War! What Is It Good For?

SUICIDE BATTALION-AIP-1958 -B-movie genius Edward L. Cahn stikes again with this strange comedy drama set in the Pacific during WW2.

Hardnose Mike Conners leads the title squad which includes John Ashley and Russ Bender. Much of the film concerns the exploits of the troop while partying at a local watering hole (including Ashley courting a native girl). War is fun!!

Stock footage (of both US and Japanese armies, some of it quite graphic) abounds. When the mission finally gets underway the squad has a woman reporter (Jewell Lain) with them too! A lot of the usual soul searching ensues before they must destroy a captured base and retrieve some secret files. Connors (who starred in his first TV show TIGHTROPE the next year) even has time to fight a rival Lieutenant (Bing “Father Of Kurt” Russell) for the reporter’s affections. It’s fairly violent for the time and of course nearly everyone (except the leads) dies.

A narrator tells of a “cunning and savage enemy” and “the power crazed Japanese”, so obviously by ’58, the wounds of WW 2 still hadn’t closed.

SB was written by AIP vet Lou Rusoff (see CAT GIRL entry) and produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff. Music by Ronald Stein. Also starring Scott Peters, Walter Maslow, John McNamara and Sammee Tong.
Thanks for reading!