Monday, June 30, 2008

THE COSMIC MAN - Paul Sawtell & Bert Shefter (1959)

I don't know why, I just love the fact that ABP used a chicken instead of something like a lion for their film openings! 
 
Well, the whole site has been pretty 'Cosmic' lately, it must be in the stars, so why stop here?? From 1959, with an interstellar theme from maestros Paul Sawtell(One of the most uncredited composers of stock music in film history)and Bert Shefter(A composer of equal acclaim), here's "The Cosmic Man"!!! 
 
"The Cosmic Man"is a well made, but sleepy little movie. You know, he comes from space, he's pretty cool, creeps around at night and is strange and scary if you don't get what's going on, but plays chess and heals crippled children in his spare time! I like this strange cat from outer space in his giant floating tinfoid ball, and John Carradine in his 40 millionth role does a classy job one more time!!! 
 
It might just be a little too techincal for all you every day folks!! 
 And, Viola! For no apparent reason at all, Mr. Cosmic takes off a brief moment to do some peeping while he's out wandering around at night!! 
 
Man, it's really frustrating when the cutting torch won't work on the stupid floating ball. The End!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

BEDAZZLED / Stanley Donen Producer - British - 1967 / Music by Dudley Moore

Now, here's a real horror story for you!.. This one's on Rodan's Very Top 10 List of Favorite Movies!!.. Dudley Moore does all the great music we're featuring tonight, and, there's a lot! After overcoming many obstacles as a child, Dudley came out swinging!! First, he and Peter had 3 UK chart singles, then, Dudley has over 20 jazz albums, besides the soundtracks he did!.. He was a busy boy!! So, let's just start at the beginning... 
 After talking Stanley into signing over his soul to him for 7 wishes, George Spiggott (aka The Devil) takes Stanley to his headquarters to show him around. Only problem is, he has to get by Anger, who guards the door! At the Rendezvous Club they're "Licensed to buy and sell spirits"
 George shows Stanley some of the Club's 'inner workings' before they sign the contract. 
 
For one wish, Stanley wants an intellectual date with the girl he's secretly in love with, Margaret. The way this scene ends is one of the most twisted things you could ever imagine!! If you haven't seen this great movie, do yourself a favor and check it out. Humor that's actually funny!!!
 All three of us dudes here think the film has two small flaws. One is Raquel's voice as she does a Southern Belle and the other is the scene with the animated flies. But, who's complaining?!.. Look at this Still!!!...
 Then, for his next wish, Stanley wants to be a famous Pop Star!.. 
  Don't forget, he wants Margaret to adore him, too! And, she does!.. 
 
But, wait!.. Who's this?!!
 Margaret is totally BEDAZZLED!
 In his wish, Stanley forgot to take into account how fickle the pop music audience really is! There's a new star every week!!
 To try and cheer Stanley up, George arranges a double date for him at the carnival! George and his date are having a fantastic time!! 
 
Oh, and, Stanley and his date are having a great time, too!.. 
 
See, I told you this was a horror story!
 For his final wish, Stanley screws up again, this time by forgetting to specify one thing!.. GENDER!!.. So, now, a woman, Stanley must make an unwilling leap of faith on a trampoline!.. AS A NUN!!
 Stanley gives up and goes back to The Rendezvous Club for George's 'going away' party. He's drinking and smoking, he's pissed, and he just beat up Anger!!....  
 George has signed up his one-billionth soul, and, so, gets to go back up to heaven. He's in a good mood and decides to be generous and give back Stanley's soul, as a gesture of kindness. 
 
The 'gesture of kindness' gets George sent back to Earth to start all over again! George looks up and tells God... "You're unbelievable!"

Saturday, June 28, 2008

THE TINGLER - Von Dexter - "The Trip" (1959)

The 1959 William Castle film "The Tingler" is a trip!!!  

This is The Boss, Mr. Castle himself, you do what he says!!! 

This cat Bob Gunderson has the best EC Comics face of all time!!! It's very hard to translate a comic image into a real person or event to film, hence why all today's movies suck, but this guy proves it is possible!! 

Vincent's wife is a tramp, he's experimenting with fear, what do you expect? 

Patricia Cutts as Vincent's wife deserves all she gets and more!! 

Bill, you've got a cool concept, a great cast and story, and you damn near almost ruin the whole thing with the hokiest rubber monster on a string ever. How does that happen? 

Darryl Hickman, besides being a tremendous film star, also played his brother Dwayne's brother on the "Dobie Gillis Show" as Davey. 

Well, it probably wasn't a good idea to shoot up that acid!!! 

Pamela Lincoln says "I Do!" to co-star Darryl Hickman's real-life marriage proposal!! 

These bloody bathtub scenes were shot in color in a black and white room!! 

Eight years later..Here's Country Joe And The Fish.

Friday, June 27, 2008

THE BLACK CAT Part III - Scotty McKay - "Sinner Man" (1966)

So this is the third and final segment in our tribute to Scotty McKay, Edgar Allen Poe and one of the most interesting movies you'll ever have a chance to see, "The Black Cat." 
 
Edgar Allen Poe's "The Black Cat" was published in 1843! If this story was written today, the author would probably be thrown in jail for cruelty to animals! 
 
After Lou goes out to the bar and gets all liquored up, he goes back home and Pluto the cat irritates him so much, he, and I really hate to say it, carves the cat's eye out. Now, it's really difficult to think or see anything much grislier than that if you're an animal lover, but after you see this picture of Lou and his knife, you will realize anything is possible! This dude is certifiably nuts!! 
 
So in the world of true poetic justice, I don't know whose sheer genius idea it was, but when Lou goes back to the bar after disfiguring his cat, Scotty and the band all have eye patches covering one eye, and the song written by Scotty himself is entitled  
 
The madness is really starting to kick in. Have another drink Lou, that will fix everything!!! 
 
Scotty's McKay's Bolero Band at the time included Roger Bland, George Jones, Bobby Rambeau and Jerry Boin. Scotty McKay is remembered mostly as a Rockabilly artist, but "Sinner Man" sounds more like Country Joe and The Fish, with it's airy space and noodlin' guitar, than it does like Gene Vincent! 
 
Well, after those incidents, they sent Lou to the Shrink! That didn't work out at first, but............ 
 
He eventually is cured of his mental illness and released back into the public, so now, he's back in the bar, doing what looks like something illegal in 1966 Texas!! 
 
Larry Buchanan regular Annabelle Weenick as the floosie barfly, volunteers to give Lou a spelling lesson, and the music is  
 
One place cheap movies never cut corners; somehow they always manage to come up with some cool cars!! Lou's ride is no exception!!! 
 
The honeymoon is over, and the cat is out of the bag! If you're really stupid enough to be married to an abusive homicidal maniac, chances are, you're probably both going to end up getting it in the end!! So, that's sorta the saga of Scotty McKay, The Black Cat, and Edgar Allen Poe! A perfect mesh of 1960's Horror movies and Rock & Roll! That's it for Scotty's film career, but there's a lot more of his music out there still, you just gotta track it down, but it will be well worth your effort!! "Crash and Burn"

Thursday, June 26, 2008

DR. SATAN / Mexico - 1966 / music by '?'

Tonight, Tabonga have wild and crazy monster music from HELL!.. The way Tabonga like his music! Music that sucker punch you, then start kickin' hard! Rank up there with THE MASK which we already showcase twice! Here's... WORLD OF DR. SATAN! ~ Oh, 'nother 'unknown' composer dude responsible for this stuff! 
 
Joaquin Cordero play DR. SATAN, he bad guy! Tabonga wonder where he get eyes fixed?! Look cool, Tabonga want!! 
 
DR. SATAN go into woods at night and put arms up high... 
 
There, he make lightning flash!.. He pretty powerful dude, you know! 
 
Then, he make Tabonga ex-boss appear!! (Tabonga not work for Devil for 15 years. Now, Tabonga independent contractor!) 
 
Later, Devil sit peacefully on bed in smoky hotel room... 
 
And... BOOOOOOOOOM!!! ...Devil not hurt tho, they cut and keep camera in same position, then start camera again and make big explosion! Look real!.. Movie magic!!
 Zombie dude look like this after one round against 'Big George!' 
 
OOOOOPS!!.. How this photo of Tabonga playroom get in here?!!
 Anyway, DR. SATAN go around makin' dudes into zombies!!.. It seem to make him happy!.. Hey, that look like Goyo in middle!