HOLD THAT GHOST

Joan Davis and Lou Costello

HOLD THAT GHOST (1941). Director: Arthur Lubin. Colorized. 

Chuck (Bud Abbott) and Ferdy (Lou Costello) discover that a dead gangster has left them all of his loot, if they can only find it in the crumbling old mansion where it is hidden. The two fellows travel by auto to the place, whereupon other passengers in the car are stranded along with them due to a storm. These passengers include professional radio screamer, Camille (Joan Davis), pretty Norma (Evelyn Ankers of Captive Wild Woman), Dr. Jackson (Richard Carlson of Tormented), and some uninvited ghosts -- or guests. Some of the gangster's associates want the dough for themselves and won't stop at murder to get it!

Those teeth! Patti Andews sings "Aurora"

A cut below the Abbott and Costello classic, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, this is still an amusing if often very silly movie. Some of the gags -- such as a bit with a bedroom transforming into a mini-casino  and vice versa -- go on ad nauseam, but there are also funny scenes such as a dance routine between Davis and Costello, who make an amusing team. Others in the cast include Mischa Auer as a dyspeptic club manager, Ted Lewis as a singer and master of ceremonies, Marc Lawrence as a hood, and the Andrews Sisters doing a couple of snappy numbers, including "Aurora."  

Verdict: Amiable nonsense with the lovable comedy team -- and the Andrews Sisters! **3/4. 

DANGERS OF THE CANADIAN MOUNTED

Does Ethan Hunt get in these situations? Yes!

DANGERS OF THE CANADIAN MOUNTED (12-chapter Republic serial/1948). Directors: Fred C. Brannon; Yakima Canutt. Colorized. 

At the border of Canada and Alaska, Mort Fowler (Anthony Warde), who reports to an unseen "chief," is out to do anything he can to stop the completion of a highway. He is afraid homesteaders will rush in en masse and prevent him from finding a treasure somehow left behind by Genghis Kahn! Kahn's ship is hidden in the forest, but the treasure itself is secreted in the Cave of a Thousand Tunnels. Out to stop Fowler and his associates from their nefarious schemes are Sgt. Chris Royal (Jim Bannon) of the Mounties, his partner Corporal George Hale (Phil Warren), pilot Bobbie Page (Virginia Belmont), and others. 

Anthony Warde faces the smiling Buddha

Dangers of the Canadian Mounted is another thrilling, fast-paced Republic serial with lots of action and exciting cliffhangers. Royal clings to a plane in pursuit of Fowler at one point before said plane goes into a dive, deals with an out-of-control forest fire, is nearly fried by an electrical trap in a doorway in an abandoned hotel, and rescues Bobbi from a runaway station wagon careening towards a cliff. In the climax in the caves, Royal nearly succumbs to a flood of poison gas coming from a smiling buddha. Anthony Warde gives the best performance as the persistent bad guy, the identity of the chief comes as a minor surprise, there's a great final  sequence in a saloon, and the whole enterprise is lots of fun. One can't help but think of Tom Cruise decades later getting involved in the same outlandish kind of derring do. (At one point Royal throws himself on top of a speeding train, but manages not to break his legs or neck.)

Verdict: Another highly entertaining Republic serial. ***1/4. 

THE KILLING HOUR

Norman Parker and Perry King

THE KILLING HOUR (aka The Clairvoyant/1982). Director: Armand Mastroianni. 

The corpse of a handcuffed prostitute is found in the Hudson river, and then a series of men, also handcuffed, are murdered in various ways. Detective Larry Weeks (Norman Parker) and his causal friend, TV journalist Paul "Mac" McCormack (Perry King), both try to unveil the killer using different methods. Each man gets involved professionally and romantically with an artist and psychic named Verna (Elizabeth Kemp), who has visions of the murders which she transposes into artwork. But once the killer finds out about this ability, will she become a target?

Elizabeth Kemp with Perry King

Although The Killing Hour can be slow-paced, it does have an interesting storyline and works up some suspense towards the end. One could argue, however, that the revelation of the killer's identity makes this person's actions a little inexplicable. Parker and King both give very good performances -- the detective is also an aspiring stand-up comic and there are scenes at New York's Comic Strip nightclub  (which is still open today). Kemp and other cast members, including Kenneth McMillan as a grumpy chief detective, give okay performances. The murder sequences are bloodless and tasteful (almost too much so), and one especially diabolical trap has a man handcuffed by the ankle to a ladder in a swimming pool, causing him to drown. 

Verdict: Passable suspense thriller with some good performances. **3/4.  

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025)

The cast of I Know

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025). Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. 

A group of young people are involved in a deadly car accident, cover it up, and discover that someone is stalking and killing them. When they discover that something very similar happened nearly thirty years ago, they get in touch with a survivor of the original I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) -- Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) -- for help. 

Freddie Prinze Jr.

Billy Campbell, Brandy Norwood (from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer) Sarah Michelle Gellar (of The Grudge) and Freddie Prinze Jr. also appear in the film, the last two reprising their roles from the original. This combination of sequel and remake is entertaining, the action sequences well-done, although I have to say I simply did not believe the ending, the revelation of the killer's identity, for a minute. Still, as slasher films go, I Know What You Did Last Summer is fun enough, and while it's bloody, it isn't bloody disgusting.

Verdict: If you like slashers and don't worry too much about motives. ***. 

QUIET PLEASE: MURDER

George Sanders

QUIET PLEASE: MURDER (1942). Director: John Francis Larkin. 

"We're really a couple of walking horror stories." -- Myra. 

Jim Fleg (George Sanders of Bluebeard's Ten Honeymoons) is a murderous and completely immoral reprobate who steals a priceless manuscript from the public library and tries to sell off copies of it to unsuspecting and unscrupulous collectors. His partner is the equally reprehensible and dangerous Myra (Gail Patrick). Private eye Hal McByrne (Richard Denning of The Black Scorpion) romances Myra to try to get to the ringleader of this illicit operation. Everyone winds up at the library, where Fleg pretends to be a phony detective so he can rip off the place some more, placing Hal and librarian Kay (Lynne Roberts) in danger. Will the real police get there in time? Quiet Please: Murder is a minor crime meller with an expectedly notable lead performance from Sanders, who is always fun to watch, although others in the cast -- including Sidney Blackmer, Byron Foulger [The Magnetic Monster], Arthur Space and the ones already mentioned -- are all on top of things. 

Verdict: Stay out of the library! **3/4. 

FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN

Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi

FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN (1943). Director: Roy William Neill. Colorized.

Awakened in his tomb, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney) seeks the help of the gypsy woman Maleva (Maria Ouspenskaya) to finally rid himself of the curse of werewolf-ism. The pair initially wind up in the town of Frankenstein, where Talbot attempts to find the doctor's diary, inexplicably believing that he can learn the secret of ending his immortality in there. Instead he finds the monster (Bela Lugosi). A doctor, Mannering (Patric Knowles), follows Talbot's trail, and discovers he has reached out to Frankenstein's granddaughter, Elsa (Ilona Massey) to ask her aid in finding the diary. As Elsa and Mannering bond, eventually the two monsters engage in a brief battle that seems to finish both of them off. 

Dennis Hoey and Patric Knowles

Right away you can see the slapdash quality of the picture when according to the opening credits the main stars of the picture are not Chaney and Lugosi, but Knowles and Massey! Everything in the movie seems thrown together in great haste to bring the thing quickly into theaters. Chaney repeats his Wolfman role and is adequate, the great Lugosi is better, Knowles is professional, and Massey is vaguely attractive. Dennis Hoey as Inspector Owen, Lionel Atwill as the Mayor, Rex Evans as bar owner Vazec, and the wonderful Ouspenskaya are more on the mark. But even back in the day the meeting of these two great monsters must have been a big disappointment to the fans. 

Verdict: Not one of the better Franky movies. **1/2. 

THE CAR

THE CAR (1977). Director: Elliot Silverstein.  

A small California town has its complacency shattered by a series of murderous attacks on its citizens by an automobile that seems to have no driver. Sheriff Wade Parent (James Brolin) is at his wit's end after one of the victims is his boss, Everett Peck (John Marley). It quickly becomes apparent that there is something almost supernatural about this car and its abilities, and the incidents become more vicious and outlandish. Parent may have to accept that this may be something that it will be awfully hard to fight ... 

James Brolin and Ronny Cox

While I would have preferred that there be a human antagonist behind the actions of the car -- James Bond films have already shown that some autos can do amazing things and remote control cars have been featured in such shows as Science Fiction Theater -- but The Car has a more demonic slant, which, fortunately, doesn't decrease its suspenseful and entertaining quotient in the least, although some might find it way too farfetched. The screenplay presents fully realized characters, mostly decent people up against a formidable and inexplicable enemy. The acting is generally good, with Kathleen Lloyd as Wade's ill-fated girlfriend, Elizabeth Thompson as her co-worker, Doris Dowling (of The Crimson Key) as a victim of spousal abuse, and John Rubinstein as an early victim of the car. Leonard Rosenman has contributed a chilling score, and there is top-notch widescreen photography from Gerald Hirschfield. Director Silverstein was mostly a television director, but his other theatrical films include Cat Ballou. He knocked one out of the ballpark with The Car. 

Verdict: Quite memorable and unusual horror film. ***1/4. 

CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN*JUNGLE WOMAN*JUNGLE CAPTIVE

Paula Dupree, the Ape Woman

CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN (1943). Director: Edward Dmytryck.

JUNGLE WOMAN (1944). Director: Reginald Le Borg.

THE JUNGLE CAPTIVE (1945). Director: Harold Young. 

In Captive Wild Woman, the first in the Paula the Ape Woman trilogy, Beth Colman (Evelyn Ankers) puts her neurotic sister Dorothy (Martha Vickers) in the care of glandular expert Dr. Sigmund Walters (John Carradine). Walkers turns out to be a deranged murderer who hits upon the utterly insane idea of using Dorothy's glandular extracts to inject into the big female gorilla Cheela (Ray Corrigan) in order to change her species! Before long, Cheela is looking like a rather attractive if exotic human female. But she retains her animal instincts. She is able to assist Beth's boyfriend, Fred (Milburn Stone), a lion tamer, when one of his feline charges gets out of line, and also develops an intense jealousy over his relationship with Beth. 

Acquanetta as Paula

Captive Wild Woman is a completely absurd horror film with enough holes in it to sink an ocean liner. Nobody ever wonders why Paula never utters a word, for instance. (The film is only an hour long, but even so!) Director Dmytryck keeps things moving, the film is well edited -- with Clyde Beatty (from The Big Cage) standing in for Stone in the long shots -- and there's plenty of animal action, if not quite enough of the murderous ape woman. This was Acquanetta's third film (out of only eleven), and she was not Hispanic as suggested but probably African-American, born Mildred Davenport of Philadelphia. 

Richard Davis and Acquanetta

Paula returned in the first sequel, Jungle Woman, which also featured Acquanetta in the title role. Dr. Fletcher (J. Carrol Naish), intrigued by the ape Cheela, who apparently died saving Fred at the end of the last film, claims her body and discovers a spark of life in her. Before too long Cheela disappears, and Paula returns, fuzzy-headed and initially incommunicative, although she begins to speak when she catches sight of Bob (Richard Davis), the attractive fiance of Fletcher's daughter, Joan (Lois Collier). Joan ignites Paula's jealousy and the gorilla girl begins to stalk her, attacking her when she's out on the lake in a canoe and trying to break into her cabin. Paula claims the good doctor is abusing her and wants Bob to take her away, and she isn't pleased when he refuses. Jungle Woman is the rare sequel that is better than the original, with a more interesting storyline, much more action, and much more of our delightfully dangerous title character. Evelyn Ankers and Milburn Stone reprise their roles but don't have much to do with the main plot this time. Douglass Dumbrille and Pierre Watkin have small supporting roles. Richard Davis was a handsome, adept actor but he only appeared in two films, this and Hat Check Honey. An intriguing aspect of the movie is when it is suggested that Paula was originally a human being who was turned into an ape (then back again), along the lines of "The Island of Dr. Moreau," but although this is mentioned by Fred it isn't followed up on. 

Vicky Lane as the unfortunate Paula

The Jungle Captive is the last film in the trilogy. This time the scientist who brings Paula the Ape Woman back to life is Mr. Stendahl (Otto Kruger), an evil son-of-a-gun who even uses his pretty assistant Ann's (Amelita Ward) blood to help revive the hairy Paula Dupree. Rondo Hatton, with his sad, sensitive face, plays a brutal assistant of Stendahl's, Moloch, who develops a soft spot for Ann. Vicky Lane replaces Acquanetta as Paula Dupree (Lane appeared in one TV episode after this and then left show biz). In her Ape Woman make up Lane looks more like a wolf woman. The script gives her very little to do. Jerome Cowan plays Inspector Harrigan, who is investigating the theft of the Ape Woman's body from the morgue and the murder of one of the attendants, while Phil Brown is Ann's co-worker and fiance. This is the last and least of the Ape Woman films, only proving that Universal had no clue as to how to handle the character, completely failing to exploit any of the Ape Woman's distinct possibilities. The actors do their best with fifth-rate material.

Verdict: Captive Wild Woman: Farfetched but fun enough. **1/2.

              Jungle Woman: Some real suspense in this. ***. 

              The Jungle Captive: Disappointing to say the least. *1/2.  

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING

Ethan Hunt may have bit off more than he can chew

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE -- THE FINAL RECKONING (2025). Director: Christopher McQuarrie.

The sequel to Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning has Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) dealing with a malicious entity that has taken over the Internet and is well on the way to taking over the world. They need to find the original source code and a special key to destroy the entity, but killing it may also destroy cyberspace -- therefore the cabinet isn't crazy about Hunt's idea, although the president (Angela Bassett) eventually agrees. In the meantime Hunt and his team fly to various locations, deal with enemy agents in the employ of villain Gabriel (Esai Morales), and manage to wiggle their way out of assorted death traps, including a tense sequence on a submarine. Everyone winds up in an underground repository that is known as the Doomsday Chamber. 

Esai Morales makes a splendid antagonist for Hunt

While not quite as good as Part One -- the whole thing is almost exhausting and one has to take it all with a large grain of salt -- Final Reckoning is nevertheless exciting and entertaining, with the entire cast giving it their all. The stunt work is, as usual, excellent. I have often said that these MI movies remind me in many ways of old cliffhanger serials, and like those old flicks, Dead Reckoning may have you scratching your head in disbelief in certain sequences (such as Hunt being somehow gotten through yards of solid ice, but no matter.) Bassett and Morales and Tramell Tillman as sub captain Bledsoe give particular arresting performances.

Verdict: Typically absurd but fun. ***. 

COVER UP

Dennis O'Keefe and William Bendix

COVER UP (1949). Director: Alfred E. Green. Colorized.  

Insurance investigator Sam Donovan (Dennis O'Keefe) comes to a small town to look into a certain man's alleged suicide. Sheriff Larry Best (William Bendix) isn't too helpful, and other townspeople are downright hostile. Sam is befriended by Anita Weatherby (Barbara Britton), who takes him home to meet her father, Stuart (Art Baker). But even Mr. Weatherby tries to persuade Sam to forget the whole business. Virginia Christine plays the dead man's niece, and she also makes Sam suspicious. Then the town doctor is found dead ... 

Barbara Britton with O'Keefe

Cover Up is a respectable enough little B mystery with good performances, especially from Bendix, and a nice turn from the ever-delightful and taciturn Doro Merande as the Weatherby maid, Hilda, who always speaks her mind whether you want to hear it or not. Prolific director Alfred E. Green directed several films with Bette Davis as well as Paris Model. The year before this O'Keefe starred in Raw Deal, which was a better showcase for him. Barbara Britton co-starred with Charles Laughton in Captain Kidd. Doro Merande also plays a comical maid in The Gazebo.

Verdict: Reasonably intriguing mystery film with a good cast. **1/2.