FANTASTIC VOYAGE - Leonard Rosenman - "Antibodies" (1966)

Big budget films weren't nearly as much fun as a Roger Corman or Jerry Warren film, but every once in a while they did something fairly intriguing like "Fantastic Voyage" that had a lot of interesting visuals, and music to go with them. "Rebel Without A Cause" and "East Of Eden" composer Leonard Rosenman, who, unfortunately just passed away a couple of months ago, had 50 years of contributions to Hollywood music, and that is quite 'fantastic' unto itself!! 

 

Hey Buddy, can you give me directions to the nearest Headshop? 

 

You know, it just ain't cool when the doctors working on you are all wringing their hands and look like this!!! 

 

Let's give a big hand to Craven Walker, the creator of the 'Lava Lamp' for his influence here!!! 

 

Who says Raquel Welch can't act? 

 

After Raquel is attacked, they are stuck on the horns of a dilemma trying to detach these little antibody beggars from every part of her body tactfully!!!

MANFISH - Clyde Hoyte/Richard Koerner- "Big Fish - Beware The Caribbean" (1956)

Well, first off, I'd like to thank my old buddy Tabonga for filling in the last four days while I wandered aimlessly in the desert. To be honest with you, I wasn't sure if that loghead could put a complete sentence together or not, but I think he did a great job for someone who has a turnip for a cousin! So, we decided to let him continue to do the posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting next week, and that will give me a bit of a break and help keep my burnout to a minimum and we can keep this thing rolling! So, let's celebrate and keep the party going with some 'Island Music' from a movie called "Manfish"!! Now, this is one movie I had never seen before, and I must admit, I was a bit disappointed as I was sure there was going to be some cool creature like from a black lagoon, but no, "Manfish" is the name of the boat! This is an 'Island' movie with Lon Chaney Jr. in it, and the story is based on two Edgar Allen Poe stories, "The Gold Bug" & "The Tell-Tale Heart," and that's about all that qualifies it as a horror movie! 

 

"Big Fish" and "Goodbye" were written and performed by the multi-talented Clyde Hoyte, composer and journalist as who else but, "Calypso!" Clyde passed away in 2003! 

 

Underwater skeletons are always scary! Drunk ones are even scarier!! 

 

Richard Koerner wrote "Beware The Caribbean" and is incredibly impossible to find any information about. I have no idea who the woman is or what key she is singing in. It's very hard to decide if she is a really good or a really bad vocalist. Listen to it and you be the judge!! 

 

This movie was filmed in Jamaica in 1956, and it is now in public domain. This was a transitional time in 'Island Music' closing out the years of Mento and Calypso and moving towards Ska and Reggae. Here Clyde Hoyte does a reprise of "Big Fish." 

 

I have been doing a lot of reading about Lon Chaney Jr. lately, and by the looks of it, I think he probably really enjoyed this shoot!!!

IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE - 1958 Vogue Pictures - (Music by Paul Sawtell & Bert Shefter) (SOUNDCLIP NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

Tabonga's brother, IT!, star in tonight's flick from 1958. They use him again in INVISIBLE INVADERS! Music is by Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter. If it sound like KRONOS theme, that because Shefter did that one! Sawtell has super long list of work! 

 

Same rocket from WORLD WITHOUT END and QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE! "Hey! What gives?!" 

 

See, space travel lots of fun and very social! 

 

HEY, BRO!!.. Keep up the good work! 

 

End with great lobby card!! BANG! BANG!

ROBOT MONSTER - 1953 / 3-D / Phil Tucker - (Elmer Bernstein score)

And, again, Tabonga is here! Tonight, we have all-time nutso classic, ROBOT MONSTER!.. So, what can big splinter-head like Tabonga say about this flick?.. Well, music is excellent because of killer composer dude, Elmer Bernstein!! Elmer did score for CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON too! Another nice thing is title card, great! Oh, bubble machine!.. But, what Tabonga like very best is just one thing!.. 

 Yes, correct, Claudia Barrett as Alice! She look totally great in 3-D!! 

 

Phil slightly insane if he think this is good picnic spot!.. But, hey, his stupid movie! 

 

You know, Tabonga interested in what under there too!! 

 

Sometimes, if squint just right... Oh, never mind. 

 

Good idea!.. Let Ro-Man strangle bratty little kid, in 3-D no less!! Johnny was annoying though, right?!

 Then, Great Guidance sends out his lightning ray in 3-D! This same kind of effect used in CAPE CANAVERAL MONSTERS! 

 

Then, turn into silly slapstick comedy! So, here's theme, toy piano and sci-fi music from... ROBOT MONSTER

EARTH vs. THE SPIDER aka THE SPIDER - 1958 AIP/Mr. BIG - (Albert Glasser / Theme)

Tabonga again!.. Tonite is 'theme that likes to beat you up' by one of our faves, Mr. Albert Glasser! Tabonga like the theremin and intrusive surprise element it use to sucker punch you in nose! Win by KO!! Above is pic of Dave the motorcycle cop after little run-in with big, bad spider, dummy made by my dad, Paul Blaisdell! Dad also make big spider leg in gym. 

 

Get ready, here's... "Earth vs. The Spider."

 

Always nice to see parents mentioned! You know, I think dad make that web and spider there too! 

 

Here is funny shot of Gene Roth taking a leak because they make him stand in for self!! 

 

Wow, look, a shoe box!! Tabonga had uncle with two! Nothing more Tabonga care about than old, vintage jalopies! Everyone have to treat with much respect! 

 

Oh, nice Buick!.. Wait, it had crash!! Hey, who could crash such classic car like that?!! WHO CAN BE THAT STUPID IDIOT??!!! 

 

Oh, yeah, great, look, big surprise!!... Woman driver!...... HAVE FUN IN HELL, YOU DUMB BROAD!!! 

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!..... 

 

Don't know why this kid didn't get an Academy Award! Shame on you, Mr. BIG!

el Regreso del Monstruo (RETURN OF THE MONSTER) - 1960 Mex - (Mayhem & Transformation)

Hello, everybloody!.. This Tabonga here. For four nights in row, I control the vertical, I control the horizontal. Tonight, time to go Mex again with freaky little number called "el Regreso del Monstruo" or "Return of the Monster" here in old USA, and, no telling who does music? Got me!..... So, first, title song, then some mayhem, and then very cool transformation sounds. Enjoy! 

Give a listen to Return of the Monster

  It hurt to be a monster! 

Tabonga would like pet skeleton! 

Dreamin' he baaaaad monster!! 

Sleep tight, and, don't let the monstruo bite!

THE GIANT GILA MONSTER - Jack Marshall/Don Sullivan - "Mushroom Dance Attack" (1959)

"The Giant Gila Monster" is another one of those films that was so packed with musical superstars, you almost take it all for granted. Like "Ghost Of Dragstrip Hollow" or "Horror Of Party Beach," the rockin' sounds just keep on coming!! The composer for the soundtrack in "The Giant Gila Monster" was Jack Marshall, who went on to do the music for 70 "Munsters" TV episodes. His swingin' compositions are some of the best anywhere!!! The Masestro Paul Tanner, who played trombone and sat behind Whitey Thomas with the original Glenn Miller Orchestra, handles the job of providing the eerie elements on his invention, the electro-theremin which was a new and improved version of the original theremin. Paul also played the electro-theremin on The Beach Boys song, "Good Vibrations"!!!!! Paul is about 92 these days and still going strong!!! 

 

Don gets a Coke, takes a swig, and hands it to Lisa who doesn't notice, so he takes another drink and now she's looking for her cue, and he's drinking it! 

 

Old Man Harris portrayed by bass fiddle player Shug Fisher went on to play with Roy Rogers and the Sons Of The Pioneers before becoming a regular as Shorty Kellums on "The Beverly Hillbillies." 

 

Don Sullivan, who also starred in Jerry Warren's "Teenage Zombies" does a reprise of the over the top super sweet "The Mushroom Song." 

 

Just when Don sings the lyric "and the Lord said I created for you, a world of joy, from out of the blue" the giant lizard, which wasn't even really a gila monster, busts through the wall and scares the crap out of all the kids!! How ironic, how laconic!!! 

 

The short guy hanging on to the tall guy in fear for his life is pretty funny!! 

 

Don says, "Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!" 

 

This movie is available anywhere and everywhere for free, so there is absolutely no reason or excuse not to see it!!! None!!