THX 1138 - Lalo Schifrin \ Walter Murch - "Serious Chemical Imbalance" (1971)

"The Future Is Now!" - "I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus!" - The Firesign Theatre

"THX 1138" was George Lucas's first full length film!

For some, like Tabonga, who are of the rubber monster persuasion, "THX 1138" is too arty,  slow, and dreary!

It might move at a paramecium's pace at first, but if nothing else, "THX 1138" is 86 minutes of pure eye taffy!!

The amazingly active and talented Robert Duvall as "THX 1138" has been nominated for 6 Oscars for either best actor or best supporting actor, and won the the gold statue once for best actor in "Tender Mercies!"

This is LUH 3417, THX's mate, as portrayed by Maggie McOmie! One of the stars of George Lucas's first feature and yet she has appeared in only one other feature film, four shorts, and one video!

The future doesn't show a lot of promise unless you've got a lot of help!

Home entertainment is provided by repetitious holograms and jungle rhythms provided by Lalo Schifrin!

The almighty ones make judgment upon anyone involved in illegal sexual activity like THX and LUH!

THX and LUH are permanently separated for their illicit behaviour and THX loses it!

Because of his distractions, THX almost turns the whole place into a nuclear nightmare!

The authorities cannot allow such conduct, and the robot security forces escort THX to his new home!

Desperation, despair, despondence, alienation, and a total mental whiteout wipeout are his earned rewards!

Donald Pleasence is Sen 5241, his name has been popping up a lot around here lately! 6' 4" Don Pedro Colley is the black hologram in a white world, and the only one who knows the way out, of course!

Reality is madness to the tenth degree! Maybe the insanity of solitude wasn't so bad compared to the overpopulated and insanely fast moving world of the outside!

How convenient is that? George Lucas's studios were in the Bay area, the home of the B.A.R.T. system, and the awesome looking underground rail system of the future! Sleek and stark, how absolutely perfect?

Unfortunately, holograms aren't such great drivers!

Panic, pursuit and pandemonium ensue!

Shades of "Vanishing Point," some odd number of years into the future!

Run THX, run! There has to be something better! There just has to! Head towards the light, and the possibility of a different existence, even if it means death, it will still be worth it!!

Light, warmth, sunshine, and the possibility of love, maybe? Life really is worth living, or is it? Maybe there's still time for tomorrow, or a sequel, but then, maybe not!

PIRANHA - 1972

It's Fishy Friday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. We gots a story about a wildlife photographer and her brother who go to Venezuela for a photo shoot. They hire a guide to get them through the jungle, but, the trio have a run in with a local hunter. There's no production comany info about this movie on IMDb, filmed in Venezuela. Not to be confused with any Roger Corman films, alternate title is PIRANHA, PIRANHA!

Eegah!! sent us over a nice little soundclip from this flick, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button there by the flaming furnace, NOW, Rufus The Gnat! Here's our audio offering for... PIRANHA!

This flick comes off as a travel guide most of the time. Photographer Terry and her bro, Art, land in Venezuela and go shopping!

The movie uses the popularity of Peter Brown and William Smith from their hit TV series, LAREDO. Peter plays guide Jim Pendrake and William plays sadistic weirdo hunter, Caribe.

They go get drunk at a colorful local bar!

Another reason for using Peter and William is that they were physically capable of doing their own stunts including dangerous motorcycle games!

More local color and what keeps the jungle area alive, gold!

There's more travelling around, from airplanes to native river boats.

Caribe goes berserk and burns down a whole village!

A great shot of Peter getting flipped off the walk and into the water by William. What a rip off, where are the freakin' piranhas!

This shot of Caribe circling Pendrake will make you dizzy!

But, never trust a miffed chick with a shotgun!!

As a bonus, I'm including my surf tune from my 1987 cassette album, INSTRUMENT OF DOOM. Eegah!! assists, here's... PIRANHA!

Shown is the cassette insert art and lineup.

TWO AND TWO MAKE SIX - Norrie Paramor - "The Girl Swappers" (1962)

OK, I'm screwed! I just got the news that my health insurance isn't paying but a pittance of the exorbitant hospital bill I got a couple of months ago, so I'm having a little trouble focusing on movies, and since I didn't know what I was going to do with this film anyway, I can't think of a better time to do nothing at all!

Originally titled "Two And Two Make Six", "The Girl Swappers" is a Freddie Francis directed film which is what lead me to it in the first place, but other than that............You've heard about newborns getting switched at the hospital, (Oh there's that word again) well, this film is kind of like that! Two guys get their girls mixed up on the back of their motorcycles as they're leaving a cafe, and after a certain series of events, all four end up falling in love with their opposite mate!

Yes, indeed it is a problem! The theme song for "The Girl Swappers" was written by Norrie Paramor and was sung by Craig Douglas! Dummy-Doo-Wah!

George Chakiris won an Oscar for his role as Bernardo in the best gang musical ever made, "West Side Story!"

His soon to be ex-girlfriend is played by the beautiful Jocelyn (Son Of Hercules Vs. Venus) Lane! Jocelyn was also in "Tickle Me" with Elvis!

The other couple in the old switcheroo are Alfred (The Blockhouse) Lynch and the lovely Janette (Day  Of The Triffids) Scott!

Both the ladies clean up quite nicely!!

In the end both couples end up getting married and living happily ever fucking after!! Cute!! BFD!!!

ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS / Los Altos Productions - 1957

It's time for a redo of a classic fifties sci-fi monster post with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. I actually saw this decent little Corman entry at the theater at the time and it's still lots of fun to watch, comes in at only 62 minutes!

Eegah!! sent over a soundclip for us to dig, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button there next to the burrito holder, NOW, Ralphie The Tarantula! Here's some sound from... ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS!

Our crew members show up on the shores of a Bikini Atoll to investigate the disappearance of the prior scientific party, they set up shop...

As they wave goodbye to the crew of the departing sea plane, it mysteriously blows the Hell up two seconds later!

Cool set of shots of our hapless characters, now, they've lost radio communication and there's been a massive earthquake! I love knotty pine walls. And, Richard Garland looks like Fred!

Things ain't goin' that great, now, there's a big hole in the wall and Jules just got his hand pinched off by a Crab Monster!!

Oh, hey Beach, whazzup?.. Huh, what?!.. Like, whut the Hell's the matter, dude?!!!

Actually, he's needed to run the monster!

They manage to get their hands on dinner, and, they have a nice photo to scare everyone with!

They come up with a death ray for defense so let Martha install it in the cave! Filmed inside Bronson Caves, natcherly.

Now it's time for this poor sap to get his head pinched off! At the time, this seemed over the top for a kid of 10, it was pretty shocking.

Then, the island crumbles into the sea from earthquakes and the big bully comes out of the water to finish off the puny humans!!