Sixties Shockers: A Critical Filmography of Horror Cinema, 1960-1969
Author: Mark Clark; Bryan Senn; Robert Tinnell
Date: 2011-07-25 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Performing Arts; Film; General
Description: This comprehensive filmography provides critical analyses and behind-the-scenes stories for 600 horror, science fiction and fantasy films from the 1960s. During those tumultuous years horror cinema flourished, proving as innovative and unpredictable as the decade itself. Representative titles include Night of the Living Dead, The Haunting, Carnival of Souls, Repulsion, The Masque of the Red Death, Targets and The Conqueror Worm. An historical overview chronicles the explosive growth of horror films during this era, as well as the emergence of such dynamic directorial talents as Roman Polanski,
Publisher: McFarland & Company

Sixties Shockers

Sixties Shockers

A Critical Filmography
of Horror Cinema,

1960 –1969

MARK CLARK and

BRYAN SENN

Foreword by Robert Tinnell

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Jefferson, North Carolina, and London

ALSO OF INTEREST

Smirk, Sneer and Scream: Great Acting in Horror Cinema, by Mark Clark (McFarland, 2004; paperback 2011)

Fantastic Cinema Subject Guide: A Topical Index to 2,500

Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films, by Bryan Senn and John Johnson (McFarland, 1992; paperback 2008)

A Year of Fear: A Day-by-Day Guide to 366

Horror Films, by Bryan Senn (McFarland, 2007) Golden Horrors: An Illustrated Critical Filmography of Terror Cinema, 1931–1939, by Bryan Senn (McFarland, 1996; paperback 2006) LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Clark, Mark, ¡966 –

Sixties shockers : a critical filmography of horror cinema, ¡960 –¡969 /

Mark Clark and Bryan Senn ; foreword by Robert Tinnell.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-7864-3381-0
illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper

¡. Horror films— Catalogs. 2. Horror films— History and criticism.

3. Motion pictures— History — 20th century. I. Senn, Bryan, 1962–

II. Title.

PN1995.9.H6C513 2011

791.43' 6164 — dc22

2011015002

BRITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

© 20¡¡ Mark Clark and Bryan Senn. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

On the cover: Germán Robles in the ¡958 Mexican horror film El ataúd del vampiro (The Vampire’s Coffin), not released in the U.S. until ¡965

Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.co

For my long-suffering wife and children, The book is finally over, Daddy’s back

(at least until the next one begins).— Mark

For Lesley Hallick,

Who introduced me to giant throw pillows,
tie-dyed t-shirts, and Berkeley back in the day;
and who, through her intelligence, tolerance, good humor and generosity, always leads by example.

And for Chuck.— Bryan

Acknowledgments

A work like this is shaped by many hands, and we extend ours in hearty thanks to the following:

Ron Adams, John Gibbon, Holger Haase, Bruce Holecheck, Mark Miller, Bryan “Buzz” Russell, Bob Sargent (of the Eurotrashparadise group), and David Zuzelo for their amazing film-finding abilities.

Anthony Ambrogio, Cindy Collins-Smith, Bruce Dettman, Jonathan Malcolm Lampley, Arthur Lundquist, Brian Smith, Midnight Marquee’s Gary Svehla, Steve Thornton, Bob Tinnell and Neil Vokes for their insights, suggestions, and vast store of cinematic knowledge.

Ron Borst, Jim Clatterbaugh, Kip Doto, Tim Lucas, and Lynn Naron for their photo-finding expertise.

Ted Okuda for providing his insightful and amusing assessment of the obscure cinematic artifact that is The Maltese Bippy (as well securing a number of wonderful photos and ads).

Gina Beretta for her editorial efforts and unswerving — and loving — support.

And the following interviewees for their participation: Rosalie Crutchley, Robert Day, Freddie Francis, Jack Hill, Robert Horton, Richard Gordon, Joseph Green, Richard Matheson, German Robles, Barbara Shelley, Sam Sherman, Nicholas Webster, and Robert Wise.

vi

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi Foreword by Robert Tinnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1. The Decade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2. The Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

3. More Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
vii

Foreword
by Robert Tinnell

If you think about it, the concept of focusing on one decade instead of another when compiling a survey of horror films— or any film genre, for that matter — runs the risk of seeming gimmicky or even arbitrary. Properly researched and executed, however, the results of such an approach can prove quite insightful, specifically when the author or authors examines the subject matter within the context of the larger events of the era under study. For instance, one might choose the twenties, situating the films in question against such relevant backdrops as the German Expressionist movement or the horrors of World War I. In fact, one could (and in the case of David Skal, one has) quite effectively pursue that approach well into the Thirties and the Golden Age of Classic Horror. Then again, one could approach the Thirties as the birthplace of most of horror’s visual iconography, which nearly the entire world has come to embrace (Count Chocula, anyone?). Want to tackle the fifties? It proved a watershed decade for genre cinema, with the rise of atomic terrors, the birth of Hammer Film’s gothic/sexual/visceral cinema, and of course, the Corman-AIP school of teen-angst thrillers— each of which clearly parallels events and concerns in the popular zeitgeist during the Eisenhower era. Decade after decade, the collision of genre cinema and human events can lead us to thoughtful analysis and discussion.

Fortunately for us, Mark Clark and Bryan Senn have chosen quite possibly the single most eventful decade in cinema’s short history — the 1960s. For it is in the Sixties that the classic horror film ran head-on into the modern horror film, against a background of tremendous social turmoil. Even a casual overview of that ten-year-period illustrates the point, culminating most evidently, I think (and I’m happy to report the authors agree), in George A.

Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Visually (and God knows, musically), the classic horror approach may have dominated NOLD, but the story and characterization and graphic depiction of heretofore forbidden activities enabled the film to usher in a new era. Romero’s mix of the classic and modern approaches to horror represents an interesting metaphor for the evolution of horror cinema as a whole during the Sixties. In many ways that volatile decade 1

2

Foreword by Robert Tinnell
emerged quite literally as a black-and-white, cut-and-dried Mason-Dixon Line separating classic and modern horror. What makes this all so interesting is the fact that beyond the horror genre, beyond cinema, across the wider spectrum of the culture, many new ideas and approaches, good and bad, were born, experimented with, sometimes adopted, sometimes discarded. Historians and anthropologists, critics and clerics, grandfathers and granddaughters all can discuss the era and disagree on much of what occurred or what it means—
but it would be a rare thing indeed to find any one of those who would dispute the impact of that ten-year period.

I’m glad that Mark and Bryan are the guys writing this book. They’re thoughtful, obsessive-compulsive types who are interested in doing more than stringing together plot recaps. It helps that they were alive during the sixties and as such can bring some personal context to their research. I’m anxious to gain insight from their conclusions about a decade that gave us The Innocents, The Haunting, Brides of Dracula, Spider Baby, Repulsion, Night of the Living Dead, Rosemary’s Baby, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Black Sunday, Peeping Tom, Blood and Black Lace, Masque of the Red Death, The Conqueror Worm, Carnival of Souls, Psycho and The Birds. I hope you just read that list and are saying to yourself, “Hey, the jerk left out (fill in your favorite non-mentioned Sixties’ horror film), because if you’re that passionate you’re going to love this book as much as I do.

Robert Tinnell is the writer (and sometimes director) of movies including The Living and the Dead (2012), Romeo Must Hang (2010), and Frankenstein and Me (1996), as well as comic books such as The Wicked West and The Black Forest , both of which won Rondo Awards.

Preface:

The Why and the How

Why the 1960s?

ico, Spain, West Germany, the Philippines and
of course England. They were made on budgets

We have been asked that question many
large and small, with major stars and with un-
times over the years, as we researched and
knowns. There was no common formula, but
wrote Sixties Shockers. Why devote a book to one key element linked these films: a creative
horror films made during the 1960s? The simple
wanderlust, an unwillingness to stay penned
answer: Because during those tumultuous years
into the tried-and-true formulas of the past.

horror cinema flourished, proving as

Yet, this fascinating and formative period in
innovative and unpredictable as the decade it-
horror cinema history remains little studied,
self. It was a time of transition for the genre,
especially in comparison to the much-written-
when stately gothics coexisted with edgy gore-
about 1930s. The Thirties have long reigned as
fests, when color features played alongside
the Golden Age of horror cinema, and justifi -
black-and-white ones (sometimes on the same
ably so. Following a lengthy gestation during
twin bill), and when the genre’s original stars
the silent era, the Thirties birthed the fledgling

(actors such as Boris Karloff and Vincent Price)

genre and cradled its early masterworks. These
worked alongside its new luminaries (actors

Golden Age chillers introduced an eternally en-

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee). It was also
dearing rogues’ gallery of monsters, headlined
an era of envelope-pushing and taboo-break-
by Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Karloff ’s Franken -
ing, when a more worldly audience demanded
stein Monster and animator Willis O’Brien’s
more realistic and daring product, inspiring

King Kong. The decade’s beloved horror classics
filmmakers to brave previously unexplored ter-
boast amazing consistency, both in terms of
rain, smashing through traditional boundaries
quality (with a staggering number of great
governing screen violence, nudity and sexu -
films per capita, considering that comparatively
ality. While a few bold-spirited established di-
few horror pictures were produced during the
rectors, such as Alfred Hitchcock, made key

Thirties) and style (with a distinct and unifying
films, this charge was led primarily by new tal-
look and feel, highly imitative of the German
ents such as Mario Bava, Roman Polanski,

Expressionist masterpieces of Robert Weine,

George Romero and Michael Reeves. Trend-

F.W. Murnau and Fritz Lang).

setting pictures emerged from the major Hol-

Nevertheless, if any decade can rival the
lywood studios and from gutsy independent
golden Thirties, it is the explosive Sixties, which filmmakers alike, from the U.S. and from the
introduced breathtaking diversity to the genre.

booming movie industries of Italy, Japan, Mex-

If the horror films of the 1960s have, as a class,

3

4

Preface
received less critical attention than those of the
decade in horror cinema, including economic,

1930s, this is in part because it’s nearly impos-
technological and political developments that
sible to speak in sweeping generalities about
changed the course of the genre. This content
the wildly diver gent and sometimes highly idio-
is divided into three sections: (1) The Decade,
syncratic pictures of the Sixties. Any classic
which features the his torical narrative; (2) The

Universal chiller —for instance, The Mummy

Movies, which contains detailed analysis and

(1932)—serves as a ready example of the Golden
often production history or other background

Age fright film. There is no such simple, em-
information for every horror film released the-
blematic representative for the horror movies
atrically in the United States from 1960 through
of the Sixties. What is a Sixties shocker? Is it a 1969; and (3) More Movies, which offers shorter
gothic thriller like Masque of the Red Death
entries for horror films made during the 1960s

(1962)? A groundbreaking thriller like Peeping
but not released theatrically in the U.S. during

Tom (1960/62)? A haunting mood piece like
the decade (for instance, pictures that pre-

Kill, Baby… Kill! (1966/68)? A rubber-suit mon -
miered in the early 1970s, or foreign films that
ster romp like Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964)? The were sold directly to American television). To
correct answer is all of the above, and more.

place these works in context with the wider

No other decade in the history of the genre can
canvas of the fantastic cinema, the More Movies
claim a richer tapestry of styles and themes.

section also includes summaries of most sci -

Perhaps the best argument to be mounted in
ence fiction and fantasy films of the 1960s.

defense of the horror films of the 1960s is

We expect readers to dip in and out of this
simply to rattle off a partial list of the decade’s material according to their whims. It is not nec-best chill ers, which include The Birds (1963) essary to read Sixties Shockers front to back.

Black Sunday (1960/61), Brides of Dracula However, those who elect to read The Decade

(1960), Carnival of Souls (1962), The Conqueror section first may find the individual entries

Worm (1968), The Haunting (1963), The Inno-more illumi nat ing. Also, some of the entries
cents (1961), Mania (1960), Night of the Living have been written so that, if read in a certain

Dead (1968), Peeping Tom (1960), Psycho order, they link to form mini-histories of in-

(1960), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Targets (1968), fluential studios, trends or directors. For in-Village of the Damned (1960), What Ever Hap-stance, fans of England’s Hammer Films will
pened to Baby Jane? (1962), and many more.

notice that entries beginning with Brides of

Grant bonus points for fantasy and science fic-

Dracula and continuing in chronological order tion films— including such visionary works as
with House of Fright (1960/61), Scream of Fear Planet of the Apes and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1961) and so on (as well as More Movies en -

(both 1968)— the Sixties can match or better
tries for Stranglers of Bombay [1960], Terror of any decade for its contributions to the cinema
the Hatchet Men [1961], etc.) form a critical of the fantastic. For an examination of why and
overview of the studio’s output. Similar arcs
how the 1960s emerged as such a watershed era
link entries devoted to Toho’s kaiju eiga pic-for horror cinema in particular and film fantasy
tures, Psycho and its many imitators, and the in general, turn to section one, The Decade.

careers of directors such as Mario Bava,

William Castle, Roger Corman and Herschel

Gordon Lewis, among other topics.

How to Read This Book

However you choose to read it, we hope that

Sixties Shockers provides an enjoyable and Sixties Shockers is designed to serve, prima-illuminating chronicle of the evolution of
rily, as a reference guide. We have endeavored
horror cinema during this dynamic period, and
to make this volume as close to comprehensive
re flects how these films were shaped by the
as possible. We include reviews of more than
anxious, joyous, revolutionary times in which

600 movies, as well as a narrative history of the
they were made.

1

The Decade

It’s no coincidence that the two most trying
and Frankenstein (both 1931)—the horror film.

decades of the Twentieth Century provided the

It was the dawn of the movies’ Golden Age.

richest soil for the cultivation of horror cinema.

Several factors, including competition from

Screen terror is distilled from the fears and anx-
television, greatly reduced Hollywood revenues
ieties of the moment, although this isn’t always
in the 1960s, yet during this era the industry
discernable until that moment has passed. Even
developed light-weight hand-held cameras,
when moviemakers do not consciously set out
lower-cost color film stocks and sophisticated
to make any sort of social commentary, motion
anamorphic lenses; these advances provided
pictures— especially horror films— inevitably
greater flexibility for cinematographers, and
reflect the times in which they are made. The
standardized color and the 1.85:1 aspect ratio
despair of the Great Depression and growing

(a boon to exhibitors). A new generation of
menaces of Nazi Germany and Imperialist
stars, many schooled in the Stanislavski Method

Japan made the 1930s an unusually powerful
popularized by the Actors Studio in New York,
crucible for fright pictures. Growing tensions
and of directors, many influenced by the
created by changing roles for women, African

French Nouvelle Vague, moved beyond Holly-

Americans’ struggle for civil rights, the looming
wood’s classic style toward a more frank and
threat of nuclear conflict between the U.S. and
adventurous brand of storytelling. Major
the Soviet Union, and the bloody escalation of
genres were revitalized, including the Western,
the Vietnam War provided rich subtext for the
the crime drama and—with movies like Psycho
cinematic nightmares of the 1960s.

(1960) and Night of the Living Dead (1968)—

Just as importantly, both the 1930s and the
the horror film. It was the dawn of the movies’

1960s were times of economic struggle, tech-

Modern Age.

nological innovation and stylistic maturation

These innovations arrived with particular
for the American film industry. Although hit
immediacy and impact in the realm of film fan-
hard by the depression, Hollywood in the Thir-
tasy, which was hardly surprising considering
ties introduced Technicolor, made dramatic
that as far back as A Trip to the Moon (1902) advances in sound recording and editing and
and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1918) such introduced optical printing (and with it
movies had served as laboratories for stylistic
modern special visual effects). A new
experimentation. Throughout the Sixties, hor-
generation of stars and directors moved away
ror and science fiction films remained on the
from the theatricality of the silent era and to-
leading edge of formal and artistic develop-
ward a more naturalistic narrative style. Major
ment, and, as a result, were ahead of the growth
new genres were codified, including the gang-
curve for American cinema in general. Ac-
ster movie, the musical, and — with Dracula
claimed directors such as Alfred Hitchcock,

5

6

1. THE DECADE

Roman Polanski, Francis Ford Coppola, John
and produced few films (depending on how

Frankenheimer and Peter Bogdanovich made
stringently one defines the term, as few as 21
horror movies during the decade, while Stanley
neorealist pictures were made between 1945

Kubrick, Jean-Luc Godard and François Truf-
and 1952), most of which were unpopular with
faut made sci-fi pictures. In 1968 the science

Italian audiences. Nevertheless, these gritty, po-
fiction and horror genres produced five classics
litically-charged pictures, shot predominantly

( 2001: A Space Odyssey, Night of the Living on location with mostly non-professional ac-Dead, Planet of the Apes, Rosemary’s Baby and tors, earned prizes at major film festivals and

Targets), all of which were arguably superior rave reviews from critics around the world. Di-to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci-
rector Vittorio de Sica’s neorealist touchstones
ences’ five nominees for Best Picture: Funny

Shoeshine and The Bicycle Thief won special Os-Girl, The Lion in Winter, Oliver! (the year’s cars in 1947 and 1949, respectively. Andre

Oscar winner), Romeo and Juliet and Rachel, Bazin, editor of the influential French film

Rachel.

journal Cahiers du Cinema, was an enthusiastic Of course, history never breaks neatly into
supporter of neorealism. When Bazin’s staff,
ten-year chunks. In many respects, the horror
including Truffaut, Godard, Claude Chabrol
cinema of the 1960s arose from economic, po-
and Eric Rohmer, began making movies in the
litical, technological and artistic forces set in
late 1950s, they were profoundly influenced by
motion as far back as the late 1940s. Our story
neorealism. (Truffaut briefly worked as
begins there.

assistant to Rossellini.) Neorealism also exerted
a guiding influence on the emerging Third

World cinema and on Direct Cinema docu-

Before the Beginning
mentaries. The movement spread quickly, in
part because American tax incentives, aimed at

As the Second World War drew to a close,
helping war-devastated European and Asian

Hollywood was at the zenith of its powers, both
economies, encouraged Hollywood to invest in
financial and artistic. The industry had thrived
overseas productions and to distribute foreign-
during the war years. Since tickets were still
made films in the U.S. This, combined with the
cheap (admission cost as little as 25 cents), a
emergence of visionary filmmakers such as
night at the movies was one of few luxuries

Sweden’s Ingmar Bergman, Japan’s Akira Kuro-

Americans could afford during an era of pri-
sawa, Italy’s Federico Fellini and Michelangelo
vation and rationing. Hollywood enjoyed the

Antonioni, and India’s Satyajit Ray, helped fos-
enthusiastic support of President Franklin D.

ter a halcyon era of international art cinema.

Roosevelt, who understood the vital role the

Foreign films reached American audiences in
industry played in shaping opinion and boost-
numbers unparalleled since the outbreak of
ing morale on the home front. Legendary ac-

World War I. To reflect the growing
tors, directors and producers churned out great
significance of imported pictures, the Academy
pictures with apparent ease, including beloved
introduced the Best Foreign Language Film cat-
classics such as Citizen Kane (1941), Casablanca egory at its 1956 Oscar ceremony; the first win-

(1942) and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1943). But
ner was Fellini’s La Strada. In both content and just when Hollywood seemed invincible, the
approach, these movies represented a radical
major studios received two crushing blows, one
departure from, and direct challenge to, the
creative and one economic, that would dramat-
typical Hollywood product.

ically alter the course of American moviemak-

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a hay-
ing.

maker with its 1948 decision United States v.

The Italian neorealist movement, spear-

Paramount Pictures, Inc., et al. , which found headed by director Roberto Rossellini’s Rome:

the eight major film companies in violation

Open City (1945) and Paisan (1946), landed a of federal anti-trust laws. Since the late silent
sucker punch to the classic Hollywood
era, the major studios had been “vertically in-
narrative style. The movement was short-lived
tegrated”— not only producing films but, as

1. THE DECADE

7
owners of all the major theater chains, distrib-
productions offered at escalated ticket prices,
uting and exhibiting them as well. Money
with floor shows, live music or other added at-
poured in from all three links in the cinematic
tractions)— anything to differentiate its
food chain. Individually owned theaters were
product from its black-and-white, small-screen
forced to book entire blocks of films, including
rival. Another response was the rise of art house
not only prestige productions with major stars
and drive-in theaters, both of which offered
but also B-budget programmers with less box
more exotic viewing experiences than those
office appeal. Through the auspices of the Mo-
available on TV.

tion Pictures Producers and Distributors

One unintended consequence of the Para-
of America (MPPDA), the eight major stu-
mount decision was that, with the MPPDA
dios (Paramount, MGM, 20th Century–Fox,
weakened, enforcement of the studios’ Produc-

Warner Brothers, RKO, Universal, Columbia
tion Code became more difficult. Simultane-
and United Artists) not only enforced their
ously, the success of foreign films suggested that

Production Code (which regulated the content
audiences were interested in edgier, less sani-
of films) but colluded to prevent any significant
tized stories. Rome: Open City, for instance, new competitor from entering the marketplace.

featured lesbianism, narcotics abuse and a

The court ordered the companies to sell their
downbeat ending with evil triumphant, all of
theater chains and end block-booking and
which was forbidden under the Code. Racy
other monopolistic practices, but allowed the

Hollywood productions like A Streetcar Named
studios to remain in the film distribution busi-

Desire (1951) pushed the Code to its limits.

nesses. With a major revenue source elimi-

Then, in 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled,
nated, however, studio coffers dwindled.

in Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson, that motion Movie moguls lost not only cash, but clout. In-pictures were entitled to First Amendment pro-
dependent producers found it much easier to
tection, eliminating the threat of government
distribute their films. Many stars opted to free-
censorship that had inspired the creation of the
lance rather than renew their exclusive studio

Code in the first place. (The case was filed by a
contracts. Agents gained greater power and

New York exhibitor who wanted to show
began packaging scripts with freelance talent

Rossellini’s 1948 short film The Miracle, about (directors and actors) and selling packaged
a pregnant nun who believes she carries an im-
projects to the highest bidder. Although it
maculately conceived child, which had been
would take nearly a decade for all of its provi-
banned by the state’s Board of Regents.) In
sions to be carried out, the Paramount decision

1959, Billy Wilder’s independently produced
sounded the death knell for the Hollywood stu-
cross-dressing farce Some Like It Hot was re-dio system.

leased without Code approval, yet became a

Still reeling from these hardships, Hollywood
major hit. As the Sixties dawned, the Code was
soon faced a major new threat — television. As
fading into irrelevancy.

stations opened across the country and the

As Hollywood’s fortunes turned for the
sale of TV sets proliferated, the new medium
worse in the late Forties, the old-fashioned,
rapidly siphoned viewers away from movie the-
gothic horror film also fell into decline. Nu-
aters. For instance, the popularity of television
merous theories have been posited for the

Westerns decimated the audience for low-bud-
genre’s waning box office appeal to postwar au-
get “oaters,” which had been a bread-and-
diences. The best explanation, however, may
butter Hollywood staple since the early silent
be that most of these pictures simply weren’t
era. Even though hundreds were produced dur-
very good. In the mid–1940s, studios seemed
ing the 1950s, by the early 1960s the breed was
to lose faith in the genre, relegating monster
virtually extinct. Hollywood responded by in-
movies to low-budget filler assigned to inferior
troducing Cinerama and various other
talent both in front of and behind the camera.

widescreen processes, shooting more features

By 1948, when the Paramount decision was
in color, trying gimmicks like 3-D and reviving
handed down, Universal had turned Dracula

“road show” exhibition spectacles (prestige
and the Frankenstein Monster into straight

8

1. THE DECADE
men for comedians Bud Abbott and Lou
experiments rather than of supernatural origin.

Costello. Although fright pictures continued

But the success of Hammer Films’ Curse of
to be made during this era, they were mostly

Frankenstein (1957) and Horror of Dracula sad sack productions like The Black Castle

(1958) proved that audiences would readily em-

(1952). As gothic chillers receded, science fic-
brace classicist, supernatural chillers if done
tion moved to the forefront. The Day the Earth
well. Hammer, founded in 1934 as a humble

Stood Still and The Thing (from Another World) producer of “quota quickies” from various gen-

(both 1951), twin pillars equivalent to Univer-
res, scored its greatest previous success with a
sal’s Dracula and Frankenstein, ushered in the series of black-and-white sci-fi chillers. But
heyday of screen sci-fi, during which audiences

Curse and Horror were something thrillingly thrilled to alien invasions, giant irradiated in-new—were shot in full color, with bloodletting
sects, unfrozen dinosaurs and other Atom Age
and sensuality far more graphic than anything
terrors.

found in the Golden Age horror shows playing

But traditional horror refused to stay dead.

on late night TV.

Its resurrection began in 1957 when Universal

All these trends positioned the horror genre
packaged 52 of its fright classics (under the
for explosive growth during the 1960s. The
title Shock! ) for sale to television. Across the genre claimed a young, expanding and

U.S., local stations launched weekly, late-night
relatively affluent fan base. Horror films offered
broadcasts devoted to vintage horror movies.

the kind of hard-hitting content that lured

Many featured costumed hosts such as
viewers away from their television sets,

Vampira (Maila Nurmi) of KABC in Los An-
material that would grow increasingly daring
geles and Zacherley (John Zacherle) of WABC
as the Production Code finally disintegrated.

in New York City. Shock! proved so successful The popularity of imported movies helped au-that a year later Universal assembled a second
diences embrace chillers not only from the U.S.

bundle, Son of Shock, featuring 20 more classic and England, but also from countries like Italy,
chillers. These films caused a sensation among

Mexico, Japan, West Germany, Spain and the
the Baby Boom generation, adolescents not yet

Philippines, all of which emerged as major hor-
born when movies like The Mummy (1932) and
ror movie-producing nations as the decade

The Wolf Man (1941) were originally released.

progressed. Such open-mindedness, along with

Thanks to the American economy’s robust
the fact that most horror films of the era were
postwar recovery, most of these youngsters had
produced independently, rather than by the
money to spend. An array of products soon ap-
major studios, enabled the genre to more
peared that catered to their newfound interest:

quickly assimilate new stylistic approaches. Si-
monster-themed toys, games, fright masks,
multaneously, ever-rising tension created by
figure models, 8 mm film “digests” for home

America’s escalating Cold War with the Soviet
viewing, and more. In 1958, publisher James

Union and a host of worsening domestic issues

Warren and editor Forrest J Ackerman launched
created a fertile subtext for celluloid terrors.

Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, which The cinematic soil had been tilled, and the
quickly found a sizable readership. Horror
seeds planted, watered and fertilized. And, as
mania continued unabated into the early Six-
the new decade began, the first green shoots
ties, reaching a cultural crescendo when Bobby
began to appear.

“Boris” Pickett’s novelty song “The Monster

Mash” topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart on October 20, 1962. The classic monsters also re-1960
emerged on movie screens. At first producers
hedged their bets, offering science fictional

From the very beginning, the Sixties were
variations of the classic monsters. In movies
rocked by controversial, life-altering and some-
such as The Werewolf (1956), The Vampire and times frightening events. On February 1, 1960,

I Was a Teenage Werewolf (both 1957), the crea-four African American students from North
tures are the result of unscrupulous medical

Carolina A & T staged a sit-in at a segregated

1. THE DECADE

9

Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro,

1959. Alain Resnais’ Hiroshima Mon Amour ar-N.C. The protests continued for six months
rived in May 1960, and Jean-Luc Godard’s
until the students were finally served. For the

Breathless, Chabrol’s The Good Girls and Malle’s next several years this form of non-violent civil

Elevator to the Gallows would reach the States disobedience would be widely imitated by black
in early 1961. Although not a unified movement
activists in restaurants, theaters and other busi-
like neorealism, these films— which combined
nesses throughout the Southern U.S. On May
unflinching realism with unorthodox editing

1 the Soviets shot down an American U-2 spy
techniques and featured distinctive authorial
plane on a secret mission over Russian airspace.

voices— inspired an entire generation of film-

Friction between the two rival nations
makers as they made the rounds at art houses,
ratcheted up to new heights, as Eisenhower at
cinema clubs and college campuses across the
first denied the incident and was forced to re-
country and around the world. The Nouvelle
cant when the Soviets produced the captured

Vague spawned the Italian, Russian and Polish
pilot. Later in May, the Food and Drug Admin-

Young Cinema, Czech and Japanese New Wave,
istration approved the sale of Enovid, a female

Yugoslavian New Film, Hungarian New Cin-
oral contraceptive that quickly became known
ema, Brazilian Cinema Novo and British
as the Pill. Initially, the Pill was sold only to

Kitchen Sink Cinema movements. It also in-
married women. Thirty states had laws forbid-
spired future New Hollywood filmmakers such
ding birth control (the last of these would be
as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola,
abolished in 1965). Yet by 1980 the average

George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Terrence Mal-
number of children born to American women
ick, Bob Refelson and Dennis Hopper, who
had dropped from 3.6 to below 2. Meanwhile,
would launch their careers in the late Sixties.

the number of women working outside the

But no single film released in 1960 proved
home skyrocketed, increasing by 10 percent in
more influential than Alfred Hitchcock’s

1966 alone. Finally, in November, a charismatic

Psycho. Made on a thrifty $800,000 budget per-young senator from Massachusetts defeated the
sonally funded by its producer-director (unsure
sitting vice president in one of the narrowest
about the project, Paramount agreed to dis-
victories in U.S. electoral history. A decisive
tribute but refused to produce the film), Psycho factor in the race was that the cool, confident
became one of the decade’s greatest box office

John F. Kennedy had trounced the fidgety, flop
sensations (Hitch, individually, cleared over
sweat-soaked Richard M. Nixon in the first tel-

$15 million). Although initially panned by crit-
evised presidential debates. (Tellingly, those
ics, many of whom were miffed that they were
who listened to the debates on the radio be-
forced to watch the film (from the beginning)

lieved Nixon had won.) Henceforth, campaigns
with a theatrical audience rather than at their
would be waged not only in speeches and on
usual private screenings, Psycho would even-whistle-stop train tours but on TV — through
tually be recognized as the masterpiece it is.

debates and tit-for-tat sound bites on the eve-

The American Film Institute placed it at num-
ning news.

ber 18 on its Top 100 movies list in 1998 and

The Academy’s 1960 Best Picture winner was
number 1 on its Top 100 thrillers survey in

Billy Wilder’s The Apartment, a wry, seriocomic 2001. The movie pushed the envelope of the
indictment of both infidelity and cunning cor-

Production Code not only with its jolting mur-
porate ladder-climbing, while the Best Foreign
der sequences, but with its lingering shots of

Language Film Oscar went to Ingmar

Janet Leigh in her brassiere, and by including

Bergman’s The Virgin Spring, a poetic yet grue-Hollywood’s first onscreen toilet flush. Psycho some revenge parable later remade by Wes
even changed exhibition practices. Previously,

Craven as Last House on the Left (1972). But the movies (along with cartoons, short subjects and

French Nouvelle Vague remained the buzz of
trailers) ran continuously all day. Patrons paid
the film world. François Truffaut’s The 400
admission and entered the theater at will; if the

Blows, Claude Chabrol’s Les Cousins and Louis movie was half over, they would stick around

Malle’s The Lovers had reached the U.S. in late until the picture began again to see the first

10

1. THE DECADE
part. In a brilliant combination of artistic in-
be a banner year for both of those filmmakers
tegrity and promotional ballyhoo, Hitchcock
as well.

refused to allow viewers to enter the theater

With House of Usher, Corman launched his
after Psycho began (thus preserving the
wildly successful series of Edgar Allan Poe
integrity of the story’s shocking plot twists).

adaptations, which not only fattened the pro-

As film fans lined up around the block, theater
ducer-director’s wallet but burnished his rep-
owners realized the money-making possibil-
utation with critics. Made in color and on a
ities of turning over audiences between show-

(somewhat) higher budget than previous Cor-
ings.

man pictures (about $200,000), Usher proved Beyond all this, however, Psycho signaled a that the director was capable of more sophisti-new epoch in the horror genre. Immediately it
cated and polished work, with greater thematic
spawned a legion of black-and-white psycho-
and psychological depth. Corman would shoot
logical thrillers that swarmed movie theaters
seven more Poe adaptations before halting the
throughout the early 1960s, some of which —
series with Tomb of Ligeia (1964/65). Because like Robert Aldrich’s What Ever Happened to

Corman used a core group of key collaborators

Baby Jane? (1962) and Roman Polanski’s Repul-for most of these films—including star Vincent
sion (1963)— became classics themselves. En-Price, screenwriter Richard Matheson, produc-
gland’s Hammer Films launched a long-run-
tion designer Daniel Haller and cinematogra-
ning series of pseudo Psycho s, beginning with pher Floyd Crosby — the series had a uniform
the excellent Scream of Fear (1961). Psycho visual identity. Yet its entries generally im-seemed to fascinate European horror filmmak-
proved as the cycle progressed, reaching an
ers in particular, becoming — along with
artistic peak with The Masque of the Red Death

Henri-Georges Clouzot’s mystery-thriller Di-
in 1964. Corman’s horror films sometimes
abolique (1955) and Georges Franju’s Nouvelle obliquely touched on social and political

Vague shocker The Horror Chamber of Dr.

themes. But the Poe series’ success enabled

Faustus (1959)— one of the most-imitated pic-Corman to undertake more ambitious ex-
tures of the 1960s, or ever. More significantly,
ploitation projects dealing directly with

Psycho led a turning away from the Old School counter-culture phenomena like motorcycle
gothic horror formula. After Psycho, fright gangs ( The Wild Angels, 1966) and LSD ( The films increasingly would be set in cozy subur-Trip, 1967). Also in 1960, Corman released what ban homes rather than spooky Carpathian cas-would become a cult classic — Little Shop of
tles, and the serial killer would supplant the

Horrors, about a nebbish young florist who
vampire as the screen’s chief bogeyman. Before
grows a giant man-eating plant. Famously shot

Psycho, horror was something that came from in just two and a half days, the picture added
outside to attack our communities; after
nothing to Corman’s critical reputation and

Psycho, it was something that could arise from very little to his bank account (during its orig-within them. In this respect, Psycho arguably inal release, Little Shop was a minor box office represents the first modern horror movie.

disappointment). But over the years, through

According to screenwriter Joseph Stefano,
late-night TV reruns, this darkly hilarious film

Hitchcock was inspired to make Psycho by the gained a devoted following and eventually in-success of other low-budget, black-and-white
spired a successful off-Broadway musical,
chillers. “He mentioned another company that
which was adapted for the screen in 1986. Dur-
was making very low budget movies which
ing his career, Corman directed 56 features and
were not terribly good and were doing very well
produced nearly 400 (so far), but his personal
at the box office,” Stefano said. “His feeling
favorite among his own films remains one of
was, ‘How would it be if somebody good did
his few flops— The Intruder (1962), which
one of these low budget movies?’” Although
starred William Shatner as a demagogue who
not mentioned by name, Hitch was likely re-
incites white residents of a racially divided
ferring to the early works of Roger Corman and
community to violence against their black

William Castle. Coincidentally, 1960 proved to
neighbors. As a producer, Corman helped ad-

1. THE DECADE

11
vance the careers of many promising young
on Haunted Hill, Mr. Sardonicus, Zotz! and filmmakers, including future Oscar-winning

Straight-Jacket) were solidly crafted entertain-directors Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Cop-
ments. The filmmaker’s career reached an apex
pola, James Cameron, Jonathan Demme and
in 1968 when he produced director Roman

Ron Howard. In 2010 the Academy honored

Polanski’s watershed chiller Rosemary’s Baby.

Corman with its Lifetime Achievement Award

Yet, he is still remembered primarily as the pur-

For Castle, 1960 was the year of 13 Ghosts, veyor of tricked-out camp fests like 13 Ghosts.

the last of the producer-director’s elaborate

Still a year removed from its entry into the
gimmick movies. The film, about a little boy
suddenly booming psychological thriller busi-
whose family movies into a house haunted by
ness, Hammer Films continued to concentrate
a baker’s-dozen spooks, was presented in “Il-
on making handsome Technicolor gothics, and
lusion-O,” a simple but clever process utilizing
in 1960 the studio delivered one of its best —
tinted film and a cardboard “Ghost Viewer”

the brilliant Brides of Dracula. It was the latest containing strips of red and blue cellophane.

in a series of triumphs, following the sensa-

During selected scenes the picture would sud-
tional Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Horror of denly shift from standard black-and-white to

Dracula, Revenge of Frankenstein (both 1958), tinted blue, and red-hued poltergeists would
and The Mummy (1959). Although critics (es-
appear. Audience members could look through
pecially in Britain) disdained these pictures,
the blue cellophane of their Ghost Viewers to
which brought a new level of gore and sexuality
see the ghosts more clearly, or (if they became
to horror cinema, audiences loved them — and
too scared) look through the red lens to make
rightly so. Hammer’s early chillers featured im-
the ghosts disappear. “Illusion-O” followed
peccable production values, engrossing and

“Emergo” (a plastic skeleton which flew over
sometimes thought-provoking stories, and su-
audiences’ heads during the climax of House on
perb acting. Much of the credit for the studio’s

Haunted Hill, 1959) and “Percepto” (wired the-success belonged to three men, two of whom
ater seats which delivered an electrical shock
collaborated on Brides— director Terence
during a key sequence from The Tingler, also Fisher and star Peter Cushing.

1959). His next picture, a Psycho rip-off called Fisher belongs in the company of James

Homicidal (1961), included a “Fright Break” in Whale, Mario Bava, George Romero and John
which viewers were supposed to gather their

Carpenter as the most gifted filmmakers ever
wits before the picture’s (allegedly) nerve-shat-
to specialize in the horror genre. A former ed-
tering finale. Mr. Sardonicus (also 1961)

itor, Fisher never included a meaningless shot.

featured its “Punishment Poll,” which pre-

His meticulous attention to detail, keen eye for
tended to let audiences vote on whether or not
dynamic compositions and rapport with actors
the villain deserved a gruesome fate (in reality,
gave his pictures palpable vitality and even
the answer was always yes; only one ending was
though the director seldom resorted to showy
shot). Some later Castle pictures would include
camera moves or other attention-grabbing
giveaways (souvenir coins for Zotz! [1962], tricks. And while Fisher took on assignments
cardboard axes for Strait-Jacket [1964]), but as a director-for-hire (and never rejected a sin-never again would a Castle production require
gle script he was offered), he was able, through
costly customization of theaters or specialized
his deft handling of the material, to create uni-
printing processes for the film itself. Instead,
fying thematic threads that run throughout his

Castle — who had carefully nurtured his per-
filmography. The most significant of these was
sonal image and, like Hitchcock, presented

Fisher’s vision of life as a struggle between
himself as a good-humored impresario of the

Christian good and Satanic evil. Other than The macabre — used his own celebrity to promote

Devil’s Bride (1968), Brides of Dracula his pictures, appearing in their trailers and
represents the most overt expression of this
sometimes in the movies themselves. His
theme. (Van Helsing states the case openly
shameless huckstering obscured the fact that at
when he describes vampirism as “a strange
least some of Castle’s efforts (especially House sickness … partly physical, partly spiritual”

12

1. THE DECADE
and “a survivor of one of the ancient pagan re-
foremost for his appearances as the imperious,
ligions in its struggle against Christianity.”)

implacable Victor Frankenstein in Hammer’s

Fisher sees Van Helsing — a “doctor of philos-

Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Revenge of ophy and doctor of theology,” according to his

Frankenstein (1958), Evil of Frankenstein (1964), calling card — as not merely a swashbuckling

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), Franken-vampire hunter but a super-powered evangelist
stein Must Be Destroyed (1969/70) and Franken-whose learned use of Christian iconography (a
stein and the Monster from Hell (1974).

crucifix and a flask of holy water, alongside his

Although the material wasn’t always ideal,
handy hammer and stake) enable him to defeat

Cushing’s performances were never less than
the demonic vampire and release his victims
scintillating. In the independently produced
from Satan’s grip, restoring them to a righteous

Mania (1960/61), Cushing delivered one of his relationship with God. As the Sixties pro-most subtle and finely nuanced performances
gressed, racked by spasms of violence and un-
as the kindly, well-intentioned Dr. Knox, who
rest, surely many viewers found comfort in
becomes entangled in the crimes of grave rob-

Fisher’s pictures, which insisted that the forces
bers-turned-murderers Burke and Hare. Later,
of chaos would not, could not, win in the end.

Cushing channeled his grief over the recent

“If my films reflect my own personal view of
death of his wife, Helen, into his role as the
the world, it is in their showing the ultimate
meek Arthur Grimsdyke and came up with
victory of good over evil, in which I do
perhaps his most emotionally powerful por-
believe,” Fisher said.

trayal in the “Poetic Justice” segment of the

In Cushing, also a devout Christian, Fisher

Amicus anthology film Tales from the Crypt
found a sympathetic collaborator in this the-

(1972). Late in life he would achieve a new level
matic endeavor. More importantly, he also had
of fame by playing Grand Moff Tarkin in
one of horror cinema’s most talented actors.

George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977). Even if the role Cushing brought unflagging energy, focus and
was not among his richest, it was fitting that
creativity to every role, pairing his earnest,

Cushing finally became a household name,
often clipped, delivery with ingenious physical
considering that his contributions to the genre
bits of business, usually in his handling of var-
were unsurpassed by any actor except Boris
ious props, which provided visual interest

Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney.

while revealing his character’s state of mind.

Frequently (though not, due to a salary dis-

Tireless dedication to these details of his craft
pute, in Brides), Hammer teamed Cushing
enabled Cushing to deliver high-quality work
with Christopher Lee (they co-starred in three
with uncanny consistency. The actor’s ardent
of the studio’s first four color gothics— Curse
fans often boast that he “never gave a bad per-
of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula and The formance,” an outlandish claim that is very

Mummy). Despite bowing out of Bride, Lee nearly true. Certainly Brides contains one of made three feature films and a TV appearance
the actor’s best portrayals. Returning to his role
in 1960, including the exceptional Horror Hotel, as Van Helsing from Horror of Dracula,
an atmospheric chiller about a coven of devil-

Cushing shines in moments large (confronting
worshipers, in which he made an extended

Baron Meinster [David Peel] in the film’s
cameo. His delightful supporting performances
breathless finale) and small (bringing life and
in Hammer’s House of Fright as the caddish veritas to a potentially dry, expository sequence

Paul Allen and in Hands of Orlac as the sadistic by delivering it while packing a suitcase). Cush-Nero the Magician are the highlight of those
ing, who worked mostly for Hammer during
two otherwise lackluster pictures. Few stars
the Sixties, was one of the studio’s most
command viewers’ attention as readily as the
valuable assets. His mere presence guaranteed
charismatic 6-foot-4 Lee, who projects an aura
the picture would contain something worth
of power and mystery seemingly without effort.

watching. Since he so often performed on such

On the other hand, Lee appears to have to work
a high level, it’s challenging to name Cushing’s
hard (and commendably so) to tone down his
best efforts, but he is remembered first and
screen presence for roles such as the weak-

1. THE DECADE

13
kneed Sir Henry in Hammer’s Hound of the
out the decade. Still, Hammer produced many

Baskervilles (1959). Even though he has ap-
outstanding pictures, including The Curse of
peared in more than 260 films (and counting),
the Werewolf (1961), The Nanny (1965), The Lee remains most identified as Dracula from

Plague of the Zombies (1966), Five Million Years his appearances in Hammer’s Horror of Dracula
to Earth (1967), The Devil’s Bride (1968) and (1957), Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969/70). De-Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Taste spite some misfires along the way, the studio’s
the Blood of Dracula (1970), Scars of Dracula place of honor in the history of horror cinema

(1970/71), Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) and Count was well earned.

Dracula and His Vampire Brides (1973). This is not only because Lee played the role so often
but because he played it so well, bringing an al-

1961–1962
most animalistic menace and sensuality to the
part that differentiated his characterization

Throughout 1961 and 1962 the Cold War es-
from prior screen Draculas like Bela Lugosi and
calated and, in an obscure, civil war-torn

John Carradine. Clearly, however, Lee’s abilities

South east Asian country called Vietnam, began
go far beyond a single character. He delivered
to heat up. African Americans’ struggle for civil
one of his most rousing performances as the
rights faced renewed and sometimes violent
cult-busting Duc de Richleau in Fisher’s The
opposition. But revolutionary events were not

Devil’s Bride (1968) and has contributed mem-confined to the realm of politics.

orable turns in scores of other films both

On April 12, 1961, the Cold War went extra-
within and outside the horror genre. A dedi-
terrestrial when cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin be-
cated craftsman and tireless worker, Lee has
came the first man into space, orbiting the
enjoyed one of the longest and most prolific ca-
earth in his Volstak 1 capsule and dealing a
reers in movie history, working steadily for
blow to the rival American space program.

more than 50 years, appearing in movies great

Three days later the U.S. suffered a far more
and small made all over the world. A new gen-
grievous defeat when an ill-conceived Cuban
eration of fans met Lee through director Peter
invasion plot went awry on the beaches of the

Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) Bay of Pigs, and became a debacle when Presi-and George Lucas’ Star Wars sequels Attack of dent Kennedy failed to provide promised air
the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith support to the invaders. In August events took

(2005). Director Tim Burton has worked with
a more threatening turn when communist East

Lee on four occasions so far, for Sleepy Hollow Germany erected the Berlin Wall. Simmering

(1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
tensions threatened to boil over in October

(2005), Corpse Bride (2005) and Alice in Won-1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The
derland (2010). During the Sixties, Lee’s name world breathed a sigh of relief when, after mov-on a marquee might not have offered the same
ing within an eyelash of nuclear war with the
sort of guarantee as Cushing’s, but it remained

U.S., the Soviets backed down and removed
attractive enough to draw many moviegoers.

atomic missiles from Cuba (after Kennedy se-

Cushing and Lee appeared together in 22
cretly agreed to remove similar weapons from
films and were originally slated to co-star in

Turkey). But few Americans had yet noticed

Brides. Instead, they would team next in Ham-the buildup of military advisors and support
mer’s The Gorgon (1964/65). Following Brides, personnel (now numbering more than 3,000)

Hammer’s string of hits came to an abrupt end.

Kennedy had sent to embattled South Vietnam.

Fisher’s House of Fright (1960/61), an ambitious Over the spring and summer of 1961, student
attempt to reimagine the Jekyll and Hyde story
activists (black and white) known as “Freedom

(with Lee in a supporting role) became the first

Riders” began taking bus tours through the
of the studio’s gothic chillers to fail commer-

South to test the strength of a recent Supreme
cially. The company’s fortunes, and the quality

Court decision ( Boynton v. Virginia) that de-of its productions, would wax and wane through-
clared segregated bus and railway stations illegal.

14

1. THE DECADE

Freedom Riders were attacked and viciously
and Japanese features had been the most com-
beaten by angry mobs (including members of
mon genre imports. But Italy, which had pro-
the Ku Klux Klan) in Anniston and Mont-
duced only two fright films since 1920,
gomery, Alabama, and many were illegally ar-
suddenly emerged as a major exporter of horror
rested in Jackson, Mississippi. Much of the vi-
fare. The Fascist government of Benito Mus-
olence was caught on film and broadcast on the
solini prohibited Italian studios from making
evening news, polarizing public opinion on
horror movies during its rule, from 1922 to
both the institution of segregation and the tac-

1943. After World War II, such films were re-
tics of the Civil Rights movement.

pressed by powerful, conservative Catholic

In July 1962, at New York’s Stable Gallery,
censors at both the national and local levels in

Andy Warhol premiered his Campbell’s Soup

Italy. As the censors’ grip finally began to

Cans—minimalist, un-painterly reproductions loosen, director Riccardo Freda made two at-of banal household items that were part of the
tempts to reboot the horror genre in Italy, first
burgeoning Pop Art movement, which forced
with the tepid I Vampiri (1957, released in the audiences to ponder the meaning, role and sig-U.S. in bastardized form as The Devil’s Com-
nificance of art itself. (Dennis Hopper, who had
mandment in 1963), and the sci-fi shocker recently starred in the arty chiller Night Tide Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959/60). In

[1961] and would later direct the landmark Easy both instances, but for different reasons, Freda

Rider [1969], was one of a half-dozen patrons abandoned those projects in mid-production,
who paid $100 for an original Warhol soup can
leaving his gifted cinematographer, Mario
painting at the premiere.) Warhol later adorned

Bava, to finish the films. Black Sunday marked canvasses with reproductions of Coca Cola bot-Bava’s credited directorial debut, and it remains
tles, Brillo pad boxes and the likenesses of
one of the genre’s most auspicious. This gor-
celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis
geously photographed yarn, about a vampire

Presley. In September, Houghton-Mifflin pub-

(Barbara Steele) who is brutally executed for
lished scientist Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, witchcraft, then returns from the dead to wreak
which called for an end to the indiscriminate
vengeance on the ancestors of her persecutors,
use of pesticides such as DDT. The book helped
would be widely imitated but seldom matched
galvanize the growing ecological movement in
for pictorial beauty or spine-tingling power.

the U.S. Robert Wise’s West Side Story and The Italian movie industry of the 1960s (like

David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia won the Oscar most movie industries of any era) was extremely
for Best Picture in 1961 and ’62, respectively,
reactionary and imitative, as the tremendous
but the highest profile movie news was the
numbers of sword-and-sandal “peplum” pic-
tragic demise of the 36-year-old Monroe,
tures and Spaghetti Westerns made there
found dead in her Los Angeles home in the wee
during the Sixties attests. So naturally the box
hours of August 5, 1962. An autopsy revealed
office returns raked in by Bava’s film inspired
an overdose of sedatives and barbiturates in the
a wave of Italian gothic chillers. Over the next
actress’ system, and the coroner ruled the death
few years, Italy produced several noteworthy
a suicide. Nevertheless, conspiracy theories—
gothics, including Freda’s The Horrible Dr.

some involving organized crime, others impli-

Hichcock (1962/64) and The Ghost (1963/ 65), cating President Kennedy—swirled around the

Antonio Margheriti’s Castle of Blood (1964), event.

Mario Ciano’s Nightmare Castle (1965/ 66) and Horror cinema also witnessed groundbreak-Massimo Pupillo’s Terror Creatures from the
ing developments throughout 1961 and ’62. For

Grave (1965/67)— all of which starred Barbara the past few years, a trickle of foreign-made

Steele — not to mention Bava’s subsequent
chillers had dripped into U.S. theaters. Follow-
work. These Italian gothics were eerily atmos-
ing director Mario Bava’s international smash
pheric, featuring moments of hair-raising fris-

Black Sunday (1961), however, the faucets
son, but placed greater value on striking visuals
opened wide, with shockers pouring in from
than coherent plots. Like the Spaghetti West-
all over the globe. Initially, British, Mexican
erns, these pictures maintained a distinct iden-

1. THE DECADE

15
tity from their stateside counterparts, even
perstardom. Although women such as Fay
though American movies later integrated ele-

Wray had gained fame in the genre before, they
ments of the Italian style.

had done so in one-dimensional “shrieking vi-

For Bava, Black Sunday was only the first in olet” parts. Steele was the first actress to earn
a series of masterpieces. Although the director
recognition for playing the villain, placing her
worked in a number of genres (he made
on even footing with contemporaries such as

Spaghetti Westerns, pepla, sex farces and crime

Christopher Lee. Steele’s exotic looks— raven
dramas, plus unclassifiable one-offs like the
hair, angular cheek bones and large, expressive
campy fumetti adaptation Danger: Diabolik,
eyes— enabled her to portray monsters and

1967), horror movies were Bava’s forte.

heroines alike and never look less than radiant.

Whether working in the gothic register with

Born in Cheshire, England, she came to Hol-

What (aka The Whip and the Body, 1963/65) lywood in the late 1950s, where producers
and Kill, Baby ... Kill! (1966/68), in contempo-struggled to handle the talented but tempera-
rary settings with Blood and Black Lace (1964/
mental ingénue. Assigned to co-star in the Elvis

65), or both, as in the superior horror anthology

Presley Western Flaming Star (1960), Steele be-Black Sabbath (1963/64), his mastery of mise came frustrated with director Don Siegel,
en scène, composition, symbolic imagery and walked off the set and left the country. For the
special visual effects made practically every
balance of the Sixties she worked almost exclu-
frame Bava directed a feast for the eyes. Black sively in Italy, alternating between starring roles Sunday demonstrated Bava’s extraordinary acu-in gothic chillers and supporting roles in art
men for black-and-white moviemaking, yet he
films such as Federico Fellini’s 81⁄2 (1963) and soon abandoned the format and distinguished

Volker Schlondorff ’s Young Torless (1966/68), himself with his daring use of expressionist
although Roger Corman brought Steele back
color. Most of Bava’s later films are awash with
to the States for an extended cameo in his Pit
eerie blue, yellow, green or purple light, usually
and the Pendulum (1961). As the quality of her combined with thickly draped shadows. In ad-roles declined, Steele became disenchanted
dition to this immediately recognizable visual
with horror movies. After the disappointing
signature, many of the filmmaker’s pictures are

Crimson Cult (1968/70), which relegated her to linked by a common theme—the folly of greed.

a speechless cameo covered in blue body paint

In movie after movie, characters that put per-
and a rams-horn headdress, the actress left Italy
sonal gain ahead of compassion for other
and swore off horror roles. In the 1970s, Steele
people are consumed and ultimately undone
worked primarily for American television, but
by their own selfishness, often in spectacularly
eventually returned to the horror genre at the
gruesome ways. One of the director’s most im-
behest of fans-turned-filmmakers like Joe
pressive works was the atmospheric Kill, Baby

Dante, who gave her a small role in Piranha

... Kill! , a compelling thriller conjured up (1978). She also appeared in the short-lived re-almost entirely from Bava’s visual magic and
vival of the horror soap opera Dark Shadows in some carefully selected library music. During

1990. Steele remains active; her most recent
the Sixties, Bava also made one of the most en-
screen appearance as of this writing was in The joyable horror-peplum hybrids in Hercules in

Butterfly Room (2010).

the Haunted World (1961/64) and an influential Steele’s ascendance was part of a wider trend
horror-sci-fi blend, Planet of the Vampires
in horror cinema that mirrored events in the

(1965). Apart from Black Sunday, however,
real world. As the feminist movement surged

Bava’s most significant contribution to the
forward and women aggressively pursued lead-
genre was Blood and Black Lace, which we will ership roles outside the home, the genre began
consider later.

to develop better and more prominent parts for

With her showy dual role in Black Sunday
actresses. Two prime examples of this are The

(playing both the reanimated witch and her

Innocents (1961) with Deborah Kerr and The own great-great-great granddaughter), Barbara

Haunting (1963) with Julie Harris. Both movies Steele broke into the boys’ club of horror su-unfold from the perspective of a complex,

16

1. THE DECADE
multi-faceted female protagonist. Kerr, as an
women are objectified in their youth and mar-

English governess who comes to suspect the
ginalized in old age) but also dealt with the uni-
children in her care may be possessed by evil
versal problem of aging itself, bringing viewers
spirits, and Harris, playing a psychic medium
face to face with the inescapability of human
on the verge of a nervous breakdown, handle
mortality. These films also offered plum roles
their challenging roles with dexterity, subtlety
that helped extend the careers of many talented
and conviction. Although both pictures are su-
performers. In Hollywood, actresses’ careers
perbly written, directed and photographed —
usually begin to falter once they reach age 40
indeed, they rank among the most satisfying

(if not sooner), whereas their male co-stars can
horror shows of the Sixties— neither would
work into their 60s and beyond. Typical Hol-
succeed without the outstanding work of its
lywood movies simply aren’t written for older
stars. These female-centric horrors would reach
women, a problem that has, if anything, only
a creative high water mark with Rosemary’s
worsened since Baby Jane.

Baby (1968), starring Mia Farrow as an expec-The Innocents and What Ever Happened to tant mother trapped in a Satanic conspiracy.

Baby Jane were prestige pictures that earned Robert Aldrich’s psychological thriller What

Oscar nominations. On the other end of the

Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962) went those spectrum, horror fans of the early Sixties could
films one better by featuring two female leads—
revel in the outré delights offered by Mexican
aging screen legends Bette Davis and Joan
fright flicks, many of the best of which were

Crawford. In the title role, as a geriatric former
produced at this time — The Curse of the Crying
child star, Davis delivered one of the greatest

Woman, The Black Pit of Dr. M. (both 1961), and most courageous performances of her caThe Brainiac, World of the Vampires and The reer. Davis, always sensitive about her lack of

Witch’s Mirror (all 1962). Filmgoers have two classic movie star beauty, nevertheless appeared
men to thank (or curse, depending upon one’s
under harsh white light, either bare-faced or in
perspective) for bringing Mexi-monster mad-
grotesque makeup, playing a character who’s
ness north of the border: Actor-producer Abel
both utterly sadistic and bizarrely infantile,

Salazar, whose Cinematografica A.B.S.A. com-
with childlike speech patterns and immature
pany basically created the Gothic-style Mexican gestures, such as covering her ears to avoid
horror movie in the late 1950s and early Sixties,
hearing something unpleasant. (Davis was re-
and theater owner K. Gordon Murray, who
warded with a Best Actress nomination from
purchased the American rights to Salazar’s (and
the Academy.) Crawford, in a more sympathetic
numerous other) movies, dubbed them into
but less flashy role as Jane’s tormented sister,

English and exhibited them in a series of Sat-
also performed admirably. Although conceived
urday matinees before sending them off to tel-
as a Psycho variant, the robust box office evision (via American International Pictures’

returns for Baby Jane helped the picture spawn television arm). Actor-turned-producer Salazar
its own legion of imitators, inaugurating the
started the Mexican horror revival in 1957
so-called “horror hag” sub-genre. Aldrich fol-
when he both produced and starred in the wa-
lowed Baby Jane with the similar Hush, Hush tershed The Vampire (featuring Germán Robles Sweet Charlotte (1965), co-starring Davis and in the title role and Salazar as a substitute Van

Olivia De Havilland. Crawford returned to the

Helsing) and its sequel, The Vampire’s Coffin
oeuvre for William Castle’s Straight-Jacket

(also 1958). Salazar’s films were classicist black-

(1964). Tallulah Bankhead headlined Hammer’s
and-white gothics made in the style popularized

Die, Die, My Darling (1965), Geraldine Page by Universal in the 1930s. Produced just before
appeared in What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?

Hammer Films’ Horror of Dracula, The Vampire (1969), Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters
provided further evidence that audiences were
co-starred in What’s the Matter with Helen?

ready for the return to traditional horror

(1971) and Agnes Moorehead made Dear Dead
stories. Salazar continued the cycle with The

Delilah (1972). Baby Jane and its imitators ad-Curse of the Crying Woman and The Living dressed feminist themes (demonstrating how

Head, (also 1961), as well as the aforementioned

1. THE DECADE

17

The Brainiac, World of the Vampires and The (or masks) into the celluloid ring. Literally

Witch’s Mirror. Salazar’s success, predictably, hundreds of Mexican wrestling pictures were
inspired many imitators, some of which
produced in the 1960s, many of them featuring
reached the U.S. (either in theatrical releases or
supernatural villains as well as the more stan-
via television), and many of which did not. As
dard criminal masterminds and dastardly
the Mexican horror boom continued, aging
wrasslin’ opponents. Unfortunately (or fortu-

Hollywood stars ventured south to extend their
nately, again depending on one’s perspective),
careers. Lon Chaney, Jr., starred in a slapdash
few made it north of the border. By far the most

Wolf Man clone, Face of the Screaming Werewolf
popular of the wrestling heroes was El Santo,

(1964), and the great Boris Karloff ended his
the silver mask and cape-wearing Rodolfo Guz-
career in a quartet of cheaply made Mexi-
man Huerta (at least to begin with — since no
chillers ( The Fear Chamber, Isle of the Snake
one ever saw Santo without his mask, others

People, The Incredible Invasion and Macabre are believed to have donned it later on, includ-Serenade), some of which weren’t released until ing Eric del Castillo). A national hero in his
the early 1970s. While many of these produc-
homeland, Santo made his film debut in 1952
tions were cut-rate, addle-brained dreck, the
with El Enmascarado de Plata (The Silver
best of them — pictures like Curse of the Crying Maskman). In less than three decades, El Santo

Woman and World of the Vampires— proved appeared in over 50 films. Sometimes renamed
very effective, imbued with an otherworldly

Samson or even Superman in other countries,
ambiance and macabre, sometimes startling,
the valiant Santo (often teamed with his rival/
imagery. Others, like The Brainiac, may not be companion Blue Demon) battled (sometimes

“good” in any meaningful sense of the word
in the wrestling ring!) vampires, werewolves,
but remain very entertaining — action-packed
witches, mummies, zombies, a Frankenstein
and wildly imaginative (where else can viewers

Monster, mad scientists, a robot and even a Cy-
watch the monster eat chilled brains with a
clops. Although only three Santo adventures
spoon, like a bowl of corn flakes?). While only
reached English-speaking U.S. theaters during
a handful of these south-of-the-border oddities
the Sixties— Invasion of the Zombies, Samson vs.

made it to U.S. theaters in English language
the Vampire Women and Samson in the Wax versions, many later became available on home

Museum— many more subsequently became
video. They now claim an ardent cult following.

available on DVD. Some of the best of these in-

In addition to “straight” horror films such
clude: The Diabolical Axe (1965), Santo vs. the as these, Mexico also produced a long-running

Martian Invasion (1966), Santo in the Treasure series of wrestling movies, many of which
of Dracula (1968) and Santo and Blue Demon crossed over into the horror genre by having
vs. the Monsters (1969. These off beat epics cer-real-life grapplers battle menaces like Dracula
tainly are not for everyone, but may appeal to
and the Frankenstein Monster. This unique
those with a taste for the eccentric. If you like
sub-genre began in the 1950s and continued

The Brainiac, you’ll probably go for Santo in through the Seventies, but saw its heyday in the
the Treasure of Dracula, too.

Sixties, when famous wrestlers Blue Demon

(real name: Alejandro Cruz), Neutron (Wolf

Rubinskis), Mil Mascaras, the Bat, the Blue

1963 –1964

Angel and the one-and-only El Santo dove off
the top turnbuckle and into the hearts of movie

These were years of dreams and nightmares,
audiences. In Mexico, professional wrestling
when leaders from all points on the political
was not considered a tongue-in-cheek guilty
and cultural map provided visions for the fu-
pleasure like in America. One of the country’s
ture. Inevitably, conflict arose between the ad-
top sporting events, wrestling was taken very
herents of these widely divergent ideologies. In
seriously, and the stars of the ring were elevated

February 1963, Betty Friedan published her
to near-superhero status. So it was only natural
best-selling book The Feminine Mystique,
that these masked marauders throw their hats
which described the frustration many middle-

18

1. THE DECADE
class housewives felt with their lives; it served

Production Code continued to weaken. Direc-
as a rallying cry for American feminists. In the
tor Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964) was midst of ongoing racial violence (including the
granted a “special exception” and became the

June murder of NAACP field secretary Medgar
first Code-approved film to feature bare

Evers and the September deaths of four young
breasts. The studios’ financial problems—
girls when an African American church was
stemming in part from stratospheric overhead
bombed in Birmingham), Martin Luther King,
costs associated with maintaining huge sound-

Jr., delivered his hope-filled “I Have a Dream”

stages and back lots— approached crisis levels.

speech to a crowd of 200,000 civil rights ac-

In 1964, MGM lost nearly $20 million and Fox
tivists gathered around the Lincoln Memorial.

lost over $40 million. The Academy’s stodgy

An entire generation of Americans was stunned
choices for Best Picture — Tom Jones in 1963
and horrified when on November 22, 1963, as-
and My Fair Lady in 1964 — demonstrated how sassin Lee Harvey Oswald gunned down Pres-resistant Hollywood seemed to new ideas. In-
ident Kennedy in Dallas. Even though a con-
fluential, forward-looking pictures like Hud, gressional investigation completed the following

The Birds (both 1963), Goldfinger and A Hard year would determine that Oswald acted alone,

Day’s Night (both 1964)— not to mention wa-
numerous conspiracy theories clung to the as-
tershed foreign movies like 81⁄2, The Leopard sassination (and still do). In June 1964 President

(both 1963) and Woman in the Dunes (1964)—

Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark Civil
weren’t considered Best Picture material, but

Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination
bloated, self-important road show fodder like
of all kinds based on race, religion and national

Cleopatra and How the West Was Won (both origin, and empowered the government to en-nominated in 1963) were. Goldfinger, the third force desegregation. A month later, at the Re-entry in the James Bond movie series, was a
publican National Convention, conservatives
watershed hit that helped spur a craze for
overthrew the ruling party moderates, nomi-
super-spies, which in this film’s wake became
nating arch right-winger Barry Goldwater for
ubiquitous both on the big screen (with Bond
president and publicly challenging the consti-
imitators such as Matt Helm, Derek Flint and
tutionality of the recently passed Civil Rights

Jerry Cotton, etc.) and TV ( The Man from

Act. Although Johnson defeated Goldwater in

U.N.C.L.E. , The Wild Wild West, a revival of a landslide, these events shifted the formerly

Secret Agent, etc.), as well as in pulp novels, centrist G.O.P. further right and won the party
magazines and comic books. Super-villains
robust new support in the traditionally Dem-
such as Fu Manchu and Dr. Mabuse enjoyed a
ocratic South and burgeoning conservative en-
revival during the same era, with several for-
claves such as Orange County, California.

eign-produced pictures starring those charac-

While conservatives were changing the face
ters finally earning a U.S. release during the
of the Republican Party, the Beatles were chang-
mid- to late-1960s. Occasionally, some of these
ing the face of popular music. On February 7,
films brushed the borders of the horror genre.

1964, the Fab Four touched down in New York

Fear of progress was not a problem that

City and took America by storm, altering the
vexed horror cinema, which continued to push
course of music, fashion and pop culture over
boldly into previously uncharted terrain. Easily
the course of the next six years. Later in Feb-
the best genre entry of this period was director
ruary, poetry-spouting heavyweight Cassius

Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963), although Clay knocked out Sonny Liston to claim his
it was little appreciated at the time. In fact, the first world championship. Clay, who shortly
film was widely considered a disappointment,
after defeating Liston converted to Islam and
although almost anything Hitch had issued as
changed his name to Muhammad Ali, would
a successor to the cultural phenomenon that
emerge as one of the most controversial public
was Psycho (1960) would have seemed like a let-figures of the era, especially when he declared
down. In the years since, The Birds’ reputation himself a conscientious objector to the rapidly
has deservedly soared; it stands as one of the
escalating Vietnam War. At the movies, the
last great Hitchcock pictures and, arguably, the

1. THE DECADE

19
most terrifying entry in the legendary
craft (especially his special gore effects) re-
director’s filmography. This off beat tale about
mained inept — on par with his earlier grade Z
a series of unexplained bird attacks certainly
nudie cuties. As a result, nowadays Blood Feast ranks among his most uncompromising and
is far more likely to inspire gales of derisive
artistically sophisticated works. The Birds fea-laughter than wholesale vomiting (even
tures some of the most hair-raising moments
though, as a promotional gimmick, barf bags
of any Sixties shocker (for instance, a scene in
were distributed to moviegoers at some
which terrorized grade-schoolers are attacked
cinemas during the film’s initial theatrical run).

by demonic-looking crows). Federico Fellini,

Nevertheless, the movie proved astoundingly
who admired the film, called it “an apocalyptic
profitable, leading Lewis to make another scan-
poem.” On a less ethereal level, The Birds can dalous gore-fest, Two Thousand Maniacs!

be seen as the grand-daddy of all animal-attack

(1964). By far the most ambitious and best re-
thrillers, inspiring a subgenre that runs from
alized entry in the director’s filmography, Two the sublime ( Jaws, 1975) to the ridiculous Thousand Maniacs! remains a semi-professional ( Night of the Lepus, 1972). It’s also worth noting production riddled with fundamental flaws and
the many similarities in dramatic structure be-
clumsy mistakes, but Lewis’ tongue-in-cheek
tween this film and George Romero’s Night of
approach softens the impact of those problems.

the Living Dead (1968): Both feature protago-The story’s basic premise (Confederate towns-
nists confined to a remote, boarded-up farm-
folk wiped out by Union soldiers during the
house fighting off inhuman attackers. Neither

Civil War return from the dead to take revenge
picture spends much time explaining why these
on Yankee interlopers) is intriguing, and its
attacks occur, and neither one has a happy end-
gruesome set pieces display a sort of demented
ing. Both, however, are masterpieces. If The
creativity sure to satisfy gore fans. The ghost-

Birds failed to earn all due critical respect, how-rebels chop off a woman’s arm and then bar-
ever, it remained infinitely more prestigious
becue her; tie a man’s arms and legs to four
than most of the other historically significant
horses and set them bolting away in different
chillers from 1963 and ’64.

directions; play a game that results in a giant

Consider director Herschell Gordon Lewis’

boulder falling on another victim; and send a
notorious Blood Feast (1963), which pushed far fourth victim rolling down a hill in a barrel full
beyond all accepted boundaries for screen vi-
of spikes. Lewis made a handful of subsequent
olence (or good taste). Lewis, an exploitation
gore features— including Color Me Blood Red
filmmaker who previously had specialized in

(1965), The Gruesome Twosome (1967), The no-budget softcore porn, keenly observed the

Wizard of Gore (1970), The Gore-Gore Girls box office receipts reaped by Hammer’s blood-

(1972) and the belated Blood Feast 2: All U Can spattered gothics and decided to shoot a picture

Eat (2002)— and explored other exploitation that would trade one prurient interest for an-genres, as well. Although it took years for
other — with gratuitous gore replacing gratu-
graphic bloodletting to become a mainstay of
itous nudity as the film’s raison d’etre. While horror cinema, its emergence was inevitable

Blood Feast’s murders are mostly suggested
after the success of Blood Feast and its kin.

rather than shown (usually filmed through

“Think of what this picture spawned,” said
subjective shots from the victim’s perspective,

David Friedman, producer of Blood Feast. “We followed by a quick cutaway), Lewis’ camera
basically invented the slasher film, the blood-
lingers on scenes of dismemberment and can-
and-guts film.” The horror genre had taken a
nibalism, showing the killer chopping off legs,
decisive turn—whether for better or worse may
tearing out his victim’s tongue, slicing out an
be debated.

eyeball, and, later, baking severed limbs in an

By the mid–1960s, another exploitation craze
oven and stirring a pot of grue stew. All of this
was winding down — the fad for Italian sword-
was far more graphic than anything unleashed
and-sandal pictures, commonly referred to as
on movie audiences before, and many viewers
peplum (derived from the Greek word for
were left stunned and astonished. Lewis’ film

“tunic”) films. These low-budget, lowbrow ac-

20

1. THE DECADE
tion epics, set in the ancient past and starring
umph with King Kong vs. Godzilla in 1962, nat-former body builders such as Steve Reeves, Reg
urally wanted to pair Godzilla with another

Park and Gordon Scott as muscle-bound
high-profile beastie. Mothra, which had jump-
mythological heroes like Hercules, Samson and
started the studio’s moribund kaiju cycle in Goliath, were produced by the scores each year

1961, seemed like the logical choice — at least
from 1958 through 1965, when the Italian film
to Toho. AIP may have disagreed, since it re-
industry abruptly abandoned the cycle in favor
moved all images of Mothra from movie
of Spaghetti Westerns. The pepla were popu-
posters and retitled the film known in Japan as
larized by director Pietro Francisci’s Hercules Mothra vs. Godzilla ( Mosura tai Gojira) to (1958/59), starring Steve Reeves and pho-Godzilla vs. The Thing for the picture’s Amer-tographed by cinematographer Mario Bava.

ican release. Perhaps AIP hid Mothra’s identity

Following the international triumph of Bava’s
because executives feared fans wouldn’t pay to
directorial debut, the gothic chiller Black Sunsee Godzilla fight an oversized butterfly. Yet,
day (1960), Italian producers not only rushed it’s just this oddball pairing that makes the
similar gothics into production, but began to
film’s monster battles work so well. Unlike King integrate prominent horror elements into their

Kong vs. Godzilla, in which the creatures throw sword-and-sandal pictures. By 1963 and ’64,
rocks at each other and grapple like professional
some of the best of these peplum-horror
wrestlers, in this film the monsters use their
hybrids reached U.S. audiences. Not surpris-
unique abilities to combat their opponent:

ingly, the best of these was Bava’s Hercules in Mothra waylays Godzilla by releasing a cloud
the Haunted World (1961/63), in which the tit-of dusty yellow poison; Godzilla fires back with
ular strongman (played here by Reg Park) jour-
a burst of atomic breath. In short, these scenes
neys to the underworld to defeat a vampiric
play out like a contest between two animals,
villain (Christopher Lee). Imaginative, atmos-
not between two guys in rubber suits. Godzilla
pheric and action-packed, with a sly, tongue-
vs. the Thing is a lively adventure with likeable in-cheek performance by Lee, Haunted World
human characters as well as first-rate monster
is one of the few pepla that may appeal to view-
sequences, and boasts some of the most im-
ers not already enamored with the sword-and-
pressive work in the history of Toho’s visual ef-
sandal oeuvre. Other noteworthy peplum-hor-
fects department —far superior to King Kong
ror blends include director Riccardo Freda’s
vs. Godzilla in every aspect. American audiences dark The Witch’s Curse (1962), starring Kirk were fortunate that, unlike many kaiju eiga,

Morris as Goliath (“Maciste” in the original

Godzilla vs. The Thing reached U.S. audiences Italian); Duccio Tessari’s mildly comedic My
without extensive re-editing. Godzilla vs. The

Son, the Hero (1962/63), starring Giuliano

Thing also remains memorable as the final film Gemma as the heroic Krios; Sergio Corbuccci
in which Godzilla would appear as a villain —
and Giacomo Gentilomo’s brutal Goliath and
until Toho re-launched the series in 1984.

the Vampires (1961/64), featuring Gordon Scott The success of Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964) in the title role (again, “Maciste” in Italy); and
validated the appeal of the monster-versus-

Alberto De Martino’s finely-crafted Medusa
monster format and proved that this gambit

Against the Son of Hercules (1963, issued directly could work with international audiences even
to TV in America), starring Richard Harrison
when both contestants were Japanese creatures
as Perseus.

(rather than American imports like Kong).

If anything was less respected than the

Toho immediately rushed a new kaiju battle brawny, sandal-clad peplum heroes, it was the
royale into production. Taking a cue from vin-
rubber suit-encased creatures of the Japanese
tage Universal horror shows like House of
kaiju eiga (monster movies). Still, in 1964 Toho Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula Studios released a pair of films that changed the

(1945), producers decided to throw together a
course of this popular, albeit critically reviled
whole gang of monsters— Godzilla, Mothra,

(at least in the U.S.), sub-genre. The company,

Rodan and the newly created title menace—for
which had scored a surprising box-office tri-

Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964),

1. THE DECADE

21
about alien invaders who control a giant, three-
cidal servant Morpho (Ricardo Valle), to obtain
headed space dragon. Unfortunately, the haste
the skin needed to restore his comatose daugh-
with which Ghidrah was made is all too apparter’s disfigured face. The picture boasts some
ent in the final product. Its visual effects are
evocative photography (silhouetted shots of the
wildly inconsistent, its production values are
two villains carrying a coffin towards a forbid-
below par and its screenplay is a disorganized
ding castle; a murder taking place in front of
mess, full of subplots left dangling and plot
an upstairs window viewed solely from the
points that are never explained. The U.S. release
street below) and takes atmospheric advantage
version places some scenes out of sequence,
of authentic castle settings to add some much-
only worsening the helter-skelter feel of the
needed gothic mood and verisimilitude.

production. This film completes Godzilla’s

Despite glaring flaws including a glacial pace,
transformation from walking metaphor for nu-
the picture was a hit and led Franco to shoot
clear holocaust (as in Godzilla, King of the Mon-several Orlof sequels, as well as the similarly ti-
sters [1954/56]) to Japanese national superhero.

tled The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus (1962, unre-He’s the good guy here, teaming with his mon-
leased in America until the DVD age) and The
ster mates to defeat the evil three-headed space

Diabolical Dr. Z (1966/67). Of these early efforts, dragon Ghidrah and his extraterrestrial cronies.

Dr. Z remains the most satisfying. It centers on Although not as successful commercially or arthe daughter of one Dr. Zimmer, who has de-
tistically as either of its immediate predecessors, veloped a strange machine that combines

Ghidrah set the template for the remainder of acupuncture and hypnosis to transform people
the long-running Godzilla series, with a heroic
into obedient slaves. When her father is killed,

Godzilla fighting alongside other monsters,
the daughter uses the machine to exact
often to defeat malevolent extraterrestrials.

vengeance, turning a gorgeous exotic dancer

Upon its arrival in the U.S. in 1964, Jesus
with two-inch fingernails that goes by the stage

Franco’s The Awful Dr. Orlof seemed like just name of “Miss Death” into a remorseless as-another sleazy European import. But in retro-
sassin. This outré outing features some of the
spect, it can only be viewed as a landmark sleazy most bizarre imagery of the entire, extensive

European import. Not only did this movie an-

Franco filmography, as well as an undercurrent
nounce the arrival of a significant new horror
of Sadean sensuality.

filmmaker, but it gave Spanish horror a toehold

The success of Franco’s films paved the way
in the American market. Franco would go on
for Spain’s emergence as a major producer of
to write and direct nearly 200 features, many
horror films. However, the genre was slower to
of those horror movies. In the 1970s he gained
develop in Spain than in neighboring Italy, in
notoriety for pictures such as Vampiros Lesbos
part due to stringent censorship by the govern-

(1971) and A Virgin Among the Living Dead
ment of Geralisimo Francisco Franco (no rela-

(1973) that combined eroticism and horror.

tion to the director), who seized power in Spain

Franco’s self-consciously stylized approach to
in 1939 and held it until his death in 1975. In
this material (full of heavy-handed symbolism,
the final years of the dictator’s life, censorship
often with flash forwards, slow motion, tinted
began to loosen and important horror movie -
and distorted images, a hyperactive zoom lens
makers began to emerge, including actor-writer-
and other flashy devices) blurred the line be-
sometimes-director Paul Naschy (real name:

tween exploitation and art house fare.

Jacinto Molina), best known for his long-run-

Although off beat, even downright weird, the
ning series of “Waldemar Daninsky” werewolf
director’s early films are more stylistically re-
movies. The first entry in the Daninsky cycle,
strained than his Seventies work. The Awful Dr.

Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror, was produced in Orlof is one of the earliest imitators of Georges 1968, although it didn’t reach the U.S. until

Franju’s Nouvelle Vague shocker Horror Cham-

1971. Other notable Spanish horror film spe-
ber of Dr. Faustus (1959/62; aka Eyes Without a cialists who followed in Franco’s footsteps in-Face). Orlof (Howard Vernon) stalks and kills clude Amando De Ossorio, best remembered
young women, with the aid of his blind homi-
for his Blind Dead series (featuring the mum-

22

1. THE DECADE
mified Knights Templar) and Leon Klimovsky,
computer malfunction accidentally triggers a
who helmed many of Naschy’s best films as well

U.S. air strike on Moscow; technical problems
as the racy Dracula Saga (1973). Indeed, aland procedural snafus prevent the planes from
though some of the best Spanish chillers, like
being recalled. But instead of comedy, Fail-Safe Jorge Grau’s Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974/75) delivers white-knuckle suspense, as Lumet
and Carlos Aured’s Horror Rises from the Tomb
slowly, inexorably ratchets up the dramatic ten-

(1973/75, starring Naschy) played it straight,
sion, climbing toward a shocking climax.

many such as Vicente Aranda’s The Blood-Spat-

While not as daring or historic as Dr. Strange -
tered Bride (1972) and Jose Ramon Larraz’s
love, Fail-Safe remains a gripping experience.

Vampyres (1974) followed Franco’s lead and in-Taken together, these films vividly demonstrate
corporated lesbianism or other erotic elements.

the level of popular anxiety stemming from the

Eventually, of course, Spain produced acclaimed
looming specter of nuclear Armageddon. Ten-
genre filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro
sions were high in the U.S.S.R., too, where

(the Oscar-nominated Pan’s Labyrinth, 2006), Nikita Khrushchev was sent to his dacha in

Nacho Vigalondo ( Timecrimes, 2007) and Juan 1964 because Leonid Brezhnev and other hard-Antonios Bayona ( The Orphanage, 2007/08),
liners thought he had become too friendly with
whose pictures helped Spanish horror scale new
the West. Party bosses’ suspicions may have
heights of popularity and critical esteem. While
began in 1959, when Khrushchev became the
the merits of Franco’s own works may be de-
first Soviet premier to tour the U.S., including
batable, he remains a formative influence on
a stopover in Hollywood, where he was feted
the development of horror cinema in his home-
by movie stars including Marilyn Monroe.

land and, given the impact of those who fol-
lowed him, a key figure in the history of the
genre as a whole.

1965 –1967

Just next door to the horror genre, in the
world of apocalyptic science fiction, Cold War

Political and cultural upheavals continued
paranoia crested with a pair of 1964 classics,
with quickening pace during these years. On

Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, or How I

August 6, 1965, President Johnson signed the

Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Voting Rights Act into law, yet five days later
and Sidney Lumet’s Fail-Safe, released just African Americans rioted in the Watts neigh-months apart by the same studio (Columbia).

borhood of Los Angeles. As black Americans

Possibly the funniest political satire ever com-
began to lose faith in legislation as a means of
mitted to celluloid, and assuredly one of the
improving their lives, more radical approaches
signature films of the 1960s, Dr. Strangelove is were taken, as evidenced by subsequent race
also the best realized, most plausible movie
riots in other major cities and the formation of
apocalypse. A paranoid general (Sterling Hay-
the Black Panther Party in October 1966. Also
den) launches an unauthorized air attack on
in 1965, the first American combat troops ar-
the Soviet Union. The planes are successfully
rived in Vietnam, and “Operation Rolling Thun-
recalled or shot down — except for one, plung-
der”—the first in a series of extensive bombing
ing the U.S. and U.S.S.R. into a nuclear confla-
campaigns—was undertaken. The war escalated
gration. Kubrick’s impeccably written and per-
quickly, with troop levels rising from about
formed film comically underscores the lunacy

185,000 at the end of 1965 to approximately
inherent in the doctrine of Mutual Assured De-

486,000 by the close of 1967. During this period,
struction, which held the Eastern and Western

China was seized by Communist Party Chair-
superpowers at bay during the hottest days of
man Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, which
the Cold War. The sheer audacity it took to
called for young people to overthrow the
make Dr. Strangelove and send it to movie the-elderly ruling elite as part of a “permanent rev-
aters less than 15 months after the Cuban Mis-
olution.” Political, cultural and economic in-
sile Crisis remains inspiring. Fail-Safe features stability ensued, yet Mao became a leftist icon
a scenario very similar to Dr. Strangelove’s— a around the world, and his “Little Red Book”

1. THE DECADE

23

(seldom referred to by its actual title,

Night, about a black detective from the North Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung) sold investigating a murder in the deep South. These
briskly to college students in the West. In
years also saw the final collapse of the Produc-

Greece right-wing elements of the Greek mili-
tion Code. The MPPDA reluctantly passed
tary seized power on April 21, 1967. This brutal

Mike Nichols’ controversial, profanity-filled
junta, which tortured political opponents in

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966), adapted various sadistic ways (shoving high-pressure
from Edward Albee’s acclaimed Broadway play
water hoses into victims’ anuses, ripping out
and co-starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard
fingernails and toenails, shoving urine-soaked

Burton, after some of Albee’s dialogue was al-
rags down victims’ throats, etc.), held power
tered (“Screw you!” became “God damn
until the generals that led the takeover were, in
you!”). The film version earned 13 Oscar nom-
turn, deposed in a second coup d’état by their inations, and won Taylor a Best Actress stat-subordinates in July 1974. In the Middle East
uette. When the MPPDA refused to pass
from June 5 through 10, 1967 Israel defeated

Michelangelo Antonioni’s British-produced but

Syria, Jordan and Egypt in the Six Day War. As

American-financed Blow-Up in 1966, MGM
the Muslim nations massed forces, the Israelis
simply released it anyway, becoming the first
launched a preemptive strike and gained con-

MPPDA member to ignore the Code. For the
trol of the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights,
next two years, Code enforcement was aban-
the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East
doned entirely. Films featuring nudity, graphic

Jerusalem, tripling the size of their tiny nation.

violence or other objectionable content were

The brief but decisive conflict dramatically al-
simply labeled as “Suggested for Mature Audi-
tered the balance of power in the region and
ences.” This free-wheeling policy was clearly
continues to influence global geopolitics.

inadequate, however, and was replaced by the

Popular culture proved nearly as incendiary.

MPPDA’s film rating system in 1968.

In 1965, Bob Dylan began recording with elec-

At this time multinational corporate con-
tric instruments and played a controversial,
glomerates began gobbling up the enfeebled
plugged-in set at the prestigious Newport Folk

American movie studios. In 1966 Gulf + West-

Festival. It was a severe blow to the American
ern purchased Paramount; the following year
folk music revival, of which Dylan had been a

Seven Arts bought Warner Brothers and
leading light. Meanwhile, new rock bands in-

Transamerica acquired United Artists. The ex-
cluding the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream,
ecutives who authorized these deals knew
the Doors and the Byrds formed. In 1967, the
nothing about moviemaking (Transamerica,

Beatles released their watershed album Sgt. Pep-for example, was a life insurance company
per’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and hundreds whose other investment properties included
of thousands of young people descended on

Budget Rent-a-Car), but they recognized that

San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood,
the studios were underperforming assets that
a counter-culture Mecca, during the so-called
might regain value over time. For that to occur,

“Summer of Love.” On television in 1965, I-
however, Hollywood would have to recapture

Spy became the first series to star an African its knack for giving audiences the kind of en-American (Bill Cosby). Gene Roddenberry’s
tertainment they wanted. The major studios

Star Trek, which depicted a future in which had become overly reliant on prestigious his-people of all ethnic and national backgrounds
torical dramas and glossy musicals, which au-
lived together in peace, premiered in 1966. It
diences were rapidly abandoning. The disas-
honored a pair of usual suspects in 1965 (the
trous performance of pictures like Doctor
family-friendly musical The Sound of Music) Doolittle and Thoroughly Modern Millie (both and 1966 (the historical epic A Man for All Sea-1967) signaled the end of the road for “road
sons), in 1967 the Academy begrudgingly began show” spectacles. But that same year a pair of
to reflect the changing face of the wider culture,
scrappy, modestly-budgeted pictures aimed at
if not advances in cinematic technique, with
younger audiences pointed the way toward a
its 1967 Best Picture winner, In the Heat of the solution. Director Arthur Penn’s Nouvelle

24

1. THE DECADE

Vague-inflected gangster film Bonnie and
imitated, especially after the breakthrough in-

Clyde, starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dun-
ternational success of director Dario Argento’s
away, grossed more than $24 million against a

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970). In production cost of $3 million. (François Truf-the early 1970s the gialli were nearly as plentiful faut was briefly attached to the project but de-as Italy’s earlier torrents of peplum sword-and-
cided to make the futuristic Fahrenheit 451 in-sandal adventures and Spaghetti Westerns.

stead.) Director Mike Nichols’ The Graduate, Bava made a few more giallo thrillers himself,
a dark comedy starring Dustin Hoffman as a
including Bay of Blood (aka Twitch of the Death disaffected college grad trapped in a romantic

Nerve, 1971/72), which served as a pivotal in-triangle with his girlfriend and her mother, re-
fluence on Friday the 13th (1980). Friday, in turned over $49 million on its $3 million
turn, precipitated the rise of the slasher sub-
budget. In the wake of these successes, the stu-
genre—slasher films being, essentially, dumbed-
dios turned to young filmmakers— most of
down, Americanized gialli lacking the artistic
whom were deeply influenced by European
stylization of their progenitors. Given this ex-
films, and many of whom had understudied
tensive family tree, Blood and Black Lace stands with producer-director Roger Corman — be-as one of the most important horror pictures
cause the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Peter
of the decade. Bava’s career extended well into

Bogdanovich and Dennis Hopper seemed to
the 1970s but as the Sixties drew to a close his
have a better grasp on the kind of stories that
star began to fade, at least in terms of commer-
would appeal to young viewers. The New Hol-
cial success. Two of the director’s best pictures
lywood era was dawning.

never saw release in his lifetime. Lisa and the Within the realm of horror cinema, Mario

Devil (1972) enjoyed successful screenings at Bava continued to break new ground with

European film festivals yet couldn’t find a the-

Blood and Black Lace (1965). It’s first and fore-atrical distributor. Finally, a butchered version
most a terrific movie — an engrossing, well-
of the film (with new, non–Bava footage in-
plotted whodunit, briskly paced, beautifully
serted) was issued in 1976 as House of Exorcism.

composed and lovingly photographed, with

Bava’s nail-biting neo-noir thriller Rabid Dogs, some stunning murder scenes. But today Blood
shot in 1974, was never completed, kicking
and Black Lace is best remembered as the first around until 1998, when it was finally assem-

“giallo” thriller, the starting point for a partic-
bled and exhibited. To the very end, however,
ularly bloodthirsty brand of murder mysteries

Bava’s work remained compelling and hand-
originating in Italy, with singular stylistic and
somely crafted.

thematic conventions, most of which originate

In authoring the giallo sub-genre, Bava was
with this film. In developing the giallo style,
influenced also by the “krimi” (“crime”)

Bava was profoundly influenced by Alfred
thrillers then originating from West Germany’s

Hitchcock (especially Psycho) and a series of Rialto studio. Like the gialli, these blood-lurid, pulpy Italian mystery novels with yellow
soaked mysteries were devoid of supernatural
covers (“giallo” is Italian for yellow). Bava had
content, but featured deformed criminal mas-
introduced elements of the giallo style in earlier
terminds, knife-wielding lunatics, sinister ca-
films, such as The Evil Eye (aka The Girl Who bals and other macabre elements that pushed

Knew Too Much [1963/64]) and “The Tele-
them to the borders of the horror genre. Shot
phone” segment in Black Sabbath (1963/64),
in a rough-hewn but energetic style, and puls-
but he assembles all the form’s signature com-
ing with jazzy scores provided by such com-
ponents for the first time in Blood and Black
posers as Martin Bottcher and Peter Thomas,

Lace: a masked, knife-wielding killer; a “tar-these pictures had a unique visual and aural
get-rich” setting (like a girls’ school, a dance
sensibility and shared a common literary origin
studio or, here, a fashion salon); a high body
in the stories of the prolific Edgar Wallace.

count; and, most importantly, brutal murders

During his lengthy career, the London-born
filmed with bravura (often sexualized) visual

Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace wrote 175 nov-
style. Bava’s approach would be widely
els, 24 plays and numerous short stories, mostly

1. THE DECADE

25
gaudy mysteries and pulpy police procedurals.

Milos Forman and Ivan Passer, departed for the

Although most famous today as the co-creator

West. One such director was Polish auteur
of King Kong (1933), more than 160 movies

Roman Polanski. His debut feature Knife in the
have been drawn from his work, and countless

Water (1962) had earned an Oscar nomination others misleadingly promoted as Wallace adap-for Best Foreign Film and enthusiastic reviews
tations. After his death, his son Bryan Edgar
from critics around the world, yet Polanski’s

Wallace took over the family business, penning
work remained unpopular within the commu-
wild and woolly crime novels that were quickly
nist film bureau, which Polish moviemakers
adapted for the screen. Director Alfred Vohrer,
relied upon for funding. When exploitation
a reclusive Stuttgart native who lost an arm in
producer Gene Gutowski asked the stymied di-

World War II, made 14 krimis for Rialto, in-
rector to travel to England and helm a Psycho
cluding many of the best — such as The Hunch-
clone, Polanski leapt at the chance. Rather than
back of Soho (1966), The College Girl Murders, the simple Hitchcock rip-off Gutowski envis-The Creature with the Blue Hand (both 1967) aged, however, Polanski made Repulsion, a
and The Gorilla of Soho (1968). Harald Reinl deeply disturbing rumination on the corrosive
directed only five Rialto krimis but helmed key
power of loneliness that stands as not merely
entries, including The Fellowship of the Frog
the finest of the many black-and-white Psycho

(1959), which launched the cycle. In all, Rialto
imitators, but as a truly great film in its own
issued 35 krimis from 1959 to 1972, and rival
right. In its unflinching examination of isola-
studios released numerous copycat thrillers,
tion and urban paranoia, Repulsion seems
such as Central Cinema’s The Phantom of Soho
ahead of its time, prefiguring pictures such as

(1964/67). Many of these films took circuitous

Martin Scorsese’s harrowing Taxi Driver
routes to the U.S. Early entries in the series,

(1976). Thanks to Polanski’s masterful handling
such as Vohrer’s Dead Eyes of London (1961/66), of its simplistic story — a neurotic, sexually re-finally saw U.S. release in the mid–1960s, but
pressed young woman (Catherine Deneuve)

later Rialto krimis, including Creature with
suffers a homicidal mental breakdown when

Blue Hand, wouldn’t reach American theaters her sister and her married boyfriend leave for
until the Seventies. Many more were issued di-
an Italian vacation — Repulsion proved just as rected to television in America or failed to earn
suspenseful as Psycho, but more naturalistic any release at all in the States. Nevertheless,

(Polanski eschews bravura camera moves and
these pictures exerted a gravitational pull on
flashy set pieces, such as the murders of Marion
the development of the horror genre, especially

Crane and Arbogast) and less playful (Polanski
in Europe. As the krimi cycle began to wind
replaces Hitchcock’s dark humor with a sense
down in the early 1970s, due in part to compe-
of existential despair). The picture clearly sig-
tition from the more stylishly crafted and sex-
naled the arrival of a major new talent,
ually charged gialli, Rialto began co-producing
although Polanski’s next couple of films— Cul
with Italian studios. A few hybrid features
de Sac (1966) and the Hammer-esque horror
emerged, with Spanish and Italian filmmakers,
spoof The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), both including Jesus Franco, Riccardo Freda, Mas-also made in England — were projects beneath
simo Dallamano and Umberto Lenzi, providing
the director’s gifts. In 1968, with his first Amer-
a Latin spin on this uniquely Teutonic sub-
ican picture, Polanski would discover a suitable
genre. Although not as popular today as the gi-
vehicle and deliver his first masterpiece.

alli, the krimis retain a loyal cult fan base.

Around this same time, a rival emerged to

The Nouvelle Vague had inspired New Cin-
challenge Hammer Films’ commanding posi-
ema movements across Eastern Europe, but as
tion as England’s foremost producer of horror
the Cold War escalated, the Soviets began ex-
films— Amicus Productions, operating out of
erting pressure on their vassal states to reign in

Shepperton Studios in Surrey. The studio was

“subversive” Western influences. Rather than
founded by expatriate New Yorkers Milton
knuckle under to governmental authorities,

Subotsky, who had worked in American TV as
young filmmakers, such as Czechoslovakia’s
a writer and director, and Max Rosenberg, who

26

1. THE DECADE
had distributed foreign films in the U.S. In Oc-
including Dr. Terror’s and The Skull. He was tober 1959 the duo teamed (under the banner
one of cinema’s great cinematographers, an

“Vulcan Productions”) to produce the witch-

Oscar winner for Sons and Lovers (1960) whose craft yarn Horror Hotel (1960), one of the most directorial career began with the romantic
atmospheric chillers of the decade. After their
comedy Two and Two Make Six (1962). He
next project, the trendy musical comedy Ring-
wanted to continue to make comedies and ex-
a-Ding Rhythm (1962), Rosenberg and Subotsky plore other genres but quickly earned a repu-launched the Amicus brand. The freshly
tation as an outstanding director of low-budget
minted studio found its métier with Dr. Terror’s horror pictures— and soon found himself pi-House of Horrors (1964/65), a chilling anthology geon-holed. For the rest of his career Francis
of short horror stories featuring Hammer reg-
led something of a double life — as the director
ulars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and
of disreputable genre films and the cinematog-

Michael Gough. (In the picture’s most effective
rapher of prestigious mainstream movies, win-
episode, the disembodied hand of a dead artist
ning a second Academy Award for Glory in

[Gough] takes revenge on a pompous art critic

1989. “The sort of people I’ve been mixed up

[Lee].) Dr. Terror’s was the first of seven Amicus with as a cameraman, that sort of circle of my
horror anthologies, a series that concluded with
friends, they obviously never see my horror

The Monster Club (1980/81). While the quality films,” Francis told author Paul Jensen in 1975.

of these entries varied, not only from film to

“I don’t even discuss my films with them, we
film but often from segment to segment within
don’t talk about it.” Francis’ technique as a di-
each movie, Amicus remains best remembered
rector, influenced by Michael Powell and John
for these portmanteau pictures, the best of

Huston (for whom he worked as a camera op-
which — including The House That Dripped
erator), involved a great deal of on-set improv-

Blood (1970) and Tales from the Crypt (1972)—
isation. “I do plan out shots ahead of time, but
rank among the finest examples of their type.

that’s usually just to have something I can de-

The studio’s other, non-anthology chillers were
viate from on the set,” Francis explained. This
a mixed bag, including both minor gems (like
nimble approach enabled Francis to overcome

Horror Hotel and The Skull [1965]) and major numerous obstacles created by his films’ tight-disappointments (like The Deadly Bees [1967]

fisted budgets. He made six features for Amicus
and I, Monster [1971/73]). Amicus also dabbled (including the anthologies Dr. Terror’s, Torture in science fiction, making two delightful fea-Garden [1967/68] and Tales from the Crypt) and tures based on the BBC TV serial Dr. Who in five for Hammer. His finest directorial efforts
the 1960s and a series of Edgar Rice Burroughs
include The Skull (1965), an eerie yarn about a adaptations in the Seventies. Despite the am-collector (Peter Cushing) of macabre artifacts
bitions of Rosenberg and Subotsky, however,
whose personality changes when he comes into

Amicus never approached Hammer in terms
possession of the skull of the Marquis de Sade;
of either quantity or (at least on a consistent

Hammer’s Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
basis) quality. The disparity in production val-

(1968), the most visually sumptuous entry in
ues was glaring, with Hammer’s glossy,
the studio’s long-running Dracula series; and
polished gothics far outshining Amicus’ scruffy

The Creeping Flesh (1973), a pseudo-remake of horrors, which were usually set in (cheaper)

The Skull about a well-meaning scientist
modern settings. Throughout its history, Am-

(Cushing again) who thinks he’s made an
icus struggled with funding, a problem that
archeological breakthrough with a rare skele-
vexed its sci-fi films in particular. Subotsky and
ton, only to discover the bones contain an an-

Rosenberg “were never able to raise the proper
cient evil. Together, Francis and Hammer’s
amount of money for their films,” director

Terence Fisher directed most of the best horror

Freddie Francis told the authors, adding with
films made in England in the 1960s.

a laugh, “but they were good guys and I liked

The middle and later Sixties were also a sort
the films we made anyway.”

of Golden Age (or perhaps “Pyrite Age” would

Francis helmed most of Amicus’ best movies,
be the more appropriate term) for trash

1. THE DECADE

27
cinema, as schlock purveyors like Jerry Warren,
feverish creativity that makes them curiously

Ted V. Mikels, Ray Dennis Steckler, Andy Mil-
endearing. Steckler’s The Incredibly Strange
ligan and Al Adamson served up Grade-Z ex-

Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became
ploitation fare for shock-hungry grindhouse

Mixed-Up Zombies?!!? (1964), for instance, set customers. Although their films were never disin a seedy burlesque club and a fleabag carnival
tributed through the MPPDA, the collapse of
sideshow, features not only an evil fortune teller
the Production Code seemed to embolden these
and rampaging zombies but standup comedy,
filmmakers, who specialized in salacious, blood-
go-go music, a strip-tease and ballroom danc-
splattered, ultra-low-budget features. Producer-
ing interludes. Steckler seems bent on making
director Warren was the first to enter the fray
sure there’s something entertaining happening
with The Incredible Petrified World and Teenage onscreen every second of the film’s 82 minutes—

Zombies in 1959, wretched productions that nev-even if any given scene has nothing to do with
ertheless earned wide distribution and turned
the preceding one, or with anything else.

tidy profits. As the 1960s wore on, Warren di-

Steckler and the other young schlock meisters
rected fewer films, finding it easier and cheaper
weren’t the only ones churning out grindhouse
to simply purchase foreign movies, including
filler, however. Veteran William “One-Shot”

Mexican cheapies like Face of the Screaming

Beaudine gave these upstarts a run for their

Werewolf and Attack of the Mayan Mummy (both money with such notorious productions as Jesse

1964), which he dubbed into English, usually

James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter and Billy adding newly shot footage to further Ameri-the Kid vs. Dracula (both 1966), a loopy but canize the product. Steckler, a former protégé
strangely appealing bargain basement horror-
of producer-director Arch Hall, Sr. (maker of

Western double feature. These outrageous,
the immortal caveman epic Eegah! [1962]), re-genre-bending films may leave viewers shaking
leased a handful of low-rent horror and juvenile
their heads like a cowpoke trying to clear his
delinquency flicks before sinking into softcore,
rattled brain after a barroom brawl, but they
and later hardcore, pornography. Milligan
remain as irresistibly fascinating as a steam-
began with softcore sex films, often with horror engine train wreck. In one of its title roles (care undertones— pictures like the now-lost Naked
to guess which?), Billy the Kid vs. Dracula

Witch (1967) and The Ghastly Ones (1968).

starred John Carradine, who appeared in several

Mikels and Adamson began their careers in the
of these awful, no-budget chillers and was a
late Sixties— when Mikels created The Astro-
particular favorite of Adamson. Once, in 1940s

Zombies (1968) and Adamson made Blood of when he ranked among the most respected ac-Dracula’s Castle (1969)— but left a greater im-tors in Hollywood, Carradine had accepted
pression on the 1970s, with notorious produc-

Poverty Row horror parts to fund his ambitious
tions such as Adamson’s Horror of the Blood
theatrical productions. Now, in the 1960s thanks

Monsters (1970) and Dracula vs. Frankenstein to his boundless appetite for wine, women and

(1971), and Mikels’ The Corpse Grinders (1971).

whatever, Carradine was reduced to accepting

Both men’s personal lives (and deaths) were
such roles simply to pay the bills. Although his
more entertaining than their movies. Mikels,
reputation would later be rehabilitated — espe-
an eccentric Croatian-American bodybuilding
cially once his sons, David, Keith and Robert,
enthusiast, built a castle-shaped home in Glen-
followed in their father’s footsteps to movie
dale, California, complete with secret passage-
stardom — John Carradine’s film career never
ways and live-in strippers. Adamson, who co-
recovered. From the Sixties onward he was a
founded Independent-International Pictures
giant talent laboring in Lilluputian pictures.

with producer Sam Sherman, was remodeling
his bathroom when he was murdered by his
contractor in 1995, his body hidden beneath a

1968 –1969
newly installed whirlpool bath.

Most of these super-cheap, semi-pro shock-

As the 1960s drew to a close, the U.S. moved
ers were abysmal, but a few display a kind of
closer to self-destruction than at any time since

28

1. THE DECADE
the 1860s. The nation seemed ready to tear itself
new scientific and cultural innovations un-
apart in 1968, rocked by a grinding war, tragic
dreamed of at the time. The Sixties counter-
assassinations, race riots, student protests and
culture enjoyed its finest hours August 15
other spasms of violence. On January 31 North
through 18 when upwards of half a million

Vietnamese guerrillas launched a frontal assault
young people gathered for “three days of peace
that caught U.S. forces flat-footed, killing more
and music” at the Woodstock Music and Art
than 100,000 American, South Vietnamese and

Fair in White Lake, New York. This utopian
allied forces. (For the Americans, 1968 was the
moment proved short-lived, however, when
bloodiest year of the war, with approximately
members of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang

11,000 killed and another 45,000 wounded.)

murdered a concertgoer at a similar music fes-

While the Tet Offensive failed to topple the
tival in Altamont, California, in December.

South Vietnamese government as the Vietcong

Also in December, cult leader Charles Manson
had hoped, the high number of casualties (and
and his followers were arrested for a series of
gory news footage shown on U.S. television)

gruesome killings and mutilations, including
damaged public support for the war. Neverthe-
the murder of actress Sharon Tate, the pregnant
less, President Johnson stayed the course, rais-
wife of director Roman Polanski. Beginning in
ing troop levels to 587,000 by the end of the

March and continuing throughout the balance
year. On April 4 escaped convict and avowed
of 1969, the American public learned the details
racist James Earl Ray shot and killed civil rights
of an atrocity that occurred the year before, on
icon Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis, Ten-

March 16, 1968, when U.S. troops murdered
nessee, triggering riots in Baltimore, Louisville,
nearly 500 Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai

Kansas City, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

region. For many people, this was the final

Just two months later, in Los Angeles, presi-
straw; public sentiment turned decisively
dential candidate Robert F. Kennedy (brother
against the war in Vietnam.

of the slain John F. Kennedy) was murdered by

At the movies, the MPPDA’s new film rating

Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian immigrant and
system went into effect on November 1, 1968,
radical anti–Zionist. (Kennedy was killed on
with four ratings: G, M, R and X (the M rating

June 5, a year to the day after the start of the
was renamed GP in 1970 and PG in 1972). Yet

Six Day War.) In August thousands of anti-war
controversy over film content continued when
protestors descended on the Democratic Na-

Swedish director Vilgot Sjoman’s sexually ex-
tional Convention in Chicago. On August 28
plicit drama I Am Curious (Yellow) was
violence broke out when a protestor at a
declared obscene by authorities in Massachu-
demonstration in Grant Park lowered a U.S.

setts, a ruling later overturned by the U.S.

flag. Police attacked the young man with billy

Supreme Court. The nascent New Hollywood
clubs, and the protestors responded by pelting
movement began to gather momentum. Easy
the police with rocks, bricks and bags of urine.

Rider (1969), a scruffy road picture about a pair The melee spilled out of the park and into the
of amiable, drug-dealing, hippie bikers (Peter
streets surrounding the convention, where it

Fonda and actor-director Dennis Hopper), be-
was filmed and broadcast on network TV. With
came a surprising box office hit. The picture
the Democrats in disarray, Republican Richard
was innovative not only for its subject matter

Nixon, who promised “law and order,” nar-
but for its style, which employed flash
rowly defeated Democratic nominee Hubert
forwards, Nouvelle Vague–type editing and a

Humphrey and segregationist third party can-
pulsing rock music soundtrack. John
didate George Wallace for the presidency.

Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy (1969), an even The following year brought reasons to hope
more unlikely buddy film about a naïve Texan
and to despair. On July 20 astronauts Neil Arm-

(Jon Voight) who comes to New York with as-
strong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon,
pirations of becoming a gigolo and is taken in
completing one of the greatest achievements in
by a sickly petty thief (Dustin Hoffman),
human history. The ARPANET, precursor to
earned an X rating for its sexual content yet
the internet, was created, opening the door to
won the Oscar for Best Picture. Meanwhile,

1. THE DECADE

29

Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch (1969), with political, racial and generational tensions that
its slow-motion shoot-outs, brought a new
threatened to rip America apart in 1968.

brand of stylized violence to the screen; while

Night seems to encapsulate all the innova-

Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West
tions that swept through the horror genre dur-

(1968/69) introduced new lyricism to the West-
ing the Sixties. The screenplay, by Romero and
ern genre.

John Russo, is a fascinating combination of the

A year earlier there had been fewer signs of
traditional and the revolutionary. The eerie,
progress. Nineteen sixty-eight was a dismal
shadow-draped farmhouse creates an Old
year for Hollywood movies, as evidenced by a

School gothic backdrop for the story, which
lackluster Oscar champion ( Oliver! ). The year’s concludes with a bitterly ironic twist that E.C.

best films came from overseas (Ingmar Berg -

Comics publisher William Gaines would have
man’s disturbing Shame, Luis Bunuel’s saucy loved. Yet in most respects, Night of the Living Belle du Jour and Jean-Luc Godard’s unclas-Dead rejects genre conventions. The picture of-sifiable Week End); from young auteurs like Mel fers no romantic subplots, no all-knowing sci-Brooks ( The Producers), Paul Mazursky ( Bob entists or heroic military leaders, and no happy

& Carol & Ted & Alice) and John Cassavetes ending. In lieu of comedy relief and other dis-

( Faces) working outside or on the margins of tractions, Night offers horror and more horror, Hollywood; or from “unimportant” genres like
with ever-escalating dramatic tension punctu-
crime drama (Peter Yates’ high-octane Bullitt), ated by moments of (then) shocking violence
animation (the DayGlo Beatles fantasia Yellow
and gore. But Night of the Living Dead didn’t Submarine) and, of course, horror. Even as
succeed on shock value alone. It’s an extraor-
mainstream cinema bottomed out, horror and
dinarily well-crafted picture. Although made
science fiction cinema reached a new peak.

inexpensively (the total budget ran to

Of the many great horror and sci-fi films re-

$114,000), Night never looks cheap, mostly due leased in 1968, however, none were more sig-to Romero’s polished technique. The director
nificant than director George Romero’s Night
also elicited convincing performances from key
of the Living Dead, which remains relevant, in-cast members, especially Jones, whose haunting,
fluential and utterly terrifying, even while it
unaffected, multifaceted performance galvanizes
serves as a celluloid time capsule, vividly
the entire production.

reflecting the tensions and anxieties of its mo-

Romero returned to the zombie oeuvre for
ment. It’s one of the great directorial debuts in
a series’ worth of sequels, beginning with the
horror cinema history, the best low-budget
masterful Dawn of the Dead (1978)— which
monster movie of all time (indeed, one of the
proved even more violent and gory than its
finest chillers ever made at any cost), and ar-
predecessor and was widely copied, especially
guably the most culturally significant horror
by European filmmakers— and continuing
film since Dracula (1931). Night’s apocalyptic with diminishing artistry through Day of the
scenario— in which the unburied dead sud-

Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of denly reanimate and begin attacking and feed-the Dead (2007) and Survival of the Dead (2010).

ing on the living—remains one of the most im-

Consistently, Romero has used the apocalyptic
itated in cinema history. And yet the scariest
zombie setting as a mechanism for satire and
part of Night isn’t its monsters; it’s the way peo-social commentary. (“If there’s something I’d
ple treat one another. Unable to overcome
like to criticize,” Romero told Time magazine selfishness, fear and prejudice, humankind —
in 2010, “I can bring the zombies out.”) Even-
represented by middle-aged, white Harry (Karl
tually, however, Romero’s living dead yarns

Hardman) and young, black Ben (Duane
were eclipsed by those of his disciples. Danny

Jones)—chooses self-destruction rather than

Boyle’s 28 Days Later (2002), Edgar Wright’s cooperation. With the zombie apocalypse
comedic Shaun of the Dead (2004) and even
standing in for the Vietnam war, Night of the

Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake (2004), Living Dead almost inadvertently begins to play for instance, all overshadowed Romero’s Diary, like a fun house mirror reflection of the boiling
which did not receive a major theatrical release

30

1. THE DECADE
in the U.S. Although the director made other
to carry a great deal more emotional power
excellent chillers, including The Crazies (1973), than worn-out monsters such as vampires or

Martin (1977) and Creepshow (1982), Romero’s werewolves. Dozens of movies followed Rose-name will forever remain synonymous with
mary’s Baby down this path, most notably The zombie movies— an occupational hazard of

Exorcist (1973) and The Omen (1976). Rose-making one of the greatest horror films of all
mary’s Baby’s downbeat ending, with evil tritime.

umphant, which would not have been possible

With Rosemary’s Baby, Roman Polanski de-
during the era of the Production Code, soon
livered another of the greatest horror films of became a cliché as well.

all time. Filmmaker William Castle purchased

A year later Polanski’s personal life turned
the rights to Ira Levin’s not-yet-published novel
as horrifying as his movies. On August 9, 1969,

Rosemary’s Baby— about an Everywoman
while Polanski was in London discussing a new
housewife caught up in a web of paranoid in-
project (the ill-fated Day of the Dolphin [1973], trigue involving her husband, her unborn child
later turned over to Mike Nichols), Charles
and a Satanic cult — and brought it to Para-

Manson and his followers broke into Polanski’s
mount Pictures. Robert Evans, the studio’s head
home and murdered and mutilated the direc-
of production, recognizing that the project was
tor’s pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, and four fam-
potentially “very important,” agreed to make
ily friends. Although clearly shaken by the
the film and retain Castle (still best known for
crimes, Polanski continued to work, making a
gimmicky thrillers such as House on Haunted
macabre version of Macbeth in 1971, the neo-Hill and The Tingler, both 1959) as producer.

noir masterpiece Chinatown in 1974 and his But Evans lured Polanski (a Polish director then
final horror film, The Tenant, in 1976. Then, in working in England) to Hollywood to helm the

1977, Polanski was arrested and charged with
project. Like Night of the Living Dead, Rose-statutory rape after he allegedly had sexual con-
mary’s Baby tapped into the zeitgeist. The frus-tact with a 13-year-old girl at the home of actor
tration and loneliness experienced by

Jack Nicholson (who was away at the time).

Rosemary (played by Mia Farrow) are an am-

Polanski agreed to a plea bargain, but when the
plified expression of the same dissatisfaction
judge appeared ready to renege on the sentenc-
described by authors like Betty Friedan ( The
ing agreement, Polanski fled to France, where

Feminist Mystique), turned up to 11. The story he lived as a fugitive from justice until he was
also takes expectant mothers’ natural fears and
arrested again in 2009 and ordered to return
carries them to their logical endpoint: Rose-
to the U.S. for sentencing. While in France,
mary endures a torturous pregnancy and gives

Polanski made some extraordinary films, in-
birth to a hideously deformed, evil child — and
cluding the holocaust drama The Pianist
in the process her marriage collapses. Rose-

(2002), which earned him an Oscar as Best Di-
mary’s Baby was one of the first films (along rector.

with Polanski’s earlier Repulsion) to address Saturation coverage of Manson’s crimes
urban paranoia, suggesting that even your
capped a decade dominated by news stories
kindly elderly neighbors could literally be in
about war, riots, assassinations and other ter-
league with the Devil. What’s more, Rosemary’s
rors. Not surprisingly, movies had grown more

Baby popularized Satan as a horror movie vil-violent during the same era — a topic tackled
lain. Movie audiences in previous decades may
by two other 1968 classics, Peter Bogdanovich’s
not have accepted this, but within the increas-

Targets and Michael Reeves’ The Conqueror ingly secularized culture of the late 1960s

Worm. The Bogdanovich film —which tells two ( Time’s famous Is God Dead? cover appears in parallel stories, one about a fading horror star
the film), making the devil himself an essential

(Boris Karloff ) and the other about a mentally
character in the drama became fair game. Si-
unstable young man (Tim O’Kelly) who goes
multaneously, however, enough residual faith
on a killing spree — overtly addresses both on-

(or at least distant memories of Sunday school)

screen and real-world violence. The Karloff
lingered in the popular imagination for Lucifer
character, Byron Orlok, bemoans the passing

1. THE DECADE

31
of a gentler, more naïve era in which fright
ered from the disappointing Daisy Miller (1974) films were scarier than newspaper headlines.

and the disastrous At Long Last Love (1975).

“I’m an anachronism,” he laments, and so is his

Targets also served as a valedictory address style of horror. Writer-director Bogdanovich
from the horror genre’s elder statesman, Boris
drew inspiration for the parallel story from the

Karloff. Although not his final film —he would

1966 sniper killings of Charles J. Whitman, who
still appear in The Crimson Cult (1968/70) and murdered his wife and mother and then barri-a quartet of bargain basement Mexican
caded himself in a tower at the University of
chillers— Targets gave the star a final great role, Texas, killing 14 and wounding 31 with a high-something to help remind audiences (and him-
powered rifle before being shot by police. The
self ) why he had become such an icon. Al-

O’Kelly character in Targets kills his wife and though it’s often written that Karloff “played
mother and then snipes several victims, first
himself ” in this film, that’s not entirely true;
from the top of a refinery tower and then
his portrayal is actually more complex. Orlok
through a hole in the screen of a drive-in the-
is a burned-out, irascible, salty-tongued cur-
ater hosting the premiere of a new Orlok pic-
mudgeon — nothing like the warm-and-fuzzy
ture. Although Bogdanovich avoids pointed
off-screen Karloff, even at this stage in his ca-
political statements, his matter-of-fact depic-
reer. But the actor agreed with Orlok’s assess-
tion of the ease with which the killer acquires
ment of the horror film genre, and some of the
weapons and ammunition clearly is intended
true Karloff shines through in Orlok’s prickly
to raise questions about America’s gun culture.

yet warm-hearted verbal jousts with his young

The film’s converging storylines also suggest a
director, Sammy Michaels (played by Bog-
relationship between audiences’ thirst for reel danovich). Karloff, who battled emphysema,
violence and the rise of real violence. Ironically, arthritis and chronic back pain, and was
a true-life crime — namely, the murder of
confined to a wheelchair toward the end of his

Robert Kennedy — dashed the film’s chances of
life, succumbed to pneumonia on February 2,
commercial success. Released in the wake of

1969, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy of
the assassination, Targets sank like a stone at great performances and beloved characters.

the box office, but was rediscovered during the

Director Michael Reeves’ harrowing The
home video era.

Conqueror Worm, known in England as

Targets was a film of beginnings and

Witchfinder General, delivered a subversive in-endings. It marked the ascendance of Bog-
dictment of the use of violence for any pur-
danovich from Roger Corman’s stable of young
pose—whether in capital punishment, for per-
protégés (previously, working for Corman
sonal revenge or even as popular entertainment.

under the pseudonym Derek Thomas, Bog-

The story, set during the English Civil War, in-
danovich had cobbled together Voyage to the
volves a government witch-hunter, Matthew

Planet of Prehistoric Women out of footage from Hopkins (Vincent Price), who offers to spare
a Soviet space opera and new scenes featuring
the life of a denounced warlock in exchange for
bikini-clad beach babes). Following Targets, a night of passion with the man’s daughter, Sara

Bogdanovich, a former film critic, ranked

(Hilary Dwyer). When the night is over and
among the most promising young directors in

Hopkins’ appetites are sated, however, he exe-
the business, a filmmaker who brought a classic
cutes the accused man anyway. When Sara’s

Hollywood stylistic sensibility to emotionally
husband Richard (Ian Ogilvy), a soldier away
raw New Hollywood subject matter in The Last
at battle, returns and learns all this, he pursues

Picture Show (1971), which earned eight Oscar Hopkins across England and exacts brutal
nominations, including Best Picture and Best
vengeance. Hopkins’ torturous “examinations,”

Director. The director went on to make the
witch burnings and other gruesome activities—
well-received What’s Up, Doc? (1972) and Paper all presented in graphic detail—underscore the

Moon (1973), but as the New Hollywood move-
dangers inherent in empowering the state to
ment came unglued in the mid–1970s, so did
take the lives of its citizens. But Reeves’ most

Bogdanovich’s career, which never fully recov-
daring choice is to play bait-and-switch with

32

1. THE DECADE
audience expectations by presenting Richard’s
trated, so it would be that much more menac-
savage revenge (crazed with rage, he hacks
ing.” Simply put, Price was never scarier than

Hopkins to bits with an exe, as the witchfinder
in The Conqueror Worm. This towering per-
writhes and moans in agony) with the same
formance capped a decade full of superb por-
unflinching realism as Hopkins’ killings. This
trayals by Price. The years 1963 and ’64 were
shocking climax makes two points at once: It
particularly strong for the actor. During this
demonstrates vividly that revenge destroys the
period, Price appeared in an incredible nine
soul, because when a victim of violence resorts
films, including half of director Roger
to violence, the former victim becomes just an-

Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations ( The
other perpetrator. Simultaneously, this sicken-

Raven [1963], The Haunted Palace [1963], The ing sequence not only robs viewers of the an-Masque of the Red Death [1964] and The Tomb ticipated vicarious thrill of watching the Good
of Ligeia [1964]). The actor’s work during this Guy bump off the Bad Guy, it makes them feel
period is remarkable not only for both its quan-
guilty about looking forward to it in the first
tity and quality, but for its splendid diversity,
place. All this makes The Conqueror Worm a which ranged from light comedy in The Raven, gut-wrenching but undeniably powerful expe-The Comedy of Terrors and Beach Party (all rience.

1963), to demonic villainy in Masque to fatal-This grim masterwork cemented Reeves’ po-
istic tragedy in Diary of a Madman (1963) and sition as one of the screen’s foremost horror

Ligeia. The best of this splendid lot, however, specialists, and should have propelled the
remains his debauched Prince Prospero from
young British director toward a long and fruit-

Masque of the Red Death, which ranks alongside ful career, perhaps as the successor to the likes

Matthew Hopkins as the most memorable
of Terence Fisher and Freddie Francis. Tragi-
characterization in the actor’s legendary career.

cally, however, Reeves, just 25 years old, died

Price would continue delighting movie audi-
from an overdose of barbiturates and alcohol
ences for more than 20 years after The Con-
on February 11, 1969, less than six months after
queror Worm, although his output slowed conthe American premiere of The Conqueror
siderably in the late 1970s due to age, health

Worm. Beset by pre-production problems on
problems and changing audience tastes. Tradi-
his latest project, The Oblong Box (1969, com-tional, gothic horror — Price’s specialty —
pleted by director Gordon Hessler), Reeves had
nearly vanished from movie screens during the
been struggling with depression and insomnia,

1980s. Nevertheless, Price achieved a new level
but the coroner ruled his death an accident.

of pop stardom when singer Michael Jackson

The director left behind a small but impressive
engaged him to provide a spoken word inter-
legacy that includes the stylish and thought-
lude for the horror-themed title track of
provoking The Sorcerers (1967), featuring Boris Thriller, which became the biggest-selling

Karloff, and an uneven but intermittently
album of all time. Nine years later, on October
clever debut, The She-Beast (1966), starring 25, 1993, Price, a heavy smoker, died of lung

Barbara Steele. His senseless, premature death
cancer.

was one of the greatest wastes in the history of

Another aging horror star, Lon Chaney, Jr.,,
the genre.

contributed one of his best performances to di-

Reeves helped wring a career-best perform-
rector Jack Hill’s oddball black comedy Spider
ance out of star Vincent Price as Hopkins. The

Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told (also re-director browbeat Price mercilessly, forcing the
leased in 1968). Chaney plays Bruno, the loving,
star to abandon his trademark mannerisms and
devoted caretaker of the Merrye family — two
play with greater subtlety and intensity.

teenage sisters, an older brother and some

“[Reeves] said, ‘I didn’t want you and I still
aunts and uncles kept locked away in the base-
don’t want you, but I’m stuck with you,’” Price
ment, all of whom suffer from a rare genetic
recalled in 1990. “[He] made me so self-con-
disorder that causes the Merryes to regress to
scious I was poker-faced — and, as it turned
uncivilized behavior and cannibalism. Filmed
out, he was right! He wanted it that concen-
on an anemic budget in 1964 under the title

1. THE DECADE

33

Cannibal Orgy, it took four years this bizarre fi sequences ever filmed. Director Franklin J.

but brilliant picture, which plays like an

Schaffner frequently employed unorthodox
episode of Father Knows Best directed by Tod (ultra-high, ultra-low or tilted) camera angles

Browning, to find a distributor. Chaney gave
to heighten the tension. But the real keys to the
his all to the production, delivering a warm,
film’s success were John Chambers’ ground-
sympathetic portrayal that ranks among the
breaking ape makeup designs, Jerry Goldsmith’s
richest of his career. The film’s final scenes, in
eerie, dissonant score, and Charlton Heston’s
which Bruno is pushed to desperate measures
commanding performance as Taylor.

to protect the world from the Merrye children

Director Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space

(and vice-versa) is heartbreaking. Chaney even

Odyssey stands among the defining motion picsings the picture’s theme song! By turns hilar-
tures of the 1960s, and not just because of its
ious, unnerving and curiously affecting, Spider acid trip finale. Epic in length and scope, yet

Baby is a complete original. Despite his out-reflectively paced, intellectually challenging and
standing work in this film, Chaney’s career,
philosophically brooding, 2001 couldn’t have hampered by throat problems, ground nearly
been made in any prior era and probably
to a halt in the late 1960s. He would make just
wouldn’t be green-lighted today. Its revolution-
five more movie appearances, mostly cameos,
ary special effects set a new standard for sci-fi
after Spider Baby. Al Adamson’s dreadful Drac-cinema, and Kubrick’s brilliant melding of vi-
ula vs. Frankenstein (1971) proved to be his suals and music (for instance, pairing Strauss’

swan song. Chaney died of heart failure in 1973
stately “Blue Danube” waltz with images of a
and donated his body for medical research.

slowly rotating space station) remains unsur-

No discussion of late Sixties film history can
passed. But it’s neither the film’s technical in-
be complete without at least a brief mention of
novations nor Kubrick’s directorial genius that
two landmark science fiction movies released
make it so emblematic of its era. Rather, it’s
in 1968 — Planet of the Apes and 2001: A Space the picture’s underlying theme. By comparing

Odyssey. Revered by legions of fans and critics, the behavior of ape men during the film’s pre-Planet of the Apes lives up to its lofty reputation; historic “dawn of man” sequence with that of
it’s one of the most durable genre films of the
scientists and astronauts in its futuristic scenes

1960s and remains fascinating even if you’ve

(in both cases, people eat, care for their chil-
seen it a dozen times (or more). Screenwriters
dren, and attend to other basic tasks), 2001 sug-Michael Wilson and Rod Serling retained the
gests that, although technology has advanced
basic premise of Pierre Boulle’s novel (astronaut
spectacularly from the days of bone clubs to the

George Taylor crash-lands on an unidentified
era of the HAL-9000 super-computer, man
planet where humans live like animals, lorded
himself hasn’t changed much. Technology can
over by intelligent gorillas, chimpanzees and
carry humankind only so far (even a creation
orangutans) but jettisoned nearly everything else.

as “perfect” as HAL can break down, since he

Instead, they recast the story as a thinly veiled
must be programmed by people); to evolve as
commentary on contemporary politics, with
a species, to discover our “star child” within,
various species of ape standing in for the pro-
we must look beyond technology to contact
and anti-war points of view. These parallels be-
with a higher power or toward expanded con-
came even clearer in the first sequel, Beneath
sciousness, possibly both. The picture’s fa-
the Planet of the Apes (1970), in which a group mously enigmatic resolution doesn’t spell out
of young chimpanzees stage a sit-in! In all,
everything clearly, but the general idea flows

Planet of the Apes spawned four sequels, a directly from the American counter-culture of
prime-time television show, a Saturday morn-
the era. While it led to only one belated and in-
ing cartoon and an unfortunate remake. The
ferior sequel by director Peter Hyams, 2010
original movie’s opening half-hour, in which

(1984), 2001 nevertheless overshadowed every astronaut Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his
science fiction film that followed it until 1977,
companions fight for survival in a strange, des-
when director George Lucas reinvented the
olate world, remains one of the finest pure sci-
genre with Star Wars.

34

1. THE DECADE

A fabulous decade of horror cinema wound
ridiculed by Republicans as dope-smoking,
down uneventfully in 1969, as if the genre had
morally bankrupt peaceniks, and Republicans
burned itself out in a supernova of creativity
lambasted by Democrats as greedy, racist war-
the preceding year. In truth, however, even
mongerers. Historical facts contradicted the
though no watershed horror films reached U.S.

clichés (the “dovish” Democrats, for instance,
theaters that year, the genre remained vital.

led the U.S. during all the major conflicts of the

After harvesting a bumper crop in 1968 the

Twentieth Century, including both World
field lay fallow for a season, but planting began

Wars, the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts, and
anew the following year. While not as fertile as
the hottest days of the Cold War). Yet the per-
the preceding decade, the 1970s would bear
sistence of these stereotypes polarized public
some remarkable fruit.

perception and made it increasingly difficult
for leaders of the two major parties to cooperate
for the common good.

After the End

The Cold War continued for another 20
years but never again approached the near-

History never breaks neatly into ten-year
apocalyptic intensity of the Cuban Missile Cri-
chunks, and many of the political and cultural
sis. Relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.

themes of the 1960s spilled over into the early
began to thaw in the mid–1980s under the ad-

Seventies, their storylines unresolved for years,
ministrations of reform-minded Soviet leader
even decades.

Mikhail Gorbachev and American president

War protests turned deadly at Ohio’s Kent

Ronald Reagan. With the Soviets buckling

State University on May 4, 1970, when national
under financial pressure from a decades-long
guardsmen opened fire on unarmed student
arms race, the two nations forged a series of
demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine
agreements that reduced their stockpiles of nu-

(one of whom was permanently paralyzed).

clear weapons and moved toward “normalized”

Over the next few years, in the face of growing
relations. As the Soviets relinquished control,
anti-war sentiment, President Nixon gradually

Democratic reforms swept through Soviet vas-
stepped down troop levels in Vietnam. A cease-
sal states in Eastern Europe. Finally, on Decem-
fire agreement between the U.S. and North
ber 31, 1991, the financially bankrupt Soviet

Vietnam was signed in Paris on January 27,

Union officially dissolved, becoming 14 separate

1973, and on March 29 the last American com-
nations.

bat troops left the country. By then, however,

As the Sixties ended, so did the Beatles. The

Nixon’s presidency was crumbling. The politi-
decade’s most popular musical group, and one
cian who had run on a law-and-order platform
of its most dominant cultural forces, disinte-
in 1968 became embroiled in a scandal related
grated amid a collection of professional and in-
to a break-in at the Democratic National Head-
terpersonal disagreements. Paul McCartney
quarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington,
filed papers to dissolve the band’s business

D.C., during Nixon’s 1972 re-election campaign.

partnership on December 31, 1970. By then,

An FBI investigation revealed that the five Wa-
two other rock and roll icons had also vanished.

tergate burglars had received funds from the

The drug-related deaths of guitarist Jimi Hen-

Committee to Re-Elect the President, and it
drix in September 1970 and singer Janis Joplin
was discovered that Nixon had surreptitiously
less than a month later, followed by the demise
taped conversations about covering up the
of Doors vocalist Jim Morrison in July 1971,
crime. Facing near-certain impeachment,
wrote a grim coda to the era in popular music.

Nixon resigned the presidency on August 4,

The Seventies would witness the rise of more

1974. Even though the war and the Watergate
extreme musical genres like heavy metal, disco
scandal were finished by the mid–1970s, these
and punk. Meanwhile, the edgy, topical style
divisive events continued to shape American
of the New Hollywood films began seeping into
politics for a generation. Vietnam-era stereo-
network TV with shows like the controversial
types became calcified, with Democrats
situation comedies All in the Family, which de-

1. THE DECADE

35
buted in the fall of 1971 and became the top-
the Bandit and John Badham’s Saturday Night rated program for the next five seasons, and

Fever—permanently altered Hollywood’s busi-

M*A*S*H, based on Robert Altman’s satirical ness model. These four blockbusters leveraged

1970 film of the same title, which premiered in
exploitable phenomena (fanning the flames of
the fall of 1972.

popular crazes for UFO conspiracy theories,

Hollywood received a crucial economic
citizen’s band radios and disco) to open new
boost from generous new tax laws passed in
streams of ancillary revenue through targeted

1971, which allowed the studios to claim tax
merchandising. Star Wars was a cultural phe-credits on production costs for films made in
nomenon unto itself, grossing a staggering $461
the U.S., including projects dating back to the
in the U.S., but even more from the sale of tie-

1960s. The new regulations also created a tax
ins such as t-shirts, posters, toys and soundtrack
shelter for private investors in American film
albums. Instantly, Hollywood lost interest in
productions, making such investments tax de-
small, personal movies by talented but difficult
ductible. These laws were repealed in the early
filmmakers. Like a new California Gold Rush,

1980s, but in the meantime, the major studios
the studios raced to find the next special effects-
recouped hundreds of millions of dollars, while
laden cultural bonanza. The New Hollywood
the tax shelter helped fund movies like Milos
era was over, and the Age of the Blockbuster

Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
had arrived.

(1975) and Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver

Fortunately, the horror genre had already

(1976). The early 1970s were the heyday of the
proven that it could be part of the blockbuster

New Hollywood, as up-and-coming film

-
equation. Friedkin’s The Exorcist had earned a makers such as Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola,
whopping $232 million in 1973, setting a box

George Lucas, Hal Ashby, Robert Altman,
office record soon shattered by Jaws, a picture William Friedkin, John Boorman and Bob
which also can be placed within the boundaries

Rafelson released a raft of now-classic pictures
of the horror genre. Both films owed debts to
including M*A*S*H, Five Easy Pieces (both earlier chillers— The Exorcist to Rosemary’s 1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Harold and Baby (1968), Jaws to The Birds (1963)—and both Maude, The French Connection (all 1971), The were widely imitated during the remainder of

Godfather, Deliverance (both 1972), American the decade and beyond. Both The Exorcist, fea-Graffiti and Mean Streets (both 1973). Few (if turing a devil-possessed child spewing profanity
any) of these films would have been produced
and projectile vomit, and Jaws, with its brutal during any other period in cinema history. But
shark attacks, were part of a wider trend toward
the New Hollywood wave crested in the mid–
more graphic content in horror movies. (“Di-

1970s. The movement’s upstart auteurs de-
rector William Friedkin has revolutionized the
manded greater creative control than Holly-
movie business by going further than anyone
wood executives were comfortable ceding, and
had dared,” Steven Farber wrote in a 1973 New
when these wunderkind directors began to fal-

York Times think piece devoted to The Exorcist.) ter — like Altman with Buffalo Bill and the In-Other early Seventies chillers like Wes Craven’s
dians (1976), Scorsese with New York, New York, Last House on the Left (1972) and Tobe Hooper’s and Friedkin with Sorcerer (both 1977)— the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) were pred-studios began to reassert their authority. In
icated on gruesome violence. Graphic blood-

1974 the spectacular success of Steven Spiel-
letting, usually combined with nudity, were
berg’s Jaws, which raked in a record-setting also signature elements of the European horror

$260 million in the U.S. alone against a $12 mil-
films that reached America in the 1970s. The
lion production cost, demonstrated the profit
international breakthrough of Dario Argento’s
potential of a major summer hit that inspired

Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), for in-repeat viewings. But the landscape changed for-
stance, popularized the giallo subgenre with
ever in 1977 when four colossal hits— George
viewers around the world.

Lucas’ Star Wars, Spielberg’s Close Encounters With the rising popularity of gritty, mod-of the Third Kind, Hal Needham’s Smokey and ern-era horror shows, Euro shockers, and spe-

36

1. THE DECADE
cial effects-driven sci-fi spectaculars, the horror intermittently as a director (usually in televi-factories of the 1950s and Sixties fell on hard
sion). He died in 2007. Mario Bava’s career also
times. Hammer Films, which had built its rep-
ground to a halt. He released a pair of films in
utation on glossy gothics that were now out of

1972, the sex farce Four Times That Night and fashion, suffered a series of damaging flops.

the supernatural thriller Baron Blood, but only The studio spicing up its familiar gothics with
completed one more film ( Shock [1977]) before topless starlets in pictures such as The Vampire his death in 1980. Only the much younger

Lovers (1970), Lust for a Vampire (1971) and George Romero and Jesus Franco remained

Countess Dracula (1971/72), with little box office prolific.

impact. Hammer tried moving its popular

However, a new generation of horror film

Dracula franchise into present day, with disas-
specialist arose, including Wes Craven, who
trous results ( Dracula A.D. 1972 [1972], Count followed Last House with the nerve-jangling Dracula and his Vampire Brides [1973]), then The Hills Have Eyes in 1977 and later launched attempted to combine vampires with kung-fu
the Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream fran-in The Seven Brothers Meet Draula (1974), a de-chises; Dario Argento, who after Bird made bacle co-produced with Hong Kong’s Shaw
several more thrilling gialli, including Deep Red Brothers. When a remake of Hitchcock’s The

(1975), as well as the unnerving witchcraft yarn

Lady Vanishes, starring Americans Elliott

Suspiria (1977) and other gems; prolific gore Gould and Cybill Shepherd, tanked in 1979, the
purveyor Lucio Fulci, whose work included
studio ceased feature film production entirely.

stylish gialli (such as Lizard in a Woman’s Skin Rival Amicus Productions scored minor hits

[1971]) and gruesome zombie pictures (includ-
with a series of Edgar Rice Burroughs adapta-
ing Zombie [1979] and City of the Living Dead tions ( The Land That Time Forgot [1974], At

[1972]); and David Cronenberg, who special-
the Earth’s Core [1976] and The People That ized in tales of bodily infection, insanity and

Time Forgot [1977]). But Subotsky and Rosen-medical malfeasance with pictures such as Shiv-
berg realized they could not compete in the big-
ers (1975), Rabid (1977) and The Brood (1979), budget, post– Star Wars marketplace with such and who would go on to make latter-day clas-films and disbanded the company after one
sics like Videodrome (1983) and The Fly (1986).

more feature, The Monster Club (1980/81), a But the new filmmaker who left the most sig-poorly received parody of its trademark horror
nificant impression on the genre during the
anthologies. American International, which

1970s and Eighties was John Carpenter, whose
was a glorified distribution company rather

Halloween (1978) represented the next major than a full-fledged studio like Hammer or Am-turning point for the screen terror, ushering in
icus, proved more nimble, picking up hit
the slasher subgenre, an Americanization of the
shockers like Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) and giallo form. Carpenter, who had already made

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) early in the a fascinating seriocomic sci-fi picture, Dark
decade, and Mad Max and The Amityville Hor-Star (1974), would go on to make several out-ror (both 1979) later on, all the while dabbling standing horror and science fiction films, in-in numerous other genres such as blaxploita-
cluding movies like The Thing (1982) that ef-tion, sexploitation and biker films. Neverthe-
fortlessly blended elements from both genres.

less, AIP bowed to financial reality and exited

The Seventies produced many serious-
the theatrical market in 1980, although it con-
minded horror shows—including Robert Mul-
tinued to sell movies to TV and on home video.

ligan’s The Other (1972), Robin Hardy’s The With the demise of Hammer and Amicus,

Wicker Man (1973), Bob Clark’s Deathdream the careers of Terence Fisher and Freddie Fran-

(1974), and Romero’s Dawn of the Dead
cis also wound down. Fisher made just one film

(1978)— mounted with obvious artistic aspi-
in the 1970s, Frankenstein and the Monster from rations and intended to address topical con-Hell (1974), before passing away in 1980. Francis cerns of the era. But, paradoxically, the era also
continued to work steadily as a cinematogra-
produced a high number of horror parodies,
pher in the mid–1970s and beyond, but only
including Young Frankenstein (1974), The Rocky

1. THE DECADE

37

Horror Picture Show (1975) and Attack of the lennium. Nevertheless, inventive, skillfully

Killer Tomatoes (1979). The decade closed with made chillers continued to be made — even if

Ridley Scott’s forward-looking Alien (1979), a many of these pictures found only a cult audi-seamless hybrid of horror and science fiction
ence.

that pointed the way toward later genre-bend-

As long as people have been making movies
ing blockbusters like the Terminator, Predator, they have made horror movies; as long as

Species and Matrix series, as well the several movies are made, horror movies will be made.

Alien sequels— action films with settings and From the very beginning (or at least as far back
concepts derived from the horror and sci-fi
as Georges Melies’ The House of the Devil in genres. While other long-running, bankable

1898) filmmakers have been drawn to horror
genres (most notably the Western and musical)

tales. Such films stem from the same primal
collapsed, unable to compete with the visual
urge that inspired prehistoric storytellers who
effects-laden sci-fi action blockbusters that
spun tales of wonder and terror around the fire
came to dominate the American movie mar-
pit—and who reveled in making their audience
ketplace in the Eighties and beyond, horror
shriek with fear. Eventually, perhaps, history
films evolved and survived. They continue to
will present another decade as volatile and anx-
rank among the most popular box office attrac-
iety-filled as the 1960s. If so, we can only hope
tions. Along with the rest of the industry,
that the world survives to appreciate the great
horror cinema became dominated by sequels
horror stories that will arise from it.

in the 1980s and Nineties, and by remakes (and
sequels to remakes) after the turn of the mil-

2

The Movies

This section includes critical analysis and, where available, production information for every horror film (as well as fantasy and science fiction films with prominent horror elements) released theatrically in the U.S. during the 1960s.

Films commonly categorized as “pure” sci-fi or fantasy (lacking significant horror elements), as well as pictures produced during the 1960s that did not receive a U.S. theatrical release until the 1970s or later, or which were issued directly to television in the U.S., are covered in the following section (“More Movies”).

For the sake of consistency, all films are referred to by the title used during their initial U.S. theatrical release. Cross-references are provided for films with alternate English language titles. Please note that following the title of each entry, the following information appears in parenthesis: The year of the film’s release (when a film was released outside America first, the year of its international release is followed after a slash by the year of its U.S. release), the production company (followed by the U.S. distributor, if the film was produced internationally) and the country of origin (if not produced in the U.S.).

All films are in color unless indicated as “b&w.” After this parenthetical data, a list of key crew and cast members is provided, followed by the movie’s original advertising tagline, when available.

Amazing Mr. H see Madmen of
of many sci-fi and horror fans because it also fea-

Mandoras
tures a handful of the most wildly imaginative
and unforgettable monsters in movie history.

The Angry Red Planet (1960; AIP) Direc -

Angry Red Planet resembles Rocketship X-M in tor: Ib Melchior; Producer: Sid Pink and Norman
several key respects: It’s a modestly budgeted,

Maurer; Screenplay: Ib Melchior and Sid Pink;
small-cast production about a spaceship that

Cinematographer: Stanley Cortez. Cast: Gerald
lands on Mars and finds it populated by hostile

Mohr, Nora Hayden, Les Tremayne, Jack Kruschen.

creatures. In both films the ship carries a crew of four, with romance blossoming between the mis-Spectacular adventure beyond
sion commander and a young female scientist,
time and space — tagline
and in both tension arises regarding available fuel The Angry Red Planet was one of the first genre for the return trip. Angry Red Planet masks some films of the decade, reaching screens in February,
of those similarities with a flashback structure

1960. Yet it seems even older, a throwback to the
and some additional melodrama about whether
time of Destination Moon and, especially, Rocket-or not the commander will survive an alien in-
ship X-M (both released in 1950). It’s clunky, slow-fection.

footed and cliché-riddled, populated by wafer-thin

Col. Tom Bannion (Gerald Mohr) is the ship’s
characters and plotted by rote. Despite these glar-
requisite granite-jawed leader and Dr. Iris Ryan
ing flaws, however, the picture remains a favorite

(Nora Hayden) its curvaceous scientist (who

39

40

The Angry Red Planet

2. THE MOVIES
cheerfully prepares dinner for the men and says

Gettell. The crew rows across a Martian lake to
things like, “Then it isn’t just me, being a woman?”

discover a mysterious, ultramodern city, but are
when she’s frightened). Also on board are the bril-
turned back by a huge, blob-like monster later
liant but prickly Prof. Theodore Gettell (Les Tre -
identified as a giant amoeba. Finally, the planet’s mayne) and, for comedy relief, weapons officer
three-eyed natives appear — all this within about

Sam Jacobs (Jack Kruschen), who displays all the

30 minutes of screen time! Nowhere else in the
wit of a lug wrench. Viewers have to idle through
science fiction films of the 1950s and 60s will

36 minutes of deadly dull folderol (including not
viewers encounter anything quite like Angry Red one but two “dramatic” 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Planet’s “rat-bat-spider,” giant amoeba or three-countdowns), but once the crew leaves the ship
eyed Martian creatures. Even its woman-eating
to explore Mars, the movie finally gets into gear.

plant monster is one of the more impressive ex-

This shift is marked not simply by an improved
amples of its breed. It’s as if filmmakers Ib Mel-
pace and some memorable action sequences, but
chior and Sid Pink threw all their creativity into
by the introduction of a gimmick advertised as
the story’s Martian menaces and had nothing left

“Cinemagic,” wherein the film abruptly moves
over for the other parts of the show.

from color to overexposed, red-tinted black and

The cast and crew are competent (cinematog-
white. This simple and inexpensive process lends
rapher Stanley Cortez earned Oscar nominations

Angry Red Planet a distinctive look. Then the for lensing The Magnificent Ambersons in 1943
monsters show up and the real fun starts. A giant
and Since You Went Away in 1945, and received a carnivorous plant tries to digest Irish. Then a tow-Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASC in
ering, bizarre creature with the face of a bat, the 1990; Kruschen was Oscar-nominated in 1961 for
body of a rat and the legs of a spider menaces Prof.

his supporting role in Billy Wilder’s The Apart-Dr. Iris Ryan (Nora Hayden) and her crewmates meet carnivorous plants and far weirder creatures on Mars in director Ib Melchior’s Angry Red Planet (1959).

2. THE MOVIES

The Astro-Zombies

41
ment) but, other than visual effects supervisor Herman E. Townsley, nobody brings their A-game
for this outing. The blame for this can safely be
placed at the feet of Melchior, whose previous
directorial experience was limited to a 10-minute
educational short and some TV episodes. He
would helm just one more theatrical feature ( The Time Travelers, 1964), but found greater success as a writer, penning clever scripts or stories for
such films as Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964), Planet of the Vampires (1965) and Death Race 2000

(1975). Under Melchior’s uninspiring, amateur -
ish direction, Angry Red Planet emerges as a numbingly ordinary film with some extraordinarily exciting moments.

The Astro-Zombies (1969; Geneni Film Distributors) Alternate Title: Space Vampires (video).

Director/Producer: Ted V. Mikels; Screenplay:

Ted V. Mikels, Wayne Rogers; Cinematographer:

Robert Maxwell. Cast: Wendell Corey, John Car-
radine, Tom Pace, Joan Patrick, Tura Satana,

Rafael Campos.

SEE BRUTAL MUTANTS MENACE

BEAUTIFUL GIRLS— poster

Any movie that opens with a skull-headed

As shown by this evocative ad, Ted V. Mikels’ best-killer splattering the blood of an attractive woman known (and most lucrative) feature was all about on the side of a classic 1960s Mustang can’t be all selling the sizzle, not the (inedible) steak.

bad. Or can it? “You will die a thousand deaths
as you watch The Astro-Zombies,” promises the tal refrigerator standing in as the “thermal control film’s trailer. If so, this would be the famous
unit”).

“thousand deaths by boredom.”

Reflecting the film’s cheapness is a ludicrous

The story, penned by producer-director-editor
sequence in which the astro-zombie, its “solar en-

Ted V. Mikels and Wayne Rogers (yes, that Wayne ergy storage cell” damaged in a fight, holds an or-Rogers, of TV’s M*A*S*H fame!), has rogue sci-dinary flashlight to its forehead in order to entist Dr. DeMarco (John Carradine) trying to

“recharge” itself ! But cheapness alone does not a
build a race of artificial men by creating “astro-
clunker make; it’s the poor pacing and lack of
zombies” in his basement lab. A trio of foreign
action that “kills” this Astro-Zombie. One long spies (headed by Russ Meyer alumnus Tura Sa-scene, for instance (one of many, actually), has
tana) and a gaggle of U.S. government agents (led
the heroine, set up as bait, waiting for the monster by down-on-his-luck Wendell Corey) are both
to appear — and waiting and waiting and wait-
after the doc’s secrets— the biggest being an actor ing — which perfectly encapsulates the film itself.

wearing a dime-store skull mask who goes on a

The movie tries to redeem itself by offering
killing rampage because of his bad brain (the doc
some cheesy gore at the climax as the astro-
only had access to criminals for his experiments).

zombie goes berserk with a machete, decapitating

G-man Corey looks and sounds like he’s half
one cop (cue the bouncing painted Styrofoam
in the bag, and he never leaves his office. Like -
head) and burying it in the skull of another (com-
wise, Carradine never departs his basement lab-
plete with bright orange stage blood). But it’s too oratory, and does little but spout pseudo-scientific little, too late. With so little astro-action (the
drivel while attaching a metal colander to his sub-
zombie only features significantly in four scenes, ject’s head and fiddling endlessly with the garage
and the monster’s demise comes literally with a
sale junk passed off as scientific equipment (in-
mere flick of a switch!), The Astro-Zombies is an cluding plastic tubing, water jugs, and a horizon -
astro-snoozer.

42

Atom Age Vampire; The Atomic Brain

2. THE MOVIES

Atom Age Vampire (1963; Leone/Topaz; aged tissue (“the secret of spontaneous repro -

France/Italy) Original Language Title: Seddok,
duction of living cells”), and a beautiful night -
l’Erede di Satana; Alternate Titles: Atomic Age club singer (Susanne Loret), whose face has

Vampire; Director: Anton Giulio Majano (English been scarred in an auto accident, becomes their
version: Richard McNamara); Producer: Mario
human guinea pig. When the doctor falls for his

Fava; Screenplay: Alberto Bevilacqua, Gino De
patient and must murder women to procure the

Santis, Anton Giulio Majano, Piero Monviso
glands he needs to complete the treatment, he

(English dialogue: John Hart); Cinematography:

makes use of an earlier failed serum that trans-

Aldo Giordani. Cast: Alberto Lupo, Susanne
forms him into an oatmeal-faced monster so that

Loret, Sergio Fantoni, Franca Parisi, Andrea
he can acquire his “materials” without being rec-

Scotti, Rina Franchetti, Roberto Bertea, Ivo
ognized.

Garrani.

Despite its American title, no vampires (atomic
or otherwise) appear in this dull, crass knock-off

A SPINE-TINGLING MOTION PICTURE
of Georges Franju’s poetic 1959 trendsetter The only the atom age could produce!— poster

Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus (aka Eyes Without Filmed and released in Italy in 1960, it took
a Face). Nor does a single likable (much less be-three years for this Vampire to fly across the At-lievable) character populate this interminable im-
lantic to America. Given the result, such an effort port, from the boorish, overbearing doctor to his
hardly seems worthwhile.

jealous, clingy assistant to the whining, self-pity-Alberto Lupo stars as an off-kilter medico re-
ing, faint-at-the-drop-of-a-chapeaux heroine.

searching an “anti-cancer vaccine” in his base -

Far too many scenes of the bickering medical cou-
ment laboratory, aided by his beautiful and ador-
ple, the self-absorbed heroine, dull (and tame)

ing (but ignored) assistant Monique (Franca
nightclub dance routines and the going-nowhere

Parisi). Somehow this ties in with restoring dam-
police investigation make this an Atom Age Bore.

It’s 45 minutes before the titular terror even shows his ugly mug (his crusty face, flared nostrils and
acromegalic features contrast bizarrely with the
hooded coat drawn tightly over his head, making
him look like some overgrown deformed school-
boy).

Most of the “horror” (the few monster attacks)

takes place off-screen, and director Majano offers
only dull staging with little build-up and no sus-
pense. What’s left is an abundance of statically
shot and flatly lit talking head scenes (with the
hackneyed dialogue made even more ridiculous
by the alternately banal and strident dubbing).

On the plus side, the doc operates in a rather
spiffy ’60s-style “modern” lab, complete with
bubbling beakers, large banks of equipment (full
of dials, gauges and flashing lights) and a circular, glass-domed, steam-emitting one-man radiation
chamber. And the film finally comes to life at the
end when the monster-doc tells his recalcitrant
love object of the horror and madness and sacri -
fice he’s made — right as he’s transforming before
her very eyes— and pleads with her to profess her
love and so “save” him from his horrible fate. But
it’s too little and too late for the doc — and for the viewer as well, who’s just wasted 87 minutes of
his or her life.

American one-sheet poster for 1963’s Atom Age

The Atomic Brain see Monstrosity

Vampire.

2. THE MOVIES

Atragon

43

Atragon (1963/65; Toho; Japan.) Director: familiar elements dating as far back as the serial

Ishiro Honda. Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka.

Undersea Kingdom (1936), as well as Jules Verne’s Screenplay: Shinichi Sekizawa (from novels by
oft-filmed novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Shunro Oshikawa and Shigeru Komatsuzaki).

Atragon offers a few notable flourishes all its Cinematographer: Hajime Koizume. Cast: Jun
own. There’s poetry behind the idea of pitting two

Tazaki, Ken Uehara, Yoko Fugiyama, Tadao Tak -
lost empires against one another—the Mu vs. Jin-
ashima, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Harata, Eisei
guji (as a vestige of Imperial Japan). Some critics Amamoto, Tetsuko Kobayashi.

have accused Atragon of being a pro-Imperialist film, but they miss the point: Jinguji, who reluc-An adventure beyond your
tantly moves forward and joins the post–Imperial
wildest dreams— tagline
world, triumphs, while the intractable Mu are de-

Like Gorath (1962/64), Toho’s Atragon is a pulp stroyed.

science fiction film with a cameo appearance by

The relationship between Jinguji and his
a giant monster, and not a true kaiju eiga.

daughter is the kind of thing viewers would

The long-forgotten Mu Empire, an Atlantis-
expect to find in one of director Yasujiro Ozu’s
like undersea kingdom that once dominated the
family dramas, not in an Ishiro Honda sci-fi epic.

surface world, threatens to reclaim mastery of the

This emotional core lends Atragon a different tex-earth. Japan’s only hope rests with Captain Jinguji ture than most of Toho’s other genre efforts and

(Jun Tazaki), a World War II naval hero who van-
enables Ta zaki, usually cast as an expressionless
ished during the war. When he learns that Jinguji
military type, to deliver the performance of his
still lives, retired Admiral Kosumi (Ken Uehara)

career. The role of Jinguji was originally intended undertakes a mission to retrieve him from a refor the great Toshiro Mifune, but he proved un-
mote island where the captain has been stranded
available due to Akira Kurosawa’s Red Beard
for 20 years. Jinguji’s daughter, Makoto (Yoko

(1965). Atragon also features first-rate visual ef-Fugiyama), accompanies the Admiral. They dis-
fects and one of composer Akira Ifukube’s finest
cover that Jinguji, stranded with his entire crew,
scores.

has developed a new super-submarine, the Atra -

Unfortunately, the film plods along at a dirge-
gon. This vessel appears to be the surface world’s
like pace. Although Atragon runs just 94 minutes, best defense against the mighty Mu, who open
including a music-only overture, it feels more like giant underground craters that consume entire

194. Its action scenes are few, and mostly con -
cities. But Jinguji, who cannot believe his country tained in the final act. Jinguji doesn’t appear until lost World War II, refuses to employ the Atragon
nearly a third of the movie has elapsed. Even then, except in defense of the Japanese Empire. He also
the simplistic father-daughter conflict isn’t com-
proves incapable of reconnecting emotionally
pelling enough to carry the long, talky stretches
with his daughter. Finally, when the Mu kidnap
in between effects sequences. Atragon also suffers Makoto, Jinguji agrees to
launch the Atragon —
which can travel under
water, through the air
and bore through the
earth, and which is
equipped with a freeze ray
known as the Zero Can-
non. Toward the end of
the film, the Atragon
wages a brief, perfunctory
battle with Manda, a sea
serpent that defends the

Mu’s underwater city.

(Manda returned for an-
other cameo in Destroy

All Monsters [1968/69].)

Although it remains

Manda, a giant sea serpent, attacks Atragon’s eponymous super-submarine essentially a mishmash of
during the climax of Toho’s 1963 underwater sci-fi chiller.

44

Attack of the Mayan Mummy

2. THE MOVIES
from colossal lapses in simple logic, such as: If

Roldan, George Mitchell, Chuck Mills (Niles), Bill

Jinguji and his men are capable of building this

White, Fred Hoffman, Bruno VeSota (uncredited).

super-vessel, why didn’t they build a simple boat

WHAT IS THERE IN THE BEYOND? DID YOU
and go home years ago? When the Zero Cannon

LIVE IN ANOTHER EPOCH? WILL YOU
fires underwater, why doesn’t the sea turn into a

RETURN TO BE BORN?—(Mexican) tagline
giant iceberg? And so on.

Since The Mysterians (1957/59), Toho had al-In 1957, Mexican filmmaker Rafael Portillo
ternated between giant monster films, generally
shot a series of three related horror movies, all
aimed at younger audiences, and strait-laced sci-
scripted by Guillermo Calderon, within the space
fi pictures, targeted at adults. But the consecutive of two months: La Momia Azteca (The Aztec
box office disappointments of Gorath and Atragon Mummy), La Maldicion de la Azteca Momia (Curse ended that cycle. From this point for ward, the
of the Aztec Mummy) and La Momia Azteca vs.

studio’s fantasy efforts would focus exclusively on el Robot Humano (The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy).

the kaiju eiga.

Enter Jerry Warren in the 1960s, that tireless
trans former of horror imports into senseless

Attack of the Mayan Mummy (1964;
time-killers. Taking La Momia Azteca and adding Mexico-U.S.; b&w) Original Language Title: La footage of Warren “regulars”— such as Chuck

Momia Azteca (The Aztec Mummy); Directors:

( Teenage Zombies) Niles, George ( Invasion of the Jerry Warren (new footage), Rafael Portillo (orig-Animal People) Mitchell and Bruno ( Creature of inal version, uncredited). Producers: Jerry War -
the Walking Dead) VeSota — sitting around talk-ren, Guillermo Calderon (original version, un-
ing, drinking coffee and answering the telephone,
credited). Screenplay: Gilbert Solar (Guillermo

Warren unleashed Attack of the Mayan Mummy

Calderon), Alfred Salimar (Alfredo Salazar), Jerry
on an unsuspecting American public.

Warren (new footage, uncredited). Cinematog-

About half of the 70-minute feature consists of
rapher: Richard Wallace (Enrique Wallace), Jerry
new material shot by Warren, which means that

Warren (new footage, uncredited). Cast: Nina
half the picture consists of lengthy exposition that Knight, Richard Webb, John Burton, Peter Mills,
explains very little, and dull, pointless soliloquies Steve Conte, Jorgi (Jorge) Mondragon, Emma
that add nothing. For these interminable inter-
ludes, Warren locks
down his camera (it lit-
erally never moves) on
threadbare sets (or in a
real living room) and
has his actors recite
reams of “gobbledy-
gook” (as Warren him-
self has labeled his dia-
logue). Sample speech:

“As the memory of Ann

Taylor had functioned
to the degree of pointing
to the areas unknown to
her present generation,
the discovery of that
which had filled the
minds of everyone had
become a reality.”

(Translation: “Hey, we
found it!”) Designed to
do nothing more than
eat up running time,

In 1964 Jerry Warren took footage from La Momia Azteca (released to Span-these tangential conver-
ish-speaking theaters in the U.S. as La Momia) and added new scenes to create the abysmal Attack of the Mayan Mummy. (Pictured in this Spanish-language sations cover everything

American lobby card are Ramon Gay and Rosa Arenas.) from “regressive hypno-

2. THE MOVIES

The Awful Dr. Orlof

45
sis” to ulcer flare-ups! According to actor Bruno

On the plus side, at least the two Aztec Mummy

Ve Sota, during the shooting of these new se-
sequels ( Curse of and Robot vs.) made it to the U.S.

quences, Warren was “just sitting there waiting
relatively intact (i.e. no execrable additions), since till his film runs out. He doesn’t give a damn what K. Gordon Murray acquired them rather than
you’re doing. That was Jerry Warren. I swear, he

Warren. Muchas gracias, Senor Murray.

is the only person I ever met in Hollywood who

With quotes from: “It’s Ve Sota!” by Barry
set out to make a bad picture on purpose.”

Brown, Magick Theater, 1987; Interviews with B

For those scenes involving the (far superior)

Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom original Momia Azteca footage, Warren, rather Weaver.

than taking the time to dub the dialogue, simply
has a character tonelessly narrate what is being

The Awful Dr. Orlof (1962/64; Plaza Films; said (or happening). The banal, repetitive and in-Spain; b&w) Alternate Titles: Cries in the Night; appropriate canned music —coupled with the

The Demon Doctor (U.K.); The Diabolical Dr.

even more banal (and often pointless) narra-

Satan. Original Language Title: Gritos en la Noche tion — serves to drain every bit of suspense, thrill (Screams in the Night). Director/Screenwriter:

or even mild interest from each and every scene.

Jess Frank (Jesus Franco); Producers: Serge New-

Inexplicably, Warren excised much of the original
man, Leo Lax; Cinematographer: G. Pacheco.

film’s best footage (including about four minutes Cast: Howard Vernon, Perla Cristal, Richard Val-of mummy action!). The unique and grotesque
ley (Riccardo Valle), Diana Lorys, Conrad San-
mummy (if not terribly convincing, given its ob-

Martin, Mary Silvers (Maria Siva).

vious immobile mask) is really the film’s only draw, but it appears in a mere two sequences. Even

If you like to shiver and shake,
worse, Warren dispatches his titular terror off-quiver and quake, there’s mayhem on a
monstrous scale in the most unlawful,
screen (by having it hit by a car!), revealing its fate really awful AWFUL DR. ORLOF—
to the viewer via a newspaper headline. Sigh.

tongue-in-cheek American trailer

Oh yes, the story. Well, it has something to do
with a female hypnotic subject whose remem-

Often labeled the King of Eurosleaze, Spanish-
brances of her past life leads a group of greedy sci-born filmmaker Jesus Franco Manera (aka Jess
entists in search of treasure to a Mayan pyramid.

Franco) has made well over 150 movies in the last

There a mummy guarding said riches comes to
five decades. (Due to numerous re-titlings, re-
life and menaces the expedition. A radio broadcast
editings and even the insertion of hard-core
then tells us how the living mummy crushed the footage for “specialty” markets, a definitive count expedition leader to death, and how the rest sub-may never occur.)

dued the monster with gas bombs and subse-

Franco’s first horror film, The Awful Dr. Orlof quently transported it to their lab in the city for is one of the earliest imitators/spin-offs of Georges further study. A rival scientist attempts to steal

Franju’s Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus (1959/62; the creature, which escapes (off-screen, of course) aka Eyes Without a Face) in the mad-doctor-graft-and wanders down the street towards the hero -
ing-women’s-faces-onto-his-daughter/wife/
ine’s house, where it kidnaps said heroine before
lover’s-ruined-countenance subgenre. In it, Orlof
its fateful (off-screen again) run-in with a gas-

(Howard Vernon) stalks and kills young women,
guzzler.

with the aid of his blind homicidal servant Mor-

“Rather than get involved in a picture from
pho (Ricardo Valle), to obtain the skin needed to
start to finish, which takes a lot of work,” Warren restore his comatose daughter’s disfigured face.

candidly confessed to interviewer Tom Weaver,

With this film Franco showed he was not com-

“I’d find something to use as a frame and hang my
pletely devoid of talent (as so many of his subse-
hat on it. I’d shoot one day on this stuff and throw quent offerings seemed to assert), employing
it together. At that point I was in the business to some evocative photography (silhouetted shots
make money. I never, ever tried in any way to
of the two villains carrying a coffin towards a for-compete, or to make something worthwhile. I did
bidding castle; a murder taking place in front of
only enough to get by, so they would buy it, so it
an upstairs window viewed solely from the street
would play, and so I’d get the few dollars. It’s not below) and taking atmospheric advantage of the
very fair to the public, I guess, but that was my
actual castle settings to add some much-needed
attitude toward this.” Well, if lacking in talent, at gothic mood and verisimilitude.

least Warren possessed candor in abundance.

Sporting pop-eyed makeup and a billowing

46

Back to the Killer; The Beach Girls and the Monster

2. THE MOVIES

Christopher Lee-style Dracula cape, the blind,
version played on a double bill with the far supe-
mute, relentless Morpho makes a unique — and
rior The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock. Sometimes cited disturbing—maniac. But this being a Franco film
as Jess Franco’s best film (damning with faint praise (whose raison d’etre often seems to be to make indeed), The Awful Dr. Orlof doesn’t quite live the viewer feel as uncomfortable as possible),
down to its name; but it’s not that good, either.

Morpho, for no discernible reason, likes to bite his victims to death. As Orlof, Franco fave How -

Back to the Killer see Horror Castle
ard Vernon adds his patented brand of unsavory
menace to the mix, but the remainder of the cast

The Beach Girls and the Monster (1965; are forgettable at best and annoying caricatures

U.S. Films; b&w) Alternate Title: Monster from at worst (including several painfully unfunny the Surf (TV); Director/cinematographer: Jon comic relief characters).

Hall; Producer: Edward Janis; Screenplay: Joan

Franco also displays here the appalling lack of

Gardner (Janis). Cast: Jon Hall, Sue Casey, Walker
pacing that so often plagues his subsequent films,

Edmiston, Elaine DuPont, Arnold Lessing.

as Orlof offers scene after scene of tepid filler (in-Beach party lovers make hey! hey! in the
cluding an interminable — and pointless— se-
moonlight ... while the Monster lurks
quence in which the police inspector makes a
in the shadows!— ad line
composite sketch of the killer from the descrip-
tions of numerous witnesses). Also, attention to

For a brief moment in time, America’s movie-
detail seems to have slipped past Senor Franco.

going teens became infatuated with California

While everyone drives around in a horse and car-
beaches (and the bikinis and brawn that fre-
riage (setting the film near the end of the nine-
quented them)— thanks to American Interna-
teenth century at the latest), some char acters (intional Pictures and their “Beach Party” series
cluding Morpho) sport modern dress (a dark suit

(begun in 1963 with Beach Party). Within two and tie in Morpho’s case).

years the cycle was already winding down (after

The European version of The Awful Dr. Orlof
having been saturated with titles like Muscle Beach contained more gruesome surgical shots and hints

Party, Bikini Beach, Pajama Party and Beach Blan-of necrophilia excised from the American prints
ket Bingo), but there were still a few grains of sand in an effort to spare those with New World sensi -
left to kick into audience faces. While AIP seemed
bilities (and get past the MPAA). The toned-down
to have put up No Trespassing signs on their cin-
ematic shoreline, in

1964 two independent-
minded producers de-
cided to strap their
surf boards onto the old

Woody and race to the
beach as well —chased
by monsters. The first
was Connecticut-based

(!) filmmaker Del Ten-
ney, whose Horror of

Party Beach added a
welcome helping of hor-
ror — and a dollop of
gore — to the Beach

Party formula. The
other beach-bound tag-
along was former TV
cartoon producer Ed-
ward Janis, who hired
retired matinee heart-
throb Jon Hall to direct

Mexican lobby card for Jess Franco’s (and Spain’s) first horror film, The Awful

(and shoot and star in)

Dr. Orlof (1962/64).

Surf Terror (written by

2. THE MOVIES

The Beast of Morocco

47

Janis’ wife, Joan Gardner), which followed Ten-

Frank Sinatra, Jr., who also “wrote the entire
ney’s lead by adding some much-needed monster

[movie] score in two days,” according to the film’s mayhem to the tired beach party scenario. (The
publicity). But beneath these sunny surface se-
working title “Surf Terror” metamorphosed into
quences surges a dark undercurrent of infidelity

The Beach Girls and the Monster upon the film’s and murder, making Beach Girls and the Monster

September 1965 release, nearly a year-and-a-half
a truly adult vision of a beach party movie.

after its April 1964 shoot.)

Though lacking the raw, even mean-spirited edge

Young Richard (Arnold Lessing) has been
of Horror of Party Beach, its closest relative, The hanging about with his beach-bunny girlfriend

Beach Girls and the Monster offers its own brand of and their surfing companions far too long for the
offbeat, adult-oriented charm. “CALL IT A BASH!

liking of his workaholic scientist father (Jon Hall), CALL IT A BALL! CALL IT A BLAST!” suggested the
who insists his son follow in his lab-locked foot-
ads. Or call it a mildly entertaining little time-killer.

steps. Soon a rash of teen murders at the local
beach decimates the ranks of Richard’s friends,

The Beast of Morocco (1968; Associated and it appears that a humanoid sea monster is re-British Pathe; U.K.) Alternate Title: The Hand of sponsible — or is something fishy going on?

Night (U.K.). Director: Frederic Goode; Producer: The monster in question — with its pointy

Harry Field; Screenplay: Bruce Stewart; Cine-
head, plastic eyes, giant frog lips, and stray strands matography: William Jordan. Cast: William
of seaweed — is no Creature from the Black La-

Sylvester, Diane Clare, William Dexter, Edward
goon. (It’s not even a Monster from Piedras Blan-

Underdown, Aliza Gur, Terence de Mornay.

cas.) But director Hall treats it seriously,
providing some evocative nighttime lighting that

“I should have died with them. It’s meaningless
me being here without them.”

makes the most of its shaggy fish appearance, and

— Paul Carver (William Sylvester)

lingering on the rather gruesome slash marks on
its victims to hammer the horror home. About

The mummy was a vampire.

their Black Lagoon-reject monster, co-star Walker

That’s the off beat premise behind this rarely

Edmiston told interviewer Tom Weaver (for the
screened low-budget British chiller, which also
laserdisc liner notes), “They could rent a rubber
features an unusual Middle Eastern setting. While
suit from Western Costume, but somebody had
it boasts some novel elements, however, The Beast stolen the head that went with it. So, being that I of Morocco fails to assemble these quirky compo-made puppets and all that [Edmiston starred in—
nents into anything resembling a satisfying nar-
and made puppets for — several early TV kiddie
rative.

shows], I got the job of making a head for the

British investment broker Paul Carver (William
monster. I sculpted it in my kitchen, as I remem-

Sylvester) travels to Morocco to meet a client,
ber. I sculpted it out of clay, and then I called Don only to discover that the man has died. The news

Post, Sr. [head of a mask-making company], a
sends Carver, still reeling emotionally from the
dear old friend. I called him and he said, ‘Well,
death of his wife and children in a recent car
get it over here first thing in the morning and we’ll crash, into an alcoholic tailspin. He’s befriended
cast it.’ They made a plaster cast and poured the
by German archeologist Dr. Otto Gunter (Edward
thing, and I air-brushed it. So now we had a head

Underdown) and his French assistant Chantal
for the creature.”

(Diane Clare) who try to revive Carver’s spirits

Hall, serving as his own cinematographer, takes
by inviting him to visit their excavation. On the
more care than one would expect from a cheap,
way there Carver encounters a mysterious, exotic
non-union monster movie. He keeps the visual in-
beauty named Marisa (Aliza Gur), who he begins
terest level high via frequent camera movement,
meeting in the ruins of an ancient palace. When
some atmospheric lighting, inventive framing

Carver tells his friends about his new romantic

(shooting through the fireplace, or through a sil-
interest, Otto and Chantal are struck by the co-
houetted cave mouth), and clever transitions (for
incidence that their dig involves opening the
example, dissolving from one limping protagonist’s
sealed crypt of an ancient princess also named
legs as he walks along the beach to the healthy legs Marisa. When they learn that, according to local
of the scientist striding across a room).

lore, Princess Marisa was entombed alive because

Of course, this being a beach movie, there’s
she was a vampire, the scientists must spring into
plenty of stock surfing footage, bikini beach danc-
action to save their new friend from a fate worse
ing, and silly songs (including one co-written by
than death.

48

The Beast of Yucca Flats

2. THE MOVIES

The Beast of Morocco’s attempt to merge the for those two features possessing a healthy “fun
mummy and vampire mythologies, although
quotient,” the same cannot be said for The Beast novel in concept, proves clumsy and contrived in
of Yucca Flats, a Coleman Francis opus that’s execution. For instance, Otto and Chantal —
about as dry as the desert in which it was shot.

trained scientists unlikely to accept local super-

Written by director/co-producer Francis, The
stition at face value — swiftly and enthusiastically Violent Sun (its less-than-exciting title before it make the transition from archeologists to vampire
became the more exploitable Beast of Yucca Flats hunters to facilitate the story’s resolution. Worse for release) opens with a pre-credit sequence in
yet, the story’s lone marginally interesting idea is which a bare-breasted woman towels off in her
set adrift in a sea of talky melodramatic filler as bedroom before a hulking man (his face unseen)

Paul grapples with survivor guilt over his dead
enters, then strangles and (by implication) rapes
family, grows obsessed with Marisa, and finds
her. (According to co-producer Anthony Cardoza,
himself triangulated with Otto by Chantal’s un-
said sequence was included solely because Francis
requited romantic interest in him. All of this plays liked nudity.) The film proper (using the term
out through reams of banal dialogue from sce-
loosely) then begins as a small plane lands at a
narist Bruce Stewart. Frederic Goode’s rudderless
desert airfield and disgorges a 390-pound Tor
direction and Cliff Sharpe’s laughable makeup ef-

Johnson, playing “Joseph Jaworski, noted scientist, fects only exacerbate the picture’s problems.

recently escaped from behind the Iron Curtain”

William Sylvester, a dependable but unexpres-

(as the narrator tells us). Jaworski, carrying secret sive actor, lacks the charisma to redeem a project
data on the Russian moon-shot, is headed for
like this. Former Miss Israel (and Miss Universe

Yucca Flats and “a meeting with top brass at the
runner-up) Aliza Gur certainly looks enchanting A-bomb testing ground.” But Communist agents
enough, but her flat-affect performance further
arrive and, after a pathetic and protracted gun-
damages the movie’s already shaky credibility. Ed-
battle/car-chase, pursue Jaworski into the desert.

ward Underdown had been Ian Fleming’s first

Big Tor ambles over a hill and a bright flash oc-
choice to play James Bond in Dr. No (1962), but curs, followed by stock footage of a mushroom
the actor’s undistinguished work here as Otto
cloud. The next thing we know, Tor — with torn
demonstrates why producers Albert Broccoli and
shirt and minimalist burn makeup (reminiscent

Harry Saltzman never seriously considered him
of wrinkled toilet paper)— takes to living in a
for the role. Diane Clare had contributed memo-
cave, carrying a stick, and strangling anyone he
rable supporting turns to pictures such as The
can find. As the narrator explains it: “Joseph Ja-

Haunting (1963), Witchcraft (1964) and Plague of worski, respected scientist, now a fiend prowling
the Zombies (1966) but isn’t given much to do the wastelands, a prehistoric beast in the nuclear
here, which is a shame since Beast of Morocco
age; kill, kill just to be killing.” The remainder of turned out to be her final screen appearance.

the film consists of two lawmen driving around

Maybe the actress figured that if she couldn’t find or flying overhead trying to spot the man-monster
better vehicles than this, it was time to hang it up.

that’s been murdering passing motorists, while a

Viewers could hardly blame her.

family of four has car trouble and the two boys
wander off to encounter The Beast. Finally, after

The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961; Crown In-one of the deputies shoots the wrong man from a
ternational; b&w) Director/Screenwriter: Cole-
plane (“shoot first and ask questions later,”

man Francis; Producers: Coleman Francis, An-
intones the narrator), the “heroes” run across The
thony Cardoza; Cinematographer: John Cagle.

Beast and gun him down.

Cast: Tor Johnson, Douglas Mellor, Barbara Fran-

Costing $34,000, according to Francis, and shot
cis, Bing Stafford, Larry Aten, Linda Beilema.

sporadically on weekends over a six-to-eight-
month period in 1959, there’s very little beauty in COMMIES MADE HIM AN ATOMIC
this Beast. You wouldn’t think that a movie only MUTANT!— ad line

54 minutes long would need padding, but Beast

The good news: It’s only 54 minutes long. The
is chock full of filler. We’re “treated” to endless bad news: All 54 minutes are about as exciting as
shots of cars driving down the desert highway;
watching paint dry. Devotees of le bad cinema
aerial views of the monotonous desert; people
hold up movies like Robot Monster and Plan 9
getting into cars and out of cars—into planes and
from Outer Space as shining examples of inepti-out of planes; and even two boys feeding soda pop
tude as entertainment. While a case can be made
to some pigs! (Sadly, this last is actually a high-

2. THE MOVIES

Beauty and the Beast

49
light.) The picture was filmed without sound, so
eliminating the need for animated clocks or can-
the rule is that characters speak only while off-
dlesticks, and, since most of the film takes place
screen or with their back to the camera (though
in daylight, limiting the amount of time Eduardo
sometimes Tor slips up and we see his lips move
spends in Beast form. But the changes are so dras-
but hear no voice). Apart from Tor Johnson, the
tic that the entire point of the yarn is lost. For in-cast is primarily made up of friends and relatives
stance, the Beast bears no fault for his plight; the of Coleman Francis, including his then-wife
curse is a familial one, visited upon him due to

(playing the mother) and two sons (playing the
the misdeeds of his father, who buried alive an
boys menaced by the Beast). As might be
uppity castle sorcerer. The whole business falls so expected, there’s really no “acting” going on, just far afield from Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beau-bodies standing around waiting for direction and
mont’s original story that retaining the title seems giving the camera something to focus on. A nar-like false advertising.

rator occasionally pipes in with a comment. This

Although it runs a compact 76 minutes, Beauty
overdramatic narration (provided by Francis
and the Beast’s refashioned plot isn’t very eventful himself ) consists of obvious observations (“A

(the whole scenario easily could have been com-
man runs; somebody shoots at him”), “profound”

pressed into a single episode of The Wonderful
interjections (“Touch a button, things happen; a

World of Disney), not at all scary (remaining fixed scientist becomes a beast”) and outright non-se-in the realm of juvenile fantasy), nor particularly quiturs (“Flag on the Moon — how did it get
well-told. B-movie director Edward (“Fast
there?”). The real question should be: Movie on Eddie”) Cahn was hired for his efficiency rather
the screen — why did it get there?

than his artistry. The dialogue is stiff and the performances broad. Joyce Taylor makes a forgettable

Beauty and the Beast (1962; United Artists) Beauty and Mark Damon a disappointingly

Director: Edward L. Cahn; Producer: Robert E.

wimpy Beast. At least Michael Pate and Walter

Kent; Screenplay: George Bruce and Orville H.

Burko (who plays Bruno’s henchman, Grimaldi)

Hampton; Cinematography: Gilbert Warrenton.

attack their stock villain roles with gusto.

Cast: Joyce Taylor, Mark Damon, Eduard Franz,

The only truly notable aspects of this Beauty

Michael Pate, Merry Anders, Dayton Lummis,
and the Beast are Gilbert Warrenton’s lush Tech-Walter Burke.

nicolor cinematography and the briefly-seen

Fans of Disney’s 1991 animated musical and/or

Beast makeup, created by former Universal studio
director Jean Cocteau’s 1946 masterpiece La Belle great Jack Piece. It’s essentially a recreation of
et la Bete will hardly recognize this Beauty and the Piece’s legendary Wolf Man, with that masterpiece

Beast, which bears only a passing resemblance to in spirit gum and yak hair seen here for the first
the oft-filmed French fairy tale (George Bruce and
time in full color. Aside from those fleeting mo-

Orville Hampton’s screenplay was “suggested by,”

ments of interest, there’s little here worth howling not based on, the traditional story, according to
about.

the opening credits).

In this version, inexplicably relocated to Italy

Berserk (1968; Columbia; U.K.) Director: Jim from France, “Beauty” is Iprincess Althea (Joyce

Connolly; Producer: Herman Cohen; Screenplay:

Taylor), who is engaged to charming Prince Ed-

Aben Kandel, Herman Cohen; Cinematographer:

uardo (Mark Damon), ruler of an unnamed

Desmond Dickinson. Cast: Joan Crawford,
duchy. But Eduardo turns into a wolf-like beast

Michael Gough, Ty Hardin, Diana Dors, Judy
at sundown every night, a curse he’s kept hidden

Geeson.

from both Althea and his scheming cousin, Bruno

(Michael Pate). Even when he’s furry and fierce-

The motion picture that pits steel weapons
against steel nerves!!!— tagline
looking, however, Eduardo retains his kindly dis-
position and his princely diction (free of animal-

Best remembered, if remembered at all, as the
istic grunts and growls). Althea and Eduardo,
penultimate picture in the lengthy filmography
along with Eduardo’s loyal manservant (Eduard
of star Joan Crawford, Berserk proves a feeble ef-Franz), must find a solution to the curse before
fort. Crawford, at 61, plays Monica Rivers, the

Bruno’s machinations result in Eduardo being de-
sexpot owner-operator-ringmaster (ringmistress?)

posed — and possibly burned at the stake.

of a troubled traveling circus whose fortunes un-

These radical revisions of the fairy tale were de-
expectedly rebound when a series of mysterious
signed to cut costs for this low-budget production, killings begin to plague the caravans. As Monica

50

Billy the Kid Versus Dracula

2. THE MOVIES
ruthlessly cashes in on the free publicity provided Bland and boring, Berserk ranks as not only one by the murders, the circus performers begin to
of Crawford’s worst films, but one of producer
suspect she may be committing the crimes her-

Herman Cohen’s weakest as well (a severe indict-
self.

ment, considering Cohen also unleashed Konga

With only one memorable murder scene (co-
on the moviegoing public). Alas, Crawford and
star Michael Gough takes a spike through the

Cohen would team once more, with even more
head), Berserk plays more like a routine whodunit depressing results, for 1970’s Trog, the last and than a full-tilt horror show. But since the plot’s
most pathetic movie the once-great star would
solution involves a “cheat,” the film isn’t satisfying make. After that debacle, Crawford realized it was
as a mystery, either. Indifferently shot, with thread-time to retire. Too bad she didn’t reach that con-
bare production values, banal dialogue and stilted
clusion a couple of pictures sooner.

performances, and over-padded with footage from
the Billy Smart Circus (including a high wire act,

Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966; Em-performing elephants, dancing poodles, prancing
bassy Pictures) Director: William Beaudine; Pro-
horses and a lion tamer)— not to mention a mu-
ducer: Carroll Case; Screenplay: Carl K. Hittle-
sical number!— Berserk seems to trundle on for man; Cinematographer: Lothrop Worth. Cast:

twice its 95-minute length. Camp value remains

John Carradine, Chuck Courtney, Melinda Plow-
the film’s only “virtue,” with Crawford and Gough
man, Virginia Christine.

trying to out-ham one another in the film’s early
scenes, and Crawford, improbably, seducing a

THE WEST’S DEADLIEST GUN-FIGHTER!

hunky young tightrope walker (Ty Hardin). At

THE WORLD’S MOST

DIABOLICAL KILLER!— poster
one point, one of the circus performers says that

Monica “has the gift of eternal youth.” Cohen

Horror Westerns are an odd breed. Their un-
must have thought so, too, since he had the gall
easy mix of gunfights, horseplay, gothic-style
not only to cast her in the lead but to costume her chills and monsters are often enough to leave a
in bikini bottoms and fishnet hose, despite her
viewer shaking his or her head like a cowpoke try-
age.

ing to clear his rattled thoughts after a barroom
brawl. Few films in this bizarre subset can be
deemed successful (or even entertaining), with
perhaps 1959’s Curse of the Undead being the (relative) best of the lot. The strangest pair of ponies in this cinematic corral would have to be Billy the Kid Versus Dracula and its co-feature Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter— an outrageous double-bill that becomes almost train-wreck fascinating in its outlandish aplomb.

Billy and Jesse were first announced in May of 1961, with Joe Breen slated to direct the Dracula
picture and Erle C. Kenton ( Island of Lost Souls) earmarked for the Frankenstein. When finally
filmed in 1966, the two were shot back-to-back

(even concurrently, according to Howard W. Koch, Jr., who served as assistant to producer Carroll

Case) under the direction of B-Western specialist

William “One Shot” Beaudine. (Apart from di-
rector Beaudine and producer Case, the two
movies also shared the same screenwriter, Carl

Hittleman, and cinematographer, Lothrop

Worth.) Shown together to unwary drive-in pa-
trons across the country, the pair went down in
history as arguably the most eccentric terror tan-
dem ever produced.

Joan Crawford goes Berserk (1967). (Italian four-Billy the Kid Versus Dracula opens on a close-sheet poster).

up of the highly made-up, pasty-faced John Car-

2. THE MOVIES

Billy the Kid Versus Dracula

51
radine yawning— which proves
a prophetic image for the
tedious 70-odd minutes to
come. Carradine plays Drac-
ula —complete with top hat,
cape, satanic goatee and (sad-
dle)bags under his eyes—for the
first time on the big screen in
over 20 years; 1945’s House of

Dracula being his last cinematic
go-round as the Count. (Oddly,
the name “Dracula” never comes
up in the film — though it does
appear throughout Carl K. Hit-
tleman’s script.) The King of the

Undead is now roaming the Old

West, where he assumes the
identity of a never-before-seen
relative to infiltrate the house-
hold (or, more accurately,

The only thing preventing Dracula (John Carradine) from making ranch hold) of Betty Bentley
ranch owner Betty Bentley (Melinda Plowman) his undead bride is a (Melinda Plowman). The randy
reformed Billy the Kid(!) in this bizarre horror hybrid Billy the Kid
old bloodsucker intends to
vs. Dracula (1966).

make the beautiful Betty his un-
dead bride. Standing in his way is the reformed
laxing in the bright sun and then crossing Melrose

William “Billy the Kid” Bonney (Chuck Court-

Avenue to enter a nearby bar.”

ney)—Betty’s foreman and fiancé. (Courtney shot Though he may have been “absolutely numb,”

and killed himself in January 2000 at age 69, de-

Carradine’s performance was anything but (though spondent after suffering a series of strokes.)

it is indeed numbing in its badness). While John

“I have worked in a dozen of the greatest, and

Carradine produced some of the finest acting to

I have worked in a dozen of the worst,” pro-
grace the silver screen (one need only consider his nounced John Carradine. “I only regret Billy the sublime performances in features like The Prisoner Kid Versus Dracula. Otherwise, I regret nothing.”

of Shark Island and The Grapes of Wrath), he was The Shakespearean-spouting actor often cited this
capable of amazing excess when thrown into a
as his poorest film. Taking into account some of
take-the-money-and-run feature. Whenever
the I’ll-take-anything-with-a-paycheck actor’s

Dracula notices something of interest, for exam-
other movie appearances, it has plenty of
ple, Carradine’s eyes comically widen into saucers.

(un)worthy competition. “I needed the money, to

When confronted with the abhorred mirror, he
be honest,” explained Carradine about why he ac-
gives a throaty “waaaaah” like some tantrum-
cepted the assignment. “Actors have to live too,
throwing geriatric. Of course, director Beaudine
you know. It was a bad film. I don’t even remem-
and cinematographer Lothrop Worth were no
ber it. I was absolutely numb.”

help to the grand ac- tor. Every time Dracula uses Said numbness may have come from a bottle,
his hypnotic powers, a colored spotlight turns his
as the heavy-drinking Carradine would frequently
face a bright red, signifying the level of subtlety drown his sorrows in the nearest cantina. In The and sophistication employed by the filmmakers—

Dracula Book, author Donald F. Glut recalled: and, no doubt, the level of embarrassment felt by

“When I visited the set at Producers Studio in

Carradine.

Hollywood ... Carradine was doing a scene in

The special effects are less than special, consist-
which he was trying to seduce a pretty victim with
ing of a bat gliding on a wire (in several silhouetted his talk of a world of vampires. Carradine insisted shots of the fake fledermaus flapping its wings it that Count Dracula would be averse to using the
looks for all the world like the flying rodent is wear-term vampire, and substituted the word un-dead.

ing its own miniature top hat!) and Dracula pop-

When the shooting halted for lunch it was amus-
ping in and out of the scene à la a turn-of-the-
ing to see Carradine, in full Dracula costume, re-
century George Meliès short. At the climax, Billy

52

The Birds

2. THE MOVIES
empties his six-gun into the undead monster with

Upon its initial release in 1963 The Birds was no effect, but when the frustrated outlaw heaves
widely considered a disappointment. But almost
the empty side iron at him, it lays the vampire
anything Alfred Hitchcock had issued as a suc-
low! So much for supernatural power (or dignity)

cessor to the cultural phenomenon that was
in this David and Count Goliath encounter.

Psycho (1960) would have seemed like a letdown.

The picture also plays fast and loose with tra-

In the decades that followed, The Birds’ reputation ditional cinematic vampire lore. Dracula walks
deservedly soared. Viewed in historical perspec-
around in broad daylight and sleeps in a bed
tive, it stands as one of the last great Hitchcock
rather than a coffin (oddly, in one scene we even
pictures and, arguably, the most terrifying entry
get to watch him make the bed — the Count is in the legendary director’s filmography.

nothing if not tidy, and director Beaudine is noth-

Newspaper heiress Melanie Daniels (Tippi He-
ing if not tedious). The vampire drinks the blood dren) travels from San Francisco to tiny Bodega
of lambs and eats regular food (not even blood

Bay, California, to deliver a pair of lovebirds to
pudding), and a metal scalpel rather than a
attorney Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor). It’s a birth-
wooden stake sends him to his eternal rest at
day gift for Mitch’s kid sister (Veronica
film’s end. Said end is quizzical as well, for when Cartwright), and a ploy to try to win the hunky

Billy stakes Dracula, a bat flies unsteadily out of lawyer’s heart, but Melanie faces unforeseen ob-the cave to crash into some bushes while the vam-
stacles in the form of Mitch’s jealous mother Lydia pire’s body remains; perhaps it is the fiend’s un-

(Jessica Tandy) and his ex-girlfriend Annie
dead soul taking wing ... or something?

(Suzanne Pleshette). As Melanie begins trying to

“We did the Dracula thing with William Beau-
disentangle these interpersonal difficulties, she
dine, who was a wonderful guy with a fine repu-
and the Brenners are suddenly struck with a far
tation,” recounted cinematographer Worth to in-
different and more terrifying problem: Birds—
terviewer Jack Gourlay. “But he was so old by
sea gulls, crows, even sparrows— begin attacking
then, he’d have to rest between taking scenes.” (At and killing the people of Bodega Bay.

the time, the 74-year-old Beaudine was the oldest

Perhaps The Birds was just too weird for 1963
active member of the Screen Directors Guild.)

audiences. It still leaves some viewers flat. Hitch-

“Beaudine said, ‘You can’t make the Academy
cock biographer Donald Spoto calls The Birds

Awards with these pictures—just take ’em and get

“perhaps Hitchcock’s least accessible motion pic-
the job done.’”

ture, since it reveals it richness like a demanding When John Carradine appeared on Late Night
art novel or a complex symphony, only after con-
with David Letterman in the 1980s, the subject of siderable effort.” But if the film is difficult, that this film came up:

is by design. After Psycho, Hitchcock had carte DAVID LETTERMAN: “Do you remember some of
blanche, and he made the least compromising
the stranger films or the stranger parts that you
movie of his entire career. The Birds is a collection played?”

of daring, even radical, artistic choices. Federico JOHN CARRADINE: “Well, I think the worst one

Fellini called it “an apocalyptic poem.” It is that was something called Billy the Kid and Dracula.

and more.

Billy the Kid Versus Dracula— that makes it even Hitchcock purchased Daphne du Maurier’s
worse!”

short story “The Birds,” initially, with the idea of LETTERMAN: “That was a true story though,
adapting it for his Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV
right?”

series. But in his search for a follow-up to Psycho, CARRADINE: “No, no, I don’t think so.”

the director eventually recognized that du Mau-

With quotes from: John Carradine: The Films, rier’s tale had greater possibilities— although it
by Tom Weaver.

would also present daunting challenges. Filming
the yarn’s attack scenes would involve hundreds

The Birds (1963; Paramount) Director/Proof special effects shots—far more than any other
ducer: Alfred Hitchcock; Screenplay: Evan

Hitchcock picture — using live birds, mechanical

Hunter (Story: Daphne du Maurier); Cinematog-
birds and optically matted-in birds. Since live
rapher: Robert Burks. Cast: Rod Taylor, Tippi
birds were used in many shots, representatives of

Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Veron-
the American Society for the Prevention of
ica Cartwright.

Cruelty to Animals were often on-set during pro-
duction. To eliminate the blue haloing that was

The Birds is coming — tagline
common to traveling matte effects of the era,

2. THE MOVIES

The Birds

53

Hitchcock acquired specialized sodium light blue
screen equipment pioneered by the Disney stu-
dio.

Since du Maurier’s original story was very
short and included almost no characterization,

Hitchcock and screenwriter Evan Hunter also
faced problems developing the screenplay. In key
respects, the final scenario resembles Psycho. Once again, Hitchcock leads viewers “down the garden
path.” The Birds opens with a “meet cute” scene at a pet shop. The first 52 minutes of the two-hour film are devoted to romantic piffle, intended
to emulate the screwball comedies of the 1930s

(that’s why Melanie is an heiress— a stock screw-
ball character). Audiences, Hitchcock said, “come
to the theater and they sit down and say, ‘All right.

Now show me!’ And they want to be one jump
ahead of the action. ‘I know what’s gong to hap-
pen.’ So I have to take up the challenge. ‘Oh, you
know what’s going to happen? Well, we’ll just see
about that!’ With The Birds I made sure the public would not be able to anticipate from one scene to
another.”

But The Birds’ extended introductory sequence was intended not only to keep audiences guessing,
but to help viewers bond with the characters so
that the unprovoked, literally out-of-the-blue
carnage which unfolds throughout the second
half of the film would have meaning and impact.

“The pattern of The Birds was deliberately to go slow,” Hitchcock said. “I felt it was vital that we take our time, get absorbed in the atmosphere before the birds come. Once more, it is fantasy. But
everything has to be as real as possible — the sur-
roundings, the settings, the people.” Nevertheless, the leisurely pace of the film’s first half puts off some viewers, as does another controversial but
equally powerful decision — to not explain the

Ad for “the most terrifying motion picture [Alfred reason for the bird attacks. “We decided that it

Hitchcock] ever made!” (1963).

would be science fiction if we explained why the
birds were attacking,” said screenwriter Hunter.

five grueling days to shoot. Afterward, Hedren

“It would have greater meaning if we never
was so exhausted that she was briefly hospitalized.

knew.” And, finally, Hitchcock and Hunter gave

All the bird attack scenes prove intense and un-

The Birds a haunting, open ending — one that of-nerving. In one particularly harrowing sequence,
fered some hope but not a tidy resolution to the
a flock of huge, demonic-looking crows attack
mystery. (Hitch planned but jettisoned a bleak,
panicked children on their way home from
ominous final shot of the Golden Gate Bridge
school. Even Psycho’s stunning murders can’t top covered in birds, waiting to descend on San Fran-the stark terror of this and similar moments.

cisco.)

Unexpectedly, The Birds took the famously in-In addition to its “garden path” opening, The
tractable, story-boarded, over-prepared Hitchcock

Birds features a meticulously edited montage se-into the uncharted realm of on-the-spot improv-
quence when Melanie is attacked and nearly killed
isation. “I’ve always boasted that I never look at
by birds near the climax of the movie. Like Psy-a script when I’m shooting,” Hitchcock said. But
cho’s famous shower scene, this sequence took

“something happened [on The Birds] that was al-

54

The Black Cat

2. THE MOVIES
together new to my experience: I began to study
the answer mercurial. He told one interviewer,
the scenario as we went along, and I saw that there

“All you can say about The Birds is nature can be were weaknesses in it. This emotional siege I went
awful rough on you, if you play around with it.

through served to bring out an additional creative

Look what uranium has done. Man dug that out
sense in me. I began to improvise. For instance,
of the ground.” Later, speaking with filmmaker
the whole scene of the outside attack on the house

Peter Bogdanovich, Hitchcock suggested an en-
by birds that are not seen was done spontaneously,
tirely different reading of the film: “Generally
right on the set. I’d almost never done anything
speaking, that people are too complacent. The girl
like that before, but I made up my mind and
represents complacency. But I believe that when
quickly designed the movements of the people in-
people rise to the occasion — when catastrophe
side the room.”

comes— they are all right. The mother panics be-

In devising this sequence, Hitch called upon
cause she starts off being so strong, but she is not his memories of the Blitz in World War II
strong: it is a face — she has been substituting her England. “The helplessness of the people is no dif-son for her husband. She is the weak character in
ferent in that sequence than people in an air raid
the story. But the girl shows that people can be
with nowhere to go,” he said. “Now, that’s where
strong when they face up to the situation.” Both
the idea came from. I’ve been in raids ... in
of these are valid interpretations, but neither is

London and the bombs are falling, and the guns
definitive. Like many fine works of art, The Birds are going like hell all over the place. You don’t
may mean something different to every viewer.

know where to go. Where can you go? Can’t go

On a more basic level, The Birds can be seen as down to the basement. That’s kind of sissy, you
the grand-daddy of all animal-attack thrillers. It’s know.”

also worth noting that there are significant simi-

Another brave decision on Hitchcock’s part was
larities in dramatic structure between this film
to eschew a traditional score for The Birds. Despite and another watershed 1960s shocker, George
the outstanding contribution composer Bernard

Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968): Both Herrmann had made to Psycho, Hitch elected to feature protagonists confined to a remote,
employ only electronically enhanced bird calls
boarded-up farmhouse fighting off inhuman at-
and other sound effects here — and to use no
tackers. Neither picture spends much time ex-
sound whatsoever during some sequences. Once
plaining why these attacks occur, and neither one
again, this unorthodox approach proved eerily ef-
has a happy ending. With the exception of Frenzy fective. The film’s casting also ran counter to ex-

(1971), Hitchcock would never again approach
pectations. In the leads, Hitchcock cast Tippi He-
the brilliance of Psycho or The Birds. This marked dren, a model with very limited acting experience,
the end of the director’s most illustrious period,
and Rod Taylor, a lantern-jawed heroic type miles
a series of commercial and critical triumphs that
removed from both of Hitchcock’s preferred lead-
began with Strangers on a Train (1950) and also ing men, the suave Cary Grant or the everyman-included classics such as Rear Window (1954), nish James Stewart. Both Hedren and Taylor turn

Vertigo (1958) and North by Northwest (1959).

in performances a cut above anything else in their

Difficult and inaccessible as it may be, The Birds careers, but Jessica Tandy steals the film with her belongs in the company of those masterworks. It’s
carefully layered, deeply moving portrayal of
one of Hitchcock’s greatest achievements.

Lydia, Mitch’s clinging, grief-stricken mother.

With quotes from: The Art of Alfred Hitchcock, (Her horrified reaction, upon discovering the
by Donald Spoto; Hitchcock on Hitchcock, edited dead farmer’s body, is far more frightening than
by Sidney Gottlieb; Hitchcock/Truffaut, by Fran -

Howard Smit’s pecked-out-eye-socket makeup
çois Truffaut; Who the Devil Made It, by Peter effects; she also delivers the film’s emotional high Bogdanovich; and All About The Birds, DVD doc-point when, during one of bird attacks, she
umentary from MCA/Universal Home Video.

screams to Mitch, “If your father were here...!”

then chokes up and breaks off in mid-sentence.)

The Black Cat (1966; Falcon International/

Suzanne Pleshette, playing Mitch’s old flame, and

Hemisphere; b&w) Director/screenwriter: Harold

Veronica Cartwright, as his terrified younger sis-

Hoffman; Producer: Patrick Sims; Cinematogra-
ter, are also outstanding.

pher: Walter Schenk. Cast: Robert Frost, Robyn

Over the years, critics have proffered all

Baker, Sadie French, Scotty McKay, George R. Rus-
manner of theories regarding the deeper, thematic
sell, George Edgley, Anne MacAdams, Jeff Alexan-
meaning of The Birds. Even Hitch himself found der ... and introducing Pluto as the black cat.

2. THE MOVIES

The Black Cat

55

WHAT FORCE DRIVES HIM TO COMMIT

ACTS AGAINST NATURE ... ? TO TERRIFY ...

TO TORTURE AND TORMENT...!!— ad line This low-budget drive-in obscurity from Texas
updates Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story to
the 1960s. A disturbed, alcoholic writer (Robert

Frost) becomes morbidly obsessed with the black
cat given him by his wife (Robyn Baker) as an an-
niversary present. He maims it (by gouging out
its eye) and then kills it, but this (or another) cat comes back. The homicidal husband nearly gets
away with murdering his wife and walling her up
in the basement until the wailing of the cat, which he had accidentally bricked up with the body,
gives the crime away to the police.

Though more faithful to the storyline than pre-
vious efforts, this third full-length feature based on Poe’s “The Black Cat” really does the author
no favors (even misspelling his name on-screen
as Edgar Allen Poe). Poe’s tale of obsession, addiction, guilt and madness is undermined by the
cheap production at every turn (which offers

The shockingly effective murder sequence from the tinny sound, inappropriate stock music, and
otherwise impoverished 1966 version of Edgar
pedestrian pacing and direction), and even more

Allan Poe’s The Black Cat (Robyn Baker pictured).

so by the inane characterizations and awful acting.

(The only technical plus is some evocative black-
eye offends thee, pluck it out,” he says, while in
and-white photography, courtesy of former Russ
close-up his hand opens to reveal a mass of gore

Meyer cameraman Walter Schenk, which
with an eyeball sitting in the middle — a grue-
manages to occasionally conjure up a creepy
somely shocking sight, and a disturbing portent
mood.)

of things to come.

As the verbose, drunken, deranged husband,

The animal cruelty scenes— pouring scalding

Robert Frost overacts up a storm, while Robyn
coffee on his caged pet monkey (when he suspects

Baker, as his vapid, bouffant-bearing wife, can’t
the simian is “laughing” at him) stands as the
seem to change expression (when she ‘cries’ it
mildest representative — that follow are pretty
looks like she’s smiling). It’s no wonder this ani-
hard to take. (It’s a well-known phenomenon that
mal-obsessed wacko would rather spend time
viewers frequently respond more strongly to im-
with his menagerie (consisting of a toucan, mon-
ages of violence against animals than to scenes of
key, raccoon, parrot and, of course, black cat
abuse against their own species— a comment,
named Pluto [“Ploo-tow” in Frost’s Texas drawl])

perhaps, on the nature of “humanity”?) Not only
than his insipid spouse.

does the drunken villain subsequently strangle

To stretch the story out to feature length, we’re
the ill-fated cat with a noose made of frayed elec-
treated to several bar interludes, in which the no-
trical cord, he plugs it in and fries the feline as goodnik drinks, smokes, dances crazily (to the
well. (This sets the house afire, represented by the songs “Bo Diddly” and “Brown-Eyed Handsome
ridiculous shot of an unconvincing model con-

Man,” performed by Scott McKay and his band),
sumed by a giant gout of flame.)

and starts a fight. Later he drunkenly races

Continuing in the gory vein, the film’s grue-
around in his snazzy sports car with surf guitar
some centerpiece arrives when the husband buries
music blaring. He also plays with, drinks with,
a hatchet in the head of his long-suffering wife.

and even dances with his cat at home, while his Convincingly bloody, it’s a shockingly strong
worried (and jealous) wife cries herself to sleep.

scene. Then, of course, comes the poetic justice/

Of course, his happy-go-lucky pet-and-alcohol-
money shot of the cat perched atop his wife’s de-
filled haze takes a dark turn when he gouges out
composing corpse.

his beloved cat’s eye in a drunken rage. “If thine

A few bits of levity momentarily alleviate the

56

The Black Pit of Dr. M

2. THE MOVIES
unsavory tedium (such as the absurdly-heavy-
rible price to pay.” Masali remains adamant, how-
handed-yet-still-amusing post-eye gouging bar
ever, and Aldama’s shade sets in motion a chain
interlude in which the band all wear eye patches
of events that ends in a tangled web of death, res-
and sing “Sinner Man” to the hallucinating hus-
urrection, madness and horrific irony.

band sitting there feeling guilty). And, this being The film’s striking set design and art direction
a Texas no-budgeter, it’s good to see the oversized (all misty courtyards, Gothic-styled stone arch-Lone Star Stater and Larry Buchanan regular Bill
ways, and heavy ornate furniture), aided by some

Thurman put in an appearance (as a bartender).

evocative camerawork and shadowy lighting, es-

But it’s too little and too late. Offering a bit of tablishes an uncanny atmosphere so thick you’d
grue, a general air of unpleasantness and little
need a headsman’s axe to cut through it. During
else, The Black Cat remains a black mark on the an opening burial sequence, for instance, the
cinematic name of Edgar Allan Poe.

backlighting of the surrounding woods combines
with the blazing foreground torchlight at the

The Black Pit of Dr. M (1959/61; Alameda gravesite to give the proceedings a decidedly hell-Films/United Producers Releasing Organization;
ish cast — as if caught between two worlds. Di-

Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: Misterios rector Fernando Mendez (who also helmed the
de Ultratumba. Director: Fernando Mendez; Pro-Mexican The Vampire and The Vampire’s Coffin) ducer: Alfredo Ripstein, Jr.; Screenplay: Ramon
and cinematographer Victor Herrera ( The Vam-

Obon; Cinematographer: Victor Herrera. Cast:

pire’s Coffin, Castle of the Monsters) takes us Gaston Santos, Rafael Bertrand, Mapita Cortes,
further into this macabre milieu via a disquieting

Carlos Ancira, Carolina Barret, Luis Aragon,
ground-level camera shot of the pallbearers low-

Beatriz Aguirre, Antonio Raxel.

ering the coffin into the grave, before cutting to

PLUNGES YOU INTO A NEW CONCEPT OF

TERROR ... and SUDDEN SHOCKS!!— ad line

One of the few Mexican horrors that crossed
the border without the help of K. Gordon Murray (it was released Stateside in 1961 by United Producers Releasing Organization, who generally
handled nudie-cutie fare), The Black Pit of Dr. M
disappeared after a few years and remained
unseen for four decades. Rediscovered and issued
on DVD in 2006 (in its Spanish-language/En-
glish-subtitled form anyway, as the original En-
glish dubbing track has remained lost), one of the
best Mexi-horrors of the 1960s is now back among
us.

“Take equal parts of an insane violinist, a doc-
tor experimenting in black magic, and a crazed

Gypsy woman, and shake well in an insane asy-
lum, and the result has to be one of the most hair-
raising suspense stories ever filmed.” While the
hyperbolic “hair-raising” adjective employed by
this American pressbook article may not be the
most accurate descriptor, insert “unusual,”

“eerie,” or just plain “weird” and you’d be right
on the money. The film opens with sanatorium
head Dr. Masali (Rafael Bertrand) reminding his
dying colleague, Dr. Aldama (Antonio Raxel), of
the pact they’d made a year earlier: “The one who
dies first must find the way so that the other one
could go and come back from the other world

Pressbook cover for one of the few Mexican
without dying.” Dr. Masali uses a medium to con-
horrors of the 1960s released in the U.S. (in 1961) tact Aldama’s spirit, who warns Dr. M of “the hor-by someone other than K. Gordon Murray.

2. THE MOVIES

Black Sabbath

57
a close-in overhead shot of the casket
ied head appears on the screen and intones:

disappearing into the dark hole — emphasizing

“Come closer please, I’ve something to tell you.

the isolation, fear and (ironically, as it turns out) Ladies and gentlemen, how do you do. This is
finality of death. Later, shadowy movements and

Black Sabbath. You are about to see three tales of subtle changes in lighting heralds the appearance
terror and the supernatural. I do hope you haven’t
of the supernatural, so that even when Aldama’s
come alone!” So begins one of the best horror
ghost is visually absent from the screen, its pre-
films to spring from Italian shores in the 1960s,
ternatural presence remains. Additionally, the
and one of the most frightening horror antholo-
gruesome acid-burn makeup on the doctor’s as-
gies ever released.

sistant (horribly scarred while trying to subdue a

After the success of Roger Corman’s Poe-based
violent patient)— reminiscent of Lionel Atwill’s

Vincent Price anthology Tales of Terror (1962), twisted, ruined visage from Mystery of the Wax

AIP cast about for another omnibus vehicle in

Museum (1933)— hammers home the horror on
which they could use their other contract horror a more visceral level. All these technical elements star, Boris Karloff. Teaming up with Galatea and
artistically combine to brilliantly establish the

Emmepi Film of Rome, and Societe Cine-
film’s macabre mood and enhance the complex,
matographique Lyre of Paris, AIP obtained the
eventful and otherworldly story unfolding.

services of director Mario Bava, instructing him

Unfortunately, this Pit is not completely devoid to base his movie on “classic” terror tales (re: pub-of, er ... pitfalls. The ingénue and nominal leading lic domain and, consequently, free) by someone man (Mapita Cortes and Gaston Santos) make
other than Edgar Allan Poe (to avoid treading on
for a vapid and uninteresting pair, while the

Corman’s territorial toes). Bava, who, according

“lovers’ destiny” angle seems mawkish and out-
to his son Lamberto, was an avid reader and was
of-place. Likewise, the sudden shot from cupid’s
especially fond of Russian literature (“he prided
arrow into Dr. M’s bosom appears so abruptly
himself on having read the complete works of
that it screams Lazy Plot Device. And the finale

Dostoevsky six times”) then commissioned
devolves into a rather standard mad villain mo-
writers Marcello Fondato and Alberto Bevilacqua
ment that appears disappointingly mundane after
to flesh out his ideas into a screenplay.

the previous 70 minutes of deliriously macabre

The result was I Tre Volti della Paura (“The originality. But even with these few minor mis-Three Faces of Fear”), a trio of terror tales. In the steps, a viewer would do well to gaze into this Pit, first story, “The Drop of Water,” a greedy nurse
as it offers a startlingly unique and creepily at-

(Jacqueline Soussard) steals a ring from the
mospheric look into the
strange and wonderful world
of Mexican horror cinema.

Black Sabbath (1964; AIP;

Italy/U.S.) Original Language

Title: I Tre Volti della Paura

(The Three Faces of Fear);

Director: Mario Bava; Pro-
ducer: Paolo Mercuri; Screen -
play: Marcello Fondato, with
the collaboration of Alberto

Bevilacqua and Mario Bava;

Cinematographer: Ubaldo

Terzano. Cast: Boris Karloff,

Mark Damon, Jacqueline

Soussard, Michele Mercier,

Susy Andersen, Lydia Alfonsi,

Gustavo De Nardo.

The most gruesome day in the
calendar!— ad line

Boris Karloff as “The Wurdulak” in Mario Bava’s masterful omnibus Boris Karloff ’s disembod-

Black Sabbath (1964) (American lobby card).

58

Black Sabbath

2. THE MOVIES
corpse of an old woman, a spiritualist. Soon the
noise of dripping water, the startling bang of un-
nurse is haunted by the continual sound of drip-
fastened shutters, and a howling wind that alter-
ping water and the ghost of the old woman, which
nately sounds like a sharp intake of breath and
literally scares her to death. In the next segment, the wail of some inhuman beast all add to the ten-

“The Telephone,” a woman (Michele Mercier) is
sion and eerie mood.

terrorized by a phantom phone caller. The last

Bava punctuates his malevolent atmosphere
episode features Boris Karloff in a period piece as with some cleverly placed visceral shocks—excla-a Russian patriarch who’s transformed into a
mation points for his visual poetry. At the begin-
vampire known as “The Wurdalak,” a creature
ning of “The Drop of Water” the nurse pulls back
that seeks the blood of those it loves most.

the bed sheet from her patient to reveal a

Shot in Italy in 1963, the picture became Black hideously emaciated corpse — lips stretched taut

Sabbath when released by AIP in America in 1964
over a rictus grin, and bulging eyes staring. It’s a (possibly in a nod to that film company’s earlier
gruesome and unexpected sight, particularly star-

Bava-directed Italian import and box-office hit,
tling because the viewer had no expectation of

Black Sunday). AIP re-ordered the three tales seeing a corpse, much less such a horribly grotesque (Bava’s original cut had “The Telephone” first,
one. The nurse closes the ghastly eyes, but a mo-
then the lengthiest episode —“The Wurdalak”—
ment later the camera reveals them open and star-
in the middle, and finishing up with the strongest
ing again — with a crescendo on the soundtrack
of the trio, “The Drop of Water”) and added a se-
as potent punctuation — generating a moment of
ries of onscreen introductions by “host” Karloff
true frisson. (Mario Bava’s father, sculptor along the lines of his popular Thriller television Eugenio Bava, provided the hideous mask worn
anthology. Said intros, though rather silly (“As
by the “corpse,” as well as a severed head for “The you will see from one of our tales, vampires—

Wurdalak.”)

Wurdalaks— abound everywhere. Is that one sit-

Later, when the nurse nervously wrestles the
ting behind you now?! You can’t be too careful
ring from the corpse’s finger it skitters under the you know”), are also somewhat endearing for
bed. As she rummages around next to the bed,

Karloff fans, allowing Boris to indulge his too-
the cadaver’s hand suddenly drops into the frame
often-suppressed sense of humor.

and onto the nurse’s head, causing the woman —

Bava achieved an anthological miracle with
and the viewer — to start violently. The tension

Black Sabbath by constructing a multi-story builds steadily to the story’s admittedly foregone
movie whose tone remains constant, despite the
conclusion, but in this instance getting there is all changes in characters and story lines— a real
the shuddery fun. While “The Wurdalak” may be
rarity in this frequently problematic cinematic
the best-remembered segment (due primarily to
subset. Each of the three tales, though not equally Karloff ’s commanding presence), for artful sus-effective, builds a palpable sense of dread over the pense-building and sheer fright, the tightly played course of its short running time. Their carefully

“Drop of Water” proves to be liquid gold.

measured tempos gradually build suspense until

After the delicious opening terror of “The Drop
each story finishes with a satisfying flourish,
of Water,” the movie’s next segment (in the AIP
avoiding the hurried pacing and often abrupt
version) proves somewhat less enthralling. This
endings that plague many an omnibus.

is not due to any missteps on Bava’s part —for the

The film’s sumptuous sets would be the envy
original version of “The Telephone” is an engross-
of any Hammer production. Bava (a former cam-
ing, multi-layered vignette of unease and mount-
eraman himself ) works with cinematographer
ing suspense — but to AIP’s nonsensical tamper-

Ubaldo Terzano to wring every ounce of atmos-
ing. AIP (thankfully) left the movie’s other two
phere from these meticulously dressed and clut-
segments alone, but felt that “The Telephone”

tered settings, lighting them via flickering firelight needed juicing up in the supernatural department.

or cleverly-placed spot-lighting, strategically il-

Originally a Hitchcockian “psychological thriller”

luminating certain portions of a room while leav-
tale of a woman tormented via telephone by a
ing others in deepest shadow.

vengeful former lover, AIP decided to redub the

While the camera prowls in and around these
dialogue and make the phantom phone caller a
sets to maximum effect, Bava also makes potent
former dead lover. So scenes of a pair of eyes peek-use of sound. In “The Drop of Water” (a per-
ing through the blinds, and the man himself
fectly-paced and absolutely terrifying vignette —
creeping into the room only to be stabbed and
and the film’s most chilling segment) the relentless killed by the terrified woman, make a confusing

2. THE MOVIES

Black Sunday

59
hash of the (new) premise. (The studio also

King of Horror one last shot at something gen-
deleted lesbian overtones in the woman’s relation-
uinely scary), Black Sabbath is a day all lovers of ship with the “friend” from whom she seeks sol-terror will want to circle on their cinematic cal-
ace, thereby eliminating an entire subtext.)

endars.

Fortunately, the final segment, “The Wurdalak,”

With quotes from: Black Sabbath DVD liner
raises the bar once again. It begins with an evoca-
notes, by Tim Lucas, Image Entertainment, 2000.

tive and expansive exterior shot of a silhouetted
rider on horseback at sunset that dispels the claus-

Black Sunday (1960; AIP; Italy; b&w) Original trophobia engendered by the first two tales’ inte-Language Title: La Maschera del Demonio (Mask rior settings. After this brief moment of pictur-of the Demon). Director: Mario Bava; Producer:

esque respite, however, Bava immediately moves

Massimo Derita; Screenplay: Ennio De Concini,
onto the fog-shrouded sets as the rider arrives and Mario Bava, Marcello Coscia, Mario Seranore;
the living nightmare begins. And a waking night-

Cinematographers: Mairo Bava, Ubaldo Terzano.

mare it is, with its dreadful theme, malevolent at-

Cast: Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Ivo Gar-
mosphere, tension-filled characters and a power-
rani, Andrea Checchi, Arturo Dominici, Enrico
ful performance by that legend of horror himself,

Olivieri, Clara Bindi, Antonio Pierfederici, Tino

Boris Karloff.

Bianchi, Germana Dominici.

Karloff ’s performance as the Wurdalak is the
only time in his 60-year film career that he played THE UNDEAD DEMONS OF HELL

TERRORIZE THE WORLD IN AN ORGY
a vampire, and the King of Horror does not dis-

OF STARK HORROR!— poster blurb
appoint. His wild, curly hair and gray moustache
gives him a dangerous, unkempt, Cossack-like

“THE MOST FRIGHTENING MOTION PICTURE
appearance, which the veteran bogeyman matches

YOU HAVE EVER SEEN” trumpeted the Allen The-
with his demeanor and delivery. “I’m hungry,” he
ater marquee in Cleveland for Black Sunday’s announces at one point, and breaks into a sinister

“world premier” in 1960. While such hyperbole
smile whose menace conjures up images of films
is not uncommon in the movie biz, truth in ad-
gone by. A moment later he refuses conventional
vertising is— and Black Sunday was one film that food — obviously hungry for something else.

actually lived up to its ballyhoo. While it may no

Unfortunately, the story of “The Wurdalak” is
longer be the “most frightening” film for today’s
rather predictable, and the audience identification viewers, in 1960 there were few that could argue
characters— Mark Damon as
the hero and Susy Andersen as
the heroine (whose radiant
beauty is both wholesome and
seductive)— are as shallow as
that earlier drop of water. So
we’re left with Karloff ’s menace

(which is considerable) and

Bava’s eerie atmosphere (which
is all-pervasive). It makes for a
stylish ride.

Bava considered this film his
personal favorite, and it’s easy
to see why. Without question,

Black Sabbath stands as the best
horror anthology of the decade,
superior to the various Amicus
entries and even to Corman’s

Tales of Terror. Given its strong
visuals, suspenseful build-ups,
startling shocks and some gen-
uine moments of fright (not to

Barbara Steele, as Princess Asa, receives a terrifying shock when her mention presenting a real treat
vampirized father (Ivo Garrani) awakens in his coffin on Black Sunday
for all Karloff fans by giving the

(1960) (American lobby card).

60

Black Sunday

2. THE MOVIES
the point. Britain’s Hammer Films were glorifying

Technicolor, but he refused. Bava’s experienced
in the gothic, but, though often colorful and
cinematographer voice told his fledgling
engrossing, few of Hammer’s Draculas or Frank -
director’s persona that the atmosphere he wanted
en steins or Mummys could truly be termed terri-
to convey could only be captured in black and
fying (perhaps the closest the studio came to mak-
white. Said sentiments were echoed by the film’s
ing a seriously scary film was The Plague of the star, Barbara Steele. “I think that black and white Zombies in 1966). In America, Roger Corman’s movies are much more subjective,” Steele opined

Price/Poe cycle was just beginning (and again,
to interviewer Christopher Dietrich. “They reach
though well-mounted and enthralling, these Amer-
the unconscious on a much more profound level
ican Gothics weren’t all that frightening either).

than films in color, especially in [the horror]

Enter 45-year-old Mario Bava, who for 20
genre. You put your own reading into black and
years had toiled as a cameraman in the Italian film white, whereas color is so literal that it’s less in-industry. After taking over the directorial reins
timate.” (In the late 1960s, an American producer
on two different Galatea productions ( The Giant offered Bava the opportunity to remake Black
of Marathon and Caltiki the Immortal Monster) Sunday in color. The maestro refused.)

when the directors walked out on the projects

Black Sunday certainly is intimate. Bava builds half-way through production, the Italian film
his nighttime atmosphere and imagery into a
company gave Bava the green light to choose any-
shadowland of doom and dread. Steele told in-
thing he wished for his full directorial debut. En-
terviewer Mark Miller that because Bava “was a
amored of Russian literature, Bava chose Nikolai
fabulous director of cinematography, he actually

Gogol’s ghost story The Vij. “The genius of the chose that script, I think, so that he could show
screenwriters— myself included,” admitted Bava,
all of his visual tricks.” Bava’s prowling camera

“saw to it that almost nothing remained of
and silhouetted images conjure up shuddery im-

Gogol’s tale.” (Of course, this didn’t stop AIP
ages (such as a lantern suspended in total black-
from bandying about the literary heavyweight’s
ness or a face suddenly appearing out of the dark-
name in its advertising.)

ness) that both startle and chill. “[Bava] really

Originally titled Mask of the Demon (and called geared it to play out all of his cinematographic

Revenge of the Vampire in England — when it visual fantasies,” opined Steele, “and I think that finally made it past the British censors eight years the strongest point of the movie is its visual look.”

later), Black Sunday begins literally on Black Sun-Indeed.

day, the day on which legend says the dead may

“Bava was a shy, elegant man,” continued
walk the earth, as Princess Asa Vaida (Barbara

Steele, “like a very quiet businessman in a way,

Steele) and her satanic lover Javutich (Arturo
and unobtrusive but nurturing. There was a very

Domenici) are condemned as witches and vam-
kind mood around him that was unaggressive.

pires in 17th century Moldavia. Before being ex-

He was really lovely.”

ecuted in a particularly horrific fashion (the exe-

“YOUNG STARS MAKE AMERICAN FILM
cutioner hammers a metallic mask lined with

DEBUT IN ‘BLACK SUNDAY’” read a headline in
spikes onto their faces!), Asa places a curse on the AIP’s Black Sunday pressbook. It’s an amusing house of her accuser — her own brother. (The
claim considering the film is one-hundred percent
deadly mask was sculpted and cast in bronze by

Italian— AIP only picked it up for American dis-the director’s father, Eugenio Bava.) Two
tribution after the movie was completed. One of
centuries later, a pair of doctors (John Richardson these “young stars” referenced was Barbara Steele.

and Andrea Checchi) traveling to a medical con-

Though she’d been seen in a number of small-scale
ference stumble upon the crypt holding Asa and

British movies, this was the actress’ first starring inadvertently revive the witch, who vampirises
role. It’s an iconographic performance (at least vithe elder doctor and resurrects her undead lover.

sually—since her voice was unfortunately dubbed

The witch intends to possess the beautiful
by another actress), one that would come to em-

Princess Katia (Steele again), Asa’s lookalike de-
body Steele’s mix of beautiful innocence and smol-
scendent. It is up to the young physician and a
dering sensuality. Such a persona codified the good well-versed local priest to stop the evil vam-and evil that could drive men to their nirvana or
piress/witch before she can change places with
to their doom (sometimes simultaneously — as

Katia and so live another 100 years until the next
with Black Sunday’s Dr. Kruvajan, whom Asa or-Black Sunday.

ders to “embrace me; you will die, but I can bring

Galatea urged Bava to shoot Black Sunday in you pleasures mortals cannot know”).

2. THE MOVIES

The Black Zoo

61

“I was very young when I did Black Sunday,”

The Black Zoo (1963; Allied Artists) Director: noted Steele in Film Comment magazine, “it was Robert Gordon; Producer: Herman Cohen;
right at the beginning of my career, and so I was

Screenwriters: Aben Kandel, Herman Cohen;
terrified on that set. Maybe some of that terror

Cinematographer: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Micheal
and intensity translated onto the screen.” Black Gough, Jeanne Cooper, Rod Lauren, Virginia

Sunday proved the beginning of an intense asso-Grey, Elisha Cook, Jr., Jerome Cowan, Edward
ciation for Steele with European horror, as she

Platt.

went on to star in nine more terror tales (most of

FANG AND CLAW KILLERS ... RULED BY A
them from the Continent) over the next six years.

MASTER MIND OF HORROR!— ad line

Though she’d prefer to be remembered for her
work in art house fare like Fellini’s 81⁄2 and Young Michael Gough once again chews the scenery

Torless, it is her image as the ultimate Siren of the as a private zoo owner who sends his various an-Scream that lingers.

imals out to do his murderous bidding. Gough,

Filming Black Sunday was no Sunday picnic.

left to his own devices (as here and in his two pre-

“We were all dying during the shooting of Black
vious Herman Cohen-produced films, Horrors of

Sunday,” recalled Steele to interviewer Dietrich.

the Black Museum [1959] and Konga [1960]), can

“It was freezing. We shot for three or four weeks
overact up a storm, indulging in mad histrionics
in December. There was no heat, and it was one
that would make even Bela Lugosi blush. Some-
of those arctic Roman winters. Everyone had
times this can be to the film’s advantage, such as
some terrible virus, and everyone was totally as-
in the morbidly effective Horrors of the Black Mu-phyxiated by all the dry ice! It’s just as well that seum. Other times it becomes laughable, as in the the film was dubbed later, because everyone was
pathetic Konga. (The none-too-convincing gorilla utterly nasal.”

suit from that giant ape movie is recycled here —

While perhaps lacking the obvious impact of
though it’s limited to “normal” size.)

today’s modern gore-fests (though the mask-nail-

In The Black Zoo Gough seems to vacillate from ing and reanimation sequences still pack a visceral one scene to the next, sometimes underplaying
wallop), Black Sunday weaves its potent spell to (such as in the absurd yet bizarrely unsettling se-draw the viewer into a shadowy world of palpable
quence in which he ushers his big cats into his
evil, making it one of the most atmospheric, eerie
living room to play the organ for them) and some-
and frightening horror films of the 1960s. “The
times going over the top (such as when he
producers of Black Sunday recommend that it be escalates an argument with his wife into a ridicu-seen only by those over 12 years of age!” warned
lous screaming fit). Gough’s unevenness in this
the posters. Indeed, those of us who visited this
context is actually a plus, because you never know
world at an impressionable age were not soon to
quite how he’s going to react next, and this fits in forget — as Barbara Steele herself learned: “I re-well with his domineering character who loves his
member a nightmare experience when [my son]

animals above all else (definitely more than any

Jonathan was very young, about three, when we
pesky human). It’s obvious his character is at least were living in New York. He was in a terrible
one can shy of a six-pack, and this makes him all
state because his babysitter let him watch Black the more intriguing.

Sunday on television. There was that terrible

“Michael Gough,” said producer/screenwriter
scene, you know, where I got that awful mask

Herman Cohen to interviewer Tom Weaver,
lined with nails pounded on my face. This was re-

“who I brought here from London to do the film,
ally traumatic for Jonathan. Little children think
loved animals, and the animals took to him beau-
television’s real when they’re three. I wanted to
tifully.” (Gough told Scarlet Street magazine that kill that babysitter.” Babysitters— and viewers—
he would lie down next to the mountain lion, rest
beware.

his head on the animal’s chest and eat a sand-

With quotes from: “Karma, Catsup, & Caskets:

wich — and the big cat would be purring!) “But

The Barbara Steele Interview,” by Christopher S.

we had to be very careful on Black Zoo,”

Dietrich with Peter Beckman, Video Watchdog 7, continued Cohen. “When I interviewed any fe-September/October 1991; “An Interview with Bar-
male in the picture, I had to ask when they had
bara Steele, Diva of Dark Drama,” by Mark A.

their periods. And right away, they shouted,

Miller, Filmfax 51, July/August 1995; “The Dark

‘ What?!’ But if an animal smells blood ... there can Queen,” by Alan Upchurch, Film Comment, Jan-be trouble.”

uary/February 1993.

“The best experience I had on a film produced

62

The Black Zoo

2. THE MOVIES

Michael Gough (holding tiger cub) and Oren Curtis (in headdress) preside over a cult of animal worshippers (here trying to “pray the soul” of a dead animal into the cub) in Black Zoo (1963).

by Herbert Cohen,” related Gough to interviewer
ther,” recalled Gough. “Cohen was a showman —

David Del Valle, “was Black Zoo, which was made first, last and always; his manner was always over-wonderful because of those animals that I worked
bearing and his opinions sacrosanct.”

with that made filming absolutely unforgettable.

While The Black Zoo drags a bit in the middle, The trainer who owned them was a fearless soul
it picks up nicely at the climax, which features a
with a total understanding of just how to get these surprising plot twist as well. Though not the most
animals to work in front of a camera.... The most
logical of storylines, Gough’s presence smoothes
amazing scene was the one where I summon all
over most of the rough spots, and the animal kills
my creatures into the parlor where I play the
are handled well. (“[The animal trainer] also
organ, and they all came in one at a time and sat
played the victim in our film,” stated Gough, “he
around me. Let me tell you I was completely at
would dress up like the character about to be
the mercy of their owner, who, as I said, was truly killed and actually roll around with the lions as if a genius with God’s creatures great and small. He
they were attacking him.”) And where else can
loved them and had no use for circuses and zoos
you see a midnight funeral for a tiger(!)—com-
that exploited animals; he was well ahead of his
plete with graveyard atmosphere that would make
time. I will always have a fondness for that film
any 1930s Universal horror film proud — and at-
out of all of those thrillers I did for Herman [the tended not only by people, but by lions, pumas
others being Horrors of the Black Museum, Konga, and cheetahs as well (friends of the deceased)?

Berserk, and Trog].”

With quotes from: Attack of the Monster Movie

“Fondness” is definitely not the word Gough Makers, by Tom Weaver; “Konga — Put Me
would choose to apply to producer Herman

Down! In Conversation with Michael Gough,” by

Cohen himself. “Herman Cohen was the boss on

David Del Valle, Little Shoppe of Horrors no. 23, all that he produced and not in a positive way ei-October 2009.

2. THE MOVIES

Blackbeard’s Ghost; Blind Beast

63

Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968; Disney/Buena first wife), and with the gothic romance Jane Eyre Vista) Director: Robert Stevenson; Producer: Bill

(1944), starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine.

Walsh; Screenplay: Bill Walsh and Don Da Gradi

Blackbeard’s Ghost serves as a quintessential ex-

(Book: Ben Stahl); Cinematography: Edward
ample of Stevenson’s work for Disney. It’s a lively, Colman. Cast: Dean Jones, Peter Ustinov,
lighthearted story told deftly but without showy

Suzanne Pleshette, Elsa Lanchester, Joby Baker,
camera movements or any sort of artistic preten-

Richard Deacon, Michael Conrad, Hank Jones.

sions, and it features two hilarious set pieces. In the first of these, Godolphin triumphs at a track

Ghost-to-Ghost Laughs!— tagline
meet thanks to the unseen intervention of Black-

Until an upstart named Steven Spielberg
beard, who causes a series of unlikely disasters to arrived in the mid–1970s, Robert Stevenson held
befall Godolphin’s rivals (slicing a rival vaulter’s the distinction of being the highest-grossing di-pole in half with his sword, for instance) and
rector in movie history. Although little celebrated equally preposterous good fortune to find the
today, Stevenson helmed 19 widely popular and

Godolphin team (like snatching a falling shot put
highly profitable family films for Walt Disney be-
out of the air and carrying it several yards
ginning with Johnny Tremain (1957), continuing further). The second is the climactic confrontation through The Shaggy D.A. (1976) and including between Steve and the mobsters, during which

Old Yeller (1957), The Absent-Minded Professor the invisible buccaneer performs a similar series

(1961), Mary Poppins (1964) and The Love Bug of stunts to out-cheat a rigged roulette wheel and

(1968). The rollicking supernatural farce Blackout-punch a roomful of thugs. By this point in
beard’s Ghost is prime Stevenson.

his career, Stevenson could pull off such elaborate New track coach Steve Walker (Dean Jones) ar-sequences, full of complicated special visual
rives in the New England village surrounding tiny
effects and delicate comic timing, with apparent

Godolphin College and immediately finds himself
ease.

embroiled in a dispute between a group of kindly

Another key to the director’s success was his
old ladies (the “Daughters of the Buccaneers”),
ability to elicit winning performances from his
who want to preserve a historic inn once owned
cast. Here, both Jones as the plucky but frequently by the notorious pirate Blackbeard, and a gang of
exasperated track coach, and Ustinov as the iras-
ruthless mobsters who want to take over the place
cible but endearing pirate, contribute likeable,
and turn it into a casino. The Daughters, led by
amusing performances. The duo receive able sup-
dotty Emily Stowecroft (Elsa Lanchester), believe
port from Suzanne Pleshette as Steve’s love
the pirate’s spirit still haunts the inn. Steve is du-interest (a psychology professor assigned to keep
bious until, after stumbling across an ancient
an eye on the coach because the administration
book of magic spells, he accidentally invokes the
thinks he may be crazy), Joby Baker as oily villain spirit of Blackbeard (Peter Ustinov). The pirate’s

Silky Seymour, Michael Conrad as a blowhard
mischievous ghost hounds Steve’s every step,
football coach and Elsa Lanchester as the loopy
swilling rum and causing a ruckus wherever he

Miss Stowecroft. It’s no wonder Stevenson’s work
goes— trouble which is blamed on the coach,
was so popular. Funny, imaginative pictures like
since Blackbeard remains invisible to everyone

Blackbeard’s Ghost make enjoyable family viewing else. Blackbeard is cursed to remain in limbo be-even today.

tween this world and the next until he can prove
he’s not all bad; Steve is cursed to coach the most

Blind Beast (1969; Daiei International; Japan) pathetic track team in history. But together the

Original Language Title: Moju. Director: Yasuzo two hatch a plot to reverse both hexes and, in the

Masumura; Producer: Kazumasa Nakano;
process, save the inn from the gangsters.

Screenplay: Yoshio Shirasaka (Story: Rampo Edo-

Born in Buxton, Derbyshire, England, Steven-
gawa); Cinematographer: Setsuo Kobayashi.

son began his career churning out “quota quick-

Cast: Eiji Funakoshi; Mako Midori; Noriko Sen-
ies” and ended it cranking out episodes of the Dis-goku.

neyland TV series. He was Oscar-nominated as Best Director for his work on Mary Poppins. Early

“If it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t satisfy me.”— Aki

Shima (to her masseur)

in his career the filmmaker displayed a flair for
macabre material with The Man Who Lived Again

The disturbing, repellant Blind Beast is less a (aka The Man Who Changed His Mind, 1936), horror movie than a particularly gruesome and
starring Boris Karloff and Anna Lee (Stevenson’s
twisted art film — after the fashion of Hiroshi

64

Blood and Black Lace

2. THE MOVIES

Teshigahara’s Woman in the Dunes (1964), only revolting is the way the scenario seems to
far more brutal and with a sado-erotic bent.

correlate blindness with insanity.

Assisted by his mother (Noriko Sengoku),

Even Teshigahara or Imamura would have had
blind sculptor Michio (Eiji Funakoshi) kidnaps
trouble handling a scenario as ghastly and ulti-
model Aki Shima (Mako Midori), locks her away
mately vapid as this one. Then again, those film-
in his warehouse studio and forces her to pose for
makers would have been smart enough to steer
him. At first, Aki tries to escape, playing mind
clear of any picture as tasteless and stupid as Blind games to try to turn her captors against one an-Beast.

other. But this tactic goes awry and, trapped in
the dark studio, she starts to lose her eyesight. She

Blood and Black Lace (1964/65; Emmepi also begins to fall in love with Michio, and to dis-Cinematigrafica/Allied Artists; Italy.) Original
cover a latent masochist fetish. At first the couple Title: Sei Donne per l’Assassino ( Six Women for the beat each other with ropes and chains, but they

Murderer). Director: Mario Bava; Producers: Al-soon graduate to cutting one another with knives.

fredo Mirabile and Massimo Patrizi; Screenplay:

Finally, Aki begs Michio to amputate her arms

Giuseppe Baarilla, Marcel Fonda, Marcello
and legs (without benefit of anesthetic).

Fundato and Mario Bava; Cinematography:

Although clearly aiming for the critical acclaim

Ubalso Terzano. Cast: Cameron Mitchell, Eva
afforded Teshigahara or Shohei Imamura,

Bartok, Thomas Reiner, Claude Dantes, Mary
director Yasuzo Masumura lacks those filmmak-

Arden, Ariana Gorini, Lea Lander, Dante
ers’ deft touch with shocking material. Blind Beast DiPaolo, Franco Ressel.

is an artless art film, full of ham-fisted symbolism A fashion house of glamorous models becomes

(Michio’s studio is full of giant sculpted body
a terror house of blood!— tagline
parts—he and Aki have sex between an enormous
pair of breasts) and riddled with Freudian psy-

Although it would take nearly a decade to fully
chobabble. Masumura never simply lets events
flower, the seed director Mario Bava planted with
play out and allow viewers to draw their own con-

Blood and Black Lace eventually would transform clusions; instead, he beats every idea into the authe horror genre —for better or worse. Its legacy
dience’s heads with a 10-minute conversation be-
aside, however, the film remains riveting enter-
tween Aki and Michio. Worse yet, most of the
tainment.

film’s deep philosophical-thematic concepts are

A young model, Isabella (Francesca Ungaro),
actually harebrained or wrongheaded. Particularly
on her way home from the haute couture salon
where she works, is strangled to
death by a mysterious assailant
in a black trench coat, gloves,
wide-brimmed hat and a face-
less mask. When one of her
coworkers discovers that Is-
abella kept a diary, the black
figure returns to kill other
models— those who come into
possession of the diary or are
believed to know about its con-
tents— often in a bizarre or
brutal manner. One, attacked
in an antique store, is slashed
with the spiked glove from a
nearby suit of armor. Another’s
face is pressed against a red-hot
stove. At first, police believe
that one of four men employed
at the studio may be behind the
crimes, but authorities are

Police investigate the double-homicide handiwork of a fashion-model killer in Mario Bava’s seminal giallo Blood and Black Lace (1964/65) baffled when the murders con-

(U.S. lobby card).

tinue even though all their sus-

2. THE MOVIES

Blood and Black Lace

65
pects are in custody. Could the killer be a sex ma-

Bartok, all make good impressions. The script’s
niac, or is there another explanation for the
male characters are more thinly written than its
sadistic crimes?

females, and the performances of Dante DiPaolo,

Blood and Black Lace is an engrossing, well-Franco Ressel, Thomas Reiner and others suffer
plotted whodunit — briskly paced, with dramatic
as a result. Only Mitchell truly stands out among
tension sustained throughout and a satisfying
the male cast.

“twist” resolution to the mystery. But those are

Today, Blood and Black Lace is widely recog-the least of the film’s merits. The story itself pales nized as the first “giallo” thriller, a particularly in comparison to the artistry with which Bava tells bloodthirsty brand of murder mystery originating
the tale. Every frame of the movie is beautifully
in Italy, with singular stylistic and thematic con-
composed (with plenty of foreground silhouettes
ventions, most of which originate with this film.

and symmetrically balanced two-shots, among

In developing the giallo style, Bava was profoundly other eye-catching devices) and lovingly pho-influenced by Alfred Hitchcock (especially Psycho tographed, full of smooth pans and fluid tracking

[1960]), West German “krimi” crime films and
shots that take full advantage of the picture’s
then-popular lurid, pulpy Italian mystery novels
evocatively appointed sets (including such details
with yellow covers (“giallo” is Italian for yellow).

as the eerily faceless, red velvet mannequins in

Bava had introduced elements of the giallo style
the fashion studio, or the ghostly, sheet-covered
in earlier films, such as The Evil Eye (aka The Girl furniture at a model’s country house, or the

Who Knew Too Much [1963/64]) and “The Tele-
creepy miscellany of the antique shop). Bava’s
phone” segment in Black Sabbath (1963/64), but mastery of expressionist color provides the finish-he assembles all the form’s signature components
ing touch, bathing nearly every scene in eerie
for the first time for Blood and Black Lace: a masked, green, red and/or violet gels.

knife-wielding killer; a “target-rich” setting (like By design, the director’s most inventively and
a fashion salon, girls’ school or dance studio); a
attractively staged sequences are the murders. At
high body count; and, most importantly, brutal
one point a victim is drowned in her bathtub —
murders filmed with bravura visual style (and often a scene many directors might present in a coy or
sexualized). Bava’s approach would be widely im-
perfunctory manner. Not Bava. He plunges view-
itated, especially after the breakthrough interna-
ers into the scene without warning, opening with
tional success of director Dario Argento’s The Bird the killer in the middle of the crime, holding a
with the Crystal Plumage (1970), which ushered model’s head under water — shot from what ap-in a flood of Italian giallo thrillers. In the early pears to be the bottom of the tub, the camera

1970s the gialli were nearly as plentiful as Italy’s pointed upward into the terrified face of the gasp-earlier torrents of spaghetti Westerns and peplum
ing, dying woman, seen in close-up. The dead
sword-and-sandal adventures. Bava made a few
body sinks to the bottom of the tub, and the killer more gialli himself, including Bay of Blood (aka slits the victim’s wrists to make the death look like Twitch of the Death Nerve, 1971/72), which served a suicide. Fire engine red blood billows out, cov-as a pivotal influence on Friday the 13th (1980).

ering the body like a rolling storm cloud. Metic-

Friday, in turn, precipitated the rise of the slasher ulous color balancing further enhances this strik-sub-genre — slasher films being, essentially,
ing image, as the red blood matches the victim’s
dumbed-down, Americanized gialli lacking the
lipstick, and the model’s white brassiere matches
artistic stylization of their progenitors.

the now coffin-like bathtub.

Blood and Black Lace also presents one of Bava’s The story’s characters are well defined, but the
clearest and most unequivocal statements of a fre-
acting is merely adequate. Bava typically provided
quently recurring thematic message — the soul-
little guidance to his actors and seldom elicited
destroying nature of greed. In many of the direc-
outstanding performances from his cast—the no-
tor’s movies characters that put personal gain
table exceptions being Barbara Steele in Black
ahead of compassion for other people are con-

Sunday (1960) and Daliah Lavi in What! (aka The sumed and ultimately undone by their own

Whip and the Body [1963/65]). Cameron Mitchell selfishness. To say more would give away the end-and Eva Bartok are top-billed as the owners of the
ing, but in Blood and Black Lace—as in most Bava fashion salon, but the scenario has no true lead.

films— money (at least when valued more than

It’s more of an ensemble piece, with the cast di-
human life) truly is the root of all evil.

vided between suspects and victims, but Ariana

Blood and Black Lace was shot on a six-week Gorini, Lea Lander and Mary Arden along with
schedule in late 1963 and early 1964 (shortly after

66

Blood and Roses

2. THE MOVIES
the assassination of President John F. Kennedy)

pedals nearly every exploitable element in the sce-
at two Roman villas on a modest budget of about
nario. He leaves the story’s lone murder off-

$125,000. According to Mitchell, Bava achieved
screen; discreetly cuts away from Carmilla’s se-
the film’s slick, stylized look despite major defi-
duction of Georgia; and offers a possible
ciencies in resources. “Do you remember that
psychological (rather than supernatural) expla-
wonderful dolly shot through the fashion house?”

nation for Carmilla’s “possession.” The screenplay, asks Mitchell, recalling one of the film’s most
by Vadim and Roger Vailland, telegraphs every
graceful camera movements. “Well, our dolly on
plot turn well in advance, further negating any
that shot was a kid’s red wagon! And when we had dramatic tension, let alone suspense.

to do a crane type shot, we didn’t have a crane.

Instead of thrills and chills, Vadim focuses on

They literally took something like a seesaw and
visual stylization. Unfortunately, aside from a few counterbalanced the camera by sitting crew
isolated moments (such as a gorgeous shot of
people on the other end! But wasn’t that elegant?

Carmilla kneeling to gaze at her reflection in a

Didn’t that film have style?”

pond as fireworks light up the sky above), Blood Yes it did. And it still does.

and Roses remains fairly prosaic in its imagery.

With quotes from: Mario Bava: All the Colors

That is, at least until its final reel, when Vadim
of the Dark, by Tim Lucas.

delivers an impressionistic dream sequence clearly
envisioned as a tour de force finale. But this scene,

Blood and Roses (1960/61; Documento/
too, falls flat, in part because it so obviously em-Paramount; France/Italy) Original Language Title:

ulates Jean Cocteau’s surrealist classic Blood of a

... Et Mourir de Plaisir. Director: Roger Vadim; Poet (1930). Although the rest of the film is in Producer: Raymond Eger; Screenplay: Roger

Technicolor, Vadim shoots the dream sequence

Vadim and Roger Vailland (Story: Claude Martin
in black-and-white with red-tinted blood.

and Claude Brule, from a story by Sheridan Le

The film’s cast also proves problematic. Ferrer

Fanu); Cinematographer: Claude Renoir. Cast:

and Martinelli remain stiff and unconvincing; but

Mel Ferrer, Elsa Martinelli, Annette Vadim.

It plunges you into the midnight zone
beyond the grasp of reason!— tagline

The idea of director Roger Vadim, the notorious
purveyor of saucy art house fare like And God Created Woman (1959) and Dangerous Liaisons (1960), adapting Sheridan Le Fanu’s Sapphic vampire yarn Carmilla must have posed a titillating prospect for moviegoers. Yet Vadim’s Blood and

Roses proved to be an unaccountably tepid affair, taking a surprisingly chaste approach to the
story’s lesbianism, and even its vampirism.

Vadim’s modernization of Le Fanu’s novella, set
in contemporary Italy, centers on a wealthy young
woman, Carmilla (Annette Vadim), who’s secretly
in love with Leopoldo (Mel Ferrer), who is en-
gaged to mutual friend Georgia (Elsa Martinelli).

To celebrate the impending nuptials, Leopoldo
and Georgia host a costume party with fireworks.

But the fireworks accidentally explode previously
undiscovered Nazi land mines, and the resulting
tremors open the grave of Carmilla’s ancestor, Mi-
larka, a vampiress who also had been trapped in
a romantic triangle. Milarka possesses Carmilla
and sets out to destroy the bond between

Carmilla (Annette Vadim, then-wife of director

Leopoldo and Georgia, then restart her vampiric

Roger) meets a gruesome fate at the conclusion of reign of terror.

the otherwise surprisingly tame Blood and Roses

Bidding for critical respectability, Vadim soft-

(1961).

2. THE MOVIES

Blood Bath

67
they look like Oscar winners compared to Annette
cess, and the fact that Max fancies Sordi’s ballet

Vadim (the director’s wife), whose blank non-
dancer girlfriend (Sandra Knight).

performance hangs like a millstone around the

The film’s basic premise is solid albeit unorig-
movie’s neck. The lone bright spot is Jean Pro-
inal, recycled from Corman’s A Bucket of Blood
dromides’ superb score, including a haunting

(1959) and H.G. Lewis’ Color Me Blood Red
piano sonata, which gives viewers something to

(1965). But the film’s episodic structure and hap-
hang onto as this picture meanders along. Al-
hazard construction—plot threads are picked up,
though it runs just 87 minutes (slashed to 74 for
then dropped; characters appear then inexplicably
its U.S. release), Blood and Roses seems far longer.

vanish — precludes any sort of sustained tension.

Despite its brevity, this snoozer will try the pa-

A satiric undercurrent present in the film’s early
tience of all but the most indulgent or easily
scenes quickly dissipates. The picture comes to a
amused viewers.

screeching halt for a fistful of filler scenes, including an extended, split-screen sequence where the

Blood Bath (1966; Deal/Fox; b&w). Alternate bikini-clad Knight simply dances on the beach,

Title: Track of the Vampire (TV, home video). Di-accompanied by a tinkling piano. Due to
rectors: Jack Hill, Susan Rothman; Producer: Jack
moments like this, Blood Bath plays like a padded-Hill; Screenplay: Jack Hill, Stephanie Rothman;
out Night Gallery episode.

Cinematographer: Alfred Taylor. Cast: William

However, Blood Bath boasts isolated moments Campbell, Marissa Mathes, Sandra Knight, Karl
that prove highly effective. The story’s finale, in Schanzer, Biff Eliot, Sid Haig, Jonathan Haze.

which Sordi’s victims return from the dead to
claim their revenge, almost makes up for all the

The SHRIEKING of MUTILATED VICTIMS
nonsense which precedes it. Most of the film’s

CAGED in a BLACK PIT of HORROR!— tagline
murders are executed (pun intended) with

Given its scruffy origins, it’s a wonder that
panache and a dollop of dark humor. For

Blood Bath is even watchable.

example, in one early scene, Campbell pretends

Executive producer Roger Corman hired Jack
to neck with a dead girl to avoid detection. There’s Hill to cobble together an “original” film around
also a remarkably effective, Salvador Dali-like
footage from a Hungarian picture Corman
dream sequence.

bought on the cheap. Displeased with Hill’s

The film’s messy production history makes it
progress, Corman sacked the director in mid-pro-
difficult to assign credit (or blame) for these wildly duction and replaced him with Susan Rothman.

disparate sequences. Technically, as in virtually

Inevitably, the results are mixed

(and at times incoherent), yet

Blood Bath features some ar-
restingly effective moments,
too.

The plot (such as it is) re-
volves around beatnik painter

Tony Sordi (William Camp-
bell), who rises to prominence
with a series of “dead red
nudes”—gory paintings of bru-
talized women. As young
women continue disappearing
and Sordi continues producing
paintings, rival artist Max (Karl

Schanzer) begins to suspect that

Sordi is the reincarnation of an-
cestor Erno Sordi (also Camp-
bell), a medieval artist accused
of vampirism. But no one takes
this fantastic theory seriously,

Murder-mad artist Antonio Sordi’s victims (including a jealous in part because of Max’s jeal-husband played by David Miller) rise from the dead to claim vengeance ousy over Sordi’s financial suc-during the climax of Blood Bath (1966).

68

Blood Beast from Outer Space

2. THE MOVIES
every other respect, the film is all over the map.

from genre specialist John Gilling ( Shadow of the The lighting, for instance, alternates between the

Cat, Mania, The Plague of the Zombies, etc.) was evocative and the perfunctory. The performances
released in 1965 in England as the more literate
of the cast are just as uneven, but the good-hu-

The Night Caller, but had to wait a year before mored Campbell — who also starred in the Corbeing picked up by an American distributor. The
man-produced Dementia 13 (1963)— makes an
fact that it’s shot in moody black and white when,
unusually appealing villain.

at the time, even low-budget efforts were almost

Bottom line: Blood Beast isn’t a good film, but invariably in color consigned it to the bottom half it contains enough intriguing elements to make
of a double bill with the awful (but color) Castle it worth a look.

of Evil, while being re-titled the awful (but colorful) Blood Beast from Outer Space. It’s a fate few

Blood Beast from Outer Space (1965; Ar-films deserve, especially one so engrossing as
mitage; U.K.; b&w) Alternate Titles: The Night Blood Beast.

Caller (U.K.), The Night Caller from Outer Space.

“The Night Caller casts a hypnotizing spell/

Director: John Gilling; Producer: Ronald Liles;

Fools that try to fight it never live to tell,” croons Screenplay: Jim O’Connolly (based on the novel
singer Mark Richards in the movie’s opening

The Night Callers by Frank Crisp); Cinematogra-theme song (whose pseudo-pop sensibilities
pher: Stephen Dade. Cast: John Saxon, Maurice
prove to be one of the production’s few missteps).

Denham, Patricia Haines, John Carson, Jack Wat-

Indeed, said Night Caller turns out to be a mu-
son.

tated humanoid alien from Ganymede, Jupiter’s
third moon, who’s come to London (via a matter

SPACE CREATURES SNATCH GIRLS
transmitting sphere) to seek young females for

TO MYSTERIOUS PLANET!— poster
his dying world’s gene pool. On the trail of this

This intelligent, suspenseful sci-fi/horror film
mysterious “Mr. Medra” (whose modus operandi
is luring girls to a Soho office via a modeling ad-
vertisement, planting hypnotic suggestions and
then later transporting them to his home world)

are scientists John Saxon and Patricia Haines

(Michael Caine’s first wife), as well as much of

Scotland Yard and the military.

Director Gilling starts the film off in a straight-
forward, almost documentary-like mode, harken-
ing back to the sci-fi films of the previous decade.

But once Medra is out and about, Gilling’s Gothic
sensibilities come to the fore, and he quickly es-
tablishes an air of mystery and menace, making
judicious use of shadows and camera movement,
and building the suspense by keeping Medra
largely unseen except for a hideous clawed hand
and an indistinct yet forbidding shadowy outline.

Apart from token American John Saxon, the
film features uniformly excellent actors, which
helps keep the unlikely proceedings rather down
to earth, so to speak. (Saxon, whose wooden de-
meanor would give Pinnochio a run for his
money, performs his usual earnest-yet-dull rou-
tine here.) John Carson ( The Plague of the Zom-
bies, Taste the Blood of Dracula), as the beleaguered Army Major assigned to the weird case, provides
just the right dose of subtle, self-deprecating
humor to leaven the otherwise serious scenario.

The film offers several unexpected twists and

Ad for the luridly-titled but surprisingly literate turns, including the brutal disfigurement/killing

Blood Beast from Outer Space (1965).

of the heroine(!), and an unusually philosophical

2. THE MOVIES

The Blood Beast Terror; The Blood Demon; Blood Feast

69
climax rather than the expected slam-bang mon-
candy. Highlights include a surreal coach journey
ster-meets-his-fate standard.

through a fog-shrouded magical forest festooned

Despite its appalling American re-titling, Blood with hanging human figures and body parts; a se-Beast from Outer Space stands as a superior quence in which the heroine meets one horror

(though largely forgotten) member of that rarest
after another (including an alcove crawling with
of 1960s cinema subspecies— the literate horror/
spiders and scorpions, and the dreaded snake-
sci-fi hybrid.

filled pit); and the sweating hero enduring the torture of the pendulum. (Unfortunately, the hero’s

The Blood Beast Terror see The
ridiculously improbably escape — involving a

Vampire-Beast Craves Blood
well-thrown rock!— drags the scene down to the
level of a Saturday matinee serial.)

The Blood Demon

Lex Barker makes for a broad-shouldered, stal-

(1967/69; Constantin/
wart hero, and Karin Dor (wife of director Harold

Hemisphere; West Germany) Original Language

Reinl) screams in all the right places. Christopher Title: Die Schlangengrube und das Pendel;

Lee, however, looks tired and less (re)animated.

Alternate Titles: The Torture Chamber of Dr.

He only seems to, ahem, come alive at the end

Sadism; Castle of the Walking Dead; Blood of the when the hero threatens to foil his plans by

Virgins; Director: Harold Reinl; Production Su-waving a hated crucifix in his face. (Though an
pervisor: Erwin Gitt; Screenplay: Manfred R.

alchemical potion is responsible for Regula’s res-

Kohler; Cinematographers: Wernest W. Kalinke
urrection, the everything-but-the-graveyard-sink
and Dieter Liphardt. Cast: Christopher Lee, Lex
story also turns on the supernatural nature of the

Barker, Karin Dor, Karl Lange, Christiaane
proceedings.) Lee tipped his less-than-

Rucker, Vladimir Medar, Dieter Eppler.

enthusiastic hand in a letter to his fan club: “I am A MATURE PERSON’S TRIP THROUGH
leaving on Monday 19 June for Munich, where I

THE ULTIMATE IN HORRIFIC
shall be playing a rather revolting aristocrat in a WICKEDNESS — ad line
rather weird semi-surrealistic German film enti-

Shot between May 16 and July 7, 1967, and ad-
tled at the moment The Pendulum. I really have vertised (correctly) as Germany’s first Gothic hor-no idea whether this film will ever be shown out-
ror film made since World War II, Blood Demon
side of Europe, and it is just possible that this
stars Christopher Lee as alchemist/Satanist Count
might be an advantage.”

Regula, who’s drawn and quartered for killing a
dozen young virgins. Thirty-five years later he

Blood Feast (1963; Friedman- Lewis) Direc-rises from the dead (with the help of his faith-
tor/Cinematography: Herschell Gordon Lewis;
ful — and also undead — servant) to claim his

Producer: David F. Friedman; Screenplay: A.

thirteenth victim and so secure his immortality.

Louise Downe. Cast: William Kerwin (as Thomas

Regula lures a young lawyer (Lex Barker) and a

Wood), Connie Mason, Mal Arnold, Lyn Bolton,
young woman (Karin Dor), both descendents of

Scott Hall.

those who condemned him, to his ruined castle,
intending to torture and murder them, and so

Nothing So Appalling in the Annals of

Horror — tagline
complete the ceremony that will give him eternal
life.

If nothing else, Blood Feast deserves kudos for With trap doors, pet vultures, elaborate torture
truth in advertising. A landmark of its peculiar
contraptions, knockout gas, magical portals that
idiom, this pioneering splatter film indeed proves
open and close by themselves, a medieval alchemy
appalling — both in the sense intended by its
lab, and a servant who bleeds green hemoglobin,
tagline and also for its slipshod moviemaking.

Blood Demon offers up horror hokum by the coffin-Detective Pete Thornton (William Kerwin)

ful. In fact, it becomes difficult to take anything seems baffled by a series of murders involving
seriously in this cinematic Halloween funhouse.

brutally mutilated young women. Little does he

That said, its wonderfully macabre set design
know that his girlfriend’s mother (Lyn Bolton)

(underground medieval hall; torture chamber
has hired the killer, an Egyptian caterer named
strewn with a dozen naked bodies, all demurely

Faud Ramses (Mal Arnold), to prepare a birthday
posed in various devices; cave-like corridor cov-
banquet for her daughter Suzette (former Playboy ered in human skulls) and several shuddery set-model Connie Mason). Ramses, a follower of the
pieces make this a tasty piece of ghoulish eye
ancient cult of Isis, plans to make Suzette the

70

The Blood Drinkers

2. THE MOVIES
main course of a cannibalistic feast honoring the

The Blood Drinkers (1966; Philippines; b&w Egyptian goddess.

and color) Alternate Title: The Vampire People

With Blood Feast, for better or worse, exploita-

(TV); Director: Gerardo de Leon; Producer:

tion director Herschell Gordon Lewis stamped his

Danilo H. Santiago; Screenplay: Cesar Amigo
indelible thumbprint on the horror genre. Rec-

(story by Rico Bello Omagap); Cinematographer:

ognizing the salacious interest generated by

Felipe J. Sacdalan. Cast: Amalia Fuentes, Eddie
blood- spattered scenes in hits like Psycho (1960) Fernandez, Eva Montes, Celia Rodriguez, Renato
and the early Hammer color gothics (which now

Robles, Mary Walter, Ronald Remy.

seem tame but were edgy in their day), Lewis de-
cided to shoot a picture that would up the ante

THE BLOOD DRINKERS WILL SINK

THEIR TEETH INTO ANYTHING
for screen violence. He overloaded Blood Feast

THAT MOVES!— ad line
with gore sequences that went far beyond
anything previously unleashed on movie audi-

It’s refreshing to see a Filipino horror movie
ences and completely disregarded the boundaries
that doesn’t star the vapid former teen heartthrob of good taste. While the film’s murders are gen-John Ashley (who made a second career out of
erally suggested rather than shown (usually
walking through a half-dozen horrors from the
through subjective shots from the victim’s per-

Philippines in the late ’60s/early ’70s), especially spective, followed by a quick cutaway), Lewis’

one with such admirable atmosphere and a strik-
camera lingers on scenes of dismemberment and
ingly unusual plot.

cannibalism, showing the killer chopping off legs,

“Death is a final word,” begins the narrator (a
tearing out his victim’s tongue, slicing out an
priest) as the Gothic gates of a fog-shrouded
eyeball and, later, baking severed limbs in an
cemetery open. Well, not in The Blood Drinkers
oven and stirring a pot of grue stew. All of this

... Marco (Ronald Remy) is a bald-headed, sun-
would be sickening if Lewis’ filmcraft wasn’t so
glasses-and-cape-wearing aristocratic vampire
inept.

whose undead lover Katrina (Amalia Fuentes,

Previously, Lewis had traded in no- budget soft-
who played a bloodsucker yet again in 1970’s
core porn. He shot Blood Feast with the same crew Creatures of Evil, a semi-sequel to The Blood and much of the same cast as his most recent

Drinkers) lay dying — in need of a heart
nudie- cutie, operating the camera himself while
transplant! Marco (who seems to be the cinema’s
producer David Friedman ran sound. As a result,
first cardiac surgeon-turned-vampire) intends to

Blood Feast operates on the same level as one of transplant the heart of Katrina’s twin sister

Lewis’ raincoat specials, with gore sequences sim-

Cherito (also Fuentes) into his lover. At Cherito’s ply replacing the sex scenes. Its dialogue is banal, village the local priest (who bears an uncanny reits performances amateurish and stilted, and its
semblance to an elderly John Carradine) and
production values nonexistent. Blood Feast is so Cherito’s boyfriend (Eddie Fernandez) must find
cheaply made that Lewis doesn’t even bother to
a way to stop Marco and his minions (who
drop in a siren sound effect during its climactic
include a sexy, lingerie-clad vampiress, a hunch-
police chase — instead, the sound is mimicked by
back named Gordo, a dwarf, and a bat-familiar
a trombone. As a result, the only point of contin-called Vasla who bobs up and down and growls
uing interest in this film is its gore scenes. Yet, like a puma!).

even those are badly botched. The makeup effects

The amazing thing about this low-budget odd-
are so poor, so obviously fake, that they undercut
ity is the fact that not only does it hold one’s in-any potential power to shock. As a result, Blood terest (how could it not, given such a bizarre Feast remains far more likely to inspire gales of storyline?), but it offers up fine atmospherics
derisive laughter than wholesale vomiting (even

(an appropriate graveyard ambiance, complete
though, as a promotional gimmick, barf bags
with horse-drawn hearse and plenty of fog)

were distributed to moviegoers at some cinemas
that enhances its romantic-tragic-horrific ele-
during the film’s initial theatrical run). Neverthements.

less the course of horror cinema was changed. Al-

The imposing and frightening Marco is also
though it took years for graphic bloodletting to
rather tragic, as he’s committing his heinous acts
become a mainstay of the genre, its emergence
out of love (an admittedly obsessive, all-consum-
was inevitable after Blood Feast, which proved asing, perverted form of love — but love, nonethe-
toundingly profitable.

less). There’s even a singular scene in which “the
power of prayer” seemingly cures both Marco and

2. THE MOVIES

Blood Fiend

71
his lover, allowing the two to walk (in romantic

M. Smedley Aston; Screenplay: Ellis Kadison and
slow-motion) through the woods in the sunshine

Roger Marshall; Cinematography: Gilbert Taylor.

(though there’s still plenty of fog to filter the rays).

Cast: Christopher Lee, Julian Glover, Leila

But, alas, as the priest relates, “The Devil does

Goldoni, Jenny Till, Evelyn Laye, Ivor Dean.

not give up, ever...” and Katrina catches her leg

The BLOOD FIEND will disgust and repel
on a snag and bleeds—causing the couple to
those too weak to share a living nightmare
revert to their undead condition. Nonsensical, but
of the BIZARRE!!— tagline
arresting.

Also arresting is the film’s photography. “In

Actually, there’s disappointingly little disgusting blood-curdling color!” promised the ads. Well,
or repellent about Blood Fiend, a standard issue sort-of, since Blood Drinkers is actually in full whodunit tricked out with a lot of horror trap-color only part of the time. Many of the scenes pings rather than a full-tilt chiller.

are black and white but tinted either red (when

Dr. Charles Marquis (Julian Glover), a Parisian
the vampires are around) or blue (for no discern-
police surgeon on medical leave, is called in to asable reason). One assumes that the filmmakers
sist with the investigation of a series of baffling used up all the color film stock they could afford
murders. Three young women have been killed,
and then fell back to the cheaper black and white.

their throats opened with an unusual triangular

The tinting, at times, seems arbitrary, but occa-
weapon and their bodies drained of blood. Mar-
sionally it achieves its desired effect, such as when, quis’ suspicions fall on Philippe Darvas (Christo-during a vampire attack, it fades from red to pur-
pher Lee), the tyrannical director of the Theatre
ple as the nosferatu begins to feed.

de Mort, which specializes in horror stories de-

Granted, there’s plenty to sneer at here. Apart
picting torture, murder and mayhem. Marquis’

from the (expected) awkward dubbing and some-
girlfriend, Dani (Leila Goldoni), is a star in the
times off-putting tinting, The Blood Drinkers

Theatre de Mort, and the surgeon notices that
offers up a stop-the-film-I-wanna-get-off
prop knives from one of the company’s skits have

Filipino love ballad, the old wobbly bat-on-a-
the distinctive triangular shape of the murder
stick trick, abrupt editing and some overlong ex-
weapon. Meanwhile, Dani is concerned that her
pository scenes filled with nonsensical dialogue
roommate, Nicole, is getting too deeply involved

(one has the priest postulating that the vampires’

with Darvas, who begins hypnotizing the girl to
bodies are filled with “fluid similar in chemical

(the director claims) remove Nicole’s inhibitions
composition to that of hot glue, [and] the hot glue and unlock her acting talent. Then Darvas sud-renders the bullets harmless, but wood turns the
denly disappears, but the murders continue. Has
glue to water”[!]).

he gone into hiding to continue the crime spree?

But the climax is as novel as the rest of the pic-

Is Nicole carrying out the murders under his hyp-
ture, with the hero inciting the torch-wielding
notic influence? Or could Dani, a former mental
villagers to turn out en masse for a rumble with
patient, be the killer?

the vampire hordes (all half-dozen of them). Ever

Screenwriters Ellis Kadison and Roger Marshall
resourceful, he shoots flares into the air to halt
go out of their way to dress up Blood Fiend— now the fleeing bloodsuckers, since “vampires fear
better known under its original British title, The-light.”

atre of Death— with horror imagery. Their sce-Director Gerardo de Leon had previously
nario is a crazy quilt of fright film clichés, includ-helmed the moody Terror Is a Man (1959), a
ing its Grand Guignol-like setting, vampiric
small-scale but evocative adaptation of H. G.

killings and Darvas’ spooky old house (full of slidWells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau, and subsequently ing panels and paintings with peepholes for eyes).

paired up with Eddie Romero to co-direct Brides The plot involves both hypnotism and madness,
of Blood (1968) and The Mad Doctor of Blood and briefly suggests the supernatural. But, at its

Island (1969), neither of which are as atmos-core, the story remains a mundane murder mys-
pheric — or entertaining — as The Blood Drinkers.

tery, and one with too few credible suspects to

If you can watch only one Filipino horror
make an intriguing whodunit.

movie (heaven forbid!), this should be the one.

This fundamental weakness undermines solid
work by the picture’s cast and crew. Samuel

Blood Fiend (1967; London Independent/

Gully’s direction (full of extreme high- and low-

Hemisphere; U.K.) Original Title: Theatre of
angle compositions and smooth tracking shots)

Death (U.K.). Director: Samuel Gully; Producer: is expressive, and cinematographer Gilbert Tay-

72

Blood of Dracula’s Castle

2. THE MOVIES
lor’s color-splashed lighting designs are atmos-

Toscanini. So, of course, off we went into opera
pheric. Art director Peter Proud’s sets (especially right away. We sang at each other all throughout
the baroque Darvas home) are also first-rate.

the film.”

Christopher Lee is in his element playing Darvas,

A better plot might have given audiences some-
the cruel, egocentric artiste. It’s a tribute to Lee’s thing to sing about as well.

compelling work that Darvas remains a viable

With quotes from: “Sinister Theatrics: An In-
suspect in the crimes— and as a possible malign
terview with Christopher Lee,” DVD bonus fea-
influence over Nicole—for the balance of the film,
ture (Anchor Bay Entertainment).

particularly since the character vanishes from the
story midway through. Glover, who went on to

Blood of Dracula’s Castle (1969; Crown an acclaimed career with the Royal Shakespeare

International) Director: Al Adamson; Producers:

Company, holds the film together with his emo-

Al Adamson, Rex Carlton; Screenplay: Rex Carl-
tionally charged performance as Charles Marquis,
ton; Cinematographer: Leslie Kovaks. Cast: John
an injured police surgeon who latches onto the

Carradine, Paula Raymond, Alex D’Arcy, Robert
case as something worthwhile to invest himself

Dix, Gene O’Shane, Barbara Bishop, Vicki
in while unable to operate. Unfortunately, since

Volante, Ray Young.

they’re playing the other two prime suspects, Leila Goldoni and Jenny Till are less convincing in their HORROR BEYOND BELIEF ... LIES WAITING

FOR ALL WHO DARE ENTER THE
roles as Dani and Nicole, respectively. Most of the VAMPIRE’S DUNGEON!— poster
rest of the cast are consigned to glorified bit parts, like Ivor Dean as do-nothing Inspector Micheaud

Replace the word “horror” with “boredom,”

and Evelyn Laye as flinty theater owner Madame
and the above tag-line would be far more

Angelique.

accurate. That said, at least this slow-moving low-

For his part, Lee — a renowned amateur oper-
budgeter is better than its even cheesier co-
atic vocalist as well as an actor — isn’t enamored
feature, Nightmare in Wax. (Damning with faint with the picture but has fond memories of its pro-praise.) And Blood of Dracula’s Castle is also one duction. “Strange film, Theatre of Death,” Lee of producer-director Al Adamson’s ( Dracula vs.

muses. “What really appealed to me about it, at

Frankenstein, Blood of Ghastly Horror, etc.) bet-the beginning, was the fact that the director, Sam
ter-looking efforts. (Damning with even fainter Gully, informed me that he had sung tenor with
praise.)

A professional photog-
rapher (Gene O’Shane)

inherits a castle out in the

California desert(!) and
takes his fiancée (Barbara

Bishop) to inspect his
new property. There he
ultimately learns that the
castle’s genteel renters

(Alex D’Arcy and Paula

Raymond) are a pair of
vampires (Count and

Countess Dracula actually,
though they employ the
alias Townsend) who,
along with their butler

George (John Carradine),
deformed hunchback care-
taker Mango (Ray Young)

and escaped psychopath
helper Johnny (Robert

Dix), kidnap young girls

Despite this half-sheet poster’s claim, there’s very little horror and even less to keep in the dungeon as
belief in Blood of Dracula’s Castle (1969)..

their own personal hemo-

2. THE MOVIES

The Blood of Nostradamus

73
globin taps. They also occasionally sacrifice one
moviemaking since the early 1980s, Adamson was
of the captives to the Moon god ‘Luna.’

murdered in 1995 and his body entombed in ce-

Despite its reported eight-day schedule, the
ment under his own Jacuzzi (allegedly by a live-
picture looks fairly professional (thanks to the
in contractor remodeling Adamson’s Indio, Cal-
competent lighting and solid photography of
ifornia, home). It proved a tragic denouement

Leslie Kovaks [ Easy Rider, Ghostbusters, Two bizarre enough for one of the filmmaker’s own

Weeks Notice]), and is generally well-acted, both tawdry movies.

by old pros Carradine, D’Arcy ( Horrors of Spider With quotes from: “Motorcycle Maniacs, Fan-Island) and Raymond ( Beast from 20,000 Fath-tastic Fights: John ‘Bud’ Cardos,” by Bob Plante,
oms)— each of whom add a touch of class and Psychotronic Video 24, 1997.

some droll humor to the silly proceedings— and
by likable newcomers O’Shane and Bishop.

The Blood of Nostradamus (1963;

(Adamson originally wanted Carradine for the

Estudios America/Trans International Films;

Dracula role, but the production’s money men de-

Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: La Sangre manded that D’Arcy play the Count, so Adamson
de Nostradamus; Director: Frederick Curiel, Stim had to settle for Carradine as the butler.)

Segar (English language version); Producer: Victor

Consisting mostly of talk, or long stretches de-

Parra, K. Gordon Murray (English version);
signed solely to eat up some much-needed run-

Screenplay: Charles E. Taboada, Alfred Ruanova;
ning time (a photo shoot at Marineland; the pro-

Cinematographer: Ferdinand Colin. Cast: Ger-
tagonists swimming in the ocean; two lengthy
mán Robles, Julio Aleman, Domingo Soler, Au-
driving-in-the-car sequences; an even longer con-
rora Alvarado, Manuel Vergara.

vict-escapes-down-a-creek interlude, etc.), the
film offers little in the way of action. Admittedly,

“That beast was able to fool us like children.”

— Prof. Dolan
some of the dialogue is amusing (Count to

Johnny: “How about your psychotic desire to

Insert the name “K. Gordon Murray” after the
kill?” Johnny: “Oh well, we all have our little
word “beast” in the above quotation and you’ve
shortcomings”), but most sounds simply banal.

a pretty good account of what a viewer feels after

And worst of all, the picture’s one “money” shot
sitting through this fourth and final installment

(the dissolution of the vampires) was filmed for
in the Mexican-lensed “Nostradamus” series.

pennies. Too cheap even for some dissolves and

Florida-based theater builder-cum-movie mogul
a couple of prop skeletons, Adamson keeps the

Murray snatched up a fistful of South-of-the-Bor-
camera locked down on the hero and heroine as
der horror films and released them as Saturday
they stare and exclaim, “They’re getting old” and
matinees in the early sixties before sending them

“They turned to dust”— without ever showing it.

off to television (though in some cases he reversed While the movie’s exteriors (filmed at a real
the process and sent out theatrical double bills of castle purportedly shipped over from Ireland and
movies he’d already sold to TV!). While he gave
rebuilt in Lancaster, California) appear impressive, American audiences the chance to see such
the interior sets (shot at the Santa Monica Sound
off beat and entertaining Mexi-movies as The

Stage) look shoddy in comparison, including what

Witch’s Mirror, The World of the Vampires and the has to be the world’s tidiest plywood-and-styro-notorious The Brainiac, he also schlepped such foam castle dungeon (two token rats appear; but,
subpar fare as Spiritism, Curse of the Aztec despite the captive girls’ screams of disgust, the

Mummy and the four Nostradamus movies.

rodents make little impact when they scurry

Anyone stumbling across this feature at some
across a floor so clean you could eat off it).

Saturday matinee (or bleary-eyed 1:00 a.m. TV

“Al was not what you would call a good direc-
showing) would be utterly nonplussed had they
tor,” concluded John “Bud” Cardos, who served
not seen the series’ previous entries. Adapted
as Blood’s production manager (and had a small from the final three episodes of a 12-chapter serial role as a security guard). “He could raise the
about a nefarious vampire named Nostradamus
money for these little shows, and put them to-

(Germán Robles), The Blood of Nostradamus be-gether, but he shot everything so fast he could
gins with the vampire’s disembodied voice taunt-
have made ’em a lot better ... [they were] sloppy.”

ing his arch-nemesis, Professor Dolan, who’d

(Cardos later went on to direct his own features,
thought he’d destroyed Nostradamus in the last
including the entertaining William Shatner-
picture ( The Genie of Darkness) by tossing his an-starrer Kingdom of the Spiders.) Retired from cestor’s ashes to the winds (since a vampire must

74

Blood of...; Blood Rites; The Blood Suckers; Bloodlust!

2. THE MOVIES
sleep on his progenitor’s ashes during the day or

The Blood Suckers see Dr. Terror’s
die ... yes indeedy). Apparently, in the best — or

Gallery of Horrors
worst — Saturday matinee serial fashion, Nos-
tradamus “substituted the ashes for those of one

Bloodlust! (1961; Westhampton Distribution; of [his] victims,” and so the show can go on. And
b&w) Director/Producer/Screenwriter: Ralph
it does go on ... and on ... and on ... as the boorish Brooke; Cinematographer: Richard E. Cunha.

bloodsucker resumes his mundane modus

Cast: Wilton Graff, June Kenny, Walter Brooke,
operandi of announcing to the Professor who he’ll

Robert Reed, Gene Persson, Joan Lora, Troy Pat-
kill next and then doing just that. Victims this
terson, Lilyan Chauvin.

time around include a grotesquely overbearing
police commissioner and a flighty songstress. Fi-

HE HUNTED HUMANS for the sheer sport
nally, Nostradamus can stomach the pontificating
of killing ... and made his island paradise
into a Hell on Earth!— poster
professor no longer (understandable after four
movies) and points his fangs in Dolen’s direc-

Here’s your chance to see the father of The
tion—with the expected “pointed” result. Yes, the

Brady Bunch hunted down like a wild animal (and world is now safe from Nostradamus’ evil, and,
who among us that grew up in the 1970s could re-
more importantly, any further features.

sist such a satisfying concept?). Long before

There’s little to differentiate this entry from the Robert Reed became a household name and face
other three, apart from the fact that Nostradamus
on television via “a story of a man named Brady,”

really dies this time. Blood does possess one im-he was chased through a forest of potted plants
pressively atmospheric set-piece, however, as a
by a crossbow-wielding madman thirsting for his
female victim-to-be flees in terror through the
blood.

deserted, fog-shrouded streets. Pursued at first

Two young couples— Johnny and Betty, and
by the shadow of a huge bat, she’s then attacked

Pete and Jeanne (Robert Reed, June Kenny, Gene
by the impressively mobile beast itself, which

Persson, Joan Lora)—on a chartered boat stumble

(after a judicious cut to a horrified onlooker)

across a private island owned by Mr. Balleau
transforms into the caped Nostradamus. Then,

(Wilton Graff ). Says Balleau, “I’ve developed a
in close-up, the bloodsucker’s fangs seemingly
kind of passion for hunting.” Indeed, he hunts
sink into his victim’s throat — a shockingly pro-
humans, and plans to make the boys his next prey gressive sight not seen in American films of this
in this low-rent version of “The Most Dangerous
time.

Game.”

But such moments come so few and far

As Bloodlust’s unit manager Bri Murphy (who between that they disappear under the weight of
later married Bloodlust! writer-producer-director the picture’s going-nowhere plotting and pathetic

Ralph Brooke) related, “[ Bloodlust! ] was a remake palaver. Though slightly better than the similarly
of [1932’s] The Most Dangerous Game— Ralph
serialized Aztec Mummy movies (at least there’s figured that was one of the best horror pictures
no nondescript masked wrestling hero here), the
he’d ever seen, so why not do it again?” To that

Nostradamus films remain some of the weakest
end, Brooke adapted the story to his decreased
of the ’60s Mexican monster movies. As far as this

($80,000) budget. For instance, he dispensed with
final entry goes, simply put, The Blood of Nos-
the rather costly use of trained dogs from the orig-tradamus is bloody awful.

inal film, replacing them with a few extra actors

(that could be had on the cheap), one even serving

Blood of the Man Devil see House of
as the antagonist’s tracker. Brooke also trans-
the Black Death
formed the original film’s two adult protagonists
into a quartet of attractive young people, no
doubt in a savvy effort to ride the coattails of the

Blood of the Virgins see The Blood
teen-targeted horror films then ruling the drive-

Demon
ins (led by AIP and their teenage monster movies
like I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I Was a Teenage

Blood of the Zombie see The Dead

Frankenstein, and Blood of Dracula). In fact, it’s rather surprising that Bloodlust! wasn’t titled

One
something like “I Was Teenage Prey.”

First-time director Brooke, aided by cine-

Blood Rites see The Ghastly Ones
matographer Richard E. Cunha (a director in his

2. THE MOVIES

Bloodlust!

75
own right, whose credits in-
clude She Demons, Giant
from the Unknown, Missile
to the Moon, and Franken-
stein’s Daughter— all from

1958!), seems remarkably
self-assured in the visuals
department, utilizing varied
camera angles and evocative
lighting to augment what
little resources he had

(though no amount of clever
trickery can disguise the
faux cave walls of Balleau’s
underground lair as any-
thing but what they really
are —crumpled construc-
tion paper). For example,
the goateed, rifle-bearing

Balleau first appears in a
low-angle shot (accompa-
nied by a dramatic chord

“The Most Dangerous Game” hits the ’60s in Bloodlust! (1961). Left to sounding on the music
right: Wilton Graff, Gene Persson, Joan Lora, June Kenny, and Robert track) that suggests the

Reed (of The Brady Bunch fame) (American lobby card).

man’s menacing power. The
scene then fades to a roaring lion’s head, with the Lengthy sequences of Archie and Betty and
camera pulling pack to reveal the animal as a

Jughead and Veronica ... er, Johnny and Betty and
stuffed and mounted trophy in Balleau’s study —

Pete and Jeanne creeping about the house trying
the sudden juxtaposition of Balleau and the
to Find Out What’s Going On quickly engenders
predatory beast furthering the unsettling feeling
an unwelcome feeling of juvenilia. It gets to the
surrounding this ominous “host.”

point where one almost expects Erich Von Zipper

Unfortunately, Brooke the Screenwriter fares
to pop up on his way to some AIP beach party
worse than Brooke the Director. The four clean-
movie. (And the fact that Balleau’s nondescript
cut “kids” (actually 20-something adults) are far
henchmen all sport striped shirts— like some
too Leave It to Beaver-ish, with their bland polite-landlocked Disney pirate gang — doesn’t up the
ness and gee-wiz demeanor, to take seriously. The
maturity level any.)

banal dialogue they spout further scuttles their

But just when you tire of the Hardy Boys/Nancy
already-sinking credibility. When told by Balleau

Drew-like shenanigans, Brooke and company toss
of their impending doom, Johnny blandly retorts:

out some genuine shocks, including the macabre

“Listen, Mr. Balleau, fun’s fun, but if you think
sight of a henchman retrieving human body parts
we’re going to be the day’s pigeons in your shoot-
from a tank in Balleau’s hellish workroom —first
ing gallery, you’re just a little far out.”

a foot, then what looks like a patch of human

Happily, the stylish playing of the more sea-
skin, then a head (but with the skull removed, so
soned Wilton Graff as Balleau helps offset such
that he promptly starts filling the baggy skin with banalities. Graff receives the script’s best lines—
packing material before carefully setting the grue-
and delivers them with aplomb. When Balleau
some relic on the table). The human taxidermy
displays his trophies— his victims posed at the
show concludes with the man dumping a load of
moment of death — Betty screams. At this, Graff
offal into a second tank, the bubbling mist rising
gives a wry smile and observes, “I see that my
from it indicating its acidic nature. This was
latest trophy has really impressed you. I’m glad, strong stuff for 1961 (two years before Hershell
because I think it’s the best thing I’ve done —“

Gordon Lewis introduced the “gore film” via
here Graff pauses ever so slightly, and the smile

Blood Feast’s animal intestines and sheep’s fades to a malevolent coldness as he pointedly
tongue). Combine such unexpected grue with
adds “— so far.”

some evocative camerawork and a well-played vil-

76

Bloodsuckers; Bloody Pit of Horror

2. THE MOVIES
lain worthy of the title, and Bloodlust! often man-dream of developing his “perfect body.” When a
ages to escape from the many traps set by its
group of photography models (including his for-
scripting and budgetary deficits.

mer lover) stumble upon his castle, he goes mad

With quotes from: Monsters, Mutants and
and in his mind becomes the “Crimson Execu-

Heavenly Creatures: Confessions of 14 Classic Sci-tioner,” a sadistic medieval torturer.

Fi/Horrormeisters, by Tom Weaver.

The film is basically an excuse to show scantily
clad women (it lacks any actual nudity) tortured

Bloodsuckers see Island of the
in a myriad of admittedly ingenious ways. For in-

Doomed
stance, apart from the expected iron maiden, rack,
and some uncomfortably exploitative moments

Bloody Pit of Horror (1965; Pacemaker Pic-of torment (hot oil sizzling a maiden’s back;
tures; Italy) Alternate Titles: The Crimson Execu-blades drawn across heaving bosoms), there’s the
tioner; A Tale of Torture. Original Language Title: bizarrely diabolical but admittedly arresting giant Il Boia Scarlatto. Director: Max Hunter (Massimo spider web contraption rigged to dozens of bows

Pupillo); Producer: Francesco Merli; Screenplay:

placed along a wall (making rescue impossible)—

Robert Christmas (Roberto Natale), Robert
with a poisonous mechanical spider dancing in-

McLorin (Romano Migliorini); Cinematographer:

exorably towards its ensnared victim.

John Collins (Luciano Trasatti). Cast: Mickey

This Pit is not just for those enamored of the Hargitay, Walter Brandt, Louise Barrett (Luisa
female form in peril, however. The focus on Har-

Baratto), Ralph Zucker, Alfred Rice, Femi Martin
gitay’s well-oiled torso and his frequent ramblings (Femi Benussi), Rita Klein, Barbara Nelli, Moha
about his “perfect body” (not to mention the

Tahi, Nick Angel.

presence of his various muscle-bound henchmen)

make this a homoerotic fantasy “safely” circum-

Never before so much paralyzing terror as in
vented by the torture of women. Having rejected
this hair-raising orgy of sadism...— trailer
the world and its conventions (including his for-

In this mostly dull but occasionally shocking
mer heterosexual lover), Hargitay slips into ni-
exploitation horror, ex–Mr. Universe (and then-
hilistic madness and deviance, becoming the
husband of Jayne Mansfield) Mickey Hargitay

Crimson Executioner who must punish those en-
plays an unbalanced ex-actor who lives in seclu-
ticing temptresses. But is that because he feels de-sion at an isolated castle to perfect his narcissistic sire for them and seeks to burn it out of himself

(since he’s so obviously
male-form oriented)? Or
is it because he subcon-
sciously loathes his homo-
erotic feelings and so es-
capes himself by becoming
the Executioner, channel-
ing his sexual energies
away from his homoerotic
impulses into torturing
the “useless” sex? Or
maybe this is simply too
much subtext for a crass
exploitation horror film...

Apart from its misogy-
nistic set-pieces, Pit offers
some lackluster big-time
wrestling-style fight scenes
with the Executioner’s
beefy minions; an impres-
sive but grossly over-lit

(and, consequently, at-

The impractical but amusingly bizarre mechanical spider torture device mosphere-less) real castle
from The Bloody Pit of Horror (1965).

(full of out-of-place bright

2. THE MOVIES

The Bloody Vampire

77
colors and furnishings—including fire-engine red
dling infirmity and stop the danger of contagion
railings); poor pacing punctuated by dull inter-
also.”

actions between the various caricatures—er, char-

This rather dull Mexican horror movie starts
acters; and an amazingly inappropriate jazz-
strongly enough with an eerie shot of a coach at
organ-bongo musical score.

twilight, the silhouetted horses (silently)

What makes this poorly produced and mean-
galloping in slow motion as a bell tolls mournfully spirited movie at all tolerable is the comic book
and the wind howls on the soundtrack (a tech-
performance of bodybuilder-cum-actor Hargitay,
nique later used so effectively by Amando de Os-
who staggers about shouting maniacally in such
sorio in his Spanish Blind Dead films). At the an over-the-top fashion that one can’t take him —
scene’s conclusion, the camera suddenly dollies
or the film — seriously. “I wasn’t any more of an
in to reveal the cloaked driver to be a grinning
accomplished actor than a taxi driver!” admitted
skull — death itself. It’s a haunting opening, both Hargitay. “So, to me, it was a good performance.

surreal and startling.

The first time you see the movie, though, I’m sure

Unfortunately, nothing else in the picture
it is shocking.” Indeed, it’s ironically fortunate
equals this moody moment; and, though blessed
that this slice of beefcake turned out to be so
with some imposing sets and atmospheric lighting
much ham.

(courtesy of Raoul Martinez Solares), the film

With quotes from: “The Hungarian Hercules,”

soon settles down into a series of overlong expos-
by Michael Barnum, Filmfax 93/94, October/No-itory scenes. “Let us go on talking about the
vember 2002.

famed subject,” suggests Cagliostro early on, and
this seems to be the movie’s anthem, as the picture

The Bloody Vampire (1962/65; Internacional frequently surrenders its atmospherics to long

Sono-Film/Tela Talia Films S.A./Trans-Interna-
stretches of dull (and awkwardly dubbed) palaver.

tional Films; Mexico; b&w) Alternate Title: Count Much of the talk comes in the form of impromptu

Frankenhausen; Original Language Title: El Vam-lectures by Cagliostro, but the Count’s wife and
piro Sangriento; Director/Screenwriter: Michael servants, as well as the vampire himself, get in on Morayta; English language version director:

the act at intervals as well.

Manuel San Fernando; Producer: Raphael Perez

Grovas, K. Gordon Murray (English version);

Screenplay: Michael Morayta; Cinematographer:

Raoul Martinez Solares; Cast: Begona Palacios,

Erna Martha Bauman, Raoul Farell, Bertha Moss,

Charles (Carlos) Agosti.

Weirdos! Bring a fiend to a night of terror.

— radio spot

A young doctor and student of the famous
vampire-hunter Count Cagliostro, along with the
doc’s fiancée (Cagliostro’s daughter), infiltrate the house of Count Frankenhausen(!) to determine
if he is the vampire depleting the local populace
during the full of the moon. Frankenhausen is in-
deed an undead fiend — with grandiose plans

(“The day will soon arrive when all the men and
women on earth are at last my loyal slaves,” he
rants) and a crypt full of “dormant” vampire
minions. “There are only two kinds of vampires,”

explains Cagliostro. “Some of them walk around,
some remain dormant.” Also, Cagliostro has in-
vented a new method to exterminate vampires,
a machine that will “inject the heart, the arter-
ies and the veins of vampires, and their victims, with this unique acid [made from a special plant].

Spanish one-sheet for The Bloody Vampire

It’s the only way we can abolish this bloodcur-

(1962/65).

78

Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons

2. THE MOVIES

The “vampire-killing machine” angle goes ab-
spite the grisly nature of the crimes, however,
solutely nowhere (we never get to see it used); and many of the works which emerged were come-throughout the film the various vampires do in-
dies—including the most celebrated films to arise
deed remain disappointingly “dormant.” They
from the case, Ernst Lubitsch’s Bluebeard’s Eighth must wait until this film’s sequel, Invasion of the Wife (1938) and Charles Chaplin’s Monsieur Ver-Vampires (shot back-to-back with The Bloody doux (1947). Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons takes a Vampire in December 1961-January 1962) to rise similarly tongue-in-cheek approach and offers
to the occasion (so to speak).

star George Sanders a perfect vehicle for his acidic As Frankenhausen, Carlos Agosti looks impos-screen persona.

ing enough, but the harsh and raspy (dubbed)

In this telling, Landru (Sanders), a lonely heart
voice that issues from his lips belongs more to a
antiques dealer, is lured into a life of crime by a teamster than an aristocratic vampire. In one of
gold-digging young seductress, Odette (Corinne
the most irresolute non-endings of the time,

Calvert). He preys on brokenhearted women —

Frankenhausen gets away! “The vampire lives on
romancing them, gaining their trust (and access
and he’s still at liberty,” intones Cagliostro, as the to their bank accounts), bringing them to his villa Count, in bat form, flies through the trees. But
and then poisoning them and burning their bod-
never fear, Frankenhausen returned the following
ies— all to raise money to woo Odette. He rents
year in the superior (re: faster paced) Invasion of her an apartment and keeps her in jewels and furs,
the Vampires (also written and directed by
yet she holds him at arm’s length, constantly milk-

Michael Morayta, photographed by Solares, and
ing him for more money while she maintains a
starring Bauman, Moss and Agosti)— and this
young boyfriend on the sly. Eventually, frustration, time he meets his match.

jealousy and greed inspire Landru to turn on

Though ponderously paced, The Bloody Vam-

Odette.

pire does manage to inspire a few unintentional W. Lee Wilder, the less-accomplished brother
guffaws, the loudest of which results from a price-
of the legendary Billy Wilder, handles the film’s
less scene of the Count flapping about (or gliding
quirky blend of horror and dark humor nimbly,
at least, since the oversized stuffed fledermaus is displaying wit and sophistication utterly lacking
about as stiff and unwieldy as the movie’s dia-
logue) as an hysterically funny-looking bat sport-
ing the biggest rabbit-like ears this side of Night of the Lepus. This bat-bunny hybrid almost makes The Bloody Vampire worth watching ... almost.

Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons (1960; Allied Artists, b&w) Director: W. Lee Wilder; Producer: Roy Parkinson; Screenplay: Myles Wilder; Cinematographer: Stephen Dade. Cast: George

Sanders, Corinne Calvert, Jean Kent, Patricia Roc,

George Coulouris.

The Man with the Do-It-Yourself

Murder Kit!— tagline

From 1914 to 1918, Frenchman Henri Landru
swindled and murdered 10 wealthy widows, dis-
membering their bodies and incinerating them in
the kitchen stove of his Parisian villa. After a spectacular trial he was convicted on 11 counts of mur-
der (including the teenage son of one of the wid-
ows) and guillotined. The press nicknamed

Landru “Bluebeard” after the title character of a

French fairy tale about a wicked king who kills
his wives.

Almost immediately, novels, plays and movies

George Sanders as the notorious killer embarking inspired by the Landru case began to appear. De-on Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons (1960).

2. THE MOVIES

Body Snatcher from Hell

79
in his previous projects, which included Phantom A fiendish vampire from a strange world in outer
from Space (1953), Killers from Space (1954), The space drains his victims’ blood and turns them

Snow Creature (1954) and Manfish (1956). The into weird corpses!— tagline
screenplay by Myles Wilder (Lee Wilder’s son) is

Although it shares some plot points in common
a minor gem, far and away his best. Indeed, it’s
with Toho’s Attack of the Mushroom People (1963), so much better than his other work (again, inand contains elements from the often-imitated
cluding Phantom from Space, Killers from Space, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1958), Shochiku The Snow Creature and Manfish) that viewers may Films’ Body Snatcher from Hell isn’t much like any wonder if he ran this one past Uncle Billy for an
other fantasy film of its era — or any other era. It uncredited polish. The characters are well delin-owes less to the popular kaiju eiga (monster movie) eated, the pace is brisk and the dialogue is sharp.

genre or traditional Japanese ghost stories than to It’s also full of priceless little throw-away bits of the plays of Jean-Paul Sartre or the “cubist” art
business, like when one of the women Landru is
films of Alain Resnais (such as Hiroshima mon
wooing marvels at the large tip he leaves after din-Amour, 1959). The Japanese pictures it most rener. “Success is nothing if not shared,” Landru
sembles are the eerily allegorical films of Hiroshi opines, as he reaches behind his back to pick up

Teshigahara, such as Woman in the Dunes (1964) the money and stuff it back in his pocket. Al-and The Face of Another (1966). Ambitious, creepy though the Odette character and the frustrated
and thought provoking, Body Snatcher from Hell
romantic subplot are fictions, the script includes
is also self-consciously arty and ultimately com-
many factual details, such as Landru’s habit of
promised by its threadbare budget.

keeping a ledger recording the names of his vic-
tims and the alias he used for each (to avoid con-
fusion).

The picture benefits greatly from the presence
of Sanders in the lead role. His droll, cynical performance fits the part like a finely tailored suit.

This Landru could be a murderous cousin of Ad-
dison de Witt, the caddish drama critic from All About Eve (1950). Sanders won an Oscar for that role, and while Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons is certainly no All About Eve, Sanders proves no less delightful here. Plus, he’s onscreen almost constantly. Sanders’ towering performance overshad-
ows the rest of the cast, with the notable exception of the luminous Corinne Calvert as Odette, Landru’s sultry temptress. Playing a character even
more vicious and amoral than Landru himself, at
points she threatens to out–Sanders Sanders.

Calvert is wickedly funny and undeniably sexy.

Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons is a picture ripe for rediscovery, but it’s not an easy one to see. So far, it hasn’t been issued on home video, and it seldom
shows up on television. It’s well worth tracking
down, however, especially if you’re a fan of

George Sanders (and who isn’t?).

Body Snatcher from Hell (1968; Shochiku; Japan) Alternate (international) Title: Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell. Original Language Title: Kyuketsuki Gokemidoro. Director: Hajime Sato; American one-sheet poster for the unique Japanese Producer: Takashi Inomata; Screenplay: Susumu
horror/sci-fier Body Snatcher from Hell (1968; aka Takaku, Kyuzo Kobayashi. Cast: Teruo Yoshida,

Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell), released in the Tomomi Sato, Hideo Ko, Eizo Kitamura, Masaya

States on a double-billed with the wacky reissued Takahashi.

Euro-import Bloody Pit of Horror (1965).

80

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die

2. THE MOVIES

From its unnerving and breathlessly paced

Body Snatcher from Hell arise from the way people opening sequence, the film keeps viewers off bal-treat one another. The panicked passengers soon
ance, never sure of what’s coming next: A passen-
turn on each other, and then, in desperation, try
ger jet on a routine flight enters a bank of omi-
using the American widow as a human sacrifice.

nous-looking orange clouds. Suddenly, panicked

At one point the alien-possessed vampire creature
birds begin crashing into the plane, splattering
states the picture’s theme bluntly: “Mankind is
the windows with blood. Then comes word from
on the verge of destruction.... It is your own
ground control that one of the passengers left a
fault.... You have already turned your world into
suicide note and may be carrying a bomb. The
a monstrous battlefield.” The film’s finale proves
co-pilot, Sugisaka (Teruo Yoshida), and a flight
equally striking, ironic and bizarre.

attendant Kazumi (Tomomi Sato) begin a

All too clearly, the purpose of this often heavy-
discreet search for explosives. Instead, they dis-
handed production is to make a statement about
cover that another passenger is an assassin fleeing the state of the world, circa 1968 (one of the most the murder of an ambassador. To avert capture,
turbulent years of the 20th century, which saw
the assassin (Hideo Ko) tries to hijack the plane.

the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, the assassinations

He forces his way into the cabin, but then a UFO
of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy in
appears. Finally, a bird flies into one of the engines the U.S., the collapse of the de Gaulle government
and causes the plane to crash. The pilot and the
in France, and numerous other political up-
assassin are killed, but nearly everyone else sur-
heavals). The film’s “statement” isn’t exactly
vives— at least, initially.

refined or even entirely coherent — it’s more like

The contentious group of survivors function
a primal scream — but it seems to be deeply felt.

less as fully developed characters than as

Like the anguished version of “The Star Spangled
metaphors for a host of societal ills: There’s a

Banner” that Jimi Hendrix began playing at
sniveling, amoral arms manufacturer (represent-
around this time, Body Snatcher from Hell exing greed) and his unfaithful wife (the embodi-
presses in an oblique but visceral way the fear,
ment of eroding moral and sexual values), a
tension and rage harbored by many young people.

greedy congressman (political corruption incar-

So, on that level, it works.

nate), a broken-hearted American war widow

On a purely cinematic level, however, Body

(self-explanatory), a coldly clinical psychiatrist

Snatcher from Hell has some glaring problems.

(standing in for cynicism and the loss of compas-

Most of the issues stem from the production’s
sion) and the would-be suicide bomber (a voice
skimpy budget, which restricts the action almost
of despair and madness). Sugisaka and Kazumi
entirely to the not-very-convincing airplane set,
also survive, and continue to serve as the story’s
and forced director Hajime Sato to settle for even-
point-of-view characters.

less-convincing special effects, which undermine

This motley assortment of malcontents, hud-
key moments. Sato could have done a better job
dled inside the crippled plane atop a rocky moun-
of disguising these limitations, but otherwise per-
tain with no food or water, argue bitterly about
forms commendably. Nothing in Sato’s previous
how to proceed. Suddenly, the suicidal passenger
genre film, the formulaic Terror Beneath the Sea tries to blow up what’s left of the plane. But the

(1966/71), suggested the filmmaker was capable
attempt fails, and the bomber flees. Not far from
of anything as audacious or compelling as this.

the downed plane, however, he discovers the

The cast’s performances are one-note, but since

UFO, which has landed nearby. He enters the
the movie is populated mostly by allegorical types
mysterious ship, and is promptly taken over by a
rather than lifelike characters, this isn’t a severe blob-like alien entity, which splits his forehead
handicap.

open and oozes into his skull. Later that night,

Despite its faults, Body Snatcher from Hell re-he returns to the downed aircraft and begins a se-
mains one of the most fascinating and original
ries of vampire-like attacks on the survivors.

Japanese chillers of the 1960s.

The narrative includes so many curveballs and
out-of-nowhere plot twists that it becomes dis-

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962; AIP; orienting, almost surreal. At its best, however,
b&w) Director/Screenwriter: Joseph Green; Pro-
the film generates the same kind of tense, inter-
ducer: Rex Carlton; Cinematography: Stephen
personal situations that fuel George Romero’s

Hajnal. Cast: Herb Evers, Virginia Leith, Leslie
classic Night of the Living Dead (also released in Daniel, Eddie Carmel, Adele Lamont.

1968). As in Night, the truly horrific moments in

2. THE MOVIES

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die

81

ALIVE ... WITHOUT A BODY ... FED BY

AN UNSPEAKABLE HORROR

FROM HELL!— poster

While not the first Disembodied Head movie,
and not the best (1985’s Re-Animator wins that title), The Brain That Wouldn’t Die is undoubtedly the most off beat and entertaining of its ilk.

Filmed in thirteen days in 1959 (but not released
until 1962 by American International Pictures),
the New York lensed Brain remains a treasured guilty pleasure for many a horror/sci-fi affi-cianado.

AIP’s publicity department called the picture

“an adventure into a terror-filled world of science gone mad where anything and everything can —
and does— happen.” For once, the PR crew was
guilty of understatement. Arms ripped from sock-
ets, flesh bitten from necks, decapitation, reani-
mation, misogyny ... The Brain That Wouldn’t Die is indeed a film in which anything can — and
does— happen.

Inspired by producer Rex Carlton’s suggested
title of I Was a Teenage Brain Surgeon (this was right after Herman Cohen’s “Teenage” monster
films had come out), writer-director Joseph Green

“FANTASTIC! WEIRD! HORRIFYING!” The
pounded out his outlandish script, now titled The

Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) is one of those rare Head That Wouldn’t Die, in only three days. (AIP
pictures that actually lives up to its advertising ultimately changed it to The Brain That Wouldn’t (pressbook cover).

Die before release).

The strange storyline has Dr. Bill Cortner
with a tight budget and little time. (In one inter-

(Herb Evers) keeping alive the severed head of his
view Green put the cost at $62,000, though he
fiancée, Jan (Virginia Leith), after she’s decapi-
later explained to this writer that the final budget tated in an auto accident. Cortner then goes on a
was “about $125,000 to $150,000” with the
hunt for the perfect body, prowling sleazy night-

$62,000 figure being “for certain preliminary
clubs and “body beautiful” contests to find prime
work.” Right.) The fatal car crash sequence, for
pulchritude. Aiding him in his heady plan is his
instance, shows just how inventive a low-budget
warped (both in mind and body) assistant, Kurt
filmmaker can (and must) become. In close-up,

(Leslie Daniel), who’s deathly afraid of ‘the thing Bill shouts in alarm and we see his foot frantically in the closet’— a horrible creature made from
stamp on the brake before the camera runs
grafted tissues, the result of countless failed ex-
directly into the guardrail and seemingly flips up
periments. Jan is less than pleased with her
into the air in a sudden, violent motion. Next we
current situation and merely wants to die. She de-
see Bill rolling over and over down a hill. He sits velops a link with the unseen closet monster and,
up and a pained look of horror crosses his face.

at the propitious moment, exhorts him to kill

The camera cuts to a close-up of the car’s

Kurt and break out of his cell. The mutant knocks
shattered side window, viewed from inside the
over some chemicals which promptly burst into
automobile. Flames burn in the left foreground
flame and then bites a chunk of flesh out of his
while a hand seemingly reaches upwards for help
creator’s neck, tossing Bill’s writhing body to the from the right. Bill staggers forward and reaches
floor. As the flames rise higher, the creature
over the jagged glass toward the hand, but it col-
scoops up Bill’s intended body donor (a photog-
lapses and falls out of the shot. Bill takes off his rapher’s model) and carries her out while Jan
jacket and lowers it into the car out of camera
cackles hideously from inside the conflagration.

range. When he draws it back again, there’s some-First-time director Joseph Green does wonders
thing wrapped up inside.

82

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die

2. THE MOVIES

Green shows some real ingenuity here, using
gruesome tidbits, upon the film’s initial release.

camera angles and p.o.v. shots to give the feel of

Fortunately, the missing footage has been restored
a fatal car crash without the expense (none of
and can now be viewed in all its gory glory.)

those overpriced stuntmen and pyrotechnicians

“Heading” up the cast was actress Virginia
with specialty vehicles here — just a junkyard car

Leith. Publicity articles claimed that The Brain door, a hand-held camera, and some lighter

That Wouldn’t Die was Virginia’s “bid for renewed fluid). Amazingly, it does the job by allowing our
stardom.” Sadly, the cerebral role didn’t exactly
imagination (rather than money) to do the work.

take the actress to the head of her profession, for

“It was all suggestion,” recalled Green. “The pic-
she only appeared in one more film, First Love
ture was not a big-budget picture so I had to pick

(1977), and a few sporadic television shows. Much
out ways to suggest a violent automobile crash of Brain’s enjoyment factor, however, comes from and her head being severed from her body.”

her game performance as the bitter disembodied

Sometimes a suggestion is worth a thousand
head.

greenbacks.

Herb (later Jason) Evers, making his big-screen

Of course, the next sequence turns almost
debut, does equally well, possessing a smooth
comically absurd as Bill dashes with his gruesome
manner and comfortable charm while mixing in
package through the landscaped woods (the man-
quiet smirks and subtle leers to give his obsessed
icured grounds of North Tarrytown’s Detmer Es-
mad surgeon a human (if slightly sleazy) quality.

tate) like an NFL running back. For a full minute

(One wonders if starring in Brain had anything and a half, the camera jogs alongside and in front
to do with Evers’ subsequent name-change.)

like some macabre blocker intent on seeing his

Apart from these two players, most of the other
teammate carry the pigskin across the goal line.

Brain thespians emote as if they’re performing It is strange juxtapositions like these (inventive
nineteenth century grand guignol (which may
sequences alternating with moments of amusing
not be so inappropriate after all, since they are,
preposterousness) which create much of the film’s
in fact, doing a cheesy form of twentieth century bizarre charm and make it so enjoyable.

grand guignol!). As Kurt, Leslie Daniel (who

The characters continually bicker and needle
worked primarily as a dubbing actor) reaches new
each other, setting up scene after scene of verbal
heights in melodramatics, speaking his ludicrous
friction that effectively distracts the viewer from lines with a near-violent fervor while sighing and
the occasional spells of inactivity. Talk is cheap, gesturing with boundless theatricality. Daniel’s
and Green fills his low-budget picture with plenty
painful sincerity and over-the-top mannerisms,
of it. Fortunately, the frequently over-the-top
while far from any sense of normalcy, are indeed
conversations make for some fascinating moments
fun to watch. (And since nothing in this picture of intense absurdity, with the disembodied head
is “normal,” Daniel’s hyperdrive performance
blathering away to the unseen monster in the
works.)

closet (“I’ve got to see your hideousness; you’ve The arm-removing “giant pinhead closet mon-got to see mine ... Nothing you can be is more terster” (Green’s appellation) was played by the ex-
rible than I am — a head without a body — a head
ceedingly tall Eddie Carmel. A sometime Ringling
that should be in its grave”) or the high-strung

Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus giant,
lab assistant petulantly sniping back at the insult-Carmel’s publicity listed him at 500 pounds and
ing cranium (“I’m getting fed up with you and
nine feet tall! While these stats may have been
your insidious talk! He should have cut out your

‘heightened’ just a bit, there’s no denying the im-
tongue while he was at it!”).

posing impression he made as the hideous mutant

The picture sports some downright priceless
behind the door. “He was a very fine young guy,”

moments, such as when Bill, annoyed at Jan’s vo-
remembered Green. “Every actor should be that
ciferous objections, tapes her mouth shut! And the easy to work with on the set. It was a shame he
film boasts one of the most unintentionally amus-
had this glandular problem.” Sadly, this glandular
ing death scenes in the annals of cinema. After
problem, which made Carmel so suitable for his
the closet creature pulls Kurt’s arm from its
gigantic role in Brain, led to his early death in socket, the maimed man staggers about for two

1972 at the age of 36. (His director survived him
solid minutes, running his mutilated shoulder into by nearly three decades; Joseph Green succumbed
doors and walls so he can drag it along the surface to liver failure on September 1, 1999.)

and leave a gory snail-track of blood. (AIP cut

While not particularly realistic looking, the
this extended sequence, along with a few other
creature’s appearance certainly is unusual, with

2. THE MOVIES

The Brainiac

83
its oatmeal face, pointed bald head, off-kilter eye, sion); Producer: Abel Salazar, K. Gordon Murray
and flaps of scarred, wattled flesh under its chin

(English version); Screenplay: Aldolpho Lopez
that make the poor wretch appear to sport some

Portillo, Frederick Curiel; Cinematographer: Jose
monstrous turkey-neck. “[Make-up man] George

O. Ramos. Cast: Abel Salazar, Ariadne Welter,

Fiala did a very good job,” opined Green, “using

David Silva, Germán Robles, Louis Aragon.

a rubberized mask and regular makeup directly

Trapped in a whirlpool of shrieking fear!

applied. I was very happy with the result.”

— radio spot

Call it what you will, but The Brain That

Wouldn’t Die remains about as far from boredom In the early 1960s, former carnival owner and
as a film can get —despite the fact that it is indeed drive-in theater builder K. Gordon Murray ac-the ultimate “talking head” movie. For those
quired a number of low-budget horror films and
viewers with a sense of cinematic fun and love of
children’s movies from Mexico’s Churubusco–
the outlandish, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die will Azteca Studios (where Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
forever remain The Movie That Wouldn’t Die.

was later filmed). After making a fortune with his

With quotes from: The Brain That Wouldn’t
various “kiddie matinees,” Murray turned his

Die/ Invasion of the Star Creatures pressbook, showman’s sights toward TV and sold the syndi-American International Pictures, 1962; “The
cation rights to American International Televi-

Brain That Wouldn’t Die,” by Bryan Senn, in Son sion. Along with a string of vampire films starring of Guilty Pleasures of the Horror Film, Gary and Germán Robles, and a bevy of Aztec Mummy

Susan Svehla (eds.).

movies, the package included one deliriously
bizarre celluloid abnormality titled El Barón del

The Brainiac (1961/69; Cinematografica Terror, which Murray re-christened The Brainiac.

A.B.S.A./

Trans-International Films; Mexico;

(Several years after the film had played on televi-b&w) Original Language Title: El Barón del Terror; sion, Murray packaged it with another of his

Director: Chano Urueta, Paul Nagel (English ver-
better Mexi-movies, The Curse of the Crying

The Brainiac (Abel Salazar) arrives on a soundstage forest ready to suck brains in the most (in)famous of all 1960s Mexican horror movies.

84

Brides of Blood

2. THE MOVIES

Woman, and premiered the double-bill theatrically cityscape, etc. (Even Roger Corman, on his two-on April 9, 1969, in Trenton, New Jersey!)

and-a-half-day wonder The Little Shop of Horrors, Far from being the standard south-of-the-bor-went outside to shoot once in a while!)

der celluloid junk, The Brainiac (shot in two Further dubious assets include some wonderful
weeks in February of 1961) is something special

“bad” dialogue (“I wish they’d find some way to
when it comes to le bad cinema. The story begins control the subject of Man’s studies— a maniac
with Baron Vitalius (Abel Salazar, who also pro-
with a lot of knowledge is a threat!”), laughable
duced the film), a “sorcerer and heretic,” being
effects, name problems (with characters alternately burned at the stake during the Inquisition. En-calling him Baron Vitalius and Count Vitalius) gulfed in superimposed flames, Vitalius looks up
and a pair of inspectors who inexplicably show
and sees a comet moving across the heavens (ac-
up with flame throwers to wrap it all up.

tually a painfully unrealistic painting) and utters Unfortunately, the film also sports an abun-this curse to his executioners: “I shall return to
dance of boring lectures and banal conversations
your world in 300 years when that [comet] com-
that frequently slow things down. And missing is
pletes its cycle and is once again in these latitudes the evocative Thirties-style horror atmosphere

... I will kill each and every one of your descen-

(mist-enshrouded graveyards, dripping dank
dants and I shall expunge your foul lineage from
crypts) usually found in even the cheesiest of
this earth.” And he means it. Suddenly it’s 1961

Mexican horror productions from this time.

and the comet is spotted. Cut to a soundstage

But when the title terror shows up, it’s no-
landscape, upon which drops a huge papier-
holds-barred guffaws for bad cinema lovers every-
mâché rock (conjuring up images of the oft-used
where—sort of a Plan 9 from South-of-the-Border.

“10-Ton-Weight” gag from a Monty Python skit).

In the right frame of mind, even those not enam-

The comet fragment dissolves to reveal ... the
ored of “golden turkeys” can enjoy this one-of-

Brainiac!

a-kind imported oddity.

Possessing an oversized, puffy head that inflates

With quotes from: “El Vampiro Speaks! An In-
and deflates for horrific emphasis, a long pointed
terview with Mexican Horror Star Germán Rob-
nose, an even longer 12-inch forked tongue, and
les,” by Bryan Senn, Richard Sheffield and Jim
lobster pincers for hands, this is one of the most

Clatterbaugh, Monsters from the Vault 24, Febru-ludicrously fun monsters ever to suck brains. And
ary 2008.

that is just what he does with that unwieldy pro-
truding tongue of his, sucking his victims’ gray

Brides of Blood (1968; Hemisphere; Philip-matter out through their necks. Moreover, he can
pines/U.S.) Alternate Titles: Brides of the Beast change into human guise to hypnotize and lure

(video); Grave Desires (reissue); Island of Living his victims into range. Clever Brainiac that he is, Horror (TV). Directors: Eddie Romero, Gerardo he also keeps a bowlful of brains in a locked cab-de Leon; Producer: Eddie Romero. Cast: John
inet, which he can daintily spoon out whenever

Ashley, Kent Taylor, Mario Montenegro, Beverly
in the mood for an in-between-meal snack.

Hills (Powers), Eva Darren.

The cast’s deadly earnestness only increases the
unintentional hilarity, especially Salazar as the

FOR PEOPLE WITH NERVES OF

IRON ONLY!!! — ad line
brain-sucking Baron. (Among the Baron’s victims
are Germán Robles, The Vampire himself, and Blood Island and Hemisphere. For late-night

Ariadne Welter, sister of The Devil’s Hand star fright-flick fanatics, the place name and company

Linda Christian.) “[The on-set mood was]

moniker go together like, well, some mutant horse
serious, very serious!” recalled Robles. “But when
and carriage, carrying off the startled viewer to a the director said, ‘cut,’ everybody laughed! But
realm of jungle beauties, mad doctors and bizarre
they didn’t approach the film as a joke—they were
chlorophyll man-monsters. And Blood Island
very serious about it, treated it with respect.”

lived up to its name, with plenty of the red stuff

If the film’s boffo plot doesn’t grab you, how
spattering the palm fronds. Then there were the
about an endless array of painted paper back-
native (and imported) femmes, who’d drop their
drops? The Brainiac features absolutely no out-tropical tops at the mere sight of American former
door shots; it is completely studio-bound. Loca-
teen-heartthrob John Ashley (star of all three
tion shooting consists of having cast members

Blood Island features).

stand in front of various blown-up photographic

Brides of Blood was the first in the loosely con-backdrops of an observatory, bridge, night sky,
nected “Blood Island” trilogy shot in the Philip-

2. THE MOVIES

Brides of Dr. Jekyll; The Brides of Dracula

85

Said creature is an ugly, green, gloppy Michelin

Tire Man mutant with big lips and pointed teeth
that sexually assaults the sacrificed girls and literally rips them apart. (“It is his way of satisfying himself,” says the resigned native girl heroine).

The beast’s appearance is always presaged by its
overloud raspy, grunting breathing that reverber-
ates throughout the jungle like some monstrous
obscene phone caller on the loose — which is
pretty much accurate (well, barring the phone).

One of the film’s less gruesome highlights came
in the form of Beverly Powers (here using her bur-
lesque name of Beverly Hills, which she also em-
ployed for her “grieving widow” cameo in 1963’s

The Comedy of Terrors). Despite her silly sobri-quet, Ms. Hills could act as well as look good in
low-cut dresses. She brings her underwritten
character of the love-starved, cheating wife to
life — the only one in the cast who could make
such a claim. Ashley is his usual whitebread
wooden self, while veteran Kent Taylor walks
through his part with a pasted-on dour look.

And it’s too bad that the heretofore fast-
moving and jaw-droppingly bizarre picture can’t
seem to sustain its psychotronic pace, and ends

The first of the Filipino “Blood Island” films:

with a rather perfunctory climax, followed by a

Brides of Blood (1968) (Italian one-sheet poster).

long ceremonial dirty dancing session that drags
on and on and on. Fortunately, a plethora of oogy
pines and released Stateside by Hemisphere

(and ogling) monster business up to then helps

(notwithstanding 1959’s Terror Is a Man, which gloss over its limp finish.

introduced the name Blood Island but was unre-

Without a hint of irony, Hemisphere went all
lated to the subsequent trio). Each of the three
out in their Brides of Blood promotional trailer: proved cheesily (and sleazily) entertaining (warts

“Are you ready for the ultimate GIFT OF LOVE?”

and all), but Brides of Blood was the first.

the screen reads as romantic music dramatically

The story has a small Peace Corp-like band —
swells on the soundtrack. “FREE Imitation EN-
engineer Jim Farrel (Ashley), dour biologist Dr.

GAGEMENT and WEDDING RINGS will be given

Henderson (Kent Taylor) and Henderson’s slutty
to every UNMARRIED FEMALE at All Showings of
young wife Carla (Beverly Hills)— land on Blood

BRIDES OF BLOOD!” Brides of Blood: the ultimate Island to both help the natives improve their lot
date movie...

(Jim teaches them the rudiments of irrigation)

and investigate the possible effects of radiation on

Brides of Dr. Jekyll see Dr. Orloff ’s
the flora and fauna from past atomic testing near

Monster
the island. Greeted on the beach by a native
funeral procession, the trio watches as one of the

The Brides of Dracula (1960; Hammer/
litter bearers slips in the sand, resulting in a

Universal-International; U.K.) Director: Terence
bloody disembodied leg and head falling from un-

Fisher; Producer: Anthony Hinds; Screenplay:

derneath the bier’s covering! We’re not in Kansas

Jimmy Sangster, Peter Bryan and Edward Percy;
anymore, Toto; and this shocking intro portends

Cinematographer: Jack Asher. Cast: Peter Cush-
more gruesomeness to come. Soon the protago-
ing, Yvonne Monlaur, Freda Jackson, David Peel,
nists must deal not only with mutated land crabs,

Andree Melly, Miles Malleson, Martita Hunt.

mobile killer banana trees and a vicious oversized
butterfly(!), but a native lottery that sacrifices

THE MOST EVIL, BLOOD-LUSTING
young girls to placate the island’s lustful monster DRACULA OF ALL!— tagline
known as “the Evil One” (more radiation results).

The Revenge of Frankenstein (1959), Hammer’s

86

The Brides of Dracula

2. THE MOVIES

Baron Meinster (David Peel, standing) is about to put the bite on Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) in Brides of Dracula (1960), arguably Hammer’s finest horror film of the 1960s.

first sequel to the groundbreaking Curse of
high number for a Hammer picture). The final

Frankenstein (1957), had taken the unexpected product, however, proved well worth the wait.

tack of continuing the story of the titular scientist Marianne Danielle (Yvonne Monlaur), a naïve
rather than (like Universal Pictures’ long-running
student-teacher traveling to her first assignment,

Frankenstein series) chronicling the further ex-
becomes stranded in a remote Transylvanian vil-
ploits of the misshapen monster. Brides of
lage. The (apparently) kindly Baroness Meinster

Dracula, the much-anticipated sequel to Horror (Martita Hunt) offers to let her stay at her
of Dracula (1958), took a similar approach, star-chateau. There, Marianne discovers the handsome
ring the vampire-slaying Dr. Van Helsing (Peter
young Baron Meinster (David Peel) chained to

Cushing) and — advertising taglines aside — not
the wall of his room. He convinces gullible Mar-
featuring Dracula at all. In the case of Brides, how-ianne that he is being held prisoner by his evil
ever, this innovation was a product of necessity
mother, the Baroness. Marianne impulsively sets
rather than artistic choice.

him free, then (after the Baron reveals himself as

Christopher Lee, catapulted to stardom by his
a vampire) realizes she has made a terrible mis-
sensational performance in Horror of Dracula’s take. She flees the castle and, luckily, falls in with title role, declined to appear in Brides of Dracula.

Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), who had been called

Lee claims he turned down Brides because he by the local vicar to investigate a growing vampire feared becoming typecast, but producer Anthony
plague stemming from Chateau Meinster, where

Hinds remembered that Lee “was asking too
the Baroness had been feeding young girls to her
much money.... We decided we could do without
son. Van Helsing immediately sets about demol-
him.” In any case, Lee’s departure from the
ishing the Meinster monsters, beginning with the
project necessitated delays and rewrites (three
baroness and, after a series of hair-raising en-
screenwriters receive script credit, an unusually
counters, concluding in spectacular fashion with

2. THE MOVIES

The Brides of Dracula

87
a showdown with the baron and his “brides” in
lame, and perform other miracles. Through
an old windmill.

learned use of Christian iconography — a crucifix

The scenario isn’t perfect. Questions remain
and a flask of holy water (not to mention a handy
unanswered (for instance, if Baron Meinster can
hammer and stake)— Van Helsing is able to con-
change into a bat, why does a simple leg restraint
quer the undead and even heal himself when he
trouble him?), and other plot threads are left un-
falls victim to Baron Meinster in the final reel. In resolved (including the final disposition of the
one unforgettable scene, the baroness (after con-
two vampire “brides” of the film’s title), lapses
fessing her sins to Van Helsing) willingly submits
likely introduced during rewrites. The movie
to being destroyed — smiling with relief as he
could also do without the untimely introduction
drives in the stake that releases her from Satan’s
of an intrusive comedy relief character, the greedy grip and restores her to a righteous relationship
hypochondriac Dr. Tobler (Miles Malleson),
with God.

whose unwelcome presence is especially distract-

Originally, an entirely different conclusion was
ing since he arrives at the beginning of the final
conceived for Brides in which Van Helsing used act, just as Brides of Dracula begins racing toward black magic to invoke the powers of evil, sending
its breathless finale.

a plague of bats against the Baron and his brides.

Ultimately, however, these flaws seem incon-

Fisher rejected this ending (later resurrected for
sequential. Director Terence Fisher’s urgent sto-

The Kiss of the Vampire [1963/64]), both because rytelling and bold compositions (with figures
he was unwilling to trust the finale of his film to placed in the frame so that they pack the same sort Hammer’s visual effects team (valid concerns,
of dramatic punch as a Jack Kirby comic book
based on the subsequent results in Kiss) and be-layout) sweep the viewer along and sustain
cause an evil-defeating-evil resolution would have
tension throughout. Bernard Robinson’s sets were
completely contradicted the basic moral paradigm
never more beautifully designed or decorated than
that ruled his fantasy movies. “If my films reflect here. (The effort that went into some of these sets my own personal view of the world, it is in their
is simply amazing, especially the main hall of
showing the ultimate victory of good over evil,

Chateau Meinster, which features dozens and
in which I do believe,” Fisher said. Cushing (him-
dozens of blazing white candles—all of which had
self an ardent Christian) also lobbied for a differ-to be carefully lit prior to each shot.) Cinematog-
ent ending. Throughout both Brides and the pre-rapher Jack Asher’s evocative lighting proves no
ceding Horror of Dracula, the actor seems fully less remarkable, making subtle use of green, blue,
invested in Fisher’s vision, as his reverent delivery yellow and pink gels, as well as deep shadows
of lines such as “Only God has no fear” attests.

carefully draped for maximum impact.

Cushing’s masterful, meticulous work as Van

Fisher was horror cinema’s answer to C.S.

Helsing had been one of Horror of Dracula’s great-Lewis— a spinner of tales that can be enjoyed on
est strengths. At least until the story’s action-
a surface level as spellbinding fantasy, but can also packed finale, Cushing ratchets down his hyper-be read as an allegory for the cause of Christian
animated Van Helsing for Brides, taking a more evangelism. In film after film, Fisher’s Christian
pensive, wary approach than in the first film —
heroes propagate the faith by vanquishing pagan-
which seems natural given the good doctor’s pre-
satanic adversaries. Other than The Devil’s Bride vious encounters with the undead. Yet, as ever,

(1967), Brides of Dracula represents the boldest the actor finds a number of physical bits of busi-expression of this theme in the director’s canon.

ness to round out his character (for instance, he

Van Helsing states the case overtly when he de-
brings life and veritas to a potentially dry, expos-scribes vampirism as “a strange sickness ... partly itory sequence by delivering it while packing a
physical, partly spiritual” and “a survivor of one
suitcase).

of the ancient pagan religions in its struggle

Brides of Dracula boasts several other excellent against Christianity.”

performances as well. Peel, in his only starring

Fisher’s Van Helsing (a “doctor of philosophy
film role (he retired from acting to pursue other
and doctor of theology,” according to his calling
interests shortly afterward), brings an unsettling
card) is not merely a swashbuckling vampire killer
blend of effete dandyism and seething menace as
but a super-powered evangelist, successor to
the pansexual Baron Meinster. It’s an altogether
apostolic fathers such as Saints Peter and Paul
different quality than Lee’s Count Dracula, and
who, according to the bible, invoked the power
it proves especially effective in the early scenes at of Christ to cast out demons, heal the blind and
the chateau. Monlaur’s wide-eyed, endearing por-

88

Brides of the Beast; Bring Me the Vampire; Burn, Witch, Burn

2. THE MOVIES
trayal as Marianne strikes another perfect note.

finale in which everybody disguises themselves in

Freda Jackson (playing Greta, a sort of distaff
black robes and hoods and scampers about, trying

Renfield) and Andree Melly (as one of the Baron’s
to avoid the machine-gun toting(!) villains until

“brides”) also deliver memorable turns. Hunt
we learn ... well, that would be giving it away
threatens to steal the film with her affecting,

(though “it” turns out to be so ludicrous a de-
multi-layered performance as the once-proud,
nouement that it scarcely bears repeating).

now broken-hearted and repentant baroness.

Bring Me the Vampire offers a decent Old Dark Most fans and critics rank Brides of Dracula

House setting (including a creepy cobwebbed cel-
among the very best Hammer Films productions,
lar and underground catacombs), a mysterious
and why not? It’s thrilling entertainment, nearly
housekeeper who talks with spirits and intimates
immaculate moviemaking, a key work in the
she’s a witch (even carrying a broom at times),

Fisher filmography and it only improves with re-
and the ghost of the deceased who turns up to al-
peated viewings. Its place among the decade’s
ternately aid and insult the protagonists (“You’re
best-loved chillers is richly deserved.

all idiots!” shouts the exasperated specter period-

With quotes from: Hammer Films: An Exhausically). The film also boasts the occasional inven-
tive Filmography, by Tom Johnson and Deborah tively bizarre set-piece (e.g., the head of one

Del Vecchio; and The Men Who Made the Mon-
victim ends up underneath a dinner platter, then
sters, by Paul Jensen.

turns transparent and floats off through a wall,
leaving a bloodstain behind!).

Brides of the Beast see Brides of

But given the fact that nearly all the heirs are

Blood
played by Mexican and Argentine comedians,
there’s far too much broad acting, silliness and

Bring Me the Vampire (1961; Trans-Inter-pointless buffoonery to sustain the infrequent
national Films; Mexico; b&w) Original Language
moments of weirdness. A “boinging” on the

Title: Échenme al Vampiro (Throw Me to the soundtrack often punctuates the comedy mo-Vampire); Director: Alfred B. Curevenna, Manuel
ments (just in case the viewer hadn’t noticed

San Fernando (English language version); Pro-
something was supposed to be funny), illustrating
ducer: Mario Garcia Camberos, K. Gordon Mur-
the movie’s level of comedic sophistication.

ray (English language version); Screenplay: Alfred

And despite the title, there’s no real vampire

Ruanova (story: Mario Gracia Camberos); Cine-

(though Julius, a simple, greedy madman, does
matographer: Ferdinand Colin. Cast: Mary
sleep in a coffin and, at one point —for no dis-

(Maria) Eugenia Saint Martin, Charles (Carlos)

cernable reason — sports fake fangs).

Riquelme, Hector Godoy, Raymond Bugarini,

In fact, Bring Me the Vampire proves to be as Celia Viveros.

nonsensical as its title, with the thrills as scarce as the moniker’s missing bloodsucker.

“You earned all of this through sweat and a lot
of fear, and that’s work in any man’s language.”

Burn, Witch, Burn (1962; Anglo-Amalga-Among Florida-based entrepreneur/distributor
mated/American International; U.K.; b&w) Al-

K. Gordon Murray’s many Mexican acquisitions
ternate Title: Night of the Eagle (U.K.). Director: released in the 1960s (the Nostradamus films, the

Sidney Hayers; Producers: Albert Fennell and

Aztec Mummy movies, Samson vs. the Monster-

Samuel Arkoff; Screenplay: Richard Matheson,
of-the-Week, etc.) was this bizarre mystery-hor-

Charles Beaumont and George Baxt (novel: Fritz
ror-comedy. Its nonsensical plot (a silly pastiche

Leiber); Cinematographer: Reginald Wyer. Cast:

of The Cat and the Canary, Ten Little Indians and Janet Blair, Peter Wyngarde, Margaret Johnston,

Seven Keys to Baldpate) centers on a group of un-Anthony Nichols, Colin Gordon, Kathleen Byron.

related (and artistic) individuals chosen by a re-
cently deceased millionaire to be his heirs (the ec-Do the undead demons of hell still arise to
terrorize the world?— tagline
centric apparently valued creativity above all
else). The heirs must spend several days and

Up-and-coming sociology professor Norman
nights in the man’s spooky old mansion in order

Taylor (Peter Wyngarde), acclaimed for
to collect, while the deceased’s sinister (and dis-
debunking witchcraft, psychic phenomena and
appointed) brother Julius makes thinly veiled
other “silly superstitions,” is shocked to discover threats. One by one the heirs meet their doom
his wife, Tansy (Janet Blair), secretly practices
until the run-around-with-their-heads-cut-off
black magic. She learned the craft under the tute-

2. THE MOVIES

Burn, Witch, Burn

89
lage of a witch doctor while the Taylors were on
a research trip to Jamaica, where Norman suffered
a near-fatal injury. Tansy insists that her magic
has propelled Norman to success despite jealousy
and hostility from the insular intellectual estab-
lishment of the provincial college where he now
teaches. Incredulous (and convinced that his me-
teoric rise should be credited solely to his own
brilliance), Norman forces Tansy to destroy all
her magic charms.

Soon afterward, however, a series of personal
and professional setbacks suddenly befall

Norman, threatening his career and perhaps his
life. Slowly, Norman’s skepticism, his devotion to
science and his bloated ego all begin to crumble,
and he grows to believe that some dark force may
indeed be working against him. This suspicion is
confirmed during a spine-tingling climax in
which a decorative stone eagle springs to life from the university roof and swoops down upon the
terrified scholar.

Burn, Witch, Burn is a difficult film to dissect critically because its success stems from how beautifully cohesive it is. While the picture’s component parts remain impressive when considered individually, they prove far more powerful working in syn-
thesis with one another. There’s nothing flashy
about Burn, Witch, Burn, and yet it emerges as a Ad for the chilling Burn Witch Burn (1962).

terrific film —engrossing, believable and chilling.

The tone of the entire production (including
affected in her small but pivotal role as a student Peter Lamont’s sets and Reginald Wyer’s lighting)

who accuses Norman of sexual misconduct.

is subtle and naturalistic. Its sound design is par-Director Sidney Hayers orchestrates all these
ticularly potent, making unnerving use of music,
elements with uncanny precision, allowing
sound effects (including a memorable bit of busi-
tension to build patiently but inexorably. It’s a
ness with a reel-to-reel tape of one of Norman‘s
masterful job. Yet, ironically, Hayers may be the
lectures) and cleverly calculated silences. The
primary reason why Burn, Witch, Burn languishes screenplay, adapted from Fritz Leiber’s novel Con-among the lesser known great horror films of the
jure Wife by Richard Matheson, Charles

1960s. Had it been the work of a “name” director,

Beaumont and George Baxt, invests as much in
instead of a guy who enjoyed his greatest popular
compelling human drama as in supernatural
success with episodes of TV shows like Knight
chills. Indeed until the final reel the scenario

Rider and The A-Team, Burn, Witch, Burn would leaves room for doubt as to whether or not actual
enjoy a far higher profile today. (Fright fans
witchcraft is in play. The story’s fantastic
should also thank Hayers for the gloriously trashy
elements, once they come to the fore, seem all the

1959 chiller Circus of Horrors.)

more credible because the script builds toward

In 1944, Conjure Wife was adapted for the them so meticulously.

screen with far less satisfying results as Weird This is also a marvelously acted picture. Leads

Woman, starring Lon Chaney, Jr., and Evelyn Wyngarde and Blair both provide richly nuanced

Ankers, part of Universal Pictures’ series of dismal and at times achingly authentic performances as

Inner Sanctum mysteries. The 1962 version was

Norman and Tansy, a dedicated, loving couple
shot in England, where it was distributed by
who see tiny cracks in their mostly happy marriage

Anglo-Amalgamated under the title Night of the
suddenly grow into chasms of fear and mistrust.

Eagle. For its U.S. release, American International The rest of the cast performs impeccably, as well.

Pictures changed the title to the more exploitable

Judith Stott, for instance, seems almost eerily un-

Burn, Witch, Burn and added an asinine voiceover

90

The Cabinet of Caligari

2. THE MOVIES
introduction. Prior to the opening credits, as the
monition was calculated to recall Psycho’s adver-audience stares at a black screen, narrator Paul
tising: “No one will be admitted to the theatre

Frees intones a minute’s worth of mumbo jumbo
after the start of each performance of Alfred
to “cast a protective shield” over those in the au-

Hitchcock’s Psycho!”

dience to guard against the evil spells invoked

The similarities don’t end with the poster. In
during the picture. This cheap gimmick seems
an unusual (and telling) move, screenwriter
entirely out of place with the literate, tasteful,

Robert Bloch (who wrote the novel upon which
thought-provoking film it precedes.

Psycho was based) receives above-the-title Despite these minor compromises, Burn,
billing — higher than Caligari’s director or any of Witch, Burn stands alongside pictures such as the picture’s stars. Whether producers asked

Robert Wise’s The Haunting (1963) and Roman Bloch for something Psycho-like, or he was simply Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968) as one of the out of fresh ideas, his Caligari script reprises many most compelling adult-oriented horror films of
devices and plot points from Psycho, albeit reits decade.

arranged and often used to different effect: The
story features a troubled young blonde (Glynis

The Cabinet of Caligari (1962; Twentieth Johns, standing in for Janet Leigh) driving cross

Century–Fox; b&w) Producer/Director: Robert country and forced to stop for the night. She’s

Kay; Screenplay: Robert Bloch; Cinema
tog

-
glimpsed in a white bra during her early “good
rapher: John L. Russell. Cast: Glynis Johns, Dan
girl” scenes and in black lingerie later. There’s a O’Herlihy, Richard Davalos, Lawrence Dobkin,
surprise ending involving a false identity, and a

Constance Ford, Estelle Winwood.

coda wherein a psychiatrist explains the film’s resolution for those who may not have fully under-

No one permitted out or in during the last
stood what just happened.

thirteen nerve-shattering minutes!— tagline

Unfortunately, recycling these and other famil-

Despite its title, this film bears little relation to iar elements hardly makes Caligari the equal of Robert Weine’s German expressionist master -

Psycho. It runs a wearisome 106 minutes (at least piece , The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919). It is, in-20 longer than needed), and remains turgidly
stead, one of the many early-Sixties psychological
acted and indifferently staged. Caligari is one of thrillers calculated to attract the audience that
those movies where every time something exciting
made Psycho (1960) a box office bonanza. In fact, threatens to happen, a conversation breaks out.

the advertising tagline for The Cabinet of Caligari The film’s leads only worsen matters. Although
proves more revealing than its title. Posters
best remembered for musical performances— she
warned, “No one permitted out or in during the
introduced the song “Send in the Clowns” and
last thirteen nerve-shattering minutes!” This ad-
won a Tony for Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little

Night Music,” and played
the suffragette in Mary

Poppins

(1964)— Johns’

performance here is tone-
deaf, and her squeaky
speaking voice grates on
the nerves. (A few years
later, Johns would appear
on the album cover for Led

Zeppelin II.) Dan O’Her-
lihy was an accomplished
actor, notable for his work
in director Carol Reed’s

Odd Man Out (1947),

Orson Welles’ Macbeth

(1948) and Oscar-nomi-
nated for the title role in

Luis Bunuel’s The Adven-
tures of Robinson Crusoe

Belgian poster for the Robert Bloch–scripted The Cabinet of Caligari (1962).

(1954). But — perhaps be-

2. THE MOVIES

Caltiki, the Immortal Monster

91
cause Caligari director Robert Kay was no Reed, Welles or Bunuel — his work here proves undistinguished. O’Herlihy would go on to appear in
several more horror and sci-fi films, including Fail Safe (1969), Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1983), The Last Starfighter (1984), Robocop (1987) and Robocop 2 (1990).

Still, The Cabinet of Caligari boasts some interesting visual flourishes— especially during its
bravura finale, the only sequence where the film
attempts to recreate the expressionist production
design of Weine’s silent classic. The original score by Gerald Fried pales next to Bernard Herrman’s
masterful Psycho score, but proves far more effective than most music for films of this type and
budget. And Estelle Winwood — a fine comedic
character actress who also appeared in such films
as Camelot (1967) and The Producers (1968), as well as countless TV shows, including Twilight

Zone, Thriller (“Dialogues with Death”) and Batman—contributes an amusing supporting per-
formance. So this Caligari is not without marginal interest.

Two more Caligari s would eventually reach
movie screens— the avant-garde Dr. Caligari

(1989), which was “inspired” by Weine’s film, and
finally an actual remake, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (2005). Neither of those films left much of an impression, but both are more interesting than
the ’62 Caligari.

Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959/60; Lux/Allied Artists; Italy; b&w) Original Language Allied Artists apparently held a low opinion of its Title: Caltiki, il Monstro Immortale. Directors: target audience’s literacy, since they changed

Riccardo Freda (as Robert Hamton) and Mario

Caltiki the Immortal Monster (1959/60) to the more Bava (uncredited); Producers: Sam Schneider and
prosaic Caltiki the Undying Monster for some of Bruno Vailati; Screenplay: Philippo Sanjust (as
its advertising (courtesy Ted Okuda).

Philip Just); Cinematography: Mario Bava (un-
credited). Cast: John Merivale, Didi Perego (as
when they saw Italian names on the movie

Didi Sullivan), Gerard Herter, Danila Rocca, Gi-
posters. “They [Italian moviegoers] assumed that
acomo Rossi-Stuart.

Italians didn’t know how to make films of this
kind,” Freda said. So, in 1959, Freda and Bava

Will the first life on Earth be the last
mounted another horror show — a sci-fi chiller
terror of man?— tagline
called Caltiki, the Immortal Monster that (with In 1956, director Riccardo Freda and cine-most of the cast and crew credited under pseu-
matographer Mario Bava teamed to make I Vam-
donyms) met with greater success than I Vampiri.

piri, the first Italian-produced horror movie in Somewhere in the Mexican jungle, a team of
over 35 years. The film sank like a stone, drawing
scientists, led by Dr. Fielding (John Merivale),
poorly in Italy and worse elsewhere in Europe; it
discovers a priceless cache of gold Mayan artifacts; wouldn’t be released in the U.S. until 1963, and
unfortunately, these treasures are at the bottom
then only in a bastardized, heavily edited form
of a lake inside a cave and protected by a man-
under the title The Devil’s Commandment. But eating, gelatinous monster, which the Mayans

Freda blamed its failure on the audience, not the
named Caltiki and worshipped as a god. (Note to
product, claiming that patrons were turned off
armchair archeologists: This movie’s “Mayan leg-

92

The Cape Canaveral Monsters

2. THE MOVIES
end” is a complete fabrication.) When one of
visual effects (also overseen by Bava). The mon-

Fielding’s greedy colleagues (Daniele Vargas) tries ster’s flesh-eating attacks are far more gruesome
to recover the loot, he’s eaten alive by the monster than anything found in similar but better-re-and reduced to a steaming, slime-covered skele-
membered films such as X the Unknown or The ton. Afterward, the creature goes on a rampage,

Blob (1958). Caltiki, a 76-minute film, features injuring Max (Gerard Herter), a third member of
more than a hundred trick shots, which took
the expedition, before being burned to death.

three weeks to shoot. The titular menace was, in

Fielding manages to preserve some Caltiki sam-
actuality, literally a pile of tripe, animated by var-ples, however, and subsequently learns that the
ious mechanical and optical methods.

creature was brought to life when a comet passed

As with I Vampiri, once again Bava finished a near the Earth hundreds of years ago. By sheer
film started by Freda — only this time it was by
chance, the same comet is returning in just a few
design. Freda claims that he intentionally handed
days, threatening to revive the blob-beast yet

Caltiki over to Bava in mid-production to try to again. Meanwhile, Max, in the wake of Caltiki’s
jump-start his friend’s directing career. “I don’t
attack, comes unhinged, kills a nurse and escapes
claim it as my own,” said Freda, who nevertheless
from the hospital.

received sole (pseudonymous) screen credit.

While Freda was probably right that audience

Bava, conversely, wasn’t even credited for his work prejudices worked against I Vampiri (at least in as director of photography. Nevertheless, the pic-Italy), the primary reason for that picture’s failure ture’s best moments are pure Bava, like the early
was that it simply isn’t a very good movie (and is
scene in which an archeologist, full of gold-lust,
a far worse one in its U.S. versions). Although
dives back into the murky cave lake for more
handsomely designed and artfully shot, I Vampiri treasure despite his friends’ warnings of danger.

was a predictable and timid effort. By the same

“I don’t mind risks when I can bring back this!”

token, Caltiki fared better not only because its he says, shaking a fistful of gold necklaces. Mo-credits Anglicized the names of the cast and crew
ments later, he’s a steaming pile of gooey bones,

(Riccardo Freda, for instance, became “Robert
and Bava has made the first in an endless series

Hamton”), but because it’s a solid, if minor, sci-
of cinematic statements on the folly of greed.

fi monster movie. Although even more overly im-

Caltiki was picked up by Allied Artists for its itative than I Vampiri, Caltiki is much harder-hit-U.S. release and issued to drive-ins and lower
ting and features some at-times spectacular (for
grade “hard-top” theaters in 1960, where it earned
their era) special effects.

a modest profit. This success, qualified though it

Bava called Caltiki “a take-off on The Quater-was, helped pave the way for the third Italian hor-
mass Xperiment,” but its scenario is more a ror film of the era, which proved to be the charm.

mélange of both The Creeping Unknown (aka The Soon, Mario Bava’s sensational Black Sunday

Quatermass Xperiment, 1955) and a second Ham-would help established Italian horror as a brand
mer Films production, X the Unknown (1956), fans would seek out, rather than shun.

with a dash of jungle melodrama added for spice.

With quotes from: Mario Bava: All the Colors

Not all this material works— the film’s tedious
of the Dark, by Tim Lucas.

“native ritual dance” number is painfully obvious
filler, and an ill-timed comedy relief sequence (in

The Cape Canaveral Monsters (1960;
which Fielding is apprehended by Barney Fife-

CCM/Republic; b&w) Director/Screenwriter:

like local police while racing to save his wife and Phil Tucker; Producer: Richard Greer; Cine-child from the monster) plays even worse, since
matographer: Merle Connell. Cast: Scott Peters,
it compromises the momentum of the picture’s

Linda Connell, Jason Johnson, Katherine Victor,
finale — but the good stuff proves exceptionally

Billy Greene.

good. Highlights include a couple of jolting scare
sequences; Gerard Herter’s edgy performance as

“We need more earthlings for our experiments,
especially females.” — Alien invader

Max (clearly modeled on Richard Wordsworth’s
haunting performance in a similar role in The

Filmmaker Phil Tucker will forever live in the

Creeping Unknown); and Bava’s chiaroscuro
hearts of bad movie enthusiasts, thanks to his
jungle photography, with menace looming behind

Robot Monster (1953) and its ape-suited, diving-every thickly draped shadow. But clearly the pic-
helmeted, antenna-sporting Ro-Man alien. After
ture’s biggest selling point was its plentiful, gen-many trials and tribulations (detailed below)

erally convincing and sometimes startlingly brutal

Tucker returned to his space-roots in late 1959 to

2. THE MOVIES

Carnage; Carnival of Souls

93
film yet another low-budget alien invader disaster, money for Cape Canaveral Monsters; it was going The Cape Canaveral Monsters. This time Tucker to be shot in color and there was a nice budget.

crossed over into horror territory with his sci-fi

But then, just the day before shooting started,
scenario (which he penned himself, reportedly
they cut the budget in half.” Even so, “it was a
because of his dissatisfaction with Wyatt Ordung’s
very pleasant group, and it was sad that we ran
writing on Robot Monster ... go figure) by having out of money and had to cut back and make all
his aliens, represented by two little white dots(!), those compromises.” (Victor ended up applying
inhabit dead bodies. No expensive monster suits
her own scars half way through shooting, when
here (nor even any cheap gorilla costumes this
the production could no longer afford the makeup
time), just some scar makeup and an actor with
man.) “Phil paid me $420 or $450 [a week],” con-
his arm stuffed in his shirt; it just doesn’t get any tinued Victor. “Phil was broke about that time,
simpler (or cheaper) than that.

and he came with me to the bank after he gave

Two aliens (appearing as tiny, bright circles of
me the check and borrowed back half of it
light) come to Earth, cause a couple’s car to crash,

[ laughs]. The poor guy, he was really flat broke.”

and then take over their dead, reanimated bodies.

Tucker’s entire early career seems to have been

(The male half of the alien zombie duo has trouble
one long hard-luck story. After completing Robot with his arm —it keeps falling off, supplying some

Monster (his directorial debut) and being cheated unintentional, though welcome, humor.) Their
out of the film’s profits (Tucker claims, rather du-mission is to sabotage the rocket program at Cape
biously, that it made over a million dollars),

Canaveral. The two young science students(!)

Tucker became despondent, ending up in the
working on the top-secret project must find a way
mental ward at the Los Angeles Veterans Admin-
to foil the alien plot.

istration Hospital, and even attempted suicide via

Though no Robot Monster (compared to that
an overdose of sleeping pills. After his recovery
cinematic disaster, this is Citizen Kanaveral), Cape Tucker continued on with his film career (at the

Canaveral Monsters is not a good movie. It’s also urging of his doctors, who felt it would be good
not a bad enough movie to elicit the ridiculously therapy), and, with the help of his friend Lenny
high fun quotient of Tucker’s earlier opus. Com-

Bruce, made Dance Hall Girl and several other petently, if uninterestingly, shot, the movie effec-low-budget movies. After Cape Canaveral Mon-
tively incorporates some great missile disaster stock sters Tucker abandoned directing and went to footage and offers one or two moments of creepy
work as an associate producer in television. He
excess, such as when, during the opening car crash, also worked as post-production supervisor on
the woman’s face bounces off the windshield before

Dino de Laurentiis’ King Kong (1976) and Orca, displaying its gruesome cuts and gashes; or when
the Killer Whale, and served as editor on The Nude an M.P. brings the alien zombie’s freshly-severed

Bomb (1980). Given the quality of these big-bud-arm (torn off by guard dogs) into the base’s con-
get stinkers, his career may have gotten bigger,
trol room for a bit of grotesque show-and-tell.

but not much better.

(Amusingly, none of the personnel in the room

And while (marginally) bigger and (slightly)

even bats an eye at the dripping, gory mess!)

better than Robot Monster, Cape Canaveral Mon-But then there’s the completely colorless hero
sters remains an obscure curio in the ’60s horror/
and heroine, played by Scott Peters ( Panic in Year sci-fi cinematic cabinet, neither good enough nor

Zero! , They Saved Hitler’s Brain) and Linda Con-bad enough to really stand out.

nell (daughter of the cinematographer); the ex-

With quotes from: Science Fiction Stars and
pected cheesy sets (the aliens’ teleportation device Horror Heroes, by Tom Weaver.

consists of a developing tray filled with bubbling
liquid!); and the de riguer dismal dialogue (“I

Carnage see Corruption
think with a little help we can lick these freaks”).

And Tucker’s idea of science has the hero adding

Carnival of Souls (1962; Hertz-Lion; b&w) plastic wallet inserts and table salt to the “hydro-Director/Producer: Herk Harvey; Screenplay:

gen-like” liquid in the transporter device to gen-

John Clifford; Cinematographer: Maurice
erate a mountain-moving explosion!

Prather. Cast: Candace Hilligoss, Frances Feist,

Actress Katherine Victor (who goes way over

Stanley Berger, Art Ellison, Stan Levitt.

the top as the scheming alien named “Nadja”—

The story of a girl caught between reality and the
take that, you Commies!) remembered that, “A unknown — tagline
group of dentists or doctors were putting up the

94

Carnival of Souls

2. THE MOVIES

Young church organist Mary Henry (Candace

Mary, but delivers an even better performance be-

Hilligoss) miraculously survives a car crash that
hind the camera. For the most part the director’s
claims the lives of two friends, but she seems cu-
visual storytelling is straightforward and efficient riously affected by the accident. Mary feels unac-

(often with clever transitions), but his work be-
countably ill at ease and is vexed by recurring vi-
comes more baroque — employing more extreme
sions of a mysterious, white-faced man. She
high angle shots and off-kilter compositions—
drives through the night to take a new job in Salt
during the film’s weird silent sequences.

Lake City, where she becomes fascinated by a bro-

Although it contains some awkward dialogue,
ken-down, long-closed amusement park. Aloof
for the most part John Clifford’s screenplay is re-
and withdrawn, Mary spurns friendly overtures
markably effective. (Its twist ending is so good
from her kindly landlady (Frances Feist), social
that it still seemed fresh when M. Night
invitations from her new boss (Art Ellison) and

Shyamalan ripped it off for The Sixth Sense in sexual advances by a wolfish neighbor (Sidney

1999.) Clifford intentionally isolates Mary Henry;

Berger). But after a bizarre experience at a de-
or rather, he creates a character who intentionally partment store — where everything falls silent
isolates herself. Throughout the film, Mary re-
and, for a while, no one can see or hear Mary —
mains acutely alone. Although when afraid she
the young organist turns to a doctor (Stan Levitt)

sometimes reaches out to other people for pro-
for advice and to her neighbor for compan ion -
tection, she never tries to form a lasting bond with ship. Finally, she gives in to her curiosity and
anyone. As a result, there’s no one to care about
drives out to the abandoned carnival, where she
her — no one except the audience who, because
reaches a spine-tingling revelation.

the story unfolds from her point of view, uncon-

The atmospheric Carnival of Souls (1962), one sciously bonds with her, sharing her isolation and
of the most enduring low-budget horror shows
paranoia.

of the 1960s, continues to cast its eerie spell over Candace Hilligoss’ stiff, slightly flat delivery
audiences. Like any quickly and cheaply made
might be a liability elsewhere (she’s not good at
movie, Carnival of Souls has its flaws, of course—
all in Del Tenney’s Curse of the Living Corpse
some small (minor continuity gaffes and some-

[1964]), but her subdued portrayal here perfectly
times clunky dialogue) and others not-so-small
suits the cold, remote Mary Henry. The rest of

(the narrative screeches to a halt every time the
the film’s performances prove wildly uneven:

doctor appears, and minutes of laborious expo-

Frances Feist is a delight as the busybody landlady, sition ensue). Yet most viewers tend to forget
and Stanley Berger contributes a memorable turn
those faults and to remember the way Carnival of as Mary’s lusty neighbor, but the tin-eared work

Souls makes them feel— the unique, unearthly of Stan Levitt as the doctor and Art Ellison as the ambiance of the piece, punctuated by moments
minister seriously damage the movie’s believabil-
of startling frisson (for example, the shocking first ity.

appearance of the white-faced phantom, reflected

Harvey — who, like most of the Carnival crew, in the glass of Mary’s passenger door window).

was employed by Centron Films, a maker of in-

For a horror film, being scary atones for a lot of
dustrial and educational pictures— was inspired
sins, and Carnival of Souls— unlike many more to create Carnival of Souls when he spotted the expensive thrillers of its era — retains its power to abandoned Saltair amusement park while return-raise the hair on the back of viewers’ necks.

ing home from a business trip. “With the sun set-

Carnival’s creepy atmosphere arises from proting and with the lake in the background, it was
ducer-director Herk Harvey’s skillful fusion of lo-
the weirdest-looking place I’d ever seen!” Harvey
cation footage (shot at the disused Saltair amuse-
said. As soon as he got back to Centron, he asked
ment park outside Salt Lake City) and haunting
coworker Clifford for a horror script that would
music (Gene Moore’s mysterioso organ solos).

revolve around Saltair, including a climactic scene Since the protagonist is an organist, Moore’s
featuring ghosts rising from the lake and dancing
creepy score sounds like the music of Mary’s
in the old pavilion. Two weeks later the script was imagination, revealing her state of mind more
ready. Harvey took three weeks off to shoot the
eloquently than clumsy devices like voiceover
picture (on a paltry $30,000 budget), mostly on
narration commonly used in other low-rent
location in Salt Lake or in Lawrence, Kansas,
chillers. These elements are further enhanced by
where Centron was located.

Maurice Prather’s chiaroscuro lighting. Harvey

Initially, studio executives and even the pre-
appears on screen as the pale phantom that haunts
miere audience in Lawrence didn’t quite know

2. THE MOVIES

Carry On Screaming!

95
what to make of Carnival. “I thought it was kind

Carry On Screaming! (1966/67; Warner-of far-out for its time,” Harvey said. “Most horror Pathe/Sigma III; U.K.) Director: Gerald Thomas;
films, even then, really weren’t that far-out as

Producer: Peter Rogers; Screenplay: Talbot Roth-
far as an inter-dimension, the character Death
well; Cinematography: Alan Hume. Cast: Harry
coming back to reap his just reward and things

H. Corbett, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Fenella
like that.” Although he had hoped to sell the pic-

Fielding, Joan Sims, Angela Douglas, Bernard
ture to a major studio, no offers were

Bresslaw, Peter Butterworth, Tom Clegg, Billy
forthcoming. So Harvey entered into a fateful dis-

Cornelius, Jon Pertwee, Charles Hawtrey.

tribution deal with the new Herts-Lion distribu-

Carry On Screaming with the Hilarious
tion company. Herts-Lion cut the film from 84 to

CARRY ON gang!— tagline

78 minutes and issued it on a double-bill with

The Devil’s Messenger (1962). But Harvey (and his Carry On Screaming! is a typically frenetic financial backers— mostly personal friends from
entry in the long-running, high energy, lowbrow

Lawrence) never saw any money from Hertz-

Carry On comedy series. It was the twelfth of 31

Lion, which quickly folded. Burned by his one

Carry On films, and fans of the series generally
foray into feature filmmaking, Harvey never
count it among the better ones. Your mileage may
made another commercial movie. Yet, Carnival
vary.

refused to die, becoming a late-night TV movie

When during a romantic rendezvous in Ho-
favorite. It was remade in 1998 as Wes Craven’s combe Park his girlfriend Doris (Angela Douglas)

Carnival of Souls.

mysteriously disappears (whisked away by a furry,

Although Harvey told interviewer Tom Weaver
flat-headed creature that looks like a cross
that Carnival was merely “an exercise in weird-between the Wolf Man and the Frankenstein
ness,” he clearly harbored artistic aspirations for Monster), Albert (Jim Dale) rushes to the police
the project. Harvey famously stated that he and
for assistance. Unfortunately, the police in this

Clifford aimed for a picture “with the look of a
case are dim-witted detective Sidney Bung (Harry

Bergman and the feel of a Cocteau.” Amazingly,

H. Corbett) and constable Slobotham (Peter But-
given the film’s paltry budget, he very nearly hit
terworth). Doris is the sixth woman to have dis-
the target. Carnival bears visual similarities to appeared from the park in the past six months.

contemporary Ingmar Bergman pictures such as

“There may be a connection,” Bung deduces. In-

Through a Glass Darkly (1961) and Winter Light deed, there is: All were kidnapped by the loony

(1963), and recreates the dreamlike texture of Jean Dr. Watt (Kenneth Williams) and his nympho-Cocteau fantasies like Beauty and the Beast (1946) maniac sister Valeria (Fenella Fielding, made up
and Orpheus (1950). In his liner notes to the Cri-to resemble Vampira). Watt has discovered an
terion Collection DVD of Carnival, film scholar electrical process for reanimating the dead (be-Bruce Kawin draws comparisons between Har-
ginning with himself and also including the crea-
vey’s film and the work of Michelangelo Anto-
ture). But to make ends meet, he and his sister
nioni. And indeed, Mary Henry (who at one
have been kidnapping young women, encasing
point says, “I don’t belong in the world, that’s
them in plastic and selling them as mannequins.

what it is. Something separates me from other

Whether or not the blundering Bung and
people”) would fit right with the characters from

Slobotham can uncover this secret, however, re-
any of Antonioni’s searing 1960s classics, such as
mains a mystery.

L’avventura (1960) and The Eclipse (1962), all of The humor in the Carry On films is hardly the
which feature emotionally numb protagonists
dry, sophisticated English wit popularized by Eal-
who stumble through life, unable to form mean-
ing Studios. It’s more akin to Benny Hill than Alec ingful connections with one another. If Carnival Guinness, a crude but lively mash-up of parody
of Souls has an underlying theme, it seems to be and farce, full of double-entendres and puns, with
that emotional separation from other people is
a lot of material about sex-starved and/or hen-
tantamount to separation from life itself. Whether
pecked men and plenty of random silliness. Carry or not viewers elect to read it so deeply, however, On Screaming! serves as a prime example of the Carnival of Souls remains a relentlessly unsettling approach. Many of its gags fall flat, but Talbot
viewing experience.

Rothwell’s screenplay keeps them flying at such a

With quotes from: Science Fiction Stars and
breakneck pace that even if two or three jokes in

Horror Heroes, by Tom Weaver.

a row bomb, something funny will arrive shortly.

There’s an Abbott and Costello-like exchange be-

96

Castle of Blood

2. THE MOVIES

Fanella Fielding (center) as the nymphomaniacal Valeria, and Kenneth Williams (left) as the reanimated Dr. Watt, provide most of the laughs in Carry On Screaming! (1967). In this scene, Valeria dispatches the monstrous Oddbod (Tom Clegg) to round up another victim.

tween Bung and Slobotham as they try to
come from Kenneth Williams (who, with 26 ap-
question Dr. Watt (Bung: “Watt’s the doctor’s
pearances, starred in more Carry On comedies
name.” / Slobotham: “That’s what I’m trying to
that any other performer) as the twitchy, effete
find out!”), a scene between Valeria and Bung (in

Dr. Watt and Fanella Fielding as his oversexed sis-
which she asks if she can “blow his police
ter Valeria. The name “Dr. Watt,” of course, is a
whistle”) that’s so explicit it’s practically a single-
pun on the popular British sci-fi series Dr. Who.

entendre, an incessant string of quips by Dr. Watt

Ironically, Jon Pertwee, who plays a kooky police

(“Oh, I feel half dead!”), and on and on.

scientist in Carry On Screaming! , would go on to Although ostensibly a parody of Hammer
play Dr. Who from 1970 to 1974. Frank Thornton,

Films chillers, the plot and style of Carry On
who plays the owner of a women’s dress shop in

Screaming! owe more to American movies such the film, gained fame in a similar role as Captain
as House of Wax (1953). Producer Gerald Thomas Peacock on the TV series Are You Being Served?

likely didn’t want to spend the money it would

Charles Hawtrey, added to the cast at the last
have taken to recreate the look of a Hammer pic-
minute at the request of the film’s American dis-
ture for this typically low-budget Carry On spoof.

tributor, has a memorable cameo as eccentric

While the film’s sets and costumes look absurdly
restroom attendant Dan Dann.

cheap, production values were beside the point.

Carry On Screaming! will satisfy fans of the Fans were paying for the series’ signature brand
perennially popular comedy series. Viewers who
of manic comedy and its repertory of comedians.

prefer a more refined style of comedy may be less

Indeed, one of Carry On Screaming! ’s glaring impressed.

weaknesses is that it lacks series stalwart Sidney

James (who appeared in 19 entries). Unavailable

Castle of Blood (1964; Woolner Brothers; due to a scheduling conflict, James ordinarily

France/Italy; b&w) Original Language Title: La would have played the Bung character. Harry H.

Danza Macabra; Alternate Titles: Castle of Terror Corbett is passable, but not a patch on the

(TV), Coffin of Terror, Dimensions in Death, The irascible James. The film’s sharpest performances

Long Night of Terror, Tombs of Horror; Director:

2. THE MOVIES

Castle of Blood

97

Anthony Dawson (Antonio Margheriti); Produc-
advertised as being based on the Edgar Allan Poe
ers: Frank Belty (Marco Vicario), Walter Sarch
story “Dance Macabre,” but no such story exists.

(Giovanni Addessi); Screenplay: Jan Grimaud

Obviously the distributors felt they could gain a

(Gianni Grimaldi), Gordon Wilson, Jr. (Sergio
few extra box-office dollars by riding the coattails Corbucci); Cinematographer: Richard Kramer
of AIP’s Poe series. In the U.S. the Woolner Broth-

(Riccardo Pallottini). Cast: Barbara Steele, Georges ers released Castle of Blood on the top half of a Riviére, Margaret Robsahn, Henry Kruger, Mont-double bill with Hercules in the Haunted World.

gomery Glenn (Silvano Tranquili), Raoul H.

A few moments of frisson (such as when Foster Newman (Umberto Raho), Sylvia Sorente.

rests his head on Elizabeth’s breast and discovers

THE LIVING AND THE DEAD CHANGE

PLACES IN AN ORGY OF TERROR!— ad line

Journalist Alan Foster (Georges Riviére) meets

Edgar Allan Poe and Lord Blackwood in a tavern.

Blackwood owns a haunted castle and challenges
the impetuous reporter to spend a night at the
castle on All Souls Eve (“the Night of the Dead”).

Despite Poe’s warnings, Alan accepts and
witnesses several ghosts reenact their murders.

He also falls in love with Elizabeth Blackwood

(Barbara Steele) and discovers she has no heart-
beat—she too is a ghost inhabiting the castle. The
spirits need the blood of the living so that they
may rise yet again on the next All Souls Eve. With
the specters clamoring for Alan’s blood, Elizabeth, who’s fallen in love with him, tries to help the
young man escape.

One of the weaker Continental horrors Barbara

Steele made in the Sixties, Castle of Blood plays like a campfire ghost story that’s outstayed its welcome. Though chilling at first, with Foster tenta-
tively exploring the admittedly creepy castle (filled with sinister shadows, cobwebs and archaic furnishings), these I-mustn’t-succumb-to-my-
frightened-imaginings sequences stretch
endlessly, quickly becoming tedious. And very
soon after the flesh-and-blood “ghosts” show up,
it becomes painfully obvious to everyone but the
protagonist that these oddly behaving “people”

are not what they seem to be. The one-note story
is too thin to sustain a full feature, and padded
scenes begin popping up more frequently than
the apparitions.

Barbara Steele’s dark beauty and odd manner-
isms make her both alluring and dangerous, but
she’s undone by the banal dubbing and lack of
real characterization (her “heroine” declares her
love for the living stranger mere minutes after
they meet!). “How I love you Alan—uselessly, ab-
surdly,” she avows. Absurdly indeed.

Filmed in 10 days using the three-camera tech-
nique common in television, Castle of Blood was

“exhausting,” recalled Steele. “It meant sometimes
working eighteen hours a day!” The movie was

American insert poster (1964).

98

Castle of Bloody Lust; Castle of Evil

2. THE MOVIES
that his lover has no heartbeat, or when a grue-
could find a set and make a whole film around
some entombed corpse suddenly begins to
it.”

breathe) and an ironic ending help make a visit

This impressive castle set was indeed the film’s
to this Castle at least bearable, but the viewer, like primary— only, actually—asset, with its imposing the film’s desperate protagonist, is ready to leave main hall, stone-walled passageways and
long before the show’s over.

medieval set decorations setting an appropriately

Director Margheriti remade this film in color
ominous tone. Unfortunately, cinematographer
as the rather more energetic yet still unnecessary

Brick Marquard ( Destination Inner Space, Foxy Web of the Spider in 1970.

Brown) turns up the house lights far too bright With quotes from: “An Interview with Barbara
in order to show off both the sets and the dated

Steele, Diva of Dark Drama,” by Mark A. Miller,

’60s color schemes. Couple this with an

Filmfax 51, July/August 1995.

overblown and inappropriate music score, and
whatever ambiance the set might have generated

Castle of Bloody Lust see Castle of
rapidly dissipates.

the Creeping Flesh

Though sporting some admittedly gruesome
makeup, the mute, expressionless, business suit-

Castle of Evil
wearing robot (“his brain is a computer filled with (1966; United Pictures)

all the evil that was Kovic”) does little but walk

Director: Francis D. Lyon; Producer: Earle Lyon;
around the various corridors, making him appear

Screenplay: Charles A. Wallace; Cinema
tog

-
more lost than “evil.” Charles Wallace’s talky
rapher: Brick Marquard. Cast: Scott Brady, Vir-
script desperately tries to inject some horror into ginia Mayo, David Brian, Lisa Gaye, Hugh Mar-the sci-fi hokum via a Dark Stormy Night, a
lowe, Shelley Morrison.

séance-like intro and, of course, the hideous an-

WE HAVE RESERVED YOUR COFFIN! ...

droid. It’s all in vain, however, as director Lyon’s IF YOU D.D. [DROP DEAD]

WHILE WATCHING — poster

“Funeral expenses guaranteed by a Major

North American Insurance Co.,” promised the
ads for Castle of Evil. While it’s highly unlikely that the distributors of this low-budget entry
really took out a policy, it’s even more improbable that anyone ever collected, since there’s not much
chance that a viewer will “D.D.” from watching

Castle of Evil— unless they expire from extreme boredom.

Originally shot as The Evil at Montego Castle, the story has a group of people arriving at disfigured industrialist/scientist Kovic’s island castle just in time to hear a reading of his will. The deceased’s motive for gathering together this
dubious bunch of friends/enemies is to posthu-
mously discover, with the aid of a look-alike robot he’s built, which of the ‘guests’ is the one responsible for his bad looks and slow, lingering death.

The scientist’s long-serving housekeeper (Shelley

Morrison) has plans of her own, however, and re-
programs the robot, who starts picking them off
one by one.

Male model-turned-actor William Thourlby

(the original Marlboro Man himself ) played the
killer robot. “God, we shot that film so fast!,” recalled Thourlby. “The director, Francis Lyon [ Cult of the Cobra, Destination Inner Space, in which Thourlby also appeared], was the kind of guy who

Ad for 1966’s Castle of Boredom... er, Evil.

2. THE MOVIES

Castle; Castle of the Creeping Flesh; The Castle of the Living Dead

99
slow pacing and mundane staging sink whatever
von Saxon (Howard Vernon— The Awful Dr. Orlof
potential this Ten-Little-Indians-Meet-the-Mon-
himself ). The Count is trying to revive his dead
ster scenario possessed. Fifth-billed Hugh Mar-
daughter through some kind of mad medical op-
lowe ( Earth vs. the Flying Saucers) gives a person-eration and chooses one of the visiting girls as an able turn as a naïve doctor, but the rest of the cast, unwilling donor. “Life and death — they are alike; headed by a take-the-check-and-just-say-the-but there is also love,” justifies Von Saxon in a bit lines Scott Brady, are forgettable at best and
of off-kilter, homespun philosophy. “Love creates
laughable at worst.

life; love has a right to kill. But he who kills for Despite its garish Technicolor, Castle appears revenge will be cursed.” Good to know.

ironically colorless next to its far superior co-fea-With an overly talky script (not helped by atro-
ture, the literate and suspenseful (but black and
ciously dubbed dialogue) populated by unlikable
white) Blood Beast from Outer Space (aka The characters, this piece of celluloid eurotrash’s only Night Caller). Indeed, this Castle of Evil is, more real asset is an overpowering sense of decadence
aptly, a Castle of Boredom.

that gives the proceedings a sleazy sort of attrac-

With quotes from: “The Marlboro Man Meets
tiveness. The photography and sets are lushly
the Creeping Terror!” by Paul and Donna Parla,

Gothic, and there are some truly erotic sequences

Filmfax 68, September 1998.

involving actress Janine Reynaud, a sensuous
beauty often found in the films of Jess Franco.

Castle of Horror (1964) see Castle of

There are also endless unpleasant close-ups of
the Living Dead
real-life open heart surgery as the Count (a sur-
geon) tries to revive his dead daughter using

Castle of Horror (1963) see Horror

“borrowed” organs; an unconvincing man-in-a-
bear-suit inflicting ridiculous face slaps on a cast

Castle
member with its, er, faux paws; several gratuitous
rape scenes; and a gratingly bad piano-bar jazz

Castle of Horror (1964) see Castle of
score. Though not for everyone, Castle of the

Blood

Creeping Flesh possesses a repellant albeit fascinating air that makes it (almost) watchable.

The Castle of Terror (1963) see Hor-
ror Castle

Castle of the Dead see Castle of the

Living Dead

Castle of the Creeping Flesh (1968; Constantin Film, West Germany) Original Language

The Castle of the Living Dead (1964; Title: Im Schloss der Blutigen Begierde. Alternate Woolner; Italy/France; b&w) Original Language

Titles: Castle of Bloody Lust; The Castle of Unholy Title: Il Castello dei Morti Vivi; Alternate Titles: Desires. Director: Percy G. Parker (Adrian Hoven).

Castle of the Dead; Castle of Horror; Director: Producer: Pier A. Caminneci. Screenwriters:

Warren Kiefer; Producer: Paul Maslansky;

Percy G. Parker, Eric Martin Schnitzler. Cine-

Screenplay: Warren Kiefer, Micheal Reeves (un-
matographers: Jorge Herrero, Franz Hofer. Cast:

credited) (story by Paul Maslansky and Warren

Janine Reynaud, Howard Vernon, Michael

Kiefer); Cinematographer: Aldo Tonti. Cast:

Lemoine, Elvira Berndorff, Claudia Butenuth, Jan

Christopher Lee, Gaia Germani, Philippe Leroy,

Hendricks, Pier A. Caminneci, Vladimir Medar.

Mirko Valentin, Donald Sutherland.

A HAUNTED GOTHIC TALE OF MADNESS,

He lured beautiful women to his evil castle

LUST AND BLOOD — ad line
and induced them into a state of living death

Since it was made by the same man (Adrian
until Infinity!— poster

Hoven, using the alias Percy G. Parker) who

Castle of the Living Dead could very well be brought us the unpleasant and mean-spirited
called Castle of Wax, for it’s really a variation on Mark of the Devil (1970) and Mark of the Devil 2
the old House of Wax/ Mystery of the Wax Museum (1972), one should not be surprised that Castle of story. But while its main theme may be the same,
the Creeping Flesh is as nasty as it is. The story the movie’s sensibilities are something else
concerns a small group of hedonistic partygoers,
entirely, given its European flavor and macabre
headed by a brutal Baron (Michael Lemoine),
humor.

who stumble into the castle of the reclusive Count

In the chaotic aftermath of the Napoleonic

100

Castle of...; Cave of the Living Dead

2. THE MOVIES

Wars (“there was no war, but
the killing had not stopped,”

informs the film’s narrator), a
traveling troupe of actors
journey to the castle of Count

Drago (Christopher Lee) for
a private performance. Along
the way an old hunchbacked
witch-woman (Donald

Sutherland in drag) warns,

“Beware the castle — of the
living dead.” It proves to be
a warning worth heeding,
for the protagonists soon dis-
cover that the Count, who’s
something of a mad scientist,
has perfected the art of taxi-
dermy. No messy entrail-

British poster for one of the better Eurohorror double-bills of the 1960s.

pulling and sawdust-stuffing
here; instead, Drago uses “an
acid secretion from a tropical plant [which] in-
shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed, in a jected under the flesh ... will stiffen the entire
moment, in the twinkling of an eye...” The
body.” Having already transformed all the local
camera then cuts back inside to the crossbow,
wildlife into perfect statues, the Count sets his
which fires, and the dart-like arrow imbeds itself
sights on bigger game, intending to add the actors
in the man’s eye. The dialogue outside, juxtaposed to his “collection.”

with the carnage inside, infuses this disturbing

Though the film’s direction is officially credited
moment with a macabre humor.

to Herbert Wise (Luciano Ricci’s pseudonym) for

A cold, imperious, menacing Christopher Lee
quota reasons, the picture was actually helmed by
plays the cold, imperious, menacing Count to
co-screenwriter Warren Kiefer. (Donald Suther-
perfection, his rapid, strident delivery giving way land, who made his screen debut here — in a dual
to a kind of held-in-check mania when speaking
role and of both sexes, no less— named his son
of his character’s “work.” And a young Donald

Kiefer after the writer/director.) And a very young Sutherland shows both his burgeoning flair for
and enthusiastic Michael Reeves, who went on to
comedy (as a slightly buffoonish gendarme) and
helm The She Beast (1965), The Sorcerers (1967) his impressive acting talent (as the unsettlingly
and the classic The Conqueror Worm (1968), co-convincing old witch-woman who speaks in rid-
wrote and shot second unit material for the film
dles and rhymes).

(though he was officially credited only as assistant Despite its recycled theme, this Castle stands director).

as one of the better Continental horror films of

Kiefer fills his movie with unusual and unset-
the 1960s. In the U.K. Castle played on a double tling touches. For instance, he closes a suspenseful bill with Terror Creatures from the Grave, yet an-stalking sequence by cutting from the Count’s
other worthy European horror.

sinister servant slashing at his fallen victim with a huge scythe to an up-angle shot of the servant

The Castle of Unholy Desires see
later cutting the grass with this self-same tool,

Castle of the Creeping Flesh
making for a startling and disconcerting transi-
tion.

In another sequence Kiefer cleverly builds sus-

Castle of the Walking Dead see The
pense by cutting back and forth between a

Blood Demon
funeral, presided over by the Count, out on the
castle grounds and an actor investigating the scene

Cave of the Living Dead (1964; Objective of the deceased’s murder inside the castle. We see Film Ltd./Modern Sound Pictures Inc.; West Gera hand load a miniature crossbow before the scene
many/Yugoslavia; b&w) Original Language Title:

shifts back to Drago reading over the grave: “We

Der Fluch der Grünen Augen (“The Curse of the

2. THE MOVIES

Cemetery of the Living Dead; Chamber of Horrors

101

Green Eyes”); Director/Producer: Akos V. Ratony
ice) all combine to generate an otherworldly at-

(Rathonyi); Screenplay: C. V. Rock; Cinematog-
mosphere ripe with dread.

rapher: H. Saric; Cast: Adrian Hoven, Carl

This supernatural tone both contrasts with and

Mohner, Erika Remberg, Wolfgang Preiss, Karin
compliments the very worldly lead character, an

Field, John Kitzmiller.

inspector whose modern wardrobe, humor and
skeptical attitude makes him an obvious audience

Beyond the black mouth of the cursed cave
identification figure. Star Adrian Hoven (who
lurk the unfleshed...— ad line
later stepped behind the camera to produce the In the 1960s, executive producer Richard Gor-notoriously sadistic exploitation films Mark of the don (who oversaw such fine fare as Fiend Without Devil [1970] and Mark of the Devil 2 [1972]) a Face and Island of Terror) brought to America makes for a likable, confident hero with a
over 50 West German films, most of them Edgar
welcome sense of humor (“Either coffins are

Wallace krimis (criminal mysteries) or Schnitzel cheap around here,” he observes upon finding the

Westerns (the Teutonic equivalent of Italy’s
vampire’s lair, “or they haven’t got enough beds”).

Spaghetti Westerns). Among them was this sur-Beyond its more obvious merit, Cave of the Liv-
prisingly effective German-Yugoslav horror co-
ing Dead broke new ground in the horror arena production, an overlooked gem among so much
by addressing an issue that came to a head in

Euro-dross.

1960s America yet remained largely ignored by

An inspector (Adrian Hoven) journeys to a small
genre filmmakers, an issue even more insidious
village to investigate the mysterious deaths of six than vampirism itself: racism. The Professor’s
girls near “the grotto” (a series of caves under the sympathetic black servant, John (John Kitz -
local castle). He slowly comes round to the locals’

miller), is friendly, helpful and likable (the In-
view that vampires are responsible, with the reclu-spector finds him so, as well), yet most of the
sive owner of the castle (a “professor” doing blood backwards populace shun him because of his dark
research!) as the prime undead suspect.

skin, even suspecting him of vampirism (“He

Hungarian-born veteran director (with nearly
gives me the willies,” spits one dullard). In one

30 years of filmmaking experience behind him)

scene a local ruffian refuses to drink with John at Akos Ratony’s artistic use of shadows, as well as
the Inn and manhandles him out the door in an
shuddery shots of long-nailed hands clawing at
ugly display. It makes for a tidy little subplot that’s windowpanes, help set the mood early on — or at
handled with a few well-placed lines and well-in-
least help off-set the hero’s “modern playboy” integrated scenes, adding a whole other dimension
troductory image and the soundtrack’s pop jazz
to this simple “horror” tale.

music score. Fortunately, the jarring jazz soon

In the U.S. Cave of the Living Dead was released gives way to naturalistic sound effects, dominated
on a double bill with the deadly dull Italian
by sinister echoing footsteps, the baleful howling
snoozefest Tomb of Torture, a film possessing of dogs and the mournful wail of the wind (as
none of Cave’s atmospheric charm or thematic well as a weird, resonating — and unnerving —
richness. Vampires, atmosphere and social con-
sound that always accompanies the vampires’ ap-
sciousness—1960s Eurohorror fans would be well
pearance).

advised to do a bit of cinematic spelunking in this Despite its modernist “crime” structure (reflec-Cave.

tive of the then-popular krimi cycle in German cinema), Cave of the Living Dead soon fulfills the

Cemetery of the Living Dead see
promise of its title by settling down into a full-

Terror Creatures from the Grave
blooded, Gothic-style horror tale. The moody
lighting (cinematographer H. Saric often illumi-

Chamber of Horrors (1966; Warner Bros.) nates the actors so that a portion of their face re-Director/Producer: Hy Averback; Screenplay:

mains in shadows, adding a touch of mystery);

Stephen Kandel (story: Ray Russell, Stephen Kan-
hushed talk of vampires (“Each night at midnight
del); Cinematographer: Richard Kline. Cast: Ce-
they leave the grotto, gliding over their graves, to sare Danova, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Laura Devon,
visit sleeping ones in their beds”); real castle and Patrice Wymore, Suzy Parker, Patrick O’Neal.

cave setting (evocatively lit by flickering torch-
light); and even the characters themselves (the

A film with many scenes so terrifying, a
mysteriously surly doctor, the all-knowing witch-
built-in audio-visual warning system
woman, the “Professor” whose touch is cold as
has been devised.— poster

102

Children of the Damned

2. THE MOVIES

Originally shot as a television pilot for a series
else in the film lives up to this macabre beginning.

to be called House of Wax, Chamber of Horrors

“At the start of certain scenes that many may con-
was deemed too shocking for the small screen.

sider too shocking, a red light will begin its signal Consequently, the studio ordered a few additional
on the screen to alert you to the terror ahead,”

scenes (not to mention a gimmicky “Fear Flasher”

announced the film’s poster. Of the four “certain
and “Horror Horn”— the screen flashing red to
scenes” preceded by said “Fear Flasher” (and Hor-
the sound of a beeping noise as a warning of up-
ror Horn), only the first really lives up to the hype coming violence) and released it theatrically. The
of such a device — when Cravatte, on his way to
result is a fairly intriguing, moderately charming, the gallows, jumps from the train into a river and, but ultimately overlong and unsatisfying tale cen-while underwater, cuts off his own hand to escape
tering on the two gentleman proprietors (Cesare

(he’s handcuffed to a heavy gear wheel that’s drag-

Danova and Wilfrid Hyde-White) of a turn-of-
ging him to the bottom). Though devoid of gore
the-century Baltimore wax museum, both of
per se — just a billowing cloud of red blood ac-
them amateur criminologists. When the police
companying Cravatte’s silent, watery scream of
are unable to locate the mad killer Jason Cravatte
pain — it’s an intense scene nonetheless.

(Patrick O’Neal), who escaped hanging by cutting

Though Danova and Hyde-White make appeal-
off his own hand with an axe(!), the authorities
ing and clever protagonists, aided and abetted by
enlist the aid of the two amateur sleuths to track
their charming midget assistant Pepe, played by
down the deranged, oh-so-clever killer, who is

“Tun–Tun” (aka Jose Rene Ruiz), and O’Neal
now employing various nasty implements at-
makes a strong impression as the quiet yet danger-
tached to his stump to take revenge on those who
ously mad Cravatte (“But you’re dead!” says one
condemned him.

incredulous victim-to-be when confronted with the

The picture opens with the well-dressed and
vengeful killer, to which O’Neal politely yet coldly quietly mad Cravatte forcing a minister to marry
replies, “Yes, I am; won’t you join me?” before dishim to the corpse of his fiancée, whom he just
patching the terrified man), the story bogs down in strangled with her own hair! Unfortunately, little
the middle with too much drawing-room palaver
and romantic intrigue. Warner’s pledged their
not-inconsiderable resources to the project, pro-
viding opulent costumes and convincing period
sets, as well as studio stars Marie Windsor and Tony Curtis in “guest cameos” (undoubtedly with an
eye towards future episodes of the proposed se-
ries). And it’s gruesome fun to see the various nasty attachments (hook, cleaver, scalpel, even a modified pistol) Cravatte employs in place of his missing
hand. But the meandering pacing and too-genteel

TV-style restrictions mark this Chamber as one of Intermittent Interest rather than outright Horror.

Children of the Damned (1964; MGM;

U.K.; b&w) Director: Anton Leader; Producer:

Ben Arbeid; Screenplay: John Briley; Cinematog-
rapher: Davis Boulton. Cast: Ian Hendry, Alan

Badel, Barbara Ferris, Alfred Burke, Sheila Allen,

Ralph Michael, Patrick Wymark.

So young, so innocent, so deadly — tagline

To his credit, screenwriter John Briley, in writ-
ing this sequel to Village of the Damned (1960), didn’t settle for a simple rehash of that film. Instead, he takes the concept in a radically different direction. Unfortunately, his approach may or

The hook-handed “Butcher of Baltimore” (Patrick

O’Neal) hovers over Laura Devon in Chamber of

(more likely) may not entirely satisfy fans of the

Horrors (1966).

original picture.

2. THE MOVIES

City of...; City Under...; Coffin of Terror; Color Me Blood Red

103

Psychologist Tom Llewellyn (Ian Hendry) and
son, “I should have crushed you the moment I
geneticist David Neville (Tom Badel) discover
held you to my breast!”)

Paul (Clive Powell), a young English boy with su-

Children of the Damned would likely be better perhuman intelligence and amazing psychic abil-regarded if it had been titled something else and
ities (telepathy and mind control). But before they left to stand on its own merits. Considered apart
can begin to study him, political and military
from its predecessor, Children remains a solid, leaders intervene. They take Paul to join five other well-crafted, thought-provoking picture; as a se-extraordinary children from around the globe
quel to Village of the Damned, however, it leaves with similar abilities. When the six governments
something to be desired — namely, thrills.

realize the extent of the children’s powers, how-
ever, they attempt to bring the youngsters home.

City of the Dead see Horror Hotel

But the children refuse to be separated, and flee
together to an abandoned church, where a stand-

City Under the Sea see War-Gods of
off develops between the kids and the British
army.

the Deep

While Village of the Damned was a near-perfect blend of horror and science fiction, Children runs

Coffin of Terror see Castle of Blood
closer to pure sci-fi, with a greater emphasis on

Cold War social commentary and far fewer (and

Color Me Blood Red (1965; Friedman-
less effective) scare sequences. Also, while it re-

Lewis) Director/Cinematography/Screenplay:

vives the basic concept that made Village so suc-Herschell Gordon Lewis; Producer: David F.

cessful—and so frightening— Children turns those Friedman. Cast: Gordon Oas-Heim (as Don
ideas inside-out. Here, the super-powered kids

Joseph), Candi Conder, Elyn Warner, Patricia
are victims rather than villains: they represent a

Lee, Scott H. Hall, William Harris.

new generation who want to live together peace-
ably despite their ethnic differences, without sub-

It will leave you aghast!— tagline
scription to the outmoded nationalistic prejudices

Actually, it’s more likely to leave you uncon-
and suspicions of their parents. The military and
scious.

scientific leaders, treated heroically in the original Color Me Blood Red, the final entry in an unfilm, here are portrayed as power-mad puppet-
official trilogy of seminal splatter films directed masters who want to turn the youngsters into liv-by Herschell Gordon Lewis and produced by
ing weapons. None of this is in and of itself bad

David Friedman, contains all the flaws of its pred-

(it’s a perfectly valid approach to the material),
ecessors ( Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs! ) but it stands in stark contrast to Village— so much plus another, more damaging defect: It’s boring.

so that it can be jarring to watch both movies in

Languidly paced, overstuffed with tedious filler
close succession.

and surprisingly short on gore, Color Me Blood

The sequel boasts many of the same strengths

Red serves as cinematic Sominex for all but the as the original — a smartly written scenario, low-most ardent admirers of Lewis’ off beat oeuvre.

key but slick direction (from television veteran

Painter Adam Sorg (Gordon Oas-Heim) enjoys

Anton Leader), and convincing performances.

financial success, thanks to the patronage of bour-

But Children’s narrative unfolds much more me-geois trophy wives, but yearns for the acceptance
thodically and contains none of the spine-tingling
of art critics who revile his work. In a moment of
set pieces that made Village so unnerving — in inspiration (or perhaps desperation), Sorg paints
large part because Briley (who went on to earn an
a canvass using blood flowing from the fingertip

Oscar for Gandhi [1980]) wants viewers to fear of his indulgent girlfriend, who had cut herself
for the children rather than be afraid of them. Ian on a tack. His blood-soaked painting finally earns

Hendry’s heartfelt performance as the sympathetic
him critical admiration; but to stay in favor, Sorg Dr. Llewellyn, who tries to save the children from
must produce similar works. Acquiring all the
the clutches of his fellow scientists and govern-
blood he needs will mean murder — beginning
ment men, headlines a uniformly sound ensemble
with his clueless girlfriend.

cast. Other standouts include Alan Bedel as

After swiping the premise of Brigadoon (1954) Llewellyn’s comrade and eventual adversary, Dr.

for Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964), Lewis shame-Neville, and Sheila Allen as Paul’s terrified (and
lessly imitates Roger Corman’s A Bucket of Blood doomed) mother. (She memorably seethes at her

(1959) with this seriocomic story of a maniacal

104

The Comedy of Terrors

2. THE MOVIES
artist. Unfortunately, Color Me Blood

Red lacks the satirical sophistication of

Corman’s film, deriving its humor from
eye-rolling one-liners (for instance,
after discovering a woman’s body on
the beach, a “hip” teenager exclaims,

“Dig that crazy driftwood!”).

The picture is plagued by the techni-
cal problems (bland and immobile
camera setups, harsh lighting, tinny
sound, etc.) and mostly amateurish act-
ing endemic to the Lewis filmography.

Yet, given its preposterously cheap
budget (six days and $30,000), it’s a
minor miracle that Color Me Blood Red
is even coherent. Indeed, its poor
craftsmanship might be overlooked if
it were simply more entertaining. But

Lewis allows the narrative to limp along
at a dirge-like pace (it takes nearly half
an hour to get to the first murder) and

Advertising for Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Color Me Blood Red
pads out the picture’s 79-minute run-

(1965) were long on hyperbole, but the film runs short on acning time with more than 15 minutes
tion.

worth of pointless footage of teenagers
frolicking on the beach. While the stage blood
only about 20 theaters. It was seen more widely
flows profusely, the film’s scant murder scenes
in the early 1970s when Blood Feast, Two
lack the deranged genius present in Two Thousand Thousand Maniacs! and Color Me Blood Red were Maniacs!

released as a drive-in triple bill. By then, Lewis

Oas-Heim’s arch theatrical performance as
was back in the blood business.

troubled artist Adam Sorg provides the sole point

With quotes from: Color Me Blood Red DVD
of interest in Color Me Blood Red. However, it was commentary with H.G. Lewis and David Fried-not accomplished without considerable grief on
man.

Lewis’ part. Oas-Heim “was an exceptionally good
actor but not really a team player,” Lewis said.

The Comedy of Terrors (1964; AIP) Direc-

“Gordon would constantly second guess my sug-
tor: Jacques Tourneur. Producers: James H.

gestions for direction. Apparently he had some di-

Nicholson & Samuel Z. Arkoff. Screenwriter:

recting experience on the stage.... [But] I can’t

Richard Matheson. Cinematographer: Floyd
fault the way the guy threw himself into his

Crosby. Cast: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris
work.” Indeed, despite the on-set tension, Lewis

Karloff, Joyce Jameson, Beverly Hills, Basil Rath-
hired Oas-Heim again for his next project, the
bone, Joe E. Brown, Rhubarb the cat.

hillbilly feud picture Moonshine Mountain.

After Color Me Blood Red, Lewis and Friedman YOUR FAVORITE CREEPS TOGETHER

AGAIN!— poster blurb
parted ways over a financial dispute and Lewis’

career veered off in a different direction. The di-

When producer-director Roger Corman and
rector moved on and tried other exploitation an-
screenwriter Richard Matheson began injecting
gles before returning to the gore genre he had cre-
humor into their period horror films (first with
ated with A Taste of Blood and The Gruesome the omnibus Tales of Terror and its comedic seg-Twosome in 1967. Perhaps Lewis (seeing some-ment “The Black Cat,” then with the full-length
thing of himself in Adam Sorg) didn‘t want to be
comedy of The Raven), American International pigeon-holed as a goremeister. Or maybe disap-Pictures took notice — at least after eyeing the
pointing box office returns had something to do
healthy box office receipts. After this, AIP decided with it. Unlike the first two Lewis-Friedman films, to give its horror films “more production values

Color Me Blood Red was not a commercial suc-and a comedy slant in keeping with current au-
cess— or, at least, not initially, when it played in dience response” (as announced by The Holly -

2. THE MOVIES

The Comedy of Terrors

105
wood Reporter in September 1963). To this end, the company procured term contracts or multi-picture commitments from Vincent Price, Boris

Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Basil Rathbone and Peter

Lorre, “all with the talent and stature to impart
class and prestige to chill-and-thrill entertain-
ment.”

The Comedy of Terrors, the first of AIP’s all-out horror-comedies, went into production on September 4, 1963, at Producers Studio under the
working title Graveside Story (a moniker AIP later used for the film when it reissued The Comedy of Terrors in 1965 on a double bill with The End of the World— a re-titled Panic in Year Zero! ). While the “comedy slant” was definitely there, AIP must
have been saving the “more production values”

for a future project, since Comedy of Terrors carried an even smaller price tag than the Corman-

Poe pictures that inspired it. The fifteen-day
shooting schedule and tight budget (Director

Jacques Tourneur even reused the graveyard set
from The Premature Burial) meant that there was little time for luxuries.

In a small New England town sometime before
the turn of the century, underhanded undertaker

Waldo Trumbull (Price) has hit on hard times.

Trumbull loathes his beautiful wife (Joyce Jame-
son), doddering father-in-law (Boris Karloff ) and

The advertising for Comedy of Terrors (1964) em-mild-mannered, bumbling assistant, Gillie (Peter
phasized comedy over terror (one-sheet poster).

Lorre). When business is slow, Trumbull (with
the aid of the reluctant Gillie) drums up new
with a few “nyuk, nyuk, nyuk’s” before the night
clients via murder. After Trumbull’s boorish
is through) jars harshly with his penchant for at-
landlord, Mr. Black (Basil Rathbone), threatens
mosphere and leisurely build-ups. Whatever ef-
eviction for non-payment of back rent (Boris
fective humor can be found in this Comedy is due Karloff was originally cast in this larger role of
more to Richard Matheson’s dialogue and what

Mr. Black, but the 75-year-old actor, suffering
the actors do with it than to any directorial
from arthritis, could not manage the physical ac-
touches or pacing. Tourneur uses speeded-up
tion the part required, and the more robust Rath-
photography (complete with Silent era-style
bone switched roles with him), Trumbull sets his
piano music) and a plethora of “zany” physical
sinister sights on Black himself, resulting in a
gags to hammer his point home that this is indeed
comical free-for-all that includes a sword fight,
a horror-COMEDY. He even has the cat (played strangulation and even some mistakenly admin-by the legendary feline thespian Rhubarb) get in
istered poison.

on the act by including a shot of the animal swal-

Suspense and noir specialist Jacques Tourneur
lowing —complete with audible gulp on the

( Cat People [1942], I Walked with a Zombie [1943], soundtrack — when Trumbull makes one of his

Out of the Past [1947], Curse of the Demon [1956], frequent poisoning threats. Time and again
etc.) seems an unlike candidate to helm a farcical

Tourneur returns to Rhubarb for a feline reaction
comedy, and the choice indeed turned out to be
in a desperate attempt to wring a cheap laugh out
a rather unfortunate one. While Tourneur’s di-
of the moment.

rection is competent, and he generates some ap-

Vincent Price receives all the best dialogue
propriately macabre mood at times (particularly

(some of it quite clever), and he’s obviously en-
in the graveyard sequences), his periodic injection joying himself, infusing the erudite but black-of slapstick comedy and reliance on physical
hearted Trumbull with his trademark buttery
humor (one almost expects Lorre to come out
charm and enthusiasm. Peter Lorre, on the other

106

The Conqueror Worm

2. THE MOVIES
hand, seldom becomes truly animated, though on

Productions (a cut-rate competitor of England’s
one or two occasions his impish humor does

Hammer Films). “I thought it would make a won-
manage to shine through.

derful film,” recalled Tenser, “but a lot more ex-

Though it did make money, The Comedy of
pensive than my other pictures, so I would have

Terrors was less successful at the box office than to look for a partner.” Tenser found said partner

The Raven, a result blamed on both the title and in American International Pictures, who kicked
the advertising’s emphasis on humor. Conse-
in £32,000 to enhance the £50,000 Tenser had al-
quently, AIP scrapped any plans for further hor-
ready raised. One condition the Americans im-
ror-comedy installments.

posed was to insist that their current contract star, Vincent Price, play the title role. “AIP felt that it

The Conqueror Worm (1968; AIP; UK) Al-would enhance their market if Vincent Price
ternate Title: Witchfinder General (UK); (Note: played Matthew Hopkins,” explained Tenser.

On American film prints themselves the title ac-

“They paid for his salary [reportedly £12,000]. I
tually appears as Matthew Hopkins, The Conqueror was totally happy with that, because Price would

Worm). Director: Michael Reeves; Producers: enhance my market as well.”

Louis M. Heyward, Philip Waddilove, Arnold

“All screen villainy is fun,” declared Price in the Miller; Screenplay: Tom Baker, Michael Reeves
film’s American pressbook. “That is why I enjoy

(additional scenes by Louis M. Heyward; from the
doing it so much. It gives me as big a kick as com-
novel Witchfinder General by Ronald Bassett); Cin-edy, which I also love doing, besides being so much ematographer: John Coquillon. Cast: Vincent
easier.” On The Conqueror Worm, however, noth-Price, Ian Ogilvy, Robert Russell, Nicky Henson,
ing apparently was “easy” for Price. While Worm Hilary Dwyer, Rupert Davies, Patrick Wymark.

stands as one of his finest cinematic moments, it
also proved to be one of the actor’s most disagree-

LEAVE THE CHILDREN HOME! ... and if
able filming experiences. For instance, on the first YOU are SQUEAMISH STAY HOME
day of shooting, Price was thrown from his horse

WITH THEM!!!!!!!— ad line
and had to spend the rest of the day in bed recov-

Witchfinder General (renamed The Conqueror ering from the various bumps and bruises. But the

Worm in America), based on Ronald Bassett’s his-pain inflicted by an uncooperative animal was
torical novel of the same name, began with pro-
nothing compared to the mental anguish inspired
ducer Tony Tenser, head of Tigon British Film
by The Conqueror Worm’s disgruntled director —
a headstrong, 24-year-old

Michael Reeves. Reeves emphat-
ically did not want Price in the
title role (Donald Pleasance was
the director’s initial choice) and
was not at all circumspect about
it. “When I went on location to
meet [Reeves] for the first time,”

recalled Price in 1990, “he said, ‘I
didn’t want you and I still don’t
want you, but I’m stuck with
you!’ ... [He] made me so self-
conscious that I was poker-
faced — and, as it turned out, he
was right! He wanted it that con-
centrated, so it would be that
much more menacing. He could
have been a wonderful director ...

such a sad, sad death.” (Reeves
died of an overdose of barbitu-
rates and alcohol in early 1969;

Vincent Price (left) gave one of the finest performances of his long whether accident or suicide re-and varied career playing “Witchfinder General” (the film’s British title) Matthew Hopkins in The Conqueror Worm (1968). Pictured with mains a mystery.)

him in this lobby card is his assistant John Stearne (Robert Russell).

Price put the unpleasant fric-

2. THE MOVIES

The Conqueror Worm

107
tion between himself and his young director down
was effective.” Effective indeed, thanks to an un -
to Reeves’ inexperience (Reeves had only directed
flinching approach by director Michael Reeves.

two previous features, The She Beast and The Sor-Rather than softening the edges of violence,
cerers). “He hadn’t the experience, or talked to Reeves displays it for the brutish and ugly thing
enough [actors] to know how,” Price later stated
it is. “Mike always believed violence should be

(in Cinefantastique). “Afterwards, I realized what seen to be horrible,” explained Ian Ogilvy to
he wanted was a low-key, very laid-back, menac-

Cinefantastique’s Bill Kelly, “to put people off, not ing performance. He did get it, but I was fighting
to glorify it.” And the violence seen in The Con-with him almost every step of the way. Had I
queror Worm is indeed horrible, from the inti-known what he wanted, I could have cooperated.”

mately sickening sight of Stearne thrusting a long

Willing to give credit where credit is due, Price
needle into the bare back of the old priest (search-admitted that, “I realized only after I saw the
ing for “the Devil’s mark”) to the horrific scene
finished film how talented [Reeves] was.”

of a screaming woman tied to a wooden ladder

Billed as Price’s 92nd film (it was actually his
lowered face first into a blazing fire.

75th), The Conqueror Worm began shooting on Such an unshrinking approach generated a lot

September 17, 1967, and wrapped on November
of heat from the critics of the day. Britain’s Sunday 13. “The year is 1645,” intones an off-screen nar-Telegraph, for instance, denounced the film as “a rator. “England is in the grip of bloody civil war.

sadistic extravagance,” while the London Sunday On the one side stand the Royalist party of King

Times labeled it “peculiarly nauseating.” Even Charles; on the other, Cromwell’s Parliamentary

Tinseltown reviewers seemed offended, as the
party, the Roundheads. The structure of law and

Hollywood Citizen News called it “a film with such order has collapsed.... In a time where the super-bestial brutality and orgiastic sadism, one
stitions of country folk are still a powerful factor, wonders how it ever passed customs to be released

[Matthew] Hopkins preys upon them, torturing
in this country.” But these critics missed the
and killing in a supposed drive to eliminate
point; by not turning away from the violence in-
witchcraft from the country — and doing so with
herent in the story, Reeves forces the viewer to see the full blessing of what law there is.” The clev-it for the sickening act it is. The brutality in The erly-constructed story that follows is dual-Conqueror Worm is never appealing (much less pronged, one branch following the brutal

“orgiastic” as the Hollywood Citizen News labeled activities of “witchfinder” Matthew Hopkins
it) but repugnant in its realism. Perhaps it was the (Vincent Price) and his assistant John Stearne
discomfort caused by this unsentimental approach

(Robert Russell), while the other follows the (also to something that has so often been glossed over
sometimes brutal) activities of neophyte Parlia-
and stylized beyond recognition that so offended
mentary soldier Richard Marshall (Ian Ogilvy).

the reviewers. (Ironically, all this critical outrage The two story threads soon cross and become in-became a prominent factor in the film’s financial
exorably intertwined when Hopkins descends
success; co-producer Deke Heyward related to in-
upon the village of Marshall’s fiancée, Sarah
terviewer Tom Weaver that, though a resounding

(Hillary Dwyer). Hopkins not only tortures and
success in the U.S., the film only became a hit in
kills Sarah’s uncle, the local Priest, but also

England “after all the horrified letters came in to seduces Sarah by (falsely) promising to go easy

The London Times.”)

on the old man if she acquiesces. Visiting on leave, Director Michael Reeves responded to the crit-Richard learns from the traumatized Sarah what
ical attacks on his film with newspaper letters of
has happened and swears vengeance, then sets
his own. In one he wrote, “Violence is horrible,
about tracking down the pair of witchfinders.

degrading and sordid. It should be presented as

Once found, however, Hopkins turns the tables
such — and the more people it shocks into sick-
and accuses Richard and Sarah of consorting with
ened recognition of these facts the better.”

the Devil. In the shocking climax, Hopkins meets

Despite the critics’ complaints, The Conqueror
his bloody fate at the hands of Richard — but not

Worm’s ultimate tone is one of anti- violence, as without cost to both the hero and heroine.

evidenced not only by the repulsive depiction of

“Grim” is the watchword for The Conqueror
the act, but by the effect it has on the story’s char-Worm. “By far it was our most violent — and least acters, particularly the hero and heroine. The cli-humorous— Poe picture,” remarked AIP head
max hammers home the notion that from

Sam Arkoff. “There wasn’t much funny about tor-
violence (even though it may seem like a just ret-
ture, hangings, and burnings at the stake. But it
ribution) springs only horror and madness. Both

108

The Conqueror Worm

2. THE MOVIES

Richard and the watching Sarah (upon whose
from the local utility company instead. Also,
hysterically screaming face the film freezes and
rather than rent costly studio space for the inte-
ends) cannot participate in such ferocious
riors, the production leased two abandoned air-
violence and escape with their sanity intact. By
craft hangers outside of St. Edmunds for the bar-
showing the awful wages of brutality, The Con-
gain rate of £1,500 a month. (Of course, since the
queror Worm carries an effective message.

tin roofs caused an echo sound, this necessitated

Beyond its overt anti-violence stance, The Con-
significant dialogue re-dubbing later on; but it
queror Worm holds further thematic relevance for still proved far cheaper than shooting in a film
modern viewers. Though ostensibly about the ar-
studio.) And filming at actual historic locations
chaic subject of the persecution of witches, the

(such as Orford Castle in East Anglia) not only
film raises the broader issue of the abuse of au-
saved on set construction, but added immensely
thority. It’s not much of an imaginative stretch to to the realism.

go from the lawfully empowered Mathew Hopkins

In America, of course, AIP re-titled the more
and his assistant brutalizing and torturing an in-
literate-sounding Witchfinder General as The Con-nocent woman in 1645 to a group of Brooklyn po-
queror Worm (after a poem by Edgar Allan Poe) licemen brutalizing and torturing a Haitian im-to ride the tail end of their ongoing Poe series. It migrant in 1997 (as detailed in relatively recent
proved a financial boon for AIP, grossing over $1.5
headlines). One reason The Conqueror Worm re-million in domestic rentals (no doubt buttressed
mains so disturbing (and it does disturb, as evi-
by all the inflammatory reviews complaining of
denced by the occasional critical backlash even
excessive violence and bad taste).

today) is that it touches on the horrors of power

“Although the story had a Poe flavor to it,” ex-
brutally misused.

plained Sam Arkoff, “we had worried that The

What makes such an uncompromising and dis-

Witchfinder General [sic] was an English tale that turbing treatment palatable are the well-drawn
wouldn’t have much appeal on this side of the At-
characters and the efficacious acting that draws
lantic.... However, we came across an Edgar Allan
the viewer into their cruel world. “I was surprised Poe verse which included a line that spoke of a
how terrifying Vincent was in that,” commented

‘conqueror worm.’ We weren’t exactly sure what

AIP head Sam Arkoff. Indeed, Price does terrify
it meant [Poe uses the term as a metaphor for
with his cold presence and forbidding manner,
death], but it was pure Poe and seemed to fit with
bringing his character to full malevolent life.

The Witchfinder General’s story line. We felt if we Garbed in black hat and cloak, sporting a long
had Vincent recite the poem at the beginning of
and luxuriant mane of graying chestnut hair and
the film, we could legitimately call the picture a
a close-cropped, well-combed silver beard, wear-

Poe movie.”

ing spotless white gloves and mounted on a white

Price himself, however (as well as just about
steed, Price cuts an extremely imposing figure.

everyone else), failed to see the “legitimacy” of

Matthew Hopkins may be Price’s finest char-
calling Witchfinder General a Poe picture, opining acterization in a terror film. It is certainly one of that “The Conqueror Worm was the most ridicu-his most unusual portrayals in that he eschews
lous title for Witchfinder General. It took me six the buttery charm and smooth flamboyance for
months to find the goddamn poem!”

which he had become so well known (and loved)

Commenting on his co-star, Ian Ogilvy said,
to deliver a steely, subdued, and intensely men-

“I remember [Vincent Price] was a funny, funny
acing performance that becomes utterly convinc-
guy, but a lot of it was fairly unprintable, the stuff ing. While it may not be every Price fan’s favorite he came out with. He was extremely forbearing.

role, it is undoubtedly his most powerful.

I had to kill him with an axe, and we had this very Reeves’ sure-handed direction and squeeze-hard rubber axe. I hit him and Vincent died
every-pound-attitude creates a realistic stage upon gracefully.”

which the players can move. The Conqueror Worm

Though a “funny, funny guy” off-screen, Vin-
looks much more lavish than its meager £82,000
cent Price (under Michael Reeves’ fractious hand)

pound (roughly $250,000) budget should allow—
delivered a deadly serious performance as
thanks to the ingenuity and creativity of Michael

Matthew Hopkins. His powerful portrayal, com-

Reeves and his production crew. For instance,
bined with Reeves’ inventive direction and hard-
during a witch-burning sequence, Reeves found
line approach to violence, turned this tale of a
that they couldn’t afford an expensive camera

Witchfinder General into a film of significant the-crane, so for a mere £10 he rented a cherry picker
matic and artistic integrity.

2. THE MOVIES

Corridors of Blood

109

With quotes from: “Titan of Tigon Terror,” by

A N-E-R-V-O-R-A-M-A SHOCKER!— trailer

Steve Swires, Fangoria 129, December 1993; The Conqueror Worm pressbook, American Interna-Though filmed in England in 1958, Corridors
tional Pictures, 1968; Vincent Price appearance at
of Blood went unreleased in the United States for the “Fangoria Weekend of Horrors,” Los Angeles, nearly five years “because MGM didn’t know

1990; “Vincent Price: Looking Back on Forty
quite what to do with it; they didn’t have a picture Years as Horror’s Crown Prince,” by Steve
to go with it,” according to executive producer

Biodrowski, David Del Valle and Lawrence

Richard Gordon.

French, Cinefantastique, January 1989; Flying In 1840, before the discovery of anesthesia, Mr.

Through Hollywood by the Seat of My Pants, by Bolton (Boris Karloff ) is working on a drug that

Sam Arkoff, with Richard Trubo; “Michael
can be used as an anesthetic (curiously, Bolton, a

Reeves: Horror’s James Dean,” by Bill Kelly, Cine-surgeon, is referred to throughout the film — as
fantastique, August 1991; “Vincent Price: The are his medical colleagues— simply as “Mr.”

Merchant of Menace,” by Michael Orlando Yac-
rather than “Dr.”). After an initial demonstration
carino, Scarlet Street 7, Summer 1992; “What Price to prove that “pain and the knife are not insepa-Glory!” by Bruce G. Hallenbeck, Scarlet Street 13, rable” goes badly, Bolton is eventually dismissed

Winter 1994.

from the hospital. In the course of his research,

Bolton has become addicted to the drugs, and

Corridors of Blood (1958/63; Amalga-
now finds his way to a seedy tavern where
mated/MGM; U.K.) Alternate Title: Doctor from
innkeeper “Black Ben” (Francis DeWolfe) and his

Seven Dials (U.K.); Director: Robert Day; Pro-partner, grave robber “Resurrection Joe”

ducers: John Croydon, Charles Vetter; Screenplay:

(Christopher Lee), use the doctor’s addiction to

Jean Scott Rogers; Cinematographer: Geoffrey
blackmail him into signing phony death certifi-

Faithful. Cast: Boris Karloff, Betta St. John, Finlay cates—for lodgers they have murdered in order

Currie, Francis Matthews, Adrienne Corri,
to sell their bodies to anatomists.

Francis DeWolfe, Basil Dignam, Christopher Lee.

“You’ll take shock after shock after shock!

Left to right: Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Adrienne Corri, and Francis De Wolff in Corridors of Blood

(1963).

110

Corruption

2. THE MOVIES

Don’t hold in your terror; shriek if you must!”

“I think the problem with Corridors of Blood is warned the film’s misleading trailer. Actually,
that it’s really a hybrid film which isn’t one thing there are few “shocks” (an antagonist taking a face or the other,” concluded Gordon. “It’s not enough
full of acid; another falling to his death-by-im-
of a horror film like, let’s say The Haunted Stran-palement on iron posts) and even fewer moments
gler, and yet it’s too much of a horror film to be of “terror” in this serious-minded historical melo-regarded as a picture dealing seriously with sur-
drama.

gery and with the medical profession in that era.”

“We were looking for another subject for

When finally released in America in 1963, Cor-

Karloff,” recounted Gordon about the film’s gen-
ridors was ignominiously paired with the cheap, esis, “and [producer] John Croyden came up with
tepid Italian import Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory.

the original story idea for Corridors of Blood. A Sold as an out and out shocker to the horror
woman named Jean Scott Rogers wrote the
crowd, Corridors was destined to disappoint. “The screenplay. Her idea was to make a very serious
whole thing was a disaster,” recounted Gordon.

picture about surgery in the days before anesthet-

It was a fate undeserving of the well-crafted and
ics, which of course wouldn’t have made a very
engrossing Corridors of Blood.

commercial picture. So we tried to inject horror

With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
and melodramatic elements into it.”

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

Basically an historical drama with a few horror
trappings (mainly the murderous Burke and

Corruption (1968; Columbia; Great Britain) Hare/body snatching angle), Corridors offers a Alternate Title: Carnage. Director: Robert Hart-sumptuously-set, authentic-minded tale of a fas-
ford-Davis; Producer/Cinematographer: Peter
cinating time in medicine’s history.

Newbrook; Screenplay: Donald and Derek Ford.

Corridors is exceedingly well-acted, from Fran-Cast: Peter Cushing, Sue Lloyd, David Lodge,
cis DeWolfe’s ingratiating yet murderous Black

Noel Trevarthen, Anthony Booth, Kate O’Mara.

Ben and Christopher Lee’s cold-as-a-snake Res-
urrection Joe (obvious stand-ins for Burke and

Corruption is not a woman’s picture; therefore, no woman will be admitted alone to see

Hare), to Adrienne Corri’s beguiling yet pitiless
this supershocker.— radio spot
barmaid. In fact, it’s Lee’s chillingly calm delivery and convincing cockney accent —combined with

Eminent surgeon Sir John Rowan (Peter Cush-
a look of intensity-cum-madness in his eyes—
ing) feels partly responsible for the disfiguring of that provides the movie with its little bit of “hor-his fiancée, Lynn (Sue Lloyd); Sir John got into a
ror.” The only thespian misstep is (surprisingly)

fight with fashion-model Lynn’s crass photogra-

Boris Karloff ’s overly melodramatic portrayal of
pher, resulting in a photographic lamp crashing
the kindly Bolton trapped in horrible circum-
down and burning one side of her face. Deter-
stances. His constantly furrowed brow, dramatic
mined to eradicate her scars, Sir John combines
gestures, and plaintive tones contrast jarringly
his laser surgery technique with pituitary gland
with the more naturalistic playing of the rest of
extracts to affect a cure. But the cure is only tem-the cast.

porary, and, at Lynn’s frantic urging, he turns to

With financial backing from MGM came that
decapitating young women to secure the needed
studio’s substantial resources, allowing shooting
glands.

at the plush MGM Studios in London, and the

This mad medico scenario was far from
utilization of the MGM wardrobe and carpentry
groundbreaking in 1968, with such Continental
departments. As a result, Corridors of Blood fea-horrors as Georges Franju’s poetic Horror Cham -
tures impressive (and authentic) costuming, and
ber of Dr. Faustus (aka Eyes Without a Face (1959/62) splendid sets far beyond what would be expected
and Jesus Franco’s exploitative but lively The
in a budget film of this nature.

Awful Dr. Orlof (1962) having previously paved Director Robert Day (aided by Geoffrey Faith-the gruesome path.

ful’s evocative lighting and mobile camerawork)

What the British Corruption brings to this cin-nicely captures the back-alley squalor of the Seven ematic operating theater is a startlingly harsh re-Dials district. For instance, a seedy tavern-set
alism — both in its modern-day, prosaic setting
scene opens with a close-up of the filthy legs and
and its naturalistic acting. Without a doubt, Cor-muddy feet of a sleeping street urchin —an atten-
ruption is one of the most impeccably acted tion to detail that brings the squalid settings

“thrillers” of its day. And leading the thespian
vividly to life.

pack is arguably the finest actor ever to wield a

2. THE MOVIES

Corruption

111

Following in the mad medico footsteps of The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus and The Awful Dr. Orlof, Peter Cushing (left), playing a surgeon trying to restore his fiancée’s ruined face, succumbs to Corruption

(1968).

horror-movie scalpel, Peter Cushing. Whether
brutal acts, so is he, so we never lose touch with playing the coldly calculating Baron Frankenstein,
the tragedy of the character. It’s a brilliant por-
the determined Van Helsing or the haughty Dr.

trayal that, admittedly, deserved a better vehicle

Knox, Cushing imbues his roles with an unshak-
than that provided by Donald and Derek Ford’s
able conviction, bringing these sometimes fantas-

“mod”-flavored script and director Robert Hart-
tic characters to vivid life. So when he’s taken out ford-Davis’ exploitative approach.

of the one-step-removed safety of Gothic period

The film is also a clever character study, not
pieces and plunked down into the harsh realism
only of Cushing’s guilt-wracked doctor but of his
of “modern day” brutality, his potent brand of
beauty-obsessed fiancée. Early in the picture, be-
verisimilitude becomes almost unbearable—par-
fore her disfigurement, Lynn tells a friend that
ticularly as we watch him stab a prostitute to
she’s giving up modeling to marry Sir John — not
death and cut off her head(!), with his disgust and for money but “for love.” “Marriage lasts, a career self-loathing at the act all-too-apparent on his
doesn’t,” she wisely pronounces. But after her ac-
horrified face.

cident she can think of nothing but regaining her

In Germany Corruption was released as Die beauty. Though John loves her despite her scars,

Bestie mit dem Shalpell ( The Beast with the she cannot see past her surface image, and so uses

Scalpel), but Cushing’s character is anything but her “love” to exhort him to murder. It all culmi-a beast. Cushing goes from a quiet guilt and de-
nates in madness and death — a telling statement
termined obsession to becoming a reluctant mur-
on the lure and danger of superficiality.

derer and ultimately to a sort of resigned madness

“It was gratuitously violent, fearfully sick,”

with the utmost poignancy. He is both antagonist
concluded Cushing in The Films of Peter Cushing and pro tagonist, and while we’re horrified at his by Gary Parfitt. “But it was a good script, which

112

Count Frankenstein; The Crawling Hand

2. THE MOVIES
just goes to show how important the presentation

Count Frankenstein see The Bloody
is.” While Hartford-Davis ( Bloodsuckers, 1969)

Vampire
stages the murder scenes with plenty of odd angles
and quick cutting (no pun intended) that

The Crawling Hand (1963; Hansen Enter-generate a frantic immediacy, these techniques
prises; b&w) Director: Herbert L. Strock; Pro-
serve to intensify the horrific excitement of the
ducer: Joseph F. Robertson; Screenplay: William
acts. It’s only Cushing’s playing that makes these

Edelson, Herbert L. Strock; Cinematographer:

moments at all bearable — and only just. And the

Willard Vander Veer. Cast: Peter Breck, Kent Tay-
incredibly downbeat, nihilistic ending makes the
lor, Rod Lauren, Arline Judge, Richard Arlen,
film even more unpalatable.

Alan Hale.

Filmed during July and August of 1967 (the

“Summer of Love”), there’s a bit too much of

The remains of an astronaut destroyed
in space fights for life!— trailer

“Swinging London” (of the desperate party at-
mosphere variety that only existed in 1960s cin-

“The Crawling Hand demands to live!— de-
emas) peppered throughout the picture, complete
mands you to see it!” shouts the film’s
with brightly-colored “pads” populated by paisley
promotional trailer; but it just demands too
prints, miniskirts and Nehru jackets.

much. Budgeted at $100,000, the movie was

Bill McGuffie’s wildly inappropriate manic
brought in by director Herbert L. Strock for
pop-jazz musical score adds to the vulgarity. It

“ninety-eight some-odd.” Some-odd is right.

becomes so intrusive at times that it unintention-

What a bizarre story line: An astronaut on his
ally serves as a bit of (comic) relief for some of
way back from an historic moon landing is taken
the more intense unpleasantness.

over by some kind of evil space organism that just

By no means could Corruption be labeled an wants its host to “Kill! Kill! Kill!” So said space-enjoyable film (nor, for that matter, could it really man, with what remaining will he has left, con-be called a “good” one), but it’s a picture that,
tacts mission control and begs them to detonate
thanks primarily to Cushing and his fellow thes-
the self-destruct button for him, since his own
pians, says a few things about the nature of guilt
arm won’t obey. This sequence gives the film one
and the dangers of narcissism. Though little more
of its few exciting moments, with some pretty
than a well-acted and exceedingly grim exploita-
scary make-up — blackened eyes, a pasty white
tion piece, Corruption remains a curiously affect-complexion, sweat pouring down his face, and
ing anomaly from the 1960s.

the poor soul screaming, “Push the red button!

Push iiiiiit!!!” Yes, ground
control pushes it and the
rocket blows up over Cal-
ifornia, but his arm (the
uncooperative one) falls to

Earth and is promptly
found by pre-med student

Paul (Rod Lauren), who,
naturally, takes it home
and puts it on a shelf in the
basement(!). Bad move

Paul, since that nasty space
organism is still inside the
arm and ready to take you
over now. Into the mix
come two scientists (Kent

Taylor and Peter Breck)

from “Space Operations”

to investigate, while Paul
tries to find the ambula-
tory arm, clear himself of

Former Miss Iceland Sirry Steffan screams upon discovering The Crawling
a murder charge, and keep

Hand (1963) in this Mexican lobby card.

himself from killing his

2. THE MOVIES

Creature from the Haunted Sea

113
friends and fiancée (former Miss Iceland Sirry

Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961; Steffen).

Filmgroup; b&w) Director/Producer: Roger Cor-

The remainder of the running time is filled
man; Screenplay: Charles B. Griffith; Cinematog-
with scenes of the unconvincing arm crawling
rapher: Jack Marquette. Cast: Anthony Carbone,
around (either a fake-looking mechanized prop

Betsy Jones Moreland, Robert Towne (as Edward
or the director’s own appendage), the two scien-

Wain), Robert Bean, Beach Dickerson.

tists running afoul of the obstinate local law (per-What was the unspeakable secret
sonified by sheriff Alan Hale), Paul becoming pos-
of the sea?— tagline
sessed, Paul fighting off the possession, and talk.

Too much talk — in the office, on the phone, on

The third time wasn’t a charm for producer-
the beach...

director Roger Corman, whose Creature from the

With its absurd plot line, Requiem for an As-

Haunted Sea (1961)— the final entry in an infor-tronaut (its original title — which was changed to mal trilogy of black comedies, following A Bucket The Crawling Hand to make it more commercial) of Blood (1959) and The Little Shop of Horrors could have been a low-budget, unconventional

(1960)— remains the rickety leg of its metaphor-
winner. But a preponderance of inaction and a
ical tripod.

talky, blatantly stupid script (by William Idelson

Shortly after Fidel Castro’s takeover of Cuba,
and director Strock) sink it. Lines like, “In space, American gangster Renzo Capetto (Anthony Car-life might mutate or even fully evolve in a matter
bone), assisted by his moll (Betsy Jones Moreland)

of hours or even minutes” proliferate. When one
and a couple of dim-witted henchmen (Robert
of the scientists goes on (and on and on) about Bean and Beach Dickerson), agrees to use his
this theory, he advises, “Throw out the logic pills yacht to help a band of renegade Cuban generals,
when you swallow it.” That pretty much goes for
along with a chest full of gold from the nation’s
the viewer as well.

treasury, escape to the U.S. En route to the States, Director Strock brought the same adequate-but-uninspired sensibilities to The Crawling Hand that he evinced on his other low-end sci-fi/horrors ( How to Make a Monster, Gog, Blood of Dracula, I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, The Devil’s Messenger). “I was able to stage things the way I had envisioned them in writing the script,” stated
the director, “but I found that interpretations and subtleties were missing because the actors really
didn’t have the experience.... I could have had

Burt Reynolds, who read for a part, but I didn’t
think Burt was good enough; at that time, he was
a stuntman. So we wound up with Kent Taylor,
who was a bit of a problem. He was never on time
and he never knew his lines.” With dialogue such
as, “Does a living cell from Earth romance a cos-
mic ray and give birth to an illegitimate
monster?” one could hardly blame him.

While juvenile leads Rod Lauren and Sirry Stef-
fen absurdly overplay and underplay respectively,
the picture’s main problem is not the acting but its dull and unlikely script — as evidenced by the
admittedly bizarre but action-less climax in which
the arm is partially devoured by stray cats(!), thus freeing Peter from its control.

“It is a minor film,” concluded Strock. “It was made for peanuts, as I said, but it was a lot of fun to do.” Too bad it’s not a lot of fun to watch.

With quotes from: Interviews with B Science

Misleading one-sheet poster for Creature from the

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

Haunted Sea (1961).

114

Creature of the Walking Dead

2. THE MOVIES

Capetto plans to bump off the Cubans and steal
the jokes fall flat. Also, the actors who made
the loot. But first he needs to thin the ranks of the Bucket and Shop so enjoyable — especially Mel Cuban troops brought along to protect the treas-Welles and Dick Miller — are sorely missed. An-
ure. Capetto invents a tall tale about a deadly sea thony Carbone isn’t bad as Capetto, but neither
monster to explain the soldiers’ disappearances.

Jones-Moreland nor Towne show any flair for

To his surprise, however, the monster turns out
comedy. (Towne, in fact, wasn’t even an actor, he
to be real. This zany yarn is told from the per-
was a screenwriter; Corman brought him along
spective of a CIA agent (Robert Towne) disguised
to play the third lead in Last Woman because proas one of Capetto’s crewmen.

duction was about to begin but Towne had not

In 1960, Corman brought a single cast and crew
yet finished the script.) On the positive side, Bean to Puerto Rico (where he could take advantage of
has a field day playing over-emotional simpleton

“certain tax laws that were extremely advanta-

Happy Jack, and Beach Dickerson seems to be
geous”) to shoot two films— the post-apocalyptic
channeling Harpo Marx as Capetto’s first mate,
thriller The Last Woman on Earth and the World who speaks primarily in animal mating calls (via

War II drama Battle of Blood Island (both 1960).

the overdubbed roars of lions, howls of monkeys,

Once in Puerto Rico, however, Corman decided
etc.).

to stay an extra week and make a third picture —

Despite its considerable faults, Creature from
specifically, a black comedy in the tradition of
the Haunted Sea contains enough laughs to make Bucket and Little Shop. He called screenwriter it worth a look for Corman diehards, or anyone

Chuck Griffith, who had written his two previous
who loves A Bucket of Blood and The Little Shop horror-comedies, and the two roughed out the
of Horrors. Just don’t expect anything quite as plot, loosely adapted from Griffith’s earlier Beast much fun as either of those kooky cult classics.

from Haunted Cave (1959). The schedule allowed With quotes from: How I Made a Hundred
one day for preproduction — work that included

Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, by making the titular Creature out of a wetsuit, moss

Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

and Brillo pads, with tennis ball eyes and pipe
cleaner claws— and one week of shooting. Orig-

Creature of the Walking Dead (1965;
inally, Corman planned to act in Creature from

ADP Productions; Mexico; b&w) Original Lan-
the Haunted Sea. “I mentioned to Chuck that he guage Title: La Marca del Muerto; Director: Fred-could write a minor part for me and he deliber-
eric Corte (Fernando Cortes); Producers: Alfred
ately came up with Happy Jack Monohan, without

Ripstein, Jerry Warren (English version); Screen-
question the most complex acting role Chuck ever
play: Alfredo Varela, Jr., Fernando Cortes, Joseph
created,” Corman wrote in his autobiography. “In

Unsain (English Version); Cinematographer:

every scene, Happy Jack had to express a different, Richard Wallace. Cast: Rock Madison (Fernando
powerful emotion.... I know Chuck did this to

Casanova), Ann Wells (Sonia Furio), George
drive me crazy.” It was too big a role for Corman,

Todd, Katherine Victor (English version), Bruno
who gave the part to Bobby Bean, a young actor

Ve Sota (English version).

working on the crew.

Although from all reports Corman and com-

A FLAMING HOLOCAUST OF HORROR!

— trailer
pany had a ball making this film, and even though

Corman wrote that preview audiences “laughed

Here’s another incoherent mess from ultra-
and applauded just as they had with Little Shop,”

cheap producer Jerry Warren. Warren had a habit

Creature never rises to the level of its two hilarious of buying low-budget film footage — or even
predecessors. It certainly has its moments, like
whole features— and adding new scenes, usually
when Capetto comforts the passengers on his
of actors sitting around talking (e.g. Invasion of sinking yacht with, “Relax, everybody, the boat’s
the Animal People, Attack of the Mayan Mummy, insured.” Later, one of the characters vows, “I’ll
among many others). The Mexican Creature of love you ’til the day I die,” and is immediately
the Walking Dead (shot in 1960 but not released—
killed by the monster. Plus, the Creature itself (in by Warren — in the U.S. until 1965) may be the
which Corman invested a measly $150) is quite
worst of the lot.

amusing-looking. Overall, however, Griffith’s

The plot centers on a doctor (Fernando
work isn’t as strong here as in either Bucket or Casanova) who discovers how to retain his youth

Little Shop. The manic scenario seems jumbled, by extracting a special fluid from young girls. He
the characters are unappealing and too many of
is found out and hanged, but many years later his

2. THE MOVIES

The CreepingTerror

115
what the people are saying as they silently mouth
the words. And the heavy-handed, incredibly ob-
trusive music doesn’t help.

An occasional gruesome shot of a corpse, and
a bizarre scene of an operation on a dog cadaver,
add a bit of liveliness to the proceedings, but when the unimaginative climactic conflagration rolls
around, the only emotion inspired is relief that
it’s finally over. Even Bad Movie aficionados may
find this incoherent mess too long a Walk to take.

The Creeping Terror (1964; Crown International; b&w) Director/Producer: A.J. Nelson;

Screenplay: Arthur Ross; Cinematography: An-
drew Janczak. Cast: Vic Savage (A.J. Nelson),

Shannon O’Neil, William Thourlby, John Caresio,

Norman Boone.

“Despite Brett’s inquiries about what Martin had
seen in the spacecraft, he avoided specific details for fear of disturbing her more than she was. If the truth were known, Martin was more than a little
disturbed himself.”— omnipresent narrator

A blob-like creature creeps out of a wrecked
spaceship and eats everyone in its laborious path,
while a newlywed sheriff ’s deputy (Vic Savage,

Ad for Creature of the Walking Dead (1965) (cour-aka director A.J. Nelson), a handsome scientist
tesy Ted Okuda).

(male model-turned-actor William Thourlby, the
original “Marlboro Man”), and a military platoon
descendent, who happens to look exactly like him tries to figure out a way to stop it.

(undoubtedly due to budgetary restrictions),

Living down to its reputation as one of the
finds his notebooks, digs him up, and brings him
worst films of all time, The Creeping Terror is so back to life. Pretty soon the evil ancestor has im-jaw-droppingly awful that it becomes almost
prisoned his ‘good’ descendent and begins men-
snake-fascinatingly entertaining. Sure, you could
acing the young man’s fiancée (Sonia Furio).

harp on the flat lighting, inept camerawork, tone-

Nothing new here. The film opens with a narrator
less non-acting and endless padding, but then

(the protagonist) asking us, “Is the world real, or you’d miss the sublimely irrational chuckles
thought essentially a true reflection or merely an
gleaned from such sights as a bikini-clad victim
illusion brought about by a mind separate from
screaming and thrashing as she wriggles her way
the ultimate reality? Thus is the question of man.”

into the monster’s maw, or a folk singer

Huh?! Did the aptly named scripter Joseph
attempting to beat off the monster with his

Unsain (probably a pseudonym for Warren him-
acoustic guitar!

self ) really write that, or was the narrator just

The infamous mottled shag-carpet monster
winging it? And this is one of the more coherent
needed five people inside it to make it ... er, move.

passages.

Looking like a mangy, dreadlock-wearing Care

Scenes of people talking about things often

Bear dragging an oversized throw rug behind it
only vaguely related to the story pad the running

(from the back it resembles a blotchy tea cozy),
time. One long Warren-added sequence has War-
this Creeping Terror does literally creep ...

ren regular Catherine Victor discussing with a de-
slooowly. (All one need do to evade the lumbering
tective the merits of the use of mediums in police
lump is walk away; amazingly—and amusingly—
work. This has nothing to do with the plot, nor
few in this movie ever think to do that.) In one
are these two characters ever seen again! Most of
scene, members of what must be the most inept
the remaining footage has the narrator telling us
platoon in the United States Army all huddle close
what is taking place on the screen, even relating
together about five feet away from the monster to

116

Cries...; Crimes...; Crimson...; The Curse of Nostradamus

2. THE MOVIES
fire their pistols. The creature crawls slowly for-
ster before it, endear The Creeping Terror to its ward to push them all over like bowling pins and
fans.

then ingest them!

With quotes from: “The Marlboro Man Meets

Shooting took place in 1963, “in the heat of
the Creeping Terror!” by Paul and Donna Parla,
summer,” recounted co-star William Thourlby.

Filmfax 68, September 1998.

“And we got some local kids to get inside this
thing and make it move and operate. The kids

Cries in the Night see The Awful Dr.

had a ball trying to make it move through the for-

Orlof
est, but when some of them started passing out,

I got worried and thought, ‘how in the world did

I get mixed up in all this?!’ No one was getting

Crimes in the Wax Museum see
paid, either.”

Nightmare in Wax

By his own account, Thourlby, who invested
his money as well as his acting talent in the movie,

The Crimson Executioner see
ended up “saving” the picture when producer-di-

Bloody Pit of Horror
rector-star- shyster (according to Thourlby) Arthur J. Nelson disappeared before the produc-

The Curse of Nostradamus (1961; Estudios tion was finished. “I gave $25,000 to get the

America/Trans-International Films; Mexico;
picture going, but Nelson spent the money on
b&w) Original Language Title: La Maldición de everything else but the picture!” claimed

Nostradamus; Director: Frederick Curiel; Pro-Thourlby. “At one point, we stopped shooting —
ducer: Victor Parra; Screenplay: Charles Taboada,
for a few days or a week — and I was waiting to

Alfred Ruanova, Frederick Curiel; Cinematogra-
hear from Nelson to resume shooting, but still no
pher: Fernando Alvarez Garces. Cast: Germán
call from this guy ... [so] I decided to pay him a

Robles, Julio Aleman, Domingo Soler, Aurora Al-
visit. When I arrived at his house, there was a
varado, Manuel Vergara.

group of guys removing his furniture and other
belongings and loading them onto a moving van.

From the depths of an evil mind came a

Nelson was nowhere to be found, so I walked into
diabolical plan of conquest ... INCREDIBLE ...

the house, and in the corner stood two boxes,

UNBELIEVABLE — ad line
which I opened. Inside was the film itself and the

The Curse of Nostradamus is a truly terrible negative. I picked them up and drove back to my
south-of-the-border vampire film with few re-
home.”

deeming values. For late-night movie enthusiasts,

But the footage was a shambles: “In some spots
even those enamored of Mexican monster
there was audio and in other segments there
movies, it is indeed a Curse.

wasn’t.... It was a mess. I got a bunch of my

For some reason, the son of the son of the
friends together; we put blankets up all around
famed sixteenth century French physician-cum-
the room to help absorb some of the acoustics and
prognosticator Nostradamus is a vampire (played
then we practically lip-synched the rest of the
by Mexico’s answer to Bela Lugosi and Christo-
film.... The narration had to be injected into the
pher Lee, Germán Robles) who’s trying to estab-
film to give it some kind of story line, but that
lish a cult following for his dead grandfather. He
didn’t work too well either.” Indeed, there’s so
attempts this by confronting a “Professor”

much narration (we watch people converse, while

(Domingo Soler) who campaigns against super-
the narrator tells us what they’re saying) that the stitions (such as the belief in vampires). The vam-few moments of actual dialogue seem abrupt and
pire (who, by the way, calls himself Nostradamus out-of-place!

as well) predicts murders, which he then carries

“I tried saving the film,” concluded Thourlby,
out, and generally makes a nuisance of himself.

“but to no avail.... I hope that fans of this type of The Professor, now convinced of the vampire’s
film will try and imagine what it might have been
veracity, is still too pigheaded to give in to Nos-
if things were different. It’s so bad that I don’t
tradamus’ demands. The climax, using the term
think many will have difficulty imagining just
loosely, has the Professor’s male secretary (Julio
how much better it could have been.” Well, it’s

Aleman) chasing the bloodsucker through cata-
those very “so bad” qualities— resulting in in-
combs waving a pistol loaded with platinum bul-
spired moments of accidental hilarity — that,
lets (apparently good old silver was just too
like with Plan 9 from Outer Space and Robot Mon-gauche). He fires seven of those bullets (missing

2. THE MOVIES

Curse of Simba; Curse of the Aztec Mummy

117
every time)— quite a trick
considering he’s using a six-
shooter. Despite being such
a lousy shot, Our Hero gets
a break when the roof caves
in and buries the vampire,
leaving only his withered
hand showing.

The good news is that this
is THE END; the bad news is
that there are three —count

’em, three—sequels. You see,
this is actually only the first
of four theatrical features
made from a 12-chapter se-
rial (the very first straight
horror serial, by the way)

and released in Mexico in

1961–63. (The “features”

made their way North via

Florida-based entrepreneur/

The Curse of Nostradamus is vampirism in this cinematic cure for insom-producer K. Gordon Mur-
nia, the first of four Nostradamus features (Mexican lobby card).

ray, who packaged them into
a series of matinee movies and then dumped them

Next up was The Monsters Demolisher, followed onto the hungry television market.) By the late
by The Genie of Darkness and The Blood of Nos-1950s the serial as a commercial venture had died
tradamus. Predicting that these “sequels” are no in the U.S. (thanks largely to the influx of televi-better than the dismal original takes no great
sion), but it was still a thriving medium in
prognostication ability.

Mexico. The Curse of Nostradamus is comprised With quotes from: “El Vampiro Speaks! An In-of the serial’s first three chapters, translated as terview with Mexican Horror Star Germán Rob-

“The Finger of Destiny,” “The Book of the Cen-
les,” by Bryan Senn, Richard Sheffield and Jim
turies” and “Night Victims.”

Clatterbaugh, Monsters from the Vault 24, Febru-According to star Germán Robles, the “serial”

ary 2008.

format was all simply a ruse by the production
company, who never intended to release it in

Curse of Simba see Curse of the
episodic form. “They misrepresented themselves

Voodoo
to me,” complained the actor. “They told me they
were filming 30-minute episodes— like fill-in

Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957/62; Cin-shorts for theaters. When I finished the filming
ematografica Calderon S.A./Trans-International
of these episodes, they put three episodes together Films; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: La to make one full-length picture. It ended up as

Maldición de la Momia Azteca; Director: Rafael being four full-length motion pictures. It is really Portillo, Paul Nagel (English language version);
uncomfortable to even think about this— it was

Producer: William Calderon Stell, K. Gordon
a very unpleasant situation, because they actually

Murray (English version); Screenplay: Alfred
cheated me.... It hurts that they would take ad-

Salazar; Cinematographer: Enrique Wallace.

vantage of me — make fun of me, literally.

Cast: Ramon Gay, Rosita Arenas, Crox Alvarado,

Because I always try to do things right.”

Luis Aceves Castaneda, Jorge Mondragon.

The one bright spot in this Curse d production comes in the form of an amazingly impressive bat

AN ANCIENT AZTEC PRIEST’S CURSE IS

(superior to the often ungainly Universal and

DEFIED ... HIS MUMMY ARISES FROM

Hammer bat-on-a-string variety)— with wings

THE GRAVE TO FULFILL HIS

VENGEANCE!— ad line
that actually move (unfortunately, it is the only
thing that does in this celluloid cure for insom-A masked wrestler hero, a criminal master-
nia).

mind, bad dubbing, a deadly snake pit, small-

118

Curse of the Blood-Ghouls

2. THE MOVIES
time hoods, fistfights, bad dubbing, an Aztec
the floor!) and the rather imposing appearance of
treasure, bad dubbing, oh —and an ancient Aztec
the desiccated mummy itself (no bandages here,
mummy come to life — all in the space of 65 min-
just some tattered Aztec garb and a hideous dried-
utes. With elements such as these, this south-of-
apple mummy mask). Unfortunately, said
the-border cheapie (filmed in 1957, but not re-
mummy only appears near the very end, in two
leased in America until 1962) couldn’t possibly
brief scenes.

be boring. Guess again.

Even so, with all its faults, at least this sequel

Looking like nothing more than a low-grade
proved a step up from its bastardized progenitor,
serial, complete with cliff-hanging escapes and
the utterly unwatchable Attack of the Mayan
endless rounds of fisticuffs, this first sequel to La Mummy. Next up: The Robot vs. the Aztec Momia Azteca (which was released — in altered Mummy.

form — in the U.S. by the shameless Jerry Warren
as Attack of the Mayan Mummy) occupies its brief

Curse of the Blood-Ghouls (1962/69; Pace-running time with the exploits of a hammy
maker; Italy; b&w) Alternate Title: The Slaughter master criminal dubbed “the Bat” and his gang
of the Vampires; Original Language Title: La Strage of suit-and-fedora-clad thugs trying to find an
dei Vampiri; Director/screenwriter: Roberto Mauri; ancient Aztec treasure guarded by the living

Producer: Dino Sant’Ambrogio; Cinema
tog

-
mummy Popoca. Popoca wears an ancient breast-
raphy: Ugo Brunelli. Cast: Walter Brandy
plate and bracelet that are the keys to locating the (Brandi), Dieter Eppler, Graziella Granata, Paolo
treasure. The Bat tries to get to the mummy

Solvay, Gena Gimmy, Alfredo Rizzo, Edda Fer-
through a scientist’s fiancée, who is the reincar-
ronao, Maretta Procaccini.

nation of Popoca’s lost love. Opposing the crim-

A group of torch-wielding villagers chase two
inals is a masked crime-fighting hero who calls
fleeing vampires through the night. The female
himself “the Angel.”

bloodsucker trips and falls, while the male

About the only enjoyment that can be gleaned
escapes. She lies there screaming in terror as the
from this tedious trial (which, in time-honored
angry mob surrounds her, shouting as they poke

Universal Mummy fashion, trots out the
at her with sticks and pitchforks. So begins this
flashback footage from the original Momia Azteca

“golden age” gothic Italian horror film from 1962
to pad its threadbare plot) are a surprisingly

(released Stateside in 1969 on a double bill with
brutal fight sequence (in which one of the pro-
the British The Vampire-Beast Craves Blood), tagonists has his head repeatedly pounded into
which, disappointingly, offers little else in the way of excitement after this non-sequitur opening.

The (19th century-set) story
proper has an unnamed undead

(Dieter Eppler)— possibly the
surviving vampire from the pre-
credits sequence (though this re-
mains hazy; the fact that U.S.

prints were shorn of 10 minutes
undoubtedly impacted continu-
ity)—crash a genteel party hosted
by Austrian nobleman Wolfgang

(Walter Brandi) and his beautiful
wife Louise (Graziella Granata).

The seductive bloodsucker deter-
mines to introduce Louise to his
nocturnal world, and Wolfgang
must enlist the aid of a Van Hels-
ing-like doctor (future director

Louigi Batzella [ The Devil’s Wed-

The Aztec treasure-seeking master criminal “the Bat” (Luis Aceves ding Night] acting under the

Castañeda) hypnotizes heroine Rosita Arenas and thus invokes the

Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957/62) (U.S. lobby card aimed at Span-name Paolo Solvay) to combat
ish-speaking theaters).

the evil in their midst.

2. THE MOVIES

The Curse of the Crying Woman

119

Though pretty standard vampire fare, Curse of
better in his other vampire outings, The Playgirls the Blood-Ghouls offers more visual panache than and the Vampire and The Vampire and the Balle-most, thanks not only to the impressive,
rina.) At the end, the doctor intones, “Life has expansive and authentic castle settings (a trade-many secrets ... but I think I’m talking too much.”

mark of Italo-gothic), but to Ugo Brunelli’s

Amen.

mobile camerawork. Smooth tracking shots, var-
ied angles, and stark moody lighting add some

The Curse of the Crying Woman (1962/69; much-needed visual interest to the mundane

Cinematográfica A.B.S.A.-Clasa Mohme/ Young
story.

America Productions; Mexico; b&w) Original

Also in the visual interest department stands

Language Title: La Maldición de la Llorona; Dithe gorgeous Graziella Granata as Louisa. Director
rector: Raphael Baledon, Stim Segar (English lan-

Roberto Mauri takes every opportunity to focus
guage version); Producer: Abel Salazar, K. Gordon
on her unholy, erotically-charged longings; heav-

Murray (English version); Screenplay: Raphael
ing bosom, (barely) held in check by a plethora

Baledon, Fernando Galiana; Cinematographer:

of low-cut gowns; and ecstatic sighing.

Joseph Oritiz Ramos. Cast: Rosita Arenas, Abel

Dieter Eppler, on the other hand, makes for a

Salazar, Rita Macedo, Carlos Lopes Moctezuma,
decidedly feeble vampire. Sporting the standard

Henry Lucero, Mario Sevilla, Julissa del Llano,
evening clothes and cape, his slight frame poses

Foy Fletcher.

little in the way of physical threat (in fact, he must resort to attacking the hero with a mace at one

See nightmare after nightmare in the most
terrifying picture ever to be shown!— TV spot point, and even then is overpowered). This rather
bloodless bloodsucker does little but run around

Mexican horror movies of the 1950s and ’60s
in the dark, peep through windows, and seduce
were something of a throwback to the Universal
young women. No wonder the film’s original lan-

Gothics of the 1930s and ’40s, in that they seemed
guage title was “Slaughter of the Vampires ” (as to be trying to recapture the dark, brooding at-opposed to “Slaughter of the Humans”), since all
mosphere of those earlier classics. Often saddled
these weakling wurdalaks manage to do is get
with gonzo plots and over-the-top acting, this lit-
themselves staked.

tle subculture of horror cinema possesses its own

The banal dubbing; awkward (and overlong)

unique charm, largely due to the graveyard am-
dialogue; leisurely pacing; and unconvincing,
biance coupled with the more gruesome shocks
primitive lap-dissolve effects (not to mention the
that the less restrictive time period allowed. One
oh-so-dramatic piano and violin music score
of the better entries in the south-of-the-border
right out of the Silent era)

further work against the
film.

A simplistic, nonde-
script, and ultimately for-
gettable vamper, Curse of
the Blood-Ghouls offers
only one buxom starlet
and the occasional camera
flourish to the intrepid

’60s gothic film lover. The
actors, with the exception
of the stunning Granata

(whose thespian attributes
almost match her more
obvious ones), are as
bland and banal as the
story, with little emoting
or even reaction (beyond
the seemingly endless dis-
course) in evidence. (Male

Rita Macedo and her hounds prowl the night in The Curse of the Crying
lead Walter Brandi did

Woman (1962/69), one of the decade’s most atmospheric Mexi-horrors.

120

Curse of the Dead; The Curse of the Doll People

2. THE MOVIES
horror sweepstakes was The Curse of the Crying
and those hilariously banal names, then The Curse Woman (which premiered theatrically in the U.S.

of the Crying Woman will make any Mexican horin 1969 as a co-feature with The Brainiac).

ror aficionado smile ... and the rest, well, at least Shot during the last two weeks of November
it won’t inspire too many tears of pain.

1961, Curse’s story centers on “La Llorona” (the Crying Woman), a prominent figure in Mexican

Curse of the Dead see Kill, Baby ...

folklore. A sinister woman named Thelma sum-

Kill!

mons her estranged niece Emily, along with her
oblivious husband Herbert, to her isolated man-

The Curse of the Doll People (1961/68; sion, revealing that she is a descendent and fol-Cinematografica Calderon S.A./Trans-Interna-
lower of “the Wailing Witch.” With the aid of her
tional Films; Mexico; b&w) Original Language
ugly, murderous, Ygor-like servant —complete

Title: Muñecos Infernales; Director: Benito with stiff neck, limping gait and a reference to

Alazrahi, Paul Nagle (English version); Producer:

being saved from the gallows— named Fred, the

William Calderon Stell (Pedro A. Claderon and
evil aunt intends to use her young niece in a plan

Guillermo Calderon), K. Gordon Murray (English
to resurrect the legendary witch and thus cement
version); Screenplay: Alfred (Abel) Salazar; Di-
her own diabolical powers and immortality.

rector of Photography: Henry (Enrique) Wallace.

Given its creepy soundstage forest and (Span-

Cast: Elvira Quintano, Raymond (Ramon) Gay,
ish-style) castle (with its cobwebbed, rat-infested Robert (Roberto) G. Rivera, Quintin Bulnes, Al-interiors that’d make any Universal art director
fonso Arnold, Jorge Mondragon, Xavier Loya,
proud), and low-key lighting and evocative pho-

Nora Veryan, Luis Aragon.

tography (courtesy of cinematographer Joseph

Oritiz Ramos), Curse looks the part of a genuine GHOULS! SEE IF YOUR BOY FIENDS

Gothic horror. It also contains a number of ar-

CAN TAKE IT!— ad line
resting images. When exercising Thelma’s evil

Like the loopy south-of-the-border bad movie
powers, for instance, actress Rita Macedo wears

“classic” The Brainiac, The Curse of the Doll People appliances over her eyes that transforms them into
is one of a clutch of Mexican monster movies that
large, shiny, black orbs— a simple but disturbing
carnival owner-cum-theater builder K. Gordon
effect. In the film’s most startling scene, the witch Murray acquired from Mexico City’s Chu-flies, bat-like, directly at the camera only to
rubusco–Azteca Studios, selling them to
abruptly change from a hideous corpse-like crone

American International Television (the TV dis-
into the slightly less repulsive Thelma with her
tribution arm of AIP) as well as sending them out
oversized, blackened eyes.

as theatrical double-features (sometimes years

Producer Abel Salazar cast himself as the hero,
after they appeared on the tube!). AIP dumped Herbert; and to play his new bride, Emily, he
these dubbed disasters onto the unsuspecting
chose Venezuelan-born actress Rosa (Rosita) Are-

American air waves where they’ve resided ever
nas— which wasn’t much of a stretch, since the
since (and still pop up occasionally on Saturday
two were married in real life. Arenas also played
afternoons).

the heroine in The Witch’s Mirror, Face of the One of the more unique entries in the package

Screaming Werewolf and a trio of Aztec Mummy (though far from the best), this killer doll oddity movies. Keeping it all in the family, villainess Rita follows the machinations of a voodoo sorcerer

Macedo’s real-life daughter, Julissa del Llano
who (accompanied by his prune-faced, wide-

(who went on to become a popular movie actress
brimmed hat-wearing zombie) sends out his life-
herself ), has a small role as the young girl in the like dolls to take vengeance upon those who stole
pre-credits sequence who’s crushed under a coach
an idol from his Haitian temple. The sorcerer cre-
wheel (a brutally shocking scene).

ates his demonic dummies in his victims’ images

Granted, as with most of these south-of-the-
and traps their souls inside, then sends the
border oddities, the film sports some awkward

“medium-sized dolls” (as one character describes
dubbing and occasional bouts of monotony, and
them — though, in truth, they are actually about
the overly-protracted and lackluster fight scene
three feet tall) out to do his evil bidding. As a re-at the end between Herbert and Fred (what a
sult, midgets dressed in half-pint business suits
name for a sinister sidekick!) drags on inter-
and doll masks (resembling homely middle-aged
minably.

men—one even sports a gray goatee!) creep about

But if you can get past the occasional tedium
with long nasty needles. A woman doctor (an ex-

2. THE MOVIES

Curse of the Fly

121
pert on the occult) and her
fiancé (another doctor — who
seems to have trouble telling
if a victim is alive or dead!),
along with some very stupid
policemen, try to stop them.

Talky and slow, and lacking
the large doses of 1930s and

’40s-style atmosphere (crum-
bling castles, dank crypts,
fog-shrouded graveyards)

featured in the best Mexican
horror movies of the period,
the main enjoyment gleaned
from The Curse of the Doll

People comes from the (unin-
tentional) laughs it generates.

For instance, when the
voodooist calls the soul of his
latest victim to enter the body

A voodoo sorcerer (Quintin Bulnes), aided by his prune-faced zombie of a doll he’s constructed, said
slave, invokes The Curse of the Doll People (1961/68) in this Mexican spirit flitting about the dark-lobby card scene.

ened chamber looks for all the
world like a flying handkerchief ! Other chuckles
scene after scene of people standing around talk-
come when the heroine explores the sorcerer’s lair
ing, sitting around talking, even laying around and the zombie opens its sarcophagus lid while
talking. The dolls themselves manage to con-
her back is turned — only to quickly close it again tribute one or two shuddery moments as they
when she wheels about to see what was behind
creep ever so slowly toward their intended victim,
her (Abbott and Costello would have been
their face expressionless, needle in hand, sinister proud). But best of all, the villain hypnotizes the malice in every move.... But don’t get your hopes
heroine by using a large disco-style revolving glit-up; this is still your typical south-of-the-border
ter ball! Shake your boogey — er — booty.

celluloid junk—good for a few laughs, one or two

The script was written by Abel (Anglicized as
shudders and some atrocious dubbing. But hey,

“Alfred” for the dubbed version) Salazar, a
at least nobody wrestles in this one.

familiar name (and face) to those enamored of

Murray released The Curse of the Doll People

Mexican monster movies. An actor (who initially
theatrically in 1968 on a double bill with the far
specialized in light comedy) in Mexico since 1941,
superior The Vampire (Mexico’s take on Dracula), Salazar soon turned his hand to producing and
advertising the duo as “A psychedelic trip into the even formed his own company in 1957. He some-5th dimension!” Well, it was the sixties, after all...

times scripted, and often acted in, his own fea-
tures (including taking the title role in The

Curse of the Fly (1965; 20th Century–Fox; Brainiac) as well as those made by others (such b&w) Director: Don Sharp; Producers: Robert L.

as this one, produced by Pedro A. Calderon and

Lippert and Jack Parsons; Screenplay: Harry

Guillermo Calderon, which was combined into

Spalding; Cinematographer: Basil Emmett. Cast:

“William Calderon Stell” for American viewers).

Brian Donlevy, George Baker, Carole Gray, Yvette

As with most K. Gordon Murray jobs, the dub-

Rees, Burt Kwouk, Michael Graham, Mary Man-
bing is generally toneless but the dialogue is often son.

quite funny. “Your young fiancé,” remarks the
sorcerer to the heroine, “who denies the existence

What Made Them Half-Human Creatures From

The 4th Dimension?— tagline
of all he is unable to measure or place under a mi-
croscope, is assuredly a drooling idiot!” Zing.

This final installment in a series that began with

As far as the acting goes, however, the cast
the 1958 blockbuster The Fly sometimes is deri-would be better suited to a film entitled The Curse sively referred to as “the Fly movie without the
of the DULL People. The picture is padded with Fly.” True enough, viewers who tune in only for

122

Curse of the Fly

2. THE MOVIES
the familiar insect-headed creature in a lab coat
hide evidence of the secret experiments, Henri
will leave disappointed. However, anyone willing
sets in motion a series of events that lead to
to meet Curse of the Fly half way will discover a calamity.

suspenseful, character-driven, adult-minded sci-

For Curse of the Fly, producers Robert L.

ence fiction thriller.

Lippert and Jack Parsons reunited director Don

A generation after the events depicted in The

Sharp and screenwriter Harry Spalding, the team

Fly, Henri Delambre (Brian Donlevy) has become behind the unfairly neglected 1964 chiller Witch-obsessed with perfecting father’s experimental
craft. While not as rewarding a discovery as that matter-transportation device. His two adult sons,
hidden gem, Curse of the Fly remains underrated.

Martin (George Baker) and Albert (Michael Gra-

Smartly written, stylishly directed and believably
ham), share in the work but not in Henri’s Ahab-
performed, it’s the thinking person’s Fly film.

like fixation on the transporter. Both yearn to

Spalding’s screenplay blends super-science and
move on with their lives, despite making fantastic
star-crossed lovers, recreating the undertone of
advances. The Delambres can now transport peo-
romantic tragedy that served the original Fly so ple and objects from Quebec to London and back,
well. Sharp handles both elements deftly, and ap-
but such progress has been made at a steep price,
pears equally invested in pastoral romantic inter-
including three deformed human “mistakes” now
ludes between Martin and Patricia and in the
kept behind locked doors at the Delambres’ Cana-
film’s bracing shock moments.

dian manor.

The picture is strewn with arresting sequences,

Henri turns apoplectic when he learns that
beginning with its opening credits, which are in-

Martin has married a young woman named Pa-
tercut with striking, slow motion footage of Pat,
tricia (Carole Gray), who he met and fell in love
wearing only a bra and panties, escaping through
with on a short vacation in Toronto. Worse yet,
an asylum window and racing into the woods.

Pat didn’t reveal to Martin that she’s an escaped

Sharp’s prowling camera and Basil Emmett’s
mental patient. Soon the police, looking for Pat,
evocative lighting design create a sense of mount-
come snooping around Chateau Delambre. To
ing tension throughout. In one exemplary scene,

Pat is awakened by the sound of off-key piano
playing lilting up from the sitting room of the De-
lambre mansion. She leaves her bed to investigate
and discovers a strange woman seated at the fam-
ily’s baby grand. When Pat enters, the woman
turns her head and reveals that one side of her face is horribly scarred (it appears half-melted, thanks to Harold Fletcher’s simple but jarringly effective makeup).

While it includes enough shock moments to
satisfy the film’s core audience, Spalding’s
scenario also offers more subtle tensions. For in-
stance: To hide the nature of the family’s secret
experiments from his new wife, Martin tries to
convince Pat that her meeting with the melted-
face woman was only a nightmare. But this leads

Pat to fear that she may be suffering a relapse of
her (unspecified) mental illness. Martin agonizes
over what would be more harmful, revealing the
true nature of the family business or allowing Pat
to question her fragile sanity. He’s also torn be-
tween his loyalties to his new bride and to his
domineering, manipulative father. (“Send her
back,” Henri pleads. “You can’t do this to us!”)

These are well-sketched, carefully shaded charac-
ters placed in complex situations— something
rarely found in bottom-of-the-bill B-movies like

A disfigured victim of the Curse of the Fly (1965).

this one.

2. THE MOVIES

The Curse of the Living Corpse

123

Baker and Gray display good chemistry and de-
it pales next to Party Beach because it seems too liver unaffected and touching portrayals as the
familiar, stale and formulaic, especially when
doomed lovers. Donlevy essentially reprises his
viewed side-by-side with its original and energetic patented irascible scientist shtick from his two
companion feature.

appearances as Dr. Quatermass (in The Creeping

In turn-of-the-century New England, the Sin-

Unknown [1955/56] and Enemy from Space clair family — including vain, philandering Bruce

[1957]), which is either good or bad depending

(Robert Milli), besotted Philip (Roy Scheider),
on how you feel about Donlevy’s Quatermass
timid Abigail (Helen Warren) and creepy-looking
work. (Your authors approve.) Graham doesn’t
groundskeeper Seth (J. Frank Lucas), among oth-
have much screen time as Martin‘s brother Albert,
ers— gather for the reading of patriarch Rufus
but comes through in the chilling final act, pro-

Sinclair’s will. There’s some question as to
viding the most emotionally harrowing moments
whether or not Sinclair died of natural causes
in the entire picture.

since (in a lift from Poe) the old man was prone

Producers Lippert and Parsons hoped some
to cataleptic fits and had a morbid fear of prema-
residual marquee value remained with the Fly
ture burial. In his testament Rufus vows to return
brand name, even though six years had elapsed
from the grave and kill anyone who violates the
since Return of the Fly (1959), the quickie sequel terms of the will — and to do so in a manner

Fox rushed into production while box office re-
fulfilling the victim’s darkest fears. Even before
ceipts were still pouring in from the first Fly. Ul-the reading, everyone has broken those terms.

timately, Curse of the Fly debuted on the lower Soon afterward, a masked, cloaked figure appears
half of a twin bill with the modern-dress vampire
and launches a murder spree, beginning with
yarn Devils of Darkness, a co-feature it thoroughly outclassed. The duo failed to make a dent at the
box office. Seldom shown on TV, Curse of the Fly sank into relative obscurity until finally revived
with a U.S. DVD release, part of a boxed set with
the original Fly and Return of the Fly (1959), in 2007. It remains a picture overdue for reappraisal.

The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964; Deal/Fox; b&w). Producer/Director/Screenplay:

Del Tenney; Cinematography: Richard Hilliard.

Cast: Roy Scheider, Helen Warren, Robert Milli,

Margot Hartman, Hugh Franklin, Linda Dono-
van, Candace Hilligoss.

“More terrifying than Frankenstein!

More deadly than Dracula!”— trailer

But not as much fun as The Horror of Party

Beach (1964).

The Curse of the Living Corpse may be best remembered as the other movie that debuted on the double feature with Party Beach. But it wasn’t intended that way. Living Corpse was the first of the two pictures written and filmed. Party Beach was a last-minute inspiration to fill out the twin
bill. Filmmaker Del Tenney must have figured
that Living Corpse was the safe bet of the duo.

Where Party Beach— the first movie to blend the horror and beach party genres— was a shot in the
dark, Living Corpse was a known commodity: a Though presented in support of the far more outré strait-laced chiller, complete with a spooky old

Horror of Party Beach, the gothic-oriented Curse
house, a curse, a masked killer (or is it a ghost?)

of the Living Corpse (1964) offered up a few jaw-and other proven elements. Ironically, however,
dropping moments itself (courtesy Ted Okuda).

124

Curse of the Living Dead; The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb

2. THE MOVIES
pretty maid Letty (Linda Donovan), Bruce’s gal-
financed and distributed in America by
pal. In the film’s most memorable scene, her sev-

Universal) was going to be a rather unusual one.

ered head is served to Bruce on his morning

As described in the Daily Cinema: “A group of ar-breakfast tray!

chaeologists on a routine expedition into the Sa-

Unfortunately, nothing else in the film matches
hara Desert ... discover an ancient tomb contain-
the frisson of that moment. While not altogether ing the mummy of a Pharaoh. Dabbling in things
bad, Living Corpse remains a tepid body-count they don’t understand, they bring to life a mon-mystery — quite similar to the dozens of assem-
strous twenty-foot giant which goes on a murder
bly-line “krimis” coming out of Germany at the
rampage in Cairo. When the gigantic Creature es-
time (but lacking the continental style and exotic
capes into the desert, aircraft and parachute
flair that made some of those films quirkily en-
troops go in pursuit.” This rather grandiose Giant
tertaining whodunits). Tenney devotes virtually

Monster concept was quickly dropped (though,
no screen time to the idea that the killer might
curiously, the pre-production art showing a gar-
actually be Rufus returned from the grave, so any
gantuan mummy holding a screaming girl was
possible supernatural spark is extinguished
retained for the British posters), with producer-
quickly. The acting is mostly in the stilted, pre-
director Michael Carreras ultimately penning the
cisely enunciated, costume drama style, although
scaled-down screenplay (under his pseudonym

Milli makes a first-class heel as the caddish Bruce.

“Henry Younger”). Shooting began on February

Future Jaws star Scheider, making his film debut, 28, 1964, and concluded May 8, with the feature
isn’t too bad as the drunken, sardonic Philip. Liv-slotted as support for Hammer’s The Gorgon.

ing Corpse also features the only other movie ap-A 19th century expedition financed by crass
pearance of Candace Hilligoss, star of Carnival of American showman Alexander King (Fred Clark)

Souls (1962). She has very little to do here, and uncovers the mummy of Prince Ra-Antef, with
makes the least of her limited screen time.

King intending to exploit the find via a money-

As if having “the world’s first horror-monster
making world tour. The Mummy (Dickie Owen)

musical” on the bill wasn’t attraction enough, the
awakens from its long sleep and begins murdering

Party Beach/Living Corpse double feature pre-those who defiled its resting place. The enigmatic
miered with a promotional gimmick—the “Fright

Adam Beauchamp (Terence Morgan) appears on

Release.” The theatrical trailer warned, “Remem-
the scene, and it’s soon revealed that Beauchamp
ber — you will not be admitted unless you release
is actually the brother of the Mummy(!) and had
this theater from all responsibility for death by
fright!” Patrons were handed a “Fright Release”

certificate as they walked (or, more often, drove)

into the theater. In actuality, no theater manager
could have worried overmuch about “death by
fright” liability for the indifferent Living Corpse.

Curse of the Living Dead see Kill,

Baby ... Kill!

The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964; Hammer; U.K.) Director/Producer: Michael Carreras; Screenplay: Henry Younger (Michael Car-
reras); Cinematographer: Otto Heller. Cast: Ter-
ence Morgan, Fred Clark, Ronald Howard, Jeanne

Roland, Bernard Rebel, George Pastell, Jack

Gwillim.

HALF-BONE HALF BANDAGE AND ALL

BLOOD-CURDLING HORROR!— poster blurb

Hammer’s second mummy movie has little of
the energy and excitement of their first, The

Mummy (1959), and a much less impressive title character. Initially, the project (slated to be co-Ad for The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964).

2. THE MOVIES

Curse of the Stone Hand

125
been cursed with eternal life by his Pharaoh father riors are up to Hammer’s usual opulent
for murdering Ra-Antef: “[Rameses] cursed him
standards. Michael Carreras, in only his second
to everlasting life — unless he could die by the
directing job, proved unimaginative as a director,
hand of his own brother.” Beauchamp used an
and builds very little suspense. Once the Mummy
amulet containing “the sacred Words of Life” to
gets rolling, however, the action picks up as he
revive his sibling and so provide the means to end
engages in some impressive set-bashing.

his eternal suffering (“Life without end is the only Still, though The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb
pain I can no longer bear,” he laments). It’s up to is ostensibly little more than another (overlong)

archeologist John Bray (Ronald Howard) to dis-
mummy-on-the-loose movie, its story line features
cover the truth and save his fiancée (Jeanne
a truly distinctive and novel concept: An immortal, Roland) from the clutches of Beauchamp (who’s
weary of the burden of immortality, revives the
become smitten with her and wants her to join
mummy as a means to commit suicide. Full marks him in the afterlife) and the Mummy.

for originality if not for (ahem) execution.

With its convoluted and overcrowded scenario

(the first hour is scattered with subplots involving

Curse of the Stone Hand (1964; A.D.P. Pro-the various archeologists and participants), its obductions.; Chile; b&w) Directors: Hugo Chris-
vious cost-conscious corner cutting and its
tensen, Jerry Warren; Producers: Carl Gallart,
overfed, underworked monster, The Curse of the

Andrew Edwards; Screenplay: F. Amos Powell,

Mummy’s Tomb is a rather disappointing follow-Marie Laurent; Cinematographer: Richard You-
up to Hammer’s initial venture into cinematic
nis. Cast: Ernest Walch, John Carradine, Sheila

Egyptology. As the Mummy, stuntman Dickie

Bon, Charles Cores, Catherine Victor, Lloyd Nel-

Owen, wearing makeup by Roy Ashton, looks
son, Bruno Ve Sota (narrator).

both uncomfortable and ungainly in his barrel-
bellied suit of bandages. Ra-Antef must have en-

What lurid secret lied [ sic] beyond that
hidden door?— ad line
joyed his Tana juice, since he’s acquired quite a
thick midsection. The prominent prosthetic tem-

“You will not forget this adventure into chills!”

ples and angular cheekbones Ashton added to

So claimed the ads for a triple bill consisting of

Owen’s gaunt face after an early makeup test was

Face of the Screaming Werewolf, My Son the Vam-deemed unsatisfactory only serve to make the
pire and this film, the Chilean-lensed, Jerry War-Mummy look like a walking piece of dirty plaster
ren-tampered-with Curse of the Stone Hand. This of Paris. And it’s nearly an hour before the Band-triple-bill was memorable, all right — but for all
aged One is up and stalking about, leaving us to
the wrong reasons. The hapless viewer lured to
make do with the various squabbling amongst the
the cinema back in the Sixties might indeed have

Brits, Egyptians and Americans.

a hard time driving this terrible trio of tripe out Fortunately, the cast, for the most part, is good,
of his or her mind.

and the film’s main asset. American comic actor

Grade-Z filmmaker Jerry Warren ( Face of the

Fred Clark plays the brash but likable American

Screaming Werewolf, Attack of the Mayan showman Alexander King with a P.T. Barnum-Mummy, etc.) made a career out of buying up for-esque enthusiasm and good humor that proves a
eign horror films, excising exposition scenes to
breath of fresh colonial air in the rather stuffy
avoid extensive — and expensive — dubbing (and

Victorian atmosphere. Ronald Howard (son of
generally dubbing only those scenes in which

Gone with the Wind’s Leslie Howard) as the hero-characters are turned away from the camera so as archeologist (looking a little like Patrick Macnee) to get around having to match their mouth move-also makes the most of his rather limited role.

ments), adding voice-over narration and inserting

Jeanne Roland (a Burmese-born model named
cheaply-shot sequences with low-rent actors in

Jean Rollins whom Carreras had met at a party),
which the new characters do nothing but talk. Of
however, is vapid and uninteresting as the typical
course, this usually left him with about half a
nightgowned heroine (and her voice had to be
movie, so Warren would splice in scenes from yet
dubbed by another actress).

another import to bring his “new” feature up to

To save costs (the film was budgeted at only

(barely) feature length. Consequently, a “Warren”

£103,000), the production was completely set-
film is invariably a jumbled mess of vaguely re-
bound, with no exteriors. Though the supposedly lated sequences mixed with tedious, ridiculous,

“outdoor” desert scenes are as about as
and even tangential “original” footage that rarely
convincing as an original Star Trek set, the inte-makes more than rudimentary sense.

126

Curse of the Vampire; Curse of the Voodoo

2. THE MOVIES

Curse of the Stone Hand is comprised (apart milieu. Of course, it doesn’t sound good, with the from the terrible inserts Warren filmed with the
poor dubbing and inappropriate canned music
likes of John Carradine and Catherine Victor) of

(of the 1940s Monogram variety) laid haphazardly
footage from two Chilean omnibuses from the
over scenes (courtesy of the haphazard Mr. War-

1940s— La Dama de la Muerte (directed by Carlos ren). Still, some of the impressive visuals makes

Hugo Christensen) and La Casa Esta Vacia
one long to see the original film before Warren

(helmed by Carlos Schlieper). Oversized sculpted
got his hands on it, as exemplified by one
hands situated “in every single room of the house
sequence in which the protagonist, marked for
as well as outside of it” apparently bring down a
death, sees in his fevered mind danger in every
curse upon whoever occupies a large seaside es-
approaching figure — even recoiling from a grin-
tate. The first story has a newlywed gentleman in
ning deaths head transposed over the face of a
financial difficulty seek relief in a private
passing woman in a startlingly eerie scene.

gambling establishment that turns out to be a sui-

The second story, the slow and meandering
cide club. The second tale follows the nefarious

“House of Gloom,” fares worse, since it relies
activities of a young boy who falls under the
more on dialogue than visuals, resulting in the

Hands’ evil spell and grows into a domineering
various Warren inserts bringing the already
tyrant who lords it over his family, leading to
leisurely pace to a grinding halt. And it features
tragedy.

little in the way of horror, apart from the final

Admittedly, the film looks good — at least in
scene awkwardly bringing in the old Dorian Gray-
parts (particularly in Christensen’s “Suicide Club”

like self-portrait angle to reveal the degeneration half, which, being strong in visual storytelling, is of the main character’s soul, but in an almost
thankfully free of any mismatched Warren
nonsensical — even non sequitur — manner.

footage)— with some mobile camerawork and

“Those were just patch jobs,” admitted Cather-
evocative lighting making the most of the opulent
ine Victor (in Science Fiction Stars and Horror He-interiors and foggy, gaslit, horse-drawn-carriage
roes, by Tom Weaver) about the Warren pictures.

“I remember Curse of the Stone Hand because we did that with John Carradine. We shot that in a
beautiful home in the Los Feliz area; these people
were friends of Jerry’s. I remember talking to John Carradine and I asked him, ‘Why do you do pictures like this?’ and he said, ‘The color of the
money’s the same.’” And getting paid is about the
only reason ever to go near Curse of the Stone

Hand.

Curse of the Vampire see Playgirls
and the Vampire

Curse of the Voodoo (1965; Allied Artists; U.K.; b&w) Alternate Titles: Curse of Simba (U.K.); Voodoo Blood Death; Director: Lindsay Shonteff; Producer: Fred Slark; Screenplay: Tony

O’Grady (additional scenes and Dialogue by Leigh

Vance); Cinematographer: Gerald Gibbs. Cast:

Bryant Haliday, Dennis Price, Lisa Daniely,

Ronald Leigh Hunt, Mary Kerridge, John Witty.

THE HORROR AND BESTIALITIES OF

VOODOO IN A STORY THAT REACHES

ACROSS FOUR CENTURIES AND

CONTINENTS...— ad line

“There was a script called The Lion Man that One-sheet poster for the half-baked Curse of the
was brought to us by a man name Tony O’Grady,

Stone Hand (1964).

who had written it on speculation,” recalled ex-

2. THE MOVIES

Curse of the Voodoo

127
ecutive producer Richard

Gordon about this film’s genesis.

(Note: Tony O’Grady is actually
an early pseudonym used by

Brian Clemens, who went on to
write for and produce The

Avengers TV series as well as such
features as Dr. Jekyll and Sister

Hyde and Captain Kronos, Vam-
pire Hunter.) “Despite the fact
the setting of the story was
mostly in Africa, we felt it could
be done very well in England
with a little bit of luck in finding
the right locations. So we did
some little rewriting on the
screenplay to fit the locations
we’d selected and went right
ahead with it.” What resulted
was an earnest but rather
sluggish low-budget tale of

African black magic (with Lon-
don-area woodlands standing in
for the Dark Continent).

In Africa, big-game hunter
and safari guide Mike Stacey

British ad for Curse of the Voodoo (1965), titled The Curse of Simba

(Bryant Haliday) breaks taboo by
in the U.K.

following a wounded lion into
the land of the dreaded Simbaza, a lion-worship-

Shonteff includes numerous filler sequences (such
ping tribe. He kills the beast but receives a
as tepid nightclub scenes) that do nothing to ad-
mauling in the process. Stacey flies to London to
vance the story or mood. Even worse, Stacey
attempt a reconciliation with his wife (Lisa
makes for a rather unlikable protagonist as the

Daniely), while back in Africa the Simbaza use
alcoholic, self-pitying hunter. Humorless and
voodoo to magically reopen Stacey’s lion-inflicted
continually scowling, Stacey’s condescension and
wound. Frightening images plague Stacey, as he
arrogant attitude inspires little sympathy in the
feels the stalking presence of a lion or flees
viewer — a pathos vital in order to make the
through the woods pursued by spear-wielding

“curse” scenario come to life for the audience.

warriors. His only hope is to return to Africa and

Though playing a rather cold fish, Bryant Haliday
slay the witchdoctor who cursed him.

(who spent most of his acting career in France

It’s difficult to dislike Curse of the Voodoo, and made only four English language pictures—
mostly because of its sheer earnestness. It is a

Devil Doll, Curse of the Voodoo, The Projected Man deadly serious film with no touch of whimsy or
and Tower of Evil) does what he can, bringing an camp about it. The participants play their parts
intense assuredness to the role of Stacey that adds and treat their subject with a grim solemnity
efficacy and (some) poignancy to the plight of a

(whose somber tone is only enhanced by the gray
man bedeviled by forces beyond his control.

skies and dark photography)— no doubt due, in

Curse was budgeted at (35,000, but due to
part, to the lousy weather and uncomfortable
weather-related delays it ballooned to (50,000
conditions that prevailed during shooting.

(still less than $150,000). Visually, it looks like all Yet it’s also nearly just as difficult to like the of its production dollars ended up on the screen,
film, for its slow pace and cranky characters pos-
thanks in no small part to the clever use of some
sess little appeal. Not only does the picture sport impressive stock footage. “We got some pretty
seemingly endless scenes of Stacey lying in bed
good black and white stock footage to pump up
suffering nightmares or of his dysfunctional at-
the African scenes,” remembered Gordon. Indeed
tempts to reconcile with his wife, director Lindsay they did, and the well-integrated shots of African

128

Curse of the Werewolf

2. THE MOVIES
animals add a bit of authenticity lacking in the

Hammer Films’ unorthodox Curse of the Were-
closer jungle scenes (with English forests standing wolf marked a radical departure from previous in for the African bush).

wolf man entries in its mythology and tone, re-

Originally announced as The Lion Man, the
casting lycanthropy as a struggle between good
film became The Curse of Simba in the U.K. and and evil within the soul and transforming subject

Curse of the Voodoo in the U.S., where it was dou-matter normally relegated to B-budget quickies
ble-billed with Frankenstein Meets the Spacemon-into the stuff of a sprawling epic. As a result, the ster. Though rather somber and leaning toward picture remains divisive; most viewers either love
the dull side, Curse of the Voodoo stands as an off-it or loathe it.

beat, occasionally intriguing ’60s British horror

A bedraggled beggar (Richard Wordsworth)

entry.

shambles into the wedding feast of a despised des-

With quotes from: Drums of Terror: Voodoo in
pot (Anthony Dawson), where the poor man is
the Cinema, by Bryan Senn.

humiliated and (after making a careless joke at
the expense of the Marquis) locked away in the

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961; Ham-palace dungeon. Forgotten, he wastes away in the
mer/Universal-International; U.K.) Director: Ter-
dungeon for decades, cared for by the jailer and
ence Fisher; Producer/Screenplay: Anthony
his mute daughter, who grows into a lovely young

Hinds (as John Elder); Cinematographer: Arthur
servant girl. When the mute woman spurns the

Grant. Cast: Oliver Reed, Clifford Evans, Yvonne
advances of the Marquis, she is locked in the dun-

Romain, Catherine Feller, Anthony Dawson,
geon with the now-mad beggar, who rapes her.

Richard Wordsworth, Justin Walters, John

Freed from the dungeon to service the Marquis,

Gabriel, Martin Matthews, John Gabriel.

the servant instead stabs the tyrant to death and
flees into the countryside, where she is found

He fought the hideous curse of his evil birth,
barely alive and taken under the wing of kindly
but his ravished victims were proof that the

Professor Carrido (Clifford Evans). The mute
cravings of his beast-blood demanded
woman gives birth to a son (the product of the
he kill ... Kill ... KILL!— tagline
dungeon assault) and dies, leaving Carrido to
raise the child, who he names Leon.

Flash forward: Goats begin turning up with
their throats ripped out. Young Leon complains
of strange nightmares and confesses to an affinity
for the taste of blood. Carrido consults the village priest (John Gabriel), who explains that an evil
wolf-spirit has taken residence in the child’s body and now battles the boy’s immortal soul for control. Those things like prayer and loving kindness, which strengthen the soul, weaken the wolf-spirit;
things like anger and lust, which weaken the soul,
strengthen the wolf-spirit. Flash forward again:

Now a young man, Leon (Oliver Reed) strikes out
on his own, landing a job bottling wine and
launching an ill-fated romance with his
employer’s already-engaged daughter (Catherine

Feller). Then a debauched night out with a
coworker unlocks Leon’s inner wolf and sets in
motion a series of events that leads to tragedy.

The movie’s detractors complain that Curse of
the Werewolf is too slow and doesn’t include enough monster action. Yet in fact its pace is quite brisk. If anything, too much happens in the course of the film —even the lengthy summary provided
above leaves out several prominent supporting

Oliver Reed in full (wrinkly) regalia for The Curse
characters and subplots. However, Curse may in-
of the Werewolf (1961).

deed seem slow to viewers simply waiting around

2. THE MOVIES

Dance of the Vampires

129
for the werewolf to show up. Reed doesn’t appear

As usual for Hammer productions of this vin-
until nearly 48 of the film’s 93 minutes have
tage, Curse of the Werewolf boasts outstanding elapsed, and the werewolf is first glimpsed at the
production values— top drawer sets, costumes,

63-minute mark.

makeup and lighting. The film’s setting was

This could have been avoided through some
hastily rewritten from France to Spain to make
structural revisions to the script —for instance,
use of expensive sets built for The Rape of Sabena, by beginning the story in media res with the were-a swashbuckler set during the Spanish Inquisition
wolf on the prowl, and by tightening the elaborate
which was abandoned after the Catholic Church
back-story about Leon’s unfortunate mother for
threatened to ban the film. Although this change
use as a later flashback sequence. But such
was born of convenience, the Spanish setting
changes would have materially altered the style
lends Curse another distinctive touch, setting it of picture and undermined its epic, multi-gener-apart from most gothic chillers typically set in
ational scope. As it stands, Curse (adapted from Eastern Europe or in gaslit London or Paris.

French novelist Guy Endore’s The Werewolf of

The film’s only major demerits, from a technical

Paris) plays like something out of Alexandre perspective, are an embarrassing man-to-were-Dumas or Victor Hugo. It’s a sweeping, wide-
wolf transformation scene, which relies on a pair
angle yarn teeming with well-drawn characters
of absurdly fake-looking hands and crude stop-
and packed with melodramatic tension.

motion animation (fortunately, all the other

Once the werewolf finally appears, monster
transformations occur off screen), and its reliance lovers get their money’s worth. Roy Ashton’s crea-on often-redundant voiceover narration, delivered
ture makeup is a masterpiece of fur and grease-
in the same cooing, “once upon a time” style as a
paint, the most ferocious-looking lycanthrope in

Walt Disney animated feature.

movie history. Under the makeup Reed snarls and

Fisher, years later, named Curse of the Werewolf growls with bulging-eyed, feral intensity. Director as his personal favorite among his films. “It is cer-Terence Fisher and cinematographer Arthur
tainly the deepest of all my films, in emotional

Grant pull no punches in the film’s two extended
content and in the inter-relationship of the char-
werewolf sequences— which, thanks to shrewd
acters.... All the performances were tremendous,”

composition and shot selection, seem incredibly

Fisher said. “I love the film because it is my only vicious. One shot, panning across the remains of
one with the core of a true love story in it.”

the monster’s first victim, her bedroom covered

Fisher was also pleased with the way the film
in splattered blood and shattered glass, plays like addressed his recurrent theme of Christian good
something from the Dario Argento oeuvre— ex-defeating pagan-satanic evil. Even though, after
traordinarily powerful stuff for 1961.

his death, Leon remains in werewolf form (an-

While intimidating as the werewolf, Reed re-
other departure from previous screen lycan-
mains sympathetic and endearing as the tor-
thropes), Fisher believed that the moral remained
mented Leon. Hammer intended Curse to be a clear. “The silver bullet, melted from a cross, is
breakout role for Reed, and the actor gave it his
only symbolic for the power of Good, which as
best, even though true stardom would elude him
always destroys the power of Evil in the end,” he
a few years longer. His work stands out even
said. “The physical body of the werewolf remains,
though the film is practically bursting with excel-
but the message is just the same.... The body of
lent performances. The screenplay (written by
the werewolf was irrelevant. It was just the vehicle producer Anthony Hinds under his usual “John
in which his soul was trapped. If you come to

Elder” pseudonym) sketches the supporting char-
think of it all like this, it is a very religious pic-acters with great care, and the cast realizes them
ture.”

brilliantly. Especially impressive are: Dawson as

It’s also a very enjoyable one, even if at times
the cruel, lecherous Marques; Wordsworth as the
it seems more like Les Miserables than The Wolf befuddled beggar; Romain as the courageous,

Man.

mute servant girl; Justin Walters as the timid,

With quotes from: “Terence Fisher in Conver-
confused young Leon; Warren Mitchell as Pepe,
sation” by Jan Van Genechten, from Little Shoppe the beleaguered but intrepid watchman; and
of Horrors No. 19.

Matthews as Jose, Leon’s bon vivant friend (and second victim). This peppering of unforgettable
secondary characters lends the picture much of

Dance of the Vampires see The
its appeal.

Fearless Vampire Killers

130

Dark Intruder

2. THE MOVIES

Dark Intruder (1965; Universal; b&w) Direc-mit ritual slayings. Meanwhile, antique dealer
tor: Harvey Hart; Producer: Jack Laird; Screen-

Robert Vanderberg (Mark Richman), who’s en-
play: Barre Lyndon; Cinematography: John F.

gaged to Kingsford’s dim-witted gal pal Evelyn

Warren. Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Mark Richman, Judi

(Judi Meredith), has been suffering mysterious

Meredith, Gilbert Green, Charles Bolender,
blackouts; Robert fears he might be the killer. But Werner Klemperer.

the truth, Kingsford discovers, is more compli-
cated — and more frightening, since the killer

He killed with the power of demons a
turns out not to be a run-of-the-mill maniac, but
million years old!— tagline
a Hyde-like, inhuman monster.

A top-hatted, cloaked, Ripper-like killer stalks

The little-known Dark Intruder began as a pilot the streets of 1890 San Francisco, slashing women
for a proposed TV series titled The Black Cloak, and leaving strange ivory statues—figures of some
produced by Alfred Hitchcock’s Shamley Produc-
ancient god—at the crime scene. After the fourth
tions at Universal City. When the series failed to
murder, the exasperated police call in occult
sell, Universal expanded and renamed the pilot
expert and amateur detective Brett Kingsford
for release as a short (59-minute) theatrical fea-

(Leslie Neilsen), a free-spirited playboy who lives ture. The picture’s small-screen origins are ap-with a dwarf servant named Nikoli (Charles
parent in its daytime and interior scenes, which

Bolender) and a giant mandrake plant that shivers
are shot in the flat, over-lit style of most 1960s
in the presence of supernatural forces. Soon

TV shows, but its nighttime exterior sequences

Kingsford ascertains that the ivory figures repre-
are far more atmospheric, full of thickly draped
sent a Sumerian demon, which is said to take pos-
shadows and drifting fog.

session of human beings and force them to com-

Although far-fetched even by the standards of
supernatural horror, Barre Lyndon’s
scenario is lively and suspenseful, effec-
tively balancing action, mystery and
old-fashioned monster sequences. Only
its (thankfully brief ) comedy relief bits
falter, and then mostly because they
center on the attractive but unfunny

Judi Meredith as the ditsy Evelyn. Brett

Kingsford (sleuth, occultist, master of
disguise and notorious rake) is a fasci-
nating character, endearingly portrayed
by Neilsen. Richman also fares well, al-
beit in a more conventional role as

Robert. The film’s action sequences are
furious and flashy, especially a scene in
which Kingsford is attacked by the
monster in Robert’s antique shop,
fighting off the creature with his sword-
cane. The monster makeup (credited to

Bud Westmore), with gnarled claws and
a deformed, ape-like face, isn’t up to

1965 big-screen standards in terms of
realism but at least looks appropriately
grotesque.

Dark Intruder
proves effective
enough to inspire viewers to imagine
what The Black Cloak might have been:

a unique 19th century action-horror se-
ries with a likeable and dynamic lead in

Neilsen, like a cross between Robert

Conrad in The Wild, Wild West and

Ad for Dark Intruder (1965).

Darren McGavin as Kolchak, the Night

2. THE MOVIES

The Day Mars Invaded Earth

131
movies to support the studio’s bigger pictures on
double bills.

Written by Harry Spalding ( Witchcraft [1964], The Earth Dies Screaming and Curse of the Fly

[both 1965]), The Day Mars Invaded Earth begins with a cheesy robot probe moving across the barren surface of Mars for a few seconds before it
stops dead amid a puff of smoke. At a loss to ex-
plain it, Cape Canaveral rocket scientist Dr. Fielding (Kent Taylor) heads to a relative’s soon-to-
be-sold Beverly Hills mansion to reunite with his
family and try to save his disintegrating marriage.

The family, isolated on the huge estate, soon begin seeing doppelgangers of themselves, and they discover that the bodiless inhabitants of Mars (“We
have intelligence in the abstract, much like your
electricity here,” explains Fielding’s alien double) used the probe to “transmit [their] intelligence”

to Earth, where they intend to impersonate Field-
ing and his family in order to halt the exploratory invasion of their planet.

Constructed more like a haunted house movie
than a sci-fi flick, Day generates a creepy ambiance (aided by some surprisingly effective day-for-night photography) as the principals wander
about the huge, isolated estate and keep seeing
each other in places they simply cannot be. The

One-sheet poster for the surprisingly eerie The
doppelgangers initially appear more like appari-

Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963).

tions than aliens, emerging unexpectedly to
simply stare and look sinister (observing their

Stalker. The possibilities are tantalizing, but fans

“hosts” in order to emulate their behavior, we
will have to settle for this one-off treat.

later learn), exuding an air of icy menace. Their
terrifying power, however, is revealed when they

The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963; 20th make a meddlesome family friend spontaneously

Century–Fox; b&w) Director/producer: Maury
combust with just a glance and an accompanying

Dexter; Screenplay: Harry Spalding; Cinematog-
high-pitched tone. The dry ice smoke pouring
rapher: John Nickolaus, Jr. Cast: Kent Taylor,
from the terrified man’s clothing (before he’s re-

Marie Windsor, William Mims, Betty Beall, Low-
duced — after a coy cutaway — to a vaguely man-
ell Brown, Gregg Shank, Henrietta Moore, Troy
shaped pile of ashes on the flagstones) is cheap

Melton, George Riley.

but chilling.

The cost-conscious production requires con

SUDDENLY THEY WERE HUMAN
fining its small cast to almost a single setting, but SHELLS ... THEIR BODIES AND BRAINS
this ultimately adds to the general sense of unease DESTROYED BY SUPER-MINDS OF
and isolation. Fortunately, the cast proved up to

ANOTHER WORLD!— poster
the task, particularly Kent Taylor (whose career

Here’s a horror film disguised as science fiction
stretched back to the early 1930s), who in the 1960s in order to ride out the end of the sci-fi wave still tended to walk through his roles (offering som-cresting from the 1950s. Though lensed in Cine-
nambulistic turns in such sixties shockers as The mascope and distributed by major studio 20th

Crawling Hand, Brides of Blood and The Mighty Century–Fox, The Day Mars Invaded Earth has Gorga) but here provides some unexpected anima-more of a low-budget AIP feel, which is not sur-
tion and warmth as the likable workaholic scientist prising considering it was made by Robert Lip-trying to balance his calling with his family life.

pert’s Associated Producers, who contracted with

Marie Windsor ( Chamber of Horrors [1966], Salem’s Fox to make cheap black-and-white ‘Scope

Lot [1979]) appears both natural and believable as

132

The Day of the Triffids

2. THE MOVIES

Fielding’s long-suffering wife, whose ambivalence
that nearly the entire population of London (and
about their relationship shines through in her
as he later learns, the world) has been struck blind gloomy yet still affectionate interactions. (This
after watching a spectacular shower of green me-
marriage-on-the-rocks subtext adds a more adult
teors the night before. Since his eyes were band-
flavor to the proceedings than that usually found
aged, Masen’s vision is saved. In addition to the
in lower berth sci-fi/horrors of the time.)

plague of blindness, however, the meteors brought

Of course, talk is cheap, and a Lippert budget
something even worse to earth: triffids—walking,
dictated that most of the running time be filled with carnivorous plants who prey on the suddenly help-it. The lack of action causes the film to sag in spots, less humans. Masen saves the life of a young sighted but the likable characters and apprehensive atmos-girl (Janina Faye) and together they flee from
phere helps paper over the cracks, and Harry Spald-

London to Touloun, France, and on to Cadiz,
ing’s truly chilling downbeat finale (unusual for a Spain, through the groping masses and killer
production from the early ’60s) makes The Day
plants. Meanwhile, alcoholic marine biologist

Mars Invaded Earth a day worth remembering.

Tom Goodwin (Kieron Moore) and his long-suf-
fered wife Karen (Janette Scott) find themselves

The Day of the Triffids (1962/63; Rank/Al-stranded and surrounded by triffids on an island
lied Artists; U.K.) Director: Steve Sekely; Pro-
lighthouse off the Cornish coast. As they fight for ducer: George Pitcher; Screenplay: Philip Yordan
survival, Tom struggles to find a way to kill the

(Novel: John Wyndham); Cinematographer: Ted
seemingly indestructible alien plants.

Moore. Cast: Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey,

Posters for The Day of the Triffids boasted, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore, Janina Faye.

“From the greatest science fiction novel of all

Man eating plants!

time!” but failed to mention that screenwriter

Spine chilling terror!— tagline

Philip Yordan disposed with nearly the entirety
of John Wyndham’s acclaimed book. Wyndham’s

Naval officer Bill Masen (Howard Keel), hos-
post-apocalyptic chiller focuses less on the killer pitalized with an eye injury, awakens to discover
plants and more on the terrifying breakdown of
social structures (and basic human decency) that
results when nearly everyone on the planet is sud-
denly blinded, suggesting that in order to survive
the human race must set aside longstanding moral
and behavioral conventions (including monog -
amy). The titular plant monsters are accidentally
unleashed biological weapons rather than extra-
terrestrial invaders, and don’t become the story’s
primary concern until its final few chapters. The
novel ends on a ray of hope, but is far more down-
beat than the film.

Since Production Code restrictions rendered
key plot elements of the novel unfilmable in 1962,
and because the scope of Wyndham’s book would
have necessitated an epic on the scale of a David

Lean production, Yordan’s adaptation reshapes

The Day of the Triffids into a smaller and more conventional monsters-from-space yarn. But it’s
a rip-snorting, action-packed monsters-from-
space yarn. The pace is brisk, and Yordan’s light-
house sequences (which do not originate with

Wyndham) enable the narrative to cut to monster
action whenever a lull threatens during Masen’s
trans-European trek. The isolated lighthouse sub-
plot involving Moore and Scott battling the
triffids was not in the original script, and all that footage was shot after principal photography had

Pressbook cover for The Day of the Triffids (1963).

wrapped. “The lighthouse sequences were written

2. THE MOVIES

The Dead One

133
in conjunction with the existing footage,” ex-
one of the better sci-fi thrillers of its era.

plained (uncredited) Triffids producer Bernard With quotes from: Science Fiction Stars and

Glasser, “and directed [uncredited] by Freddie

Horror Heroes, by Tom Weaver; The Men Who Francis at MGM Elstree. Freddie was a former

Made the Monsters, by Paul M. Jensen.

lighting cameraman, and he understood the
difficulties inherent in lighting the Triffid se-

The Dead One (1961; Favorite Films)

quences.” Added Francis, “When they finished

Alternate Title: Blood of the Zombie; Director/Pro-the film, they didn’t think it stood up. I believe
ducer/Screenwriter: Barry Mahon. Cinematog-
the distributors would not accept it. I think that
raphy: Mark Dennes. Cast: John Mackay, Linda
what went wrong with the film was that they

Ormond, Monica Davis, Clyde Kelly, Darlene
thought this was a special effects film, so they’d

Myrick.

just crash off the live action, get rid of the live action, and stress the special effects— but they

WHEN THE DRUMS START ...

HE WALKS AND KILLS — trailer
hadn’t done their homework on the special ef-
fects.” Producer Glasser agreed that they had

“THE GREATEST VOODOO FILM EVER MADE!”

difficulty “getting the triffids to perform action
shouted the ads for The Dead One. This grandiose called for in the script,” and so ended up with too claim was, until recently, difficult to dispute, since short a film after being forced to drop “the special for four decades The Dead One remained a lost effects sequences that did not play.” But it all
film. Its rediscovery (and subsequent DVD re-
worked out in the end, as Francis’ 25 minutes of
lease), however, finally put paid to that notion.

additional footage, with its evocative lighting and Made by exploitation/nudie veteran Barry Mahon
exciting, suspenseful staging, generates many of

( Nude Scrapbook, Sex Club International, etc.), the movie’s highlights.

the story centers on a woman who uses voodoo

Credited director Steve Sekely’s visual story-
to raise up the corpse of her dead brother in an
telling is fluid but unobtrusive. He’s aided by Ted effort to keep a property inheritance from going

Moore’s moody lighting designs, which make eye-
to her newly-married cousin.

catching use of colored gels and deep shadows.

The picture, shot in and around New Orleans,

Aside from Keiron Moore, who operates in a
jumps feet-first into its supernatural waters by
more elevated register, the cast delivers uniformly showing the titular zombie rising from its tomb
credible, low-key performances, lending the kind
under the opening credits. Unfortunately, the
of gravitas necessary to pull off a yarn about killer over-bright lighting and pedantic staging preva-plants from outer space.

But the film’s biggest selling
point remains the triffids
themselves, which rank
among the movies’ most
original space invaders—
giant, demonic rotaden-
drums with tentacle-like
vines and blooms that fire
poison darts.

With the Production

Code long gone and com-
puter animation now avail-
able, The Day of the

Triffids— perhaps more
than any other classic
chiller from the early

1960s— is ripe for a
remake, which hopefully
would adhere more closely
to Wyndham’s chilling
original vision. As it stands,
however, Triffids remains

The exceedingly well-dressed Dead One (1961).

134

The Deadly Bees

2. THE MOVIES
lent in this grade-Z production dispels any sense
rival in the English horror movie arena,
of creepiness this sequence could have inspired.

specialized in terror anthologies. The Deadly Bees Adding insult to injury, it’s another forty-five min-was one of their few single-story efforts. Given
utes before the Dead One shows its ugly mug the tepid results, they should never have gotten
again. In the meantime we’re treated to “THE EX-
off that omnibus.

CITEMENT OF A NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS,” as

Adapted by Robert ( Psycho) Bloch and Anthony the trailer puts it (consisting of our newlywed

Marriott from the novel A Taste of Honey by H.

protagonists checking out a white jazz quartet in

F. Heard, The Deadly Bees became the very first one Bourbon Street club, watching a belly dancer

Killer Bee movie, a threadbare subgenre that in-
in another, and listening to a black jazz group in
cludes such losers as The Savage Bees (1976), The yet a third), and much palaver between the prin-Bees (1978) and The Swarm (1978). Not only is cipals regarding their inherited “plantation”

The Deadly Bees the first of its type, it is also quite (which, from all we see of it, consists of two
possibly the dullest.

cramped bedroom sets, a stairway, and one corner

When pop singer Vicky Robbins (Suzanna
of a cheaply-furnished sitting room).

Leigh) has a nervous breakdown, her doctor sends

When the Dead One finally reappears, and we
her for a few weeks rest to an out-of-the-way farm

“SEE the voodoo princess call on the dead ones to
owned by his friend, Ralph Hargrove (Guy Dole-

Kill! Kill! Kill!” (as the ads promise), he only
man). Hargrove, who seems to get along with no
makes one “Kill!”— and that off-screen, no less—
one (including his disaffected wife), keeps bees,
before returning to his sarcophagus once again.

and so does his distrustful neighbor, Manfred

And the banal climax moves as slowly as, well, the

(Frank Finlay). When a swarm of bees kills first
shuffling zombie itself, ending abruptly and dis-
a dog and then Mrs. Hargrove, it appears that
appointingly in a literal puff of smoke.

Hargrove has concocted a chemical by which he

Said zombie (named “Jonas,” by the way) is a
can induce his killer insects to attack anyone who
particularly well-dressed specimen, sporting a
bow tie and tuxedo (like some undead maitre d’),
which seems none-the-worse-for-wear from all
those years in a dank crypt (obviously Mahon
couldn’t afford the damage deposit on the rental
tux, and so made sure his zombie kept it neat).

On the plus side, the zombie makeup, all
yellowish parchment skin, blackened eyes and
mouth, and claw-like fingernails, appears appro-
priately cadaverous (though an unfortunate
choice of rock-star-style fright wig makes him
look a bit like an undead, raven-haired Rod Stew-
art).

But at a scant 68 minutes, this bargain-base-
ment cheapie still feels far too long. Yes, The Dead One is really The Dull One.

The Deadly Bees (1967; Amicus; U.K.) Director: Freddie Francis; Producers: Max J. Rosen-
berg, Milton Subotsky; Screenplay: Robert Bloch,

Anthony Marriott; Cinematographer: John

Wilcox. Cast: Suzanna Leigh, Frank Finlay, Guy

Doleman, John Harvey, Catherine Finn, Michael

Ripper.

The stings of death!— ad line

Bzzzzzz ... minus the “B,” that’s just the sound
you’ll hear coming from the audience after a few

Not only is The Deadly Bees (1967) unsuitable for minutes of viewing this boring British misfire. In
children (as this Australian poster claims), it’s unthe 1960s and ’70s, Amicus, Hammer’s biggest
suitable for anyone wishing to stay awake.

2. THE MOVIES

Death Curse of Tartu

135
comes in contact with the substance. But things

THIS IS HORROR!— ad line
are not quite what they seem, as Vicky ultimately
discovers.

Every decade wastes its share of film stock, and

Unlike so many British horrors of the 1960s,
the sixties were no exception. One of the strongest The Deadly Bees is a rather poorly acted specimen.

arguments for celluloid conservation (preserving

Though Suzanna Leigh ( The Lost Continent, Lust the raw stock, that is) came in the form of this for a Vampire) is unquestionably lovely to look Florida-lensed no-budget independent.

at, she fails to flesh out her character; and her

Written (in 24 hours!) and directed (in seven
overused expression of bewilderment, which is
days for $27,000!!) by William Grefe, the man
supposed to pass as terror, quickly becomes tire-
who brought us Hooked Generation (1968),
some. She’s just a handy heroine to become im-

Stanley (1972) and Mako: The Jaws of Death (1976), periled. (Even worse, the picture starts by forcing not to mention Tartu’s co-feature— Sting of Death us to watch Ms. Leigh mouth the words to a

(about a jellyfish-man!!!), Death Curse of Tartu painfully bad pop song.)

follows a group of archeology students into the

Scripter Bloch intended that the two male lead

Florida everglades to excavate an ancient
roles go to Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff.

Seminole Indian burial site. “My grandfather and

Such casting might have salvaged the project; but,
the elder members of my tribe say that 400 years
alas, it was not, ahem, to bee. As Hargrove, Guy
ago a witchdoctor named Tartu had power to turn

Doleman is as dour as they come, and he spends
himself into a wild creature,” warns their native
the whole film faintly frowning — as if he’s just
guide. “When he died, he swore if anyone would
caught a whiff of some mildly unpleasant odor.

disturb the burial ground he would change

Frank Finlay’s tweed-wearing, tea-drinking, stut-
himself into a wild beast and kill them.” And
tering bee expert (with impossibly-colored faux

Tartu proceeds to do just that — as a snake, alli-
gray hair) possesses less screen presence than his
gator and shark.

bugs.

Composed mostly of lengthy sequences of ca-

Poor process shots of bees buzzing around in
noeing, airboating and hiking through the Ever-
slow motion while actors flail about behind them
glades, Tartu sports so much padding it could play (occasionally with a few plastic insects— which,
in the NFL. The movie’s pace is summed up by a
oddly, look more like beetles than bees— pasted
sequence in which a man is stalked by a snake!

onto their faces) distance us further from the pro-

(Then, when the slithering serpent finally catches
tracted proceedings. Strangely, considering the
up with its intended victim, the creature is obvi-
movie was directed by Oscar-winning cinematog-
ously thrown at the actor at the pivotal moment, rapher Freddie Francis, The Deadly Bees looks flat, flying through the air in a most un-snake-like
with uninspired photography and a drab color
manner.) Admittedly, this does provide one of the
scheme to match its equally drab mood. The film’s
film’s few effective scenes: As the large constrictor low budget becomes oh-so-obvious in the
wraps itself around the struggling man’s neck, you
artificial studio “farm” set and the painfully
start to actually fear for the actor.

noticeable painted backdrop of the “English

The amateurish performances by a cast of un-
countryside” tacked up behind the farm’s apiary.

knowns, and the less-than-scintillating dialogue

And the story’s see-it-coming-from-a-mile-away

(“Man, this is groovy,” enthuses one student

“surprise” at the end carries no, er ... sting in its when they find a carved stone tablet), do nothing
tail.

to alleviate the tedium. At one point the obviously In the U.S. The Deadly Bees was paired with The hip youngsters even start their own mini-beach

Vulture for a decidedly desultory double-bill. The party, complete with bad music, bad dancing and
only thing “deadly” about The Deadly Bees is its bad camerawork.

deadly dullness.

But all this could be (at least partially) saved
by some energetic Indian vengeance from beyond

Death Curse of Tartu (1967; Thunderbird the grave. Wishful thinking. All Tartu does is lie

International Pictures) Director/Screenwriter:

in his sarcophagus and occasionally rock back and

William Grefe; Producers: Joseph Fink, Juan Hi-
forth. At the climax he actually sits up!— but then dalso Gato; Cinematographer: Julio C. Chavez.

transforms into an ordinary-looking, flesh-and-

Cast: Fred Pinero, Babbette Sherrill, Bill Marcus,
blood Indian brave before engaging in a fistfight

Mayra Gomez, Sherman Hayes, Gary Holtz,
with the hero. So much for Tartu. “What disap-

Maurice Stewart, Douglas Hobart, Frank Weed.

pointed me most about my shots were that I did

136

Dementia 13

2. THE MOVIES
not have much movement in the film,” recounted

Louise Haloran (Luana Anders) fears she will
spook show actor/stuntman/amateur makeup
be cut out of her wealthy mother-in-law’s will
artist Doug Hobart (who not only played the
after her husband dies of a heart attack, so she
mummified Tartu but designed the makeup as
decides to cover up his death and pretend her
well), “just getting up and down, and that ham-
spouse was called away on a business trip. She
pered the look somewhat.” It also seriously ham-
travels to her in-laws’ family estate in Ireland and pered the entertainment value.

discovers that the Halorans, especially Lady Halo-

Director Grefe originally intended that Hobart
ran (Ethne Dunn), are haunted (perhaps literally)

wear a phony rubber mask, but Hobart felt he
by the memory of John’s younger sister, Kathleen,
could come up with something better. And he did:

who drowned in a pond six years earlier. The fam-
phony makeup. Tartu’s appearance is admittedly
ily — including John’s brothers Richard (William
striking — if not particularly convincing — with

Campbell) and Billy (Bart Patton)—ritualistically
wrinkled, dried skin; heavy shoe polish around
reenacts the girl’s funeral every year, even carrying the eyes; and skull-like teeth protruding from (or, umbrellas with them because it was raining the
more accurately, pasted on) the mouth. Hobart
day Kathleen was buried. Louise tries to take ad-
literally dreamed up Tartu’s look. “I went to sleep vantage of the Halorans’ obsession with the dead
one night thinking about this project,” remem-
girl, but finds she’s in over her head.

bered the actor, “and it weighed on my mind, and

Featuring a Psycho-like paradigm-shifting plot low and behold Tartu came to me in this horrific
twist about half way through and promoted with
nightmare.... The face was hideous and I woke up
a salacious advertising campaign, Dementia 13 was and said, ‘Hey, that’s me!’ This was about five in
one of several low-budget, black-and-white psy-
the morning, and I went into my dining room
chological thrillers rushed to market in the early
and into my makeup box and created Tartu, and

1960s in the wake of Alfred Hitchcock’s watershed
so Grefe had his monster and he loved it!” That
shocker. The qualities that set it apart from its
makes one.

mostly lackluster contemporaries can almost all

At an hour and twenty-three minutes, Death
be credited to Coppola, who both directed and

Curse of Tartu is about an hour too long, its pace wrote the script.

as sluggish as an Everglade current. “The film

As a screenwriter, Coppola displays command
played nationwide in 1967 and did fairly well on
of the conventions and plot devices characteristic
the double-bill with Sting of Death,” reported Ho-of an emerging subgenre, as well as the keen ear
bart. THIS, indeed, IS HORROR!

for naturalistic dialogue that would become a

With quotes from: “Jellyfish-Man ... an Inter-
view with Doug Hobart,” by Paul Parla, Scary

Monsters 26, March 1998.

Dementia 13 (1963; American International; b&w) Alternate Title: The Haunted and the

Hunted. Director/Screenplay: Francis Coppola; Producer: Roger Corman; Cinematographer:

Charles Hanawalt. Cast: William Campbell,

Luana Anders, Bart Patton, Mary Mitchel, Patrick

Magee, Ethne Dunn.

You Must Pass the “D-13” Test To Prepare You
for the Horrifying Experience of Dementia 13.

If You Fail the Test ... You Will Be Asked to

Leave the Theater!— tagline

Dementia 13 remains best known as the first feature from future Oscar-winning writer-director

Francis Ford Coppola, which is as it should be.

Without Coppola, Dementia 13 would be just another Psycho rip-off. But, thanks to Coppola’s The nonsensically-titled Dementia 13 (1963) was dexterity with dialogue and flair for visuals, it
re-christened the more descriptive The Haunted
emerges as a stylish and enjoyable Psycho rip-off.

and the Hunted in the U.K.

2. THE MOVIES

Demon...; Destination Inner Space

137
hallmark of later triumphs such as The Godfather Grand Prix melodrama The Young Racers (1963).

(1972) and The Conversation (1974). As a director,

“We all knew that when Roger went to Europe or
he demonstrates extraordinary acumen for visual

Hawaii or Puerto Rico for a picture that he always
storytelling—right from the eye-catching opening
made a second picture with his own money,”

shot of a pier stretching out into the inky black-

Coppola said. “When Roger decided not to direct
ness of a lake at night. John suffers his fatal heart a second movie himself, I went to him and said,
attack while rowing Louise around the lake and

‘I’ll do the other film. Let me take the camera and arguing about the rock music blaring from his
some of the equipment and staff and make a low-
transistor radio. Afterward, Louise shoves John’s
budget psychological thriller.’ So I immediately
body over the side of the boat, then tosses the
went home that night after the shoot and wrote
radio in after him. Coppola offers a final, under-
the big horror scene — a Hitchcock-type ax mur-
water shot of John’s body sinking to the bottom,
der sequence — and showed it to him. He came
trailed by the radio, still playing, the music
back, with some changes, and said, ‘All right, if
muffled and distorted by the lake water.

you can do the rest of the script like that you can Coppola also mounts a pair of remarkable set
do it for $20,000.’”

pieces, one in which the film’s first victim discov-Despite its weaknesses, there’s enough of merit
ers what seems to be Kathleen’s body, perfectly
in Dementia 13 to make it well worth a look, es-preserved at the bottom of the Haloran family
pecially for curious fans of Coppola’s later, more
pond. Startled, the swimmer emerges from the
distinguished efforts.

water, gasping for air, and is summarily axed to

With quotes from: How I Made a Hundred
death by an unseen assailant. In another harrow-

Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dim, by ing sequence Lady Haloran, visiting a makeshift

Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

shrine to her dead daughter, is menaced by the
same unidentified ax-wielding fiend.

The Demon Doctor see The Awful

With more moments like this Dementia 13

Dr. Orlof
might have been truly outstanding instead of
merely intriguing. But unfortunately, after the
film’s major plot twist, the story morphs into a

Demon Hunter see The Legend of
fairly standard whodunnit (or who’sdoinnit, since

Blood Mountain
the attacks continue). The cast, although profes-
sional and credible, seldom make the most of

Demon Planet see Planet of the

Coppola’s script or bring any inner life to their

Vampires
roles. Anders comes off best, seeming delightfully
saucy and unscrupulous (although she‘s not at

Destination Inner Space (1966; Magna Pic-impressive here as in her key supporting role as
tures) Director: Francis D. Lyon; Producer: Earle
the sister of Don Sebastian (Vincent Price) in The Lyon; Screenplay: Arthur C. Pierce; Cinematog-Pit and the Pendulum [1963].) Campbell, who rapher: Brick Marquard. Cast: Scott Brady, Sheree

Trekkers may recognize from two memorable

North, Gary Merrill, Mike Road, Wende Wagner,
guest appearances on Star Trek, also acquits him-John Howard.

self well, walking a narrow line between engen-
dering pathos and serving as a viable suspect.

TERROR from the DEPTHS

Stalwart veteran Patrick Magee proves as capable
of the SEA!— poster
as ever playing a family doctor who attempts to

From the beginning credits sequence, which
unravel the family’s dark secrets. Most of the
looks like any number of late-1960s TV adventure
other players fade into the woodwork. The movie
show openings, one gets the feeling that this poor
also suffers from the cut-rate production values
man’s Creature from the Black Lagoon is nothing characteristic of early-60s Roger Corman produc-more that an overlong Voyage to the Bottom of the tions not directed by Corman himself.

Sea episode.

According to Coppola, Dementia 13 was shot A rather pudgy Scott Brady (there’s an embar-for a paltry $20,000 — although the director’s at-
rassing moment in which Brady really struggles
mospheric use of actual Scottish locations
to hook his wet suit belt across his ample
partially mitigates its shoe-string budget. Coppola midriff — presumably we’re not supposed to no-had traveled to Europe with Corman to run
tice) plays no-nonsense Navy Commander Hugh
sound and serve as second unit director on the

Wayne, who is dispatched to a submerged “Aqua-

138

Destination Inner Space

2. THE MOVIES
sphere” (an underwater lab) to investigate a mys-
fish-creature itself is at first kind of fun, with au-terious undersea craft lurking nearby. Exploring
daciously bright red fins, huge black bug-eyes, a
the mysterious ship (which turns out to be an un-
large frowning mouth and blue skin. But it is so
inhabited, automated flying saucer!), Wayne and
overexposed and devoid of personality, and moves
divers Hugh Maddox (Mike Road, best known as

(even underwater) in such a lumbering and
the voice of “Race” Bannon on Jonny Quest) and graceless manner (“It was very heavy to move in,”

Sandra Welles (Wende Wagner, co-star of TV’s
remembered Monster actor Burke), that one soon

The Green Hornet) discover a cylindrical tank loses all interest in it.

that, back at the lab, “hatches” into an amphibious The monster was built by Richard Cassarino
creature. The monster (Ron Burke) grows quickly

(who also constructed The Hideous Sun Demon), and, without any apparent motivation, begins tera former toy designer for Mattel and staff
rorizing the lab and killing the oceanauts.

animator for Disney, where he worked on such

Such a scenario is prime territory for some
features as Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty claustrophobic monster scares. Not so here. Di-and 101 Dalmatians. “For that costume,” related rector Francis D. Lyon and art director Paul Sylos, Cassarino, “I mixed a sea creature with dragon-Jr., apparently thought it better to arrange the
like proportions and gave it the head of a demonic
submerged lab as a group of large, brightly lit
serpent.” (From its comically perpetual frown, it
rooms, with no corridors or shadowy recesses
was obviously a very cranky demonic serpent.) within which a decent monster could lurk. The

Said sea creature suit took about two months to
wonderful opportunities for atmosphere and sus-
create and weighed nearly 140 pounds.

pense, used so successfully in such winners as The Beyond its ungainly aqua-beast, the film’s ef-Thing (1951), It! The Terror from Beyond Space fects are worse than anything found in even the

(1958) and, later, Alien (1979), are completely ig-cheapest TV series of the time. For the shots of
nored. (Someone who was paying close attention the disappointingly simple miniature models of
to those earlier classics, however, was scripter
the saucer and sea-lab, the filmmakers didn’t even

Arthur C. Pierce, who slavishly “borrowed” many
bother to use slow-motion photography, making
of the plot points from both The Thing and It! The the too-rapid-to-be-real movements of the space-Terror for his thinly-disguised aquatic copy.) In-craft and the lab’s diving bell betray them for what stead we’re treated to lengthy undersea travelogue
they are —cheap models. Nor did “special effects”

footage; an I’ve-been-a-coward-but-am-now-a-
technician Roger George bother to clear away or
self-sacrificing-hero subplot; and an over-lit, gardress up the normal-sized coral and sea growth
ishly colored, cartoonish monster whose presence
that, next to the models, totally destroys any il-
is telegraphed reels in advance. Admittedly, the
lusion of size.

The characterizations are
merely caricatures (Chinese
cook: “You no like black dragon
tea Miss Anna?”) and the dia-
logue hackneyed (“You know,

Hugh,” says the leading lady,

“until a few minutes ago I
couldn’t find much in you I re-
ally liked; now I think I could
fall in love with you”).

Even on its obviously low
budget, with the proper low-
key lighting, a smoother build-
up and better use of the situa-
tion’s possibilities, this could
have been a passable “Amphibi-
ous Monster” movie. But due
to the obvious lack of care on
the part of the filmmakers, Des-

This Italian photobusta featuring Sheree North shows off Destination
tination Inner Space is just des-

Inner Space’s monster to good(?) effect.

tined to disappoint.

2. THE MOVIES

Destroy All Monsters

139

With quotes from: “Monster Man: ‘Destination
ments from earlier films like Battle in Outer Space Inner Space’ Creature Ron Burke, and “Hideous

(1960) and Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster

Monster Maker from Inner Space,” by Paul and

(1964).

Donna Parla, Filmfax 62, August/September 1997.

The year is 1999, and all the Earth’s monsters
have been rounded up and caged behind “scien-

Destroy All Monsters (1968/69; Toho/AIP; tific walls” on a remote island known as Monster

Japan) Original Language Title: Kaiju Soshingeki Land. From a subterranean lab, a team of

(Monster Invasion); Alternate Title: Operation
scientists monitors the creatures, which include

Monsterland (U.K.). Director: Ishiro Honda; Pro-Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra (in caterpillar form),
ducer: Tomoyuki Tanaka; Screenplay: Ishiro

Minya (the Son of Godzilla) and several others.

Honda and Takeshi Kimura; Cinematographer:

Suddenly, the entire island (above and below

Taiichi Kankura. Cast: Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki,
ground) is enveloped in a strange yellow gas

Yukoko Kobayashi, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kyoko Ai,
cloud, rendering everyone — and every mon-

Andrew Hughes.

ster — unconscious. Freed from Monster Land,
the beasts begin attacking the great cities of the

The battle cry that could save the world!

world. (Godzilla takes Manhattan; Baragon will,

— tagline
ahem, always have Paris.) Investigation by the

As the 1960s wound down, Toho’s once-mighty

United Nations Scientific Council reveals that the

Godzilla series clearly had lost its way. Budgets
monsters— as well as the Monster Land scien-
had been slashed and, with director Jun Fukuda
tists— are now under the mental control of the
replacing Ishiro Honda, the movies grew more

Kilaak, aliens out to conquer the Earth.

kid-friendly and comedy-oriented (akin to Daiei’s

Eventually, the intrepid scientist-heroes of the
puerile Gamera pictures). Not surprisingly, box

UNSC destroy the Kilaak mind-control mecha-
office returns suffered. Fukuda’s first two G-films, nism, and the monsters (not happy about being

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966) and Son of played for suckers) attack the aliens en masse. The Godzilla (1967), failed to earn a U.S. theatrical re-Kilaak call in their defender from outer space,
lease, and 1965’s Monster Zero wouldn’t be Ghidrah, and the stage is set for a final showdown.

released stateside until 1970. To try to put the se-If nothing else, Destroy All Monsters ranks ries back on track, Toho came up with two good
among the most action-packed of all Toho’s rub-
ideas: first, throw virtually every rubber suit giant ber suit monster epics. Although the human charin the studio’s history together for a monster rally acters are either simple types or else completely
to end all monster rallies; and
second, bring back Honda.

Unfortunately, neither of
these gambits played out as ex-
pected.

The biggest problem was that
the studio remained unwilling
to invest capital in the series.

Shooting all the giant monster
footage necessitated by the story
would have made Destroy All

Monsters the most expensive
kaiju eiga since the original Go-
jira in 1954 (the costliest Japa-
nese movie of its day). To reduce
expenses, Toho bosses forced

Honda to utilize stock footage
for the monster attack scenes. As
a result, Destroy All Monsters
plays more like Godzilla’s Great-
est Hits than an original produc-
tion. The storyline also proves

Mothra, Godzilla and Rodan face off against Ghidrah the Three-
highly derivative, recycling ele-

Headed Monster (1964/65).

140

Devil Doll

2. THE MOVIES
indistinguishable from one another, there are

“Can a beautiful woman be enslaved against
none of the usual mundane homo sapien subplots
her will?” asked the ads to this oddly disquieting
to gum up the works. And, for kaiju fans, there’s yet at the same time rather torpid exploitationer.

an undeniable thrill in seeing virtually all Toho’s Unusual camera angles and techniques (including
monster stars appearing together, including some
dummy’s-eye-view shots, still-frames and even
who had been absent from the screen for years:

positive-to-negative film changes) and unsettling

Manda (from Atragon, 1963/65), Baragon (from moments (did the doll’s eyes just move or didn’t

Frankenstein Conquers the World, 1965), Gorosaurus they?) never quite jell with overlong stretches of

(from King Kong Escapes, 1967/68), Angilas (from exposition and obvious padding.

Gigantis, the Fire Monster, 1955) and even, briefly, When newspaperman Mark English (Willaim

Varan (from Varan the Unbelievable, 1958/62).

Sylvester) covers “the Great Vorelli” (Bryant Hal-

Another plus is that the annoying Minya receives
iday), a mesmerist and ventriloquist whose act
very little screen time.

has been selling out in London, he determines to

Yet, Destroy All Monsters simply isn’t everything get to the bottom of Vorelli’s “fakery” (which in-it could have been. Its key concept — a monster
cludes his dummy, Hugo, actually standing up
rally to end all monster rallies— wouldn’t be fully and walking across the stage). To this end, Mark realized until the highly entertaining Godzilla: enlists the aid of his wealthy socialite girlfriend, Final Wars (2004). Destroy All Monsters wastes too Marianne (Yvonne Romain), to serve as a “vol-much time with the UNSC scientists, either on
unteer” in Vorelli’s act. But Vorelli’s hypnotic
the trail of the Kilaak or wringing their hands back powers are real (and so is Hugo), and the mad
at the lab. The overuse of stock shots lends a hang-mesmerist sets his lascivious sights on hypnotizing dog air to the production. Honda, unhappy to be

Marianne into marrying him. He then plans to
forced into using so much retread footage, fails
place her soul in a doll and abscond with her
to instill the vitality and sense of wonder he
wealth. But little, wooden Hugo, Vorelli’s first
brought to his earlier kaiju classics. Hamstrung soul-stealing victim, has other ideas.

by low budgets, and with the loss of visual effects Shot in two weeks in April of 1963 at the low-specialist Eiji Tsuburaya (who died suddenly in
rent Merton Park Studios in London for the paltry

1970), Honda would never again direct a great
sum of $50,000, Devil Doll didn’t see release until monster movie. His remaining kaiju eiga work June of 1965, when it went out as support for the
included Godzilla’s Revenge (1969/71), Yog, Monster straight melodrama Sylvia. Devil Doll was origi-from Space (1970/71), Terror of Mechagodzilla nally to be directed by Canadian Sidney J. Furie.

(1975/ 77) and a few episodes of the Ultraman TV
series.

Recognizing a highly exploitable concept and
title, American International Pictures purchased

Destroy All Monsters for release in the U.S., making this the only G-film to receive a timely
stateside theatrical run between Ghidrah, the

Three-Headed Monster in 1964 and Godzilla vs.

the Smog Monster in 1972. The glory days for the Japanese giant monsters had reached their end.

Devil Doll (1965; Galaworld/Gordon Films; U.K./U.S.; b&w) Director/Producer: Lindsay

Shonteff; Screenplay: George Barclay (Ronald

Kinnoch), Lance Z. Hargreaves (Charles Vetter,

Jr.), from an original story by Frederick Escreet

Smith; Cinematographer: Gerald Gibbs. Cast:

Bryant Haliday, Willaim Sylvester, Yvonne Ro-
main, Frances De Wolff, Sandra Dorne.

WHAT IS THE STRANGE, TERRIFYING EVIL

SECRET OF THE DUMMY ... and why is it locked
in a cage every night?— ad line

Ad for 1965’s Devil Doll.

2. THE MOVIES

The Devil Rides Out; The Devil’s Bride

141

But shortly before production, Furie was offered
slowly shifting eyes. Its measured, awkward ad-
the (infinitely more prestigious) assignment of
vance, as it obeys its “master’s” command to walk
directing The Ipcress File with Michael Caine and to the footlights and apologize to the audience for backed out of Devil Doll. In his stead, Furie some verbal slight, is nearly as disturbing as its
offered his then-protégé (and fellow Canadian)

quick lunging with a knife in several deadly (and

Lindsay Shonteff as director, with the promise
cleverly edited) sequences. Hugo encapsulates
that Furie would closely supervise Shonteff, guid-
that uneasy fear generated by oversized dolls—
ing him (uncredited) from behind the scenes. (In
especially those of the faux-sentient ventriloquist fact, executive producer Richard Gordon attrib-variety.

utes Devil Doll’s success more to Furie than Shon-Though unevenly paced and indifferently acted
teff.)

(apart from Haliday’s forceful presence), Devil Though Devil Doll manages to wring several Doll remains moderately effective due to Shont-shudders from its preposterous but admittedly
eff ’s (or Furie’s?) unusual techniques and some
creepy premise, the movie can’t avoid falling into
genuinely shuddery sequences involving one
its low-budget trap on occasion. “The Great
rather creepy three-foot doll. “It was a very low-

Vorelli,” for instance, engages in the lamest of
budget film,” said Gordon. “I flatter myself that
hypnotism acts: The big moment comes when he
it doesn’t show it...” Well, not much, anyway.

hypnotizes the heroine into thinking she can

With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
dance— and has an “expert in modern dance”

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

come onstage and do the twist with her (to the
vigorous applause of the apparently astounded —

The Devil Rides Out see The Devil’s
and amazingly un-hip — audience)! It’s astound-

Bride
ing all right — astounding in its banality.

The acting in Devil Doll is about what one can

The Devil’s Bride (1968; Hammer/20th Cen-expect from a low-budget production — uneven.

tury–Fox; U.K.) Alternate Title: The Devil Rides Oakland-born William Sylvester ( Gorgo, Devils Out (U.K.) Director: Terence Fisher; Producer: of Darkness, The Hand of Night, 2001: A Space Anthony Nelson Keys; Screenplay: Richard Math-Odyssey) offers a general pleasantness but not eson (from a novel by Dennis Wheatley); Cine-much presence, though his steady, unassuming
matographer: Arthur Grant. Cast: Christopher

“hero” contrasts nicely with Vorelli’s malevolent

Lee, Charles Gray, Leon Greene, Patrick Moyer,
intensity and dour demeanor. The gorgeous,

Nike Arrighi.

French-born Yvonne Romain ( Circus of Horrors, Curse of the Werewolf) appears rather vapid and The beauty of woman — the demon of
makes little impression, apart from a strictly dec-
darkness— the unholy union of
orative one.

“The Devil’s Bride!”— tagline

Bryant Haliday ( Curse of the Voodoo, The Pro-With a finely wrought screenplay, crackling di-
jected Man, Tower of Evil), on the other hand, car-rection, excellent production values and out-
ries the film with his rather one-note but highly
standing lead performances, this picture boasts
effective performance as the intense, never-smil-
all the major elements that characterize Hammer
ing, always smoldering hypnotist. Moving — and

Films’ best gothic chillers. But the devil’s in the speaking—slowly and deliberately, his penetrating
details— or, in this case, in the visual effects.

gaze and unsmiling antagonism makes the viewer

The Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee) and his
believe that he can indeed control the wills of oth-friend Rex (Leon Greene) casually drop in on
ers. “The tension between Vorelli and that

Simon (Patrick Mower), the son of a deceased war
dummy — it was there — everybody felt it,” re-
comrade, and discover that the young man has
marks English. Thanks to Haliday’s forceful per-
fallen in with a coven of devil-worshipers led by
formance, the viewer readily believes it. “Bryant
a powerful necromancer named Mocata (Charles

Haliday was chosen to play the lead because he

Gray). After commanding, then pleading with
had money in the project,” recalled Shonteff. “But

Simon to leave “The Circle,” de Richleau cold-
in spite of that financial muscle he was perfect for cocks Simon with a right cross and hauls him
the role.” Yes he was.

away in a fireman’s carry. (“You fool! I’d rather

The dummy, Hugo (played by female circus
see you dead than meddling with black magic!”

midget Sadie Corre), generates some genuine
de Richleau growls, grabbing Simon by the
chills, with its creepy wooden child-face and
lapels.) But Simon, under Mocata’s hypnotic in-

142

The Devil’s Bride

2. THE MOVIES
fluence, soon escapes and returns to the coven.

son were trying to depict Satanism (and its dan-

Undaunted, de Richleau and Rex try to free
gers) authentically, which lends special gravitas

Simon from Mocata’s control and come face-to-
to passages such as de Richleau’s explanation of
face with a vision from Hell — the first of several the power of darkness (“It is a living force that
demonic apparitions and other supernatural en-
can be tapped at any given moment of the night”).

counters they will endure in what becomes a life-

Fisher, of course, was never a screenwriter, nor
or-death struggle with the evil sorcerer.

did he have enough clout (even at Hammer) to

Nearly all director Terence Fisher’s horror films
pick and choose movies on the basis of thematic
contain variations on a single theme: The
continuity or any other artistic consideration. He
triumph of Christian good over pagan/Satanic
simply directed whatever films he was assigned,
evil. Sometimes, as in his Frankenstein movies,
like everybody else at the studio. Yet he managed
this idea remains hidden beneath other elements.

in film after film to find ways to bring his

But The Devil’s Bride depicts this struggle literally.

personal vision to the screen by underscoring el-

The result is one of the director’s boldest and most ements that reflected his beliefs, both in his pres-personal efforts, the cinematic equivalent of a fire-entation of scripted scenes and sometimes (as
and-brimstone sermon. It’s hardly subtle but un-
with the finale of Brides of Dracula) through deniably potent. For instance, just prior to the
rewrites. However, he seldom received a script so
final fade-out, when Simon exclaims, “Thank
perfectly aligned with his personal vision as The God!” de Richleau replies, “Yes, He is the one we

Devil’s Bride, adapted by Matheson from Dennis must thank.”

Wheatley’s 1934 novel The Devil Rides Out.

One indicator of how seriously Fisher took his

Clearly, Fisher was enthused about the project
recurrent God-versus-Satan theme is that he
and his excitement lights up the finished film,
didn’t consign The Devil’s Bride to the realm of which is almost overstuffed with his trademark
fantasy (at least, not entirely). “The whole thing
dynamic compositions.

is based on fact and it is consequently one of the

Matheson’s script is a marvel —concise and ur-
most difficult ones to make,” he said. Fisher ex-
gent in its storytelling, without surrendering to
plained that he and screenwriter Richard Mathe-
simple stereotypes or clichés. In de Richleau and

Mocata, the scenario offers a pair
of perfectly matched foils, both
of them powerful, resourceful
and implacable. And in those
roles, Christopher Lee and

Charles Gray deliver (arguably)

the finest performances of their
respective careers. Certainly

Lee’s imperious but benevolent
de Richleau ranks among the
most nuanced and compelling
portrayals in the actor’s lengthy
filmography. Together, he and

Gray are electrifying. The rest of
the cast perform capably, as well,
particularly Moyer as Simon,
who realizes he is in over his
head but feels powerless to do
anything about it. The film also
benefits from the usual impecca-
ble Hammer production values,
particularly Bernard Robinson’s
richly appointed sets and James

Bernard’s rousing score.

Unfortunately, all these treas-

The evil Mocata (Charles Gray) prepares to sacrifice young Tanith (Nike Arrighi) as director Terence Fisher’s The Devil’s Bride (1968) ures are nearly squandered by
races to a breathless climax.

the film’s lone deficiency:

2. THE MOVIES

The Devil’s Commandment

143

Michael Stainer-Hutchins’ atrocious special ef-

Rijk Sjostrom), Mario Bava (uncredited) and R.V.

fects. For starters, the visuals are unimaginative

Rhems (uncredited, U.S. versions only); Cine-
and not at all menacing. The first satanic appari-
matography: Mario Bava. Cast: Gianni Maria
tion, conjured up in Simon’s observatory, is a

Canale, Carlo d’Angelo, Dario Michaelis,
chunky, glassy-eyed black man wearing what

Wandisa Guida, Antoine Balpetre, Paul Muller,
looks like a red diaper. This guy might pass for

Al Lewis (U.S. version only).

some sort of cut-rate genie, but as an emissary

BEAUTIFUL GIRLS WERE VICTIMS OF HIS
from Hell he is simply laughable. While the

EVIL MIND!— tagline
movie’s other demonic figures (a goat-faced man,
a giant spider, a skull-faced knight on horseback)

The Devil’s Commandment—now better known
aren’t as risible as its first, they consistently un-under its original Italian title, I Vampiri—is a film dercut the dramatic power of the story. Years
of momentous historical significance but only
later, Matheson expressed exasperation with the
middling quality, especially in its butchered
movie’s visuals. “They always go for the god-

American versions.

damned spider!” he said. “That wasn’t in my

Inspector Chantal (Carlo d’Angelo) and re-
script.” Not only are the effects disappointingly
porter Pierre Lintin (Dario Michaelis) are both
ordinary in design, they are also clumsy in exe-
investigating a series of mysterious Parisian ab-
cution. Even relatively simple rear-projection
ductions and murders, all involving young women
shots during a car chase sequence look awkward
whose bodies are surgically drained of blood by
and unconvincing. Fortunately the rest of The
a perpetrator that newspapers have nicknamed

Devil’s Bride is so well done, it’s possible (if at

“The Vampire.” Pierre believes a junkie named
times difficult) for viewers to overlook this sig-

Joseph Signoret (Paul Muller) may have kid-
nificant failing.

napped at least one of the victims but can’t con-

With this picture, Hammer found itself at the
vince police of his theory. He has an even harder
forefront of an emerging trend. Previously, the
time selling his next idea, that Signoret is somehow most popular movie monsters had been vampires,
werewolves and monsters of all sorts. But horror
heroes would face off against the devil himself in
a new wave of films including Rosemary’s Baby

(1968), The Exorcist (1974) and The Omen (1976), among many others. Ironically, although it was
produced first, The Devil’s Bride wasn’t released in the U.S. until after Rosemary’s Baby and suffered from unfair comparisons with Polanski’s
masterpiece. Even today it’s not as well-remem-
bered by general audiences, but Hammer devotees
generally rank The Devil’s Bride among the studio’s finest efforts of the 1960s.

Aside from its poor visual effects, it’s a hell of
a good show.

Sources: “Terence Fisher in Conversation” by

Jan Van Genechten, Little Shoppe of Horrors No.

19 and The Men Who Made the Monsters by Paul Jensen.

The Devil’s Commandment (1957/1963;

Titanus/RCIP; Italy; b&w) Alternate Titles: I Vampiri ( The Vampires, Italy), Der Vampir von Notre Dame ( The Vampire of Notre Dame, West Germany), Lust of the Vampire (alternate U.S. version). Directors: Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava (un-
credited), Ronald Honthaner (uncredited, U.S.

versions only); Producers: Ermando Donati and

The first Italian horror film: The Devil’s Com-

Luigi Carpentieri; Screenplay: Piero Regnozi (as
mandment (1957/63) (pressbook cover)

144

The Devil’s Commandment

2. THE MOVIES
linked with Duchess Margherita (Gianni Maria
lights. As the lights were dimmed, the makeup

Canale in old age makeup), a reclusive noble-
became visible to the camera—and the actress ap-
woman who once had an unrequited infatuation
peared to age. Bava probably learned this
with Pierre’s father. (Now the duchess’ niece,
gimmick not from the Mamoulian film (which

Giselle [Canale, not in old age makeup], has a had not yet been released in Italy), but from Fred
crush on Pierre — but like his father, the younger

Nilbo’s Ben-Hur (1925), which used the same ef-Lintin remains wary.) “Giselle,” it’s soon revealed, fect (in reverse) during its “Christ heals the
is actually Margherita, her youth restored by a
lepers” scene.

blood-based potion concocted by her mad scien-

I Vampiri remains only intermittently engaging, tist husband, Prof. Julian du Grand (Antoine
not only due to its general aversion to anything

Belpetre). To keep his vain wife young and beau-
scary or salacious, but because it’s noticeably un-
tiful, however, du Grand must continue killing.

even in tone and suffers from glaring lapses in

The Fascist government of Benito Mussolini
logic — problems that stem from the picture’s
prohibited Italian studios from making horror
troubled production history. Freda fell hopelessly
movies during its rule, from 1922 to 1943. Mean-
behind schedule as the shoot progressed, due in
while, highly restrictive Catholic censors at both
part to difficulties with the cast. “Freda knew his the national and local levels banned the exhibition job very well, he was gifted, but his behavior was
of imported fright films for decades. Classic Uni-
unacceptable,” Bava said. “He was convinced ...

versal chillers, including Dracula and Frankenstein that most actors have their heads up their asses.

(both 1931), reached Italian theaters in the early

Maybe I agree, but Freda took this notion to ex-

1950s once the Fascists were gone and censorship
tremes. Just imagine: he would only walk onto
codes finally began to relax. Still, when director
the set after each new scene had been completely

Riccardo Freda undertook making I Vampiri in blocked and rehearsed [by Bava]. Then he would

1956, Italy hadn’t produced a horror film since Il arrive, sit down in his chair and shout ‘Si gira!’

Monstro di Frankenstein in 1920. As a result, I (‘Roll ’em!’) After the take was finished he would

Vampiri was carefully calibrated to evade censor-turn to me and ask if we should print. Well, after
ship concerns: despite its title, the story involves a few days of that, the actors were at their wit’s
no vampirism or witchcraft; despite its romantic
end.”

subplot it contains no kissing (often excised by

I Vampiri was scheduled for 12 days of produc-local Italian censors); and it’s set in decadent Paris tion, but after 10 days Freda had filmed only half
rather than devout Rome.

the script. Then he stormed off, leaving Bava to

However necessary these compromises may
finish the picture in the two remaining days. “I
have been, they inevitably weaken the final prod-
quit working on the film due to an argument be-
uct. Especially in comparison with later Italian
tween myself and the producers,” Freda admits.

gothic horrors, I Vampiri seems extremely tame.

In order to finish on time, Bava radically altered

Its plot also proves disappointingly familiar, echo-and streamlined the story, expanding the Lintin
ing elements from such dated and uninspiring
character, decreasing the importance of the in-
fare as The Vampire Bat (1933) and The Corpse spector and abandoning entire subplots. In the

Vanishes (1942), although since horror films were original screenplay, for instance, Joseph Signoret
so hard to see in Italy at the time, these similarities was not merely a drug addict but an executed
may be coincidental. The film’s principal assets
killer revived from the dead by a chemical agent
are Beni Montressor’s baroque sets and Mario
formulated by Professor du Grand. This explains

Bava’s moody, high-contrast black-and-white cin-
the Frankenstein Monster-like surgical scars
ematography, which together defined what would
around Joseph’s neck (where his guillotined head
become the signature look of the Italian gothic
had been reattached). Bava somehow managed to
thriller. The picture also boasts some spectacular
complete the film on time and on budget, but I
visual effects, also supervised by Bava. The

Vampiri failed miserably at the box office. Italian showiest of these are Giselle/Margherita’s trans-audiences stayed away in droves, which Freda
formations from young beauty to aged hag, which
marked up to simple prejudice (“They assumed

Bava realized using the same technique that had
that Italians didn’t know how to make films of
transformed Fredric March from Dr. Jekyll to Mr.

this kind,” he said). French audiences found the

Hyde in the 1931 Rouben Mamoulian version of
picture’s faux Parisian setting laughable.

that tale. Canale was painted with red old-age

The movie languished unreleased in the U.S.

makeup which appeared invisible under red
until 1963, when it was purchased by the Releasing

2. THE MOVIES

Devil’s Doll; The Devil’s Hand

145

Corporation of Independent Producers, a low-

The Devil’s Hand (1962; Crown Internarent importer of grindhouse fare. The company
tional; b&w) Alternate Titles: Devil’s Doll, Live to hired Ronald Honthaner, who had edited Robert

Love, The Naked Goddess, Witchcraft; Director: Clarke’s The Hideous Sun Demon (1959), to shoot William J. Hole, Jr.; Producer: Alvin K. Bubis;
new material to be inserted into I Vampiri, which Screenplay: Jo Heims; Cinematographer: Mered-RCIP issued in two retitled versions—the “all-au-
ith Nicholson. Cast: Linda Christian, Robert
diences” Devil’s Commandment and the “adults Alda, Ariadna Welter, Neil Hamilton, Gene Craft,
only” Lust of the Vampire, which contained

Jeannie Carmen.

nudity. The Devil’s Commandment runs eight THIS IS THE HAND OF TERROR!— ad line
minutes shorter than I Vampiri yet contains 11
minutes worth of new material originating from

The Devil’s Hand is a deservedly obscure entry neither Freda nor Bava. Key sequences from I
in the horror cinema sweepstakes whose only real

Vampiri were truncated or deleted, rendering an point of interest lay in the astounding beauty of
already choppy film virtually incomprehensible.

its star, Linda Christian. Christian plays Bianca

The new scenes were intended to amp up the

Milan, an enticing temptress who sets her sights
thrill quotient but are so ineptly staged,
on Rick Turner (Robert Alda). Bianca, a promi-
performed and photographed that they only re-
nent member of a modern-day voodoo cult that
duce the dramatic impact. The Devil’s Command-
worships Gamba (“the devil-god of evil”), uses
ment features a different opening scene — in this her powers of thought transference to invade
version, a black-gloved killer strangles a woman

Rick’s dreams. When the leader and “high execu-
while she takes a bubble bath. Audiences are
tioner” of the cult (Neil Hamilton) uses a voodoo
treated to cheesecake footage of the victim un-
doll to send Rick’s fiancée to the hospital, Bianca dressing, as well as a quick glimpse of her bub-lures Rick to her and ensnares him with her cap-
ble-covered bosom. The most notorious of these
tivating beauty. He agrees to join the cult so that newly created scenes arrives near the end of the
they can be together, and so “renounces goodness
film, when Al (“Grandpa Munster”) Lewis, play-
and virtue.” After an introduction to the cult’s
ing one of Professor du Grand’s henchmen with
sacrificial version of Russian Roulette (using a ro-a gleam of deranged lust in his eye, attacks a
tating hanging wheel mounted with swords),
blonde prisoner, ripping open her blouse to reveal

Rick’s conscience ultimately overcomes his infat-
her brassiere. The original, uncut version of I uation with Bianca and Rick ultimately rescues

Vampiri wasn’t shown in the

U.S. until 1993, at a Bava ret-
rospective in New York. In

2001 it was issued on DVD,
where it finally supplanted The

Devil’s Commandment.

Fortunately, the failure of I

Vampiri did not derail, but
only delayed, the arrival of Italy
as an influential player in the
development of horror cinema.

Freda and Bava joined forces
again, with greater success, for

Caltiki, the Immortal Monster

(1959/60) before Bava scored
the major breakthrough with

Black Sunday (1960/61).

With quotes from: Mario

Bava: All the Colors of the

Dark, by Tim Lucas.

Despite its title and tag-line (“This is the hand of terror!”), there’s no

“hand” and precious little “terror” in The Devil’s Hand (1962). In this

Devil’s Doll see The
lobby card, Bianca (Linda Christian, center) initiates her newfound

Devil’s Hand
beau Rick (Robert Alda, right) into a voodoo cult.

146

The Devil’s Messenger

2. THE MOVIES

Donna from the cult’s clutches, resulting in the
screen romances (including Hugh O’Brien, Errol
coven’s destruction by fire ... or does it?

Flynn and Turhan Bey) than for her on-screen

This obviously threadbare production sports
performances. Among her husbands were actors
only cramped and minimalist sets. William J.

Tyrone Power and Edmund Purdom. She even-

Hole, Jr.’s direction is adequate, but only just,
tually moved to Spain, where she continued her
with a heavy reliance on the master shot and
romantic pursuits among the European aristoc-
nothing extra in the way of evocative angles or
racy.

mood-enhancing photography (it’s about what

Though completed in 1959, The Devil’s Hand
one should expect from the director of Ghost of wasn’t released until 1962; unsurprising, since it

Dragstrip Hollow. Jo Heims’ rambling screenplay is a singularly unremarkable — and unmemo-offers absolutely no depth of character anywhere,
rable — production, save for the sultry presence
ignoring whatever tortured reasons caused these
of Linda Christian. Instead of a firm grip on hor-
people to seek out this “devil-god of evil.” None
ror, The Devil’s Hand offers only a limp wrist.

of the bland characters seem as if they’ve lost their souls (they don’t appear interesting enough to

The Devil’s Messenger (1962; Herts-Lion have even had one in the first place), and the

International; Sweden-U.S.; b&w) Directors: Her-coven comes across as nothing more than a rather
bert L. Strock, Curt Siodmak (uncredited); Pro-
silly and dull after-hours club.

ducer: Kenneth Herts; Screenplay: Leo Guild,

As Lamont, Neil Hamilton makes a truly one-

Curt Siodmak (uncredited); Cinematographer:

dimensional (or, more precisely, non- dimensional) William Troiano. Cast: Lon Chaney, Karen
villain. His smug, one-note performance, in

Kadler, Michael Hinn, Ralph Brown, John Craw-
which his tone never changes and he never even
ford, Bert Johnson.

gets excited, makes one long for a bit of his Com-

Be Careful What You Wish For!— ad line
missioner Gordon histrionics to liven things up.

(Hamilton later achieved fame as the perpetually

The Devil’s Messenger began as a proposed tel-surprised and spluttering police commissioner on
evision horror anthology called No. 13 Demon
the Batman television series.)

Street, written and directed by Curt Siodmak in Robert Alda is just as toneless and lacking in

Sweden, and starring Lon Chaney as the host. But
charisma as he was in The Beast with Five Fingers when the American half of the production, Herts-

(1947), and it’s hard to fathom what Bianca sees

Lion, showed the dozen or so episodes to CBS,
in this rather seedy middle-aged man. (This was
the network balked. Producer Kenneth Herts then
the last American film the former Broadway star
contracted director Herbert L. Strock to go to
and father of Alan Alda made before abandoning

Sweden and re-shoot several of the episodes, then

Hollywood for the sunny climes of Rome and fif-
link them together into a theatrical feature (writ-
teen years of European productions.)

ing and filming a new wraparound with Chaney

Fortunately, Linda Christian as Bianca, with
as the Devil). According to Curt Siodmak,
her sultry, come-hither looks and breathy, sexy

“Herts-Lion double-crossed me—they took three
voice, makes Rick’s impetuous decision to devote
of the shows, put them together, put a frame
his life to a devil-god cult just to get laid seem al-around ’em and put Herbert Strock’s name on it
most reasonable. Lounging provocatively in nearly as the director.... I wasn’t even mentioned in the
see-through negligees, Christian creates a heady
credits, but I’m glad of that. I never saw it.” Strock air of seething sensuality. Of course, her acting
maintains that he “reshot, put some exteriors and
can’t match her looks, and her character, despite
action in, put a live score in and so on. I remade
an obsessive nymphomania, seems no more evil
four of the messes that Siodmak had left.” If said
than a spoiled fashion model.

“messes” were even poorer than the tepid results

Born Blanca Rosa Welter in Mexico, Linda
on offer in the revamped feature, then it’s little

Christian, daughter of a Dutch oil man, grew up
wonder that No. 13 Demon Street never hit the tel-in exotic locales such as Venezuela, South Africa
evision airwaves.

and Palestine (where, for a time, she attended

As is, the anthology pastiche opens with a
medical school). She entered movies in the mid–
fleshy-faced, shirt-sleeved Lon Chaney (obviously

1940s in films like Holiday in Mexico (1946), Green just your average working-stiff Joe Satan) chuck-Dolphin Street (1947) and Tarzan and the Merling over his rolodex in Hell’s antechamber as he
maids (1948) but never really made it as a leading checks in some new tenants. A girl named Satanya
lady. She was better known for her numerous off-

(Karen Kadler, then-wife of producer Herts), a

2. THE MOVIES

The Devil’s Mistress

147
suicide, arrives, and the Devil decides to make

So young ... So bewitching ... So EVIL!— tagline
her his “messenger” (with a name like “Satanya,”

how could he not?), sending her back to Earth to While not a major rediscovery, the obscure
deliver three different objects to a trio of likely Western chiller The Devil’s Mistress— an ultra-prospects. When she protests that she doesn’t
low-budget, semi-professional production that
want to ruin peoples’ lives and lure them into
played mostly at drive-ins and lower tier “hard-

Hell, Satan reasonably responds, “People ruin
top” theaters in the Southwest — proves far more
their own lives; all we do is help them a little.”

thoughtful and effective than most films of its

First up is the delivery of a “special camera” to
breed.

a womanizing photographer who ends up killing

Four cowboys—Will (Drew Williams), Frankie

(and, it is implied, raping) a woman, only to be

(Robert Gregory), Charlie (Forrest Westmore -
haunted by her ever-advancing image in a pho-
land) and Joe (Douglas Warren)— are traveling
tograph he took. The second story involves a sci-
through Apache territory when they chance across
entist becoming obsessed with the 50,000-year-
a hardscrabble homestead. Against the advice of
old body of a (beautiful) woman found encased
cautious Will, the other three cowpokes decide to
in ice at the bottom of a mineshaft. The final tale drop in on the locals in search of food and water.

features a man with a recurring nightmare en-

Weird, reclusive homesteader Jereboam (Arthur
couraged to face his fears by his psychiatrist, re-

Resley) and his beautiful young bride Leah (Joan
sulting in a fortune teller predicting the man’s

Stapleton) share a meal of stew, cornbread and
death at midnight — by her own hand.

coffee. Charlie and Joe — who, around the cam-

Neither Rod Serling ( The Twilight Zone) nor pfire the night before, were joking about raping

John Newman ( One Step Beyond), nor even Boris

“squaws”— repay the couple for their generosity

Karloff ( Thriller), need have worried about com-by gunning down Jereboam and kidnapping
petition from this Land-of-the-Midnight-Sun TV

Leah. But the pair gets more than they bargained
horror anthology. While the three stories (pre-
for, since it turns out that Jereboam was a prac-
sumably the best of the bunch) offer a few intrigu-
titioner of black magic and Leah has supernatural
ing premises (particularly the first rather novel
powers. She kisses Charlie and drains his life-
tale), and the final segment was well-acted and
force; the next day he topples off his horse, dead.

cleverly constructed (with the figurative noose

Next she lures Joe to his death by rattlesnake bite.

tightening about the protagonist’s neck as time

Will realizes that Leah is evil but can’t convince
ticks away), none of them (especially the middle

Frankie of the danger or escape her vengeance.

episode, which offers only stilted acting and a silly Like Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls, The non-ending) can hold a candle to even the sub

Devil’s Mistress appears to have been a one-off; par installments of the three portmanteau series
producer Forrest Westmoreland and writer-di-
mentioned above. The wrap-around with Chaney’s
rector Orville Wanzer have no additional screen

Devil may please fans of the obviously-on-the-
credits. Made on a shoestring budget near Las
skids actor (who, admittedly, looks like he’s

Cruces, New Mexico, The Devil’s Mistress never having a good time), but the cheesy sets (faux cave approaches the level of artistry found in Harvey’s
walls, ordinary office desk, shelves filled with Hal-cult masterpiece, but it’s much more ambitious
loween bric-a-brac — including a skull, tiki stat-
and compelling than the better-known movies of
uette and pitchfork!) only underlines the produc-
schlock merchants such as Larry Buchanan, who
tion’s cheapness. Though lovers of camp might
churned out bargain basement drive-in fodder in
enjoy the film’s mildly amusing atomic-scare
neighboring Texas.

coda, in the end The Devil’s Messenger delivers Wanzer’s scenario is a minor marvel of film-only a shabby package.

making economy. Its Western setting and small

With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
cast help disguise the picture’s tiny budget (all

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

that’s needed are some six-guns, a few horses and
a shack — the cast probably wore their own cow-

The Devil’s Mistress (1966; Holiday Pictures) boy hats and boots). Emulating the scruffy, ragged

Director/Screenplay: Orville Wanzer; Producer:

look of the spaghetti Westerns further reduced

Forrest Westmoreland (as Wes Moreland); Cine-
expenses while also enhancing the picture’s cred-
matography: Teddy Gregory. Cast: Joan Stapleton,
ibility. Wanzer’s low-key approach (the story’s

Robert Gregory, Forrest Westmoreland, Douglas
supernatural elements slip in almost unnoticed

Warren, Drew Williams, Arthur Resley.

at first) and authentic-sounding dialogue repre-

148

Devils of Darkness

2. THE MOVIES
sent additional strengths. Yet, the movie’s biggest amulet featuring a figure of a bat and a snake,
weakness also belongs to Wanzer’s screenplay —
which he discovers near the scene of his friend’s
namely, that Leah’s nature remains poorly
disappearance. Unknown to him, the amulet is a
defined. She literally kisses the life out of Charlie powerful talisman used by the evil Count Sinistre
like a succubus, she magically commands animals

(Hubert Noel), a 400-year-old vampire-guru
to kill Joe and Will like a witch, and she tries to whose satanic cult rules the tiny village. Baxter’s bite Frankie’s neck like a vampire. So which is
actions force Sinistre and his minions expand
she? The resulting confusion creates a distraction.

their operations to London, to try to recover the

The film’s reflective pace, self-consciously arty
talisman and snuff out the meddling writer.

flourishes (cutaways to crows looking on from

Devils of Darkness marked the final big-screen barren trees, etc.) and surreal, what-does-it-all-directorial credit for former cinematographer
mean? ending may put off some viewers as well.

Lance Comfort, whose work here is competent

But it seems wrongheaded to fault an underdog
but undistinguished. The film’s cinematography
production like The Devil’s Mistress for being too and production design are even less impressive.

artful in its approach.

This was a cheap production and it shows, which

The work of the picture’s mostly amateur cast
may rankle British horror buffs accustomed to the
proves predictably uneven. Joan Stapleton, likely
glossy output of the Hammer and Amicus stu-
cast due to her slight resemblance to horror icon
dios.

Barbara Steele, comes off best in her speechless

Lyn Fairhurt’s screenplay suffers from some se-
role as the alluring Leah. Both Robert Gregory as
rious structural problems. Too many abrupt

Frankie and Oren Williams as Will give unaf-
changes of time and locale (its seven-minute pre-
fected, naturalistic performances. Douglas
credit prologue seems superfluous) make the nar-

Warren and Forrest Westmoreland are shakier as
rative seem disjointed. Disappointingly, most of

Joe and Charlie, respectively. Arthur Resley’s
the story’s bloodshed occurs off screen. And at
hambone antics as Jeroboam sink his scenes, but
fortunately his role is the smallest.

Nearly forgotten and extremely difficult to find,

The Devil’s Mistress may not be worth the effort of tracking down, but it’s worth a look if you happen to stumble across it.

Devils of Darkness (1965; Planet Film/ Twentieth Century–Fox; U.K.) Director: Lance Com-
fort; Producer: Tom Blakeley; Screenwriter: Lyn

Fairhurst; Cinematographer: Reg Wyer. Cast:

William Sylvester, Hubert Noel, Carole Gray,

Tracy Reed, Diana Decker, Rona Anderson, Peter

Illing.

What Was This Sinister Evil That Robbed The

Dead ... And Killed The Living?— tagline

Panned by the few critics who have bothered
to review it and ignored by most genre fans, Devils of Darkness lingers among the least-loved British chillers of the decade — a fate it doesn’t fully deserve. While it’s no forgotten classic, it boasts
some worthwhile elements and remains a
perfectly painless way to waste 87 minutes.

Author Paul Baxter (William Sylvester) is va-
cationing in Brittany when two of his traveling
companions mysteriously die. Dissatisfied with
the explanations for these deaths provided by local In America, Twentieth Century–Fox paired the ob-police, Baxter orders the bodies shipped to En-
scure Devils of Darkness (1965) with the better gland for autopsy. He also puzzles over a curious
known Curse of the Fly.

2. THE MOVIES

The Devil’s Own

149
times the screenwriter resorts
to clumsy narrative devices

(like having a book fall open
to reveal the vampire as

“Count Sinistre”).

But Fairhurst’s scenario
also contains some intriguing
ideas. The scenes in rural

Brittany, where Baxter runs
up against an entire village
full of Renfields, have an un-
nerving paranoia about them
that presages later, superior

60s shockers like Rosemary’s

Baby (1968). Once the scene
shifts to London, the film
amusingly depicts Satanism/

Kay Walsh as the Satanic High Priestess lording over The Devil’s Own
vampirism as an intellectual

(1966).

vogue practiced by jaded

Swinging London dilettantes. And Devils of Dark-half minute pre-credit prologue. In it, a school-
ness retains the distinction of being the first teacher (Joan Fontaine) at an African missionary

British vampire movie with a modern-day set-
compound hurriedly packs up her books while
ting.

deafening drums beat ominously all around her.

Among the picture’s other merits are a winning

Suddenly, a weird knife with its hilt fashioned into lead performance by the ever-reliable Sylvester,
a voodoo doll flies through the door to thud into
whose genre credits also include Gorgo (1961), The the room’s table. The schoolmarm frantically

Devil Doll (1965), and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

blocks up the door as her two terrified native

Hubert Noel’s eely Count Sinistre provides a per-
helpers bolt. Abruptly, the door smashes inward
fect counter-point to Sylvester’s likable hero. Ca-
and a figure wearing a huge, horrific primitive
role Gray contributes a memorable supporting
mask enters. The woman screams and the screen
turn as Sinistre’s jealous vampire queen.

fades into the credit sequence.

In the U.S., Devils of Darkness originally played The rest of the film deals with this same woman
on the lower half of a double bill with Curse of the coming to a small English village (after recovering Fly, another underrated English export.

from the nervous breakdown she suffered because
of her African experience) to teach school. Once

The Devil’s Own (1966; Hammer; U.K.) Al-there she finds that much of the town is involved
ternate Title: The Witches (U.K.); Director: Cyril in witchcraft (of the standard Satanic variety),

Frankel; Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys; Screen-
which culminates in her attempt to stop a human
play: Nigel Kneale (based on the novel The Devil’s sacrifice.

Own by Peter Curtis); Cinematography: Arthur As might be expected (since it’s a Hammer

Grant. Cast: Joan Fontaine, Kay Walsh, Alec Mc-
film) , The Devil’s Own is well-acted but slow, with Cowen, Duncan Lamont, Gwen Ffrangcon-little happening until the story winds down to its

Davies, John Collin, Ingrid Brett, Leonard
rather uninteresting conclusion. (Hammer did

Rossiter, Michele Dotrice, Carmel McSharry,
eventually make one good witchcraft movie,

Martin Stephens, Ann Bell.

1968’s The Devil’s Bride.) The Devil’s Own’s witch-ery and supposedly “wanton” coven activity ap-

Black witchcraft as real as an African night-
pear dreadfully tame, and the evil high priestess
mare!— trailer
is vanquished with a whimper rather than a

“WHAT DO The Devil’s Own DO AFTER DARK?”

scream. Scripter Nigel Kneale ( Enemy From Space, asks the poster for this dull British import. The

The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas, First answer: Not much. In fact, what little excitement

Men in the Moon, et al.) would have done better that can be gleaned from this tepid tale of mod-to expand the voodoo-themed prologue rather
ern-day (or at least 1966) witches in a small En-
than abandoning it in favor of the dull small-town
glish village comes during the brief two-and-a-
witchcraft scenario, since the tense opening two

150

The Diabolical Dr. Satan; The Diabolical Dr. Z

2. THE MOVIES
minutes prove to be the film’s sole highlight. Di-

The Diabolical Dr. Z centers on Dr. Zimmer rector Cyril Frankel complained that, “They went

(Antonio Jiminez Escribano), who has developed
a little potty by writing a semi-orgy scene at the
a strange machine that blends acupuncture and
end which I was not quite happy with.” Screen-
hypnosis to transform people into obedient
writer Kneale, on the other hand, griped, “There’s
slaves. Dr. Z explains his reasoning like this:

nothing as funny as people imagining they’re

“Thanks to me, all the killers, all the abnormal,
witches. It’s naturally comic. I think a cleverer di-all the sadists, all the maniacs could be transmuted rector would have faced that possibility of it all
into wise and good persons.” Unfortunately, the
turning into laughs and he would have managed
poor physician never has a chance to prove his
to make it really horrible, creepy and threatening.”

theory, for he dies of a coronary induced by his

Apart from Hammer’s casting coup of cor-
ridicule at a scientific convention. Consequently,
ralling Academy Award winner Joan Fontaine for
his rather cold daughter (Mabel Karr) decides to
the lead role, The Devil’s Own is noteworthy only avenge his death by destroying the three promi-because it turned out to be child actor Martin
nent scientists whom she feels were responsible.

Stephens’ (star of both Village of the Damned

The instrument of her vengeance is a gorgeous

[1960] and The Innocents [1961]) final screen ap-exotic dancer with two-inch fingernails that goes
pearance.

by the stage name of “Miss Death” (played by the

The Devil’s Own failed miserably at the box strikingly beautiful Estella Blain). Miss Zimmer
office, and Joan Fontaine (who had purchased the
kidnaps Miss Death, subjects her to the mind-
screen rights to Nora Lofts’ [writing under the
control machine, treats her remarkable fingernails
pseudonym Peter Curtis] novel herself in 1962
with the “poison” curare, and sends her out to
and eventually brought the story to Hammer’s at-
exact vengeance.

tention) reportedly was devastated by the movie’s

Running throughout this unique film is an un-
poor showing. With only a few sporadic TV ap-
dercurrent of Sadean sensuality, largely due to the pearances left ahead of her, The Devil’s Own
presence of Estella Blain (who, sadly, committed
proved a poor finish to the illustrious actress’ big-suicide in 1981) and Franco’s voyeuristic approach.

screen career.

With quotes from: The Hammer Story, by Mar-
cus Hearn and Alan Barnes.

The Diabolical Dr. Satan see The

Awful Dr. Orlof

The Diabolical Dr. Z (1966/67; Spain/

France; b&w) Original Language Title: Miss

Muerte; Director: Henri Baum (Jess Franco); Producers: Serge Silberman, Michel Safra; Screen -
play: Jesus Franco, Jean-Claude Carriere; Cine-
matographer: Alejandro Ulloa. Cast: Howard

Vernon, Mabel Karr, Estella Bain, Guy Mairesse,

Fernando Montes, Antonio J. Escribano.

NOTHING EVER STRIPPED YOUR

NERVES SCREAMINGLY RAW LIKE...

“THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z”— poster blurb

This Spanish/French co-production from the
diabolical director Jess Franco (using the pseudo-
nym “Henri Baum”) may be that prolific Spanish
filmmaker’s finest film. Best known to English-
speaking audiences for his 1970 version of Count Dracula, starring Christopher Lee, Klaus Kinski and Herbert Lom, Franco has been turning out
the European equivalent of drive-in fare since

From the diabolical director Jess Franco comes The

1959 (reportedly over 150 features to date!).

Diabolical Dr. Z (1966/67).

2. THE MOVIES

Diary of a Madman

151

Blain’s bizarrely erotic “dance of death” in the
the next few weeks realizes that the entity (which
nightclub sequence is worth the price of
calls itself the Horla) is real and is now haunting admission alone. After being turned into an un-him. Under the influence of the Horla, Cordier
willing killer, she still manages to inspire flashes begins a dalliance with a gold-digging young
of sympathy, however, making the audience ac-
artist’s model, Odette (Nancy Kovack), and then
tually care about what happens to her—a rare oc-
kills her. The woman’s husband (Chris Warfield)

currence in subsequent Franco films.

stands accused of the murder, and Cordier is as-

Franco peppers his odd-yet-clever scenario
signed to preside over the man’s trial.

with striking set pieces, including a suspenseful

The fundamental flaw with Diary of a Madman
chase through village back-alleys; a sudden and
is that, in a misguided attempt to capture a wider
vicious murder-by-auto; some wince-inducing
audience, producers Robert Kent and Edward
facial self-surgery; the surreal mind-control ma-

Small hedge their bets, clinging to the story’s lit-chine, with its spider-like mechanical “arms” and
erary origins (it’s loosely based on the short story oversized acupuncture needles, at work; a brutally

The Horla by Guy de Maupassant) and soft-ped-realistic fight sequence; and, of course, Miss
aling its more exploitative elements. For instance, Death’s unforgettable nightclub performance (in-after his visit with the condemned man, the film
volving her writhing about on a huge, stylized
spends nearly 20 minutes establishing that the
spider web). Aided by cinematographer Alejandro

Horla is now pursuing Cordier, a fact that could

Ulloa’s atmospheric lighting and gorgeous black-
and-white photography (transforming stately
manor homes and village streets into ominous
dens of shadow and darkness), Franco here up-
dated 1960s Continental horror with a striking
eroticism and deliciously bizarre ambiance. (And
watch for the filmmaker himself in an amusing
cameo role as a sleep-deprived police inspector.)

The Diabolical Dr. Z is a remarkably polished achievement for an off-kilter filmmaker who, in
a few short years, would come to be seen largely
as a perverted hack, when seen at all.

Diary of a Madman (1963; United Artists) Director: Reginald Le Borg; Producers: Robert E.

Kent and Edward Small; Screenplay: Robert E.

Kant (Story: Guy de Maupassant); Cinematogra-
pher: Arthur Ibbetson. Cast: Vincent Price,

Nancy Kovack, Chris Warfield, Elaine Devry, Ian

Wolfe, Mary Adams.

The most diabolical pages ever written become

THE MOST TERRIFYING MOTION

PICTURE EVER CREATED!— tagline

Diary of a Madman is a tastefully done, literary-minded chiller. In fact, it’s too tasteful. Its stately, high-toned approach drains much of the
life out of a ripping good story before recovering
with a very satisfying third act.

In gaslight-era Paris, a crusading magistrate,

Simon Cordier (Vincent Price), visits the cell of
a man awaiting execution for murder. The pris-
oner pleads for mercy and contends the crimes
were committed by an invisible alien entity which
gained hypnotic control over him. Cordier dis-

Australian daybill poster for Diary of a Madman
misses the fanciful story, but over the course of

(1963).

152

Die! Die! My Darling

2. THE MOVIES
have been established with a single visual effects
movies. Unfortunately, beyond the lone bravura
shot in the prisoner’s cell. (Besides if it were not, murder scene, director Reginald Le Borg’s com-there would be no movie!) While these scenes,
position and shot selection remains pedestrian.

with Cordier questioning his own sanity and

Cinematographer Arthur Ibbetson over-lights
finally realizing that the Horla exists, derive from everything, lending this Technicolor film a dis-the original story, de Maupassant’s spellbinding
appointingly flat look.

yarn is structured as a mystery. By adding a flash-

Despite its considerable demerits, Diary of a
back framing sequence and the expository scene

Madman boasts an exciting final half-hour and with the condemned man, Diary of a Madman
an under-appreciated performance by Price,
tips its hand immediately, rendering Maupassant’s
which gives viewers something worth watching
scenes painfully obvious and dull. Robert E.

until the fun starts. Although hardly an unsung

Kant’s screenplay also takes pains to explain in
classic — more like a noble failure — it’s worth a
copious detail the origin of the Horla and why it
look for Price devotees.

chose to persecute Cordier, elements de Maupas-
sant wisely elected to leave unexplained or am-

Die! Die! My Darling (1965; Hammer/
biguous. All this contributes to the movie’s lethar-MGM; U.K.) Original Title: Fanatic (U.K.) Di-gic 96-minute running time.

rector: Silvio Narizzano; Producer: Anthony

Diary finally comes to life with Odette’s

Hinds; Screenplay: Richard Matheson (from a
murder, which is put over with surprising verve
novel by Anne Blaisdell); Cinematographer:

and intensity — a blank-faced, hypnotized Price

Arthur Ibbetson. Cast: Tallulah Bankhead,
striking with repeated, vicious stabs, then return-

Stephanie Powers, Peter Vaughan, Maurice Kauf-
ing home, glassy-eyed, the murder-knife dripping
mann, Yootha Joyce, Donald Sutherland.

blood as he ascends the stairs. From this scene on-

The ultimate in stabbing suspense!— tagline
ward the pace quickens and tension mounts,
building to a fiery climax when Cordier tries to

Hammer Films’ series of Psycho-inspired black-turn the tables and kill his invisible antagonist.

and-white psychological thrillers, which began

Diary of a Madman would have been far more re-promisingly with the excellent Scream of Fear
warding if it had gone for the jugular from the

(1961), and continued with the worthwhile
get-go.

Maniac (1963) and Paranoiac (1964), veered to-If nothing else, however, the picture serves as
ward creative oblivion with the lackluster Night-a fine star vehicle for Price. He’s onscreen nearly mare (1964) and Hysteria (1965). Clearly, a new the entire film and given a wide range of com-direction was needed. Die! Die! My Darling tries pelling moments to play. Price is sympathetic in
to plot that course, but can’t decide where it wants the otherwise forgettable early scenes as he strug-to go.

gles to come to grips with the existence of the

Screenwriter Richard Matheson stepped in to

Horla; endearing as a bereaved widower grasping
replace the written-out Jimmy Sangster, who had
at a chance for new romance; and menacing as
penned Hammer’s first five pseudo Psycho s, and the Horla’s somnambulist-like murder-drone.

positioned this film as an entry in the burgeoning

This was the second of three films Price made for

“horror hag” sub-genre. To emphasize this con-

Admiral Pictures. Distributed through United
nection, the film —called Fanatic in England —

Artists, Diary was preceded by Tower of London was renamed Die! Die! My Darling for U.S. audi-

(1962) and followed by Twice Told Tales (1963), ences, a title that duplicated the meter of Hush ...

both of which remain better known than this

Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964). However, director often-overlooked production. In fact, Diary of a Silvio Narizzano envisioned the film as a dark

Madman may be better recognized as the title of comedy. Indeed, the animated, cat-and-mouse
a triple-platinum-selling album by former Black
opening credits suggest something on the order

Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osborne.

of Blake Edwards’ Pink Panther films. Yet Math-Among the supporting cast, Ian Wolfe and
eson’s story remains only occasionally and at best

Mary Adams provide delightful turns as Cordier’s
mildly funny. The cast’s performances are simi-
befuddled but loyal servants, and Novack makes
larly uneven — some played straight, others for
the most of her plum role as the two-timing
laughs. Neither fish nor fowl, Die! Die! My Darling Odette. The film also boasts handsome sets, de-inevitably emerged muddled, but not without its
signed by Victor A. Gangelin, who also decorated
merits.

sets for director Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe

One major strength is the enchanting perform-

2. THE MOVIES

Die, Monster, Die!

153
handyman, but his approach seems out of step
with that of Powers and Bankhead, both of whom
seem deadly serious.

The movie suffers from a slow first act, and its
conclusion isn’t entirely satisfying, but in be-
tween—during the lengthy battle of wills between

Patricia and Mrs. Trefoile — Die! Die! My Darling proves engrossing and suspenseful. To further differentiate this film from its predecessors, Die! Die!

My Darling was shot in color, and cinematographer Arthur Ibbetson’s bold, glossy palate lends
a distinctive visual style to the picture.

While not entirely successful, Die! Die! My

Darling delivered the jolt of creative energy badly needed to jump-start Hammer’s psycho-thriller
series. If nothing else, it remains far preferable to either Nightmare or Hysteria. Hammer would fare even better next time out, when it returned to
horror hagdom with The Nanny (1965).

Die, Monster, Die! (1965; Anglo Amalgamated/American-International) Director: Daniel

Haller; Producers: Pat Green; Screenplay: Jerry

Sohl (Story: H.P. Lovecraft); Cinematographer:

Paul Beeson. Cast: Boris Karloff, Nick Adams,

Freda Jackson, Suzan Farmer, Patrick Magee, Ter-
ence de Marney.

Window card highlighting the psycho-terrors of

Can you face the ULTIMATE in DIABOLISM ...

Die! Die! My Darling! (1965).

can you stand PURE TERROR?— tagline
ance of Stephanie Powers, who stars as Patricia

Die, Monster, Die has a great deal going for it: Carroll, a young woman paying a courtesy call on
an appealing cast headlined by the great Boris
the family of her dead fiancé and finds becomes

Karloff; a classic story by H.P. Lovecraft; hand-
trapped by her would-be mother-in-law, Mrs.

somely appointed sets; atmospheric cinematog-

Trefoile (Tallulah Bankhead), a religious fanatic
raphy. Unfortunately, the picture squanders most
who wants to “cleanse” her of her worldly “sins”

of those assets and winds up as something less
so the young woman can be reunited with her
than the sum of its parts— tepid, plodding and
dead son when she dies. Mrs. Trefoil spends hours
mediocre.

daily reading aloud from her Bible, and has re-

Young American Steven Reinhart (Nick
moved all the mirrors from her house, since they

Adams) travels to a remote English estate to meet
promote vanity. She also demands that Patricia
the family of his girlfriend, Susan (Suzan Farmer).

wipe the lipstick from her mouth, and refrain

Susan’s father, Nahum (Karloff ), tries to run him
from wearing anything red.

off, while her mother, Letitia (Freda Jackson),

The legendary Bankhead, making her final
begs Steven to take Susan away immediately. Leti-
screen appearance, hisses and seethes with con-
tia’s maid has disappeared, and she’s afraid her
vincing lunacy. But Powers more than holds her
husband may be going insane. After much snoop-
own; likeable and relaxed in her early scenes, she
ing around (and protracted exposition), Steven
becomes progressively frazzled as the story un-
and Susan discover that Nahum is keeping a
folds. Powers expertly handles several demanding
strange, glowing meteorite in the basement. Ra-
physical bits of business, as Patricia endures all
diation from the meteor is turning the estate’s
sorts of abuse at the hands of the crazy old woman
plants and animals into bizarre mutations and
and her equally creepy servants. Donald Suther-
having a disturbing effect on Nahum.

land contributes an amusing comedic perform-

Although Jerry Sohl based his screenplay on
ance as one of those servants, a simple-minded

Lovecraft’s short story “The Colour Out of

154

Dimensions in Death; Dinosaurus!

2. THE MOVIES

Space,” there’s nothing
very Lovecraftian about
this scenario. Sohl retains
little beyond the basic
premise of a radioactive
meteor that lands in a se-
cluded farmstead. In most
aspects, from its introduc-
tion of a romantic subplot
to its house-burning
finale, Sohl’s screenplay
owes more to Roger Cor-
man’s Edgar Allan Poe
movies than to its literary
source. Maybe the screen-
writer deserves a mulligan
here, considering that

Lovecraft’s work seldom
translates well to the
screen (perhaps because so
much of its power arises

Die, Monster, Die! (1965): Boris Karloff (or, at this point, his special effects from the author’s brilliant
dummy stand-in) does just that.

wordcraft). Still, it’s disap-
pointing that Sohl begins with a story as intense
be said for his likable co-stars, including Nick
and unnerving as “The Colour Out of Space” and

Adams and Hammer Films veterans Freda
winds up with something this limp and pre-

Jackson and Suzan Farmer. They seem somewhat
dictable, a movie that plays like a worn-out
more invested in Die, Monster, Die than Karloff, retread of Corman’s House of Usher.

but their since their roles are simple stereotypes

Die, Monster, Die marked the directorial debut there’s not much they can do to inject any degree
of former production designer Daniel Haller. Pre-
of dramatic gravitas.

dictably, Haller takes full advantage of Colin

Haller took another swing at Lovecraft (and

Southcott’s beautifully crafted and decorated sets, missed again) with The Dunwich Horror (1969) as well as Paul Beeson’s moody cinematography.

before retreating to television, where he enjoyed

But Haller allows the narrative to limp along, es-
a long and productive career on shows like Iron-pecially during the picture’s overlong opening act, side, Kojak and The Fall Guy. In retrospect, con-without generating credible tension or suspense.

sidering all the resources available, Die, Monster, By the time the meteor is discovered and things

Die looks like a missed opportunity.

actually start to happen, nearly 50 of the film’s 80
minutes have elapsed. Then, just when it seems

Dimensions in Death see Castle of

Die, Monster, Die may be redeemed with a rousing

Blood
finale, shoddy, laughable visual and makeup ef-
fects undercut its credibility. Especially damaging

Dinosaurus! (1960; Universal) Director: Irvin is the emergence of a radioactive monster that

S. Yeaworth, Jr.; Producers: Jack H. Harris and
looks like a stunt man with his head wrapped in

Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr.; Screenplay: Dan E. Weis-
aluminum foil.

burd and Jean Yeaworth (from an idea by Jack H.

Haller also proved ineffective at eliciting a com-

Harris); Cinematographer: Stanley Cortez. Cast:

mitted performance from his star. Karloff, who

Ward Ramsey, Paul Lukather, Kristina Hanson,
spends most of his limited screen time in a wheel-

Alan Roberts, Fred Engelberg, Gregg Martel.

chair, doesn’t seem particularly engaged here.

This is a cookie-cutter performance, full of almost The most amazing adventure since the beginning
sing-song line readings and lacking the sense of
of time!— trailer
inner life that mark the actor’s best work. While

For the 13-and-under crowd, or even those
he does nothing to damage the film, Karloff
young-at-hearts among us, Dinosaurus! offers doesn’t significantly help it, either. The same can everything one could want in a giant monster

2. THE MOVIES

Dr. Blood’s Coffin

155
movie: an orphaned boy pro-
tagonist with an evil stepfa-
ther (who ultimately gets his
come
uppance); a “good”

monster (brontosaurus) bat-
tling a “bad” one (tyran-
nosaurus); a friendly fatherly
hero and his motherly girl-
friend; a comical caveman
who befriends the boy (and
even teaches him to ride the
bronto’s back!); and a climac-
tic triumphant battle between
machine and monster.

Shot in five weeks (exclud-
ing the stop-motion effects)

on location at St. Croix in the

Virgin Islands (with studio
work done in Hollywood) for

$450,000, Dinosaurus! tells
the tale of harbor demolition

Monster vs. machine in Dinosaurus! (1960).

work on a small Caribbean is-
land dislodging two frozen dinosaurs (a bron-
the man who crafted the creations seen in Willis
tosaurus and tyrannosaurus rex), along with a

O’Brien’s The Lost World (1925) and King Kong Neanderthal caveman. Brought to shore, the pre-

(1933). While they fail to live up to the marauding served bodies quickly thaw, and a lightning strike
monsters of those earlier classics (looking rather
restores them to life, leading to all manner of
ungainly in comparison), they’re serviceable
menace as the island inhabitants try to avoid
enough. The animation, executed by Wah Chang
being eaten, ultimately taking refuge in an old
and Gene Warren (who worked on The Time Ma-
ruined fortress.

chine this same year), though lacking the unique This straightforward Boys Own-style monster personality of an O’Brien or even Ray Harry-movie is aimed squarely at the kids, with the vil-
hausen creation, again proves passable.

lain being thoroughly villainous, the hero com-

The (human) leads perform their undemanding
pletely heroic, and the fish-out-of-water caveman
roles adequately, and even Alan Roberts, as the
cavorting in near-slapstick fashion (with gags in-
precocious boy Julio, rates fairly low on the an-
volving a flushing toilet and even a pie in the
noyance meter. Producer Harris originally
face!). Such humor may tickle the average prepu-
planned to star Steve McQueen as the hero in Di-bescent funny bone, but it becomes rather tedious
nosaurus! , “but he was such a royal pain [on Har-for the older crowd. “Dinosaurus! did have a huris’ earlier The Blob] and I hated him so much I morous central portion,” related producer Jack
didn’t use him.” Of course, after McQueen be-

H. Harris. “[Director] Irvin Yeaworth and his
came a huge star, Harris regretted this decision

[screenwriter] wife, Jean, came up with that. I
to no end. (In 1964 Harris paired Dinosaurs! with was on the fence about it, but it tickled me so

The Blob for a reissue double-bill; had McQueen much that I gave in.... Looking back, it would
made Dinosaurus! , it could have been a huge Mc-have been better if we didn’t do it.” Indeed.

Queen-double-feature money-spinner.)

There are moments of horror in this children’s With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
fantasy, however. Many of the dinosaur scenes

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

take place at night, enhancing the fright factor,
including a sequence in which the tyrannosaur

Dr. Blood’s Coffin (1961; United Artists; U.K.) carries off a screaming man in his claws and later

Director: Sidney J. Furie; Producer: Gene Fowler;
viciously attacks a bus (which features a shot,

Story and screenplay: Nathan Juran (as Jerry Juran) from inside the vehicle, of the Rex peering in that (Adaptation: James Kelly, Pete Miller); Cinematog-obviously inspired Spielberg for his Jurassic Park).

rapher: Stephen Dade. Cast: Kieron Moore, Hazel

The dino models were built by Marcel Delgado,

Court, Ian Hunter, Kenneth J. Warren.

156

Dr. Blood’s Coffin

2. THE MOVIES

We dare you to look into ... Dr. Blood’s Coffin!—
clearly revealed as the villain. From that point for-tagline
ward, the picture devotes much screen time to

Peter rushing back and forth between the aban-

Young doctor Peter Blood (Kieron Moore) re-
doned mine, where he has built a makeshift lab-
turns from medical school to the tiny British vil-
oratory (and hidden his human guinea pigs), and
lage of his youth and embarks on a series of secret the village, where he is trying to woo Linda.

experiments aimed at reviving the dead. He’s able

Peter’s misguided attempt to impress Linda by
to fool his father, Dr. Robert Blood (Ian Hunter),
reviving her husband fails horribly. His subject,
and young widowed nurse Linda (Hazel Court),
after rotting in the grave for an entire year, is a but when villagers begin to go missing, local police grotesque, zombie-like specimen. “You haven’t
investigate. Peter assists in the investigation and brought Steve Parker back to life,” Linda cries.

throws authorities off track, but Linda grows sus-

“that’s something out of Hell!”

picious and eventually discovers him harvesting

That late-arriving spellbinder aside, Nathan
a heart from one of his victims. Indignant that

Juran’s screenplay offers too few thrills and too
she fails to appreciate the value of his brilliant re-much heavy-handed moralizing (“You want me
search, Peter decides to resurrect the young widow’s to kneel down to a new god: science,” Linda
late husband, with catastrophic consequences.

says— while standing in front of a crucifix, no

Dr. Blood’s Coffin bumps along without making less). Sidney Furie, who directed this vapid, pre-much of an impact until its final 20 minutes or
dictable low-budget picture, went on to direct
so, when this disappointingly timid chiller finally vapid, predictable big-budget pictures such as Su-delivers on its blood-and-thunder title. During
perman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) and the the film’s earliest moments, the face of the doctor Iron Eagle series. Like those later films, Dr. Blood’s performing these brutal (but mostly unseen)

Coffin is slick and professional, but devoid of nu-medical procedures remains hidden, suggesting
ance or personality. It’s cookie-cutter filmmak-
that the misanthropic medical man might or
ing.

might not be Peter — but then, after about a half-

For much of its running time, the film’s only
hour of cat-and-mouse camera business, this el-
real selling point is a wonderful performance by
ement is inexplicably abandoned and Peter is

Hazel Court. As Linda, she has some terrific mo-
ments— describing the
auto accident that killed
her husband, playfully rib-
bing Peter about his driv-
ing, eventually growing
suspicious of her new
beau. Dr. Blood’s Coffin
showcases the actress’ tal-
ents better than any pic-
ture other than Roger Cor-
man’s Masque of the Red

Death (1964). Keiron

Moore is acceptable but,
compared to Court, flat
and one-dimensional in
the title role. The rest of
the cast, including Ian

Hunter as Peter’s father
and Kenneth J. Warren as
a police sergeant, is
equally forgettable. But, if
only for Court’s fine work

(and for a humdinger of a
finale), Dr. Blood’s Coffin

A reanimated corpse (Paul Stockman) attacks Dr. Peter Blood (Kieron remains worth a look.

Moore) in Doctor Blood’s Coffin (1961).

2. THE MOVIES

Doctor...; Dr. Jekyll’s...; Doctor of Doom; Dr. Orloff ’s Monster

157

Doctor from Seven Dials see Corri-

Gomar (Gerardo Zepeda), a man with the brain
dors of Blood
of a gorilla who wears a bullet-proof metal
suit(!!), to kidnap women for his experiments.

When the doctor chooses as his next ‘donor’ the

Dr. Jekyll’s Mistress see Dr. Orloff ’s
sister of a professional female wrestler named

Monster

Gloria Venus (Lorena Velazquez), Gloria and her
partner in the ring, the Golden Ruby (Elizabeth

Doctor of Doom (1962/65; Cinematografica Campbell), join up with a pair of police detectives Calderon S.A./Young America Productions; Mex-

(Armando Silvestre, Chucho Salinas) to stop the
ico; b&w) Original Language Title: Las Luchadoras madman and his pet gorilla-man.

vs. el Médico Asesino; Alternate Title: Rock ’n’ Roll Whew! Doctor of Doom comes off more like a Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Ape (Rhino Video boffo episode of the old Superman TV show than altered reissue version); Director: Rene Cardona;
a real movie. The mad doctor behaves like a de-

Manuel San Fernando (English language version);
ranged comic-book crime-lord, operating out of

Producer: William (Guillermo) Calderon Stell, K.

a secret lair (complete with a “room of death”—

Gordon Murray (English version); Screenplay:

a chamber with moving, spiked walls), and send-

Alfred (Alfredo) Salazar; Cinematographer:

ing out his gang of thugs to do his bidding (and

Henry (Enrique) Wallace. Cast: Lorena
augment Gomar’s activities). The two policeman

Velazquez, Armand Silvestre, Elizabeth Campbell,

“heroes” even wear radio wristwatches straight

Robert Canedo, Sonia Infante, Chucho Salinas.

out of Dick Tracy! (In a charming role reversal, the wrestling heroines must rescue these “heroes”

“This case is enough to make a madman sane!”

from said “room of death.”) Throw in a handful

— Detective Tommy
of ringside scenes (which feature obvious— and

And so’s the movie. The first of the Female
chunky — real female wrestler doubles stepping Mexican Wrestler movies to come north of the
in for Our Battling Beauties), some serial-like

Border in the 1960s (released Stateside in 1965),

fisticuffs, bargain basement sets, ludicrously

Doctor of Doom centers on a mad doctor (Roberto dubbed dialogue, and a secret identity mystery

Canedo) who hides his identity beneath Ku Klux
that’s no mystery at all (there’s only one possible Klan-style hood and robes(!), and is obsessed with
suspect!), and Doctor of Doom becomes a naively transplanting brains. To this end he sends out
charming guilty favorite among Mexican

Wrestling Horror Movie afi-
cionados.

Director Rene Cardona

(unofficially) remade this
feature in 1968 as the nu-
dity-and-gore-filled ex-
ploitationer Night of the

Bloody Apes. Ironically, Ar-
mando Silvestre, who stars
as the heroic detective Mike

Henderson in Doctor of

Doom, took on the trans-
plant-happy mad doctor role
in Bloody Apes.

Dr. Orloff ’s Monster

(1964; Cooperativa Cine-
matografica/Leo Films Spain;
b&w) Alternate Titles: Brides
of Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Jekyll’s Mis-
tress, Mistresses of Dr. Jekyll,

The Secret of Dr. Orloff, Orig-

The 1962 Mexican-wrestling-women-meet-the-monsters feature Las
inal Language Title: El
luchadoras vs. el medico asesino became Doctor of Doom when dubbed into English in 1965 (U.S. lobby card for Spanish-speaking theaters).

Secreto del Dr. Orloff; Direc-

158

Dr. Terror’s Gallery of Horrors

2. THE MOVIES
tor: John Frank (Jess/Jesus Franco); Screenplay:

interminable slow zooms into staring faces as

Nick Frank (Ricardo Franco); Cinematographer:

Fisherman recalls his wife’s infidelity — sort of a Alfonse Niell. Cast: Agnes Spaak, Joseph Raven

Franco Does Bergman sequence). Franco spends

(Jose Rubio), Pearl (Perla) Cristal, Patrick Long,
far too much time in a dreary jazz club (which he

Mike Arnold (Marcello Arroita-Jauregui), Daniel
returns to three more times). The jazz-loving Plummer (Blumer), Hugh White (Hugo Blanco).

‘maestro’ himself can be seen, wearing his trade-
mark dark glasses, tickling the ivories in one of

“You hold the key to the greatest scientific
these never-ending scenes.

secret of our time.”— Dr. Orloff

The film’s slow pace isn’t helped by dull dia-

A sequel in name only to Jess Franco’s com-
logue sequences, long stretches where absolutely
mercially successful The Awful Dr. Orlof (1962), nothing happens, and unfunny comic relief char-Dr. Orloff ’s Monster (with “Orloff ” mysteriously acters (the cracked castle caretaker and a super-acquiring a second “f ”) centers on Professor Fish-
cilious police inspector). The robotic zombie An-
erman (Marcello Arroita-Jauregui), a castle-
dros moves at about the same pace as the film,
dwelling scientist who has developed the means
and the sketchy makeup makes him look more
to control people via sound waves. (The only ten-
like a man with a slight case of eczema than a
uous tie to the earlier film comes when an inves-
walking corpse. Hugo Blanco does what he can
tigating inspector says of the case: “I’m reminded
with the role, even eliciting sympathy at times,
of the work of Dr. Orloff; he experimented with
such as when he escapes the castle and stands for-
a robot which responded to ultrasonics.”) Twenty
lornly over his own “grave” (one of the few
years ago Fisherman caught his wife cheating on
effective moments in the film). The mind-con-
him with his own brother, Andros (Hugo
trolled, death-dealing monster/person theme

Blanco). The professor murdered Andros and
turned up again in Franco’s next film, the far su-
transformed him into a robot-like zombie, whom
perior Diabolical Dr. Z (1965).

he now sends out to strangle nightclub singers (an
apparent fetish of Fisherman’s). The professor’s

Dr. Terror’s Gallery of Horrors (1967; niece Melissa (Agnes Spaak), the zombie’s daugh-American General) Alternate Titles: The Blood
ter, arrives for a visit and, along with her new-

Suckers, Gallery of Horror, Return from the Past found cabdriver boyfriend, starts to unravel the

(TV). Director: David L. Hewitt; Producers:

mystery. When Fisherman orders his zombie to

David L. Hewitt, Ray Dorn; Screenplay: David
kill the girl, vestiges of paternal feelings arise in Prentis (David L. Hewitt), Gary R. Heacock (orig-the walking automaton, and the monster turns
inal stories by Russ Jones); Cinematography:

on its maker. (But just how Andros could recog-

Austin McKinney. Cast: Lon Chaney, John Car-
nize the now-grown
daughter that he had never
seen — he ‘died’ just after
she was born — remains a
mystery only the screen-
writer, the late Ricardo

Franco [the director’s
nephew], could have an-
swered.)

While The Awful Dr.

Orlof offered some impres-
sive castle settings and iso-
lated moments of creepi-
ness, this ‘sequel’ offers
some impressive castle set-
tings. Moments of creepi-
ness need not apply. In-
stead, it’s a steady flow of
tedium from beginning to

Ad for the amateurish anthology Dr. Terror’s Gallery of Horror (1967)—
end (starting with the
not to be confused with the far superior Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors
opening, which consists of

(1965).

2. THE MOVIES

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors

159
radine, Rochelle Hudson, Roger Gentry, Ron
rector-producer-writer David L. Hewitt ( The

Doyle, Karen Joy.

Wizard of Mars [1965], The Mighty Gorga [1969]) realized his script was too short, he contracted his SEE STRANGE TERRORS BEYOND BELIEF

— poster
friend and associate Gary R. Heacock to write in-
tros for each story. “They told me, ‘Make ’em as

John Carradine once cited Billy the Kid vs.

long as you can!’” laughed Heacock to interviewer Dracula (1966) as the worst movie he ever made.

Tom Weaver. “So if John Carradine’s introduc-

He must have forgotten about Dr. Terror’s Gallery tions to the different scenarios seem a little bit
of Horrors.

wordy — well, they were, because we had to have

Not to be confused with the superior Amicus

[say] 80 minutes, or whatever the running time
anthology film Dr. Terrors House of Horrors was, and there just simply wasn’t enough in the

(which undoubtedly the distributors of this pa-
scenarios.” For his long-winded efforts, Carradine
thetic portmanteau intended), Dr. Terror’s Gallery received $3,000 of the film’s reported $20,000
of Horrors features five short tales of the super-budget.

natural, each introduced by on-screen narrator

Those involved with the wretched project held

Carradine, and each offering (silly or pre-
little illusions about it. Interviewed by Jack
dictable — or both) twist endings.

Gourlay, co-star Ron Doyle, who appeared in

The first tale, “The Witch’s Clock,” has a young
three of the five segments, labeled the film “a piece couple buy a castle in Massachusetts(!) and find
of shit — pretty disastrous.” Another actor, Ron
a cursed clock with the power to raise the dead

Brogan (from the “King Vampire” story) opined

(Carradine appears in this one as a revived 17th

(again to Gourlay), “It was pretty much on the
century warlock). The second segment, “King
camp side — phony thing.... [W]e didn’t go back

Vampire,” follows two 19th century police inspec-
and correct mistakes as there was no time for re-
tors as they try to stop a vampire killer. In “The
takes.”

Monster Raid,” a researcher returns from the

At least the actors occasionally had some fun
grave thanks to a special “formula” to revenge
with the film (unlike the hapless viewer), as re-
himself on his cheating wife and murderous col-
counted by Doyle: “We were doing a take, and I
league. Story four, “The Spark of Life,” stars Lon
was supposed to look under a sheet at this dead

Chaney as a doctor delving into the power of elec-
body. Lon [Chaney] got underneath the sheet and
tricity whose experiments revive a flabby, mid-

I didn’t know it. When I pulled it back, Lon yelled dle-aged executed murderer. The final tale,

‘Aaarrr’ and scared the hell out of me!” That

“Count Alucard,” becomes a micro-retelling of
makes one person scared by Dr. Terror’s Gallery Dracula, with Mr. Harker arriving at the Count’s of Horridness.

castle to conclude the deal on Carfax Abbey, only
to run afoul of a vampiress and the Count him-

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965; Am-self.

icus; U.K.) Director: Freddie Francis; Producers:

Statically shot on cheap plywood sets con-

Milton Subtosky and Max J. Rosenberg; Screen-
structed on a cramped soundstage (with “exteri-
play: Milton Subotsky; Cinematographer: Alan
ors” consisting of castle matte shots and coach-

Hume. Cast: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee,
driving footage stolen from the Roger Corman

Michael Gough, Neil McCallum, Roy Castle,

Poe films House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendu-Donald Sutherland, Bernard Lee.

lum and The Raven), Gallery looks more like a collection of high-school skits than a feature film.

SUSPENSE THAT CLAWS AT EVERY FIBER

The acting matches the sets in amateurish awful-

OF BODY AND SOUL!— poster blurb
ness, though both Carradine and Chaney give it

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors proved to be the the old college try, with Chaney (who reportedly
first (though not the best) in a long line of Amicus earned $1500 for his half-day’s work) in particular anthology films, which included Torture Garden
plowing his way through his underwritten role

(1967), The House that Dripped Blood (1971), Tales like a thespian bull in a cinematic china shop.

from the Crypt (1972), Asylum (1972), The Vault Sadly, this proved to be the ailing horror star’s
of Horror (1973) and From Beyond the Grave final speaking part in a horror movie.

(1973). Headed by frequent scriptwriter Milton

Carradine’s poorly-written, rambling mono-

Subotsky and his partner Max J. Rosenberg, Am-
logues leading into the poorly-written, rambling
icus proved to be Hammer’s biggest competitor
stories were actually an afterthought. When di-
in the British horror arena of the 1960s.

160

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors

2. THE MOVIES

Amicus’ first anthology feature was originally
the second yarn, called “Creeping Vine,” has an
going to be shot in 1962 in black and white with
intelligent mobile plant inexplicably cut phone
financial backing from Columbia Pictures, but
wires, put out fires, strangle people and trap a

Columbia dropped out when they deemed it too
family inside their house. The third tale, named
expensive (at a mere $94,000!). It took another

“Voodoo,” details what happens when a jazz mu-
two years to obtain alternate financing for the
sician (Roy Castle) steals the “sacred music of the (now-color) project, and even after production
great god Damballah.” The fourth (and best) seg-
finally got underway, the difficult dollar (or, more ment has pompous art critic Franklin Marsh
accurately, problematic pound) reared its ugly

(Christopher Lee) humiliated by artist Eric Lan-
head yet again. After two weeks of shooting, the
dor (Michael Gough). The spiteful critic then
production nearly shut down when part of the
runs down Landor with his car, causing the artist

American financing was withdrawn (British co-
to lose his hand. After the despondent Landor
financier Joe Vegoda ponied up the extra cash
commits suicide, his disembodied hand haunts
needed).

Marsh, leading to the critic’s demise in a bit of

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors relates five tales poetic justice. In the fifth and final story, Donald of the supernatural, tying the disparate stories to-Sutherland plays a small-town doctor whose new
gether via Dr. Schreck (Peter Cushing), a myste-

French bride turns out to be a vampire. As the
rious “doctor of metaphysics” who, with a deck
piece de resistance, the film ends with the train
of tarot cards, tells the futures of the five men
pulling into the station. Schreck has disappeared
sharing his train compartment. (Subotsky had
and the platform is dark and deserted. A news-
originally written the five stories back in 1948 as paper wafts down to the confused travelers which
scripts for a planned TV series that never mate-
reads “5 dead in train wreck.” They see the figure
rialized.) The first episode, entitled “Werewolf,”

of Dr. Schreck across the platform, but his gaunt
is a rather muddled lycanthrope tale (complete
bearded countenance has transformed into that
with poorly-lit manor house, skulking servants
of a grinning skull. The Grim Reaper then leads
and easily whipped-up clip of silver bullets); while his five “guests” away.

“I like anthology films,” opined Subotsky, “be-
cause I feel that in SF and horror the short story
format works better than either the novel or nov-
elette.” Subotsky’s preference notwithstanding,
the downside of the anthology format is that
there’s very little time to develop characters or
build and sustain mood — two key components
in successful horror films. It’s very difficult to
fashion a believable milieu or create intriguing
characters in less than 30 minutes. When given
only about fifteen minutes, as with most of Dr.

Terror’s segments, it’s nearly impossible. In Dr.

Terror’s, the fantastical notions are too abrupt as characters seemingly take these unlikely happen-ings as a matter of course (since there’s no time
for any doubt), allowing for no real credibility.

Fortunately, Subotsky and Rosenberg gathered
together a cadre of fine actors who managed to
invest some realism in their somewhat stereotyp-
ical roles. Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee,

Michael Gough, Neil McCallum and Donald

Sutherland in particular all bring a believable
quality to the unbelievable situations.

In talking of his various anthology movies, di-
rector Freddie Francis explained that “my ap-

Peter Cushing as the mysterious Dr. Schreck
proach to these films is that no one is really going (which translates as “Dr. Terror”) in Dr. Terror’s

House of Horrors (1965), the first in a long line of to believe that these sort of things happen ... so I Amicus anthologies.

believe that though people may find it horrid for

2. THE MOVIES

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

161
a while, they find it horrid in a giggly sort of way.”

You just can’t keep a good man down.

Of all the segments, “Voodoo” possesses the most

— tagline
of this “giggly” quality. “To my mind,” admitted

Francis, “it was a fun thing, obviously not to be

Perhaps because it was the first entry in Ham-
taken seriously.” So while “Voodoo” remains a
mer Films’ long-running Dracula series not
musically and comedically effective segment
directed by the great Terence Fisher, or maybe

(thanks largely to Roy Castle’s amiable attitude
due to a controversial plot element, or possibly
and Bob Hope-style asides), it fails to generate
as a result of its campy advertising campaign,
any real scares. Of the four other segments, only

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is seldom the “Disembodied Hand” episode really works
celebrated by critics or fans. Yet, this breathtak-
well. “Werewolf ” is rather dull, while the “Creep-
ingly designed and beautifully photographed pic-
ing Vine” remains ridiculously unconvincing,
ture, packed with endearing characters and pep-
with a poor build-up leading to a weak (anti)cli-
pered with harrowing suspense sequences, stands
max. Despite the ever-quirky presence of a young
as one of Hammer Films’ most underrated pro-

Donald Sutherland (in only his third film), “Vam-
ductions.

pire” also fails to satisfy thanks to its perfunctory Even though Dracula has been dead for 10
plotting and all-too-ready staking (though it does
years, the tiny village at the foot of the mountain possess an unexpected and amusing final twist).

where the Count once lived remains figuratively

Fortunately, the film’s wrap-around is a creepy,
and literally in the shadow of Castle Dracula.

suspenseful, well-constructed story unto itself,

When Monsignor Mueller (Rupert Davies)

with the passengers becoming more and more un-
arrives to inspect the local church, he finds the
easy as Dr. Schreck relates their horrific fates one town’s priest (Ewan Hooper) has retreated into
by one. Of the omnibus format, Francis felt, “The
alcoholism and despair, shattered by Dracula’s
only thing one has to do is to make sure you have
former reign of terror. To assuage the villagers’

a good link. And I think the link has to be able to fears, the Monsignor forces the priest to assist him stand on its own. I think the link we had with
with an exorcism of Castle Dracula. But the trou-

Peter Cushing in Dr. Terror’s was one of the best.”

bled cleric isn’t up to the task and inadvertently

Indeed it was.

revives the Count from the frozen river into

Thanks to its clever connecting device, the su-
which the vampire plunged at the conclusion of
perbly acted and genuinely scary “Disembodied

Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966). The enraged Hand” segment and (to a lesser extent) the flawed

Dracula claims the faithless priest as his would-
but still entertaining “Voodoo”

story, Dr. Terror’s House of Hor-
rors remains a fairly solid entry
in the notoriously uneven An-
thology subset.

With quotes from: “The

Vault of Subotsky,” by Philip

Nutman, Fangoria 32, 1983;

Drums of Terror: Voodoo in the

Cinema, by Bryan Senn.

Dracula Has Risen from
the Grave (1968/69; Ham-
mer/Warner Bros.; U.K.) Di-
rector: Freddie Francis; Pro-
ducer: Aida Young; Screenplay:

Anthony Hinds (as John Elder);

Cinematographer: Arthur

Grant. Cast: Christopher Lee,

Rupert Davies, Veronica Carl-
son, Barry Andrews, Barbara

Ewing, Ewan Hooper, Michael

Despite the stake, Christopher Lee rises from the grave yet again in Ripper.

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1969).

162

Dracula, Prince of Darkness

2. THE MOVIES
be Renfield and sets out to take revenge on the
therly innkeeper and Barbara Ewing’s saucy bar-

Monsignor for “desecrating” his ancestral home
maid — seem authentic and engender sympathy.

and barring its doors with a giant cross.

Unfortunately, as usual, Dracula is kept off-screen Dracula pursues Mueller to his hometown of
for long stretches. Still, Has Risen makes far better Keinenburg then plots to kill the bishop and take
use of the character than Prince of Darkness
his lovely niece, Maria (Veronica Carlson), as a

(1966)— at least Lee has dialogue in this one!

vampire “bride.” Maria’s beau, a free-thinking

Unfortunately, this carefully crafted, thoughtful
student named Paul (Barry Andrews), tries to de-
film was promoted with an incongruously tongue-
stroy Dracula and rescue Maria, and in the film’s
in-cheek ad campaign during its initial American
most memorable scene, drives a stake into the
release. For instance, one movie poster showed a

Count’s heart as he sleeps in his coffin. But since close-up of a woman’s neck with two strategically

Paul is an atheist, he is unable to invoke Christ
placed Band-Aids. “Dracula Has Risen from the
through prayer to sanctify his actions. So instead

Grave ... obviously,” went the tagline. Such posters of dying, Dracula simply pulls the stake out of his erroneously suggested a spoof along the lines of
chest.

Roman Polanski’s The Fearless Vampire Killers

Many viewers object to this sequence since it

(1966), which may have confused audiences and
seems, on the surface, to violate the established
critics.

“rules” of vampirism. But the idea that faith is es-Hammer’s Dracula movies declined sharply
sential to vanquish the undead had been a core
after Has Risen. Next up was the mediocre Scars concept of Fisher’s Dracula films, dating all the
of Dracula (1970), directed by Roy Ward Baker.

way back to Horror of Dracula (1958). (After all, Then Hammer tried shifting the series to a con-it’s Van Helsing’s faith that transforms two can-
temporary setting with disastrous results.

dlesticks into a makeshift cross during that film’s Director Alan Gibson’s Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) finale.) Consistently, Fisher had framed the battle remains a notorious debacle. The studio reunited
with the forces of darkness as a contest between

Lee and Peter Cushing for Gibson’s Count Dracula Christian good and Satanic evil. In Has Risen, for and His Vampire Brides (aka The Satanic Rites of Maria to be saved, either Paul must become a be-Dracula), but the results proved so dismal that liever or else Dracula’s henchman, the former cler-afterward Lee abandoned the Dracula role per-
gyman, must recover his faith.

manently. It took four years for Satanic Rites, reHas Risen ranks among the most satisfying di-leased in England in 1974, to find an American
rectorial efforts from Freddie Francis, who joined
distributor. Hammer’s ignominious final Dracula
the project after Fisher (who was originally slated entry, the off beat Dracula-kung fu hybrid The
to helm this picture) was hit by a car and broke a

Seven Brothers Meet Dracula (aka The Legend of leg. Francis, himself an Oscar-winning cine-the Seven Golden Vampires, 1974), was an ill-fated matographer, works with director of photography
co-production with Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers.

Arthur Grant to maximize the impact of Bernard

It’s only wishful thinking, of course, but fans

Robinson’s imaginative sets, particularly the Cali-might prefer to simply pretend that the series
gari-like rooftops and balconies of Keinenburg, ended with Has Risen. It would have been a far and the dank cellar of an inn, where Paul stakes
more fitting conclusion to what had been, up to

Dracula. Francis takes painterly care with these
that point, the studio’s best and most beloved col-
meticulously designed sets and with Grant’s at-
lection of films.

mospheric lighting (sickly greens, icy blues, eerie yellows). He also keeps the pace brisk and elicits

Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966; Ham-uniformly naturalistic and likable performances
mer/20th Century–Fox; U.K.) Director: Terence
from his cast.

Fisher; Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys; Screen-

Andrews and Carlson may be the most endear-
play: Jimmy Sangster (as John Sansom), from a
ing pair of romantic leads of any Hammer chiller.

story by Anthony Hinds (as John Elder), based

Davies’ self-assured, unflappable Monsignor
on characters created by Bram Stoker; Cine-
makes a fitting foil for Lee’s imperious, relentless matographer: Michael Reed. Cast: Christopher

Dracula. Hooper excels as the weak-willed, be-

Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis
sotted priest. All the actors benefit from one of

Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Charles Tingwell, Thor-

Anthony Hinds’ most vivid scripts, almost over-
ley Walters, Philip Latham.

stuffed with well-drawn characters. Even the
film’s minor roles— such as Michael Ripper’s fa-

Bloodthirsty Vampire Lives Again!— tagline

2. THE MOVIES

Dracula, Prince of Darkness

163

Almost anything would
have paled in comparison
to the nearly perfect Horror
of Dracula (1958) and

Brides of Dracula (1960),
but Hammer Films’ third

Dracula entry seems unac-
countably anemic. All the
pieces for another superb
shocker are present, but
screenwriter Jimmy Sang-
ster and director Terence

Fisher appear unable to as-
semble them properly.

Consequently,

Dracula,

Prince of Darkness adds up
to less than the sum of its
parts.

Four English tourists ig-
nore the stern advice of Fa-
ther Sandor (Andrew Keir),

The vampirized Helen (Barbara Shelley) is about to get the point — at the an eccentric rifle-toting
hands of stake-wielding monks — in Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966) Carpathian monk, and end

(American lobby card).

up stranded in the forest,
forced to spend the night at Castle Dracula. Drac-
boasts a (rare, for Hammer) powerful and con-
ula has been dead for 10 years (since being reduced vincing visual effects set piece, enhanced by some
to ashes by Van Helsing at the end of Horror), but crafty touches by Fisher (for instance, after the
his faithful servant Klove (Philip Latham) has
process is complete, Lee’s hand rises into view,
preserved the Count’s dusty remains in a box.

fingers crawling across the lip of the coffin like a During the night, Klove kills one of the travelers
giant spider).

(Charles Tingwell) and uses his blood to revive

Unfortunately, the film falls short on two ele-

Dracula (Christopher Lee) from the dead. (After
ments essential to any Dracula story: Dracula and
spreading the remains into a coffin, Klove hangs
a story.

the victim upside down and slashes his throat;

Sangster’s disjointed, nearly plotless scenario
blood gushes onto Dracula’s ashes and voila— re-breaks the film into two halves: the first, set pri-hydrated vampire.) Dracula takes the dead man’s
marily at Castle Dracula and climaxing with the
wife (Barbara Shelley) as his first victim, and she Count’s revival, is a methodically paced but un-joins him as a vampire “bride.” The other two
nerving preamble; the second, set primarily at
travelers (Francis Matthews and Suzan Farmer)

the monastery and on the road back to the castle,
flee to the nearby monastery, where Father Sandor
feels rushed and jumbled and amounts to little
takes them in and formulates plans to destroy
more than an extended chase. During the latter

Dracula. Before Sandor can make a move, how-
half of the film, characters such as the Renfield-
ever, Dracula strikes—taking hypnotic control of
like scribe Ludwig are introduced but not devel-
a weak-minded scribe (Thorley Walters) and kid-
oped, so their behavior seems arbitrary and con-
napping the remaining English woman. This sets
trived. The film’s unusual method of dispatching
up a climactic race to the rescue.

Count Dracula also stretches its credibility. Sang-

With the studio’s best director, an accomplished
ster was so displeased with the screenplay that he

(if inconsistent) screenwriter, a fine cast (includ-signed it with the pseudonym “John Sansom.”

ing Lee as Dracula), composer James Bernard and

Executive producer Anthony Hinds received story
the rest of Hammer’s high-performing team of
credit under his usual “John Elder” nom de plum,
craftsmen and technicians in tow, Prince of Dark-leaving Bram Stoker’s as the only real name listed
ness would seem to have everything that worked among the movie’s writing credits.

so beautifully in the first two Hammer Draculas.

Christopher Lee, who high-handedly refused

Plus, in its resurrection scene, Prince of Darkness to appear in Brides, returned to fill the title role.

164

Drops of Blood; Duel...; The Dungeon of Harrow

2. THE MOVIES

Unfortunately, Prince of Darkness completely

Duel of the Space Monsters see
wastes its star. Not counting a stock footage recap

Frankenstein Meets the
of the Horror finale, Lee doesn’t appear until

Spacemonster
nearly the 48-minute mark, has only about nine
minutes of screen time and no dialogue in the en-

The Dungeon of Harrow (1964; Herts-
tire film. Lee later claimed that he was given lines Lion) Alternate Title: Dungeons of Horror; Direc-but refused to deliver them. “I didn’t speak be-
tor: Pat Boyette. Producers: Russ Harvey, Don
cause I was given, originally, nothing to say worth Russell. Screenwriters: Pat Boyette, Henry Garria.

hearing,” he said.

Cinematographer: James Houston. Cast: Russ

While it fails to coalesce in a fully satisfying

Harvey, Helen Logan, William McNutty, Michelle
whole, Prince of Darkness remains diverting Buquor, Maurice Harris, Eunice Grey, Lee Mor-enough and contains some outstanding individual
gan.

sequences and performances. Shelley steals the
show as Helen, a prissy, repressed Englishwoman

PAT BOYETTE’S UNDERGROUND

CLASSIC — tag line (DVD)

who morphs into a ravenous bisexual predator
after being vampirized by Dracula. Keir also pro-

Hardly.

vides a memorable turn as the film’s swashbuck-

During (presumably) the 19th century, an aris-
ling cleric. And Matthews and Farmer also give a
tocratic young man named Mr. Fallon is ship-
good accounting of themselves, bringing intelli-
wrecked, along with the ship’s captain, on a de-
gence and sensitivity to their thinly written roles.

serted island. The island, however, is not so

Although Brides suggested that Hammer’s
deserted after all, as our two protagonists soon

Dracula series would follow the adventures of
find a castle and encounter the five inhabitants,
vampire-slaying Professor Van Helsing (Peter
including the mad lord of the castle (named, in-

Cushing), the character does not appear in Prince credibly, Count Lorente DeSade) and his leprous
of Darkness and would not return to the series wife locked away in the dungeon. After much un-until Count Dracula and His Vampire Brides (aka interesting by-play between the characters, the

Satanic Rites of Dracula [1974/78]). However, re-captain is tortured and murdered, while Our
placing Van Helsing with Father Sandor brings

Hero falls in love with the only eligible female in the Christian-good-versus-pagan/satanic-evil
the household and kills the evil Count. We then
theme of Fisher’s previous Dracula films into
learn the ironic fate that has befallen the young
sharper relief. By making its hero a clergyman,
man (now no longer young as he narrates the

Prince of Darkness brings the church itself into tale). You see, Our Hero is now contaminated
the fight against vampirism. Notably, the travelers with the hideous disease leprosy and is doomed
run into trouble when they ignore the advice of a
to live out the rest of his days on the island, taking priest, and later find aid and comfort in a
the place of the mad Count as he, too, now slowly
monastery.

sinks into the madness of the horrible disease.

During its initial U.S. release, 20th Century–

The Dungeon of Harrow (filmed in San

Fox paired Prince of Darkness with The Plague of Antonio, Texas) is one of those semi-professional
the Zombies and marketed both with a gimmicky shoestring pictures that gives the word “cheap” a
ad campaign in the William Castle tradition.

bad name. Tacky, garish sets; terrible non-acting;

Movie posters exclaimed, “Boys! Fight back ...

and poor lighting and sound are the standard.

bite back with Dracula fangs! Girls! Defend your-

However, what really sinks this production is its
self with Zombie eyes! Get yours free as you enter
slow, ponderous pace and heavy-handed preten-
the theater.” Fortunately, the twin bill didn’t need tiousness. There’s too much talk about ominous
such hucksterism. Plague of the Zombies proved events soon to happen, too much talk describing
to be a minor classic, and Prince of Darkness, while how characters are feeling (probably because the
less impressive than the king and queen of Ham-
amateur actors were incapable of any effective
mer’s Draculas ( Horror and Brides), extends the emoting), and too much talk by the annoying,
royal bloodline entertainingly.

whispering narrator. The camera doesn’t do any-

With quotes from: The Christopher Lee Filmog-
thing interesting either, with the lens lingering
raphy, by Tom Johnson and Mark A. Miller.

on unimportant movements, watching people
walk about the room just to kill some running

Drops of Blood see Mill of the Stone
time. The over-obvious musical score is too over-

Women
used to be effective — even to the point of over-

2. THE MOVIES

Dungeons of...; The Dunwich Horror; The Earth Dies Screaming

165
laying the characters’ speech, making it difficult

Lovecraft feel with psychedelic lights and
to hear the dialogue. Granted, the film offers one
exposure effects, but misses the mark completely.

or two minor chills, such as when Fallon, now

(Haller had delved into Lovecraft territory once
chained in the dungeon with the hideous, leprous
before with 1965’s Die Monster Die—and with just Countess, sees her disfigured form coming to-as little success.)

wards him with the intention of consummating

In The Dunwich Horror Wilbur Wheatley
their “wedding night.” But bad taste can’t cover

(Dean Stockwell) steals the Necronomicom, a book up the awesome dullness of this little loser. Avoid of pure evil, and plans to sacrifice Sandra Dee to

The Dungeon of Harrow like you’d avoid a leper usher the “Old Gods” back into the world of Man.

colony.

Sam Jaffe, as his grandfather, and Ed Begley, Sr.

(in his final role), as a college professor, try to

Dungeons of Horror see Dungeon of
stop him. There’s also a Thing-Behind-The-Door

Harrow

(Stockwell’s monstrous twin), which breaks out
and goes on an (off-screen) rampage.

The Dunwich Horror (1969; AIP) Director: Stockwell is so vapid and listless that you just

Daniel Haller; Producers: James H. Nicholson,
can’t take him seriously as the embodiment of

Samuel Z. Arkoff; Screenplay: Curtis Lee Hanson,
evil. Jaffe, best remembered by genre fans as the

Henry Rosenbaum, Ronald Silkosky; Cinematog-
wise, sympathetic scientist in The Day the Earth rapher: Richard C. Glouner. Cast: Sandra Dee,

Stood Still (1951), is wasted in his few moments Dean Stockwell, Ed Begley, Sam Jaffe, Lloyd
of doddering histrionics. Begley is bug-eyed, and

Bochner.

Sandra Dee is so limp one hopes for demonic pos-
session — or anything that’ll inject some life into H. P. LOVECRAFT’S CLASSIC TALE OF TERher. Barboura Morris (the beatnik love-interest

ROR AND THE SUPERNATURAL!— poster blurb
from Roger Corman’s A Bucket of Blood [1959]) H. P. Lovecraft has proven very elusive for film-provides a nice turn, though, as a frightened
makers. His terror tales involving a complicated
housewife. The unnamable monster receives an
mythos of “Old Gods” and primal evil have a
effective buildup at the start, as we see only
unique atmosphere of decay and corruption that
glimpses of writhing tentacles and a horrible
doesn’t yield well to the film medium (so far).

shape suggestive of unimaginable ancient horrors.

This effort directed by Daniel Haller (Roger Cor-

But there’s no payoff — since that’s all we see —
man’s former art director) attempts to capture the
and it’s ultimately disappointing. And the climax

(or, more aptly, anti- cli-
max) is swift, painless and
unexciting. Lovecraft will
have to wait.

The Earth Dies

Screaming (1965; Lip-
pert/20th Century–Fox;
b&w) Director: Terence

Fisher; Producers: Robert

L. Lippert, Jack Parsons;

Screenplay: Henry Cross;

Cinematographer: Len

Harris. Cast: Willard

Parker, Virginia Field,

Dennis Price, Thorley

Walters, Vanda Godsell,

David Spenser, Anna Palk.

THE EARTH DIES

SCREAMING ... AND A

NEW TERROR

The far-more-interesting-than-the-movie poster for the desultory Dunwich

REIGNS!— trailer

Horror (1969).

166

Eegah

2. THE MOVIES

Great title, lousy movie.

or kettles boiling over unattended, or any other

Some unknown force has wiped out nearly the
trappings of a world suddenly devoid of people.

entire human population. Robots with silver

Everything is filmed in a straightforward, almost
heads and dressed in spacesuits roam a small En-
casual manner.

glish village where a handful of people who es-

Likewise, the horror and menace to be found
caped the “gas attack” (including real-life
when faced with walking corpses is never fully ex-
husband and wife Willard Parker and Virginia
ploited. They move so slowly, and there are so few

Field) are trying to figure out what is going on.

of them, that they fail to pose any real threat (par-What’s worse, robots are reviving the dead as
ticularly since they easily “die” a second time; no white-eyed, mindless zombies. With elements like
need to “shoot ’em in the head”— anywhere will
these (not to mention a real grabber for a name),
do). It’s almost as if their inclusion was an afterThe Earth Dies Screaming should be a sure-fire thought —“Right, some zombies would make for
hit. But, sadly, you can’t judge a film by its title.

a jolly good show.” The climax contains no sur-

The production is obviously of very small scale.

prises and little excitement. The two heroes for-

With only seven cast members, no special effects
mulate a plan to destroy the transmitter through
to speak of (we’re never shown where the robots
which the robots and zombies are directed. They
originate, for instance), and only two robots
locate the transmitter and blow it up. That’s it —

(looking like cut-rate escapees from an early Dr.

straight to the point without any undue drama

Who episode), it’s difficult to create a believable or suspense.

scenario through which our intrepid band can

In the end, The Earth Dies not with a scream fight for their lives against insurmountable odds.

but a whimper.

Terence Fisher, Hammer Studio’s best resident
director (who helmed such classics as The Curse

Eegah (1962; Fairway International). Director/
of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula) never takes Producer: Arch Hall, Sr. (as Nicholas Merri-advantage of the possibilities inherent in the story.

wether); Screenplay: Bob Wehling and Arch Hall,

We don’t see any eerie shots of deserted towns,

Sr. (as Nicholas Merriwether); Cinematographer:

Vilis Lapenieks. Cast: Arch Hall, Jr.,

Marilyn Manning, Arch Hall, Sr. (as

William Watters), Richard Keil.

The Crazed Love of a

Prehistoric Giant for a

Ravishing Teenage Girl!

— tagline

Widely regarded as one of the
worst films ever made, this inane
caveman melodrama doesn’t quite
live down to its lowly reputation —
which, ironically, makes Eegah even
harder to watch.

Roxy (Marilyn Manning) acci-
dentally hits a hulking caveman

(Richard Keil) with her car while
driving home across the desert one
night. At first, her rock singer
boyfriend Tom (Arch Hall, Jr.) and
adventure novelist father Mr. Miller

(Arch Hall, Sr.) are understandably
skeptical of her story. But when Tom
discovers huge footprints in the
sand, Mr. Miller decides to try to
find the “giant” his daughter de-
scribed. Mr. Miller soon goes miss-

When The Earth Dies Screaming (1965), the viewer only yawns.

ing, so Tom and Roxy rush to save

2. THE MOVIES

E.T.N.; The Evil of Frankenstein

167
that makes movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space
and Robot Monster unintentional laugh fests. Director Arch Hall, Sr., and crew are simply too pro-
fessional for that. The result is a film that is simply tiresome.

Arch Hall, Sr., and his team mount a produc-
tion of far better quality than, for instance, sim-
ilarly budgeted productions by filmmakers such
as Herschel Gordon Lewis or Andy Milligan: The
lighting, sound and other technical work is per-
fectly adequate. But the acting is mostly atrocious, especially the tortured emoting of Keil (best remembered for his role as James Bond villain

“Jaws”). The movie also contains too much
blatant filler, including a lengthy footage of Tom
and Roxy tooling through the desert in a dune
buggy, and two banal pop ditties performed by

Hall Jr.

Eegah was the second feature produced by Fairway International Pictures, a tiny outfit founded
by Hall Sr., a former B-Western villain turned ex-
ploitation movie maven. He not only produced,
directed and starred in the film (under various
pseudonyms to try and disguise the film’s minus-
cule budget), he also wrote the two pop tunes his
son performs and dubbed the voice of Eegah.

Amazingly, just a year later Fairway International

Caveman love and Arch Hall, Jr.— two of the du-
produced the superb low-budget thriller The
bious delights of Eegah (1962).

Sadist (1963), also co-starring Hall Jr. and Manning. It’s difficult to imagine two more different
him, only to have Marilyn carted away by the
films, both in tone and quality, than Eegah and caveman, who calls himself Eegah. It seems that

The Sadist. Viewers are advised to seek out that Eegah is a prehistoric throwback kept alive by
minor masterwork and give this caveman caper
drinking sulfur water (huh?). The last of his lin-
a miss.

eage, he lives in a cave, surrounded by his mum-
mified ancestors. Eventually, Tom rescues Roxy

E.T.N.: The Extra Terrestrial Nasty
and her father and brings them back to town. Af-
see Night Fright
terward, however, Roxy realizes she has developed
romantic feelings for Eegah, setting the stage for

The Evil of Frankenstein (1964; Hammer; a finale highly imitative of King Kong (only not U.K.). Director: Freddie Francis; Producer: An-nearly as exciting).

thony Hinds; Screenplay: Anthony Hinds (as

Given its daffy scenario, meager budget

John Elder); Cinematographer: John Wilcox.

($35,000), and semi-pro cast, the most viewers

Cast: Peter Cushing, Peter Woodthorpe, Sandor
can reasonably hope for from this film is a few

Eles, Katy Wild, Kiwi Kingston.

unintentional chuckles. Indeed, Eegah delivers a few of those — most of them generated by Hall’s

He’s never been more shocking!

Shocking! Shocking!— tagline
brainless pop songs and spectacularly coiffed hair, or else Manning’s dumbfounding romantic inter-Actually, he’s never been more boring! Boring!

ludes with the titular troglodyte—but not enough

Boring!

to make Eegah’s overlong 93 minutes anything Peter Cushing returns in the title role, but the
less than a chore to sit through. This would be a
sluggish, derivative Evil of Frankenstein (1964) far more entertaining picture if it were more
represents a major drop-off in quality following
poorly made. Although patently ridiculous, Eegah Hammer Films’ groundbreaking Curse of Franken-never sinks to the level of hysterical incompetence stein (1957) and superb Revenge of Frankenstein

168

Exorcism at Midnight; The Exotic Ones

2. THE MOVIES
and dispatches him to seek vengeance against the
townsfolk of Karlstadt, with predictably cata-
clysmic consequences.

None of this adds up to much, in terms of sus-
pense or thrills. Francis’ eye for beautiful compo-
sitions remains sharp, especially during a
flashback sequence to the Monster’s creation, full
of flashing electrodes and arcs of electricity. Nevertheless, Evil sorely misses Fisher’s narrative precision. Aside from Cushing, most of the cast
proves forgettable. The sole exception is Kingston, who’s memorably awful, laboring beneath an
atrocious Monster makeup.

Back in 1959, Hammer inked a deal with Uni-
versal to obtain exclusive remake rights to Uni-
versal’s horror classics, including permission to
recreate the famous Jack Pierce Frankenstein
makeup. (The immediate fruit of this pact was

Hammer’s excellent The Mummy [1959]—actually a remake of The Mummy’s Hand [1940].) Unfortunately, makeup artist Roy Ashton’s inept
attempt to update Pierce’s design makes the Mon-
ster look more like Peter Boyle (from Young

Frankenstein [1974]) than Boris Karloff.

Anthony Hinds’ script, which completely

British poster for Hammer’s weakest Cushing/
abandons the continuity established by Curse and Frankenstein entry (1964)

Revenge, suffers from rehashing too many elements from Universal’s Frankenstein movies: the

(1958). Although Cushing remains fun to watch,
electrified creation scene (as in the 1931 Franken-an addle-brained script requires him to act like a
stein), a Frankenstein protégé who uses the mon-ninny half the time. Director Freddie Francis,
ster for his own nefarious purposes (a la Ygor in
pinch-hitting for Curse and Revenge director TerSon of Frankenstein), a handicapped “friend” for ence Fisher, introduces some attractive visuals,
the monster (like the blind hermit from Bride of but lets the story crawl along without generating

Frankenstein), the monster’s fear of fire (every credible dramatic tension.

entry in the Universal series), the discovery of the The film opens with the bankrupt Baron and
monster frozen in ice (recycled from Frankenstein his assistant, Hans (Sandor Eles), sneaking incog-Meets the Wolf Man), and on and on. Fortunately, nito back to Frankenstein’s abandoned chateau
after this misfire Hammer returned to making
in Karlstadt to recover his valuables and hock

Hammer Frankenstein movies instead of trying
them for laboratory equipment. Even though he’s
to make Universal Frankenstein movies. Execu-
been in exile for 10 years, Frankenstein is shocked tives also had the good sense to recall Fisher, who to discover his home has been vandalized and
returned to direct all of Hammer’s subsequent
looted, and to find his self hung in effigy in the

Frankenstein films, with the exception of the 1970
ransacked living room. Later, dining at a local
spoof Horror of Frankenstein.

tavern, Frankenstein blows his cover trying to re-
cover a pilfered ring, now worn by the local bur-

Exorcism at Midnight see Naked
gomaster (David Hutcheson). Forced to flee,

Frankenstein and Hans fall in with another Karl-

Evil
stadt outcast, carnival hypnotist Zoltan (Peter

Woodthorpe), and a mute beggar (Katy Wild).

The Exotic Ones (1968; The Ormond Organ-Together, they make haste to a mountain cave,
ization) Alternate Title: Monster and the Stripper.

where they discover Frankenstein’s Monster (Kiwi

Director/Screenplay: Ron Ormond; Producers:

Kingston) frozen in a glacier. Frankenstein revives Ron & June Ormond; Cinematography: Sid
the creature, but Zoltan mesmerizes the Monster

O’Berry. Cast: Georgette Dante, Edward B. Moates,

2. THE MOVIES

The Exotic Ones

169

Donna Raye, Gordon Terry, Tim Ormond, Jimmy

One part monster movie, two parts gore flick

& Mildred Mulcay.

and three parts burlesque show, The Exotic Ones WARNING!! Unless you can stand VIVID
begins like a “hip” 1960s travelogue of New Or-

REALISM ... IT MIGHT SNAP
leans (complete with historic-minded narration

YOUR MIND!— ad line
and swingin’ upbeat horns-and-drums music).

“New Orleans ... the Crescent City,” the narrator

Contrary to popular belief, H. G. Lewis was not

(Ormond himself ) observes, “sleepy by day, psy-
the only enterprising individual to make a cottage
chedelic by night.” Yeah baby. However, the tone
industry out of producing independent no-
abruptly changes when he concludes: “But our
budget gore movies in the 1960s. There was also
story doesn’t begin on Bourbon Street; instead, it

Tennessee’s Ron Ormond (and his co-producer
begins in the swamps of Louisiana.” In said
wife June, not to mention their actor-son Tim,
swamp (actually Waycross, Georgia’s, Okefenokee
who appeared in nearly all of his parents’

Swamp Park) a fisherman is pulled from his
movies— usually as a character named, er,
pirogue by a huge, misshapen arm — one belong-

“Tim”). Ormond got his start in Hollywood, pro-
ing to “the Swamp Thing” (no, not the DC comic
ducing and later directing a slew of Lash Larue
book character, but a wild giant of a man with

B-westerns in the late 1940s and early ’50s, but
bad teeth, dark circles around his eyes, and frizzy ultimately turned to exploitation, delivering the
fright wig — played by rockabilly performer
likes of Please Don’t Touch Me (1959; which offers Sleepy La Beef ). After this shocking opening we
graphic surgery footage) and various hick flicks
find ourselves inside a sleazy Bourbon Street

(e.g. Forty Acre Feud, 1965). In 1968 the Ormonds nightclub, watching an exotic dancer twirling her
reached the pinnacle of their checkered career
flaming tassels. For the next 40 minutes we follow with the bizarre amalgam known as The Exotic
the travails of an innocent singer conned into a

Ones, which they distributed themselves through life of sin by the nightclub’s mobster owner,
their “Ormond Organization” to drive-ins and

Nemo (Ron Ormond again, sporting bangs, sun-
grindhouses throughout the South.

glasses and loud threads, and acting under the
name Vic Naro); a cop trying to put a stop to the
local drug trafficking; and myriad teasing girly
acts. Suddenly, it’s time to hit the swamps again,
and a teenage boy (Tim Ormond) stumbles across
a (real) headless, eviscerated cow carcass (victim
of the swamp monster), bloody innards exposed
to the world! (Talk about juxtapositions of the
damned...) Nemo sends his flunkies to the bayous
to track down the Swamp Thing for use in his
nightclub act, employing the teen as a guide. Now
firmly in H.G. Lewis territory, we watch the be-
leaguered bayou beast demonstrate that the
would-be hunters have more guts than brains—
literally (he kills one, leaving a corpse with a torn-open belly). The creature next tracks down an-
other member of the panicked party, throws him
to the ground, grabs him by the arm, plants his
foot on the screaming man’s chest, and pulls ...

ripping the victim’s arm from its socket! The
monster then repeatedly bitch-slaps the man with
his own bloody stump until he dies!! The as-
tounding audacity and black humor of this what-
the-hell-was-that? moment manages to out–

Lewis H. G. himself. After this gore-filled
interlude, it’s back to the strip club for another
tame number — this one with the now-captive,

The jaw-dropping mix of skin and gore that is The

Exotic Ones (1968; aka The Monster and the Strip-
caged monster as backdrop (though we’re soon
per) (U.S. one-sheet poster).

treated to the onstage geek show of the wild man

170

Eye of the Devil

2. THE MOVIES
biting the neck of a live chicken and drinking its

Philip Loraine) has wealthy French aristocrat
blood)—before the gruesome finale, involving the

Phillipe de Montfaucon (David Niven) mysteri-
creature’s escape and brief rampage.

ously summoned back to his family estate at Bel-

On the technical side, The Exotic Ones proves lenac after the vineyards have failed for three years surprisingly adept. While no Oscars came the way
running. His concerned wife Catherine (Deborah
of anyone working on this bizarre regional indy,

Kerr) takes her two small children and follows
the film possesses a passable level of acting and
her troubled husband, only to be drawn into a
technical competence usually missing from the
sinister web of pagan conspiracy, leading to what

Lewis oeuvre and its ilk. While true subtlety and
might become the ultimate sacrifice.

artistry become conspicuous solely by their ab-

Veteran director J. Lee Thompson ( The Guns
sence, the lighting is solid, the camera moves on
of Navarone, 1961, Cape Fear, 1962) cleverly weaves occasion, and the (mostly amateur) actors look
moments of unease into a cinematic tapestry of
relatively comfortable.

malevolence as Catherine, bit by bit, draws nearer

On the distaff side, time-(and pace)-killing se-
to the truth. Thompson fully exploits the gorgeous
quences (including an excruciating stage number
chateau setting (the French Chateau de Haute-
by a husband-and-wife harmonica team) pop up fort), showing its regal beauty as one stands out-at regular intervals, but Ormond offers enough
side looking in, but emphasizing the sometimes
outrageous moments to keep the slack-jawed
stark and shadowy and even forbidding interior
viewer on the hook.

once one enters the structure (and story). Mobile

To shoot his interiors, Ormond took his fake
camerawork and point-of-view shots capture the
blood and real strippers to a Nashville studio (the immediacy of several frightening sequences, such
same one in which Elvis recorded “Heartbreak

Hotel”) owned at the time by the United

Methodist Church! But it all balanced out in the
end, for both Ron and June soon found Jesus, be-
came born-again Christians, and started a new
career making religious films of the “Soul

Winner” variety (45-minute fire-and-brimstone
movies shown at revival meetings in order to
scare patrons into coming to the Lord), their first being 1971’s If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?

Eye of the Devil (1967; MGM; UK; b&w) Director: J. Lee Thompson; Producers: Martin Ran-
sohoff, John Calley; Screenplay: Robin Estridge,

Dennis Murphy (from the novel Day of the Arrow
by Philip Loraine); Cinematographer: Erwin

Hillier. Cast: Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Donald

Pleasence, Edward Mulhare, Flora Robson, Emlyn

Williams, Sharon Tate, David Hemmings.

This is the climax in mind-chilling
terror!— poster

Here’s an anomaly — a relatively big-budgeted,
studio-backed, star-studded horror film that has
seemingly dropped off the radar, even among de-
vout horror fans. Forgotten and/or ignored for
over four decades, the intriguing, disturbing and
highly cinematic Eye of the Devil deserves better than the overlooked niche it occupies today.

Predating the similarly-themed but far more
famous and revered The Wicker Man by five years, Paperback novel tie-in for MGM’s Eye of the Devil
the story (based on the novel Day of the Arrow by (1967), with Sharon Tate pictured on the cover.

2. THE MOVIES

Eyes Without a Face; The Face of Another

171
as when Odile (Sharon Tate) hypnotically at-

MGM produced an 11-minute promotional
tempts to lure Catherine to her death from atop
short called “All Eyes on Sharon Tate” to coincide
the parapets, or when black-robed and seemingly
with the release of their starlet’s Eye of the Devil faceless figures inexorably close in on Catherine
motion picture debut. Tate’s luminous, almost
in the woods. It all coalesces into a race-against-
painfully perfect beauty (curiously, her voice ap-
time climax in which direction, editing, acting
pears to have been dubbed by another actress in
and sound combine to form a sequence of almost

Eye), combined with the knowledge of the
unbearable suspense. Thompson soon seemingly
horrible fate that lay in store for her at the hands abandoned the subtlety he brought to Eye of the of the Manson Family only three years later, adds

Devil— if his subsequent genre credits are any in-a bitter poignancy to this unfairly forgotten piece dication: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), of cinematic poetry.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975), and the slasher

Eyes Without a Face see The Horror
entry Happy Birthday to Me (1981).

Chamber of Dr. Faustus

The acting proves just as important as the tech-
nical elements in Eye of the Devil, perhaps more

The Face of Another (1966/67; Toho/Janus; so, as it’s truly a character-driven story. Deborah Japan; b&w) Original Title: Tanin no Kao. Direc-Kerr, a last-minute replacement for Kim Novak
tor/Producer: Hiroshi Teshigahara; Screenplay:

(injured early in the shoot in an on-set horseback

Kobo Abe; Cinematographer: Hiroshi Segawa.

riding accident — though some sources claim she

Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Machiko Kyo, Mikijiro
was simply not up to the acting job, with the

Hira, Kyko Kishida, Miki Irie.

mishap simply an excuse to replace her), does ex-
ceptionally well, harkening back to her somewhat

“Are you more interested in rejoining society or
similar turn of rising hysterics mixed with deter-
in escaping it?”— psychiatrist to Okuyama
mination seen in The Innocents (1961). David The Face of Another, Hiroshi Teshigahara’s ea-Niven strikes the right balance between his love
gerly awaited follow-up to his art house sensation
for his family and his inner struggle to do what

Woman in the Dunes (1964), was considered a he feels is “right” (with his face and eyes occa-profound disappointment during its initial U.S.

sionally revealing the barely-suppressed fear
release, when it was lambasted by critics and
breaking through the cracks of his grim resolve).

mostly ignored by audiences. After four decades

When Phillipe, trying to explain his actions to
of obscurity, however, The Face of Another seems Catherine, quietly says, “It’s our belief in some-overdue for reevaluation.

thing that makes that thing, for a moment — or

Okuyama (Tatsuya Nakadai), a “salary man”

forever, divine,” one almost admires, or at least
whose face was horribly disfigured in an
sympathizes with, this misguided man.

industrial accident, confides to his psychiatrist

Donald Pleasance, as the priest and supposed

(Mikijiro Hira) that he feels increasingly alienated spiritual leader of the community, with his bald
from other people and even from his own emo-
head, penetrating eyes, and cold unsmiling de-
tions. After walking around for months with his
meanor, cuts anything but a succoring and reas-face bandaged like Claude Rains in The Invisible suring figure. And David Hemmings and Sharon

Man, he believes he is becoming a different person Tate, as the angelic-looking but sinister siblings
and a stranger to his wife (Machiko Kyo). The

Christian and Odile, appear to function as the
doctor agrees to create for Okuyama a super-ad-
cult’s instruments, the living vessels of the bar-
vanced, experimental mask that will give him a
baric religion. The hypnotic calmness and quiet
face — not Okuyama’s own, but that of a donor
malevolence of Odile, and the implied menace of
from whom the mask will be molded. Once the
the almost mute Christian (no doubt named in
mask is complete, Okuyama rents a second apart-
irony) and his ever-present deadly bow and ar-
ment, begins a double life and sets out to seduce
rows, personify the setting’s dichotomous nature.

his own wife. As his behavior grows more unpre-

Nothing is quite as it seems in the quiet and
dictable, his psychiatrist muses that “masks like
peaceful village of Bellenac. The siblings’ surface this could destroy human morality” by providing
beauty masks the danger lurking beneath, just as
everyone with a second identity capable of acting
the serene chateau and surrounding countryside
out his or her secret desires.

hides the dark secret of death and human sacrifice

From there, the story takes on overtones of Dr.

needed to preserve that loveliness.

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but The Face of Another is not

172

Face of Fire; Face of the Screaming Werewolf

2. THE MOVIES
a simple sci-fi chiller. It’s an existential meditation finale Okuyama and his psychiatrist move
on the nature and meaning of personal and soci-
through a literally faceless mob — extras wearing
etal identity, very much of a piece with contem-
smooth, blank masks. Teshigahara also employs
porary works by Ingmar Bergman ( Persona
countless radical editing and photographic tech-

[1966]), John Frankenheimer ( Seconds [1966]) niques, including zooms, freeze frames, swish-and Michelangelo Antonioni ( The Eclipse [1962]

pans, jump cuts, extreme close-ups, wipes and
and Red Desert [1964]). Admittedly, however, The even (in the opening scene) x-rays. The merits of

Face of Another proves far less effective than any such dramatic directorial flourishes may be de-of those pictures.

bated, but these devices keep viewers engaged de-

The two standard criticisms of the film — that
spite the film’s length and leisurely tempo. Mean-
it is slow and arty — are not inaccurate but seem
while, the subtle, naturalistic performance of the
misguided. As a term of derision, “arty” typically
cast, particularly Nakadai as Okuya, help ground
indicates the work of an uppity movie director
the film so it never becomes cartoonish or
with aspirations beyond his station. Teshigahara,
grotesque.

however, was an artist who happened to make

The movie’s most significant flaws are rooted
films. His other pursuits included pottery, callig-
in its willfully difficult-to-follow script, adapted raphy, opera and ikebana (the ancient Japanese (with uncredited assistance from Teshigahara) by
art of flower arrangement), and he was an inno-

Kobo Abe from his own novel. Particularly prob-
vator in every field. Running 124 minutes and
lematic is the introduction of a parallel story line, moving at a pace that may charitably be described
which never intersects with the primary narrative,
as methodical, The Face of Another is certainly about a scar-faced young woman who has a sexual
slow. But Teshigahara’s intent is to underscore
encounter with her brother and commits suicide.

the duality of human existence — the mask of so-

As it nears its conclusion, the film intercuts be-
cial propriety that disguises our true, animalistic tween these two stories so that the subplot com-selves— through constant doubling of visual mo-
ments on the main story with all the subtlety of a
tifs, musical cues and plot points. Nearly every
lead pipe to the skull.

element in the film is coupled with an echo,

To some extent, 1967 critics were correct in
rhyme or duplicate, including one scene entirely
their assessment of The Face of Another. It’s replayed (once with Okuyama’s face wrapped in
arguably more challenging than ultimately re-
bandages, and a second time with him wearing
warding, and certainly a steep letdown after the
the mask). All this takes time, both to set up and
brilliant, disquieting Woman in the Dunes. Yet to sink in.

The Face of Another remains a far more impressive If nothing else, The Face of Another is an eye-and compelling picture than critical consensus
popping, jaw-dropping visual tour de force.

would indicate. It’s hard to love, but easy to ad-

Kiyoshi Awazu’s ultra-modernistic production
mire.

design (especially the unearthly antiseptic lab
where the mask is created — all blank white walls

Face of Fire see The Mask
and glass), cinematographer Hiroshi Segawa’s
daring lighting effects (including dramatically

Face of the Screaming Werewolf (1959/
dropping all background lighting during two key

64; A.D.P. Pictures, Inc.; b&w) Original Language scenes) and Teshigahara’s painterly attention to

Title: La Casa del Terror; Director: Jerry Warren, composition and framing are all above reproach.

and (uncredited) Gilberto Martinez Solares

So is composer Toru Takemitsu’s unsettling score,

(werewolf footage) and Rafael Portillo (mummy
which juxtaposes avant garde electronic music sequences); Producer: Jerry Warren; Screenplay:

with an eerie-sounding traditional waltz.

Gilbert Solar (Gilberto Martinez Solares,

Teshigahara, an avowed devotee of pioneering
werewolf scenes), Alfred Salimar (Alfredo Salazar,
movie surrealist Luis Bunuel, also peppers The
mummy sequences); Cinematographer: Richard

Face of Another with frequent breaks from reality.

Wallace (Enrique Wallace, mummy scenes), Raul

In one scene a woman seated on a bed begins

Martinez Solares (werewolf sequences, uncred-
zooming above the city, via obvious rear projec-
ited). Cast: Landa Varle (Yolanda Varela), Lon
tion. In another a door in the background of the

Chaney, Donald Barron, Raymond Gaylord
psychiatrist’s clinic opens to reveal matted-in

(Ramon Gay), Steve Conte, Jorge Mondragon,
footage of a woman’s flowing black hair waving

Emma Roldan, George Mitchell, Chuck Niles, Bill
in water. Perhaps most strikingly, during the film’s White, Fred Hoffman.

2. THE MOVIES

Face of the Screaming Werewolf

173

A TERROR-CADE IN THRILLS!

A NIGHTMARE IN CHILLS!

— trailer

In the early 1960s, American
fringe filmmaker Jerry Warren

( Man Beast, Teenage Zombies) ac-
quired the rights to a 1959 Mexican
horror comedy, starring the
popular Latin comedian Tin Tan

( and featuring Lon Chaney, Jr., as
a werewolf !), called La Casa del

Terror. Warren excised nearly all of

Tin Tan’s scenes (thus eliminating
the original movie’s star) and in-
serted footage from the 1957 La

Momia Azteca (which he’d already
cannibalized to create the atrocious

Lon Chaney, Jr., dons his famous Wolf Man makeup one last time Attack of the Mayan Mummy in
in the south-of-the-border pastiche Face of the Screaming Werewolf

1963). But Warren didn’t stop

(1959/64) (Photofest).

there; Face of the Screaming Were-
wolf is really a combination of four different film the reincarnated girl, and is promptly killed when
snippets: In addition to the Momia Azteca and hit by a car (again, off-screen).

Casa del Terror footage, Warren recycled some of The two story lines have literally nothing to do
his own scenes shot with American actors for Atwith one another, and a paucity of dialogue
tack of the Mayan Mummy, and included a few (synching the dubbing was obviously too big a
scraps of new footage lensed specifically to bridge strain on Warren’s grade-Z budget) insures that
some of the expository gaps in Face.

the viewer often has no idea who is doing what

As might be expected from such a patchwork
to whom. Many of the scenes appear to be thrown
pastiche, Face of the Screaming Werewolf makes in at random just to eat up the running time (and
little sense and provides even less entertainment,
the few new shots of Warren regulars— like
offering only a few nostalgic moments of Lon

Chuck Niles and Steve Conte — answering the

Chaney in his trademark Wolf Man make-up
telephone or delivering radio broadcasts further

(though a bit shaggier here than usual) for those
eat up time without adding anything appreciable
diehard fans desperate enough to sit through this
to the confusing proceedings).

painful 60 minutes (which feels like twice that The first 20 minutes (a full third of the picture’s length).

short running time) consists of La Momia Azteca The story has a young woman, the reincarna-footage lifted (again) from Warren’s earlier Attack tion of an Aztec maiden, lead a scientific expedi-of the Mayan Mummy (1963). It didn’t improve tion to an ancient pyramid on the Yucatan penin-with age, for the looong ceremonial flashback se-
sula, where they find two bodies— that of an
quence quickly grows tiresome, and the mummy
ancient mummy and that of a modern man in
only pops up in the last minute.

some sort of mummified condition (“placed in

The Casa del Terror footage provides Face’s few the pyramid only recently after an exchange of
highlights, including seeing Chaney Jr. in his
body fluid with the mummy in an effort to
black-shirt-and-trouser Lawrence Talbot get-up
achieve an apparent state of death,” as one char-
once more (he even leaps over a lab table at one
acter ‘explains’). The Aztec mummy comes to life,
point with a bit of the old Wolf Man ferocity); at-
but the expedition subdues the creature and
mospherically-lit and unsettling insert shots of
brings it—and the still-dead ‘modern’ mummy—
creepy wax figures (the villains’ secret lab is at a back to the city for study (all, disappointingly, off-wax museum — though this isn’t made clear in
screen). A rival scientist steals the modern

Face, resulting in more confusion); and the boffo mummy and restores it to life, only to find that
lab set itself, with a giant pressure cooker/tanning the man (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is actually a werewolf !

bed contraption (used to try and revive the

Meanwhile, the living mummy escapes, abducts
mummy), various banks of electrical equipment,

174

The Faceless Monster; Fanatic; Fangs of the Living Dead

2. THE MOVIES
bubbling beakers, and a giant spinning apparatus
the tedium (surprising, considering De Ossorio’s
of undetermined origin.

self-confessed love of makeup effects, which he

In an interview with Tom Weaver, Jerry
often did himself on his later films).

Warren referred to his doctoring of Mexican im-

Fangs is not entirely without interest for ’60s ports as “a natural, easy way to make movies

Eurohorror fans, however. Cinematographer Ful-
without an exceptional amount of work.” Well,
vio Testi contributes some beautiful, moody color
with Face of the Screaming Werewolf, Warren put lighting to the authentic castle settings and sinin even less work than usual — and it shows.

ister-looking crypt (the flickering torchlight in

The nonsensical (but not in a good — or even
the latter augmented by an otherworldly bluish
entertaining — way) Face of the Screaming Were-
hue). But while the movie is fine to look at, as are wolf is chock full of people we don’t know doing a bevy of gorgeous Continental starlets (such as
things for reasons we don’t know involving other

Diana Lorys [ The Awful Dr. Orloff, 1962; Night characters we don’t know. Why watch Face? I of the Blood Monster, 1969], Adriana Ambesi [ Ter-honestly don’t know.

ror in the Crypt, 1963] and Fangs’ co-producer With quotes from: Interviews with B Science

Rosanna Yanni [ Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror, 1968; Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes.

Kiss Me Monster, 1969]), not enough happens to warrant such atmospheric attention.

The Faceless Monster see Nightmare

The film slows to a crawl when Sylvia’s fiancé

Castle
comes to investigate, taking forever to discover
what the audience already knows. And the viewer

Fanatic see Die! Die! My Darling
quickly tires of watching wishy-washy Sylvia try-
ing to decide whether or not to give in to the fam-

Fangs of the Living Dead (1968; Europix ily “curse.” The nonsensical ending initially ex-International; Spain/Italy) Alternate Title:

poses it all as a hoax, a plot concocted by the uncle Malenka, the Vampire; Original Language Title: to drive Sylvia insane. But then why does this

Malenka, la Sobrina del Vampiro; Director/

“fake” vampire turn to bones when killed? To add

Screenwriter: Amando de Ossorio; Producers:

Aubrey Ambert, Rosann Yanni; Cinematogra-
pher: Fulvio Testi. Cast: Anita Ekberg, John

Hamilton (Gianni Medici), Diana Lorys, Adriana

Ambesi, Rosanna Yanni, Julian Ugarte.

Vampire vixen: “Is your blood very warm?”

Male victim-to-be: “I’m Italian!”

Considering it was made by the same man,

Amando de Ossorio, who brought us the inno-
vative and disturbingly creepy Blind Dead quartet (beginning with 1971’s Tombs of the Blind Dead), Fangs of the Living Dead remains a disappointingly tepid sixties prelude to those seventies shockers.

(Of course, de Ossorio also subjected moviegoers
to the god-awful Night of the Sorcerers in 1974, so maybe the substandard Fangs should come as no real surprise).

In Fangs of the Living Dead, Anita Ekberg plays a beautiful model, Sylvia, who unexpectedly inherits a spooky castle — and a vampire uncle to
go with it. Here the Swedish bombshell clearly
demonstrates why she never made it big as an ac-
tress, running about in a laughable Shirley

Temple ringlet coiffure and acting, well, about on
the level of her hairdo. The convoluted plot

Striking French poster for the less-than-striking matches Ms. Ekberg’s thespian in banality, and

1968 Eurohorror Fangs of the Living Dead (aka there are no special effects to speak of to relieve

Malenka, the Vampire).

2. THE MOVIES

The Fearless Vampire Killers

175
insult to injury, the movie closes with a painfully Instead, moviegoers must make do with the
forced final “camp” humor scene. Indeed, these
cartoonish mugging of Jack McGowan (whose

Fangs lack bite.

Abronsius is to Dr. Van Helsing what Sellers’

Clouseau is to Inspector Poirot). The rest of the

The Fearless Vampire Killers (Or, Par-
cast — with the notable exception of Polanski
don Me but Your Teeth Are in My
himself — turn in equally broad, caricatured por-

Neck) (1967; MGM) Alternate Title (U.K.): trayals. Polanski, on the other hand, projects

Dance of the Vampires. Director: Roman Polanski; stone-faced, Buster Keaton-like stoicism, or else

Producer: Gene Gutowski; Screenplay: Gerrard
seems mildly befuddled. His low-watt approach

Brach and Roman Polanski; Cinematographer:

makes everyone else (especially McGowran) seem

Douglas Slocombe. Cast: Jack McGowran, Roman
even more over the top. Perhaps this was even in-

Polanski, Sharon Tate, Alfie Bass, Ferdy Mayne,
tentional.

Terry Downes.

The Fearless Vampire Killers boasts gorgeous location photography (including stunning night-

Who says vampires are no laughing matter?

time snow scenes, with the Alpine landscape

— tagline
bathed in eerie blue moonlight), magnificent sets

Director Roman Polanski’s spoof of Hammer
and elegant period costumes. The picture has
horror films boasts many strengths, including A-
some very impressive set pieces, especially the cli-budget production values and gorgeous cine-
mactic Vampire Ball (which lampoons the finale
matography from future Oscar nominee Douglas
of Hammer’s Kiss of the Vampire [1963]). It even Slocombe. But it lacks the one element essential
has a couple of clever comedic elements, notably
to any comedy: Laughs.

a Jewish vampire who scoffs at crosses but cowers

Dotty Professor Abronsius (Jack McGowran)

before the Star of David, and a gay vampire who
and his nebbish apprentice Alfred (Polanski), on
wants to turn Alfred into his undead boy-toy. But
the hunt for vampires, stop for the evening at a
such moments are too few and far between, lan-
rural Transylvanian inn. During the night the un-
guishing amid much aimless wandering around
dead Count von Krolock (Ferdy Mayne) kidnaps
and botched gags (like the cannon scene). Several
the innkeeper’s daughter Sarah (Sharon Tate) and
of Polanski’s early short films (especially Two Men spirits her away to his castle. Professor Abronsius and a Wardrobe [1958]) display a gift for keenly and Alfred make haste to rescue
the young woman, only to be-
come trapped themselves. Soon
they discover that the three of
them will serve as the buffet table
at a Vampire Ball hosted by

Count von Krolock.

Unfortunately, it takes nearly
two hours for that simple plot to
play out. The film’s leaden pace
undoes what was intended to be
a frothy farce, full of broadly
played slapstick (including one
scene, involving a cannon, shot
in under-cranked, Mack Sennett
style) along the lines of The Pink

Panther (1963) and its sequels.

Perhaps Polanski and screen-
writer Gerrard Brach hoped to do
for horror films what the Pink

Panther pictures did for (or to)

movie mysteries. If so, their plan
contained a fatal flaw: The Fear-
less Vampire Killers does not star

Count von Krolock (Ferdie Mayne) menaces a bathing Sarah (Sharon Peter Sellers.

Tate) in The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967).

176

The Fiendish Ghouls; Five Million Years to Earth

2. THE MOVIES
observed dry comedy. Perhaps The Fearless Vam-

For its U.S. release, MGM made several alter-
pire Killers would have fared better if played in ations to the film, none of which sat well with
that register.

Polanski. The most obvious of these was changing

Viewed today, the film also suffers from the
its title from Dance of the Vampires to The Fearless morbid, eerie shadow cast by future events. This

Vampire Killers (Or, Pardon Me But Your Teeth
was the film on which Polanski met future wife

Are in My Neck), making it painfully obvious that Sharon Tate, destined to be sadistically killed
the picture was supposed to be funny. The studio

(along with Polanski’s unborn child) by the Man-
also slashed the movie’s length and added car-
son Family. While it’s no fault of the movie itself, toonish sound effects to “goose” some scenes. Fi-knowledge of this gruesome destiny casts a pall
nally, MGM threw together a cheesy trailer that
over Polanski and Tate’s timidly romantic scenes.

played up the picture’s slapstick moments, as well

The Fearless Vampire Killers was a troubled proas a goofy one-reel promotional short, Vampires duction from the start. Star Jill St. John dropped

101, featuring clips interspersed with unfunny out at the last minute and was replaced by the vir-shtick from English comedian Max Wall (who
tually unknown Tate. Shortly before filming
does not appear in the film) as “Professor Cecil
began, the Alpine location work, originally sched-

Havelock-Montague, Ph.D., LL.D., B.A.T.” De-
uled for Austria, relocated to Italy, so the entire spite (or perhaps because of ) these efforts, The shooting schedule had to be revised. Finally, in

Fearless Vampire Killers became Polanski’s first mid-production, Polanski decided to switch to
commercial and critical failure.

the 2.35:1 widescreen Panavision process, which

Although it has garnered some belated critical
meant all previously shot footage had to be re-
respect in recent years, for horror buffs The Fear-framed and cropped.

less Vampire Killers seems like a wasted opportunity. After all, it’s tantalizing to think
what the results could have been if

Polanski had invested the same re-
sources and his towering talent into
making a real vampire movie. Or, at
least, a parody that was actually
funny.

The Fiendish Ghouls see

Mania

Five Million Years to Earth

(1967/68; Hammer/Seven Arts; U.K.)

Original Title: Quatermass and the Pit.

Director: Roy Ward Baker; Producer:

Anthony Nelson Keys; Screenplay:

Nigel Kneale; Cinematographer:

Arthur Grant. Cast: Andrew Keir,

James Donald, Barbara Shelley, Julian

Glover, Bryan Marshall.

FORCE MORE POWERFUL THAN

1,000 H-BOMBS UNLEASHED TO

DEVASTATE EARTH ... World in

Panic! Cities in Flames!— tagline

Before introducing its trademark

Technicolor gothic chillers with The

Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Ham-
mer Films’ biggest moneymakers

Dr. Quatermass (Andrew Keir) and Dr. Roney (James Donald) (and best pictures) had been its adap-discover what turn out to be telepathic, insectoid Martians in Hammer’s superb science fiction-horror hybrid Five Million
tations of two BBC science fiction

Years to Earth (1967/68).

miniseries— The Creeping Unknown

2. THE MOVIES

Five Million Years to Earth

177

(aka The Quatermass Xperiment [1955]) and
ing a hunch, Quatermass and Roney’s assistant,

Enemy from Space (aka Quatermass 2 [1957]). So Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley), begin investigat-naturally the studio quickly snatched up the
ing local legends regarding Hobb’s End — a place
movie rights to the BBC’s third Quatermass epic,
with a centuries-long reputation for terrifying,

Quatermass and the Pit (1958).

unexplained, apparently supernatural phenomena.

Yet it took nearly a decade to bring the yarn to

Quatermass and Roney eventually work out that:

the big screen, in part because the studio chose

(1) the capsule originated on Mars and crashed
to focus on the supernatural shockers that had be-
on earth five million years ago; (2) the strange an-come its bread and butter, and in part due to
thropoids were genetic mutations created by the
budgetary trepidation. Quatermass and the Pit

Martians; (3) the ship is an organic being — dor-
boasted the largest scope and most sophisticated
mant but not lifeless; and (4) the ship was piloted plot of all three Quatermass miniseries. A true
by the alien insects, which were telepathic. Now
sci-fi/horror hybrid, its story incorporated black
the spacecraft has “awakened” and is trying to
magic, demons, telepathy and telekinesis (all
make telepathic contact with humans, with po-
eventually accounted for through super-scientific
tentially catastrophic consequences.

explanations), as well as traditional science fiction Five Million Years to Earth is action-packed —
elements. And it climaxed with all of London
in fact, it’s a bit too action-packed. Although consumed in a fiery tumult. This would not be
screenwriter Nigel Kneale does an admirable job
an easy or inexpensive production, and other
condensing his elaborate, idea-rich BBC teleplay
complications exacerbated the inherent difficul-
from three hours to 97 minutes, the movie’s final
ties. Due to overcrowding at Hammer’s home stu-
act feels rushed. In rapid succession, audiences
dio in Elstree, the project had to be moved to
are hit with a great deal of information —for in-

MGM’s facilities in Borehamwood. And the orig-
stance, that humans have untapped telekinetic
inally assigned director (Val Guest) and star (Peter powers (except a few who don’t), that those pow-Cushing) both bowed out due to schedule
ers are the result of ancient Martian genetic ex-
conflicts.

periments, that the mysterious capsule can form

Despite these woes, however, Five Million Years a telepathic link with humans (except a few who
to Earth (as the picture would be retitled for its are immune) and can unlock those untapped psy-U.S. release) emerged as one of the more
chic abilities, and on and on — and all this data
satisfying Hammer products of the late 1960s.

must be properly processed for the viewer to un-

Though far from perfect, it’s an intelligent, fast-
derstand what’s going on and why the characters
paced sci-fi chiller and a worthy successor to the
behave as they do. Anyone who isn’t paying rapt
earlier Quatermass entries.

attention is apt to get lost, and even the alert

While excavating for a subway expansion in the
viewer may require a second screening to fully
old Hobbs End section of London, workers un-
comprehend it all. Five Million Years would have earth mysterious misshapen skulls, which anthro-played better with a running time closer to two
pologist Dr. Roney (James Donald) identifies as
hours, but its tightly compressed narrative gives
a previously unknown species of ancient anthro-
the film a frenetic pace, rocketing from one scene
poids, millions of years older than any similar
to the next with urgency and mounting tension.

species. Further digging at the site yields an even The film’s visual effects have long been an
more fantastic discovery — a mysterious missile
object of derision, perhaps because this picture
of unknown (and possibly unearthly) origin.

made its U.S. debut the same year as the game-

Since the object is originally identified as an un-
changing 2001: A Space Odyssey. In actuality, Five exploded bomb, the military is called in, led by

Million Years’ effects aren’t that bad and in no way the dunderheaded Col. Breen (Julian Glover). Dr.

undermine the impact of the story. Overall, the

Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir), a brilliant
show’s production values are strong. If nothing
but irascible rocket scientist, comes along for the else, the film’s sets, props, costumes and other
ride and quickly discerns that the object is a five-technical merits represent a quantum leap
million-year-old alien spacecraft.

forward from the no-budget BBC original.

Soon several giant insects (they look like yard-

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the
long, thirty-pound locusts) are discovered in a
film’s cast. Although they perform credibly, nearly sealed compartment within the space capsule, and
all of them are outshined by their BBC counter-
workers begin complaining of bizarre and fright-
parts. Keir’s performance suffers in comparison
ening visions when they approach the craft. Play-
to Andre Morrell’s portrayal in the BBC Quater-

178

The Flesh and the Fiends; The Flesh Eaters

2. THE MOVIES
mass and the Pit (his is generally regarded as the Quatermass didn’t arrive in time to rescue the
authoritative interpretation of the character) and
failing studio.

to the imaginations of fans who may wonder how

Cushing might have handled the role. Morrell was

The Flesh and the Fiends see Mania
asked to reprise his role for Five Million Years, but the actor declined, opening the door for Kier.

The Flesh Eaters (1964; Vulcan/Cinema Dis-Most observers credit Keir as an improvement
tributors of America; b&w) Director: Jack Curtis; over Hammer’s original Professor Quatermass,

Producers: Terry Curtis, Jack Curtis and Arnold

American Brian Donlevy, but that is open to de-

Drake; Screenplay: Arnold Drake; Cinematogra-
bate. Donlevy played Quatermass as an iron-
pher: Carson Davidson. Cast: Martin Kosleck,
willed, dictatorial genius who refused to suffer

Byron Sanders, Barbara Wilkin, Rita Morley, Ray
fools—a man who had reached the pinnacle of his

Tudor.

profession based on his formidable talent and his
willingness to brush aside or crush anyone or any-

Absolutely nothing will prepare you for
what you will see!— tagline
thing that stood in his way. This approach was
both fresh (compared to the typical Mr. Perfect

Throughout the 1960s, as drive-in theaters pro-

1950s sci-fi hero) and realistic (since many leaders liferated and Hollywood’s studio system disinte-achieve great stature even though, or because,
grated, many upstart filmmakers saw an oppor-
they do not play nicely with others). Keir’s kinder, tunity to break into the business by making
gentler Quatermass seems like a milquetoast in
low-budget genre movies. Some of these maverick
comparison, put-upon and even panicky when he
productions, like Carnival of Souls (1962) and should be indignant and righteously outraged.

Night of the Living Dead (1968), now are revered Like Kier, Donald and Glover prove perfectly
as horror classics. The Flesh Eaters never rises to serviceable but somewhat bland. Only Shelley (in
that level, but stands head and shoulders above
a role beefed up from the original BBC script)

most other low-budget, independent shockers.

outperforms her television counterpart, bringing

Although clearly designed to shock and titillate,
intelligence, sensitivity and charm to her rangy
it displays uncommon sophistication and crafts-
part as Miss Judd — seeming eager, bright and
manship.

courageous early on as she investigates the dark

All the film’s earmarks—gore and a hint of sex,
past of Hobb’s End, and genuinely menacing dur-
as well as skillful direction — are encapsulated in ing the film’s climax when she poses a threat to
its unforgettable opening sequence: Bikini-clad

Quatermass and Roney. Shelley was always a

Ann (Barbara Wilson) is lounging on the deck of
strong addition to any cast, but this remains her
her boyfriend Freddy’s speedboat, when Freddy
best work for Hammer.

(Ira Lewis) begins to pester her to take a swim.

The film also represents a relative high point

Horseplay ensues, and Freddy winds up with
for director Roy Ward Baker. After his 1958 classic Ann’s bikini top. Ann dives into the sea to protect A Night to Remember earned international acher modesty. Freddy dives in after her, but never
claim, Baker spent most of his career alternating
surfaces. Instead, clouds of blood billow up
between television assignments and modestly
through the water. Then, tiny silver flashes appear budgeted horror and exploitation pictures. While
around Ann. She screams and is dragged beneath
it’s hardly A Night to Remember, Five Million Years the waves. The sea begins to bubble like acid as
to Earth stands as his finest fantasy film.

the credits appear. A decade later, Steven Spielberg Even though Five Million Years wasn’t an out-would open Jaws (1974) with a remarkably similar standing financial success, afterward Hammer ap-sequence, and to equally powerful effect.

proached Kneale about creating a Quatermass

Flesh Eaters’ main narrative opens with Jan Let-project specifically for the silver screen. At the
terman (Barbara Wilkin) chartering a seaplane
time, however, the writer had no interest in re-
to fly her boss, Laura Winters (Rita Morley), a
visiting the character. Eventually Kneale penned
drunken movie star, to the island location of her
a fourth BBC miniseries, titled simply Quatermass latest film. Pilot Grant Murdock (Byron Sanders)

(1979), as well as a BBC radio serial, The Quateris leery of accepting the job due to an approaching mass Memoirs (1993), and an unproduced
tropical storm, but agrees when Jan offers to triple prequel, Quatermass and the Third Reich. By 1979, his regular fee. Unfortunately, mechanical prob-however, Hammer had closed shop. Although he
lems force Murdock to land on a deserted island,
had saved the world three times already, Professor
where he and his passengers seek shelter from the

2. THE MOVIES

The Flesh Eaters

179
storm. To their surprise, they find
that the island is inhabited — by
creepy marine biologist Peter Bartell

(Martin Kosleck). Next, they’re hor-
rified to discover Ann’s body (now
merely a skeleton in bikini bottoms)

washed ashore. After the storm
passes, the shore is covered in fish
skeletons. Bartell reports that the
water surrounding the island is full
of shimmering microscopic parasites
that feed on living flesh. But Mur-
dock grows suspicious of Bartell,
who seems to be withholding infor-
mation. What sort of experiments
is Bartell doing on this island, any-
way?

First-time director Jack Curtis

The beatnik Omar (Ray Tudor) falls victim to The Flesh Eaters
displays a solid grasp of film tech-

(1964).

nique and employs some imagina-
tive camera angles (including a shot looking out-
counter in a Bert I. Gordon production — on bal-
ward from inside the mouth of a monster) to
ance, acceptable for a movie in this weight class.

maximize dramatic impact, while keeping the

Viewers will likely forgive Benson’s effects (and
pace brisk. The script, from former comic book
even Omar’s dialogue), given the film’s many
author and rookie screenwriter Arnold Drake, is
other virtues, which include solid work from the
tight and punchy, full of believable characters and cast. Kosleck, a veteran whose career stretched
snappy dialogue.

back to the silent era and included some of the

The only sour note in this pitch-perfect tale is
classic Universal chillers, was seldom better than
the unwelcome arrival of Omar (Ray Tudor), a
here, as the cold, calculating Bartell. Sanders, a
dimwitted beatnik who appears out of nowhere,

TV actor then known for the soap opera The Doc-
apparently crossing the open sea on a rickety
tors, makes a fine, granite-jawed hero. Wilkin, handmade raft, carrying a phonograph but no
who had only a few TV guest spots on her resume,
food or water. Rescued from the Flesh Eaters by
holds her own. And Morley, another soap star

Murdock and friends, Omar hangs around long

(from The Edge of Night), nearly steals the show enough to spout inane lines like, “Why do you
playing the imperious, alcoholic starlet.

think they [the Flesh Eaters] do it [eat flesh]? Ya In the DVD liner notes for The Flesh Eaters, think maybe they’re just kooky?” Presumably,

Drake reveals that the idea for his screenplay orig-Curtis and Drake felt the picture needed a little
inated with a news report that millions of dead
comedy relief. That’s just what Omar provides—
fish had washed ashore along the coasts of Florida, little relief. Fortunately, his stay on the island

Georgia and South Carolina. “It took scientists
proves short. Bartell tricks Omar into drinking a
years to find the guilty virus,” he writes. “It took glass of beer spiked with Flesh Eaters. The beat-me minutes to find the story of The Flesh Eaters.”

nik’s demise proves the most gruesome of the

Drake joined with the husband-and-wife team of
film’s handful of gory death scenes— Omar

Jack and Terry Curtis to bring this tale to the
screams, writhes in agony and clutches his stom-
screen, with a planned budget of $60,000. Unfor-
ach, blood oozing over his hands as the monsters
tunately, as Drake recalls: “While filming on lo-
eat him from the inside out. In another ghastly
cation at Montauk, New York, a hurricane flat-
sequence, the creatures splash onto the face of a
tened the sets and took our equipment with it.

victim.

Completion was delayed a year and the budget

Drake’s finale, involving a giant monster Flesh
soared to $105,000.” It seemed the film might

Eater, was a bit more ambitious than advisable
never be completed, until Terry Curtis appeared
given the picture’s budget, and Roy Benson’s cut-
on a TV quiz show, High Low, and won $72,000.

rate visual effects aren’t entirely convincing. Still, Despite its generally fine craftsmanship and fu-they’re no worse than what viewers might en-
ture status as a cult favorite, The Flesh Eaters did

180

Frankenstein Conquers the World

2. THE MOVIES
nothing to further the careers of its makers and
ence yarn might have turned into a very enter-
remains the lone film produced by Drake or the
taining picture—something along the lines of The Curtises. Drake’s only subsequent screenwriting

Manster (1962), perhaps. Instead, Toho channels credit was the Sal Mineo drama Who Killed Teddy the story into its well-worn giant monster rut. As

Bear? (1965). Jack Curtis worked primarily as a a result, Frankenstein Conquers the World begins voice artist, and could be heard on many
promisingly but soon falters due to its numbingly
cartoons, including the American dubbing for
predictable, paint-by-numbers second and third

Speed Racer. Sadly, considering the promise he acts.

showed with The Flesh Eaters, he never directed The film opens with a frenetic pre-credit se-another movie.

quence set during the final days of World War II.

With quotes from: The Flesh Eaters DVD (liner Nazi storm troopers burst into Dr. Frankenstein’s
notes) by Arnold Drake (DarkSky Films).

laboratory and confiscate his experiments— in-
cluding the still beating, disembodied heart of the

Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965; Frankenstein monster. A Nazi submarine trans-Toho; Japan) Original Title: Furankenshutain tai ports the heart to Hiroshima, where Imperial

Chitei Kaiju Baragon (Frankenstein vs. the Sub-Japanese scientists are examining it when the A-
terranean Monster Baragon) . Director: Ishiro bomb falls.

Honda. Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka; Screenplay:

Flash forward to postwar Japan. Residents near

Takeshi Kimura, Jerry Sohl, from a story by

Hiroshima discover a strange-looking feral boy

Reuben Bercovitch, based on a novel by Mary
with a protruding brow (a new Frankenstein

Shelley. Cinematographer: Hajime Koizume.

monster, spontaneously regenerated from the dis-

Cast: Nick Adams, Tadao Takashima, Kumi
embodied heart following the atomic blast) feed-

Mizuno, Koji Furuhata, Jun Tazaki, Takashi
ing on local pets and other small animals. Police

Shimura.

capture the monster (Koji Furuhata), in this film
simply referred to as “Frankenstein,” and place

He rolled the Seven Wonders of the World
him under the care of scientists James Bowen
into one!— tagline

(Nick Adams), Sueko Togami (Kumi Mizuno)

Frankenstein Conquers the World ranks among and Yuzo Kawaji (Tadao Takashima). Sueko im-Toho’s must frustrating kaiju eiga (giant monster) mediately takes a motherly interest in Franken-movies, simply because it never should have been
stein.

a kaiju eiga in the first place. If allowed to follow Suddenly the child-monster begins to grow at
its own course, this colorful, outlandish mad sci-
an alarming rate. He doesn’t mature physically,
but simply balloons in
size, eventually becoming
a 100-foot colossus. Once
he begins to grow, Kawaji
decides that Frankenstein
presents a threat and at-
tempts to destroy him. But
the scientist botches the
job and the giant boy es-
capes. Meanwhile, a four-
legged, subterranean mon-
ster named Baragon
tunnels out of the earth
and begins wreaking havoc.

The military blames

Frankenstein for the de-
struction caused by

Baragon. James and Sueko
must prove Frankenstein’s
innocence before the Japa-
nese army finds and de-

Ad for Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965/66) (courtesy Ted Okuda).

stroys him. All of which

2. THE MOVIES

Frankenstein Created Woman

181
leads to an inevitable confrontation between
pathos in the film’s early scenes. With a less en-

Frankenstein and Baragon.

dearing monster, this film would be completely

Setting aside the ludicrous “science” of this tale, unwatchable.

Frankenstein Conquers the World leaves numerous Even as it stands, Frankenstein Conquers the
major questions unresolved, paramount among

World may conquer the patience of all but the them: Why does Frankenstein grow into a giant?

most ardent Tohophile.

Because this movie was made by Toho remains
the only apparent answer. The entire production

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967;
takes a nosedive as soon as the monster begins to

Hammer/20th Century–Fox; U.K.) Director: Ter-
mysteriously increase in size. The energetic,
ence Fisher; Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys;
wildly imaginative (albeit goofy) set-up gives way

Screenplay: Anthony Hinds (as John Elder); Cin-
to a succession of kaiju eiga clichés.

ematographer: Arthur Grant. Cast: Peter

The buildup to the final showdown between

Cushing, Suzan Farmer, Thorley Walters, Robert

Frankenstein and Baragon seems interminable,

Morris, Peter Blythe, Barry Warren.

and the fight itself proves anti-climactic. Part of the problem lies in the picture’s lackluster visual Now Frankenstein has Created the Ultimate in

Evil — A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WITH THE
effects, but the greater issue is the listless, let’s-SOUL OF THE DEVIL!— tagline
just-get-this-over-with staging of the sequence.

In an alternate ending, never released to theaters

The engrossing and surprisingly poignant
but available on Japanese home video versions of

Frankenstein Created Woman represented a badly the film, after dispatching Baragon, Frankenstein
needed course correction for Hammer Films’

battles a giant octopus. But this scene, which suf-
long-running Frankenstein series, following the
fers from the same uninspired staging and chintzy
misguided Evil of Frankenstein (1964).

effects, hardly improves matters.

The story finds Frankenstein engaged in a new

This movie’s Frankenstein — an overgrown,
series of experiments focused on nothing less than
gap-toothed 12-year-old with a Jack Pierce-in-
gaining control of the immortal soul. Franken-
spired prosthetic forehead — ranks among the
stein’s young assistant Hans (Robert Morris) loves
least impressive giant monsters in cinema history.

the scarred and crippled Christina (Susan Den-

Baragon, however, looks even sillier. He galumphs
berg), daughter of a local innkeeper. When three
around on all fours, his face sculpted into a per-
wealthy young men try to take advantage of
manent smile, with a glowing yellow horn on the

Christina, Hans defends her honor. Later the trio
end of his nose, looking like something Jim Hen-
returns and kills her father — a crime for which
son might have created for Sesame Street (except

Hans is convicted and executed. However,
that Big Bird is far more intimidating than

Frankenstein recovers the body and uses a gizmo

Baragon.)

that looks like a sort of cosmic tuning fork to cap-The picture’s best moments arrive in the early
ture the young man’s soul. When the anguished
going. In addition to the wild and wacky pre-

Christina commits suicide, Frankenstein steals
credit sequence, the film’s first act also includes her corpse, repairs its physical defects and places some disarming character-development moments

Hans’ soul into her now-beautiful body. After-
involving James and Sueko. In one charming se-
ward, Christina is consumed by Hans’ thirst for
quence, James visits Sueko’s house, where she pre-
revenge, and one by one kills off the young men
pares a traditional Japanese meal; later, she visits who murdered her father.

his apartment, where he dons an apron and cooks

Director Terence Fisher rejoins the series
old-fashioned American hamburgers. Adams, a

(Freddie Francis had helmed Evil) for this outing, teen idol gone to seed, trades effectively on his
and with him returns the dynamic compositions
boyish likeability and finds great chemistry with
and clean visual storytelling which had marked

Mizuno, Toho’s most appealing kaiju actress. Ap-Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Revenge of parently, their rapport didn’t end on the set. “He

Frankenstein (1959). Fisher maximizes the impact proposed to me,” Mizuno told interviewer Stuart
of Jack Asher’s evocative lighting scheme, full of

Galbraith IV. “I already had a fiancé, so I had to
bloody reds, sickly greens and icy blues.

refuse.”

Composer James Bernard contributes one of his

Takashima has considerably less success in his
most haunting scores.

unsympathetic role. Furuhata won’t make anyone

The script, written by executive producer An-
forget Boris Karloff, but engenders much-needed
thony Hinds under his “John Elder” pseudonym,

182

Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster

2. THE MOVIES
is both well-constructed and emotionally grip-

Frankenstein pictures, this time around, to cut
ping. As in Revenge, the sociopathic
costs, Hammer reduced the actor’s screen time

Frankenstein’s undoing is his inability to sympa-

(and number of work days).

thize with other people or comprehend their

Fortunately, the rest of the cast come through,
emotional motivations. Since he has no con-
so the film doesn’t suffer grievously. Morris and
science, he can only look on with frustration and

Denberg are endearing as the star-crossed lovers.

fury as Christina, torn by guilt and her split per-

Also, Denberg, a former Playboy centerfold, looks sonality, brings his experiment to an abrupt end.

ravishing — perhaps too ravishing in the early

Nearly all of Fisher’s fantasy films are at their
scenes, when she’s supposed to be ugly. Thorley
core morality tales where Christian good opposes

Walters nearly steals the film with his warm, se-
satanic evil, but this theme is less obvious in his riocomic turn as Hertz, Frankenstein’s befuddled

Frankenstein pictures since the conflict plays out
surgical assistant. Initially the character seems like within the Baron himself. As Fisher later ex-mere comedy relief, but as the picture wears on,
plained, Frankenstein’s motivations are good but

Hertz, a genuinely nice person despite the com-
he is tempted by Satan into performing evil deeds:

pany he keeps, seems to represent the picture’s

“The devil said to him, ‘Go on with your work.

moral center, daring to ask questions like (as they You’re wonderful. Do anything. Create a creature
prepare to capture Hans’ soul) “Is it right?” Pre-
better than God’s. You’re better than God.’ That,
dictably, Frankenstein replies, “What does right

I think, comes out marvelously in Peter’s per-
have to do with it?”

formances.”

Neither as historically significant as Curse, nor Cushing is marvelous as ever in Frankenstein
as flat-out brilliant as Revenge or the later Created Woman. He’s animated, meticulous and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969/70),
passionate, his enthusiasm for the role unabated

Frankenstein Created Woman languishes among even after three previous appearances. In anyone

Hammer’s lesser celebrated series entries. Nev-
else’s hands the film’s soul-capturing device
ertheless, it’s a picture that wears its age well and would seem patently ridiculous, but with Cushing
seems overdue for critical reassessment. Even its
at the controls viewers accept it. If there’s any
director admitted he had initially underestimated
knock on his performance, it’s that there’s simply
the movie. “I saw it again on the box the other
not enough of it. While Cushing had been on-
day and I quite liked it,” Fisher said. “At the time screen virtually every minute of his previous

I didn’t, that’s true. I didn’t care for it so much until I saw it again and I
liked it. Just like the one
with David Peel [ Brides of

Dracula]. I saw it again on
the box and I loved that
one.”

Fisher’s epiphany aside,

Frankenstein Created

Woman remains the most
underrated of Hammer’s

Frankenstein films.

With quotes from: “Ter-
ence Fisher in Conversa-
tion” by Jan Van Genechten,

Little Shoppe of Horrors No.

19.

Frankenstein Meets
the Spacemonster

(1965; Futurama) Alternate

Titles: Duel of the Space

A more accurate title for 1967’s Frankenstein Created Woman would have Monsters, Mars Invades
been “Frankenstein Transfers Souls.” Here Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing, adjusting the machinery), aided by his assistant Dr. Hertz (Thor-Puerto Rico; Director:

ley Walters), does just that.

Robert Gaffney; Producer:

2. THE MOVIES

Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster

183

Robert McCarty; Screenplay: George Garret; Cin-
ematographer: Saul Midwall. Cast: Jim Karen,

Marilyn Hanold, Lou Cutell, Robert Reilly, Nancy

Marshall, David Kerman.

FREE! THE MANAGEMENT WILL SUPPLY

YOU FREE SPACE SHIELD EYE PROTECTORS

TO PREVENT YOUR ABDUCTION INTO

OUTER SPACE!!— poster promise

When a movie’s opening line, delivered by an
effeminate, bald-headed, pointy-eared, mascara-
wearing alien is, “We continue to hear a modu-
lated hydrogen frequency signal of 21 centimeters,

Princess,” you know you’re in for a cinematic
trash treat. But when the aforementioned

“Princess” asks, “What does that mean?” and re-
ceives the reply, “We’re not quite sure, Princess,”

it’s evident that you’ve found the ’60s answer to

Robot Monster.

Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster has absolutely nothing to do with Mary Shelley’s classic
creation. (In fact, the only tie-in is this closing credit: “And featuring ROBERT REILLY as L. Frank

Saunders and Frankenstein.”) But forget the name
stealing; this one has it all: Ed Wood-style invad-
ing aliens looking for “good breeding stock” (i.e.

bikini-clad bathing beauties), impressive Army
stock footage (the shooting script was titled Operation San Juan so the U.S. Department of Defense wouldn’t mind lending the footage), a bad

’60s folk/rock music soundtrack (by the Poets and

Ad for the shot-in-Puerto Rico wackiness that is the Distant Cousins), a very young James Karen

Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965).

( Poltergeist, Return of the Living Dead) as the scientist-hero, Puerto Rico beach locations (where

“We were doing a send-up,” explained director
filming is cheap!), a cheesy mutant monster (sort

Robert Gaffney. “Look at the story line. They
of a hairy, no-budget It! The Terror from Beyond come from outer space, and where do they land

Space), and an android named Frank Saunders to steal women to repopulate their planet? Puerto

(aka Frankenstein) who has half his face turned

Rico!” Shot in December 1964 (“that’s why we
into oatmeal by an alien ray gun — and then gets
wrote it for Puerto Rico, because where the hell
mad.

were we gonna go?” observed Gaffney) on a budget

An alien spaceship, commanded by Princess
of $60,000, Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster Marcuzan (Marilyn Hanold) and her toady Dr.

featured such cost-saving methods as turning a

Nadir (Lou Cutell), hovers outside Earth’s atmos-
hot dog stand dome into a spaceship (“we painted
phere. When NASA launches a manned mission
it silver, erected it on stilts and stuck it out in the to Mars, the aliens mistake it for a missile and
middle of the swamp,” laughed Gaffney), inserting
shoot it down. The rocket’s pilot, Colonel Frank
copious stock NASA and military footage (“half

Saunders (Robert Reilly), a half-man/half-an-
the picture is stock footage”), turning cheap toys
droid, ejects and lands in Puerto Rico. The aliens, into alien weapons (“the ray guns were nothing
fearing their plan of “optimum pollenization” will
more than Wham-O air guns and a flashlight
be discovered (survivors of a nuclear war, they’ve
body with a mirror on the end of it”) and writing
come “to acquire good breeding stock to repop-
scenes for specific locations (“we found some
ulate our planet”), follow the escape pod in order
caves down on the seashore and all this weird-
to destroy the “witness”—as well as abduct women
looking lava rock, so I designed all the sequences
from beaches, pool parties and off of mopeds.

around that, and we went back and wrote them”).

184

The Frozen Dead

2. THE MOVIES

If you’re looking for good science fiction or

Palk) and finally says (blandly), “You must think
anything to do with the Frankenstein legend,
me a bore,” the viewer can only nod vigorously
you’ll have to look elsewhere. But for inept and
in agreement. And a bore is exactly what this
amusing thrills, don’t miss Frankenstein Meets the movie turns out to be.

Spacemonster.

Andrews plays a Nazi scientist who developed

With quotes from: “Frankenstein Meets the
a method to freeze humans and place them in sus-

Space Monster: When Genres Collide,” by Tim
pended animation. Unfortunately, in the 20 years

Ferrante, Fangoria 138, January 1995.

since the war, he hasn’t quite figured out how to
thaw them out without damaging the brain, and

The Frozen Dead (1966; Seven Arts/Warner his basement is full of imbeciles and half-wits—

Bros.; U.K./U.S.) Director/producer/screenwriter:

the formerly frozen Hitler henchmen on whom

Herbert J. Leder. Cinematographer: David Boul-
he’s been experimenting. It’s all got something to
ton. Cast: Dana Andrews, Anna Palk, Philip
do with restoring “the Party” (led by several aged

Gilbert, Karel Stepanek, Kathleen Breck.

and un frozen Nazis) to its earlier greatness. In the Chiller of the year!— ad line
meantime, the scientifically-minded Andrews,
who may be the first sympathetic Nazi in horror Star Dana Andrews, whose career took a steep
film history, is dismayed to find his beloved niece nosedive in the 1960s, still must have thought he
arriving unexpectedly. Duped by his nefarious
was making the likes of Laura (1944) or Curse of Brownshirt helpers, Andrews ends up performing
the Demon (1956) when he signed on the dotted an experiment in which he keeps alive the disem-line for this odd British-American co-production,
bodied head of his niece’s murdered companion!

for he takes the ridiculous proceedings very seri-

(Exactly what this has to do with defrosting his ously and gives his all, even affecting a slight Ger-Stormtrooper-sicles remains rather vague, except
man accent — which was far more than this pa-
that he wants a “living brain” to study.) The mad
thetic production warranted. Unfortunately, none
medico also has a wall of disembodied arms(!!)

of the other (no-name) actors in this film can
hooked up to an electric current and begins a new
match Andrews’ level of professionalism. For ex-
experiment intended to establish a link between
ample, when the hero (Philip Gilbert) prattles on
head and hands. Of course, this turns out to be a
to an obviously-not-listening heroine (Anna
mistake, and the embittered cranium learns to
control the arms all too well, resulting in the doctor and his evil associates being (literally)

strangled by the hand of fate.

While a wall covered with arms, a freezer full
of Nazis and a head on a table (with ghastly blue
makeup and a plastic dome for a skull to expose
the gray matter) keep this film firmly entrenched
in the bizarre, endless (and pointless) scenes of
talk, talk, talk sink it in a quagmire of apathy. In fact, the movie’s mid-section is about as exciting
as watching a TV dinner thaw. And though the
disembodied head contributes a few shudders
with its horrific — and pitiable — appearance, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) did it all much better. The production values are fairly high for
such a subject, with a luxurious English country
mansion sprucing up the silliness. But an opulent
setting and a head on a table can’t overcome
triple-threat producer-director-screenwriter Her-
bert J. Leder’s meandering script and deadly dull
direction.

Released as the bottom half of a double bill
with the slightly less-tedious It (again produced, Philip Gilbert lends a hand to The Frozen Dead
directed and written by Leder), The Frozen Dead (1966).

should indeed remain in the deep freeze.

2. THE MOVIES

Gallery of Horror; Gamera; Gammera the Invincible

185

Gallery of Horror see Dr. Terror’s
ments, but those two were enough to ensure its

Gallery of Horrors
success. First, there’s Gammera himself—a giant,
snaggle-toothed, fire-breathing, flying turtle — a

Gamera see Gammera the Invincible
more fanciful creation by far than any of Toho’s
monsters, which tended toward reanimated di-

Gammera the Invincible (1965/66; Daiei; nosaurs and overgrown versions of common an-Japan; b&w) Original Title: Daikaiju Gamera.

imals. Second, the film places a young boy in a

Home Video Title: Gamera. Director: Noriaki central role. Yoshiro Uchida plays Toshio, a

Yuasa and Sandy Howard (U.S. version); Pro-
schoolboy fascinated by turtles. During one of
ducer: Masaighi Nagata; Screenplay: Nizo Taka-

Gammera’s raids, the giant turtle saves Toshio’s
hashi and Richard Kraft (U.S. version); Cine-
life. This convinces the boy that Gammera
matographer: Nobuo Munekawa and Julian C.

“doesn’t mean to be dangerous. He’s just so big

Townsend (U.S. version). Cast: Albert Dekker,
and clumsy.... If people were kind to Gammera,

Brian Donlevy, Diane Findlay, Eiji Funakoshi,

I bet he could be trained to be nice and quiet, like Michiko Sugata, Harumi Kiritachi, Yoshiro
other turtles.” (It never occurs to Toshio that

Unchida.

Gammera wouldn’t have had to save his life if the
monster hadn’t attacked his family’s home in the

The super-monster even the H-bomb
first place. The boy also overlooks Gammera’s
cannot destroy...— tagline
penchant for barbecuing fleeing extras.) With its

This indifferently produced low-budget
cartoony monster and sympathetic juvenile lead,

Godzilla knock-off seems like an unlikely genesis

Gammera went over extremely well with young for the only film series to threaten Toho’s hege-viewers, who would become the fledgling series’

mony on kaiju eiga (giant monster) movies. Yet, primary audience.

in spite of itself, Gammera the Invincible proved These movies performed well enough at Japa-to be exactly what Daiei Studio executives hoped
nese box offices for Daiei to produce a new Gam-
for: The debut of a new rubber suit-monster su-
era (the second “m” was dropped after the first
perstar and the sire of long line of sequels.

Gammera remains a bland, almost generic
kaiju eiga picture. Its threadbare, overly familiar plot seems almost beside the point: nuclear bomb
tests in the Arctic awaken a sleeping, prehistoric
creature, which, despite the military’s best efforts, rampages from the frozen north to Japan. Clearly
trying to imitate the success of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, Daiei produced a separate U.S. version of the film with extensive (but pointless) new footage featuring past-their-prime American stars

Albert ( Dr. Cyclops) Dekker and Brian (Dr.

Quatermass) Donlevy. The American scenes con-
sist of Dekker, as the Secretary of Defense, and

Donlevy, as General Arnold, sitting in claustro-
phobic meeting room sets (supposedly the Pen-
tagon and the U.N.) and wringing their hands
over events occurring off-screen, thousands of
miles away. Producers also added a kitschy pop
title song for the American version.

This was the final Japanese giant monster
movie shot in black and white, and the first issued in this format in several years. It’s unclear whether this was part of Daiei’s effort to imitate the black-and-white King of the Monsters, or simply another cost-saving measure for a project with appallingly
cheap production values and visual effects.

Spanish poster for the first giant flying turtle(!) The film contains only two imaginative elemovie, Gammera the Invincible (1966) .

186

The Genie of Darkness; The Ghastly Ones

2. THE MOVIES
picture) installment every year until 1971, when

Igor (a mysterious vampire-hunter who popped
the company went belly-up. Gammera the Invin-
up in the previous film) are searching for a cen-
cible was the only entry in the series released the-turies-old parchment that holds the secret of Nos-
atrically in the U.S. The rest went straight to TV.

tradamus’ power. “Destroy the document and an-

In the 1980s, when the Gamera pictures were re-
nihilate the vampire,” instructs the Professor.

leased to home video in America, this film was

One of the things that gives this Genie its magic re-edited by producer Sandy Frank, who excised

(at least comparatively speaking) is its focus on
most of the Dekker and Donlevy footage and re-
the enigmatic, sorcery-practicing Igor (played au-
titled the picture simply Gamera.

thoritatively by subsequent Eurotrash horror star

The character was revived with Gamera:

Jack Taylor), who’s far more interesting a

Guardian of the Universe in 1995, and the remake character than the dour Professor or bland An-spawned two sequels. Ironically, although the
thony. It culminates in an impressively staged

“classic” Gamera films of the 1960s and ’70s fell
confrontation (a rarity in this series) between Igor far below the standard set by the Godzilla series,
and his hated enemy Nostradamus, with the cam-
many monster fans consider the Gamera pictures
era zooming in on each in turn to punctuate the
of the 1990s superior to Toho’s G-films of the
duel of wills.

same era.

Genie also proves superior in the atmosphere department, in that most of the film takes place

The Genie of Darkness (1962; Estudios either at Nostradamus’ crypt-like lair, Igor’s cas-America/Trans-International Films; Mexico;
tle-like house, Rebecca’s (Leo’s crone-like mother, b&w) Original Language Title: Nostradamus, el who’s the keeper of Nostradamus’ precious parch-Genio de las Tinieblas; Director: Frederick Curiel, ment) witch-hovel or the Professor’s archaic-Stim Segar (English language version); Producer:

looking basement lab (where he tinkers with bats

Victor Parra, K. Gordon Murray (English
and sound waves in a subplot that goes absolutely
version); Screenplay: Charles E. Taboada, Alfred
nowhere).

Ruanova; Cinematographer: Ferdinand Colin.

But the film bogs down in a lengthy, boring in-

Cast: Germán Robles, Julio Aleman, Domingo
terlude involving Nostradamus’ pedestrian plot

Soler, Aurora Alvarado, Manuel Vergara, Jack
to turn a woman against her lover, with the

Taylor.

bloodsucker laughing maniacally and declaring—
without the slightest hint of irony —“Now is a

“My hate is endless.”

great triumph for Nostradamus!” Too bad the

Though the above sentiment is voiced by the
same can’t be said for Mexican horror cinema.

villainous vampire Nostradamus (Germán Rob-
les), this could very well be the attitude of the ex-

The Ghastly Ones (1968; J.E.R. Pictures Inc.) asperated viewer after sitting through this third

Alternate Title: Blood Rites (U.K. video title); Di-installment in the Nostradamus quartet.

rector/Cinematographer: Andy Milligan; Pro-

Actually, of the four “features” culled from the
ducer: Jerome-Fredric; Screenplay: Hal Sherwood,

12-chapter Mexican serial (begun with The Curse Andy Milligan. Cast: Veronica Radburn, Maggie
of Nostradamus, continued with The Monsters De-Rogers, Hal Borske, Anne Linden, Fib La Blaque,
molishers and this entry, and finishing up with Carol Vogel.

The Blood of Nostradamus), The Genie of Darkness may very well be the best (which is damning with

An experience so sensually shocking that it will be the stomach-shocker of your life!— trailer
faint praise indeed).

Genie starts right where The Monsters Demol-When the soft-core sexploitation subgenre
ishers left off, as Leo (Nostradamus’ dimwitted turned hard in the late 1960s and early ’70s (with
hunchbacked henchman) helps the fallen vampire
the arrival of such pictures as 1969’s I Am Curious to his feet. (The previous film closed abruptly

Yellow and 1970’s Sexual Freedom in Denmark), with Nostradamus collapsing — in a vampire’s
low-rent filmmakers who made their professional
version of sympathetic labor pains— when the
home on New York’s notorious 42nd street needed
protagonists stake his undead underling.) Nos-
to change with the times. Producer-director Andy
tradamus then hypnotizes Professor Dolen’s as-

Milligan, a fringe player among fringe players, de-
sistant, Anthony (“I own your soul now and you
clined to go the hard-core route and so turned his
are my servant”), in order to find out what his
sweaty sights towards horror and gore. The
adversaries are up to. The Professor, Anthony and

Ghastly Ones was the first of his $1.98 homegrown

2. THE MOVIES

The Ghastly Ones

187
horror productions, quickly
followed by Torture Dun-
geon and Bloodthirsty Butch-
ers (both filmed in 1969 but
not released until 1970).

Milligan would pay his ac-
tors $25 a day, shoot in his
own run-down Victorian-
style home in the wilds of

Staten Island, make the cos-
tumes himself (using his

“Raffine” pseudonym), and
shoot on short ends with a

25-year-old 16mm newsreel
camera. The question is not
why his pictures are so bad,
but why they are watchable
at all. And the answer is that

Milligan’s movies contain a
raw, often perverse energy

Ghastly Mexican lobby card for Andy Milligan’s The Ghastly Ones (1968).

that’s never conventional, as
he wears his misanthropic, misogynistic,
amateurish acting from the coffee-house regulars
conflicted heart on his sleeve. (By all accounts
and street hustlers Milligan employed; tinny,

Milligan had a horrible childhood and loathed his
often garbled sound; inappropriate canned
mother, angrily shouting out “Bitch!” at her fu-
music; and cheesy, fake-looking gore (the film
neral; such anti-family vehemence frequently
was banned in Britain as a “video nasty” when
breaks through in his films.)

released there on tape as Blood Rites in the early Set in the nineteenth century, the story follows

1980s). About the only thing that’s truly convinc-
the ill-fated reunion of the three Crenshaw sisters.

ing are the period costumes, created by Milligan

When their wealthy absentee father finally dies,
himself (a former dress shop owner). What sets
the fractured family is brought back together for

The Ghastly Ones (and the rest of the Milligan the reading of the will, which carries an odd pro-oeuvre) apart from such other low-end dreck as
viso: “Each of you [heirs] and your husbands shall

The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961) or Manos, the reside at the Crenshaw house in sexual harmony

Hands of Fate (1966) is a manic energy and unfor the period of three days.... This house must
conventional, cynical, almost avant garde sensi-
know married love in those three days, a love that
bility. For instance, Milligan often offers off-
it had never known from your mother and I.”

kilter, ultra-tight close-ups even during mundane

Soon a mysterious figure adds a sour note to said
talking-head scenes, making the viewer feel

“harmony” by murdering the principals one by
slightly uncomfortable — like the camera was an
one in various, er, ghastly ways.

awkward adolescent standing too close and in-

Writing for Film Bulletin, future director Joe vading your personal space.

Dante ( Gremlins) reported that The Ghastly Ones Distributor Sam Sherman came up with the

“looked like a home movie from Bedlam.” It’s an
film’s title and promotion campaign (“in CRA-
apt description, given the picture’s no-budget am-

NIUM-CLEAVING COLOR”). “I thought truth in
biance swirling about its twisted characters and
advertising wouldn’t be bad because the picture
depraved scenarios. As production values go, it
really was ghastly, so I called it The Ghastly Ones,”

just doesn’t get any lower than an Andy Milligan

Sherman laughingly admitted to writer Jimmy
movie. The Ghastly Ones (made for $13,000 —

McDonough in his fascinating biography The
which was Milligan’s biggest budget up to that Ghastly One: The Sex-Gore Netherworld of Film-time!) is filled with shaky, hand-held, sometimes
maker Andy Milligan.

focus-challenged camerawork (courtesy of Andy

Though often containing isolated moments of
himself ); lighting that’s at one point garish and
boredom (i.e. long talky stretches), rarely does a
unflattering, and at another so dim the scene ap-

Milligan film seem dull, thanks to their off beat
pears lit by flashlight; garden shear-style editing; weirdness. And Andy’s first horror opus, though

188

The Ghost; The Ghosts of Hanley House

2. THE MOVIES
certainly not for everyone (and for no one seeking Barbara Steele claims The Ghost was made on a straightforward, competent horror film), will
a bet (likewise The Horrible Dr. Hichcock). “Freda reward those cineastes willing to dumpster-dive
made a bet one day at lunch with a producer,
for their fix.

Pietro Pupillo,” reported the actress. “He said he
could write a script and shoot a movie in a week.

The Ghost (1963/65; Panda/Magna; Italy) Orig-He wrote it in a day; we had a day of preproduc-
inal Language Title: Lo Spettro; Director: Robert tion, and he shot it in three days. One night I slept Hampton (Riccardo Freda); Producer: Louis
on the set, because I knew we would be shooting

Mann (Luigi Carpentieri, Ermanno Donati);
again in four hours.”

Screenplay: Robert Davidson (Oreste Biancoli),

Despite the obvious pressures such a rushed

Robert Hampton (Riccardo Freda); Cinematog-
production put on its cast and crew (such as the
rapher: Donald Green (Rafaelle Masciocchi). Cast:

actors having to literally learn their lines between Barbara Steele, Peter Baldwin, Harriet White
scenes as the crew hurriedly set up for the next

(Medin), Leonard G. Elliot (Elio Jotta), Carol
shot), Steele didn’t see that as necessarily a bad

Bennet, Charles (Carlo) Kechler, Raoul H. New-
thing: “I like working with a certain sense of ur-
man (Umberto Raho), Reginald Price Anderson.

gency. It has its pluses because it creates an inter-Horror ... sharp as a razor’s edge!— tagline
esting energy, a kind of nerving sort of charge, a
crisis energy on the set which I really think the

Made in 1963 in Italy, but not dubbed and re-
film picks up on. I think that film on some sub-
leased in the U.S. until 1965, The Ghost, an unconscious level picks up this magnetism, this en-
official sequel to writer-director Riccardo Freda’s ergy, when it’s really happening. Somewhere I
earlier The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, has Dr. H.

think it translates.”

return as a cuckolded cripple who is killed by his

If so, than in The Ghost something was lost in wife (Barbara Steele) and her lover (the doctor’s
translation, as it suffers from a decided lack of enown physician). But the ghost of the vengeful
ergy. Though opulently presented (with its won-

Hichcock seemingly returns to torment the faith-
derfully Gothic set dressings and old manor house
less couple ... or does he?

setting), and possessing occasional moments of
atmosphere and shock (such as a ghastly-lit face
slowly emerging from the shadows; or an eerie
visit to a twilight-lit, fog-enshrouded graveyard;
or a vicious, well-edited straight-razor murder,
complete with blood splattering the camera lens),
the film’s pacing matches the principals’ turn-of-
the-century garb — stately and demure.

The small cast do a superb job with some de-
manding roles, led by Steele, who does what she
does best—seductive in one scene, terrified in the
next, and totally mad at the end.

Filled with shots of billowy curtains, chess
pieces that suddenly scatter from the board, drops
of blood mysteriously appearing, disembodied
ghostly laughter, and Charles’ eerie voice issuing
from the housekeeper medium’s mouth, The

Ghost offers up sporadic Gothic-flavored chills, but its measured tread and predictable ending

(the poetic “twist” is anything but unexpected) make this Ghost a rather pale entry in the Italo-Gothic sweepstakes of the 1960s.

With quotes from: “Princess of Darkness,” by

Bill Warren, Fangoria 102, May 1991.

Large French poster for Riccardo Freda’s The Ghost

The Ghosts of Hanley House (1968; Vic-

(1963/65), an unofficial semi-sequel to The
toria Productions; b&w) Director/Screenwriter:

Horrible Dr. Hichcock.

Louise Sherrill; Producer: Joesphe S. Durkin, Jr.;

2. THE MOVIES

Girls of Spider Island; Godzilla vs. Mothra; Godzilla vs. The Thing

189

Cinematographer: Claude Fullerton. Cast: Elsie
the running time consists of dull filler. Audiences Baker, Barbra Chase, Wilkie De Martel, Roberta
must endure lackluster scenes of the group

Reeves, Cliff Scott, Leonard Shoemaker.

playing cards and dancing, or their later attempt
to escape the house by walking through the woods

“I don’t believe in ghosts— and I don’t think
after their cars mysteriously won’t start. Though
there’s anything wrong with the Hanley place
the paths all somehow lead them back to the house that a good bucket of paint won’t fix.”

— doubting protagonist

(a creepy concept exploited more fully two
decades later in The Blair Witch Project), the sheer A group of people spend the night in a notori-length of this poorly-lit walking-down-the-trail
ous haunted house in this seldom-screened and
sequence transforms the shudders into tedium.

nearly forgotten Haunting wannabe. There they Capping it off is a disappointingly banal climax
are confronted by (unseen) ghosts who first
in which, after all the sundry spooky
frighten, then aid them in uncovering the horrible
phenomenon (clock hands spinning, paintings
secrets behind the hauntings. After a brief (and
falling, the sound of galloping hooves thundering
very limited) release in 1968, The Ghosts of Hanley through the house), a “ghostly” voice behind a

House dropped from sight, remaining as invisible door spells everything out for the dim-witted proas the house’s occupants until the video boom of
tagonists. Though Sherrill attempts to put a final
the 1980s prompted some enterprising fringe dis-
twist in the tale, it all just peters out in the end as tributors to release it on videotape.

the group simply does what the spirit asks (the

The film’s low-budget ambiance and stark
wraiths merely wanted a decent burial for their
black-and-white photography enhance the
murdered bodies).

creepiness of its simple scenario, much in the way

While no rediscovered classic, The Ghosts of
that these same gritty attributes helped make Car-Hanley House remains a strangely compelling nival of Souls and Night of the Living Dead so curio in the haunted cinema cabinet, despite its
memorable. Though Ghosts begins with a generic amateurish lapses.

organ-and-guitar rock ’n’ roll score, once the pro-
tagonists arrive at the house, the inappropriate

Girls of Spider Island see Horrors of
music gives way to a disturbing, ominous low bass

Spider Island
motif that, along with moody shots of the empty
house — both inside and out — generates an un-
settling atmosphere. The aural impressiveness

Godzilla vs. Mothra see Godzilla vs.

continues, as much of the subsequent shudders
the Thing
arise from bizarre and startling sound effects (á
la The Haunting).

Godzilla vs. The Thing (1964; Toho; Japan) Ultimately, however, the movie falls well below

Original Title: Mosura tai Gojira. Alternate Title: the admittedly lofty mark set by the better-known

Godzilla vs. Mothra (US video). Director: Ishiro films it strives to imitate. Most of the blame for

Honda. Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka; Screenplay:

this would appear to rest with rookie director

Shinichi Sekizawa. Cinematographer: Hajime

Louise Sherrill, who apparently never directed an-

Koizume. Cast: Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi,
other picture, though she did appear before the Hiroshi Koizumi, Yu Fujiki, Emi Ito, Yumi Ito,
camera in small roles on at least two occasions—

Yoshibumi Tajima, Kanji Sahara.

Blood and Lace (1971) and Speak of the Devil WHAT IS IT ... How much terror can you

(1991). Sherrill’s camera rarely moves, and she re-
stand?— tagline
lies heavily on the medium shot, abruptly insert-
ing the occasional close-up to break the

American-International Pictures played it coy
monotony (in some of these the actor stares di-
with that tagline, hiding the identity of Godzilla’s rectly into the camera — an amateurish no-no).

sparring partner in Toho’s latest super-monster

Some judicious editing would have helped.

slugfest. AIP re-christened the film Godzilla vs.

Sherrill holds on scenes too long, which doesn’t

The Thing, perhaps to suggest some nonexistent help the obviously uncomfortable (and obviously
connection with the Howard Hawks sci-fi classic
non-professional) actors appear any more at ease.

The Thing (1951), and removed all images of She occasionally inserts moody shots of empty

Mothra from its advertising. Despite this tactic,
rooms full of pregnant menace, but again locks

Americans now commonly refer to the movie by
the camera down for far too long. And much of
its U.S. home video title, Godzilla vs. Mothra.

190

Godzilla vs. The Thing

2. THE MOVIES

By any name, however, this remains one of the

Ichiro and Yoka discover unusually high radiation
keynote kaiju eiga (giant monster) pictures. With levels near an industrial building site. They return this fourth entry in the series, Toho’s Godzilla
to investigate. Suddenly Godzilla erupts from be-
saga hits its stride. Many fans consider Godzilla neath the earth, emerging tail-first and mad as
vs. Mothra the best G-film of them all. In retro-hell. The monster immediately begins a fresh
spect, a Godzilla-Mothra showdown seems in-
rampage and, as ever, the Japanese military proves
evitable. Following the electrifying commercial
incapable of stopping him. The journalists hit on
success of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Toho the idea of enlisting Mothra’s aid against Godzilla, wanted to pair Godzilla with another high-profile
and travel to Infant Island to enlist the twin
beastie. A year earlier, Mothra (1961) had jump-fairies’ assistance. But the twins refuse, because
started the studio’s moribund kaiju eiga cycle with the giant moth is near the end of its life cycle.

a similar box office jolt. Putting the two together Nevertheless, once Godzilla begins to threaten the
didn’t require Buddha-like wisdom.

giant egg, Mothra zooms to the rescue. The two

Reporter Ichiro (Akira Takarada) and photog-
monsters battle to a standstill before Mothra dies.

rapher Yoka (Yuriko Hoshi) are at the shore, cov-

Godzilla is incapacitated momentarily, but soon
ering the damage caused by a massive hurricane,
revives. In the short interim, the giant egg hatches when local fishermen haul in a giant egg discov-to reveal two larval Mothras— essentially, giant
ered floating at sea. A shady character named Ku-
silkworms. In a climactic second battle, the larvae mayama (Yoshibumi Tajima) buys the egg from
work together to cocoon Godzilla into submission.

the fishermen and plans to charge admission to

Godzilla tumbles into the sea, and the young
see it. He partners with the even less scrupulous

Mothras swim away toward Infant Island.

Torahata (Kenji Sahara) to build an amusement

The characters in Godzilla vs. Mothra exist pri-park around the egg. Soon the two Infant Island
marily to bring Mothra into the story, and
fairies (Emi and Yumi Ito), heroines of the
provide little interest in and of themselves. The
original Mothra, arrive to plead for the return of dastardly Kumayama and Torahata remain the
the egg, which belongs to Mothra. But Kumayama
only characters with distinct personalities. The
and Torahata, who have invested heavily in their
wafer-thin plot serves as little more than connec-
would-be egg-stravaganza, refuse and send the
tive tissue between special effects sequences. For-
fairies home empty-handed.

tunately, those effects sequences are spectacular,

In the course of their hurricane reportage,
especially the two fight scenes, which rank as the
most imaginative and
thrilling of all Toho’s giant
monster showdowns.

Maybe AIP hid Mothra’s
identity because executives
feared fans wouldn’t pay to
see Godzilla fight an over-
sized butterfly. Yet, it’s just
this oddball pairing that
makes the film’s monster
battles work. Unlike King

Kong vs. Godzilla, in which
the creatures grapple like
professional wrestlers, in
this film, the monsters use
their unique abilities to
combat their opponent:

Mothra waylays Godzilla
by releasing a cloud of
dusty yellow poison;

Godzilla fires back with a
burst of atomic breath; and

Godzilla vs. The Thing (1964) turned out to be “Godzilla vs. Mothra” (one the twins eventually prevail
of the film’s alternate titles).

due to their cocooning goo.

2. THE MOVIES

Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell; Goliath and the Dragon

191

In short, these scenes play out like a contest be-

Though dozens of pepla (Italian-made muscle-
tween two animals, not between two guys in rub-
man films set in ancient Greece or Rome) washed
ber suits. The battles are notable for their
ashore in America during the sword-and-sandal
dramatic structure, as well: At first glance,
flood initiated by the surprise success of 1957’s

Mothra seems pitifully overmatched. This is

Hercules (released by Joseph E. Levine in the U.S.

David and Goliath, Monster Island-style — the
in 1959), only a handful contained significant fan-

“King of the Monsters” dethroned by two baby
tasy elements, most being concerned with palace
caterpillars.

intrigue, heroic romance, and small-scale battles.

After a subpar outing with King Kong vs.

(Note: by the time the genre’s popularity began

Godzilla, Toho’s visual effects department delivers to wane in 1964, over 170 pepla had been
one of its finest efforts with Godzilla vs. Mothra.

produced in Italy.) Even fewer offered any real

In addition to the two monster-v-monster tilts,
horror along with the muscles and swordfights.

there are numerous scenes of Godzilla battling

Goliath and the Dragon is one of those few.

the military, plus additional sequences involving

Always on the lookout for a trend, AIP heads

Mothra and the fairies. All are strikingly executed Jim Nicholson and Sam Arkoff decided to jump
and composed. At one point, sunlight streams
on the beefcake-and-brawn bandwagon by ac-
through Mothra’s gossamer red, yellow and
quiring two pepla: Sign of Rome (changed to the brown wings— one of the more beautiful shots of
more exploitive Sign of the Gladiator— despite any kaiju eiga.

there being no gladiator in the picture!) and a

As another plus, Godzilla vs. Mothra reached Steve Reeves Hercules movie, which became a

U.S. audiences without extensive re-editing. Ex-

“Goliath” film because, as Arkoff wrote in his au-
cept for the inevitable dubbing, Americans saw
tobiography Flying Through Hollywood by the Seat virtually the same film that played Japanese the-of My Pants, “we did not want to seem as though aters. This film also remains memorable as the
we were trying to exploit Levine’s success with
final film in which Godzilla would appear as the
his Hercules movies.” (Given Arkoff ’s penchant
bad guy, until Toho restarted the series in 1984.

for, let’s say, coloring the issues, it was more likely fear of a lawsuit that prompted the change.) That

Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell see
film, Goliath and the Barbarians, subsequently be-

Body Snatcher from Hell
came a huge hit for AIP.

“After the success of Goliath and the

Goliath and the

Dragon (1960; AIP; Italy)

Original Language Title: La

Vendetta di Ercole; Alternate

Title: Vengeance of Hercules.

Director: Vittorio Cottafavi,

Lee Kressell (English language
version); Producers: Achilli

Piazzi, Gianni Fuchs; Screen-
play: Marcello Baldi, Mario

Ferrari (Story: Marco Piccolo,

Archibald Zounds, Jr.); Cine-
matographer: Mario Mon-
tuori. Cast: Mark Forest,

Broderick Crawford, Eleanora

Ruffo, Gaby Andre, Philippe

Hersent.

“I forbid you to work on any
more of these plots that don’t
make sense, you moron!”— ex-

Broderick Crawford(!), as the evil King Euetus, places a damsel in asperated villain to his inept
distress in one of the few horror-themed peplums (Italian muscleman henchman after yet another
movies) of the 1960s, Goliath and the Dragon (1960) (Mexican lobby failed attempt to kill the hero
card).

192

Goliath and the Vampires

2. THE MOVIES

Barbarians, Jim and I decided we needed another liath of Thebes” (thereafter referred to simply as

‘Goliath’ movie,” wrote Arkoff, “and we signed

“Goliath” in the English export version), who
contracts in Italy to co-produce a new film, Go-must journey to the Cave of Hell to return to
liath and the Dragon. Lou Rusoff wrote a script Thebes their precious “Blood Diamond” and ap-for us, and we flew Debra Paget to Italy as one of
pease the gods. The evil King Euetus (a slumming
the leads in the new picture.... Just days before

Broderick Crawford, who looks for all the world
production was set to begin, however, the movie
like he’d rather be anywhere else), ruler of a neigh-was put on hold. The Italian filmmakers decided
boring kingdom, has stolen the gem in order to
they needed to make some changes— most sig-
lure Goliath to his death at the hands/talons of his nificantly, they wanted to double the budget of
monsters. But, of course, Goliath overcomes all
the film.” AIP balked and walked away from the

(including dealing with his own brother’s Romeo-
project. Fortuitously, Nicholson and Arkoff soon
and-Juliet-like love affair and the kidnapping of
learned of another in-production Hercules movie
his beloved wife Dejanira by a randy centaur!).

that had run out of money after four weeks of

With a long stretch of monster-less “action” in
shooting. Providing the necessary completion
the film’s middle, this Dragon slows to a crawl financing, AIP transformed it into their proposed
after its exciting opening, before waking up again

Goliath and the Dragon.

when the G-man finally battles the dragon. The

While Hercules remains the best-known Italian
sparse but lively stop-motion inserts of said beast action hero (and headlines the best peplum ever

(provided to AIP by Project Unlimited, a
made: Hercules in the Haunted World), numerous company owned by Tim Barr, Wah Chang and
other classical champions (played by a variety of

Gene Warren, who’d won an Academy Award for
chiseled-physique — and stony-faced — body
their work on 1960’s The Time Machine) are builders) donned the leather loincloth to hurl Sty-nearly ruined by juxtaposing them with scenes of
rofoam rocks at soldiers and occasionally battle
the silly papier mache head used in the up-close-
unwieldy monsters. Maciste, Samson, Atlas, and
and-personal shots of Goliath whacking at the
even Ulysses oiled their torsos and bulged their
monster. But just as the chuckles arise, Goliath
biceps across American screens in the 1960s. AIP
gruesomely gouges out the creature’s eye with his
added Goliath to the peplum pack, featuring him
sword (leading to a nice stop-motion shot of the
in five films from 1960 to 1964. Three of these en-
dragon rearing up in pain). Rather than ending
tries were (ahem) “straight” adventure pepla ( Go-here, there remains another 15 minutes of mun-
liath and the Barbarians, Goliath and the Sins of dane mayhem typical of the genre (hero leads at-Babylon, and Goliath and the Conquest of Dam-tack on evil ruler, battle ensues). At least this cli-ascus), while another, Goliath and the Vampires—
mactic conflict offers an impressive scene of the
despite its title — offered only brief, half-hearted castle walls collapsing as Goliath destroys the sup-fantasy elements.

port pillars in the cave beneath.

Goliath and the Dragon, on the other hand,

Though not a perfect peplum by any means,
shows its blood-red colors as a true horror

Goliath and the Dragon stands as a passable, in-peplum in its first ten minutes, in which the
termittently exciting entry in the he-man horror
titular titan, played by Mark Forest (actually,
sweepstakes.

American gymnast Lou Degni; Nicholson and

Arkoff felt his name didn’t sound American

Goliath and the Vampires (1961/64; AIP; enough, so they persuaded him to adopt the new

Italy) Original Language Title: Maciste Contro il moniker), faces a three-headed, fire-breathing

Vampiro. Alternate Title: The Vampires (TV). Di-dog monster; a stop-motion dinosaur-like dragon
rectors: Sergio Corbucci, Giacomo Gentilomo;

(which he lets pass for the moment, saving it for

Producer: Paolo Moffa; Screenplay: Sergio Cor-
a later confrontation); and a man-sized flying bat-
bucci, Duccio Tessari; Cinematographer: Alvar
creature. Unfortunately, the monsters (apart from

Mancori. Cast: Gordon Scott, Gianna Maria
the impressive dino-dragon) look like oversized

Canale, Jacques Sernas, Leonora Ruffo, Mario Fe-

Steiff stuffed animals, with the devil-dog sporting liciani.

mangy heads and floppy paws that move up and
down in an awkward wave, and the bat-beast

MONSTER vs. GOLIATH ... ALL NEW ... THE

MIGHTIEST BATTLE OF THEM ALL!— ad line
looking stiff and unwieldy in its fake fur and Big-
foot feet.

Imported by AIP in 1964, Goliath and the Vam-

The plot introduces “Emilius the mighty, go-
pires, along with Mario Bava’s Hercules in the

2. THE MOVIES

Goliath and the Vampires

193

Haunted World, ranks among the best and most have Kobrak appear and destroy them with fire,
eventful horror-pepla to hit the big screens of
resulting in screaming stuntmen set aflame as

America (not surprising, perhaps, since it was co-
burning tree trunks fall upon them.

directed and co-written by Sergio Corbucci, cre-

Though no master thespian, Gordon Scott was
ator of some of the greatest Spaghetti Westerns
still one of the more expressive peplum stars, even ever made, including Django, The Mercenary, and displaying some genuine anguish here when he

The Great Silence). Gordon Scott stars as Goliath finds the lifeless body of his lady love. Former

(changed from “Maciste” in the original Italian

Tarzan Scott also performs some impressive stunt
version), the “strongest man in the world.” When
work himself, such as jumping from a 10-foot wall
a band of raiders from Salmanak attack and burn
only to spring forward and launch himself at a

Goliath’s village, killing the men and abducting
group of soldiers— all in one continuous motion
the women, Goliath vows revenge. Journeying to

(and take).

Salmanak, Goliath aligns himself with a race of

On the downside, Goliath is loaded with the mysterious “Blue Men” to battle the evil sorcerer
expected awkward (dubbed) dialogue, though

Kobrak and free both the kidnapped women and
the oppressed people of Salmanak.

Goliath and the Vampires takes a more brutal approach than most sword-and-sandal flicks.

Rather than the usual ration of sword thrusts and
arrows to the chest, Goliath offers up a feast of throat slashings, arrows to the eye, and bodies dropped head-first into a raging inferno. And
there’s the inventively cruel torture of forcing one unfortunate to climb a greased pole above a platform of spikes—with the expected pointed result.

The film even kills off Goliath’s pre-teen friend
in a shockingly unexpected (and rather poignant)

death scene.

Then there’s the supernatural angle. Kobrak re-
quires blood, which, during his first appearance,
he reaches for from behind a curtain with his hor-
rible, monstrous arm. After grasping the gory
chalice, a hellish wind and eerie fog suddenly
springs up to swirl about the room, terrifying
even Kobrak’s own servants. Corbucci and co.

keep Kobrak’s appearances sporadic and brief,
never fully exposing the monstrous magician,
thereby letting the viewer’s imagination fill in the grotesque blanks. Until the end, Kobrak only appears out of a red mist as a transparent, ghostly
image (though his hideous arm and clawed hand
turn corporeal in order to slash and strangle dis-
obedient underlings). At the climax the sorcerer
transforms himself into the very likeness of Go-
liath (with the “evil” Goliath played by none other than Steve “Hercules” Reeves!) to go one-on-one
with our real hero.

The underground “Kingdom of Blue Men” of-
fers some impressive cavern settings, complete
with massive sliding-rock doorways and a pit
housing a giant beetle-monster (a disappointing
spindly-legged puppet of Queen of Outer Space
caliber). And Goliath leads his Blue Men allies

Italian poster for Goliath and the Vampires
through a creepy, misty swamp setting — only to

(1961/64).

194

Gorath; Gorgo

2. THE MOVIES
some of it proves rather colorful (such as: “There

Gorath bogs down in hackneyed subplots involv-exists here a beast who’s more evil than a fiend!”).

ing underwritten characters. It incessantly pounds

The film also features not one, not two, but four the viewer over the head with its Call for Global

Goliath-vs.-soldiers confrontations, adding a

Unity, which however noble, quickly grows tire-
sense of mundane repetition to the otherwise
some. And the story’s “science” is laughable in the bizarre scenario. Upping the banality factor are
extreme, which is a difficult to overcome when a
two dancing-girl sequences— one a showstopper
movie takes itself so seriously. The awkward-

(in the literal sense of the term, since it halts the looking walrus-monster’s brief appearance adds
movie dead in its tracks), but the other proving
little to the proceedings, and was edited out of the rather more entertaining due to some Turkish-picture for its American release.

tinged 60s surf guitar music playing on the sound-

In fact, Gorath was butchered almost beyond track!

recognition for U.S. audiences. Not only were

Despite its (inevitable) faults, Goliath and the some scenes deleted, but others were re-ordered.

Vampires offers enough inventive and chilling The American version also suffers the usual atro-moments to keep both horror and peplum fans
cious dubbing and re-scoring, this time with ro-
happy, making this one of the few truly successful
botic beeping noises and other “science fictiony”

horror/he-man hybrids of the 1960s.

sounds inserted at random. Viewers are advised
to seek out the original Japanese cut of Gorath, if

Gorath (1962/64, Toho, Japan) Director: Ishiro they bother to see it at all.

Honda. Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka. Screenplay:

Takashi Kimura. From a story by Jojiro Okami.

Gorgo (1961; King Bros.; UK) Director: Eugene Cinematographer: Hajime Koizume. Cast: Ryo

Lourie. Producer: Herman King. Screenwriter:

Ikebe, Yumi Shirakawa, Takashi Shimura, Kumi

Robert L. Richards (as John Loring) and Daniel

Mizuno, Ken Uehara, Akira Kubo.

Jams (as Daniel Hyatt). Cinematographer:

Freddie Young. Cast: Bill Travers, William

See! the world doomed by an invading wild
sun 6000 times bigger than earth!

Sylvester, Vincent Winter, Christopher Rhodes,

— Advertising tagline

Joseph O’Conor, Bruce Seton.

Like nothing you’ve ever seen before!— tagline

Gorath will sorely disappoint monster fans who approach it in hopes of finding another Godzilla

Gorgo is the kind of movie that’s easy to love or Ghidrah. Despite its monstrous-sounding title,
when you’re a kid, but hard to revisit as a
this is a straight science fiction yarn with a giant grownup.

monster shoehorned in, not a true kaiju eiga.

Uncluttered by romance, comedy relief or bor-

Obviously inspired by George Pal’s When
ing subplots, starring one of the coolest-looking

Worlds Collide (1951), the plot involves a rogue of all giant monsters and concluding with an epic,
star that threatens to destroy all life on Earth as city-smashing finale, Gorgo boasts everything pre-it passes through our solar system. The nations
teen viewers could want. On the other hand, its
of the world unite to build a network of gigantic,
script seems cobbled together out of leftover el-
nuclear-powered thrusters, which shift the
ements from earlier, better films. Its characters
planet’s orbit and allow the Earth to dodge the
remain thinly developed “types,” and its visual
passing star. The thrusters are built in Antarctica, effects are woefully inconsistent — limitations
and their heat awakens a sleeping monster that
likely to try adults’ patience.

looks like a giant prehistoric walrus. Gorath, for

When their salvage ship is damaged in a violent
the record, is the name of the star, not of the wal-storm, sailors Joe (Bill Travers) and Sam (William
rus.

Sylvester) find themselves stranded in a small

This film, which continued the lineage of The

Irish fishing village. To pass the time during their Mysterians (1957) and Battle in Outer Space (1960), vessel’s repair, they venture down in a diving bell, was intended to be the grandest of Toho’s sci-fi
hoping to find something worthy of salvaging. In-
epics. And in some respects, it is. Gorath is am-stead they discover and capture an authentic, liv-
bitious in scope and adult in tone. It features a
ing dinosaur. Despite the pleas of a local lad, Sean large and accomplished cast, as well some as-

(Vincent Winter), who urges them to let the crea-
toundingly detailed, eye-catching miniature F/X
ture go, Joe and Sam transport the beast, which
sequences, among the best Toho ever produced.

they dub Gorgo, to London, and put it on display

Unfortunately, like the Pal film that inspired it,
in a circus. Sean stows away aboard their ship so

2. THE MOVIES

The Gorgon

195
he can continue to pester
them about releasing the
monster.

Scientists examine the
creature and inform the
surprised sailors that their

65-foot monster is a mere
infant. Sure enough, 200-
foot Mama Gorgo soon
emerges from the sea. She
appears at the 43-minute
mark of this 76-minute
movie, and her unstop-
pable march to retrieve her
captive child, battling the

Royal Air Force, Navy and

Army all the way, consumes
the remainder of the film.

Unfortunately, the con-
cept of a mommy monster

Gorgo (well, his mother, actually) takes out a famous London landmark protecting her young is the

(1961).

film’s only original thought.

Despite its advertising tagline (“Like nothing
here often seems perfunctory. Ironically, while
you’ve ever seen before!”), Gorgo remains little Lourie wanted no city-smashing sequences at all,
more than a collection of swipes. For instance, the he does a masterful job in the scenes of raw de-scene in a diving bell derives from The Beast from struction, conveying the stark terror of London-20,000 Fathoms (1953). A photographer’s flash ers fleeing at the approach of monsters.

bulbs send the Baby Gorgo on a homicidal ram-

Unlike Lourie’s Beast and Behemoth, which fea-page, a la King Kong (1933). A verbose radio retured stop-motion animated creatures, Gorgo
porter (Maurice Kaufmann), who prattles inanely
was portrayed by a stunt man in a rubber suit.

throughout the final battle evokes the fonder

Luckily, it’s a great-looking costume, one of the
memory of Raymond Burr in Godzilla, King of
best in movie history. The fearsome Gorgos are
the Monsters (1954/56).

Tyranosaurus-like creatures with bulbous red

Although it’s fun to watch virtually every
eyes and distinctive, wing-like fins that jut from
world-famous British landmark (Tower Bridge,
the sides of their skulls.

Big Ben, Parliament, Picadilly Circus) fall before

Gorgo also benefits immeasurably from the
the monster’s wrath, the film’s 30-minute, city-
work of cinematographer Freddie Young, whose
stomping military-versus-monster finale ulti-
evocative Technicolor photography lends the film
mately grows tiresome. Gorgo’s wildly uneven vi-an air of respectability. An excellent craftsman,
sual effects, sometimes quite poor, are further

Young had worked previously with Michael
hampered by clumsily integrated stock footage.

Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and would sub-

Filmmakers even intercut of jet fighters zooming
sequently film two of David Lean’s greatest pic-
across a cloudy daytime sky with night footage of tures, Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Dr. Zhivago the rampaging Mama Gorgo. When mother and

(1965). If not for Young and that terrific monster
child finally reunite, the proportions are all
suit, Gorgo might well be forgotten today.

wrong. Baby Gorgo barely reaches his mother’s
ankle. If he stands 65 feet tall, then Mama must

The Gorgon (1964; Hammer; U.K.) Director: be closer to 2,000 feet than 200.

Terence Fisher; Producer: Anthony Nelson-Keys;

This was director Eugene Lourie’s third giant

Screenplay: John Gilling, John Elder [Anthony
monster movie, following the seminal Beast from Hinds] (based on a story by J. Llewellyn Devine);

20,000 Fathoms, as well as The Giant Behemoth Cinematographer: Micheal Reed. Cast: Peter

(1959). He signed on to helm Gorgo reluctantly, Cushing, Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley,
and producers Frank and Maurice King rejected

Richard Pasco, Michael Goodliffe, Patrick
most of his ideas. Perhaps as a result, his work

Troughton.

196

Grave Desires; The Green Slime

2. THE MOVIES

She Turns Screaming Flesh Into Silent Stone
signment from Hammer that I considered one of

— ad line
my best screenplays.” However, Gilling felt that

Anthony Hinds, who “re-wrote the opening and

Hammer Films, who made versions of nearly
changed much of the dialogue,” ruined the
all the great monster stories, here tackles Greek
script — and the film.

mythology — setting it (as they did most of their

The Gorgon has two things going for it — the better films) in the 19th century. Peter Cushing
lush, colorful photography and sets (a trademark
plays the local doctor employing Barbara Shelley,
of many Hammer outings), and the performance
who just happens to be possessed by the spirit of
of Christopher Lee as the strong-willed Professor

Megera (one of the three gorgons) during the full

Meister, determined to get to the bottom of things
moon. It seems that everybody but Shelley and
even if the truth may prove unpleasant for our
the milktoast hero/love interest knows it — in-
love-smitten hero. Meister is not your typical
cluding the audience (although the plot is osten-
book-bound professor; no, he has no compunc-
sibly set up as a mystery).

tion about climbing out a two-story window to

Beginning production on December 9, 1963,
evade interfering police or breaking into a lab to
and wrapping on January 16, 1964, The Gorgon
peruse some revealing records. Lee’s powerful
cost a mere £150,000. Given Hammer’s two
screen presence is given free reign in the form of
biggest stars, Cushing and Lee, the studio’s top
this no-nonsense, forceful figure who dominates
director, Terence Fisher (who helmed all of Ham-
every scene he’s in.

mer’s best entries from the previous decade, in-

Not so the title character, however. The Gorgon
cluding Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula itself does nothing even remotely menacing, its
and The Mummy)— not to mention leading lady greatest exertion being stepping out of the shad-Barbara Shelley (arguably the best actress ever to
ows. The unconvincing make-up doesn’t help;
appear as a Hammer heroine), one would expect
and the only tremors produced by the dime-store
great things from The Gorgon. Sadly, one would rubber snakes in her wig are the result of viewers’

be disappointed.

belly laughs.

“The Gorgon,” co-scripter John Gilling told Lit-In The Films of Christopher Lee, by Poole and tle Shoppe of Horrors magazine, “was a writing as-Hart, Christopher Lee called The

Gorgon a “beautiful-looking pic-
ture, but the whole thing fell
apart because the effect of the
snakes on Megera’s head was not
sufficiently well done for the cli-
max of the film. Not a memo-
rable picture, but it could have
been terrific.” Indeed.

Grave Desires see

Brides of Blood

The Green Slime (1969;

MGM; U.S./Japan) Director:

Kinji Fukasaku; Producers: Wal-
ter Manley, Ivan Reiner; Screen-
play: Charles Sinclair, William

Finger, Tom Rowe; Cinematog-
rapher: Yoshikazu Yamasawa.

Cast: Robert Horton, Richard

Jaeckel, Luciana Paluzzi, Bud

Widom, Ted Gunther, David

Yurstun, Robert Dunham.

The Green Slime are coming!—
bumper sticker promo

Christopher Lee takes aim at The Gorgon (Prudence Hyman) (1964).

2. THE MOVIES

The Green Slime

197

What kid growing up in the 1960s could resist
and their different approaches to the responsibility such a title? And what adult going to the video
of leadership.

store nowadays could resist sniggering at such an (Really) big laser guns and Star Trek sensibilities absurd appellation? For all those “camp” followers

(shoot first and ask questions later) are the order out there, however, The Green Slime has become of the day. And the monsters, with their squat
something of a mainstay, thanks to its encased-
green bodies, giant solitary red eye, and impos-
in-amber sixties sensibilities. In the words of the sibly long (and ungainly) tentacles, are unique, if film’s star, Robert Horton, “It’s so bad it became
nothing else. “I have a photograph of me feeding
a cult film.” Well, actually it’s not that bad.

one of the monsters a cookie, because that’s what The first half of the movie is basically Armaged-I thought of the monsters,” laughed Horton. “I
don (1998), though not nearly as laugh-out-loud thought they were ridiculous.” Even so, thanks to
funny as that overblown and overpriced uninten-
some frantic staging by director Kinji Fukasaku
tional comedy. Orbiting space station Gamma III

(as well as some heroically straight-faced playing
must dispatch a crew to land on an asteroid, drill
by the principals), these Little Green Globs on
holes into its surface, and plant bombs that will

Gamma III do generate a few moments of suspense,
blow it to smithereens before it collides with the
with Our Heroes desperately weaving and dodging

Earth and destroys the human race. Horton plays
the waving appendages whose touch means
the trouble-shooting specialist dispatched to the
instant (and gruesome) death by electrocution.

station to head the asteroid mission. Richard

Arguably the most amazing thing about this

Jaeckel is the well-meaning but weak space station
film is the fact that the movie’s title song (“Is it commander and former friend of Rankin — until
just something in your head? / Will you believe it
he stole Rankin’s girl, the beautiful space station when you’re dead? / Greeeeen Sliiiiime!”) came
medico (former Thunderball Bond girl Luciana out as a 45 single.

Paluzzi). Although the mission is successful, one

MGM’s (yes, that MGM) PR boys went all out astronaut inadvertently brings back to the station
in their promotional ploys. “All over Manhattan,”

a tiny amount of green substance that grows into
recalled Horton, “on the curbs all up and down
one-eyed walking slime monsters that feed on

Manhattan, were printed ‘ The Green Slime, The electricity and electrocute their victims. It’s up to Green Slime, The Green Slime’! I remember we Rankin and Elliot to set aside their differences and went down to see it on 34th street, and about
find a way to defeat the ever-growing and seem-
three minutes before I knew the film was going
ingly unstoppable monsters.

to be over with, I said, ‘Let’s get out of here; I have According to The Hollywood Reporter, Robert no desire to have anybody see me!’ [ Laughs] The Taylor was originally scheduled to star in this first picture was dreadful.”

ever Japanese-U.S. co-pro-
duction. But when cameras
rolled in late 1967 just outside

Tokyo (with a Japanese crew
and Caucasian cast), it was a
different Robert — Horton, of

TV’s Wagon Train, Alfred

Hitchcock Presents and As the

World Turns fame — in the
heroic hotseat. Horton does
fine in his square-jawed, un-
derwritten role of a hard-line
military man-of-action. And

Richard Jaeckel ( The Dirty

Dozen, Grizzly, Starman) does equally well in the part of the
nice-guy-but-no-leader space
station commander. The
film’s main bit of human in-
terest comes from the friction
between these two characters

Ray guns vs. The Green Slime (1969).

198

The Gruesome Twosome

2. THE MOVIES

Dreadful ... but in a good way. With its comic-cast and crew had disbanded so he was forced to
book iconoclastic cyclopean monsters, plasticine
improvise, coming up with two sequences that he
rockets, bright color schemes, “mod” wardrobes
calls “absolutely classic example[s] of despera-

(and go-go dancing!), and fabulously campy
tion-type filler.” The first was a bizarre, four-
theme song, The Green Slime remains an enter-minute introduction in which two wig blocks
taining bit of late-sixties kitsch. It’s a pulp
decorated with paper eyes, noses and lips (like
horror/sci-fi cover come to life.

something from a Mrs. Potato Head doll) ex-

With quotes from: “Mini-skirts, Lasers, and
change catty remarks in a thick Southern drawl.

Monsters, Oh My!: Robert Horton Remembers

The second expanded a throwaway sequence in

The Green Slime,” by Bryan Senn, Filmfax 92, Au-which Kathy and Dave attend a drive-in movie
gust/September 2002.

by cutting in a scene from the “art film” they are
supposedly watching.

The Gruesome Twosome (1967; May flower) As a result, Lewis once named The Gruesome

Director/Producer/Cinematography: Herschell

Twosome as the lone film among all those on Gordon Lewis; Screenplay: Louise Downe. Cast:

which he had complete creative control that he

Elizabeth Davis, Gretchen Wells, Chris Martell,
dislikes. “Those were devices we had to add in

Rodney Bedell.

later to make the film a respectable length,” he
said. “It sickened me at the time. In fact, even

The most barbaric humor since the guillotine
now, it bothers me.... My heart sank because there
went out of style — tagline
was so much more we could have done. In fact,

By the time The Gruesome Twosome reached
there was one whole effect we didn’t do because
movie screens, director Herschell Gordon Lewis,
we thought we had plenty of length there.” This
originator of the splatter film, hadn’t directed a
gag — pushing a victim’s face down into a vat of
full-tilt gore fest in nearly two years (since Color boiling French fries— was later revived for The Me Blood Red [1965]). Lewis had issued two

Gore Gore Girls (1972).

chillers earlier in 1967 ( Something Weird and A Despite Lewis’ self-recriminations, the oddball

Taste of Blood), but both toned down the violence.

wig-block intro and the art film parody remain

Now he was feeling pressure to deliver one of his
perhaps the film’s most memorable moments, and
patented blood baths.

certainly further Lewis’ desire to inject some

“One reason we did this this way was because
humor into the proceedings. The biggest problem
some of the exhibitors had said, ‘What’s going on?

with the film isn’t that these elements were added, Your pictures don’t seem to have the amount of
but rather that other sequences of no interest
blood they used to,’” Lewis said. In an attempt to
whatsoever (co-eds sharing a bucket of fried
please the naysayers while still breaking new
chicken in their dorm room, for instance) could
ground, Lewis decided to combine “black humor
not be trimmed. In one agonizing nine-minute
with gore.” The result was one of his quirkiest ef-
sequence, Kathy follows the college’s janitor home
forts, a film by turns wildly amusing, stomach-
and accuses him of being a serial killer — only to
churning and (for long stretches) deadly dull.

discover he was merely bringing home a soup

The plot is simple enough: Batty old Mrs.

bone for his dog.

Pringle (Elizabeth Davis) and her half-wit son

The film could have used more footage of Mrs.

Rodney (Chris Martell) run a tiny wig shop near

Pringle and Rodney, characters who are both
a college campus. A sign in the window proudly
funny and well-played by Elizabeth Davis and
boasts, “100% Human Hair Wigs for Sale.” Care

Chris Martell. In another of the film’s most strik-
to guess where the hair comes from? That’s
ing scenes, Mrs. Pringle forces her pathetic son to right—from gullible coeds who Mrs. Pringle lures
recite the following oath: “I promise to be a good
into the shop and Rodney scalps. After a third girl boy always and listen to mother so I can live with
goes missing, one determined student, Kathy
her forever and never have to go away to the place

(Gretchen Wells), decides to try to solve the mys-
for bad boys.” As a reward for his devotion, Mrs.

tery. Her boyfriend (Rodney Bedell) reluctantly

Pringle gives her son an electric knife, which he
tags along.

promptly uses on their next victim. The film’s

When Lewis wrapped production on The Grue-
other characters are simple props. Kathy, for in-
some Twosome and assembled the rough cut, he stance, has no apparent motivation for her obses-realized that (due to a mathematical error) the
sive snooping other than a possible overdose of
picture had come in 10 minutes too short. The

Nancy Drew mysteries. The Gruesome Twosome

2. THE MOVIES

Hand of Death

199
functions on the same low level as every Lewis
enemy. Alas, prolonged exposure to the various
picture in terms of production values, cinematog-
chemicals used in the production of the gas ren-
raphy, sound design and dialogue, although it’s
ders Alex’s touch deadly — which he discovers by
marginally better acted than most.

placing his hand on the shoulder of his unfortu-

Despite exhibitors’ obvious appetite for such
nate lab assistant. After inadvertently bumping
material, The Gruesome Twosome proved to be off a couple more innocents— including former

Lewis’ final gore film of the 1960s. He spent the

Stooge Joe Besser, playing a luckless gas station
rest of the decade on other exploitation fare —
attendant — Alex holes up at a friend’s house. As
biker flicks, hillbilly comedies and sex farces. He the ailment progresses Alex begins to transform
returned to the peculiar idiom he had pioneered
physically, turning black (!) as his body swells and just twice more, with The Wizard of Gore (1972) cracks. While working furiously to find an anti-and The Gore Gore Girls (1972). Nevertheless, for dote, Alex’s pals realize their friend is also going better or (usually) worse, the stamp he left on the insane.

horror genre proved indelible.

The “death touch” scenario has potential and

With quotes from: A Taste of Blood: The Films
remains relatively fresh (although it’s similar to
of Herschell Gordon Lewis, by Christopher Wayne the 1936 Boris Karloff-Bela Lugosi vehicle, The Curry; The Gruesome Twosome DVD audio com-Invisible Ray). Alas, screenwriter/producer mentary with H.G. Lewis.

Eugene Ling seems to have no idea what to do
with this rich premise. Hand of Death proves talky

Hand of Death (1962; Twentieth Century–
and uneventful, building to a “climax” that is, to

Fox; b&w) Producer: Eugene Ling; Director:

be charitable, perfunctory. Although it runs a pal-

Gene Nelson; Screenplay: Eugene Ling; Cine-
try 58 minutes, there’s barely enough story for a
matographer: Floyd Crosby. Cast: John Agar,
decent Outer Limits episode, let alone a feature Paula Raymond, Stephen Dunne, Roy Gordon,
film. Hand of Death isn’t even bad in an amusing John A. Alonzo, Joe Besser.

way. Unlike similar, low-budget, experiment-
gone-wrong shockers such as The Hideous Sun

No one dared come too close!— tagline

Demon and The Alligator People (both 1959), Issued on the bottom of an agonizing twin bill
there’s little fun to be had here.

with The Cabinet of Caligari, Hand of Death vir-Bob Mark’s monster makeup looks OK in still
tually vanished following its brief theatrical run.

photos but isn’t convincing in action. Cinematog-

Never revived theatrically, nor included in any
rapher Floyd Crosby lends the picture a profes-

Fox television package, Hand of Death went un-sional look despite its threadbare budget, but has
seen for decades, and as a result took on a patina
nearly nothing to work with. The two most in-
of mystery and promise.

Stills from the film, showing
star John Agar in a monster
makeup that strongly
recalled artist Jack Kirby’s

The Thing from the Fantastic

Four comic book, looked in-
triguing. Then, more than 30
years after its debut, Hand of

Death finally turned up on
cable’s Fox Movie Channel,
where it was seen by thou-
sands (and copiously boot-
legged). Audiences quickly
figured out why Fox hadn’t
bothered with this picture
for three decades: It stinks.

Agar plays Alex Marsh, a
scientist developing a new
form of nerve gas designed to

Ben Grimm from The Fantastic Four? No, it’s a mask-wearing John Agar temporarily paralyze the
proffering the Hand of Death in 1962.

200

The Hand of Night; Hands of a Stranger

2. THE MOVIES
teresting aspects of the pro-
duction may be Sonny

Burke’s off beat, jazzy score,
featuring prominent bongos,
piano and theremin, and the
jaw-dropping device of hav-
ing Agar turn black to evi-
dence his dehumanization.

While it’s doubtful the film-
makers intended to send
such a message, this ploy
speaks volumes about the
way many whites viewed

African American men in the
early 1960s. Call it a cine-
matic Freudian slip.

Armchair psychoanalysis
aside, Hand of Death’s obscu-
rity proves well-earned.

Mexican lobby card for The Beast of Morocco (1968; aka Hand of Night).

The Hand of Night
see The Beast of Morocco

Hands of a Stranger (1962; Allied Artists; b&w) Director/Screenplay: Newt Arnold; Producers: Newt Arnold and Michael DuPont; Cin-
ematographer: Henry Crowjager. Cast: James Sta-
pleton, Paul Lukather, Joan Harvey, Michael Rye,

Larry Haddon.

They gave him the hands of a killer!— tagline

This otherwise tepid and forgettable variant on
the familiar Hands of Orlac theme has the dubious distinction of being one of the most hysterically
overwritten and overacted chillers of its era. It’s so absurdly gaseous and campy that it may appeal
to viewers who enjoy a good, old-fashioned ter-
rible movie.

When concert pianist Vernon Paris (James Sta-
pleton) loses his hands in an auto accident, cru-
sading physician Gil Harding (Paul Lukather) re-
places them with the hands of an unidentified
murder victim. Dr. Harding takes a personal in-

Publicity photograph of Joan Harvey for Hands of
terest in the case — and in Vernon’s doting sister,
a Stranger (1962).

Dina (Joan Harvey). But Vernon, who has always
been phobic about his hands, can’t adjust to the

Hands of Orlac (1924), in which a pianist receives transplants; he snaps and sets about exacting bru-the transplanted hands of a killer. The best known
tal revenge against everyone be believes has

(and just plain best) version of this story remains wronged him.

director Karl Freund’s Mad Love (1935), co-star-Hands of a Stranger is a hangdog, low-budget ring Colin Clive and Peter Lorre. Would-be
affair with minimalist production values and a
auteur Newt Arnold, whose only other directorial
no-name cast. The scenario is an uncredited rip-
credits are the Philippine-made Blood Thirst
off of the often-remade and frequently imitated

(1971) and the Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle

2. THE MOVIES

The Hands of Orlac

201

Bloodsport (1988), adds little to the Orlac legacy.

quite Robot Monster (1953) or Plan 9 from Outer He keeps the picture in focus and hides the boom

Space (1959), but for fanciers of camp, Hands of mikes, but demonstrates little acumen for visual
a Stranger should hit the spot.

storytelling.

Yet Hands of a Stranger’s biggest liability — or

The Hands of Orlac (1960/64; Britannia/
its greatest asset, depending on your point of

Continental; U.K.) Director: Edmond T. Greville;
view — remains its slow-moving and verbose

Producers: Steven Pallos and Donald Taylor;
screenplay, co-written by Arnold and Michael

Screenplay: John Baines and Edmond T. Greville

DuPont. Vernon doesn’t even become aware he

(Additional dialogue: Donald Taylor; Novel:

has new hands until a solid hour of this 85-

Maurice Renard); Cinematographer: Desmond
minute film has elapsed. Even then, most of the

Dickinson. Cast: Mel Ferrer, Christopher Lee,
thrill sequences are pretty tame. (The lone excep-

Dany Carrel, Lucille Saint Simon, Donald
tion, however, is indeed shocking: In the middle

Pleasence.

of what appears to be a warm-and-fuzzy scene
with a piano-playing, 10-year-old boy, Vernon

Melody ... or murder in these hands?— tagline
suddenly turns, crushes the child’s hands and

This bland retelling of Maurice Renard’s fre-
chokes the kid to death!) Most of the way, though,
quently filmed novel The Hands of Orlac lanHands of a Stranger plays less like a thriller and guishes among the least memorable of the story’s
more like a soap opera, overstuffed with prepos-
many screen incarnations. A remarkable support-
terous dialogue. The script veers from hardboiled
ing appearance by Christopher Lee only partially
snappy patter (a homicide detective refers to his
redeems this narcoleptic dud.

department as “the local office of bullets and bod-

Concert pianist Steven Orlac (Mel Ferrer) badly
ies”) to purple prose (as when Dr. Harding mar-
injures his hands in a plane crash. As he slips in
vels, protractedly, at the wonders of the human
and out of consciousness, Orlac is rushed to the
hand) to maudlin sentimentality (especially in its
same hospital that’s receiving the body of a just-
seemingly endless sappy romantic interludes).

executed strangler. His fiancée Louise (Lucille

The overwrought word craft extends even to the

Saint Simon) takes Orlac to her home in the
closing credits: instead of a simple “The End,”

French countryside to recuperate from delicate

Arnold opts for the windy valedictory, “The Past
surgery, but the pianist is haunted by the
is Prologue.”

suspicion that his hands have been replaced by

The only thing to do with material this over-
those of the strangler. After fending off a sudden
cooked is to chew the hell out of it, and that’s ex-urge to strangle Louise, Orlac rushes away to a
actly what the unfortunate
souls appearing in this
picture do. The principle
players seem bent on out-
emoting one another. Paul

Lukather’s over-earnest
grandstanding as the noble

Dr. Harding is matched by

Joan Harvey’s tremulous
histrionics as the self-sacrific-
ing Dina. James Stapleton’s
faux-maniacal scenes aren’t
as scary as his hambone
speechifying on the subjects
of Art and Beauty. And

Richard LaSalle’s over-the-
top score is just as arch as the
script and acting. It all adds
up to a movie so astonish-
ingly theatrical that it be-
comes sort of fascinating —
or at least amusing. It’s not

British quad poster for The Hands of Orlac (1960/64).

202

The Haunted and the Hunted; The Haunted Palace

2. THE MOVIES
nearby village, where he crosses paths with Nero

The Haunted Palace (1963; American In-

(Lee), a small-time magician/con man, and his
ternational) Director/Producer: Roger Corman;
assistant/accomplice Li Lang (Dany Carrel). Nero

Screenplay: Charles Beaumont; Cinema
tog

-
discovers Orlac’s fears about his hands and tor-
rapher: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Vincent Price, Debra
ments the pianist as part of an extortion scheme.

Paget, Lon Chaney, Jr., Frank Maxwell, Leo Gor-

But does Orlac truly have a killer’s hands, or is it don, Elisha Cook, Jr.

all in his head?

Writer-director Edmond T. Greville’s tame,

What was the terrifying
thing in the PIT that
psychological approach serves Hands of Orlac
wanted women?— tagline
poorly. The screenplay, co-written by Greville and

John Baines, never suggests that Orlac was any-

Charles Dexter Ward (Vincent Price) and his
thing other than a perfectly normal, well-adjusted
wife Ann (Debra Paget) arrive in a remote New
guy — why then should he suddenly become

England village to take possession of a castle he
prone to paranoid fantasy? The entire scenario is
has inherited. To their surprise, the couple is
absurdly contrived and deadly dull, devoid of dra-
shunned by the townspeople. The local physician
matic tension or excitement of any sort. The lone

(Frank Maxwell) explains that Ward’s ancestor,
murder in the film, however, is a good one—after

Joseph Curwen, was burned alive by the villagers

Li Lang tries to help Orlac, Nero “accidentally-
for practicing witchcraft. Many of the villagers
on-purpose” kills his assistant during their magic
have inherited bizarre deformities and mutations,
act — but it arrives 90 minutes into this 95-
which they claim are the result of Curwen’s at-
minute movie. Prior to this, audiences are privy
tempts to mate the women of the village with
to many heart-to-hearts between Orlac and
demons Curwen had conjured up within the cas-

Louise, and, later, Orlac and Li Lang, plus scenes
tle. Soon Ward begins to succumb to the evil in-
of Orlac fidgeting nervously and wringing his
fluence of Curwen — who, before his death,
hands, or else boozing it up in his hotel room.

vowed to return from the grave and revenge him-

Ferrer, a serviceable but undistinguished actor,
self. The warlock possesses Ward’s body and
supplies a serviceable but undistinguished por-
restarts his experiments, while meting out
trayal in the title role. Lucille Saint Simon and
vengeance against those who burned him alive.

Dany Carrel provide little more than visual in-

Although posters and even screen credits refer
terest. Donald Pleasence is wasted in a one-scene
to it as “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Haunted Palace,”

bit part as a sculptor who wants to use Orlac as a
this movie is not based on Poe was never intended
hand model. Fortunately, as the devious, misan-
to be part of producer-director Roger Corman’s
thropic Nero, Lee delivers a gleefully sadistic per-lengthy series of Poe adaptations. Nevertheless,
formance that ranks among his best of the early
at the eleventh hour, American International Pic-

1960s. It’s a showy part; the actor attacks it with tures executives James Nicholson and Sam Arkoff
relish. Every time his character makes an appear-
demanded the picture be renamed so it could be
ance, The Hands of Orlac receives a badly needed promoted as another Poe film. Some voiceover
jolt of energy. But Lee alone can’t overcome the
narration by Price from the titular Poe poem was
picture’s many fundamental problems. “I thought
hastily added, and the movie’s credits were ad-
the film was destroyed in many ways by many
justed accordingly.

people but I had a good part and, I think, played

“We were running out of good Poe stories to
it well.” Lee said. “In fact, it’s one of my best of use and I wanted to take a break from Poe, any-the period. Nero was an interesting character —
way,” Corman said. “Jim Nicholson knew [H.P.]

very odd, very sick, very angry.” Lee devotees may

Lovecraft’s stories and really liked his work. I
want to seek out Hands of Orlac, but are advised thought Lovecraft was a good writer, but I didn’t
to make sure their fast-forward button is in good
think he was of the same complexity and nuance
working order.

that Poe was, but I felt ‘The Case of Charles

With quotes from: The Christopher Lee Filmog-

Dexter Ward’ would be fine for a movie. Then,
raphy, by Tom Johnson and Mark Miller.

after the film was finished, Jim [Nicholson] and

Sam [Arkoff ] changed their minds and decided

The Haunted and the Hunted see
somehow they wanted to integrate the picture

Dementia 13
into the Poe series. I always felt calling it a Poe picture made absolutely no sense. It was really
something that was done simply for box office ap-

2. THE MOVIES

The Haunted Palace

203
peal, because all the Poe pic-
tures had made a lot of money
for AIP.”

Even the movie’s re-vamped
screenplay credit (by Charles

Beaumont, “based on a poem
by Edgar Allan Poe and a story
by H.P. Lovecraft”) doesn’t re-
ally tell the whole story of the
picture’s origins. The scenario,
based primarily on Lovecraft’s
novella “The Case of Charles

Dexter Ward,” also incorpo-
rates elements from other

Lovecraft stories, including

“The Shadow Over Inns-
mouth,” but nothing at all by

Poe (aside from the title and

Price’s concluding voiceover).

Corman said he and

Warlock Joseph Curwen (Vincent Price) is about to be burned at the Beaumont decided to “bring
stake by irate villagers, only to return years later to possess his lookalike elements in from other Love-descendent and inhabit The Haunted Palace (1963) (American lobby craft stories to give it more
card).

depth.” Also, Francis Ford

Coppola, then Corman’s top assistant, provided
with dry ice fog and then shot with a wide angle
an uncredited dialogue polish on Beaumont’s
lens to make it seem larger and deeper. For The script.

Haunted Palace, the prolific Stein composed what However, if The Haunted Palace remains bogus is generally regarded as his finest score, including as a Poe movie, it’s one of the more effective adap-a title theme that is majestic yet ominous and
tations of Lovecraft, a notoriously difficult author brooding.

to translate to the screen. The film captures Love-

Vincent Price, back for his sixth Corman Poe
craft’s lingering sense of dread, and the looming
feature, delivers one of his more convincing per-
presence of ancient, implacable evil. This is sug-
formances of the series in what amounts to a dual
gested in part by its visual style. Compared to the role, as Charles Ward and as Joseph-Curwen-pos-preceding Poe pictures, cinematographer Floyd
sessing-Charles-Ward, finding distinctive deliv-

Crosby lends The Haunted Palace a darker, almost eries for both characters— softer and more nat-Dutch Masters look, with lots of deep, velvety
uralistic as the former, more forceful and
blacks and a more subdued color palate. “I envi-
theatrical as the latter. The radiant Debra Paget
sioned, and I think I got, a slightly different look spends most of the movie weeping, screaming or
for Lovecraft than I had used for Poe,” Corman
furrowing her eyebrows as the perplexed Mrs.

said. “I used a somewhat starker lighting pattern

Ward; she’s fine as far as the role allows. Lon
because I felt that was intrinsically the difference Chaney, Jr.’s dull, slightly dopey performance as
between Lovecraft and Poe, and we should have

Simon the castle caretaker (and fellow warlock)

a slightly more realistic, starker look.” This turned presents a more significant issue. The rest of the
out to be Crosby’s most impressive work of the
cast — including Frank Maxwell as Dr. Willett,
entire series.

and Leo Gordon and Elisha Cook, Jr., as spooked

Two other key Corman collaborators, produc-
villagers— doesn’t leave much of an impression.

tion designer Daniel Haller and composer Ronald

Aside from uneven performances, The Haunted

Stein, also make superlative contributions.

Palace’s biggest liabilities are a ponderously slow Haller’s sets are the largest-looking and most im-second act and the story’s numbing predictability.

posing of all those he had designed for the Poe

Despite its literary pedigree, the basic narrative
films thus far. In some cases, their screen impact
remains very similar to numerous other films,
was enhanced by camera trickery. For instance,
ranging from the sublime ( Black Sunday [1960]) the film’s street set was built in perspective, laced to the ridiculous ( The Brainiac [1962]). Another

204

The Haunting

2. THE MOVIES
minor but irksome problem is that not only are

Change of Poe” DVD interview with Corman,
the same actors are used for a pre-credit sequence

Midnite Movies Double Feature: The Haunted
that takes place 110 years earlier than the main

Palace/Tower of London, MGM Home Entertain-
story, but when they reappear, playing their own
ment.

descendents in “present day,” they all look exactly the same — right down to their identical hair

The Haunting (1963; MGM; U.S./U.K.; b&w) styles. Price even wears the same beard. (This is

Producer/Director: Robert Wise; Screenplay: Nel-
a missed opportunity: Why not let Ward arrive
son Gidding (based on the novel The Haunting of clean-shaven, then grow a beard — like the one

Hill House by Shirley Jackson); Cinematographer: Curwen wears in a castle painting — to outwardly

David Boulton. Cast: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom,
symbolize his inner transformation?) Also, the

Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, Fay Compton,
picture’s climax plays like something out of James

Rosalie Crutchley, Lois Maxwell, Valentine Dyall.

Whale, torch wielding villagers and all. It adds up to a solid but less than scintillating picture — one FEEL ... Your Throat Grow Tight with Fear, Your

Hands Twitch with Growing Terror — ad line
well worth seeing, but unlikely to become a great
favorite.

Ghost Cinema, like horse racing, has its own

Corman says that the last-minute switcheroo

“triple crown.” The first leg comes in the form of
that turned a Lovecraft movie into an ersatz Poe
a truly haunting tale of love and hate from beyond
flick didn’t scuttle a possible Lovecraft series. “I the grave, The Uninvited (1944). The next big wasn’t envisioning a Lovecraft series of films,”

event in the apparitional arena is a terrifying study Corman said. “I thought I would go back to Poe,
of repressed hysteria and supernatural possession,
but I just wanted break the cycle, as it were, for

The Innocents (1961). But the undisputed jewel in one picture.” Indeed, Corman was soon back to
the ghostly crown, the Kentucky Derby of spectral

(true) Poe adaptations with the penultimate, and
cinema, is Robert Wise’s chilling masterpiece of
best, entry in the series, The Masque of the Red understated terror, The Haunting.

Death (1964).

For economical reasons, producer-director

With quotes from: “California Gothic: The

Wise shot the film in England (thereby reducing

Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by Lawrence
the projected budget from $1,400,000 to

French, from Video Watchdog No. 138; and “A $1,050,000), but he retained the story’s American
setting. “I did keep the New

England background of

Shirley Jackson’s original
story [ The Haunting of Hill

House],” related Wise, “be-
cause I thought that
haunted houses were fresher
there than the haunted
houses around England and

London, which are a dime a
dozen, you know. So I man-
aged to shoot it over there
but keep it located in New

England.” The director re-
membered that it was no
more difficult to transform

Olde England into New En-
gland than having to “block
off the road for a mile or
two so I could have [Julie

Harris] driving on the right
side — that kind of thing. It
was very simple, wasn’t hard

The five leads of the decade’s greatest ghost film: Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Harris, Richard Johnson, and Ettington Park (as the terrifying at all.”

Hill House — site of The Haunting, (1963)).

The Haunting’s story fol-

2. THE MOVIES

The Haunting

205
lows four psychic investigators (three of them
of our own individual imaginations. Through
non-professionals) who journey to the infamous
clever use of lighting, camera movement, sound

Hill House, a house that was “born bad,” in order
and actor reactions, Wise terrifies with pure at-
to probe the depths of the supernatural forces said mosphere, frightening us with what is not seen.

to walk there. Soon, horrible sounds and deafen-

This writer remembers viewing the film as a
ing poundings assail the quartet in the dark of
pre-adolescent and feeling cheated because he
night, while by day they experience sudden chills
never saw a single ghost, especially at the very end and “cold spots.” During one of the audio
when Eleanor seemingly struggles with a disap-
assaults, the parlor door begins to bow inward —
pointingly invisible force inside her car. Fortu-as if some monstrous force was pushing against
nately, The Haunting wasn’t made for children it from the other side. (Wise achieved this fright-and there’s nothing childish about it. Now, as an
ening effect simply enough by having a burly prop
adult, he can fully appreciate Wise’s restraint and man push on cue against the other side of the
applaud the artistry with which he applies it. For
laminated wood with a two-by-four, causing it
some viewers, however, this lack of visual confir-
to bend inward and create a “breathing” effect.)

mation of the supernatural becomes a major

As the hours pass, the hauntings seem to focus on
stumbling block, not realizing that it is the am-

Eleanor (a troubled woman sensitively played by
biguous, mysterious, unseen nature of the inhab-Julie Harris) who becomes more and more en-
itants of Hill House that gives the film its chilling snared by the dark forces inhabiting Hill House,
power. To put it bluntly, sometimes what is not ultimately leading to the film’s tragic conclusion.

shown makes the most impact, an axiom modern

“It was such a good script,” opined Rosalie
filmmakers have seemingly forgotten. Wise’s

Crutchley (who played Hill House’s morose
mentor, producer/screenwriter Val Lewton, in his
housekeeper). “As you know, we’re all ninety per-
string of subtle chillers from the 1940s, forged a
cent as good as our script, most of us. And that
career out of employing this principle in films like was a good script.” Robert Wise concurred: “I Cat People (1942), The Leopard Man (1943) and thought Nelson Gidding did just a fine job on the Isle of the Dead (1945). Wise, having broken his screenplay.”

directing teeth under Lewton’s tutelage on The

The film itself plays much better than a brief

Curse of the Cat People (1944) and The Body synopsis reads. Through realistic and complex

Snatcher (1945), knew full well the power of this characters, superb acting, creative direction, in-

‘fear of the unseen.’ “It’s kind of an homage to
ventive cinematography and terrifying sound ef-

Val Lewton,” declared the director.

fects, the picture deftly sidesteps a gaping pit of Though a superbly acted picture (with its cast
haunted house clichés to take the viewer down a
made up of primarily classically-trained and well-
darkened path on which every shadow, every un-
respected stars of the stage, including English
explained sound, every movement out the corner

Shakespearean actors Richard Johnson and Claire
of one’s eye conjures up frightful terrors of The

Bloom, and American Broadway star Julie

Unknown. On a deeper level, the film works as a

Harris), the movie’s biggest “star” proved to be
carefully drawn character study in which the dis-

Hill House itself — a centuries-old English manor
parate personalities interact — and react — with
named Ettington Park. Now a very posh hotel,
both the turbulent forces within themselves and

Ettington Park is itself purportedly haunted, with
the terrifying forces surrounding them in Hill
half a dozen different specters having been seen

House. The Haunting is so much more than a walking its halls over the years.

simple (and effective) ghost story; it is a story of

“There was supposed to be a ghost around
human needs, motivations and frailties.

there,” declared the director, “supposed to be a

At one point a character states, “Ghosts are a
young lady a century or two before who was kept
visible thing.” Not at Hill House. The Haunting from her lover and all — another tragic love
is perhaps the only ghost film in which the
story — and she jumped out the tower window or
specters are never seen. “I can’t tell you,”

something. I didn’t experience her myself.”

remarked Wise, “how many people have said to

In fact, during the week in which cast and crew
me, ‘Mr. Wise, you made the scariest picture I’ve
stayed at Ettington Park shooting exteriors, none
ever seen and you didn’t show anything!’” Time
of the company ran across any resident specters.

after time Wise places his audience in literally

“The only ghostly goings-on was our acting,”

hair-raising situations, not by exposing us to
laughed Rosalie Crutchley.

pasty-faced ghouls but by playing upon the terrors

When this author visited the site in 1997, he

206

The Head

2. THE MOVIES
was shown the house’s “haunted book.” The
novative techniques, the viewer feels the very
mansion’s library had been converted into a bar,
same thing. “One of the things I liked about the
and, according to the staff, every so often one parhouse,” stated the director, “and I was able to re-
ticular book ( St. Ronan’s Well by Sir Walter Scott) ally use it that way to make a character out of it, is thrown to the floor by an unseen hand, always
was that it had that tower there with those win-
opened to the same page, which reads: “A merry
dows. So I could cut to the windows and then
place, ’tis said, in days of yore; but something ails down to Julie getting out of her car and going in,
it now — the place is cursed.”

like the house was watching you. I tried to capi-As a photographic experiment, Wise used a
talize and use the house just as much as I could.”

special film stock in order to obtain the dark,

Since sound (and the actors’ reactions to it) was
moody, and (pardon the expression) truly haunt-
so very critical to the picture’s success, Wise
ing image of the house itself. “I made it look a
spared no expense in that department. The film-
little bit more monstrous than it might have
maker sent a six-man sound crew, headed by dub-
been,” explained the director, “because I shot all
bing editor Allan Sones, to an empty 17th-century
the exteriors with infra-red film, which brought
manor house where (related a studio article),
out the kind of exaggerated striations of the rock

“working in shifts day and night for a week, they
and turned the skies blacker and turned the
recorded every sound which developed, as well as
clouds whiter. It added an eerie feeling to it.”

a few synthetic secrets of their own. Doors, they

Wise’s experimentation extended even to the
reported, do slam for no apparent reason and
camera lens. “The Haunting was filmed in Pana-floorboards do creak when no one treads on
vision anamorphic — that’s the wide screen,” the
them.”

director recalled. “And at that time, the widest

“I remember working with Robert Wise as an
angle that they had was about a 35mm, and I was
excellent experience,” remarked Rosalie Crutchley.

just wishing I had something wider for some more

“He was a very brilliant director. And I seem to
extreme angles. So from London I called Bob
remember he was terribly kind and friendly. I

Gottschalk, who was the head of Panavision and
think we all felt it was rather like working in a
whom I knew very well. I said, ‘Bob, don’t you
theater company, we were all working together,
have anything wider than 35 that I could use in
you know what I mean? You didn’t just turn up
the film to get some special angles?’ He said, ‘Well, and do your bit and disappear. I mean we all kind
we’re working on a 28mm but it’s still got distor-
of worked together.”

tion in it.’ I said, ‘Jesus, that’s just what I want! I

“I have to be immodest and say I really like The want that distortion.’ He finally, after much per-Haunting because that’s one of my best directorial suading on my part, agreed to send it over to me.

jobs,” declared the creator of such classics as The But I had to sign a document saying that I would

Body Snatcher (1945), The Day the Earth Stood not come back at him and complain about dis-Still (1951), West Side Story (1961) and The Sound tortion in the lens. I used that for some of the
of Music (1965). “I really think it worked well.”

shots down the long hallway, up stairs, along the

Indeed it did — and still does.

stairwell — the spooky shots. That lens really

With quotes from: “The Haunting,” by Bryan
helped me to milk those sets and create atmos-

Senn, in Cinematic Hauntings, by Gary J. and phere.”

Susan Svehla (eds.).

With Eleanor’s (and the viewer’s) first clear
sight of Hill House, Wise’s wide angle lens creates

The Head (1959/62; Trans-Lux; West
a subtle distortion that gives the towers and

Germany; b&w) Original Language Title: Die
turrets a bent, off-kilter appearance. The house

Nackte und der Satan. Alternate Title: The Scream-looms over us, its edges seeming to curve inward
ing Head. Director/Screenwriter: Victor Trivas; slightly like the encircling arms of some

Producer: Wolfgang Hartwig; Cinematographers:

monstrous beast. Coupled with the stark texture

Otto Reinwald, Kurt Rendel. Cast: Horst Frank,
and dark hues produced by the infra-red film

Michel Simon, Karin Kernke, Helmut Schmid,
stock (in which the recessed gothic windows be-

Paul Dahlke, Dietter Eppler, Kurt Muller Graf,
come solid black masses, like the empty eye sock-

Christiane Maybach.

ets of some gigantic skull), the sight becomes a

It just won’t lay down and stay dead!— ad line
subliminally unsettling vision. Upon seeing the
grotesque structure, the alarmed Eleanor thinks,

“Meet the scientist with the detached point of

“It’s staring at me! Vile, vile!” Due to Wise’s in-
view,” camped up the ads for this atmospheric

2. THE MOVIES

Hercules Against the Moon Men

207

West German oddity (whose publicity amusingly
impressive attention to detail should come as no
urged theater owners to have local barbers give
surprise, since The Head features art direction by

“head jobs” to lucky contest winners). Ironically,

Herman Warm, who designed both the 1919 The
there’s nary a smirk to be had for the kitsch-loving Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Carl Dryer’s Vampyr viewer, as The Head, filmed in 1959 and released (1932). Warm reportedly came out of retirement

Stateside three years later, remains a gloomily ef-
to provide the modernist nightmare settings and
fective and deadly serious early entry in the Euro-
bizarre Teutonic atmosphere for The Head, his horror sweepstakes.

final film.

The aptly-named (and very odd) Dr. Ood

On the downside, the pacing of this literal talk-

(Horst Frank) comes to work for the ailing Pro-
ing head movie flags at times, with much of the
fessor Abel (respected Renoir regular Michel
central portion eaten up by Irene discovering

Simon), who’s been experimenting with keeping
what the viewer already knows— she now has the
disembodied dog heads alive. When a proposed
body of the murdered stripper Lily. This prompts
heart transplant fails to save the professor’s life, her to ask, “Which is my past — the past of Lily’s

Ood uses Abel’s “Serum Z” to preserve the Pro-
body, or the past of my head?” Though a risible
fessor’s living head. Then, reveling in his God
question on the surface, it raises a very real point Complex, Ood sets about finding a sexy new body
long contemplated by religious and metaphysical
to graft onto the head of the beautiful hunch-
philosophers: Does humanity, or the “soul,”

backed nun/nurse Irene (Karin Kernke), whom
reside in the mind (head) or the body (heart)?

he’s become obsessed with.

And just what is it that truly defines a “person”?

Despite its medical science premise, The Head

But before one becomes lost in philosophical
looks backwards towards nightmarish horror
musings, The Head brings us back to its own rather than forwards towards the shiny sci-fi fu-ghoulish reality with another scene of the
ture. Though shot during the science fiction
unhappy professor’s disembodied head on a table.

boom of the late 1950s, it nevertheless focuses on

Filmed with some impressive effects trickery, the
that old horror chestnut from two decades earlier

Professor is not the usual hokey head atop a
warning against Man tampering in God’s domain
podium with the actor’s body stuffed inside. Here

(one of Abel’s assistants even voices this sentiment the Professor’s cranium sits on a surgical cart with outright). Yet, conversely, The Head also overlays a clear aquarium tank, half full of bubbling liquid, its Fifties sci-fi sensibilities with a heady dose
on the open shelf beneath, tubes and wires trailing (pun lamentably intended) of sexuality that both
from it like mechanized tentacles. It makes for a
betrays its Continental roots and looks ahead to
bizarre — and convincing — sight.

the less repressed decades to come. Given the

With its pulp plotting, alarming ambiance,
original language title, which translates as “The
simmering sexuality, and the juxtaposition of

Nude and the Devil,” it’s no wonder a general air
hoary horror clichés and forward-looking science
of lasciviousness permeates the film, with the
and sensuality, The Head remains a transitional randy scientist seducing his “creation” in order to and unique Sixties Shocker.

“possess her, body and soul,” and Irene exploring
her “restored” body by fondling her new breasts

Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964; (though clothed, actress Karin Kernke exudes

Governor Films; Italy/France) Original Language
eroticism as well as curiosity).

Title: Maciste e la Regina de Samar; Alternate Reflecting its Germanic roots is the somber, al-Title: Hercules vs. the Moon Men; Director: Gia-most dour tone the film takes. Devoid of all
como Gentilomo; Producer: Luigi Mondello;
humor, The Head offers a pervasive air of gloom, Screenplay: Arpad De Riso, Nino Scolaro (story
heightened by the shadowy photography and the
by Arpad De Riso, Nino Scolaro, Giacomo Gen-
fact that nearly every scene plays out at night.

tilomo, Angelo Sangermano); Cinematographer:

Dimly-lit rooms (even the well-equipped modern

Oberdan Trojani. Cast: Alan Steel, Jany Clair,
operating theater offers planes of light and pools

Anna Maria Polani, Nando Tamberlani, Delia
of darkness) and moon-illumined exteriors (full
d’Albertini, Jean Pierre Honore.

of denuded trees and thick stone walls) are the
order of the day. Contrasting with this Gothic am-

The supernatural and the real clash in a
world of horror!— trailer
biance are the expressionistic interiors and fur-
nishings, all sliding panels, circular stairways, an-A race of evil aliens (presumably from the
gular sculptures, and metal and glass tables. Such

Moon, given the movie’s title — though this is

208

Hercules Against the Vampires

2. THE MOVIES
dious conflict between Hercules and
various soldiers/guards/ bandits, etc.

(showcasing the usual boulder throw-
ing, tree uprooting and iron bar
bending). Only twice does the Mighty

One face off against less mundane
opponents, once briefly battling a
large-tusked, pointy-eared ape man
kept in the Queen’s dungeons, and
then meeting up with an army (well,
about ten, anyway) of rock monsters,
servants of the Moon Men. Though
not particularly convincing, these

“Stone-Men” certainly present a
striking appearance — as they totter
forward like gigantic mottled stalag-

The leader of the Moon Men (the only Moon Man seen in the film, mite Gumbys. Unfortunately, what
actually) intends to resurrect their dead queen in Hercules Against
should have been the movie’s
the Moon Men (1964).

exciting centerpiece goes over like a
lead balloon. Instead of beginning a
battle of behemoths, Hercules simply
sidesteps the lumbering rock mon-
sters, pushes the Moon Man leader
off a platform, and topples the alien’s
idol-cum-moonbeam energy gener-
ator, causing gouts of flame to shoot
upwards and (presumably, as we
don’t actually see it) destroy the

Moon Men forever in a decidedly
anti- climactic conflagration.

This Hercules outing definitely be-
longs to the small-scale species of
spectacle, as no more than a dozen
soldiers or civilians ever appear to-
gether in one shot — even when the
citizens “storm the palace.” And, as
far as we can see, the entire popula-

Walking (and flying) corpses attack Hercules in the Haunted
tion of Moon Men consists of the

World (1961/63) (U.S. lobby card).

solitary leader, hidden behind a silver
mask and robes.

never made clear) land in ancient Greece and take

The soundstage “Mountain of Death” set offers
up residence in the “Mountain of Death,” de-
an eerie, forbidding landscape, full of gnarled de-
manding children for sacrifice. The evil queen of
nuded trees, howling wind, blowing sand, and
nearby Samar (Anna Maria Polani) joins forces
drifting fog that changes color from blue to red
with the Moon Men in a bid to rule the world,
to amber. But even if one viewed Hercules Against and it’s up to muscleman hero Maciste (changed
the Moon Men through rose-colored gels, it would to Hercules in the American dubbed version) to
still appear as a pale specimen of Italian muscle-
stop the monsters and put an end to the evil
mania. (Appropriately enough, this lackluster,
queen’s tyranny.

lugubrious peplum was released on a double bill

Alan Steel (real name: Sergio Ciani) dons Steve
with The Black Torment. Torment indeed.)

Reeves’ leather mini-skirt for this unique but ul-
timately disappointing peplum (Italian muscle-
man movie). Despite the novelty of its concept,

Hercules Against the Vampires see
most of the picture consists of the standard, te-

Hercules in the Haunted World

2. THE MOVIES

Hercules; Hercules in the Haunted World; Hidden...; Homicidal

209

Hercules in the Center of the Earth
stone-faced as the aforementioned fiend; and an
see Hercules in the Haunted World
annoying “comedy relief ” character. In addition,

Christopher Lee’s sonorous voice was dubbed,

Hercules in the Haunted World (1961/63; dampening much of the aural menace Mr. Lee

Omnia SPA Cinematografica/Woolner Brothers;
could have brought to the role. (Even so, the actor Italy) Alternate Titles: Vampires Versus Hercules, seemed to have enjoyed his Italian “working va-Hercules Against the Vampires, Hercules in the cation.” In The Films of Christopher Lee, by Robert Center of the Earth; Director: Mario Bava; Pro-Pohle, Jr., and Douglas Hart, Lee called his co-
ducer: Archille Piazza; Screenplay: Alessandro
star Reg Park, a former Mr. Universe, “a most de-

Continenza, Mario Bava, Duccio Tessari, Franco
lightful man. I’m afraid we disgraced ourselves by

Prosperi; Cinematographers: Mario Bava, Ubaldo
giggling in certain scenes.”)

Terzano. Cast: Reg Park, Christopher Lee,

And so, too, does the discerning viewer. Bava

Leonora Ruffo, Giorgio Ardisson, Marisa Belli,
counters these sniggers with swirls of dry-ice fog; Ida Galli.

garish, otherworldly color schemes and lighting;
and bizarre, unsettling sets full of weird rock for-An all new height in fright
mations, blackened trees and dead-looking vines
and might!— ad line
that bleed when cut (“blood from the souls of the

One of the few sword-and-sandal movies to
damned”).

feature a significant horror element, Ercole al Cen-The film shakes off the mantle of fantasy (and
tro Della Terra ( Hercules in the Center of the Earth, banality) to don the cloak of horror toward the
which served as the film’s British title) told the
end, when an army of corpses rises from their
story of — you guessed it — Hercules (Reg Park)

graves— literally flying out of their sarcophagi in and his buddy Theseus (Giorgio Ardisson), who
a terrifying attack. The eerie blue lighting, ghastly journey to Hades to find the means to break a
silhouetted forms, and grasping disfigured arms
spell placed upon Hercules’ love, Princess
of the shrouded walking dead are as frightening

Deianira (Leonora Ruffo), by the vampiric Lico
as anything in a George Romero movie.

(Christopher Lee), “the very spirit of evil on

Thanks to Bava’s “Herculean” efforts to

Earth.”

generate some otherworldly atmosphere and a

Released in Italy in 1961, it took two more years
truly chilling finale, Hercules in the Haunted

(and a title change) before Hercules in the Haunted World stands as one of the best Hercules/Atlas/

World washed up on American shores, courtesy Goliath/Maciste he-man entries of the decade.

of the Woolner Brothers (and it was three years

That said, to those not enamored of beefy brawn
after that before this leather-loined demi-god in-
in leather loincloths, it’s still not a very good
vaded Great Britain). Thanks to director Mario
movie.

Bava’s visual sensibilities, this particular piece of flotsam rose to the top.

Hercules vs. The moon men see

“It was an unserious film,” wrote Christopher

Hercules Against the Moon Men

Lee in his autobiography Tall, Dark and

Gruesome, “widely liked by the Italians, had pretty

The Hidden Room of 1,000 Horrors

Leonora Ruffo in it and Mario Bava for director,
see The Tell-Tale Heart
who looked liked Toto and mugged before the
camera before saying, ‘Cut!’”

Homicidal (1961; Columbia) Director/Pro-Director Bava (a brilliant cinematographer
ducer: William Castle; Screenplay: Robb White;
who co-photographed this film with his long-

Cinematographer: Burnett Guffey. Cast: Glenn
time collaborator Ubaldo Terzano) brought his

Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Jean Arless, Eugenie
mastery of mood to play on this admittedly un-

Leontovich, Richard Rust.

worthy vehicle, lifting it above the mythological
mediocrity of the typical Italian he-man epic.

There will be a special FRIGHT BREAK during

Granted, it offers the usual convoluted “quest”

the showing of “Homicidal.” All those too timid
scenario (Hercules needs to find a magic ship in
to take the climax will be welcomed to the
order to find a magic golden apple that will allow

COWARD’S CORNER!— poster
him to enter Hades and find a magic stone that

William Castle, the brazen, Barnum-esque
will cure the Princess...); a wobbly, ridiculous-
showman behind The Tingler (and its electrically looking man-in-a-suit rock monster; acting as
wired theater seats), The House on Haunted Hill

210

Homicidal

2. THE MOVIES

(which offered a plastic skeleton that zoomed out
one — except the story’s unobservant protago-
over the audience) and 13 Ghosts (with its free nists.

“Ghost Viewer” handed out to every patron) pays

“Homicidal was the story of a transvestite,”

homage to (cashes in on) the Hitchcock classic

Castle wrote about turning actress Joan Marshall

Psycho. Ironically, Hitchcock filmed Psycho in from a beautiful woman into a man. “The trans-part as a reaction to the success of Castle’s early formation was amazing. Coming on the set
films. Castle’s gimmick this time around was a
dressed in men’s clothing and speaking in a deep

60-second “Fright Break” just before the climax.

voice, she fooled everyone, even the crew.” Given

At this time all those too petrified to face the ter-Castle’s well-known penchant for confabula-
rors of the last reel could slink away to the “Cow-
tion — and, more tellingly, the results on the
ards Corner,” following the yellow streak to the
screen — this seems highly unlikely.

box office where their money would “sneerfully”

Robb White, Castle’s longtime collaborator,
be refunded. “Of all the films I had made, Homi-wrote Homicidal. (White penned the screenplays cidal was the most fun,” Castle wrote in his au-for four other Castle films: Macabre, House on tobiography Step Right Up! I’m Going to Scare the Haunted Hill, The Tingler and 13 Ghosts.) “Bill Pants off America. “When we finally got the kinks gave me the idea for Homicidal,” White told in-out of the money-back guarantee, less than one
terviewer Tom Weaver (in Science Fiction Stars
percent of the audiences asked for a refund.”

and Horror Heroes). “After I worked on that Fun gimmicks aside, Castle’s films were usually
screenplay he worked on it, more than I did —
entertaining ( House on Haunted Hill), often more than he had on any other script that I did
ridiculous ( The Tingler), and occasionally enfor him. It just felt very funny to me that he was
grossing ( Mr. Sardonicus). With Homicidal, Castle helping out so much, and that he wanted it exactly
steals the luridness and shocks from Psycho with-this way and that way and so on. One day, after
out borrowing the finesse and subtlety of that far
working at the studio, I was on my way home
superior production. We’re left with an outlandish
when I saw that Psycho was playing somewhere in plot, banal characters and an unconvincing Nor-Santa Monica. I’d heard about the picture, so I
man Bates stand-in (only this time it is a woman
went in there and, Jesus Christ, I was afraid I was who plays the character of a man in order to ob-going to get arrested before I could get out! I was tain an inheritance). Revealing this crucial plot
so embarrassed! He had stolen everything! And
point is spoiling absolutely nothing, since Jean

Homicidal was already in production by that time.

Arless (real name: Joan Marshall), when playing

But apparently nobody gave a shit that he had
her male role, is so effete looking (and the male
stolen it from Hitchcock.”

voice-over so obviously dubbed) that she fools no

A master showman but apparently unable to
grasp the concept of irony,

Castle said of Homicidal:

“I consider it one of the
most original of my mo-
tion pictures.” In fact, it’s
his most derivative. Yet,
there’s enough here to
hold viewers’ interest.

Castle generates more
than his fair share of shud-
ders, manages to build
some edge-of-the seat sus-
pense in a few scenes and
adds one or two deft tricks
calculated to make audi-
ences jump. In one scene,
for instance, the heroine is
shown sleeping peacefully
in her bed, safe and secure.

Old-style handout highlighting Homicidal’s “Fright Break” and “Coward’s Corner” gimmick for a 1980s revival showing (courtesy of Lynn Naron).

The camera slowly pulls
back to suddenly reveal a

2. THE MOVIES

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock

211
menacing figure sitting in a chair staring at the
thia (Barbara Steele). Soon Cynthia is terrorized
slumbering girl. The appearance of the malevolent
by the seeming specter of Margherita, and then
intruder is so unexpected that it creates a moment
by the now-unhinged doctor himself, who
of true frisson.

appears to have fallen under the spell of his

All in all though, Homicidal remains a crude, adored, dead former wife and intends to make a
only partially successful attempt to cash in on the corpse out of his live current one.

success of Psycho, and one that’s not nearly as en-Cinematographer Raffaele Masciocchi’s gor-
joyable.

geous Technicolor photography and lighting sets
the uneasy tone. Deep graveyard blues in exterior

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962/64;
scenes contrast starkly with the warm yellow in-

Sigma III/Panda; Italy) Original Language Title:

terior light; while the occasional spot-specific red L’Orribile Segreto del Dottor Hichcock; Alternate tint (pointedly appearing when the doctor’s lust

Title: The Terror of Dr. Hichcock (U.K.); Director: rises) creates a feeling of danger and heat, and the Robert Hampton (Riccardo Freda); Producer:

white of the phantom Margherita’s gauzy gown

Louis Mann (Luigi Carpentieri, Ermanno
fairly glows. Such illuminated imagery would do

Donati); Screenplay: Julyan Perry (Ernesto
even Mario Bava proud. “The good thing about

Gastaldi); Cinematographer: Donald Green (Raf-
this picture, it’s beautifully shot,” observed star faele Masciocchi). Cast: Barbara Steele, Robert

Robert Flemyng to interviewer Alan Upchurch.

Flemyng, Montgomery Glenn (Silvano Tran-

Indeed it is.

quilli), Teresa Fitzgerald (Maria Teresa Vianello), The entire film was lensed at the rented Villa

Harriet White (Medin).

Perucchetti in the district of Parioli in Rome. The villa’s baroque architecture and archaic furnish-The candle of his lust burnt brightest in the
ings perfectly complement the picture’s bizarre
shadow of the grave!— ad line
theme and gothic atmosphere. “You know, that

After Black Sunday, this may be the most favilla was absolutely the only thing that was used,”

mous (and most notorious) of Barbara Steel’s Ital-
recalled Flemyng. “The kitchen of the house was
ian gothic horrors from the 1960s (a fairly sub-
all tile, so the various pantries and such-like had stantial subset, with eight titles to its credit). It’s been turned into the mortuary. We shot every-also one of the best.

thing in that villa.”

Shot as Raptus, the story begins in 1885

“We were all influenced by the films of [Alfred]

London, where the brilliant,
wealthy surgeon Dr. Hich-
cock (Robert Flemyng) dis-
plays one little quirk — he’s a
necrophile (“His secret was a
coffin named DESIRE!”

shouted the not-so-subtle
ads). Hichcock’s wife

Margherita (Maria Teresa

Vianello) willingly submits to
her husband’s funereal sex
games by playing dead —
helped along by the doc’s ex-
perimental anesthetic. Their
happy home life comes to an
abrupt end when Hichcock
accidentally kills Margherita
with an overdose. The grief-
stricken doctor abandons his
ancestral manor house (and,
apparently, his sick sexual

This striking Mexican lobby card for The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962/64) proclivities), but returns
shows the necrophilic doctor (Robert Flemyng) engaging in funereal twelve years later with a new
love-games with his soon-to-be-dead-for-real spouse (Maria Teresa (and unknowing) wife, Cyn-Vianello).

212

The Horrible Mill Women; Horror Castle

2. THE MOVIES

Hitchcock, who was the master of masters,” ad-
standard, put-upon heroine who faints at the
mitted screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi. Gastaldi
drop of a hat (after the third fainting-from-terror filled his screenplay with borrowings from several
episode, it becomes rather comical). Even so,

Hitchcock films, including a (possibly) poisoned

Freda and Masciocchi’s masterful visuals and
glass of milk from Suspicion, and the new wife moody build-up keep the air of menace thick in
haunted by the memory of the dead wife from Re-
the heavy gothic air.

becca (not to mention the doctor’s sinister house-A rather tangential sequel-of-sorts, The Ghost, keeper, played by Harriet White Medin: “[Here]

followed a year later, again starring Steele (in a

I was definitely thinking of Rebecca,” Gastaldi far meatier role) and directed by Freda. Though
stated). In a brilliant masterstroke of exploitabil-intriguing in its own right, it’s not quite up to the ity, Gastaldi gave his necrophile antagonist the
delirious gothic perversion that is The Horrible same name as the Master of Suspense (though

Dr. Hichcock.

dropping the “t” in “Hitchcock” to ward off any

With quotes from: “Raptus: The Making of
potential lawsuit).

The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock,” by Alan Y. Up-

English actor Robert Flemyng paints a startling
church, with Tim Lucas and Luigi Boscaino,
and commanding portrait of obsession, of a man

Video Watchdog 49, 1999; “What Are Those
battling his inner demons. His powerful presence

Strange Drops of Blood in the Scripts of ... Ernesto infuses every frame of the perverse picture. The

Gastaldi?” by Tim Lucas, Video Watchdog 39, subtle struggle in Flemyng’s face as the “re-1997; “Raptus” op cit.

spectable” doctor fights against his compulsion

(after seeing a woman’s corpse wheeled by at the

The Horrible Mill Women see Mill
hospital at which he works), or the intent gaze
of the Stone Women
with which he fixes a female cadaver in the au-
topsy room, speak volumes. Such moments of

Horror Castle (1963; Zodiac/Woolner; Italy/
strain and barely-held-in-check “passion” con-

W. Germany) Original Language Title: La Vergine trasts starkly with his generally clipped, cold
di Norimberga; Alternate Titles: The Castle of speech patterns and formal manner. “I just

Terror (U.K.), The Virgin of Nuremberg (video), hammed away at it and hoped for the best,” the

Castle of Horror, Back to the Killer; Director: An-actor recalled; and “the best” is exactly what he
thony Dawson (Antonio Margheriti); Producer:

delivered.

Marco Vicario; Screenplay: Ernesto Gastaldi, Ed-

Flemyng admitted that he took the part simply
mond T. Greville, Antonio Margheriti (based on
because he wanted to go to Rome. “I thought,
a story by Frank Bogart); Cinematographer:

‘What the hell, no one will ever see it.’” The allure Richard Palton (Riccardo Pallottini). Cast:

of Rome also secured the services of Barbara

Rossana Podesta, George Riviere, Christopher

Steele. Having come to the city to work on

Lee, Jim Dolen, Lucille St. Simon, Patrick Wal-

Fellini’s 81⁄2, Steele told Upchurch: “I did [ Hich-ton.

cock] because I’d found a glorious little apartment with fabulous terraces and I was determined to

THE EVIL TORTURE — THE SHRIEKING
stay there.”

FEAR — poster blurb

“That’s the movie that [director] Riccardo

Released in Europe in 1963 (and finally arriving

Freda did on a bet, you know,” continued Steele.

on American shores in 1965), Horror Castle (aka

“Freda said, ‘I bet I can write and shoot a film in The Virgin of Nuremberg) remains one of the ten days,’ and one of his friends bet him a race
more unusual — and engrossing — Italian horrors
horse that he couldn’t. And he shot it in ten days.

of the 1960s. Though set in the (then) present,

He wanted this horse very badly, and we all felt
and employing as an integral plot point the Nazi
obliged to help him. We were running at top
atrocities of World War II, Virgin’s setting and speed through the entire movie.” (Note: It was
tone is one of deep, dark Gothicism, making it a
actually a 14-, rather than 10-day shoot.)

unique bridge between classical and “modern”

Steele does well enough in what, unfortunately,
horrors.

turns out to be a sorely underwritten role that

German aristocrat Max Hunter (George Riv-
asks little more of her than to look frightened and iere) brings his American bride Mary (Rossana
scream at the appropriate moment. Freda fails to

Podesta, real-life wife of producer Marco Vicario)

exploit that sinister, dangerous quality in Steele
on a visit to his ancestral castle home. One night
that made her so alluring, leaving her to play a

Mary hears noises coming from the Castle’s “Tor-

2. THE MOVIES

The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus

213
ture Museum” and investi-
gates— only to find a dead girl
in the Virgin of Nuremberg, a
medieval iron maiden-like tor-
ture device. She faints, and the
next day everyone (including

Max) tries to convince her she
imagined it. But soon other tor-
ture victims turn up, and Mary
herself is pursued by a hooded
figure who calls himself “the

Punisher”— the living embod-
iment of a 200-year-old ances-
tor obsessed with torturing
women. The sinister sadist
turns out to be Max’s own un-
hinged father, a former Nazi
general whose punishment for
trying to assassinate Hitler was
to be turned into a hideous

The grotesquely mutilated (by Nazi surgeons) madman calling himself

“living skeleton” by Nazi sur-

“the Punisher” carries another victim through his Horror Castle (1963).

geons. Aided by his loyal
servant Erich (Christopher Lee), Max rescues
tainted. Riz Ortolani’s ’60s jazz score becomes ir-

Mary from the horrors of the Virgin, while the
ritatingly inappropriate at times. And it’s a real

Castle — and his mad father — go up in flames.

disappointment to find someone else’s dubbed

Horror Castle may very well be the ultimate voice issuing from the mouth of Christopher Lee

“imperiled heroine” (a Gothic staple) movie of

(whose vocal characteristics are arguably one of
the 1960s, as nearly the entire picture follows
that actor’s greatest assets).

Mary as she wanders uneasily through dark castle

But the impressive castle sets, cluttered torture
hallways, torture chamber and crypt; or hides,
chamber, cobwebbed crypt, and truly remarkable
terrified, from her assailant; or even tries to flee

“living skull” makeup revealed at the end help
through the grounds outside (in a marvelously
smooth over the rough spots. Lee recalled, “The
photographed sequence in which the camera

Yugoslav Mirco Valenin [who played the dis-
moves with her in a disorienting up-angle shot,
figured “Punisher”] went through extraordinary
intercut with dizzying scenes of protruding
tortures in makeup. It was quite relaxing, for
branches whizzing by). In fact, Mary spends
once, to be able to look at somebody else getting
nearly the whole of the picture clad in her night-
the sticky end of the wedge.”

gown! Though occasionally slow, the first hour of

Lee almost came to a “sticky end” himself dur-

Castle is one long, uneasy — and often suspense-ing filming. “I was very nearly burned alive,” he
ful — Gothic nightmare.

said. “I had to rush down a corridor that was

The disquiet turns into outright shock at times,
going up in flames. The roof of the studio caught
when we see a female victim with red, oozing
fire.” Given the impressive fire footage and Lee’s
holes where her eyes should be (complements of
obvious proximity — and alarm (not all of it play
the titular torture device), or another woman (still acting, evidently)— one can readily believe it.

alive) with half her nose gruesomely chewed away

With quotes from: Tall, Dark and Gruesome:

by rats! In addition, a black and white flashback

An Autobiography, by Christopher Lee.

sequence shows the Nazi doctors clinically remov-
ing a man’s face bit by bit in antiseptic detail. (In

The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus

Germany, this Nazi subplot and its attendant im-

(1959/62; Lux; France, b&w) Original Language
agery was reportedly expunged from the film

Title: Les Yeux Sans Visage. Alternate Title: Eyes prints— with the German ads even misleadingly

Without a Face (UK). Director: Georges Franju; claiming the story was based upon the works of

Producer: Jules Borkon; Screenplay: Pierre Boileu

Edgar Allan Poe!)

and Thomas Narcejac (dialogue by Pierre Gascar,

This Virgin, however, is not altogether un-from a novel by Jean Redon. Cinematographer:

214

The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus

2. THE MOVIES

Eugen Shuftan. Cast: Pierre Brasseur, Edith Scob,

Edna (Juliette Mayniel). In the film’s most noto-

Alida Valli, Beatrice Altariba, Juliette Mayniel,
rious scene, Genessier performs a grotesque “face

François Guerin.

lift” operation on Edna, using a scalpel and

A macabre masterpiece — U.S. trailer
forceps to remove the skin from the still-living
patient’s face. Genessier labors with medical pre-

During its initial release, The Horror Chamber
cision and without emotion. Franju documents
of Dr. Faustus (now better known under its orig-every step of the procedure in sickening detail and inal title, Eyes Without a Face) quickly grew no-icy clinical detachment. The matter-of-fact pres-
torious for its stomach-churning gore. When it
entation only makes the sequence more difficult
was shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival, seven
to watch.

viewers fainted, prompting director Georges

Genessier also experiments on a kennel full of

Franju to quip, “Now I know why Scotsmen wear
caged dogs. But between experiments, he contin-
skirts.”

ues his bustling medical practice and remains a

This movie has lost none of its power to make
pillar of the community. Meanwhile, Louise tends
viewers squirm. And yet, its most striking attrib-
to Christiane, tenderly brushing her hair and try-
ute remains its sensitivity — its sometimes-poetic
ing to keep her in good spirits. Christiane, for
visuals, and the empathy it grants its emotionally
most of the film, wears a mask Genessier has
and physically damaged characters. Few horror
crafted in the likeness of her own, lost face. The
movies are this brutal, or this gentle.

expressionless mask lends her the unsettling ap-

As the opening credits roll, we watch Louise
pearance of an animated mannequin. Briefly, it

(Alida Valli), assistant to the esteemed Dr.

seems that her father’s treatment has succeeded,

Genessier (Pierre Brasseur), dump the body of a
but Christiane’s body soon rejects the skin graft
young woman into the Seine. When they find the
from Edna’s face, and the cycle must begin again.

body, police are aghast to discover the victim’s

Franju presents the grotesque deterioration of
face literally peeled from her head. Genessier, we

Christiane’s face in a series of clinical photo-
soon learn, has undertaken a series of desperate,
graphs, accompanied by deadpan voiceover from
secret medical experiments to try to restore the

Brasseur.

face of his daughter, Christiane (Edith Stob), who

In the end Christiane turns on her would-be
was disfigured in a car crash.

benefactors, stabbing Louise in the throat and

Louise helps Genessier trap another victim,
then freeing her father’s next intended victim, as
well as the trapped dogs and
several caged doves. In a
shocking conclusion that re-
calls the classic Island of Lost

Souls (1932), the dogs, at
least a dozen of them,
snarling and barking, fatally
maul Genessier.

On a basic level, there’s
nothing special about this
scenario. The obsessed-doc-
tor-trying-to-save-his-loved-
one premise seemed shop-
worn even a half-century
ago. The beauty of Eyes

Without a Face lies not in the
tale but in the telling. And
the closer you examine it, the
better it gets.

Franju had scandalized the

French film community 10
years earlier with his slaugh-

The disfigured Christiane (Edith Stob) must wear a mask, since she only has Eyes Without a Face (re-titled The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus
terhouse documentary Blood
for its 1962 U.S. release, where it was double-billed with The Manster).

of the Beasts (1949), which

2. THE MOVIES

Horror Hotel

215
juxtaposed footage of animals being butchered

Vadim’s Dangerous Liasons. Eyes Without a Face with scenes of children at play. He uses a similar
also belongs on the short list of France’s 1959 mas-device in Eyes Without a Face, by placing the terworks.

graphic medical sequences adjacent to introspec-

American audiences, however, didn’t see it
tive, character-focused scenes. For instance, just
until 1962. Unsure of how to handle what was, es-
prior to the “face lift” gorefest, Christiane visits sentially, a blood-spattered art film, the U.S. dis-the caged dogs, petting them and lovingly scratch-
tributor dubbed it, changed its title to the gaudy
ing their ears. She understands their torment, be-

Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus, and issued the cause she, too, is a trapped medical specimen.

picture on the bottom half of a double-bill with

The only music heard in the film is a swirling

(of all things) the oddball Japanese-American co-
carnival theme, like something from one of Nino
production The Manster (1962). The film’s blood-Rota’s Federico Fellini scores. This theme recurs
iest sequences were trimmed or deleted for its U.S.

periodically, usually to provide an ironic counter-
release, including most of the “face lift” operation.

point to the visuals. Large tracts of the film, in-

Scenes at Genessier’s clinic, which help humanize
cluding all the medical sequences, feature no
the doctor, were also removed.

music at all. However, Franju makes evocative

Along with Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Dia -
use of natural sound — birds chirp during con-
bolique and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Eyes With-templative moments, while barking dogs signal
out a Face profoundly influenced the subsequent danger ahead. The director integrates visual sym-generation of European horror movies. Too
bols, as well, and composes every frame with
often, however, its imitators would duplicate only
painterly care. The eerie finale, in which the
the copious gore of Eyes Without a Face, never re-masked Christiane walks past her dead father as
alizing that what made the original film special
the newly freed doves flutter around her, could
was the beauty that accompanied its ugliness.

only originate from a French film.

A more conventional film would portray

Horror Hotel (1960; Britannia/Trans-Lux; Genessier as a heartless maniac and Christiane as

U.K.; b&w) Alternate Titles: City of the Dead a helpless pure-heart. But the central characters

(U.K.), Doctor Bloodbath (home video); Director: of Eyes Without a Face have complex motivations, John Moxey; Producer: Donald Taylor; Screen-and suffer inner turmoil. Genessier’s obsessive
play: George Baxt (story by Milton Subotsky);
quest to heal his daughter stems not from mad

Cinematographer: Desmond Dickinson. Cast:

determination to achieve a medical breakthrough,

Dennis Lotis, Christopher Lee, Betta St. John, Pa-
but from guilt. He was driving the car at the time
tricia Jessel, Venetia Stevenson, Tom Naylor,
of the accident that ruined his Christiane’s face.

Valentine Dyall, Ann Beach.

At his clinic, Genessier continues to care for his

Just ring for doom service!— ad line
patients with skill and compassion. Lonely Chris-
tiane yearns to have her face back so she can

While AIP were winding down their mutant-
return to her fiancé (François Guerin). While
laden double bills at the end of the 1950s in favor Genessier prepares to operate on Edna, Christiane
of their soon-to-be-launched gothic-style Poe se-
steals into the laboratory and covetously strokes
ries, and as Britain’s Hammer Studios left off their the soft skin of the unconscious woman’s cheek.

sci-fi-oriented black and white features to plunge

Christiane understands what’s about to happen
headfirst into the color-drenched Gothicism of
and could stop it if she wanted to, but she doesn’t.

Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula and The Nevertheless, Christiane recognizes the evil of her Mummy, the independent producer team of Mil-father’s experiments, and eventually realizes their ton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg set up shop
futility. Ultimately, guilt and despair overwhelm
in England and took their first fledgling steps into her. She cannot allow Genessier to continue.

screen terror under the “Vulcan Productions”

Most critics consider 1959 the greatest single
banner. (The pair later formed Amicus Produc-
year in the history of French film. That year ush-
tions, arguably Hammer’s biggest U.K.

ered in the Nouvelle Vague, and saw the release of competitor in the fright field of the 1960s and
several movies now considered classics of world

’70s.) What resulted was one of the most atmos-
cinema, including Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless, pheric offerings of the decade, perhaps second

François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, Alain Resnais’

only to Black Sunday in its evocative otherworld-Hiroshima, Mon Amour, Robert Bresson’s Pick-liness.

pocket, Claude Chabrol’s Les Cousins and Roger

“Horror Hotel— the guests are over 300 years

216

Horror Hotel

2. THE MOVIES
old...” warns the film’s trailer. Indeed, the story female protagonist stops at an out-of-the-way
begins in 1692 in Whitewood, Massachusetts, as
hotel where she’s brutally murdered a half-hour
the townspeople prepare to burn the witch Eliz-
into the movie; the woman’s lover comes looking
abeth Selwyn (Patricia Jessel) at the stake. Her sefor her, accompanied by a concerned sibling; and
cret accomplice, Jethro Keane (Valentine Dyall),
there’s even a final shot of the seated, charred
calls upon Lucifer to help her, and a violent storm corpse of Elizabeth Selwyn that conjures up im-arises as the witch curses the villagers and warns
ages of Mrs. Bates in the cellar. But Horror Hotel of her return. Flash forward to a modern-day col-actually began shooting at Shepperton Studios on
lege course, as Professor Driscoll (Christopher

October 12, 1959, whereas Psycho didn’t begin Lee) invokes the chant of the terrified townsfolk:

filming in Hollywood until a month-and-a-half

“Burn witch, burn witch, burn!” One of Driscoll’s
later, on November 30, 1959.

students, Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson),

When asked about killing the female lead half-
decides to use the upcoming semester break to
way through the picture, screenwriter George
research her class thesis on witchcraft in New En-

Baxt ( Circus of Horrors, Shadow of the Cat, Burn gland. Driscoll directs her to Whitewood, a reclu-Witch Burn) admitted (to interviewer Matthew sive town seemingly blanketed in a perpetual fog.

R. Bradley), “I think I killed her because I couldn’t At the Raven’s Inn Nan meets Mrs. Newless (Pa-figure out what else to do with her. This script
tricia Jessel again)— a phonetic anagram of Sel-
was put together from whole cloth! I wrote it in
wyn — and Jethro. She also promptly falls victim
about a week.”

to the ancient coven’s sacrificial rites. Her disap-The British-made City of the Dead (its name pearance leads Nan’s brother (Dennis Lotis) and
was changed to Horror Hotel when released by fiancé (Tom Naylor) to Whitewood, where their

Trans-Lux in the United States in 1961) was
search ends in a fiery confrontation with the 300-
filmed in three weeks by first-time director John
year-old witches (Driscoll among them!) who in-

Moxey on an incredibly tight £45,000 budget.

tend to sacrifice one more maiden on Candlemass

Though much of the movie takes place outdoors,

Eve to preserve their unnatural lives.

it was shot entirely on sound stages at Shepperton

Critics have often dismissively pointed out

Studios. “They built the entire village!” exclaimed Horror Hotel’s similarities to the same year’s Moxey. “It was a stage that hadn’t been used for

Psycho (“the film’s framework is modeled on Psy-some years, a big old stage that was barely sound-
cho lines,” observed Daily Cinema). The movie’s proof.” (Baxt recalled that, because of the sound-proofing problems, all the
dialogue had to be looped in
later.)

Filmed on an English
sound stage, the story’s New

England setting required the

British cast to ape American
accents. For the most part
they do well (though Tom

Naylor’s inflections seem to
waver a bit at times)— par-
ticularly Christopher Lee,
who seems quite proud of
his affected accomplishment.

“I think my greatest achieve-
ment was my American ac-
cent,” announced the actor.

“It is a very difficult thing for
a British actor to do. They
usually exaggerate it beyond
belief, and vice versa.”

Christopher Lee (second from right), flanked by fellow coven members

“I believe that you have to

Patricia Jessel and Valentine Dyall, look on in terror as two of their own go up in flames after being exposed to the shadow of a cross in Horror
leave a lot to the audience’s

Hotel (1960).

imagination because you can

2. THE MOVIES

Horror Hotel

217
never be quite as horrific as what people can

Horror Hotel could easily have been called Fog dream up in their minds,” explained Moxey.

Hotel, since Moxey turned up the fog machines

“That’s what we did with Horror Hotel, we tried full blast to bathe his village set in dank mist, creto suggest some of it.” Moxey and his cast and ating an otherworldly eerieness that makes it one
crew succeeded admirably. When Nan gives a ride
of the most creepily atmospheric pictures of the
to a tall, sepulchral-voiced stranger (Jethro) on

1960s. “The fog was my idea,” Moxey proudly
the dark road to Whitewood, the man stares
proclaimed, before adding, “The only problem
straight ahead and only cryptically answers her
with that — always— is the time it takes to lay it queries. After she stops the car to gaze out her
on. Once you start using it, it doesn’t go away, window at the ominous Raven’s Inn, she turns
and if you do more takes and you lay in some new back to say something to the stranger — only to
fog, in the end you find you can’t see across the
find he is not there. Later, walking through the stage, there’s so much fog in there [ laughs]! So town’s solitary street, Nan passes a few townspeo-then we’d have to get the extractor fans and clear
ple (clad all in black) who stop their measured
the stage. By the way, I don’t know whether you
progress to turn and stare coldly — one even giv-
noticed in the film, but we tried to lay it in layers, ing the hint of a knowing, malevolent smile.

not just in a mass on the floor like you often see

A series of clever twists and eerie moments
it. By changing the heat on the guns that fired it, build an atmosphere of uneasy dread. Going to
we found that we could lay it in layers. That
her room, Nan sees several couples dancing in the
worked very well.” Indeed it did.

inn’s lobby to some low-key jazz (though, oddly,

Moxey works with cinematographer Desmond
the dancers remain utterly silent, moving to the

Dickinson ( The Importance of Being Earnest; rhythms as if in a play—or a dream). Then, when

Olivier’s Hamlet) to invest this “American Nan finally decides to join the “party,” she dresses Gothic” (as Christopher Lee labeled it) with a

(all the while hearing the music, since her room
spectral sense of foreboding. The old wooden
adjoins the lobby) and opens the door — at which
buildings of the town become malevolent sentries
point the music abruptly stops—to find the lobby
whose shadowy recesses seem to stare with ma-
empty, with only the ticking of a clock to be heard.

lignant eyes. The deep fog continually blanketing

It is an unsettling moment in which it is what is
the streets melds with the cover of night to trans-
not seen that evokes the chill.

form the town into an unhealthy miasma of evil.

Moxey paces his picture perfectly, building up

Characters step from the shadows to suddenly ap-
to the early — and disturbing —climax of Nan’s
pear, while people are there one minute and, im-
death. It begins when Nan uncovers a hidden
possibly, gone the next.

trapdoor in the floor of her room, from which she

“It was a great experience for a young director
hears odd chanting. As she listens to the ominous
to work with such an experienced cinematogra-
chorus, the window shade suddenly rolls up, star-
pher,” recounted Moxey. “He taught me a lot and
tling her (and the viewer), fortuitously revealing
we had great fun working together.... He knew
a metal handle attached to its string with which
what he was doing and he was very helpful to me,
she can lift the heavy trapdoor. Venturing down
and he did a wonderful job.” After Horror Hotel, the cobwebbed stone passage, she’s suddenly over-John Moxey worked extensively in television
taken by several black-robed figures, and her

(though he did take a side trip back to the big
screaming form is laid upon a stone altar. Mrs.

screen in 1966 with Psycho Circus). In England he Newless approaches and coldly announces to the
helmed episodes of The Saint and The Avengers, shrieking and struggling Nan, “I am Elizabeth Sel-and then came to America in the late 1960s to toil
wyn.” Counting down the midnight tolling of the
in TV-land for the next two decades, overseeing
clock, Newless raises her knife and, when the clock episodes of such series as Mission Impossible and strikes thirteen, plunges it downward. At this, the Hawaii Five-O, and directing literally dozens of scene abruptly cuts to a knife slicing into a birth-Made-for-TV movies (including the ultra-
day cake (at a birthday party Nan was expected
popular The Night Stalker in 1972).

to attend back home). It’s a clever release of ten-

Horror Hotel’s cast also does quite well, from sion, allowing the film to build once again to its

Christopher Lee’s strident, humorless professor
second and final climax; while at the same time
to Valentine Dyall’s mysterious and malevolent
it shocks the viewer and heightens the feeling of
stranger (“I shall be resting [at the Raven’s End],”

dread, infusing the movie’s second half with an
he intones— not “staying,” but “resting”— adding almost unbearable level of ominous anticipation.

a nicely archaic and slightly funereal touch).

218

The Horror Man; The Horror of Party Beach

2. THE MOVIES

Venetia Stevenson (daughter of director Robert

Stevenson and actress Anna Lee, and former wife
of Russ Tamblyn and future wife of singer Don

Everly) makes a convincing (doomed) heroine as
she determinedly sets about her research and in-
vestigations— only to find she’s dug a bit too
deeply. As her brother, Dennis Lotis’ derisive
skepticism turns into near-panic as the truth re-
veals itself to him. But top honors go to stage star Patricia Jessel (a one-time Lady MacBeth for Donald Wolfit) as Elizabeth Selwyn/Mrs. Newless,
with her haughty self-assuredness, chilly de-
meanor and icy laugh. (While working on Horror

Hotel during the day, Jessel also acted in the play The Sound of Murder at the Aldwych Theatre at night — alongside Peter Cushing.)

“It really was a very good picture in many
ways,” opined Lee, “insofar as it did combine an-
cient superstition and ritual with modern Amer-
ican University life. It had very much the witch-
haunted flavor of Lovecraft’s stories.”

“One thing we didn’t want to do was to make a Hammer film!” exclaimed Moxey when that famous film company’s name came up for compar-

Promotional photograph-magazine recounting
ison. “We wanted to make something better, we

The Horror of Party Beach (1964).

wanted to make something with a little class, and I think that we went a long way towards it.” While
both types of pictures. Yet, in the deft hands of
some of Hammer’s output possesses its own
maverick filmmaker Del Tenney, The Horror of
brand of “class,” the atmospheric, streamlined

Party Beach emerges as a wildly entertaining and suspenseful Horror Hotel is indeed “better”

romp, with enough rock ’n’ roll, babes and beau-
than much of its more-famous British competi-
hunks to satisfy the beach party set, and plenty
tion.

of shocks to please horror fans.

With quotes from: “Baxt Stabs Back,” by

Wholesome Hank (John Scott) drives his

Matthew R. Bradley, Filmfax 50, May/June 1995; trashy girlfriend, Tina (Marilyn Clarke), to the

Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks, by beach, where an argument ensues. Hank wants a

Tom Weaver; The Films of Christopher Lee, by more serious relationship, but Tina only wants to

Robert W. Pohle, Jr., and Douglas C. Hart.

drink and “party.” While Hank tells his troubles
to good girl Elaine (Alice Lyon), Tina begins flirt-

The Horror Man see The Tell-Tale
ing and dancing with biker-dude Mike (Augustin

Heart

Mayor). Hank and Mike square off in a fight scene
so elaborately choreographed that it looks like

The Horror of Party Beach (1964; Deal/
something out of West Side Story. Meanwhile, a Fox; b&w). Producer/Director: Del Tenney;
boat surreptitiously dumps radioactive waste in

Screenplay/Cinematographer: Richard Hilliard
the bay, where it falls onto human remains from

(Additional dialogue: Ronald Gianettino and Lou
a shipwreck, causing the skeletons to instantly re-

Binder). Cast: John Scott, Alice Lyon, Allan Lau-
animate, transformed into scaly, fanged fish-
rel, Augustin Mayor, Marilyn Clarke.

monsters.

Except for the fish-monster interlude, the first

The first ever horror-monster musical!— trailer

23 minutes or so of The Horror of Party Beach is This idea should never work. And yet, it does.

strictly beach blanket brand soap opera and danc-

Crossing a monster movie with a beach party
ing (to the peppy tunes of the Del-Aires). Then
comedy sounds like a recipe for disaster. About
the story takes a hard left turn into horror terri-
the only thing these two genres have in common
tory, as Tina swims out into the bay and promptly
is that, in the early 1960s, teenagers flocked to
becomes the first victim of the fish-monsters. Her

2. THE MOVIES

Horror of the Stone Women; Horrors of Spider Island

219
death is bloodier and more brutal than viewers
foot and the Girl Bombs (1966; both starring Vin-might expect from a picture that begins as light
cent Price) and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini and frothy as this one. The movie stays in Hor-

(1966; with Boris Karloff ). Predictably, however,
rorville the rest of the way, and includes one se-
none of its imitators could match the appeal of
quence — in which the creatures crash a slumber
the original. Most of them put the emphasis on
party — that’s actually a little scary. In an interthe “Beach Party” aspect and included only a few
esting twist on the typical monster movie
token, comedic horror flourishes. Perhaps Party formula, the struggle isn’t to devise a way to de-Beach stands out because it alone didn’t short-stroy the beasts (that’s discovered fairly quickly), change the audience on the “horror” part of the
but to locate the creatures so they can be de-
bargain.

stroyed. The fishy fiends have a habit of attacking and then vanishing back into the ocean.

Horror of the Stone Women see Mill

Naturally, The Horror of Party Beach has some
of the Stone Women
problems. Its dialogue includes too many bad
one-liners, and its second act is consumed by a

Horrors of Spider Island (1960; Pacemaker handful of disconnected episodes, losing track of

Pictures, Inc.; W. Germany/Yugoslavia; b&w) Al-
the main characters for long stretches. The acting
ternate Titles: It’s Hot in Paradise, Girls of Spider is, at best, forgettable. But those faults are mostly Island (video), The Spider’s Web (video); Original beside the point, since nobody went to beach

Language Title: Ein Toter Hing im Netz;
party movies or low-budget horror flicks expect-

Director/Screenwriter: Jaime Nolan (Fritz
ing a finely structured script or scintillating per-Bottger); Producers: Gaston Hakim, Wolfgang
formances from the cast. Audiences came looking

Hartwig; Cinematographer: Georg Krause. Cast:

for fun and thrills, and in those respects The HorAlex D’Arcy, Barbara Valentine, Allen Turner,
ror of Party Beach delivers the goods. In addition Temple Foster, Donna Ulsike, Norma Townes.

to the slumber party massacre, most of the other
monster attacks are effectively staged (especially

BLOOD-CURDLING! HAIR-RAISING!

a scene involving three bimbos in a convertible).

SPINE-CHILLING!— poster

Despite its sometimes surprising level of blood-

“One bite from a giant spider,” screamed the
letting, this picture doesn’t take itself too
ads, “turned him into the world’s most hideous
seriously, as evidenced by the zany, ping-pong-
monster with a diabolical lust to kill!” While the
ball-eyed monster suits. (“They are funny and

“world’s most hideous monster” part is definitely
ridiculous in a way, but that’s what the movie is
an exaggeration, the rest basically covers the
supposed to be,” Tenney explains in a DVD audio
movie in a nutshell. A dance troupe from New
commentary.) Even the Del-Aires are enjoyable.

York on their way to Singapore ends up stranded

Tenney hit on the idea of combining the horror
on a remote South Pacific island when their plane
and beach party genres while trying to come up
crashes. The troupe’s manager, Gary (Alex
with a second feature to be twin-billed with his

D’Arcy, a looooong way from his supporting role
already-completed Curse of the Living Corpse. But in How to Marry a Millionaire), is bitten by a giant The Horror of Party Beach proved to be much (well, foot-long anyway) radioactive spider and
more than a bottom-of-the-bill throw-away, and
instantly transforms into a hairy-faced, claw-
remains the most original and entertaining
handed, three-fanged monster. He occasionally
picture of Tenney’s career, which also includes
pops up to disrupt the girls’ skinny-dipping and

Violent Midnight (1964) and I Eat Your Skin (1964/
skimpy-outfit modeling sessions by strangling one

71). It was also Tenney’s greatest box office suc-
of them — until a pair of hunks arrive on the is-
cess— a smash hit that surprised even its distrib-
land to lead the girls in lighting torches and chas-utor, 20th Century–Fox. Originally, Fox requested
ing their manager-turned-monster into some

50 prints of Party Beach and Living Corpse. After quicksand.

seeing the opening weekend grosses for the twin

Given that the movie carried two titles with
bill, the studio increased its order to 500.

completely different slants— the straightforward

Rival filmmakers realized that Tenney was on

Horrors of Spider Island vs. the racy It’s Hot in Par-to something, and several more beach party-hor-
adise (depending on whether the distributor tar-ror hybrids soon reached movie screens, including
geted the drive-in or raincoat crowd)— it’s obvi-

Beach Girls and the Monster (1965), Dr. Goldfoot ous the film couldn’t decide whether to be a
and the Bikini Machine (1965), its sequel Dr. Gold-

(tame) sexploitation flick or a horror movie, so

220

House of Dreams

2. THE MOVIES
it failed at both. First we have myriad (and te-
to possess a rather misogynistic attitude towards
dious) scenes of the girls lounging in their under-
his subject. The various “bad” girls in the troupe
wear, skinny-dipping (though obviously wearing
throw themselves (almost literally) at the men,
panties and bodysuits) and taking a (teasing)

while the (few) “good” girls instantly fall in love shower — all accompanied by a sleazy saxophone
with them! And, of course, all the girls are simply score. The movie even begins with a protracted
helpless until led by a male (first Gary, then the

“audition” sequence set in New York in which the
two late arrivals).

girls try out for the troupe — some dance (one

Bottger’s technical prowess proves no more
performs ballet, but most just shake their groove
progressive than his anti-feminist politics.

thing), some strip (though only down to their un-

Uneven and suspect lighting, glacial pacing and
mentionables), and some simply stand and show
nonexistent special effects are the order of the day.

off their gams.

(The troupe’s plane crash consists of stock footage Then comes the “horror”— in the form of the
of what looks like a flaming bomber nosediving goofiest looking oversized spider (with its plastic into the ocean and exploding—with the next scene eyes, grinning mouth and front leg pincers) this
showing Gary and his dance troupe, slightly di-
side of Sesame Street. After Gary transforms, we’re sheveled, paddling their inflatable raft. Right.)

treated to the old Reaching Hands (or, in this

Though released in West Germany in 1960,
case, claws) chestnut (in which a pair of paws

Horrors of Spider Island didn’t escape to America reach out towards the heroine’s neck from behind
until 1963. Too bad it escaped at all.

a curtain, wall, tree, whatever) that was already
creaking back in the 1930s. And the filmmakers

House of Dreams (1963; Melpomini; b&w) do it twice! So much for horror.

Director/Producer/Screenwriter: Robert Berry;

Though director/screenwriter Fritz Bottger

Cinematographers: Lance Bird, Robert Berry,
filled his movie with beautiful females, he seemed

Stewart R. Sanders. Cast: Pauline Elliott, Robert

Berry, Charlene Bradley, Lance Bird.

A unique psychological journey
into terror!— tag line

For the dedicated cineaste constantly on the
lookout for that elusive genre gem, finding a film
that had never even crossed his or her radar can
be an exciting moment. Unfortunately, more
often than not, that hoped-for precious cinematic
stone turns out to be just another worthless agate.

Well, House of Dreams, a no-budget ’60s obscurity that resurfaced in the new millennium, is not just another rough-hewn rock. Nope, it’s more like a
deceptive clod of dirt that crumbles to dust in
your hand.

First of all, it’s a bad sign when the crude
credits (chalk letters drawn on the floor and walls of an abandoned house) list only four actors
before moving on to the technical acknowledg-
ments. And it’s an even worse sign when three of
those four names crop up again and again (and,
in the case of producer/director/screenwriter/co-
cinematographer/editor/star Robert Berry, again) under different job titles. For instance, one thespian (Lance Bird) did double duty not only as
part-time cameraman, but also as the assistant
director and continuity person. Need a “set de-Silly sexploitation ( Horrors of Spider Island) com-signer”? Just ask your female lead to pitch in.

bines with grim realism ( The Fiendish Ghouls aka

Mania) in this mismatched double-feature from Second, the first quarter of this barely-over-1960.

an-hour movie consists of such exciting scenes as

2. THE MOVIES

House of Fright

221

(1) Man lying in bed; (2) Man and woman having

Jekyll. Director: Terence Fisher; Producer: coffee in kitchen; (3) Man sitting at typewriter;

Michael Carreras; Screenplay: Wolf Mankowitz

(4) Man getting into car, starting car, then driving (Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange
down road; etc. You just know you’re in trouble Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde); Cinematogra-when a movie starts with filler scenes.

pher: Jack Asher. Cast: Paul Massie, Dawn Ad-

The paper-thin plot has a writer, struggling
dams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, Norma
with writer’s block, begin dreaming about a

Marla.

nearby abandoned (and supposedly haunted)

A completely different version of the classic
house. When he dreams that he finds a person
story ... A new Dr. Jekyll ... A handsome,
dead in the house, they die for real the next day.

evil Mr. Hyde!— tagline

After tragedy strikes close to home, he must go
himself to the malevolent mansion and confront

By 1961, Hammer Films was riding the crest of
the evil.

a wave of commercial and creative triumphs. But

Filmed in Decker, Indiana, House of Boredom
with House of Fright (now better known under its

... er, Dreams has absolutely nothing to recom-original British title, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll) mend it. Little of import happens onscreen. We
the studio’s tide of success began to ebb. This
only hear about the deaths afterwards, rather than would be the first of the studio’s trademark color
see them (or their aftermath). We don’t even see
gothic chillers to stumble at the box office, and it what happens to our protagonist when he finally
remains one of Hammer’s least loved horrors of
goes inside the house, as the film limps to its fore-the era.

gone conclusion in the most desultory fashion

Yet, while seriously flawed and certainly a let-
possible. Filled with overlong scenes in which
down from the heights of Horror of Dracula, The nothing happens (including a mostly-silent bus

Revenge of Frankenstein (both 1958), The Mummy depot sequence highlighted by an entire bus un-

(1959) and Brides of Dracula (1960), The Two loading), House of Dreams stands as a poster child Faces of Dr. Jekyll deserves more respect and atfor the fast forward button. Abrupt edits with
tention than it usually receives. It’s hardly a neg-little thought given to time or space, out-of-focus lected classic, but it contains some clever concepts close-ups that come off as annoying rather than
and outstanding acting.

eerie, atonal dubbing (the movie was obviously

As the film’s American posters warned, Two
shot without sound), an almost complete lack of

Faces re-imagines Mr. Hyde as a sociopathic Ado-sound effects, and poor framing that sometimes
nis rather than a simian-faced fiend, an innovation cuts off the bottom half of an actor’s face (even
intended to underscore the thematic message that
while he’s speaking) point up the total ineptitude
evil is seductive rather than repellent. This gambit in all departments. Even the potentially uncanny
enables director Terence Fisher and screenwriter
dream sequences inside the haunted house are

Wolf Mankowitz to refresh some of the more
sunk by pathetically ill-thought-out attempts at
shopworn elements in the story by turning clichés

“art” (e.g., at one point the protagonist sees him-
on their heads. Unfortunately, this ploy failed to
self, shirtless, pretending to climb the walls in
wow audiences, who simply considered Two Faces
slow motion!). And to label the acting amateurish
a monster movie without a monster.

would be to give amateur thespians everywhere

Dr. Henry Jekyll (Paul Massie), obsessively de-
a bad rap, as the most expressive actor in the
voted to his experiments, neglects his wife Kitty
movie is the (admittedly creepy-looking) aban-

(Dawn Addams), who finds comfort in the arms
doned house. Worst of all, and the structural
of Jekyll’s best friend, Paul (Christopher Lee). De-weakness that causes this House to collapse under spite the ridicule of his colleagues, Jekyll remains the weight of its own ennui, is the slightness of
bent on discovering a serum that will release the
its script: As written, House of Dreams is a 15-

“perfect inner man” who exists “beyond good and
minute backyard movie drawn out to 68 tedious
evil.” Naturally, he tests the potion on himself,
minutes.

and the homely, repressed, reclusive Dr. Jekyll

Move over Manos, the Hands of Fate, there’s a transforms into the handsome, hedonistic, out-new challenger vying for the title of Worst Sixties going Edward Hyde. As Hyde, he discovers his

Shocker.

wife’s infidelity. First, Hyde tries to seduce Kitty away from Paul. When that fails, he takes a mis-

House of Fright (1960/61; Hammer/Colum-tress of his own and plots revenge against his
bia; U.K.) Original Title: The Two Faces of Dr.

faithless spouse and underhanded “friend.”

222

House of the Black Death

2. THE MOVIES

Unfortunately, Mankowitz’s static, overly
film’s thematic point. The picture also boasts
chatty script runs short on fright sequences (or
characteristically clean, efficient visual story -
action of any sort), and the scenes depicting
telling by Fisher and all the expected Hammer

Jekyll’s revenge fall flat. The film opens with three production gloss. Bernard Robinson’s sets and
consecutive dialogue sequences, beginning with

Mayo’s costumes are top-drawer, and Jack Asher’s
a tedious, exposition-packed exchange between
lighting is gorgeous. Best of all, the film boasts

Jekyll and his colleague, Dr. Litauer (David
two outstanding supporting performances. Ad-

Kosoff ). Next up is a scene in which Kitty informs dams enchants as the manipulative, pleasure-Litauer that she recently heard a strange man’s
seeking Kitty. And Lee delivers one of the most
voice (clearly, Hyde’s) coming from her husband’s
underrated performances of his career as Paul, a
laboratory. Why not show this episode rather than
weak and shameless cad, but also the best-written
simply relating it in dialogue? (For instance: Kitty and most likable character in the film — the kind
pauses outside the locked door of her husband’s
of jaded bounder so often played by George
lab, her head cocked, wondering at the unfamiliar

Sanders. Addams and Lee have wonderful chem-
voice heard behind the door. She knocks. Pause.

istry, and together they prevent their characters

The door opens. But the face belonging to the
from becoming stock villains by convincing view-
strange voice is nowhere to be seen; only Jekyll is ers that, despite their behavior toward everyone
present.) This— or almost anything else — might
else (and even each other), Kitty and Paul truly
have made a more involving, atmospheric open-
love one another.

ing. Instead, the film limps out of the gate with

Lee’s excellent work helps viewers overcome

12 minutes worth of talking heads.

the sinking sensation that the actor should have

After much buildup, Jekyll’s revenge on Kitty
taken the lead role instead of Massey — a feeling
and Paul disappoints, seeming too contrived and
shared by Lee. “I’ll admit that, initially, I was put far-fetched. He murders Paul by trapping him in
off by not playing Jekyll and Hyde,” Lee said.

a room with a giant constrictor snake (hardly a

“Who wouldn’t be? I thought I deserved the op-
reliable murder weapon). Then he rapes Kitty and
portunity. In retrospect, I’m grateful because I
abandons her. Afterward, she gathers the strength
got a very good part.” Lee finally received his
to get out of bed and walk across the room, but
chance to play Jekyll and Hyde in I, Monster
then suffers a fatal (and mighty convenient)

(1973), unfortunately a far weaker film than Two swoon off a balcony and through a glass ceiling.

Faces. If not a success, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll In the lead, Massie proves problematic. For
remains an intriguing failure.

starters, he lacks the matinee idol looks the part

With quotes from: The Christopher Lee Filmog-
demands. Given the film’s premise, its Hyde
raphy, by Tom Johnson and Mark A. Miller.

should be devastatingly handsome, yet both Lee
and Oliver Reed (who enjoys a memorable walk-

House of the Black Death (1965; Taurus on bit) cut more dashing figures in their period

Productions, Inc.; b&w) Alternate Titles: Night of garb than Massie. Also, while Massie’s animated,
the Beast (shooting title), The Widderburn Horror, slightly effete Hyde remains fascinating, his near-Blood of the Man Devil; Directors: Harold Daniels, comatose underplaying as Jekyll registers barely

Jerry Warren (uncredited); Producers: William
any impact at all. Massie isn’t helped by Roy Ash-

White, Richard Shotwell; Screenplay: Rich Ma-
ton’s “ugly” Jekyll makeup, featuring a bushy
honey, based on the novel The Widderburn Horror beard and eyebrows that make the doctor look a
by Lora Crozetti; Cinematographer: Murray De
little like Abraham Lincoln. Nor is he aided by the Atley. Cast: John Carradine, Lon Chaney, Jr., An-script, which presents Jekyll as self-righteous yet drea King, Tom Drake, Dolores Faith, Sabrina.

insecure, self-pitying, whiny and dour. In short,
he’s a total schmuck, and it’s no wonder his

SHOCK! MALE WITCHCRAFT IN

EVIL TERROR!— poster blurb
spouse has tired of him.

Fortunately, Two Faces also contains many ad-In this obscure, no-budget tale of witchcraft,
mirable elements that provide some com

-

John Carradine and Lon Chaney, Jr., play Andre
pensation for the film’s flaws. Its finale, for in-
and Belial Desard, two rival warlock brothers.

stance, represents an ironic inversion of the

Carradine is the good warlock and Chaney the
typical Jekyll and Hyde resolution (Hyde is ex-evil one, and they engage in a Satanic struggle for posed when he changes back into Dr. Jekyll). It’s
control of their ancestral home. Mixed into the
a satisfying finish and fully in keeping with the
mess— er, story — is a subplot about werewolves,

2. THE MOVIES

House of the Damned

223
in which Belial and his coven place a lycanthropic
whole works. It came out bad but it came out curse on one young member of the Desard family.

playable, too, and it did pull out some money for

(The film’s budget was so low that there was no
the people who backed it.”

cash for werewolf makeup; we simply see his back

When Jerry Warren ( Teenage Zombies [1960], as he escapes the room in which he’s been impris-The Incredible Petrified World [1961], Frankenstein oned, and then his normal face again after he’s

Island [1981], ad infinitum, ad nauseum) has to been killed. Sad.)

rescue a film, you know you’re in trouble. Actress Lovers of Le Bad Cinema maintain that the only Katherine Victor (who Warren brought in for
truly bad movie is a boring movie; given that,
some additional expository scenes) commented:

House of the Black Death is a terrible movie. Any-

“[Somebody] made a picture called House of the
thing remotely exciting is talked about rather than Black Death and it wasn’t cohesive. So [Warren]

shown — and often talked to death. A better title took it over and I think he made it less cohesive!”

would have been House of the Unending Gabfest.

Indeed.

Add to this static photography; dim, uneven

Next up for poor John Carradine: Billy the Kid
lighting; amateurish acting; choppy, often non-
vs. Dracula— believe it or not, a step up.

sensical editing; and continuity that seems to have With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
sprung from another dimension (despite frequent

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, and Science Fic-looooong scenes of exposition added by schlock-
tion Stars and Horror Heroes, by Tom Weaver.

meister Jerry Warren in a desperate attempt to
plug some of the plot holes), and the film becomes

House of the Damned (1963; 20th Cen-
an unwatchable pastiche. This may be the
tury–Fox; b&w) Director/Producer: Maury Dex-
absolute nadir of 1960s horror.

To add insult to injury, it em-
barrasses two of the screen’s classic
horror icons, for Carradine and

Chaney hit rock bottom with this
pathetic crime against celluloid.

Chaney plays Belial as a rather sim-
ple-minded devil worshipper (as if

Lenny had sold his soul for a rabbit
hutch), all amiable grins and obvi-
ous expressions. Carradine spends
most of his screen time in bed;
when up (and awake), he puts on
his patented authoritative, crotch-
ety old man persona.

Apparently, making the film was
nearly as painful a process as
watching
it. When producer

William White ran into problems,
with personnel leaving like rats de-
serting a sinking ship, the investors
turned the half-finished project
over to no-budget moviemaker

Jerry Warren. “They had a terrible
mishmash of a movie,” recalled

Warren. “It wasn’t a movie, it was
a bunch of film. Somebody took
over the project, contacted me and
asked if I could make a movie out
of it.... The whole thing was laid in
my lap and I functioned as every-

Erika Peters (pictured in this cheesecake publicity photograph) is thing— as producer, as director, as
by far the most interesting thing found in the House of the Damned
editor, putting music in it, the

(1963).

224

House of Usher

2. THE MOVIES
ter; Screenplay: Harry Spalding; Cinematogra-

Johnny Gilmore was the legless man and he used
pher: John Nickolaus, Jr. Cast: Ronald Foster,
to walk on his hands. And he just loved to play

Merry Anders, Richard Crane, Erika Peters.

tricks.”

Lacking the wit, craftsmanship, and campy

13 Keys open the doors to the house haunted
scares of House on Haunted Hill, as well as the by the living dead!–poster
outré resolution and intriguing characters (with

Obviously patterned after the 1959 William
the bitchy, deadly, and oh- so- entertaining back-

Castle horror hit House on Haunted Hill, the low-biting between Vincent Price and Carol Ohmart
budget, small- scale (with only half a dozen speak-replaced by the dull marriage problems of a po-
ing roles) House of the Damned pales in every defaced Richard Crane and a petulant Erika Peters),
partment. The story has an out- of- work architect the bloodless and action- less House of the Damned and his wife (Ronald Foster and Merry Anders)

should be boarded up and condemned.

hired by their lawyer friend (Richard Crane) to

With quotes from: “Merry- Go- Round: An In-survey an isolated castle- like mansion up on a hill terview with Actress Merry Anders,” by Paul
near the California coast. The owners of the house

Woodbine, Filmfax 63/64, October/January 1998.

are the wealthy and reclusive Rochester family,
whose elderly heiress is in a mental hospital. For

House of Usher (1960; American Interna-the last ten years the house has been leased by an
tional) Director/Producer: Roger Corman;
old hermit- like man known as “the Captain.” But

Screenplay: Richard Matheson; Cinema
tog

-
the lease is up, the Captain has disappeared, and
rapher: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Vincent Price, Mark
the Rochesters want the bizarre structure refur-

Damon, Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbe.

bished and sold.

Edgar Allan Poe’s overwhelming tale of

What ensues is an hour (and three minutes) of

EVIL & TORMENT — tagline
the two couples (the lawyer brings his distrusting
wife) wandering about the structure, with the te-

This is the House that Roger built, the movie dium only alleviated by the occasional odd oc-that ushered in one of the most successful horror
currence, such as a hulking silhouette fol-
lowing their movements; a shadowy and
grotesque figure invading their bedroom
to steal the house keys; a giant of a man

(Richard Kiel) advancing menacingly on
the lawyer’s spouse (Erika Peters); and
the architect’s wife opening a door to see
a headless woman sitting in the room. It’s
all explained away — without undue dis-
tress— at the film’s (anti)climax in which
it’s revealed that a quartet of former
circus freaks (fat lady, giant, a legless man
and legless woman) were given haven by
the Captain (a former circus owner), who
has died in his bed. The quartet of human
misfits (played by real- life “human odd-
ities”) just wanted to scare away the “nor-
mal” folks, and meant no real harm.

The only remarkable thing about this
decidedly unremarkable film is the use of
real “freaks” to portray the former
sideshow performers (something that
hadn’t been done since Tod Browning’s

Freaks was lambasted for the practice over thirty years earlier). “Frieda Pushnik was
the little legless girl and she was so sweet,”

remembered co- star Merry Anders. “She

Star Vincent Price goes right to the source in this clever pub-came on the set with her mother....

licity shot for House of Usher (1960).

2. THE MOVIES

House of Usher

225
franchises of the 1960s, catapulted its director and screenplay, and another $5,000 for sets, decora-star to new heights and turned an American lit-
tions and props. “The real star of the show may
erary master into a bankable box office draw.

have been my art director Daniel Haller,” Corman

Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon) rides to the
wrote in his autobiography. “He went over to
secluded, dilapidated Usher mansion in search of

Universal and for $2,500 brought back stock sets
his beloved Madeline Usher (Myrna Fahey) but is
and scenery — large, well-built units we couldn’t
rebuffed first by the family butler (Harry Ellerbe) otherwise afford.” As a result, Usher boasted by and then by Madeline’s moody, withdrawn older
far the highest production values of any Corman
brother, Roderick (Vincent Price). Roderick is
picture to date. With the skilled Floyd Crosby be-
horrified when Philip announces his intentions
hind the camera making judicious use of colored
to marry Madeline and raise children. The Usher
gels, dry ice fog and matte effects, Corman and
line is “tainted” by madness and criminal tenden-

Haller were able to create the impression of a
cies, Roderick claims; he wants to ensure the fam-
massive, decaying mansion, and a pervasive am-
ily does not survive another generation. After
biance of gloom and madness. Matheson’s script

Madeline suddenly falls dead from a mysterious
also proved to be a wise investment. Despite a
ailment, Philip suspects Roderick may have mur-
slow and talky first act (a weakness that Corman
dered his sister to prevent the marriage. Roderick, tries to mitigate with fluid dollies and pans, and
now half-crazy, believes his sister’s ghost haunts
by having characters move while speaking), Usher the Usher house. Weeks pass. Eventually, Philip
remains an effective expansion of Poe’s brilliant
discovers that Madeline was accidentally en-
but brief story, steadily building tension toward
tombed alive — a revelation which drives guilt-
a harrowing finale. Of all Corman’s Poe films, this ridden Roderick beyond the edge of sanity.

remains most faithful to the source material.

With House of Usher, director Roger Corman

Later entries reflect more the spirit of Poe than
and star Vincent Price launched a series of
the letter of the author’s prose.

profitable and critical acclaimed Edgar Allan Poe

Corman, who had recently entered psycho-
adaptations that became emblematic of their ca-
analysis, weaved Freudian concepts into the nar-
reers. But that wasn’t the plan at the time. “House rative. “I felt that Poe and Freud had been working of Usher was a story I read in high school and al-in different ways toward a concept of the uncon-
ways loved,” Corman said. “I had no thoughts of
scious mind, so I tried to use Freud’s theories to
a Poe series at the time; it was just a picture I
interpret the work of Poe,” explained Corman in
wanted to make.”

his autobiography. “Put together correctly, the

As 1960 dawned, Corman had established him-
classic horror sequence is the equivalent of the
self as a reliable purveyor of money-making, low-
sexual act. The sharp, shocking event at the end
budget exploitation features. But the restless pro-
that releases the tension is the equivalent of the
ducer-director wanted to branch out into bigger,
orgasm.” Fortunately, most of Usher’s Freudian more ambitious productions. Instead of delivering
symbolism remains subtle. These concepts
two more black-and-white horror films, with
emerge most visibly in an eerie, purple-tinted
two-week shooting schedules and budgets of
dream sequence — one of the movie’s most effec-

$100,000 apiece, Corman asked American Inter-
tive scenes. Surreal flashbacks and dreams quickly
national Pictures’ Sam Arkoff to consider approv-
became a staple element in the series.

ing a single color feature, to be shot in Cinemas-

Usher’s primary weakness, beyond its languid cope on a three-week schedule for $200,000. The
first act, remains the uneven performances of its
project Corman had in mind was an adaptation
supporting cast. Mark Damon is bland and boring
of Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” with
as Philip, and Myrna Fahey seems a bit too robust

Price in the lead. After some haggling (a dubious
and chipper as the sickly, death-obsessed Made-

Arkoff asked, “Where’s the monster?” ; Corman
line. Harry Ellerbe is quite good as the Ushers’

replied, “The house is the monster”), Arkoff skittish manservant, Bristol. Ultimately, however,
green-lighted Usher, with a $240,000 budget and the film’s fortunes would pivot on Price’s pera 15-day shooting schedule. It was a major gamble
formance alone. From his striking entrance, wear-
for AIP, by far the costliest feature the company
ing dyed-white hair and a blazing red jacket, Price had yet financed.

is mesmerizing as the effete, unhinged Roderick

Much of the budget went to Price’s salary. Cor-

Usher. His finely shaded performance wins
man also spent $5,000 to engage acclaimed author
viewer’s sympathy while remaining quietly men-
and screenwriter Richard Matheson to pen the
acing. His outstanding work here capped a minor

226

The Human Vapor

2. THE MOVIES
comeback; after starring in House of Wax in 1953, Tomoyuki Tanaka. Screenplay: Takeshi Kimura.

the actor had worked primarily in television for

Cinematographer: Hajime Koizume. Cast: Tat-
several years but was enjoying a big-screen ren-
suya Mihashi, Kaoru Yachigusa, Yoshio Tsuchiya,
aissance thanks to The Fly (1958), House on Keiko Sata, Fuyuki Murakami, Bokuzen Hidari

Haunted Hill and The Tingler (both 1959)— and Something Evil Has Drifted Into the City
his association with Corman’s Poe series cemented

— tagline

Price’s status as a horror icon. Usher also marked the beginning of the actor’s long association with

The Human Vapor concluded a trilogy of Toho AIP, which would produce and/or distribute most
thrillers that mixed gangsters and shape-shifting
of the actor’s vehicles for the next 15 years, in-
menaces. The cycle began with The H-Man
cluding nearly all of his most enduring work.

(1958), about a criminal with the ability to melt

Usher also enhanced Corman’s reputation,
into a kind of radioactive goo, and continued
demonstrating that he could deliver product of a
with Secret of the Telegian (1960), which featured markedly higher standard than his earlier
a villain capable of broadcasting himself from
pictures. Part of the reason Corman wanted to
place to place like a TV signal. This time around,
make Usher was the prestige associated with the the titular character transforms into a rolling
story’s literary pedigree (as Corman calculated,
mist.

many critics did, in fact, treat Usher with greater The film hits the ground running with a title
respect due to these origins). At first, Arkoff was sequence depicting a bank robbery and murder,
dubious. Would teenagers go see a movie based
then cuts literally to the chase, with police in
on a story they were forced to read in school? But
high-speed pursuit of the fleeing thief. The get-
the success of Usher and Corman’s later Poe fea-away car crashes, but the cops can’t find the crim-
tures turned the author himself into a marquee
inal’s body. A series of other baffling crimes
attraction. When Corman decided to adapt a
follow. Detective Okamoto (Tatsuya Mihashi)

Lovecraft story, Arkoff insisted the movie be reti-
suspects that a down-on-her-luck dancer, Kasuga
tled (to The Haunted Palace) so it could be sold as a Poe picture. And when AIP acquired director Michael Reeves’

Witchfinder General (1968), Arkoff de-
manded a new title and the inclusion of a
few lines from a Poe poem, so it could be
marketed as “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Con-
queror Worm.”

Arkoff ’s gamble on Usher paid off hand-
somely. The movie far exceeded expecta-
tions, raking in over $2 million and becom-
ing one of the most profitable releases of

1960. A follow-up was inevitable. Arkoff
and partner Jim Nicholson placed Price
under exclusive contract and quickly
green-lit Corman’s next Poe picture, The

Pit and the Pendulum

(1961). As
triumphant as Usher had been, the best of
the Poe series— in both artistic and com-
mercial terms— was still to come.

With quotes from: “California Gothic:

The Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by

Lawrence French, from Video Watchdog

No. 138; and How I Made a Hundred Movies
in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime by

Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

The Human Vapor (1960/64; Toho;

Japan) Director: Ishiro Honda. Producer:

The Human Vapor (1960) does his stuff.

2. THE MOVIES

Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

227

(Kaoru Yachigusa), who lives near the site of the

After offering villainous liquids, murderous TV
bank robber’s car crash, may be mixed up in all
signals and criminal gasses, Toho’s short-lived
this. Okamoto’s girlfriend, Kyoko (Keiko Sata),
cycle of altered-state sci-fi thrillers ran out of
a newspaper reporter, shares his suspicions and
steam. The Human Vapor remains the last and insists on “helping” him investigate. Okamoto
least of the lot.

discovers some of the stolen money in Kasuga’s
home and arrests the dancer, forcing the real cul-

Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964; prit to reveal himself.

Twentieth Century–Fox; b&w) Producer/Direc-

This proves to be Mizuno (Yoshio Tsuchiya),
tor: Robert Aldrich; Screenplay: Henry Farrell
a mild-mannered librarian with a Phantom of the
and Lukas Heller (from a story by Henry Farrell);

Opera-like romantic fixation on Kasuga. He

Cinematographer: Joseph Biroc. Cast: Bette
gained his shape-shifting power as a result of a

Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes
bizarre government experiment, and began a

Moorehead, Cecil Kellaway, Mary Astor, Victor
wave of robberies to fund Kasuga’s return to the

Buono, Bruce Dern.

stage. Mizuno cares only about Kasuga and her

The ultimate in suspense!— trailer
career, and harbors no remorse for his crimes. “I
am no longer a human being, therefore I am no

The box office and critical triumph of What
longer subject to human law,” he reasons. Even

Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962) made a fol-though, by his own admission, Mizuno is an in-
low-up inevitable. A direct sequel was out of the
human sociopath, Kasuga loves him. However,
question, since Baby Jane ended with one of its she’s not willing to let him continue to harm oth-protagonists dead and the other hopelessly insane,
ers, and in the end makes the ultimate sacrifice
so producer/director Robert Aldrich and writer
to stop his crime spree.

Although better plotted and paced than its
predecessors, The Human Vapor lacks the
moody, noir ambiance of The H-Man and Secret of the Telegian. The visual effects in The Human Vapor remain competently crafted,
but clouds of mist simply aren’t as compelling
an oozing blob-man or the shimmering,
ghostly “Telegian.” It also lacks the human
interest of the first two films. The first act of

The Human Vapor focuses too much on the
saccharine romantic rivalry between Kyoko
and Okamoto. The bigger problem, however,
rests with the other pair of lovers, Kasuga and

Mizuno. Yachigusa and Tsuchiya have zero
screen chemistry, and the screenplay fills in
none of the blanks behind their unlikely,
doomed romance. So little sympathy is gen-
erated for the couple, the picture’s tragic
finale carries little emotional impact.

Released in Japan in 1960, The Human

Vapor failed to reach American shores until 1964, when it debuted on the lower half of a
double-bill with Gorath (1962/64), Toho’s
answer to When Worlds Collide (1951). Like

Gorath, The Human Vapor was extensively re-edited for its U.S. release. Mizuno’s identity is revealed immediately in the American
version, negating the mystery component of
the picture’s first act. Inevitably, the film was
also dubbed and re-scored, and its exciting

Spanish one-sheet poster for Hush ... Hush, Sweet Char-
title sequence replaced.

lotte (1964).

228

Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

2. THE MOVIES

Henry Farrell concocted the next best thing — a
remains in nearly every respect a more ambitious
sister film with the working title What Ever Hap-production than Baby Jane— boasting a wider pened to Cousin Charlotte, structured like the scope, larger cast, richer setting and more com-original, echoing its central themes, and reuniting plicated plot. But while Sweet Charlotte tries to its two stars, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. At
do more than its predecessor, it accomplishes less.

least, that was the plan. Eventually, both the title Aldrich drenches the film in shadowy Southern
and Crawford had to be replaced.

Gothic ambiance and uses unorthodox camera

Like Baby Jane, Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte setups to unnerving effect—for instance, employ-

(as the picture was ultimately named) opens with
ing a high number of overhead shots to suggest a
a protracted pre-credit sequence. The scene is an
ghost’s-eye-view. But after that stunning opening
opulent ball at the antebellum mansion of “Big”

he allows the tension to dissipate, and the movie

Sam Hollis in Hollisport, Louisiana, 1927. Sam
bogs down in a succession of repetitive dialogue

(Victor Buono) has learned that his only child,
scenes, never catching fire again until its final 35
lovely young Charlotte, has been carrying on with
minutes— beginning with an eerie, expressionist
a married man, John Mayhew (Bruce Dern), and
dream-sequence flashback to the fateful 1927 ball
that the two plan to run away together. John,

(shot in glowing, overexposed black-and-white
shamed when he learns that his wife, Jewel, also
by cinematographer Joseph Biroc). Although the
knows about his affair, agrees to break up with
story’s major plot twist proves disappointing —

Charlotte—and does so, in the quiet of the Hollis
it’s a near-verbatim lift from director Henri-
carriage house. Charlotte leaves in tears. Shortly

Georges Clouzot’s often-imitated thriller, Dia-
afterward, an unidentified person enters the room
bolique (1954), Sweet Charlotte finishes with a and murders John with a meat cleaver. This scene
satisfying climax. Whatever its faults, Sweet Charis shockingly graphic for an early-sixties major
lotte remains a hard film to dislike, because it’s studio production, including one shot in which
such fun watching Davis, de Havilland, Cotten

John’s hand is chopped off at the wrist. (We later
and Moorehead strut their stuff.

learn that John was also beheaded.) Moments

Davis plays Charlotte like a rusted-out version
later, Charlotte enters the ballroom, her party
of Julie Marsden, her character from the Civil War
gown spattered with blood.

melodrama Jezebel (1938), for which she earned The story then flashes forward to 1964. Char-her second Oscar. Although Charlotte is a rangier
lotte (Bette Davis) is an aged, shut-in spinster
and more sympathetic role than “Baby” Jane
and the Hollis mansion is scheduled for demoli-

Hudson, she doesn’t make the impact here she did
tion to make way for a state bridge-building proj-
in the previous film. Even though her part was
ect. Charlotte has never recovered from the loss
written for Crawford, de Havilland (also a two-
of her beloved John and seems unnaturally fixated
time Oscar winner) seems tailor-made to play
on her late father. Although never charged with

Miriam and turns in a stronger performance than

John Mayhew’s murder (due to “lack of evi-

Davis. For 1964 audiences, the casting of the two
dence”), everyone in town considers her a mur-
leads created some misdirection that enhanced
deress, and most think she’s insane. Her crusty
the mystery. With Baby Jane in fresh memory, housekeeper, Velma (Agnes Moorehead), is Char-viewers were fully prepared to accept Davis as an
lotte’s only companion — that is, until her cousin
unhinged psycho. On the other hand, de Havil-

Miriam (Olivia de Havilland) arrives from Back
land remained forever identified with her role as

East, ending a decades-long separation. Miriam
the virtuous Melanie Wilkes from Gone with the
also renews acquaintances with old flame Dr.

Wind (1939), so moviegoers were likely to accept Drew Bayliss (Joseph Cotten), now Charlotte’s

Miriam’s apparent selflessness at face value.

physician. Charlotte is convinced the destruction

The film reunited Davis with Cotten, who had
of Hollis House was somehow engineered by
co-starred with her in the notorious bomb Beyond Jewel Mayhew (Mary Astor), and believes that her
the Forest (1949). Although his career was in de-lover’s widow has been tormenting her for years.

cline — he would soon begin popping up in low-

Did Charlotte kill John Mayhew? Or was it some-
rent Japanese and European fare like Latitude Zero one else? Are Velma, Miriam and Drew protecting

(1969), Lady Frankenstein (1971) and Baron Blood Charlotte or plotting against her? And how does

(1972)— his skills remained sharp, as he proves

Jewel Mayhew fit into all this?

here. Cotten, of course, began his acting career

That’s only the first wave of mysteries posed by
as part of Orson Welles’ Mercury Players, along
the sprawling, 132-minute Sweet Charlotte, which with Agnes Moorehead, who steals Sweet

2. THE MOVIES

The Hypnotic Eye

229

Charlotte (and won an Oscar nomination) for her pation was so great that Sweet Charlotte earned spunky supporting performance as the crass,
back production costs in a single week. Although
grubby Velma — a character miles apart from her
it falls below the lofty standard set by Baby Jane, role as the glamorous, charming Endora on TV’s
mostly due to its unfocused and overly chatty

Bewitched, which also premiered in 1964. Sweet midsection, Sweet Charlotte remains a fascinating Charlotte marked the final screen appearance for and fun near-miss, thanks to its riveting opening

Astor, yet another former Oscar winner.

and closing sequences, gothic atmosphere and

When shooting began on what was then What
razor-sharp performances.

Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte, Crawford had the role of Miriam. But the production had to be

The Hypnotic Eye (1960; Allied Artists; b&w) suspended several times while Crawford checked

Director: George Blair; Producer: Charles B.

herself in and out of Cedar Sinai Hospital.

Bloch; Screenplay: Gitta and William Read

Reports vary as to whether Crawford was truly ill

Woodfield; Cinematography: Archie Dalzell.

or simply sickened by the prospect of being up-

Cast: Jacques Bergerac, Merry Anders, Marcia
staged again by her hated rival Davis, as she had

Henderson, Allison Hayes, Joe Partridge.

been in Baby Jane. The project fell further and further behind schedule until finally the insurance BEWARE OF THE EYE! Its hypnotic power
company underwriting the production gave
turns human flesh into robots!— poster

Aldrich an ultimatum: Replace Crawford or shut

A beautiful woman rubs shampoo into her hair
down for good. After Barbara Stanwyck, Loretta
and, instead of approaching the kitchen sink,

Young and Vivien Leigh all rejected the part,
walks to the stove, lights the gas burner, and

Aldrich flew to Switzerland and sweet-talked de
bends down to the flame. She raises up with her

Havilland into playing Miriam. A few brief shots
head and arms ablaze, and, suddenly realizing
of Crawford (glimpsed from behind, and in the
what she’s done, screams in pain and fear. The
distance) survive in the finished film. Due to all
scene goes black and the credits roll for The Hyp-this, Sweet Charlotte wrapped production nearly notic Eye, a rather grisly, ahead-of-its time gim-a half-million dollars over-budget, at a final cost mick-thriller.

of $1.9 million. Originally planned for release in

The story concerns the Great Desmond

November, 1964, the film was rushed into a few

(Jacques Bergerac), a successful stage hypnotist
theaters in December to qualify it for Oscar con-
who uses a small hypnotic device resembling an
sideration, but its general release had to be
eye to entrance young women onstage and plant
delayed until March, 1965. Still, audience antici-
post-hypnotic suggestions that induce them to
later mutilate themselves in
various ways. His motivation:

his beloved assistant (Allison

Hayes) is herself disfigured

(but wears a very convincing
mask), and wants to destroy
the beauty of all those around
her.

“Oh, that was such fun,” re-
called Merry Anders, who
plays a victim that washes her
face with acid (and who re-
ceived top femme billing, de-
spite filling only a supporting
role). “And it was such a weird
picture.” Weird indeed. Not
only does the film contain the
bizarre mutilation scenes (and
some particularly gruesome
makeup), it offers beatnik cof-

Victim of The Hypnotic Eye (1960) Mary Anders is treated by Fred De-feehouse “cool, man, cool”

mara (“the Great Imposter”).

poetry (delivered by real-life

230

Hysteria

2. THE MOVIES
beatnik Eric “Big Daddy” Nord), the strikingly
portant and invaluable medical tool, can be ex-
beautiful Allison Hayes, Fred “the Great
tremely dangerous when improperly used by un-

Imposter” Demara as a doctor(!), and, of course,
trained or unscrupulous practitioners. Therefore,

“HypnoMagic.”

never allow yourself to be hypnotized by anyone

“HYPNOMAGIC: It makes YOU part of the
who is not a medical doctor or who has not been
show!” proclaimed the posters, while the movie’s
recommended to you by your doctor — not even
pressbook exhorted exhibitors to “sell Hypno-
in a motion picture theater.” Not just another

Magic big and it will pay off big for you!” This
amusing entertainment, The Hypnotic Eye serves

“big sell” turned out to be a William Castle-style
as a public service announcement!

gimmick in which, just before the movie’s climax,

With quotes from: “Merry-Go-Round: An In-

Bergerac, performing his stage show, asks that the
terview with Actress Merry Anders,” by Paul
house lights be turned on (which was the cue for

Woodbine, Filmfax 63 –64, October/January
the projectionist to raise the lights about 40 per-

1998; The Hypnotic Eye pressbook, Allied Artists, cent). At this point Bergerac speaks directly to the 1960.

camera, merging the audience in the movie with
the audience in the theater. Bergerac then demon-

Hysteria (1965; Hammer/Columbia; U.K.; strates the “power of the mind” by squeezing the
b&w). Director: Freddie Francis; Producer/
juice from a “bitter, bitter” lemon and informing

Screenplay: Jimmy Sangster; Cinematographer:

the viewer how s/he can’t help but salivate (which, John Wilcox. Cast: Robert Webber, Anthony
amusingly, is true). Next comes a plethora of party Newlands, Jennifer Jayne, Maurice Denham, Leila
tricks (one involving a balloon — handed out to

Goldoni.

each patron at the start of the show — supposedly
becoming a lead weight in the viewer’s lap) that,

TERRIFYING SUSPENSE ... it will knock
you out of your seat!— tagline
unlike the simple lemon bit, don’t work and only serve to slow down the hitherto quick-paced

Cheaply made, static and cliché-riddled, Hys-

proceedings. (Of course, the entertainment
teria is a film without ambition or imagination.

value of observing a theater full of people all

It feels like what it is: The end of the line for Ham-rapidly raising and lowering their arms for one
mer Films’ once-thriving series of Psycho-inspired of these silly hypno-games would have been
black-and-white psychological thrillers.

worth the price of admission alone!) “The poten-

“Chris Smith” (Robert Webber) suffers from
tialities of this new technique are tremendous,”

amnesia following a car crash. An anonymous
enthused producer Charles Bloch in the film’s
benefactor pays his hospital bills and provides
press materials. “HypnoMagic opens up whole
him with a posh London flat. But the only clue to
new vistas to the director and is bound to work
his identity is a photograph of a young woman
an organic change throughout the medium —

(Jennifer Jayne) ripped from the pages of a mag-
something like when pictures first learned to
azine. His doctor (Anthony Newlands) warns him
talk.” These “new vistas” were apparently limited
that his mind may “play tricks” on him until his
ones, as nobody rushed to implement any
memory returns. And, sure enough, after he

“organic changes,” and HypnoMagic became yet
moves into the apartment, he begins hearing
another obscure footnote in cinema show man -
voices acting out a violent domestic dispute. He
ship history.

learns that the girl in the photo was stabbed to

On the distaff side, poorly developed characters
death months before — but then sees her a few

(there’s little interaction — much less affection —
minutes later. Is he losing his mind? Is he remem-
between Desmond and his assistant, for whom
bering a murder that he committed? Is someone
he’s supposedly doing it all) and too many on-
trying to frame him for the killing? Or is some
stage sequences sometimes bring the story to an
other sinister plot afoot?

abrupt hypno-halt. Still, Allison Hayes’ intense

The biggest mystery is whether or not audiences
demeanor (and beauty), some shocking set-
will remain awake to find out.

pieces, and an intriguing (though admittedly

As with Hammer’s preceding pseudo-Psycho
hokey) story line make The Hypnotic Eye worth entry Nightmare (1964), producer-screenwriter a look.

Jimmy Sangster shoulders most of the blame for

At the film’s close, a protagonist comes onstage
this misfire. The amnesia plot device was hack-
and delivers this warning to Desmond’s audience
neyed long before the 1960s and Hysteria

(and to the viewer): “Hypnosis, although an im-
offers nothing new. (Alfred Hitchcock’s 1945

2. THE MOVIES

I Married a Werewolf; Illusion of Blood

231
thriller Spellbound remains the final word on the subject.) Indeed, Sangster’s approach to amnesia
seems unpardonably lazy, since after months of
struggle “Smith” suddenly recovers his memory
for no apparent reason other than to further ad-
ditional plot contrivances. Hysteria’s fright elements are marginal at best, so it plays like watered down film noir than horror. But there are too few suspects for the film to function well as a mystery.

Perhaps Sangster, who had penned excellent
scripts for earlier entries in the series, was letting his duties as producer interfere with his responsibilities as screenwriter. He nearly admitted this later. “If you’re writing a script purely as a writer, you dress it up as you would want to see it,” Sangster said. “But if you’re going to produce it as well, you often find yourself pulled in two directions.”

In other words, you find yourself scrapping ideas
if they might be difficult or costly to shoot.

Sangster leaves director Freddie Francis pre-
cious little to work with. Although slick and pro-
fessional, Hysteria does not approach Francis’ best effort. Cinematographer Don Wilcox’s work is
sufficient but unremarkable. Don Banks’ brassy
jazz score isn’t bad. Most of the cast proves serv-
iceable, although charisma-challenged star Web-
ber drags down the rest of the ensemble.

One-sheet poster for Hysteria (1965).

After this flop, it was clear that Hammer
needed to either get out of the psychological

“There is no such thing as happiness”

thriller business altogether or find an entirely new

— The ghost of Oiwa
approach. They opted for the latter course and
delivered the flawed yet far more satisfying Die!

While not without points of interest, Illusion

Die! My Darling (in color and without Sangster) of Blood represents a major disappointment for a in 1965.

project that involved a well-respected director

For its part, Hysteria remains an amnesia story and one of Japan’s best leading men.

well worth forgetting.

In feudal Japan, master less (and penniless)

With quotes from: Hammer Films: An Exhaus-
samurai Iyemon (Tatsuya Nakadai) has reached
tive Filmography, by Tom Johnson and Deborah his nadir — he’s resorting to making umbrellas to

Del Vecchio.

scratch out a meager existence, his wife Oiwa

(Mariko Okasa) has been called home by her fa-

I Married a Werewolf see Werewolf
ther (Yasushi Nagata) in shame and now he’s on
the verge of selling his sword for a paltry few ryo.

in a Girls’ Dormitory

But Iyemon has a last-minute change of heart; he
decides to keep his sword and use to regain what

Illusion of Blood (1965/1968; Toho/Frank he’s lost, beginning with his wife. He confronts

Lee) Original Language Title: Yotsuya Kaidan

Oiwa’s father and discovers that his father-in-law

( Yotsuya Ghost Story). Director: Shiro Toyoda; (another poor ronin) has sold Oiwa into prosti-Producers: Ichiro Sato and Hideyuki Shiino;
tution to support himself. Enraged, Iyemon kills

Screenplay: Toshio Yasumi (Story: Nanboku Tsu-
his father-in-law and reclaims Oiwa from the
ruya); Cinematography: Hiroshi Murai. Cast:

brothel. But the killing sends Iyemon into a moral

Tatsuya Nakadai, Mariko Okada, Junko Ikeuchi,
tailspin and he soon turns on his wife and infant

Mayumi Ozora, Keiko Awaii, Eitaro Ozawa,
son. When the opportunity arises to marry into

Masao Mishima, Mikijiro Hira.

a wealthy family with connections to help him

232

The Illustrated Man

2. THE MOVIES
gain a position with a new lord, he poisons his

Needless to say, this isn’t the actor’s finest por-
wife and allows his child to die as well. But Oiwa
trayal, but it’s by far the best performance in the returns from the grave to sabotage his plans,
movie.

tricking Iyemon into killing his new bride and

Diehard J-horror fans and devotees of Toyoda
generally wreaking havoc on his life.

and/or Nakadai will find worthwhile moments

Illusion of Blood has several issues, but the most here — the story’s bitterly ironic conclusion is
problematic of these are its painfully contrived
nicely accomplished — but neophytes are advised
and needlessly convoluted plot and its dearth of
to begin their exploration of classic Japanese ghost likeable characters. The protracted set-up for this yarns someplace else, like Kwaidan.

haunting/revenge story consumes nearly the first
hour of this overlong 105-minute movie. (And

The Illustrated Man (1969; Warner Bros./
the synopsis provided above doesn’t include an

Seven Arts) Director: Jack Smight; Producers:

elaborate subplot involving Iyemon’s best friend,

Howard B. Kreitsek and Ted Mann; Screenplay:

who lusts for Oiwa’s sister and, coincidentally,

Howard B. Kreitsek (Book: Ray Bradbury); Cin-
kills her husband the same night!) Although Iye-
ematographer: Philip H. Lathrop. Cast: Rod
mon’s first crime seems understandable, consid-

Steiger, Claire Bloom, Robert Drivas, Tim Wel-
ering that he’s facing starvation and his father-indon, Christine Matchett.

law is a total scumbag, Iyemon doesn’t so much

Don’t Dare Stare at the Illustrated Man — tagline
slip into evil as power-dive into it. Just a few minutes after retrieving his wife from a life of pros-

Forget staring — don’t even waste a glance on
titution, he’s plotting to end her existence alto-

The Illustrated Man, a pretentious, ponderous gether. He’s inexplicably cruel toward both her
misfire that wastes a wealth of source material.

and to his newborn son (who dies of malaria be-

Young Willie (Robert Drivas) is hitch-hiking
cause Iyemon insists on hocking the mosquito
form New York to California during the Great De-
netting around the baby’s crib). In fact, the only
pression when he chances across a strange drifter
remotely sympathetic character in the film is
named Carl who’s tattooed from his neck to his

Oiwa.

toes. Carl tells Willie that his “skin illustrations”

The career of director Shiro Toyoda, which had
were given to him by a woman from the future,
begun in the silent era and reached its zenith in
and that if you stare into them, the pictures come
the mid–1950s with a series of well-received lit-
alive and tell stories. Willie doesn’t believe this erary adaptations (including The Mistress [aka but can’t resist looking at Carl’s fascinating body Wild Geese, 1953] and Marital Relations [1955]) art, which begins to tell its tales.

was tapering off by the time he made Illusion of It was a fine idea to make an anthology movie

Blood in 1965. Although slick and professional , derived from the genre-bending short stories of

Illusion is nowhere near the director’s best work Ray Bradbury and based on The Illustrated Man
and also lacks the poetic visuals of classic Japanese in particular, since it comes with a ready-made
ghost stories such as Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu
framing device to link the segments. Unfortu-

(1953) or Misaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan (1964). Il-nately, producer-screenwriter Howard Kreitsek’s
lusion suffers further damage due to its laughably 1969 adaptation bungles the job, failing miserably
poor special makeup effects.

to capture the melancholy grace of Bradbury’s

Star Tatsuya Nakadai, still active as of this writ-
storytelling and sometimes missing the author’s
ing, remains one of Japan’s foremost actors and
point entirely. Even though he and director Jack
was a favorite of esteemed directors Kobayashi

Smight clearly want The Illustrated Man to be (he starred in the Human Condition trilogy [1959–
taken as a serious literary adaptation, Kreitsek

1961], Harakiri [1962] and of course Kwaidan dumbs down the material, rendering it less poetic

[1964]) and Akira Kurosawa (who cast the actor
and more exploitative. (Not surprisingly, Brad-
in Yojimbo [1961], Sanjuro [1962], High and Low bury hates this movie.)

[1965] and Ran [1985], among other projects).

Kreitsek’s first mistake is stretching to absurd

Nakadai tries to use his role as Iyemon to show -
lengths Bradbury’s simple framing device. It takes
case his range but winds up taking the idea too
an astounding 27 minutes to begin the first short
far. In the film’s early moments, Nakadai under-
story. Subsequent, between-segment interludes
plays so severely that he seems nearly comatose;
also drag, as does the movie’s final (lame) wrap-
by the end of the picture he’s become a frothing,
up. If the frame were handled more efficiently,
grunting, quivering mass of bug-eyed lunacy.

The Illustrated Man could have included at least

2. THE MOVIES

The Incredibly Strange Creatures...

233

Lancaster or Paul Newman. Sure enough, Steiger’s
brooding, intense portrayal as Carl is spot-on.

Steiger, who won an Oscar the year before for In the Heat of the Night (1968), deserved some sort of award for enduring the 10 hours per day he
spent in the make-up chair while countless
tattoos were painstaking painted on his body. Un-
fortunately, for budgetary reasons, and perhaps
as another arty touch, Steiger was also assigned
the male leads in all three of the segments, and
he’s not quite as effective in some of those roles

(he seems especially flat as the troubled father in

“The Veldt”). Claire Bloom plays opposite Steiger
in all three episodes, as well as in flashback se-
quences during the extended frame. Her perform-
ances are more consistently convincing than

Steiger’s, but the picture would have been better
served by expanding the cast and hiring different
performers to star in each of the three stories.

Rod Steiger, looking the worse for wear, is The Il-

Then again, there’s so much wrong with this movie,
lustrated Man (1969)

it would have been better to scrap the whole thing
and start over from scratch. A new version of The one more and maybe two more episodes into its

Illustrated Ma n was in production in 2010.

103 minutes. As it stands, the picture includes just three tales: “The Veldt,” a reasonably faithful but

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who
talky version of Bradbury’s story about a mother
and father worried that their children are

Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up
spending too much time in their holographic

Zombies!!? (1964; Fairway International) Pro-playroom; “The Long Rain,” which tries to sex
ducer/Director: Ray Dennis Steckler; Screenplay:

up Bradbury’s story about astronauts stranded on

Gene Pollock and Robert Silliphan (story by E.M.

the planet Venus; and worst of all, “The Last

Kevke); Cinematographer: Joseph Mascelli. Cast:

Night of the World,” which completely rewrites

Ray Dennis Steckler (as Cash Flagg), Brett

Bradbury’s subtle, poignant end-of-the-Earth

O’Hara, Atlas King, Sharon Walsh, Pat Kirkwood
yarn, turning it into an E.C. Comics-style

(as Madison Clarke), Carolyn Brant.

shocker. The Illustrated Man marked Kreitsek’s screenwriting debut. Tellingly, he went on to pen

Not for sissies!— tagline
another failed literary adaptation (John Updike’s

If you like sleazy, Z-grade productions set in

Rabbit, Run [1970]) and a trio of brainless action seedy burlesque clubs and fleabag carnival
flicks ( Breakout [1970], Walking Tall Part II [1975]

sideshows, Incredibly Strange Creatures could be and Final Chapter: Walking Tall [1977]).

your kind of movie. If you enjoy watching

Smight, who worked primarily in television
balding 30ish men with Eastern European accents

(where he made Frankenstein: The True Story
try to pass for typical American teenagers, Incred-

[1973]), does a steady but unremarkable job be-
ibly Strange Creatures might be your kind of hind the camera. The film’s only noteworthy tech-movie. But if you want all of the above, plus go-
nical aspects are negatives: cinematographer
go music, rampaging zombies and ballroom danc-

Philip Lathrop’s curious obsession with yellow
ing interludes, then Incredibly Strange Creatures and pink gels, which recur in several scenes; and
is definitely for you.

the production’s abominably cheap-looking sets,

The story—told in drips and dabs between nu-
especially for “The Last Night on Earth,” which
merous burlesque routines—follows Jerry (Steck-
inexplicably takes place in a tent. Bradbury es-
ler), a teenager who dumps his girlfriend, Angela
sentially hand-picked Steiger for the title role —

(Sharon Walsh), gets mixed up with a sideshow
he sold the screen rights to Kreitsek and co-pro-
exotic dancer (Erina Enyo) and falls prey to an
ducer Ted Mann on the condition that the
evil gypsy fortune teller (Brett O’Hara) who turns

Illustrated Man be played by either Steiger, Burt

234

Incubus

2. THE MOVIES
wayward young men into hideously deformed,
hypnotically-controlled automatons. Under hyp-
nosis, Jerry commits one, and then another, mur-
der and even tries to strangle Angela. Finally

Jerry’s friends, while trying to free their pal from the psychic’s control, accidentally let loose a basement full of frenzied, bloodthirsty zombies. (At
some screenings, at this point performers in mon-
ster masks— sometimes including Steckler him-
self — would run into the theater.)

This picture is a kind of magnum opus in the
career of producer/director Ray Dennis Steckler,
the notorious purveyor of grind house schlock
like Rat Pfink a Boo Boo (1966) and The Horny Vampire (1971). Incredibly Strange Creatures (as the film’s 12-word title is commonly abbreviated)

is schlock, too— but it’s wildly amusing schlock.

Despite a paltry $38,000 budget, Steckler seems
bent on making sure there’s something entertain-
ing happening onscreen every second of the film’s

82 minutes— even if any given scene has nothing
to do with the preceding one, or with anything
else. In addition to the zombie murders, Steckler
includes a surprisingly effective, surreal dream
sequence, a strip-tease, numerous musical per-

One of the Incredibly Strange Creatures Who
formances (including a couple of meager produc-

Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies
tion numbers), standup comedy, amusement park
menaces Marge (Carolyn Brandt).

footage and, of course, ballroom dancing. His di-
rection proves equally manic, frequently employ-
habited by The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who ing unconventional camera angles and whirling

Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, handheld shots.

such things as standards and responsibility have

By investing so much energy, Steckler and
never been heard of.... It will remain as an artifact friends earn a measure of forgiveness for the pro-in years to come to which scholars and searchers
duction’s litany of flaws: amateurish acting, hack-
for truth can turn and say, ‘ This was trash.’”

neyed dialogue, nonsensical plot, grainy photog-

Unintentionally hilarious and willfully bizarre,
raphy, atrocious sound (so poorly recorded that
it’s nearly impossible to take your eyes off this in-at times the dialogue is virtually unintelligible), credibly strange, mixed-up movie.

and on and on. Tom Scherman’s mush-faced

With quotes from: Psychotic Reactions and Car-
zombie makeup looks hokey, too, but the char-
buretor Dung, by Greil Marcus (ed.).

acter designs have a certain crude effectiveness—
they are at least memorable. And once the

Incubus (1965; Daystar; b&w) Director/Screen-zombies finally break free, Steckler doesn’t reign
writer: Leslie Stevens; Producer: Anthony M. Tay-
in the mayhem, even letting the monsters crash
lor; Cinematographer: Conrad Hall. Cast:

one of the musical set pieces and attack the

William Shatner, Allyson Ames, Eloise Hart,
dancers!

Robert Fortier, Ann Atmar, Milos Milos.

Incredibly Strange Creatures
owns the

“LOOK ON with Bewilderment as William

(dis)honor of being named the worst film of all

Shatner Speaks in Tongues!”—(reissue) trailer time in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst

Movies Ever Made. It also endured the Mystery Sci-Bewilderment indeed, as (according the trailer
ence Theater 3000 treatment in 1997. But leg-again) Incubus is “the only film shot entirely in endary rock critic Lester Bangs wrote an appre-the artificial language of Esperanto.” A failed ex-
ciation of the movie in 1973. “This flick doesn’t
periment, Esperanto was designed to be a univer-
just rebel against, or even disregard, standards of sal language that would unite the peoples of the
taste and art,” Bangs wrote. “In the universe in-
world. Well, though a reported seven million in-

2. THE MOVIES

The Innocents

235
dividuals throughout the globe spoke this syn-
a plus or a minus in a horror film — since Incubus thetic tongue in 1965, it never really caught on.

also shares with Bergman a leisurely pace and

And while director/screenwriter Leslie Stevens
overabundance of dull stretches (as the camera

(creator of TV’s The Outer Limits) was banking follows characters walking through the woods,
on these seven million rushing out to see the only
reading, etc.)— remains a matter of taste.

movie made in “their” language, he forgot to take

In any case, Stevens and Co. managed to create
into account the fact that he could not get these
a substantial something out of next to nothing,
scattered millions together for significant-sized
with its minuscule $100,000 budget and tight 10-
theater screenings. As a result, Incubus failed to day shoot. Particularly impressive (given its no-secure a distributor and, following a few film fes-
frills schedule) are some unique camera angles—
tival showings (Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate
shooting through water up at characters, tipping
attended the movie’s San Francisco premier), dis-
the camera upside down to follow a figure
appeared from the cinema scene to become a
running past — and evocative lighting (including

“lost” film. Thirty years later producer Anthony
fog-shrouded back-lighting to generate some

Taylor finally located a damaged print in Paris
ominous atmosphere). And the incubus resurrec-
and restored it; and Incubus was ready for the tion sequence, in which the (human-looking)

world again ... but was the world ready for In-
demon literally rises from the earth in the dark of cubus?

the night, is as frightening and eerie a scene as

A beautiful succubus named Kia (Allyson
can be found in ’60s cinema.

Ames) tires of tempting already-lost souls to Hell

Incubus was William Shatner’s last movie
and sets her demonic sights on corrupting a
before Star Trek. Though a—little bit—of—Cap-

“good” man. Enter William Shatner as Marc, Kia’s
tain — Kirk creeps into his performance towards
intended victim. When Kia becomes “tainted” by
the end, he makes for a good-humored, likable
the love of this noble man, she vows revenge and
protagonist. And Allyson Ames’ ethereal beauty
summons up an incubus (Milos Milos) to corrupt
casts her as a convincing temptress (off-screen as
and destroy Marc’s sister. Marc must then battle
well as on — she married, but later divorced, di-
the demon and his love for Kia for his very soul.

rector Stevens).

According to Shatner, Esperanto was spoken

Unfortunately, this atmospheric and surreal
on-set at all times— as ordered by director
film becomes both prosaic and ridiculous at the

Stevens, even though this meant nobody really
end when the incubus transforms into an over-
understood anybody else (none of the actors ac-
sized goat (a baaaaad effect) to attack Kia as she tually knew Esperanto; they had the script’s text
tries to defect to “the God of Light” and aid the
in English on one side of the page and Esperanto
wounded Marc. Such a banal — and unconvinc-
on the other so they could recite it phonetically).

ing —climax flies in the face of the movie’s eerie, Onscreen, this translated (no pun intended) into
lyrical mood.

a dreamy, disconnected, almost otherworldly in-

Though not exactly the self-described “lost cult
terplay between the actors. Since they really didn’t classic” it claims to be (“lost” and “cult” apply,
know what they were saying to each other, their
but “classic” definitely overstates), Incubus offers reactions are often oddly muted, almost surreal.

enough atmosphere, chills and just plain novelty

Even apart from the obvious novelty of Es-
to make it a lost movie worth finding.

peranto, Incubus remains a one-of-a-kind ’60s In a bizarre life-imitates-art postscript, Milos
film. One part Outer Limits (cinematographer Milos (Yugoslavian-born actor Milos Milosevicz),

Conrad Hall photographed that groundbreaking
who plays the demonic incubus sent to seduce

TV series—before winning two Academy Awards,
and destroy Marc’s sister, later mirrored this plot for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Amer-in real life when in 1966 he murdered his lover,
ican Beauty), one part Carnival of Souls and two Barbara Rooney (wife of Mickey), and then comparts Ingmar Bergman, Incubus generates a time-mitted suicide. (In addition, actress Ann Atmar,
less ambiance in its allegorical tale of good vs.

who plays the sister ravaged by the incubus, also
evil. The internal struggles; the stark photog -
committed suicide shortly after the film
raphy; the vaguely Scandinavian clothing (not to
wrapped.)

mention the overtly Scandinavian blonde suc-
cubae); and the use of Esperanto itself (with its

The Innocents (1961; Fox; b&w) Producer/Di-faint Northern European flavor) all heighten the
rector: Jack Clayton; Screenplay: William
movie’s Bergmanesque qualities. Whether this is

Archibald and Truman Capote (Based on “The

236

The Innocents

2. THE MOVIES

Turn of the Screw” by Henry James; Additional

Scenes and Dialogue: John Mortimer; Script Ed-
itor: Jeanie Sims); Cinematographer: Freddie

Francis. Cast: Deborah Kerr, Martin Stephens,

Pamela Franklin, Megs Jenkins, Michael

Redgrave, Peter Wyngarde, Clytie Jessop.

Do THEY ever return to possess
the living?— tagline

Better horror films than The Innocents were made in the 1960s, but not many, and none of
greater subtlety or pictorial beauty. Advertised as a ghost story for grownups and boasting a prestigious literary pedigree (based on Henry James’

novella The Turn of the Screw, adapted by Truman Capote), The Innocents is a resolutely tasteful chiller — a triumph of suggestion over shock.

In gaslight era England, Miss Giddens (Deborah

Kerr) signs on to serve as governess for two
wealthy orphans, Miles (Martin Stephens) and

Flora (Pamela Franklin), and moves into a se-
cluded country estate along with the children and
a few servants, including housekeeper Mrs. Gross

(Megs Jenkins). It’s the first job for Giddens, a
sheltered minister’s daughter, and her first time
away from home. At first, she’s enchanted by the

Questioning poster for the questioning ghost story large, opulently furnished home and picturesque

The Innocents (1961).

grounds, as well as the precocious children. But
soon she begins to sense a sort of lingering evil
played by these evil apparitions. “They can only
hanging over the place, and fears that something
reach each other by entering the souls of the chil-
isn’t quite right with the children. Flora, for in-
dren and possessing them,” she explains. “The
stance, asks an odd question after reciting her
children are possessed.”

bedtime prayer: “If I weren’t [good], wouldn’t the

However, nothing in The Innocents can be

Lord leave me here to walk around? Isn’t that what
taken at face value — every scene can be inter-
happens to some people?” Miles returns home
preted in two or more different ways. Is the house
after being expelled from boarding school for un-
truly haunted, or are Quint and Jessel figments
specified reasons, events he refuses to discuss.

of Giddens’ imagination? Is Miss Giddens the

While playing a game of hide-and-seek with
children’s only hope, or their greatest danger? The the children, Giddens steps behind a heavy win-film’s conclusion remains ambiguous— open to
dow drape. She turns to look outside and
both paranormal and psychological explanations.

suddenly comes face-to-face with a ghostly-look-

Ultimately, each viewer must decide.

ing visage of a young man. Later, she finds a pho-

Jack Clayton directs with restraint worthy of
tograph of the man, but when she shows it to the
legendary RKO producer Val Lewton. The Inno-
housekeeper, Mrs. Gross informs Giddens that
cents is a masterpiece of insinuated menace and the man in the picture, a former valet named Peter
ethereal horrors—creeping shadows, flickering

Quint (Peter Wyngarde), is dead — murdered.

candles, flapping curtains, howling wind and dis-

Eventually Mrs. Gross also reveals that the previ-
tant voices. All of which are enhanced by cine-
ous governess, Miss Jessel (Clytie Jessop), was
matographer Freddie Francis’ evocatively lit,
having an affair with the abusive Quint, who
deep-focus black-and-white photography. Francis,
drove her to suicide. When, later, Jessel appears,
who would go on to direct several horror films
weeping, in Giddens’ classroom, Giddens
himself, clearly had an affinity for the material
becomes convinced that the spirits of Quint and
and it shows— especially in Giddens’ candlelit

Jessel still roam the estate. The children, she be-
midnight walk through the mansion, a photo-
lieves, are pawns in some wicked game being
graphic tour de force. This remains perhaps the

2. THE MOVIES

Invasion of the Animal People

237
most gorgeous film ever lensed by Francis, a two-
others did. It earned two British Academy Award
time Oscar winner. Together, Clayton and Francis
nominations, including one for Best Picture, and
keep the film forever in that twilight zone between the National Board of Review named Clayton Best
waking and dreaming, between sanity and mad-

Director. All those honors— and more — were
ness. Along the way, they work in a couple of star-
richly deserved.

tlingly effective “jumps,” like the face-outside-

The Innocents proves that horror films can be the-window moment, the highlight of the most
made with class and still deliver chills. It belongs spine-tingling game of hide-and-seek ever filmed.

alongside The Uninvited (1944), Ugetsu (1953), Clayton also coaxes sensational performances

Carnival of Souls (1962) and The Haunting (1963) from the cast. The picture turns in large part on
on any list of cinema’s greatest ghost stories.

Kerr’s spellbinding, carefully calibrated lead per-
formance. She’s extremely quiet and restrained in

Invasion of the Animal People (1962; the film’s early stages— both in her tone of voice

Sweden/U.S.; b&w) Alternate Title: Terror in the and in her gait and body language. This enables

Midnight Sun (U.K.); Director: Virgil Vogel. Proher, throughout the course of the film, to visibly
ducer: Bertil Jernberg. Screenwriter: Arthur C.

unravel — gradually allowing her voice to become

Pierce. Cinematographer: Hilding Bladh. Cast:

more strident, even jagged, her movements

Barbara Wilson, Robert Burton, Stan Gester,
quicker, her gestures more fraught. Kerr’s is the

Bengt Blomgren, John Carradine.

kind of portrayal viewers expect from a six-time

Oscar nominee. But perhaps even more impres-

GIANTS OF THE AGES RUN AMUCK IN

ICY DEATH ATTACK CONTROLLED
sive are the standout performances of the two

BY ALIEN BRAINS!— ad line
child actors. Tone-deaf line readings by young ac-
tors have sunk many films (call it the Donnie

Shot in Sweden in 1958 as Terror in the Midnight Dunagan Effect), but Franklin and especially

Sun (a moniker retained for its British release), Stephens (who appeared the year prior in The Vil-with a Swedish title of Rymdinvasion i Lapland
lage of the Damned) are convincing throughout, (“Space Invasion of Lapland”), Invasion of the An-even when they’re called upon to break down
imal People is a unique oddity that can produce emotionally.

both pleasure and pain in the viewer — in about

Clayton and his cast alike benefit from Georges
equal measure. This cinematic version of S&M

Auric’s atmospheric score, as well as from the
offers some of the most mind-numbingly dull
finely hewn script, which, without making sig-

“narration” found this side of an Ed Wood film
nificant changes to the events of James’ story, adds (at least the occasional “Woodism” proved unin-the underlying supposition that the “ghosts” may
tentionally funny; no such luck here) while at the be delusions, products of Giddens’ repressed sex-same time displaying some truly unique, beautiful
ual desires. Capote set aside work on his “non-
and atmospheric visuals, with a half-decent giant
fiction novel,” In Cold Blood, to adapt this screen-creature and enigmatic aliens thrown in for good
play from William Archibald’s stage play, The
measure.

Innocents, which ran in London’s West End and American character actor Robert Burton ( I Was
on Broadway in 1950.

a Teenage Frankenstein, The Manchurian Candi-In 1959, John Frankenheimer directed a TV
date, The Slime People) plays Dr. Wilson, the head version of The Turn of the Screw starring Ingrid of a scientific team investigating a strange object Bergman, but The Innocents marked the first big-that landed in northern Sweden. Among the team
screen treatment of the James novella. Several
is Erik Engstrom (Stan Gester) and Wilson’s
more unremarkable movie and television versions
daughter Barbara (Diane Wilson). As the team
have followed. Director Michael Winner delivered
discovers a round flying saucer (looking similar
a bizarre prequel, The Nightcomers (1971), starring to the spaceship from It Came from Outer Space) Marlon Brando as Peter Quint. The Innocents also in the frozen waste, Erik and Diane hit it off. But served as a major influence on the hit chiller The the saucer has unleashed a 20-foot tall shaggy

Others (2001), starring Nicole Kidman. Clayton monster (Lars Ahren) that sets about ravaging the
went on to direct one more upscale chiller with
countryside (destroying a Lapp village and eating
literary origins, Something Wicked This Way
some reindeer). The creature carries off Barbara,

Comes (1983), although the results proved far less and it’s up to Erik and a mob of skiing Laplanders
impressive in that instance.

to rescue the girl and destroy the monster. The

Although Oscar didn’t smile on The Innocents, saucer then departs, taking its mysterious inhab-

238

The Invasion of the Vampires

2. THE MOVIES
itants (hooded aliens who, apart from high fore-

The Man Who Turned to Stone) beautiful, but heads and dour demeanors, look just like
there’s not much significant emoting to be found
humans) with it.

above this cinemArctic Circle. Understandable,

Budgeted at a mere $40,000 (with half coming
perhaps, since the film was shot entirely in En-
from American and half from Swedish investors),
glish, with many of the Swedish actors learning
the film was shot in Northern Sweden where, ac-
their lines phonetically.

cording to director Virgil ( The Mole People, The Though released immediately in Europe, the

Land Unknown) Vogel, the temperatures reached movie could not find an American distributor

60 degrees below zero! Despite the weather, some
until Jerry Warren finally bought the U.S. rights
atmospheric night shooting and impressive (for the
in 1962 for $20,000. And once Warren gets his
time) ski sequences (though Warren Miller need
hands on a movie ... “abandon all hope ye who
not worry), along with the grandeur of the frozen
enter here.” In Hollywood Warren pared away
north, make this an Invasion of cinematic beauty.

much of Vogel’s ski and scenery footage (as well

Since there’s only one monster (a few silent
as some nudity, according to one European re-
alien observers aside), a more accurate appellation view), shot some new nonsensical footage of Bar-would be Invasion of the Animal PERSON. Said bara Wilson running down the street in terror
creature is fairly effective, with its shaggy bulk
from an (offscreen) UFO (or something), and in-
and frightening face (complete with a unique set
serted shots of John Carradine in a vaguely lab-
of tusks!), and Vogel shoots it from low angles to
like setting (with an ordinary switchboard stand-
give it a menacing, gigantic appearance. (The
ing in for high-tech research equipment!) as the
beast costume was worn by a Swedish newspa-
onscreen narrator calmly delivering tangential
perman, one of the investors on the film.)

drivel like, “The main functions of science can be

The movie fizzles at the end, with a mob of
termed as primarily function and control,” and,
torch-bearing villagers—er—nomadic Laplanders

“Without a future, there would be no present.”

(on skis!) easily dispatching the giant beast by set-Vogel claims his original version was “a great
ting its shaggy fur alight. At this, the aliens reverse piece of artistic work.” Well, doubtful; but it’s
their landing procedure (via the filmmakers sim-
odds-on that Warren’s re-editing didn’t improve
ply running the admittedly impressive landing se-
it, and a dead certainty that his added scenes made quence backwards—a comical cost-cutting effect)

it worse. In fact, said scenes stink like rotten herand leave.

ring. Fortunately, there’s still enough visual in-

The hero (Stan Gester) is handsome and the
terest and monster mayhem to make this off beat
heroine (Barbara Wilson, who also appeared in

Invasion worth watching.

With quotes from: Science

Fiction Stars and Horror He-
roes, by Tom Weaver.

The Invasion of the

Vampires (1963; Interna-
cional Sono-Film/Tela Talia

Films S.A./ Trans-Internat-
ional Films; Mexico; b&w)

Original Language Title: La

Invasión de los Vampiros; Di-
rector/Screenwriter: Miguel

Morayta; Producer: Rafael

Perez Grovas; Cinematogra-
pher: Raoul Martinez So-
lares. Cast: Erna Martha

Bauman, Rafael del Rio,

Carlos Agosti, Tito Junco,

Fernando Soto, Berta Moss,

Director Virgil Vogel and friend take a break during location filming in Lapland on Terror in the Midnight Sun (1962), renamed Invasion of the

David Reynoso, Enrique

Animal People for U.S. release (courtesy Ted Okuda).

Garcia Alvarez.

2. THE MOVIES

Invasion of the Zombies

239

“I’ll think of something
to avoid the invasion
of the vampires.”

— Dr. Ulysses Alberan

Actually, you could do much
worse than run across this cine-
matic Invasion; and those enam-
ored of that special subset of cin-
ema, the “Mexi-horror,” will find
plenty here to enjoy: eerie atmos-
phere and evocative lighting; a
creepily effective musical score (a
real rarity in South-of-the-Border
productions of this time); and
even some mobile camerawork.

Of course, there’s also the usual
preposterous dialogue and rapid,
clipped, unnatural-sounding

Dr. Alberan (Rafael del Rio, far right) attempts to protect Erna Martha Bauman and Fernando Soto from the Invasion of the Vam-

dubbing; overlong expository
pires (1963) (Mexican lobby card).

scenes; and ridiculous “special”

effects— but these are all par for
the course in a Mexican monster movie.

has a sinister face abruptly appear at a window —

A direct (and superior) sequel to The Bloody
complete with a startling zoom and cacophonous

Vampire, Invasion takes place at the “haunted ha-concussion on the soundtrack.

cienda” owned by a clueless Marquis. A young al-

The most impressive sequence in the film,
chemist, Dr. Ulysses Alberan (“I’m sorry, I’ve only however, comes after Frankenhausen’s demise.

studied alchemy and the occult sciences, not med-

Apparently, upon the death of the head vampire,
icine,” the “doctor” answers when asked for some
all of his victims (who’ve remained in a dormant
medical advice), arrives to investigate the myste-
state) rise up to stalk the night. Though such
rious deaths in the nearby village. There he
topsy-turvy vampire lore may be short on logic,
matches wits with the vampiric Count Franken-
it provides a real Night of the Living Dead moment, hausen and his minions. Alberan eventually uses
as dozens of corpses shuffle through the fog —
something called “clammic acid,” made from a
with stakes protruding from their chests! (Alberan
special plant, to destroy the vampires— though
had previously staked all these “dormant vam-
he employs the tried-and-true stake-through-the-
pires” as a precaution, but, according to the cha-
heart method to dispatch the Count himself, pin-
grined doctor, sometimes stakes work and some-
ning him to the wall in bat form with a javelin!

times they do not...)

This gives us a good look at arguably the most Likewise, sometimes this Invasion works and amusing movie bat ever to flap across a piece of
sometimes it does not; but it rarely fails to enter-celluloid. Very large and very unwieldy, it sports tain.

Bugs Bunny-sized ears and visible wires. About

Invasion of the Zombies (1962; Azteca/
on the level of the Devil Bat or, even worse, the Panamericana; Mexico; b&w) Alternate Title:

Flying Serpent, this rabbit-with-wings looks most Santo vs. the Zombies; Original Language Title: ridiculous when it literally bounces on a string

Santo Contra los Zombies; Director: Benito
outside a window. And the climactic battle with

Alazraki; Producer: Alberto Lopez; Screenplay:

Dr. Alberan consists of the wascally wabbit —

Benito Alazraki, Antonio Orellana; Cinematog-
er — bat making pass after pass after pass (eight, rapher: Jose Ortiz Ramos. Cast: Armando
to be exact!) as the doc ducks each time it “flies”

Sylvestre, Lorena Velasquez, Carlos Agosti,
by.

Ramon Bugarini, Jaime Fernandez, Dagoberto

Fortunately, there’s a few chills to go along with

Rodriguez, Irma Serrano.

the chuckles. Raul Martinez Solares’ evocative
lighting casts mysterious pools of shadow across

“He’d rather see the Saint wrestle than
the impressive Gothic-style sets, and one scene
have supper with Anita Ekberg.”— Lt. Savage

240

Island of Living Horror

2. THE MOVIES

While the above statement refers to this film’s
admiring protagonist, it could very well apply to
the legion of rabid Santo fans, both south and
north of the border.

Rudolfo Guzman Huerta (1917–1984), aka El

Santo, aka Samson, aka the Saint, became the
biggest Mexican wrestling star of the last century.

He became such a popular icon (his El Santo
comic book, for instance, sold over a million
copies each month!) that he continued to live the
roll outside the ring. Few knew his real name, and
fewer still ever saw his face, for he wore his famous silver mask almost constantly (as a result, his
facial skin became hyper-sensitive and his ears
were permanently pinned back to his head).

It seemed inevitable, therefore, that El Santo
should invade the celluloid arena as well. His
debut came in 1958 with two low-budget features
shot in Cuba, Santo Contra el Cerebro del Mal

( Santo vs. the Evil Brain) and Santo Contra los Hombres Infernales ( Santo vs. the Infernal Men).

However, Santo made no further big-screen ap-
pearances for three years (possibly due to the hor-
ribly corrupt film industry at that time — in
which, it was said, three-quarters of a film’s al-
lotted budget would disappear into someone’s

Spanish poster for the Mexican Santo feature In-
pocket). In any case, Santo came roaring back
vasion of the Zombies (1962).

with a vengeance with this, his third, feature, Invasion of the Zombies (for which El Santo received cluding a remote-control device attached to their
a mere $1,700), beginning a trend that lasted two
belts— that powers his undead automatons.) The
decades and nearly 50 films. Apart from Invasion, villain sends his zombies (who, rather than walk-however, only two further Santo movies made it
ing cadavers, look like brawny young men in tu-
to America in dubbed form ( Samson vs. the Vam-
nics and tights that move slowly and are imper-
pire Women, 1962, and Samson in the Wax Mu-vious to bullets) to rob jewelry stores and kidnap
seum, 1963).

further experimental subjects. The perplexed po-

In essence, all Santo movies are tales of good
lice call on the Saint (“He’s not only a wrestler,”

vs. evil set in a wrestling ring, meaning that every observes one character, “he’s kind of a crime-entry features numerous protracted wrestling
fighter”) for help.

bouts. For those appreciative of the finer points

Invasion starts with a ten-minute wrestling of an over-the-shoulder body slam, this poses no
bout — and then goes downhill from there. Inter-
problem. For viewers not so enamored of a deftly
spersed with the lackluster zombie activities are
executed scissors-hold, however, such spectacle
several more repetitious wrasslin’ matches (in-quickly becomes tiresome.

cluding one against a zombified wrestler). Stri-

In Invasion of the Zombies, “the Saint” (in the dent, awkward dubbing and incongruous events
two subsequent dubbed pictures he became
do nothing to alleviate the ringside tedium, and

“Samson”) faces off against a madman who has
a general lack of atmosphere and suspense sur-
kidnapped a professor versed in the lore of
rounding these decidedly un zombie-like walking Haitian voodoo and zombies. The villain (who
dead make this Invasion one for Santo completists sports a black cape and executioner’s hood[!] in
only. Fortunately, things would improve for his
a vain attempt to keep his identity a seen-it-com-
two subsequent American-released outings.

ing-from-a-mile-away secret) has developed a
serum and machine that creates zombies. (Why
he needs the professor remains hazy, since appar-

Island of Living Horror see Brides
ently it’s not the supernatural but science — in-
of Blood

2. THE MOVIES

Island of Terror

241

Island of Terror (1966; Universal; U.K.) DiThe script is intelligent and well-paced (with
rector: Terence Fisher. Producer: Tom Blakeley.

the menace remaining a mystery for the first half,

Screenwriters: Alan Ramsen, Edward Andrew
setting up the ever-mounting tension of the latter

Mann. Cinematographer: Reg Wyer. Cast: Peter
portion), and peppered with believable and often

Cushing, Edward Judd, Carole Gray, Eddie Byrne,
wryly amusing dialogue. “Are you all right?” asks

Sam Kydd, Niall MacGinnis.

one concerned character after a particularly close
encounter. “No!” is the emphatic — and reason-

Out of an experiment on life came a
able — response.

devastating death!— trailer

Adding to the credibility quotient is the incisive

“Island of Terror came to me when Gerry Fern-playing of the cast, particularly Edward Judd as
back sent me a screenplay called The Night the Sil-West and Peter Cushing as Stanley, who both
icates Came,” recalled executive producer Richard bring a natural intelligence and believability to

Gordon. “I read it and really thought it was one
their characters. Though Judd had the reputation
of the best finished science fiction/horror screen-
of sometimes being “difficult,” he exhibited no
plays that I’d read for a very long time.” It was in-such behavior here. “With Peter Cushing’s general
deed a good yarn, and, thanks mostly to the sus-

‘benign’ influence,” recalled Gordon, “it was a
penseful script and solid acting (highlighted by
happy shoot.”

Peter Cushing’s witty portrayal), Island of Terror Despite its science-oriented premise, Island of remains one of the more entertaining sci-fi/

Terror possesses more horror/suspense than sci-horror hybrids of the 1960s.

fi/gadgetry. Director Terence Fisher, Hammer

“Fiction or fact?” asked the film’s trailer. “This

Films’ mainstay during their Gothic horror
could really happen.” Well ... doubtful, but you
revival period in the late 1950s and early ’60s, cre-be the judge: On an isolated island off the Irish
ates some eerie set-pieces— particularly early on
coast, a prominent scientist has set up a sophis-
when the creatures are kept largely unseen. The
ticated cancer research lab. In “trying to create
silicates, with their slimy, bubbly turtle shell-like some form of living matter to counteract the can-bodies and long protruding tentacles, are unique
cer cells,” the doctor has instead produced a sili-
little monsters. Admittedly, the creatures (ani-
con-based life form that sucks bone from its vic-
mated “mostly with wires being pulled along the
tims and replicates itself by division every six
ground,” revealed Gordon) sometimes appear
hours. When a local farmer is found dead (and
rather plastic and less than convincing (looking
denuded of all bone matter), the puzzled village
particularly slow and ungainly in long shot), but
doctor calls in eminent pathol-
ogist Brian Stanley (Cushing)

and bone disease specialist

David West (Edward Judd).

Learning what they’re up
against from the scientist’s
notes (the doctor and all his
assistants were killed by the
creatures), Stanley and West
must find a way to destroy the
ever-advancing “silicates.”

Principal photography on
this English production began
on November 22, 1965, at

Pinewood Studios, where the
entire film was made (with the
studio’s back lot and lake
standing in for the island exte-
riors). Without an expensive
location shoot, the production
could remain within its ex-

The unfortunate Dr. Stanley (Peter Cushing) comes to grips with the tremely economical budget of
tentacle of an unstoppable “silicate” on the Island of Terror (1966)

£75,000 (about $200,000).

(American lobby card).

242

Island of the Burning Damned

2. THE MOVIES
the high-quality acting and professional

Night of the Big Heat, but the U.S. distributor demeanor of the principals sells the illusion. (Ed-

(United Productions of America) renamed it the
ward Judd relayed to interviewer Steve Swires an
more exploitative Island of the Burning Damned—
amusing story of how a stray dog wandered onto
which was then changed to Island of the Burning the shoot one day and “actually tried to make love

Doomed for its television debut (to avoid offend-with one of the silicates. He found an opening
ing the children—and Bible thumpers—one sup-
and started to mount it. That poor dog must have
poses).

gotten the surprise of his life.”)

Something of a companion piece to the previ-

While some might consider it just another crea-
ous year’s Island of Terror (both were British sci-ture feature, the film’s literate script and
fi/horror productions directed by Terence Fisher,
intelligent acting make this Island a worthy des-both starred Peter Cushing, and both involved
tination for discerning fans of 1960s horror and
creatures laying siege to a remote island), Island sci-fi.

of the Burning Damned is less successful as a crea-With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
ture feature (with the unlikely but inventive ten-

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

tacled monsters of Terror inspiring far more shudders and excitement than the disappointing,

Island of the Burning Damned (1967;
slow-moving blobs of Burning Damned) but more Planet Company; U.K.) Alternate Titles: Night of impressive as a character study. In fact, Night is a the Big Heat (U.K.), Island of the Burning Doomed well acted, character-driven drama draped over

(U.S. TV); Director: Ternence Fisher; Producer:

a rather shaky alien monster framework.

Tom Blakeley; Screenplay: Ronald Liles, Pip and

“The idea is an excellent one,” enthused star

Jane Baker; Cinematographer: Reg Wyer. Cast:

Christopher Lee in The Films of Christopher Lee Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Jane Merrow,
by Robert Pohle, Jr., and Douglas Hart, “and it’s

Patrick Allen, Sarah Lawson, William Lucas.

a good picture right until the very end, when they

SHOCK AND TERROR — FOR THOSE

STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE IT!

— poster blurb

Based on John Lymington’s novel Night of the

Big Heat, the story centers on the inhabitants of a small inn on the remote British island of Fara
during an inexplicable winter heat wave. Among
the characters are the inn’s owners, novelist Jeff

Callum (Patrick Allen) and wife Frankie (Sarah

Lawson, Allen’s real-life wife), the level-headed
local doctor (Peter Cushing), “slut” Angela (Jane

Merrow), who came to the island to try and
rekindle the illicit tryst she had enjoyed with Jeff (and which Jeff bitterly regrets), and a solitary,
no-nonsense scientist named Hanson (top-billed

Christopher Lee), who’s conducting a secret in-
vestigation. As the temperature climbs (“108 de-
grees and still rising,” reports one character), it comes to light that the island is a staging ground
for an invasion from outer space. The blob-like
aliens traverse a heat ray trained on the island
from another planet and set about sucking energy
sources dry (including car engines and acetylene
tanks), while also frying any of the indigenous
population they run across. It’s up to the protag-
onists to find a way to stop the invaders before

Cinematic odd couple : The juvenile thrills of
they spread to the mainland and ultimately turn

Godzilla’s Revenge paired with the adult issues Earth into a burned-out cinder.

(and alien blobs) found on the Island of the

In Britain the film retained its literary title of

Burning Damned (1967).

2. THE MOVIES

Island of the Burning Doomed; Island of the Doomed

243
made the mistake of introducing the aliens. They
a good, mysterious build-up and several sus-
were supposed to represent pieces of protoplasm.

penseful set-pieces), Island of the Burning

To me, they looked like badly fried eggs.” Indeed,

Damned is a cracking good yarn—until the glow-it’s the interactions and tensions between the
ing glops show up. Still, it remains one of the bet-characters, as the rising temperature makes tem-
ter adult-oriented sci-fi/horror films of the
peraments rise, that prove to be the film’s strong
decade.

point and raison d’etre. The cast does marvelously well, with the standout perhaps being Jane Mer-

Island of the Burning Doomed see
row. As Angela, she is desirability incarnate, using

Island of the Burning Damned
her sexuality to entice and torment. As the terror
unfolds, however, her narcissistic front crumbles

Island of the Doomed (1965; Orbita-Tefi; into a panicky, almost self-destructive self-Spain/West Germany) Original Language Title:

loathing.

La Isla de la Muerte; Alternate Titles: Maneater of Making the movie was no picnic in the park for

Hydra; Bloodsuckers; Director Ernest Von the actors, considering it was filmed during the

Theumer (Mel Welles); Producer: George Ferrer;
height of the English winter. “The whole point of

Screenplay: Stephen Schmidt, Ira Meltcher; Cin-
the story is that this freak heat wave happens in
ematographer: Cecilio Paniagua. Cast: Cameron
the winter,” explained Lee in Mark Miller’s

Mitchell, Elisa Montes, George Martin, Kay Fis-

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and Horror Cincher, Herman Nelson, Matilde Sampedro,
ema. “Now, there’s no problem involved in that Richard Valle, Mike Brendel, Ralph Naukoff.

if you’re shooting interiors, but if you’re shooting exteriors— and we shot a lot — you have to show
trees without leaves on them. So this film was shot in February, about the coldest month of the year,
and we did a lot of night shooting on that, wan-
dering about and running about with practically
nothing on, pretending to sweat and saying how
hot it was when, in fact, we were freezing to death because it was probably down to zero centigrade.

That was murderous, as you can imagine, and it
was amazing we survived it. I don’t think anybody
even got a cold. The main problem was the smoke
of one’s breath. We got around that by sucking
ice cubes.”

Director Terence Fisher does an admirable job
of juggling the character development and inter-
actions with the initial mystery build-up and early (and thankfully monsterless) “encounter” scenes,
using sound, atmosphere and actors’ reactions to
convey the terror that showing the creatures
would have negated.

“Terence really was the ultimate professional,”

praised Jane Merrow to Miller. “With him, it was
let’s get on with the job, use what we have at hand, and don’t let us cry about spilt milk if they [the
effects] aren’t absolutely right. Obviously, if they’d been absurd he would have, I’m sure, fought to
have them as right as they possibly could be. But
the British directors were very good at working
with what they had, and we were working with
very limited means. You just got on with what

This one-sheet poster promises far more activity you were given, really.” Oversized fried eggs and
than what’s actually seen on the Island of the
all.

Doomed (1965), a deserted atoll, entertainment-Well written, well acted and well directed (with
wise.

244

It!

2. THE MOVIES

WHAT WAS THE TERRIFYING SECRET OF
bleeds to death after being chopped at by the axe-

THE VAMPIRE TREE?— poster blurb
wielding hero. By this point, the viewer’s interest has been bled dry as well.

On his own private island, nobleman Baron

“It’s a dreadful film,” admitted Cameron

Von Weser (a woefully miscast Cameron Mitchell)

Mitchell, “but it’s made a lot of bucks.... I enjoyed creates new species of plant life, including a large playing the villainous Baron, although I didn’t
tree that wraps its tendrils around its victims and think the dubbing was very good.” Indeed, it’s
sucks their blood. A group of tourists lured to the particularly disconcerting to hear the actor’s dis-island becomes plant food.

tinctive, gravelly voice replaced by an aristocratic-Shot on a huge private estate near Barcelona
tinged, upper-crust accent totally incongruous

(the producers paid the owners $5,000 for the use
with Mitchell’s gruff persona.

of their villa), Island of the Doomed certainly lives Incidentally, this same year Cameron Mitchell
up to its name: Whoever falls under the spell of
filed for bankruptcy.

this celluloid monstrosity is indeed doomed —

With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
doomed to an hour and a half of unrelieved bore-

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, and Attack of dom. Scenes of the annoying characters (cuck-the Monster Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

olded husband; slatternly wife — named “Mrs.

Robinson”!; bookish botanist; brash middle-aged

It! (1966; Warner Bros./Seven Arts; U.K./U.S.) matron; handsome hero; innocent ingenue; etc.)

Director/Producer/Screenwriter: Herber J. Leder.

eating, walking, talking, arguing and engaging in

Cinematographer: Davis Boulton. Cast: Roddy
illogical behavior (thinking there’s a killer loose McDowall; Jill Haworth, Paul Maxwell, Aubrey
on the island, several characters go out walking

Richards, Ernest Clark, Oliver Johnston.

by themselves) go on and on and on...

The only thing that might save this bland cin-

HOW CAN WE DESTROY IT BEFORE

IT DESTROYS US?— ad line
ematic salad would be a generous helping of hor-
ror inspired by the movie’s only intriguing char-

Typically dismissed as another boring British
acter — the tree. “WHAT WAS THE TERRIFYING
misfire (if even considered at all), the much-ma-

SECRET OF THE VAMPIRE TREE?” asks the
ligned It! is not altogether unworthy of attention.

movie’s advertising. The Answer: IT DOESN’T

Impeccably acted (particularly by star Roddy Mc-

WORK. “We built a tree that was supposed to run

Dowell) and possessing several worthy themes,
electronically,” recounted director Mel Welles. “It not to mention a unique (for the 1960s anyway)

cost $30,000 in Spain to build it. And then it
monster, It! remains an unusual entry in ’60s didn’t work. So we wound up using the old-fash-British horror (and one far superior to its co-fea-
ioned trick of pulling the branches with wires.”

ture, the flaccid The Frozen Dead).

The film is an hour and fifteen minutes old (hav-

When a museum warehouse catches fire, the
ing loooong overstayed its welcome) by the time
only item untouched by the flames is a mysterious
the viewer glimpses said sinister shrub. Granted,
stone statue. After several inexplicable deaths
it is rather disturbing, with its vaguely obscene occur near the figure, milquetoast curator’s as-proboscis waving about in the middle of oversized
sistant Arthur Pimm (Roddy McDowell) discovers
flowers attached to the ends of long, thick vines—
that it’s actually the cursed Golem created by
all the while accompanied by sickening slurping

Rabbi Loew in the 16th century to protect his per-
noises (which are more than a little reminiscent
secuted people. Pimm reactivates the statue and
of flatulence!)— but it’s too little, too late.

sets it to serving his own ends, including murder-

Welles intended to finish the film with a bang
ing a superior to secure a promotion and destroy-
by having lightning strike the tree, setting both
ing a bridge (a misguided attempt on Pimm’s part
monster and master alight. But the special effects
to impress his would-be girlfriend with his new-
technicians (“who had not accomplished anything found power). Finally gone completely mad,
correctly up till then,” griped the director) had

Pimm kidnaps his reluctant lady love (Jill Ha-
bought magnesium salt instead of powder. “It was worth) and takes the Golem to a remote estate
enough laxative for three movie companies,”

owned by the museum. There the police — and,
laughed Welles. “We ended the picture without
eventually, the army — attempt to stop the stone
the fire because I didn’t want to go an extra day,
leviathan.

and there was no way to get magnesium powder

Two things make It! worth watching: Roddy
late on a Sunday night.” So instead, the tree just

McDowell and the grotesque Golem. McDowall

2. THE MOVIES

It’s Hot in Paradise; Jack the Giant Killer

245
has a rather low opinion of
this picture: “The film just
went totally to pieces,” re-
marked the actor, “and I re-
ally don’t remember chapter
and verse on it.” Which is too
bad considering it’s the
biggest part McDowall ever
played (though far from the
best), with the actor onscreen
in nearly every scene. He
makes the most of it, with his
mild manner and blend of
bemused distraction making
him appear both harmless
and likable — which makes it
doubly effective when the
worm turns. Despite Pimm
being a few biscuits shy of a

It! carries off Jill Hayworth.

full tin, the actor transforms
the bizarrely written character into a real person, this as absurd; but it’s explained that the Army’s
diverting his eyes in horror when he orders his
conventional weapons have failed and they need
first murder, for instance, and seeming genuinely
to save face ... or something.)

sorry when someone stumbles upon his secret and

“It should have been rather good, actually, but
must be eliminated.

it was very badly done,” concluded McDowell.

Ads called It the “monster of the year!” and it’s Not really. Though the story had its problems,
a hard point to argue. When the heroine com-
there is still enough here to make it a diverting —
ments, “There’s something uncanny, frightening
if not wholly engrossing — 95 minutes (or 70
about it,” she’s not far wrong. With its conical-
minutes anyway, as the film is indeed too long to
shaped head, vaguely skull-like features and
truly sustain It self ).

rough-hewn texture, It cuts a hideous and impos-With quotes from: “From Collies to Were-
ing figure.

wolves: Roddy McDowall,” by Danny Savello,

The problem with the film — and this is a big

Scarlet Street 26, 1997.

one — is its meandering, half-baked script. Un-
fortunately, producer/director Herbert. J. Leder

It’s Hot in Paradise see Horrors of
felt his screenwriter could do no wrong. Who was

Spider Island
said screenwriter? Why, Herbert J. Leder. (Leder
also wrote the highly enjoyable Fiend Without a

Jack the Giant Killer (1962; United Artists) Face in 1958, which someone else produced and Director: Nathan Juran; Producer: Edward Small;
directed.) Leder’s script earns an A for effort but Screenplay: Orville H. Hampton, Nathan Juran;
only a C- for execution. “Power destroys,” says

Cinematographer: David S. Horsley. Cast:

one character, delineating a theme that could have

Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher,
made this a truly intriguing story — had not

Walter Burke, Robert Mobley, Don Beddoe.

Pimm’s character been shown as petty, deceitful
and outright psychotic from the get-go. (The very THE MOST AWESOME SPECTACLE THAT
first scene, in which the devoted Momma’s boy

EVER STUNNED THE IMAGINATION!

goes home to give his mum a necklace ‘borrowed’

— poster blurb
from the museum, reveals her to be a preserved

Well ... not really. Unless you’re a prepubescent
corpse, à la Psycho!) Power corrupting the already cinematic neophyte, it’s unlikely — even back in
corrupted doesn’t generate the same impact.

1962 — that your imagination would be much af-

Then, of course, there’s the outright lapses in
fected, much less “stunned,” by this “AWESOME
logic, the most glaring of which has the Army

SPECTACLE.” Said spectacle follows the
dropping a nuclear bomb on the English country-adventures of one medieval farmer-turned-hero
side! (To be fair, the film’s nominal hero protests named Jack (Kerwin Mathews) who, after killing

246

Jack the Ripper

2. THE MOVIES
a giant who had kidnapped a princess (Judi

Effects work on When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth

Meredith), is knighted by the King of Cornwall

(1970), his awkward designs and crude technique
and appointed the official Princess Protector.

on Jack looks substandard compared to anything When the evil wizard Pendragon (Torin
done by Harryhausen.

Thatcher), who sent the giant, manages to recap-

“[Director Nathan Juran] rewrote [ Jack the
ture the princess, Jack, a plucky cabin boy, a

Giant Killer]— and made me sick with what he Viking fisherman and a leprechaun in a bottle(!)

did to it,” complained scripter Orville H. Hamp-
must journey to the sorcerer’s castle to battle varton ( The Alligator People, The Atomic Submarine, ious monsters and rescue the girl. Some of the

The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake). While there’s formidable foes faced by Jack include a bevy of
little innovation and even less depth in the
witch-demons (one of which sports a giant lizard
straightforward story, it remains serviceable
head from whose gaping maw spews a gale-force
enough as a simple adventure fantasy strewn with
wind), huge zombie warriors, a two-headed ogre
horror elements. Competent — if unspectacu-
and a winged dragon.

lar—in most departments (though disappointing

After producer Edward Small turned down Ray
in the poorly animated monster scenes), Jack

Harryhausen and his fabulous sketches for a pro-
makes for an undemanding Time Killer.

posed Sinbad movie, the stop-motion animation

Viewer beware: There are two versions of this
wizard took his ideas to producer Charles H.

film. One is a straight horror/fantasy aimed at a

Schneer, who collaborated with Harryhausen to
young-adult audience, while the other is a cloying
produce the box office winner The Seventh Voyage musical intended to soften the film’s frightening
of Sinbad in 1958. Obviously coming to regret his aspects for the children. The footage remains ba-hasty decision, Small belatedly made Jack the
sically the same in both, but the musical version

Giant Killer, hiring the two key stars from Sinbad dubs “cute” songs over the dialogue (and many

(hero Mathews and villain Thatcher, playing
of the monster scenes!)— this latter aberration
nearly identical roles as they had in Sinbad), as becoming the true horror.

well as that previous film’s director, Nathan Juran.

With quotes from: “The Write Approach: An

Unable to afford the animation master himself,

Interview with Screenwriter Orville H. Hamp-
however, given Small’s— er, small budget, the
ton,” by Paul Woodbine, Filmfax 66, April/May producer turned to up-and-comer Jim Danforth

1998.

for the film’s stop-motion monster effects.

Though Danforth later proved his talent by

Jack the Ripper (1960; Embassy/Paramount; earning an Oscar nomination for his Visual

U.K.; b&w/color) Directors/Producers/Cinema -
tographers: Robert S. Baker,

Monty Berman; Screenplay:

Jimmy Sangster (original
story: Peter Hammond, Colin

Craig). Cast: Lee Patterson,

Eddie Byrne, Betty McDowall,

Owen Solon, John Le

Mesurier.

THE MOTION PICTURE

SCREEN SCREAMS WITH

EXCITEMENT!— tagline

Though this British import

(filmed at Shepperton Studios
in November 1958 and re-
leased in America in February

1960) may not be the best cin-
ematic take on “Saucy Jack”—

1944’s The Lodger, starring

Laird Cregar, wins that top

The evil wizard Pendragon (Torin Thatcher, at left) and his minions in honor — it certainly makes a

Jack the Giant Killer (1962) (Mexican lobby card).

strong case for runner-up.

2. THE MOVIES

Jack the Ripper

247

“London —1888” the screen tells us, as a tipsy
ological insight and historical accuracy (London’s
streetwalker staggers through the dark, foggy

East End became a veritable powder keg during
lanes of Whitechapel, only to be confronted by a
the Ripper murders, with mob anger often aimed
black shadow who menacingly rasps, “Are you
at Jews).

Mary Clarke?” before a gleaming blade silences

The producing/directing/cinematography team
whatever response she could have made through
of Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman take full
her terrified gasps. It’s a stark and startling pre-advantage of the cleverly constructed story, em-
credits sequence that sets the ominous, atmos-
phasizing the foggy, shadowy street settings, and
pheric tone (and would become something of a
maximizing, via tilted angles, close shots,
template for similar scenes in numerous
reactions and judicious use of shadow, the horror
television and filmic Jack the Ripper adaptations
of the murders themselves. The duo were respon-
to come).

sible for such literate and atmospheric British ter-Hammer veteran Jimmy Sangster’s screenplay,
rors as The Crawling Eye, Blood of the Vampire based on a story by Peter Hammond and Colin

(both 1958) and Mania (1960, another sixties Craig (who “borrowed” the intriguing theory es-shocker based on real-life historical horror).

poused by Leonard Matters in his investigative

Film distributor Joseph Levine (the man who
book The Mystery of Jack the Ripper), focuses on made Steve Reeves a household name in America

Scotland Yard Inspector O’Neill’s (Eddie Byrne)

by importing the Italian muscleman feature Her-
and his American friend and colleague, Detective
cules and starting the Stateside peplum craze in Sam Lowry’s (Lee Patterson), fruitless pursuit of
the late 1950s) bought the U.S. rights to Jack the the maniacal Jack the Ripper, with both their su-Ripper and struck a releasing deal with Para-periors and the terrified populace up in arms at
mount. “My sole thought upon acquiring the film
the department’s inability to stop the killings.

was that here was the type of ‘chiller’ the British (Note: Before this film, almost all Ripper movies
do so very well,” Levine stated in a publicity
had been based on either Lulu or The Lodger—
piece. “With their acting company in fine fettle,
both having fictional origins. Jack the Ripper’s use Mr. Baker and Mr. Berman bring their camera to
of an authentic—if no longer authoritative—the-
bear on a lengthy scene and let it grind away.

ory was a first in Ripper cinema.) Sangster pro-

There are none of the short ‘takes’ and obvious
vides a plethora of likely suspects, from the
cuts which characterize so many hastily made
haughty head of the local hospital to the tentative movies. The mood is created and the actors are
young physician on staff, from the cranky and
given full opportunity to sustain it.” Indeed it
furtive Dr. Tranter (John Le Mesurier) to a dis-
was, and they did. (To up the shock value, Levine
figured hunchbacked assistant. The immediacy
also inserted a brief color shot into the climax of of the horror, as well as the (nicely understated)

the black-and-white film that drove home the
love interest, is brought
home with the arrival of

Trantor’s niece, Anne

(Betty McDowall), who ul-
timately crosses paths with
the Ripper.

Besides the suspenseful
mystery and horrific
killings themselves, Sang-
ster’s script highlights the
mob mentality and hyste-
ria that arise from the fear
and paranoia engendered
by the seemingly unstop-
pable crimes, resulting in
brutal and disturbing at-
tacks on several innocents.

This adds a further, more
expansive layer to the hor-
ror, as well as a bit of soci-

Atmospheric Belgian poster for the excellent Jack the Ripper (1960).

248

Jason and the Argonauts

2. THE MOVIES
killer’s gory demise with the startling sight of ooz-other things, it’s special effects legend Ray Har-
ing red blood.)

ryhausen’s personal favorite among his own films.

Backed by Paramount, Levine launched a huge

This lofty reputation is well-earned, but Jason marketing campaign, sinking over $700,000 into
isn’t flawless, nor is it Harryhausen’s best picture promoting the picture (including buying

(sorry, Ray).

extensive TV spots and striking over 600 prints

The evil Pelias betrays his king and attempts to
for saturation bookings). The strategy paid off in
murder the entire royal family and claim the
almost $2 million in gross ticket sales in the U.S.

throne for himself. However, the infant prince
and frequent holdovers at theaters across the

Jason is spirited away to safety. Twenty years later, country. Of course, the fact that it was an atmos-Jason (Todd Armstrong) returns to overthrow
pheric, engrossing, well-acted and at times shock-

Pelias, but is duped by the wily despot into taking ing Jack the Ripper movie helped tremendously.

on a quest to “the end of the world” to capture a

Curiously, the film subsequently appeared to drop
legendary Golden Fleece that brings peace and
out of circulation, with few television showings
prosperity. Jason assembles a crew of Greece’s
and no official video release to date, unfairly leav-greatest athletes, including Hercules (Nigel
ing Jack the Ripper in the cinematic equivalent of Green), and — aided by the goddess Hera (Honor
a London fog.

Blackman)— sets about the arduous quest, which
involves encounters with horrific adversaries such

Jason and the Argonauts (1963; Columbia) as Talos, a giant bronze statue come to life; Hydra, Director: Don Chaffey; Producer: Charles H.

the fabled seven-headed snake; and an army of

Schneer; Screenplay: Jan Read and Beverley
living skeletons (all of these and other terrors cre-Cross; Cinematographer: Wilkie Cooper. Cast:

ated in stop-motion “Dynamation” by the great

Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovac, Gary Raymond,

Harryhausen).

Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis, Honor

There’s no denying that Jason is an enthralling Blackman, Patrick Troughton, Nigel Green.

spectacle, and Harryhausen’s visual effects se-
quences— particularly the skeleton battle — rank

THE EPIC STORY THAT WAS DESIGNED

TO STAND AS A COLOSSUS OF
among the most thrilling and iconic of his career.

ADVENTURE — tagline

Better still, unlike many Harryhausen pictures,

Jason doesn’t stop dead in its tracks between its Jason and the Argonauts remains one of the animated set pieces. However, Jan Read and Bev-most beloved fantasy films of all time. Among
erley Cross’ screenplay has problems with pacing
and dramatic construction,
and its conclusion proves less
than satisfying. While not
completely without interest,
the film’s opening act, which
establishes Jason’s relationship
with the Greek gods and
chronicles the assembly of his
ship and crew, rambles on con-
siderably. The Argos doesn’t set
sail until 26 minutes have
elapsed. A bigger issue is that,
after setting up Pelias as a truly
reprehensible villain (we see
him viciously murder a de-
fenseless young woman, run-
ning his sword through her
back), the story ends before

Jason completes his mission
and dethrones the evil usurper.

While clearly we are intended

Possibly the most thrilling fantasy sequence of the decade: the amazing skeleton attack in Jason and the Argonauts (1963), starring Todd Arm-to gather that, carrying the
strong.

fleece, Jason will now succeed

2. THE MOVIES

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter

249
in this endeavor, such knowledge does not make
ently, Maria and her weak-willed brother had
an entirely adequate substitute for seeing the vil-
been chased out of Vienna for her unorthodox
lain vanquished. The picture would have had
experiments and have taken refuge in this little
ample time to portray this climactic confrontation
out-of-the-way corner of Mexico. Maria has been
had it not spent so long noodling around during
using the local peasants in an attempt to
its first 20 minutes. Perhaps the ending was left
transplant the “artificial brains” her grandfather
open for a never-realized sequel (Zeus ventures
had created years before into new bodies. So far,
that “I am not yet done with Jason”), but in any
the villagers have proven too weak physically to
case it’s a letdown. While still highly enjoyable,
make her experiments a success, but Maria sees
and certainly his best work of the 1960s, Jason just what she needs in the buffed-up Hank.

proves less gratifying as an overall viewing expe-

Maria’s passion runs to more than her work, how-
rience than earlier Harryhausen classics such as
ever, and she makes advances to the handsome

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), Earth vs.

Jesse. To her annoyance, the outlaw rebuffs her,
the Flying Saucers (1956) and The Seventh Voyage having fallen in love with a local girl named
of Sinbad (1958).

Juanita (Estelita). Meanwhile, Marshall McVie

As in most of Harryhausen’s fantasy epics, the

(Jim Davis of TV’s Dallas fame) tracks Jesse to story is populated by types rather than fully de-the village but runs afoul of Hank who, thanks to
veloped characters, but Armstrong makes a par-

Maria’s successful experiment, has been trans-
ticularly appealing and likeable hero. Honor
formed into a bald, shirtless automaton (and re-

Blackman, who would gain immortality a year
christened “Igor”) under Maria’s control. In the
later for her role as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (1964), and Niall MacGinnis offer amusing turns
as the meddling Hera and Zeus. The movie also
benefits greatly from a rousing score by the great

Bernard Herrmann. All of which makes Jason and
the Argonauts a rollicking fun adventure — if not quite a perfect one.

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s

Daughter (1966; Embassy Pictures) Director: William Beaudine; Producer: Carroll Case;

Screenplay: Carl K. Hittleman; Cinematographer:

Lothrop Worth. Cast: John Lupton, Cal Bolder,

Narda Onyx, Estelita, Steven Geray, Jim Davis.

ROARING GUNS AGAINST RAGING

MONSTERS!— ad line

Though Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daugh-
ter played second fiddle to its top-lining co-feature Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (with which it was filmed back-to-back, and even concur -
rently, by the same crew), it’s actually the superior half of this peculiar pairing (perhaps damning
with faint praise?). In it the famous outlaw (John

Lupton) and his muscle-bound (and muscle-
headed) sidekick Hank (Cal Bolder) flee to

Mexico after a stage holdup goes sour. There the
pair stumble upon Maria Frankenstein (Narda

Onyx), granddaughter of the infamous doctor,
conducting her experiments in a Mexican mission

(whose interiors, with their huge stone block
walls, oversized nail-studded doors and ornate
wall sconces, look more like a Transylvanian castle than a south-of-the-border monastery). Appar-The strangest double-bill the ’60s ever saw.

250

Kill, Baby ... Kill!

2. THE MOVIES
end, Igor turns on his female master and must

Beyond and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. ) as the fe-finally be shot down by his former friend.

male mad scientist. In the best Bela Lugosi/Mono-

Just like its compadre did with vampire lore, gram tradition, nothing will stop this maniacal

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter takes medico from her warped, scientific goal. She bul-ludicrous liberties with its legends. Maria
lies her brother mercilessly into helping with her

Frankenstein’s experiments center on trying to

“work” (it is Maria who obviously wears the pants
successfully transplant the “artificial brains” her in this Franken-family), employs (and kills) the
grandfather had created into new bodies— not
locals in her experiments with a callous zeal, and
in piecing together disparate body parts to create
even finds time to fall for the heroine — er — hero a new being. (Quite a comedown for a Franken-

(as all the best madmen — and, apparently, mad-
stein actually — rather than “playing God” and
women— do). When Ms. Onyx enthuses, “I’m on creating life, Maria’s burning ambition is simply
the verge of a great experiment, and I know I will
to insert a surplus organ she found laying about
succeed this time!,” her passionate delivery
her grandfather’s old lab into an already living
breathes some much-needed fire into the time-
body. I don’t think grandpappy would have been
worn dialogue.

impressed.)

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter

As to Jesse James, this film turns the notorious
proved to be William “One Shot” Beaudine’s last
thief and murderer into an Old West Robin Hood!

feature. Beginning in 1915, Beaudine’s directorial

At one point, the Marshall admits, “Well, folks
career spanned fifty years(!) and nearly every
say Jesse James steals from the rich and gives to
genre, including comedies (several Bowery Boys
the poor.” Right. Then the ending has Jesse ride
entries), detective films (various Philo Vance and
off willingly with the lawman to stand up and take

Charlie Chan features), numerous horror movies
what’s coming to him, presumably reformed by

( The Ape Man [1943], Ghosts on the Loose [1943], the love of a woman. (Or perhaps battling man-Voodoo Man [1944], Face of Marble [1946], Bela made monsters in a Mexican monastery has made

Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla [1952]) and, of prison seem less unattractive?)

course, Westerns. Though his baton held sway

As expected, the film’s grade-Z budget shows
over myriad genres, all his pictures shared one
through frequently, such as in the unconvincingly
thing in common — they were all low-budget “B”

flat, painted scenery viewed outside a set door or
movies, often made for poverty-row studios. As
the disappointing lack of special makeup for the
usual, on Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daugh-

“monster” (excepting a thin scar encircling Hank’s
ter, old “One Shot’s” direction is plagued with shaved head). To veteran Western director
dull staging, a heavy reliance on the medium shot,

William “One Shot” Beaudine’s credit, however,
and an apparent aversion to interesting angles.

he takes his cast and crew outside to shoot on oc-

Though he may not have been good, Beaudine
casion, so that the gun battles and stagecoach
was certainly prolific, directing over 175 features, scenes look relatively realistic (or at least up to 325 one- and two-reelers, and 350 episodes for
the level of a 1960s Western TV series—which this
various television series before his death in 1970
film resembles more than a little for the first half-at age 78.

hour).

While Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter Ms. Frankenstein’s “lab” also disappoints with
may not be the ideal meeting of Wild West and
its small-scale machinery and minimalist mad

Gothic Horror, its outrageous premise, absurd
doctor equipment. Unable to afford even the most
genre blending and Monogram-style mad
rudimentary pyrotechnics for the big “creation”

scientist (female, no less) make it a moderately
sequence, Frankenstein’s granddaughter must
engaging cinematic curio. Partner it with the
make do with placing a ridiculous piece of head-
somewhat stodgier but no less off beat Billy the gear on her monster (nothing more than a red

Kid Versus Dracula, and this terrible twosome and yellow motorcycle helmet with lightning-rides off into the sunset as the most unforgettable shaped neon rods attached) and waiting for the

(for all the wrong reasons) double feature in
creature to sit up.

sixties cinema history.

The picture’s saving grace (apart from a wacky
appeal inspired by the sheer audacity of it all) is

Kill, Baby ... Kill! (1966/68; MGM/Europix the entertainingly energetic performance of Es-Consolidated; Italy) Alternate Titles: Operazione tonia-born actress Narda Onyx (whose career

Paura ( Operation Fear, Italy), Curse of the Dead highlights consist of guest spots on TV’s One Step (U.K.), Curse of the Living Dead (U.S. reissue).

2. THE MOVIES

Kill, Baby ... Kill!

251

Director: Mario Bava; Producers: Nando Pisani
story’s resolution provides a fully satisfactory exand Luciano Castenacci; Screenplay: Romano
planation). But a more straightforward story

Migliorini, Roberto Natale and Mario Bava
would work against the picture’s singular charms.

(Story: Romano Migliorini and Roberto Natale;

Its nebulous narrative enhances the movie’s

Additional dialogue: John Hart); Cinematogra-
dreamlike ambiance and encourages viewers to
phy: Antonio Rinaldi. Cast: Giacomo Rossi-Stu-
simply soak in a succession of gorgeously
art, Erika Blanc, Fabrienne Dali, Piero Lulli, Lu-
designed and photographed sequences that
ciano Catenacci (as Max Lawrence), Giuseppe
demonstrate Bava’s total command of both mise

Addobbati, Giovanna Galletti, Valerio Valeri.

en scene and cinematography. Working hand in glove with cinematographer Antonio Rinaldi and

Eerie, horrific, bloodcurdling!— tagline
set decorator Alessandro Dell’Orco, the director

Mario Bava directed many outstanding horror
crafts a film of stunning visual splendor. Almost
films, but none whose greatness was more purely
any frame from Kill, Baby ... Kill! could be blown a reflection of his own genius than Kill, Baby ...

up, framed and hung in the Louvre. Its exterior

Kill! Compared to earlier masterworks such as shots are not only perfectly composed, but every

Black Sunday (1960/61), Black Sabbath (1963/64), element is richly textured — mossy, weather-What! (aka The Whip and the Body, 1963/65) and beaten or dilapidated, often shrouded in fog —

Blood and Black Lace (1964/65), Kill, Baby ... Kill!

and bathed in curiously evocative colors (thanks
seems deceptively slight, with a feathery-light
to Bava’s signature green, yellow and violet gels).

plot, no spectacular set pieces and few characters.

Meanwhile, interiors such as the Graps villa are

What the picture has instead is buckets of that
superbly decorated, with cobweb-strewn candles,
ethereal quality known as atmosphere. Kill, Baby drapery and assorted bric-a-brac, mirrors and

... Kill! is a mood piece of the highest order, a gos-portraits strangely shrouded in black linen and
samer creation of images and music that’s both
long hallways with candleholders sculpted to re-
deeply unsettling and strikingly beautiful. It’s a
semble human arms (an image Bava borrowed
mournful rumination on loss and guilt. And it’s
from Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast [1946]).

also the best directed movie in Bava’s legendary

This visual stylization extends even to Bava’s
filmography.

presentation of the villagers— especially the se-

At the request of Inspector Kruger (Piero
cretive burgomaster (Luciano Catenacci) and de-

Lulli), Dr. Paul Eswai (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart)

jected innkeeper (Giuseppe Addobbati)— whose
travels to the isolated, backward hamlet of
craggy, forlorn faces the director employs more

Karmingen to perform an autopsy on a young
for composition rather than characterization,
woman who died mysteriously. Nurse Monika
shooting them more like a still life than a portrait.

(Erika Blanc), a Karmingen native who recently

Using faces in this manner was a favorite tech-
returned to the village after many years away, as-
nique of Federico Fellini. But if Bava was attempt-
sists with the autopsy, where it’s discovered that, ing to emulate Fellini here, Fellini in turn copied post mortem, the victim’s chest was cut open and

Bava, swiping Kill, Baby ... Kill’s most startling a silver coin inserted into her heart. After Inspec-image — the ghostly Melissa, often seen playing
tor Kruger turns up dead, Ruth (Fabrienne Dali),
with a large white ball —for his short film “Toby
the town sorceress, tells Paul and Monika that

Dammit” (included in Spirits of the Dead, a 1969

Karmingen is haunted by the ghost of a seven-
anthology of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations).

year-old girl named Melissa Graps who was killed

Melissa is an otherworldly, blonde-haired, blue-
decades earlier during a village celebration. Leg-
eyed vision of death, whose sudden, jolting ap-
end has it that Melissa’s ghost lures all that lay
pearances (at a window pane, amidst a pile of
eyes on her to their death. To keep Melissa’s vic-
stuffed animals) signal impending danger. To en-
tims from returning as new ghosts, the villagers
hance the subtle weirdness of the character, Bava
place silver coins in the corpses’ hearts. Neither
cast a young boy as Melissa, seven-year-old Va-

Paul nor Monika readily accept this fantastic ex-
lerio Valeri, costuming the lad in a dress and long planation and decide to visit Baroness Graps
blonde wig.

(Giovanna Galletti), the dead girl’s mother, to

The other essential ingredient in the film’s suc-
learn more. But Ruth warns them that no one ever
cess is its ragtag but surprisingly resonant musical returns from the Graps villa alive.

score. Although credited to Carlo Rustichelli, it

As Kill, Baby ... Kill! unfolds, it’s seldom was not an original composition but rather a com-entirely clear what’s going on (although the
pilation of library cues composed by Rustichelli

252

King Kong Escapes

2. THE MOVIES
and others, including recycled themes from I
they left me with a film I love,” the director said.

Vampiri (1956), The Ghost (1963) and Bava’s own It’s a picture worthy of adoration.

What! (aka The Whip and the Body), among other With quotes from: Mario Bava: All the Colors
earlier Italian gothics. Once again, however, what
of the Dark, by Tim Lucas.

could constitute a weakness actually works in the
film’s favor, since time and again each carefully

King Kong Escapes (1967/68; Toho/Rankin-selected (albeit familiar) theme perfectly melds

Bass; Japan) Original Title: King Kong no Gyakushu with Bava’s images. Much of Kill, Baby ... Kill! ’s (King Kong’s Counter-attack). Director: Ishiro
chilling ambiance results from a sort of chemical

Honda; Producers: Tomoyuki Tanaka and Arthur
reaction between these two critical elements. No

Rankin, Jr.; Screenplay: Takeshi Kimura and
other genre film of the 1960s, apart from Stanley

William J. Keenan (based on the Rankin-Bass an-

Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), so astutely imated television series King Kong); Cinematog-and powerfully marries music and pictures.

rapher: Hajime Koizume. Cast: Rhodes Reason,

Kill, Baby ... Kill! is serviceably acted. While Mie Hama, Linda Miller, Eisei Amamoto, Akira
none of its performers in any way damage the

Takarada.

film, none of them particularly distinguish them-
selves either. Giovanna Galletti in the small but

Two King Kongs fight to the DEATH!

— tagline
showy part of the Baroness Graps makes the bold-
est mark. Fabrienne Dali has some effective mo-

Despite its strait-laced title, this picture bears
ments as Ruth. In the leads, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart
closer kinship with the Rankin-Bass animated
and Erika Blanc are adequate. The only real prob-
horror-comedy Mad Monster Party? (1967) than lem with Kill, Baby ... Kill! is its inane title. The with Merian C. Cooper’s classic King Kong (1933).

picture was issued (and reissued) under several

Tellingly, King Kong Escapes— a Toho/Rankintitles, none of them worthy of the film’s brilliance.

Bass co-production based on a Saturday morning

In Italy it was known as Operazione Paura ( Op-cartoon series— made its American debut dou-
eration Fear), which made it sound like a James ble-billed with the Don Knotts juvenile comedy

Bond rip-off. In England it was issued under the

The Shakiest Gun in the West. Escapes is a sequel bland moniker Curse of the Dead. In Germany it to neither the original King Kong nor Toho’s King became the misleading Die Toten Augen des Drac-Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Taken for what it is, ula ( The Dead Eyes of Dracula). It was later re-re-however — namely, a live action kiddie cartoon —
leased in the U.S. under the equally deceptive

Kong Escapes proves an enjoyable romp, superior name Curse of the Living Dead. As Kill, Baby ...

to many of Toho’s “serious” kaiju eiga (giant Kill! , the movie made its American debut on a monster) pictures of similar vintage.

twin bill with an ultra-cheap Spanish chiller called At a secret laboratory above the Arctic Circle,

The Sound of Horror (1964), which notoriously evil scientist and “international Judas” Dr. Who
featured an invisible dinosaur. Such history, com-

(Eisei Amamoto) has constructed a giant robot
bined with its snicker-inducing title, left Kill, replica of the legendary Kong and is using the an-Baby ... Kill to languish among the most under-droid ape to dig for a rare radioactive element that rated chillers of the 1960s.

will be used to create a nuclear arsenal for an un-

Kill, Baby ... Kill! (or whatever you choose to named Asian power. Meanwhile, submarine
call it) was shot mostly on Roman soundstages,

Commander Carl Nelson (Rhodes Reason) leads
with primary exteriors filmed at Calcata, a crum-
a joint American-Japanese expedition to Mondo
bling medieval village in Tuscany so remote that

Island and discovers the true Kong. Nelson leaves
it didn’t gain electricity and running water until
the island to report Kong’s whereabouts to the
the 1990s. Bitter cold (the production ran through

U.N., then returns and finds that Kong has disap-

November and December of 1965) worsened these
peared — kidnapped by Dr. Who and spirited
privations. But the real trouble began when, two
away to the North Pole. The RoboKong, hindered
weeks into the shoot, the money ran out. As-
by the Arctic cold, wasn’t able to finish the task
toundingly, the cast and crew agreed to continue
of digging out the radioactive element, forcing
shooting without pay while producers Nando

Who to try using the real McCoy instead. He at-

Pisani and Luciano Castenacci secured additional
tempts to hypnotize Kong and force him to com-
funds. As a result, Kill, Baby ... Kill was completed plete the work, but Kong breaks free and dives
on time for the paltry sum of about $50,000. Bava
into the sea, with his mechanical twin in hot pur-
claimed he was never paid for his work. “At least
suit. Kong swims for (where else?) Tokyo for

2. THE MOVIES

King Kong vs. Godzilla

253

(what else?) a climactic Kong-versus-Robo Kong
nately, the studio never had the idea of having
clash of the titans.

Mechagodzilla battle the Robo Kong!

Director Ishiro Honda keeps the pace brisk and

While it doesn’t approach the best of Toho’s
the tone light. The performances are appropriately
rubber suit-monster epics, the studio could—and
broad, with Amamoto particularly enjoyable as
did — do far worse than King Kong Escapes.

the gleefully underhanded Dr. Who (no relation
to the British TV character). The creature designs

King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962; Toho, Japan) and visual effects, typically for a late-sixties Toho Director: Ishiro Honda and Thomas Montgomery
production, prove uneven. The Kong robot re-

(American version footage); Producer: Tomoyuki
mains one of the most memorable and attractive

Tanaka; Screenplay: Shinichi Sekizawa and Bruce
creations in the entire Toho filmography, but the

Howard and Paul Mason (American version).

living Kong looks far less impressive. Although

From a story by Willis O’Brien, uncredited. Cin-
it’s a marked improvement over the embarrass-
ematographer: Hajime Koizume. Cast: Tadao
ingly shabby ape suit used in King Kong vs.

Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yu Fujiki, Ichiro Ar-

Godzilla, it’s hardly convincing and appears far ishima, Mie Hama, Jun Tazaki, Akihiko Hirata.

too cuddly. In one of the film’s surprisingly few
allusions to the 1933 original, Kong and a T-Rex-

The most colossal conflict the screen has
ever known!— tagline
like “gorosaurus” battle, in what plays like a judo match. Kong also fights off a rather pathetic-look-This movie made Godzilla what he is today —
ing sea serpent.

or at least what he was throughout the 1960s and

In the 1970s, Toho would return to the robot-

Seventies.

monster idea to create the wildly popular “Mecha -

Toho’s not-yet-jolly green giant had been
godzilla,” featured in Godzilla vs. Mecha godzilla frozen under an avalanche of ice since the con-

(1974) and a sequel, Terror of Mecha godzilla
clusion of Gigantis the Fire Monster (aka Godzilla (1975), as well as a 1993 remake of Godzilla vs.

Raids Again, 1955) seven years earlier. Encouraged Mechagodzilla and its sequels, Godzilla Against by the success of Mothra (1961/62), the studio de-Mechagodzilla (2003) and Godzilla, Mothra and cided to re-launch what would become its signa-Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2004). Unfortuture kaiju eiga (giant monster) franchise with a yarn in the whimsical vein of Mothra, as opposed to the grim tenor of Godzilla’s first two pictures.

Not everyone was enthusiastic about charting
this new course. “Toho decided to make him
more heroic and less scary,” Director Ishiro

Honda told interviewer Stuart Galbraith IV. “I
didn’t like the idea, but I couldn’t really oppose
it. We didn’t have many rights then.”

The vehicle for Godzilla’s reappearance origi-
nated with, of all people, Willis O’Brien, the stopmotion animation genius behind the original

King Kong (1933). O’Brien authored a treatment for a proposed a sequel, King Kong vs. Frankenstein, which producer John Beck optioned. After much financial wrangling and several rewrites,

Beck struck a deal between Toho, RKO, who
owned the rights to the Kong character, and Uni-
versal-International, the film’s U.S. distributor.

In the end, Toho not only replaced Frankenstein
with Godzilla, but also threw out everything else
from all previous incarnations of the project.

They were buying the Kong brand name, and it
proved to be a wise investment.

The final narrative follows parallel stories. An

King Kong Escapes ... along with audience interest American atomic submarine collides with an ice-

(1967).

berg — the very iceberg in which Godzilla, frozen

254

King Kong vs. Godzilla

2. THE MOVIES

Godzilla did not feature different endings for the American and Japanese
markets. In both versions, the climactic
battle ends in a draw. However, the
film endured several major alterations
for its American release. Universal cut
entire sequences from the Japanese ver-
sion, and inserted new ones, featuring

American actors Michael Keith, Harry

Holcombe and James Yagi.

Both versions suffer from an over-
abundance of unfunny, over-the-top
comedy relief. The primary culprit is

Arishima, who, in eyeglasses and a
phony mustache and with his eccentric
gesticulations, resembles Talking

Heads singer David Byrne wearing a

Groucho Marx funny-nose-and-

False advertising: This lobby card pastiche features an image glasses. King Kong vs. Godzilla features
of the original stop-motion King Kong (1933), which is far more impressive than the mangy man-in-a-suit monkey that actually little of the human drama that made
shows up in Toho’s King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962).

Mothra so memorable. Its plot
amounts to a juvenile collection of
but still alive, has been trapped for the past seven contrivances. Even its visual effects, from that
years. Godzilla breaks free, attacks a nearby Arctic moth-eaten Kong suit on down, fall well below
air base and begins swimming for Japan. Mean-

Toho’s previous standard.

while, Mr. Tako (Ichiro Arishima), a television

Despite these glaring flaws, however King Kong
executive desperate to improve his network’s rat-
vs. Godzilla emerged as a colossal hit. It was seen ings, organizes an expedition to “Pharaoh Island,”

by more than 19 million moviegoers in Japan
rumored to be the home of a giant monster (guess
alone during its initial release, and was by far the who?). Tako intends to capture the monster and
highest grossing of all Toho’s kaiju eiga. Unfor-put it on TV.

tunately, its box office triumph sent the message

King Kong vs. Godzilla remains one of the few that audiences would pay to see these types of

Toho giant monster epics to feature stop-motion
films even if they contained infantile plots and
photography—but, ironically, it’s a giant octopus
indifferent visual effects. The obvious drawing
that’s animated, and not Kong. This movie’s Kong
card, which trumped everything else, was the cli-
is a stunt man wearing the shabbiest-looking ape
mactic confrontation between two monster-su-
suit in history. The appalling lameness of this go-
perstars.

dawful suit cannot be overemphasized.

“It was very successful, and after that the

Godzilla looks different here, too. The rubber

Godzilla series became one monster vs. monster
costume was redesigned, the size of the head in-
movie after another,” Assistant Director
creased, the eyes made larger and more bulbous.

Teruyoshi Nakano told Galbraith. “After that par-

The effect was a more amiable-looking monster.

ticular film, the flow of Godzilla movies and kaiju Also, it’s in this film that Haruo Nakajima, who
eiga completely changed. It had been hard, but played the Godzilla in every film from 1954 to
after that, Godzilla movies became soft.”

1972, begins to integrate the kind of anthropo-

On the other hand, if King Kong vs. Godzilla
morphic gestures and comic bits of business that
had flopped, this probably would have been the
would later become trademarks of the character
end of the line for the character, and might have

(flapping his arms in rage, shadow-boxing like
dealt a serious blow to Toho’s newly revived giant

Rocky Balboa, etc.).

monster series. In the event, this film cemented

To make a long, and inane, story short, Kong

Godzilla’s place in the firmament of horror cin-
is captured and brought to Japan, many buildings
ema, jumped-started a film series that continued,
are stomped by both monsters, and eventually the
off and on, to this day and insured that many
two titans meet for a much-ballyhooed smack-
more kaiju eiga would follow. Many of those films down. Contrary to popular myth, King Kong vs.

would far exceed this film, artistically speaking.

2. THE MOVIES

Kiss of Evil; The Kiss of the Vampire

255

Kiss of Evil see Kiss of the Vampire

The Kiss of the Vampire (1963/64; Hammer/Seven Arts; U.K.) Alternate Title: Kiss of Evil (TV). Director: Don Sharp; Producer/screenplay:

Anthony Hinds (screenplay as John Elder); Cin-
ematographer: Alan Hume. Cast: Edward de

Souza, Jennifer Daniel, Noel Willman, Clifford

Evans, Barry Warren, Jaquine Wallis, Isobel Black,

Vera Cook.

GIANT DEVIL BATS ... SUMMONED FROM

THE CAVES OF HELL TO DESTROY THE

VAMPIRES!— tagline

The balance sheet for The Kiss of the Vampire
reflects several admirable assets and a couple of
galling liabilities. In the final accounting, it’s a minor but stylish and diverting product from the

Hammer Films fright factory.

Honeymooners Gerald and Marianne Harcourt

(Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel) are
stranded in rural Bavaria when their horseless
carriage runs out of petrol, forcing them to spend
the night at a decrepit local inn. As the couple set-American window card (1963).

tle into their dusty room, a dinner invitation ar-
rives from Dr. Ravna (Noel Willman), a wealthy
parodied by director Roman Polanski in The Fear-aristocrat who lives in an imposing mountaintop
less Vampire Killers (1967). One of the scene’s chateau overlooking the village. Despite the des-most arresting images— a room full of men in
perate warnings of the hotel’s only other

Mardi Gras-like headpieces resembling animals
customer, the eccentric Dr. Zimmer (Clifford
and demons— may have influenced similar

Evans), the Hartcourts’ dinner at chez Ravna con-
visuals in The Wicker Man (1973/75).

cludes without incident, so they think nothing of

Journeyman director Don Sharp doesn’t receive
returning for a masked ball. What they don’t
the degree of respect or affection accorded other
know is that Dr. Ravna is the leader of a cult of

Hammer helmsmen, such as Terence Fisher, Val
vampires. During the party Gerald is drugged and

Guest and Freddie Francis. Yet Sharp was a for-

Marianne kidnapped. The next day Gerald is
midable talent whose carefully crafted, tightly
ejected from the premises while Marianne is “ini-
wound films— including the underrated Witch-
tiated” into the cult. The young man joins forces
craft (1964), Curse of the Fly (1964) and Rasputin, with Zimmer, who turns out to be an expert on
the Mad Monk (1966)—seldom disappointed. Kiss the occult, to rescue Marianne. Zimmer then per-of the Vampire is no exception. Sharp’s camera reforms a black magic ceremony intended to pit evil
mains fluid throughout, making evocative use of
against evil, and — as advertised on the movie’s
pans, dollies and subjective camera angles (in-
posters— send a legion of hell-spawned bats
cluding a particularly ghastly one of Ravna’s fangs, against Ravna and his disciples.

shot from the point of view of his victim). When-

The screenplay, written by producer Anthony
ever Gerald and Marianne are on screen, and par-

Hinds under his “John Elder” nom de plum, suf-
ticularly when they appear separately, Sharp
fers some lapses in logic. (Why doesn’t Ravna
makes clever, expressive use of unbalanced com-
simply kill Gerald while the young man is inca-
positions, leaving large empty spaces to the left,
pacitated at the party? For that matter, why hasn’t right or top of the figure to underscore the char-the cult done away with Zimmer, the only person
acters’ isolation.

for miles around who poses any sort of threat?)

This technique has the added benefit of giving

But the story moves briskly, contains several well-
viewers a good look at production designer Bernard
sketched characters and features a bravura set

Robinson’s splendid sets, including the sumptuous
piece in the elegant yet eerie masked ball, later
chateau and the ramshackle inn. James Bernard

256

Konga

2. THE MOVIES
contributes one of his most effective scores, includ-Not since Konga have ticket-buyers been so ing a beautiful yet unnerving piano interlude.

miffed.

For the most part, the production values are

Patrons who walked into theaters based on the
pristine — the notable exception, unfortunately,
poster art, tagline and title of this picture, expect-being Les Bowie’s visual effects during the bat at-
ing to see a rampaging giant gorilla, must have
tack finale. An establishing shot with a horde of
animated bats circling the (matte painting)

chateau is acceptable, but once the action cuts to
the castle’s interior, viewers must accept patheti-
cally obvious rubber bats on wires— lots of
them — not to mention a few phony bats not
wired, but simply being held to the neck by their
shrieking “victims.” On paper, Hinds’ climax

(originally envisioned for Brides of Dracula [1961]

but rejected by director Terence Fisher) must have
seemed like a second grand set piece. But the ex-
ecution is so botched, so downright laughable,
that it takes the entire movie down a notch.

The cast acquits itself well — with, again, one
unfortunate exception. Jennifer Daniel is radiant
as Marianne — enchanting and believable
throughout, whether luring her new husband
away from breakfast and into bed or later (vam-
pirized) spitting in her spouse’s face. De Souza’s
fiery, heartfelt portrayal of Gerald provides the
movie’s emotional center. Evans, as Zimmer, and

Barry Warren and Vera Cook, as the terrorized
proprietors of the inn, also perform commend-
ably. Alas, Noel Willman’s work as Dr. Ravna
leaves much to be desired. Willman is not only a
precipitous step down from Hammer’s previous
screen vampires (Christopher Lee in Horror of

Dracula and David Peel in Brides of Dracula) but a virtual non-entity. Flat, humorless and never
remotely intimidating, Willman sleepwalks
through the role and — like Les Bowie’s bat ef-
fects— drags the film down with him.

With more credible visual effects and a more
engaging Dr. Ravna, Kiss of the Vampire might have emerged as a top-shelf Hammer chiller.

Compelling but compromised, the picture must
instead be consigned to a lower tier in the studio’s horror pantheon.

Konga (1961; Anglo Amalgamated/AIP; UK) Director: John Lemont; Producers: Herman

Cohen, Nathan Cohen and Stuart Levy; Screen-
writer: Herman Cohen and Aben Kandel; Cine-
matographer: Desmond Dickinson. Cast:

Michael Gough, Margo Johns, Jess Conrad, Claire

Gordon, Austin Trevor, George Pastell.

The “mighty fury and spectacle” of this insert

Not since “KING KONG” has the screen exploded
poster is far more exciting than anything seen in with such mighty fury and spectacle!— tagline
the risible film itself (1961).

2. THE MOVIES

Kwaidan

257
been sorely disappointed with this tepid, talky
after a fashion. The supporting players either fade misfire. Konga plays more like the ridiculous Go-into the woodwork (Johns) or seem completely
rilla at Large (1954) than King Kong.

inept (Gordon). Director John Lemont allows the

Dr. Decker (Michael Gough), an eccentric pro-
film to limp along with no sense of tension or sus-
fessor of botany, returns to London after
pense.

surviving a plane crash and spending a year in the

The visual effects are, at best, laughable. The

Ugandan jungle. With him he brings a chimp
clumsy rolling matte used to superimpose Gough
named Konga (who Decker pets and scratches
into the paw of the giant Konga, for instance,
compulsively while chatting with reporters) and
functions on a sub–Bert I. Gordon level. Cohen
several species of African “insectivorous” plants,
himself seemed unaccountably proud of the ef-
which he believes possess fantastic properties.

fects, claiming he spent “18 months, over a year

They are “the missing link between vegetable and
and a half, to get those bloody special effects done animal life!” proclaims the nutty professor. From
perfect. It just went on and on, because it was trial these plants, Decker distills a serum that trans-and error.” (Mostly error, apparently.) The reader
forms Konga from a friendly chimp into a men-
can take Cohen’s claims with a grain of salt, since acing gorilla (or, rather, a stunt man in a gorilla he also reports that Konga cost 500,000 pounds—
suit). He then hypnotizes Konga and commands
nearly a million dollars. It looks far cheaper.

the ape to dispose of various thorns in his side,

Any confusion with The Eighth Wonder of the
including the skeptical dean of his university, a

World was purely intentional, according to
rival researcher also experimenting with insectiv-

Cohen. “[That] was fine, [that] was what I
orous plants and the beau of a blonde college stu-
wanted,” said the producer, who claimed to have
dent, Sandra (Claire Gordon), who Decker tries
paid RKO $25,000 to use the King Kong brand to seduce.

name in the advertising for Konga. “I paid RKO

The botanist’s romantic proclivities result in
because I didn’t want them to think we were steal-
his downfall. When his clinging assistant and
ing it.”

sometimes-lover Margaret (Margo Johns) spies

Instead, Cohen was merely ripping off audi-

Decker with Sandra, she administers an
ences.

additional dose of the secret serum to Konga and

With quotes from: Attack of the Monster Movie
orders him to kill the student. Instead, Konga

Makers, by Tom Weaver (McFarland, 1994).

grows to giant proportions and goes out of con-
trol, killing Margaret and seizing Decker.

Kwaidan (1965; Toho/Continental) Producer: The brief giant monster sequence at the con-Shigeru Wakatsuki; Director: Masaki Kobayashi;
clusion of the film proves to be a bitter disap-

Screenplay: Yoko Mizuki (based on a book by
pointment. After waiting 80 minutes for this

Lafcadio Hearn); Cinematographer: Yoshio
snooze-fest to live up to its Kong-tastic ad cam-Miyajima. Cast: Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo
paign, viewers see the outsized gorilla wander

Aratama, Misako Watanabe, Tatsuya Nakadai,
around for a minute or two before stopping beside

Kaiko Kishi, Katsuo Nakamura, Takashi

Big Ben to wait for the British army to shoot him

Shimura, Tetsuro Tamba, Kanemon Nakamura.

dead. That’s it. The entire sequence seems listless and perfunctory — but, then, so does the rest of

A poem on a grand scale — Original Japanese
trailer (translation)

Konga.

Wacky pseudo-botany, hypnotized gorillas,

If it’s possible for an internationally renowned,
lecherous college professors— this is not the stuff critically decorated movie to be under
from which great cinema arises. However, it
appreciated, then director Masaki Kobayashi’s
might have made for a rollicking fun monster

Kwaidan, a compendium of four eerie and mag-movie had this material been handled skillfully.

nificently told ghost stories, is that film. Even

Unfortunately, it wasn’t. The script, by Aben Kan-
though it won a special jury prize at the 1965
del and Herman Cohen, bogs down in one static,

Cannes Film Festival, and earned a Best Foreign
chatty sequence after another: a lecture, a dinner

Language Film nomination at the 1966 Academy
party, a police interrogation, a tête-à-tête between Awards, it inspires, at best, tempered enthusiasm

Decker and Margaret, and on and on. All this di-
from many critics and scholars who prefer to wax
alogue is banal and poorly delivered. Gough, as
philosophical about Kobayashi’s earlier work. For
usual, over-emotes with reckless abandon, but at
casual monster movie fans, Kwaidan often proves least his scenery-chewing antics are entertaining,
daunting, given its extreme length, deliberate pace

258

Kwaidan

2. THE MOVIES
and subtitles. Editor Phil Hardy’s Film Encycloterious woman with snow-white skin and blue
pedia: Horror goes so far as to label the picture lips appears and kneels over his companion.

“over-rated” (while granting that it contains

When her icy breath touches his face, the elder

“some astonishingly beautiful sequences”).

woodcutter dies. Then she approaches Minokichi.

Nevertheless, intrepid viewers will discover in

But since he is young and handsome, she decides

Kwaidan a veritable wonderland of cinematic de-to let him go, provided he never tells anyone
lights. This is a show capable of inspiring pop-
about her; if he breaks his promise, she will return eyed wonder at its meticulously designed visuals,
and claim him. Later, Minokichi falls in love with
of invoking great empathy for its characters and
a beautiful young woman (Keiko Okada) who
of making the hair stand up on the back of your
bears him three children and proves to be an ideal
neck — sometimes all at once. Like Stanley
wife. One evening, he realizes his bride bears a

Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (which also leaves striking resemblance to the Woman in the Snow.

some viewers cold), Kwaidan is a thought-pro-He decides to finally break his long silence and
voking film of epic length, outstanding pictorial
tell her about that fateful, snowy night...

beauty and flawless craftsmanship.

The third and longest story, “Hoichi the Ear-

In “The Black Hair,” the first of Kwaidan’s four less,” begins with an elaborate prologue depicting
segments, a poor samurai leaves his devoted wife
a historical sea battle that ended in the bloody
to advance his career through marriage to the
rout of the Heike Clan. As the fighting winds
daughter of a wealthy official from another
down, the nursemaid to the infant emperor takes
region. His financial fortunes improve, but his
the young ruler in her arms and plunges into the
cold and selfish second wife brings him only mis-
blood-red water, drowning herself and the child.

ery. After years of anguish and recrimination, he

Flash forward hundreds of years to a remote tem-
divorces her and returns to his original spouse.

ple where a young, blind musician, Hoichi (Kazuo

He begs her forgiveness, and they spend the night

Kakamura), has taken refuge. One evening a
together — but in the morning he realizes she is
samurai appears and demands that Hoichi per-
long dead, and he has been in the company of her
form a ballad for his powerful lord based on the
ghost.

ancient battle. Eventually, the temple priest

Next up is “Woman of the Snow,” in which an

(Takashi Shimura) discovers that Hoichi is per-
apprentice woodcutter and his master find them-
forming for the ghosts of the Heikie (including
selves trapped in a terrifying snowstorm. During
the baby emperor). To protect the young musician
the night, huddled in a small hut, the apprentice,
from the spirits, he orders a monk to paint Holy

Minokichi (Tatsuya Nakadai), watches as a mys-

Scripture over Hoichi’s entire body. But the monk
forgets to paint Hoichi’s
ears.

The film concludes with

“In a Cup of Tea,” the short-
est and only tongue-in-
cheek entry, which ponders
the fate of characters from
stories never finished by
their authors.

“The Woman in the

Snow” and “Hoichi the Ear-
less” proves to be the film’s
most effective and memo-
rable segments. “The Black

Hair” is nearly as satisfying,
but seems a bit too familiar,
its scenario resembling Kenji

Mizoguchi’s sublime Ugetsu

(1953). “In a Cup of Tea,”

whose brief story seems un-

Yugoslavian movie program for the Japanese horror anthology Kwaidan
derdeveloped, disappoints

(1965).

mildly, at least in relation to

2. THE MOVIES

The Last Man on Earth

259
the other three segments. All four yarns originate
a traditional score and uses sound effects in atyp-
from Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange
ical ways, sometimes employing complete or

Things, a 1902 book written by Lafcadio Hern, a near-total silence. Many normally expected

Greek-Irish writer who came to the U.S. in 1869
sounds—such as footsteps crunching through the
and later emigrated to Japan. Upon its release,
snow, or the roaring wind of the blizzard in “the

Kwaidan must have seemed more like something Woman in the Snow”— are withheld. All this
out of Hearn than out of Kobayashi — which is
combines to make viewing Kwaidan a truly oth-just the way executives wanted it.

erworldly experience.

Kobayashi had emerged as one of the leading

The single aspect of the production that
lights and most controversial figures of Japanese
remains realistic is its acting. As usual, Kobayashi cinema during the postwar years, when he
takes the time (even in the restrictive “portman-
directed a series of increasingly incendiary pic-
teau” format) to flesh out his leading characters
tures that excoriated the traditional Japanese val-
and inspire touching, believable performances
ues, including the samurai honor code known as
from his actors. Kakamura, as Hoichi, and
bushido. In pictures such as his Human Condition Nakadai (previously, the star of The Human Con-trilogy (1959 –61) and Harakiri (1962), Kobayashi dition and Harakiri) as Minokichi, are especially suggested that these traditions were rooted in
convincing. Even Okada, as the mythical Woman
hypocrisy and had led his nation towards military,
of the Snow, brings a sense of inner life to her
economic and moral catastrophe in World War
character.

II.

Unfortunately, American audiences didn’t see

Such anti-establishment sentiments didn’t sit
the film in all its glory during its initial release.

well with studio bosses, who, after all, were part

The original Japanese version of Kwaidan ran a of the establishment. Between 1952 and ’62,
staggering 183 minutes. For the U.S. market the

Kobayashi directed 14 films, but the scathing,
picture was shortened to 125 minutes by
cynical Harakiri was viewed as a last straw. Even removing “The Woman in the Snow” in its en-though his pictures remained profitable, he found
tirety. (This excellent segment was probably se-
it difficult to get new projects green-lighted, and lected for excision in part because it contained a
made just seven more movies (plus a TV mini-
topless romantic interlude.) In the 1990s, U.S.

series) during the balance of his career, which
home video and DVD releases of the film restored
stretched until 1985. Following Harakiri, Toho

“The Woman in the Snow” (minus nudity), in a
executives demanded the director deliver a less

162-minute edit. The complete, uncut Japanese
confrontational, more “traditional” product.

version was issued subsequently on DVD in En-

Kobayashi responded with Kwaidan, which rep-gland and Australia, but still awaits an authorized resented a major departure from his earlier work

American release.

in terms of both theme and, especially, style. The-

In the meantime, any version of Kwaidan is matically, only “The Long Hair” and the prologue
well worth seeing.

to “Hoichi the Earless” bear any obvious kinship
with Kobayashi’s previous masterpieces. And,

The Last Man on Earth (1964; Produzioni whereas his earlier efforts were gritty and natu-La Regina/Associated Producers Inc.; Italy/U.S.;
ralistic, Kwaidan is highly stylized, even impres-b&w) Original Language Title: L’Ultimo Uomo sionistic.

della Terra; Directors: Ubaldo B. Ragona, Sidney Its widescreen “Tohoscope” compositions are

Salkow (dubbing supervision); Producer: Robert
symmetrical and carefully color-balanced, making

L. Lippert; Screenplay: Logan Swanson (Richard
every frame a work of art. Shot entirely on enor-

Matheson), William F. Leicester; Cinematogra-
mous sets built in a disused airplane hanger, the
phy: Franco Delli Colli. Cast: Vincent Price,
film’s artificial “exteriors” and painted backdrops Franca Bettoia, Emma Danieli, Giacomo Rossi-are completely obvious. In the “Woman in the

Stuart.

Snow,” for example, the winter sky is dotted with
giant eyeballs instead of stars! Cinematographer

DO YOU DARE IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD

BE LIKE TO BE THE LAST MAN ON

Yoshio Miyajima’s lighting and color scheme

EARTH ... OR THE LAST WOMAN?— poster
proves equally exotic and evocative (especially the blood-red sea and inky-blue night in “Hoichi the

Screenwriter Richard Matheson has nothing

Earless”). Toru Takemitsu’s sound design is no
good to say about The Last Man on Earth (which less eccentric. Kobayashi and Takemitsu eschew
is based on his own classic horror novel I Am Leg-

260

The Last Man on Earth

2. THE MOVIES
end). “The [story’s] initial sale was to Hammer hilates the population, transforming its victims

Films,” related Matheson. “I went over there [to
into vampire-like zombies. Morgan spends his

England]; I was living there for about two-and-
days hunting down the sleeping creatures (who
a-half months working on the script for I Am Leg-possess an aversion not only to sunlight, but to
end. They told me later on that the censor would garlic and mirrors as well) and driving wooden
not pass it ... it was too horrific. So they sold it stakes through their hearts, and his nights holed
back to the United States, to producer Robert Lip-
up in his boarded-up home trying not to go crazy
pert.” Matheson maintains that Lippert promised
as the monsters weakly attempt to get at the “last
him acclaimed filmmaker Fritz Lang ( M, Scarlet man on earth” ... but is he?

Street) as a director, but delivered only Italian

“It’s the only time I haven’t liked Vincent
neophyte Ubaldo B. Ragona and TV-journeyman

Price,” opined Matheson (who penned a number

Sidney Salkow ( 77 Sunset Strip, The Addams Fam-of Price vehicles in the 1960s, including House of ily). Not only that, “they had some guy named Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum and The Comedy William Leicester do a revision on [the script]. I
of Terrors). “I didn’t think it was his kind of thing hated it.” As a result, Matheson employed the pen
at all.” While it may not have been Price’s usual
name “Logan Swanson” (derived from his

“thing,” the actor rose to the occasion admirably.

mother-in-law’s and mother’s maiden names) for

Onscreen nearly every second, Price paints an ef-
his screen credit. Of the finished film, Matheson
fective and poignant portrait of a man going
concluded, “I thought it was pretty bad.” He was
through the motions of living while sinking
wrong.

deeper and deeper into loneliness and despair.

Set in the “near future” of 1968, the story

Price excels at revealing his character’s near-
centers on Los Angeles-based scientist Robert
breaking-point anguish, such as when he watches

Morgan (Vincent Price), seemingly the only per-
home movies of his family shot at a circus and
son in L.A. left alive (thanks to some kind of nat-
begins to laugh, his giddy laughter gradually de-
ural immunity) after a mysterious plague anni-
generating into agonizing sobs.

Critics latch onto the film’s admittedly cheap
production values, as exposed by some poor day-
for-night shots and flashbacks that show little Eu-
ropean cars buzzing around the obviously-not-

Los Angeles location. “The problem was that it
was supposed to be set in Los Angeles, and if
there’s a city in the world that doesn’t look like

Los Angeles, it’s Rome!” laughed Price. “We
would get up and drive out at five o’clock in the
morning, to beat the police, and try to find some-
thing that didn’t look like Rome.”

While the bleak Italian location fails miserably
to replicate Los Angeles (particularly when an
early establishing shot of the deserted city shows
a wide natural river running through the land-
scape — a feature the City of Angels decidedly
lacks), the setting isn’t really important. The sense of desolate isolation is, and the shots of deserted, litter- and corpse-strewn streets capture that feeling to a shuddery tee.

And the horror quotient rises steadily from
there, with a disturbing montage of Morgan
searching out and staking the sleeping vampires,
then the nighttime assault on his home by the
walking dead (who beat weakly on the house and
tonelessly cry, “Morgan, come out, come out...”),
while Morgan drinks wine and listens to jazz
records in a vain attempt to both recapture some

Atmospheric ad for The Last Man on Earth (1964).

sense of normalcy and drown out the horror.

2. THE MOVIES

Last Victim of the Vampire; The Leech Woman

261

Admittedly, the film falters dur-
ing its later stages (after Morgan
learns he is not alone), resulting in
a tepid action “chase” sequence,
and an ill-conceived and rushed
wrap-up. But the frightening im-
ages of the walking dead, com-
bined with Price’s convincing por-
trayal of loneliness and despair,
make The Last Man on Earth both
involving and horrific.

“I think it was better than The

Omega Man [the second adapta-
tion of Matheson’s I Am Legend],
which Charlton Heston did later,”

opined Price. “It had a kind of am-
ateur quality about it. We worked
in a studio that was so cold we had

The Leech Woman (Coleen Gray) about to claim another victim.

to put ice water in our mouths so
you wouldn’t see our breath!”

to Africa in search of a miracle drug derived from

This unpolished aspect actually serves the story
a rare flower, with the power to make old women
well, lending a gritty edge and air of immediacy
young and beautiful again. Thanks to an elderly
to the proceedings that the bigger-budgeted,
native woman, Malla (Estelle Hemsley), they dis-
glossier Omega Man lacks. And the despondent, cover the secret — but also learn the drug only
sport jacket-wearing Price makes a far more be-
works when mixed with a hormone derived from
lievable “everyman” than the two-fisted, bare-
the human cerebellum (extracting the hormone
chested Heston.

is invariably fatal). Dr. Talbot forces June to serve With quotes from: Famous Monsters of
as a human guinea pig to test the youth serum,

Filmland convention, Crystal City, VA, 1993; Fan-but she turns the tables on her conniving husband
goria Weekend of Horrors convention, Los An-by extracting the poison from him — gaining re-
geles, 1990; Interview with Vincent Price, by
venge, along with youth and beauty (and ending

Lawrence French, in Midnight Marquee Actors Se-
the couple’s loveless marriage). Soon after, how-
ries: Vincent Price, by Gary and Susan Svehla ever, she learns that she must continue killing,

(eds.).

not just to stay young, but merely to remain alive.

She returns to America and, impersonating her

Last Victim of the Vampire see
own niece, sets her sights on hunky young attor-

Playgirls and the Vampire
ney Neil Foster (Grant Williams). Problem is,

Neil’s already engaged — to the late Dr. Talbot’s

The Leech Woman (1960; Universal-Inter-nurse (Gloria Talbott), whose jealousy threatens
national; b&w) Director: Edward Dien; Producer: to wreck June’s plans.

Joseph Gershenson; Screenplay: David Duncan

Although made in 1960, The Leech Woman seems (Story: Ben Pivar, Francis Rosenwald); Cine-considerably older. It’s a throwback to overheated
matographer: Ellis W. Carter. Cast: Coleen Gray,
safari melodramas of the 1940s. Under the direction Grant Williams, Philip Terry, Gloria Talbott, John
of Edward Dien, who previously helmed the cow-

Van Dreelen, Estelle Hemsley.

boy vampire picture Curse of the Undead (1959), Leech Woman remains pedestrian in every technical Forever young! Forever deadly!— tagline
aspect. But mediocrity represents a step up for

The Leech Woman (1960) is a diverting, albeit Dien, who, as a screenwriter, was responsible for
minor, old school horror show with a solid lead
three of Universal’s weakest chillers— Calling Dr.

performance and a refreshing proto-feminist per-

Death (1943), Jungle Woman (1944) and The Cat spective.

Creeps (1946). The Leech Woman’s biggest problem Cynical, misogynistic medical researcher Paul
is its glacial pace. Viewers watch the pith-helmeted Talbot (Philip Terry) drags his disenchanted,
cast plod endlessly through a soundstage jungle
middle-aged wife June (Coleen Gray) with him
with cut-in stock footage of lions, elephants, croc-

262

The Legend of Blood Mountain

2. THE MOVIES
odiles and other wildlife, and then must endure

Sure, The Leech Woman delivers this message an embarrassingly dated “native” ritual dance.

in obvious, even clumsy ways. Still, while it’s

Forty-five of the film’s 77 minutes elapse before
hardly high art, unlike most B-budget chillers,

June first drinks the magic potion — and the pic-
this movie at least attempts to be about
ture never really picks up steam until she returns
something. That may not make up for the film’s
to the U.S., 53 minutes along.

numerous failings, but such uncommon

The cast includes several veteran genre players,
ambition, combined with Gray’s standout per-
most of whom had their best moments in other
formance, make The Leech Woman worth a look.

pictures. Former Incredible Shrinking Man Grant With quotes from: Interview with Coleen Gray,

Williams (who also starred in The Monolith Mon-
by Tom Weaver, quoted in A Year of Fear: A Day-
sters [1957]) is OK here as lusty lawyer Neil Foster.

by-Day Guide to 366 Horror Films, by Bryan Senn.

Gloria Talbott proves acceptable as Neil’s jealous
fiancée. Her performance doesn’t approach her

The Legend of Blood Mountain (1965;
brilliant work in I Married a Monster from Outer Craddock Films) Alternate Title: Demon Hunter

Space (1958), but remains preferable to her (video). Director: Massey Cramer; Producer: Don
wooden appearances in The Cyclops and Daughter Hadley; Screenplay: Bob Corley; Cinematogra-of Dr. Jekyll (both 1957). Veteran character actor pher: Joseph Shelton. Cast: George Ellis, Erin

Philip Terry fares better with his he-man,

Fleming, Edward Yastion, Ernest D’Aversa,
woman-hating turn as Dr. Paul Talbot. But the

Glenda Brunson.

film’s best performance, hands down, comes from

Coleen Gray, who turns bitter alcoholic June Tal-

When the Mountain Bleeds, Terror Reigns!

— ad line
bot into a multi-dimensional character—broken-
hearted yet clinging to hope for reconciliation in

This regional Southern horror-comedy filmed
the early scenes, and doomed but still fighting for at Stone Mountain and Lake Spivey, Georgia, be-happiness later in the film. Gray recalls the role
gins with a three-minute pre-credit sequence in
as one of her most difficult: “Not only because
which the film’s supposed “producer” (George
each day of shooting I’d be in a different age

Ellis, playing a country hick come to Hollywood
bracket with different motivations, but with every
carrying a suitcase literally bulging with money
age change my mannerisms, gestures and
who’s been duped into financing a movie starring
speaking voice had to change also,” she said.

his cousin...) directly addresses the audience.

“Some days things became so confusing for me

“Now they say this picture is a horror picture,”

my hands would be trembling like an old
he drawls into the camera. “There ain’t no ques-
woman’s, my voice would be a youthful 20-year-
tion ’bout that, I can tell you. They also say it’s a old’s and my character would be 45.”

comedy, but I don’t think they found that out Beyond Gray’s winning characterization, the
until after they finished the picture.”

main element in The Leech Woman’s favor is its Oh, if only it were so. It’s one thing when a
bold feminist theme. All the male characters in
movie tries to be serious and inadvertently be-

David Duncan’s screenplay are chauvinist pigs
comes funny; it’s quite another when it tries to
who objectify women and try to exploit them in
be funny and fails miserably. The Legend of Blood one way or another: Dr. Talbot wants to use his

Mountain falls into that latter category, robbing wife as a lab rat; African guide Garvay (John Van
the viewer of whatever camp entertainment

Dreelen) jumps June’s bones while she’s young
might have been generated had the filmmakers
and beautiful, then leaves her to die when the
played it straight.

youth serum wears off; con man Jerry Landau

Bestoink (pronounced “be stoic”) Dooley

(Arthur Batanides) seduces then robs elderly

(George Ellis again) is a middle-aged copyboy at
women; and even straight-arrow attorney Neil
a city newspaper who dreams of becoming a real

Foster is ready to throw over his fiancée when a
reporter. Dooley wears a bowler hat, frock coat
younger, hotter prospect appears. Malla, the old
and spats— all that’s missing is a red rubber nose

African woman, makes the point crystal clear:

to complete the clown ensemble. (“Bestoink Doo-

“For a man, old age brings rewards,” she says.

ley” was a character Ellis created for a Saturday

“His gray hairs bring dignity and he’s treated with morning Atlanta-area children’s program, and
honor and respect. But for the elderly woman

Ellis reportedly played the film Dooley exactly as
there is nothing. At best she is pitied. More often, he did the TV show character.) When Dooley
her lot is of contempt and neglect.”

hears that the rocks on Blood Mountain are bleed-

2. THE MOVIES

The Little Shop of Horrors

263
ing again, signifying the reappearance of the leg-

“producer” has the last word. “You have just seen
endary monster that supposedly lives within the
a rank production,” he deadpans before hitting a mountain, Dooley sees it as his big chance and
gong with a feather (in imitation of the famous
decides to investigate.

Rank Films symbol). And he’s dead right.

Soon we’re watching Dooley reading in bed,

Amazingly, this tatty Legend didn’t simply fade eating cookies and milk, attempting to exercise
away after its spotty regional release. Eleven years (he’s too fat to finish more than two push-ups),
later, spook-show magician and drive-in entre-
and even brushing his teeth! An early “highlight”

preneur Donn Davison decided to cash-in on the
has Dooley dreaming that he’s “the world’s

“Bigfoot” craze by replacing Legend’s monster greatest newspaper reporter” who is “besieged by
scenes with shots of a Bigfoot-like creature, and
ravishing women” (well, two mildly attractive
inserting himself into the film as a “world
girls on an empty soundstage, anyway).

traveler, lecturer and psychic investigator” talking Dooley’s producer cousin periodically breaks
about primates and interviewing supposedly real
in now and again to ... well, to do not much of
people who’d seen the supposed real Bigfoot! He
anything, really. During one interruption he
then released it in 1976 under the title Legend of pleads, “Don’t you all leave the theater.... Anybody McCullough’s Mountain and advertised it as a doc-leaves the theater is chicken! You paid for your umentary!! Now that’s chutzpah. After Davison’s tickets, you may as well stay.” By this point, un-death, producer Jeffrey C. Hogue acquired this
doubtedly many patrons decided to cut their
bastardized version and reissued it under the
losses and ignore his advice.

more exploitive title Blood Beast of Monster Moun-Now, 50 minutes into this clunker, we finally
tain.

glimpse the monster — in silhouette. It’s another

20 minutes before we get our first good look. Un-

The Little Shop of Horrors (1960; Film-surprisingly, this heart-ripping terror of Blood
group; b&w) Director/Producer: Roger Corman;

Mountain is not worth the wait, looking like a Screenplay: Charles B. Griffith; Cinematographer:

flabby, bare-chested man with shaggy goatskin

Archie Dalzell. Cast: Jonathan Haze, Jackie
legs, two(!) tails hanging off its rump, and what

Joseph, Mel Welles, Dick Miller, Myrtle Vail, John
looks like a hornets nest on its head (though it

Shaner, Jack Nicholson, Wally Campo, Jack War-
does sport an impressive set of snaggle-teeth).

ford.

Suggesting the obvious— that
this monster outfit was
whipped up in somebody’s
garage—would be an insult to
garages everywhere.

At the film’s climax, when
this Teletubby with mange
finally menaces the heroine,

Dooley hits it with his hat and
runs, then comically plays
hide and seek with it among
three sparse trees. (Here the

“producer” cuts in again, and
not only mocks the monster’s
slow speed, but tries to sell the
viewer some “papier mache
rocks and pine trees.... We
spent about 5000 dollars
making this picture, and 4000
on those papier mache rocks
and pine trees...”) Dooley
even sneaks up and kicks the

Seymour Krelboin (Jonathan Haze, wearing cap) shows off his blood-creature in its two-tailed pos-
thirsty plant “Audrey Junior” to, among others, Mr. Mushnik (Mel terior at one point!

Welles) and Audrey (Jackie Joseph, far right) in Roger Corman’s three-Appropriately enough, the
day wonder The Little Shop of Horrors (1960).

264

The Little Shop of Horrors

2. THE MOVIES

The funniest picture this year!— tagline

Nevertheless, Griffith’s script is riotously funny, and the primary reason why the movie became a

The Little Shop of Horrors remains best known cult favorite. It’s overflowing with bizarre,
as the movie that producer-director Roger Cor-
extreme characters (caricatures, really)— includ-
man, on a dare, made in two and a half days. But
ing not only the story’s leads but minor roles, such that in and of itself isn’t so remarkable. What’s
as Seymour’s alcoholic-hypochondriac mother
truly impressive is that the movie Corman made

(played by Griffith’s real-life mom, former radio
so quickly remains as enduring and enjoyable as
actress Myrtle Vail), a sadistic dentist (John

Little Shop.

Shaner) and his masochistic patient (Jack Nichol-

Bumbling Seymour Kelboin (Jonathan Haze)

son), and even Audrey Jr. (an outsized puppet
is on the verge of getting fired from his job at a
voiced by Griffith himself ). Griffith’s scenario also skid row flower shop when he reveals that he has
incorporates a spot-on parody of the TV hit Drag-crossbred a new species of plant for his boss,
net, complete with dry, “just-the-facts”-style nar-Gravis Mushnick (Mel Welles). Seymour has
ration from Detective Joe Fink (Wally Campo).

named the plant Audrey Jr. after his girlfriend

Shooting at breakneck speed, Corman and cin-

(Jackie Joseph). A quirky but seemingly knowl-
ematographer Archie Dalzell couldn’t worry
edgeable customer (Dick Miller) convinces
about niceties of lighting and composition. As a

Mushnick that the plant could attract customers,
result, their work here remains professional but
so the florist agrees to keep Seymour on the job—
nondescript. Aside from Griffith’s screenplay, the
as long as Audrey Jr. stays alive. Unfortunately,
film’s real strength lay in its acting. The wisest in-the plant, Seymour learns, can only survive by
vestment Corman made proved to be those three
feeding on human blood. Initially Seymour
days of rehearsal, which bought him strong per-
nurses Audrey Jr. by nicking his fingertips, but as formances from most of his cast, including Mel
the plant grows, greater quantities of food are re-

Welles’ winning turn as the irascible, exasperated, quired. When he accidentally causes the death of
and English-language-challenged Gravis Mush-
a skid row drunk, Seymour feeds the body to Au-
nick; Jack Nicholson’s giddily over-the-top por-
drey Jr. The plant soon grows to giant proportions, trayal as the pain-loving dental patient; and Dick
begins to speak (“Feeed meee!”) and even exert

Miller’s side-splitting deadpan delivery as a
hypnotic influence over its creator. The fantastic
flower-eating patron of Mushnick’s shop.

plant brings in big-money business for Mushnick

Jonathan Haze and Jackie Joseph may be a bit out
and turns Seymour into a minor celebrity. But
of their depth as the film’s nerdy romantic leads,
after a dentist, a burglar and a hooker are fed to
but their awkwardness perfectly suits their char-

Audrey Jr., the police begin to take an interest.

acters. “We adhered very closely to the script,”

Little Shop served as Corman’s follow-up to A Corman wrote in his autobiography. “Any

Bucket of Blood (1959), a wickedly amusing lam-changes made were worked out in the three days
poon of beatnik culture which scored with both
of rehearsal before rolling. Everybody just came
critics and audiences (and stands as one of the di-
in very prepared.” Later , Griffith, doubling as
rector’s best films). When the filmmaker learned
second unit director, picked up the film’s exterior that a nearby studio had a standing office set, left shots on actual skid row locations, including “the
over from another production, Corman rented
world’s largest used-tire yard and the world’s
the studio— set and all —for a week (three days
largest used-toilet yard,” featured in the film’s po-of rehearsals followed by two days of shooting)

lice-chase climax.

between Christmas and New Year’s 1959.

Although it previewed very well (Nicholson re-

Then, according to Corman’s autobiography,
members being taken aback by the audience’s re-
the director then phoned screenwriter Chuck
sponse to the picture, and to his performance: “I

Griffith, who had written Bucket, and ordered an-got all embarrassed because I’d never really had
other black comedy, “a variation on the Bucket
such a positive response before,” he said), Little story line.” That’s precisely what Griffith deliv-Shop was only moderately successful at the box ered. Like A Bucket of Blood, Little Shop is the office during its initial theatrical release. Its status story of a likeable misfit who, with all good in-as a cult favorite and cultural phenomenon grew
tentions, stumbles into a life of crime and horror.

over time, aided by frequent showings on televi-

The major difference between the two films is
sion and the rise of Nicholson as a major Holly-
tone. Little Shop is an off-the-wall farce, lacking wood star in the 1970s. In 1982, composer Alan
the social satire that gave Bucket its biting edge.

Menken and writer Howard Ashman premiered

2. THE MOVIES

Live to Love; The Liver Eaters; The Living Coffin

265
an off-Broadway rock musical adaptation of Little Llorona (the Crying Woman or Wailing Witch)

Shop of Horrors, which became a smash, toured with serial-Western sensibilities to create a hybrid the U.S., and has enjoyed revivals on Broadway,
that’s one part Edgar Allan Poe (spotlighting the
in London’s West End and throughout the world.

theme of burial alive), one part Tom Mix (featur-

In 1986 the musical was adapted for the screen by
ing a super-intelligent horse that senses danger,
puppeteer-turned-director Frank Oz. The budget
rescues his master from quicksand, and even
for Corman’s Little Shop wouldn’t have covered takes out the villain at the climax!) and one part
the catering bill for the 1986 version, which

Scooby-Doo (complete with not one, but two un-starred Rick Moranis as Seymour. There was even
masking-the-phantom moments). In place of the
a Saturday morning cartoon series based on Little

“meddling kids” we have famous bullfighter-

Shop of Horrors, which ran on Fox Kids in 1991.

turned-actor (well, sort of ) Gaston Santos and

Many of those versions— especially the play —
his perpetually sleepy comic-relief sidekick Pedro
have their merits, but none of them boast the free-
d’Aguillon (whose grating comments and annoy-
wheeling, underdog spirit of Corman’s original
ing antics are frequently accompanied by “funny”

picture, which turned out to be The Little Movie
noises on the soundtrack), who journey to a be-

That Could. A year later, Corman whipped up a
leaguered hacienda plagued by mysterious deaths
third black comedy, Creature from the Haunted
and the apparent ghost of “the Crying Woman”

Sea (1961), with far less satisfactory results.

(whose pasty, cracked-and-peeling cadaverous

With quotes from: How I Made a Hundred
countenance, coupled with cinematographer Vic-

Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, by tor Herrera’s low-key lighting, generates most of

Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

the film’s memorable moments). Decidedly
human villains searching for a hidden gold mine

Live to Love see The Devil’s Hand
in the nearby “Skeleton Swamp” are behind all
the spectral shenanigans, and it’s up to Santos to

The Liver Eaters see Spider-Baby
uncover the truth — after the requisite (substan-
dard) fistfights and gunplay. Santos’ horse even

The Living Coffin (1959/65; Trans-Interna-gets in on the act, pulling a string connected to a tional Films; Mexico) Original Language Title: El stationary firearm contraption to make the bad

Grito de la Muerte. Director: Fernando Mendez; guys think there’s a whole posse firing at them

Producers: Alfred Ripstein, Jr., Cesar Santos
rather than just one lawman!

Galindo. Cinematographer: Victor Herrera. Cast:

Director Fernando Mendez ( The Vampire, The Gaston Santos, Maria Duval,

Vampire’s Coffin, The Black Pit of Dr. M) builds Pedro d’Aguillon, Carlos, Ancira, Carolina Barret, Antonio

Raxel, Horensia Santovena,

Quintin Bulnes.

Fear, Greed and Murder!

— ad line

Another of the Mexi-horrors
imported and dubbed by K.

Gordon Murray in the mid–

1960s, The Living Coffin stands
out for two reasons (unfortu-
nately, neither has anything to
do with quality): It’s one of the
few South-of-the-Border horrors
shot in color; and it’s a horror-

Western. A melding of two pop-
ular genres in Mexico, the
ranchero (the Latino version of
the B-Western) and Gothic-

A bloody victim (Hortensia Santovena) of “the Crying Woman” stag-styled horror, The Living Coffin
gers out of the darkness in the Mexican mixing of La Llorona, Edgar combines the native legend of La

Allan Poe and Scooby-Doo known as The Living Coffin (1959/65).

266

The Living Head

2. THE MOVIES
an appropriately atmospheric mood, utilizing

Director: Chano Urueta, Manuel San Fernando

Herrera’s layered lighting to turn the hacienda

(English language version); Producer: Abel
into a warren of torch-lit corridors and shadow-

Salazar, K. Gordon Murray (English version);
filled rooms (including an in-house mausoleum

Screenplay: Frederick Curiel, A. Lopez Portillo;
whose stone sarcophagi and iron-barred gate

Cinematographer: Joseph Ortiz Ramos. Cast:

would be right at home in a Corman Poe entry).

Abel Saalzar, Ana Luisa Peluffo, Maurice Garces,

Unfortunately, the mood is shattered at regular

Germán Robles, Antonio Raxel.

intervals by the various riding, shooting and

Can a decapitated head perpetrate a
brawling scenes involving the brave-and-bland
horrible crime?!— TV spot
hero (not to mention his comical sidekick’s con-
tinual search for a place to sleep, leading to innu-There are bad movies, and then there are
merable scenes of him pulling chairs together to
baaaaaad movies. Well, The Living Head is an make a bed or climbing hay bales to lie down).

awful movie. Though made by the same pro-

And then there’s the seriously unsatisfying
ducer-director team (Abel Salazar — who also

Scooby-Doo ending that leaves the viewer feeling
stars in this picture — and Chano Urueta) who
more cheated than enlightened — particularly
brought us the deliriously bizarre The Brainiac since the cheesy masks removed from the faux

(filmed a mere month before this feature), The
phantoms bear only a passing resemblance to the

Living Head offers none of the outré fun to be had previously highlighted spectral make-ups. Ruh-in that boffo “classic.”

roh!

The story is basically a Mexican reworking of

As an unofficial companion piece to the deadly
the Universal Mummy movies, as a team of arche-
dull The Swamp of the Lost Monsters (another ologists (including The Vampire himself, Germán color Mexican horror-Western starring Santos

Robles) break into the tomb of an ancient Aztec
and d’Aguillon that featured an explain-it-all-
chief/sorcerer whose head is preserved and, ap-
away ending), the intermittently creepy Living
parently, still living (hence the title). The leader Coffin far surpasses its compatriot. But when of the expedition takes the head and the perfectly
compared to most “straight” Mexican horrors of
preserved (and rather beefy) mummy of a pro-
the 1960s, The Living Coffin seems disappointingly tective priest back to his home for study. Of
lifeless.

course, the mummy revives and, under (appar-
ently telepathic) orders from the head, sets about

The Living Head (1963/68; Cinematografica dispatching all those who defiled the tomb.

A.B.S.A./Trans-International Films; Mexico;

Unlike so many of its fellow Mexi-monster
b&w) Original Language Title: La Cabeza Vivente; movies, The Living Head has little in the way of atmosphere. After a brief so-journ to the (rather Spartan)

Aztec tomb, it offers only
modern apartments and big-
city backgrounds (of the pa-
thetic rear-screen projection
variety). And the monstrous
mummy stalking through
these banal sets looks like
nothing more than the Aztec
version of a flabby linebacker.

No desiccated flesh or grin-
ning-skull visage here, just a
big guy with some jewelry
and a stone knife. Sad. And
all the “Living Head” ever
does is open its eyes for an in-
stant before closing them
again. It’s the “mummy” that
engages in all the long-

Mexican lobby card for the brainless The Living Head (1963/68).

winded conversing.

2. THE MOVIES

The Long Hair of Death

267

And that’s about all the film does as well, since films,” explained Gastaldi. “Everybody borrowed

The Living Head bombards the viewer with scene from it.” Too bad Gastaldi and Co. didn’t borrow
after dull scene of talk, talk and more talk —con-
more from that American horror classic, since The sisting of ludicrously banal dubbing and unwieldy

Long Hair of Death turned out to be a slow, pon-dialogue. For example: “It’s an infantile theory
derous, only intermittently entertaining Italo-
and you really must forget it — do me that favor.”

Gothic.

Substitute the word “movie” for “theory,” and the

In 1994 director Antonio Margheriti said, “The
viewer would do well to heed this advice.

Long Hair of Death was done in three weeks, but The Living Head premiered theatrically on May I don’t like that one too much. I don’t like the

29, 1968, in Maryland on a double bill with the
story. The screenplay we had was very badly writ-
far more entertaining The Witch’s Mirror. Report-ten and a lot of things were not really fixed in it.

edly, American distributor (and cut-rate show-

On the set, a lot of things turned out to be stupid man) K. Gordon Murray included a “personal ap-or impossible, so we had to invent a lot and im-
pearance” (of sorts) to promote the picture — by
provise every day. We shot only a few days in the
promising patrons they would “See and talk to
studio, with the rest done on location at the
the living head in person!”

castello in Anzio. There was hardly any time to think, to invent, or write something down prop-

The Long Hair of Death (1965; Cinegay; erly, because we had to shoot, shoot, and shoot.

Italy; b&w) Original Language Title: I Lunghi Something is wrong with that film.”

Capelli della Morte; Director: Anthony Dawson Indeed. Though Margheriti keeps his camera

(Antonio Margheriti); Producer: Felice Testa Gay;
mobile, prowling about the marvelously dressed

Screenplay: Robert Buhr (Bruno Valeri), Julian
castle setting and cobweb-drenched catacombs,

Berry (Ernesto Gastaldi); Cinematography:

and even offers the occasional chill (such as when

Richard Thierry (Ricardo Pallottini). Cast: Bar-
a lightning strike blows the lid off a stone tomb,
bara Steele, George Ardisson, Halina Zalewska,
exposing the skeleton within — which then,

Robert Rains, Laureen Nuyen (Laura Nucci).

amidst the rain and mud, begins to take on flesh),
he can’t overcome the rambling, tedious script.

“I curse the shrew who brought her into

The film spends far too much time on the antag-
this castle of hell!”— Kurt Humboldt
onist’s convoluted scheme to murder his un-

Set in the fifteenth century, the Italian-lensed
wanted wife, and the subsequent is-she-dead-or-

I lunghi capelli della morte (The Long Hair of isn’t-she? shenanigans. The evil Kurt proves so

Death) tells the story of a woman wrongly accused
unlikable that no suspense or real interest arises
of murder and burned at the stake as a witch, wit-
from the “haunting” proceedings. An unexpected
nessed by her daughter (Bar-
bara Steele). The daughter is
murdered but seemingly re-
turns from the dead to tor-
ment and finally engineer the
death of the real killer (via the
aforementioned burning), the
son of a powerful nobleman.

Co-screenwriter Ernesto

Gastaldi admitted that his
film’s ending (with the mur-
derer trapped and helpless in-
side the wicker effigy of Death
as the locals unknowingly set
it alight to celebrate the pass-
ing of the plague) was in-
spired by the shock con

-
clusion of a popular 1961

Roger Corman Poe film. “The

With 1965’s The Long Hair of Death (sported by Barbara Steele, left, ac-Pit and the Pendulum had a
companied by George Ardisson, right), director Antonio Margheriti of-big influence on Italian horror
fers gothic mood but little else.

268

The Long Night of Terror; The Lost Continent

2. THE MOVIES
sting in the ghost tale relieves some of the

Captain Lansing (Eric Porter) sails out of Jo-
previous tedium (but only some), and Barbara
hannesburg carrying a secret cache of illegal ex-

Steele does what she does best —first entices, then plosives and an equally combustible collection of
terrifies. Even so, when it comes to entertainment
passengers, including Eva (Hildegard Knef ), ex-
value, The Long Hair of Death is really nothing lover of a military dictator; Ricaldi (Benito Car-more than a Continental buzz cut.

ruthers), an emissary of the dictator; a doctor

With quotes from: “What Are Those Strange

(Nigel Stock) being sued for malpractice; and his

Drops of Blood in the Scripts of ... Ernesto
nymphomaniac daughter (Suzanna Leigh); as well

Gastaldi?” by Tim Lucas, Video Watchdog 39, as an alcoholic piano player (Tony Beckley) and

1997; “Margheriti: The Wild, Wild Interview!” by
a crew full of scurvy malcontents. In a distinctly

Peter Blumenstock, Video Watchdog 28, 1995.

Wages of Fear-like turn of events, the ship sails into a storm, which threatens to set off the highly

The Long Night of Terror see Castle
volatile cargo.

of Blood

Several turns of events later, the vessel becomes
entangled in tendrils of giant, man-eating sea-

The Lost Continent
weed. Although the title suggests a lost kingdom

(1968; Hammer/Twen-

(perhaps Atlantis), there’s no large land mass in-
tieth Century–Fox; U.K.) Producer/Director:

volved, only a few tiny islands conjoined by the

Michael Carreras; Screenplay: Michael Nash
carnivorous seaweed, and a collection of luckless

(based on a novel by Dennis Wheatley); Cine-
ships trapped there. Survivors—including the in-
matographer: Paul Beeson. Cast: Eric Porter,
bred descendents of Spanish conquistadors still

Hildegard Knef, Suzanna Leigh, Tony Beckley,
prosecuting the Inquisition — live among the

Nigel Stock, Neil McCallum, Benito Carruthers.

wrecks, moving about by attaching hot air bal-

Man ... Woman ... and Prehistoric Beast Battle
loons to their arms to avoid the seaweed and other
for the Survival of the Fittest in the Living Hell
monsters that inhabit the area.

That Is ... THE LOST CONTINENT — tagline

The story, told in flashback, breaks into two

Although indefensible on the basis of its cine-
distinct halves and lacks any sort of cohesive plot.

matic merits The Lost Continent remains irre-Events collide with one another without regard
sistible, inspiring the same sort of knee-jerk fas-
for cause and effect, let alone niceties like
cination that compels motorists to slow down and
narrative structure. The first half of the film is a gawk at traffic accidents. It’s a burning four-car-constellation of every cliché known to maritime
pileup of a movie.

melodrama, including a hurricane, a mutiny, a
shark attack, and even a
lifeboat-survival sequence
that ends, improbably, with
the lifeboaters climbing back
aboard the ship they aban-
doned! All this seems even
more frenzied since the sce-
nario also introduces (and es-
tablishes conflicts between)

various members of the ship’s
crew and passengers. It’s like
watching one of the epic dis-
aster movies of the 1970s
compressed into 45 minutes.

The latter half of the film
proves just as manic and
jumbled, involving killer sea-
weed, giant crabs and other
monsters, plus the Conquis-
tadors That Time Forgot,
while resolving all the inter-

Suzanna Leigh meets the killer seaweed of The Lost Continent (1968).

personal conflicts established

2. THE MOVIES

The Lost World

269
among the characters during the early going.

filler doesn’t deserve to share the same name with

Some of these elements are intriguing but none

O’Brien’s 1925 adaptation. O’Brien filled his ver-
of them are developed in a satisfying manner; they
sion with nearly 50 excitingly realistic stop-
are simply thrown against the wall in hopes that
motion animation dinosaurs (O’Brien is the same
something will stick. Fortunately, there’s so much
special effects genius who eight years later created whizzing past that it’s impossible to get bored.

King Kong). In this weak remake, Allen decided Initially, Hammer announced that Lost Conti-a few dressed-up lizards would do just fine.

nent (based on Dennis Wheatley’s novel Uncharted What’s worse, in an unkind bit of irony, the tal-Seas) would be an upscale-budget production on ented (and down-on-his-luck) O’Brien worked
the order of the studio’s She (1965) and One Million on this version as an “Effects Technician” but was

Years B.C. (1967). Ultimately, however, Lost Con-not allowed to work his stop-motion magic.

tinent was produced on a typical Hammer budget, which proved inadequate for its more ambitious
concepts. Michael Carreras was a gifted producer
and writer but an undistinguished director (see

Prehistoric Women or Shatter for further evidence of his limitations), and he seems out of his depth
here, dealing with a complex story, large cast and
numerous production challenges. Cinematogra-
pher Paul Beeson does what he can to distract view-
ers from the film’s flimsy production values with a striking, orange-sky lighting scheme and liberal
use of dry ice fog. The monsters, designed by

Robert Mattey (who later created the mechanical
shark for Jaws) are unconvincing but imaginative — lots of squishy, tentacled things with
prominent fangs and eyeballs. The characters are
all stock types, but the cast performs acceptably,
particularly Porter as the iron-fisted captain.

The term “guilty pleasure” was coined for
movies like the loopy and lively Lost Continent.

Like a gory traffic accident, it’s awful but you can’t take your eyes off it.

The Lost World (1960; 20th Century–Fox) Director/Producer: Irwin Allen; Screenwriters:

Irwin Allen, Charles Bennett; Cinematographer:

Winto Hoch. Cast: David Hedison, Claude Rains,

Michael Rennie, Jill St. John, Fernando Lamas,

Richard Haydn, Ray Stricklyn, Jay Novello, Vitina

Marcus, Ian Wolfe.

Your Mind Won’t Believe ... What Your

Eyes Tell You!— trailer

Fox’s Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) was an underground exploration that not only
discovered subterranean wonders but also struck
box-office gold. When exhibitors clamored for a
half-alike follow-up, producer-director Irwin

Allen obliged with The Lost World, the second screen version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1912
dino-novel (the first being the 1925 Willis O’Brien silent classic).

Australian daybill for the 1960 version of The Lost

Unfortunately, Allen’s tepid Saturday matinee

World.

270

Lust of the Vampire; Maciste in Hell; Macumba Love

2. THE MOVIES

The story is the standard one of a small group
the way to the bank. The movie simultaneously
of disparate individuals looking for a lost prehis-
opened in 400 theaters throughout the U.S. on
toric plateau, being stranded there, encountering

July 13, and just over a week later the studio was
dinosaurs and primitive peoples, and making
already heralding it in the trade paper ads as “A
their escape before it all blows up; not to mention Bigger Blockbuster Than Journey to the Center of the various human love interests and conflicts.

the Earth.” In the first five weeks of domestic re-There’s nothing new in this version except that
lease, it grossed $2,000,000.

Allen had the resources to cast some decent actors.

Sometimes there’s just no accounting for taste.

Claude Rains plays Professor Challenger, the
leader of the expedition; Michael Rennie

Lust of the Vampire see The Devil’s

(“Klaatu” from The Day the Earth Stood Still) is

Commandment
big-game hunter Sir John Roxton (who seems just
as interested in “bagging” fuchsia pants-wearing

Jill St. John as one of the dangerous dinos); David

Maciste in Hell see The Witch’s

(“Help meeeee!”) Hedison ( The Fly, 1958) struts

Curse
about as the hero/love interest; and Fernando

Lamas plays the experienced local helicopter pilot.

Macumba Love (1960; United Artists) Direc-Unfortunately, Allen is not a good enough
tor/Producer: Douglas V. Fowley; Screenplay:

director to get the most out of this interesting and Norman Graham; Cinematographer: Rudolph
talented cast. Rains goes over the top with his ec-

Icsey. Cast: Walter Reed, Ziva Rodann, William
centric, blustery portrayal; Rennie seems to be

Wellman, Jr., June Wilkinson, Pedro Paulo Hay-
just walking through his role; Lamas isn’t given
herer, Ruth de Souza.

much to do except glower; and Hedison, though
seeming sincere, is obviously trying too hard.

Blood-Lust of the VOODOO QUEEN!— ad line

Despite its colorful trappings and extravagant

Macumba Love was filmed in Brazil, making it premise, The Lost World is heavy handed and (along with Curucu, Beast of the Amazon) one of dreary, its “humor” is overstated and intrusive,
the few American-made horror films shot in
and all sense of pacing is absent. Even worse, the

South America. However, unless you’re a fan of
effects (ostensibly the film’s raison d’etre) are piti-Brazilian beaches (upon which this picture spends
ful, complete with terrible matting and uncon-
an interminable amount of time) or June Wilkin-
vincing miniatures. And live lizards passed off as
dinosaurs are disappointing at best and ludicrous
at worst, putting the dinosaur scenes here on a
par with low-budget dreck like King Dinosaur or The Cyclops rather than on the elevated plain (pun intended) of the original. Allen only makes things
worse when he has Rains label a lizard with a frill a “Brontosaurus” and a baby alligator with horns
glued to its head a “Tyrannosaurus Rex”! This
kind of thing just shows contempt for the audi-
ence — especially the younger audience out there
who recognize even more than adults the differ-
ence between a newborn ’gator and the great

“thunder lizard.” Credit, though, must be given
to art directors Duncan Cramer and Walter M.

Simonds, especially in one scene when the group
walks through the ribcage of some giant beast’s
bleached skeleton in an underground cavern —
using the giant vertebrae as stepping stones. And
the film is colorful. But a few interesting sets can’t save a movie, and this one is sunk by either the
filmmakers’ ignorance (to be kind) or outright
disregard for the material and audience.

Voodoo in Brazil: the tepid terrors of Macumba

Even so, Twentieth Century–Fox laughed all

Love (1960).

2. THE MOVIES

Mad Doctor of Blood Island

271
son’s dubious talents, the film’s glacial pacing and Rodann’s presence also enlivened one other exotic
dull dramatics leave little to recommend to the
horror, The Pharaoh’s Curse (1957).

discerning viewer.

Macumba Love was the directorial debut of

On an island off the Brazilian coast, American
actor Douglas Fowley. As such, it proved a very

“novelist, lecturer and general debunker of
inauspicious one, as Fowley fails in his pacing,
mankind” Peter Weils (Walter Reed) runs afoul
staging (apart from the two aforementioned
of the local voodoo cult headed by Mama Rataloy
shocks) and direction of actors. It’s little wonder (Ruth de Souza). When Peter threatens to write
that he was never entrusted with the director’s
an exposé of the cult, Mama Rataloy soon begins
baton again and, for the remainder of his career,
menacing those close to Peter: drugging his girl-
worked only in front of rather than behind the
friend (Ziva Rodann); frightening his daughter
camera.

(June Wilkinson) by appearing as some kind of

Though successful financially (reportedly earn-
snake-woman; and kidnapping Sara’s new hus-
ing $3,000,000 in the U.S. alone), it failed aesthet-band (William Wellman, Jr.) for sacrifice in a
ically. Macumba Love’s final sequence epitomizes voodoo ceremony.

the picture’s level of ineptitude. It begins when

Macumba Love’s leaden pace and endless filler Mama Rataloy’s face dissolves into an obviously
leave little room for excitement. About the best
papier mache mask with wrinkled skin and mis-
it can do is a moment of visceral shock when
shapen cardboard lips in one of the most ama-

Mama Rataloy jabs a hatpin into a man’s eye. The
teurish makeup jobs ever seen in 35mm. Then,
man screams and the screen then cuts to a literal
after an awkward (and very noticeable) jump cut,
victim’s-eye-view as bright red blood suddenly
the fake head bursts into flame — just as the
gushes over the camera lens— as if we’re seeing
viewer bursts out laughing.

from behind the punctured orb itself. It’s a grue-
somely inventive (though arguably tasteless) bit

Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1969; Hemi-of camerawork that remains one of the few mem-
sphere; Philippines/U.S.) Alternate Title: Tomb orable things in the picture.

of the Living Dead. Directors: Eddie Romero, Ger-Not surprisingly, the movie’s level of acting per-
ardo de Leon; Producer: Eddie Romero; Screen-
fectly matches its technical (non)proficiencies.

play: Reuben Candy; Cinematographer: Justo

Though easy on the eyes, the two young leads,

Paulino. Cast: John Ashley, Angelique Pettyjohn,

June Wilkinson (known as “the most pho-

Ronald Remy, Alicia Alonso, Bruno Punzalan.

tographed nude in America” and, more amus -
ingly, as simply “The Bosom” in the pages of Play-Do you have the GUTS to come and join the

WEIRD RITES of GREEN BLOOD?— ad line
boy magazine) and William Wellman, Jr. (son of famed director William A. Wellman), are

This crude and exploitative American-Filipino
both excruciatingly bland. Ironically, the film’s
horror was the second installment in Hemisphere
pressbook noted that “In Macumba Love, Wellman Pictures’ loosely-connected “Blood Island” trilogy
has his most challenging role to date, calling for
shot in the Philippines between 1968 and 1970.

a full display of dramatic emotion.” The young

They each starred John Ashley opposite a different
actor must have simply forgotten to answer that American actress and were directed (or co-dicall.

rected) by Eddie Romero, whom Castle of

The film’s one bright spot comes in the form

Frankenstein magazine once labeled “a Filipino of Israeli actress Ziva Rodann. Not only is she sex-Edward L. Cahn” (ouch). The first entry was
ier than the grossly pulchritudinous June Wilkin-

Brides of Blood and the last was Beast of Blood (a son, she out-acts her (and everyone else in the
direct sequel to Mad Doctor of Blood Island). Each picture) as well. In reviewing Macumba Love, Va-cost about $120,000 to make and are pretty much
riety’s Holl (who had little good to say about the interchangeable, with little to chose between them
production) praised Ms. Rodann’s “outstanding
in terms of quality.

performance” and called her “an attractive and

The story of Mad Doctor of Blood Island has fiery performer who has a chance to make an im-American government pathologist Bill Foster
portant impact in future films.” Sadly, such a

(John Ashley) investigating the weird goings-on
chance never materialized, for, after half a dozen
on the remote Blood Island, where a monstrous
more unimportant and gimmicky pictures like
madman has been murdering the locals. Also ar-

Giants of Thessaly (1961) and Three Nuts in Search riving on the island is Shelia (Angelique Pet-of a Bolt (1964; her last), she dropped from sight.

tyjohn — who later made porno films under the

272

Mad Doctor of Blood Island

2. THE MOVIES
name Heaven St. John), looking for her expatriate

Monster, Frankenstein’s Daughter, The Eye Crea-father. As if Shelia and Bill don’t have enough
tures, etc.). Ashley later stepped behind the problems, they discover that the island’s resident
camera for good when he went into television
scientist, Dr. Lorca (Ronald Remy), has been
production, overseeing the hit show The A-Team, doing “research on the medical uses of chloro-among others.

phyll.” While this sounds benign enough, in fact,

Tito Arevalo’s loud, intrusive and painfully

Lorca has been trying to discover that old
overdramatic music score (full of blaring horns
standby —“eternal youth”—and using the natives
and crashing cymbals) doesn’t help matters.

as guinea pigs, turning one into a hideous, green-

(Oddly, schlockmeister Al Adamson lifted the en-
blooded chlorophyll monster who’s escaped and
tire score for his awful Brain of Blood in 1972 ...

gone on a rampage. Complicating matters are var-
on second thought, maybe that’s not so odd.) Cin-ious love triangles (one even involving the crea-
ematographer Justo Paulino’s underexposed pho-
ture!) and the doctor’s murderous servant. It all
tography gives everything a murky look, and a
wraps up in the expected creature-creator con-
tawdry air of sexploitation (characters ogle
frontation and subsequent conflagration.

skinny-dipping island girls; one young nymph

Totally absent from this Filipino production is
fleeing from the monster is inexplicably nude; and
any sense of conviction. The principle actors (ex-
the native ceremony intended “to drive out evil
cepting Ronald Remy as the obsessed Dr. Lorca,
spirits” turns into a Filipino take on ‘Dirty Danc-
who indeed seems to relish his mad scientist role)

ing’) permeates the picture. But the absolute
all emote as if on Valium (maybe it was the Fil-
worst aspect of this Filipino frightfest is co-di-
ipino heat), so that one simply can’t take the pro-
rectors Gerry De Leon ( The Blood Drinkers) and ceedings seriously. Particularly wooden is the late Eddie Romero’s ( Terror Is a Man) reliance on the John Ashley, a former teen heartthrob (and Beach
zoom lens. Every moment the monster is onscreen Party movie regular) who literally walks through

(and even during the creature’s frequent point-
his role without changing expression. Ashley
of-view shots) has the zoom lens working over-
claims to have enjoyed filming in the Philippines
time. And it doesn’t just zoom in— it zooms back and went on to make about a dozen movies there
out ... and back in ... and back out ... in a rapid, (many of which he co-produced as well). From
headache-inducing motion that ultimately leaves
his unenthusiastic acting in Mad Doctor of Blood the viewer as green as the chlorophyll monster.

Island, however, one could never tell — but then Manic zooms aside, Mad Doctor of Blood Island
it’s not much different from his typically bland
is not without its entertainment value. The
performances in American films ( How to Make a
bizarre premise (and monster) certainly is unique, and the Filipino jungle settings can be quite beautiful

(on those rare occasions
when Paulino actually pro-
vides enough light to see
them). But the best bit of
boffo fun comes from the
pre-credit sequence Hemi-
sphere tacked onto the film
as a promotional gimmick
and showed to patrons who
were given a vial of green
liquid before the screening.

“Now THE MAD DOCTOR

OF BLOOD ISLAND invites

YOU to join him in taking
the

OATH
of

GREEN

BLOOD,” reads the screen
over shots of a small group
of teens/young adults drink-

The strikingly bizarre Filipino “chlorophyll monster” created by the Mad
ing test tubes of “mystic

Doctor of Blood Island (1969).

emerald fluids.” “Now, take

2. THE MOVIES

Mad Monster Party?

273
your sample of Green Blood,” exhorts the narra-
with monsters. Meanwhile, Frankenstein’s cur-
tor, “and it is guaranteed that you can never turn
vaceous assistant, Francesca, conspires with Drac-
into a green-blooded monster!”

ula to eliminate Felix so they can gain control of

Frankenstein’s “secrets.”

Mad Monster Party? (1967; Embassy) Di-Unfortunately, Mad Monster Party lacks the wit rector: Jules Bass; Producer: Arthur Rankin, Jr.;
and catchy songs that make the better Rankin-

Screenplay: Harvey Kurtzman and Leo Korobkin;

Bass holiday specials treasured classics. Mad Mon-Cinematographer: Tad Mochinaga. Cast: Boris
ster Party’s tunes—“Do the Mummy,” “One Step Karloff, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett, Phyllis Diller.

Ahead,” etc.—are less than memorable, and most
of its jokes fall flat. Also, while Mad Monster Party It’s the Silliest Party of the Year ... and
might have worked as a 50-minute Halloween tel-
you’re all invited!— tagline
evision special, there simply isn’t enough plot here Although beloved by a generation of monster
to sustain a feature-length narrative. To pad the
movie fans who fell head over heels for it during
film out to its 95-minute runtime, executive pro-

Halloween season TV broadcasts, the charms of
ducer Joseph E. Levine demanded the addition of

Mad Monster Party may escape those who don’t a musical number featuring Frankenstein’s butler,
view it through the rose-colored glasses of child-

Yetch, and his chef, as well as a protracted se-
hood nostalgia.

quence involving antique biplanes, neither of

Rankin-Bass Productions shot this offbeat chil-
which do anything to advance the story.

dren’s movie in its trademark “Animagic” process,

The most striking moments in the picture are
using stop-motion puppets like those seen in its
mildly subversive sex gags that somehow snuck
timeless Christmas specials ( Rudolph the Red
into the proceedings (and past censors). For in-

Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, stance, as the chef sings “a pinch of this and a
etc.). The puppets, in and of themselves, remain
pinch of that,” he pinches Yetch’s bottom. Later,
far and away the most endearing element in Mad

Francesca and Frankenstein’s bride rip each

Monster Party: amusing, kid-friendly caricatures other’s dresses off and begin to wrestle in their
of Boris Karloff (in mad scientist garb), the
underwear (to a soundtrack of caterwauling fe-

Frankenstein Monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man,
lines, no less). And when Felix slaps the hysterical the Mummy, the Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Francesca, she swoons into his arms in

Hyde, the Creature (as in Black Lagoon), the masochistic delight and suddenly declares her love

Hunchback of Notre Dame, a Kong-like giant go-
for him.

rilla and Phyllis Diller (as the Bride of Franken-

Narrative shortcomings aside, Mad Monster
stein), as well as a horde of zom-
bies and sundry other ghouls and
goblins. Designed by Mad Mag-
azine artist Harvey Kurtzman,
these figures averaged about
eight inches in height and cost
about $5,000 apiece to create.

Dr. Frankenstein (voiced by

Boris Karloff ), mad scientist ex-
traordinaire and president of a
global confederation of monsters,
calls a special meeting of all the
world’s monsters to unveil his
latest creation (a disintegrator
potion) and to announce his re-
tirement. Frankenstein plans to
hand over the family business to
his nephew (and only living rel-
ative), Felix Flankin, who is also

Felix Flankin (left, voiced by Allen Swift, who also vocalized Dracula, invited to the gathering. Alas,
the Invisible Man, Jekyll and Hyde, and others) and “Uncle Boris”

Felix knows nothing of his uncle’s

(voiced by Boris Karloff ) in the animated puppet monster mash Mad
work and even less about dealing

Monster Party? (1967).

274

Madmen of Mandoras

2. THE MOVIES

Party (or Mad Monster Party? , since the on-screen they saved his whole head!! That’s the premise of
title includes an inexplicable question mark at the this worst-film-of-all-time candidate that’s actu-end) remains well-crafted. The herky-jerky “An-
ally better than its dire reputation allows. Not
imagic” process may seems crude by 21st century
much better, but...

standards, but retains a warmth lacking in

This bizarre exercise in outré political paranoia
modern computer animation. The film’s vocal tal-

(bolstered by some evocative, noir-style lighting
ent also performs capably. Karloff, of course, is
from cinematographer Stanley [ The Magnificent
the main attraction, and his playful, sing-song

Ambersons] Cortez) has a group of Nazis spiriting reading fits the tone of the production like a glee-away Hitler’s still-living disembodied head to the
fully ghoulish glove. Impressionist Allen Swift
tiny South American country of Mandoras.

lends all the other male characters the instantly

Eighteen years after the war they have taken over
recognizable delivery of a different movie star:

the local Mandoran government and are poised

Jimmy Stewart for Felix, Bela Lugosi (who else?)

to perpetuate a plot concocted by their (ahem)

for Dracula, Peter Lorre for Yetch, Sidney Green-
head man to rule the world using deadly nerve
street for The Invisible Man, etc. Singer Gale Gar-
gas. Several American agents become involved
nett voices Francesca with conviction and does
and join with some locals to foil the nefarious
what she can with her share of the film’s disap-
plans of the Fourth Reich.

pointing songs. Diller is, well, Diller —cackling

Released (briefly) in 1964, Madmen of Mando-
and hamming it up as always as Frankenstein’s
ras lapsed into a cinematic coma until revived bride, whose screen time is (thankfully) limited.

four years later for television sales. But with a

Mad Monster Party earned a brief theatrical re-running time of barely an hour, Crown Interna-
lease, almost exclusively playing kiddie matinees.

tional decided to add a 30-minute “prologue” of

It sank without a trace at the box office but resur-sorts (à la Jerry Warren — and about at that same
faced on TV, to the unending delight of its faithful lousy level), focusing on a pair of bickering Amer-devotees. Those include movie maker Tim Bur-
ican CID agents investigating the death of a sci-
ton, whose animated feature films The Nightmare entist involved in developing the gas. Crown also

Before Christmas (1993) and Corpse Bride (2005), re-christened it the more exploitive (and explana-as well as his short Vincent (1982) all owe major tory) They Saved Hitler’s Brain. Unfortunately, debts to Mad Monster Party. If nothing else, those this poorly-paced, badly-shot and atrociously-less enchanted by Mad Monster Party should tip acted addition (featuring the two most uninter-their hat to the Rankin-Bass picture for inspiring
esting and amateurish agents this side of Dr. Gold-Burton’s vastly superior productions.

foot and the Girl Bombs) adds nothing but tedium Note: For a dissenting opinion, the author con-to the already lackluster proceedings. Admittedly,
sulted his 4-year-old daughter. “I like Mad Mon-it is startling when both agents— the film’s ster Party!” she reported, gleefully jumping in (smarmy) hero and (plain-Jane) heroine up to
place with the DVD held high. Why do you like
this point — meet their deaths, but it’s also some-
it? “Because it’s about monsters and I like monthing of a relief to have their annoying presence
sters!” she replied. So let us grant that the film
removed. (The best thing about this added
works well when approached on this level.

footage is the impressive car crash that prema-
turely concludes the protagonists’ investigation—

Madmen of Mandoras (1964; Crown Inter-a shot lifted from 1958’s Thunder Road!)

national; b&w) Alternate Titles: Amazing Mr. H; Of course, this pathetic preamble only serves

They Saved Hitler’s Brain (TV). Director: David to make the original footage look that much better

Bradley; Producer: Carl Edwards; Screenplay:

(or at least less dowdy). But there’s still plenty of Richard Miles (original story by Steve Bennett);
tedious talk and silly spy shenanigans to fill the

Cinematographer: Stanley Cortez. Cast: Audrey
remaining hour. The rapidly-blinking Hitler head

Caire, Walter Stocker, Carlos Rivas, Dani Lynn,
in a glass jar gets trotted out from time to time to Scott Peters, Marshall Reed.

liven things up, but he/it does little but sneer on occasion and bark out, “Mach schnell!” Fifties

WHAT UNKNOWN FORCE was created in
sci-fi fans will be pleased to see the always-wel-
the diabolical minds of the ...

come Nestor Paiva (Lucas from Creature from the

“MADMEN OF MANDORAS”— poster

Black Lagoon) playing the corrupt Mandoran

As this film’s alternate TV title so subtly sug-

Chief of Police. (And Nestor must have felt right
gests, they saved Hitler’s brain! More than that —
at home, given that the filmmakers “borrowed”

2. THE MOVIES

Majin; Malenka, the Vampire

275
the distinctive Creature music for their film’s cli-them on the sacred mountain of Majin, home to
max!) It all concludes with a few low-rent super-
a giant stone samurai statue, which the villagers
imposed explosions at the ubiquitous Bronson
believe is inhabited by the spirit of a powerful

Canyon (as all the best bad movies do).

warrior-god. Over the next 10 years, Samanosuke

With less mundane spy stuff and more surreal
turns the lives of the townsfolk into a hell of dep-weirdness (such as when a Nazi minion attaches
rivation, war and forced labor. When he learns
a handle to the glass container and carries off
that the rightful heirs to the lordship are still alive, Hitler’s head like some bizarre handbag),

Samanosuke captures the fugitives and prepares

Madmen of Mandoras could have become a mod-to execute them. All seems lost. “Only the God of
erately entertaining cult item. As is (particularly the Mountain can save us!” one villager laments.

with the added footage), They Saved Hitler’s Brain In the final reel, that’s precisely what happens.

is not really worth saving.

Majin, the stone colossus, comes to life and
wreaks vengeance on Samanosuke and his follow-

Majin (1966/68; Daiei; Japan) Original Lan -
ers.

guage Title: Diamajin (Giant Majin), U.S. Tele-The period setting allowed Daiei to reuse its
vision Title: Majin, the Monster of Terror. Pro-existing jidai-geki sets and costumes, which are ducer: Masaichi Nagata; Director: Hisashi Okuda;
quite impressive, especially in comparison with

Screenplay: Tetsuro Yoshida; Cinematographer:

typically chintzy kaiju eiga production values.

Fujio Morita. Cast: Miwa Takada, Yoshihiko

And Majin’s limited screen time enabled techni-

Aoyama, Jun Fujimaki, Ryutaro Gomi.

cians to devote greater attention to detail during
the film’s special effects-laden finale. The resulting Majin. Terror Monster. He Could Love or
visuals prove far more convincing than those in

Destroy Anything He Wanted!— tagline

Daiei’s slipshod Gamera series, and at least as im-

For decades, the jidai-geki (period drama)

pressive as any conceived by rival Toho in the Six-
reigned as the most popular genre among
ties, and are greatly enhanced by Hisashi Okuda’s

Japanese moviegoers. As the Sixties wore on,
inventive direction, which frequently utilizes ex-
however, the traditional jidai-geki began losing treme angle shots from the victim’s point of view.

its audience in favor of its more violent offspring, These foreshortened perspectives make Majin
the chambara eiga (swordplay movie), and to the seem truly colossal and terrifying. Cinematogra-upstart yakuza eiga (gangster movie). The com-pher Fujio Morita shoots the film in a muted color
mercial appeal of the kaiju eiga (monster movie) palate, which contributes to the somber, dead-se-also was beginning to sag. Executives at Daiei hit
rious tone of the story. Daiei even went to the
on the idea of producing a series of films that, it trouble of bringing in composer Akira Ifukube,
was hoped, would attract fans of both slumping

Toho’s specialist in kaiju eiga music, to write the genres.

score, which is one of his best.

The result was a trio of films— Majin (1966/68), The Majin films aren’t kaiju eiga stories set in Return of the Giant Majin (1966/68) and Majin the past; they are jidai-geki stories that happen to Strikes Again (1966)— made in short order, none involve a giant monster. In addition to the period
of which scored the hoped-for box office break-
costumes and settings, the fundamental structure
through. Only the first of the three received a
and central themes of the Majin films are those (limited) theatrical release in the U.S. The second of a traditional period drama (the inequities and
installment was picked up by AIP for American
abuses of the feudal era, the importance of honor
television, and the third went unreleased in the
as exemplified in the code of bushido). The only States until it finally reached DVD in 2005.

difference is that in a standard jidai-geki the hero Despite their disappointing reception, however,
would be a valiant flesh-and-blood samurai, not
the Majin films rank among the most distinctive a Godzilla-sized stone one. The titular giant
and well crafted of all Japanese monster shows.

doesn’t come to life until 68 of the film’s 84 min-

The initial entry in the series sets the template
utes have elapsed, which may try the patience of
for the following two features: In feudal Japan,
kaiju eiga fans expecting loads of goofy rubber-Samanosuke (Ryutaro Gomi), an unscrupulous
suit monster shenanigans. However, more open-
samurai, overthrows the beloved lord of a pros-
minded viewers may find Majin enchanting.

perous and peaceful village. Kogenta (Jun Fuji-
maki), one of the slain lord’s faithful retainers,

Malenka, the Vampire see Fangs of
escapes with his master’s two children and hides
the Living Dead

276

The Maltese Bippy

2. THE MOVIES

The Maltese Bippy (1969; MGM) Director: bippy.” Critics lauded Laugh-In for its revolution-Norman Panama; Producers: Robert Enders,
ary approach — revolutionary, assuming one had

Everett Freeman; Screenplay: Everett Freeman,
never seen Ernie Kovacs or Olsen & Johnson —

Ray Singer; Cinematography: William H.

of piling one madcap, outrageous gag, verbal and

Daniels. Cast: Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Carol
visual, upon another at a furious pace. Despite its Lynley, Julie Newmar, Mildred Natwick, Fritz
obvious debt to previous comic styles, Laugh-In Weaver.

took the approach a step further (or backwards,
depending on your point of view) by essentially

DAN: “Dick, it sure was fun making
eliminating set-ups, exposition, and characteri-
a flick with you!”

zation, and rushing straight to the punchline.

DICK: “Well, ring my chimes! I thought
we were posing for a center-spread

What the pundits (and, evidently, most of the na-
in Playboy!”— poster
tion) failed to grasp is that without set-ups, ex-
position, and/or characterization, there can be no

Pop culture history is strewn with catch-
real punchline. You wind up with an empty form
phrases that were enormously popular in their
of humor with no lasting resonance; but if you’re
day and are now extremely difficult to defend, let
lucky, you can devise a term or phrase that’s just
alone explain. Radio audiences of the 1930s lapsed
goofy enough to momentarily catch the public’s
into convulsions whenever Joe Penner quipped,
fancy. Laugh-In managed to capture the public’s

“Wanna buy a duck?” Then Baron Munchausen’s
fancy for a few seasons before its luck ran out.

(i.e., Jack Pearl’s), “Vas you dere, Charlie?”

With the popularity of Laugh-In, Rowan and
became a national catch-phrase. And every liv-

Martin got the chance to star in a feature film
ing-room jester insisted on favoring the gathered

(they’d made one together before —1958’s Once
crowd with his or her drunken interpretation of

Upon a Horse— but few remembered it). The fact Billy Crystal’s “You look mah-velous.” The pop-that “bippy” was part of the title speaks volumes
ular ’60s comedy show Rowan and Martin’s
about the patronizing, cashing-in-on-a-fad men-

Laugh-In produced its own seemingly endless pa-tality that doomed this project from the start. The rade of catch-phrases, including “Sock it to me,”

Maltese Bippy opens with a faux historical se-

“Verrrry interesting,” and “You bet your sweet
quence of slaves carrying out tortuous physical
tasks under the oppressive rule of Irving the Hor-
rible. Then an onscreen title informs us that none
of this has any relation to the actual movie we’re
about to see, which is set in Flushing, New York.

It doesn’t take long to (sadly) realize that this pre-credit bit is one of the cleverest gags in the picture.

The plot, such as it is, then commences: Nudie-
moviemakers Sam Smith (Rowan) and Ernest

Grey (Martin) are busy working on their latest
erotic epic, Lunar Lust, when they’re evicted from their offices (and film set). Meanwhile, a dead
body is discovered in a cemetery, while a neighbor
reports that she was pestered by a man who
howled like a wolf. Sam and Ernest pile their gear
into a moving truck and head to the boarding
house Ernest owns. Coincidentally, the house is
located next to the cemetery in question. And just
as coincidentally, Ernest has been suffering from
strange “spells” during which he howls like a wolf.

Even the most charitable viewer will have to
admit that an air of desperation sets in pretty
quickly. A variety of plot elements are tossed into the mix, perhaps in the hopes of generating narrative interest, if not laughs. Ernest thinks he’s

Ad for Rowan and Martin’s big-screen horror-com-
become a werewolf, an idea reinforced by his psy-
edy (sort of ) The Maltese Bippy (1969).

chologist (David Furst). A pair of odd Hungarian

2. THE MOVIES

The Man and the Monster

277
neighbors— the remote Ravenswood (Fritz
who had just come out of the screening, and asked

Weaver) and the loopy Carlotta (Julie Newmar),
him his opinion of the picture. In addition to
brother and sister—might actually be werewolves
being a very successful television host ( Art Lin-too. Or vampires (the scripters don’t seem to
kletter’s House Party ran for years), Linkletter had know the difference). After a string of aimless plot appeared in a couple of movies himself (most no-twists, red herrings, and lewd sex jokes (sans nu-
tably Champagne for Caesar, opposite Ronald dity — the film was rated “G” for general audi-Colman and Vincent Price). Watching the
ences!), it all boils down to various parties prepar-relaxed, gentle manly, and usually upbeat Linklet-
ing to slice open the murder victim so they can
ter struggle to find something — anything— posi-retrieve a valuable diamond inside the corpse.

tive to say about the train-wreck he just witnessed Like many films that attempt to be several
was more amusing than The Maltese Bippy could things at once, The Maltese Bippy fails on every ever hope to be: “Well ... it’s full of wild gags ...

count: as a horror-movie farce, as a satire of (and and crazy stunts ... and all sorts of stuff ... people homage to) mystery films, as an attempt to revive
should love it.” Linkletter earned a fortune as a
the audacious humor of Hellzapoppin’, or even as commercial spokesman, but this movie had to
a piece of no-brainer entertainment. Chief among
have been the hardest sell of his career.

the film’s problems are the stars. Dan Rowan and

The Maltese Bippy is so dull and so unrelent-Dick Martin simply didn’t have what it took to
ingly awful that it makes a putrid parody such as
be viable movie comedians. Television and night-

Haunted Honeymoon (1986), starring Gene
clubs seemed to be better venues for their debat-

Wilder, seem like a brilliant parody such as Young able skills, though Laugh-In probably would have Frankenstein (1974), starring Gene Wilder. They been successful without them, given such talented
should have stuck with the tale of Irving the Hor-
regulars as Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson and Judy
rible instead.

Carne. Rowan and Martin were occasionally

— Ted Okuda
amusing but undeniably bland (they never had
the spark of superior duos like Abbott & Costello

The Man and the Monster (1958/65; Cinand Hope & Crosby), and the big screen only
ematografica A.B.S.A./Trans-International Films;
served to magnify their lack of tangible comic

Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: El Hombre personalities. In their stand-up act, Rowan was
y la Monstruo; Director: Raphael Baledon, Paul the straight man and Martin the goofy comic, and

Nagle [Nagel] (English language version); Pro-
their identities weren’t defined
much beyond that. Yet The Mal-
tese Bippy even botches that by
splitting them up much of the
time. Rowan plays a craftier

(and, oddly, more dimwitted)

character than usual. Martin’s
one-note “scared reaction”

clowning only goes to show how
much better Bob Hope essayed
these sorts of cowardly-hero
roles. The (deserved) financial
failure of The Maltese Bippy re-
sulted in MGM pulling the plug
on another proposed Rowan &

Martin movie, The Money Game,
and the two comedians faded
into TV land history.

Perhaps the most entertaining
thing about The Maltese Bippy
has nothing to do with anything
in the actual movie. At the film’s

The Man becomes the Monster in the Faustian Jekyll-and-Hyde tale Hollywood premiere, a TV re-of The Man and the Monster (1958/65). Pictured in this Mexican lobby porter cornered Art Linkletter,
card are Enrique Rambal and Ofelia Guilmáin.

278

The Man with the X-Ray Eyes Man; Maneater of Hydra; Mania

2. THE MOVIES
ducer: Abel Salazar, K. Gordon Murray (English

Wolf Man. But at least, like Mr. Hyde, he’s
version); Screenplay: Alfredo Salazer (story:

devoted to murder and mayhem (even killing a

Raoul Centeno); Cinematographer: Raoul Mar-
child—something not seen in Hollywood horrors tinez Solares. Cast: Henry (Enrique) Rambal,
of the time); and the believable cast handles it all Abel Salazar, Martha Roth, Ofelia Guilmain.

with deadly seriousness (including hero Abel

Salazar, who often portrayed a likable comic charA “thing” of unspeakable horror ... terrorizes
acter but here plays it straight).

the universe...— ad line

Unlike with the ludicrous makeup, director

This third offering from producer/actor Abel

Baledon handles the pivotal deal-with-the-Devil

Salazar’s A.B.S.A. film company (after The Vam-
sequence with both subtlety and panache (no
pire and The Vampire’s Coffin) is something of a horned, pitchfork-sporting Satan here; just a fer-south-of-the-border Faust-Meets-Jekyll-and-
vent wish and a clap of thunder on a bizarre,

Hyde-by-Way-of-the-Phantom-of-the-Opera.

eerily-lit backstage set to signify the unholy bar-

Mediocre pianist Samuel (Enrique Rambal)

gain being struck). And, upping the macabre quo-
sells his soul to the Devil (and murders his beau-
tient, the slightly unhinged Samuel keeps the
tiful and talented rival, Alejandra, to seal the deal) corpse of his murdered rival (and implied unre-in order to become the world’s greatest ivory tick-
quited love object) in a closet of his music stu-
ler — the only hitch being that whenever he plays
dio— and regularly talks to it.

he transforms into a Hyde-like monster! Horrified

To the tortured Samuel, playing the piano is
by his monstrous alter-ego, Samuel intends to
like a drug — he must have his “fix” periodically.

free himself from this curse by training a talented Though he tries to resist (and so hold his evil Id
protégé, Laura (Martha Roth), to become the
at bay), his hands shake and he pleads like an ad-
greatest pianist in the world (“I’ll replace what I dict, ultimately succumbing to temptation. This
destroyed at last!” he proclaims). But the Maestro’s addiction aspect imbues the proceedings with a
evil piano-playing Mr. Hyde becomes jealous of
weightier subtext than that found in the average

Laura’s phenomenal ability and attempts to kill

Mexican monster movie.

her. Fortunately, the music promoter/hero (Abel

If one can overlook the over-the-top makeup,

Salazar), who has fallen for Laura, discovers the
the (not unexpected) unwieldy dubbing, and
devilish doings, leading to the demise of both

(ironically) some inappropriate, bombastic music
man and monster.

cues, The Man and Monster becomes a unique and Apart from its tragic, tortured-soul story line,
satisfying foray into Mexican horror.

The Man and the Monster offers some fine production values and visuals, including fairly elab-

The Man with the X-Ray Eyes see
orate sets (creepy, cobwebbed hacienda contrast-

X—The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
ing with art deco-style, spacious apartments),
evocative lighting (deep blacks and long shadows

Maneater of Hydra see Island of the
creating pools of light and dark), and fluid pho-

Doomed
tography (the camera smoothly following the
heroine, for instance, through the eerie hacienda

Mania (1960/61; Triad; U.K.; b&w) Alternate as she frantically flees in terror from the homicidal Titles: The Flesh and the Fiends (U.K.); The monster). Directed by Raphael Baledon (who

Fiendish Ghouls (reissue); Psycho Killers; Director: helmed another of the better Mexi-horror imports

John Gilling; Producers: Robert S. Baker, Monty
from the 1960s, The Curse of the Crying Woman) Berman; Screenplay: John Gilling, Leon Griffiths;
and photographed by Raoul Martinez Solares

Cinematographer: Monty Berman. Cast: Peter

( The Bloody Vampire, Invasion of the Vampires, Cushing, Donald Pleasence, June Laverick, Der-various Santo outings), The Man and the Monster mot Walsh, Renee Houston, George Rose, Billie
remains one of the more visually impressive hor-

Whitelaw, John Cairney, Melvyn Hayes.

rors to cross our Southern border.

Unfortunately, “visually impressive” doesn’t

VILE GRAVEROBBERS! DEPRAVED
readily spring to mind when one sees the Monster

MURDERERS! DEFILERS OF THE DEAD!

itself. With his bulbous nose, oversized buck teeth SHOCK UPON SHOCK!— poster blurb

(that seem to be constantly on the verge of falling

“This is the story of lost men and lost souls. It
out), mutton-chop whiskers and wild fright wig,
is a story of vice and murder. We make no apolo-
he looks like a cross between W.C. Fields and the
gies to the dead. It is all true.” So begins the open-

2. THE MOVIES

Mania

279
ing written narration to one
of the finest (and most over-
looked) English horror films
of the 1960s. Shot in May 1959
at Shepperton Studios as The

Flesh and the Fiends, it went
into release in the UK in Feb-
ruary 1960, making its way to

American shores a year later
under the new title Mania.

Subsequent re-issues saw the
movie’s name changed to Psy-
cho Killers and The Fiendish

Ghouls (under which moniker
it was ignominiously paired
with the bizarre titillating
terror of Horrors of Spider Is-
land). Despite its poor treat-
ment at the hands of callous
exhibitors, Mania remains an

William Hare (Donald Pleasence) about to silence breezy prostitute intelligent, well-acted, gritty,

Mary (Billie Whitelaw) in the big screen’s best retelling of the Burke and realistic and disturbing por-Hare horrors, Mania (1960/61).

trayal of one of the most infa-
mous criminal incidents in
a now-more humane Dr. Knox finds support and
history.

strength from his students, who rally behind their

The notorious Burke and Hare, real-life 19th
beleaguered teacher.

century Scottish graverobbers who turned to

Cushing turns in a bravura performance as the
murder to supplement their “trade,” have been
forceful doctor, unwavering in his conviction that
the subject of several cinematic treatments—
the end justifies the means. Cushing shines in his

Burke and Hare (1971), The Doctor and the Devils portrayal of a man driven by his convictions to

(1985) and even a subplot of Dr. Jekyll and Sister overlook his own morality. In the end, when it all

Hyde (1971). None of these, however, have cap-catches up with him, we see a changed man —
tured the squalid back alley atmosphere of 19th
bent but not broken, still strong in his beliefs of century Edinburgh like Mania. Peter Cushing what is right but more human and more humane
plays Dr. Knox, a “brilliant, aggressive, provoca-
in those beliefs. The moment comes as he wanders
tive” professor of surgery who buys bodies from
the back streets, brooding (“I’ve been walking
the two resurrectionists without being too par-
around all night — excellent for the constitution
ticular as to where the “subjects” came from. (At
but terrifying for the soul,” he confesses). The
the time, due to repressive Scottish law, the only
doctor meets a little girl who asks him for money.

reliable source of anatomy subjects for study was

“I haven’t any with me,” he answers, and then of-
the “resurrection men” who stole bodies from
fers, “but if you’ll come with me to my house I
graveyards and sold them to the medicos for £10
have some there.” The child replies, “No thank
to £20 each.) Caught up in this horrific situation
you, you might send me to Dr. Knox.” At this
are Knox’s naïve student, Chris (John Cairney),
moment you can see in Cushing’s eyes a man
and his prostitute lover, Mary (Billie Whitelaw).

shattered by facing the truth, and to that great

When Burke and Hare (George Rose and Donald
actor’s credit, this is truly heartbreaking to watch.

Pleasence) begin murdering those a bit too well

(“And for this scene he shed real tears,” recounted known in their impoverished community (such
director John Gilling. “Tremendously profes-
as Mary herself ), they fall into the hands of the
sional, Peter!”)

law. Turning King’s Evidence to avoid prosecu-

Further praise should go to George Rose as
tion, Hare testifies against his partner, who swings Burke and especially to Donald Pleasence as Hare.

from the gallows. Hare fails to make his escape,

Their characterizations are both quirky and dis-
however, before a mob blinds him with a torch.

turbing, fitting oh-so-easily into the heartless,

With the common people howling for his blood,
humanity-robbing poverty of Edinburgh. (Tony

280

Maniac

2. THE MOVIES
award-winning Rose met a tragic real-life death

The Maniac stalks his wife ... his daughter ...

when he was brutally murdered in 1988 by the fa-
their lover!— tagline
ther and uncle of a teenage boy then living with

Rose.)

Maniac was Hammer’s second Psycho-like John Gilling’s clever script, aided by his deft
black-and-white psychological thriller, following
direction, adds immeasurably to the film’s

Scream of Fear (1961). While not as enthralling as subtlety and power. (The writer/director labeled
its predecessor, Maniac remains an engaging pic-this film “my best horror picture”— high praise,
ture, thanks mostly to Jimmy Sangster’s wily,
considering some of his others were Shadow of the twist-filled script.

Cat, Blood Beast from Outer Space, The Reptile, Artist Geoffrey Farrell (Kerwin Matthews)

and The Plague of the Zombies.) Gilling augments splits with his wealthy girlfriend in the middle of and emphasizes his story’s real-life horror with
a trip to Nice and finds himself stranded in rural
sly bits of black humor that fit in well with the

France. He’s befriended by a local barkeep, Eve
movie’s horrific topic and squalid ambiance.

(Nadia Gray), and her stepdaughter, Annette (Lil-

When an old man dies at Burke’s lodging house,
iane Brousse), and takes up residence with them.

for example, Burke’s wife complains to the un-

Geoff inherits the room of Eve’s husband,
dertaker about leaving the coffin in the front

Georges, who was confined to an asylum four
room, noting, “it makes the place look untidy.”

years earlier for exacting brutal revenge against a Belying its lurid, ridiculous original title, The man who assaulted Annette — George killed the

Flesh and the Fiends/ Mania is a highly literate and molester with an acetylene torch. Initially, Geoff
thought-provoking look into the horrors created
is attracted to Annette and attempts to strike up
by the mores of an oppressive and backward so-
a romance with her. But Eve intervenes and se-
ciety. This too-often overlooked gem truly de-
duces Geoff, and Geoff falls in love with her. The
serves to be “resurrected.”

lovers hatch a scheme to help Georges escape from

With quotes from: “‘Don’t Call Me a Horror
the asylum, since he will only grant Eve a divorce

Film Director...’— The Great John Gilling Inter-
if she helps free him. But things go awry when,
view,” Little Shoppe of Horrors, no. 23, October following the escape, Geoff discovers Georges left

2009.

the body of a murdered nurse in the trunk of Eve’s
car. After that, the plot twists come fast and furi-

Maniac (1963; Hammer; U.K., b&w) Director: ous— including two especially wicked ones in the

Michael Carreras; Producer/Screenplay: Jimmy
final five minutes.

Sangster; Cinematographer: Wilkie Cooper. Cast:

With someone like Scream of Fear director Seth Kerwin Matthews, Nadia Gray, Donald Houston,

Holt calling the shots, Maniac—with its decidedly Liliane Brousse, George Pastell.

noirish scenario, rich in kinky
romantic intrigue—might have
emerged as a minor classic. Un-
fortunately, Michael Carreras
took on Maniac as his second
directorial assignment (follow-
ing The Steel Bayonet in 1957)

for Hammer. Carreras was a vi-
sionary producer, and helped
bring some of the studio’s
crowning achievements to the
screen, including its early

Frankenstein, Dracula and

Quatermass pictures. But he re-
mained a lackluster director,
and went on to helm some of
the weakest films in the Ham-
mer filmography, including

Prehistoric Women (1967), The

Lost Continent (1968) and Shat-

Kerwin Matthews reaches for Nadia Gray in Maniac (1963).

ter (1974). Although he con-

2. THE MOVIES

The Maniacs Are Loose; Manos, the Hands of Fate

281
tributes a few nicely composed shots and manages

A cult of weird, horrible people who gather
the tempo capably, Maniac never rises above the beautiful women only to deface them with
prosaic.

a burning hand!— tag line

Stanley Black’s jazzy, Henry Mancini-like score
aids Carreras’ cause. So does the performance of

When El Paso fertilizer salesman Harold P.

former Sinbad Matthews (star of The Seventh Voy-Warren decided to make a movie, he pulled out
age of Sinbad [1958]), who displays unsuspected all the stops, serving as producer, director,
dramatic chops. He’s not entirely believable when
scripter and ‘star.’ That’s when the ... fertilizer hit professing his love to Eve, but this is more a flaw the fan.

of Sangster’s script. Given his randy behavior ear-

A vacationing family (father, mother, little girl
lier on, sexual obsession would have provided a
and poodle named Peppy) makes a wrong turn in
more convincing bond between Geoff and Eve
the desert and ends up at the run-down house of
than true love. Gray and Brousse both perform

“the Master” (Tom Neyman), a pasty-faced, mus-
acceptably, but are hindered by phony-sounding
tachioed, black-and-red-robed devil worshipper

French accents. (Matthews, playing an American,
with supernatural powers who prays to “Manos,
faces no such stumbling block.)

god of primal darkness.” Aided by his six night-

Maniac may be the least Hammer-like of Ham-gown-clad “wives” and his twitching, stuttering,
mer’s early-60s productions. Its small cast features limping servant Torgo (who looks like a cross be-none of the familiar Hammer supporting players.

tween Joe Cocker and Vincent Van Gogh — and

It includes a great deal more exterior and location sports the most ludicrously oversized/deformed
footage (shot in the Camarge region of Southern
thighs outside of an Olympic speedskating rink),

France) than was typical. And its interiors were
the Master determines to sacrifice the interlopers
shot at MGM’s studios at Boreham Wood rather
to (the unseen) Manos.

than Hammer’s familiar confines at Bray (un-

Nothing happens in this movie, reportedly shot
available because production of William Castle’s
for $19,000. It begins with a painfully protracted
remake of The Old Dark House ran long).

“travel” sequence in which the family drives ...

The commercial and critical success of Scream
and drives ... and drives past fields and up dirt of Fear created the demand for more Hammer roads and down dirt roads and across dirt roads
pseudo- Psycho s, and Sangster rushed to fill the and.... Even the climactic confrontation, when the
breach, quickly completing scripts for three more
father and the Master go, ahem, Manos-a-Manos,
psychological thrillers, all of which were filmed
has the protagonist emptying his revolver at the
in 1962. Although Maniac was the first picture fiend while the Master simply stands and stares
shot, it was the second one released, reaching
as the scene fades out.

British screens in May, 1963, on a twin bill with

The film’s “highlight” is a half-speed faux cat-

These Are the Damned, and American theaters fight between the six nightgowned wives. Or it

(via Columbia) in October, 1963, double-featured
might be when the Master, displeased with his
with Castle’s The Old Dark House. Paranoiac, the servant, forces Torgo’s hand into the sacrificial
second Sangster psycho-thriller lensed in 1962,
fire, then breaks it off and waves the flaming
reached U.S. screens first, launching in America
member about for awhile. (But this gruesome jolt
in May, 1963, via Universal. Both films have their
completely fizzles due to the pathetically phony
merits, but Maniac proves the more consistently prop.)

rewarding of the pair, and the second-best of the

Inept in all departments, from the tinny sound
series, following Scream of Fear.

(it was obviously shot silent, with dialogue—such
as it is— dubbed in later); alternately overlit and

The Maniacs Are Loose see The
muddy — yet always flat — photography (which

Thrill Killers
lacks even simple establishing shots and, at times, even proper focus); Motel-6 style sets; stilted act-

Manos, the Hands of Fate (1966; Emerson ing that gives the term “amateurish” a bad name;

Film Enterprises) Director/Producer/Screen-
and editing by Sominex, Manos is the cinematic writer: Harold P. Warren; Cinematographer:

equivalent of an open sore.

Robert Guidry. Cast: Tom Neyman, John

This sorry waste of celluloid came with a sad

Reynolds, Dian Mahree, Hal Warren, Stephanie
epilogue: John Reynolds, the 25-year-old “actor”

Nielson, Sherry Proctor, Robin Redd, Jackey Ney-

(he appears to have no other credits) who plays
man.

Torgo, committed suicide shortly after filming.

282

The Manster

2. THE MOVIES

“He killed himself about six months after the
cross between The Lost Weekend and Return of the movie was finished,” remarked cinematographer

Ape Man. Stanford’s final assignment in Japan is Bob Guidry to interviewer Richard Brandt. “John
to visit the laboratory of the reclusive Dr. Suzuki was a troubled kid; he didn’t really get along with (Satoshi Nakamura). The reporter can’t wait to
his dad, who was an Air Force colonel, and he got
wrap up the story and return home to his fiancée
into experimenting with LSD. It’s a shame, be-

(Jan Hylton) after a lengthy and rocky separation.

cause he was really a talented young actor.”

But Dr. Suzuki slips Standford a mickey and in-

In the end, Harold P. Warren hadn’t moved far
jects him with a mysterious enzyme. In order to
from his original profession of fertilizer salesman monitor his unwitting test subject, Suzuki be-after all, since with Manos he was once again sell-friends Stanford and shows him the wilder side
ing a load of manure.

of Japan, beginning with its geisha bars. Suzuki

With quotes from: “The Hand That Time For-
then instructs his attractive young assistant (Terri got,” by Richard Brandt, http://jophan.org/mi-Zimmern) to cozy up to Stanford. The journalist’s
mosa/m18/brandt.htm.

demeanor and behavior change, and he begins to
undergo a physical transformation as well: one

The Manster (1961; United Artists; Japan/U.S.; hand grows hairy and deformed. He suffers black-b&w) Directors: George Breakston and Kenneth
outs, during which he goes on homicidal ram-

Crane; Screenplay: Walt Sheldon (story by George
pages. Despite the best efforts of his editor and

Breakston); Producer: George Breakston; Cine-
his fiancée, Stanford spirals downward into
matographer: David Mason. Cast: Peter Dyneley,
drunkenness and despair (not to mention mon-

Jan Hylton, Satosi Nakamura, Terri Zimmern,
sterism). The adult situation and unusually well

Van Hawley, Jerry Ito.

defined characters provide these scenes with an
emotional punch rarely found in a film of this

Half man, half monster!— ad line
type and budget.

This is the eyeball-on-the-shoulder movie.

Then the eyeball appears on Stanford’s

In the film’s most startling moment, foreign
shoulder. It soon grows into a full second head.

correspondent Larry Stanford (Peter Dyneley),

The murders continue. Finally, the man and the
struggling against a nameless entity that’s trying
monster split into two completely separate beings
to take control of his mind and body from within,
and square off against one another for a climactic
looks in the mirror and sees that a third eye has
showdown. Although patently ridiculous, the film’s
suddenly appeared on his shoulder. It may sound
latter stages don’t lack for either imagination or
silly on paper, but this sequence is guaranteed to
action.

raise the hairs on the back of your neck — espe-

All this would play much better if not for a few
cially if you see it before your fourteenth birthday.

glaring weaknesses. Dyneley’s role called for an

Michael J. Weldon’s Psychotronic Video Guide calls actor capable of delivering a performance with
this scene “a high point of screen surrealism.”

some degree of subtlety—or at least someone who

Take that, Luis Bunuel!

could play drunk convincingly. Dyneley fails on

The Manster was not born of any such grandiose all counts. The rest of the cast proves equally
artistic aspirations. United Artists tossed off this inept, with the exception of the charismatic Naka-low-rent shocker to fulfill contractual obligations, mura. A few more parts like this and he could
which required the company to co-produce a cer-
have become Japan’s answer to George Zucco. The
tain number of films in Japan. Producer/co-di-
technical merits of the picture appear just as du-
rector George Breakston’s original story, upon
bious. Most of the film is indifferently shot, al-
which the script is based, was both distinctly
though the few sequences filmed with care

American and noticeably creaky—hoary old mad
register an almost visceral impact. The editing is
doctor stuff, the kind of thing Bela Lugosi might
also haphazard. Although The Manster runs only have starred in for Monogram 20 years earlier.

73 minutes and builds momentum nicely in its

Yet a certain Japanese-ness seems to have seeped
final act, a few dialogue-heavy scenes in the pic-
into the picture. The Manster holds the same dis-ture’s midsection could have been tightened or
regard for naturalism, and the same heartfelt
even dropped. The chintzy monster makeup, sets
commitment to the outlandish, normally found
and costumes don’t help, either. (How do you say
only in Toho’s rubber suit monster extravagan-

“Poverty Row” in Japanese?)

zas.

Nevertheless, for its scattered moments of bril-

During its first act, The Manster plays like a liance, it’s worth casting an eye toward The Manster.

2. THE MOVIES

Mars Invades Puerto Rico; The Mask

283

Mars Invades Puerto Rico see

Frankenstein Meets the Spacemon-
ster

The Mask (1961; Beaver-Champion/Warner Bros.; Canada; b&w and color) Alternate Title:

Face of Fire (reissue). Director: Julian Roffman; Producers: Julian Roffman and Nat Taylor;

Screenplay: Franklin Delassert, Sandy Haver and

Frank Taubes (Dream sequences: Skavko

Vorkapich); Cinematography: Herbert S. Alpert.

Cast: Paul Stevens, Claudette Nevins, Bill Walker,

Anne Collings, Martin Lavut, Leo Leyden, Nor-
man Ettlinger.

Look through The Mask ... if you can’t
take it ... take it off !— tagline

Although cheap and gimmicky, the Canadian-
made, part-3-D oddity The Mask (1961) contains moments of inspiration and some chilling ideas.

Archeologist Michael Radin (Martin Lavut)

rushes to psychiatrist Dr. Allen Barnes (Paul

Stevens) with a desperate tale about an ancient
ritual mask that gives him nightmares and com-
pels him to kill. Barnes doesn’t believe Radin’s
wild story, but after the archeologist commits sui-

Hallucinatory imagery from the early Canadian
cide, the psychiatrist comes into possession of the horror film The Mask (1961).

mask. Barnes can’t resist trying it on — the mask
calls to him telepathically — and is transported
down a river of dry ice by a skeletal boatman.

into a dream world populated by figures of death

Spectral visions of floating skulls drift through
and filled with other horrific imagery. Soon he
the air, while the “water” is filled with human
becomes addicted to wearing the mask and con-
bones. The boat — revealed to be a coffin — drifts
sumed by the desire to commit murder. He turns
to a giant likeness of the mask, which shoots out
to his fiancée (Claudette Nevins) and a former
multicolored (red, white and blue) flames. Sud-
professor (Norman Ettlinger) for help, but no one
denly Barnes finds his fiancée, unconscious on a
believes his wild story, either.

stone slab; then she’s wearing the mask; and

The Mask employed a promotional gimmick
finally she’s transformed into a skeleton. Although very similar to the “Illusion-O” ghost viewers pro-The Mask’s dream sequences are credited to artist ducer-director William Castle had distributed at

Skavko Vorkapich, most of his designs were too
showings of his feature 13 Ghosts the previous year.

elaborate for the movie’s budget and were

As Mask patrons entered the theater, they were replaced by simpler ones from director Julian
issued cardboard masks with polarized lenses over

Roffman. Whoever authored them, however, they
the eyeholes. When characters in the film put on
remain without question the film’s strongest ma-
the mask, audience members would don their fac-
terial. In fact, the plot of the film (thin enough to similes and watch the dream sequences in 3-D.

serve as a Twilight Zone episode) is little better The idea of a mask that brings its wearer’s
than a framework on which to hang these arrest-
deepest, darkest hidden impulses to the surface
ing, surrealistic interludes. It’s as if Roffman and and compels that person to act on them is gen-company had little creativity left for the rest of
uinely unsettling, since it forces viewers to ponder the film, which otherwise is presented and per-what secret evils might be locked away within
formed in a professional but perfunctory manner.

them. The Mask builds on this unnerving idea Paul Stevens’ portrayal of the doomed Dr. Barnes
with its lengthy and eerily imaginative dream se-
tends toward the baroque but at least provides
quences. The last of these scenes is typical. Run-
some color, in contrast to the drab work by the
ning four minutes, it depicts Barnes being rowed
rest of the cast.

284

Mask of the Demon; The Masque of the Red Death

2. THE MOVIES

While it’s not an acknowledged inspiration, the
play: Charles Beaumont and R. Wright Campbell;
basic concept of The Mask (1961) is remarkably Cinematographer: Nicholas Roeg. Cast: Vincent
similar to the idea behind the darkly comedic

Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, Patrick Magee,

Dark Horse comic book series The Mask, which David Weston, Nigel Green, Skip Martin.

was adapted into a 1994 feature film starring Jim

SHUDDER ... at the blood-stained dance

Carrey. (The film spawned a sequel and a
of the Red Death!— tagline

Saturday morning cartoon series.) Shot in

Toronto, The Mask is generally credited as the With the masterful Masque of the Red Death, first Canadian horror film and the only Canadian
producer-director Roger Corman’s series of Edgar

3-D movie. It was also the first Canadian picture

Allan Poe adaptations reached its creative zenith.

to receive wide distribution in the U.S., and

An emotionally resonant screenplay, pulse-quick-

Warner promoted it with a blood-and-thunder
ening pace, impeccable production values and
advertising campaign. “Management is not re-
outstanding acting help make Masque exciting, sponsible for nervous breakdowns!” posters de-unsettling and at times even poetic—in short, the
clared.

finest film of Corman’s prolific career.

It won’t cause any nervous breakdowns, but

Naïve, young Francesca (Jane Asher) catches

The Mask may raise the occasional goose-pimple.

the eye of jaded Prince Prospero (Vincent Price)

while he visits a peasant village to invite the starv-

Mask of the Demon see Black Sun-
ing townsfolk to grovel for scraps from an extrav-
day
agant feast he’s throwing for the local nobles.

Prospero is on the point of executing Francesca’s

The Masque of the Red Death (1964;
fiancé and her father when he discovers the plague

Anglo Amalgamated/American International;
of the Red Death has struck the village. He whisks

U.K.) Director/Producer: Roger Corman; Screen-

Francesca, along with her fiancé and her father,
away to his castle and orders soldiers to burn the
village to the ground. At the castle, Prospero— a
confirmed Satanist — tries to seduce Francesca
into not only his bed, but his cult. Prospero’s jealous consort, Juliana (Hazel Court), attempts to
shore up her own place in the prince’s favor, first by attempting to set her rival free and later by undertaking Satanic vows in order to impress Pros-
pero. The prince lords over a bacchanal fete with
the other assembled nobles (who arrived before
the Red Death was discovered in the vicinity) but,
in fear of the disease, refuses to admit anyone
else — even striking down one late-arriving guest
with a crossbow. Despite such extraordinary
measures, however, the Red Death himself — a
walking, red-robed embodiment of human mor-
tality —crashes the party.

Corman had considered making Masque of the

Red Death the follow-up to his original Poe film, House of Usher (1960), but feared the story had too many similarities to Ingmar Bergman’s The

Seventh Seal, made in 1956 but not released in the U.S. until 1958. “Both films were set in the middle ages, and both had death personified, so I felt if I did Masque, people would think I had taken some of the story from Ingmar Bergman,” Corman
said. “That was partially the reason we ended up
making Pit and the Pendulum as the second Poe Comic book Poe: the Dell comic book tie-in for

1964’s Masque of the Red Death (Vincent Price pic-film.” By 1964, however, Corman figured enough
tured on cover).

time had elapsed that it was safe to take on

2. THE MOVIES

The Master of Horror

285

Masque. Besides, he had already adapted most of closing scene, set in a studio “countryside” with
the other top-tier Poe stories.

a gathering of rainbow-hued Deaths, lingers in

Corman commissioned a screenplay from
the memory, a haunting piece of visual artistry.

Charles Beaumont but wasn’t entirely happy with

Although Corman complained that the English
it, so he asked scenarist Bob Campbell for a
crew worked more slowly than their American
rewrite. Beaumont’s script introduced Prince
counterparts (five weeks’ shooting in the U.K.,

Prospero’s Satanism (an element not present in

Corman wrote in his autobiography, “was actually
the Poe story); Campbell incorporated a subplot
closer to four U.S. weeks”), the level of craftsmaninvolving the carefully plotted revenge of a dwarf
ship displayed here is far beyond that found in
jester (Skip Martin), taken from Poe’s story
any other Corman picture. The director’s prowl-

“Hop-Frog.” “That was Bob’s idea, which I
ing tracking shots were never smoother, his subtle
thought was good because it gave an additional
pans and dolleys never more fluid and graceful.

dimension to the picture,” Corman said. “I always

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while
thought Bob did an excellent job on the rewrite.”

Masque was under production, and, in the fallen Between the two of them, Beaumont and Camp-leader’s honor, Corman halted shooting “for a few
bell crafted a marvelous script, brimming with
minutes.”

action (more happens in the first 30 minutes of

The cast is uniformly superb as well, headlined

Masque than occurs in the entirety of most entries by Vincent Price’s oily malevolence as the de-in the series) yet remaining thoughtful and emo-
bauched Prospero, a portrayal that ranks among
tionally resonant. Part of the appeal of the film is the best of his legendary career. Co-star Hazel
that its three major characters, in their own ways, Court was never better than as the clingy, insecure are simply searching for security in a time of fear Juliana — a woman who brands her own breast
and despair: cynical Prospero turns to Satanism,
with an inverted cross, willing to consign herself
emotionally needy Juliana clings to Prospero,
to Hell in order to maintain a grip on her man.

while simple Francesca places her trust in family

Jane Asher’s role as the plucky Francesca is less
and Christianity.

flashy than Court’s, but her convincing portrayal

All Corman’s preceding Poe films were shot in
provides the story’s emotional center. (Asher was

Hollywood, but, for financial reasons, Masque was the real-life girlfriend of Beatle Paul McCartney,
filmed in Britain. AIP, which had a co-production
who visited the set during production.) The sup-
agreement with Anglo-Amalgamated, wanted to
porting cast proves equally impressive. Patrick
take advantage of an England subsidy that re-

Magee’s leering turn as the lascivious Alfredo
funded 20 percent of the production cost for films
serves as the perfect foil for Skip Martin’s endear-made in the U.K. using English cast and crews.

ing performance as the wily, revenge-driven

“We were happy to go over, because it meant we
dwarf, Hop-Toad.

were able to increase our budget for The Masque Masque gave Corman another critical and box of the Red Death,” Corman said. Instead of the office triumph, and whetted AIP’s appetite for
typical three-week (15-day) shooting schedule,
more Poe. Although he had begun to tire of the

Masque was shot on a relatively luxurious five-series, Corman complied with a final entry, The week (25-day) schedule. To qualify for the sub-Tomb of Ligeia (1964). But never again would he sidy, the entire cast and crew (except for the di-create a film as poignant or perfectly constructed
rector and one star) had to be British. As a result, as Masque of the Red Death.

production designer Daniel Haller worked

With quotes from: “California Gothic: The
without credit on the film, and cinematographer

Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by Lawrence

Floyd Crosby was replaced. Haller nevertheless

French, from Video Watchdog No. 138; and How made a significant contribution to the picture, lo-I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never
cating standing sets (left over from the multi-mil-

Lost a Dime, by Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

lion-dollar historical epic Becket [1964]) far beyond anything previously available to Corman.

The Master of Horror (1965; Argentina Nicholas Roeg, who had shot Lawrence of Arabia

Sono Film/Gates-Torres Productions; Argentina;

(1962) and would soon graduate to directing crit-
b&w) Alternate Titles: Short Stories of Terror; ically acclaimed films of his own, replaced Crosby.

Masterworks of Horror. Original Language Title: Roeg lends the film a sophisticated look, making

Obras Maestras del Terror. Director: Enrique Car-splashy use of a bold color palate (rich in yellows, reras; Producer: Nicholas Carreras; Screenplay:

purples, greens and, of course, reds). Masque’s Louis Penafiel (based on stories by Edgar Allan

286

Masterworks of Horror; The Mighty Gorga

2. THE MOVIES

Poe); Cinematographer: Americo Hoss. Cast:

drag. Once we reach the cellars, however, Master Narcisco Ibanez-Menta, Oswald Pacheco, Carlos
offers a few shudders (courtesy of Ibanez-Menta’s

Estrada, Inez Moreno, Stevan Serrador, Mercedes
deadly-calm taunting and Carlos Estrada’s disbe-

Carreras.

lief-turned-panic) and even an unexpected shock.

As is usual with south-of-the-border imports,

TWO CHILLERS to turn your DREAMS to
the awkward dubbing often leaves something to

SCREAMS!— ad line (when double-billed
with Master of Terror)

be desired. For instance, in the film’s wraparound
segment, a bored French maid picks up a volume

Made in 1960, a year before Roger Corman’s
of Poe and reads in the introduction that, “[Poe]

similarly-themed Poe omnibus Tales of Terror, the was a genius as a poet and as a writer, and uniting Argentinean The Master of Horror features three both talents he created a gender [sic] that made stories by Edgar Allan Poe: “The Facts in the Case
him forever famous.” Let’s hope that something
of M. Valdemar,” “The Cask of Amontillado”

was lost in the translation.

(both adapted by Corman in Tales) and “The

Some atmospheric black-and-white photogra-

Tell-Tale Heart.” American producer Jack H.

phy and adequate performances, plus its faithful

Harris (best known for such fan favorites as The renderings of Poe’s famous stories (which — even

Blob and Dinosaurus! ) bought the distribution in Tales— are typically folded, spindled and mu-rights, jettisoned the third story, “The Tell-Tale
tilated beyond all recognition in the transition

Heart” (thus drastically reducing the running
from page to screen), make The Master of Horror time from 115 to 61 minutes), and paired it with
an above-average (if short) sixties import.

his own 1959 feature The 4D Man (retitled Master of Terror) for a 1965 double-bill.

Masterworks of Horror see The

Though lacking the inestimable talents of Vin-

Master of Horror
cent Price (with the adequate though rather non-
descript Narcisco Ibanez-Menta starring in all

The Mighty Gorga (1969; American General three segments, à la Senor Price), and shot in

Pictures) Director: David L. Hewitt; Producers:

black and white rather than Corman’s rich color

Robert O’Neil, David Hewitt; Screenplay: David
schemes, the all-but-forgotten Master of Horror Prentiss, Jean Hewitt; Cinematographer: Gary
still measures up rather well against its more fa-

Graver. Cast: Anthony Eisley, Megan Timothy,
mous American cousin.

Scott Brady, Kent Taylor, Gary Kent, Graydon

The “Valdemar” story in Master bypasses the Clark, Sheldon Lee, Lee Parish.

unnecessary — and somewhat distasteful — soap
operish embellishments of Corman’s film, be-

The Greatest Horror Monster Alive!

coming a straightforward — and atmospheric —

—(grossly duplicitous) tagline
telling of Poe’s chilling tale of a mesmerist who

There’s nothing “Mighty” about The Mighty
hypnotizes his friend at the moment of death and

Gorga, except perhaps that it’s Mighty Bad.

keeps the tortured soul ‘alive’ for months. While

Clumsy camerawork, dull direction, a silly screen-
missing the rather hammy yet always welcome
play (“Mighty Gorga, I know that your thirst for
presence of Basil Rathbone and Price from Tales the blood of young virgins is great, but leave our
of Terror, this version features a much more con-village in peace,” entreats the local witchdoctor
vincing—and terrifying—denouement, in which
while exercising his powers of persuasion with a
the finally-released Valdemar transforms into a

50-foot ape) and amateurish acting are the high-
withered, skeletal “mass of putrefaction” that’s
lights of this no-budget grade-Z King Kong
much more frightening than the Kayro syrup
wannabe.

monster Price becomes in Tales.

The worst part of this production (using the

The second story in Master, “The Cask of
term loosely here) are the insulting effects, which Amontillado,” on the other hand, falls short of
should be the primary raison d’etre of this shoddy Corman’s amusing take in Tales (which is greatly piece of celluloid. Gorga is a 50-foot gorilla who
aided by Peter Lorre’s— and Price’s— presence).

lives on a plateau in deepest Africa — or so the

With much of the story consisting of padded pre-
script tells us, since in actuality Gorga is director amble (featuring tiresome scenes of the burgeon-David L. Hewitt wearing a homemade gorilla suit,
ing adulterous love affair) before the business of
complete with immobile face and plastic eyes; and
the cuckolded husband walling his rival up alive
we can’t really tell if he’s 50 feet tall or not, since in his wine cellar finally commences, it tends to
there are no miniatures to be seen, and the big

2. THE MOVIES

Mill of the Stone Women

287
ape is shown only with the sky or treetops as back-
project. The Mighty Gorga offers no budget, no ground. (This was because Hewitt, low on funds,
sense and no thrills. The one or two unintentional
decided to build only the top half of the suit!).

laughs are only respite from the rest of the

The story follows Anthony Eisley as the owner
painfully bad experience.

of a down-and-out circus come to Africa to cap-
ture the mighty monkey. He meets a female ani-

Mill of the Stone Women (1960/63; Galatea/
mal trapper (Megan Timothy) and they set off

Parade; France/Italy) Alternate Titles: Drops of with nothing more than a couple of backpacks

Blood; The Horrible Mill Women; Horror of the and one small land rover to retrieve this hostile

Stone Women. Original Language Title: Il Mulino 50-foot monstrosity from a Lost World-like
delle donne di Pietra. Director: Giorgio Ferroni; plateau in the heart of an uncharted jungle.

Producer: Gianpaolo Bigazzi; Screenplay: Giorgio

Thrown in there somewhere are those low-budget

Ferroni, Remingio Del Grosso, Ugo Liberatore,
stalwarts, Scott Brady and Kent Taylor, to try and

Giorgio Stegani, from a short story in Flemish
add at least a modicum of professionalism to the

Tales by Pieter Van Weigen (English dialogue and proceedings (unfortunately, they’re onscreen for
dubbing supervised by John Hart and Richard
so short a time they add virtually nothing). The

McNamara); Cinematographer: Pierludovico
protagonists run afoul of a lost tribe, find the

Pavoni. Cast: Pierre Brice, Scilla Gabel, Wolfgang
ridiculous-looking Gorga and an equally ludicrous

Preiss, Danny Carrell, Herbert Boehme.

Tyrannosaur, stumble upon a cache of King

Solomon’s treasure, and rush past a stock footage

SEE A BEAUTIFUL GIRL CHANGED INTO

A PETRIFIED MONSTER BEFORE

Jim Danforth-animated dragon from AIP’s Go-

YOUR VERY EYES!— ad line
liath and the Dragon. After a few awful rear-screen projections; a battle between the Absurd — er —

“Trouble began with a woman...” begins the

Mighty Gorga and the worst plastic-looking di-
opening narration. In 1912, Hans (Pierre Brice)

nosaur ever to cross the silver screen (actually a
journeys to a small town in Holland to do a story
hand puppet!); some high school-level dramatics
on the famous “carousel” located in what the
from the overweight witch doctor (Bruce Kimball,
locals call the “Mill of the Stone Women.” Pro-
who also— aptly — plays a clown in the opening
fessor Wahl (Herbert Boehme), a famous
scenes set at the circus); and the expected volcanic sculptor, attends (and adds) to this display of fe-eruption (which we’re only told about, since it male statues of gruesome torture and death — all
happens off-screen), this mess finally comes to a
on a moving track powered by the windmill. Hans
close.

Special effects man
turned director Hewitt was
also responsible for the
equally inept Wizard of Mars

(1964), Dr. Terror’s Gallery
of Horrors (1966 — not to be
confused with the far supe-
rior Dr. Terror’s House of

Horrors) and Journey to the

Center of Time (1967), mak-
ing Hewitt a strong candi-
date for the title: “The Ed

Wood of the 1960s.”

“I can’t believe this thing’s
real,” exclaims the heroine
as The Mighty Gorga spools
out before our disbelieving
eyes— and neither can the
viewer. The more you
watch, the more you’re con-
vinced that this is actually an

Scilla Gabel leans over a bound Dany Carrel in the Mill of the Stone Women
expanded 8mm high school

(1960/63).

288

Mr. Sardonicus

2. THE MOVIES
succumbs to the charms of the Professor’s beau-

Released in Europe in 1960, Mill of the Stone
tiful, mysterious daughter, Elfi (Scilla Gabel), who Women didn’t open in the U.S. until three years is not allowed to leave the mill due to a rare blood later. Though the ads promised “A CHILLING EX-disease. Hans also ultimately learns the terrible

PERIENCE,” this Mill offers a mostly BORING one.

truth of how the Professor, aided by his furtive
assistant Dr. Boles (Wolfgang Preiss), keeps his

Mr. Sardonicus (1961; Columbia; b&w) Pro-daughter alive ... while adding to his collection of ducer/Director: William Castle; Screenplay: Ray
statuary.

Russell; Cinematographer: Burnett Guffey. Cast:

Though possessing a novel setting (a Dutch

Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton, Guy Rolfe, Oskar
windmill) and some impressive atmospherics,

Homolka, Audrey Dalton.

Mill of the Stone Women has little else to recommend it. The derivative story offers nothing new

The Only Picture with the Punishment Poll!

— tagline

(it being little more than a combination of Eyes Without a Face and Mystery of the Wax Museum) In an onscreen introduction to this movie, pro-and fills its time with the forced and unconvincing ducer-director William Castle describes Mr. Sar-romance angle. While some moody lighting and
donicus as “old-fashioned,” and indeed it is, al-evocative shots of the windmill, not to mention
though not in a bad way. With its gaslight-era
a judicious use of rich colors on the splendidly
setting and a melodramatic plot reminiscent of
dressed sets, generate some visual ambiance and

Victor Hugo, Mr. Sardonicus represents Castle’s an occasional sense of foreboding, the picture’s
lone attempt at a traditional gothic chiller — the
pace moves slower than the mill’s blades on a
sort of picture Universal popularized 30 years ear-
windless day.

lier — and the results prove effective enough to

Filler and repetition abound. At one point
make viewers wish the filmmaker had returned

Hans, in the grip of a hallucinatory drug given
to this idiom.

him by the Professor, goes to the cemetery to see

Crusading physician Sir Robert Cargrave
if Elfi’s body is there (he saw her die). Then later (Ronald Lewis) rushes from his London dispen-he and his friend do the very same thing, which, sary to a distant Carpathian barony at the urgent
to the viewer, becomes a tedious waste of time.

request of his former sweetheart, Maude (Audrey

Add to this tepid characters, colorless leads and

Dalton), now a baroness. Cargrave finds that
poor model effects of the burning mill, and this

Maude is trapped in a loveless marriage to the
mostly forgotten import offers little to belie its
sadistic Baron Sardonicus (Guy Rolfe), who wears
obscurity.

an eerie, blank-faced mask to hide his hideously
disfigured face—frozen in a
permanent grin as a result
of psychological trauma.

The Baron threatens to have
henchman Krull (Oskar

Homolka) carve Maude’s
face into a similarly hideous
visage unless Dr. Cargrave
performs a radical experi-
mental procedure to try to
cure Sardonicus.

Mr. Sardonicus stands
apart from most of Castle’s
low-rent horror shows—
not just because of its
period setting, but because
it’s so well made. Nearly
everything here is first-rate:

Ray Russell’s screenplay is
well-structured and consis-

Unable to speak, Mr. Sardonicus (Guy Rolfe) uses alternate means to make tently compelling; the
his wishes known.

acting is uniformly convinc-

2. THE MOVIES

Mistresses of Dr. Jekyll; Monster A-Go Go

289
ing (especially Ronald Lewis as Sir Robert, Guy

Monster A-Go Go (1965; B.I. & L. Releasing Rolfe as Sardonicus and Oskar Homolka as Sar-Corp.; b&w) Director: Bill Rebane; Producers:

donicus’ one-eyed henchman, Krull); Burnett

Sheldon S. Seymour (H.G. Lewis), Bill Rebane;

Guffey’s lighting schemes are moody and atmos-

Screenplay: Jeff Smith, Dok Stanford, Bill Rebane
pheric, with lots of deep shadows and misty fog;

(additional dialogue by Sheldon Seymour [H.G.

and the production values are the highest for any

Lewis]); Cinematographer: Frank Pfeiffer. Cast:

Castle picture other than The Old Dark House

Phil Morton, June Travis, George Perry, Henry

(1963), which was shot in partnership with Ham-

Hite.

mer Films. ( Sardonicus’ forest of bare trees and dry ice virtually recreates Jack Otterson’s iconic

Never in your life have you seen such a
combination of happy, sad, good, bad,
set from The Wolf Man [1941].) In terms of sheer rock ’em sock ’em action!— trailer
film craft, Mr. Sardonicus trails only House on Haunted Hill (1959) among those pictures

The film’s poster sports the following “quote”

directed by Castle.

from NASA: “THIS PICTURE COULD SET OUR

With a product this good, Castle didn’t need

SPACE PROGRAM BACK AT LEAST FIFTY YEARS!”

any of his usual promotional gimmicks— but he

Doubtful, but had it escaped the Southern Drive-
included one anyway, the “Punishment Poll.”

in circuit into a wider release, it may well have

Moviegoers were handed a card with a thumbs-
set the motion picture industry back half a century.

up/thumbs-down image as they entered the the-

The debut feature of Wisconsin-based indie
ater. Near the climax of the film, Castle reappeared filmmaker Bill Rebane ( The Giant Spider Invasion onscreen to ask if viewers believed that Sardonicus

[1975], The Capture of Bigfoot [1979], etc.), Mon-had been punished enough, or if he deserved “fur-
ster A-Go Go began as a film called Terror at Half-ther punishment.” They were instructed to hold
day. Herschell (“Godfather of Gore”) Gordon their cards thumbs-up to let the villain live, or

Lewis, whom Rebane had met when they both
thumbs-down to consign him to a gruesome fate.

were making shorts and commercials in Chicago,

Castle even pretended to count the votes (mum-
needed a co-feature for his hillbilly comedy
bling to himself, “carry the three”), but the result Moonshine Mountain. Lewis took Rebane’s unre-was always the same: Death to Sardonicus. That’s
leased (and reportedly unfinished) movie, added
because only one ending was shot; the “Punish-
new scenes and narration, and unleashed it on an
ment Poll” was a put-on. Ironically, although it’s
unsuspecting public. “When I finally saw the pic-
fun to watch Castle trying to pull the wool over
ture,” recounted Rebane, “I hardly recognized it.

viewers’ eyes, Mr. Sardonicus would play better All that was left was some of the original bad act-without the “Punishment Poll,” which brings the
ing from the scientists that I shot. Herschell added picture to a screeching halt just prior to its climax.

the rock music, the narration and all the scenes

Also, Sardonicus’ ironic fate is handled so subtly
of the monster attacking the girls.” Good thing,
that it seems like a letdown after the additional
too, since without these addendums, Monster A-
build-up.

Go Go would have been even less watchable than Castle was on a roll, with a half-dozen horror
it currently is.

hits in a row, beginning with Macabre (1958). But, In a plot borrowed from 1959’s First Man Into
following Mr. Sardonicus, the filmmaker abruptly Space (with a bit of The Giant Behemoth thrown turned away from his bread-and-butter genre and
in for good measure), a space capsule returns to
launched a series of intermittently entertaining
earth carrying a deranged, oversized, deadly ra-
comedies— Zotz (1962), 13 Frightened Girls and diation-spewing (the Behemoth bit) astronaut The Old Dark House (both 1963). Castle wouldn’t who goes on a rampage. It’s up to the space pro-make another full-blooded fright flick again until
gram and military authorities to locate and stop

Strait-Jacket (1964), and would never again direct this “monster.”

a picture as polished and satisfying as Mr. Sar-Said fiend is really a tall, slow-moving bald guy
donicus. As a producer, however, his greatest ac-in minor burn makeup and a silver suit (played
complishment still lay ahead.

by 8-foot-4-inch Henry Hite, of the former
vaude ville act Low, Stanley & Hite). The height

Mistresses of Dr. Jekyll see Dr.

(so to speak) of the film’s monster “action” has

Orloff ’s Monster
one character back into the creature’s oversized hands.

The echoing sound against bare-walled rooms,

290

Monster...; The Monsters Demolisher; Monsters...; Monstrosity

2. THE MOVIES
static camerawork, poor lighting (with the

Creatures of evil — an army of vampires—
contrast so high at times that facial features dis-
arise from their crypts ... to carry out a
appear — and so low at others that everything dis-maniacal scheme ... the destruction of the
appears), and even poorer pacing make this Mon-
civilized world!–ad line
ster one of the ugliest of the decade. (It’s so cheap This second entry in the infamous Mexican
that at one point someone makes an off-screen

Nostradamus quartet follows right on the heels
phone noise before a character answers the “ring-
of The Curse of Nostradamus. Germán Robles ing” phone! Sad.) And it’s one of those movies

(who popularized Mexican vampires in the late
where the actors (and narrator) talk about what 1950s with The Vampire and The Vampire’s Coffin) has happened in order to save the trouble of
returns once again as the black- cloaked, homburg
showing it.

wearing, goatee sporting vampire Nostradamus

But nowhere does this project’s low budget —
when his half- wit hunchback servant (Manuel
and even lower imagination level — show more

Vergara), complete with dumb (“duh...I’m com-
clearly than at its pathetic non-ending. The “cli-
ing, Master”) goofy voice, digs the bloodsucker
max” has the two lead-suited military men
out of the rubble in which he was buried at the

(leisurely) pursuing the monster through a sewer
close of the first movie. Mr. N. then continues his tunnel simply stop, as the narrator chimes in:

tedious task of trying to force Professor Dolen to

“Suddenly there was no trail. There was no giant,

“revindicate [ sic] the memory of my illustrious no monster, no thing called Douglas to be fol-ancestor” (the real Nostradamus, the famous
lowed.” The End. Apparently (since, of course,

French prognosticator).

we don’t see it happen) the monster simply — and The movie’s first half just retreads the same old
inexplicably — vanishes.

ground as the original, with the vampire

“You’ve Never Seen a Picture Like This,” touted
appearing (seemingly nightly) in the Professor’s
the ads. Nor, indeed, would you want to. While it study to inform him of the identity of his next
may not be the worst the 1960s had to offer ( Manos, victim; then the Professor and his assistant Anthe Hands of Fate wins that dubious distinction), thony (Julio Aleman) try to foil Nostradamus’

Monster A-Go Go comes in a close second.

plan — over and over again.

TRIVIA(L) NOTE: Director/co-producer/co-

The second half at least offers some novelty, as
scripter Bill Rebane’s father invented the formula

Nostradamus turns a criminal into a vampire
for beer nuts.

slave, and a mysterious man named Igor(!) shows

With quotes from: “The Rebanes of the Day,”

up to offer aid to the Professor. Igor (a young Jack by Keith Bearden, Fangoria 158, November 1996.

Taylor, who later carved a career in Spanish
horror movies working for the likes of Jess Franco,

Monster Among the Girls see Were-

Paul Naschy and Amando de Ossorio) comes
wolf in a Girls’ Dormitory
from a long line of vampire hunters and uses “the
magic arts” to track the fiend (by looking into a

Monster and the Stripper see The
bubbling chalice and magic mirror). It all ends

Exotic Ones

(or, more precisely, peters out) with Igor staking

Nostradamus’ minion — at which point Nos-

Monster from the Surf see The
tradamus himself clutches his chest and falls mo-

Beach Girls and the Monster
tionless to the floor, before an abrupt THE END
signals a final relief for the viewer (until, that is,

The Monsters Demolisher
the next installment, Genie of Darkness).

(1962; Estudios

America /Trans- International Films; Mexico;
b&w) Original Language Title: Nostradamus y el

Monsters of the Night see The Navy

Destructor de Monstruos; Director: Frederick
vs. the Night Monsters

Curiel, Stim Segar (English language version);

Producer: Victor Parra, K. Gordon Murray (En-

Monstrosity (1964; Emerson Film Enterprises; glish version); Screenplay: Frederick Curiel (Story b&w) Alternate Title: The Atomic Brain (TV); Di-by Charles Taboada, Alfred Ruanova); Cine-
rector: Joseph Mascelli; Producers: Jack Pollexfen, matographer: Ferdinand Colin. Cast: Germán

Dean Dillman, Jr.; Screenplay: Vy Russell, Sue

Robles, Julio Aleman, Domingo Soler, Aurora Al-

Dwiggins, Dean Dillman, Jr.; Cinematographer:

varado, Manuel Vergara, Jack Taylor.

Alfred Taylor. Cast: Marjorie Eaton, Frank Ger-

2. THE MOVIES

The Most Dangerous Man Alive

291
stle, Frank Fowler, Erika Peters, Judy Bamber, Lisa Blood), and Monstrosity comes off better than it Lang, Xerxes the cat.

should. Even so, there’s still plenty of dull
stretches; talk, after all, is cheap. (“I went in for Chained ... to the devil’s love lab!— tagline
an interview and they wanted somebody with an

In 1964 Joseph Mascelli, Ray Dennis Steckler’s

English accent,” recounted Bamber about her
cinematographer from The Incredibly Strange
winning the role of a Cockney beauty. “So, nat-

Creatures ... (1963) and The Thrill Killers (1964), urally, you say you can do it. But I’d never done
decided to step up and direct his own low-budget an English accent in my life.” And she still hasn’t.) horror movie; and the results, while far from im-The film’s fairly racy (sleazy?) tone also—for
pressive, beat Steckler’s dubious oeuvre by a
better or worse—ups the interest level. The beau-
country mile.

tiful “bodies” stolen by the doctor are nude; no

Of course, it may have helped that Mascelli had
coy sheet coverings here — though strategically
a real (albeit low-budget) Hollywood producer in placed steel bands keep it on the PG level. And

Jack Pollexfen (maker of such ’50s fare as The
the leering-voiced narrator (an uncredited Brad-

Man from Planet X, The Indestructible Man and ford Dillman[!], whose father, Dean Dillman, Jr.,

Daughter of Dr. Jekyll), who was able to secure, if co-produced) makes observations like, “so firm,
not first rate, than at least competent actors with so nicely rounded in places men like,” and, “Well,
some experience (as opposed to Steckler’s usual cast sometimes it’s convenient to have a man, espe-of friends, family and amateur wannabes). This,
cially when he comes cheaper than servants.”

coupled with a decent cinematographer in Alfred

When compared to other Grade-Z independ-

Taylor ( Spider Baby [1964], Blood Bath [1966], ents of the time, such as Monster A-Go Go, Manos Killer Klowns from Outer Space [1988]), and lothe Hands of Fate, or anything by Steckler, Jerry cation shooting at an impressive old mansion (in-Warren or even H. G. Lewis, the offbeat and mod-
cluding one effective sequence filmed on the
erately entertaining Monstrosity looks like a mil-structure’s ornately gabled roof ), gave Mascelli’s lion bucks. But compare it to just about any
pet project a fighting chance to at least look like a Grade-B (or even C) Hollywood horror, and
real movie. Said chance took flight, however, after Monstrosity lives up to (or, more precisely, down a glance at the amazingly boffo script. This is not to) its name.

to say it’s not an entertaining story....

With quotes from: “All About My Little Sister:

To wit: A rich old woman (Marjorie Eaton)

Judy Bamber,” by George Bamber, Filmfax 121, hires a mad scientist (veteran character actor

Summer 2009.

Frank Gerstle [ The Neanderthal Man, The Wasp Woman, The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake, etc.])

The Most Dangerous Man Alive (1961;
to transplant her brain into a young girl’s body.

Columbia; b&w) Director: Allan Dwan;

The scientist has plans of his own, however, in-

Producer: Benedict Bogeans; Screenplay: James
cluding giving a woman (Lisa Lang) the brain of

Leicester, Philip Rock. Cinematographer: Carl
a cat!

Carvahal. Cast: Ron Randell, Debra Paget, Elaine

The brain —(and species)— swapping plotline Stewart, Anthony Caruso, Gregg Palmer, Morris
proffers some amusingly original moments (many

Ankrum.

of them involving the cat-brained woman meow-
ing and hissing and batting at the air). There’s also IN THE HEART OF AN ATOMIC TESTING
a man with the brain of a dog (and, oddly, a rather AREA IT TAKES ONLY 10 SECONDS TO

TURN A HUMAN INTO THE ... MOST
hairy countenance and a huge set of fangs to go

DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE — poster blurb
with it), the aforementioned woman with a cat’s
brain (who at one point eats a live mouse and lit-

The Most Dangerous Man Alive is a gritty blend erally scratches somebody’s eyes out), and a re-of the sci-fi, horror and gangster genres. A framed vived female corpse with basically no brain. (A gangster (Ron Randall) escapes from prison and
cat with a human brain even pops up at the end!) wanders into the test site of a new type of cobalt

Given this bizarre scenario, some competent
bomb. The bomb detonates but he’s not killed.

cinematic technique (at least it’s lit properly and Instead, he becomes a “man of steel”— his flesh
in focus) and generally decent acting (though
absorbs metal. Randall uses his newfound talent
dizzy blonde Bea is played with an appallingly in-
to revenge himself on the gang that sent him up
consistent Cockney accent by Judy Bamber — the
the river. To the mobsters’ dismay, bullets won’t
dizzy blonde model from 1959’s A Bucket of
stop him, electricity won’t stop him, apparently

292

Mothra

2. THE MOVIES
nothing will stop him. Randall finally meets his
moment. The climax proves to be a major disap-
match, however, when a battalion of police and
pointment, however, with terrible flame effects
national guardsmen runs him to earth and then
poorly superimposed over shots of Randall shout-
fries him with a flame-thrower.

ing hysterically about ruling the world. And the

The tone of the picture is grim realism, with
obvious stock footage of flamethrower troops
the principals playing their parts well. Beautiful
completely erases the film’s sense of realism. Here Debra Paget, as the gangster’s mistress, assays her the low budget becomes painfully apparent.

role in a sensuous, daring manner (especially for

Still, The Most Dangerous Man Alive remains 1961). Her seduction scene, in which she entices
one of the more unusual sci-fi/horror entries from

Randall to remove her shoe and stocking, is
the early ’60s and deserves better than its current charged with a subtle erotic energy. Even though
status as one of The Most Unseen Films Today.

Randall plays a no-good gangster, he manages to
arouse sympathy in the audience and put them

Mothra (1961/62; Toho, Japan) Original Lan-on his side. One feels pity for him as the changes
guage Title: Mosura. Director: Ishiro Honda; Pro-going on in his body begin to affect his mind
ducer: Tomoyuki Tanaka; Screenplay: Yoshie

(“I’m not human anymore.... All I can feel now is

Hotta, Shinichiro Nakamura and Shinichi Sek-
hate!”).

izawa (from a novel by Takehiko Fukunaga); Cin-

The script becomes rather simplistic and vague
ematographer: Hajime Koizume. Cast: Frankie
in its explanations (referring to a mysterious “El-

Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyoko Kagawa, Emi Ito,
ement X” contained in the cobalt and showing us

Yumi Ito, Jerry Ito, Takashi Shimura, Satosi
some shabby “mutated” lab animals as explana-

Nakamura.

tion), but the plot does possess some effective

Mightiest Monster in All Creation!— tagline
twists, such as extending some hope to Randall
in the form of scientific help only to dash that

Following the breakthrough success of
hope when the bad guys interfere at the wrong

Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1954/56, aka Gojira) Toho produced three similar films, Gigantis the Fire Monster (1955, aka Godzilla Raids Again), Rodan (1956) and Varan the Unbelievable (1958/62).

All were cast in the template set by American sci-
fi monster movies such as The Beast from 20,000

Fathoms (1953) and Them (1954). The results, both artistic and commercial, were mixed. This
approach reached a dead end with the dismal

Varan, made in 1958 but not released in the U.S.

until 1962. Clearly, the studio needed to reinvent
its kaiju eiga (giant monster) movies if its fledgling film cycle was to survive.

Enter Mothra.

With this picture, director Ishiro Honda jetti-
soned the quasi-documentary tone of the
previous films, along with all other American-
style trappings. In a sense, Mothra was the first fully Japanese kaiju eiga. The director had completely assimilated the foreign model and was
ready to go off in a more whimsical, and
singularly Japanese, direction. More fairy tale than science fiction, Mothra is a color-splashed fantasia brimming with wildly imaginative, and
sometimes downright bizarre, ideas. It’s a more
kid-friendly film than the previous pictures, yet
it includes a scathing indictment of economic im-
perialism clearly intended for grownups. And, for

One-sheet poster for The Most Dangerous Man
the first time, the titular monster is not the vil-

Alive (1961).

lain.

2. THE MOVIES

Mothra

293
tor. Despite their best ef-
forts, however, Mothra ar-
rives in Japan, wreaks
havoc, cocoons herself and
then emerges as a gigantic
moth. Bulldog and friends
deliver the twins to Mothra
and avert further destruc-
tion.

Honda enjoyed an ample
budget for this film, and the
money is visible on the
screen. The production val-
ues are high, the cast larger
than usual, and the special
effects superb. Which is to
say that they look beautiful,
not that they look real. This
represents another major
break from the previous

Mothra, in giant caterpillar form, lays siege to a TV tower (a not-so-subtle films, with their more
commentary perhaps?) in Mothra (1961/62).

Americanized, naturalistic
effects. Mothra’s more styl-

As a rule, Toho’s subsequent giant monster
ized approach — although it may seem “hokey”

movies would integrate some or all of these same
to American audiences— aligns with most other
elements, but seldom would the results prove so

Japanese art forms, which tend away from natu-
enjoyable.

ralism. The ancient Japanese theatrical traditions

A handful of shipwreck survivors wash up on
of the Noh and Kabuki, for instance, are almost
the shore of a remote atoll previously used for
ritualistic, completely at odds with more natura-
atomic bomb tests. Miraculously, given the radi-
listic Western dramatic forms.

ation levels on the island, they survive to tell of The plight of Bulldog and his friends, as they
strange natives who have concocted an elixir that
try to rescue the tiny twins, provides an emotional protects against radiation. An international sci-context for the film’s requisite monster-versus-
entific team, led by the unscrupulous Clark
military/smashup-the-city sequences— human

Nelson (Jerry Ito), sail to the island to investigate.

interest sorely missed in many later kaiju eiga.

A tenacious young reporter (Frankie Sakai) nick-

Without such context, even the best-executed
named “Bulldog” (or, in the original Japanese ver-
monster effects scenes generate no real tension or
sion, “Snapping Turtle”) sneaks aboard. On the
drama. Although their roles are more caricatures
island, scientists discover a pair of tiny women
than characters, the cast proves likeable. But most (Emi and Yumi Ito), identical twins about a foot
of the film’s entertainment quotient is provided
tall. Nelson kidnaps the twins and brings them
by its striking, evocative visuals and its nonstop
back to Japan, where he and a henchman (Satosi
supply of charmingly kooky variations along fa-

Nakamura) hold them prisoner and force them
miliar themes. For instance, rather than working
to perform a nightclub act.

furiously to devise a way to destroy the monster,

What Nelson doesn’t realize is that the tiny
the scientists in Mothra try to communicate with twins are native priestesses, and the islanders
it. In the final act, Bulldog realizes that prayers don’t take kindly to their removal. The natives
and songs operate on the same wavelength as the
call upon their god, Mothra, to rescue the twins.

Twins’ telepathic link — an idea that’s utter non-

Mothra begins its life as a giant egg, which hatches sense and yet oddly poetic.

to reveal a colossal caterpillar. Drawn to the twins It’s no wonder that this remains one of the
by a telepathic link, Mothra swims to Japan in her
most beloved of Toho’s monster epics. Hitting an
caterpillar form. “Bulldog” and his friends realize artistic high note, and earning some serious coin
the only way to save Japan is to free the twins from at the box office, Mothra not only rescued the Ito Nelson and deliver them to their monster protec-twins, but also saved the kaiju eiga.

294

The Mummy’s Shroud

2. THE MOVIES

The Mummy’s Shroud (1967; Hammer/
the archeologists are safe and have discovered the

20th Century–Fox; U.K.) Director/Screenplay:

hidden tomb of a deposed boy pharaoh, Kah-to-

John Gilling; Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys;

Bey. The tomb, naturally, is cursed, and protected

Cinematographer: Arthur Grant. Cast: Andre
by a band of zealots who cling to the ancient

Morrell, John Phillips, David Buck, Elizabeth Sel-

Egyptian religion. Once Kah-to-Bey’s mummy is
lars, Michael Ripper, Catherine Lacey, Maggie
removed to Cairo, Preston has the expedition’s

Kimblerley.

leader, Sir Basil (Andre Morrell), committed to a
sanitarium and tries to take credit for the discov-

Beware the beat of the cloth-wrapped feet!

ery himself. Meanwhile, an Egyptian cultist, recit-

— tagline
ing magic words from a shroud that covered the

Although widely (and deservedly) considered
pharaoh’s body, reanimates the hulking mummy
one of the most defect-riddled products to emerge
of Kah-to-Bey’s protector, Prem (Eddie Powell).

from the Hammer Films fright factory, The

Prem begins murdering everyone who entered the

Mummy’s Shroud is not entirely dysfunctional.

tomb, beginning with Sir Basil.

It’s derivative, slow-paced and indifferently

The Mummy’s Shroud trots out every cliché in crafted, but it includes isolated sequences that
the history of mummy movies, from its cursed
work well and a matched set of outstanding per-
tomb to its magic artifact capable of restoring life formances that almost make it worth the slog.

to the mummy to its murderous band of Egyptian

Stanley Preston (John Philips), the wealthy
cultist holdouts, and on and on. The picture
financier of an Egyptian archeological expedition,
might have succeeded if its hackneyed hokum
arrives in Cairo to organize search parties for his were executed in some fresh or particularly stylish team of archeologists, feared lost in a sandstorm.

way. Unfortunately, director John Gilling fails to

The self-promoting Preston, with media fanfare
muster any of the visual flair he brought to films
orchestrated by his nebbish press secretary Long-
such as Mania (1960) and Plague of the Zombies barrow (Michael Ripper), joins in the search per-

(1966). His work here is strictly by the dog-eared
sonally. But by the time they reach the expedition
book. Production values fall a notch or two below
the usual Hammer standard, especially the cut-
rate sets and costumes employed during a pro-
tracted, 8-minute flashback to ancient Egypt that
opens the film, as well as Powell’s blank-faced,
generic-looking mummy mask. (The studio
could have found more convincing masks for sale
in the back pages of Famous Monsters magazine.) Nevertheless, once Prem finally sets about his
gruesome business (45 minutes into this 86-
minute film), Shroud finally begins to pick up steam. A couple of the murders are chillingly effective — especially that of Longbarrow, who

(without his glasses) can’t see the mummy and
doesn’t understand what’s happening.

However, the movie’s most enjoyable element
by far are the amusing Punch-and-Judy portrayals
of John Phillips and Michael Ripper as the cold,
domineering Preston and the fidgety, browbeaten

Longbarrow. Even though Preston is, essentially,
the story’s villain, he makes an excellent comic
foil for his nervously chatty, easily intimidated
assistant. Although playing a primarily comedic
part, Ripper enjoys some touching moments later
in the film when Longbarrow becomes almost
giddy at the prospect of returning to England,
only to have those dreams crushed by the

“Milk — it does a mummy good.” Stuntman Eddie

Powell takes a refreshment break during filming
heartless Preston. Along with his work in The Rep-of The Mummy’s Shroud (1967).

tile and Night Creatures, this is one of the ever-

2. THE MOVIES

Munster, Go Home

295
reliable Ripper’s very best performances. Phillips
selves normal, well-adjusted citizens. They try to
is equally impressive as the ruthless, headline-
be good neighbors and often wonder why other
grabbing Preston. The two play off one another
people act so strangely in their presence. Munster, marvelously.

Go Home! brings this similarity to The Beverly Shroud wastes the gifted Morrell in a do-noth-Hillbillies into sharper relief with a plotline that ing role and then kills him off at the close of the involves Herman Munster (like Jed Clampett)

story’s first act. (It’s perplexing that Morrell accoming into unexpected wealth, then loading up
cepted this inglorious assignment but rejected
his family and moving — not to Beverly Hills, but

Hammer’s infinitely superior Five Million Years to an English manor.

to Earth.) Catherine Lacey leaves an appropriately A wealthy, distant British uncle dies and leaves
bizarre impression in her small role as a weird,

Herman the family estate and title of Lord Mun-
drooling gypsy fortune teller. None of the rest of
ster. While Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie and
the cast stands out.

Marilyn board a transatlantic liner, Herman’s En-

Aside from the performances of Phillips and
glish cousins— Lady Effigie (Hermione Gingold),

Ripper, and a few rare moments of frisson, The

Freddie (Terry-Thomas), Millie (Maria Lennard)

Mummy’s Shroud contains little even for diehard and their butler Cruickshank (John Carradine)—

Hammer devotees to cling to. At least the picture’s plot to bump Herman claim the fortune for them-advertising tagline (“Beware the beat of the cloth-
selves. During the ocean voyage Marilyn strikes
wrapped feet!”) was catchy. Does that count?

up a romance with Roger (Robert Pine), a British
race car diver who turns out to be the son of

Munster, Go Home! (1966; Universal) Di-Squire Moresby (Bernard Fox), who is embroiled
rector: Earl Bellamy; Producers: Joe Connelly, Bob
in a generations-long feud with the Munster clan.

Masher; Screenplay: George Tribbles, Joe Con-

Later, Herman and Grandpa discover that some-
nelly and Bob Masher; Cinematographer: Ben-
one is operating a counterfeit ring out of Munster
jamin H. Kline. Cast: Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De

Manor. The whole business concludes with a slap-

Carlo, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick, Debbie Watson,
stick auto race.

Terry-Thomas, Hermione Gingold; Robert Pine,

The film plays like an elongated episode of the

Maria Lennard, John Carradine.

TV series, albeit with somewhat higher produc -
tion values, most notably Benjamin H. Kline’s

America’s Funniest Family in their FIRST
splashy color lighting scheme. The comedy relies

FULL-LENGTH FEATURE — tagline
mostly on juvenile word play (Lily gets “vulture

The Munsters, a situation comedy produced by bumps” instead of goose bumps) and sight gags

Universal Studios and featuring cartoonish par-

(like Eddie’s coffin-shaped surf board). Gwynne,
odies of its classic monster characters, made its

De Carlo, Lewis and Patrick simply carry forward
television debut on CBS in 1964. After a successful their shtick from the show, and Debbie Watson,
first season, the series was clobbered by ABC’s
replacing TV’s Pat Priest as Marilyn, remains as
new hit Batman during its second campaign and forgettable as her counterpart. Among the per-cancelled after 70 episodes. Munster, Go Home!, formers added for the film, only Terry-Thomas
a Technicolor theatrical feature, was Universal’s
stands out as the infantile but homicidal Freddie,
first attempt to resurrect the franchise.

who throws tantrums and sucks his thumb, yet

The film reunites a houseful of amiable crea-
sleeps with a revolver beneath his pillow. Keen-
tures: Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne), aka the
eyed fans of classic TV will spot Richard Dawson

Frankenstein Monster; Lily Munster (Yvonne De

(Corp. Newkirk from Hogan’s Heroes) in a minor Carlo) and Grandpa (Al Lewis), a pair of vam-role.

pires; Herman and Lily’s son Eddie (Butch

Perhaps because the series had so recently

Patrick), a werewolf; and Lily’s niece, Marilyn
flopped, or more likely because it’s simply not

(Debbie Watson), the only non-monstrous Mun-
very funny, Munster, Go Home! sank like a stone ster. Despite all its macabre trappings, conceptu-at the box office. Yet, despite the film’s failure and ally The Munsters strongly resembled The Beverly the brevity of their life on CBS, the Munsters re-Hillbillies (another CBS series), with nearly all its fused to stay dead. The series gained great popu-humor arising from the displacement of an ec-
larity in syndication and enjoyed numerous other
centric but loving, multi-generational family into
revivals, beginning with the animated movie The an environment ill-prepared to cope with them.

Mini-Munsters (1973) and continuing with The Like the Clampetts, the Munsters consider them-Munsters’ Revenge (1983), which reunited the

296

Murder Clinic; Mutiny in Outer Space

2. THE MOVIES
original cast of the series. The success of that

“Discover the monstrous horror from the Moon
telefilm prompted Universal to produce The
threatening to destroy everything it touches, the

Munsters Today, a syndicated series featuring a fiendish force that ignited the loves, the hates,
new cast, which ran from 1988 to 1991. While gen-
the passions of the explorers in space!”— trailer
erally considered inferior to the original Munsters, Though produced in the mid–1960s, Mutiny in

The Munsters Today ran two episodes longer than Outer Space looks— and acts— like it was made the first series and also spawned two TV movies,

10 years earlier. Perhaps it’s the derivative “bor-

Here Come the Munsters (1995) and The Munsters’

rowings” from various 1950s horror flicks that

Scary Little Christmas (1996).

make the supposed futuristic Mutiny (set in the If you’re a Munsters devotee, you’ll probably
far-flung 1990s!) look backwards rather than for-
enjoy Munster, Go Home! If not, this picture is ward. Or perhaps it’s the black-and-white pho-unlikely to convert you. Your authors confess a
tography, coming at a time when even low-budget
preference for The Addams Family.

features such as this one were turning to color.

Murder Clinic

Or perhaps it’s the sexist 1950s-style attitudes of (1966/68; Europix; Italy) Orig-the male space-crew towards their female coun-
inal Title: La Lama nel Corpo ( The Knife in the terparts. In any case, Mutiny in Outer Space feels Body); Alternate Title: Revenge of the Living Dead like it sprang not so much from the Age of Aquar-

(U.S. reissue). Director/Producer: Elio Scar-
ius as the Age of Eisenhower.

damaglia; Screenplay: Ernesto Gastaldi (as Julian

Ice samples found on the Moon are brought

Barry) and Luciano Martino (as Martin Hardy)

back to the orbiting Space Station X-7 for study.

(Novel: Robert Williams); Cinematography: Mar-

Unfortunately, a deadly fungus that consumes liv-
cello Masciocchi. Cast: William Berger, Françoise
ing cells tags along. (This provides the film’s single Prevost, Mary Young, Barbara Wilson, Philippe
startling moment — a gruesome shot of the one-

Hersent, Harriet Medin (as Harriet White).

The obscure Murder Clinic—which the authors of this book were unable to locate for review —
appears to combine elements of the Italian gothic
and giallo horror styles. Although set in a classic gothic location (1870s London), the plot (about
a hooded, razor-wielding maniac who murders
helpless hospital patients) remains pure giallo.

Those who have seen the film hardly lavish it with
praise, but usually find kind remarks for Marcello

Masciocchi’s Technicolor cinematography or
other isolated elements. “Although nowhere near
as lyrical as Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava or even

Antonio Margheriti’s work the film does show
some flair in the editing,” reports editor Phil

Hardy’s Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Horror. Murder Clinic, based on Robert Williams’ novel The Knife in the Body, was successful enough to earn a re-release in 1972 under the misleading title Revenge of the Living Dead.

With quotes from: The Overlook Film Encyclo-
pedia: Horror, Phil Hardy, editor.

Mutiny in Outer Space (1965; Woolner Brothers; b&w) Director: Hugo Grimaldi; Producers: Hugo Grimaldi, Arthur C. Pierce; Screen-
play: Hugo Grimaldi (original story: Arthur C.

Pierce, Hugo Grimaldi); Cinematography: Archie

Dalzell. Cast: William Leslie, Delores Faith,

Despite its psychedelic sixties poster, Mutiny in

Pamela Curran, Richard Garland, Harold Lloyd,

Outer Space (1965) feels like a throwback to the Jr.

previous decade.

2. THE MOVIES

My Son, the Hero

297
and-only fungus victim, one dead eye staring
plicators, Destination Inner Space, Women of the from the ghastly spongy mass that has become his

Prehistoric Planet), it’s no wonder Mutiny’s face.) Meanwhile, the station’s commander
screenplay looks like it was cobbled together from

(stodgily played by the dour Richard Garland),
bits stolen from earlier films, with The Blob and suffering from the effects of prolonged weight-Space-Master X-7 being two of the most obvious lessness, develops a persecution complex, hallu-victims. Pierce even lifts the Blob’s Achilles heel, cinates, threatens the safety of the station, and ul-cold (and includes a completely random demon-
timately scampers about committing sabotage
stration with a fire extinguisher!), and shamelessly (prompting the “mutiny” of the film’s title). But
names his space station “X-7”!

The Caine Mutiny this ain’t, and shunting aside The totally inadequate 6-day shooting schedule
the all-consuming fungus for long stretches to
allotted only one day for all the miniature work.

deal with the commander gives the film a dis-

It shows. If the cheap, plastic-looking model of
jointed — and prosaic —feel. Ultimately the fun-
the spinning-wheel space station was any indica-
gus (Spanish moss, actually) takes over the
tor, one would never guess that the realism of
station, both inside and out, and the crew must

2001: A Space Odyssey was just around the corner.

come up with a way to combat the deadly in-

Director Grimaldi (or Pierce, if he is to be be-
truder.

lieved) tries to hide his cheesy sets’ many short-

Though officially credited to director/producer
comings by utilizing some wholly inappropriate

Hugo Grimaldi, Mutiny’s script was actually but occasionally atmospheric low-key lighting.

penned by low-budget horror/sci-fi veteran

While such dim illumination seems ridiculous on

Arthur C. Pierce (at least according to Pierce him-
a working space station, the shadowy atmosphere
self, who also at one point claimed credit for the
does help prop up the paper-thin wall of suspense
film’s direction as well!). Given Pierce’s track and menace.

record ( The Cosmic Man, Invasion of the Animal Still, it’s a good bet that many viewers will nip

People, Beyond the Time Barrier, The Human Du-this cut-rate Mutiny in the bud before it ever gets rolling — not by any power of the court, but by
the power of their own remote.

My Son , the Hero (1962/3; Vides Cinematografica/United Artists; Italy/France) Original

Language Title: Arrivano i Titani. Alternate Titles: The Titans; Sons of Thunder (UK). Director: Duccio Tessari; Producer: Alexandre Mnouchkine;

Screenplay: Ennio De Concini, Duccio Tessari;

Cinematographer: Alfio Contini. Cast: Pedro Ar-
mendariz, Giuliano Gemma, Antonlla Lualdi,

Serge Nubret, Jacqueline Sassard.

Smarter than a fox! Braver than a lion!

Cuter than a pussy cat!— poster

The silly tagline on the My Son, the Hero’s cartoonish American poster rather overstates the case
for this unique take on the Italian muscleman
movie. While it does offer a lighter tone than
most pepla, and spotlights a hero who relies more
on his wits than his biceps (though he still holds
his own in the palace guard-tossing department),
it’s no mere live-action cartoon. In fact, My Son, the Hero is refreshingly rife with often-creepy supernatural elements (many right out of Greek
mythology), making it one of the more entertain-
ing entries in this generally moribund subgenre.

Misleadingly goofy American poster for the supe-

When Cadmo (Pedro Armendari), the evil king
rior horror peplum My Son, the Hero (1962/63).

of Crete murders his wife in order to marry his

298

Mysterious Island

2. THE MOVIES
mistress, the gods take notice and send an oracle
impressive trampoline-style acrobatics on market
to warn him that he will die once his infant
awnings as he amusingly eludes pursuing soldiers)

daughter grows to womanhood and falls in love.

helps make My Son, the Hero one of the more en-

(As insurance, they stipulate that should he kill
joyable Euro He-Man movies of the decade.

his child, his heart will cease to beat when hers
does.) Some 18 years later, the sequestered

Mysterious Island (1961; Columbia; U.S./
princess has never seen a man. Now the gods de-

U.K.) Director: Cy Endfield; Producer: Charles
cide to release from hell the youngest (and

H. Schneer; Screenplay: John Prebble, Daniel Ull-
smartest) of the demi-god Titans, Krios (Giuliano
man, Crane Wilbur; Cinematographer: Wilkie

Gemma), to exact (belated) vengeance on Cadmo.

Cooper. Cast: Michael Craig, Gary Merrill,

Krios is made mortal and instructed to bring

Michael Callan, Percy Herbert, Herbert Lom,
about the demise of Cadmo. Krios subsequently

Joan Greenwood, Beth Rogan, Dan Jackson.

insinuates himself into the king’s court, and even
falls in love with the forbidden princess, before

YOU ARE PLUNGED INTO PREHISTORIC
he’s aided by his fellow Titan brothers in a final

ADVENTURE AMID MONSTROUS FLORA
battle against the king and his invincible soldiers.

AND FAUNA AS AN EPIC OF EXCITEMENT

ERUPTS BEFORE YOUR STARTLED EYES!

Unlike most musclemen heroes, such as Her-

— ad line
cules, Maciste, Goliath, et al, Krios utilizes his
brain more than his brawn, and displays a definite

Had this movie’s protagonists known where
sense of humor about things (which peplum pur-
they would end up —facing the terrors and tribu-
veyors like Steve Reeves, Kirk Morris and Gordon
lations of the titular Mysterious Island— they Mitchell generally lacked). As a result, the classical would undoubtedly have abandoned their plan
storyline takes on a breezier tone, which serves
to escape their Richmond, Virginia, Confederate
to bring the darker elements into sharp relief
prison camp. Based on the 1874 Jules Verne novel
when they arise. And arise they do, in the form

L’lle Mysterieuse (a sequel to the author’s 20,000
of such supernatural horrors as two separate trips

Leagues Under the Sea), the film’s story has a to hell (complete with classical Greek torments),
group of Civil War soldiers steal a hot-air balloon a cadre of invincible soldiers (bloody, mortal
during a howling storm. After a long airborne
sword wounds miraculously disappear as they rise
voyage, they end up on a tropical island inhabited
to continue the fight), and a tense confrontation
by gigantic animals (created by Captain Nemo
with a Gorgon. (Despite the mythical monster’s
and his advanced science). There they must use
disappointingly mundane appearance — looking
their ingenuity to survive not only the more mun-
like nothing more than a mildly unattractive
dane natural elements, but also marauding
woman with a few garter snakes woven into her
pirates; colossal crabs, birds and bees; and even
hair — director Duccio Tessari generates some
an erupting volcano.

horrific atmosphere and genuine suspense

An exciting, colorful, and straightforward fan-
through low-angle camerawork and clever edit-
tasy-adventure aimed squarely at the juvenile set,
ing). Then there’s the horrific “Most Dangerous

Mysterious Island has it all: a thrilling prison Game” interlude in which Cadmus hunts down
break; an exciting and perilous balloon journey;
a human prisoner like an animal for sport.

Robinson Crusoe-like exploits (including fending

Giuliano Gemma (nee “Montgomery Wood”)

off an attack by pirates!); a race against time in-
makes for a far more engaging hero than the stan-
volving an erupting volcano; assorted fantastic
dard Muscle Beach denizens generally cast in

Ray Harryhausen stop-motion creations; the
pepla. Gemma, who traded in his leather loincloth
ruins of a lost civilization; and even Captain
for a pair of six-guns a few years later to become

Nemo himself and his amazing submarine, the
a staple in Spaghetti Westerns (including several

Nautilis. Besides this surfeit of exhilarating activ-Ringo titles), possesses not only a pleasing screen ity, what sets Mysterious Island apart from — and presence, but genuine acting ability, as demon-above — its contemporaries is its serious attitude
strated over his nearly five-decades-long career

(courtesy of then-blacklisted Hollywood director
in Italian cinema. His natural charm, relaxed de-

Cy [ Zulu] Endfield) and beautiful attention to demeanor before the camera (many peplum purvey-
tail (thanks to Harryhausen’s meticulous in-
ors look stiff and uncomfortable on-camera, even
fluence). While the film’s intended audience may
the supposed sword-and-sandal “king,” Steve
be juveniles, the movie’s tone never stoops to that Reeves) and surprising litheness (including some
level. There’s no precocious and irritating pre-

2. THE MOVIES

Naked Evil

299
teen; no simplistic pat plot devices;
and no out-of-place puerile humor

(what laughs arise do so naturally
out of the situations). Mysterious Is-
land is a mature-minded fantasy that
appeals to pre-teens and adults alike.

Though the characters are largely
cut from stock cloth, the players
dress them up with enough person-
ality to make them memorable, par-
ticularly Gary Merrill as the cynical
and world-weary war correspon-
dent, and Herbert Lom as the
supremely confidant and cultured

Nemo. And while many of the
miniatures (the balloon, the
volcano, the undersea ruins) appear
to be just that (with the never-quite-

Courtesy of Ray Harryhausen’s amazing stop-motion animation convincing insertion of stock
techniques, Gary Merrill, Michael Craig and Michael Callan (left footage of real eruptions detracting
to right) are menaced by one of the giant denizens of the Myste-
further from the verisimilitude), the
rious Island (1961) (courtesy Lynn Naron).

picture never loses its charm or aura
of exotica — a fantastical aura built
upon the backs of Harryhausen’s
wonderful creatures. Harryhausen
originally intended to populate his
mysterious island with dinosaurs,
but abandoned this Lost World con-
cept to update the story via Nemo
and his experiments with gigantism.

To this end, Harryhausen created
set-pieces involving a giant crab (a
real crab shell — bought at Harrod’s
department store—with a stop-mo-
tion armature placed inside), a gi-
raffe-sized hopping bird (a holdover
from the “prehistoric” concept, as
it’s really a “phororhacos”), a huge

An atmospheric amalgam of British gangsters and Jamaican bee trapping some protagonists in-voodoo (1966).

side a colossal honeycomb, and a
mammoth cephalo
pod (another prehistoric

Chock full of “good laughs” and “melodramatic
throwback)—all staged with Harryhausen’s trade-
thrills,” Mysterious Island remains a real treat for mark flair for action and convincing attention to
the adventure-loving 12-year-old inside all of us.

detail. (Harryhausen labeled the thrilling crab se-
quence as “one of my favorites.”)

Naked Evil (1966; Columbia/Hampton Inter-Of the phororhacos, Harryhausen wrote in his
national; U.K.; b&w and tinted) Alternate Title: Film Fantasy Scrapbook: “Originally, the bird was Exorcism at Midnight (U.S. TV); Director/Screen-to have an antediluvian background, but owing
writer: Stanley Goulder (based on the play The
to some script deletions its origin was discarded.

Obi by Jon Manchip White); Producer: M. F.

Most reviewers and audiences assumed it to be

Johnson; Cinematographer: Geoffrey Faithful.

an overgrown chicken. Its awkward movements

Cast: Basil Dignam, Anthony Ainley, Suzanne
turned it into a ‘comedian.’ However, a good

Neve, Richard Coleman, Olof Pooley, George A.

laugh in the story was a pleasant relief from all of Saunders, Lawrence Tierney ( Exorcism at Mid-the melodramatic thrills of the rest of the film.”

night version only).

300

The Naked Evil

2. THE MOVIES

... Your nightmares are suddenly alive and
the dangling light swings as if pushed by an
shove you screaming to the bottomless pit
unseen force. Even the credits sequence builds a
of Hell ... There is No Escape!— ad line
macabre atmosphere when, as the credits roll, the
camera silently prowls through a church

Rarely seen and even less talked about, the
graveyard at night, coming to rest at a graveside

British Naked Evil is a diamond-in-the-rough that where we see a mysterious hand placing fistfuls
has slipped pass the notice of genre fans. It’s a pity, of dirt into a shoebox.

since Naked Evil is an original, suspenseful and British movies from this period are generally
engaging horror offering from the 1960s, one that
very well acted, and Naked Evil is no exception.

holds the viewer’s interest with intelligent han-

Worthy of note is Basil Dignam as Benson. His
dling and atmospheric staging.

natural and authoritative delivery does much to

The film was designed as a low-budget (about
lend conviction to the strange events. Dignam’s

£60,000) British program filler to be shot in four
familiar face and steady presence added to such
weeks. “This was made as a quota picture,” ex-
pictures as The Creeping Unknown (1955), Corri-plained executive producer Richard Gordon, “to
dors of Blood (1958), Gorgo (1961) and Lawrence fulfill a certain requirement by Columbia to fill a of Arabia (1962).

certain slot because they needed to have a certain

Unfortunately, Naked Evil’s rather schizo-
amount of British product in distribution.”

phrenic construction tends to weaken the film’s

Though based on a play called The Obi, Gordon overall impact and undermines Goulder and
didn’t feel that that rather non-threatening

Faithful’s careful staging. The more mundane
moniker lent itself well to exploitation, and his
gangster scenes and subplot (with the wiseguys
partner, Steve Pallos, came up with Naked Evil. “I complaining about their “business” troubles on
thought it was a very good title,” said Gordon.

cheap nightclub sets) seem dull and out of place

Indeed it was, for as well as being mildly
next to the more fantastical Obeah angle.

titillating, it captured the tone of the film very

“I’d thought it would be a real horror picture,
well — the idea of a raw, overpowering force of
and that there would be much more use made of
malignancy.

the voodoo stuff and less of the gangsterism and

In the black section of an English town, a drug-
all that,” lamented Gordon. “It’s not what I would
dealing gangster uses Jamaican Obeah (a variation
really call a genre picture in its present form. It’s of voodoo) to decimate his competitor’s ranks.

sort of neither fish nor fowl.” Despite Gordon’s

To accomplish this, he sends his intended victims
regrets, it’s still a fairly tasty bird.

a dreaded obi (a bottle filled with graveyard dirt

In England, Columbia released Naked Evil as and “muck,” topped with feathers). “With an obi,
intended (as a supporting feature in black and
smash the bottle and you unleash the devil,” ex-
white). In the United States, however, things
plains one character. Three men have succumbed
didn’t go quite as planned. Robert Saxton of
to the evil magic already (“a fall from a window

Hampton International took the film and tinted
of a locked room, a frightened man dashing in
it, coloring scenes variously red, green, blue and
front of a bus, and yet another found in the
amber. “Saxton’s release publicity said it was in
canal”). Meanwhile, at a nearby university hostel

‘Evil Color,’” laughed Gordon, “which I thought
for “colored students,” its operator, Mr. Benson
was a nice gimmick. It promised a lot but didn’t

(Basil Dignam), receives a dreaded obi. It soon
guarantee anything.” Nor did this unfortunate
comes to light that the mysterious “obi-man” is
and unnecessary tinting deliver anything—except the hostel’s unsavory Jamaican caretaker, who’s
occasional confusion and eyestrain. Hampton In-
been selling his magic to the gangster (and apply-
ternational soon went bankrupt, and, after some
ing it to Benson as well, since he knows the head-
initial spotty distribution, Naked Evil ended up master is about to fire him). Things soon go awry,
on drive-in triple features put out by Sam Sher-
culminating in death, possession, and exorcism.

man’s Independent International. In the late 1970s

Director Stanley Goulder’s clever staging and

Sherman further bastardized the film by adding
cinematographer Geoffrey Faithful’s atmospheric
some new, full-color footage (starring a terribly
lighting and camerawork weave a palpable spell
miscast Lawrence Tierney as a psychiatrist[!] and
of evil around the sinister events. Goulder fills
shot in one day for about $5,000) before selling

Naked Evil with eerie touches. When one
it to television as Exorcism at Midnight.

character drops an obi bottle into the basement

With quotes from: Drums of Terror: Voodoo in
furnace, the cellar door suddenly slams shut and
the Cinema, by Bryan Senn.

2. THE MOVIES

The Naked Goddess; The Naked Temptress; The Naked Witch

301

The Naked Goddess see The Devil’s

Hand

The Naked Temptress see The

Naked Witch

The Naked Witch (1964; Alexander Enterprises) Directors/screenplay: Larry Buchanan and

Claude Alexander; Producer: Claude Alexander;

Cinematographer: Ralph Johnson. Cast: Jo Mary-
man, Robert Short, Libby Hall, Denis Adams,

Charles West, Jack Herman, Howard Ware, Mar-
ilyn Pope, Der Saengerbund Children’s Choir.

THE STORY OF THE WITCH WHO BECAME

RESTLESS IN HER GRAVE — ad line

Don’t confuse this no-budget indy, the first
horror movie by Texas-based schlockmeister

Larry Buchanan, with that other Naked Witch
from 1964, the first horror movie by Staten Is-
land-based schlockmeister Andy Milligan. (Yes,
believe it or not, two naked witches were seen ca-
vorting on the big screen in 1964; unfortunately,
neither of them were much to look at.)

Buchanan’s film begins with an eight-minute
prologue in which a narrator (an unbilled Gary

Owens!) oh-so-dramatically provides a discourse
on witchcraft using period Bosch and Brueghel

Salacious advertising for Larry Buchanan’s debut paintings as illustration, and soap opera-style
feature, The Naked Witch (1964).

organ music as punctuation. Once the time-eating
intro concludes, the story proper, set in “the hill committing two coyly-shot murders, does little
country of central Texas,” commences, as a
but walk, bathe, and dance seductively — or tries
college student (Robert Short) journeys to the
to, anyway).

(real) German-themed Texas town of Luchen -

And while said witch (Libby Hall, wearing
bach (in which the lederhosen- and dirndl-wear-

Tammy Faye-style glamour makeup, all penciled-
ing locals speak pidgin Deutsch and live the
in eyebrows and bright red lipstick) does initially simple life of German farmers) to research local
walk about naked, a fuzzy black censor bar (added
customs and legends. Inadvertently reviving “the
by the distributor) obfuscates the salacious spots.

Luchenbach Witch” (by digging up her grave and

She soon steals a black nightie anyway, becoming
removing the stake from her corpse out of “cu-
the Nightgowned Witch. However, some truth in riosity”), the student falls under her spell as she advertising shines through, as a later sequence of
seeks vengeance on the descendants of those who
her bathing in a pond offers a few teasing glimpses condemned her to death over a century before.

of her less-than-ample charms.

As might be expected from the inaugural effort

One bit of interest arises when the heroine asks
of the man who brought us Zontar the Thing from the student, “But what pleasure can you get from

Venus and Mars Needs Women, The Naked Witch studying about all this [witchcraft]?” To this he
offers little beyond amateurish acting (particularly replies: “To better understand the witch hunts we
from the bland male lead), a locked-down
have today. You would think that after the delu-
camera, laughable special effects (a few crude
sions of New England and early Texas, the urge
stop-camera shots of a plastic fright mask for the
to hunt witches would have disappeared from the
big “resurrection” scene), toneless narration

Western world, but nothing of the kind. The me-

(negating the need for live sound or post-produc-
dieval idea of witchcraft was replaced by things
tion looping), and a snail’s pace (the movie is half like race and nationality.” But this brief snippet
over before the witch rises; she then, apart from
of topical social commentary is as far as it goes.

302

The Naked Witch; The Nanny

2. THE MOVIES

In a conversation with video entrepreneur
and photographed by schlock maven Andy Mil-

Mike Vraney (of Something Weird Video), pro-
ligan — appears to be lost. The film seems to have
ducer Claude Alexander repeatedly dismissed The played like an X-rated rip-off of The Hunchback Naked Witch as “Larry’s home movie,” and he’s of Notre Dame. An attractive young woman
not far wrong. On the film’s DVD commentary
named Beth (Beth Porter) is shunned by local
track, Buchanan himself called it “one of those
townsfolk because her mother conducted orgiastic
desperate movies we make when we want to be
ceremonies and was burned at the stake as a
movie makers and we have nowhere to go, and
witch. Beth carries on a secret affair with a sailor no funding, and no nothing.” While one can ap-

(Robert Burgos) and befriends a mute hunchback
plaud Buchanan’s determination, it takes a far
known only as the Dumb One (Lee Forbes).

more forgiving soul to applaud the result. About

When a devious rival, Bella (Bryarly Lee), falsely
the kindest thing one can say of The Naked Witch convinces villagers that Beth is continuing her
is that it lasts a mere 59 minutes.

mother’s Satanic debauchery, the enraged towns-

Filmed in color in 16mm for a mere $8,000 in
people try to burn her at the stake but the Dumb

1961, The Naked Witch didn’t see release until One comes to her rescue. Milligan shot the film

1964, and then usually in black and white (since entirely on location in tiny Manasquan, New Jer-it was far cheaper to strike monochromatic prints
sey, with a skeleton crew and a semi-professional
than full-color ones). Years later, on the drive-in cast. “Those who saw the film claim it was Milli-circuit, Buchanan’s no-budget opus frequently
gan’s most visually arresting,” writes Milligan bi-
played the lower half of a double bill with the far ographer Jimmy McDonough. “Adding to the
superior The Legend of Witch Hollow (a retitled stark quality was the fact that it was shot in the

The Witchmaker).

middle of a bitter snow and rain storm, which
made the coastal location look even more foreign

The Naked Witch (1967) Alternate Title: The and remote.” Co-star Robert Burgos reports that

Naked Temptress. Director/Producer/Cinematog-Beth Porter had “the biggest tits in the world,”

rapher: Andy Milligan, Screenplay: Clay Guss.

which might have been the most significant visual

Cast: Beth Porter, Robert Burgos, Bryarly Lee,
for the film’s intended audience.

Lee Forbes, Maggie Rogers.

With quotes from: The Ghastly One: The Sex-

Gore Netherworld of Andy Milligan, by Jimmy Mc-Clothes cramped the style of the

Donoough.

Naked Witch!— tagline

Not to be confused with Larry Buchanan’s 1961

The Nanny (1965; Hammer/Seven Arts; U.K.; shocker also titled The Naked Witch, this ultra-b&w) Director: Seth Holt; Producer/Screenplay:

low-budget nudie chiller — produced, directed

Jimmy Sangster (from a novel by Evelyn Piper);

Cinematographer: Harry Waxman.

Cast: Bette Davis, Wendy Craig, Jill

Bennett, James Villiers, William

Dix, Pamela Franklin.

Another memorable Davis
portrait!— tagline

Immaculately crafted and beau-
tifully performed, The Nanny
marked a truly grand finale for

Hammer Films’ on-again, off-again
series of black-and-white psycho-
logical thrillers.

Ten-year-old Joey (William Dix)

returns home after spending two
years in a mental institution for al-
legedly drowning his younger sister.

Joey’s parents (James Villiers and

When The Nanny (1965) is an unhinged Bette Davis, you’d do well Wendy Craig) fear their son may be
to trust the boy...

unbalanced; he seems antisocial and

2. THE MOVIES

The Nanny

303
is given to paranoid-sounding accusations against
anhood. The title role offered Davis the rangiest
the family’s kindly and dutiful nanny (Bette
of all the “horror hag” parts she would undertake

Davis). Joey blames Nanny for his sister’s death,
following What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

and claims that the servant is now trying to kill

(1962). Her quietly sinister demeanor grounds the
him. He refuses to eat any food she prepares out
entire feature. Davis’ Nanny remains one of the
of fear of poisoning and won’t bathe unless Nanny
best portrayals ever by an actress in a Hammer
swears not to sneak into the bathroom and try to
film. But, improbably, Dix proves her equal as
drown him.

young Joey. His likable, touching performance —

Then his mother is poisoned, and the evidence
full of childish bravado barely masking stark ter-
points to Joey. Nevertheless Joey again blames
ror — was the finest to date by a child actor in a

Nanny — and this time his Aunt Penelope (Jill
horror film, and would not be surpassed until

Bennett) and Joey’s friend, Bobbie (Pamela

Chris and Martin Udvarnoky’s chilling work in

Franklin), a 14-year-old upstairs neighbor,

The Other (1972).

wonder if he might be telling the truth. The film’s Seth Holt’s taught, efficient direction and
spine-tingling final 20 minutes include a

Harry Waxman’s exquisite, moody cinematogra-
flashback that reveals Nanny as a more conflicted
phy also deserve commendation. Holt later com-
and motivationally complex character than at first
plained that Davis was a terror on the set. “Oh, it it appears.

was hell!” he said. “She was always telling me how

The Nanny’s virtues are many, but chief among to direct. When I did it her way, she was scornful.

them are its finely tuned script (among the ca-

When I stood up to her, she was hysterical.” Sang-
reer-best for prolific producer-screenwriter Jimmy
ster remembered it differently, and called Davis

Sangster) and the uniformly outstanding per-

“the most professional actress I ever worked
formances of its cast.

with.” Sangster and Davis reunited (without

Sangster’s screenplay, adapted from Evelyn

Holt) for the painfully unfunny and deadly dull

Piper’s novel, establishes credible dramatic ten-
dark comedy The Anniversary (1968), in which sion —not only between Joey and Nanny, but also

Davis wore an eye patch — which is only appro-
between the boy and his parents—from the outset
priate since this misfire remains a black eye on
and sustains it throughout. The lone questionable
the resumes of its writer and star.

aspect of the scenario is its unorthodox finale.

Promoted as a Bette Davis vehicle rather than

While it’s original and transforms Nanny from a
a Hammer chiller, The Nanny garnered glowing stock villain into a three-dimensional personality, reviews and gangbuster box office. Despite its un-it may seem somewhat anti-climactic after so
qualified success, however, The Nanny proved to much sustained suspense. Although the Nanny
be the final Hammer psycho-thriller of the 1960s.

character would have suffered, a more conven-

During the first half of the decade, Hammer had
tional resolution might have better served the
split its genre output between its trademark glossy film. As it stands, The Nanny remains a movie color gothics and smaller-budgeted black-packed with rich, believably sketched characters
and-white thrillers. But She, also released in 1965, and pitch-perfect dialogue. The scenes in which
represented the (curvaceous) shape of things

Joey and Bobbie strike up their friendship are es-
to come. For whatever reason, the studio began
pecially impressive, since writing young
to balance its gothic bread and butter with a
characters well always presents special difficulties.

steady diet of color fantasy pictures ( One Million This is an altogether marvelous outing for Sang-Years B.C., Prehistoric Women, The Vengeance
ster, all the more so since his creative well
of She, The Lost Continent, etc.), many of which appeared to have run dry after his substandard,
prominently featured scantily clad starlets.

unimaginative scripts for Nightmare (1964) and Hitch
cockian suspense was out; “Hammer

Hysteria (1965).

glamour” was in. The studio wouldn’t attempt

The cast recognized what a golden vein Sang-
another psychological thriller until Crescendo
ster’s script represented, and they mine it for all (1970/72).

its riches. The supporting players are all excellent: None of that, however, dims the brilliance of

Villiers as Joey’s domineering, aloof father;

The Nanny, which stands as one of Hammer’s and Wendy Craig as his simpering, child-like mother;

Davis’ most satisfying productions of the 1960s.

Jill Bennett as the free-spirited but sickly Aunt

With quotes from: Hammer Films: An Exhaus-

Penelope; and Pamela Franklin as Bobbie, begin-
tive Filmography, by Tom Johnson and Deborah ning to grasp the power of her blossoming wom-Del Vecchio.

304

The Navy vs. the Night Monsters

2. THE MOVIES

The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966; TERRIFYING ACID BLEEDING

Realart) Alternate Title: Monsters of the Night MONSTERS READY TO CREMATE THE

(U.K.); Director/Screenwriter: Michael Hoey;

HUMAN RACE!!— ad line

Producer: George Edwards; Cinematographer:

Stanley Cortez. Cast: Mamie Van Doren,

A long-time staple of late-night TV, The Navy

Anthony Eisley, Pamela Mason, Bill Gray, Bobby
vs. the Night Monsters is a cut-rate color monster Van, Walter Sande.

movie that remains more entertaining than it
should be. Though filled with jarring edits, dia-
logue that comes out of nowhere, and cheesy stu-
dio “jungle” sets that look like rejects from a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode, Night Monsters has gone on to become a fairly popular cult film.

Based on the 1959 pulp novel The Monster from

Earth’s End by Murray Leinster, the film was shot back-to-back (and on some of the same sets) with

Women of the Prehistoric Planet. The story begins as a plane carrying a load of primitive carnivorous plants found in “the warm lakes area” of Antarctica crash lands at the naval base on Gow Island
in the South Seas. There the trees flourish and go
on a rampage, picking up their roots and moving
about to eat as many cast members as they can
lay their fronds on. Said members are led by fallen Hawaiian Eye TV star Anthony Eisley (as Lt.

Charlie Brown!), blonde bombshell Mamie Van Doren, former MGM musical comedy star Bobby

Van, and former child star Billy Gray ( The Day
the Earth Stood Still, TV’s Father Knows Best).

The Navy vs. the Night Monsters is a strikingly visual film —not because of any efficacy on the part of first-time director/screenwriter Michael Hoey

(son of character actor Dennis Hoey), whose
straightforward staging could best be described as

“mundane,” but because of its amazingly garish
color scheme. Vivid orange dirt, bright blue walls
and cherry red oil drums predominate, and
bizarrely intense red lighting turns this tropical island into a Mecca for Sixties-style sensibilities. To be fair, cinematographer Stanley Cortez (a loooong
way from his heyday shooting films like The Magnificent Ambersons) does occasionally tone down the bright hues to create effectively low-key lighting in some of the more suspenseful sequences.

According to Anthony Eisley, the film was ru-
ined by some severe tampering that took place
after principal photography wrapped. Executive
producer Jack Broder expected a 90-minute
movie, and Hoey only delivered 78 minutes. So
he had Arthur Pierce, the director of Women of
the Prehistoric Planet, come in and shoot added scenes, including some boring banter between the

Insert poster highlighting what happens when it’s plane’s pilots and an unfunny sequence in which

The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966).

an inept sailor tries to inflate a weather balloon.

2. THE MOVIES

The Night Caller; The Night Caller…; Night Fright

305

Former matinee idol Jon Hall also shot some ad-

For everyone who’s ever endured a Larry
ditional monster scenes and a new finale.

Buchanan snooze-fest wondering, “What could

“That picture, as Michael Hoey wrote and di-
be worse than this?” there is Night Fright.

rected it,” opined Eisley, “would have been a very

Made in Dallas by several protégés of
good little thriller.” Even without Broder’s tam-

Buchanan, the Texan schlockmeister responsible
pering, however, such a claim seems rather du-
for such awful films as Free, White and 21 (1963) bious. First off, in a movie about killer plants,
and Zontar: The Thing from Venus (1966), Night said vegetation needs to be frightening. Sadly,

Fright functions on an almost unthinkably poor, these Night Monsters look more like barrel-shaped sub–Buchanan level. Rookie director Jim Sullivan
automated car-wash mechanisms (complete with
had served as Buchanan’s production manager on
long, limp strips hanging down) than terrifying

The Eye Creatures (1965) and Curse of the Swamp tree-creatures. They’re never really menacing —

Creature (1966), and cinematographer Bob Jessup until a hapless victim backs into one (which hap-shot Buchanan’s Mars Needs Women and In the pens at amazingly frequent intervals).

Year 2889 (both 1967). Actor Bill Thurman, Roger Character-wise, a love-triangle between the

Ready and Carol Gilley each appeared in multiple
three principals (upon which Hoey spends an in-

Buchanan productions. It’s as if Buchanan’s reper-
ordinate amount of time) never goes anywhere
tory company got fed up and decided, “Jeez, we
nor develops any real tension.

can do better than this on our own!” Yet, against

Sprinkled in with the banalities, however, are
all odds, they failed.

a few memorable moments— most of them cen-

When college lovebirds Chris (Ralph Baker, Jr.)

tering on gruesome makeup (such as an acid burn
and Judy (Dorothy Davis) discover two mutilated
victim courtesy of low-budget veteran Harry
bodies near the site of a crashed NASA rocket,

Thomas) or gory activity (in one scene Billy
they call on Sheriff Clint Crawford (John Agar)

Gray’s arm is torn from its socket and he staggers
and Deputy Ben Whitfield (Thurman) to inves-
screaming into the jungle). And Hoey does man-
tigate. Meanwhile, a bunch of Chris and Judy’s
age a few instances of genuine suspense as various
classmates decide to throw a party at a secluded
characters creep warily through the killer tree-in-
cabin also near the crash site. Finally, a professor fested jungle after dark.

from the local college (Roger Ready) reveals that

The film was shot in 10 days for $178,000, ac-
the crashed spacecraft carried animals mutated
cording to Hoey, under the title The Nightcrawlers by exposure to cosmic rays. One of the creatures
and released in the U.K. as Monsters of the Night.

remains at large.

Whatever its moniker, it remains a risible yet

Following in the Buchanan tradition, anything
oddly entertaining (in a snake-fascinating way)

that might cost money to film — such as the
late-hour entry to the monster movie heyday of
crashed spaceship and bodies of the victims— is
the 1950s and ’60s.

kept off screen. Instead, Night Fright gives us end-With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
less cheap-to-produce filler: romantic blather

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

from Chris and Judy, scientific babble from Prof.

Clayton, interminable shots of Crawford and

The Night Caller see Blood Beast

Whitfield walking around in the woods, plus co-
from Outer Space
pious footage of dancing partygoers (grooving to
the surf-rock instrumentals of “the Wildcats”).

The Night Caller from Outer Space

Even though early on Clayton and Crawford de-
see Blood Beast from Outer Space
scribe the monster as looking “like an alligator,”

Night Fright
once the creature finally appears, it turns out to

(1967; independent) Alternate
be a guy in a ratty-looking gorilla suit and a

Title: E.T.N.: The Extra Terrestrial Nasty (home jagged-fanged mask. Technically, the picture is
video). Director: James A. Sullivan; Producer:

substandard in every department, and the acting

Wallace P. Clyce, Jr.; Screenplay: Russ Marker;
is mostly of the Amateur Hour variety. Gilley’s

Cinematographer: Robert C. Jessup. Cast: John
tone-deaf portrayal of Crawford’s love interest

Agar, Carol Gilley, Bill Thurman, Ralph Baker,
proves especially grating. Agar, looking thin and

Jr., Dorothy Davis, Roger Ready.

worn out here, lends his fading marquee value to

“I’ll never forget the sight of those horrible
the picture but little else; this may be his worst
mutations!”— Prof. Alan Clayton
film. Only Thurman brings any sort of credibility

(Roger Ready)

to his (minor) role.

306

Night of Bloody Horror

2. THE MOVIES

The credits for Night Fright don’t list a produc-Filmed in VIOLENT VISION — poster
tion or distribution company (perhaps no one
wanted to claim it), but the picture seems to have

“Filmed in GRAINY VISION” would have
played drive-ins in the South and Southwest in
been more apt a descriptor for this low, low, low-
the late 1960s. According to an entry on the All
budget Psycho-esque knock-off. To be fair, Night Movie Guide website, Night Fright was a remake of Bloody Horror does present a trio of violent vi-of an earlier, even more obscure film (also penned
sions: a needle to the eye, an axe to the chest, and by screenwriter Russ Marker) titled The Devil
a cleaver to the wrist (with attendant limb sepa-
from Demon Lake (1964). That movie — if it ever ration). It also offers poor pacing and overlong
existed — has vanished without a trace. But Night scenes (one interminable close-up sequence of

Fright resurfaced in the 1980s on home video the protagonist kissing his latest conquest gives
under the title E.T.N.: The Extra Terrestrial Nasty, us far too much information about the pair’s den-advertised as if it were a gory rip-off of Steven
tal work); dim lighting; murky photography;

Spielberg’s E.T. (1982). It was subsequently re-tinny sound; over-the-top acting; and a tedious
leased to DVD (under its original title) by Alpha
wind-down to an abrupt and perfunctory con-

Video. By any other name, however, Night Fright clusion (which became obvious way back at
would smell as foul.

minute 20).

The story follows young “stud” Wesley (the

Night of Bloody Horror (1969; Howco In-film opens with Wes and his girlfriend du jour
ternational) Director/Producer: Joy N. Houck, Jr.

doing the horizontal mamba, promising panting

Screenplay: Robert A. Weaver, Joy N. Houck, Jr.

patrons more than the film ultimately delivers via

Cinematographer: Robert A. Weaver. Cast:

its one teasing glimpse of feminine flesh), who

Gerald McRaney, Gaye Yellen, Herbert Nelson,
has a problem — the girls he hooks up with end

Evelyn Hendricks.

up murdered in gruesome fashion (cue the orb-
piercing needle and torso-penetrating axe). With
all fingers pointing at Wes himself (you see, he
has headaches and blackouts and psychedelic spi-
rals spinning over him to symbolize his tortured
psyche, not to mention the fact that he spent 13
years in an asylum after accidentally shooting his younger brother to death!), his doting mother
calls in Wes’ former psychiatrist to help. Things
go from bad to worse, however (in more ways
than one), until the expected revelation wraps it
all up in a nice, derivative bundle.

Producer/director/co-writer Joy N. Houck, Jr.

(who’s biggest claim to fame is perhaps another
low-budget horror, the 1976 Bigfoot movie Crea-
ture from Black Lake), manages a few kitschy and questionable flourishes (the cheesy psychedelic
spirals; the image of a sixties rock band [The

Bored] switching back and forth between positive
and negative while the zoom lens goes berserk;
one scene transition looking like dripping blood;
another scene closing on a pool of blood, with the
next sequence opening on a bowl of tomato
soup!). Then there’s the beach scene in which an
unseen assailant slams an axe into a bikini-clad
woman’s chest, with Wes coming upon the still-
living victim moments later, only to squishily remove said axe (while crying and cradling his dying girlfriend in his arms), resulting in a pool of

A blood psycho goes berserk (at least according to this one-sheet poster) on the Night of Bloody Hor-
bright orange stage blood dripping down onto the
ror (1969).

sand.

2. THE MOVIES

Night of...; Night of the Living Dead

307

Of course, Houck Jr. also fails to take advantage
merely the best low-budget monster movie of all
of the exotic visuals offered by the New Orleans
time but one of the finest chillers ever made at
setting (spending most of his time shooting in
any cost, and arguably the most culturally signifi-
dim, tackily-furnished interiors or nondescript
cant horror film since Dracula (1931).

nighttime exterior locations), while letting his

Barbara (Judith O’Dea) and her brother
lead actor (first-timer Gerald McRaney) grimace

Johnny (Russell Streiner) have driven hundreds
and groan and pull faces at the drop of a hat.

of miles from Pittsburgh into rural central Penn -

Amazingly, McRaney went on to establish a suc-
sylvania to place a wreath on their father’s grave.

cessful acting career in television, appearing on

But as they leave the cemetery, a pale, dazed-look-
everything from Night Gallery and Police Story to ing assailant (Bill Hinzman) lurches after them

The West Wing and Deadwood, and starring in and kills Johnny. Panicked, Barbara flees and
eight seasons of Simon & Simon and four seasons takes refuge in a nearby farmhouse, unoccupied
of Major Dad. Obviously, he improved.

except for the half-eaten remains of a dead

Night of Bloody Horror is so bloody awful that woman. Moments later Ben (Duane Jones), run-viewers may well wonder how this turkey ever
ning from a band of murderous ghouls, arrives in
made it to movie screens in the first place. The
a stolen pickup truck that’s nearly out of gas. As
answer is simple: It was distributed by Howco In-

Barbara lapses into near-catatonic shock, Ben
ternational, which, coincidentally, was owned by
hurriedly boards up the house, discovers a rifle

Joy N. Houck, Sr.

and ammunition and plugs in an old radio.

Through radio (and later TV) broadcasts, he

Night of the Big Heat see Island of
learns that all over the country the unburied dead
the Burning Damned
are spontaneously reanimating to kill and devour
the living. Five more survivors, led by Harry

Cooper (Karl Hardman), emerge from the farm-

Night of the Doomed see Nightmare
house’s cellar, where they have been hiding.

Castle

Young, African American Ben and middle-aged,
white Harry take an immediate dislike to one an-

Night of the Eagle see Burn, Witch,
other and bicker over what to do next — retreat

Burn
to the cellar or defend the first floor (“The cellar’s the safest place!” Harry bellows; “The cellar’s a

Night of the Living Dead (1968; Continen-death trap,” Ben replies). Tensions steadily mount
tal; b&w) Director/Cinematographer: George A.

as Ben and one of Harry’s friends, Tom (Keith

Romero; Producers: Russell W.

Wayne), decide to try to refuel the pickup at a gas Streiner and Karl Hardman; Screenplay: John Russo and George

Romero; Cast: Duane Jones, Judith

O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn

Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Riley,

Kyra Schon, Russell Streiner,

Charles Craig, George Kosana, Bill

Hinzman.

THEY WON’T STAY DEAD!

— tagline

... and neither will this movie.

More than 40 years since its original
release, director George Romero’s

Night of the Living Dead refuses to
molder in the grave, remaining
fresh, relevant, influential and ut-
terly terrifying, even while it serves
as a celluloid time capsule,

The seminal flesh-eating-ghoul classic Night of the Living Dead
brilliantly reflecting the tensions and

(1968) spawned not only a raft of direct sequels but an entire cin-anxieties of its moment. This is not
ematic subgenre.

308

Night of the Living Dead

2. THE MOVIES
pump located behind the house and make an es-
which recalls the horror films and the E.C. comics
cape, a daring scheme that will require the two
of the fifties,” Romero wrote in his preface to
men to leave the relative safety of the farmhouse

Russo’s Complete Night of the Living Dead Film-
and pass through dozens of flesh-eating zombies
book. True, the eerie, shadow-draped farmhouse who now surround the place. When the plan goes
creates an old school gothic backdrop for the
awry, the occupants of the farmhouse are plunged
story, which concludes with a bitterly ironic twist into even greater horror.

that E.C. publisher William Gaines would have

The plays of William Shakespeare often take
loved. Yet in most respects, Night of the Living place in the rarified environs of English, Danish

Dead rejects genre conventions. The picture offers or Scottish castles and involve romances and in-no comedy relief, no romantic subplots, no all-
trigues among kings and their royal courts. Yet
knowing scientists or heroic military leaders and
despite settings and characters that seem remote
no happy ending. “Our way of thinking ... led us
from everyday life, the Bard’s work remains vital
away from formula,” Romero wrote. In lieu of
because his stories are driven by timeless human
comedy, romance and other time-honored diver-
foibles such as ambition, jealousy, vanity and in-
sions, Night offers horror and more horror, ever-decision. Night of the Living Dead, despite its out-escalating dramatic tension broken only by
landish apocalyptic setting, owes much of its
spasms of (then) shocking violence and gore.

durability to a similar emphasis on evergreen

None of these are more notorious or ground-
human weaknesses. The scariest part of Night —
breaking than the zombie “cookout” scene, in
and of Romero’s later pictures— is how people
which the undead gnaw on the entrails and
treat one another. Unable to overcome selfishness,
severed limbs of two victims killed in the pickup
fear and prejudice, humankind (represented by
truck refueling debacle. Although surpassed by

Ben and Harry) chooses self-destruction rather
shock sequences from later pictures by Romero
than cooperation.

and other filmmakers, in its day this sequence (in

This is not to minimize the bone-chilling con-
which extras pretend to gulp down lamb
cept of the dead rising from their graves to feed
intestines and sawed-off bits of mannequins)

on the living, which also retains its unnerving
went far beyond anything shown before, even in
power. Indeed, the flesh-eating zombie has
the oeuvre of gore pioneers such as Herschel Gor-
emerged as one of horror’s most iconic and wildly
don Lewis. The screenplay’s lone nod to conven-
popular terrors, rivaled only by vampires and se-
tion was to supply a tentative explanation for why
rial killers. Today novels like Max Brooks’ har-
the dead were rising, provided through television
rowing World War Z (2006) and Seth Grahame-
broadcasts: A space probe, returning from Venus

Smith’s spoofy Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
carrying high levels of “mysterious radiation,”

(2009) earn spots on the New York Times Best-
was destroyed by NASA; radioactive debris falling
seller List, and Romero-esque living dead films,
through the Earth’s atmosphere apparently caused
horrific and comedic alike, do monster box office

“a mutation” that awakened the dead. The film-
business ( Zombieland alone earned more than makers were of two minds about whether or not

$102 million in 2009). The Zombie Movie Data-
to include this material (Russo was against it),
base, a website fashioned after the Internet Movie
and Romero’s sequels eliminated this science fic-

Database but devoted specifically to zombie films,
tional back story.

includes more than 4,400 entries— and is not

Although made inexpensively (the total budget
complete. Plus, there are scores of video games
ran to $114,000), Night never looks cheap, mostly in which players do battle with the virtual
due to Romero’s polished technique — rich in
undead. Night of the Living Dead not only intro-chiaroscuro lighting designs and atmospheric
duced the cannibalistic zombie idea but popular-
compositions. His footage of the dead in various
ized it in the same way that director Tod Brown-
states of undress and decomposition, shuffling to-
ing’s Dracula (1931) established vampirism as a ward the farmhouse, in and out of the moonlight
fright film staple.

and the shadows of the trees, remains equally

Night sired this massive legacy, first and fore-beautiful and bone-chilling. The film features a
most, because it was written, produced and per-
succession of brilliant directorial choices, right
formed with amazing skill and originality. The
down to the decision to let its gut-wrenching final screenplay, by Romero and John Russo, is a fas-scene play out in a series of still images, over
cinating combination of the traditional and the
which the closing credits appear. Romero’s work
revolutionary. “The film has a nostalgic quality
seems all the more extraordinary because most of

2. THE MOVIES

Night of the Living Dead

309

Night was shot with a single, bulky, 80-pound the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Dr.

camera and without the benefit of a dolly or

Martin Luther King, Jr. After the King assassina-
crane. The director also elicited mostly impressive tion, race riots erupted all across the country;
performances from his inexperienced and often
meanwhile, Alabama governor George Wallace
nonprofessional cast. Judith O’Dea’s overly the-
ran as a third-party candidate for president on a
atrical portrayal of Barbara (the movie’s only
pro-segregationist platform.

poorly written character) is the weakest among

Nevertheless, Jones’ casting was just one of
the principle cast but still passable. Karl Hard-
many fortuitous accidents— or, in Romero’s
man’s tightly wound work as Harry hits all the
words “kismet factors”— that happened during
right notes, and is matched perfectly by Marilyn
the making of the film. “We cast a black man not

Eastman’s affecting turn as Harry’s disgruntled
because he was black, but because we liked
wife, Helen. The picture is dotted with pitch-per-

Duane’s audition better than the others we had
fect bit performances, too, including Charles
seen,” wrote Romero. These and other smaller but

Craig as the incredulous TV announcer, Bill
equally fortunate decisions “elevated the film

Hinzman as the implacable cemetery zombie, and
from the ordinary and because of its realistic pres-George Kosana as a no-nonsense sheriff leading
entation, an allegorical interpretation becomes
a posse of zombie hunters. The sheriff ’s famous
possible.” The first of these “kismet factors” was
description of his quarry (“They’re dead, they’re
the decision to make Night of the Living Dead inall messed up”) was an ad-lib by Kosana.

stead of Romero and Russo’s first idea, a science

Clearly, however, the film’s finest acting — and
fiction comedy about unruly teenagers from outer
one of horror cinema’s greatest performances—
space, which never got beyond the treatment stage.

is Duane Jones’ haunting, multifaceted portrayal

Romero and Hardman (who co-produced as well
of Ben. His unaffected, rangy performance (which
as co-starred) were partners in a company called
requires displays of fear, courage, anger, compas-

The Latent Image, which made commer cials and
sion, shock and determination, among other
industrial training films. Night was the first com-emotions) is so convincing that it makes every-
mercial feature anyone at Latent Image had made,
thing else seem believable, too. At one point Ben
but Romero and company were wise enough to
disassembles a dining room table (he needs the
hold out for a more promising scenario.

wood to board up the windows) and relates to

Although Night eschews comedy relief, there Barbara his first encounter with the undead at a
were plenty of laughs off-screen while it was
place called Beekman’s Diner; Jones’ delivery of
made. During a discussion of how to conclude
this lengthy monologue is spellbinding. The mere
the film (whether or not anyone should survive),
presence of an African American actor in the role

Hardman and Eastman “joked that maybe at the
adds additional layers of meaning to the narrative.

climax of the film when the ghouls swarm en

For instance, in an early scene Ben slaps the hys-
masse into the house, Ben could discover that
terical Barbara to try to bring the woman to her
they die when they’re hit in the face with a Boston senses. What would have been a hackneyed mo-cream pie,” Russo writes in his Filmbook. “Then, ment must have seemed jolting for 1968 audiences
at the wrap-up, a pie truck could arrive and save
because it showed a black man striking a young
the day.” Romero must have remembered this
white woman. Similarly, Ben’s possession of the
idea, because he included a pie-in-the-face gag in
scepter-like rifle places him in a then-unusual (for his sequel Dawn of the Dead (1978). The devas-a black character) position of power, one he
tatingly downbeat finale of Night of the Living readily makes clear to Harry (“Get the hell down

Dead was no laughing matter, however. It nearly in the cellar,” Ben says. “You can be the boss down prevented the picture from getting released. Co-there. I’m boss up here.”). The conflict between
lumbia considered purchasing Night but ulti-Harry and Ben is not merely, as scripted, inter-
mately passed, in large part due to the ending.

generational but becomes interracial as well. Sud-

AIP also declined, citing the film’s defeatist con-
denly, with the zombie apocalypse standing in for
clusion. “American International turned the pic-
the Vietnam war, Night of the Living Dead almost ture down on the basis of being too unmiti -
inadvertently begins to play like a fun house mir-
gating,” Romero told Cinefantastique magazine.

ror reflection of the boiling tensions that threat-

“They told us if we would re-shoot the end of it,
ened to rip America apart in 1968, the year of the
they would distribute it for us.” Eventually,

Tet offensive in Vietnam, the anti-war riots at the Romero and his partners entered a distribution

Democratic National Convention in Chicago and
agreement with Continental Pictures, a respected

310

Night Star, Goddess of Electra; Night Tide

2. THE MOVIES
supplier of art house product such as Peter

Romero returned to the zombie world for a se-

Brook’s Lord of the Flies (1963) and John Cas-ries worth of sequels, beginning with the masterful savetes’ Faces (1968). Continental wanted five Dawn of the Dead (1978)— which proved even
minutes trimmed from the film (mostly from the
more violent and gory than its predecessor and
mock TV footage shot in Washington, D.C.) but
was widely imitated, especially by European film-
did not demand a new ending. As a promotional
makers— and continuing with diminishing
stunt, Continental purchased a $50,000 policy
artistry through Day of the Dead (1985), Land of from Lloyd’s of London, payable to any audience
the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007) and member who died of fright while watching Night

Survival of the Dead (2010). Eventually Romero’s of the Living Dead. This, of course, was advertised living dead epics would be eclipsed by those of
on the movie’s posters, much to the dismay of
his disciples. Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later (2002), Romero and Russo, who believed that the gim-Edgar Wright’s comedic Shaun of the Dead (2004) mick cheapened their film. The filmmakers were
and even Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake also disappointed in the way Continental mar-

(2004) for instance, all overshadowed Romero’s
keted the film, with staggered regional releases

Diary, which did not receive a major theatrical rolling out over more than a year rather than a
release in the U.S. But none of that lessens the ge-larger scale national release. But in the end, noth-nius of the original Night of the Living Dead, a ing could stop Night of the Living Dead. It did towering achievement that remains shocking,
record business and earned generally favorable
spellbinding and scary as hell.

reviews everywhere it played, and remained a fa-

With quotes from: The Complete Night of the
vorite “midnight movie” at art house and revival

Living Dead Filmbook, by John Russo.

theaters for decades.

Night Star, Goddess of Electra see

War of the Zombies

Night Tide (1961; Phoenix/AIP; b&w) Director/Screenplay: Curtis Harrington; Producer:

Adam Kantarian; Cinematographer: Vilis Lape-
nieks. Cast: Dennis Hopper, Linda Lawson,

Gavin Muir, Luana Anders.

Temptress from the sea ... loving ... killing!

— tagline

Writer-director Curtis Harrington made a
splashy debut with the stylishly eerie Night Tide, one of the more memorable low-budget chillers
of the 1960s.

Johnny (Dennis Hopper), a young sailor, gets
more than he bargains for when he picks up the
beautiful but aloof Mora (Linda Lawson) in a
boardwalk jazz café. Naïve, lonely Johnny, who
joined the navy to see the world but has yet to sail on his first voyage, falls instantly for Mora despite stern warnings from the young woman’s neighbors, who believe she may have murdered her two
previous boyfriends, both of whom mysteriously
drowned. Eventually Mora, who dons a fish tail
skirt to impersonate a mermaid in a sideshow, re-
veals that she thinks she’s a real-life mermaid —
a murderous siren being called back to her watery
home by the denizens of the sea.

An eerie, strange and macabre one-sheet poster for In its approach, Night Tide blends techniques the eerie, strange and macabre Night Tide (1961) (courtesy Ronald V. Borst/Hollywood Movie
from European art films and from the thrillers of

Posters).

Alfred Hitchcock, Harrington’s self-confessed

2. THE MOVIES

The Night Walker

311
biggest influences. The film is strikingly com-

The Night Walker (1964; Columbia; b&w) posed, moves well and makes great, atmospheric

Producer/Director: William Castle; Screenplay:

use of the story’s seedy boardwalk setting. How-

Robert Bloch; Cinematographer: Harold E. Stine.

ever, Harrington’s work as a screenwriter proves

Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Taylor, Hayden
even more impressive than his direction. Not only

Rorke, Judith Meredith, Lloyd Bochner.

does he seamlessly meld several seafaring legends

Are you afraid of the things that can come out
into a cohesive mythology, he populates his script
of your dreams ... LUST, MURDER,
with likeable, well-sketched characters and sup-

SECRET DESIRES?— tagline
plies them with realistic-sounding dialogue. Har-
rington’s subversive sense of humor, which would

Flushed with the success of Strait-Jacket, re-feature prominently in his later work — especially
leased in January of 1964, producer-director

Who Slew Auntie Roo? (1971)— here is limited to William Castle rushed to churn out a follow-up,
a slyly amusing bathhouse scene. (As Johnny re-
and managed to get The Night Walker written, ceives a massage, his burly masseuse asks another
shot, edited and released by December. Castle
patron, “Would you like me to pound you later?”)

again retained the services of screenwriter Robert

As the timid, love-struck Johnny, Dennis Hop-

Bloch and secured an aging female star to
per delivers an appealing performance miles re-
headline the production—the great Barbara Stan-
moved from his maniacal screen persona in
wyck, making her final big-screen appearance. In
movies like Blue Velvet (1986) and Speed (1994).

a bit of stunt casting, Castle signed Stanwyck’s ex-But Linda Lawson’s portrayal of the haunted
husband, Robert Taylor, to co-star.

Mora provides the film’s real lynchpin, delicately

Like Strait-Jacket, The Night Walker ranks balancing pathos and menace. Unlike Hopper,
among Castle’s least histrionic productions. Even

Lawson never found movie stardom, but she en-
the movie’s advertising campaign was (by Castle
joyed a long career as a character actress on tele-
standards) low-key, playing up the more salacious
vision. Night Tide marked the final big-screen ap-possibilities of dreams, nightmares and sexual
pearance of Gavin Muir, whose career began in
fantasies but eschewing his trademark gimmicks
the 1930s and included more than 50 films. He

(electrified theater seats, flying skeletons, “ghost brings a world-weary gravitas to a pivotal sup-viewer” glasses, etc.). Unless you count an ex-
porting role as Mora’s carnival barker and father
tended voiceover prologue in which Paul Frees
figure, Captain Murdock.

Night Tide boasts many strengths and only one weakness, but it’s a critical one: an anticlimactic and unnecessary cop-out ending. Not only is the
film’s finale a letdown, but it’s static, expository and un-dramatic in the manner of the Simon

Oakland scene at the conclusion of Psycho

(1960)— Harrington perhaps opting for one too
many Hitchcock-isms.

This lame conclusion doesn’t negate the excel-
lence which precedes it, but it prevents Night Tide from joining Carnival of Souls (1962), The Sadist (1963) and Night of the Living Dead (1968)— and The Flesh Eaters (1964) and Spider Baby (1968), for that matter — among the most enjoyable
low-budget horror shows of the decade. Yet

Night Tide still remains an overachiever — an extremely atmospheric and intriguing picture, far
better than most movies in its budgetary weight
class. Unfortunately, Harrington would surpass
this remarkable debut only once during the re-
mainder of his career, with the playful suspense
pastiche Games in 1967. Outside of that picture, Master showman William Castle in a gag shot

Night Tide would remain his career high water taken on the Universal lot to promote The Night
mark.

Walker (1964).

312

Nightmare

2. THE MOVIES
bombastically delivers a heaping load of pseudo-
deserted rooms and crawling dry ice fog to set

Freudian psychobabble about dreams, The Night
viewers on edge, wondering what may be lurking

Walker, like Strait-Jacket, has no gimmick.

in Stine’s shadows. Composer Vic Mizzy provides

What it has instead is one of Bloch’s more clev-
the finishing touch — a creepy score with a slinky
erly crafted scenarios (including one bravura
guitar motif like something out of Ennio Morri-
fright sequence), a convincing lead performance
cone.

by Stanwyck and better production values than

Stanwyck usually worked in a lower register
those typically found in a Castle project.

than Strait-Jacket star Joan Crawford, and that’s Irene (Stanwyck), trapped in a loveless marriage
certainly true here. Her subtle, naturalistic por-
to a blind millionaire, dreams every night of a
trayal prevents The Night Walker from descending handsome young lover. After her husband is killed
into camp. This may be a mixed blessing, since
in a mysterious fire, the family attorney (Robert

Crawford’s over-the-top theatrics were a major

Taylor) attempts to comfort her, but may have
drawing card for the previous film. But Stanwyck’s
designs on her inheritance. Then the young man
more sober approach enables The Night Walker
from her dream (Lloyd Bochner) appears (or does
to be, at times, genuinely weird and unnerving.

he?) and begins to court her. In a standout se-

She extended her career through the mid–1980s
quence, her lover takes her out for an evening on
on television, but The Night Walker marked Stan-the town, which concludes with a nightmarish
wyck’s silver screen swan song. Taylor comes off
wedding ceremony held in a deserted church
a little flat in comparison, but does what he can
where the preacher and the witnesses all appear
with a more thinly written part. Lloyd Bochner’s
to be mannequins. Then Irene’s horribly burned
eerily unctuous performance as Stanwyck’s
husband (whose body was never found) bursts

Dream Lover is pitch-perfect.

in. It all seems to have been a dream, yet Irene is While it won’t make fans forget about Castle
convinced of its reality. What’s really going on?

classics like House on Haunted Hill and The The secret of the film’s success is its ability to

Tingler (or Strait-Jacket for that matter), The keep viewers off balance — never sure what’s real

Night Walker remains a minor but welcome ad-and what’s a dream. Howard Stine’s lighting
dition to the William Castle filmography.

scheme, draping the sets in deep shadows, goes a
long way toward creating the picture’s nightmare

Nightmare (1964; Hammer/Universal; U.K.; ambiance. Castle uses slow tracking shots prowl-b&w). Director: Freddie Francis; Producer/
ing through empty corridors, lingering looks into

Screenplay: Jimmy Sangster; Cinematographer:

John Wilcox. Cast: Jennie Linden,

David Knight, Moira Redmond,

Brenda Bruce, Irene Richmond.

It will haunt, haunt,
haunt your dreams!

— tagline

Hammer Films’ series of Psycho-
like black-and-white psychological
thrillers written by Jimmy Sangster,
which began promisingly with

Scream of Fear (1961) and wobbled
a bit through Maniac and Paranoiac

(both 1963), finally reached the
point of diminishing returns with

Nightmare, a lethargic, unimagina-
tive dud.

Sangster’s script creates most of
the film’s problems. It lacks enough
ideas to carry even Nightmare’s

Lobby card for Hammer’s disappointing psychological thriller pithy 80-minute running time, and

Nightmare (1964), starring Jennie Linden (background). Has she stumbled onto a murder, or is it all a dream? And will the audience its “surprise” ending is visible a mile
remain awake to find out?

away. Sangster gives director Freddie

2. THE MOVIES

Nightmare Castle

313

Francis, who displayed so much promise with

Nightmare Castle (1966; Emerci-SRL/Allied Paranoiac, almost nothing to work with. The Artists; Italy; b&w) Original Language Title:

result is a one-way ticket to Dullsville.

Amanti d’Oltretomba (Lovers Beyond the Tomb); High-strung Janet (Jennie Linden), tortured

Alternate Titles: The Faceless Monster (UK), Night by a recurring nightmare in which she discovers
of the Doomed; Director: Alan Grunewald (Mario her mother is locked away in a padded cell, is sent Caiano); Producer: Carlo Caiano; Screenplay:

home from boarding school because her teacher

Fabio de Agostino, Mario Caiano; Cinematogra-

(Brenda Bruce) fears for the girl’s sanity. When
pher: Enzo Barboni. Cast: Barbara Steele, Paul
she arrives home, the housekeeper (Irene Rich-

Miller (Muller), Helga Line, Lawrence Clift, John
mond) informs her that her nightmare stems

McDouglas (Giuseppe Addobbati), Rik Battaglia.

from a real-life experience she had blocked from

SO WEIRD, SO TERRIFYING ... DO YOU
her memory. As a girl, Janet walked in on her

DARE SEE IT?— trailer
mother in the act of stabbing her father to death.

Janet returns to school, but is plagued by an even

Between 1960 and 1966 the iconic Sixties horror
worse nightmare involving a mysterious woman
movie “scream queen” Barbara Steele starred in
in a shroud. She’s sent home again, her sanity still 10 terror titles, most of them of European origin.

in doubt, but her guardian, Henry (David

After Black Sunday, (1960) and perhaps The Pit Knight), refuses to send the girl to a psychiatrist.

and the Pendulum (1961), the Gothic Italian period Janet attempts suicide and fails. Then Henry’s
horror film Nightmare Castle may very well be the wife arrives— and she looks exactly like the
best, as well as being the entry that best serves
woman in the shroud.

Steele the actress, allowing her far greater range

A murder and a couple of plot twists follow,
than most (even Black Sunday).

but by that point (more than half way through),

Steele plays Muriel, the sexy but shrewish wife
most viewers will have long since lost interest due of sadistic scientist Stephen (Paul Miller), who
to the film’s leaden pace, overabundance of dia-
likes to experiment with electricity. When
logue and indifferently executed dream sequences.

Stephen finds his wife in the arms of her lover, he Linden tries for the kind of twitchy brilliance that tortures them both to death (dripping burning

Julie Harris brought to The Haunting (1963), but acid on Muriel, and using a red-hot poker on her
she’s no Harris (and Nightmare is no Haunting).

paramour). Learning that Muriel left all her

The rest of the cast proves equally forgettable.

wealth to her stepsister Jenny (Steele again),

Nightmare was the last and least of three Sang-Stephen woos the naïve, high-strung girl. (Amaz-
ster-penned psychological thrillers filmed by
ingly, these two “stepsisters” appear to be identical Hammer in 1962, following

Maniac and Paranoiac. The
generic-sounding Nightmare
was a substitute for the
picture’s working title, Here’s
the Knife, Dear — Now Use It.

Producers decided that that
moniker provided too big a
clue to the film’s “shock” end-
ing. Indeed, the working title
recalls the Brazilian title for

Psycho, which (translating lit-
erally from the Portuguese) was

The Son Who Was the Mother.

Talk about giving away the
ending!

Even though the series was
clearly running out of gas,

Hammer would allow a final

Sangster pseudo- Psycho to limp
into theaters, Hysteria (1965).

Paul Miller takes matters into his own hands in this gorgeous Mexican It would prove equally dismal.

lobby card for Nightmare Castle (1966).

314

Nightmare in Wax

2. THE MOVIES
in every way except hair color!) Stephen plots to
ror while the aforementioned plant mysteriously
drive his new bride mad, and soon Jenny is wear-
drips blood, or hears the frightening disembodied
ing Muriel’s clothes, playing Muriel’s music,
sound of twin heartbeats, or jumps when the
drinking Muriel’s brandy, and behaving as if pos-
wind blows open a door to the sound of diabolical
sessed by the dead woman’s ghost. Is it delirium,
laughter. And the climactic appearance of the
or has the dead wife returned to seek retribution?

ghosts remains one of the eeriest sequences in

As the heartless Muriel, Steele is at her coldest

Sixties horror cinema. As Muriel slowly ap-
and most alluring. With Muriel’s death and proaches the disbelieving Stephen, her raven

Jenny’s arrival, the actress transforms herself into tresses hang down, obscuring her beautiful face.

a nervous and ultimately terrified victim —before

Stephen abruptly pulls back the hair to reveal a
turning terrifying herself at the end as she
horribly ruined countenance — the gruesome
gleefully exacts Muriel’s gruesome revenge. “I
shock augmented by Muriel’s demonic laughter.

loved the duality of it,” enthused Steele. “First to (And this over three decades before Japanese enplay the victim and then use that energy to turn
tries like Ringu made such an image a horror it into the revenge part, that’s good. It’s got power.

movie staple).

It’s good to have both, because we all need justifi-With its mix of gruesome shocks and shuddery
cation in our lives.... Duality makes drama, and

Gothic atmosphere (augmented by the opulent—
not just in horror films.”

and authentic —castle setting, mobile camera-

Veteran Swiss character actor Paul Muller’s
work, intriguing angles and evocative lighting),

( Fangs of the Living Dead, 1968; Count Dracula, Nightmare Castle truly lives up to its name, stand-1970; Lady Frankenstein, 1971) cold, assured, aring as one of the best Italo-horrors of the decade.

rogant portrayal of Stephen matches Steele’s im-

With quotes from: “Barbara Steele: On the Set
pressive playing scene-for-scene, making him a
of Fred Olen Ray’s ‘Prophet,’” by Brad Linaweaver,
calculating villain you love to hate.

Filmfax 63 –64, October/January 1998.

One of the film’s few missteps comes in the
form of some poor old-age make-up on the du-

Nightmare in Wax (1969; Crown Interna-plicitous housekeeper Solange (Helga Line), mak-
tional) Alternate Title: Crimes in the Wax
ing her look like a cut-rate she-mummy. Fortu-

Museum. Director: Bud Townsend; Producers:

nately, she soon transforms into the young and

Herbert Sussan, Martin B. Cohen; Screenplay:

beautiful Ms. Line (explained with a simple off-

Rex Carlton; Cinematographer: Glenn Smith.

hand comment from Stephen about having “re-

Cast: Cameron Mitchell, Anne Helm, Scott Brady,
stored your youth”!). The film later takes an in-

Barry Kroeger, Victoria Carroll.

triguing detour into Awful Dr. Orloff Eyes Without a Face territory via a subplot in which Stephen PEOPLE PUPPETS ... AT THE MERCY OF

A FIENDISH MADMAN IN A CHAMBER
uses a serum derived from the murdered Muriel’s

OF TORTURE!— ad line
blood to scientifically sustain his new mistress’

youth (youth in danger of fading again without

Filmed at the Movieland Wax Museum in Los
the infusion of more blood).

Angeles in 1966 (but not released until 1969), this Fortunately, the rest of the make-ups prove dis-low-rent take on Mystery of the Wax Museum/
turbingly effective, beginning with the bloody,

House of Wax stars Cameron Mitchell as Vince scarred visage of Muriel’s lover after Stephen

Renard, a one-time make-up artist at Paragon
smashes in his face with a metal poker. Following

Studios until a fight with studio boss Max Black
their torture (and electrocution), Stephen coolly

(Barry Kroeger) leaves him scarred for life (sport-
and scientifically cuts the hearts from Muriel and
ing an eye patch and rather mild burn make-up).

her lover and drops them into a small tank in full

Bitter over the loss of his livelihood and fiancée
gory view — the blood spreading slowly, almost

(Anne Helm)— whom he self-pityingly sends
poetically, through the clear water. Stephen cre-
away, Renard turns his talents to creating wax
mates their bodies and places the ashes in an or-
figures. He also invents a serum that paralyzes
nate pot — which we next see the maid watering, people and controls their will, using this to pop-as it now houses a potted plant! It’s a cold, cruel ulate his wax museum with living zombies (fo-and startlingly macabre moment, perfectly sum-
cusing on those he feels have wronged him — in-
ming up the film as a whole.

cluding several Paragon actors who dared to date

Shocking and chilling moments abound in this
his ex-fiancée).

Nightmare Castle, such as Jenny watching in hor-

“Nightmare in Wax was one of the lowest-bud-

2. THE MOVIES

The Oblong Box

315
get movies I’ve ever been in,” noted Anne Helm.

(And this from the woman who starred in Bert I.

Gordon’s The Magic Sword!) “It was really low!

That was a difficult movie to do, just because they didn’t have very much money. The sets were tacky,
and we were all pretty silly.... It’s probably one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Everything was
done in one take — that was it! Because we didn’t
have time. I think it was shot in a week!”

Unlike Lionel Atwill and Vincent Price in Mys-
tery and House, Cameron Mitchell Makes Renard a very unsympathetic villain, his motives coming
not from a love of art and creation, but from petty petulance and vengeance (turning all those who
dare to love his ex-fiancée into zombie-statues).

Plus, Renard is simply a sick puppy who enjoys
terrorizing his victims. “Why didn’t you scream,”

he whines after stabbing a girl to death, “I wanted you to scream.” It all makes for a rather cheap
and sleazy exercise.

The unpleasantness finally ends when Renard
apparently awakens from the dream we’ve just
been watching (further drawn out via a montage
of scenes we’ve already seen)— a pathetic non-
ending to a pointless hour-and-a-half. Mitchell
claims to have come up with this hoary old cop-

Wonderful Italian four-sheet poster for the decid-out himself: “That saved the picture,” boasted the
edly less-than-wonderful American cheapie Night-
mare in Wax (1969).

actor, “because it could not have been made the
way it was written.” Actually, the only thing it

“saved” was any need for rational character

The Oblong Box (1969; AIP; U.S./U.K.) Diactions or motivations (hence the nonsensical
rector/Producer: Gordon Hessler; Screenwriter:

finale wherein one of Renard’s victims-to-be in-

Laurence Huntington (additional dialogue by
explicably begins laughing maniacally while sus-

Christopher Wicking); Cinematographer: John
pended over a vat of boiling wax, taunting Renard

Coquillon. Cast: Vincent Price, Christopher Lee,
into lunging at the heckler and plunging into the

Rupert Davies, Uta Levka, Sally Geeson, Peter
deadly cauldron himself ).

Arne, Alister Williamson, Hilary Dwyer.

“That was a real shockeroo,” noted Mitchell.

Where beatless hearts still hunger and

“I wanted to call it Nightmare. The in Wax made dead hands twitch and tremble
it a B movie.” Well, Mitchell’s assertion aside, it with desire — ad line
was more the sleazy script, dull direction and poor production values that made it a B movie.

Perhaps because it is not one of Roger Corman’s

Nightmare in Wax was released on a double bill Edgar Allan Poe movies and sports a markedly
with Al Adamson’s Blood of Dracula’s Castle. Ac-different texture, the Vincent Price Poe vehicle
cording to Adamson, screenwriter and executive

The Oblong Box has long been looked upon as a producer Rex Carlton killed himself after bor-weak afterthought in AIP’s Price/Poe cycle. Such
rowing money from mobsters to help finance this
a superficial assessment, however, does a great
picture and Blood of Dracula’s Castle. This disservice to both Price and Poe. Thanks to a
becomes doubly sad given the final results of these well-crafted script, deft direction and effective
two desultory duds.

playing, The Oblong Box remains a worthy addi-With quotes from: I Was a Monster Movie
tion to both the Poe and Price cinematic canons.

Maker, by Tom Weaver; Attack of the Monster When originally announced, The Oblong Box

Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver; “Cameron
was to be shot in Spain as a Spanish/Anglo co-

Mitchell: Star of Tomorrow,” by David Del Valle,
production under the supervision of veteran

Psychotronic Video 19, 1994.

writer/director Lawrence Huntington (who

316

The Old Dark House

2. THE MOVIES
penned the film’s original screenplay). Unfortu-

“The Oblong Box is the fifth Edgar Allan Poe nately, Huntington died less than a month before
subject to be made by AIP in England,” reported
shooting was to begin. The project was then
the film’s pressbook (with the other four being
rescheduled for filming in Ireland under wun-

The Masque of the Red Death, The Tomb of Ligea, derkind director Michael Reeves ( The She Beast

War-Gods of the Deep and Witchfinder General).

[1965], The Sorcerers [1967], The Conqueror Worm Like its two latter sister productions, The Oblong

[1968]). When Reeves, who was having severe

Box takes nothing from Poe but the name. Still, mental problems at the time (he died of an overas AIP publicity takes such pains to point out, “It dose of alcohol and barbiturates shortly there-is typical of Edgar Allan Poe terror-territory,
after), dropped out at the last minute, producer
where the atmosphere is one of impending doom,

Gordon Hessler took over the directorial reigns
where every awful happening is the harbinger of
himself. With the project now moved to the more
something worse.” While not quite as good as its
familiar environment of England’s Shepperton
excellent Anglo predecessors (the muddled

Studios, the three-week shoot (on a budget of
misfire War-Gods of the Deep excepted), The Ob-about $175,000) began on November 20, 1968.

long Box manages to generate a substantial and In 19th century Ghana the natives perform a
melancholy atmosphere that does indeed conjure
horrible voodoo rite that disfigures the face and
up the mood of America’s greatest 19th century
unhinges the mind of white plantation owner Ed-
terror scribe.

ward Markham (Alister Williamson). When he

Director Hessler ( Scream and Scream Again
returns to England, Edward’s brother Julian (Vin-

[1970], Cry of the Banshee [1970], Murders in the cent Price) keeps his unbalanced sibling chained

Rue Morgue [1971]), along with cinematographer in a room. Meanwhile, Edward’s friends conspire

John Coquillon, creates an atmosphere of
to secure the afflicted man’s escape from Julian’s
macabre claustrophobia, as if the characters are
imprisonment by employing a witchdoctor’s po-
trapped within an ever tightening noose — or a
tion to make it appear that Edward has died. But
certain “oblong box.” Even during the pre-credit
when Julian unwittingly has his brother buried
sequence, the frantic hand-held camera,
alive, the friends abandon Edward to his horrible
distorting close-ups of painted natives, and
fate. Graverobbers free the madman, who sets a
moody flickering lighting create a terrifying scene course of vengeance against those who wronged
of voodoo ritual as the natives chant and dance
him, leading to a surprise denouement infused
and shout to the relentless drumbeats, culminat-
with poetic justice.

ing in a man’s crucifixion. (Price himself felt that

“Gordon [Hessler] did a very
good job with it, because he
only took on the film a couple
of days before we started
shooting.”)

Despite a critical reception
that could charitably be la-
beled “mixed,” The Oblong

Box did well at the box office,
earning AIP just over a million
dollars in film rentals (six
times its cost!). Long thought
of as the “poor relation” to

AIP’s Poe family, The Oblong

Box deserves respect from
both Poe lovers and Price fans
alike.

The Old Dark House

(1963/66; Hammer/Columbia)

Producer/Director: William

Star Vincent Price (left) chats with “Special Guest Star” Christopher Castle; Screenplay: Robert

Lee between takes on The Oblong Box (1969).

Dillon (from a novel by J.B.

2. THE MOVIES

The Old Dark House

317

Priestley); Cinematographer:

Arthur Grant. Cast: Tom Pos-
ton, Robert Morley, Janette

Scott, Joyce Grenfell, Mervyn

Johns, Fenella Fielding, Peter

Bull, Danny Green.

READY! SET! LAUGH! Join
the fun in a nuthouse
of terror!— tagline

In 1962, two of the decade’s
most prolific producers of screen
chillers, American William Cas-
tle and England’s Hammer

Films, forged an unlikely al-
liance. Stylistically, the Castle
and Hammer approaches could
hardly have been more dis-
parate. Castle specialized in
scrappy, low-budget black-and-
white productions that suc-

Joyce Grenfell’s needles do more than knit in The Old Dark House
ceeded through promotional

(1963/66).

gimmicks and sheer chutzpah.

Hammer remained best known for its finely
from its spectacular ensemble cast (Boris Karloff,
crafted, high-gloss color gothics.

Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Ernest The-

In hindsight this collaboration seems fated for
siger, Gloria Stuart, et al.). Alas, Castle and
failure, but, had the right project been selected,
screenwriter Robert Dillon reduce the scenario to
it could have worked. Hammer’s impeccable pro-
broadly played bedroom humor and cheap slap-
duction values would have greatly enhanced Cas-
stick. Saying they dumb down The Old Dark
tle’s previous Mr. Sardonicus (1961), for instance.

House doesn’t go far enough — they lobotomize Unfortunately, The Old Dark House proved to be it. Dillon’s painfully unfunny script bears only
a poor choice.

passing resemblance to either the Whale film or

Tom Penderel (Tom Poston), an American car
the Priestley novel, playing more like Agatha
salesman, drives a new convertible through a fu-

Christie’s Ten Little Indians crossed with a ribald rious rainstorm to the secluded family estate of
farmer’s daughter joke.

its eccentric buyer, Casper Femm (Peter Bulls).

Although Poston was a gifted comedian, he sel-

By the time he arrives, Casper is dead. With roads
dom played lead roles, and The Old Dark House
now impassible due to the deluge, Penderel is
reveals the limitations of his one-dimensional
forced to spend the night with the bizarre Femm
persona. Poston performed best in secondary
family, each of whom has some odd fixation (for
parts where he could play off other talented
instance, one of them is building a full-size replica comics, as he did in Castle’s earlier comedy, Zotz!

of Noah’s Ark, complete with menagerie). He

(1962) and, most famously, in his role as George
soon learns that the Femms are being murdered

Utley, the numbskull handyman on TV’s
one by one. To survive the night, he will have to

Newhart. He’s in over his head here, especially expose the killer. Along the way, he must also
saddled with Dillon’s clunker-filled script and a
deflect the advances of nymphomaniac Morgana
spotty supporting cast. Robert Morley, an accom-

Femm (Fenella Fielding) and the homicidal rage
plished and versatile player, serves the film well
of her over-protective father (Danny Green).

as gun-crazy patriarch Roderick Femm, and so

Director James Whale had adapted J.B. Priest-
does Joyce Grenfell, who benefits from most of
ley’s novel Benighted under the title The Old Dark the film’s few good lines as the knitting-obsessed

House 30 years earlier. The result had been one of Aunt Agatha. The rest of the ensemble seems bent
the crown jewels of the Universal horror treasury,
on out-mugging one another, although some of
an idiosyncratic masterpiece of quirky, dry, dark
the blame for this belongs to Castle, who clearly
humor, overstuffed with superb performances
urged his actors to “play it up.”

318

One Million Years B.C.

2. THE MOVIES

Although his films never took themselves too
the rugged terrain where his brutal brother
seriously and were frequently very amusing, Cas-

Sakana (Percy Herbert) awaits in ambush. Ulti-
tle’s outright comedies usually fell flat. The Old mately, a fierce battle ensues between Sakana’s

Dark House serves as a prime example. Composer rock men and the Tumak-led shell people before

Benjamin Frankel worsens matters with his grat-
an erupting volcano settles the dispute in the fiery ing, overripe score. Otherwise, Hammer’s tech-climax. Tumak and Loana survive, and primitive
nicians and artisans— especially production de-
cave-love conquers all.

signer Bernard Robinson — hold up their end of

Despite its rather hackneyed story, One Million the bargain, but their best efforts are wasted on

Years B.C. ranks as one of the best prehistoric/di-this dimwitted flop. It also squanders an animated
nosaur films ever made (and certainly far superior
title sequence created by cartoonist Charles Ad-
to its 1940 model, the Hal Roach–produced One
dams, by far the most charming element in the

Million B.C. ). While the drawing card may have entire picture.

been the stunning face and figure of Raquel Welch

During production, both Castle and Hammer

(whose generous pulchritude is the most promi-
executive producer Michael Carreras seemed en-
nent feature in the posters and ads), the real star thusiastic about The Old Dark House. “ It will take of the show is stop-motion superstar Ray Harry-the mickey out of horror pictures in a most orig-
hausen, whose meticulous animation work took
inal and entertaining way,” predicted Carreras,
nearly nine months to complete. Harryhausen’s
apparently victimized by a crystal ball malfunc-
pre– Jurassic Park dinosaurs are so exciting and tion. As it turned out, Hammer was so displeased
lifelike that something new can be seen with each
with the final product that they let The Old Dark successive viewing, as he brings to vibrant life a

House gather dust until 1966, finally foisting it on lumbering brontosaurus, a startlingly realistic

British audiences nearly three years after its
giant sea turtle, a lithe and deadly allosaurus, a

American release. The Castle-Hammer partner-
thrilling and bloody battle to the death between
ship , however, ended immediately.

With quotes from: Hammer Films: An Exhaus-
tive Filmography, by Tom Johnson and Deborah Del Vecchio.

One Million Years B.C. (1967; Hammer/

20th Century–Fox; U.K./U.S.) Director: Don

Chaffey; Producer: Michael Carreras; Screenplay:

Mickell Novak, George Baker, Joseph Frickert,

Michael Carreras; Cinematographer: Wilkie

Cooper. Cast: John Richardson, Raquel Welch,

Robert Brown, Percy Herbert, Martine Beswick,

Jean Waldon.

MAN VS. WOMAN VS. BEAST ... IT WAS

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!— ad line

Caveman Tumak (John Richardson) is ousted
from his savage “Rock Tribe” by his ruthless chief

(his own father!). After emigrating across di-
nosaur-infested regions, he is taken in by Loana

(Raquel Welch) and her civilized, fair-haired
companions (the “Shell People”). While learning
the tribe’s strange new customs, Tumak fends off
a dynamic attack by a small allosaurus, killing the beast single-handedly. Unfortunately, those prim-

“The anatomy of dinosaurs used in One Million
itive savage habits die hard in Tumak, and the

Years B.C. [1967] had to be basically correct,” said gentle shell people are forced to expel him after
stop-motion animation genius Ray Harryhausen.

he attempts to steal the spear of — and then use it In the film’s advertising, however, Harryhausen’s on — Loana’s former cave-mate. Loana, smitten
life-like dinosaurs took a back seat to the anatomy by the ousted Tumak, follows him back through
of Raquel Welch.

2. THE MOVIES

Operation Fear; Operation Monsterland; Panic; Paranoiac

319
a triceratops and ceratosaurus, and a swooping

One Million Years B.C. grossed over $8,000,000
and diving pterodactyl who carries off the heroine
worldwide, making it Hammer’s biggest commer-
as food for her hatchlings— though, fortuitously,
cial success ever. For both stop-motion animation
it drops her in the surf in order to combat another and dinosaur fans, it is not to be missed.

pterodactyl in an exciting aerial dinofight.

With quotes from: Film Fantasy Scrapbook, by One aspect that greatly contributes to the film’s

Ray Harryhausen.

primitive atmosphere is the fresh Africanesque
percussional music score by Mario Nascimbene.

Operation Fear see Kill, Baby ...

That, combined with credible makeup work and

Kill!

solid cinematography by Wilkie Cooper (filming
in the stark environs of the Canary Islands) helps
bring the illusion of a prehistoric world to life —

Operation Monsterland see Destroy
disregarding, of course, the fallacy of integrating

All Monsters
the dinosaur age with homo sapiens. But hey, as

Ray Harryhausen said: “I feel it is far more im-

Panic see The Tell-Tale Heart
portant to create a dramatic illusion rather than
be hampered by detailed accuracy simply for the

Paranoiac (1963; Hammer/Universal; U.K.; sake of detailed accuracy.” So who’s to quibble
b&w). Director: Freddie Francis; Producer: An-
about a little thing like 65 million years?

thony Hinds; Screenplay: Jimmy Sangster; Cin-

While having one of the most beautiful women
ematographer: Arthur Grant. Cast: Oliver Reed,
in the world portraying a primitive cave girl

Janette Scott, Sheila Burrell, Alexander Davion,
stretches the bounds of believability almost as far Liliane Brousse, Maurice Denham.

as Raquel Welch stretches the limits of her fur and doeskin bikini, her acting proved more than ad-A harrowing excursion into terror that takes
equate. (Hammer Films originally sought Ursula
you deep into the twisted mind of a ...

Paranoiac!— tagline

Andress for the role after her success with that
company’s earlier She, but the former She-Who-Paranoiac, one of a series of black-and-white Must-Be-Obeyed declined the offer.) Since Loana
psychological thrillers released by Hammer Films
speaks only a few words of gibberish (primitive
in the early 1960s, remains notable primarily as
cave-speak), Ms. Welch had to rely on a strictly
an early directorial credit for former cinematog-
non-verbal method of acting —facial expressions,
rapher Freddie Francis and for its standout
body language, etc. (Of his One Million Years B.C.

leading performance by Oliver Reed.

screenplay, writer/producer Michael Carreras

The film opens with a memorial service for
once joked, “I may be the only member of the
wealthy John and Mary Ashby, who died in a

Writers Guild who continues to get royalty checks
plane crash 11 years earlier, and for their son,
for a script containing no dialogue.”) She does an Tony, who committed suicide shortly afterward.

excellent job in such a demanding physical role

In attendance are the surviving Ashby children—
and manages to bring real personality to her char-
jittery Eleanor (Janette Scott) and rowdy Simon
acter. The same can be said for John Richardson

(Reed)— as well as their guardian, Aunt Harriet
as Tumak, whose actions and personality draw us

(Sheila Burrell). During the ceremony, Eleanor
into this primitive, brutal and frightening world.

thinks she sees her deceased brother standing in

Though the cast performs admirably, too many
the shadows near the church. When Eleanor re-
petty struggles over food, spears, women, men,
ports this to the family, Simon begins angling to
etc. quickly become tiresome. It seems as though
have the high-strung Eleanor declared insane, so
whenever human beings meet, a fight sequence
he can take her share of the family fortune —
is sure to follow (a bit of social commentary per-
money he desperately needs to cover his massive
haps?). One or two exciting (and brief ) conflicts
bar tab and gambling debts. Driven to despair,
would have been quite sufficient, but apparently

Eleanor attempts to commit suicide, but is

Carreras felt the more human violence the better,
rescued by “Tony” (Alexander Davion), who ex-
and the picture suffers for it. Fortunately, there’s plains that he faked his own suicide to escape
sure to be a Harryhausen creation lurking just
from the family. Tony moves back into the Ashby
around the next outcropping to replace the
mansion and soon an apparently incestuous ro-
human tedium with some saurian thrills.

mance begins to blossom between he and Eleanor.

Costing about a dollar for every year in its title, In actuality, “Tony” is an imposter who’s also

320

Peeping Tom

2. THE MOVIES
after the Ashby fortune. His feelings for Eleanor

Francis, an Oscar winner for his photography on
force him to reveal his true identity.

Sons and Lovers (1960), devises some spectacular Soon, even more twisted deceptions come to
images, including an unforgettable shot from the
light, involving Simon and Aunt Harriet. At times
corpse’s eye-view of a drowning victim, the
it stretches credibility to the breaking point, but killer’s face obscured by rippling water. Francis

Paranoiac’s story remains a ripping good yarn —
would continue to work as a cinematographer on
until its conclusion. In the interest of not
mainstream pictures, and won a second Academy
revealing any of the remaining plot twists, suffice Award for Glory (1989). But his directorial efforts to say that after a great deal of buildup, the finale would be confined almost exclusively to the
fizzles when it should sizzle. Although the entire
horror genre, including such excellent chillers as
cast performs capably, Reed steals the show with

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965), Tales from a riveting, charismatic performance as the
the Crypt (1972) and The Creeping Flesh (1973).

drunken, lusty, underhanded Simon. It’s a showy

He directed a four more films for Hammer:

part and at times Reed careens wildly over the top, Nightmare (1964), The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), but he remains a joy to watch throughout.

Hysteria (1965) and Dracula Has Risen from the Hammer had tried to film this story (based on

Grave (1968). Although too uneven to rank as a Josephine Tey’s novel Brat Farrar) twice before in top-tier film for either Francis or Hammer, Para-1955 and 1959, only to cancel production both
noiac remains a worthwhile attempt.

times. Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, on the look-
out for similar material following the commercial

Peeping Tom (1960/62; Anglo-Amalga-
and critical success of Scream of Fear (1961), res-mated/Astor; U.K.) Director/Producer: Michael
urrected Brat Farrar and turned in a fresh adap-Powell; Story and Screenplay: Leo Marks; Cine-
tation under the new, Psycho-like moniker Para-matographer: Otto Heller. Cast: Carl Boehm,
noiac. This was the second of three Sangster Anna Massey, Moira Shearer, Maxine Audley,
psychological thrillers filmed in 1962. The slightly Brenda Bruce, Esmond Knight, Jack Watson,
superior Maniac (1963) preceded it in production Nigel Davenport, Miles Malleson.

and the vastly inferior Nightmare (1964) followed.

However, Paranoiac was the first of the trio re-WARNING! Don’t see Peeping Tom unless you
leased in the U.S., where Universal launched it in
are prepared to see the screaming shock
and raw terror in the faces of those

May 1963. It didn’t reach British theaters until
marked for death!— tagline

January 1964.

In his first directorial assignment for Hammer,

No movie was ever more savagely brutalized
by critics than Peeping Tom

(1960), and no director’s rep-
utation was ever so damaged
by a single project. One critic
wrote, “The only really satis-
factory way to dispose of

Peeping Tom would be to
shovel it up and flush it down
the nearest sewer. Even then
the stench would remain.”

Another declared it “the sick-
est and filthiest film I remem-
ber seeing.” After playing less
than a week, Peeping Tom was
withdrawn from British the-
aters. To continue his career,

Powell—up to this point con-
sidered a leading light of the

English film industry — was
forced to immigrate to Aus-
tralia.

The intensity of Oliver Reed in Paranoiac! (1963) (American lobby card).

That was 1960. Fifty-one

2. THE MOVIES

Peeping Tom

321
years later, Peeping Tom is considered a masterpiece.

Cameraman Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) works
as a focus-puller at a British movie studio by day
and moonlights shooting nudie films. But he’s se-
cretly fixated on filming fear—recording women’s
shrieking faces as he murders them with the
sharpened leg of his camera’s tripod. His kind-
hearted neighbor, Helen Stevens (Anna Massey),
takes a shine to the shy photographer, and the
two begin a tender romance. Helen learns that as
a child Mark was abused by his father, a fear-ob-
sessed psychiatrist who used his son as a guinea
pig —filming bizarre experiments such as drop-
ping a lizard on his sleeping child and recording
the young Mark as he looks over the corpse of his
dead mother. These revelations only make Helen
more sympathetic toward Mark, but her blind,
alcoholic mother (Maxine Audley) suspects the
worst of her daughter’s new beau, especially when
one of his studio coworkers turns up murdered.

Even though both Scotland Yard and Mrs. Stevens
is closing in on the truth, Mark cannot stop killing and filming; his compulsions are too powerful.

Peeping Tom is a work of genius, but it’s hardly a comfortable film to watch. It was designed to
shake viewers to the core and remains one of the
most disturbing of all classic motion pictures. The One-sheet poster (courtesy Ronald V. Borst/Hol-scenario not only asks audiences to sympathize
lywood Movie Posters).

with a perverted killer, but since this is a movie
about making movies, it makes obvious the in-
guish and terror. Powell and screenwriter Leo
trinsic voyeurism of the cinematic experience —

Marks designed several sequences where the killer
it renders shockingly overt the vicarious, nearly
risks exposure by indulging his uncontrollable
pornographic thrill of watching onscreen
compulsions, not only to kill but to film. In the
violence. British critics hated Peeping Tom
most acclaimed of these scenes, Mark sleathily
because it brought those bastions of good taste
climbs onto an overhead lighting rig while, far
face to face with their own hypocrisy. Peeping Tom below, detectives inspect a soundstage where a
also dared show sides of England seldom revealed
body was discovered. As he surreptitiously films
on movie screens at the time — places where two-
the policemen, three red pencils slip out of his
quid hookers walked the streets, where
pocket and fall to the floor. The pencils tumble
respectable gentlemen bought pornographic pho-
through the air in slow motion, wringing every
tos under the counter at the corner pharmacy, and
drop of tension from the scene.

where nice old ladies quietly drank themselves to

The picture also benefits from superb acting.

death. It all seemed even more shocking coming

Anna Massey lends a warm, feathery touch to her
from Powell, the director of national treasures
romantic scenes but seems genuinely mortified
such as Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes as the story speeds to its conclusion. In less skilled (1948).

hands, Maxine Audley’s character might have

Yet, Peeping Tom displays the same impeccable seemed laughable, like some modern day Oracle
craftsmanship of those revered classics. Powell’s
of Delphi. Instead, the actresses’ deft performance mastery of scene construction and cinematic
underscores Mrs. Stevens’ overriding concern for
technique remains apparent in every frame, right
her daughter’s well-being; rather than an all-see-
from the unnerving opening sequence, which is
ing blind woman, she’s simply a devoted, instinc-
shot from the camera’s-eye view as the killer mur-
tively worried mom trying to save her daughter
ders a prostitute and photographs her cries of an-
from a broken heart — or worse. The linchpin of

322

The Phantom of the Opera

2. THE MOVIES
the cast’s success, however, is German-born Carl
of England’s greatest filmmakers, the best thriller Boehm’s heart-wrenching portrayal of Mark
ever made in Britain and a jarring, in-your-face

Lewis. Rather than a psychopathic monster,
viewing experience.

Boehm saw Mark as a damaged soul, compelled

With quotes from: A Very British Psycho BBC
to violence by unfathomable inner pain. “I iden-
television documentary, Peeping Tom DVD liner tified myself totally with this figure,” Boehm said.

notes by Laura Mulvey.

“I had such an enormous pity for this young man.

One of the reasons people refused this film was

The Phantom of the Opera (1962; Ham-
the fact that I played him in such a sympathetic
mer/Universal-International; U.K.) Director: Ter-
way.”

ence Fisher; Producer/Screenplay: Anthony

Two years after its disastrous British release,

Hinds (as John Elder, based on the novel by Gas-
scruffy Astor Films issued Peeping Tom in the ton Leroux); Cinematographer: Arthur Grant.

U.S., promoting the picture as salacious exploita-

Cast: Herbert Lom, Edward de Souza, Heather
tion fare. Finally, in the late 1970s— too late to

Sears, Michael Gough, Thorley Walters, Ian Wil-
rescue Powell’s career, which never fully recov-
son.

ered — Peeping Tom was rediscovered and reevaluated, thanks in large part to Martin Scorsese and

THE GREATEST THRILL CLASSIC OF

ALL TIME!— tagline

Francis Ford Coppola. Both filmmakers spoke and
wrote glowingly about Powell in general and Peep-There are worse screen adaptations of Gaston
ing Tom in particular, and Scorsese paid for a Leroux’s oft-filmed novel than Hammer Films’

print to be brought to the U.S. as part of a Powell bungled 1962 version — but not many. Hammer’s
retrospective in 1979. Critics promptly hailed the

Phantom of the Opera gets everything wrong.

movie as an overlooked classic and frequently

Among other failings, it moves at a glacial pace,
compared it with Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
includes too little horror and completely misses

(1960). (In truth, the Hitchcock film Peeping Tom the point of its source material.

most resembles is Rear Window [1954], which also The Paris Opera’s latest production, Saint Joan, deals with voyeurism, albeit in a much more playis forced to shut down due to a series of mishaps
ful and audience-friendly manner.) Today,
and murders. The cast and crew believe Saint Joan Peeping Tom is much studied and written about, was sabotaged by a mysterious Phantom who
especially by feminist and psychoanalytical film
haunts the opera house, and the terrified star vo-
theorists. It remains a unique and uncompromis-
calist resigns. Director Harry Hunter (Edward de
ing masterwork, one of the finest efforts from one

Souza), theater manager Lattimer (Thorley Wal-
ters) and composer Ambrose

D’Arcy (Michel Gough) press
on with the production and
hire a talented unknown,

Christine Charles (Heather

Sears), to take over the lead.

In her dressing room, the un-
seen Phantom promises to
turn Christine into the
world’s greatest opera singer.

When she refuses his assis-
tance, the Phantom’s mute,
hunchbacked henchman (Ian

Wilson) kidnaps Christine
and carts her off to a secret
lair in the catacombs beneath
the theater. Meanwhile,

Hunter, tipped off by a stray
sheet of music, discovers that

“D’Arcy’s” opera is the stolen

British quad poster for Hammer’s 1962 updating of the Universal clas-work of a talented unknown,
sic.

Professor Petrie (Herbert

2. THE MOVIES

Picture Mommy Dead

323

Lom), who was horribly disfigured in a fire at a

Even Hammer’s ace director, Terence Fisher,
music publishing house and believed dead.

could not redeem this misbegotten mess. For ex-

Hunter’s investigation leads him to the under-
ample, in an attempt to inject a badly needed
ground hideaway of the Phantom, who Hunter
sense of menace into the proceedings, Fisher
now recognizes as Petrie. The repentant Phantom
litters the first hour of the film with insert shots frees Christine, but pleads to help the young
of Lom’s right eyeball, filmed ultra close up — a
singer prepare to play Saint Joan. Hunter and
device that loses its limited power (and even be-

Christine agree, but a tragic accident mars the
gins to seem comic) through incessant repetition.

opera’s finale.

Although competently directed, The Phantom re-The film plods through all this at a leaden pace,
mains one of Fisher’s least distinguished efforts.

often doubling back on itself. Twice, Christine

Taking Hinds’ disastrously muddled script into
recounts for Hunter events the audience already
account, the cast doesn’t perform too badly. Dis-
watched unfold. Much of the movie’s second act
counting ocular close-ups, Lom has relatively
is consumed by Hunter’s investigation of
little screen time and spends most of it behind a

Professor Petrie and the publishing house fire,
mask that hides his face and muffles his voice. His which is spelled out in painstaking detail. Yet,
best moments are confined to the pointless flash-
seven of the picture’s final 20 minutes are devoted back sequence. Sears and de Souza prove endear-to a flashback sequence illustrating these already
ing, if forgettable, in their underwritten parts as laboriously explained events.

Christine and Hunter. Improbably, Michael

Unfortunately, such redundancies are the least

Gough comes off best, gleefully preening and
of the issues with Phantom’s screenplay, written by mugging his way through his role as the slimy,
producer Anthony Hinds under his “John Elder”

smug D’Arcy.

pseudonym. Originally penned with — of all peo-

Production values remain high; as well they
ple — Cary Grant in mind for the title role (Grant
should, since the studio gave The Phantom the had approached Hammer about appearing in a
largest budget of any Hammer project to date.

horror movie, but later came to his senses and

Part of that expense went toward commissioning
withdrew from the project), the picture for the
an original operetta from composer Edwin Astley,
most part soft-pedals the story’s violence and hor-
which consumes seven of the film’s final ten min-
ror elements. (The lone exception is a bizarre scene utes. Unfortunately, it was money poorly spent,
in which for no apparent reason the Phantom’s
since Astley’s work sounds like a collection of
hunchback suddenly leaps into frame and stabs
corny, faux-operatic show tunes. In any case, the the opera’s amiable rat-catcher in the eye.) Hinds

“opera” is clumsily staged (Fisher was no chore-
places the famous unmasking and chandelier-drop
ographer!), including a wildly gesticulating con-
scenes in entirely different contexts that change
ductor whose frantic arm motions are completely
their meaning and rob them of their dramatic im-
out of time with the music.

pact. The unmasking, shot so that viewers can’t

Not surprisingly, Hammer’s Phantom bombed
even see the Phantom’s scarred visage, seems like
miserably at the box office. It was only natural for a pointless throwaway—something tossed in at the
such a tone-deaf production to end on a sour note.

last minute because viewers would miss it other-
wise. And in another appalling lapse, the conniving

Picture Mommy Dead (1966; Embassy) Di-D’Arcy never receives his overdue comeuppance.

rector/Producer: Bert I. Gordon; Screenplay:

The script’s most pervasive problem is that

Robert Sherwood; Cinematography: Elsworth

Hinds reduces Leroux’s complex, conflicted char-

Fredricks. Cast: Don Ameche, Martha Hyer, Zsa
acters to one-note stereotypes. The timeless

Zsa Gabor, Susan Gordon, Wendell Corey,
appeal of Leroux’s Phantom is that he is both sym-

Maxwell Reed, Anna Lee.

pathetic and diabolical. By offloading all the vio-An Inferno of Terror!— tagline
lence onto the animalistic hunchback and
painting the venal, underhanded D’Arcy as the

Producer-director Bert I. Gordon — best re-
story’s true villain, Hinds turns the Phantom into
membered for low-budget, high-camp giant
a pathetic cipher. Leroux’s Phantom tempts
monster movies such as The Beginning of the End Christine into a dangerous relationship by playing
and The Amazing Colossal Man (both 1957)—
on the young singer’s vanity and professional am-
made this weak and formulaic psychological
bition. But Hinds’ Christine remains a simplistic,
thriller, which languishes among his most forget-
pure-hearted, doe-eyed victim.

table productions.

324

The Pit and the Pendulum

2. THE MOVIES

After spending three years in a convent follow-
most predictable manner possible. There’s plenty
ing the death of her mother, who died in a mys-
of backbiting and skullduggery — including a be-
terious house fire, young Susan (Susan Gordon)

labored subplot about a missing diamond neck-
returns home with her father, Edward (Don
lace — a little madness, a hint of the supernatural Ameche), and her new stepmother (and former
but almost no real horror. The adult characters
governess), Francine (Martha Hyer). When they
are simplistic stereotypes, broadly played by
arrive home, a cynical attorney (Wendell Corey)

Ameche, Hyer and Reed. Sherwood’s bungled at-
explains to Susan that she has inherited $500,000,
tempt to write “childlike” dialogue for Susan in-
but the money must remain in trust until she
stead makes the poor girl seem either incredibly
reaches age 25; her father — who has blown his
stupid or possibly retarded.

$100,000 inheritance during the past three years

It was hardly the most flattering role, but at
on his gold-digging young bride —cannot touch
least the part enabled Susan to work with her di-

Susan’s funds unless his daughter dies or is de-
rector father, who, Susan Gordon reports “was
clared insane. Susan’s weird cousin Anthony
very stern as a father, very protective of his

(Maxwell Reed), whose face was horribly scarred
daughters.... There’s a sequence [in Picture
in the deadly fire, also stands to benefit if the girl Mommy Dead] where I set fire to the bedroom, dies or goes crazy. That very night Susan begins
and of course, it was real fire.... If you recall the to suffer nightmares and visions of her dead
scene, I light a candle and use it to set everything mother (Zsa Zsa Gabor). Is she being visited by a
in the room on fire before my stage father, Don
ghost? Is she going mad? Is someone trying to

Ameche, and I walk slowly out of the room. The
drive her mad? Or is she simply remembering
operative word here is ‘slowly.’ We were leaving
what happened that fateful night, events that her
the room as if we weren’t bothered by the fire rag-
mind has blacked out?

ing behind us. Well, let me tell you, the heat was

Robert Sherwood’s screenplay answers the
so intense that I was sure my back must’ve been
questions posed by its shopworn premise in the
on fire. The only thing that kept me from breaking
character and dashing out of the room — and ru-
ining the scene that, for obvious reasons, could
only be shot once — was the knowledge that both
my parents were standing by and would surely
not allow me to be consumed by the flames!

My mother admitted to me afterward that she al-
most screamed, ‘Get out of there!’ during the
scene.”

Bert I. Gordon’s usual penchant for visual
effects is restrained here, although the film’s best moments are the dead mother’s eerie appearances,
sometimes seen with superimposed, hellish flames
lapping at her head and arms. The only other el-
ement that truly works in this picture is Susan

Gordon singing an eerie children’s ditty under the
opening credits: “The worms crawl in, the worms
crawl out/ in you stomach and out your mouth.”

The tune may stick in your head, but the rest of

Picture Mommy Dead will quickly fade from
memory.

With quotes from: “Daughter of Horror: Susan

Gordon,” by John Wooley, Fangoria 218, 2002.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961;

American International) Director/Producer:

Roger Corman; Screenplay: Richard Matheson;

Cinematographer: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Vincent

Terror indeed catches fire when you Picture

Price, John Kerr, Luana Anders, Anthony Car-

Mommy Dead (1966) (one-sheet poster).

bone, Barbara Steele.

2. THE MOVIES

The Pit and the Pendulum

325

The Greatest Terror Tale Ever Told!— tagline
designed (by Daniel Haller) and photographed

(by Floyd Crosby), with a larger, more imposing

After the box office triumph of House of Usher
look, even though Corman and company utilized

(1960), you can’t blame producer-director Roger
many of the same sets and props from Usher. “We Corman for attempting to duplicate that film’s
saved everything from the first picture and stored
success. But, unfortunately, Corman’s second Poe
it in the scene dock,” Corman writes in his auto-
adaptation duplicates a bit too much from its
biography. “If we had the same art department
predecessor.

budget for the second picture, we had, say,

Francis Bernard (John Kerr) arrives at the sea-

$20,000 of sets stored from the first, so it became side castle of Don Nicholas Medina (Vincent
a $40,000 design. For the third film we had, say,

Price) to inquire about the death of his sister Eliz-

$40,000 in stock and spent another $20,000 on
abeth (Barbara Steele), Nicholas’ wife. Francis
the design. It wasn’t quite that mathematical, be-
grows suspicious when Nicholas and his younger
cause there is money spent to strike sets and store sister, Catherine (Luana Landers), prove evasive
them, and you do rebuild each time. But it ex-
on the specifics of Elizabeth’s death. He’s partic-
plains how the Poe films looked increasingly more
ularly suspicious of Nicholas, the mentally unsta-
elaborate without increasing the production
ble, guilt-plagued son of a notorious inquisitor
budgets or shooting schedules.” Indeed, as the se-
who retains his dead father’s torture devices in
ries progressed, Corman’s Poe films steadily grew
the castle’s dungeon. Catherine reveals that as a
larger and more impressive, eventually approach-
child, Nicholas watched as his father, Don Sebas-
ing the level of craftsmanship found in the lush
tian Medina, tortured his unfaithful mother and
productions of England’s Hammer Films.

then entombed her alive. Finally, local physician

But in other respects Pit proved harder to de-Dr. Leon (Anthony Carbone) arrives and clumsily
velop than Usher (1960). “The Pit and the Pendu-reveals that Elizabeth died of fright. Still not
lum was one of the most difficult of the Poe pic-satisfied, Francis insists his sister’s body be ex-
tures to write, because Poe’s original story had
humed so the true cause of death can be deter-
almost no characterization at all,” Corman said.

mined. When the tomb is opened, it appears that

“With Pit and the Pendulum, the original story Elizabeth was accidentally interred alive — a rev-was about a man in a room being tortured. So we
elation that pushes Nicholas over the edge.

simply utilized that, by having John Kerr come to

Two pictures into the film cycle that would be-

Vincent Price’s castle and then putting him under
come virtually synonymous
with its producer-director,
there was still no conscious
plan to create an ongoing se-
ries of Poe adaptations.

“House of Usher had been a
big success, bringing in over

$2 million for AIP,” Corman
said. “So Jim [Nicholson]

and Sam (Arkoff ) asked me
to do another Poe picture. I
had always liked ‘The Pit
and the Pendulum,’ so I
said, ‘All right.’ At that point
it wasn’t evident that I was
going to do a whole series of

Poe pictures; I simply
thought, ‘Now there will be
two Poe films instead of
one.’”

And the second entry
would look even better than

Vincent Price and Barbara Steele in a pivotal scene from Roger Corman’s the first. The Pit and the Pen-impressive 1961 adaptation of the classic Edgar Allan Poe story “The Pit dulum
is beautifully
and the Pendulum” (American lobby card).

326

The Plague of the Zombies

2. THE MOVIES
the pendulum for the climax of the story. You

Never Lost a Dime, by Roger Corman with Jim could think of it as our creating a two-act pro-Jerome.

logue that leads up to the third act — which con-
tains the actual Poe story. But in creating the first

The Plague of the Zombies (1966; Ham-two acts, [screenwriter] Richard Matheson at-
mer/20th Century–Fox; U.K.) Director: John
tempted to use concepts and themes Poe devel-

Gilling; Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys; Screen-
oped in his other stories.”

play: Peter Bryan; Cinematographer: Arthur

True enough, Matheson’s Pendulum script in-Grant. Cast: Andre Morell, Diane Clare, John
tegrates elements from Poe’s “The Cask of Amon-

Carson, Alex Davion, Jacqueline Pearce, Brook
tillado” and “The Premature Burial.” But the sce-

Williams, Michael Ripper, Marcus Hammond.

nario remains a thinly disguised retread of Usher.

See ... the undead slaves driven from their

Among the many similarities: Both films feature
graves and forced to labor for the masters
a young man who descends on the home of a half-
of evil!— trailer
mad older brother and his lovely young sister;

When someone mentions Hammer movies,
both films chronicle the mental disintegration of
one’s thoughts naturally turn to monsters. In the
a character played by Vincent Price, which in
annals of Hammer horror, the classic figures of
both cases is exacerbated by guilt over the pre-

Frankenstein and Dracula loom large. With seven
mature burial of a loved one. In addition, both
entries each (not to mention a passel of vampire
movies contain surreal flashbacks or dream se-
variations, including the Karnstein trilogy), these quences and a fiery finale, staples elements com-two figures have proved to be the monstrous cor-
mon to many entries in the series. Alas, the sim-
nerstones of Britain’s Hammer Films. But these
ilarities between the two pictures also include a
were not the only film franchises staked out by
static and overly chatty opening act. On the pos-
itive side, however, the flashback sequence in
which young Nicholas watches his father murder
his mother and her lover is more powerful than a
similar dream sequence in Usher, and Pit’s electrifying final 20 minutes, full of brutal violence
and wickedly ironic plot twists, are better than
anything in Corman’s first Poe picture.

Vincent Price’s s finely nuanced performance
as Roderick Usher was essential to the first film’s success, but Price slices the ham quite a bit thicker as Don Nicholas in Pit. Although still enjoyable—
in a scenery-munching sort of way — his work
here is nowhere near as believable or affecting as
in Usher. Although his mental health is supposed to be crumbling throughout the film, Nicholas
seems pretty maniacal from the start. The movie’s
other major horror star, Barbara Steele, has very
limited screen time as Elizabeth. John Kerr makes
a far more convincing juvenile lead than Mark

Damon from Usher, but Francis remains a onenote character. Catherine and Dr. Leon are also
thinly written, leaving little for Luana Anders and Anthony Carbone to work with.

Despite its flaws, however, The Pit and the Pendulum earned even higher grosses than its predecessor. Corman followed with a third Poe adap-
tation, The Premature Burial (1962).

With quotes from: “California Gothic: The

Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by Lawrence

French, from Video Watchdog No. 138; and How Free “Dracula Fangs” and “Zombie Eyes” for pa-I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and
trons of this 1966 double-bill!

2. THE MOVIES

The Plague of the Zombies

327
the studio. Hammer continued in its “series”

for its own sake.... We try to make horror films
mentality with the Mummy theme (four features
with a sense of taste and style, but whether we did to its bandaged credit), a prehistoric subset (con-or didn’t, audiences still recognize that a horror
sisting of One Million Years B.C. ,1966; When Di-film in period costumes is pure, honest-to-good-
nosaurs Ruled the Earth, 1970; and Creatures the ness fantasy.”

World Forgot, 1971), the Quatermass triad, and in-Filming for a mere 28 days in late July-early
numerable post– Psycho “psychological thrillers”

August 1965, Keys and co. did indeed succeed in

(such as Taste of Fear, 1961; Maniac, 1963; Night-infusing Plague with “a sense of taste and style.”

mare, 1964; ad infinitim, ad nauseum). Hammer Director John Gilling ( Mania, 1960; Shadow of the was nothing if not repetitious.

Cat, 1961; Blood Beast from Outer Space 1966; etc.), Over the years, however, the studio occa -
working with cinematographer Arthur Grant
sionally left off beating their stable of (un)dead

(whose steady hand and artful eye enhanced such
horses to venture outside the fiscal safety of its

Hammer productions as The Curse of the
popular monster corral. Unique one-shot pro-

Werewolf, 1960; Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, ductions such as The Abominable Snowman

1968; and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, 1969) (1957), The Devil’s Bride (1968), and Countess films scenes with an eye toward composition,

Dracula (1970; a “Dracula” in name only) are wor-movement, and atmosphere. When Alice comes
thy efforts that have largely been overshadowed
upon the old tin mine during her fateful
by the studio’s various series, remakes, and clus-
nocturnal walk, for instance, the camera shoots
terings. Among Hammer’s originals are the two
through a huge disused gear wheel, enclosing her

“Cornwall Classics” (as some devotees have
image so that she looks small and trapped within
overzealously labeled them), The Reptile and The the confines of the massive metal structure. Sud-Plague of the Zombies. The two were filmed back-denly, the shadow of a hand rises up from the bot-
to-back ( Plague first and then, with only a week’s tom of the screen. As the unseen figure advances
break, The Reptile) utilizing many of the same sets towards her, the silhouette moves steadily up
and much of the same personnel (both in front

Alice’s body before the shadow’s bulk finally blots of and behind the camera). Though similarly
out her whole image with its ominous darkness.

themed (exotic foreign deviltry invades a rural

The staging and camera position, combined with

English village to spawn monsters that decimate
the use of the sinister and intrusive shadow (fur-
the xenophobic locals), the two pictures are miles
ther augmented by Jacqueline Pearce’s uneasy de-
apart in efficacy. The Reptile is a slow-moving, meanor), creates a moment ripe with dread.

predictable, sleep-inducing misfire while The

Gilling stages the first appearance of a zombie

Plague of the Zombies stands as a visually exciting, (obviously a pivotal moment in something called
occasionally frightening, and thoroughly enter-

The Plague of the Zombies) for maximum impact.

taining horror yarn.

It begins when Sylvia passes the same giant gear

In turn-of-the-century England, Medical pro-
wheel that Alice had come by earlier (with Sylvia’s fessor Sir James Forbes (Andre Morell) journeys
image momentarily framed behind it just as the
to a remote Cornish village to help his former
doomed Alice had been). She rounds it and ad-
pupil, Dr. Peter Tompson (Brook Williams), dis-
vances toward the camera (just like Alice) so that
cover the cause of a mysterious rash of deaths
her worried face is backed by the dark sky and
plaguing the sleepy hamlet. When Peter’s wife
forbidding mine silhouetted behind. Then she

Alice (Jacqueline Pearce) dies of the malady, she
suddenly whirls around and the scene cuts so that
rises from the dead (in a harrowing scene) as a
the camera looks down upon her now-shocked
zombie. Ultimately, the doctors discover that the
visage. In the next shot the camera starts from be-
local lord, Squire Hamilton (John Carson), is
hind her and swiftly zooms past, tilting upwards
using voodoo to create a zombie labor force to
to reveal what she sees hovering on the rise above
work his tin mine. With Sir James’ daughter
her — the horrible figure of the walking corpse

Sylvia (Diane Clare) now imperiled, the doctors
holding Alice’s lifeless body in its arms. A rapid
must do battle with Hamilton and his undead co-
zoom reveals the hideous grinning countenance
terie.

in all its ghastly glory. Then, after a quick reaction

“Horror, as we at Hammer films know the
shot of Alice cringing behind the gear wheel, we
word,” pontificated producer Anthony Nelson
see the creature gleefully dump its burden, which

Keys in The Plague of the Zombies pressbook, “has falls out of the frame seemingly at our very feet.

nothing to do with nastiness or cruelty or sadism

Enhanced by careful positioning and camera

328

The Plague of the Zombies

2. THE MOVIES
movement, this scene, both shocking and terri-

As Plague of the Zombie’s head villain, John fying, becomes one that, once seen, is not soon

Carson possesses the appropriately aristocratic
forgotten.

bearing and cool charm of a James Mason (he

As with most Hammer productions, the acting
even sounds like Mason), adding both weight and
in Plague is first-rate. Andre Morell is simply a dignity to the rather ill-defined roll. (Sadly, the joy to watch, playing the elegant, no-nonsense Sir
character of Squire Hamilton remains both one-

James with a twinkle in his eye and a droll half-
dimensional and underdeveloped, and we’re left
smile on his lips. “I don’t know why I put up with
simply to wonder at the motivations and root of
you at all,” he offhandedly tells his daughter when his heinous actions.) Carson went on to appear
she interrupts him, “I should have drowned you
in two other Hammer horrors, Taste the Blood of at birth.” At this, Morell gives the hint of a soft Dracula (1970) and Captain Kronos, Vampire smile at his feigned annoyance and gruff joke.

Hunter (1973).

When Hamilton angrily demands of Sir James,

Of the female leads, Jacqueline Pearce (who es-

“Are you mad?!,” Morell answers, “I almost wish
sayed the title role in The Reptile) is the more ef-I was, this business is so appalling,” with just the fective of the two, for she is both attractive and
right mix of throwaway glibness and introspective
affecting. In her introductory scene, her obvious
sincerity to make the rather unlikely line work.

relief at seeing her old school friend Sylvia seems Morell adds further depth to his character by
subtly tempered by a guilty nervousness. She ap-
making Sir James’ assured, take-charge facade
pears skittish and secretive, refusing to let Sir
human enough to give way during the odd un-

James look under her bandage (as if somehow
guarded moment. Cleaning up after dinner, he
knowing it’s an unholy wound yet at the same
tells Peter of his plans to illegally exhume a corpse.

time feeling protective of it). Pearce speaks

When the shocked Peter voices his objection, Sir
rapidly, her eyes and head often downcast, though

James answers, “Why not? It’s a full moon,
she frequently glances up as she talks in a furtive, couldn’t be better. We’ll start about midnight.”

almost pleading manner. The actress’s demeanor

Morell then promptly fumbles with and drops the
immediately pulls the viewer in and arouses sym-
plate he’d been drying, his unsteady action and
pathy.

the slightly vexed look on his face belying his non-Diane Clare, though possessing a larger role,
chalant words.

makes less of an impression. She appears rather

Born André Mesritz in London in 1909, Morell
stilted and never quite convinces, even in her po-
turned to amateur acting in 1930 and made his
tential showcase scenes of fear or anger. (No
professional debut in 1934. Four years later he
doubt the fact that Hammer dubbed her voice
joined the illustrious Old Vic company and si-
with that of another actress didn’t help her cause
multaneously started his screen career. After serv-
any.) In any case, next to Pearce, the chubby-
ing as a Major in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during
cheeked Clare looks girlish and passionless.

World War II, his stage and screen career flour-

Regarding zombies, Plague features some of the ished. Among Morell’s seventy-plus film credits
most effective in the pre– Night of the Living Dead (which span forty years— right up until his death
pantheon. Dressed in sackcloth shrouds, these
in 1978) are such prestige pictures as Bridge on walking dead appear quite frightening with their
the River Kwai (1957), Ben Hur (1959), Julius Cae-dead-gray pallor, flaking skin, wide-staring filmy
sar (1970), QB VII (1974), Barry Lyndon (1975) eyes, and evil grins and smirks (admittedly a
and The Great Train Robbery (1978). Morell’s ridiculous trait for a creature with no will of its presence graced a number of genre features as
own — but a visually chilling one nonetheless).

well, including 1984 (1954), The Hound of the The film’s horrific highlights center on these

Baskervilles (1959; in which he created what some

“undead” creatures (as Sir James labels them). The
consider to be the screen’s definitive Dr. Watson), famed dream sequence, in which mottled hands

The Giant Behemoth (1959), Mysterious Island thrust up through the newly dug graves as the

(1961), Shadow of the Cat (1961), She (1965), The zombies rise from their earthen tombs to close

Mummy’s Shroud (1967) and The Vengeance of She upon the frightened Peter (who stands motion -

(1968). Of special note to Hammer fans is his
less, seemingly rooted to the spot), may well be
marvelous turn in the little-seen crime thriller
one of the most memorable (and chilling) scenes

Cash on Demand (1962); in it, Morell plays a perin the Hammer canon. The off-kilter camera an-
fect foil to Peter Cushing, who gives one the finest gles, eerie flowing mist, gruesome makeup, and
performances of his long career.

the inherent terror of death (symbolically repre-

2. THE MOVIES

Planet of Blood; Planet of the Vampires

329
sented by these perambulating corpses) make this

Girls! Defend Yourself with Zombie Eyes!” (cheap
shuddery sequence a justifiably revered one
cardboard cutouts with small eyeholes).

among horror enthusiasts in general and Ham-

Poor pairings and grotesque giveaways aside,
merheads in particular. Macabre details, such as

The Plague of the Zombies stands near the top of the rainwater lying on the raw, red earth looking
zombiedom’s cinematic ladder and, indeed, if not
like puddles of blood, combine with the horrific
on the top Hammer rung as well, then at least appearance and slow-but-inexorable movements
solidly positioned on its second step.

of the hideous host to make the hackles stand on
end. It’s a brief, relentless, and frightening scene,

Planet of Blood see Queen of Blood
and one that probably inspired George Romero
in filming his Night of the Living Dead (and surely

Planet of the Vampires (1965; Castilla/
served as a blueprint for Bob Kelljan’s effectively Allied Artists; Italy) Alternate Titles: Terrore Nello creepy opening for The Return of Count Yorga).

Spazio ( Terror in Space, Italy), Demon Planet (Note: This sequence is not tinted green as some (TV). Director: Mario Bava; Producer: Fulvio Lu-uninformed writers have erroneously claimed,
cisano; Screenplay: Mario Bava, Alberto Bevilac-
but features an effective use of full color — as ex-qua and Castillo Cosulich (U.S. version: Louis M.

emplified by the blood-red puddles.)

Heyward and Ib Melchior); Cinematography:

Castle of Frankenstein’s Russ Jones visited Antonio Rinaldi and Antonio Perez Olea. Cast:

Hammer’s Bray studios during the filming of The Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Angel Aranda, Evi

Plague of the Zombies and related how quickly and Marandi, Stelio Candelli, Franco Andrei, Fer-efficiently the production team worked. Lunching
nando Villena.

with Tony Keys, Jones wrote that “across the room
sat Andre Morell and the rest of the cast of Plague This was the day the universe trembled
before the demon forces of
of the Zombies, deeply engrossed in discussing the the killer planet!— tagline
afternoon shooting schedule. After our meal, Reg

[Williams, who worked in the publicity depart-

Although often categorized as science fiction,
ment] was to take us to an interior set for a fight director Mario Bava’s Planet of the Vampires
scene in which Andre Morell battled one of the
might more accurately be described as a horror
zombie leaders. We walked to the set. Here an as-
film that happens to be set in outer space. After
tonishing thing occurred. In the room were noth-
all, it’s about the dead rising from their graves to ing but four walls and a bare floor. Within twenty
prey on the living — only instead of at some fog-
minutes it was an English pub with a bar, book-
shrouded Carpathian castle or an isolated Penn-
case, chairs, tables, carpets,
pictures and various bric-a-
brac. The cameras and crew
came in, and the scene was
put in the can after three
takes.”

Plague of the Zombies was
placed on the bottom half of
a double bill with Dracula,

Prince of Darkness (which is
rather unfair because

Plague
certainly moves
faster, and is arguably the
more entertaining of the
two). In the United States,
the films were ballyhooed as

“The Greatest All New

Fright Show in Town!” and
patrons were blessed with
promotional giveaways:

“Boys! Fight back ... Bite

Director Mario Bava poses with a giant alien skeleton on a Planet of the
back with Dracula Fangs!

Vampires (1965) set.

330

Planet of the Vampires

2. THE MOVIES
sylvania farmhouse, these events take place on an
makes them even more disconcerting, since al-
eerie and desolate alien world.

though they speak and think, they shuffle around

The spacecraft Galliot crashes while responding
with the 30-yard stare of the living dead. The
to a distress signal from a previously unexplored
scenes in which the dead — some of them dam-
planet, so her sister ship, the Argos, follows her
aged, disfigured and even decaying —climb out
to the planet’s surface. Immediately upon landing,
of their graves prove extremely unnerving.

astronauts slip into a trance and turn violently

Yet, despite these undeniable strengths, Planet against one another. But Captain Markary (Barry
of the Vampires remains one of Bava’s more flawed Sullivan), seemingly unaffected, is able to bring
products. As is typically the case with Bava, who
his crew to its senses. When a landing party
provided little guidance to his casts, the film’s act-reaches the wreck of the Galliot, they discover the ing is merely so-so, and further hindered (in the
ship’s crew has killed one another, apparently
picture’s English-American version, at least) by
under the same hypnotic spell that befell the
screenwriter Ib Melchior’s stilted, techno babble-

Argos. Markary’s men bury the dead, but later
heavy dialogue. As a result — apart from Barry
that night an astronaut claims to see one of the

Sullivan as Markary and Norma Bengell as Sanya,
bodies walking around. Then members of the
his first mate — the astronauts seem interchange-

Argos crew begin disappearing. Next, two Galliot
able. The scenario’s slow-moving second act (with
crewmen show up, claiming to have miraculously
astronauts endlessly running back and forth be-
survived the crash — but they are soon revealed
tween the Argos and the Galliot) presents another
to be walking corpses reanimated by a species of
problem, as does its lame attempt at a “surprise”

non-corporeal symbiotes native to the planet,
ending, which cheapens the entire story. Many of
which have seized control of the dead in an at-
these issues stem directly from the movie’s trou-
tempt to flee their dying world. It’s up to Markary bled production history, which was marked by
and a handful of other survivors to stop them.

bickering between Bava and his American pro-

Whether you label it horror of sci-fi, Planet of ducers and screenwriters.

the Vampires remains one of the most atmos -

Bava, eager to get back onto familiar turf after
pheric and visually dazzling genre entries of the
a couple of missteps in the burgeoning spaghetti

1960s. Gabriele Mayer’s costumes, including the

Western genre, commissioned a screenplay based
astronaut’s black leather uniforms (eschewing the
on Renato Pestriniero’s short story “Una Notte di
usual silver spandex, they look more like some-

21 Ore” (“One Night of 21 Hours”), which had
thing from an S&M shop than from any other SF
appeared in the Italian science fiction magazine
flick of the era); Giorgio Giovannini’s wildly in-

Interplanet No. 3. American International Pictures, ventive sets (full of bubbling red volcanic pits and which had scored major hits with Bava’s Black
weird, jagged rock formations like something out

Sunday (1960/61) and Black Sabbath (1963/64), of a Chuck Jones Road Runner cartoon); and An-was excited to secure another Bava chiller. Exec-
tonio Rinaldi and Antonio Perez Olea’s cine-
utive producer Jim Nicholson expressed interest
matography (closely overseen by Bava, and full
in the project but balked at the initial scenario
of his signature red, green and violet gels, often
provided by the director, asking sci-fi author and
shining on faces of the walking dead) all con-
screenwriter Ib Melchior for a complete rewrite.

tribute to the film’s pictorial brilliance and

To prepare, Melchior watched Black Sunday. “I chilling ambiance. Although he goes a little zoom-came away very impressed by Bava’s visual sense
happy at times, Bava’s compositions remain dy-
and his command of atmosphere,” Melchior said.

namic and his restless camera movements fluid.

“So that’s what I played up in my screenplay, the

Planet of the Vampires also benefits from first-rate atmosphere, which is also present in the original
special effects (likewise overseen by Bava). Al-
story.” However, Melchior jettisoned many of the
though its miniatures are not entirely convincing,
ideas from the short story that appealed to Bava
the film’s mattes and other optical effects remain
in the first place, including the concept of alien
outstanding, especially by pre– 2001 standards.

creatures that appear childlike. (Bava revived the

Planet of the Vampires also boasts a few mo-idea of a child-like evil for his subsequent mas-
ments of spine-tingling frisson involving its
terpiece Kill, Baby ... Kill! [1966/68].) Melchior titular menaces. While certainly “undead,” the
also added a twist ending in which Markary and
creatures faced by the Argos crew are more like

Sanya, unable to reach their home planet, land on
high-functioning zombies than vampires in the

Earth in prehistoric times and become Adam and

Bela Lugosi sense of the term. But if anything this Eve.

2. THE MOVIES

Playgirl Killer

331

Bava despised this ending, and sent Nicholson
was nothing of the sort. In retrospect, it seems
detailed notes with suggested changes and im-
prescient. Director Ridley Scott’s blockbuster
provements to Melchior’s script. His notes

Alien (1979) owes a major debt to Planet of the include ideas that would be developed into some

Vampires, from which it borrows key plot points of the movie’s best moments: “With the thought

(astronauts land on a dangerous, unknown world
that we want to make a ‘Fantasy-Science-Terror’

in response to a distress call), concepts (most no-
sort of thing, I would have the dead of the Galliot tably, the symbiotic alien menace) and images
buried ... in order, later in the night, to see the (viewed from certain angles, the curvy, asymmet-ground swell out, and see the dead ones walking
rical Argos resembles the foundered space ship
out one by one with their ghostly faces, while
encountered by Alien’s Nostromo crew). While strange clouds whorl around them. I would show
it’s a far less satisfying movie than Alien— which the wonder and the terror of those who find the
also appropriated elements from Edward L.

empty graves.” Finally, Bava brought in screen-

Cahn’s It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) writers Alberto Bevilacqua and Castillo Cosulich
and John Carpenter’s Dark Star (1974)— Planet of to rewrite Melchior’s rewrite. “We basically read
the Vampires remains fascinating, mostly due to it [Melchior’s script] and then ignored it,” Co-Bava’s genius imagery. That’s why, despite the
sulich said. Production began, budgeted for six
glaring imperfections of its screenplay, this film
weeks and about $200,000 at the Cinecitta studio
exerted a tidal pull on the imaginations of later
in Rome. When he learned that Bava was working
filmmakers.

from a script other than their agreed-upon ver-

With quotes from: Mario Bava: All the Colors
sion, Nicholson sent Deke Heyward from AIP’s
of the Dark, by Tim Lucas.

London office to Rome to make sure Bava wasn’t
straying too far from the approved concepts. Fi-

Playgirl Killer (1968; Brookdale Productions; nally, Melchior himself flew to Rome to iron out

Canada) Alternate Title: Portrait of Fear. Director: the sticky issue of the film’s ending. Melchior

Erick Santamaria; Producer: Maxwell A. Sendel;
claims that, after batting ideas around with Bava,

Screenplay: Erick Santamaria (story by Harry

Italian producer Fulvio Lucisano and star Barry

Kerwin and William Kerwin); Cinematographer:

Sullivan, he helped devise the final (nearly as bad) Roger Moride. Cast: William Kerwin, Jean
conclusion. Bava was more dismissive of Mel-

Christopher, Andree Champagne, Neil Sedaka,
chior’s contribution. “There was an American

Mary Lou Collins, Linda Christopher.

screenwriter on the set, rewriting the script,

Artist or killer? Temptress or playgirl?— tag line
changing the dialogue,” the director said. “Even-
tually, I stopped paying any attention to him.”

Both, actually — on both counts— since in the

Throughout these trials and tribulations, the

Montreal-shot Playgirl Killer the artist is a killer, film changed titles numerous
times. Known at various points as

The Haunted Planet, The Shadow

World, The Outlaw Planet, War-
lords of the Outlaw Planet and

Warlords of Outer Space, it was
eventually released as Terrore

Nello Spazio ( Terror in Space) in

Italy and as Planet of the Vampires
in the U.S., where AIP issued it on
a twin bill with the Boris Karloff
vehicle Die, Monster, Die! Planet
of the Vampires was renamed yet
again, to Demon Planet, when AIP
distributed the film to television.

Although Gino Marinuzzi, Jr.’s
dated, derivative electronic score,
done in the style of Forbidden

Planet (1956), makes Planet of the

Vampires seem old-fashioned, it

A dart-to-the-heart victim of the Playgirl Killer (1968).

332

The Playgirls and the Vampire

2. THE MOVIES
and the gorgeous playgirls he encounters
cused of being a pace-setter, there’s enough in-
definitely fall into the “temptress” category (Que-
trigue in the story and adequate acting on the
bec must have been swimming in potential Play-
screen to keep the viewer engaged between Bill’s
boy models in the 1960s). The story: A goatee-kinetically-obsessed murderous outbursts.

sporting drifter named Bill (well played by the

Also of interest is a rare onscreen appearance
reliable William Kerwin) likes to sketch beautiful
by ’60s songster Neil Sedaka, playing the doughy,
women. Unfortunately, he loses control whenever
wandering-eyed fiancée of the debutante’s sister.

his “models” fail to sit still for him and violently Sedaka disappears after the first few minutes,
murders them. After escaping the scene of one of
never to be seen again (no doubt due to budgetary
his impromptu crimes (in which the frustrated
reasons)— which is just as well, since his brief
artiste grabs up a handy spear gun[!] to “quiet”

turn here indicates his vocal talents far
his subject), he stumbles across a spoiled rich girl outstripped his dramatic ones. “Guest Star”

staying at her father’s summer house. Using the

Sedaka (of “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” fame and
mansion as a base (and the debutante as an un-
about 1000 other songs) performs one onscreen
fortunate “model”), he sets about finding the right number at a pool party, “Waterbug.” It’s about as
subjects for his work-in-progress (capturing a
close as Canada ever came to a Frankie and An-
traumatic, obsessive dream on canvas) and
nette moment.

storing their properly-posed corpses in the walk-

Though Playgirl Killer certainly won’t make in basement freezer. Of course, it all comes to a
anyone’s Top Ten Sixties Horror lists, its one of
rather poetic — and violent — end.

those mildly pleasant little rediscoveries for those This Canadian import plays a bit like an H.G.

looking for something off the beaten horror path.

Lewis opus, but without the tongue-ripping,
limb-lopping, entrail-pulling cheap gore effects

The Playgirls and the Vampire (1963; (apart from the pre-credits spear-gun killing, the

Nord Film Italiana/Fanfare; Italy; b&w) Alternate murders are all handled rather demurely, some

Titles: Curse of the Vampire (TV), Last Victim of even taking place off-screen). The small-scale
the Vampire; Original Language Title: L’Ultima cast, the mad artist with violent proclivities, the Preda del Vampiro (“The Vampire’s Last Victim”); beautiful women as victims—all are staples of the

Director/Screenplay: Piero Regnoli; Producer:

Lewis oeuvre. Reinforcing the notion is the star

Tiziano Longa; Cinematographer: Aldo Greci;
turn by frequent Lewis actor William Kerwin,

Cast: Lyla Rocco, Walter Brandi, Maria Giovan-
who also co-wrote, with his brother, Playgirl
nini, Alfredo Rizzo.

Killer’s story (perhaps a little of H.G. rubbing off?). Kerwin starred in a trio of the goremeister’s 5 PLAYGIRLS WALKED INNOCENTLY INTO

HIS ARMS ... only to meet the devil in
best-known ’60s horrors— Blood Feast (1963), the flesh!— poster

Two Thousand Maniacs (1964) and A Taste of Blood (1967). In Playgirl Killer, Kerwin makes for Though advertised as “An unusual story of un-a likable antagonist, one who sees through the
natural love and desire ... so bold, so shocking ...

phony, conniving “temptresses” and actually in-
it must be shown to ADULTS ONLY!” this early
spires sympathy for the imbalanced artist. It’s too Italian pseudo-sexploitation/horror flick appears
bad that Kerwin never made the jump to big-
tame in both its sex and horror. In fact, unlike screen stardom; but he did make a decent living
with the best vampire films (which effectively
as a jobbing actor in television (both in series and combine sex and death in an attraction/repulsion

TV movies), beginning back in the 1950s and
dichotomy), Eros and Thanatos seem to be at
working right up until his death in 1989.

odds with each other here. For every atmospheric

Though missing the dubious delights of H.G.

horror-tinged sequence (inventive POV shots

Lewis-styled splatter, the low-budget (reportedly
keeping the fiend’s first appearance hidden while

$150,000 Canadian, or about $100,000 American)

focusing on the victim’s mounting terror, for in-
but professional-looking Playgirl Killer surpasses stance; or a funeral scene in which the low-angle

Lewis’ films in every other department — acting,
camera moves from one mourner to the next in
writing, sound, and photography (the last thanks
a 360 degree pan from within the open grave), to the work of veteran Quebecoise cinematogra-there’s several absurdly banal sequences of the
pher Roger Moride, who provides some evocative

“playgirls” pathetically practicing their hoochie-
lighting for the various night scenes and murder
koochie routines (with one pulchritudinous plat-
sequences). And while it’s never going to be ac-
inum blonde even bursting into an impromptu

2. THE MOVIES

Portrait of Fear; The Premature Burial

333
striptease at one point—emphasis on the “tease”).

[Paul Morrisey, who shot Andy Warhol’s Dracula

The ridiculousness of the latter (and there’s no
there, claims at least four other productions were
real payoff for the raincoat crowd, anyway) totally filming there simultaneously!], also served as the
deflates the mood of the former, making it an up-
setting for the ’60s horrors Terror Creatures from hill battle either way.

the Grave [1965] and Nightmare Castle [1966].) Director/screenwriter Piero Regnoli’s (who

The admittedly exciting and energetic climax
went on to script such Italian zombie gut-munch-
includes the film’s one real grabber: the shock -
ers as Burial Ground and City of the Walking Dead, ingly brutal staking — with a flaming torch!— of
both 1980) story has a cut-rate traveling troupe
a nude (yet coyly shot) vampiress. But the picture
of five showgirls, their manager and bus driver
continues to drag out in a long, protracted se-
stumble across the sinister castle of Count Ker-
quence involving Vera’s reconciliation with the
nassy (Walter Brandi). The Count’s vampiric

Count and various leave-takings. It makes for a
lookalike ancestor (Brandi again, who earlier
tedious end to a failed attempt at combining tit-
played a bloodsucker in the similar but far supe-
illation with terror.

rior The Vampire and the Ballerina) lurks below in the castle catacombs, waiting to claim the

Portrait of Fear see Playgirl Killer
scantily clad lovelies (including one, Vera, who is a dead ringer for his lost love).

The Premature Burial (1962; American In-The dullness of the cardboard characters; the
ternational) Director/Producer: Roger Corman;
horrible, intrusive, piano-dominated music score;

Screenplay: Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell;
the aforementioned “teasing” interludes (which

Cinematographer: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Ray Mil-
include the girls ludicrously wandering about in
land, Hazel Court, Richard Ney, Heather Angel,
their lacy unmentionables— a fetching sight, ad-

Alan Napier.

mittedly, but one at odds with all logic); the banal Within the Coffin I Lie ... ALIVE!— tagline
dubbed dialogue (“The strength of love is mirac-
ulous if you trust it”); and some poorly-dressed,

Wealthy painter Guy Carrell (Ray Milland), a
cheap-looking sets mixed in with the actual castle
catalyptic, is tortured by a phobia of being in-
location do nothing to help this tawdry produc-
terred prematurely, so much so that he designs
tion. (Said castle, reportedly owned by an impov-
and builds an elaborate, escape hatch-equipped
erished aristocratic Italian family who paid their
tomb for himself. Troubled by his anxieties, Guy
bills by renting out the villa to film companies
believes he would never make a fit husband, but
his beautiful young fiancée, Emily

(Hazel Court), eventually convinces
him not only to marry her but, in
order to overcome his fear, also de-
stroy his elaborate tomb. However,
at the wedding reception, Guy is
seized by catalypsy and mistaken
for dead. With the tomb destroyed,
he is buried in the ground. Acci-
dentally freed from his coffin by
grave robbers, Guy — now com-
pletely mad — goes on a murderous
rampage.

In 1962, producer-director Roger

Corman and his distribution part-
ners at American International Pic-
tures were enjoying heavenly re-
turns from the runaway success of

House of Usher (1960) and The Pit
and the Pendulum (1961). But there

Mexican lobby card for the (tame) Italian sex-and-horror romp was trouble in paradise, in the form

The Playgirls and the Vampire (1963). Note the “recycled”

rendering of Germán Robles from The Vampire (1957/68), a dif-of a financial disagreement between
ferent film from a different continent!

Corman and AIP chiefs Sam Arkoff

334

The Premature Burial

2. THE MOVIES
and Jim Nicholson. “AIP and I had a dispute over

Burial very much in line with the preceding Poe my piece of the profits after Pit,” Corman writes pictures. The production reused sets and props
in his autobiography. “In negotiating my fee, Sam
from the first two films. Although Burial features and I had an informal tradition of flipping a coin
more external scenes than Usher or Pit (which to settle, say, a $10,000 difference. I won the first take place almost exclusively within the walls of
time, he won the next three times and I stopped
crumbling castles), all of Burial’s “exteriors” were flipping.”

shot on soundstages (with lots of dry ice fog) and

Instead, Corman decided to finance his next
share the same carefully designed, nightmarishly

Edgar Allan Poe adaptation independently and
unreal look of the interior sets.

struck a deal with Pathe Labs, which wanted to

If anything, Premature Burial is too similar to enter the film distribution business. Pathe agreed

Corman’s first two Poe features. The director
to put up half the production costs in exchange
wasn’t entirely happy with Beaumont’s script so
for U.S. distribution rights. Corman hired screen-
he brought in Ray Russell to do a rewrite (both
writer Chuck Beaumont to develop a screenplay
writers receive screen credit, but they did not col-based on Poe’s story “The Premature Burial.”

laborate in the traditional sense). Nevertheless,

Since Vincent Price (who had starred in Usher
the scenario remains disappointingly akin to
and Pit) was under exclusive contract to AIP, Cor-Usher and Pit. Like those films, Burial chronicles man signed Ray Milland for the lead in The Pre-the mental breakdown of a neurotic, morbidly
mature Burial. The first day of shooting, however, obsessed protagonist who’s pushed into raving,

Arkoff and Nicholson unexpectedly arrived on
murderous insanity when a character is buried
set. “They were both smiling so I thought,
prematurely — in this case, himself. Like Usher

‘They’ve come to wish me well,’” Corman said.

and Pit, Burial suffers from a slow-moving and

“Then Sam came up to me and shook my hand
overly expository opening but builds to a lively
and said, ‘Congratulations, Roger! Our partner-
and intense finale. Like those films, it features a ship continues.’ It turned out that the night before surreal, tinted, slow-motion dream sequence; all
they had bought out Pathe’s interest in the pic-
that’s missing is the climactic house fire. Never-
ture.”

theless, Burial remains a weaker effort than its Even though it was not intended to be an AIP
predecessors. Compared to the first two, it’s pre-
release, the participation of Corman, cinematog-
dictably plotted, glacial in pace, populated by
rapher Floyd Crosby and production designer
wafer-thin characters and overstuffed with dry,

Daniel Haller kept the look and feel of Premature starchy dialogue. Beaumont and Russell simply
aren’t Richard Matheson, the
acclaimed (but pricier)

screenwriter who had penned

Corman’s first two Poe pic-
tures. Corman quickly re-
turned to Matheson as he
continued the series.

Aside from Matheson, the
other key contrib
utor to

Usher and Pit missing from

Burial was, of course, Vincent

Price. However, in Ray Mil-
land Corman found a much
more amenable substitute.

Milland, owner of a Best

Actor Oscar for his work in

The Lost Weekend (1945), dis-
plays terrific range as Guy,
playing the early scenes with
subtlety and tenderness, and
then cutting loose with ven-

Hazel Court (foreground) about to experience The Premature Burial
omous glee for the movie’s

(1962) first-hand (American lobby card).

bloodthirsty climax. “Having

2. THE MOVIES

The Projected Man

335

Ray in The Premature Burial was
an interesting switch because he
had been a romantic leading man
in the Forties, so he brought that
with him,” Corman said. “He
played the part with a little more
charm and romance.” It helped
that Milland had the lovely and
gifted Hazel Court on board as
his co-star. Court’s appealing,
multi-faceted performance is a
major asset here, although her
portrayal of Emily is overshad-
owed by her masterful work in

Corman’s later Poe entry, Masque
of the Red Death (1964). The rest
of the cast — including Richard

Ney, Heather Angel and Alan

Napier—are essentially along for

Bryant Haliday as the gruesomely-disfigured, electrically-charged the ride, although none of them

Projected Man (1966).

in any way harm the picture.

Perhaps because it lacked the drawing power
device. The fly in the ointment (not a literal one
of Vincent Price, or maybe because audiences
this time) comes in the form of his stuffed-shirt
were growing bored with the same warmed-over
boss, Dr. Blanchard (Norman Wooland), who, for
plot, The Premature Burial did not reap the ex-some vague reason, wants Steiner to fail. To this
travagant box office returns of Usher or Pit. “Bur-end Blanchard sabotages the equipment, with the
ial generated more than $1 million in rentals but upshot being that Steiner makes a desperate gam-did not do as well as the first two,” Corman writes bit to transport himself, resulting in his becoming in his autobiography. “It was clear the formula
a horribly disfigured and electrically charged
had to be varied.” And so Corman struck out in
monster who uses his newfound killer touch to
a radically different direction with his next Poe
electrocute those who’ve wronged him.

feature, Tales of Terror (1962).

About the only intriguing thing about this talky

With quotes from: “California Gothic: The
yawn-fest is its outrageously nonsensical foreign-

Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by Lawrence
language title: In West Germany, the film was re-

French, from Video Watchdog No. 138; and How leased under the moniker Frankenstein — das

I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never

Ungeheuer mit der Feuerklaue ( Frankenstein—the Lost a Dime, by Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

Monster with the Fireclaw)! Long stretches of repetitive lab scenes and uninteresting talk sink

The Projected Man (1966; Universal; U.K.) the film before it even has a chance to swim. The Director: Ian Curteis; Producers: John Croydon,
movie is half over before anything resembling a

Maurice Foster; Screenplay: John C. Cooper,

(literal) shock occurs.

Peter Bryan; Cinematographer: Stanley Pavey.

To its credit, the first appearance of the mon-

Cast: Mary Peach, Bryant Haliday, Norman
strous “projected man” is suspenseful, as director Wooland, Ronald Allen, Derek Farr, Tracey Crisp.

Ian Curteis keeps him unseen, relying on actors’

reactions to the off-screen horror to pique the

DO YOU DARE FACE ... THE PROJECTED
viewer’s curiosity. When the “monster” finally

MAN — ad line
steps out of the shadow into the light, a literally Double-billed with (the far more entertaining)

in-your-face close-up shockingly reveals the ef-

Island of Terror, The Projected Man is a dull, dull, fectively hideous visage, with its bulging, filmy
dull entry in Britain’s sci-fi/horror sweepstakes
eye and blistered, road-rash half-a-face. But then, of the 1960s. This derivative Fly redux, with a little after a few brief murders, the “projected man”

Invisible Ray thrown in, has scientist Paul Steiner starts to talk again! (Even the expected jealous (Bryant Haliday, of Devil Doll and Curse of the confrontation between the monstrous Steiner and

Voodoo “fame”) perfecting a matter transference the heroine, seeking solace in the strong arms of

336

Psycho

2. THE MOVIES

Steiner’s handsome assistant, carries no suspense,
knowingly, the $40,000). When an insurance in-
since he just talks to them.) And at the climax, vestigator (Martin Balsam) and, later, Sam, along
nothing really happens— apart from him talking,
with Marion’s sister (Vera Miles), come looking
of course. After deciding to destroy the projecting for the dead woman — and the money — Mother
device, Steiner is struck by the now-deadly beam
must kill again.

and just disappears— along with the viewer’s in-

According to screenwriter Joseph Stefano, Psy-
terest (actually, that has evaporated long ago).

cho was inspired by the success of other low-bud-Though the cast does what it can with their
get, black and white chillers (likely the early
rather tepid characters (blonde, English beauty
efforts of William Castle and Roger Corman). “He

Mary Peach, though sincere and natural in her
mentioned another company that was making
acting, never quite convinces as a brainy pathol-
very low budget movies which were not terribly
ogist; and Bryant Haliday’s character is so strident good and were doing very well at the box office,”

as to become unlikable), they can’t get past the

Stefano said. “His feeling was, ‘How would it be
incessant dialogue and inactivity.

if somebody good did one of these low budget

According to executive producer Richard Gor-
movies?’” However, Psycho wasn’t the kind of don, the film was written with a Los Angeles set-movie Paramount wanted from Hitchcock. The
ting in mind, but the script was ultimately
studio wanted another North by Northwest or To rejected by AIP. (It’s not hard to fathom why.)

Catch a Thief— glossy, high-toned Technicolor Gordon and Compton Films picked it up and
mysteries full of big stars, not some grimy black-
changed the location to England. Even so, with
and-white horror show. Undaunted, Hitch
its English settings and endless talk, The Projected financed Psycho’s relatively modest $800,000

Man comes across as veddy British ... and veddy budget himself and shot it using the crew from
dull.

his popular television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Psycho (1960; Paramount; b&w) Director/Pro-In adapting Psycho for the screen, Hitchcock ducer: Alfred Hitchcock; Screenplay: Joseph Ste-and Stefano retained novelist Robert Bloch’s plot
fano (Novel: Robert Bloch); Cinematographer:

but made subtle revisions that dramatically

John L. Russell. Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet
altered the impact of the story. The two most sig-

Leigh, Martin Balsam, Vera Miles, John Gavin.

nificant of these were changing Norman (in the
novel, an overweight, bespectacled, middle-aged

Alfred Hitchcock’s Greatest Shocker!— tagline

Psycho changed everything. Although not a
flawless movie, it stands among the most
enduring and influential films of all time, and
represents a tectonic shift in the horror genre.

Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is having a torrid
affair with struggling shopkeeper Sam Loomis

(John Gavin), but he refuses to marry her until
he’s on better financial footing. As a modestly paid secretary in a realtor’s office, she’s in no position to help — until she’s entrusted with $40,000 cash,
which a wealthy client drops off to pay for a new
house (a wedding present for his daughter). Mar-
ion takes the money and skips town, but grows
weary of driving and is forced to stop for the night at an out-of-the-way motel. After a heart-to-heart chat with proprietor Norman Bates (An-
thony Perkins), a young man tormented by his
domineering mother, Marion has a change of
heart and decides to return the stolen money. Be-
fore she can do so, however, Norman’s mother
breaks in and stabs Marion to death in the
shower. Norman dutifully cleans up the mess, dis-

Portrait of predation: publicity shot of Anthony posing of the body and Marion’s car (and, un-Perkins as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960).

2. THE MOVIES

Psycho

337
reprobate) into a handsome, sympathetic but

More than any other Hitchcock picture, Psycho
troubled young man, and elongating the opening
utilizes the montage editing techniques the direc-
sequence to further develop the character of Mar-
tor learned during the silent era. Hitchcock em-
ion (“Mary” Crane is murdered in Chapter Two
ploys them to especially powerful effect during
of the novel). All of this was intended to misdirect the famous shower scene. “Psycho is probably one audiences. “Psycho was designed, first of all to lead of the most cinematic pictures I’ve ever made,”

an audience completely up the garden path,”

Hitchcock said. “Because there you had montage

Hitchcock said. “They thought the story was
in the bathtub killing, where the whole thing is
about a girl who stole $40,000. That was deliber-
purely an illusion. No knife ever touched any
ate. And suddenly out of the blue, she is stabbed
woman’s body in that scene. Ever. But the rapidity
to death.... You know that the public always likes
of the shots, it took a week to shoot. The little
to be one jump ahead of the story; they like to feel pieces of film were probably not more than four
they know what’s coming next. So you delib er -
or five inches long. They were on the screen for a
ately play upon this fact to control their thoughts....

fraction of a second.” The effect was so powerful

You turn the viewer in one direction or another;
that many viewers believed they had seen a naked
you keep him as far as possible from what’s actu-
woman brutally murdered—complete with slash-
ally going to happen.... I was directing the viewers.

ing blade and gushing blood. This, too, was by

You might say I was playing them, like an organ.”

design. “Now a lot of people have complained

If Psycho has a general weakness, it’s that Hitch-about the excessive violence” of the shower mur-
cock succeeds too well in building a cinematic
der, Hitchcock said. “This was purposely done,
thrill ride. While its power to elicit an emotional because as the film then proceeded I reduced the
response from viewers remains undeniable,
violence while I was transferring it into the mind

Psycho may seem overly mechanical, too coldly of the audience.... So that the audience, by the
calculating. It lacks the warmth and humanity of
time we got toward the end when the girl was
earlier Hitchcock masterworks such as Strangers going over the house, wandering, they didn’t par-on a Train (1950) and Rear Window (1956). Psycho ticularly care who she was.... They will yell LOOK
has less ethereal problems, too: Its third act is no-OUT!”

ticeably weaker than its first two; and its penul-

Hitchcock also elicits career-best work from a
timate scene—a belabored, excruciatingly expos-
number of key collaborators. Composer Bernard
itory sequence in which a psychologist (Simon

Herrmann’s spiky, string-laden score is a

Oakland) explains the bizarre relationship be-
landmark in itself, as instantly recognizable as any tween Norman and Mother — hangs like an anvil
other element in the picture. Saul Bass’ simple but around the film’s neck (although Psycho redeems visually arresting opening titles are elegance itself.

itself with its short, blood-curdling final scene, a Stefano’s screenplay is a marvel of sustained ten-last visit with Mother in her jail cell).

sion. The picture’s entire cast performs well, but

Nevertheless, the movie’s assets far outweigh

Leigh and Perkins are sensational. She earned a
its liabilities. Hitchcock, one of the most fluent

Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. Even
storytellers in the language of cinema, was never
though he delivered one of the greatest portrayals
more eloquent or powerful. As is inevitably the
in movie history, the Academy denied Perkins a
case with Hitchcock’s films, Psycho’s most pow-similar honor. Perkins’ work here is spectacular,
erful sequences play out without dialogue. But
alternately awkwardly appealing, mournful and

Psycho may be the ultimate expression of the di-menacing —changing smoothly back and forth,
rector’s “pure cinema” concept. “I don’t care
sometimes (like during Norman’s parlor dinner
about the subject matter; I don’t care about the
with Marion) making these transitions from one
acting; but I do care about the pieces of film and
line of dialogue to the next. He also laces his perthe photography and the soundtrack and all of
formance with a note of black humor that
the technical ingredients that made the audience
becomes evident on subsequent viewings, once
scream,” Hitchcock said. “I feel it’s tremendously
viewers learn the true nature of Norman’s rela-
satisfying for us to be able to use the cinematic
tionship with Mother.

art to achieve something of mass emotion. And

Few films reward repeat viewings as richly as
with Psycho we most definitely achieved this. It Psycho, which only improves when watched more wasn’t a message that stirred the audiences, nor
closely. For instance, careful inspection reveals
was it a great performance or their enjoyment of
the film’s subtle manipulation of bird imagery and
the novel. They were aroused by pure film.”

its metaphoric use of mirrors, as well as the deeply

338

Psycho Killers; The Psychopath

2. THE MOVIES

Freudian undercurrents in the scenario. In his

Serial killers would usurp vampires as the movies’

book The Art of Alfred Hitchcock, author Donald ultimate bogeymen. Although there had been

Spoto posits that the key to Psycho’s ongoing ap-dozens of scary movies made about homicidal
peal is that the picture contains “themes, images
killers, none of them were as widely imitated or
and ideas of which we’re only casually or obliquely culturally resonant as Psycho, which can arguably aware until after multiple viewings. For this film
be counted as the first modern horror movie. In-
is really a meditation on the tyranny of past over
deed, for all these reasons, the history of horror
present. It’s an indictment of the viewer’s capacity cinema divides neatly into two eras: pre– Psycho for voyeurism and his own potential for deprav-and post– Psycho.

ity.... Psycho is also— and this doesn’t exhaust the With quotes from: The Art of Alfred Hitchcock, contents— a ruthless exposition of American Pu-by Donald Spoto; Hitchcock on Hitchcock, edited ritanism and exaggerated Mom-ism.” It’s no
by Sidney Gottlieb; Hitchcock/Truffaut, by Fran -
wonder that entire books and feature-length doc-
çois Truffaut; Who the Devil Made It by Peter umentary films have been devoted to the movie’s

Bogdanovich; and The Making of Psycho, DVD
meaning and its legacy.

documentary from MCA/Universal Home Video.

Despite Paramount’s trepidations, Psycho turned out to be one of the greatest box office triumphs

Psycho Killers see Mania
of the decade. Lines formed around the block at
many theaters, in part because, in an unusual

The Psychopath (1966; Amicus/Paramount; congruence of artistic integrity and promotional

U.K.) Director: Freddie Francis; Producers: Max
ballyhoo, Hitchcock refused to allow viewers to

J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky; Screenplay:

enter the theater after the film began (thus pre-

Robert Bloch; Cinematography: John Wilcox.

serving the integrity of the story’s shocking plot

Cast: Patrick Wymark, Margaret Johnston,
twists). Psycho remained a hot ticket even when Alexander Knox, John Standing, Judy Huxtable,
reissued in 1961. It spawned a trio of belated se-

Don Borisenko, Thorley Walters, Robert Crewd-
quels ( Psycho II [1983], Psycho III [1986], and Psy-son.

cho IV: The Beginning [1990]) and a 1998 remake.

A New Peak in Shriek!— tagline

Psycho remains one of the most laurelled films ever made (it ranked No. 18 on the American Film

Despite an excellent pedigree — by Psycho au-Institute’s Top 100 Movies list, and No. 1 on the
thor Robert Bloch through gifted director Freddie

AFI’s Top 100 thrillers survey). But the picture’s

Francis— The Psychopath is hardly a trophy-win-immediate impact was to inspire a flood of black-
ning example of its breed. Francis does everything
and-white psychological thrillers that poured into
in his power to advance the film’s cause and so
movie theaters throughout the early 1960s. These
does ever-reliable star Patrick Wymark, but their
ranged from the prestigious (Roman Polanski’s
efforts are compromised by Bloch’s lazy, unin-

Repulsion [1963]) to the puerile (William Castle’s spired screenplay.

Homicidal [1961]). Some of Psycho’s progeny in-Reinhardt Klermer, an apparently unremark-
spired new lineages of their own. Scream of Fear able middle-aged amateur violinist, is on his way

(1961) inaugurated a long series of similar pictures to meet three music-loving chums who play to-from Hammer Films. What Ever Happened to
gether as a chamber quartet when a red sedan

Baby Jane (1962) launched the horror hag sub-suddenly appears and runs over him —intention-
genre. More significantly, Italy’s Mario Bava, in-
ally and repeatedly. The killer leaves a doll at the spired by Hitchcock in general and Psycho in par-scene created in the exact likeness of the victim,
ticular, created films like The Evil Eye (1963/64) right down to a tiny violin case. Inspector Hol-and Blood and Black Lace (1964), establishing the loway (Wymark) believes the crime may have
giallo oeuvre, a style of gory whodunit that would
been committed by another member of the en-
eventually be Americanized (and dumbed down)

semble — until they, too, are assassinated (poi-
as the slasher film.

soned, hanged, stabbed), with a doll left at every

Psycho also pounded the first nail into the coffin crime scene. Then it comes to light that all four
for the classic, gothic horror film. Although it
victims gave evidence against a convicted war
would take another 10 years or so for the style to
criminal whose eccentric, crippled widow (Mar-
fully wither, after Psycho, spooky old Carpathian garet Johnston) lives nearby, along with her
castles increasingly would be replaced by subur -
doting son Mark (John Standing). Mark and his
ban homes as the preferred setting for fright films.

mother (who collects dolls) become prime sus-

2. THE MOVIES

Quatermass and the Pit; Queen of Blood

339
pects, but so do Louise Saville (who works in a
doll factory) and her penniless fiancé (Donald

Loftis) because Louise’s (Judy Huxtable) wealthy,
recently poisoned father disapproved of their
plans for marriage. Holloway presses on with the
case, even after discovering a doll with his features.

Although it has some exceptional moments—
particularly Holloway’s visit to the old widow’s
home, strewn with thousands of dolls; a cat-and-
mouse action sequence that plays out in a dark-
ened boat factory; and the mystery’s almost gra-
tuitously icky resolution — The Psychopath
remains a standard issue police procedural tarted
up with a few horrific flourishes (such as the
voodoo-like doll gimmick) rather than a full-
blooded psychological thriller. The problem isn’t
so much that the content isn’t horrific enough,
but rather that Bloch’s scenario presents the
crimes (and even the doll business) in such a stiff, formulaic manner they fail to make much impact.

Even though it’s unsettling — and by far the best

Louise (Judy Huxtable) and Mark Von Sturm (John
sequence in the film — the mystery’s creepy res-

Standing) come face-to-face with the killer at the olution seems overly familiar; it’s a simple inver-climax of the disappointing Psychopath (1966), sion of Bloch’s Psycho climax, followed by a par-written by Robert Bloch and directed by Freddie
ticularly gruesome counterpoint to that picture’s

Francis.

final scene.

Bloch’s characters are all pat stereotypes, even
ingly routine yarn. The Psychopath’s flashes of Holloway. Wymark’s rich, subtle performance
brilliance make the rest of the movie look all the
masks the fact that his character is little more than more lackluster.

a cipher. Holloway wanders through The Psy-
chopath making about as much difference as the

Quatermass and the Pit see Five
newsreel journalist in Citizen Kane. No one else

Million Years to Earth
in the cast is nearly as impressive as Wymark, al-
though Margaret Johnston’s unbridled scenery-

Queen of Blood (1966; AIP) Alternate Title: chewing as the paralyzed old woman is at least

Planet of Blood (TV). Director/screenplay: Curtis fun to watch. On the other end of the spectrum,

Harrington; Producer: George Edwards; Cine-

Don Borisenko’s work is painfully robotic. Francis
matography: Vilis Lapenieks. Cast: John Saxon,
seizes on the few opportunities afforded by Bloch’s Basil Rathbone, Judi Meredith, Dennis Hopper,
screenplay. For example, the director makes sym-

Paul Boon, Don Eitner, Florence Marly.

bolic use of the recurring dolls. He also introduces a second motif through his imaginative use of the

HIDEOUS BEYOND BELIEF with AN
color red, which from the opening scene signals

INHUMAN CRAVING — tagline
danger (the murder car is fire engine red). By the

In the far-flung future of 1990, just as Earth is
end of the film, the mere sight of a character in a preparing manned spaceflights to both Mars and
bright red raincoat is enough to put viewers on

Venus, the human race is contacted by an alien
the edge of their seats. Francis’ eye for evocatively civilization: The space people are sending an am-designed shots is in full evidence at points, too—
bassador to Earth. The news causes a sensation
not only for the “doll house” and boat factory se-
everywhere, but especially at the international
quences, but also during a murder that takes place
space agency, where astronauts including Allen
in a creepy sculptor’s studio full of distorted

Brenner (John Saxon), Paul Grant (Dennis Hop-
hunks of half-sculpted metal.

per) and Laura James (Judi Meredith) have been

It’s unfortunate that such outstanding
training under the direction of Dr. Farraday (Basil moments unfold in the context of this disappoint-Rathbone). Then word arrives that the alien ship

340

Queen of Blood

2. THE MOVIES
has crashed on Mars. Paul, Laura and a third as-
cluding its unforgettable title character. Such orig-tronaut, Anders Brockman (Paul Boon), are sent
inality was necessary because Corman had already
on a rescue mission but their rocket is damaged
used Nebo Zovyot once — he had Francis Ford in a “sunburst” and stranded on the red planet.

Coppola trim it and dub it for release as Battle Be-So Allen and his pal Tony (Don Eitner) blast off
yond the Sun (1962)— and even Corman wasn’t to rescue the rescuers. On Phobos, a moon of
cheap enough to have Harrington simply re-cut

Mars, Allen and Tony discover a beautiful, green-
the same picture over again. Still, stock shots ac-
skinned alien woman, who they attempt to bring
count for more than half the running time of
back to Earth along with Paul, Anders and Laura

Queen of Blood, with the balance of the footage (the rest of the aliens are dead). On the flight
quickly filmed on bargain basement spaceship
home, however, the alien reveals herself to be a
and laboratory sets. These sequences look even
vampire, attacking and killing Paul while the oth-
worse in contrast with scenes from the elaborately
ers sleep. Nevertheless, mission control considers
designed, special effects-laden Soviet pictures, but the alien a priceless scientific specimen, and in-at least Harrington displays some ingenuity in the
structs the surviving astronauts to feed her blood
way he integrates his new material with that from
plasma and bring her safely to Earth. But soon
the two Russian movies.

the plasma runs out...

The set-up is overly protracted, mostly to show

Following his atmospheric and artfully crafted
off the admittedly impressive Soviet visual effects debut Night Tide (1961), writer-director Curtis sequences, but the story finally comes to life when Harrington found himself working for Roger

(with about 30 minutes left in the 81-minute fea-

Corman, cobbling together cut-rate, double-fea-
ture) the astronauts begin their return trip to
ture-filling product out of recycled footage from

Earth with the alien “queen.” Suddenly, Queen of Russian science fiction epics—first, Voyage to the Blood becomes a surprisingly effective science fic-Prehistoric Planet (1965), an Americanization of tion-horror hybrid, with the beautiful but men-Planeta Bur ( Planet of Storms, 1962), and then acing green-skinned title character wooing first

Queen of Blood (1966), which combines scenes Paul (Hopper) and then Anders (Paul Boon) to
from both Nebo Zovyot ( The Sky Calls, 1960) and their deaths with a seductive grin and her blue

Mechte Navstrechu ( Encounter in Space, 1963) eyes glowing ghostly white. The story’s cynical,
with newly shot scenes starring Saxon, Hopper,
downbeat finale also works well. It’s enough to

Rathbone and friends.

(barely) redeem a film plagued by chintzy pro-

Although both films represent a major step
duction values, corny dialogue, clumsy dubbing
down from Night Tide, Queen of Blood is by far and bad acting. Among the cast’s stars, Saxon is
the better of the two. It’s more of an original pro-passable, Hopper is flat and Rathbone is barely
duction than Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet, con-involved (he’s occasionally seen in a lab coat, talk-taining more ideas that belong to Harrington, in-
ing into a microphone to Saxon and Hopper).

Hopper’s performance seems es-
pecially disappointing, not only
because it comes from a future
major star but because he was so
good in Night Tide. Here Hopper
seems wooden, although the
screenplay doesn’t help (after
the “sunburst” he quips, “I’ve
got a symphony in my head and
it ain’t Brahms”). Florence

Marly steals the film in its
speechless but showy title role.

After doing penance with

Corman, Harrington was re-
warded with a major studio fea-
ture, the stylized Hitchcockian
thriller Games (1967)—arguably
the best work of his career —

Ad for Queen of Blood (1966).

and went on to make several

2. THE MOVIES

Rasputin, the Mad Monk

341
horror films in the 1970s and direct numerous TV
scenes involving the Czar’s court.” Consequently,
episodes in the ’80s. As with Queen of Blood, Har-Rasputin lacks the expansiveness necessary for an rington consistently brought fresh ideas and
effective historical horror film
visual panache to productions that were often be-

Nevertheless, Sharp keeps the hokum rolling
neath his talent.

merrily along with his prowling camera and ur-
gent cross-cutting, and production values gener-

Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966; Hammer; ally remain high, despite a couple of obvious

U.K.) Alternate Title: Rasputin; Director: Don Sharp; Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys; Screenplay: John Elder (Anthony Hinds); Cinematog-
raphy: Michael Reed. Cast: Christopher Lee, Bar-
bara Shelley, Richard Pasco, Francis Matthews,

Suzan Farmer.

DISGUISE YOURSELF FROM THE FORCES

OF EVIL! GET YOUR “RASPUTIN” BEARD

FREE AS YOU ENTER THE THEATRE!

— promotional giveaway

Based on the life of the mysterious and contro-
versial historical figure Grigori Efimovich

Rasputin, who held sway over the Royal family of

Russia and virtually ruled the Russian Empire
prior to the Bolshevik Revolution, Rasputin the Mad Monk is far from historically accurate but still a good fictional stab at capturing the feel of the man and his “power.”

For many years, star Christopher Lee named

Rasputin as his personal favorite among his many
roles, and it’s easy to see why. In the title role, Lee delivers a towering, intense performance as a
character who is powerful, ruthless, cunning and
irresistible to women. Bedecked in monk’s robes,
a shaggy wig and a bushy beard, he’s onscreen al-
most constantly, and his intimidating presence
looms over the picture even when he’s absent.

Who wouldn’t love playing this part?

The story — a mishmash of historical factoids
and elements borrowed from Svengali—follows Rasputin (a rogue Russian orthodox monk with
hypnotic powers) as he connives his way into the

Russian royal court through his mesmeric control
of the Czarina and her handmaidens. But the pro-
duction suffers from a cramped feeling, with very
little scope given to the setting, undoubtedly due
to budgetary restrictions (Hammer re-used much
of the sets from their more opulent Dracula,

Prince of Darkness, which wrapped only three days prior to the start of Rasputin’s shoot). The Czar doesn’t even appear, and there is no depiction of
court life. “[Hammer executive] Tony Hinds
came to me and said we were running over budget
and asked for input on scenes that had to be cut
to compensate,” said director Don Sharp. “So we

Christopher Lee as Rasputin , the Mad Monk
ended up losing a whole ballroom set and cutting

(1966).

342

The Raven

2. THE MOVIES
stock footage inserts. The supporting players also

Terror earned close to $1.5 million in 1962, Cor-enhance the scenario’s credibility (particularly
man and screenwriter Richard Matheson decided

Barbara Shelley). The film’s main attraction, how-

(in Corman’s words) “to transform Poe’s classic
ever, is Lee, who has called Rasputin “one of the
poem The Raven into a lighter comedy-horror best parts I’ve ever had” and “one of the best per-project and use those two again.” Those two, of
formances I’ve given.”

course, were Vincent Price and Peter Lorre. Add

Lee’s performance has been labeled a tour-de-
to the cinematic broth a heavy dose of “heavy”

force, and rightly so; for when he is on the screen, Boris Karloff, a pinch of the oh-so-pinchable
all eyes are on him. “I thought he was brilliant,”

Hazel Court, and a dash of a less-than-dashing
praised co-star Barbara Shelley (who plays a lady

Jack Nicholson (in tights and silly hat), and The in waiting who’s hypnotized by Rasputin into

Raven became a tasty comedy-horror dish.

committing suicide). “If it hadn’t been a Hammer

Although AIP publicity called The Raven “the film, he would have had incredible reviews for
most terrifying combination of Edgar Allen [sic]

that.” Unfortunately, screenwriter Hinds doesn’t

Poe story and cast ever assembled,” and advertised
serve Rasputin as well as actor Lee. The script
it as a straight horror film (“The Supreme Adven-
paints Rasputin as an almost inhumanly devilish
ture in Terror!”), it turned out anything but
narcissist rather than a complex historical figure.

straight. The Raven was the fifth Poe movie di-

“The film concentrated on the diabolical side of
rected by Corman and the fourth written by

Rasputin,” observed Lee. “Apparently, that’s what

Richard Matheson, who was desperate for a
the world expects to see.”

change of pace. “The Raven was fun,” recounted Rasputin remains more a historical melodrama Matheson in John Brosnan’s The Horror People.

than a full-bore horror film. That didn’t stop the

“The AIP executives had found out that the mid-
studio from promoting it as such, however. In the
dle portion in Tales of Terror, which had been U.S., where it was issued on a twin bill with The done for laughs, was very successful, so they de-Reptile, movie goers (“boys and girls” alike, accided to do a whole funny picture. Anyway, I
cording to vintage TV spots) were issued fake
couldn’t have done another serious one. It would

Rasputin beards upon admission. Regrettably, the
have been more than I could stand. I had to do
bogus beards are long gone, but Rasputin retains them for laughs by then.”

other compensations, first and foremost Lee’s

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pon-
barnstorming performance, which indeed ranks
dered, weak and weary...” intones Vincent Price’s
among the most memorable of his long career.

mellifluous voice as The Raven opens with the With quotes from: The Films
of Christopher Lee, by Robert W.

Pohle, Jr., and Douglas C. Hart;

Christopher Lee: The Authorised

Screen History, by Jonathan

Rigby; Hammer Films: The Bray

Studios Years, by Wayne Kinsey.

The Raven (1963; AIP) Di-
rector/Producer: Roger Cor-
man. Screenplay: Richard

Matheson; Cinematographer:

Floyd Crosby. Cast: Vincent

Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff,

Hazel Court, Olive Sturgess,

Jack Nicholson, Connie Wal-
lace, William Baskin, Aaron

Saxon.

The HORROR BEGAN at

MIDNIGHT!— ad line

When director Roger Cor-

The Comedy of Poe: Peter Lorre, Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Olive man’s Poe anthology Tales of

Sturgess and Boris Karloff in The Raven (1963).

2. THE MOVIES

The Reptile

343
actor reciting the first stanza of the famous Poe
stuffiness around him, creating some wonderfully
poem. (This brief recitation, and the fact that the comedic moments. And he has all the best lines,
protagonist is pining over “the lost Lenore” [his
most of them of his own devising.

dead wife], is about all the film takes from Poe.)

“Peter knew every line of the script perfectly,”

The story proper, set sometime during the middle
recalled Price, “but loved to invent his own, and
ages, begins with Dr. Erasmus Craven (Price),
sometimes his ad-libs were so humorous Corman
sorcerer extraordinaire, lamenting the loss of his
let them stay in.” Lorre tosses a quip here and an
beloved wife Lenore two years earlier. “Gently
aside there so frequently that amusing ad-libs
there came a rapping” at Craven’s window and in
come thicker than raven droppings— of which
steps “a stately raven.” Said raven turns out to be raven-toting co-star Jack Nicholson bitterly com-more than he appears, for the bird is actually an-
plained. “The raven we used shit endlessly over
other magician, the bumbling, wine-loving Dr.

everybody and everything,” recalled Nicholson

Bedlo (Lorre). Bedlo had been turned into the
in Corman’s autobiography. “It just shit endlessly.

black bird by Dr. Scarabus (Karloff ), the powerful My whole right shoulder was constantly covered
and ruthless head of the “Brotherhood of Magi-
with raven shit.”

cians.” After Craven effects a cure for Bedlo’s

Costing $350,000, The Raven reportedly earned feathery enchantment, Bedlo relates that he’d seen
over 1.4 million in rentals, making it a big

Craven’s long-dead Lenore (Hazel Court) at
financial success for AIP and inspiring them to

Scarabus’ home. Accompanied by Craven’s
continue in the horror-comedy vein with The
daughter (Olive Sturgess) and Bedlo’s son (Jack

Comedy of Terrors (whose much poorer box-office Nicholson), the two magicians journey to Castle
showing scotched AIP’s plans as promptly as The Scarabus to investigate, culminating in a magical

Raven had spawned them).

“duel to the death.”

In addition to the usual “midnight screening”

“I have always felt that The Raven, for a three-and “bravest boy and/or girl” contest (with the
week shoot, is one of the more accomplished films
winner to sit alone in the theater watching The I directed,” wrote Corman in his autobiography

Raven after midnight), AIP came up with a few How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and
unusual tie-ins (including a Raven paperback and Never Lost a Dime. “[Art director] Danny Haller comic book) and seat-selling slants. “Offer free
again created lavish-looking, stylized sets that
admission to see The Raven for anyone who
gave the film great-looking production value for
brings a real raven to the theater,” suggested the
the money.” Indeed he did. From the creepy, cob-
pressbook. No doubt that wouldn’t have sat too webbed Craven crypt to the great hall of Scarabus
well with the theater clean-up crew.

Castle (with its towering pillars, overpowering
stone staircase and blazing brazier centerpiece),

The Reptile (1966; Hammer/Seven Arts; U.K.) Haller’s sets create a grandiose, otherworldly at-Director: John Gilling; Producer: Anthony Nelson
mosphere for this comedic, medieval-style fairy

Keys; Screenplay: Anthony Hinds (as John Elder);
tale. Corman and cinematographer Floyd Crosby

Cinematographer: Arthur Grant. Cast: Noel
shoot to best advantage, utilizing varying angles

Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Jacqueline
and lighting to generate a sense of grandeur and

Pearce, Michael Ripper, John Laurie, Marne Mait-
wonder perfectly suited to the larger-than-life
land.

characters and scenario.

The undisputed star attraction of The Raven, What strange power made her half woman —
half snake?— tagline
however, is that “Triumvirate of Terror”— Price,

Karloff and Lorre. Price is as charming as he’s ever Michael Ripper fans, this one’s for you.

appeared on film, and he makes his self-effacing

Although the stalwart supporting player ap-
and kindly Dr. Craven a likeable and engaging
peared in dozens of productions for Hammer
character. Karloff is insincerity personified, as he Films over the years, sometimes in uncredited
deceives with wickedly false smiles and empty
bits, the studio never gave the beloved Ripper a
flatteries while hatching his devious plots. And
more prominent role than his turn as the good-

Lorre is the comedic glue that binds it all together.

hearted innkeeper in The Reptile. Ripper projects His disarmingly garrulous and irascible demeanor
vulnerability, compassion and courage in equal
both contrasts and compliments Price and
measure as a common man who rises to meet un-

Karloff ’s flowery, Old World characters. Lorre’s
common circumstances, coming to the aid of the
unpretentiousness takes all the starch out of the
nominal hero and heroine, and helping solve the

344

The Reptile

2. THE MOVIES
riddle of the mysterious Black Death murders.

the villagers call the “Black Death.” Harry and

Like his work in Night Creatures (1962) and The Tom unearth the bodies of Charles and Mad

Mummy’s Shroud (1967), it’s the kind of perform-Peter, and discover both are marked with what
ance that makes viewers wonder why Hammer so
looks like a cobra bite.

seldom entrusted the reliable and loyal Ripper

Soon after, Harry and Valerie receive a note
with parts worthy of his ability.

from Anna Franklyn begging for help, Harry

Unfortunately, outside of Ripper’s exemplary
rushes over and is bitten by Anna, a shape-chang-
portrayal, there’s very little of merit in The Rep-ing snake-woman. (Anna, it seems, was trans-
tile.

formed into a monster by a snake-worshiping

Newlyweds Harry and Valerie Spalding (Ray

Malaysian sect who objected to Dr. Franklyn’s in-

Barrett and Jennifer Daniel) inherit a cottage in
vestigation of its rituals. A member of the cult,
a remote Cornish village following the mysterious
identified only as “Malay” [Marne Maitland],
death of Harry’s brother, Charles. The only local
pursued the Franklyns to Cornwall.) Harry stag-
to welcome the newcomers is Tom Potter (Rip-
gers home but survives Anna’s bite thanks in part
per), proprietor of the local inn. The Spalding cot-to Tom’s timely intervention. Then Valerie finds
tage sits adjacent to the sprawling estate of the

Anna’s note and, even though her husband hovers
reclusive Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman), who
between life and death, strikes out for the
seems overprotective (and perhaps abusive) to-

Franklyn house, placing herself in peril and
ward his adult daughter, Anna (Jacqueline
setting the film’s predictable fiery conclusion into Pearce). The village drunk, “Mad Peter” (John
motion.

Laurie), informs Harry that “they” killed his

After an effective pre-credit sequence depicting
brother, but is unable to specify who “they” are.

Charles Spalding’s death, The Reptile shifts into When Mad Peter turns up dead, his body dis-low gear and grinds there until 52 of the film’s 90
figured in the same manner as Charles Spalding’s,
minutes have elapsed, when Harry and Tom start

Harry asks Tom to help him uncover who or what
digging up graves. The picture’s final act proves
killed his brother and the other victims of what
livelier, but much of the action seems contrived
rather than driven by any sort of internal logic or discernible character motivation. Why, for instance, does Valerie run to Anna’s aid when she
has seen what happened to Harry? Indeed, why
would the devoted young wife leave her husband
while he’s fighting for his life? And just as the
movie is speeding to its conclusion, the narrative
screeches to a halt so Franklyn can launch into a
protracted tale of woe, spelling out the picture’s
backstory through exposition of the most
painfully obvious variety.

Production values are predictably sound — the
usual Hammer polish is applied to its proper
sheen. Director John Gilling relies on low camera
angles, calculated use of shadows and other subtle
devices to try to enliven the static scenario, but
his efforts meet only intermittent success. Roy

Ashton’s fanged, bug-eyed snake woman makeup
is both original and fierce-looking, but Gilling
overuses it (and cinematographer Arthur Grant
over-lights it) during the finale, reducing its im-
pact.

Beyond Ripper’s fine work, the acting is a
mixed bag. Daniel, who was so impressive in The Kiss of the Vampire (1963/64), has less to do here as Valerie but remains both convincing and appealing. Willman, who was such a zero in Kiss, Ad for Hammer’s The Reptile (1966).

remains unimpressive as Dr. Franklyn (but fares

2. THE MOVIES

Reptilicus

345
marginally better this time
around). Barrett has little screen
presence but makes a game effort
as Harry. As “Mad Peter,” John

Laurie delivers the kind of colorful,
scene-stealing turn that fans nor-
mally expect from Ripper. Jacque-
line Pearce can’t muster the verve
the title role requires, perhaps lim-
ited by Ashton’s elaborate makeup.

Marne Maitland performs capably
as “Malay,” the latest in a long line
of enthnically vague villains por-
trayed by the actor.

Unintentional, perhaps, but
nevertheless fascinating is the sce-

Behind the scenes on the shot-in-Denmark Reptilicus (1962).

nario’s latent xenophobia. An al-

Among those pictured are model-builder Kaj Koed (at left, with ternate title for The Reptile might
pipe) and cinematographer Aage Wiltrup (far right) (courtesy Kip have been There Goes the Neighbor-Doto).

hood. Villagers who frequent Tom’s
alehouse shun outsiders and complain that their

Danish countryside but with a monster motif,”

Cornish hamlet was a delightful little place until
wrote Pink in his autobiography So You Want to

Those People arrived with their foreign ways. The

Make Movies. Though Pink claims he wrote the narrative posits that Dr. Franklyn brought disaster script in six days, it was actually penned by Pink’s upon himself and his daughter by investigating,
collaborator on The Angry Red Planet (1960), Ib and eventually adopting, foreign customs and be-Melchior, and re written by Pink. In any case, the liefs; they “went native” and corrupted their
haste certainly shows.

sacred Britishness. Yet Maitland’s character, iden-

A drilling crew in Lapland discovers the frozen
tified only as “Malay”— not truly a name, but
tail of a gigantic prehistoric beast, and it’s shipped rather a generic term for anything emanating
back to Copenhagen for study. When the tail be-
from Malaysia (he might just as well have been
gins to grow a new creature(!), the U.S. sends
called “Oriental”)— looms as the story’s true vil-

General Mark Grayson (Carl Ottosen) to super-
lain, an inscrutable Asian fiend who takes sadistic vise. During an electrical storm, the re-grown
pleasure in prolonging the torment of Dr.

beast comes fully alive and goes on a rampage of

Franklyn and his daughter. With “Malay” and his
destruction, with Grayson and the Danish
fellow-travelers dead and the Franklyn estate
military chasing it about until the monster (who
going up in flames, the village will once again be-
spits a deadly “acid slime” and whose “armor-like”

come fit for good, pure–English folk, The Reptile’s hide is nearly impenetrable) comes crashing into
resolution suggests.

the heart of Copenhagen.

“INVINCIBLE ... INDESTRUCTIBLE! WHAT WAS

Reptilicus (1962; AIP; Denmark/U.S.) Direc-THIS BEAST BORN FIFTY MILLION YEARS OUT
tor/Producer: Sidney Pink; Screenplay: Ib Mel-

OF TIME?” asked the ads. The answer: a pathetic
chior, Sid Pink; Cinematographer: Aage Wiltrup.

puppet. With its tiny legs, immobile body (the

Cast: Carl Ottosen, Ann Smyrner, Asbjorn An-
only thing that ever seems to move is its long, un-
dersen, Bent Mejding, Poul Wildaker, Mimi
gainly neck and head) and silly-looking (and ap-

Heinrich.

parently useless) wings, Reptilicus is the dopiest
giant monster this side of The Giant Claw. Actu-SEE Civilization Rioting with Fear!— ad line
ally, Reptilicus does fly in the Danish version, but When producer/director/co-writer Sid Pink
when Arkoff saw these airborne scenes, he report-
needed an idea for a film to be shot in Denmark
edly burst out laughing and ordered the beast

(Pink had production and distribution ties to that
grounded in the American prints. (How he kept
country), he turned to AIP heads Jim Nicholson
from laughing throughout the rest of the movie and Sam Arkoff. “Jimmy suggested that we do
remains a mystery.)

something that could include the beauties of the

Reptilicus was actually filmed twice — an

346

Repulsion

2. THE MOVIES

English version directed by Pink and a Danish

Repulsion (1965; Compton Films/Royal Films version directed by Saga Studio head Poul Bang

International; b&w) Director: Roman Polanski;

(Saga co-financed the film with AIP, with a final

Producer: Gene Gutowski; Screenplay: Roman
budget of $133,000). “I was to shoot each scene

Polanski and Gerard Brach; Cinematographer:

first,” explained Pink, “and after I accepted a take, Gilbert Taylor. Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Ian

Paol [sic] Bang would then rehearse and shoot

Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux, Patrick
until he had a satisfactory take.” Things didn’t go Wymark.

quite as planned, however. “Paol [sic] was never

A classic chiller of the ‘Psycho’ school!— tagline
satisfied with my camera placements and would
change them.” (Of course, given the finished

Although his debut feature, Knife in the Water
product, one can’t really blame the Dane.) (1962), earned an Oscar nomination and enthu-Pink has no illusions about either his perform-
siastic reviews from critics throughout the West,
ance as a first-time director or the film itself. “I director Roman Polanski’s work remained un-made every mistake in the book and then some,”

popular at home, especially within the communist
he admitted, concluding, “I was able to finish di-
film bureau that Polish moviemakers relied upon
recting the picture without really knowing what
for funding. Party bosses saw no use in searing
the hell I was doing.” Most of the film is taken up psychological dramas with no propaganda value,
with goofy “comic” antics by an overall-clad night
leaving Polanski stymied. So when exploitation
watchman (Danish comedian Dirch Passer), talk-
producer Gene Gutowski asked the director to
ing head scenes with the bulldog-like general
travel to England and helm a Psycho clone, Polan-

(who e-nun-ci-ates ve-ry care-ful-ly, becoming
ski jumped at the opportunity.

quite comical), and plenty of footage of the Dan-

Yet, once again Polanski defied expectations.

ish Army and Navy on maneuvers. (Through

Gutowski wanted a simple exploitation picture

Saga Studio owner Fleming John Olsen, Pink se-

(something “sensational” and “as sexual as
cured the full cooperation of the Danish military,
censors would allow in those days”), but Polanski
and was given the use of jeeps, troops, cannon
wanted to “upgrade” the project to a “psycholog-
and even tanks!) The “money” shots of Reptilicus
ical thriller” instead of “a cheap horror film.” The trashing Copenhagen consist of the immobile
director’s ambitions were amply fulfilled. Repul-marionette anchored to the unconvincing model
sion emerged as a deeply disturbing rumination sets, trying to knock something over with its head.

on the corrosive power of loneliness. It stands as

Occasionally it spits its “acid slime” in a (literal) not merely the finest of the many black-and-white
cartoon effect that would have felt right at home
psycho-thrillers produced in the wake of Psycho on the campy Batman TV series (“Zowie!”). Said (1960), but as a truly great film in its own right.

slime was actually an afterthought on the part of

In its unflinching examination of isolation and

AIP, who added the cartoon effects after Pink
urban paranoia, Repulsion seems ahead of its time, turned in his finished film.

According to Ib Melchior, AIP was
less-than-satisfied with Reptilicus.

Apart from demanding that the film
be re-dubbed (though shot in En-
glish, Arkoff felt the Danish actors’

“singsong” accents would have set

American audiences rolling in the
aisles), AIP also asked Melchior to
shoot some additional scenes. This
tampering led to lawsuits filed by

Pink, delaying the movie’s release for
nearly a year and a half.

According to Pink, “Reptilicus
went on to be a multimillion dollar
grossing picture for AIP.” Caveat

Emptor! In the end, a more apt name
for Reptilicus would have been

Italian photobusta showcasing the psychological terrors of Re-

Ridiculus.

pulsion (1965).

2. THE MOVIES

Return...; Revenge...; Revenge...

347
prefiguring pictures such as Martin Scorsese’s

None of this would work, however, without
harrowing Taxi Driver (1976), as well as Polanski’s Deneuve’s inspired performance as Carol. On-own Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Tenant screen almost constantly, with very little dialogue, (1976).

Deneuve’s timid, jittery body language and her

Shy, sexually repressed Carol (Catherine
extraordinarily expressive eyes make Carol’s tor-

Deneuve) lives with her sister Helen (Yvonne
tured inner life seem agonizingly real. Indeed, the Furneaux), who is having an affair with a married
film’s only slack moments are those rare occasions
man, Michael (Ian Hendry). To no avail, Carol
when she is off-screen (namely, scenes set in a
meekly voices her disapproval. With a bit more
pub, where Colin’s cretinous mates rib him for
success, she tries to fend off the advances of
failing to get into his girlfriend’s pants). Deneuve’s would-be boyfriend Colin (John Fraser)— even
performance seems all the more remarkable con-
rushing away to vigorously brush her teeth after
sidering that English was not the native tongue of
he kisses her goodnight. When Helen and Michael
either the actress or her director (this being Polan-leave for a vacation in Italy, Carol’s mental health ski’s first English language project). The script ac-crumbles. She becomes withdrawn, delusional
counts for the accents of Deneuve and Furneaux
and stricken by nightmares (in which she is re-
by making Carol and Helen Belgian immigrants.

peatedly raped) and hallucinations (including

The rest of the cast also acquits itself well, espe-phantom-like hands that reach out from the walls
cially Hendry, who brings charm and a surprising
to paw at her body). Eventually the emotionally
degree of sympathy to his role as Michael, Helen’s
shattered young woman bashes Colin’s head in
philandering lover.

with a candlestick. Later, after her landlord

Taking a page from Charlie Chaplin’s playbook,

(Patrick Wymark) attempts to rape her, she slices

Polanski (a former actor) often demonstrated the
him to death with a straight razor.

gestures and movements he wanted from his cast.

Polanski builds tension slowly but inexorably

“When we shoot a scene including several actors,
throughout this deceptively simple narrative,
he acts out every role,” Deneuve said in a French
which includes long sequences without dialogue.

TV interview filmed during production. “Polanski

He provides a visual metaphor for Carol’s psy-
is very meticulous,” said Furneaux. “He insists
chological disintegration in the remnants of a
that you avoid conventional approaches and clichés
half-prepared dinner: A pair of potatoes whose
at all costs. ‘No, that’s in the theater, the movies eyes sprout squid-like tendrils, and the decaying
or TV but not in real life.’ And his suggestions
carcass of a cleaned and dressed, but uncooked,
from real life are always simpler, more subtle and
rabbit (which Carol later decapitates with the
much more profound, psychologically.”

razor). By offering no visual differentiation be-

Polanski, of course, went on to Rosemary’s Baby tween hallucinations and “reality,” Polanski draws

(1968) and Chinatown (1974), two towering clas-viewers into Carol’s troubled mind. Gilbert Tay-
sics that loom over everything before them in the
lor’s high-contrast, chiaroscuro lighting, and
director’s filmography. But Repulsion should not Stephen Dalby’s innovative sound design (full of
be overlooked. Impeccably crafted and performed,
displaced mechanical creaks and moans), further
sophisticated yet hard-hitting, it remains essential sharpen the suspense. “All the time we were look-viewing.

ing for something to make it look odd, and if it

With quotes from: The Blue Underground
didn’t look odd we would change the setup until
documentary short “A British Horror Film,” and
it did look odd,” Taylor said.

“Roman Polanski Directs in London,” from the

The result is a film as engrossing as Psycho, but Grand Eclan TV show (both included on the Cri-more naturalistic (Polanski eschews bravura cam-
terion Collection DVD of Repulsion).

era moves and flashy set pieces, such as the mur-
ders of Marion Crane and Arbogast) and less

Return from the Past see Dr. Ter-
playful (Hitchcock’s dark humor replaced by a
ror’s Gallery of Horrors
sense of existential despair). Also, Repulsion is a psycho-chiller devoid of psychobabble. Instead

Revenge of the Blood Beast see The
of pat Freudian explanations for Carol’s behavior,
the film offers only one clue to her pathology: An

She-Beast
old family snapshot that shows Carol standing
apart from her parents and siblings, staring at the

Revenge of the Living Dead see
camera with a blank expression on her face.

Murder Clinic

348

The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy

2. THE MOVIES

The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy
bracelet (which hold the secret to a fabulous Aztec (1957/65; Cinematografica Calderon/Trans-In-treasure) guarded by the living mummy Popoca.

ternational Films; Mexico; b&w) Original Lan-

The Bat constructs a “human robot” (a metal man
guage Title: La Momia Azteca Contra el Robot Hu-with a human brain) in a convoluted plot to de-
mano; Director: Rafael Portillo, Manuel San stroy the Aztec Mummy and obtain the treasure,

Fernando (English version); Producer: William
which will finance his intentions to build an army

Calderon Stell, K. Gordon Murray (English ver-
of robots to conquer the world. It’s up to a pro-
sion); Screenplay: Alfred Salazar (story by
fessor and his wife (the reincarnation of Popoca’s

William Calderon Stell and Alfred Salazar). Cin-
lost love)— and Popoca himself — to once more
ematographer: Enrique Wallace. Cast: Ramon
thwart the madman’s evil plan.

Gay, Rosita Arenas, Crox Alvarado, Luis Aceves

Over a third of The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy

Castaneda, Jorge Mondragon.

consists of flashback scenes from the previous en-
tries (which is fine for the neophyte viewer, but

A MONSTROUS NIGHTMARE TERROR
quickly turns tedious for those who’ve seen the
turned loose in a fight to the DEATH!— ad line
other Aztec Mummy movies), while the new

“They will bring you a night of terror,” prom-
footage offers mostly dull, talky, static scenes in ised the trailer for The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy.

which the camera rarely movies and nothing

So much for truth in advertising, as the hood-
much happens. Apart from the odd, isolated
winked viewer will more likely experience a night
mummy flashback moments, the picture only
of boredom. Third in the original Aztec Mummy comes to life (or a risible semblance thereof )

trilogy begun with the abominable Attack of the when the “robot” does the same — in the final ten

Mayan Mummy and continued with the slightly-minutes.

better-but-still-bad Curse of the Aztec Mummy (a Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending upon
fourth “Aztec Mummy” film, The Wrestling
one’s “camp” sensibilities), said robot belongs to

Women vs. the Aztec Mummy, was made seven
the goofy painted-cardboard-box-and-bucket va-
years later, but is only tangentially related to the riety. Laughably, the suit-wearer’s face is fully vis-earlier trio), The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy
ible behind the monster’s faceplate—even though
stands as a slight improvement over its lackluster
the mechanical monster supposedly houses
progenitors (if only by dint of stealing the earlier merely a human brain. The (brief ) climactic films’ few intriguing scenes while adding its own
battle between the robot and the Aztec Mummy
little touch of mechanical-man wackiness). Ad-
has the two titular terrors taking turns awkwardly
mittedly, that’s not saying much.

pushing each other back against a wall, before the

That evil criminal scientist “the Bat” is back

Mummy finally tires of the game and dismantles
and once again searching for the breastplate and
his silly opponent.

For its U.S. theatrical pre-
miere (on November 17, 1965,
in Cincinnati, Ohio), Robot
was billed with The Vampire’s

Coffin (itself a sequel — to the

Germán Robles starrer The

Vampire). To ballyhoo the re-
lease of his double feature, im-
porter/distributor K. Gordon

Murray included in his ads an
endorsement by the “Young

America Horror Club,” a to-
tally fictitious organization!

Murray also tacked onto his
prints a phony process called

“Hypnoscope,” which, accord-
ing to the trailer, consisted of
a whirling spiral that induced
a hypnotic state of pure terror!

The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (195765): enough said (Photofest).

Right.

2. THE MOVIES

Rosemary’s Baby

349

Rosemary’s Baby (1968; Paramount) Director/Screenplay: Roman Polanski (from a novel by

Ira Levin); Producer: William Castle; Cinematog-
rapher: William Fraker. Cast: Mia Farrow, John

Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Mau-
rice Evans.

Pray for Rosemary’s baby — tagline

Masterful in construction, flawless in execution
and penetrating in cultural insight, Rosemary’s Baby s towers above most horror films, including the lineage of Satanic shockers it sired.

Newlyweds Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy

(John Cassavetes) Woodhouse move into a his-
toric New York apartment building, where they
are befriended by their elderly neighbors, Roman

(Sidney Blackmer) and Minnie (Ruth Gordon)

Castavet. The Castavets take an interest in Guy’s
struggling acting career, and soon he lands a
showy role in a Broadway play. (He gets the part
after another actor, already hired for the play, is mysteriously struck blind.) As the Woodhouse’s
fortunes improve, however, Rosemary begins to
question the curious behavior of both her pushy

The coven of Manhattan Satanists reveals the truth yet overly friendly neighbors and her increasingly
to the mother (Mia Farrow, holding knife) about
distant husband. When she becomes pregnant

Rosemary’s Baby (1968).

(following a “nightmare” in which she is raped
by a monster), Guy and the Castavets become

Once onboard, however, Evans and Polanski
overwhelmingly protective of Rosemary and her
clashed over the casting of the lead roles. Initially, unborn child. Finally, thanks to a gift left by a de-the director wanted Tuesday Weld to play Rose-
ceased friend, Rosemary comes to suspect that
mary, while Evans suggested Farrow, then well-
the Castavets are part of a Satanic coven, and that known from TV’s Peyton Place and as the wife of they plan to use her baby in some unholy ritual.

Frank Sinatra (the couple would split during the

But the truth is even more horrific.

film’s production). When a compromise choice,

Filmmaker William Castle purchased the rights

Jane Fonda, turned down the part, Evans got his
to Ira Levin’s not-yet-published novel Rosemary’s way. Both Evans and Polanski envisaged Robert

Baby and brought it to Paramount Pictures.

Redford in the role of Guy, but Redford declined

Robert Evans, the studio’s head of production,

(ironically, he chose instead to star in Downhill recognizing that the project was potentially “very

Racer). Polanski suggested Cassavetes as a replace-important,” nixed the idea of the film being di-
ment. It was also Polanski’s idea to populate the
rected by Castle, notorious for gimmicky, low-
film’s supporting roles with Hollywood veterans
budget chillers like House on Haunted Hill and like Bellamy, Patsy Kelly and Elisha Cook, Jr. Tony The Tingler (both 1959). He agreed to retain Curtis makes a cameo appearance as a voice on

Castle as producer and allowed him to make a
the telephone. A cameo featuring Joan Crawford
cameo appearance, but Evans wanted Roman
and Van Johnson was cut due to length.

Polanski to helm the project. To secure the direc-

This was Polanski’s first literary adaptation,
tor’s services, Evans baited him with Downhill
and he delivered a remarkably accurate transcrip-

Racer, a project Polanski (a self-identified “ski fa-tion of Levin’s book. “I’ve always felt that the film natic”) coveted. Once Polanski arrived in Amer-of Rosemary’s Baby is the single most faithful ica, however, Evans asked him to read the galleys
adaptation of a novel ever to come out of Holly-
of Levin’s novel. Polanski also grasped the ex-
wood,” Levin said. “Not only does it incorporate
traordinary potential of the story and agreed to
whole chunks of the book’s dialogue, it even fol-
abandon the skiing picture in favor of Rosemary’s lows the colors of the clothing (where I mentioned

Baby.

them) and the layout of the apartment. And per-

350

Rosemary’s Baby

2. THE MOVIES
haps more importantly, Polanski’s directorial style nie Castavet, which won the actress the 1969
of not aiming the camera squarely at the horror

Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. (In-
but rather letting the audience spot it for them-
comprehensibly, Farrow failed to earn a nomina-
selves off at the side of the screen coincides
tion in the lead Actress category.) Gordon is in-
happily, I think, with my own writing style.”

deed a delight, bringing earthy good humor to

In those rare instances where Polanski’s movie
the role without undercutting the essentially men-
varies from Levin’s novel, his changes improve
acing nature of her character. Cassavetes, as the
upon the source material, the filmmaker proving
vain and duplicitous Guy, also performs memo-
even more restrained and subtle than the author.

rably, as do Blackmer as Roman Castavet and

Most notably, Polanski refrains from showing title

Ralph Bellamy as Rosemary’s inscrutable obste-
character. We see Rosemary’s mortified reaction
trician, Dr. Saperstein.

to the sight of her child, but not the baby itself.

Rosemary’s Baby, like all works of fantasy that Levin, on the other hand, describes a furry-pawed,
enjoy great popular successes, tapped into some-
horn-headed Li’l Devil (just the sort of thing Cas-
thing of its moment, revealing ambitions and
tle would have used). Polanski also tones down
anxieties lurking just beneath the surface in the
the novel’s lacerating social satire, exchanging wry cultural zeitgeist, waiting for an outlet. It was one humor for paranoid suspense.

of the first films (along with Repulsion) to address While Polanski’s screenwriting is superb, his
urban paranoia, suggesting that even your kindly
direction is even better. The film’s eerie dream se-elderly neighbors could literally be in league with quences rank among the most surreal and gen-Satan. The story also takes expectant mothers’

uinely nightmarish ever committed to celluloid.

natural fears and carries them to their logical end-Rosemary’s half-waking, half-dreaming, ritualistic
point: Rosemary endures a torturous pregnancy
rape remains wrenching viewing. His treatment
and gives birth to a hideously deformed, evil
of other scenes, while far less flashy, prove no less child—and in the process her marriage collapses.

powerful. He subtly ratchets up tension through-

Rosemary’s Baby also left an indelible imprint out, leveraging William Fraker’s naturalistic yet
on horror cinema as the picture which popular-
suggestive lighting and employing symbolic visual
ized Satan as a horror movie villain. Movie audi-
compositions (for instance, using large, off-center ences in previous decades may not have accepted
open spaces in the frame to underscore Rosemary’s
this, but within the increasingly secularized cul-
isolation). Polanski used many of these same tech-
ture of the late 1960s (Time magazine’s famous Is niques for Repulsion (1965), albeit with less dex-God Dead? cover appears in the film), making the terity and finesse. The picture also benefits greatly devil himself an essential character in the drama
from Christopher Komeda’s subtly unnerving
became fair game. Simultaneously, however,
score and from the superb work of production de-
enough residual faith (or at least distant memories signer Richard Sylbert, whose set designs and lo-of Sunday school) lingered in the popular imag-
cation decorations are creepy while steadfastly au-
ination for Satan to carry a great deal more emo-
thentic. (The film was shot partly at the Dakota,
tional power than familiar characters such as
a New York apartment building later notorious
vampires or werewolves. In future years dozens
as the site of John Lennon’s assassination.)

of similar movies emerged, most notably The Ex-

Finally, and perhaps most impressively of all,
orcist (1973) and The Omen (1976). Rosemary’s Polanski elicits uniformly naturalistic yet fasci-Baby’s downbeat ending, with evil triumphant, nating portrayals from his gifted cast. Farrow’s
which would not have been possible during the
performance in the title role remains a career high era of the Production Code, soon became a cliché.

water mark. Her multi-faceted and carefully nu-

In 2008, Entertainment Weekly named Rose-
anced portrayal brilliantly realizes Rosemary’s
mary’s Baby the tenth scariest movie ever made.

physical and mental deterioration, as well as her

Its selection was a testament to the film’s unabated deceptive inner strength and devotion to her un-power to unnerve audiences. The film’s ongoing
born child. It’s difficult to imagine any performer appeal comes as no surprise to Evans. “I knew it
doing more for a picture than Farrow, who ate
was going to be big because it shook people,”

raw liver during one scene and even sang the lull-

Evans said. “There are no special effects, no
aby that plays under the opening credits. She is
screaming or walls crumbling down or crocodiles
simply magnificent.

coming out of the walls, nothing like that. It’s all The film’s most celebrated performance, howin the way he [Polanski] shot it, and it works on
ever, was that of Gordon as likeable Satanist Min-
every level. And it scares the hell out of you.”

2. THE MOVIES

Samson in the Wax Museum

351

Along with Psycho and Night of the Living Dead, Rosemary’s Baby stands among the smartest and most influential horror films of the 1960s—or any
other decade.

With quotes from: Interview with Robert

Evans, Rosemary‘s Baby DVD (Paramount Pic-
tures); Rosemary’s Baby (The Stephen King

Horror Library edition), by Ira Levin (Introduc-
tion by Stephen King).

Samson in the Wax Museum (1963/65;

Filmadora Panamerica S.A./Trans-International

Films; Mexico; b&w) Alternate Title: Santo in the Wax Museum; Original Language Title: Santo en el Museo de Cera; Director: Alfonso Corona Blake, Manuel San Fernando (English language version);

Producer: Albert Lopez, K. Gordon Murray (En-
glish version); Cinematographer: Joseph Ortiz

Ramos. Cast: Samson “The Sliver Maskman,”

Claudio Brook, Norma Mora, Rouben Rojo, Rox-
ana Bellini.

Samson, the unconquerable, unearths
weird beings in the tyrant’s dungeon
of horror ...— ad line

It’s Mystery of the Wax Museum gone south, Spanish poster for Samson in the Wax Museum
south of the border, that is— as well as south of

(1963/65).

believability, since the film’s hero is that silver-masked, crime-fighting professional wrestler
who’s transforming people into disfigured “stat-

Santo (don’t let the dubbing fool you — a Santo
ues” with his flesh-eroding and trance-inducing
by any other name wrestles just as sweetly). Here
serum.

Santo/Samson investigates a series of disappear-

Fortunately, the clichéd “mad doctor” plot
ances revolving around a sinister wax museum
takes a novel twist here, with the madman having
run by Dr. Karol (Claudio Brook).

been driven insane by his past experiences as a

The third (and last) Santo feature to be dubbed
concentration camp victim. “I suffered such hor-
into English, Wax Museum is far superior to the rible things,” he laments, “the only peace I know
initial Santo offering, 1961’s Invasion of the Zom-is watching other people suffer and writhe in
bies (of course, this is damning with faint praise).

agony.” He goes on to espouse his twisted philos-

First off, there’s far less wrestling in Wax Museum.

ophy: “All humans are monsters, you know. I

In fact, it’s nearly a half-hour before Santo— er,
found that to be true the nights I was tortured.

Samson — shows up, which means a nice respite

Since it is true, why not show what your soul and
from wrasslin’. (Though a bit harsh when speaking
your conscience really are, using your face. Well,
of a Mexican wrestling movie, the less ringside now I intend to create a world in which all hu-wrangle the better — at least for those viewers not mans are deformed.” Occasionally, his utterances
enthralled by the WWE circuit.)

even border on the profound: “Should a man’s

Second, Wax Museum sports a rather intriguing face show his inner soul to us, demonstrating the
mystery-motif in its first half, in which the police, things he hides so well, I assure you you’d see

Samson and the viewer receive evidence both for
more deformity than you see in these quiet stat-
and against Dr. Karol’s guilt. Along with the eerie ues.” Despite the frequently awkward language
atmosphere in Karol’s cavern-like “museum”

(courtesy of importer K. Gordon Murray and co.’s
housing his weird, monstrous figures, this initial
terrible “translations”) and the strident yet oddly ambivalence keeps the viewer off balance and in-atonal delivery by the dubbing actor, such a
terested. Of course, after 45 minutes the picture
thought-provoking diatribe is more than one ex-
spoils it all by revealing the identity of the villain pects in a Mexican wrestling movie.

352

Samson vs. the Vampire Women

2. THE MOVIES

Disappointingly, the “monsters” look like cut-
seek a new Queen of the Vampires (an innocent
rate Island of Lost Souls rejects (brawny man with girl chosen at birth and destined to take her place unconvincing pig-snout, hairy-faced cretin, etc.).

among the undead upon her twenty-first birth-

And the film makes up for its wrestling-free first
day). Diana (Maria Duval), daughter of Professor
third by tossing in a number of ringside scenes

Roloff (Augusto Benedico), is the chosen unfor-
towards the middle and end, spoiling the picture’s
tunate, and it’s up to Roloff ’s friend Samson
rhythm (but presumably giving the Santo fans

(with a little help from the police) to take some
what they want). Even so, compared to its pred-
time out of his ringside activities and foil the
ecessor, Samson in the Wax Museum still wins this bloodsuckers’ plans.

Mexi-movie wrestling bout.

Actress Lorena Velasquez (who also starred
with the masked wrestler in Invasion of the Zom-

Samson vs. the Vampire Women (1962/
bies, and who played a wrestler herself in several 63; Filmadora Primamaricana S.A./Trans-Inter-pictures, including The Wrestling Women vs. the national Films; Mexico; b&w) Original Language

Aztec Mummy) appeared on Britain’s Incredibly Title: El Santo Contra las Mujeres Vampiros. Di-Strange Film Show in 1989. About El Santo, she rector: Alfonso Corona Blake, Manuel San Fer-said: “He represented justice. He was the Mexican
nando (English Language Version); Producer:

Schwarzenegger. And he was a very nice man,

Luis Garcia De Leon and Alberto Lopez, K. Gor-
very kind man, very good actor — well, not very don Murray (English version); Screenplay: Rafael
good, but he represented justice and this was very

Garcia Travesi, Alfonso Corona Blake; Cine-
important for the people.” Indeed, one doesn’t
matographer: Jose Ortiz Ramos. Cast: Samson
watch a Santo movie to see classical thespian, but
the Silver Maskman, Lorena Velazquez, Maria
to see an icon of Truth, Justice and the Mexican

Duval, Jaime Fernandez, Augusto Benedico.

Way take out bad guys and monsters.

The picture opens in an Old Dark House as

Deep in the bowels of the Earth live the most
creepy as any you’ll see in a classic Universal —
savage and vicious of all women!— TV spot
full of cobwebs, shadows and low-key lighting.

The best of the three Santo (ne Samson) movies

The camera prowls about until it comes to rest
dubbed into English in the 1960s ( Invasion of the on an upright sarcophagus. The lid creaks open

Zombies and Santo in the Wax Museum being the to expose a shrouded corpse whose hideous dried
other two), Samson vs. the Vampire Women stars and cracked face suddenly comes to life as the
that most famous of all Mexican masked wrestler
eyes— in startling close-up — spring open. It’s an
heroes, El Santo, as the main opposition to a
eerie, atmospheric and unsettling beginning that,
coven of vampire women (led by Lorena Ve-
unfortunately, the subsequent step into the mun-
lasquez) who have awakened after 200 years to
dane modern lives of the dull protagonists can’t
sustain. In Samson vs. the Vampire

Women, Evil truly is more inter-
esting than Virtue.

The film presents a unique take
on vampirism. When the female
vampires drink blood, they trans-
form from grotesque hags into di-
aphanous-gowned, leggy beauties
who pray to Satan, even conjuring
up the “Lord of Darkness” himself

(in silhouette, anyway)—aligning
vampirism to Devil worship. And
this evil cult is definitely a matri-
archy (with hints of lesbianism,
as they seem to prefer biting
women), adding a bit of subtext
to the tale by pitting Samson, the
ultimate defender of patriarchal

Samson’s (Santo’s) opponents in their lair in Samson vs. the Vampire
society, against this aberration of

Women (1962/63) (Photofest).

matriarchal deviants.

2. THE MOVIES

Santo…; Scream Baby Scream; Scream of Fear

353

But lest one become lost in subtextural

Viewers are also privy to the shenanigans of Jason, musings, the movie periodically reminds the

Janet and fellow hipster doofus art students Scotty viewer of what it’s really all about, as Samson (Chris Martell) and Marika (Suzanne Stuart). To-tackles a vampire opponent in the ring (a male
gether the foursome hang out in night clubs and
minion who’s secretly taken a wrestler’s place).

coffee shops, listen to awful rock music (by the

After the vampire-wrestler fails to kill Samson

Odyssey), blather at length about art, smoke pot

(“He’s using karate!” Our Hero exclaims),
and drop acid (the last triggering a protracted,

Samson unmasks him —revealing the hirsute face
double-exposed “trip” sequence where the quartet
of a werewolf(!), who then proceeds to escape by go to the zoo and imagine themselves in the ani-transforming into a bat! Though odd in the ex-
mal cages). Perhaps screenwriter Larry Cohen
treme, this scene is nothing if not novel.

and producer-director Joseph Adler included all

And novel may be the operative word for Sam-
this material to try to emulate the recent success
son vs. the Vampire Women, which provides
of Easy Rider (1969). If so, they failed miserably—
enough off beat entertainment to keep any Mexi-
mostly because their version of the counterculture
movie enthusiast satisfied. As the Professor so
is so boring it would make Abbie Hoffman join
earnestly exclaims at picture’s end: “God bless
the ROTC.

Samson!”

Amateurishly acted, haphazardly shot and
overstuffed with banal dialogue and unlikable

Santo in the Wax Museum see Sam-
characters, Scream Baby Scream is dull baby dull.

son in the Wax Museum

Scream of Fear (1961; Hammer/Columbia; U.K.; b&w). Alternate Title: Taste of Fear (U.K.)

Santo vs. the Zombies see Invasion

Director: Seth Holt; Producer/Screenplay: Jimmy
of the Zombies

Sangster; Cinematographer: Douglas Slocombe.

Cast: Susan Strasberg, Ann Todd, Ronald Lewis,

Scream Baby Scream

Christopher Lee.

(1969; Westbury) Di-
rector/Producer: Joseph Adler; Screenplay: Lau-

Management and staff of this theatre have
rence Robert Cohen; Cinematographer: Julio
been pledged to an oath of secrecy concerning

Chavez. Cast: Ross Harris, Eugenie Wingate,
the electrifying climax! For maximum
excitement, we earnestly recommend

Chris Martell, Suzanne Stuart, Larry Swanson,
that you see this motion picture

Jim Vance.

from the start!— poster

A freaked-out horror-thriller that will really

In the aftershock of the pop culture bombshell
shock it to you!— tagline
that was Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), oppor-Coed Janet (Eugenie Wingate), to the irritation
tunistic filmmakers rushed numerous black-and-
of jealous boyfriend Jason (Ross Harris), strikes
white psychological thrillers into production.

up a friendship with wealthy artist Charles Butler

Most of these were cheap rip-offs and cynical

(Larry Swanson), who specializes in macabre por-
cash-ins, but not Hammer Films’ Scream of Fear.

traiture. When she accepts an invitation to visit

In this case at least, Psycho proved to be a source the notoriously reclusive Butler at his home, how-of inspiration rather than simple imitation.

ever, Janet discovers a shocking secret: The artist’s The project certainly brought out the best in
work is painted from life, using women he has
talented but erratic screenwriter Jimmy Sangster,
kidnapped and, with help from a demented
whose scenario is a minor masterpiece of coiled
plastic surgeon, disfigured to serve as models.

suspense — taut and twisty, with finely embel-

Unfortunately, Scream Baby Scream’s scare
lished characters and spine-tingling set pieces.

scenes are undercut by Douglas Hobart’s laugh-

Sangster recognized the gem he had crafted and,
able makeup effects. Worse yet, the film devotes
after shopping the script around to other studios,
very little screen time to the horror elements of
managed to parlay it into his first assignment as
its story. Instead, audiences endure nonstop ro-
a producer. In that role, Sangster hired all the
mantic bickering between Jason and Janet (Jason
right personnel to visualize his story. The final re-wants to get married but Janet isn’t ready, Janet
sult was one of Hammer’s most profitable movies
wants to experiment with drugs but Jason isn’t
to date, one that launched of a series of pseudo
interested, and on and on), usually followed by a

Psycho s that would continue for the next four sex scene when the two briefly “make up.”

years.

354

Scream of Fear

2. THE MOVIES

Penny Appleby (Susan Strasberg), the estranged,
bravura sequence—sneaks out of the main house
paraplegic daughter of a wealthy businessman,
and over to a small cottage by the pool, where, in
receives an urgent summons home from her fa-
the flickering candlelight, she discovers her
ther. When she arrives at the family’s manor
father’s body, propped up in a chair. As she flees
house, however, her dad is nowhere to be found.

the cottage in screaming panic, her wheelchair

She’s greeted instead by her austere stepmother
veers into the pool. She’s rescued by the chauffeur, Jane (Ann Todd) and her amiable chauffeur
and together the pair theorizes that Jane and Dr.

Robert (Ronald Lewis). The only other person

Gerrard must have killed Mr. Appleby. To prove
who seems to come by is the creepy Dr. Gerard
their suspicions they will have to uncover her fa-

(Christopher Lee), who Jane refers to as “a friend
ther’s corpse, which has mysteriously vanished.

of the family.” Jane grows suspicious, and — in a

But Penny soon discovers that nothing is quite as
it seems.

To direct Scream of Fear Sangster hired Seth Holt, who had edited some of Ealing Studios’

most famous comedies ( The Lavender Hill Mob,

The Ladykillers, The Titfield Thunderbolt) but whose directorial experience was limited to one
film, the thriller Nowhere to Go (1958), which he co-helmed with Basil Dearden. Holt rewarded

Sangster’s confidence with an assured and skillful
turn behind the camera. His careful compositions
take full advantage of cinematographer Douglas

Slocombe’s noirish, chiaroscuro lighting scheme.

Thanks to his experience as an editor, Holt’s com-
mand of the film’s pace is masterful, as is his handling of the story’s thrilling pool house sequence
and other fright scenes. After Scream of Fear, critics heralded Holt as a new Master of Suspense,
but health issues enabled him to complete just
three more features before his untimely death in

1971 at age 48. Fortunately, one of those three
films was another superb collaboration with Sang-
ster, The Nanny (1965).

Holt also elicits fine performances from the
film’s small but gifted cast. Susan Strasberg

(daughter of method acting guru Lee Strasberg)

is nothing short of sensational, delivering an un-
affected, subtle portrayal as the jittery but determined Penny. Ann Todd, as the mysterious Mrs.

Appleby, and Ronald Lewis as the endearing
chauffeur, also prove convincing. Fourth-billed

Christopher Lee checks in with an equally
effective turn, albeit in a glorified red herring role.

Scream of Fear— marketed in the U.S. with
taglines that recalled the advertising campaign for Psycho— succeeded with both critics and moviegoers and spawned several more Hammer psy-
cho-chillers, shot in black and white and written
and produced by Sangster: Maniac, Paranoiac (both 1963), Nightmare (1964), Hysteria and The Nanny (both 1965). ( Die! Die! My Darling [1965], shot in color, produced by Anthony Hinds and

A bit of Hitchcockian ballyhoo for the Hitchcockian Hammer horror Scream of Fear (1961). (Aus-written by Richard Matheson, could also be con-
tralian daybill).

sidered part of this unofficial “series” of Hammer

2. THE MOVIES

The Screaming Head; Seconds

355
psychological thrillers.) For the most part, how-
wine festival —complete with orgiastic naked
ever, the white-hot heat of inspiration that
grape stomping. Although uncomfortable, Tony
radiates from Scream of Fear remains absent from eventually gets into the spirit. But in the next
these follow-ups. Only The Nanny approaches the scene, hosting a cocktail party for his new neigh-brilliance of the original, although Maniac and bors, Tony becomes so nervous and insecure that

Paranoiac remain diverting.

he gets drunk and blows his cover. He flees Cali-

Over the years, Hammer’s splashy color gothics
fornia and, after a short visit with his “widow,”

have overshadowed Scream of Fear. Nevertheless, returns to the Company to request a second new
it ranks among the studio’s best releases of the
identity, setting up the film’s bitterly ironic — and 1960s and delivers more thrills per viewing than
bleak —finale.

most of the studio’s higher profile productions.

No plot summary can do justice to Seconds, a picture whose impact lies as much in presentation

The Screaming Head see The Head
as in content. Frankenheimer and cinematogra-
pher James Wong Howe (who earned an Oscar

Seconds (1966; Paramount; b&w) Director: nomination for his work here) make Seconds an John Frankenheimer; Producer: Edward Lewis;
unrelentingly unsettling experience. Nearly every

Screenplay: Lewis John Carlino (Novel: David
shot contains some off-kilter element — strange

Ely); Cinematographer: James Wong Howe. Cast:

ultra-high or low camera angles, abrupt rack

Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph, Will
focus shifts, obvious rear-projection to create a

Geer, Richard Anderson, Frances Reid, Jeff Corey.

sense of unreality, slow-motion and other tech-
niques— all employed to powerful effect. Howe

What Are Seconds? The Answer May Be
also makes heavy use of super-wide angle lenses,

Too Terrifying For Words!— tagline
which slightly distort the image. Jerry Goldsmith’s Seconds (1966), the final entry in director John eerie, organ-drenched score adds a gothic touch.

Frankenheimer’s informal trilogy of paranoid

The movie also benefits from (pun intended)

thrillers, remains the most underrated of the trio

Rock-solid performances from Hudson and John
and, arguably, one of the most underappreciated

Randolph in the title role. Hudson sinks his teeth
great movies of the 1960s. Less political and more
into his showy, change-of-pace role, displaying
philosophical in theme, and more overtly horrific
range untapped by the light comedic and heroic
in style than its predecessors The Manchurian
military parts he played almost exclusively

Candidate (1962) and Seven Days in May (1964), throughout the 1950s and ’60s. Veteran character

Seconds is profoundly scary, all the more so be-actor Randolph’s scenes are quietly touching, es-
cause its science-gone-wrong scenario brings
pecially those depicting his burned-out marriage.

viewers face to face with existential questions

The supporting ensemble also delivers uniformly
about their own lives.

credible work, especially Salome Jens as Tony’s

Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) is a mid-
romantic interest, Richard Anderson as a plastic
dle-aged bank executive with a comfortable but
surgeon and Jeff Corey as a mysterious Company
humdrum life, complete with a dowdy wife
man named Mr. Ruby (a moniker that inevitably

(Frances Reid), an adult married daughter and a
evokes conspiracy theories). But the film’s most
station wagon. He’s intrigued when a mysterious
striking supporting performance comes from fu-
phone call from a believed-dead friend alerts him
ture Grandpa Walton Will Geer, playing a name-
to an astonishing possibility: the opportunity to
less old man who founded The Company, whose
fake his own death and begin a new life, with a
home-spun sweet-talking ultimately convinces
surgically-enhanced body and a different iden-
the reluctant Arthur to go ahead with his “re-
tity—all in exchange for $30,000 up front, as well
birth.” Geer’s warmth and folksiness makes The
as control over his life savings. After some cat-

Company seem even colder and more inhuman.

and-mouse negotiations with a shadowy organi-

In many ways, Seconds, released a year prior to zation referred to simply as The Company, and
the Summer of Love, was ahead of its time. Had
an Eyes Without a Face–like surgical scene, Arthur it debuted just a couple of years later, after the
is “reborn” as painter Tony Wilson (Rock
counterculture had gone mainstream and more

Hudson) and relocated to a stylish beachfront stu-
young people were exploring lifestyles like the one dio in Malibu. Yet “Tony” struggles to adjust to

Tony discovers in Malibu, Seconds might have had his new life. He meets an attractive young woman
greater box office and critical impact. Lewis John

(Salome Jens) who takes him to a wild, bacchanal

Carlino’s screenplay (based on David Ely’s novel)

356

The Secret of Dr. Orloff; The Shadow of the Cat

2. THE MOVIES
not only creates a typically Frankenheimerian

WAS IT SUPERNATURAL FORCE OR
world dominated by mysterious cabals, where no

PSYCHOTIC COMPULSION THAT MADE
one can be trusted, but also forces Arthur/Tony

THEM WANT TO KILL?— ad line

(and viewers) to reconsider his (our) basic values.

The protagonist has found no deep satisfaction in

This highly atmospheric and downright creepy
the pursuit of middle-class American, material-

Hammer film ... hold on a minute; despite it
istic goals, but after his “rebirth” discovers no
being filmed at Bray Studios (the “home of Ham-
more happiness in a life of “free love” and hedo-
mer”) and utilizing a plethora of Hammer per-
nistic excess. “The years I’ve spent trying to get
sonnel, both in front of and behind the camera
the things I was told were important, that I was (such as director John Gilling, cinematographer
supposed to want — things. Not people, or mean-Arthur Grant, production designer Bernard
ing, just things,” Tony (Hudson) whispers plain-Robinson, and actors Andre Morell, Barbara Shel-
tively to a fellow Reborn. “California was the
ley and Freda Jackson), The Shadow of the Cat is same. They made the same decisions for me all
a B.H.P. Films production, not a Hammer
over again, and they were the same things, really.

movie — but it just as well could be (and one su-It’s going to be different from now on.” Unfortu-
perior to much of that revered company’s some-
nately, by the time he realizes his error it’s already times indifferent product).

too late. There’s no use in blaming others for our

“You seriously mean to tell me that one ordi-
unhappiness, or in relying on someone else to res-
nary domestic cat is terrorizing three grown-
cue us. No matter how joyful or sad they may be,
ups?” asks one incredulous character. Indeed it is, our lives, Seconds suggests, remain ours alone to as this terrifying tabby is the only witness to a
author — or to erase.

heinous crime — the murder of the cat’s beloved

(and wealthy) mistress by her no-good husband

The Secret of Dr. Orloff see Dr.

(Andre Morell) and two disloyal servants

Orloff ’s Monster

(Andrew Crawford and Freda Jackson). The trio
soon come to regard the now ever-present feline

The Shadow of the Cat (1961; B.H.P. Films/
as “a sort of evil symbol — they hate it.” Into the Universal; U.K.; b&w) Director: John Gilling;
unhealthy mix comes the innocent, favorite niece

Producer: John Penington; Screenplay: George

(Barbara Shelley) and several unsavory, greedy

Baxt; Cinematographer: Arthur Grant. Cast:

relatives. The cunning cat sidesteps all attempts

Andre Morell, Barbara Shelley, William Lucas,
to kill it and, one by one, leads the guilty, via their Freda Jackson, Conrad Phillips, Catherine Lacey.

mounting fears, to their deaths.

From the film’s creepy
opening, with the victim-to-
be up at the top of her Old

Dark House reading Poe’s

“The Raven” to amuse herself
and her cat, to the final
queasily ironic scene in which
the house’s new owners opine,
upon finding the felonious fe-
line waiting at their new
abode, that being greeted by a
cat means good luck, The

Shadow of the Cat generates an
impressive atmosphere of un-
ease and dread.

“The set was pretty tense—
it wasn’t completely pleasant
on the set,” recalled co-star

Barbara Shelley (who put this
tension down to director John

Gilling’s lack of humor). This

(Fore) Shadow(ing) of the Cat (1961).

off-screen tension may well

2. THE MOVIES

The She Beast

357
have bled over into the actors’ on-screen perform-

Apart from the various personnel, Shadow also ances—to the film’s benefit. Each of the principals shares with many of its Hammer brethren the
gives a taut, edgy and wholly convincing
trait of being about 20 minutes too long.

portrayal, turning the unlikely concept of a vigi-

Largely ignored by fans whose focus seems lim-
lant, vengeful tabby into a believable and fright-
ited to a certain British film studio, it’s time for ening notion via their angry fears and mounting
this Cat to step out of the Shadow of its Hammer hysteria. In less capable thespian hands, this
contemporaries and be seen for the intelligent,

Shadow would have paled.

well-crafted horror/thriller it is.

Perhaps said tension was due (at least in part)

With quotes from: Barbara Shelley interview
to the film’s frustrating feline star(s). “I had several with the author, 2001; “‘Don’t Call Me a Horror
of them working for me on the picture,” recounted

Film Director...’— The Great John Gilling Inter-

Gilling, “because they kept escaping to Bucking-
view,” Little Shoppe of Horrors, no. 23, October hamshire’s Black Park where some of the film was

2009; “Baxt Stabs Back,” by Matthew R. Bradley,
shot. So I had the opportunity to learn a lot about Filmfax 50, May/June 1995.

cats: if you want them to act, or do things, don’t
tell them to do what you want them to do.

The She Beast (1965; Europix-Consolidated; Instead, tell them to do what you don’t want them

Italy) Original Language Title: La Sorella di Sa-to do! You can quote me on that! [laughs] I had a
tana; Alternate Titles: Revenge of the Blood Beast; so-called cat manager on the floor who was sup-Sister of Satan. Director: Mike (Michael) Reeves; posed to know all about the animals, but I’m here

Producer: Paul W. Maslansky; Screenplay: Michael
to certify that he didn’t.”

Byron, Charles B. Griffith (uncredited); Cine-

Screenwriter George Baxt was less than pleased
matographer: G. Gengarelli. Cast: Barbara Steele,
with the treatment of his script. The disgruntled

John Karlsen, Ian Ogilvy, Mel Welles.

writer told interviewer Matthew R. Bradley, “I
could kill him [Gilling] and everybody on [that

Deadlier than DRACULA! Wilder than the

WEREWOLF! More frightening than
picture]. There was no cat. My script did not have

FRANKENSTEIN!— poster
a cat in it at all. You saw the shadow. That was
why it was called The Shadow of the Cat. My script A newlywed couple (Ian Ogilvy and Barbara
was very spooky.”

Steele) vacationing in Transylvania run their car

So, in fact, is the movie, thanks in no small part
off the road into a lake. Two hundred years
to the director. “Gilling did nothing,” continued
earlier, a hideous witch named Vardella was

Baxt. “He just wrote four lines of dialogue while
drowned by the villagers in that same lake. When
my back was turned.” Gilling, in fact, did much
the wife emerges from the water, she is possessed
more than “nothing.” His use of close shots, up-
by the spirit of the vengeful witch, causing her to angle camerawork and purposeful movement,
take on the visage of an ugly old crone and
along with an anamorphic lens to signify the cat’s
embark on a murder spree.

eye view, keeps things varied visually. And, along

Of the nine Continental-based Barbara Steele-
with Arthur Grant’s atmospheric lighting, Gilling
starring horror films released in the 1960s, The makes the most of the Gothic Old House setting,

She Beast ranks near the bottom. Though it offers utilizing off-kilter angles of the cat creeping down a few arresting moments (such as the brutal,
the darkened hallways and frantic camera move-
unflinching sequence in which the townsfolk tie
ments when the feline “attacks.” Indeed, the qual-
the screaming witch to a seesaw-like contraption,
ity of Gilling’s other genre forays speaks for itself: drive a spike though her torso, and proceed to

Room to Let, The Gorgon, the underrated Blood dunk her in the lake — a presage, perhaps, of

Beast from Outer Space, The Reptile, The Plague things to come in director Michael Reeves’ later
of the Zombies and the finest Burke and Hare The Conqueror Worm), this obviously cheap pro-telling to date, Mania (aka The Flesh and the duction (the protagonists even drive a VW bug!)

Fiends).

ultimately becomes an uneasy blend of half-baked

Some uneven pacing occasionally casts a
horror and un baked slapstick.

lugubrious shadow over this Cat, with too much Fortunately, the likable Ian Ogilvy (who starred
drawing room palaver interfering with the uneasy
in all three of Reeves’ films before the director’s ambiance and creepy cat activities. “I came on the
untimely death at age 25) and the alluring Barbara
set and wrote more scenes to make the film

Steele do much to ground the proceedings in be-
longer,” recounted Baxt. And it hurt the film.

lievability. And former Roger Corman stock

358

She Freak

2. THE MOVIES
player turned Italy-based Jack-of-all-Cinema-

Add to this scenes of the Keystone Communists

Trades Mel Welles (who dubbed, acted in and
taking pratfalls, and a speeded-up car chase in-
even directed numerous Continentals), as the
volving a Model A and moped(!), and the
bloated, buffoonish communist innkeeper, actu-
slapstick antics fatally undermine the more hor-
ally makes some of the ham-fisted comedy work.

rific themes of vengeance and possession.

“I wrote that in three days to get an airline

She Beast’s reputation rests on the fact that it ticket for my girlfriend,” recounted Charles B.

was 21-year-old wunderkind director Michael

Griffith (who served as second unit director on

Reeves’ first full feature — plus, of course, the fact She Beast, and appears in the picture as well, but that it starred Barbara Steele at the height of her ultimately received no on-screen credit for the

Eurohorror popularity. (Ms. Steel’s fans must feel
screenplay). “That was originally a comedy about
disappointment, however, at the actress’ limited
communistic Transylvania with Barbara Steele,
screen time here — which amounts to about 15

Mel Welles and Paul Maslansky, who played a cop
minutes, despite her star billing. The budget was
and produced.” (Maslansky also produced the su-
so low that the filmmakers could only afford her
perior Castle of the Living Dead, on which Reeves for four days of shooting — at a fee of $5,000.)

served as uncredited second unit director.)

Steele described Reeves as “quite shy, very gen-

“Paul couldn’t make up his mind whether he
tle, and obviously very intelligent. I think he
wanted to do it as a comedy or not,” recounted
could have been a terrific talent. He was so young

Mel Welles. “It was a real farcical script, and by
and a little overwhelmed doing the picture, but
watering it down they kind of spoiled it. We made
he had quite a lot of control. He knew exactly
that entire picture in Italy and looped it there —
what he wanted.”

in Italy you don’t make direct-sound pictures be-

Uneven, yet still moderately intriguing, The
cause you can’t keep an Italian crew quiet long

She Beast proved to be more of a promise of things enough [laughs]!”

to come from first-timer Reeves than a wholly

Though occasionally the poke-fun-at-commu-
successful effort in and of itself.

nists comedy works (the witch attacks and kills

With quotes from: “That’s Me, Charles B.

the corrupt innkeeper with a hammer and sickle!), Griffith!” by Dennis Fischer, Filmfax 6, March/
most of it is so broad that it becomes both tire-

April 1987; Interviews with B Science Fiction and some and incongruous given the film’s otherwise

Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver; “An In-
dark tone. Sample exchange:

terview with Barbara Steele, Diva of Dark

FIRST COMMUNIST OFFICIAL: “Is he able to talk?”

Drama,” by Mark A. Miller, Filmfax 51, July/Au-SECOND OFFICIAL: “No, he’s already dead.”

gust 1995.

FIRST OFFICIAL: “Then he’s obstructing justice.”

She Freak (1967; Sonny Amuse-
ment Enterprises) Director: Byron

Mabe; Producer/screenwriter:

David F. Friedman; Cinematogra-
pher: Bill Trolano. Cast: Claire

Brennen, Lee Raymond, Lynn

Courtney, Bill McKinney.

FILMED ON ACTUAL

LOCATIONS WHERE IT

COULD HAVE HAPPENED!

— poster blurb

She Freak is a cheap, tacky,
poorly produced knock-off of the

1932 Tod Browning classic, Freaks.

While Freaks was a controversial,
even reviled film upon its initial
release (ultimately disowned by

MGM and almost ruining Brown-

Ad for the American release of The She Beast (1965), pairing it with ing’s career), which critics of the

The Embalmer: “THIS IS HORROR!”

day accused of exploiting its sub-

2. THE MOVIES

Short Stories of Terror

359
ject matter, it actually shone a
sympathetic light on its

“freaks,” making the “nor-
mals” the monstrous ones via
their abhorrent behavior. Not
so with the shoddy remake

She Freak, which offers no in-
teraction with the freaks, no
exploration of their character
or personality, and no scenes
of their everyday lives. In fact,
the film even lacks shots of
their working lives; apart from
the sword-swallower and a
normal-looking snake han-
dler, we never see the “freaks”

The She Freak (Claire Brennan), “before” and “after (1967).”

until the film’s climax — they
simply show up at the end to advance threaten-
husband in a fight, and Jade takes over the
ingly on the heartless antagonist. Consequently,
sideshow, squeezing every penny from the oper-
unlike with the Browning film, the freaks in She ation and ousting her husband’s long-serving as-Freak do indeed come off as “monsters.” Rather sistant, the midget Shorty (Felix Silla). One night than exploring its topic, She Freak simply exploits the freaks, led by Shorty, converge upon their new
it (and even does that badly, as it breaks the car-hated owner, and the scene returns to the present,
dinal rule of exploitation cinema: never bore the
where the barker directs our attention to a pit —
viewer). Considering that producer/
scripter
in which the now-deformed and imbecilic Jade

David F. Friedman was an old-time exploitationer
sits playing with a snake.

and carny worker himself, this, perhaps, should

“It was an outright remake of Freaks,”

come as no surprise. (Frequent nudie and soft-

Friedman told author John McCarty in The Sleaze core movie producer Friedman developed a lu-Merchants. “No picture’s ever made a more lasting crative partnership with Hershell Gordon Lewis,
impression on me.... The problem when I made
the “Godfather of Gore,” in the 1960s, with whom

She Freak was that I had to resort to makeup tricks he made such drive-in milestones as Blood Feast instead of using real freaks. When Browning
and Two Thousand Maniacs! )

made the original, there were a number of human

Shot on a $75,000 budget at the Kern County
oddities traveling around in circuses and carnivals Fair in Bakersfield, California, She Freak begins that he was able to use in the film. But by 1966,
with four minutes of carnival footage (rides, cot-
when we made She Freak, that sort of exploitation ton candy machine, sideshow hoochie-koochie
was frowned upon.... So except for the dwarf char-
dancer, etc.) before the credits finally roll — over acter and a couple of others, all the human odd-more carny shots. The movie proper then starts ities in the film were fakes.” And fake- looking as just like the original Freaks— with a carnival well — even in the pivotal lead antagonist’s phony
barker (Friedman himself ) offering to show the
oatmeal-and-cardboard makeup after her
crowd (and the viewer) the freak show’s (unseen)

“hideous” transformation.

main attraction. The film then flashes back to Jade Featuring amateurish acting, ugly photography

(Claire Brennan), a money-hungry waitress at a
and tinny sound (much of the film was obviously
nowheresville greasy spoon, who takes a job with
shot silent), She Freak offers nothing to those the traveling carnival. There she meets Steve (Bill viewers not enamored of ’60s carnival footage —

McKinney), the well-heeled owner of the
apart from one great sixties moment: when the
sideshow. She entraps him with her wiles, then
final credits roll, we read, “Miss Brennan’s
shows her true colors by cheating on him with
wardrobe by SASSY PANTS.” You just don’t see ac-
one of the ride operators (Lee Raymond). (Re-
knowledgements like that anymore...

placing the beautiful aerialist and handsome
strong man characters of Freaks with a white-trash hash-slinger and carny grunt demonstrates She

Short Stories of Terror see The Mas-

Freak’s lowly ambition.) The operator kills the
ter of Horror

360

The Shuttered Room; Sister of Satan; The Skull

2. THE MOVIES

The Shuttered Room (1968; Warner Bros./

Seven Arts) Director: David Greene; Producer:

Philip Hazelton; Screenplay: D.B. Ledrov and

Nathaniel Tanchuck (Novel: August Derleth and

H.P. Lovecraft); Cinematographer: Kenneth

Hodges. Cast: Gig Young, Carol Lynley, Oliver

Reed, Flora Robson.

There are some doors that should never
be opened.— tagline

Stylish direction, believable performances, su-
perb location photography, and a moody score —

The Shuttered Room has nearly everything going for it. The only thing missing is a story.

Newlyweds Mike Kelton (Gig Young) and Su-
sanna Whatley Kelton (Carol Lynley) travel to Su-
sanna’s girlhood home on a remote New England
island, where they plan to convert the old Whatley
mill into a summer home. But the locals warn
them to stay away from the place, which they
claim is haunted by the Curse of the Whatleys.

Already nervous about the trip (haunted by long-
buried memories of a mysterious force of evil),

Susanna grows even more uneasy when she be-
comes an object of desire for her creepy, low-life
cousin Ethan (Oliver Reed).

Yugoslavian poster for The Shuttered Room (1968).

That’s about all that happens for the first hour

Susanna’s inscrutable Aunt Agatha. Basil Kirchin’s
of the film’s sluggish 100-minute runtime. The
unorthodox score, heavy on bass and percussion,
final 40 minutes aren’t much more eventful (the
underscores the suspense.

Evil Whatsit doesn’t claim its first victim until the For these considerable pleasures, The Shuttered 68-minute mark). Not only is there too little nar-Room may be worth a look for patient viewers rative to justify the picture’s length, but the story who appreciate fine acting and beautiful cine-is also numbingly predictable. And its low-key,
matography. Just don’t expect many real thrills.

psychological approach will likely disappoint any-
one hoping for Lovecraftian chills.

On the plus side, however, there’s, well, prac-

Sister of Satan see The She-Beast
tically everything else. The Shuttered Room
marked the big-screen debut of veteran TV di-

The Skull (1966; Amicus/Paramount; U.K./
rector David Greene, who employs POV shots

U.S.) Director: Freddie Francis; Producers: Milton
and extreme high and low camera angles to create

Subotsky, Max J. Rosenberg; Screenplay: Milton
a sense of menace. His compositions also make

Subtosky (from the story “The Skull of the Mar-
evocative use of the film’s atmospheric loca-
quis de Sade” by Robert Bloch); Cinema tog -
tions— a rundown lighthouse, a disused mill and
rapher: John Wilcox. Cast: Pter Cushing, Patrick
hardscrabble New England village. Despite his ex-

Wymark, Nigel Green, Jill Bennett, Michael
cellent direction here, Greene continued to work

Gough, Geore Coulouris, Christopher Lee.

primarily in television.

When the skull strikes— you’ll scream!— trailer While short on plot, the script by D.B. Ledrov
and Nat Tanchuck contains well-developed char-

Rather than showcasing several of author
acters and fine dialogue, handled well by the

Robert Bloch’s short stories in an anthology for-
strong cast. Oliver Reed (as usual) walks away
mat (as they subsequently did with Torture
with the film thanks to his showy performance as

Garden and The House That Dripped Blood), Am-the jealous, lusty Ethan. But Lynley and Young
icus (and, specifically, co-producer/screenwriter
make appealing leads, and Flora Robson con-

Milton Subotsky) here stretched one story (Bloch’s tributes a memorable supporting turn as

1945 eight-page “The Skull of the Marquis de

2. THE MOVIES

The Skull

361

Sade”) out to feature length.

Unfortunately, it shows. “[Sub-
otsky’s short, 83-page] script
needed a lot of bolstering,” ob-
served director Freddie Francis,

“and I put a lot of that material
about black magic into it on the
set.” Other such bolstering
measures included pace-slow-
ing but time-eating scenes of
characters leaving and entering
rooms (almost to the point of
absurdity, as the Skull sends its
thrall to and fro on its wicked
errands) and a dream sequence
used for filler (admittedly riv-
eting filler, however, thanks to

Peter Cushing’s harrowing por-
trayal).

Released in England in 1965,

Peter Cushing falls victim to The Skull (1965) of the Marquis de Sade and in the U.S. the following
in this lobby card scene.

year, The Skull stars Cushing as

Christopher Maitland, a researcher/collector of
technique for 1973’s The Creeping Flesh). “I think occult antiquities who buys the original skull of

Freddie Francis did a lot, considering how little
the infamous Marquis de Sade, “the man whose
he had to spend for the production,” opined
name has become the symbol of cruelty and sav-

Robert Bloch. “The cast, of course, contributed
agery in all of us” (as one character describes
greatly with their talented performances.”

him). The skull is inhabited by the evil force that Indeed, Cushing carries the film on his skilled
possessed the wicked Marquis in life, and it now
shoulders, since he’s onscreen nearly every minute, attempts to seize Maitland and drive him to mur-much of the time alone and without dialogue. (All
der.

of Cushing’s capable co-stars, including Patrick

“The thing I like most about working with [di-

Wymark and Christopher Lee, contribute little
rector] Freddie [Francis],” said Subotsky, “is that more than cameos.) Through his expressions and
he’s got a fantastic visual sense, and these films
body language, Cushing brilliantly conveys his
need a visual style. He can give the picture a better character’s desperate battle to retain control of
look than any other director.”

his own will (from bemusement at his friend’s

Oscar-winning-cinematographer-turned-di-
concern, to his initial confusion, shocked horror,
rector Francis indeed creates a stylish and visually bitter anguish, and final frantic panic). It’s an
arresting film, where the camera movement,
emotionally strenuous and simply remarkable
lighting, and set design become just as impor-
performance.

tant — if not more so— than the characters and

The Skull benefits from sumptuous set decora-

(sparse) dialogue. Through the clever use of light-
tion, the drawing rooms and studies filled with all ing, angles and judicious cuts, for instance,
manner of intriguing, macabre bric-a-brac (Sa-

Francis infuses the (mostly) inanimate Skull with
tanic statuary, malevolent masks, sinister
a malevolent life of its own.

weaponry), enhancing the supernaturally suffused

Francis even had a special skull cowl mounted
story (in which all the primary characters are ei-
in front of the camera lens, so for certain scenes
ther researchers, collectors or dealers in the oc-
it appears as if the camera looks from inside the
cult). “I always like to have my sets, when I go onto Skull’s eye sockets, emphasizing its evil, sentient them, mildly overdressed so I can pick out the
nature. For these skull’s-eye-view shots Francis
best prop to use to make a particular point,” com-
took over the camera operation himself, strapping
mented Francis. “I could have gone on creating
on roller skates and having himself “pushed about
various scenes within Peter Cushing’s study for
as if I was moving and chasing Peter Cushing.”

the rest of my life and enjoying it. It was one of

(Francis later re-used this same skull’s-eye-view
the things that works out just right on a picture!”

362

The Slaughter of the Vampires; The Slime People

2. THE MOVIES

During the film’s brilliant build-up, the grin-

From caves and sewers come the Slime People
ning Skull several times turns up in impossible
to kill, kill, kill!— theatrical trailer places, its unexpected, mysterious appearances

The fifties are largely considered the heyday of
adding chilling punctuation to the story’s
cinematic science fiction (particularly of the low-
ominous tone. But the creepy implication ulti-
budget variety), in which every producer and his
mately goes by the boards when we see the Skull
dog had a sci-fi double feature shooting in their
floating through the air, turning the initial fear
backyard and/or Bronson Canyon. The trend
of the unknown/unseen into just another banal
didn’t stop with the close of the decade, however,
bit of horror hokum. (Reportedly, commercial
continuing well into the 1960s— as evidenced by
pressures compelled Francis to include these un-
drive-in fare like The Slime People and its sister fortunate shots.)

production, The Crawling Hand (both produced At one point, Maitland asks his friend, “How
by Joseph F. Robertson). Surprisingly, given its
can a mere skull be dangerous, unless your mind bargain-basement budget and trashy title, The
makes it so?” offering the promise of a fascinating Slime People proved to be one of the more unusual exploration of obsession and suggestibility. But
and oddly entertaining low-budget sci-fi/horror
the film heads off in a more obvious and disap-
entries of the time.

pointing direction, and the opportunity for some-

TV sportscaster Tom Gregory (Robert Hutton)

thing a bit more than an admittedly-atmospheric-
flies his private plane through thick fog and lands but-straightforward horror movie was lost.

in Los Angeles, only to discover the airport — in-

These thematic missteps aside, The Skull still deed, the entire city— deserted. There he hooks stands as a creepy, atmospheric and thoroughly
up with science professor Galbraith (Robert Bur-
engrossing mood piece. “I had a tremendous
ton, an eleventh-hour replacement for an ill
amount of freedom and it gave me something I

Richard Arlen; sadly, Burton died shortly after the really love,” enthused Francis, “and that’s lots of film wrapped) and his two lovely daughters
nice camera moves, because so much of the pic-

(Susan Hart and Judee Morton). Tom learns that
ture was purely and simply atmosphere.”

L.A. has been evacuated following an invasion of

In France, The Skull was renamed The Dreadful scaly prehistoric man-beasts that have crawled up

Crimes of the Marquis de Sade, but a Paris court out of the sewers to attack the populace (with un-ordered the title changed after Count Xavier de
derground nuclear testing taking the blame for

Sade, a descendent of the Marquis, filed a com-
disturbing the disgusting denizens). Joined by a
plaint, claiming it a slur on his family’s name.

marine separated from his unit (William Boyce),

Now if only Jerry Lewis had played the Cushing the little band of survivors must battle the Slime
role...

People and figure out a way to penetrate/destroy

With quotes from: The Men Who Made the

Monsters, by Paul M. Jensen; “Mil-
ton Subotsky,” by Chris Knight,

Cinefantastique, Summer 1973;

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
and Horror Cinema, by Mark Miller.

The Slaughter of the Vam-
pires see Curse of the

Blood-Ghouls

The Slime People (1963;

Hansen Enterprises; b&w) Director:

Robert Hutton; Producer: Joseph F.

Robertson; Screenplay: Vance

Skarstedt; Cinematographer:

William Troiano. Cast: Robert Hut-
ton, Les Tremayne, Robert Burton,

Judee Morton, Susan Hart, William

Boyce.

So begins the Slaughter of the Vampires (1962/69).

2. THE MOVIES

The Snake Woman

363
the dome of hardened fog the
creatures have thrown up over
the city.

Since The Slime People was
made for just over $51,000, ac-
cording to first-and last-time di-
rector and star Robert Hutton,
the mass murder and mayhem
committed by the Slime Mon-
sters on the populace of Los An-
geles occurs before the movie
ever gets rolling. We only hear
about the devastating battles the
losing military waged with the
vicious creatures (though we do
get to see a token isolated victim
here and there, after the fact). Of
course, it’d be pretty difficult to
stage an all-out Slime assault
when the production could only
udee Morton menaced by one of The Slime People (1963), who crawl afford three Slime Monster cos-up out of the sewers to overrun L.A. (American lobby card).

tumes. Fortunately, the little
quintet of protagonists seems to run into the
up for a time against the marauding monsters) in
creatures quite regularly, so that active skirmishes Lancaster, California, to save money.

come fairly fast and furious (which, thanks to the

“The Slime People was a lot of fun to make,”

professional stuntmen — such as Robert Herron
remembered Hutton. “Oh, we had a ball!” (And
and Fred Stromsoe — wearing the suits, also de-
this from a man who says he was never even paid scribes the rather exciting encounters themselves).

for his services!) Given the right frame of mind,

Though the Slime Monsters comically conjure

The Slime People is “a lot of fun” for the viewer as up images of the “Big Fig” from the old Fruit of
well.

the Loom underwear commercials, the unique

With quotes from: Attack of the Monster Movie
costume design is one of the movie’s major assets.

Makers, and Science Fiction Stars and Horror He-With their scaly, reptilian faces, oversized, de-
roes, by Tom Weaver.

formed torsos and grotesque spinal hump, they
appear both bizarre and frightening. Costing

The Snake Woman (1961; Caralan Produc-

$3,000 to $4,000, these suits ate up a healthy
tions Ltd.; UK; b&w) Alternate Title: Terror of chunk of the film’s budget but proved to be
the Snake Woman; Director: Sidney J. Furie; Pro-money well spent.

ducer: George Fowler; Screenplay: Orville H.

Partially financed by the owner of a propane

Hampton; Cinematography: Stephen Dade. Cast:

company and a string of launderettes, The Slime John McCarthy, Susan Travers, Elsie Wagstaff,

People ran into money problems almost as soon Arnold Marle, Geoffrey Denton, John Cazabon.

as it began production in January 1962; by week
two, the unpaid crewmembers had begun to

Teen-age beauty turns into deadly reptile at
will ... spreading horror with fang and
desert the sinking ship. “We had a makeup person
forked tongue!— poster
the first week,” recalled actress Susan Hart (Hart
made her big-screen debut on Slime People and

“Beauty turning into deadly reptile”?—yes. But
later married AIP co-founder James Nicholson).

“teen-age”?— technically no (she’s 20), and “hor-

“All of a sudden, in the second week, we started
ror” most definitely not, as there’s precious little doing our own makeup. And people started dis-of that in this cramped, low-budget, poorly acted,
appearing, like lighting men and carpenters. All
indifferently directed slice of British dullness.

of a sudden, the crew was down to maybe

Taking a page from Cult of the Cobra (1955), seven...” Robert Hutton even talked his father-and pre-figuring Hammer’s far-better-but-still-
in-law into letting the production shoot at the lat-disappointing The Reptile (1966), The Snake ter’s butcher shop (where the protagonists hole

Woman tells the story of a brilliant herpetologist

364

Something Weird

2. THE MOVIES

(John Cazabon) in a small turn-of-the-century
in December, The Snake Woman just coils up and Northumberland village who injects his wife with
lies there for most of its (blessedly brief ) 68-
snake venom in order to cure her insanity. The
minute running time. Cramped sets (including
unorthodox treatment works, but it also affects
sparse studio-bound “moors”), lengthy and
the woman’s unborn baby. The wife dies in child-
pointless talking head scenes (in which characters
birth; the midwife (whom the superstitious vil-
blather on about what the viewer has already
lagers consider a friendly “witch”) labels the cold-seen), mundane staging (Sidney Furie offers up
blooded, lidless newborn “the Devil’s offspring”;
drab direction more along the lines of his earlier
and the fearful torch-wielding villagers set fire to Dr. Blood’s Coffin than his later, more stylish films the house, killing the herpetologist. Fortunately
like The Ipcress File and The Entity), melodramatic (or un fortunately, as it turns out), the baby is over acting (particularly from Elsie Wagstaff as the whisked away by the doctor and delivered into
cartoonish “witch”), and a predictable story
the hands of a friendly shepherd. Twenty years

(livened only by the tangential magical angle in-
later the girl has disappeared, while the village is volving the voodoo-doll-wielding midwife and
plagued by a rash of mysterious snakebite deaths.

her prescience) do nothing to warm up this Snake A young Scotland Yard detective (John

Woman. Scenes of victims being stalked by a McCarthy) arrives to investigate “the curse of the
literal snake in the grass offer little suspense, par-serpent child” (as the villagers call it) and “prove ticularly when the “special effects” consist of al-it utterly baseless” (as his superior instructs). As ternating footage of a live snake with that of a
the torpid tale crawls along to its foregone con-
rubber one, with nary a transformation scene in
clusion, he runs across the beautiful and myste-
sight (excepting one simple and unconvincing su-
rious Atheris (Susan Travers), who can transform
perimposition at the very end). And the poten-
herself into a King Cobra at will.

tially fascinating character of Atheris remains

Plagued by a pace more sluggish than a serpent
completely undeveloped, as she’s given little dia-
logue and even less personality, denying the story
much of its pathos and leaving only the “mystery”

angle to engage viewer interest — of which there
is none (neither mystery nor interest).

Something Weird (1967; Mayflower) Director/Cinematography: Herschell Gordon Lewis;

Producer/screenplay: James F. Hurley. Cast: Tony

McCabe, Elizabeth Lee, William Brooker, Mudite

Arums, Ted Heil.

Shocks every emotion!— tagline

After a two-year hiatus from horror pictures,
splatter film pioneer H.G. Lewis shot three
chillers in 1967, including two of his patented gore fests ( A Taste of Blood and The Gruesome Twosome) as well as this oddball supernatural thriller involving ESP, black magic and LSD.

“This is not a true gore picture as such,” Lewis
explained. “In gore pictures we would slash some-
body with a knife or stick a pool cue through
them and blood would gush and intestines would
tumble out. This was not that kind of picture at
all.... Nothing here would make someone’s stom-
ach to turn over.”

Cronin Mitchell (Tony McCabe) is zapped by
a downed power line but miraculously survives.

The accident leaves him horribly disfigured but

American one-sheet poster for The Snake Woman
grants him incredible psychic powers (telepathy

(1961).

and telekinesis). Soon, Mitchell is approached by

2. THE MOVIES

Sons of Thunder; The Sorcerers

365
a hideous witch (Elizabeth Lee, channeling Mar-
excited anybody”), but it shouldn’t be missed by
garet Hamilton) who offers to magically repair
anyone interested in the director’s offbeat oeuvre.

his face — if the young man will become her lover.

Lewis shot Something Weird in Chicago in less Reluctantly at first, Mitchell accepts her help and than two weeks on a budget of about $35,000. He
becomes a renowned psychic. But things begin to
was asked to direct the film by screenwriter/pro-
unravel when he offers to help police apprehend
ducer Jim Hurley, but Hurley (a Chicago college
a serial killer who has brutally murdered seven
professor who was deeply interested in parapsy-
young women.

chology) was displeased with Lewis’ extensive

Something Weird proves a difficult film to sum-rewrites of his script. So Hurley later directed his marize succinctly because its convoluted narrative
own version of the story under the title The
takes so many bizarre left turns. “We truly in-

Psychic (1968). Something Weird looks even better tended to keep the audience off balance as to
in comparison with Hurley’s deadly dull, nearly
what’s happening,” Lewis said. Mission accom-
unwatchable alternate attempt.

plished. For instance, a detective (Bill Brooker)

With quotes from: Something Weird DVD com-
gives Mitchell LSD to help expand his psychic
mentary with H.G. Lewis and David Friedman.

abilities. (Cue surreal, red-tinted dream se-
quence.) In another “what the #*@%?” moment

Sons of Thunder see My Son, the
the witch magically animates the detective’s blan-

Hero
ket, which attempts to strangle him as he sleeps!

The film’s final act — including the revelation of

The Sorcerers (1967; Tigon/Allied Artists, the killer’s identity and a climactic chase through U.K.) Director: Michael Reeves; Producers:

a junk yard—fires several curveballs at the viewer.

Patrick Curtis and Tony Tenser; Screenplay:

These jaw-dropping passages, as well as the

Michael Reeves and Tom Baker (From an idea by
film’s gore-free approach to horror, make Some-

John Burke); Cinematographer: Stanley A. Long.

thing Weird a unique and surprisingly endearing Cast: Boris Karloff, Catherine Lacey, Ian Ogilvy,
entry in the Lewis filmography, even though it suf-

Elizabeth Ercy, Victor Henry.

fers from all the same moviemaking demerits as
every other Lewis production: flat, drab lighting; He Turns Them On ... He Turns Them Off ...

tinny, echo-stricken sound; banal, clunky dia-
to live ... love ... die or KILL!— tagline
logue; stiff, amateurish acting. It’s not a good pic-Following his awkward but intriguing debut,
ture by any stretch (even Lewis admits, “I don’t

The She-Beast (1966), and before his magnum thinks Something Weird was the kind of movie that opus, The Conqueror Worm (aka Witchfinder General, 1968), wunderkind Michael

Reeves directed this often-over-
looked minor classic.

An aging, discredited pro

-
fessor of psychology, Marcus

Monserrat (Boris Karloff ), as-
sisted by his wife Estelle (Cather-
ine Lacey), has developed a fan-
tastic machine capable of
creating a powerful hypnotic link
between doctor and patient. To
test the device, Monserrat trawls
trendy Soho, searching for a dis-
affected young Londoner. (Young
people are “bored, taking pills to
stay awake, looking for new ex-
periences,” he says.) In Mike (Ian

Ogilvy), Marcus finds a willing
subject; his interest is piqued
when Estelle promises him “in-

Boris Karloff meets the swinging sixties in The Sorcerers (1967) toxication with no hangover, ec-

(American half-sheet).

stasy with no consequences.”

366

Sound of Horror

2. THE MOVIES

After a top drawer psycho-freak-out sequence
here. Lacey steals the film with her devilishly en-

(full of rapid zooms in and out, splashes of
joyable portrayal of Estelle, the long-suffering
colored light, lava lamp-like visuals, etc.), Marcus wife bent on finally getting some enjoyment out
and Estelle realize that the device has not only
of life. And Ogilvy contributes possibly the finest given them complete psychic control over Mike,
performance of his career as the picture’s true
but enables them to experience everything Mike
lead. As usual, Ogilvy’s character is a stand-in for does: They see what he sees, hear what he hears,

Reeves, but the tragic Mike — overwhelmed by
even feel what he feels. Marcus wants to use this
ennui and self-doubt, seeking solace in exotic
discovery for the benefit of other elderly people,
pleasures— is a particularly transparent and
but Estelle wants to use it for her own gratifica-
poignant substitute (the character’s full name is
tion —first by forcing Mike to steal a fur coat and

“Michael Roscoe”). Like so many other luminary
then indulging even darker impulses. Mike, con-
talents of his generation (such as Jimi Hendrix,
fused and suffering from hypnotic blackouts, tries
whose band the Experience was formed in Swing-
to move on with his life as Marcus and Estelle
ing London about the time this film was shot),
launch a battle of wills for control of his mind.

Reeves would surrender to his own demons all

Like all Reeves’ films, The Sorcerers has a point too soon.

and makes it in compelling style. In terms of tech-

Given its status as both a Reeves picture and a
nique, it represents a quantum leap forward from

Karloff vehicle, as well as its generally outstanding The She-Beast. Reeves’ work here is confident, quality, The Sorcerers’ relative obscurity remains even visionary. His skillful inter-cutting between
puzzling. It’s seldom studied or written about.

Mike and the Monserrats during key sequences,

And since it has yet to earn an authorized U.S.

such as the fur robbery, subtly stretches time and
home video release and rarely turns up on cable
thus amps up the suspense. With a modest but
television, it’s also difficult to see. However, view-adequate budget (nearly 33,000 pounds), the di-
ers who seek out The Sorcerers will find their effort rector makes better use of the Swinging London
richly rewarded. It’s a smartly crafted, thought-
location than any picture of its era other than
provoking picture—a forgotten jewel overdue for

Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up (1966). Soho rediscovery.

practically becomes a character in the story, as its booze, rock ’n’ roll and casual sex consume young

Sound of Horror (1964/67; Europix Consol-hipsters like quicksand. Mike—the jaded hedonist
idated Corp.; Spain; b&w) Original Language
searching for some sort of meaning to his emo-

Title: El Sonido Prehistórico; Director: J. A. Nieves tionally bankrupt life — would fit perfectly into

Conde; Producer: Gregorio Sacristan; Screenplay:

any Antonioni film.

Sam X. Abarbanel, Gregg Tallas, Jose Antonio

While it lacks the visceral impact of The Con-

Nieves Conde, Gregorio Sacristan; Cinematogra-
queror Worm, The Sorcerers proves no less provoca -
pher: Manuel Berenguer. Cast: James Philbrook,
tive or thematically complex. Taken at face value,

Arturo Fernandez, Soledad Miranda, Jose Bodalo,
the film serves as a timely reminder to its Flower

Ingrid Pitt, Lola Gaos, Francisco Piquer.

Power generation that, in truth, there is no “in-
toxication without hangover” or “ecstasy without

They can’t see it, they can’t escape it, they can
only hear it and fear it.— trailer
consequences.” On a secondary level, however,
the movie—in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock’s

This Spanish obscurity tells the tale of a group

Rear Window (1954) and Michael Powell’s Peeping of treasure hunters in the mountains of Greece

Tom (1960)— explores the appeal (and danger) of dynamiting a forbidden cave and uncovering a
voyeurism while reflexively pointing out the
prehistoric egg. The egg hatches to disgorge an
voyeuristic nature of cinema as an art form.

invisible (man-sized) dinosaur, which corners the

Top-billed (and top-salaried — his paycheck
protagonists in their isolated hacienda, slicing up consumed a third of the budget) Boris Karloff
everyone it can get its unseen claws on.

gives a reliable but somewhat indistinct perform-

“It’s like Jurassic Park, but without the di-ance as Prof. Marcus Monserrat. The generally
nosaurs!” laughed co-star Ingrid Pitt (here ap-
sympathetic scientist whose good intentions lead
pearing in her first horror movie; Pitt went on to
him to disastrous choices served as a staple role
achieve a modicum of fame in British films like
for the actor as far back as The Man Who Lived

The Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula and The Again and The Invisible Ray (both 1936). While House That Dripped Blood). “All you get to see are Karloff is by no means bad, he offers nothing fresh the big footsteps!” When pressed, Ms. Pitt (who

2. THE MOVIES

Space Zombies; Spider Baby

367
serves as mere window dressing in the picture)

had nothing further to say on the topic, except to
dismiss Sound of Horror as “crap.” An apt assessment.

Little actually happens in this low-budget ex-
ercise in tedium. Plenty of slow poking about in
the cave eats up some running time; while Pitt
dances the twist at one point, followed by female
lead Soledad Miranda’s slooow Greek-style dance
interpretation, in order to pad the picture further.

The “action” reaches its peak when the protago-
nists flee from the sound in the cave, go back,
then run away again.

“You’ll shiver and shake, quiver and quake
when you hear the unearthly, uncanny sound that
signals hideous death!” exclaimed the film’s
trailer. Admittedly, said noise is indeed rather uncanny, and provides a few moments of weird fris-
son. And the bloody slashes on the monster’s vic-
tims (who turn ghostly pale after the creature
drains their blood [a vampiric dinosaur?!]) offers further macabre interest.

But it’s nearly half-an-hour before the sinister

“Sound” makes an “appearance” (and then it’s
audio-only, as we hear the otherworldly groan/

In the U.S. the tedious Spanish import Sound of
screech, and watch the first victim stagger about

Horror (about an invisible dinosaur!) played the the cave screaming while bloody claw marks mys-bottom half of a double bill with Mario Bava’s
teriously appear on his body). Then it’s another supremely atmospheric Kill Baby ... Kill (courtesy half-hour before the creature “appears” again!

Ted Okuda).

Of the mystery monster, at one point someone
asks, “Why is it invisible?” to which another an-
ers can reach a girl trapped by the beast in a bed-
swers, “Maybe it absorbs the color of its back-
room) sprinkled throughout the film like flour
ground and becomes invisible immediately.” Or
on a kitchen floor (a ploy the characters use to re-maybe the producers of this low-rent effort hadn’t
veal the creature’s presence via its footprints) tries the pesetas for a visible dinosaur/monster. To be to cover the lack of action, but it’s spread too thin fair, at film’s end the beast does finally appear —
to sustain interest.

for a split-second in transparent silhouette (look-

Filmed at the Samuel Bronston Studios in
ing a bit like a miniature cardboard cutout T-rex).

Madrid, Spain, in 1964, Sound of Horror played The picture tries for that trapped/besieged feel
the lower half of a double bill with Mario Bava’s

(used to good effect in films like The Killer Shrews (far superior) Kill Baby Kill when released in the

[1959], and later perfected in Night of the Living U.S. in 1967.

Dead [1968]), but only manages to produce

Ultimately, the Sound of Horror sounds some-hokum, clichés and ultimately ennui, as the un-
thing like “zzzzzzz...”

derdeveloped characters mope about and experi-

With quotes from: “Pitting Wits,” by Howard
ence “revelations” about their wasted lives and

Maxford, Shivers 31, July 1996.

time misspent. The principals’ heretofore greedy
obsession with finding the treasure abruptly turns

Space Zombies see The Astro-Zom-
to bland nobility — everyone suddenly becomes
bies
oh-so-decent, which is nice and all, but makes
for very poor drama. There’s no cowardly snivel-

Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever
ing or desperate self-interest here, just dull bon-

Told (1964/68; American General Pictures, Inc.; homie in the face of adversity.

b&w) Alternate Title: The Liver Eaters (re-issue); The few moments of suspense (such as one

Director/Screenwriter: Jack Hill; Producers: Paul
character using himself as a decoy so that the oth-

Monka, Gil Lasky; Cinematography: Alfred Tay-

368

Spider Baby

2. THE MOVIES
lor. Cast: Lon Chaney, Carol Ohmart, Quinn Re-

Told. They’d read scripts before, but never any-deker, Beverly Washburn, Jill Banner, Sid Haig,
thing like this.” Indeed. (When asked where he

Mary Mitchel, Karl Schanzer, and Mantan More-received his inspiration for such an off beat story, land.

Hill was nonplused. “It just came to me in a flash,”

he said, “and I wrote it down.... It just sounded

SEDUCTIVE INNOCENCE of LOLITA, SAVAGE
like a good idea. I can’t tell you where those things HUNGER of a BLACK WIDOW — ad line
came from.”)

From the opening theme song (“Fiends and

Unfortunately, soon after the film’s completion,
ghouls and bats and bones / And teenage monsters the bottom dropped out of the California building
and haunted homes / A ghost on the stair, a vampire’s industry and the two financier-producers wound
bite / Better beware, there’s a full moon tonight! ”) up in bankruptcy court, resulting in the film
it’s obvious that Spider Baby is something unusual.

being attached by their creditors. After four years What it is, exactly, can be hard to define. Is it a in limbo, Cannibal Orgy was purchased by low-horror film, a black comedy, a satire, a cheap ex-
budget promoter David Hewitt, who changed the
ploitation movie? (Given that Lon Chaney, Jr.’s,
title to Spider Baby and released it in support of off-key, gravelly voice belts out the title tune, it is lesser color features. Then, two years later, he remost assuredly not a musical.) Actually, Spider titled it The Liver Eaters and sent it around the Baby is all these things and more — a film that redrive-in circuits, reaping a substantial profit
mains completely unique, one that simply can’t

(putting paid the old question of “What’s in a
be pigeonholed but must be seen to be believed,
name?”).

and enjoyed.

The film centers on the Merrye family —

Cannibal Orgy, or the Maddest Story Ever Told
teenagers Virginia (Jill Banner, who likes to play

(the picture’s shooting title) was filmed in twelve a deadly game of ‘spider’) and Elizabeth (Beverly
days in August 1964 for the paltry sum of $65,000

Washburn), their older brother Ralph (Sid Haig,
provided by two real estate developers-cum-
who acts like an overgrown toddler), and several
movie moguls, Paul Monka and Gil Lasky. “They
aunts and uncles kept in a basement pit(!). Every
had been in dramatic school [UCLA],” explained
member of the family is afflicted with the “Merrye
director/screenwriter Jack Hill, “wanted to do a

Syndrome,” a “progressive age regression” that
movie, and got a hold of a treatment I had written
ultimately ends in “a pre-human condition of
called Cannibal Orgy, or the Maddest Story Ever savagery and cannibalism.” Looking after this
bizarre—and dangerous—
family is Bruno (Lon

Chaney, Jr.), the faithful
chauffeur/caretaker. A
group of distant relations

(after the family fortune)

arrive, and the disastrous
meeting of the Merryes
and the “normals” results
in a (hilarious) family din-
ner of cooked cat and
weeds, death by pitchfork,
and an attack from the
cannibals in the basement.

It all ends with a bang at
the explosive climax.

By all accounts, the Spi-
der Baby shoot was a happy
one. “I remember just how
much fun we had,”

recalled Beverly Washburn
warmly. “We shot it very

Director Jack Hill (left) goes over the script with star Lon Chaney, Jr., on fast,” added Mary Mitchel
the set of Spider Baby (1964/68).

(who played the ostensibly

2. THE MOVIES

Spider Baby

369
normal heroine), “it was kind of a quick experi-

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the warped “family” in ence, but it was fun.” Sid Haid concurred: “I loved Spider Baby provides the film with its most ingoing to work every day.” This sense of fun and
triguing characters. Un like that later terror classic, enthusiasm permeates the production, oozing out
however, the “normal” people intruding into the
through the warped cracks to add an off beat live-
bizarre scene in Spider Baby remain interesting liness to the eccentric characters and bizarre sitas well, with scripter Hill taking care to write
uations.

them as unusual, offbeat characters while director Spider Baby’s opening set-piece (a delivery Hill makes sure his cast plays them as such. For
man’s demise) encapsulates the picture’s tone and
instance, Emily (played with a wonderful biting
focus, as it’s one part grotesque horror and two
arrogance by the sexy Carol Ohmart), who ini-
parts black comedy. When the courier sticks his
tially seems the typical greedy, disdainful relative, head through the open porch window to see if
turns into a sensuous hedonist (enjoying twirling
anybody is home, the sash suddenly slams down
about in sheer stockings and black lace) in the
on his back, pinning him like a specimen in a
privacy of her boudoir.

child’s bug collection. Immediately, the teenage

Still, Spider Baby’s focus is on the family. Sig Virginia scuttles out into the room, hunched over,

Haig’s expressive face and energetic portrayal turn her arms crossed in front, holding two large

Ralph into a perfectly realized (and effectively ex-knives in her hands like the forelegs of some huge
aggerated) toddler. “I tried to do some muscle
insect. “I caught a big fat bug right in my spider
contraction things,” said Haig, “and I just kind
web,” she says gleefully and tosses a makeshift net of played with it to see if I could make my body
over the astonished man’s head. She then rears up
work the way I wanted it to. I thought, ‘He’s on
and starts slashing.

the brink for the animal tendencies to come

Director Jack Hill ( Blood Bath, 1966; Isle of the through,’ so I tried to get that.”

Snake People, 1968/71; Coffy, 1973) and cine-Jill Banner plays Virginia as a fun-loving, mis-
matographer Alfred Taylor’s ( Monstrosity, 1964; chievous innocent, whose fascination with (and

Blood Bath, 1966) effective staging, combined deadly emulation of ) spiders is both amusing and
with precision editing (by Hill and Elliot Fayad),
horrific, making her the ultimate ‘naughty little
emphasizes both the horror and the absurdity of
girl.’ At one point she comically sticks her tongue the scene. POV shots from the victim’s perspective
out at her sister after Elizabeth tattles on her for as the bizarre assailant approaches her prey
killing the messenger, while at another she vio-
abruptly give way to close-ups of Virginia fren-
lently stabs the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle with the ziedly slashing and shouting “sting, sting, sting!”

tip of her ever-present butcher knife.

Suddenly an ear falls to the floor and a quick

As Elizabeth, the blond, pig-tailed Beverly
zoom hammers the horror home. This gruesome

Washburn projects a heady mixture of little-girl
sight is immediately juxtaposed with the humor-
coquettishness and ferocious savagery. With her
ous one of the man’s posterior sticking out of the
wide, inviting smiles and her goody-goody de-
window on the porch side, his legs kicking com-
meanor, she effortlessly turns from coy flirt to
ically as the vicious assault continues.

feral killer (her face twisted in fury as she shouts The sequence concludes with Virginia brought

“Kill him! Kill him!” before brutally stabbing a
up short from her continued slashing by a sharp
character with a pitchfork).

“Virginia!” uttered by her sister, Elizabeth. The

Then there’s Uncle Ned, Aunt Clara, and Aunt
camera then shows us Elizabeth: A twenty-some-

Martha kept in a pit in the cellar — the result of
thing woman garbed in a little girl’s pinafore dress the Merrye Syndrome in its advanced state. (Why
with her hair up in pigtails. “Virginia, are you
a pit? “Interiors were shot at a soundstage in
crazy?” she asks scornfully (and the viewer has to

Glendale,” explained Hill, “which at one time had
chuckle at this obvious question). “You’re bad,
been an auto garage and therefore had a pit built bad,” continues Elizabeth, “Bruno’s going to hate into the concrete floor. This made the stage a very you.” Virginia looks down, momentarily cowed,
useful place for horror pictures, as building a set and Elizabeth gives a superior smile and tilt of her with a pit would have otherwise been pro hib -
head — a five-year-old chastising a misbehaving
itively expensive.”) Hill wisely keeps these mys-
three-year-old. It’s a scene both funny and
terious figures largely out of sight, occasionally
chilling in its macabre absurdity.

showing a filthy, grasping arm while dubbing in

Like another quirky and effective (and better-
disturbing grunts and mewlings. The result is
known) independent horror, Tobe Hooper’s The
both frightening (for the viewer’s imagination

370

The Spider’s Web; The Spirit Is Willing

2. THE MOVIES
conjures up all manner of depraved terrors) and
heroic effort to stay on the wagon during the
poignant (because we know that this is the in-
shoot, allowing himself only one glass of beer in
evitable fate of the three Merrye ‘children’).

mid-afternoon in order to get through the day.”

It’s a testament to both writer-director Jack Hill

Chaney remained sober up until the very last day.

and to the individual actors’ efforts that the three (“On the last day we ran until four o’clock in the

Merryes are indeed sympathetic and even likable,
morning —“ explained Hill.)

each possessing a weird charm that draws the

Chaney’s determination held fast even under
viewer into their world — and their plight.

the most adverse conditions, for the shoot proved

Caught between the two groups (straddling the
to be a physically grueling one for him. “He was
normal and the bizarre) is Lon Chaney as Bruno.

very uncomfortable most of the time,” remem-

His is the only character that can seemingly func-
bered Hill, “suffering badly from the August heat
tion in — and relate to— both worlds, and much
in a non-air-conditioned building, so that some-
of the film’s humor comes from Chaney’s delicate
one had to stand by with a bucket of water and
balancing act as he tries to cope with the two dis-
chamois to wipe the sweat off his face between
parate groups coming together (with disastrous
takes.... He was a very underrated actor.”

results). As Chaney plays him, Bruno is an open,

Frightening and funny, Spider Baby remains honest, simple man, yet one who is placed in the
one of those illusive rarities in horror cinema (or unenviable position of trying to maintain the cha-any branch of film for that matter)— a complete rade of normalcy.

original.

With the arrival of the ‘normals,’ Chaney makes

With quotes from: Jack Hill interviews by Jef-
the most of the opportunities presented for sly
fery Frentzen ( Fangoria) and Michael Copner comedy. “I’m proud of you, Virginia,” Bruno tells

( Cult Movies), and correspondence with the au-his young ward as she tries (vainly) to make a
thor (for “Spider Baby, or the Maddest Story Ever
good impression at dinner, “you’re doing so well.”

Told,” by Bryan Senn, in Midnight Marquee

Chaney beams like a proud parent, and one can’t

Actors Series: Lon Chaney, Jr. ); quotes from Sid help but feel both affection and anxiety for his

Haig, Beverly Washburn, and Mary Mitchel are
character and his doomed task. Then, upon of-
from their appearance at the 30th Anniversary
fering a dish of mushrooms to his reluctant

Showing of Spider Baby at the Nuart Theater in guests, Bruno explains, “You see, [Virginia] has

West Los Angeles.

an uncanny knack for picking only the — uh —
non-poisonous ones.” Chaney’s honest, smiling

The Spider’s Web see Horrors of
face and slight pause adds a welcome touch of

Spider Island
humor.

Lon Chaney was Jack Hill’s first choice for the

The Spirit Is Willing (1967; Paramount) Di-role of Bruno. “At first,” related Hill, “his agent rector/Producer: William Castle; Screenplay: Ben
pretended that, since it was a horror picture, Lon

Starr (Novel: Nathaniel Benchley); Cinematog-
should receive a much higher salary; but we just
raphy: Harold Stine. Cast: Sid Caesar, Vera Miles,
didn’t have the budget for it, and luckily, that

Barry Gordon, John McGivar, Cass Daley, Ricky
same agent also represented John Carradine. So

Cordell, Mary Wilkes, Jesse White, Robert Don-
when we asked him to send the script to Carra-
ner, Jill Townsend, John Astin.

dine, Chaney quickly accepted our offer [a mere

$2500] because he loved the script and really

Kiss-Hungry Girl Ghosts Looking for a Live
wanted to do the picture — particularly as it gave

Lover in a Haunted House of Mayhem — tagline
him a chance to do comedy, which he had rarely

The Spirit Is Willing (1967), a faintly amusing been given before — and he didn’t want to lose it
ghost spoof, remains one of producer-director
all to his rival Carradine.” In fact, the actor was William Castle’s least remembered works. While
so enamored of the project that he remained on
its obscurity is deserved, the picture isn’t com-
his best behavior throughout the filming (perhaps
pletely without charm.

realizing that, though in a low-budget pro -

The Powell family —father Ben (Sid Caesar),
duction, he was finally being offered a worthy
mother Kate (Vera Miles) and son Steve (Barry
role — at a time when such opportunities had

Gordon)— rent a summer vacation home which
seemingly dried up). “He was an alcoholic at the
turns out to be haunted by three eternally battling time,” stated Hill, “but, since he wanted so badly
ghosts (a faithless groom, along with his bride
to do a good job on this film, he made a truly
and his mistress). Sullen, teenaged Steve is con-

2. THE MOVIES

Spirits of the Dead

371
tinually blamed for the destruction wrought by

Spirits of the Dead (1969, Les Films the restless spirits, which only he can see. Even-Marceau/American-International; France/Italy)

tually he decides that in order to bring peace to

Original Language Title: Histoires Extraordinaire; the house, he must find a new lover for the specter Alternate Title: Tales of Mystery and Imagination of the spurned wife.

(U.K.). Directors: Roger Vadim (“Metzengerstein”

With The Spirit Is Willing, Castle clearly wanted segment), Louis Malle (“William Wilson” seg-to recapture the kid-friendly appeal of his earlier ment) and Federico Fellini (“Toby Dammit” seg-horror-comedy hit 13 Ghosts (1960). The two pic-ment); Producer: Raymond Eger; Screenplay:

tures share many common plot elements (includ-

Roger Vadim, Pascal Cousin and Clement Bid-
ing the central premise: a family moves into a
dlewood (“Metzengerstein”), Louis Malle and
house haunted by multiple ghosts, only visible to

Clement Biddlewood (“William Wilson”), Fed-
the young son), but Spirit simply isn’t as endearing erico Fellini and Bernardino Zapponi (“Toby
as its predecessor, and not simply because it lacks Dammit”); Cinematographers: Claude Renoir

13 Ghosts’ “Illusion-O” ghost viewer gimmick. A (“Metzengerstein”), Diego Masson (“William
more significant problem is that, where 13 Ghosts Wilson”) and Giuseppe Rotunno (“Toby
featured a precocious 8-year-old protagonist,

Dammit”). Cast: Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, Alain

Spirit assumes the point of view of a disaffected, Delon, Brigitte Bardot, Terence Stamp.

horny 15-year-old—so naturally the humor tends
toward the sophomoric and mildly sexual. (The

The ultimate orgy of evil — tagline
film suggests that Steve loses his virginity to a

Spirits of the Dead, which features an interna-ghost!) Although it’s not racy enough to do justice tional all-star lineup of actors and directors in
to its better ideas (like a sex-starved female ghost three adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories, re-preying on hormone-crazed male teenagers), it’s
mains an uneven but intriguing curio.

a little too saucy to work comfortably as a chil-

In the first segment, “Metzengerstein,” directed
dren’s film. Nor are its comedic set pieces, fatherson verbal jousts and other bits of business exe-
cuted particularly well. Aside from the off beat

Zotz! (1962), Castle never displayed much of a touch for farce, and most of Spirit’s gags are telegraphed far in advance. The film also suffers
from awful visual effects (even its simple rear-
screen projection scenes are atrocious) and a grat-
ing score that repeats the inane, seven-note
melody of the picture’s theme song (“The spirit
is willing/ but the body is weak...”) over and over and over again in scene after scene.

In the plus column, the picture’s cast list reads
like a virtual Who’s Who of comedic character peo-
ple (all of whom had their best moments else-
where). TV legend Sid Caesar plays the irascible
father with conviction and perfect timing, and is
matched by young, toucan-beaked Barry Gordon,
who looks like he really could be Caesar’s kid. Former Alfred Hitchcock protégé Vera Miles fades into
the woodwork in her bland role as the sympathetic
mother, but several other performers contribute
memorable supporting turns, especially John Mc-

Givar as the Powells’ wealthy Uncle George and

John Astin as an overwhelmed psychologist. Also
making notable appearances in minor roles are

Harvey Lembeck, Mary Wickes, Jesse White and

Doodles Weaver. Too bad they weren’t working
with better material. Or, to put it another way,

American one-sheet poster for Spirits of the Dead
the cast is willing, but the script is weak.

(1969).

372

Spirits of the Dead

2. THE MOVIES
by Roger Vadim, a cruel, debauched baroness,

Malle fares better with “William Wilson.” Like

Frederique (Jane Fonda) becomes infatuated with

Vadim, he incorporates all Poe’s key plot points
her cousin Wilhelm (Peter Fonda). After Wilhelm
but brings other elements into play by making
is killed in a fire set by one of Frederique’s hench-minor additions and changes. Most notably, he
men, a mysterious black horse appears. She
changes the gender of a poker player who Wilson
adopts the horse and soon becomes as fixated on
fleeces so the part can be played by Brigitte
it as she had been on Wilhelm. In director Louis

Bardot. In Malle’s version, Wilson “wins” her in

Malle’s “William Wilson,” a sadistic, unscrupu-
the game and then ritualistically whips her while
lous military officer (Alain Delon) is pursued by
the other players watch; nothing of the sort hap-
a doppelganger, who continually thwarts his
pens in Poe’s tale. On the whole, “William
wicked schemes. Wilson decides to eliminate his

Wilson” is a competent genre exercise by Malle,
tormentor, but faces unexpected consequences.

a director who dabbled in numerous cinematic

And in Federico Fellini’s “Toby Dammit,” a
forms (including noir thrillers, romances, screw-
burned-out movie star (Terence Stamp) travels
ball comedies, documentaries, science fiction and
to Italy and, after a grueling night of public ap-
even a Western). Delon and Bardot assist with
pearances, becomes lost in a village outside Rome.

memorable performances.

There, he encounters the ghostly figure of a young

On the surface, Fellini’s “Toby Dammit” ap-
girl , who he believes to be the devil.

pears to be the least Poe-like of the triad. It jetti-The tales chosen for Spirits of the Dead are sons nearly the entire original story (even the
lesser known (and just plain lesser) selections
title), retaining only the tale’s ironic payoff. Yet from the Poe bibliography. Why this trio instead
this segment comes closest to replicating the tone of say, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat”

of the Poe original, hitting the same wickedly
and “The Pit and the Pendulum?” Perhaps pro-
satirical note as “Never Bet the Devil Your Head”

ducer Raymond Eger wanted to steer clear of sto-

(or, as it’s credited here, “Don’t Wager Your Head
ries already brought to the screen by Roger Cor-
to the Devil”). Like Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and man and other filmmakers. In any case, Spirits is Satyricon, “ Toby Dammit” i s a scathing (and hardly designed for Poe purists. The titles for
sometimes hilarious) indictment of vapid con-

“Toby Dammit” indicate that the story was “lib-
temporary culture and the soul-destroying power
erally adapted” from Poe’s “Never Bet the Devil
of wealth and fame. Toby, in Rome to film “the

Your Head.” But, in truth, all three segments take
first Catholic Western,” turns to booze after being substantial liberties with the source material.

swarmed by sycophantic hangers-on and

Vadim hews closely to Poe’s narrative, but in-
chiselers. He gives a TV interview full of amusing
troduces new, sexually charged elements to the
non sequiturs (“I’m happy and it drives me to de-
story by changing Poe’s Frederick to Frederique
spair”) and seems more interested in obtaining
and re-imagining Wilhelm as an object of desire
the Ferrari pro ducers have promised him than in
rather than a grandfatherly patriarch. Reinforcing
the upcoming movie. After tearing through the
these elements by the stunt casting of siblings Jane Italian countryside in the convertible roadster, he and Peter Fonda as would-be lovers, and including
becomes lost in a remote village — and “Toby
a sequence of Frederique riding naked on the mys-

Dammit” becomes truly unsettling. The ghostly
terious black steed, Vadim suggests incest and bes-
figure of the devil-girl dressed in white and
tiality, neither of which are present in Poe’s story.

bouncing a large white ball Fellini admitted to

Vadim also depicts the baroness’ wanton ap-

“borrowing” from Mario Bava’s Kill Baby Kill.

petites—both for power (as when she uses a young

As usual for Fellini films of this vintage, this
boy for archery practice) and sex (in multiple orgy short plays in a skewered, impressionistic register, scenes)— much more explicitly than Poe. Ulti-full of bizarre, quasi-religious imagery (at an
mately, however, while it has its compensations
award ceremony, Toby is presented with a golden

(including the ravishing Fonda on horseback),
calf ) that unfolds to a creepy, carnival-like score Vadim’s segment doesn’t add up to much in terms
by Nino Rota. Idiosyncratic but highly amusing
of drama. As in his previous horror film, Blood and at times genuinely frightening, “Toby
and Roses (1960), Vadim seems more interested Dammit” stands as the most impressive and en-in visual stylization than in storytelling. And
joyable of the film’s three segments by far, even

“Metzengerstein,” a simple and succinct seven-
if it’s more successful as a Fellini film than a
page story, simply isn’t weighty enough to sustain
horror movie. It makes the same thematic point

Vadim’s overblown 37-minute “short.”

as Satyricon in less than half the running time,

2. THE MOVIES

Spiritism; Sting of Death

373
and with more than twice the wit. Indeed, “Toby

Full of long-winded talking heads and static

Dammit” remains one of the director’s best short
photography, Spiritism’s banal settings (an inor-works, superseded only by the uproarious “Temp-
dinate amount of running time takes place in the
tation of Dr. Antonio” segment from Boccaccio
couple’s ordinary living room) work against the

’70 (1962), in which a prudish man is pursued by eerie theme. The picture sorely misses the grave-a giant, half-naked Anita Ekberg, who comes to
yard ambiance that the best of the Mexican horror
life from a billboard outside his room.

movies of the time possessed. (In the 1950s and

For “Toby Dammit” alone, it’s well worth con-

’60s, Mexican horror cinema seemed to be trying
juring up a copy of Spirits of the Dead. The film’s to emulate the Universal look of the ’30s and
other segments have their moments, too.

’40s.)

Impoverished production values don’t help.

Spiritism (1961/65; Cinematografica Calderon When the woman impulsively “calls upon Satan”

S.A./Trans-International Films; Mexico; b&w)

during the spiritualists’ séance, the Evil One man-

Original Language Title: Espiritismo; Director: ifests himself via dimestore Halloween props

Benito Alazraki, Manuel San Fernando (English
floating in the air. And the unconvincing hand
language version); Producer: William Calderon
from “Pandora’s box” that crawls about on its own

Stell (Guillermo Calderon Stell), K. Gordon Mur-
is obviously set on rollers as it glides across the ray (English version); Screenplay: Rafael Garcia
floor, its fingers moving in a repetitive, me -

Travesi; Cinematographer: Henry (Enrique) Wal-
chanical fashion.

lace. Cast: Joseph L. Jimenez, Nora Veryan,

Focusing on the petty problems of the protag-

Beatriz Aguirre, Alice Caro, Mary Eugenia Saint
onists— and the even pettier doings of the spiri-

Martin, Rene Cardona, Jr.

tualists—the movie is one long and tedious build-

There are many who are helplessly driven by a
up to the final pay-off. But even this short changes desire to explore forbidden phenomena; if, with
the viewer, with its too-abrupt presentation and
this picture, we are able to squelch that
a general lack of mood.

unhealthy curiosity in some, we will consider

In the end, Spiritism proves decidedly dispir-our job well done.”—closing narration
ited.

“The Monkey’s Paw,” by W.W. Jacobs, is a
classic short story — emphasis on “short.” Con-

Sting of Death (1967; Thunderbird Interna-sequently, though it’s been adapted as a cinematic
tional Pictures) Director: William Grefe; Pro-
short several times, it has rarely been turned into ducer: Richard S. Flink; Screenplay: Al Dempsey
a feature. In fact, the 1933 version (currently lost) (Executive Script Consultant: Ben Lithman); Cin-ran only a scant 58 minutes (and this with nearly
ematographers: Julio Chavez, Julio Roldan. Cast:

a half-hour of padded prologue added). So imag-

Joe Morrison, Valerie Hawkins, John Vella, Jack
ine an 80-minute version, complete with cheap

Nagle, Doug Hobart.

production values, overwrought acting and tone-

Special Singing Guest Star NEIL SEDAKA — poster
less dubbing — and you have imagined Spiritism.

(Or, better yet, forget the movie and just imagine

Yes, that Neil Sedaka gives us a rousing rendia group of cheerleaders: “We have Spiritism, yes
tion of “Do the Jellyfish” (via vinyl; the chart-top-we do / We have Spiritism, how ’bout you?!”)

per deigns to appear onscreen) in this no-budget,

A middle-aged couple becomes involved with

Florida-lensed Sixties drive-in obscurity about a
a benevolent group of spiritualists who contact
biologist in the Florida Everglades whose
the dead in order to help them pass on to their
home/research lab is invaded not only by a group
next stage. When the couple’s finances fail due to
of partying young people (friends of his daugh-
the inept business dealings of their son, the wife
ter’s), but by a jellyfish-man who kills with his
calls upon the evil forces of witchcraft to aid her.

long, ropey stingers. According to director

Satan himself appears and gives her “Pandora’s

William Grefe, producer Richard S. Flink simply
box” to open if she chooses. Desperately in need
threw some quick cash at Sedaka, in Miami at the
of money, she opens the box and finds a severed
time working a nightclub gig, to come up with a
human hand (no monkey business here), upon
song. But you gotta love lyrics like: “Wella, I’m-
which she makes her wish. The wish comes true,
a saying fella / Forget your Cinderella / And do
but at the cost of her son’s life. She makes another the jella / The jilla-jalla jella / It’s really swella /
wish —for the return of her son — and it also

To do the Jalla Jellyfish!”

comes true, to her horror.

And there’s plenty more to love in this cheesy,

374

Sting of Death

2. THE MOVIES
entertaining-in-the-right-frame-of-mind throw-
set (built in a local TV station studio) filled with back to the Fifties’ mutant monster movie craze.

out-of-date, obviously-not-up-to-code electri-

Enhancing the ambiance: Beach Party-style pool-
cal(!) equipment; and one of the goofiest, laugh-
side dancing, complete with close-ups of jiggling
out-loud monsters since The Brainiac.

bikinied rear-ends; a semi-nude scene involving

“What we did when we designed the costume
a cutie and a barely opaque shower door; and the
was copy from photographs of an actual Por-
nihilistic notion that nearly all of the gyrating
tuguese man-of-war, a very deadly jellyfish,” re-
groovers end up dead! Sting of Death opens with lated creature-creator (and wearer) Doug Hobart.

an unseen creature (apart from its crusty “hand”)

“We combined images of a man with the jellyfish,
pulling a sunbathing co-ed off a dock, then swim-
and it was a super concept indeed.... The monster
ming along underwater, towing the dead girl by
suit cost around 300 dollars to make. We made it
her hair(!) as the credits roll. Later, we meet a disin a two week period, and it looked quite good
figured scientist’s helper named Egon (John Vella
for the time and funds involved.” Well, that’s de-doing his best crazed Cameron Mitchell imper-
batable. In fact, it looks just like what it is—a man sonation) whose deformed eye-socket alternately
in a crusty, dirty wetsuit and flippers, with plastic contains and lacks an orb from shot to shot; a
cords hanging from his shoulders and a clear
boatload of partying University students twisting,
hefty-bag inflated over his head (the human face
arm-waving and chicken-clucking to the afore-
shows nice and clear through the jellyfish casing).

mentioned dance-craze-sensation-that-failed-to-

Director Grefe ( Death Curse of Tartu, 1967; sweep-the-nation; and the jelly-fish man lurking

Stanley, 1972; Mako: The Jaws of Death, 1976) ob-in the pool during the dance party ... with nobody viously recognized his creature’s shortcomings,
noticing! “Highlights” include the partygoers at-and wisely limited the monster’s appearance to
tacked by a school (herd, pride, gaggle?) of little shots of legs, hands and dragging tentacles until
colored plastic bags (a.k.a. jellyfish) floating on the film’s finale, when he was forced to reveal the top of the water; a paper mache underwater cave
jellyfish-man in all its not-so-impressive glory.

Meanwhile, Grefe, with the aid of cameramen

Julio Chavez and Julio Roldan, offers some sur-
prisingly competent underwater photography

(shot at Rainbow Springs, the same site utilized
by the makers of Creature from the Black Lagoon).

On the downside, an overabundance of mun-
dane dialogue and amateurish acting float
through the production like student bodies after
a jellyfish attack. The film’s idiotic science seems more magical than scientific, with the solitary sop to explanatory exposition being one line about

“sea water, electricity and human blood mixed
with chemicals” explaining how the human an-
tagonist dipping his head into a tank containing
a Portuguese man-of-war magically transforms
him into a jellyfish-monster. And the laughable
climax has the hero dancing about the tiny cave
set waving a flare at, and grappling with, the men-
acing monster. He accidentally drops the flare into the small aquarium housing the real jellyfish, and this somehow causes the cave’s electrical equipment to start smoking and the monster’s bubble-head to deflate! Then it all blows up (signified by a pathetically small column of compressed air rising from the sandy bottom of the lagoon)— right
in the face of the bemused viewer.

Setting such “minor” quibbles aside, the world’s

Sting of Death (1967): the first (and only) horror first (and only) jellyfish-monster movie manages
movie about a jellyfish-man.

to entertain through sheer audacity and the fact

2. THE MOVIES

Strait-Jacket

375
that it’s not nearly as dull as its better-known
stant, as it does throughout all the “horror hag”

double-bill co-feature, the dreadful Death Curse films.

of Tartu.

In an effective opening sequence, “young” Lucy

With quotes from: “Jellyfish-Man ... an Inter-

Harbin (a heavily made-up Crawford) returns
view with Doug Hobart,” by Paul Parla, Scary
home to discover her husband (a truly young Lee

Monsters 26, March 1998.

Majors) sharing their marital bed with another
woman, in post-coital slumber. Enraged, Lucy

Strait-Jacket (1964; Columbia; b&w) Pro-grabs an axe and lops off both their heads.

ducer/Director: William Castle; Screenplay:

Secretly, Lucy’s three-year-old daughter, Carol,

Robert Bloch; Cinematographer: Arthur Arling.

looks on.

Cast: Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson,

Flash forward. Lucy returns home to Carol

Howard St. John, John Anthony Hayes, George
after 20 years in an asylum, her psyche still fragile.

Kennedy.

Soon Lucy’s behavior begins to change. At first
timid and shy, she grows increasingly assertive

Just keep saying to yourself: It’s only a movie ...

and brazen. She even tries to seduce her

It’s only a movie ... It’s only a movie...— tagline daughter’s fiancé— pawing him shamelessly and

Producer/director William Castle, who never
putting her fingers in his mouth! Then a new
met a bandwagon he wasn’t willing to climb
series of axe murders begins. All this builds to a
aboard, helped shape the emerging “horror hag”

“surprise” climax that won’t fool anyone who has
sub-genre with this thriller, calculated to capitalize ever seen a Scooby Doo cartoon, followed by one on the blockbuster success of What Ever Happened of Bloch’s patented “now-let’s-explain-what-you-to Baby Jane (1962). Castle went all-out on this just-saw” monologues. But if the ending falls flat, picture, hiring Psycho scribe Robert Bloch to pen the twists and turns along the way provide enough
the screenplay and Baby Jane co-star Joan Craw-suspense and grue to keep audiences on their toes.

ford to headline the cast. If that wasn’t insurance The film’s greatest virtue, however, is Crawford.

enough of success, he also dreamed up one of

Like Vincent Price, Crawford could be led to a
filmdom’s best-ever advertis-
ing taglines (which was later
ripped off to promote Wes

Craven’s Last House on the

Left) and even distributed toy
cardboard axes to patrons at
some showings.

Gimmicks aside, however,

Strait-Jacket remains one of

Castle’s most dramatically
credible films. In many re-
spects, Strait-Jacket (not sur-
prisingly) apes Baby Jane—
opening with a pre-credit
flashback, for instance. But it
also includes significant ele-
ments that would be echoed
in director Robert Aldich’s

Baby Jane follow-up, Hush ...

Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964):

Strait-Jacket opens with an
axe murder, Sweet Charlotte
with a meat-cleaver murder.

As in Sweet Charlotte, the cen-
tral mystery is whether or not

This 1964 William (“King of the Gimmicks”) Castle entry was the first the protagonist is insane. And
feature to make use of the classic “It’s only a movie” ad-line later “bor-of course, the fear-of-aging
rowed” most famously to promote films such as The Last House on the
undercurrent remains a con-

Left (1972).

376

The Strangler

2. THE MOVIES
subtle, nuanced performance, but left to her own

The Strangler (1964; Allied Artists; b&w) Di-devices she tended to paint in broad strokes.

rector: Burt Topper; Producers: Samuel Bischoff

Strait-Jacket finds her in Jackson Pollack mode.

and David Diamond; Screenplay: Bill S. Ballinger;

She rips through this film like a tornado, blowing

Cinematography: Jacques Marquette. Cast:

bland co-stars Diane Baker and Leif Erickson off

Victor Buono, Ellen Corby, David McLean, Davey
the screen with one bravura grandiloquent mo-

Davison, Baynes Barron, Russ Bender.

ment after another. In one unforgettable bit of

Based on the terror that has shocked
business, Crawford lights a match on a spinning
the nation!— tagline
phonograph record! Only future Oscar winner

George Kennedy manages to hold his own,

The Strangler (1964) wants to have it both ways.

playing a crude and creepy farmhand.

It’s half ripped-from-the-headlines docu-drama

Castle brought Crawford on board to replace
and half psychological thriller. The picture’s
another aging former starlet, Joan Blondell, who
police procedural material seems dated and flat,
dropped out of the project for health reasons.

but its fright sequences remain fresh and engross-

Once she was involved, however, Strait-Jacket being.

came Crawford’s show. She demanded (and re-

Leo Kroll (Victor Buono), the dutiful but
ceived) approval of script, cast and cinematogra-
browbeaten son of a clinging, passive-aggressive
pher, as well as a product placement for Pepsi Cola mother (Ellen Corby), is lonely, bitter and over-

(a six pack of bottles sits on the counter in Carol’s weight. He vents his pent-up anger and sexual
kitchen). Crawford must have relished the chance
frustration by watching women undress and then
to play this showy part, especially after being up-
strangling them with their own stockings. He’s
staged in Baby Jane by rival Bette Davis. Davis claimed eight victims so far, and the police, led
followed up Baby Jane with a relatively tame noir by Lt. Frank Benson (David McLean), remain
melodrama, Dead Ringer (1964), which earned stumped. But when Leo decides to change his
better reviews at the time than Strait-Jacket. At modus operandi and target his invalid mother’s
this distance, however, Strait-Jacket proves the nurse, he leaves a clue that puts the cops on his
more entertaining picture.

trail.

Producers Samuel Bischoff and David Diamond
designed The Strangler to capitalize on sensational national news coverage of the Boston Strangler, a
serial killer who took the lives of 19 women from

1962 to 1964. In late 1964, Edward DeSalvo con-
fessed to these murders, but the crimes remained
unsolved when The Strangler premiered in April.

At fist Bischoff and Diamond planned to shoot
the movie (originally titled The Boston Strangler) in Boston on the actual locations of the real-life
strangler’s crimes! When those plans were jetti-
soned, the picture was retitled and the story’s ac-
tion relocated to an unnamed Anytown USA.

Even so, given the sensitive nature of the subject
matter, the film takes pains to present law en-
forcement in a favorable light. Its cops are hard
boiled hero types who seem to be on the job
around the clock, ferreting out clues, chasing
down leads and staking out suspects. The
narrative slows to a crawl during these dry se-
quences and screeches to a halt whenever Lieu-
tenant Benson consults police psychologist Dr.

Sanford (Russ Bender), who spews wrongheaded
psychobabble (for instance, he suggests that all
schizophrenics become dangerous criminals).

Portrait in madness: Victor Buono is The Strangler

Those regrettable interludes aside, however,

(1964) (courtesy Ted Okuda).

The Strangler is compelling viewing — imagina-

2. THE MOVIES

Succubus

377
tively composed by director Burt Topper and

Lemoine, Nathalie Nort, Pier A. Caminnecci,
beautifully lit by cinematographer Jacques Mar-

Adrian Hoven, Rosanna Yanni, Chris Howland,
quette, with startling performances by Buono and

Amerigo Coimbra.

Corby. The opening shot shows a woman un-

THE sensual experience of ’69 — poster blurb
dressing, reflected in the eye of the killer as he
watches her disrobe. Leo steps out of the shadows

“She loved the games men played with death,
and throttles his victim as she attempts to answer
when death must win.” Indeed. This nearly un-
the phone. The picture then cuts to a shot of the
watchable mess is prolific European director Jess
murderer pulling the clothes off a kewpie doll and

Franco’s attempt at an erotic art film (and the first placing the toy in a desk drawer full of other kew-mainstream horror movie to receive an X rating
pie dolls— all without a word of dialogue. It’s a
in America). Unfortunately, because it is Franco, powerful beginning, one Alfred Hitchcock might
there is nothing “arty” about it — it’s just a sleazy, have admired, and it’s only the first in a series of slow-paced, overly pretentious bore.

striking murder scenes.

The nearly incoherent narrative deals with a

Corby is brilliant as Kroll’s domineering
woman (Janine Reynaud) who performs sado-
mother, who simpers for her son’s affection one
erotic acts on stage, pretending to kill her vic-
minute then viciously lambastes him a moment
tims/ lovers. She starts to hallucinate and actually later. She warns him that all women (except her)

begins carrying out her act for real.

are no good. Besides, she asks, what would any

The premise sounds intriguing, but Franco
girl want with him? “You’re not good-looking,
botches it with his snail-like pacing and preten-
you’re fat. Even as a little boy, nobody liked you.”

tious non-sequitors. “The serpent is poison to us

Ouch! Buono’s Leo Kroll proves no less spectac-
all,” somebody says for no particular reason. This
ular — he’s unctuous and effete, weirdly dainty
type of thing happens regularly throughout the
despite the actor’s imposing size, like a demented
film. At one point the woman goes to a party and

Oliver Hardy. Through his performance alone,
all the guests start advancing on hands and knees,

Buono introduces a creepy sexual element to the
barking like dogs!

material, leering at his prospective victims with

The occasional scene does hold one’s interest,
lascivious intent and gasping in ecstasy as he
and there are the odd (usually very odd) flashes strangles them. (Ironically, in reality Buono— a
devout Christian — was squeamish about the
more lascivious elements of the story and de-
manded that the killer’s victims put on robes or
other clothing rather than appear on the screen
nearly nude.) Yet Buono also brings a surprising
degree of pathos to his scenes with Corby and es-
pecially to a heart-wrenching sequence in which
he proposes to a young woman (Davey Davison)

who runs the ring-toss concession at a local ar-
cade. Inevitably she rejects him, a perceived be-
trayal that seems to validate his mother’s judg-
ments and sends Leo into a rage that seals his
doom.

With more scenes like that one, and less hum-
drum detective work, The Strangler might have been a classic. Instead, it’s merely a good little
movie.

Succubus (1969; Aquila Film Enterprises; West Germany) Original Language Title: Necro -
nomicon; Director: Jess Frank (Jesus Franco); Producers: Adrian Hoven, Pier A. Caminnecci;

Screenplay: Pier A. Caminnecci. Cinematogra-
phers: Franz Lederle, Georg Herrero. Cast: Janine

Promotional brochure for Jess Franco’s erotic hor-Reynaud, Jack Taylor, Howard Vernon, Michel
ror film Succubus (1969).

378

The Swamp of the Lost...; A Tale...; Tales...; Tales of Terror

2. THE MOVIES
of competence from Franco, but these infrequent
around the hacienda (creating a rare moment of
moments are overshadowed by the remaining
atmosphere when its webbed feet or hands emerge
boring dreck. For instance, who wants to watch
from the shadows), but once fully revealed, the
a tepid love scene with the camera (for no partic-
baggy, reddish suit (complete with obvious air-
ular reason) pointed through a fishtank, so dis-
tank hump), overlarge grouper head, and pathetic
torting the picture that the two groping actors
swimming ability (as it awkwardly tries to stay
look more like big-time wrestlers than lovers?

submerged) brand this beast a poor provincial

At the risk of stating the obvious— in a word,
cousin to its famous American model. And the

Succubus sucks.

filmmakers let the phony fish out of the bag far
too early, when 20 minutes into the movie the

The Swamp of the Lost Monsters (1957/
creature takes aim at the hero with a spear gun(!), 65; Trans-International Films; Mexico) Original
and later taps out a telegraph message in Morse

Language Title: El Pantano de las Ánimas. Alter-code(!!).

nate Title: Swamp of the Lost Souls (TV). Director: The film offers some impressive, crystal-clear

Rafael Baledon (English language version: Stim
underwater photography (shot in a dressed-up

Segar); Producer: Alfredo Ripstein, Jr. (English
swimming pool)—which only serves to point out
version: K. Gordon Murray); Screenplay: Ramon
its utter incongruousness with the muddy, Mon-

Obon; Cinematography: Raul Martinez Solares.

tezuma’s Revenge-inducing swamp water seen

Cast: Gaston Santos, Pedro d’Aguillon, Manola
while above the surface (not to mention revealing

Saavedra, Manuel Donde, Sara Cabrera, Salvador
the obviously rubber nature of the wobbly knife

Rodriguez, Lupe Carriles.

the hero wields while lamely grappling with the
creature underwater). Very quickly, The Swamp

IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT, IT’S THE
of the Lost Monsters becomes the Movie of the Lost ONLY THING AWAKE —(video) tag line

Interest.

The above ad line is a pretty accurate summa-
tion, since any late-night viewer hapless enough

Swamp of the Lost Souls see Swamp
to venture into this Swamp will indeed have a
of the Lost Monsters
difficult time staying conscious. Here, that inim-
itable importer of Mexi-trash, K. Gordon Murray,

A Tale of Torture see Bloody Pit of
brings us Mexico’s version of The Creature from the Black Lagoon— set in the Old West and co-

Horror
starring a dancing horse.

Famous bullfighter and horseman Gaston San-

Tales of Mystery and Imagination
tos plays famous cowboy detective(!) Gaston,
see Spirits of the Dead
who, along with his loyal, trick-performing steed

“Moonlight” and loyal, song-performing comic

Tales of Terror (1962; American Interna-sidekick “Squirrel Eyes” (Pedro d’Aquillon), in-
tional) Director/Producer: Roger Corman;
vestigates the strange disappearance of a corpse

Screen play: Richard Matheson; Cinema tog -
right out of its coffin, and the subsequent attacks rapher: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Vincent Price, Peter
by the mysterious beast (or “bist” as one

Lorre, Basil Rathbone, Maggie Pierce, Leona
dubiously dubbed dude calls it) of “the Haunted

Gage, Joyce Jamison, Debra Paget, David

Swamp.” It all boils down to an insurance scam

Frankham.

and a “twist” ending that would make Scooby-

Doo blush.

A Trilogy of Shock and Horror!— tagline

Basically a “ranchero” (Mexican Western) with

Producer-director Roger Corman scored spec-
a monster added to the mix, The Swamp of the
tacular successes with his first two Edgar Allan

Lost Monsters (despite its title, only one “monster”

Poe adaptations, House of Usher (1960) and The makes an appearance) offers very little to the hor-Pit and the Pendulum (1962), but disappointing ror fan, focusing instead on such Western staples
returns for The Premature Burial (1962) suggested as cantina brawls, horse riding, pony tricks (in-the series was headed toward a dead end. Tales of cluding Moonlight “dancing”— well, prancing

Terror (1962) represented an abrupt change in anyway — to music), and (generally harmless)

course and, after three repetitive and formulaic
gunplay.

entries, set the series on a far more adventurous

Periodically, the “bist” swims by or prowls
path.

2. THE MOVIES

Tales of Terror

379

Usher, Pit and Burial shared
many common story elements
and the same basic construction

(with the actual Poe tale reserved
for the final act, while an elabo-
rate, two-act set-up consumes the
rest of the narrative). Tales of Ter-
ror, an anthology featuring three
short films adapted from Poe sto-
ries, enabled Corman to jump di-
rectly into the Poe stories,
without the protracted and talky

“prologues” found in his earlier
adaptations. Along with screen-
writer Richard Matheson, Cor-
man also brought two new ele-
ments into the series: comedy and
the supernatural. As a result,

Tales seems fresh — more like the

Vincent Price and Maggie Pierce in the “Morella” segment of the beginning of a new series than the

Roger Corman–Edgar Allan Poe anthology Tales of Terror (1962).

continuation of an old one. And,
indeed, from this point forward Corman’s Poe

Tales was shot on Corman’s typical (for this se-films became much more varied in both structure
ries) three-week schedule, with one week’s worth
and tone.

of production devoted to each 25-minute short.

In the first of the Tales, “Morella,” young All the key technicians and artisans who worked

Lenore (Maggie Pierce) returns to the home of
on the earlier Poe pictures were on board again,
her father (Vincent Price), a bitter alcoholic who
including cinematographer Floyd Crosby and
blames his daughter for the death of his beloved
production designer Daniel Haller. Their work re-
wife, Morella (Leona Gage), whose desiccated
mains as impressive as ever. Also back was Price,
corpse he keeps with him. Eventually Lenore and
who had starred in the first two entries but, for
her father reconcile, but Morella returns from the
contractual reasons, not in Burial. Corman
dead to take her own revenge. In “The Black Cat”

wanted each segment to have a distinctive style

(which is actually an amalgam of “The Black Cat”

and personality, and decided to do something
and “A Cask of Amontillado”), a penniless drunk-
truly radical with the middle third of the picture.

ard, Montresor (Peter Lorre), challenges a snooty

“Since we were doing a trilogy of Poe stories, we
sommelier, Fortunato (Price), to a wine-tasting
decided to break things up a bit and bring some-
contest and wins. Afterward, Fortunato strikes
thing totally different into the film,” Corman said.

up a romance with Montresor’s wife. When Mon-

“So ‘The Black Cat’ is a full comedy. Actually, I
tresor learns of the affair, he plans a grisly revenge, shouldn’t say full comedy; it’s really a comedy
but fails to account for his wife’s pesky pet cat.

with some horror.”

Finally, in “The Case of Mr. Valdemar” (based on

Corman, who just prior to launching the Poe

“The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar”), a cun-
series completed an informal trilogy of amusing
ning hypnotist, Carmichael (Basil Rathbone),
black comedies ( A Bucket of Blood [1959], Little convinces the kindly but fatally ill Valdemar

Shop of Horrors [1960] and Creature from the (Price) to submit to being hypnotized at the mo-Haunted Sea [1961]), hadn’t lost his flair for such ment of death. The experiment works beyond
material. “Cat,” highlighted by the uproarious
all expectations. Although Valdemar is dead,
wine tasting competition between Price and

Carmichael retains a hold on his consciousness;

Lorre, remains Tales’ most celebrated episode.

only he can release Valdemar’s soul and free him

But the other two segments also remain extremely
from the agony of death. When Carmichael tries
enjoyable. The moody “Morella” plays like a
to use this control to extort a marriage promise

Reader’s Digest condensation of the series’ first
from Valdemar’s lovely young widow (Debra
three entries, with all those pictures’ strengths

Paget), Valdemar strikes out from the Great Be-
and none of their weaknesses. The wild and
yond to defend his bride.

woolly “Valdemar,” with its spectacularly grue-

380

Targets

2. THE MOVIES
some finale, makes an ideal closer. Price con-

Brown, Sandy Baron, Arthur Peterson, Bog-
tributes a trio of excellent and distinctive per-
danovich.

formances— slicing it thick as the pathetic, drunk

I just killed my wife and my mother. I

Locke from “Morella;” hamming hilariously as
know they’ll get me. But before that,
the prissy, ridiculous Fortunato; and
many more will die...— ad line
underplaying effectively as the devoted but tor-
tured Valdemar. He receives able support, most

The climactic scenes from old-time horror star
notably from Lorre in “Cat” (he’s so funny here

Byron Orlock’s newest Gothic movie (oddly fa-
that Corman quickly re-teamed him with Price
miliar, since it consists of footage from Roger
for his next Poe film) but also from Pierce in

Corman’s The Terror) unspool in a studio screen-

“Morella” and both Rathbone and Paget in
ing room. The tired Orlock (Boris Karloff ) is not

“Valdemar.” Although few critics count it among
amused: “I’m an anachronism,” he sighs. “Look
the best of Corman’s Poe films, few other pictures
around you, the world belongs to the young.

from the series (or anywhere else in the director’s Make way for them — let them have it.”

filmography) are as consistently entertaining as

A clean-cut young man named Bobby (Tim

Tales of Terror.

O’Kelly) checks out a rifle in a gun shop by catch-

Tales raked in over $1.5 million in rentals, less ing Orlock (standing across the street) in its
than Usher and Pit but more than The Premature crosshairs (the young indeed taking the world

Burial. Corman was sufficiently encouraged to from the old). Polite and cheerful, the boy buys
make his next Poe picture, The Raven (1963), a the gun, walks out to his car in the bright Cali-full-on horror-comedy.

fornia sun, and opens the trunk to deposit his

With quotes from: “California Gothic: The
purchase, revealing an unsettling sight: neatly laid Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by Lawrence
out on a blanket are an assortment of rifles, hand-

French, from Video Watchdog No. 138.

guns and ammo clips, a veritable arsenal to which
he adds his latest acquisition. It’s a somber and

Targets (1968; Paramount) Director/Producer: disturbing opening for the thought-provoking,

Peter Bogdanovich; Screenplay: Peter Bog-
realistic, modern-day horror portrayed in Targets, danovich (story: Peter Bogdanovich and Polly
the last truly worthy film to star the grand old

Platt). Cinematographer: Laszlo Kovacs. Cast:

man of horror himself, Boris Karloff. Though

Boris Karloff, Tim O’Kelly, Nancy Hsueh, James

Karloff made four more (awful) movies after this,

Targets was his spiritual swan
song.

“Targets was my first pic-
ture ... and Boris owed Roger

Corman two days work,” re-
called director Peter Bog-
danovich at the 1988 Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and

Sciences tribute to Karloff.

(Note: Targets was actually

Bogdanovich’s second film, his
first being Voyage to the Planet
of Prehistoric Women, also re-
leased in 1968.) “And Roger is
known to use every moment.

So he said, ‘I made a picture
with Boris called The Terror. I
want you to take 20 minutes
of Karloff footage out of The

Terror, then shoot 20 minutes
with Boris in two days. You
can shoot 20 minutes in two

Modern realistic horror collides with traditional gothic horror in the topical Targets (1968), the last truly worthy vehicle for the iconic Boris days; I’ve shot whole pictures

Karloff (pictured in this lobby card).

in two days. Then you’ll have

2. THE MOVIES

A Taste of Blood

381

40 minutes of Karloff. Then I want you to go out

“The speech is two pages long,” remembered Bog-
and shoot 40 more minutes of stuff with some
danovich, “and I was going to break it up by pan-
other actors and then we’ll have a new 80-minute
ning around the room while he was speaking.

picture!’ At some point along the way I had an

Boris said, ‘I want to do this without a script.’ I idea it would be interesting if Boris played
asked him if he wanted cue cards instead. He said,
himself, so to speak: an aging horror movie star

‘No.’ We rehearsed the mechanics of the scene —
who wanted to quit because the random violence
he was letter perfect. I realized I was an idiot not in the ’60s— which hasn’t left us yet — was more
to stay on him. The camera was at the end of a
terrifying than the kind of Victorian monster he’d
long table. I said to the cameraman, ‘Stay on him.

been playing.”

Start with a long shot, we’ll sneak the table away

Taking his inspiration from the 1966 Texas
as you dolly in.’ It was electrifying. Boris did the sniper killings (in which Charles J. Whitman,
whole two pages in one take! Then the entire crew
after murdering his wife and mother, barricaded
burst into applause. Boris was pleased.” It’s a tes-himself in a tower at the University of Texas with
tament to that great actor’s abilities—and the fact a rifle, killing 14 and wounding 31 before being
that a simple story, well-told, still has the power shot by police), Bogdanovich and his production
to enthrall and frighten — that this remains one
designer (and then-wife) Polly Platt wrote the
of the film’s most riveting scenes.

original story, with Bogdanovich penning his first

With Targets, Bogdanovich wisely avoided
draft in 11 days. The film follows Orlock as he
making an overt “message” picture, choosing in-
wrestles with his outmoded image and self-im-
stead to simply put the events on the screen with-
posed retirement; while concurrently showing the
out preaching or pontificating. Paramount, the
outwardly normal Bobby shooting his wife and
film’s distributor, however, had different ideas,
mother, and then sniping at passing cars from a
and, in light of the recent assassinations of Martin water tower. The two storylines converge at a

Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, tacked a
drive-in where Orlock is making his final personal
gun-control prologue onto the film (over Bog-
appearance.

danovich’s objections). Thankfully, this heavy-

“The first thing [Karloff ] said after reading the
handed intro has been removed from most sub-
script,” Bogdanovich told Dear Boris author Cyn-sequent release versions.

thia Lindsay, “was, ‘I believe in this picture, but Perfectly acted (Karloff, given his first truly
you can’t do it in two days.’ I said that regrettably worthy role in over a decade, regains the subtlety
nobody was coming up with more salary for him,
and power of his craft that seemingly had gone
so I’d have to. He simply answered, ‘Take as long
missing; while newcomer Tim O’Kelly is distress-
as you like.’ He worked five days.... The film
ingly likable, making his heinous actions that
would have been impossible without him.”

much more disturbing) and well directed (Bog-

Filmed in 25 days in December 1967 on a paltry
danovich seamlessly weaves the two story threads
budget of $130,000 (to save money, Bogdanovich
together into a cohesive whole, culminating in a
did double duty as an actor, playing the apt part
harrowing climax in which Bobby, hidden within
of Sammy, Orlock’s director), Targets is an enthe drive-in screen, takes aim at patrons in their
grossing, subtly powerful, and horrifying com-
cars), Targets stands as a topical — yet still time-ment on alienation and its terrible consequences.

less— treatise on modern-day horror. And it

Orlock feels alienated because the world has
marks a fitting end to the career of horror cinema’s passed him and his brand of entertainment by.

greatest on-screen contributor, Boris Karloff.

Bobby, outwardly the all-American boy, also feels

With quotes from: “Remembering Boris: Acad-
isolated, though Bogdanovich only drops hints
emy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Tribute,”

at its cause: his interactions with his family (in-
by Kris Gilpin, Deep Red 4, 1987.

cluding his pretty but vapid wife) are painfully
superficial (he even addresses his father as “Sir”).

A Taste of Blood (1967; Mayflower) Direc-In one memorable scene, Bogdanovich demon-
tor/Producer/Cinematography: Herschell Gordon
strates that Orlock may be wrong in thinking that

Lewis; Screenplay: Donald Stanford. Cast: Bill
the old horrors hold no further sway. It comes

Rogers, Elizabeth Wilkinson, William Kerwin (as
when Orlock prepares for his upcoming personal

Thomas Wood), Otto Schlessinger, Eleanor Vaill.

appearance by telling a scary story (“Appointment
in Samara,” in which a man flees from the specter

Will Dracula’s avenger turn loose his wrath
of death) he plans to share with the audience.

into the 1970s?— tagline

382

A Taste of Blood

2. THE MOVIES

Petit bourgeois businessman John Stone (Bill direct it even though the project would stand

Rogers) receives a mysterious parcel from
apart from the typical Lewis horror product in its

London, which informs him that he is the sole
lack of gore, upgraded production values (includ-
heir to a Continental fortune including an English
ing a three-week shooting schedule, unheard of
estate, works of art and other treasures. The pack-
for Lewis) and longer running time (nearly two
age even contains two bottles of the family’s pri-
hours). “This movie had the greatest amount of
vate label brandy, with which he is instructed to
production value of any movie I ever made,”

toast his good fortune. This he does, without re-

Lewis claims.

alizing that the fortune is that of the Dracula

However, not all of these differences were by
family, and the brandy contains the blood of the
design, and not all of them serve the film well.

long-dead count. Soon Stone transforms into a

Take its two-hour length (please). Originally,
blood thirsty vampire, committed to hunting

Lewis said, “I thought the movie would run
down the descendents of those who killed the
around 90 minutes ... but as [it] took form and
original Count decades earlier. Stone’s wife, He-
you see the amount of time a scene lasts, it became lene (Elizabeth Wilkinson), stumbles onto the
clear to me that running at a furious pace was to-
truth and turns to family friend Hank Tyson
tally out of key with the kind of picture we were

(William Kerwin) for assistance. But Hank proves
building here. So each scene took longer than the
of little help until, finally, Dr. Helsing (Otto Sch-script suggested it would.”

lessinger), himself a target of Stone’s vengeance,

Lewis said the slower pace was dictated in large
arrives from Europe.

part by the thoughtful, deliberate approach of star A Taste of Blood was one of three horror films Bill Rogers, whose work he admired. “He could
made by goremeister Herschell Gordon Lewis in
be Dracula,” Lewis said. “He’s thin, his features 1967, following a two-year hiatus from the genre.

are rugged. He knows how to play a scene....

Aspiring screenwriter Donald Stanford brought

Christopher Lee and Bill Rogers have a certain
the script to Lewis, who agreed to produce and
similarity to them.”

Lewis is right — Rogers is thin. Unfortunately,
the rest of his analysis remains suspect. Sure,

Rogers’ performance is entertaining in a hambone
sort of way, but no more so than that of previous

Lewis leads such as Gordon Oas-Heim in Color

Me Blood Red (1965) or even Mal Arnold in Blood Feast (1963). And as Draculas go, he pales next to Francis Lederer ( The Return of Dracula, 1958), let alone Chris Lee. Nothing in Rogers’ work justifies
the film’s agonizing sluggishness. Its woefully predictable story grinds along at a sleep-inducing
crawl.

The whole enterprise lacks the maniacal orig-
inality that fuels Lewis’ better efforts (such as Two Thousand Maniacs! and Something Weird). The basic premise (an ancient terror returning from the grave to wreak vengeance on the descendents of
those who once defeated it) was hackneyed even in

1967, explored previously in such films as Black Sunday (1960), Blood and Roses (1960) and The Brainiac (1962), among many others. A Taste of Blood’s relatively subdued murder sequences will almost cer-
tainly disappoint fans expecting something on the
order of the director’s earlier splatter fests. And although production values are indeed higher
than those of any other Lewis picture (the lighting is more effective, the sound richer and the cast al-Herschell Gordon Lewis meets Dracula: A Taste of
most entirely competent), this alone hardly makes

Blood (1967) (one-sheet poster).

for a compelling viewing experience.

2. THE MOVIES

Taste of Fear; The Tell-Tale Heart

383

Not surprisingly, A Taste of Blood did not rank among Lewis’ greatest commercial successes. Its
length drove up print costs and precluded the film
from playing the usual double-feature circuit. In-
stead, it was forced to compete with real movies
for screen time at mainstream theaters running
one feature twice per night. However, the pro-
duction proved rewarding in a different way for
members of its cast and crew. Soon after produc-
tion wrapped, starlet Wilkinson married Lewis’

camera operator, Andy Romanoff. Eleanor Vaill

(who gives the film’s most unaffected perform -
ance as Stone’s long-suffering secretary) and Sch-
lessinger, who also appeared together in Lewis’

The Girl, the Body and the Pill (1967) and K. Gordon Murray’s Shanty Tramp (1967), also eventually married.

Viewers, however, are unlikely to fall head over
heels for A Taste of Blood.

With quotes from: A Taste of Blood DVD audio commentary with H.G. Lewis; .

Taste of Fear see Scream of Fear

Pressbook cover for The Tell-Tale Heart (1963).

The Tell-Tale Heart (1960/63; Warner-Pathe/ Brigadier Films; U.K.; b&w) Alternate Tinot only to cocaine and the bottle, but to 19th-
tles: Panic; The Horror Man; The Hidden Room of century pornography as well, falling instantly in

1,000 Horrors. Director: Ernest Morris. Producers: love with newly arrived neighbor Betty (Adrienne

The Danzigers (Edward J. and Harry Lee

Corri). Unfortunately, the socially inept Edgar’s

Danziger). Screenplay: Brian Clemens, Eldon
fumbling attempts at courtship pale in compari-

Howard (based on the story by Edgar Allan Poe);
son to his more worldly friend Carl’s (Dermot

Cinematographer: Jimmy Wilson. Cast: Laurence

Walsh) charm, which captivates Betty. Though

Payne, Adrienne Corri, Dermot Walsh, Velma Vaz

Carl, out of deference for his friend, initially reDias, John Scott, John Martin, Pamela Plant.

sists, he ultimately gives in to temptation. And
when Edgar spies Betty and Carl consummating

THE BEAT OF HIS DEATHLESS HEART ...

their love ... murder, madness and an ever-beating

RIPPED INTO MY TORTURED BRAIN.

heart are the result.

— poster

Stretching Poe’s intense short story into an 80-

A written “FORWARD” appears on the black
minute feature required some straining on the
screen, as a sonorous voice reads the words: “TO
part of scripters Brian Clemens ( The Avengers) THOSE WHO ARE SQUEAMISH OR REACT NERV-and Eldon Howard, resulting in the disappointing

OUSLY TO SHOCK, WE SUGGEST THAT WHEN

Peyton Place-pacing of the film’s first half. While YOU HEAR THIS SOUND ... [loud heartbeat] ...

it is something of a chore to get through the first CLOSE YOUR EYES AND DO NOT LOOK AT THE

40 minutes (though the impressive period cos-

SCREEN AGAIN UNTIL IT STOPS.” But then you’d
tumes and set decorations provide some visual
miss all the gory fun. And this British 1960 (re-
interest), with so much time devoted to the fawn-
leased in the U.S. in ’63) adaptation of the famous ing Edgar and his awkward dates with Betty (not

Poe tale is indeed gruesome, particularly for the
to mention the frequent longing stares and pained
early Sixties, with the filmmakers apparently at-
glances from the various members of the love tri-
tempting to out–Hammer Hammer in the moist-
angle), the patient viewer ultimately receives his
and-meaty department.

or her just rewards after the murder occurs (a par-

The first half of the movie plays out as a rather
ticularly brutal sequence involving a fireplace
slow character study, with nervous librarian Edgar
poker and much blood). At this point the picture

Marsh (Laurence Payne), who appears addicted
takes a darker turn as we enter Edgar’s world of

384

The Terrible Dr. Hitchcock; Terrified

2. THE MOVIES
obsessive insanity, in which the maddeningly
a hooded (and suit-and-tie-wearing) madman
rhythmic sounds of a ticking clock, a dripping
laughs maniacally as he buries a young man alive
tap, and even a swaying crystal chandelier
in wet cement. Unfortunately, nothing else in the
bedevils his guilt-wracked mind. When these
film ever quite reaches the same (modest) level of
noises coalesce into the beating of the dead man’s
intensity, as the story focuses on heroine Marge
heart, the frantic Edgar rips up the floorboards

(Tracy Olsen) and her rival boyfriends David
under which he’s stashed the body and performs

(Steve Drexel) and Ken (Rod Lauren), who go to
some impromptu surgery, removing the still-
the “Old Ghost Town” to see if Crazy Bill the care-
beating organ (in all its gory glory) and burying
taker knows anything about the pre-credit events
it in the back garden. But it just won’t stop,

(the victim being Marge’s brother, who ultimately
leading to Edgar’s ultimate demise and a
survived but was driven insane by — you guessed
gruesome impalement — before a Dead of Night-
it — the terror of his ordeal). Finding Bill brutally style denouement.

murdered, David and Marge go for the sheriff

Much of the film’s impact can be laid at the feet

(played by Dukes of Hazard’s Denver Pyle) while of Laurence Payne ( The Crawling Eye, Vampire Ken stays behind and ends up being stalked and

Circus), whose contagious nervousness and tor-terrorized by the hooded killer (who locks him in
mented expressions make the scenes work (his
a room filling with water, shoots at him, taunts
mad sincerity even selling such ridiculous sights
him with a hangman’s noose, and finally proceeds
as the carpet over his floorboards rising and
to bury him alive). It all wraps up just as one ex-
falling to the rhythmic beat). Director Ernest
pects, with the killer revealed as ... just whom one Morris creates a haunted, even frightening am-expected.

biance to augment Payne’s engrossing playing,

While the Ken-stalking sequences offer a mod-
employing mobile (and even subjective) camer-
icum of suspense and creepy atmospherics (as he
awork and moody lighting (courtesy of 30-year-
veteran cinematographer Jimmy Wilson), not to
mention the shuddery sounds, to reveal the de-
terioration of a man’s mind.

Though beating slowly at first, this Tell-Tale

Heart ultimately picks up the horrific rhythm and races to the gruesome finish, making the viewer’s
own heart beat just a little faster along the way.

The Terrible Dr. Hitchcock see The

Horrible Dr. Hichcock

Terrified (1963; Crown International; b&w) Director: Lew Landers. Producer/screenplay:

Richard Bernstein; Cinematographer: Curt Fet-
ters. Cast: Rod Lauren, Steve Drexel, Tracy Olsen,

Stephen Roberts.

Buried alive! How much Shock can the human
brain endure before it CRACKS!— tag line

Terror snaps a boy’s mind; another character’s own terror kills him; terror, maintains one protagonist, is what “drives the world.” The word

“terror” becomes the macabre mantra of this ob-
scure, all-but-forgotten independent (one char-
acter even writes a psychology term paper on the
topic); but talk is cheap — and so is this picture.

Consequently, there’s very little actual “terror”

onscreen.

Ad for the final feature of veteran director Lew The film starts promisingly enough with a pre-Landers (1935’s The Raven), who died before this credit sequence set in a creepy graveyard in which
low-budget film’s release in 1963.

2. THE MOVIES

The Terror

385
wanders warily around the dilapi-
dated buildings, starting at cobwebs
and spiders), it drags on far too long

(nearly half-an-hour). “Boy, they’re
sure taking a long time calling that
sheriff,” Ken says to himself after
the third repetitive attack-and-es-
cape-from-the-madman incident,
and the viewer can only chuckle and
nod in agreement.

Moody lighting and some evoca-
tive nighttime photography (the en-
tire film takes place during one eve-
ning), coupled with some
above-average acting (particularly
from Rod [ Black Zoo, The Crawling

Hand] Lauren as the brooding Ken),
gives the film a more polished sheen
than that usually seen in no-budget

A young Jack Nicholson (right) confronts an aged Boris Karloff films of the early ’60s.

in this lobby card scene from the Roger Corman throwaway The

Lew Landers (whose directorial

Terror (1960/63).

career stretched all the way back to
the 1935 Karloff-Lugosi vehicle The Raven) gen-consciousness. He awakens in the cottage of a
erates some moody atmosphere, but the obvious
reclusive old woman (Dorothy Neumann) who
budget constraints and talky script (much of the
claims that there is no young woman nearby, and

“action” is relayed through dialogue, with the
that “Helene” is the name of her pet falcon. A
characters talking about what has happened rather brutish simpleton (Jonathan Haze) informs
than the camera showing it) work against him, re-Andre that to discover the secret of the young
sulting in a film reminiscent of an overlong,
woman he must travel to the castle of the Baron
mediocre Thriller episode.

von Leppe (Boris Karloff ). Andre does so, and
learns that the woman he’s seen bears an uncanny

The Terror (1963; American International) Di-resemblance to the Baron’s long-dead wife, Ilsa,
rector/Producer: Roger Corman; Screenplay: Leo
who the baron believes haunts him. Duvalier be-

Gordon and Jack Hill; Cinematographer: Floyd
comes consumed with solving the riddle of the

Crosby. Cast: Boris Karloff, Jack Nicholson, San-
girl’s identity.

dra Knight, Dick Miller, Dorothy Neumann,

“I was getting so familiar with the standard el-

Jonathan Haze.

ements of Poe’s material—or at least of our adap-
tations— that I tried to out–Poe Poe himself and

A new classic of horror comes to
create a gothic tale from scratch,” Corman ex-
the screen!— tagline
plained in his autobiography. “The Terror began While The Terror isn’t officially part of proas a challenge: to shoot most of a gothic horror
ducer-director Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe
film in two days, using leftover sets from The
series, it remains forever linked with those films

Raven (1963). It turned into the longest produc-due to its colorful and highly irregular production tion of my career — an ordeal that required five
history. Unfortunately, the story of the making of
directors and nine months to complete.” Karloff

The Terror is far more entertaining than the film and Nicholson, along with Nicholson’s wife San-itself.

dra Knight and Corman favorite Dick Miller,

Andre Duvalier (Jack Nicholson), a “weary and
worked on The Raven’ s imposing castle sets for disillusioned” French army lieutenant separated
two very long days. The problem was that these
from his regiment, collapses on the beach and is
scenes were shot without a completed script, so
aided by a mysterious, beautiful woman named
it was up to Corman and a succession of uncred-

Helene (Sandra Knight). Then Helene walks into
ited directors (including Francis Ford Coppola,
the sea and disappears; when Andre attempts for

Monte Hellmann, Jack Hill and even Nicholson,
rescue her, he is attacked by a falcon and loses
who led one day’s worth of shooting) to cobble

386

Terror in...; Terror of...; Terror-Creatures from the Grave

2. THE MOVIES
together some kind of comprehensible story
so that when the first white water waves hit me,
around the castle footage. The haphazard manner
it did not hit me in the dick but all over.... And
in which The Terror was written and filmed re-the water knocked me under. When I went under
mains woefully obvious in the finished product.

with Lieutenant Duvalier’s huge Fifth Chasseur

It looks cheap, rushed and clumsy, especially in
uniform on, I felt I couldn’t stand up. I was
comparison with Corman’s proper Poe pictures.

pinned to the ground from the weight of this uni-

Even its title is unimaginative and bland.

form. I had that split second of panic because I

The Terror’s story never fully coheres. Subplots was a ways out already. I came flying out of there
are left dangling, and events occur without any
and threw that fucking costume off as I ran.”

clear motivation. The resolution to the film’s mys-

Despite this mishap Nicholson has fond mem-
tery appears conventional (even predictable) until
ories of the shoot.

two final plot twists— one utterly contrived and

“I had a great time. Paid the rent,” Nicholson
nonsensical — throw the entire narrative askew.

said. “They don’t make movies like The Terror

All this makes The Terror hard to follow, a prob-anymore.”

lem exacerbated by its tedious pace; after an

That’s probably a good thing.

eventful start, the tempo slows to a dirge. Viewers With quotes from: How I Made a Hundred
endure seemingly endless filler scenes of Nichol-

Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, by son wandering through the woods, or down the

Roger Corman with Jim Jerome.

halls of Castle von Leppe. The movie sorely misses

Corman’s trademark restless camera—the gliding

Terror in the Midnight Sun see In-
dolleys, smooth pans, subjective inserts and
vasion of the Animal People
varied angles and compositions associated in par-
ticular with his Poe films. This is not only because

Terror of the Snake Woman see The
so much of the film was not helmed by Corman,

Snake Woman
but because the footage he directed was shot at
such a frenetic pace. Cinematographer Floyd

Terror-Creatures from the Grave (1965/

Crosby’s lighting is uncharacteristically flat and

67; Pacemaker; Italy; b&w) Original Language
uninteresting as well. “You just don’t get super

Title: Cinque Tombe per un Medium (Five Graves lighting when you’re shooting thirty pages a day,”

for a Medium); Alternate Titles: Cemetery of the Corman admits.

Living Dead, The Tombs of Horror; Director: Inevitably, the cast’s performances suffered as

Ralph Zucker; Producer: Frank Merle, Ralph
well. “We had a roughed-out story line, but no

Zucker; Screenplay: Robert Nathan (Roberto Na-
one really knew what their characters’ motivations
tale), Robin McLorin (Romana Migliorini); Cin-
were because we didn’t exactly know what was
ematographer: Charles Brown (Carlo Di Palma).

supposed to happen to them,” Corman wrote.

Cast: Barbara Steele, Walter Brandt (Walter

That may explain why, even though it stars a pair

Brandi), Marilyn Mitchell, Alfred Rice (Alfredo
of screen legends, The Terror remains surprisingly Rizzo), Richard Garrett (Ricardo Garrone), Alan
poorly acted. Karloff delivers a paint-by-numbers

Collins (Luciano Pigozzi), Edward Bell.

turn, full of the kind of sing-song delivery he
often resorted to when he was less than enthused

They rise from dank coffins in the DEAD
about a project. Nicholson’s accent and delivery

OF NIGHT to inflict AN EVIL CURSE OF
seem all wrong for a period picture (let alone for

DOOM, murdering their victims in an

ORGY OF SLAUGHTER!— ad line
a Frenchman)— a problem that also afflicts the
usually reliable Dick Miller, who sounds like a

In 1911 a lawyer (Walter Brandt) journeys to a

German from Brooklyn. And those are the better
remote villa (a former 16th century plague victim
portrayals.

hospital) only to find that the man who sent for

It could have been worse. At least no one died
him has already been dead for a year. Soon mys-during the production, even though Karloff re-
terious deaths begin occurring around the village,
fused to continue after being submerged chest-
and it comes to light that the dead man (who was
deep in water while shooting the film’s finale, and well-versed in the occult) was murdered, and his

Nicholson nearly drowned while filming a scene
spirit has summoned the plague victims from
on location at Big Sur. “The water never gets
their graves to exact his vengeance.

deep,” Nicholson said. “So in order to look dis-

While Terror-Creatures from the Grave’s Amer-appeared ... I sort of crouched down to my knees
ican distributor tacked on the credit “Inspired by

2. THE MOVIES

Theatre of Death; They Came from Beyond Space

387

Edgar Allan Poe” in a desperate attempt to ride
the coattails of the then-lucrative AIP Poe cycle

( Terror-Creatures’ story has nothing to do with Poe), the claim may not be that far wrong — at
least in spirit if not actuality. Much like the putrid atmosphere brought by the plague itself, a
macabre pall hangs over Terror-Creatures, with death (literalized by the restless plague victims)

permeating every frame of the picture. The won-
derfully Gothic castle setting, some eerie night-
time photography and hand-held camerawork

(courtesy of cinematographer Carlo Di Palma,
who went on to lens several Woody Allen movies,

The horrific handiwork of the Terror-Creatures
including Hannah and Her Sisters and Bullets Over
from the Grave (1965/67).

Broadway), and somber/frightened acting by the principals (including Barbara Steele as the ... er, steely widow) generate a creepy —and downright
among the best of the Italo-Gothics from the

1
malevolent — atmosphere.

960s.

Taking a page from Val Lewton’s book, director

Theatre of Death see Blood Fiend

Ralph Zucker employs some subjective camera-
work that keeps the ghosts/zombies of the ancient

They Came from Beyond Space (1967;
plague victims unseen (with only a shadowy out-

Amicus/Embassy, U.K.). Director: Freddie
line visible, or a bubbly, deformed hand entering

Francis; Producers: Max J. Rosenberg and Milton
the frame), raising the film’s mysterioso level and Subotsky; Screenplay: Milton Subotsky (Novel:

allowing the viewer’s imagination to do the shud-

Joseph Millard); Cinematographer: Norman
dery work. (But this being a 1960s horror movie,

Warwick. Cast: Robert Hutton, Jennifer Jayne,
it’s not all shadows and suggestion; Zucker throws

Zia Mohyeddin, Bernard Kay, Michael Gough.

a few gruesome scenes into the spine-chilling mix
as well — such as the shocking sight of a man’s in-

They turn women into robots ... enslave men ...

testines oozing out a small hole in his belly after and make cities into places of terror!— tagline
he impales himself on a sword.)

A team of British astronomers descends on a

Though the film’s direction has been erro-
remote English village to investigate the fall of
neously credited to Massimo ( Bloody Pit of Hor-
several strange meteorites. The team’s leader, Dr.

ror) Pupillo (aka Max Hunter), Terror-Creatures Curtis Temple (Robert Hutton), must stay behind

(according to film historian Alan Upchurch and
because he’s recuperating from a serious car crash
the movie’s co-star, Walter Brandi) was actually
that left him with a metal plate in his head. So he helmed by a 25-year-old American named Ralph
sends his assistant (and love interest) Lee Mason

Zucker. It was his first — and last — directing job.

(Jennifer Jayne) who, along with the rest of the

Zucker worked in many other film capacities in
team, is quickly taken over by disembodied aliens

Italy, however: as an actor in Pupillos’s Bloody Pit which burst forth from the meteorites. Next, vil-of Horror (1965), as technical director on Star Pilot lagers near the crash site begin falling victim to a (1966), as producer of King of Kong Island (1968), mysterious “crimson plague.” Temple investigates
and as scenarist and executive producer of The
and, after considerable folderol, discovers the

Devil’s Wedding Night (1973), not to mention alien plot, deducing that the metal plate in his
working on the English-dubbed export versions
skull makes him immune to both alien mind con-
of other Italian movies and as a distributor of for-trol and the plague. It’s up to him, aided by his
eign films in Italy. Zucker died in Los Angeles in
old friend Farge (Zia Mohyeddin), to free Lee and

1982 of a heart attack, age 42.

save the world.

Given its novel and intriguing storyline, Lew-

They Came from Beyond Space opens well, with tonesque sensibilities (spiced with a few shuddery
a tried-and-true premise straight out of previous
shocks), effective acting (including the presence
sci-fi chillers such as It Came from Outer Space of the Continental Scream Queen herself, Barbara

(1953) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).

Steele), and its pervasive atmosphere of dread,

But the picture loses momentum while Temple

Terror-Creatures from the Grave can be counted drives around Cornwall playing cat-and-mouse

388

They Saved Hitler’s Brain; 13 Ghosts

2. THE MOVIES
with the aliens, and then takes a turn toward the

That Dripped Blood (1971) and Tales from the ridiculous in its final act, when Farge dons an in-Crypt (1972)— scored hits with a pair of Dr. Who verted colander to fend off mind-control rays,
films starring Peter Cushing ( Dr. Who and the
and both he and Temple strap on absurd-looking

Daleks [1965] and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150

Coke bottle goggles to help them spot the in-

[1966]), but the twin failures of They Came from vaders. The big finale — a rocket ride to the moon

Beyond Space and the even more feeble The Ter-for a face-to-face encounter with the alien leader
rornauts (also 1967) put the studio off sci-fi until (Michael Gough)— proves anti-climactic in the
the mid–1970s, when it achieved one of its biggest
extreme. Cash-strapped production designer Bill
successes with The Land That Time Forgot (1975).

Constable’s space ship and lunar set look like leftovers from a high school play. Gough’s egregiously

They Saved Hitler’s Brain see Mad-
overripe performance as “The Master of the
man of Mandoras

Moon” further tanks the sequence.

Other than Gough’s hambone antics, the acting

13 Ghosts (1960; Columbia; b&w) Director/
is mostly wooden, although Jayne displays some

Producer: William Castle; Screenplay: Robb
range playing the affectionate girlfriend, the icy

White; Cinematographer: Joseph Biroc. Cast:

alien and, finally, the affectionate girlfriend pre-Donald Woods, Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow,
tending to be an icy alien. Director Freddie Fran-

Martin Milner, Rosemary DeCamp, Margaret
cis, best known for gothic chillers such as The Hamilton.

Skull (1965) and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), seems out of his element here. They Came 13 Times the Thrills! 13 Times the Chills!

from Beyond Space seems antiseptic and imper-13 Times the Fun!— tagline
sonal, lacking the stylized compositions and

Thrills and chills may be in short supply, but
evocative lighting that create Francis’ stylistic sig-at least producer-director William Castle’s 13
nature. The picture’s clumsy special effects also

Ghosts doesn’t shortchange viewers in the fun depresent a major stumbling block. Forget about
partment. Although tamer and more kid-oriented
the miniature space ship, even simple rear-screen
than Castle’s previous horror shows— Macabre
projection car scenes look phony.

(1958), House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler England’s Amicus Films— best known for its

(both 1959)— 13 Ghosts remains a diverting series of horror anthologies, such as The House amusement, especially when viewed in “Illusion-O,” one of the last of Castle’s
notorious promotional gim-
micks.

Poorly paid professor Cyrus

Zorba inherits a spooky old
mansion from an eccentric
uncle and moves in with his
family: wife Hilda (Rosemary

DeCamp), daughter Medea

(Jo Morrow) and son Buck

(Charles Herbert). Legend
holds that Zorba’s uncle, an
expert on the occult, collected
ghosts, and Cyrus’ inheritance
also includes a strange pair of
goggles that enable wearers to
see such apparitions. Even
without goggles, the family
soon sees plenty of evidence
of the supernatural — strange
creaking sounds, disembodied
moans and groans, objects

The malevolent alien leader (Michael Gough, right) and a henchman try to bend a captive to their will in Amicus’ cut-rate sci-fi chiller They
moving through the air of

Came from Beyond Space (1967).

their own volition, etc. While

2. THE MOVIES

Three Faces of Fear; The Thrill Killers

389
technical aspects, the film’s
sound design is first-rate —

Castle well understood how to
rattle an audience with boom-
ing sound effects and screams.

In its original theatrical ex-
hibition, 13 Ghosts was pre-
sented in “Illusion-O,” a simple
but clever process utilizing
tinted film and a cardboard

“Ghost Viewer” containing
strips of red and blue cello-
phane. When a character picks
up the Ghost Viewer goggles in
the movie, the picture would
suddenly shift from standard
black-and-white to tinted blue.

Then red-hued “ghosts” would
appear. Audience members

Elaborate promotional ploy for William Castle’s 13 Ghosts (1960).

could look through the blue
cellophane of their Ghost View-
playing with a ouija board, Buck and Medea learn
ers to see the ghosts more clearly, or (if they be-
that the house is haunted by 13 different specters.

came too scared) look through the red lens to

A creepy housekeeper (Margaret Hamilton), who
make the ghosts disappear. Standard black-and-
refuses to move out when the Zorbas move in,
white television prints of 13 Ghosts excluded this and attorney Ben Rush (Martin Milner) both urge
gimmick, but “Illusion-O” was revived when the
the family to abandon the house at once, but the
picture was released to DVD in 2001 (discs in-

Zorbas cannot afford to live anywhere else.

cluded a reproduction of the original Ghost

Robb White’s paint-by-numbers screenplay

Viewer).

trots out every old dark house cliché in the book,

“Illusion-O” followed on the heels of “Emergo”

including a few recycled from his earlier, better

(the plastic skeleton which flew over audiences’

House on Haunted Hill scenario. It’s pure hokum, heads during the climax of House on Haunted
but it’s lively and appealing hokum, quickly paced

Hill) and “Percepto” (wired theater seats which and laced with humorous tongue-in-cheek flour-delivered an electrical shock during a key
ishes (like the ghost of Shadrack the Great, a de-
sequence from The Tingler), but never again capitated lion tamer, who materializes along with
would Castle utilize a gimmick as elaborate as
the lion that bit off his head). There’s also some
this. Homicidal (1961) included a “Fright Break,”

deviously funny inside business involving former
and Mr. Sardonicus (1961) featured its “Punish-Wicked Witch of the West Margaret Hamilton.

ment Poll,” while other Castle films would include

Told principally from Buck’s perspective, 13
giveaways (souvenir coins for Zotz [1962], card-Ghosts aimed for a younger audience than Castle’s board axes for Strait-Jacket [1964]), but none of previous fright flicks. Like most of the cast,
those required costly customization of theaters

Charles Herbert, who plays the precocious Buck,
or specialized printing processes for the film itself.

had a long (by child actor standards) 15-year

From here on, his pictures would succeed or fail
career on television, although he’s best remem-
based primarily on their quality (or lack thereof ) bered for playing young Philippe in The Fly
rather than Castle’s ingenious promotional bal-

(1958). Martin Milner, star of the hit series Route lyhoo.

66, was the biggest name in the 13 Ghosts cast at the time, and here he plays effectively against his

Three Faces of Fear see Black Sab-
nice-guy image. Featuring a cast filled with tele-
bath
vision actors and shot in the same
straightforward, flat style as an early 1960s sitcom,

The Thrill Killers (1965; Hollywood Star Pic-13 Ghosts plays like a Halloween episode of Leave tures; b&w) Alternate Title: The Maniacs Are It to Beaver. Although pedestrian in most

Loose. Director: Ray Dennis Steckler; Producer:

390

The Thrill Killers

2. THE MOVIES

George J. Morgan; Screenplay: Ray Dennis Steck-

Steckler’s usual foibles and inadequacies,
ler and Gene Pollock (additional dialogue: Ron
including uneven acting, occasional lapses in pac-

Haydock); Cinematographer: Joseph V. Mascelli.

ing, and a path-of-least-resistance attitude to-

Cast: Cash Flagg (Ray Dennis Steckler), Liz
wards shooting action scenes. But it also offers up Renay, Brick Bardo, Carolyn Brandt, Gary Kent,
some genuine suspense and rather brutal shocks

Titus Moede, Atlas King, Herb Robins, Keith
for the time.

O’Brien.

The storyline (or lines, actually, as two different The world’s first horror movie ever made in
tales converge at the end) centers on “psycho-
hallucinogenic hypnovision.— radio spot
pathic killer” Mort “Mad Dog” Click (Steckler
himself, using his Cash Flagg alias), who shoots

While the above hypno-hyperbole may be con-
and kills a motorist for his car, then knifes to
sidered dubious at best, The Thrill Killers is death a dance hostess because “People are no
definitely the first (and last) horror movie ever
good; I hate people!” Cut to Joe Saxon (Brick
made by no-budget schlockmeister Ray Dennis

Bardo), a would-be actor whose wife (former

Steckler that’s any good at all. Coming from the
gangster’s moll Liz Renay, fresh out of prison) has man whose biggest claim to cinematic fame is the
had enough of his stardom chasing. They end up
execrable The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who
at a small diner in Topanga Canyon, where a trio

Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies
of escaped mental patients, after having murdered

(1964) and the puerile Rat Pfink a Boo Boo (1965), (with an axe) a young couple (including Steckler’s

The Thrill Killers stands as a remarkably compe-real-life girlfriend, Carolyn Brandt), show up and
tent achievement. Granted, the film suffers from
terrorize the patrons. Violent confrontations and
desperate chases ensue, as Click, the brother of
one of the escapees(!), arrives on the scene.

With its cinema verite camerawork (i.e. Steckler couldn’t afford a dolly so did his own hand-held
shots), slightly seedy/down-on-its-heels am-
biance, and some truly shocking violence (includ-
ing two decapitations— though it’s painfully ob-
vious that the same mask-covered Styrofoam head was used for both victims), The Trill Killers is reminiscent of the intense, hard-hitting low-budgeter The Sadist. Given Killers’ unconvincing acting, however (Brick Bardo, a still photographer
who desperately wanted to be an actor, truly lives
up to his name), and the occasional slow spots

(including an overlong, cut-rate Hollywood party
sequence), it stands as more of an anemic cousin
than a full blood brother.

Even so, Steckler manages to invest the pro-
ceedings with enough suspense, helped along by
the fact that the viewer has no idea who’ll live and who’ll die, to grab and hold viewers’ interest.

Steckler introduces characters (such as the new-
lywed couple or a friendly salesman) who may or
may not be the main protagonists, then lets his
maniacs viciously slaughter them. This anyone-
can-die-at-any-time sensibility makes for an un-
settling — and memorable — ride. “I just wanted
to make a horror film, a shock film,” the film-
maker recounted in an interview featured on the

Surprisingly, there are plenty of both (thrills and film’s DVD release, and he did just that. He also
killers) in this moderately suspenseful 1965 low-added a few bizarre touches, such as having his
budget offering that is far more competent than
one expects from shoestring auteur Ray Dennis
brutal antagonist Click stumble across a cowboy

( Incredibly Strange Creatures) Steckler.

in the hills, callously shoot him down in cold

2. THE MOVIES

The Titans; The Tomb of Ligeia

391
blood, and jump on the man’s horse to flee from

Like Masque, Ligeia was shot in England to take a pursuing motorcycle cop! “I got carried away at
advantage of a British government subsidy. Long-
the end with the horse chase,” laughed Steckler.

time Corman production designer Daniel Haller

While an unlikely scenario, it certainly makes for

(not credited here) found a stunning location —
a novel final chase sequence. (Incidentally, accord-the crumbling, white stone ruin of an ancient
ing to Steckler, the horse came from the nearby
monastery — around which much of Ligeia is set.

Spahn Ranch, home of the Manson Family.)

Since so much of the picture was shot there, Ligeia Though The Thrill Killers won’t be topping any-has a drastically different, more naturalistic look one’s Best of the ’60s list, it remains a competent than any other film in the series, with more exte-and even engrossing surprise from one of the
rior and daylight footage here than in all the other decade’s most notorious cinematic bottom-feed-films combined. The studio interiors also have a
ers.

more realistic look, courtesy of cinematographer

With quotes from: The Thrill Killers DVD.

Arthur Grant, a Hammer Films veteran. As with

Masque, Ligeia’s craftsmanship is impeccable —

The Titans see My Son, the Hero
its lighting and camerawork are top drawer.

Unfortunately, the picture’s script isn’t nearly as

The Tomb of Ligeia (1964; Anglo Amalga-impressive, a surprising weakness given the writers mated/American International; U.K.) Director/
involved. The problems begin with Poe himself.

Producer: Roger Corman; Screenplay: Robert

Although chillingly written, “Ligeia” remains one

Towne; Cinematographer: Arthur Grant. Cast:

of the author’s slightest narratives in terms of plot Vincent Price, Elizabeth Shepherd, John West-and character. Gifted screenwriter Robert Towne,
brook, Derek Francis, Oliver Johnston, Richard
who later penned Chinatown (1974), attempts to Vernon.

flesh this reedy narrative out to feature length, but winds up with a scenario that’s simultaneously too

CAT or WOMAN or a Thing Too Evil
thin and overly complicated, with a ponderously
to Mention?— tagline
slow-moving first two acts and a convoluted finale.

The nearly flawless Masque of the Red Death

Although confusing, the finale nevertheless in-

(1964) would have made the perfect endpoint for
cludes moments of genuine frisson, including a
producer-director Roger Corman’s series of Edgar
hair-raising sequence in which Rowena, believed

Allan Poe adaptations. But American Inter na -
dead, seems to have risen again — as Ligeia.

tional wanted still more Poe,
and even though, after seven
films in five years, he was tiring
of the series, Corman relented.

The final results were mixed.

Lady Rowena (Elizabeth

Shepherd) takes a shine to Ver-
den Fell (Vincent Price), despite
his dismissive attitude toward
her and morbid fixation on his
dead wife, Ligeia (also Shep-
herd). The more Verden rejects
her, the more she wants him.

Persistence pays, and eventually

Rowena and Verden wed. When
they return from their honey-
moon, however, Verden begins
acting strangely — and so does a
black cat, which may or may
not be the reincarnation of

Ligeia. Rowena soon begins to
fear that either her husband or

Vincent Price clutches at Elizabeth Shepherd in a dramatic moment the cat, or possibly both, are
from The Tomb of Ligeia (1964), Roger Corman’s final foray into Poe trying to kill her.

territory.

392

Tomb of the Living Dead; Tomb of Torture

2. THE MOVIES

Aside from its gorgeous location photography,
or no relationship with his work. The studio pur-

Ligeia’s greatest assets are the outstanding work chased Michael Reeves’ Witchfinder General
from the picture’s leads. As Verden Fell, Price con-

(1968), retitled it and had Price read a few lines
tributes one of his most restrained and natu -
from a Poe poem so that it could be promoted as
ralistic performances. His nervous, tightly coiled

“Edgar Allan Poe’s The Conqueror Worm.” AIP
delivery suggests a man buffeted by an internal
also commissioned two Poe adaptations from di-
maelstrom of emotions, which eventually breaks
rector Gordon Hessler, The Oblong Box (1969) free during the story’s climax. Shepherd makes
and Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971).

the most of her colorful, rangy role as the head-

While The Tomb of Ligeia isn’t one of the best strong Lady Rowena, who goes from mischievous
of Corman’s series, it’s better than most of AIP’s
and seductive to disillusioned and terrified. The
later, post–Corman Poe releases. A smattering of
actress earns bonus points for her brief,
spine-tingling moments and a pair of outstanding
unnerving appearance as Ligeia. The rest of the
performances make Ligeia worth a look — even if cast has little screen time and proves forgettable, it’s not the cat’s meow.

with the exception of Derek Francis, whose droll

With quotes from: “California Gothic: The
portrayal of Rowena’s shallow, fox hunting-ob-

Corman/Haller Collaboration,” by Lawrence
sessed father provides some minor comic relief.

French, from Video Watchdog No. 138.

Initially, Corman wanted to cast Richard

Chamberlain as Verden (“Vincent was really too

Tomb of the Living Dead see Mad
old for the part,” the director explains), but AIP

Doctor of Blood Island
bosses Jim Nicholson and Sam Arkoff insisted on

Price, who had headlined all of Corman’s most

Tomb of Torture (1964; Virginia Cinema -
successful Poe features. Despite Price’s fine work, tografica/Trans-Lux; Italy; b&w) Original Lan-however, The Tomb of Ligeia was a box office dis-guage Title: Metempsycho; Director: Anthony appointment. “All of the Poe films made money,

Kristye (Antonio Boccaci); Producer: Frank
but Ligeia made the least amount,” Corman said.

Campitelli; Screenplay: Anthony Kristye (Boccaci)

“I think it was because the series was just running and Johnny Seemonell (Giorgio Simonelli), story
out of steam and also because it [the story] was
by Boccaci; Cinematographer: William Grace
overly complicated.” Lackluster profits convinced

(Boccaci). Cast: Annie Alberti, Adriano Mican-

Corman that it was finally time to pull the plug,
toni, Marco Mariani, Flora Carosello, William
and so his Poe cycle concluded. Nevertheless, hav-

Gray, Bernard Blay.

ing turned Poe into a marquee attraction, AIP
continued to release films branded with the au-

What is the Secret of the Monster of
thor’s name, even when some of them had little
the Castle?— ad line

The “Secret” answer to the
above question is that this ob-
scure, dull-as-dirt Italian im-
port isn’t worth the celluloid it’s
printed on.

Anna (Annie Alberti) has
some mysterious link with a
murdered countess (she
dreams of the woman’s death).

Anna returns to the countess’

castle and runs afoul of a gig-
gling madman with a hideously
disfigured face who likes to tor-
ture and kill young girls. It all
involves a plot concocted by a
greedy villain (who controls the
madman and hides his/her own
identity under a suit of armor!)

to find the countess’ hidden

U.S. half-sheet for the Italian import Tomb of Torture (1964).

jewels. The countess’ ghost puts

2. THE MOVIES

Tombs of Horror; The Tombs of Horror; Tormented

393
in an appearance at a propitious mo-
ment to facilitate the villain’s de-
mise.

Unleashed in America on a dou-
ble bill with the far superior Cave of
the Living Dead, Tomb begins with
a sequence in which two girls are
stalked, then tortured, in a secret
chamber under the castle by a mis-
shapen beast of a man (one of his
eyes rests down near his mouth!)

who laughs maniacally. After this
lurid opening, the film settles down
into a painful exercise in tedium.

The majority of the running time
consists of long stretches of people
wandering about the castle and
grounds, with the camera pointlessly
panning across a room or moving

Tom Stuart (Richard Carlson) is Tormented by the ghost of his around the torture chamber to no
spurned lover in one of the few Bert I. Gordon movies that lacks great purpose. Scenes of the walking
a giant anything (American lobby card).

suit of armor (worn by the villain)

become almost comical; and the

Producer/director Bert I. Gordon (Mr. B.I.G.

identity of said villain is as easy to spot as the tin himself ) took time off from filling the screen with suit s/he wears.

huge humans ( The Amazing Colossal Man, The Romance enters the monotonous picture via a

Cyclops, War of the Colossal Beast), enormous long comic interlude between a glib reporter
arachnids ( Earth vs. the Spider), and gigantic (Marco Mariani) sent to investigate and the
grasshoppers ( Beginning of the End) to make this caught-skinny-dipping heroine. Their “love” (in-small-scale but effective ghost story. No big bugs
cluding talk of marriage) blossoms so abruptly
or mammoth anthropoids here, just Richard
that one suspects some scenes were (thankfully)

Carlson and one (normal-sized) vengeful ghost.

excised for the export version. Though this abrupt-

From the opening noirish narration, in which, ness makes the characters’ actions/motivations
over moody shots of the island setting and its
seem ridiculous, the film would simply collapse
rocky beaches at twilight, Richard Carlson
under the weight of its own inertia had there been
intones, “I once loved this island ... but when the any more of these tiresome interludes. As it is,
night wind rises and the fingers of fog steal in,
this Tomb remains nigh on Torture to sit through.

they say you can hear voices— they say it’s the
dead growing restless and calling to the living,”

Tombs of Horror (1964) see Castle
you know that this is not going to be the typical
of Blood

Bert I. Grotesque. Carlson plays jazz pianist Tom

Stuart, who’s about to marry wealthy young so-

The Tombs of Horror (1965/67) see cialite Meg (Lugene Sanders). Tom’s former mis-

Terror Creatures from the Grave
tress, Vi (Juli Reding), comes to his beachfront
cottage and threatens to expose their less-than-

Tormented
acceptable affair if he doesn’t come back to her.

(1960; Allied Artists; b&w) Direc-

Fate intervenes and Vi falls to her death from atop tor: Bert I. Gordon; Producers: Bert I. Gordon,
a lighthouse. Tom could have saved her, however, Joe Steinberg; Screenplay: George Worthington
and Vi’s vengeful spirit periodically pops up to

Yates; Cinematographer: Ernest Laszlo. Cast:

prey on his guilty conscience, leading to tragedy.

Richard Carlson, Juli Reding, Susan Gordon, Lu-

The character of Tom Stuart is quite likable,
gene Sanders, Joe Turkel.

and for the most part you’re on his side as he’s

Her lips ... cold as a tomb! Her caress ... a naked forced to contend with the likes of ghostly foot-chill! ... but she is the sexiest phantom that ever prints, disembodied hands, a talking head and
haunted a man to death!— poster blurb
bodies that turn to seaweed in his grasp. The ever-

394

The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism; Torture Garden

2. THE MOVIES
dependable Richard Carlson does a fine job play-
taunting Tom from atop an end table. Though
ing an essentially good man who is pushed to the

Carlson’s sincerity nearly saves the rather laugh-
limit — and cracks. Carlson’s genial manner
able scene, it’s completely spoiled when he picks
quickly gives way to tortured preoccupation as
up what is obviously a cheap mannequin head
his portrayal fully lives up to the picture’s title.

topped by a blonde wig. As usual in a B.I.G. pro-

Throughout the movie the viewer sympathizes
duction like this, Gordon and his wife Flora did
with Carlson and so becomes more involved with
the “Special Visual Effects” themselves. Since this this story than with the typical Bert I. Gordon
is a ghost film, however, Gordon’s semi-transpar-
slice of cheese. And though the story here is an
ent process work looks just fine for the ethereal
old one, it still carries impact — and a message: phantom (unlike for his other movies, which fea-You can’t escape your own conscience (even if it
ture more corporeal menaces; in fact, in Gordon’s
needs a little prodding from beyond the grave).

The Amazing Colossal Man the titular titan often The story’s setting (a small island community)

looks more like The Amazing Transparent Man).

adds to the ominous tone of the film. The lonely

Sadly, Bert soon returned to his first love (gi-
derelict lighthouse, the windy boardwalk and the
gantism) with towering turkeys like Village of the crashing waves, all effectively photographed by

Giants (1965), Food of the Gods (1976) and Empire Ernest Laszlo in melancholy hues of gray, create
of the Ants (1977). Though no classic, Tormented a brooding atmosphere in which to tell the tale.

remains Gordon’s most intelligent film; and,

Gordon himself does much to make Tormented
while not his “biggest,” it is definitely his best.

a potent little thriller. He employs some subtly
creepy touches (cold shadow, sudden gust of

The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism
wind, etc.) to indicate the presence of the sinister see The Blood Demon
specter. Gordon also utilizes off-kilter camera an-
gles for his actor/reaction shots that enhance the

Torture Garden (1967; Amicus/Columbia; shuddery feel of some scenes.

U.K.) Director: Freddie Francis; Producers: Max

Of course, Bert being Bert, he couldn’t stay

J. Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky; Screenplay:

subtle long, and soon superimpositions are run-

Robert Bloch. Cinematographer: Norman War-
ning rampant across the screen. Gordon flirts with
wick. Cast: Jack Palance, Burgess Meredith, Bev-
the ludicrous when he (for some inexplicable rea-
erly Adams, Peter Cushing, Maurice Denham,
son) has Vi’s superimposed disembodied head

Barbara Ewing.

FREE! A package of

“Fright-Seeds” for your
own “TORTURE

GARDEN”!

— promotional giveaway

The British film company

Amicus, who revived the an-
thology film format in 1965
with their highly successful

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors,
left off a string of desultory

(and unprofitable) sci-fi en-
tries ( Daleks Invasion Earth

2150 A.D. [1966], They Came
from Beyond Space and The

Terrornauts [both 1967]) to
return to their roots with this
portmanteau production.

Amicus hired Robert ( Psy-
cho) Bloch to adapt four of
his previously published

Jack Palance (left) and Peter Cushing are two avid Poe collectors vying for the ultimate prize in “The Man Who Collected Poe” segment of Tor-
short stories into a single
ture Garden (1967).

screenplay: “Enoch” (which

2. THE MOVIES

Tower of London

395
tells of a demonized cat that likes to eat human
does what he can via distorting camera angles and
heads), “Terror over Hollywood” (about an
tight reaction shots, the “Mr. Steinway” sequence
actress who learns that the stars she idolizes are
in which a grand piano chases Barbara Ewing
really androids), “Mr. Steinway” (which features
around a room is nearly laugh-out-loud in its lu-
a jealous grand piano that comes to life) and “The
dicrousness. The film only really comes alive in

Man Who Collected Poe” (which stars Jack
the final segment, “The Man Who Collected Poe,”

Palance and Peter Cushing as “the world’s greatest
an intriguing gem laden with atmosphere and fea-
collector of Poe memorabilia,” whose collection
turing a wonderfully naturalistic performance by
houses the ultimate Poe item — the resurrected

Peter Cushing (who single handedly slices
author himself ). The stories are related by a car-
through Palance’s ham).

nival showman named Dr. Diablo (Burgess

Meredith), who shows his patrons their hidden

Tower of London (1962; United Artists; b&w) desires and possible futures.

Director: Roger Corman; Producer: Gene Cor-

Bloch was less than pleased with the result.

man; Screenplay: Leo V. Gordon, Amos Powell,

“[Amicus] only did about 60 or 70 percent of

James B. Grodon. Cinematographer: Arch R.

what I had written,” the author complained to

Dalzell. Cast: Vincent Price, Michael Pate, Joan

John Stanley. “There is a general tendency ... to

Freeman, Robert Brown, Bruce Gordon, Joan
confuse visual shock with psychological

Camden, Richard Hale, Sandra Knight, Charles
buildup...”

Macaulay.

Well, there really isn’t much of either in Torture Garden, which proved to be one of the poorest of DON’T COME ALONE: YOU’LL NEED

Amicus’ many anthologies (the best of the lot

SOMEONE TO HANG ONTO WHEN
being the subsequent Tales from the Crypt [1972]).

YOU COME FACE TO FACE WITH

THE BLOOD-CHILLING TERROR IN

“We have to think of the substantial American

THE TOWER!— poster blurb
market for our films,” commented producer Mil-
ton Subotsky to interviewer Gwynne Comber,

Things in Hollywood had definitely changed in

“and so we always try to include at least two actors the near-quarter century since the original 1939
who are well-known in America.” Said stars were
version of Tower of London—including big-screen Jack Palance and Burgess Meredith. Unfortu -
terror. By the late 1950s and early ’60s, the classic nately, neither brought much to the table, per-Teutonic-style horror spearheaded by Universal
formance-wise, given Palance’s breathless over-
had largely given way to invading aliens and mu-
acting in the “Poe” segment and Meredith simply
tant bugs. Golden Horror icon Bela Lugosi was
doing his patented Penguin shtick (from the then-
dead, while the two aging horror stars of the orig-
popular Batman TV series) while sporting a Sainal Tower of London, Boris Karloff and Basil tanic goatee. In truth, these
players were forced upon Ami-
cus by Columbia (who co-
financed the feature); Subotsky
initially wanted Christopher

Lee in the Palance role.

As with many of Oscar-win-
ning-cinematographer-turned-
low-rent-director Freddie Fran-
cis’ films, Torture Garden
features some impressive pho-
tography (e.g. subjective shots,
unusual angles, foreground
focus) but a frequently lagging
pace. To be fair, Bloch’s script
is against him from the start,
with the protagonists of the first
three tales so nasty and conniv-
ing that it’s difficult to care

The everything-but-the-torture-chamber-sink artwork for Roger Cor-what happens. Though Francis
man’s 1962 historical horror Tower of London (Belgian poster).

396

Track of the Vampire

2. THE MOVIES

Rathbone, found themselves appearing in puerile
darkens the sky, or do the skies blacken the souls
productions like The Black Sleep (1956), Franken-of men?” asks this reflective villain. This makes
stein 1970 (1958) and The Magic Sword (1962)—

Richard a much more intriguing figure, one who
when they could get movie work at all.

is not totally evil but who embraces it nonetheless One Tower of London alumnus, however, found and therefore orchestrates his own destruction
himself a hot horror property since his watershed

(it’s almost a trial run for Price’s portrayal in the year of 1958 — which saw Vincent Price starring
later Masque of the Red Death). Richard has a con-in both The Fly and House on Haunted Hill. In science, and out of it he creates his own guilt-rid-rapid succession, Price confirmed his “Master of
den hell by conjuring up the ghosts of his victims

Menace” title with appearances in films like
to torment him. As a morality play, the message

Return of the Fly (1959) and The Tingler (1959), could not be clearer—no one, no matter how cor-and the Edgar Allan Poe entries House of Usher
rupt, can truly escape their own conscience. And

(1960), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) and Tales in the end, despite the somber, often brutal trap-of Terror (1962). Indicative of his rise to terror pings, the film delivers an upbeat message — that
prominence was Price’s advancement from sup-
people, despite their savagery and cruelty, are ba-
porting player (Clarence) in the 1939 version to
sically good, and this goodness will triumph in
lead villain (Richard) when Roger Corman took
the end, whether it be by love ... or by self-pun-
his low-budget stab at historical horror by remak-
ishment meted out by one’s own mind.

ing Universal’s Tower of London.

Praiseworthy missives aside, this Tower is built First announced in February 1962 as A Dream
on shaky ground. The script is structured so that
of Kings, the film began shooting in mid–March.

the film will rise or fall with the performance of

“The Tower of London, a monument to the cor-

Price (who is the focus of nearly every scene).

ruption of the soul...” begins the narrator (om-

Though at times Price sublimely points the pro-
nipresent 1950s and ’60s voice-over artist Paul
duction heavenwards, it never quite takes wing—

Frees) at the film’s opening. What follows is a
due to that actor’s uneven playing. Price (who

15th-century tale of murder and ghosts and con-
began his career on the stage) sometimes acts as
science, in which Richard III (Vincent Price) kills if he were back treading the boards, playing to the his brother, his political rivals, his nephews and
balcony’s back row. He indulges in overblown

(accidentally) even his loving wife. The ghosts of
arm-waving, lip trembling and histrionics that
his victims appear to Richard (or at least are con-
lessen the impact that a more subtle performance
jured up out of his own guilt-riddled mind) to
could have generated. The blame in part should
bedevil his existence and ultimately lead him to
rest with Corman, never noted as an actor’s di-
his death at the battle of Bosworth Field.

rector, who failed to properly rein in the actor.

As might be expected, Corman’s version comes

(“He was very creative,” commented Price of his
nowhere close to the 1939 film in production qual-
director, “but more concerned with the story and
ity; but then the earlier entry was a relatively high-effects than the actors.”) Price provides a larger-
priced effort ($580,000) from a major studio,
than-life portrayal, sprinkling his wild-eyed,
whereas Corman’s project was a low-budget (less
open-mouthed, full-blooded delivery with mo-
than $200,000 — twenty-five years later) inde-
ments of subtlety and emotion. It’s an enjoyable
pendent effort. (Corman even borrowed some of
performance without doubt, but an uneven one.

the original’s battle footage to flesh out his min-

1962’s Tower of London is still an entertaining imalist fight scenes.) The tones of the two films
movie, filled with intrigue and shock and bizarre
are miles apart as well, the earlier variation being situations. More importantly, something worth-an historical melodrama with horrific trappings
while lurks beneath the garish surface. “He es-
while the latter focused on the themes of madness,
caped the headsman’s block, but he could not es-
guilt and death — more in the vein of Edgar Allan
cape his own conscience.” At least it’s something

Poe than medieval history (undoubtedly inten-
to think about.

tional, considering the personnel involved).

With quotes from: “Vincent Price: Looking

Corman’s proved the more intimate of the two,

Back on Forty Years as Horror’s Crown Prince,”

with the weight of the film resting on the humped
by Steve Biodrowski, David Del Valle and
shoulders of Vincent Price. The role of Richard

Lawrence French, Cinefantastique, January 1989.

is a fascinating one, for he is a man who knows
what is right and what is wrong but who chooses

Track of the Vampire see Blood
the path of evil anyway. “Is it what men do that

Bath

2. THE MOVIES

Twice Told Tales

397

The before and after effects of “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” in Twice Told Tales (1963). Mari Blanchard plays the bride-to-bones.

Twice Told Tales (1963; United Artists) Di-stormy night. When lightning strikes the crypt of
rector: Sidney Salkow; Producer/Screenplay:

Heideggar’s 38-years-dead wife (she died on their

Robert E. Kent (based on stories by Nathaniel
wedding night), they investigate the damage, only

Hawthorne); Cinematographer: Ellis W. Carter.

to discover a mysterious liquid seeping from the

Cast: Vincent Price, Sebastian Cabot, Brett
rocks that has perfectly preserved Sylvia’s corpse.

Halsey, Beverly Garland, Richard Denning, Mari

Discovering the liquid’s rejuvenating properties,

Blanchard, Abraham Sofaer, Jacqueline DeWit,

Heideggar decides to use it to revive his lost love, Joyce Taylor.

leading to tragedy.

Price and Cabot’s enthusiasm and charm

NO DEMONOPHOBIACS
catches the viewer up in the story, as they share

ADMITTED!— poster
their affection, melancholy, good humor, and

There’s no getting around it; Twice Told Tales
eventual joy at regaining their youth. The Edwar-
is the stodgy cousin of the AIP Roger Corman/
dian set dressing and bright, artificial color scheme Vincent Price/Edgar Allan Poe series. It’s not a
give the episode an almost fairy-tale ambiance, an
question of inferior source material (Nathaniel
atmosphere that turns to nightmare by story’s end.

Hawthorne’s stories carry as much resonance as

Next comes “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” in which
the Poe tales), but of lackluster presentation. CorPrice plays a bitter, possessive father who injects man’s Poe entries are simply far more vibrant.

his daughter with sap from a poisonous plant that

Twice Told Tales, a three-episode anthology makes her touch lethal to all living things. Over-based on two short stories and one novel written
long and underplayed (particularly by lightweight
by Hawthorne, begins when skeletal hands open
romantic love interest/hero Brett Halsey), and
an old tome to reveal the title of the first segment, completely devoid of shocks or excitement, the

“Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment.” This first (and
episode offers little but repetitive melodrama.

best) story has elderly friends Dr. Heideggar (Se-

The film concludes with a cheesy adaptation of
bastian Cabot) and bon vivante Alex (Vincent

“The House of the Seven Gables,” which stars

Price) reflecting on their lives one dark and

Price in a tale of ghostly love and revenge as a man

398

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll; Two on a Guillotine

2. THE MOVIES
searching for a hidden fortune in his cursed an-
ering the effect of its final two-thirds, a better
cestral home. Presenting a plethora of hoary old
moniker might have been Twice Bored Tales.

ghost gags (such as floating objects, bleeding
paintings, doors opening by themselves, and even

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll see
a reaching skeletal hand), and saddled with cheap,

House of Fright
cramped sets (and an even less convincing model
of the seven-gabled mansion itself ), this ram-

Two on a Guillotine (1965; Warner Bros.; shackle “House” is built on tatty clichés and poor
b&w) Director/Producer: William Conrad;
theatrics rather than a solid foundation of unease

Screenplay: Henry Slesar and John Kneubuhl
and terror. And residing within is a family of

(Story: Henry Slesar); Cinematography: Sam
missed opportunities. (Price co-starred in a much

Leavitt. Cast: Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, Caesar
better feature-length adaptation of the same story

Romero, Parkey Baer, Virginia Gregg, Connie
back in the 1940s for Universal.)

Gilchrist.

Like the stereotypical country cousin, Twice

Told Tales makes a cheap, simple, cheerful and Attention: Guillotine-agers! ... If you’re
fun first impression, but (at an overlong 119 min-
chopping for entertainment, here’s the
utes stretched over only three episodes) soon
super-shocker of them all.— tagline
overstays its welcome and becomes tiresome. Shot

When famous magician the Great Dusquesne
as The Corpse Makers, the film didn’t become (Caesar Romero) dies, he leaves his entire fortune

Twice Told Tales until after completion. Consid-to his estranged daughter Cassie (Connie

Stevens), on the condition that she remain in the
house — which has been tricked out with all sorts
of fright gags—for seven consecutive nights. The
press gets interested because, prior to his death,

Dusquesne vowed to return from the grave. To
pry the story from the media-averse Cassie, re-
porter Val Henderson (Dean Jones) disguises his
identity and strikes up a romance. He helps the
skittish Cassie cope with the house’s many sur-
prises (creepy tape recordings, skeletons hung on
wires, cardboard stand-ups popping out of
closets) and to come to terms with the death of
her father (who she believes never loved her).

When Cassie’s former nursemaid (Virginia

Gregg) swears she’s seen Dusquesne walking
about, Cassie begins to wonder if her father truly
has returned from the dead.

This tired and timid spooky-old-house relic
doesn’t generate the chills of a typical Scooby Doo episode, which its plot closely resembles. The
hackneyed, contrived scenario not only remains
utterly predictable, it doesn’t even attempt to be scary until its final 10 minutes. Two on a Guilllo-tine (1965) makes only the most perfunctory references to the supernatural. Instead, it focuses on the budding romance between Cassie and Val

(what will happen when she discovers his true
identity?) to such a degree that it seems like a
hastily rewritten script from a rejected Rock Hud-
son-Doris Day picture. Cassie is the kind of girl
who says, “Oh, golly!” and Val’s the kind of guy
who makes wisecracks like, “I’ve seen better light-

Australian daybill for the British Hammer horror

House of Fright (1960/61; aka The Two Faces of Dr.

ing in the Tunnel of Love.” Jones brings the same

Jekyll).

easygoing charm to his role that made him such

2. THE MOVIES

Two Thousand Maniacs!

399
a likeable lead in Disney movies like Blackbeard’s Yankee tourists into taking a forgotten back road

Ghost and The Love Bug (both 1968). Stevens is in to the secluded village of Pleasant Valley (popu-over her head during the film’s weepy dramatic
lation: 2000). There, the townsfolk promise to
moments but handles the romantic comedy ma-
fete the Northerners as “guests of honor” at their
terial adequately. Romero’s weirdly menacing per-
town’s centennial celebration. But one by one the
formance—imagine a much more intense version
visitors are separated from one another, murdered
of his Joker from the Batman television series—
and mutilated to reap blood vengeance for atroc-
arrives too late to make much difference. By the
ities committed in Pleasant Valley by union
time the young lovers confront the “ghost” of the
troops during the Civil War. A clever epilogue,
late Great Dusquesne and Two on a Guillotine
like something out of the musical Brigadoon
finally gets around to the would-be scary part,

(1947), shifts the tale into the realm of supernat-
most viewers will have long since lost interest
ural fantasy.

(and perhaps consciousness).

Two Thousand Maniacs!, like Blood Feast, suffers from banal dialogue, amateurish acting and

Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964; Friedman-a host of technical problems. The film’s lighting

Lewis) Director/Cinematography/Screenplay:

and sound are at best passable and at worst atro-

Herschell Gordon Lewis; Producer: David F.

cious (during one scene an actress’ voice is so

Friedman. Cast: William Kerwin (as Thomas
poorly dubbed, it sounds as if she’s speaking from

Wood), Connie Mason, Jeffrey Allen, Ben Moore,
an echo chamber). Once again, Lewis’ camera sel-

Gary Bakeman.

dom moves, and his compositions remain per-
functory. William Kerwin and Connie Mason,

Madness incarnate! Ghastly beyond
who handled the lead roles in Blood Feast, seem belief !— tagline
as wooden as ever here. Jeffrey Allen offers the

As they watched the proceeds pour in from
picture’s only worthwhile performance with his
their ultra low budget, ultra high gore Blood Feast broadly comedic portrayal of the unctuous Mayor

(1963), exploitation filmmaker Herschell Gordon

Buckman.

Lewis and his partner, producer David Friedman,

Nevertheless, Lewis earns points for the sheer
realized they were on to something.

scale of this production, shot entirely on location

“When we saw what the result of Blood Feast

(in St. Cloud, Florida, the future home of Disney
was,” said Lewis. “not just at the box office but

World) and utilizing dozens of extras and bit
on the industry altogether, David Friedman and
players. He also brings a welcome dose of goofy

I looked at each other and asked, ‘Holy mackerel!

humor to the yarn, both through his handling of

What if we made a decent one?’ I took Two Thou-
the cast (in addition to Allen’s smarmy antics,
sand Maniacs! very seriously.

That was my child.”

It shows. Two Thousand

Maniacs! stands as Lewis’ most
ambitious and entertaining
picture. Like Blood Feast, it re-
mains a semi-professional pro-
duction, riddled with too
many fundamental flaws and
clumsy mistakes to be called

“good” by any reasonable stan-
dard. But Lewis’ tongue-in-
cheek approach softens the im-
pact of some of those
problems. The story’s basic
premise is intriguing, and its
gruesome set pieces display a
sort of demented creativity
sure to satisfy gore fans.

Hacked-off Confederate ghosts do some hacking off of their own in In an unnamed Southern

Herschell Gordon Lewis’ tongue-in-cheek gorefest Two Thousand Ma-
state, homicidal rednecks dupe
niacs! (1964).

400

The Undertaker and His Pals

2. THE MOVIES
most of the bit players speak with an exaggerated,

Reminiscent of an H. G. Lewis gore flick, but
obviously fake southern drawl) and his unortho-
with goofy, tasteless, sick-and-twisted humor
dox score, a selection of bluegrass and corn-pone
thrown into the mix, the low-budget Undertaker
folk music played by a trio of roving pickers billed and His Pals follows the doings of, well, an un-as Chuck Scott and the Pleasant Valley Boys. The
dertaker (amusingly named “Mr. Mort”) and his
director even composed the movie’s highly (and
pals, two kooky and psychotic greasy-spoon café
perhaps even intentionally) amusing theme song,
owners. The terrible trio don leather jackets, hel-
a faux Civil War ballad full of references to Con-
mets and face masks, and venture out on their
federate leaders such as Robert E. Lee.

motorcycles to drum up business for the under-

Perhaps more importantly for the film’s core
taker — and secure fixins for the diner. To whit:

audience, the gore scenes in Two Thousand Ma-
they invade the apartment of one Sally Lamb,
niacs! are staged with far more originality and where they stab her to death and cut off (and
slightly greater realism than those in Blood Feast.

carry away!) her legs. The next day, while Mr.

The sadistic imagination at work in these se-

Mort buries what’s left of the girl (and charges
quences is either impressive or disturbing, de-
her grieving parents an, er, arm and a leg), the
pending on your point of view. Pleasant Valley
diner features a new special —“leg of lamb”

townsfolk chop off a woman’s arm and then bar-

(badda-bing!). The film wears its tongue-in-cheek
becue her; tie a man’s arms and legs to four horses heart on it sleeve from the get-go, as the camera
and set them bolting away in different directions;
periodically cuts from this first brutal and grue-
play a game that results in a giant boulder falling some killing/mutilation to a tabletop picture of
on another victim; and send a fourth victim
the victim’s sailor boyfriend, with the photo hav-
rolling down a hill in a barrel full of spikes. As in ing changed expression each time —from smiling

Blood Feast, most of the actual violence is sug-blandness to open-mouthed shock to hand-on-
gested rather than shown. Lewis instead shows us
forehead dismay! When a certain Miss Ann Poul-
the bloody aftermath — bodies rent asunder, rid-
try becomes their next victim (with the subse-
dled with holes or smashed flat. Two Thousand
quent cafe special listed as— what else?—“breast

Maniacs! actually contains less gore (at least as a of chicken”), the girl’s boss/love interest puts himper minute ratio of screen time) than its prede-
self on the case (though, amusingly, it’s not any-
cessor, yet it seems harsher because its sequences
thing he does, but a combination of backstabbing, make far more impact.

clumsiness, and just plain bad luck that leads the

The financial returns on this film again proved

Undertaker and His Pals to their deserved de-
spectacular, prompting Lewis and Friedman to
mise).

continue with Color Me Blood Red (1964). While At barely an hour, this Undertaker has little all of Lewis’ seminal splatter films are beloved by time to outstay his welcome. Though offering the
gorehounds, Two Thousand Maniacs! remains the expected ’60s gutter-cinema production values
one Lewis film whose appeal may extend beyond

(cardboard and plywood sets; garish and immo-
that crowd to curiosity seekers with open minds,
bile cinematography; broad, amateurish acting),
strong stomachs and an off beat sense of humor.

it moves from goofy pratfalls and silly humor (the

With quotes from: A Taste of Blood, Christo-flustered undertaker accidentally stepping on a
pher Wayne Curry
skateboard and taking off down the sidewalk) to
brutal killings and crude gore (involving stab-

The Undertaker and His Pals (1967;
bings, acid and even a vicious chain-whipping)

Howco) Director/Screenplay: T.L.P. Swicegood;
at a rapid pace.

Producer: Alex Gratton; Cinematographer: An-

Undertaker was reissued in the ’70s alongside drew Janczak. Cast: Warrene Ott, Rad Fulton,

The Corpse Grinders and The Embalmer. The Marty Friedman, Sally Frei, Rick Cooper, Robert
triple-feature-horror-show was accompanied by

Lowry, Ray Dannis.

a nurse who offered blood-pressure checks and a

A MACABRE STORY OF TWO MOTORCYCLE-

“certificate of assurance” that released the theater RIDING, KNIFE-WIELDING, SHIV-SHAVING,
from responsibility for death, coronaries or in-

EYE-GOUGING, ARM-TWISTING,
sanity inspired by the terrible terrors of the triple CHAIN-LASHING, SCALPEL-FLASHING,
bill. Though the various death and mutilation se-

ACID-THROWING, GUN-SHOOTING,
quences (including some real abdominal surgery

BONE-BREAKING, PATHOLOGICAL NUTS
footage) and stage-blood grue on offer might have

AND THEIR PAL THE UNDERTAKER...— tagline
inspired a few frowns, it’s doubtful that any

2. THE MOVIES

The Valley of Gwangi

401

“death, coronaries or insanity” resulted from the
producers Edward and William Nassour. They
wacky-and-tacky The Undertaker and His Pals—
made a tedious, low-budget version of the story
unless someone choked on their leg of lamb while

(featuring a crude stop-motion T-Rex) under the
watching.

title The Beast of Hollow Mountain ( La bestia de la montaña) in 1956. O’Brien did not create any

The Valley of Gwangi (1969; Warner
visual effects for that film, although he received

Bros./Seven Arts) Director: Jim O’Connolly; Pro-
a “from an idea by” screen credit. A dozen years
ducer: Charles H. Schneer; Screenplay: William
later, former O’Brien protégé Ray Harryhausen

E. Bast (Additional material: Julian More); Cin-
took up the concept and finally did it justice —
ematographer: Erwin Hiller. Cast: James Fran-
although, curiously, O’Brien didn’t receive on-
ciscus, Gila Golan, Richard Carlson, Laurence
screen credit for the idea behind The Valley of Naismith, Freda Jackson.

Gwangi.

Somewhere “south of the Rio Grande, at the

COWBOYS BATTLE MONSTERS IN THE LOST
turn of the century,” rodeo talent agent Tuck

WORLD OF FORBIDDEN VALLEY — tagline

Kirby (James Franciscus) discovers that his ex-

In 1942, legendary animator Willis O’Brien
girlfriend, stunt rider T.J. Breckenridge (Gila
wrote a treatment titled Valley of the Mist, about Golan), has come into possession of a fabulous
cowboys who discover a hidden land where di-
attraction —a living specimen of an eohippus, the
nosaurs still roam. The core concept —cowboys
tiny three-toed “dawn horse.” He shows the beast
versus dinosaurs— was fresh and exciting, and
to incredulous paleontologist Professor Bromley

O’Brien hoped Gwangi would become a second (Laurence Naismith), who has been digging for

King Kong. But it didn’t happen. O’Brien was dinosaur bones nearby. Bent on learning more
never able to interest a major studio in the con-
about the creature, Bromley helps free the eohip-
cept, which he eventually optioned to Mexican
pus, in order to track it as it returns to its home.

Tuck, T.J. and friends also leave in pursuit of the tiny horse and the lot of them find themselves in
the Forbidden Valley, home of a dreaded evil spirit known as Gwangi (which turns out to be an allosaurus), as well as several other prehistoric
species including a pterodactyl. Tuck and friends
capture Gwangi and bring him back to
civilization to put him on display. Catastrophe
naturally ensues.

It’s easy to understand why this project proved
irresistible to Harryhausen, given his fervent de-
votion to O’Brien and Gwangi’s blatantly King Kong-like plot ( Kong being Harryhausen’s often-cited career inspiration). Clearly Harryhausen
wanted Gwangi to become the movie O’Brien dreamed it would be, and devoted months of
meticulous effort to create some of the most beau-
tifully executed and imaginative sequences of his
entire career. Chief among these is a breathtaking
scene where Tuck and friends attempt to lasso

Gwangi. Seamlessly integrating into a single
frame live-action footage of cowboys on
horseback throwing real ropes with stop-motion
footage of the allosaur with wiry animated ropes
around its neck, it’s simply amazing that this
episode was created in the pre–CGI era. The
finale, as Gwangi rampages through a Mexican

Comic book tie-in for the Ray Harryhausen cow-
town and eventually becomes trapped in a
boys-and-dinosaurs movie The Valley of Gwangi
burning cathedral, is also magnificently accom-

(1969).

plished.

402

Valley of the Dragons

2. THE MOVIES

These sequences play out to Jerome Moross’

most original and colorful entries in the anima-
exceptionally effective score. The surging and
tor’s impressive filmography.

heroic title theme, reprised at key moments
throughout the film, sounds like something from

Valley of the Dragons (1961; Columbia; a John Ford cavalry epic. Instead of the cardboard
b&w) Director/Screenwriter: Edward Bernds;
cut-outs that too often populate Harryhausen

Producer: Byron Roberts; Cinematographer: Bry-
pictures, William Bast’s screenplay features a cast don Baker. Cast: Cesare Danova, Sean McClory,
of characters sketched in refreshing detail, espe-

Joan Staley, Danielle de Metz, Gregg Martell, Gil
cially the complex and conflicted Tuck, played

Perkins.

with charm and confidence by the underrated

James Franciscus (who would move from the For-

THEY GO A MILLION YEARS BACK IN

TIME ... AND LAND A MILLION MILES
bidden Valley to the Forbidden Zone by starring

OUT IN SPACE!— poster blurb
in Beneath the Planet of the Apes in 1970). However, it takes time to establish characters in such Based on Jules Verne’s rather obscure novel Off depth and, as a result, Gwangi’s opening act on a Comet (though really little more than a vari-proves sluggish. To hold audience interest until
ation on 1940’s One Million B.C. ), Valley of the our heroes enter Forbidden Valley (about halfway

Dragons begins in 1881 as two duelists (Cesare through the picture), the story offers rodeo stunts, Danova and Sean McClory) prepare to defend
a bullfight, the charming eohippus and romantic
their respective honors with pistols. But a hurri-
intrigue between Tuck and T.J. The lattermost of
cane-force wind and apparent earthquake inter-
these would work better if not for the flat, awk-
rupts their confrontation. When the winds sub-
ward performance of Golan, an Israeli fashion
side, they find themselves in a strange, prehistoric model who embarked on a brief and undistin-world populated by dinosaurs (photographically
guished acting career in the mid–1960s. After her
enlarged lizards) and cave men. Soon they deter-
role as T.J. in Gwangi, Golan retreated from the mine that “a heavenly body, a small planet or a
screen, returning only for a bit part in an Italian comet perhaps, collided with the earth and bore
soccer comedy ( L’allenatore nel Pallone) in 1984.

us into space, carrying an envelope of the earth’s

It certainly was not a second Kong, but Gwangi atmosphere with us.” Apparently, this happens
earned good returns at the box office and was reis-
every 100,000 years or so, hence the prehistoric
sued in 1971 on a double-bill with Hammer Films’

flora and fauna on this planetoid “comet.”

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970). And

Among the cut-rate cinematic wonders en-
while it can’t be counted among the top tier of
countered by the displaced duo are plastic-

Harryhausen pictures, Gwangi remains one of the masked “Neanderthals”; a gargantuan mongoose
vs. snake battle on a tabletop
miniature set; a brief shot of an
awkward flying (gliding) reptile
that looks suspiciously like a

Rodan outtake; a giant balloon-
like spider prop recycled from di-
rector/screenwriter Edward

Bernds’ previous World Without

End (1956); oversized armadillos

(one character inexplicably labels
them “ox-like animals”!); cheesy

Morlock-like subhumanoids; the
expected cavemen — along with
the inevitable (blonde) cavegirl;
and more lizard vs. baby alligator
stock footage from One Million

B.C. than you can shake a spear at.

“Valley of the Dragons was built
around the One Million B.C. stock

Given this shot from Valley of the Dragons (1961), a more accurate footage,” admitted Bernds. “I
title would have been Valley of the Armadillos.

used the Jules Verne premise of

2. THE MOVIES

The Vampire

403
the comet scooping up the men and taking them

With quotes from: Interviews with B Science
into outer space — a pretty wild premise, but it

Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

worked all right for us. The story was then shaped
around the stock stuff.”

The Vampire (1957/1968; Cinematografica

“Shaped around” seems a bit optimistic;

A.B.S.A./Trans-International Films; Mexico;

“thrown around” seems a more accurate term for
b&w) Original Language Title: El Vampiro. Di-this everything-but-the-caveman-sink pastiche.

rector: Fernando Mendez, Paul Nagle (English

While not the most coherent of story lines, at least language version); Producer: Abel Salazer, K. Gor-the first portion of the picture moves from one
don Murray (English version); Screenplay:

stock footage anomaly to another in a rapid, Sat-

Ramon Obon; Cinematographer: Rosalio Solano.

urday-matinee fashion. Unfortunately, whatever

Cast: Abel Salazar, Ariadna Welter, Carmen Mon-
fun can be squeezed from this cinematic cheese
tejo, Jose Luis Jimenez, Germán Robles.

log is eclipsed by endless, dull getting-to-know-
you cavemen sequences (complete with an excru-

FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE INTO THE

AUDIENCE — THE UNDEAD AWAKEN
ciatingly drawn-out “playful swim” scene between

AFTER 200 YEARS!— ad line

Hector and his newfound cave love). The dead
weight of these tedious time-fillers brings this

We primarily have two men to thank (or curse,
comet crashing down to earth. Even the (stock
depending upon one’s perspective) for bringing
footage, naturally) climactic siege by the giant
us a bevy of 1960s Mexi-monsters from south of
lizards can’t launch this comet into space again.

the border: actor-producer Abel Salazar, whose

Bernds shot this extravaganza on a “ridiculously

Cinematografica A.B.S.A. company basically cre-
low budget” (Bernds’ words) of $125,000. “The
ated the Gothic-style Mexican horror movie in big lucky break we had was that we were able to
the late 1950s and early ’60s, and theater owner-
use a half-million dollar mountainside set stand-
cum-producer K. Gordon Murray, who purchased
ing at Columbia that had been built for The Devil the American rights to Salazar’s movies (and nu-at Four O’Clock [1961]. That meant we didn’t have merous others), dubbed them into English, and
to go a single day out on locations; we shot all of exhibited them in a series of Saturday matinees
our exteriors on this magnificent half-million
before (and sometimes after) sending them off to dollar set. It was a tremendous money-saver.”

television (via AIP-TV).

Then there’s the utter ludicrousness of it all —

Salazar (who, sadly, died of Alzheimer’s in
which is only made worse by the protagonists try-

1995) started the Universal-patterned revival of
ing to figure it out. One of them calls their new

Mexican horror in 1957 when he both produced
home “a world of the past, 100,000 years past,”

and acted in the ground-breaking The Vampire
and labels a big lizard a “plateosaur” who “flour-

(which Salazar described as “Dracula set on a ished on earth more than a thousand centuries

Mexican hacienda”) and in its 1958 sequel, The
ago.” Scripter Bernds and his characters seemed

Vampire’s Coffin. He continued the trend with The to have dropped a few zeros, since it was closer

Man and the Monster (1958), The Curse of the Cry-to a million centuries ago when dinosaurs roamed ing Woman (1962), The Living Head (1963) and the earth. And the film concludes with the two
the (in)famous The Brainiac (1961; in which modern men somehow calculating that the comet

Salazar abandoned his usual role of hero to play
will revisit earth in seven years! (What happened the title monster). His producer-only genre
to the “every 100,000 years” theory; and what are
credits include World of the Vampires and The they going to do then, anyway — just step across

Witch’s Mirror (both 1960). All eight of Salazar’s and go home?)

horror films were released Stateside in the mid-

“The basis of Valley of the Dragons is utterly to-late 1960s by K. Gordon Murray’s Trans-In-unscientific and — ridiculous is probably not too ternational Films.

strong a word for that. Science really takes a beatThe Vampire opens as a large box of earth from ing in that picture!” laughed Bernds. “But it en-Hungary arrives at the small Mexican town of
tertains people, and still makes money for Co-

Sierra Negra. Also arriving in Sierra Negra is the
lumbia.” Well, while that last bit may be true
heroine, Martha (Ariadna Welter), there to visit

(though it’s doubtful Valley brings in much cash her sick aunt, co-owner (with her brother and
these days), the “entertains people” statement is
sister) of “the Sycamores” hacienda. Ten years
about as accurate as this movie’s scientific prem-
previously, a mysterious Count Duval (Germán
ise.

Robles) moved nearby, and now no one will come

404

The Vampire

2. THE MOVIES
near the Sycamores. Duval is actually Count

All the players acquit themselves admirably,

Lavud, a vampire, who intends to wrest the
from the easy-mannered, likable Salazar as the

Sycamores from its rightful owners and resurrect
skeptical hero, to Welter as the confused and vul-
his vampiric brother. Standing in his way is
nerable heroine who finds inner strength when

Martha and her newfound paramour, Henry
needed, to Carmen Montejo as the vampirized

(Abel Salazar), a young psychiatrist secretly sum-
aunt, full of dark intensity, to the crazed “good”

moned to the Sycamores to assess the mental con-
aunt whose hollow-eyed anxiety reveals both ter-
dition of the ailing aunt.

ror and determination. Then there’s Germán

“They really tried to capture the style, the

Robles as Count Lavud. His penetrating gaze,
mood of the old-fashioned horror movies,” ex-
haughty manner, and fierce and swift attacks offer
plained leading lady Ariadne Welter. “They kept
up the best of both worlds— the worlds of Uni-
talking about Bela Lugosi; he was the model for
versal’s Bela Lugosi and Hammer’s Christopher
the part of the vampire.”

Lee. Ironically, The Vampire was made a year In The Vampire, director Fernando Mendez,
before Lee donned the cape for the first time in aided by cinematographer Rosalio Solano, cap-Horror of Dracula. (Robles claims that Lee told a tures the “old-fashioned horror movie mood”

mutual friend that Lee patterned his Count after beautifully. Through its well-framed photography

Robles’ portrayal! This seems unlikely, however,

(a funeral procession filmed at a distance through
since Lee would have had little opportunity to see
an archway creates a forlorn tableau) and moody

The Vampire prior to his work on Horror of Drac-lighting (Lavud suddenly appears by stepping out
ula, particularly since it wasn’t even seen in its of a misty shaft of moonlight), not to mention

English-language version until six years later.)

some of the most impressive cobwebs seen outside

Though Robles doesn’t quite measure up to the
of a classic Universal, The Vampire simply drips imposing presence of either, combining the look

Gothic ambiance. Evocative (and frisson-induc-and intensity of Lugosi (even wearing a near-
ing) images abound, such as pinpoint lighting
identical penguin suit) with the ferocity of Lee
making the Vampire’s staring eyes appear to glow
serves The Vampire well.

in the blackness (an effect borrowed from — and

Ironically, Robles was not the first choice as the
improving upon — Universal’s Dracula), or one Vampire. Salazar originally hired well-known
low-angle shot in which the wind swirls the mist

Mexican character actor Carolos Lopez
behind a statuesque, black-clad vampiress, a cruel

Moctezuma to play Lavud, but soon decided
smile on her lips and an unhealthy gleam in her

“something wasn’t right. The story was ready, we
wide eyes.

were ready to start, yet I was asking myself, what
is it? Then I looked at American
cinema again, and you know
what is successful? The unknown
actor! Lopez Moctezuma invari-
ably had to be Lopez Moctezuma
before he was ‘the Vampire.’ I
talked to him and said, ‘I’ll pay
off your contract because I made
a mistake; I have to find an un-
known actor.’ Someone told me
to go to a [certain] theater. I went

[there, spotted Robles] and said,

‘He is the Vampire!’”

By his own account, the Span-
ish-born Robles thoroughly en-
joyed this, his first starring role.

(“We had a tremendous amount
of fun doing these films,” agreed
co-star Welter, referring to both

The Vampire and its sequel, The

Enrique (“Henry” in the dubbed version), played by producer/star Abel Salazar, enters the atmospheric world of The Vampire (1957/68) Vampire’s Coffin.) But the tight
in this Mexican lobby card.

three-week shoot sometimes

2. THE MOVIES

The Vampire and the Ballerina

405
proved wearying. “There was a
scene where I had to climb back
into my coffin and close the lid
over me,” Robles told Parla. “So, I
did the scene, but I wasn’t aware of
the fact that this was the last shot
of the day. So, there I am, lying in
this coffin, and I’m very tired. [Di-
rector] Fernando Mendez calls it a

‘wrap,’ and everyone left the set to
go to dinner. At the restaurant,
everyone asked Fernando,

‘Where’s German?’ It suddenly
dawned on him, and he ran back
to the studio. When he opened the
coffin, there I was, in a deep sleep!”

Of course, this cinematic gothic
castle has its share of cracks. The
often banal-sounding dubbing on

The former takes liberties with the latter in The Vampire and the
the American release version does

Ballerina (1960/62).

the cast no favors (though Robles
actually labeled the dubbing “splendid, because
b&w) Original Language Title: L’Amante del Vam-the voice is very similar to my own — very deep;
piro. Director: Renato Polselli; Producer: Bruno it was a very good choice”), and some of the spe-Bolognesi; Screenplay: Renato Polselli, Guiseppi
cial effects prove either obvious and simple (the

Pellegrini, Ernesto Gastaldi; Cinematographer:

vampires abruptly appear and disappear in a

Angelo Baistrocchi. Cast: Helene Remy, Tina Glo-
crude stop-the-camera-I-wanna-get-off effect)

riani, Walter Brandi, Isarco Ravaioli, John
or downright simple-minded (the ungainly and

Turner, Ugo Cragnani, Maria Luisa Rolando.

unconvincing flying rubber bats would be right

BLOOD-LUSTING FIEND WHO PREYS ON
at home in a Monogram movie from two decades

GIRLS! VAMPIRE-QUEEN WHO FEEDS ON
earlier). But the engrossing story, adept playing,

LIFEBLOOD OF MEN!— poster
and wonderfully atmospheric ambiance set The

Vampire astride the pinnacle of south-of-the-bor-Euro-hunk Walter Brandi starred in a trio of
der horror cinema.

gothic-style Italian vampire flicks in the early

Released in Mexico in 1957, El Vampiro pre-1960s. The Vampire and the Ballerina was the miered theatrically in the U.S. on March 2, 1968,
first — and the best. Of course, considering the
in Jacksonville, Florida, as a co-feature for The other two were Curse of the Blood-Ghouls

Curse of the Doll People. This came nearly four (1962/69) and The Playgirls and the Vampire
years after The Vampire first aired on television (1963), that’s not saying much.

in 1964! (K. Gordon Murray — a pioneer in cine-

The Vampire and the Ballerina’s standard-issue matic recycling...)

story has a ballet troupe staying at a small village With quotes from: “The Vampire’s Lady: An
recently plagued by a rash of deaths. When several

Interview with ‘El Vampiro’ Leading Lady
of the would-be ballerinas stumble across a mys-

Ariadne Welter,” by Charles P. Mitchell and Paul
terious castle in the woods, they run afoul of the

Parla, Filmfax 67, June/July 1998; “El Vampiro vampires that live there. Though the generic sce-Speaks! An Interview with Mexican Horror Star
nario offers little of note, the fun is in the details.

Germán Robles,” by Bryan Senn, Richard

For instance, the lead bloodsucker sports a dis-

Sheffield and Jim Clatterbaugh, Monsters from the figured face, whose coarse features and gnarled,

Vault 24, February 2008; “El Barón del Terror: misshapen hands transform into the handsome

The Horror Films of Abel Salazar, by David Wilt,
visage and aristocratic digits of Walter Brandi

Filmfax 54, January/February 1996.

only after it feeds. Also, this vampire takes the
trouble to dig up his victims in the local cemetery

The Vampire and the Ballerina (1960/62; and dispatch them, so as to prevent competition!

Consorzio Italiano Films/United Artists; Italy;

“And this time you die, never to rise again,” he

406

The Vampire People; The Vampire-Beast Craves Blood

2. THE MOVIES
tells his latest convert just before jamming a stake starved bloodsucker). When the vampire attacks,
into her heart. “Neither you nor anyone else will
the girl’s (his victims are always female) initial ever intrude on the kingdom of the vampire.”

scream soon turns to a moan of pleasure, as she

And even among the nosferatu things are not
writhes with desire, even languorously stroking
quite as they seem, for the beautiful mistress lordher neck wounds afterwards, as if caught up in
ing over the “Castle of the Damned,” Countess
some unholy post-coitus reverie.

Alda (Maria Luisa Rolando), is actually the en-

Better than its meager reputation and general
slaved lover/acolyte of her own servant, Herman
obscurity suggest, The Vampire and the Ballerina (Brandi), who parasitically keeps her alive and
offers a few innovations on the traditional gothic
eternally young by letting her drink from his own
vampire scenario, some macabre atmosphere and
neck after he himself has fed on the blood of a
evocative camerawork, and a smooth melding of
victim.

horror and eroticism. Of course, it also features

Co-screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi (who also
several show-stopping (and not in a good way)

served as assistant director on the film) told in-
dance numbers that would look more at home in
terviewer Tim Lucas that “L’amante del vampiro
a 42nd Street theater than the Metropolitan Opera
was my first official script — I was unbelievably

House, and pointless filler scenes with the various low-paid! ... I used to write after midnight, when
vapid girls (whose buxom frames seem better
my young sons were sleeping. I remember, some
suited to burlesque than ballet). But it all climaxes nights, I was frightened by my own scenes and
in an exciting flight-and-fight, and subsequent
had to stop. For me, the fun of being a screen-
turning-to-dust, sequence (in an obvious “bor-
writer is to live your stories as others live their rowing” from Hammer’s 1958 Horror of Dracula, real lives. What scared me, I realized, would scare including the crossed-candlestick trick) that
other people too.”

deftly brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.

One such potential “scare” came in the form of

“The disintegration was filmed on the castle roof, a striking burial scene straight out of Carl-by stopping the camera and making little changes,

Theodore Dreyer’s Vampyr (1932). As pallbearers stage-by-stage,” revealed Gastaldi. “We actually
carry the latest victim’s coffin to the cemetery, the had to create the illusion of wind by standing
camera takes on the corpse’s point of view,
around and waving newspapers.”

looking up through the glass window in the casket

“Our production was very cheap,” continued
at the trees passing overhead, the graveside

Gastaldi, “and the director asked for some skele-
mourners gazing down, and finally the dirt
tons, but there weren’t any to be had. The pro-
raining onto the coffin itself. What makes this all duction manager proposed that we go to a ceme-the more disturbing are shots of the victim’s eyes
tery and dig up some real ones! The producer had
opening, as she seemingly awakens to the world
asked, very upset, ‘Do you know what skeletons
of the undead, only to be buried alive!

cost?’ [Assistant director] Cirino answered, ‘So

Some atmospheric lighting, clever use of shad-
we’ll use the skeletons of poor people!’” Cheap
ows (with the vampiric presence represented early
producers and expensive skeletons aside, The
on solely by a menacing silhouette) and creepy

Vampire and the Ballerina goes on point to stand castle settings (Castello Borghese at Artena, a vilas one of the better Continental vampire films of
lage near Rome) further set this Vampire ( and Bal-the 1960s.

lerina) apart from its Continental brethren.

With quotes from: “What Are Those Strange

“At the time I knew him, [director/co-writer

Drops of Blood in the Scripts of ... Ernesto

Polselli] was a man of greater ambition than tal-

Gastaldi?” by Tim Lucas, Video Watchdog 39, ent,” sniped Gastaldi. Perhaps, but Polselli (who

1997.

helmed yet another gothic bloodsucker in the
form of The Vampire of the Opera in 1964, and

The Vampire People see The Blood
went on to direct the delirious Delirium, a 1972

Drinkers
giallo) brought what talent he possessed to bear
fully on The Vampire and the Ballerina. Aided by

The Vampire-Beast Craves Blood
cinematographer Angelo Baistrocchi’s fluid cam-

(1968/69; Tigon/Pacemaker Pictures; U.K.) Alter-
erawork and charicusco lighting, Polselli plays up
nate Title: The Blood Beast Terror (U.K. title); Dithe sensual aspects of vampirism while at the
rector: Vernon Sewell; Producer: Arnold L. Miller;
same time exposing its innate horror (most ob-

Screenplay: Peter Bryan; Cinematographer: Stan-
viously via the hideous visage of Brandi’s blood-
ley A. Long. Cast: Peter Cushing, Robert Flemyng,

2. THE MOVIES

The Vampires; The Vampire’s Coffin

407

Wanda Ventham, Vanessa Howard, David Griffin,

( The Crimson Cult) indifferent direction fails to Glynn Edwards, Roy Hudd.

improve the lugubrious pacing. Worst of all is
the titular terror itself, which looks (in the few

A ravishing Psycho-Fiend with the diabolical
brief flashes Sewell dares show us) like a pa-
power to turn into a Giant Deathshead Vampire
thetic papier-mâché copy of the already dreadful
feasts on the Blood of her lovers before
clawing them to death!— poster blurb

Wasp Woman from that earlier Roger Corman
opus.

The Death’s Head Vampire (the film’s shooting Peter Cushing does what he can with his un-title) began filming on August 7, 1967, in the tiny derdeveloped Inspector character, adding bits of

Goldhawk Studios in Shepherd’s Bush, London.

business here and there in a vain attempt to liven

Set in Victorian England, the ludicrous story has
up the proceedings, but it was obviously a lost
an entomologist (Robert Flemyng) seeking to cre-
cause. In fact, Cushing has labeled Vampire-Beast ate a giant (male) moth in order to pacify and
his worst film, and it’s a tough point to argue.

curtail the bloodlust of his moth-monster daugh-

Author Jonathan Rigby, in his excellent English ter (whom he has also created), a beautiful girl

Gothic, quotes actor Roy Hudd (who, in two
who periodically transforms into a giant death’s
scenes, stole the show playing the irascible
head moth and sucks the blood from her would-
morgue attendant) as recalling, “I was called for
be lovers. A police inspector (Peter Cushing) and
make-up and there, in the next chair, was the
his long-suffering Sergeant (Glynn Edwards)

great man himself. ‘Good morning,’ he said, ‘I’m
must discover the absurd truth and lure this mur-

Peter Cushing’— as if I didn’t know. ‘Have you
derous monster moth to the flame (literally).

seen the script?’ he asked. ‘Not very good, it is?’

Made by Tony Tenser’s Tigon film company (a

‘Well...’ I blustered. ‘No, we can do better than
sort of bargain basement Hammer that bank -
that.’ ‘Can we? How can we make it funnier,’

rolled such pictures as The Conqueror Worm, asked the great man.... That was the start. To-Blood on Satan’s Claw and The Creeping Flesh), gether we rejigged the whole two scenes.”

The Vampire-Beast Craves Blood (released in the Too bad they couldn’t have rejigged the entire

U.S. on a double bill with Curse of the Blood-
script.

Ghouls, a re-titled Slaughter of the Vampires) is by With quotes from: Beasts in the Cellar: The Ex-far Tigon’s most tepid terror offering. Slow, desul-ploitation Film Career of Tony Tenser, by John tory and, oh yes, bloody awful are adjectives that

Hamilton; English Gothic, by Jonathan Rigby.

readily spring to mind.

Tenser managed to secure the services of the

The Vampires see Goliath and the
once-great Basil Rathbone to play the mad moth-

Vampires
maker, but the 75-year-old actor died on July 21
and was replaced by Robert Flemyng ( The

The Vampire’s Coffin (1958/1965; Cine-Horrible Dr. Hichcock himself ). Though Rathbone matografica A.B.S.A./Young America Produc -
would have undoubtedly brought a touch of his
tions; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: El trademark class to the role, there was little to work Ataúd del Vampiro. Director: Fernando Mendez, with in Peter Bryan’s stolid script. Though Bryan

Manuel San Fernando (English language version);
was (partly) responsible for penning such winners

Producer: Abel Salazar, K. Gordon Murray (En-
as The Brides of Dracula and The Plague of the glish version); Screenplay: Raymond Obon (Story

Zombies, his screenplay for Blood Beast falls more by Raoul Zenteno); Cinematographer: Victor
in line with his later efforts like the terrible Trog Herrera. Cast: Abel Salazar, Ariadna Welter, Ger-and Seven Deaths in a Cat’s Eye. “They’ll never mán Robles, Yeyre Beirute, Alicia Montoya,
believe this at the Yard,” opines the Sergeant at

Carlos Ancira.

film’s end, to which the Inspector replies, “They’ll never believe it anywhere.” Indeed. (Note: Ac-

“SMELLING SALTS” TO SAVE YOUR LIFE
cording to Tenser, this clever retort — one of the

WHEN YOU SEE “THE VAMPIRE’S
film’s few — wasn’t even in the script, but was ad-

COFFIN”— ad line
libbed by star Peter Cushing. “He [Cushing]

While the Mexican horror classic El Vampiro
rewrote a lot of his dialogue,” reported Tenser.)

( The Vampire) was still drawing patrons to

While the Victorian-era costumes and settings

Mexico City theaters in 1957, producer Abel
evoke a nicely nostalgic atmosphere, nothing

Salazar rounded up that film’s principal cast and
much of interest takes place; and Vernon Sewell’s
crew and began shooting a sequel.

408

The Vampire’s Coffin

2. THE MOVIES

A direct continuation of the original, The Vam-
working with Salazar the actor, characterizing him pire’s Coffin opens at the big city hospital where as a “very funny guy ... very fun to work with.”

young psychiatrist Dr. Henry Hetherford (Abel

Fortunately, the Vampire eventually chooses a

Salazar), the hero from The Vampire, works, and much more appropriate (and better decorated)

where Martha (Ariadna Welter), The Vampire’s lair — the local wax museum, setting up shop
heroine, recuperates from her terrifying ordeal.

amidst the guillotine, Virgin of Nuremberg, and

A curious colleague of Henry’s tracks down
creepy figures. The long, dark corridors and stone

Count Lavud’s (Germán Robles) coffin and brings
cellar, not to mention the eerie displays them-
the staked corpse back to the hospital for study.

selves, suits the subject far better than the stark Naturally, the doctor’s greedy, grave-robbing as-hospital rooms and over-lit hallways.

sistant, Manson (Yeyre Beirute), inadvertently re-

The likable Salazar, who, despite starring in
moves the stake from Lavud’s heart, bringing the
half-a-dozen horror movies, felt most at home in
vampire back to life. Lavud then sets out to
light comedies, does his usual comic, charming-

“avenge myself on those who buried my slumber-
yet-cowardly hero routine (kind of a Mexican
ing soul in the awful depths of death and stole my

Bob Hope but without the zingers), while Ariadne
power that night” (i.e.: kill Henry and make

Welter makes for a fetching damsel in distress.

Martha his undead bride).

And Germán Robles continues his imposing turn

“The sequel was set in the city,” observed co-
as Lavud, combining the look of Lugosi with the
star Ariadne Welter, “which did not work as well
lunge of Lee. Unfortunately, the mundane sur-
as the original, which was set in the country.” In-
roundings of the film’s first half make of his
deed, the film’s first half-hour unspools upon the
gothic-style Count a fish-out-of-water (or at least unconvincingly cut-rate hospital sets (consisting
a vampire-out-of-crypt).

of a few big, white, near-empty rooms), depriving

Director Fernando Mendez, aided by Victor
the sequel of the original’s lush atmospherics.

Herrera’s evocative cinematography, frequently

Germán Robles commented on how producer/
offsets the meandering script and banal setting
star Abel Salazar was “a shylock, a Scrooge! He
with eerie lighting and shuddery shadows. One
wanted to do everything with less— or as much
well-staged vampire attack has a woman pursued
with less. He played poor.” (This “playing poor”

down a deserted street by the Vampire’s shadow,
extended to Robles’ salary, which, according to
which becomes the silhouette of a bat, before she
the actor, was a paltry $600 U.S. on the original
abruptly turns to find herself suddenly facing the

The Vampire, and a slightly-better-but-still-snarling fiend and his inch-long fangs. Too bad
miserly $1040 for its sequel.) Though Salazar the
said scene is then juxtaposed with a cheesy Guys-
producer may have “played poor,” Robles enjoyed

’n’-Dolls-style dance routine, as Martha, a pro-
fessional dancer, rehearses at a
theater. Fortunately, the climax
offers a vigorous, exciting battle
with the Vampire (and his slave)

at the wax museum, marred
only by some unconvincing bat-
on-a-string action (but ending
in a novel demise for the undead
monster). Though falling short
of the rich atmosphere and tight
pacing of the original, The Vam-
pire’s Coffin still offers a passably
creepy place for horror lovers to
lay their heads.

The Anglicized version of The

Vampire’s Coffin premiered in
the U.S. (in Cincinnati, Ohio)

on a double bill with The Robot
vs. the Aztec Mummy on No-

In this sequel to The Vampire, Germán Robles (as Count Lavud) once vember 17, 1965. Ironically, this
again occupies The Vampire’s Coffin (1958/65).

sequel to The Vampire hit

2. THE MOVIES

Vampires Versus Hercules; I Vampiri; Varan the Unbelievable

409

American theaters over two years before the original.

With quotes from: “The Vampire’s Lady: An

Interview with ‘El Vampiro’ Leading Lady

Ariadne Welter,” by Charles P. Mitchell and Paul

Parla, Filmfax 67, June/July 1998; “El Vampiro Speaks! An Interview with Mexican Horror Star

Germán Robles,” by Bryan Senn, Richard

Sheffield and Jim Clatterbaugh, Monsters from the Vault 24, February 2008.

Vampires Versus Hercules see Her-
cules in the Haunted World

I Vampiri see The Devil’s Com-
mandment

Varan the Unbelievable (1958/62; Toho; Japan) Original Title: Daikaiju Baran. Director: Ishiro Honda; Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka;

Screenplay: Shinichi Sekizawa; Cinematographer:

Hajime Koizume. Cast: Kozo Nomura, Ayumi

Sonoda, Fumito Matsuo, Koreya Senda, Akihiko

Hirata, Myron Healey (U.S. version).

It’s Varan the Unbelievable— and now you know From a world below, it came to terrorize —
why ( TV Guide ad).

to destroy — to revenge!— tagline

Toho’s first cycle of kaiju eiga (giant monster) followed by static dialogue scene (in which sci-movies zoomed out of the gate with Godzilla, King entists and generals strategize for the next attack), of the Monsters (1954/56), sputtered with Gigantis followed by another attack, followed by another
the Fire Monster (1955) and Rodan (1956), and conference, and on and on, ad nauseum. The ac-finally ran out of gas with Varan the Unbelievable.

tion scenes make extensive use of poorly matched

The most surprising thing about this picture is

WWII-era stock footage, which further cheapens
its utter lack of surprises. Most Toho monster
the look of the film.

epics— even the bad ones—contain some quirky,

Varan himself — a four-legged, long-tailed
off-the-wall flourish that presents a certain
lizard with prominent white spikes on his back —
charm. Not so Varan. Although competently
lacks the personality of Godzilla and Rodan. He
crafted, it contains no new ideas, and the
looks like an overgrown iguana with racing stripes.

elements it recycles were better executed by earlier The story’s ill-defined human characters prove
movies. As a result, Varan remains bland and uneven less engaging. The lone aspect of this film to interesting, the cinematic equivalent of eating a
display any ambition whatsoever is its visual ef-
bowl of plain white rice for dinner.

fects. Miniature effects involving water are noto-

Its vaguely Kong-like story opens with a team riously difficult, and Varan features a great many of scientists hunting for rare butterflies in Siberia.

of them. Although the results aren’t always con-

In addition to butterflies, the team discovers a sevincing, Eiji Tsuburaya and the rest of Toho’s spe-
cluded village whose residents worship a mighty
cial effects team deserve credit for trying. The only monster, Varan, who lives at the bottom of a
other thing Varan has going for it is an excellent nearby lake. The military arrive, and decide to
score. Akira Ifukube’s brooding, ominous opening
destroy the creature before it can advance on
theme sets the mood perfectly, although that mood

Tokyo. (Nevermind that there’s no indication
soon dissipates. This score also introduces the fa-

Varan, who has apparently lived happily at the
miliar “Monster March,” which would be reprised
bottom of this lake for millions of years, plans to in most of Toho’s mid–Sixties monsteramas.

advance anywhere.) Once the military arrive, the

For its U.S. release, the film was dubbed and
story falls into a tedious pattern: Monster attack
truncated from 87 minutes to 70, with additional

410

Vengeance of Hercules; Village of the Damned

2. THE MOVIES
material discarded to make room for new footage

Unlike many chillers of its era, the offbeat, dis-
featuring American actor Myron Healey. (In this
concerting Village of the Damned (1960) still reversion, it’s Healey who discovers Varan while
tains its power to intrigue and unsettle viewers.

conducting desalination experiments in the mon-

Even 50 years on, the movie remains among the
ster’s saltwater lake.) This bastardization was
most seamless— and scariest — hybrids of horror
christened Varan the Unbelievable, although a and science fiction.

more appropriate title might have been Varan the It’s an ordinary morning in the bucolic English

Unwatchable. The original, Japanese (subtitled), village of Midwich when suddenly the entire pop-uncut (and de-Myron Healeyed) film was finally
ulation falls asleep for several hours. The local
released to DVD in America in 2005. Unlike the
telephone operator slumps over her switchboard;
butchered American cut of the film, the Japanese
a farmer keels over the wheel of his tractor while
version is at least comprehensible, but remains
plowing a field (the tractor continues running
plodding, repetitive and numbingly derivative.

blindly until it crashes into a tree). Weeks later, In any language, Varan means boredom.

every woman of child-bearing age in Midwich

Clearly, major changes were needed to revive
turns up pregnant, even teenage virgins. Those

Toho’s kaiju eiga series—changes that would women include Althea Zellaby (Barbara Shelley),
arrive with Mothra (1961/62).

wife of professor Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders).

Gordon, working with his brother-in-law, Major

Vengeance of Hercules see Goliath

Alan Bernard (Michael Gwynn), and a local physi-
and the Dragon
cian (Laurence Naismith), have been investigating

Village of the Damned (1960; MGM; U.K.; the bizarre sleeping incident; they quickly surmise b&w) Director: Wolf Rilla; Producer: Ronald Kin-that the mysterious pregnancies are related.

noch; Screenplay: Stirling Silliphant, Wolf Rilla

Eventually, 12 children are born in Midwich —
and George Barclay (Novel: John Wyndham);
beautiful boys and girls, normal-looking but all

Cinematographer: Geoffrey Faithfull. Cast:

with blonde hair and piercing, pale eyes. The chil-

George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Michael Gwynn,
dren display superhuman intelligence and psychic

Martin Stephens, Laurence Naismith.

powers (telepathy and mind control), as well as
an icy, aloof demeanor. Led by Gordon’s son

What Demonic Force Lurks Behind

David (Martin Stephens), the children lack com-

Those Eyes?— tagline
passion and exact pitiless, deadly
vengeance for any perceived slight.

After scientists theorize that the
children were sired by an alien in-
telligence via an energy beam di-
rected at Earth from outer space,
military leaders, including Major

Bernard, want to quarantine the
children. Gordon pleads for their
freedom, and the opportunity to
teach the youngsters values and
morals. But when he witnesses

David and his friends using their
psychic powers to force a villager
to commit suicide with a shotgun,

Gordon finally agrees the children
must be stopped, and devises a des-
perate plan to do away with the
super-intelligent, mind-reading
boys and girls— including his own
son.

Village of the Damned was
derived from the best-selling British
novel The Midwich Cuckoos (a ref-

Ad for one of the best British horror/sci-fi films of the decade (1960).

erence to cuckoos’ practice of

2. THE MOVIES

The Virgin of Nuremberg; Voodoo Blood Death; The Vulture

411
laying eggs in the nests of other birds) by John
ognize as the monster from Hammer Films’ Re-

Wyndham, who also wrote the excellent Day of the venge of Frankenstein (1959), also fares well as Triffids. Village’s screenplay, developed primarily Major Bernard, a far more sympathetic and well-by American Stirling Silliphant, streamlines Wyn-
rounded character than most sci-fi military types.

dham’s narrative to increase dramatic impact (he

But young Martin Stephens steals the show with
reduces the size of the village, eliminates some sechis creepily placid performance as the nearly emo-
ondary characters and makes Gordon David’s
tionless David (a slight smile appears on his face
father rather than the boy’s grandfather), but oth-
only once in the film, after the children kill one
erwise adheres closely to the novel’s plot and tone.

of the villagers by forcing him to drive his car into Originally envisioned as an American picture, Vila brick wall). For Village of the Damned to work, lage was shelved for a few years, then dusted off and the kids had to be scary as hell, and Stephens
farmed out to MGM’s British unit (at which time

certainly is. (The young actors’ impact is

English screenwriter George Barclay re–Anglicized
enhanced by a simple but powerful visual effect
the script), with a modest $225,000 budget under
that makes their eyes glow when they use their
direction of journeyman Wolf Rilla.

mind control powers.) Stephens went on to

Village of the Damned remains by far the finest appear in The Hellfire Club, The Innocents (both picture in an otherwise undistinguished career

1961), and Hammer’s The Devil’s Own (aka The for Rilla. It’s a textbook example of clean, almost Witches, 1966).

transparent cinematic storytelling—never showy

Village of the Damned proved very profitable or self-aware, but subtle and powerful, evocatively for MGM, and a good but very different sequel,
composed and full of fluid dolleys and pans. Cin-

Children of the Damned, followed in 1962. Village ematographer Geoffrey Faithfull lights the film in
also was remade, with dismal results, by director
a gritty, pseudo-documentary style, with thickly

John Carpenter in 1995. Neither the sequel nor
draped shadows in key sequences. Together, Rilla
the remake recaptures the nerve-jangling spell
and Faithfull craft a series of arresting moments,
cast by the original film.

including the film’s chilling opening, with the
eerily silent, motionless streets and fields of Mid-

The Virgin of Nuremberg see Hor-
wich strewn with dead-looking bodies. In another
ror Castle
cringe-inducing scene, the infant David forces

Voodoo Blood Death see Curse of

Althea to hold her hand in a pot of scalding hot
milk as punishment for accidentally burning his
the Voodoo
tongue with a too-hot bottle. Rilla recognizes that

The Vulture (1966; Paramount; U.K./Canada/
he doesn’t need elaborate camera flourishes at

U.S.) Alternate Title: Manutara; Director/Pro-such moments. Rilla’s low-key, straightforward
ducer/Screenwriter: Lawrence Huntington; Cin-
approach works so well because it allows the un-
ematographer: Stephen Dade. Cast: Robert Hut-
derlying horror of Wyndham’s basic concept to
ton, Akim Tamiroff, Broderick Crawford, Diane
sink in — the idea that one’s own beloved child

Clare, Philip Friend.

might turn out to be a murderous, inhuman
monster that must be destroyed.

Talons of terror! Half-man half-beastbird ...

Although best remembered today for playing
swooping on his human prey ... drinking
villains and cads, like unscrupulous theater critic blood ... mutilating flesh!— poster

Addison DeWitt in All About Eve (1950), star Via some nebulous, ill-explained experiment,

George Sanders originally rose to fame playing
a scientist in a small Cornish town turns his mat-
cultured, intelligent heroes in the Saint and
ter transmitter device on the centuries-old grave

Falcon detective series of the 1930s and ’40s; his
of a ‘sorcerer’ who was buried alive with his pet
role as Gordon Zellaby returns him to those roots.

vulture. Things go awry, resulting in a flying

He’s entirely believable as the erudite professor
monstrosity that swoops down to snatch up its
and doting daddy-to-be, and later heart break -
victims— the descendents of the family who sen-
ingly effective as a man facing the grim prospect
tenced the warlock to death.

of having to kill his own child. The ever-reliable

This muddled amalgam of science and fantasy

Barbara Shelley contributes a similarly touching
begins well enough, with a creepy opening night-
performance as the distraught Althea Zellaby, dis-
time sequence in which a bus driver warns his
traught over her inability to connect with her un-
sole woman passenger not to cross the haunted
feeling son. Michael Gwynn, who fans may rec-
graveyard at night. Of course she disembarks and

412

The Vulture

2. THE MOVIES

Producer/director/screenwriter Lawrence

Huntington’s dialogue is as awkward as Hutton’s
performance. “Some unknown scientific brain
has produced a monstrous creature — half bird,
half man — by means of nu-cue-lar transmuta-
tion,” Hutton says by way of barmy explanation.

Leading lady Diane Clare ( Witchcraft, The Plague of the Zombies) has little to do but act supportive of her husband (Hutton) and stand in the
right spot at the right time to be picked up by the vulture claws (a rather painful harness contraption, according to Clare). Of her director, Clare
said: “Lawrence Huntington was pleasant and po-
lite, but what I remember most about him, oddly,
was the amount of work he had to do. He was pro-
ducer, as well as writer and director, and made
changes to his own screenplay as we went along,
so I have an image of a man who was sometimes
abstracted, but never impatient—at least not with
me.”

According to Hutton, Huntington “just wanted
to get the thing on film and forget it.” And that’s good advice for the potential viewer as well —

“forget it.” ( The Vulture proved to be veteran British B-director Huntington’s, er, swan song;
he died in 1968.)

Apart from two grabs made by the phony over-

American one-sheet poster for The Vulture (1966).

sized vulture feet, the movie consists of scene
after scene of Hutton trying to convince people
promptly starts walking through the cemetery.

(the police, his wife’s uncle, a professor) of his

Chillingly, we see a tombstone begin moving, preposterous theory (which, even more prepos-rocking back and forth, before the ground in front
terously — given his complete lack of hard evi-
of it splits open (accompanied by the sound of evil dence—turns out to be true). Then further scenes
laughter), and the woman faints.

show other characters discussing it as well, gen-Unfortunately, it’s a loooong time before any-
erating tedium of the highest order.

thing else happens, as it takes 45 minutes for the

“The idea wasn’t bad, but I think this was one
titular terror finally to appear (and then only in
film where they needed more horror,” opined
the form of its impossibly stiff legs and talons—

Hutton. “They talked about the Vulture all the
as it comically picks up the rather hefty Broderick time but you hardly ever saw the damn thing. It

Crawford to carry out of frame). The big bird
called for less talk and more horror. But, of
doesn’t even commit any off-screen murders before course, that would cost money, and talk doesn’t
this, with the entire first half of the picture taken cost as much. I think The Vulture took five or six up with the police and protagonists investigating
weeks; we even went out on location, down to
what they think is a simple grave-robbing.

Devon and Cornwall.”

Low-rent American leading man Robert

The climactic payoff, when it finally comes, is

Hutton ( Invisible Invaders, The Slime People, Tora few fleeting shots of the man-headed bird (rem-
ture Garden) stars as a vacationing nuclear physi-iniscent of Peter Lorre in The Raven— but that cist whose wife’s family turns out to be the target was played for laughs) standing and spreading its of the vengeful vulture. Hutton plays his character black wings (obviously, Huntington realized how
as an arrogant, bullying know-it-all who never
ridiculous it looked and kept its exposure to the
smiles, orders people about, and says things like
barest minimum). In this respect, The Vulture

“I’m a scientist” to justify his bad manners. Cold, truly gives its audience the bird.

annoying and thoroughly unlikable, Hutton even

With quotes from: “Directed by the Best: Diane
mispronounces “nuclear” as “nu-cue-lar.” Sheesh.

Clare,” by Mark A. Miller, Monsters from the Vault

2. THE MOVIES

War of the Zombies

413

10, Winter/Spring 2000; Science Fiction Stars and the living in a macabre and impressive spectacle

Horror Heroes, by Tom Weaver.

that employed scores of horses and hundreds of
dress extras. Too bad this climax loses much of

War of the Zombies (1963; Galatea/AIP; its morbid punch due to either indecisiveness or

Italy) Original Language Title: Roma contra
an I-want-my-ghoulish-cake-and-I’ll-eat-it-too

Roma. Alternate Title: Night Star, Goddess of Elec-attitude on the part of the filmmakers. The
tra. Director: Guiseppi Vari; Producers: Ferruccio undead legionnaires, whom the sorcerer had
de Martino, Massimo de Rita; Screenplay: Piero
pegged as zombies by showing them to be resur-

Pierotti, Marcello Sartarelli; Cinematography:

rected corpses “with no will of their own,” rise up Gabor Pogany. Cast: Susy Andersen, Ettore
as superimposed spectral images moving in slow

Manni, Ida Galli, John Drew Barrymore, Mino
motion (“They seem like ghosts,” observes one

Doro, Matilde Calman, Ivano Staccioli.

soldier, while another labels them “an army of
ghosts”); but once the ghost army reaches their

UNCONQUERABLE WARRIORS OF
living foes, they appear corporeal again. Though

THE DAMNED!— poster
the bluish tinting of the undead sequences, along

This unique, though ultimately unsatisfying,
with the weird choral voices and bizarre tonalities Roman-era Sword and Sandal offering out of Italy
on the soundtrack, make for an eerie and unset-
is nothing if not novel. John Drew Barrymore
tling tableau, the inconsistency remains both con-
plays the evil sorcerer Adalbar, who conspires
fusing and off-putting.

with the local Roman prelate lording over the con-

John Drew Barrymore (grandson of the Great
quered province of Salmatia to steal a horde of

Profile himself ) in wizard’s robe, black cape and

Roman treasure and then rebel against their
dark eyeliner brings an intense gaze and deep

Roman overlords. Adalbar accomplishes this via
suntan — but little else — to his villainous role.

an army of undead legionnaires, whom he rean-

He’s given some impressive sets upon which to
imates through the power of a mysterious god (or
glower, however, particularly Adalbar’s cavern
goddess—no name, including the “Electra” of the
lair, with its dry-ice-fog carpet, shooting gouts
film’s alternate title, is ever mentioned). Noble
of flame and giant cyclopean head statue. And the
centurion Gaius (Ettore Manni) journeys from

Roman Senate and various columned sets are

Rome to investigate, and must deal with various
more expansive and detailed than those seen in
double-crosses, betrayals, and duplicitous females
the average peplum production. It’s a shame so
before finally learning the secret of the sorcerer’s little occurs on them (it’s 40 minutes before Adal-power (centered in the massive stone idol in Adal-
bar resurrects his first zombie in said cave, for in-bar’s lair).

stance, and then he does nothing with him). With

The concept of slain legionnaires rising up to
a tighter script and more decisive direction, War battle their living brethren
sets this War apart from the
many ancient-Greece-and-

Rome-set pepla that poured
forth from the Continent in
the 1960s. Unfortunately, the
undistinguished Guiseppi

Vari’s undistinguished direc-
tion, and the poorly con-
structed story (after an
opening battle scene the film
settles down into a talky tale
of palace intrigue and wizard
boasting), tosses it back into
the peplum pit occupied by
the vast majority of its boor-
ish brethren. It does manage
to climb back out for the
final twenty minutes, how-
ever, in which the dead battle

Undead Roman legionnaires fight the War of the Zombies (1963).

414

War-Gods of the Deep; Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory

2. THE MOVIES
of the Zombies (or Ghosts or whatever) could have off, then making a pet chicken the comic relief
been so much more than the novel failure it
more than demonstrates this film’s level of ma-
turned out to be.

turity. Vincent Price once again plays the cultured heavy, who this time thinks Susan Hart is his long

War-Gods of the Deep (1965; AIP; U.S./
dead wife returned to him in his city beneath the

Great Britain) Alternate Title: City Under the Sea; waves. There’s some very poorly costumed gill-Director: Jacques Tourneur; Producer: Daniel
men (expressionless metallic masks erasing all

Haller; Screenplay: Charles Bennett, Louis M.

sense of believability), cardboard characters (al-

Heyward; Cinematographer: Stephen Dade. Cast:

though Price does make the most of his

Vincent Price, Tab Hunter, Susan Hart, David
sinister/sympathetic role) and the inevitable vol-

Tomlinson, John LeMesurier.

canic eruption to tie up all loose ends. At least a few interesting sets provide something to look at,

They dared the most fantastic journey that has
possibly due to producer Daniel Haller’s presence
ever challenged imagination!— ad line

(he is best known as set designer on Roger Cor-

“War-Gods of the Deep was just a disaster. No-man’s beautifully atmospheric Poe films). Price,
body knew what it was about. It was a badly pro-

Touneur and Poe had all seen better days.

duced picture. Jacques [Tourneur] was a mar-

With quotes from: “Vincent Price: Looking
velous director, but he just couldn’t get around

Back on Forty Years as Horror’s Crown Prince,”

the script.” So proclaimed War-Gods star Vincent by Steve Biodrowski, David Del Valle and

Price, and he was right.

Lawrence French, Cinefantastique, January 1989.

Director Jacques ( Cat People, Curse of the Demon) Tourneur’s last and weakest film, War-

Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory (1961/63; Gods of the Deep is a lackluster undersea

MGM; Italy; b&w) Original Language Title: Ly-adventure story nominally “based on” Edgar Allan
canthropus. Alternate Titles: I Married a Werewolf; Poe’s poem “City Beneath the Sea.” If having Tab

Monster Among the Girls. Director: Richard Ben-Hunter and Susan ( The Ghost in the Invisible
son (Paolo Heusch); Producer: Jack Forrest (Guido

Bikini) Hart as the romantic leads doesn’t tip you Giambartolomei); Screenplay: Julian Berry

(Ernesto Gastaldi). Cast: Barbara

Lass, Carl Schell, Curt Lowens,

Maurice Marsac, Mary McNeeran,

Grace Neame, Lucian Pigozzi.

IF YOUR BLOOD CURDLES

EASILY — DON’T COME!— trailer

Ditto if your eyelids droop easily.

To be fair, this off beat Euro-take
on the werewolf mythos offers
some atmospheric nighttime pho-
tography (courtesy of cinematog-
rapher “George Patrick,” an un-
known young cameraman who,
according to co-star Luciano Pigozzi,
died in an auto accident shortly
after filming), an impressive Italian
villa setting (surrounded by wolf-
infested woods), the occasional
shock (such as the terrified frozen
stare of a young girl’s bloody
corpse), the bulging-eyed “Italian

Peter Lorre” (Luciano Pigozzi) at
his most skulkiest, and plenty of
pretty girls (including doe-eyed

Double-feature “NERVO-RAMA” artwork for the Italian import

Werewolf in a Girl’s Dormitory (1961/63) and the British Karloff-lead Barbara Lass, Roman Polanski’s
starrer Corridors of Blood (1958/63).

first wife). But this Werewolf also

2. THE MOVIES

What

415
sports awkward dialogue (and hollow dubbing),

Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory in and near the city.

some poor minimalist makeup, and a plethora of

However, the mayor has decided to adopt a ‘wait
dull stretches (including a tedious final 20 minutes and see’ attitude for the next eight months.” Life
that wind down to a mundane climax).

imitating Art? Right.

Filmed in 1961 near Rome, but released State-
side in 1963 in support of the Boris Karloff-starrer

What (1963/65; Titanus/Futuramic; Italy) Orig-Corridors of Blood, Lycanthropus (its original-lan-inal Language Title: Il Frusta e Il Corpo ( The Whip guage title) sees a private reform school for way-and the Body, Italy). Director: Mario Bava (as ward girls plagued by vicious murders. A young

John M. Old); Producer: Elio Scardamaglia (as
disgraced doctor (Carl Schell, lesser-known

John Oscar); Screenplay: Ernesto Gastaldi (as Ju-
brother of Maximillian) comes to the school as a
lian Berry), Ugo Guerro (as Robert Hugo) and
teacher, and must solve the case of the mysterious

Luciano Martino (as Martin Hardy); Cinematog-
murders, finally uncovering a “lycanthropus” in
raphy: Ubaldo Terzano (as David Hamilton).

their midst.

Cast: Daliah Lavi, Christopher Lee, Tony

Structured like a mystery, the plot involves

Kendall, Luciano Pigazzi (as Alan Collins),
blackmail, incriminating letters, hypocritical “es-

Jacques Herlin.

tablishment” figures, and red herrings, as well as
a few choice murders (not all at the hands of the

WHAT is her terrifying secret?? Is she the
victim of a madman????

werewolf ). While this “who’s-the-lycanthrope?”

Or a dead man? You must see “WHAT”!

angle sustains interest for the film’s first half, the

— tagline
lackluster and intermittent werewolf “action,”

and dull denouement only engender a sense of

When a long-unseen, nearly-lost movie re-
disappointment and tedium once the mystery
emerges, disappointment is often the result. This
bubble has burst.

is understandable, since it’s almost impossible for Speaking of werewolves, “The pituitary gland
any movie to live up to the hopes and imagina-

... causes psycho-physical transformation ... caus-
tions of passionate fans, especially when stoked
ing increasing distortion in the skin, hair and
by decades of conjecture and longing. Thankfully,
teeth.” So explains the doc, who happens to be an
this was not the case with director Mario Bava’s
expert on the dreaded “lycanthropus.” This trans-

La Frusta e il Corpo ( The Whip and the Body), lates into the sparsest werewolf makeup since
which, if anything, exceeded expectations. Previ-Henry Hull crossed yak hairs with Jack Pierce in
ously known to American audiences only in

Werewolf of London (1935). This werewolf in a butchered, watered-down form under the bizarre
girls’ dormitory, however, with its ridged forehead title What, the picture languished overlooked and (a silly and obvious prosthetic piece), oversized
underappreciated for decades until it was restored
nose, plastic fangs and three-day beard, lacks the
to director Mario Bava’s original vision (and title) sinister satanic quality showcased by Pierce’s
for release on DVD in 2001. Now many critics and
minimalist makeup, resulting in what looks like
fans count it among the director’s greatest works.

a scarred man with bad teeth after a three-day

Cold-hearted aristocrat Kurt Menliff (Christo-
drunk. It’s hardly the stuff of nightmares; and the pher Lee) returns from exile to his ancestral home
same could be said of the film as a whole.

and his family, who despise him. He learns that

Note: A movie pressbook can be an amazing
his fiancée, Nevenka (Daliah Lavi), has married
thing, as evidenced by the following “article”

his brother. When Nevenka takes a ride along the
printed in Werewolf’s campaign manual. “A lovely beach, Kurt follows her, snatches the riding crop

17-year-old student at an exclusive girls’ school
from her hand and beats her savagely. But as he
outside Turin, Italy, was found pregnant during
whips her, Nevenka begins to writhe with pleas-
a routine physical examination. Upon question-
ure. Finally, he stops beating her and the two em-
ing, she revealed that eight weeks before, under
brace passionately. Shortly afterward, an unseen
the light of the full moon, a werewolf entered her
assassin creeps into Kurt’s bedroom and murders
room in the girls’ dormitory. Upon further ques-
him. After his death, Nevenka is plagued by vi-
tioning, she claimed that the werewolf had a long,
sions of Kurt’s ghost; he even returns in the mid-
hairy face and drooled at the lips. Local authorities dle of the night to whip her again. Then Nevenka’s
are skeptical of her story, pointing out that the
father is murdered, and the haunting takes a more
girl might have been influenced by the recent lo-
sinister turn...

cation shooting of the startling new horror film,

This is one of Bava’s most complex and accom-

416

What

2. THE MOVIES
plished films, in terms of both technique and

The film also benefits from an unusual number
theme. The director’s use of impressionist color

(for Bava) of outstanding performances from its
was never more brilliant — the screen is awash
cast. Producers originally wanted Barbara Steele
with burning red, lush greens and eerie blues and
to play Nevenka, but when the actress demurred
yellows. He also makes deft symbolic use of these
they turned to Israeli ingénue Daliah Lavi (pro-
colors (specifically, the reds) and other visual monounced La-VEE). It was a fortuitous substi -
tifs (most prominently, roses) as they recur
tution. Lavi, assigned the most emotionally com-
throughout the film. Bava casts a sense of visceral plex female role in any Bava film (by far),
anxiety over the picture, which is punctuated by
responds with an assured and unaffected per-
moments of excruciating suspense. In one of these
formance, arguably the best by any actress in any
spine-tingling sequences, Nevenka awakens in the

Bava movie. Producers brought in Christopher
night because she thinks she hears the sound of

Lee to add star power, but his contribution here

Kurt’s whip and tiptoes through the dark castle
goes well beyond marquee value. Lee’s towering,
both afraid and aroused. With sequences like this
charismatic performance casts a shadow over the
one, Bava moves beyond objective realism and to-
movie much larger than his limited screen time
ward a more surreal approach. Long stretches of

(only about eight minutes). Harriet Medin also
the film unfold from the perspective of Nevenka,
contributes a memorable turn as a red-herring
who proves to be an unreliable narrator. We are
housekeeper. The rest of the cast proves accept-
seeing not “reality” but the events as she experi-
able, as well.

ences them in her mind. (This isn’t spelled out

According to Gastaldi, The Whip and the Body
for the viewer until the final scene.) Bava had
was intended as an imitation of director Roger
taken some tentative steps in this direction with

Corman’s popular Edgar Allan Poe adaptations.

parts of The Evil Eye (aka The Girl Who Knew Too

“They showed me an Italian print of Pit and the Much, 1963/64) and would embrace this approach Pendulum before I started writing. ‘Give us some-more fully in later works such as Lisa and the Devil thing like this,’ they said,” Gastaldi reports. While (1974) and Shock (1977). Indeed, The Whip and there are certainly Pit-like elements to the story—
the Body is so indelibly marked with the director’s an isolated seaside setting, a brooding lead char-visual and thematic signatures, it seems incredible acter tormented by a sadistic past — Gastaldi de-that this was a simple work-for-hire job rather
livered a screenplay far more complex and
than an auteur vanity project. Yet, principle
provoc ative than requested. The mystery’s reso-
screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi’s script was com-
lution reveals the thumbprint of Alfred Hitchcock,
plete before Bava came on board, and the director
whose influence is felt strongly throughout many
made few revisions. “Bava didn’t make any

Italian thrillers of the era. Like Norman Bates,
changes to the dialogue, the plot or the

Nevenka has been putting on the clothes, and as-
characters,” Gastaldi said.

suming the identity of, a dead loved one during
fits of violence (and, here, also
for self-flagellation). She killed

Kurt to silence her own for-
bidden, masochistic desires,
only to become consumed by
them anyway. By the end of
the narrative, like Norman
and Mother, Nevenka and

Kurt have become inexorably
intertwined.

As a result of this sado-
masochistic content, the film
was plagued by censorship
problems. A Roman court
slapped executive producer

Natale Magnaghi with ob-
scenity charges. Even though

Beautiful Belgian poster for What (1963/65; aka The Whip and the Body) he was found not guilty two

(courtesy Tim Lucas).

months later, this unsavory

2. THE MOVIES

What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?

417
episode kept devout Catholics
away from the picture during its
domestic release and cowed po-
tential foreign distributors. Il

Frusta e Il Corpo earned the
equivalent of only $45,000 in

Italy (about half of its production
costs), making it one of Bava’s
worst box office flops. While, ul-
timately, Italian censors de-
manded surprisingly few cuts in
the film (the whipping scene on
the beach was abbreviated), for-
eign censors demanded far more
extensive edits. In England, all
the whipping scenes were re-
moved and other key sequences
truncated, rendering the story in-
comprehensible. The picture was
further weakened by poor dub-

A fine performance by Geraldine Page (pictured in this lobby card bing (American actor Mel Welles
along with Jim Barbera) provides one of few points of interest in the supervised the English language
tepid “horror hag” entry What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969).

dubbing for the film, which was
done without the participation of any of the orig-

When her husband dies and leaves her with lit-
inal cast) and printing (although shot and
tle more than outstanding debts, Claire Marrable
released in Italy in Technicolor, international

(Geraldine Page) begins swindling and murdering
prints were made on cheap stock that quickly
her live-in servants (planting their bodies under
faded). The U.S. release version closely mirrored
fir trees in her garden) to maintain her upper-
the butchered British version, and was also sad-
crust lifestyle. But Claire’s newest housekeeper
dled with the inexplicable new title What.

(and latest prospective victim) becomes suspicious

For many years, the uncut version of The Whip
of her employer, setting the stage for a deadly
and the Body was feared lost. Then, in 1993, Joe struggle between the two women.

Dante provided an uncut 35 mm print from his

Producer Robert Aldrich invented the “horror
collection for a Los Angeles Bava retrospective.

hag” film with his blockbuster What Ever Hap-

In 2000, VCI Home Video undertook a complete
pened to Baby Jane? (1962), and struck gold again restoration of the film, making a composite trans-with Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte (1964). But with fer from Dante’s print and one from an Italian

What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?, he went to collector. Since its restoration, the picture has be-the well once too often.

latedly earned the critical respect and audience

In Ursula Curtiss’ novel The Forbidden Garden, attention it richly deserves. If not Bava’s best

Aldrich recognized a story akin to Baby Jane: Two movie, The Whip and the Body is not far removed.

elderly women in an isolated home engage in an

With quotes from: Mario Bava: All the Colors
unlikely battle to the death. The What Ever Hap-of the Dark, by Tim Lucas.

pened to ... title was calculated to underscore these similarities. For this project, Aldrich again hired

What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?

two highly respected veteran actresses—

(1969; MGM) Director: Lee H. Katzin; Producer:

Geraldine Page, a venerated Broadway performer,

Robert Aldrich; Screenplay: Theodore Apstein
and the great Ruth Gordon, with her freshly-

(from a novel by Ursula Curtiss); Cinematogra-
minted Oscar statuette (for Rosemary’s Baby
pher: Joseph Biroc. Cast: Geraldine Page, Ruth

[1968]) in tow. But Aunt Alice never rises any-Gordon, Rosemary Forsyth, Robert Fuller, Mil-
where near the level of Baby Jane or Sweet Char-dred Dunnock.

lotte. The reasons are many.

For starters, Aldrich, who had helmed Baby

“What makes your garden grow ... wouldn’t

Jane and Sweet Charlotte himself, turned Aunt you like to know?”— trailer

Alice over to Lee H. Katzin, whose direction

418

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

2. THE MOVIES
proves competent but unremarkable. Katzin and
guinol” pictures. Cinematographer Joseph Biroc,
screenwriter Theodore Apstein had both worked
whose evocative black-and-white cinema tog -
primarily in television, and it shows. Apstein’s
raphy was a major plus for Sweet Charlotte, also screenplay offers no suggestion of the supernat-disappoints. His flat, overlit color lighting scheme ural, or even (until the final reel) madness. In-only compounds the picture’s humdrum, movie-
stead, Apstein (who had written episodes of series
of-the-week quality. Gerald Fried’s ham-fisted
like Ben Casey and Dr. Kildare) dwells on a dull score presents another problem. Full of trilling
romantic subplot involving Alice’s nephew
harpsichord and groaning cellos, Fried’s music

(Robert Fuller) and Claire’s neighbor (Rosemary
telegraphs instead of enhances, and inserts thun-

Forsyth). The result is a relatively mundane mys-
dering fanfares for no apparent reason.

tery rather than a full-blown psychological chiller Fortunately, both Page and Gordon deliver
on par with Aldrich’s previous “grande dame
spirited performances. While Page’s portrayal
seems a bit one-note in comparison with Gordon’s
winning turn as the crafty, resourceful house-
keeper, both performers are fun to watch, and
that’s the primary appeal of all movies of this
stripe. The duo doesn’t produce any of the sparks
that flew between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford
in Baby Jane, or even between Davis and Olivia de Havilland in Sweet Charlotte, but that might be asking too much under the circumstances.

The stars muster commendable enthusiasm,
especially since the formula that seemed so fresh
in 1962 had grown shopworn by 1969. Neverthe-
less, the “horror hag” subgenre would continue
into the 1970s with subsequent entries of widely
varying quality, including What’s the Matter with Helen? (1971, with Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters), Who Slew Auntie Roo? (1971, Shelley Winters again), Blood and Lace (1971, featuring Gloria Grahame) and Dear Dead Delilah (1972, starring Agnes Moorehead).

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

(1962; Seven Arts/Warner Bros.; b&w) Director:

Robert Aldrich; Producer: Robert Aldrich and

Kenneth Hyman; Screenplay: Lukas Heller (from
a novel by Henry Farrell); Cinematographer:

Ernest Haller. Cast: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford,

Victor Buono, Anna Lee.

Sister, sister, oh so fair, why is there blood all
over your hair?— tagline

Former child star Jane Hudson (Bette Davis),
now a bitter, forgotten crone, sits at her piano,
drunk, and begins to tap out the melody to her
schmaltzy childhood hit, “I’ve Written a Letter to

Daddy.” In a chair near the piano rests a near-
life-sized doll of 12-year-old “Baby” Jane, a relic from her former celebrity. As she croaks out the
lyrics to the song, she caresses the face of the
doll — tracing the outlines of her own youthful

Ad for the 1962 originator of the “horror hag” sub-features. When the song ends, she steps in front
genre (courtesy Ted Okuda).

of a full-length mirror, lit by a harsh, white over-

2. THE MOVIES

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

419
head light that makes her look impossibly an-
ures is watching two of Hollywood’s most noto-
cient — shadows underscoring every wrinkle and
rious enemies play out their venomous feud on
crag in her face. At the sight of her reflection, she screen. At Warner Brothers, where the two were
gasps and freezes with horror. She yelps and
under contract in the 1930s and ’40s, the actresses covers her face with her hands, sobbing.

became bitter rivals, competing for plum roles,

Jane yearns desperately, insanely, to recapture
studio publicity and sometimes men. The acid-
the beauty, popularity and power she possessed
tongued Davis once said of Crawford, “I wouldn’t
during her youth. Beauty and popularity have
piss on her if she was on fire.” Crawford’s feelings long since deserted her, but she still holds one
toward Davis were no less acrimonious, and
kind of power — the ability to terrorize her hated
weren’t helped by Davis’ petty needling of Craw-
invalid sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford).

ford throughout Baby Jane’s production. Among At once pathetic and stark-raving, horrifyingly
other affronts to Crawford, then a board member
mad, Jane Hudson endures as one of the richest
of Pepsi, was Davis’ demand that a Coca-Cola
and most memorable characters to emerge from
vending machine be installed on the set. The two
horror cinema in the 1960s. And What Ever Hap-
stars’ hatred for each other radiates from almost
pened to Baby Jane remains one of the most re-every frame, as the on-screen tension ratchets up
warding of all the sixties shockers—finely crafted, to pressure-cooker levels.

impeccably acted, thought-provoking, and at

The film opens with a 18-minute pre-credit
times scary as hell. Baby Jane inspired a whole preamble, depicting Jane’s youthful vaudeville
new subgenre — the “horror hag” movie — and it
days, and her sister’s subsequent rise to fame as
stands as a troubling rumination on the perils of
a movie star. Alas, Blanche’s career was cut short
aging, especially in a culture fixated on youth and when she lost the use of her legs in a car accident.

beauty. It also began a career renaissance for two

Police suspected, but were unable to prove, that
of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history,

Jane intentionally ran over her sister. Blanche, ap-Crawford and (especially) Davis.

parently, has been in Jane’s care ever since, despite The fortunes of both stars had been flagging in
bouts of mental illness on Jane’s part. Lately, a
the late 1950s. Davis’ last several films had lost
local TV station has been playing Blanche’s movies, money. She had been written off once before, only
reviving interest in her career — and stoking the
to stage a mid-career comeback with All About
embers of Jane’s psychotic jealousy.

Eve (1950). Nevertheless, naysayers were con-She removes her sister’s call bell and telephone,
vinced that this time, at age 54, Davis was finished giving Jane complete control over Blanche, and
for good — simply too old. Always strong-willed
then visits a succession of bizarre torments upon
and iconoclastic, Davis drew attention to her
her. She withholds food from Blanche, and then
plight in 1961 by placing a sarcastic “Job Wanted”

serves her a dead parakeet and, later, a drowned
ad in the Hollywood trade papers.

rat. “You wouldn’t be able to do all these awful

Then Aldrich, who had already signed Craw-
things to me if I weren’t still in this chair,” Blanche ford, approached Davis to co-headline a project
sobs. Jane rolls her eyes. “But ya are, Blanche! Ya based on Henry Farrell’s novel about a psychotic
are in that chair!” she roars, Davis’ voice full of former child star who torments her crippled ex-sadistic delight.

movie idol sister. The material was, to say the

Jane plans a delusional theatrical comeback,
least, outré, but Davis recognized the film’s po-
hiring an unctuous accompanist, Edwin Flagg
tential and not only accepted the role but threw

(marvelously played by Victor Buono), and or-
herself into it with what can only be described as
dering re-creations of her old costumes. She re-
reckless abandon. If Baby Jane had backfired, it turns from the costume shop and discovers that
could easily have been the film that ended Davis’

Blanche has crawled out of her wheelchair and
career. Never classically beautiful (Universal pres-down a flight of stairs to reach a telephone and
ident Carl Laemmle once famously opined that
try to call for help. In retaliation, Jane viciously the young Davis had “as much sex appeal as Slim
kicks her helpless sister around the floor. (Davis

Summerville”), Davis for decades carefully nur-
took advantage of this sequence to deliver some
tured and protected her screen image. Now she
real-life kicks, resulting in minor injuries to
enthusiastically dismantled it, designing for

Crawford.) When the housekeeper, Elvira
herself a startlingly grotesque make-up and wig.

(Maidie Norman), tries to intervene, Jane sneaks

It was no great stretch for Davis to act as if she
up from behind and bashes in Elvira’s head with
despised Crawford. One of Baby Jane’s chief pleasa hammer.

420

Whip...; Widdenburn...; Witches; Witchfinder...; The Witch’s Curse

2. THE MOVIES

For the film’s finale, Jane drags her sister to the and The Watcher in the Woods (1980). For televi-beach. While Blanche lies rolled up in a blanket,
sion, she made Madame Sin (1972), Scream, Pretty dying, Jane walks barefoot along the water’s edge,

Peggy (1973) and The Dark Secret of Harvest Home plays with a bucket in the sand, bounces a ball

(1978). Her final film was the horror-comedy mis-
with a few young girls and buys ice cream cones.

fire Wicked Stepmother (1989). Crawford also ap-When Blanche begs for Jane to call a doctor, again
peared in several subsequent shockers, including

Jane covers her ears. “Please stop!” she cries, as if Strait-Jacket (1964), I Saw What You Did (1965), she were the injured one. And in a way she is: a Berserk! (1968), the original Night Gallery TV
once-proud woman demolished, reduced to a pa-
movie (1969) and Trog (1970).

thetic and grotesque parody of girlhood.

The blockbuster box office returns for Baby

In this aspect, Baby Jane and its later imitators Jane spawned numerous copycats, many with
tap into something primal — not simply fear of
similar titles, each featuring an aging actress as a an aging hag wielding a hammer (or a cleaver or
demented killer. Producer/director William Castle
an ax), but fear of aging itself, the chilling truth hired Crawford to headline Strait-Jacket. Davis of our mortality. The show biz backdrop of Baby returned to this oeuvre for Aldrich’s follow-up,

Jane brings other grim realities into sharp relief.

Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte (1965), co-starring In Hollywood, actresses’ careers usually begin to
with Olivia De Havilland (after Crawford bowed
falter once they reach age 40 (if not sooner),
out). Later, Geraldine Page appeared in What Ever whereas their male co-stars can work into their

Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969), Debbie Reynolds 60s and beyond. Hollywood movies simply aren’t
and Shelley Winters co-starred in What’s the Mat-written for older women, a problem that has, if
ter with Helen? (1971) and Agnes Moorehead
anything, only worsened in the decades since
headlined Dear Dead Delilah (1972). Although Baby Jane.

that list includes some enjoyable movies, none of

Davis’ performance ranks among the greatest
its successors recaptured the lightning that elec-
performances of her legendary career. As the story
trified Baby Jane.

(and Jane’s madness) progresses, her character
visibly regresses. Davis begins adopting childlike

The Whip and the Body see What
speech patterns and immature gestures (such as
covering her ears to avoid hearing something un-

The Widdenburn Horror see House
pleasant), taking on the demeanor of a petulant
little girl. Crawford has the less-flashy role, but
of the Black Death
never fails to elicit sympathy—even when Blanche’s
own dark secrets eventually come to light. Nev-

The Witches see The Devil’s Own
ertheless, to Crawford’s undying indignation, only

Davis earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

Witchfinder General see The Con-

The Academy also nominated Buono for Best
queror Worm

Supporting Actor.

Director Robert Aldrich gives these characters,

The Witch’s Curse (1962; Medallion; Italy) and this story, plenty of room to breathe (a full

Original Language Title: Maciste all’Inferno; Al-134 minutes of running time), without allowing
ternate Title: Maciste in Hell; Director: Riccardo the suspense to flag or losing the lingering sense

Freda; Producers: Ermanno Donati, Luigi Car-
of menace. Ernest Haller’s Oscar-nominated,
pentieri; Screenplay: Oreste Biancoli, Piero
high-contrast black-and-white cinematography

Pierotti (story: Eddy H. Given); Cinematogra-
lends the picture a starkness perfectly appropriate pher: Riccardo Pallottini. Cast: Kirk Morris, He-to this emotionally raw material.

lene Chanel, Angelo Zanolli, Andrea Bosic, Vira

In addition to earning her a tenth (and final)

Silenti.

Oscar nomination, Baby Jane opened up a whole new realm of possible roles for Davis. She con-AFTER THE FIRES OF HADES AND THE
tinued making movies for another 27 years, work-

SLASHING FRENZY OF FEROCIOUS BEASTS
ing practically up to her death from breast cancer

THERE REMAINED ONLY THE VENOM OF
in 1990, including appearances in a number of

THE WITCH’S CURSE...— ad line
horror and borderline-horror projects, such as

Truly one of the oddest pepla (Italian muscle-

Dead Ringer (1964), The Nanny (1965), Burnt Of-man movies) ever filmed, The Witch’s Curse starts ferings (1976), Return from Witch Mountain (1978) as a period witch-hunting movie (à la The Con-

2. THE MOVIES

The Witch’s Mirror

421
queror Worm or Mark of the Devil) set in the 16th blink at this incongruous occurrence. Astounding.

century, abruptly takes a 90 degree turn towards

Then there’s this ersatz Hercules’ journey through
an Italo beef ’n’ brawn fantasy, then periodically

Hades (a large cavern carpeted with fire pits and
jogs back and forth across the two disparate di-
colored lights), in which the hunky hero encoun-
rections!

ters (and receives aid from) the tormented souls

One hundred years after a witch was burned
of classical Greek mythology: Sisyphis (who
in the Scottish village of Loch Laird, a cursed tree Maciste helps move his ever-crushing rock) and
stands on the spot and seemingly drives all the

Prometheus (who Maciste temporarily rescues
hamlet’s young maidens mad. When the witch’s
from that pesky entrails-eating eagle).

innocent descendent comes to town, the villagers

Of course, it becomes a bit wearisome watching
rise up and accuse her of witchcraft. As she’s the blandly beefy Kirk Morris (as Maciste)

about to be hanged, in rides Maciste (pronounced
bulging and struggling to topple a tree, lift a boul-

“My-Cheese-Steak”) to rescue the innocent girl.

der or force open a huge door over and over again.

Maciste then uproots the evil tree and descends

And, disappointingly, Maciste never encounters
into Hell itself, with the idea of finding the witch Lucifer himself (nor any of his demon minions,
and forcing her to lift the curse from the village.

either). Instead, the Brawny One battles an ordi-

Though not a good peplum per se, The Witch’s
nary lion (in Hell?!), a giant named (naturally)

Curse is not a boring one either — if for nothing Goliath (with a buffed-up midget standing in for else than the jaw-dropping moment when a bare-Morris when Maciste grapples with the supposed
chested, oiled-up, loincloth-and-sandal-wearing
colossus), and, most amusingly, a stampede of

Greek muscleman suddenly rides into a sixteenth
longhorn steers (which Machiste holds at bay
century Scottish village to bend iron bars and toss with an oversized stalagmite!). Hell hath no fury
aside locals before rescuing a girl accused of prac-like a bovine scorned...

ticing witchcraft! And none of the villagers even

“I’ve always fought against evil and always
won,” Maciste answers when warned against tak-
ing on Hell itself. And those viewers with a taste
for the truly outré in their sword and sandal sagas will here win right alongside their Hero too.

The Witch’s Mirror (1960/68; Trans-International; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: El Espejo de la Bruja; Director: Chano Urueta, Paul Nagel (English language version; with his
name misspelled as Nagle); Producer: Abel

Salazar, K. Gordon Murray (English version);

Screenplay: Alfredo Ruanova, Carlos E. Taboada;

Cinematographer: Jorge Stahl, Jr. Cast: Rosita

Arenas, Armando Calvo, Isabela Corona, Dian de

Marco, Carlos Nieto, Alfredo W. Barron.

FREE FRIGHT PILLS so you can take it — ad line

One of the two-dozen Mexican horror movies
from the 1950s and ’60s that K. Gordon Murray
imported, dubbed, and then dumped on unsus-
pecting American audiences, first via a series of
bargain matinees and then through television,

The Witch’s Mirror stands out as one of the ... well,

“best” may be too strong a word—perhaps “more
unusual” would be a better term. It’s an every-
thing-but-the-graveyard-sink amalgam that ac-
tually holds one’s interest—a boast not all of these south-of-the-border entries can make. (Note: In

The Witch’s Curse (1962): one of the oddest — and some cases, like with The Witch’s Mirror and its most entertaining — peplums of the 1960s.

co-feature The Living Head, which had their U.S.

422

Witchcraft

2. THE MOVIES
theatrical premiere in Maryland on May 29, 1968,

Orlac/ Mad Love! This crops up in a subplot in-Murray released the film theatrically after it had volving the wife’s horribly burned hands. To cor-already played on television!)

rect this, the mad medico transplants— in a

After a famous surgeon poisons his wife, his
shockingly gruesome scene for the times—a mur-
housekeeper, a witch (who even turns into a black
dered girl’s hands onto the arms of his wife. The
cat at one point!), vows revenge, since the mur-
ghost, however, intervenes and replaces the fresh
dered woman was her goddaughter. Later, the
hands with her own ghostly members. The new
doctor remarries, but the housekeeper uses her
wife, now with the hands of the old wife, finds
witch’s mirror to summon the ghost of the first
that her new hands have a life of their own.... At
wife, who torments and finally disfigures the new
the end the hands drop off her arms(!) and crawl
bride. The doctor commits murder to obtain “raw
up the back of the doctor’s lab assistant to stab
materials” that will restore his new wife’s beauty, him!

but the vengeful spirit intervenes, and the doctor

Granted, The Witch’s Mirror also offers the ex-meets his just fate.

pected stiff acting and even stiffer dubbing and

The Witch’s Mirror seems somewhat (ahem)

dialogue; but thanks to its outré plotting, the film reflective of a Barbara Steele Italian horror
avoids the deadly dull drawing room palaver that
movie — but without Steele’s arresting presence
plagues so many of its brethren (including its ex-
or Bava’s/Margheriti’s/Freda’s artistic touches.

ecrable co-feature, The Living Head). And you Even so, there’s much in this Mirror to admire.

have to admire a movie that casts a Satan-wor-

What sets this one above its Latino contempo-
shipping witch as the good guy.

raries is its creepy Gothic atmosphere (though set

(Note: The Witch’s Mirror was reportedly pop-in “modern” day, the doc lives in a candle-lit cas-
ular enough in Mexico to warrant the publication
tle[!] and frequents a particularly eerie graveyard) of a photo-comic book tie-in!)

and synthesis of various tried-and-true horror
staples. Apart from the witchcraft angle

Witchcraft (1964; 20th Century–Fox; b&w) (including an appearance by Satan himself — as

Director: Don Sharp; Producers: Robert L. Lippert
played by a shadow puppet) and the menace of a
and Jack Parsons; Screenplay: Harry Spalding;
vengeful ghost, the movie offers elements of Eyes Cinematographer: Arthur Lavis. Cast: Lon

Without a Face (the doctor stealing cadavers and Chaney, Jr., Jack Hedley, Jill Dixon, Viola Keats,
murdering women to obtain skin grafts), Rebecca Yvette Rees, David Weston, Diane Clare.

(the new wife tormented by the memory — and
ghost — of the old), and, amazingly, Hands of

After 200 years in the grave ... they returned to
reap BLOOD HAVOC — tagline

Director Don Sharp’s Witch-
craft is an expertly cut jewel of a

B-movie, sparkling and full of
fire.

Real estate developer Bill

Lanier (Jack Hedley) reignites a
centuries-old family feud with the
neighboring Whitlock clan with
his plan to build a new housing
complex over the Whitlocks’ an-
cestral graveyard. Blustery patri-
arch Morgan Whitlock (Lon

Chaney, Jr.) turns apoplectic
when unscrupulous contractor

Myles Forrester (Barry Linehan),
acting against Bill’s instructions,
bulldozes the headstones at the

Whitlock cemetery. Not only does
this tick off Morgan, but it

Mexican lobby card for one of the most unusual and entertaining south-of-the-border horrors of the decade, The Witch’s Mirror
releases from the grave Vanessa

(1960/68).

Whitlock (Yvette Rees), a witch

2. THE MOVIES

Witchcraft

423
who was buried alive 200 years earlier by Bill’s
the climax. But he’s quite good in his limited
ancestors, from the grave. Now she and Morgan
screen time, growling and glowering with con-
plan to take vengeance on the Laniers through
vincing indignation. This is one of the actor’s best black magic. Morgan, using a voodoo doll, forces
performances of the decade, surpassed only by his

Forrester to drown himself in the bathtub;
amusing turn as Bruno the chauffeur in Spider

Vanessa begins making spectral appearances in

Baby (1964/68). It‘s even more impressive since and around the Laniers’ manor house, which once

Sharp and other crew members acknowledged
belonged to the Whitlocks. Young lovers Todd
that Chaney drank heavily throughout the pro-

Lanier (David Weston), Bill’s younger brother,
duction. “We had to make sure his dialogue
and Amy Whitlock (Diane Clare), Morgan’s niece,
scenes were completed by lunchtime,” Sharp said.

find themselves trapped between the warring fac-

“He was in a haze. He wasn’t in full control, either tions— a sort of Christian/wiccan Romeo and
mentally or in the technical side of his perform-

Juliet. Tensions (and deaths) mount, until finally
ance. I had to learn when he had reached his max-

Bill and Todd race to prevent Morgan and
imum and then settle for it. Also, the more

Vanessa from making a human sacrifice of Bill’s
quickly we got through his scenes, the less time
wife Tracy (Jill Dixon).

he had in his dressing room with his bottle....

Witchcraft’s virtues are many, but paramount

[And yet,] his broad strokes suited the charac-
among them are Sharp’s sure-handed, keen-eyed
ter.”

direction and Harry Spalding’s efficient, punchy

Ultimately, however, Witchcraft’s success
screenplay. Sharp, emphasizing cinematographer
hinges more on the more subtle work by Hedley

Arthur Lavis’ chiaroscuro lighting designs, dots
as Bill, Dixon as Tracy and Weston and Clare as
the film with striking deep-focus compositions.

Todd and Amy, as well as the eerie screen presence

In one memorable early scene, for instance, Bill
of Rees as the deathless Vanessa Whitlock
travels to the wrecked Whitlock family plot. It’s

(assisted ably by Harold Fletcher’s subtle makeup
dark. As Bill moves among the broken headstones,
and Lavis’ spooky lighting). “They were a splendid
monuments jutting into view from both sides, his
team of non-starry people whose ordinariness
parked car’s headlights shine in the background,
lent a great strength to the situation,” Sharp said.

the beams disappearing into fog. This artfully

“They were a lovely cast to work with.”

crafted shot not only offers uncommon pictorial

Shot at Shepperton Studios on a tight budget
beauty, but creates a sense of gathering unease
for B-movie maven Robert Lippert, Witchcraft
that climaxes (just after Bill leaves) with Vanessa seldom betrays its low-cost origins, thanks to the
awakening within her despoiled tomb. Sharp also
slick professionalism of Sharp, Lavis and produc-
mounts the most unsettling black mass com mit -
tion designer George Porvis. Indeed, Sharp be-
ted to celluloid since director Edgar Ulmer’s The lieved the film’s modest origins worked in its

Black Cat (1934). Shot from Tracy’s perspective favor. “I have sometimes wondered if Witchcraft from a doorway some feet away, the black-hooded
would have been so effective if I had had more
witches gather in a circle, chanting incantations
time and money,” the director said. “These con-
that remain mysterious and unintelligible, their
straints forced me to think of the most econom-
faces glimpsed in flashes of flickering torchlight.

ically creative ways to shoot. This meant no

The director also keeps the pace brisk and
special effects, no trickery, nothing that would re-elicits believable performances from his cast, even quire more time or money. We simply had to put
the irascible, alcoholic Chaney. Sharp and his per-
the story on the screen and make the audience be-
formers benefit from Spalding’s lean, punchy
lieve it. I was lucky to learn valuable lessons of
screenplay, which introduces a sizable cast of
invention through financial constraints.”

characters, establishes the centuries-old conflict

Although Witchcraft earned mostly favorable and moves from one spine-tingling sequence to
reviews, it was not a box office success, perhaps
the next with remarkable economy and precision.

because it made its debut on a twin bill with the

Spalding and Sharp (one of the most underrated
horror-comedy clunker The Horror of It All
horror directors of the decade) would join forces

(1964). And, unlike other sixties shockers that
once more for Curse of the Fly (1965), again with gained new popularity through TV reruns or
memorable results.

home video, Witchcraft has never achieved the Although top-billed, Chaney’s role amounts to
level of recognition it deserves. A minor marvel
an extended cameo. After making a showy en-
of quickie filmmaking, it remains one of the
trance, he practically vanishes from the film until decade’s best-kept secrets.

424

The World of the Vampires

2. THE MOVIES

With quotes from: “Witchcraft” by Mark A.

actor Guillermo Murray making his Mexican

Miller, Midnight Marque Actors Series: Lon
movie debut) controls his legion of undead fol-

Chaney, Jr.

lowers via music played on his grotesque pipe
organ made of human bones (“They’re dominated

The World of the Vampires (1960/64; Cin-by music,” observes one character). Subotai in-
ematografica A.B.S.A.; Mexico; b&w) Original
tends to “conquer all mankind” and “go forth and

Language Title: El Mundo de los Vampiros; Direc-bring destruction to humanity.” He also (less
tor: Alfonso Corona Blake, Paul Nagel (English
grandiosely) seeks revenge on the Kolman family,
language version; name misspelled as ‘Nagle’);
who staked his vampire ancestors years ago. To

Producer: Abel Salazar, K. Gordon Murray (En-
this end he vampirizes Kolman daughter Leonor
glish version); Screenplay: Alfred Salazar (story

(Erna Martha Baumann) and sets his sights on
by Raul Zenteno and Jesus Velazquez); Cine-
the father and second daughter. But family
matographer: Jack Draper. Cast: Maurice Garces,
friend — and music expert — Rudolph (Maurice

Erna Martha Bauman, Sylvia Fournier, William

Garces, dubbed by voice director Paul Nagel)

(Guillermo) Murray, Joseph Baviera, Yolanda
comes to the rescue with an “old Transylvanian

Margain, Charles Nieto.

melody that scares away vampires” and uses the
fiend’s own unholy pipe organ to defeat the un-

Incredible horror pursues victim after victim
dead horde.

in the WORLD OF THE VAMPIRE — ad line

Full marks for originality, if not necessarily for

While, as the saying goes, “music hath charms
execution. For instance, the vampire vibes are
to soothe the savage breast,” it apparently also has often spoiled by the ludicrous, papier mache-level
the ability to both control and destroy vampires.

masks worn by Subotai’s minions. (And the

At least that is the premise of this unique, atmos-

Count himself, when his bloodlust rises, sprouts
pheric and sometimes ridiculous Mexican import.

extended fangs that a sabre-toothed tiger might

Produced by actor-filmmaker Abel Salazar ( The
envy.) After an atmospheric build-up that sees

Brainiac himself ) for his Cinematografica the sinister Subotai rise from his coffin and

A.B.S.A. film company, written by the producer’s
silently go about his nocturnal business, when the
brother Alfred, and based on a story concocted
imposing vampire finally speaks, the banal, pas-
by a former professional wrestler, Jesus Velazquez, sionless, atonal dubbed voice that issues from his

The World of the Vampires turns out to be quite undead lips is quite a let-down. Then there’s the
the musical one.

laugh-out-loud scene in which the vampiric

Vampiric Count Sergio Subotai (Argentinean

Leonor spies on the protagonists: In bat form

(complete with visible wires) she
keeps ducking behind a post when-
ever someone looks her way! At the
close of this undead peek-a-boo ses-
sion, the bat pops out once again,
but on the nightflyer’s body rests
the (superimposed) head of

Leonor—a sight both ludicrous and
oddly unsettling.

On the plus side, this World offers
some wonderfully sinister settings,
from the Count’s cobwebbed castle
to his dank underground cave,
complete with flaming, skull-
rimmed braziers and that magnifi-
cently macabre pipe organ — not to
mention the expected fog-shrouded

(studio) woodlands. One thing

Mexican horror movies of this pe-
riod excelled at was atmosphere,

Count Subotai (Guillermo Murray) controls his musically-inclined undead followers by playing a pipe organ made of human bones and World provides it with a capital
in The World of the Vampires (1960/64).

‘A.’

2. THE MOVIES

The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy

425

One particularly memorable moment has the
entranced Leonor gliding through the silhouetted
forest in a disturbing midnight journey reminis-
cent of the classic cane field walk in I Walked with a Zombie. But, this being a Mexican monster movie with its own bizarre proclivities, the sequence comically closes with Leonor inexplicably
ending her stately, graceful and creepy progress
by breaking into a sprint!

But such eccentric peccadilloes are what sets

Mexican horror films apart — and endears them
to that special breed of aficionados enamored of
these south-of-the-border oddities. For said
cineastes, The World of the Vampires is definitely a world worth visiting.

The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec

Mummy (1965; Churubusco–Azteca/Young America Productions; Mexico; b&w) Alternate

Title: Rock N’ Roll Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy (Rhino Video altered reissue version); Original Language Title: Las Luchadoras Contra
la Momia (Wrestling Women vs. the Mummy);

Director: Rene Cardona (English dubbing:

Manuel San Fernando); Producer: William

Spanish poster for the supremely odd Mexican mix Calderon Stell (English version: K. Gordon Mur-of wrestling women and, well, Aztec mummies:

ray); Screenplay: Alfred Salazar. Cinematogra-

The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy (1965).

pher: Ezequiel Carrasco. Cast: Lorena Velazquez,

Armand Silvestre, Elizabeth Campbell, Eugenia
sacred breastplate which holds the secret of the

Saint Martin, Chucho Salinas, Raymond
treasure should remain where it belongs— under

Bugarini, Victor Velazquez.

the watchful eye of the Aztec Mummy.

Much of The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec

MINION: “Those wrestling girls stopped us.”

Mummy moves about as slowly as, well, an Aztec VILLAIN: “A curse on them!”

mummy. In fact, it’s a full hour before said mon-

— sample dialogue exchange
ster first puts in an appearance — and then only

The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy pits briefly, since, upon seeing the creature rise from
the wrasslin’ heroines from producer William
its tomb, the protagonists promptly run away!

Calderon Stell’s Doctor of Doom against the Fortunately, they take the sacred breastplate with
dreaded Aztec Mummy, last seen in The Robot vs.

them, so the Mummy follows them to the city (by
the Aztec Mummy (made seven years earlier by transforming into a bat), where he manhandles

Stell, but not released in the U.S. until 1965). The (mummy-handles?) the Black Dragon’s thugs and
combining of the two series resulted in an odd
menaces the imperiled heroine until the coming
amalgam of crooks and monsters, with plenty of
dawn chases him back to his tomb.

catfights along the way.

The mummy has never looked better, and its

This entry features a Fu Manchu-wannabe
unique and unsettling appearance (a vast im-
called “the Black Dragon,” who (along with his
provement over the previous Aztec Mummy en-
two evil judo-champion sisters) seeks the fabled
tries’ rather unconvincing mask and body-suit)

treasure guarded by the Aztec Mummy. Our two
proves almost worth the wait, with his skull-like,
professional wrestler beauties, Loretta (changed
parchment-skinned visage topped with wispy,
from Gloria in the earlier film; though still played matted hair, and his bony chest and leathery arms
by Lorena Velazquez) and the Golden Ruby (Eliz-
conjuring up images of the grave. And director
abeth Campbell), along with their policemen

Rene Cardona makes the most of this unique
boyfriends, oppose the Dragon and get to the
monster, offering shots of the mummy’s desic-
mummy’s tomb first, only to realize that the
cated legs and feet advancing through the dark-

426

X—The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

2. THE MOVIES
ened pyramid, shuffling inexorably through the
terviewed for Britain’s Incredibly Strange Film shadows, its hideous countenance emerging from

Show in 1989, she complained, “I had a double, the blackness in a startling shock.

and my double was a fat woman so I hate her

Intriguingly, this final entry in the Aztec

[laughs]. I was just there in the close-ups.”)

Mummy series made several significant changes

For the patient viewer, the picture finally kicks
to the titular terror (besides improving upon his
into gear for the last 20 minutes (after the
appearance). He is now a sorcerer, “cursed for

Mummy rises), marking a vast improvement over
daring to love a sacrificial virgin,” who can transthe previous tedious hour; but in the end one
form himself into a (rubber) bat or a (real) taran-
can’t help but wish that The Wrestling Women vs.

tula (he possessed no such powers in the previous
the Aztec Mummy featured less Wrestling and three films); and, like a vampire, he must return
more Mummy.

to his tomb to sleep during the day.

In order to finally reach the anticipated mummy

X—The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963; mayhem, however, the viewer must wade through

AIP) Alternate Title: The Man with the X-ray Eyes scene after scene of tedious talk —complete with

(UK). Director/Producer: Roger Corman; Screen-
risible dialogue (“The plan that Dr. Tracy worked
play: Robert Dillon, Robert Russell; Cinematog-
out was for each of us to work alone so that we
rapher: Floyd Crosby. Cast: Ray Milland, Diana
could defend ourselves.” Right — that is clever...).

Van Der Vlis, Harold J. Stone, John Hoyt, Don

Unfunny comic relief and lackluster encounters

Rickles.

between the fist-throwing, body-blocking
wrasslin’ women and the Dragon’s business-suited

HE STRIPPED SOULS AS BARE AS BODIES!

— ad line
henchmen further weigh down the torpid pro-
ceedings. Two well-shot wrestling bouts—featur-

There’s no question that Roger Corman made
ing varied angles, quick editing and even some
a major contribution to ’60s horror with his
hand-held photography—add a bit of excitement,
thoughtful, well-crafted Poe series. But in the
but when the de rigeur staged wrestling matches
midst of these Gothic horrors, Corman also cre-
prove to be a highlight, you know that the film is ated a thoughtful, well-crafted modern-day horin trouble. (The gorgeous Lorena Velasquez was
ror in the form of X — The Man with the X-Ray
no wrestler, and was doubled in these sequences

Eyes.

by a professional — which failed to please her. In-

Ray Milland plays Dr. James Xavier, who de-
velops a special eye drop
formula to give him X-ray
vision. After increasing the
dosage and nearly going in-
sane, he accidentally kills a
colleague and hides out as

“Mentalo” at a pier-side
carnival. The show’s greedy
owner (Don Rickles) ex-
ploits Xavier first as a mind-
reader, then as a “healer”

(Xavier can see inside his
patients’ bodies to diagnose
their illnesses). Continuing
to up the dosage, Xavier ul-
timately sees things that

Man was never meant to see

(the very heart of the uni-
verse and “the Eye that sees
us all”) ... with disastrous
results.

As so many AIP films did,

Dr. Brant (Harold J. Stone) administers the experimental eye drops that transforms Dr. Xavier (Ray Milland) into X—The Man with the X-Ray

X began simply as a title.

Eyes (1963) (British front-of-house still).

“[AIP production head] Jim

2. THE MOVIES

Yotsuya Ghost Story

427

Nicholson told me, as he often did over lunch,”

compared his film to the later 2001: A Space
recounted Corman in his autobiography, “that he

Odyssey, “in that there is at the end of the odyssey had a title in search of a movie.... We threw ideas an hallucinogenic, mystical vision of light and
around over the next day or two—a jazz musician
motion. Kubrick’s trip was through space; X’s was
on weird drugs, a criminal who uses X-ray vision
interior.” It is indeed this “odyssey” that sets the for robberies. They seemed like dead end stories.

movie apart. Much like the previous decade’s The Then it hit me that the most logical direction was

Incredible Shrinking Man, it’s the character’s soli-a medical researcher.”

tary journey into the unknown, in which

Corman shot for three weeks on a budget “be-
ordinary objects become frightening and alien
tween $200,000 and $300,000, with Ray Milland

(even, in Xavier’s case, other human beings—
getting a big portion of the budget.” Initially re-
who become walking, talking horrific masses of
luctant to accept the assignment (“I felt we were
exposed muscle and bone), that captivates the
not going to be able to photograph what Xavier
viewer. And, like Shrinking Man, it’s the protag-could see, and that the audience would be
onist’s final confrontation with the infinite that
cheated,” Corman told author Mark Thomas
generates the film’s resonance (though of a more

McGee), Nicholson’s enthusiasm won him over.

downbeat nature in X—as reflecting the changing To show what “Xavier could see,” Corman
tone of cinema and society in the 1960s).

utilized an optical process dubbed “Spectorama.”

Anoraks can have fun playing Spot-the-Players,

According to the film’s pressbook, “Through a
as Corman casts various ’50s horror/sci-fi stal-
patented arrangement of prisms, light images are
warts and stock-company regulars in supporting
bent and color changes with the resulting distor-
roles and bit parts. There’s Morris Ankrum ( Earth tions appearing to be impressionistic paintings in
vs. the Flying Saucers) in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-motion.” Or, more aptly, out-of-focus, brightly
him role of the cranky Hospital head; John Hoyt
colored blobs. Though not always convincing, the

( Attack of the Puppet People) as an arrogant sur-effects are at least colorfully striking. Then there’s geon; Barboura Morris ( A Bucket of Blood) in a the expected party pieces, such as Xavier suddenly
bit part as a nurse; Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze
able to see beneath people’s clothing (the nude

( Little Shop of Horrors) as sideshow hecklers; and participants strategically placed for our viewing

John Dierkes ( The Thing) as the tent revival protection, of course). Milland’s bemused yet de-preacher who exhorts, “If thine eye offends thee,
lighted attitude towards this revealing develop-
pluck it out!”

ment lifts the scene out of the realm of exploita-

Thought-provoking, multi-layered and involv-
tion into comedy.

ing, X — The Man with the X-Ray Eyes remains a Throughout the film Milland perfectly captures
unique Roger Corman cinematic achievement.

the mix of scientific curiosity and hubris that

With quotes from: How I Made a Hundred
leads his character on his dark journey into un-

Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, by ending light. Seeing even through his eyelids, at

Roger Corman, with Jim Jerome; Faster and Fu-
one point he cries, “Oh lord, I’d give anything,
riouser, by Mark Thomas McGee; X — The Man anything to have dark!” his hitherto self-assured-with the X-Ray Eyes pressbook, American Inter-ness turning to anguish.

national Pictures, 1963.

X was “seen as an important film,” wrote Corman. “Later I realized it was the concept that was

Yotsuya Ghost Story see Illusion of
important: a researcher moving through science

Blood
toward a religious mystical experience.” Corman

3

More Movies

The preceding section of this book covered all horror films (as well as fantasy and science fiction films with prominent horror elements) released theatrically in the U.S.

during the 1960s.

This section provides brief overviews of movies excluded from the preceding section because they are commonly categorized as “pure” sci-fi or fantasy (lacking significant horror elements) or because the movie was produced during the 1960s but did not receive a U.S. theatrical release until the 1970s or later. Also included here are films released directly to television in America (but not made for TV). With a few (noted) exceptions, made-for-TV productions are not included. Also, while horror-comedy hybrids are included, science fiction–comedy hybrids have been excluded. Finally, horror films produced elsewhere in the world that never received an official (non-bootleg) U.S. release — either theatrical, television or home video— also have been omitted.

Adventure in Takla Makan (1965; Toho; Ja -

Tokaido Road), Alternate Title (DVD): Yokai Monsters pan) Original Language Title: Kiganjo no Boken. Even 3: Along with Ghosts. This entry concludes Daiei’s though it stars the great Toshiro Mifune, this remains Yokai Monsters series, a trilogy of oddball Japanese one of the most obscure Japanese fantasy films of the ghost stories brimming with bizarre-looking mon-1960s. Virtually forgotten today and unavailable for sters. This time, the “apparitions” help a young girl review, Adventure in Takla Makan is a period piece, avenge the murder of her grandfather and rescue her filmed partially in Iran, about a shipwrecked sailor father from captivity. Along with Ghosts remains too (Mifune) who assists a priest on a quest to recover the off beat to have wide appeal, but viewers with a taste sacred remains of the Buddha. The plot apparently
for the truly outlandish may enjoy it, along with the involves some fantasy elements, as the duo face giant other Yokai Monsters features ( Spook Warfare and 100
birds and an evil wiz ard. The film appeared briefly in Monsters). None of the trio received a general theatri-American theaters, where it earned a gloomy review
cal release in the U.S., but all three arrived in Ameri-from Variety, and then apparently vanished — at least can via DVD in 2003.

from the U.S. Several key members of the cast and

Alphaville (1965; Athos/Janus; France; b&w) Orig-crew of this film, including Mifune and director Seninal Title: Alphaville, une Étrange Aventure de Lemmy kichi Tani guchi, also worked on The Lost World of Sin-Caution (Alphaville, a Strange Adventure of Lemmy bad (1963/65), which suggests that the unavailability Caution). Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine), Se-of Adventure in Takla Makan is not a major loss.

cret Agent 003 from the Outlands, arrives in the capital city of Alphaville on a mission to kidnap or kill

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Professor Nosferatu (Howard Vernon), who has in-
see The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
vented a death ray. While in Alpha ville, Caution encounters robot-like women who offer sex the same

Against All Odds see Kiss and Kill
way they dispense coffee; emotionless engineers who are programmed by their computer (instead of the

Alien Terror see The Incredible Invasion
other way around); and the all-powerful Alpha 60
electronic brain, which controls the city and spouts

Along with Ghosts (1969; Daiei; Japan) Original philosophy in a mechanized Cookie Monster voice.

Language Title: Tokaido Obake Dochu (Journey Along Nouvelle Vague firebrand Jean-Luc Godard dabbled

429

430

Amazing; Amphibian; Angel

3. MORE MOVIES
in many genres during the 1960s. Alphaville represents a monster movie. Based on the novel of the same name the director’s typically bizarre, off-kilter take on sci-by renowned Russian sci-fi author Aleksandr Belyayev, ence fiction. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, Orwellian tale set The Amphibian Man has a brilliant scientist cure his in a world where words such as “why” and “con-son of a lung disease via a shark-gill transplant, rescience” have been forbidden, and where a man is ex-sulting in the boy’s ability to breathe underwater. The ecuted (stabbed to death in a pool by a team of knife-locals in this coastal town (resembling Spain) label wielding synchronized swimmers, while onlookers
this mysterious creature (sporting a shiny, scaly wet-applaud) because he cried over his wife’s death. Desuit; odd pop-eyed goggles; and shark-fin headgear) spite its futuristic setting, the picture’s visual sensi-

“the Sea Devil.” But the innocent boy (who’s at a loss bility is pure film noir, and its tone shifts between in the cruel, money-hungry world above) simply seeks hard boiled and surreal, with philosophical chit-chat human companionship, finding it in the love of a local about poetry punctuated by spasms of violence. It also girl about to marry against her will. With some beau-boasts an extremely unorthodox car chase sequence
tiful underwater photography, impressive production incorporating random negative exposures. While cer-values (including the scientist’s cliff-side dwelling/lab-tainly not for every viewer (anyone adamant about
oratory, complete with a bubble-like elevator), earnest logical, linear narrative will quickly grow exasper-acting, and involving human drama, The Amphibian ated), the quirky but compelling Alphaville remains Man stands as a unique, romantic take on the Creature one of Godard’s most accessible movies. For added
from the Black Lagoon theme. The story was adapted enjoyment, try comparing this film to Fahrenheit 451
and remade in 2004 as a Russian telemovie called The (1966), a similarly dystopian sci-fi thriller directed by Amphibious Man.

Godard’s rival, François Truffaut.

An Angel for Satan (1966;

Italy; b&w) Original Language

Title: Un Angelo per Satana. Bar-
bara Steele’s final (of nine!) 1960s

Eurohorrors went unreleased
outside of its native Italy. It’s the

Gothic period tale of a sculptor

(Anthony Steffan) who arrives at
a large estate to restore an an-
cient statue recovered from the
nearby lake. The local villagers
live in fear of the statue’s 200-

The Amazing Transparent Man (1960; MCP; year-old “curse,” placed upon it by a homely woman
b&w) Edgar G. Ulmer — revered for The Black Cat who’d murdered her own beautiful sister out of bitter (1934), Bluebeard (1944) and The Man from Planet X

(1951)— directed this low-budget, off beat film noir-
science fiction hybrid. Krenner ( James Griffith), a ruthless master criminal, busts an ace safecracker

(Douglas Kennedy) out of prison and forces him to
steal fissionable material for illegal experiments aimed at creating an army of invisible soldiers. Screenwriter Jack Lewis’ scenario focuses more on its cast of backstabbing crooks and their schemes to double-cross
one another than on the sci-fi or horror possibilities of the story. More than half of the picture’s skimpy 58-minute runtime elapses before the first invisible man appears (or, rather, disappears). So, despite its title, The Amazing Transparent Man plays more like Kiss Me Deadly than The Invisible Man (without being anywhere near as good as either of those classics). As always Ulmer’s craftsmanship remains impeccable.

He makes atmospheric use of high-contrast lighting, low-angle camera setups and other simple yet effective devices, but, working with flimsy material and threadbare production values, Transparent Man does not rank among Ulmer’s most durable creations.

The Amphibian Man (1960; Ministerstvo Kinematografii; U.S.S.R.) Original Language Title: Chelovek-Amfibiya. This Russian sci-fi/fantasy film was released to U.S. television in 1964 where it turned up sporadically on various “creature feature” programs—

The Angel for Satan herself : Barbara Steele in a despite the fact it’s more a fantastical love story than 1960s publicity photograph for An Angel for Satan.

3. MORE MOVIES

Any; Aqua; Around; Assignment

431
jealousy. When the estate’s rightful heir (Steele) re-the underwater sequences (directed by Ricou Brown-
turns home to claim her inheritance, the sculptor
ing, the Creature from the Black Lagoon himself ) at notes that she bears an uncanny likeness to the statue.

least offer something pretty to look at (besides nom-Soon a rash of mysterious deaths has the villagers
inal female lead Shirley Eaton).

talking of witchcraft. Given its intriguing storyline (complete with a clever twist to the tale), beautiful

Assignment Istanbul see The Castle of
cinematography and a particularly alluring — and

Fu Manchu
dangerous— performance by Steele (whose pro voca -
tive presence inspires lust, madness and murder), it’s

Assignment Outerspace (1961; Titanus/ AIP; a pity that an English-language version didn’t surface Italy) Alternate Title: Space Men. This early Italian sooner (a subtitled DVD finally emerged in 2009).

sci-fi entry remains one of the decade’s more serious attempts to portray space travel in a realistic fashion.

Any Body … Any Way see Behind

Unfortunately, the budget, script and special effects

Locked Doors
aren’t up to this lofty goal. The events take place entirely in space or on space stations, with the convoluted plot revolving around a re porter risking his life

The Aqua Sex see The Mermaids of
to stop a runaway rocket about to destroy the Earth.

Tiburon

Via unusual camera angles and photography, first-
time director An tonio Margheriti creates a tight,

Around the World Under the Sea (1966; MGM) claustrophobic feeling, marking a sharp contrast to This undersea adventure film follows a small team of the vast emptiness of space. Though shot in color
scientists (led by Lloyd Bridges) on an experimental (fairly rare in a low-budget feature of the early ’60s), submarine planting earthquake censor devices on the it might just as well have been black and white; instead bottom of the sea. The team swims into horrific waters of the bright, stunning visual atmosphere often found for one sequence in which a giant moray eel menaces in other Italian SF (Mario Bava’s Planet of the Vampires first a diver and then the sub itself (via rear-screen being a prime example), this film opts for silvers and projection and modelwork). Since this is an Ivan Tors grays as the predominant color scheme, making it
production ( Riders to the Stars, Seahunt, Flipper), it much less interesting visually. But at least the astro-focuses more on (pseudo)science and squeaky-clean
nauts in this movie have to contend realistically with characters than excitement and suspense. Fortunately, the lack of gravity in space (refreshing, since most other SF films cavalierly gloss over this serious bit of astrophysics).

Assignment Terror (1969/72; AIP; Spain/ West Germany/Italy) Original Language Title : Los Monstruos del Terror ( El Hombre Que Vino de Ummo). Alternate Titles: Dracula Versus Frankenstein; Reincarnator. Alien Michael Rennie (a long way from Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still) comes to Earth from the planet Ummo on a mission to destroy the human
race by unleashing all the classic monsters upon humanity: Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, the Werewolf and the Mummy. (Spanish screenwriter/co-star

Paul Naschy also included the Golem in his original script, but the production had to pare down the monster roster for financial reasons.) With such an outré plot like this, the only hope for the viewer is to squeeze a bit of boffo fun out of the bizarre proceedings—
helped along by its dated go-go dancers, mini-skirts, sideburns, bright garish lights and generic psychedelic music. Unfortunately, the monsters aren’t much to
look at. Waldemar the Werewolf (Naschy in his
third — of eleven— lycanthropic outings) appears acceptable in his Lon Chaney, Jr.–style getup. The Living Mummy, however, from the way his head is band-
aged, looks more like a man with a splitting headache than a 3000-year-old undying monster. The Frankenstein Monster (referred to as the “Franksillian Monster” for no discernible reason) is a ridiculous ersatz copy of the Universal creation (the actor, in green face and half-closed eyes, looks more like a fatigued costume party-goer than a creature stitched together

American one-sheet poster for Assignment Outer
from dead bodies). One bright spot appears near the

Space (1961).

end, however, when we are treated to the novel sight

432

At Midnight; Atlantis

3. MORE MOVIES

The busy artwork on this colorful Mexican lobby card for the Spanish/West German/Italian co-production

Assignment Terror (scripted by and starring Paul Naschy, pictured at left in photo) shamelessly steals images of Boris Karloff ’s Frankenstein Monster, Edward Van Sloan’s Dr. Waldeman (both from the 1931

Frankenstein), and Christopher Lee’s Dracula (from Horror of Dracula, 1958).

of a Werewolf battling a Mummy — a first in monster pheric, the mostly set-bound low-budget production
history and an exciting match-up for that monster-

(reportedly filmed on short ends and scraps) generates loving inner child in all of us. The scariest part of this a uniquely macabre air, mixing hoary horror clichés imported oddity (which didn’t make it to American

(including a cackling witch who speaks directly at the shores until 1972) is the fact that it was Michael Ren-camera) with startling brutality and blasphemies
nie’s last genre outing. Poor Michael, let’s give one last (such as Ze using his overlong fingernails to literally

“Klaatu barada nikto” before we bring the curtain
poke out the eyes of one victim, or lifting a miniature down.

crown of thorns from a religious icon to smash into the face of another). The film was so popular in Brazil

At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1963; that it inspired a series of loosely connected pictures Paranagua Cinematografica; Brazil; b&w) Original featuring Marins as Ze (including This Night I’ll Pos-Language Title: A Meia-Noite Levarei Sua Alma. In sess Your Corpse and The Strange World of Zé do the early 1960s, Brazilian filmmaker Jose Mojica

Caixão). Coffin Joe finally made his way to America Marins wanted to make a horror movie (the first from nearly three decades later via video.

that country), but could find no one suitable — or willing — to play the lead. So he himself donned a top hat,

Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961; MGM) In cape, and his best black suit to become Ze do Caixao ancient times, Greek fisherman Demetrios (Sal Ponti) (loosely translated as “Coffin Joe”), an evil and brutal rescues an Atlantean princess, Antillia (Joyce Taylor), atheist undertaker obsessed with siring an heir. In-whom he discovers adrift on a raft. The spoiled, unspiring fear through tormenting and torturing all
grateful princess forces Demetrios to risk his life to those around him, the blasphemous Ze (he rails
return her to her father’s kingdom. They fall in love against the idea of god, and even eats meat on Fri-during the voyage but once they arrive in Atlantis, An-days!) finally meets his comeuppance on the “Night
tillia’s jealous suitor, Zaren ( John Dall), throws of the Dead” courtesy of his victims’ vengeful spirits.

Demetrios into slavery. Zaren has usurped power

Surprisingly well-photographed and extremely atmos-
from Antillia’s weak-willed father and plans to con-

3. MORE MOVIES

Atlas; Atomic

433
enjoys the protection of

Maciste (the U.S. distributors
changed his name to “Atlas”

when they re-titled the film,
but apparently neglected to tell
the dubbing actors), a hero

“endowed with fantastic, in-
credible strength.” Such a sce-
nario sounds far more exciting
than the bland sword-and-
sandal shenanigans that follow,
since most of the film’s over-
long 100 minutes consist of te-
dious scenes of horseback rid-
ing, wrestling with a listless
lion (alternating shots of an
obviously drugged animal
with a stuffed big cat), or

Maciste displaying his prodi-
gious strength by carrying an
oversized clay pot down some
stairs(!). As Maciste, Col-
orado-born Gordon Mitchell

(who enjoyed a prolific Euro-

Ancient dress meets futuristic furnishings in Atlantis, the Lost Continent
career making gladiator

(1961). Pictured: Anthony Hall (aka Sal Ponti) and Joyce Taylor.

movies and Spaghetti West-
erns) is appropriately brawny,
quer the world using Atlantis’ advanced weapons, in-but his naïve expressions and stupid grins (not to
cluding a giant crystal that channels solar power into mention the slow, toneless dubbing) make him seem
a laser-like death ray. It’s hard to believe this corny, like a simpleton. You half expect him to ask someone cut-rate fantasy came from legendary producer-di-to “tell about the rabbits, George….” Disappointingly, rector George Pal (maker of War of the Worlds [1953], the sole fantastical element — the Cyclops (looking like The Time Machine [1960], etc.). Atlantis, the Lost Cona one-eyed caveman)— only shows up for the last five tinent is by far Pal’s worst movie — preachy, puffed-minutes, and is easily overcome by Maciste (despite up and predictable, right down to its inescapable
the fact that the two never appear to inhabit the same slave-revolt-and-volcanic-eruption finale. Aside from film frame!). One of the poorer pepla, Atlas promises a couple of isolated moments— such as an alchemist
so much but delivers so little.

turning slaves into farm animals (one bull-man is seen sporting horns and a bovine snout) or Demetrios’ bat-

Atlas in the Land of Cyclops see Atlas
tle with a giant gladiator in a pit full of hot coals— the

Against the Cyclops
picture offers little excitement, focusing instead on palace intrigues, sappy romantic interludes and theo-

Atomic Rulers
logical navel-gazing. The casts’ laughable perform-

(1957/64; ShinToho/AIP-TV; Ja -
ances further undercut the picture’s shaky credibility, pan) Alternate (home video) Title: Atomic Rulers of particularly its over-emotive romantic leads (Ponti the World. The adventures of Starman (Ken Utsui) and Taylor) and a woefully miscast Edward Platt,
begin here. This was the first of four feature-length playing high priest who pooh-poohs the graven tem-films compiled from nine hour-long Starman adven-
ple gods and espouses proto Judeo-Christian beliefs.

tures originally released in Japan, where the title char-But the film’s gravest failing is that its sets, costumes acter was known as “Supergiant.” The titular super-and even its number of extras are all far below par for hero battles a gang of underworld thugs who are
a story on this scale. Pal tries to mask these deficiencies attempting to obtain an atomic weapon. Produced on
by inserting copious stock footage from Quo Vadis minuscule budgets and released directly to TV in

(1951), but the resulting contrasts only make Atlantis, America, these movies offered action, action and more The Lost Continent seem more ridiculous.

action. Those interested in coherent plots, believable characters, or production values of any sort are ad-

Atlas Against the Cyclops
vised to keep looking.

(1961/63; Me dallion;

Italy) Original Language Title: Maciste nella Terra dei Ciclopi. Alternate Titles: Atlas in the Land of the Cy-

Atomic Rulers of the World see Atomic
clops (TV), Maciste vs. the Cyclops, Maciste in the Land

Rulers
of the Cyclops, Monster from the Unknown World (UK).

The evil queen of Sadok must find the only surviving

Atomic War Bride (1960; Jadran Film/United son of Ulysses and feed it to the Cyclops (kept in a pit Screen Arts; Yugoslavia; b&w); Original Language on an island) in order to lift some nebulous “curse.”

Title: Rat (War). Part parody (though whether inten-But the infant has escaped her murdering soldiers and tional or not remains in question), part political

434

Attack

3. MORE MOVIES
polemic, and all melodrama, the Yugoslavian produc-
from Return of the Giant Monsters (1967), who Bar-tion Atomic War Bride offers horror only at the end bella and Florbella apparently imported from Earth.

(but what a shattering ending it is). The marriage cer-Guiron not only defeats the Gaos, but decapitates him emony of John and Maria, two bland yet attractive
and literally chops him to bits! At 90 minutes, Attack Aryan twenty-somethings, is interrupted by the an-of the Monsters runs about 20 minutes too long, but nouncement of war and a subsequent attack by invad-provides at least a smattering of fun along the way.

ing aircraft (one even tries to strafe our not-quite-This film was initially released to American television married couple as they flee across a field!). John is by AIP in a sanitized form. When producer Sandy
forcibly conscripted into the army, but soon develops Frank issued it on home video under the title Gamera a strong sense of pacifism, resulting in him facing a vs. Guiron, he restored some choice moments (includ-firing squad. But wait, a nuclear attack has been
ing Guiron dicing up Gaos), but also panned and
launched…. Is it a reprieve for John or the Final So-scanned the film clumsily and re-dubbed it with am-
lution for all? Filmed on still-ruined bomb sites left ateurish, flat-affect vocal “performances” full of weird over from World War II, this bland and simplistic anti-pauses. Daiei’s Gamera series continued into the 1970s war import alternates between comical scenes (gov-with two more movies that mercifully fall outside the ernment officials handing out ponchos to protect the scope of this book. The character reappeared in 1980
populace from radiation — with John comically run-
with the dreadful Super Monster Gamera and again in ning around trying to wriggle under other people’s

1995 with Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. The 1995
ponchos, as his is defective[!]; John’s boot-camp
film, which re-launched the franchise, is widely re-

“cam ou flage training” showing the recruits sticking garded as a latter-day kaiju eiga masterpiece and shrubbery into their rifle barrels and posing like
spawned two sequels (so far).

trees[!!]) and serious dramatics (a man attempting
suicide after the communal television reveals that his

Attack of the Mushroom People (1963/ 65; own country dropped nuclear bombs on the enemy;

Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) Original Language Title: Ma -
people wandering about the rubble-strewn waste-
tango. The American title suggests something along land). It never gels as a whole, but a few isolated scenes the lines of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978), but make an impact — such as a dazed man, searching the don’t let that fool you. This is director Ishiro Honda’s rubble, asking John if he’s seen a leg (“It’s my daugh-best film, a minor masterpiece of sustained suspense ter’s”), and the powerful, downbeat finale.

and eerie otherworldliness. A group of seven boaters are trapped on a remote, fog-shrouded island when

Attack from Space (1957–58/64; ShinToho/ AIP-their yacht is damaged in a storm. The castaways

TV) Ken Utsui returns as Starman in the second of

(which include a skipper, a sailor, a female movie star, four feature films starring the popular Japanese su-a girl-next-door type, a professor and a millionaire) perhero. This installment takes place almost entirely discover a huge, rotting research ship, which has also in outer space, as Starman foils an invasion attempt washed ashore. On the ship, they find a rifle and a by the fearsome “Spherions.” Just as action-packed
limited supply of tinned food. The only other source and infantile as the original installment, if not more of sustenance seems to be mysterious mushrooms,
so, this entry is notable for its blatant disregard for which grow in abundance. However, the mushrooms
elementary science. For example, at one point, char-cause bizarre and frightening mental and physical
acters walk around the exterior of a space station, changes in those who eat them. As hunger sets in, the without benefit of space suits! Preceded by Atomic tenuous social order of the group begins to break

Rulers (1957/64) and followed by Invaders from Space down. Matango, as it was known in Japan, is the kind (1957/64).

of movie viewers would expect from George Romero,
not from Honda. This is an in tense, a quietly disturb-

Attack of the Monsters (1969; Daiei/AIP-TV; ing study of the way human beings turn on one an-Japan) Alternate Title: Gamera vs Guiron. Original other in times of crisis, and it builds to a haunting Language Title: Gamera tai Daiakuju Giron. The fifth and unusual (for Toho) downbeat finale. Honda’s vi-installment in Daiei’s Gamera series remains as puerile suals are fluid and evocative, full of darting some-and slipshod as all the others, yet emerges as one of thing-or-others, barely glimpsed through the shadows the more tolerable entries. Unlike its immediate pred-and fog. And the director elicits uniformly excellent ecessor, Destroy All Planets (1968), Attack of the Mon-performances from his ensemble cast. The Mushroom
sters makes little use of stock footage, and contains People, who appear late in the story, look like some-several wacky but enjoyable elements. Two boys dis-
thing from the world of Sid and Marty Krofft — but
cover a flying saucer and are whisked off to “Terra,”

in context, that only makes them seem creepier. Un-
a twin planet of Earth that revolves in synchronous fortunately, American producers didn’t know quite
orbit on the far side of the sun. Terra is a desolate what to make of this picture, which was so different world where giant monsters roam, and its only human from the kind of light-hearted giant monster fare it inhabitants appear to be two beautiful young women, was used to receiving from Toho. As a result, Matango Barbella and Florbella, who are planning to take over never received a U.S. theatrical release. Instead, it was Earth. They use the captured boys to lure Gamera to saddled with its absurd American title and issued di-Terra so their kaiju “watchdog,” Guiron, can (they rectly to TV, where much of its power was lost in dub-hope) defeat him. Guiron is a curious-looking four-
bing and cropping. The original version, which was
legged creature with a giant knife for a nose. For a finally released to DVD in the U.S. in 2005, remains warm-up, Guiron battles Gaos, the giant vampire bat one of the finest horrors ever made in Japan.

3. MORE MOVIES

Bamboo; Barbarella; Baron; Battle

435

The Bamboo Saucer (1968; World Entertainment the final film directed by Montgomery Tully, whose

Corp.) A hot-shot test pilot (Dan Duryea), previously penultimate picture had been another sci-fi stinker,

“buzzed” by a flying saucer, is sent on a secret mission Amicus Productions’ The Terrornauts (1967).

to rural Red China to investigate a reported alien craft that landed in a ruined monastery there. (The saucer’s

Battle Beyond the Sun (1959/1962; Mosfilm/AIP; two “humanoid” pilots died soon after leaving the

U.S.S.R.) Original Title: Nebo Zovyot. Executive pro-ship, presumably due to lack of natural immunities, ducer Roger Corman purchased the U.S. rights to the and were cremated by the superstitious villagers, leav-big-budget Soviet science fiction epic Nebo Zovyot and ing the investigators— and the viewers— disappoint-turned it over to his young protégé, Francis Ford Cop-ingly in the dark about their origins and appearance.) pola, to be re-edited and dubbed for U.S. release. Cop-On the way, the Americans meet up with a small band pola (on Corman’s instructions) made extensive revi-of Russians with the same idea —capture or destroy
sions. For starters, he trimmed the running time from the saucer. This tedious Cold War political scare film, 77 to 64 minutes. The original story had to do with complete with some East-West cooperation against
heroic cosmonauts intercepting an alien space probe, the hated Asian threat (not to mention a clichéd
but Coppola reshaped it into the tale of a race to Mars Anglo-Russo budding romance subplot), features the
between two space programs (from the futuristic,
flying saucer merely as a sci-fi McGuffin. Dragging its post-nuclear war governments of North Hemis and
political feet throughout most of the running time, South Hemis). Perhaps most significantly, Coppola re-The Bamboo Saucer only takes flight when the alien moved the original’s communist propaganda and re-craft does (via some uneven but intermittently im-
placed it with a message of cooperation and peace be-pressive special effects courtesy of former Universal tween rival nations. The dubbing and cutting is often ace John P. Fulton), as it carries our hapless hero and clumsy, which might make the film hard to follow if heroine into outer space at the end.

the revised plot wasn’t so predictable and formulaic.

But even in this truncated and bastardized form, the

Barbarella (1968; Paramount; France/Italy) Based Nebo Zovyot footage remains visually dazzling, with on the French comic strip by Jean-Claude Forrest, this beautifully designed space ships and alien landscapes silly sci-fi send-up strewn with sixties sexual sensibil-and special effects (mostly miniatures and traveling ities and psychedelica is charming in its way, thanks mattes) as skillful as— and more plentiful than —
primarily to the alluring innocence of, and occasional those from any classic American SF film of the 1950s comic aside from, Jane Fonda in the title role. Apart or early ’60s. In one unforgettable sequence, an astro-from performing a (tasteful) free fall strip tease in zero naut witnesses a battle between two space monsters—
gravity, Fonda’s beautiful intergalactic space agent one of them with what appears to be a shark’s mouth (who travels in a shag-carpeted spaceship) must face arranged vertically on its belly, the other a headless such tongue-in-cheek perils as deadly mechanical
creature with googly eyes at the end of long tendrils.

dolls, the “Biting Bird Cage,” and an orgasmic organ (In fact, the sequence plays like a thinly veiled tussle (of the musical variety).

between the Vagina Creature and a dangling-balled

Penis Monster!) For sequences such as this, sci-fi buffs will find Battle Beyond the Sun worth a look.

Baron Munchausen see The Fabulous

Baron Munchausen

Battle in Outer Space (1960; Toho/Columbia; Japan) Original Language Title : Uchu Daisenso. In

Battle Beneath the Earth (1967/68, MGM) Battle, helmed by Godzilla-director Inoshira Honda Rogue red Chinese nationals with super-scientific

(with special effects by Godzilla-creator Eiji Tsubu-laser drill contraptions honeycomb the U.S. with tun-raya), a series of catastrophic events are only a prelude nels and begin attacking from below in this paranoid to the impeding war waged by the alien “Natalians”

science fiction yarn. It’s up to heroic naval commander in the stratospheres of Earth and the Moon with laser-Jonathan Shaw (Kerwin Mathews) and former laugh-
like high-tech weaponry. Unfortunately, this space
ing-stock scientist Arnold Kramer (Peter Arne) to save scenario sounds far more exciting than what shows

America. This risible premise is further compromised up onscreen, as Battle becomes a dull, dull, dull expo-by appallingly cheap production values (the super-ad-sition-packed, near alien-less mishmash (disappoint-vanced Chinese drill looks like a Tonka toy) and toringly, the Natalians appear only once —completely
turously slow pacing. Most of the “action” in Battle covered in bulky, human-like spacesuits). Even the

Beneath the Earth consists of tense briefings with Shaw, much-touted battle sequences become repetitive and

Kramer and military brass, or Shaw and his men
unconvincing. Amusingly, the alien Moon-base mod-
creeping stealthily through fake-looking underground els resemble a big plastic pie surrounded by silver cups tunnels, or Kramer poring over some technical prob-and saucers! Some impressive model work when a
lem in the lab. These yawn-inducing passages are oc-

“space torpedo” hits the heart of NYC, while another casionally interrupted by brief, poorly staged fight takes out the Golden Gate Bridge (though this bit
scenes, played out on tiny soundstages unconvincingly looks comparatively phony), are about the only
decorated to resemble caves. The chief villains— Gen-respites from this Boredom in Outer Space.

eral Chan Lu and scientist Kengh Lee — are played by Caucasian actors (Martin Benson and Peter Elliott,

Battle of the Worlds (1961/63; Topac Film Corp; respectively) in yellow-face makeup no more believ-Italy) Original Language Title: Il Pianeta degli Uomini able than those cave sets. Battle Beneath the Earth was Spenti. “A HOSTILE PLANET from outer space hurtling

436

Beast; Beautiful; Behind

3. MORE MOVIES
both create a solid character about which the film revolves and maintain his dignity (no easy task while wearing a silver lamé space suit).

The Beast see Equinox

The Beast That Killed Women (1965) One of fourteen “adults-only” features sexploitation specialist Barry Mahon made in 1965 alone(!), The Beast That Killed Women adds a sprinkling of horror to Mahon’s typical nudist-camp antics (well, whatever “horror”

can be conjured by a mangy gorilla skulking about the Florida palm fronds and attacking one woman anyway). Banal sequences of nudists sitting, walking, talking, swimming, square-dancing(!) or playing shuffleboard are only alleviated by slightly-less-banal scenes of the man-in-a-monkey-suit chasing a (clothed)

woman, tossing a man into a lake, and being gunned
down by the investigating police. About the only enjoyment to be had (apart from the ogling of exposed bosoms and bottoms— the film’s raison d’etre) is one amusingly surreal moment when the police and ambulance attendants remove a corpse from the camp by carrying it right through an in-progress volleyball game!

Juliet Anderson, who made her film debut here (such as it is), went on to become a porn star in the 1980s as

“Aunt Peg.”

The Beautiful , the Bloody and the Bare

(1964, Boxoffice International) This deadly dull and nearly plotless sexploitation cheapie takes a sudden left turn towards horror territory in its final moments.

Artist Leo (Brad Scott) and his wife Mona (Mai Dey) welcome photographer friend Pete (Jack Lowe) home
from Europe and set him up with a job shooting nude photos for a dirty magazine. But Pete reacts strangely to the color red, and when a model accidentally cuts her finger, the sight of blood drives him into a murderous rage. He strangles his first victim, stabs a second model to death and then turns on Mona. Unfor-
tunately, all this mayhem is poorly staged and late American three-sheet poster for the Japanese im-arriving. The first 45 of the film’s 65 minutes consist port Battle in Outer Space (1960).

entirely of dialogue scenes or lingering footage of nude models posing for students at Leo’s art school studio or Pete’s camera (usually while Leo pontificates about toward earth on a COLLISION COURSE!” shouted the
art via voiceover narration). Zzzzzz.

film’s poster in a one-phrase synopsis of this 1961 Italian sci-fier (released in the U.S. in ’63). Antonio Margheriti ( Assignment Outerspace, Horror Castle,

Behind Closed Doors see Behind

Castle of Blood) directed this import programmer

Locked Doors
under his anglicized alias of Anthony Dawson. Here
he had the added bonus of Claude Rains (making one

Behind Locked Doors (1968; Boxoffice Interna-of his last screen appearances) as his star. Rains plays tional) Alternate Titles: Any Body ... Any Way; Behind a crotchety scientist who scribbles calculus equations Closed Doors. Shot in upstate New York, this sexploita-on the sides of his greenhouse plant pots and ulti-
tion entry released by Harry Novak’s Boxoffice Inter-mately solves the riddle of how to combat this invadnational offers up a taste of terror in its tale of two ing planetoid and its automated death ray-dealing
girls lured to the isolated house of a mad mortician flying saucer emissaries. The laughably cheap effects who conducts “sexual experiments” in an attempt to
often undermine the film’s serious tone (tinfoil, plas-find “the perfect lovemate” (i.e. he forces them to have tic tubes and colored lights make up the planet’s alien sex with him). The well-spoken, middle-aged mad-interiors; the saucers shoot literal cartoon laser beams; man also keeps a trio of preserved female corpses
and the natural disasters caused by the planet’s close (posed nude, of course) in his basement (“These are proximity to Earth are shown solely through grainy
some that resisted me,” he tells the two protagonists).

black-and-white stock footage), but Rains manages to With plenty of pace-killing scenes of peeping, rape,

3. MORE MOVIES

Beyond; Black; Blancheville

437
female masturbation, and nude
posing (not to mention the many
banal dialogue sequences), Behind

Locked Doors won’t be mistaken for
anything other than low-rent six-
ties softcore. But its outré elements

(including a hatchet-faced spinster
sister helping her brother with his

“experiments,” and a nonsensical-
but-arresting fiery climax in which
the corpses come alive — though
they do disappointingly little) make
this one stand out from most of its
sorry contemporaries.

Beyond the Time Barrier

(1960; AIP; b&w) Director Edgar G.

Ulmer has developed something of
a cult following, based largely on a
triumphant triad of films: The

Black Cat (1934), Bluebeard (1944)

and Detour (1945). His revered rep-
utation has absolutely nothing to do
with Beyond the Time Barrier.

Hyperbolic half-sheet for the British horror-mystery The Black Tor-

Filmed on the site of the 1959 Texas

State Fairgrounds, and made back
ment (1964/65).

to back with The Amazing Trans-
parent Man (another disappointing failure), this low-

The Black Torment (1964/65; Compton Films/
budget entry in the time travel sweepstakes has a jet Governor Films; UK) Opulent settings, mobile cam-pilot (Robert Clarke) somehow breaking through the
erawork (including some striking P.O.V. shots), an entime barrier and landing in the year 2024, only to find grossing premise, and the occasional chill elevate The humans living underground while dealing with sur-Black Torment above many of its period horror-mys-face-dwelling mutants— not to mention shoddy spe-
tery brethren. John Turner stars as Sir Richard, who cial effects, tepid thesping and poor pacing.

returns to his ancestral manor home after a three-
month honeymoon with his new bride, only to be con-
fronted with tales of him having returned earlier to commit brutal rape and murder! Then there’s the
seeming specter of his first wife (who committed suicide four years ago) lurking about the grounds. Has Sir Richard gone mad, or is there some other, more
sinister explanation? Though the film’s first half sustains a goodly amount of suspense, and Turner is both dynamic and convincing as the indignant and aghast

Sir Richard, the answer soon becomes obvious, and
the seen-it-coming-a-league-away “revelation” is followed by a protracted and unnecessary sword fight
whose foregone conclusion marks it as tedious rather than exciting. While no classic in either the mystery or horror departments, The Black Torment still offers enough convincing acting and period atmosphere to
make it worth a look for fans of British cinema.

The Blancheville Monster (1964; AI-TV/

Columbus- Llama-Titanus; Italy-Spain; b&w) Alternate Title: Horror. This deservedly obscure Italian-Spanish import centers on the cursed house of de

Blancheville. There’s a father hidden away in a crumbling tower who’s been horribly disfigured in a fire, a sinister doctor lurking about the estate exchanging pointed glances with the dubious housekeeper, a murderous brother, and a sister who ends up buried alive.

This pressbook cover sports a fantastical futuristic The plot is convoluted, the acting melodramatic, and cityscape that is nowhere to be found Beyond the
whatever supposed “surprise” twists and turns the

Time Barrier (1960).

story supplies are easily guessed half way through the

438

Blind; Blood

3. MORE MOVIES
film. On the plus side, the movie possesses some won-bright red spotlight on the vampire mom whenever
derfully eerie sets, filled with towering walls of stone, she’s up and about (perhaps in a misguided effort to deep shadows and sinister woodlands straight out of disguise her frailty?). For those viewers patient enough a Gothic novel. But nothing truly interesting ever hap-to sit through all the hand-wringing Harlequinisms, pens in these impressive settings. And, most disap-however, things ultimately take a deliciously bizarre pointing of all, in the end there really is no
turn (even for a Filipino film) when the ghost of

“Blancheville Monster.”

Leonora’s lover (killed by Eduardo) returns to protect Leonora from the bloodthirsty (and implied sexual)

Blind Man’s Bluff see Cauldron of
advances of her own brother. Torch-wielding villagers,

Blood
carrying statues of the Virgin Mary and various saints, and led by a priest and a gaggle of nuns(!), add yet another almost surreal element to the unique finale.

The Blood of Fu Manchu see Kiss and

But all this pales (pun intended) next to the inexpli-

Kill
cable fact that the various servants at the estate appear to be wearing blackface! Some crude but effective am-

Blood of the Vampires (1966/71; Hemisphere bient colored lighting (annoying red spotlights ex-Pictures; Philippines) Alternate Titles: Curse of the cepted) lends the proceedings an almost fairy tale-like Vampires; Creatures of Evil. An uneasy mix of soap quality, enhancing the strangeness of the film’s final opera and horror, Blood of the Vampires (which took third. It’s just too bad that for its first hour Blood of five years to make it to the U.S. when Hemisphere
the Vampires is more like Melodrama of the Lovers.

picked it up cheap) centers on a wealthy family whose supposedly deceased matriarch has become a vampire.

Blood of the Virgins (1967; Argentina) Original For ten years the father has secretly kept her locked in Language Title: Sangre de Virgenes. The first (and only, a dungeon-like room at the ancestral estate. But the to date) Argentinean vampire film, Blood of the Virgins eldest son, Eduardo (Eddie Garcia), stumbles upon
has a trio of swinging young couples run out of gas the horrible secret and unwittingly lets the bat out of and seek shelter at an abandoned mountain lodge.

the bag, resulting in vampirism running rampant.

Unfortunately, said structure is home to a vampire

Such an intriguingly perverse scenario (rife with the couple; with the buxom vampiress seducing the guys, themes of disease and incest, including an infected and her mate putting the bite on the girls. This fairly Eduardo making a play for his sister Leonora) becomes generic storyline veers off the expected path with its bogged down by the tedious melodramatic subplots
frequent nudity (including topless go-go dancing
involving the grown siblings and their tepid romantic filmed from angles that might even give Russ Meyer
troubles. Adding insult to injury, the slight, elderly pause) and some bloodletting that nearly out–Ham-female vampire (Amalia Fuentes) inspires pity rather mers Hammer. A few red-tinted shots of seagulls (rep-than terror (her husband keeps her in line via frequent resenting the vampires taking flight, perhaps?) and beatings with a whip). Director Gerardo de Leon (who some evocative nighttime photography add an arty
went on to helm the cheesy yet far more enjoyable
quality to the proceedings, but the gratuitous nudity

“Blood Island” brace Mad Doctor of Blood Island and and spurting blood ground it firmly in the exploitation Brides of Blood) doesn’t help matters by shining a camp. Suffering from a languid pace and lack of any significant characterization, Blood
of the Virgins still makes for an off-
beat, mildly titillating detour into
horror cinema, 60s-style. Initially
banned in its home country, Blood
of the Virgins wasn’t seen in Ar-
gentina until 1974. Even worse, it
was never seen theatrically in the

U.S., surfacing on DVD over three
decades later.

The Blood Rose (1969/70;

Transatlantic Films/Allied Artists;

France) Original Language Title :

La Rose Escorchée. Alternate Title:

Ravaged (UK). How far would you
go for love? That’s the implied
question posited by this bizarre,
engrossing, and visually stunning
variation on the Horror Chamber of

Dr. Faustus/ Awful Dr. Orlof/Cor-
ruption theme (filmed at the tail
end of the sixties, but not released

Amelia Fuentes rests (temporarily, anyway) in her coffin in Blood of
in the U.S. until 1970). A famous
the Vampires, a 1966 Filipino horror released Stateside in 1971.

artist (and notorious hedonist)

3. MORE MOVIES

Blood; Bloodthirsty; Bloody; Brain

439
finds his one true love and muse, but on the day of their nuptials she’s horribly burned in a fire. As he despondently struggles to cope with his new role as caretaker for his embittered, reclusive, disfigured spouse, circumstances bring to him a disgraced doctor (played by the original Dr. Orlof himself, Howard Vernon)

who may just have the answer — one that involves mutilation and murder. Refreshingly, The Blood Rose is more concerned with character and moral dilemmas
than murder and surgical gore. (In fact, the story ends before the planned surgery can begin.) Though this
may disappoint the gorehound, some uncanny im-
agery and disturbing occurrences— often involving a pair of animalistic dwarves and a hybrid plant whose touch means death (the artist also dabbles in horti-culture)—create a bizarre, almost surreal atmosphere sure to hold the attention of the more adventurous
cinephile. Technically, the picture looks nearly as poetic as its title, the color-drenched lighting and fluid photography taking full advantage of both the breathtaking chateau setting and gorgeous female cast members. The plentiful nudity carries a casual sensuality seemingly found only in European productions, as opposed to the leering adolescent Hollywood (or sub–

Hollywood) approach, making this a far more adult —
and effective — treatise on sex and death than the
typical American product of the time. Strangely af-
fecting with its uniquely poetic tone and odd,
conflicted characters, The Blood Rose offers far more than its crass American tag-line of “The First Sex-Horror Film Ever Made” might suggest.

No-budget Staten Island “auteur” Andy Milligan
shot Torture Dungeon in 1969 using a single 16mm

Blood Thirst (1965/71; Chevron Pictures; U.S./
camera; it was released in early 1970 on a double-Philippines; b&w) Filmed in 1965 but not released in bill with another Milligan horror, Bloodthirsty
the U.S. until 1971— in support of the better-known (but no better) British horror Blood Suckers (aka In-

Butchers.

cense for the Damned and Doctors Wear Scarlet)— this Filipino/U.S. coproduction has an American detective Milligan himself, alternating between locked-down

(Robert Winston) arrive in Manila to help his Police staginess and hand-held shakiness), muddy lighting, Inspector friend (low-budget Filipino perennial Vic tinny sound, wall-to-wall library music, and banal

Diaz) investigate a rash of murders in which young, talk, talk, talk. Apart from two hand-choppings (com-beautiful women have been completely drained of
plete with dime-store rubber appendage) and a breast-blood. With too much of its meager running time de-
baked-in-a-pie (looking like a huge Hershey’s Kiss), voted to the somewhat tedious investigation (and a
the film spends all its time on mean-spirited palaver silly subplot involving the laughable romance between among amateur thespians. Milligan himself called
the smarmy detective and his friend’s petulant sister), Bloodthirsty Butchers “very claustrophobic, it doesn’t Blood Thirst threatens to become cinematic Sominex.

have quality to it ... the reason you work so close in Fortunately, some atmospheric nighttime photogra-low budget is there’s no sets, you can’t show any-
phy (nearly every scene takes place after dark); surthing.” Star John Miranda (as Sweeney Todd, the one prisingly competent and almost-noirish lighting; the bright spot in this impoverished travesty) concurred: occasional glimpse of a “monster” that looks like his

“I thought this was all madness, it was ridiculous, no-head was dipped in lumps of lard (a unique and not
body’s ever gonna go see this and he’s not gonna be altogether ineffective appearance); some genuinely
able to sell it.... When it played on Broadway I had to funny humor centering on an undercover policeman
stand in line.” Caveat emptor.

with only one leg(!); and a novel take on the old Eter-With quotes from: The Ghastly One, by Jimmy nal Life chestnut manages to make Blood Thirst a pass-McDonough.

able, if not particularly memorable, 73 minutes of offbeat entertainment.

The Bloody Dead see Creature with
the Blue Hand

Bloodthirsty Butchers (1969/70; Constitution Films) This late-sixties (filmed in ’69 but not released

The Brain (1962/64; British Lion/Governor; until 1970) take on the Sweeney Todd story by no-U.K./West Germany; b&w) Original Titles: Vengeance budget Staten Island “auteur” Andy Milligan ( The (U.K.), Ein Toter Sucht Seinen Mörder ( A Dead Man Ghastly Ones) offers only cramped camerawork (by Seeks His Murderer), West Germany. Freddie Francis

440

Brides; Burning

3. MORE MOVIES
directed this third screen adaptation of Curt Siod-

The Burning Court (1963; Trans Lux, Inc.; mak’s 1942 novel Donovan’s Brain, about a tyrannical France/Italy/West Germany; b&w) Original Language millionaire (here renamed Max Holt) whose brain is

Title: La Chambre Ardente. Though this Euro-import kept alive after his body dies. Holt is killed in a plane begins with talk of an ancient family curse involving crash, but his brain is rescued by a pair of medical re-a witch burned at the stake, it quickly devolves into searchers with a nearby laboratory. Afterward the
an overlong (102 minute) murder mystery concerning
brain begins to exert telepathic control over one of the scientists (Peter Van Eyck), compelling him to investigate Holt’s death — which it suspects was sabotage rather than an accident. Although often adapted (and even more often ripped off ), Donovan’s Brain isn’t a very cinematic story; it’s too static, talky and laboratory-bound, and The Brain is a particularly listless version, playing more like a quirky murder mystery
than science fiction or horror. To make matters worse, the film’s German backers insisted that a German be revealed as Holt’s murderer even though the script assigned guilt to a character played by an English actor.

To resolve this conundrum, different final sequences were shot for the English and German language releases. To save money, however, different versions
were filmed only for the mystery’s resolution; all the preceding scenes had to be staged and acted so that either solution could apply. Perhaps as a result, Francis’ direction proves uncharacteristically pedestrian and the cast’s performances run-of-the-mill. The
whole picture seems tepid and noncommittal. Both
previous screen versions of the story — Donovan’s Brain (1953) and even the Poverty Row The Lady and the Monster (1944)— make for livelier viewing.

The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966; Anglo-Amalgamated/Seven Arts; UK/W. Germany) This second
entry in producer/screenwriter Harry Alan Towers’

five-film Fu Manchu series (inaugurated in 1965 with The Face of Fu Manchu) offered more production values (including an impressive Egyptian-style temple
set for Fu’s underground lair) and tighter action and pacing than all the subsequent Fu’s put together. A fairly sumptuous and entertain-One-sheet poster for The Brain (1962/64).

ing extension of the nefarious ac-
tivities of Sax Rohmer’s infa-
mous “Yellow Peril,” Brides has

Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee)

kidnap 12 beautiful girls, all
wives or daughters of influential
industrialists or leading scien-
tists, and hold them hostage to
insure their families’ cooperation
in his plans of world domination
via the building of a powerful
sound-wave death machine.

Though Christopher Lee labeled

Brides “the first step down the
slippery slope that leads to over-
exposure to a character in inad-
equate films,” that step actually
came with the next installment,
the tepid Vengeance of Fu

Manchu. Then indeed it was all
downhill for Fu.

With quotes from: The Films
of Christopher Lee, by Pohle and

Hart.

Rupert Davies, Christopher Lee and various Brides of Fu Manchu (1966).

3. MORE MOVIES

Captain; Castle; Catacombs; Cauldron

441
the obvious poisoning of the eccentric patriarch of a

“living, beating” heart magically locked in a tower, French family. With too many characters (bickering
making himself invulnerable) in order to rescue a
brothers; a young writer and his wife; various nurses, princess and save the kingdom. Filmed at the Bavaria maids and family friends; and even a disgraced doc-Studios in Munich, this “basic fairy tale,” as director tor), and lacking a unifying detective character, the Byron ( War of the Worlds, Robinson Crusoe on Mars) plot meanders from person to person without focus.

Haskin characterized it, rarely steps beyond the

And the subplot involving the writer’s wife (played by bounds of juvenile adventure, with its simple story, Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus star Edith Scob — this obvious acting, comical music and crude effects (the time un masked) being a direct descendent of the con-antagonist’s disembodied heart is actually heart-demned witch goes absolutely nowhere. While the dull shaped, looking like a silk valentines pillow!). It only Burning Court does offer one instance of a disappear-flirts with the horrific when Sinbad fights a disaping/reappearing corpse, it’s certainly no Diabolique.

pointingly invisible monster (revealed only by oversized footprints and a lion’s roar) and later perfunc-

Captain Clegg see Night Creatures
torily dispatches a rubbery hydra. Captain Sinbad did well financially for MGM and even inspired a pro-

Captain Nemo and the Underwater City
posed TV series, though it never made it past the pilot (1969; Omina; U.K.) This juvenile-targeted underwa-stage.

ter adventure fantasy stars Robert Ryan (quite a ways With quotes from: A Directors Guild of America
from such classics as The Dirty Dozen and The Wild Oral History: Byron Haskin, by Joe Adamson.

Bunch) as Captain Nemo, who has built a huge domed city “10,000 fathoms beneath the surface of the ocean.”

The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969/72; Interna-Greedy plotting by the bad guys, lovely underwater
tional Cinema; W. Germany/Italy/Spain/U.K.) Origi-
photography, adequate miniature special effects and nal Language Title : Die Folterkammer des Dr. Fu battles with a monstrous mutant manta ray named

Manchu. Alternate Titles: Assignment Istanbul (U.K.),

“Mobula” make this passable Saturday matinee fare

The Torture Chamber of Fu Manchu. This fifth and for the pre-teen set, but it quickly turns tedious for final entry in the Christopher Lee-Fu Manchu series those past puberty.

(begun with 1965’s The Face of Fu Manchu) is also the worst. While most of the blame can be laid at the feet

Captain Sinbad (1963; MGM; U.S./W. Germany) of Eurohack director Jesus (Jess) Franco (whose point-Guy “Zorro” Williams plays Sinbad, who must face
less zooms, sloppy compositions, muddy photography
off against a literally heartless villain (who keeps his and tedious pacing make this an almost unwatchable
bore), producer-scripter Harry Alan Towers (who su-
pervised and wrote all five entries, often employing a pseudonym) must face the music as well, given his
lackluster, muddled story of the nefarious Fu Manchu taking over a castle in Turkey to launch his plan of holding the world hostage via a new secret weapon
that can freeze the world’s oceans. “Franco is still working today, but why is anyone’s guess,” sniped

Towers to interviewer Terry Pace. “As long as there’s a zoom lens left in the world, he’ll be working, I imagine.” “The world shall hear from me again!” pro-
nounces Fu’s disembodied, superimposed head at the
end of The Tedium— er, Castle of Fu Manchu. Thank God this proved an idle threat. (Note: Though released in the U.K. in 1969, the movie didn’t make it to America until three years later.)

Catacombs see The Woman Who

Wouldn’t Die

Cauldron of Blood (1967/71; Cannon; Italy/Spain) Alternate Title: Blind Man’s Bluff; Original Language Title: El Coleccionista de Cadáveres. Filmed in three months in early 1967, Cauldron of Blood wasn’t released Stateside until August 1971 when Cannon dis-
tributed it on a double bill with Crucible of Horror.

Boris Karloff ’s only dive into Eurotrash (he’d made the Italian Black Sabbath earlier in the decade, but the

“trash” appellation can’t be applied to that stylish Mario Bava-directed classic), Cauldron owns a repu-Guy Williams and the “basic fairy tale” thrills of tation that is far less than it deserves. Karloff plays a

Captain Sinbad (1963) (Spanish one-sheet poster).

blind sculptor living at an artists’ colony on Spain’s

442

Circus; Colossus; Conqueror

3. MORE MOVIES

Colossus of the Stone Age see Fire

Monsters Against the Son of Hercules

Colossus: The Forbin Project (1969/70; Universal) Alternate Title : The Forbin Project. A taut, gripping translation from book to screen (a rarity in Hollywood), Colossus: The Forbin Project is a top-notch techno-horror. It was filmed in 1969 as Colossus (the name of the 1966 D.F. Jones source novel), but the Universal brass felt the solitary moniker conjured up images of Steve Reeves and gladiators, and so initially changed it to The Forbin Project upon its 1970
release. The studio altered the name yet again to its final Colossus: The Forbin Project when the early box office take proved disappointing, but the movie still remained fiscally fitful ( Colossus didn’t even make back its reported $2 million cost until sold to television). The story has ultra-sophisticated, sentient defense computers— the American supercomputer
dubbed “Colossus” and its Soviet counterpart named

“Guardian”— link up to hold the world in the palm of Boris Karloff as the blind sculptor Charles Bad-their circuits by threatening nuclear devastation in an effort to extort from mankind an unwanted utopia
ulescu in the underrated Cauldron of Blood
ruled by the two computers. Charles Forbin (Eric

(1967/71).

Braeden), the principal builder of Colossus, then attempts to outwit and disconnect his technological

Costa del Sol who unknowingly uses real skeletons as Frankenstein Monster. Planned as a three-hour TV
armatures for his statues (murder victims procured
movie, Colossus was bumped from the small to big by his domineering wife and her secret accomplice).

screen, with TV writer and future Oscar nominee

Jean-Pierre Aumont plays a bon vivante magazine

James Bridges ( The Paper Chase, The China Syndrome) writer who stumbles across the horrible truth. Filled commissioned to pen the script. Bridges often visited with bright colors (both in the lighting and the

Universal’s infamous Black Tower, where he drew
wardrobe), gorgeous seascapes and plenty of scantily-some particularly apropos inspiration. “In the base-clad Eurobabes, the often-atmospheric film offers
ment of Universal,” recalled Bridges, “there was this some well-photographed and suspenseful stalking se-enormous computer that people in white smocks
quences, and mobile and innovative camerawork, that seemed to be serving. I wanted to write the film in belies the hack job its reputation suggests. The film that sterile atmosphere. I would go down and visit the also allows the ailing Karloff, who would be dead in computer.” Colossus itself was played by a $4.8 mil-two years (long before this film’s U.S. release), a few lion electronics system furnished free of charge by the more moments to shine in the sun (with the octoge-publicity-hungry Control Data Corporation (CDC).

narian actor’s dialogue delivery, tinged with resigna-According to the film’s pressbook, said computer “‘ate’

tion and sadness and just a touch of sarcastic bitter-more than $300 worth of electricity every day during ness, speaking volumes about his character). Karloff, the more that two months required to film the pic-already in Spain in ’67 for the filming of an I Spy ture.” Colossus: The Forbin Project is an entertaining, episode (entitled “Mainly on the Plains”), was actually well-acted technological nightmare whose intelligent a last-minute replacement for Claude Rains, who died screenplay presents a gripping portrayal of the threat shortly before shooting began. Granted, the movie’s of nuclear devastation and the near-worse solution of pace lags at times, with too much footage eaten up by computer domination and resultant loss of freedom.

silly hedonistic parties and beach shenanigans; and Bill Gates beware.

some cheesy stock inserts of stormy skies and lightWith quotes from: “Colossus: The Forbin Project—
ning, not to mention a gratuitous shot of Karloff ’s An Overlooked Classic,” by Jim George and Fred Sze-silly-putty scarred eye sockets, expose the production’s bin, Starlog, December 1986.

low-budget roots. But though no classic, this quirky, sometimes giallo-esque penultimate cinematic entry
on Karloff ’s resume (followed only by the dismal The

The Conqueror of Atlantis (1965; Copro Film; Crimson Cult and the barely-released quartet of Mexi-Italy/Egypt) Original Language Title: Il Conquistatore movies he later shot back to back in Los Angeles) de-di Atlantide. Alternate Title : Kingdom in the Sand serves to be seen by Karloff fans and Eurotrash en-

(UK). In this sci-fi-tinged peplum, Kirk Morris stars thusiasts alike.

as Heracles (though a Hercules by any other name oils up just as sweetly), who encounters the remnants of Atlantis beneath the Egyptian desert(!). There he must

Circus of Fear see Psycho Circus
deal with a gas-filled chamber, ray guns and several skinny robot-men created from corpses. This sounds

Circus of Terror see Psycho Circus
far more entertaining than it actually is, since the low

3. MORE MOVIES

Conquest; Crack; Creation

443
budget dictated sparse sets, sparse actors (Atlantis consists of one queen, one evil scientist [sporting a green beard and matching eye shadow!], half-a-dozen female guards, and a gaggle of gold-faced, blue jumpsuit-wearing robo-men), and sparse action, with
much of the running time consisting of riding, walking or talking in the desert. Worst of all, the expected climactic destruction of Atlantis is tossed off with a simple puff of smoke on the Atlantean lab set (caused by Heracles grabbing one of those handy you’ll-blow-us-all-to-atoms levers that seem to be standard issue for every mad scientist’s lab) and one character telling us that the volcano erupted and destroyed the underground city. Atlantis deserved better.

The Conquest of Mycenae (1963/65; Embassy; Italy/France) Original Language Title: Ercole Contro Molock. Alternate Titles: Hercules Against Moloch, Hercules vs. the Moloch. In ancient Greece, Glaucus (American Gordon Scott) infiltrates the enemy city
state of Mycenae to overthrow the evil queen (Eu-
rostar Rosalba Neri) and her cult of Moloch, who sacrifice hostages and young girls to the “living embodiment of the god Moloch” (actually the queen’s
deformed son, who wears a jackal mask to hide his
hideous visage and shoots arrows into his sacrificial slaves for fun; Moloch also appears to be able to conjure up hellish flames on command). This above-av-
erage peplum offers some expansive sets, atmospheric lighting (particularly in Moloch’s underground grotto, in which the colored pools of light and shadow are almost Bavaesque), large-scale pillage-and-destroy sequences, and impressive battle scenes, though some

The Creation of the Humanoids poster (1962) of the latter were lifted from the same director’s (Gior-

(courtesy Ted Okuda).

gio Ferroni) earlier The Trojan Horse (1961). This is a Hercules film in name only, since, despite the title, Glaucus employs the “Hercules” moniker only as a

Cue the stock lava footage and Irwin Allenesque melo-cover to hide his true identity as the prince of a neigh-drama as they race against time to stop the destruction boring city state; and, though remarkably strong, he of the planet in this overblown, overacted time-killer.

never claims to be the legendary demigod.

The Creation of the Humanoids (1962; Emer-

Crack in the World (1965; Paramount) This son) In the world of the future after “the Atomic War,”

“semi-science fiction thriller” (as Paramount’s pub-Man has rebuilt society using humanoid robots. With licity department labeled it) stars Dana Andrews,
each succeeding series of androids, disparagingly

Kieron Moore and Janette Scott as scientists whose
called “clickers,” becoming more and more sentient,

“Project Inner Space” (involving the detonation of a the machines press for equality with the humans.

nuclear device at the earth’s core in order to harness Fearful of the overthrow of humanity, a fascistic
the energy held in the magma there) develops a literal

“Order of Flesh and Blood” arises (complete with
crack in the world that threatens to rip the Earth apart.

“uniforms, boots, [and] little silver knives to rattle,”

as one pro-robot character con-
temptuously observes). Obscure,
low-budget (with jumpsuits re-
cycled from This Island Earth,
and an Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
prop standing in for a prototype
robot), and preachy, Creation of
the Humanoids becomes a sci-fi
screed on prejudice and progress
in which the characters (both
human and robot) do little but
talk, talk, and talk. Static photog-
raphy, unending master shots,
and stiff acting (the humans
sound as robotic as the androids)

444

Creature; Creatures; Crimson

3. MORE MOVIES
complete the picture of futuristic boredom. “I’ve given Hand,” an armored glove covered in razor-sharp
you a negative feeling, I must apologize,” says one spikes, to execute members of the Emerson family —
robot to a human; but this could just as well be dibut is it “crazy” David or his “sane” twin, Richard rected at the nodding viewer.

(also Kinski), or someone else entirely? Inevitably based on an Edgar Wallace story, Blue Hand gleefully

Creature of Destruction (1967; AIP-TV) By the incorporates every old-dark-house and Ten Little In-1960s, baritone-voiced radio star and movie character dians cliché in the book. It’s almost overstuffed with actor Les Tremayne had fallen on hard times, as evi-suspicious, kooky characters and hair-raising set
denced by his appearance in this shot-on-16mm-and-
pieces, including one involving a room full of hungry released-directly-to-the-airwaves (uncredited) re-rats. Director Alfred Vohrer was one of the masters of make of The She-Creature (1956). Tremayne had the krimi form (he also helmed the highly regarded
previously appeared in a number of low-budget hor-

Dead Eyes of London, The Hunchback of Soho, The Col-rors— The Monolith Monsters (1957), The Monster of lege Girl Murders and Strangler of Blackmoor Castle, Piedras Blancas (1959), Angry Red Planet (1960), The among others), and Blue Hand stands among his best Slime People (1963)— all of them entertaining to one work, briskly paced and full of off beat, eye-catching degree or another. The same can not be said of Larry compositions. But the main attraction is Kinski,

Buchanan’s Creature of Destruction, which proved to whose dual performance is typically intense, some-be a career low for the then-54-year-old actor. The times overripe but always compelling. Although re-old pro does his best to breathe life into this dull-as-leased in West Germany in 1967, Creature with the Blue a-doornail exercise in tedium (typified by dim day-Hand wasn’t seen in U.S. theaters until 1971, where it for-night photography, cheap motel-room sets, tinny finally emerged on a twin bill with Beast of the Yellow sound, and risible Halloween-costumed “monster”),

Night. In 2003 it reached DVD double-featured with with Tremayne’s final soliloquy actually proving

The Bloody Dead, a bastardized re-edit of Creature rather touching (a real rarity in a Buchanan “opus”).

with the Blue Hand that includes newly shot, poorly Whenever Tremayne is onscreen, Creature of Destruc-integrated gore sequences and nudity. Stick with the tion becomes (almost) bearable; when he’s absent, so original version.

is viewer interest.

Creatures of Evil see Blood of the

Creature with the Blue Hand (1967/71; Independent International; West Germany) Original Title:

Vampires

Die Blaue Hand. Alternate Title : The Bloody Dead (DVD). Among the scores of German “krimi” mys-

The Crimson Cult (1968/1970; Tigon/AIP; U.K.) tery-thrillers produced during the 1960s, few are more Alternate Title: The Curse of the Crimson Altar (U.K.).

entertaining than this wild and woolly yarn about an After an eye-popping opening sequence (in which a
escaped lunatic (Klaus Kinski) who may or may not
near-topless dominatrix in black pasties whips a
be assassinating his relatives on a stormy night at the bound blonde for the amusement of an audience that
secluded family estate. Someone is using “the Blue includes a monk with a goat, a naked woman holding
a chicken and Barbara Steele in
blue body paint and a ram-horned
headdress), this witchcraft yarn
quickly loses steam and turns into
a disappointingly ordinary picture.

The letdown is particularly acute
because The Crimson Cult boasts
one of the finest casts ever assem-
bled for a horror film, headlined by

Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee,
along with Steele and fan favorites

Michael Gough and Rupert Davies.

Unfortunately, most of the screen
time belongs to Mark Eden, play-
ing a young antiques dealer who
travels to a remote English village
in search of his younger brother
and becomes entangled in a web of
intrigue surrounding lovely young

Eve Morley (Virginia Wetherell),
her unctuous uncle (Lee) and
weird old Professor March

(Karloff ). Gough is consigned to a
thankless part as the Morley’s stut-

Ad for the 1967 horror-tinged “krimi” Creature with the Blue Hand, tering manservant, and Davies is
released in the U.S. in 1971 on a chromatic double-bill with Beast of
similarly wasted in a tiny role as
the Yellow Night.

the local vicar. The Morleys, it

3. MORE MOVIES

Crypt; Cult; Curse

445

Cult of the Damned see Isle of the

Snake People

The Curse of the Crimson Altar see

The Crimson Cult

Curse of the Swamp Creature (1966; AIP-TV)

“Never make a swamp picture,” producer-director

Larry Buchanan warned interviewer Greg Goodsell,

“your film comes back and it’s all ... strange.” Sadly, in the hands of the creator of The Eye Creatures, Mars Needs Women and Zontar, the Thing from Venus,

“strange” invariably translates into “boring.” In the mid–1960s, AIP contracted with Texas-based filmmaker Buchanan to produce a series of no-budget horror movies (most of them remakes of old AIP sci-fi
properties) that could be sold directly to television.

Unlike other Buchanan opuses (like Creature of Destruction, Eye Creatures and Zontar), Curse was filmed from an original script (by failed Buchanan actor Tony Huston). Actually, that’s not quite true; Huston stole the basic premise from AIP’s Voodoo Woman, but made enough changes (none of which are improve-ments) in the setting and story to fob it off as “original.” As a result, Swamp Creature lacks even the minimal interest that Buchanan’s schlocky remakes
possess. Shot in 16mm on a budget of around $25,000, Barbara Steele as the evil witch Lavinia, who presides over The Crimson Cult (1968/70).

seems, are descended from a witch (Steele, naturally) who was burned at the stake but vowed to return from the grave and take vengeance on her slayers. Despite a lot of spooky build-up, the story’s highly implausible resolution dismisses the supernatural in favor of a banal cop-out ending. Lee, playing yet another mysterious aristocrat, fares well here, but Karloff — near the end of his life and confined to a wheelchair —
musters little more than sing-song, Grinchy line readings and an occasional roll of the eyes. Steele has virtually no screen time or lines. Although not impressed with the film, Lee remembers the production fondly
because it enabled him to work with Karloff a final time. “Boris Karloff was in very bad shape — in a
wheelchair actually — yet never, never called attention to his physical condition, never asked for or expected special treatment,” Lee said. “He did his job as he always did and showed all of us on the picture the meaning of courage and dignity.” Although issued in En-
gland as The Curse of the Crimson Altar in December 1968, American International shortened the title to The Crimson Cult for the film’s belated American release in April 1970.

With quotes from: The Christopher Lee Filmogra-
phy, by Tom Johnson and Mark Miller.

Crypt of Horror see Terror in the

Dr. Trent’s “beautiful indestructible fish-man”

(note the ping pong eyeballs) dumps his creator

Crypt

(Jeff Alexander) into an alligator-infested swimming pool at the close of Larry Buchanan’s Curse

Crypt of the Vampire see Terror in the
of the Swamp Creature (released directly to televi-

Crypt
sion in 1966).

446

Curse; Cyborg; Dagora; Daleks’

3. MORE MOVIES

Swamp Creature may not be Buchanan’s worst film time-killing sequence of four “teens” grooving to

(1969’s It’s Alive wins that [dis]honor), but it comes generic 60s instrumental rock music; and the flat, tel-in a close second. Curse’s story has a mad doctor turn-evision-style direction from TV veteran Franklin
ing people into fish-creatures (he refers to his latest Adreon, and Cyborg 2087 looks as tired as the 63-year-creation as “my beautiful indestructible fish-man”) old Adreon must have felt (he retired from filmmaking deep in the Texas swampland. Bare-bones sets, ama-this same year). Apart from Michael ( The Day the teurish acting (an extremely sedentary John Agar

Earth Stood Still) Rennie doing his patented unemo-looks tired and has little to do except sit around and tional “alien” routine while wearing yet another jump-smoke cigarettes), pacing that’s more sluggish than suit and silver boots, about the only reason to watch the bayou current, deadening dialogue, dim lighting, Cyborg 2087 is to visit an obvious early inspiration for tinny sound (much of it was shot silent with the sound James Cameron’s Terminator series.

and dialogue dubbed in later — people frequently say their lines without even moving their lips!) and

Dagora , the Space Monster (1964/65; muddy photography make this picture a firm con-Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) Alternate Title: Space Monster tender in any Worst Movie contest. “We shot some of Dogora. Original Language Title: Uchu Daikaiju Do-the interiors in Dallas,” recalled female lead Francine gora. This minor, and extremely odd, giant monster York, “but a lot of it was shot in Uncertain, Texas, movie blends elements of the kaiju eiga (giant mon-way out in the boondocks” (an apropos choice, given ster) and yakuza (gangster) genres, and plays both for the decidedly “uncertain” nature of the movie’s enter-laughs. The wacky scenario involves parallel stories: tainment value). Viewers beware, for Curse of the In one, a straight-arrow detective and an unpre-Swamp Creature is actually the Curse of the Couch Po-dictable international agent join forces to bring in a tato.

gang of jewel thieves. In the other, mutant “space cells”

With quotes from: It Came from Hunger, by Larry merge to form Dagora, a sort of giant space jellyfish.

Buchanan; “Anatomy of a Doll: A Candid Conversa-

The monster feeds on diamonds and can only be
tion with Francine York,” by Anthony Petkovich,
harmed by wasp venom. (Huh?) Dagora remains Shock Cinema no. 37, 2009.

memorable as one of Toho’s few kaiju eiga not to feature a rubber suit monster. Instead, the creature is a

Curse of the Vampires see Blood of the
puppet in some scenes, and animated in others. Con-
sistently, however, the visual effects are top-drawer.

Vampires

Perhaps not surprisingly for a film this off beat, Dagora never received a theatrical release in the U.S. It re-

Cyborg 2087 (1966; Feature Film Corp. of America) mains a mildly amusing curiosity.

Alternate Title : Man from Tomorrow. Cyborg 2087
starts off promisingly enough, with the opening cred-

Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 (Amicus; 1966) its unspooling over a painting of a fantastical futuristic Despite complaints by Dr. Who fans, who carped
cityscape typical of the 1960s (all oddly-shaped towers about its deviations from the tenets of the BBC TV
and elevated platforms). Unfortunately, that’s all we’ll series upon which it was based, Amicus’ Dr. Who and see of the titular year 2087, since, after a brief opening the Daleks proved profitable enough to ensure a se-scene in a sparse lab room, the action shifts exclusively quel. In Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 Dr. Who (Peter to (then) present-day 1966. Michael Rennie is cyborg Cushing), along with his two granddaughters ( Jill

Garth A7 sent back to the year 1966 to stop a professor Curzon and Roberta Tovey) and a luckless policeman
giving a demonstration of his work in “radiotelepa-

(Bernard Cribbins), travel into the future and find thy”— work that will directly result in civilization be-England overrun by the Daleks, the mechanized ex-
coming a thought-controlled police state. “The war-
traterrestrial villains from Amicus’ first Who entry.

lords of tomorrow will use radiotelepathy for evil

To save the Earth, the doctor must foil a plot by the purposes,” sums up Garth. With no significant horror Daleks and their “roboticized” human henchmen to
elements (apart from the two “bad” government cy-
extract the earth’s magnetic core and pilot the planet borgs sent to stop Garth, nobody even dies!), the film around the galaxy like a giant space ship. Shot on a offers only a few (minor) sci-fi trappings in the form budget double that of the first Amicus Dr. Who epic, of cheesy ray guns, a tiny panel with blinking lights Daleks has a much different look — more realistic, with taped to Rennie’s chest (the only way we know he’s
far better special effects (especially the Daleks’ art deco

“half-man, half-machine”) and a time-travel device
flying saucer). But the sequel retains the light-hearted, that looks something like a giant suppository. The only family-friendly tone of the original. Most of the cast significant special effects involve the “time capsule”

and crew returned for the follow-up, including star appearing and disappearing via a simple stop-the-Peter Cushing (whose Who is even better the second
camera technique perfected back in the nineteenth
time around) and director Gordon Flemyng (here bet-
century by Georges Méliès (at film’s end, when the
ter able to display his flair for action sequences). Un-device supposedly departs in the blink of eye, the sud-fortunately, Milton Subtotsky’s second Dr. Who
den, incongruous appearance of a long shadow cast by screenplay proves a bit lumpier than his first, with a the tree in the foreground — which was totally absent couple of dull passages and some ill-timed comedy
a mere second before — speaks volumes about the level scenes balanced out by some surprisingly provocative of care taken). Add to that a climax consisting of mun-material dealing with collaborators and war profiteers.

dane fisticuffs (on an old western ghost town set, no It all adds up to a picture that’s no less enjoyable than less) between Garth and a pursuing cyborg; a lengthy, the initial Dr. Who romp, but not quite as much fun

3. MORE MOVIES

Damned; Dance; Day

447
as it could have been. Although Amicus’ Dr. Who se-
ries ended after this second entry, the cult BBC TV
series, which began in 1963, continued until 1989.

After a hiatus, during which the character appeared in made-for-TV movies, Dr. Who returned to television in 2005 and continues to the present. The character has also been featured in numerous book and
comic book adaptations. Although several attempts
to return Dr. Who to feature films have failed in the past, as of this writing yet another try was in preproduction.

The Damned see These Are the

Damned

Dance of the Damned see Macabre

Serenade

Day of the Nightmare (1965; Governor Films; b&w) Alternate Title: Don’t Scream, Doris Mays. Offering some fleeting nudity in place of suspense or scares, this torpid sexploitationer tries to be a steamy entry in the gender-bending Psycho/ Homicidal subset, but only aggravates rather than titillates. A sexually-confused artist becomes involved with a woman
stalker who goes after the artist’s wife ... or so it seems.

The big “twist” is telegraphed reels in advance, and the only diversions gleaned from this overlong jumble of wasted opportunities (the one murder comes in such a perfunctory fashion that it induces more yawns than chills) are watching Cliff Fields’ risible over-the-top whimpering as the troubled artist and wondering Ad trumpeting the realistic end-of-the-world ter-what one-time Oscar nominee John Ireland(!) was
rors of The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961).

thinking as he moped about the low-rent locations
playing a dour detective. Elena Verdugo (the vivacious gypsy love-interest from House of Frankenstein) puts up Thames riverbed, heat mist rising and blanketing in a brief cameo as the artist’s cheerful boss.

London, and sudden cyclones overturning cars and
knocking down billboards) with the more personal

The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961; British story of the protagonists trying to make sense of their Lion/Universal International; U.K.; b&w) “It was own lives in the face of possible annihilation. “We can something that had been going around in my head for be an awful bore about this, talking about Greenpeace a long time, that gradually we were fucking up the
and this and that,” observed Guest. “It was like the whole planet,” related writer-producer-director Val old Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament marches and

Guest about his idea for The Day the Earth Caught all of that — it becomes a bore. And I thought, there Fire. In the film, two simultaneous nuclear bomb det-must be a way of getting that same story over without onations (one test conducted by the U.S., the other by being a bore.” And Guest and Co. indeed found that
the U.S.S.R.) at opposite poles result in “the biggest way, for The Day the Earth Caught Fire proved to be jolt the Earth’s taken since the ice age. As climatic con-one of the most intelligent, involving, and downright ditions worsen (with headlines reading “Temperature gripping “message” films of the 1960s.

Highest This Century” and “World Rations Water”),

With quotes from: Attack of the Monster Movie
on-the-skids reporter Peter Stenning (Edward Judd)

Makers, by Tom Weaver.

slowly uncovers the truth: The Earth’s axis has
changed, and, worse, its orbit has shifted towards the

The Day the Earth Froze (1959/64; Ministerstvo sun. Can further nuclear detonations correct this, or Kinematografii/Renaissance Film Release; Finland/
will the Earth become a burned-out cinder? Guest

U.S.S.R.) Original Language Title: Sampo. Based on ( The Creeping Unknown, The Abominable Snowman, the national Finnish legend “The Kalevala,” The Day When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth) called Day the fathe Earth Froze is a fairy-tale epic (at least in its orig-vorite of all his films and the one he’s most proud of.

inal form; the U.S. distributors drastically cut down And he has a right to be, for it’s one of the most real-and re-edited the picture from a 90-plus minute runistic, engrossing, and intensely riveting End of the ning time to a paltry 67) about the legendary “Sampo,”

World-scenario pictures ever made. Guest balances
a device forged “in the fire of heaven” that can “make the truly impressive scenes of climatic change and de-silver and gold ... and, best of all, flour and salt.” Com-struction (ultra-realistic matte paintings of a dried-plete with narrator (who evokes the Brothers Grimm

448

Dead; Demon; Destroy; Devil; Diabolical

3. MORE MOVIES
and Hans Christian Andersen for comparison), a
picture was never even made,” laughed Cardos to in-
heroic swordsman, a kidnapped lover, a magical
terviewer Bob Plante. “It might have been announced, blacksmith, and a wicked witch who keeps the four
but it was never made. I remember the story well. It winds prisoner on her island and at one point even
was a western with a werewolf in it.” Too bad; the
steals the sun in an effort to secure the Sampo (thus world could do with a few more werewolf westerns.

providing the film’s English-language title), this

Russo-Finnish tall tale offers such Disney-by-way-of-

The Diabolical Axe (1965; Filmica Vergara Comi-the-Iron-Curtain delights as talking mountains and
siones; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title : El trees, a heroine who draws forest animals to her (while Hacha Diabólica. The 1960s saw the introduction of flowers bloom wherever she goes), and a climax in

El Santo, the most famous of all masked Mexican
which the witch’s minions are vanquished by beautiful wrestling superhero crime-fighters, to American au-harp-playing! The charmingly simplistic yet unique
diences. An institution south of the border, Santo ap-Day the Earth Froze, even in truncated form, offers peared in over fifty films from the 1950s through the not only an atmospheric peek into the exotic legends

’70s, but only a few traveled north to English-speaking of another land, but enough novel spectacle to keep climes (with El Santo transformed into “Samson” dur-even “grown-up” viewers entranced.

ing the dubious dubbing process). After the turn of the millennium, however, this began to change, with

Dead Eyes of London (1961/66; Magna; West Ger-the importation of a number of Santo-meets-the-
many; b&w) Original Language Title: Die Toten Augen monster movies on DVD, presented in English (sub-von London. An evil reverend runs a home for the titled) for the very first time. One of the more intrigu-blind and uses his charges to murder wealthy insur-
ing 1960s Santo entries is The Diabolical Axe. Shot ance holders in this remake of the 1939 Bela Lugosi back-to-back with another Santo vehicle, The Witches vehicle The Dark Eyes of London (aka The Human Attack, in December of 1964, The Diabolical Axe be-Monster). Both versions are based on the Edgar Wal-gins— shockingly — with the funeral of El Santo! But lace story “The Testament of Gordon Stuart.” Less of this turns out to be 1603 and the burial of the first in a horror film than a crime drama, the 1961 version
a long line of Santos (with the magical, reenergizing (released in the U.S. in 1966) offers a few twists and silver mask — along with the responsibility to use its turns along its police procedural byways, resulting in power for good — passed down from father to son for an enjoyable “krimi” (a German-made criminal
generations). Suddenly, a burly, black-masked execu-drama).

Demon Woman see Onibaba

Destroy All Planets (1968; Daiei/AIP-TV; Japan) Alternate (home video) Title: Gamera vs. Viras. Original Language Title: Gamera tai Uchukaiju Bairasu.

The fourth installment in Daiei’s Gamera series is a tedious amalgam of stock footage and kaiju clichés.

Things begin promisingly enough, with Gamera re-
pelling an invasion force from outer space, but it’s all downhill from there. When their first space ship fails, the invaders dispatch the cleverly named Space Ship Number Two to complete the conquest of Earth. The
aliens kidnap a pair of mischievous boy scouts and
threaten to kill the youngsters unless Gamera rains destruction on the Earth, which he does— via stock
footage. Destroy All Planets, which runs 90 minutes, features no less than 28 minutes of footage cribbed from earlier Gamera pictures. There’s virtually no new monster action until the eight-minute finale, in which Gamera battles Viras, a giant squid from outer space.

The basic plot is lifted almost verbatim from Toho’s far superior kaiju eiga “monster rallies.” In fact, the American title of this film (which was issued directly to TV by AIP) was clearly designed to promote confusion with Toho’s Destroy All Monsters (1968). A better title might have been Destroy All Prints.

Devil Wolf of Shadow Mountain (1964) Here’s a real obscurity — a “lost” film that is so lost it never even saw release! Announced in some monster movie
magazines at the time (accompanied by production

Poster for the 1965 Santo feature The Diabolical
stills), this Gary Kent-directed horror western report-

Axe, which didn’t make its way north of the border edly starred John “Bud” Cardos as a werewolf. “That until subtitled and released on DVD in 2003.

3. MORE MOVIES

Dr.

449
tioner magically appears and swears to follow El Santo secret agent Bill Dexter (pop singer Fabian), “assisted”

across time to exact his vengeance. He does just that, by two hapless wannabe spies (the Italian comedy
and the present-day Santo must find a way to defeat team of Franco Franchi and Cicco Ingrassia), sets out the grudge-holding, diabolical axe-wielding executo stop Goldfoot. A series of loosely related (but in tioner, who not only pops up periodically to try and no way coherently plotted) set pieces, chases and trap-behead El Santo, but murders Santo’s girlfriend (reand-escape sequences follow, culminating in a pursuit sulting in her becoming a helpful ghost). Though ob-through an Italian amusement park shot in the under-viously on-the-cheap, The Diabolical Axe offers some cranked, herky-jerky style of a Mack Sennett silent fast-paced, no-holds-barred action (the final con-comedy (compete with intertitles) and, finally, an in-frontation between Santo and the executioner,
terminable hot air balloon chase. Like most of the
watched over by the eyeless skeleton of Santo’s lost film, this final sequence involves a great deal of run-love, is both savage and exciting), creepy cobwebbed ning around to no real purpose — and with no real
crypt settings, macabre flourishes (the villain’s appear-gags. While there’s plenty of blame to go around for ance is always preceded by the shadow of his heads-this debacle, the maddeningly idiotic antics of Franco man’s axe), bizarre plotting and mystical motifs, and

& Cicco truly sink the picture. If there’s ever a contest a decidedly dark tone (Santo loses not one but two for Most Annoying Movie Comedy Team, the Ritz
girlfriends to the murderous fiend — one in the past Brothers will get serious competition from this duo.

and one in the present!), marking it as one of the more Girl Bombs is simply unwatchable whenever Franco unusual — and captivating —films in the Santo series.

and Cicco are onscreen, which is far too often.

Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965;

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop

AIP) Part spy spoof and part beach party movie, with

Worrying and Love the Bomb (Columbia; a few sci-fi and horror elements tossed in for season-1964; b&w) Not only the funniest political satire ever ing, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine was never in-committed to celluloid or merely one of the signature tended to be high art, and it isn’t. Yet there are many films of the 1960s, Dr. Strangelove is also the best re-worse ways to waste 90 minutes of your life than with alized, most plausible movie apocalypse. A paranoid this mildly amusing oddity. Evil Dr. Goldfoot (Vin-general (Sterling Hayden) launches an unauthorized
cent Price) creates a legion of curvaceous, bikini-clad air attack on the Soviet Union. The planes are success-robots that lure wealthy men into signing over their fully recalled or shot down — except for one, plunging fortunes. A pair of spies (Frankie Avalon and Dwayne the U.S. and U.S.S.R. into a nuclear conflagration. In Hickman) undertake the mission to foil Goldfoot, but many respects, Dr. Strangelove’s premise mirrors that wind up captured and consigned to his torture cham-of director Sidney Lumet’s heart-stopping thriller Fail-ber (which lampoons Price’s Pit and the Pendulum Safe, released the same year; but Kubrick’s film com-

[1961]). Price treats the whole thing as a lark, but not ically underscores the lunacy inherent in the doctrine in a condescending way. He playfully pokes fun at his of Mutual Assured Destruction, which held the East-own screen persona, and almost single-handedly res-
ern and Western superpowers at bay during the hottest cues the picture from its belabored and (overly) silly days of the Cold War. The sly, subversive script by comedic set pieces. Dr. Goldfoot fares better with in-Kubrick, Terry Southern and novelist Peter George
side jokes, including not only the Pendulum parody skewers American and Russian military and political but amusing cameos by beach party regulars Annette
leaders alike. (“Gentlemen!” the president [Peter Sell-Funicello, Harvey Lembeck and Deborah Walley.

ers] admonishes at one point, “You can’t fight in here!

Thirty years later, comedian Mike Myers would in-

This is the War Room.”) Impeccably written and per-
corporate some ideas from Dr. Goldfoot (notably, Dr.

formed, Dr. Strangelove is packed with hilarious dia-Evil’s “fembots”) into his comedy smash, Austin Pow-logue and wildly eccentric characters, including Gen.

ers: International Man of Mystery (1997). In the mean-Jack Ripper (Hayden), obsessed with preserving his
time, a misbegotten sequel appeared, Dr. Goldfoot and

“precious bodily fluids”; Gen. Buck Turgidson (George the Girl Bombs (1966).

C. Scott), a womanizing blowhard; and pilot Maj.

“King” Kong (Slim Pickens), whose dogged determi-

Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966; Italian nation to fulfill his duty leads to Armageddon. The International/AIP; Italy) Original Language Title: Le great Peter Sellers plays three roles, including the title Spie Vengono dal Semifreddo ( The Spy Who Came in character — a half-mad, half-mechanical missile
from the Semi-Cold). Horror fans have endured some maker modeled after Lionel Atwill’s Inspector Krogh crushing disappointments over the years, but few as from Son of Frankenstein (1939). The sheer audacity it demoralizing as Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs. In took to make Dr. Strangelove and send it to movie the-retrospect, it seems almost criminal that the lone col-aters less than 15 months after the Cuban Missile Cri-laboration between legendary star Vincent Price and sis remains inspiring. But the movie’s enduring appeal Italy’s Maestro of the Macabre, director Mario Bava, is that, without reducing the sharpness of its ideolog-remains this puerile and painfully unfunny spy spoof ical point of view, it’s laugh-till-your-face-hurts hi-

(sequel to 1965’s Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine), larious.

which finds both star and director at their worst. Nefarious super-criminal Dr. Goldfoot (Price) manufac-

Dr. Who and the Daleks (Amicus/Continental; tures a laboratory full of curvaceous female androids 1965/66) Hardcore Whovians harbor animosity to-that explode when kissed, then uses his creations to ward Amicus Films’ big-screen adaptation of the early seduce and assassinate several NATO generals. Young Dr. Who television serial “The Dead Planet” because

450

Don’t; Doomsday; Dracula; Ebirah; Ecstasy; Electronic; Embalmer

3. MORE MOVIES

Milton Subotsky’s screenplay jettisons many basic
casional line might raise a smirk (“It was a day just tenets of the original series. But more open-minded like any other day,” the hero narrates, before dead-viewers will find Dr. Who and the Daleks to be a panning, “which doesn’t say much”), most of the
charming, kid-friendly sci-fi yarn. The movies’ Dr.

blathering musings are more inane than hilarious (“As Who (Peter Cushing) is a kindly, eccentric inventor I sped towards that mineshaft, little knowing what
with two adoring granddaughters (Jennie Linden and
awaited me there, I knew I felt like I was going to get Roberta Tovey), rather than the immortal alien Time shafted”). The “plot” has Count Alucard (“Dracula

Lord of the BBC show. While testing his self-made
spelled backwards,” as the opening credits so helpfully

“Time And Relative Dimensions In Space” craft (dis-
explain) occupying an abandoned mine (played by the guised as a police call box), he, along with his two ubiquitous Bronson Canyon), where he fondles and
grandchildren and his elder granddaughter’s fiancée feasts on naked girls brought to him by his hypnotized (Roy Castle), is accidentally whisked away to a
servant, who periodically transforms into a talking bombed-out, radiation-poisoned planet and into the
werewolf named Irving Jackalman (wearing the same
middle of an ancient conflict between the beautiful, ridiculous mask seen in The Mummy and the Curse of peace-loving Thals and the hideously mutated Daleks, the Jackals). Pathetic in all categories (even the pul-who are forced to live in mechanized, tank-like armor.

chritude on display is spectacularly below-average), Director Gordon Flemyng (of TV’s The Saint and The Dracula (the Dirty Old Man) will sorely try the pa-Avengers) proves adept with both action sequences and tience (and fast-forward button) of anyone not already comedic interludes. Working with a modest 180,000-enamored of The Mummy and the Curse of the Jackal.

pound budget, art director Bill Constable and cine-

And that’s everyone.

matographer John Wilcox bring a colorful, imagina-
tive look to the film’s two main sets— an ashen forest

Dracula Versus Frankenstein see
lit with green and blue gels, and a futuristic robotcity full of gleaming copper-colored sliding doors and

Assignment Terror
craning spy cameras. And the performances are uni-
formly good, with Cushing as the endearingly dotty

Ebirah, Monster of the Deep see
doctor and Tovey as his precocious granddaughter

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
claiming top honors. Most of the cast and crew re-
turned for a sequel, Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150

Ecstasy on Lovers Island see

(1966).

Honeymoon of Terror

Don’t Scream, Doris Mays see Day of

The Electronic Monster (1958/60; Anglo-Amal-
the Nightmare
gamated/Columbia; U.K.; b&w) Alternate Title: Escapement (U.K.). This late-fifties sci-fi-tinged British

Doomsday Machine (1967; First Leisure) Alter-thriller (in intent, if not in execution) wasn’t released nate Title: Escape from Planet Earth. In the future of Stateside until Columbia picked it up for a brief the-1975 a space crew is sent on a mission to explore
atrical run in 1960. Given the tepid results, they

Venus, but just after takeoff, the Chinese set off their needn’t have bothered. Granite-jawed (and stony-de-

“Doomsday Device,” which destroys the Earth (look-
meanored) American Western regular Rod Cameron
ing like a big paper ball set aflame). Ultra-cheap (most walks through his role of an insurance investigator of the rocketship shots are lifted from the 1956 film sent to Cannes after a movie star client dies in a car Warning from Space) and ultra-slow, it took five years crash. His inquiries lead him to a clinic that specializes before somebody got up the nerve to release the Dulls-in a new treatment for neuroses called “electronic
day, er, Doomsday Machine.

hypnosis.” Patients are sedated, placed in plexiglass containers, inserted into a wall, and force-fed filmed

Dracula (The Dirty Old Man) (1969; Whit dreams as a temporary “escape from life.” Unfortu-Boyd) This is the kind of movie in which nondescript nately, the nefarious industrialist owner of the clinic low-key jazz guitar/piano music plays monotonously
intends to use this groundbreaking technique to
through every sequence, regardless of the scene’s tone; brainwash, rather than treat, his clients. Lifelessly di-and so much time is taken up by characters walking
rected by Montgomery Tully (who ended his career
to and fro, entering and leaving buildings, crossing with the equally drab sixties pseudo-horrors Battle streets, driving, or just standing around that the film-Beneath the Earth and The Terrornauts), The Electronic makers insert inane stream-of-consciousness narra-Monster plods along without a spark of excitement.

tion in a desperate attempt to make it at least sound Most disappointing are the pre-recorded dream se-like something is happening. Oh, and there’s half-a-quences, which, rather than offering an array of weird dozen naked women, too. Originally shot straight
or horrific images, consist of nothing more than styl-

(well, as straight as a no-budget nudie monster flick ized dancing in dry-ice fog.

can be), producer/director/writer William Edwards

(who also produced and wrote The Mummy and the

The Embalmer (1965; Europix-Consolidated; Curse of the Jackals the same year) decided to turn his Italy; b&w) Original Language Title : Il Mostro di Dracula into a comedy by inserting a new soundtrack Venezia. “Venice is hiding a monster!” declares the re-with funny voices (Dracula becomes a Jewish stereo-
porter hero of this crime thriller masquerading as a type) and prattling “comedy” dialogue. While an oc-horror movie (released in the U.S. in support of The

3. MORE MOVIES

End; Epic; Equinox; Escape; Escapement; Evening

451

She Beast). A mad killer stalks the canals of Venice in sheer volume, combined with the picture’s frantic
a frogman suit, snatching beautiful girls to embalm pace, render boredom impossible. For a low-budget
and store in his secret cellar lair. The dazzling — and production, the visual effects (including a winged
novel — setting of Venice provides an intriguing back-devil and a monster that looks like a close cousin of drop for the bizarre story, and a few horrific moments Ray Harryhausen’s Ymir) are very impressive — which (including the heroine stumbling across a room full was the point. In 1967, aspiring visual effects artists of skeletons— with the killer posing among them in

Dennis Muren, Jim Danforth and David Allen teamed
monk’s robes and a skeletal mask) and surprisingly
to produce a 71-minute film titled The Equinox: A downbeat denouement make this a worthwhile entry

Journey Into the Supernatural to showcase their talents.

for those enamored of 1960s horror-mysteries.

But Muren and friends couldn’t secure a distributor.

So exploitation maven Jack H. Harris bought the film

The End of August at the Hotel Ozone
and hired actor/writer/director Jack Woods to rework see Late August at the
it. Woods made major revisions, including introduc-
ing the character of Ranger Asmodeus (played by

Woods himself ), expanding the picture’s running time

The Epic Hero and the Beast see The
to 86 minutes. Woods also replaced the film’s original

Sword and the Dragon
title theme with a haunting melody that sounds like a music box from Hell, and shortened the title to simply

Equinox (1967/70; Jack H. Harris Enterprises) Al-Equinox. All of these alterations worked to the benefit ternate Titles: The Equinox: A Journey Into the Super-of the film, which was finally released in 1970. Fans of natural (original, unreleased version); The Beast classic TV will recognize WKRP in Cincinnati’s “Herb (home video). In retrospect, this scruffy, underdog Tarlek,” Frank Bonner (billed here under his real
production seems destined to become exactly what it name, Frank Boers, Jr.), as one of the students.

is: a cult favorite. Four college students plan to meet a professor at his cabin retreat and enjoy a picnic in

Escape from Planet Earth see The
the woods nearby. But they discover the cabin has been

Doomsday Machine
destroyed, then come into possession of an ancient
book of satanic rites. Eventually, they piece together that the professor, performing rituals described in the

Escapement see The Electronic
book, has accidentally unleashed a host of infernal

Monster
terrors. With its Lovecraftian scenario and Harry-
hausen-esque stop-motion animated creatures, Equi-

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe (1969; AIP-nox bombards viewers with one weird, wildly imagi-TV) Though made strictly for television by American native idea after another (black magic, demonic

International Pictures, An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe possession, trans-dimensional gateways, mythical
is included here because of its immense interest to monsters, etc.). Not all these ideas work (some prove fans of Edgar Allan Poe and/or Vincent Price. Pro-beyond the technical capacity of the picture’s semi-duced, directed and co-adapted by Ken Johnson (who
professional cast and crew), but their audacity and came from directing Adam-12 episodes, and went on to direct/produce/write/etc. various

Incredible Hulk, V and Alien Nation TV movies/miniseries/etc., not to
mention a turn on The Bionic

Woman— perhaps he leaves that one
off his resume), this is a word-for-
word recitation of four Poe stories
by the mellifluous master of menace
himself, Vincent Price. Price, the
only cast member, performs faithful
recitations of “The Tell Tale Heart,”

“The Sphynx,” “The Cask of Amon-
tillado” and “The Pit and the Pen-
dulum.” Each recital takes place on
an appropriate and realistic set,
ranging from 19th century drawing
room to sumptuous dining hall to
rat-infested dungeon. The mar-
velous sets are matched by equally
striking costumes for Price. Price
proves himself a storyteller supreme,
going from drawing room civility to
the passion of raging madness and
all points in between. Poe’s stories,

A stop-motion demon from Hell in the low-budget cult classic macabre and fascinating, are brought

Equinox (1970).

to palpable life by the inflections of

452

Evil; Eye

3. MORE MOVIES

Price’s resonant voice, the gestures of his hands, and ( The Girl Who Knew Too Much) . Director Mario the exquisite glint of madness in his eyes. The camer-Bava’s seriocomic Hitchcockian thriller is sometimes awork (including well-timed zooms, changes in focus, credited as the first “giallo” movie, a particularly lurid and perspectives that punctuate the frisson at hand) and violent sub-genre of murder mysteries (inspired accents Price’s movements and pointed tones, and the by pulpy Italian crime novels with yellow covers) that lighting effects and camera angles are used as effective became wildly popular in the 1970s and eventually
exclamations. The full terror to be found in the dark spawned the American slasher film phenomenon. But
genius of Edgar Allan Poe is made frighteningly ac-
while some elements of the giallo style are present in cessible by the storytelling talent of Vincent Price. The The Evil Eye, not enough of them are in evidence for actor labeled this little-seen and seemingly forgotten the picture to qualify as a true giallo (the killer does bit of small-screen uniqueness “probably the best
not wear a mask or gloves, for instance; more importhing I ever did in the way of Poe.” An Evening of tantly, the overall tone of the piece is far too light and Edgar Allan Poe is not to be missed by fans of the par-frothy). Bava would continue to tinker with the forticularly literate (and literal) shudder.

mula in “The Telephone” segment from Black Sabbath (1963) before unleashing the giallo in all its gory — er,

Evil Brain from Outer Space (1958/64; Shin-glory — with Blood and Black Lace (1964). While it Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) The final Starman film, assem-may not be the proto-giallo some critics suggest, and bled for American TV from the original Japanese se-despite significant flaws, The Evil Eye remains very enrial, pits Japan’s superhero against a gang of colorfully tertaining. American tourist Nora Davis (Letitia
costumed mutants. Fans who enjoyed the first three

Roman) witnesses a murder and then sets out to solve entries in the series won’t be disappointed with this the crime when no one believes her story. Aided by a one, which is just as goofy and action-packed as the young doctor ( John Saxon) and a kindly Roman
rest. Other viewers are advised to steer clear.

housewife (Valentina Cortesa) who bears a striking
resemblance to the murder victim, Nora suspects she’s

The Evil Eye (1963/64; Warner Bros./AIP; Italy; on the trail of a serial murderer known as the ABC
b&w) Original Title: La Ragazza Che Sapeva Troppo Killer. A supernatural wrinkle forms when it seems
the crime she witnessed may have actually occurred

10 years earlier, but this angle is abruptly abandoned in favor of a more conventional (yet less satisfying) solution to the mystery. Roman and Saxon make affable leads, but the script, developed by half dozen writers, is jumbled and uneven. Still, Bava manages some spellbinding moments, including the sequence
in which Nora, woozy after being mugged, witnesses
the killing. Although renowned for his brilliant use of impressionist color in his later films, the beautifully shot Evil Eye demonstrates Bava’s mastery of black-and-white cinematography as well. The Evil Eye, issued in Italy as The Girl Who Knew Too Much in 1963, was judiciously re-cut by AIP for its U.S. release in 1964, with additional alterations made through dubbing (AIP also replaced the original Roberto Nicolosi score with a new Les Baxter soundtrack). The American version’s revised ending improves on the cheeky Italian resolution (which included a marijuana reference) and generally plays in a more comedic fashion that the original Italian cut. In either version, however, The Evil Eye/The Girl Who Knew Too Much remains well worth seeing, especially for Bava fans.

The Eye Creatures (1965; AIP-TV) Larry Buchanan, that grade-Z filmmaker from Texas, strikes again with this uncredited remake of the 1957 AIP winner Invasion of the Saucer Men. Shot in 16mm and sold directly to television, The Eye Creatures offers a 30-year-old John Ashley playing a teenager, a supporting cast of non-actors, static (non)direction, inconsistent day-for-night photography (black night sky alternating
with shots of blue noonday sky in the same scene) and, worst of all, ridiculous, pitiful, ineffectual monsters.

This American poster for Mario Bava’s proto-giallo The original Saucer Men, with their huge bulbous

The Evil Eye (1963/64) does its best to convince po-heads, bug-eyes and leathery, veined skin, became an tential viewers that it’s a supernatural horror flick.

icon of ’50s monster movies. The Eye Creatures look It isn’t.

like the Michelin Tire Man doing a bad Frankenstein

3. MORE MOVIES

Eye; Fabulous

453

Monster imitation. Inferior in every way, this version The San Francisco setting offers a priceless (and amus-of the Little Green Men from Mars tale possesses none ing) look at the trendy youth culture of the time (in-of the charm, humor or fun of the original.

cluding a visit to an upscale hippie bar featuring throw pillows instead of chairs, and sitars instead of guitars),

Eye of the Cat (1969; Universal) More of a quirky as well as a truly harrowing scene in which Danni loses crime thriller than a horror film, the well-shot, well-control of her wheelchair and careens out of control acted, and cleverly-scripted (by Psycho screenwriter down a steep San Francisco street (with frantic close-Joseph Stefano) Eye of the Cat has handsome, free-up shots that would do Hitchcock proud). As a
spirited ladies’ man Wylie (Michael Sarrazin) lured straight horror film, this Cat offers a rather jaundiced into a plot to murder his wealthy estranged “aunt,”

eye (the ferocious feline “attack” comes only in the Danni (Eleanor Parker), by his aunt’s seductive hair-last 10 minutes, with nary a whiff of the supernatural stylist, Kassia (Gayle Hunnicutt). Danni (despite
about it); but as a character-driven, thought-provok-looking the short side of 40) is dying from emphy-
ing, twist-laden thriller, this Eye is definitely worth a sema, and intends to leave her wealth to her many
look.

cats. Kassia plans to put Wylie in the benefactor’s seat, then hasten Danni’s demise. Things, however, do not

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1961/64; go quite as planned (particularly since Wylie suffers Ceskoslovenskï Státní Film; Czechoslovakia) Alter-from a severe case of ailurophobia (fear of cats), nor nate Titles: Baron Munchausen, The Adventures of are the characters quite what they seem (as revealed Baron Munchausen. Original Language Title: Baron by an unexpected twist). Though somewhat slow to

Prásil. This journey into the fantastic world of tall-start, this ultimately engrossing film offers enough tale spinner/adventurer Baron Munchausen by Czech
off beat characterizations (Wylie’s motives remain
filmmaker Karel Zeman ( Journey to the Beginning of mysterious, and his actions and attitudes run the

Time, The Fabulous World of Jules Verne, On the gamut from impish to malicious), hints of unhealthy Comet) utilizes every form of special effect imagina-relationships (“Aunt Danni was my father’s mistress, ble — block-prints, cut-outs, drawings, cartoon ani-not mine,” explains Wylie as to why his father didn’t mation, stop-motion animation, tinting, superimpo-leave him his money; and Danni’s attentions towards sitions— to create a magical world in which gigantic Wylie smacks of more than mere maternal devotion).

fish swallow ships whole, cannonball rides are com-
monplace, black clouds envelope
entire cities, and giant seahorses are
just waiting for riders. Suffused
with humor and charm, the story
follows an astronaut landing on the

Moon only to find Baron Mun-
chausen already there. Mistaking
the suited cosmonaut for a “moon
man,” the Baron takes him to Earth

(aboard his space “sailing” ship),
where they engage in all manner of
adventures, including rescuing a
princess from 10,000 angry Turks
and traveling in the belly of a great
beast. While the effects are about as
realistic-looking as the story,
they’re also just as imaginative and
suffused with sometimes breathtak-
ing beauty (at times appearing al-
most like a classical painting come
to life). Fabulous is indeed an apt
adjective for this Baron.

The Fabulous World of Jules

Verne (1958/61; Ceskoslovenskï

Státní Film /Warner Bros.; Czecho-
slovakia; b&w) Original Title :

Vynález Zkázy. This off beat, Czech-
made fantasy adventure, loosely
based on the little-read Jules Verne
novel For the Flag, sometimes
turned up on American television
in the 1970s and ’80s, where it stood
out due to its striking visuals. Di-
rector Karel Zeman employed sim-

Felines strike back at Gayle Hunnicutt in Eye of the Cat (1969).

plistic, two-dimensional animation

454

Face; Fahrenheit

3. MORE MOVIES

(in the same style later used by Terry Gilliam for his victims, but a special artificial plastic to repair a Monty Python credit sequences) and silent era visual woman’s disfigured visage. Unfortunately, said woman effects techniques (some of which dated back to
is an escapee from a mental institution, and her un-Georges Melies and Edwin S. Porter) to make this
balanced state of mind, coupled with the eventual fail-movie look like a series of antiquated engraved magure of the procedure, results in a pair of murders. Co-azine illustrations magically brought to life (a process directed by American William Hole, Jr. ( Ghost of billed as “Mysti-Mation”). The story, about a Captain Dragstrip Hollow, The Devil’s Hand), Face of Terror Nemo-like villain who kidnaps the world’s greatest
was filmed in English. While this works for leads Fer-scientist and tries to dupe him into helping topple the nando Rey (as the doctor) and Lisa Gaye (his patient), governments of the world, features hot air balloons, it makes some of the supporting performances appear futuristic submarines and airships, and other typically stiff and stilted, since the Spanish players obviously Verne-ian contraptions but offers little in the way of were not comfortable in that language. Though com-characterization or dramatic tension. Its thin and ill-petently filmed and acted (by the two leads, anyway), focused narrative makes The Fabulous World of Jules the lack of any true horror or villainy (Rey’s unknow-great fun to look at but a chore to watch. Zeman foling surgeon is almost saintly; and Gaye’s escapee has lowed this picture with the visually inventive comedic no greater ambitions than to regain her beauty and
fantasy The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1961), which work as a waitress, only becoming dangerous when
combined live action with stop-motion animation and cornered) makes this a Face of Melodrama rather than puppetry.

Terror.

The Face of Fu Manchu (1965; Seven Arts;

Fahrenheit 451 (1966; Anglo Enterprises/Univer-UK/Ireland/West Germany) The evil Fu Manchu
sal; U.K.) François Truffaut directed this deeply flawed (Christopher Lee, who spent nearly three hours in the but fascinating adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s cele-makeup chair every day to transform his occidental
brated novel set in a world where reading is illegal and features into those of the Chinese super villain) con-

“firemen” burn books instead of putting out fires. This cocts an airborne poison from the rare Tibetan Black was Truffaut’s first color film, his first shot outside Hill poppy and wipes out an entire English village of France and first in English. It was a project about 3000 people as a demonstration (horrifically ham-which he cared deeply — Truffaut, an avid reader,
mered home by such disturbing images as the body of turned down eventual blockbuster Bonnie and Clyde a shop owner sprawled over his own window display
to shoot Fahrenheit instead — and he creates an icy, and a young boy lying dead across his bicycle). The forlorn vision of a dystopian future where, without inscrutable madman plans to rule the world from his books, human thought and passion are slowly fading
secret hideout below the River Thames in the heart of away. His judicious employment of authentic loca-London itself. Lee’s imposing playing brings author Sax Rohmer’s famous “Yellow Peril” character to
malevolent life, and his calm power makes a perfect foil for the energetic portrayal of Nigel Green as Fu’s Scotland Yard nemesis, Nayland Smith. Krimi stalwart Joachim Fuchsberger adds further punch (often literally) to the scenario, which is capably handled by director Don Sharp ( The Kiss of the Vampire, Witchcraft, Rasputin the Mad Monk). Face did so well for producer (and writer) Harry Alan Towers that he made four
more Fu Manchus over the next four years— The

Brides of Fu Manchu (1966, again directed by Don Sharp), The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1968), Kiss and Kill (1968), and The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969)— all starring Christopher Lee, and all offering diminishing returns for viewers (particularly after Eurohack director Jess Franco took the helm for the final two).

Face of Terror (1962/64; Futuramic Releasing; Spain; b&w) Original Language Title: La Cara del Terror. The question (asked by this film’s trailer): “Was she really a woman — or a depraved, blood-mad monster?!” The answer, disappointingly (at least for horror fans): The former, not the latter. More medical drama than horror movie, the Spanish Face of Terror promises to echo such Continental terrors as The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus and The Awful Dr. Orlof in its tale of a doctor’s miraculous new surgical technique developed to restore ruined faces. But such horrific vibrations die down rather quickly when the kindly surgeon employs not the stolen skin from unwilling

French poster for Fahrenheit 451 (1966).

3. MORE MOVIES

Fail-Safe; Fantastic; Fear

455
tions (which, nonetheless, appear remarkably futur-
budget major studio production with Oscar-winning
istic) and striking use of color (bold reds are especially special effects, a respected director (Richard Fleischer) prominent) also serve the film well. But some of Truf-and an intriguing cast (Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, faut’s ideas damage the movie badly, especially the Donald Pleasence, Arthur Kennedy, Edmond O’Brien,
stunt casting of Julie Christie in two key roles and the etc.)— wowed audiences in its day but hasn’t aged
presence of Oskar Werner in the lead. The German
well. Part of the problem is that its miniaturization Werner, who had co-starred in Truffaut’s Jules and premise, although novel at the time, now plays like Jim, was ill-suited for the part and battled with Truf-something left over from an episode of The Magic faut throughout the production. Truffaut’s discomfort School Bus. Fantastic Voyage also suffers from a lethar-with English created additional problems. The pic-
gic tempo (it takes 37 minutes for the titular journey ture’s contemplative pace and lack of bravura action to begin), cornball philosophical dialogue (“We stand or special effects sequences made Fahrenheit 451 a box in the middle of infinity, between outer space and
office disappointment. But it remains worth a look for inner space, and there’s no limit to either,” Kennedy fans of the director, or of Bradbury, or for anyone open blathers) and a tendency toward stilted edutainment to off-beat, intellectually stimulating sci-fi.

(with biological processes explained ad nauseum as the sub moves through the heart, lungs, lymph nodes

Fail-Safe (1964; Columbia; b&w) Throughout his and inner ear on its circuitous route to the brain). The distinguished career, director Sidney Lumet has
narrative also wastes energy on an utterly transparent crafted suspenseful, thought-provoking films with so-subplot about a saboteur onboard the sub. Although
cially conscious themes ( 12 Angry Men [1957], The Fantastic Voyage claims devoted fans, most of whom Pawnbroker [1964], Network [1976], etc.). Despite the have loved this movie since childhood, less nostalgic ripped-from-the-headlines nature of some of his pic-viewers may be tempted to abandon ship.

tures, Lumet’s movies usually age well, since his films emphasize interpersonal drama rather than political

The Fear Chamber (1968/71; Azteca/Columbia; sloganeering. The grim, tightly wound Fail-Safe—

Mexico/U.S.) Original Language Title: La Camara del about a computer malfunction that accidentally trig-Terror; Alternate Title: Torture Zone. Though this isn’t gers an air strike on Moscow — is no exception. This the worst of the four final films Boris Karloff made in white-knuckle thriller seems even more plausible behis lifetime ( Macabre Serenade wins that [dis]honor), cause it’s full of believable, well-rounded characters.

it’s a close runner-up. (The other two are The Incred-Henry Fonda’s commanding yet compassionate por-
ible Invasion and Isle of the Snake People; all four fea-trayal of the president is a primary strength of the pictures were shot back-to-back in 1968 for Mexican pro-ture, but the rest of the cast deliver solid perform-ducer Luis Enrique Vergara.) In Fear Chamber Karloff ances, too, especially Dan O’Herlihy as a remorseful plays kindly-but-obsessed scientist Dr. Mandel, who general, Walter Matthau as a war-mongering political finds a living-rock creature under a volcano that needs scientist and Larry Hagman as the president’s nervous

“transfusions of fericulan” to survive, which “can only young translator. While it suffers in comparison with be produced in the body of a human being in a state director Stanley Kubrick’s irreverent satire Dr.

of extreme terror.” To this end, he and his helpers (in-Strangelove, released the same year and with a very cluding a Lennie-like hulk, a sinister Hindu, and a similar scenario, Fail-Safe, taken on its own merits, bald dwarf !) terrorize young women in “the Fear
remains a gripping experience. Director Stephen

Chamber” (a cheap carnival-style house of horrors)

Frears remade Fail-Safe in 2000
as a rare live television drama
with an all-star cast, including

George Clooney, Harvey Keitel
and Don Cheadle, with Richard

Dreyfuss as the president. The
original remains superior.

Fantastic Voyage (1966;

Twentieth Century–Fox) A de-
fecting Russian scientist is shot
before he can divulge crucial se-
crets, but clings tenuously to
life. To save him, a team of doc-
tors and scientists board a sub-
marine, which is shrunk to mi-
croscopic size and injected into
the man’s bloodstream. Their
mission — to destroy a poten-
tially fatal blood clot — must be
accomplished in less than hour,
after which the sub and its crew
will begin to return to normal

The miniaturized micronauts (and their “ship”) on a Fantastic Voyage
size. Fantastic Voyage— an A-

(1966) through the human body.

456

50,000; Finishing; Fire; First

3. MORE MOVIES
the Closet Monster in the delirious The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962).

The Finishing School see The House

That Screamed

Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules

(1962; Embassy; Italy) Original Language Title :

Maciste Contro i Mostri. Alternate Title: Colossus of the Stone Age (UK). During the peplum craze of the 1960s (begun with the Steve Reeves Hercules pictures), Embassy bought the U.S. rights to a whole fistful of sword-and-sandal knockoffs, transformed (via the
magic of dubbing) the hero du jour into a “son of Hercules” to capitalize on the more-familiar-to-Ameri-
can-audiences name, and released them directly to television in a “Sons of Hercules” package. Fire Monsters is about as far from the Hercules mold as one could get, as it’s set not in Ancient Greece, but in some unnamed land at the tail end of the last ice age! The plot follows a peaceful band of nomadic, stone-axe-sporting sun-worshippers and their conflict with a tribe of brutal moon-worshipping cave-dwellers. The beefy,
redheaded “Maxus, son of Hercules” (Reg Lewis)

shows up out of nowhere to help the nomads rescue
their women, stolen by the cave-dwellers. A more accurate title for the film would have been “Water Monsters Against the Son of Hercules,” since no “fire monsters” appear, just one lion-faced sea serpent, a trio of One of a quartet of Mexican films Boris Karloff
skinny river-dragon hand puppets, and one lumbering made in 1968, just before his death (with only two, rubber cave-beast. All these disappointing Sid and

Marty Krofft-level “monsters” are quickly dispatched including this one, receiving a spotty theatrical re-by the constantly-flexing Maxus. Lewis offers even less lease Stateside in 1971).

presence than most of his musclemen colleagues

(though his duckbilled pompadour stands up impres-
via spiders, snakes, skeletons and bitch-slaps before sively); and the meandering story spends most of its extracting the necessary hormone. Things go awry,
time on primitive love-matches and limp tribal bat-
however, when the rock gets greedy, and Mandel has
tles. The result: Fire Monsters fails to spark.

to contend not only with the killer rock (who has
miraculously grown a set of unwieldy tentacles), but an annoying daughter, duplicitous assistants, sadistic

First Men in the Moon (1964; Columbia) Ani-servants, and a show-stopping (for all the wrong reamation legend Ray Harryhausen worked on many ter-
sons) strip-tease in the middle of the movie. Despite rific sci-fi and fantasy pictures. First Men in the Moon such questionable but potentially entertaining ele-isn’t one of them. This comic fantasy, based on a novel ments, the talky film moves about as fast as the rock-by H.G. Wells, isn’t funny, nor is it satisfying as either monster (with Karloff spending much of his screen
a Wells adaptation or a Harryhausen picture. The
time literally in bed). It all devolves into a tawdry, screenplay, by Nigel Kneale and Jan Read, smoothes
inane mess. Poor Boris.

over Wells’ stinging social satire and replaces it with overripe farce. It also adds a pointless framing sequence set in the present day and relates its narrative

50,000 B.C. (Before Clothing ) (1963; Biolane in flashback. Nutty inventor Joseph Cavor (Lionel Jef-Corp.) In this unwatchable no-budget amalgam of
fries) develops an anti-gravity paste, with which he bad burlesque comedy and dull nudist footage, a hen-coats a giant metal sphere and sets out to explore the pecked sanitation worker accidentally travels back in moon. He’s joined on this expedition by his neighbors, time via his neighbor’s time machine (which looks

Kate (Martha Hyer) and her shiftless fiancé Bedford like a vintage taxi) to meet a group of cavemen (and (Edward Judd). The trio reaches the moon, but fall
women). Apart from the plentiful pulchritude on dis-prisoner to the Solonites, a race of insect people who play, the only point of interest is the brief appearance live in a honeycomb of tunnels beneath the lunar sur-of 7’ 6” Eddie Carmel, grandiosely (and inaccurately) face. First Men in the Moon devotes nearly half its billed as “the World’s Tallest Man,” in the role of “the bloated 103-minute running time to the belabored an-Giant” who threatens the cave people. He even deliv-tics of Cavor and Bedford as they attempt to complete ers a few (poorly written) lines before he literally goes the moon sphere (which doesn’t launch until 45 min-up in smoke as the butt of one of Our Hero’s bad
utes of the film have elapsed), and to its superfluous jokes. Carmel, who suffered from acromegaly, played framing sequence. The movie also runs disappoint-

3. MORE MOVIES

First; Forbin; Fortress; Frankenstein

457
ingly short on stop-motion animation. The Solonites such as Thriller or The Twilight Zone— which makes are mostly portrayed by men in bug suits. Harry-its fate of being released directly to television a year hausen’s only notable animated creature (which looks after its production a not-inappropriate one.

like a giant centipede) has minimal screen time. Although the visual effects are excellent and the climac-

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969/70; tic sequences beneath the lunar surface are nicely

Hammer/Warner Bros.; U.K.) Frankenstein Must Be mounted, there simply isn’t enough worthwhile ma-Destroyed, the last great Hammer horror film, and di-terial here to earn a recommendation, except to Wells rector Terence Fisher’s final masterpiece, was issued or Harryhausen completists, or to devotees of the
in late 1969 in England but didn’t reach American the-histrionic comedy stylings of Lionel Jeffries.

aters until 1970. Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) coerces a young doctor (Simon Ward) and his fiancée, Anna

First Spaceship on Venus (1960/ 62; Crown In-

(Veronica Carlson), to help him spirit former col-
ternational; East Germany/Poland) Original Language league Dr. Brant (George Pravda) away from an insane Title: Der Schweigende Stern. Alternate Titles: Planet asylum. Then Frankenstein transplants the madman’s
of the Dead; Silent Star; Spaceship Venus Does Not brain into another body and tries to cure him — all to Reply. This 1960 Soviet Bloc production (released learn the solution to a medical riddle Brandt solved, dubbed in the U.S. two years later) is a serious space-but which continues to vex Frankenstein. Cleverly
flight film with good effects, a great-looking rocket-written, flawlessly produced and superbly performed, ship, and a multi-national, multi-racial crew. In the Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed blends crackling

“future” of 1985 a group of scientist/astronauts head Hitchcockian suspense (including an unforgettable,
for Venus, only to find a bizarre, dead world that is heart-pounding sequence in which Anna struggles to
still, however, fraught with danger. Though no im-
hide a corpse unearthed in her garden by a water main ported classic (a general dullness pervades the pro-break) with dollops of dark humor (mostly thanks to ceedings), First Spaceship offers effects that are well Cushing’s dry, caustic delivery). Fisher pulls it all to-above most of its contemporary American counter-
gether beautifully and contributes some inspired
parts, with convincing rocket interiors and a weird, flourishes of his own, such as the film’s opening se-almost surreal Venusian landscape. And there’s even quence in which the camera follows Frankenstein’s
a black astronaut — something unheard of in Ameri-
feet as he walks the streets of London carrying a head can films of the time — and a rather downbeat ending, in a metal case. Fisher — and many fans— disapproved making this one of the more unusual straight sci-fi of a controversial scene in which Frankenstein rapes entries of the decade.

Anna, but this ugly moment remains in character for the ruthless, sociopathic scientist used to simply tak-

The Forbin Project see Colossus, the
ing what he wants from those under his power.

Forbin Project

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed would have provided the perfect endpoint for Hammer’s Frankenstein se-

Fortress of the Dead (1965/66) Frank Mason ries. The studio seemed flummoxed about where to

(John Hackett), the sole survivor of a World War II go from here. Hammer released The Horror of
artillery battery, returns to Corregidor 20 years after Frankenstein, a spoof directed by Jimmy Sangster, in the war to try to lay to rest the guilt he feels over failing 1970. Fisher and Cushing returned for Frankenstein to bring aid to his 37 companions
trapped in a tunnel during a Japa-
nese bombardment, dooming
them to death by suffocation. Fi-
nally facing his demons, Frank
learns that the souls of his com-
rades may require something more
of him than simple remorse.

Hackett (a dead ringer for ’50s sci-
fi stalwart Robert Clarke) plays his
role in a low-key but believable
fashion, while director/producer/
screenwriter Ferde Grofé, Jr., em-
ploys limited light sources (on an
even more limited budget) to en-
hance the eeriness and isolation of
the actual ruined bunkers of Cor-
regidor in the Philippines, making
one believe that the shadows there
may indeed house more than rats
and dust. Unfortunately, the story
offers little in the way of surprise,
and it could easily be tightened to
under an hour, making it more

Arguably Hammer’s finest Frankenstein, “...and Hammer says so!” A suited to a TV anthology show

British poster for the film from 1969.

458

Frankenstein’s; Frozen; Gamera; Games

3. MORE MOVIES
and the Monster from Hell in 1974, but that entry fell films due to its slow pace, predictable plotting and far short of expectations and brought down the final dearth of character development. As the 1970s pro-curtain on the series.

gressed, Naschy’s Werewolf series soon traded the
rather tame Gothicism of this first entry for increasing

Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror (1968/71; Inde-dollops of nudity and gore (not to mention outlandish pendent International; Spain) Original Language
plotting), culminating in the delicious delirium of Title : La Marca del Hombre Lobo. Alternate Title : such entries as The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Women Mark of the Wolfman (DVD). “Now, the most fright-

(1971; aka Werewolf Shadow) and Night of the Howling ening Frankenstein story of all, as the ancient were-Beast (1975; aka The Werewolf and the Yeti), arguably wolf curse brands the family of monster-makers as
the best — or at least most entertaining — of the

‘Wolfstein,’” announced the opening narration tacked bunch.

on by Independent International when they released
the film Stateside in 1971. The company needed a

Frozen Alive (1966; Feature Film Corp.; UK/West Frankenstein movie to fulfill a booking obligation, Germany) In this obscure sci-fi melodrama, a scientist and so misleadingly re-christened this 1968 import

(Mark Stevens) experiments on himself and becomes

Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror (despite the fact that no the first human to be frozen alive. The same evening,

“Frankenstein” appears). This first film introducing unknown to him, his wife accidentally shoots herself, Waldemar Daninsky (Paul Naschy) as the Wolfman
with circumstances pointing to the scientist — now in has him slaying a revived werewolf and in the process suspended animation — as the number-one murder
becoming infected himself. In desperation, he sends suspect. Thanks to some engaging playing by the prin-for a strange couple, experts in the occult, for help.

cipals, an adult approach to the material, and some They turn out to be vampires, leading to a supernat-witty dialogue, the drama involving a love quadrangle ural confrontation. Star Naschy wrote the screenplay manages to sustain interest until the science fiction as well (under his real name of Jacinto Molina), and angle kicks in during the final 15 minutes (and it’s wrote or co-wrote (and occasionally directed) ten sub-sober sci-fi at that, with the human freezing handled sequent films in the series. Though it sports some im-in a realistically matter-of-fact, scientific manner), repressive, authentic castle and catacomb settings, and sulting in an off beat and moderately entertaining slice some striking, atmospheric lighting that would make of ’60s cinema.

even Mario Bava proud, Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror ranks as one of the lesser Waldemar the Werewolf

Gamera vs. Barugon see War of the

Monsters

Gamera vs. Gaos see Return of the

Giant Monsters

Gamera vs. Guiron see Attack of the

Monsters

Gamera vs. Viras see Destroy All

Planets

Games (1967; Universal) This thinly veiled and self-consciously arty remake of director Henri-Georges

Clouzot’s classic French thriller Diabolique (1955) contains some major flaws, but overcomes them with
a gifted cast and expert direction. A mysterious older woman, Lisa (Simone Signoret, who starred in Diabolique), enters the lives of a debauched nouveau riche couple, Paul (James Caan) and Jennifer (Katharine

Ross), who share a penchant for practical jokes. Lisa ups the ante on their dangerous games, introducing
the couple to Russian roulette. Then a practical joke goes awry and Paul accidentally kills a grocery delivery boy. The film’s overly stylized, tragically hip opening act may tax viewers’ patience, and its “surprise” ending remains entirely predictable throughout, but in between those low points, Games builds suspense inexorably and generates moments of real frisson. Di-

Despite its misleading ad art and title, no Franken-rector Curtis Harrington ( Night Tide, Who Slew Aun-stein Monster appears in Frankenstein’s Bloody
tie Roo?, What’s the Matter with Helen?), a Hitchcock

Terror (1968/71). Vampires and werewolves, on the disciple, handles this material masterfully, lending the other hand...

proceedings a striking visual look and making the

3. MORE MOVIES

Gappa; Ghost

459

Don Knotts has more to fear than fear itself (including his own reflection) in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

(1966) (courtesy Ted Okuda).

most of a radical production design that combines an a deceptively subtle and well-rounded portrait of a

“old dark house” set with pop art fixtures (Paul and small man with big dreams who finds the courage to

Jennifer collect modern art). And, as in all Harring-pursue his aspirations. Knotts is side-splittingly funny ton’s films, there’s a heavy dose of gallows humor. The in small moments (eating chicken soup standing up)

script makes some fleeting attempts at suggesting a and in major set pieces (such as his meltdown while supernatural element, but these remain perfunctory
speaking at a chamber of commerce picnic). Perhaps
and transparent. Despite its shortcomings, Games because he worked so much on television, Knotts sel-proves the director’s most satisfying film.

dom earns mention among the great screen comedi-
ans. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken proves that he de-

Gappa, the Triphibian Monster see
serves to be counted in their number.

Monster from a Prehistoric Planet

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966; Amer-

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966, Universal) ican International Pictures) Boris Karloff plays the re-This disarming Don Knotts vehicle remains one of the cently deceased Hiram Stokely, who is visited in his most charming of all horror-comedies. Knotts plays
crypt by his long-dead girlfriend (Susan Hart). She Luther Heggs, a Barney Fife-like small town newspa-tells him he must perform one good deed in the next per typesetter who dreams of becoming a reporter. He 24 hours in order to get into Heaven. Stokely sends gets his chance by volunteering to spend the night in her ghost (wearing an invisible bikini, naturally —
a “haunted” house where a murder was committed 20
meaning the naughty bits become invisible) back to
years before. Although even the youngest members of Earth to help his rightful heirs win out over those try-the audience will spot the story’s Scooby Doo finale a ing to cheat them. Saturated with puerile humor (in-mile off, the film’s fright sequences remain credible, cluding an F Troop-style Indian henchman) and a thanks to Alan Rankin’s straightforward direction and half-dozen subpar rock ’n’ roll numbers (most involv-cinematographer William Margulies’ eerie lighting.

ing dance parties around the castle’s pool!), this Ghost But the film’s primary appeal remains its well-scares no one. The menaces come in the form of an
sketched characters and the endearing performances
escaped pet gorilla, a long-haired man in a mummy
of its cast. Knotts was never better than here, offering suit, and one of Larry Buchanan’s sorry Eye Creatures

460

Ghosts; Giant

3. MORE MOVIES
costumes. Basil Rathbone, playing Stokely’s un-

Ghosts in Rome (1961; Lux Films/Vides/Galatea; scrupulous lawyer and the head baddie, adds some

Italy) Original Language Title: Fantasmi a Roma. In class to the proceedings (as well as energy — the 73-this Italian ghost comedy, the lord of a manor house year-old Rathbone reportedly did his own fencing in is killed when his hot water heater blows up, and he a swordfight with “teen” star Tommy Kirk!); and the bands together with the other ghosts of the house to filmmakers thankfully confine Karloff ’s few scenes to prevent the sale of his property. Director Antonio
his crypt, where he watches (and comments upon) the Pietrangeli was a qualified medical doctor before turn-silly shenanigans through a crystal ball, thereby pre-ing to a career in film.

serving a modicum of dignity for the octogenarian
actor. The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, with its admit-

Ghosts—Italian Style (1969; MGM; Italy) Orig-tedly impressive castle sets and well-dressed chamber inal Language Title: Questi Fantasmi. Sophia Loren of horrors, was the biggest budgeted of AIP’s “Beach and Vittorio Gassman play poor newlyweds who move

Party” pictures, but it failed at the box office and so into a haunted house in this Italian ghost comedy.

became the last of the beach movies as well.

Male Lead Gassman also starred in the 1961 supernatural comedy Ghosts in Rome.

The Giant of Metropolis (1961/63; Seven Arts; Italy) Original Language Title: Il Gigante di Metropolis.

“I think the time is propitious for you to begin your mission as a terrorist.” You won’t be hearing these words (spoken by one of the good guys to the film’s hero) in post–9/11 Hollywood. The “terrorist” in question is a leather loincloth-clad muscleman named

“Obro” (Gordon Mitchell) who journeys to the leg-
endary city of Metropolis on the continent of Atlantis to chastise the power-mad King for tampering in

God’s domain. (The King wants to use the Atlanteans’

advanced science to grant his pre-teen son immortality with some kind of brain transplant.) In any case,

Left: One of those films that Boris Karloff generally left off his résumé. Right: The mighty Obro (Gordon Mitchell, whose name is inexplicably transposed on this American poster) takes on an Atlantean opponent in the sci-fi-tinged peplum The Giant of Metropolis (1961/63).

3. MORE MOVIES

Giants; Girl; Girly; Godzilla; Godzilla’s

461

Obro resorts to brutal hit-and-run raids on the King’s

The Girl Who Knew Too Much see The
guards in order to weaken the ruler’s despotic control

Evil Eye
over his people. No better quality-wise than so many of its indifferent beefcake brethren, Giant offers the usual lackluster fight scenes with palace guards, cheesy

Girly see Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny &
special effects (in the form of different colored lights

Girly
denoting “scalding ray,” “crushing ray” and “freezing ray”), sub-par monstrous opponents (one big cave-

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero see Monster
man and a quintet of smallish men denoted as “pyg-
mies”), and small-scale scenes of destruction. The

Zero
film’s only distinguishing characteristic is its mix of classical imagery (Grecian costumes and weaponry)

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966; Toho/AIP-and sci-fi trappings. Set in 20,000 B.C.(!), the film TV; Japan) Original Language Title: Gojira, Ebira, Mo-sports Star Trek-style futuristic city sets and much talk sura: Nankai no Daiketto (Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: of the power of science. Unfortunately, despite this Great Duel in the North Sea). Alternate Title: Ebirah, novel approach to the sword-and-sandal genre, in the Monster of the Deep (U.K.). This seventh installment end this Giant is short on entertainment.

in Toho’s Godzilla saga marked a major shift in di-
rection for the series. With a reduced budget, and with

The Giants of Thessaly (1960/62; Italy/France; a new director (Jun Fukuda, who went on to helm six Medallion) Original Language Title: Giganti della Tes-G-films) and composer (Masaru Sato) taking over for saglia. Though directed and co-written by the usually stalwarts Ishiro Honda and Akira Ikufube, respec-reliable Riccardo Freda ( The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, tively, the look and feel of the series changed — and The Ghost, The Witch’s Curse), this boring sword and not for the better. The original Gojira (1954), the most sandal entry is a tepid telling of the Jason and the Arg-expensive movie produced in Japan up to that point, onauts tale, in which Jason and his crew, in 1250 B.C., had been a grim tale made for grownups. But with Sea sail aboard the Argo to find the famed Golden Fleece Monster, Godzilla movies became B-budgeted kiddie and thus save their country of Thessaly from destruc-fare. Instead of smashing expensive miniature cities, tion by the angry gods (via volcanic eruptions). Filled hereafter Godzilla’s activities would be confined al-with dull subplots revolving around palace intrigue, most exclusively to cheaper island sets. Visual effects female stowaways, awful dancing girl numbers, point-suffered as well, resulting in fewer and less imaginative less infighting, and an interminable anti-climactic se-monster sequences. The stories grew more juvenile
quence in which Jason obtains the fleece not by fight-and comedic, a switch reflected in Sato’s lighthearted ing a hydra (as in the vastly superior Jason and the scores. Not that Sea Monster is all bad. It’s silly, indif-Argonauts) but by simply climbing a big statue to grab ferently crafted and comes up a little short on monster hold of it (no muss, no fuss, no monsters), Giants action, but it’s also briskly paced and frequently (al-comes up short in the entertainment department. It
though not always intentionally) amusing. Natives of also falls flat in the horror arena, offering only one Infant Island (home of Mothra, who makes a cameo
brief encounter with a beautiful “witch” who changes appearance) are being kidnapped and forced into slave men into sheep (or so we’re told, anyway, as we never labor at the hidden island fortress of a secret society see it) and an even briefer tussle with an oversized bent on world domination. The island is protected by one-eyed gorilla.

a giant lobster (known as Ebirah in the Japanese version but unnamed in American dubbed prints) that

The Girl Killer see The Sex Killer
lives just offshore. A small band of unlucky castaways trapped on the island discover

Godzilla hibernating in a cave,
and awaken the King of the

Monsters to help thwart the bad
guys and free the natives. Al-
though it’s a steep step down
from the preceding Monster Zero

(1965), Sea Monster proves rea-
sonably diverting and remains
far superior to any of Fukuda’s
subsequent Godzilla pictures.

Even so, Sea Monster failed to
earn a theatrical release in the

U.S.; AIP purchased it for Amer-
ican TV.

Godzilla’s Revenge (1969/

71; Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) This is
where Toho’s Godzilla series,
sputtering for years, finally

Belgian poster for the poor peplum The Giants of Thessaly (1960/62).

crashed and burned. Slow-mov-

462

Goliath; Gomar; Haunted; Henry’s; Hercules

3. MORE MOVIES
gainly iguana (standing in for a sea serpent) to protect his lady love. Unfortunately, most of the mayhem is of the mundane human variety (protracted gladiatorial and battle scenes), with the more fantastical faction consisting of a brief encounter with the aforementioned faux “sea serpent” and a quick face-off
against a couple of large fellows dressed as Nean-
derthals (the “Giants” of the title). On the plus side, the ambitious film (moving from palace revolution to seafaring adventures to warrior women encounters)

offers some impressive production values for its
weight class, including loads of dress extras and over-worked stuntmen, and some expansive ancient Rome-
like sets.

Goliath and the Giants see Goliath
against the Giants

Gomar: The Human Gorilla see Night
of the Bloody Apes

Haunted House of Horror see Horror

House

Henry’s Night In (1969; Astro-Gemco; b&w) A nerdish Henry, who’s finding intimacy with his wife difficult, discovers “The Diary of the Invisible Man”

Godzilla’s Revenge (1969/71) inflicted Minya, Son in an old trunk and uses the formula to become an in-of Godzilla, on an unwary public. (Despite the
visible neighborhood lothario. With the (crude — in Teutonic title on this German lobby card, no
more ways than one) invisibility angle employed for Frankenstein Monster appears. Nor do any thrills.) laughs rather than scares (Henry even sets some invisible mice loose at a “hen party” in a ploy to get the ing, inane and juvenile, with very little original mon-women to shed their clothes— and it works!), and,
ster footage, Godzilla’s Revenge marked a new low. It’s more importantly, to give the Raincoat Brigade a
certainly the worst G-film of the 1960s, and arguably chance to ogle naked female bodies writhing under-the worst in the history of the franchise. The story neath an invisible lover, Henry’s Night In should be concerns a lonely young boy who is fascinated by giant just another tedious and impoverished nudie-cutie.

monsters, and daydreams about the beasts frolicking But thanks to an amusing and genuinely likable comic on Monster Island. When the boy is kidnapped by a
performance by Forman Shane as Henry, and some
pair of bumbling bank robbers, his plight mirrors that competent (and even clever at times) camerawork by
of Godzilla’s radioactive rugrat, Minya, who is being the uncredited film crew, Henry’s Night In becomes bullied by a bigger monster kid, Gabera. It’s difficult one of the more watchable entries of its type — which, to say what’s worse: the saccharine sentimentality, the admittedly, isn’t saying much.

agonizing comedy “relief,” the blatant recycling of stock footage from movies like Godzilla vs. the Sea

Hercules Against Moloch see The

Monster (1966) and Son of Godzilla (1967), or the ele-

Conquest of Mycenae
vation of Minya (who receded into the background
during Destroy All Monsters, 1968) back to star status.

Hercules and the Captive Women (1963; No wonder director Ishiro Honda, who helmed this

Woolner Brothers/SPA; Italy/France) Original Lan-
mess, stepped away from the series for its next four guage Title: Ercole alla Conquista di Atlantide. Alter-entries. Godzilla’s Revenge failed to receive an Amer-nate Titles: Hercules and the Haunted Women; Hercules ican theatrical release, but was purchased for TV ex-Conquers Atlantis (UK). Hercules (Reg Park) is ship-hibition by AIP. Watch at your own risk.

wrecked on a living island with an appetite for hu-
mans. The island-monster, named Proteus, material-

Goliath Against the Giants (1961/63; Medal-izes as a snake, lion, buzzard(!), ball of fire, and lion; Italy/Spain) Original Language Title : Goliath man-sized, horned chameleon creature. Herc breaks

Contro i Giganti; Alternate Title: Goliath and the Gi-off the beast’s horn (with a gruesomely moist result), ants. There’s plenty of action in this released-directly-killing Proteus and freeing a Princess who was being to-American-TV peplum, as strong-man Goliath
consumed by the living rock itself. She takes Hercules (Brad Harris, who is more expressive than most movie to her home island — Atlantis! There Herc locks horns musclemen) fights devious rulers, palace guards,
with their evil Queen, knocks off an albino army, and Amazonian women(!), oversized cavemen, and an un-punches a hole near the Temple of Uranus which

3. MORE MOVIES

Hercules

463

Hercules Conquers

Atlantis see Hercules and
the Captive Women

Hercules, Prisoner of Evil

(1964; Ambrosiana/American Inter-
national Television; Italy) Original

Language Title: Ursus, il Terrore dei

Kirghisi. Released directly to Ameri-
can television by AIP, Hercules, Pris-
oner of Evil is a Hercules movie in
name only, with a more Tartan than

Grecian setting (the inhabitants call
their ruler “Khan” and live in thatch
huts). “Hercules” (Reg Park) is a local
chieftain charged with finding and
destroying the cape-wearing, demon-
faced “monster” ravaging the coun-
tryside (the “ravaging” consists of
making flying leaps at its victims
while screeching like a bird). Hercules

Reg Park battles “Proteus” in Hercules and the Captive Women
offers no feats of super-strength (in

(1963).

fact, his one encounter with the mon-
ster results in a near-fatal wounding
causes the continent to sink. Though sporting some
for Herc), and (in an admittedly clever twist) it’s Her-impressive temple and stone catacomb sets (through
cules’ brother who turns out to be the real hero. Listless which Hercules races an eight-horse chariot!), there’s direction by the usually reliable Antonio Margheriti little to separate this film from the dozens of dull pepla (under his “Anthony Dawson” pseudonym), and too
made during the decade. Apart from the initial island-much riding, walking, and just plain wandering
monster encounter (the movie’s only tenuous tie to
around the forest make this Hercules a Prisoner of terror), Hercules and the Captive Women focuses on Boredom.

the usual shenanigans of duplicitous females and
palace guards— and there are no Captive Women.

Hercules the Avenger (1965; Italy) Original Lan-Oddly, the film’s soundtrack cribs a few musical cues guage Title: La Sfida dei Giganti. This Reg Park pep-from Creature from the Black Lagoon.

lum apparently never escaped onto American theater
screens— or at least its few original bits, since much of the film is footage lifted from Mario Bava’s Hercules

Hercules and the Haunted Women see
in the Haunted World (which did play in the U.S.) and

Hercules and the Captive Women

Hercules and the Captive Women! Avenger’s story has Hercules journey to the Hades-like underworld lorded over by the bitter Earth Goddess Gia in order to save

Hercules and the Princess of Troy (1965; Em-the soul of Zanthus, Herc’s son. With the Son of Jove bassy Television; U.S./Italy) Alternate Title: Hercules (strangely, the dubbing replaces the traditional Greek vs. the Sea Monster. This 47-minute pilot for a pro-

“Zeus” with the later Roman appellation “Jove”) on
posed TV series that never materialized went out over his dangerous quest, Gia sends her evil son Antaius to the airwaves as a stand-alone “feature.” Shot in Italy impersonate Hercules and take over the kingdom of

(in English), it stars Gordon Scott (TV’s Tarzan) as Syracuse as a despotic tyrant, leading to the final con-the famous Greek demigod, who sails to Troy to help frontation between the good and bad demi-god he-princess Diana (Diana Hyland) rid her land of a
men. About the only thing to recommend in this tired, dreaded sea monster, to whom the Trojans must sac-tedious sword-and-sandal entry are the (admittedly
rifice one maiden each month. Carlo Rambaldi’s full-impressive) scenes cribbed from the Bava film, plus a sized articulated sea beast, looking like a cross be-few taken from Captive Women (including a fight with tween The Monster That Challenged the World and one a horned lizard-monster). Just watch the originals in-of The Outer Limits’ “Zanti Misfits,” steals the show stead of Hercules the Plagiarizer ... er, Avenger.

when it meets its bloody demise at the end of Hercules’

sword. With its short running time, engaging playing

Hercules the Invincible see Son of Her-
by Scott, some involving human drama (and villain-
ous betrayal), and a very entertaining monster, Her-
cules in the Land of Darkness
cules and the Princess of Troy never outstays its welcome.

Hercules vs. the Giant Warrior see The

Triumph of Hercules

Hercules and the Ten Avengers see The

Hercules vs. the Hydra (1960/66; Walter Manley

Triumph of Hercules

Enterprises; Italy/France) Original Language Title: Gli

464

Hercules; Hillbillys; Honeymoon

3. MORE MOVIES

Amori di Ercole. Alternate Title: The Loves of Hercules.

Martha (Shirley Stoler), a desperately lonely, ill-tem-The real-life husband-and-wife beauty-and-brawn
pered, overweight nurse, falls prey to Ray (Tony Lo team of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay star in Bianco), a two-bit con man who makes his living bilk-this awful Hercules outing. Hargitay (dubbed with an ing lovelorn women. He tries to love (and rob) Martha incongruous British accent that makes him sound like and leave her, but Ray’s resolve buckles against the some prissy aristocrat!) makes for a nondescript Her-power of Martha’s obsessive adoration, and he accepts cules, and offers no screen presence to go with his her as a partner. She poses as his sister, and, despite physique. The outrageously-proportioned Mansfield

Martha’s explosive jealousy, together the couple goes (who plays Herc’s final “love” of the original language on a Bluebeard-style spree of robberies and murders title) inspires more derisive chuckles than salacious of lonely widows across several states before eventually wolf-whistles with her swooning melodramatics. A
turning against one another. Producer Warren Stiebel mostly action-less peplum (it’s 30 minutes before Her-originally hired Martin Scorsese to helm The Honey-cules does anything of note — and this simply involves moon Killers but dismissed the director shortly into wrestling one skinny bull), Hercules vs. the Hydra only production because he felt Scorsese was working too comes alive during the brief encounter with the title slowly, wasting time with elaborate, arty camera set-creature. Disappointingly, the ungainly three-headed ups. Screenwriter Leonard Kastle replaced Scorsese

(the absolute minimum requirement for a “hydra”) and earned his only directorial credit. Kastle and cin-beast resembles a Disney version of a Chinese dragon; ematographer Oliver Wood present events in a
and, given its rooted-to-the-spot motions, one sus-
straightforward, pseudo-documentary style. The pic-
pects it has long been suffering from a triple-migraine.

ture’s main attraction is Stoler’s gloriously gut-

In the end, the mythic monster patiently waits while wrenching performance as Martha Beck, who can go

Herc hacks away at one of its necks for an eternity, toe to toe with Norman Bates, Travis Bickle and Han-then it dies— as does viewer interest. This 1960 feature nibal Lecter among the all-time great movie psy-never saw a theater screen in America but instead went chopaths. Like those characters, she’s complex — men-directly to television in 1966.

acing, even repellent, yet curiously sympathetic. The Honeymoon Killers isn’t an easy film to watch because

Hercules vs. the Moloch see The
it’s so emotionally raw and, at times, deeply disturb-

Conquest of Mycenae
ing. But Stoler’s performance makes it worth the effort.

Hercules vs. the Sea Monster see Her-
cules and the Princess of Troy

Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967; Woolner Brothers) On their way to the “Nashville Jamboree,”

country-and-western singers Woody (Ferlin Husky)

and Boots (Joi Lansing), along with their very nervous manager Jeepers (Don Bowman), take shelter from a
storm (that never materializes) at an old abandoned mansion. Well, it’s not really abandoned, since the basement houses a band of spies after a secret formula from the nearby atomic missile site — Basil Rathbone, John Carradine, dragon-lady Linda Ho, and Lon

Chaney, Jr., and his pet gorilla. There ensues hijinks and hilarity (actually, tepid musical numbers and tame spook-house gags). It’s really an excuse for the country stars and various guest singers to strut their stuff in a baker’s dozen of musical numbers (highlighted by two songs performed by Merle Haggard — watched by

Jeepers on a television set, no less!), and for the three horror stars to waste theirs in a trio of inane characterizations.

The Honeymoon Killers (1969; Cinerama; b&w) This fact-based account of the life and crimes of

“Lonely Heart” killers Martha Beck and Ray Fernan-
dez is, primarily, a successor to pioneering true crime docu-dramas such as In Cold Blood (1967). But The Honeymoon Killers’ unflinching presentation of the duo’s ghastly final murders (one victim is bludgeoned with a hammer, then strangled; the couple also drown a young child), as well as its exploitative concentration on Beck’s sexual and romantic fixation on Fernandez, The horror of country music: Hillbillies in a
pushes the film toward the borders of the horror genre.

Haunted House (1967) (courtesy Ted Okuda).

3. MORE MOVIES

Honeymoon; Horror; Horrors

465

Honeymoon of Terror (1961; Sonney Amusement to marry his beloved Cynthia (Erica Rogers) and dis-Enterprises; b&w) Alternate Title: Ecstasy on Lovers covers her family is full of kooks and eccentrics (Den-Island. This early effort by soon-to-be nudie-cutie spe-nis Price, Andree Melly, Valentine Dyall, Jack Bligh, cialist Bethel Buckalew ( Kiss Me Quick! , The Secret Sex Erick Chitty and Archie Duncan), one or more of

Lives of Romeo and Juliet, Midnight Plowboy) is more whom seem bent on murdering him. Originally issued
of a horror/suspense film than an adults-only feature, in the U.S. on a double-bill with Witchcraft (1964), since the sole moment of nudity comes in one split-The Horror of It All has become extremely scarce. The second of did-I-just-see-a-breast-or-didn’t-I? The
authors of this book were unable to obtain a copy for story concerns a newlywed couple who leave off their review, but those who have seen it generally regard it Las Vegas honeymoon to go camping on the deserted
as one of Fisher’s weakest efforts— an opinion shared Thunder Island, which turns out to be not-so-de-by the director himself. “I don’t talk about it [ The Hor-serted after all, thanks to the presence of a hulking ror of It All] much,” Fisher said. “I don’t believe I will

“loco” lumberjack who “raped two girls and butchered ever be very good at sending up horror.” With quotes another” eight years earlier. With the husband off get-from: The Men Who Made the Monsters, by Paul M.

ting supplies in town, the wife, left alone on the small Jensen.

island, must run for her life (and honor) from the
limping logger. While the two leads, Doug Leith and

Horrors of Malformed Men (1969; Toei; Japan) Dwan Marlow (who apparently made their acting

This delirious, twisted, unnerving picture plays like a debut and swan song with this feature), display little psychedelic hybrid of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr.

in the way of thespian prowess, their enthusiasm and Moreau and Tod Browning’s Freaks. The convoluted seemingly real affection for one another make them a scenario, told partly in flashback, concerns a young rather endearing couple, resulting in some vested in-doctor falsely judged insane and then framed for mur-terest from the viewer (whose patience, admittedly, is der. Fleeing police, he assumes the identity of a dead sorely tried by too much puerile newlywed “banter”).

man who could be his twin (or perhaps his doppel-

And while the second half of the movie is basically ganger), right down to a swastika-shaped scar on the one protracted chase sequence, a few inspired mo-bottom of his foot. This impersonation leads him to ments of “what would I do in this situation?” hold the a chilling reunion with his father, a crazed scientist interest. Though this cheapie is no one’s ideal cine-who looks like a Japanese Charles Manson and lives
matic Honeymoon, at a barely-feature-length 62 min-on a remote island populated by grotesquely “mal-
utes at least it doesn’t overstay its welcome.

formed” men and women — many of whom he has dis-
figured himself through ghastly experimental surger-

Horror see The Blancheville Monster
ies. Director Teruo Ishii, who specialized in exploitation fare (yakuza, chambara and pinku eiga) throws in everything but the proverbial kitchen sink, shifting

Horror and Sex see Night of the
abruptly from color to tinted black-and-white to neg-

Bloody Apes
ative exposure, employing slow motion and freeze
frame, and utilizing all manner of unorthodox cuts

Horror House (1969/70; Tigon/AIP; U.K.) Alter-and ironic transitions. Other than star Teruo Yoshida, nate Title: Haunted House of Horror (U.K.). When a the story’s point of view character, the acting is highly group of bored teenagers (Frankie Avalon, Jill Ha-stylized, further enhancing the unreal, nightmarish worth, Mark Wynter, Mark Sewell, etc.) decide to explore a supposedly haunted house, one of them turns up dead —carved up by a knife-wielding assassin who may or may not be one of the kids. On the advice of a Scotland Yard inspector (Dennis Price), the group returns to the spooky old mansion to uncover the
truth. While its scenario sounds rather tame and cozy, Horror House— released in England in July of 1969 but not in the U.S. until April 1970 —features a pair of surprising splatter sequences in the style of the Italian

“giallo” mystery-thrillers of the era (in one of these scenes, Avalon gets knifed in the crotch!). Unfortunately, however, the film never fully commits itself to this approach, devoting most of its running time to laborious, slang-filled conversations among the fash-ionably mod teenagers in their trendy flats. As a result, Horror House likely will interest only viewers fascinated with swinging London kitsch.

The Horror of It All (1963/64; Lippert/20th Century–Fox; U.K.; b&w) Terence Fisher directed this little-seen old-dark-house horror-comedy starring (of
all people) Pat Boone. American salesman Jack Robin-Teruo Yoshida (center) confronts the Horrors of
son (Boone) travels to England to ask for permission

Malformed Men.

466

Horrors; Hour; House

3. MORE MOVIES
quality of the show. Heavily laden with nudity and
quently relates the tragic tale of murder and revenge gore, and often weird for weirdness’ sake, Horrors of involving the house’s previous occupants. At only 54

Malformed Men is the kind of movie that works best minutes, the story has little chance to wear out its wel-if you simply let it wash over you instead of trying to come, and Sewell takes full advantage of the novel
figure it out. Although not for every palate, viewers hook of linking electricity to the ghostly manifesta-with strong stomachs and a taste for the exotic will tions. The denouement, though not unexpected, still find much here worth savoring. Horrors of Malformed carries a shivery punch due to the clever build-up and Men never received a U.S. theatrical release, but was excellent playing of the engaging cast. Ghost movie issued on DVD in 2007.

aficionados could do far worse than to cross the
threshold of this House of Mystery.

Horrors of the Red Planet see Wizard
of Mars

House on Bare Mountain (1962, Olympic International) This woefully unfunny and utterly un-

The Hour of the Wolf
erotic horror-tinged nudie-cutie follows an under-

(1968; Svenskfimindustri;
cover policewoman (Laura Eden) who infiltrates a

Sweden) Original Language Title: Vargtimmen. Ing-
girls’ boarding school run by a bootlegging grandma mar Bergman was greatly influenced by German ex-

(comedian Bob Cresse in drag) who keeps a werewolf
pressionism and many of his pictures include super-
captive in her cellar. The overbearing Cresse’s insipid natural elements, but Hour of the Wolf (1968) remains jokes are supposed to provide humor between cheese-the closest thing the director ever made to a full-
cake sequences of models taking showers, changing
blooded horror film. Disturbed artist Johan Borg (Max into nighties, dancing, jumping rope, taking more

Von Sydow) and his young wife Alma (Liv Ullman)

showers and even reading the dictionary(!).

move to a secluded island, where Johan spends his
days painting and his nights wrestling with irrational

The House That Screamed (1969/71; Spain) (?) anxieties. Alma fears that her love for Johan is Original Language Title : La Residencia. Alternate drawing her inexorably into her husband’s madness.

Title : The Finishing School. In this Spanish pseudo Johan shows Alma sketches of the “monsters” he be-women-in-prison feature masquerading as a horror
lieves inhabit their island —“spider men,” “the bird movie (which wasn’t released Stateside until 1971), the man,” “the cackling woman.” Then Alma begins reading her husband’s diary, and finds herself plunged into his world, actually seeing the characters her husband sketched. Things turn even weirder when the Borgs
accept a dinner invitation from the vaguely vampiric Baron Von Merken (Erland Josephson). In the film’s
surreal final sequence, set in and around Castle Von Merken, Bergman employs classic horror iconography
to arresting and unsettling effect. Although never
known for creating lighthearted entertainments,

Bergman’s films of the late 1960s are the darkest, most difficult and disorienting of his career. The disturbing, methodically paced Hour of the Wolf jumps back and forth between the “real” world and the realm of nightmares, leaving it to the audience to sort out which is which, and to decide what it all means. The pleasure of the film — above and beyond Bergman’s haunting
imagery, Sven Nykvist’s gorgeous black-and-white
cinematography, and the superb performances of Von

Sydow and especially Ullman — lies in pondering its riddles. Straightforward answers would spoil the fun.

House of Evil see Macabre Serenade

House of Mystery (1961; Anglo Amalgamated; U.K.; b&w) This small-scale, low-budget English ghost movie only made it to America via sporadic television airings. Directed by Vernon Sewell (and
adapted by him from a play by Pierre Mills) with far more subtlety and style than his later offerings of The Vampire-Beast Craves Blood and The Crimson Cult, the film follows a young couple looking to buy a house.

When they run across their ideal choice, they’re flab-bergasted by — and wary of — the ridiculously low ask-One of the most (in)famous of the 1960s nudie-
ing price. The woman who shows them the cottage
cutie horrors: The House on Bare Mountain (1962) surmises that it may be due to the ghosts, and subse-

(courtesy Ted Okuda).

3. MORE MOVIES

Human Duplicators; I Eat Your Skin

467
sadistic headmistress of a European boarding school the direction flat. Kiel is imposing in stature but not for troubled girls applies such harsh disciplinary meas-in acting ability, and delivers the most unexciting and ures that several of her charges attempt to escape —
banal closing speech by an alien invader to date. The resulting in their murder by an unseen killer who
duplicates themselves are good for a few laughs, how-seems to reside in the house. Loaded with Gothic-type ever. Doors can’t stop them, bullets can’t stop them; atmosphere and sinister subtext, the film only strays but if you push them over, their heads crack open like into horror territory at the very end, whose gruesome porcelain dolls. (And watch for those dressed-up
twist in the tale definitely leaves its mark.

hairdryers that “transfer mental capacity” from the human to the replicate.)

The Human Duplicators (1965; Woolner Bros.; U.S./Italy) “Cheesy” is the operative word for this no-

I Eat Your Skin (1964/71; Cinemation Industries; budget sci-fi nonsense in which seven-foot-tall
b&w) After producer-director-scripter Del Tenney’s Richard Kiel (“Jaws” from the Bond films) plays an
fiscal successes with The Horror of Party Beach and alien who beams down to earth to create android du-The Curse of the Living Corpse (both 1964), Tenney plicates in a plot to take over the world. The effects was on a roll. Unfortunately, this momentum couldn’t are tacky (“our ‘space ship’ had been constructed by quite carry his next project, Voodoo Blood Bath, over gluing four ashtrays together!” laughed Kiel in Cinema the distribution hill. Even in 1964, shooting a horror Retro magazine), the story thin, the dialogue silly and movie in black and white and expecting to find a decent distributor was an act of pure optimism. When

Voodoo Blood Bath failed to sell, Tenney shelved his feature and returned to the theater, supervising plays as artistic director of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in New York (as well as founding a lucrative real estate business). He never made another feature. Tenney’s voodoo movie might still be moldering on the
cinematic shelf today had it not been for producer

Jerry Gross who, in 1971, needed a second feature for his rabid hippie opus I Drink Your Blood. Gross purchased Voodoo Blood Bath and re-christened it I Eat

Left: Ad for the cheesy sci-fier The Human Duplicators (1965). Right: In 1971 Jerry Gross bought Del Tenney’s unreleased 1964 zombie film Voodoo Blood Bath and re-titled it I Eat Your Skin to go along with his rabid hippie opus I Drink Your Blood.

468

I Saw; In the Year

3. MORE MOVIES

Your Skin. Compared to the mean-spirited I Drink genuinely creepy zombies (with their cataract-covered Your Blood, Tenney’s cheesy, old-fashioned tale of a eyes; flaking, wrinkled skin; and tall, gaunt frames).

mad scientist on a tropical island creating an army of zombies to conquer the world becomes downright en-

I Saw What You Did (1965; Universal; b&w) One joyable. Though not as fun as the wacky Horror of of producer-director William Castle’s weakest efforts, Party Beach, and not as slick as Tenney’s Violent Mid-this limp, would-be thriller about a crank phone call night (1963) or Curse of the Living Corpse, I Eat Your gone horribly wrong is about as spine-tingling as an Skin still maintains that combination of hard-edged ABC After School Special. While her parents are out violence (shocking decapitation, gruesome zombie
of town, 16-year-old Libby (Andi Garrett) and her pal faces) and raw energy (enthusiastic ceremonial se-Kit (Sarah Lane) begin calling people at random out quences, lively chase scenes) that make Tenney’s fea-of the phone book with the ominous message, “I saw
tures as memorable as they are. In amongst the poor what you did and I know who you are.” Unfortunately, quality sound and flat photography (not to mention
one of their prank victims is a man (John Ireland)

a laughable Ed Woodian model of the island blowing
who just murdered his wife. William McGivern’s ex-
up at the climax) are a briskly-paced story and some tremely contrived scenario relies on a one-in-a-million coincidence and a series of incredibly bone-
headed and reckless choices by the two girls, neither of whom is particularly likeable. I Saw What You Did isn’t scary and doesn’t even try very hard to be scary.

Van Alexander’s chirpy, upbeat score would better fit a comedy, but this picture isn’t particularly funny, either, making it tough to fathom what on earth Castle had in mind here. Although Castle remains best
known for his gimmicky promotional ballyhoo, I Saw What You Did featured no such trickery, unless you count its stunt casting of Joan Crawford. Although
she receives top billing, Crawford has limited screen time in her relatively minor supporting role. Anyone expecting a reprise of Castle and Crawford’s wild and woolly campfest Strait-Jacket (1964) will be sorely disappointed. For reasons unknown, I Saw What You Did was remade as a TV movie in 1988.

In the Year 2889 (1966; AIP-TV) This slavish (though uncredited) remake of Roger Corman’s Day the World Ended (1956) was part of the package of movies American International Pictures commissioned Larry Buchanan to make for their direct-to-
television branch in the mid-to-late 1960s. Buchanan shot a whole fistful of genre losers from 1965 to 1969, most of them copies of 1950s AIP sci-fiers, and all of them filmed in 16mm in Texas on budgets of less than $25,000. In the Year 2889 may very well be the best of the sad bunch — but that’s damning with faint praise indeed, as it still falls well short of its Corman model in nearly every respect (the one exception being the radioactive mutant monster, which, though no more
convincing in its rubberyness than Paul Blaisdell’s original outrageous creation for Day, looks more grotesquely disturbing). The story follows a group of atomic war survivors (in obviously modern-day 1966, not the far-flung 2889 of the nonsensical title) who hide out in a house in a sheltered valley and face mutated monsters (well, one mutated monster, anyway).

The cast of unknowns (with male lead Paul Peterson
being the one dubious “name,” having appeared reg-
ularly on TV’s The Donna Reed Show the previous decade) acquit themselves remarkably well, far surpassing the usual thespian level of a Buchanan opus (though the amazingly wooden Neil Fletcher still
manages to out-banal Day’s Paul Birch in the role of the humorless patriarch). Though the expected
cramped sets, mundane photography and long dull

Australian daybill for I Saw What You Did (1965).

stretches raise their ugly heads, Buchanan manages to

3. MORE MOVIES

Incredible; Invaders; Invasion

469
avoid his usual technical gaffes (the day-for-night (Mayer’s lab is dressed with sparking gadgets and or-scenes remain consistent here, at least) and dialogue nate equipment that looks like it came from a Uni-groaners (thanks to the plagiarized script, which is versal Frankenstein film fire sale), likable (and attrac-better than most of the others he stole from).

tive) leads, and a few intriguing set-pieces (including a demonstration in which Mayer destroys a boulder

The Incredible Invasion (1968/71; Azteca/Co-with his new ray that conjures up a similar scene in lumbia; Mexico/U.S.) Original Language Title: La In-the classic 1936 Karloff vehicle The Invisible Ray), The vasión Siniestra. Alternate Titles: Alien Terror, Sinister Incredible Invasion stands as the best of Karloff ’s Invasion. In “Gudenburg 1890,” a human-looking, sil-Mexi-horrors. Admittedly, that’s not saying much.

ver pantsuit-wearing alien comes to Earth to “destroy the molecular ray” Professor Mayer (Boris Karloff )

Invaders from Space (1957/64; ShinToho/AIP-has invented, “which, if put to ill use, could destroy TV; Japan) Yet another breathless, brainless feature the universe.” To this end the invader takes mental cobbled together for American TV from the adven-control of a Jack-the-Ripper-style psycho-killer, and tures of Japanese superhero Starman. In this one, our then possesses the professor himself, in order to sab-hero tangles with salamander men from outer space.

otage the device and discredit Mayer. It’s up to the This is the third of four pictures in the series, which Prof ’s daughter and her new beau to uncover the ne-concluded with Evil Brain from Outer Space (1958/64).

farious alien plot. Of the four Mexican-American coproductions Karloff made at the end of his life for pro-

Invasion (1965; Anglo Amalgamated/Allied Artists; ducer Luis Enrique Vergara, The Incredible Invasion U.K.; b&w) Invasion is really a misnomer, since the offered the octogenarian actor the best opportunity to entire invading force consists of one alien prisoner really act (as opposed to just sitting and reciting point-and two guards (Asian women dressed in white jump-
less dialogue and sci-fi gobbledygook). Karloff makes suits) sent to recapture him. They place an invisible the most of the (still-limited) opportunity, effectively force field around the remote country hospital where displaying the disturbing ambivalence resulting from the prisoner has sought refuge. Edward Judd ( Day the the cold, calculating alien intelligence mixing with the Earth Caught Fire, Island of Terror) plays the doctor kindly professor’s human mind. And thanks to the
hero. The script tries too hard to be “intelligent” and disturbing serial-killer subplot (though under alien ends up overly talky, while the pacing is slow, the di-control, the body’s brutal impulses bubble to the surrection plodding, and the camerawork static (some-
face periodically), some solid period set design
times utilizing only a single camera setup for an entire sequence). A dull, lifeless movie, Invasion is one of the least interesting British sci-fi films of the sixties.

Invasion of Astro-Monster see Monster

Zero

Invasion of the Body Stealers (1969; Tigon/Allied Artists; U.K.) A group of British paratroopers vanish in mid-jump, their empty parachutes falling
to earth. Then a team of skydivers “fade away” during an air show. When the disappearances continue, the
army launches an investigation, but to keep the matter hush-hush, it hires civilian private detective Bob

Megan (Patrick Allen). After many interviews,
briefings and reports, a few encounters with a mysterious beauty (Lorna Wilde) whose image does not
show up in photographs (hmmm...), and a lot of help from army scientists (Maurice Evans and Hilary

Dwyer), Megan deduces that the paratroopers have
been kidnapped by extraterrestrials. By then, however, Invasion of the Body Stealers is nearly over, limping to a mamby-pamby, make-nice-with-the-aliens anti-climax. This picture is a plodding, addle-brained mess from start to finish. Its plot defies logic and even common sense: Why would the aliens, if they are trying to operate in secret, snatch parachutists in mid-air rather than waiting for some (any) less conspicuous opportunity? Why does the military try to keep a lid on the investigation, considering that during the air show Of the four Mexican horrors Boris Karloff made
skydivers vanished in front of an audience of thou-
back-to-back just before he died, The Incredible
sands? The characters here are simplistic clichés (the

Invasion (1968/71) offered the octogenarian star womanizing gumshoe, the attractive but all-business his best acting opportunity.

female scientist, the mysterious alien siren, the no-

470

Invasion; Invisible

3. MORE MOVIES
nonsense general, etc.). The esteemed George Sanders is stock footage from Amicus’ Daleks Invasion Earth is wasted in a tiny, do-nothing part as a figurehead 2150 [1966]) and virtually no action, only conversa-general, and the rest of the cast perform forgetably.

tion. There are few more grueling ways to spend 88

Since this is a cut-rate production, there are very few minutes than with Invasion of the Body Stealers.

special effects (the single shot of the alien spacecraft

Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961/64; Toei/AIP-TV; Japan) Alternate Title : Space Pirate Ship. Original Language Title: Ucho Kaisoku-sen. This low-budget invaders-from-space yarn remains notable only as an early starring role for future action superstar Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba.

Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962; AIP; b&w) “The gags and laughs come fast and furious in this fun-filled battle of the sexes,” claims the trailer for this ultra-cheap sf/horror comedy. Well, it’s half right anyway — there’s plenty of gags but precious few laughs in this low-brow tale (penned by Roger Corman regular Jonathan Haze, who later summed up the
picture with one word: “crappy”) of two bumbling
army privates who stumble upon a cave inhabited by
a duo of gorgeous Amazonian space women and their
vegi-men slaves (lumbering stuntmen in tights, tunics and frond-studded burlap sacks over their heads).

About the only amusement gleaned from the various
unfunny gags (including the “heroes” racing, Keystone Cop-like, through the same phony cave corridor over and over again; or one of them spontaneously breaking into lousy impressions of Jimmy Cagney and Peter Lorre) is an audacious bit of naming nonsense: the
two sexy, well-endowed space women are named Dr.

Poona and Professor Tanga! Released on the bottom
half of a double bill with the far more entertaining The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, Invasion of the Star Creatures is a bottom-scraper indeed.

The Invisible Terror (1963; Aero Film; W. Germany; b&w) Original Language Title: Der Unsichtbare. More along the lines of an (inferior) German Sexy ad for the not-so-sexy The Body Stealers.

krimi than a horror film, The Invisible Terror relates (1969).

the tale of a scientist who discovers an
invisibility serum, only to disappear

(both literally and figuratively) during
a robbery/murder at the chemical plant
where he works. The man’s brother,
sometimes aiding and sometimes evad-
ing the police, must try to untangle the
convoluted crime and subsequent mur-
der plot(s) to try and find his missing
sibling and clear his name. Though an
invisible man does indeed, er ... appear,
little is made of the inherent horror of
the situation, as the film focuses on the
mystery surrounding the invisible one’s
identity rather than whatever terror he
might inspire. The infrequent invisibil-
ity gags are of the standard variety

(doors opening and closing, objects
moving through the air, etc.), and the
overburdened crime plot soon wears out
its welcome. Not surprisingly, the desul-
tory Invisible Terror could find no takers for a Stateside theatrical release and was

Ad for Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962).

sold directly to American television.

3. MORE MOVIES

Island; Isle; It’s

471

Island of the Dinosaurs (1967; Azteca Films, Inc.; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: Isla de los Dinosaurios. Released in the U.S. only to Spanish-language theaters (then ultimately in a subtitled version on DVD after the turn of the millennium), this Mexican One Million B.C. retread not only “borrows”

the overexposed baby alligator-vs.-iguana “dinosaur”

battles (and tabletop volcano eruption footage) from that 1940 film, but much of the plot as well in its tale of four scientists (two men, two women) who crash-land on an island populated by cavemen and di-
nosaurs (photographically enlarged lizards and oversized armadillos). One of the girls is rescued/captured by a local cave-hunk, and prehistoric love blossoms.

The only things new on this Retread Island are a giant alligator-like papier-maché monster that (sort of ) menaces the heroine (it looks so ungainly that director Rafael Portillo— of Aztec Mummy fame — wisely chose to reveal it only in long-shot) and a brief battle with a mangy ape-man (juxtaposed with some mismatched
footage of an ape-suited Charlie Gamora lifted from some 1940s Hollywood production). Unless you’d care to see that oft-stolen One Million B.C. footage for the umpteenth time, there’s no reason to ever set foot on this Island.

Isle of the Snake People (1968/71; Azteca/Co-A bit of slithery sexual suggestion from an Isle of
lumbia; Mexico/U.S.) Original Language Title : La
the Snake People (1968/71) dream sequence (Julissa Muerte Viviente. Alternate Titles: The Snake People pictured).

(TV), Cult of the Damned (video). In early 1968, Mexican producer Luis Enrique Vergara made a deal with of voodoo ceremonies, zombies and cannibal

Boris Karloff to appear in four horror films to be shot women(!) on a Pacific Island (Karloff plays a planta-back-to-back in Mexico. Vergara then hired Roger
tion owner who may be something more than he

Corman alumnus Jack Hill to write the four screen-
seems). Though not the worst of the quartet, Isle of plays. With partial financial backing provided by Co-the Snake People proved substandard in all depart-lumbia (in exchange for the U.S. distribution rights), ments. While it offers a few creepy moments (such as Vergara learned that the ailing Karloff could not fly to the ghoulish pre-credit sequence in which a black-Azteca’s Mexico City studio due to health reasons (his clad dwarf re-animates a woman’s corpse) and some
emphysema prevented him from working in higher
well-dressed sets (an atmospheric cemetery full of
altitudes). Plans were then drawn up to shoot all of tilted tombstones and half-exposed skeletons), a con-Karloff ’s scenes in Hollywood for all four films in only fused storyline, strained acting, poor pacing, inade-three weeks. To this end, Vergara flew the pertinent quate direction, and the fact that the film’s star —

Mexican actors and crew to Los Angeles and rented

Karloff — is onscreen for only ten minutes make this the Hollywood Stages, a cheap studio that provided

Isle a deserted one as far as entertainment goes. Co-shooting facilities for such schlock as The Incredible lumbia was less than thrilled with their new Karloff Two-Headed Transplant and Dracula vs. Frankenstein.

features. Though it’s difficult to reconstruct just what Scripter Hill directed the Hollywood scenes in four happened, two of the films, Snake People and Incredible weeks in April and May 1968, going a week over

Invasion, may have enjoyed a spotty regional theatrical schedule “due mostly to poor organization and plan-release in 1971 before the studio washed their hands ning on the part of the Mexican producer,” according of them and sold the pair to television. Due to finan-to Hill. (In addition, the $300,000 allocated for the cial difficulties, complicated by producer Luis Ver-three-week stint ballooned to a cost of nearly
gara’s death from heart failure, the two other pictures, $400,000.) “Vergara brought the actors in from Mex-The Fear Chamber and Macabre Serenade, were appar-ico,” related Hill, “and it was total chaos. The actors ently never released to theaters at all in their English-were not the actors who were supposed to come, they language versions, and only came to light via the video were not showing up on time, and we had to keep
boom of the 1980s.

changing the schedule all the time. And the producer was off at Disneyland when he should have been on

It’s Alive! (1969; AIP-TV) Don’t confuse this inept the set.” With the chaos ended and the Karloff footage waste of celluloid with the seminal 1970s killer-baby in the can, the Mexican cast and crew then returned flick from Larry Cohen — you’ll live to regret it. A dif-south of the border to finish the films in their more ferent Larry — Larry Buchanan — made this execrable economical homeland under Juan Ibanez’ direction.

exercise in tedium. The obviously down-on-his-luck

The result: The Fear Chamber, The Incredible Invasion, former Disney star Tommy Kirk plays an “assistant

Macabre Serenade, and Isle of the Snake People, a tale professor of paleontology” who, along with a bicker-

472

Jigoku; Journey

3. MORE MOVIES
ing husband and wife pair of passing motorists, stum-has yet to reach America on home video or DVD. Nak-
bles upon the secret of backwoods hillbilly Greely
agawa was a key figure in the development of Japanese (burly Buchanan regular Bill Thurman): Greely keeps horror cinema. Between 1956 and 1960 he made eight
a prehistoric fish-creature in a cave and feeds it unoff beat horror films, usually featuring ghosts, vam-wary tourists. It’s Alive! , made for American Interna-pires or serial killers, two of which — The Depths (aka tional Picture’s television division, begins like a 1960s The Ghost of Kasane, 1957) and Black Cat Mansion home movie, with the camera shooting from inside a

(aka Mansion of the Ghost Cat, 1958)— received lim-car as it drives— and drives and drives— along the
ited U.S. theatrical releases. After 1960, however, Nak-highway while a narrator spouts ponderous lines like, agawa worked primarily in other genres. His only

“There is a legend in these hills that when it rains and other horror film of the 1960s appears to have been sunshines at the same time, the Devil is kissing his Kaidan hebi-onna (aka Snake Woman’s Curse, 1968), wife.” And nothing else that occurs serves to dispel which finally emerged on DVD in 2007.

this first impression of amateurishness, from the flat lighting and long stretches without sound (one silent

Journey Beneath the Desert (1961/67; Com-flashback sequence lasts 22 minutes, with nothing but pangnia Cinematografica Mondiale & Fides/Trans-stock music cues and sporadic narration to liven it monde Film; France/Italy) Original Language Title:

up!) to the inept acting (even old pro Tommy Kirk

L’Atlantide. Alternate Title: Siren of Atlantis. This Eu-flails about wildly) and pathetic monster. Buchanan ropean adventure fantasy directed (and written) by
simply recycles his 1967 Creature of Destruction suit Edgar G. Ulmer has more in common with that mav-for this movie’s “massasaurus, a kind of aquatic
erick filmmaker’s later low-budget output like Beyond lizard” (as Tommy ludicrously labels it). Why is any-the Time Barrier and The Amazing Transparent Man body’s guess, since it’s the poorest Creature from the (both 1960) than his earlier innovative works like The Black Lagoon reject ever caught on film. Perhaps

Black Cat (1934) and Bluebeard (1944). A (model) hel-Buchanan realized this, for he keeps his green wet-
icopter crash-lands in the desert near an atomic test-suited, rubber-masked, plastic-toothed, ping-pong
ing site, and the crew are brought to the underground eyeballed beast off-screen as long as possible. In fact, remnants of Atlantis (apparently the legend was
the monster never really does anything — at least that wrong — the lost continent sank into the sand rather we see. The big “action” sequence consists of the
than the sea). There the Euro-stud crewmen (includ-
ridiculous creature advancing towards the camera,
ing a very young Jean-Louis Trintignant) run afoul of which abruptly goes out of focus as the victim
the amorous evil queen and spend their time dealing screams, ending the scene. As far as entertainment
with the subsequent love triangle angst. Nothing too value goes, It’s Alive! is a dead issue.

fantastical occurs (apart from one unfortunate turned into a statue for trying to escape), and the threadbare

Jigoku (1960; ShinToho; Japan) Alternate (interna-adventure winds down to its foregone conclusion
tional) Title: Sinners of Hell. One of two acclaimed (though this time via atomic explosion rather than the 1960 horror films directed by Nabuo Nakagawa, Jigoku usual volcanic eruption).

(Hell) chronicles the descent of a mild-mannered college student into sin, degradation and, ultimately, Hell

Journey to the Beginning of Time (1955/66; itself. The trouble begins when Shigeru (Shiro

CCM/Radio & Television Packagers; Czechoslovakia) Shimizu) and an unscrupulous classmate, out for an

Original Language Title: Cesta do Praveˇku. Four young evening drive, accidentally run down a pedestrian and boys take a fanciful voyage into prehistory in this list-leave the victim to die. The hit-and-run casualty turns less, poorly dubbed, Czech-produced juvenile edu-out to be a yazuka member, and Shigeru quickly finds tainment made in 1955 but not released in the U.S.

himself trapped in a downward spiral of alcoholism, until 1966. After a visit to the American Museum of vice and crime. After his death, Shigeru wanders

Natural History, “Doc” (Josef Lukas), Ben (Zdenek
through Hell in search of his unborn child. Despite Hustak), Tony (Petr Hermann) and Jo Jo (Vladimir
its excellent reputation, Jigoku can be tough sledding.

Bejval) rent a row boat, paddle through a cave and a The first two thirds of the 98-minute film, as poor strange fog, and suddenly find themselves in a myste-Shigeru becomes a magnet for catastrophe and
rious river. The further downstream they go, the
heartache, is so drawn-out and melodramatic, so
deeper into the past they travel, past woolly mam-
weighted down with heavy-handed moralizing, that
moths, prehistoric birds, dinosaurs and, ultimately, Jigoku nearly tips into self-parody. And the film’s final to the dawn of life itself. The creatures— realized third proves a bit of a letdown. Nakagawa’s vision of through a variety of techniques, including stop-mo-Hell plays like something out of Herschell Gordon
tion animation, puppetry and even a rubber suit —

Lewis, with sinners literally torn in half, eyes gouged are impressive, but the story contains almost no dra-out, limbs ripped from their bodies, etc.— all rendered matic tension (for example, danger seems to threaten in unconvincing, cheap gore effects. In Nakagawa’s
when Jo Jo goes missing, but he is soon found quietly defense, Jigoku (which never played American theaters fishing — in fact, he lands the boys’ dinner). Journey during the 1960s, but reached the U.S. via DVD in
to the Beginning of Time is less concerned with drama 2006) is atypical of the director’s oeuvre. His other than with factual accuracy, as the teenaged “Doc” ex-1960 chiller, the traditional ghost story Tokaido Yot-plains to his younger chums the whys are wherefores suya Kaidan (aka The Ghost of Yotsuya), is more rep-of prehistoric life, with scrupulous fidelity to then-resentative. Unfortunately, Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan current (now mostly outdated) scientific theory, giv-also went unreleased in the U.S. during the 1960s, and ing way to a reading from the Book of Genesis once

3. MORE MOVIES

Journey; King; Kingdom; Kiss

473
the boys reach the Dawn of Life. Director Karel Zeman

Journey to the Seventh Planet (AIP, 1962) This went on to make the visually dazzling fantasies The low budget sci-fi entry, shot in Denmark by producer-Fabulous World of Jules Verne (1958/61) and The Fab-director Sidney Pink from a script by Ib Melchior,
ulous Baron Munchausen (1961/64).

plays like something warmed over from the previous
decade, with elements rehashed from pictures like

Journey to the Center of Time (1967; American Queen of Outer Space (1958) and Rocketship X-M

General) A time travel experiment goes haywire, send-

(1951). Spaceship Explorer 12 arrives on planet Uranus ing three scientists and a ruthless businessman 5,000
and surprisingly discovers an earth-like, pastoral
years into the future, where they find Earth embroiled world populated by gorgeous Scandinavian women.

in both a devastating nuclear war and an alien inva-The astronauts eventually surmise that they are cap-sion. Then, when they try to return home, they overtives of a super-intelligent telepathic being (which shoot the mark and wind up in the age of dinosaurs.

looks like a giant brain with a big eyeball in the mid-Unfortunately, while David Prentiss’ imaginative
dle) intent on taking over their minds, then traveling script might have made a good, pulpy sci-fi novel, its to earth to subjugate the entire human race. Alas, Mel-ambitions far outstrip the production capabilities of chior’s scenario blows any possible suspense out the this ultra-low-budget movie. Not only are the sets
airlock with an inane early scene in which the crew (full of voltage meters, knobs and reel-to-reel tape), suddenly falls asleep and a disembodied, hypnotic
costumes (spandex anyone?) and visual effects (tiny voice spells out the entire plan (then tells them to remodels and a bored-looking iguana) laughably cheap-
member nothing, rendering the entire sequence pur-
looking, but its 77-minute running time includes end-poseless). Even at his best, Melchior ( Robinson Crusoe less static dialogue scenes (wherein scientists spout on Mars, Planet of the Vampires, etc.) focuses on whiz-scientific doubletalk and lab techs furiously spin
bang sci-fi gimmicks (like the Cyclops-brain monster) knobs and press buttons), stock footage montage jour-at the expense of dramatic structure and characterineys through “history” and other obvious padding.

zation — and Journey to the Seventh Planet remains far Director David L. Hewitt keeps everything in frame
from his best work. The mostly Danish cast, handi-
and in focus, and the low-rent cast (Scott Brady, An-capped by a language barrier and by Melchior’s cliché-thony Eisley, Gigi Perreau, Abraham Sofaer) delivers infested dialogue, turn in flat, mechanical perform-its stilted, cornball dialogue with precision, if little ances. Even imported star John Agar, a stalwart of the conviction. It’s as if everyone involved recognized genre, seems unusually disengaged. Pink manages a
that, even though it contains some clever ideas, Jour-few clever directorial flourishes, including effective ney to the Center of Time was a trip to nowhere.

use of subjective camera angles, but on the whole Journey proves a far less satisfying effort than his first col-

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (Universal; laboration with Melchior, The Angry Red Planet

1969; U.K.) An unmanned solar probe discovers a new (1960).

planet in synchronous orbit with Earth on the far side of the sun. Two astronauts (Ray Thinnes and Ian

King of Kong Island (1968/78; Italy/Spain) Orig-Hendry) travel to the distant world, which turns out to inal Language Title : La Venere Selvaggia. Alternate be a mirror Earth, complete with look-alikes of every Title: Kong Island. Shot in 1968 but not released in the person and reversed duplicates of every object. Journey U.S. until ten years later (and then just to television), to the Far Side of the Sun was the brainchild of producers this slap-dash import involves a mad scientist who

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, creators of TV’s Thunder-lives in the jungle and inserts “brain-control” devices birds and U.F.O. , operating under the distinct influence into the skulls of gorillas, turning them into slaves.

of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). It’s There’s no King, no Kong, nor any island (it being set a serious-minded, A-budget production with a solid
in the African heartland), but there is a topless jungle cast (Thinnes, Hendry, Patrick Wymark, Herbert
girl (referred to as “the Sacred Monkey”!) who frolics Lom), impressive visual effects (although not in the nude in slow motion (at least in the European prints).

same league as 2001) and imaginative production design Also present is a groovy ’60s dance-party sequence, a (including believably futuristic cars, aircraft, furniture tediously overlong (fake) gorilla brain surgery scene, and even fashions). All the requisite components of a plenty of stock animal footage, Halloween-style man-science fiction classic are in place — except a story. The monkey costumes, smarmy “mood” music, and shot
screenplay, by the Andersons and Donald James, wastes after shot of people following each other through the a great deal of screen time on boring folderol about se-jungle. Buried beneath all this cheese is sword-andcuring project funding, training astronauts and rooting sandal beefcake Brad Harris ( Goliath Against the Gi-out commie spies. By the time Thinnes and Hendry
ants) and long-time Hollywood tough-guy Marc finally set foot on the mysterious new planet, nearly an Lawrence ( The Ox-Bow Incident, Key Largo), who no hour of the 101-minute movie has elapsed. The story’s doubt was wondering why his career had up and left
downbeat payoff isn’t worth such an elaborate buildup.

without him.

At points, Journey tries too hard to emulate 2001, especially with its psychedelic hyper-sleep sequences,
which are clearly intended to resemble the Kubrick

Kingdom in the Sand see The Con-
film’s trippy “star gate.” Such moments beg a danger-
queror of Atlantis
ous comparison. While not without intriguing ele-
ments, Journey to the Far Side of Sun seems clumsy

Kiss and Kill (1968; Commonwealth United; and vacuous next to the masterful, provocative 2001.

Spain/West Germany/U.S./U.K.) Alternate Titles:

474

Kiss; Kong; Last

3. MORE MOVIES

Against All Odds, The Blood of Fu Manchu (U.K.). The fourth of five Harry Alan Towers-produced and

Christopher Lee-starring Fu Manchu films may not
be the worst (that “honor” belongs to the fifth and final entry — The Castle of Fu Manchu), but it’s pretty damned close. Kiss and Kill has Fu and his daughter planning to rule the world by injecting a bevy of beautiful women with snake venom and sending them out
to assassinate Fu’s enemies (including Nayland Smith) via “the kiss of death.” But it all boils down to a lot of running about in the Brazilian jungle as the protagonists search for Fu’s “Lost City” hideout. The audacious concept becomes lost amidst the meandering
plot and small-scale, lackluster “action” scenes.

Christopher Lee’s portrayal of the ultimate Yellow

Peril figure remains deadly serious throughout, be-
coming almost unintentionally amusing as he lords it over the cheesy sets and expressionlessly delivers the often-risible dialogue. The best thing about this cheap action-adventure misfire is the tongue-in-cheek tone of the film’s American trailer: “Positively recommended for the strong in heart — transplants are hard to come by.” At this late stage in the Fu Manchu franchise, so was quality.

Kiss Me Monster (1967; Aquila Films; West Germany/Spain) Original Language Title: Bésame Monstruo. The often incoherent Jess Franco strikes again with this inevitably incomprehensible mishmash
about two saxophone-playing strippers-cum-private-
investigators (or something) who become embroiled

Pointless, nondescript Spanish poster for the
in the search for a missing scientist’s “nutrient for-pointless, nondescript Spanish Franco–film Kiss
mula” after the man “created two fully developed

Me Monster (1967).

physical beings artificially.” The film’s tone is one of light comedy (meaning Franco abandons his usual

Many of the jokes are groan-inducing, but there is
sex-and-blood formula for poor jokes and impossibly something undeniably amusing about the sight of the knowing/blasé performances from the two leads, Ja-Frankenstein Monster surrounded by topless go-go
nine Renaud and Rossana Yanni), but the result is only dancers. Although more silly than sexy, scattered mo-heavy eyelids for the baffled — and bored — viewer. It’s ments like that one help make Kiss Me Quick more almost like an old Get Smart episode, but badly watchable than most films of its type.

dubbed and without even the minimal coherence and
chuckles found in that uneven TV series. Characters come and go and disappear without explanation (as

Kong Island see King of Kong Island
does audience interest), and by film’s end one still has little insight into what the previous 78 minutes were

The Last War (1961/64; Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) all about. Franco has made many, many bad movies

Original Language Title: Sekai Daisenso. Toho’s hard-over his long career, and Kiss Me Monster may possibly hitting, pure sci-fi, end-of-the-world epic was re-top that list.

edited and released directly to American TV. This is a top-tier, big budget production, the Japanese equiva-

Kiss Me Quick (1964; Boxoffice International) lent of somber American nuclear holocaust films such Sterilox (Frank Coe, appearing under the stage name as On the Beach (1959). The Last War is sometimes

“Fatty Beltbuckle” and imitating the voice and man-
confused with The Final War, a similarly themed but nerisms of Stan Laurel), an alien from the asexual
smaller budgeted picture made a year earlier by rival planet Butliss, travels to Earth to try to procure a “per-Toei. However, The Final War does not appear to have fect specimen” of female womanhood with help from
received an American theatrical release and may be
the demented Dr. Breedlove (Max Gardens, appearing
lost.

under the pseudonym “Manny Goodtimes” and doing
a Bela Lugosi impression). This horror-themed nudie-

Last Woman on Earth (1960; Allied Artists) cutie amounts to, basically, a series of stripteases ac-Harold Gern (Anthony Carbone), an unscrupulous
companied by pun-filled commentary from Sterilox
real estate developer, along with his unhappy wife Eve-and Breedlove. Dracula, the Mummy and the
lyn (Betsy Jones Moreland) and his attorney Martin

Frankenstein Monster (Coe again, this time in an

(Robert Towne, acting under the pseudonym Edward
unauthorized recreation of Jack Pierce’s iconic Son of Wain) emerge from scuba diving off the coast of

Frankenstein makeup) make cameo appearances.

Puerto Rico to discover they have escaped a mysteri-

3. MORE MOVIES

Late; Latitude; Legend

475
ous calamity that wiped out the rest of the population McKenzie’s ageless people live in perfect harmony,
of the island, and perhaps of the world. The trio hides wearing clothes of spun gold. But the ruthless, power-away in a posh beach house, but tensions mount as
crazed Malic (Caesar Romero) aims to rule over this Evelyn becomes infatuated with Martin. One of the
paradise, and has bred a race of animal-men to help weaker movie apocalypses of the 1960s, the punch-him gain control. All this should be great fun (espeless, predictable and preachy Last Woman on Earth cially with the usually reliable Ishiro Honda directing), was the first of three low-budget films producer-di-but Latitude Zero never really delivers on this delirious rector Roger Corman shot (for tax reasons) in Puerto (if derivative) scenario. Running a bloated 100 min-Rico. Robert Towne’s debut screenplay runs long on
utes, its pace is sluggish, bogged down by static dia-heavy-handed symbolism and stilted dialogue but
logue scenes (most of the wonders of McKenzie’s par-short on chills, action or even believable situations.

adise are discussed rather than shown) and beautifully Harold, Evelyn and Martin accept far too easily that shot but ultimately tedious documentary-style unthe end of the world has arrived — they don’t even
derwater footage. Malic’s creatures— including bat
bother searching for other survivors— and seem to
people, winged lions and giant rats— are laughably
suffer no privations as a result. There’s some justice shoddy looking, some of the worst creature suits ever in the fact that most of the film’s worst lines are deliv-from Toho. The other costumes and sets look equally ered by Towne himself, playing the nihilistic, pseudo-chintzy. The cast’s stylized, serial-like performances intellectual Martin. Corman’s earlier end-of-the-

(especially Romero’s scenery-chewing, Joker-like an-world epic Day the World Ended (1955) was a scruffier tics) are enjoyable, but better suited to a much livelier but, on balance, far more entertaining affair. Three film. Indeed, the impulse behind Latitude Zero seems years after its debut, director Monte Hellman shot ad-to have been to recreate the appeal of a vintage chapter ditional dialogue scenes with the principal cast to pad play — but those films were predicated on action, not Last Woman’s running time so it could be included in on small talk and scenery.

a package of Corman-produced films sold to television through Allied Artists. Although shot and released

Legend of Horror (1960/71; General Film Corpora-theatrically in color, TV prints were issued in black tion; Argentina/U.S.; b&w) “A Double Dose of Hell and white. With color or without, however, Last Filmed in the ‘Blood-Chilling’ Realism of Magicma-Woman on Earth quickly grows tiresome.

tion.” So promised the poster for this obscure oddity (paired with Diabolical Wedding) combining about 30

Late August at the Hotel Ozone (1967; Na-minutes of footage (an entertaining adaptation of Poe’s tional Film Archives; Czechoslovakia; b&w) Original

“The Tell-Tale Heart”) from the 1960 Argentinean Poe Language Title: Konec Sprna v Hotelu Ozon. Alternate portmanteau film Obras Maestras del Terror (“Master-Title: The End of August at the Hotel Ozone (video).

works of Terror”) with another 45 minutes of newer, This chillingly grim post-apocalyptic film from

U.S.-shot scenes to create a full feature (released in Czechoslovakia follows a handful of teenage girls, led 1971). ( Obras’ two remaining Poe tales, “The Facts in by the “Old Woman,” as they scavenge the sparse
the Case of M. Valdemar” and “The Cask of Amontil-
countryside in a world apparently devoid of human
lado,” ended up released in the U.S. by Jack H. Harris life some 40 years after the nuclear holocaust (nearly in 1965 as The Master of Horror.) The new American everyone has died of radiation sickness). Sporting a footage involves a man thrown into prison for 15 years decidedly Lord of the Flies sensibility (including for “attempting to seduce the mayor’s daughter” (tough unflinching photography that captures each brutal act laws in this unnamed, backwards country). There he
the “children” commit —from needlessly shooting a
meets a crazy old man who helps him escape, all the dog to falling upon a cow and butchering it in a field), while relating his tale of woe as an extended flashback the film reaches its depressingly inevitable climax (the Argentinean footage). Amazingly, it all dovetails when the little band stumbles upon an old man (the
quite nicely in a shocking and unexpected denouement first male they’ve ever seen) at an isolated mountain set in a misty graveyard right out of a classic Universal hotel. There, the girls’ new barbarism clashes with this horror. This, coupled with the small-scale but highly last pathetic vestige of the old civilization. Thought-atmospheric art direction of the American scenes set provoking and quietly engrossing, Late August at the in the dank cell and dungeon-like, cobwebbed corri-Hotel Ozone remains one of the decade’s more emo-dors of the primitive prison (not to mention the struc-tionally powerful cinematic comments on What We
ture’s exterior represented by a seaside castle matte Must Never Let Happen.

painting cribbed from Roger Corman’s Poe series!),
makes Legend of Horror a welcome throwback to ear-

Latitude Zero (1969/70; Toho; Japan) This splashy lier times— with a few moments of unexpected gore

Toho production, released in Japan in 1969 but not
to shock one’s nostalgic sensibilities. The young lead until 1970 in the U.S., was an undersea variant on the of the Argentinean-lensed Poe story was played by
more successful Atragon (1963). Its story pits a poor Narcisco Ibanez Serrador, who became a respected di-man’s Captain Nemo against an ersatz Dr. Moreau,
rector in Spain, most notably for helming the shocking with two rescued Japanese scientists (Akira Takarada The House That Screamed (1969) and the disturbing and Masumi Okada) and an American reporter

Who Can Kill a Child? (1976). The much-ballyhooed (Richard Jaeckel), caught in the middle. The Nemo-

“Magicmation,” by the way, consists of three gory in-like Captain McKenzie (Joseph Cotten) lives in a substances of startling, though not altogether convincing, aquatic libertarian Utopia that contains the Fountain stop-motion animation (involving two throat pierc-of Youth. Even though there is no government,
ings and a throat slitting) in the U.S. footage.

476

Lila; Little; Living; Lost; Love; Loves; Macabre

3. MORE MOVIES

Lila see Mantis in Lace

The Lost World of Sinbad (1963/65; Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) Original Language Title: Daitozoku. Toshiro

Little Red Riding Hood and the Mon-

Mifune stars as the fabled Sinbad in this disappointing
sters see Tom Thumb and Little Red
adventure yarn. Produced by Toho, Lost World naturally lacks the Ray Harryhausen stop-motion anima-

Riding Hood
tion sequences that serve as the primary attraction for the best Sinbad pictures. Alas, Lost World also lacks

The Living Corpse (1967; Pakistan; b&w) Original the giant monsters and other creatures that usually Language Title: Zinda Laash. From the opening credit populate Toho genre films. In fact, aside from a med-stating that this Pakistani vampire flick is “adopted”

dlesome witch, it features very few fantasy elements from the Bram Stoker tale, you know that The Living of any sort. The story, which has no origin in the Tales Corpse will be straying far from the beaten path — not of the Arabian Nights, chronicles Sinbad’s struggle to necessarily by intent, however. For instance, it em-overthrow an unscrupulous nobleman who leads a
ploys Hammer’s Horror of Dracula (1958) as a blue-double life as The Black Pirate. The visual effects are print: several scenes, including the Chris Lee entrance few and surprisingly slipshod, and the production val-and the vampiress interruptus sequence (in which the ues chintzy. About all this film can hang its turbin on Count brutally saves Harker from the lady bloodis Mifune, who makes a superb Sinbad — a larger-
sucker), are outright steals (though Corpse adds a dis-than-life star for a larger-than-life character. As long turbing touch to the latter by having the male vamp as he is on screen, which is most of the time, there’s toss a baby to the delighted vampiress and telling her something diverting to watch.

to “feast on this” as she scampers happily away — an incident taken from Stoker’s book but rarely seen on-

Love After Death see Unsatisfied Love
screen). The film also borrows dialogue (“children of the night”) and atmosphere (giant spider web, any-

The Loves of Hercules see Hercules vs.

one?) from the 1931 Lugosi Dracula. But plenty of unique and bizarre touches make this Corpse stand
the Hydra
out from the vampiric crowd. For example, when a
hefty, size-16 female bloodsucker attempts to seduce

Macabre Serenade (1968; Azteca/Columbia; the Harker-like character by spontaneously erupting Mexico/U.S.) Alternate Titles: House of Evil, Dance of into an “erotic” dance (a strange bit of 1960s “perfor-the Damned. One of the four films Boris Karloff made mance art” that looks like a cross between the Hula for Mexican producer Luis Enrique Vergara in 1968
and the Swim!), the viewer’s jaw can’t help but hit the (with all of Karloff ’s scenes shot back-to-back in Hol-floor. Then there’s several traditional Indian-style mu-lywood before the production moved to Mexico for
sical numbers (one in which the heroine sings to her-completion), Macabre Serenade never saw theatrical self about love in her garden; another in which a group release in the U.S. (due both to Columbia’s disap-of picnicking girls sing about the beautiful weather!).

pointment with the finished product, and to Vergara’s During a nightclub musical interlude, the patrons
untimely death and the subsequent legal entangle-
even join in at one point. These are things one doesn’t ments). American audiences didn’t really miss much.

necessarily associate with an atmospheric vampire

Arguably the worst of the quartet (and that’s saying movie. Also unusual is the way in
which the main vampire becomes a
vampire — by fooling around with
the “elixir of life.” You see, he was a
famous scientist trying to find a
cure for death, and ... well, let’s just
say he found it. Now that is novel.

(Of course, John Beal played a sci-
ence-spawned bloodsucker a decade
earlier in The Vampire, but he didn’t acquire the penguin suit and cape,
nor the mesmeric powers that this

Living Corpse did.) Considered al-
most too shocking for Pakistani

Cinema at the time due to its “hor-
ror” and “erotic” content (it became
the only Pakistani movie in history
to earn an “X” rating in its country
of origin — despite a total lack of
nudity), The Living Corpse only sur-
faced in America in subtitled form
on home video in 2003. For those
whose taste in horror runs to the

Boris Karloff in Macabre Serenade (aka House of Evil), a 1968 Mexican off beat, The Living Corpse is well
film that didn’t make it north of the border until the video boom of worth digging up.

the 1980s.

3. MORE MOVIES

Maciste; Magic

477
something), Macabre Serenade stars Karloff as Mathias tardly Orochimaru — and director Tetsuya Yamauchi

Morteval, wealthy patriarch of Morhenge Manor, who
makes dramatic use of extreme low camera angles in
calls all his relatives together ostensibly to decide upon key sequences. Like all Toei films, The Magic Serpent an heir (but actually to ferret out the madman, tainted was made on the cheap, and it shows— the visual ef-by the family insanity, who’s responsible for a rash of fects remain crude, even by kaiju eiga standards. But eyeless corpses turning up). Soon the heirs themselves the movie is so charming and energetic, such deficien-begin dying, killed by the sinister life-sized mechancies are easy to forgive. AIP purchased The Magic Ser-ical toys (built by Mathias’ late brother) that populate pent for American television, denying it a U.S. the-the manor house. While it’s fun to watch Karloff
atrical release, and it has remained relatively obscure dressing down his greedy potential heirs (a bit of the ever since. It deserves a wider audience.

old magic shines through as he alternates between surface civility and scathing contempt, obviously enjoy-

The Magic Sword (1962; United Artists) In this ing his own pointed barbs), there’s absolutely nothing Medieval fairy tale with mild horror overtones, Gary else to recommend in this awful time-waster. A slow, Lockwood plays the young George who, after receiv-meandering, haphazard script (with careless dubbing ing a lightning-fast steed and magic sword from his to match — typified by one cousin referring to Math-bumbling witch mother (comically played by Estelle
ias as “uncle”); murky day-for-night photography; in-Winwood), heads for an evil sorcerer’s castle to free terior lighting so poor it often obscures the (non)ac-an imprisoned princess. Along the way he and his
tion; and the cheesy killer dolls (actors doing their companions (six brave knights called up from stone) best “Mr. Roboto” impressions), whose clicking and
must face each of the wizard’s seven curses sent to stop squeaking noises make them sound like whiny mice,
him, including a 20-foot-ogre, a vampire hag (played mark this Serenade as a toneless mess.

by Maila Nurmi, Vampira herself !) and a two-headed dragon. While this may be producer-director Bert I.

Maciste vs. the Cyclops see Atlas

Gordon’s most ambitious project up to this time, it

Against the Cyclops
still bears the decidedly cheap stamp of a Mr. B.I.G.

production, with the effects consisting of still photographs, simple insertions and transparent superim-

Maciste in the Land of the Cyclops see positions (not to mention his signature giant creature,

Atlas Against the Cyclops
a seeming obsession of the man who brought us The Amazing Colossal Man, The Cyclops, Village of the Gi-

The Magic Serpent (1966; Toei/AIP-TV; Japan) ants, and several other oversized critter movies).

Original Language Title: Kairyu Daikessen. Breath-

“[Bert I. Gordon] was a special effects wizard for his lessly paced and bursting with zany ideas, this unher-time,” stated Magic Sword star Gary Lockwood, “and alded sword-and-sorcery yarn stands as one of the
you could clearly tell that he was most interested in most entertaining, and most under-appreciated, Japa-getting to the movie’s [postproduction] phase. Shoot-nese fantasy films of the 1960s. The basic plot could ing the film was something that he had to do, but his come from any of the lowbrow, low-budget chambara skills lay in postproduction.... He was someone who (sword-fighting) epics that were Toei’s usual specialty: thought, ‘Let’s get this done fast so the money doesn’t An evil samurai betrays his master and takes over his dry up and I can get to postproduction where I can
lands, but the lord’s loyal retainers steal away with his really show my wizardry.’” Given the spotty onscreen infant son. Years later, the son, Ikazuchimaru (Hiroki results, however, Gordon appears to be more fumbling Matsukata), returns in search of revenge. The twist acolyte than accomplished conjurer. With its simplis-here is that Ikazuchimaru has been studying magic,
tic story line, cardboard characters and unconvincing and must vanquish Orochimaru (Ryutaro Otomo), an
special effects (the dragon looks like it escaped from evil wizard who helped overthrow his father. The a Chinese New Year parade), the only reason to take Magic Serpent takes place in a Never-Never Land full up this Magic Sword is Basil Rathbone’s wonderful of ghosts, monsters and magic, where anything can
sneering villainy as the evil sorcerer; his forceful pres-happen at any moment. In one unforgettable scene,
ence injects some much-needed life into the pale pro-our hero is decapitated — but his head simply laughs ceedings. Shot in only 13 days, The Magic Sword re-at his opponent, then floats back onto his neck!

ceived a big push by United Artists, who gave it a

Orochimaru is a shape-shifter, capable of changing
major saturation booking in 350 theaters across the forms into the titular dragon-like beastie. The finale U.S.

pits Orochimaru in serpent form against a giant

With quotes from: “A Sworded Past,” by Tom
horned toad under the command of Ikazuchimaru.

Weaver, in Fangoria no. 288, 2009.

Along the way, there are giant birds, a colossal spider, magic duels and nearly nonstop sword fights— plus a

The Magic Voyage of Sinbad (1953/61; Moss-romantic subplot involving Ikazuchimaru and a beau-

Film/Filmgroup; U.S.S.R./Finland) Original Language tiful young woman named Tsunate (Tomoko Ogawa),

Title: Sadko. In 1961 Roger Corman’s Filmgroup com-who turns out to be the daughter of Orochimaru. The pany acquired the rights to a lavish yet dull-as-dirt Magic Serpent crams all this and more into 85 action-1953 Russo-Finnish fantasy and turned it into a Sin-packed minutes, but never seems frantic. (Viewers
bad movie via the magic of dubbing (spending $9,600
may also note several plot points echoed in George
on dubbing and rescoring). That’s why this blonde(!) Lucas’ Star Wars trilogy.) The film’s leads perform ca-Sinbad the Sailor sails in an oddly Viking-styled craft pably — Otomo is particularly impressive as the das-and wears Nordic clothing rather than the expected

478

Majin; Man; Mantis; Mark; Mars; Master

3. MORE MOVIES

Arabian Nights dress. The story has Sinbad searching tographing such films as Ghost Busters (1984), Copycat for “the Bird of Happiness” in order to restore pros-

(1995) and Miss Congeniality (2000).

perity to his now-impoverished home city of Kopisan.

Along the way he plays his ever-present harp(!!) at

Mark of the Wolfman see Franken-

Neptune’s undersea palace, and then escapes on a giant
stein’s Bloody Terror
seahorse(!!!). In the end, he basically discovers that There’s No Place Like Home ... Tediously paced and

Mars Needs Women (1966; AIP-TV) This direct-broadly acted (with the gestures obviously intended to-TV cheapie possesses a seminal exploitation title to match the massive sets and dress extras), The Magic but little else to recommend it. Larry Buchanan, who Voyage of Sinbad is strictly kiddie fare.

usually settled for filming uncredited remakes of 1950s AIP scripts ( The Eye Creatures; In the Year 2889; Zon-

Majin Strikes Again (1966, Daiei; Japan) Original tar, the Thing from Venus), here wrote an original Language Title : Diamajin gyakushu (Giant Majin’s screenplay. “I had reached my pain threshold in the Counterattack), Alternate Title : Revenge of Giant remaking of bad scripts,” recounts Buchanan (without Majin (DVD). This is the last and least of Daiei’s tril-the least bit of irony) in his book It Came from Hunger!

ogy of period dramas about a giant stone samurai who Tales of a Cinema Schlockmeister, “and I told the heads comes to life to rescue the downtrodden villagers who of AIP that, as a breather, I wanted to do my own
worship him. This time around, the protagonists are script, Mars Needs Women.” Larry, however, should four young boys who journey across the Mountain of
have stuck to plagiarizing the oldies, since those “bad Majin to try to rescue their fathers, kidnapped by an scripts” were infinitely more entertaining than this evil lord and pressed into forced labor. Although the one. The title says it all, as Tommy Kirk plays the special effects finale proves as impressive as ever — es-leader of a small Martian band sent to Earth to secure pecially the snowy mountaintop sequences— the jidai-women to repopulate his dying planet. 50 million
geki (period drama) story elements falter, with the miles is a long way to go just to get a date, but when boys’ interminable trek consuming most of the run-Yvonne Craig (Batgirl from TV’s Batman) is one of ning time. Majin Strikes Again never received an the intended, you can’t fault Tommy for his efforts.

American theatrical or television release, but finally An incoherent screenplay, Buchanan’s usual static di-reached the States on DVD in 2005.

rection and poor photography (“the finished produc-
tion looks like it was lit with a flashlight,” admitted

Man from Tomorrow see Cyborg 2087

Yvonne Craig to interviewer Ted Okuda), long
stretches of boring filler, high school-level acting

Mantis in Lace (1968; Boxoffice International). Al-

(Craig excepted, who does as well with the unwieldy ternate Title: Lila. About the only thing on offer in and tedious dialogue as anybody could), and a total this boring roughie produced by Harry Novak’s Box
lack of monsters (Tommy Kirk and company dressed

Office International are a trapped-in-amber peek at a in one-piece jump suits with earphones just doesn’t swinging sixties strip club, a ridiculously over-the-cut it) make this movie mess nearly unwatchable.

top and off-the-mark gander at the “drug scene,” and While Mars Needs Women, Buchanan Needs Talent.

a few unintentional laughs. The story has topless
dancer Lila drop acid at her “love nest” (a disused

Master of the World (1961; AIP) In 1868, U.S.

warehouse furnished with candles and a mattress), go special agent John Strock (Charles Bronson), arms
on a bad trip (consisting of colored lights and hallu-magnate Mr. Prudent (Henry Hull), his daughter
cinations of squishy bananas), and hack her various Dorothy (Mary Webster) and her balloon enthusiast
lovers to death with screwdriver, meat cleaver, and fiancé (David Frankham) are taken captive by Robur
garden hoe! Not the brightest bulb in the makeup mir-

(Vincent Price), a radical pacifist who commands a
ror, Lila continues to take LSD whenever she brings a futuristic, zeppelin-like airship named the Albatross.

new lothario to her pad (with the same bloody results) Robur plans to use the Albratross and its cache of
until someone finally stumbles across the gruesome
bombs and other advanced weapons to destroy the
mess and calls in the fuzz. Filled with lines like
armies and navies of every nation that refuses to vol-

“Groovy pad you’ve got here — a little kinky, but out untarily disarm. Based on two Jules Verne novels
of sight” and “Acid, baby, the stuff dreams are made ( Robur the Conqueror and Master of the World), this is of ... you’ll groove it,” and padded with far too many one of Richard Matheson’s weaker screenplays—full
repetitive and pointless scenes of the various strippers of simplistic caricatures, with a dearth of action but a (including perennial sixties favorite Pat Barrington) surplus of unfunny comedy relief, mostly involving
both on and off the stage, Mantis quickly wears out the Albatross’ put-upon cook (Vitto Scotti). The
its welcome. It only truly comes alive during the brief source material isn’t Verne’s best work, either. Master and brutal murder moments (in which Lila halluci-of the World plays like what it is— a knock-off of the nates that she’s hacking up various hated fruits and better-known (and just plain better) 20,000 Leagues vegetables, even as the blood spatters and runs).

Under the Sea, with Robur and the Albatross standing Amazingly, considering how pedestrian it looks, Man-in for Captain Nemo and the Nautilus (and without
tis in Lace was shot by respected cinematographer benefit of a giant squid to liven up the story). On the Lazlo (nee Leslie) Kovacs, whose other sixties work positive side, Master of the World’s visual effects are includes Easy Rider, Targets (both 1968), and Blood of imaginative, and Price seems committed to the story’s Dracula’s Castle (1969). Kovacs went on to carve out anti-war message, which (alas) remains timeless. He an impressive career in mainstream Hollywood, pho-and Bronson enjoy some effective moments together

3. MORE MOVIES

Matango; Medusa; Mermaids

479
playing mutually respectful an-
tagonists. Hull’s grating histrion-
ics as Prudent, however, are
nearly insufferable, while Web-
ster and Frankham simply oc-
cupy space. Although diverting,

Master of the World is no world-
beater.

Matango see Attack of
the Mushroom People

The Medusa Against the

Son of Hercules (1963; Em-
bassy Pictures; Italy/Spain) Orig-
inal Language Title: Perseo l’In-
vincibile. Alternate Title: Perseus

Against the Monsters (UK). In the
early 1960s, everybody was doing

Colorful (and juvenile) Belgian poster for the colorful (and juvenile) it —“it” being importing muscle-

Master of the World (1961).

man movies from Italy and

Spain, and “everybody” being
low-rent film distributors. Embassy Pictures picked up this tale of Perseus and the Medusa and slotted it into their “Sons of Hercules” series (consisting of a handful of other pepla, including two Maciste efforts) that they released directly to American television. The name “Perseus” held little cache with the American
viewing public, but “Hercules,” thanks to the successful Steve Reeves films, was a bankable moniker. Consequently, Embassy tacked on a spoken narration to
each of their films’ beginnings: “Through the cen-
turies in olden times there lived the sons of Hercules.

Heroes supreme, they roamed the earth righting
wrongs, helping the weak and oppressed, and seeking adventure.” And apparently one of those few (“descended from ordinary mortals, who have been chosen by Hercules as sons in name”) was Perseus. A superior peplum in every way — acting, photography, plotting and, most importantly, monsters— it’s a pity Medusa Against the Son of Hercules never made it to the big screen in the U.S. Perseus (played by Richard Harrison, who made a slew of gladiator movies, spaghetti westerns and ninja[!] films) appears more approach-able — and likable — than most he-man heroes, as he’s simply a skilled and courageous ordinary man rather than the usual steroid-fed slab o’ beef in leather loincloth. With its expansive outdoor photography (a refreshing change from the usual cramped, phony cave
sets), impressive temples, misty atmosphere (particularly surrounding the titular terror — a unique creation resembling an uprooted mobile tree with

One-sheet poster for The Mermaids of Tiburon
writhing tendrils and a huge glowing eye), and the

(1962).

most realistic-looking dragon ever to menace ancient Greece (courtesy of monster maestro Carlo Ram-John Lamb’s (TV’s Sea Hunt and Voyage to the Bottom baldi), Medusa Against the Son of Hercules resides at of the Sea) first foray into feature films. The tale has a the right hand of Mario Bava’s impressive Hercules in marine biologist investigating reports of unusual sea the Haunted World in the peplum pantheon.

life (and spectacular pearls) off the isolated island of Tiburon in Mexico’s Gulf of California. There he en-

The Mermaids of Tiburon (1962; Filmgroup) counters a bevy of mermaids who aid him in van-Alternate Title: The Aqua Sex (nudie version). Filmed quishing a murderous gangster after the sea’s treas-in Mexico and off California’s Catalina Island, The ures. The original version featured half a dozen

Mermaids of Tiburon was underwater photographer gorgeous mermaids, complete with the expected fish-

480

Mighty; Minotaur; Mission; Mole; Monster

3. MORE MOVIES
tails, led by Playboy playmate Diane Webber as the thin, sluggish screenplay is padded — no, make that Mermaid Queen. But when the movie failed to gen-overstuffed — with romantic subplots and stock
erate much business, Lamb reshot many of the mer-
footage of NASA rocket launches. The first 20
maid sequences with topless models (sans tails) to

( twenty!) of the film’s 90 minutes are devoted to as-create one of the most unusual — and beautifully pho-tronauts Mike Blaiswick (McGavin) and Nick Grant
tographed — nudie cuties ever filmed. (This led Lamb (Adams) reassuring their worried wives about the up-to a career in sexploitation, as he produced, directed, coming mission and to preparations (mostly stock
and/or wrote another half-dozen sex films over the
shots) for the launch. Once in space, the astronauts next decade.) Lamb’s stunning underwater photogra-eat, exercise, play chess, give each other haircuts, etc., phy here is matched only by his subject matter —
until they finally reach Mars (a grinding 46 minutes whether it be dazzling marine life or gorgeous female of screen time along). Even then, the picture continues pulchritude. Aided and abetted by Richard LaSalle’s to cut away from the action to scenes where the mis-haunting musical score and the sometimes-amusing
sion commander (Michael DeBeausset) comforts the
voiceover narration by Our Hero (“I was being drawn astronauts’ spouses (Heather Hewitt and Shirley
to this creature by something more than just scientific Parker) back on Earth. The brief, late-arriving action interest”), the film generates an otherworldly rhythm sequences, which by now seem almost beside the
that transports the viewer into an aquatic fantasy
point, play out on bargain basement space ship and
world. It also offers a few startling moments, such as Martian landscape sets (Mars isn’t even red), which when the Mermaid Queen rides a large shark(!), and
must have looked even more appalling since Mission a shocking spray of blood when the villain shoots one Mars arrived the same year as 2001: A Space Odyssey of the mermaids with a spear gun (nude version only).

and Planet of the Apes. In the end, Mission Mars has Visually-oriented to the end, Lamb even closes his
only two things going for it — McGavin and Adams,
film with an artful and meaningfully poignant scene who remain fun to watch, even in drivel like this.

involving a pet bird and a floating guitar. Unique and oddly haunting, The Mermaids of Tiburon is a fish-

Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules
tale worth catching (in either version).

(1961/64; Bengala Film/Embassy Television; Italy)

Original Language Title: Maciste, l’Uomo Più Forte del

Mighty Jack (1968/1988; Tsuburaya Productions/

Mondo. Alternate Title : The Strongest Man in the King Features; Japan) Original Language Title: Maitei World (UK). This “story of Maciste and his struggle Jyaku. This is another in the seemingly endless series with the Mole Men” (as the beginning narration labels of bogus feature films produced by stringing together it) opens with Maciste (Mark Forest) fishing on the episodes of a Japanese TV show. This time the show
beach and hauling in his morning catch — a full-sized was a Japanese variation on the theme of Voyage to the whale! When the dreaded Mole Men (a race of under-Bottom of the Sea (crossed with Mission: Impossible) ground dwellers who look outwardly normal but die
originally produced in 1968. Mighty Jack reached when exposed to the rays of the sun) attack Maciste’s America 20 years later, thanks to enterprising home clan, the “strongest man in the world” must invade
video producer Sandy Frank. Three years after that, it the villains’ underground domain and free his people was featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater who are being used as slaves to power a primitive di-3000.

amond-making factory(!). Apart from various tussles with the Mole Men, Maciste also battles a vicious

The Minotaur: The Wild Beast of Crete
troglodyte-like monster in a cage. This about-average (1961; Agliani-Mordini Liria Film/United Artists;
entry was yet another peplum purchased by Embassy

Italy; b&w) Original Language Title: Teseo Contro il Television and released directly to American TV in

Minotauro. Filmed in Italy and Yugoslavia, this story their “Sons of Hercules” package.

of Greek politics, assassination attempts and foiled romance in ancient Athens and Crete turns to horror in

Monster from a Prehistoric Planet (1967/68; literally its last five minutes when Theseus (Bob Math-Nikkatsu/AIP-TV; Japan) Alternate Title: Gappa, The ias) enters the fabled Labyrinth of Crete to battle the Triphibian Monsters (home video). This unimagina-monstrous Minotaur. A passable peplum, The Minotive, paint-by-numbers giant monster flick remains
taur offers likable leads (6’4” two-time Olympic De-notable for two reasons: first, it was the only kaiju eiga cathlon winner Mathias, and the impressive Rosanna
to emanate from the Nikkatsu studio; second, its plot Schiaffino in a dual role) and above-average swordplays like a Japanese rewrite of Gorgo. Developers and-sandal action. Unfortunately, the titular titan planning to convert a pacific atoll into an amusement looks more like a clumsy, flat-faced mutant bear than park (“Playmate Land”) discover and capture a baby
the half-man, half-bull of legend, provoking peals of giant monster, believing it to be the sole survivor of laughter rather than shrieks of terror.

its species. They take the creature back to Tokyo to put it on display, but Daddy and Mommy Monster

Mission Mars (1968; Allied Artists) Three astro-emerge to reclaim their offspring — stomping toy
nauts (Darren McGavin, Nick Adams and George De-
tanks and batting down model airplanes along the way, vries) travel to Mars, where they find a frozen cosmo-of course. In addition to its unoriginal scenario, the naut (apparently the Soviets beat us to the red planet) monsters look like poor imitations of Rodan (except and a dangerous alien intelligence (in the form of what for the baby, which looks like a cousin of Big Bird from looks like a giant ball covered with tin foil) in this te-Sesame Street), and the film’s trite subplots (including dious, cut-rate science fiction dud. Mike St. Clair’s the inevitable romantic triangle) seem overly familiar

3. MORE MOVIES

Monster

481
scenes of nature-loving-nudists smoking, listening to records and, well, blathering on. But the prosaic proceedings are enlivened by periodic moments of cine-
matic craziness, including opening credits that offer up some amusing, low-rent Terry Gilliam-esque animation, a lab-rat attack (ending with the heroine
hanging outside a skyscraper window by her fingers!), and the hulking Hugo (who is so incompetent a maniac that his murderous rampage results in him killing exactly no one) chased down and reduced to a literal lump of cinders by an amazingly diverse collection of military stock footage (not to mention inserts of
everything from Napoleonic to Civil War soldiers!).

Filmed in gritty black-and-white hand-held verite

“style,” The Monster of Camp Sunshine, while still periodically dragged down to its dreary nudist roots, at least offers lovers of the outré a bit more than the usual mid-sixties nudie-cutie ennui.

The Monster of London City (1964/67; Producers Releasing Organization; West Germany; b&w)

Original Language Title: Das Ungeheuer von London City. Based on a Bryan Edgar Wallace novel, this West German mystery/horror has “a new Jack the Ripper”

emulating the murders in a popular current play based on Saucy Jack, with the stageplay’s star (Hansjorg

Japan’s Daikyoju Gappa became Monster from a

Felmy) soon becoming the prime suspect. Likable
leads; shadowy, fog-shrouded ambiance; some sus-

Prehistoric Planet when released in America by penseful set pieces; and the always-intriguing Jack the AIP (Mexican lobby card).

Ripper angle (not to mention some fleeting female nudity) make this an above-average krimi.

as well. Since this movie provides a surprisingly meager ration of monster action, viewers are advised to

Monster Zero (1965/1970; Toho; Japan) Alternate feed their kaiju eiga cravings elsewhere. Like several (home video) Titles: Godzilla vs. Monster Zero , Inva-other late-60s kaiju flicks, Monster from a Prehistoric sion of Astro-Monster. Original Language Title: Kaiju Planet did not receive a theatrical release in the U.S., Daisenso. This film, a strong candidate for best but was purchased for TV by AIP.

Godzilla entry of the 1960s, inexplicably languished unreleased in America until 1970 — two years after the

Monster from the Unknown World see
death of its star, Nick Adams. Whether producers re-

Atlas Against the Cyclops
alized it or not, however, Monster Zero remains an excellent example of its form, with its beautiful cine-

The Monster of Camp Sun-
shine (1965; b&w) “The motion picture that follows is a fable. In it there
are many nudists but only one mon-
ster. In life, it is generally the other way
around.” So states the opening title
card for The Monster of Camp Sun-
shine, a New York-lensed combo of
nudist flick and art-trash cinema. A
pair of New York City denizens, a nud-
ist nurse and her fashion model room-
mate (who finally takes the plunge and
agrees to model a topless bathing
suit — on the roof of a city tenement
building!) end up at an Upstate nudist
camp where the local simpleton gar-
dener, Hugo, has been turned into an
axe-wielding maniac by drinking some
chemically-contaminated river water.

In between the slice-of- Big- City- life
scenes of the two roommates smoking,
listening to records and blathering on

Godzilla meets Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, in Monster
about, well, nothing at all really, are

Zero (1965/70) (Italian photobusta).

482

Moon; Mummy; Mumsy

3. MORE MOVIES
matography, with first-rate production design (espe-Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew selected Moon Zero cially its eerie alien landscapes) and visual effects, fine Two for ridicule in 1990. Also, while Carreras’ script score, strong cast and unusually compelling, charac-has its merits, it runs short on action. Moon Zero Two ter-driven story. It also remains notable as the first drags on for 100 often lethargic, talky minutes, which Toho movie to combine giant monsters with an alien
is about a half-hour too long. On second thought, it’s invasion plot. Astronauts Glen (Adams) and Fuiji
probably 100 minutes too long.

(Akira Takarada) travel to the newly discovered Planet X, beyond Jupiter, and encounter a race of aliens

The Mummy and the Curse of the Jackals
driven underground by Monster Zero (Ghidrah). The

(1969/86; Vega International Pictures/Academy Home
aliens offer to provide humans with a cure for cancer Entertainment) Shot in 1969 but unreleased (for rea-in exchange for the assistance of Godzilla and Rodan sons obvious to anyone who’s ever seen it) until the in the fight against Monster Zero. Earth’s leaders agree I’ll-stock-anything-on-tape video store boom of the to the deal, but are double-crossed by the “X-people.”

mid–80s, the derivative, nonsensical, amateurish

The picture devotes considerable time to subplots in-Mummy and the Curse of the Jackals stars low-rent volving Fuji’s sister Haruno (Keiko Sawai) and her in-leading man Anthony Eisley as a Las Vegas archeolo-
ventor boyfriend Tetsuo (Akira Kubo), and to Glen’s gist who discovers two Egyptian mummies— one a
romance with the beautiful Miss Namikawa (Kumi
still-beautiful princess and the other a ’40s Universal Mizuno)— entertaining stories in themselves, which
knockoff. Eisley succumbs to the titular “curse” and ultimately dovetail with the main narrative. The plot transforms into a jackal-man during the full moon.

also includes a couple of well-sprung surprises. Adams The princess revives, as does the mummy, who goes
and Mizuno, who sparkled together in Frankenstein on a brief rampage before the jackal-man and the

Conquers the World (1965), click once again. The rest bandaged one face off in a laughable showdown. Fea-of the cast performs admirably, as well, particularly tured in a couple of scenes is John Carradine collecting the amusing Kubo. Unfortunately, their performances yet another I’ve-gotta-support-my-ex-wives pay-suffer badly in the U.S. version, which features some check. Lon Chaney, Jr., reportedly turned down the
of the worst dubbing of the series. Monster Zero offers role of the mummy. Watching the Kharis clone sham-intrigue, suspense, engaging characters and spectacu-bling down a crowded Vegas street (with bemused by-
lar visuals, but runs a little short on monster-versus-standers gawking, laughing and following the silly-
monster action. The first triple-monster tussle arrives suited actor), it’s little wonder why. Though Jackals fully 53 minutes into this 94-minute picture, and runs offers the occasional unintentional chuckle (“We can’t a scant two minutes. Godzilla and company return for just stand by and let a 4000-year-old mummy and a
the finale, but remain either off-screen or inactive for jackal-man take over the city,” deadpans Carradine), most of the rest of the film. Luckily, director Ishiro its dull pacing and incoherence makes it tough going Honda keeps the pace brisk and never allows the ten-even for the so-bad-it’s-good crowd. Worst of all, the sion to flag.

were-jackal appears more like a poodle in need of a groomer than a demonic denizen of the Egyptian un-

Moon Zero Two (1969/70; Hammer/Warner Bros.; derworld. Veteran B-Western director Oliver Drake

U.K.) Surprisingly, Moon Zero Two, one of the most

“was quite senile at the time,” related Eisley. “The di-notorious bombs ever released by Hammer Films, isn’t rector was sort of losing his faculties, and I realized all bad. Writer-producer Michael Carreras’ script con-after a few days that he really didn’t know what the tains two forward-thinking concepts that would better hell was going on at all times.” And neither will the serve later films: first, incorporating shoot-outs, bar viewer.

fights and other elements from the Western genre into With quotes from: Interviews with B Science Fiction a science fiction yarn (not unlike Star Wars [1977]); and Horror Movie Makers, by Tom Weaver.

and second, eschewing the archetypal sci-fi scientist-hero in favor of workaday everymen in outer space (a

Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly (1969/70; Cin-la Dark Star [1974] and Alien [1979]). Moon Zero Two erama Releasing Corporation; U.K.) Alternate Title: boasts a likable leading man in James Olson ( The An-Girly. Completed in 1969 but not released in America dromeda Strain [1971]). Its dialogue is sharply written, until February 1970, Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly is and its basic plot — about a gang of outer space out-a twisted tale of a British family who imprison bums laws trying to smuggle an ore-rich asteroid to the
and partygoers as “playmates” for their childish
moon — isn’t bad either. Unfortunately, everything

“games” before “sending them to the angels.” When
else about this movie is quite bad. The overriding issue their latest “new friend” turns out to be a rather clever is that Hammer simply wasn’t willing or able to put lothario, jealousy arises between the middle-aged
the money into Moon Zero Two that the project de-Mumsy and Nanny, as well as the coming-of-age Girly, manded. The picture is sunk by its abominably cut-disrupting their murderous ways. Though based on
rate production values: sub– Dr. Who special effects the play “Happy Family,” Mumsy is anything but stagey, (tiny models and sloppy matte paintings); ridiculous as director (and frequent Hammer helmer) Freddie
costumes (and even worse hair styling); chintzy “fu-Francis keeps his camera moving through the house
turistic” production design (lots of blank white walls, and grounds of the seen-better-days country estate
and even an inflatable chair); and a grating saxo-
setting. Aiding him is Brian Comport’s witty and dis-phone-and-flute-happy score. Coming on the heels of turbing script (adapted from his own play), and a fine 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), these flaws seem all the cadre of principle and supporting players, the latter more laughable — and less excusable. No wonder the
including Hammer stalwart Michael Ripper and

3. MORE MOVIES

Murder; My; Mysterious; Neutron

483

British beauty Imogen Hassell (dubbed “the Countess

The Mysterious Satellite see Warning
of Cleavage” by the press). Particularly arresting is the
from Space
disturbing yet alluring performance of Vanessa

Howard ( Corruption, The Vampire Beast Craves Blood)

Neutron and the Black Mask (1961; Clasa-as Girly. Though 21 in real life, she looks more like 16

Mohme, Inc.; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: and acts more like 12 — albeit a psychotic, coquettish Neutron el Enmascarado Negro. Santo, Blue Demon, and dangerous 12. “I looked upon it as a black com-Mil Mascaras, Neutron ... to quote from Sesame Street: edy,” stated Francis, adding, “slightly more black than

“One of these things is not like the others.” The first comedy.... Maybe I’ve got a peculiar sense of humor.”

three are real-life masked Mexican wrestlers who

Indeed. While a bit overlong, Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny starred in their own film series, while Neutron is a

& Girly remains an engrossing and disturbing por-completely fictional character (though played by real trayal of familial madness, and deserved better than wrestler Wolf Ruvinskis) who, in 1961, appeared in his its quick disappearance into obscurity.

own cinematic subset (lasting five films, though only With quotes from: The Men Who Made the Mon-four found their way north of the border). Another
sters, by Paul M. Jensen.

difference: Though Neutron dresses like a lucha libre icon (wrestling tights, bare chest, and black lucha-

Murder a la Mod (1968; Aries Documentaries; styled mask), he’s merely a buffed-up crime-fighter b&w) Though the Something Weird Video DVD box

(or “atomic super-man,” according to the film’s on-
proclaims Murder a la Mod “A LOST HORROR FILM
screen title). Consequently, missing from these entries FROM BRIAN DE PALMA!” this New York-lensed, low-are the usual two or three (or four) wrestling bouts—
budget, film-schoolesque experiment from the future which may be a blessing or a curse, depending upon
maker of Carrie, Dressed to Kill and The Untouchables one’s proclivities for full nelsons and horse locks. In is more comedy than horror, complete with slapstick this inaugural episode, a white-masked villain named pies, speeded-up camerawork, and a clownish jokester Dr. Caronte conspires with a turncoat scientist to steal with a trick ice pick. (Of course, this being a DePalma the formula for a “neutron bomb” (no relation to Our film, said ice pick is replaced with a real one for a nasty Hero). A trio of friends, led by a murdered scientist’s murder sequence — the only moment in the film ap-son, involve themselves in the case, and aid a masked proaching “horror.”) The sketchy story has a young
crime-fighter calling himself Neutron in tracking
woman fall for a photographer trying to break into
down Caronte and putting a stop to his nefarious
the movie biz by shooting a nudie, with things going scheme. Logical? Well, as Caronte (who appears to be horribly awry. It becomes both repetitive and silly more alchemist than scientist) himself scoffs, “Do you when DePalma chooses to relate the events leading up see any logic to all this?” A fair-to-middlin’ produc-to and just after the murder via alternate-perspective tion, Neutron features an impressive dungeon-like lab flashbacks and some stream-of-consciousness bab-set in Caronte’s mansion and a pit full of overalls-bling from the main (goofy) suspect. Murder a la Mod wearing, shaggy-haired zombie creatures (who, oddly, is a tedious misfire that shows little of the stylish have no fingers— or at least never open their clenched promise to come from the soon-to-be-successful filmmaker. (Note: According to the fine folks at Some-
thing Weird, this picture played in a single New York theater back in 1968 before it dropped from sight.)

My Blood Runs Cold (1965; MGM; b&w) In a California coastal town, local heiress Julie Merriday (Joey Heatherton) literally runs into a young man, Ben (Troy Donahue), who recognizes her as the reincarnation of her great-great-grandmother, Barbara Merri-
day. Is Ben Barbara’s 100-year-gone lost love reincarnated; is he a scam artist (as Julie’s manipulative father believes); or is there yet another answer? More romantic fantasy than anything else, My Blood Runs Cold only turns dark (or at least a slightly dimmer shade of
schmaltz) at film’s end when The Truth Comes Out.

In fact, the movie lacks even a simple murder sequence, much less any horrific moments. The film’s often
weepy musical score, coupled with the Wuthering

Heights-style photography, sets the melodramatic
tone. In the acting department (absolutely critical for these types of Peyton Place shenanigans), bland as dry toast Donahue proves a poor match for the fiery

Heatherton; what she sees in him is the real mystery here. And a final protracted chase after the Big Reveal adds nothing but running time as it winds down to
its foregone conclusion. Given all this, the viewer’s blood will most likely run tepid at best.

Ad for the lukewarm My Blood Runs Cold (1965).

484

Neutron

3. MORE MOVIES
fists). On the downside, the no-frills cinematography habiting another body) at his nefarious task of trying is as static as the dialogue, several time- (and inter-to rule the world. Unfortunately, after this over-too-est-) killing nightclub musical numbers stop the story quickly bit of silly surrealism, the remainder of the dead in its tracks, and the action set-pieces consist of film focuses on the same ol’ same ol’ Neutron action —
disappointingly lackluster fisticuffs between Neutron threats, kidnappings, fisticuffs, etc., making Neutron and the police (before the world at large realizes our vs. the Amazing Dr. Caronte a disappointingly anticli-masked hero is a Good Guy), and Neutron and the
mactic conclusion for our Masked Hero and Diabol-
zombies. Though off to a rather slow start with this ical Villain. (Note: Neutron returned for two more
opening salvo, the Neutron series would take a decid-features, but with unrelated storylines; and only one edly outré upturn with the next entry, Neutron vs. the was dubbed into English.)

Death Robots. (Note : Since the first three Neutron movies were shot at America Studios, which was only

Neutron vs. the Death Robots (1961; Clasa-allowed to make shorts, they were filmed in roughly Mohme, Inc.; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: half-hour segments, ostensibly as television episodes, Los Automatas de la Muerte. With the plot groundwork and then combined into feature format. Reportedly
having been laid in Neutron and the Black Mask, this released to Spanish-speaking theaters in the U.S., the first sequel jumps right into boffo action, with mega-Neutron s didn’t make their English debut until dubbed lomaniacal wannabe-world-ruler Dr. Caronte whip-and sold directly to television.)

ping up a new batch of zombies, then stealing and reanimating the disembodied brains of three murdered

Neutron vs. the Amazing Dr. Caronte (1961; scientists (kept alive with the blood of murder victims) Clasa-Mohme, Inc.; Mexico; b&w) Original Language to gain the secret neutron-bomb formula. Subse-Title: Neutron Contra el Dr. Caronte. This third entry quently, the zombies, led by Caronte’s dwarf hench-in the Neutron series can’t sustain the giddy outraman Nick, raid warehouses to procure bomb-con-
geousness of the second ( Neutron vs. the Death Ro-structing materials, while Neutron and the three
bots). Rather than disembodied brains and zombies protagonists from the first film, along with a cadre of ripping off their own heads, Caronte offers a “gang police, try to protect the one surviving professor
war” scenario in which the agent of an unnamed for-

(played by soon-to-be Jess Franco regular Jack Taylor) eign power and his band of hoods face off against
and stop Caronte. Whew! In between the expected fis-Caronte and his zombies for control of the neutron-
ticuffs, and a moderately suspenseful scene in which bomb formula (yes, despite all indications to the con-Caronte turns terrorist and plants a bomb at the air-trary, the evil Doc survived being buried under tons port, Death Robots offers such bizarre turns as having of rubble at the close of Death Robots). Granted, things one of the zombies disguise itself as Neutron to kidnap do take an amusingly cockeyed turn when, half way
the professor and throw suspicion onto our masked
through the feature, the identity of Caronte is finally hero(!), and another zombie, ordered by Caronte to
revealed — and the evil madman promptly shoots
destroy itself, pulling off its own head(!!). And Death himself ! Then, through a few throwaway lines about Robots concludes with a rambunctious, exhausting and

“the transmigration of the soul,” Caronte is back (in-brutally violent climactic fight between Neutron and Caronte that proves far more satisfying than the ending of the first
feature. For those enamored of

Mexi-monster thrills and lucha
libra-style wacky action, this mid-
dle section of the Neutron trilogy
offers the most bang for your pesos.

Neutron vs. the Maniac

(1961; Clasa-Mohme, Inc., Mexico;
b&w) Original Language Title :

Neutron contra el Criminal Sadico.

One of two stand-alone Neutron
features (the other being Neutron

Contra los Asesinos del Karate [Neu-
tron vs. the Karate Assassins],
which was not dubbed into En-
glish), Neutron vs. the Maniac has
masked crime-fighter Neutron
tracking a murderous cloaked
phantom by infiltrating a sanitar-
ium (as his everyday alter-ego,

Charles). The rather mundane plot
is a disappointment after the bom-

In this Mexican lobby card for Neutron vs. the Amazing Dr. Caronte
bastic rule-the-world shenanigans

(1961), Jack Taylor (using the stage name Grek Martin) stoically at-of the first three Neutrons, and a
tempts to comfort Rosa Arenas.

floppy-hat-wearing killer sneaking

3. MORE MOVIES

Night

485
about is no replacement for the crazed Dr. Caronte

Cushing’s fabulous work, the film also benefits from and his cadre of zombie-creatures. The picture starts a delightful supporting turn by Michael Ripper, in one off on a dull note with a tepid nightclub number by a of the more substantial roles of his career, and strong blowsy chanteuse (the film’s heroine, as it turns out) showings from Oliver Reed and Yvonne Romain as
and never recovers its feet, spending far too much time the junior romantic leads. Hammer’s team of behind-on interactions between the various eccentric “guests”

the-scenes artisans were working at their peak during of the sanitarium, two more nightclub outings, and a this era and it shows, particularly in Arthur Grant’s mundane wrestling match ( sans Neutron), making sumptuous cinematography and Don Banks’ thrilling

Neutron vs. the Maniac a poor capper to the series.

score. This is not a film to be missed by fans of either Hammer or Cushing.

Night Creatures (1962; Hammer/Universal; U.K.) Original Title: Captain Clegg. Despite its lurid Amer-

Night Must Fall (1964; MGM; U.K.; b&w) Night ican title, this is a landlocked pirate adventure with a Must Fall (1964) is not, strictly speaking, a remake of few minor horrific flourishes, not a true horror film.

the 1937 thriller of the same title but rather a new But don’t let that deter you — this one’s a gem, one of adaptation of the same Emlyn Williams play, about a Hammer Films’ best efforts of the early 1960s. Built wheelchair-bound elderly woman who hires as a
on one of Anthony Hinds’ cleverest scripts, under the household servant a fawning young man who may or
crisp direction of Peter Graham Scott, and fueled by may not be a serial killer (and who carries with him a a high-octane lead performance from Peter Cushing,
hat box that may contain the severed head of a previ-Night Creatures features a satisfying balance of action, ous victim). Still, comparisons between the two films romance and character moments. A squad of British
are inescapable and uniformly unflattering to the 1964
sailors arrives in a small seaside village to investigate version, which lacks the suspense and subtlety of the reported smuggling. Locals— including the innkeeper 1937 movie. Designed as a showcase for actor Albert (Martin Benson), the coffinmaker (Michael Ripper)

Finney, who co-produced, the 1964 picture shows its and even the village parson (Cushing)— warn the
cards from the beginning, with Danny dumping an

King’s men to avoid the marshes at night, due to the elderly woman’s body into the lake and tossing a
fearsome “Marsh Phantoms.” Nothing is quite as it
bloody hatchet high into the air. So much for mystery!

seems, however, and it becomes increasingly difficult Worse yet, Finney’s work lacks the likeability and nu-to tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys in this mildly ance that Robert Montgomery brought to the same
subversive and surprisingly poetic yarn. Aside from role. Finney’s Danny vacillates between charmless
clod (the kind of guy who eats with his mouth open
and slaps women on the ass) and wild-eyed loony

(scratching his fingernails along the walls as he paces in his room and staring bug-eyed into the camera).

Although he’s quite bad here, the failure of Night Must Fall isn’t entirely Finney’s fault. Clive Exton’s heavy-handed screenplay bungles every opportunity for suspense, particularly overplaying the business with the hat box (Danny removes the lid from the box and
stares at its contents in a mirror, grinning maniacally).

The scenario limps to a conclusion with a dull anti-climax. Mona Washbourne is acceptable as the elderly Mrs. Bramson but nowhere near as effective as Dame

May Whitty, who originated the role on stage and also appeared in the 1937 film. Director Karel Reisz, whose kitchen sink drama Saturday Night and Sunday Morning catapulted Finney to stardom in 1960, seems at sea with this sort of material. Cinematographer Freddie Francis contributes some beautifully lit shots, especially when the police drag the lake in search of

Danny’s earlier victim, but given the pedigree of the material and the level of talent involved, Night Must Fall remains a major disappointment.

Night of the Bloody Apes (1968/72; Cinematografica Calderon/Jerand Films; Mexico) Original Language Title: La Horripilante Bestia Humana. Alternate Titles: Gomar: The Human Gorilla; Horror and Sex. A scientist (Armando Silvestre) places the heart of a gorilla into the body of his dying son Julio (Augustin Martinez Solares), resulting in Julio’s transformation into an ape-man (though he looks more Ne-

Italian four-sheet poster for Night Creatures (1962; anderthal than simian). While the father searches for aka Captain Clegg).

a cure, Julio escapes and goes on a sex-murder ram-

486

Nights; No

3. MORE MOVIES
page (“the lust of a man in the body of a beast!” as the of the film (co-written by and starring Naschy) even film’s trailer so delicately puts it). One of the most un-exists. “That picture was shot in Paris with a fairly usual Latino immigrants to slip past the border guards good budget for its time,” he said. “I remember in-of 1960s cinema (though released in Mexico in 1968, cluding some scenes of the Wolf Man on the Parisian the film didn’t reach American theaters until 1972), rooftops surrounded by the fog. The film ran into se-Night of the Bloody Apes possessed all the peculiar pro-rious economic problems which resulted in lawsuits; clivities of Mexi-movies of the time (the heroine, for but the most unfortunate thing was that the director, instance, is a mask-wearing professional wrestler) Rene Govar, was killed in a car accident shortly after while also offering a shockingly sleazy sex-and-gore filming was completed.... It really is a ‘damned’ film.”

quotient unheard of in the more innocent black-and-

Naschy’s description of this “damned” movie is tan-
white south-of-the-border efforts made earlier in the talizing: “The film told the story of a professor who decade. The heroine, for instance, displays her charms discovers that one of his pupils suffers from the curse in not one but two gratuitous stepping-out-of-the-of lycanthropy. Under the guise of helping him, the shower scenes. Then there’s the gore. The angry ape-professor instead uses him as an instrument of re-
man gruesomely rips out a victim’s throat; gouges out venge. He dominates the pupil during his transfor-a man’s eyeball with this thumb; repeatedly stabs a mations by means of sound waves, and in this manner man in the chest with the victim’s own knife; literally causes him to act against the people he wants to get rips the head off another — in extreme close-up; and rid of.”

tears off a person’s scalp. (The cheeky promotional de-With quotes from: “Interview: Paul Naschy,” and
partment suggested theaters give fans the opportunity

“Filmography: Paul Naschy,” by Michael Secula,
to pick out their own free miniature rubber organs in Videooze 6/7, 1994.

the lobby. Now that’s entertainment!) It all serves to make this Ed-Wood-Meets-Herschell-Gordon-Lewis-

No Place Like Homicide (1961/ 62; Regal/Em-in-Tijuana travesty a risible yet oddly compelling bit bassy; U.K.; b&w) Original Title (U.K.): What a Carve of Mexi-trash (though the production values here —

Up! Timid Ernie (Kenneth Connor), who makes his meager as they are — appear miles above anything enliving proofreading horror novels with titles like Blood joyed by Wood or Lewis). And, like so much of the
on the Cauliflower, travels to with his streetwise pal output of those two no-budget “auteurs,” Night of the Sid (Sidney James) to a spooky old mansion for the

Bloody Apes offers enough eccentricities, shocks and reading of his uncle’s will. Naturally, Ernie and a bizarre ineptitude to hold one’s interest. Though far houseful of crazy relatives are trapped in the house by from a good movie, Night of the Bloody Apes remains a thunderstorm; and inevitably his uncles and cousins a bloody entertaining one.

begin turning up murdered. Although James and Con-
nor are best remembered for their work in the long-

Nights of the Werewolf (1968; Spain/France; Un-running Carry On series (James appeared in 19 Carry released) Original Language Title : Las Noches del On comedies, Connor in 17), No Place Like Homicide Hombre Lobo. Frustratingly for fans of Spain’s Paul plays less like a Carry On film (it’s much funnier than Naschy, this second entry in his unofficial, long-run-most of those) and more like an Abbott & Costello ning Waldemar Daninsky/Wolfman series was never
picture (specifically, Hold That Ghost), with James as released (doubts remain as to whether it was even
the Bud Abbott-style wise guy and Connor taking over finished). Naschy himself is unsure if a complete print the Lou Costello ‘fraidy cat role. Although ostensibly a remake of The Ghoul (1933), the
horror elements in No Place Like

Homicide remain slight. “James &

Connor” are ably supported by a fine
cast including standouts Donald

Pleasence as an intimidating solicitor
and Michael Gough as a dotty butler,
along with Dennis Price (star of Eal-
ing Films’ Kind Hearts and Cor onets

[1946]) and the lovely Shirley Eaton,
who had previous appeared in Carry
on Sergeant (1958), Carry on Nurse

(1959) and Carry on Constable (1960).

While it contains some physical shtick

(Connor takes some impressive prat-
falls), most of the humor arises from
the picture’s razor sharp dialogue.

For instance, after suspicion falls on

Ernie, Pleasence remarks to James,

“I’m not entirely convinced your
friend is the fool he makes himself

The pajama-clad “Horrible Human Beast” from 1968’s La horripi-
out to be.” To which Connor indig-
lante bestia humana, released in the U.S. in 1972 as Night of the
nantly replies, “Oh, yes I am!” While

Bloody Apes (Photofest).

it’s no lost classic, No Place Like

3. MORE MOVIES

No; Omegans; 100; One

487
plotting or discussing that pesky emotion “love”), No Survivors Please has little of the immediacy — and none of the horror — of such similarly-themed movies as I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958), The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963), or even the lowly Cape Canaveral Monsters (1960). Released theatrically in Europe and the U.K., No Survivors Please only invaded America via the television airwaves.

The Omegans (1968; Paramount; U.S./Philippines) A famous painter (Lucien Pan) is cuckolded by his
younger wife (Ingrid Pitt) and their strapping jungle guide (Keith Larsen), then takes revenge by luring
them into a “cursed” river poisoned with radiation

(causing their skin to slowly deteriorate) in this sci-fi-tinged jungle melodrama, the final film directed by Billy Wilder’s brother W. (Willy) Lee. “Unfortunately, the one I got wasn’t the talented one,” laughed Ingrid Pitt about her Omegans director. Indeed, Willy brought the same “talent” he showed on movies like

Killers from Space and The Snow Creature to bear fully on The Omegans: i.e., a leaden pace, stilted performances, overlong medium shots, and a locked-down
camera that literally never moves (even making the gorgeous Filipino jungle setting look dull). “It’s a terrible film,” admitted Pitt. “I was bad. I don’t want to blame other people, it was me, just me.” Well, on The Omegans it was everybody.

With quotes from: “Pitting Wits,” by Howard Max-
ford, Shivers no. 31, July 1996.

100 Monsters (1968; Daiei; Japan) Original Lan-Cheeky one-sheet poster for the British horror-
guage Title: Yokai Hyaku Monogatori (The Hundred comedy What a Carve-Up! (1961/62), with the Ghost Stories). Alternate Title: Yokai Monsters 2: 100
film’s American title literally pasted over it.

Monsters (DVD). This is the second installment in the Yokai Monsters trilogy (preceded by Spook Warfare Homicide is an endearing and at times laugh-out-loud and followed by Along with Ghosts), eccentric Japanese funny spoof that should delight anyone with a taste ghost stories featuring a host of strikingly weird-look-for Old Dark House-style horror-comedies.

ing monsters. In this installment, the most engrossing of the series, the “apparitions” join forces with a mas-

No Survivors Please (1964; UCC; West Germany; ter-less samurai to overthrow a crooked magistrate
b&w) Original Language Title: Der Chef Wünscht Keine (in addition to committing murder, the magistrate

Zeugen. “We are an expeditionary force sent to Earth turns a Buddhist shrine into a brothel!). These movies to annihilate mankind,” explains the alien “Chief ” in (and their monsters) truly must be seen to be believed.

No Survivors Please. “The human bodies of great and None of the Yokai Monsters films received a general important men we temporarily occupy are now noth-theatrical release in the U.S., but all three reached ing but empty shells ruled by our superior intelligence American shores on DVD in 2003.

instead of primitive emotions.” Said aliens possessing the bodies of “great and important men” intend to use

One Million AC/DC (1969; Canyon Films) With their position to begin World War III and so destroy a screenplay by none other than Ed Wood, Jr. (using humanity. A reporter on the verge of discovering this the alias “Akdon Telmig”— which is one letter shy of plot becomes involved with the secretary (Austrian
a reversed “vodka gimlet”), one might expect to glean Eurostarlet Maria Perschy) of an alien-inhabited
some small amusement from this late-sixties sex-
politician, and their “love” awakens dormant emo-
ploitationer. Unfortunately, One Million AC/DC offers tions in — and sows conflict among — the invaders. Fo-none of the expected “Woodisms” (amusingly non-
cusing more on the antagonists’ plotting and political sequitor dialogue, out-of-left-field pseudo-philo-machinations than the aliens themselves or the terror sophical bon mots, inappropriate references to an-of possession, the movie resembles more of a low-rent gora), as most of the (still-excruciatingly-overlong) espionage entry than a horror (or even science fiction) 65-minute running time is taken up with desperately film. Saddled with too many characters, too much
un-erotic simulated sex scenes in which emaciated
stock footage (of rocket launches, plane crashes, riots, women rub and writhe against unattractive bearded
racetrack wrecks, and even Carnival parades), and a men who keep their animal-fur loin cloths on at all dearth of action (little happens apart from the char-times. The “story” follows a group of cave-people who acters tonelessly talking among themselves— either
hole up inside their cavern when a plastic dinosaur

488

Onibaba; Orgy

3. MORE MOVIES

(the same pathetic puppet seen in the same year’s The Dead has very little plot to get in the way of the various Mighty Gorga) lays siege to their rock quarry dwelling strippers performing their acts on the cheap graveyard (the ubiquitous Bronson Canyon in Hollywood’s
soundstage. Penned by the notorious Ed Wood, Jr.

Griffith Park). The occasional comedic interlude be-

( Plan Nine from Outer Space), this atrocious “adult”

tween the interminable dry-humpings (including a
film offers little more than a few moments of unin-
running gag about a cave-babe kid-
napped by a gorilla for prurient pur-
poses, and the players occasionally star-
ing directly into the camera to make an

“astute” observation) falls flatter than a
stone-aged pancake, leaving nothing
here but subpar simulations for the rain-
coat crowd.

Onibaba (1964; Toho/Continental;

Japan; b&w) Alternate Title : Demon

Woman. Director Kaneto Shindo’s dark
parable, freely adapted from a Buddhist
fable, takes place in war-torn medieval

Japan. A young woman ( Jitsuko

Yoshimura) and her mother-in-law

(Nabuko Otowa) survive by hiding in
the tall susuki grass and waylaying pass-
ing samurai, killing them and trading
their weapons and armor for millet. But
the bonds between the two women begin

During a time of war, two women (Jitsuko Yoshimura, left, and to fray when Hachi (Kei Sato), a young

Nobuko Otowa) kill stragglers and sell their armor for food in deserter, returns from the war with news
the mesmerizing Japanese morality tale Onibaba (1964).

that their husband/son has been killed.

Hachi soon forms a wedge between the
younger and older women, forcing the mother-in-law
to desperate measures since she cannot kill without her daughter-in-law’s assistance. She dons a Noh
demon mask and tries to eliminate Hachi, with ironic results. Shindo, in a 2004 interview, said he wanted Onibaba to show human beings reduced by war to a primitive, almost feral existence, struggling to satisfy their most basic desires (nourishment and sex). The result is an intense, harrowing, sexually charged viewing experience — superbly acted, especially by Otowa, and beautifully photographed, particularly its eerily evocative shots of swaying fields of seven-foot-high susuki grass. Onibaba falls silent for long stretches, except for sound effects and Hikaru Hiyashi’s propul-sive, drum-heavy score, which enriches the film im-
measurably. Although certainly horrific, the movie’s horror/fantasy elements remain minor. Shindo’s unnerving follow-up, Kuroneko (aka The Black Cat, 1968), was a full-tilt supernatural chiller about two women who are gang raped and murdered by a band
of marauding samurai, then return as shape-shifting cat-spirits who take vengeance on their killers. Unfortunately, Kuroneko does not appear to have been released theatrically in America, nor yet has it reached the U.S. in an authorized home video release.

Orgy of the Dead (1965; F.O.G. Distributors) Alternate Title: Orgy of the Vampires. A horror writer and his girlfriend visit a cemetery where they’re taken captive by the “Master of the Dead” (Criswell) and
the “Princess of Darkness” (Fawn Silver), who force them to watch various zombie women called up from
the dead to dance topless. The most famous of the

Ad for the Ed Wood–-scripted Orgy of the Bored ...

horror-themed “nudie-cuties” of the era, Orgy of the er, Dead.

3. MORE MOVIES

Orgy; Panic; Perseus; Phantom

489
tentional amusement via Wood’s risible dialogue: “I shows any signs of radiation sickness. Yet, Panic is am Criswell! For years I have told the almost unbe-packed with exciting interludes, especially during the lievable, related the unreal and showed it to be more first half of the picture, as the Baldwins cope with pan-than a fact. Now I tell the tale of the threshold people, icked fellow survivors and potentially violent profi-so astounding that some of you may faint!” (an intro-teers. Although it contains some howlingly bad dia-
ductory quote cribbed nearly word for word from
logue (“Nothing like eating under an open sky, even Wood’s earlier opus, 1959’s Night of the Ghouls). De-if it is radioactive,” Rick opines), John Morton and spite the plethora of pulchritude on display, Orgy of Jay Simms’ script, for the most part, is very good —
the Dead only manages to make eyelids droop rather characters are well-defined and their actions reason-than temperatures rise.

ably motivated. Milland’s sober, no-nonsense per-
formance brings badly needed gravitas to the picture.

Orgy of the Vampires see Orgy of the

Avalon delivers one of his best performances (faint

Dead
praise though that may be) as Rick, who clearly enjoys the fact that the crisis has suddenly catapulted him

Panic in Year Zero!

into full manhood. Jean Hagen and Mary Mitchell find (1962; AIP; b&w) This cozy
themselves stuck in thankless roles as Harry’s simper-little apocalypse makes World War III seem like a
ing wife and sulking daughter, respectively. Milland weekend at 4-H camp. Harry Baldwin (Ray Milland)

also directs, bringing a clean, punchy style of visual and family are leaving L.A. on a fishing trip when Los storytelling that suits the material. Despite some eye-Angeles vanishes behind them in a giant mushroom
rolling interludes, Panic in Year Zero! remains one of cloud. The Baldwins’ vacation is suddenly transformed the most enjoyable end-of-the-world epics of its era.

into a fight for survival, and Harry is determined that his family will endure, even if it means stealing
firearms from a hardware store or, later, gunning

Perseus Against the Monsters see The
down two young, unarmed hoodlums after they try

Medusa Against the Son of Hercules
to rape his daughter. The Baldwins survive because
they stick to their old-fashioned (patriarchal) Amer-

The Phantom in the Red House (1954/64; Fil-ican values and can rely on Harry and teenage son
madora Chapultepec/Trans-International Films; Mex-

Rick (Frankie Avalon), both gifted in the manly arts ico; b&w) Original Language Title: El Fantasma de la of hunting, fishing, chopping firewood, tying knots Casa Roja. Filmed and released in Mexico in 1954, this and other merit badge-worthy skills. The upheaval
unfunny Old Dark House spoof crossed the border
envisioned by Panic in Year Zero! seems mild com-when K. Gordon Murray dubbed and released it as
pared to the doomsday scenarios of later films like part of his Mexican monster movie package in the

Night of the Living Dead (1968)— despite rampant 1960s. A group of potential heirs must spend three
looting and vandalism, basic societal structures, and consecutive nights locked in a spooky old house to
even the federal government, remain intact; nobody
find and claim a fortune. Filled with ridiculous characters (the bubble-headed heroine’s name is Mercedes Benz Raddington!), silly antics (the bumbling detective holds the cloaked phantom at gunpoint, but then absentmindedly hands the gun over to his captive
while he searches for his handcuffs) and every Old

House mystery cliché committed to celluloid (reach-
ing hands, moving eyes on a portrait, etc.), the movie pads its running time via a number of superfluous
cut-rate Latino musical numbers (the hero is a nightclub singer). Though most chuckles generated by this pathetic “comedy” are of the unintentional ilk, Phantom does contain the occasional choice bit of dialogue (e.g., “God is going to reward you, even though you are a lawyer!”).

The Phantom Planet (1961; AIP; b&w) In the near future an astronaut (Dean Fredericks) crash-lands on a mysterious asteroid and inexplicably
shrinks to only six inches tall (the same size as the inhabitants) when he breathes the atmosphere (never
mind that something the size of an asteroid has no atmosphere or gravity to speak of since its mass is too small). The tiny asteroid people, who look just like humans, are constantly under attack by the evil Solanites (a race of ugly, dog-faced humanoids). This gives the viewer the chance to witness a space battle between what looks like a large piece of coral (the planetoid) Ad for Panic in Year Zero! (1962).

and a flock of flaming charcoal briquettes (the Solanite

490

Pinocchio; Planet; Prehistoric

3. MORE MOVIES
ships). The effects are cheap and frequently ridiculous, more). Screenwriters Michael Wilson and Rod Serling the script ignores the intriguing Gulliver’s Travels po-retain the basic premise of Pierre Boulle’s novel (as-tential, the thrills are minimal and the pacing slow.

tronaut George Taylor crash-lands on an unidentified Seven-foot-tall Richard Kiel plays the awkward,
planet where humans live like animals, lorded over by goofy-looking Solanite prisoner (with huge dog-like intelligent gorillas, chimpanzee and orangutans) but head, motley fur, cartoon eyes, and pointy shoulders) jettison nearly everything else. Luckily, what they who escapes and battles the hero.

come up with instead proves succinct, witty and powerful. Serling’s influence is felt strongly, both in good

Pinocchio in Outer Space (1965; Universal) ways (the film’s brutally ironic ending) and sometimes Pinocchio goes into orbit to defeat Astro the space-in bad ones (Taylor’s sometimes bombastic sermoniz-
whale in this cheaply made sequel to (and blatant rip-ing). But the movie’s flaws (including groan-inducing off of ) Disney’s Pinocchio (1939). Even though most laugh lines like “human see, human do”) are minor
of the characters (including Pinocchio, Gepetto and at worst. Its opening half-hour, in which Taylor and the Blue Fairy) are drawn to closely resemble their his companions fight for survival in a strange, desolate Disney counterparts, this cheaply made U.S.–Belgian world, remains one of the greatest “pure sci-fi” se-cartoon co-production is in no way comparable to the quences ever filmed. Director Franklin J. Schaffner original animated classic (the songs are especially frequently employs unorthodox (ultra-high, ultra-low weak), but young viewers will find it passable.

or tilted) camera angles to heighten the tension. But the real keys to the film’s success were John Chambers’

Planet of the Apes (1968; Twentieth Century–
groundbreaking ape makeup designs, Jerry Gold-

Fox) Revered by legions of fans and widely regarded smith’s eerie, dissonant score and Charlton Heston’s as one of the greatest of all science fiction movies, commanding performance as Taylor. Schaffner, who

Planet of the Apes lives up to its lofty reputation. One had worked primarily in television, went on to helm of the most durable genre films of the 1960s, it remains prestige projects including Patton (1970), Papillon fascinating even if you’ve seen it a dozen times (or (1973) and The Boys from Brazil (1979). Planet of the Apes spawned four sequels, a prime time
television show, a Saturday morning
cartoon and, in 2001, an unfortunate re-
make.

Planet of the Dead see First

Spaceship on Venus

Planet on the Prowl see

War Between the Planets

Prehistoric Women (1967/68;

Hammer/Seven Arts; U.K.) Original

Title: Slave Girls. Prehistoric Women is an awful movie. It would be an awful
movie regardless. But it seems even
worse coming in the wake of One Mil-
lion Years B.C., which is still generally
regarded as the preeminent expression
of its peculiar idiom. One Million Years

B.C. was prehistoric melodrama par ex-
cellence, featuring stop-motion di-
nosaurs animated by the great Ray Har-
ryhausen, as well as the spectacle of

Raquel Welch in a fur bikini. In their
stead, Prehistoric Women offers a stuffed
white rhino and two tribes full of
bikini-clad ingénues. Set entirely in the
jungles of Elstree Studios, the asinine
scenario (which closely resembles that
of Queen of Outer Space [1958]) follows
a Great White Hunter (Michael La-
timer) on safari in Africa who is magi-
cally transported back to the dawn of
man. He discovers a kingdom ruled by

Earth astronaut Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his mute mate women, where a tribe of rhino-worship-Nova (Linda Harrison) are captured by a society of intelligent ing brunettes (including their merciless
simians ruling over the Planet of the Apes (1968).

queen, played by Martine Beswick) have

3. MORE MOVIES

Prince; Project; Psycho; Psychomania; Pyro

491
mortalized, after a fashion, in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Project X (1968; Paramount) In the 22nd century, leading geneticist/secret agent Hagan Arnold

(Christopher George) returns from a secret mission
in “Sinoasia.” But his memory has been “blanked”—
along with information that may save the Western
world from destruction. In order to “reach down deep in his subconscious mind” and retrieve the vital intelligence, the powers-that-be set up an elaborate new environment to convince the amnesiac that he’s really a 20th century bank robber (an amateur historian,

Arnold was an expert on the 1950s and ’60s). Of
course, there’s an enemy agent on the loose to throw a (laser-beamed) spanner in the works. Master showman William Castle took a sharp left from his usual gimmicky horror route to produce Project Tediu ... er X. Given the limp result, he should have stuck to his main road. With its “futuristic” blue-grey jumpsuits, pink lights, Star Trek-level sets, cheesy psychedelic optical effects, goofy Jetson-esque matte paintings, and ill-conceived Hanna-Barbara animation sequences
straight out of Johnny Quest standing in as Arnold’s memories, Project X comes off as little more than a tepid, overlong sci-fi television drama.

Psycho Circus (1967; Warner-Pathe/A.I.P.; U.K.) Alternate Titles: Circus of Fear (U.K.), Circus of Terror.

Despite its title(s), there’s little horror to be found in this crime-caper picture (based on an Edgar Wallace novel) about stolen money stashed at a circus. Its police procedural tone, and the (always-welcome) presence of Klaus Kinski lurking about the fringes, con-Pressbook cover for Hammer’s Prehistoric Women
jures up images of an Edgar Wallace “krimi” (a series (1967).

of West German crime films based on the prolific Wallace’s books). And given its involving plot, seedy cir-enslaved a tribe of blondes, along with all the local cus milieu, brutal knife-throwing murders, Christo-men. The hunter falls in love with a young blonde
pher Lee playing a sinister hooded lion tamer, and Lee slave girl (Edina Ronay) and decides to help overthrow Genn as a likable, soft-spoken, put-upon inspector, the evil queen. Producer-director-screenwriter
one could do worse than buy a ticket to see this Cir-Michael Carreras fails this project in all capacities, first cus.

by egregiously under-funding it, second with his lackluster direction and finally with a lifeless, cliché-filled

Psychomania see Violent Midnight
script. Prehistoric Women features no dinosaurs or other monsters and runs extremely light on horror el-

Pyro (1964; Esamer S.A./AIP; Spain/U.S.) Original ements— or entertaining elements of any sort. In-Language Title: Fuego. Alternate Title: Wheel of Fire stead, Prehistoric Women piles up no fewer than five (U.K.). The first half of this shot-in-Spain thriller ludicrous “ritual” dances (which look like something comes off as a Peyton Place-style adult drama, with out of bad Andrew Lloyd Weber) designed to show-Barry Sullivan playing an American engineer working case its bevy of blonde beauties (which, even added in Spain who cheats on his wife with vixen Martha
together, don’t total one Raquel Welch). Serving sugHyer. Things turn ugly when the unbalanced Hyer de-
gestion: Fast forward through these musical numbers termines to do away with Mrs. Sullivan and their little and the film’s cheeky framing sequence, and you can girl by setting fire to the Sullivan home. With his fam-shorten the 90-minute Prehistoric Women to about 40
ily dead and himself horribly burned (while trying to minutes. Better yet, skip it altogether.

rescue them), Sullivan vows vengeance from his hos-
pital bed, chillingly hissing at Hyer through blackened

Prince of Space (1959/64; Toei/AIP-TV; Japan) lips, “I’ll survive to be your death. The only reason I Original Language Title: Yusei Oji. This was Toei’s at-stay alive is to pay you back.... I won’t rest until you tempt to create a rival superhero franchise to compete and all of your family are dead.” The film’s second half with Starman for the hearts and minds of Japanese
focuses on Sullivan pursuing his vengeance while hid-youngsters. It’s just as puerile and nonsensical as the ing out from the police as a carnival ferris wheel op-Starman films, but with bland Tatsuya Umemiya in-
erator. (Amusingly, he hides his hideous visage behind stead of the endearing Ken (Starman) Utsui. Later im-a lifelike mask that looks like ... Barry Sullivan, with

492

Queen; Rape; Ravaged; Reincarnator; Return

3. MORE MOVIES

Left: Atmospheric one-sheet poster playing up the pseudo-horrors of Pyro (1964). Right: French poster for Jean Rollin’s erotic horror Queen of the
the police and even his close friend failing to recognize

Vampires (1967).

him at one point!) High on predictability and low on chills, Pyro fails to ignite for much of its overlong 99
ters— or perhaps merely crazy girls who only think minutes, abandoning its horror potential in favor of they’re bloodsuckers— and the three “normal” people focusing on a new love interest for the disguised Sul-who come to cure them of their “delusions.” Rollin
livan and the (admittedly beautiful) Spanish scenery.

subsequently filmed “Act 2” in order to bring his

Though Sullivan makes for a likable protagonist/an-
movie up to feature length. In order to do so, he had tagonist combo (a part originally announced for Vin-to resurrect many of his characters from the short (as cent Price as early as 1961), the sexy but wholesome well as adding new ones), thus transforming the more Hyer fails to bring any element of menace to her role ambiguous premise of the admittedly haunting and
of murderous firebug. Not all the production’s flames visually arresting short into a more mundane “real”

occurred onscreen. Several weeks into filming, Span-vampire story (albeit with plenty of outré ideas and ish director Julio Coll (paid a mere $7,500 for his ef-images— including a “Vampire Queen” with a pen-
forts) “became rude and opinionated,” according to
chant for lounging topless on a tiger-skin rug). Like producer Sid Pink in his autobiography So You Want most of Rollin’s loose-narrative horror movies, The to Make Movies — My Life as an Independent Film Pro-Queen of the Vampires is an exercise in style over sub-ducer. “In fact, he was downright abusive to Martha stance, with plenty of hand-held camerawork and

Hyer and constantly belittled her on the set. One day tilted angles, and odd erotic imagery (like girls fencing he went too far and she burst into tears.... Although half-nude by flare-light) to offset the slow pacing and Julio Coll turned out to be a bastard, I must admit he narrative deficiencies. It’s definitely an acquired taste.

did a good job on what he shot.” Coll departed the
unfinished project, and Coll’s assistant, Luis Garcia,

The Rape of the Vampire see The
completed the film.

Queen of the Vampires

The Queen of the Vampires (1967; France; b&w) Original Language Title : Le Viol du Vampire:

Ravaged see The Blood Rose

Melodrame en Deux Parties. Alternate Titles: The Rape of the Vampire; Vampire Women. This bizarre, only

Reincarnator see Assignment Terror
partially-coherent vampire “art” film by the love-him-or-hate-him French filmmaker Jean Rollin never

The Return of Giant Majin (1966/68; Daiei/
played American theaters. “Act 1” of this “Two-Part AIP-TV; Japan) Original Language Title: Diamajin Melodrama” (the film’s subtitle) consists of a self-con-ikaru (Giant Majin Grows Angry). This second entry tained half-hour short involving four “vampire” sis-in Daiei’s underrated Majin trilogy — about a giant

3. MORE MOVIES

Return; Revenge; Robinson; Sadist

493
stone samurai who comes to life to rescue woebegone whose spaceship crashes on Mars. Mantee, onscreen
villagers in feudal Japan — is not so much a sequel as virtually every second of the picture’s 109 minutes, a remake of Majin (1966/68). The key difference is that carries the film with his credible and surprisingly vul-the eponymous stone god resides on a sacred island
nerable portrayal of a man struggling to find the basic instead of a mountaintop. Despite the familiarity of elements necessary for survival on an alien world —
the basic scenario, however, Return of Giant Majin oxygen, water, food. The yarn loses some of its dis-emerges as the most engaging of the three films, and tinctiveness, and a bit of steam, once its Man Friday features the series’ most compelling jidai-geki (period character (Vic Lundin)— an alien escaped from inter-drama) story line and most inventive and eye-catch-
planetary slave-masters— shows up, and Robinson ing special effects sequences— including a parting-of-Crusoe on Mars inches closer to conventional space the-waters sequence worthy of Cecil B. DeMille.

opera territory. But Al Nozaki’s production design and While Majin received a limited U.S. theatrical release, Winton Hoch’s widescreen cinematography are major

Return went directly to TV in America.

assets throughout — imaginative, eerie and evocative, yet as scientifically accurate as possible, based on 1964

Return of the Giant Monsters (1967;
scientific knowledge. (Unfortunately, most of that

Daiei/AIP-TV; Japan) Alternate (home video) Title:

knowledge was rendered obsolete when the first low-

Gamera vs. Gaos. Original Language Title: Daikaiju altitude photographs were sent back from Mars not

Kuchusen: Gamera tai Gaos. This third installment in long after the film’s release.) Viewers will note the Daiei’s series of kaiju eiga epics starring the flying, presence of TV’s Batman, Adam West, in a cameo as
snaggle-toothed turtle-hero Gamera marks a dramatic Draper’s captain, who is killed on impact, as well as improvement over the first two entries. Although it the manta ray-like space ships from the 1953 War of doesn’t rival Toho’s better productions of the pe-the Worlds, re-outfitted to stand in as the space-slavers’

riod — the plot is simple formula, the human charac-vessels. Coincidentally, Haskin also directed the ’53
ters forgettable, the monster costumes cut-rate and War of the Worlds. While far outclassed by that genre the action sequences derivative — Return of the Giant landmark, Robinson Crusoe on Mars remains a minor Monsters remains the best Gamera movie of the 1960s.

classic in its own right.

It’s quickly paced and action-packed, and features a fearsome adversary for Gamera in Gaos, a giant vam-

The Sadist (1963; Fairway International; B&W) Al-pire bat (actually, he looks more like a poor man’s though it owes more to noir thrillers such as Ida

Rodan) that feeds on human blood and emits a

Lupino’s The Hitch Hiker (1953) than to Psycho (1960),

“super-sonic sound beam” that works like a laser. A The Sadist remains a minor marvel, packing more series of volcanic eruptions awakens Gaos from his
thrills than most full-tilt horror pictures of its era and subterranean slumber, and the monster immediately
delivering entertainment value far beyond anything
begins gobbling up local villagers. Japanese military that could reasonably be expected given its minuscule and scientific leaders try three elaborate plans aimed budget ($33,000). Three schoolteachers on their way at stopping Gaos, but, ultimately, the fate of Japan to a baseball game stumble into the clutches of a pair rests in the flippers of Gamera. Like all of Daiei’s Gam-of homicidal maniacs— Charlie Tibbs (Arch Hall, Jr.) era sequels, Return of the Giant

Monsters first reached America as
part of an AIP television package.

In the 1980s, producer Sandy Frank
re-edited and re-dubbed the film
for home video as Gamera vs. Gaos.

Stick with the AIP version.

Revenge of Giant Majin see

Majin Strikes Again

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

(1964; Paramount) Director Byron

Haskins’ straight-faced, low-key
approach to space adventure, and
the literary bent of Ib Mechior’s
screenplay (which cleverly mirrors
the Daniel Dafoe novel that lends
the film its title) set this film apart
from most other pre– 2001 sci-fi pic-
tures of the 1960s, which tended to-
ward the juvenile — including Mel-
chior’s prior movies, such as

Journey to the Seventh Planet and

Reptilicus (both 1962). Paul Mantee

Paul Mantee as the futuristic Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964) (Amer-stars as Commander Chris Draper,
ican lobby card).

494

Sadistic; Santa

3. MORE MOVIES

Left: “NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!”: The Sadist

(1963) (ad mat, courtesy Ted Okuda). Right: This bizarre Mexican import detailing Santa’s battle with a devil from Hell(!) gives even Santa Claus Conquers the

Martians a run for its money in the Strangest Christmas Movie Ever sweepstakes (U.S. lobby card).

photographed picture begins as a rather intriguing
and atmospheric police procedural in which an in-
spector and a reporter track a sadistic sex murderer.

But it’s soon awash in melancholy tortured-soul musings, castle settings, an eerie cemetery (with backlit tombstones), and torture sequences (shot, surprisingly, with suggestive restraint by Senor Franco, who later in his career tended to wallow in sex and gore).

In one standout sequence Franco generates some gen-
uine frisson by using sound, camera movement, quick and his girlfriend Judy (Marilyn Manning)— when
edits and a mounting sense of panic in the frightened their car breaks down in a tiny California desert town.

heroine as she lay in her bed, anticipating Robert

Charlie and Judy delight not only in killing, but in Wise’s later The Haunting (1963). The subtly effective psychologically torturing their victims. The tension Sadistic Baron Von Klaus suggests that Jess Franco had remains high throughout, but ratchets up even more
a real knack for atmospheric horror before his obses-during a bravura sequence in the middle of the film sion with crotch-shots and manic zooms overtook
which concludes with the murder of one of the teach-him.

ers, and again for the film’s unpredictable and surprisingly vicious finale. Hall excels in the title role, af-

Santa Claus (1959/60; Cinematografica Calderon fecting a babyish mush-mouthed delivery that seems

S.A./K. Gordon Murray Productions; Mexico) This
jarringly creepy, especially as he coolly shoots a victim bizarre, surreal, subtly unsettling take on Ol’ St. Nick in the face. With a well-constructed, cunningly effi-

( and Ol’ Scratch) was K. Gordon Murray’s first im-cient script (by writer/director James Landis), uni-port, launching his Kiddie Matinee empire and paving formly convincing performances, and solid crafts-the way for all those entertaining Mexi-horrors to
manship behind the camera, The Sadist is simply come. But why is a movie titled Santa Claus included spellbinding. It’s hard to believe that this gem emerged in a book on horror films? Because it’s a movie about from Fairway International, the tiny Mom and Pop
good (Santa) vs. evil (“Pitch,” the chief demon of hell, operation which also made world class stink bombs
who’s ordered by Satan to “make all the children of Eegah (1962) and Wild Guitar (1963). Don’t be de-the Earth do evil” and so land on Santa’s “bad” list).

terred by its brethren; The Sadist is sensational.

Sporting red long johns, a goatee, plastic horns and oversized elf ears, Pitch sets about corrupting the

The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus (1962; His-youth of Mexico (inducing little boys to throw rocks pamex; Spain; b&w) Original Language Title : La through windows, or tempting the movie’s four-year-Mano de un Hombre Muerto (Hand of a Dead Man).

old heroine, Lupita, to steal a dolly). Pitch also tries Never released State-side until finally making its way to foil Santa’s deliveries by pushing chimneys out of on DVD, The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus is one of Jess alignment, lighting gigantic fires in the fire places, Franco’s earliest (and best) horror films, one deserving turning doorknobs red hot with his brimstone breath, a place alongside the better known The Awful Dr. Orlof and treeing Santa with a demented dog named Dante.

(1962) and The Diabolical Dr. Z (1965). The beautifully Complete with wild and expansive sets (Santa’s castle

3. MORE MOVIES

Santa; Santo

495
is not on the North Pole, as we’ve all been led to be-Martians was filmed in “Space Blazing Color,” and lieve, but somewhere in outer space!), wind-up white that’s about the best that can be said of this silly, reindeer, one especially surreal dream sequence in-puerile, sometimes-charming-but-more-often-painful
volving creepy dancing dolls, and such outré devices potpourri of holiday hoopla and juvenile sci-fi. Re-as the “Master Eye,” “Tele-talker,” and “Earscope”

leased during the Christmas season of 1964 by Joseph (with which Santa spies on all the children of the

E. ( The Producers, A Bridge Too Far) Levine’s Embassy Earth), Santa Claus comes across as a disturbing yet Pictures, SCCTM has popped up periodically to de-strangely affecting children’s film from Bizarro Land.

light — or bedevil — Christmas movie watchers ever

Murray took a real hands-on approach to this one —
since (“I get six dollars in residuals every year at not only producing the English language version, but Christmastime,” laughed director Nicholas Webster).

directing and narrating it himself using the pseudonym Ken Smith.

Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens see

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

(1964;

Embassy) Alternate Title : Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens (video). Sixties Cinema was nothing if not in-

Santo and Blue Demon Against the Mon-
novative. Not to be outdone by their South-of-the-
sters (1969; Cinematografica Sotomayor; Mexico) Border brethren, some American moviemakers de-Original Language Title: Santo y Blue Demon Contra cided to produce their own twisted take on the Santa los Monstruous. Santo and Blue Demon Against the tale. Unfortunately, their efforts failed to reach the Monsters opens, like Abbott and Costello Meet Franken-dizzyingly surreal heights of that 1960 Mexican oddity stein, with the two heroes and each of the featured Santa Claus. When the children on Mars intercept an monsters introduced during the credits. Except Santo Earth television broadcast interviewing Santa (John and Blue Demon Against the Monsters is not a com-Call) at his North Pole workshop, the Martian
edy — well, not intentionally anyway. The Mummy,
munchkins become disaffected with their rather sterthe Cyclops, “Franquestain,” the Wolf Man, the Vam-
ile, joyless existence. Consequently, the Martian
pire, and the Vampire Woman all receive their 15-sec-Leader and his cronies fly a spaceship to Earth and onds-of-fame introductory billing. But that’s forget-kidnap Santa. Will Earth have to cancel Christmas?

ting a diabolical bald hunchbacked dwarf named

Can Santa infuse the Martians with the Christmas

Waldo(!); a cadre of buff, green-faced zombie hench-spirit? Will the viewer ever be able to get that hyper men; a big-domed alien-like creature with exposed
theme song “Hooray for Santa Claus” out of his or her brain (who merely stands around as background dec-head? The ads boasted that Santa Claus Conquers the oration); and the evil, cackling mad scientist who creates/revives all these monsters in his laboratory cave located beneath an abandoned castle! Masked
wrestlers-crimefighters El Santo and his pal Blue

Demon must find a way to stop this monstrous army
before it is too late. Things move at a rapido pace (with monster attacks coming at frequent intervals), and
there’s little time for the frequent filler found in many a Santo feature (one exception being a nightclub sequence in which the principals watch a silly South-
of-the-Border Gene Kelly-style number that’s obvi-
ously lifted from a completely different — and much older — movie). Plenty of day-for-night photography adds to the cheapo 1960s kitsch quotient (and contrasts comically with the occasional real nighttime shot). The monsters prove more amusing (unintentionally so) than terrifying. For instance, the Vampire (nobody uses the “D” word, but it’s pretty obvious on what famous Count he is patterned) sports not only
the expected evening dress, top hat and cape, but a set of oversized fangs and gigantic pointed ears! (“He has elf ears!” astutely proclaimed this author’s then-eight-year-old son.) The elfin bloodsucker does impressively launch himself into the air in bat pose, however. Finally subtitled in English and released in America in the early 2000s, and chock full o’ cheesy fun, Santo and Blue Demon Against the Monsters is not to be missed by any fan of south-of-the-border psychotron-ica.

Santo in the Treasure of Dracula (1968; Cinematografica Calderon; Mexico; b&w) Original Lan-Enough said.

guage Title: Santo en el Tesoro de Drácula. Santo in

496

Santo

3. MORE MOVIES
the Treasure of Dracula is
basically Stoker’s Dracula
tale with a Santo subplot.

Evocatively filmed in
moody black and white,
the story has masked pro-
fessional wrestler and am-
ateur scientist Santo invent
a time machine that trans-
ports a subject back to his
or her past life. Santo tests
it on his girlfriend, who
turns out to have been a

Mina Harker substitute in
her previous incarnation.

Back in the present, a vil-
lainous gang of criminals
discovers the whereabouts
of Dracula’s staked corpse
and revives the Count, in-
tent on stealing Drac’s hid-
den treasure after the
bloodsucker gets the med-
dlesome Santo out of the
way. The involving Dracula
scenario (which apes both

Masked wrestler/superhero/scientist El Santo prepares to test his Time Tun-
the cut-finger episode and
nel–like time machine by transporting his girlfriend back to her previous the classic mirror se-life — as Mina to Mexico’s Dracula! (Mexican lobby card for 1968’s Santo in
quence — though this time
the Treasure of Dracula).

using a full-sized looking
glass rather than the less
dramatic cigarette case from the 1931 Lugosi version) unfolds amidst eerie lighting and foggy graveyard settings, while Aldo Monti as Dracula wears the aristocratic Lugosi get-up but snarls like Christopher Lee.

The film offers less Santo screen time than most entries, but a little Santo often goes a long way, and it comes off as a perfect balance of eerie Mexican horror and the straight-arrow absurdity that is the Santo milieu. Atmospheric and highly entertaining, Santo in the Treasure of Dracula is one of the more polished and engaging Santo-meets-the-monsters movies that
finally made it to American shores in subtitled version after the turn of the millennium.

Santo vs. the Martian Invasion (1966; Pro-ducciones Cinematograficas; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: Santo Contra la Invasión de los Marcianos. Santo vs. the Martian Invasion has the Silver Masked Man standing between the Earth and a horde

(well, about ten anyway) of invading aliens. Eschewing the “little green men” model, these Martians are blonde, muscle-bound hombres (and beauteous chiq-uitas) sporting silver tights and cape, a squarish skull-cap, and an “astral eye” stuck to their foreheads (a flashing eyeball-like device that serves as their own personal disintegrator ray —causing victims to just fade away in the cheapest of optical effects). Concerned about Earth’s atomic capabilities, these Adonis-like aliens land in Mexico to demand total disarThe Mexican wrestler/superhero Santo staves off
mament and insist the world “foster Earthly
the chokeholds of Martian marauders — and the brotherhood” or face annihilation by the Martians’

amorous advances of Martian beauties — in Santo
superior weaponry. The Day the Earth Stood Still’s
vs. the Martian Invasion (1966) (Spanish one-sheet Klaatu they ain’t, as they demonstrate their power by poster).

3. MORE MOVIES

Satanic; Scream; Secret

497
killing thousands and kidnapping (via teleportation Earth) does, however, make a fetching femme fatale devices) select humans for study back on their home (in a mod, mini-skirted way); too bad her acting can’t planet. The Martians turn their astral eyes toward
match her looks.

Santo (as he represents the perfect physical specimen), and it’s up to the Silver Masked Man to locate the in-

Scream and Scream Again (1969/70; Amicus; vaders’ ship, foil their plans and free the captives. “A U.K.) Filmed in 1969, but not released in the U.S. until picture that breaks new technical ground with con-1970, Scream and Scream Again raised the ire of horror stant action and excitement!” proclaimed the film’s fans by prominently featuring stars Vincent Price,
trailer. While the “new technical ground” is a hopeful Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in its advertise-overstatement at best (unless one counts Ed Wood-
ments, but relegating them to bit parts in the film it-style effects and simple dissolves utilized by Georges self. (Cushing is on screen for about three minutes, Méliès himself six decades before as “new”), Santo vs.

Lee for only 90 seconds!) Price spends most of the
the Martian Invasion indeed offers plenty of (campy) time off-screen as well, despite his key role as a mad

“action” and (cheesy) “excitement.” Among the high-
scientist who has created a race of super-human flesh-lights: space-age tonalities “borrowed” from the For-and-plastic “composites.” The narrative cuts back and bidden Planet soundtrack; the Martian spaceship forth between swinging London, where police inves-

(looking like two silver bowls glued together) landing tigate what they believe to be a serial killer, and an in an obvious table-top forest; the flying saucer’s unnamed Iron Curtain country, rocked by a series of sparse interior sporting a huge lever whose only pur-political intrigues. These disparate plot threads finally pose appears to be to blow up the ship if pulled ( Bride merge in the final act, but nearly half the film elapses of Frankenstein must be a particular favorite on Mars); before it becomes clear what one story has to do with the aliens interrupting a television broadcast and in-the other. Director Gordon Hessler capitalizes on this sisting, “We are not just actors performing in a scary jagged, disorienting structure in unorthodox but ef-movie”(!); a Martian materializing at an outdoor
fective ways, keeping viewers off balance and milking sports complex to disintegrate a crowd of people —
the mystery for maximum suspense. The film’s no-
including a group of children(!!); a Martian taking the name cast members (Alfred Marks, Christopher
place of Santo’s masked wrestling opponent in the ring Matthews and Judy Huxtable) garner most of the

(à la the classic vampire/werewolf battle in Samson vs.

screen time and perform capably. David Whitaker’s
the Vampire Women); a camp-a-holic’s dream of four retro-hip, jazzy score is another plus. Penned at the Martian babes disguising themselves as a “ballet
height of the Viet Nam war, Christopher Wicking’s
troupe” and proceeding to perform a hoochy-koochy
script delivers a subtle thematic indictment of the way dance number to a swingin’ sixties instrumental beat; nation-states dehumanize their citizens to achieve po-plenty of Santo-vs.-Martian grunting, sweating and
litical ends. While its misuse (or non-use) of its three fighting; and, of course, the Big Message closing nar-legendary horror stars remains disappointing, Scream ration: “The human race has been saved —for the mo-and Scream Again nonetheless emerges as a challeng-ment. Will we learn our lesson? Or will we insist on ing but rewarding film when taken on its own merits.

carrying on crazy nuclear experiments until we dis-
appear from the face of the Earth?” It took over 35

Secret of the Telegian (1960; Toho/AIP-TV; years for this fast-paced, fun and utterly charming Japan) Alternate Title: The Telegraphed Man. Original Martian Invasion to finally reach America (via a sub-Language Title: Denso Ningen. Director Jun Fukuda titled DVD), but for the dedicated Mexi-movie fan, it is best known as the guy who took over the Godzilla was well worth the wait.

series from Ishiro Honda — and wrecked it, with
movies like Son of Godzilla (1967/68). Yet, this film

Satanic (1968; Rodiancines; Italy/Spain) Original displays extraordinary directorial skill and vision, far Language Title: Satanik. When a scientist creates a cell beyond anything in Fukuda’s Godzilla pictures. A de-rejuvenation serum (which has the unwanted side ef-
tective and a newspaper reporter work together to infect of arousing his test animals’ “primordial in-
vestigate a series of revenge murders being committed stincts”), his elderly, scarred female colleague murders by ghostly super-scientific villain with the ability to, him and takes the concoction, which transforms her
essentially, broadcast himself from location to location into a stunning beauty. She uses her newfound looks like a TV signal. Although the pace is languid and the to seduce and murder her way to wealth. When the
conclusion is predictable, Fukuda generates some
police finally catch on to her schemes, she eludes them creepy moments along the way. He tells the story,

(ironically) by inadvertently reverting back to her which echoes elements from The Fly (1958) and The true, ugly self. This Eurotrash combination Leech Invisible Man (1933), in an almost noir-like manner, Woman and police procedural looks cheap (typified with dramatic, high- and low-angle camera set-ups,
by the crude and unconvincing old-age makeup),
imaginative transitions, and vivid color cinematog-
sounds cheap (an inappropriate, nondescript ’60s
raphy that sometimes recalls the work of Mario Bava.

pop-jazz score), and feels cheap (pointless zooms—

Telegian also features some of the most polished acting easier than actually moving the camera — and time-and best visual effects of any Toho genre effort. Un-filling, lackluster nightclub scenes). Since the woman fortunately, the film never received a Stateside theatri-proved evil from the outset (she kills to obtain the cal release and was mangled for American television: serum), the story carries no particular pathos and so dubbed, cropped from widescreen to full screen, its becomes a rather pointless— and dull — exercise in fu-Japanese stereo musical score dropped for a chintzy tility. Magda Konopka ( When Dinosaurs Ruled the American mono soundtrack, the original title se-

498

Seed; 7 Faces; Sex; She

3. MORE MOVIES
quence removed. Worst of all, the TV prints were

Mahon ( The Beast That Killed Women), this cheap processed in black-and-white, so the color visuals
roughie shot in New York City focuses on Tony, a
were lost. The original version, however, is one of the worker at a mannequin factory who uses his binocu-more interesting Japanese sci-fi thrillers of the early lars to peep at topless rooftop sunbathers. After taking 1960s.

home a mannequin head and treating it with a little too much affection, he snaps and begins seeking out

The Seed of Man (1969/70; Polifilm; Italy) Origi-women to murder and then rape. The kills are few and nal Language Title: Il Seme dell’Uomo. Following some far between, however, and most of the running time
devastating world-wide plague (intentionally kept
consists of Tony walking about the Big Apple, so that vague), a young couple take up a mostly solitary ex-even at a scant 55 minutes, the poorly-shot The Sex istence and (obtusely) argue about whether they

Killer soon wears out its welcome.

should have children and repopulate the earth.

Though featuring an intriguing set-up rife with pos-

She (1965; Hammer/Seven Arts; U.K.) Hammer Films sibilities (impressively explored in ’60s fare like Panic lavished its largest-ever budget on She, traveling as far in Year Zero! and The Last Man on Earth), The Seed of as Israel to shoot location scenes. Given all the special Man remains a rather off-putting and pretentious care and feeding that went into its creation, however, entry in the post-holocaust subgenre. This is the type She seems disappointingly ordinary; although not a of film in which seemingly everything is a metaphor truly bad film, it’s not a notably good one, either.

or allegory, including the characters (who all fail to Screenwriter David T. Chantler’s adaptation hews
interact — or react — in any recognizable or approach-closer to H. Rider Haggard’s classic romantic fantasia able manner, thus keeping the viewer at an uninvolved than Merian C. Cooper’s 1935 version, and Chantler’s distance). Admittedly, it provokes some thought and major change (a slightly revised, more downbeat and raises a few questions, but its arms-length character-ironic conclusion) actually improves on the original.

izations, sedate pace, and lack of dramatic — or in-Leo, a former British soldier (John Richardson) in
volving — survival scenario (the protagonists simply Palestine on his way home from World War I, encoun-occupy a comfortable beach house and spend their
ters a mysterious, bewitching blonde (Ursula Andress) time playing in the sand or idly collecting civilization’s and, at her behest, sets out across the desert to find artifacts) ultimately fails to satisfy on any level, either the lost city of Kor, despite hardships of every sort.

emotionally, intellectually or cinematically (though a Once in Kor, he discovers the blonde is the immortal, huge beached whale carcass does make for some striking imagery).

7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964; MGM) Tony Randall stars as the multi-dimensional Chinese mesmerist who brings a little magic (and understanding) to a turn-of-the-century Western town with his sideshow of
mythical attractions. These include Merlin the Magician; the blind seer Apollonius; Medusa the gorgon; Pan, the god of joy; the Abominable Snowman; a talking snake with a human face; and a Loch Ness Monster lookalike. In an interview, Randall (who wore myriad make-ups and affected several accents) enthused, “I never wanted it to end, and that’s the only time this has ever happened.” And the viewer may very well feel the same way about this absolutely charming George

Pal fantasy full of magical moments (including some impressive stop-motion sea serpent animation courtesy of Jim Danforth and company), warm characters, and healthy sentiment (reflecting the positive side of the Something Wicked This Way Comes coin). Sure it’s rather obvious, and sure it’s a bit saccharine; but remember what Dr. Lao tells the nine-year-old protag-
onist: “Mike, the whole world is a circus if you look at it the right way. Every time you pick up a handful of dust and see not the dust but a mystery, a marvel there in your hand; every time you stop and think,

‘I’m alive and being alive is fantastic’; every time such a thing happens, Mike, you’re part of the Circus of Dr.

Lao.” That’s a sentiment worth remembering.

The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) (clockwise from top): With quotes from: The Fabulous Fantasy Films, by Pan, Merlin, the Abominable Snowman, Dr. Lao,

Jeff Rovin.

Appolonius, and the Medusa — all played by Tony

Randall, whose real visage lies at the center (sport-

The Sex Killer (1967; b&w) Alternate Title: The ing a toupee borrowed from Gene Kelly, since Ran-Girl Killer. Made by nudie-cutie specialist Barry dall’s head had been shaved for the film).

3. MORE MOVIES

Silent; Sinister; Sinners; Siren; Slave; Snake; Snow

499

Snake Woman’s Curse

(1968; Toei; Japan) Original Lan-
guage Title : Kaidan hebi-onna.

Most of celebrated Japanese hor-
ror specialist Nabuo Nakagawa’s
films failed to earn U.S. theatrical
releases in their day, but with in-
terest surging in Asian horror
during the mid–2000s, they began
trickling into the States via be-
lated DVD releases. Unfortu-
nately, Nakagawa’s pictures sel-
dom proved to be worth the wait,
or justified their elevated critical
reputations. The tedious Snake

Woman’s Curse provides a case in
point. The first 60 of the movie’s

85 minutes are spent chronicling
the misfortunes that befall a poor
family of tenant farmers (father,
mother, daughter and daughter’s
fiancé) due to mistreatment by
their cruel landlord and his fam-
ily. After the farmer is killed in a
horse-drawn carriage accident,

As the conniving Billali, Christopher Lee whispers into the ear of She-the lord takes the poor man’s wife

Who-Must-Be-Obeyed (Ursula Andress) in Hammer’s She (1965).

and daughter as debt-slaves. The
lord beats the mother to death for
cruel Queen Ayesha (“She Who Must Be Obeyed”)

trying to defend a snake, and his son rapes the farmer’s and that Ayesha believes him to be the reincarnation daughter, who then commits suicide. The girl’s fiancé of her long-dead lover, Killikrates. Despite its rela-tries to exact revenge but is killed fleeing police. This tively large budget, She’s ambitions outstrip Ham-protracted, melodramatic setup is intended to prepare mer’s production capacities: so many sets were needed audiences for the upcoming savage vengeance the
that none appear as ornate or impressive as they
snake spirits (who take an interest after the mother’s should; some of the mattes and other visual effects death). But the payoff falls well short of the buildup, look rushed; and the rousing slave revolt finale is with the landlord, his wife and son suffering from vi-staged with a cast of dozens. The picture’s leaden pace, sions of snakes and stumbling into a series of fatal overstuffed with dry expository scenes and misty-eyed mishaps, none of which are especially spooky, ghastly hand-wringing by Leo, proves equally frustrating. Di-or even well-staged. Nakagwa’s direction, Yoshikazu rector Robert Day’s storytelling is clean but undistin-Yamasawa’s cinematography and the performances of
guished. The challenging title role exposes the limita-the cast, while adequate, fail to stand out. Sunsuke tions of Andress’ acting ability in ways her

Kikuchi’s cheesy, overwrought score stands out in the star-making turn in Dr. No (1962) did not. Richardson wrong way. With its belabored scenario, disappointing is fine in the lead but, predictably, Hammer stalwarts third act and dirge-like pace, Snake Woman’s Curse Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee steal the film in won’t convert newcomers to the cult of Nakagawa. Re-showy but subordinate roles.

serve this one for true believers only.

Silent Star see First Spaceship on

Snow Devils (1965; MGM; Italy) Original Language

Venus

Title: I Diavola della Spazio. One of four science fiction features shot back-to-back by Antonio Margheriti in

Sinister Invasion see The Incredible

1964 (the others being War Between the Planets, War

Invasion
of the Planets and Wild Wild Planet), Snow Devils concerns a group of astronauts who discover abominable snowman-like humanoid beings on the planet Aytia.

Sinners of Hell see Jigoku

The film (a dog by reputation) has seemingly disap-
peared.

Siren of Atlantis see Journey Beneath
the Desert

The Snow Maiden (1968; Lenfilm Studio; U.S.S.R.) Original Language Title: Snegurochka. In this slow-

Slave Girls see Prehistoric Women
paced romantic fantasy from Soviet Russia, the beautiful Snow Maiden, daughter of Father Frost and

Mother Spring, becomes entranced by shepherd Lel’s

The Snake People see Isle of the Snake
singing and wants to live among human beings to ex-

People
perience love. Featuring an impressive setting — a

500

Snow; Son; Space

3. MORE MOVIES
tranquil medieval village on the banks of a river —
the local insects to grow to giant size. Godzilla finally and lots and lots of singing (by both the villagers and arrives on the island (30 minutes into the 86-minute golden-throated Lel), The Snow Maiden becomes film) to protect its newly hatched offspring, Minya.

bogged down in scene after scene of various characters Instead of the usual city-smashing mayhem, viewers
talking about, pining for, and seeking love, as
are “treated” to a succession of saccharine parent-child summed up by the Snow Maiden herself: “Everything
scenes, such as one cutesy sequence in which Minya
in the world that is of any value lies in just one word, uses Godzilla’s tail for a jump rope. One of Toho’s and that word is ‘love.’” A “forest genii” (made up to worst monster suit designs, Minya looks like a cross look like talking foliage) pops up once or twice to pro-between a cherubic gecko and a deformed Pillsbury
vide the film’s only respite from the saccharine sce-doughboy. Clearly, the character was introduced to
nario, but does little to overcome the tedium.

position Godzilla to compete with Daiei’s profitable, kid-oriented Gamera movies, but director Jun Fukuda

The Snow Queen (1966/67; Lenfilm Studio; and his cohorts succeed too well, producing a film as U.S.S.R.) Original Language Title: Snezhnaya Korol-asinine and exasperating as most of Daiei’s Gamera
eva. This lavish Soviet children’s fantasy, based on a entries. That’s too bad, especially since the basic sce-fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, opens with An-nario, with scientists battling giant mantises and an dersen himself (an actor playing Andersen, actually) enormous spider, might have made an interesting film stating: “I get tired of just telling [stories], so today on its own. The fierce-looking insects (actually, overI’ve decided to show you a story for a change.” And sized marionettes) are by far the best realized creatures show us he does, as an animated whirlwind brings a
in the picture. Instead, the misguided Son of Godzilla giant white face (the beautiful, icy visage of the
became the second consecutive G-film to be denied
dreaded Snow Queen) to the window of pre-teen sib-
an American theatrical release, although AIP picked lings Kay and Gerta, living with their kindly grand-it up for TV. And Minya gained notoriety as the
mother. Along with this foreshadowing arrives a rude Scrappy Doo of Godzilla lore.

rich man in cahoots with the Snow Queen who de-
mands to buy granny’s beautiful winter roses. When

Son of Hercules in the Land of Darkness
she refuses to part with the flowers (they were a gift —

(1963/66; Metheus Films/Embassy Pictures; Italy)

from Andersen himself — and so are above price), the Original Language Title: Ercole l’Invincibile. Alternate evil moneygrubber sends the Snow Queen to wither

Title: Hercules the Invincible. Yet another peplum that the roses and kidnap Kay. Gerta (followed by Ander-came to America under the straight-to-TV “Sons of
sen, who at one point timely steps in to lend a, er ...

Hercules” banner (see Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hans) sets out for the Snow Queen’s ice palace to get Hercules), Son of Hercules in the Land of Darkness con-him back, encountering all manner of strange beings cerns the heroic, blonde-bearded Argolese (Dan
along the way (including chatty crows, a goofy king, Vadis) and his battle with the evil, usurping Demios forest[!] pirates, a talking reindeer, and several Rus-people, who live inside a mountain and like to eat the sian folk songs), resulting in an imaginative and en-flesh of their enemies in order to absorb their strength joyable (if sometimes too-leisurely paced) romp

(something we never see, by the way). The film’s sole through some impressive sets and beautiful Russian
fantastical element (apart from an underground city countryside. That said, the real H.C. Andersen un-surrounded by boiling lava — something else we don’t doubtedly was set spinning in his grave by the trans-see much of ) comes in the form of Argolese’s brief formation of his simple fairy tale about loyalty and battle with “the dragon of the mountains”—footage
the power of love into a thinly-veiled treatise on com-of the unwieldy man-in-a-suit dino-beast “borrowed”

munism (symbolized by the flowers themselves: “The
from the 1959 Hercules. Vadis’ Argolese is strong as an roses, in their own language,” lectures Hans in a
oak (with wooden demeanor to match) and faces off
laugh-out-loud non sequitur, “say we are with you,
against a tired-looking lion, a man in a bear costume, you are with us, and we are all together”). When the countless incompetent palace guards, and two cranky Snow Queen, controlled by the Evil Capitalist, kisses elephants trying to pull him apart. It all adds up to Kay, the sweet boy’s heart turns to ice and he becomes 80-plus minutes of half-baked tedium, with nothing
rude and insulting — embracing the evils of capitalism to distinguish this from the dozens of other beefcake-obviously corrupts. But the power of love and inno-
and-brawn pictures migrating across the Atlantic in cence ultimately overcomes the forces of greed, and the 1960s.

the roses of communism bloom once more ... at least until the break-up of the Soviet Union two decades

Space Men see Assignment Outerspace
later.

Space Monster (1965; AIP-TV; b&w) An occa-

Son of Godzilla (1967; Toho/AIP-TV; Japan) Orig-sional chuckle from the amusingly non–P.C. dialogue inal Language Title : Kaijuto no Kessen: Gojira no is about all you can expect from this awful sci-fier, musuko (Monster Island’s Decisive Battle: Godzilla’s which AIP steered directly to television (perhaps reSon). Toho’s flagship kaiju eiga series, which entered alizing the injustice of expecting people to pay to a skid with the preceding Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster watch a black-and-white film that’s worse than the

(1966), careened into the ditch with the puerile Son of sci-fi TV shows they could see for free in their homes).

Godzilla. Godzilla seems like an afterthought to the

“[Co-producer] Burt [Topper] created all of the sets,”

story about a team of scientists performing secret ex-recalled Space Monster star Francine York. “He’d go to periments on a remote island who inadvertently cause the studio at night, jump over the fence and steal little

3. MORE MOVIES

Space; Spaceflight; Spaceship; Spook; Star; Strange

501
pieces of this, little pieces of that.” The 80-minute fea-folded umbrella with an enormous tongue, to battle
ture was shot in mid–March 1965 at Producers Studio the demon. The film’s many bizarre creatures, drawn under the title The First Woman in Space (at that point from Japanese folklore, look like nothing previously it was still earmarked for theatrical distribution). But seen in America outside of (maybe) a Mardi Gras pa-apparently AIP felt that a Woman wasn’t quite as ap-rade or the ouevre of Sid and Marty Krofft. Although pealing as a Monster and so appended its appellation it seems to be aimed primarily at children, Spook War-

(thereby inadvertently disclosing its obviously prepu-fare contains some remarkably bloody murders and a bescent audience target). The movie’s plot: A rocket few genuinely unsettling sequences (especially the
carrying three men and one woman encounters an
demon’s attack on the magistrate). Although certainly ugly humanoid alien with an exposed brain (a leftover an acquired taste, the Yokai Monsters films— which
mask from The Wizard of Mars) and then crash lands also include 100 Monsters (1968) and Along with Ghosts in the ocean of an unidentified planet inhabited by (1969)— remain fascinating, in an acid-trip sort of giant crabs (merely some you’re-not-fooling-anyone
way. None of the three films received a general the-macro-lensed sand crabs in a fish tank) and a single atrical release in the U.S., although some of them may native gill-man left over from War-Gods of the Deep have appeared briefly in Japanese language cinemas

(1965). “Basically, everything on Space Monster was in the late Sixties. However, all three reached America stolen from somewhere else,” laughed York. If this sad on DVD in 2003.

vehicle and sexist crew was the best she could find, it’s a dead certainty that The First Woman in Space

Star Pilot (1965/77; Monarch Releasing Corp.; Italy) had wished she’d stayed home. And unless you’re par-Original Language Title: 2+5: Missione Hydra. Alter-ticularly partial to tiny land crabs, we suggest you do nate Title : 2+5: Mission Hydra (video). Finally re-the same.

leased in America 12 years after its completion (to cash With quotes from: “Anatomy of a Doll: A Candid
in on the Star Wars craze), the almost nonsensical Star Conversation with Francine York,” by Anthony

Pilot has an elderly scientist, his “liberated” daughter, Petkovich, in Shock Cinema no. 37, 2009.

a pair of hunky technicians, and a couple of Asian
spies kidnapped off the island of Sardinia by a trio of

Space Monster Dogora see Dagora,
aliens from the galaxy of Hydra who need them to
the Space Monster
help repair and pilot their crashed ship (a plastic coffee pot with wings that shoots gouts of flame). A series of disjointed and pointless scenes follow, “highlighted”

Space Pirate Ship see Invasion of the
by space walks without helmets (just a metal stick held

Neptune Men
between the teeth, representing a “space respirator,”

will do!) and an emergency landing on a cardboard

Spaceflight IC-1: An Adventure in Space
set ... er, planet, inhabited by fur coat-wearing pig-

(1965; Lippert/Twentieth Century–Fox; U.K.; b&w) men. The two females do look impressive in their

In this cheaply made science fiction melodrama, jun-leather and fishnet “uniforms,” however.

ior officers on a ship full of refugees from the dying Earth mutiny against their tyrannical (and possibly

Strange Obsession see The Witch
insane) captain. The authors of this book were unable to secure a copy for review, but the film’s low budget,

The Strange World of Coffin Joe see no-name cast (Bill Williams, Norma West, John Cairney, etc.) and journeymen crew (led by director

The Strange World of Zé do Caixão

Bernard Knowles) do not inspire confidence.

The Strange World of Zé do Caixão (1968; Iberia Filmes; Brazil; b&w) Original Language Title:

Spaceship Venus Does Not Reply see

Estranho Mundo de Zé do Caixão. Alternate Title :

First Spaceship on Venus

The Strange World of Coffin Joe. This three-part anthology from Brazilian horror maven Jose Mojica

Spook Warfare (1968; Daiei; Japan) Original Lan-Marins ( At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, This Night guage Title: Yokai Daisenso (Big Ghost War), Alternate I’ll Possess Your Corpse, etc.) is introduced by the dia-Title: Yokai Monsters 1: Spook Warfare (DVD). “You bolical Ze do Coaixao (Marins himself in his “Coffin won’t believe your eyes!” warns this film’s original Joe” persona), who asks pseudo-existential questions Japanese trailer, in a rare example of truth in adver-like “Who am I?” and “What is horror?” (without giv-tising. Even diehard fans of Japan’s kaiju eiga (giant ing any answers, of course). First up is “The Doll-monster) movies may be thrown for a loop by the ex-
maker,” about an elderly toymaker and his four
ceedingly off beat, wildly imaginative Yokai Monsters daughters whose dolls possess the most extraordinary series, a trilogy that begins here. The story involves eyes. There’s a typical E.C.-comics style twist in the an ancient Babylonian demon that travels to feudal
tale when four would-be robbers/rapists come a-

Japan, then kills and impersonates the magistrate of a callin’. Next is “Obsession,” about a hunchbacked beg-small village. Humans can’t see through the demon’s gar who stalks a beautiful girl from afar, and takes his disguise, but Kappa, a duck-faced water imp that lives obsession to the extreme after she’s murdered on her in the magistrate’s pond, can. He rallies a dozen or so wedding day. Unfortunately, Marins forgot the sting of his fellow “apparitions,” including also include a in this tale, and it simply winds down laboriously to snake-necked woman and something that looks like a
its foregone conclusion. Last (and best) is “Theory,”

502

Strangler; Stranglers; Strongest; Study

3. MORE MOVIES
starring Marins himself as a sadistic “Professor” who James Bernard’s evocative score. Although it lacks the intends to prove that “instinct” will ultimately win scope and the emotional resonance of its director’s out over “reason” by staging various acts of sadism, best work, Stranglers compares favorably to better depravity and even cannibalism. This segment deliv-loved Fisher films such as The Phantom of the Opera ers what one expects from a Marins movie, with some (1962) and The Gorgon (1964).

truly twisted and shocking scenes (accentuated by that surreal phoniness that permeates Marins’ low-budget

The Strongest Man in the World see
productions) interspersed with weird, gleeful ram-

Mole Men against the Son of Hercules
blings from Marins himself. Ironically, The Strange World of Zé do Caixão may be Marins’ most tradi-

A Study in Terror (1965/66; Columbia; U.K.) tional — and least strange — horror film, making it

“Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper!” shouted
more accessible to the average fan but less interesting the ads for this cinematic collision of the Ripper and overall. What makes his movies fascinating are their Holmes subgenres. Indeed, such a catchphrase pro-subversive themes and bizarre unpredictability. Here, vides a succinct synopsis, as Holmes and Watson be-at least for two-thirds of the film, Marins disappoint-come embroiled in the search for the infamous
ingly sacrifices his usual outrageousness for more tra-Whitechapel murderer. Unfortunately, the rather staid ditional horror tropes. Strange World, like all of production offers very little for the viewer to shout Marins’ movies, only surfaced in America via the
about, at least in terms of horror content. While di-video boom of the early 1990s.

rector James Hill ( Captain Nemo and the Underwater

The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle

City, 1969) and cinematographer Desmond Dickinson (1963;

( Horror Hotel, 1960) do an admirable job of evoking West Germany) Original Language Title: Der Würger the swirling fog and shrouded alleyways of 1888 Lon-von Schloß Blackmoor. A fog-shrouded English castle don (or at least a Hammer-like facsimile thereof ), the (complete with hidden passageways and dangerous
picture meanders to and fro over the same ground,
dungeons), a hooded killer, and several decapitations the murder sequences remain fairly perfunctory, and figure into this Bryan Edgar Wallace (son of famed

John Neville and Donald Houston, as Holmes and
mystery writer Edgar Wallace) crime-mystery involv-

Watson, make a misguided effort at channeling the
ing stolen diamonds, an innocent heroine, and a clever tired spirits of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

Scotland Yard detective. The sinister setting adds a Though the script offers a fairly novel (if meandering touch of creepiness to the proceedings, and the decapitation sequences come as outright shocks, making this one of the more memorable horror-tinged krimis from the period.

The Stranglers of Bombay (1960; Hammer/Columbia; U.K.; b&w) Marginal as horror but marvelous as entertainment, The Stranglers of Bombay remains an unsung gem from director Terence Fisher. Perhaps because it’s an historical drama with some grisly elements rather than a full-blooded chiller or maybe because this modest, black-and-white production fell
between two higher profile, full-color Fisher masterworks— The Mummy (1959) and Brides of Dracula (1960)— Stranglers has never received its due, and likely never will. Yet there is much here to admire, beginning with a compelling, (loosely) fact-based scenario. In 1820s India, a courageous British officer (Guy Rolfe) battles heroically, despite the indifference of his superiors, to root out the bloodthirsty Thugee cult of stranglers. The director plays up the brutality of the Thugee (in addition to strangulation, the
cultists slice out tongues and shove red-hot pokers into victims’ eyes, then disembowel, dismember or
burn the bodies) and recasts historical events as a typically Fisherian struggle between Christian good and Satanic evil. David Goodman’s tight, suspense-filled script manages to play up these horrific aspects without seeming crass or exploitative. The cast contributes uniformly convincing performances, with Rolfe and

George Pastell, as a high priest of the Cult of Kali, especially compelling. Cinematographer Arthur Grant’s shadow-draped jungle sets and sweltering-looking in-Sherlock Holmes tracks Jack the Ripper, creating teriors add badly needed ambiance to this small-bud-

A Study in Terror (1965/66) (Italian two-sheet get, studio-bound production, as does composer
poster).

3. MORE MOVIES

Sweet; Sword; Telegraphed; Tenth

503
and unlikely) solution to the mystery, the climax
of their own bodies so he can ride his horse to the top seems rushed and incomplete (particularly when a
to get a good looksee) fail to compensate for a slow cavalier Holmes explains how he escaped the climactic pace, simplistic plot, dull characters, and shout-it-to-fiery inferno with nothing more than a casual com-
the-winds acting (Ilya doesn’t stand and converse, he ment about his being “indestructible”). Failing to live poses and bellows!). This was directed by the same
up to its moniker, A Study in Terror is a study in disman, Aleksandr Ptushko, who brought us the equally
appointment, particularly given the far superior re-epic (and equally turgid) The Magic Voyage of Sinbad.

sults of the next Holmes-Ripper celluloid meeting —

Murder by Decree (1979).

The Telegraphed Man see Secret of the

Telegian

The Sweet Sound of Death (1965/66; Hermic; Spain; b&w) Original Language Title : La Ilamada.

The Tenth Victim (1965; Embassy; Italy/France) This moody tale of a young Spaniard named Pablo

Original Language Title: La Decima Vittima. In this whose French fiancée Dominique appears to die in a
dystopian satire (set in the near-future in which
plane crash but then inexplicably returns, is more
everyone wears uber-sixties “mod” fashions and lives suited to a 30-minute Twilight Zone episode, or, at in garishly-decorated swinging pads), the govern-most, an hour-long Thriller. Not without interest ments of the Earth sanction murder via the “Big Hunt”

(thanks in large part to the two likable and appealing game to control population and ease aggressive ten-leads, Emilio Caba [billed as Emil Cape] and Dyanik dencies towards war. Participants are randomly as-Zurakowska [trumpeted simply as “Dianik”]), and
signed as either “Hunter” or “Hunted,” and must kill possessing a few truly eerie sequences (such as when their opponent before he or she kills them. Those who Pablo visits Dominique’s stately home in Brittany,
reach ten kills without perishing receive political and where he encounters her odd — and obviously dead —
financial privileges (including a million-dollar bonus).

family), the overlong feature ultimately winds down Ursula Andress plays the icy killer (who dispatched to a predictable (and perfunctory) conclusion. This her previous victim via a bullet-barreled bra!) seeking low-budget Spanish film was co-produced by Ameri-to make her tenth and final kill in front of television can Sidney Pink ( The Angry Red Planet, Reptilicus, cameras as a commercial for “Ming Tea” (complete

Pyro). Knowing there was no theatrical market, out-with beautiful chorus girls and dancing teacups!!), side of the art-house circuit, in the States for a black-while Marcello Mastroianni is the world-weary, nerve-and-white import (the U.S. film industry had almost jangled mark seeking to turn the tables on his
fully transitioned to color), Pink bundled it up with a huntress. Love blossoms like bullet hits, and various few of his other Euro-features in a package sold di-twists leads to an amusingly unexpected conclusion.

rectly to American television via the Westinghouse

The Tenth Victim meanders at times among various corporation in 1966.

tedious subplots and superfluous characters, and the

“groovy” sixties lounge music and even groovier

The Sword and the Dragon (1956/60; Valiant threads and furnishings soon become tiresome. Yet,

Films; U.S.S.R./Finland) Original Language Title: Ilya the picture’s biting satire (attacking everything from Muromets. Alternate Title : The

Epic Hero and the Beast (U.K.).

“Cast of 106,000! 11,000 horses!”

trumpeted the ads for this Russo-

Finnish fantasy filmed in 1956
and released in America in 1960.

While those figures may be an ex-
aggeration, judging by the amaz-
ing production values and teem-
ing hordes on the screen, they
may not be far wrong. Big, bold
and broad (just like the lead char-
acter), The Sword and the Dragon
follows the adventures of the leg-
endary hero Ilya Muromets as he
protects his Prince and his people
from “the cursed Tugars” (a Mon-
gol-like horde) invading his
homeland. He also battles a
pudgy wind demon and a two-
headed, fire-breathing dragon.

Some impressive effects (the
dragon) and unusual incidents

(including the Tugar chief —
dubbed by the ubiquitous voice
artist Paul Frees— ordering his

Lobby card for the opulent Russo-Finnish fantasy Sword and the
minions to make a mountain out

Dragon (1956/60).

504

Terror

3. MORE MOVIES
the media and politics to interpersonal relationships and organized religion) and chemistry between the
two leads, as they play their deadly cat-and-mouse
game, make this a hunt worth watching.

Terror Beneath the Sea (1966/71; Toei; Japan) Original Language Title: Kaitei Daisenso. This ultra low-budget sci-fi/action hybrid remains notable as an early starring role for future “Streetfighter” Sonny Chiba. The story is a mishmash of elements from

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Island of Dr.

Moreau: Two intrepid journalists (Chiba and gal pal Peggy Neal) are trapped in the undersea hideout of a mad genius, who surgically transforms his victims
into “cyborg” gill men. The scenario affords Chiba
only limited opportunity to demonstrate the physical prowess that would soon make him a Hong Kong action hero. Director Hajime Sato would go on to helm the impressive Body Snatcher from Hell (1968), but this film pales in comparison with that one. Terror Beneath the Sea went unreleased in the U.S. until 1971, when Chiba was better known.

Terror in the Crypt (1964; Rosa/AIP-TV; b&w) Alternate Titles: Crypt of Horror (U.K.), La Cripta e L’incuba (Italy), La Malediction de los Karnstein (Spain), Crypt of the Vampire (home video). This Spanish-Italian co-production, released directly to television in the U.S., sounds good on paper: An Euro-
pean gothic based on Sheridan Le Fanu’s frequently

Italian one-sheet highlighting the dubious delights filmed lesbian vampire opus Carmilla, starring of Terror Beneath the Sea (1966).

Christopher Lee. On celluloid, however, Terror in the Crypt ranks as a major disappointment. Count Karnstein (Lee) engages Klaus Friedrich (Jose Campos) to research the life of his ancestor, Syrah Karnstein, who was executed for witchcraft but vowed to return from the grave and exact revenge. Eventually, Klaus learns that the Count fears his daughter Laura (Adriana

Ambesi) may be Syrah’s reincarnation. Shortly thereafter, a beautiful young stranger, Lyuba (Pier Anna Quaglia), arrives at Castle Karnstein and quickly attaches herself to Laura, upsetting a growing romance between Laura and Klaus. Screenwriters Tonino Valeri and Ernesto Gastaldi’s handling of Le Fanu’s saucy, scary source material proves surprisingly tepid and chaste. The film’s attempts to generate chills are few and feeble, and its eroticism is limited to a few cuddles between the nightie-clad Quaglia and Ambesi. Production values are low, and Carmillo Mastrocinque’s flat, lifeless direction is sleep-inducing. And, although top-billed, Lee is wasted in a do-nothing part; Campos assumes the picture’s true lead role. As a result, even Euro-horror junkies and Lee completists will find little here to hold their interest.

Terror of the Bloodhunters (1962; ADP Pictures; b&w) There’s no terror and not much bloodhunting in this Z-budget jungle melodrama from
schlockmeister Jerry Warren. Political prisoner Steven Duval (Robert Clarke) breaks out of Devil’s Island
with the help of the commandant’s daughter (Dorothy Haney), but, when their original plan to fly to Brazil goes awry, the couple is forced to make their escape Spanish herald for the Italo-gothic Terror in the
through untracked South American rainforest popu-

Crypt (1964).

3. MORE MOVIES

Terror; Terrornauts; These

505
lated by voodoo-practicing cannibals. Warren cobbled running series of horror anthologies) a team of scien-together Terror of the Bloodhunters out of reams of tists using a radio telescope to listen for signals from stock footage of snakes, alligators, panthers, etc. (even intelligent life on other planets receives a distress call the titular “blood-hunting” natives are stock cut-ins!), from an unlikely source — a tiny planetoid in the as-intertwined with interminable scenes of Clarke and
teroid belt. After the scientists transmit a reply, a Haney tromping around the forest. To pad the film
spaceship appears and whisks them away (building
out to a semi-respectable 72 minutes, Warren (as aland all) to a robot-operated outpost on the asteroid, ways) loads up on static, banal dialogue scenes, and where they become embroiled in an interplanetary
also tosses in a couple of hokey-looking native dance war. None of this is as exciting it sounds. Fifty of the rituals (you guessed it — more stock footage). Aside film’s 75 minutes are consumed by static, talky scenes from veteran B-movie star Clarke, who gives a game

(hand-wringing over budget cuts, interpersonal
but futile effort here, the acting is wooden and listless, drama between the romantic leads, and comedy relief perfectly matching everything else in this lifeless involving a weak-kneed accountant and a gabby tea
bomb.

service matron), filmed almost entirely in medium
shot on a single cramped observatory set. Once the

Terror of the Hatchet Men (1961; Hammer/Coaction finally starts, the picture’s meager budget falls lumbia; U.K.) Original Title: The Terror of the Tongs.

well short of its ambitions. Its visual effects, costumes The Hammer horror machine was running in top gear
and props are laughably cut-rate (at one point the cast in the early 60s, and all the technical elements for an walks around in shower caps with tubes sticking out outstanding picture were in place for this thriller, bet-of them), and the climactic space battle looks like ter known under its original British title. With gor-something from the oeuvre of Edward D. Wood, Jr.

geous, color-splashed sets designed by Bernard Robin-The performances (from Simon Oates, Zena Marshall,
son, beautiful lighting by cinematographer Arthur

Charles Hawtrey and the rest of the cast) and direction Grant and outstanding costumes and makeup by

(by Montgomery Tully) remain perfunctory at best.

Molly Arbuthnot and Roy Ashton, respectively, Terror After this substandard entry, and the mediocre They of the Tongs stands among Hammer’s most visually Came from Beyond Space (also 1967), Amicus wisely striking products. Unfortunately, director Anthony
chose to concentrate on horror rather than sci-fi pic-Bushell, screenwriter Jimmy Sangster and casting sutures.

pervisor Dorothy Holloway fail to hold up their end of the bargain. In 1910 Hong Kong a sea captain’s

These Are the Damned (1963/65; Hammer/Co-daughter is killed by agents of the dreaded Red Dragon lumbia; U.K.; b&w) Original Title: The Damned. This Tong, a secret society engaged in theft, white slavery, opium, gambling and murder on a massive scale.

When local authorities prove ineffectual, the captain (Geoffrey Toone) sets out to topple the Tong himself.

Sangster’s script trades in stock characters and lacks structure. The captain’s “investigation” consists of mercilessly beating one low-level Tong underling after another until he finds out What He Wants to Know.

As a result, events spill out almost randomly, generating relatively little tension or suspense. Bushell, who worked primarily in television, provides competent
but undistinguished direction. The film’s biggest
problems lie with its cast, and particularly with Toone, whose facial expression remains virtually un-changed — whether he’s discovering his daughter’s
dead body, kissing a beautiful young woman or throwing a right cross. French sex kitten Yvonne Monlaur is also miscast as a half-Chinese slave girl. Luckily, Christopher Lee shines as the imperious Tong leader, radiating icy malevolence. Lee’s fearsome performance — which serves as a blueprint for his later tenure as Dr. Fu Manchu — and the film’s outstanding pictorial beauty give diehard Hammer aficionados reason
to seek out Terror of the Tongs. Others may safely take a pass.

Terror of the Tongs see Terror of the

Hatchet Men

The Terrornauts (1967; Amicus/Embassy; U.K.) In this ill-advised foray into science fiction by England’s Amicus Productions (best known for its long-Eventful ad for The Terror of the Tongs (1961).

506

This Is Not a Test; This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse

3. MORE MOVIES
slice of high-minded atom-age paranoia from director

This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (1967; Joseph Losey remains ambitious and artfully crafted Paranagua Cinematografica; Brazil; b&w/color) Orig-sci-fi, even though it’s not as clever as it thinks it is.

inal Language Title: Esta Noite Encarnarei no Teu Ca-Simon (Macdonald Carey), an American tourist, is
daver. “This film begins where AT MIDNIGHT I’LL
mugged by a gang of British “teddy boys,” lured into TAKE YOUR SOUL ended” reads the opening scrawl of
a trap by Joan (Shirley Ann Field), the sister of the this direct sequel to the first home-grown Brazilian gang leader (Oliver Reed). This sparks an unlikely rohorror movie, At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul. Lowmance between Simon and Joan, and also inflames her budget Brazilian producer/director/writer/actor Jose brother’s incestuous jealousy. While attempting to

Mojica Marins returns as his signature character, the evade Joan’s brother, the lovers stumble onto a secret sadistic atheist undertaker named Ze do Caixao
underground military installation where radioactive (“Coffin Joe”), who inspires fear wherever he goes. Ze children, capable of surviving a nuclear war, are being is back, once again looking for a “superior woman” to raised. Evan Jones’ script (adapted from a novel by bear a son for him and thus secure his “immortality.”

H.L. Lawrence) seems needlessly convoluted but con-

(Ze is undoubtedly the oddest champion of children
tains some excellent sequences and a trio of well-de-in the history of cinema, as this cruel murderer belineated characters. Carey, Field and especially Reed lieves that “a child is the most important creature in (in the film’s showiest part) illuminate those charac-the universe”; he becomes distraught when he learns ters brilliantly. Losey, a blacklisted American expatria woman he killed was pregnant, and he even turns
ate operating under the pronounced influence of the hero to save a boy from being run over in the street!) French nouvelle vague, overstuffs The Damned with To this end Ze kidnaps six women and subjects them
self-consciously “edgy” cuts, compositions and cam-
to a “test”— unleashing scores of tarantulas to crawl era moves. His approach lends the film a texture
all over their bodies (in a harrowing scene, for both unique among the output of the Hammer studio, but
viewers and actresses, as the huge arachnids scuttle Losey seems a bit out of his element. Unless you count across buttocks, bosoms and faces). Ze also has a pit the light fantasy The Boy with Green Hair (1948) or his full of snakes to dispose of the unwanted “failures,”

misguided remake of M (1951), this was Losey’s only and a disfigured hunchback to do his bidding. This sci-fi or horror project. Hammer seemed reluctant to Night not only continues the basic plotline from the release this atypical, politically bent thriller. Although first film, it offers more of its predecessor’s cramped-completed in 1961, it wasn’t issued to British theaters but-inventive settings (nearly the whole of This Night until 1963 and took nearly two years longer to reach was shot on flimsy sets built inside an abandoned syn-America. Inhabiting a reality where imminent nuclear agogue); more of Ze’s anti-religious, megalomaniacal holocaust is a foregone conclusion, The Damned seems railing and ranting; and more gory and shivery set-to spring directly from the Cold War zeitgeist. For that reason alone, it remains a fascinating cultural artifact, even if it’s not entirely successful as cinema.

This Is Not a Test (1961; Allied Artists; b&w) This Is one of the more obscure atomic holocaust films that proliferated during the Cold War/Atomic paranoia of the 1950s and early ’60s— which is a pity, since it compares favorably to such better known (and often bigger budgeted) entries as Invasion U.S.A. (1953) and The Day the World Ended (1956), and even the big studio On the Beach and The World, the Flesh and the Devil (both 1959). In telling its tale of seven disparate motorists waylaid at an isolated mountain roadblock by an overzealous deputy when the missiles start
flying, This Is Not a Test effectively accomplishes what A-bomb films are supposed to do: 1) make the viewer ponder what s/he would do under such circumstances; and 2) make the viewer weigh the benefits and limitations of civilized society, and what might happen when that societal fabric starts to tear. With nary a special effect in sight (apart from one brief, enigmat-ically-placed blinding flash), the film accomplishes its goal via some involving characterization and surprisingly successful acting from its cast of unknowns, who embody the despair and desperation, futility and hope of such a horrifying scenario. While not on the same level as 1962’s Panic in Year Zero! (arguably the best Atom Bomb film of the decade), This Is Not a Test is not just another cheap cash-in on the atomic-sized

Brazilian horror: Jose Mojica Marins (aka “Coffin fear of the times, but an intimate, well-constructed Joe”) and his overgrown fingernails in This Night
examination of What-We-Must-Never-Let-Happen.

I Will Possess Your Corpse (1967).

3. MORE MOVIES

Time

507
pieces (including a startling 10-minute
dream trip — in which the film turns
to color— through Hell featuring actors
and actresses literally plastered into
walls being tormented by red demons
with pitchforks). Nearly a third longer
than its predecessor, This Night begins
to ramble as Ze frames a rival for a
murder he committed, actually finds a
woman with compatible sensibilities

(amazingly unlikely!), and fends off a
group of hired assassins. But it finishes
with a supernatural bang that features
a bolt of lightning, a ghost’s curse, and
a swamp full of skeletons. Like the rest
of Marins’ work, This Night I’ll Possess

Your Corpse only made it to America
on video in the 1990s.

The Time Machine (1960; MGM)

The Time Machine can be counted as

A gang of cannibalistic “Morlocks” in our distant future are one of legendary producer/director
looking for trouble in George Pal’s The Time Machine (1960).

George Pal’s most enjoyable pictures
and among the best screen adaptations
of H.G. Wells. In 1899 London, inven-
tor H. George Wells (Rod Taylor) develops a time machine and launches himself into the future, where he discovers constant World Wars and, in their aftermath, a strange world where the human race has di-
vided into two species: the timid, sheep-like Eloi (who eat fruit and vegetables) and the brutal, ape-like Morlocks (who eat the Eloi). George falls for a young Eloi woman (Yvette Mimieux) and decides to help her people. Unlike with many Wells pictures, Pal doesn’t
soften the author’s social criticism and even attempts to sharpen it with a sequence depicting a nuclear war (set in 1966!). At its heart, however, Pal’s Time Machine remains a charming romantic adventure with a pair of appealing leads in Taylor and Mimieux. The
supporting cast, especially Alan Young as George’s
loyal friend Filby, and Sebastian Cabot as the skeptical Dr. Hillyer, also contribute memorable performances.

Wah Chang and Gene Warren’s visual effects are, for their era, superb (particularly the time-lapse voyage through time). Russell Garcia’s score — in the same sweeping romantic style later popularized by John

Williams— is another major plus. For horror fans, the main attraction will be the bestial, blue-skinned,
buck-fanged Morlocks, one of the most delightfully
hideous movie monsters of the decade. The time ma-
chine itself, a beautifully designed Victorian contraption resembling a sled with an overstuffed velvet seat and a giant spinning dial, proved so popular it was recreated for the 1979 sci-fi adventure Time After Time, in which H. George Wells (Malcolm McDowell) pursues a time-traveling Jack the Ripper into the future.

Impressive one-sheet poster for the unimpressive

The Time Travelers (1964).

The Time Travelers (1964; AIP) A quartet of scientists accidentally opens a time portal that transports derground and construct androids for their needs.

them 107 years into the future, where they encounter Writer-director Ib Melchior was obviously more in-a nuclear-devastated Earth swarming with bald-
terested in sci-fi gadgetry and futuristic concepts than headed, disfigured mutants. The protagonists hook up story or characterization — or thrills, for that matter —
with the last surviving “normals,” who now live un-
since the picture is laden with dull exposition and in-

508

Tom; Torture; Triumph; 12; Twisted

3. MORE MOVIES
terminable scenes focusing on the “technical wonders”

muscle-bound hero (Kirk Morris as Maciste offers

(the android factory, hydroponic gardens, matter
about as much personality as his chiseled pects)— Tri-transmitter device, etc.). Too bad the movie’s low
umph of the Son of Hercules was sent directly to Amer-budget precludes much in the way of said gadgetry.

ican television in the mid–1960s as part of Embassy’s Brightly colored, garish sets (about on the level of a

“Sons of Hercules” package. The only distinguishing low-rent Star Trek episode) and mod, “futuristic”

feature here is an admittedly impressive giant fire-god clothing (high-collared jumpsuits anyone?) betray the statue whose oversized arms raise a platform from
picture’s actual timeframe. Characterless and thrill-which a screaming victim falls into a pit of fire (or less, The Time Travelers is best avoided by sci-fi dry-ice “smoke,” anyway). The film only enters the
tourists of any time.

realm of the fantastical when Maciste braves the caverns of the cavemen-like “Yuri Men” to rescue his lady

Tom Thumb and Little Red Riding Hood
love. There he avoids what appears to be pursuing

(1962/65; Mexico; K. Gordon Murray Productions,
flames, battles a “giant” caveman, and tosses a few Inc.) Original Language Title: Caperucita y Pulgarcito hairy Yuri Men into the pit before the stock-footage Contra los Monstruos. Alternate Title: Little Red Riding volcanic eruption wraps it all up.

Hood and the Monsters (video). This bizarre sequel (imported from Mexico by K. Gordon Murray) to Lit-

12 to the Moon (1960; Columbia; b&w) An inter-tle Red Riding Hood (1960/63) has the famous fairy national expedition rockets to the moon to claim it tale character and her friends (Tom Thumb, Stinky
for all mankind; the only problem is, the (unseen)

the Skunk, the “not so ferocious” Wolf, and a carrot-

“moon-people” already there take issue with this ac-topped ogre) match wits in the Haunted Forest with
tion. What starts out as a fairly intelligent and pro-the Wicked Witch and her monstrous minions, in-
gressive space-travel film, complete with such impor-cluding Mr. Hurricane, a Robot (looking like it just tant themes as international and interracial
stepped off the set of The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy), cooperation, quickly degenerates into a juvenile, sim-

“Frankensteen” (a goofy — and hairy — take on the
plistic space-opera. Admittedly, space operas have
classic Monster), a top-hatted vampire, and even a
their place, but Moon fails to deliver even a single aria, Dragon. Oh, and everybody (including the monsters)

much less the whole libretto. The pacing is slow, the sings.

cast uninteresting and the characters’ petty squabbles, which take up much of the film’s running time, are

The Torture Chamber of Fu Manchu
just plain embarrassing. Production-wise, the low
see The Castle of Fu Manchu
budget shows through everywhere. One crewmember
talks about the “invisible electro-magnetic ray screen which forms a protective shield over our faces” (trans-

Torture Zone see The Fear Chamber
lation: no glass in the helmets— talk about low, low, low budget!). But then, what can one expect from the

The Triumph of Hercules (1964/65; John director of Madmen of Mandoras?

Alexander; Italy/France) Original Language Title: Il Trionfo di Ercole. Alternate Titles: Hercules vs. the

Twisted Nerve (1968/69; British Lion/National Giant Warrior; Hercules and the Ten Avengers. A better General; U.K.) Co-written by Peeping Tom screen-moniker might have been “The Shame of Hercules,”

writer Leo Marks (with director Roy Boulting), this is since, when Hercules (Dan Vadis) is tricked by the du-another story about an unusually sympathetic killer plicitous usurper Milo into wrongfully killing an in-with mental problems stemming from childhood
nocent man, Hercules’ father, Jove (the dubbers chose abuse. But Twisted Nerve is nowhere near as shocking the Roman appellation rather than the traditional
or radical as Peeping Tom, and it’s more a character Greek “Zeus”), takes away Herc’s strength as punish-study than a true psychological thriller. Martin Durn-ment, leading to a tension-filled episode involving a ley (Hywell Bennett) evades a shop-lifting rap and be-torture/death-trap device. Though long on action (at friends attractive young librarian Susan Harper (Hay-least of the gladiatorial sword-fighting and fisticuff va-ley Mills) by pretending to be a “simple-minded”

riety), this one is short on monsters, with a group of young man named Georgie. Playing on her pity, Mar-seven bald, gold-skinned, supernaturally-summoned
tin schemes his way into a temporary stay at a board-he-men being the best it can muster. Even worse, the ing house run by Susan’s mother (Billie Whitelaw).

story’s novel angst angle (with the Mighty Hercules This turns out to be part of an elaborate alibi that en-having recklessly killed an innocent) remains com-
ables Martin to sneak away and murder his severe,
pletely unexplored. Consequently, The Triumph of stiff-necked stepfather (Frank Finlay). But when Susan Hercules (released directly to television in America) discovers “Georgie” is really Martin, his carefully laid is no triumph for the Peplum Pantheon.

plans— and teetering sanity — begins to crumble. Billie Whitelaw earned a BAFTA (British Oscar) award

Triumph of the Son of Hercules (1961; Em-for her supporting turn as Susan’s mother, who accepts bassy Pictures; France/Italy) Original Language Title:

“Georgie” like a son but later tries to seduce him. Mills Trionfo di Maciste. A forgettable peplum all the way displays a range untapped by her earlier roles (like in around —from the clichéd plot (evil usurping queen

The Parent Trap [1961]). But the picture belongs to must be overthrown by the rightful prince with help Hywell Bennett, whose Martin seems to be holding
from he-man hero) to the standard peplum “action”

back ocean-like depths of rage, pain and sorrow be-

(boulders tossed at palace guards) to the rock-jawed hind the kindly face of “Georgie.” His profoundly

3. MORE MOVIES

2+5; 2001; Ulysses; Uncle

509
cinema, and director Stanley Kubrick’s brilliant melding of visuals and music (for instance, pairing Strauss’

stately “Blue Danube” waltz with images of a slowly rotating space station) remains unsurpassed. But it’s neither the film’s technical innovations nor Kubrick’s directorial genius that make it so emblematic of its era. Rather, it’s the picture’s underlying theme. By comparing the behavior of ape men during the early

“dawn of man” sequence with that of scientists and
astronauts (in both cases, people eat, care for their children, and attend to other basic tasks), 2001 suggests that, although technology has advanced spectacularly from the days of bone clubs to the era of the HAL-9000 computer, man himself hasn’t changed
much. Technology can carry humankind only so far

(even a creation as “perfect” as HAL can break down, since he must be programmed by people); to evolve
as a species, to discover our “star child” within, we must look beyond technology to contact with a higher power or toward expanded consciousness, possibly
both. The picture’s famously enigmatic resolution
doesn’t spell out everything clearly, but the general idea flows directly from the American counter-culture of the era. No wonder 2001 was so popular with hippies. It’s a masterpiece of both speculative cinema and of subtle subversion.

Ulysses Against Hercules see Ulysses

Against the Son of Hercules

Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules (1961/

More sixties psychos (U.S. one-sheet poster for

64; Embassy Pictures; Italy/France) Original Language Twisted Nerve [1968/69]).

Title : Ulisse Contro Ercole. Alternate Title : Ulysses Against Hercules (UK). Another of the repackaged, re-sympathetic portrayal recalls Carl Boehm’s perform-
leased-directly-to-television “Sons of Hercules” enance in Peeping Tom. Unfortunately, that’s where the tries, Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules has strongman similarities end between the two pictures. Twisted Hercules (a “son of Hercules” in name, rather than by Nerve generates none of the sustained tension or emo-blood) serve the will of the gods by tracking and cap-tional impact of director Michael Powell’s classic.

turing the beleaguered Ulysses. Ulysses offended the While not without points of interest, Twisted Nerve is gods when he blinded the Cyclops, and he’s been try-a footnote; Peeping Tom is a headline.

ing ever since to return home to his family (with the gods placing obstacles in his path at every turn). The

2+5: Mission Hydra see Star Pilot
two opponents bond when they are captured by a mys-
terious blonde queen and her weird feathered bird-

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968; MGM) One of the men, and then must face down a mad king and his
greatest “pure” science fiction movies ever made — in-army of troglodyte-like cave dwellers. Meandering
deed, one of the best films of any type ever made —
and dull, Ulysses makes the least of its opportunities 2001 also remains one of the defining motion pictures (though we hear of the bird-people’s sacrifices to their of the 1960s (and not just because of its acid trip giant vulture god, we never see it). There’s little here finale). A mysterious monolith appears from nowhere to recommend.

and somehow inspires a group of primitive humans
to begin using tools. Thousands of years later, a sim-

Uncle Was a Vampire (1959/64; CEI/Embassy-ilar monolith is unearthed on the moon, and sends a TV; Italy) Original Language Title: Tempi Duri per i pulse to Jupiter. An earth-to-Jupiter mission is soon Vampiri ( Hard Times for Vampires). To pay back taxes, launched to investigate, led by a team of astronauts Baron Osvaldo (Renato Rascel) sells his castle to a (two awake, five in “hypersleep”) and assisted by a hotel chain. He’s left penniless, but the “kindly” ho-super-computer named HAL. But HAL begins to mal-
telier agrees to hire on Osvaldo— as a bellhop. He’s function, putting the mission and the crew in deadly humiliated but thinks his troubles may be over when danger. Epic in length and scope yet reflectively paced, word arrives that a wealthy relative, Uncle Roderico intellectually challenging and philosophically brood-

(Christopher Lee), is coming to visit. Alas, Osvaldo’s ing, 2001 couldn’t have been made in any prior era worries have only begun, since Uncle Roderico turns and probably wouldn’t be green-lighted today. Its rev-out to be — as the title indicates— a bloodthirsty vam-olutionary special effects set a new standard for sci-fi pire with his sights set on the hotel’s young female

510

Underwater; Unearthly; Unsatisfied; Vampire; Vengeance

3. MORE MOVIES
guests. Uncle Was a Vampire is one of those dreadful quires only a small, no-name cast. The movie’s only horror-comedies that shortchanges viewers on both-distinguishing moment is its downbeat, mildly misog-counts— horror and comedy. It’s difficult to discern ynistic finale, which suggests that all Earth women are where the six writers who collaborated on the film’s aliens— or, at the very least, that any woman you think screenplay thought the laughs were. The scenario fea-you know secretly may be from outer space.

tures no slapstick sequences, no sight gags and very few (attempted) one-liners or other jokes. It seems

Unsatisfied Love (1968; Abrams & Parsi; Arthe humor was supposed to simply radiate from the
gentina; b&w) Alternate Title : Love After Death.

person of motor-mouth comedian Renato Rascel, or

Though no better than most sexploitation cheapies of else arise naturally from the film’s “hilarious” situa-the 1960s (and worse than many), this Argentinean
tions. For instance, in one scene, two would-be
import was something a little different for the 1960s Lotharios attempt to get a couple of models tipsy and raincoat crowd, as it turns on the macabre premise of then seduce them, but wind up getting falling-down
a man being buried alive by his duplicitous wife and drunk themselves. Hardy har har. Uncle Roderico ar-doctor, only to literally crawl out of his grave to take rives about 20 minutes into this 94-minute dud and
revenge. Before screwing up his courage to exact ret-participates in only four sequences, severely curtailing ribution, however, the resurrected schlub does a little Christopher Lee’s screen time. As Roderico, the actor screwing of another sort, not to mention some peeping offers a slightly broader version of his familiar Ham-and girl-groping as he tries to overcome being too
mer Dracula characterization, a low-impact approach

“sick and afraid” to satisfy his libido (apparently he that blurs the line between subtle and lazy. Renato never consummated his six-month marriage). Apart

Rascel’s best moments (such as they are) follow Os-
from some awkward soft-core sex scenes and (admit-
valdo’s vampirization, when he begins aping the mantedly impressive) South American pulchritude, this
nerisms (but not the speech patterns) of Bela Lugosi’s awful import offers only wall-to-wall, inappropriate Dracula. Theatrically released in Europe in 1959, Uncle library music; dire dubbing (the dialogue never even Was a Vampire was sold directly to television in the comes close to matching the lip movements); seedy

U.S., where it debuted in 1964.

black-and-white photography; sub-high-school-level
acting; and the most pathetic Foley work in cinema

Underwater City (1962; Columbia) Not to be con-history (during the film’s solitary, poorly-staged gun fused with Captain Nemo’s Underwater City (1969/70), battle, a gunshot is heard seconds before the man pulls this 1962 science fiction yarn, directed by veteran the trigger, while another fires and drops his target in Frank McDonald, stars William Lundigan and Julie
his tracks— with nary a pop on the soundtrack). A

Adams as two members of a team of scientists study-
more apt title for Unsatisfied Love would be “Un-
ing whether or not humans can live for extended pe-
satisfied Viewer.”

riods in a shelter at the bottom of the sea. The authors were unable to secure a copy of the picture for review.

Vampire Women see The Queen of the

However, Columbia was so discouraged by the film
that, to save money, the studio printed it in black-

Vampires
and-white even though it was shot in color. Columbia later struck color prints of the movie when it was is-

Vengeance see The Brain
sued to television.

The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1968; Warner-

Unearthly Stranger (1963/64; Anglo-Amalga-Seven Arts; UK/West Germany/Hong Kong/Ireland)

mated/AIP; U.K.; b&w) Invisible invaders from outer This third entry in the five-film Harry Alan Towers-space take the form of human women and melt the
produced Fu Manchu series (all starring Christopher brains of Earth scientists in this risible, sluggish and Lee in the title role) offers better production values exceedingly talky British sci-fi yarn. Dr. Mark David-than most (with location filming in Hong Kong and
son (John Neville) takes over the leadership of a secret at the Shaw Studios), some expansive outdoor pho-British research program devoted to psychic telepor-tography, an impressive “palace” set, and little else.

tation — he’s trying to empower humans to explore

This go-round the megalomaniacal arch-villain settles other worlds without benefit of space ships, transmit-on a convoluted scheme to take revenge on his old
ting their selves through “mental energy force” alone.

nemesis, Scotland Yard Commissioner Nayland Smith

But the invaders have already solved the problem, and (Douglas Wilmer), by replacing him with a murderous Davidson’s co-worker, Prof. Lancaster (Philip Stone), double. Fu also receives an Organized Crime repre-suspects that Davidson’s new “Swiss” wife (Gabriella sentative who wants to unite the world’s criminals

Licudi)— who does not have a pulse and never
under Fu’s banner. A general sense of dullness and
blinks— may be an alien. Unearthly Stranger’s thin plot lack of action pervades the film (a fistfight in a Shang-would hardly support an Outer Limits episode, let hai bar is about all it offers up until the rushed cli-alone a feature film. Its running time is padded out max), with far too much time spent on less-than-in-with endless conversations between Davidson and
triguing intrigue, and the false Smith’s trial and

Lancaster, Davidson and his wife, both scientists and approaching execution (about which we care nothing, a numbskull intelligence officer (Patrick Newell), and since we know he’s an imposter). But at least director on and on. Ingeniously designed to be as cheap as pos-Jeremy Summers avoids the tiresome and pointless
sible, the scenario carefully avoids any need for special zooms that plague the two subsequent Jess Franco–
effects, futuristic costumes, sets or make-ups, and re-helmed efforts.

3. MORE MOVIES

Vengeance; Venus; Village; Violent

511

The Vengeance of She (1968; Ham-
mer/Seven Arts; U.K.) While not entirely
without interest, The Vengeance of She
remains one of the weaker Hammer

Films products of the 1960s. The plot is
simply a gender reversal of She (1965),
with a reincarnated Ayesha (Olinka

Berova) psychologically compelled to
join her immortal lover Killikrates (John

Richardson) in the legendary kingdom
of Kor. Screenwriter Peter O’Donnell’s
scenario, set in present day and limiting
the number of Kor sets, cleverly disguises
the film’s modest budget. And the film’s
first act — when “Ayesha” compulsively
stows away on a millionaire’s yacht, bring-
ing tension and ultimately tragedy — is
actually pretty good. Alas, it’s all down-
hill from there, as The Vengeance of She
simply retraces the plodding steps of

Hammer’s original She (itself not that
good a film), only with lesser talents in

Doing the “Funky Chicken”— with a giant duck. Just one of the nearly every key role, both in front of
puerile pleasures found in the seriocomic Village of the Giants
and behind the camera. Berova certainly

(1965).

had the figure of a reincarnated Ursula

Andress (Hammer’s first Ayesha), but her flat-affect the script extensively when financial backers rejected performance hangs like an albatross around the
his original idea for a movie about a black jazz musi-movie’s neck. She co-stars Peter Cushing and Christo-cian and his affair with a ghostly white woman (this pher Lee are sorely missed as well, but even that dy-was considered too controversial for American audi-
namic duo couldn’t have rescued this tired retread.

ences). While not a success, Venus in Furs remains an intriguing failure.

Venus in Furs (1969/70; Cinematografica Associati/AIP; Italy-West Germany-U.K.) Original Title:

Village of the Giants (1965; Embassy Pictures) Può una Morta Rivivere per Amore? (Italy). Trumpet Bert I. Gordon goes B.I.G. once again in this teen-tar-player Jimmy (James Darren) accidentally witnesses
geted spoof of H.G. Wells’ The Food of the Gods. Gone a bizarre sexual interlude between a young blonde,
are Wells’ humanistic insights and social commentary, Wanda (Maria Rohm), and three strangers (played by
replaced by go-go-dancing teenagers and puerile com-Klaus Kinski, Dennis Price and Margaret Lee). The
edy in a tale of juvenile delinquents growing to 35 feet next day, he finds Wanda’s dead body on the beach.

tall after ingesting a mysterious substance, and taking Two years later and thousands of miles away in Brazil, over a small town. The fact that the film’s “hero” is Wanda mysteriously reappears. She launches an affair played by Mousekateer-turned-Beach Party regular
with Jimmy and begins meting out vengeance against

Tommy Kirk, and that the growth “goo” is created by her killers. This moody ghost story marked one of
a prepubescent boy named “Genius” (played by a
writer-director Jess Franco’s attempts to reconcile art post–Opie, Ron Howard), speaks volumes on the
and exploitation filmmaking. The movie, released in movie’s level of maturity. And a very young Beau

1969 in Europe but not until 1970 in the U.S., plays Bridges leads the most clean-cut gang of JDs this side like a hybrid of Carnival of Souls and Last Year at of a Leave It to Beaver episode. While Gordon seems Marienbad set to a jazz fusion score. Although ambi-to want to make a timely statement about young peo-
tious and visually striking, Venus in Furs is neither ple rebelling against the older generation (a prime fish nor fowl — too trashy to satisfy the art house topic for sixties cinema), he does so from the wrong crowd, too pretentious and coy to play well as ex-perspective; this is, in fact, your Dad’s Food of the ploitation fare — and is undone by a weak plot. Its nar-Gods. Here Wells’ “power corrupts” message is deliv-rative is willfully ambiguous— so much so that the deered more along the lines of Beach Blanket Bingo than tails of the demise of the Kinski character remain

Animal Farm. That said, it’s still pretty amusing to see incomprehensible — and often bogs down in copious

Johnny Crawford literally hanging onto a gigantic
location footage of Rio de Janiero and extended mu-
bosom for dear life (the prime image in the film’s ad-sical interludes. Franco lays the symbolism on thick vertising). Eleven years later Gordon left the comedy and empties nearly his entire bag of directorial tricks, (and teens) behind to make a straight horror version using flash forwards, slow motion, tinted and dis-of The Food of the Gods (1976), this one dominated by torted images, and other devices. None of this makes giant rats rather than rebels.

up for the central weakness of the story, which resembles a dragged out Twilight Zone episode with a not

Violent Midnight (1963; Victoria Films; b&w) Al-very original or surprising twist ending. In Franco’s ternate Title: Psychomania (reissue). Del Tenney’s first defense, however, the filmmaker was forced to rewrite film as producer/director (though its direction is offi-

512

Viy; Voyage

3. MORE MOVIES
cially credited to sexploitation veteran Richard
crudely edited together, but lacking any narrative con-Hilliard [ The Lonely Sex, 1959; Wild Is My Love, 1963], tinuity. The results are just as infantile but somewhat Tenney ended up helming much of the picture due to
more entertaining than Atomic Rulers (1957/64) and Hilliard’s “inexperience”— at least according to Ten-other “movies” created by combining episodes from
ney himself ), Violent Midnight is more soap opera/
the Starman TV show.

murder mystery than outright horror. Filmed as Black Autumn but best known by its reissue title of Psycho-

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961; 20th mania, Violent Midnight centers on a reclusive artist Century–Fox) Even though it sired a successful TV

(Lee Philips) with a disturbing past who paints nudes series, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea isn’t terribly on his inherited family estate. When his latest model seaworthy as a feature film. It’s sunk by a leaden pace, is murdered by a knife-wielding killer, he becomes a a talky script and tin-eared acting. During the shake-suspect alongside the local town tough, played by a down cruise for an advanced nuclear submarine
very young James Farentino ( Dead & Buried, 1981). A named the Seaview, Admiral Harriman Nelson (Wal-visit from his sister, a budding romance, and a gaggle ter Pidgeon) and Captain Lee Crane (Robert Sterling) of girls at the local women’s college complicates things learn that a radiation belt around the Earth has caught further, leading to a second murder and a surprise
fire. Unless the blaze is somehow stopped, the planet revelation. Shot in and around the imposing Stam-will be burned to a crisp. Nelson devises a controver-ford, Connecticut, estate of Tenney’s father-in-law sial plan to stop the fire by launching a nuclear missile (the former home of Mount Rushmore sculptor Gut-into the atmosphere from a precise location at a
zon Borglum), Violent Midnight sports the raw, often specific time. When leadership dithers on whether or hand-held style Tenney favored on his meager budgets not to proceed with his scheme, Nelson takes off with (this one cost a whopping $42,000), and is populated the Seaview and her crew to save the world. Most of by up-and-coming New York stage actors (including

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is consumed by a pre–TV stardom Dick Van Patton as a police detec-pseudo-scientific double-talk about the Van Allen rative on the case). Additionally and surprisingly
diation belt, and bickering between the hard-charging (though perhaps not so much, given Hilliard’s in-Admiral Nelson and ... well, practically everybody, but volvement), the film offers up some fleeting nudity to especially easy-going Captain Crane. The film’s un-spice up its slow pacing, various love entanglements, derwater special effects are reasonably good (and the and dearth of violence (with only two murders). For-Seaview is a cool-looking ship), but the screenplay, by tunately, Tenney would correct this genre tentitiveness producer-director Irwin Allen and Charles Bennett,
by filling his subsequent productions with goofy sea is preposterous, slow-footed and riddled with clunky monsters, gruesome decapitated heads and pasty-dialogue. The picture comes to life only briefly, when faced zombies: The Horror of Party Beach, The Curse the Seaview tussles with a giant octopus. Usually re-of the Living Corpse (both 1964) and I Eat Your Skin liable veterans such as Walter Pidgeon and Joan

(1964/71).

Fontaine play down to the level of the material with starchy performances. Robert Sterling, Barbara Eden

Viy (1967; Mosfilm; U.S.S.R.) It’s a shame this Rus-and Frankie Avalon fare no better, and Peter Lorre
sian horror-fantasy never saw a theatrical release in looks bored throughout. Audiences will likely have
the U.S., as it offers some unique and impressive hor-the same reaction.

ror imagery. The period story (based on a short novel by N. V. Gogol) sees a young, lazy (but likable) sem-

Voyage to the End of the Universe (1963/64; inary student named Khoma (Leonid Kuravlyov) or-Filmove Barrandov/AIP; Czechoslovakia; b&w) Orig-dered to say prayers for three nights over the corpse inal Title: Ikarie XB-1. Sober in tone and epic in its as-of a noble’s daughter, who’s actually a witch. Though pirations, this Czech-made picture is sometimes un-it takes 40 minutes for the horror to commence, it’s dercut by substandard visual effects and clumsy
worth the wait, as we’re treated to such startling sights propaganda, but remains engrossing and thought-as the witch’s coffin flying about the rustic church try-provoking. Loosely based on Stanislaw Lem’s novel
ing to break into the terrified Khoma’s protective sa-Magellan Cloud, the narrative follows a space ship full cred circle (drawn in chalk on the floor), or the beau-of settlers on a 15-year interstellar journey to a new tiful-but-frightening white-faced witch conjuring up planet. Along the way they encounter a mysterious
a walking skeleton, gray dead hands that emerge from derelict space craft and an ominous nebula that em-the gray wooden walls, a skeletal hydra-creature, and anates debilitating rays, and must overcome personal demonic wurdulaks (vampires) that crawl slowly
conflicts, illness, an insane crewman and other dandown the walls like insects, all augmented by eerie, gers. Jan Zazvorka’s futuristic sets, Jindrich Polak and suspenseful music.

Pavel Juracek’s heady script, and Polak’s crisp direction serve the film well. For its American release

Voyage into Space (1968; Toei/AIP-TV; Japan) (under the title Voyage to the End of the Universe), AIP

Here’s yet another faux feature film cobbled together inflicted injurious alterations on the movie, including from a Japanese television series. In this case, the series haphazard dubbing, more than 15 minutes of cuts and was Jiyaianto Robo ( Giant Robot), a cheap(er) knock-

(worst of all) a newly shot “surprise” ending in which off of the popular Ultraman series. AIP picked up and the planet the crew has been seeking turns out to be dubbed Jiyaianto Robo for American syndication (you guessed it) Earth! The Czech version (thankfully under the title Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot. Voy-preserved on DVD) does not include this feeble finale.

age Into Space featured three Johnny Sokko episodes In its original form, Ikarie XB-1 remains one of the

3. MORE MOVIES

Voyage; Vulcan; Wacky

513
more intriguing “pure” science fiction films of the pre–
pantheon in the flesh, here the immortals take center 2001 era.

stage — and prove even more prone to human follies
and foibles than ordinary humans. Blonde beauty

Voyage to the Planet of the Prehistoric

Annie Gorassini plays Venus as a tarty little tramp

Women (1968; Filmgroup/AIP-TV) Producer Roger who spreads the seeds of lust wherever she goes, while Corman purchased the Russian science fiction epic

Roger Browne’s Mars is an egocentric rabblerouser.

Planeta Bur (1962) and hired director Peter Bog-Then there’s Gordon Mitchell’s over-the-top cranky
danovich (working under the pseudonym Derek

Pluto, and Rod Flash’s (aka Richard Lloyd) beefy

Thomas) to recut it, removing the original’s pro-So-stump of a hero in the figure of the loyal (but incred-viet propaganda and inserting newly shot footage of ibly dull) Vulcan. Though ramblingly plotted and
scantily clad beauties (including a past-her-prime
poorly acted (even by peplum standards), there’s

Mamie Van Doren), then provide voiceover narration
enough brawny battles, wacky encounters (including
to tie together this wildly mismatched material. A
a trip to Neptune’s underwater grotto), unconvincing team of astronauts travels to Venus and discovers di-matte paintings, beautiful women in provocative out-nosaurs, man-eating plants and evidence of a femalefits (not to mention a show-stopping, sexy dance by dominated civilization. However, since the astronauts the pulchritudinous— and fittingly named — Bella
and the curvaceous Venusians (decked out in bell-bot-Cortez), and just plain weirdness to keep most sword-tom hip huggers and sea-shell bikini tops) never acand-sandal fans entertained. And there’s a midget,
tually meet, this variation on the shopworn theme of too.

Cat Women of the Moon (1953) or Queen of Outer Space (1958) lacks even the modest degree of titillation

Vulcan, Son of Jupiter see Vulcan,
offered by those pictures. It’s tedious, predictable and

God of Fire
poorly acted, although the miniatures and other visual effects in the Russian footage are intriguing enough

The Wacky World of Doctor Morgus (1962; to make viewers wonder what Planeta Bur was all Calogne-Sevin; b&w) More sci-fi spy-comedy than about. Corman might have been better off simply
horror, The Wacky World of Doctor Morgus stars New dubbing and releasing the Russian film, especially

Orleans horror host Morgus the Magnificent (Sid
since he had already used much of this same Soviet
footage in Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1965). The only good to come from Voyage to the Planet of the Prehistoric Women is that, for his dutiful work on this misbegotten project, Bogdanovich earned a green
light for his chilling and provocative Targets (1968).

Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1962/65; AIP-TV) Roger Corman bought the 1962 Russian sci-fi film Planeta Bur (Planet of Storms) for a reported $10,000 and then hired Curtis Harrington to dub the feature and insert poorly-matched footage of Basil

Rathbone and Faith Domergue in cramped control
rooms into the impressive special effects of the original movie. The result: a stilted yet visually arresting story of five astronauts and their oversized robot’s adventures on Venus, including encounters with man-
eating plants, huge dinosaurs, reptile-men and flowing lava. Corman sold the “new” feature directly to television via AIP.

Vulcan , God of Fire (1961/64; Embassy; Italy) Original Language Title: Vulcano, Figlio di Giove. Alternate Title: Vulcan, Son of Jupiter. Up in Olympus, in order to stop the naughty goddess Venus from catting about, Jupiter, father of the gods, decides she must marry. But which god? It comes down to a choice between Mars, god of war, and Vulcan, god of fire.

The two take their tussle to Earth as “mere mortals,”

where Vulcan runs across a gaggle of goofy-looking

Lizard men (complete with oversized fangs) and a herd of shaggy mountain goat-people before foiling the
conniving Mars’ plot to overthrow Jupiter (by building a gigantic tower to Olympus— which, amusingly,
only rises to about 20 feet over the course of the film).

The first movie built entirely around a TV horror Rather than the gods lurking in the background as in host: The Wacky World of Dr. Morgus (1962) (cour-most pepla that feature the ancient Greco–Roman
tesy Ted Okuda).

514

War

3. MORE MOVIES

Noel) as goofy scientist Dr. Morgus, who’s developed ster turns on the ship and sinks it anyway! The furry an “instant people” machine which transforms hu-beastie turns out to be one of a pair of creatures, the mans into sand and then back again. The evil ruler of gentle Brown Gargantua and the violent Green Gar-Microvania intends to use the device to infiltrate the gantua. In an unusually grisly touch, the Green Gar-United States with his army of spies. Released region-gantua not only smashes buildings and sinks boats,
ally in Louisiana in 1962, this hard-to-see low-budget but also eats its human victims. Scientists attempt to spoof all but disappeared until given a brief afterlife save the Brown Gargantua, but the military wants to by a small video company in the 1990s, only to sink destroy both monsters— leading to a climactic Gar-into cinematic obscurity once again.

gantua-versus-Gargantua free-for-all. Its visual effects remain mediocre, but the film doesn’t shortchange

War Between the Planets (1965/71; Fanfare; viewers on action scenes, which are fast, furious and Italy) Original Language Title: Il Pianeta Errante. Al-frequent. Unlike most of Toho’s giant monsters, the ternate Title: Planet on the Prowl. Yet another of the Gargantua costumes weren’t bulky rubber suits, which four sci-fi features shot back-to-back by Antonio
freed the stuntmen to move with extraordinary speed Margheriti in 1964 (see Wild Wild Planet), this entry and agility. War of the Gargantuas, known in Japan as about a runaway planet wreaking havoc with Earth’s

Frankenstein Monsters: Sanda vs. Gaira, is a direct se-atmospheric stability wasn’t release in the U.S. until quel to Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), al-1971.

though all references to the preceding film were eliminated through dubbing and re-titling. Russ Tamblyn

War of the Gargantuas (1966/1970; Toho; Japan) replaces Nick Adams as the story’s scientist-hero, but Original Language Title: Furankenshutain no Kaiju: Kumi Mizuno returns as his assistant-girlfriend. De-Sanda tai Gaira. Although not the finest-crafted entry layed from theatrical release in the U.S. until 1970, in Toho’s parade of giant monsters, War of the Gar-War of the Gargantuas made its belated debut as half gantuas, with its frenetic tempo and surprising level of a very impressive kaiju eiga twin bill, with Monster of gore, remains the most intense and among the most Zero (1965/1970).

popular. The film opens memorably, with a giant oc-
topus attacking a ship. When all seems lost, a giant

War of the Monsters (1966; Daiei/AIP-TV; Japan) green ape-monster appears, attacking the octopus.

Alternate (home video) Title: Gamera vs. Barugon.

Then, when it seems the danger is over, the ape-monOriginal Language Title: Daikaiju Kessen: Gamera tai Barugon. Daiei’s initial sequel to Gammera the Invincible (1965) was also the first Gamera movie shot in color, and the first to spell the monster’s name with-

Left: Good Gargantua vs. bad Gargantua results in the War of the Gargantuas (1966/70). Right: Large French poster for War of the Monsters (1966; aka Gamera vs. Barugon).

3. MORE MOVIES

War; Warning; What; Wheel; Wild

515
one M. It’s also one of the few entries not to feature a

Wheel of Fire see Pyro
young boy as its protagonist, although War of the Monsters remains as childish as the rest of the series.

Wild Wild Planet (1965; MGM; Italy) Original Three greedy adventurers travel to a remote, primitive Language Title: I Criminali della Galassia. This fu-island to recover what they think is a giant opal. The turistic space opera (one of four sci-fi movies filmed artifact turns out to be a monster egg, which hatches back to back in 1964 by producer-director Antonio
to reveal Barugon, a giant, four-legged, iguana-like Margheriti for an Italian TV series called Fantascienz, creature with a spiky back, horned nose and frog-like but released theatrically instead) involves a mad sci-tongue. Naturally, the Japanese defense
forces are no match for Barugon, who
shoots freeze rays out of his tongue (!)

and rainbow-colored heat blasts from
the spines on his back. It’s up to Gam-
era to save the day. These events unfold
at a glacial pace, as War of the Monsters
limps along for an agonizing 100 min-
utes. Gamera remains off-screen for
most of the film, Barugon ranks among
the most laughable of all the Japanese
giant monsters, and none of the human
characters are remotely interesting or
likable. No wonder, then, that this film
is generally regarded as the nadir of the
franchise. AIP purchased War of the

Monsters for release to American TV.

Later, producer Sandy Frank re-edited
and re-dubbed it for home video under
the title Gamera vs. Barugon. The orig-
inal AIP version represents a mild im-
provement over the Sandy Frank re-
tread, but discerning viewers will steer
clear of both.

A trio of spacecraft bound for the Wild Wild Planet (1965).

War of the Planets (1965; MGM; Italy) Original Language Title: I Diafanoidi Vengono da Morte. This direct sequel to Wild Wild Planet has the same principals battling a race of beings composed of disem-
bodied energy (represented — pathetically — by green lights and puffs of smoke) that set up house at a Martian mining base and invade the nearby space stations to possess humans. Featuring the same shiny plastic miniatures, shiny plastic sets, and shiny plastic actors (including a wasted Franco Nero just before he attained international stardom in a string of spaghetti westerns), there’s not much to separate the two terrible films.

Warning from Space (1956/60; Daiei/AIP-TV; Japan) Alternate Title: The Mysterious Satellite. AIP
picked up this slow-moving, disjointed science fiction film for American television four years after its Japanese debut. The story is an awkward attempt to meld The Day the Earth Stood Still with When Worlds Collide. Friendly aliens (who look like walking starfish with one giant eye on their bellies) travel to Earth and assume human form to issue a warning against nuclear war — and to enlist Earth’s help in stopping a runaway planet that threatens to destroy both Earth and the aliens’ homeworld. Except for the eye-bellied starfish aliens and the nifty, minimalist set design of the alien spaceship, Warning from Space remains a forgettable effort.

What a Carve-Up! see No Place Like

Spanish herald trumpeting the Warning from

Homicide

Space.

516

Witch; Witches; Wizard; Woman

3. MORE MOVIES
entist who kidnaps and miniaturizes (to no great pur-effects (a “menacing” rubber spider on a string is so pose, really) select individuals, with the aid of his mu-laugh-out-loud ludicrous that you can see its little tant drones and female army, in a boffo plot to create plastic cartoon eyes; while Satan himself is some guy the perfect human race. With its cheesy, Hot Wheels-in a bad papier-maché horned mask wearing a cape
style “futuristic city” models, unsteady rocket launch-and baggy pants) has The Witches Attack scraping the ings and wobbly space station, not to mention its gar-bottom of the Santo barrel. (The movie even steals a ish, “mod” ’60s color schemes, outlandish costumes
shot of Patricia Jessel being burned at the stake from and goofy dancing, this pungent slice of Italian cheese the 1960 American film Horror Hotel!) But what really would better be called Wild Wild Planet Nine from sinks this Santo ship is the film’s tiresome repetitive-Outer Space (the hero even flits about the city in a ness. Santo makes multiple trips to the witches’ “de-flying saucer dangling from a string!)— except that, serted” mansion (and we watch him climb the same
unlike the so-bad-it’s-good Ed Wood “classic,” Wild stone wall to gain entry each time!) in which little or Wild Planet’s overall dullness places it in the so-bad-nothing happens. Santo is captured and chained to
it’s- bad camp.

the same sacrificial table on three different occasions—
and he breaks free of the chains in an identical manner

The Witch (1966; Arco Film; Italy) Original Lan-every time! (One would think the witches would
guage Title : La Strega in Amore. Alternate Title : finally wise up and secure some better-quality mana-Strange Obsession. This European obscurity is, as its cles.) Granted, The Witches Attack offers a gaggle of alternate title suggests, “strange” indeed. Richard ( The beautiful girls in short Romanesque skirts (not to

Haunting) Johnson plays a carefree playboy in Italy mention a seductive witch named Medusa in a span-who is drawn into the suffocating, insular, and twisted gled bikini putting the moves on El Santo), and some sphere of an aging hedonist (Sarah Feratti) in her
particularly exciting and acrobatic ringside action in falling-to-ruin palatial home via the charms of her front of a raucous, energized crowd. But it’s not
odd yet beautiful daughter (Rosanna Schiafino). The enough to gloss over the shabby production values and Witch is an engrossing character study in unhealthy stultifying repetitiveness of it all.

obsession laced with some evocative camerawork and
involving acting from the four leads, including Gian

Wizard of Mars (1965; American General) Alter-Maria Volonte ( A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dol-nate Title: Horrors of the Red Planet (home video). In lars More) as a possibly mad member of the four-sided this science fiction retelling of The Wizard of Oz, a triangle. Though featuring a none-too-surprising su-manned space probe is blown off course by a space-
pernatural-type revelation at the end, The Witch offers twister and crashes on Mars. There, its four-member more erotically-charged drama than horror. But it
crew discovers a yellow brick road leading to an andoes so in a thoroughly intriguing fashion, thanks to cient city ruled by a wizard-like alien (John Carra-Damiano Damiani’s atmospheric direction.

dine) who agrees to help them only if they perform a vital mission. This Z-budget production features a no-

The Witches Attack (1965; Filmica Vergara star cast (Roger Gentry, Eve Burkhardt, Vic McGee,

Comisiones; Mexico; b&w) Original Language Title: Jerry Rannow), amateurish visual effects, chintzy sets Atacan las Brujas. After making five films for producer and starchy, technobabble-filled dialogue. While the Alberto Lopez, masked Mexican wrestler-turned-space-Oz concept has some novelty value, producer-
movie star El Santo jumped ship and signed on with
director David L. Hewitt’s execution of the idea is producer Luis Enrique Vergara (who later produced
laughably inept in every department. The red planet Boris Karloff ’s final four features). Santo made five isn’t even red, since apparently Hewitt couldn’t afford pictures for Vergara before moving on yet again due tinting! The story’s Oz parallels don’t become entirely to a contract dispute. Santo’s first starring Vergara ve-apparent until the viewer has suffered through nearly hicles were the shot-back-to-back The Witches Attack an hour of boring survivalist melodrama (will their and The Diabolical Axe. While El Santo did well for oxygen supply hold out?), including plenty of time-himself with the change (more than doubling his
filling footage of the astronauts plodding through the salary), this switch didn’t do his films any favors, for

“Martian” desert. All things considered, Wizard of the Vergara Santos often appear slapdash and cheap, Mars could have used a Wicked Witch and some flying with the more luxurious sets and professionalism of monkeys.

his previous surroundings at Churubusco Studios re-
placed with grimy location shooting and cut-rate

The Woman Who Wouldn’t Die (1965; Warner technique. The story of The Witches Attack (finally Bros.; U.K.; b&w) Original Title: Catacombs. The first subtitled and released in America via video nearly 40
film directed by future horror specialist Gordon
years after its production) features a Satanic cult, hav-Hessler, The Woman Who Wouldn’t Die is a British-ing resurrected their Queen witch, intent on sacrific-made Hitchcockian thriller with the suggestion of suing both a beautiful girl and Santo to their Unholy pernatural elements. Raymond (Gary Merrill), un-Lord. The Silver Masked Man must locate the cultists happily married to wealthy Ellen (Georgina Cookson), and foil their evil plans. Confused, Ed Woodian day-begins an affair with his college-age niece (Jane Mer-for-night photography (this author’s pre-teen son as-row). When his wife discovers the lovers together,
tutely asked why it was daylight on one side of the Raymond drowns Ellen in a sink full of water and
stone wall, then nighttime when Santo hops over to
buries her in the back yard. But soon he begins to be-the other side), inappropriate stock music (climactic lieve that Ellen’s vengeful spirit is haunting him. The cues coming where there’s no climax), and ridiculous authors of this book were unable to secure a copy of

3. MORE MOVIES

Women; X from; Yesterday; Yokai; Yongary

517
this film for review but would love
to see it, given its status as an early

Hessler film, and particularly be-
cause its producer, Jack Parsons,
also oversaw such minor gems as

Witchcraft (1964) and Curse of the

Fly (1965). However, the horror
content of The Woman Who

Wouldn’t Die seems to be mar-
ginal.

Women of the Prehistoric

Planet (1966; Realart) Shot in 11
days and released by the same
outfit (Realart) who brought us

Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Go-
rilla (1952), this shoddy no-budget
sci-fi clunker has the crew of a

“Centarian” spaceship, captained
by Wendell Corey and John Agar,
searching for survivors from an-
other ship that crashed on a prim-

The cheesy sets seen in Women of the Prehistoric Planet (1966) are itive planet. The closest this pic-matched only by the film’s cheesy action (here one of our intrepid as-ture comes to any prehistoric
tronauts rescues a prehistoric planet native).

menace is a six-foot photographi-
cally enlarged lizard and an ordi-
long way from 1957’s The Monster That Challenged the nary boa constrictor.

World— and even farther from the 1948 classic The

The X from Outer Space

Treasure of the Sierra Madre) is top billed and the only (1967; Shockiku/AIP-name actor in the cast, but he puts in only a brief TV; Japan) Original Language Title: Uchu Daikaiju Gi-cameo appearance. Holt, who’d left Hollywood for a
rara. The X from Outer Space, the lone kaiju eiga movie behind-the-scenes career in Oklahoma radio, report-made by Japan’s Shockiku studio, is a competently
edly appeared in this grade-Z stinker only as a percrafted but utterly generic product that mimics earsonal favor to his friend Russ Marker, the film’s writer-lier, better films from rival Toho. The formulaic story producer-director. Marker must have been some
line sends a crew of astronauts into space to investigate friend.

the mysterious disappearances of spacecraft near

Mars. The Earth ship encounters a UFO (which looks
like a flying apple pie) and brings back a sample of

Yokai Monsters 1: Spook Warfare see space-goo left on the side of their ship by the aliens.

Spook Warfare

This goo contains a “spore,” which hatches the un-
stoppable giant monster Guilala, and mayhem ensues.

Yokai Monsters 2: 100 Monsters see 100

The film’s visual effects are on par with Toho’s work

Monsters
of the late 1960s, although the monster suit leaves something to be desired. With its bulbous legs,
beaklike face and bobbing, crest-like antennae, the

Yokai Monsters 3: Along with Ghosts

“fearsome” Guilala resembles an outsized version of see Along with Ghosts

Foghorn Leghorn. The cast, like almost everything
else in this picture, proves adequate but undistin-

Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967/70; guished. Taku Izumi’s jazzy score (at least in the orig-Kuk Dong/Toei Co.; South Korea/Japan) Original
inal Japanese version) provides the one break from the Language Title: Dai Koesu Yongkari. The only 1960s usual Toho template, contrasting with the familiar
monster movie from Korea (though it didn’t land on
monster marches of Akira Ifukube. However, even

American shores until 1970, courtesy of AIP), Yongary this difference was negated when AIP re-dubbed and
is a poor man’s Godzilla — a very poor man. Atomic re-scored the film for release to American TV. Feeding testing in China awakens a gigantic burrowing beast, a kaiju eiga craving with The X from Outer Space is dubbed “Yongari,” who stomps across South Korea
like filling up on steamed white rice — serviceable but and smashes Seoul. With its Godzilla-like body, fiery bland.

breath, and Gamera-like head and tusks, Yongary consumes energy sources and fuel (draining oil storage

The Yesterday Machine (1965; b&w) This no-containers like a dog drinking from his water bowl) budget, all-but-forgotten amateurish independent
until the scientist hero and his little boy helper devise from the Lone Star state about a time machine run by a plan to neutralize the behemoth with chemical am-a crazed Nazi scientist attempting to raise up Hitler monia (Rachel Carson must be spinning in her grave).

and the Third Reich is one time-travel film that de-Sparse, unconvincing model work; poor process shots; serves to remain lost in the past. Poor Tim Holt (a and an ersatz monster that at one point inexplicably

518

Zontar; Zotz!

3. MORE MOVIES
begins dancing consign Yongary to mere footnote sta-lege professor Jonathan Jones (Tom Poston) comes
tus in the Giant Monsters Handbook.

into possession of a ancient coin that bestows supernatural powers— the ability to induce belly aches, to

Zontar, the Thing from Venus (1966; AIP-TV) make objects (or people) move in slow motion, and

Aaaaargh!!! Schlockmeister Larry Buchanan unleashed to kill instantly by simply pointing a finger and utter-yet another cinematic monstrosity on unsuspecting
ing the magic word “Zotz!” Prof. Jones offers his serv-TV viewers of the 1960s with this uncredited remake ices to the U.S. military but is turned away. Russian of Roger Corman’s 1956 cult favorite It Conquered the spies take note, however, and soon Jones becomes en-World (no great cinematic treat itself, if truth be told).

tangled in a web of international espionage. Poston’s The cheap sets are of the Motel 6 variety, the acting likeably goofy performance, complemented by amus-amateurish, and what new dialogue was written is
ing turns from veteran funnyfolk Jim Backus, Cecil
contemptible. Add to this Buchanan’s standard

Kellaway and Margaret Dumont, go a long way toward
unimaginative direction, inept camerawork, muddy
making this by far Castle’s best comedy. But the main lighting and a sad, dimestore monster, and the total attraction is a series of slapstick set pieces— two comes to a big fat cinematic zero. John Agar (the only calamitous dinner parties, a futile trip to the Pentagon real professional in the cast) is given so little direction and Jones’ climactic battle with a pair of KGB thugs, that his already flat acting style reaches new heights in all of which are laugh-out-loud funny. Castle, best re-banality. A few bits of dialogue provoke a snort or two membered for his wildly imaginative promotional
of derisive laughter (“I hate your living guts for what gimmicks for films like House on Haunted Hill and you’ve done to my husband and my world!”), but it’s The Tingler (both 1959), for this picture gave away not enough to justify 80 minutes of tedium. When
free replica “Zotz” coins as souvenirs. The filmmaker one character exclaims, “Zontar, you’re slimy, horri-was so pleased with the results of this movie that he ble,” she could just as well be describing the movie it-hired Poston to star in a remake of James Whale’s
self.

black comedy The Old Dark House, co-produced with England’s Hammer Films. In that case, however, the

Zotz! (1962, Columbia, b&w) In this zany comedy results proved far less satisfactory.

from producer-director William Castle, eccentric col-

Bibliography

Books

Galbraith, Stuart, IV. Japanese, Science Fiction, Fan -
tasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and

Adamson, Joe. A Directors Guild of America Oral His-Chronology of 103 Features Released in the United tory: Byron Haskin. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, States, 1950 –1992. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1994.

1984.

_____. Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo! The Incredible Aldrich, Robert, and Peter Bogdanovich. Who the World of Japanese Fantasy Films. Venice, CA: Feral Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film House, 1998.

Directors. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1997.

Glut, Donald F. The Dracula Book. Metuchen, NJ: Anderson, Joseph L., and Donald Richie. The Japanese Scarecrow Press, 1975.

Film: Art and Industry. Expanded ed. Princeton, NJ: Gottlieb, Sidney, ed. Hitchcock on Hitchcock: Selected Princeton University Press, 1982.

Interviews and Writings. Berkeley: University of Arkoff, Sam, with Richard Trubo. Flying Through Hol-California Press, 1995.

lywood by the Seat of My Pants. New York: Birch Hamilton, John. Beasts in the Cellar: The Exploitation Lane Press, 1992.

Film Career of Tony Tenser. Godalming, England: Biskind, Peter. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-FAB Press, 2005.

Drugs-and-Rock-’n’-Roll Generation Saved Holly-

Hardy, Phil, ed. The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Hor-wood. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

ror. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1994.

Block, Alex Ben, ed. George Lucas’s Blockbusting: A _____. The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction.

Decade-by-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies Includ-Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1994.

ing Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Harryhausen, Ray. Film Fantasy Scrapbook. Cranbury, Success. New York: HarperCollins, 2010.

NJ: A.S. Barnes, 1972.

Bordwell, David. On the History of Film Style. Cam-Hearn, Marcus, and Alan Barnes. The Hammer Story.

bridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1997.

London: Titan Books, 1997.

Brosnon, John. The Horror People. New York: St. Mar-Hirano, Kyoko. Mr. Smith Goes to Tokyo: Japanese tin’s Press, 1976.

Cinema Under the American Occupation. Washing-Buchanan, Larry. It Came from Hunger! Tales of a ton, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1992.

Cinema Schlockmeister. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, Hoberman, J. The Dream Life: Movies, Media and the 1996.

Mythology of the Sixties. New York: The New Press, Castle, William. Step Right Up! I’m Gonna Scare the 2005.

Pants Off America. New York: Pharos Books, 1992.

Jensen, Paul M. The Men Who Made the Monsters. New Clark, Mark. Smirk, Sneer and Scream: Great Acting York: Twayne, 1996.

in Horror Cinema. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2004.

Johnson, Tom, and Mark Miller. The Christopher Lee Corman, Roger, with Jim Jerome. How I Made a Hun-Filmography. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2004.

dred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime.

Johnson, Tom, and Deborah Del Vecchio. Hammer

New York: Random House, 1990.

Films: An Exhaustive Filmography. Jefferson, NC: Court, Hazel. Hazel Court: Horror Queen — An Auto -

McFarland, 1996.

biography. Sheffield, UK: Tomahawk Press, 2008.

Kinsey, Wayne. Hammer Films: The Bray Studios Years.

Cowie, Peter. Revolution! The Explosion of World Cin-London: Reynolds & Hearn, 2002.

ema in the Sixties. New York: Faber & Faber, 2004.

Lee, Christopher. Tall, Dark and Gruesom e : An Auto-Curry, Christopher Wayne. A Taste of Blood: The Films biography. London: Granada, 1977.

of Herschell Gordon Lewis. London: Creation Books Leigh, Janet. Psycho: Behind the Scenes of the Classic International, 1999.

Thriller. New York: Harmony Books, 1995.

Dyson, Jeremy. Bright Darkness: The Lost Art of the Lentz, Harris M., III. Feature Films, 1960 –1969: A Supernatural Horror Film. London: Cassell, 1997.

Filmography of English-Language and Major Foreign-519

520

Bibliography

Language United States Releases. Jefferson, NC : An Introduction. 3d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, McFarland, 2001.

2010.

Lindsay, Cynthia. Dear Boris: The Life of William Truffaut, François. Hitchcock/Truffaut. Rev. ed. New Henry Pratt a.k.a. Boris Karloff. New York: Alfred York: Simon & Schuster, 1984.

A. Knopf, 1975.

Vatnsdal, Caelum. They Came from Within: A His tory Lucas, Tim. Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark.

of Canadian Horror Cinema. Winnipeg: Arbeiter Cincinnati: Video Watchdog, 2007.

Ring, 2004.

Marcus, Greil. Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Weaver, Tom. Attack of the Monster Movie Makers: Dung. New York: Anchor Books, 1987.

Interviews with 20 Genre Giants. Jefferson, NC : McCarty, John. The Sleaze Merchants: Adventures in McFarland, 1994.

Exploitation Filmmaking. New York : St. Martins _____. I Was a Monster Movie Maker: Conversations Griffin, 1995.

with 22 SF and Horror Filmmakers. Jefferson, NC: McDonough, Jimmy. The Ghastly One: The Sex-Gore McFarland, 2001.

Netherworld of Filmmaker Andy Milligan. Chi cago: _____. Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror A Cappella Books, 2001.

Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors McGee, Mark Thomas. Faster and Furiouser: The Re-Moguls and Makeup. Jefferson, NC : McFarland, vised and Fattened Fable of American International 1988.

Pictures. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1995.

_____. John Carradine: The Films. Jefferson, NC : Miller, David. The Peter Cushing Companion. Surrey, McFarland, 1999.

UK: Reynolds & Hearn, 2000.

_____. Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks: Miller, Mark. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and Conversations with 24 Actors, Writers, Producers and Horror Cinema: A Filmography of Their 22 Collab-Directors from the Golden Age. Jefferson, NC : orations. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1995.

McFarland, 1998.

Pink, Sidney. So You Want to Make Movies: My Life as _____. Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes: Interan Independent Film Producer. Sarasota, FL: Pineap-views with Actors, Directors, Producers and Writers ple Press, 1989.

of the 1940s through 1960s. Jefferson, NC: McFar-Pirie, David. A Heritage of Horror: The English Gothic land, 1991.

Cinema, 1946 –1972. New York: Avon Books, 1973.

Pohle, Robert W., Jr., and Douglas C. Hart. The Films of Christopher Lee. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, Periodicals

1983.

Richie, Donald. A Hundred Years of Japanese Film.

Castle of Frankenstein

New York: Kondansha, 2001.

Cinefantastique

Rigby, Jonathan. Christopher Lee: The Authorised Cinema Retro

Screen History. London: Reynolds & Hearn, 2003.

Cult Movies

_____. English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema.

Daily Cinema

London: Reynolds & Hearn, 2000.

Deep Red

Rovin, Jeff. The Fabulous Fantasy Films. South Bruns -

The Economist
wick, NJ: A.S. Barnes, 1977.

Fangoria

Russo, John. The Complete Night of the Living Dead Film Bulletin

Filmbook. Pittsburgh: Imagine, 1985.

Film Comment

Senn, Bryan. Drums of Terror: Voodoo in the Cinema.

Filmfax

Baltimore: Midnight Marquee Press, 1998.

Hollywood Citizen News

_____. A Year of Fear: A Day-by-Day Guide to 366 Hor-The Hollywood Reporter
ror Films. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2007.

Little Shoppe of Horrors

Spoto, Donald. The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years London Sunday Times
of His Motion Pictures. 2d ed. New York: Doubleday, Magick Theatre

1992.

Monsters from the Vault

Svehla, Gary J., and Susan Svehla, eds. Cinematic Psychotronic Video

Haunt ings. Baltimore : Midnight Marquee Press, Scarlet Street

1996.

Scary Monsters

_____. Midnight Marquee Actors Series: Lon Chaney, Shivers

Jr. Baltimore: Midnight Marquee Press, 1997.

Shock Cinema

_____. Midnight Marquee Actors Series: Vincent Price.

Sunday Telegraph (London)

Baltimore: Midnight Marquee Press, 1998.

Time

_____. Son of Guilty Pleasures of the Horror Film. Bal-Variety
timore: Midnight Marquee Press, 1998.

Video Watchdog

Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History:

Index

2+5: Missione Hydra (Star

Alien 37, 138, 331, 482

Ames, Allyson 234

Armstrong, Todd 247

Pilot) 387, 501

Alien Nation 451

Amicus Productions 25 –

Arnold, Mal 69, 382

A Gli Amori di Ercole (Her-

Alien Terror 17

26, 36, 59, 134, 159, 159,

Arnold, Newt 200 –201
cules vs. the Hydra)

All About Eve 411, 419

215, 360 –362, 388, 394 –

Around the World Under

463 –464

Allen, David 451

395, 435, 446 –447, 450,
the Sea 431

A Meia- Noite Levarei Sua

Allen, Irwin 269 –270, 512

505

Arrivano i Titani (My Son,

Alma (At Midnight I’ll

Allen, Jeffrey 399

The Amityville Horror
the Hero) 20, 125, 297–

Take Your Soul) 432, 501

The Alligator People 199

(1979) 36

298

Abbott, Bud 8, 486

Along with Ghosts 429,

The Amphibian Man 430

Asher, Jack 87, 181, 222

Abbott & Costello Meet

487, 501

The Amphibious Man 430

Asher, Jane 284 –285

Frankenstein 495

Alphaville 429 –430

Anders, Luana 136 –137,

Ashley, John 70, 84 –85,

The Abominable Dr. Phibes

Alphaville, une Étrange

326

271–273, 452

36

Aventure de Lemmy Cau-

Anders, Merry 224, 229 –

Ashman, Howard 265

The Abominable Snowman
tion (Alphaville) 429 –

230

Ashton, Roy 125, 129, 168,

327, 447

430

Anderson, Gerry 473

222, 344, 505

Academy Awards 6, 9, 11,

Amamoto, Eisei 253

Anderson, Juliet 436

Assignment Outerspace 431

14, 16, 18, 23, 25, 26, 28 –

L’Amante del Vampire (The

Anderson, Richard 355

Assignment Terror 431–432

29, 30, 31, 40, 63, 79, 90,

Vampire and the Balle-

Anderson, Sylvia 473

Astin, John 371

103, 136, 150, 192, 227,
rina) 119, 333, 405 –406

Andress, Ursula 319, 498 –

Astley, Edwin 323

246, 257, 335, 337, 346,

Amanti d’Oltretomba

499, 503, 511

Astor, Mary 228 –229

350, 355, 376, 420, 442,

(Nightmare Castle) 14,

Andrews, Dana 184, 443

The Astro- Zombies 27, 41

447, 455

313 –314, 333

The Andromeda Strain 482

Asylum 159

Academy of Motion Pic-

The Amazing Colossal Man

Andy Warhol’s Dracula

At Midnight I’ll Take Your
ture Arts and Sciences 6

323, 393, 477

333

Soul 432, 501

Ackerman, Forrest J. 8

The Amazing Transparent

An Angel for Satan 430 –

At the Earth’s Core 36

Adam-12 451

Man 430, 437, 472

431

Atacan las Brujas (The

Adams, Mary 152

Ambesi, Adrianna 174

Un Angelo per Satana (An

Witches Attack) 448, 515

Adams, Nick 153 –154,

Ameche, Don 324

Angel for Satan) 430 –

El Ataúd del Vampiro (The

180 –181, 480 –482, 514

American Film Institute 9,

431

Vampire’s Coffin) 16,

Adamson, Al 27, 33, 72–

338

The Angry Red Planet 39 –

278, 289, 348, 403, 407–

73, 272, 315

American International

41, 250, 345, 444, 473

409

Addams, Dawn 222–223

Pictures 1, 16, 36, 46, 57,

Ankrum, Morris 427

L’Atlantide ( Journey Be-

The Addams Family 296

74, 81, 89, 104, 106, 108,

The Anniversary 303
neath the Desert) 472

Adler, Joseph 353

120, 189 –190, 191–192,

Antonioni, Michelangelo

Atlantis, the Lost Continent

Admiral Pictures 152

202, 215, 225, 250, 275,

95, 172, 366

432–433

Adreon, Franklin 446

285, 287, 309, 314 –315,

Apstein, Theodore 418

Atlas Against the Cyclops

Adventure in Takla Makan

324 –326, 330 –331, 333 –

Arbuthnot, Molly 505

433

429

335 –336, 342–343, 345 –

Ardisson, George 267

Atmar, Ann 235

Agar, John 199 –200, 250,

346, 360, 378 –380, 387,

Arenas, Rosa 120

Atom Age Vampire 42

305, 473, 517–518

391–392, 397, 426 –427,

Arevalo, Tito 272

Atomic Rulers 433 –434, 512

Alda, Robert 145 –146

445, 448, 449, 451–452,

Argento, Dario 24, 35 –36,

Atomic War Bride 433 –434

Aldrich, Robert 10, 16,

452, 460, 462, 468, 472,

65

Atragon 43 –44, 140, 475

227–229, 375, 417–420

477, 481–482, 493, 500 –

Arishima, Ichiro 254

Attack from Space 433

Alexander, Claude 302

501, 512–513, 515, 517–

Arkoff, Samuel 107–108,

Attack of the Killer Toma-

Alexander, Jeff 445

518

191–192, 202, 224 –226,
toes 37, 434

Alexander, Van 468

American Society for the

325, 333 –334, 345, 392

Attack of the Mayan

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Prevention of Cruelty to

Arless, Jean 210

Mummy 27, 44 –45, 118,

52, 336

Animals 52

Armageddon 197

173, 348

521

522

Index

Attack of the Monsters 434

Baxt, George 216, 357

The Bird with the Crystal

Blood of the Vampires 438

Attack of the Mushroom

Baxter, Les 452

Plumage 24, 35, 65

Blood of the Virgins 438

People 79, 434

Bay of Blood 24, 65

The Birds 2, 4, 18 –19, 35,

Blood on Satan’s Claw 407

Attack of the Puppet People

Bazin, Andre 6

52–54

The Blood Rose 438 –439

427

The Beach Girls and the

Biroc, Joseph 418

The Blood Suckers 439

Atwill, Lionel 57, 315, 449

Monster 46 –47, 219

Black, Stanley 281

Blood Thirst 200, 439

Audley, Maxine 321

Beach Party 32, 46

The Black Castle 8

Bloodlust! 74 –76

Aured, Carlos 22

Beal, John 476

The Black Cat (1934) 423,

The Blood- Spattered Bride

Auric, Georges 237

Beast from Haunted Cave

430, 437, 472

22

Austin Powers, International

114

The Black Cat (1966) 54 –

Bloodsport 200

Man of Mystery 449

The Beast from 20,000

56

Bloodthirsty Butchers 187,

Los Automatas de la Muerte

Fathoms 195, 248, 292

Black Cat Mansion 472

439

(Neutron vs. the Death

Beast of Blood 271

Black Narcissus 321

The Bloody Dead 444

Robots) 484

The Beast of Hollow Moun-

The Black Pit of Dr. M 16,

Bloody Pit of Horror 76 –

Avalon, Frankie 465, 489,
tain 401

56 –57

77, 387

512

The Beast of Morocco 47–48

Black Sabbath 15, 24, 57–

The Bloody Vampire 77–

The Awful Dr. Orlof 21,

Beast of the Yellow Night

59, 65, 251, 330, 441, 452

78, 238, 278

45 –46, 110, 158, 314, 438,

444

The Black Sleep 396

Bloom, Claire 205, 233

454, 494

The Beast of Yucca Flats

Black Sunday 2, 4, 14, 20,

Blow- Up 23, 366

48 –49, 187

59 –61, 65, 92, 145, 203,

Blue Velvet 311

Backus, Jim 518

The Beast That Killed

211, 215, 251, 313, 330,

Bluebeard (1944) 430, 437,

Baines, John 202

Women 436, 498

382

472

Baistrocchi, Angelo 406

The Beatles 18, 23, 29, 34,

The Black Torment 208, 437

Bluebeard’s 10 Honeymoons

Baker, Diane 376

285

The Black Zoo 61–62, 385

78 –79

Baker, Robert S. 247

Beaudine, William 27, 50 –

Blackbeard’s Ghost 63, 399

Boccaccio ’70 373

Baker, Roy Ward 162, 178

52, 250

Blackman, Honor 248

Bochner, Lloyd 312

Baledon, Raphael 219 –

Beaumont, Charles 89,

Blackmer, Sidney 349 –351

Body Snatcher from Hell

220, 278

203, 285, 334

Blain, Estella 150 –151

79 –80, 504

Bamber, Judy 291

The Beautiful, the Bloody

Blair, Janet 88 –90

Boehm, Carl 321–322, 509

The Bamboo Saucer 435
and the Bare 436

The Blair Witch Project 189

Bogdanovich, Peter 6, 24,

Bang, Poul 346

Beauty and the Beast (1962)

Blaisdell, Paul 468

30 –31, 54, 380 –381, 513

Bankhead, Tallulah 153

49

Blanc, Erika 252

Il Boia Scarlatto (Bloody Pit

Banks, Don 485

Beck, Jim 253

The Blancheville Monster
of Horror) 76 –77, 387

Banner, Jill 369 –370

Becket 285

437–438

Bonner, Frank 451

Barbarella 435

The Bees 134

Blanco, Hugo 158

Bonnie and Clyde 454 –455

Barclay, George 411

Beeson, Paul 269

Die Blaue Hand (Creature

Boon, Paul 340

Bardo, Brick 390

The Beginning of the End
with the Blue Hand) 25,

Boone, Pat 465

Bardot, Brigitte 372

323, 393

444

Borisenko, Dan 339

Barker, Rex 70

Begley, Ed 165

Blind Beast 63 –64

Bottger, Fritz 220

Baron Blood 36, 228

Behind Locked Doors 436 –

The Blob 92, 155, 286, 297

Boulting, Roy 508 –509

El Barón del Terror (The

437

Bloch, Charles 228 –229

Bowie, Les 256

Brainiac) 16 –17, 73, 83 –

Bela Lugosi Meets a Brook-

Bloch, Robert 90 –91, 134 –

Bowman, Don 464

84, 120, 203, 266, 374,
lyn Gorilla 517

135, 311–312, 336 –338,

The Boy with Green Hair

382, 403, 424

Bellamy, Ralph 349 –351

360 –361, 375 –376, 394 –

506

Baron Prásil (The Fabulous

Beneath the Planet of the

395

Boyd, Stephen 455

Baron Munchausen)

Apes 33, 402

Blondell, Joan 376

Boyle, Danny 310

453, 473

Bengell, Norma 330

Blood and Black Lace 2, 15,

Bradbury, Ray 232–233,

Barr, Tim 192

Bennett, Charles 512

24, 64 –66, 251, 338, 452

454

Barrett, Ray 344 –345

Bennett, Hywell 508 –509

Blood and Lace 189, 418

The Brain 439 –440

Barrington, Pat 478

Bennett, Jill 303

Blood and Roses 66 –67,

Brain of Blood 272

Barrymore, John Drew 413

Benson, Martin 485

372, 382

The Brain That Wouldn’t

Bass, Saul 337

Bergman, Ingmar 6, 9, 29,

Blood Bath 67–68, 291, 369

Die 80 –83, 184, 456, 470

Bast, William 402

95, 172, 235, 284, 466

Blood Beast from Outer

The Brainiac 16 –17, 73,

Batman (TV show) 295,

Bergman, Ingrid 237

Space 68 –69, 99, 280,

83 –84, 120, 203, 266,

346, 395, 399, 478

Berman, Monty 247

327, 357

374, 382, 403, 424

Battle Beneath the Earth

Bernard, James 142, 181,

The Blood Beast Terror see

Brandi, Walter 405 –406

435, 450

256, 502

The Vampire Beast

Brando, Marlon 237

Battle Beyond the Sun 340,

Bernds, Edward 402–403

Craves Blood

Brandt, Carolyn 234

435

Berova, Olinka 511

The Blood Demon 69 –70

Brasseur, Pierre 214 –215

Battle for the Planet of the

Berserk 49 –50, 420

The Blood Drinkers 70 –71,

Breakston, George 282

Apes 171

Bésame Monstruo (Kiss Me

272

Bride of Frankenstein 168,

Battle in Outer Space 139,

Monster) 474

Blood Feast 19, 69 –70, 332,

496

194, 435

Besser, Joe 199

359, 399

Brides of Blood 71, 84 –85,

Battle of the Worlds 435 –

Beswick, Martine 490

Blood Feast 2: All U Can

271, 438

436

The Beverly Hillbillies 295

Eat 19

Brides of Dracula 2, 11, 85 –

Bava, Lamberto 57

Bevilacqua, Alberto 331

Blood Fiend 71–72

88, 142, 163, 182, 256,

Bava, Mario 3, 11, 14, 20,

Beyond the Forest 228

The Blood of Dracula’s Cas-

407, 502

24, 36, 57–61, 64 –66,

Beyond the Time Barrier
tle 27, 72–73, 315

Brides of Fu Manchu 440,

91–92, 144 –145, 192, 209,

437, 472

Blood of Nostradamus 73 –

454

251–252, 296, 329 –331,

Billy the Kid vs. Dracula

74, 117

Bridges, Beau 511

367, 372, 415 –417, 431,

27, 50 –52, 223

Blood of the Beasts 214

Bridges, James 442

441, 449, 452, 479, 497

The Bionic Woman 451

Blood of the Vampire 247

Bridges, Lloyd 431

Index

523

Brigadoon 399

(Tom Thumb and Little

Cauldron of Blood 441–442

The College Girl Murders

Briley, John 102–103

Red Riding Hood) 508

Cave of the Living Dead

25, 444

Bring Me the Vampire 88

Capote, Truman 235, 237

100 –101, 393

Color Me Blood Red 19, 67,

Broder, Jack 304

Captain Clegg see Night

Cesta do Praveku ( Journey

103 –104, 198, 382, 400

Brogan, Ron 159

Creatures
to the Beginning of Time)

Colossus: The Forbin Project

Bronson, Charles 478 –479

Captain Kronos, Vampire

453, 472

442

The Brood 36

Hunter 328

Chamber of Horrors 101–

The Comedy of Terrors 32,

Brooke, Ralph 74 –75

Captain Nemo and the Un-

102

104 –106, 343

Brooks, Max 308
derwater City 441, 502

Chamberlain, Richard 392

Comfort, Lance 148

Browning, Tod 224, 358,

Captain Sinbad 441

Chambers, John 490

Comport, Brian 482

465

The Capture of Bigfoot 289

La Chambre Ardente (The

Connor, Kenneth 486

Bruce, Nigel 502

La Cara del Terror (Face of

Burning Court) 440 –441

The Conqueror of Atlantis

Bryan, Peter 407

Terror) 454

Chaney, Lon, Jr. 16, 32–33,

422–423

Buchanan, Larry 147, 301–

Carbone, Anthony 326,

89, 146 –147, 159, 173 –

The Conqueror Worm 2, 4,

302, 305, 444 –446, 452–

474 –475

174, 203, 222–223, 367–

30 –32, 106 –109, 226,

453, 459, 468, 471, 478,

Cardona, Rene 157, 425

370, 422–423, 431, 464,

316, 357, 365, 392, 407

518

Cardos, John 73, 448

482

Conquest of Mycenae 443

Buckalew, Bethel 465

Cardoza, Anthony 48

Chang, Wah 155, 192, 507

Conquest of the Planet of

A Bucket of Blood 67, 103,

Carey, Macdonald 506

Chantler, David T. 498
the Apes 171

113, 165, 264, 379, 427

Carlino, Lewis John 355 –

Chavez, Julio 374

Il Conquistatore di At-

Bullets Over Broadway 387

356

Cheadle, Don 455
lantide (The Conqueror

Buono, Victor 228, 376 –

Carlson, Richard 393 –394

Der Chef Wünscht Keine
of Atlantis) 422–423

377, 419

Carlson, Veronica 162

Zeugen (No Survivors

Constable, Bill 388, 450

Burgos, Robert 302

Carmel, Eddie 82, 456

Please) 487

Constantine, Eddie 429 –

Burial Ground 333

Carnival of Souls 2, 4, 93 –

Chelovek- Amfibiya (The

430

Burke, Sonny 199

95, 147, 178, 189, 235 –

Amphibian Man) 430

Cook, Elisha, Jr. 349

Burke and Hare 279

237, 311

Chiba, Shinichi “Sonny”

Cooper, Merian C. 498

Burko, Walter 49

Carpenter, John 11, 36,

470, 504

Cooper, Wilkie 319

Burn, Witch, Burn 88 –90

331, 411

Children of the Damned

Coppola, Francis Ford 6, 9,

The Burning Court 440 –

Carradine, John 13, 27, 41,

102–103, 411

11, 24, 35, 136 –137, 203,

441

50 –51, 72–73, 126, 159,

Chinatown 347, 391

322, 340, 385, 435

Burnt Offerings 420

222–223, 238, 370, 464,

Christian, Linda 145 –146

Coquillon, John 316

Burr, Raymond 195

482, 516

Christie, Julie 455

Corbucci, Sergio 20, 193

Burton, Robert 237–238

Carrel, Dany 202

Ciano, Mario 14

Corby, Ellen 376 –377

Burton, Tim 13, 274

Carreras, Michael 124 –

Cinque Tombe per un

Corey, Jeff 355

Buschoff, Samuel 376

125, 269, 280 –281, 318 –

Medium (Terror Crea-

Corey, Wendell 41, 517

Bushell, Anthony 505

319, 482, 491
tures from the Grave) 14,

Corman, Roger 1, 4, 10 –11,

Carrey, Jim 284

100, 333, 386 –387

15, 24, 31, 32, 57, 60, 67,

Caan, James 458 –459

Carry On Screaming! 95 –

Circus of Horrors 89

84, 103 –106, 113 –114,

La Cabeza Vivente (The

96

City of the Dead see Hor-

137, 154, 156, 165, 202–

Living Head) 16, 266 –

Carson, John 68, 328
ror Hotel

204, 223 –225, 263 –265,

267, 403, 421

Cartwright, Veronica 54

City of the Living Dead 36

267, 284 –286, 315, 324 –

The Cabinet of Caligari

La Casa del Terror (Face of

City of the Walking Dead

326, 333 –335, 336, 340,

90 –91
the Screaming Werewolf )

333

342–343, 372, 378 –380,

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

17, 27, 120, 125, 172–174

Civil Rights Movement 5,

380, 385 –386, 396 –397,

5, 90, 199, 207

Cash on Demand 328

8 –9, 13 –14, 18, 22, 28,

407, 414, 417, 426 –427,

Cabot, Sebastian 397, 507

Cassarino, Richard 138

34, 309

468, 470, 471, 474 –475,

Caesar, Sid 371

Cassavetes, John 349 –351

Clare, Diane 48, 327–329,

477, 513, 518

Cahier du Cinéma 6

Il Castello dei Morti Vivi

412, 422–423

Corpse Bride 274

Cahn, Edward L. 49, 271,

(The Castle of the Living

Clark, Fred 125

The Corpse Grinders 27,

331

Dead) 99 –100, 358

Clarke, Robert 437, 504 –

400

Call, John 495

Castle, William 4, 10, 11,

505

The Corpse Vanishes 144

Caltiki, il Monstro Immor-

16, 30, 209 –211, 224,

Clayton, Jack 236 –237

Corridors of Blood 109 –110,
tale (Caltiki, the Immor-

229, 281, 283, 288 –289,

Clemens, Brian 127, 383

300, 414
tal Monster) 14, 60, 91–

311–312, 316 –318, 336,

Clive, Colin 200

Corruption 110 –112, 483

92

338, 349, 370 –371, 375 –

Clooney, George 455

Cortez, Stanley 40, 274, 304

Caltiki, the Immortal Mon-

376, 388 –389, 420, 468,

Close Encounters of the

Costello, Lou 8, 486
ster 14, 60, 91–92

491, 518

Third Kind 35

Cosulich, Castillo 331

Calvert, Corinne 78 –79

Castle of Blood 14, 96 –98

Clouzot, Henri- Georges

Cotten, Joseph 227–229,

La Camara del Terror (The

Castle of Evil 98 –99

10, 215, 227, 458

475

Fear Chamber) 17, 455 –

Castle of Fu Manchu 441,

Coe, Frank 474

Count Dracula 150, 314

456, 471

454

“Coffin Joe” see Marins,

Count Dracula and His

Cameron, James 446

Castle of the Creeping Flesh

Jose Mojica

Vampire Brides 13, 36,

Cameron, Rod 450

99

Coffy 369

162, 164

Campbell, Bob 285

The Castle of the Living

Cohen, Herman 50, 61, 81,

Count Yorga, Vampire 36

Campbell, William 67–68,

Dead 99 –100, 358

257

Countess Dracula 327, 366

136 –137

Castle of the Monsters 56

Cohen, Larry 353, 471

Court, Hazel 156, 284 –

Campos, Jose 504

Castle of the Walking Dead

Cold War 5, 8, 9, 13, 22, 34

285, 333 – 335, 342–343

The Cape Canaveral Mon-
see The Blood Demon

El Coleccionista de

Crack in the World 443
sters 92–93, 487

Cat People (1942) 414

Cadáveres (Cauldron of

Craig, Charles 309

Caperucita y Pulgarcito

Cat Women of the Moon

Blood) 441–442

Craig, Wendy 303

Contra los Monstruos

513

Coll, Julio 492

Craig, Yvonne 478

524

Index

Craven, Wes 35 –36, 95,

Curse of the Living Corpse

La Danza Macabra (Castle

De Ossorio, Amando 21,

375

94, 123 –124, 219, 467,
of Blood) 14, 96 –98

77, 174 –175, 290

Crawford, Broderick 192

512

Dark Eyes of London see

DePalma, Brian 483

Crawford, Joan 16, 49 –50,

The Curse of the Mummy’s

The Human Monster

The Depths 472

227–229, 312, 349, 375 –

Tomb 124 –125

Dark Intruder 130 –131

De Sica, Vittorio 6

376, 418 –420, 468

Curse of the Stone Hand

The Dark Secret of Harvest

De Souza, Edward 256,

Crawford, Johnny 511

125 –126

Home 420

322–323

The Crawling Eye 247, 384

Curse of the Swamp Crea-

Dark Shadows 15

Destination Inner Space

The Crawling Hand 112–
ture 305, 445 –446

Dark Star 331, 482

137–139

113, 362, 385

Curse of the Undead 50,

Darren, James 511

Destination Moon 39

The Crazies (1973) 30

261

Daughter of Dr. Jekyll 262,

Destroy All Monsters 43,

Creation of the Humanoids

Curse of the Voodoo 126 –

291

139 –140, 448, 462

443 –444

128, 335

Davies, Rubert 162, 444 –

Destroy All Planets 433,

Creature from Black Lake

The Curse of the Werewolf

445

448

306

13, 128 –129, 327

Davis, Bette 16, 227–229,

Detour 437

Creature from the Black La-

Curteis, Ian 335

302–303, 375 –376, 418 –

The Devil at Four O’Clock
goon 274, 374, 378, 430,

Curtis, Jack 179 –180

420

403

463

Curtis, Terry 179

Davis, Elizabeth 198

Devil Doll 140 –141, 335

Creature from the Haunted

Curtis, Tony 349

Davison, Donn 263

The Devil of Demon Lake

Sea 113 –114, 265, 379

Curucu, Beast of the Ama-

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

306

Creature of Destruction
zon 270

29, 36, 309 –310

The Devil Rides Out see

444, 472

Cushing, Peter 3, 11–12,

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

The Devil’s Bride

Creature of the Walking

26, 86 –88, 110 –112, 160 –

29, 310

Devil- Wolf of Shadow

Dead 114 –115

161, 167–168, 177, 181–

Dawson, Richard 295

Mountain 448

The Creature with the Blue

182, 196, 218, 240 –243,

Day, Robert 110, 499

The Devil’s Bride 11, 13, 87,

Hand 25, 444

278 –280, 328, 360 –362,

The Day Mars Invaded

141–143, 149, 327

The Creatures the World

388, 394 –395, 407, 446,

Earth 131–132, 487

The Devil’s Commandment

Forgot 327

450, 457–458, 485, 497,

Day of the Dead 29, 310

14, 91, 143 –145, 252

The Creeping Flesh 26, 321,

499, 511

Day of the Nightmare 447

The Devil’s Hand 145 –146,

361, 407

Cyborg 2087 446

The Day of the Triffids

454

The Creeping Terror 115 –

The Cyclops 262, 270, 393,

132–133, 411

The Devil’s Messenger 95,

116

477

The Day the Earth Caught

146 –147

The Creeping Unknown 92,

Fire 447, 469

The Devil’s Mistress 147–

177, 300, 447

Dagora, the Space Monster

The Day the Earth Froze

148

Creepshow 30

446

447–448

The Devil’s Own 149 –150,

Cregar, Laird 246

D’Aguillon, Pedro 265 –

The Day the Earth Stood

411

Crescendo 303

266, 378

Still (1951) 8, 165, 270,

The Devil’s Wedding Night

Cresse, Bob 466

Dai Koesu Yongkari (Yon-

304, 431, 446, 496, 515

387

I Criminali della Galassia
gary, Monster from the

The Day the World Ended

Devils of Darkness 123,

(Wild Wild Planet) 515 –

Deep) 517–518

468, 475, 506

148 –149

516

Daikaiju Baran ( Varan the

Dead and Buried 512

DeWolfe, Francis 109 –110

The Crimson Cult 15, 31,

Unbelievable) 140, 292,

Dead Eyes of London 25,

The Diabolical Axe 17,

407, 442, 444 –445, 466

409 –410

444, 448

448 –449, 516

Criswell 488 –489

Daikaiju Gamera ( Gam-

The Dead One 133 –134

The Diabolical Dr. Z 21,

Cronenberg, David 36
mera the Invincible)

Dead Ringer 376, 420

150 –151, 494

Crosby, Floyd 10, 199, 203,

185 –186, 514

The Deadly Bees 26, 134 –

Diabolical Wedding 475

225, 285, 325, 335, 343,

Daikaiju Kessen: Gamera

135

Diabolik see Danger: Dia-

379, 386
tai Barugon (War of the

Dear Dead Delilah 16, 418
bolik

Crucible of Horror 441

Monsters) 514 –515

Dearden, Basil 354

Diabolique 10, 215, 228, 458

Crutchley, Rosalie 205

Daikaijû Kuchusen: Gam-

Death Curse of Tartu 135 –

Les Diaboliques see Dia-

Cry of the Banshee 316
era tai Gaos (Return of

136, 374
bolique

Cul de Sac 25
the Giant Monsters) 434,

Death Race 2000 41

I Diafanoidi Vengono da

Cult of the Cobra 363

493

Deathdream 36

Morte (War of the Plan-

Cunha, Richard 74 –75

Daitozoku (The Lost World

De Carlo, Yvonne 295 –296
ets) 499, 515

Curse of Frankenstein 8, 11,
of Sinbad) 429, 476

La Decima Vittima (The

Diamajin (Majin) 275, 493

12, 86, 167, 181

Dalby, Stephen 347

Tenth Victim) 502–503

Diamajin gyakushu (Majin

The Curse of Nostradamus

Daleks’ Invasion Earth 215 ,

Dee, Sandra 165

Strikes Again) 275, 478

73, 116 –117, 186, 290

388, 394, 446 –447, 450,

Deep Red 36

Diamajin ikaru (The Re-

Curse of the Aztec Mummy

470

De Havilland 16, 227–229
turn of the Giant Majin)

45, 117–118, 348

Dali, Fabrienne 252

Dekker, Albert 185

492–493

Curse of the Blood- Ghouls

Dallalamo, Massimo 25

De Leon, Gerardo 71, 272,

Diamond, David 376

118 –119, 405, 407

Damiani, Damiano 516

438

Diary of a Madman 32,

Curse of the Crimson Altar

The Damned see These

Delirium (1972) 406

151–152
see The Crimson Cult

Are the Damned

Delon, Alain 372

Diary of the Dead 29, 310

The Curse of the Crying

Damon, Mark 49, 59 –61,

Del Toro, Guillermo 22

I Diavola della Spazio

Woman 16, 119 –120,

225, 326

De Martino, Alberto 20

(Snow Devils) 499

278, 403

Danforth, Jim 245, 287,

Dementia 13 68, 136 –137

Dickinson, Desmond 217,

Curse of the Demon 184, 414

451, 498

Denberg, Susan 182

502

Curse of the Doll People

Danger: Diabolik 15

Deneuve, Catherine 25,

Die! Die, My Darling 16,

120 –121, 404

Daniel, Jennifer 256, 344

347

152–153, 231, 354

Curse of the Fly 121–123,

Daniel, Leslie 82

Denso Ningen (Secret of the

Die, Monster, Die! 153 –

149, 255, 423, 517

Dante, Joe 15, 187, 417

Telegian) 226, 497–498

154, 165, 331

Index

525

Dien, Edward 261

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

Eye of the Cat 453

22, 240 –242, 255, 323,

Dierkes, John 427

248, 427, 443

Eye of the Devil 170 –171

457–458, 465, 502

Diller, Phyllis 273 –274

Earth vs. the Spider 250,

Eyes Without a Face see

Five Million Years to Earth

Dillon, Robert 317

393

Horror Chamber of Dr.

13, 176 –178, 295

Dingam, Basil 300

Eastman, Marilyn 209

Faustus

Fleischer, Richard 455

Dinosaurus! 154 –155, 286

Easy Rider 14, 28, 73, 353

Flemyng, Gordon 446,

Di Palma, Carlo 387

Eaton, Shirley 431, 486

The Fabulous Baron Mun-

450

Dixon, Jill 423

Échenme al Vampiro (Bring
chausen 453, 473

Flemyng, Robert 211–212,

Diz, William 303

Me the Vampire) 88

The Fabulous World of Jules

407

The Doctor and the Devils

Eden, Barbara 512

Verne 453, 473

The Flesh and the Fiends

279

Eden, Laura 466

The Face of Another 79,
see Mania

Dr. Blood’s Coffin 155 –156,

Eden, Mark 444

171–172

The Flesh Eaters 178 –180,

364

Edmiston, Walker 47

The Face of Fu Manchu

311

Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini

Edwards, William 450

440 –441, 454

Fletcher, Harold 423

Machine 219, 449

Eegah 27, 166 –167, 494

Face of Terror 454

Fletcher, Neil 468

Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl

Eger, Raymond 372

Face of the Screaming Were-

Flink, Richard S. 373

Bombs 219, 449

Eisenhower, Dwight 1, 9
wolf 17, 27, 120, 125,

Der Fluch der Grünen

Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde

Eisley, Anthony 304, 482

172–174

Augen (Cave of the Liv-

279

Ekberg, Anita 174, 373

Fahey, Myrna 225
ing Dead) 100 –101, 393

Doctor of Doom 157, 425

The Electronic Monster 450

Fahrenheit 451 24, 430,

The Fly (1958) 121, 226,

Dr. No 499

Ellerbe, Harry 225

454 –455

270, 389, 396, 497

Dr. Orloff ’s Monster 157–

Ellis, George 262–263

Fail- Safe 449

Die Folterkammer des Dr.

158

The Embalmer 400, 450 –

Fail- Safe (1964) 22, 455

Fu Manchu (The Castle

Dr. Strangelove, or How I

451

Fail- Safe (2000) 455
of Fu Manchu) 441, 454

Learned to Stop Worrying

Empire of the Ants 394

Fairhurt, Lyn 128

Fonda, Henry 455
and Love the Bomb 22,

Endfield, Cy 298

Faithful, Geoffrey 300, 411

Fonda, Jane 349, 372, 435

449 –450, 455

Enemy from Space 177

Famous Monsters of Film-

Fonda, Peter 372

Dr. Terror’s Gallery of Hor-

Equinox 451
land 8, 294

Fontaine, Joan 149 –150, 512
rors 158 –159, 287

Ercole alla Conquista di At-

Fanatic see Die! Die My

Food of the Gods 394, 511

Dr. Terror’s House of Hor-
lantide (Hercules and the

Darling

The Forbidden Planet 331,
rors 26, 159 –161, 287,

Captive Women) 462–

Fangs of the Living Dead

496

320, 394

463

174 –175, 314

Forest, Mark 192, 480

Dr. Who and the Daleks

Ercole Contro Molock (The

El Fantasma de la Casa

Fortress of the Dead 457

388, 449-450

Conquest of Mycenae)

Roja (The Phantom in

4D Man 286

La Dolce Vita 372

443
the Red House) 489

Four Times That Night 36

Domergue, Faith 513

Ercole l’Invincibile ( Son of

Fantasmi a Roma (Ghosts

Fowley, Douglas 271

Donahue, Troy 483

Hercules in the Land of
in Rome) 460

Fraker, William 350

Donlevy, Brian 123, 178,

Darkness) 500

Fantastic Voyage 455

Franchi, Franco (Franco &

185

Erickson, Leif 376

Farentino, James 512

Cicco) 449

The Donna Reed Show 468

El Espejo de la Bruja (The

Farmer, Susan 154, 164

Francis, Derek 392

Donovan’s Brain 440

Witch’s Mirror) 120, 267,

Farrell, Henry 227

Francis, Freddie 26, 32, 36,

Doomsday Machifne 450

421–422

Farrow, Mia 16, 30, 349 –

133, 135, 160 –161, 162–

Dor, Karin 70

Espiritismo (Spiritism) 73,

351

163, 167–168, 181, 231,

Downhill Racer 349

373

The Fear Chamber 17,

236, 312–313, 319 –320,

Doyle, Ron 159

O Estranho Mundo de Zé do

455 –456, 471

338 –339, 360 –362, 388,

Dracula (1931) 5, 8, 29, 144,

Caixão (The Strange

The Fearless Vampire

394 –395, 439 –440, 482,

307–308, 404, 476, 496

World of Ze Do Coaixao)

Killers 25, 162, 175 –176,

485

Dracula (The Dirty Old

432, 501–502

255

Francisci, Pietro 20

Man) 450

E.T. 306

Fellini, Federico 6, 19, 52,

Franciscus, James 402

Dracula A.D. 1972 13, 36,

...Et Mourir de Plaisir

212, 215, 251, 372–373

Franco, Jesus 21, 25, 36,

162

(Blood and Roses) 66 –67,

Feminism 9, 15, 17–18, 30,

45 –46, 110, 150 –151, 158,

Dracula Has Risen from the

372, 382

261–262, 322

290, 377–378, 441, 454,

Grave 13, 26, 161–162,

E.T.N.: The Extra-

Ferrer, Mel 66, 201–202

474, 484, 494, 511

320, 327, 388

Terrestrial Nasty see

Ferroni, Giorgio 443

Franis, Corman 48

Dracula, Prince of Darkness

Night Fright

Field, Shirley Ann 506

Franju, Georges 10, 21, 42,

13, 161, 162–164, 329, 341

Evans, Robert 349

Fields, Cliff 447

45, 110, 214 –215

The Dracula Saga 21

An Evening of Edgar Allan

Fiend Without a Face 245

Frank, Sandy 186, 433,

Dracula vs. Frankenstein

Poe 451–452

50 Thousand B.C. (Before

480, 493, 515

27, 33, 471

Evers, Herb (Jason) 82

Clothing) 455 –456

Frankel, Benjamin 318

Drake, Arnold 179

Evil Brain from Outer Space

The Final War 474

Frankel, Cyril 150

Drake, Oliver 482

452, 469

Finney, Albert 485

Frankenheimer, John 6,

Dumont, Margaret 518

The Evil Eye 24, 65, 338,

Fire Monsters Against the

172, 237, 355 –356

Duncan, David 262

416, 452

Son of Hercules 456, 500

Frankenstein (1931) 5, 8,

The Dungeon of Harrow

Evil of Frankenstein 12,

First Man into Space 289

144, 168, 432

164 –165

167–168, 181, 320

First Men in the Moon

Frankenstein and the Mon-

The Dunwich Horror 154,

Ewing, Barbara 162, 395

456 –457
ster from Hell 12, 36,

165

The Exorcist 30, 35, 143,

First Spaceship on Venus

457–458

Dwyer, Hilary 31

350

457

Frankenstein Conquers the

Dyneley, Peter 282

The Exotic Ones 168 –170

Fisher, Terence 11–12, 26,

World 140, 180 –181, 482,

Exton, Clive 485

32, 36, 86 –88, 128 –129,

514

Earth Dies Screaming 165 –

The Eye Creatures 305,

141–143, 161–164, 166,

Frankenstein Created

166

445, 452–453, 459, 478

168, 181–182, 196, 221–

Woman 12, 181–182

526

Index

Frankenstein Meets the

Games 311, 340, 458 –459

Godard, Jean- Luc 6, 9, 29,

Goulder, Stanley 300

Spacemonster 128, 182–

Gammera the Invincible

215, 429 –430

Gourlay, Jack 52

184

185 –186, 514

Godzilla Against

Govar, Rene 486

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf

Gamora, Charlie 471

Mechagodzilla 253

Graff, Wilton 75

Man 168

Gappa, the Triphibian

Godzilla: Final Wars 140

Grahame, Gloria 418

Frankenstein Must Be De-

Monster see Monster

Godzilla, King of the Mon-

Grahame- Smith, Seth 308
stroyed 2, 12, 182, 327,
from a Prehistoric Planet
sters 21, 185, 195, 292,

Grant, Arthur 162, 327,

457–458

Garcia, Luis 492

409

344, 356, 391, 485, 502,

Frankenstein 1970 396

Garcia, Russell 507

Godzilla, Mothra and

505

Frankenstein: The True

Gardens, Max 474

Mechagodzilla: Tokyo

Grant, Cary 323

Story 233

Garnett, Gale 274

S.O.S. 253

Gray, Billy 304

Frankenstein’s Bloody Ter-

Garrett, Andi 468

Godzilla Raids Again see

Gray, Carole 148
ror 21, 458

Gassman, Vittorio 460

Gigantis, the Fire Mon-

Gray, Charles 142–143

Frankham, David 478 –479

Gastaldi, Ernesto 211–212,
ster

Gray, Coleen 261–262

Franklin, Pamela 236, 303

267–268, 406, 416 –417,

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

Green, Joseph 81–83

Fraser, John 347

504

(1974) 253

Green, Nigel 454

Freaks 224, 358, 465

Gaye, Lisa 454

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

The Green Slime 196 –198

Frears, Stephen 455

Geer, Will 255

(1993) 253

Greene, David 360

Freda, Riccardo 14, 20, 25,

Gemma, Giuliano 20, 298

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero

Grefe, William 135 –136,

91–92, 144 –145, 188, 211–

The Genie of Darkness 73,
see Monster Zero

373 –375

212, 296, 461

117, 186, 290

Godzilla vs. Mothra see

Grenfell, Joyce 317

Frees, Paul 90, 311–312,

Gentilomo, Giacomo 20

Godzilla vs. The Thing

Greville, Edmond T. 202

396, 503

George, Christopher 491

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster

Griffith, Charles 114, 263 –

Frenzy 54

George, Peter 449

139, 461–462, 500

265, 357–358

Friday the 13th 24, 65

German Expressionism 1, 3

Godzilla vs. the Smog Mon-

Grimaldi, Hugo 297

Fried, Gerald 418

The Ghastly Ones 27, 186 –
ster 140

El Grito de la Muerte (The

Friedman, David 69, 103 –

187

Godzilla vs. the Thing 3,

Living Coffin) 265 –266

104, 359, 399 –400

Ghidrah, the Three- Headed

20, 189 –191

Gritos en la Noche ( The

Frozen Alive 458

Monster 20 –21

Godzilla’s Revenge 140,

Awful Dr. Orlof) 21, 45 –

The Frozen Dead 184 –185

The Ghost 14, 188, 212,

461–462

46, 110, 158, 314, 438,

La Frusta e il Corpo (What)

252, 461

Gojira, Ebira, Mosura:

454, 494

15, 65, 251–252, 415 –417

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Nankai no Daiketto

Grofe, Ferde, Jr. 457

Fuchsberger, Joachim 454

459

(Godzilla vs. the Sea

Gross, Jerry 467

Fuego (Pyro) 491–492

The Ghost in the Invisible

Monster) 139, 461–462,

The Gruesome Twosome 19,

Fuentes, Amelia 438

Bikini 219, 414, 459 –

500

104, 198 –199, 364

Fukuda, Jun 139, 461, 497,

460

Goke, Body Snatcher from

Guest, Val 177, 447

500

Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow

Hell see Body Snatcher

Guffrey, Burnett 289

Fukusatu, Kinji 197

146, 454
from Hell

Guidry, Bob 282

Fulci, Lucio 36

Ghosts in Rome 460

Golan, Gila 401–402

Gully, Samuel 71–72

Fulton, John P. 435

Ghosts–Italian Style 460

Goldsmith, Jerry 33, 355,

Gur, Aliza 48

Funicello, Annette 449

The Ghosts of Hanley House

490

Gutowski, Gene 25, 346

Furankenshutain no kaiju:

188 –189

Goliath Against the Giants

Gwynn, Michael 411

Sanda tai Gaira (War of

The Ghoul (1933) 486

462

Gwynne, Fred 295 –296
the Gargantuas) 514

Giallo (sub- genre) 24, 35,

Goliath and the Dragon

Furankenshutain tai Chitei

65 –66, 296, 338, 452

191–192

El Hacha Diabólica (The

Kaij Baragon ( Franken-

The Giant Behemoth 195,

Goliath and the Vampires

Diabolical Axe) 17, 448 –
stein Conquers the

289, 328

20, 192–194

449, 516

World) 140, 180 –181,

The Giant Claw 345

Goliath Contro i Giganti

Hagen, Jean 489

482, 514

Giant of Marathon 60,

(Goliath Against the Gi-

Haggard, Merle 464

Furie, Sidney 140 –141, 156,

460 –461
ants) 462

Hagman, Larry 455

364

The Giant Spider Invasion

Gone with the Wind 228

Haig, Sid 367–370

Furneaux, Yvonne 347

289

Goodman, David 502

Haliday, Bryant 127–128,

Furuhata, Koji 181

Giants of Thessaly 461

Gorath 43, 194, 227

141, 335 –336

Gibson, Aston 162

Gordon, Barry 371

Hall, Arch, Jr. 167, 493 –

Gabor, Zsa Zsa 324

Gidding, Nelson 205

Gordon, Bert I. 315, 323 –

494

Gaffney, Robert 183

Il Gigante di Metropolis

324, 391–392, 477, 511

Hall, Arch, Sr. 27, 167, 494

Galletti, Giovanna 252

(The Giant of Metropo-

Gordon, Richard 101, 109 –

Hall, Conrad 235

Gamera, Guardian of the
lis) 460 –461

110, 126 –128, 140 –141,

Hall, Jon 46 –47, 305

Universe 186, 434

Giganti della Tessaglia (The

240 –241, 300, 336

Hall, Libby 301

Gamera tai Daiakuju Giron

Giants of Thessaly) 60,

Gordon, Ruth 349 –351,

Haller, Daniel 10, 154, 165,

(Attack of the Monsters)

461

417–418

203, 225, 285, 325, 334,

434

Gigantis, the Fire Monster

Gordon, Susan 324

343, 379, 391, 414

Gamera tai Uchukaiju

140, 253, 292, 409

The Gore Gore Girls 19, 198

Haller, Ernest 420

Bairasu (Destroy All

Gilliam, Terry 454, 481

Gorgo 194 –195, 300, 480

Halloween (1978) 36

Planets) 433, 448 Gamera

Gilling, John 68 –69, 196,

The Gorgon 13, 124, 195 –

Halsey, Brett 397
vs. Barugon see War of

279, 294, 327–329, 344,

196, 357, 502

Hamilton, Margaret 389
the Monsters

356 –357

Gorilla at Large 257

Hamilton, Neil 146

Gamera vs. Gaos see Re-

Giovannini, Giorgio 330

The Gorilla of Soho 25

Hammer Films 4, 8, 10, 16,
turn of the Giant Mon-

The Girl Who Knew Too

Gough, Michael 26, 50,

19, 25 –26, 36, 60, 86 –
sters

Much see The Evil Eye

61–62, 160 –161, 257,

88, 96, 124 –125, 128 –

Gamera vs. Guiron see At-

Glasser, Bernard 132–133

322–323, 388, 444 –445,

129, 141, 149 –150, 152–
tack of the Monsters

Glover, Julian 72

486

153, 161–164, 166 –168,

Index

527

175, 176 –178, 181–182,

Hendry, Ian 103, 347, 473

Homolka, Oskar 289

House on Haunted Hill

196, 215, 218, 221–222,

Henry’s Night In 462

Honda, Ishiro 43 –44,

(1959) 11, 30, 209, 226,

229 –230, 240, 255 –256,

Herbert, Charles 389

139 –140, 252, 292–293,

289, 312, 349, 388 –389,

260, 268 –269, 280 –281,

Hercules 20, 191, 247, 500

434, 435, 461–462, 475,

396, 518

289, 294 –295, 302–303,

Hercules Against the Moon

482, 497

The House That Dripped

312–313, 316 –318, 318 –

Men 207–208

The Honeymoon Killers 464

Blood 26, 159, 360, 366,

320, 322–323, 325, 326 –

Hercules and the Captive

Honeymoon of Terror 465

388

329, 338, 341–342, 343 –

Women 462–463

Hooper, Ewan 162

The House That Screamed

345, 353 –356, 363, 383,

Hercules and the Princess of

Hooper, Toby 35, 369

466 –467, 475

391, 402, 457–458, 476,

Troy 463

Hopper, Dennis 9, 14, 24,

Houston, Donald 502

482, 482, 485, 490 –491,

Hercules in the Haunted

310 –311, 339 –341

Howard, Eldon 383

498 –499, 505 –506, 511,

World 15, 20, 97, 192–

The Horny Vampire 233

Howard, Ron 511

518

193, 209, 463, 479

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock

Howard, Ronald 125

Hampton, Orville H. 247

Hercules, Prisoner of Evil

14, 46, 188, 211–212, 461

Howard, Vanessa 483

Hand of Death 199 –200

463

La Horripilante Bestia Hu-

Howe, James Wong 355 –

Hands of a Stranger 200

Hercules the Avenger 463
mana (Night of the

356

Hands of Orlac (1924) 200,

Hercules vs. Hydra 463 –464

Bloody Apes) 157, 485 –

Hoyt, John 427

422

Here Come the Munsters

486

Hudd, Roy 407

Hands of Orlac (1960) 12,

296

Horror Castle 212–213

Hudson, Rock 355 –356

201–202

Herrera, Victor 56, 408

Horror Chamber of Dr.

Hull, Henry 415, 478 –479

Haney, Dorothy 504 –505

Herrmann, Bernard 54,

Faustus 10, 21, 42, 45,

The Human Condition 259

Hannah and Her Sisters

249, 337

110, 213 –215, 314, 355,

The Human Duplicators

387

Hessler, Gordon 32, 316,

422, 438, 454

467

Happy Birthday to Me 171

392, 497, 516

“Horror Hag” sub- genre

The Human Monster 448

Harakiri 259

Heston, Charlton 33, 261,

16, 152–153, 287, 302–

The Human Vapor 226 –227

Hardman, Karl 29, 307–

490

303, 375 –376, 417–420

The Hunchback of Soho 25,

310

Hewitt, David L. 159,

Horror Hotel 12, 26, 215 –

444

Hargitay, Mickey 76 –77,

296 –287, 368, 473, 516

218, 502, 516

Hunt, Martita 88

464

Heyward, Deke 331

Horror House 465

Hunter, Evan 53

Harrington, Curtis 310 –

The Hideous Sun Demon

Horror of Dracula 8, 11, 12,

Hunter, Ian 156

311, 339 –341, 458 –459,

138, 145, 199

13, 16, 86, 162, 163, 404,

Hunter, Tab 414

513

Hill, Jack 32, 67, 367–370,

406, 432, 476

Huntington, Lawrence

Harris, Brad 462, 473

385, 471

Horror of Frankenstein 168,

315 –316, 412

Harris, Jack H. 155, 286,

Hill, James 502

457

Hurley, Jim 365

451, 475

Hillbillys in a Haunted

The Horror of It All 423, 465

Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte

Harris, Julie 15 –16, 205 –

House 464

The Horror of Party Beach

16, 152, 227–229, 375, 417

206, 313

Hilliard, Richard 512

46, 123, 218 –219, 467, 512

Husky, Ferlin 464

Harrison, Linda 490

Hilligoss, Candace 94 –95,

Horror of the Blood Mon-

Huston, Tony 445

Harrison, Richard 20, 479

124
sters 27

Hutton, Robert 363, 412

Harryhausen, Ray 155,

Hills, Beverly see Powers,

Horror Rises from the Tomb

Huxtable, Judy 497

244 –245, 247–248, 298 –

Beverly

22

Hyer, Martha 491–492

299, 318 –319, 401–402,

The Hills Have Eyes 36

Horrors of Malformed Men

Hyland, Diana 463

451, 456 –457, 476, 490

Hinds, Anthony 86, 129,

465 –466

The Hypnotic Eye 229 –230

Hart, Susan 360, 414, 459 –

162, 163, 181, 196, 255 –

Horrors of Spider Island

Hysteria 152, 230 –231,

460

256, 323, 341, 354, 485

219 –220, 279

303, 313, 320, 354

Hartford- Davis, Robert

Hinzman, Bill 309

Horrors of the Black Mu-

111–112

Histoires Extraordinaire
seum 61

I Eat Your Skin 219, 467–

Harvey, Herk 94 –95, 147

(Spirits of the Dead) 251,

Horton, Robert 197

468, 512

Harvey, Joan 200

371–373

Houck, Joy, Jr. 306

I Married a Monster from

Haskin, Byron 441, 493

The Hitch- Hiker 493

The Hound of the

Outer Space 262, 487

Hassell, Imogen 483

Hitchcock, Alfred 3, 5, 9 –

Baskervilles (1959) 13,

I, Monster 26, 222

The Haunted Palace 32,

10, 11, 24, 36, 52–54, 65,

328

I Saw What You Did (1965)

202–204, 226

130, 209, 211–212, 215,

The Hour of the Wolf 466

420, 468

The Haunted Strangler 110

231, 310 –311, 322, 336 –

House of Dracula 20, 51

I Saw What You Did (1988)

The Haunting 2, 4, 15 –16,

338, 366, 371, 377, 416,

House of Dreams 220 –221

468

48, 90, 189, 204 –206,

452, 458

House of Evil 17

I Vampiri see The Devil’s

237, 313, 494

Hite, Henry 289 –290

House of Exorcism 24

Commandment

Haworth, Jill 244 –245, 465

Hiyashi, Hikaru 488

House of Frankenstein 20

I Walked with a Zombie 425

Hayden, Sterling 449

The H- Man 225

House of Fright 4, 12, 13,

I Was a Teenage Werewolf 8

Hayers, Sidney 89

Ho, Linda 464

221–222

Ibanez, Juan 471

Haze, Jonathan 263 –265,

Hobart, Doug 136, 353, 374

House of Mystery 466

Ibanez- Menta, Narcisco

427, 470

Hoch, Winton 493

House of the Black Death

286

The Head 206 –207

Hoey, Michael 304

222–223

Ifukube, Akira 43, 275,

Healey, Myron 410

Hogue, Jeffrey C. 263

House of the Damned 223 –

409, 461, 517

Heatherton, Joey 483

Hole, William, Jr. 146, 454

224

Ikarie XB-1 (Voyage to the

Hedison, David 270

Holt, Seth 303, 354 –355

The House of the Devil 37

End of the Universe)

Hedley, Jack 423

Holt, Tim 517

House of Usher (1960) 10,

512–513

Hedren, Tippi 52–53

El Hombre y la Monstruo

154, 224 –226, 284, 325,

La Ilamada (The Sweet

The Hellfire Club 411

(The Man and the Mon-

333, 378, 396

Sound of Death) 503

Hellmann, Monte 385, 475
ster) 277–278, 403

House of Wax 314

Illusion of Blood 231–232

Helm, Anne 315

Homicidal 11, 209 –211,

House on Bare Mountain

The Illustrated Man 232–

Hemmings, David 171

338, 389

466

233

528

Index

Ilya Muromets (The Sword
land of the Dinosaurs)

Planet 473, 493

Kier, Andrew 163 –164,
and the Dragon) 503

471

Judd, Edward 240, 469

177–178

Im Schloss der Blutigen Be-

Island of Lost Souls 214

Jules and Jim 455

Kiganjo no Boken (Adven-
gierde (Castle of the

Island of Terror 241, 335,

Juran, Nathan 156, 246
ture in Takla Makan)

Creeping Flesh) 99

469

Jurassic Park 366

429

Imamura, Shoei 64

Island of the Burning

Kikuchi, Sunsuke 499

In Cold Blood 464

Damned 242–243

Kaidan hebi- onna (Snake

Kill, Baby ... Kill! 4, 15,

In the Year 2889 305, 468 –

Island of the Dinosaurs 471

Woman’s Curse) 472, 499

250 –252, 330, 367, 372

469, 478

Island of the Doomed 243 –

Kaiju Daisenso (Monster

Killer Klowns from Outer

The Incredible Hulk 451

244

Zero) 139, 461, 481–482,

Space 291

The Incredible Invasion

Isle of the Snake People 17,

514

The Killer Shrews 367

455 –456, 469, 471

369, 455 –456, 471

Kaiju eiga (sub- genre) 4,

Killers from Space 79

The Incredible Petrified

It 184, 244 –245

20 –21, 43, 139 –140, 180 –

King, Frank 195

World 27

It! The Terror from Beyond

181, 185 –186, 189 –190,

King, Martin Luther, Jr.

The Incredible Shrinking

Space 138, 331

194, 252–254, 275, 292–

18, 28, 80, 309, 381

Man 262, 427

It Came from Outer Space

293, 409 –410, 434, 446,

King, Maurice 195

The Incredible Two- Headed

387

448, 461–462, 477, 480 –

King Dinosaur 270

Transplant 471

It Conquered the World 518

482, 493, 500 –501, 515,

King Kong (1933) 3, 25,

The Incredibly Strange

Ito, Emi and Yumi 292

517–518

155, 167, 195, 252–253,

Creatures Who Stopped

Ito, Jerry 293

Kaiju Soshingeki (Destroy

269, 286, 401, 409

Living and Became

It’s Alive (1969) 446, 471

All Monsters) 43, 139 –

King Kong Escapes 140,

Mixed- Up Zombies?!!?

It’s Alive (1974) 471

140, 448, 462

252–253

27, 233 –234, 291, 390

Izumi, Taku 517

Kaijuto no Kessen: Gojira

King Kong no Gyakushu

The Incredibly Strange Film
no musuko (Son of

( King Kong Escapes) 140,

Show 352, 426

Jack the Giant Killer 245 –

Godzilla) 139, 461, 497,

252–253

Incubus 234 –235

246

500

King Kong vs. Godzilla 20,

The Indestructible Man

Jack the Ripper 246 –247

Kaiju Soshingeki (Destroy

190, 252–254

291

Jackson, Freda 88, 154,

All Monsters) 43, 139 –

King of Kong Island 387,

Ingrassia, Cicco (Franco &

356 –357

140, 448, 462

473

Cicco) 449

Jaeckel, Richard 197, 475

Kaijuto no Kessen: Gojira

Kingston, Kiwi 168

The Innocents 2, 4, 15 –16,

Jaffe, Sam 165
no musuko (Son of

Kinski, Klaus 150, 444,

171, 204, 235 –237, 411

James, Sidney 96, 486

Godzilla) 139, 461, 497,

491, 511

Invaders from Space 434,

Jason and the Argonauts

500

Kirchin, Basil 360

469

248 –249, 461

Kairyu Daikessen (The

Kirk, Tommy 460, 471,

Invasion 469

Jaws 19, 35, 178, 269

Magic Serpent) 477

478, 511

La Invasión de los Vampiros

Jayne, Jennifer 388

Kaitei Daisenso (Terror Be-

Kiss and Kill 454, 473 –474

(The Invasion of the

Jeffries, Lionel 457
neath the Sea) 80, 504

Kiss Me Deadly 430

Vampires) 78, 238 –239,

Jens, Salome 355

Kakamura, Kazuo 259

Kiss Me Quick 465, 474

278

Jesse James Meets Franken-

Kandel, Aben 257

The Kiss of the Vampire 87,

Invasion of Astro- Monster
stein’s Daughter 27, 50,

Karloff, Boris 3, 17, 30 –31,

175, 255 –256, 344, 454
see Monster Zero

249 –250

57–59, 63, 105 –106, 109 –

Klimovsky, Leon 21

Invasion of the Animal Peo-

Jessel, Patricia 218

110, 135, 153 –154, 199,

Kline, Benjamin H. 295
ple 237–238

Jessup, Bob 305

219, 273 –274, 331, 342–

Kneale, Nigel 149 –150,

Invasion of the Body

Jezebel 227

343, 365 –366, 380 –381,

177, 456 –457

Snatchers 79, 387

Jigoku 471

385 –386, 395, 414, 432,

Knife in the Water 25, 346

Invasion of the Body Steal-

Johnny Sokko and His Fly-

441–442, 444 –446, 459 –

Knight, Sandra 385 –386
ers 469
ing Robot 512

460, 469, 471, 516

Knotts, Don 252, 459

Invasion of the Neptune

Johns, Glynis 90

Kastle, Leonard 464

Kobayashi, Masaki 232,

Men 470

Johnson, Ken 451

Katzin, Lee H. 417–418

257–259

Invasion of the Saucer Men

Johnson, Lyndon B. 18, 22

Keil, Richard 167

Koed, Kaj 345

452–453

Johnson, Richard 205, 516

Keitel, Harvey 455

Komeda, Christopher 350

Invasion of the Star Crea-

Johnson, Tor 48 –49

Kellaway, Cecil 518

Konec Sprna v Hotelu Ozon
tures 470

Johnson, Van 349

Kelljan, Rivert 329

(Late August at the Hotel

Invasion of the Vampires

Johnston, Margaret 339

Kelly, Gene 498

Ozone) 475

78, 238 –239, 278

Jones, Dean 63, 398 –399

Kelly, Patsy 349

Konga 50, 61, 256 –257

Invasion of the Zombies 17,

Jones, Duane 29, 307–310

Kennedy, Arthur 455

Konopa, Magda 497

239 –240, 351–352

Jones, Evan 506

Kennedy, George 376

Kosana, George 309

La Invasión Siniestra (The

Jones- Moreland, Betsy

Kennedy, John F. 9, 13, 18,

Kosleck, Martin 179

Incredible Invasion)

474 –475

285

Kovacs, Leslie 478

455 –456, 469, 471

Joseph, Jackie 263 –265

Kennedy, Robert F. 28, 30,

Kreitsek, Howard 232–233

Invasion U.S.A. 506

Josephson, Erland 466

80, 309, 381

Krimi (sub- genre) 24 –25,

Invisible Invaders 412

Journey Beneath the Desert

Kent, Gary 448

65, 101, 124, 444, 448,

The Invisible Man (1933)

472

Kenton, Erle C. 50

470, 481, 491, 502

430, 497

Journey to the Beginning of

Kerr, Deborah 15 –16, 170 –

Kruschen, Jack 39 –40

The Invisible Ray 199, 366,

Time 453, 472

171, 235 –237

Kubo, Akira 482

469

Journey to the Center of the

Kerr, John 325 –326

Kubrick, Stanley 6, 22, 33,

The Invisible Terror 470

World (1959) 269

Kerwin, William 69 –70,

252, 449 –450, 455, 473,

Ireland, John 447, 468

Journey to the Center of

332, 399

509

Ishii, Teruo 465

Time 287, 473

Keys, Anthony Nelson 327

Kuroneko 488

La Isla de la Muerte (Island

Journey to the Far Side of

Kidman, Nicole 237

Kurosawa, Akira 6, 43, 231
of the Doomed) 243 –244
the Sun 473

Kiefer, Warren 100

Kurtzman, Harvey 273

Isla de los Dinosaurios (Is-

Journey to the Seventh

Kiel, Richard 166, 466, 489

Kwaidan 231, 257–259

Index

529

Kyuketsuki Gokemidoro

Legend of Horror 475

The Lost Weekend 335

The Magic Sword 315, 395,

( Bodysnatcher from Hell)

The Legend of the Seven

The Lost World (1925) 155

477

79 –80, 504

Golden Vampires see

The Lost World (1960)

The Magic Voyage of Sinbad

The Seven Brothers Meet

269 –270

477–478, 503

LaBeef, Sleepy 169 –170

Dracula

The Lost World of Sinbad

Magnaghi, Natale 416

Lacey, Catherine 295,

Legend of Witch Hollow 302

429, 476

Mahon, Barry 133, 436,

365 –366

Leigh, Janet 9, 336 –338

Lourie, Eugene 195

498

The Lady and the Monster

Leigh, Suzanna 134, 268 –

Lovecraft, H.P. 153 –154,

Maitei Jyaku (Mighty Jack)

440

269

165, 202–203, 218, 226,

480

Lady Frankenstein 227, 314

Leigh, Vivien 228

360

Maitland, Marne 345

The Lady Vanishes (1979)

Leith, Doug 465

Las Luchadoras Contra la

Majano, Anton Giulio 42

36

Leith, Virginia 82

Momia (The Wrestling

Majin 275, 493

The Ladykillers 354

Lembeck, Harvey 449

Women vs. the Aztec

Majin Strikes Again 275,

Laemmle, Carl 419

Lemont, John 257

Mummy) 348, 352,

478

La Lama nel Corpo ( Mur-

Lennon, John 350

425 –426

Majors, Lee 375
der Clinic) 296

Lenzi, Umberto 25

Las Luchadoras vs. el

Mako: The Jaws of Death

Lamas, Fernando 270

Leroux, Gaston 322–323

Médico Asesino (Doctor

374

Lamb, John 479

Let Sleeping Corpses Lie
of Doom) 157, 425

La Maldición de la Llorona

Lanchester, Elsa 63, 105 –

22

Lucisano, Fulvio 331

(The Curse of the Crying

106

Levin, Ira 349 –351

Lugosi, Bela 3, 13, 199,

Woman) 16, 119 –120,

Land of the Dead 29, 310

Levine, Joseph E. 191, 246,

395, 404, 448, 476, 496

278, 403

The Land That Time Forgot

273, 495

Lukather, Paul 200

La Maldición de la Momia

36, 388

Lewis, Al 145, 295 –296

Lumet, Sidney 22, 449, 455

Azteca (Curse of the

Landers, Lew 385

Lewis, Herschell Gordon

Lundin, Vic 493

Aztec Mummy) 45, 117–

Landis, James 494

4, 19, 67, 69 –70, 103 –

I Lunghi Capelli della

118, 348

Lane, Sarah 468

104, 167, 169, 198 –199,

Morte (The Long Hair of

La Maldición de Nos-

Lang, Fritz 3, 260

289, 291, 308, 332, 359,

Death) 267–268
tradamus (The Curse of

Lansing, Joi 464

364 –365, 381–383, 399 –

Lupino, Ida 493

Nostradamus) 73, 116 –

LaSalle, Richard 480

400, 472

Lust for a Vampire 36

117, 186, 290

Lasky, Gil 368

Lewis, Jack 430

Lycanthropus (Werewolf in

Malenka, la Sobrina del

Lass, Barbara 414

Lewis, Reg 456
a Girls’ Dormitory) 110,

Vampiro (Fangs of the

Last House on the Left

Lewis, Ronald 289, 354 –

414 –415

Living Dead) 174 –175,

(1972) 29, 35, 375

355

Lynley, Carol 360

314

The Last Man on Earth

Lewton, Val 205, 236, 387

Malle, Louis 372

259 –261, 498

Lieber, Fritz 89

M (1951) 506

The Maltese Bippy 276 –277

The Last War 474

Linden, Jennie 312

Macabre 289, 388

The Man and the Monster

The Last Woman on Earth

Ling, Eugene 199

Macabre Serenade 455 –

277–278, 403

114, 474 –475

Linkletter, Art 277

456, 471, 476

The Man from Planet X

Late August at the Hotel

Lippert, Robert 122, 131,

Macedo, Rita 119 –120

291, 430

Ozone 475

260, 423

MacGinnis, Niall 249

The Man Who Lived Again

Latimer, Michael 490

Lisa and the Devil 24, 416

Maciste all’Inferno (The

366

Lattitude Zero 227, 475

Little Red Riding Hood 508

Witch’s Curse) 20, 420 –

The Manchurian Candidate

Laugh- In 276 –277

The Little Shop of Horrors

421, 461

355

Laura 184

(1960) 10, 84, 113, 263 –

Maciste Contro i Mostri

Manfish 79

Lauren, Rod 385

265, 379, 427

(Fire Monsters Against

Mania 3, 12, 247, 278 –280,

Laurie, John 345

Little Shop of Horrors
the Son of Hercules) 456,

294, 327, 357

The Lavender Hill Mob 354

(1986) 265

500

Maniac 152, 280 –281, 312,

Lavi, Daliah 65, 415 –417

Little Shop of Horrors

Maciste Contro il Vampiro

327, 354

Lavis, Arthur 423

(play) 265

(Goliath and the Vam-

Mankowitz, Wolf 221

Lawrence, Marc 473

The Living Coffin 265 –266
pires) 20, 192–194

Manning, Marilyn 167, 494

Lawrence of Arabia 285, 300

The Living Corpse 476

Maciste e la Regina de

La Mano de un Hombre

Lawson, Linda 311

The Living Head 16, 266 –

Samar (Hercules Against

Muerto (The Sadistic

LeBorg, Reginald 152

267, 403, 421
the Moon Men) 207–208

Baron Von Klaus) 21,

Leder, Herbert J. 184, 244

Lizard in a Woman’s Skin

Maciste, l’Uomo Più Forte

494

Lederer, Francis 382

36
del Mondo (Mole Men

Manos, Hand of Fate 187,

Lee, Christopher 3, 12–13,

LoBianco, Tony 464

Against the Son of Her-

220, 281–282, 290

15, 20, 26, 69 –72, 86,

Lockwood, Gary 477
cules) 480

Mansfield, Jane 464

100, 109 –110, 135, 141–

The Lodger (1944) 246

Maciste nella Terra dei Ci-

Manson, Charles 28, 30,

143, 150, 160 –164, 196,

Loftis, Dennis 218
clopi (Atlas Against the

176, 465

201–202, 209, 213, 216 –

Lom, Herbert 150, 299,

Cyclops) 433

The Manster 180, 282

218, 221–222, 241–242,

322–323, 473

Macumba Love 270 –271

Mantee, Paul 493

256, 316, 341–342, 353 –

The Long Hair of Death

Mad Doctor of Blood Island

Mantis in Lace 478

354, 361, 382, 395, 404,

267–268

70, 71, 271–273, 438

La Marca del Hombre Lobo

415 –417, 432, 440, 441,

Lopez, Alberto 516

Mad Love 200, 422

(Frankenstein’s Bloody

444 –445, 454, 476, 491,

Loren, Sofia 460

Mad Max 36

Terror) 21, 458

496, 497, 499, 504, 505,

Lorre, Peter 105 –106, 200,

Mad Monster Party? 252,

La Marca del Muerto

505, 509 –511

286, 342–343, 379 –380,

273 –274

(Creature of the Walking

Lee, Margaret 511

412, 414, 512

Madame Sin 420

Dead) 114 –115

The Leech Woman 261–

Lorys, Diana 174

Madmen of Mandoras

Margheriti, Antonio 14,

262, 497

Losey, Joseph 505

274 –275, 508

267–268, 296, 431, 436,

The Legend of Blood Moun-

The Lost Continent 268 –

Magee, Patrick 137, 285

463, 499, 514 –515
tain 262–263

269, 280, 303

The Magic Serpent 477

Marguiles, William 459

530

Index

Marins, Jose Mojica 432,

Medin, Harriet 416

Robot vs. the Aztec

Il Mulino delle Donne di

501, 506

Medusa Against the Son of

Mummy) 45, 118, 348,

Pietra (Mill of the Stone

Marinuzzi, Gino 331

Hercules 20, 479

407, 425, 508

Women) 287–288

Mark, Bob 199

Melchior, Ib 40 –41, 330 –

Monka, Paul 368

Muller, Paul 314

Mark of the Devil 421

331, 345 –346, 473, 493,

Monlaur, Yvonne 86 –88,

The Mummy (1933) 4, 8

Marker, Russ 306, 517

508

505

The Mummy (1959) 11,

Marks, Alfred 497

Méliès, Georges 37, 51,

The Monolith Monsters

124, 168, 502

Marks, Leo 321, 508 –509

446, 454, 496

262, 444

The Mummy and the Curse

Marlow, Dwan 465

Melly, Andree 88

Monster A Go- Go 289 –290
of the Jackals 450, 482

Marly, Florence 340

Mendez, Fernando 56,

The Monster Club 26, 36

The Mummy’s Hand 168

Marquette, Jacques 377

265, 404, 408

Monster from a Prehistoric

The Mummy’s Shroud

Mars Needs Women 301,

Menken, Alan 265

Planet 480 –481

294 –295, 328, 344

305, 445, 478

Meredith, Burgess 395

The Monster of Camp Sun-

Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny &

Martell, Chris 198

Mermaids of Tiburon 479 –
shine 481

Girly 482–483

Martin 30

480

The Monster of London City

El Mundo de los Vampiros

Martin, Dick 276 –277

Merrill, Gary 299

481

(The World of the Vam-

Martin, Skip 285

Merrow, Jane 243

The Monster of Piedras
pires) 16, 73, 403, 424 –

Masamura, Yasuzo 64

Metempsycho (Tomb of

Blancas 444

425

Mascelli, Joseph 291

Torture) 101, 392–392

The Monster That Chal-

Muñecos Infernales (The

La Maschera del Demonio

Mifune, Toshiro 43, 429,
lenged the World 463,

Curse of the Doll People)

(Black Sunday) 2, 4, 14,

476

517

120 –121, 404

20, 59 –61, 65, 92, 145,

The Mighty Gorga 159,

Monster Zero 139, 461,

Munster Go Home! 295 –

203, 211, 215, 251, 313,

286 –287, 488

481–482, 514

296

330, 382

Mighty Jack 480

The Monsters Demolishers

The Munsters 295

The Mask (1961) 283 –284

Mikels, Ted V. 27, 41

117, 186, 290 –291

The Munters’ Revenge 295

The Mask (1994) 284

Miles, Vera 371

Monstrosity 290 –291, 369

The Munsters’ Scary Little

Maslansky, Paul 358

Mill of the Stone Women

Los Monstruos del Terror

Christmas 296

Mason, Connie 69 –70, 399

287–288

( El Hombre Que Vino de

The Munsters Today 296

Masque of the Red Death 2,

Milland, Ray 333 –334,

Ummo) ( Assignment

Murder a la Mod 483

4, 10, 156, 204, 284 –285,

426 –428, 489

Terror) 431–432

Murder by Decree 503

335, 391, 396

Miller, Dick 263 –265,

Montejo, Carmen 404

Murder Clinic 296

Massey, Anna 321–322

385 –386, 427

Montgomery, Robert 485

Murders in the Rue Morgue

Massie, Paul 221–222

Milligan, Andy 26, 167,

Moon Zero Two 482

(1971) 316, 392

Massiocchi, Raffaele 211

186 –187, 301–302, 439

Moonshine Mountain 104,

Muren, Dennis 451

Master of Horror 285 –286,

Mills, Hayley 508 –509

289

Murnau, F. W. 3

475

Milner, Martin 389

Moore, Keiron 133, 156,

Murray, K. Gordon 16, 45,

Master of the World 478 –

Milos, Milos 235

443

56, 73 –74, 83 –84, 88,

479

Mimieux, Yvette 507

Moorehead, Agnes 16,

117–118, 120, 265, 267,

Mastrocinque, Carmillo

The Mini- Munsters 295

227–229, 418

348, 351–353, 378, 382,

504

Minotaur: The Wild Beast

Morayta, Michael 78

403 –405, 407–409, 421,

Mastroianni, Marcello 503
of Crete 480

Moride, Roger 332

489, 494, 508

Matango (Attack of the

Miranda, John 439

Morita, Fujio 275

Mutiny in Outer Space

Mushroom People) 79,

Miss Muerte (The Diaboli-

Morley, Rita 179

296 –297

434
cal Dr. Z) 21, 150 –151,

Morley, Robert 317

My Blood Runs Cold 483

Matango see Attack of the

494

Moross, Jerome 402

My Son, the Hero 20, 125,

Mushroom People

Mission Mars 480

Morrell, Andre 177, 294 –

297–298

Matheson, Richard 10, 89,

Mr. Sardonicus 11, 210,

295, 327–329, 356 –357

Myers, Mike 449

104 –105, 142–143, 152–

288 –289, 317, 389

Morris, Barboura 165, 427

The Mysterians 44, 194

153, 225, 259 –261, 325 –

Misterios de Ultratumba

Morris, Ernest 384

Mysterious Island 298 –

326, 334, 342–343, 354,

(The Black Pit of Dr. M)

Morris, Kirk 20, 298, 411,

299, 328

379, 478

16, 56 –57

442, 508

The Mystery of the Wax

Mathews, Kerwin 245,

Mitchell, Cameron 65 –66,

Morris, Robert 182

Museum 57, 99, 287,

280 –281, 285

243 –244, 314 –315

Morrisey, Paul 333

314, 351

Mathias, Bob 480

Mitchell, Gordon 298,

The Most Dangerous Man

Mystery Science Theater

Matsukata, Hiroki 477

433, 460, 513

Alive 291–292

3000 480, 482, 491

Mattey, Robert 269

Mitchell, Mary 489

Il Mostro di Venezia (The

Matthau, Walter 455

Miyajima, Yoshio 259

Embalmer) 400, 450 –451

Die Nackte und der Satan

Matthews, Christopher 497

Mizoguchi, Kenji 258

Mosura (Mothra) 190, 253,

(The Head) 206 –207

Matthews, Francis 164

Mizuno, Kumi 181, 482,

292–293, 410

Nakadai, Tatsuya 171–172,

Mayer, Gabrielle 330

514

Mosura tai Gojira (Godzilla

232, 259

McCallum, Neil 160

Moctezuma, Carolos Lopez
vs. the Thing) 3, 20,

Nakagawa, Nabuo 472, 499

McCartney, Paul 285

404

189 –191

Nakajima, Haruo 254

McDonough, Himmy 302

Moju (Blood Beast) 63 –64

Mothra 190, 253, 292–293,

Nakamura, Satosi 282

McDowell, Malcolm 507

Mole Men Against the Son

410

Nakano, Teruyoshi 254

McDowell, Roddy 244 –245
of Hercules 480

Motion Pictures Producers

Naked Evil 299 –300

McGavin, Darren 480

Molina, Jacinto see
and Distributors of

The Naked Witch (1964)

McGivar, John 371

Naschy, Paul

America 6, 23, 28

301–302

McGivern, William 468

La Momia Azteca ( Attack of

Moxey, John 216 –218

The Naked Witch (1964,

McGowran, Jack 175 –176
the Mayan Mummy) 27,

La Muerte Viviente (Isle of
lost film) 27, 302

McQueen, Steve 155

44 –45, 118, 173, 348
the Snake People) 17,

The Nanny 13, 153, 302–

McRaney, Gerald 307

La Momia Azteca Contra el

369, 455 –456, 471

303, 354, 420

Mechte Navstrechu 340

Robot Humano (The

Muir, Gavin 311

Narizzano, Silvio 152–153

Index

531

Naschy, Paul 21, 290, 431–

Night Tide 14, 310 –311,

The Old Dark House (1963)

Peplum (sub- genre) 14, 15,

432, 458, 486

340, 458

281, 289, 316 –318, 518

19 –20, 191–192, 208 –

Nascimbene, Mario 319

A Night to Remember 178

Olea, Antonio Perez 330

209, 413 –414, 420 –421,

Nassour, Edward 401

The Night Walker 311–312

Olson, James 482

442–443, 456, 460 –464,

Nassour, William 401

The Nightcomers 236

The Omega Man 261

479 –480, 500, 508 –509,

The Navy vs. the Night

Nightmare 152, 229, 303,

The Omegans 487

513

Monsters 304 –305

312–313, 320, 327, 354

The Omen 30, 143, 350

Perkins, Anthony 336 –338

Nebo Zovyot (Battle Beyond

The Nightmare Before

On the Beach 474, 506

Perseo l’Invincibile (The
the Sun) 340, 435

Christmas 274

On the Comet 453

Medusa Against the Son

Necronomicón (Succubus)

Nightmare Castle 14, 313 –

100 Monsters 429, 487, 501
of Hercules) 20, 479

377–378

314, 333

One Million AC/DC 487–

Peterson, Paul 468

Nelson, Arthur J. 116

Nightmare in Wax 72,

488

Peyton Place (TV show)

Neorealism 6

314 –315

One Million B.C. 318, 402,

349

Nero, Franco 515

A Nightmare on Elm Street

471

Phantom from Space 79

Network 455

36

One Millions Years B.C.

The Phantom in the Red

Neutron (Mexican

Nights of the Werewolf 486

269, 303, 318 –319, 327,

House 489
wrestler) 17, 483 –485

Niven, David 170 –171

490

Phantom of Soho 25

Neutron and the Black

Nixon, Richard M. 9, 28,

Onibaba 488

The Phantom of the Opera

Mask 483 –484

34

Onyx, Narda 250

(1962) 322–323, 502

Neutron Contra el Criminal

No Place Like Homicide

Obras Maestras del Terror

The Phantom Planet 489

Sadico (Neutron vs. the

486 –487

(The Master of Horror)

Phillips, John 294

Maniac) 484 –485

No Survivors Please 487

285 –286, 475

Il Pianeta degli Uomini

Neutron Contra el Dr.

Las Noches del Hombre

Orgy of the Dead 488 –489

Spenti (Battle of the

Caronte (Neutron vs. the

Lobo (Nights of the Were-

Ormand, Ron 169 –170

Worlds) 435 –436

Amazing Dr. Caronte)

wolf ) 486

L’Orribile Segreto del Dottor

Il Pianeta Errante (War Be-

484

Noel, Hubert 148

Hichcock (The Horrible
tween the Planets) 499,

Neutron el Enmascarado

Noel, Sid 514

Dr. Hichcock) 14, 46,

514

Negro (Neutron and the

Noite Encarnarei no Teu

188, 211–212, 461

Pickens, Slim 449

Black Mask) 483 –484

Cadaver (This Night I’ll

Oscar (award) see Acad-

Picture Mommy Dead

Neutron contra los Asesinos

Possess Your Corpse)

emy Awards

323 –324
del Karate 484

432, 501, 506

The Other 36, 303

Pidgeon, Walter 512

Neutron vs. the Amazing

North by Northwest 54, 336

The Others 237

Pierce, Arthur 297, 304

Dr. Caronte 484

Nostradamus, el Genio de

Otomo, Ryutaro 477

Pierce, Jack 49, 168, 181,

Neutron vs. the Death Ro-
las Tinieblas (The Genie

Otowa, Nabuko 488

415, 474
bots 484
of Darkness) 73, 117, 186,

The Outer Limits 233, 463

Pierce, Maggie 379 –380

Neutron vs. the Maniac

290

Owens, Gary 301

Pietrangeli, Antonio 460

484 –485

Nostradamus y el Destruc-

Oz, Frank 265

Pigozzi, Luciano 414

Neville, John 502
tor de Monstruos (The

Pink, Sidney 40, 250 –251,

Nicholson, Jack 30, 264,

Monsters Demolishers)

Page, Geraldine 16, 417–418

345 –346, 473, 492, 503

342–343, 385 –386

117, 186, 290 –291

Paget, Debra 192, 202–

Pinocchio 490

Nicholson, James 202, 191,

Nouvelle Vague 5, 9, 23 –

204, 292, 379 –380

Pinocchio in Outer Space

325, 330 –331, 333 –334,

24, 25, 28, 506

Paiva, Nestor 274

490

345, 360, 392, 426

Novack, Nancy 152

Pal, George 194, 432–433,

Piranha 15

Nicolosi, Roerto 452

Novak, Harry 436, 478

498, 507

Pit and the Pendulum 15,

Nielsen, Leslie 130

Novak, Kim 171

Palance, Jack 395

137, 226, 267, 284, 313,

The Night Caller see Blood

Nowhere to Go 354

Pallos, Steve 300

324 –326, 333, 378, 396,

Beast from Outer Space

Nozaki, Al 493

Paluzzi, Luciana 197

416, 449

Night Creatures 294, 344,

Nurmi, Maila 8, 477

Panic in Year Zero! 105,

Pitt, Ingrid 366 –367, 487

485

Nykvist, Sven 466

489, 498, 506

Plague of the Zombies 13,

Night Fright 305 –306

Pan’s Labyrinth 22

48, 60, 164, 280, 294,

Night Gallery 420

Oakland, Simon 337

El Pantano de las Ánimas

326 –329, 357, 407, 412

Night Must Fall (1937) 485

Oas- Heim, Gordon 104,

(The Swamp of the Lost

Plan 9 from Outer Space

Night Must Fall (1964) 485

382

Monsters) 266, 378

48, 116, 167, 201

Night of Bloody Horror

The Oblong Box 32, 315 –

Paranoiac 152, 281, 312,

Planet of the Apes (1968) 4,

306 –307

316, 392

319 –320, 354

6, 33, 480, 490

Night of the Bloody Apes

Obras Maestras del Terror

Park, Reg 20, 209, 462–

Planet of the Vampires 15,

157, 485 –486

475

463

41, 329 –331, 431, 473

Night of the Demon see

O’Brien, Edmond 455

Parsons, Jack 122, 517

Planeta Bur 340, 513

Curse of the Demon

O’Brien, Willis 3, 155, 253,

Pastell, George 502

Platt, Edward 433

Night of the Eagle see

269 –270, 401

Pate, Michael 49

Platt, Polly 381

Burn, Witch, Burn

O’Dea, Judith 309

Patrick, Butch 295 –296

Playgirl Killer 331–332

Night of the Ghouls 489

O’Donnell, Peter 511

Paulino, Justo 272

The Playgirls and the Vam-

Night of the Howling Beast

Ogilvy, Ian 31, 106 –109,

The Pawnbroker 455
pire 119, 332–333, 405

458

357–358, 365 –366

Payne, Laurence 384

Please Don’t Touch Me 169

Night of the Lepus 19

O’Herlihy, Dan 90, 455

Peach, Mary 336

Pleasence, Donald 106, 171,

Night of the Living Dead

Ohmart, Carol 225, 369

Pearce, Jacqueline 328, 345

202, 279 –280, 455, 486

(1968) 1–2, 4, 5, 6, 19,

Okada, Keiko 259

Peel, David 12, 86 –88, 182,

Pleshette, Suzanne 54, 63

29, 54, 80, 178, 189, 307–

Okada, Masumi 475

256

Poe, Edgar Allan 10, 32,

311, 238 –329, 351, 367,

O’Kelly, Tim 30, 380 –381

Peeping Tom 2, 4, 320 –

55, 57, 97, 202, 224 –226,

489

Okuda, Hisashi 275

322, 366, 508 –509

284 –286, 315 –316, 324 –

Night of the Sorcerers 174

The Old Dark House (1933)

The People That Time For-

326, 334 –335, 342–343,

The Night Stalker 217

317
got 36

371–373, 378 –380, 383 –

532

Index

384, 385, 387, 391–392,

Five Million Years to

Repulsion 2, 10, 25, 30,

Rooney, Barbara 234

396 –397, 414, 416, 451–

Earth

338, 346 –347, 350

Rose, George 279 –280

452, 475

Quatermass 2 see Enemy

La Residencia (The House

La Rose Escorchée (The

Polanski, Roman 3, 6, 10,
from Space

That Screamed) 466 –

Blood Rose) 438 –439

11, 25, 28, 30, 90, 162,

The Quatermass Xperiment

467, 475

Rosemary’s Baby 2, 4, 6, 11,

175 –176, 233, 255, 345 –
see The Creeping Un-

Return from Witch Moun-

16, 30, 35, 90, 143, 347,

346, 349 –351, 414
known
tain 420

349 –351

Polloxfen, Jack 291

Queen of Blood 339 –341

The Return of Count Yorga

Rosenberg, Max 25 –26,

Polselli, Renato 406

Queen of Outer Space 473,

329

36, 159, 215

Ponti, Sal 433

490, 513

The Return of Dracula 382

Ross, Katharine 458 –459

Porter, Beth 302

Queen of the Vampires

Return of Giant Majin

Rossellini, Roberto 6

Porter, Edwin S. 454

492

492–493

Rossi- Stuart, Giocomo

Portillo, Rafael 44 –45, 471

Questi Fantasmi (Ghosts —

The Return of the Fly 396

252

Porvis, George 423

Italian Style) 460

Return of the Giant Majin

Rota, Nino 215, 372

Poston, Tom 317, 518

Quo Vadis 433

275

Rothman, Susan 67

Powell, Eddie 294

Return of the Giant Mon-

Route 66 389

Powell, Michael 26, 320 –

Rabid 36
sters 434, 493

Rowan, Dan 276 –277

322, 366, 509

Rabid Dogs 24

Revenge of Frankenstein 11,

Ruffo, Leona 209

Powers, Beverly 85

La Ragazza Che Sapeva

12, 85, 167–168, 181, 411

Rusoff, Lou 192

Powers, Stephanie 153

Troppo (The Evil Eye)

Rey, Fernando 454

Russell, Ray 288, 334

Prehistoric Women 269,

452

Reynolds, Debbie 16, 418

Russo, John 29, 308 –310

280, 303, 490 –491

Ragona, Ubaldo 260

Reynolds, John 281–282

Rustichelli, Carlo 251–252

The Premature Burial 326,

Rains, Claude 270, 436,

Richardson, John 319,

Ruvinskis, Wolf 483 –484

333 –335, 378

442

498 –499

Ryan, Robert 441

Prentiss, David 473

Rambaldi, Carlo 463, 479

Rilla, Wolf 411

Price, Dennis 465, 486, 511

Randall, Ron 291–292

Rinaldi, Antonio 330

The Sadist 167, 311, 390,

Price, Vincent 3, 10, 31–

Randall, Tony 498

Ringu 314

493 –494

32, 57, 104 –109, 151–

Randolph, John 355

Ripper, Michael 162, 294,

The Sadistic Baron von

152, 202–204, 219, 224 –

Rankin, Alan 459

343 –345, 482, 485

Klaus 21, 494

226, 259 –261, 284 –286,

Rankin- Bass Productions

Robinson, Bernard 87, 142,

Sadko (The Magic Voyage

313, 315 –316, 324 –326,

252, 273 –274

162, 223, 255, 318, 356,
of Sinbad) 477–478, 503

334, 342–343, 375, 378 –

Rascel, Renalto 509 –510

505

St. John, Jill 176

380, 391–392, 395 –398,

Rasputin, the Mad Monk

Robinson, Joseph F. 362

Saint Simon, Lucille 202

414, 449, 478 –479, 492,

255, 341–342, 454

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

Salazar, Abel 16, 83 –84,

497

Rat (Atomic War Bride)

41, 441, 473, 493

120 –121, 266 –267, 278,

Pride and Prejudice and

433 –434

Robles, Germán 16, 73,

403 –405, 407–409, 424 –

Zombies 308

Rat Pfink a Boo Boo 233,

83-84, 116 –117, 186, 266,

425

Priest, Pat 295

390

290, 348, 403 –405, 407–

Salazar, Alfred 424

Prince of Space 491

Rathbone, Basil 105 –106,

409

Salkow, Sidney 260

Production Code 7, 9, 18,

286, 339 –341, 379 –380,

Robot Monster 48, 92, 116,

Sampo (The Day the Earth

23, 28, 30, 133, 350

395 –396, 407, 460, 464,

167, 183, 201

Froze) 447–448

Project X 491

477, 502, 513

The Robot vs. the Aztec

Samson in the Wax Mu-

The Projected Man 335 –336

The Raven (1935) 385

Mummy 45, 118, 348,
seum 17, 240, 351–352

The Psychic 365

The Raven (1963) 32, 104,

407, 425, 508

Samson vs. The Vampire

Psycho (1960) 2, 4, 6, 9 –10,

342–343, 380, 385, 412

Robson, Flora 360

Women 17, 240, 352–

18, 24, 52, 65, 215 –216,

Read, Jan 456

Rocketship X- M 39, 473

353, 497

245, 311, 313, 322, 336 –

Re- Animator 81

The Rocky Horror Picture

Sanders, Byron 179

338, 351, 453, 493

Rear Window 54, 322, 337,

Show 36 –37

Sanders, George 78 –79,

Psycho (1998) 338

366

Rodan 292, 402, 409

222, 410 –411, 469

Psycho Circus 217, 491

Rebane, Bill 289

Rodann, Ziva 271

La Sangre de Nostradamus

Psycho imitators 10 –11, 16,

Rebecca 212, 422

Roeg, Nicholas 285

(The Blood of Nos-

24 –25, 90 –91, 136, 152,

The Red Shoes 321

Roffman, Julian 283
tradamus) 73 –74, 117

210 –211, 230 –231, 280 –

Redford, Robert 349

Rogers, Bill 382

Sangre de Virgenes (Blood

281, 302–303, 306, 312–

Reed, Oliver 128 –129, 222,

Rogers, Wayne 41
of the Virgins) 438

313, 319 –320, 327, 338,

319 –320, 360, 485, 506

Rohm, Maria 511

Sangster, Jimmy 152, 163 –

345 –346, 353 –355, 447

Reed, Robert 74 –75

Roland, Jeanne 125

164, 230 –231, 246 –247,

Psycho II 338

Rees, Yvette 423

Roldan, Julio 374

280 –281, 303, 312–313,

Psycho III 338

Reeves, Michael 3, 30 –32,

Rolfe, Guy 288 –289, 502

320, 353 –355, 457, 505

Psycho IV: The Beginning

100, 106 –109, 226, 316,

Rollin, Jean 492

Santa Claus 494 –495

338

357–358, 365 –366, 392

Roma Contra Roma (War of

Santa Claus Conquers the

Psychomania (1963) see

Reeves, Steve 20, 191, 193,
the Zombies) 413 –414

Martians 495

Violent Midnight

247, 298, 456, 479

Romain, Yvonne 141, 485

Santo (Mexican wrestler)

The Psychopath 338 –339

Regnoli, Piero 333

Roman, Leticia 452

17, 239 –240, 351–353,

Ptushko, Aleksandr 503

The Reincarnation of Peter

Romanoff, Andy 382

448, 516

Può una Morta Rivivere per

Proud 171

Romero, Caesar 398 –399,

Santo and Blue Demon vs.

Amore? (Venus in Furs)

Reisz, Karel 485

475
the Monsters 17, 495

511

Renaud, Janine 474

Romero, Eddie 271

Santo Contra la Invasión de

Pupillo, Massimo 14, 387

Rennie, Michael 270, 431–

Romero, George A. 1, 3, 11,
los Marcianos (Santo vs.

Pyro 491–492

432, 446

19, 29 –30, 36, 54, 80,
the Martian Invasion)

The Reptile 280, 294, 327,

307–310, 329, 434

17, 496 –497

Quatermass 178

342, 343 –345, 357, 363

Ronay, Edina 491

El Santo Contra las Mujeres

Quatermass and the Pit see

Reptilicus 345 –346, 493

Room to Let 357

Vampiros (Samson vs. the

Index

533

Vampire Women) 17,

Seconds 172, 355 –356

Silvestre, Armando 157

The Spirit Is Willing 370 –

240, 352–353, 497

Secret of the Telegian 226,

Simon, Michel 207

371

Santo Contra los Zombies

497–498

Sinatra, Frank 349

Spiritism 73, 373

(Invasion of the Zombies)

El Secreto del Dr. Orloff

Siodmak, Curt 146 –147,

Spirits of the Dead 251,

17, 239 –240, 351–352

(Dr. Orloff ’s Monster)

440

371–373

Santo en el Museo de Cera

157–158

The Skull 26, 360 –362,

Spook Warfare 429, 487,

(Samson in the Wax Mu-

Sedaka, Neil 332, 373

388

501
seum) 17, 240, 351–352

Seddok, l’Erede di Satana

Slaughter of the Vampires

Spoto, Donald 52, 338

Santo en el Tesoro de

( Atom Age Vampire) 42
see Curse of the Blood-

Stamp, Terence 372

Drácula (Santo in the

Seed of Man 498

Ghouls

Stanford, Donald 382

Treasure of Dracula) 17,

Sei Donne per l’Assassino

The Slime People 362–363,

Stanley 374

495 –496

( Six Women for the Mur-

412, 444

Stanwyck, Barbara 228,

Santo in the Treasure of
derer; Blood and Black

Slocombe, Douglas 354

311–312

Dracula 17, 495 –496

Lace) 2, 15, 24, 64 –66,

Small, Edward 245 –246

Stapleton, James 200

Santo vs. the Evil Brain 240

251, 338, 452

Smight, Jack 232–233

Star Pilot 387, 501

Santo vs. the Infernal Men

Sekai Daisenso (The Last

The Snake Woman 363 –

Star Wars 12, 13, 33, 35,

239

War) 474

364

477, 482, 501

Santo vs. the Martian Inva-

Sekely, Steve 133

Snake Woman’s Curse 472,

Steckler, Ray Dennis 27,
sion 17, 496 –497

Sellers, Peter 449

499

233 –234, 291, 389 –391

Santo y Blue Demon Contra

Il Seme dell’Uomo (The

Snegurochka ( The Snow

Steel, Alan 208
los Monstruous (Santo

Seed of Man) 498

Maiden) 499 –500

Steele, Barbara 14, 15 –16,
and the Blue Demon

Serling, Rod 32, 490

Snezhnaya Koroleva (The

32, 59 –61, 65, 97–98,

Against the Monsters) 17,

Serrador, Narcisco Ibanez

Snow Queen) 500

188, 211–212, 267–268,

495

475

The Snow Creature 79

313 –314, 325 –326, 357–

Santos, Gaston 265 –266,

The Seven Brothers Meet

Snow Devils 499

358, 386 –387, 416, 421,

378

Dracula 36, 162

The Snow Maiden 499 –500

430 –431, 444 –445

Santovena, Hortensia 265

Seven Days in May 355

The Snow Queen 500

Stefano, Joseph 10, 336 –

Satanic 497

Seven Deaths in a Cat’s Eye

Snyder, Zack 310

338, 453

Satanic Rites of Dracula

407

Sohl, Jerry 153 –154

Steiger, Rod 232–233
see Count Dracula and

7 Faces of Dr. Lao 498

Solano, Rosalio 404

Stein, Ronald 203

His Vampire Brides

The Seventh Seal 284

Solares, Raoul Martinez

Stell, William Calderon 425

Satanik (Satanic) 497

The Seventh Voyage of Sin-

278

Stephens, Martin 150,

Sato, Hajime 80, 504
bad 245, 247

Solocome, Douglas 175

236 –237, 410 –411

Sato, Kei 488

Sewell, Mark 465

Something Weird 198, 364 –

Sterling, Robert 512

Sato, Masuro 461

Sewell, Vernon 407, 466

365, 382

Stevens, Connie 398 –399

Saturday Nights and Sun-

The Sex Killer 498

Something Wicked This

Stevens, Leslie 234
day Mornings 485

La Sfida dei Giganti (Her-

Way Comes 237

Stevens, Mark 458

Satyricon 372
cules the Avenger) 463

Son of Frankenstein 168,

Stevens, Paul 283

The Savage Bees 134

Shadow of the Cat 280,

449, 474

Stevenson, Robert 63, 218

Sawai, Keiko 482

327, 356 –357

Son of Godzilla 139, 461,

Stevenson, Venetia 218

Saxon, John 68, 339 –341,

Shane, Forman 462

497, 500

Stiebel, Warren 464

452

Sharp, Don 122–123, 255 –

Son of Hercules in the Land

Stine, Howard 312

Saxton, Robert 300

256, 341–342, 422–423,
of Darkness 500

Sting of Death 135, 373 –375

Scars of Dracula 13, 162

454

El Sonido Prehistórico

Stockwell, Dean 165

Schaffner, Franklin 490

Shatner, William 10, 73, 234

(Sound of Horror) 252,

Stoler, Shirley 464

Scheider, Roy 124

Shatter 269, 280

366 –367

La Strage dei Vampiri

Scherman, Tom 234

Shaun of the Dead 39, 310

The Sorcerers 32, 316, 365 –

(Curse of the Blood-

Die Schlangengrube und

She (1935) 498

366

Ghouls) 118, 405
das Pendel (The Blood

She (1965) 269, 303, 498 –

La Sorella di Satana (The

La Strega in Amore (The

Demon) 69 –70

499, 511

She Beast) 32, 316, 357–

Witch) 516

Schlessinger, Otto 382

The She Beast 32, 316,

358, 365, 451

Strait- Jacket 11, 16, 289,

Schneer, Charles H. 244

357–358, 365, 451

The Sound of Horror 252,

311, 375 –376, 389, 468

Der Schweigende Stern

The She Creature 444

366 –367

Strange World of Ze do

(First Spaceship on

She Freak 358 –359

Southern, Terry 449

Caixao 432, 501–502

Venus) 457

Shelley, Barbara 164, 177–

Space- Master X-7 297

Strangers on a Train 54, 337

Scorsese, Martin 25, 322,

178, 196, 342, 356 –357,

Space Monster 500 –501

The Strangler 376 –377

347, 464

410 –411

Spaceflight IC-1: An Adven-

The Strangler of Blackmoor

Scott, George C. 449

Shenk, Walter 55
ture in Space 501

Castle 444, 502

Scott, Gordon 20, 193,

Shepherd, Elizabeth 391–

Spalding, Harry 122, 131–

Stranglers of Bombay 4, 502

443, 463

392

132, 423

Strasberg, Susan 354 –355

Scott, Janette 443

Sherman, Sam 187, 300

Speak of the Devil 189

Strock, Herbert L. 112–113,

Scott, Peter Graham 485

Sherrill, Louise 189

Speed 311

146 –147

Scott, Ridley 37, 331

Sherwood, Robert 324

Speed Racer 180

A Study in Terror 502–503

Scream 36

Shimizu, Shiro 472

Spellbound 231

Sturgess, Olive 342

Scream and Scream Again

Shindo, Kaneto 488

Lo Spettro (The Ghost) 14,

Subotai, Sergio 424

316, 497

Shivers 36

188, 212, 252, 461

Subotsky, Milton 25 –26,

Scream Baby Scream 353

Shock (1977) 36, 416

The Spider Baby or Maddest

36, 159 –160, 215 –218,

Scream of Fear 4, 10, 152,

Shock! (TV package) 8

Story Ever Told 2, 32–33,

360 –362, 395, 446, 450

280 –281, 312, 320, 327,

Shonteff, Lindsay 127, 141

291, 311, 367–370, 423

Succubus 377–378

338, 353 –355

The Shuttered Room 360

Le Spie Vengono dal Semi-

Sullivan, Barry 330, 491

Scream, Pretty Peggy 420

Signoret, Simone 458 –459
freddo ( Dr. Goldfoot and

Sullivan, Jim 305

Sears, Heather 322–323

Silliphant, Stirling 411
the Girl Bombs) 219, 449

Summers, Jeremy 510

534

Index

Summerville, Slim 419

Terror in the Crypt 504

(Along with Ghosts) 429,

12 Angry Men 455

Super Monster Gamera 434

Terror Is a Man 71, 272

487, 501

12 to the Moon 508

Survival of the Dead 29, 310

Terror of Mechagodzilla

Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan

28 Days Later 29, 310

Suspicion 212

140, 253

472

20,000 Leagues Under the

Suspiria 36

Terror of the Bloodhunters

Tom Thumb and Little Red

Sea 298

Sutherland, Donald 100,

504

Riding Hood 508

Twice Told Tales 152, 397–

153, 160 –161

Terror of the Hatchet Men

Tomb of Ligeia 10, 32, 285,

398

Svengali 341

4, 505

391–392

Twisted Nerve 508 –509

The Swamp of the Lost

Terror of the Tongs see

Tomb of Torture 101, 392–

Twitch of the Death Nerve

Monsters 266, 378

Terror of the Hatchet Men

392
see Bay of Blood

The Swarm 134

The Terrornauts 388, 394,

Tombs of the Blind Dead

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll

The Sweet Sound of Death

435, 450, 505

174
see House of Fright

502

Terry, Philip 261–262

Toone, Geoffrey 505

Two Men and a Wardrobe

Swift, Allen 273 –274

Terry- Thomas 295

Topper, Burt 377, 501

175

The Sword and the Dragon

Teseo Contro il Minotauro

Tormented 393 –394

Two on a Guillotine 398 –

502

(The Minotaur: The Wild

Tors, Ivan 431

399

Sylbert, Richard 251

Beast of Crete) 480

Torture Dungeon 187

Two Thousand Maniacs!

Sylvester, William 47–48,

Teshigahara, Hiroshi 64,

Torture Garden 26, 159,

19, 103 –104, 332, 359,

141, 148 –149, 194 –195

79, 171–172

360, 394 –395, 412

382, 399 –400

Tessari, Duccio 20, 298

Die Toten Augen von Lon-

2001: A Space Odyssey 4, 6,

Takarada, Akira 482

The Texas Chainsaw Mas-
don (Dead Eyes of Lon-

33, 177, 252, 258, 297,

Takarada, Okdaa 475
sacre (1974) 35, 369
don) 25, 444, 448

330, 427, 473, 480, 482,

Takashima, Tadao 181

Thatcher, Torin 246

Ein Toter Hing im Netz

509

Takemitsu, Toru 259

Theatre of Death see Blood

(Horrors of Spider Island)

Talbott, Gloria 261–262

Fiend

219 –220, 279

Uchida, Yoshiro 185

Tales from the Crypt (1972)

Them 292

Ein Toter Sucht Seinen

Ucho Kaisoku- sen (Invasion

12, 26, 159, 388, 395

These Are the Damned 281,

Mörder (The Brain)

of the Neptune Men) 470

Tales of Terror 57, 104,

505 –506

439 –440

Uchu Daikaiju Dogora

286, 335, 342, 378 –380,

They Came from Beyond

Tourneur, Jacques 105 –

(Dagora, the Space Mon-

396

Space 387–388, 394, 505

106, 414
ster) 446

Tamblyn, Russ 514

They Saved Hitler’s Brain

Tovey, Roberta 450

Uchu Daikaiju Girara (The

Tan, Tin 173
see Madmen of Mando-

Tower of London (1939)

X from Outer Space) 517

Tandy, Jessica 54
ras

395 –396

Uchu Daisenso (Battle in

Taniguchi, Senkichi 429

Thiennes, Ray 473

Tower of London (1962)

Outer Space) 139, 194,

Tanin no Kao ( The Face of

The Thing (1982) 36

152, 395 –396

435

Another) 79, 171–172

The Thing (from Another

Towers, Harry Alan 440,

Uchujin Tokyo ni Arawaru

Targets 4, 6, 380 –381, 513

World) (1951) 8, 138,

441, 454, 510

(Warning from Space)

A Taste of Blood 104, 198,

189, 427

Towne, Robert 114, 391,

449, 515

332, 364, 381–383

13 Frightened Girls 289

474 –475

Ugestsu 237, 258

Taste the Blood of Dracula

13 Ghosts (1960) 11, 210,

Toyoda, Shiro 231–232

Ulisse Contro Ercole

13, 328

283, 371, 388 –389

Track of the Vampire see

(Ulysses Against the Son

Tate, Sharon 28, 30, 171,

This Is Not a Test 506

Blood Bath
of Hercules) 509

175 –176, 232

This Island Earth 443

I Tre Volti della Paura

Ullman, Liv 466

Taxi Driver 25, 348

This Night I’ll Possess Your

(Black Sabbath) 15, 24,

Ulmer, Edgar G. 423, 430,

Taylor, Alfred 291, 369

Corpse 432, 501, 506

57–59, 65, 251, 330, 441,

437, 472

Taylor, Anthony 234

Thompson, J. Lee 170 –171

452

L’Ultima Preda del Vampiro

Taylor, Gilbert 347

Thourlby, William 116

The Treasure of the Sierra

(The Playgirls and the

Taylor, Jack 186, 290, 484

The Thrill Killers 291,

Madre 517

Vampire) 119, 332–333,

Taylor, Joyce 49, 433

389 –391

Tremayne, Les 444

405

Taylor, Kent 131

Thriller 58

Trintignant, Jean- Louis

L’Ultimo Uomo della Terra

Taylor, Robert 197, 311–312

Thurman, Bill 471

472

(The Last Man on Earth)

Taylor, Rod 54, 507

Tierney, Lawrence 300

Il Trionfo di Ercole (The

259 –261, 498

Tazaki, Jun 43

Time After Time 507

Triumph of Hercules)

Ultraman 140, 512

Teenage Zombies 27

The Time Machine 192,

508

Ulysses Against the Son of

The Tell- Tale Heart 383 –

433, 507

Trionfo di Maciste (Tri-

Hercules 509

384

The Time Travelers 41,
umph of the Son of Her-

Umemiya, Tatsuya 491

Tempi Duri per i Vampiri

507–508
cules) 508

Uncle Was a Vampire 509 –

(Uncle Was a Vampire)

The Tingler 11, 30, 210,

A Trip to the Moon 5

510

509 –510

226, 312, 349 –351, 388 –

The Triumph of Hercules

Underdown, Edward 48

The Tenant 347

389, 396, 518

508

The Undertaker and His

Tenney, Del 46, 94, 123 –

The Titfield Thunderbolt

Triumph of the Son of Her-

Pals 400 –401

124, 218 –219, 467, 511–

354
cules 508

Underwater City 510

512

To Catch a Thief 336

Trog 50, 407, 420

Unearthly Stranger 510

Tenser, Tony 106, 407

Todd, Ann 354 –355

The Trojan Horse 443

Das Ungeheuer von London

The Tenth Victim 502–503

Toho Studio 4, 20, 43,

Truffaut, François 6, 9, 24,

City (The Monster of

Terrified 384 –385

139 –140, 180 –181, 185,

54, 215, 430, 454 –455

London City) 481

The Terror 380, 385 –386

189 –191, 194, 226 –227,

Tsuburaya, Eiji 140, 409,

The Uninvited 204, 237

Terror Beneath the Sea 80,

252–254, 259, 275, 292–

435

Unsatisfied Love 510

504

293, 409 –410, 434, 461–

Tucker, Phil 92–93

Der Unsichtbare (The Invis-

Terror Creatures from the

462, 474, 475, 476, 482,

Tully, Montgomery 435,
ible Terror) 470

Grave 14, 100, 333, 386 –

493, 497, 517

450, 505

Ureta, Chano 266 –267

387

Tokaido Obake Dochu

Turner, John 437

Ursus, il Terrore dei

Index

535

Kirghisi (Hercules, Pris-

(Horror Castle) 212–

War of the Monsters 514 –

White, William 223
oner of Evil) 463

213

515

Whitelaw, Billie 508 –509

Ustinov, Peter 63

Verne, Jules 298, 402,

War of the Planets 499, 515

Whitty, Dame Mae 485

Utsui, Ken 433 –434, 491

453 –454, 478

War of the Worlds (1953)

Who Can Kill a Child? 475

La Venere Selvaggia (King

433, 441, 493

Who Slew Auntie Roo? 311,

V 451
of Kong Island) 387, 473

War of the Zombies 413 –414

418, 458

Vadim, Annette 66 –67

Vernon, Howard 21, 45 –

War- Gods of the Deep 316,

The Wicker Man 36, 170,

Vadim, Roger 66 –67, 372

46, 99, 429 –430, 439

414, 501

255

Vadis, Dan 500, 508

Vertigo 54

Warhol, Andy 14

Wicking, Christopher 497

Vaill, Eleanor 382

Ve Sota, Bruno 45

Warm, Herman 207

Wilcox, John 450

Valenin, Mirco 213

Victor, Katherine 93, 126,

Warning from Space 449,

Wild Guitar 494

Valeri, Tonino 504

224

515

Wild Wild Planet 515 –516

Valle, Ricardo 21

Vietnam War 5, 13, 18, 22,

Warren, Gene 155, 192, 507

Wild, Wild World 499

The Valley of Gwangi 401–

28, 34, 80, 309

Warren, Harold P. 281–282

Wilder, W. Lee 78 –79, 487

402

Village of the Damned 4,

Warren, Jerry 27, 44 –45,

Wilkin, Barbara 179

Valley of the Dragons 402–

102, 410 –411

114 –115, 118, 125 –126,

Wilkinson, Elizabeth 382

403

Village of the Giants 394,

173 –174, 223, 238, 274,

Wilkinson, June 270 –271

Valli, Alida 214 –215

477, 511

291, 504

Williams, Grant 261–262

Vampira (character) 8, 95

Villers, James 303

Washbourne, Mona 485

Williams, Guy 441

The Vampire (1957, Mex-

Vincent 274

Washburn, Beverly 367–

Williams, Kenneth 96
ico) 16, 121, 278, 289,

Le Viol du Vampire: Melo-

370

Willman, Noel 256, 344

333, 348, 403 –405, 407
drame en Deux Parties

Wasp Woman 407

Wilson, Jimmy 384

The Vampire (1957, U.S.)

(The Queen of the Vam-

The Watcher in the Woods

Wilson, Michael 490

8, 56, 476
pires) 492

420

Wiltrup, Aage 345

The Vampire and the Balle-

Violent Midnight 219, 468,

Watson, Debbie 295 –296

Windsor, Marie 131
rina 119, 333, 405 –406

511–512

Waxman, Harry 303

Winner, Michael 237

The Vampire Bat 144

A Virgin Among the Living

Webber, Diane 479

Winters, Shelley 16, 418

The Vampire Beast Craves

Dead 21

Webster, Mary 478 –479

Winwood, Estelle 91, 477

Blood 118, 406 –407, 466,

The Virgin of Nuremberg

Webster, Nicholas 495

Wise, Robert 90, 204 –206,

483
see Horror Castle

Weine, Robert 3

494

Vampire Circus 384

Viy 512

Weird Woman 89

The Witch 516

The Vampire Lovers 26, 56,

Vogel, Virgil 238

Welch, Raquel 318 –319,

Witchcraft 48, 122, 255,

366

Vohrer, Alfred 25, 444

455, 490 –491

412, 422–424, 454, 465,

Vampire of the Opera 406

Von Sydow, Max 466

Weld, Tuesday 349

517

The Vampire’s Coffin 16,

Voodoo Woman 445

Welles, Mel 243, 263 –265,

The Witches see The

278, 290, 348, 403, 407–

Voyage into Space 512

358, 417

Devil’s Own

409

Voyage to the Bottom of the

Wellman, William, Jr. 271

The Witches Attack 448,

El Vampiro (The Vampire)

Sea 512

Welter, Ariadne 404, 408

515

16, 121, 278, 289, 333,

Voyage to the Bottom of the

The Werewolf (1956) 8

The Witch’s Curse 20, 420 –

348, 403 –405, 407

Sea (TV show) 480, 512

Werewolf in a Girl’s Dormi-

421, 461

El Vampiro Sangriento (The

Voyage to the End of the
tory 110, 414 –415

The Witch’s Mirror 120,

Bloody Vampire) 77–78,

Universe 512–513

Werewolf of London 415

267, 421–422

238, 278

Voyage to the Planet of the

The Werewolf vs. the Vam-

The Witch’s Mirror 16, 73,

Vampiros Lesbos 21

Prehistoric Women 31,
pire Women 458

403

Vampyr 207, 406

380, 513

Werner, Oskar 455

The Wizard of Gore 19, 199

Vampyres 22

Voyage to the Prehistoric

West, Adam 493

The Wizard of Mars 159,

Van, Bobby 304

Planet 340, 513

Westmoreland, Forrest 147

287, 501, 516

Van Doren, Mamie 304,

Vulcan, God of Fire 513

Weston, David 423

WKRP in Cincinnati 451

513

Vulcano, Figlio di Giove

Whale, James 11, 204, 317,

The Wolf Man (1941) 8, 49,

Van Patton, Dick 512

(Vulcan, God of Fire)

518

129, 289

Van Sloan, Edward 432

513

What 15, 65, 251–252,

Wolfe, Ian 152

Varan the Unbelievable

The Vulture 411–413

415 –417

Woman in the Dunes 64,

140, 292, 409 –410

Vynález Zkázy (The Fabu-

What a Carve- Up! see No

79, 171

Vargtimmen (The Hour of
lous World of Jules Verne)

Place Like Homicide

The Woman Who Wouldn’t
the Wolf ) 466

453, 473

What Ever Happened to

Die 516 –517

Vari, Guiseppi 413

Aunt Alice? 16, 417–418

Women of the Prehistoric

The Vault of Horror 159

The Wacky World of Dr.

What Ever Happened to

Planet 304, 517

Velasquez, Lorena 352,

Morgus 513 –514

Baby Jane? 4, 10, 16, 227,

Wood, Edward D., Jr. 183,

425 –226

Wall, Max 176

303, 338, 375, 417–420

237, 287, 487–489, 496,

Velsasquez, Jesus 424

Wallace, Bryan Edgar 481,

What’s the Matter with

505

La Vendetta di Ercole (Go-

502

Helen? 16, 418, 458

Wood, Oliver 464
liath and the Dragon)

Wallace, Edgar 24 –25,

Wheatley, Dennis 142,

Woods, Jack 451

191–192

444, 448, 491

269

World of the Vampires 16,

Vengeance of Fu Manchu

Wallace, George 309

When Dinosaurs Ruled the

73, 403, 424 –425

440, 454, 510

Walley, Deborah 449

Earth 246, 327, 402, 447,

The World, the Flesh and

The Vengeance of She 303,

Walters, Thorley 182

497
the Devil 506

328, 511

Wanzer, Orville 147

When Worlds Collide 194,

World Without End 402

Venus in Furs 511

War Between the Planets

227, 515

Worth, Lothrop 50 –51

Verdugo, Elena 447

499, 514

The Whip and the Body see

Wray, Fay 15

Vergara, Luis Enrique 455,

War of the Colossal Beast

What

The Wrestling Women vs.

469, 471, 476, 516

393

Whitaker, David 497
the Aztec Mummy 348,

La Vergine di Norimberga

War of the Gargantuas 514

White, Robb 210, 389

352, 425 –426

536

Index

Wright, Edgar 310

Yamaguchi, Tetsuya 477

Yokai Daisenso (Spook War-

Young, Loretta 227

Der Würger von Schloß

Yamasawa, Yoshikazu 499
fare) 429, 487, 501

Young Frankenstein 36, 168

Blackmoor (The Strangler

Yanni, Rosanna 174, 474

Yokai Hyaku Monogatori

Yusei Oji (Prince of Space)

of Blackmoor Castle)

Yeaworth, Irvin 155

(100 Monsters) 429, 487,

491

444, 502

The Yesterday Machine

501

Wymark, Patrick 338 –339,

517

Yongary, Monster from the

Zacherley, John 8

347, 360 –362, 473

Les Yeux Sans Visage see

Deep 517–518

Zeman, Karel 453, 472

Wyndarde, Peter 88 –90

Horror Chamber of Dr.

Yordan, Philip 133

Zinda Laash (The Living

Wyndham, John 132, 411

Faustus

York, Francine 446, 501

Corpse) 476

Les Yeux Sans Visage (The

Yoshida, Teruo 465

Zombie 36

The X from Outer Space

Horror Chamber of Dr.

Yoshimura, Jitsuo 488

Zombieland 308

517

Faustus) 10, 21, 42, 45,

Yotsuya Kaidan (Illusion of

The Zontar Thing from

X, the Man with the X- Ray

110, 213 –215, 314, 355,

Blood) 231–232

Venus 301, 305, 445,

Eyes 426 –428

422, 438, 454

Young, Alan 507

478, 518

X the Unknown 92

Yog, Monster from Space

Young, Freddie 195

Zotz 11, 289, 317, 371, 389

141

Young, Gig 360

Zucker, Ralph 387

Document Outline

- Cover
- Acknowledgments
- Table of Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1. The Decade
- 2. The Movies
- 3. More Movies
- Bibliography
- Index

Table of Contents

- Cover
- Acknowledgments
- Table of Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1. The Decade
- 2. The Movies
- 3. More Movies
- Bibliography
- Index