Friday, September 18, 2020

EL FANTASMA DE LA CASA ROJA aka PHANTOM OF THE RED HOUSE - 1956

Here's  one we did back in 2007 which had only three photos, now we have the whole story. It's about a millionaire's ghost that watches while his heirs murder each other over his fortune.

 
It all starts with a knock on the door, you need to get Satan's permission to enter, a night club!

What Mexican movie wouldn't be complete without music, I ax you... This isn't the only guy that can entertain the crowd since there are a number of other acts on the lineup, he just likes to get up close and personal with the pretty ladies there.

And oh boy, nothing like some hot devilish chicks working at the club, but their hubbies (damn!) tell them it's time to leave and go to the reading of their dead relative's will.

The friend and lawyer to the deceased reads the will and Mercedes comes out on top, and it's big time sour grapes for the others. But of course, if anything should happen to her, well, someone else will get the hidden dough.

It doesn't take long before the 'ghost' of the dead guy shows up and tries to stab Mercedes.

Groovie, looks like the old Devil has cooked us up something special. Actually, he's a waiter, ready to serve  a flaming delight to that sweet couple at table 6.

Clavillazo, star of CASTLE OF THE MONSTERS and CONQUISTADOR DE LA LUNA, plays a private detective brought in to help Mercedes. And of course, his logic leaves a lot to be desired.

Our little detective encounters the ghost, and pulls a gun on him!  You know, you can't kill a ghost. Anyway, Clavillazo wants to put handcuffs on him but can't get the job done because holding the gun is preventing him from accomplishing the task. He hands the gun to the dude so that he can put the handcuffs on... Now, what could possibly go wrong?

And, he nearly gets a long blade in the back!

And now two people have been stabbed to death, everyone had better watch out...

Okay, time to chase Mercedes around and around and around... She stops the action like in a cartoon, and gets a sip of water before she calls 'action' again. Then, with a giant ax in hand, the ghostly guy swings and just misses her, demolishing the bannister!

Clavillazo dresses up like the ghost so there are now two of them running around. The real ghost guy gets conked upside his head, putting him out of commission...

Well, if it isn't the lawyer! Thing is, he dressed up like the ghost to keep an eye on the ones that actually committed the murders, and they're going to jail.

Mercedes falls through a trap door, goes down a chute and finds the hidden money, making for a happy ending... We're back tomorrow, so check that out. And, if the blog looks a little weird, don't blame us, blame the 'new' Blogger...

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

MINIKILLERS - "Your Guess Is As Good As Mine" (1969)

Diana Rigg may have left us, but I've still got some unanswered questions for her like What in the Hell was this all about! Tonight's feature is a legitimate Double WTF?! Wednesday presentation!

"Minikillers" is series of short Super 8 MM movies that were made in 1969 in Spain!

"Minikillers" stars Diana Rigg and is fairly difficult to find any solid information about!

"Minikillers" is basically the only credit there is for brothers Wolfgang and Michael Chmielewski.
Wolfgang did direct one other film and was a writer for the German TV show "Sonne, Wein Und Harte Nüsse."

 
Lots of binoculars! Lots of spying going on!

 
The Boss of whatever the Hell is going on is played by José Nieto. He's up to no good!

 
Basically you have no idea what is going on, and then Diana Rigg strolls into the scene headed for the Hotel swimming pool, and Jose is watching her!

The swingin' soundtrack was written by
Hans Rettenbacher!
 
Another very interesting thing about "Minikillers" is that it is a silent movie! There is music, but there is no diaglogue at all! Zero, Nada, Nichts, Zilch!

Moisés Augusto Rocha, along with José Nieto, were in a number of Jess Franco films which leads some people to speculate that Jess was also somehow involved with this project, but I have my doubts! The IMDB has Moisés billed as the "Bowled henchman." Do you think I should let them know that I think it's supposed to be "Bald?" 
 
I think this project came from the heart and soul of the Chmielewskis, and nobody else should get the blame or the credit, and besides the fact that you'll surely wonder what in the Hell is going on, there is no blame to be had!

This remote controlled creepy doll comes walking up poolside, and when this one guy picks it up, it squirts acid or something in the fellow's eyes!

 
Diana Rigg just sits there looking gorgeous watching the whole deal unravel!

 
After that, she calmly strolls over and picks up the doll and takes it back to her room.
At this point you have no idea who she is or what's she's doing, nor will you later!

Diana ponders the whole situation!
Somebody on a website some years ago had this to say about why these films exist!
"During the late 60s, people stayed sitting in their cars at the gas station, waiting for their fuel, and having their oil checked etc. So the idea was to "entertain" them by showing
short 4 or 5 minute films."
Personally I don't get it! What? They would wheel out a projector and a screen like being at a mini-drive-in? Sounds dubious to me at best!

Her door opens and another creepy doll comes wandering in, but Diana doesn't notice!

She's got somewhere to go and doesn't even see the doll waddling along across the floor!

It's too late, but the doll squirts some more deadly liquid from it's eyes. Diana is gone and the episode is over. Once again, you can thank Lord Litter in Berlin for finding this jewel for us!

Monday, September 14, 2020

THE OUTER LIMITS / "The Premonition" - 1965

In today's Outer Limits episode, a test pilot crashes in his experimental X-15 rocket plane and discovers that him and his wife are in a reality where time has slowed down to nearly a standstill. Returning to the airbase, the two are horrified to see their daughter on a tricycle in the path of a moving truck, and seem to be unable to prevent her death...

This one stars Dewey (THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, LAND OF THE PHARAOHS) Martin, Mary (WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, THE ATOMIC CITY) Murphy, Emma (GREEN ACRES, FAMILY AFFAIR) Tyson, William (THE AQUANAUTS, WEST SIDE STORY) Bramley and Dorothy (THEM!, MAN-TRAP) Green.

There goes test pilot Jim Darcy off in the X-15 rocket plane on another test flight.

Jim's wife Linda drives out to the landing site to watch, everything seems fine at the moment...

The plane breaks into pieces but Jim is unharmed in the wreckage. He sees Linda, who crashed the car, and runs to her aid. Hey, they stole that tumbleweed from "Cry Of Silence!"

But something is definitely wrong here, there are two cars and two planes! The car in the background and the plane in the air are both frozen in time... Like, help Mr. Wizard!!

Even the emergency landing crew are frozen in their positions. Hey, a Ford Econoline, drove one of those when I was a courier at Fort Lewis in 1968.

Jim and Linda hoof it back to headquarters only to find the people there also frozen like a bunch of mackerels. What else could go wrong?

Oh crap, that's all I had to say! Anywho, this phantasm pops in from out of nowhere but is repelled by the flame of Jim's lighter, and it disappears.

Jim and Linda have to trek back out to the crash site, they notice that the men there have moved a bit from their previous positions. So.....

The two run back to headquarters to check on their daughter and to see if they can figure out what's going on. They encounter the ghostly figure again and he tells them that they will become like him if they don't get back to the car and plane and be in position for when the time elements will merge together. Boy, this story will make you dizzy!!

But, Jim has one last thing to do, and that's to run back to the base with the seat belts he cut out of the crashed car, because that one's not frozen in time.

He ties them together, attaches it to the back wheel hub, then ties it to the parking brake that's not engaged. Since he has to go back to the plane, he hopes this will save his daughter!

Jim makes it back in the nick of time, Linda gets herself ready for the moment...

Oh man, I've been holding this in the whole time!..

So, time has synchronized and Jim's plan works, the line pulls the brake, and viola!.. Their daughter is safe! Wow, could you imagine if that didn't work and the kid gets it! Maybe today, but not back then.

And to prove that she's just fine, check it out... No tread marks!

Monster Music

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