THE NEANDERTHAL MAN

Robert Shayne

THE NEANDERTHAL MAN (1953). Director: Ewald Andre Dupont. 

"The restoration of dormant cells of the mind of man."

Professor Clifford Groves (Robert Shayne of The Giant Claw) is either demented or an asshole. He neglects his pretty fiancee, Ruth (Doris Merrick of Sensation Hunters), and is rude to his daughter, Jan (Joyce Terry), while he continues his rather pointless experiments in regression. He has already managed to turn a kitty cat into a sabretooth tiger (although when we see it roaming about the countryside in long shot it seems quite normal), and excoriates a scientific board for not recognizing that the brains of Neanderthal men were as large as modern man's (no one argues that it wasn't Neanderthals who built civilization, wrote Shakespeare's plays, composed Wagner's music and so on). When Groves stupidly injects himself with his formula, he turns into one of the silliest-looking monsters on record and seems mildly upset when he learns that he's killed friends of his while under the influence, so to speak. Which would not make him less culpable in the eyes of the law, although his dumb daughter might disagree.

Doris Merrick and Richard Crane

There have been a lot of mad scientists in horror films, but the one in The Neanderthal Man is one of the stupidest and most immoral. Without her knowledge or permission, Groves drugs the mute maid (Tandra Quinn) and injects her with his formula. (His daughter should be appalled but she still sticks up for him.) Richard Crane plays a scientist who comes to town to investigate reports of the sabretooth; Robert Bray is a rancher and victim; and Beverly Garland -- knocking one out of the ballpark yet again -- is a waitress who witnesses Groves murder her date and who is carried off by him. While the time-lapse photography of Groves' transformation is acceptable, his fright mask and wig are unintentionally hilarious. The true purpose of Groves' ridiculous experiments is never really explained. Robert Shayne's performance is hammy and unmemorable and the direction is completely uninspired. 

Verdict: A regression you can do without. **. 

ROBOT MONSTER

George Nader and Ro-Man

ROBOT MONSTER (1953). Produced and directed by Phil Tucker. Screenplay by Wyatt Ordung. Originally shown in 3-D. Colorized. 

"You look like a pooped-out pinwheel!" -- little Johnny to Ro-Man.

After a nuclear war an alien race have wiped out the rest of earth's civilization, aside from a handful of people: a professor (John Mylong) and his wife (Selena Royle); their daughter Alice (Claudia Barrett); their little boy Johnny (Gregory Moffett); his sister Carla (Pamela Paulson); and Alice's sometime boyfriend, Roy (George Nader of Death and Diamonds). Ro-Man (George Barrows; voiced by John Brown) is unaware that these people are immune to his ray guns because of an antibiotic they've taken. Ro-Man -- who appears to be a gorilla wearing a diving helmet -- seems taken with Alice, but will his interest in her be enough to save them? Things get grim in this comic bookish nightmare ... 

Claudia Barrett, John Mylong, George Nader

Behind the opening credits of Robot Monster are a variety of science fiction magazines and comics, which is especially appropriate because the movie is like a kid's comic book story, with ridiculous "science" and not much logic. The basic idea of a family trying to hold out against an all-powerful invader is perfectly good, but the movie -- especially its depiction of the ludicrous invaders -- is even sillier than some of those much-more-entertaining Republic sci fi serials such as Radar Men from the Moon. Still the acting is generally good, with Royle and Barrett playing with conviction, no easy feat considering the movie's absurdities. It's strange that the movie has such downbeat sequences as a child being murdered, however, considering the general tone of the picture. To pad out the running time there is stock footage of dinosaurs with some flimsy excuse for their appearance. Elmer Bernstein's theme music is better than the picture deserves. George Barrows also wore a gorilla outfit in Hillbillies in a Haunted House fourteen years later. Every cast member, aside from the children, had dozens and dozens of credits. 

Verdict: It's not very good but it may hold your attention in spite of it if only to see who survives. **1/4. 

THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS

The rhedosaurus surfaces in Manhattan

THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953). Director: Eugene Lourie. Colorized. 

When Dr. Tom Nesbitt (Paul Christian, aka Paul Hubschmid of The Day the Sky Exploded) of the Atomic Energy Commission is nearly killed by a revivified dinosaur after an atomic test in the Arctic, he has trouble getting anyone to believe his story. Only the testimony of an independent witness from a shipwreck, as well as several bizarre incidents of death and destruction, alert the authorities -- and paleontologist Professor Elson (Cecil Kellaway) -- that Nesbitt may be on to something. Elson spots the enormous creature in a diving bell, which is gulped by the monster. Then the rhedosaurus, as it is called, pops up in New York Harbor and lays waste to Manhattan ... 

The beast swallows a brave police officer (Lee Phelps) 

A big hit for Warner Brothers, Beast was the first time a prehistoric creature stomped across Manhattan since King Kong twenty years earlier. Ray Harryhausen did the stop-motion effects for the film and they are still excellent, with the rhedosaurus being rather beautiful in its own bizarre way. The success of Beast not only inspired Godzilla but engendered a whole slew of monster/creature movies (Warner Brothers followed up Beast with the first giant insect feature, Them!). The sequence when the beast picks up a police officer (Lee Phelps) in its teeth and swallows him whole -- reportedly excised in theaters but shown on television -- is still quite horrifying and very well-handled. 

Paul Christian and Paula Raymond

The actors in this come in second after the monster, but they are professional and convincing, with Christian a solid lead and some fine support from Paula Raymond as Elson's assistant and Kellaway as the ill-fated doctor. (When you go down in a diving bell to look for a monster, you know it won't end well -- this is another very well-handled sequence.) Others in the cast include Kenneth Tobey [It Came from Beneath the Sea] as Colonel Evans; Ross Elliott as the beast's first Arctic victim; King Donovan as a shrink; James Best as a radar operator; Donald Woods as Captain Jackson; Michael Fox as a doctor who determines that the rhedosaurus carries a plague; Lee Van Cleef as the sharpshooter who brings down the beast with a radioactive isotope at Coney Island; Merv Griffin as an (unseen) radio announcer; among others. David Buttolph has contributed an exciting and highly effective score. As usual, the colorizing process adds a new dimension, although this version is very imperfect and a bit fuzzy at times. Eugene Lourie later directed Gorgo and Behemoth the Sea Monster. 

Verdict: Classic monster movie still remains one of the very best. ***1/2. 

PROJECT MOON BASE

Ross Ford and Donna Martell

PROJECT MOON BASE (1953). Director: Richard Talmadge.

A foreign agent named Roundtree (Herb Jacobs) engineers the substitution of a prominent scientist, Dr Wernher (Larry Johns), for a duplicate whose mission is to destroy the U.S. space station. (From there the Americans hope to eventually build a base on the moon.) During the switch, Roundtree pretends to be a bellboy! Colonel Briteis (Donna Martell) is to pilot a ship to the moon but there is a slight contretemps when she learns her co-pilot is to be her former boyfriend, the handsome Major Moore (Ross Ford of Reform School Girl). "Wernher" comes along with the bickering couple -- who are secretly in love, of course -- but gives the game away when he doesn't know the name of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team -- he must be a spy! 

the space station

Very little happens even after this revelation, as the phony scientist is easily subdued and not very threatening in any case. There's a lot of talk and minimal, if decent, special effects work. Project Moon Base was the pilot for a television program that was released to theaters instead, where people had to pay to see something that wouldn't have been worth watching for free. Hayden Rorke, who plays the project head, later wound up on I Dream of Jeannie, and indeed he plays General Greene as if he were in a sitcom. Barbara Morrison also plays reporter Polly Prattles (!) as if this were a sitcom. James Craven of innumerable cliffhanger serials has a small role. The only really interesting thing about the movie, which was co-scripted (and disavowed) by Robert Heinlein, is that both the chief moon pilot and American president are women. 

Verdict: Pretty bad. *1/2. 

CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON

Susan Morrow, Suzanne Alexander, Carol Brewster

CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON (1953). Director: Arthur Hilton. Colorized. 

A rocket ship heads for the first ever moon landing. Aboard are the commander, Laird (Sonny Tufts of Serpent Island), second-in-command Kip (Victor Jory of The Shadow), radio operator Doug (William Phipps), Walter (Douglas Fowley of Freddie Steps Out) and biologist Helen (Marie Windsor). Helen seems to not only know that they should land on the dark side of the moon, but exactly where they should go once they disembark. Helen leads the men to an air-filled cavern complete with giant spiders and a bevy of beautiful, black-clad "cat-women." These women are not only able to maintain mind control over Helen, but plan to murder the men and take over the Earth! 

Victor Jory and Marie Windsor

Originally released in 3D, Cat-Women is a middle of the road "babes in space" movie, better than Queen of Outer Space but not nearly as much fun as Missile to the Moon (which is basically a remake). The colorization process is done well in this version, and increases the limited enjoyment level. Some parts of the screenplay were never filmed, and the climax almost occurs off-screen! A decided asset is the score by Elmer Bernstein, who would go on to far superior pictures. The acting in this is possibly better than the movie deserves, with everyone giving it their all no matter how ridiculous the situations. Carol Brewster plays Alpha, the leader of the cat-women; Suzanne Alexander is Beta; and Susan Morrow plays the sympathetic Lambda, who falls in love with handsome Doug and vice versa. Arthur Hilton also directed The Big Chase.

Verdict: Dig that giant spider! **1/2. 

OLD OVERLAND TRAIL

One spiffy cowboy: Rex Allen 

OLD OVERLAND TRAIL (1953). Director: William Witney. 

Cowboy Rex Allen (Rex Allen) finds himself caught in a war between Indians, led by Black Hawk (Leonard Nimoy), and a pack of immigrants who travelled a long distance to settle in the area, Pouring fuel on the fire is slimy John Anchor (Roy Barcroft), who does his best to take advantage of everyone that he can, Indians and settlers alike. Rex' brother, Jim (Gil Herman), is Anchor's partner, and Rex and Jim come to blows when the former realizes that the latter is going along with Anchor's schemes. Then Jim is found dead, and Anchor sends Black Mask and his scouts out to bring back Rex -- as his brother's murderer!

Rex battles a pre-Star Trek Leonard Nimoy

Rex Allen was another handsome Republic Studios cowboy star -- along with Roy Rogers, Allan Lane, Monte Hale and others -- and he was at the time quite popular, and also had his own comic book series for several years. Attractive, competent and personable, Allen didn't quite have the charisma of Rogers, at least in this flick, but he could punch out the bad guys with the best of them. Slim Pickens, also playing himself, was Allen's comical partner in this and many other movies, and Allen had his own "not-so-wondrous" wonder horse in Koko. Gil Herman was another handsome dude who distinguished himself during WW2 service, while Virginia Hall (as Jim's gal pal, Mary) appeared only in this one western and had a few other minor credits.

Gil Herman, Rex Allen, Roy Barcroft

Rex Allen started out as a singer and had a rich baritone voice that reminds one a bit of Bing Crosby. In Old Overland Trail he gives splendid renditions of "Just a Wandrin' Buckeroo," "Cowboy's Dream of Heaven," and others. Rex is backed up by the Republic Rhythm Riders singing group. Directed by serial specialist William Witney, Old Overland Trail has plenty of exciting fisticuffs along with a sequence when Indians circle and attack a wagon train. The two brothers also have a rousing battle. Serial star Marshall Reed appears briefly as a sergeant. Reed and Barcroft both appeared in The James Brothers of Missouri. 

Verdict: With plenty of songs and punches, this is a good example of why Rex Allen became so popular. **3/4. 

SINS OF JEZEBEL

Paulette Goddard

SINS OF JEZEBEL (1953). Director: Reginald Le Borg.  

King Ahab (Eduard Franz of The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake) of Israel sends Captain Jehu (George Nader of Death in a Red Jaguar) to accompany his bride-to-be, Princess Jezebel (Paulette Goddard), back to the palace. Jezebel is delighted to see handsome Jehu and at first mistakes him for the King. Her face reflects her disappointment when she finally comes face to face with the much-older Ahab, but she's also relieved that her future husband isn't the fat man in consultation with him. Even before the ceremony, Jezebel is making out with a besotted Jehu, who undoubtedly thinks that his girlfriend, Deborah (Margia Dean), can't hold a candle to the much sexier Jezebel. Jezebel insists that Ahab build a temple to her Pagan God, Baal, which infuriates the pious prophet Elijah (John Hoyt). You know all of this will lead to trouble. And just where does one of the Three Stooges fit in with Jezebel and her schemes? 

Goddard with George Nader

No, this isn't The Three Stooges Meet Jezebel although that might have been more fun. And Joe Besser of the Stooges does have a very small role as the keeper of the chariots (and isn't very good). Sins of Jezebel almost sinks right from the start with tedious narration of Genesis from the bible delivered by John Hoyt in front of a large painting depicting some of the events. With a beard, Hoyt also plays Elijah and he is good in the role, although when he shows up again as a lecturer at key moments (obviously the budget was too small to film every sequence) it's a different story. 

John Hoyt as pious Elijah

Paulette Goddard had only four minor films to make and several TV appearances before she retired. She was still quite attractive at 43 but not quite in the siren league. She gives a solid "B" movie performance in this -- the film doesn't deserve anything better -- and the same could be said for George Nader. Sins doesn't have very strong production values, and the best thing about it is a notable score by Bert Shefter. The picture does follow the essential story of Jezebel, Ahab and Elijah, although we don't see the queen being eaten by wild dogs. 

Verdict: Not bad or campy enough to be good. **. 

GIRL ON THE RUN

Richard Coogan and Rosemary Pettit

GIRL ON THE RUN (1953), Directed by Arthur J. Beckhard and Joseph Lee. 

Bill Martin (Richard Coogan) is a investigative reporter who has been framed for the murder of his editor. With his girlfriend Janet (Rosemary Pettit) in tow, Bill hides out at a carnival where Hank (Frank Albertson) is the barker. The carnival is run by Blake (Charles Bolender), who happens to be a handsome midget. The dancing girls in the carnival are lorded over by hefty Lil (Edith King), a takes-no-nonsense type who has no love for the police. Speaking of which, a cop named Clay Reeves (Harry Bannister) is busy searching the carnival for Bill and Janet, who have taken jobs there, Bill as a boxer and Janet as one of the scantily-clad dancing gals. A sergeant named Marty (Joseph Sullivan) works with the two to finally take down the utterly corrupt Reeves. 

Charles Bolender and Harry Bannister

Girl on the Run is an interesting cheapie from Astor Studios with only one well-known actor, Albertson, in the cast. The short film seems to begin in the middle, as key elements are kept from the viewer until nearly the end. Instead of building suspense, it has the opposite effect, but the carnival background has its intriguing aspects, and the cast is game. This was probably the only time Richard Coogan was the star of a theatrical film, although he appeared in a few other movies and on television, most famously as Captain Video. Good-looking and adept, he could have made a living playing private detectives. Rosemary Pettit made only one more film after this. Renee De Milo, who plays Gigi, was introduced in this film but never appeared in another, despite a long-stops-the-movie-dead pseudo-striptease sequence. Joseph Sullivan had the longest career, although Edith King probably makes the biggest impression, no pun intended, as hardboiled if lovable Lil. Steve McQueen is supposed to have a bit part in this but I never spotted him!

Verdict: This needed at least another half hour of development to make it work. **1/4.