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! 

 

NIGHT TIDE - Chaino - "Bongo Madness" (1961)

Back in about 1965, my Dad brought home an album called "Jungle Echoes" by Chaino & His African Percussion Safari that he bought somewhere for about 69 cents after he'd won $1.75 playing pinball, back when pinball machines actually paid off, and on that Chaino LP I remember there was all this freaky jungle bongo percussion unlike anything else we'd heard before, but I never really thought that over 40 years later I'd be talking or writing about it. Oh, Well.... here you go. Chaino's bongos in the movie "Night Tide" are riveting as Mermaid Gal dances & dives into a frenzy of percussive madness. 

Dennis Hopper's pretty cool until she goes about 3 & 1/2 steps too far and loses it! This is a very interesting film that needs to be re-discovered if you're not doing anything else! Chaino's Jungle Drums

X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES - Les Baxter - "Mentalo/Vegas" (1963)

Just as Classic as you want it to be, the movie is "X" and the really funny thing is, it's not even X-rated. This film has a couple of the best scenes ever made. The combination of characters at Mentalo's sideshow is beyond compare. Don Rickles at his sarcastic best,(really not very funny, and almost scary), combined with Jonathan Haze & Dick Miller makes for a true wonder to behold!

 

Besides that, here's the swingin' little intro piece as they head to Las Vegas to clean up. Being able to see through card's has got to be every gambler's ultimate fantasy, and Les Baxter's music adds just the right touch! Ray Milland is absolutely perfect through the whole thing!

 X Vegas

THE MASK - Applebaum/Schaeffer - "Main Theme" (1961)

"The Mask" was the first Canadian film with widespread U.S. distribution, and like a lot of other Canadian films, Louis Applebaum was the man behind the music for this way past wild quasi-3-D production. His talents combined with the electronic contributions of Myron Schaeffer made for one craaazzy film that was freaky insane nutzoid creepy in 1961 & hasn't changed much since then! Beware what you ingest before imbibing in this festival of 'what in the hell was that'! And not to forget, "PUT THE MASK ON, PUT THE MASK ON NOW!!!" Yeah, I know you were expecting Jim Carrey, Sorry, but this is the REAL thing! Here's the music from the main title credits of "The Mask." 

 The Mask