Wednesday, February 19, 2014

DEAR DEAD DELILAH - Bill Justis - "What A Raunchy Way To Die" (1972)

Oh, Dear, I do think this is one of the weirdest posters yet! I think they were talking about the toilet seat!

Welcome to Weirdo Wednesday! Tonight's feature titled "Dear Dead Delilah" is a different kind of 3D movie, really different!! (Spoiler Alert: Not Really in 3D!)

In the 'Random Thoughts' department, I was just thinking how there was a whole slew of movies made in the 60's and 70's with odd questions as titles, you know, like: "Who Slew Auntie Roo?" "What's The Matter With Helen?" "Who's Minding The Store?" "What's Up Tiger Lily?" "Who Killed Teddy Bear?" "Whatever Happened To Aunt Alice?"  and "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?"

To go forward, first we have to move backward in time! Bill Justis who had a killer hit with the instrumental "Raunchy" in 1957 is the guy who wrote the corn fed music for "Dear Dead Delilah!" Bill was also a record producer for "Sun Records" who worked with the likes of Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis!!!

You might think this is Delilah, but it's not. This is Luddy Dublin as played by Ann (Private Parts) Gibbs in this flashback scene! Luddy has just done a bad thing! She just couldn't take it any more!

Luddy Dublin has just murdered her Mother!

Years later, Luddy is released from prison! Patricia Carmichael is the older Luddy! Pat's only other credit is on an episode of "Petticoat Junction!" As she is walking away from the prison, she sees some guys in a park playing football. As she's watching, she gets beaned with the football, and is taken to the home of the Charles family to recuperate!
The always amazing Agnes Moorehead is Delilah Charles! Check this out! The first movie Agnes was ever in was Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane!" Now that's some way to start a career, being in what a lot of people think is the greatest movie of all time! She followed that with Orson's "The Magnificent Ambersons!" In 1959 she was in "The Bat" with Vincent Price, in 1961, she was in a "Twilight Zone" episode titled "The Invaders," she was Velma in "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte," and of course she will be long remembered for her over 200 episodes of "Bewitched" as Endora, Samantha's Mom!

The year 1972 was Agnes Moorhead's last year on "Bewitched," and it's the same year this movie was released! Delilah is rich and supposedly dying, and since Luddy was without a home, she is kept on as a nursemaid for Delilah!

Michael (Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy) Ansara is Delilah's worthless gambler brother Morgan! Delilah has called the family together and announced that their Father has hidden 500 G's on the property somewhere! Finders keepers!

Damn, no wonder I can't get anything done around here, now I'm thirsty!

"Dear Dead Delilah" is a weird amalgam of elements flowing effortlessly from melodrama to gore fest and back again!

Delilah's back and neck massage goes a bit awry!

I actually forgot what the Hell this was, but it looks pretty cool you have to admit!

"Wheeeeeeeeeee..........!

It's nothing by "Walking Dead" standards, but this movie is pretty grisly just the same!

There's an ax murderer posing as the ghost of the late Father Charles!

Is she the murderer?

Or is he the murderer?

Or is Luddy the murderer? 
It's a real shame, but you're just gonna have to figger that one out all by your little ole self!

6 comments:

  1. oh man i love this movie!!!! thanks for the fab soundclip and grabs!

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  2. It was a pleasure Carol, glad you enjoyed it!

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  3. I'm stunned that this film has yet to receive a proper DVD release, frequently shown on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater and Cleveland's Big Chuck. I love the cast, love the script, the music, coming at the tail end of the 'Baby Jane' genre efforts. In her last screen role, Agnes Morrehead goes out in magnificent scenery chewing style, I doubt if even Bette Davis could have been better. Author John Farris ("When Michael Calls," "The Fury") both wrote and directed (his only credit as director), while famed Nashville record producer Jack Clement produced (on location in Nashville, of course). Despite the low rating on IMDB, I myself never found myself bored by the talky first half, the incredibly gory second half easily making up for any lapses. An unjustly neglected gem still awaiting rediscovery.

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  4. kolchillt,
    You hit the nail right on the head!

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  5. Great news!!! Vinegar Syndrome is releasing DEAR DEAD DELILAH at long last on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 28, 2018.

    Link: https://vinegarsyndrome.com/shop/dear-dead-delilah-slipcover/

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