Friday, March 16, 2012

CAPULINA CONTRA LOS VAMPIROS / Producciones Zacarías S.A. - 1971

It's Viernes with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Our south-of-the-border offering stars oddball comedian Gaspar Henaine as the extra nutty Capulina. It would be absurd for a Mexican comedian to never tangle with vampires during any of his vintage celluloid adventures, know what I mean?!..

We have a fun little soundclip for your enjoyment, so, push the big red 'GO' button there by the little green man, now, Rufus The Gnat! Here are some sounds from... CAPULINA CONTRA LOS VAMPIROS!

It starts with Capulina reading a horror story about vampires...

Later, his boss gets a call from a mysterious woman and Capulina has to go on assignment at an old haunted house in the country. Yes, he walks there!

On the way, he gets some sage advice about vampires from this creepy stranger in a bar. Amazingly, it's not John Carradine!

Wow, this place reminds me of what I envisioned when I wrote the script for SPOOK JOINT, about a rock-a-billy band that gets stranded in an old house in the country on a rainy night.

One of the portraits sticks it's bright red tongue out at Capulina!

He goes exploring and discovers a lady vampire and a midget ghost buddie!

The Count orders a Bloody Mary...

Holy crap!!.. Them tusks would fetch a decent sum on the ivory market!

The guys try and figure out exactly how you kill a vampire.

The Vampire's helpers get the last laugh and torture Capulina by tickling his feets!

No legitimate vampire comedy would be complete without half naked girls running around in their see-thru nighties! I've said this before, my favorite dream is where I was chased around in the dark and hid from vampire girls in night gowns in a creepy old 2-story house.

I'll leave you to your own devices to analyze this baby bottle gag.

What a great set for such a low budget movie!

After the crazy adventure's finally over, well, it's time for a good night's sleep... Wait!

Here's the 1-sheet poster from this flick, I have three other Capulina titles in my library where he meets a witch, a mummy and goes into space!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

THE WITCHING - Karger/Walsh - "Necromancy" (1972)

Tonight's hard to find feature is brought to you courtesy of The Trash Palace! This later B.I.G. production was originally released as "Necromancy" in 1972. It was beefed up with some added footage, and re-released in 1983 as "The Witching!"

Don't be taken in by that innocent cuddly teddy bear mug, that thing is evil! The Suspiriaish sounds of "Necromancy" were composed by Fred Karger who worked as composer or in the music department of some amazing musical flicks like "Don't Knock The Twist," Hootenanny Hoot," Elvis's "Kissin' Cousins," and "Harum Scarum," Herman's Hermits' "Hold On," "Hot Rods To Hell," "Riot On Sunset Strip," Roy Orbison's "The Fastest Guitar Alive," "Angel, Angel, Down We Go" and more! For the 1983 remake, some of the music was souped up by cartoon king Robert (My Little Pony 'n Friends, Transformers, Muppet Babies) Walsh!

The diminutive Pamela Franklin is Lori Brandon. She just had a mysterious miscarriage, and is not having a good time, nor will she ever for the rest of the movie!

It's time for a change, a time to get out of town, and start a new life, except the first thing that happens is during a disagreement with her husband, he starts driving too fast on the curvy mountain road, and causes these innocent people to crash and burn!

Somehow Lori is able to get down to the burning car, and retrieves a funny looking doll, that for some strange reason has fingernail clippings in it's pocket! Lori's loving dickhead of a husband Frank is played by Michael (Twin Peaks, Slap Shot) Ontkean!

Do these look like people you can trust?? I didn't think so! In fact, Lori's not going to meet one person she can trust, including her husband! Anybody who even leans toward trying to help her ends up dead!

At only five foot tall, Pamela was cute as a bug! Her first role was at 11 as Flora in "The Innocents." She met her husband Harvey Jason who she is still married to, on the set of "Necromancy." He had the role of the creepy Doctor Jay! He must have put some kind of spell on her!

"The Witching" was a different kind of Bert I. Gordon film, no big monsters, but you can't get much bigger than Orson Welles in stature and girth!! Just like "The Amazing Colossal Man," Orson Welles was bigger than reality!

If you don't do what Orson wants, and he just might eat you too!!

Supposedly Frank Brandon got a job as a toymaker in this little guarded town of Lillith, but in reality, he is in cahoots with Orson Welles as the mysterious Mr. Cato, to lure Lori into a Necromancy switch to bring Cato's long dead son back to life! Everything tastes bitter for a reason!!

Lori becomes very suspicious of her new friends and surroundings, and is ready to leave at any given time, but her husband keeps on coming up with excuses to stay for a few more days! Needless to say, Lori's predetermined fate is already in the cards!

This is not your average small town get-together and potluck, and nothing seems to be very sacred except how weird it all is!

Lori asks "Did you see a little boy?" and gets an answer somewhat akin to "No, what little boy? I don't see anything!!" Necro Nancy, she's so fancy, "with her children, they'll go far, she buys them toys to keep in practice, waiting on the war!" - Arthur Lee

Pam does get naked in this movie, but this is sexy enough for me!

It doesn't look good for our heroine!

Dreams, Devils, and The Damned, Lori never stood a chance! One of the many names they tried to market "Necromancy" as, was, get this, "Rosemary's Disciples!"

As the Necromancy is almost completed, Cato's son starts returning to human form!

In the days of Olde, Necromancy was considered to be one of the seven forbidden arts. The other six included Geomancy, Scapulimancy, Aeromancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, and Chiromancy or as it is better known, Palmistry!

Monday, March 12, 2012

ISLAND OF LOST SOULS / Paramount Pictures - 1932

It's Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Our offering is a true horror classic from the novel by the awesome Mr. H. G. Wells, "The Island of Dr. Moreau." Director was Erle C. Kenton, who'd go on to direct THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HOUSE OF DRACULA.

Some teriffic poster art from The Thirties!

We have a soundclip from this film that includes a line borrowed by DEVO, so, push the big red 'GO' button located near or next to the revolving book shelf, now, Ralphie The Tarantula! Here's some sounds from... ISLAND OF LOST SOULS!

Stanley Fields plays our hero's nemesis, Captain Davies, still added for Douglas.

Charles Laughton and Richard Arlen star as Dr. Moreau and Edward Parker. Parker has ended up in the hands of Moreau as a result of a string of bad luck incidents, and, is now helplessly headed to the doctor's island... I swear, I love those white suits!

The doctor has a little surprise for Edward, Lota! You know, to help him kill some time while he's stuck there.

Then, Edward gets to meet the rest of the inhabitants on the island, the Manimals! Bela Lugosi gets second poster billing as head Manimal, Sayer Of The Law.

Eegah!! and Tabonga! learned about vivisection in FAMOUS MONSTERS when they reviewed this movie!

I think those two stills compliment each other rather nicely! In 1939, Laughton played Quasimodo in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and, there's a colorized version of that one available on VHS.

Edward puts 2 + 2 together and figures out that Lota is actually a Panther Woman and that Moreau also wants him to mate with her!

Moreau's having a spot of tea when Edward comes in and decks him!

Edward's fiancee figures out where he is and shows up unannounced with her travelling partner. The Manimals like to watch her at night through the window. Leila Hyams plays Ruth Thomas, Leila was also in another classic film, FREAKS!

Moreau finally crosses the line with his creations and the freak show unleashes itself on their overlord!

Moreau tries to fend off the vengeful creatures with his trusty whip, but, it doesn't work this time!

The Manimals grab the doctor and then grab some of his medical tools from the case. Next stop... The House Of Pain!!

Here's a nice British 'Cert. X' poster.

Monster Music

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