THE FREAKMAKER - Basil Kirchin - "Mutations" (1974)

Wow, I really should have saved this one for the "Halloween Countdown" that we just agreed to participate in again this year, but honestly, I just can't wait til then, because It's Friday, and you all know that's the beginning of the Freak-End, so let's get it on with Jack Cardiff's "THE FREAKMAKER"!!!

The Seeds had a song on their second album, "Web Of Sound" released in 1966, called "The Tripmaker!" Frank Zappa and The Mother's Of Invention's "Freak Out" LP was also released in '66. It wouldn't be til 8 years later, in 1974, that "The Freakmaker" would get made! What does all that mean? Nothing really, I just like to write about some of my favorite records!! The great music for this film was created by the amazing Basil Kirchin, drummer and co-leader with his Dad of The Ivor And Basil Kirchin Orchestra, and his musical associate, another band leader in his own right, Jack Nathan!!

Oh, Yeah, the carnival or side show or whatever you want to call it, is in town!

Abduction!!

Truly amazing actor Donald Pleasence plays the role of the all too evil Professor Nolter! Believe it or don't, Mr. Pleasence, just like Rupert Davies, was shot down during the war and spent time in a POW camp! You just have to wonder sometimes how strong these guys were to do these gruesome roles after having such horrible things happen to them personally in real life!! I'd ask Don, but he passed away in 1995.

Experimentation!!!

Carnivalization!!!!

Time for Dungeon Hero, muscleman Brad Harris to show up, and try and make heads or tails out of the whole mess!! Brad is looking quite dapper for this film! I ain't so sure about those glasses though!!

I think Miss Norway, 1962, Julie Hege, as Hedi, was the biggest freak in this movie! From Penthouse Pet to registered nurse, Julie did it all, and unfortunately left us last year as another cancer victim!!

This scene looks like a family reunion for some of Tabonga's relatives!!!

And yet another shot from Tabonga's family Tree!

I have no freakin' clue if the word freak is politcally correct these days, nor do I care! Here's a great shot of Félix Duarte, "The Frogboy" doing the deejaying at the freak's party, in his solo outing as a film actor!

So the good Doctor Nolter has been fooling around with mixing and messing people and plants, so how the Hell did you expect Jill Haworth to react? Last time we saw Jill, she was hangin' out with Frankie Avalon in "The Haunted House Of Horror!"

Man, I want to ride on the freakin' "Haunted Goldmine!" Looks just about my speed after a couple of a Cadillacs and some decent rauchen!!

It gets pretty obvious that this film is not about exploiting freaks, but rather showing how different people can be. Not so weird when they have their civies on! The whole cast of interesting people includes: Tony Mayne as Dwarf Tony, Molly Tweedlie as Dwarf Molly, Kathy Kitchen as Midget Kathy, Fran Fullenwider as the Fat Lady, Lesley Roose as the Skinny Lady, Fay Bura as the Bearded Lady, Bob Bura as the Fire Eater, O.T. as the Human Pincushion, Madge Garnett as the Monkey Woman, Willie Ingram as Popeye, Hugh Baily as Pretzel Boy, Félix Duarte as Frog Boy, and Esther Blackmon as Alligator Girl! As RicFlair would say, "Whew!!!"

I've seen this shot other places on the internet, but WOW, what a lab! I thought it was worth an encore! This film has way too much going on for it! We're almost done, & I haven't even had a chance to mention Tom Baker as "Lynch", seen here with Dr. Nolter. Tom has been working steady right up til last year. I'd pass out before I could even describe his fascinating role in this film!

Multi-coloured rainbow acid death! Thanx Jack!!

You knew Brad would pull it off in the end! If you have never seen it, you need to rent this movie!! One word, Netflix!!

SHOCK / 20th Century Fox - 1946 / Music by David Buttolph

Tonight Tabonga bring you lil' flick made in backlots of Century City studio. Dungeon god Vincent Price star as crazed Dr. Richard Cross. Big deal here, Vinnie have NO MOUSTACHE!! Whoa! Vinnie first flick wuz in 1938 and he had starring role!

Music dude David Buttolph end up with 190 composing credit, 80 music department credit and have 3 soundtrack credit, not bad! A few flick he work on: PIGSKIN PARADE, MR. MOTO'S GAMBLE, ISLAND IN THE SKY, THE GORILLA, THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, TOBACCO ROAD, WHISPERING GHOSTS, IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A DOG, HOUSE OF WAX, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, THE DEEP SIX and ONIONHEAD!!

Eegah!! put together 'nother great soundclip, and, pet gnat Piff all up in Tabonga face wanting to press big old 'GO' button for tonight, so, wif'out further adieu, here it come... SHOCKING, NO?!

Emotional Anabel Shaw check into hotel to see husband who coming home from war. While waiting, she witness murder!

She try to take her mind off of it so she look at photo of husband. Then, everything start spinning in circle!

Mushrooms kicking in real good now and she starting to have wild 'n' crazy sexy-gurl fantasy.

What?

Husband Frank Latimore show up and poor wife in coma, so he call doctor to help! But, doctor is big dummy, so he call another doctor!

Doctor suggest specialist Dr. Cross to look after her. Work out swell for Vinnie since he the dude she see commit murder!

Say the fly to the spider!..

Vinnie' need to get rid of wifey, soooo...

Things not going that great for Anabel, time really flying by.

Then, Vinnie' gurlfiend Lynn Bari want him to stop being big maniac!.. Bad idea!

Everbloody bust into room and save Anabel from evil Dr. Cross.

Great end as Vinnie, caught in act, make last medical log entry on tape machine, then calmly take off lab coat and leave with flatfoot for bighouse.

FRIGHTMARE - Stanley Myers - "The Cover Up" (1974)

From the pictures I've shown you here, you might think that "Frightmare" is just another 70's teen flick, but the truth of the matter is that it's a real bloody gorefest centered around a family that is a bunch of cannibals! I just don't choose to dwell on that part of it!

Everything changed forever in the 70's! Disco almost managed to kill music, you can just thank the lord we were saved by the punks!! Lucky for you, the music for this film is not disco and was composed by Stanley Myers! Stanley was a very gifted and prolific writer, who worked in the industry for a good 30 years right up to the time of his death in 1993! He supplied some of the music for Dr. Who and a ton of other TV shows, and a slew of classic dramas like "The Deer Hunter", "The Watcher In The Woods" and "Incubus."

Actually, this is a story of young lovers, Alec and Debbie, played respectively by Edward Kalinski, and the oh, so appropiately named Kim Butcher!!!

So the little tart Debbie tries to get Alec to beat up the bartender because he wouldn't serve her!! By the time it's all over, Alec is in deep shit!

Kim Butcher was in only one more film after this, "House Of Mortal Sin!" She might be the cutest little evil carnivore you ever met in your life, but at least she drinks her milk!!!

Debbie's sister Jackie played by Deborah Fairfax reminds me of what Sarah Palin would look like if she was actually as good lookin' as everybody thinks she is! When was the last time somebody lit up a cigarette sitting behind you at the movies? My, how time flies when you're having fun!!

Hey, where'd they get the relief picture of me? Send him in Coach!!

Jackie and Debbie's Mom like to do Tarot card readings for people, but for some damn unexplained reason, at the end of the reading, the Death card always comes up!!

Of course there's the gratuitous squishy mystery package that leaks blood!

And my favorite, the blue room!!

So here they are, like two little innocent peas in a pod! You just have to use your imagination to know what just happened or is going to happen! If you're a big fan of this genre, you know, if you're not, then you don't need to!! Psycho whack job Mom Dorthy Yates is played effortlessly by classic actress Shiela Keith who left us back in 2004.

Finally Jackie Yates finds out about her family what a lot of other people didn't live to talk about!!!

Not to forget or forgive the father in the family, Edmund Yates portrayed by fine, classic actor Rupert Davies! Edmund is kind of the fall guy, because he loves his wife, he'll do anything, and I mean anything, for her! Rupert is a story unto himself, having been an Officer during the war, shot down over German-occupied Holland, and ended up in Stalag Luft III, where he actually performed in an acting troupe! I do believe that's the same camp that "The Dead One's" creator Barry Mahon was incarcerated! I found it personally interesting that one of composer Stanley Myers' last films was titled, "Stalag Luft!"

That about sums it up! Bon Appetit!!