Saturday, June 18, 2011

IL RAGGIO INFERNALE - James Anderson (Gianni Ferrio) - "Danger!! Death Ray" (1967)

I have been trying to track down a copy of "Il Raggio Infernale" for almost four years to no avail, and now, once again, and I hate to be redundant, but thanx to Brian Horrorwitz over at the Trash Palace, it's become a reality, and it was well worth the wait!

So let's dim down the lights and get this show rolling!

"Danger!! Death Ray," no shit, they're not kidding! This thing will melt through anything, and obviously whoever controls it, will rule everything everywhere!!

This is Nello Pazzafini, not exactly a household name, but he should be with 191 acting credits in roles ranging from killer, thug, and hitman to gladiator, wrestler, and gothic warrior! Here he's simply Frank, one member of a team Hell bent on taking over the entire world, and you know they need that dangerous Death Ray to make it all happen!

Bart Fargo's boss is named Señor Raymond, and these are the two gals he sends out when he needs to get Bart's attention! That's Rossella Bergamonti as Miss Roberta on the left, and the blonde is Tina Di Pietro! Their outfits are worth the price of admission to this film alone! Tina was only ever in one other film, but Rosella was in some real keepers like "Kriminal," "The Three Fantastic Supermen," "Kommissar X - Drei Grüne Hunde," and "Eat It."

Gordon Scott is secret agent Bart Fargo! Out of all the guys who have played Tarzan over the years, Gordon Griffith - 1918(young Tarzan), Elmo Lincoln - 1918-1921, Gene Pollar - 1920, P.Dempsey Tabler - 1920, James Pierce - 1927, Frank Merrill - 1928-1929, Johnny Weismuller - 1932-1948, Buster Crabbe - 1933, Herman Brix - 1935-1938, Glen Morris - 1938, Lex Barker - 1949-1953, Clint Walker - 1954, Gordon Scott - 1955-1960, Denny Miller - 1959, Jock Mahoney - 1962-1963, Ron Ely - 1966-1970, Mike Henry - 1966-1968, Miles O'Keefe - 1981, Christopher Lambert - 1984, Joe Lara - 1989, Wolf Larsen - 1991, Casper Van Dien - 1998, and Travis Fimmel in 2003, Gordon Scott will probably always be the best remembered for the five Tarzan movies he made in a row from 1955 to 1960 starting with "Tarzan's Hidden Jungle" and ending with "Tarzan The Magnificent!"

Gordon Scott does a great job in this role, he's good looking, big and tough, but for some reason he only made one other film after "Danger!! Death Ray." Gordon Scott was a bodybuilder, an Army drill instructor and military policeman, a fireman, and a farm machinery salesman, but it was in 1953 while working as a lifeguard in Vegas that he was dsicovered and cast as Tarzan! Gordon Scott died in 2007 after living the last 6 years of his life in the "spare" room of a "fan!"

The patented finger stomp maneuver works like a charm every time! End of message, over and out!!!

As Bart Fargo heads on over to the "Morrocco Club," it's as good a time as any to tell you that the swingin' music for "Danger! Death Ray" was composed by Gianni Ferrio, working this time using the name James Anderson! Gianni has 119 credits dating all the way back to 1959 that include mostly Italian and German titles translated like "Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid," or "The Hostess Also Likes to Blow the Horn!" There's also "The Viking Who Became a Bigamist" and "Sexy Susan Sins Again." You get the general idea!

Don't waste your time trying to sneak up on Gordon Scott or Bart Fargo, you're undoubtedly going to get your ass kicked either way!

Chasing the bad guys and getting chased at the same time, Bart Fargo drops down through the skylight into this artiste's apartment, and at his request, she strips to distract his pursuers when they come to the door! Meet Bart's new girlfriend, Maureen Delphy as Lucille, in her sinfully only ever acting job!

One concept in life that never changes, don't ever trust room service!!

This move is commonly referred to as the ear-ringer! Besides making your ears ring, you also see stars!!

The bumbling fool getting ready to stab Bart is Massimo Righi as Al, the bad guy who just can't get it right, who after numerous murder attempts on Bart, finally gives up and ends up being Bart's best buddy!

The pezzo grosso's old lady is Silvia Solar, who just passed away last month at the age of 71! Sylvia honoured us with her presence in 85 titles including the last film I wrote about, "Crimson," the Jerry Cotton spectacular "Death and Diamonds," "Cannibal Terror," "The Wicked Caresses Of Satan," and "Eyeball!"

Don't worry, this film has got hi-tech gimmicks too, like this two-way radio built right into Silvia Solar's compact!

Having lowered himself to having to ride in this Dodge Dart just might have been the straw that broke the camel's back of Gordon's career!

This is Gordon's variation on the double-noggin-knocker!

Big Frank seemed invincible, but Bart Fargo is just like butter, the man is on a roll!!

They're holding Lucille hostage to lure Bart Fargo to his death!

It's like one gigantic pre-Tron video game, and Bart Fargo is playing the role of Duke Nukem!

You can try and try as hard as you can, but you can't kill me, because I'm Bart Fargo, man!!

You're never going to stop a man as cool as Bart Fargo with smoke and mirrors!!

When in doubt, just blow the living crap out of everything in sight!

As would be expected Bart has made it to the door of the final destination, and everything would have been just fine except the queso grande has decided to turn the Death Ray on Bart himself!

What a dumbass, Bart wouldn't have been able to get in until you melted the door! You think you're so smart, but you're stoopid!!

And then there's those two gals again to make everything complete! "I think I'm in love now, the beating of my heart is the only sound!!" - Tommy James

3 comments:

TABONGA! said...

You don't get to play Tarzan by being a chump!

Eegah!! said...

...or a chimp!!

Anonymous said...

Is the soundtrack available anywhere that you know of?

Monster Music

Monster Music
AAARRGGHHH!!!! Ya'll Come On Back Now, Y'Hear??