Reviews

Indeed this is a vampiric version of SHADOW OF A DOUBT. Nonetheless it is a fun romp and a tremendous performance by Francis Lederer as Count Dracula who has assumed the identity of Belloq Gordal, a Hungarian visiting his Southern California family. There is a wonderful "Dies Irae" score by Gerald Fried and excellent performances and atmosphere throughout. There is a color insert shot of the staking of a vampire woman that is also fun. This film is another in the Fifties canon of cult horror which deserves classic status of sorts. One can almost imagine Joseph Cotten in the titular role, though. The comparison between this film and SHADOW will be obvious, but who cares?

I had the distinct good fortune to see L'ARMATA BRANCALEONE at the UCLA Film Archive many years ago, back in the Eighties. Barbara Steele is breathlessly at her best form in the Gassman/S & M fantasy sequences where the two go about lashing each other with whips. "Frustami" was a word used many times. Her costumes were sensational and it's worth a look just for this segment alone. Sexy! Steele! Don't miss an opportunity to see this: it is rare as dragon's teeth. Another feather in the cap of all the UCLA film people and its Italian Department!

This documentary evokes the finest memories of the Second Golden Age of Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film of the Fifties & Sixties. Along with Hammer Films of the UK and various efforts (mainly in Italy) AIP were churning out little miracles which kept many Baby Boomers scared half out of our wits with delicious little nightmares. There is one problem with the documentary: it is too short and the omission of Vincent Price and the Roger Corman cycle of Poe films is criminal negligence. All of the personalities interviewed are splendid: David Del Valle ushers in the psychedelic direction of AIP in the late Sixties and other film scholars and the surviving actors and actresses are right there giving their added insights. A must anyway! Kudos to all who did this, but an extra 30 minutes devoted to the Poe cycle and perhaps a bit more about Mario Bava or a few comments by Italo horror queen Barbara Steele would have been stellar. Exceptional, entertaining, insightful documentary thanks to the people at Planet Grande!

Currently I'm taking a Film Noir class in college and I must say this is one fine piece of work. Ida Lupino is so overwhelming there are no words to express it but Richard Widmark is surely the finest actor in Noir! He was soooooooo creepy - a real human monster. The fight scene in the bar was hysterically funny though. It looked like it had been lifted out of a Western. Cornel Wilde was also sensational and I wish I'd seen this before meeting him years ago.

GIANT OF METROPOLIS is pure unadulterated camp fun! Seconding the motion & comments by The Vid of Colorado Springs, this sword and sandal Italian import from the Sixties has just been released on DVD at long last. This was one of my childhood faves and showcases blond hunk Gordon Mitchell, sets by Bava protege Giorgio Giovannini, wild Sodomite dancing, feathered dancers, magnetic death rays, costumes right out of PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES, and this is a must-see for all lovers of Italian sci-fi! Pure guilty pleasure at its best!

Simply stated this tale of vampirism set in Texas is forever enthroned in gothic glory forever! Adrian Pasdar is beyond compare as the breathtaking hero pitted against the full-throttle forces of Darkness to which he succumbs. REQUIRED VIEWING FOR ALL LOVERS OF VAMPIRE CINEMA. Original material, splendid direction by Bigelow, incomparable ensemble acting, exhilarating and best of all, fun. Classic, classic, classic.

Very simply the most hysterical of all his Mutuals! Charlie is not only inebriated throughout his stay in rehab but makes sure everyone in the place gets crocked too! A masterpiece! A riot! You'll laugh until you wet your pants!

LION OF THEBES is the story of Aryan (Mark Forest), a bodyguard who has saved the life of Helen of Troy (a delicious portrayal by the ever-beautiful Yvonne Furneaux) as the Greeks sack the fabled city. Their flight leads them to the deserts of Egypt and finally to Thebes. There Pharoah Ramses goes mad for Helen and decides his intended bride (the wonderful Rosalba Neri) is no longer good enough for him. There is much court intrigue, an assassination, which naturally culminates in Helen being blamed for the whole mess. The true guilty parties attempt to put her to death but Aryan saves the day. This film could have used several hundred more extras but everything considered is not a bad peplum at all. Mark Forest considered this his best film and he certainly is good. The color is dazzling as are the lighting schemes and cinematography. These Italian sword and sandal epics are in serious need of re-evaluation because they certainly do not deserve the critical beatings they took in the Sixties. Worthy of a viewing by anyone who enjoys this genre.

REPTILICUS (1961) was a nifty idea back in the Sixties. In northernmost Scandinavia the tail of a prehistoric lizard is discovered and brought back to Copenhagen for study. Through a series of events, the tail regenerates into a full-sized dragon/dinosaur/reptilian lifeform. The creature is given the name "Reptilicus." The serpentine saurian goes on a spree destroying the Danish capital and spewing glowing gobs of yellow-green vomit all over the place. Not bad sci-fi from an unlikely country. Kids and young adults may love Reptilicus (no fearsome monster here but I think he looks better than all this computer-generated crap on the big screen now) and the story is perfectly middle-of-the-road fare. Nice color, good photography, not bad all the way around. REPTILICUS hardly deserves the critical bashing it generally gets and in this critic's estimation, it's a little above average in entertainment.

THE SHE-CREATURE (1956) is certainly one of the more interesting monsterific creations of Paul Blaisdell but the film suffers from a pace slower than death itself and characters as cardboard as a Hallmark card. The idea is perhaps lifted from the Bridey Murphy story wherein a woman is placed under a major hypnotic trance and made to revert to former lives. In this one, the heroine goes all the way back to her prehistoric past and becomes the title creature, complete with scales, Stone Age hooters, a tail and back with Godzilla-like plates. THE SHE-CREATURE must be seen to be believed. This is American-International Pictures, which cranked out a lot of great matinee fun but this monster just about tops them all. A hopelessly inept Chester Morris is terrible as the hypnotist and the cast proceeds at a funereal pace. See it for the monster, it's the only reason to bother!

CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN (1958) is little more than a low-budget rehash of "The Mummy" story set in Griffith Park Observatory doubling as the Museo di Pompeii and Malibu locations doubling as the Bay of Naples. Though the film clocks in at sixty-three or so minutes FACELESS MAN plods along at a snail's pace. Quintillus Aurelius is an Etruscan buried in the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius who returns to the 1950's to reclaim his lost love (who has superhuman lung power - when this girl screams, she SCREAMS!) Not completely without charm but not a memorable moment in horror film history either. With Richard Anderson (FORBIDDEN PLANET, SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN) and Wolf Barzell (FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER). This flick is probably best enjoyed by Baby Boomers who were frightened by it as kids.

BLOODLUST! (1961) is yet another retelling of "Most Dangerous Game" with a lackluster cast and inferior production values. The mostly youthful actors and actresses are terrible and turn in cardboard performances. There is one exception, however, and that is Wilton Graff as Belleau, a latter-day Count Zaroff wielding a crossbow to dispatch his victims on the remote island. Graff gives a very fey performance (imagine what Vincent Price could have done with this one!) as he stalks his prey and includes them in his tableaux of trophies and macabre death scenes. He chews scenery but at least attempts to raise the level of this hopeless mess which is why this effort isn't a complete waste. Beware the substandard print by Madacy Entertainment on a double-feature DVD which is accompanied by ATOM AGE VAMPIRE. Cast includes Robert Reed, June Kenney, Joan Lora, Eugene Persson, Walter Brooke and Lilyan Chauvin.

ERCOLE AL CENTRO DELLA TERRA (1961) was one of Mario Bava's most fantasmagorical attempts at retelling the myths and legends of ancient times. Reg Park portrays the muscle-bound hero who is sent to the Underworld of Pluto to recover a magic apple to cure his love, the flaxen-haired Dianeira. Christopher Lee is the villainous Lyco, a sort of vampire/evil force in one of his best performances of the Sixties. Mario Bava's cinematography is dazzling with the entire spectrum of colors, fog and atmosphere that made him famous. Lee's resurrection of vampires in this film is bone-chilling and top-notch in terror. There is some annoying comedy relief involving Hercules' partners and some living stone creatures but overall this is second only to the two Steve Reeves films HERCULES and HERCULES UNCHAINED (Bava also worked behind-the-scenes on these). A cinematic treat for lovers of peplum, Bava and Sixties spectacle.

This minor but interesting entry in the Italian Gothic/horror genre is a first in that no film had ever dealt before with the subject of necrophilia. Set in London in 1885, Robert Flemyng portrays Dr. Bernard Hichcock who kills off his first wife, digs her up for a little body worship, then marries the ever-ravishing Barbara Steele. Harriet White Medin is perfect as the spooky housekeeper with an ample supply of nasty secrets and protectress of the demented doctor. Flemyng, Steele & White Medin are quite a terror-ific trio and this flick is lots of fun. Beware of the truncated, rather mutilated American version known as THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK. The dictatorial director Riccardo Freda was responsible for making this film on a bet in just a few days but it doesn't show. HICHCOCK benefits from superb Technicolor and some nice locales and art direction. Even the castle mascot is a black cat named Jess-Belle. Required viewing for all fans of Barbara Steele as it is among her best Italian work. Freda was only equal or better with his work on I VAMPIRI and CALTIKI, IL MOSTRO IMMORTALE.

DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936), sequel to Universal Pictures original 1931 masterpiece with Bela Lugosi, is a triumph of atmosphere and style. Gloria Holden portrays the ill-fated Countess Marya Zaleska with just the right amount of kink to keep the tale interesting. Zaleska's decided penchant for female victims was quite ahead of its time with suggested lesbianism, and her scenes with the abducted model (Nan Gray) are among Universal's finest moments. Additionally the scene in which she cremates the body of her undead father on a pyre as she elevates a simple cross is staggeringly beautiful gothic poetry. Irving Pichel is both classy and creepy at the same time as her manservant, Sandor. The remainder of the cast (Marguerite Churchill, Otto Kruger and Edward Van Sloan) is stellar. Castle Dracula is reproduced at the end of the film in all its cobwebbed splendor. The photography and art direction on DAUGHTER are breathtaking. If only Lugosi himself had appeared in flashback!

THREE FACES OF FEAR (aka BLACK SABBATH) is one of the great anthology horror films of all time starring Boris Karloff as the host connecting three stories. "The Drop of Water" segment is genuinely the best of the terror trio in which a psychic medium comes back from the dead to retake a small ring, her personal property. To say the reanimated corpse will make the viewer s*** his pants is understatement indeed. Karloff himself stars in the final tale "The Wurdalak," a story in which he returns to his family a "changed man" after hunting down and killing a marauding vampire/bandit. The only reason I rated this film a 9 is due to "The Telephone" story which is very tepid stuff even for a Bavaphile like myself. All overt lesbianism in "The Telephone" is removed from the American version but even in the complete Italian version is no great shakes as a story. Mario Bava considered this his finest film, however, I believe it takes a backseat to BLACK SUNDAY under any circumstances. BLACK SABBATH is bone-chilling to this day and quite well-written considering the number of scenarists involved. Masterfully photographed, rich in neon and subdued colors with atmosphere, fog and thunderstorms galore. A must-see!

HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945) would be the last gasp from Universal Pictures monsterfests. The shamelessly hammy John Carradine reprises his role as Dracula, the ever-self-pitying Lon Chaney Jr. stars as Lawrence Talbot, and Glenn Strange moves about in yet another robotic performance as the Frankenstein Monster. The only reason to watch this flick is to enjoy Onslow Stevens' performance as Dr. Edelman (he becomes a vampire) and to take in neat bat transformations and trick effects by John P. Fulton. Too bad the brains at Universal couldn't cook up anything better during the Forties, a decade of fast decline for their monster series. HOUSE OF DRACULA clocks in at 67 minutes and feels like 167! At least three years later in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN would Bela Lugosi retake his signature role (okay, so I can't stand Carradine and think the man was HUGELY overrated) and the script for the comedy works. HOUSE OF DRACULA is neither bad nor good, great fare for insomniacs!

With the release of HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944) Universal Pictures truly hit rock bottom in this mishmash of wasted talent. Karloff appears as Professor Lampini who brings Dracula (the ever annoying John Carradine) back to life while Lon Chaney Jr. & Glenn Strange "liven" things up on the back lot. Chaney Jr. could be a fine actor when he wanted to be and his performances in THE WOLF MAN, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN and again in GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN are quite exceptional. However, there must be a good script to begin with, something Universal was lacking in this effort. The Frankenstein Monster is merely a robotic creature and Chaney Jr.'s Wolf Man is thrown into the stew. This is one of Universal's biggest misfires ever, and my vote for the worst of all the Universal horrors (if one throws in some of the Mummy sequels). Not even my nostalgia for Universal's Golden Age makes this palatable. Special effects are neat (bat transformations, man to werewolf makeups) but not enough to save this disaster.

ERIK THE CONQUEROR is a superb Viking saga set in the year 786 off the rocky coast of the British Isles. Anglo-Saxon protectors have vanquished the Scandinavian hordes with utter treachery & ferocity led by the evil Duke Helfort (a villainous portrayal by Andrea Checchi). Two tiny blond boys, Aaron & Erik, are left floundering on the sandy beach. One of them (Erik) is taken away by the English Queen (he lovely Francoise Christophe). The other, Aaron, is left to be raised by fellow Norsemen. The two boys bear identical dragon tatooes. Twenty years later the Vikings decide to avenge themselves, led by the now-adult Aaron (Cameron Mitchell at his finest!) Erik (Giorgio Ardisson at his finest!) has been crowned monarch of England and must face the feared Vikings for supremacy. Though Helfort is somewhat older he still covets power and attempts to sway the outcome of the final battle in his favor. Mario Bava is at his best as director and cinematographer in this, his first film since the celebrated BLACK SUNDAY. Art direction on this film is outstanding with sets basking virtually in golds, neon crimsons, icy cobalt blues and forest greens (color by Technicolor!) In an interview with the distinguished film historian David Del Valle, Cameron Mitchell related many stories about the making of ERIK along with declaring Bava's genius at trick photographic effects. Required viewing for Bavaphiles and aficionados of epic cinema. Dazzling!

ERIK THE CONQUEROR (aka THE INVADERS) was Mario Bava's second directorial assignment after his meteoric success with BLACK SUNDAY (aka MASK OF THE DEMON/LA MASCHERA DEL DEMONIO (1960). ERIK THE CONQUEROR is a tale of intrigue and treachery between Viking forces and the Anglo-Saxon defenders of the British Isles in the year 786 A.D. The story begins as two children are separated from each other during a fierce battle. One of the two is taken and raised by Queen Alice (the stately & beautiful Francoise Christophe) and the other child remains with his Viking people. Both bear tatoos which identify them as brothers. They grow up to face each other in battle but have been tricked by Rutford (a deliciously evil portrayal by Andrea Checchi), a scheming English noble who intends to take the throne he covets for himself. Art direction alone is dazzling with phospherescent hues of crimson, gold, emerald & cobalt blue. There are many macabre touches courtesy of Bava, and in an interview with noted film historian David Del Valle, Cameron Mitchell marvelled at Bava's mastery of trick photography and flawless cinematographic style. Mitchell gives one of his finest performances here as Aaron, the Viking and Giorgio Ardisson is splendid as Erik, his brother and King/defender of Britain. The golden, flaxen beauty of Alice & Ellen Kessler is used o good effect here as the eventual lovers of Erik and Aaron. A must-see for Bava worshippers and required viewing for epic aficionados!

Mario Bava, fresh from the overnight success of BLACK SUNDAY the previous year, emerges as a master of epic cinema in this Viking tale. Brilliant use of color hues and outstanding art direction distinguish this saga of twins separated as young boys during a battle between Anglo-Saxon hordes and Scandinavia's feared Viking tribes. Giorgio Ardisson portrays Erik and imbues his character with great nobility as he rises to fight against the Norsemen led by his brother Aaron (splendidly cast Cameron Mitchell). Andrea Checchi (Dr. Kruvajan in BLACK SUNDAY) is also tremendous as the evil Rutford, the scheming villain in this piece who wishes to use both forces to his own gain and place himself upon a throne he does not deserve. In an unforgettable interview with film historian David Del Valle commented that this film was made on a tiny budget but one would never surmise this from the rich texture and tenor of this major Bava opus. Macabre touches and phospherent Bava lighting place this work in a class by itself. The Kessler twins are used to superior advantage here and Francoise Christophe appears as the dignified and lovely Queen of the British Isles. A must-see for all lovers of The Maestro and for aficionados of epic cinema.

CURSE OF THE DEMON aka NIGHT OF THE DEMON is a relentless celebration of the Black Arts and doubtlessly (along with BLACK SUNDAY and HORROR OF DRACULA) among the finest European horror films of all time. Niall MacGuinness is outstanding as Karswell, a practitioner of magick and is as frightening as The Dark Angel Himself. In this he gives the performance of a lifetime, especially diabolical as a clown at a children's party when he summons the elements and commands a thunderstorm to occur. Dana Andrews is not to be overlooked as his nemesis in this story, and by his own admission once considered it one of the favorite roles of his career. This film has everything: Stonehenge, people killed by mysteriously dark circumstances, seances, and finally a horned Demon straight from a medieval woodcut who breaks loose and wrecks havoc and goes on a murderous rampage. A stellar cinematic treasure and a primer for any aspiring writer or director of this genre. Jacques Tourneur's greatest achievement since his days with Val Lewton. Superb black & white cinematography, an eleven on a scale of one to ten!

VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE was pretty scary stuff when I first saw it as a kid in 1962. A few years ago I picked the original Japanese version and the must say it proceeds at a ponderous pace and is much longer than the Crown International Pictures release. There are more battle scenes and Varan even flies in the Japanese version. The American distributor shortened the film considerably and added scenes with Myron Healey and maybe even Tsuruko Kobayashi. The monster is a neat-looking reptilian creature that one critic referred to as appearing like "a squirrel with jet propelled nuts." In any event, not bad stuff but it's not great either. For better Japanese sci-fi GODZILLA, RODAN, ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE and THE MYSTERIANS are much better. But VARAN deserves a break and was never seen again (except for a brief appearance in one of the GHIDRAH sequels). VARAN was meant for television release originally but never made it. See it anyway for its fun moments, and there are a few. With Katsumi Tezuka in a rubber suit as Varan. Also, catch the original Japanese version if you can!

LA VERGINE DI NORIMBERGA is one of those unforgettable classics in the Italian horror canon. The film benefits from beautiful color cinematography and art direction, a spooky castle dungeon filled with grim implements of torture, the sexy Rosanna Podesta running around, the handsome blond Georges Riviere (fresh from Margheriti's LA DANZA MACABRA), the towering presence of Christopher Lee as the family manservant bearing a scarred visage and finally Mirko Valentin as the crazed killer and family patriarch. The jazz score by Riz Ortolani is fantastic (it's available on CD) and one of his best ever. The film may be a bit slow by the standards of today's audiences but was a real chiller back in the mid-sixties when it came out. In my opinion it's the best of Antonio Margheriti's films because it's a bit more coherent and better scripted that most of the rest. Also a delight for Christopher Lee fans as this was during the most fertile period of his career.