Monday, July 18, 2011

ULTRAMAN / Tsuburaya Productions - 1966

Welcome to Monster Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. We head back to Sinoland for this great TV series, Toho was the executive producer. The title of this episode (#2 of 39) is "Defeat The Invader!" and originally aired on July 24, 1966.

The series music is by Mr. Kunio Miyauchi, who had a total of 9 composing credits that include THE HUMAN VAPOR, GODZILLA'S REVENGE and ULTRAMAN: MONSTER BIG BATTLE.

Lettuce now bring in our fuzzy little Dungeon helper and button pusher, sure 'nuf, Ralphie The Tarantula!!.. Ralphie's here to start our Eariffic Earclip, so, without further adieu... Push that big red 'GO' button now, Ralphie! Here's... ULTRAMAN!

In this episode, a space alien called Balatan has come to Earth to make it his new home. The Science Patrol investigates some strange activity going on at a local laboratory...

Huh?!... Hey!!

SUC-KER!!!.. Works every time.

Balatan has a freeze ray, and he's not afraid to use it!

And, looks like it's good at the old razzle-dazzle!

Child labor laws were a little different in Japan back then.

A Science Patroller shows up and shoots Balatan right on the nose!

The Science Patrol works for you 24-7!

What a maroon!

C'mon everbloody, do the Balatan Shuffle, it won't hurt you, so, what are you so damn afraid of?.. C'mon, do the Balatan Shuffle!..

Hey, Mini Men!!..

This scene looks almost identical to a dream I once had. In my dream though, if the giant monster looked into your eyes, you would die!

Wowzers, this is the greatest still, ever!.. Try it as wallpaper!!

The thing can shoot fire from it's pods, making for a hot time on the old town tonite!

Enter our protector, Ultraman!.. This is the stock image they used whenever he made an appearance, quite a dynamic shot.

I like imagery like this, simple to follow and to understand, not like today's super-duper extravaganzas where there are 42 things all happening at the same time, and you don't even know what part of the screen you're supposed to be looking at!!

Ultraman grabs Balatan's saucer and takes it far away from the city...

And so, our hero saves the day once again!!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

COSA AVETE FATTO A SOLANGE? - Ennio Morricone - "What Have You Done To Solange?" (1972)

"Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?" presents a good question that nobody seems to have an answer to, "So Just What Was It That You Did To Solange?" Personally, I've never met anyone named Solange, so I'm off the hook, but the rest of you are in a lot of trouble!!

No, that's not Solange, but the perv in the car watching her, has a major role in the story!

"Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?" These two cats are outstanding in their field and yet, they still have no answers as to what happened!

Dungeon fave Joachim Fuchsberger is Inspector Barth, and he wants to know "What Have You Done With Solange?" Joachim is still alive today, and lives in Tasmania, of all places! Not surprising!

Karin Baal as Herta Rosseni claims she has no idea where Solange might be! Karin has been workin' hard since 1956, and wracked up an incredible field of titles like "Teenage Wolfpack," "The Crammer," and "Doctor Without Scruples!"

There is not a chance in Hell to go wrong when a film is about some kind of girl's school, a premise that European filmmakers have taken to heart, and mastered to perfection over the years!!

Joachim Fuchsberger is one of my favourite actors because in every role I've seen of his, he's either eating, smoking, or chewing gum 73% of the time he's on camera, and if he's not doing any of those things, he's acting like this!!

Believe it or not, "Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?" is not a comedy!!

Well, if Ruth Holden knows everything, then she must know what has happened to Solange! That should clear everything up in a hurry!!

The composer of the eccellente musica for "Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?" was none other the king of the Spaghetti Western himself, the Maestro Ennio "Good, Bad, and the Ugly" Morricone, and even Ennio was accused of having something to do with the disappearance of Solange! In case you wondered, Ennio's first instrument of choice was the trumpet!

I didn't do it, I don't know nothing from no Solange, go away, don't bother me, I never heard of nobody named Solange!

Let me just ask you again, "What have you done to Solange?"

Solange Beauregard as played by Camille Keaton was kind of a free soul, so almost anything could have happened to her! Camille went on to star in the 1978 quasi-classic "I Spit On Your Grave."

I'm pretty sure that this is the guy with all the answers!!!

Just like many of the films in Joachim Fuchsberger's career, "Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?" was based on a novel written by Edgar Wallace! The book's original title was "The Clue of the New Pin."

"What have you done to Solange?"

"Tell me, What Have you done to Solange?"

I used to live down the street and over from a Drive-In theater, and you could see the big screen, and hear about 10% of the sound just sitting in my yard, and the only movie I remember watching all the way through was "I Spit On Your Grave!" Camille Keaton is riveting!

So, tell me, "What DID you do to Solange, anyway?"

Monster Music

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