LAST WOMAN ON EARTH - Ron Stein - "Craps Radio Hotel" (1960)

"Last Woman On Earth" is an interesting film in many aspects, it's just not real interesting to watch. Basically made with only 3 actors in Puerto Rico, why? Because they were there! The extraordinary acting skills of Betsy Jones-Moreland & Anthony Carbone just aren't enough, because there's just something missing in this one, but the swinging sounds supplied by Ron Stein play on mostly in the background, setting the scene in the casino & on the island to good effect! 

In The Casino Island Radio

 Betsy Jones-Moreland is undoubtedly a great choice, if you had to make one, to be the "Last Woman On Earth!" At least that part works for us!!

IL MOSTRO DI VENEZIA (The Embalmer) - Marcello Gigante - "Embalmer Jam" (1965)

Well, nothing quite says X-mas like the words "The Embalmer", so in the true spirit of the holiday season, here's a couple of final pieces from that movie, a long jam of different scenes & another smokin' short piece at the club. You're in for a real treat! This stuff starts off like "Guzanos", just wait til you hear that extra grubby guitar, bass & drums, followed by all those cool horns & strings coming in from different angles, and then...."Hi!" 

 

Embalmed Jam

 ..."Why don't you dance with that pretty girl?" Wow, would we like to hear about a 5 minute version of that song! Sheeesh! You know, some of these composers are so incredible, and at the same time virtually unknown, it really is a shame! So, now that you're informed, lift your glasses high, & let's all have one giant toast to the absolute genius of Marcello Gigante! Ciao!

 Dance With That Pretty Girl

 

CASTLE OF EVIL - Virginia Mayo - "Frankie & Johnny" (1966)

In this eerie little 1966 production, "Castle Of Evil", there's a small segment where Virginia Mayo, the mistress of the dead guy sings "Frankie & Johnny" acappella as kind of an icebreaker. That's followed with an organ piece leading up to the viewing of the body with some interesting dialogue! The music for this film is once again by the amazing Paul Dunlap, who we've talked about here before because of his work on titles like "Angry Red Planet", " I Was A Teenage Frankenstein", "Blood Of Dracula" etc, etc, etc!!! Paul is without a doubt, one of the best! Thanks for the good times! Frankie & Johnny

 Don't know why, but this dead guy Kovic, played by William Thourlby, the original Marlboro Man, sure looks an awful lot like Bill Clinton! 

 

This organ plays itself.

THE GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI - Bobby Fuller Four - "The Swing A-Ma Thing" (1966)

The Bobby Fuller Four are really rockin' out on this number, with it's great distorted guitar buzz and smokin' sax! The whole gang is just having SO much fun, it's beyond belief!

 It's The Swing A-Ma Thing!! 

 

What at first glance apparently seems like one big advertisement for Wham-O's next new toy, something that's obviously going to be more popular than the Frisbee or the Hula Hoop in 1966, is in reality a song about the "Swing A-Ma Thing", a toy has never existed outside of this movie. It's an interesting concept, have the kids leave the theatre and want a new toy that doesn't exist. Daddy, I want a "Swing A-ma Thing" for X-mas!!! Wah, Wah!! 

Great, Thanx!! 

 

Functional on any and all parts of the body as evidenced by these photos.

  What the heck is this girl thinking??!!!

IN THE YEAR 2889 - Quinn O'Hara - "The Clincher" (1967)

Larry, Larry, Rah, Rah, Rah!! This creepy little movie is one of Larry's Buchanan's better efforts, I'd say. You've got some real great characters with Mr. Clean Paul Peterson as the chain smoking hero, Hugh Feagin as Mickey, a real believable psycho & Quinn O'Hara, who went from from Sinistra to Jada with Cathy in between in about a year's time, as a stripper. Most of the music in this film is orchestral, but after Jada gets drunk, she decides to show off a little for everyone, but the Captain breaks the record, literally. With rebel Larry's vision, 2889 looks the same as 1967! Way Cool!

 Here's...Jada

 

DEMENTIA - George Antheil - "Opening Credits" (1955)

Surprise, Surprise! Here's the most incredible gift of the season for all you Art Fiends!! There's no place to begin or end when writing about the film "Dementia." It just crosses too many boundaries with the story, the characters, the actors, the musicians & everyone else having anything to do with it! Since there is no dialogue, this movie is 113% music, from the orchestrated theme by George Antheil, combined with the soaring vocals of Marni Nixon, to the super hip jazzy contributions from trumpeter supreme Shorty Rogers and His Giants, all thrown together by Musical Director genius Ernest Gold! For now, here's the music from the opening credits. Seriously consider getting this movie, it is readily available, and you will have the happiest depressing time of your life and your collection won't be complete without it! 

 

DEMENTIA

CONQUISTADOR DE LA LUNA - Raúl Lavista - "Main Theme" (1960)

Raúl Lavista not only did the original music for this film, but a mass of others, including in 1962, "Caperucita y Pulgarcito Contra Los Monstruos" or in English, "Little Red Riding Hood Versus The Monsters," which I really think sums it all up! "Conquistadors Of The Moon" is what we like to endearingly refer to as silly! This is real romp thru space, as it were, Mexican style with the wit and charm of clown Antonio Espino `Clavillazo', & the beauty & brains of Ana Luisa Peluffo, who has stayed very active & was in a film called "Corazón De Tequila" just a couple of years ago. Anything by any of these people is highly recommended for anybody wanting to have a good time! 5 thumbs up! Feliz Año Nuevo!!!!!!! 

 

Pretty cool! A real multi-functional leader as Master Of The Universe & also a high quality lawn sprinkler!! 

 

CONQUISTADOR DE LA LUNA

PROJECT MOONBASE - Herschel Burke Gilbert - "Theme Song" (1953)

Herschel Burke Gilbert was another one of those amazing musical talents whose career in film & TV as composer or music supervisor just goes on and on and on! Besides all the movies he worked on, the list of 1960's television shows is mind boggling. "Rawhide", "Gunsmoke", Perry Mason", 38 episodes of "Assignment: Underwater", and 32 episodes of "Gilligan's Island," just to name a few. This music from "Project Moonbase" is very orchestrated, but also very spacey! Here's...Project Moonbase

MISS MUERTE (The Diabolical Dr. Z) - Daniel J. White - "Main Theme" (1966)

X-Mas comes early for the lucky or true believers. This time it's in the form of this oh, so uplifting, light & cheery movie, "The Diabolical Dr. Z." or as it's also known, "Miss Death." Actually this Spanish/French movie is quite creepy, extremely weird but very well done, & curiously interesting on multiple levels, and a good part of that is due to the man behind the music.

 Daniel White on the right, had an amazing career composing music for films from 1950 and well into the 90's. He started his acting career at the age of 54, playing Inspector Green in this film, and continued acting into the 80's playing doctors and counts and piano players etc. What a talented guy, and most of us missed out on it. I know they have at least one copy of this film on Netflix. Get yourself one & enjoy the brilliance of Daniel J. White in sight & sound. Happy Holidays!!!!!  

DR.Z

 

KRONOS - Johnny Mercer - "SOUNDCLIP NO LONGER AVAILABLE" (1957)

"Kronos" definately has one of the coolest titles ever for a movie & it starts off right here. Kenneth Alton plays the pickup driver in this opening scene, who is attacked/possessed, whatever you want to call it, to perfection. Here's yet another guy who just had that look, so besides pickup driver, he was the guy you'd choose when you wanted an Apache kid, a Hun warrior, Russian sentry, cowboy, policeman, or boxer. Of course, Morris Ankrum was in this film too as a doctor. The music Kenneth is whistling along with on the radio is by the legendary Johnny Mercer, the rest of the soundtrack is by Bert Shefter & Paul Sawtell whose combined talents is a Who's Who of Monster Movies. We're talking stuff like "Black Scorpion", "Fiend Who Walked The West", "It, The Terror From Beyond Space", "Return Of The Fly", "Slime People", "The Sadist" etc, etc. 

 

2+5: MISSIONE HYDRA (Star Pilot) - Nico Fidenco - "Main Title" (1966)

This 1966 Italian film known as "Star Pilot" in the U.S., is quite a piece of work, and a fitting beginning for this festive holiday season. If the music seems odder than usual, even for here, don't forget to remember that composer Nico Fidenco went on to do the music for all the "Emanuelle" films, not to mention, "Eros Perversion", "Holocausto Porno", "Zombi Holocaust" and more, if you get my meaning, if you catch my drift! Still, 1966 was cool! 

Star Pilot

 Some of the sets aren't really too bad!

 

But this bent aerial patch job has got to be one of the funniest sequences ever, I mean, just look at it! What the heck? And while we're in a festive mood, don't forget to check out the new poll on the right, and while you're pondering that ultra-deep subject you can download the new Dwrayger Dungeon wallpaper that Tabonga has been civil enough to provide for us. Happy Merry Aaarrgghh!!

 

BEGINNING OF THE END - Lou Bartel-Harriet Kane - "Natural, Natural Baby" (1957)

This way far beyond classic film starts right off with this Xtra cool little tune composed by Lou Bartel & Harriet Kane & performed by Lou Bartel & The Chorus called "Natural, Natural Baby." It's a really great little song that gets cut off way too abruptly but, Oh well, we gotta take what we can get, & it's a good one, albeit too short! It's followed by the brilliant opening credit music by B.I.G. stalwart Albert Glasser. 

 Natural Beginning Baby

 Eilene Janssen is the girl making out in the car at the beginning of the "Beginning Of The End" and she was in every memorable TV show of the 60's you can think of, like fr'instance, "Fireside Theatre" as Nancy, "Make Room For Daddy" as Peggy, "Dobie Gillis" as Emily Busby, "My Three Sons" as Jill, etc, etc, and she had been in the movies since 1944 when she played Patsy at age 4 in "Two Girls & A Sailor! Here she just has to make out & scream, but she does a great job!

 

And sometime around here we need to pay homage to the admirable & formidable Morris Ankrum who portrayed a Mayor, Judge, General, Doctor, Professor, Marshall, Captain & or Chief in enough movies to make your head spin. Whew, a B.I.G. Thanx Morris!!

 

Kirk Alyn was "Superman" in 1948 and played the uncredited bomber pilot in this movie. Keep on flyin' one way or another Kirk!