In Stuart Rosenberg's 1967 prison film "Cool Hand Luke," Lucas Jackson (Paul Newman) is thrown into a Florida penitentiary in the early 1950s for drunkenly cutting the heads off of parking meters. He is sentenced to two years hard labor working on a chain gang, and soon learns that the Floridian penal system is bleak and aggressive. The warden (Morgan Woodward) attempts to use modern, sensitive language to deal with the prisoners ("What we have here is failure to communicate"), but it's a gross juxtaposition given how cruel he is; the warden will give miscreants "a night in the box," a small wooden shack, as punishment for the smallest slights.
Partway through the movie, Luke and his fellow prisoners are taken out to a field next to a remote country home. The prisoners haven't seen a woman for a long time -- some of them in years -- so when...
Partway through the movie, Luke and his fellow prisoners are taken out to a field next to a remote country home. The prisoners haven't seen a woman for a long time -- some of them in years -- so when...
- 5/7/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Newly restored in 4K from original, 35mm archival elements, the harrowing, supernatural thriller Tormented (1960) will be available 23rd April 2024 in a must-have collector’s edition loaded with bonus features, on Blu-ray and DVD from Film Masters.
Iconic cult film director Bert I. Gordon (Empire of the Ants, The Food of the Gods, The Mad Bomber, The Cyclops) helmed this terrifying story of passion from beyond the grave, starring Richard Carlson (Creature From the Black Lagoon, It Came From Outer Space), Susan Gordon (Ben Casey, The Five Pennies) and Lugene Sanders (The Life of Riley).
In a tight-knit island community off the coast of California, Tom Stewart (Carlson) is about to marry the woman he loves (Sanders). All is well until Tom’s ex-girlfriend, Vi (Reding), confronts him at the top of the island’s lighthouse, claiming he is hers and hers alone! When a freak accident occurs, he refuses to intervene,...
Iconic cult film director Bert I. Gordon (Empire of the Ants, The Food of the Gods, The Mad Bomber, The Cyclops) helmed this terrifying story of passion from beyond the grave, starring Richard Carlson (Creature From the Black Lagoon, It Came From Outer Space), Susan Gordon (Ben Casey, The Five Pennies) and Lugene Sanders (The Life of Riley).
In a tight-knit island community off the coast of California, Tom Stewart (Carlson) is about to marry the woman he loves (Sanders). All is well until Tom’s ex-girlfriend, Vi (Reding), confronts him at the top of the island’s lighthouse, claiming he is hers and hers alone! When a freak accident occurs, he refuses to intervene,...
- 2/28/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
In 2022, director John Carpenter curated a special four-film marathon for Shout! Factory TV, one of the best streaming services out there. As recorded by Den of Geek, the lineup included Carpenter's four favorite films in the Godzilla mythos: "Gojira" (1954), "Rodan" (1956), "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster" (1964), and, naturally, "War of the Gargantuas" (1966). One should be warned, however, that watching all four of those films in a row will instigate severe brain growth and usher in a phase of enlightenment previously unexperienced by most mortals.
Carpenter has long been a fan of Godzilla movies, having grown up in the 1950s when many of Toho's celebrated kaiju movies were opening in the United States. Carpenter's exposure to Godzilla at an early age not only contributed to his love of cinema but encouraged him to make movies of his own. As Carpenter's own fans might know, he got his start in filmmaking as a kid,...
Carpenter has long been a fan of Godzilla movies, having grown up in the 1950s when many of Toho's celebrated kaiju movies were opening in the United States. Carpenter's exposure to Godzilla at an early age not only contributed to his love of cinema but encouraged him to make movies of his own. As Carpenter's own fans might know, he got his start in filmmaking as a kid,...
- 2/3/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There’s no shortage of brilliant detectives in novels, film and television, but one of the greatest — or at least the one with the fanciest facial hair — is Hercule Poirot. The Belgian investigator, created by Agatha Christie, has appeared 33 novels, more than 50 short stories, and has been played by a variety of iconic actors.
But for whatever reason, Poirot has only sporadically appeared on the big screen, with many of his earliest movie appearances being lost to time, while some of his other noteworthy adventures were rewritten as vehicles for Christie’s other beloved creation, Miss Marple.
Here we take a look at the various theatrically-released adventures of Hercule Poirot, from the 1930s to today, and see which of his mysteries were truly worth solving.
Photo credit: Columbia
Honorable Mention: “Murder By Death” (1976)
Neil Simon’s wacky spoof of the supersleuth genre, directed by Robert Moore, features an all-star cast...
But for whatever reason, Poirot has only sporadically appeared on the big screen, with many of his earliest movie appearances being lost to time, while some of his other noteworthy adventures were rewritten as vehicles for Christie’s other beloved creation, Miss Marple.
Here we take a look at the various theatrically-released adventures of Hercule Poirot, from the 1930s to today, and see which of his mysteries were truly worth solving.
Photo credit: Columbia
Honorable Mention: “Murder By Death” (1976)
Neil Simon’s wacky spoof of the supersleuth genre, directed by Robert Moore, features an all-star cast...
- 9/15/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
Peter Werner, an Oscar-winning director known for his work behind the camera on such TV series as “Moonlighting,” “A Different World” and “Law & Order: Svu,” has died at age 76.
His brother Tom Werner, co-founder of The Carsey-Werner Company, said via an email to The Hollywood Reporter that Peter died Tuesday morning in Wilmington, North Carolina, of a torn aorta.
Born in New York on Jan. 17, 1947, Werner earned his B.A. from Dartmouth College, his M.A. from Antioch University and an Mfa from the American Film Institute.
Also Read:
Lance Reddick Remembered by James Gunn, Ben Stiller, Wendell Pierce: ‘A Man of Great Strength and Grace’
While still a student at AFI, Peter won an Oscar for his 1976 live-action short film “Region of Ice,” which was based on Joyce Carol Oates’ short story and starred Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan.
The next year, he began his long and illustrious...
His brother Tom Werner, co-founder of The Carsey-Werner Company, said via an email to The Hollywood Reporter that Peter died Tuesday morning in Wilmington, North Carolina, of a torn aorta.
Born in New York on Jan. 17, 1947, Werner earned his B.A. from Dartmouth College, his M.A. from Antioch University and an Mfa from the American Film Institute.
Also Read:
Lance Reddick Remembered by James Gunn, Ben Stiller, Wendell Pierce: ‘A Man of Great Strength and Grace’
While still a student at AFI, Peter won an Oscar for his 1976 live-action short film “Region of Ice,” which was based on Joyce Carol Oates’ short story and starred Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan.
The next year, he began his long and illustrious...
- 3/22/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
As reported by the New York Times, on March 8, 2023, prolific B-movie filmmaker Bert I. Gordon passed away at his home in Los Angeles. He was 100 years old.
Bert I. Gordon is a name many may not be familiar with unless they were prone to visiting drive-in theaters in the 1950s, staying up late and watching monster movies on Uhf TV in the 1980s, or were paying attention to "Mystery Science Theater 3000" in the 1990s. Gordon was the director behind such low-budget classics as 1955's "King Dinosaur," 1957's "The Amazing Colossal Man," its sequel from the next year, "War of the Colossal Beast," the 1965 outsized J.D. flick, "Village of the Giants," the 1976 H.G. Wells adaptation, "Food of the Gods," and the 1976 giant ant film "Empire of the Ants." One might note that all the films listed above involve giants of some stripe. One might also want to take note of Bert I.
Bert I. Gordon is a name many may not be familiar with unless they were prone to visiting drive-in theaters in the 1950s, staying up late and watching monster movies on Uhf TV in the 1980s, or were paying attention to "Mystery Science Theater 3000" in the 1990s. Gordon was the director behind such low-budget classics as 1955's "King Dinosaur," 1957's "The Amazing Colossal Man," its sequel from the next year, "War of the Colossal Beast," the 1965 outsized J.D. flick, "Village of the Giants," the 1976 H.G. Wells adaptation, "Food of the Gods," and the 1976 giant ant film "Empire of the Ants." One might note that all the films listed above involve giants of some stripe. One might also want to take note of Bert I.
- 3/9/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The B-movie world has lost one of its most iconic filmmakers, as The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Bert I. Gordon – often referred to as “Mr. B.I.G.” by his fans – has passed away at the age of 100. Gordon produced and directed more than twenty films over the course of a career that lasted sixty-one years, from 1954 to 2015. He also wrote most of his movies. His most popular titles include The Food of the Gods, Empire of the Ants, The Amazing Colossal Man, War of the Colossal Beast, Attack of the Puppet People, and Beginning of the End.
Born on September 24, 1922 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Gordon fell in love with filmmaking at a young age, being given his first camera when he was just 9 years old. He started making TV commercials after he graduated from college, then produced the horror adventure film Serpent Island in 1954. He was also the cinematographer on that movie,...
Born on September 24, 1922 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Gordon fell in love with filmmaking at a young age, being given his first camera when he was just 9 years old. He started making TV commercials after he graduated from college, then produced the horror adventure film Serpent Island in 1954. He was also the cinematographer on that movie,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Bert I. Gordon, an American filmmaker and sci-fi director known for his low-budget monster movies in the 1950s and ’60s, died in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He was 100.
His daughter, Patricia Gordon, confirmed the news of his death.
Shortly after WWII, when Americans feared the impacts of nuclear testing and radiation, Gordon created mutated monster movies that wreaked havoc on the world. Despite his many low-budget films, Gordon’s movies featured stars like Ida Lupino and Orson Welles.
Nevertheless, the apocalyptic titles and jarring movie posters weren’t enough to keep them from flopping and receiving negative reviews, according to the New York Times.
Gordon’s career spans over six decades, as he produced, directed, and wrote 25 films. He’s most known for “The Cyclops” (1957), “Village of the Giants” (1965), “Necromancy” (1972), “The Food of the Gods” (1976), “Empire of the Ants” (1977) and “The Amazing Colossal Man” (1957), the last of which was brought...
His daughter, Patricia Gordon, confirmed the news of his death.
Shortly after WWII, when Americans feared the impacts of nuclear testing and radiation, Gordon created mutated monster movies that wreaked havoc on the world. Despite his many low-budget films, Gordon’s movies featured stars like Ida Lupino and Orson Welles.
Nevertheless, the apocalyptic titles and jarring movie posters weren’t enough to keep them from flopping and receiving negative reviews, according to the New York Times.
Gordon’s career spans over six decades, as he produced, directed, and wrote 25 films. He’s most known for “The Cyclops” (1957), “Village of the Giants” (1965), “Necromancy” (1972), “The Food of the Gods” (1976), “Empire of the Ants” (1977) and “The Amazing Colossal Man” (1957), the last of which was brought...
- 3/9/2023
- by Joshua Vinson
- The Wrap
Bert I. Gordon, an American filmmaker whose low-budget creature features brought super-sized monsters to drive-in cinemas in the mid-20th century, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after collapsing at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 100.
Gordon’s death was confirmed to the New York Times by his daughter, Patricia.
In Atomic Age America, Gordon’s science-fiction B movies manifested the country’s nuclear anxieties as eye-popping apocalypse spectacles. Mostly working under shooting schedules that could total to two weeks and change at most, Gordon produced, directed and wrote more than 25 features over a career spanning six decades, including striking titles like “Village of the Giants” (1965), “How to Succeed With Sex” (1970) and “Empire of the Ants” (1977). His films “Necromancy” (1972)” and “The Food of the Gods” (1976) featured Orson Welles and Ida Lupino, respectively.
As with many cult filmmakers, Gordon’s work was largely met with negative reviews and so-so commercial success...
Gordon’s death was confirmed to the New York Times by his daughter, Patricia.
In Atomic Age America, Gordon’s science-fiction B movies manifested the country’s nuclear anxieties as eye-popping apocalypse spectacles. Mostly working under shooting schedules that could total to two weeks and change at most, Gordon produced, directed and wrote more than 25 features over a career spanning six decades, including striking titles like “Village of the Giants” (1965), “How to Succeed With Sex” (1970) and “Empire of the Ants” (1977). His films “Necromancy” (1972)” and “The Food of the Gods” (1976) featured Orson Welles and Ida Lupino, respectively.
As with many cult filmmakers, Gordon’s work was largely met with negative reviews and so-so commercial success...
- 3/9/2023
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Bert I. Gordon, the sci-fi director who aimed to terrify drive-in denizens of the 1950s and ’60s with low-budget films featuring colossal creatures, shrinking humans and radioactive monsters, has died. He was 100.
Gordon died Wednesday in Los Angeles of complications from a fall in his Beverly Hills home, his daughter Patricia Gordon told The Hollywood Reporter.
Highlights (lowlights?) on his B-movie résumé include The Cyclops (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), Beginning of the End (1957), Earth vs. the Spider (1958), Attack of the Puppet People (1958), Tormented (1960), The Boy and the Pirates (1960) and Picture Mommy Dead (1966).
In the ’70s, Gordon directed Vince Edwards and Chuck Connors in The Police Connection (1973) and wrote and directed How to Succeed With Sex (1970), Necromancy (1972), The Food of the Gods (1976) and, starring Joan Collins in the muck, Empire of the Ants (1977).
Perhaps as a way to keep costs down, Gordon’s films often were family affairs: His late wife,...
Gordon died Wednesday in Los Angeles of complications from a fall in his Beverly Hills home, his daughter Patricia Gordon told The Hollywood Reporter.
Highlights (lowlights?) on his B-movie résumé include The Cyclops (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), Beginning of the End (1957), Earth vs. the Spider (1958), Attack of the Puppet People (1958), Tormented (1960), The Boy and the Pirates (1960) and Picture Mommy Dead (1966).
In the ’70s, Gordon directed Vince Edwards and Chuck Connors in The Police Connection (1973) and wrote and directed How to Succeed With Sex (1970), Necromancy (1972), The Food of the Gods (1976) and, starring Joan Collins in the muck, Empire of the Ants (1977).
Perhaps as a way to keep costs down, Gordon’s films often were family affairs: His late wife,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bert I. Gordon, who was given the nickname “Mr. B.I.G.” by Famous Monsters of Filmland editor Forrest J. Ackerman not just because it matched his initials but also because it matched the director’s favorite big-screen subject — giant monsters — died today. He was 100. His daughter Patricia Gordon confirmed the filmmaker’s death to the New York Times.
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Gordon often produced, directed, wrote and created the special effects for his movies, which were shot on ultra-low...
Related Story MGM Relaunches American International Pictures And Makes Tate Taylor's 'Breaking News In Yuba County' The Company's First Acquisition Related Story Breaking Baz: 'Ted Lasso' Striker Phil Dunster Transfers To Season 2 Of Apple TV+ Thriller 'Surface'; 'All Quiet On The Western Front's Edward Berger And Robert Pattinson Have A Coffee Related Story Dominion And Fox News Offer Dueling Views Of Defamation Law In Latest Court Filings
Gordon often produced, directed, wrote and created the special effects for his movies, which were shot on ultra-low...
- 3/9/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
The Hustler is a movie made in 1961 directed by Robert Rossen and starring Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason and Piper Laurie.
The Hustler is a legendary movie about pool with the marvelous atmosphere and rhythms of the movies of the Sixties, when films were beginning to change. Curiously, this film was done in black and white, which underscores its tone which was rather melancholic and it is an older world in which the characters seem to live in a past that is about to crumble.
It all starts with a match between Fast Eddie (Newman) and Minnesota Fats (Gleason). By the way, the real name of Minnesota Fats was George Hegerman, and the character is based on a real person who looked very much like Gleason. Newman loses and meets a girl in a bus station who is a bit of a drunkard, and since there is a “moral”, this doesn...
The Hustler is a legendary movie about pool with the marvelous atmosphere and rhythms of the movies of the Sixties, when films were beginning to change. Curiously, this film was done in black and white, which underscores its tone which was rather melancholic and it is an older world in which the characters seem to live in a past that is about to crumble.
It all starts with a match between Fast Eddie (Newman) and Minnesota Fats (Gleason). By the way, the real name of Minnesota Fats was George Hegerman, and the character is based on a real person who looked very much like Gleason. Newman loses and meets a girl in a bus station who is a bit of a drunkard, and since there is a “moral”, this doesn...
- 1/8/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Joe Turkel, a prolific actor who appeared in “The Shining” and “Blade Runner” and boasted more than 100 credits to his name, has died at 94 at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.
Turkel was a frequent performer in Stanley Kubrick films; in addition to the seminal 1980 horror flick, he acted in 1956’s “The Killing” and “Paths of Glory” a year later. In “The Shining,” he played the ghoulish bartender named Lloyd at the hotel, opposite star Jack Nicholson. Two years later, he embodied another sinister persona as the eccentric replicant founder Eldon Tyrell in the original “Blade Runner.”
A Brooklyn, New York native, he was born on July 15, 1927. He joined the U.S. Army at age of 17, serving in Europe during World War II. Afterward, he moved to California to pursue acting, and landed his first film credit with “City Across the River” in 1948.
Also Read:
Margaret Keane, Artist Who...
Turkel was a frequent performer in Stanley Kubrick films; in addition to the seminal 1980 horror flick, he acted in 1956’s “The Killing” and “Paths of Glory” a year later. In “The Shining,” he played the ghoulish bartender named Lloyd at the hotel, opposite star Jack Nicholson. Two years later, he embodied another sinister persona as the eccentric replicant founder Eldon Tyrell in the original “Blade Runner.”
A Brooklyn, New York native, he was born on July 15, 1927. He joined the U.S. Army at age of 17, serving in Europe during World War II. Afterward, he moved to California to pursue acting, and landed his first film credit with “City Across the River” in 1948.
Also Read:
Margaret Keane, Artist Who...
- 7/1/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Joe Turkel, who portrayed the haunting bartender in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and the creator of the replicants in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, has died. He was 94.
Turkel died Monday at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, his family announced.
Turkel also appeared in two other Kubrick films: as a gunman in the climactic shootout in The Killing (1956) and as a soldier sent to the firing squad in Paths of Glory (1957), which the lanky Brooklyn-born actor called the greatest film ever made. (Only Philip Stone has appeared in as many as three Kubrick movies.)
For Bert I. Gordon, Turkel appeared as Abu the Genie and as a gangster, respectively, in the 1960 releases The Boy and the Pirates and Tormented. He also played a prisoner of war in Robert Wise’s The Sand Pebbles (1966) and was the real-life bribe...
Joe Turkel, who portrayed the haunting bartender in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and the creator of the replicants in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, has died. He was 94.
Turkel died Monday at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, his family announced.
Turkel also appeared in two other Kubrick films: as a gunman in the climactic shootout in The Killing (1956) and as a soldier sent to the firing squad in Paths of Glory (1957), which the lanky Brooklyn-born actor called the greatest film ever made. (Only Philip Stone has appeared in as many as three Kubrick movies.)
For Bert I. Gordon, Turkel appeared as Abu the Genie and as a gangster, respectively, in the 1960 releases The Boy and the Pirates and Tormented. He also played a prisoner of war in Robert Wise’s The Sand Pebbles (1966) and was the real-life bribe...
- 7/1/2022
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Joe Turkel, a prolific character actor whose indelible performances included roles as the sinister bartender Lloyd in The Shining and the maker of artificial humans in Blade Runner, died Monday, June 27, at St. John’s Hospital. He was 94.
His death was announced by his family, who said he died peacefully with his sons Craig and Robert by his side.
Turkel was born July 15, 1927 in Brooklyn, and at age 17 enlisted in the Merchant Marines and then joined the United States Army and saw active wartime service in Europe. He moved to California in 1947 to pursue an acting career, and the following year landed his first credited film work in City Across the River (1948).
Perhaps best remembered for his work in two major 1980s films – Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) in which he played the ghostly barkeep serving drinks to a deranged Jack Nicholson, and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), in which he played Dr.
His death was announced by his family, who said he died peacefully with his sons Craig and Robert by his side.
Turkel was born July 15, 1927 in Brooklyn, and at age 17 enlisted in the Merchant Marines and then joined the United States Army and saw active wartime service in Europe. He moved to California in 1947 to pursue an acting career, and the following year landed his first credited film work in City Across the River (1948).
Perhaps best remembered for his work in two major 1980s films – Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) in which he played the ghostly barkeep serving drinks to a deranged Jack Nicholson, and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), in which he played Dr.
- 7/1/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Joe Turkel, the prolific character actor well known for his roles in “The Shining” and “Blade Runner,” died at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. on Monday, a representative has confirmed to Variety. He was 94.
A prolific performer with over 100 credits in various films and TV shows, Turkel is best known for his supporting roles in three Stanley Kubrick films, including his first feature “The Killing,” “Paths of Glory” and “The Shining,” where he played the often-parodied role of the ghostly bartender Lloyd. He also had a prominent role in the original 1982 “Blade Runner,” as eccentric replicant creator Eldon Tyrell.
Turkel was born in Brooklyn in 1927, and joined the U.S. Army at age 17, serving in Europe during World War II. Following the war, he moved to California to pursue acting, and landed his first film credit with “City Across the River” in 1948.
Over the course of the next four decades,...
A prolific performer with over 100 credits in various films and TV shows, Turkel is best known for his supporting roles in three Stanley Kubrick films, including his first feature “The Killing,” “Paths of Glory” and “The Shining,” where he played the often-parodied role of the ghostly bartender Lloyd. He also had a prominent role in the original 1982 “Blade Runner,” as eccentric replicant creator Eldon Tyrell.
Turkel was born in Brooklyn in 1927, and joined the U.S. Army at age 17, serving in Europe during World War II. Following the war, he moved to California to pursue acting, and landed his first film credit with “City Across the River” in 1948.
Over the course of the next four decades,...
- 7/1/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
The wrath of rats on film essentially began with 1959’s The Killer Shrews, but more unambiguous depictions first cropped up in the ‘70s. This included Bert I. Gordon’s 1976 adaptation of H. G. Wells’ 1904 book, The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth. Food of the Gods was financially successful by […]
The post ‘Gnaw: Food of the Gods II’ Is B-Movie Perfection and Creature Feature Fun [Horrors Elsewhere] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post ‘Gnaw: Food of the Gods II’ Is B-Movie Perfection and Creature Feature Fun [Horrors Elsewhere] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 7/1/2022
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Bert I. Gordon’s career groove of shrinking and bloating various animals and people bottoms out in this trashy drive-in groaner: it’s colorful but nigh-unwatchable. The exploitation target is sci-fi and the teen musical, with incompatible helpings of pre-teen ‘cutes’ and girlie show jiggle for the raincoat crowd. The show apparently did well, but I heard mostly about resentful walkouts. Gordon’s early films have far more charm; this one mostly shows contempt for his audience. For fans that think there’s Camp value here, the Blu-ray transfer is sensationally good, as is the reproduction of Jack Nitzsche’s rock music score. The only thing to call this movie is Poor, but how can that be when I find so much to say about it?
Village of the Giants
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 81 min. / Street Date February 22, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford,...
Village of the Giants
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 81 min. / Street Date February 22, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford,...
- 2/22/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Juli Reding, an actress known for turns in films including Tormented and Mission in Morocco, along with numerous guest-starring TV appearances, has died. She was 85.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
She died September 16 in Springfield, Mo, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
Reding made more than 20 film and TV appearances between the 1950s and ’80s and was perhaps best known for Tormented, a horror pic from filmmaker and VFX artist Bert I. Gordon. It was featured in the fourth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
In the feature, she portrayed Vi Mason, the former flame of jazz musician Tom Stewart’s (Richard Carlson), who comes back to haunt him after he lets her fall to her death.
Reding signed a contract with Warner Bros. in the 1950s and would appear over the years in motion pictures including The Helen Morgan Story, Cowboy, Darby’s Rangers, Vice Raid,...
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
She died September 16 in Springfield, Mo, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
Reding made more than 20 film and TV appearances between the 1950s and ’80s and was perhaps best known for Tormented, a horror pic from filmmaker and VFX artist Bert I. Gordon. It was featured in the fourth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
In the feature, she portrayed Vi Mason, the former flame of jazz musician Tom Stewart’s (Richard Carlson), who comes back to haunt him after he lets her fall to her death.
Reding signed a contract with Warner Bros. in the 1950s and would appear over the years in motion pictures including The Helen Morgan Story, Cowboy, Darby’s Rangers, Vice Raid,...
- 10/7/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Juli Reding, who starred in the 1960 Bert I. Gordon horror film Tormented as a spurned woman who haunts the man who let her plunge to her death from a lighthouse balcony, has died. She was 85.
Reding died Sept. 16 in Springfield, Missouri, her family announced.
In Allied Artists’ Tormented, directed and co-written by famed horror maestro Gordon, Reding portrayed Vi Mason, the ex-girlfriend of a jazz musician (Richard Carlson) who’s planning to get married. When he refuses her advances, she threatens to blackmail him and ruin his life, which she manages to do as a ghostly apparition who at one ...
Reding died Sept. 16 in Springfield, Missouri, her family announced.
In Allied Artists’ Tormented, directed and co-written by famed horror maestro Gordon, Reding portrayed Vi Mason, the ex-girlfriend of a jazz musician (Richard Carlson) who’s planning to get married. When he refuses her advances, she threatens to blackmail him and ruin his life, which she manages to do as a ghostly apparition who at one ...
- 10/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Juli Reding, who starred in the 1960 Bert I. Gordon horror film Tormented as a spurned woman who haunts the man who let her plunge to her death from a lighthouse balcony, has died. She was 85.
Reding died Sept. 16 in Springfield, Missouri, her family announced.
In Allied Artists’ Tormented, directed and co-written by famed horror maestro Gordon, Reding portrayed Vi Mason, the ex-girlfriend of a jazz musician (Richard Carlson) who’s planning to get married. When he refuses her advances, she threatens to blackmail him and ruin his life, which she manages to do as a ghostly apparition who at one ...
Reding died Sept. 16 in Springfield, Missouri, her family announced.
In Allied Artists’ Tormented, directed and co-written by famed horror maestro Gordon, Reding portrayed Vi Mason, the ex-girlfriend of a jazz musician (Richard Carlson) who’s planning to get married. When he refuses her advances, she threatens to blackmail him and ruin his life, which she manages to do as a ghostly apparition who at one ...
- 10/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A ravenous giant attacks Los Angeles in War of the Colossal Beast, and with the ’50s sci-fi horror film now on Blu-ray from Scream Factory, we've been provided with three copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers!
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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of War of the Colossal Beast.
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
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https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on November 19th. This contest is only open to those who...
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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of War of the Colossal Beast.
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on November 19th. This contest is only open to those who...
- 11/12/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Bert I. Gordon rides again, with an excellent encoding of one of his more popular sci-fi monster-ramas. Pert ‘n’ perky June Kenney is so brave that she keeps going back to ‘that old cave outside of town,’ despite not knowing how many giant spiders are on the loose. Teenagers in their thirties and their bebop-crazy rock ‘n’ roll are no match for Gordon’s titanic, screaming arachnid. This spidey is just plain shifty, the kind of unscrupulous fiend that colors his crayons outside the (matte) lines … in crimson B&w blood! June Kenney’s mom knows her girl only two well: “… I hope she hasn’t gone back to that cave.” With some excellent extras, namely about a million rare behind-the-scenes stills from Tom Weaver.
The Spider
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 73 min. / Earth vs. The Spider / Street Date June 23, 2020
Starring: Ed Kemmer, June Kenney, Gene Persson, Gene Roth,...
The Spider
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 73 min. / Earth vs. The Spider / Street Date June 23, 2020
Starring: Ed Kemmer, June Kenney, Gene Persson, Gene Roth,...
- 6/27/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
For this week’s home media offerings, we have only a few titles on tap for genre fans, as there are only five different titles making their way home on Tuesday. Arrow Video is showing some love to the underappreciated Dream Demon with their new Blu, and Scream Factory is resurrecting The Spider (1958) as well. If you’re into classic horror in three dimensions, you’ll definitely want to pick up the 3D Blu for House of Wax (1953) and two indie horror flicks are arriving on DVD this week as well: Wood Witch and The Haunted.
Dream Demon
A young bride-to-be s anxieties over her upcoming wedding take on a horrifying, demonic form in this underseen 1988 rubber reality shocker from director/co-writer Harley Cokeliss (Black Moon Rising), starring Timothy Spall and Jemma Redgrave.
As her marriage to decorated war hero Oliver draws near, well-heeled Diana moves into her sprawling new...
Dream Demon
A young bride-to-be s anxieties over her upcoming wedding take on a horrifying, demonic form in this underseen 1988 rubber reality shocker from director/co-writer Harley Cokeliss (Black Moon Rising), starring Timothy Spall and Jemma Redgrave.
As her marriage to decorated war hero Oliver draws near, well-heeled Diana moves into her sprawling new...
- 6/23/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
In addition to revealing a Collector's Edition Blu-ray release for John Carpenter's Escape From L.A., Scream Factory is also kicking off a new year of horror home media releases with Blu-ray announcements for The Spider (aka Earth vs. the Spider) and the Hammer films The Curse of the Werewolf, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter, and The Lost Continent.
All four new Blu-rays are due out in April, and while full special features will be revealed at a later time, we have Scream Factory's official announcements and cover art below:
The Curse of the Werewolf Collector's Edition Blu-ray: "Our love for Hammer Films continues into the new year with an upgraded version of The Curse Of The Werewolf! Details we have at this time are as follows:
• National street date for North America (Region A) is 4/21/2020.
• This is being presented as a Collector’s Edition release and will come guaranteed with...
All four new Blu-rays are due out in April, and while full special features will be revealed at a later time, we have Scream Factory's official announcements and cover art below:
The Curse of the Werewolf Collector's Edition Blu-ray: "Our love for Hammer Films continues into the new year with an upgraded version of The Curse Of The Werewolf! Details we have at this time are as follows:
• National street date for North America (Region A) is 4/21/2020.
• This is being presented as a Collector’s Edition release and will come guaranteed with...
- 1/8/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Picture Zsa Zsa Gabor lying dead on the floor of a room as it goes up in flames. Picture her daughter singing a creepy nursery rhyme as she watches. Picture that girl being sent away to a mental facility due to a breakdown, and her subsequent return home to her father and her new stepmom. Picture the teenage girl hearing voices and seeing her dead mother appear throughout the manor. Now I need you to Picture Mommy Dead (1966), Bert I. Gordon (that’s Mr. B.I.G. to you)’s high strung, gothic chiller with a surprising amount to say about family dynamics, psychotic lineage, and their fragile nature.
Released by Embassy Pictures in early November, Picture Mommy Dead (aka Color Mommy Dead) cost a million to make and cruised through the theatres and drive-ins second billed as befitting a B.I.G. release. This just seemed another potboiler designed...
Released by Embassy Pictures in early November, Picture Mommy Dead (aka Color Mommy Dead) cost a million to make and cruised through the theatres and drive-ins second billed as befitting a B.I.G. release. This just seemed another potboiler designed...
- 12/7/2019
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
The Magic Sword
Blu ray
Kino Lorber
1962/ 1:85 / 80 min.
Starring Gary Lockwood, Basil Rathbone, Estelle Winwood
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
Fresh off producing and directing Tormented, a mildly lurid psychological shocker released in 1960, Bert I. Gordon pointed his next film in the direction of the Saturday matinee crowd, a select audience of thrill crazy adolescents who made box office bonanzas out of phantasmagorical entertainments like 7th Voyage of Sinbad. As with most (all?) of Gordon’s work, his eyes were too big for his stomach – the 1962 fairy tale called for Sinbad-sized thrills but Gordon was working with a fraction of Ray Harryhausen’s budget and a two week shooting schedule. If nothing else the director was determined to put up on the screen what was promised on the poster, “The Most Unbelievable Sights Ever Seen” but once again, Mr. Big came up short.
In the run-up to its...
Blu ray
Kino Lorber
1962/ 1:85 / 80 min.
Starring Gary Lockwood, Basil Rathbone, Estelle Winwood
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
Fresh off producing and directing Tormented, a mildly lurid psychological shocker released in 1960, Bert I. Gordon pointed his next film in the direction of the Saturday matinee crowd, a select audience of thrill crazy adolescents who made box office bonanzas out of phantasmagorical entertainments like 7th Voyage of Sinbad. As with most (all?) of Gordon’s work, his eyes were too big for his stomach – the 1962 fairy tale called for Sinbad-sized thrills but Gordon was working with a fraction of Ray Harryhausen’s budget and a two week shooting schedule. If nothing else the director was determined to put up on the screen what was promised on the poster, “The Most Unbelievable Sights Ever Seen” but once again, Mr. Big came up short.
In the run-up to its...
- 11/26/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
The Strange Door
Blu Ray
Kino Lorber
1951 / 1:33:1 / 81 Min.
Starring Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest
Written by Jerry Sackheim
Cinematography by Irving Glassberg
Directed by Joseph Pevney
Charles Laughton is a vengeful aristocrat with a secret in the cellar and Boris Karloff is the family servant who holds the key to The Strange Door. Released in 1951, the Universal International period piece stars Laughton as Alain de Maletroit, a bitter reprobate who lures a fugitive into his castle with the promise of sanctuary in exchange for a wedding vow.
There’s a bright side to that peculiar overture – the mystery bride is de Maletroit’s niece, the prim but pliant Blanche played by the low key seductress Sally Forrest.
Laughton’s convoluted plan is a decades-long effort to corrupt Blanche and humiliate her father, Edmond, the man who stole Blanche’s mother from Laughton years before. The fugitive, Denis de Beaulieu,...
Blu Ray
Kino Lorber
1951 / 1:33:1 / 81 Min.
Starring Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest
Written by Jerry Sackheim
Cinematography by Irving Glassberg
Directed by Joseph Pevney
Charles Laughton is a vengeful aristocrat with a secret in the cellar and Boris Karloff is the family servant who holds the key to The Strange Door. Released in 1951, the Universal International period piece stars Laughton as Alain de Maletroit, a bitter reprobate who lures a fugitive into his castle with the promise of sanctuary in exchange for a wedding vow.
There’s a bright side to that peculiar overture – the mystery bride is de Maletroit’s niece, the prim but pliant Blanche played by the low key seductress Sally Forrest.
Laughton’s convoluted plan is a decades-long effort to corrupt Blanche and humiliate her father, Edmond, the man who stole Blanche’s mother from Laughton years before. The fugitive, Denis de Beaulieu,...
- 4/30/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
It’s big, it buzzes, and it screams like a banshee. So why is the Mantis monster so ho-hum? Universal-International tries to squeak out another boffo big bug epic, but 1957 screens were already crowded with grasshoppers and scorpions — and the screenplay is derivative — and somebody allowed producer William Alland to throw in every stock shot that wasn’t nailed down.
The Deadly Mantis
Blu-ray
1957 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 79 min. / Street Date March 19, 2019 / 27.99
Starring: Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton, Donald Randolph, Pat Conway, Florenz Ames, Paul Smith, Harry Tyler.
Cinematography: Ellis W. Carter, Clifford Stine
Film Editor: Chester Schaeffer
Original Music: Irving Gertz, William Lava, Henry Mancini
Written by Martin Berkeley, William Alland
Produced by William Alland
Directed by Nathan Juran
I grew up partly in the Mojave Desert. Our red ants were aggressive (and they stung!), our grasshoppers big and strong, and our scorpions were as scary as the...
The Deadly Mantis
Blu-ray
1957 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 79 min. / Street Date March 19, 2019 / 27.99
Starring: Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton, Donald Randolph, Pat Conway, Florenz Ames, Paul Smith, Harry Tyler.
Cinematography: Ellis W. Carter, Clifford Stine
Film Editor: Chester Schaeffer
Original Music: Irving Gertz, William Lava, Henry Mancini
Written by Martin Berkeley, William Alland
Produced by William Alland
Directed by Nathan Juran
I grew up partly in the Mojave Desert. Our red ants were aggressive (and they stung!), our grasshoppers big and strong, and our scorpions were as scary as the...
- 3/16/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
He’s back — looking meaner and uglier than ever! Bert I. Gordon’s early sci-fi effort shapes up as a surprisingly entertaining monster thriller with an elemental appeal. And lots of groaning and howling, too. Led by Lon Chaney Jr., the all-name cast keeps things lively. The pop-eyed monster is the ultimate bogeyman for the kiddies. Any movie that inspired as many nightmares as this one did, can’t be bad.
The Cyclops
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1957 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 66 min. / Street Date September 25, 2010 / available through the Warner Archive Collection / 19.95
Starring James Craig, Gloria Talbott, Lon Chaney Jr., Tom Drake, Duncan Parkin, Vincent Padula.
Cinematography Ira Morgan
Film Editor Carlo Lodato
Technical Effects Bert I. Gordon, Flora Gordon
Vocal Effects Paul Frees
Makeup Jack H. Young
Original Music Albert Glasser
Written, Produced and Directed by Bert I. Gordon
The pleasant surprises keep coming, and this time out the Wac...
The Cyclops
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1957 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 66 min. / Street Date September 25, 2010 / available through the Warner Archive Collection / 19.95
Starring James Craig, Gloria Talbott, Lon Chaney Jr., Tom Drake, Duncan Parkin, Vincent Padula.
Cinematography Ira Morgan
Film Editor Carlo Lodato
Technical Effects Bert I. Gordon, Flora Gordon
Vocal Effects Paul Frees
Makeup Jack H. Young
Original Music Albert Glasser
Written, Produced and Directed by Bert I. Gordon
The pleasant surprises keep coming, and this time out the Wac...
- 9/25/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Let’s take a trip back to Bronson Caverns, but with new and better photos! Once you visit this hiding-in-plain-sight Hollywood location, you’ll start seeing it every time you tune into an old movie.
CineSavant Article
The most frequent ‘unknown’ location in film history?
Part of what was cool about moving to Los Angeles in 1970 was realizing that, since the majority of Hollywood movies were filmed locally, just about every interesting sight in the city has been used as a movie location. You don’t have to be ga-ga about movie stars to see the ‘historicity’ in famous locations, or feel saddened when a special place is torn down. The art deco Pan-Pacific Auditorium was one such example. It featured prominently in the King Bros. movie Suspense (1946) and can be glimpsed briefly in the opening of Steve De Jarnatt’s Miracle Mile (1989), which was filmed just before it burned...
CineSavant Article
The most frequent ‘unknown’ location in film history?
Part of what was cool about moving to Los Angeles in 1970 was realizing that, since the majority of Hollywood movies were filmed locally, just about every interesting sight in the city has been used as a movie location. You don’t have to be ga-ga about movie stars to see the ‘historicity’ in famous locations, or feel saddened when a special place is torn down. The art deco Pan-Pacific Auditorium was one such example. It featured prominently in the King Bros. movie Suspense (1946) and can be glimpsed briefly in the opening of Steve De Jarnatt’s Miracle Mile (1989), which was filmed just before it burned...
- 9/8/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“From the land beyond beyond…” — oops, wrong movie. Kerwin Mathews battles Torin Thatcher once again, with Judi Meredith in a stunning double role as both a delicate heroine and her evil counterpart in a magician’s mirror. Plus more stop-motion monsters than one can throw a ten-league boot at! Boy, we’re coining phrases left and right here.
Jack the Giant Killer
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1962 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 94 + 91 min. / Street Date June 12, 2018 / Special Edition / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Kerwin Matthews, Torin Thatcher, Judi Meredith, Walter Burke, Don Beddoe, Barry Kelley, Dayton Lummis, Anna Lee, Roger Mobley, Tudor Owen.
Cinematography: David S. Horsley
Film Editor: Grant Whytock
Special Effects: Augie Lohman (practical), Howard A. Anderson (optical composites), Tim Baar, Wah Chang, Lloyd Vaughan, Gene Warren, Bill Brace, Jim Danforth, Tom Holland, Phil Kellison, David Pal (stop-motion animation).
Original Music: Paul Sawtell, Bert Shefter
Original Music Alternate musical version: musical...
Jack the Giant Killer
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1962 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 94 + 91 min. / Street Date June 12, 2018 / Special Edition / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Kerwin Matthews, Torin Thatcher, Judi Meredith, Walter Burke, Don Beddoe, Barry Kelley, Dayton Lummis, Anna Lee, Roger Mobley, Tudor Owen.
Cinematography: David S. Horsley
Film Editor: Grant Whytock
Special Effects: Augie Lohman (practical), Howard A. Anderson (optical composites), Tim Baar, Wah Chang, Lloyd Vaughan, Gene Warren, Bill Brace, Jim Danforth, Tom Holland, Phil Kellison, David Pal (stop-motion animation).
Original Music: Paul Sawtell, Bert Shefter
Original Music Alternate musical version: musical...
- 6/2/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Man vs. Nature never turns out well in horror; certainly nothing past the ‘50s terrors of looming lizards/shellfish caused by radiation/radiation. And while the ‘70s switched the vibe into eco-horror, the genre never lost sight of the nagging realization that when we push against the elements, they push back hard. So it is with Saul Bass’ Phase IV (1974), a weird and riveting sci-fi thriller that proves (as if it was needed) ants are way smarter than man.
Released in the U.S. in September by Paramount, Phase IV was not a financial success, and only inspired middling critical thought, at best. Lying somewhere between 2001’s cosmic tone poem and a Bert I. Gordon schlocker, audiences chose to ignore the cerebral looking for a visceral experience that isn’t really there; nevertheless, this uneasy mixture results in a unique experience far apart from other When Animals Attack films.
The...
Released in the U.S. in September by Paramount, Phase IV was not a financial success, and only inspired middling critical thought, at best. Lying somewhere between 2001’s cosmic tone poem and a Bert I. Gordon schlocker, audiences chose to ignore the cerebral looking for a visceral experience that isn’t really there; nevertheless, this uneasy mixture results in a unique experience far apart from other When Animals Attack films.
The...
- 5/5/2018
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
All hail Bert I. Gordon, who singlehandedly carved out his own niche in ‘fifties monster folklore, and even won a battle or two against those sharpies at A.I.P.. His puppet people were originally just ‘Fantastic,’ but they had to be made into a menace with the “A” word usually reserved for icky poo Giant Leeches, Crab Monsters and 50-Foot Women.
Attack of the Puppet People
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1958 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 79 min. / The Fantastic Puppet People, Six Inches Tall, I Was a Teenage Doll, War of the Puppet People / Street Date November 14, 2017 / 27.99
Starring: John Agar, John Hoyt, June Kenney, Susan Gordon, Michael Mark, Kack Kosslyn, Marlene Willis, Ken Miller, Laurie Mitchell, Scott Peters, June Jocelyn, Hank Patterson.
Cinematography: Ernest Laszlo
Special Effects: Bert I. Gordon, Flora M. Gordon
Original Music: Albert Glasser
Written by George Worthing Yates
Story, Produced & Directed by Bert I. Gordon
It’s easy...
Attack of the Puppet People
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1958 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 79 min. / The Fantastic Puppet People, Six Inches Tall, I Was a Teenage Doll, War of the Puppet People / Street Date November 14, 2017 / 27.99
Starring: John Agar, John Hoyt, June Kenney, Susan Gordon, Michael Mark, Kack Kosslyn, Marlene Willis, Ken Miller, Laurie Mitchell, Scott Peters, June Jocelyn, Hank Patterson.
Cinematography: Ernest Laszlo
Special Effects: Bert I. Gordon, Flora M. Gordon
Original Music: Albert Glasser
Written by George Worthing Yates
Story, Produced & Directed by Bert I. Gordon
It’s easy...
- 11/18/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Mr. Franz seemed nice at first, but brimming just beneath the surface was a desire to turn his guests into miniature puppets for his own amusement. This unconventional form of entertainment takes center stage in Attack of the Puppet People, and with Scream Factory releasing the 1958 horror film on Blu-ray, we've been provided with three high-def copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.
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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Attack of the Puppet People.
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject "Attack of the Puppet People Contest". Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
---------
Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Attack of the Puppet People.
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject "Attack of the Puppet People Contest". Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
- 11/16/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
A late period entry in director Bert I. Gordon’s (Mr. B.I.G.) lifelong fascination with really big things. Here he tackles giant ants (who in turn tackle people) in a very loose adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel. Produced by the venerable Sam Arkoff for A.I.P., the movie stars Joan Collins and Robert Lansing, both in dire need of a plus-size can of Raid.
- 10/2/2017
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Leapin’ Lizards! The original cavemen vs. dinosaurs saga is a winner — if viewer involvement trumps visual effects, it’s got a narrow lead over the Hammer/Harryhausen remake. Victor Mature, Carole Landis and Lon Chaney Jr. all made career hay out of their weeks spent running in loincloths, out in the desert. And Vci’s new disc is a terrific UCLA Archive restoration.
One Million B.C.
Blu-ray
Vci
1940 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / 80 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 /
Starring: Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Lon Chaney Jr., Conrad Nagel, John Hubbard, Nigel De Brulier, Mamo Clark, Jean Porter, Inez Palange, Edgar Edwards, Jacqueline Dalya, Mary Gale Fisher.
Cinematography: Norbert Brodine
Film Editor: Ray Snyder
Original Music: Werner R. Heymann
Visual Effects: Roy Seawright, Jack Shaw, Frank Young
Written by Mickell Novack, George Baker, Joseph Frickert
Produced and Directed by Hal Roach
In the late 1930s fantasy and science fiction movies were few and far between,...
One Million B.C.
Blu-ray
Vci
1940 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / 80 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 /
Starring: Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Lon Chaney Jr., Conrad Nagel, John Hubbard, Nigel De Brulier, Mamo Clark, Jean Porter, Inez Palange, Edgar Edwards, Jacqueline Dalya, Mary Gale Fisher.
Cinematography: Norbert Brodine
Film Editor: Ray Snyder
Original Music: Werner R. Heymann
Visual Effects: Roy Seawright, Jack Shaw, Frank Young
Written by Mickell Novack, George Baker, Joseph Frickert
Produced and Directed by Hal Roach
In the late 1930s fantasy and science fiction movies were few and far between,...
- 9/12/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Schlock should never be a dirty word in the world of cinema. Some of my favorite films are utterly devoid of taste and frequently, refinement. The majority of drive-in treasures lie somewhere between perspiration and inspiration, covered in flop sweat and trying desperately to entertain. This is often where you’ll find the films distributed by American International Pictures, and always where you’ll see director Bert I. Gordon’s oeuvre. Empire of the Ants (1977) is no exception.
Released by Aip in July and bringing in $2.5 million, Empire was the follow up to Gordon and producer Samuel Z. Arkoff’s success from the previous year, The Food of the Gods, another “loose” H.G. Wells adaptation, and was an even bigger hit (in B.I.G. terms, anyway—everything’s relative, folks). Naturally dismissed by critics, Empire continues the winning Gordon formula of B stars and groovy, goofy, rear projection grisliness.
Released by Aip in July and bringing in $2.5 million, Empire was the follow up to Gordon and producer Samuel Z. Arkoff’s success from the previous year, The Food of the Gods, another “loose” H.G. Wells adaptation, and was an even bigger hit (in B.I.G. terms, anyway—everything’s relative, folks). Naturally dismissed by critics, Empire continues the winning Gordon formula of B stars and groovy, goofy, rear projection grisliness.
- 8/26/2017
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
The wait is over for home media horror fans, as nine new Blu-ray titles were announced for release later this year and in 2018 at Scream Factory's coveted annual Comic-Con panel, including Collector's Edition releases of Drag Me to Hell, The Strangers, and Misery.
From Scream Factory: "We just revealed the following upcoming Scream Factory Blu-ray releases at our Comic Con panel this evening. Here's the line-up that will be coming soon to you in Nov and early 2018:
Silent Night Deadly Night (1984) – Ho Ho Horror! The anti-holiday slasher cult classic favorite is being prepped for release before Christmas.
Misery (Collector’s Edition) (1990) – Hide the sledgehammers! Stephen King and Rob Reiner’s iconic classic receives the deluxe treatment it rightfully deserves.
Drag Me To Hell (Collector’s Edition) (2009) – We go more in-depth into Sam Raimi’s wildly-entertaining and wicked soul-cursing hit film.
The Strangers (Collector’s Edition) (2008) – One of...
From Scream Factory: "We just revealed the following upcoming Scream Factory Blu-ray releases at our Comic Con panel this evening. Here's the line-up that will be coming soon to you in Nov and early 2018:
Silent Night Deadly Night (1984) – Ho Ho Horror! The anti-holiday slasher cult classic favorite is being prepped for release before Christmas.
Misery (Collector’s Edition) (1990) – Hide the sledgehammers! Stephen King and Rob Reiner’s iconic classic receives the deluxe treatment it rightfully deserves.
Drag Me To Hell (Collector’s Edition) (2009) – We go more in-depth into Sam Raimi’s wildly-entertaining and wicked soul-cursing hit film.
The Strangers (Collector’s Edition) (2008) – One of...
- 7/22/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
It creeps and leaps and slides and glides along the wall… and then it eats your face, dude. Mario Bava and Riccardo Freda’s ultimate monster mastication epic now looks sensationally gory, thanks to a full restoration. Arrow’s disc has pretty much everything, including two transfers and two audio commentaries. And Savant has a guilty admission to make — it was the tripe, the whole tripe, and nothing but the tripe.
Caltiki, The Immortal Monster
Blu-ray + DVD
Arrow Video USA
1959 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 76 min. / Caltiki, il mostro immortale / Street Date April 11, 2017 / Available from Arrow Video / 39.95
Starring: John Merivale, Didi Sullivan (Perego), Gérard Haerter, Daniela Rocca, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Daniele Vargas, Arturo Dominici, Gay Pearl
Cinematography: John Foam (Mario Bava)
Special Effects: Mario Bava
Film Editor: Mario Serandrei
Original Music: Roberto Nicolosi
Written by Filippo Sanjust
Produced by Bruno Vailati
Directed by Robert Hamton (Riccardo Freda) & Mario Bava
Who says that Blu-ray is dying?...
Caltiki, The Immortal Monster
Blu-ray + DVD
Arrow Video USA
1959 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 76 min. / Caltiki, il mostro immortale / Street Date April 11, 2017 / Available from Arrow Video / 39.95
Starring: John Merivale, Didi Sullivan (Perego), Gérard Haerter, Daniela Rocca, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Daniele Vargas, Arturo Dominici, Gay Pearl
Cinematography: John Foam (Mario Bava)
Special Effects: Mario Bava
Film Editor: Mario Serandrei
Original Music: Roberto Nicolosi
Written by Filippo Sanjust
Produced by Bruno Vailati
Directed by Robert Hamton (Riccardo Freda) & Mario Bava
Who says that Blu-ray is dying?...
- 4/22/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Good neighbor policy? Wartime exigencies inspired an intra-hemisphere cultural exchange, with the movies seizing on the new popularity of Latin music. Republic’s contribution gives us the great songs of Ady Barroso and a full soundtrack of his compositions — in a featherweight musical romance, of course.
Brazil
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1944 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 91 min. / Street Date December 6, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring Tito Guízar, Virginia Bruce, Edward Everett Horton, Robert Livingston, Veloz and Yolanda, Fortunio Bonanova, Richard Lane, Frank Puglia, Aurora Miranda, Billy Daniel, Dan Seymour, Roy Rogers.
Cinematography Jack A. Marta
Film Editor Fred Allen
Songs Ary Barroso, Hoagy Carmichael
Written by Frank Gill Jr., Laura Kerr, Richard English
Produced by Robert North
Directed by Joseph Santley
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
The wartime ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ was a P.R. blitz intended to steer South America toward the U.S. and away from the Axis.
Brazil
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1944 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 91 min. / Street Date December 6, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring Tito Guízar, Virginia Bruce, Edward Everett Horton, Robert Livingston, Veloz and Yolanda, Fortunio Bonanova, Richard Lane, Frank Puglia, Aurora Miranda, Billy Daniel, Dan Seymour, Roy Rogers.
Cinematography Jack A. Marta
Film Editor Fred Allen
Songs Ary Barroso, Hoagy Carmichael
Written by Frank Gill Jr., Laura Kerr, Richard English
Produced by Robert North
Directed by Joseph Santley
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
The wartime ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ was a P.R. blitz intended to steer South America toward the U.S. and away from the Axis.
- 12/10/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Sometimes in horror, a giant creature will do. It takes us back to a simpler time, I think. A time when an oversized spider, or a massive lizard sparked shuttered eyes at the Drive-In or local theatre. It feels almost like a cleansing; a reset of the scare-o-meter back to the innocent levels of the Saturday matinee. And if you were a kid in the ‘70s, Bert I. Gordon’s The Food of the Gods (1976) fit the bill nicely.
Released in June by Aip stateside, and then rolled out across the world in ’77, Food brought in $1 million at the gate (good revenue by Aip standards) and the reviews were, not surprisingly, as low grade as the budget. But hey, legendary schlockmeister Gordon did not survive the biz on good copy. And what kind of reviews would you expect from a movie that features giant chickens, gargantuan rats, and Marjoe Gortner?...
Released in June by Aip stateside, and then rolled out across the world in ’77, Food brought in $1 million at the gate (good revenue by Aip standards) and the reviews were, not surprisingly, as low grade as the budget. But hey, legendary schlockmeister Gordon did not survive the biz on good copy. And what kind of reviews would you expect from a movie that features giant chickens, gargantuan rats, and Marjoe Gortner?...
- 6/18/2016
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
What horrors will we find on the planet Yoo-rah-nuss? A cyclopean dinosaur? Nasty spider monsters? A megalomaniac cerebellum that can turn our X-rated sex fantasies into flesh and blood people? Let's go! Sid Pink's flashy and slightly idiotic adventure stars space cadet John Agar as an average guy willing to have sex with a phantom from his own imagination. Say, doesn't Woody Allen make dirty jokes about that? Journey to the Seventh Planet Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1962 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 77 min. / Street Date April 5, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring John Agar, Carl Ottosen, Ann Smyrner, Greta Thyssen, Peter Monch, Ove Sprogoe, Louis Miehe-Renard, Ulla Moritz, Mimi Heinrich, Annie Birgit Garde. Cinematography Aage Wiltrup Visual Effects Krogh, Wah Chang, Jim Danforth, Ronny Scheemmel. Art Director Otto Lund Editor Tove Palsbo Original Music Jerry Capeheart, Ib Glindemann, Mitchell Tableporte Written by Ib Melchior & Sid Pink Produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff & Sid Pink...
- 4/2/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It's a TV movie graduated to feature status, with four imagination-challenged tales of terror. The script has lots of variety -- a video game possessed by the devil, a truck possessed by the devil, and lastly, a rat possessed by the devil! But the roster of actors is attractive -- Cristina Raines, Emilio Estevez, Lance Henricksen, Veronica Cartwright and Richard Masur. Nightmares Blu-ray Scream Factory 1983 / Color / 1:78 widescreen + 1:33 TV flat / 99 min. / Street Date December 22, 2015 / 29.99 Starring Cristina Raines, Anthony James, Lee Ving; Emilio Estevez, Moon Unit Zappa, Billy Jayne, Gary Carlos Cervantes; Lance Henriksen, Tony Plana, Timothy Scott; Richard Masur, Veronica Cartwright, Bridgette Andersen, Albert Hague. Cinematography Mario DeLeo, Gerald Perry Finnerman Film Editor Michael Brown, Rod Stephens Production Design Dean Edward Mitzner Original Music Craig Safan Written by Christopher Crowe, Jeffrey Bloom Produced by Christopher Crowe Directed by Joseph Sargent
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Nightmares is a low-wattage '...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Nightmares is a low-wattage '...
- 1/4/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Review by Sam Moffitt
Being the first is not always a good thing. Many ground breaking artists who introduce something new into the cultural mix do not always fare well after they have changed the rules and the game. Take, just as one example, Orson Welles who changed forever how movies were made as well as radio drama and stage productions. Although Welles made out better than Maila Nurmi, also known as Vampira, the subject of the incredible and unforgettable documentary Vampira and Me.
H Greene first got to know Maila Nurmi when he interviewed her for a documentary called Schlock! The Secret History of Hollywood, (a good documentary in its own right.) Nurmi had grown distrustful of just about everyone, and with good reason. Yet for reasons Greene doesn’t even speculate on she trusted Greene and gave him almost two hours of interview time and discussed every last moment of her bizarre,...
Being the first is not always a good thing. Many ground breaking artists who introduce something new into the cultural mix do not always fare well after they have changed the rules and the game. Take, just as one example, Orson Welles who changed forever how movies were made as well as radio drama and stage productions. Although Welles made out better than Maila Nurmi, also known as Vampira, the subject of the incredible and unforgettable documentary Vampira and Me.
H Greene first got to know Maila Nurmi when he interviewed her for a documentary called Schlock! The Secret History of Hollywood, (a good documentary in its own right.) Nurmi had grown distrustful of just about everyone, and with good reason. Yet for reasons Greene doesn’t even speculate on she trusted Greene and gave him almost two hours of interview time and discussed every last moment of her bizarre,...
- 9/7/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Tomorrow, Scream Factory's unleashing respective double feature Blu-rays of The Food of the Gods and Frogs, and Empire of the Ants and Jaws of Satan. We've been provided with three Blu-ray copies of each double feature to give away to Daily Dead readers.
The Food Of The Gods
"Legendary director Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People) – the father of the "gigantic creature" genre – delivers this spine-tingling tale of ecology gone berserk. Based on H.G. Wells' classic horror novel, The Food of the Gods predicts a terrifying future where oversized animals are suddenly at the top of the food chain and ready to take over!
On a remote island, a mysterious substance is oozing from the ground. A farmer sees that it acts as a growth hormone and thinks his fortune is made. But when rats, chickens, worms and wasps begin sampling the potent substance,...
The Food Of The Gods
"Legendary director Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People) – the father of the "gigantic creature" genre – delivers this spine-tingling tale of ecology gone berserk. Based on H.G. Wells' classic horror novel, The Food of the Gods predicts a terrifying future where oversized animals are suddenly at the top of the food chain and ready to take over!
On a remote island, a mysterious substance is oozing from the ground. A farmer sees that it acts as a growth hormone and thinks his fortune is made. But when rats, chickens, worms and wasps begin sampling the potent substance,...
- 5/26/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
With Memorial Day behind us and summer just right around the corner, the horror and sci-fi home releases are really begin to heat up as we’ve got a bunch of great cult classics and new indie genre films to look forward to this Tuesday. Scream Factory is giving fans a double dose of double features with their The Food of the Gods/Frogs and Empire of the Ants/Jaws of Satan Blu-rays and we’ve also got the latest from Dark Sky Films- Let Us Prey- arriving on both Blu-ray and DVD on May 26th.
Anchor Bay is also bringing home Spike Lee’s Da Sweet Blood of Jesus this week, Vinegar Syndrome is giving the cult film Madman a high-def upgrade and Universal is keeping busy as well with their releases of Seventh Son, The Loft and the Orson Welles classic Touch of Evil too.
Anchor Bay is also bringing home Spike Lee’s Da Sweet Blood of Jesus this week, Vinegar Syndrome is giving the cult film Madman a high-def upgrade and Universal is keeping busy as well with their releases of Seventh Son, The Loft and the Orson Welles classic Touch of Evil too.
- 5/26/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Animal horror was big in the 1970s, and it’s not just the fault of Jaws. Environmental concerns carrying over from the previous decade were seeping into the American consciousness and, by extension, the American genre film.
Pesticides, pollution and ever-increasing concerns about nuclear power funneled their way into a slew of eco-horror movies in which mankind’s incessant tampering with the environment led Mother Nature to retaliate in the form killer animals, insects and fish, often mutated to gigantic size and always ready to kill. Titles like Grizzly and Night of the Lepus and Kingdom of the Spiders and The Swarm were de rigueur for ‘70s horror, and while the genre has never really gone away — every year sees a few new killer animal films (and that’s not counting the SyFy Channel nonsense like Crocosaurus) — it reached its zenith during that decade. Now as part of their Summer of Fear,...
Pesticides, pollution and ever-increasing concerns about nuclear power funneled their way into a slew of eco-horror movies in which mankind’s incessant tampering with the environment led Mother Nature to retaliate in the form killer animals, insects and fish, often mutated to gigantic size and always ready to kill. Titles like Grizzly and Night of the Lepus and Kingdom of the Spiders and The Swarm were de rigueur for ‘70s horror, and while the genre has never really gone away — every year sees a few new killer animal films (and that’s not counting the SyFy Channel nonsense like Crocosaurus) — it reached its zenith during that decade. Now as part of their Summer of Fear,...
- 5/22/2015
- by Patrick Bromley
- DailyDead
On May 26th, Scream Factory's unleashing nature-gone-wrong creature features, including the killer amphibians from Frogs, the giant rats from The Food of the Gods, the killer ants of Empire of the Ants, and the creepy king cobra from Jaws of Satan.
The Food Of The Gods
"Legendary director Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People) – the father of the "gigantic creature" genre – delivers this spine-tingling tale of ecology gone berserk. Based on H.G. Wells' classic horror novel, The Food of the Gods predicts a terrifying future where oversized animals are suddenly at the top of the food chain and ready to take over!
On a remote island, a mysterious substance is oozing from the ground. A farmer sees that it acts as a growth hormone and thinks his fortune is made. But when rats, chickens, worms and wasps begin sampling the potent substance, they morph into bloodthirsty giants!
The Food Of The Gods
"Legendary director Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People) – the father of the "gigantic creature" genre – delivers this spine-tingling tale of ecology gone berserk. Based on H.G. Wells' classic horror novel, The Food of the Gods predicts a terrifying future where oversized animals are suddenly at the top of the food chain and ready to take over!
On a remote island, a mysterious substance is oozing from the ground. A farmer sees that it acts as a growth hormone and thinks his fortune is made. But when rats, chickens, worms and wasps begin sampling the potent substance, they morph into bloodthirsty giants!
- 5/18/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Long before he co-starred as James Dalton's memorable mentor and friend in Road House, Sam Elliott took on killer amphibians in 1972's Frogs, and with Scream Factory offering up two double doses of nature-gone-wrong creature features, Frogs is invading homes on Blu-ray this May along with the giant rats of The Food of the Gods, the killer ants of Empire of the Ants, and the creepy king cobra from Jaws of Satan.
Press release - "This spring, nature strikes back! On May 26, 2015 Scream Factory presents Food of the Gods and Frogs, two nature-gone-berserk shockers on Blu-ray for the first time. This release comes complete with bonus features, including new interviews with the films’ stars Belinda Balaski and Joan Van Ark.
The Food Of The Gods
Legendary director Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People) – the father of the "gigantic creature" genre – delivers this spine-tingling tale of ecology gone berserk.
Press release - "This spring, nature strikes back! On May 26, 2015 Scream Factory presents Food of the Gods and Frogs, two nature-gone-berserk shockers on Blu-ray for the first time. This release comes complete with bonus features, including new interviews with the films’ stars Belinda Balaski and Joan Van Ark.
The Food Of The Gods
Legendary director Bert I. Gordon (The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People) – the father of the "gigantic creature" genre – delivers this spine-tingling tale of ecology gone berserk.
- 4/1/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
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