Corman, Cabot, Devon and Miller

WAR OF THE SATELLITES-1958- After 10 failed manned missions to the Sigma Barrier, Dr. Pol Van Ponder (Richard Devon) decides to take number 11 up himself. His assistants Dave Boyer (Dick Miller) and Sybil Carrington (Susan Cabot) plan to go with him. His scientist friend Hotch (Robert Shayne) supports him but Jason ibn Akad (Michael Fox), LeMoine (Bruno VeSota) and others don't. Just when it looks like the project will be shut down, it's announced Van Ponder is killed in a car accident. No sooner is this declared and the doctor shows up! However it's no miracle. He’s been taken over by an alien being (who caused the crash). Now he can split into two people and  repair his hand after it’s charred by a blow torch. He also can’t deter the efforts to send more rockets into space so the aliens make their presence known and create natural disasters around the world (stock footage). The alien as doctor declares an end to the project but when he sends Boyer to deliver the news, Boyer instead convinces the UN reps that Earth should fight the aliens. This makes the possessed doctor not happy. Boyer becomes suspicious when he notices some bruises on Devon arms. They all go into space and Boyer tries to convince the crew of the truth while Van Ponder acts weird and kills. It's said this sci-fi space film (perhaps director Roger Corman’s weakest '50's effort) was rushed into production after the 1957 Sputnik launch. There's not much action but it's nice to see usual supporting actors Miller & Devon in the lead roles. And I love those reclining space.chairs! 

With the death of Miller in late 2018 I believe the last living cast member of WOTS is Corman who has a small role as a rocket operator. Strangely this was the only movie Miller made in 1958! He starred in A BUCKET OF BLOOD the next year. Cabot starred in THE WASP WOMAN the next year. They had both been in CARNIVAL ROCK for Corman in 1957. She and Richard Devon were in Corman's MACHINE GUN KELLY the same year as WOTS.

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Corman Strikes Again!

THE WASP WOMAN-1959-Cosmetics CEO Janice Starlin (Susan Cabot with old age make-up) is worried her company is going down the tubes but she's more concerned about getting old.

She hires a scientist (Michael Mark) who's experiments with queen wasps produce a formula that makes her young. Unfortunately the treatment has some unwanted side effects. She turns into a hairy bug eyed insect with claws that prays on humans!

Barboura Morris is her secretary and Fred (later Anthony) Eisley is on her staff. They become suspicious when their pipe smoking colleague (William Roderick) becomes the first victim. Bruno VeSota plays a night watch man victim.

This THE FLY inspired horror is a very short and fast paced. It almost seems like an episode of a TV anthology show! Producer/director Roger Corman (who appears briefly as a doctor) made it between BUCKET OF BLOOD and SKI PATROL. It was written by actor Leo Gordon whose wife Lynn Cartwright appears as a switch board operator.

Both Cabot and Morris had appeared in Corman's SORORITY GIRL in 1957. Morris (who appeared in other Corman and /or AIP films) died of a stroke at 43 in 1975. Cabot (in 5 Corman directed features) was killed by her son in 1985. She was 59. WASP WOMAN was her last feature.

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