KING OF THE ROCKET MEN

The Rocket Man takes to the air

KING OF THE ROCKET MEN (12 Chapter Republic serial/1949). Director: Fred C. Brannon. 

Jeffrey King (Tristram Coffin) is the director of security for a group called Science Associates, and also happens to be a rocket propulsion expert. When a series of scientists are killed in "accidents" Jeff helps Professor Millard (James Craven) fake his own death so that he can work in secret against the person responsible. Millard creates an atomic-powered rocket suit that Jeff (and at one point Millard) wears as "Rocket Man." His opponent is the mysterious Dr. Vulcan, whom both Jeff and Millard suspect is one of the members of the Science Associates board. 

Mae Clarke and Don Haggerty

King of the Rocket Men is the first of three Republic serials -- four if you count Commando Cody, the serial/TV series -- that use the rocket man suit and feature a flying hero who has various identities. This serial is exciting and suspenseful as our hero dodges a river of lava in a cave (chapter six) and other dastardly traps. The cliffhangers generally aren't that inventive, but there is still a lot of action and fun. The climactic chapter features Dr. Vulcan unleashing his "decimator" and practically destroying Manhattan, wherein stock footage from the old disaster flick Deluge -- still impressive -- comes in. Jeff's partner is Burt Winslow (House Peters Jr.) and both men suspect the other of being in league with Vulcan at various points during the serial. 

Tristram Coffin

Other cast members include Mae Clarke, famous for Frankenstein and the grapefruit scene in Public Enemy, who plays feisty reporter Glenda Thomas. At 39 Clarke was older than the typical serial heroine or female colleague. Don Haggerty makes an impression as the persistent thug Dirken who works for Dr. Vulcan. Stanley Wilson's music score keeps things hopping, and everything moves at a very swift pace. Tristram Coffin was offered a very rare leading role in this serial; he appeared in a number of previous serials in supporting or villainous roles. Coffin amassed 260 credits, and appeared in numerous movies and TV shows such as the "Country Club Dance" episode of I Love Lucy. 

Verdict: Great fun for serial devotees. ***. 

DARKNESS FALLS

Chaney Kley

DARKNESS FALLS (2003). Director: Jonathan Liebesman. 

When Kyle (Chaney Kley) was a boy, his mother was murdered by a ghastly figure who came out of the shadows. This figure is a vengeful witch, wrongly accused of child murder, who was known as the town of Darkness Falls' "tooth fairy" because of her loving habit of exchanging teeth for coins. Facially burned in a fire, and then burned to death at the stake, she places a curse on the town. Anyone who sees her face when she comes to get their teeth must die. 

Emma Caulfield Ford, Lee Cormie, Kley

Kyle has managed to stay out of the shadows, sleeping with the lights on and so on, until he reaches adulthood. His childhood friend, Caitlin (Emma Caulfield Ford) contacts him when it develops that her little brother, Michael (Lee Cormie), has also seen the witch's face and is absolutely terrified. As Kyle tries to do what he can to help Michael, others around him who see the witch are murdered, with Kyle becoming the prime suspect. This leads to an assault on a police station and a desperate struggle for Kyle, Caitlin, Michael and cop Matt (Sullivan Stapleton), who comes to believe Kyle's incredible story, to stay alive until daylight. 

Sullivan Stapleton as the cop

If I remember correctly, Darkness Falls did not get especially good reviews, mostly because they saw the villain as being the tooth fairy -- not quite the truth -- and couldn't take it seriously. Also the creepy scenes eventually gave way to action sequences that were generally well-done, although the supernatural element perhaps became too literal to be scary. However, the film is fast-paced, well-acted, and entertaining, so I don't think it deserved a critical drubbing, although I can certainly see why many viewers didn't care for it. As for the cast, Chaney Kley ironically and tragically died of sleep apnea when he was only thirty-four. Ford had many subsequent credits, as did Stapleton, now best-known as the super-butch FBI agent on the hit series Blindspot. Cormie was an appealing and talented child actor who is still working today. Liebesman also directed Wrath of the Titans. 

Verdict: No masterpiece, but hardly the train wreck some have called it. ***. 

THE TROLLENBERG TERROR

pitiful victim of Trollenberg Terror

THE TROLLENBERG TERROR (aka The Crawling Eye/1958). Director: Quentin Lawrence. 

Alan Brooks (Forrest Tucker), who works for the United Nations, arrives in the Swiss town of Trollenberg -- named for its mountain -- along, coincidentally, with two sisters, Anne (Janet Munro) and Sarah (Jennifer Jayne), who form a mind-reading act. Anne is a genuine telepath, and she senses that something strange is happening up on the Trollenberg, where climbers are having "accidents" in which their heads are inexplicably torn off. Alan's friend, Professor Crevett (Warren Mitchell), runs an observatory on top of the mountain that is studying cosmic rays and he has observed a strange radioactive cloud on the Trollenberg that never moves, until ... 

Janet Munro and Jennifer Jayne

The Trollenberg Terror is a feature-length version of a now-lost British TV serial. Say what one will about the absurdities of the story and production and the occasional lapse in logic, the fact remains that the film, better-known as The Crawling Eye, piles one creepy incident on top of another -- bizarre decapitations, ax-wielding maniacs, dead men who walk and talk, clouds that move without wind and can freeze telephone wires to brittleness, tentacled monstrosities with huge eyes that pop out of the cloud -- quickly and methodically building up eerie atmosphere and suspense in equal measure. Quentin Lawrence, who also directed the TV version, worked mostly in television and did very few feature films, but he does a fine job with this flick. The actors are also on target, and these include Laurence Payne [The Third Alibi] as a reporter and Colin Douglas as the frightened bar man, Hans, among others. 

Warren Mitchell and Forrest Tucker

The FX work in Trollenberg is quite good, especially when you consider that this is a low-budget production. Although the crawling eyes have somewhat limited movement, they prove lively enough when they need to be, and the sounds they make are unnerving. Stanley Black's music summons up plenty of chills during the scary scenes, and Monty Berman's photography adroitly turns pleasant locations into sinister ones. One of the best scenes has a group of people trying to escape via cable car high, high above the mountain when the cables start to freeze, and it's a question if they'll make it. The climactic attack on the observatory is also well-handled, and the miniature sets are first-rate. One could quibble that the characters don't quite display enough amazement about the nature of these alien creatures, but since they're fighting for their lives they have other things on their minds! NOTE: For more on this film and others like it, see Creature Features: Nature Turned Nasty in the Movies. 

Verdict: Crackling good British horror sci-fi. ***. 

INSIDE JOB (1946)

Alan Curtis and Ann Rutherford

INSIDE JOB (1946). Director: Jean Yarbrough. 

Eddie Norton (Alan Curtis) works as a kind of mechanical man in a department store window, and hides the fact that he is an ex-con because of a youthful indiscretion. His old "friend" Bart Madden (Preston Foster) threatens to tell his employers about his past if he doesn't help him rob the department store. You'd think Eddie would want no part of this scheme no matter what -- especially since Eddie took the fall for Bart --  but the dope not only eventually decides to go along with it but enlists his wife, Claire (Ann Rutherford), in his plans, which include ultimately cutting Madden out of the profit. But loose lips and a cute little boy with a cop father may prevent Eddie from realizing his larcenous ambitions.

Alan Curtis hatches plan

Inside Job features perhaps two of the dumbest protagonists in any movie. They seem to have no real skill at robbery or much of anything else. The three leads give solid performances, although Rutherford is not really the "gorgeous model" type that she is supposed to be (although she was cute enough to excite the interest of Andy Hardy when she played Polly Benedict). The movie glosses over details about the heist so that a lot of the plot doesn't make much sense. Midway through the movie it decides to drag in some sentiment with a cute neighbor kid (Jimmy Moss) next door as Eddie and Claire hide out after the heist. There's also a borderline cloying simple-minded nanny named "Ivory" (Ruby Dandridge, mother of Dorothy) and the kid's father, a cop named Thomas (Joe Sawyer). Marc Lawrence and Milburn Stone are also in the cast. The script for Inside Job is just too weak to make this a contender, but the uncompromising ending makes it clear that crime, in this case, really doesn't pay despite the fact that the couple are pretty much redeemed by their actions at the end. 

Verdict: Minor film noir with sentimental interludes. **. 

PROFILE

Thea Gregory, Kathleen Byron, John Bentley

PROFILE (1954). Director: Francis Searle.

Margot (Kathleen Byron) is married to an older man, Aubrey (Stuart Lindsell), who decides to publish a new magazine called Profile. He hires Peter (John Bentley of Calling Paul Temple) as the editor, a situation which is all to Margot's liking as she has a decided yen for Peter. Things get even more complicated when Aubrey's daughter, Susan (Thea Gregory), comes to work in the office -- where Margot hangs out every day -- and she and Peter begin falling for each other. Margot is not about to stand for that. Before long Peter is being accused of embezzlement and Margot is insisting he was actually framed by her husband. But is this really the case?

John Bentley and Kathleen Byron

Frankly, it's hard to care, because Profile is a dull picture. Had this same basic plot been employed by, say, Hugo Haas at an American studio, and a bit more melodrama and sexiness instilled in it, it may have amounted to at least an entertaining timepasser. Instead this just lumbers along without ever igniting. Other characters include Margot's sleazy ex-husband, Charlie (Gerard Green), the jealous artist Jerry (Ivan Craig), and Michael, the  butler (Lloyd Lamble). There's some very minor excitement when one of them falls into a printing press. The acting in this is professional but no one is really given a chance to shine. Francis Searle also directed The Gelignite Gang. 

Verdict: Another bad British nominal mystery. **.

NEVER AGAIN: ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS

Phyllis Thaxter

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: NEVER AGAIN. Season One. 1956. Director: Robert Stevens. Teleplay by Bagni, Gielgud and Silliphant. Based on a story by Adela Rogers St. Johns. 

Karen Stewart (Phyllis Thaxter) has a drinking problem and is terrified of losing the man she loves, Jeff (Warren Stevens). One night at a party she gets jealous of the hostess, Renee (Louise Allbritton), and throws a drink in her face. A concerned Jeff goes to her home, and she decides to go back to the party, where Renee is surprisingly understanding. But Renee's brother, Marlow (Jack Mullaney), who also indulges to excess, lets it slip that his sister wants Jeff and is hoping Karen will make a mess of things. Instead of making up her mind that this will not be the case, Karen has a martini -- and then another and another. She winds up intoxicated at a bar with Marlow when Jeff and Renee come in and Karen picks up a broken bottle ...

Never Again features fine performances from the entire cast. Thaxter, in the performance of a lifetime, is absolutely outstanding as the troubled and self-loathing Karen. Warren Stevens plays his part in such a way that you're not absolutely sure how he feels about Karen until the end. At the tragic close of the episode, Alfred Hitchcock does not make his usual quips but urges people with serious drinking problems to get help before a tragedy occurs in their own life. Never Again is absorbing and hard-hitting stuff with a devastating ending. 

Verdict: Classic episode; classic TV. ***1/2. 

JACK THE GIANT KILLER

Judi Meredith and Kerwin Mathews

JACK THE GIANT KILLER (1962). Director: Nathan Juran.

The evil wizard Pendragon (Torin Thatcher), who wants to seize the throne of Cornwall, tries to kidnap Princess Elaine (Judi Meredith) via a dancing doll named Cormoran that grows into a cloven-hoofed giant. Elaine is rescued by farmer Jack (Kerwin Mathews), who is able to slay the giant. Assigned to protect Elaine as she sails to a convent, instead he must watch helplessly as she is spirited off by a horde of Pendragon's ghastly witches. With the aid of a small boy, Peter (Roger Mobley), a sailor, Sigurd (Barry Kelley), and a leprechaun (Don Beddoe), Jack attempts to save the princess and defeat Pendragon for good. 

two-headed monster vs sea serpent

Although the film's source material may be the legend of Jack and the Beanstalk, it is clearly an imitation of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad with its mix of kidnapped princesses, evil sorcerers, monsters, imps in bottles, and dragons. Producer Edward Small hedged his bets by hiring 7th Voyages' director, star and villain. Ray Harryhausen was either too expensive or busy with other projects, as the inferior stop-motion work in this is done by Chang, Warren and Barr. A particular problem is that for the most part the stop-motion models are not well-designed . The film's low-light is a battle between a two-headed giant and a silly-looking sea serpent with tentacles that is poorly integrated with the live action. 

Jack vs the transformed Pendragon 

Somewhat better is the dragon, which Pendragon transforms into at the film's climax, and which throws giant rocks at Sigurd's ship and engages Jack high in the air as our hero  climbs its back and wields his sword. Some of the scenes, such as when a group of knights or "dragon men" slowly advance on Jack outside Pendragon's castle, are very poorly staged. As usual, Kerwin Mathews excels in this kind of swashbuckling material. Meredith, who'd had many previous credits, is also credible. Anna Lee of General Hospital adeptly plays a lady-in-waiting who is secretly under a spell and in league with Pendragon. Torin Thatcher makes the perfect villain, and it's a nice touch that the giant Cormoran has Thatcher's face. 

I believe I actually saw Jack before I saw 7th Voyage -- I loved the picture as a child -- and didn't see the latter film until its theatrical re-release in the 1970's. Right away I could see that it was a much better picture, although Jack still has its moments. Jack has a decent enough score by Sawtell and Shefter, but it can't compare to the gorgeous work done by Bernard Herrmann for 7th Voyage. 

Verdict: Okay fantasy film that is simply not in the league of its progenitor. **1/2. 

FINAL APPOINTMENT

John Bentley and Eleanor Summerfield

FINAL APPOINTMENT (aka The Last Appointment/1954). Director: Terence Fisher. 

Reporter Mike Billings (John Bentley of Calling Paul Temple) tries to investigate when he learns that a solicitor, Hartnell (Hubert Gregg), has been getting threatening letters. Hartnell wants no part of this even when he is later reminded by Billings and Inspector Corcoran (Liam Redmond) that he was the lead prosecutor for a court-martial and is also told that three other men who served on the panel have been murdered -- on the same date over three years; Hartnell is certainly next. Now you would think most people would take the threat to their life seriously under the circumstances, but as this is a mediocre British mystery Hartnell instead acts like an ass. 

No concerns: Hubert Gregg

There are a couple of other suspects, of course, including two co-workers of Hartnell's who embezzled funds and are paying the money back to avoid a scandal. The man who was court-martialed is apparently dead, but his brother is still among the living. Final Appointment is briskly-paced under Terence Fisher's direction, and there's even a bit of suspense, although there are no big surprises at the finale. Billings has an irritating lady reporter girlfriend, Jennie (Eleanor Summerfield), who gets jealous at the drop of a hat, even going so far as to check out a secretary, Laura (Jean Lodge), that he is only trying to get information from; this leads into Jennie nearly getting taken hostage at the climax. Sam Kydd scores as another court-martialed soldier who comes to an unfortunate end. Fisher, of course, was at his best in the horror field [The Gorgon]. 

Verdict: So so British thriller without too many thrills. **1/4. 

THE KETTLES IN THE OZARKS

Ma Kettle reads Pa's letter to one of their children

THE KETTLES IN THE OZARKS (1956). Director: Charles Lamont. 

Ma Kettle (Marjorie Main) packs up all of her brood and takes off to the Ozarks, where she plans to help her brother-in-law, Sedgwick (Arthur Hunnicutt) with his farm. Sedge has been affianced to gal pal Bedelia (Una Merkel) for twenty years, and Ma hopes to do something about that situation as well. Some shady men rent the barn from Sedge, but they turn out to be bootleggers trying to avoid "revenuers." 

Una Merkel, Richard Eyer and Arthur Hunnicutt

By this time Percy Kilbride had had enough of playing Pa Kettle and neither he nor the character appear in this film. Most of the humor has to do with the interplay between the bootleggers and the very mischievous children, with a little reserved for the not-very-romantic romance between Sedge and Bedelia. There's also a goose named Gertie who walks around wearing galoshes on her feet. Otherwise, this entry in the Kettle series is pretty weak.

Gertie the Goose goes out for a walk

The supporting cast includes child actor Richard Eyer [The 7th Voyage of Sinbad] as one of the Kettle children; Richard Deacon ("Mel Cooley" on The Dick Van Dyke Show) as an Indian; Joe Sawyer as a neighbor; and Sid Tomack and Ted de Corsia as two of the bootleggers. Bonnie Franklin, who plays one of town children, later became a sitcom star with her show One Day at a Time. Main, Hunnicutt, and Merkel give very good performances. 

Verdict: Some amusing moments but not enough. **. 

THE CIRCUS QUEEN MURDER

Donald Cook, Greta Nissen, Adolphe Menjou

THE CIRCUS QUEEN MURDER (1933). Director: Roy William Neill. 

Police Commissioner Thatcher Colt (Adolphe Menjou) only wants to take a nice quiet vacation nowhere with his secretary, Kelly (Ruthelma Stevens). He picks out a town upstate named Gilead where he hopes to find "balm." Instead he comes across a circus where the chief performers are involved in a deadly triangle. There's Flandrin (Dwight Frye) and his blond wife, Josie (Greta Nissen), and her lover, the Great Sebastian (Donald Cook). When Flandiron disappears, there's some question if he was dismembered and fed either to the lions or to the cannibals that are part of the circus troupe! Other characters include Rainey (George Rosener), who owns the circus; Colt's friend, the chubby Dugan (Harry Holman); and Lubbell (Clay Clement), who also has a thing for Josie and is scared of her husband.

Dwight Frye

The Circus Queen Murder spills all of its secrets early so it doesn't have much suspense, although it's smoothly done by the cast and director Neill. This was the second of two Thatcher Colt films starring Menjou -- the first was The Night Club Lady -- who is fine in the role. (A third Colt film, The Panther's Claw, starred Sidney Blackmer as the commissioner.) Bug-eyed Dwight Frye has fun with the part of the near-psychotic Flandrin. The best thing about the movie is the trapeze act supposedly performed by Sebastian and Josie. Surprisingly, this was released by Columbia studios, not Monogram. It lasts a little over an hour.

Verdict: Not terrible, but you can still miss it.  **1/2.