The Mole People is a 1956 American science fiction horror feature film directed by Virgil W. Vogel (The Land Unknown) from a screenplay by László Görög (The Spider). It was produced by William Alland (This Island Earth; Tarantula; Creature from the Black Lagoon). The Universal-International movie stars John Agar, Cynthia Patrick, Hugh Beaumont, Nestor Paiva and Alan Napier.
Plot:
Archaeologists Dr. Roger Bentley (John Agar) and Dr. Jud Bellamin (Hugh Beaumont) stumble upon a race of Sumerian albinos living deep under the Earth. They keep mutant humanoid mole men as their slaves to harvest mushrooms, their primary food source, since they can grow without sunlight.
The Sumerian albinos’ ancestors moved into the subterranean after the cataclysmic floods in ancient Mesopotamia. Whenever their population increases, they sacrifice old people to the Eye of Ishtar, which – in reality – is natural light coming from the surface…
In the US, Scream Factory is releasing The Mole People on Blu-ray on February 26, 2019. Special features are in progress and will be announced soon.
Reviews:
“Cool idea, inept execution. The unimaginative directorial style works against the movie at every turn. The script asks a lot of our disbelief-suspenders, and doesn’t give them much to work with. The acting is particularly shabby, and though Agar doesn’t seem as bored here as he did in Revenge of the Creature, he still basically sleepwalks through his role.” Scott Ashlin, 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting
“The Mole People isn’t a good movie, but like much sci-fi, the movie does have you exploring theories and ideas which is generally seen as the difference between sci-fi and fantasy. I like that this is blended with a little horror for a nice combo. The movie is short, sweet and enjoyable for fans of the genre.” JP Roscoe, Basement Rejects
“This pulp adventure tale is made acceptable by the good mole make-up and rubber suits.” John Stanley, Creature Features
“I find it a lot more enjoyable in its use of spectacle; the shots of the underground city are fun to look at, and the hellish sights of the slave fields are particularly impressive. The story is pretty silly, and the idea that sunlight is fatal to these creatures isn’t really convincing…” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“A dull script, pedestrian direction and dispirited acting are saved by some inventive set design and make-up.” Alan Frank, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Handbook, Batsford, 1982
“Of course it was a B-film, so things are not going to be top-of-the-line, but it was a solid, little science-fiction venture that never failed to entertain. The good guys were good, the bad guys were bad and you could sympathize with the Mole People come the end of the movie.” The Telltale Mind
Cast and characters:
John Agar … Dr. Roger Bentley
Cynthia Patrick … Adad
Hugh Beaumont … Dr. Jud Bellamin
Alan Napier … Elinu, the High Priest
Nestor Paiva … Prof. Etienne Lafarge
Phil Chambers … Dr. Paul Stuart
Rodd Redwing … Nazar
Robin Hughes … First Officer
Frank Baxter … Himself
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Graveyard Groove: The Haunted History of Monster Music from “Monster Mash” to Horror Punk is a self-published book by David Acord (Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes; When Mars Attacked: Orson Welles and the Radio Broadcast That Changed America Forever), released on August 26, 2018.
“In the mid-1950s, a new genre of novelty music emerged that mixed humour and horror. The result: Monster Music! Suddenly, jukeboxes were filled with songs about Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolf Man, creatures from outer space and a multitude of supernatural terrors.
The genre reached its peak in 1962 with Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s smash “Monster Mash,” but there are many more songs worthy of rediscovery — and Monster Music still lives on today, thanks to the influence of punk pioneers like The Cramps and the Misfits. Here is the complete, untold story of Monster Music — the genre that refused to die!”
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The Giant Claw is a 1957 American science fiction monster feature film directed by Fred F. Sears (The Werewolf) from a screenplay by Samuel Newman and Paul Gangelin. The Sam Katzman produced movie stars Jeff Morrow and Mara Corday. It was released by Columbia Pictures.
The Giant Claw is usually mocked for the quality of its special effects. The bird is obviously a marionette puppet with a very odd face. The movie includes copious stock footage, including clips of the explosion of the Los Angeles City Hall from War of the Worlds and collapse of the Washington Monument from Earth vs. the Flying Saucers during the bird’s attack on New York City.
Plot:
While engaged in a radar test flight, Mitch MacAfee (Jeff Morrow), spots an unidentified flying object. Jets are scrambled to pursue and identify the object but one goes missing. Officials are initially angry at MacAfee over the loss of a pilot and jet over what they believe to be a hoax, but are forced to take his story seriously after several other planes disappear.
A gigantic bird “as big as a battleship”, purported to come from an antimatter galaxy (and then later from the year 17,000,000 B.C.), is responsible for all the incidents. Mitch, his mathematician girlfriend Sally Caldwell (Mara Corday), Dr. Karol Noymann (Edgar Barrier), General Considine (Morris Ankrum) and General Van Buskirk (Robert Shayne), work feverishly to develop a way to defeat the seemingly invincible enemy.
The climactic showdown takes place in New York City, with the bird attacking both the Empire State and United Nations buildings.
“This would have been an ordinarily bad movie of its type, with a good performance by Jeff Morrow, if the special effects had been industry standard for the time. That, however, is not what happened. The Claw is not just badly rendered, it is hilariously rendered, resembling nothing so much as Warner Bros. cartoon-character Beaky Buzzard.” AllMovie
“People love it because of its radioactive level of badness. How ironic that the cast treated the material with absolute professionalism only to later discover the cinematic turkey waddle they were ultimately appearing in. The picture is actually quite well made much of the time…” Cool Ass Cinema
“Of all the monsters I’ve ever seen, this snarling, nostril-flaring, ragged, hair-tufted excuse for a buzzard is the most knee-slappingly funny monster ever devised; too bad the movie wasn’t intended as a comedy. Apparently, Sam Katzman saved a bundle of money by having the special effects done by a company in Mexico.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“While watching The Giant Claw, fire back a shot of Scotch (or any other spirit of your choice, I ain’t fussy), every time someone in the movie refers to the huge-ass monster birdie as being/looking/acting like ‘a battleship’…. I guarantee by the end of the film you’ll either be in hospital for alcohol poisoning, dead, or signing up for the twelve steps to addiction recovery and finding Jesus.” The Horror Hotel
“The Giant Claw is a B-movie blast, a picture that delivers all the brainless monster mayhem you could hope for alongside some fun characters and some ridiculously goofy special effects.” Rock! Shock! Pop!
“Mainly, when not foolhardily taking to the skies for the umpteenth time, the characters spend their hours snapping at each other, then apologising and comforting one other, which can get repetitive. It’s the Claw you’ll be watching for though, its awkwardness hilarious and guaranteed to cheer you up – who says this is a bad movie? It’s great fun.” The Spinning Image
“The Giant Claw is not the worst film ever made, and it is pretty bad, but it is actually watchable and there are moments of suspense to be had though horror is understandably missing. Worth watching for the novelty that it is and nothing more.” The Telltale Mind
“Every time the goofy looking monster shows up, it’s damn good times, but unfortunately everything involving Morrow and the lamebrain scientists is boring as all get out. The movie is also padded with tons of stock footage and gratuitous narration (“It was a feathered nightmare with wings!”)” The Video Vacuum
Cast and characters:
Jeff Morrow … Mitch MacAfee
Mara Corday … Sally Caldwell
Morris Ankrum … Lt. General Edward Considine
Louis Merrill … Pierre Broussard (as Louis D. Merrill)
George Cisar … Admonishing Man on Airliner (uncredited)
Bud Cokes … Civil Aeronautics Board (uncredited)
Leonard P. Geer … Paramedic (uncredited)
Dabbs Greer … Fighter Pilot, in clips from ‘Mission Over Korea’ (uncredited)
Sol Murgi … Civil Aeronautics Board (uncredited)
Fred F. Sears … Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Robert B. Williams … First State Trooper (uncredited)
Release:
The Giant Claw had only two official VHS releases – one in the USA through Goodtimes Home Video and the other through Screamtime in the United Kingdom. Columbia Pictures finally released it on DVD in October 2007 as part of the two disc four film set Icons of Horror Collection – Sam Katzman.
Trivia:
The working title was Mark of the Claw
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The Giant Behemoth is a 1959 British-American science fiction monster movie directed by Douglas Hickox (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1983; Theatre of Blood) and Eugène Lourié (Gorgo; The Colossus of New York; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms) from a screenplay by the latter and Daniel James. Robert Abel and Allen Adler provided the storyline. The film stars Gene Evans, André Morell and John Turner.
The original storyline was about an amorphous blob of radiation, however, the script was changed at the distributor’s insistence to a pastiche of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), though elements of the concept remain in the early parts of the film and in the “nuclear-breathing” power of the titular monster.
The special effects were overseen by Willis O’Brien (The Black Scorpion; King Kong; The Lost World).
The Giant Behemoth will be released on Blu-ray on January 22 via the Warner Archive Collection. Special features:
Audio commentary by special effects veterans Phil Tippett and Dennis Muren
Marine atomic tests cause changes in the ocean’s ecosystem resulting in dangerous blobs of radiation and the resurrection of a dormant dinosaur that smashes its way through London…
Reviews:
” …derivative, overly pedantic, and needlessly talky in places when it doesn’t need to be. It does excel in its two leads, but nobody watches a monster movie solely for its acting. Its bread and butter comes late in the game, but the payoff is modest yet satisfying.” Cool Ass Cinema
“Camera tilts and clever foreground props make the Behemoth look appropriately Giant, and expressive night lighting helps to hide the fact that the model dino isn’t particularly dynamic. When the Behemoth ‘projects’ radioactivity, Jack Rabin superimposes optical effects used the previous year on Kronos…” DVD Savant
“On its own terms, it’s a fair movie, but it definitely suffers in comparison to its model. For one thing, the Behemoth is simply not as impressive as the Rhedosaurus; not only is it not as well animated, but it looks a bit rubbery and feels more like a model.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
” …although the puppet was not too bad, it wasn’t the slickest you would ever see, though that has its charm as well as it cuts a swathe through the London population, slaughtering innocents, destroying property and generally behaving very badly. The script lent very heavily on science to back up its plot…” The Spinning Image
“There is a lot of consternation and stress going on during the movie when they are all trying to think of ways to deal with the creature. When you can show that you believe in the subject, no matter how silly it might be, you know you are watching a good film.” The Telltale Mind
Cast and characters:
Gene Evans … Steve Karnes
André Morell … Professor James Bickford – The Mummy’s Shroud; The Plague of the Zombies
John Turner … John
Leigh Madison … Jean Trevethan
Jack MacGowran … Dr. Sampson, the Paleontologist – The Fearless Vampire Killers; Captain Clegg; The Brain
Maurice Kaufmann … Mini Submarine Officer
Henri Vidon … Tom Trevethan
Leonard Sachs … Scientist
Production:
The live-action scenes were filmed entirely in the UK, including London. The stop-motion animation special effects were shot in a Los Angeles studio.
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The Strange Door is a 1951 American gothic thriller feature film directed by Joseph Pevney (The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries: ‘Voodoo Doll’); The Munsters – 11 episodes; Bewitched – 1 episode; Man of a Thousand Faces) from a screenplay by Jerry Sackheim (The Black Castle). The Universal-International production movie stars Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest, Richard Wyler, Alan Napier and Michael Pate.
The Strange Door will be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in April 2019. Special features to be announced.
Plot:
The Sire de Maletroit (Charles Laughton) is an evil French nobleman so obsessed with hatred for his own brother (Paul Cavanagh) that he has imprisoned him in the castle dungeon.
The Sire tries to destroy the life of Cavanagh’s daughter Blanche de Maletroit (Sally Forrest) by forcing her to marry rogue (Richard Stapley), however his nefarious plans are upset when the mismatched couple fall in love.
Aided by Voltan (Boris Karloff), an abused servant, the lovers attempt to escape but the Sire imprisons them in a cell, whose closing walls may mean violent death for these innocent victims…
Sally Forrest as Blanche de MaletroitBoris Karloff as VoltanAlan Napier as Count Grassin
Reviews:
“Well-acted by all (including Michael Pate and Alan Napier in supporting roles), though the entire film is pretty much dominated by Laughton whenever he’s on screen. The sets and production design are both good and the cinematography’s decent…” The Bloody Pit of Horror
” …this isn’t one of Laughton’s better performances; some of his moments feel forced, while others feel just strange. Other than that, there’s not much of note here; the horror elements consist of some of the wilder Gothic elements, in particular a scene involving one of those rooms with the moving walls that come together.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
” …you will often hear that Laughton started way over the top and stayed there, where if you watch it you will find this is not the case. This is not the all-out scenery chewing ham of legend, but a slyer personality who seizes his chances to go overboard only rarely here.” The Spinning Image
” …your eyes never wander or get tired as they are always focused upon the stars of the film. Aside from Laughton’s remarkable and over-the-top performance, the movie also has the incomparable Boris Karloff. His role is short, as he merely supports everyone else, but even in such a small part he is magnetic…” The Telltale Mind
” …it never manages to build a full head of steam, thanks to poorly drawn characters (Blanche might as well be a cardboard cutout), and sloppy pacing. Laughton seems to be having fun, but this is a one man thriller party and no one else has been invited.” The Terror Trap
“The performances are just about all the flick really gives you to hang your hat on though. It doesn’t help that The Strange Door isn’t really a horror movie. It’s more of a gothic melodrama (it was based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson); and it’s a convoluted one at that.” The Video Vacuum
Choice dialogue:
Sire Alain de Maletroit: “If I ever find you up here again, I’ll feed your liver to the swine.”
Sire Alain de Maletroit: “I’m in the mood for relaxation. Let’s visit the dungeons.”
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Dick Miller, the legendary actor who most famously played would-be beatnik artist Walter Paisley in Roger Corman’s A Bucket of Blood (1959), has died aged ninety years-old. Miller is survived by his wife Lainie, daughter Barbara, and granddaughter Autumn.
Born in the Bronx on December 25, 1928, Miller settled in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s, where he was noticed by producer/director Roger Corman. His association with Corman, which began with movies such as Apache Woman (1955) and It Conquered the World (1956) would lead to many more notable appearances in the prolific filmmaker’s movies such as The Undead (1957) The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and The Terror (1963). Sometimes he was credited as Richard Miller.
Corman’s protégés furthered the connection over the rest of the cult actor’s lengthy career, with him often using the same character name, Walter Paisley, that made him famous in cameo roles. Hollywood Boulevard (1976) The Howling (1981), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and Chopping Mall (1986) all have Miller playing Walter Paisley.
Indeed, Miller’s final role in the upcoming comedy slasher movie Hanukkah has him playing the character one last time, this time as a rabbi! His parents, Isidor and Rita Miller, were Russian Jewish immigrants.
However, most mainstream audience will probably know Dick Miller for his roles in Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins: II: The Second Batch (1990) as the go-to-it neighbour named Murray Futterman. It is his character who first warns Billy of the potential dangers of the gremlins.
Ultimately, Murray’s home is destroyed by the mischievous monsters, with an implication that and his wife died in the monster mayhem. However, both characters were so popular they would return in the sequel, with Miller taking on an even bigger role battling the beasties. Although he’s best known as Walter Paisley, Murray Futterman runs that a close second.
Ultimately, whatever movie Dick Miller appeared in, the final product gained massively from his involvement, even if he had just a minor walk on part. He is particularly memorable in The Terminator, The ‘Burbs, Matinee and Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight.
Edward Theodore “Ed” Gein (August 8, 1906 – July 26, 1984) was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes from their bones and skin.
Gein confessed to killing two women – tavern owner Mary Hogan on December 8, 1954, and a Plainfield hardware store owner, Bernice Worden, on November 16, 1957. Initially found unfit for trial, he was tried in 1968 for the murder of Worden and sentenced to life imprisonment, which he spent in a mental hospital.
The 2000 film Ed Gein (also known as In the Light of the Moon) starred Steve Railsback as the serial killer. Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield (2007) cast Kane Hodder (best known for playing Jason Vorhees in four Friday the 13th movies and Victor Crowley in the Hatchet trilogy) as the eponymous murderer.
Gein’s father was an alcoholic who died in 1940. His mother died on December 29, 1945, at the age of 67. He was devastated by her death; in the words of author Harold Schechter, he had “lost his only friend and one true love. And he was absolutely alone in the world.” Gein held onto the farm where they lived and earned money from odd jobs. He boarded up rooms used by his mother, including the upstairs, downstairs parlour and living room, leaving them untouched; while the rest of the house became increasingly squalid, these rooms remained pristine. Thereafter, Gein lived in a small room next to the kitchen. It was around this time that he became interested in reading death-cult magazines and adventure stories, particularly those involving cannibals or Third Reich atrocities.
On November 16, 1957, Plainfield hardware store owner Bernice Worden disappeared, and police had reason to suspect Gein. Worden’s son told investigators that Gein had been in the store the evening before the disappearance, saying he would return the next morning for a gallon of antifreeze.
Upon searching Gein’s property, investigators discovered Worden’s decapitated body in a shed, hung upside down by ropes at her wrists, with a crossbar at her ankles. The torso was “dressed out like a deer”. She had been shot with a .22-caliber rifle, and the mutilations were made after her death.
Searching the house, authorities found:
Whole human bones and fragments
A wastebasket made of human skin
Human skin covering several chair seats
Skulls on his bedposts
Female skulls, some with the tops sawn off
Bowls made from human skulls
A corset made from a female torso skinned from shoulders to waist
Leggings made from human leg skin
Masks made from the skin from female heads
Mary Hogan’s face mask in a paper bag
Mary Hogan’s skull in a box
Bernice Worden’s entire head in a burlap sack
Bernice Worden’s heart in a saucepan on the stove
Nine vulvae in a shoe box
A young girl’s dress and “the vulvas of two females judged to have been about fifteen years-old”
When questioned, Gein told investigators that between 1947 and 1952, he made as many as forty nocturnal visits to three local graveyards to exhume recently buried bodies while he was in a “daze-like” state. On about thirty of those visits, he said he came out of the daze while in the cemetery, left the grave in good order, and returned home empty-handed.
On the other occasions, he dug up the graves of recently buried middle-aged women he thought resembled his mother and took the bodies home, where he tanned their skins to make his paraphernalia.
Gein admitted robbing nine graves, leading investigators to their locations. Because authorities were uncertain as to whether the slight Gein was capable of single-handedly digging up a grave during a single evening, they exhumed two of the graves and found them empty (one had a crowbar in place of the body), thus apparently corroborating Gein’s confession.
Soon after his mother’s death, Gein apparently decided he wanted a sex change and began to create a “woman suit” so he could pretend to be female. Gein’s practice of donning the tanned skins of women was described as an “insane transvestite ritual.” Gein denied having sex with the bodies he exhumed, explaining: “They smelled too bad.”
Waushara County sheriff Art Schley reportedly assaulted Gein during questioning by banging Gein’s head and face into a brick wall. As a result, Gein’s initial confession was ruled inadmissible.Schley died of heart failure in 1968, at age 43, before Gein’s trial.Many who knew Schley said he was traumatised by the horror of Gein’s crimes and this, along with the fear of having to testify (especially about assaulting Gein), caused his death. One of his friends said: “He was a victim of Ed Gein as surely as if he had butchered him.”
Gein’s house and property were scheduled to be auctioned March 30, 1958, amid rumours the house was to become a tourist attraction. On March 27, the house was destroyed by fire. Arson was suspected, but the cause of the blaze was never officially solved.When Gein learned of the incident while in detention, he shrugged and said, “Just as well.” Gein’s car, which he used to haul the bodies of his victims, was sold at public auction for $760 to carnival sideshow operator Bunny Gibbons. He later charged carnival goers 25¢ admission to see it.
On July 26, 1984, Gein died of respiratory failure due to lung cancer at the age of 77 at the Mendota Mental Health Institute.His grave site in the Plainfield Cemetery was frequently vandalized over the years; souvenir seekers chipped off pieces of his gravestone before the bulk of it was stolen in 2000. It was recovered in June 2001 near Seattle and is now in storage at the Waushara County Sheriff’s Department.
Buy Psycho 50th Anniversary Blu-ray from Amazon.com
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It Conquered the World is a 1956 American science fiction horror feature film, produced and directed by Roger Corman from a screenplay by Lou Rusoff and [uncredited] Charles B. Griffith (Creature from the Haunted Sea; The Little Shop of Horrors; The Undead; et al). The movie stars Peter Graves, Lee Van Cleef and Beverly Garland.
Plot:
Dr. Tom Anderson (Lee Van Cleef), an embittered scientist, has made contact with a Venusian creature, while using his radio transmitter. The alien’s secret motivation is to take complete control of the Earth by enslaving humanity using mind control devices; the alien claims it only wants to bring peace to our troubled world by eliminating all emotions.
Anderson agrees to help the creature and even intends to allow it to assimilate his wife (Beverly Garland) and friend Dr. Nelson (Peter Graves). The Venusian then disrupts all electric power on Earth, including motor vehicles, leaving Dr. Nelson to resort to riding a bicycle.
Reviews:
“The best scene has Graves’ possessed wife saying she has a “present,” then sending a flying bat-mite his way. There’s a strange subplot about a general being ordered to kill the President, as well as some surprisingly good performances by the talented leads. Even Paul Blaisdell’s silly monster doesn’t take the edge off this entertaining low-budget chiller.” All Movie
“The rich philosophical and political content in It Conquered the World doesn’t prevent issues from cropping up. The unfortunate padding, for instance, is difficult to ignore.” Classic Horror
“The movie is actually quite strong, largely because of a script with far more depth than is usually found in low budget movies of this period; the philosophical discussions about the power of human emotion and the folly of trying to get outside forces to solve our problems for us have a real bite and relevance to them.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“It Conquered the World is a rather entertaining cheapie. There are some undeniably silly bits – like the moment during the power-cut when the cop tells the woman to start cranking her husband’s iron lung by hand. However, if one looks beyond the obvious B-budget tattiness you find a surprisingly high level of out-and-out entertainment.” Moria
“When all is said and done, the film was not that terrible, even when faced with such a travesty of a monster. We got some good performances out of our cast, and a story that was actually half-decent. Is it worth watching? Sure, if only for Van Cleef, but it would never be worth seeing it more than once.” The Telltale Mind
“Sure, the flick may suffer from one too many dialogue heavy scenes, but the performances are so good that you hardly notice. While the bulk of It Conquered the World is made up of people sitting on sofas and having scientific debates, once Corman gets down to brass tax, it kicks ass. The finale in the monster’s cave is simply awesome and helps make up for a lot of the film’s shortcomings.” The Video Vacuum
Choice dialogue:
“Look I don’t know whether you can hear me but if you can, you listen good! I hate your living guts for what you’ve done to my husband and my world. I know you for the coward you are and I’m gonna kill you! Do you hear that? I’m gonna kill you!”
The filmwas released theatrically by American International Pictures on a double-bill with The She-Creature.
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Actress Julie Adams has died aged ninety-two. She is best known to horror fans as the love interest of Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Confirmation of her demise came from Ricou Browning, the actor who played the Gill-Man in the underwater scenes for Universal’s iconic monster movie.
Adams died early on Sunday in Los Angeles, her son Mitch Danton told The Hollywood Reporter. In more than six decades in film and on television, Adams also starred with the likes of Elvis Presley, Dennis Hopper and John Wayne. Her TV roles included The Jimmy Stewart Show in the 1970s – playing Stewart’s wife – and 1960s detective series Perry Mason.
Born in Iowa in 1926, Betty May Adams moved a lot as a child before heading to Hollywood. As regards other genre appearances, she was also in Psychic Killer (1975), The Fifth Floor (1978), Black Roses (1988), the Night Gallery TV series (‘The Miracle at Camafeo’ episode, 1972), One Step Beyond TV series (1959), and three episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Psychic Killer (1975)
But it is as the swooning Kay Lawrence in Creature from the Black Lagoon that she will most fondly be remembered by horror fans. As a publicity stunt, Universal Studios once even declared her legs “the most perfectly symmetrical in the world” and insured them for $125,000.
‘A horror film that will stiffen you with laughter!’
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla is a 1952 comedy horror science fiction feature film directed by William Beaudine from a screenplay by Tim Ryan with additional dialogue by ‘Ukie’ Sherin and Edmond G. Seward.
The Realart Pictures production stars Bela Lugosi, Duke Mitchell, Sammy Petrillo (a duo that impersonated Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, they made Scared Stiff the following year), Charlita and Muriel Landers.
Plot:
On their way to perform in Guam for the troops, nightclub performers Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo find themselves stranded on a seemingly treacherous island, known by the natives as “Kola Kola”. The natives are quite friendly, especially Nona (Charlita), the tribal chief’s daughter, who tries to help the two get off the island.
Though paradise has been found, for the time being, the duo soon discovers that a mad scientist named Dr. Zabor (Bela Lugosi) lives on the other side of the island. Seeing a chance to get help, the two visit the strange doctor in his “castle”.
Tension mounts as Duke falls in love with Nona. Seeing Duke as a threat, jealous Dr. Zabor plans to literally make a monkey out of Duke, for he too loves Nona. Sammy tries to help his pal, with unexpected results…
Reviews:
“As far as Lugosi is concerned, he plays his role straight […] and is fine. If anything, this film proves that it does indeed get worse than starring in Ed Wood movies as the films Lugosi made for the supposed “worst director of all time” are infinitely more interesting and entertaining that this one.” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“Bela is good in his patented “mad scientist” role, rising above the crappy material. He’s adept at comedy, too, as he’d proved years earlier in films like Broadminded and International House. Even in his deteriorated state, Bela Lugosi is better than anyone else in this dud.” Gary Loggins, Cracked Rear Viewer
“Poor Bela. By the time he got to the Fabulous 50s, he was sharing the screen with everything from a rubber octopus to transvestites. But nothing could have been more demeaning than acting alongside the flash-in-the-pan, non-comical duo of Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo.” Joe Lozowsky, DVD Drive-In
“Laughs are thin on the ground, as is the plotting. There is some amusement to be had seeing Petrillo clap Lugosi on the back and shout, “Hiya Pop!”, but the rest of the gags are more along the lines of Petrillo being chased around by a fat girl…” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image
Filmed over a six-day period at the General Service Studios (now the Hollywood Center Studios) in Los Angeles on a budget of $12,000.
Release:
Released on September 4, 1952 in New York City. The movie was later reissued as The Boys from Brooklyn
Trivia:
The original title was White Woman of the Lost Jungle
Decades later, the film was referenced by Martin Landau, who watched it three times in preparation for his role as Lugosi in Tim Burton’s biopic Ed Wood, saying that it was “so bad that it made Ed Wood’s films look like Gone with the Wind.”
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Terror Is a Man aka Blood Creature is a 1959 Filipino-American science fiction horror feature film directed by Gerardo de Leon [as Gerry de Leon] and [uncredited] Eddie Romero from a screenplay by Paul Harber [as Harry Paul Harber]. It is an uncredited version of H.G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. The Lynn-Romero production stars Francis Lederer, Greta Thyssen and Richard Derr.
On November 13, 2018, Severin Films released Terror Is a Man on Blu-ray from a new 4K scan from a fine-grain print recently discovered at the UCLA Film Archive and presented totally uncut, including its “bell system for the squeamish and faint-hearted!”
Special features:
Man Becomes Creature: Interview with Hemisphere Marketing Consultant Samuel M. Sherman
Dawn of Blood Island: Interview with Co-Director Eddie Romero
Terror Creature: Interview with Pete Tombs, Co-Author of Immoral Tales When The Bell Rings: Interview with Critic Mark Holcomb
Trailer
Poster & Still Gallery
Severin Films also included Terror Is a Man on Blu-ray as part of their Blood Island Collection of Filipino horror movies along with Brides of Blood; Mad Doctor of Blood Island and Beast of Blood.
Plot:
The survivor of a shipwreck is washed ashore on a small island where a scientist is experimenting on a panther in an effort to make it human…
Reviews:
“Terror Is a Man is one of those movies that really benefits from having been shot in black and white; for one thing, day-for-night always looks better in monochrome, and there’s quite a lot of that here. But at least as important is how far all the deep, dark shadows go toward establishing the somber, oppressive mood that director Gerry De Leon endeavors to create.” Scott Ashlin, 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting
“Much time is spent dealing with the heated love triangle that unfolds (which is done in a surprisingly mature way) and it’s rather lightweight for a creature feature, with minimal action and violence, but I still quite enjoyed this one. The monster doesn’t really get to do much of what we expect it to…” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“A landmark exploiter with a dark noir mood and some genuine scares!” DVD Drive-In
” …off-beat doesn’t seem like the right way to explain it; it’s not what happens that is unusual, it’s how it is handled. It almost seems like it isn’t trying to be a horror movie; the characters are fleshed out quietly and subtly, and it refuses to make easy moral statements or decisions.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“Pretty nasty for 1959, but the face-grafting in the same year’s Eyes Without a Face leaves it in the dust. Generally this is much better than your average drive-in monster fare and deserves the attention it has garnered from dedicated late night TV viewers. The beginning is a bit talky, but once things get in gear, this is a lot of fun.” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital
“The middle of the film does develop an interesting subplot about the castaway hero engaging in an affair with the Dr Moreau figure’s wife… De Leon also keeps the face of the creature carefully hidden behind bandages for the most part, which creates some build up, although its eventual unleashing is only a routine monster amok climax.” Richard Scheib, Moria
“I wonder if the titles actually refers to the main monster, or maybe to what the mankind can do? Smart and cool, intelligent and far from the usual exploitation.” Ninja Dixon
“The original and best Filipino horror film.” Michael J. Weldon, The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film
” …unlike the original, the focus here is on the terrible burden his work has laid on his wife, her conscience, and on everyone around him. We see little of the creature, and then mostly wrapped up in bandages like a mummy. Which is probably just as well.” Rivets on the Poster
“There’s some nice, shadowy atmosphere that helps us look past the fact that the picture was obviously made fast and cheap. The cinematography in the film is definitely better than you might expect. The score works quite well, and the movie is pretty quick in its pacing once we get past the slower first reel of the film.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!
“The first and best Filipino horror film, this grim variation on The Island of Dr. Moreau is better than you’d imagine. Dank photography and good acting beef up this talky flick, which finally bursts into action in the last half hour.” James O’Neill, Terror on Tape
“Thyssen is fetching as Girard’s tormented wife, and Derr is sympathetic as the castaway caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Not to be outdone, Lederer is a hoot as the crazy egghead out to make a name for himself.” The Terror Trap
Greta Thyssen … Frances Girard – Journey to the Seventh Planet
Richard Derr … William Fitzgerald – Project U.F.O. TV series; The Outer Limits TV series; Lights Out TV series; When Worlds Collide; Tales of Tomorrow TV series
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Not of This Earth is a 1956 [released 1957] American science fiction horror feature film produced and directed by Roger Corman from a screenplay by Charles B. Griffith (Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype; The Little Shop of Horrors; A Bucket of Blood; et al) and Mark Hanna (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman). The movie stars Paul Birch, Beverly Garland and Morgan Jones.
The movie had a reported budget of $100,000 and a return of $1,000,000 although neither figures are verified. That said, it is clear that Not of This Earth was a huge financial success. Corman remade it twice, in 1988 and 1995.
Charles B. Griffith said the film “started all this X-ray eye business. Most of Roger’s themes got established right in the beginning. Whatever worked, he’d come and take again, and a lot of things got used over and over. During the production of Not of This Earth, I was married to a nurse, and she helped me do a lot of medical research. I remember how we cured cancer in that script. Somehow the film was a mess when it was finished.”
Plot:
After a nuclear war, the people of the planet Davanna developed an incurable blood disease. One of its citizens is sent to Earth to examine the blood of the humans for its usefulness in curing Davanna’s dying race.
The intruder (Paul Birch) has adopted the name Mr. Johnson, conspicuous only for his oversensitive ears and his sunglasses, which he wears even in the dark. He is answerable to an authority on Davanna with whom he can communicate through a device hidden behind a sliding panel in his house. His servant, Jeremy, provides him support and protection, but is unaware of his alien nature.
Johnson hires nurse Nadine (Beverly Garland) to look after him in his house. Her boss, town physician Doctor Rochelle (William Roerick), is under Johnson’s hypnotic control after finding out about his patient’s peculiar blood cell structure. With a limit on the number of transfusions he can be given, Johnson takes to murdering locals and draining them of blood.
Among his victims are a teenage girl, a strolling Asian man, a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, and a trio of alcoholic homeless men. The police are mystified by these “vampire killings”…
Reviews:
“Johnson’s ability to kill with his eyes looks ahead to Horror Express (1972) while his frequent progress reports bring to mind Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space (which shot the same year but went unseen until 1959). Not of This Earth uses “phases” instead of plans, their number going no higher than Phase 6.” Arbogast on Film
“Not of This Earth has some charm to it and that is in its simplicity and cheapness. As a villain, Johnson’s creepiness is kind of sidelined by the voiceover “mental” narration, but physically he is kind of creepy.” JP Roscoe, Basement Rejects
“Not of This Earth has minimal sets and effects, but the tale of an intergalactic plain clothes vampiric menace is one of Corman’s most entertaining of his early fantasy cheapies.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In
“It holds up quite well with time, keeping the interest level throughout, and it is filled with excellent performances, including a scene-stealing bit by Dick Miller as a vacuum cleaner salesman.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“The film has something undeniably creepy to it, despite Roger Corman’s typical low-budget. It does achieve a certain sinister threat and the story works in its modest way. Paul Birch gives an oddly stilted and alienated performance that holds some effect.” Richard Scheib, Moria
“Corman’s most enjoyable science fiction film.” Michael Weldon, The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film
“Low budgets give little reason for regret when the often tacky effects are surrounded by so much imagination, good humour, and sheer joy in film-making as here. Not of This Earth is a minor sci-fi gem…” Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Choice dialogue:
Harry Sherbourne: “Johnson’s some kind of foreigner, isn’t he?”
George, Desk Sergeant: “This killer’s a fiend of the most diabolical kind!”
Beverly Garland … Nadine Storey – Twice-Told Tales; The Alligator People
Morgan Jones … Harry Sherbourne – The Giant Claw; Forbidden Planet
William Roerick … Doctor F.W. Rochelle
Jonathan Haze … Jeremy Perrin – Blood Bath; The Terror; The Little Shop of Horrors
Roy Engel … George, Desk Sergeant
Dick Miller … Joe Piper, vacuum cleaner salesman – Matinee; Evil Toons; A Bucket of Blood; et al
Anna Lee Carroll … Davanna Woman
Pat Flynn … Simmons
Barbara Bohrer … Waitress
Roy Engel … Sgt. Walton
Tamar Cooper … Joanne
Harold Fong … Specimen
Lyle Latell … [scenes deleted]
Gail Ganley … Girl
Ralph Reed … Boy
Filming locations:
1725 Camino Palermo, Los Angeles, California (location of house)
Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California (park scenes)
Release:
The movie was distributed by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation from February 10, 1957. The theatrical release had a running time of 67 minutes although a TV version included some additional footage.
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A Bucket of Blood is a 1959 American comedy horror feature film directed by Roger Corman from a screenplay by Charles B. Griffith. The movie stars Dick Miller, Barboura Morris, Antony Carbone and Julian Burton.
Produced on a $50,000 budget for American International Pictures, it was shot in five days, and shares many of the low-budget filmmaking aesthetics commonly associated with Corman’s work.
Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Color Me Blood Red (1964) reworks many of the same themes, plus a Beach Party element.
In Evil Toons (1992), Dick Miller watches himself on TV in a scene from A Bucket of Blood.
In 1995, Corman executive produced a remake of A Bucket of Blood, with Anthony Michael Hall taking on the role of Walter Paisley, for cable TV.
Plot:
One night, after hearing the words of Maxwell H. Brock (Julian Burton), a poet who performs at The Yellow Door cafe, socially awkward busboy Walter Paisley (Dick Miller) returns home to attempt to create a sculpture of the face of the hostess Carla (Barboura Morris).
Walter stops when he hears the meowing of Frankie, the cat owned by his inquisitive landlady, Mrs Surchart (Myrtle Vail), who has somehow gotten himself stuck in Walter’s wall. Walter attempts to get Frankie out using a knife, but accidentally kills the cat. Instead of giving Frankie a proper burial, Walter covers the cat in clay, leaving the knife stuck in it.
The next morning, Walter shows the cat to Carla and his boss Leonard (Antony Carbone). Leonard dismisses the oddly morbid piece, but Carla is enthusiastic about the work and convinces Leonard to display it in the café. Walter receives praise from the beatnik (John Brinkley) and poets in the café and is approached by an adoring fan, Naolia (Jhean Burton), who gives him a vial of heroin to remember her by.
Naively ignorant of its function, he takes it home and is followed by Lou Raby (Bert Convy), an undercover cop, who attempts to take him into custody for narcotics possession. In a blind panic, thinking Lou is about to shoot him, Walter hits him with the frying pan he is holding, killing Lou instantly…
“That this rather unflattering portrait of an insular and self-impressed art scene should ring so true today across a gulf of four decades and at least as many cycles of youth-culture reinvention shows just how much attention Corman and Griffith paid on their scouting missions.” 1000 Misspent Hours
” …works well not only as a horror film with black comedy tossed in, but as a satirical time capsule piece centered around the beatnik culture of the era (even Allen Ginsberg is lampooned by actor Julian Burton, Masque of the Red Death). Most of the humor is relegated to the beginning of the film, as there’s more of a macabre feel to the proceedings once Walter starts murdering…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In
“It’s not often that shrewd commentary on postmodern art and messy murders come together in a film, and one wouldn’t expect them to do so as assuredly as this. The success of the film comes down to a perfect balance between the talents contributing to it…” Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film
“A Bucket of Blood is only an hour-ish long and just flies by; it has a jazzy soundtrack that fits perfectly, crazy beatnik poetry, outrageous characters, tons of laughs and a touch of grim that makes it the perfect re-watchable horror-comedy classic! Highest of Recommendations!” Goregirl’s Dungeon
” …the beats were skewered in A Bucket of Blood better than many observers – from the outside – ever managed, identifying a vicious snobbery in the In Crowd that was not regularly brought into the spotlight for a caustic exposure. It wasn’t a case of the squares defending themselves against the attacks of the self-appointed cool, it was keener than that.’ Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image
“Miller, who manages to sustain a sense of poignancy while committing his atrocities, gives an excellent performance in this funny film with a good comical jazz score by Fred Katz.” TV Guide
“Dick Miller in particularly appealing as the sub-intellectual nebbish in search of recognition and love: he even manages to retain the sympathy of the viewer for most of the movie, and even after he’s gone over the deep end one still sort of feels sorry for him once the movie ends. The pretentious beatniks and culture vultures, in turn, are one and all a fun persiflage of types still recognizable today…” A Wasted Life
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Frankenstein 1970 is a 1958 science fiction horror feature film directed by Howard W. Koch (producer of Pharaoh’s Curse; Voodoo Island; The Black Sleep) from a screenplay written by Richard H. Landau and George Worthing Yates, based on a story by Charles A. Moses and producer Aubrey Schenck (Daughters of Satan; Macabre). The movie stars Boris Karloff, Tom Duggan, Jana Lund, Donald Barry and Charlotte Austin.
Warner Archive is releasing Frankenstein 1970 on Blu-ray in April (date to be announced). The disc will feature a new 1080p high definition transfer with DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 and SDH subtitles. Audio commentary by historians Charlotte Austin, Bob Burns, and Tom Weaver from a previous DVD release will be included.
Plot:
Baron Victor Von Frankenstein (Boris Karloff) was tortured by the Third Reich for not fully cooperating with them during World War II. He suffered disfigurement but now continues his work as a scientist.
The Baron has reluctantly allowed an American television crew to film a made-for-television horror film about his monster-making family at his castle in Germany. The crew gives him enough money to buy an atomic reactor and he uses it to create a hulking monster, which proceeds to kill off members of the crew for more spare parts…
Reviews:
” …everything about this sorry excuse for a monster movie says 1958, including a prominently displayed Westinghouse refrigerator. The sole highlight is the opening sequence in which ingénue Jana Lund is stalked by a typical, and mostly unseen, ghoul.” Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie
” …Frankenstein 1970 consists of long scenes of Karloff hobbling confusedly around his lab; his attempts to liven things up by constantly grimacing and scowling and gnawing on scenery don’t amount too much. The monster appears to have an overturned bucket on his head […] The whole thing seems to last much longer than its 80 minutes…” Dan Erdman, Alt Film Guide
“While its corniness isn’t totally lacking in entertainment value, the film damages one of horror’s most classic dynasties more than it gives it the good press it could’ve used at the time. Frankenstein 1970 claims to be a fitting successor to its titular cinematic bloodline, but it’s little more than a condescending imposter.” A.J. Hakari, Cineslice
“Too much dialogue and too little action […] keep the film on the sluggish side. And this movie does the disservice of perhaps making Karloff and The Monster sadly seem to be getting near towards the end of their sell-by date. But it is still notable as the movie that turned Karloff from the original Monster into the Baron…” Derek Winnert
” …the real disappointment here is Karloff’s performance […] He seems to have been saddled with too many gimmicks, what with the big scar on his face and the exaggerated limp being more distracting than scary, and though he handles certain scenes quite well, there are others where he is overacting and seems somewhat desperate.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“… a feeble affair, making no attempt at a convincing futuristic world – in fact, just one more hack shocker.” Ivan Butler, Horror in the Cinema, Zwemmer/Barnes, 2nd edition, 1970
“It’s not a terribly good film but Karloff really is quite delicious in his role, the Cinemascope framing is often well used and there’s the kernel of a good idea here.” John Llewellyn Probert, House of Mortal Cinema
“Karloff might not be in peak form here, but he is so much fun to watch as usual and really plays up the sinister side of the Baron. I love seeing Karloff in action and while he could deliver sincere, dramatic efforts, he was also a master of chewing scenes and that’s what we have here.” Marc Fusion
“The sci-fi and horror aspects are a decent enough match, but there’s an awful lot of hanging about waiting for the next plot development, and as they were not doing much novel with the concept the result was a very ordinary film indeed.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image
“Unfortunately, Boris alone can’t keep this one afloat. The opening scene is really well done; but after that, the chills are few and far between, and Boris is hamstrung by an especially bland supporting cast.” The Terror Trap
DVD release:
In October 2009, Warner Brothers released the DVD “Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics” which includes Frankenstein 1970 as one of the four films and features an audio commentary by co-star Charlotte Austin and historians Tom Weaver and Bob Burns.
83 minutes | black and white | 2.35: 1 CinemaScope | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Trivia:
The film was originally intended to be titled Frankenstein 1960 but this was deemed to be not futuristic enough. Frankenstein 1975 was also apparently considered.
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Invasion of the Saucer Men is a 1957 American science fiction horror comedy feature film directed by Edward L. Cahn.
The movie stars Steve Terrell and Gloria Castillo and personally produced by James H. Nicholson for his American International Pictures (AIP). The film’s working title was the rather blander Spacemen Saturday Night. It was released in the UK as Invasion of the Hell Creatures.
The screenplay by Robert J Gurney Jr and Al Martin was based on the 1955 short story “The Cosmic Frame” by Paul W. Fairman and the distinctive alien monsters were designed by Paul Blaisdell. The film was released in the USA as a double feature with I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
A spaceship lands in the woods. A teenage couple, Johnny Carter (Steve Terrell) and Joan Haydon (Gloria Castillo), driving down lover’s lane without headlights, accidentally run down one of the aliens. Joe Gruen (Frank Gorshin) a drunken opportunist, comes across the alien’s corpse. He plans to keep the body in his fridge, but the aliens arrive and kill him by injecting alcohol into his veins via their hypodermic fingernails.
Having reported their close encounter to the police, Johnny and Joan return with the Sheriff, only to find Joe’s body in place of the alien. The police plan to charge them with manslaughter. Meanwhile the dead alien’s hand detaches itself, grows an eye, and runs amok…
Reviews:
“Invasion of the Saucer Men is almost painful to watch when it’s trying to be funny, but nothing short of hilarious when it’s trying to genuinely scare its audience. There’s no better example of this than the super-shitty rubber aliens, courtesy of the inimitable Paul Blaisdell; even if this movie were a completely unbearable turd, it would still be worth watching for those monsters.” 1000 Misspent Hours… and Counting
” … Invasion of the Saucer Men is an enjoyable time waster. Everyone involved seemed to understand that they were making a bad film, and the film has a lighthearted, jokey atmosphere that makes it more engaging than many better-made 50’s sci-fi flicks.” Booze Movies
” … if you look at the poster for this (or most films for that matter) and think that it accurately shows what is going to happen in the movie, you had better prepare for massive disappointment. If, on the other hand, you go into the movie expecting something fun and kitsch, you’re in for a little treat with Invasion of the Saucer-Men.” The Midnight Monster Show
” …although the movie attempts to send up the conventions of the genre, it ends up as being unintentionally funny in its own right.” Alan Frank, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Handbook, Batsford, 1982
Buy Invasion of the Saucer Men 3:4 limited edition scale bust from Amazon.com
Cast and characters:
Steven Terrell … Johnny Carter (as Steve Terrell)
Gloria Castillo … Joan Hayden
Frank Gorshin … Joe Gruen
Raymond Hatton … Farmer Larkin
Lyn Osborn … Artie Burns
Russ Bender … Doctor
Douglas Henderson … Lt. Wilkins, USAF
Sam Buffington … Col. Ambrose – USAF
Jason Johnson … Detective
Don Shelton … City Attorney Hayden
Scott Peters … USAF Sergeant with Bullhorn
Jan Englund … Diner Waitress
Kelly Thordsen … Sgt. Bruce
Bob Einer … Soda Jerk
Pat Lawler … Irene (as Patti Lawler)
Calvin Booth … Paul – Best Man
Ed Nelson … Tom
Roy Darmour … Sgt. Gordon
Audrey Conti … Bobby’s Girl
James Bridges … Bobby (as Jim Bridges)
Jimmy Pickford … Duke
Joan Dupuis … Liz
Buddy Mason … Policeman
Orv Mohler … Duke’s Friend
Angelo Rossitto … Saucer Man (as Angelo Rossito)
Floyd Hugh Dixon … Saucer Man (as Floyd Dixon)
Dean Neville … Saucer Man
Edward Gibbons … Saucer Man (as Edward Peter Gibbons)
Paul Blaisdell … Saucer Man (uncredited)
Bob Burns … Saucer Man (uncredited)
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The White Reindeer – original title: Valkoinen peura – is a 1952 Finnish folk horror feature film directed by Erik Blomberg from a screenplay co-written with Mirjami Kuosmanen. The production stars Mirjami Kuosmanen, Kalervo Nissilä, Åke Lindman and Jouni Tapiola.
Review:
Pirata (Mirjami Kuosmanen) is a feisty woman in her thirties who we first see taking part in reindeer racing with herder Aslak, who she falls in love with. The pair marry, but Aslak’s reindeer heading means that he is away for weeks at a time. The sexually frustrated Pirata – who we have already seen flirting with other herders – visits a local shame, with the wish to be someone who is desired by all reindeer herders.
In a case of ‘be careful what you ask for’, her wish is granted, but not in the way that she had hoped – she is turned into what we might call a were-reindeer, changing into a vampiric creature who then further transforms into a white reindeer. This reindeer is indeed desired by all the herders, but once one of them is killed, the superstitious locals declare the reindeer to be a witch (“noita!”), and set out to hunt it down. Leading the hunt against the demonic beast is Aslak himself.
The sexual politics of The White Reindeer are pretty clear, it might seem – the film explores the idea that female desire is a literally monstrous thing that threatens the wider community. Whether that is the belief of the filmmaker or something that director Erik Blomberg is criticising is perhaps more ambiguous.
The character of Pirata is a multifaceted one, at once tragic yet not particularly likeable, being driven by a selfishness that does not serve the insular community that she lives in – the reindeer herders need to spend time away from their loved ones in order for everyone to survive, in a world where the reindeer is everything – property, food, source of clothing, transport and even pet.
Yet her desires are something that we can all relate to, and her selfishness is understandable. But the film portrays these desires in a decidedly dark way – her sexuality is expressed in monstrous and animalistic for, either as the white reindeer itself or the vampire that she becomes during mid-transformation (needless to say, there is no on-screen transformation shown in the film).
While the sexuality of Pirata is treated with some suspicion, Kuosmanen brings her character to life as a rounded and more tormented than she might have otherwise been. The choice of a thirty-something actress to play the role is interesting – I can’t say that I know much about Laplander culture, but I’m assuming that most people would be married off much earlier in life in a close-knit and traditional community like this, and it’s entirely possible that her character is supposed to be much younger. But the actor’s maturity makes her sexuality more genuine – this is a woman who knows her own mind and acknowledges her own needs.
And Kuosmanen has a mature attractiveness that perhaps reflects the rural world of the movie in a way that a younger actress might not have. More significantly, she is able to switch from happy-go-lucky to tortured to demonic with consummate ease – and it must be said that she shines out among a cast that does not give great performances on the whole (though their authenticity as the characters they play more than compensates for any stilted dialogue delivery).
David Flint, HORRORPEDIA
Release:
Eureka Entertainment has released The White Reindeer as a Blu-ray + DVD combo presented from a 4K restoration completed in 2017 by the National Audio-visual Institute of Finland.
This Island Earth is a 1954 [released 1955] American science fiction feature film directed by Joseph M. Newman and Jack Arnold [uncredited] from a screenplay written by Franklin Coen and George Callahan [as Edward G. O’Callaghan], based on the eponymous 1952 novel by Raymond F. Jones, which was originally published in the magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories.
The Universal-International William Alland production stars Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, Rex Reason and Lance Fuller.
New release:
This Island Earth will be released on Blu-ray by Scream Factory on July 9, 2019, using a new 4K scan of the inter-positive, plus the original Perspecta Stereophonic Sound has been restored. The new restoration is presented with two aspect ratio options: 1.85:1 and 1.37:1. Special Features:
Audio commentary with visual effects artist Robert Skotak (new)
Audio interview with film historian David Schecter on the music of This Island Earth (new)
Interview with Starcrash filmmaker Luigi Cozzi (new)
Facts about Perspecta Stereophonic Sound by 3-D Film Archive’s Bob Furmanek (new)
This Island Earth: Two and A Half Years in the Making – Extended 2013 documentary on the making of the film
War of the Planets – 1958 Castle Films release for the home market including both the 50-foot silent Headline edition and the 200-foot sound Complete edition
Trailers from Hell – This Island Earth with commentary by Joe Dante
Theatrical Trailer
Still galleries – poster and lobby cards, publicity stills and behind-the-scenes photos
Plot:
Scientist Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) solves a mysterious puzzle that allows him access to a highly secretive program — led by the mysterious Exeter (Jeff Morrow) — that has assembled the world’s greatest scientific minds in an attempt to quickly learn how to generate and store nuclear power.
However, with the help of fellow scientists Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) and Steve Carlson (Russell Johnson), Meacham soon discovers that his host is not what he claims to be…
Reviews:
” …one of those rare 1950s speculative films that holds up as well today as it did when first released, despite the comparative quaintness of the special effects and high-tech paraphernalia.” All Movie
” …a full-blooded space opera complete with interplanetary warfare and bug-eyed monsters … the film’s space operatics are given a dreamlike quality and a moral dimension that makes the dramatic situation far more interesting.” Phil Hardy (editor),The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction
” …one of the most fascinating—and frightening — science-fiction movies to come at us yet from outer space … To the camera and effects men must go the major laurels for making this wonders visible and audible — in awesome Technicolor and a sound track that is as ear-wracking as it is eerie.” Philip K. Scheuer, Los Angeles Times
“This is a B-movie of the first order, with the cast playing their roles as straight as can be, and with as much gravitas as they can manage, and damn if it isn’t a lot of fun!” The Mind Reels
“Today, This Island Earth disappoints somewhat – many people who come to it having heard of its classic reputation do not take the time to persevere through the slow lead-up of the story. The film takes nearly two-thirds of the running time before it gets us to the space scenes. The dramatics in these early scenes are pedestrian and hampered by a wooden leading man and woman.” Richard Scheib, Moria
” …most of the commotion is pretty wonderful, once the Universal art wizards take over, as the disk streaks toward its goal in a vast, brilliantly spangled, interplanetary void. One setting alone, a panoramic vista of the doomed planet “Metaluna,” should leave anyone bug-eyed.” Howard Thompson, The New York Times, June 11, 1955
“Special effects of the most realistic type rival the story and characterizations in capturing the interest in this exciting science-fiction chiller, one of the most imaginative, fantastic and cleverly-conceived entries to date in the outer-space film field.” Variety
Cast and characters:
Jeff Morrow … Exeter
Faith Domergue … Dr. Ruth Adams
Rex Reason … Dr. Cal Meacham
Lance Fuller … Brack
Russell Johnson … Dr. Steve Carlson
Douglas Spencer … The Monitor
Robert Nichols … Joe Wilson
Karl Ludwig Lindt … Dr. Adolph Engelborg (as Karl L. Lindt)
Jack Byron … Photographer (uncredited)
Spencer Chan … Dr. Hu Ling Tang (uncredited)
Richard Deacon … Pilot (uncredited)
Coleman Francis … Express Delivery man (uncredited)
Marc Hamilton … Metaluna Inhabitant (uncredited)
Edward Hearn … Reporter (uncredited)
Edward Ingram … Photographer (uncredited)
Charlotte Lander … Metaluna Woman at Decompression Console (uncredited)
Orangey … Neutron–Cat (uncredited)
Regis Parton … Mutant (uncredited)
Manuel París … Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Olan Soule … First Reporter (uncredited)
Les Spears … Reporter (uncredited)
Lizalotta Valesca … Dr. Marie Pitchner (uncredited)
Principal photography for This Island Earth took place from January 30 to March 22, 1954.
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Professor Donald Blake (Arthur Franz) acquires a newly-discovered coelacanth, a fossilised fish. He begins to examine the find and is exposed to its irradiated blood. This turns him into a murderous Neanderthal monster that terrorizes the campus.
Reviews:
” …it’s not as atmospheric — except in a few stylistically claustrophobic scenes — or persuasive as Arnold’s best work, and even lacks the underlying sincerity that helped drive works such as The Space Children. It’s a fun thrill ride within its modest budgetary and production dimensions, but not much more.” Bruce Eder, All Movie
“I’ve always found the reveal of the dead Molly Riordan to be one of the most disturbing images in American horror movie history. Hanging by her hair, her dead eyes staring straight out in an expression less of terror (as might be expected) than of a complete and utter failure of comprehension, Molly looks like the subject of Weegee photograph.” Arbogast on Film
“Yeah, it’s a little silly, the monster makeup leaves a lot to be desired, and Dr. Blake is incredibly slow to figure out the obvious. But it’s a fun film with a game cast, some nice character interplay and a brevity that helps it slide past some nagging questions.” Rod Barnett, Eccentric Cinema
“This is probably the weakest of the several science fiction movies directed by Jack Arnold during the fifties. In some ways, it works well enough; however, it gets fairly silly at times. It’s basically a Jekyll-and-Hyde variation…” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
” …this sci-fi twist on the Jekyll/Hyde-lycanthropy tale turns out to be much more entertaining than it has any right to be. The biggest hindrances here are the rushed, attempt-at-pathos ending and Joanna Moore’s one-note performance as Franz’s girlfriend – until she starts getting carried off by prehistoric paramours, that is.” Aaron Christensen, Horror 101 with Dr. AC
“What does seem particularly funny is the bizarre lengths the script has to go to to keep getting Arthur Franz’s scientist reinfected all over again while still unaware of what is happening – him cutting his hand on a dog’s tooth, while the scene smoking dragonfly blood dripped into a pipe bowl should have made Monster on the Campus into a cult classic for the ‘head’ set ten years later.” Richard Scheib, Moria
“It’s not quite the embarrassment he [Jack Arnold] thought it was, because there is some cheesy amusement to be gained, but Monster on the Campus is unavoidably silly stuff and for your basic Jekyll and Hyde tale there were better renderings around.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image
Richard H. Cutting … Tom Edwards – Forest Ranger (uncredited)
Eddie Parker … Donald as a Monster (uncredited)
Hank Patterson … Townsend – Night Watchman (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr. … Student (uncredited)
Technical details:
77 minutes | black and white | 1.85: 1 | mono (Westrex Recording System)
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‘Mammoth skyscrapers of stone thundering across the Earth!’
The Monolith Monsters is a 1957 science fiction horror feature film directed by John Sherwood (The Creature Walks Among Us) from a screenplay written by Norman Jolley and Robert M. Fresco (Invasion of the Animal People; The Alligator People; Tarantula) based on a storyline by Jack Arnold and Fresco. The Universal Pictures production stars Grant Williams, Lola Albright, Les Tremayne, Phil Harvey and Trevor Bardette.
Opening narration:
“From time immemorial, the Earth has been bombarded by objects from outer space. Bits and pieces of the Universe piercing our atmosphere in an invasion that never ends. Meteor, the shooting stars on which so many earthly wishes have been born! Of the thousands that plummet toward us, the greater part are destroyed in a fiery flash as they strike the layers of the air that encircle us.
Only a small percentage survives. Most of those fall into the water which covers two-thirds of our world. But from time to time from the beginning of time a very few meteors have struck the crust of the Earth and formed craters – craters of all sizes sought after, poured over by scientists of all nations for the priceless knowledge buried within them.
In every moment of every day they come from planets belonging to stars whose dying light is too far away to be seen. From infinity they come. Meteors! Another strange calling card from the limitless regions of space – its substance unknown, its secrets unexplored. The meteor lies dormant in the night, waiting!”
Plot:
A large meteorite crashes in a Southern California desert and explodes into hundreds of black fragments that have strange properties. When those fragments are exposed to water, they grow very large and tall. The fragments also begin to slowly petrify some of the inhabitants of a nearby small town…
“Clifford Stine does quite well with the special effects (although CGI-addicted viewers will of course find them a bit too fake), and John Sherwood’s direction is modest but fine. And Monolith has some of the better “B” actors on hand. All this adds up to a very enjoyable film; never a classic, but a lot of fun.” All Movie
“Inessential but fun, and a rare sci-fi film of this era to eschew scientific overreaching/atomic machismo, extraterrestrial villainy, or the shadow of Communism as a plot motivator, The Monolith Monsters focuses instead on the bedrock truism that, hey, schist happens.” Arbogast on Film
“Certainly it lacks the sub textual clout that distinguishes the best of these films, but its central conceit, its pacing and its impressive production design and effects still put it on a par with its more widely seen contemporaries. The performances are all solid, but my favorite comes from an uncredited William Schallert as the wrapped-up-in-his-job weatherman.” CineOutsider
“Capably made and introducing perhaps the oddest of ‘space invaders’ ever to menace the Earth, The Monolith Monsters is eventually too Earthbound to rise out of the B-picture ghetto. Fine work from Shrinking Man Grant Williams and Lola Albright holds the narrative together but a formulaic script leaves them little room to breathe.” DVD Savant
“It’s too derivative and plodding to play in the big leagues but as a 77 minute time filler you could do a lot worse. It’s certain that the “monsters” will stick in your mind far more than any of the the characters ever do – they’re all strictly stock…” The EOFFTV Review
“The story structure here is fairly pedestrian, and there’s not many surprises in the way this monster movie unfolds. Yet, despite this, this one remains a favorite. I can attribute this primarily to one thing; the monster has a great novelty value to it…” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“The finest moments are when we see the full-size rock monsters – the superb scene where Grant Williams and Trevor Bardette realise the implication of the rainstorm and rush out to watch as we see giant towering geodes, crashing and colliding as they grow, all silhouetted behind a ridge at night. It is a magnificently eerie intro of the monsters, one worthy of Arnold himself.” Moria
“The empathy you would normally feel for King Kong when he is killed or Frankenstein when he just wants a friend is not present in this film and it makes all the difference in the world. Even if the monster was a giant bug of some sort, you would still understand its motivations and the reason why they would be doing what they do. This movie was more akin to a natural disaster film than anything else.” The Telltale Mind
Choice dialogue:
Professor Arthur Flanders (Trevor Bardette): “I’m sorry Dave, I guess this is beginning to get on my nerves a little.”
The special effects were created by Clifford Stine, whose career began in 1933 with King Kong. Alternate takes from Universal’s It Came from Outer Space (1953), which Stine also created, were used for the meteor crash in the film’s opening sequence.
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‘Somewhere in this world stalks a thing that is…’ Not of This Earth is a 1956 [released 1957] American science fiction horror feature film produced and directed by Roger Corman from a screenplay by Charles B. Griffith (Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype; The Little Shop of Horrors; A Bucket of Blood; et al) and Mark Hanna (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman). The movie stars Paul Birch...
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