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. 

HOT ROD GIRL

Chuck Connors and John Smith

HOT ROD GIRL (1956). Director: Leslie H. Martinson. 

Mechanic Jeff Northrup (John Smith of Legacy of Blood) goes into a funk after his younger brother, Steve (Del Erickson), is killed after being goaded into racing in his hot rod. Although Jeff, who was in the car with his brother, tried to stop him, he loses his license and loses an interest in racing. His girlfriend, Lisa (Lori Nelson), tries to help him get over his depression, along with sympathetic cop Ben Merrill (Chuck Connors). Later, Jeff resists getting into a race with an out of town hotshot, Bronc (Mark Andrews), but tragedy results anyway. Now it's a question of who is responsible for a boy's death -- Jeff or Bronc?

Lori Nelson and Mark Andrews

Hot Rod Girls is an acceptable time-passer that might have amounted to something with a better script. The acting is generally competent, with John Smith giving a very good portrayal of a decent guy caught up in circumstances beyond his control.  Frank Gorshin of Batman fame scores as Flat Top, a flippant friend of Jeff's. Although he had very few credits, Mark Andrews makes his mark as the sinister and unpleasant Bronc. Roxanne Arlen is cast as the dippy blonde, L. B., and Dabbs Greer owns the auto shop where Jeff is employed. There's a fairly exciting sequence when Bronc and Flat Top play "chicken" in their cars, as well as a chase at the climax. Like most of these movies, the teens in this are played by actors in their thirties or thereabouts. Although Lisa is shown to be a racer herself in the movie's opening scene, this aspect of the film -- women racers -- is completely ignored despite the title. 

Verdict: Won't make your pulse race, but entertaining enough on its own terms. **1/2. 

BUS STOP: I Kiss Your Shadow and A Lion Walks Among us

Reason, Jenny Maxwell, Fabian

BUS STOP TV series. 

Bus Stop was an hour long 1961 drama series that lasted for one season. It focused on the inhabitants of a small town, including Grace (Marilyn Maxwell), who owns a restaurant or "bus stop;" waitress Elma (Joan Freeman); Sheriff Will (Rhodes Reason); and District Attorney Glenn Wagner (Richard Anderson). Sometimes these people participated in the weekly installment; at other times they showed up briefly or not at all.

The series has not been released on DVD yet, but there are two grainy episodes available on youtube, because these were "special" episodes. "I Kiss Your Shadow" was the 26th and final episode of the series, and it was based on a short story by Robert Bloch. The story concerns a man, Joe (George Grizzard),  whose wife, Donna (Joanne Linville), is killed in an automobile accident. He claims that Donna, who was a bit smothering when she was alive, is now haunting him, and attacks anyone who tries to come between them, including his psychiatrist, who is pushed out of a window. 

Dianne Foster

This episode has become famous because in his book Danse Macabre, Stephen King (who had probably not seen the episode in decades) wildly overpraises it. Children may have found it scary, and there are maybe a couple of creepy moments (and I never read the short story, which may be superior), but I found "I Kiss Your Shadow" to be obvious, trite, and predictable, although well-acted by the above-named, as well as by Alfred Ryder as Donna's brother and Richard Anderson. John Newland was probably tapped to direct this because of his association with the show One Step Beyond.

Anderson also has a large part and is excellent in a controversial episode entitled "A Lion Walks Among Us." which is quite well-directed by Robert Altman. Luke Freeman (pop singer Fabian) is a handsome young psycho who murders a country store clerk and seemingly gets away with it. The person who could have placed him at the scene is D.A. Wagner's wife, Sally (Dianne Foster), an alcoholic who gave Luke a lift. but then ordered him out of the car when he got fresh. 

Young Psycho: Fabian

Luke has a different story, and the defense attorney, Oliver West (Philip Abbott), who is a friend of the Wagner's, has to make mincemeat of the poor woman on the witness stand, a situation that is devastating to her husband. Rhodes Reason also appears in this episode as the sheriff and is fine. As for Fabian, he gives a better performance than expected, and uses his sexy looks and charm to etch an interesting portrait of a nasty psychopath. Dianne Foster is outstanding, especially in the courtroom scenes, and the episode is a stand out. The climactic scene was originally to have been much more violent, but even in this form there was some protest from viewers. Considering the ending of the story, I assume there were repercussions in future episodes.

Verdict: I Kiss Your Shadow: *1/2. 
              A Lion Walks Among Us: ***. 

THE CRATER LAKE MONSTER

The monster from Crater Lake

THE CRATER LAKE MONSTER (1977). Director: William R. Stromberg.

"I've been stuffing my shoes with newspapers for so long that my feet know more than my head does." -- Mitch. 

A meteor flashes across the sky and lands in Crater Lake in Oregon. The heat from the meteor causes a prehistoric egg to hatch, and before too long a long-necked, big toothed plesiosaurus -- the same creature that is supposedly in Loch Ness -- is snacking on the locals and a few tourists as well.

Glen Roberts and Mark Siegel

The Crater Lake Monster is a low-budget and generally forgettable monster movie that does boast some good locations, atmospheric photography (Paul Gentry), and some decent stop-motion and model work by Dave Allen. The monster has a battle with a steam shovel, but its appearances are simply too infrequent to make this pic a contender. To pad out the running time, there are such characters as a magician and his wife, as well as a convenience store robber and killer, all of whom encounter the creature. There is also way too much footage devoted to two buddies, Arnie (Glen Roberts) and Mitch (Mark Siegel), who rent boats to some of the victims; their allegedly comical appearances only dissipate the film's minor tension. At least Siegel gets the movie's funniest line (see above). 

Richard Cardella and Bob Hyman

Richard Cardella, who plays Sheriff Steve, also co-wrote the screenplay with the director, and Bob Hyman is cast as the town doctor.  Most of these actors had no other or very few acting credits, although Siegel has done a lot of work in visual effects. This was Stromberg's only directorial credit. Animator Dave Allen has the monster moving much like the dinosaur in The Giant Behemoth in one sequence. An unconvincing prop head is also used for other shots. An unintentionally hilarious moment occurs when one character talks about how she can supposedly see thousands of stars in the sky but it's broad daylight outside! The movie has a downbeat conclusion. 

Verdict: A monster you can miss. **. 

DEAD MAN'S ISLAND

Barbara Eden

DEAD MAN'S ISLAND (1996 telefilm). Director: Peter Roger Hunt.

Henrietta O'Dwyer (Barbara Eden) is an investigative reporter who was once in love with a man named Chase Prescott (William Shatner). Nearly thirty years have gone by, both have married other people, and Chase is now a very wealthy industrialist with a mansion on an isolated island that was once Indian land. Chase asks Henrietta to come to the island and informs her that someone tried to poison him; he wants her to ferret out who the would-be murderer is before he or she can succeed in taking his life.

William Shatner

The suspects in the movie consist of a near-classic 90's TV cast (in addition to Eden and Shatner, of course): Morgan Fairchild is an actress who wants Chase to back her in a Broadway show; Traci Lords is Chase's current and much younger spouse; Christopher Atkins and David Faustino (from Married With Children) are his sons; Olivia Hussey and Christopher Cazenove are the maid and butler; and Jameson Parker, Roddy McDowall and Don Most (from Happy Days) are his employees. As for motive, some of them will get a large amount of cash in Chase's will, while others have different grudges to bear.

Morgan Fairchild

Eden is, as usual, pleasant, but she isn't that convincing in her role, and her narration of the story is unnecessary. The other cast members are no better than they should be and Roddy McDowall is Roddy McDowall. If you like murder mysteries with the usual elements and two-dimensional suspects, there are much worse movies than Dead Man's Island, which moves pretty quickly and has some suspense, even if you may not entirely buy the denouement. It's amazing that Eden was actually sixty-five when she made this teleflick as she looks years younger. The island and mansion settings for the movie are beautiful.

Verdict: Not exactly Agatha Christie, but fun. ***. 

HAPPY DEATH DAY

Israel Broussard and Jessica Rothe

HAPPY DEATH DAY (2017). Director: Christopher Landon. Screenplay by Scott Lobdell.

After the death of her mother, college student Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) has turned into a self-absorbed and rather unlikable person. She meets a young man named Carter Davis (Israel Broussard) and finds herself tangled in a Groundhog's Day-type time loop where she relives her birthday over and over. Each time a mysterious figure wearing a goofy clown mask (which somehow makes him more sinister) attacks and kills her. Tree finally figures that only by unmasking and killing her killer can she get back to her normal life. 

Charles Aitken and Jessica Rothe

Happy Death Day has perhaps too many moments of black comedy to sustain tension, but it does hold the attention, and there are a couple of good twists at the end. Rothe is okay as the heroine, who develops a nicer personality throughout her ordeal, and Broussard is appealing as Carter. Ruby Modine makes her mark as Lori, Tree's long-suffering roommate, and Charles Aitken is fine as a teacher with whom she has an affair. Despite the lack of gore, Happy Death Day was a big enough hit to engender a recent sequel Happy Death Day 2U. 

Verdict: Some good surprises help put his over. **1/2. 

GAMMERA, THE INVINCIBLE

The big turtle attacks a ship!

GAMMERA, THE INVINCIBLE (aka Daikaiju Gamera/1965-1966). Director: Noriaki Yuasa. 

When several Russian pilots carrying atomic bombs fly off course, one of them crash lands and sets off an explosion that awakens a sleeping monster: the dread Gammera, a gargantuan turtle who can roast people with his flame breath a la Godzilla. Gammera seems mean-tempered, although he saves the life of an idiot little boy who has an obsession with turtles, an act which doesn't stop the turtle from stomping on others. Just when the authorities think they have found a way to stop the turtle's rampage, it turns out that he can turn his shell into a flying, spinning projectile with flame coming out of its openings. Gammera feeds on fire and other forms of energy. What to do? What to do? 

Dick O'Neill as the general in added scenes

Like Godzilla before it, Gammera is a combination of a 1965 Japanese film with American footage released in the U.S. the following year. This footage features a General (Dick O'Neill) barking orders at his staff, as well as a meeting at the U.N. with the Secretary of State (Albert Dekker of Dr. Cyclops) and General Arnold (Brian Donlevy of The Creeping Unknown). There is also a comical TV show in which the existence of Gammera is debated by two feuding and nutty scientists. The Japanese characters include Dr. Hidaka (Eiji Funakoshi), who tries to destroy the monster even as the U.N. come up with plan "Z." 

Brian Donlevy

Gammera, who can walk on its hind legs as well as on all fours, is brought to life via "suitmation" (a stunt man in a costume) as well as with several props and a lot of miniatures. Some of the process work is cruddy but at other times it's effective at blending the monster with the screaming, hysterical populace. The odd thing about Gammera is that the script is workable, but the execution is haphazard, and one suspects this was the case even before the American footage was spliced into the original movie. Gammera was featured in several sequels and became a hero to small children a la Godzilla.

Verdict: Somehow a turtle just doesn't make a very formidable monster despite the damage he does. **. 

COVER GIRL KILLER

Spencer Teakle and Felicity Young

COVER GIRL KILLER (1959). Writer/Director: Terry Bishop.

John (Spencer Teakle) has inherited a pin up magazine called Wow. He discovers that several of the women who appeared on the cover have been murdered, and are found wearing the same outfits and in similar poses as on those covers. Detective-Inspector Brunner (Victor Brooks) importunes June (Felicity Young) to pose for the cover so that he can trap the killer (Harry H. Corbett), a scheme that doesn't thrill John, who is in love with June. But the killer, who goes about wearing a wig and weird spectacles, is more clever than the police may realize and June could be in serious danger.

Harry H. Corbett in disguise

Cover Girl Killer may sound like a good bet for thriller fans, but this British production doesn't have the lurid intensity of, say, Horrors of the Black Museum, or the American film The Hypnotic Eye. About an hour long, it looks like a cheap TV production and although it does manage to hold your interest, has minimal suspense and excitement. Besides the fact that there is little flair to the direction, this is due to an overly sparse musical score (attributed to William Davies) that might have added a small degree of tension. There have been better half hour TV shows on the same theme than this. Everyone in this British film drinks coffee instead of tea!

Verdict: Some coffee jitters might have helped this movie. **. 

HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM

Michael Gough

HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM (1959). Director: Arthur Crabtree.

Crime writer Edmond Bancroft (Michael Gough) taunts Scotland Yard for failing to solve the murders of several women in extremely grisly incidents. The latest victim had needles shot into her eyes and brain when she looked into a doctored pair of binoculars. Bancroft thinks the murders may be tied into Scotland Yard's "black museum" of criminal artifacts, although he has his own black museum that in his opinion puts the Yard's to shame. 

June Cunningham

Bancroft has a handsome assistant, Rick (Graham Curnow), who does whatever his employer tells him. Bancroft is also keeping a buxom lady named Joan (June Cunningham), but in a scene that plays like something out of Of Human Bondage, she bitchily taunts the lame author when he refuses to give her any more money. Joan is later beheaded by a man with a grimacing, disfigured face. And there are more murders to come ...  

Michael Gough and Beatrice Varley 

Horrors of the Black Museum is a delightfully lurid and ghoulish horror flick with the usual zesty, adroit, if over-the-top performance from Gough at his best. Cunningham is also vivid and gets to do a sexy dance number in a pub. Curnow, Geoffrey Keen as Superintendent Graham and  Gerald Andersen as the ill-fated Dr. Ballan are also effective, while Shirley Anne Field makes an attractive fiancee, Angela, for Rick. Beatrice Varley also makes her mark as Aggie, the owner of an antique and notions store that stocks many items of interest to Bancroft. 

Graham Curnow 

Horrors of the Black Museum is a riot of deadly guillotines placed on top of beds, dead bodies boiled in acid, murder by ice tongs, and other tasteless tidbits that will delight the horror fanatic. One imagines that the first sadistic killing involving the binoculars might have turned a few stomachs back in the day. This is one of a trio of films Gough did for producer Herman Cohen, Konga and Black Zoo being the other two. 

Verdict: All this and CinemaScope, too! ***. 

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE

John Russell and Chick Chandler

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE 1955 - 1957 syndicated television series.

This half hour show lasted two seasons and concerned the exploits of two adventurers who would do just about anything and go anywhere if the pay was right: Tim Kelly (John Russell) and Toubo Smith (Chick Chandler). The show used old sets from Republic films and serials as well as a lot of adroitly-employed stock footage. Russell and Chandler -- the former tall, handsome and macho, with a splendid physique, the latter short and plucky -- complimented each other perfectly.

Chandler and Russell

In one first season episode Kelly suggests that Toubo is getting too old and tired, should settle down and marry, he's over the hill. "A friend shouldn't say that to a friend," says an offended Toubo. "Who says you're a friend," replies Kelly "We travel around together," protests Toubo. To which Kelly replies, "I'm just keeping you out of trouble." The viewer honestly doesn't know if Kelly is joking or not, but in an episode in the second season, Kelly clearly risks his life to save his buddy's when the latter is nearly sacrificed to natives, so there's no doubt that there is a genuine bond of friendship between the two men.

John Russell before his Lawman TV series mustache

Soldiers of Fortune was not a classic series, but it was entertaining and (via stock footage and standing sets) managed to send the boys all over the world. Among the more memorable "A" episodes were the following: a woman is plagued by a voodoo cult in "Drums of Far Island;" a Chinese salesman in Limehouse is embroiled in a smuggling plot in "Hatchet Man;" sabotage holds up construction of an underwater tunnel in Cuba in "Sandhogs;" and the boys go undercover on a cargo ship with a sinister crew in "Crew of the Dolly D." 

Chick Chandler

Out of fifty-two episodes I have managed to see all but five, but at least half are of B+ quality. Guest-stars include Henry Brandon ("Greatest Beast" -- was an oil man killed by a Tibetan monster?); Jay Novello ("Vanishing Island" -- that  occasionally rises to the surface and holds a treasure); Beverly Garland ("Lady and the Lion" -- intrigue on an African film set); Jean Byron ("Tattooed Lady of Torima" -- a beautiful woman runs a diamond racket in Columbia); Michael Emmet ("Skull of the Inca" -- an educated native returns to headhunter land to find treasure and encounters giant lizards from One Million B.C. instead). 

"City of Doom" with Pamela Duncan

Also Grant Williams ("Lady of Rajmahal" -- a rajah's frightened wife wants to leave home with some priceless art treasures); Adele Jurgens ("Danger Sisters" -- two gals with a knife-throwing act get into trouble in Tangier); and Pamela Duncan ("The City of Doom" -- a maharajah's sister fears that a cult that is against progress will eventually destroy the city). Many episodes featured women whom at first seemed warm and sympathetic and turned out to have a dagger up their sleeves, and duplicitous characters of both sexes abounded. 

Verdict: Basically a fun if imperfect series that was easy to take. **1/2. 

VENOM (2018)

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock

VENOM (2018). Director: Ruben Fleischer. 

Reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) winds up fired from his job when he goes up against billionaire scientist Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), who sends men into space to look for resources and finds some weird aliens called Symbiotes. Drake wants to merge the aliens with humans and uses homeless people, most of whom don't survive, for experimentation. Eddie's fiancee, Annie (Michelle Williams), loses her job, too, and cancels their engagement. 

Eddie confronted by Venom

Eddie eventually winds up bonded with one of these creatures himself. The alien talks to him, calls himself "Venom" and has to be talked out of biting people's head's off when he's hungry, which doesn't always work. Venom knows that a group of his kind plan to take over Earth, but he likes it here, and tries to help Eddie prevent Drake -- who has bonded with an alien known as "Riot" -- from taking off into space. 

Venom on thee rampage

Venom is actually a character that was introduced in the Spider-Man comic books. Peter Parker put on a black costume he found during the "Secret Wars" and only later discovered that it was alive. Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four helped him separate from the symbiote, which later merged with Eddie Brock (and later with the serial killer Cletus Kasady, as well as with Parker's friend, "Flash" Thompson.) Played by an appealingly grubby Tom Hardy, Brock is more of a sympathetic figure in this movie than he was in the comics. 

Riz Ahmed

Although Venom begins quite well -- and the FX work throughout is quite good -- the movie eventually becomes a mess, getting sillier and more ridiculous as it goes along. Venom might have worked as an outre horror film, but the PG rating works against it, and this doesn't really jell as a part-time black comedy. The movie has no real climax, because there has to be room for a sequel. There are a couple of exciting moments, but the battle between Venom and Riot kind of falls flat. 

Verdict: Not one of the better Marvel movies. **.