SIHIRBAZLAR KRALI MANDRAKE KILLING'IN PESINDE - "Killing vs. Mandrake" (1967)

Welcome to another Sa- Turd -ay Night Special in The Dungeon, and an incredible gobbler from Turkey made in 1967 called "Sihirbazlar Krali Mandrake Killing'in pesinde" or "Killing vs. Mandrake."

 OR.....as translated here, "The King Of Illusions, Mandrake Killing's Pursuit."

"Mandrake the Magician" was a syndicated newspaper comic strip that was created by Lee Falk in 1934, before he created another one of his legendary characters, The Phantom. Some people actually consider Mandrake to be the first superhero in the comics! This King comic book is a good example of how varied Mandrake's career has been!

In this film, Mandrake is played by Güven Erte. Lothar is now called Abdullah for some reason!

His name is either Kiling, or Kilink, or Killing, and he likes to collect women and force them into prostitution! He also likes to carve the letter K in people!

 Good job benefits, free booze!

 This is Kiling and his two main associates. The Joker looking guy with the big K etched in his mug is a real bastard!

 This is the kind of trick Mandrake likes to perform. He'll take an object or a person, and change it into something else right before your eyes!

 Kiling and Mandrake are both very proficient at sneaking into people's bedrooms at night, and rooting around for stuff without waking up anybody!

 This gal tries to escape by climbing out a window but Kiling, being the nice guy that he is, mows her down with his car as she's running away!

 But maybe that was better than how some of the other girls are getting treated.

Here's a pretty cool James Bond type device! It's a transistor radio that turns into high powered rifle! I guess they haven't figured out that app for a phone yet!

I was doing some digging around, and the history of Mandrake is much more interesting than this movie, which might just be the best Mandrake film made to this day!

 In 1928, a German movie was made called "Alraune" or "A Daughter Of Destiny" or "Unholy Love," but it was also known as "Mandrake." "Alraune" is German for mandrake root! Of course it has nothing to do with Mandrake the Magician, but the story line was just too wild to not pass along. A scientist who is interested in the laws of heredity, impregnates a prostitute in a laboratory with the semen of a hanged murderer. Wow! I wonder where that's heading!

In 1952, the Germans re-created "Alraune" and released it as "Mandragore" or "Mandrake!" It stars Hildegard Knef and Eric Von Stroheim, and in this version, a scientist creates a perfect woman, but since she doesn't have a soul, misery follows her everywhere! I've got to see this one, and I just found out that I can watch it on Prime for no extra charge! Cool!

 

 In 1939, a 12 episode serial came out called "Mandrake the Magician" that starred Warren Hull as Mandrake, and Al Kikume as Lothar, Mandrake's assistant! In 1954, there was a 25 minute short called "Mandrake the Magician" starring Coe Norton and Woody Strode as Mandrake and Lothar, and in 1979, they made a TV movie called "Mandrake" that had Anthony Herrera as Mandrake and Ji-Tu Cumbuka as Lothar! There have been other references to Mandrake in TV etc. but those are all the high points as far as I can tell!

 Now it's Mandrake's turn to sneak around! Pretty cool, he turns Kiling into a dog for a day!

CHEERZ!!

 

And neither will you

Even though it seems like Mandrake the Magician has been exploited in every possible medium at some time or another, he still has yet to gain the star power he deserves, but trust me, the definitive Mandrake movie has got to be on a drawing board somewhere, I guarantee!!

The MOVIES Of SHEILA NOONAN 1959-60

Today we take a look at the movies of Sheila Noonan, aka Sheila Carol, one of my favorite horror gals. There is literally no info on this fun girl, her IMDb bio only gives her birth name, Sheila Nichols, and that she's known for three movies! All I can figure out is that she was married I guess in 1959 to someone either with the last name of Noonan or Carol. Then, after her last movie in 1960, looks like she disappeared from the face of the Earth! What the Hell!!..

Her first role was on TV's GUNSMOKE in 1957, then, she appeared in four movies, three for Roger Corman and one for Jerry Warren.

First up is A BUCKET OF BLOOD from 1959, Sheila plays a patron of the very hip, Yellow Door Club, where Walter Paisley is a lowly waiter turned murdering artistic genius! Eegah!! and I saw this one when it came out, hilarious. We were just 11 years old at the time, maybe a clue as to what's wrong with us!

Next is BEAST FROM HAUNTED CAVE, this time Sheila plays the moody bad girl, Gypsy Boulet, in the very bizarre tale of a cave creature that stalks some burglars. She even sings 'Home On The Range' while taking a bubble bath, great stuff for kids!

Again in 1959, Sheila stars as Lauri Talbott, in the Jerry Warren wonder, THE INCREDIBLE PETRIFIED WORLD. Sheila got to hang out with John Carradine, Robert Clarke and Phyllis Coates in this dingy tale that includes the weirdest looking, bug-eyed 'cave man' ever filmed!!

Sheila's last flick is SKI TROOP ATTACK in 1960. In this one she plays the cold as ice German, Frau Karl Heinsdorf. All I want to know is, what ever happened to Sheila!!

Check in tomorrow for more as we wind down good old (hot) July, here, at The Dungeon!..

VYNÁLEZ ZKÁZY - "The Deadly Invention" (The Fabulous World Of Jules Verne) (1958)

wE CALL IT "wEIRD wEDNESDAY" FOR A REASON!

wELCOME BACK TO tHE dUNGEON!

Sometimes you just have to just come out and say it, shit is fucked up right now! That being said, "The Fabulous World Of Jules Verne" is prefect for the ocassion!

This Czechoslovakian movie is insane, that is insane in a "Mysti-Mation" Silver Apples kind of way!

The Silver Apples references have no real basis, except they're just one of my favorite bands and like this film, they were way ahead of their time, and will keep you wondering! If you don't believe me, then listen to this:

Silver Apples - "Oscillations"

Nothing really much matters except since that this was 1958, and the people who made this movie just might be from another planet! The 13th planet from the Sun, Planet Dali!!

I can't help but think that Monty Python's Terry Gilliam must have seen this movie when he was 18 and in art skool!

Wasn't this a bootleg alternative Grateful Dead album cover for "Shakedown Street?"

Moog Synthesizers, banjos, and ratz! Just what the WTFAXTLY?

This could have possibly been a collaboration between Silver Apples and Procol Harum if they were artists instead of musicians!

Monkey money and monkey brains will save the world no doubt! 60 years later, and we're about to find out! Wonder indeed!!

I don't think it's hard to know why that to this day, this is the most successful Czech film ever made!

FISH!

I'm gonna stay here all night! It really is amazing to look at!

Successive attempts to collect more data have been fruitless!

This was 60 years ago, and I don't know about you, but I still don't have my own personal submarine or flying car!!

"Vynález Zkázy" looks cool.......

.....And is surreal as Hell!!

"I've learned what truth denies, I never knew I had a choice!" - Silver Apples
 Let's just try and avoid this ending!

MOUNTAINTOP MOTEL MASSACRE / Please Do Not Disturb Evelyn, She Already Is - 1983

Today's tale goes like this... After several years in an insane asylum, Evelyn, the keeper of the Mountaintop Motel, is released and she resumes running her business. She kills a young girl out of anger, but convinces the police it was an accident! As her insanity returns, she starts to target her guests by releasing vermin into their rooms and then by using her trusty old sickle!..

This thing stars Bill Thurman, Anna Chappell and Will Mitchell and features a big pile of no name... err.. Actors? Of course, Dungeon Pal Bill Thurman was in these fine productions... THE YESTERDAY MACHINE, ATTACK OF THE (THE) EYE CREATURES, THE BLACK CAT, ZONTAR: THE THING FROM VENUS, CURSE OF THE SWAMP CREATURE, NIGHT FRIGHT, MARS NEEDS WOMEN, IN THE YEAR 2889, IT'S ALIVE!, 'GATOR BAIT, CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, KEEP MY GRAVE OPEN and this turkey!

Well, wouldn't you know it, the Sheriff is called out to the Mountaintop Motel yet again to investigate another disturbance, or, whatever!

The Sheriff talks with Reverend McWilley about the incident, and, he don't know nuthin.'

Evelyn has this stuffed Bobcat in her office, nice conversation piece!

We can only hope these two girls get a room at the motel and then run around naked!

It's raining and this guy wants a room for him and his 'new' bride! Evelyn signs him in and gives him the keys to a room.

In the meantime, the rev is chatting with one of the visitors at the motel. They talk about the good old days and the weather, what else?!

Here's a salute to Bill, you earned that buzz you crazy old monster dude!

The two girls in the VW hook up with some hunk as they plan on a funtime threesome, but instead, they end up in a bloody foursome!

Yeah, yeah, Evelyn is crazy as a loon and's acting out in her room!

This guy has like a thousand cockroaches in his room, and so, he nails the floor down!!

There's something about this shot, reminds my of cousin's place in the early fifties!

Quick check.. Yeah, Evelyn's still acting out...

But, she goes too far and becomes the victim of her own design!

Here's a good look at the motel units in the daytime, wow, what a nice place!

The movie's over and the Sheriff Patrol heads back to town, game over, man, game over!!

And just for the halibut, here's the cast credits before I turn the light off, here, at The Dungeon!!..... 'click'