Last night's film was a sci-fi called "The Unknown Island"(1948). With a title like that, you know you're heading for the jungle and a pack of raging dinosaurs, but "Jurassic Park" this isn't (nor even "The Lost World"). What it is, is the best Barton MacLane movie ever made. He plays "Captain Tarnowski", a whiskey-guzzling sea dog who owns an old tramp steamer. As the movie opens, a couple seek him out in Singapore. The man is "Ted Osborne" (Phillip Reed), an adventurer and former WW2 pilot; the woman is "Carole Lane" (Virginia Grey), his fiance and financial support. While flying missions in the Pacific, Osborne photographed images on a remote island that look like dinosaurs. That's why he's sought out Maclane, who makes his living trapping wild animals. Carole Lane has the money to bankroll a trip to the island. MacLane has his eyes on her from the moment she walks into the bar, so he says yes. Also in the bar is "John Fairbanks" (Richard Denning), who was once shipwrecked on the same island. His experience has driven him to drink, but he confirms Osborne's story.
MacLane tells his first mate to make sure Fairbanks is on the boat, even though he's smashed to the gills. Fairbanks then cleans up his act. He's gotta be sober or he's liable to become a Dino burger. Before they get there, the native crew mutinies. MacLane stops them cold, and has a crewman keep them in line. But they are superstitious and liable to flee at any moment. Later, one native throws a knife at the first mate in an attempt to escape. The natives then commandeer the group's rowboat, but it gets smashed against the waves.
That leaves MacLane and the white folks alone with the savage beasts. He uses grenades to keep the T-Rexes at bay. They have human arms, which is fortuitous for the budget, this being a rubber suit movie. Fairbanks has now attracted the attention of Carole, who's grown weary of Ted Osborne's ambition. "All you think about is your pictures".
MacLane gets in numerous punchouts, and when he isn't fighting, or downing another shot, he's got his paws all over Carole, who constantly has to fight him off. Osborne never comes to her rescue because he's too busy filming dinosaurs (some fiancee he is), but Fairbanks does. Guess who Carole Lane winds up with? This is as good as it gets for a low budget adventure film. It's cheesy in the best sense, with a good script. MacLane finally builds a wall of flame, to trap a giant sloth, because he ain't leaving the island without a specimen. "That thing's worth a million dollars"! But the fire only burns the supplies. In an effort to save them, MacLane becomes trapped. Will Osborne or Fairbanks come to his rescue? You wouldn't blame them if they didn't, after all, he's been an overbearing lout for the entire movie.
If you like Barton MacLane, and you like rubber dinosaurs, don't miss "The Unknown Island". As noted, there's more than just the Cheese Factor to recommend it. The script is well developed, the introduction in the Singapore bar and the voyage to the island are integral to the plot. There's more than enough action, and even a titanic beast-against-beast confrontation to set up the climactic finale. I give "The Unknown Island" Two Big Thumbs Up. The picture is in Cinecolor, which I had to look up on Wiki. It's a two-tone process that was invented in 1932, and resembles a colorized black-and-white film. The colors are pastel, but it looks kind of cool, especially in a movie like this one. ////
The previous night, we watched another Tailspin Tommy movie, "Mystery Plane"(1939), which starts off with Tommy's personal history. The year is 1923. Tommy is ten years old. He idolises a barnstormer named "Brandy Rand" (George Lynn). Rand was previously a World War One flying ace, like Snoopy, and he performs stunts that only Snoopy would be capable of (not the Helicopter Ears, however). One day, when Brandy makes a parachute jump, he lands in a lake, and young Tommy rescues him with his rowboat. What a way to meet his hero. For a short time they are friends. Brandy's encouragement inspires Tommy to become a pilot himself. Fast forward to 1939. Tommy has risen to the top of his profession at Three Line airport, where he's also the manager. He's developed a bombing device for the military, but needs money to complete it. Fortunately, a young lady (Polly Ann Young, sister of Loretta) wants flying lessons. Her fee will cover the difference. Unfortunately, she's working for a pro-fascist spy ring. Her proximity to Tailspin Tommy allows her to get the details on the bombing device, which she takes back to her traitorous bosses. Now they wanna steal it, so they kidnap Tommy's girlfriend "Betty Lou Barnes" (Marjorie Reynolds), to force him to cooperate. To his dismay, he meets his hero Brandy at the hideout. After all these years, Brandy's a drunk who's now part of the criminal gang.
Tommy is stunned by what's become of Brandy, but swears he won't give in. While drawing up a schematic of of the device on a drafting table, he plans a surprise punchout. His trusty sidekick "Skeeter" (Milburn Stone), helps him out of that jam. The trio get away in Tommy's plane, but the bad guys are following them in theirs. Piloting for the spies is none other than Brandy Rand, once Tommy's idol, now his enemy. Or is he? Suddenly, memories flash by in his head, of when Tommy rescued him in 1923. The Kid Who Looked Up To The Big Shot World War One Hero. Brandy feels ashamed of what he's become, and he......
Well, you'll just have to see it for yourself. So far - and we've seen two - the Tailspin Tommy movies have been terrific. Let's find the other two (and an earlier twelve part serial), and complete the series. "Mystery Plane" gets Two Big Thumbs Up, and a high recommendation for awesomeness. There's no mention of where this one was filmed (not Van Nuys this time), but perhaps Muroc Air Base or elsewhere in the desert, as there's actual bomb range footage used. The picture is a little ragged, but so what. It's the content that counts, and they don't make movies like this anymore. /////
That's all I know for this evening. I've been watching some live footage of the band Budgie over the last couple of days, in honor of their singer/bassist (and leader) Burke Shelly, who died last week at the age of 71. I remember the first time I heard the group, at Jon S.'s apartment in 1975, when he played me "Napoleon Bona, Part One and Two" from their "Bandolier" album. The song was super heavy, with riffs reminiscent of Black Sabbath, but the band had a sound all their own. I went on to buy "Bandolier" and other Budgie albums, and when I was 18, I loved their songs "Breadfan" and "In the Grip of a Tyrefitter's Hand". Metallica covered "Breadfan", and it turned out that Budgie influenced a lot of the 80s and 90s metal bands. I hadn't listened to them in ages, but I never forgot their melodies, and especially their lyrics. Guitarist Tony Bourge was a great player, and Burke Shelly could sing like a combination of Geddy Lee and Bon Scott, but in his own distinctive voice. The thing about Budgie, when I watch them now, is how musical they are. There are lots of groups who can bang out catchy riffs, but how many have songs that you remember 45 years later, when you haven't even heard them for half that time?
R.I.P. Burke Shelly. If you want to see how great these guys were, go to Youtube and search "Budgie live 1974". You'll find a 24 minute compilation of footage from shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test. Every song and performance is great. ////
I hope your day was good, and I send you Tons of Love, as always.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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