THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW (1983) (MVD Rewind Blu-ray S.E.) – Color. 91 mins. R. Regions A, B, C. $29.95 s.r.p.
THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW (Film Ventures) came out during the height of the slasher films of the 1980s. First time writer director Mark Rosman was partially inspired by the French Classic LES DIABOLIQUES (Cinedis,1955), though the killer was obviously inspired by the one in the successful FRIDAY THE 13th (Paramount ,1980). Originally titled Seven Sisters, it was shot in Pikesville Maryland in the summer of 1980, with additional photography taking place in Los Angeles.
Given a limited release at first in late 1982, the distributor expanded it in January ,1983, where it reached Number One at the box office, earning $10.6 million at the box office, not to mention various video releases and cable showings. Not bad for a film that cost less than half a million to make.
The 2009 remake (Summit, the people who gave us the TWILIGHT films, need I say more?) was one of those films that was almost instantly forgettable WHILE you watched it. The original, though not perfect, is worth revisiting over and over.
The plot has 7 sorority sisters who, while celebrating their graduation, accidentally kill their house mother DorothySlater (Lois Marie Kelso, making her screen debut at age 53) when a prank goes wrong and she ends up dead in their pool.
While they decide what to do next, someone else is going around killing people. Can the women hide the crime, and uncover who is going around killing people, including whittling down the members of their society?
As stated, THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW has been available on Home Video in the U.S. from Vestron (VHS), DVD from Elite, then a 2- disc set from Scorpion, who then released the title on Blu Ray in 2018.
This new MVD REWINDBlu Ray release is markedly superior to the old Elite DVD (I do not have the Scorpion release for comparison). The picture is infinitely sharper with brighter colors. Flesh tones are superior in the new release, and the sound is ultra-sharp, with the dialogue, sound effects, and score by Richard Band coming through cleanly & hiss free.
The print used was given a good cleaning and a hi-def (1080p) release, in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The film’s sound is available in LPCM 2.0 stereo, and an alternate version of the film presented in mono audio, with a new director approved pre credit sequence that was more to Roseman’s original vision.
Other extras are :
Audio Commentary with director Mark Rosman (still active, working on various tv productions), who gives an informative and honest history of the film.
A second commentary track with the director joined with two of the stars, Eileen Davidson (now a mainstay on the daytime soap opera THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS, since 1984) and Kathryn McNeil (recently seen in the powerful mini-series THEM, Amazon,2021).
Get the Pool skimmer.
Short interviews with Roseman, Davidson, McNeil ,and fellow actress Jane Kozak ( recently on THE SHOW MUST GOONLINE ,where actors from around the world did readings of Shakespeare’s plays in the order they are believed to have been written ),composer Band(still composing ,with DON’T LET HER IN just having been released by Full Moon in 2021) and producer Igo Kantor (who passed away in October ,2019 , having produced such films as MUTANT, Film Ventures,1984 where he replaced original director Rosman with John “Bud” Cardos , and KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS, Dimension ,1977 ) .
Also available are storyboards with an alternate ending
The original theatrical trailer and tv spots.
Optional English subtitles.
Reversible cover art .
If you do not have this thriller in your collection, I suggest you may wish to add this Special Edition to your horror blu- ray library.
Recommended .
-Kevin G Shinnick
If you would like to contribute to SCARLET THE FILM MAGAZINE,
We are pleased to present another chapter from the now just released new book covering the classic Universal monster films, going from THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS ,1940 ( see our preview : https://tinyurl.com/udjxvcw )to 1948’s ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEETS FRANKENSTEIN.
One point that I would like to make. There are certain toxic members of fandom who feel that they PERSONALLY own the classic films and make snarky comments about others who dare to cover the genre . These people need to realize that others love these films and have the right to write about the movies . The “toxics” can of course voice an opinion , but they need to review the work itself and not make lame childish swipes to make themselves feel superior . Fan was derived from “fanatic” , and the toxics bring negativity to what is supposed to be an enjoyable exchange of ideas on a subject that we all enjoy .
Now , with that out of the way , SCARLET is glad to share another chapter of this new book . This chapter : THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN:
The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
Synopsis: We open in the village of Frankenstein, as the villagers receive the mayor’s permission to blow up the remains of Castle Frankenstein, which they see as the cause of all the misfortune that has befallen them. This proves to be harder than anticipated, for Ygor – the broken-necked, vengeful blacksmith from Son of Frankenstein – is not above tossing a few rocks at them from a parapet. Fleeing to the castle’s nether-regions for safety, Ygor espies a hand sticking out of the now-hardened sulfur pit. Digging in, he is astonished to see that the hand belongs to the arm of the Frankenstein Monster who – albeit somewhat the worse for wear – is still alive. Freeing his “friend,” Ygor leads the Monster off into the nearby woods.
A thunderstorm rises suddenly, and the Monster is struck by lightning; remarkably, rather than destroying him, the lightning restores his strength. Putting two and two together, Ygor leads his friend off to Vasaria, wherein dwells Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein, younger son of the mad scientist who first cried out, “It’s alive!” Somehow, despite his bearing one of the most unique and infamous surnames in all of Germania, Ludwig has avoided being associated with his father’s woeful experiments by everyone in the vicinity – and that includes his daughter, Elsa. While Ygor is putting the arm on Ludwig, the Monster has killed one of the locals and is now in police custody. Only after Ygor threatens to spill the beans about Ludwig’s patronymic does the good doctor head down to the courthouse to see about the Monster. The Monster, possibly seeing a family resemblance and sensing an ally, is nonetheless enraged when Ludwig denies knowing anything about him, and bursting his chains, runs off to the hills again, accompanied by Ygor.
Come nightfall, the pair make for the castle Frankenstein, where the Monster tears through the doctor’s laboratory in an effort to carry off Elsa, killing assistant Dr. Kettering in the process. Both Monster and Ygor are overcome by gas pumped in through the air ducts, and Ludwig – determined to disassemble the Monster piece by piece – asks Dr. Bohmer for advice and assistance. Bohmer talks Ludwig out of the dissection and suggests that the placement of a normal brain inside the Monster’s body might result in a creature who is an actual boon to mankind. Seeing as he has Kettering’s brain on hand, Ludwig agrees and prepares for the operation. Bohmer, looking to regain his professional reputation (tarnished by past experiments-gone-wrong), conspires with Ygor to place the blacksmith’s brain in the Monster’s skull instead of Kettering’s. In the meanwhile, the Monster has kidnapped young Cloestine – a child who has acted in a friendly fashion toward him – and brings her to the laboratory, insisting that her brain go into his head. Ludwig straightens things out (in the course of which Ygor is crushed behind a sturdy door by his erstwhile “friend”), preps the Monster for the transplant, and then – unbeknownst to him – connects Ygor’s brain to the Monster’s circuitry, thanks to Bohmer.
Back at the village, everyone is frantic about the Monster having vanished and the sudden disappearance of Cloestine. As they prepare to storm the castle, Elsa’s boyfriend, Erik Ernst, confers with Ludwig, who informs him that – the operation having been quite successful – the Monster’s personality is now that of the gentle Dr. Kettering. All – except for Dr. Bohmer – are shocked when the Monster, now speaking with Ygor’s voice, boasts that with his newly recovered strength he will rule the world! Moments later, though, the Monster is apparently going blind, due to incompatibility of blood types. While the angry mob breaks into the castle, the Monster, raging about the laboratory sends Bohmer crashing to his death into an electric panel. Thrashing about wildly, he knocks chemicals onto the floor, where they combine to set the place afire. Erik and Elsa escape with their lives, but Ludwig and the Monster perish in the flames .
Much of the fun one has with Universal’s Frankenstein series, of course, is to be found in marveling over nomenclature and inconsistencies. The 1931 Frankenstein originally keyed in on the epic missteps taken by Colin Clive’s Henry Frankenstein in an abandoned watchtower high in the hills above the village of Goldstadt. “Missteps” is a moral evaluation of Henry’s purposeful experiments, which suffered also from muck-ups, like the breaking of the neck of the cadaver cut down from the gibbet, and the deceitful substitution by Fritz of an abnormal brain for the good one he dropped, having been startled by the dramatically inexplicable sounding of a gong at Goldstadt Medical College. (Said college is doubtless part of the larger Goldstadt University from which Dr. Pretorius will admit to having been “booted” in Bride.) Lying somewhere between missteps and muck-ups are also mysteries, such as why Henry is disturbed when Dr. Waldman informs him that the brain Fritz – Dwight Frye, enacting his second straight tormented sidekick for Universal – had filched had belonged to a criminal, when the first place Frankenstein had ventured in search of a brain was the body of someone publicly hanged by the neck (and presumably not for acts of charity). Or what was the logic behind issuing the new creation a pair of black platform shoes? Were these – like what would become the Monster’s trademark black suit – found in a cupboard someplace? Despite all this, we had our iconic “Frankenstein Monster.”
With Frankenstein a hit, Junior Laemmle’s production team had begun readying the world for The Return of Frankenstein – the sequel to the earlier sensation and the film that marked the reunion of James Whale and MaryShelley’s legacy – in 1933. Soon enough, the project was retitled Bride of Frankenstein, and it was bandied about by the publicity department that a “search” was underway for just the right actress to portray the titular bride. Although Colin Clive had reportedly been disappointed that his much-anticipated death scene at the end of the 1931 classic had been supplanted by Frederick Kerr’s toast to an heir for the “House of Frankenstein” and the need for his character to survive to experiment another day, he was happy to be involved in the sequel, which would open with his Henry and the Elizabeth of
… ummm… Mae Clarke? making good on the old baron’s toast. Okay. While Clarke would soon appear again at Universal with the increasingly popular Boris Karloff (Night World, 1932), she was either unavailable, unwilling, or unasked to come to the signing of contracts a couple of years later. For all the good-natured folderol of the supposed search for one bride or the other, there was little mystery as to with whom said “bride” would be paired. Only had Elizabeth’s heart been used to power up the female creature the Monster would briefly woo – as plotted in the original script – would anyone have paid a brass farthing to witness the goings-on of Valerie Hobson.
Although little flower-tossing Maria had ended up in the drink as she was bonding with the Monster in the 1931 original, the next time the Monster was a total emotional mess had to be when O.P. Heggie’s blind hermit sawed away at the “Ave Maria” in his cottage (a musical hommage to the Monster’s first, inadvertent victim?). In fact, following the clever opening badinage between Byron and the Shelleys, Bride gets underway as Maria’s dad, Hans (Reginald Barlow), spews righteous anger over his daughter’s death, a moment that allows the audience to recall the scene in which Maria’s dad, Ludwig (Michael Mark), had carried her lifeless body through the streets of Goldstadt in the earlier film. Hey, if Elizabeth can undergo such an amazing transformation (for the better, many argue), why not old Hans… errr… Ludwig?
And why can’t the torch- and whip-wielding Fritz metamorphose into the near-imbecilic Karl, in what would be DwightFrye’s third straight take on a half-wit at Universal? (Please recall that Frye’s appearance as a cogent, articulate reporter in Whale’s The Invisible Man [1933] was uncredited.) In his seminal It’s Alive: The Classic Cinema Saga of Frankenstein, film historian Gregory William Mank explains the hemi-demi-semi-nature of Frankenstein’s latest assistant:
To showcase Frye’s talents at lunacy and comedy, Whale combined two separate roles of the original script: Karl, ‘a bit of a village idiot,’ quoth the script, and Fritz, the ‘first ghoul’ who assists Pretorius, into simply Karl, who became both a village idiot and a ghoul and one of Frye’s most memorable performances .
Frankenstein’s Monster also became simply “Frankenstein” a lot sooner than it took the studio to acknowledge the maneuver via Basil Rathbone at the town railway station (please note: town also now apparently yclept “Frankenstein”) four years later. No one (that I’ve ever met, at any rate) ever raised an eyebrow over Henry Frankenstein’s having miraculously survived the climactic laboratory detonation that was set off by the jilted Monster (please ignore the long-shot to the contrary that somehow survived the final edit), or his subsequently making an honest woman of Elizabeth, or her bearing him a couple of sons, or his ending up a baron (the original script for the 1931 film had called for Frederick Kerr’s character to die of shock, thus passing the title down to Henry), or even that the “Henry” of the first two features turned out to be the “Heinrich” of the third .
Come that third – the Whale-less Son of Frankenstein of 1939 – and we learn that Heinrich und Elizabeth had a son, Wolf, who at some point married a redhead named Elsa, moved to the USA to teach at an American college, and had his own son, Peter. (The order in which these events occurred is of no importance.) Unlike his dad and grandfather (called plain old “Baron Frankenstein” in the 1931 film), Wolf goes by von Frankenstein, which can be translated of or from Frankenstein. Per our colleague, AllMovies.com reviewer Hans Wollstein, there’s a method to this morass:
If dear old Frederick Kerr’s character was a baron, then his son’s name should have been Heinrich, Baron von Frankenstein all along. Heinrich/Henry would have had his father’s family surname – which might well have been Müller or Schmidt – when he was CREATED Baron Frankenstein, at which point the “von” would then have been applied when spelled out. The title would have been awarded by the emperor, Wilhelm I, or his chancellor, Prince von Bismarck, and it would be in evidence from the costumes and setting.
Thus, God only knows what the family name of the baron and his progeny and their issue was “in reality.” If the men insisted on bearing the title that was evidently handed down from one generation to the next, they could wander about known only by it and their Christian name (Guten Tag!Ich bin Heinrich, Baron von Frankenstein!) Wolf either took a pass on the title (his brother, Ludwig – who gets embroiled in this mess in Ghost – didn’t toss his being a baron in anyone’s face, either) or adopted this short-cut en route to assimilating into the USA. A tempest in a teapot? Yessiree!, but we learn from that conductor’s timely interruption of Wolf’s diatribe that the eponymous terrain on which stand the family castle and old watch tower is a village large enough to be worthy of its own train station, grumbling populace, and hair-splitting Burgomeister: “We come to meet you, not to greet you!”
Again, there’s that bit of nonsense about just who is being touted in the picture’s title. Wolf is, of course, the son of Heinrich, “Maker of Monsters” (per the torch-inscribed snarl that someone managed to sneak in and scrawl onto his tomb); little Peter is the son of Wolf, and it is Peter’s precarious position (under the platform-shoe’d foot of the Monster) that leads his father to finally do something more action-oriented than playing darts. As for the Monster… well, Ygor’s intriguing insistence to Wolf that “Your father made him, and Heinrich Frankenstein was your father, too!” does little more than once again poke those viewers who had chuckled their way through the “Bride” kerfuffle some years earlier. (One of the kids with whom I formed a monster club a lifetime ago argued at the time – seriously, and not a little persuasively – that Karloff’s Monster in Son was the offspring of Karloff’s Monster from Bride, as the 1939 iteration was “not dressed” up in his trademark black suit, but instead “wore a sweatshirt.” So how, my old friend continued, could that Monster – the one kicked into the sulfur pit whilst accoutered in something akin to what we would now call a “fleece”-be the same Monster who was resurrected from the pit in The Ghost of Frankenstein ? We weren’t familiar with technical terms like “continuity in those days …)
Anyhow, with The Ghost of Frankenstein (why the “The” and why now?), we’re back at it; the ambiguity has returned with this, the first ‘40s execution of a radically ‘30s concept. Ghost-wise, one might opt for the ethereal Sir Cedric Hardwicke (transparent of figure and naked of scalp as Henry/Heinrich) as he lays a guilt trip on the corporeal Sir Cedric Hardwicke (who is weighted down with hair appliances) as Ludwig (no “von”) Frankenstein. Or one might take the low road and claim that Chaney’s initial appearance onscreen as the Monster – covered with “dried sulfur” and as white as any flour-dredged apparition in a Mantan Moreland comedy – gave him dibs on the meaning behind the title. Discussions like this one are always fun, even if they seldom matter; as neat a shot as the erstwhile House That Carl Built took in 1942, it was the very “Frankenstein” franchise that was but a shade of its former self .
James Whale had bailed after the first sequel – and he hadn’t much wanted to do that one until he was given assurance that his stylistic approach to the rest of Mary Shelley’s screed would be welcomed – and fama erat it was he who had contrived to have the Monster blown to atoms to save himself (and others) the trouble of yet another follow-up. Karloff had jumped ship after the second sequel; in his opinion, his beloved Monster was rapidly becoming a stooge, a henchman. Although only three films – quality outings, all – had been made, Boris felt that the integrity of the original concept was being sacrificed to Mammon. The gentle Briton was enough of a realist to understand that the undying Monster’s immortality was due to profitability, rather than to electricity or lightning, but enough of an idealist to quit while he – and his immortal alter-ego – was ahead of the game.
For a while, the actor had gone AWOL from the industry itself. While the boys at Universal’s publicity department were stirring up enough pap on the impending production to keep the trades and the dailies happy, the Great White Way had taken Boris Karloff and all his boogeyman baggage to its heart. Arsenic and Old Lace proved to be everything for the ‘40s-vintage actor that Frankenstein had been for his younger self. Boris found that his reputation had preceded him, and that he could bring down the house night after night by chalking up his latest murder to the victim’s unfortunate choice of words: “He said that I looked like Boris Karloff!” The word was out that the actor did not mind guying himself and was not at all upset about publicity pieces highlighting Jack Pierce’s famed makeup, those asphalt-spreaders boots, and/or even the unseen five-pound steel “spine” that the first film’s publicity campaign claimed was “the rod which conveys the current up to the Monster’s brain.”
Back at the studio, of course, the bullshit was flying fast and furious. A glance at the stuff that Universal’s PR staff cranked out for The Ghost of Frankenstein makes one doubt – if not outright disbelieve – anything he/she has ever heard about any of these films. The baloney stretched from the news of the “search” (Zounds! Déjà vu, all over again!) for a successor to Karloff to Greg Mank’s revelation of a “studio policy” that dictated which actors would always be seen in Frankenstein movies: uncredited, perhaps, but still Lawrence Grant’s Burgomeister was back, as were Michael Mark and Lionel Belmore as town councillors [sic] (despite their having been killed by the Monster in Son), Dwight Frye as a villager, and even Colin Clive, via stock footage – he had died of a combination of tuberculosis and alcoholism some five years earlier – as Henry/Heinrich Frankenstein’s younger/handsomer self. In on the never-ending stream of absurdity came prefab and ludicrously headlined pressbook articles like “Lon Chaney Appears as Monster in Horror Film” (as opposed to his appearing as a monster in a comedy of manners or a Civil War drama). With the nonstop peddling of blarney such as this, one might readily have come to the conclusion that Universal not only thought ten or so to be the age of the average horror moviegoer, but also that ten might be on the high side of that movie fan’s I.Q.
There’s probably more truth to that than any of us would care to admit. How old were my colleagues and I – and I’d venture to ask the same of many of the readership – when we first fell under the spell cast by Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, or any of the old horror movies we still embrace so passionately? The TV fodder introduced by “Shock Theater” or “Son of Shock” at the end of the ‘50s had, in the ‘30s, been pitched to grownups; they offered offbeat takes on adult themes – life after death, medical ethics, forbidden love, etc., etc., – and served them up in the company of grotesques perfectly capable of scaring the drawers off the patrons. Come the ‘40s, and half the population was either overseas fighting the war, or involved in the home front outfitting the war. No one needed “adult” themes shoved down his or her throat, even if they were couched in greasepaint and putty; wartime anxiety, death, and deprivation provided enough unwelcome fodder without any help from Hollywood. Moviegoers were looking for escapism, and the grownups and the kids sought a breather from Hitler and Hirohito in the company of Kharis and Frankenstein.
And The Ghost of Frankenstein didn’t just fill the bill back in April of ’42, it was – critics be damned – a hit. Wartime ticket-buyers were a different breed than the seat-warming populace looking for a bit of relief from the Great Depression. The formula for most “B”-movies (please, let’s not get unrealistic about Ghost) seemed to be that mood was fine and the plot important, but pacing was everything. Especially in cases like this one – where most regular moviegoers knew the ongoing details of the story backwards, forwards, and inside out – the picture could forego footage usually devoted to exposition and cut right to the chase. (Would that the Son of Dracula crew had shared a beer with Ghost of Frankenstein’s.)
Many fans regard this picture as being the last “solo” appearance of the Monster. Heck, I maintain that that pitiable giant figure was never able to get by without his support system of mad scientists, deformed/demented assistants, and the like – all of whom would be in on the official count of monsters come the publicity campaigns for the House(s) ofFrankenstein and Dracula a couple of years down the road. The box office receipts in 1931 had assured that Henry Frankenstein’s problem child would become far too profitable for him to handle only once and far too risky for him to handle alone. Still, as the Monster returned for each successive misadventure, he became encumbered with extra weight that may have added dimension to the ongoing saga, but also robbed it of its innocence and purity.
Ghost was hardly a solo venture. Beginning with Son of Frankenstein, the Monster had been terrorizing the countryside, so to speak, under the influence of an evil genius – Ygor. In the first two films, Whale and Karloff crafted a Monster who was adept enough to tell right from wrong, to rescue an innocent from drowning after having inadvertently drowned another, to relish the moments of friendship and camaraderie with a person unable to judge a book by its cover, and so on and so forth. In Son, the Monster came to rely, almost blindly, on his broken-necked friend and to lash out at the most innocent of the assemblage (Peter) following Ygor’s death. Here, Chaney’s Monster – whose capacity for recognition (Ludwig at first, Cloestine later) is the most human of his virtues and for whom loyalty and friendship ultimately play no part – ignores, betrays, and finally kills his broken-necked comrade. With Lon under the makeup, no spark that might temper the supercharged Monster can be seen; none of the sensitivity of his predecessor – the originator of the role – survived the transition. While Ghost’s Monster latched onto a child, there was none of the childlike spark that permeated his predecessor’s take on the role. Karloff, by far the more cerebral of the two actors, gave us presence; Chaney, by far the more physical of the two, gave us volume.
Universal Horrors does a grand job of summing up the early aberrations of the script which the eponymous MagicImage Film Book volume includes in toto, so there’s little point into going into that here. Yet for all the effort at innovation – its new Monster, the new Frankensteins, and (save for the Messrs. Grant,Mark,Belmore,et al) the new villagers- Ghost is mired in a lot of same old same old.
Take the “fly in the ointment” wrinkle: from its inception, the cinematic Frankenstein success story included an element of surprise, both logical and unpredictable, which had led to a cocking up of the initial game plan. In 1931, the fly had been Fritz’s sneaky-ass substitution of the abnormal brain for the good one; this, (we were told) led to the Monster’s propensity to lash out violently whenever he was being whipped or seared with a torch. Bride’s fly was the woman; if the rallying cry of most men is “You can’t live with them, and you can’t live without them,” just who did the Monster think he was? More importantly, why would Henry Frankenstein imagine even for a moment that an old queen like Pretorius could concoct a female who would soothe the Monster’s troubled breast? In Son, Wolf (like the Monster) falls victim to Ygor’s mind-games and the loopy grandeur of the family residence; the resultant misguided drive to restore his father’s good name leads to his firing up the furnaces once again. (By comparison, the incredible 180 Frank Mannering pulls in 1943’s Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man is a total misfire. Even though his veins are completely free of Frankenstein blood, and he’s strengthened by the resolve of yet another [and curvier] Elsa [who’s standing close by his side], Mannering opts for the dark side only because, if someone doesn’t do something fast, the bell will ring and the audience will have to go home.)
Here, we have more wrinkles than Ayesha after that second fire. The Monster’s all for the transplant, but wants the brain of Cloestine (where do they get these names?) to sleep over forever. Ygor, the sly devil, plots to have his own noodle plopped into that square skull, as he can see where this would ease his way into prestige, power, and some real money. Dr. Bohmer, who at first doesn’t seem to do much other than hang around in his smock and suffer Ludwig Frankenstein’s thoughtless and insensitive comments, is lulled as much by a desire to marry his fist to Ludwig’s stiff upper lip as he is by Ygor’s silver tongue. Even with all this slumgullion boiling on the fire, one knows that the chances of Dr. Kettering’s brain making it into the Monster’s rigging start at zero and go down from there.
<The Monster wonders how someone else got Wolf Frankenstein’s jacket >
Another leftover from earlier installments has already been brought up for consideration: the Monster’s best suit. This – the absence of which in Son had sent Boris Karloff into rounds of kvetching (about “furs and muck”) that were not at all like him – was accepted with not so much as the blink of an eye upon its reappearance. Karloff had been right; the Monster’s Sunday best was part of the larger picture, as closely interwoven in the Frankenstein mythos as the Wolf Man’s work clothes and Dracula’s ever-crisp soup and fish were essential to their respective personas. The restoration of the basic black ensemble and its presence throughout the rest of the Universal canon only made the furry miscalculation in Son seem more of a head-scratcher than it had been originally.
Bela’s Ygor is a sight for sore eyes. Happily as resistant to small-arms fire as had been George Zucco’s Andoheb, the remarkably resilient high priest in the Kharis series, Ygor is hale, hearty, and – if an apparent good scrubbing and the periodontal work is any indication – in better shape than he was in the earlier feature. Along with his appearance, Ygor’s goals have been ratcheted up; ridding the village of old nuisances is no longer a pastime worthy of his attention. The crafty old blacksmith’s master plan now encompasses taking over the entire country! While this might be biting off more than any one man (or Monster) can chew, Ygor’s yodeling away that he now possesses “the strength of a hundred men” is a picture of megalomania unrivaled since Boris Karloff’s less exuberant but equally daft claims in Mask of Fu Manchu.
(And yet you have to wonder if, indeed, the Monster did grow stronger with each successive picture. In the first, Heinrich and the elderly Dr. Waldman [along with a hypodermic needle and a bludgeon] managed to wrestle him to the floor. Bride witnessed him being tied down and carried off – semi-crucified – by a mere dozen or so yokels, while in Son, a bit of momentum behind a well-placed kick was all it took to topple the Monster from his pins. Still, this sudden blossoming of superhuman power in the Monster’s mighty arms may exist only in Ygor’s feverish [and transplanted] mind; the only other times we hear of such outlandish claims are in the excised scenes between a gabby Ygor-cum-Monster and Larry Talbot in Ghost’s own son, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.)
Ghost marks the first time since Frankenstein that brains are bandied about like wholesale commodities, but the idea here seems particularly apt. You could watch any of Karloff’s three performances and see his Monster turning over thoughts and ideas in his mind. Even in Son (wherein Ygor does most of the mental heavy-lifting for the pair), his acceding to his partner’s decisions is visible. With the vintage-1942 Monster bearing inscrutable and near-frozen features, there is very little indication as to whether the lights are on upstairs and if, indeed, anyone is home. A new brain is clearly called for, but the plethora of available raw materials not only skirts the edge of risibility, but also foreshadows the “monster rally” sequels wherein frenetic brain-swapping would prove a plague on both houses.
So long as you don’t require much humanity amid the horrors and can get past his perpetual squint and scowl, Lon Chaney is not too bad as the Monster. His attachment to Cloestine is obviously meant to reflect the Karloffian viewpoint where children were concerned, but no more perfect image of the depths to which this concept had sunk can be had than the still whereon a stiff-limbed Eddie Parker (doubling for Chaney), clutching a wooden stand-in for Janet Ann Gallow, has just sent a buttocks-grabbing stuntman plunging to his out-of-frame mats. The childlike confusion on the Monster’s part that resulted in little Maria’s being tossed into the river had given way to slick contrivance. And again, as Chaney’s Monster offers no other sign of fidelity and is evidently capable of turning his rage toward anyone who stands in his way (including his old goombah, Ygor), no assurance is had that the brute might not dropkick the little girl 100 yards or so down the road if someone else were to become the apple of his eye. After all, Dr. Kettering is killed without so much as a second – or any – thought (although the impulsive action does free up a brain for future use); killing is what monsters do best, and Chaney’s giant is – first, last, and always – a monster.
The rest of the dramatis personae are fine – they almost always are in the Frankenstein series. Sir Cedric Hardwicke’s cool and imperturbable Ludwig is an interesting sibling to Basil Rathbone’s near-frantic Wolf, albeit the latter’s fairly constant state of near-hysteria makes him much more a chip off the old Heinrich than his younger brother. Ralph Bellamy does better by Erik Ernst than he did by Captain Montford in The Wolf Man, but this may be due to W. Scott Darling and Eric Taylor’s screenplay providing him with a more well-delineated part; said screenplay also gives the delectable Evelyn Ankers to him this time ‘round. Miss Ankers, in a role that’s essentially interchangeable with that of Gwen Conliffe in The Wolf Man, takes another step toward her accession of the title of ’40s Scream Queen. And Lionel Atwill is as enjoyable in his quieter moments (as when he’s glaring daggers while Ludwig runs off at the mouth at Bohmer’s expense) as he is in his premature snarl of triumph in the last reel.
Having all but snatched Son of Frankenstein away from Boris and Basil a couple of years earlier, Bela’s copping the honors in Ghost must have been a walk in the park for him. With Chaney portraying an unpredictable automaton, Bela runs the show, not realizing – until it’s too late – that although the Monster can recognize Ludwig Frankenstein (whom he has never met), he will fail to consider Ygor’s place in his heart while crushing the old boy behind the laboratory door. More so here than in Son, Lugosi’s blacksmith has to shift gears constantly; here, he goes from being the guy in the driver’s seat to the victim of his erstwhile friend’s petulance before being back (albeit quite briefly) on top of the world. Performance-wise, Bela is in command every step of the way, and had Chaney happened to glance sideways even once through those slits he used for eyes, he’d have learned more in a moment from Lugosi than he’d cadged from Erle C. Kenton during the entire 25-day shoot.
dir Earle C Kenton
Not up to the snuff introduced back in the ‘30s, The Ghost of Frankenstein was just fine, thank you, for the tastes of the next decade. Hans J. Salter’s pulsating score keyed the film’s more ominous moments, and both Woody Bredell and Milton Krasner performed the kind of visual magic in which Universal’s cinematographers were known to excel. (If the puffs in their respective press-books were meant to be taken – ahem! – at face value, the 1931 Monster stood seven feet tall, while Chaney’s goblin was merely six foot, nine. Nonetheless, this very minor discrepancy might explain why James Whale had Arthur Edeson’s camera capture the Monster head-on, while Erle C. Kenton had Krasner and Bredell constantly aim the lens up at the shorter of the giants. The following year, George Robinson – tasked with making Lugosi’s Monster as threatening as Eddie Parker’s [or even Gil Perkins’] in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, had to contend with changes in perspective in almost every scene.)
The New York Times’s Bosley Crowther – who never seemed to like much very much – ended his rather tepid review with an act of prognostication that was hardly a foregone conclusion in 1942: To be sure, the replenished monster is being consumed by fire when we see him last, but the thought that he may yet return for further adventures with his body and Lugosi’s sconce fills us with mortal terror. That is the most fearful prospect which the picture manages to convey. -4 April, 1942
Richard L. Coe, assigned the picture as part of his responsibilities at The Washington Post, took a somewhat unusual approach to informing his readership of the film’s story line: This morning we will discuss the love life of your old friend ‘Frankenstein,’ the monster who’s assumed, in the course of years, the name of his creator. This titivating subject has been raised on the Pix screen of ‘The Ghost of Frankenstein,’ a yarn employing, uh, should we say, talents of Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney, Jr., Lionel Atwill, and Bela Lugosi. But, of course, by now you’re palpitating for further details of this beguiling passion – what’s she like, is she pretty, how big is she?
The “beguiling passion” mentioned in this 1 May 1942 appreciation of the picture turns out to be Janet Ann Gallow’s Cloestine, and Coe – after averring that “Bela Lugosi becomes the town’s philosopher, a sort of perverted Frank Craven” – concludes with “… there are other things you can read in this morning’s paper, so we’ll let you go now.” Earlier that year, on the 25 March, the Los Angeles Times’ Philip K. Scheuer tersely opined that “It’s a spooky movie, all right, in the best Universal manner and fairly ingenious. At the close the monster goes down in flames again – but that doesn’t fool us for a minute. He’ll be back, girls; he’ll be back. Grr.” Yet another prediction, but one that was ultimately less impressive than Bosley Crowther’s.
A fast paced, atmospheric romp through familiar countryside, The Ghost of Frankenstein might well be the next logical step to Boris Karloff’s well-stated fear: the Monster as henchman. Pretty much a callow bully here, he had moved from a date that went tragically wrong to finding a homey with whom to hang to palling around with little kids, all the while being manipulated by those who claimed to act in his – and science’s – best interests. No offense is intended in calling the picture an excellent journeyman effort, albeit the lack of a master’s touch is obvious and lamentable. The Monster and the franchise could – and would – do worse.
The Ghost of Frankenstein – 13 March 1942 – 67 minutes (SoS) CAST: Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein; Lon Chaney as The Monster; Ralph Bellamy as Erik Ernst; Lionel Atwill as Dr. Theodor Bohmer; Bela Lugosi as Ygor; Evelyn Ankers as Elsa Frankenstein; Janet Ann Gallow as Cloestine Hussman; Barton Yarborough as Dr. Kettering; Olaf Hytten as Hussman; Doris Lloyd as Martha; Leyland Hodgson as Chief Constable; Holmes Herbert as Magistrate; Lawrence Grant as Mayor; Brandon Hurst as Hans; Otto Hoffman & Dwight Frye as Villagers; Julius Tannen as Sektal; Lionel Belmore & Michael Mark as Councillors; Harry Cording as Frone; Dick Alexander as Vision; Ernie Stanton & George Eldredge as Constables; Jimmy Phillips as Indian; Eddie Parker – stunts
CREDITS: Producer: George Waggner; Director: Erle C. Kenton; Screenplay: W. Scott Darling; Original Story by Eric Taylor; Directors of Photography: Milton Krasner and Elwood Bredell; Art Director: Jack Otterson; Associate Art Director: Harold H. MacArthur; Film Editor: Ted Kent; Musical Director: Hans J. Salter; Set Decoration: Russell A. Gausman; Sound Director: Bernard B. Brown; Technician: Charles Carroll; Assistant Director: Charles S. Gould; Makeup: Jack P. Pierce; Gowns: Vera West
He Came from the Swamp: The William Grefé Collection [Blu-ray] Region Free 4 discs. 12 hours and 16 minutes. Color. 7 films (1966-1977) and a brand-new documentary (THEY CAME FROM THE SWAMP-THE FILMS OF WILLIAM GREFE produced by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures) plus lots of extras. $99.95 https://www.amazon.com/He-Came-Swamp-William-Collection/dp/B08GVJLKZL
William Grefe does not have the cult following that a lot of independent filmmakers have. Indeed, my knowledge of him was limited to two of his earliest horror films and little else.
This collection from Arrow is a great correction to that for me and other film buffs. In the set are 7 of the director’s works, along with another brilliant full-length documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures on the Grefé’s career.
Seven of his works from the beginning and the end of his career are not included, probably due to rights issues, or perhaps if this set is popular enough, that there will be a second collection?
Drive-in movie theatres have been around since around 1915, but officially began with the first dedicated site for that purpose in Camden, NJ in 1933. In the 1940s, after the way, cars became more of an American way of life, and drive ins began to truly take off. At the same time, the Paramount Act in 1948 caused studios to divest themselves of theatres in a landmark antitrust suit.
This opened the doors for many independents in the 1950s to begin producing films to supply drive ins, as those theatres were looked upon as secondary markets or at least the destination for a film that had run its course financially prior.
American Releasing Corp (which morphed into the more familiar American International Pictures) was one of those that benefitted, aiming for the newly mobile teenage audiences that made drive ins profitable.
Independents would deal with local sub distributors who would handle territories that the country had been broken into. Some of these sub distributors would even make their own ultra-low budget films like the Texas-lensed THE GIANT GILA MONSTER and THE KILLER SHREWS (McLendon-Radio Pictures Distributing Company, both 1959).
In the 1960’s, more maverick filmmakers started to shoot their low budget films around the country, many of them working in Florida. Among the first was H.G. Lewis and his BLOOD FEAST (Box Office Spectaculars, 1963).
William Shatner appeared in Grefe’s IMPULSE(1974)
Another was William Grefé. A Florida native, he began making films in 1963 as well for the local drive- in film circuit. Two racing films (THE CHECKERED FLAG, Motion Picture Investors ,1963 and RACING FEVER, A.A.,1964, the second of which was built around an actual horrible boat accident caught by an amateur photographer) came and went. His third film (and the first in this collection) was a horror film set within the Everglades.
Disc One of this Arrow Blu Ray collection has STING OF DEATH and DEATH CURSE OF TARTU.
STING OF DEATH (Thunderbird,1966)) was an ultra-low budget color (all Grefé’s films were in color, except for THE DEVIL’S SISTER, Thunderbird ,1966) that was intended for the drive-in market. For couples looking for an excuse to make out in the privacy of their cars, this film was a good reason to do so. A humanoid/ jellyfish hybrid (poor Bill Hobart, in a diving outfit slightly altered and a plastic bag over his head which in one scene almost caused him to suffocate to death!) is out killing people in Florida. A group of young people (including Deana Lund, prior to her stint on tv’s LAND OF THE GIANTS, Fox ,1968-70) draw the attention of Egon (John Vella), who is the evil genius who has a machine attached to an actual Portuguese Man of War that allows him to transform into the creature that is killing everyone. Oddly, the film seemed to inspire ZAAT (Clark, 1971) , another Florida lensed man into mutant aquatic monster hybrid film .
Zaat, a STING OF DEATH ripoff?
Needing a second feature, Grefé wrote a quick script, got a team together, and filmed his co-feature in a week.
Deanna Lund
DEATH CURSE OF TARTU (Thunderbird ,1966) was an ultra-low budget color (all Grefé’s films were in color, except for THE DEVIL’S SISTER, Thunderbird ,1966) horror film that got a decent release upon the drive-in circuits, as well as some spots on late night movie channels in syndication. I recall first seeing a black and White picture of Tartu (Bill Hobart, who designed his own makeup, and became one of Grefé’s stock company behind and in front of the camera.) in an early issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS and becoming intrigued by it.
An explorer (Brad Grinter, later to direct Veronica Lake’s sad swan song FLESH FEAST, Viking,1970 & the bizarre killer turkey flick BLOOD FREAK, Sampson ,1972) uncovers a crypt wherein he is confronted by Tartu and killed. A short time later, Sam (Frank Weed, who also handled all the exotic animals that appeared in Grefe’s films) and a group including a Professor, his wife and their students exploring old Indian sites soon are the next to become involved with the Death Curse.
Tartu can transform himself and pops up as various swamp creatures to pick of various members of the party, including a shark (!) before the final showdown. Grefé claimed that he dashed the script out very quickly and it shows. Lots of long passages of nature shots where nothing happens, followed by some brief dialogue then back to padding before something happens for a few seconds. Still, the film had a long life, as director Frank Henenlotter recalled it still playing in the 42nd Street Grindhouses as late as 1976, but how much of receipts reached Grefé is unknown. Actress Mayra Gomez moved to Spain, where she became a bit of staple of Spanish tv in the 1970s.
These two films have quite a cult following, having gotten released on video and DVD by Something Weird video in prints that had gone through the projectors quite a few times, with faded color and scratches.
The Arrow releases have presented the films in such sharpness as to make them look brand new. The colors are vibrant, and the overall pictures are quite sharp. The studio has gone to the original film elements and given us new 2K scans. it is astonishing the care that went into their restoration.
Extras include new intros by the director, as well as running commentaries by Grefe and Henenlotter (the commentaries ported over from the original Something Weird DVD releases). Find out how Neil Sedaka ended up contributing the song “Do the Jellyfish “to STING OF DEATH .
Do the Jellyfish
A new mini doc by filmmaker C Courtney Joyner called BEYOND THE MOVIE-MONSTERS A GO GO! which examines rock n roll monster movies from the 1950s onward, including the AIP Beach Blanket films that added horror stars like Karloff and Price in cameos.
Doug Hobart talks about his experience with running his own spook show in the fascinating THE CURIOUS CASE OF DR. TRABOH: SPOOK SHOW EXTRAORDINAIRE. For those like myself too young to have experienced these, this is a fascinating piece of movie /theatre history and is true ballyhoo (the extras on these discs are all by the film history doc specialists, Daniel Griffith ‘s BALLYHOO MOTION PICTURES, who consistently make some of the best DVD/BLU RAY extras).
Not Dr . Traboh ,but…
Also, on disc one is the some of the original theatrical trailers for STING OF DEATH and DEATH CURSE OF TARTU.
Disc 2 has Grefe’s reaction to the Swinging’ Sixties, THE HOOKED GENERATION (A.A.,1968) and THEPSYCHEDELIC PRIEST (Allied International ,1971).
THE HOOKED GENERATION has three low lifes who want to break into the big time of drug dealing and go full Scarface by killing a bunch of Cubans for their boatload of drugs (it seems while drugs were crimes in Cuba, they had no problem making money off selling them to the Americans), then killing members of the Coast Guard, before having to turn and flee for a final show down between them in the swamps and the police. It is a gritty film with truly unlikeable characters (a rape scene thankfully is not shown).
THE PSYCHEDELIC PRIEST (original title: Electric Shades of Gray) is an interesting film. Grefé on the commentary tells us that producer Stewart (Terry) Merrill wanted to make a film about a priest in the Height Ashbury drug scene. The only problem is he had nothing beyond that idea. Grefé found that it was not a problem, and, with money in hand, began to improvise his film with actor John Darrell (who IMDB seems to feel moved to England and later appeared in several episodes of the Shakespearean series THE WAR OF THE ROSES, BBC 1990-91 !) and mostly a cast pulled off the streets and campuses.
Someone slipped him a Doctor Pepper??
Father John (Darrell) is seen talking to several college students about pot smoking and drugs. They offer him a soda, with him unaware that it is spiked with L.S.D. He goes back to church where he has a bad trip, convincing him to drop out (becoming the embodiment of Timothy Leary’s famous 1966 phrase “Turn on, tune in, drop out”). He decides to take a car and travel the open road, wherein he picks up a young hitchhiker who travels awhile with him. He rebukes her admission of love, which is followed by her death. John also witnesses a racial murder perpetrated by some small-town sheriffs, causing John to spiral downwards into harder drugs.
In the final act, he finds his faith again before the end credits crawl, making one think of those religious scare films so “popular “in the 1960s ,70s and 80s. For example: here is a clip from Rock: It’s Your Decision (1982), wherein a young man finds being denied access to rock n’ roll saves him from…. SATAN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_aHgKWwAy0 .
However, after finishing the film, producer Merrill got into a fight with the distributor, and so the film ended up shelved for decades, until it was saved by Something Weird Video in 2001.
Both films have been remastered from the best elements available and given a 2K scanning. That said, the films could only be improved so much, especially the 16mm PSYCHEDELIC PRIEST.
Extras include
new introductions to each film by the director
Mike Vraney & Lisa Petrucci
Running commentaries by Grefé and Henenlotter wisely carried over from their old Something Weird releases (the late Mike Varney and his wife Lisa Petrucci saved more films from vanishing forever that they deserve a special Oscar for film preservation, though the movies they preserved would not be nominated for Academy Awards, playing instead in grind houses, drive ins and even in porn theatres).
A new mini documentary by film historian Chris Poggiali called BEYOND THE MOVIE: THAT’S DRUGSPLOITATION! that explores films that would be called counterculture.
Another new mini doc, again by Poggiali, called BEYOND THE MOVIE: THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP-which gives you the history behind THE PSYCHEDELIC PRIEST.
BEHIND THE SCENES footage from THE HOOKED GENERATION.
A still gallery from THE HOOKED GENERATION.
DISC 3
• THE NAKED ZOO (1971) This was Grefé’s attempt to cash into the WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (WB,1962) style of thriller (also known as “Hag Horror”, a cruel comment about films where aging Stars and Actresses were forced into material they once may have turned up their noses at). This SUNSET BOULEVARD (Paramount ,1950) type film has Rita Hayworth (GILDA, Columbia, 1946) as Mrs. Golden, who is taking care of her wheelchair bound husband (Ford Rainey, a reliable character actor who appeared on television in various series from 1951 up to 2017!). When a young writer Terry Shaw (Steve Oliver, who appeared the following year in WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS, Fanfare,1971) shows up, the love starved woman’s infatuation leads to seductions and murder. The lovely Fay Spain (HERCULES CONQUERS ATLANTIS, SpA Cinematografica,1961, who died way too young from cancer in 1983) adds a bit of sex appeal.
Fay Spain
Poor Hayworth looks older than her 52 years in this film, due no doubt from a lifetime of abuse both mental, physical, emotional, and financial from her husbands, driving her into alcoholism as well as possibly the first stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. Indeed, 2 years later, her scenes in WRATH OF GOD (MGM,1972) had to be shot one line at a time.
MAKO: JAWS OF DEATH (Cannon, 1976) -having had a hit with STANLEY (Crown Int, 1972) Grefé wanted to do another nature gone wild film. He had an idea to use a shark as the main creature but at the time, no one would foot the bill for such a film. Then JAWS (Universal,1975) shattered all box office records, and suddenly everyone wanted a film featuring the finned terrors. Grefé obliged with this film.
Richard Jaeckel (who won an Oscar nom for his role in SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION, Universal,1971) is Sonny Stein. During the Vietnam War, he was saved from the enemy by a Mako Shark. Now working as a marine salvager, a shaman gives him a charm to help him have a psychic link between the sharks and himself. Oddly , none of the sharks shown in the film are Mako sharks.
Seeing how people around him treat the sharks, he uses them to extract revenge, including killing an underwater dancer (an attraction totally unique to Florida) when a shark is introduced into her tank.
Also in the film is Harold “Odd Job” Sakata, who had almost really died while filming Grefe’s IMPULSE (Camelot,1974). Here he ends up on the wrong end of a fishhook.
Once again, ARROW gives us a 2K restoration of both films from original film elements. Also new to these releases are brand new audio commentaries by director Grefé.
New intros for each film by Grefé.
An interesting offering is a 92-minute DIRECTOR’S CUT of THE NAKED ZOO, as well as the version released theatrically and altered by the distributors, who added a performance by Canned Heat as well as some nude insert shots, so I guess the Non-Director cut.
A retitled -reissue of THE NAKED ZOO
A new mini doc BEYOND THE MOVIE: THAT’S SHARKSPLOITATION! By film historian Michael Gingold about the spawn of JAWS, including piranhas and alligators.
New to this release: THE AQUAMAID SPEAKS! – An audio interview with Jennifer Bishop, the hapless actress almost bitten by a shark for real in MAKO.
Jennifer Bishop
Another new audio interview: SHARKS, STALKERS, AND SASQUATCH, with Mako writer Robert Morgan, who has spent decades talking about Bigfoot, whom he claims he first saw in 1957.
MAKO-The Super 8 Digest version. For you kiddies, before vcrs, streaming, the internet, this was often the only way to get your hands on a film.
Original trailers
Still and Promo Galleries
DISC 4 WHISKEY MOUNTAIN (1977) is an action thriller film set in the backwoods. A group of young people go into the mountains looking for a stash of old Confederate gear, only to come across a bunch of hillbilly drug dealers who do not take kindly to interlopers. Fast paced with lots of stunts, starring Christopher George (tv’s RAT PATROL, U.A. 1966-68) as well as the indie ecological horror film GRIZZLY (Film Ventures,1976).
THEY CAME FROM THE SWAMP: THE FILMS OF WILLIAM GREFE (2016) -this for me was the highlight of the collection. Daniel Griffith, of Ballyhoo Motion Pictures, has done this 127-minute tribute to William Grefé, highlighting the take any risk but get it on film style of the filmmaker, and indeed, of many indie cinema makers. This is an extended version of this documentary tribute that had been previously been released in a special two-disc DVD edition (the second disc featured WHISKEY MOUNTAIN).
Interviews with Grefé, and many of the surviving cast and crew of his films, as well as filmmakers like FrankHenenlotter (BASKET CASE, Analysis, 1982) and Fred Olen Ray (THE PHANTOM EMPIRE, American Independent Productions 1988). Besides his own films, Grefé worked as a second unit director on major films shot in Florida like LIVE & LET DIE (U.A.,1973) as well as promotional shorts for various companies. It is a fascinating look at D.I.Y. guerilla filmmaking.
Extras on this disc include
2K restoration of WHISKEY MOUNTAIN from original film elements.
Christopher George
New audio commentary by Grefé on WHISKEY MOUNTAIN.
New intro to WHISKEY MOUNTAIN by Grefé.
THE CROWN JEWELS– A new mini documentary about Crown International, who released several of Grefé’s films, like STANLEY (1972).
ON LOCATION: GREFE IN MIAMI– a new archival tour of various locations used by Grefé.
BACARDI AND COKE BONANZA (1981) a short film shot by Grefé about how-well – Bacardi & Coke go together.
WHISKEY MOUNTAIN trailer.
Bonus Exploitation trailer Gallery.
Each of the discs has reversible disc cover sleeves with original artwork
Collectors Booklet with an interview with the director.
The films not in the collection by the way are for the Grefe completists THE CHECKERED FLAG (1963), RACING FEVER (1964), DEVIL’S SISTERS (1966), WILD REBELS (1967), STANLEY (1972), IMPULSE (1974), THE GODMOTHERS (1975).
Back before we had non stop reality show and true crime recreations , including entire T.V. networks and podcasts dedicated to same, there were a lot of films released in the late 1960’s and 1970’s that dealt with shocking murders, a few being made by Hollywood, but more often rushed and amateurish , concentrating on salacious details to pad out the running time, or just making things up around the few details that were known at the time.
THE BOSTON STRANGLER (Fox,1968) and IN COLD BLOOD (Columbia,1967) were two of the big budget studio pictures that set the tone about true crime recreations, having the benefit of big budgets and major studio backing. Independent filmmakers were not going to leave such a profitable subgenre go unmined.
THE ZODIAC KILLER (Adventure ,1971, which has been restored and released on Blu Ray by AGFA/Something Weird) was made with the idea that it might even capture the infamous murderer , making it quite unique , though wildly conjectured . GUYANA: CRIME OF THE CENTURY (1979) was another quite inaccurate and exploitive film based upon the Jim Jones/Jonestown massacre, that got distribution by a major studio (Universal).
Somewhat in between is THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS, now being released on DVD and Blu Ray by Film Detective in a 50th Anniversary Edition. The film was possibly the first* to deal directly with the CharlesManson cult , the savage murder of a pregnant Sharon Tate and four others in her home, and then two other murders soon after ( all taking place between August 8-10,1969). So savage and senseless were the killings , that it became an international fixation on the police search and eventual arrest and trials of Charles Milles Manson (né Maddox) and his insane cult followers.
Manson had spent at least half of his life in and out of institutions, he ended up in California in 1967. The changing mores and the urge of many to question authority as well as explore alternative ideas was perfect for a con artist like Manson. People who feel adrift often join gangs or cults to feel that they belong to something greater than themselves, and Manson was obviously able to convince several people, mostly women, that he was the solution.
Manson’s dogma was a Doomsday Cult that would result in a Race War (Manson was a White Supremacist), that would somehow end up with Manson and his true believers leading the remnants of the human race. A failed musician, he read dark meaning into the Beatles song ‘Helter-Skelter”. In British English, a helter- skelter is a fairground attraction consisting of a tall spiral slide winding round a tower, but the phrase can also mean chaos and disorder . The murders were supposed to start the war. Later, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, another cult member tried and luckily failed to assassinate President Gerald Ford.
On July 15, 1970, the trials of Manson, Leslie Van Houten, Susan Arkins and Patricia Krenwinkel began (Tex Watson was tried later). One of the people who was fascinated by the case and attended the actual trials was producer /film collector Wade Williams. Williams was so fascinated by the case that he somehow even got to interview Manson in prison, even buying the rights to two of his songs. He chose first time director Frank Howard(who also was the cinematographer and editor on this, his only credit) to helm the script written by J.J. Wilke Jr. (screenplay), Duke Howzer (additional dialogue). They gathered a cast of unknowns for whom the majority that this film would also be their only known film credit.
The film was shot in black and white to give it the look of a documentary, as had been used in IN COLD BLOOD or THE HONEYMOON KILLERS (Cinerama, 1970). The film chooses to jump back and forth from the courtroom (using actual court transcripts) to the events leading up to the murders, wherein Manson gathers his followers. There is a surreal moment wherein we are shown what to expect when the projected race war happens, with black militants murdering everyone in the suburbs(one wonders if this film was viewed by donald trump ?) , but it is rather clumsily staged.
The director fades into color for a brief sequence about Sharon Tate’s acting career. The costumes used are obviously referencing Polanski’s THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (MGM ,1967). Interestingly, since the trials were still going on while the film was being made, the real names were not used , and thus Tate is only referred to as ‘The Starlet “. Debbie Duff, the actress who portrayed her, certainly has a resemblance to Sharon Tate. Duff is one of the few performers who had more than one credit (HONKY, Getty & Fromkess Pictures Corp,1971). The name Charlie is used several times, though actor Brian Klinknett (who appeared in SLIME TOWN BLUES, NB Releasing,1974) is only referred to as “Killer “in the credits.
Debbie DuffSharon Tate
The actual murders, which, while not gory, are staged with almost fetishistic attention to details. The poor acting detracts from the frisson that the film works so hard to create. One character, after escaping from his bonds, stiffly walks toward the insane killers saying, ‘What the hell is going on?” before being shot dead is a prime example. The film often has stretches without dialogue (which, given how bad some of the actors are, is a bit of a blessing), with the court room scenes doing most of the heavy lifting in that area.
Much of the score is by Sean Bonniwell ,but Charles Manson himself is heard singing his composition “Mechanical Man “, a monotonic recitation with twangy guitar joined halfway through by mournful chanting ,showing Manson was also delusional about his dreams of being a rock star. The new Film Detective release has a bonus CD of “Mechanical Man “and “GarbageDump” for you to listen apart from the film to judge for yourself.
The film ends with a credit crawl that makes one think of REEFER MADNESS (G& H, 1936) with its warning about the need to control drugs, which completely avoids the complexity of cults.
In a 1970 Box Office article, producer Williams stated that the film was in post-production for a November ,1970 release. The film’s production company, Auric Ltd, had announced it would be in “Auramation”, a “special cellular film treatment designed to heighten or depress the emotions …by subliminal monochromatic suggestions.”. Checking out the Blu-Ray, I saw no subliminal effects, so it may have been either ballyhoo or dropped.
Of note is that some parts of the film were shot on the actual Spahn Movie Ranch, where the Manson Cult had lived from 1968-69. Indeed, some of the remaining Manson followers appear in the footage. Shortly after the scenes were shot, the Spahn Ranch burnt to the ground. The ranch, established in 1947, had been used in several films, including THE CREEPING TERROR (Crown Int.,1964). Spahn was 80 years old, going blind and living at his ranch when he allowed the Manson Family to move in, rent-free, in exchange for labor .He was unaware of their nefarious activities.
The film was submitted to the MPAA in October ,1971 and slapped with an “X’ rating. To give it a chance for wider distribution, some further cuts were made to the film, garnering a re-release an R Rating. No record of what was cut, but the film went from an announced 91 minutes at a Cannes screening to its present length of 81. The film’s original rating may have hurt its box office originally, so the later R rating probably was too little too late. In 1976, the film was retitled as THE HELTER SKELTER MURDERS. For a time, the film was banned outright in Los Angeles.
Released theatrically by Prestige Pictures (BLACKENSTEIN,1973), it sat virtually unseen after it is 1976 reissue until the ever- hungry video market was born, which was desperate for product, any product. Media HomeEntertainment released it on VHS as THE HELTER-SKELTER MURDERS (1989) before Wade Williams took it back, releasing it on his Englewood Entertainment label in both VHS and DVD.
Now, Film Detective has made a new deal with Wade Williams to release his vast library in brand new restored versions for the current DVD /BLU RAY market. THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS is their first release to mark it is 50th Anniversary in 2021.
First off, they have gone back to the original 35mm camera negative, they have given a clean up and a new 4K transfer that is a vast improvement over the previous home video releases. Sound is in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional subtitles are available in either English or Spanish.
Then there are the extras
There is the already mentioned CD of Manson performing “Mechanical Man” & “Garbage Dump”, taken from the original 7” vinyl soundtrack.
Ballyhoo Motion Pictures has created two original featurettes for this release:
– ‘The Other Side of Manson: An Interview with Producer Wade Williams”-an interview with the producer.
Wade Williams with Martin Scorsese
– “Mechanical Man: Wade Williams Meets Manson” – the story of how he got to have a meeting with the madman.
Two Trailers: the original release and as THE HELTER SKELTER MURDERS.
A 12-page booklet packed in the case with liner notes by filmmaker Alexander Tuschinski (MISSION CALIGULA ,2018) examining the film and its history.
THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS is of interest to those who wish to study the infamous history of Manson and his followers, especially from the context of it’s closeness to the actual crimes and trials, as well as use of actual songs by the master monster himself and footage of the Spahn Ranch.
-Kevin G Shinnick
*-A film called THE COMMUNE (1970) was purportedly the first to deal with the actual crimes, but I can find no information about this picture .
If TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016) was comparative to ALIEN (Fox,1979) with it’s characters trapped aboard a speeding bullet train, then PENINSULA would be their ALIENS (Fox ,1986). As we are experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 at the time of writing this review, these films about a fast spreading deadly infection seem to have more reverberance within the viewer. Sadly, said current pandemic limited many people’s ability to experience this horror action thriller on the large cinema screen.
That said, WELL GO USA has once again done a beautiful job with their home video release of these films.
Four years after the original film, things have gotten exponentially worse. Marine Captain Jung-Seok ( Gang Dong-won ,HAUNTERS, 2010 ) is still guilt-ridden by actions he had to take during the original outbreak . Now ,having escaped South Korea and living in Hong Kong , he and his brother in law Chul-min (Kim Do-yoon, THE WAILING, 2016) who also survived are approached by Chinese Mobsters to go back into the restricted infected areas to bring over a truck full of money. If they succeed they would get half of the $20 million inside .
Jung-Seok and Chul-Min are joined by two other Koreans and brought over at night via boat to the restricted area. After that , they are on their own to survive and bring back the truck full of bounty .
They find the truck , but of course , things are not going to go easy for them, as the zombie hordes are hot in pursuit .As if things are not difficult enough , they are ambushed by a group of rogue survivors. Two of the party are killed, with Jung-Seok rescued by two sisters. Chul-min, unfortunately is trapped inside the truck ,which is brought to the militia’s headquarters.
Jung-Seok once again is confronted by his decisions from four years back, while Chul-min has to take part in some freaky Fight Club meets Thunderdome survival games of humans versus zombies. Some of the militia discover the money and plan on sneaking off with it. So, who will survive and who will end up with the millions ?
Director Yeon Sang-ho returns to direct this sequel in this more expansive story ,yet never forgets the human story lines. Kudos to original screenwriter Park Joo-Suk who teams up with Yeon Sang-ho for this expansion on the story .
You can tell that the team really love the genre , with influences and imagery that make one think of 28 DAYS LATER (Fox,2002) as well as films like THE CHURCH (La chiesa ,ADC ,1989,) , yet make it their own . The action scenes are spectacularly filmed, with a sense of urgency and pulse pounding movement that makes you really fear if any of the characters will survive.
PENINSULATHE CHURCH
Well-Go USA Entertainment delivers a beautiful Blu-Ray DVD combo pack . The two disc set has been beautifully mastered ,with the muted colors marvelously reproduced as well as deep blacks where by anything can (and often does) leap out at you from all angles.
The sound design is superb in Dolby Digital 5.1 in both English dubbed and Korean. The English dubbing is good , though I preferred the original voices . Luckily, the optional subtitles are clear and easy to read , and do not interfere with the non-stop action .
Also on the discs are a making of featurette ,interviews with the creatives and actors(in Korean) as well as trailers.
Even if you have not seen the original , you will enjoy PENINSULA. If you have seen TRAIN TO BASAN, you will really enjoy it.
RECOMMENDED.
–Kevin G Shinnick
Note: Train To Busan Presents PENINSULA is also available on DVD as well as a 4K UHD Blu Ray .
THE SIN OF NORA MORAN is a pre-code above average programmer probably mostly known for it’s beautiful poster by Alberto Vargas. The beautiful artwork really has nothing to do with the film, but oh does it draw your interest.
That said, THE SIN OF NORA MORAN is an entertaining drama from the early 1930s. At times, while watching it, I kept thinking of I WANT TOLIVE (U.A.,1958). The film is told in flashback form to tell the tragic story of Nora, played by Broadway actress Zita Johann. This was one of the seven films that she made between 1931-34, the best known being THE MUMMY (Universal,1932).
Nora ‘s early life was filled with tragedy, so when the star struck woman gets the chance to join the circus as part of a lion taming act for Paulino (John Miljan) she accepts. Paulino is a sadistic bastard, whose act it seems to consist of whipping and even punching a lion! It is no surprise then that Paulino is not above raping the poor woman. She survives and goes onto becoming a dancer in a small night club. There, she meets D.A. John Grant (Alan Dinehart). Things look like they are going better for her at last. Alas, it was not to be. It seems that Nora will die because of love.
The film is very daring for the period, with a woman who seems to be suffering from the aftereffects of the sexual attack upon her. Add to that, the unique jumping from present to past and back again in telling her story is quite unique. It had been done before (Griffith’s INTOLERANCE, Triangle, 1916) but very rarely, and I cannot recall any other sound films of that period doing so. The Griffith connection continues with the casting of with Griffith regular Henry B Walthall as Father Ryan, as well as Johann herself who appeared in THE STRUGGLE (U.A. ,1931).
Writer Willis Maxwell Goodhue had written several Broadway shows, mostly comedies. The film claims to have been based upon a Broadway play, but I can find no record of it playing upon the Great White Way. I suspect it is based upon an unproduced script of his called “Burnt Offering”. Filmed under the title of THE WOMAN IN THE CHAIR, its publicity claimed that it took five months to make the picture, a claim that I find a bit hard to believe. KING KONG (RKO,1933) took EIGHT MONTHS to make, and that was due to its extensive effects.
Majestic Pictures was a poverty row studio that was active from 1930 until 1935, when it and several other studios were absorbed into RepublicPictures. During their time, they produced THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933), perhaps their best-known picture, as well as THE SCARLET LETTER (1934). Larry Darmour, the founder of Majestic, had begun releasing the Mickey McGuire shorts in 1927, starring an incredibly young Mickey Rooney. After Majestic folded, Darmour went on to take over Columbia Pictures serial unit from 1938 until her passing in 1942.
Producer /Director Phil Goldstone worked in the industry from 1920 until 1942. His best-known contributions were as a producer for both WHITEZOMBIE (uncredited; Halperin/ UA ,1932) and THE VAMPIRE BAT (Majestic ,1933). His most infamous title as director seems to be DAMAGED GOODS (Grand National,1937), a film about sexually transmitted diseases.
It is therefore quite surprising to witness his adventurous camera set ups and editing tricks of playing around with the timeline as he does. A scene near the end reminds one of Hitchcock whereas we see from a character’s point of view as he commits suicide by pistol (though not as successfully as the Master, it is indeed impressive for a small indie of the period).
The film fell into obscurity for many decades until film historian and filmmaker Sam Sherman (editor of the late lamented SCREEN THRILLSILLUSTRATED ,and head of Independent International Pictures) was shown a 16mm print of THE SIN OF NORA MORAN and became fascinated with the picture. He even went so far as to get a print for himself and tracked down the lead Zita Johann, who was at that point already retired and living in West Nyack NY. She herself did not care for the film’s playing with time, preferring the original straightforward narrative that had been planned. Over time she began to appreciate the ambition of style that the film possessed. She even briefly came out of retirement to appear in a cameo in one of Sherman’s I.I. titles.Sherman also was able to repackage the film under a new title for tv distribution, VOICE FROM THE GRAVE, making it sound more like a horror film.
Now, thanks to Sam Sherman, film preservationist David Shepard, The Film Detective, and the UCLA FILM & TELEVISION ARCHIVE, an original 35 mm camera element was found, and a new 4K print was struck.
This release from The Film Detective is the definitive version of this film. Unlike other prints found elsewhere, the film is incredibly sharp and clear. The cinematography by Ira H. Morgan (who also filmed THE DEVIL BAT and DAMAGED GOODS, as well as working on Chaplin’s MODERNTIMES(!) (U.A.,1936) is as clear as many a major production of the era, with strong blacks and clear levels of gray shadings. The mono sound has been cleaned up and was as far as I noticed crackle free. Dialogue, sound effects and music did not blur or overpower each other as many indie films of the period do.
There are optional English subtitles for the dialogue.
The music by Heinz Roemheld is uncredited. In fact ,it seems that for most of his career, his music was written for stock music libraries ,being used into films into the 1960s. One of the films he did receive screen credit was for THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD (U.A.,1957) . The unusual thing about his score here is that it is used throughout the films entire 65 minutes running time.
Many films of that period were still coping with sound, and many used music sparingly, if at all. KING KONG (RKO,1933) was a major film that same year that showed a running musical score could work with a film’s storytelling.
Roemheld’s score is no where near as memorable as Max Steiner’s classic compositions. Indeed, at times it sounds a bit like music one would hear in an Our Gang short of the period, especially in a sentimental moment. At other times, it is quite sparse and effective.
As a bonus on the disc, Ballyhoo Pictures put together a nice 20 minute documentary, ‘The Mysterious Life of Zita Johann” (“mysterious” being misspelled on the back cover of the case )wherein Samuel M. Sherman talks about Johann and his connection to the film and the actress.
Inside the case there is also a booklet written by Sherman and illustrated with some rare movie clippings, lobby cards and photos.
All and all, a nice little collectable of a by gone era of filmmaking.
If that is not enough, for the limited edition blu ray release (1500 copies) ,within one of the packages will be a special certificate for one lucky purchaser to win a free 27” x 41” hand pulled lithograph of the Vargas poster , printed on Coventry 100% cotton archival paper with a certificate of authenticity .
No, it was NOT me.
the original Vargas sketch (here in a Lithograph) was more undraped
Kudos for all involved for the extraordinary amount of care given to this picture. Would that every movie be given this kind of treatment.
A comedy duo (officially since DUCK SOUP, Roach,1926, even though they had appeared together in THE LUCKY DOG, 1921,Sun-Lite) who remained friends until Oliver Hardy’s passing in 1957,and who will forever be linked in the minds of film fans as a tandem force.
Their films can be watched and enjoyed by all ages, due to their child like innocence as well as their constant battles with everyday events.
Now, a collection of their works has been restored and presented to both new and old fans alike in a release that should please all. The shorts are well represented, with some odd omissions. For example, they do a magnificent job on the one silent presented, THE BATTLE OF THECENTURY (Roach/MGM,1927),but skip their first talkie (UNACUSTOMED AS WE ARE, Roach/MGM ,1929),as well as many other classics . Were there legal issues or lack of acceptable elements, or just the ones that UCLA has restored so far? Perhaps if this set sells well, we might expect a second edition, or even a third that would include their silent (yes please).
The restorations of these films are nothing short of miraculous. New 2K/4K masters have been made from the best elements available, and while they still have a few specks here and there, plus the sound is variable due to the technology of the time , one is doubtful one will ever see these classics in any better presentation.
THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (Roach /MGM ,1927), on Disc One, to me, made the disc a special delight. Robert Youngson used the remaining footage available in his 1965 compilation LAUREL & HARDY’s LAUGHING 20s (MGM,1965). For years, that tantalizing footage had fans wishing to see the entire short.
In the 1980s, most of the first reel was discovered. Missing still is a sequence wherein Eugene Pallette (best known as Friar Tuck in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, WB,1938) is an insurance agent who sells Ollie a policy ,wherein if Stanley sustains injury, there will be a nice payout. This footage is set up nicely with a few remaining stills and a title card explaining the set up. It then jumps to Ollie dropping banana peels to make Stan fall, only to have it backfire and make long suffering foe Charlie Hall as a pie man topple, leading up to the huge street filling pie fight. In the extras, Anita Garvin identifies herself as the woman who falls and sits upon a pie, stands, and tries to regain her dignity. She did this brilliant comic gem of a moment in an unpaid appearance during her lunch break as a favor to Stan!
Also, on Disc one, there is BERTH MARKS (Roach/MGM,1929) their SECOND talking picture. Even though sound had just become popular and wider used just two years earlier, the team was already using it and drawing attention to its humorous potential. Notice how they use the stationmaster (Pat Harmon, a familiar face in films ,often in unbilled roles) who yells out the train destinations in an incoherent though loud way, then asked if Pottsville is one of the stops, he yells louder and even less coherently!
BERTH MARKS is available in two versions on this disc ; the 1929 release version with original sound, as well as the 1936 re issue with added music and different sound effects. The 1929 version has not been seen for 84 years so it is a real significant find.
The brilliant fourth L&H feature, SONS OF THE DESERT (Roach,MGM ,1933) was called “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress in 2012 and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Once you watch this pre-code comedy, you will see why. The print is so much sharper than previous releases, with nice shades of gray and good sound.
There are extras galore on this and the other discs .
There are fact filled running commentaries by either Randy Skretvedt or Richard W. Bann on the various shorts and films. Seriously, you will learn about where certain sequences were shot, actors who appear, often as uncredited extras, just a wealth of information.
Also included are video interview from the 1980s.
Actress Anita Gavin (1906- 1994) gushes with real affection for her time at Roach, and of her working with Stan.
Producer/actor/director Joe Rock (aka Joseph Simberg,1893-1984). Rock basically saved Stan from an unhappy marriage that was ruining his career. Freed of her, Stan starring silent vehicles included the wonderful spoof DR PYCKLE AND MR PRIDE (Selznick,1925). It is too bad that the sound is so terrible in this interview, with a buzz so loud that words are often drowned out.
Roy Seawright (1905-1991) was Hal Roach Studios Head of Animation , the man responsible for all of those animated effects in the films, as well as the stop motion in BABES IN TOYLAND /MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS (Roach /MGM ,1934) .
(not from the blu ray, but an interesting bit of film history below )
A shipboard interview with Oliver Hardy (1950). This was when the boys were going with such high hopes to film ATOLL K/UTOPIA (1951), a disastrous final film for the comedy team.
The only known existing original trailer from SONS OF THE DESERT (Spanish).
A plug for Skretvedt’s book (which appears on several of the discs.)?
That is just the first disc!
Extras on Disc 2 include audio interviews with many associated with the comedy team, while disc 4 has several of the comic duos’ feature trailers, as well as music tracks from Marvin Hatley (1905-1986), best known for his work for the team.
There are also thousands of rare photos posters, scripts, and production notes from their many shorts and features.
(TWICE TWO ,1933 )
Disc 2 also has BRATS (1930, available in two versions) ,HOG WILD (1930) ,COME CLEAN (1931), ONE GOOD TURN(1931),and ME & MY PAL (1933) ,all Roach/MGM releases , all looking vastly sharper than they have in other releases.
Disc 3 has 8 shorts, including THE MUSIC BOX (Roach/MGM,1932), winner of the FIRST Academy Award for Best Short Live Action (Comedy) and was preserved in 1997 in National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
The other shorts on Disc 3 are HELPMATES(1932) , THE CHIMP (1932) ,COUNTY HOSPITAL (1932) ,SCRAM! (1932), THEIR FIRSTMISTAKE(1932) ,THE MIDNIGHT PATROL(1933) ,and BUSY BODIES (1933) (all Roach /MGM ).
Disc 4 has the feature WAY OUT WEST (Roach/MGM,1937). This is the comedy which will have your sides ache in the sequence where they chase each other around the room with a purloined deed. This is the film that is referenced so perfectly in the beginning of STAN & OLLIE, with an exact copy of their dance.
It also has three other Hal Roach produced shorts(TOWED IN A HOLE(Roach/MGM 1932) ,TWICE TWO(Roach/MGM 1933),THAT’S THAT(1937 , a private reel of out-takes compiled for Stan’s birthday and was not publicly distributed), as well as their only existing professionally shot color footage in TREE IN A TEST TUBE, a 1942 short made for the U.S. Dept of Agriculture!
The packing really beings up my one tiny nitpick – the case has a flip book to hold the various discs, which often shift making the box hard to close. Be careful so as not to scratch or damage the discs.
This is hours and hours of entertainment and information in a well-made release. Hopefully, it will be a success so that we may see 4 K releases of their other Hal Roach films (including the silent era) to Blu Ray.
Stan: What do you want? Policeman: I don’t want you. I want that other monkey. [Stan whistles to Ollie] Ollie: What? Stan: He doesn’t want me! He wants the other monkey! [Ollie looks around] Stan: You! Ollie: Oh. -from THE MUSIC BOX
You don’t want that other monkey. You want this collection!! Must own.
The second collection (out of three, as of this writing) of classic noir style films released through ColumbiaPictures between 1954 -1956. Mill Creek and Kit Parker Films have licensed a collection of Columbia titles that are rarely screened, even on classic film channels like TCM. Many are B titles (co-features for bigger budget films) some have a bit more production value, a few are British (with one, FOOTSTEPS IN THE FOG,1955, the only color film in the collection) but all are entertaining and well worth your discovery of them.
BAIT (1954, not to be confused with Ed Wood’s JAILBAIT, Howco, that same year) was co- written, produced, and directed by Hugo Haas (1901-1968). A famous Czech performer, he was forced to flee from his home country when the Nazis invaded. In the U.S., he became a character actor, who, in the 1950s went the independent film route and make his own B pictures, making nearly a dozen films through the decade. He wanted to return home to his home country but was denied this when the Russians invaded. He died in 1968 in Vienna. BAIT has The Devil (Sir Cedric Hardwicke (ROPE, WB,1948) introduce the story of Marko (Haas), who asks Ray (John Agar, THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS, Howco,1957) to help him find a gold mine. Ray accepts with the promise of an equal share.
When Ray does find the mine after several weeks, Marko tries to renege on the deal. Marko trick local waitress Peggy (Cleo Moore, who would star with Agar in Haas’ HOLD BACK TOMORROW, Universal, the following year), whom Ray is attracted to, into marrying him.
Marko then manipulates the two as all three are isolated in a mountain cabin during the winter. He hopes to catch the two in an intimate encounter so Marko can kill them, claiming a jealous rage. Marko is so low; he even kills Ray’s dog (boo!).
The film gains points for casting Bruno VeSota (himself a triple threat on FEMALE JUNGLE,A.R.C.,1955), a character actor in many early AIP films, as a bartender in an early scene. However, it is odd that John Agar asks if the bartender knows a “heavy fellow with a mustache” when VeSota is …. a heavy fellow with a mustache! An odd little film.
THE CROOKED WEB (1955) has Frank (Richard Denning, who had appeared in the 3D feature THE GLASS WEB ,Universal,1953)desperately needs money to take care of some debts, and so tries to get his Stan (FrankLovejoy,HOUSE OF WAX, W.B.,1953 ) to aid him . Stan gets intrigued, hoping it will help him make enough money that he can marry waitress*Joanie (Mari Blanchard, ABBOTT & COSTELLO GO TO MARS, Universal ,1953), the sister of Frank.
Don’t poke his eye out…
The film has a lot of major surprises that still work today, and so I will refrain from describing more of this wonderful little gem. Suffice it to say, that many of the characters are not what they seem, and just when you think you know, they pull the rug out from under you again. The cast really make the most of these roles in a juicy script by Lou Breslow (CHARLIE CHAN AT THE RACETRACK, Fox, 1936), and the direction is by NathanHertz Juran ,a director of some of Ray Harryhausen’s best 1950s films, as well as fun schlock like THE BRAINFROM PLANET AROUS.
Produced by Sam Katzman, a producer so frugal he would make Roger Corman seem extravagant. Still, he produced a lot of films well-loved today (IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, Columbia ,1955) while major films of the era are forgotten, so maybe Katzman knew best.
CELL 2455 DEATH ROW (1955) has William Campbell (most famous for his wonderful appearance as The Squire Of Gothos on the original STAR TREK series, Paramount, 1966-9) portrays Whit Whittier. Real life criminal Caryl Chessman wrote the book (Prentice Hall,1948) upon which the film is based, Whittier being his middle name. The real-life Chessman was found guilty of robbery, kidnapping and rape. Acting as his own lawyer, he appealed 8 times to delay his execution, finally going to the gas chamber in May 1960. By a horrible comedy of errors, a court secretary misdialed the prison number, and so a stay of execution was delivered too late.
In the film, Whittier shows that bad company and bad decisions had him end up on death row. Along the way, there are bad girls who lead him astray (Kathryn Grant, the Princess from THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, Columbia,1957) and bad company that gets him to be a driver. This leads to a spectacular stunt scene, where evading a roadblock, their gas tank explodes into flame as they continue to race away, the police in hot (I couldn’t resist) pursuit. After a stint in prison, he continues his criminal ways until his arrest and trial as “The Red-Light Bandit”. He defends himself but ultimately is found guilty on 17 of the 18 charges against him.
Former actor turned director Fred F Sears keeps the film moving at a fast clip, wasting none of its 72-minute running time. Sears is perhaps best known perhaps for the flying monster turkey THE GIANT CLAW (Columbia 1957) but he also was a director of skill with films such as this and THE WEREWOLF (Columbia,1956). Sadly, he died in 1957 at only age 44, directing 20 various tv shows as well as 34 films and serials in just a ten-year period!
5 AGAINST THE HOUSE (1955) is more a caper film, with 4 friends stopping in Reno for some quick gambling. Two of them get caught up by the police when someone tries to rob the casino, but after they clear themselves of the crime, they get an idea to commit a perfect crime. What they plan and what happens of course are two different things.
A good cast that includes Kerwin Matthews (now and forever Sinbad from THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD) in his first starring film role, Kim Novak (VERTIGO, Paramount,1958) in her third featured film, William Conrad (famous as the T.V. detective CANNON, Quinn Martin, 1971-76), Guy Madison (1954 Golden Globe Award Special Winner-Best Western Star), Alvy Moore (best known as “Hank Kimball “on the television series GREEN ACRES, Filmways,1965-71) and especially Brian Keith. Keith may best be known for his more loveable roles in films like the father in Disney’s THE PARENT TRAP (1961) as well as the family friendly T.V. series FAMILY AFFAIR (Don Fedderson ,1966-71) will be blown away by his tortured character here. The screenplay is by Stirling Silliphant (Oscar winning screenplay adaptation of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, UA,1967) based upon a novel by Jack Finney (most famous for his serialization and then novel THE BODY SNATCHERS, 1955).
THE NIGHT HOLDS TERROR (1955) is based upon a true event from 1953 wherein Edwards Air Force Base worker Gene Courtier picked up a hitchhiker that led to his wife and two children being held captive by James Canigan, Leonard Mahon, and an A.W.O.L. marine named Donald Hall.
The film follows the true events accurately until final third. The movie was shot in 18 days on a $78,000 budget (according to Time Magazine, August ,1955) around where the actual events took place. The flick was produced, written, directed and edited by the husband and wife team Andrew & Virginia Stone (who produced another hostage family film in 1958 called CRY TERROR! For MGM and later Andrew directed the big budget SONG OF NORWAY, ABC Pictures,1970).
In the picture, Gene Courtier (Jack Kelly, Brother Brett in the tv series MAVERICK, WB,1957-72) picks hitchhiker Victor Gosset (Vince Edwards, pre-BEN CASEY(BCP,1961-6) fame. Interesting note, while the family’s real name is used, the rest of the names are changed in the picture)who pulls a gun and has the driver pick up Robert Batsford (JohnCassavetes ,later world renowned for his indie films like FACES,Continental,1968 ) and Luther Logan (David Cross, later one of the “clickers” in THE CREATION OF THE HUMANOIDS (Emerson,1962).
The trio plan on killing the good Samaritan, but Gene convinces them to go to a town where he will sell his car. The dealership, however, only gives him a few dollars and a check, and so the crazed criminals go to the Courtier home and terrorize the family until the morning.
The dialogue is typical tough guy gangster stuff but the villains, in particular Cassavetes, who seems to be on the edge of gleeful sadism even when standing, make it truly suspenseful.
NEW ORLEANS CONFIDENTIAL (1955) is a pre – ballyhoo William Castle (HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, AA,1959) drama. Castle had made many serviceable and entertaining films in various genres since he began directing in 1939.
Dan Corbett (Arthur Franz, MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS, Universal, 1958) needs money to buy a boat he plans to live and work upon, and so he begins to work for crooked Zero Saxon (Michael Ansara , HARUM SCARUM ,Paramount 1965) which leads him to get involved in smuggling and even murder. Also, in the cast was BeverlyGarland(NOT OF THIS EARTH, AA ,1957) but most of the roles, shot mostly on location, featured real dockworkers and local politicians. Some of the flat line readings from the locals makes you wonder why Castle didn’t just budget for some quick dialogue looping, but that’s part of the tribulations of low budget filmmaking.
FOOTSTEPS IN THE FOG (1955) is probably the biggest budgeted and best-known film in the set, as well as the only picture in color. I first became aware of the picture when the late lamented fanzine PHOTON mag used it on the cover of issue 21.
FI.T.F. was based upon the short story “THE INTERRUPTION” that was printed in Colliers Magazine (July 4,1925). The rights were bought by director Arthur Lubin, who intended to make the picture in 1949 but instead was hired to direct FRANCIS THE TALKING MULE (Universal,1950)!
After several different cast and title changes were announced but never started, producer Mike Frankovich finally got the production going, with Lubin directing. The director said that leading man Stewart Granger didn’t care for him, but that the final product was a good film. I agree.
Stephen Lowry (Granger,KING SOLOMON’S MINES,MGM,1950) has poisoned his wife for her money and he is blackmailed by his maid Lily (Jean Simmons,Academy Award winner for HAMLET,Rank/Universal,1948). Stephen decides he must do away with this new woman complicating his life, and during a London fog, attempts to do so in a most violent fashion.
To tell more would be to remove the many wonderful twists and turns of this delightful gaslight era little thriller, populated with so many wonderful British character actors, like a pre-Doctor WhoWilliam Hartnell and many more. This is probably my favorite film in the collection. Sadly, the film is often ignored, perhaps due to it not being a hit when it was first released.
SPIN A DARK WEB (1956 aka SOHO INCIDENT, its original U.K. title) was another British made thriller produced by American born (adopted son of comedian Joe E. Brown) producer Mike Frankovich. Director Vernon Sewell (CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR, AIP/Tigon,1968) shot on location in seedy parts of London to make this noir picture, making the film interesting for those who wish to see how the city has changed over the decades.
A down and out boxer (a profession that pops up in many of these films) named Jim gets involved with Rico Francesi’s (Martin Benson, THE STRANGE WORLD OF PLANET X ,Eros, 1958 )gang ,which leads him to become involved with the murder of another fighter as well as the pleasant though dangerous act of becoming the object of amour by Rico’s sister, Bella (Faith Domergue,THIS ISLAND EARTH , Universal,1955). Domergue really is the focus of this picture and dominates the production until its rather weak ending.
Fred F Sears and Sam Katzman pop up again with RUMBLE ON THE DOCKS (1955) in a film that seems to want to cash in on the previous year’s ON THE WATERFRONT (Columbia,1954),though on an even lower budget that that picture, using rear projections and stock shots for the New York local ,as well as some San Pedro locations. James Darren (TV’S TIME TUNNEL, Irwin Allen ,1966) makes his film debut as Jimmy, the leader of a local gang. Jimmy’s father Pete (Edgar Barrier,an original member of Orson Welles Mercury Theatre,he was Banquo in the 1948 Republic MACBETH) a former longshoreman until the mob broke his back now runs s mall shop, one day, he turns down a bribe from Joe Brindo (Michael Granger,CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN ,Columbia 1955), who was responsible for crippling Pete. Jimmy cannot understand why his father doesn’t take the money which angers his father and his mother (Celia Lovsky ,a former wife of Peter Lorre, known as the deaf Mrs. Cheney in MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES, Universal,1953).
Brindo tries to use Jimmy to use as leverage against his father. The film thus becomes also an ersatz REBELWITHOUT A CAUSE (WB,1955) with a lot less self-indulgence by Darren as he is being “torn apart” by his real father’s morals and the easy money offered by Brindo. With his natural charm and talent.
The Region A three-disc Blu Ray set all look fine, considering their age and rarity. While there is no mention of restoration, the print quality on all is sharp, with DTS-HD Mono Audio, and optional English subtitles. There are no other extras, but the collection and price point for 9 films makes this a minor quibble.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
For Classic Film Lovers
Mysteries Noir Fans 1950s Movies
-KEVIN G SHINNICK
*The moral of Noir films- AVOID WAITRESSES AND SERVANT GIRLS.
THE INTRUDER (Sony) Thriller. PG-13. Color .84 Minutes.
Blu Ray /DVD/ download and streaming available from Apple TV, AMAZON, Google Play and More
Reviewed DVD. Available July 30, 2019
THE INTRUDER* was one of those films that snuck out into the market in May before its release upon home video on July 30th. The $8 million film took in a domestic box office of $35 million, a tidy profit for the flick.
The movie harkens back to earlier “crazies in your home films” like PACIFIC HEIGHTS (Fox,1990) as well as aiming at audiences who jumped out of their seats at GET OUT (Universal,2017).
While not as strong as either of those two films (few are), THE INTRUDER is a good evening’s entertainment.
The Russells , Scott (Michael Ealy, starring in the soon to be released remake of JACOB’S LADDER, Vertical, 2019) buys his wife Annie (Meagan Good ,star of the upcoming Paul W.S. Anderson sci fi film , MONSTER HUNTER ,ScreenGems,2020 ) a house in Napa Valley . When they meet the current owner, Charlie Peck (Randy Quaid, BENEATH THEDARKNESS, Image 2011), they should have turned around and said nope this is going back on sale.
Charlie jumps out of some bushes, shoots a deer, then stands over it and proceeds to shoot the helpless animal some more. Seeing this, I was reminded of Eddie Murphy’s routine about black people starring in horror films.
“You can’t make a horror with black people in it cause the movie would stop.
Wow, baby this is beautiful, we got a chandelier hanging up there, kids outside playing, it’s a beautiful neighborhood. I really love this.”
“Getttt Ouuuuutttt”
“Too bad we can’t stay …”
Unluckily, it seems the Russell’s never heard that classic routine, and move in.
The problem becomes that Charlie just can’t leave his beloved home, which has been in his family for generations, and where we learn that his wife died from a shotgun blast, suspected at being self-inflicted. Charlie pops up riding his lawn mower around and starts yelling at workers drilling to install security systems, as if he still owns the place.
Annie, ever the gracious hostess, invites Charlie to a dinner. At the dinner, Mike (Joseph Sikora, also appearing in the upcoming JACOB’S LADDER), a friend of the Russells, insults Charlie and puts out a cigarette on the lawn that Charlie had earlier mowed.
The following day, there is a cigarette burn on the driver’s seat of Mike’s car, and he starts warning the couple that Charlie is looney tunes.
Joseph Sikora
Charlie keeps showing up at the house, more unhinged but Annie keeps letting him in, defying logic as well as warnings from Scott.
It results in a final showdown between Charlie and the couple.
The film requires audiences to suspend belief (and logic) several times for the film to work, but we keep watching, due to the fine cast.
Director Deon Taylor had directed a similar type film with TRAFFIK (Lionsgate, 2018).
Writer David Loughery wrote DREAMSCAPE (Fox, 1984), which incidentally had starred a younger Dennis Quaid as a hero. He also is infamous for STAR TREK V (Paramount, 1989) so make of that what you will.
The picture quality is fine, with no outstanding flourishes.
Sound is fine (5.1 Dolby), though some of the gunshots seemed to be a bit louder than expected. The audio is available in English and subtitled in Spanish, English SDH, and French.
Extras include
An Alternate Ending
Deleted Scenes
A Gag Reel
A Cast and Filmmaker commentary
And a short making of: Behind the Scenes of Foxglove (Foxglove being the name of the House).
A decent B movie and fun to watch Quaid go full Jack Nicholson towards the end.
-Kevin G Shinnick
*No connection to the Sony 2015 horror film THE INTRUDERS, the 1999 Canadian film THE INTRUDER, THEINTRUDER (1975), a lost Mickey Rooney(!) thriller, or the Roger CormanTHE INTRUDER (Filmgroup,1962), starring William Shatner.
HUSSY (TWILIGHT TIME Blu Ray,2019) original theatrical release UK-Watchgrove Films,1980. Color. Rated R. 95 min. 1080p High Definition / 1.85:1 English 1.0 DTS-HD MA.\No subtitles. REGION FREE. Extras -Original Theatrical Trailer. $29.95 https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/hussy-blu-ray/
In the 1970s, Joan Collins starred in two low budget soft core porn films, THE STUD (Brett Walker,1978) and THE BITCH (Brett Walker,1979). Both were low budget films, but based upon steamy novels by Joan’s sister Jackie, and done with style and enough sex scenes provided by Ms. Collins, the films were enormously profitable, especially when they were some of the first films licensed for the brand-new home video market.
Other producers looked at the profits and tried to come up with films of a similar nature. HUSSY seems to be a film that came into being with that idea, but the producers got a film with a lot more depth than they expected.
Writer /Director Matthew Chapman is the great great grandson of Charles Darwin, and who has written extensively on the creation-evolution debate, and in 2007 co-founded ScienceDebate.org, which has been trying to get Presidential Figures to discuss scientific issues (something the current occupant would fail dreadfully).
What he created for his first film was more of gritty drama than a seedy sex romp. Then 35-year-old Helen Mirren, a naturalist at heart, had no problem with nudity, have appeared in the controversial 1979 Penthouse film CALIGULA. She also brought her usual intelligence and lots of character shading to her part of Beaty, the “hussy “of the title.
Actor John Shea (WINDY CITY, Fox,1984) had appeared on Broadway in YENTL opposite Tovah Feldshuh. HUSSY was his film debut, portraying Emory, a member of stage crew at the cabaret where Beaty works, and where he falls in love with her.
Basically, Beaty (Mirren) works as a call girl in this seedy club, where she falls in love for Emory (Shea). Complicating matters is that Beaty has a young son as well as a psycho strong arm pimp /ex-lover Alex (PaulAngelis, who in 1968, provided the voices of Ringo and the chief Blue Meanie in United Artists’ animated YELLOW SUBMARINE!), who is fresh out of prison. Meanwhile Emory’s friend Max (Murray Salem , who later wrote the screenplay for KINDERGARTEN COP ,Universal ,1990,died of AIDS complication at only age 47. ) wants Emory to join him on an upcoming drug deal.
Paul Angelis
Alex finds out about the deal and muscles his way in, further endangering Emory and Beaty’s future and safety. The result will end up in murder, but of whom?
previous DVD release 2006
HUSSY had been released on DVD in 2006 in a rather dull flat print. This new Blu Ray from TWILIGHT TIME has given the film a 1080p High Definition clean up, with colors and images being much sharper, showing cinematographer Keith Goddard ‘s work to good advantage (this film seems to have been his biggest credit).
The 1.0 DTS-HD MA (English only) sound is clear, with dialogue and sound clear and free from pops and hiss. The score by George Fenton (DANGEROUS BEAUTY, WB,1998), his second theatrical soundtrack, is a mixture of club music and songs, as well as disco influence, very much a product of it’s time.
There are no subtitle options.
The only extra is the original theatrical trailer.
Limited to ONLY 2,000 copies,
This Blu Ray is recommended to
Those who like British Noir and Helen Mirren fans
scarletthefilmmagazine 