Wednesday, September 28, 2011

KRIMINAL - Romano Mussolini - "La Máscara De Kriminal" (1966)

So today's my freakin' birthday! WTF!? BFD! "KRIMINAL" is the best present I could get or give, and it was all made possible by "The Web Of Mystery!" So, here you go!!

My how things have changed in just a few short years, "KRIMINAL" was a 1960's Italian comic that got co-creator, writer, and artist Max Bunker (Luciano Secchi) prosecuted more than once for his erotic-violent vision! Today it probably wouldn't even catch a passing glance! I'm surprised the Italians were that uptight! The other co-creator, artist and writer was Magnus (Roberto Raviola)!

The comic "KRIMINAL" ended in 1974, after 419 issues. In Spain, the character was known as "KILLING!"

In the comic, but not the movie "KRIMINAL" has the ability to wear different masks that change his identity! In the movie, he's more of a makeup artist!

The Dutch actor Glenn Saxon is KRIMINAL in this film and the sequel made two years later, "Il Marchio Di Kriminal," and he plays the role to perfection! To my knowledge, neither film has ever been released in the U.S.

"KRIMINAL" begins with Glenn being put to death by hanging after his arch-rival Inspector Milton of Scotland Yard had finally caught him, but it was a clever ruse set up by Milton, for KRIMINAL to escape so that he would lead them to The British Crown he had stolen!

Things don't go so well for the first guy who catches up to KRIMINAL! The more they open the door, the more he strangulates!

KRIMINAL has got a very cool outfit, but you don't really know why he wears it, like here where he breaks into the bedroom of his ex-wife, and after he startles her, he removes the mask and identifies himself. It's not like Batman or Superman where nobody knows their secret identities, everybody knows who KRIMINAL is, but he's so damn tricky, it just doesn't do them any good!

Not twins, but two chicks who just happen to look alike, now that ought to fool those diamond thieves!! This is Helga Liné as Inge & Trude! There's a whole intricate plot about stealing and not stealing diamonds, and ripping off the insurance company instead! After KRIMINAL returned the British Crown unceremoniously back to Milton, he decided he'd get involved in this whole caper!

KRIMINAL's Ex-wife is Maria Luisa Rispoli as Margie Swan! Margie just happens to work for Mrs. Gold who is running this whole jewel swindle switch affair! Maria is pretty hot, but was only in 9 films, two of which were "Colossus And The Amazon Queen" and "Toto Vs. Maciste." "KRIMINAL" was Maria's last outing, and she chose to be credited as Susan Baker!

It's right about here that we get to find out how mean spirited KRIMINAL actually is! After striking up and affair with Mrs. Gold to find out more about how the swindle worked, she turns on him with a pistol in the steam bath, and KRIMINAL has no qualms about steaming her butt to death! After all, she was going to shoot him!

KRIMINAL heard Margie ratting him out to Milton, so when he hears the appointment time she set up in Milton's office, he heads on over to the office in disguise as an electrician to rig up a bomb to blow them both to bits!!

Milton catches on at the last minute, and just manages to escape a certain death! KRIMINAL is not playing around! He intended to get rid of both Milton and Margie permanently!!

The KRIMINAL skelton costume they came up with consistently looks cool and weird!

The swingin' music for this whole grand affair was composed by Romano Mussolini working as Raymond Full! Besides "KRIMINAL" Romano has only three more composing credits! "La Ragazzola" in 1965, "Tous Les Chemins Mènent à L'homme" in 1976, and "Circle Of Fear" in 1992! Lord knows what he did the rest of the time!!

After he kicks her boyfriend's ass, Kriminal reveals his true identity again! I think he does it so the girls can see how handsome he is, because he ends up taking them to bed with him anyway!

Inspector Milton has KRIMINAL trapped at the airport, but he manages to slip out in disguise with a bunch of guys who have a private plane, so nobody's paying much attention to them! Milton is played the fool again!

Nice outfit Helga!!

Director Umberto Lenzi provides the viewer with plenty of swell shots of KRIMINAL sneaking around! Umberto is probably better known for some of his grisly 80's horror like "Cannibal Ferox," "Nightmare City," and "Eaten Alive!"

Ivano Staccioli as Alex Lafont, Mrs. Gold's partner in crime, is the other major player in the game! He makes some bad choices and KRIMINAL ends up playing him like an out of tune fiddle! KRIMINAL puts some vitriol (sulphuric acid) in Alex's toiletries and his face gets seriously burned! Ivano had a long and outstanding career in both Sword and Sandal, and Spaghetti Westerns flicks!!

The poor witless Alex LaFont tries to get the drop on KRIMINAL only to get himself killed and disfigured, so that KRIMINAL can take on his bandaged identity to get into the bank where the diamonds are stored!!

That's KRIMINAL escaping with Alex's cool Ford Fairlane convertible!

KRIMINAL takes a moment to make sure his hair still looks good!!

After going through a whole ordeal that included a crazy train ride and escape, and losing all the diamonds, KRIMINAL just by chance happens upon Mary Arden as Gloria Farr sunbathing out in the middle of nowhere! Unfortunately for KRIMINAL, Gloria is also Inspector Milton's girlfriend! Mary was in Bava's "Blood And Black Lace" and was also the model used in Italian photo-novels of yet another skeleton-clad criminal, "SADISTIK" - "The Diabolikal Super-Kriminal!"

Es todo! "Sei Finito KRIMINAL!" Don't worry, the criminal mastermind will be back, but now for me, it's onward to The Annual Halloween Countdown and bringing scary back!!

Monday, September 26, 2011

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN / AIP - 1970

Welcome to Monster Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. A serial killer's on the loose in London, he drains the victims of blood, and, he's as strong as five men! That's the headline for this wild and crazy flick from producers Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky, producers of films like THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS, THE SKULL, DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS, THE TERRORNAUTS, THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, TORTURE GARDEN, ASYLUM, I, MONSTER, MADHOUSE, AT THE EARTH'S CORE and THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN!

The very cool music is by David Whitaker, David had 20 composing credits for titles like DON'T RAISE THE BRIDGE, LOWER THE RIVER, HAMMERHEAD, DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE, VAMPIRE CIRCUS, OLD DRAC, THE PLAYBIRDS and THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER. He also has 7 soundtrack credits.

Since it's Monday, that means our fuzzy little Dungeon helper and button pusher, Ralphie The Tarantula, is present and is ready to start our Eariffic Soundclip. So, push the big red 'GO' button located directly in front of you, now, Ralphie! Here's... SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN!

What bothered me the most about this flick when I first saw it is this poor athlete here! All he remembers is jogging in a park somewhere, with both his legs attached!..

And, do you think his nurse even cares?!!.. Hell no, she don't, she's got work to do!!

Vinnie plays Dr. Browning, he's part of secret military operation in the process of creating an army of super humans...

Victims are showing up at the morgue with the blood drained from their bodies, although, looks like her blood's all there to me! This is the R rated version.

Back to this guy, here's what he discovers the next time he wakes up!..

Blackwater decides to get in on the action...

I'd get in a lot of trouble if I used any other caption but this one!

British chicks are daft!

I mean, see what happens when the bird puffing the fag hooks up with super boy, that doesn't look like sex!

Peter Cushing's role required only one day's shooting, and, he's never even seen with Price or Lee.

Sooooo... Drizzle, drazzle, druzzle, drome, time for this one to come home!..

Man, kinda' rough week... Guess I'll just take a little ol' nap... Can't play checkers any more, anyhow!

The police dude helps the chick get wired for sound!

Chickie hooks up with the suspected killer, but, he proves to be super evasive after being cornered by a ton of policemen!

When he's eventually captured, they handcuff him to his sportscar's bumber to prevent him from getting away.

He pulls his hand off and heads for Dr. Browning's place, where he jumps into a big pit of acid! This bobbie finds out the hard way that the liquid is actually sulfuric acid, not water!

After the hand is taken back the lab, it tries to get away while being inspected by the doctors.

Lots of freaky junk goin' on around here!

In Browning's lab, they're preparing for another transplant operation.

Good guy, Dr. Sorel, tries to stop Browning and finds out that he's dealing with another super human!

At the end, we get to see who the big boss is, it's Chris Lee as Fremont!

Dr. Browning is no longer needed, and, like a good trooper, he lies down in the acid pit when ordered to by the boss...

A very cool poster to end the show with!!

Monster Music

Monster Music
AAARRGGHHH!!!! Ya'll Come On Back Now, Y'Hear??