R.I.P. - PETER THOMAS (December 1, 1925 – May 17, 2020)

 Well, I had something completely different planned for tonight, but I was just informed by Lord Litter in Berlin, that the great composer and Dungeon hero Peter Thomas has passed away at the age of 95 on May 17th.

Sadly, you probably won't even hear about it on the news in the U.S.

So here are some of the films, and one TV show, that Peter has scored that we have featured on this blog. Take a look, and you'll understand why I think he was one of, if not the best, soundtrack composers of all time!

1962 - "Das Rätsel Der Roten Orchidee" (The Secret Of The Red Orchid)

1963 - "Das Indische Tuch" (The Indian Scarf)

1963 -  Die Weisse Spinne (The White Spider)

1964 "Die Gruft Mit Dem Rätselschloß" (The Curse Of The Hidden Vault)

1964 - "Zimmer 13" (Room 13) 

1965 - "Schüsse Aus Dem Geigenkasten" (The Violin Case Murders)

1966 - "Raumpatrouille!"(German Space Patrol)
 

1966 - "Die Rechnung - Eiskalt Serviert" (Tip Not Included) 

1966 - "The Trygon Factor"  

1966 - "Um Null Uhr Schnappt Die Falle Zu"

1967 - "Die Schlangengrube Und Das Pendel" (Castle Of The Walking Dead)

1967 "Der Mörderclub Von Brooklyn" (The Body In Central Park)

1968 - Der Hund Von Blackwood Castle" (The Monster Of Blackwood Castle)

1968 - "Dynamit In Grüner Seide" (Death And Diamonds)

1968 - "Der Tot Im Roten Jaguar" (Death In The Red Jaguar)

1969 - "Der Mann Mit Dem Glasauge" (The Man With The Glass Eye)
And that's just a taste!
Peter Thomas left us with 175 composing credits to his name, and his passing is the end of an era!
Try as they may, he will never be replaced!

MORDNACHT IN MANHATTAN - "Manhattan Night Of Murder" (1965)

What I got for you tonight is the last of my Jerry Cotton movies, and it's called "Mordnacht In Manhattan" or................

"Manhattan Night Of Murder!"

If I ever had time to plan things around here, I would probably watch movies like this in chronological order, but since I'm a freakin' bozo, it's always a haphazard free form affair which causes things like this to happen! Since this was the last Jerry Cotton film I had to watch, I've been saving it for this special moment, only to be disappointed, because "Mordnacht In Manhattan" turns out to be my least favourite Jerry Cotton movie. All the right elements are there, but it's not that witty, and never really gets very exciting at all!

"Mordnacht In Manhattan was the second Jerry Cotton film released in 1965. The first film was "The Violin Case Murders," which also wasn't all that great, but I think it was a little better than this one! It wasn't til the third film, "Um Null Uhr Schnappt Die Falle Zu" also known as "The Trap Snaps Shut At Midnight," that Jerry Cotton really got cooking!

One of  "The Sweatles," the marvelous Monika Grimm was also in the next Jerry Cotton film!

Although the movie is set in New York, 90% of it is shot in Hamburg, Munich, and Landshut, Bavaria, Germany!

While fighting with Jerry, this gangster falls into a pit of coal, but it kind of looks like he's getting chewed up by Caltiki The Immortal Monster in this shot!

This is the 13th movie we've hosted with George Nader in it, what else can I say, except "which way did they go George!!"

Gangsters or sardines? Something stinks either way!

The music in "Mordnacht In Manhattan" is, as are all the Jerry Cotton films, by the genius mind and Dungeon fave, Peter Thomas! 

Jerry's a sneaky guy, and you get to see part of his Jaguar and part of the mobster's '67 Impala all in the same shot!

I'm sure somebody thought a fight scene in a bunch of cardboard boxes was going to be real exciting, but they were wrong!

It's a pretty bold move to be on your regular TV show when you've also been I.D.'d in a murder!

I found this Mexican poster for "Mordnacht In Manhattan" on a fellow blogger's site called Una Plaga De Espias, and the funny thing is I can find no other reference to this film with this title, but then that's just how these Jerry Cotton films roll! Those two cars are just too much!!

Thanx again to our man in Berlin, Lord Litter for turning me onto this series in the first place a few years ago, do yourself a favor, and go check out one of his Magic Music Show International radio shows. I guarantee you'll become just as addicted as I am!

DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN / American International Pictures - 1972

Here we go into the unknown and possible the end of the stinking world here in 2017, so, we'll let good old Dr. Phibes handle the crazies... Our story goes like this... The Moon rises at a predestined angle and awakens the sleeping Dr. Phibes three years after his last series of clever but insane murders. To his complete dismay, he finds that his house has been demolished and his precious papyrus scrolls stolen, the scrolls he needs to find the Pharoah's Tomb in Egypt, where the River of Life is located! After identifying the source of the papyrus theft, he packs up and leaves for Egypt with his assistant, Vulnavia, and, is still intent upon awakening his beloved dead wife, Victoria.

The many stars in this movie include Vincent (MADHOUSE) Price, Robert (COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE) Quarry, Peter (THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN) Cushing, Peter (COUNTESS DRACULA) Jeffrey, Hugh (CRY OF THE BANSHEE) Griffith, Terry- (IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD)Thomas, and more.

Here's Milton (DR. NO) Reid as Cheng. He's the first of Phibes' victims, he discovers that the snakes invading his room are nothing more than wind up toys, well, until a real viper bites him on the arm! When he goes to the phone to call a doctor, Vulnavia pushes a button and Cheng gets a metal rod through his head! And, he's dead!!

Peter plays The Captain, he's checking in to see how his investigators are doing on the case... They tell him they have nothing!

Terry-Thomas plays Lombardo, a real busy-body of a character. Love the gap in Terry's front teeth (although, not seen in this shot).

This is the most hair raising scene! This poor guy gets the works, he's clamped down in the chair and a ton of black scorpions attack him!.. Check out the one going down his pants! Like, freakin' OOUUUCCCHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

While the dude says goodbye to this world, Vulnavia plays the violin as Phibes enjoys some fruit. Now, that's what I call... Satisfaction!

For the Hell of it, here's a nice shot of Dr. Phibes' very cool band, The Alexandrian Quartet.

And, for the halibut, I had to show a pic of this old out of control pick up driving through the Egyptian desert... Hey! Watch Out!!

Phibes' insidious death traps just keep coming until all his enemies are dead!

But, there's a wild twist at the end, watch the movie to see what happens! I ain't sayin'.

And, Victoria finally joins Phibes, here, she goes into their special love palace! Join us again while we just keep rolling along as we start our eleventh year, here for you, at, The Dungeon!