Wednesday, January 19, 2011

IM STAUD DER STERNE - Karl-Ernst Sasse - "In The Dust Of The Stars" (1976)

Time to get back on the wacky track with some good old fashioned East German space opera, circa 1976, and it doesn't get much wackier than this production, "Im Staub Der Sterne," or as they say auf Englisch, "In The Dust Of The Stars."

Well, it all starts out something like this: After six years in space, the Spaceship Cyrno gets a distress call from a planet named TEM 4, so they land on TEM 4 in order to check it out, and are greeted by this friendly native girl!

Tonight's story is brought to you courtesy of the Pickwick Record Company!

This is the gang! They've arrived just in time to get the news that there was no distress call at all, but before they take off, they are more than welcome to party with the locals!!

Hey, do any of you Earthlings want to try one of these Margarita Fast Blasts? The blue ones are sweet, and the red ones are a little spicy!!

Here, take a big hit like this!

While the dancing girls come out, it's a good opportunity to tell you that the crazy ass interstellar music for "Im Staub Der Sterne" was written by Herr Karl-Ernst Sasse, whose music was also used when they re-released the 1920 silent film "The Golem" in 1977. Karl composed the music for over 160 German films, the last one being "The Einstein of Sex: Life and Work of Dr. M. Hirschfeld," released in 1999!

Anybody up for some spicy intergalactic sushi and tempura??

After a little socializing, it's time to break out the BIG hits!! Yeehaw!!!

Meanwhile, let's see what's going on outside in the park! It's lucky for the producers that the air is breathable on Tem 4, because these scenes would have a completely different feel if the dancing girls had on helmets and space suits!!

Leon Niemczyk is heartthrob Thob! Yeah, who's the freakin' Boss here? Bring him out, because I want to talk to him!!

The girls had such a good time partying, they're doing a conga line back onto the ship, but it seems like it was all just a distraction, a cruel ruse!

Alfred Struwe as Suko stayed back while the girls and Thob were out enjoying themselves, and out in the middle of nowhere he found what appears to be a ventilator shaft, but is really an entrance to the underground!

East Germany, huh, salt mines, huh, oppression, depression, confusion, illusion, do the hokey pokey, that's what it's all about!

Jiggers, the Cops!!!!

They caught Suko and try to extract information from him! Even after getting returned to the others, he's never quite the same!

Who did the decorating in the Royal Palace, Max Headroom??

Ekkehard Schall is The Boss known as Chief! He digs snakes and games, and changes his hair colour on a whim! Perfect for the part, Ekkehard was quite the stage actor, and was well known for his work in plays by Brecht.

Jana Brejchová as Captain Akala sees right through The Chief's bullshit!! Among Jana's many roles, she was The Queen in 18 episodes of the 1993 TV show, "Arabela Se Vrací."

The crazy imagery and colours are non-stop on this wild rocket ride!

Regine Heintze as Miu and Captain Akala express their disdain when they find out what's really going on! Darn those guys anyway!!

The toiling people's party has the last word...

...while the Clown Prince Boss Chief struts his stuff!!

"C'Mon baby, do the Locomotion!" Unlike the future as portrayed in this movie, little did they know 35 years ago, that in the real future, you would be able to have a copy of their little East German film delivered to your house in the boondocks for $9.95 a month, and while that's pretty cool, I still want my flying car too!!

Monday, January 17, 2011

TRAUMA / Artists XVI Productions - 1962

Hello everbloody, welcome to Mondo Monday wif' Tabonga, here at The Dungeon! Tonite's little psycho thriller is about Emmaline (Lorrie Richards) who discovered the drowned body of her handicapped aunt (Lynn Bari) when she was a teenager and caused her to lose her memory. She returns to the family mansion 6 years later and is now married, and, after being there for awhile, falls in love with the caretaker's nephew (John Conte) and eventually remembers who the real killer is..

Emmaline hears screams coming from the back yard and finds her beloved aunt has been murdered! To make things worse, she also had to identify the body of her friend, Lily, earlier that evening at the morgue, who was also murdered!! (loud scream) ..Okay, roll credits!

The music for this decent little thriller is a step above the paranormal in movies, and that's because it was composed by the late, great William Marcel "Buddy" Collette (August 6, 1921 – September 19, 2010). Buddy was an American tenor sax player, flautist and clarinetist and was highly influential in the West Coast jazz scene, and worked with greats like Dexter Gordon, Chico Hamilton and Charles Mingus, etc!.. He was also the orchestra leader for YOU BET YOUR LIFE with Groucho Marx!

Well, look what just popped it's tiny little head into Tabonga's limited field of vision, it's Rufus The Gnat, Mondo Monday's official Lil' Button Pushin' Insectoid! So, here's some... TRAUMA!

Great place to start, here's the classic 1961 Chrysler Imperial!.. Nice!!

Jus' one big unhappy family!.. Clue - the psycho's in this picture!

Emmaline tries to act normal with her new hubby...

But, talks with her dollies when nobody's looking!

Here's that Chrysler again, but, from a different angle!

Yeah, I was thinking too hard!

Cool portrait of John Conte..

You need to calm down, pal!..

In the meantime, Emmaline looks around for clues on her own. She notices her dead aunt's wheelchair.

Then, she messes with the wrong dude, she's attacked by a 'prop' from the 'African Tour!' Go figure!

Oh, now I remember, Luther!! Luther's the freakin' psycho! Damn, it was so obvious!

Luther's not screwing around!!

He jumps in the pool and tries to drown the poor screaming Emmaline, but, he gets pulled under for a 10 count by the wirey ghost of old Aunt Helen!!.. Believe it, or, don't!

Ghoulnight Everbloody!!

Monster Music

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