This blog was begun Saturday night May 30th and completed the following evening :
Elizabeth, your picture and video clips made my day. With all the chaos going on, how nice it was to see the peaceful lake and waterfall. The sound was awesome, too. I asked for rushing water, this time I really got it, wow. That is some view from the top! I am guessing you are at Porcupine Mountains again, am I right? What an incredible place. Maybe one day I can see it for myself. :):)
I got my Bobby Fuller cd in the mail today and had a chance to listen to half of it. He had a big hit in 1965 with "I Fought The Law", which is an ironic title given the events of the past couple of evenings. But he was much more than a one-hit wonder. I sought out more of his music about five years ago, after seeing live videos of his band on Youtube, filmed at Gazarri's on the the Sunset Strip. The Bobby Fuller Four played in the style of early rock, similar to Buddy Holly, but they played it souped up with the energy of The Beatles. What struck me right away upon seeing the video clips was his musical ability. The guy played the hell out of the guitar, and I recently thought to myself, "you know, there are parallels to Van Halen in Bobby Fuller". Even though the music is entirely different, there are similarities in the guitar-driven sound of both bands, and especially in the pop structures and big, bright vocal harmonies. Fuller played mostly rhythm, but he was a master of chord voicings and tonal color. He was a monster guitarist and it would have been interesting to see how he would have evolved had he lived into the 1970s, when the era of advanced lead playing began.
He was murdered over a payola scandal in 1966, when he was only 23 years old. One day the truth will be told about his death, and he will get his due musically. The cd I bought is called "Bobby Fuller: El Paso Rock - Early Recordings Volume 3". It features homemade demos, live stuff from clubs and cover versions of songs like "Summertime Blues" and "Wine, Wine, Wine". What you notice is how tight his band is for the early 60s, and how dynamic. I think he would have been huge, playing The Forum, had he lived. /////
Well, it's now Sunday evening, the second night of curfew in Los Angeles. I got all my miles in before 8pm, then watched a movie called "Mutiny In Outer Space"(1965). I'm a little tired because I've got an expiring smoke alarm in my apartment. It started chirping at 3:30 am last night and I didn't get much sleep as a result. It took me a while to get it silenced. Tomorrow I will have the manager change it. Anyway, if my review is a little shorter than usual, that's the reason. There's not a whole lot to say about this film in any event. It deals with a fungus brought back from the Moon by a pair of astronauts sent to study the Lunar Ice Caves. The problem is that you can't do a whole lot with fungus. It grows and spreads rapidly, but it doesn't have arms and legs to get around with, and it's not wearing a rubber suit like most of the creatures we've been watching. A fungus is kind of dull, so the filmmakers focus on the mutiny instead. What happens is that before returning to Earth, the Moon Crew dock with Space Station X-7 to drop off ice samples for the scientists onboard to study. It is there that the fungus is discovered. I am trying to work in a sentence with "fungus amongus", just so you know I'm not slackin'.
One Moon Astronaut is consumed very quickly by the fungi. His body is put in quarantine and many apt references are made in the dialogue that could apply to our current situation. But what starts all the trouble is that the Space Station Commander, "Col. Cromwell" (Richard Garland), orders a false report sent back to Air Force headquarters at Vandenberg. He doesn't want the cause of death revealed because he believes it will make them all expendable. "They won't take any chances of letting that fungus get back to Earth! Odds are we'll be obliterated by a missile before re-entry. No, I want that report to read that he died of a pressure overload in the spacelock. Don't you dare - any of you! - to let them know of this"!
The rest of the crew aren't happy with the Colonel's decision because no one knows what this stuff is, or if it's gonna infect the rest of them. The silence order also prevents a rescue ship from being sent up. The surviving Moon Astronaut (William Leslie) thinks the Colonel is paranoid and abusing his authority, so he pulls a Spock and organises a mutiny behind the Colonel's back. Remember the Star Trek formula? Every episode had to have one of the following ingredients : a Spock Mutiny, a Chekov Rebellion, or a Sulu Subterfuge. Spock Mutinies were the most frequently used, and that's what's going on here : the second in command decides the Captain's gone crazy and takes over. Leslie tries to get a message to General Knowland on the ground, but at first no one will help him. Lt. Engstrom (Pamela Curran), the communications officer, is the crazy Colonel's girlfriend. She pretends to send out Leslie's fungus SOS, but really it's just a simple "a-ok" acknowledgement that all is well aboard the station. In the meantime, Leslie's own gal - biologist "Faith Montaine" (Dolores Faith) - is trapped in the lab by the fungus, which fills up the rest of the joint in short order. The only mystery left is whether Leslie will gain control of the space station. Will he be able to overpower the mentally deteriorating Colonel? And if so, will he be able to get a message to Vandenberg in time for them to launch a rescue mission?
It's a very talky film, though not without dramatic tension. There just isn't much action, even on the part of the fungus, which stops after killing it's only victim, the first Moon Astronaut. It does eventually drape itself all over the outside of Space Station X-7, requiring the crew to brainstorm a way to remove it. I would've suggested a Giant Sized Tube of Lotrimin, which is supposed to work well on athlete's foot. Hey, it's worth a try. Actually, though, Leslie and the crew come up with a better idea, which I won't reveal except to say it's a lot less goopy.
The hardware in "Mutiny In Space" is pretty good. The rotating silver space station looks better than the film's 90K budget would indicate. The Moon Rocket effects are less successful, jittery and crudely pasted. The whole thing has the feel of an extended television episode, which isn't a bad thing either. Both Star Trek and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea had their share of Fungus Episodes. Also, the interior of the space station has that "tv show look", with lots of Curving Hallways and Rounded Doors that Slide Open Seamlessly. But the acting is passable and the script moves the story along (though once again, we can do without the romance angle in these movies). I'm gonna give it a flat but fair rating of Two Regular Thumbs Up. You might like it better than I did; a lot of fans at IMDB seem fond of it. It's definitely worth a view, however, and is recommended on that basis. //////
That's all I've got for ya tonight. Tomorrow I will try to get this pesky smoke alarm replaced, then I can enjoy my time off and go for a hike. Let's also pray for an end to the trouble and violence. See you at the Usual Time.
Tons of peace and love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Saturday, May 30, 2020
"The Horrors of the Red Planet" featuring John Carradine
I'm writing from home tonight, off work for a couple of weeks. I originally planned to watch "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" but decided to save it for a less hectic evening. The curfew threw my schedule off and I was forced to do all my miles in one long walk instead of spreading them out over a couple of shorter excursions. I shant get into politics or current events because, like classical KUSC, this blog is a refuge from the news, but I do hope the trouble dies down soon (and the police officer goes to prison).
The movie I chose instead was called "The Horrors of the Red Planet"(1965). It popped up on my Youtube recommendations this afternoon. I saw it co-starred John Carradine so I had to give it a shot. After a very slow start, it turned out to be pretty decent, even original in it's weird way. Four astronauts (three men and a woman) are on their way to Mars, to take atmospheric readings from orbit. At the last minute they are hit by an electrical storm - huge bolts of lightning extending hundreds of miles into space! - and forced to crash-land on the Martian polar region. They have only enough oxygen to last four days, so in order to avoid certain death, they have to venture out of their capsule and onto the surface of the Red Planet, to search for the Main Stage of their rocket, which was ejected prior to orbit. If they find it they can apparently go home, though I always thought that rocket stages were only fuel tanks.
Well anyhow, at this point the movie turns into a Mars travelogue for the next forty minutes. Our intrepid crew cross the polar ice until they come to a river, which they ford with two rafts brought along for that purpose. They escape the danger of some Slithery Snakelike Sprouts which block the water at one juncture, and row until they come to a cavern at the edge of a Vast Desert. This sequence was filmed at a place called Lehman Caves in Nevada. Their transponder receives a faint signal suggesting they are on the right track to locate the Main Stage, so they enter the cavern system. This part of the trek is reminiscent of "Journey To The Center of the Earth", with the Ubiquitous Narrow Ledge Scene. There are also underground "rooms" full of stalagmites which look very cool because they're the real thing instead of papier mache. At one point they have to pass by the cauldron of a Bubbling Volcano. "One slip and you'll fry like bacon", says the Captain, and he ain't kidding.
Nothing really happens during all this time, but it all looks good, thanks to the actual cave location and the beautiful matte paintings depicting the outdoor Martian landscape, complete with pink sky. The dialogue is read straight off cuecards, but that's okay because we're enjoying the scenery. Finally, at around the fifty minute mark, the astronauts exit the cavern and emerge onto the dunes, where they discover a grouping of what look like bricks half buried in the sand. And - here I have to yet again pose a Possible Directorial Influence Phenomenon, because of the way in which this scene plays out. Do you recall, in "The Martian", when Matt Damon dug up that generator he'd been looking for? He dug it out of the sand, right? Well, I'd be willing to bet a nickel (no more, no less) that Ridley Scott saw this movie, because not only did he use the same idea (of uncovering something in the sand), but there is also shot after shot of the crew trudging through the dunes with the pink sky in the background. It closely resembles the way Scott photographed Damon doing the same thing, with the same look. And we already know Ridley is inspired by older (and cheaper) science fiction movies; witness his appreciation of "IT! The Terror from Beyond Space", which led to "Alien". So yeah, I'm betting he saw and admired this film too, at least enough to crib a couple of ideas for "The Martian".
What the crew reveal in our movie is a road. Could it be made of the proverbial Yellow Bricks? It may seem that way, because when they "follow" it (nudge, nudge), they ultimately come to a Shining City with a castle in the center, the remains of an ancient civilisation. The transponder is beeping loudly now. They suspect their Main Stage is inside the castle walls, so they enter the labyrinthine structure, and pass through a series of tunnels, until they notice Several Tubes, coated with Eons of Grime, standing at the side of a doorway. Finally, at the one hour mark of this 78 minute movie, we're gonna get a little action. The Captain scrapes the dirt off one of the tubes to expose a Hideous Alien, entombed in suspended animation behind glass. It's an absolute mindblower because it's the exact same guy we saw in "Space Probe Taurus"! Do you remember my review of that film? I mentioned a scene in which the crew of the Space Probe come across a floating power plant. They board it and encounter one of the ugliest, most creepy looking Aliens ever seen. I believe I described him as Cretinous, with the additional complication of Progeria.
Folks, it's the same dude here, except this time his cranium has been removed. And, he's benign instead of murderous. Thank goodness for that, right? He's been asleep for ages, but when the Captain places a hand on the glass, he awakens. Then he puts his own hand on his side of the glass, to cover the Captain's, and he Mind Melds with him. "Hello, Mr. Roddenberry? I've got yet another idea for you".
In the Mind Meld, the Ancient Alien reveals the way to the Main Stage. But first he asks the Captain's help to save the survivors of his race. "You must go through that door", he instructs. The passage through the door features some very bizarre special effects, where the Alien's Spirit follows the crew into the room beyond. All of this makes up for the slow going earlier in the film, because it's freakin' weird!
And now for the Piece de Resistance :
In the Darkened Room, which opens into the night sky, a Giant Head appears. Earlier we mentioned the metaphor of a Yellow Brick Road, and now we are at it's terminus. We're face-to-face with The Wizard of Mars, and............he's John Carradine!
Carradine goes on to give a Major Speech, in Grand Language, that's as mesmerising as it is unintelligible. It has to do with what led to the demise of the Ancient Civilisation, and it's so great that I did a Youtube search after the movie to see if anyone had isolated that scene (unfortunately, they hadn't). What happened was that the Martians became so technically advanced they were able to stop time. They did so to become immortal, but their immortality had consequences, which Carradine explains. He then lays out instructions for the crew to Start Time Back Up, which will restore what is left of the Martian race. It's one of the great speeches in motion picture history, or at least the history of low-budget sci-fi cinema.
"The Horrors of the Red Planet" is like two movies in one. The first 50 minutes, as noted, is more or less a walking tour of Mars, though a very good looking one. But once you get to the Emerald City (purple in this case), things get a whole lot weirder and more interesting, beginning with the Alien in the Tube. And then you get The Speech, given by the the great John Carradine, one of the most off-the-wall orations you'll ever witness. The movie builds to a spectacular conclusion, which is why I'm giving it Two Big Thumbs Up in spite of the bad acting and wooden dialogue. It's not a great or classic film like some of our recent entries, but it has things about it that are unique, and for that reason, and it's production design, I recommend it. //////
That's all for now. See you a little later at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
The movie I chose instead was called "The Horrors of the Red Planet"(1965). It popped up on my Youtube recommendations this afternoon. I saw it co-starred John Carradine so I had to give it a shot. After a very slow start, it turned out to be pretty decent, even original in it's weird way. Four astronauts (three men and a woman) are on their way to Mars, to take atmospheric readings from orbit. At the last minute they are hit by an electrical storm - huge bolts of lightning extending hundreds of miles into space! - and forced to crash-land on the Martian polar region. They have only enough oxygen to last four days, so in order to avoid certain death, they have to venture out of their capsule and onto the surface of the Red Planet, to search for the Main Stage of their rocket, which was ejected prior to orbit. If they find it they can apparently go home, though I always thought that rocket stages were only fuel tanks.
Well anyhow, at this point the movie turns into a Mars travelogue for the next forty minutes. Our intrepid crew cross the polar ice until they come to a river, which they ford with two rafts brought along for that purpose. They escape the danger of some Slithery Snakelike Sprouts which block the water at one juncture, and row until they come to a cavern at the edge of a Vast Desert. This sequence was filmed at a place called Lehman Caves in Nevada. Their transponder receives a faint signal suggesting they are on the right track to locate the Main Stage, so they enter the cavern system. This part of the trek is reminiscent of "Journey To The Center of the Earth", with the Ubiquitous Narrow Ledge Scene. There are also underground "rooms" full of stalagmites which look very cool because they're the real thing instead of papier mache. At one point they have to pass by the cauldron of a Bubbling Volcano. "One slip and you'll fry like bacon", says the Captain, and he ain't kidding.
Nothing really happens during all this time, but it all looks good, thanks to the actual cave location and the beautiful matte paintings depicting the outdoor Martian landscape, complete with pink sky. The dialogue is read straight off cuecards, but that's okay because we're enjoying the scenery. Finally, at around the fifty minute mark, the astronauts exit the cavern and emerge onto the dunes, where they discover a grouping of what look like bricks half buried in the sand. And - here I have to yet again pose a Possible Directorial Influence Phenomenon, because of the way in which this scene plays out. Do you recall, in "The Martian", when Matt Damon dug up that generator he'd been looking for? He dug it out of the sand, right? Well, I'd be willing to bet a nickel (no more, no less) that Ridley Scott saw this movie, because not only did he use the same idea (of uncovering something in the sand), but there is also shot after shot of the crew trudging through the dunes with the pink sky in the background. It closely resembles the way Scott photographed Damon doing the same thing, with the same look. And we already know Ridley is inspired by older (and cheaper) science fiction movies; witness his appreciation of "IT! The Terror from Beyond Space", which led to "Alien". So yeah, I'm betting he saw and admired this film too, at least enough to crib a couple of ideas for "The Martian".
What the crew reveal in our movie is a road. Could it be made of the proverbial Yellow Bricks? It may seem that way, because when they "follow" it (nudge, nudge), they ultimately come to a Shining City with a castle in the center, the remains of an ancient civilisation. The transponder is beeping loudly now. They suspect their Main Stage is inside the castle walls, so they enter the labyrinthine structure, and pass through a series of tunnels, until they notice Several Tubes, coated with Eons of Grime, standing at the side of a doorway. Finally, at the one hour mark of this 78 minute movie, we're gonna get a little action. The Captain scrapes the dirt off one of the tubes to expose a Hideous Alien, entombed in suspended animation behind glass. It's an absolute mindblower because it's the exact same guy we saw in "Space Probe Taurus"! Do you remember my review of that film? I mentioned a scene in which the crew of the Space Probe come across a floating power plant. They board it and encounter one of the ugliest, most creepy looking Aliens ever seen. I believe I described him as Cretinous, with the additional complication of Progeria.
Folks, it's the same dude here, except this time his cranium has been removed. And, he's benign instead of murderous. Thank goodness for that, right? He's been asleep for ages, but when the Captain places a hand on the glass, he awakens. Then he puts his own hand on his side of the glass, to cover the Captain's, and he Mind Melds with him. "Hello, Mr. Roddenberry? I've got yet another idea for you".
In the Mind Meld, the Ancient Alien reveals the way to the Main Stage. But first he asks the Captain's help to save the survivors of his race. "You must go through that door", he instructs. The passage through the door features some very bizarre special effects, where the Alien's Spirit follows the crew into the room beyond. All of this makes up for the slow going earlier in the film, because it's freakin' weird!
And now for the Piece de Resistance :
In the Darkened Room, which opens into the night sky, a Giant Head appears. Earlier we mentioned the metaphor of a Yellow Brick Road, and now we are at it's terminus. We're face-to-face with The Wizard of Mars, and............he's John Carradine!
Carradine goes on to give a Major Speech, in Grand Language, that's as mesmerising as it is unintelligible. It has to do with what led to the demise of the Ancient Civilisation, and it's so great that I did a Youtube search after the movie to see if anyone had isolated that scene (unfortunately, they hadn't). What happened was that the Martians became so technically advanced they were able to stop time. They did so to become immortal, but their immortality had consequences, which Carradine explains. He then lays out instructions for the crew to Start Time Back Up, which will restore what is left of the Martian race. It's one of the great speeches in motion picture history, or at least the history of low-budget sci-fi cinema.
"The Horrors of the Red Planet" is like two movies in one. The first 50 minutes, as noted, is more or less a walking tour of Mars, though a very good looking one. But once you get to the Emerald City (purple in this case), things get a whole lot weirder and more interesting, beginning with the Alien in the Tube. And then you get The Speech, given by the the great John Carradine, one of the most off-the-wall orations you'll ever witness. The movie builds to a spectacular conclusion, which is why I'm giving it Two Big Thumbs Up in spite of the bad acting and wooden dialogue. It's not a great or classic film like some of our recent entries, but it has things about it that are unique, and for that reason, and it's production design, I recommend it. //////
That's all for now. See you a little later at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Friday, May 29, 2020
Elizabeth + "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein" starring Whit Bissell and Gary Conway
Elizabeth, your photo of the lake yesterday was stunning! The dark tones on the water make it look almost like a solid surface, and the sunset is gorgeous. Really a great shot. You're on a roll lately so keep it up. :):) You are inspiring me to get back out there, and I will have a chance beginning on Saturday, when I will be off work for two weeks. They are starting to open things up in Los Angeles. Restaurants and barber shops/hair salons are now allowed to reopen on a controlled basis. I haven't had a hair cut since early February and I'm staring to turn into a Hippie, lol. Of course, right up until my late 30s I had super long hair, and now that it's growing back I'm starting to like it again (oh no!). I'm not sure what I'll do just yet. But I don't think I'll be visiting the hair salon until the pandemic is overwith. Some states, including ours, may be reopening things a bit too soon. Stay safe and well. :):)
In yesterday's blog I promised you "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein". I mean... hang on a second, let me clarify.....I don't mean that I personally was Frankenstein as a Teenager. What I meant was that I promised I would watch the movie with that title. And I did so this evening. Man, was it great!
The title is once again deceiving, because what sounds like a 50s style Youth Movie with horror elements actually turned out to be a serious take on the Frankenstein legend. It's so well done that I'd put it in the top three Frankenstein movies I've ever seen (the other two being the original and "Frankenstein - The True Story" from 1973). Whit Bissell stars as "Professor Frankenstein", and boy does he play him to the hilt. You've heard me say that certain actors have been in a million movies; Bissell truly has. You've seen him a zillion times in TV shows and films, often playing doctors, professors or military officers. He's usually pretty laid back, often holding his customary pipe. He was also in a ton of science fiction movies, but this is the first time I've seen him in a starring role, and man - he plays Professor Frankenstein as a cold, ruthless man, even a little sadistic, who will stop at nothing to get his way.
The movie opens with the Professor giving a lecture to a group of fellow scientists. When it is over, he is roundly denounced for having radical ideas about surgery. He leaves, vowing to show his peers - and the entire world - that his vision for the future of medicine is legitimate. Back at home, he confers with "Dr. Karlton" (Robert Burton), a physicist and long time associate. The Professor wants Karlton to assist him with a secret project - can you guess what it is? - Yes, indeed, you've got it! He's gonna build a human being out of body parts. Unlike his famous ancestor, however, he's only gonna use premium stuff. Every arm, leg, etc., has gotta come from a strong, healthy young person. Especially the brain. Professor Frankenstein believes that a young brain will be easier to teach than an old one, and being the disciplinarian prick that he is, he wants his creation to be obedient. Though he is a brilliant surgeon, the professor knows nothing about electricty. That's where Dr. Karlton comes in. He is an electrical engineer. Frankenstein wants him to build and operate a high voltage generator that will bring the finished body to life. At first, Karlton - an older gent - is skittish at the idea, thinking it's absolutely insane. But then Professor Frankenstein offers him reminder, in the form of blackmail, that they already share another secret involving a past project. "You wouldn't want word of that getting out, would you"?
With that, Karlton reluctantly agrees to help. As they toast their renewed partnership, fate steps in, in the way of a Fortuitous Car Accident. It occurs right in front of the Professor's Hollywood mansion. He and Dr. Karlton run outside to find three cars engulfed in flames. A bystander decries "reckless teenagers, driving way too fast".
"I saw the whole thing"!, says the man. "All of them are dead except maybe one. He got thrown through the windshield and landed over there somewhere, but he's probably done for, too".
The Prof can't believe his good fortune. Here's an entire body, nearly intact. It's young, too. He and Dr. Karlton take it inside, down to his basement laboratory (this time pronounced "as-is" because it's an American film). It turns out that both hands and one leg have been badly damaged and will have to be amputated. This will require a quick trip to the cemetery for replacement parts. Luck is once again on the Professor's side; a plane has crashed killing all aboard, including a high school track team. Perfect for hands and legs! Repairing the face, however, won't be so simple. It was mangled beyond recognition and will require a transplant, including new eyes. Well, it can wait. Frankenstein is most interested in the body and the brain. He wants to teach his Creation, to train him to be a part of society.
One night, the Professor attends a party and runs into his old flame Margaret (Phyllis Coates). She is a nurse who once worked alongside him, before he became a Complete Nutcase. Outwardly, he still projects the same charm and confidence he always has, so after some persuasion she agrees to marry him. It isn't long, though, till she finds out that's he's not the same guy she once knew. He's become extremely paranoid, won't allow anyone in the house except for Dr. Karlton, and he treats Margaret like a secretary rather than a wife. She suspects he's keeping a secret, and has a key made for his laboratory. She sneaks in one day to discover a mini-morgue - and I have to jump in to say it's an Awesome Mad Scientist Lab, industrial strength in every respect! When she opens one of the drawers, who do you think comes sliding out? If you said "The Teenage Frankenstein", you're right again!
Now, wifey knows what the Professor's been hiding all this time. If he keeps treating her like a slave, she might just bring it to his attention. Someone in the audience should warn her, though, that her husband has a "disposal" in the lab that he uses to get rid of body parts. It's rather toothy I must say.
Actually, the Prof has more than just his wife to worry about now, because Ol' Frankie the Teenager is starting to get antsy about having to stay in the basement all the time. After weeks of training, he's able to speak and think for himself. He's pretty articulate, in fact. Bissell loses his temper after The Boy complains once too aften, and tells him the real reason he can't go outside : "Have you seen your face? Here! Take a good look"! He hands him a mirror. The results are Absolutely Gruesome.
Frankie ends up escaping. He has to see for himself if he will be accepted in the real world. Peering in windows, he spies a beautiful woman. She screams, he strangles her. What'd ya expect? That's what Frankenstein does , in every movie he's ever been in, Teenager or not. Now the Professor's got the coppers knocking on his door, asking around about a Psycho on the loose, one with a Monstrous Face. He decides it's time to give Frankie that face transplant he's been promising, so they drive out to Lover's Lane. The Professor lets Frank choose the guy who will provide his new visage. It just so happens to be Gary Conway, who's making out in a car with his girl, and doesn't know what's about to hit him.
This is me again, your reviewer. That's all I'm gonna give you of the plot, but I've gotta add that this is one of the Scariest Looking Frankenstein Monsters you will ever see. Had you seen him as a kid, you would have had The Bejabbers scared out of you, which is comparable to The Bejeezus and maybe worse! I'm telling you, this movie is no joke, it's deadly serious and Whit Bissell is an S.O.B as Professor Frankenstein. Herbert L. Strock (of last night's "How To Make A Monster") once again directed from a "no fat" screenplay, every scene is necessary and fits exactly into the next. Bissell is onscreen for almost the entirety of the film, it's his picture, though the supporting cast is excellent and Gary Conway gives the monster a fair amount of sensitivity and depth. The production values are A-List all the way.........I repeat, it's one of the Best Frankenstein Movies ever! You've gotta see it.
"I Was A Teenage Frankenstein" gets Two Huge Thumbs Up. Boy am I glad I discovered "How To Make A Monster" or I'd have never heard of it. I knew about "I Was A Teenage Werewolf", which was Michael Landon's breakout role, but I always assumed it was a teen comedy because of the title. Now I have to see it, too! Maybe tomorrow night. /////
That's all for the time being. See ya at the Usual Time.
Tons and tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
In yesterday's blog I promised you "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein". I mean... hang on a second, let me clarify.....I don't mean that I personally was Frankenstein as a Teenager. What I meant was that I promised I would watch the movie with that title. And I did so this evening. Man, was it great!
The title is once again deceiving, because what sounds like a 50s style Youth Movie with horror elements actually turned out to be a serious take on the Frankenstein legend. It's so well done that I'd put it in the top three Frankenstein movies I've ever seen (the other two being the original and "Frankenstein - The True Story" from 1973). Whit Bissell stars as "Professor Frankenstein", and boy does he play him to the hilt. You've heard me say that certain actors have been in a million movies; Bissell truly has. You've seen him a zillion times in TV shows and films, often playing doctors, professors or military officers. He's usually pretty laid back, often holding his customary pipe. He was also in a ton of science fiction movies, but this is the first time I've seen him in a starring role, and man - he plays Professor Frankenstein as a cold, ruthless man, even a little sadistic, who will stop at nothing to get his way.
The movie opens with the Professor giving a lecture to a group of fellow scientists. When it is over, he is roundly denounced for having radical ideas about surgery. He leaves, vowing to show his peers - and the entire world - that his vision for the future of medicine is legitimate. Back at home, he confers with "Dr. Karlton" (Robert Burton), a physicist and long time associate. The Professor wants Karlton to assist him with a secret project - can you guess what it is? - Yes, indeed, you've got it! He's gonna build a human being out of body parts. Unlike his famous ancestor, however, he's only gonna use premium stuff. Every arm, leg, etc., has gotta come from a strong, healthy young person. Especially the brain. Professor Frankenstein believes that a young brain will be easier to teach than an old one, and being the disciplinarian prick that he is, he wants his creation to be obedient. Though he is a brilliant surgeon, the professor knows nothing about electricty. That's where Dr. Karlton comes in. He is an electrical engineer. Frankenstein wants him to build and operate a high voltage generator that will bring the finished body to life. At first, Karlton - an older gent - is skittish at the idea, thinking it's absolutely insane. But then Professor Frankenstein offers him reminder, in the form of blackmail, that they already share another secret involving a past project. "You wouldn't want word of that getting out, would you"?
With that, Karlton reluctantly agrees to help. As they toast their renewed partnership, fate steps in, in the way of a Fortuitous Car Accident. It occurs right in front of the Professor's Hollywood mansion. He and Dr. Karlton run outside to find three cars engulfed in flames. A bystander decries "reckless teenagers, driving way too fast".
"I saw the whole thing"!, says the man. "All of them are dead except maybe one. He got thrown through the windshield and landed over there somewhere, but he's probably done for, too".
The Prof can't believe his good fortune. Here's an entire body, nearly intact. It's young, too. He and Dr. Karlton take it inside, down to his basement laboratory (this time pronounced "as-is" because it's an American film). It turns out that both hands and one leg have been badly damaged and will have to be amputated. This will require a quick trip to the cemetery for replacement parts. Luck is once again on the Professor's side; a plane has crashed killing all aboard, including a high school track team. Perfect for hands and legs! Repairing the face, however, won't be so simple. It was mangled beyond recognition and will require a transplant, including new eyes. Well, it can wait. Frankenstein is most interested in the body and the brain. He wants to teach his Creation, to train him to be a part of society.
One night, the Professor attends a party and runs into his old flame Margaret (Phyllis Coates). She is a nurse who once worked alongside him, before he became a Complete Nutcase. Outwardly, he still projects the same charm and confidence he always has, so after some persuasion she agrees to marry him. It isn't long, though, till she finds out that's he's not the same guy she once knew. He's become extremely paranoid, won't allow anyone in the house except for Dr. Karlton, and he treats Margaret like a secretary rather than a wife. She suspects he's keeping a secret, and has a key made for his laboratory. She sneaks in one day to discover a mini-morgue - and I have to jump in to say it's an Awesome Mad Scientist Lab, industrial strength in every respect! When she opens one of the drawers, who do you think comes sliding out? If you said "The Teenage Frankenstein", you're right again!
Now, wifey knows what the Professor's been hiding all this time. If he keeps treating her like a slave, she might just bring it to his attention. Someone in the audience should warn her, though, that her husband has a "disposal" in the lab that he uses to get rid of body parts. It's rather toothy I must say.
Actually, the Prof has more than just his wife to worry about now, because Ol' Frankie the Teenager is starting to get antsy about having to stay in the basement all the time. After weeks of training, he's able to speak and think for himself. He's pretty articulate, in fact. Bissell loses his temper after The Boy complains once too aften, and tells him the real reason he can't go outside : "Have you seen your face? Here! Take a good look"! He hands him a mirror. The results are Absolutely Gruesome.
Frankie ends up escaping. He has to see for himself if he will be accepted in the real world. Peering in windows, he spies a beautiful woman. She screams, he strangles her. What'd ya expect? That's what Frankenstein does , in every movie he's ever been in, Teenager or not. Now the Professor's got the coppers knocking on his door, asking around about a Psycho on the loose, one with a Monstrous Face. He decides it's time to give Frankie that face transplant he's been promising, so they drive out to Lover's Lane. The Professor lets Frank choose the guy who will provide his new visage. It just so happens to be Gary Conway, who's making out in a car with his girl, and doesn't know what's about to hit him.
This is me again, your reviewer. That's all I'm gonna give you of the plot, but I've gotta add that this is one of the Scariest Looking Frankenstein Monsters you will ever see. Had you seen him as a kid, you would have had The Bejabbers scared out of you, which is comparable to The Bejeezus and maybe worse! I'm telling you, this movie is no joke, it's deadly serious and Whit Bissell is an S.O.B as Professor Frankenstein. Herbert L. Strock (of last night's "How To Make A Monster") once again directed from a "no fat" screenplay, every scene is necessary and fits exactly into the next. Bissell is onscreen for almost the entirety of the film, it's his picture, though the supporting cast is excellent and Gary Conway gives the monster a fair amount of sensitivity and depth. The production values are A-List all the way.........I repeat, it's one of the Best Frankenstein Movies ever! You've gotta see it.
"I Was A Teenage Frankenstein" gets Two Huge Thumbs Up. Boy am I glad I discovered "How To Make A Monster" or I'd have never heard of it. I knew about "I Was A Teenage Werewolf", which was Michael Landon's breakout role, but I always assumed it was a teen comedy because of the title. Now I have to see it, too! Maybe tomorrow night. /////
That's all for the time being. See ya at the Usual Time.
Tons and tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Thursday, May 28, 2020
"How To Make A Monster" starring Robert H. Harris
This blog was begun Wednesday night May 27 and completed the following day :
Tonight's selection was a "movie about making movies", in the tradition of "8 1/2", "Day For Night" and "The Player", except that it was in a subgenre of that category : a "Monster Movie About Making Monster Movies". Ahh, Monsters. Ya gotta love 'em and that's why I chose "How To Make A Monster"(1958) for our screening on this Wednesday night. I'm in "spoof mode" at the moment, or at least I'm accepting spoofs for consideration, having enjoyed "Invasion of the Saucer Men". I must emphasize yet again that this does not apply to all out comedy mash-ups, but if you can tiptoe up to the edge while maintaining a straight face, I'm willing to give you a shot. So it was as I pressed play and the picture rolled into action.
"Pete Dumond" (Robert H. Harris), a legendary Hollywood make-up artist who specialises in monsters, is applying the finishing touches to his latest creation, a Teenage Werewolf (Gary Clarke). The hairy young lupus is set to star in a sequel to his big hit, which will be called "Frankenstein Meets The Werewolf". His makeup is so realistic it even frightens him. Dumond has had a long and storied career, his monsters have earned the studio a lot of money. But now it is being sold, and the new owners want a total overhaul. They believe horror movies are old hat. "Musicals are what people wanna see", they tell Pete on the day they give him his pink slip. "This is the era of rock n' roll. Teenagers are the ones buying tickets these days. They wanna watch their idols onscreen, not some old fashioned monster. Sorry Mr. Dumond, but business is business. Surely you understand".
Dumond nods, giving his assent. "Oh yes, I understand. The wheels of progress must turn, no matter who they run over". You can see the quiet fury in his eyes.
Pete is allowed to finish working on "Teenage Werewolf", after which he must clear out his office and leave the lot. During this time, he stays late every night, concocting a special new makeup base with the help of his loyal assistant Rivero (Paul Brinegar of "Rawhide" fame). He says the new foundation will make his final monsters the most lifelike of them all. Then, the studio is rocked by a murder. One of the new owners is strangled during a screening of dailies for "Frankenstein Meets The Werewolf". We the audience know who did it, but we ain't tellin'. But there is also a security guard who seems to have the info. He visits Pete the next afternoon, dropping hints about blackmail. He turns up dead too, the second murder on the lot in three days. The cops think they have a psycho on their hands, but who could it be?
The killer strikes again the following night. This time, the other new owner is murdered in his home, but the cops catch a break. A witness comes forth, a lady from the neighborhood who was walking home from work. "Oh, it was terrible! A huge man came running at me from the driveway. But his face! One eye was out of it's socket. He looked like a creature from the movies! He knocked me down with a powerful blow and kept running, but I'll never forget that face as long as I live".
Lead Detective Morris Ankrum wants everyone interviewed who was on the lot during the past week. This includes Pete and Rivero. Pete is domineering toward his assistant. "We have to go to the police station. When we get there, keep your mouth shut. I'll do all the talking". In front of the police, he feigns ignorance. "Why Detective, I'm just a make-up man. What would I know about murder? That's your department".
"That's why we asked you to come in. You see, we have three murders. All the victims are from your studio. Now we have a witness who got a good look at the killer, but her description doesn't sound human. Could it be possible that one of your actors got carried away in his role and went over the edge"?
"What.........you mean one of the boys in the movie? Oh, c'mon detective. Those young men are about to take off in this business. Both are going to be big stars. Why would either of them ruin their careers, not to mention their lives, at a time like this"?
"We don't know, that's why we're asking you".
Pete finishes the movie, then clears out his office and goes home after twenty five years making monsters. He asks his two young stars to come by for an impromptu retirement party, which they agree to do, but in truth both feel uneasy about it. "I dunno", says Clarke (The Teenage Werewolf). "Pete's done a lot for me, but I've always gotten a strange feeling around him". His friend The Teenage Frankenstein (Gary Conway) agrees. "Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I've had that feeling too. And you know what's really weird? All during the time we were shooting the movie, I could never remember anything after the day was over. Pete kept telling me the makeup was gonna change me. He had some new, special stuff he used on me. It felt like it was part of my skin".
Both young men go to Pete's retirement party anyway, just to be polite. They intend to have a quick drink and then make an excuse to leave. But it won't be that simple. Pete may be retired from the movie business but he has no intention of quitting the Monster Business. In fact, he wants to move on to making The Real Thing.
In a stroke of cinematic genius, director Herbert L. Strock decided to switch to color for the last ten minutes of the film, which takes place in Pete's "Trophy Room", where he keeps the heads of his most famous monsters mounted on the wall. The young actors are visiting him in this scene, and the vibe in the room gets weirder every minute as Pete withdraws into his demented fantasy world. His secret nature is slowly emerging and it's pretty doggone sinister because Robert Harris plays it to the hilt. You've seen him in a ton of movies, usually as a heavy, but here he's truly creepy, and when the color footage brings his Inner Sanctum to life, it's a horrific sight to behold. The boys were gonna make an excuse to leave, but now it may be too late.
"How To Make A Monster" doesn't have a complex story. It's a pretty simple murder mystery. But what it does have is a ton of "movie making" atmosphere. The main location was ZIV Studios in Hollywood, and Strock shows the way in which a movie lot is an enclosed world, where everyone is like a big family. And when one guy - the make-up man in this case - is kicked out of the family, well....let's just say his feelings are hurt.
I loved "How To Make A Monster", especially Harris' performance as Pete. I give it Two Big Thumbs Up and highly recommend you see it. Now I'm gonna look for "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein", which I didn't even know existed until last night.
See you at the Usual Time.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Tonight's selection was a "movie about making movies", in the tradition of "8 1/2", "Day For Night" and "The Player", except that it was in a subgenre of that category : a "Monster Movie About Making Monster Movies". Ahh, Monsters. Ya gotta love 'em and that's why I chose "How To Make A Monster"(1958) for our screening on this Wednesday night. I'm in "spoof mode" at the moment, or at least I'm accepting spoofs for consideration, having enjoyed "Invasion of the Saucer Men". I must emphasize yet again that this does not apply to all out comedy mash-ups, but if you can tiptoe up to the edge while maintaining a straight face, I'm willing to give you a shot. So it was as I pressed play and the picture rolled into action.
"Pete Dumond" (Robert H. Harris), a legendary Hollywood make-up artist who specialises in monsters, is applying the finishing touches to his latest creation, a Teenage Werewolf (Gary Clarke). The hairy young lupus is set to star in a sequel to his big hit, which will be called "Frankenstein Meets The Werewolf". His makeup is so realistic it even frightens him. Dumond has had a long and storied career, his monsters have earned the studio a lot of money. But now it is being sold, and the new owners want a total overhaul. They believe horror movies are old hat. "Musicals are what people wanna see", they tell Pete on the day they give him his pink slip. "This is the era of rock n' roll. Teenagers are the ones buying tickets these days. They wanna watch their idols onscreen, not some old fashioned monster. Sorry Mr. Dumond, but business is business. Surely you understand".
Dumond nods, giving his assent. "Oh yes, I understand. The wheels of progress must turn, no matter who they run over". You can see the quiet fury in his eyes.
Pete is allowed to finish working on "Teenage Werewolf", after which he must clear out his office and leave the lot. During this time, he stays late every night, concocting a special new makeup base with the help of his loyal assistant Rivero (Paul Brinegar of "Rawhide" fame). He says the new foundation will make his final monsters the most lifelike of them all. Then, the studio is rocked by a murder. One of the new owners is strangled during a screening of dailies for "Frankenstein Meets The Werewolf". We the audience know who did it, but we ain't tellin'. But there is also a security guard who seems to have the info. He visits Pete the next afternoon, dropping hints about blackmail. He turns up dead too, the second murder on the lot in three days. The cops think they have a psycho on their hands, but who could it be?
The killer strikes again the following night. This time, the other new owner is murdered in his home, but the cops catch a break. A witness comes forth, a lady from the neighborhood who was walking home from work. "Oh, it was terrible! A huge man came running at me from the driveway. But his face! One eye was out of it's socket. He looked like a creature from the movies! He knocked me down with a powerful blow and kept running, but I'll never forget that face as long as I live".
Lead Detective Morris Ankrum wants everyone interviewed who was on the lot during the past week. This includes Pete and Rivero. Pete is domineering toward his assistant. "We have to go to the police station. When we get there, keep your mouth shut. I'll do all the talking". In front of the police, he feigns ignorance. "Why Detective, I'm just a make-up man. What would I know about murder? That's your department".
"That's why we asked you to come in. You see, we have three murders. All the victims are from your studio. Now we have a witness who got a good look at the killer, but her description doesn't sound human. Could it be possible that one of your actors got carried away in his role and went over the edge"?
"What.........you mean one of the boys in the movie? Oh, c'mon detective. Those young men are about to take off in this business. Both are going to be big stars. Why would either of them ruin their careers, not to mention their lives, at a time like this"?
"We don't know, that's why we're asking you".
Pete finishes the movie, then clears out his office and goes home after twenty five years making monsters. He asks his two young stars to come by for an impromptu retirement party, which they agree to do, but in truth both feel uneasy about it. "I dunno", says Clarke (The Teenage Werewolf). "Pete's done a lot for me, but I've always gotten a strange feeling around him". His friend The Teenage Frankenstein (Gary Conway) agrees. "Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I've had that feeling too. And you know what's really weird? All during the time we were shooting the movie, I could never remember anything after the day was over. Pete kept telling me the makeup was gonna change me. He had some new, special stuff he used on me. It felt like it was part of my skin".
Both young men go to Pete's retirement party anyway, just to be polite. They intend to have a quick drink and then make an excuse to leave. But it won't be that simple. Pete may be retired from the movie business but he has no intention of quitting the Monster Business. In fact, he wants to move on to making The Real Thing.
In a stroke of cinematic genius, director Herbert L. Strock decided to switch to color for the last ten minutes of the film, which takes place in Pete's "Trophy Room", where he keeps the heads of his most famous monsters mounted on the wall. The young actors are visiting him in this scene, and the vibe in the room gets weirder every minute as Pete withdraws into his demented fantasy world. His secret nature is slowly emerging and it's pretty doggone sinister because Robert Harris plays it to the hilt. You've seen him in a ton of movies, usually as a heavy, but here he's truly creepy, and when the color footage brings his Inner Sanctum to life, it's a horrific sight to behold. The boys were gonna make an excuse to leave, but now it may be too late.
"How To Make A Monster" doesn't have a complex story. It's a pretty simple murder mystery. But what it does have is a ton of "movie making" atmosphere. The main location was ZIV Studios in Hollywood, and Strock shows the way in which a movie lot is an enclosed world, where everyone is like a big family. And when one guy - the make-up man in this case - is kicked out of the family, well....let's just say his feelings are hurt.
I loved "How To Make A Monster", especially Harris' performance as Pete. I give it Two Big Thumbs Up and highly recommend you see it. Now I'm gonna look for "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein", which I didn't even know existed until last night.
See you at the Usual Time.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Elizabeth + "Four Sided Triangle" directed by Terence Fisher
Elizabeth, that was another beautiful photo you posted yesterday, of the field from your afternoon walk. I take it you are still working from home. I'm glad you are able to enjoy time for walks, and also for music, reading and all the other things you like to do. I forgot to mention that your recent sketch of the tree, which I think was from Porcupine Mountain, resembles the type of drawings in "The Singing Wilderness". I noticed that when you posted a photo from inside the book the other day. :) :)
Tonight I watched an excellent film from Hammer Studios, an early work entitled "Four Sided Triangle"(1953). It was a far cry from what we've been used to, a professionally made film with standard production values, a "regular movie" in other words, as opposed to the DIY flicks we've had so much fun with for the past two months. This is high concept sci-fi, in execution at least. I suppose that the story, in lesser hands, might end up being as shlocky as some of our recent favorites, but because it is Veddy Brrrittish it is given a proper treatment.
A narrator opens the movie in flashback. He is "Dr. Harvey", a general practitioner in a small English village. Doc Harvey (James Hayter) is recounting the story of his three closest friends : Bill, Robin and Lena, beginning when they were children. The three are shown playacting in a barn, with Lena as a Medieval Queen, Bill and Robin as Knights fighting for her honor. At the end of the game, Lena chooses Robin as her Squire. Young Bill is crushed and runs home. They are all about ten years old.
Dr. Harvey continues his narration to explain that years later, Lena left for America, while Bill and Robin went off to university together at Cambridge. Bill (Stephen Murray) turned out to be a scientific genius. With Robin's help, and a grant from his father, he developed a machine he calls "The Replicator".
Cut to the present time. Bill and Robin (John Van Eyssen), now full-fledged scientists, have set up a laboratory (pronounced "LAB-ra-tree") inside an old barn. They are working to advance The Replicator's capabilities. Bill has already invited his old mentor Dr. Harvey to watch a demonstration, in which the doctor's watch was reproduced by the machine. The Doc is astonished, and proud of his friends, but Bill and Robin aren't satisfied. They want to use their invention to further the good in the world. "Imagine enough penicillin for everyone, enough food to eliminate hunger. Imagine the duplication of expensive art so that everyone can enjoy it. All we need is the funding to achieve these things".
Doc Harvey warns the young men against selling the rights to The Replicator, or bringing it to the attention of the government. "Imagine if it was used not for good but for evil. What if someone wanted to duplicate atomic bombs? No, you must keep this device for yourselves. Maintain the secret as long as you can, and do the good work you intend".
Soon, the boys have an unexpected visitor. Lena (Barbara Payton) has returned from America. She is overjoyed to be reunited with her two childhood friends. She knows nothing of science ("Who is this Mr. Einstein you keep talking about"?), but wants to help Bill and Robin with their work. They are equally glad to see Lena after so many years, and make her an all-around assistant. For a time, the relationship between the three of them remains platonic. But gradually, we see that Lena begins to favor Robin over Bill, just as she did in childhood. One night at a dinner party, Robin and Lena announce their plans to marry. Bill is crushed but maintains his poker face. He wishes his old friends well, and it seems he really means it. He never attempts to break them up or intervene in any way. Instead, he buries himself in his work. He has the lab-ra-tree more or less to himself now that Robin and Lena are settling down.
One day, Bill invites Doctor Harvey over to watch another demonstration. This time, Bill is going to replicate a live animal - a hamster. The doc warns him he's on dangerous ground. "Think of the implications, Bill! It's wrong to play God". But Bill is unswayed. His experiment is a success; a duplicate hamster appears in the reception box.
"I think you see where this is going, Doctor", he says to Harvey.
The doc is aghast. "Yes Bill, I do. I'll not try to talk you out of it because I know you won't listen. I'll only beg of you to be careful".
Bill promises Doctor Harvey he will do exactly that. He's a decent chap, really, meaning no one any harm. He's about to qualify as a Mad Scientist, but his intentions are not dishonest. He's even going to ask permission to make his next replication. You see, Bill has been in love with Lena ever since they were children. Her decision to marry Robin has destroyed him. He feels he can't carry on without her, and he's not about to butt into her marriage. After all, Robin is his friend. What is he to do, then?
He hopes to replicate her, that's what! But only if she agrees to the procedure. As I said, Bill's a decent chap.
Lena does give her consent (what a sport!), because she's always loved Bill as a dear friend and doesn't like seeing him hurt. He promises her everything will turn out fine - she will return to Robin, and he - Bill - will have his own Lena to love and cherish. Into The Replicator she goes, and when the transmission is completed, there is a Second Lena in the receptor box. Bill names her Helen. She's exactly like Lena in every way............which, if you think about it, may present a problem.
I don't wanna say too much about this aspect, although I saw it coming a mile away and I suspect many viewers might also. And I don't think it was meant to be a surprise twist because it's not the end of the story. Bill has other tricks up his sleeve if things go awry. Ever the innovator, he will use the new technique of electroshock therapy on Helen, to erase her memory The real Lena stands by him all the way, knowing that love makes a man (or a woman) do strange things. When it does come, the ending to this weird little picture will be a barn-burner in the literal sense!
I very much enjoyed "Four Sided Triangle", a deadly serious and oh so English tale of love and madness. Hammer went all out on this flick, splurging for top actors and one of the very best Mad Scientist Laboratories we've seen. The Replicator itself looks like something out of Tesla. Stephen Murray goes all in with his anguished but determined portrayal of "Bill", the genius whose emotions get the better of his reasoning, something that should never happen to a man of science (but always does in these movies). Terence Fisher, an Old Hand at Hammer, directed. The movie gets Two Huge Thumbs Up from me, our second highest rating. Highly recommended, this one you won't wanna miss. The Youtube print was razor sharp, an added bonus. ////
That's all for the moment. See you in a little while at the Usual Time.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Tonight I watched an excellent film from Hammer Studios, an early work entitled "Four Sided Triangle"(1953). It was a far cry from what we've been used to, a professionally made film with standard production values, a "regular movie" in other words, as opposed to the DIY flicks we've had so much fun with for the past two months. This is high concept sci-fi, in execution at least. I suppose that the story, in lesser hands, might end up being as shlocky as some of our recent favorites, but because it is Veddy Brrrittish it is given a proper treatment.
A narrator opens the movie in flashback. He is "Dr. Harvey", a general practitioner in a small English village. Doc Harvey (James Hayter) is recounting the story of his three closest friends : Bill, Robin and Lena, beginning when they were children. The three are shown playacting in a barn, with Lena as a Medieval Queen, Bill and Robin as Knights fighting for her honor. At the end of the game, Lena chooses Robin as her Squire. Young Bill is crushed and runs home. They are all about ten years old.
Dr. Harvey continues his narration to explain that years later, Lena left for America, while Bill and Robin went off to university together at Cambridge. Bill (Stephen Murray) turned out to be a scientific genius. With Robin's help, and a grant from his father, he developed a machine he calls "The Replicator".
Cut to the present time. Bill and Robin (John Van Eyssen), now full-fledged scientists, have set up a laboratory (pronounced "LAB-ra-tree") inside an old barn. They are working to advance The Replicator's capabilities. Bill has already invited his old mentor Dr. Harvey to watch a demonstration, in which the doctor's watch was reproduced by the machine. The Doc is astonished, and proud of his friends, but Bill and Robin aren't satisfied. They want to use their invention to further the good in the world. "Imagine enough penicillin for everyone, enough food to eliminate hunger. Imagine the duplication of expensive art so that everyone can enjoy it. All we need is the funding to achieve these things".
Doc Harvey warns the young men against selling the rights to The Replicator, or bringing it to the attention of the government. "Imagine if it was used not for good but for evil. What if someone wanted to duplicate atomic bombs? No, you must keep this device for yourselves. Maintain the secret as long as you can, and do the good work you intend".
Soon, the boys have an unexpected visitor. Lena (Barbara Payton) has returned from America. She is overjoyed to be reunited with her two childhood friends. She knows nothing of science ("Who is this Mr. Einstein you keep talking about"?), but wants to help Bill and Robin with their work. They are equally glad to see Lena after so many years, and make her an all-around assistant. For a time, the relationship between the three of them remains platonic. But gradually, we see that Lena begins to favor Robin over Bill, just as she did in childhood. One night at a dinner party, Robin and Lena announce their plans to marry. Bill is crushed but maintains his poker face. He wishes his old friends well, and it seems he really means it. He never attempts to break them up or intervene in any way. Instead, he buries himself in his work. He has the lab-ra-tree more or less to himself now that Robin and Lena are settling down.
One day, Bill invites Doctor Harvey over to watch another demonstration. This time, Bill is going to replicate a live animal - a hamster. The doc warns him he's on dangerous ground. "Think of the implications, Bill! It's wrong to play God". But Bill is unswayed. His experiment is a success; a duplicate hamster appears in the reception box.
"I think you see where this is going, Doctor", he says to Harvey.
The doc is aghast. "Yes Bill, I do. I'll not try to talk you out of it because I know you won't listen. I'll only beg of you to be careful".
Bill promises Doctor Harvey he will do exactly that. He's a decent chap, really, meaning no one any harm. He's about to qualify as a Mad Scientist, but his intentions are not dishonest. He's even going to ask permission to make his next replication. You see, Bill has been in love with Lena ever since they were children. Her decision to marry Robin has destroyed him. He feels he can't carry on without her, and he's not about to butt into her marriage. After all, Robin is his friend. What is he to do, then?
He hopes to replicate her, that's what! But only if she agrees to the procedure. As I said, Bill's a decent chap.
Lena does give her consent (what a sport!), because she's always loved Bill as a dear friend and doesn't like seeing him hurt. He promises her everything will turn out fine - she will return to Robin, and he - Bill - will have his own Lena to love and cherish. Into The Replicator she goes, and when the transmission is completed, there is a Second Lena in the receptor box. Bill names her Helen. She's exactly like Lena in every way............which, if you think about it, may present a problem.
I don't wanna say too much about this aspect, although I saw it coming a mile away and I suspect many viewers might also. And I don't think it was meant to be a surprise twist because it's not the end of the story. Bill has other tricks up his sleeve if things go awry. Ever the innovator, he will use the new technique of electroshock therapy on Helen, to erase her memory The real Lena stands by him all the way, knowing that love makes a man (or a woman) do strange things. When it does come, the ending to this weird little picture will be a barn-burner in the literal sense!
I very much enjoyed "Four Sided Triangle", a deadly serious and oh so English tale of love and madness. Hammer went all out on this flick, splurging for top actors and one of the very best Mad Scientist Laboratories we've seen. The Replicator itself looks like something out of Tesla. Stephen Murray goes all in with his anguished but determined portrayal of "Bill", the genius whose emotions get the better of his reasoning, something that should never happen to a man of science (but always does in these movies). Terence Fisher, an Old Hand at Hammer, directed. The movie gets Two Huge Thumbs Up from me, our second highest rating. Highly recommended, this one you won't wanna miss. The Youtube print was razor sharp, an added bonus. ////
That's all for the moment. See you in a little while at the Usual Time.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
"Invasion of the Saucer Men" directed by Edward L. Cahn
Very early in our Quarantine Programming, I attempted to watch a movie called "Invasion of the Saucer Men"(1957). I mentioned at the time that I was unable to get past the ten minute mark, because it became apparent that the film had comic overtones, and as you know, I don't like comedy in my sci-fi. But tonight, because our choices grow ever slimmer, I decided to give it a second chance. I was encouraged to see it was directed by Edward L. Cahn, whose name would not have drawn my attention the first time around. By now, though, we've become familiar with many of the auteurs of Cheesy Cinema, and we know that Cahn was not only at the helm of last week's masterful "Invisible Invaders", but he also made the classic "IT! The Terror from Beyond Space", which inspired Ridley Scott to make "Alien". Cahn is no hack, in other words, but an actual Hollywood craftsman with 127 credits to his name from several genres.
"Saucer Men" opens with the landing of a UFO, late one night in a field in California. It is witnessed by a local schmo, "Joe" (Frank Gorshin of "Riddler" fame). Joe races home to tell his roomate what he's seen. "Artie! Artie! Wake up. You won't believe it, right in front of my eyes - a flying saucer! Grab your camera, Artie, we've gotta go back there. We can make a fortune if we get a picture of that thing"! Artie figures Joe is drunk as usual and goes back to bed, but Joe returns to the scene to get his intended photograph.
Over on Lover's Lane, young "Johnny Carter" (Steve Tyrell) is making out with his girlfriend, stopping every so often to pour a can of beer out the window for Farmer Larkin's prize bull. Getting the animal hammered is one of the pastimes of the teenagers in this burg. The Farmer knows they do it and routinely chases them off with a shotgun. It drives him crazy that they park on his land to begin with. Johnny's girlfriend Joan (Gloria Castillo) is worried that Larkin will show up any minute. "Let's go, Johnny. It's after midnight and my father will be wondering where I am anyway". Johnny pours the bull a final Cold One and they drive off.
The night is pitch black as they head for home. Johnny doesn't see the figure in the road until it's too late. Slamming on his brakes. he hits it anyway. He and Joan are freaking out, thinking they've just run over a child. All they can see are little legs sticking out from under the car. Johnny manages to reach under the blood-spattered fender to pull the small body free. When he does, Joan screams in terror. This is because it's not a child after all. It's a big-headed Alien with giant bug eyes and wrinkly skin. "We've gotta notify the police right away"!, Johnny says. What they don't notice is that one of the Alien's hands was cut off in the accident. It has grown an eye in the meantime and crawled into the backseat of Johnny's car.
When they get to the police station, the Detective on duty (Jason Johnson) listens to their story and then immediately orders Johnny to take a breathalyser test (they used a balloon in those days). "Crazy kids! I know all about your antics at Farmer Larkin's place, getting his bull loaded every weekend and putting away your fair share, too! That's balloon's gonna come back way over the limit, and then I'll arrest you for driving under the influence, but first we're gonna go back to that accident site and see what you really hit"! Johnny and Joan protest, "Sir, we're telling the truth! It really was a being from Outer Space"!
"Yeah? Well we'll soon find out".
When they arrive back at the scene of the accident, the figure is still laying in the roadway, but it's not a bug-eyed Alien. Nope, it's Frank Gorshin! You remember him - "Joe", the guy who first spotted the spaceship and wanted to take a picture of it to sell to the press. Now he's laid out flat on the blacktop, deader than a doornail. It looks like Johnny's story was a Grade A baloney sandwich, or maybe an hallucination.
""That was no Little Green Man you killed. Now you can add manslaughter to your drunk driving charge".
Johnny's in a heap of trouble but still insists he's telling the truth. Joan backs him up and suggests they call her father, a big time local attorney. When Dad meets the kids back at the police station, he doesn't believe their story either. "The best thing you can do, Johnny, is keep your mouth shut. If you'll stop telling that crazy story, I might be able to help you. Our one shot is that the guy you hit was a drifter. He's got no relatives in town, no one who cares about him. We'll say he just stumbled into the road. Maybe he was drunk, too. We can possibly get you a lighter sentence if you shut up about seeing spacemen"!
Johnny is facing jail time if he can't prove his story, so he and Joan take the risk of stealing a police car while the detective is conferring with her father. They know of one guy who might believe them; Artie, the roommate of Joe the deceased drifter. They drive the police car back to the crash site and recover Johnny's car. While there, he notices something strange about the way his fender is dented. Putting two and two together, Johnny figures out what has happened :
"Look at this Joan! It's a frame-up! The spacemen dented my fender to make it look like I hit that guy Joe, but really they're the ones who killed him. The dent is on the wrong side from where we hit the being"!
He's right, but it's still not gonna convince the police detective. Johnny is gonna need physical proof of an Alien. What he still doesn't know is that he's got it - the cut-off hand (that has an eyeball) is still crawling around the back of his car. Johnny and Joan locate Artie, who agrees to help them. "Hey, maybe Joe wasn't crazy after all", he says. "He told me about that saucer right after he saw it". The three of them drive once again to the scene of the accident, figuring that the landing site must be nearby. By now, however, a Special Army Unit is on scene, headed up by Col. Ambrose (Sam Buffington) whose orders are to cover the whole thing up and make it look like the landing never happened.
Hmmm, where have I heard that before, lol?
Everything is gonna hinge on the Hand in the back seat. Will Johnny and Joan discover it? Will Artie be able to take a picture? Will Col. Ambrose catch them snooping around? Will the Saucer Men come running out of the bushes? We've only seen a fleeting glimpse of them so far. And what about Farmer Larkin? It's still his property, no big-shot Colonel is gonna tell him what to do.
I loved the heck out of "Invasion of the Saucer Men" and I'm really glad I gave it a second chance. It turned out not to be a comedy after all but more of a spoof. But even so, it's played mock-serious, so it never descends into silliness. There's also a 1950s "gee whiz"! factor, where everything the kids say has an exclamation point. The writing is exceptionally clever, especially the plot twist about the Alien Frame-up Job. That's an absolute riot. Like the other films we've seen from Edward L. Cahn, this movie has a professional studio look, it's obviously a first run picture and the acting is also good. Everyone involved plays the farce at just the right level, and of course Frank Gorshin (only 24 here) is always great. I'm gonna give "Invasion of the Saucer Men" Two Big Thumbs Up and highly recommend you see it. It's a different take on the Alien Invasion motif, with wry dialogue from the Army Colonel and the Police Detective. One doesn't trust the public with the truth about Aliens and the other doesn't trust teenagers. And Farmer Larkin doesn't trust anyone! //////
Before I sign off, I'd like to remind you to check your back seat before getting into your car. If you see a Hand crawling around, give me a call and I'll take a picture of it for you, so the cops won't think you're crazy. That's all for the moment. See you tonight at the Usual Time!
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
"Saucer Men" opens with the landing of a UFO, late one night in a field in California. It is witnessed by a local schmo, "Joe" (Frank Gorshin of "Riddler" fame). Joe races home to tell his roomate what he's seen. "Artie! Artie! Wake up. You won't believe it, right in front of my eyes - a flying saucer! Grab your camera, Artie, we've gotta go back there. We can make a fortune if we get a picture of that thing"! Artie figures Joe is drunk as usual and goes back to bed, but Joe returns to the scene to get his intended photograph.
Over on Lover's Lane, young "Johnny Carter" (Steve Tyrell) is making out with his girlfriend, stopping every so often to pour a can of beer out the window for Farmer Larkin's prize bull. Getting the animal hammered is one of the pastimes of the teenagers in this burg. The Farmer knows they do it and routinely chases them off with a shotgun. It drives him crazy that they park on his land to begin with. Johnny's girlfriend Joan (Gloria Castillo) is worried that Larkin will show up any minute. "Let's go, Johnny. It's after midnight and my father will be wondering where I am anyway". Johnny pours the bull a final Cold One and they drive off.
The night is pitch black as they head for home. Johnny doesn't see the figure in the road until it's too late. Slamming on his brakes. he hits it anyway. He and Joan are freaking out, thinking they've just run over a child. All they can see are little legs sticking out from under the car. Johnny manages to reach under the blood-spattered fender to pull the small body free. When he does, Joan screams in terror. This is because it's not a child after all. It's a big-headed Alien with giant bug eyes and wrinkly skin. "We've gotta notify the police right away"!, Johnny says. What they don't notice is that one of the Alien's hands was cut off in the accident. It has grown an eye in the meantime and crawled into the backseat of Johnny's car.
When they get to the police station, the Detective on duty (Jason Johnson) listens to their story and then immediately orders Johnny to take a breathalyser test (they used a balloon in those days). "Crazy kids! I know all about your antics at Farmer Larkin's place, getting his bull loaded every weekend and putting away your fair share, too! That's balloon's gonna come back way over the limit, and then I'll arrest you for driving under the influence, but first we're gonna go back to that accident site and see what you really hit"! Johnny and Joan protest, "Sir, we're telling the truth! It really was a being from Outer Space"!
"Yeah? Well we'll soon find out".
When they arrive back at the scene of the accident, the figure is still laying in the roadway, but it's not a bug-eyed Alien. Nope, it's Frank Gorshin! You remember him - "Joe", the guy who first spotted the spaceship and wanted to take a picture of it to sell to the press. Now he's laid out flat on the blacktop, deader than a doornail. It looks like Johnny's story was a Grade A baloney sandwich, or maybe an hallucination.
""That was no Little Green Man you killed. Now you can add manslaughter to your drunk driving charge".
Johnny's in a heap of trouble but still insists he's telling the truth. Joan backs him up and suggests they call her father, a big time local attorney. When Dad meets the kids back at the police station, he doesn't believe their story either. "The best thing you can do, Johnny, is keep your mouth shut. If you'll stop telling that crazy story, I might be able to help you. Our one shot is that the guy you hit was a drifter. He's got no relatives in town, no one who cares about him. We'll say he just stumbled into the road. Maybe he was drunk, too. We can possibly get you a lighter sentence if you shut up about seeing spacemen"!
Johnny is facing jail time if he can't prove his story, so he and Joan take the risk of stealing a police car while the detective is conferring with her father. They know of one guy who might believe them; Artie, the roommate of Joe the deceased drifter. They drive the police car back to the crash site and recover Johnny's car. While there, he notices something strange about the way his fender is dented. Putting two and two together, Johnny figures out what has happened :
"Look at this Joan! It's a frame-up! The spacemen dented my fender to make it look like I hit that guy Joe, but really they're the ones who killed him. The dent is on the wrong side from where we hit the being"!
He's right, but it's still not gonna convince the police detective. Johnny is gonna need physical proof of an Alien. What he still doesn't know is that he's got it - the cut-off hand (that has an eyeball) is still crawling around the back of his car. Johnny and Joan locate Artie, who agrees to help them. "Hey, maybe Joe wasn't crazy after all", he says. "He told me about that saucer right after he saw it". The three of them drive once again to the scene of the accident, figuring that the landing site must be nearby. By now, however, a Special Army Unit is on scene, headed up by Col. Ambrose (Sam Buffington) whose orders are to cover the whole thing up and make it look like the landing never happened.
Hmmm, where have I heard that before, lol?
Everything is gonna hinge on the Hand in the back seat. Will Johnny and Joan discover it? Will Artie be able to take a picture? Will Col. Ambrose catch them snooping around? Will the Saucer Men come running out of the bushes? We've only seen a fleeting glimpse of them so far. And what about Farmer Larkin? It's still his property, no big-shot Colonel is gonna tell him what to do.
I loved the heck out of "Invasion of the Saucer Men" and I'm really glad I gave it a second chance. It turned out not to be a comedy after all but more of a spoof. But even so, it's played mock-serious, so it never descends into silliness. There's also a 1950s "gee whiz"! factor, where everything the kids say has an exclamation point. The writing is exceptionally clever, especially the plot twist about the Alien Frame-up Job. That's an absolute riot. Like the other films we've seen from Edward L. Cahn, this movie has a professional studio look, it's obviously a first run picture and the acting is also good. Everyone involved plays the farce at just the right level, and of course Frank Gorshin (only 24 here) is always great. I'm gonna give "Invasion of the Saucer Men" Two Big Thumbs Up and highly recommend you see it. It's a different take on the Alien Invasion motif, with wry dialogue from the Army Colonel and the Police Detective. One doesn't trust the public with the truth about Aliens and the other doesn't trust teenagers. And Farmer Larkin doesn't trust anyone! //////
Before I sign off, I'd like to remind you to check your back seat before getting into your car. If you see a Hand crawling around, give me a call and I'll take a picture of it for you, so the cops won't think you're crazy. That's all for the moment. See you tonight at the Usual Time!
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Monday, May 25, 2020
"Frankenstein Meets The Spacemonster" starring James Karen
You can file tonight's film under the Deceptive Title category. It was called "Frankenstein Meets The Spacemonster"(1965), but unlike "Teenagers From Outer Space", the deception was not a good one. Frankenstein turns out to be a metaphor, and you don't get much Spacemonster. As the movie opens, we are looking at Earth from the viewpoint of a flying saucer, captained by Egyptian Princess Marcuzan. She and her lieutenant, a pointy-eared fruitcake named Nadir, are studying the planet as a potential supply depot of women. All females on their home planet of Mars have been wiped out in a Nuclear War. They need replacements and Earth looks like a good bet.
Sounds pretty campy so far, but let's continue. Down at Cape Kennedy in Florida, NASA is holding a press conference to announce their latest mission into space. General Bowers (David Kerman) introduces Col. Frank Saunders (Robert Reilly), the astronaut who will be manning the controls. As he answers questions from reporters, he suddenly freezes up like a mannequin. The General calls a quick end to the conference and summons Dr. Adam Steele (James Karen, actor in millions of films) to the podium. They carry Col. Saunders out of the room and take him to the base hospital. There, we discover what the problem is.
Dr. Steele has opened the top of Saunders' head to reveal vacuum tubes, transistors and wires in addition to brain matter. Col. Frank Saunders is an Android. Steele guesses his freeze-up was caused by the Florida humidity. After repairing his brain, Steele and General Bowers prepare him for liftoff. No one from the media is the wiser. By all appearances, Col. Saunders looks like the model of a sharp young astronaut. All systems are go, the rocket is launched and Saunders is headed into orbit. But just as the last stage detaches, his capsule is blasted out of the sky by a ray from the Princesses' Space Ship. He crash lands in Puerto Rico (Coco Beach, Fla.). The Princess and Nadir land their ship and send out soldiers to check the crash site. Lo and behold, Col, Saunders is still alive. He climbs out of his capsule and is immediately shot by one of the soldiers, whose Ray Gun burns half of Saunders face to a crisp, leaving him looking like Frankenstein on one side. So there's your metaphor. There's no actual Frankenstein in this film, like there is in other "Frankenstein Meets" movies (i.e."Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man", "Mummy", et al).
Being changed in this way affects the behavioral circuits in Saunders' brain, so he runs around the beach strangling people for a while. The Princess has her minions out searching for him, but Dr. Steele and the General might get there first. Meanwhile, Nadir is directing the extraction of bikini-clad young women from Coco Beach. The Princess wants to examine them for possible transfer to Mars. After the beach raid, her soldiers are ordered to an outdoor Dance Party. Shades of "The Creeping Terror"! It's a good thing he's not in Florida, or someone would've been eaten, maybe even the Princess herself. Anyway, the dual sorties net about twenty female specimens for the Princesses' perusal. She and Nadir are so busy with their exams that they've failed to notice Dr. Steele has found Col. Saunders (aka "Frankenstein") and is using him to track the location of their spaceship. When he pinpoints it, Steele sends the coordinates back to General Bowers by shortwave radio. Bowers then calls in the Air Force, which will make for a spectacular ending to an otherwise threadbare story.
There really isn't much to "Frankenstein Meets The Spacemonster", plotwise, except the shootdown of Saunders' capsule, the race to recover him by Steele and The Princess, and her need to acquire women which distracts her from the recovery mission. The Final Showdown with the Air Force accounts for Act Three of the picture, and does make up for the plodding storyline of the first two acts. Steele also has a personal stake in stopping The Princess, who's directed her storm troopers to take his girlfriend hostage at the last minute. But he must also convince the General to order a cease fire, lest the spaceship be blown to pieces with his gal still inside it.
The last fifteen minutes involves some of the best use of stock footage we've ever seen. Director Robert Gaffney got ahold of some reels of what looks like Army and Air Force training exercises. So when "General Bowers" - a fictitious character in the movie - calls for an air strike on the spaceship, all of a sudden the director cuts to an actual air strike, conducted as an exercise somewhere in Florida and filmed by the military. He then edits the two scenes together so that it looks like a real strike against the Princess and her ship, with two dozen F-104s firing Sidewinders at the thing. Unfortunately, the missiles have no effect. They explode but are damped out on contact with the ship's surrounding Force Field. Nadir, however, knows it's only a matter of time before the General calls for stronger measures.
"My Princess! They have nuclear weapons and will deploy them next! We must depart with the specimens right away". He initiates the computer sequence to prepare for liftoff, but just before they can get away, Col. Frank "Frankenstein" Saunders appears in the cockpit. I don't wanna tell you exactly what happens, but if you've been wondering all this time about the Spacemonster, you're finally gonna get your two minutes worth. To be precise, we have already seen him - two separate times - in the cage he is kept in onboard. Each of those appearances, though, only lasted about ten seconds. I guess the producers decided they owed the audience a bit more than that if they were gonna put the Big Guy in the title, so we get a very brief showdown at the end. The filmmakers can claim truth in advertising I suppose. No one is gonna get their ticket refunded because "Frankenstein" aka Col. Saunders does indeed "Meet the Spacemonster". But he only meets him for a minute or two at the very end of the movie. I have no idea why they didn't make more use of the Spacemonster. He's a pretty terrifying dude as these creatures go. Maybe he was asking for too much money and they decided to cut his scenes.
All told, there are several reasons to recommend this movie despite it's lack of story. Lou Cutell is great as the pompous but prissy Nadir, coming on like a cross between "Dr. Evil" in "Austin Powers" and Pee-Wee Herman with Vulcan Ears. The makeup job on Robert Reilly as "Saunders/Frankenstein" is also very well done. He looks like The Incredible Melting Man on his bad side. There's also a great, imitation-Beatles song played twice in the soundtrack, that reminds you of the Fab Four's "Latin" sound circa 1964. Director Gaffney uses it as background music for scenes of Steele and his girlfriend cruising the beachfront on a Vespa. All of a sudden you think you've been transported to a Godard flick, lol. The main reason to watch this movie, though, is the previously mentioned Air Force attack on Princess Marcuzan's spaceship. It's an all out assault, well edited to look like the real thing, with lots of added shots from inside an actual USAF flight control center.
I'm gonna give "Frankenstein Meets The Spacemonster" Two Solid Thumbs Up for these reasons. The story is tedious but it's visually inventive and definitely worth a view. /////
That's all for the moment. See you in a while at the Usual Time!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Sounds pretty campy so far, but let's continue. Down at Cape Kennedy in Florida, NASA is holding a press conference to announce their latest mission into space. General Bowers (David Kerman) introduces Col. Frank Saunders (Robert Reilly), the astronaut who will be manning the controls. As he answers questions from reporters, he suddenly freezes up like a mannequin. The General calls a quick end to the conference and summons Dr. Adam Steele (James Karen, actor in millions of films) to the podium. They carry Col. Saunders out of the room and take him to the base hospital. There, we discover what the problem is.
Dr. Steele has opened the top of Saunders' head to reveal vacuum tubes, transistors and wires in addition to brain matter. Col. Frank Saunders is an Android. Steele guesses his freeze-up was caused by the Florida humidity. After repairing his brain, Steele and General Bowers prepare him for liftoff. No one from the media is the wiser. By all appearances, Col. Saunders looks like the model of a sharp young astronaut. All systems are go, the rocket is launched and Saunders is headed into orbit. But just as the last stage detaches, his capsule is blasted out of the sky by a ray from the Princesses' Space Ship. He crash lands in Puerto Rico (Coco Beach, Fla.). The Princess and Nadir land their ship and send out soldiers to check the crash site. Lo and behold, Col, Saunders is still alive. He climbs out of his capsule and is immediately shot by one of the soldiers, whose Ray Gun burns half of Saunders face to a crisp, leaving him looking like Frankenstein on one side. So there's your metaphor. There's no actual Frankenstein in this film, like there is in other "Frankenstein Meets" movies (i.e."Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man", "Mummy", et al).
Being changed in this way affects the behavioral circuits in Saunders' brain, so he runs around the beach strangling people for a while. The Princess has her minions out searching for him, but Dr. Steele and the General might get there first. Meanwhile, Nadir is directing the extraction of bikini-clad young women from Coco Beach. The Princess wants to examine them for possible transfer to Mars. After the beach raid, her soldiers are ordered to an outdoor Dance Party. Shades of "The Creeping Terror"! It's a good thing he's not in Florida, or someone would've been eaten, maybe even the Princess herself. Anyway, the dual sorties net about twenty female specimens for the Princesses' perusal. She and Nadir are so busy with their exams that they've failed to notice Dr. Steele has found Col. Saunders (aka "Frankenstein") and is using him to track the location of their spaceship. When he pinpoints it, Steele sends the coordinates back to General Bowers by shortwave radio. Bowers then calls in the Air Force, which will make for a spectacular ending to an otherwise threadbare story.
There really isn't much to "Frankenstein Meets The Spacemonster", plotwise, except the shootdown of Saunders' capsule, the race to recover him by Steele and The Princess, and her need to acquire women which distracts her from the recovery mission. The Final Showdown with the Air Force accounts for Act Three of the picture, and does make up for the plodding storyline of the first two acts. Steele also has a personal stake in stopping The Princess, who's directed her storm troopers to take his girlfriend hostage at the last minute. But he must also convince the General to order a cease fire, lest the spaceship be blown to pieces with his gal still inside it.
The last fifteen minutes involves some of the best use of stock footage we've ever seen. Director Robert Gaffney got ahold of some reels of what looks like Army and Air Force training exercises. So when "General Bowers" - a fictitious character in the movie - calls for an air strike on the spaceship, all of a sudden the director cuts to an actual air strike, conducted as an exercise somewhere in Florida and filmed by the military. He then edits the two scenes together so that it looks like a real strike against the Princess and her ship, with two dozen F-104s firing Sidewinders at the thing. Unfortunately, the missiles have no effect. They explode but are damped out on contact with the ship's surrounding Force Field. Nadir, however, knows it's only a matter of time before the General calls for stronger measures.
"My Princess! They have nuclear weapons and will deploy them next! We must depart with the specimens right away". He initiates the computer sequence to prepare for liftoff, but just before they can get away, Col. Frank "Frankenstein" Saunders appears in the cockpit. I don't wanna tell you exactly what happens, but if you've been wondering all this time about the Spacemonster, you're finally gonna get your two minutes worth. To be precise, we have already seen him - two separate times - in the cage he is kept in onboard. Each of those appearances, though, only lasted about ten seconds. I guess the producers decided they owed the audience a bit more than that if they were gonna put the Big Guy in the title, so we get a very brief showdown at the end. The filmmakers can claim truth in advertising I suppose. No one is gonna get their ticket refunded because "Frankenstein" aka Col. Saunders does indeed "Meet the Spacemonster". But he only meets him for a minute or two at the very end of the movie. I have no idea why they didn't make more use of the Spacemonster. He's a pretty terrifying dude as these creatures go. Maybe he was asking for too much money and they decided to cut his scenes.
All told, there are several reasons to recommend this movie despite it's lack of story. Lou Cutell is great as the pompous but prissy Nadir, coming on like a cross between "Dr. Evil" in "Austin Powers" and Pee-Wee Herman with Vulcan Ears. The makeup job on Robert Reilly as "Saunders/Frankenstein" is also very well done. He looks like The Incredible Melting Man on his bad side. There's also a great, imitation-Beatles song played twice in the soundtrack, that reminds you of the Fab Four's "Latin" sound circa 1964. Director Gaffney uses it as background music for scenes of Steele and his girlfriend cruising the beachfront on a Vespa. All of a sudden you think you've been transported to a Godard flick, lol. The main reason to watch this movie, though, is the previously mentioned Air Force attack on Princess Marcuzan's spaceship. It's an all out assault, well edited to look like the real thing, with lots of added shots from inside an actual USAF flight control center.
I'm gonna give "Frankenstein Meets The Spacemonster" Two Solid Thumbs Up for these reasons. The story is tedious but it's visually inventive and definitely worth a view. /////
That's all for the moment. See you in a while at the Usual Time!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Sunday, May 24, 2020
"The Creeping Terror" directed by Vic Savage (bad.....or bad/good?) + Van Flandern
I'm reading something mindboggling in my current book, "Dark Matter, Missing Planets & New Comets" by Tom Van Flandern. When the Earth was newly formed, having been ejected as mass from the Sun (the prevailing theory for all planets of the Solar System), it had a spin rate of only two hours, as opposed to the twenty four hour day we now experience. That's pretty doggone fast, so fast that it's known to astronomers as overspin, a condition that overrides the balance of a planet's gravitational force. One result of the overspin on Earth was that part of it's crust was thrown into orbit. These enormous chunks of landmass rotated and coalesced under the Earth's sphere of influence and created the Moon. Van Flandern posits that the Pacific Basin, now filled by the world's largest ocean, was created when the crust on that part of our planet was literally torn off and thrown into space by the ultrarapid rotation of the Earth. That enormous part of Earth's crust, spinning in space, became the Moon. Pretty far out, eh?
If only tonight's movie was as interesting, or even remotely interesting, haha. Instead, it was one of the worst we've seen. Entitled "The Creeping Terror"(1964), it stars a guy named Vic Savage, who also directed. Savage plays "Martin", a newlywed deputy on his way home from honeymooning with his wife. One of the opening shots is stock footage of a rocket liftoff played backwards to simulate an Alien Spaceship landing on Earth. That's how bad the special effects are, though you've gotta give Savage some points for ingenuity, lol. When Martin and his bride arrive home, the sheriff is waiting on the edge of town. "Follow me", he says.
He leads Martin to a dirt road that dead ends at Spahn Ranch, the main outdoor location for this film That was one of the main reasons I chose "The Creeping Terror" in the first place, having noticed it's 2.1 IMDB rating, the lowest we've ever seen. I don't believe we've ever watched a movie shot at Spahn, and I was hoping we'd get to see some of the old sets, even as background. But they only used it for the landing site of the spaceship, so all you see is trees, rocks and brush, just like in any part of the Santa Susana Pass.
The sheriff tells Martin a plane has crashed but they soon find out differently. Martin radios for backup, summoning another deputy named Barney. When he arrives, Barney is told to stay put and guard the spaceship while Martin and the Sheriff leave to alert the military. But Barney can't help himself. He just has to look inside the ship, which is accessed by crawling underneath a metal lip. No "open wing" or sliding doors for this saucer. Once Barney is inside, we hear him scream. He has just been eaten by The Creeping Terror.
The Terror then crawls out from underneath the Lip of the Ship and is now slithering free around the environs of Spahn Ranch. He looks kind of like a Chinese New Year Dragon if the dragon was made out of old pieces of carpet instead of silk, and he moves about in lurching motions as if three or four people underneath the carpet were animating his body. This couldn't possibly be the case, of course, because he's an actual Monster From Outer Space. But yeah, now he's loose, and he's gonna start eating people right and left. His first victim is a housewife up near Chatsworth Park. She does a disappearing act up Creeping's maw. He feeds the way a snake does, slowly usurping (or should that be u-slurping?) his prey. Then he shuffles off again, his dusty body undulating all the while.
In addition to notifying the Army, the sheriff has also called in a scientist who specialises in the analysis of alien life forms. When the guy gets to the site, he enters the ship to examine it's propulsion system, assuming that he will be safe because the Creeper is out eating people. But Holy Smokes and Great Googley Moogely! There's another one on board the spaceship!
Here I must pose a possible Directorial Influence Phenomenon. It may be far fetched this time, but do you recall a movie from about five years ago, called "Arrival", directed by Denis Villeneuve? It was an Alien Invasion flick, just like "The Creeping Terror" (albeit a tad more sophisticated, lol), but the thing was, it had two globular, Blob-like creatures flying the spaceship. So, in both movies, you have monsters with no arms or legs piloting high tech UFOs. My question, after seeing "Arrival", was "how did they fly the thing? They're Blobs". And one might ask the same question of "The Creeping Terror", which has Slugs in the pilot seats. Was Denis Villeneuve influenced by The Creepers? If so, I wonder if he'd admit it, haha. But anyhow, back to the movie.
The scientist manages to neutralise the onboard Creeper and chain him up in a harness, but the escaped one is still on the loose, running amok on Spahn Ranch. He sneaks up on a father and son fishing in the creek. They make a nice snack, but he's still hungry, so he shuffles off again and comes upon a folk singer serenading a group of young people under the shade of an oak. Excuse me if this seemed like a premonition of The Manson Family, who would occupy the same location five years later, with Charlie on guitar. The folk singer and his friends are much more clean cut, but it's still an eerie scene, and it gets worse when Creepy shows up and starts eating them. All the singer can do is use the only weapon at his disposal - his guitar - which he bashes The Creeper with until it is broken. His efforts are all for naught.
Now the movie is gonna undergo a major shift in theme. We cut to a Dance Party inside what looks like a high school auditorium or Elk's Club. Teen couples are doing the Twist and the Watusi to a band playing the type of hybrid rock/surf jazz that was sometimes heard on the radio on "Gilligan's Island". This scene is gonna go on long enough to irritate both the audience and ol' Creepy, who hears the band playing from half a mile away and starts slithering in the direction of the music. Apparently, he's not a fan of rock/surf jazz, because by the time he gets to the Dance Hall, he's thoroughly pissed off. After trashing the place, he eats a few dancers for good measure before heading back to Spahn and the spaceship.
Our hero Martin, the young deputy, has spent much of this time making out with his wife. He was doing so when we left him, and he's still at it when the Sheriff tells him to get his rear end back to the site. The Carpet Crawlers are getting ready to depart; they must be stopped before they can fly back to whatever hellhole they came from. Just when the scientist thinks he has figured out the ship's propulsion system, the escaped Creeper crawls back inside, trapping him at the last minute.
That's all I'm gonna tell ya unless you demand to hear more. Now that I've had time to consider it, I think this movie may be bad/good rather than simply bad, ala "Mesa of Lost Women" or "The Incredible Petrified World". Research on Wiki informs me that it's widely considered to be The Second Worst Movie Ever Made ("Plan 9" being #1). But in retrospect, I notice a meditative quality similar to the one given off by "The Beast Of Yucca Flats". That film's narration was like a series of haiku poems, providing a soothing contrast to the dry desert landscape. I forgot to mention "The Creeping Terror" is also almost entirely devoid of dialogue, relying instead on a narrator to tell it's story. I think it might work best as an Endless Background Loop, playing to infinity, to be glanced at (and the volume turned up) whenever one needs some Zen-like invigoration.
A feeding scene I neglected to describe (because how many do you need, haha) still merits a mention because of a certain automobile that is shown. I'll call it the "23 Skidoo Car". See if you can find a picture of it on Google. Like the Dance Music, this car angers the Creeper, enough to make him overturn it. I wonder if it's still sitting in the Spahn Ranch creek bed, rusting away under the Chatsworth sun.......
When I began this review, I was gonna give "The Creeping Terror" Two Thumbs Decidedly Down, but now I've changed my mind. In a stunning reversal, the likes of which we've never seen, I'm giving the movie Two Solid Thumbs Up. I think Dance Hall scene clinched it, running twenty minutes and completely changing the tone of the movie for no reason whatsoever. Once again, we have a film that cries out for restoration, because we may never see anything like it again. It's that Good/Bad. //////
I hope this review didn't come out sounding too jumbled. I wrote it in bits and pieces over a long workday. Tomorrow I will re-read it for clarity and to correct clumsy sentences. That's all for now. See you tonight at the Usual Time!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
If only tonight's movie was as interesting, or even remotely interesting, haha. Instead, it was one of the worst we've seen. Entitled "The Creeping Terror"(1964), it stars a guy named Vic Savage, who also directed. Savage plays "Martin", a newlywed deputy on his way home from honeymooning with his wife. One of the opening shots is stock footage of a rocket liftoff played backwards to simulate an Alien Spaceship landing on Earth. That's how bad the special effects are, though you've gotta give Savage some points for ingenuity, lol. When Martin and his bride arrive home, the sheriff is waiting on the edge of town. "Follow me", he says.
He leads Martin to a dirt road that dead ends at Spahn Ranch, the main outdoor location for this film That was one of the main reasons I chose "The Creeping Terror" in the first place, having noticed it's 2.1 IMDB rating, the lowest we've ever seen. I don't believe we've ever watched a movie shot at Spahn, and I was hoping we'd get to see some of the old sets, even as background. But they only used it for the landing site of the spaceship, so all you see is trees, rocks and brush, just like in any part of the Santa Susana Pass.
The sheriff tells Martin a plane has crashed but they soon find out differently. Martin radios for backup, summoning another deputy named Barney. When he arrives, Barney is told to stay put and guard the spaceship while Martin and the Sheriff leave to alert the military. But Barney can't help himself. He just has to look inside the ship, which is accessed by crawling underneath a metal lip. No "open wing" or sliding doors for this saucer. Once Barney is inside, we hear him scream. He has just been eaten by The Creeping Terror.
The Terror then crawls out from underneath the Lip of the Ship and is now slithering free around the environs of Spahn Ranch. He looks kind of like a Chinese New Year Dragon if the dragon was made out of old pieces of carpet instead of silk, and he moves about in lurching motions as if three or four people underneath the carpet were animating his body. This couldn't possibly be the case, of course, because he's an actual Monster From Outer Space. But yeah, now he's loose, and he's gonna start eating people right and left. His first victim is a housewife up near Chatsworth Park. She does a disappearing act up Creeping's maw. He feeds the way a snake does, slowly usurping (or should that be u-slurping?) his prey. Then he shuffles off again, his dusty body undulating all the while.
In addition to notifying the Army, the sheriff has also called in a scientist who specialises in the analysis of alien life forms. When the guy gets to the site, he enters the ship to examine it's propulsion system, assuming that he will be safe because the Creeper is out eating people. But Holy Smokes and Great Googley Moogely! There's another one on board the spaceship!
Here I must pose a possible Directorial Influence Phenomenon. It may be far fetched this time, but do you recall a movie from about five years ago, called "Arrival", directed by Denis Villeneuve? It was an Alien Invasion flick, just like "The Creeping Terror" (albeit a tad more sophisticated, lol), but the thing was, it had two globular, Blob-like creatures flying the spaceship. So, in both movies, you have monsters with no arms or legs piloting high tech UFOs. My question, after seeing "Arrival", was "how did they fly the thing? They're Blobs". And one might ask the same question of "The Creeping Terror", which has Slugs in the pilot seats. Was Denis Villeneuve influenced by The Creepers? If so, I wonder if he'd admit it, haha. But anyhow, back to the movie.
The scientist manages to neutralise the onboard Creeper and chain him up in a harness, but the escaped one is still on the loose, running amok on Spahn Ranch. He sneaks up on a father and son fishing in the creek. They make a nice snack, but he's still hungry, so he shuffles off again and comes upon a folk singer serenading a group of young people under the shade of an oak. Excuse me if this seemed like a premonition of The Manson Family, who would occupy the same location five years later, with Charlie on guitar. The folk singer and his friends are much more clean cut, but it's still an eerie scene, and it gets worse when Creepy shows up and starts eating them. All the singer can do is use the only weapon at his disposal - his guitar - which he bashes The Creeper with until it is broken. His efforts are all for naught.
Now the movie is gonna undergo a major shift in theme. We cut to a Dance Party inside what looks like a high school auditorium or Elk's Club. Teen couples are doing the Twist and the Watusi to a band playing the type of hybrid rock/surf jazz that was sometimes heard on the radio on "Gilligan's Island". This scene is gonna go on long enough to irritate both the audience and ol' Creepy, who hears the band playing from half a mile away and starts slithering in the direction of the music. Apparently, he's not a fan of rock/surf jazz, because by the time he gets to the Dance Hall, he's thoroughly pissed off. After trashing the place, he eats a few dancers for good measure before heading back to Spahn and the spaceship.
Our hero Martin, the young deputy, has spent much of this time making out with his wife. He was doing so when we left him, and he's still at it when the Sheriff tells him to get his rear end back to the site. The Carpet Crawlers are getting ready to depart; they must be stopped before they can fly back to whatever hellhole they came from. Just when the scientist thinks he has figured out the ship's propulsion system, the escaped Creeper crawls back inside, trapping him at the last minute.
That's all I'm gonna tell ya unless you demand to hear more. Now that I've had time to consider it, I think this movie may be bad/good rather than simply bad, ala "Mesa of Lost Women" or "The Incredible Petrified World". Research on Wiki informs me that it's widely considered to be The Second Worst Movie Ever Made ("Plan 9" being #1). But in retrospect, I notice a meditative quality similar to the one given off by "The Beast Of Yucca Flats". That film's narration was like a series of haiku poems, providing a soothing contrast to the dry desert landscape. I forgot to mention "The Creeping Terror" is also almost entirely devoid of dialogue, relying instead on a narrator to tell it's story. I think it might work best as an Endless Background Loop, playing to infinity, to be glanced at (and the volume turned up) whenever one needs some Zen-like invigoration.
A feeding scene I neglected to describe (because how many do you need, haha) still merits a mention because of a certain automobile that is shown. I'll call it the "23 Skidoo Car". See if you can find a picture of it on Google. Like the Dance Music, this car angers the Creeper, enough to make him overturn it. I wonder if it's still sitting in the Spahn Ranch creek bed, rusting away under the Chatsworth sun.......
When I began this review, I was gonna give "The Creeping Terror" Two Thumbs Decidedly Down, but now I've changed my mind. In a stunning reversal, the likes of which we've never seen, I'm giving the movie Two Solid Thumbs Up. I think Dance Hall scene clinched it, running twenty minutes and completely changing the tone of the movie for no reason whatsoever. Once again, we have a film that cries out for restoration, because we may never see anything like it again. It's that Good/Bad. //////
I hope this review didn't come out sounding too jumbled. I wrote it in bits and pieces over a long workday. Tomorrow I will re-read it for clarity and to correct clumsy sentences. That's all for now. See you tonight at the Usual Time!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Saturday, May 23, 2020
"First Spaceship On Venus", an East German production
In keeping with last night's Venusian theme, our selection this evening was a film called "First Spaceship on Venus"(1960), the story of an international mission to that planet, in search of an Alien Race that has threatened to blow Earth to Kingdom Come. The movie was made East Germany of all places. That in itself is a first for me. I've never seen an East German film before, I didn't even know they had a movie industry, poor as they were and under the Soviets' thumb. IMDB says it's a co-production between Poland and East Germany, but really I think you can translate that into "it was funded by Russia". What is interesting, once again - because we saw this with the Soviet-made "Battle Beyond The Sun" - is the portrayal in favor of peace between nations. Here in America, we were always told that the Russkies wanted to bomb us into the Stone Age. People my age remember "drop drills" in Elementary School, where your teacher would call out "drop"!......in the middle of class, and all the kids would dive under their desks, as a rehearsal for the eventuality of the real thing. But in two movies we've seen recently, including tonight's picture, we see the Russians, by East German proxy, promoting brotherhood and peace. What gives?
We have a multinational cast, featuring actors from Austria, Japan, Poland and Africa, among others. So again, we see that the Iron Curtain was not as isolated as we were told. I'm not naive; I know the deadly downsides of Communism, but in retrospect I think we in America were getting a dose of the same kind of propaganda from our own government that we accused the Russians of using to "brainwash" their own people. What we see here is a fairly big production, with advanced special effects for 1960 (infliuenced by George Pal), and costly sets. The movie also has a big name screenwriter : the legendary science fiction author Stanislaw Lem, who also wrote "Solaris", which Tarkovsky turned into a masterpiece. I wish the same could be said in this case, but unfortunately, two problems are immediately apparent. One is the dubbing. I don't know if the dialogue in the original version was all in German, which would have required the disparate foreign actors to be fluent in that language, or if everyone just spoke in their native tongues and the filmmakers dubbed it in German. At any rate, in the U.S. version, the whole thing is dubbed in English, naturally, and it looks horrible because it doesn't come close to matching the actors' mouths. The second problem is the actors themselves. "Stiff" doesn't begin to cover it. Where's John Agar when you need him? Somebody (The Politburo, probably) spent a lot of dough on this flick, the least they could have done is get some decent thespians to play it out.
Here's the plot in a nutshell : Have you ever heard of the Tunguska Event? It was a Huge (pronounced Hyooge) Blast that leveled almost 800 square miles of forest in Siberia in 1908. The blast was the equivalent of 15 megatons of TNT, and the theory has always been that it was caused by a meteor. But now we know different, because according to the movie, when search teams canvased the area after the explosion, instead of discovering the remnant of a fireball, they found an Alien Artifact, theorized to be a missile of some sort. Among the wreckage was a spool containing what became known to Russian Scientists as The Cosmic Message. It boiled down to this : "Hello, Earthlings. We are the people of Venus and we have the technology to blow you to smithereens, as you have just witnessed by the present detonation. Surrender now before we destroy your entire planet".
This is the reason for the International Space Mission, to fly to Venus, find their Interplanetary Missile Launching Facility and demolish it before those S.O.Bs can send another one flying in our direction. The crew are traveling in a pretty awesome spaceship with a cool name : The Cosmostrator. They like saying it over and over again, as you can hear for yourself during scenes on the flight deck. You can have a look at The Cosmostrator by Googling it. Lem also came up with catchy names for the onboard helicopter and a one-man vehicle, neither of which I can recall now but those are worth searching for too, or just watch the movie.
When the team gets to Venus, they discover a Giant Electrical Cable under the surface of the planet, which, if dug up and followed, will lead them to the Atomic Power Plant attached to the launch facility. To get there they have to cross all kinds of dangerous alien landscapes, one filled with hopping mechanical bugs. These scenes are the best parts of the movie. The sets of the Venusian Otherworld are awesome looking and very imaginitive, like something out of an alien Alice In Wonderland. Strange wispy clouds float over fields of long, horn-shaped creatures resembling sea anemones. The effect of the cloud overlay gives the setting a three dimensional look, and I should also note that this is one case where the use of color in a sci-fi film was mandatory. Venus looks phantasmagorical in purple and pink hues. This is another film that needs to be restored so that modern fans can see these sets as they were intended to be seen. The Youtube print is soft and slightly washed out, I might've liked the movie better if it was razor sharp. However, there's no getting around the godawful acting and the dubbing. Because of those factors I can't give "First Spaceship On Venus" a passing grade. At best, I can go One and One Half Thumbs because of the incredible sets (and The Cosmostrator!), but unless you're a diehard fan of East German science fiction movies, I'm afraid I can't recommend it. /////
Just a brief review tonight because of time constraints. The next blog will be back to normal. See you in about five minutes at the Usual Time! :)
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
We have a multinational cast, featuring actors from Austria, Japan, Poland and Africa, among others. So again, we see that the Iron Curtain was not as isolated as we were told. I'm not naive; I know the deadly downsides of Communism, but in retrospect I think we in America were getting a dose of the same kind of propaganda from our own government that we accused the Russians of using to "brainwash" their own people. What we see here is a fairly big production, with advanced special effects for 1960 (infliuenced by George Pal), and costly sets. The movie also has a big name screenwriter : the legendary science fiction author Stanislaw Lem, who also wrote "Solaris", which Tarkovsky turned into a masterpiece. I wish the same could be said in this case, but unfortunately, two problems are immediately apparent. One is the dubbing. I don't know if the dialogue in the original version was all in German, which would have required the disparate foreign actors to be fluent in that language, or if everyone just spoke in their native tongues and the filmmakers dubbed it in German. At any rate, in the U.S. version, the whole thing is dubbed in English, naturally, and it looks horrible because it doesn't come close to matching the actors' mouths. The second problem is the actors themselves. "Stiff" doesn't begin to cover it. Where's John Agar when you need him? Somebody (The Politburo, probably) spent a lot of dough on this flick, the least they could have done is get some decent thespians to play it out.
Here's the plot in a nutshell : Have you ever heard of the Tunguska Event? It was a Huge (pronounced Hyooge) Blast that leveled almost 800 square miles of forest in Siberia in 1908. The blast was the equivalent of 15 megatons of TNT, and the theory has always been that it was caused by a meteor. But now we know different, because according to the movie, when search teams canvased the area after the explosion, instead of discovering the remnant of a fireball, they found an Alien Artifact, theorized to be a missile of some sort. Among the wreckage was a spool containing what became known to Russian Scientists as The Cosmic Message. It boiled down to this : "Hello, Earthlings. We are the people of Venus and we have the technology to blow you to smithereens, as you have just witnessed by the present detonation. Surrender now before we destroy your entire planet".
This is the reason for the International Space Mission, to fly to Venus, find their Interplanetary Missile Launching Facility and demolish it before those S.O.Bs can send another one flying in our direction. The crew are traveling in a pretty awesome spaceship with a cool name : The Cosmostrator. They like saying it over and over again, as you can hear for yourself during scenes on the flight deck. You can have a look at The Cosmostrator by Googling it. Lem also came up with catchy names for the onboard helicopter and a one-man vehicle, neither of which I can recall now but those are worth searching for too, or just watch the movie.
When the team gets to Venus, they discover a Giant Electrical Cable under the surface of the planet, which, if dug up and followed, will lead them to the Atomic Power Plant attached to the launch facility. To get there they have to cross all kinds of dangerous alien landscapes, one filled with hopping mechanical bugs. These scenes are the best parts of the movie. The sets of the Venusian Otherworld are awesome looking and very imaginitive, like something out of an alien Alice In Wonderland. Strange wispy clouds float over fields of long, horn-shaped creatures resembling sea anemones. The effect of the cloud overlay gives the setting a three dimensional look, and I should also note that this is one case where the use of color in a sci-fi film was mandatory. Venus looks phantasmagorical in purple and pink hues. This is another film that needs to be restored so that modern fans can see these sets as they were intended to be seen. The Youtube print is soft and slightly washed out, I might've liked the movie better if it was razor sharp. However, there's no getting around the godawful acting and the dubbing. Because of those factors I can't give "First Spaceship On Venus" a passing grade. At best, I can go One and One Half Thumbs because of the incredible sets (and The Cosmostrator!), but unless you're a diehard fan of East German science fiction movies, I'm afraid I can't recommend it. /////
Just a brief review tonight because of time constraints. The next blog will be back to normal. See you in about five minutes at the Usual Time! :)
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Friday, May 22, 2020
Elizabeth + "Zontar - The Thing From Venus" starring John Agar and Tony Huston
Hey Elizabeth, that's a great pic of the wild Beth! How did you manage to capture her? Ahh yes, with a telephoto lens, I should've known All kidding aside, that's another very nice picture of you in a beautiful nature spot. I like the yellow flowers there, they remind me of the clover that grows everywhere in our open spaces and attracts a ton of bees (yikes!). The stand of trees in the background of that photo is very impressive also.
You've had a couple more great posts in the last day or so, of the golden hour trees and the clip of the ducklings crossing the pond behind their mama. It's great that you've had such a chance to get out to your parks. There's something to be said for working from home and it's been one positive benefit from the pandemic for a lot of people, though I know it may not be sustainable in the long term.
But what if it was? And maybe it should be whenever possible, so that people can have more free time to be themselves. :):)
I have to take a moment before my movie review to mention a special occasion : today, May 22 2020, would've been my Dad's 100th birthday. So this blog is in his honor. Dad was always on the go and took us so many places when we were kids. He too was from the Midwest (Goshen, Indiana), and he loved to drive, so we went to the mountains, beaches and deserts quite often when I was little. It took me a long time to gain an appreciation for nature in my own life, but in my fifties it finally took hold, so thanks Dad, and for everything else too. :)
Now, do you remember a movie we watched about a month ago, called "IT Conquered the World"? Lee Van Cleef played a scientist who made radio contact with a being from Venus and wound up guiding it to Earth, where it attempted to take over. Well, last night I watched a movie called "Zontar : The Thing From Venus"(1966), which - unbeknownst to me when I chose it - was a remake of "IT Conquered the World". The major drawing card, besides the fact that I'd never seen it, was that it starred the great John Agar, of whom we are huge fans (see yesterday's blog). Agar plays "Dr. Curt Taylor", a role taken on by Peter Graves in the original movie. Taylor is the sane, rational counterpart to Van Cleef's Mad Scientist, who everyone thinks is crazy, especially his wife. The Madman role is played this time by an actor named Tony Huston, John Huston's son. I was very surprised, in looking him up on IMDB after the movie, to find that he was only 16 years old at the time. Watching him, you can see he's young. Some grey coloring has been added to his hair to make him look older, but I would've guessed him to be between 25-30. But yeah, unless he's lying about his age (and Wiki has the same birthdate), then he was playing the Van Cleef role while just a teenager.
That's some big shoes to fill, for as we observed after watching "Conquered", Van Cleef was a demented genius in the original film. He became one of our favorite actors just from that role alone, so Tony Huston had his work cut out for him in trying to measure up to Lee's performance. To his credit, Huston doesn't take the same approach. Where Van Cleef was all nervous energy, pacing in front of his transmitter with a hand held microphone, Huston plays it calm and controlled. He knows he's doing the right thing in guiding Zontar to Earth, and he expects everyone else to realise it too. There is no room for doubt.
The movie opens with a fantastic line that had me slapping my knee in appreciation. The setting is Tony Huston's dinner table. John Agar is there with his wife. Now, you know that the one word I've always used to describe Agar's onscreen persona in film after film is "smug". Well, in this dinner scene, the first sentence out of Agar's mouth is, "My, Keith.......you're acting very smug tonight".
HA! (I'm sorry but it was waaaaayyy too funny). :)
He says this to Keith (Tony Huston) because Keith is displaying a self-righteous attitude toward everyone. This seems unlike him, so when Agar brings it up, Keith motions him over to a curtain in the living room. Ignoring the protests of his wife, Keith draws the curtain to reveal his high tech transmitter. "What would you say, Curt, if I told you I've made contact with Venus"?
"How do you mean"?, replies Agar. "There's no one there to contact".
"Oh yes there is", says Keith. He turns on the trasmitter. "Do you hear that sound, in between the static"?
"I do if I strain my ears".
"That, Curt, is the voice of Zontar".
At this, Keith's wife can take no more. "Don't listen to him, Curt"! she shouts. "He hasn't been sleeping and he's not making any sense! He's obsessed with that radio and that......thing he keeps talking to".
Agar agrees and tries to talk sense into his friend. "Martha is right, Keith. There's no one on the other end. It isn't possible. The atmospheric pressure alone precludes the possibility of life on Venus. Why don't you take a break and we'll finish dinner"?
"Aha! So you scoff at me too, Curt? I thought you'd be the one person to understand. Well, soon enough, no one will be laughing, not after Zontar arrives"!
The plotline of "Zontar" follows "IT Conquered the World" pretty much scene for scene, so if you want a full recapitulation, please refer to that review (April 29th). What I'll do here instead is give a few overall impressions of this remake, just to observe some differences between the two movies. The first notable thing is that "Zontar" is in color. I was of course dismayed to see this, however, it did have a few advantages. For instance, you get to see a classic mid-60s home interior in all it's wood paneled glory. Also, when Zontar himself is finally revealed, he looks pretty cool in gooey black, brown and red. Roger Corman directed "IT", infusing the film with his trademark energy. The same cannot be said for Larry Buchanan and "Zontar". Though he maintains a sort of absurd wit throughout the movie (especially via the performances of Tony Huston and Pat Delany as his overwrought wife), Buchanan can't maintain the zip of the original film. After an electric start, beginning with stock footage of a satellite launch followed by the confrontational dinner scene, the pace begins to drop off, to the point where things are really lagging by the hour mark. Perhaps it was only because I already knew what was gonna happen, but I found myself looking at the "time remaining" quite frequently during the final twenty minutes.
Location is another difference between the two movies. "Zontar" was filmed in Dallas, "IT" in Hollywood and (naturally) Bronson Canyon. As I watched the former, I kept wondering where it was made. The abundance of stunted trees made me think "East Coast", but it was Texas, which has a very unique landscape. It's effective for a sci-fi flick, but I'm so used to the Bronson Cave that I've gotta give the edge to "IT". With the acting, it's worth it to see both movies, which I was going to recommend anyway. Peter Graves is a good "straight man" in the original, but he's no match for John Agar in "Zontar" (but then, who is?). Vice versa for the "Keith" role. As much as I enjoyed Tony Huston's "earnest yet smug" take on the character, that role is owned by Lee Van Cleef, whose performance belongs on the Mount Rushmore of The Great Mad Scientists of Science Fiction. Lastly, I got a big kick out of Pat Delaney's overly emotional characterization of Keith's wife. I have a feeling she was doing it deliberately, perhaps at Buchanan's suggestion, because she seems to be a good actress, but her portrayal is so high strung that if looks straight out of a Method Acting rehearsal.
To sum up, I'd say "IT Conquered the World" is a certified Corman Classic, while "Zontar" is almost an homage to the original, albeit with differences in style and energy. Had "IT" never been made, I'd give "Zontar" a higher rating because you just can't beat John Agar, and Tony Huston's performance is a revelation in deadpan mock-seriousness, especially for a 16 year old kid playing a seasoned scientist. But because "IT" came first, and is the better of the two movies, I can't help but compare them on that basis, so unfortunately I have to dock "Zontar" one rating level down, to Two Solid Thumbs Up. On it's own, it might've garnered Two Bigs.
Someone should consider restoring both films and releasing them on the same disc. For now, I suggest you watch them back-to-back. Do it over two nights, so you can appreciate each movie separately. I will keep searching for more John Agar gems to add to our collection.
See you tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
You've had a couple more great posts in the last day or so, of the golden hour trees and the clip of the ducklings crossing the pond behind their mama. It's great that you've had such a chance to get out to your parks. There's something to be said for working from home and it's been one positive benefit from the pandemic for a lot of people, though I know it may not be sustainable in the long term.
But what if it was? And maybe it should be whenever possible, so that people can have more free time to be themselves. :):)
I have to take a moment before my movie review to mention a special occasion : today, May 22 2020, would've been my Dad's 100th birthday. So this blog is in his honor. Dad was always on the go and took us so many places when we were kids. He too was from the Midwest (Goshen, Indiana), and he loved to drive, so we went to the mountains, beaches and deserts quite often when I was little. It took me a long time to gain an appreciation for nature in my own life, but in my fifties it finally took hold, so thanks Dad, and for everything else too. :)
Now, do you remember a movie we watched about a month ago, called "IT Conquered the World"? Lee Van Cleef played a scientist who made radio contact with a being from Venus and wound up guiding it to Earth, where it attempted to take over. Well, last night I watched a movie called "Zontar : The Thing From Venus"(1966), which - unbeknownst to me when I chose it - was a remake of "IT Conquered the World". The major drawing card, besides the fact that I'd never seen it, was that it starred the great John Agar, of whom we are huge fans (see yesterday's blog). Agar plays "Dr. Curt Taylor", a role taken on by Peter Graves in the original movie. Taylor is the sane, rational counterpart to Van Cleef's Mad Scientist, who everyone thinks is crazy, especially his wife. The Madman role is played this time by an actor named Tony Huston, John Huston's son. I was very surprised, in looking him up on IMDB after the movie, to find that he was only 16 years old at the time. Watching him, you can see he's young. Some grey coloring has been added to his hair to make him look older, but I would've guessed him to be between 25-30. But yeah, unless he's lying about his age (and Wiki has the same birthdate), then he was playing the Van Cleef role while just a teenager.
That's some big shoes to fill, for as we observed after watching "Conquered", Van Cleef was a demented genius in the original film. He became one of our favorite actors just from that role alone, so Tony Huston had his work cut out for him in trying to measure up to Lee's performance. To his credit, Huston doesn't take the same approach. Where Van Cleef was all nervous energy, pacing in front of his transmitter with a hand held microphone, Huston plays it calm and controlled. He knows he's doing the right thing in guiding Zontar to Earth, and he expects everyone else to realise it too. There is no room for doubt.
The movie opens with a fantastic line that had me slapping my knee in appreciation. The setting is Tony Huston's dinner table. John Agar is there with his wife. Now, you know that the one word I've always used to describe Agar's onscreen persona in film after film is "smug". Well, in this dinner scene, the first sentence out of Agar's mouth is, "My, Keith.......you're acting very smug tonight".
HA! (I'm sorry but it was waaaaayyy too funny). :)
He says this to Keith (Tony Huston) because Keith is displaying a self-righteous attitude toward everyone. This seems unlike him, so when Agar brings it up, Keith motions him over to a curtain in the living room. Ignoring the protests of his wife, Keith draws the curtain to reveal his high tech transmitter. "What would you say, Curt, if I told you I've made contact with Venus"?
"How do you mean"?, replies Agar. "There's no one there to contact".
"Oh yes there is", says Keith. He turns on the trasmitter. "Do you hear that sound, in between the static"?
"I do if I strain my ears".
"That, Curt, is the voice of Zontar".
At this, Keith's wife can take no more. "Don't listen to him, Curt"! she shouts. "He hasn't been sleeping and he's not making any sense! He's obsessed with that radio and that......thing he keeps talking to".
Agar agrees and tries to talk sense into his friend. "Martha is right, Keith. There's no one on the other end. It isn't possible. The atmospheric pressure alone precludes the possibility of life on Venus. Why don't you take a break and we'll finish dinner"?
"Aha! So you scoff at me too, Curt? I thought you'd be the one person to understand. Well, soon enough, no one will be laughing, not after Zontar arrives"!
The plotline of "Zontar" follows "IT Conquered the World" pretty much scene for scene, so if you want a full recapitulation, please refer to that review (April 29th). What I'll do here instead is give a few overall impressions of this remake, just to observe some differences between the two movies. The first notable thing is that "Zontar" is in color. I was of course dismayed to see this, however, it did have a few advantages. For instance, you get to see a classic mid-60s home interior in all it's wood paneled glory. Also, when Zontar himself is finally revealed, he looks pretty cool in gooey black, brown and red. Roger Corman directed "IT", infusing the film with his trademark energy. The same cannot be said for Larry Buchanan and "Zontar". Though he maintains a sort of absurd wit throughout the movie (especially via the performances of Tony Huston and Pat Delany as his overwrought wife), Buchanan can't maintain the zip of the original film. After an electric start, beginning with stock footage of a satellite launch followed by the confrontational dinner scene, the pace begins to drop off, to the point where things are really lagging by the hour mark. Perhaps it was only because I already knew what was gonna happen, but I found myself looking at the "time remaining" quite frequently during the final twenty minutes.
Location is another difference between the two movies. "Zontar" was filmed in Dallas, "IT" in Hollywood and (naturally) Bronson Canyon. As I watched the former, I kept wondering where it was made. The abundance of stunted trees made me think "East Coast", but it was Texas, which has a very unique landscape. It's effective for a sci-fi flick, but I'm so used to the Bronson Cave that I've gotta give the edge to "IT". With the acting, it's worth it to see both movies, which I was going to recommend anyway. Peter Graves is a good "straight man" in the original, but he's no match for John Agar in "Zontar" (but then, who is?). Vice versa for the "Keith" role. As much as I enjoyed Tony Huston's "earnest yet smug" take on the character, that role is owned by Lee Van Cleef, whose performance belongs on the Mount Rushmore of The Great Mad Scientists of Science Fiction. Lastly, I got a big kick out of Pat Delaney's overly emotional characterization of Keith's wife. I have a feeling she was doing it deliberately, perhaps at Buchanan's suggestion, because she seems to be a good actress, but her portrayal is so high strung that if looks straight out of a Method Acting rehearsal.
To sum up, I'd say "IT Conquered the World" is a certified Corman Classic, while "Zontar" is almost an homage to the original, albeit with differences in style and energy. Had "IT" never been made, I'd give "Zontar" a higher rating because you just can't beat John Agar, and Tony Huston's performance is a revelation in deadpan mock-seriousness, especially for a 16 year old kid playing a seasoned scientist. But because "IT" came first, and is the better of the two movies, I can't help but compare them on that basis, so unfortunately I have to dock "Zontar" one rating level down, to Two Solid Thumbs Up. On it's own, it might've garnered Two Bigs.
Someone should consider restoring both films and releasing them on the same disc. For now, I suggest you watch them back-to-back. Do it over two nights, so you can appreciate each movie separately. I will keep searching for more John Agar gems to add to our collection.
See you tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Thursday, May 21, 2020
"Invisible Invaders" starring John Agar and John Carradine
This blog was begun Wednesday night May 20, and completed the following evening :
Tonight's movie was a real find : "Invisible Invaders"(1959), starring John Agar and John Carradine. Two legends in one film, how lucky can we get, eh? I hadn't seen it on any lists before tonight, and I'm wondering if it's actually in the public domain because it's our first Quarantine Movie that we didn't watch on Youtube. Instead, it was on a website called DailyMotion. Maybe posted there on the sly, I dunno. Youtube only has the trailer, suggesting watchdog activity on the part of the copyright owners.
In any event, it starts off with a literal bang. Carradine, an Atomic Scientist, blows himself to smithereens while mixing chemicals in his lab. A mushroom cloud expands overhead. That there is no blast radius and Carradine seems to be the lone casualty is a mystery second only to the observation that his body has remained intact. We know this because, after his funeral - attended by many from the scientific community - he appears one night at the doorstep of Dr. Adam Penner (Phillip Tonge), his former colleague.
Except.........it isn't exactly Carradine who has come calling. He's dead, remember? Some exclamations are in order, then : Holy Jiminy and Great Jumpin' Jehosephat! It's Carradine's body at the door, but the guy inhabiting it is an Alien and a domineering s.o.b. at that. The Carradine/Alien explains to a stunned Dr. Penner that he comes from a race outside the galaxy, stating further that his civilization took over the Moon twenty thousand years ago, wiping out it's people in an apocalyptic war. This is the reason the Moon looks like it's made of Green Cheese nowdays. Carradine then lowers the boom on the terrified Dr. Penner by giving him an ultimatum for the people of Earth : " You tell them this : either they will surrender in twenty four hours or we will take their planet by force".
Penner is in disbelief. After all, this is his friend, whose funeral he's just attended.
"How can any of this be true"?, he asks. "How can you be who you say you are? You can never take over the Earth! Our countries have atomic weapons, you will be destroyed"!
"But we are invisible", says Carradine. "That is why we have never been defeated". As proof of this, Carradine disappears in front of Penner's eyes, then walks away. In one of the great special effects in sci-fi history, we see his footprints dragging in the dirt. This is used several times during the movie. Watching it last night, I could swear I'd seen it before, probably as a kid, and I knew it must've scared the bejeezus out of me : beware the dragging footprints.....(oh man........help!).
Dr. Penner has seen enough. He tells another colleague, "Dr. Lamont" (Robert Hutton), that they have to warn humanity, but of course Lamont thinks he's off his rocker. But Lamont is engaged to Penner's daughter (an Absolute Law in sci-fi states that the younger scientist must always be married or engaged to the daughter of the older one). The daughter (Jean Byron) sides with her Dad, forcing Dr. Lamont to take the case to Washington. The Joint Chiefs think he's crazy, too, but their reaction only holds for the next twenty four hours, because then, the Aliens make good on Carradine's threat. They begin to take over the Earth, and it's ain't pretty my friends. Director Edward L. Cahn has gotten ahold of some amazing stock footage that shows planes crashing, scenes of war on land and sea, tall buildings burning and collapsing, factories being demolished, and dams bursting. This is all real stuff, no models or other fx are used, so maybe it is from an actual Alien Invasion that happened some time in the past. I mean, you gotta see this for yourself. They're really busting up the joint! The people of Earth will soon be toast if action isn't taken pronto. The Pentagon sends Major Bruce Jay (Agar) out to a Special Underground Bunker inside the Bronson Canyon Cave. The bunker has been reinforced to withstand a nuclear attack. Agar will use it as a command post, from which he will launch a retaliatory strike, if Dr. Penner - who is with him - can devise a way to make the Invaders visible.
Now, some clarification is in order. The Invaders are using Dead Bodies to get around, so in that sense they are visible. But bullets, etc., have no effect on them. They're like Zombies, and once again I have to report on the Directorial Influence Phenomenon, because I absolutely guarantee you that George Romero saw this film and was inspired to make his own movie : "Night of the Living Dead". The look of the Invaders, right down to their stumbling walk, is close to identical to that of the Zombies in Romero's classic film. There is no way he didn't borrow it from "Invisible Invaders", which was made nine years earlier. Getting back to the clarification, Agar will not be able to start his counterattack until the Invaders can be driven out of their deceased human hosts and made visible in their own skins. To that end, Dr. Penner is working furiously with various ray gun prototypes and even an acrylic spray to coat the aliens with. But unfortunately, so far nothing is working.
The Invaders have discovered the underground bunker and have landed a Spaceship at the mouth of Bronson Cave. It too, is invisible, though director Cahn gives us a brief glimpse and it's fairly impressive in size and design, looking not unlike a Modern Football Stadium. Aliens in dead human bodies are closing on the bunker by the hundreds and will soon break inside, reinforced construction notwithstanding. Agar - who demonstrates his range by trading his usual Smug Persona for a Belligerent One - starts throwing his weight around. When Dr. Lamont, who is also inside the bunker, suggests they surrender, Agar gets into a punchout with him that is worthy of a Randolph Scott Western. John Carradine is outside, still offering the remaining People of Earth a chance to give themselves up. Lamont thinks they should take it; Agar disagrees. He wants to fight to the last man.
Just when it looks like all hope is gone, Dr. Penner has an Ingenious Idea. I can't tell you what it is, because this is one movie you've gotta see for yourself. Let's just say that it will give the Good Guys a chance. Agar will use it to play the Hero, for he would never ask his men to do something he would not do himself. The role of "Major Jay" is one of the best John Agar performances we've ever seen, which is really saying something! If you're not already an Agar fan, I urge you to seek out his movies. I can't emphasize enough his unique approach to acting.
I loved "Invisible Invaders". It's "big league" in every respect, and certainly must have been a first-run feature for United Artists. John Carradine gives an intimidating performance as the Alien Leader, taking the role seriously and not hamming it up for once (he must've gotten paid decent money this time). There's also a narrator who shows up periodically to keep us up to date on the grim consequences faced by Agar and company. When the Invaders are made visible, the effect is very well done and most importantly - not overdone. This is another movie I'm surprised I've never heard of. I give it Two Big Thumbs Up. It's a must for John Agar fans and also to see where George Romero got his inspiration. ////
That's all for the moment. I am finishing up this review at Pearl's. We just got back from a nice walk around the neighborhood. 'Twas a beautiful day.
See you later tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Tonight's movie was a real find : "Invisible Invaders"(1959), starring John Agar and John Carradine. Two legends in one film, how lucky can we get, eh? I hadn't seen it on any lists before tonight, and I'm wondering if it's actually in the public domain because it's our first Quarantine Movie that we didn't watch on Youtube. Instead, it was on a website called DailyMotion. Maybe posted there on the sly, I dunno. Youtube only has the trailer, suggesting watchdog activity on the part of the copyright owners.
In any event, it starts off with a literal bang. Carradine, an Atomic Scientist, blows himself to smithereens while mixing chemicals in his lab. A mushroom cloud expands overhead. That there is no blast radius and Carradine seems to be the lone casualty is a mystery second only to the observation that his body has remained intact. We know this because, after his funeral - attended by many from the scientific community - he appears one night at the doorstep of Dr. Adam Penner (Phillip Tonge), his former colleague.
Except.........it isn't exactly Carradine who has come calling. He's dead, remember? Some exclamations are in order, then : Holy Jiminy and Great Jumpin' Jehosephat! It's Carradine's body at the door, but the guy inhabiting it is an Alien and a domineering s.o.b. at that. The Carradine/Alien explains to a stunned Dr. Penner that he comes from a race outside the galaxy, stating further that his civilization took over the Moon twenty thousand years ago, wiping out it's people in an apocalyptic war. This is the reason the Moon looks like it's made of Green Cheese nowdays. Carradine then lowers the boom on the terrified Dr. Penner by giving him an ultimatum for the people of Earth : " You tell them this : either they will surrender in twenty four hours or we will take their planet by force".
Penner is in disbelief. After all, this is his friend, whose funeral he's just attended.
"How can any of this be true"?, he asks. "How can you be who you say you are? You can never take over the Earth! Our countries have atomic weapons, you will be destroyed"!
"But we are invisible", says Carradine. "That is why we have never been defeated". As proof of this, Carradine disappears in front of Penner's eyes, then walks away. In one of the great special effects in sci-fi history, we see his footprints dragging in the dirt. This is used several times during the movie. Watching it last night, I could swear I'd seen it before, probably as a kid, and I knew it must've scared the bejeezus out of me : beware the dragging footprints.....(oh man........help!).
Dr. Penner has seen enough. He tells another colleague, "Dr. Lamont" (Robert Hutton), that they have to warn humanity, but of course Lamont thinks he's off his rocker. But Lamont is engaged to Penner's daughter (an Absolute Law in sci-fi states that the younger scientist must always be married or engaged to the daughter of the older one). The daughter (Jean Byron) sides with her Dad, forcing Dr. Lamont to take the case to Washington. The Joint Chiefs think he's crazy, too, but their reaction only holds for the next twenty four hours, because then, the Aliens make good on Carradine's threat. They begin to take over the Earth, and it's ain't pretty my friends. Director Edward L. Cahn has gotten ahold of some amazing stock footage that shows planes crashing, scenes of war on land and sea, tall buildings burning and collapsing, factories being demolished, and dams bursting. This is all real stuff, no models or other fx are used, so maybe it is from an actual Alien Invasion that happened some time in the past. I mean, you gotta see this for yourself. They're really busting up the joint! The people of Earth will soon be toast if action isn't taken pronto. The Pentagon sends Major Bruce Jay (Agar) out to a Special Underground Bunker inside the Bronson Canyon Cave. The bunker has been reinforced to withstand a nuclear attack. Agar will use it as a command post, from which he will launch a retaliatory strike, if Dr. Penner - who is with him - can devise a way to make the Invaders visible.
Now, some clarification is in order. The Invaders are using Dead Bodies to get around, so in that sense they are visible. But bullets, etc., have no effect on them. They're like Zombies, and once again I have to report on the Directorial Influence Phenomenon, because I absolutely guarantee you that George Romero saw this film and was inspired to make his own movie : "Night of the Living Dead". The look of the Invaders, right down to their stumbling walk, is close to identical to that of the Zombies in Romero's classic film. There is no way he didn't borrow it from "Invisible Invaders", which was made nine years earlier. Getting back to the clarification, Agar will not be able to start his counterattack until the Invaders can be driven out of their deceased human hosts and made visible in their own skins. To that end, Dr. Penner is working furiously with various ray gun prototypes and even an acrylic spray to coat the aliens with. But unfortunately, so far nothing is working.
The Invaders have discovered the underground bunker and have landed a Spaceship at the mouth of Bronson Cave. It too, is invisible, though director Cahn gives us a brief glimpse and it's fairly impressive in size and design, looking not unlike a Modern Football Stadium. Aliens in dead human bodies are closing on the bunker by the hundreds and will soon break inside, reinforced construction notwithstanding. Agar - who demonstrates his range by trading his usual Smug Persona for a Belligerent One - starts throwing his weight around. When Dr. Lamont, who is also inside the bunker, suggests they surrender, Agar gets into a punchout with him that is worthy of a Randolph Scott Western. John Carradine is outside, still offering the remaining People of Earth a chance to give themselves up. Lamont thinks they should take it; Agar disagrees. He wants to fight to the last man.
Just when it looks like all hope is gone, Dr. Penner has an Ingenious Idea. I can't tell you what it is, because this is one movie you've gotta see for yourself. Let's just say that it will give the Good Guys a chance. Agar will use it to play the Hero, for he would never ask his men to do something he would not do himself. The role of "Major Jay" is one of the best John Agar performances we've ever seen, which is really saying something! If you're not already an Agar fan, I urge you to seek out his movies. I can't emphasize enough his unique approach to acting.
I loved "Invisible Invaders". It's "big league" in every respect, and certainly must have been a first-run feature for United Artists. John Carradine gives an intimidating performance as the Alien Leader, taking the role seriously and not hamming it up for once (he must've gotten paid decent money this time). There's also a narrator who shows up periodically to keep us up to date on the grim consequences faced by Agar and company. When the Invaders are made visible, the effect is very well done and most importantly - not overdone. This is another movie I'm surprised I've never heard of. I give it Two Big Thumbs Up. It's a must for John Agar fans and also to see where George Romero got his inspiration. ////
That's all for the moment. I am finishing up this review at Pearl's. We just got back from a nice walk around the neighborhood. 'Twas a beautiful day.
See you later tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Elizabeth (great commercial!) + "The Return of Dracula" starring Francis Lederer
Wow, Elizabeth! That's a great commercial for your company. So that's what you were working on in your kitchen, wow. You have a good speaking voice and you're a natural as a spokeswoman. Bring on the advertising jobs! Seriously, I could see you on a national TV commercial. I didn't know what ASMR was, so I had to Google it. Gives new meaning to the phrase "spine tingling", lol. You did an excellent job in every respect, including maintaining eye contact and the slight "head nods" newscasters use for emphasis. A very impressive debut in your latest art form, created during the lockdown no less......and the use of the houseplant was cool, too, as "proof of fan". :)
It's not an easy segue from your commercial into tonight's movie, haha, but I'll give it a shot : I found a flick called "The Return of Dracula"(1958) a stripped down take on the Vampire Legend starring an actor named Francis Lederer, whose career goes way back to the Silent era. Lederer plays the infamous Count, who at the beginning of the film has fled his native Transylvania, one step ahead of the local vampire hunter, Inspector Merriman. In the opening scene, Merriman and several other men, including a priest, enter a cemetery, prepared to open Dracula's coffin at sunrise. The exposure to daylight, plus a stake through the heart, should finish him off for good. But it looks like old Drac knew they were coming. When they open the lid, he's not home. Merriman's surprise is ruined.
Drac jumps a train en route to the coast. Along the way, he kills his cabinmate, tosses the guy overboard and assumes his identity. Now he is "Bellac Gordal", artist. When he arrives in California, he finds his American "relatives" waiting for him at the station. His aunt hasn't seen the real (now deceased) Bellac since he was a child, so she has no idea this new guy is an imposter. Drac (we'll just call him Bellac for now) accompanies auntie and cousin Rachel back to their house, where he is to stay for the duration of his visit. During the first few days, Rachel and her aunt try to include Bellac in on all the family activities, but he won't come out of his room. He just lays on his bed all day. "Excuse me if I seem strange to you", he explains. "I am a little set in my ways".
What they don't know is that Bellac has taken his luggage - which includes his coffin - and has set up a separate bedroom in the Bronson Canyon cave. He starts spending more and more time there, always with an excuse for where he's been all day. "Oh, I've been in the park, working on my latest sketches".
Cousin Rachel volunteers at a nursing home where one of her patients is a blind girl named Jennie. Bellac sees an easy mark for his first American victim. He turns Jennie into one of his legion, after which she is buried in a Hollywood cemetery with no one realising she's undead. At around this time, Inspector Merriman and an assistant arrive in Los Angeles, hot on Drac's trail. They discover he's been masquerading as Bellac and ask a local priest for his help. The priest has a modern theological viewpoint, doesn't believe in vampires, and asks for proof before he will assist in the hunt. Merriman has learned of Jennie's "death" by this time, so to prove his case to the priest, he takes him to her crypt. When they open her coffin, sure enough she's not inside. The priest is now a believer.
However, Jennie was just a test run for Bellac. What he really wants is to "turn" cousin Rachel, with whom he's in love. She finds Bellac fascinating : his European charm, the Old World manners, his knowledge of art. But Rachel has a boyfriend, young Tim (Ray Stricklyn). Tim doesn't trust the older, more sophisticated Bellac, who he's sure is trying to steal Rachel from him. Also in the way is the cross Rachel always wears, given to her by Jennie on her deathbed. "You must never wear that around me", Bellac tells her, but for some reason she always does.
Inspector Merriman and the Priest are closing in on Bellac, and it's only a matter of time before a showdown occurs. Rachel has invited him to a Halloween party, to be held at the nursing home, but Bellac as usual begs off. He's onto the vampire hunters by now, and has his own plans to deal with them, inside the Bronson Cave.
I loved "The Return of Dracula". We were speaking of "minimalist" filmmaking the other day - a new term for us - and "Return" qualifies under that banner, though it has several more characters in it than did "Jennifer", the first film we mentioned in that regard. But "Return" has that same "claustrophobic" feel, where the outside world doesn't exist for the people in the story. They have no one to help them with their Vampire Problem and must solve it themselves, as is usually the case in these pictures. Another minimalist feature is the look of Bellac/Count Dracula himself. He doesn't wear a cape, there are no long fangs. Instead he is dressed in a well tailored but simple suit. That, and the handsome but menacing countenance of Francis Lederer are enough. I thought this approach was original and very effective, given that every other Dracula we've ever seen conforms to the stereotype, which is fine, too, but this time it was nice to see him portrayed differently. And Lederer is very scary.
"Return" also gets big points for the art direction of the Halloween Party that takes place near the end. If you've ever wanted to go back to a classic Halloween, 1950s style, with old fashioned Devil and Witch costumes, and cardboard paper Black Cats pinned to the walls, this is the movie for you. For Halloween lovers, the party scene is reason enough to see it. Add in the great acting of Lederer, some richly dark black and white photography, and you've got a very different but excellent take on the Dracula story. Oh yeah, and there's also an appropriately chilling score by Gerald Fried, of Star Trek "Amok Time" episode fame.
Two Big Thumbs Up for "The Return of Dracula", a no frills/no fat film that'll drive a stake through your heart. Highly recommended! ///////
I'm getting better at pounding out these afternoon reviews. I tell myself "don't try to get cute, Ad. You don't have time for that". So I'm just going for "the facts, ma'am". Sorry about the missing humor (but hey, maybe that's a good thing, haha!). Only you would know, as I'm the type to laugh at my own jokes (groan.....).
Okay, I'll shut up now. Got a few minutes to do some reading before heading out on my walk. Then back to Pearl's. See you tonight at the Usual Time!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
It's not an easy segue from your commercial into tonight's movie, haha, but I'll give it a shot : I found a flick called "The Return of Dracula"(1958) a stripped down take on the Vampire Legend starring an actor named Francis Lederer, whose career goes way back to the Silent era. Lederer plays the infamous Count, who at the beginning of the film has fled his native Transylvania, one step ahead of the local vampire hunter, Inspector Merriman. In the opening scene, Merriman and several other men, including a priest, enter a cemetery, prepared to open Dracula's coffin at sunrise. The exposure to daylight, plus a stake through the heart, should finish him off for good. But it looks like old Drac knew they were coming. When they open the lid, he's not home. Merriman's surprise is ruined.
Drac jumps a train en route to the coast. Along the way, he kills his cabinmate, tosses the guy overboard and assumes his identity. Now he is "Bellac Gordal", artist. When he arrives in California, he finds his American "relatives" waiting for him at the station. His aunt hasn't seen the real (now deceased) Bellac since he was a child, so she has no idea this new guy is an imposter. Drac (we'll just call him Bellac for now) accompanies auntie and cousin Rachel back to their house, where he is to stay for the duration of his visit. During the first few days, Rachel and her aunt try to include Bellac in on all the family activities, but he won't come out of his room. He just lays on his bed all day. "Excuse me if I seem strange to you", he explains. "I am a little set in my ways".
What they don't know is that Bellac has taken his luggage - which includes his coffin - and has set up a separate bedroom in the Bronson Canyon cave. He starts spending more and more time there, always with an excuse for where he's been all day. "Oh, I've been in the park, working on my latest sketches".
Cousin Rachel volunteers at a nursing home where one of her patients is a blind girl named Jennie. Bellac sees an easy mark for his first American victim. He turns Jennie into one of his legion, after which she is buried in a Hollywood cemetery with no one realising she's undead. At around this time, Inspector Merriman and an assistant arrive in Los Angeles, hot on Drac's trail. They discover he's been masquerading as Bellac and ask a local priest for his help. The priest has a modern theological viewpoint, doesn't believe in vampires, and asks for proof before he will assist in the hunt. Merriman has learned of Jennie's "death" by this time, so to prove his case to the priest, he takes him to her crypt. When they open her coffin, sure enough she's not inside. The priest is now a believer.
However, Jennie was just a test run for Bellac. What he really wants is to "turn" cousin Rachel, with whom he's in love. She finds Bellac fascinating : his European charm, the Old World manners, his knowledge of art. But Rachel has a boyfriend, young Tim (Ray Stricklyn). Tim doesn't trust the older, more sophisticated Bellac, who he's sure is trying to steal Rachel from him. Also in the way is the cross Rachel always wears, given to her by Jennie on her deathbed. "You must never wear that around me", Bellac tells her, but for some reason she always does.
Inspector Merriman and the Priest are closing in on Bellac, and it's only a matter of time before a showdown occurs. Rachel has invited him to a Halloween party, to be held at the nursing home, but Bellac as usual begs off. He's onto the vampire hunters by now, and has his own plans to deal with them, inside the Bronson Cave.
I loved "The Return of Dracula". We were speaking of "minimalist" filmmaking the other day - a new term for us - and "Return" qualifies under that banner, though it has several more characters in it than did "Jennifer", the first film we mentioned in that regard. But "Return" has that same "claustrophobic" feel, where the outside world doesn't exist for the people in the story. They have no one to help them with their Vampire Problem and must solve it themselves, as is usually the case in these pictures. Another minimalist feature is the look of Bellac/Count Dracula himself. He doesn't wear a cape, there are no long fangs. Instead he is dressed in a well tailored but simple suit. That, and the handsome but menacing countenance of Francis Lederer are enough. I thought this approach was original and very effective, given that every other Dracula we've ever seen conforms to the stereotype, which is fine, too, but this time it was nice to see him portrayed differently. And Lederer is very scary.
"Return" also gets big points for the art direction of the Halloween Party that takes place near the end. If you've ever wanted to go back to a classic Halloween, 1950s style, with old fashioned Devil and Witch costumes, and cardboard paper Black Cats pinned to the walls, this is the movie for you. For Halloween lovers, the party scene is reason enough to see it. Add in the great acting of Lederer, some richly dark black and white photography, and you've got a very different but excellent take on the Dracula story. Oh yeah, and there's also an appropriately chilling score by Gerald Fried, of Star Trek "Amok Time" episode fame.
Two Big Thumbs Up for "The Return of Dracula", a no frills/no fat film that'll drive a stake through your heart. Highly recommended! ///////
I'm getting better at pounding out these afternoon reviews. I tell myself "don't try to get cute, Ad. You don't have time for that". So I'm just going for "the facts, ma'am". Sorry about the missing humor (but hey, maybe that's a good thing, haha!). Only you would know, as I'm the type to laugh at my own jokes (groan.....).
Okay, I'll shut up now. Got a few minutes to do some reading before heading out on my walk. Then back to Pearl's. See you tonight at the Usual Time!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
"Cat Women of the Moon" starring Carol Brewster, Marie Windsor, Sonny Tufts and Victor Jory
We mentioned the other day that titles can be deceptive. Our example was "Teenagers From Outer Space", which sounded like a silly science fiction comedy but turned out to be a creative and fairly original take on the "alien invasion" subgenre. In that case the title was definitely deceiving. However, there are other times, occurring far more often I imagine, when a movie's title is not deceptive. In those instances, after rolling the dice you find out the hard way that what sounded bad, was bad. And not "good/bad", either. Just plain bad.
"Cat Women of the Moon"(1953) is one such title. It's another film that's been turning up on my search lists for weeks. I avoided it because it sounded.........well, whataya think it sounds like? Dumb? Campy? Anything but serious? How about "all of the above"? In browsing synopses of the storyline, I kept seeing the phrase "cult classic", but I also read that it involved "cat women in black leotards" slinking around in a cave on the Moon, so even before I eventually decided to watch it, I knew it was gonna be Cheese Personified. Had it just been that, I'd have been okay. After all, we've been living on a cheese-heavy cinematic diet for many weeks now. What I wasn't prepared for was how dull it was gonna be. As I watched, the word "bad" kept coming to mind, a simple concept. Not "terrible" or "rotten" or "ludicrous". Just "bad". But then the movie dragged on, and by the midway point I felt the need to add a modifier. "Stultifying" won the contest.
"Stultifyingly Bad". No other description would do, and so the title may have been deceptive after all, in the opposite way : Here is a film you expected to be bad, held out hope it might be "bad/good", but were shocked to discover it was not entertaining on any level.
And to think it started out with a small measure of promise, provided by it's cast. Sonny Tufts stars as "Laird" the Captain of a rocketship headed for the Moon. His crew is made up of Victor Jory (recently seen as the Mad Scientist in "The Man Who Turned To Stone"), Douglas Fowley (Kim's Dad), William Phipps and noir queen Marie Windsor. They're riding in a craft comparable to the one we saw in "Space Probe Taurus", with a spacious interior, lounge chairs and Earth-level gravity.
Navigator Windsor has chosen a landing site on the Dark Side of the Moon (no Pink Floyd jokes, please). When Captain Tufts tells her it's impossible to land there, she says "I'm feeling drawn to it. We shall be safe". She's using her psychic powers on this trip, it seems. And she's right - they land safely and even discover they can breathe. There's air on the Moon; they don't need their helmets or spacesuits. Inside a cave, they are accosted by Giant Fuzzy Spiders. This scene is pretty cool because the spiders look right out of Jim Henson. Whoever is pulling their strings does a good job. Actually, the production design may be the only reason to see this film. The matte paintings, special effects and models, and the handful of papier mache sets all have a comic book look to them. Visually, it's a fun movie. I can't say the same about the story, unfortunately.
Following the Deadly Spider Battle, the Cat Women appear, led by "Alpha" (Carol Brewster). Her right-hand woman is "Beta" (Suzanne Alexander) and their lieutenant is Lambda (Susan Morrow, sister of JFK's mistress Judith Campbell Exner). Lambda is a seductress who will entrance William Phipps. Their catwoman/earthman romance will lead to Lambda's mutiny from her leaders, but there is no reason for me to go into that subplot because it leads nowhere. Here's the basic deal with the Catwomen. They've been alone on the Moon since their civilization died out three million years ago. They've long since gotten used to being without men, but now there's a problem. As there a only a few of them left, they need men to make more Catwoman babies. They are eugenicists who will kill any males, keeping only the girls to raise in their all female society back on the Moon.
To achieve their goal, they have hypnotised American astronaut and navigator Marie Windsor, to get her to land the spaceship near their cave. That is why she mentioned "having a feeling" about the Dark Side. The Catwomen plan to steal the ship, but first they're gonna have to overpower Sonny Tufts and Victor Jory, two large and burly men. Jory is onto the Catwomen's scheme, good thing he brought along his gun. But he's alone in his fight. Tufts is oblivious and all Douglas Fowley can think of is the gold mine Beta tells him about. He ain't leaving till he finds the Mother Lode.
I know it sounds like there's a plot, but I'm making it sound more interesting than it is. Mostly, the Catwomen spend their time walking around the cave in their black tights, making pronouncements that come out sounding like lines in a "Saturday Night Live" skit. That's what I kept thinking as I watched. "This might work as a six minute sketch on SNL". At 64 minutes, however, the voids in the action are as great as those in outer space : expanses measured in parsecs where nothing happens.
So to recap : I was expecting a Cheesy Movie, even a camp one, What I wasn't expecting was to be bored out of my mind. If you took away the production design and the ladies in tights, you might be looking at the worst film we've seen so far. Scriptwise, it's awful. Any points it merits are for it's comic book stylings, but I can't give it anything but two thumbs down for deadly dullness. Highly Unrecommended! /////
That's all for today. I'm getting used to writing on my work schedule so I should be able to keep the reviews coming, maybe even every day. Everything is readjusted to my off hours from 2-5pm each afternoon. Right now I am gonna do a little reading, then head out for my CSUN walk at 4. See you tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
"Cat Women of the Moon"(1953) is one such title. It's another film that's been turning up on my search lists for weeks. I avoided it because it sounded.........well, whataya think it sounds like? Dumb? Campy? Anything but serious? How about "all of the above"? In browsing synopses of the storyline, I kept seeing the phrase "cult classic", but I also read that it involved "cat women in black leotards" slinking around in a cave on the Moon, so even before I eventually decided to watch it, I knew it was gonna be Cheese Personified. Had it just been that, I'd have been okay. After all, we've been living on a cheese-heavy cinematic diet for many weeks now. What I wasn't prepared for was how dull it was gonna be. As I watched, the word "bad" kept coming to mind, a simple concept. Not "terrible" or "rotten" or "ludicrous". Just "bad". But then the movie dragged on, and by the midway point I felt the need to add a modifier. "Stultifying" won the contest.
"Stultifyingly Bad". No other description would do, and so the title may have been deceptive after all, in the opposite way : Here is a film you expected to be bad, held out hope it might be "bad/good", but were shocked to discover it was not entertaining on any level.
And to think it started out with a small measure of promise, provided by it's cast. Sonny Tufts stars as "Laird" the Captain of a rocketship headed for the Moon. His crew is made up of Victor Jory (recently seen as the Mad Scientist in "The Man Who Turned To Stone"), Douglas Fowley (Kim's Dad), William Phipps and noir queen Marie Windsor. They're riding in a craft comparable to the one we saw in "Space Probe Taurus", with a spacious interior, lounge chairs and Earth-level gravity.
Navigator Windsor has chosen a landing site on the Dark Side of the Moon (no Pink Floyd jokes, please). When Captain Tufts tells her it's impossible to land there, she says "I'm feeling drawn to it. We shall be safe". She's using her psychic powers on this trip, it seems. And she's right - they land safely and even discover they can breathe. There's air on the Moon; they don't need their helmets or spacesuits. Inside a cave, they are accosted by Giant Fuzzy Spiders. This scene is pretty cool because the spiders look right out of Jim Henson. Whoever is pulling their strings does a good job. Actually, the production design may be the only reason to see this film. The matte paintings, special effects and models, and the handful of papier mache sets all have a comic book look to them. Visually, it's a fun movie. I can't say the same about the story, unfortunately.
Following the Deadly Spider Battle, the Cat Women appear, led by "Alpha" (Carol Brewster). Her right-hand woman is "Beta" (Suzanne Alexander) and their lieutenant is Lambda (Susan Morrow, sister of JFK's mistress Judith Campbell Exner). Lambda is a seductress who will entrance William Phipps. Their catwoman/earthman romance will lead to Lambda's mutiny from her leaders, but there is no reason for me to go into that subplot because it leads nowhere. Here's the basic deal with the Catwomen. They've been alone on the Moon since their civilization died out three million years ago. They've long since gotten used to being without men, but now there's a problem. As there a only a few of them left, they need men to make more Catwoman babies. They are eugenicists who will kill any males, keeping only the girls to raise in their all female society back on the Moon.
To achieve their goal, they have hypnotised American astronaut and navigator Marie Windsor, to get her to land the spaceship near their cave. That is why she mentioned "having a feeling" about the Dark Side. The Catwomen plan to steal the ship, but first they're gonna have to overpower Sonny Tufts and Victor Jory, two large and burly men. Jory is onto the Catwomen's scheme, good thing he brought along his gun. But he's alone in his fight. Tufts is oblivious and all Douglas Fowley can think of is the gold mine Beta tells him about. He ain't leaving till he finds the Mother Lode.
I know it sounds like there's a plot, but I'm making it sound more interesting than it is. Mostly, the Catwomen spend their time walking around the cave in their black tights, making pronouncements that come out sounding like lines in a "Saturday Night Live" skit. That's what I kept thinking as I watched. "This might work as a six minute sketch on SNL". At 64 minutes, however, the voids in the action are as great as those in outer space : expanses measured in parsecs where nothing happens.
So to recap : I was expecting a Cheesy Movie, even a camp one, What I wasn't expecting was to be bored out of my mind. If you took away the production design and the ladies in tights, you might be looking at the worst film we've seen so far. Scriptwise, it's awful. Any points it merits are for it's comic book stylings, but I can't give it anything but two thumbs down for deadly dullness. Highly Unrecommended! /////
That's all for today. I'm getting used to writing on my work schedule so I should be able to keep the reviews coming, maybe even every day. Everything is readjusted to my off hours from 2-5pm each afternoon. Right now I am gonna do a little reading, then head out for my CSUN walk at 4. See you tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Monday, May 18, 2020
Elizabeth + "The Neanderthal Man" starring Richard Crane
Elizabeth, I enjoyed your photos from the Kickapoo River. I don't recall you mentioning it before but it's a beautiful place and so green. Your pic of the river reminded me of "Tom Sawyer" and it's interesting to note, I think, that so much of the landscape of America remains untouched, even in modern times. You should keep a journal of your travels to go along with your photographs. Even if it's just a few notes at a time, they will all add up as you keep writing. Something I've mentioned before is that I get a unique feeling from each trail or park I visit. It's not just that they look different but that they have different "vibes", as if each place is trying to tell you it's story. At your favorite parks, if you think of the land as a neighborhood, and all of the trees, plants and rocks as the "people who live there", and then you consider that most of the time they are alone with themselves, then you can imagine that each "town" (park) develops it's own character based on the personalities who live there. I have a thing about what constitutes "people", haha, and in nature I consider everything to be a person, even rocks and even light and shade, lol. I sense vibes in the way shadows are cast, as if there might be spirits inside, and to that extent I can point out special places in each park, like a hollow or a canopy of trees, where it feels like the presence is especially pronounced. You know how psychics talk about a haunted house, and how they can feel "cold spots", or rooms where something bad happened? What I am talking about is the opposite of that. You can go to a park, and while the whole place is wonderful, you can notice certain isolated spots, often having to do with light and shade, where the feeling is especially good. And that's because of the spirits too, I think, except in this case they are always good spirits. :)
Tonight I watched a movie called "The Neanderthal Man"(1953), starring Robert Shayne as a Mad Scientist who is experimenting with reverse evolution. The setting is the High Sierras, and as the movie opens, a hunter is describing an encounter with a Ferocious Beast to the patrons of a country bar. "I swear, it was three times the size of a regular tiger, and it had tusks like an elephant"! The poor guy is scared to death, but the bartender only scoffs : "Y'know, I'm from Texas where we're used to Tall Tales, but yours tops anything I've ever heard. A giant-sized tiger.......ha!.........and with tusks. You oughta cut back on the whiskey before you go on a hunt'".
Among those present at the bar that night is the local Game Warden (Robert Long), who also thinks the story ridiculous, but as he is driving home, an Enormous Feline pounces on the hood of his car before running off into the darkness. The next day a rancher complains that some of his sheep have been killed. The Game Warden goes to the ranch to investigate and finds an oversized footprint, shaped like a cat's. He makes a plaster mold of it, then drives to Los Angeles to show the cast to zoologist Ross Harkness (Richard Crane). In the movie's best scene, Dr. Harkness - feeling his intelligence insulted by the Game Warden's suggestion that a Saber-Tooth Tiger may be on the loose - excoriates the Warden in a diatribe of Precise Science-speak that rivals anything we've heard from the Formal Aliens in their exacting use of the English language. The Warden is humbled by the more knowledgeable Zoologist, but sticks to his guns about what he witnessed. "Besides, look at that footprint", he offers. "If nothing else, the thing's huge, much bigger than a normal tiger".
Notwithstanding the fact that there aren't any tigers on North American soil, the footprint is finally enough to convince Harkness to accompany the Warden back to the mountains, to search for the elusive creature.
Now we cut to a meeting of scientists, also being held in Los Angeles. "Professor Groves" (Shayne) is making a presentation to the esteemed group, in which he points out the steady increase in brain size in early homonids, culminating in the large brain of the Neanderthal Man. "But what happens after that"?, he asks rhetorically. Pointing to the next brain on his chart, he states, "As you can see, for the first time, in modern man, the brain decreases in size. Thus my proposal that Neanderthal was superior in intelligence"!
The room erupts into argument. Groves is denounced by every man present, some even stooping to ridicule him personally. The fierceness of the attack angers Groves. He in turn lambastes the group as lightweights and charlatans. Storming out of the meeting, he vows to prove himself right.
Up north at the ranch, the zoologist and the game warden have staked out a spot in the woods where a dead deer has been found. They're armed and waiting for the tiger to return. When it does, they blast away and kill it. Sure enough, it's enormous and has tusk-like teeth. "A Sabertooth, extinct for a million years"!, says Harkness. "By all rights this should be an impossibility". But they're staring right at it, so it isn't.
Harkness goes to the bar to talk to the hunter who saw it first. While there, he meets "Ruth Marshall" (Doris Merrick), whose car has broken down. Harkness offers her a ride, and it just so happens that she's the fiancee of Professor Groves.
Harkness ends up staying at the home of Groves, who doesn't want him there but is overruled by his fiancee. Having seen the Sabertooth with his own eyes, Harkness knows something strange is going on. The Professor has a deaf-mute girl working as his servant. She seems very agitated by Harkness' presence also. It's as if they don't want a zoologist poking around, haha. Now, keep in mind that the Professor is out to prove his scientific colleagues wrong. To do that, he will begin experimenting on himself, to demonstrate the superiority of the Neanderthal brain. Right around this time, a series of murders take place in the area. One victim escapes. She is a barmaid (played by Beverly Garland of "The Alligator People" and "Decoy") who describes a "horrible, ugly looking man" who had the face and strength of a gorilla. Who could this Wild Man be? When we last saw the Professor, he was giving himself an injection of some sort. Hmmm.
Harkness decides to snoop around the house when the Professor is out. Inside the lab, he finds a series of photographs of the deaf-mute servant, in which she appears to regress to a pre-modern genetic state. In other words, she ends up looking like a Cave Woman. He presents these photographs to the Professor's fiance, who is stunned but proclaims ignorance of such goings-on. Not so his daughter, who was aware of her father's de-evolutionary experiments on cats, but had no idea he'd ever created a Sabertooth Tiger let alone a Neanderthal Woman. And now he's done it again - to himself!
"The Neanderthal Man" has similarities to "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde", as Groves changes back and forth from Stone Age Savage to Modern Academic. Furthermore, even though he's stopped the injections, the changeovers continue. He's doomed to turn Neanderthal, and it's not as he imagined it would be. Instead of developing superior intelligence, as he predicted to his peers, he becomes a grunting murderer. It's a good plot, with the subtheme of "devo-lution", but director E.A. Dupont doesn't take it anywhere. After blazing the trail with those great opening scenes (the ones with the ultra-precise dialogue), Dupont allows the story to peter out, and we end up with Groves running around the mountainside wearing a wolfman mask and strangling people. All the interesting science goes to waste.
I still give "The Neanderthal Man" Two Regular Thumbs Up, because of the two aforementioned scenes, but the rest of the film is only passable at best. Still worth a view, however, for Richard Crane's portrayal of the zoologist. //////
That's all for the moment. I know I missed writing to you yesterday, so my streak of daily blogging has finally come to an end after about sixty in a row. Not bad, eh? I'm trying to adjust back to writing while at work, which I did for many years, so if I did it before I can do it again. See you later tonight.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
Tonight I watched a movie called "The Neanderthal Man"(1953), starring Robert Shayne as a Mad Scientist who is experimenting with reverse evolution. The setting is the High Sierras, and as the movie opens, a hunter is describing an encounter with a Ferocious Beast to the patrons of a country bar. "I swear, it was three times the size of a regular tiger, and it had tusks like an elephant"! The poor guy is scared to death, but the bartender only scoffs : "Y'know, I'm from Texas where we're used to Tall Tales, but yours tops anything I've ever heard. A giant-sized tiger.......ha!.........and with tusks. You oughta cut back on the whiskey before you go on a hunt'".
Among those present at the bar that night is the local Game Warden (Robert Long), who also thinks the story ridiculous, but as he is driving home, an Enormous Feline pounces on the hood of his car before running off into the darkness. The next day a rancher complains that some of his sheep have been killed. The Game Warden goes to the ranch to investigate and finds an oversized footprint, shaped like a cat's. He makes a plaster mold of it, then drives to Los Angeles to show the cast to zoologist Ross Harkness (Richard Crane). In the movie's best scene, Dr. Harkness - feeling his intelligence insulted by the Game Warden's suggestion that a Saber-Tooth Tiger may be on the loose - excoriates the Warden in a diatribe of Precise Science-speak that rivals anything we've heard from the Formal Aliens in their exacting use of the English language. The Warden is humbled by the more knowledgeable Zoologist, but sticks to his guns about what he witnessed. "Besides, look at that footprint", he offers. "If nothing else, the thing's huge, much bigger than a normal tiger".
Notwithstanding the fact that there aren't any tigers on North American soil, the footprint is finally enough to convince Harkness to accompany the Warden back to the mountains, to search for the elusive creature.
Now we cut to a meeting of scientists, also being held in Los Angeles. "Professor Groves" (Shayne) is making a presentation to the esteemed group, in which he points out the steady increase in brain size in early homonids, culminating in the large brain of the Neanderthal Man. "But what happens after that"?, he asks rhetorically. Pointing to the next brain on his chart, he states, "As you can see, for the first time, in modern man, the brain decreases in size. Thus my proposal that Neanderthal was superior in intelligence"!
The room erupts into argument. Groves is denounced by every man present, some even stooping to ridicule him personally. The fierceness of the attack angers Groves. He in turn lambastes the group as lightweights and charlatans. Storming out of the meeting, he vows to prove himself right.
Up north at the ranch, the zoologist and the game warden have staked out a spot in the woods where a dead deer has been found. They're armed and waiting for the tiger to return. When it does, they blast away and kill it. Sure enough, it's enormous and has tusk-like teeth. "A Sabertooth, extinct for a million years"!, says Harkness. "By all rights this should be an impossibility". But they're staring right at it, so it isn't.
Harkness goes to the bar to talk to the hunter who saw it first. While there, he meets "Ruth Marshall" (Doris Merrick), whose car has broken down. Harkness offers her a ride, and it just so happens that she's the fiancee of Professor Groves.
Harkness ends up staying at the home of Groves, who doesn't want him there but is overruled by his fiancee. Having seen the Sabertooth with his own eyes, Harkness knows something strange is going on. The Professor has a deaf-mute girl working as his servant. She seems very agitated by Harkness' presence also. It's as if they don't want a zoologist poking around, haha. Now, keep in mind that the Professor is out to prove his scientific colleagues wrong. To do that, he will begin experimenting on himself, to demonstrate the superiority of the Neanderthal brain. Right around this time, a series of murders take place in the area. One victim escapes. She is a barmaid (played by Beverly Garland of "The Alligator People" and "Decoy") who describes a "horrible, ugly looking man" who had the face and strength of a gorilla. Who could this Wild Man be? When we last saw the Professor, he was giving himself an injection of some sort. Hmmm.
Harkness decides to snoop around the house when the Professor is out. Inside the lab, he finds a series of photographs of the deaf-mute servant, in which she appears to regress to a pre-modern genetic state. In other words, she ends up looking like a Cave Woman. He presents these photographs to the Professor's fiance, who is stunned but proclaims ignorance of such goings-on. Not so his daughter, who was aware of her father's de-evolutionary experiments on cats, but had no idea he'd ever created a Sabertooth Tiger let alone a Neanderthal Woman. And now he's done it again - to himself!
"The Neanderthal Man" has similarities to "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde", as Groves changes back and forth from Stone Age Savage to Modern Academic. Furthermore, even though he's stopped the injections, the changeovers continue. He's doomed to turn Neanderthal, and it's not as he imagined it would be. Instead of developing superior intelligence, as he predicted to his peers, he becomes a grunting murderer. It's a good plot, with the subtheme of "devo-lution", but director E.A. Dupont doesn't take it anywhere. After blazing the trail with those great opening scenes (the ones with the ultra-precise dialogue), Dupont allows the story to peter out, and we end up with Groves running around the mountainside wearing a wolfman mask and strangling people. All the interesting science goes to waste.
I still give "The Neanderthal Man" Two Regular Thumbs Up, because of the two aforementioned scenes, but the rest of the film is only passable at best. Still worth a view, however, for Richard Crane's portrayal of the zoologist. //////
That's all for the moment. I know I missed writing to you yesterday, so my streak of daily blogging has finally come to an end after about sixty in a row. Not bad, eh? I'm trying to adjust back to writing while at work, which I did for many years, so if I did it before I can do it again. See you later tonight.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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