DONOVAN'S BRAIN - Eddie Dunstedter - I Saw Mommy Kissing A Brain (1953)

There are very few classic 50's movies that we've haven't showcased here already, but tonight's freak show is one I've been holding on to for some special occasion, and since the honorary president of The Girl Scouts of America, Nancy Davis's birthday was just 4 days ago, I do believe the tide is high for "Donovan's Brain" to make it's grimy little appearance!

Nancy Davis, here as Janice Cory, married President-to-be Ronald Reagan the year prior to making this movie, and after the way she gets treated in this film by her husband, Lew Ayres as Dr. Patrick J. Cory, I'm sure Ronald was a breath of fresh air. A lot of people don't know that Nancy was already 3 months pregnant when her and Ron tied the knot!

Lew Ayres was a very interesting character for a number of reasons! He was a big band pianist before getting into the movies, a conscientious objector during the war, an action that didn't win him any fans at all, and almost completely destroyed his career, even though he did serve under fire as a medic, and he is buried in Los Angeles next to Frank Zappa, of all people!

Ain't it funny that both Ronnie and Nancy made movies with monkeys? Once they got into politics, it would be standard operating procedure!

The composer of the music for "Donovan's Brain" was Eddie Dunstedter, who was also a songwriter and musician, but who is known mostly for his incredible organ, and his renditions of classic X-Mas songs!!

Why is it that brilliant scientists don't know how to do basic things like wash their car?

Sacrifices have to be made in the name of science, and so sadly, Nancy's little pal gets turned into cream of brain in formaldehyde soup!

Methinks that Eddie got the job, because after all, the brain is an organ too!

So just in case for some unknown reason you have never seen this film, the bottom line is there was a rich guy named Donovan in an airplane crash, and all they could salvage of his existence was his brain, and since they were working on brain out of body experiments anyway, up rose the prefect opportunity! Co-Star Gene Evans as drunken lout Dr. Frank Schratt still has enough wits about him to question the whole thing! Gene Evans was possibly in every cowboy TV show in the 50's and 60's, many times in recurring roles including 39 episodes of the Saturday morning series, "My Friend Flicka" as Rob McLaughlin!

Just to see Nancy in a shot with a brain is good enough for me!!

Gene decides to make his bid for Vice President!!

BEX62677 - Madison 1234 - Yellow 1001! They're trying to tell us something, can you figure out what it is?

Bank Manager John Hamilton was none other than Perry White in 102 episodes of the TV show, "Adventures of Superman!"

Gene and Nancy can't believe that Mr. Donovan's brain has remotely but completely taken over Dr. Cory, but it's true, I tell you!!

When he attempts to shut off the juice to the brain, Gene finds the good stuff!!

This one is dedicated to A Daft Scots Lass because we like to make people quiver!!

Twin beds for married couples seem criminally unjust until you get punched in your sleep a couple of times!! Married couples in twin beds always makes me think of "The Dick Van Dyke Show," and who would be the one to make the move?

By this time in the film, Dr. Cory is dressing exactly like Mr. Donovan, and smoking his same brand of cigars. Believe it or not, people are starting to get suspicious!

The creepy lighting throughout the whole feature is deftly provided by genius Cinematograper Joseph F. Biroc. At this point Nancy has had enough, just can't take it anymore, and decides to answer her true calling as First Lady of the United States!

el TRIUNFO de los CAMPEONES JUSTICIEROS / Mexico + Guatemala - 1974

Welcome everbloody, to Friday Night Drive-In with host Tabonga and li'l Dungeon helper, Ralphie the Tarantula! Tonight's feature is the 3rd and final episode of 'The Champions Of Justice' trilogy, and boy, is it a weird one!! Filmed in Guatemala...

There's a circus backdrop for this alien invasion drama, and features Blue Demon, Superzan, El Fantasma Blanco and Venus! The aliens look like little people but are actually, yes... Bug Eyed Monsters!!

The music is by anybloody's guess, but, it's good! And, Eegah!! has put together a nice slice o' sounds!!!

So, on wif' da show!.. Ralphie sez "time for go to bed!" Wait, no, it's time for our Eariffic Earclip to leave the station, like, RIGHT NOW!!.. el TRIUNFO de los CAMPEONES JUSTICIEROS!

Here are the fearsome invaders from the endless void! Wow...

They employ the use of their normal-sized robot slaves to do all the dirty work. The robot dudes look pretty big when the cameraman shoots from a knealing position.

And, here they are, those well composed Champions Of Justice!

Here are two pics from the circus where the elephant gently steps over a bevy of reclining women, then pretends to almost step on a girl! Fun stuff!!

El Fantasma Blanco and Superzan watch as an alien resorts back to it's original form, a BEM!

The robots shoot at Blue Demon as he chases them in his Cessna.

El Fantasma Blanco and Venus rush to the tower in his white Fiat to help their pal Blue Demon.

What else, the aliens are there!

Time out for a few important messages!

Oh, and here's another important message!

The robots try to do some peeping under the circus bleachers! But, they're stupid and looking in the wrong direction!!

Now, don't mess around Clownie! Take off that outfit, I want it!

Blue Demon sez... "No, really, we need to use this gizmo, look what it does!"

When it comes to using creative colors on crappy sets, the Mexicans win hands down!

Blue Demon uses his gizmo to explode the aliens and send them back to where they belong... Wherever the Hell that is!!

Next Friday = our 1000th post!!

WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND (Italy, 1982) Music by Claudio Simonatti

Just like making bread, it's time for this old man to take another needed break, so, here's the dude of the hour on this hot summer night, Zillagord, with his take on some WTF!?! movie making, Italian style, WOTW!!

Ah Italy-- ever since Marco Polo brought spaghetti to its shores, the Italians have been appropriating ideas from other nations and calling them their own. The Italian film industry is no exception. These paisanos are exploitaters extraordinaire: when they see an overseas money maker, they remake it on the cheap, slap a cool title on it, and rake in the denaro!

WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND (aka THE NEW BARBARIANS) is a fine example of Italian “ingenuity,” a post-apocalyptic ROAD WARRIOR rip-off from director Enzo G. Castellari, also responsible for JAWS rip-off GREAT WHITE and ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK rip-offs 1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS and ESCAPE FROM THE BRONX. Enzo may not be the most innovative guy, but he does have one great claim to fame: he did direct the original INGLORIOUS BASTARDS back in ’78!

He also had the good sense to hire Claudio Simonatti to score this flick. You may know Claudio from the band Goblin, which did some of the great electro-keyboard horror soundtracks of the late 70s-early 80s such as DAWN OF THE DEAD, DEEP RED, and my personal fave, SUSPIRIA! Check out Claudio’s fine score, really the best part of this tepid flick, along with some of the inane dubbed dialogue HERE!

Dese goombahs are members of the Templars (more originality), a gang of poorly coifed, nihilistic thugs who believe that since civilization is on the brink of extinction, they might as well help it along by killing off the remaining survivors! Their slogan: “Hate and exterminate!” Yeah, they’re the Orkin men of the future!

No keggers in our Wasteland!

The battles of the future will be waged in souped-up golf carts! I loved how slow-motion was employed in this flick during the chase scenes to cover up for the low speeds at which these chases were actually occurring. Made Al Cowlings look like a leadfoot!

This gato is named Scorpion, chief enemy of the Templars. Of course, dude with the only cool car is the one who gets the babe. The Wasteland is a lot like high school!

Into the hinterlands comes ex-NFL star Fred Williamson in a role far-removed from his turn as Spearchucker Jones in MASH. His character is named Nadir, an indication Fred knew dis flick was gonna be a low point. Guess he didn’t see CHILDREN OF THE CORN 5 comin’…

What did I say about high school? Damn, the jocks still rule in the atomic devastation….

Of course, Scorpion and Nadir have to defend a caravan of survivors from the Templars in hopes of rebuilding humanity. Have you heard this story before? At least Fred has exploding tips on his arrows, makes for some great ‘splosions! Them Templars blow up good, REAL good!

“It’s about coming up, and staying on top, and screaming one-eight-seven on a mother-fucking cop”—Sublime, “April 29, 1992”

Just tryin’ to ease him up into second gear!

Great thing about the apocalypse—nobody around to steal your cool hood ornament!

Thanks Mean Joe! Oops, I mean…

Will Scorpion and Nadir defeat the Templars and save civilization? Will the jocks and hot-rodders continue to pull the hot chicks? Will the Italian film industry develop an original cinematic concept?? Ah, FUGEDABOUDIT!!!