Monday, November 11, 2019

THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE / Villa Di Stefano - 1964

Mr. KD informed me about this one, so, when the price was right, I bought myself a copy. This TV movie was supposed to be the pilot for a series called THE HAUNTED, but scenes were added after it was thought to be too scary and was cancelled. I don't remember seeing this movie at the time...

It stars Martin (SPACE: 1999) Landau, Judith (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF) Anderson, Diane (STRAIT-JACKET) Baker, Tom (PIRANHA) Simcox, Nellie (THE LIGHTNING RAIDER, her first acting credit in 1919) Burt and Leonard (TOYS IN THE ATTIC) Stone.

Nelson Orion, a wealthy art collector and disbelieving ghost hunter, is at the Mandore estate to assess the situation there. Vivia Mandore explains to him that her blind husband is convinced that his late mother is calling him out from beyond the grave.

As Vivia sits talking to Orion, well, a ghastly wind blows through the room until he screams for the mayhem to stop!! It stops.

Later, the ghost shows herself. It looks as if the weird makeup is the same as in THE GALAXY BEING, where, they paint the face and hands gloss black and then show it in negative.

Here's Orion with his ultra cool house on the hill at Malibu beach!

In his art collection, Orion has a painting named Sierra de Cobre. As he talks with his housekeeper, he sees the ghost appear in the painting, so, he takes it over to his coffee table to study and read up on the history of the place.

Henry and Vivia Mandore show up at Orion's place. they want to discuss the recent events. He tells them that he does not believe that the ghost is after either of them and the spirit is that of an American teacher that was killed in Sierra de Cobre!

Anyway, Paulina wants to leave. She sits in the back seat waiting for Vivia, when, the car starts rolling backwards toward the ocean cliff. Orion runs out and tries to hold the car back, and, it only stops just before it goes off the cliff. phew!! And guess what?.. Vivia and her mom Paulina are both from Sierra de Cobre!.. Also, notice that Orion is turned the wrong way to try and stop the thing. He's just being dragged!

Back in the house, Vivia spills the beans on Paulina, and, she was responsible for the murder! Orion wants Paulina to turn herself in, but, she has other ideas.

Just as she's ready to stab Orion, the ghost appears again, out of the painting...

Well, the ghost is coming for Paulina and gives her a death swipe with her hand, and, the woman stabs herself instead of Orion!!

Then, Vivia leaves the place. Unfortunately, the ghost of Paulina is along for the ride, the car swerves and goes off the cliff!

It's a rough and tumble ride to the bottom, Vivia can now join her mom... There you have it, a tooth for a eyeball I guess. Anyway, Eegah!! is back on Wednesday with only Hell knows what, don't want to miss that, so, later bots!

5 comments:

Randall Landers said...

Kinda reminiscent of Robert Culp in SPECTRE. I _must_ check this one out! Where did you find it?

TABONGA! said...

Hi Randall - You can find them on Amazon and eBay, thanks for checking in pal -

KD said...

The negative-image "ghost" was played (in makeup, I'm sure) by actress Priscilla Morrill, who was the wife of henpecked Donald Pleasance in the early OUTER LIMITS episode, "Man With The Power."

Tom in WA said...

Exactly right about the Galaxy Being effects! I thought the same thing immediately. Also, is the cool house on the beach real - or just matted in?

Project Photos for Kevin Fahey said...

Completely matted in. As you might guess, it was made by the OUTER LIMITS team, Jim Danforth, Dominic Frontiere, Conrad Hall, Martin Landau. Sure wish it took off as a series.

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