THE CATMAN OF PARIS

Who is the Catman?

THE CATMAN OF PARIS (1946). Director: Lesley Selander. 

Charles Regnier (Carl Esmond) is a well-regarded French writer who has come out with a controversial novel based on a famous murder case, a book that has the authorities nervous. Therefore, he is not that surprised when he becomes the suspect in a series of strangulations where the victims are clawed as if by a cat. Inspector Severen (Gerald Mohr) is convinced the murders are the work of a man and not an animal. Charles' friend Henry (Douglass Dumbrille) suggests that Charles should get out of Paris and take his lady love, Marie (Lenore Aubert) with him. Then the Catman strikes again. 

Fritz Feld and Gerald Mohr

The Catman of Paris is a low-budget horror flick from Republic studios, and it does boast some period atmosphere and interesting settings. Carl Esmond, in a rare starring role, is okay as the author, but the picture is stolen by Dumbrille. Fritz Feld plays a dramatic part for a change as the Prefect of Police, and is as good as ever. Aubert and Adele Mara as Charles' cast-off fiancee are perfectly decorative and adept and even Mohr makes his mark as a French policeman (!). Charles shows little concern over the victims in the story. The Catman's make up is well-done, but the movie itself is completely unexceptional. Once you find out who the Catman really is, a sequence concerning a murder in a coach is utterly impossible the way it's played. 

Verdict: Fair to middling Republic horror. **1/4. 

CHRISTINE

Keith Gordon in his Plymouth

CHRISTINE (1983). Director: John Carpenter. 

Dennis (John Stockwell) is best friends with the somewhat nerdy Arnie (Keith Gordon), who comes across an almost dilapidated old Plymouth and falls in love with her. Working on the car day and night, the car -- Christine, by name -- is not only transformed, but so is Arnie, becoming "cool" in his dress and manner like something out of the 1950's. Then the kids and others who taunted him become subjects of the wrath of Christine. But Christine, who can magically transform herself when she needs to, will not be easy to destroy. 

Robert Prosky

Based on a novel by Stephen King, Christine was not an improvement on an earlier and much better "killer car" movie entitled The Car. The Plymouth is beautiful, and some of the attack sequences are well-handled, although the alleged climax to the film is comparatively slow and dull. Stockwell and Gordon give good performances, although Alexandra Paul as Arnie's girlfriend isn't much of an actor; considering her 100 credits she must have gotten better. The movie is stolen by Robert Prosky, who makes the most of his scenes as Will Darnell, the grizzled, often dyspeptic owner of a body shop where Arnie works on the Plymouth. William Ostrander is notable as Arnie's main nemesis, Buddy. The film is at least twenty minutes too long and has no real tension or suspense. The director's mediocre score doesn't help at all. 

Verdict: Yet another schlocky John Carpenter movie. **1/4. 

CALLING PHILO VANCE

James Stephenson as Philo Vance

CALLING PHILO VANCE (1940). Director: William Clemens. 

Philo Vance (James Stephenson) is sent on assignment to Vienna to investigate an airplane manufacturer named Archer Coe (Richard Kipling), who may be selling important designs to the axis powers. Before Philo can get anywhere he is arrested -- as if anyone could believe Stephenson was an American newspaperman -- and sent back to New York, where he continues his investigation at Coe's townhouse when the man is found murdered. The suspects include the victim's niece, Hilda (Margot Stevenson), who hated her uncle; her boyfriend, Tyler (Ralph Forbes); Coe's associate, Philip (Donald Douglas), who is in love with Hilda; a neighbor named Doris (Sheila Bromley) who is covering for someone; the maid Ling Toy (Bo Ling), who acts suspiciously; and even the butler, Gamble (Martin Kosleck).  Helping or hindering Philo in his investigation are the dyspeptic cop Ryan (Edward Brophy), Chief Inspector Markham (Henry O'Neill), and Philo's Scotch terrier, MacTavish. Then Coe's brother, Brisbane (Wedgwood Nowell), also turns up dead.

Calling Philo Vance is a remake of The Kennel Murder Case, which starred William Powell as Philo Vance. Stephenson could be a fine actor -- he was terrific in The Letter with Bette Davis -- but he has trouble making an impression in the wake of Powell. There are some mildly clever aspects to the murder plot, but the movie has little atmosphere or suspense. Philo Vance was also played by Alan Curtis in two films. William Hopper of Perry Mason and George Reeves of Superman have very small parts in this. 

Verdict: Not Philo's best. **. 

COWBOYS, CREATURES AND CLASSICS: THE STORY OF REPUBLIC PICTURES

COWBOYS, CREATURES, AND CLASSICS: THE STORY OF REPUBLIC PICTURES. Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian. Lyons Press/Rowman and Littlefield/2018.         

This big coffee table book looking into the history of Republic Pictures and its output, stars, genres, leading ladies, cowboys, serials, stunt men, and so on, is not without flaws, but it does provide a flavorful overview of the famous studio and is packed with lots of photos. Republic did not just do low-budget programmers but also came out with movies such as John Ford's The Quiet Man and the Joan Crawford western Johnny Guitar, among others. The book looks at how Republic Pictures played a significant role in John Wayne's career (and vice versa) and also looks at the studio's relationships with such as Gene Autrey and Roy Rogers. Studio founder Herbert J. Yates took a shine to skating star Vera Hruba Ralston, whom he later married, and nearly bankrupted the studio by trying to make a major star out of her. The emergence of television didn't help matters much, either, although Republic rented out sound stages to TV shows and also produced their own programs. This is a good, attractive-looking volume, although there are odd omissions. The appendix of films is not complete, especially when it comes to the serials -- no mention anywhere of the four Republic Dick Tracy serials, for instance.               

Verdict: Interesting and often informative look behind-the-scenes at Republic Pictures. ***                                                 

AQUAMAN

Jason Momoa and Amber Heard

AQUAMAN (2018). Director: James Wan. 

Arthur Curry (James Momoa) is the son of a human father (Temeura Morrison) and an Atlantean mother (Nicole Kidman). Having heard that his mother was executed because of her relationship with his father, Arthur wants little to do with Atlantis. But when his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), also known as the Ocean Master, declares war on the surface world, Princess Mera (Amber Heard) importunes Arthur to fight to take the throne away from Orm. In the meantime Arthur, aka Aquaman, also has his hands full with a pirate who calls himself Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).

the city of Atlantis

Aquaman is based on a DC Comics character who has been around for decades. In the comic stories Orm was not a full-blooded Atlantean, but also a hybrid like Arthur -- they had the same father, not the same mother. The film uses the edgier, long-haired, full-bearded version of Aquaman, although I believe the character in the comics has gone back to his original appearance. (For more on Aquaman see The Silver Age of Comics and The Bronze Age of Comics Volume One.) Another change from comic to film is that Mera was not Atlantean but came from another dimension, although her ability to control water has not been altered. 

Patrick Wilson

There are a lot of things one could quibble about with Aquaman -- do we really need to see him sniffing his armpits when Mera suggests he smells bad? --  but the first thing one must say about it is that it is very visually compelling thanks to cinematographer Don Burgess and a host of special effects people. Atlantis is a striking kaleidoscope of color and energy. The fight sequences aboard a submarine in the prologue, a battle between Aquaman and Black Manta in Italy, and a struggle against nasty fanged and clawed monsters who emerge from an undersea trench to attack a boat, are all exciting and well-handled. The search for a trident that will help Aquaman in his battle against Orm takes place, oddly, not in the ocean, but in the Sahara, and his quest eventually takes him to an inner-earth prehistoric world that is borrowed from Edgar Rice Burrouighs' concept for Pellucidar. There are other interesting visual tidbits in the movie, such as Atlanteans who ride on trained sharks, and an octopus that uses its tentacles to beat on several drums at once. Charming!

Black Manta 

Jason Momoa makes an effective enough hero, although the guy should really work on his diction. Amber Heard is very pretty and competent as Mera. Dolph Lundgren and Willem Dafoe score as Atlanteans, Morrison makes a convincing Tom Curry, and Mateen and Michael Beach are fine as Manta and his father. (Manta blames Aquaman for his father's death in the prologue and will seek further revenge in the sequel.) But the show stopper in this is Patrick Wilson as Orm, who offers a fascinating portrait of a man who has understandable feelings of  jealousy and resentment, and the strength to carry out his negative schemes. Wilson makes more of an impression than the gargantuan sea serpent Karathan that shows up in all its glory at the climax. 

NOTE; Yes, I know this is not exactly a "B" movie, having cost about a zillion dollars to make, but this blog will also look at genre films of all kinds, decades, and budgets. 

Verdict: No masterpiece by any means, but good to look at, very colorful, and more entertaining than a lot of DC's movies. ***. 

DICK TRACY VS. CRIME INC.

Ralph Byrd and Ralph Morgan

DICK TRACY VS. CRIME INC. (15 chapter Republic serial/1941). Directed by William Witney and John English.

"New York must be evacuated at once. Proceed in an orderly manner."

Some years before the story begins, a special "secret council" was able to get the goods on a crook named "Rackets" Reagan, who received the death penalty. It develops that one of the members of the council (who was apparently unable to stop the others from convicting Reagan) is, unbeknownst to them, Rackets' brother, and now he's out for revenge. In his masked identity of the Ghost, he sets out to kill off the other members of the council, as well as to begin a wave of robbery and terror as the head of Crime Inc. His first dastardly deed is to try to destroy New York City with a deluge.

The Ghost prepares to give orders

The Ghost has two main underlings: a nasty gunsel named Corey (Anthony Warde); and a scientist named Lucifer (John Davidson), who has developed a machine that the Ghost can use to turn invisible. Sometimes the machine kicks out at inopportune moments, meaning that the Ghost has almost as many close calls as Dick Tracy has. Tracy is assisted by his associate, Billy Carr (Michael Owen), and his secretary, June Chandler (a colorless Jan Wiley), who just happens to be an "expert in sound research," which comes in handy when they need to trace the sound generated by the invisibility machine and even negate its effects. The council members are played by Ralph Morgan, John Dilson and Hooper Atchley, among others.

Tracy and Billy rush into action

Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc is one of the very best Republic serials, with a pace that never flags, furious fisticuffs, cliffhangers both within each chapter as well as at the end of each, excellent photography (Reggie Lanning), slick editing, and an exciting musical score by Cy Feuer. In addition to the suspense worked up over the true identity of the Ghost, there are lots of memorable moments: Tracy and Billy racing across a field as a plane lobs bombs at them below; Tracy falling unconscious on a conveyor belt that rushes him toward an inferno where he'll be cremated; Billy chained to the roof of a train with explosives aboard; June and Tracy trapped in a raging conflagration. In one great scene Tracy gets out of a boat speeding towards destruction by grabbing the rung of Billy's low-flying plane and soaring off to safety! The fight scenes in this are numerous and beautifully-handled: Tracy battling a supposed butler in a manor house; a rooftop battle between Tracy and the Ghost in which the latter manages to throw Tracy to his apparent doom. Unlike most Republic serials, this one doesn't have a "catch-up" chapter where previous scenes are replayed.

Verdict: Tremendous fun and flair in this lightning-fast classic cliffhanger. ***1/2. 

THE CURSE OF NOSTRADAMUS

German Robles as Nostradamus

THE CURSE OF NOSTRADAMUS (1961). Director: Federico Curiel. 

The Curse of Nostradamus was originally a 12 episode serial that played in theaters in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. An enterprising producer decided to have the serial dubbed into English, divide it into four films (consisting of three chapters each) and sell it to American television. If you remember this film that's where you first saw it. This movie has Professor Duran (Domingo Soler) telling party guests that there are no such things as vampires and that he is forming an organization to debunk the supernatural. Unfortunately that very evening a man calling himself Erikssen (German Robles) shows up in Duran's parlor and announces that he is the 400-year-old son of the infamous seer Nostradamus. 

Julio Aleman 

Nostradamus -- for that is his true name -- is also a vampire who can control men's minds and transform into a large bat (although in this installment at least, he never drinks blood and only bares his fangs once). Nostradamus wants Duran to acknowledge who he is to the world so that he can recreate his father's cult. Until Duran agrees to do so, he will murder his colleagues. One poor man is hypnotized by Nostradamus into a death-like state and winds up buried alive. With the help of his handsome young associate, Antonio (Julio Aleman), the professor tries to save Nostradamus' future victims. Nostradamus finally resorts to kidnapping Duran's daughter, Anita (Aurora Alvarado), and the two men must affect a rescue.

The Curse of Nostradamus is a little slow-paced and decidedly low-budget, but also atmospheric and well-acted. German Robles, who has real presence, makes an effective vampire. This was followed by the oddly-titled Monsters Demolisher. Between the three of them, Robles, Soler and Aleman amassed literally hundreds of credits in Spanish-language films and television productions. 

Verdict: Minor but nevertheless intriguing horror flick. **1/2. 

THE DAY THE SKY EXPLODED

Paul Hubschmid

THE DAY THE SKY EXPLODED (aka La morte viene dallo spazio/1958.) Director: Paolo Heusch. 

An international team has been gathered together to put a man into space, and an American named John McLaren (Paul Hubschmid) is chosen for the first mission. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and while McLaren makes it back to earth he is unable to jettison an atomic engine, which ultimately creates a magnetic attraction that causes several meteors or asteroids to come together into a single gigantic mass. Worse, this mass is now heading towards Earth. Scientists hope that the mass will break apart as it approaches the moon ... 

missiles head for the deadly space mass

The Day the Sky Exploded is an early, Italian version of a premise later used in several movies, including Meteor, Asteroid, Deep Impact, and Armageddon. Only a few years after this was made, the British came out with the far superior doomsday picture, The Day the Earth Caught Fire. This film is not without interest, however, and moves quickly. As the meteors rush towards the earth there are animal migrations out of season, bizarre mirages of spheres surrounded by halos, balls of light -- and then lots of stock footage of floods and fires. The FX in this very low-budget production are pretty dismal, but there are some nifty missiles employed to destroy the meteor mass, although it takes the scientists in this forever to come up with the solution of using missiles, and even then it's an astronaut who finally hits upon the idea. 

Will the earth be saved? 

The lead actor, Paul Hubschmid, is better known as "Paul Christian," when he starred in the classic monster movie The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms earlier in the decade. He was Swiss, went to Germany where he made films during the Nazi regime, had a brief Hollywood career under his new name, then went back to Germany where he made a great many films under his real name. His best-known later film was Funeral in Berlin with Michael Caine. His excellent voice is dubbed in The Day the Sky Exploded, although it's a very professional dubbing job. Carlo Rustichelli contributed an evocative musical score, and Mario Bava, later a horror director, was the director of photography. 

Verdict: Fairly absorbing minor sci fi. **1/2. 

A WOMAN POSSESSED

Ian Fleming, Margaretta Scott, Francis Matthews

A WOMAN POSSESSED (1958). Director: Max Varnel. 

Widow Katherine (Margaretta Scott) has not seen her son John (Francis Matthews), who has studied to become a doctor, for two years. When he returns home, she is startled to discover that he has brought with him his hitherto unsuspected fiancee, Ann (Kay Callard). What follows is a modestly intriguing and suspenseful character study as we shift sympathies from Ann to Katherine and back again. Is Ann over-reacting to her future mother-in-law, not recognizing that she is afraid of losing John? Or is Katherine a potential monster-in-law? Katherine tries to mend fences with Ann, or is that just an act? She admits she resents Ann's presence, as does the long-time housekeeper, Emma (Alison Leggatt). Then there's an incident with a dog ... 

A Woman Possessed moves fast -- it is just over an hour long -- and holds the attention, although some viewers may see the ending coming from a mile away. In any case, the actors are solid all around, including Ian Fleming (not be confused with the creator of James Bond) as John's sympathetic and practical Uncle Walter. 

Verdict: The actors help keep you absorbed in this somewhat satisfactory suspense story, a typical low-budget Britain "B." **1/2. 

THE BERMUDA DEPTHS

monster from the depths

THE BERMUDA DEPTHS (1978 telefilm). Director: Tom Kotani. 

Now here's an odd one. As a boy Magnus Dens (Leigh McCloskey) lost his father when their house and laboratory in Bermuda was destroyed by something unseen. Years later, the still befuddled young man returns to Bermuda and encounters an old playmate, a woman named Jenny (Connie Sellecca). He also reunites with his pal, Eric (Carl Weathers) and Prof. Paulus (Burl Ives), who worked with Magnus' father. Eric and Paulus are on the hunt for a creature that may be responsible for the disappearance of ships in the Bermuda Triangle. But Paulus tells Magnus that the woman named Jenny is not real -- she is either a figment of his imagination or the ghost of a woman who died at sea many years before. She apparently lives forever because she sold her soul to a sea god in the hopes he would spare her. And what is her connection with the huge marine animal that pops up sporadically? Is it the sea god? 

Intense: Leigh McCloskey

The Bermuda Depths can't make up its mind if it's a monster movie, a ghost story, or an outre romance, and it doesn't quite work as any of them. It would be easy to just dismiss this as an awful mess, but it's also strangely absorbing and one could argue that at least it's something different. The monster is a big prop and it has a decided connection to Gammera as well as with a pet that Magnus had as a boy. As for the actors, they all play with conviction, with McCloskey etching a portrait of a man with decided emotional issues who is quick to anger. Julie Woodson is given some very effective moments as Eric's wife, Doshan, and Ruth Attaway is fun as the peculiar old cook, Delia. You might wonder how Burl Ives wound up in this but he's fine. 

Big Daddy: Burl Ives

According to Paulus, Magnus' father was trying to come up with the cause of mutations that create gigantism in sea life. Huh? Would anybody actually do that in real life? Apparently his research into gigantism created a monstrous organism that is now romping off the coast of Bermuda. Unfortunately we don't see nearly enough of this creature, although it does figure in an exciting climax. The film takes advantage of beautiful Bermuda locations. Apparently this rather silly if engaging movie has a lot of fans, and a film entitled Back from the Bermuda Depths is in development! 

Verdict: Too weird for its own good. **1/2.