Monday, July 19, 2010

THE FLYING SERPENT / PRC - 1946

Welcome to Moldie Oldie Monday here at the Dungeon, with Tabonga and li'l Dungeon helper, Rufus the Gnat! Today's feature is another oldie they overplayed on TV in the fifties, at least where I lived!

This story goes like this... "The demented archaeologist Dr. Andrew Forbes (George Zucco) discovers a living, breathing serpent creature known to the Aztecs as Quetzalcoatl (the Killer Bird God) and accidentally kills his wife by giving her one of the beast's feathers, causing the creature to track her down and slaughter her. Now Dr. Forbes uses this twisted knowledge to extract revenge upon his enemies by placing one of the serpent's feathers on his intended victim and letting the beast loose to wreak havoc."

Uncredited music is by Leo Erdody, who also composed for movies like MURDER IN THE BIG HOUSE, HITLER--DEAD OR ALIVE, QUEEN OF BROADWAY, DEAD MEN WALK, GIRLS IN CHAINS, DANGER! WOMEN AT WORK, BLUEBEARD, WHITE PONGO, DETOUR, BLONDE FOR A DAY, GASHOUSE KIDS and THE RETURN OF RIN TIN TIN!

So, it's time for tiny li'l Rufus to buzz across the room and push that big red 'GO' button and start our Eariffic Earclip rolling! Here's!.. THE FLYING SERPENT!

This still sums it all up!

Wow, these scenes look like they're out of an AZTEC MUMMY flick!

Quintessential madman George Zucco plays another excellent role, this time as Prof. Andrew Forbes, keeper of a dark and sinister secret that's a billion years old!

Dr. Lambert plays the perfect stooge and falls prey to the winged serpent... I'm pretty sure that's a pheasant feather!

These two shots of Quetzalcoatl are great, it looks fairly frightening!

The 'lamestream media' bring in people who can actually solve the mystery! I think that's a young Richard Crane there, holding that gizmo with the antenna.

The reporters stake out an area where the monster had been spotted... Wait, what's that?!

George lies to Hope Kramer to get her to go with him, where he plans to do away with her because, you know... She knows too much!! Hope was only in one other movie, I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI in 1951!

Everbloody escapes from the underground horror...

Bang! Bang! Bang!!

I know what we're having for dinner tonight!!

THE END!.. Buy Gary US Bonds!!

2 comments:

Christopher said...

no one says QUETZALCOATL better than El Zucco...but hes no Cthulu ;o)
Pretty good little south of the border style mood piece.

Alec Pridgen said...

I kind of like this movie, but it is very stodgy. I actually wrote about this a while back because I love 'Q: The Winged Serpent.' It's an interesting precursor to that film.

I do like how the Aztec God is so small but also has giant feathers. Weird. Good stuff and I'm actually surprised to see someone else talk about it.

If you talk about 'Star Wreck' next, I'll really be surprised!

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