THE GIANT OF METROPOLIS / Centroproduzione SpA - 1961

It's about time for some sword and sandal here at The Dungeon, this time our muscular strongman Ohro travels to the capital of Atlantis to rebuke its godlessness and becomes involved in the battle against its evil lord Yoh-Tar and his devious super-science schemes. The movie is from 1961, which we can tell you was a great year for 13 year olds like we were!

Here's a funny little story about how easily one can be confused with some of these movie titles... I made the sound clip for our movie months ago and loaded it up on our sound storage site along with a pile of other clips from the movies I've been posting. So, I went to find a poster for the movie but I had mistakenly named the clip THE GIANT OF MARATHON, a similar title. Okay, I find the poster and it stars Steve Reeves, and, I'm thinking... What The Hell. Finally, I figured out what had happened and renamed the sound clip and got the right poster. I noticed the star was Gordon Mitchell, but, I'm thinking Gordon Scott, which again, didn't make any sense! Then, notice the poster, that is NOT Gordon Mitchell shown there and his name is freakin' Mitchell Gordon!!!

I've got a sound clip from this flick for your approval, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button over by our Midget Of Dungeon, NOW, Rufus The Gnat!.. Here's a taste of... THE GIANT OF METROPOLIS!

Ohro shows up too late to help his people but is asked to go to Atlantis to confront their supreme enemy, Yoh-Tar, and his use of super-science weaponry. Gordon was one interesting guy, born in Denver, Co and raised in Inglewood, CA, He was in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE YOUNG LIONS, LI'L ABNER, RIO BRAVO, SPARTACUS, ATLAS AGAINST THE CYCLOPS, STAR PILOT, BORN TO KILL, CRAZY WESTERNS, THE WINGS OF WAR, FINDERS KILLERS, COFFIN FULL OF DOLLARS, FRANKENSTEIN '80, THE GODFATHER SQUAD and EVIL SPAWN.

Atlantis is actually a pretty cool place (nice sets), only, it's run by a royal rat-ass bitch.

On his way there, Ohro is captured by Yoh-Tar's men, they use devious, sharpened metal claw rakes to subdue him.

Here you go, a nice portrait of Yoh-Tar, head maggot in charge...

Ohro is put through a number of insane challenges but he always comes out on top.

Then, this crusty old fart shows his ugly puss to throw in his two cents worth.

Next, Ohro has to go up against this big old mean brute, but, after a long brutal battle our hero uses a club to knock some sense into the terrifying hulk...

This all really pisses off Yoh-Tar, so, he puts Ohro under the lamp!

Ohro survives the lamp and is surprised when one of Yoh-Tar's men wants to help him. After Ohro escapes, Yoh-Tar's guards find the traitor and cut his throat with a claw rake.

After Ohro finds his friend dead, he pays Yoh-Tar a little visit...

Kill the SOB, Ohro!! Kill that dog turd, NOW!!!

It doesn't matter, the place is ready to blow. The earth beneath Atlantis is sinking into the ocean, and, our tale is over... Tune in tomorrow when Eegah!! takes over The Dungeon!

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: "The Cheney Vase" (1955)

I keep thinking that we're running out of material, and then I realized how many episodes of different TV shows we still can do, like "The Twilight Zone, "Night Gallery," "Tales Of Tomorrow," "One Step Beyond," "Science Fiction Theater ," yadda, yadda, yadda, and/or tonight's presentation, another episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents!"

I have yet to see anything connected to Alfred Hitchcock that wasn't worth watching, and I think my favourite element is always that wonderful dry and droll sense of humor! I was lucky enough in my life to be able to buy Forrest J. Ackerman's lunch, I wish I could say the same about Alfred Hitchcock!

Okay, so here's a sweet one for you, and even though "The Cheney Vase" might not be the most exciting title in the world, it's sure a damn fine tale of deceit, deception, and despair!!

 Darren (Mike Hammer) McGavin is sleazeball Lyle Endicott! He just got fired from his job at the museum because he's a slacker and a dick!

 If  Lyle's girlfriend Pamela looks vaguely familiar, it's because she is none other than Carolyn (Morticia Addams) Jones!

 I just had to throw this shot in because his eyes are so wide open, and her eyes are closed!

Here she is, Patricia Collinge as Mrs. Cheney, the lady who owns the special antique vase! There's not a lot in her résumé, but she was in three other episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and also in two episodes of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour!"

 Supposedly, the eight inch high "Cheney Vase" is worth $45,000.00, and it seems like everybody wants to get their stinkin' hands on it, especially Lyle, so he tells Mrs. Cheney he'd love to have a job taking care of her. and she decides she'll take him on temporarily! So the wheels are in motion!

This is Kathryn Card as Mrs. Cheney's maid Bella! For all you Lucy fans, Kathryn was Mrs. McGillicuddy on the "I Love Lucy" show! I just like saying McGillicuddy!

The first thing Lyle does is drive off Bella and replace her with a plant of his own, ravishing Ruta Lee as Ruby Boyenton! Besides 88 episodes of "The Hollywood Squares," Ruta was also in some great films like "Hootenanny Hoot," and "The Doomsday Machine!" Ruta was also in "The Twilight Zone" episode titled "A Short Drink From A Certain Fountain!"

 I think it's amazing how much Darren McGavin looks like Richard Nixon from this angle!

Mrs. Cheney has the vase hidden somewhere and Lyle doesn't even know what it looks like so he does some investigating!

And then he spots it on a shelf in Mrs. Cheney's pottery room, but she's there too, so he has to come up with a plan!

The plan is pretty simple, steal the vase and sell it to Max Reisenweber, and run away with Pamela, but Pamela doesn't want to have anything to do with it, so he slaps her!

Mrs. Cheney has been busy! While Lyle had her trapped in her own home, she had plenty of time to work in her studio, and make many exact duplications of the vase! He's pissed!

And Mrs. Cheney gets the deserved last laugh!

In the end, Alfred offers up souvenirs for the viewers! All you had to do to get one of the duplicated vases was to send him a check for $45,000.00! What a card!

If you enjoy Mr. Hitchcock's work as well as I, then you're in luck, because the IMDB streams it for Free right here! Enjoy!

THE SLAUGHTER OF THE VAMPIRES / Mercurfilm - 1962

Here we go with a new week of fun at The Dungeon, we'll start with this Italian production from the early sixties about a newlywed couple finding themselves menaced by a bloodthirsty vampire. The alternate US title is CURSE OF THE BLOOD GHOULS as seen in the double bill poster above. The top billed movie in this poster is better known as THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR starring Peter Cushing.

This cute little fanged gal is getting ready for...

We have a screaming little sound clip from this vintage flick, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button located there by our bloody vampire stake, NOW, Ralphie The Tarantula!.. Here's... THE SLAUGHTER OF THE VAMPIRES!

Like any Euro vampire movie, there are plenty of women for old Drac to sink his fangs into.

Dieter Eppler plays the vampire that has come back to cause more mayhem. Dieter was also in THE TORTURE CHAMPER OF DR. SADISM, DEATH AND DIAMONDS and DEEP END.

It's not long before our vampire creep is tasting the warm blood of mesmerized women.

At one point, he's caught lurking around outside by the hubby of this gal taking a bath!

Now it's time for the vampire girlies to return the favor. I've said this before, but, one of my greatest dreams was when I was being chased around by some teenage vampire girls in nightgowns in a dark old 2-story house!

Here's a great shot of Drac climbing stairs trying to get away while being pursued.

During the climax, Drac has these two potential victims in his sights.

But, unfortunately during a fight with our hero, Drac gets a metal gate spike through his evil beating heart, bringing our tale to an abrupt end! We will be back on Wednesday with another Dungeon lollipop of terror!!