A Roger Corman Viewing Post!

An Evening with Roger Corman

By Kristin Battestella

Those familiar with their horror history know and love some of Roger Corman’s more famous entries to the genre- his successful Poe cycle of films starring Vincent Price, for example.  However, even the cult greats have to start somewhere. So here are a few early, speculative, scary studies from the longtime producer and director’s repertoire- chock full of camp, creepy, crime, and low budget glory!

Dementia 13 – Roger Corman produced and eventually interfered with this 1963 directorial debut of Francis Ford Coppola (I will hit you if you need a film reference for Francis Ford Coppola!) Clearly made on the cheap with quick, iffy dialogue, most of the picture is too dark and tough to see. The title doesn’t have much to do with anything, either, but the opening crime, water motifs, and axe murders are pretty entertaining.  It’s a weird mix of both men- Coppola’s brooding atmosphere and complexity against Corman’s hint of over the top blood. Fans of both will indeed be curious to see this special blend of contemporary crime and creepy Irish castle.  Eerie music and suspenseful, deceptive builds carry the weird family, death, and grief thanks to Coppola’s stylized interpretation. However, Corman’s insisted upon shocks aren’t bad, either.  It’s almost as if two different films are happening- a ghost story and a slasher mystery.  It makes the vision muddled at times, but it’s all quite creepy and entertaining nonetheless. Yes, this will be too slow or poorly done for some modern audiences, but a few good ghostly scares and deaths make this one wonderfully worthwhile for fans of the boys.

Last Woman on Earth –Big C re-teams with Antony Carbone (later of The Pit and the Pendulum) for this highly symbolic and apocalyptic hour plus from 1960. The kinky pre-Bond opening credits segue from a slow, glorious observation of the female form into a high stakes cockfight. Yeah. It’s all illicit enough to start- a money man on the run in Puerto Rico with love triangle potential between his scorned wife and uptight lawyer friend. The premise is sound, with a decent execution for the budget and lots more potential. However, the set up itself feels slim and simple at best and preposterous science at worse. We’ve seen films with an unexplained disaster and character self-destruction, but a few scenes here become too obvious, even lame, or slow with on the chin dialogue. The scandalous approach is also a bit uneven, for Corman may be ahead of his time with the tale and can’t really show anything saucy. Insults like “You stink!” create some anticlimactic blows, and yet such hollow words can follow some hefty sexual innuendo. One man can ask another how she was despite her claim of, “I’m married to you…He didn’t rape me.” Meow! I’m no fan of remakes, but I dare say a sophisticated update is do just to straighten out the naughty at the core here. Though hampered by its era and budget, there are some worthwhile thoughts and twists here. Besides, did he just leave a dollar on the bar for his drink? Does that include the tip?

Swamp Women – Real Louisiana filming and vintage New Orleans treats help get this Corman directed 1955 crime fest over its dry start and rough, unfinished looks.  Though trapped in the fifties sensibilities - a policewoman going undercover in a prison to find a cache of diamonds oh my!- Corman is trying to be edgy and his heavy attempts for the time do come across. And hey, even if this one isn’t a famous, bright fifties spectacle, there’s plenty of women behind bars angst for today’s saucy male minds- not to mention the eponymous camp alligator action. Short shorts, catfights, Beverly Garland (My Three Sons) bitch slaps Touch Connors (Mannix) yes indeed!  Our lone man is tied up by five women, some of whom have been in the joint for three years. He’s not complaining. History fans will enjoy the period photography, but otherwise the datedness and poor production keeps this one off the mark.  Does that make these diamonds any less entertaining? Absolutely not!

The Wasp Woman – It seems Roger Corman really likes his women, and this 1959 creepy is The Fly for chicks. Though not saucy or purely for ogle value- which is both good and bad depending on your point of view- the outdoor values, regular Fred Katz music, and scary buzzing sounds set off the more mature science fiction thoughts and laboratory desperation.  One chick does get to slap another hysterical chick, yes, but the concepts here are just as fun.  How far will we go for beauty? What cost is too high?  The suggestion of bees and wasps is also chilling for those who dislike insects and simply terrifying to anyone allergic to bee stings. The sound is tough to hear in some spots, and the added prologue is slow in establishing the freaky premise of using wasp extracts as the fountain of youth.  Some animal testing scenes are iffy, too. Thankfully, the fun labs and haywire science keep this one interesting.

 

(Like I said, he ain't gonna complain!) 

And Some Skippers

Creature from the Haunted Sea – Oh, Roger, you’re killing me with this 1961 horror comedy remake of Beast from Haunted Cave! The black and white Beatnik opening chase looks like the Beastie Boys “Sabotage” music video.  The sound, music, bad narration, iffy Spanish, and worse dialogue are very poorly mixed. The poor acting, over the top spy and noir spoof vibes come off all wrong, and the animated credits are downright corny.  I think I get what Corman was trying to do, but the confusing Cuban plot with Beetles and Winnebagos on the chase is too low budget college-kids-with-a-camera. Who’s in charge on this boating escapade- military Cubans? Gold digging Americans? Monsters? Murderers? The singing, crappy spies, a guy who speaks in animal sounds- this is just a really surprising mess. I mean, somebody gets hit with a fish!

 Beast from Haunted Cave – Now then, this 1959 Roger- produced inspiration for Creature from the Haunted Sea stems from its own script part and parcel rehash of Corman’s Naked Paradise (1957), Ski Troop Attack (1959), and Atlas (1960). Try to keep up. I mean, how many times can you save money by using the same basic script- and the repeated score to match- before nothing makes sense? South Dakota, snow, and skis can’t help the bland, repeat script and wooden cast- if you can tell who is who in the crappy action skiing montage. No Olympians here! The very nice screams and spider attacks do work when we get them, but they are too few and far between for an eponymous title. There simply isn’t enough heist suspense, skiing thrills, snowbound tension and suspicion nor monster paranoia to keep the locale or premise intriguing.  It’s all just a lot of dry, and unfortunately, the crime and abuse wrongs don’t come across at all.  Although, studying these early filmmaking forays should really make both the Corman fan and the critical skeptic appreciate his later Poe and Price series even more. But where’s the ‘the’ here?!

Cult, Camp, and Creepers!

More 50s Cult, Camp, and Creepers

By Kristin Battestella

Sometimes we just can’t get enough good, so bad its good, and just plane bad horror, mystery, and science fiction fair from that loveable decade of the 1950s!

Goods

The Giant Gila Monster – It’s been ages since I’ve seen this 1959 hokey! Though everyone has probably scene clips from the fiery finale, I’d forgotten how much fun this mix of sock hop, classic tunes, cool cars, fifties nostalgia, and creature feature effects really is. The bemusing doom and gloom introduction and opening deaths are accented with some over the top scary music to match the silly premise, and the real lizard footage is downright charming! Sure, nothing is frightening because of the ridiculous production values, but the simple A to B to C execution proceeds at an entertaining little pace.  And man, Don Sullivan (Teenage Zombies) and his tow truck are always handy! This teen not only looks 35, but he helps strangers, loans books to the sheriff, and sings to crippled little girls. Of course, the Mexican portrayals are a bit offensive if brief, and though the supporting greasers are totally limp acting-wise, drunken DJ Ken Knox is on form corny at his protest over $2 for a tow. The fifties redneck colloquialisms might be tough for some young viewers to understand today. However, this is all just great for audiences looking for such dated vehicular vernacular- a mid-century Texas time capsule captured before the turbulent sixties began. Yes, it’s completely hokey, but it works, and works damn amusingly!

I Bury the Living – Richard Boone (Have Gun Will Travel) takes us down a different path with this morbid little 1958 creepy. From the opening organ and decrepit cemetery introduction to the deadly jinxes, fateful pushpins, and scary phone ringing, there’s great funerary behind the scenes macabre here. Sure, there’s some light, love, and bliss, but there’s a demented vibe wonderfully overshadowing the increasingly tormented Boone- who’s wonderful, too.  Are our fates linked to a cemetery map marking our resting plots? Is cheating death-or causing it- as simple as that? The ticking clocks, headstone construction, and debates on who to pick next create a pleasing and thought provoking symbolism.  Is it all just coincidence?  Death by committee? Is it a crime to play Grim Reaper or is it just meant to be? Even if the premise isn’t necessarily unique and there’s a hint of obviousness, solid pace, sharp editing, freaky montages, and suspenseful zooms keep this 75 minutes edge of your seat entertaining.

(He and the Sheriff are bros, dig it?)

Macabre – Director William Castle (House on Haunted Hill) opens this titular 1959 tale with a fun warning on being uncontrollably frightened, and the ticking clock peril mounts further thanks to scary atmosphere, spooky fog, dug up cemeteries, and creepy coffins.  The dialogue is typical, but fun- “Why should I get married? All men seem alike in the dark”- even if the acting leaves something to be desired. There are also a lot of folks talking instead of doing, creating a slow start to the mystery. The early what-you-don’t-see scary format isn’t fully refined, either, and the result simply isn’t as terrifying as the disclaimer suggests. However, there are shades of an early viral horror movie here-instead of watching a traumatizing video or going to a deadly website; a family gets a frightful phone call…on a landline. Dun Dun Dun!  Fortunately, the light and shadow photography tricks add to the crimes, which are disturbing simply because a child is involved.  Toss in a few nutty shockers with the director himself, and this is a fun little proto thriller mystery to solve. 

(But it's such a cute not-even-really a gila monster!) 

Splitsville

Phantom from 10,000 Leagues – Yes, the titular beasty from this 1955 proto-AIP science fiction feature looks completely hokey. It’s tough to tell who is who at the start, and slow talking scenes with poor acting and wooden romances damage the entertaining pace and humor from the action sequences. The weak, simplistic science is also laughable today, and they even pronounce it Mu-tant with a long A! Nighttime footage is tough to see, and the hour and twenty here seems too long. How many times can the same guy go diving for this monster? Fortunately, the drowning scenes and underwater photography look decent with good music and suspense pacing to match.  One can enjoy both the period expectation and/or guffaw over the corny at the same time. This one feels good for a fun night in theme with other sea creature features, but perhaps it is just too flawed to completely enjoy on its own. 

Skippers

Attack of the Giant Leeches – Outside of ogling Yvette Vickers (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman), nothing in this 1959 AIP hour is fundamentally clear. Dark underwater photography, like so many of these old shows, is nearly impossible to see- not that much of it is worthwhile anyway. When we do get to see the eponymous mutants, it’s a whole lot of meh, unfortunately. The opening screams and saucy might be fun, but this one is simply way too slow, far too dry, and just bad science fiction.  Adding crazy rednecks with guns to the woeful monsters doesn’t help this nearly nonsensical mess.  Random attempts at some early gruesome and a fun, but standard score can’t save much here.  It seems to take forever to get to the big confrontation with the goofy leeches, but one can’t wait for this one to end.

Zombies of Mora Tau – Treasure, betrayal, diamonds, and zombies, oh my! This 1957 black and white hour plus is full of B players that put on just a bit too much amid plenty of horror clichés.  A little old lady who knows the score, the screaming damsel dressed in white, erroneous “African voodoo mumbo jumbo.” There should be scaries and scandals ad nauseum with the whammy of possibilities, but no.  I mean, a good candelabra- yes candelabra- or two could ward of the living dead, who knew?  The zombies look exactly like everyone else- the audience can’t really get behind the heroes when one can’t tell them apart.  And did I mention there’s hokey underwater action, too? Geesh, here’s proof that all old films are not classics. 

  (It's the mini banjo that really gets me!)

More Horror Documentaries and Spooky Shows

Horror Documentaries and Non-Fiction Macabre

By Kristin Battestella

Real world horrors and mayhem are often just as demented and certainly no less interesting than their fictional counterparts, are they not? Here’s a brief guide of ghoulish documentaries, morbid memoirs, and non-fiction frights to spice up your creepy classroom or Fall viewings.  

Anne Rice: Biography – This 2000 television hour focusing on the Interview with a Vampire author is nothing new. Ironically, it is actually dated and somewhat inaccurate thanks to Rice’s more recent life and literary changes and thus this feels somewhat incomplete. A one-minute add-on to encompass the new millennium doesn’t cut it. That aside, it’s still great to see photos from Rice’s early life, hear friends and family recount her childhood and road to publication greatness, and listen to Rice herself talk of religion and the personal tragedies that inspired her writing. In fact, Anne’s familial losses and literary struggles may even be more poignant thanks to the conversations with her late husband, the poet Stan Rice. I’d like to see A&E revisit Rice with an updated two-hour special, but until then, scholarly studies and Rice aficionados can always enjoy this quick profile. 

 

A Cemetery Special – PBS’s 2005 hour-long spotlight doesn’t have enough time to explore this exhaustive subject matter- and it bemusing admits that along with a respectful dedication to those buried in the featured cemeteries. From Pittsburgh to Vermont and Key West to Alaska, lovely footage of graveyards and gardens accents the bent but thought provoking discussion on death, remembrance, art, and the monuments we leave behind. Perhaps lesser-known graveyards are featured, but interesting tales from the Civil War and sleeping place origins are recounted in an almost heartwarming manner. This is the perfect little video for classrooms studying the specific locations and history or macabre scholars researching burial customs. I wish there had been a whole series like this!

Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film – In covering a hundred years of scary cinema, this 2009 documentary was bound to miss a few things. However, this hour and half also provides extensive clips from early silent films, Universal monsters, the Roger Corman era, seventies zombies, eighties slashers, and more.  Interviewees like George Romero, John Carpenter, and more experts on the genre examine how the social and political statements onscreen, both overt and veiled, influenced film making and audiences thru the decades. Horror has gone from early B-movie child’s play to red scare allusions and now a blockbuster industry- who knew? Some of the more recent conversation and post 9/11 thoughts are perhaps nothing new or could have been dealt with more deeply, for today’s viewer is familiar with these sociopolitical cinema influences, after all. But seeing the paces of vintage horror film thru the years is a real treat for both new and veteran fans. This one’s a great starter for younger folks just getting into horror films or a good accompaniment to a sociology discussion.

Spine Tingler: The William Castle Story – New horror audiences today may not necessarily recognize the name of the director of such fun fright fests as House on Haunted Hill, but William Castle’s hokey contributions to film tricks and entertainment showmanship are highlighted in this 2007 80-minute documentary. Archive footage of Castle and video of classic stars like Vincent Price, Cary Grant, and Orson Welles accent the lighthearted and insightful commentary from Castle’s daughter Terry, Leonard Maltin, Roger Corman, John Waters, and more genre luminaries.  Are Castle’s low budget films on the fly high art? No. Are they any less unforgettable and entertaining? Nope. Often called a Poor Man’s Hitchcock, horror historians and film students can learn a thing or two about how to make a movie here thanks to Castle’s shtick success- flying skeletons and tingling Percepto theater seats notwithstanding. Although it’s ironic, we look at Castle with such corny delight. However, what are today’s 3D movies, CGI special effects, found footage films, and viral promotions if not gimmicks to sell cinema tickets?

Witches: Biography – A little too much time is spent on recent controversies in this 2008 documentary, and the would be dispelling of negative connotations and misconceptions suffers a touch from the devil worship stereotypes in the presentation. Though care was taken in chronicling the history of witchcraft, from the infamous trials all the way thru to contemporary practices and profiles, the topic is simply too big for just one hour. I’d rather this be at least a 2-hour special or even a three part serial. A&E and History documentaries have solely focused on the Salem Witch Trials previously, and if the networks are pushing all things paranormal, there’s no reason to stifle the content here. The hodgepodge, conflicted vision meanders between past persecutions and today’s practices, but it doesn’t do either justice. Hokey reenactments just don’t seem right juxtaposed with modern coven footage, and this episode seems better piecemeal. If you need Salem studies in the classroom or if you want to see the interviews discussing recent witchcraft for your circle, this is the minimal introduction to a much bigger subject.

 It’s iffy

Bram Stoker: Biography – Indicative of the degrading quality of this A&E series, this 2004 forty five minutes feels too in the vein (no pun intended) of entertainment gossip before historical profile. Precious time is spent on the sensuality of Dracula and the Goth subculture in an attempt to relate Stoker to this highly unfortunate glitter vampire swing.  If you wanted to focus on Dracula and vampires, then make a Biography episode on Dracula or vampires. The first fifteen minutes feels more like “Where’s Bram?”  Rhetorically asking if he would be shocked by vampire clubs or astounded by Halloween costumes do not tell the viewer much about Stoker, nor do poor reenactments and readings with bad Irish accents.  More sensational than informative, this presentation is brimming with unsubstantiated suggestions, much less anything new.  Stoker’s sources for and the sexual discussions of Dracula are indeed intriguing, but making a scandal out of it with homo-eroticism and hatred of women makes for a poor presentation. Did they really need to find something juicy about the man who wrote one of the most widely published books ever? Serious scholars might enjoy a point/counterpoint viewing, but there aren’t many worthwhile literary aspects here. Very disappointing.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Witches or Bram Stoker episodes of Biography are currently available on video, either. Typical!

Sixties Scares, Anyone?

Sophisticated, Saucy, and Sinister Sixties Scares!

By Kristin Battestella

Say that one three times fast, then sit back and enjoy this quick variety of twisted films from that turbulent decade!

 The Devil’s Hand – Commissioner Gordon strikes again! Neil Hamilton’s pushing freaky voodoo dolls, mental projection, and sexy dames in this 1962 cult-astic romp.  The photography is poor and jumpy, and the introductory narration is weird. The dialogue is both realistic and yet very dated and sexist.  The costumes are ugly, and this evil Gamba cult abounds with hokey rituals. Though I’ve seen worse iffy, Tibetan stereotypes, uncouth Asian music and drums, and more racist dancing hinder a few scenes.  The mid century symbolism and most of the action here will be too tame and predictable for audiences today.  All that potentially going against it and yet the creepy dolls, intriguing mystery, and weird dreams work. Cute things like the slide across bucket seats and decent acting go a long way, too. It seems a lot of scary movies both old and new always have these kinky, relatable, but engaged men getting tempted by evil women. They like it, and so do we. Combined with a few shocks and plenty of tease-ability, this one is a fun, entertaining hour.

Games – Katherine Ross (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), Simone Signoret (Room at the Top), and James Caan (The Godfather) star in this 1967 mindbender from Curtis Harrington (What’s the Matter with Helen?), and the fun costumes, gadgets, and trickery add to Ross and Caan’s young and sexy. They’re very good at being bent with weird antiques, colorful décor, and an increasingly twisted mix of freaky foreplay. Classy as always, Signoret is mysterious, multifaceted, pushy, flaky, yet more endearing than our initially unlikable snotty rich party couple is. The suspense sequences, intense crimes, and psychic twists may seem weird. However, as the tables turn, the audience is hooked and drawn into the demented pace, surprising events, and jump moments.  Wise viewers may find the plot predictable, but this is a nice little thriller for stylish horror lovers and fans of the cast.

Spirits of the Dead – I’m not really a Jane Fonda fan, but she looks superb in this colorful 1968 Italian anthology with designs from Edgar Allan Poe. Perfect locales, music, horses, castles, and foggy coasts set an ethereal, dreamy mood for the first tale here. The period costumes and sixties fusion might be a bit too Barbarella, and some will be put off by the spoken French and reading subtitles. Yet Fonda fans will enjoy the suggested kinky and ménage taunts- even if it’s her brother Peter (Easy Rider) sparking the obsessions. ‘Metzengerstein’ is more sauce than scares, but it might have made a nice fantasy movie by itself.  By contrast, ‘William Wilson’ adds Italian occupation and religious motifs for the second installment.  Iffy kid acting, look a likes, and flashbacks can be confusing to start and some of the butchery won’t be for everyone. However great fashions, sweet cadavers, autopsy educations, and historical brutalities are scary good- not to mention a dark haired, poker playing Brigitte Bardot (And God Created Woman) to keep the questions on one’s conscious and duality from getting too dry. Terrence Stamp (Billy Budd) is a wonderful drunkard in the almost too trippy ‘Toby Dammit’ finale, but cool Roman amusement, bizarre locations, and weird play within a play production keep the plot from being too nonsensical. Though the final ten minutes get tough, the well-edited and intense driving scenes make for a fitting overall conclusion.  Not all will enjoy the near psychedelic period and foreign sensibilities, but this is some twisted fun for fans of the players and all involved.

 

Tormented – There’s some soap opera melodrama in the acting, romance, and blackmail of this black and white 1960 ghost tale, and there are over the top music cues to match. Some of it is predictably fun, even ridiculous, and the bullet bras enter the room before the ladies! It’s tough to take your ghost’s threats seriously when the entity is so…buxom.  The narration is also a bit much, and nothing is really that scary- particularly the annoying kid (Susan Gordon, daughter of the director Bert I. Gordon, Empire of the Ants). All that aside, this one isn’t that bad. The spooky lighthouse and nice seascapes might be hampered by the black and white, but the gray palette helps the freaky early effects and eerie ghostly hi jinks. Richard Carlson’s (Creature from the Black Lagoon) dilemma, scandal, and titular emotions are an intriguing consequence contrasting the pleasant mid century costumes and feelings. There’s a taint to his would be bliss thanks to the unscrupulous spirits, and the mayhem creates some tense moments and room for a twist or two.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? – We can’t imagine anyone but Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in a sibling rivalry this extreme! The two Oscar winners (Jezebel and Mildred Pierce, respectively) finally clash onscreen in this 1962 adaptation from director Robert Aldrich (Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte). The introductory rise thru the show business eras, fun vaudeville tunes, vintage film reels, swift editing, period clothing, cool cars, and plenty of suspense all cap off the warped drama and black and white demented nostalgia.  De Vol’s (Pillow Talk) over the top yet on form and fitting music adds to the fun weirdness of seeing the slovenly done up Davis. Perhaps we tend to think of her as so nice and grandmotherly today- unlike Crawford. Thanks to the likes of Mommie Dearest, it’s a little ironic to see her as Ms. Sympathy. And yet…both ladies put our expectations on end, and it’s a tough call on whose is the better performance. Although the shock moments are probably well known now, the audience wonders how far off the deep end the wonderfully cruel and simplistic scares will go. There’s great, bemusing trepidation in the little things we take for granted in the 21^st century- getting a letter to a neighbor, not knowing what’s for dinner, leaving the phone off the hook.  Minds, mirrors, twisted selves- the unraveling of this relationship train wreck is quite horrific- or at the very least criminal!  Where is the desperation greatest? Who’s more deserving of their internal hostage via the wheelchair or the childlike mind? This staple is perfect for classic film fans, fans of the cast, and anyone looking for a sophisticated feminine horror spin. 

 

 (It's not what you think, I assure you!)

And Now for a Bad One!

The Amazing Transparent Man – This 1960 short, low budget, SF horror from the young American International Pictures starts ominously enough, with a creepy long drive and good music. Unfortunately, not much else genre fair actually happens. With the military chase and crime as is there just isn’t anything that scary or even a whole lot of sci-fi. Although there are good mad scientist machinery and sounds effects, there’s also lots of talking about taking over the world thru invisibility. Thus, all the demented science comes off a little too dry. Despite being only an hour, it’s easy to zone out or even fall asleep- unless you’re poking fun or having a drinking game here.  This one is a definite no no unless you take it for the bemusement alone.

(But this is what I call Horror!)

More Bela Lugosi!

A Night with Bela Lugosi

By Kristin Battestella

I’ve sung the Hungarian Horror Hunk’s praises previously. However, there’s nothing like spending an October evening with the unfortunately typecast and it seems oft under appreciated Bela Lugosi, so here’s a spooky sampling to get the Creatures of the Nights started!

The Black Cat – Bela and Boris together, Oh me oh my!  Title aside, there isn’t much Poe in this 1934 horror hit. However, a fun opening, great trains, wonderful shadows, classical cues, and early thirties style accent the boys beautifully. Our Man of the Hour looks good, classy, and handsome- a gentleman of the time despite his military trauma and lost love.  The ferociously juicy looking Karloff has a great entrance, too. We just know something’s afoot!  Both men are sympathetic in their motives, but they have their own agendas, indeed. Whose vengeance is justified? Who’s more sinister? Why choose? Not to mention the hidden kinky- bedroom scenes with waifish, barely dressed ladies winding up men in smoking jackets- and how about those iffy lines between wives, daughters, and dead bodies? These horror heavyweights play chess and cross the occult line, and it’s simply glorious to see them going head to head without hiding behind fantastical capes and makeup. Though some may find Lugosi’s lengthy dialogue tough to understand, his torment comes thru nonetheless thanks to hefty, passionate debates, secret rituals, and good old fashioned blows. Toss in a bit of feline paranoia and mythology, a freaky Deco cool house, and not often seen interwar consequences, and hot damn. Cat lovers may both enjoy the motifs or be upset by the stereotypical ailurophobia fears, but fans of the boys will adore this one, oh yes.  

The Corpse Vanishes – Besides a totally cop out ending that almost undoes all the fun, I’m not sure why this fast paced hour long 1942 deadfest received the MST3K treatment. We open with a shocking death or two at the altar and proceed with hints of all the genre staples: Elizabeth Russell (Cat People) and her fountain of youth extremes, ingenue reporter Luana Walters (The She Creature) in creepy house with foreign eccentrics, their weird staff, and a few deadly secrets. Yes, the mystery is completely impractical today- Bela Lugosi stealing bridal bodies via his strangely always on the scene suspicious hearst.  Though he doesn’t speak much, Pimp Bela is skilled and demented with a purpose in his mad scientist laboratory replete with very big needles, screaming lady patients, and deformed servants in need of a whippin’!  It’s also amusing how sassy newsfolk and none too bright authorities so readily use scandalous words like drop dead and corpse so casually, “I have a daughter…maybe she’ll drop dead, too!” The limited sets feel more like a simplistic play, and nothing is scary, but there’s some demented and sinister entertainment here.

Murders in the Rue Morgue – This 1932 Lugosi vehicle inspired by Poe’s story of the same name takes a lot of liberties, with early Darwinism, religious subtext, and saucy human/ape interactions. Despite editing cuts that make for some confusion, there are a few great onscreen murders, sweet shadows, screams, and other pre-code treats to circumvent the censors. Some sequences seem downright nasty- animal hissings and damsel screams from the upstairs bedroom! Our Man Bela is gloriously demented in his torturous looking mad scientist laboratory. He creates a wonderfully twisted and wild-eyed showman inside and out with superb presence and delivery. It’s totally different from his alluringly classic Count, and yet we want to see more of his absolutely creepy obsessions over angelic in white virginal victims. The scenes without Lugosi are good in pace and storytelling, and yet his absence is apparent.  Sidney Fox (The Bad Sister) and the rest of the cast are quite fine for the time, and there are even brief shots of a real monkey to accent the man in a monkey suit action.  Hints of then-modern stereotypes, 19^th century trappings, and shades of King Kong in the finale aside, this is a great little hour for Lugosi lovers and a must see for early horror fans.

I’m Torn

The Gorilla –Lugosi joins Lionel Atwill (House of Dracula) and The Ritz Brothers (The Three Musketeers) for this 1939 comedy horror murder mystery mix. Ironically, the slapstick humor and crazy ladies are more annoying than laughable, and this film would have been a lot better as a straight scary. The spooky décor, effects, and trick lighting look great, and the underlying mysterious makes the Three Stooges-esque comedy attempt feel completely out of place extraneous in this quick hour. Fun crime montages work in seriousness and suspense, and the class of our leading men holds the mystery, secrets, and scandal together. Lugosi has a few wry, subtle, and bemusing moments that showcase his range, and his accent isn’t that pronounced either.  It’s as if he and/or The Ritz Brothers are in completely separate films- even when they are onscreen together.  Make no mistake, fans of the cast will delight piecemeal, for the Ritz funny isn’t bad and the creepy is a-okay. But unfortunately, these elements just shouldn’t be together.

Forties Frights and Horrors

Forties Frights Dun Dun Dun!

By Kristin Battestella

In the 1940s, it seems as though the mystery, suspense, thriller, and horror genres were often mixed and intermingled. Though this may feel like a big mistake, the list here is but a small sample of forties frights, noir, stars, and monsters working in tandem to create some fun and memorably eerie pictures.

The Amazing Mr. X – Stylized noir photography, lighting and shadow trickery, and silver nighttime beaches add mood to this black and white 80-minute supernatural mystery from 1948. We know something spooky is afoot thanks to dangerous waves and eerie cries from beyond the grave!  Though similar in vein to Laura, Rebecca, and even The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, the M.O. here isn’t obvious. There’s an interesting little case at hand. What’s supernatural? Is it a swindle or isn’t it?  It’s not really scary, but the late Turhan Bey’s (Arabian Nights) medium techniques are both creepy and corny fun.  At one point, I swear he’s trying a Vulcan mind meld!  Lynn Bari (Shock) and Cathy O’Donnell (Best Years of Our Lives) also look good and do just dynamite even though the screaming is typical of the time.  It’s a little tough to see in some scenes thanks to the poor video quality, but the steady pace keeps things from becoming too formulaic. The literal smoke, mirrors, and crystal balls may be dated or hokey, but the deceit is still effective and worth the watch.  And that skull door knocker- want!

Dead Men Walk – This 1943 hour can come off as an old, cheap, slightly unpolished Dracula retread with photography that’s too dark and some confusing plot points. How can killing someone who’s merely involved in the Dark Arts resurrect him as a vampire? There’s a touch of preachy righteous and occult debates, too, and some of the premise feels more bemusing than scary. Quibbles aside, there’s a nice good versus evil twin spin here.  Dwight Frye (Dracula) is always crazy fun, and the spooky duality moves quickly with plenty of music and candles for atmosphere. The effects are decent, and the then-contemporary pre-war fashions and décor add a period zest. Bigger name players might have balanced out the secondary wooden folks, but George Zucco (The Mummy’s Tomb) is worth a viewing in this fun little vampire show.

House of Dracula – John Carradine (The Grapes of Wrath) and Lon Chaney Jr. (Of Mice and Men) lead this 1945 Universal sequel spectacle combining the eponymous Count, The Wolfman, a hint of monster romance, and plenty of science gone awry.  Yes, there are inconsistencies with prior installments from Universal’s monster series-namely its predecessor House of Frankenstein- but this mini monster soap opera is still entertaining. The fun bat on a string effects and mad scientist laboratory sets don’t look bad, either.  Lovely would be undead nurse Martha O’Driscoll (Reap the Wild Wind) is all in shiny soft glow white, but Jane Adams (The Adventures of Batman and Robin) is quite interesting as a female hunchback assistant, too. Supposedly killed time and again in previous films, Chaney is tragic and tormented as Lawrence Talbot and Carradine clearly has a bloodsucking good time as Dracula. The story is a little disjointed in introducing the monsters and sometimes confusing in how all the plots fit together, and Onslow Stevens’ (The Three Musketeers) science is just a tad implausible. However, lovely mood music, candlelight, and a Frankenstein’s Monster montage do the trick along with the expected murder, mayhem, and angry mobs.  

King of the Zombies – Well, unlike the often ignorant portrayals of early film, Mantan Moreland (Charlie Chan in the Secret Service) is actually a show stealing funny man in this 1941 undead romp.  His Jeff doesn’t speak in the stereotypical subservient tone; He’s not a servant there for one’s bemusement, but rather a working man who defuses the scares with humor. There is a difference indeed. In addition to interesting plane footage, with a creepy crash into a foreign country and shades of voodoo, more suspense and pleasing layers are added when no one believes Jeff’s supernatural encounters. Though the ‘lingo’ is very dated and the effects of the hour insignificant, great candles, shadows, solid Oscar nominated music, and a gothic Old World feeling add to the unusual mix of pseudo wartime spies, scares, and humor. This isn’t meant to be serious- Druids and veiled Nazis in with Voodoo? Espionage, suspicions, and speculation mixed with hypnosis on the eve of World War II? The picture needs a major restoration, and some of the sneaking around can be a little confusing- yet it’s all somehow credible and spooky.  The neat, on the nose proto-war aspects and amusing scares make this one worth the study.

The Monster Maker – Lovely piano concertos set up the gothic mood, eponymous twisted science, and good old-fashioned lovelorn obsession in this hour-long 1944 science fiction horror tale starring a juicy J. Carrol Naish (Beau Geste) and Ralph Morgan (Magnificent Obsession) as his forcibly misshapen and sympathetic victim.  The then-contemporary designs and cool science lab are also a treat- except for the ape, of course. Why must there always be a man in a monkey suit in these old capers? A few scenes do drag or feel slow and long despite the short length, and the formula plays a little obvious at times. However, the fun, over the top style works. Women scream, get manhandled, and blackmail. It’s of its time, but entertaining nonetheless.

Horror So Bad Its Good!

Good, Bad, and Cult Horror

By Kristin Battestella

Well, in the midst of all this horror viewing, one is bound to find some bad and ugly amid the good and scary! Some of these mid-century science fiction horrors are cult classics, but others thru the years carry just a hint of iffy. Does a film have to be good to be entertaining? Nope.

Goods

Atom Age Vampire – This 1963 Italian hour and twenty minutes offers eerie effects, good music both swanky and sinister, and plenty of mood, sauce, and juicy disfigurement!  Yes, the dubbing is obvious, it’s tough to understand all the dialogue, and some of the acting is over the top in the of the time and foreign styles. Some of the technology might be confusing, and outside of an allusion towards a new kind of scientific immortal killing prey, this English title doesn’t mean much. The quibbles, however, are tolerable.  Most of the performances are fine, and the mad scientist themes work thanks to fun lab sounds and designs. The violence, murder, and corrupt sciences aren’t bad either. The human love triangles and steady plot and pace are still relatable, creating a decent little picture that takes itself a little more seriously than the B, borderline campy 50s American SF. Fans of mid century scary sci-fi can most definitely enjoy this step above all around.

The Beast of Yucca Flats – The notorious 1961 SF horror here starts off fun and scary with a toweled pretty, strangulations, space race secrets, communism fears, and nuclear fallout. Unfortunately, this hour is held together by a very dodgy narration which unnecessarily replaces what should be dialogue. It’s mistake numero uno- hardly anyone talks and this makes for the least amount of character development possible. No performance happens; it’s a story being told. While that’s fine in cartoons perhaps, aren’t you making a film because of the show don’t tell possibilities? It’s unrealistic to expect a serious science fiction or spooky adult audience to sit through something like this-which is as is really nothing more than a naughty children’s short. That’s Rule 2: don’t underestimate your audience.  Did I mention the music is also much too much? Yes, this ‘film’ is seriously flawed, and to some, that is its very appeal. Fans who enjoy the hokey of the day will love the cars, pace, and weak fifties filmmaking style, and drinking game fans can have a wonderful time with the utterly fake shoot out and car chase.  It’s like they’re kids with pop guns spinning the wheels of parked cars!  This one must be seen to be believed, indeed.

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die – I’ve seen this black and white 1962 AIP SF horror romp heckled a time or two on Mystery Science Theater and Elvira’s Movie Macabre. Honestly, the title alone harkens a certain level of the absurd! A talking head in a dish, literally.  A laughing, vengeful, telepathic head in a dish, oh yes. Modern audiences can still be entertained and enjoy the hokey scares thanks to the bubbling laboratories, cool fifties cars, and dangerous outdoor scenery. Decent doctoring segues towards mad scientist mayhem, and the swift editing is frenetic with desperate music to match. Kinky dancing and swanky tunes, naughty talk about replacement bodies, catfights, hot dames, and lots of leg all add a scandalously fun element, too.  The serious tone does hamper the camp, the finale is completely contrived, and the full 80 minutes feels overlong despite the ticking clock onscreen. Yet all things considered, this one is the very definition of so bad its good ridiculous.  Have your own bemusing, beverage-laden Halloween peanut gallery party with this one.

 

 (Jan in the Pan...)

 (...and the auditions for her new body!)

Questionable

Eaten Alive – I thought this film on my 50 Horror Classics Set the was infamous Italian cannibal rape fest, which made me a little apprehensive about watching. But no, this 1977 Tobe Hopper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) creepy jumps right into the nasty with Robert Englund (Fred Krueger!) giving Roberta Collins (Death Race 2000) some real world sex and violence scares. There’s a fun appearance by Carolyn Jones (The Addams Family), too, and Neville Brand (Stalag 17) is totally demented and deranged indeed. The wickeds are almost too much to watch, except the photography looks so poor in quality and backwater dirty that the viewer can’t see what’s happening amid this dark and dank- if creepy- design. Chainsaw veteran Marilyn Burns also spends most of the time tied to a bed with naught to do, and between the gory scenes, the pace is stagnant and insipid.  For this 87 minute edited version, it feels as though both some panache and an editing scalpel are needed.  The country music blissfully playing amid kids crying and killer sex scenes is more quirky twisted than scary as perhaps intended, and what should be a very frightful film fizzles into being just, well, kind of dumb. Why start out so slashery good to end up being a killer crocodile picture? Maybe one shouldn’t compare to the magical of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but the well seems muddled here.

The World Gone Mad –This hour plus murder mystery from 1933 looks, feels, and sounds old thanks to the low budget period décor, fast talking colloquialisms, and the early styled pacing and editing.  And yet all that is a real treat for those who like to see tilted fedoras, fabulous frocks, plenty of cigarettes, and a candlestick phone or two- not to mention a very young Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon from the Batman TV series).  Oh, the typewriters and phone operators! The main investigation plot is a little too tough to follow at times, which is a major problem in such a short film, and time is wasted on a little boy that I swear looks exactly like Shirley Temple! Outside of the ironically lovely and nostalgic visuals, one might wonder what the point was here, even if the crime chase gets better as the film proceeds. It isn’t scary or that mysterious, but one intense train sequence might make the film.  I’m torn. It’s flawed, but looks good. Confusing, but entertaining. 

 

(Yeah, attacking someone thru a door that isn't attached...)