HORROR (The Blancheville Monster) - Carlo Franci - "Scary Harpsichord Music" (1963)

Here's what you need to know! This Italian movie called "Horror" aka "The Blancheville Monster" is based on a story by Edgar Allen Poe. The music was composed by Carlo Franci or Francis Clark as he was credited in this film. Carlo also composed the music for "Maciste In Hell," also known as "The Witch's Curse," and a score of other "Hercules" and assorted sword and sandal flicks! It's spooky harpsichord music, and there's girls running around screaming! 

 

Harpsichord Music that is literally from Hell! 

 

Not really sure how they dealt with constipation back in those days, but dude needs a laxative! 

 

Okay, this is a movie, look real scared like!! 

 

Hear that music? Now look really startled! 

 

"AAAAaaaarrraaaaahhahAH!!! 

 

Good Night!

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS - Leith Stevens - "Wave The White Flag Square Dance" (1953)

We've written about Leith Stevens amazing body of work as a composer before, and once again he did just another fantastic job on "War Of The Worlds." His credits as composer of 'stock music' for monster movies was also above reproach, with titles like "The Werewolf" and "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers." "War Of The Worlds" was an incredible accomplishment for 1953 and still looks Great today!!" 

 

In this movie, the party scene is a square dance at the social hall with this band calling the tunes! 

 

"Things go better with Coke!" 

 

Every film has got to have a hero! In this movie, it's not these guys! 

 

Martians either don't understand or just don't care about the meaning of "We're friends!" or the symbolism of a white flag! 

 

I really just don't think they care. What the three bozos forgot to take into consideration is, some Martians are just mean! 

 

This shot is quite frankly one of the most classic of any genre!

MONSTERS CRASH THE PAJAMA PARTY - "Spook Show Spectacular" (1965)

Conceptually interesting, but unbearably droll, and pretty much devoid of any music we're interested in, "Monsters Crash The Pajama Party" does have one little scene where the slumber party girls are listening to the radio and singing along a bit. With a title like that, you'd think this movie would rock out, but it doesn't! It's really difficult to recommend a film where they wouldn't even pitch the extra $100 to at least get a decent gorilla suit. Life's too short to use cheap gorilla suits! The good news, it's a very short film!! Do dah do da dum dum doo doo da do da dah!! You know, it's just not the same without the monsters running into the audience, because this is not a movie you were supposed to pay attention to you. The shock or horror was in the 'live' surprise! 

 

Here's the Guys!!! Stud City!! 

 

Here's the Gals!! Seems almost impossible, "Hot" times five!! 

 

Slumber party time with potato chips and Coca-Cola! Woo, Woo!!  

Dum Dum Doo Doo

 

  Watch out for who might be creeping up behind you! Ha, Ha, Ha!!! On this one, who knows who is doing this music! We're probably the only people in the world who care but, if you care, rent or buy the whole fun-filled package from Something Weird! They deserve the credit for reviving this crap from the grave!!

THE NASTY RABBIT - Pat & Lolly Vegas - "Robot Walk" (1964)

So it's Friday night, and you know Eegah and Tabonga like to rock out on the weekend, so here's a real dandy of a tune from a real stinker of a movie from our fave Arch Hall, called "Robot Walk!" I read somewhere online recently where they actually slammed this almost perfect little tune! Unbelievable! On this one song, Arch hands over the reins to Pat & Lolly Vegas and here's the reason why! Are you ready?? Way before this movie, Pat and Lolly Vegas, from Fresno, Calif, also recorded the singles "Let's Go" as the Routers, "Surf Stomp" and "Batman" as the Mar-kets, and "Hotrodders Choice," "Dawn Patrol," "Double A Fueler," and "Satan's Chariot" as the Deuce Coupes. They were part of the house band on "Shindig" and backed Sonny and Cher, Elvis, and more before becoming "Redbone" in 1969! I have no idea what these guys are doing today, but it sure would be fun to find out, because they must have some stories to tell!! 

 

If you can find it, "Robot Walk" was released as a single in 1964 backed with "Big Surf" by Pat and Lolly this time using the name The Sharks. 

 

This is one of the few songs presented on this blog that would have been much better without the insipidly inane dialogue, screaming and whining, but we take what we can get around here! 

 

Pat and Lolly, you guys rock!! Robot Walk!!

BLUE DEMON CONTRA LAS DIABOLICAS - El Klan - "The Solo Dance" (1968)

You know, the other day, Tabonga and I were hanging out talking crap with Rodan and Caltiki about the good old days, and of course what subject always comes up is wrasslin'!! Remember when they would have a scientific wrasslin' match?? It would be between two good guys, with no dirty moves, and was usually boring as hell. I remember one match between Pepper Gomez and some other Good Guy, where I think they ran across the ring and bounced off the ropes going over and under each other like 47 times in a row! We'll take a Lucha Libre masked free-for-all anytime instead! That said, here's another suave little tune by "El Klan" from the film "Blue Demon Contra Las Diabolicas" with our favorite twin saxes, groovy guitar, jungle bird calls, extra funky keyboards and sensual outer space vocals! What a sweet suite! Standing ovation please! Tequila Milagro con Blue Demon es muy bueno, una celebracion mas fina! Todo classico! Gracias! 

 

El Klan Rocks!

 Is that good stuff or what???

THE RETURN OF DRACULA - Gerald Fried - "Theme and Costume Party" (1958)

Composer, conductor, and oboist Gerald Fried might have one of the more remarkable careers we've written about yet, at least as far as TV is concerned anyway. Need proof? How about 9 episodes of "Star Trek", 45 episodes of "The Man From Uncle", 9 episodes of "Gilligan's Island", 2 episodes of "Lost In Space" and 5 episodes of "Mission Impossible", and that was just from 1965 to 1968! In the 50's he composed music for an wide array of films including many classic JD movies and horror films besides "The Return Of Dracula." Killer JD titles include "Dino", "Cry Baby Killer" and "High School Big Shot." More horror/sci-fi titles he composed for are "Curse Of The Faceless Man", "The Flame Barrier" and one our faves, "The Lost Missile." The man is obviously a genius, what else do you need to know?? 

 

Halloween party, the real good old fashion way, dunking for apples with some Dixie music blowing in the background! 

 

Belle Mitchell as Cornelia had a career in the movies that started in 1915 and continued well into the 70's!! Wow!! "That's right folks, have some fun!!" 

 

Francis Lederer makes for a pretty sleazy Count Dracula! 

 

Get back Drac!! Return Of Dracula

THE WIZARD OF MARS (Horrors Of The Red Planet) - Frank Coe - "Toot Toot" (1965)

Okay, you know, we're generally very reverent about the films we write about here, but there's at least one movie that really gets under our skin. What we're talkin' about here is "Horrors Of The Red Planet," aka "The Wizard Of Mars." Honestly, on multiple levels this could seriously be the worst sci-fi or horror film ever made, and that's coming from people who really like bad stuff! This movie just offends us! Number one, Duh!, NOTHING Happens!!! Normally that would be enough, but besides that, nothing else happens!! Of all the films or cartoons based on "The Wizard Of Oz," this one is by far the worst. What's really scary is, believe it or don't "The Wiz" is a better movie!!! 

 

Right! Sure! This is Dorothy!! 

 

You'll just have to guess which one is the Tin Man and which one is the Scarecrow. 

 

These Leaf Fin Martian Eel Critters were almost scary for about two seconds! 

 

Highlights of this film are, the disembodied John Carradine, rambling on forever about a bunch of foolish nonsense, the crew walking through a cave for about 20 minutes talking about absolutely nothing, and another 20 minutes walking in the sand dunes, I mean Mars, talking about more nothing! 

 Okay, Okay, this creepy little dude was kind of interesting. Seems like we saw one of his relatives in the "Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum." 

 

The big solar pendulum thing is just stupid! Forrest J. Ackerman got credit for technical advisor! They probably only asked him one question, so they could use his name! I'm almost positive his technical advice was to ditch the whole project without delay!! So don't blame Forry and don't blame composer Frank Coe either. He did his part with a decent orchestrated and theremin score. Frank also worked on other freaky psychotronic films like "Monsters And The Pajama Party" and "Lemon Grove Kids Meet The Monsters", but Frank couldn't even save this movie. To be fair, if they did replace the actors, the director, the cinematographer, and the script, this film might be watchable!! I said might! "Life Itself Is Meaningless Again" Do yourself a favor and first rent this movie, then rent or buy any Jerry Warren, Al Adamson, or Larry Buchanan movie to see what really good "Bad" is!!