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Cinema Sunday: Night Creatures (A.K.A. Captain Clegg)

Posted on March 16, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Night Creatures (Captain Clegg)

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Writer: Anthony Hinds

Director: Peter Graham Scott

Producer: John Temple-Smith

Starring: Peter Cushing, Patrick Allen, Yvonne Romain, Michael Ripper, Oliver Reed

Released: June, 1962

MPAA: Unrated

I was going to stray away from Hammer Studios for this week, but then I thought…why? Their library is so extensive, and so awesome, why not keep going with another one! This week brings us, Captain Clegg, or Night Creatures, as it was known in the U.S. when it was released in 1962. This film has really stood the test of time, and I can’t see why it won’t for a very long time. Some of the story is loosely based off of Doctor Syn and the Romney Marsh Phantoms, but that material was owned by Disney back then, so some of the material and names were changed to avoid a lawsuit. Let us now forage to the coastline of rural England, and the 18th Century!

Our story begins on a ship at sea, with a man (pic below) being punished for assaulting the Captain’s wife. They slit his ears, and cut out his tongue, and tie him to a post on a deserted island for his crimes. We next see an old man, as he’s quickly trying to make his way through the marshes. Suddenly though, he’s accosted by several spectral beings riding horses that glow in the night. He’s so upset by these demons, that he throws a heart attack, and dies on the spot!

The following day, Reverend Bliss (Peter Cushing) is holding a church service, but it’s soon interrupted by Captain Collier (Patrick Allen- pic below, far right), and the kings soldiers. They’re on the hunt for smugglers that have been reportedly been illegally transporting wine and other alcohol out of the country. Captain Collier waits outside for Reverend Bliss, and the Squire (Derek Francis), while his men search the ale house. Initially they find nothing, but then they bring in the man who was tied to the post back on that deserted island. He’s their snoop and can sniff out booze, but when they think they’ve found something, it turns out the casks are only full of white varnish. The Captain then demands to see Mr. Ketch (his informer), and Mr. Mipps (Michael Ripper-pic below, middle) takes him to his workshop. He shows him the dead body, and the Captain is furious. He’s told the man died of fright, but doesn’t believe in the marsh phantoms he’s told about by Mipps.

Captain Collier looks for accommodations, but Bliss tells him there is nowhere for him and his men, but that doesn’t stop him from trying. We then see that Bliss, Mipps, and several others are in on a smuggling ring. The owner of the Inn, Mr. Rash, is the “guardian” of a waitress, Imogene (Yvonne Romain-pic below with Oliver Reed), and is also a part of the ring. He also often harasses Imogene as well. Captain Collier is then invited to dinner with Bliss, the Squire, and his son. As they are having their meal, the Squire tells Captain Collier that his men can stay in his barn, and Bliss gets annoyed and spills his drink. Bliss then goes out to the bar to get a towel, and the man whom he left for dead on the island sees him. Now, the man had his tongue cut out, so he cannot speak, but he does attack Bliss, and the Captain’s men pull him off before he strangles him.

After dinner, a man runs into town screaming, absolutely raving about the marsh phantoms. Captain Collier then demands that the man show him where he saw them, and he gathers his troops and the head out into the marshes. After walking for miles, we see that it was all a distraction so the smugglers can get their “product” out of the town without the soldiers finding out about the operation. Eventually, Captain Collier realizes he’s been tricked, so he threatens the man and gets him to divulge where the smugglers are hiding. As they make their way to the secret hiding spot, a scarecrow appears in a nearby field, and one of the soldiers remarks that he saw it move. Collier then draws his pistol, and fires at the scarecrow, hitting it in the arm. Once they get to the spot though, only rags remain, but there is blood on the sleeve!

The secrets of the town and of the Romney Marsh Phantoms will be revealed in the exciting conclusion to this epic movie! Rest assured that you will be on the edge of you seat for this one! Will Imogene and Harry (Oliver Reed) get to be together or will they die at the hands of Captain Collier!

OK, here are my thoughts:

Alright, this is one fantastic movie! Peter Cushing as basically a swashbuckling pirate is nothing short of incredible. He delivers a great performance, and the rest of the crew does as well. Michael Ripper is rock solid as usual, and he gets a more active role than most of his other films, for sure. You really get the sense that he cares about Bliss like a brother. There is another secret that gets revealed about Imogene, and most wont see this one coming.

The musical score is quite good too. Thunderous when it needed to be, but also ominous at times of desperation. The sets are exactly what you come to expect from a Hammer film, which is to say they are superb. The locations they used for filming were very cool, and added a feeling of the times when the film was to have taken place. Kudos for that and Peter Cushing, as he delivers another genuine performance that lights up the screen!

Cinema Sunday: The Reptile (1966)

Posted on March 9, 2014 by billyd75

Title: The Reptile

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Writer: Anthony Hinds

Director: John Gilling

Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys

Starring: Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Michael Ripper

Released: April 6th, 1966

MPAA: Unrated

Hammer Studios is certainly most well-known for their interpretations of the Dracula, Frankenstein, and Werewolf franchises, but it would behoove you to also look deeper into their library for classics like this one! This film is one that I didn’t discover until a few years ago, but it quickly has become one of my favorites. Oh, it’s not the best of Hammer films, but it does have a couple of performances that really help it to rise above mediocrity. Lets get down to the plot!

The movie begins with a man, Charles Spalding, wandering around the countryside. He then retreats to his home only to find a note on the table. He then sets out to the residence across the moors. He knocks but no one answers, so he wanders inside. He walks down a hallway, and as he turns around, a man, Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman) shouts to him, warning him to get away. All of a sudden, something leaps out of the shadows and attacks him savagely. He falls down the stairs, and begins to have a seizure of some kind. As the man who warned him looks on in horror, another man steps out of the shadows, and disposes of the body on the moors.

The next scene shows us Harry and Valerie Spalding (Ray Barrett & Jennifer Daniel), as they are talking to a lawyer about his dead brothers (the man who was attacked in the fist scene) holdings. He informs them that his brother died without much wealth, but he did have a house in a rural town. They then take a train ride, and then walk to the village. At the local pub, Tom Bailey (Michael Ripper) is tending bar, but when Harry walks in, the patrons leave immediately. Tom Tells Harry where the house is located, and then they head out to the residence. As they open the front door, they see that the house has been ransacked. Harry returns to the pub later that day, and questions the patrons about the house. Again, they all leave, and Harry talks to Tom about what’s going on in this small village. As Harry makes his way home, he’s attacked by Mad Peter (John Laurie). Harry quickly realizes that Mad Peter is more of a foolish man, than a dangerous one. After some confusion, Harry invites Peter over for dinner, and to get some answers from him about his brother’s death.

As they finish dinner, Harry asks Peter but his brother. Peter explains that he really isn’t “mad”, just that he doesn’t live by the same rules that govern most men. As they talk more, Peter explains that this village is evil, and that terrible things happen here. He tells him that someone killed his brother, and not some mysterious hear failure, as he was led to believe. Peter then hears some music nearby, freaks out,t hen leaves in a hurry. During the night, Harry is awakened by some noises downstairs. When he investigates, he finds Peter at his doorstep, on death’s door. He mentions the name Franklyn, and Harry rushes across the moors to get the good doctor. Dr. Franklyn doesn’t seem to care about Peter, but Harry urges him to come and see him. Dr. Franklyn then tells Harry he’s a doctor of theology, not medicine, but agrees to come anyway. By the time they get there, Pater is already dead though (image above), and Dr. Franklyn tells them that he’ll handle the arrangements.

Valerie is visited the next day by Anna Franklyn, who seems a bit spooky, but nice all the same. Their little conversation is interrupted though, and Dr. Franklyn is furious at Anna for leaving the house. She did manage to invite the Spalding’s to dinner though, and later, we see that dinner date. Anna is not present, and Dr. Franklyn explains that she’s being punished for her earlier transgression. She joins them after dinner, and plays some music for them. The tune is almost hypnotic, and Anna seems to be getting into it, that is until her father erupts in anger, and smashes her instrument. Harry and Valerie leave in a rush, and head home.

Tom and Harry then formulate a plan to not only discover who or what is behind these killings, but also how to stop The Reptile!

OK, here are my thoughts:

Alright, I’ll be the first to admit that the lead roles in this film aren’t the strongest in Hammer’s catalog. They’re not bad mind you, just not up to the Cushing and Lee standard. There are still two bright spots. First, Jacqueline Pearce is fantastic, and not only does she make a convincing “troubled daughter” but she’s also a beautiful woman! She really lights up a room when she appears on-screen. The other great role is played by Hammer stalwart, Michael Ripper. He really gets to shine in this one, and has a huge role compared to his usual minor parts. He has a strong presence from start to finish. John Laurie (Mad Peter) was indeed a very good addition to this movie as well. His eccentric personality was absolutely superb!

The music score was pretty good, starting off with the opening scene/credits. A thunderous clashing of cymbals, and loud roaring wind section, lead us into this creepy classic. The sets, as with the overwhelming majority of Hammer films, were absolutely amazing. The house, the bubbling pit of oozing death in the basement, and the foggy moors, all set an incredible mood for this film. Definitely check this one out, it’s more than worth your time!

Cinema Sunday: The Hound of The Baskervilles (1959)

Posted on January 19, 2014 by billyd75

Title: The Hound of The Baskervilles

Distributor: United Artists

Writer: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (story)

Director: Terence Fisher

Producer: Michael Carreras

Starring: Peter Cushing, André Morell, Christopher Lee

Released: May 4th, 1959

MPAA: NR

In this big screen version of the classic tale from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, we see the vile Sir Hugo Baskerville, as he and his drunken cohorts torture a man because he questioned Sir Hugo’s motives with his daughter. After nearly killing him (or maybe killing him), he turns his attention to the daughter upstairs. Unbeknownst to him though, she’s escaped through the window, and is running loose, towards the moors. He lets loose the hunting dogs to chase her down, and cries out…”let the hounds of Hell take me if I can’t hunt her down”! He eventually does hunt her down, and murder her, but as he does, a sinister howl rings,out from the darkness. Sir Hugo is then attacked by some monstrosity, and is killed.

In the present day, we see that Dr. Mortimer (Francis de Wolff), is telling this tale to Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) and his partner, Dr. Watson (André Morell). They seem unimpressed, which ticks off Mortimer. Holmes then uses his keen intellect to ask the right questions about a more recent murder in the Baskerville family, and then we realize that Holmes already knows of his motives for being at his home. Mortimer then explains that the next heir in line, Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee), is due to arrive today. Holmes tells Mortimer that he’ll meet with Sir Henry, and investigate the matter.

The next day, we see Sir Henry, at a hotel room, as he’s getting ready for the visit. Homes and Watson arrive, and tell him that they’ll take up the case. Before they leave, Sir Henry is the victim of an attack by a tarantula. Holmes has Watson accompany Sir Henry to the home, and he attends to other business. At the ancestral home, Sir Henry and Watson are taken care of by the housekeepers. Sir Henry does a toast but the female housekeeper drops her drink when he mentions the family curse. That night, Watson can hear a howling in the distance. The next morning, Sir Henry meets the local bishop (Miles Malleson), and they discuss the family history. After a short trip to the village, Watson is walking through the moors, when he’s approached by a man, warning him of straying off the trail. Watson continues on his trek, and runs into a beautiful girl. He asks her if he’s still on the right path to Baskerville Hall, and she runs away upon hearing that name. Watson pursues her through the moor, but then falls into quicksand. He’s rescued by the man he met earlier (Stapleton), and his daughter. They return Watson to the castle, and Sir Henry meets the girl (the daughter of Stapleton, who’s a local farmer), and the two get off to a rocky start.

Later that evening, Watson and Sir Henry see a light flashing out on the moors. They investigate, and find a man running loose on the property. As they are in pursuit, they hear a howling noise. Sir Henry appears to have some kind of panic attack. Back at the castle, Dr. Mortimer tells him that he has a heart condition that he’s inherited from the family. Watson goes back out to the moors to look for clues. As Watson sifts through the old ruins, he’s surprised by Holmes. who’s been watching things from a distance for days. As the two are talking, they hear a scream. They find a dead body, and assume it’s Sir Henry. They make their way back to the castle, and discover that it wasn’t Sir Henry, but an escaped convict that was roaming the area.

Another day passes, and they return to the spot where the body was left. It’s now missing, and they find tracks leading to the old ruins. They discover that someone or something not only killed the convict, but also mutilated his body. They find a dagger with the family crest on it, the very one that was used to kill decades earlier by the evil Sir Hugo. Holmes finds out that the housekeeper was related to the convict, and that she’d been taking him food and clothing. He was wearing one of Sir Henry’s suits when he was killed. Holmes visits the bishop, to decide what he knows about the recent disappearance of a tarantula. He tells Holmes that Dr. Mortimer had paid him a visit days before.

Sir Henry pays a visit to the Stapleton’s house, and puts the moves on the daughter. She has a strange look in her eyes, but then she invites him to dinner for that evening. Watson and Holmes discuss who might be behind these acts, and they are still unclear about who is responsible. Holmes deduces that there is something more to the moors than meets the eye. Dr. Mortimer and Holmes are at odds over Sir Henry. Holmes tells Dr. Mortimer about a local mine that needs investigating, and he agrees to come with him. Holmes then pulls out the dagger he found earlier, but Dr. Mortimer doesn’t seem surprised to see it. Next, Holmes, Stapleton, and Mortimer descend into the mine. After a few moments, Holmes makes a discovery, but then there’s a howl of an animal, and a cave i seals Holmes in, for good apparently. In the next scene, Watson is attempting to dig his way down to Holmes, but Mortimer and Stapleton tell him that there’s no way he survived. As they walk back to the cart, they’re shocked to see Holmes sitting in the cart.

Back at the castle, Holmes and Watson are putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Holmes had locked the dagger he found in a drawer in his dresser. It was forced open, and the dagger stolen. Sir Henry comes to see how Holmes is doing (he hurt his leg in the mine), and tells them that they’ve been invited to dinner by Stapleton. Holmes then realizes that this is the night Sir Henry is to die, so he intentionally annoys Sir Henry, so that he;ll go to dinner without them. Sir Henry leaves, and the two detectives make their plan! I wont spoil the ending, but rest assured, that Watson and Holmes see the action they’re looking for, and Sir Henry must face the hound from Hell!

OK, my thoughts are as follows:

The picture is without a doubt, one of the best films Hammer Studios has ever made. Cushing is astounding with his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes! He really “gets” the character, and what Doyle was trying to convey in his novel. André Morell has another magnificent performance, and really does his best at giving us a Watson we can believe. The bishop, Miles Malleson, is another Hammer regular, and has a knack with his depiction of the bumbling gentleman.

I definitely need to mention the man who wrote the screenplay, Peter Bryan. This adaptation was quite good compared to others. Not that you need to compare it, because it can stand alone against any other movie. The music score was fantastic too, and nothing less can be expected from James Bernard. It really set a thunderous mood during the high points of the film.

Long story short is that if you haven’t seen this movie, you need to right away. It is the definitive Sherlock Holmes movie! If you love mysteries, thrillers, or any type of classic film, get out and grab this film now!

Cinema Sunday: Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

Posted on January 12, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Frankenstein Created Woman

Distributor: British International Pictures/20th Century Fox

Writer: John Elder (Anthony Hinds)

Director: Terence Fisher

Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys

Starring: Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters

Released: March 15th, 1967 (USA)

MPAA: UR

OK, listen, don’t let this title or some reviews fool you. This film is pretty good! It isn’t your typical Frankenstein franchise film, but it does have three things going for it. Susan Denberg, Susan Denberg, and Susan Denberg. Alright, that was my attempt at humor. The lovely, blond bombshell is one of the reasons, but the horror icon himself, Peter Cushing, is certainly one of the others! The last reason is simple. Any time you have multiple decapitations in a movie, you’re on the right track! This was one of the last films produced at the famous Bray Studios, a legendary site for Hammer Studios.

The film begins with a rough-looking fellow, as he’s being led to the guillotine. Just about the time when he’s to be killed, a boy, his son actually, is spotted in the nearby forest. It’s the son of the gentleman that’s about to be executed. The priest chases Hans away for the moment, and the convict tells the men to do the deed. Just as the blade is about to fall, the boy appears out of the trees, and watches his father die.

Fast forward to a few years later, and Doctor Hertz (Thorley Walters) is being assisted by a now grown up Hans. They quickly retrieve a body from a freezer, and we now see that the body is that of Baron Frankenstein! He’s been on ice for one hour, and the two men use the arcane machinery to revive the Baron. After a scuffle at a local cafe’, Hans is arrested for his part in the melee. He’s released, and goes back to the cafe’ owners home, where the owners daughter, Christina is readying for bed. She’s disfigured, and has a bad limp, but Hans loves her, and she loves him, too. They make love, and then Hans goes home for the night. Back at the cafe’, the gentlemen that were involved in the brawl with Hans earlier, have returned to the establishment after closing, to pillage the liquor. The owner returns to the cafe’ after realizing he forgot his keys there, and is summarily assaulted by the youths.

The next day, Hans is walking by the cafe’, and is arrested by the police under suspicion of murder. A trial is quickly thrown together, and Hans is sentenced to the guillotine at dawn. Baron Frankenstein knows this is his opportunity for a fresh corpse, so he makes the arrangements with Dr. Hertz to “obtain” the body. The Baron then tells Dr. Hertz that they’ll use the machinery to capture the soul of Hans, then put it into another body. Preferably one with a head. The next morning, Hans is beheaded, and this time, Christina is passing by, and witnesses it! The event drives her mad, and she runs into the forest, and throws herself into a nearby river. Dr. Hertz and the Baron get both bodies, and pull the switcheroo. Now, Hans’ soul resides inside Christina’s body, and her deformities have now been fixed by the two good doctors.

At first, Christina seems fine, but when the Baron shows her the guillotine where Hans was killed, it ignites memories from him, of that fateful day when his father was killed, years before. She begins to have nightmares as well, and after waking up from one, she decides it’s time for a little revenge against the hooligans that wronged Hans from the wrongful murder charges. The first to feel her wrath, is Anton. She dresses up quite nicely, and hangs out on the corner by the cafe’ where Anton and his cronies hang out. As he leaves the establishment, she picks him up, and then they go to the abandoned house where Christina used to live. She goes into the backroom to change, and then calls out to Anton, but with the voice of Hans. The next thing we see, is the guillotine coming down, signifying Anton’s demise.

The next night, Karl and Johann are drinking away their troubles at the cafe’, and discussing Anton’s death. Johann then leaves, and Christina comes into the cafe’. She charms Karl into having a little “action”, but then Karl spills wine on her dress. She excuses herself into the washroom to clean it, and moments later, Karl hears the voice of Hans calling to him. Christina emerges with a meat cleaver, and we next see a shot of her chopping wood the following morning (obviously, Karl is dead). Some villagers then accost the home of the Baron and Dr. Hertz, and demand to see them about the recent murders. The Baron tells them to dig up the body of Hans, and they do just that next. The grave is opened, and the body is still there, but the head is missing!

The next scene is Christina, in her bedroom, having a conversation with the head of Hans (she’s planted it on her mirror). We hear the voice of Hans, instructing her to kill Johann. As Johann is trying to make a speedy escape out-of-town, and as he just reaches the coach heading out of the village. He notices a pretty girl in the corner, and she offers him a drink. The coach breaks down, and the two decide to have a picnic in the forest. As Johann is laying in her lap, she pulls a knife out of the basket, and stabs him violently. We notice the head of Hans is in her hat box!

I wont spoil the end of the film, as it’s not my style, but rest assured, you get your monies worth from this movie. It was a change of pace for the Frankenstein series, as this one dealt more with the spirit, than the body. Also, the aspect of a woman committing the murders, and not a man was a switch from the normal routine. Cushing is his normal, brilliant self in the film, and that is to be expected. Susan Denberg did do a fine job on top of being fantastic eye candy. Her performance, especially once she was resurrected, was very good in my humble opinion. Thorley Walters character (Dr. Hertz) did a fine job of complimenting Cushing, and his child-like affection for Christina was definitely a great addition to the script.

Definitely look this one up (currently free on YouTube) if you’re a fan of Hammer or old school horror movies in general. It’s one of those movies that doesn’t get a lot of play, or great reviews, but trust me, you’ll enjoy it! See you next week!

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