1960’s | Magazines and Monsters!

Cinema Sunday: Diary of a Madman (1963)

Posted on March 1, 2015 by billyd75

Title: Diary of a Madman

Distributor: United Artists

Writer: Robert E. Kent

Director: Reginald Le Borg

Producers: Robert E. Kent, Edward Small

Starring: Vincent Price, Nancy Kovack, Lewis Martin, Chris Warfield, Ian Wolfe

Released: March 1963

MPAA: Approved

It’s no secret I think Vincent Price is one of the bet film stars of all time. Not just in the horror genre, but all of them. You can debate if you’d like, but I promise you that the people who will debate most wholeheartedly are the ones that haven’t seen many (if any) of his films. He’s definitely one the top horror icons, and along with Cushing, Lee, Lugosi, Karloff, & Chaney, his place is forever cemented in the industry.

This film has Price, but no other really bankable stars (Ian Wolfe was established, but not a household name), so when you watch this one, you really get a sense that he brought everyone else up to his lofty standards for acting. The film is another gem from Price, and everyone that’s a fan needs to see it. Alright, let us journey into the past…

The film begins with a funeral for a man named Simon Cordier (Vincent Price). His family and friends stand by and watch the priest finish the service, and one woman remarks that she’s glad he’s dead. The same small group of people meet at an art gallery, and read the last wishes of Simon Cordier. The diary tells them that Cordier believed he was possessed by an evil spirit, called “horla,” and it forced him and others to commit unspeakable acts. We then flashback to when Cordier first encountered the horla…

We learn that Cordier was a magistrate, and that his first saw evidence of this abomination, it was while visiting a prisoner (image above) that was only days away from execution. The prisoner pleads with Cordier, telling him that he didn’t really want to murder people, but that an evil spirit forced him to do it. At first, Cordier doesn’t believe him, but then the man’s eyes begin to glow with a green hue, and the man savagely attacks Cordier. They struggle for a moment, but then Cordier manages to push him away. The guards come running in, and discover that the prisoner died when he hit his head against the stone wall. Cordier is in shock over what he’s seen and done.

The following day, Cordier is upstairs in his home, and he sees a picture of a woman and a boy (apparently his wife and son that are deceased). He freaks out, and calls his butler, Pierre (Ian Wolfe), about the picture. Pierre explains that he doesn’t know how the picture came to be there (it had previously been stored away). Pierre then calls to Louise (Mary Adams), the cook, and questions her about the matter. In the next moment, Cordier sees some writing on a dusty shelf in the same room that reads…”hatred is evil.” These are the same words that the prisoner spoke before he attempted to kill Cordier. Cordier thinks he sleep walked, and did these things.

The following day, Cordier goes to his office, and finds the case file for the recently deceased prisoner. He doesn’t remember leaving it there, and can’t figure out why it’s there. He then hears a voice call out to him, warning him that because he killed the prisoner, he will now be the host for this specter. After excusing himself from the court that day, he begins to write in his diary about the strange goings-on. Once again, the voice calls out to him, and then possesses him. It tells him that he must kill his pet bird, and he does. The spirit then leaves, and Cordier sees what he’s done.

In the next scene, Cordier is visiting a psychiatrist about his troubles. The doctor believes that the strain of work, and the death’s of his family have driven him to this problem. He tells Cordier to return to his hobby of sculpting, take a vacation, and to immerse himself in art. He does just that, and walks around a neighborhood, looking at art. He’s approached by a beautiful woman, Odette Mallotte DuClasse (Nancy Kovack – image above), who asks him to buy the portrait of her. They strike up some conversation and he tells her that he’s a sculptor. One thing leads to another, and she agrees to pose for him later that night. Odette heads inside to see her husband, Paul DuClasse (Chris Warfield), the artist. She tells him that she’s going to pose for another artist, and her husband gets jealous. She tells him that her lifestyle needs more income, so she’s taking the job, to the dismay of her husband.

That night, Odette travels to the home of Cordier to pose for him, and after a quick conversation, the two head upstairs to the studio. Pierre and Louise are overjoyed that Cordier is happy again. In the studio, Odette asks if she needs to “disrobe” but Cordier tells her it’s not a nude. She seems slightly disappointed for a split second, and then tells him that nothing should distract from the face, and he agrees. Cordier compliments her on her beauty, and she smiles.

We then get some more from the diary, as Cordier writes down how happy he is, with his work, sculpting, and that his nightmares are gone. Days pass, and things seem fine, and he finishes the sculpture. There’s some mild flirtation between the two, and then she leaves. Cordier is left alone, but then suddenly, he hears the voice of the specter once again. The two have a conversation about good and evil. The spirit implies that Cordier drove his wife to commit suicide, and that he basically is a murderer. The spirit tells him that he wants his soul, and he knows that Odette is truly evil. Cordier wont believe it, and as he cries out, the spirit leaves the room. Cordier contemplates the reason for this spirit’s existence, but as he does, the spirit shows up, and tortures him some more. The spirit tells him that Odette is evil, and that he’ll force him to punish her if he’ll keep denying the fact.

After a day or so, we see that indeed Cordier is courting Odette, and that has plans for her, or the spirit does. Cordier gives her a brooch and tells her that it belonged to his wife. We then cut to a scene where Odette’s husband, Paul, is telling his woes to another woman, Jean D’Arville (Elaine Devry). He tells the woman that Odette has moved out and into her own apartment. They both surmise that she is stepping out with Cordier because he has money, and power. Paul decides he’s going to go to Cordier’s home, and confront him about the matter. As the two meet, Paul is enraged that Cordier wont stop pursuing his wife, but Cordier doesn’t care. Paul then threatens to make the affair public, and storms out. The spirit tells Cordier that Paul must be killed, but he refuses.

Cordier tells Odette that they’re going to run away, and marry overseas. He thinks he can avoid the spirit’s influence, but the spirit tells him otherwise. Cordier pulls out a gun, and tries to kill the spirit, but to no avail. The spirit then possesses Cordier, and orders him to murder Odette. Paul shows up at the apartment, and gets rough with Odette but she convinces him to leave. Moments later, Cordier shows up and brutally murders Odette. He returns home, and wakes up from the trance, aware of nothing. Paul gets the blame, and the spirit is just getting started!

Will Cordier be able to stop the spirit, or will he also be a victim of its insanity!

OK, here are my thoughts:

This film is a must-see for any fans of Price, horror, or just classic cinema. Price was excellent in this film, and really commanded every scene. Nancy Kovack was brilliantly evil in this one, and really matched up well with him. Their on-screen chemistry was something special. The other cast members were solid as well, especially the butler, played by Ian Wolfe.

The most remarkable thing about this film (other than Price), was the outstanding sets. Whether it was the home of Cordier (Price), where most of the film seemed to take place, his office, the street, or even the other houses/apartments in the film, the sets were great (Victor A. Gangelin). The costumes, music, and makeup were all spot on, and really delivered.

Definitely look this one up, you wont be disappointed. After all, it is Vincent Price!

Click here for the trailer!

Marvel Triple Action #42, 1978 “To Tame A Titan!”

Posted on February 21, 2015 by billyd75

If there’s one thing for me that rivals comic books (classic cinema and music, too, of course), its mythology. Whether its Greek, Roman, Nordic, whatever, it grabs me and pulls me into its world. I guess it’s the reason Thor and Hercules are two characters that have always been favorites of mine throughout the years. In this issue, we see Hercules, fighting against Typhon, for the freedom of his family and friends. Of course, his friends, the Avengers, will not let him face this challenge alone! The story originally appeared in The Avengers #50, 1968.

Roy Thomas is one of the best to ever write the Avengers, there’s no doubt! The pencils of ‘Big’ John Buscema are arguably the perfect way to present a mythological story in the pages of a comic book. He actually commented often about how he enjoyed drawing mythological characters and not superheroes. He’s honestly one of the best all-time no matter what he put in a panel, that cannot be argued. Letters by Sam Rosen, and a cover by Ernie Chan (a redrawn version of Buscema’s cover), really put this issue at the top of the heap!

Daredevil #47, 1968 “Brother Take My Hand”

Posted on February 15, 2015 by billyd75

With the Vietnam War in full swing, and the tragic deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the atmosphere in the U.S. (and the world) in 1968, was less than inspiring. Many rallied to try to reinforce efforts against such atrocities, and Marvel Comics would add their little story to help ease racial tensions. It might seem to some that a story in a comic book is inconsequential but I beg to differ. Comic books were definitely on the rise in the late 1960’s, and were gaining ground with the youth of America once again. This story, by Stan Lee and Gene Colan is one that still resonates to this day.

In this tale, we see a soldier, Willie Lincoln, who’s a black man who was wounded in Vietnam, and lost his sight. He’s still trying to get his bearings with his blindness, and it isn’t going well. Daredevil has agreed to entertain the troops with some of his acrobatic maneuvers, and Willie is a huge fan of his. They hit it off great, and DD tells Willie to look up a friend of his when he gets back to the states. The friend of course, is Matt Murdoch! It’s a great story that really hammers home the point of no matter what the color of your skin is, we’re all the same.

Written by Stan ‘The Man’ Lee, pencils by Gene ‘The Dean’ Colan, inks by George Klein, and letters by Artie Simek! This is one that I own in a reprint book that was a tribute to Gene Colan. I believe the proceeds (or part of them) went to help Gene with some medical expenses. If you can grab a copy of this book or a trade containing this story, don’t hesitate!

Cinema Sunday: The Skull (1965)

Posted on February 1, 2015 by billyd75

Title: The Skull

Distributor: Amicus Productions (Paramount Pictures – U.S.)

Writer: Milton Subotsky (screenplay), Robert Bloch (short story)

Director: Freddie Francis

Producers: Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Patrick Wymark, Jill Bennett, Peter Woodthorpe

Released: August 1965

MPAA: NR

The Amicus Films Production company gets very little press outside of the horror community, and that should not be! The company was only around (making films) for about fifteen years, but it made an impact nonetheless. With perennial stars of the horror genre, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in a few of the films, they knew that had bankable “stars” to get some people into the theaters. Throw in stalwarts like Michael Gough, and Peter Woodthorpe, and you have a solid cast that delivers.

This film was one that dove into the “cult” fascination of the time, but not too heavily. Certain things were shown/talked about, and others mildly insinuated. Either way, you’ll be excited to see the cast, and the crazy scenes with Cushing. He really is over-the-top in this one, and any fan of the genre or the cast must watch it! let’s get on with the show!

The film begins with a couple of guys robbing a grave. A young man then returns to his apartment with something wrapped in a cloth. He enters his bathroom only to find a beautiful woman bathing. She’s apparently a love interest, but he tells her to get out. She can’t understand why, but he doesn’t care, and tells her to hit the road. She gets out of the tub, and asks why, but he tells her that he must be alone tonight. We then see him boil something, and when he pulls it out of the pot, we see a skull. Suddenly, a fog envelops the room, and when the woman returns to see if he’s changed his mind, she screams in horror. We then cut to the credits.

The next thing we see, is an auctioneer (Michael Gough – image above), pounding his gavel. Two men then get into a bidding war over four stone statues of evil. The first, Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing), and the other, Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee), go back and forth until Phillips doubles Maitland’s bid, and it ends. Afterward, they discuss the bidding war, and Matthews cannot recall why he bid so high. He seems to have been hypnotized by the statues, and couldn’t control himself.

The next evening, another man, Anthony Marco (Patrick Wymark), heads over to the home of Maitland, to sell him something. He has a book from the infamous Marquis de Sade, and it’s actually bound in human skin! Mr. Maitland is so intrigued, that he buys the book for £200. Marco tells him that he’ll be back tomorrow with something even more wild. Upon his return the following evening, he brings a skull, and tells him that it is the skull of the Marquis De Sade himself! Maitland doesn’t believe him at first, but then he tells him a story (one that connects to the pre-credits scene, and shows the murder of the girl), and then after dropping the price a bit, Maitland agrees to think about purchasing it. Marco gives him his address, and tells him to come over the following evening.

Maitland then goes to his friend’s house, and Matthews Phillips and he have a pool game, while discussing the skull. Matthews tells Maitland that the skull is genuine, and that it was stolen from him, days earlier. Maitland encourages Matthews to come with him later when he goes to see Marco, but Matthews refuses, and tells him that he’s glad it’s gone. He states that the skull is evil, and that occultists use its powers to some sadistic means. He begs Maitland to not buy it, but you can see he’s still very interested in it.

Over at Marco’s place, he rushes in to get ready for Maitland’s visit, but finds that the skull isn’t where he left it. He searches the closet vigorously, but to no avail. Suddenly, he turns around, and comes face to face with the skull! Holding it, is the building manager, Bert Travers (Peter Woodthorpe – image above), and he questions Marco about his “artifacts” that are strewn about the room. Marco tells him that nothing is of any value, and Travers leaves the room. Meanwhile, Maitland is reading his skin-bound book, that he purchased only days ago. He then gets a knock at the door, and when he answers it, two men, dressed as police officers tell him he’s under arrest, and must come down to the station.

On the way to the police station, Maitland notices that they aren’t stopping there, but some other undisclosed location. He’s lead into a room, with a judge sitting at a bench, with a gavel and everything else. The two men that brought him in have a revolver, and load a bullet into it. They also load their own pistols, and point them at his head. The judge motions for him to play some Russian roulette (image above). three successful attempts, Maitland is allowed to leave the room under escort. He’s placed in a hallway that closes on both sides, and a gas begins to fill the room. Maitland passes out after seeing the skull moving towards him through the gas, and ends up in the apartment building of Marco, the shady antiquities dealer (not knowing where he is though). He goes home, and finds the address of Marco, and sees that it was where he was after the crazy roulette/gas chamber scenario. He tells his wife (Jill Bennett) what happened, and he thinks it was a nightmare.

Later that night, Maitland sneaks out, and heads over to Marco’s place. The door is open, so he proceeds inside, looking for the skull. He finds it in the closet, but as he attempts to leave, he’s knocked over by the dead body of Marco. He hides the skull in the hallway closet, then calls the police. Bert is then brought in by the police, but doesn’t have a clue about what’s going on. They ask if there are any pets in the building, such as a large dog, but Travers tells them that they aren’t allowed. The next night, Maitland is over at Matthews house again, playing pool. He once again begs Maitland to disavow anything to do with the skull, and then gives him a crucifix to protect him against evils. Maitland then returns to get the skull from the closet, but is confronted by Travers. Maitland tries to push by him, but he wont let him pass, and threatens to call the police. Maitland then shoves Travers, and the railing breaks, and Travers plummets to his death.

I’ll stop here, but rest assured, this doesn’t end happily for Maitland, and those that surround him!

OK, here are my thoughts:

Of all the Amicus films I’ve seen, this one holds the most water. The story is good, you have four really strong players in this film (six if you count the few moments Michael Gough is on-screen in the beginning), and some good special effects. The sets are very good too, well, except for the Russian roulette scene where everything looks vanilla. Now, that may have been the choice to not give Cushing’s character anything to go off of if he went to the police, but that’s kind of doubtful. Although Lee isn’t in more than a few scenes, he does add his normal macabre atmosphere even though he’s the voice of reason in this film. You get what you expect from a pro like Cushing. His character delivers a believable performance, and mixes well with Lee, Woodthorpe, Wymark, and his on-screen wife, Bennett (who died tragically from suicide in 1990).

The musical score is good, but not anything super exciting. It does add some intensity to the last chapter, and for that, we have Elisabeth Lutyens to thank. The film does give you that Hammer film feel, but it is set in modern times, not the previous century (or earlier) that Hammer typically used. The film holds up well for one that was released fifty years ago (wow, 50 years!), and I can’t see it losing any of its charm in another fifty years. Get out and see this one, you wont be disappointed!

Click here for the trailer!

Marvel Super Action #3, 1977 “The Sleeper Strikes!”

Posted on January 29, 2015 by billyd75

Any chance I get to grab some of Jack Kirby’s work, I don’t hesitate. I know some people are sticklers for original stuff, but I’m just fine with grabbing a fifty-cent copy of a reprint title like this one. Yeah, sometimes there are slight alterations to the covers, but typically, the interiors are the same. So, instead of trying to save up my pennies and buy a copy of Captain America #102 (1968), I’ll just look at my copy of this book (Marvel Super Action #3, 1977), and enjoy reading about the exploits of Captain America, and his fight against the Nazi weapon, the Sleeper! A guest appearance by Colonel Nick Fury, the love of Steve’s life, Sharon Carter, and the machinations of the Red Skull!

Of course, the story was scripted by Stan Lee, but the wondrous work of Jack ‘King’ Kirby is the draw. His style is perfect for a villain like the Red Skull, and the way he draws the Sleeper, is very frightening. Of course, you get the usual, brilliance with Kirby drawing Cap and the beautiful Sharon Carter (A.K.A. Agent 13), and the standard that Kirby set for that character will always be remembered! The inks are by Syd Shores, and letters by ‘Adorable’ Artie Simek.

Giant-Size Daredevil #1, 1975 “Electro, and The Emissaries of Evil”

Posted on January 3, 2015 by billyd75

As we all know, Daredevil has had some ups and downs over the years as far as sales are concerned. But honestly, the ups far outweigh the downs, especially when you look at some of the off the wall things Marvel was doing with the character during the Bronze Age. Lets face it, the creative teams changed often, and the quality suffered for a while, but personally, the crazy stories are a hoot, and should be looked at as more of a lark anyway. This was the only Giant-Size book for DD, even though most of the titles in that decade had more, and it was actually a reprint of Annual #1. The Emissaries of Evil were a rag-tag group of villains, led by Electro (also including Frog Man, Gladiator, Stilt Man, and The Matador), and offered very little trouble for Daredevil!

The story was written by Stan Lee, but the visuals told in this story, and the pin-up pages, were the real treat in this issue. Gene “The Dean” Colan, was at his best, and really gave us something to see. The inks were by John Tartaglione, who did an admirable job over Gene’s pencil work. The letters were provided by the always reliable Sam Rosen, and you know he could be counted on to get the job done! Not to be outdone, is legendary artist, Gil Kane, who provided the great cover! Enjoy!

Cinema Sunday: Devil Doll (1964)

Posted on December 29, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Devil Doll

Distributor: Associated Film Distribution Corp.

Writer: Ronald Kinnoch (screenplay)

Director: Lindsay Shonteff

Producer: Richard Gordon, Kenneth Rive

Starring: Bryant Haliday, William Sylvester, Yvonne Romain

Released: September 1964

MPAA: Approved

With Christmas in the rear-view mirror, I thought I’d take a look at something a bit more odd than I usually review. This little-known film has one of the creepiest things in it that can make a lot of people freak out. A ventriloquist dummy is one of those things that looks harmless enough, but just the mere thought of it acting independently, gives most the creeps (me included)! Throw in a little mystery and murder, and voila, you have an eccentric film with more than most big budget films can offer.

Admittedly, Yvonne Romain was the only face I recognized right away. Bryant Haliday did look a bit familiar, but looking at his list of credits, I’m not quite sure where I may have seen him pop up in the past. Well, let us not delay any further. I now present to you, the doll that would make Chucky shake in his boots, Devil Doll!

The film begins with the Great Vorelli (Bryant Haliday – image below), in a cab, heading to the theater for a performance. We see that the main attraction of his show is a ventriloquist dummy, that he uses with astonishing results. He somehow drinks a glass of wine, while the dummy still speaks! The crowd is in awe, and the performance ends with that feat. Vorelli then retreats to his dressing room, and we see something that seems a bit off. Vorelli locks “Hugo” in a cage, and not just putting him a case or on a table. His assistant, Magda (Sandra Dorne), seems unsettled, but also as if she knows something about this strange ritual.

The next day, a newspaper reporter, Mark English (William Sylvester), is discussing the buzz around London about the great Vorelli. He and a coworker have a young woman lined up to go on stage as a volunteer, to try to figure out his secrets, but the girl backs out. In a pinch for a good-looking young lady, Mark calls one of his flames, Marianne Horn (Yvonne Romain), and she accepts. The two then go to the next performance, and Marianne volunteers, just as planned. Vorelli hypnotizes her, and makes her dance with a man. He also seems to be aroused by her as well, and you get the impression that he wants to do more than just make her dance. And once again for the finale, he brings out Hugo, and the two talk. Vorelli then pours some wine, and Hugo asks for some, but Vorelli tells him that he cannot have any. He then orders Hugo to go to the edge of the stage, and take a bow. After some prodding, he does just that, and the audience is amazed. Vorelli then commands him to return to his “master,” and he does.

Back stage, Vorelli locks up Hugo once again, and Vorelli tells Magda that he’s going to get Marianne in his thrall. She seems less than excited. On the drive home, Mark puts the moves on Marianne, and the two get jiggy in the car. Marianne agrees to help him prove that Vorelli is a phony. They make a plan to invite him to Marianne’s aunts party, and then Mark will sneak into Vorelli’s room and examine the dummy. Marianne then goes to Vorelli’s room to invite him to the party. He then hypnotizes her, and tells her that she’ll obey his commands, and when he calls, she must come to him. He recognizes her family connection, and knows she’s rich, so he not only wants her because she’s beautiful, but because she’s loaded as well.

Vorelli puts on his show at the party, and Hugo is even more disobedient than normal. At one point, Hugo picks up a knife and almost stabs Vorelli! The crowd is shocked, and gasps with fear, but Vorelli commands him to put down the knife and apologize to the crowd. He then puts Hugo away, and then starts to seduce Marianne. In the meantime, Mark heads upstairs to check out Hugo. Vorelli takes this opportunity to entrance Marianne even more, and now she’s completely under his control. Mark inspects the dummy, but can’t find anything unusual with it, so he leaves.

Later that evening, Vorelli mentally calls out to Marianne, and she comes to his room. he then seduces her. As mark is sleeping, Hugo comes to his room, and tells him a secret. He tells him about Berlin, in 1948. The next morning, Mark is telling a coworker about this, and the girl thinks it was a dream. Mark tells her it wasn’t but the girl won’t listen to him. Mark gets a call that Marianne isn’t well, so he heads over to her place immediately. When Mark arrives, she’s in some sort of coma, but wakes up momentarily, and tells Mark that “he keeps calling me” and she wants “him” to stop.

The next day, Vorelli scolds Magda for not getting the job done. She then threatens him with the police, but he puts on the charm, and then they make whoopee. The next morning, a friend of Mark’s, Dr. Heller (Karel Stepanek), shows up, and mark tries to convince him of Vorelli’s madness. He tells him about the encounter with Hugo, and the talk of Berlin. Back at Vorelli’s place, he tells Hugo that Magda said he was ugly, and apparently this is enough for Hugo to become enraged and murder her. Vorelli has an airtight alibi, we assume from hypnotizing others. Mark theorizes that Vorelli killed her, and won’t rest until he exposes Vorelli!

I’ll stop here, but rest assured that there’s more to the dummy than meets the eye, and in the end, Vorelli gets what is coming to him!

OK, here are my thoughts:

This little film is a good creepy watch on a Saturday afternoon. There isn’t a ton of intrigue, and you can kind of figure out what’s going on before the big reveal. This doesn’t take away much from the movie though, and it has a certain charm that movies from that era possess (for the most part). Towards the end of the film, two of the characters travel to Berlin, and do some investigating. That’s a really solid part of the movie, and gives it some credibility. There is some cheesy/creepy scenes that are overtly sexual (for the 1960’s), but they don’t override the rest of the flick.

As far as sets go, there wasn’t anything too exciting. The scenes of Vorelli during his performances were pretty good, and the theater looked authentic enough. The music score was below average, but you really didn’t need anything over-the-top to enhance the film. The last scene was pretty cool, even though the “fight” was kind of silly. Any way you slice it, the movie is worth checking out, so do it!

Click here for the trailer!

Cinema Sunday: The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962)

Posted on December 22, 2014 by billyd75

Title: The Brain That Wouldn’t Die

Distributor: American International Pictures

Writers: Rex Carlton, Joseph Green

Director: Joseph Green

Producers: Rex Carlton, Mort Landberg

Starring: Jason (Herb) Evers, Virginia Leith, Eddie Carmel, Leslie Daniels, Marilyn Hanold

Released: May 1962

MPAA: Approved

What lengths would you go to to insure that your loved one was by your side forever? Well, luckily we don’t have to guess in the case of The Brain That Wouldn’t Die! Now, admittedly, this title is a bit misleading, but there is a decapitated head, and other vile creatures in this little flick from 1962. It was actually filmed to completion in 1959 (during the sci-fi craze), but the production company allegedly ran into some financial troubles, and it put off the release of the film for a couple of years.

A quirky little film that hovers around some very creepy subjects, shows some wild, bloody scenes for the 1960’s, and lets us all know just how creepy doctors can be! Well, without further interruption, here we go!

The flick starts out in a hospital, where two men, Dr. Bill Cortner (Jason Evers), and his father, Dr. Cortner (Bruce Brighton), are attempting to save the life of someone in very bad shape. The elder of the two gives up, and then his son, Dr. Bill asks to perform an experimental surgery on the guy, because he’s flat-lined anyway. Dr. Bill then miraculously brings the man back to life, and his father is stunned. He doesn’t approve of the methods, but is happy about the results. The two have a quick conversation, and then Dr. Bill and his assistant, Jan Compton (Virginia Leith), head up the road to the family country home. On the way there though, the car can’t handle the curvy road, and Dr. Bill is thrown from the car. Jan isn’t so lucky, and is decapitated in the wreck!

Once Dr. Bill comes to, he realizes what’s happened and he does what anyone would do. He grabs a sack and puts Jan’s head into it, and runs to the family home they were traveling to before the wreck occurred. He devises a plan to seek out a “hot body” to attach Jan’s head to, and once again be with the woman he loves. At the house, we meet two more characters. The first is Kurt (Leslie Daniels), a former medical worker that aids Dr. Bill in his insidious experiments. You see, Dr. Bill isn’t a conventional doctor, he believes in taking risks, and doing things unconventionally. He’s been using limbs he’s stolen from the morgue to attempt to reattached them to a new host, in hopes that he’ll have a breakthrough in the process.

The second person we meet, is one of Dr. Bill’s experiments. We don’t actually see him, but we hear him groaning, and pounding on the door to his cell. It’s some kind of experiment gone wrong, but Dr. Bill still holds out hope that one day he’ll be able to “repair” him. Dr. Bill then shows Kurt Jan’s head, and explains to him that they must keep it alive with his new formula, and that he’ll find a new “hot body” for Jan. Meanwhile, Jan just wants to die and is horrified at what Dr. Bill is doing to her.

We soon realize that Dr. Bill’s experimental juice has a side-effect on Jan. It gives her some form of telepathy, and she can now communicate with people using her mind. She speaks out loud to Kurt, and Dr. Bill, but she mentally communicates with the thing locked in the cell nearby. Kurt disagrees with Dr. Bill and thinks Jan should be allowed to die. You might wonder why Kurt helps Dr. Bill in the first place, but there is a good reason. Kurt has a bad arm, and basically can’t use it for anything. It seems that Dr. Bill used his transplant operation on Kurt, but it didn’t take. Now Kurt stays in the hopes of one day getting a new arm.

Just before he heads out on his mission to find a hot woman for Jan’s head, he checks the thing in the closet. He’s horrified by what’s in there, and Kurt tells him that it almost broke free the other night. Dr. Bill tells him that it can’t break free because of the thickness of the door, but Kurt is less than hopeful. Dr. Bill heads out and heads straight for…wait for it…a strip club. You’ve got to admire his “love”for his girlfriend Jan. Inside this waspy club, we see some fine ladies earning their money. Immediately, Dr. Bill takes a liking to one of them, but can’t seal the deal. Back at the lab, Kurt spies on Jan and her new friend. He’s so scared he almost craps himself when he realizes that they can communicate. You get the feeling that Jan has a growing resentment for Kurt, and her former lover, and that this isn’t going to end well.

Back to Dr. Bill and his search. After failing miserably at the strip club, he finds a woman that he knew from college that was disfigured. She’s now a figure model, and lets men come to her house to photograph her wearing almost nothing, for money. Dr. Bill waits until the “session” is over, and tells her that he still thinks she’s beautiful, and he’d like to get re-acquainted. At first, she isn’t very receptive, but she eventually wants so badly to have her face back the way it used to be, she relents to his request to hang out at his place for a consult.

I won’t go any further at this point, because this is a very short movie (just over an hour), and anything more would give the ending away. Suffice to say that there will be bloodshed, and Jan, Dr. Bill, Kurt, and the monster will all have a night they will never forget!

OK, here are my thoughts:

This film is another in a long line of public domain flicks that are most certainly underrated. Obviously it’s a “B” movie for a reason, the sets aren’t awesome, and there aren’t any actors/actresses that most will recognize, but don’t let that deter you from giving this one a watch. For one thing, Jan’s head is REALLY creepy! Imagine being a moviegoer in 1962, and seeing what looks like a real head with all these wires and tubes hooked up to it, talking, and making these different facial expressions. Also, that as the movie goes on, Jan gets absolutely crazy. Now, we don’t know if this is from the serum that Dr. Bill has given her or just insanity setting in because of dealing with being decapitated and kept alive. Either way, Jan is CREEPY!

The other cool thing about this flick is the monster behind the door. We don’t get a lot of action from him, but when we do, he goes on a bloody rampage that makes King Kong look like a circus chimp. The actor who played the monster, Eddie Carmel, isn’t a household name now, but back then, he was known for doing carnival sideshows, and things like that, due to his condition of Gigantism. The dude was 8′ 9″ tall, and looked like an absolute terror. The makeup was anything to get worked up about, but just the sheer size of the man is enough to scare anyone. Sadly, as most with that condition, he died at a very young age.

Give the link a click, and sit down for an hour or so and give this one a chance. You get some fine ladies, a killer giant, and a deranged doctor that can’t even land a girl at a strip club!

Click here for the full movie!

Cinema Sunday: Tormented (1960)

Posted on December 14, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Tormented

Distributor: Allied Artists

Writer: Bert I. Gordon (and George Worthing Yates – screenplay)

Director: Bert I. Gordon

Producers: Bert I. Gordon, Joe Steinberg

Starring: Richard Carlson, Susan Gordon, Juli Reding, Lugene Sanders, Joe Turkel

Released: September 1960

MPAA: UR

I’m sure everyone out there has a movie star crush. Well, in this case, I’m spotlighting a movie with one of my “man crush” movie stars in Richard Carlson! This guy was quite the tough guy/leading man back in the day, and when you look at his resumé, you cannot deny his place in movie history. And honestly, he fought the ‘Gill Man’ in Creature from the Black Lagoon, so does he really need anything else to be said about him? Exactly.

In this film Carlson is somewhat of a cad, and you don’t feel one bit sorry for him when he gets what’s coming to his way. He’s typically the strong, macho type, that is the hero, but not in this film, oh no. Rather than boring you, why don’t we get to the plot!

The film opens with a voice telling that the nearby island (near Cape Cod) holds secrets, voices from the dead! Close by, a lighthouse has two people in it. A beautiful woman, Vi Mason (Juli Reding), and Tom Stewart (Richard Carlson), argue over their past relationship. Vi wants Tom back, but he’s engaged to be married to a much younger, and more wealthy woman now, so he couldn’t care less about Vi. This infuriates her, so she tells him that if he doesn’t consent to be her husband, she’ll produce a letter that he gave her a while back, stating his lover for Vi, and it will ruin his engagement to his new lover. You can see the desperation in Tom’s eyes, and then the two continue to have a back and forth argument on the gallery. She even threatens to ruin his musical career (he’s a successful jazz pianist apparently), and this really twists Tom’s nips. He throws her a really evil look, and she remarks that he looks as though he wants to kill her. Just as she smirks at him, the railing she’s leaning against lets loose, and she falls. She manages to grab on to the deck but needs help getting up…but Tom realizes her “accident” means an easy way out for him. He watches as she plummets to her death on the rocky shore below.

The next morning, Tom dives into the waters to recover her corpse. He does, and then brings it to shore. Once there though, it turns into a pile of seaweed! A voice then cries out and startles Tom. We see a little girl (Susan Gordon) approach who’s the younger sister of the woman whom he’s going to marry. Sandy wants to hang out with him, but Tom is quite shaken over recent events, and wants to be alone, so he asks her to get lost. As she’s ready to leave, she notices something shiny nearby. She picks it up and shows it to Tom. It’s a very nice watch with the name Vi on the back, and she asks him if he knows anyone by that name…Tom denies knowing anyone by that name of course, but wonders what is going on. Sandy runs off to play.

Tom begins to have an internal monologue and thinks his imagination is getting the better of him, so just leaves the beach and heads over to the lighthouse. He heads up to retrace the steps from the night before, and then tries to pull the railing back in place, but it wont stay, and keeps going right back into the same spot. A seagull flies by and scares the crap out of him, and then he hears someone enter the lighthouse. As the steps get closer, Tom’s sphincter tightens. We then see a gorgeous young woman approach, and Tom can breathe easy. It’s his fiancée, Meg, and she’s elated to see her man. The two have a few moments, but then she decides it’s too creepy in there, so she wants to go back to the beach. As they leave, you hear a mysterious whaling noise from the lighthouse.

As the two lovers walk along the beach talking about their wedding ceremony (one week away), the camera pans down towards their footprints in the sand. As they continue on, we see that just behind them is another set of footprints being made, but from no one we can see. As the two stop to make out, Tom notices the extra set of prints, and freaks out. Meg doesn’t understand, and when Tom tries to point them out, the ocean washes up and erases the tracks. Tom gets frantic, and begs Meg to go away with him to the mainland now and get married, but she refuses, and tells him that her father would go berserk. Tom is left wondering what to do, and again, we see a set of footprints right next to him!

The next day, Sandy is trying to show Tom her new magic show, but he couldn’t care less. Sandy gets angry, but forgives him. He asks her to get the magic show ready for another time while he practices his music. He begins to play, but out of nowhere, the record player turns on by itself. Tom notices the name of the song is “Tormented” by an artist with the first name “Vi” so he unplugs the record player. He heads back over to the piano, and just as he’s about to begin playing again, the record player starts up again! He runs over and smashes the record. Just then, he hears a knock, so he calls out, and gets an answer from Mrs. Ellis (Lillian Addams). She’s was a local real estate agent that he knows, and she just stopped by to pay him a visit and see how he’s doing. She’s blind, but knows the area very well. He begins to ask her questions about local ghost stories and her personal superstition. She tells him that there is a strong presence in this area, and just down the block they had an incident years earlier.

That night, Tom is dreaming (or is he) that Vi’s ghost is calling out to him, begging for help on the lighthouse once again and just flat-out taunting him. After wetting the bed, Tom wakes up, and that watch is on the nightstand. As he looks out of his window, he sees the light is on up at the lighthouse, so he bolts up there to check it out. He calls out to Vi, and initially gets no answer. As he heads out, a voice answers him, but it’s too late. The next day, he’s doing his thing again at the piano, and Sandy drops by to annoy him. He shows her the wedding ring and she asks if she can try it on. He turns away, and gets the ring out of the case, and thinks he’s slipping it on to the child’s finger. A minute later, she again asks if she can try it on, and he tells her that he just gave it to her, but she tells him that he didn’t. Just as he turns back around, he sees Vi’s floating hand wearing the ring! He freaks out, slaps the hand down, and backs up. Sand y doesn’t understand what’s going on, and she thinks he’s dropped it. She looks under the piano, and then Tom can see the creepy hand crawling around with the ring. As Sandy gets near, he pulls her away, and the hand then disappears.

Will Tom make it to his wedding day? Or will the ghost of Vi get her revenge?!?

OK, here are my thoughts:

Being a film that’s in public domain, give it a look. Richard Carlson is a strong actor, and gives a very solid performance. Nothing Oscar worthy, but definitely worth giving this one a try. The rest of the cast isn’t anything to write home about, well, the little girl has some funny scenes, and the ladies are very beautiful, but they could’ve been anyone. Lillian Addams was pretty good, not only at portraying a blind woman, but also at being a sort of medium.

The sets were OK, but the real cool scenes were in the lighthouse. That was something cool, and really added the atmosphere to the flick. There wasn’t much else, and the music score was kind of generic, but hey, Bert I. Gordon films aren’t really known for the big budgets and elaborate music scores. The special effects were decent for a low-budget film, and didn’t pull down the supernatural tone that the movie was trying to give you. Seeing Carlson’s character mentally decline is half the fun of the movie, but once the blind lady senses something wrong, then it gets really interesting. I’ll add a link to the full movie so you can decide for yourself!

Click here for the full movie!

Maximum Security: Thor vs. Ego (2000)

Posted on November 25, 2014 by billyd75

I typically don’t write about books this new, but being that this is a reprint of incredible material, I figured it was OK. When you can showcase something as special as a Silver Age Thor story, you gotta do it. Marvel cosmic is a thing of beauty or it was at one time. Readers of the Silver Age know, that The Fantastic Four and Thor are the two books that started it all, and vaulted it into the farthest reaches of the universe and beyond! Originals, reprints, whatever, get some copies of early issues of these two titles, and dive in. This particular over-sized book has three issues of Thor (#133, 160-161), that show his first and next encounters with the Living Planet called Ego!

Of course, the only mind that could bring us this visual feast is that of Jack ‘King’ Kirby. As if Ego wasn’t enough, Kirby then brings the mighty Galactus into the fray, and you’d better fasten your seat-belts for that collision! Scripted by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta, letters by Artie Simek and Sam Rosen! A better story from the Silver Age of Marvel cannot be found!