A Quick Look: SPACED INVADERS (1989 - color)

At my place for some years now, October ends with a screening of SPACED INVADERS. This delightful comedy features a group of Martian misfits who hear an anniversary re-broadcast of the Mercury Theater's "The War of the Worlds" and take the signal to be authentic. Heading for the source of the signal, the Martians invade the sleepy little town of Big Bean. Their plans of glorious combat and ultimate victory are crippled when the locals mistake them for trick-or-treaters, and that's just the beginning of the fun! Film was popular when released in 1990, and for a few years there was a video and TV staple. "Let me explain the whole situation in a nutshell. There are five of us, and four billion of them. They have strategic air commands, nuclear powered submarines, and John Wayne!"

UPDATE: Those interested in getting the film may do better than the nice DVD release by hunting down the VHS version. Rather than cropping the film for video and television, it appears the distributors instead unmasked the film to make it fit a TV screen. This means there's actually more information (and a few gags) visible in the video version unseen in the theatrical print.

A Quick Look: ERNEST SCARED STUPID (1992 - color)

   Although despised by the hoi polloi, Jim Varney's commercial pitchman Ernest P. Worrell struck a cord with real people and became an icon of the late 20th Century. Commercials led to video specials which ultimately led to the big screen and a series of successful features. ERNEST SCARED STUPID probably represents the high water mark of that series (though most fans agree the best film of the franchise was the previous entry, ERNEST GOES TO JAIL). My generation's answer to ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, horror and slapstick comedy combine. Long ago in Brairville, Missouri, old-world troll Trantor has been abducting the children of the settlers. The right Reverend Fennious Worrell leads the townsfolk in a successful effort to capture and imprison Trantor, burying the monster under the roots of a tree. Trantor vows revenge and places a curse on Fennious, claiming that a Worrell will release him to again spread his terror across the land. A hundred years or so later and your old buddy Ernest does just that on the night before halloween. Now it's up to our lovable redneck to make things right and stop Trantor before the monster can resurrect his troll army -an army powered by the captured souls of local children! A lot of familiar faces from the hit TV series Hey Vern, It's Ernest! are a part of the fun, but Gailard Sartain is conspicuously absent. Prior to this entry, he was a regular supporting player. Earth Kitt plays old lady Hackmoore, the only one who knows the score. I saw this one theatrically myself. The following films never reached this level, although ERNEST RIDES AGAIN is pretty fun. Of note is the opening title sequence, which incorporates a lot of clips from older films like MISSILE TO THE MOON, PHANTOM FROM SPACE, and THE SCREAMING SKULL. It was the first place I got to see a glimpse of THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON! ERNEST SCARED STUPID, a halloween tradition at my place. "Bring me the head of Ernest P. Worrell!"

A Quick Look: THE BRAINIAC (1960)

   When it comes to weird movies, one must make a space for THE BRAINIAC. This loopy Mexican import saw quite a bit of TV play back in the 60's. In a truly stupefying plot, we open with the Spanish Inquisition trying a man who has been using the black arts to corrupt and destroy everything moral and decent. So strong are his powers that he knows the identities of the hooded men passing sentence, and vows his revenge upon them by returning to life 300 years later and killing their descendants. Seems a weak threat, but it's tied to a passing comet and it will return in 300 years. The warlock set aflame at the stake, he somehow transfers his being to the comet. Sure enough, 300 years pass and the comet returns to the skies over 20th century Mexico. The comet falls to earth (in one of the goofiest effects shots you've ever seen) and then transforms into the warlock. Then the warlock transforms into a sort of Martian werewolf which sucks the brains of his victims out via a long, pulsating tongue! Soon, he's stalking the people he vowed to destroy, occasionally turning into the hairy beast-man to do the job. (Weirdly, everyone he desires to kill still live in the exact same area as their ancestors did 300 years previous.) That doesn't even begin to describe it, folks. Any semblance of logic is tossed out the window for whatever the director thought made for a good visual, apparently. The biggie is the Brainiac's habit of eating his victim's brains. The victims are clearly fed upon during the attack, yet later he's seen in human form eating the intact brains which are sitting in a tray and being eaten with a spoon! So, if I follow this, the Brainiac sucks the brains out of his victims with his straw-like tongue... then spits them up whole? And then nibbles on them at his leisure? THE BRAINIAC is considered emblematic of imported Mexican horror films. They tend to have very moody photography inspired by the Universals of the 30's and 40's, but mixed with threadbare production values, listless pacing, and some of the most bizarre plots ever committed to film. Before genre fans of more recent decades began discovering the outre offerings of countries like China and Turkey, the Mexican stuff was considered some of the wildest stuff there was! And this particular film was for decades probably the most visible of the bunch! I've often wondered why an American producer didn't farm the film for it's monster scenes and then build a science fiction picture around them. It would've made a lot more sense!

A Quick Look: THE BEAST AND THE VIXENS (1974 - color)

   Here's a particularly odd 70's offering. THE BEAST AND THE VIXENS was apparently a skin-flick cash-in on the Bigfoot craze, though the sex and nudity practically vanish in the second half. So I'm not sure if the film is supposed to be a skin flick with a monster or a monster movie with skin. I'm unsure how to classify it. Either way, it's a dirt-cheap exploitation movie in which some young people go to a woodland cabin and get mixed up with murderous crooks while Bigfoot is lurking about and abducting young women. None of that is anywhere near as exciting as it probably sounds, though the first few minutes are an absolute delight if you're a fan of cheapo monster movies. Unfortunately, it goes down hill fast and never quite recovers. Idiocies abound, like showing the monster imprison young women in his goofily cheap cave and barring the entrance with little more than a tree branch (most disturbingly, the movie apparently forgets the girls are even in there and we never see them again). The most notable bit of casting is that of magazine model and porno queen Ushi Daggard (Daggart?), who really wasn't all that pretty. Issued on VHS (and later disk) as THE BEAUTIES AND THE BEAST. Let me best describe it as it progresses. It starts off a monster movie, becomes a drama of sorts, then turns into a skin flick in earnest, then more boring drama, then threadbare crime film. Odd, dull, and goofy. Can YOU screen the whole thing in one sitting? Even I had to lean on the fast forward button, and that's not a habit of mine!

A Quick Look: KILLERS FROM SPACE (1954)

   Here we have a movie somewhat better than it's reputation would have us believe. Peter Graves is a test pilot/scientist who miraculously survives the crash of his plane during a survey of a recently-exploded A-bomb. Soon, though, he comes to realize that he's being controlled by beings from another planet -creatures who saved Peter from death in order to use him as a spy! Ultimately, the invaders plan to destroy all human life with an army of enlarged insects and lizards! Moody little picture has some great visuals (and some shakey ones, too, admittedly) and a neat cast which includes a number of familiar faces. Economical, but effective science fiction suspenser is usually written off because Harry Thomas' invader make-ups are considered so farcical. This is the movie with the infamous "aliens with ping-pong ball eyes" which has drawn considerable scorn over the years. In truth, the enlarged eyes of the invaders (explained in the movie as mutation caused by the death of their sun) are actually cradles from egg cartons. Somber, almost claustrophobic picture is best watched with the lights out. The same production team also gave us the interesting-but-listless PHANTOM FROM SPACE and the threadbare THE SNOW CREATURE, which was possibly the very first yeti movie.

A Quick Look: VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)

   One of the classic British science fiction thrillers was THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED. In it, a mysterious sleep falls over a tiny rural village. Later, every woman of child-bearing age is just as mysteriously with child. The children born are uniformly light-haired and fine-featured, and it is soon discovered think and act as a collective. More terrifying is that the children evidence strange powers of mental and physical manipulation. One of the greats, done in that essential British style of playing the concept absolutely seriously. George Saunders stars. Recommended highly.
   The film sired an inferior semi-sequel film, THE CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED. It's not that CHILDREN is a bad film or anything, it's just that VILLAGE was so superior. In the 1990's was a re-make of the original film, which from the start was more or less universally agreed to be a pointless affair.

A Quick Look: THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957 - color)

   In 1957, Hammer Films of England had found some success with it's science fiction pictures and turned an eye toward gothic horror. Rather than the comparatively budget-minded approach of the Quatermass films, however, THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN was a lavish, full-color production boasting some of the top talent the Brits had to offer. Peter Cushing shines as the driven, though immoral, Dr. Frankenstein. Christopher Lee plays the Monster. Both actors would be associated with the genre from then on. Though the story of Frankenstein challenging the laws of science and creation to patch together his own test tube human being who escapes and goes on a rampage was highly familiar by this time, Hammer's take was so vivid and effective that it set a new standard. Some have dismissed Hammer's winning formula to be little more than taking an old idea and adding to it color, cleavage, and blood, but there's much more to it than that. The film features a level of production value worthy of period costume epics, and the straight-faced British approach to acting really sells the fantastic plot. A trend-setter, and a success. THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN did so well for Hammer that the studio began looking for similar properties. THE HORROR OF DRACULA firmly established the studio's new position as King of Horror. THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN followed shortly after, kicking off a wave of elegant color re-interpretations of classic horror stories that would last through the next decade. Hammer would periodically return to the Frankenstein legend, with Peter Cushing playing the not-so-good doctor in titles like THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN, FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN, and FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL.

A Quick Look: HORROR OF DRACULA (1958 - color)

   After the success of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Hammer Films followed-up with the next logical choice. HORROR OF DRACULA was a lush revamp on the familiar story of evil vampire Count Dracula infecting London, challenged only by the righteous and learned Dr. Van Helsing. As Peter Cushing's Frankenstein was the emblem of subdued evil, his Van Helsing shines forth as one of the great cinematic heroes. He would return to the character in THE BRIDES OF DRACULA, which may stand as my single favorite Hammer vampire movie. Christopher Lee for the first time plays Dracula, a character he would be long associated with. Lee's Dracula is more animal than man, not seducing so much as overpowering. Easily one of Hammer's best horror movies, and one of the studio's best monsters. Lee would return to the role of Dracula numerous times, eventually re-teaming with Peter Cushing (as a descendant of the original Van Helsing) in DRACULA A.D. 1972 and it's sequel. Beginning in '57, Cushing and Lee were to be frequent spooker co-stars, and horror fans were delighted. Even after numerous such episodes, however, HORROR OF DRACULA remains one of the finest examples of the breed. It's the one against which all other Hammer vampire movies (and a great many vampire movies in general) are measured.

A Quick Look: ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE (1964 - color)

   ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE was a Japanese film imported to American television in the 60's. Though shot in scope and color, it was seen in the States only cropped and black and white (reportedly, anyway. I note that the clip used in IT CAME FROM HOLLYWOOD was in color). Given the moody desolation and haunting visuals, this is one Toho film that might actually play better in black and white! The story concerns a group of society people who become shipwrecked on a tiny island boasting a strange secret. As they begin to fight with each other, it becomes clear only too late that their bodies are being taken over by the island's native, intelligent fungus! It has been noted before that the film plays like the very dark alternative to Gilligan's Island. The castaways in both groups include a Skipper, a first mate, a professor, an actress, a millionaire, and a sweet office girl! More oddly, both projects were created at almost the exact same time! The connection is only coincidence, however. Spooky, damp affair is perfect material for halloween viewing. A very nice DVD release came from Tokyo Shock. And unlike most of the Tokyo Shock line, the disk's use of the international dub isn't as much of a cheat. Reportedly, ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE had only the one dub. If so, it would be one of the earliest American releases of an international dub.

A Quick Look: THE NIGHT CALLER (1965)

   THE NIGHT CALLER is one of those films that deftly illustrate why British genre films have an edge to them. Basically, it's because they under-play everything and keep even the wildest concept grounded in reality. In this one, for example, an invader comes to earth to find young women and collects them by means of an advertisement for models in a prominent glamor magazine! John Saxon stars. The film is most effective in it's early moments, when an alien device is being studied. Unpredictable turns ahead. Worth a look. A neat double feature could be cooked up by including THE UNEARTHLY STRANGER...

A Quick Look: THE CRAWLING HAND (1963)

   Here's an early 60's drive-in essential a bit better than it's reputation would have you believe, though don't expect THE CRAWLING HAND to be anything other than the little independent B that it is. An astronaut picks up a strange bug that throws him into fits of insane, murderous rage. He manages to talk ground control into destructing his capsule before he can splash down, but unfortunately a bit of his arm survives and washes up on a California beach. A troubled teen discovers the hand and takes it home, after which the virus infects him. Meanwhile, the virus also keeps the hand alive and it begins crawling around and strangling people. Fairly generic teen-age horror trappings are given a boost by the incredible cast the producers managed to assemble. You'll see Peter Breck, Kent Taylor, Allison Hayes, Alan Hale Jr, Arline Judge, Richard Arlen, Tristam Coffin, and Ross Elliott on hand, no pun intended. Reportedly, Burt Reynolds was screen-tested for the young male lead, but didn't impress the producers! His turn would come, of course. If I have my information straight, THE CRAWLING HAND played double bill with another under-rated effort, THE SLIME PEOPLE.

   By the way, note that the newspaper in the ad materials is dated 1969. This seems to indicate that THE CRAWLING HAND is set in the future. And, weirdly, in the year that man actually landed on the moon!

A Quick Look: QUEEN OF BLOOD (1966 - color)

   QUEEN OF BLOOD is representative of a subset of gothic horror space operas (more well-known examples would include PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES and LIFEFORCE, and some have made the case for the visually-neat-but-very-hollow-and-overlong ALIEN). In this one, the crew of a space ship must contend with the passenger they saved from a crashed alien ship -who just happens to be a vampire! One of those films that came about because producer Roger Corman had some effects sequences from a foreign epic. One of the first films I saw on laserdisc. John Saxon stars. Not bad horror/space opera antics worth a look if you're ever in it's path.

A Quick Look: PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1959)

    PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, as you are no doubt aware, has largely been accepted as the single worst motion picture ever produced. That, of course, is an incorrect statement, since the film is at the very least entertaining. Let us call it the most technically inept motion picture of all time, and that'd be much fairer (though still, shockingly, inaccurate). In a plot vaguely similar to INVISIBLE INVADERS, spacemen resurrect the bodies of the recent dead in order to attack humanity -albeit on a much smaller scale. Muddled script presents the invaders as benevolent, only wanting to get the attention of our government and scientific heads so as to prevent them from creating the ultimate, galaxy-destroying explosive. Yet, for all their desire to make contact with us, they go to extremes to keep themselves hidden. The main Martian even has the other ships under his command taken away because they've been seen -which is apparently the reason he was issued the craft in the first place! Eclectic cast includes familiar character actor Lyle Talbot, leading man Gregory Walcott, wrestler Tor Johnson, TV horror hostess Vampira, Wood stock players Paul Marco and Conrad Brooks, fake psychic Criswell, and of course, the already deceased Bela Lugosi! Technical ineptitudes run rampant, occasionally defused by a genuinely iconic image. Some of the scenes, or at least individual shots (such as Tor Johnson rising from his grave) are quite moody. Probably the most meandering Ed Wood script (aside from GLEN OR GLENDA), and certainly the most visible film of his limited output. As to director Ed Wood, he's a hard duck to pin down. His obvious enthusiasm for making movies seems to run counter to his apparent lack of even a token effort. His films are at once works of love and a complete lack of care. The effect is surreal, and I think that's what has kept Wood's name alive while so many of his peers are largely forgotten today. Only die-hard movie nuts remember the likes of Coleman Francis or Phil Tucker or H.G. Lewis, but Ed Wood is a household name. Eddie finally found the success he always craved, it's just that he'd been dead for several decades. Those interested in a great documentary should seek out ED WOOD: LOOK BACK IN ANGORA.

A Quick Look: THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH (1964)

   Here's one that, for all it's faults, delivers the cheesy goods. Though the script meanders all over the place, and is supremely troubled on the science front (carbon-14 testing has some connection to cutting edge genetics, an unheated beaker of sodium is in liquid form despite the fact that sodium liquefies at something like 120 degrees, and of course toxic waste causes seaweed and human bones to mutate into vampire-zombie-fish-men...), the film nonetheless offers up a fun and frenzied melting pot of science fiction, horror, monsters, beach parties, bikers, bikinis, teenagers, cops, and action. When it comes to early 60's drive-in fun, THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH is just about perfect, flaws or no. The film played double bill with the atmospheric (though comparatively boring) period piece THE CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE, notable for an early appearance by Roy Scheider.

A Quick Look: TORMENTED (1959)

   TORMENTED is my favorite ghost movie. Doesn't hurt that it stars Richard Carlson, who I've been a fan of since childhood! Carlson plays Tom Stewart, a jazz pianist who intends to get married and tries to break things off with his old girlfriend, Vi. She makes it clear she's going to hound him until he comes back to her, then the lighthouse railing she's leaning on gives way. Tom hesitates to save her (an excellently-played scene in which Tom comes off as both guilty and innocent), and Vi falls to her death in the surf below. Even after death, though, Vi isn't ready to call things off with Tom! A marvelous under-rated gem from director Bert Gordon, filled with familiar faces and a unique, jazz-influenced score. I really can't say how much I like this picture. Now, if only a nice clean print would get released! Being a public domain film, there're several releases on disk, but all the ones I've seen have been really rough.

A Quick Look: 13 GHOSTS (1960)

   13 GHOSTS told of a typical American family that inherits an old estate which proves to be haunted by multiple ghosts. Turns out the former owner was a collector of ghosts! The ghosts become visible whenever a character wears some special glasses, and on this hangs the William Castle gimmick. Patrons were given their own "ghost viewer" when they came into the theater, which had two strips of colored cellophane. To see the ghosts, you looked through the red filter. If you were chicken and didn't want to see the ghosts, you looked through the blue filter! This process, called Illusion-O, was one of the few Castle gimmicks that could be translated to a home entertainment medium. A lovely DVD release includes the Illusion-O version as well as the TV version! A bit more whimsical than HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, but it still has some good moments.

A Quick Look: THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (1959/62)

    THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE is legend in "bad" movie circles, though even those critics will usually grant that the picture has more going for it than one might casually observe. Bill is a surgeon who challenges the established medical laws by experimenting on whatever tissues he can get ahold of. Though he saves a patient's life after the rest of the staff has declared him dead, Bill is reprimanded. All isn't frustration, however, as he's also dating his lovely nurse, Jan. The happy couple is planning their wedding, but that has to be put off when Bill crashes his car not far from his isolated home/laboratory. Jan's head has been completely detached in the crack-up, but Bill manages to get it back to the lab in time to use his experimental serum on her. Jan lives, though reduced to a head confined to a tray fed by wires and pumps. Bill vows that his bride will have a new body, a perfect body, and begins the hunt for one. Jan, horrified at her own position as well as Bill's murderous mania in keeping her alive, wishes only to die. Bill thinks he has a good subject on hand when he runs across a former patient -a camera club model with a scarred face. Meanwhile, Jan strikes up a bargain with the unseen monster confined to that secret room over there in the corner... A bizarre melding of science fiction, early gore, and peepshow sleaze, the film was considered too hot when filmed in 1959. It finally saw release in 1962, when American International Pictures scooped it up and paired it with it's listless comedy spoof INVASION OF THE STAR CREATURES. BRAIN's moody photography gives it a certain edge it probably shouldn't have. The film's rather abrupt ending is so berserk as to be almost arty. Reportedly, there was supposed to be more to the climax, which was to be shot in color. Budget concerns probably nixed that idea. Original title, which can be glimpsed in the end credits, was THE HEAD THAT WOULDN'T DIE. Interestingly enough, the German film THE HEAD is basically a European version of THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE. Emblematic of black and white schlock, THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE eventually became something of an icon. It's been parodied as a stage musical in recent decades (though one could easily ask what property hasn't been given that treatment), and supposedly a remake (!) is slated for release next year. The film eventually found itself a subject of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and in fact it was the movie for the first episode in which Mike Nelson was host. Be warned that there are multiple cuts of the film. Sinister Cinema has a nice, supposedly complete, version in their catalog. A newer DVD release reportedly restores some brief nudie footage of the camera club model.

A Quick Look: DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN (1971 - color)

   Al Adamson's DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN was from Independent International, a company specializing in turning nearly unwatchable dreck into drive-in standards. In a very muddled plot, mad scientist Frankenstein, in between his blood experiments, is trying to revive the family monster when Dracula joins forces with him to entrap Regina Carroll. Eventually, Dracula takes command of the monster until things turn sour and the two creatures duke it out. Mess that it is, I actually found it fairly enjoyable B movie shenanigans, though it suffers from the studio's method of production. It began life as a mad scientist picture, in which Regina Carroll was nearly victim of some bizarre blood experiments being conducted underneath a pier carnival. Then Dracula and the monster were added, and the generic mad scientist became another Frankenstein. This version had a more satisfactory ending than the one eventually used, but audiences demanded to see the monsters fight as the title implied (this the audience complained about, not the numerous technical faults). A new ending was cobbled together in which the vampire and the monster go at it. Regina Carroll was the only non-monster cast member who was still available for the reshoot, so her romantic interest had to be vaporized by Dracula! Whatever it's faults, which are plenty, the film boasts a truly amazing cast. Anthony Eisley is the lead, joined by such familiar faces as Russ Tamblyn, Jim Davis, Angelo Rossitto, Lon Chaney (in his final film), and J. Carrol Naish as the latest Frankenstein. Oh, and Forry Ackerman has one of his showier bit parts, which was described in full detail in his Famous Monsters magazine! Goofy, threadbare drive-in schlock became a huge hit, proving Adamson and his partner Sam Sherman really knew what they were doing (even if there's no screen evidence of that). Confusing things a bit, the same title was used for two other films released around the same time, in one case, as the TV title for ASSIGNMENT: TERROR. DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN was released on double bill with HORROR OF THE BLOOD MONSTERS, a movie that's such a mess as to make our current subject look like a masterpiece!

A Quick Look: "IT'S ALIVE" (1969 - color)

    When it comes to forgotten/easily-overlooked dinosaur movies, "IT'S ALIVE" is probably the holder of the crown. Not to be confused with Larry Cohen's 70's monster baby movie IT'S ALIVE, "IT'S ALIVE" was one of the films Texas director Larry Buchanan shot for AIP-TV in the 60's. In fact, this may've been his last one, coming in 1969. The plot concerned motorists being held captive by an insane man who happens to have a living dinosaur in his private underground cavern (thus further confusing things, as the plot has vague similarities to Tobe Hooper's EATEN ALIVE). Tommy Kirk and Buchanan regular Bill Thurman star. As you can see, the film's "dinosaur" was a generic gillman creature. Buchanan had earlier used the suit for his remake of THE SHE CREATURE, CREATURE OF DESTRUCTION. "IT'S ALIVE" actually made use of an original screenplay, as opposed to being yet another remake of an earlier AIP release, written to take advantage of Larry's unique brand of limited film-making. While cheap, and at times rather crude (technically speaking), the film is actually fairly effective when all is said and done. The film even seems ahead of it's time in predicting the 70's psycho-thriller drive-in monster movies that would become so popular with independent producers. Needless to say, we never get this good a look at the beastie in the actual film. I once ran across a list of movie monsters and this one was dubbed The Cheap Monster. That's actually kind of an endearing title, and it highlights exactly why these films have a draw to them. They're like really ambitious home movies, using whatever materials can be scrounged. Somehow, this patently fake (looking for all the world like an off-the-rack halloween costume) monster carries with it an unashamed charm.

A Quick Look: SON OF DRACULA (1943)

   When Universal began to take advantage of having the junior Lon Chaney under contract, they tried to shape him into the new horror superstar by casting him in various monster roles. THE WOLF MAN, of course, was his signature role. From there, the studio cast him as the Frankenstein monster and the living mummy, and even gave him a series of horror/crime pictures under the combined Inner Sanctum title. He was also cast as the king of vampires in SON OF DRACULA, pictured here. Fans and critics generally agree that the film is quite good, but that Chaney was miscast. His all-American every-man qualities ill fit the role of a stately European Count. He gives it a good try, though, and the film remains one of the fine examples of 40's Universal horror. The plot concerns Dracula's arrival in bayou country, in order to marry a young woman who has contacted him. Her real intentions, however, are to have Dracula convert her into the undead and then she'll destroy him to inherit the world with another man she plans to put the bite on! Thus, a blend of the horror films of the previous decade and the new breed of crime thrillers currently all the rage! The film sports some wonderfully moody photography, enhanced by the swamp settings. Most worth a look.

A Quick Look: BEAST FROM HUANTED CAVE (1958)

   BEAST FROM HAUNTED CAVE was one of the dozens of monster pictures to be unleashed during the last half of the 1950's. In some ways, and I don't mean this at all to the film's detriment, it foreshadows the cranked-out direct-to-video movies which ruined The Sci-Fi Channel back in the late 90's. The story concerns a group of crooks who knock-off a gold depository in a small skiing town, then take to the wilderness by partaking in a cross-country ski tour package. Following them, however, is a ghostly cave creature... Natural locations add to the production value of a somewhat limited scenario. The cast is good, the monster neat, and the photography can get pretty moody at times. The ending is one of the most abrupt seen outside a British genre film of the same era. Like a number of these films, it was expanded for television a couple years later. Unlike most of them, most of the original cast was reassembled and made subject of the new footage. Although a major plus to these films is how taught they are by their skimpy runtimes, BEAST FROM HAUNTED CAVE reportedly was made stronger in it's expanded format. I haven't seen that version myself yet, but I'm certainly intrigued!

A Quick Look: SQUIRM (1976 - color)

   Probably one of the last B pictures make-up man Rick Baker (no relation) did prior to the disastrous KING KONG remake was American International's SQUIRM. SQUIRM tells of the aftermath of a powerful storm, which has downed a powerline now releasing high voltage into the wet earth. This has brought forth hordes of flesh-eating worms from deep within the ground. Unfortunately, this is exactly the time that Mick has come from New York to search Fly Creek for antiques -and make time with his new girl Jerrie. When the couple discover a human skeleton, they find themselves caught up in the invasion from underground -and the only ones aware enough to stay ahead of the million-mouthed eating machine. Roger, bumpkin son of the local worm farmer, has claimed Jerrie as his own and tries to make an advance on her while the two are out fishing. When she slaps him away, he falls face-first into a pile of killer worms. In the film's most infamous sequence, the worms burrow their way into Roger's face! SQUIRM is one of those regional horror movies dripping with atmosphere and local color, beautifully shot and overall nicely edited. The cast is good, and the direction is crisp -which is somewhat surprising since they reportedly had a hard time taking this work seriously. The characters even manage to remain interesting despite not being the most likeable bunch ever put on film (our official heroes smoke pot, for example). The movie was a big hit for AIP, and was actually one of the more solid entries in the sometimes iffy "nature strikes back" genre. Flawless? No, but there are worse ways to kill a couple hours. Not for the overly squeamish, though.

A Quick Look: THE SCREAMING SKULL (1958)

   From the Golden Age of American International Pictures, THE SCREAMING SKULL seems to be one of those movies fans of 50's horror either love or hate. The plot concerns a young woman recently released from a mental institution and beginning her new life as a blushing bride. Unfortunately, she's being plagued by spectral manifestations of the ghost of her new husband's former wife -including a human skull that doggedly refuses to leave her alone! Peggy Webber is our star, and she was newly with child during the filming. This gave her a more voluptuous form which director Alex Nicol exploited by showcasing her in a nightgown clingy in the right places and sheer in others. He also back-lit Peggy so her legs would show through the long fabric, something she was unaware of and somewhat upset to see in the finished film! John Hudson, twin brother of William Hudson, plays the husband. Director Nicol pulls double duty as the child-like gardener, Mickey. With a cast of about six people and a large, empty estate as the setting, the film holds together better than one might expect. It's nothing overly spectacular, but it is effective in a late-night, turn-off-the-lights sort of way. I am loath to reveal too much of the plot, which has a few twists newcomers to the film might not expect. AIP sold the film with a gimmick that if you died of fright while viewing the film, the studio would pay for your funeral arrangements! William Castle used the same gag for MACABRE. After falling into the public domain, THE SCREAMING SKULL is available from numerous cheapo video and disk distributors. Unfortunately, this means a lot of beat up prints in circulation. Even my copy is missing some footage!

A Quick Look: THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE (1958)

   One of Universal International's comparatively minor B horror films, THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE still has quite a bit going for it. The cast is good, there are some strong visuals, and UI production values are quite visible. Offbeat story involves a sweet young girl with a talent for water divination. She discovers not a new well, but an ancient chest buried under a rural farm field. She immediately warns her family and friends not to unearth the chest, but of course they do anyway -and even take it to the main house. A ranch hand, thinking the chest will contain gold or similar treasure, convinces his lunkhead sidekick to open the chest. The contents are actually the still-living head of a warlock executed centuries before. The head quickly overpowers those who look it in the eye, including our lovely leading lady! Soon, the head has everybody looking for his body, also buried on the property. Tales of the supernatural were hot in the mid 50's, spearheaded by the Bridey Murphy reincarnation hoax. THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE was also one of the first (possibly very first) living head movies. Most that followed were science fiction stories, leaving the Thing one of the few supernatural ones. The film is handsome, but limited. Kept to a single setting of the family ranch, it plays at times less like a feature film and more like the strangest episode of Bonanza ever written -although the adventures of the Cartwrights often felt more like movies than a television show, so that might not be the best comparison.

A Quick Look: DRACULA A.D.1972 (1972 - color)

   DRACULA A.D.1972 tells how Dracula is revived in 20th Century London. Fortunately, the great-grandson of vampire killer Van Helsing is living in London and puts the pieces together before Dracula can fully implement his evil plans. The film saw a direct sequel in THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA (aka DRACULA AND HIS VAMPIRE BRIDE). This time around, Dracula has contracted with a cult to unleash a deadly plague unless Van Helsing can stop him. These Modern Day Dracula films from Hammer have never been held in high regard by critics, who at best felt them a distant echo of the gothic period pieces which put Hammer on the map. I can only speak for myself, but I rather like these two films. A screening of both pretty soon wouldn't be a bad idea, I'm thinking. Oh, and be sure to drop by YouTube to enjoy Joshua Kennedy's homage to these films, DRACULA A.D.2015.

A Quick Look: THE CREEPING UNKNOWN (1956)

   This moody image comes from THE CREEPING UNKNOWN, the first of two films to star Brian Donlevy as the driven scientist Professor Quatermass. In his first adventure, Quatermass must find out why his experimental rocket returned to Earth carrying only one of the three-man crew. While this mystery is dug into, the single survivor is going through constant mutation. Quatermass tries to keep a check on this, but the mutant astronaut is soon missing and horror quickly spreads. Based on a BBC teleserial by name of "The Quatermass Xperiment" and called by that name in England, THE CREEPING UNKNOWN was a colossal smash. ENEMY FROM SPACE followed shortly. Sadly (at least for a Donlevy fan like myself), the part of Quatermass was re-cast when the character returned almost a decade later for FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH. Meanwhile, audiences could always enjoy X THE UNKNOWN as an unofficial Quatermass entry. Very recently, Joshua Kennedy paid tribute to THE CREEPING UNKNOWN via THE VESUVIOUS XPERIMENT. From a technical standpoint, that may've represented Mr. Kennedy's best work so far (though I must admit that I haven't seen the last few films, so he may've surpassed it already).

A Quick Look: ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)

  ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN was a ground-breaking boxoffice-buster which helped to revive two of Universal's most popular franchises -both of which were running out of steam before someone had the brilliant idea of combining both properties into a single film. The results still impress. Bud and Lou play baggage clerks who find themselves handling crates containing the remains of Dracula and the Frankenstein monster. Lou is the only one who sees that the monsters are still alive, but nobody will believe him. Until, that is, Larry Talbot hits town, hot on Dracula's trail. This is just a wonderful film. The monsters are in top form and Bud and Lou are in their prime. Very strong script holds everything together, with the funny men being funny and the monsters playing it straight. The film was so successful that it kicked off a whole series of Abbott and Costello monster films. It was more or less remade outright in later decades by the Mexicans and the Turks (and I think even the Egyptians) to star their own top comics! Bela Lugosi plays Count Dracula on film for only the second time, but he's still at the top of his game. Sadly, his eternal youth was just about to run out on him. Recently, a series of books has been penned, in which Bela Lugosi and Lou Costello find themselves involved in murder mysteries on the Universal backlot!

A Quick Look: ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1954)

   Bud and Lou were re-teamed with Boris Karloff in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (one of the very first films I got to see in the form of one of those little silent 8mm digests from Castle Films). Of course, the Mr. Hyde performance was provided by stuntman Eddie Parker. Again the boys play detectives, this time at the turn of the century. What possible connection can kindly Dr. Jekyll have to the murderous Mr.Hyde? Some pretty incredible effects in this one include Lou turning into a half-human mouse after visiting the Doctor's lab. Later, Lou is injected with Mr. Hyde serum and goes on a rampage as the real Hyde is running about, leading to an amazing foot-chase with Bud, Hyde, Hyde-Lou, and leading man Craig Stevens across the rooftops! Another delightful blending of genres.

A Quick Look: FRANKENSTEIN 1970 (1958)

   In the 50's, it was common practice to take gothic horror elements and adapt them to contemporary times. FRANKENSTEIN 1970 tried to go one better and move it's story into the near future (although, the placement along the timeline has little bearing on the story itself, which remains very firmly anchored in the 50's). Boris Karloff is the latest Last Of The Frankensteins, and he rather resentfully rents out his ancestral castle to a television crew filming a documentary about the infamous Frankenstein legend. Frankenstein, his body broken by brutal treatment at the hands of his Nazi captors during the War, has little in the way of love for any other human being. He's also got a monster... Though it blows it's shocking twist ending by telegraphing it nearly half way in, FRANKENSTEIN 1970 is a fair addition to the 50's monster cycle. Filmed in CinemaScope, the picture manages to make use of several moody sets despite being confined to the castle and grounds of the Frankenstein home. Karloff had played the Monster, so his casting as Frankenstein seems a natural. Boris despised having to do the picture, however, and let some of his bitterness come out through his crotchety elder Frankenstein (which actually works as he's a brilliant surgeon who lost the full use of his hands thanks to the Nazis). Not perfect, of course, but it's always fun to see another of these 50's gems.

A Quick Look: BILLY THE KID VS DRACULA (1966 - color)

   There were surprisingly few horror-western hybrids during the heyday of the horse opera, although there were so many oat burners that a few with monsters did get made. The ones I've seen tend to be really good, too, so I've always lamented the fact that they didn't make more of them. In the mid 60's, an iconic drive-in double feature presented the true zenith of this subgenre in JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER and BILLY THE KID VS DRACULA. I've never understood it, but BILLY THE KID VS DRACULA is seemingly always written off as a terrible movie. Having screened it again just recently, I still don't know why. The film is a dandy mixture of straight horror and western drama. Billy has found a new life of honest work and the love of a good woman, but his past still dogs him. When a vampire turns up in town, Billy is the only one who can stop him! Needless to say, there are certain historical inaccuracies concerning Billy, but I've always liked the idea that the film is set after his faked death (as we saw in THE OUTLAW), after Billy turned over a new leaf and tried to put his old life behind him. John Carradine returns to the role of the vampire king, although the name of Dracula is never actually spoken in the film itself. The real shame is that, while the co-feature can at least boast a nice DVD release, this one is almost impossible to come by. Despite some semi-regular television play in the last few decades, a good official release has never come to VHS or DVD. The TV prints, meanwhile, tend to be processed too dark. I'm hoping the film gets it's long-deserved pristine release to home video very soon. We can only use more delights like this. For more vampire-western thrills, see CURSE OF THE UNDEAD.

A Quick Look: SHOCK WAVES (1977 - color)

   One of the better genre films of the 70's, SHOCK WAVES was also one of the earliest in the subgenre of Nazi zombie movies. It was also the only good one, going by what I've seen. Castaways find themselves on an island seemingly inhabited only by mysterious Peter Cushing, but it turns out Cushing is an exiled Nazi scientist responsible for creating an undying squad of aquatic SS killers -still lurking just off shore! Silly as it might sound, it's actually a boffo picture. "Once, they were ALMOST human!" screamed the ads. Also starring John Carradine, although the main focus of the film is a very young Brooke Adams (who looks incredible in her teeny yellow bikini, it must be noted). The premise of undead Nazis surfaced again in the 80's. OASIS OF THE ZOMBIES was an indecipherable little film set in the desert, while ZOMBIES LAKE was an astoundingly inept French(?) picture in which Nazi zombies rise from a lake near a secluded mountain town where the girls tend to spend their free time skinny-dipping. This film seems to be set in the late 50's, but there's not a single element (hair, cars, technology, clothing, etc) that doesn't scream 1980! Makeups change from shot to shot, camera equipment is boldly in frame, the tone changes constantly, the script makes no sense whatsoever, it truly defies description (but whatever it is, it ain't boring). I believe more recent years saw a snow-bound Nazi zombie movie. It all started (arguably*) with SHOCK WAVES, though, and the film remains the high water mark (no pun intended) of the subset.

(*Indeed, one could make a case for MADMEN OF MANDORAS or THE FROZEN DEAD -that one I haven't seen yet, but I must, Dana Andrews fan that I am- as really originating the theme, but SHOCK WAVES really solidified it.)

A Quick Look: THE RETURN OF DR. X (1943)

   Here's one remembered mostly for it's trivia value, as THE RETURN OF DR.X was the only horror movie to star Humphrey Bogart! Reportedly, Bogie was acting up and the film was given to him by the studio as a way of putting him back in his place (sort of like Paul Kelly being in the serial THE SECRET CODE). THE RETURN OF DR.X follows the investigation of a series of blood-drained murder victims, and clues point to a hemophiliac research scientist who seems to be a man who was put to death some years ago! Mild programmer has some nice atmospheric visuals and good performances, but would likely be forgotten today if not for the lark casting of Bogie as a boogieman. The title may imply it, but this has no connection to the popular DOCTOR X from a few years previous. Those looking for a good October movie, though, really should give DOCTOR X a go. An early two-strip Technicolor science fiction murder mystery combines full moons and shadowy figures with massive art-deco sets to provide a real treat! My highest recommendation. I also highly recommend the Peter Lorre vehicle MAD LOVE.

A Quick Look: PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965 - color)

   Here's one that combines the gothic horror of the Hammer cycle with the science fiction trappings of a space opera, both very popular themes in the mid 60's. PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES tells of a spaceship forced down on a very old, very evil world populated by invisible beings seeking to take over the bodies of our heroes. Barry Sullivan stars. From the over-rated Italian director Mario Bava, the film is heavy on atmosphere and has some strong visuals (Bava's real strength was as a cinematographer). Some amazing sets include the massive interiors of the spaceships, which seem to have room enough for 80 basketball courts. The black leather uniforms look particularly uncomfortable, though! Near perfect pulp drive-in space opera.

A Quick Look: NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957)

    Director Roger Corman and actor Paul Birch teamed up yet again, this time for Allied Artists, to make NOT OF THIS EARTH. This is a really solid little B picture that's rather sadly on the obscure side today. Birch is an enigmatic gentleman with a peculiar blood condition. He hires pretty nurse Beverly Garland to tend to his nightly transfusions. In truth, Birch is a scout from a planet of vampires looking into the possibilities of conquering Earth and turning us inhabitants into a blood bank! Like a good many 50's B pictures of this sort, it ran too short to fit comfortably in television time slots. Footage was repeated and a long text prolog about the nature of dreams added. The film eventually vanished from TV in the 60's, when color programming became the norm. This television version is the one most of us videonauts have seen, although I believe I heard of a nice DVD release in recent years. Despite the film's relative obscurity after it's theatrical run and subsequent television visit, the film left an impact with viewers. It's been officially remade at least twice, the first time in the 90's and generating a bit of notoriety in filling the Beverly Garland role with infamous former jail-bait porn queen Traci Lords.

A Quick Look: ORGY OF THE DEAD (1966 - color)

   Here we have an interesting little number. ORGY OF THE DEAD was a bizarre cross between a horror movie and a nudie cutie (pre-porno skin flicks focused on naked girls). It plays like halloween night in a strip club, in fact. The story, such as it is, involves stranded motorists who have the misfortune to break down next to an isolated cemetery hosting the annual Review Of The Dead, or some such. Horror novelist Bob and his gal Shirley look on as the King of the Ghouls passes judgment on a series of dead women -which basically means that they each do a themed dance number and if they please the King, they get to move on to the afterlife. There's a Roman slave girl, a Squaw, a Hawaiian dancer, a murderous bride, a stripper, and so forth, each topless. Though it's short on story (eventually the King's mummy and werewolf henchman snatch Bob and Shirley and tie them to stakes closer to the action, where they will be the victims of the King's Vampira-esque moll if the festivities don't last until sunrise), the film is wildly entertaining. The script was provided by Ed Wood, based upon his novel of the same name! Though Wood himself didn't direct, all his usual directorial flourishes are on display. Continuity is non-existent, day and night are interchangeable, stock footage is ineptly spliced into the action, cues are blown, camera work is incredibly poor, etc. The dialog is a scream, particularly the lines spouted by the King -played by Wood regular, TV "psychic" Criswell. Criswell is obviously sauced through the whole affair, and on top of that had difficulty reading his cue cards through the heavy fog pumped onto the set. He visibly looks beyond the actors and strains his eyes to read his lines before turning back to the scene and delivering his words with all the conviction of a five year old in a school play about vegetables. On the plus side, the film is in gorgeous color and the photography is nice and sharp. The music is interesting and at times even catchy. The cast has some interesting faces and figures. Burlesque starlet Pat Barrington plays two roles, one as redheaded Shirley and another as a platinum blonde ghost obsessed with gold. The Hawaiian dancer is 60's nude model Mickey Jines, who has the body of an Elvgren girl! There are a few girls here who are pretty easy on the eyes, so there's visual interest beyond the technical ineptitudes. For the most part, though, entertainment is derived from the wacky production values of a typical Ed Wood master work. Criswell in particular gets funnier and funnier as the show progresses. Not for everyone, obviously, but ORGY OF THE DEAD has a lot more (granted unintentional) entertainment value than one would expect. Released on a very nice DVD by Rhino Home Video. By the way, "Shirley" was the name Ed used when he was in drag. Freud would have had a field day with Wood.

A Quick Look: THE CAT PEOPLE (1940)

   In the early 40's, producer Val Lewton was more or less forced to make a horror picture for RKO. Lacking the budget to really provide the sort of stunning visuals that audiences had come to expect thanks to the Universal epics, Lewton instead focused on moody lighting and strong atmosphere. Val figured what the audience didn't see was actually more frightening than anything they did see, and his efforts were rewarded in the masterpiece that is THE CAT PEOPLE. The insanely adorable Simone Simon stars as an immigrant girl who falls in love with all-American Kent Smith. They marry, but Simone is terrified that she has inherited a curse from her old-world bloodline. She believes herself to be one of the Cat People, and if she lets her husband touch her, she'll turn into a killer cat and slaughter him. This puts a wedge between the couple and Smith eventually find his attentions being sought by pretty co-worker Jane Randolph. Meanwhile, smarmy psychologist Tom Conway thinks he can exploit Simone's fears into instigating an affair. Very strong drama, expertly told, with more adult situations that one usually finds in this kind of programmer. The film was a smash hit, and Lewton's less-is-more tactic was employed for a whole series of horror pictures still considered to be some of the best genre movies ever made. This whole affair would be referenced in THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL in the 50's. The 50's also produced a quasi-remake in the form of THE CAT GIRL. The story was famously sexed up and remade under the same title as the original in the early 80's. Meanwhile, there was a follow-up made shortly after the original.
   Val Lewton didn't think THE CAT PEOPLE was really right for a sequel, but the film did so well for RKO that the studio insisted on another one. Basically handed the keys and told to deliver another hit, Lewton went in a completely unexpected direction. THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE really isn't a horror movie of any kind. It's a sweet fantasy in which the daughter of Kent Smith and Jane Randolph begins getting visits from the specter of Simone Simon's character from the previous film. She's at peace now, and has come to help her "daughter" through a difficult time of her life during a particularly snowy Christmas season. Truly, if THE CAT PEOPLE is the definitive halloween flick, THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE is a delightful (if darkly moody) Christmas story. One wonders what the studio's reaction to the finished film was. Just how were they to advertise this picture? It was nothing like audiences expected, and the film tanked. Not helping matters was that the production went wildly over budget. It has since found it's fanbase, however. Charming, suspenseful, mysterious, and quite good.,(and of course, there's that brilliant black and white photography that marks all of Lewton's horror films. It's just a beautiful movie), THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE was the first effort of director Robert Wise, and I hear the film has even been used as a study guide in child psychology courses!

A Quick Look: EQUNIOX (1970 - color)

   In the late 60's, a young Dennis Muren and some friends decided to actually make a special effects movie like the ones they'd been so enamored with growing up, and even developed friendships because of through the pages of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. Using the money an uncle had set aside to pay for Muren's college education, the kids set out to make a monster movie that could be sold to television. The result was THE EQUINOX ...A JOURNEY INTO THE SUPERNATURAL, in which a group of students finds themselves being menaced by hellish monsters seeking a supernatural book (which was being studied by a scientist whose tamperings with the tome unleashed the beasts). The film was pretty good, considering it was basically an expensive home movie, and producer Jack H. Harris bought the film for theatrical distribution in 1970. Harris wanted some alterations, though, and a bunch of new material was shot for the theatrical version, now titled EQUINOX. The breakout star of the film was Frank Bonner, who went on to a successful acting and then directing career. As an actor, he'll always be remembered as WKRP's smarmy salesman Herb Tarlek. Heavily promoted by Harris, EQUINOX was a success. Later, it was sold to television where it continued to haunt late-night slots for decades -just as originally intended! It's the success story of the independent dreamers, the movie nuts who dream of doing something similar, and therefore holds a special place in the hearts of cinemanauts everywhere. The lovely Criterion DVD release includes both versions of the film. I'm partial to the original '67 cut. One final note: the film's plot was closely mirrored by the surprise smash 80's independent horror production THE EVIL DEAD. The films even had similar production histories!