THE ELECTRONIC MONSTER

Peter Illing and Mary Murphy

THE ELECTRONIC MONSTER (aka Escapement/1958). Director: Montgomery Tully.  

Insurance investigator Jeff Keenan (Rod Cameron of G-Men vs the Black Dragon) is looking into a movie star's strange death, when he comes across a clinic that is doing new work in mental health. Dr, Maxwell (Meredith Edwards) and his wife, Laura (Kay Callard of A Woman Possessed), are helping patients "escape" via a device that plays soothing tapes -- including ballets that seem rather erotic -- directly into the brain. However, Paul Zakon (Peter Illing), who owns a movie studio -- and is engaged to Keenan's former girlfriend Ruth (Mary Murphy of Finger of Guilt) -- as well as the aforementioned clinic, has less benign uses for the Maxwells' experiments. Anyone who takes too close a look at the goings-on at the clinic winds up dead. 

Rod Cameron and Mary Murphy

The Electronic Monster has some interesting ideas in it, but in general the picture lacks suspense and thrills. The presence of lead Rod Cameron makes this British production seem even more like a lackluster TV show. It is very hard to believe that Ruth would have ever gotten engaged to Zakon. Zakon's colleagues include Dr. Hoff, a nasty Nazi (Carl Jaffe), and the nerdy hit man, Blore (Carl Duerling). Montgomery Tully also directed The Third Alibi.  

Verdict: One you can miss **.

OUT OF THE FOG (1962)

David Sumner

OUT OF THE FOG (aka Fog for a Killer/1962). Director: Montgomery Tully.  

Released from prison, George Mallon (David Sumner) takes up residence in a kind of halfway house for ex-cons. He gets a job driving for a furniture company, but can't get rid of the massive chip on his shoulder. Even his own mother (Olga Lindo) wants nothing to do with him. When blond women are strangled on what is known as "the flats" each full moon, George becomes the prime suspect. Sgt. June Lock (Susan Travers) is assigned to get a job at the furniture company and ingratiate herself with George. On the next full moon George decides to forget about going to the movies with June, and instead takes her for a walk in the flats ... 

David Sumner and Susan Travers

Out of the Fog is a minor but well-acted British suspense film that could have used another twenty or thirty minutes of character development as well as a few tense murder sequences. It comes off much more like a 1940's production than something made two years after Psycho. David Sumner with his sensitive features so at odds with the bitter unpleasant character he plays makes a decided impression in the film, and a wide variety of character actors also make their contribution. A ridiculous bit has to do with Det. Supt. Chadwick (John Arnatt) ordering some more men to the flats once he learns June has gone there with George, but considering it was a full moon -- the only time murders occur -- why the hell wouldn't he have had a lot more men there already? Montgomery Tully also directed The Third Alibi. 

Verdict: Very good lead performance with a so-so script. **1/2. 

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD

Tony Wright and Patricia Dainton

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD (1960). Director: Montgomery Tully. 

David Linton (Tony Wright) is a struggling novelist who lives off of his increasingly impatient wife, Jean (Patricia Dainton). Jean inherits a lovely if somewhat rundown country house -- Four Winds -- from her aunt, which means no more paying of rent, but even that doesn't satisfy David. The house is supposedly haunted by a poltergeist that the housekeeper, Mrs. O'Brien (Anita Sharp-Bolster), calls "Patrick," only because he reminds her of her late husband. As David concocts a plot to do away with Jean for her money and property so that he can be with sexy typist Valerie (Sandra Dorne), Patrick keeps interfering ...

The acting is good in Marsh Road, with Sharp-Bolster perhaps making the best impression as the peppery servant who always speaks her mind. It's an entertaining enough time-passer with a truly despicable protagonist in David. There is an interesting score by John Veale. 

Verdict: Acceptable British suspense film with supernatural overtones. **1/2.