PASSKEY TO DANGER

Kane Richmond and Stephanie Bachelor

PASSKEY TO DANGER (1946). Director: Lesley Selander.

Tex Hanlon (Kane Richmond) and his fiancee Gwen (Stephanie Bachelor) are an advertising team who have come up with a fashion campaign called "Three Springs." Unfortunately three hoods, formerly known as the Spring Brothers, who committed embezzlement and escaped from jail, think the Three Springs campaign has to do with them. Therefore Tex finds himself being offered huge amounts of money for what he thinks are dresses. Other complications include a blonde, Renee (Adele Mara), who may or may not be a designer with designs on Tex, and the sinister Mr. Warren (Gregory Gaye of Flying Disc Man from Mars) and his thuggish assistant, Bert (Fred Graham of The Giant Gila Monster). 

Richmond with Adele Mara

Frankly, the screenplay for this dog doesn't make a lot of sense. Richmond and Bachelor are perfectly swell for the more insouciant romantic scenes, but are only passable when it comes to anything slightly more dramatic -- not that there's too much of that in this. Gregory Gaye has trouble tossing off vicious bon mots with the kind of skill that came so easily to such as George Sanders. Adele Mara is okay in another of her perky blonde portrayals. Others in the cast include Gerald Mohr of  The Angry Red Planet, John Eldredge of Insurance Investigator and George J. Lewis of Federal Operator 99. The best scene in the movie is the terrific furniture-smashing fist fight between Tex and Bert at the very end. From Republic studios, but you might think it's Monogram. 

Verdict: Features a trio of very dumb "master" criminals. **. 

STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER

STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER (aka Nude per l'assassino/1975). Director: Andrea Bianchi. 

After a woman dies during an abortion, the doctor (Gianni Airo) covers it up by having an unseen assistant dump her body in her bathtub. Not much later there are a series of murders tied to the Albatross modeling agency. Initial victims include a photographer's assistant, Mario (Claudio Pelligrini), hopeful model Lucia (Femi Benussi), and others. Among the chief suspects are the agency's owners, Gisella (Amanda) and her obese, impotent husband, Maurizio (Franco Diogene), not to mention gal-happy photographer Carlo (Nino Castelnuovo). Magda (Edwige Fenech) is a photographer's assistant who isn't certain if she wants to pursue a career with a camera or as a model. Meanwhile the killer stalks his victims while dressed in a black leather motorcycle outfit complete with helmet and butcher knife. Fenech and the other ladies in the film take off their clothing as much as possible, and a couple of the men, including Diogene, do the same. 

Edwige Fenech and Nino Castelnuovo

While not on the level of the best of Dario Argento, Strip Nude for Your Killer is an intriguing giallo film with plenty of murders and some suspense over the identity of the killer and his or her motives. The murder sequences, while not distressingly graphic, are nevertheless tense and creepy. The softcore sex scenes are rather more graphic and seem to go on forever. Although the film is sub-titled, some of the actors -- particularly French star Fenech -- seem dubbed. The acting is more than adequate, and the director keeps things moving at a good pace. Ten years earlier Castelnuovo starred in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. 

Verdict: One of your better giallo films. ***.  

THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN

Lee Bowman and Marguerite Chapman

THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN (1946). Director: Lothar Mendes. 

"There's something wrong with that man!"

New York newspaper columnist Gilbert Archer (Lee Bowman) is shocked to learn that an old friend of his, a priest, has supposedly committed suicide. He believes the man was murdered, and is soon surrounded by a host of suspicious characters. There is an attractive lady named Laura Brown (Marguerite Chapman); a weird character who claims to be her father, Ernst (J., Edward Bromberg); a highly sinister "reverend" who carries guns (George Macready) and his equally unpleasant better half (Katherine Emery); a nasty creature named Rausch (Noel Cravat); the shifty lawyer George Bradford (Edgar Buchanan) and others. Most of these people seem to be after a pair of bibles that have been secreted somewhere and contain the location of a lost painting depicting the Walls of Jericho -- done by no less than Leonardo da Vinci. People would kill to get such a priceless painting, and indeed there are soon more murders ... 

Bowman with J. Edgar Bromberg

The Walls Came Tumbling Down boasts an absorbing and convoluted plot, several good performances from an interesting cast, an attractive credits theme by Martin Skiles, and a pretty fast pace to boot. Yet ... the whole thing is somehow second-rate. Maybe it's that Lee Bowman, while competent, isn't the most thrilling leading man, or that there are other directors who could have done more with the material. But while you're enjoying the plot twists and turns you're not quite believing any of it. Lee Patrick is also in the cast as Bowman's put-upon secretary, and she's as snappy as ever, and Elisabeth Risdon is fine as the dead priest's sister and another murder victim. Bowman never quite seems to evince enough rage over the terrible deaths of people he cares about. Marguerite Chapman is excellent as the mysterious woman who could be a heroine or a femme fatale.

Verdict: Fair-to-middling film noir. **1/2.  

WHAT THE PEEPER SAW

Mark Lester and Britt Ekland

WHAT THE PEEPER SAW (aka La tua prezenza nuda!/1972. Directors: James Kelley; Andrea Bianchi.

12-year-old Marcus (Mark Lester) comes home from school -- supposedly because of a chicken pox outbreak -- and meets his new stepmother, Elise (Britt Ekland of King Solomon's Treasure), for the first time. Initially they seem to hit it off, but Elise accuses Marcus of lying about some missing money. Her husband, Paul (Hardy Kruger), takes the boy's side. She goes to Marcus' school to speak to the headmaster (Harry Andrews) and discovers that Marcus was actually expelled from school for bizarre behavior, which includes peeping on couples in the local lover's lane and torturing and killing a cat! But Elise begins to suspect that Marcus may be guilty of even worse things, especially when she learns his mother's death might not have been an accident. Is the boy a sociopathic murderer, or is Elise herself in need of psychiatric help?

Who's the crazy one? Lilli Palmer, Britt Ekland

What the Peeper Saw has an interesting premise, but despite a decent screenplay it lacks the tension and skill that could have turned it into a nail-biter. Instead it meanders along at a deliberate, even dull, pace with the occasional startling moment, such as when Elise agrees to strip for the boy in exchange for his confessing to certain malfeasances. This certainly gets the attention of psychiatrist Dr. Viorne (Lilli Palmer) in a well-played sequence in her office that is by far the best scene in the movie. All of the actors are quite good in this, with Palmer a stand-out as she realizes Elise may need more help than the child. The ending packs a small wallop. 

Verdict: Too bad. This one had distinct possibilities, but ...  **1/4. 

KILLDOZER

The killer bulldozer about to squash an unfortunate

KILLDOZER (1974 telefilm). Director: Jerry London.

A group of construction workers are putting in an air field on an isolated island in the Pacific when an ancient, extraterrestrial lifeform is unleashed from some ruins. This lifeform then inhabits the hulking, metallic form of the project's special bulldozer, coming to life at unexpected times and whenever it chooses. At first the group think the dozer must be remote-controlled, but this is not the case. The driverless machine proves quite formidable as several victims are unable to get out of its way, and at least one is squashed inside his jeep. Finally the survivors try to concoct a way to stop the killer bulldozer for good. 

Clint Walker

Killdozer is based on a story by Theodore Sturgeon. The telefilm has some eerie, suspenseful, and exciting scenes, but never really turns into a thrilling or nail-biting experience. Clint Walker has given some good performances elsewhere -- such as in Scream of the Wolf -- but in this his mind seems to be on something else. Robert Urich is killed off early on, James A. Watson Jr., Carl Betz and Neville Brand [Adventures of Nick Carter] are more than okay, and James Wainwright arguably offers the best performance as the ill-fated Dutch. If nothing else, the picture is absorbing. 

Verdict: Stay away from construction sites. **1/2.

MYSTERY IN MEXICO

Jacqueline White and William Lundigan

MYSTERY IN MEXICO (1948). Directed by Robert Wise.

When one of his colleagues, Glenn Ames (Walter Reed), disappears, insurance investigator Steve Hastings (William Lundigan) flies down to Mexico to try to find him. He isn't certain if Glenn might be involved in dirty business concerning a stolen necklace, so he attaches himself to Ames' sister, Vicky (Jacqueline White), to see what she knows -- he's also not certain about her. Vicky is a nightclub singer who goes to work for club owner John Norcross (Ricardo Cortez), who has a jealous girlfriend named Delores (Jacqueline Dalya) --she makes a play for Steve even as Vicky is fighting her attraction to him. When a bartender (Armando Silvestre) who may have information regarding Glenn is killed in a suspicious accident, Steve realizes he is on the right track and there may well be danger involved. 

Lundigan looks for clues

An early film directed by Robert Wise, Mystery in Mexico is pleasant, well-acted, and moves swiftly at a little over an hour's running time. It is also extremely minor-league. Lundigan could do this type of material in his sleep, Cortez is suitably oily and makes a rather loathsome villain, and Jacqueline White is  perfectly adept as the heroine. White was a pleasing leading lady who had a handful of credits and whose most famous film is Narrow Margin. Released by RKO.

Verdict: Acceptable if decidedly minor mystery. **1/2. 

THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL

George Hilton

THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL (aka La coda dello scorpione/1971). Director: Sergio Martino. 

Lisa Baumer (Ida Galli) discovers that her wealthy husband has died in a plane crash, and flies from London to Athens to claim a one million dollar insurance policy. Insurance investigator Peter Lynch (George Hilton) rescues her when her late husband's former mistress, Lara (Janine Reynaud), and a hulking associate, threaten her it she doesn't turn over half the money. Peter is confused to learn that Lisa cashed the insurance check and has booked a flight out of the country. Meanwhile a figure in a black mask, outfit and gloves, is attacking assorted people involved in the case with knives. Peter teams up with reporter Cleo Dupont (Anita Strindberg) to get to the bottom of things. 

Anita Strindberg

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail is a pleasant surprise, one of the few giallo films that has a truly interesting and twisty plot along with a few surprises. In that way it reminds one of a Dario Argento film except for the fact that Sergio Martino's direction is nowhere near as stylish as Argento's. However, there are still some good scenes in this, such as a suspenseful attack upon Lara in her gothic-like townhouse, and an exciting finale that reveals the true perpetrator. George Hilton, an attractive actor from Uruguay who appeared in a number of giallo films such as The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, gives a strong performance, as does the quite beautiful Swedish actress Anita Strindberg, as well as Reynaud as the bitchy Lara, Luigi Pistilli as Inspector Stavros, Alberto de Mendoza as an Interpol agent; and others. The title has to do with a pair of cufflinks found at a crime scene. If this movie only had somewhat better characterization and a much better musical score, it really would have been a contender, but it's quite entertaining as it is. NOTE: Not to be confused with The Night of the Scorpion or The Black Scorpion!

Verdict: Superior giallo. ***.  

THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD

The goddess Kali vs. Sinbad

THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1973). Director: Gordon Hessler. 

In the mythical kingdom of Marabia, Sinbad (John Phillip Law of Miner's Massacre) encounters the evil wizard Koura (Tom Baker). The disfigured Vizier (Douglas Wilmer), who always wears a mask and is now the ruler of Marabia, warns Sinbad that Koura is out to take over the kingdom any way he can. Accompanied by the Vizier, young Haroun (Kurt Christian), whose father pays Sinbad to take him along, and the beautiful former slave Margiana (Caroline Munro), among others, Sinbad sets sail for the lost world of Lemuria, an island that is all that's left of the mythical sunken continent. There Sinbad hopes to find the third part of a fabulous necklace or tablet with a map on it, as well as a great treasure. But he will face many challenges and monsters ... 

Caroline Munro and John Phillip Law

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, with stop-motion FX work by Ray Harryhausen, may not be in the same league as such Harryhausen masterpieces as 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts, but it is still an exciting, entertaining and very colorful fantasy flick. Law gives a personable and amusing performance as Sinbad, even if he may not be as beloved in the role as Kerwin Mathews. Tom Baker is good as Koura, but he lacks that certain flair and sinister charisma of such actors as, say, Torin Thatcher or Christopher Lee. Munro is decorative and adept enough and Christian displays a certain gauche charm. Takis Emmanuel scores as Achmed, Koura's uncertain assistant. An uncredited Robert Shaw plays the Oracle of All Knowledge who appears, unrecognizable, in a burst of fire. 

homunculus, Takis Emmanuel, Tom Baker,

As usual Harryhausen's creations steal the show: the tiny, winged homunculus that spies on the group for Koura; the wooden lady figurehead who pulls free of the ship and barrels across the deck; the slavering horror of the one-eyed centaur, who either wants Munro for his mate or dinner. The griffin is a slight disappointment, but the six-armed Kali statue who comes to life to dance and then battle Sinbad and his crew, is simply magnificent. Another plus is Miklos Rozsa's excellent score. One of the best scenes has nothing to do with monsters but is a suspenseful bit with Sinbad climbing out of a cavern through a hole in the ceiling as he dangles high in the air and nearly falls to his death. 

Verdict: Highly enjoyable adventure-fantasy film with some great FX work. ***.  

SWORD OF VENUS

"catfight" at the Black Cat tavern: Clarke, Stapp, De Marco

SWORD OF VENUS (1953). Director: Harold Daniels.

Robert Dantes (Robert Clarke) is the gal-and-life loving son of Alexander Dumas' famous Count of Monte Cristo, who got revenge on those who had him falsely convicted and confined. Now some of these enemies, especially Baron Danglars (Dan O'Herlihy), want to get even with the Count via a diabolical plot to frame his son and steal the family fortune. At first Claire (Catherine McLeod) goes along with the scheme to entrap Robert, but later her conscience gets the better of her. Nevertheless Danglars forces her to continue, along with certain associates, such as the drunken lawyer Valmont (William Schallert). Sentenced to hard labor in a rock quarry, how can Robert get his life back?  

Robert Clarke and Marjorie Stapp

Robert Clarke is best-known for a number of low-budget sci fi films, but he did work in other genres, including this sequel to "The Count of Monte Cristo." It has many of the diabolical twists and turns of Dumas' original book, but the film itself is only moderately successful. Both Clarke and especially Dan O'Herlihy, marvelously underplaying in a most sinister fashion, give good performances, along with the rest of the cast, but a certain intensity and panache is missing. The liveliest sequence is when Robert takes the married Countess Lily (Marjorie Stapp) to the notorious Black Cat tavern, where she gets into a catfight with the dancer Suzette (Renee De Marco). The two really give each other some good whacks! 

Verdict: Minor-league historical melodrama with some good performances and a zesty "catfight." **1/2. 

THE INCREDIBLE PETRIFIED WORLD

Clarke, Noonan, Coates, Windsor

THE INCREDIBLE PETRIFIED WORLD (1959). Produced and directed by Jerry Warren. Colorized.

Professor Millard Wyman (John Carradine of Female Jungle) has invented a diving bell through which he hopes to reach uncharted depths. Inside the bell on its first dive are Craig Randell (Robert Clark of The Man from Planet X), Paul (Allen Windsor), Lauri (Sheila Noonan), and no-nonsense reporter Dale (Phyllis Coates of Panther Girl of the Kongo), whose fiance has just told her to get lost. Something goes wrong with the bell and the foursome wind up stuck on the ocean bottom, but are able to swim out -- where they somehow find themselves inside empty caverns and discover a grizzled old man (Maurice Bernard) who has been stuck there for fourteen years! With chance of rescue unlikely, will they ever be able to reach the surface? 

Robert Clarke and Allen Windsor

Although Incredible Petrified World is almost universally excoriated, I find the premise intriguing and the film itself, aside from some tedious padded stretches, absorbing. True, this is not a grand adventure film with a big budget, but it has genuine suspense as you wonder how on earth the principals will get out of this depressing predicament. John W. Steiner's script presents characters with some dimension to them (with typical fifties attitudes), although it can't overcome the sheer illogic of the film. There doesn't appear to be an air lock in the diving bell, so it makes no sense that it wouldn't get flooded when the participants emerge. Exactly where in hell the caverns are in  relation to the bell and the surface is never made clear. Why don't they just swim to the surface? (One can only imagine that the diving bell is stuck in some crevice under the caverns, but this is never made clear.) The scene when Craig confesses his love to Lauri and says that they can be happy with each other -- stuck Lord knows where in endless caverns for the rest of eternity! -- hardly comes off as especially realistic. 

John Carradine (behind ladder) with the cast

The actors do the best they can with the material, with Carradine as professional and adept as ever as the professor. Windsor, Noonan, and Bernard had very few other credits, although Clarke and Coates had busy careers. Coates, almost as bitchy in this as her Lois Lane in The Adventures of Superman, makes a good impression in the movie, which she did as a favor to old boyfriend Jerry Warren; she never got paid for it! The film has atmosphere, due to the settings in Tucson Arizona's Colossal Cave, and the colorizing process works well. 

Verdict: Hardly for every taste, but not as awful as its reputation. ***. 

THE CRAWLING HAND

The hand runs amok

THE CRAWLING HAND (1963). Director: Herbert L. Strock. Colorized.

Captain Lockhart (Ashley Cowan) is the latest in a line of astronauts who are taken over by some strange kind of force while out in space. Lockhart's ship explodes, but his severed arm is found on a beach by Paul (Rod Lauren of The Young Swingers) and his girlfriend, Marta (Sirry Steffen), who freaks out. Inexplicably, Paul takes the arm home, where the hand strangles his landlady, Mrs. Hotchkiss (Arline Judge). Then whatever affected Lockhart in space begins affecting Paul. Will Sheriff Townsend (Alan Hale Jr. of Thunder in Carolina) be able to get Paul under control after he attacks Marta or will he have to shoot him? 

Sirry Steffen and Rod Lauren

The Crawling Hand has some interesting elements and could have been turned into a fairly good movie, but it goes in all the wrong directions and is never as creepy as intended. Probably the most interesting thing about it is the cast, which includes the Skipper from Gilligan's Island, former star Richard Arlen, old-time actress Arline Judge, Kent Taylor [The Crimson Key] and Peter Breck as scientists, and Allison Hayes of 50 Foot Woman fame, criminally wasted as a secretary with only a couple of scenes. Tristram Coffin of King of the Rocket Men also shows up for one sequence as a security chief. Rod Lauren gives an uneven performance, but Steffen showed promise; she only had six other credits, though. Herbert L. Strock also directed Gog.

Verdict: Had possibilities, but this doesn't really work. **. 

THE POSSESSED

Peter Baldwin

THE POSSESSED (aka La donna del lago/1965). Directors: Luigi Bazzoni; Franco Rossellini.  

A novelist named Bernard (Peter Baldwin) tells his unseen girlfriend that he is obsessed with a young woman he met some months ago and has to go see her. Arriving at the village where this lady, Tilde (Virna Lisi), worked at the Lakeside Hotel, he takes a room there and tries to find out what happened to her. Speaking to the hotel's proprietor, Enrico (Salvo Randone), he learns that Tilde supposedly committed suicide. However, a photographer named Francesco (Pier Giovanni Anchisi) tells him that Tilde was actually murdered, but that this was covered up. There are rumors that she was pregnant and either Enrico or his son, Mario (Philippe Leroy), may be responsible. Bernard determines to find out the truth, whatever it may be ... 

striking photography

The Possessed is a moody, strikingly photographed (Leonida Barboni) picture but I'm at a loss as to what genre it belongs to. It's not a horror film, and as a suspense film or murder mystery it falls short. Deliberately-paced, to put it mildly, the film offers some wonderful images as well as close-ups of the poetically handsome Peter Baldwin, but the story is only mildly intriguing and the denouement -- if you can even call it that -- is completely unsatisfying. Pia Lindstrom, the daughter of Ingrid Bergman -- who later became a television journalist -- appears in a small role as Mario's wife. Valentina Cortese is cast as Enrico's daughter, Irma. Both ladies make a positive impression in this. Virna Lisi has too little to do and although Baldwin is credible -- it's hard to judge his dubbed performance -- his chief asset seems to be his looks. He later became a director. 

Verdict: Very good to look at, but it's too "arty" for its own good and never catches fire. **. 

THE LIVING IDOL

James Robertson Justice, Liliane Montevecchi. Steve Forrest

THE LIVING IDOL (1957). Written and directed by Albert Lewin.

Down in Mexico Dr. Alfred Stoner (James Robertson Justice) leads Terry, a photographer (Steve Forrest), and Juanita (Liliane Montevecchi), the daughter of a colleague, up an inner staircase into a recess of a pyramid to see the idol of a jaguar god. Juanita is badly frightened, and Alfred wonders if she might be the reincarnation of a young lady who centuries ago was sacrificed to the god. When Juanita's father, Manuel (Eduardo Noriega), is crushed by a stone with a jaguar representation on it, she is even more freaked out. Alfred and his wife, Elena (Sara Garcia), take the orphaned Juanita under their wing, but Alfred develops an insane plan to get her out from under the alleged influence of the jaguar god. 

Beautiful beast: a stalking jaguar 

I had never heard of The Living Idol but hoped this might be a lost gem when I saw some familiar names in the cast, saw that it was in CinemaScope and Technicolor, and that it was photographed by Jack Hildyard. But my hopes started to fade the minute I saw the phony-looking and not very frightening jaguar-idol, which Alfred brings back with him to Mexico City. Forget about Juanita, the only one who seems to have an odd relationship with a jaguar is Alfred, who lets the beautiful beast out of a zoo in his crazy, senseless scheme to let it have an encounter with the poor young lady. Lest you mistakenly think that this all sounds interesting, be forewarned that The Living Idol is deadly slow and dull, with very little happening during a nearly two hour running time. At times the film almost seems more like a romance than a horror film, if that's what it even is. The shame of if is it could have gone off in so many different, much more fascinating and frightening directions, but it basically goes nowhere ... slowly. Manuel's death scene occurs off-screen and is poorly handled. Some nice scenery can't save this. You would never know that director Lewin had actually helmed a couple of pretty good pictures. This was his last one. 

Verdict: A major disappointment and pretty terrible movie. *1/2. 

THE NIGHT OF THE SCORPION

Jose Antonio Amor and Nuria Torray

THE NIGHT OF THE SCORPION (aka La casa de las muertas vivientes/1972). Director: Alfonso Blacazar.

"Your father has been dead a long time now and I consider you part of my inheritance." -- Sara. 

Oliver (Jose Antonio Amor) believes that he was responsible for the falling death of his wife, Helen (Gioia Desideri), during an argument when he was drunk. A year later he arrives back at his castle-like home with a new wife, Ruth (Daniela Giordano), whom he barely knows. The household now consists of the newlyweds; Oliver's sister, Jenny (Teresa Gimpera of The Black Box Affair), who was in love with Helen; and Oliver's stepmother Sara (Nuria Torray), who is hopelessly in love  -- and lust -- with him.  At night Sara becomes a peeping Thomasina, peering at Oliver and Ruth -- as she did Oliver and Helen -- through a hole as they make love. Ruth decides to bring a private detective  (Osvaldo Genazzini) into this twisted situation so that he can get at the truth, but things may not work out quite the way the young woman intended ... 

Amor with Teresa Gimpera 

The Night of the Scorpion -- there's no explanation for the title -- takes a good while to build up any steam. The first murder doesn't occur for a full hour. The dubbed actors all seem more than competent, but when the action finally starts it occurs at a comically fast pace. We're asked to believe that Ruth would go down into a dark cellar by herself  right after she's found two corpses! The best scene is a violent and erotic fantasy of Sara's in which she murders Ruth and then has sex with her stepson. A dubbed Spanish-Italian co-production. 

Verdict:  Delightfully sick at times but ultimately third-rate. **1/2. 

THE LIE

Lee Bowman

THE LIE (1954). Director: Harold Young.

John Hamilton (Lee Bowman) has a night on the town with his friends, an aerialist called "The Great Wilhelm"(Harald Maresch), and Philip (Joachim Brennecke), who is the brother of John's girlfriend, Marlene (Ramsay Ames of G-Men Never Forget). While drunk and nearly passed out, he is confronted by a threatening man who is later found murdered. John is arrested for the murder, and during the trial is astounded when both Wilhelm and Philip lie about going with him to the apartment where the murder took place -- they claim to know nothing even though he knows they were there. John is convicted and the only one who goes to bat for him, eventually getting him out of prison, is Margot (Eva Probst), Philip's former fiancee, who knows something is rotten in Germany. Now John decides to confront his former friends, as well as Marlene, and discover who the real killer is.

Brennecke and Maresch

If The Lie seems like a TV production, it's because it is, filmed in a studio in Germany with mostly German actors. The acting is good, with Ramsay Ames, surprisingly, being more of a stand-out than usual with her unsympathetic role. Viennese Maresch appeared in a number of international productions while Brennecke appeared primarily in German productions. The Lie has a very slight degree of suspense, but there isn't much surprise when it comes to the identity of the murderer, and the whole thing is relatively routine. 

Verdict: Doesn't amount to much. **

THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13

Ramiro Oliveros and Patty Shepard

THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13 (aka El asesino esta entre los trece/1973). Director: Javier Aguirre.  

"They killed him savagely with a knitting needle."

Lisa (Patty Shepard) is convinced that her late husband, who played around on her and died in a plane crash -- he was the pilot -- was murdered. Apparently someone he knew paid a call on him and doctored his coffee just before his flight. Was revenge for his adulterous behavior -- a jealous husband or discarded mistress -- the motive, or did Lisa's husband know too much about illegal financial affairs? She invites all of the suspects to her rambling home in the country and confronts them. Then the murders begin ...

Paloma Cela and Simon Andreu

There are plenty of suspects for both the murder of Lisa's husband and of his assembled "friends:" Playboy Harry (Simon Andreu), who has a wandering eye, especially for married ladies; Francis (Eusebio Poncela), a creepy guy who can't keep his hands off women; his hateful, domineering mother, Bertha (Trini Alonso); grumpy Jorge (Alberto Fernandez), who may have had some unsavory business practices, and his horny wife (Paloma Cela), who is rejected by Harry. Then we mustn't forget the servants: the driver Ernest (Paul Naschy of A Dragonfly for Each Corpse), who's boffing maid Elena (Rosa de Alba), and handsome Harry (Ramiro Oliveros), who's boffing Lisa in addition to his other duties.

The Killer is One of 13 takes its time in getting there, and a good hour has gone by before the murders occur in rapid succession. This Spanish film is almost more of an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery than a horror film, but it's somewhat entertaining and fun on that level. Some of the sleazy characters and some more-than-adequate acting help put it over, and the ending is perfectly rational and satisfying, if not entirely unexpected. 

Verdict: More suspects than murders! **1/2. 

THE HARDY BOYS: THE GHOST AT SKELETON ROCK

THE HARDY BOYS: THE GHOST AT SKELETON ROCK. Franklin W. Dixon. Grosset and Dunlap; 1957.

In this classic Hardy Boys tale they get involved with more intrigue when their rotund pal Chet Morton develops an interest in ventriloquism. He buys a famous "Hugo" dummy with a purple turban that some desperadoes try to steal because the dummy's eyes supposedly hold diamonds. In one exciting scene the boys are shot at in their plane -- causing the engine to burn as depicted on the cover -- by a confederate of a crooked psychic also known as Hugo and who also wears a turban (coincidences abound in the Hardy Boys stories)! It isn't long before the action switches to Puerto Rico, where the boys have to contend with Abdul with the Big Head, as well as a gang member who looks just like Joe Hardy and causes a lot of mischief. At one point the fellows nearly fall into some sugar-crushing machinery. There are sequences at the fort called El Morro and at pineapple plantations, as well as a climax at a sinister island which has a spit of land known as Skeleton Rock, where natives worship a giant god that comes out from below and hovers over the rock. The Boys and Chet are guests at a fancy estate on this island, but aren't certain if their pleasant, corpulent host is part of the gang or not. Before this adventure is over, they'll get their answer and also learn the secret of the god -- or ghost -- of Skeleton Rock. 

Verdict: Dig out your old Hardy Boys books and dig in! You know you want to! ***. 

THE YOUNG SWINGERS

Molly Bee and Rod Lauren

THE YOUNG SWINGERS (1963). Director: Maury Dexter.

Mel Hudson (Rod Lauren) manages a Hootenanny club called the Vanguard. The owner of the building, a witch named Roberta Crawford (Jo Helton), wants the club out of there and employs dirty tricks to get them gone, using her lawyer Bruce Webster (Justin Smith) to do most of the work for her. Her granddaughter, Vicki (Molly Bee), takes over while Roberta is out of town, and strikes up an acquaintanceship -- and more -- with Mel. Can they get her aunt to change her mind? Meanwhile everyone, including Mel, Vicki, Fred (Gene McDaniels), Pete (Larrs Jackson, who also does impressions), and the Sherwood Singers perform some perfectly pleasant numbers. 

Gene McDaniels

The Young Swingers is not a good movie, but at least everyone in it has a more than decent voice, and most sound much better than the pop singers of today, most of whom sound alike (and are auto-tuned on top of it). Rod Lauren sings better than he acts in this -- he seems tranquilized most of the time -- but he was to become more expressive in such films as Black Zoo (in which he played a mute character). Years later he was accused of hiring someone to murder his Filipino wife. Molly Bee first came to fame at 13 warbling "I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus" and had a respectable vocal career with only a few film credits. Larrs Jackson (aka Jack Larson), who does a lousy impression of Groucho but isn't bad at Ed Sullivan and Walter Brennan, had quite a number of credits after this. Of all the singers in this perhaps the most impressive is Gene McDaniels, who sings two snappy numbers and sings them really well. He should have become as famous as Johnny Mathis and others. 

Verdict: Good songs, good singing, but no real story. **1/4. 

ARIZONA TERRITORY

Whip Wilson

ARIZONA TERRITORY (1950). Director: Wallace Fox. 

Prospector Jeff Molloy (Whip Wilson) comes across a pretty gal, Doris (Nancy Saunders), in a runaway wagon and rescues her. Along with her ex-con Uncle Otis (John Merton of Radar Patrol vs Spy King), Doris runs a trading post in the wild territory of Arizona. Suspecting Otis of going back to his old ways of counterfeiting, Jeff teams up with an undercover U.S., Marshall named Luke Watson (Andy Clyde). Another player in this undistinguished oater is Greg Lance (Dennis Moore) who wants to marry Nancy but is secretly in cahoots with her uncle. Meanwhile Jeff is hoping that Nancy is on the up and up. 

Dennis Moore

Although he made a couple more films than Lash Larue, Monogram's Whip Wilson was probably the least of the western cowboy stars and isn't much remembered today. His comic book for Atlas/Marvel only lasted three issues. This is one of the very few films in which he didn't play himself, but it scarcely makes a difference. Handy with a whip, Wilson proves to be an amiable if minor-league screen presence, although he handles the dialogue and action scenes professionally enough. Veteran character actor Andy Clyde, who supported Whip in several films, was 58 but looked quite a bit older. There was a forty-year gap in the acting career of Nancy Saunders, who stopped acting in the late fifties and took it up again in the nineties! Dennis Moore of The Purple Monster Strikes -- he had 264 other credits! -- gives the best performance. 

Verdict: Nothing special in this B western, but it's always nice to see Moore! **. 

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY

Indiana Jones in flashback

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023). Director: James Mangold. 

Professor "Indiana" Jones (Harrison Ford) is retiring when who should show up but his god-daughter, Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who hopes that he didn't keep his promise to her father to dispose of an ancient relic that is supposed to be able to mess with the time-space continuum-- because she wants it -- badly. Someone else who wants it is an old adversary of Jones' named Dr. Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a Nazi who wants to kill Hitler back in the past because in his opinion the German leader screwed up so badly. Helena seems quite amoral, although she may have other reasons for wanting the "Dial of Destiny" aside from avarice. As the good guys and bad guys go through car chases and gun fights in various locations, Indiana and the others do indeed wind up back in time -- although not exactly in the decade that Voller might have wished for. 

Indy at 81

The cast is enthusiastic, James Mangold's direction seems a bit better than Spielberg's on the last Indiana Jones film, and the plot is a little more interesting than the last time, although this can't be called any kind of classic. In flashback scenes during which Jones first meets Voller, Ford's face is digitally made young again through artificial intelligence -- it's quite effective if a little weird. Ford was actually eighty-one when he made this film and although he doesn't look too much younger, he hasn't lost any of his charisma and screen presence. The action sequences are generally well-done -- a business with eels near a wreck in the ocean falls flat, however -- and the underground cavern scenes are especially convincing. 

Verdict: Fun enough if you're not too demanding. **3/4. 

A DRAGONFLY FOR EACH CORPSE

Paul Naschy and Mariano Vidal Molina

A DRAGONFLY FOR EACH CORPSE (aka Una libelula para cada muerto/1975). Director: Leon Klimovsky. 

In Milan Inspector Paolo Scaparelli (Paul Naschy, who also co-wrote the screenplay) has been assigned to catch a serial killer who goes after people he believes to be immoral and always leaves a plastic dragonfly on top of each corpse. As the bodies pile up -- and there are quite a few -- Paolo's girlfriend, Silvana (Erkia Blanc of So Sweet ... So Perverse), thinks she's come up with an important clue, which he, unfortunately, dismisses. 

Erika Blanc with Naschy

Dragonfly is a Spanish imitation of an Italian giallo film and it's better than a lot of them. While Leon Klimovsky's direction doesn't have much style to it, the film does work up a lot of suspense, and has many flavorful aspects to it. Naschy, who many consider the King of Spanish horror films, is a unique and unusual-looking leading man. Angel Aranda of Planet of the Vampires is one of the suspects and Mariano Vidal Molina is Naschy's boss, the police commissioner. One odd thing is that the police never seem to try to find out where the plastic dragonflies were manufactured or sold. Otherwise, this is quite interesting.

 Verdict: Absorbing murder mystery from Spain. ***.  

THE SLASHER ... IS THE SEX MANIAC

THE SLASHER ... IS THE SEX MANIAC (aka Rivelazioni di un maniaco sessuale al capo della squadra mobile/1972). Director: Roberto Bianchi Montero. 

"I may be homosexual but I am not homicidal!" -- "Cleopatra." 

An unknown killer is running around murdering women who are having affairs. The maniac leaves photos of the women and their lovers, although the latter's faces are scratched off. (Which begs the question: how can the police be so certain that the man in the photo is the lover and not the husband? At least we know that the killer gets the photos while stalking his victims.) In any case Inspector Capuana (Farley Granger) is assigned to track down the killer and pursues a number of leads before getting distressing information about the extracurricular activities of his own wife (Sylva Koscina of Hercules Unchained). Along the way he consults with Professor Casali (Chris Avram of The Killer Reserved Nine Seats), stumbles over a number of corpses, and interviews the lawyer Santangeli (Silvano Tranquilli), who's having an affair with a neighbor even as his own wife goes off for a dalliance. (You need a scorecard to count the affairs as well as the corpses.) Farley Granger, Koscina, and the other cast members acquit themselves professionally and the film is undeniably suspenseful, with a satisfying climax. Luciano Rossi plays the weird Gastone and Nieves Navarro is another victim. 

NOTE: New hardcore footage with porn star Harry Reems was inserted -- no pun intended -- into this film under the title Penetration. It was taken out of release in the U.S. after Farley Granger threatened a lawsuit. 

Verdict: Definitely one of the better giallo films. ***

THE FRENCH SEX MURDERS

Anita Ekberg

THE FRENCH SEX MURDERS (Casa d'appuntaento/1972). Director: Ferdinando Merighi. 

In Paris Madame Colette (Anita Ekberg) runs an exclusive brothel. One night Francine (Barbara Bouchet of Agent for H.A.R.M.) is murdered and her jealous suitor, Antoine (Peter Martell), is the main suspect. Escaping from custody after being convicted and vowing revenge on everyone, Antoine is beheaded in an accident. For unaccountable reasons Professor Waldermar (Howard Vernon) wants the severed head for "experiments" and is granted its disposition by his friend, the Judge on the case, George Teschi (William Alexander). In the meantime a sinister figure is running about violently killing people involved in the case while Inspector Fontaine (Robert Sacchi) pursues all leads, investigating not just Madame Colette but Pepi (Rolf Eden), owner of a nightclub and his associates, including sometime girlfriend Marianne (Rosalba Neri). While all this is going on the professor's assistant, Roger (Franco Borelli), tries to pursue a relationship with the man's daughter, Eleonora (Evelyne Kraft). Another suspect/potential victim is Dick Randall (Renato Romano), a reporter who is doing a story on French prostitutes. 

Robert Sacchi and Rosalba Neri

Robert Sacchi not only resembles Humphrey Bogart, but whoever dubbed his voice makes sure he sounds a lot like Bogie as well, including the trademark lisp. French Sex Murders is reasonably absorbing and intriguing, although the many murder sequences are not handled with any particular elan. Director Merighi simply repeats the same shot of a throat being slashed, head lopped off and so on five times, as if he has no clue of how to stage an effective kill scene. Filmed on Paris locations, including the Eiffel Tower, this is a true International production: Italy-France-West Germany. Sacchi was born in Italy, raised in the Bronx, and starred as The Man with Bogart's Face. This film was his first credit. 

Verdict: So-so giallo with some interesting aspects. **1/2. 

NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME

Arthur Kennedy at the wheel 

NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME (aka Nove espiti per un delitto/1977). Director: Ferdinando Baldi.

Liberto (Arthur Kennedy of Impulse) takes members of his family for a two-week vacation on his private island. His guests include his young, unfaithful wife, Giulia (Caroline Laurence), who only married him for his money; his sons Lorenzo (John Richardson of Torso) and Michele (Massimo Foschi); their wives Greta (Rita Silva) and Carla (Sofia Dionisio); psychic Patrizia (Loretta Persichetti); son-in-law Walter (Venantino Venantini); and Aunt Elisabetta (Dana Ghia). For the first few hours they spend their time on the island berating each other and cheating on their spouses. Then one of the members of the party drowns. A killer begins stalking the others, and Elisabetta talks hysterically of how her lover Charles was murdered and buried on the island twenty years before ... 

John Richardson

Nine Guests keeps you watching, but the film has absolutely no style and very little tension. Characterization only consists of people being bitchy with each other and talking about how much they all hate each other -- to say these people are unsympathetic is an understatement. The gore is minimal, and a severed head that tumbles off a bed looks just like the phony prop it is. Some of the murder scenes are actually comical, and when the killer is revealed you can't quite imagine that this particular person could be responsible for all of these deaths. 

Verdict: Mediocre giallo. **1/4.