Tuesday, August 5, 2008

MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS / Universal - 1958 / Stock Music by 8 Composers

Guess what?!.. Tabonga took the night off, so Rodan'll present the first (and only) 'Tuesday Night Classic!' - MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS. That's right, 8 composers contributed to this soundtrack! But, that includes William Lava, Herman Stein and Henry Mancini!! All uncredited. 
 
Best of the best title card!!
 Everything's perfect, what could possibly go wrong?! 
 And, a freakin' '58 DESOTO!
 WHOA!.. What's!.. All... This?.. 
 
Hey, how rude!!
 Looks like Arthur had one too many and got in a scrap!! 
 
But, here's the real culprit!.. This weird primitive fish was irradiated with gamma rays to preserve it and Arthur was accidently bitten in the hand while handling it! 
 
Quite a line up in this still. Whit Bissell and Arthur Franz in a Universal movie and Troy Donahue playing... Ready?!.. Jimmy Flanders! Rawk! Rawk! Rawk! 
 
Shhh!.. Quiet!.. Do you hear that sound?! 
 
One of the best moments in monsterdom!.. The giant dragonfly!
 A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A!!!!
 The dragonfly had lit and fed on the fish, so, got a dose of prehistoric serum like the professor!
 Arthur hates to, but, stabs the thing! It later returns to it's small size.
 Game over, man!!
 This make-up by Bud Westmore ain't bad, but, it's a mask! The guy's the very best, check out his credits sometime, impressive!! 
 
But, here at the Dungeon, we like to feast on this little scene where Cave-Boy (played by Eddie Parker) grooves out on the ax before he uses it to bash out a window and escape! Moments later, he will toss it at the Park Ranger and bury it in the poor guy's skull!! Wow, real pre-code comic imagery!

Monday, August 4, 2008

EL PLANETA DE LAS MUJERES INVASORAS - Antonio Díaz Conde - "Space Stuff" (1966)

"El Planeta de Las Mujeres Invasoras" is a movie that starts off with so much potential!! 

 First, you've got 3 of the hottest Mexican luchadora actresses of the era!!! 

Even though this film was never released in English, the title roughly translated by 100 Anos Tequila Blanco is "The Planet Of The Women Invaders." 

Wow!! A flying saucer is landing at a carnival; where are they going with that, man, this is going to be good! 

The Mujeres land and are checking out the carnival! Cool!! You gotta admit, if you were from space, and you landed on earth and one of the first things you saw was a 'Tilt-A-Whirl', you might be a little mixed-up too! 

Seems like the space girls got a little confused! They didn't realize that the spaceship they saw was only a 'ride' to the moon! 

So, continuing to explore, they enter the spaceship ride only to encounter a couple of macho dude ride attendants, who think these space gals are smokin' hot! 

Zap!!! Sorry buddy, your come-on line was lame, and basically, so is the rest of this movie!! 

 Even the music in this film by the great Antonio Díaz Conde is not that great! The opening is spacey enough, but that's about it! At least, there is some boxing!! 

 And the gorgeous Dungeon favorite Lorena Velazquez!! 

 Don't forget California born blonde bombshell Elizabeth Campbell, who had quite a career in Mexican wrestling films performing primarily as "Golden Rubi." As you can see, it's totally lost on the earthlings in the background! 

Elizabeth and Lorena discuss some very important stuff! 

The only real saving grace in this movie is Lorena Velazquez, like here, she is the perfect space hostess with the mostness, and that's good enough for us!!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN / AIP - 1957 / Music by Paul Dunlap

Here we are again with Paul Dunlap at the musical helm. And, tonight's classic selection really says 'monster!' Shocking stuff for '57. So, here's the excellent theme, some instrumental music at 'make out point,' my favorite, when Frankie breaks into the girl's room, and, some action with screams!.. TEENAGE FRANKIE
 Whenever you see this, you know its the British version and it usually has a different title than the American film. The British movie NIGHT OF THE DEMON was released in the US as CURSE OF THE DEMON. AIP's INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN was shown in Britain as INVASION OF THE HELL CREATURES! 
 
And, that's why this title card doesn't say... I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN!
 "I saw some kid go flying through the air! I think he landed over there!"
 Whit Bissell and Robert Burton take advantage of the situation and steal the body before the cops get there! 
 
Here, with Phyllis Coates, Whit is as creepy and cold-hearted as Michael Gough when it comes to love with the opposite sex! One interesting note is that Whit is also the mad scientist in I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF! 
 
Whit's new toy, Gary Conway! 
 
About 3 seconds earlier, Whit slaps the crap out of Phyllis, for real!!.. He's a pretty macho dude! 
 
Curious about Whit's activities, Phyllis screws up and has a key made to find out what's going on inside the lab. 
 
This is what's going on!!.. YOW!!
 Whit locks Phyllis in with the monster and, so, she gets thrown into... That's right!... An ALLIGATOR PIT!!
 Monsters are fairly inquisitive! 
 
And, there's nothing more interesting than a hot chick in lingerie, no matter what you are!.. Ask Tabonga!!
 Frankie just want a little kiss!.. Why girl run?! 
 
Whit and Gary go out looking for a new head! They find one, its Gary Conway's!
 Of course, the cops can't figure anything out! 
 
Whit has big plans for Gary, he wants to cut him up and transport him to England where he can, then, reassemble him and continue his twisted research!.. 
 
Gary has a violent tantrum (seriously, a tantrum!) and throws Whit into the alligator pit! Then, he gets caught up in the electrical circuits and turns the film color as he fries! He slumps down, dead... 
 
The cops finally show up, late, and Robert Burton tells 'em... "I'll never forget that face!"
 And, the alligator gets dessert!.. Whit Bissell!!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

SCARED STIFF - Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis & Carmen Miranda (1953)

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, well, there's not much new I can say about these showbiz icons, so let's just get with it! Here's some seriously cool photos and songs from the 1953 zany classic, "Scared Stiff!"
 The musical credits give you all the information you need to know!! 
 
This movie is all about music and starts right up with Dean's act at the club! 
 
Dorthy Malone plays the part of Rosie!! Dorthy meet Jerry before I beat the crap out of him!! 
 
Jiggers, the cops!!! 
 
When Jerry Lewis puts on his game face, he's really scary!! 
 
Time to sail off into the unknown, and for all you schmaltzy Dean lovers, here's "Dino" with a classic love song! 
 
Frank Fontaine as the obnoxious drunk on the pier would go on to have a number one record 9 years later with his "Songs I Sing On The Jackie Gleason Show" LP!! In character as Crazy Guggenheim, the non-drinking Fontaine, could barely put a sentence together, but had a smooth singing style out of character, just like Jim Nabors when he wasn't Gomer!! 
 
My favorite thing that Jerry Lewis does, is when he stands behind some one and mimics and mocks them!! That'll get me rolling on the floor every time!! 
 
Carmen Miranda as Carmelita Castinha performs here in her last film role, with the boys and "Bongo Bingo"! I love the countdown at the end! Defies comprehension to me! 
 
There's no way to forget "Enchiladas", even if you try, because just like in real life, they will come back to haunt you! Listen to this at your own risk and guard your crystal! 
 
And once again to justify the whole thing, see, there is actually a ghost!! 
 
"Carmen's Late", so of course, Jerry has to go on for her miming to a record! He almost pulls it off, and the crowd is just weird enough not to care! 
 
It might be her last movie, but backstage with the gang, Carmen doesn't look like she knew she was going to get this kind of send up! 
 
Super scary sequence giving new meaning to the word 'armchair!' 
 
Oh, it's Bob Hope and Bing Crosby!! Imagine that!!! How ironic!! And they're skeletons!!! Wow, how is that even possible or plausible? And, in the, Oh, Yeah, department, am I the only one who thinks it's hilarious that another Martin/Lewis movie made in the same year titled "The Caddy" had an actor in it whose name was Lewis Martin??? That's just weird!!!

Monster Music

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