THE BLACK SCORPION / Amex Productions 1957 / Music by Paul Sawtell

"HE'LL GET YOU SCARED STIFF!!"

 Rodan here... Music conductor, Paul Sawtell, had done it all by the time he did THE BLACK SCORPION. His career would end 10 years later in 1967. He has already contributed to many of our postings, do a search on him!.. So, here's the theme, followed by some romantic mood music with clever banter, and, even more! Now...BIG, UGLY SCORPIONS!! 

 

Mara Corday looks great, especially with that cig! In fact, she'll be featured again soon in another Sunday classic... TARANTULA!

 Richard Denning, looking suave... One time at a Hollywood party, Richard was there with his wife, Evelyn Ankers. She was almost always paired with Lon, Jr. as the studio (Universal) thought they were a good match on screen. Well, Lon intensly hated her, so, at this party, Lon threw his drink in Richard's face! It was doubtful that Rich would have retaliated against a big, snockered dude like Lon!!.. I know I wouldn't! Daaammnn!!

 When they break this little critter out of this rock, it sounds like it needs some oil! 

 

Great, my wife leaves me, and, now... THIS!!

 The special effects guys used crab shells, parts and pieces to make this very scary face for close-ups! Also, it drooled!!

 Wow, who knew Mexico had such a futuristic look in the '50s?! 

 

TIME TO START SCREAMING!!!

 One hell of a stunt!.. I wonder if they got a 'bump?' 

 

Instead of fighting, they should just split it!! 

 

Eyeballs twitch and jaws move on this slobbering monstrosity! 

 

Yep, believe it or not, that gizmo there is all it takes to bring down old 'grandaddy' scorpion!.. Unfortunately, the 'I'm with stupid' dummy in the middle grabs it while its electrified and does a pretty shocking dying act!.. What a maroon!!

  Oh, yeah, keeping with the theme, here's a drawing of THE BLACK SCORPION by our pal, Gary Wray. He thinks that some girl in New Jersey bought it!

QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE - Marlin Skiles - "You Heard What The Babe Said" (1958)

Director Edward Bernds was such an amazing cat, having directed all those Stooges, Bowery Boys, and Blondie features and shorts, and also crossing over to give us some most interesting films in the Science Fiction genre too, like "Spacemaster X-7","World Without End", and "Queen Of Outer Space"!!!  

 Composer Marlin Skiles is all over the place as is appropriate, having worked with Edward Bernds on many a Bowery Boys film, and much more! 

 

Another picturesque postcard from space, having a wonderful time here on Venus, it's like Nirvana, wish you were here! 

 

Character actor Dave Willock gets all the good lines in this film, and this shot gives you a good taste of where this movie is going! 

 

Captain Eric Fleming thinks the mask is pretty sexy at this point, but doesn't realize it has a dual purpose! They say Laurie Mitchell as the Queen was quite the good sport in this role! 

 

That dual purpose would be to hide her ugly radioactive burnt mug, and what does he have to say, "Sorry!" Nice going Captain!! "For that you will die!" 

 

Beauty queens were cast for the Queen's posse for their amazon qualities! 

 

If any country on earth has a nuclear facility that looks like this, we're all really in trouble!!! 

 

Recently, it dawned on me how much this movie actually looks and moves like a "Three Stooges" episode. This crazy fight scene might have come from Jerry Warren's "Batwoman," it's that silly!! 

 

In Tom Weaver's interview with Edward Bernds, Ed tells him how Zsa Zsa almost gave him ulcers she was so hard to work with, and that he couldn't watch the film, because he could never understand why Zsa Zsa would be the only one on the planet with an accent! I also read that she had a hard time even delivering her lines because she thought she was too good to to talk to anyone, even on the set!

DEMENTIA (Daughter Of Horror) - George Antheil - Shorty Rogers - "Wig City" and more (1955)

"Dementia" or "Daughter Of Horror" or whatever you want to call it, is the coolest beat-noir film ever, and it is so full of music, we've written about it twice already, so check the archives for a ton of more info, and in case you missed it the first time, here's a link to a great review written in 2004 from our buddy over at the now defunct flickhead blog..

"Dementia" The Flickhead Film Review! 

 

The medallion is where it all starts!! 

 

The first club they take you too has this dancer and some Cool Exotic Jazz to go with it!

 

I have no doubt that someday the Bruno Vesota bio movie will be made with Jack Black in the lead role! 

 

This is Bruno VeSota's wife Jebbie as the flower girl! Who they get to play her in his bio is going to be anybody's guess! How about Jessica Alba? 

 

So, you're watching this movie, and you have no idea how you got here, and now it's time for a rehearsal! 

 

Shorty Rogers and The Giants, the name alone lets you know these were the guys who understood the tongue in cheek humour of the whole deal! 

 

As The Chambers Brothers would later say, "Now the time has come", so here you go, Shorty Rogers and The Giants with "Wig City", one of, if not, the coolest tunes ever used in a movie!! Period!!! 

 

The hands really do tell the whole story!!! 

 

So, here's the deal! If you are hip enough to know what's happening in this film, then you are really, really going to dig it! If you watch this movie and don't have a clue what's going on, then you're going to hate it! It's that simple!! Mandatory viewing for all true jazz aficionados and artistes! For once in your life, experience the real thing, for this is truly untarnished Art! 

 

The original master of stand up comedy, Shelley Berman is one wacked out cool Daddy-O!!!

la Invasión de los Vampiros (aka) THE INVASION OF THE VAMPIRES / Internacional Sono Film S.A. - 1963 / Music by Luis Hernández Bretón

Well, here Tabonga go again, tonight have 'nother total crazy flick from Mexiko! Composer Bretón have hands full with this stuff... Get ready for horror fun house! Insane Vampire Attack!! Oh, K. Gordon Murray release US version in 1965. 

 

Vampire have nice bedroom! (Forry call 'bedroom'.. 'badroom!') 

 

Sometime, Tabonga wish he could live in cave! 

 

Whoa! This dude look like really know how to 'creep around'... Have look of professional! 

 

Maybe he not stare so much if you hang up curtain!!

 Now, gettin' good! This is giant bat who attack like crazy monkey!! Attack, Attack, Attack!!!

 This good shot of giant bat face! Look damn scary to kids in '60s!! 

 

Oh, no, Tabonga in love again!..

 Check out stake in heart! That one tough vampire gurlie!! 

 

Tabonga sign off for tonight...

THE VALLEY OF GWANGI - Jerome Moross - "Gwangi" (1969)

Okay, we probably should have saved this movie to present as a Sunday Night Classic, but you know, why be a lamebrain, there's only so many Sundays in a week, so tonight we get to feature the music from the 1969 Ray Harryhausen classic, "The Valley of Gwangi". 

 

Yeah, I guess Spain is south of the Rio Grande!! 

 

Who knew Richard Carlson could ride a horse?? 

 

"Morningside Productions" specialized in stop-motion animation and their list of releases is beyond reproach, featuring titles "20 Million Miles To Earth", "The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad", and "Jason And The Argonauts" besides this film! 

 

In this scene James Franciscus as Tuck Kirby and Laurence Naismith as the professor wax poetic about what they are going to do with their discovery! When you listen to it out of context, it sounds like The Velvet Underground's "Murder Mystery" or something equally peculiar as they talk all over each other. 

 

The music is composed by Jerome Moross and has a big heaping helping of "Gunsmoke", "Wagon Train," and "Big Country" mixed in! 

 

Utilizing English director Jim O'Connolly, who had produced and directed titles like "Konga", "Escapement" and "The Night Caller" was genius, and makes this a fun movie to watch! This is definitely not your typical cowboy dinosaur movie, and is well worth spending a Saturday afternoon with! 

 

Uruguayan born Gustavo Rojo does a great job of bulldogging this pterodactyl and is terrific through the whole movie! 

 

It takes 9 guys to keep Gwangi out, and Tuck Kirby is right in the middle of it!! 

 

A lot of the time, my mind does not agree with the color of the dinosaurs in Gwangi, but in this hot and cold shot, it looks absolutely amazing!!