MERRIE MELODIES - "Love And Curses" (1938)

First there was Looney Tunes, then there was Merrie Melodies, and over at Disney, it was Silly Symphonies. The original concept of Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies was to to use a song out of a Warner Bros movie, and then the cartoon would essentially be an ad for that movie!

 

The name of this cartoon was "Love And Curses," and it was released in 1938.

 

"Love And Curses" starts off with this happy couple looking through an old photo album and reminiscing. There's a couple of quick gags, and then it's on with the story!

The happy couple are named Harold and Emily. They are deeply in love, and on a picnic.

The mean and evil Roger St. Clair thinks that Emily should be his girlfriend and tries to kidnap her.

Harold makes a valiant attempt to rescue Emily, but first gets his fingers stomped on, and then he gets a boot to the face for his trouble. Roger St. Clair whisks Emily away, and Harold doesn't know where they have gone, or where to find them.

Six months later, and Harold has not been able to locate Emily, although he has tried desperately.

Harold shows this lewd and crude sailor a picture of Emily and asks him if he's seen her, and the guy tells him "Aw, go on, I've pushed better dames than dat off the boat." He then inhales on his cigar and the smoke comes out of the smokestack on the boat tattoo he has on his chest.

It doesn't look like Roger St. Clair is concerned about trying to hide his whereabouts.

Emily is forced to sing in Roger St. Clair's bar.

And that's where she is when Harold finally finds her!

Roger drops the curtain on Harold, and scoops up Emily and takes off again!

Right out of "The Perils Of Pauline," Roger ties Emily to the railroad tracks, then he tells her that in just a minute, her pretty little head will be "bouncing along the rails."

Once again, Harold shows up right on time, and saves the day, but while he's doing it, Roger St. Clair snatches up Emily again, and runs off to the old sawmill.

Harold gets knocked out, and is on his way to have a splitting headache.

But......apparently Harold has the hardest head in the world, and the saw comes completely apart when it makes contact with his noggin.

Harold seems to be some kind of Superman as he dodges and deflects bullets with his bare hands!

Roger throws some good body blows, but Harold is unfazed!

Harold then unleashes a mighty punch that sends Roger St. Clair completely out of the scene, and into a river!

But just like the proverbial bad penny, Roger shows up again, and whisks Emily off one more time. The story ends, and the world is left to see if good or evil will prevail!

THE MANSTER In Color - 1959

So, here's another classic fifties sci-fi horror movie that was recently colorized by United Artists. And, Eegah and I saw this one at the theater when it came to our town in late 1959 when we were in 6th grade. We loved it, what a wild and weird story, right up our alley!

It's about an American reporter who's given a strange injection by a scientist that turns him into a two-headed man-monster. It stars Peter Dyneley, Jane Hylton, Tetsu Nakamura, Terri Zimmern and Norman Van Hawley.

Things start with this ape-like creature here, he had escaped earlier from the lab and killed a number of women at a bath house, and has now returned.

It is the secret lab of Dr. Robert Suzuki, in the mountains, away from the city. He's experimenting with genetic manipulation, and the creature is his own brother! He has caused too much trouble and must be destroyed...

Larry Stanford is a reporter who was invited to Dr. Suzuki's place for an interview with the doctor for his newspaper.

The whole time, Suzuki planned on knocking out and injecting Larry with his formula.

Larry has changed, he just wants to drink and have fun with his new friend, Tara, Dr. Suzuki's lab assistant. When he goes to his apartment with Tara, he finds his wife Linda waiting there with Larry's boss, Ian. They basically want to know what the Hell's wrong with him.

Later, Larry starts to change...

His right hand has changed into one hideous sight!

Back at the lab, Dr. Suzuki tells Tara that Larry's about to go through a big change!

Let's face it, that would freak you out a little bit!

At this point, Larry's not really there!

Dr. Suzuki has one more murder to commit, he needs to put another of his experiments, Emiko, out of her misery. Alas, Emiko is his wife!

The Manster has made its way back to the lab, and receives one last injection from Dr. Suzuki. Soon thereafter though, the monster tosses the doctor into the incinerator!!

The place is coming unglued, so the Manster heads back outside...

Once back in the forest, the man and the monster split away from each other. The alternative title of the movie is... THE SPLIT!

The monster ends up tossing Tara into the volcano, and...

It goes after Larry, who has changed back to normal now. Larry fights back and ends up tossing the monster itself into the volcano!!

As Larry's carried off on a stretcher, Linda and Ian wonder how much on this is really Larry's fault. Love this crazy movie!

FATAL INSTINCT - "One Extra-Large Joke" (1993)

This week's Saturday Night Special is a film from 1993 that is a spoof of 80's Film Noir, and a series of one liners, sight gags, jokes, and gigles, and the most special thing about it, is that it works!

 

I find most films like this tedious to watch, but I think it's safe to assume that this film is different because it was directed by supreme funny guy, Carl Reiner, the guy who wrote "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," and "The Man With Two Brains."

The star of this show is the amazing Armand (Judge Dredd) Assante as Detective/Attorney Ned Ravine.

Ned and his partner, John (Bird) Witherspoon as Arch, are on a stakeout for a robber who wears a stocking over his head.

 

There's a hot pursuit on the Bumper Car ride!

 

This smokin' hot dame named Lola, who always has something stuck to the bottom of her shoe, shows up. The background music is cool, and the cat playing it, is the late Clarence Clemons, who is also in the background.
 

Ned Ravine's wife is having a torrid affair with a younger man. In this scene, after they have sex, they smoke cigarettes without lighting them. Kate (Terror Stalks The Class Reunion) Nelligan is Ned's unfaithful wife Lana, and Christopher (Happy Gilmore) McDonald is her lover Frank.

 

One of my favorite scenes is when Ned has trouble trying to pick out something to wear. Usually his secretary has to help him decide.

In his squad car, Ned has a ceiling fan.

This card from "The Hot Club" was so hot, it was smouldering!

Lola was played by Sean (Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde) Young.

A real mean and vile character named Max Shady who Ned defended in court but lost, is getting out and wants revenge on Ned for losing the case.

Armand Assante might be the star, but in my opinion, Sherilyn Fenn as his secretary Laura Lincolnberry, steals the show.

Sherilyn Fenn is one of those exceptional talents who besides being beautiful, is also incredibly funny, and this film seems made for her. Here she shows Ned the threatening faxes Max Shady is sending him. 

When Laura pulls out a gun, Ned asks her, "Where did you get that from?" and her answer is "My purse." That's the kind of silly stuff you can expect from this movie.

Ned and Laura go out for a drink, and as she dreams about what he thinks about her, he's thinking how stupid she looks with this 'Beer Bimbo" hat on.

Many of the sight gags are subtle, but most of them are in your face!

Besides all that good stuff, there is a plethora of guest stars like Rosie O'Donnell.

When Ned has to defend his wife, there are broadcast announcers in the court, and Bob Uecker calls the play by play action!

 Judge Harlan Skanky is played by the always enjoyable Tony (The Odd Couple) Randall.

When the background music switches from saxophone to trumpet, Ned opens a closet door to find Doc Severinsen sitting in for Clarence Clemons, stating that Clarence had another gig to attend.
 

Even Carl Reiner himself makes a cameo appearance in a urinal scene.

I'd say we could all use a good laugh these days, I found this one on Amazon.