ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE - 1960

Here's one that we never did a complete post on, it's basically a soap opera in space that has little action and lots of talking, with minimal special effects. The story goes something like this... In the 22nd century (ha ha) a reporter for the Interplanetary News is assigned to write a story while aboard a space station, but he's not well received by the commander there. An errant spaceship has entered the solar system with the power to destroy Earth, can the day be saved?

Here are Ray Peterson, the reporter, and Al - X-15 in there hibernation chambers on their way to the space station. Al, the pilot, gets up first, then brings Ray out of his slumber.

Outside the space station while refueling the rocket ship, Ray has to save another crew member from some flying debris but causes the refueling tube to come loose, losing 500 gallons of fuel.

Ray speaks to the commander about what happened, he saved the man's life, but the commander says, well, you know, we lost 500 gallons of fuel because of you! Then the commander calls him a leech! Harsh!

Here are two space dudes out cruising around in their little spacemobile having to dodge a bunch of meteors that are zooming by around them.

They head back to the space station, hey, that's Al - X-15 there on the right.

Okay, a ship orbiting Mars has an emergency and calls in to the space station for help. Their ship is losing its orbit and is descending towards the planet.

One of their crew members freaks out and jumps out of the ship, you can barely see the poor guy on the center right in the photo before he hits the surface.

He's rescued but is all messed up! You think?!

Here's a nice shot of the rocket model, which just so happens to be a Lindberg model kit I had back in the day!

That deadly space ship mentioned earlier is now in our solar system and coming our way. They shoot a missile with a warhead at the rocket but it has no effect on it. Now, that's an interesting design for the missile, rocket powered no less.

Here's a nice shot of Al - X-15, played by Archie Savage, just before...

He tries to destroy the ship by running his spacemobile (with a bomb inside) into it, it fails and Al - X - 15 is gone for good.

You can see it's a grim moment for everyone. Hey, the commander looks like my dad!

It's a race against time to stop the errant space ship, they have one chance left to stop the damn thing. Believe it or not, Ray volunteers to board the ship and try to stop it from within.

He gets aboard the ship and talks to the commander on how best to deal with getting it stopped before it can approach Earth...

Pretty easy, destroy the wiring! But now Ray is trapped inside and the escape door doesn't operate now, and he's running out of air!

The commander goes over and cuts a hole in the door, and is barely able to save Ray. Which makes for a good ending. Still, a very boring movie.

DES TODESRACHER VON SOHO - "The Corpse Packs His Bags" (1972)

 

I've got a great Saturday Night Special for you this week, a German/Spanish/British film from 1972 called "Der Todesracher Von Soho," that was released worldwide as "The Avenger." 

I love this Spanish poster, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the movie!

"Der Todesracher Von Soho" is actually a remake of the 1962 film "Das Geheimnis Der Schwarzen Koffer," or "The Secret Of The Black Trunk" that was featured in these pages back in 2015.

Both versions are killer!!

 

It was also released as "The Corpse Packs His Bags," and I am eternally grateful to the person who created sub-titles for this film, I'm just not sure if they really know how to speak English or not, because a good majority of the sub-titles are gibberish, and make no sense at all, but since this film was directed by Jesús Franco, working this time out as Jess Frank, it really doesn't matter, at least not to me!

Fred (She Killed In Ecstasy) Williams is Police Inspector Ruppert Redford, and he's got his hands full with this case. 

Fred was born in Munich, Germany as Friedrich Wilhelm Löcherer,

 

There's a killer on the loose, and he leaves a black suitcase at the scene before the crime is actually committed! The cab driver is not the killer!

"Der Todesracher Von Soho" has a pretty cool cast that includes Siegfried Schürenberg as a Dr. Bladmore. Siefried has been in almost every Edgar Wallace movie. By his side is one of my favorite actresses, Elisa (The Seven Secrets of Sumuru) Montés as Helen Bennett.

There's the black bag I was telling you about. Seeing it is not good news for the guy opening the door.

Fish, meat or what, deodorant?

Elisa looks just as confused as me!

Then she remembered it was a Jess Franco film, and that it didn't really matter!

Now this is what I call class 'A' entertainment!!

The crowd must agree, they give her a standing ovation!!

Another star of the show is Horst (Snow White and the Seven Jugglers) Tappert as author Charles Barton!

The gentleman inspecting the knives is the Director of the film, Mr. Jess Frank himself.

A lot of these sub-titles appear as what it would look like if you accepted the spell check changes in your texts that you didn't mean! 

I can't even figure this one out!

A Lab full of angles and bi-angles.

Uh, Oh, another bag!! Somebody's in trouble!

And another throwing knife caught the wrong way!

Combining the talents of Bryan Edgar Wallace and Jesús Franco, there's no telling what to expect, and with "Der Todesracher Von Soho," that's exactly what you're going to get!!

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF EXPLOITATION MOVIE POSTERS

 It's Friday, and time for some posters from the lighter side of exploitation films, because we aim to please, here at The Dungeon!

This title is a little confusing, where's she go? I thought 'in bed' was where the action was, but I guess not in this one.

Here's one about the Prostitute Protective Society, which looks like they got a comic artist to do the poster. It looks like the girls are rubbed out when they don't pay the boss!

What a deal, you buy the drinks and they do the rest. Just my luck, I don't drink!

You can tell from the poster that there's some wacky shit going on here. What a great mix, sex and comedy!

This poster seems to be directed toward the theater owners. Just plain weird!

I have to admit that this poster grabs your attention! Hoodlums on the loose, wanted posters, and they're ready to grab!

Hot thrills and warm chills is the phrase of the day around here, and I do believe these ladies can deliver the goods in that department!

Nothing tastier than a smorgasbroad of beautiful babes. I wonder if they deliver.

Hey, photographed in Sexycolor. Probably the best way to get into a nudist camp is to just parachute yer ass in!.. Right?

Wow, 2 years in production, so, you know it's going to be a train wreck! But remember why you're watching it in the first place!

Here's one from the thirties, apparently, she didn't know there were two kinds of love, til it was too late! You'll have to watch this one to know what the Hell they're talking about.

An intimately shocking fun fest, translation, a sex comedy. I mean, look at the cartoon guy, he'd be referred to as a 'kookie' character back in the day.

Lastly we have THE ACID EATERS, time for a ride on the wild side, women and drugs... Tune in tomorrow when Eegah!! will fill this spot.

ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA - (1940)

 

I had originally planned on doing the Edgar Wallace film, "The Terrible People" tonight, but after watching it, getting stills, and getting ready to do this write up, I figured out too late that I had already done it eleven years ago, so instead, here is a cartoon from 1940 that creator Chuck Jones thinks was terrible, and I guess that's going to have to do. 

Welcome to another Wacky Wednesday in The Dungeon!

 

 

Here's a quote I found on Wikipedia from the autobiography of Chuck Jones, that tells the way he feels about this cartoon.

"My conception of timing and dialogue was formed by watching the action in the La Brea tar pits. It would be complimentary to call it sluggish."

And the problem is, there's not a whole lot going on in this cartoon, except some simple exchanges between two not really likeable characters.

Elmer Fudd has gotten a camera kit in the mail, and is now ready to go out and do some nature photography. He sees these tracks, and away we go!

Elmer quietly sets up and gets ready to take his first picture!

He's still learning how to frame his subject!

If Bugs Bunny looks funny to you, it's because this version of Bugs was still a prototype, and not the character we've all learned to know and love. He would evolve into the complete Bugs Bunny character later in his career.

Bugs asks Elmer what he's doing.

The two of them have a real face to face encounter.

 

Bugs found that experience to be a little too personal. 

In this shot, you can really see how much different Bugs was!

Bugs pops the lens and Elmer recoils like he was slung from a catapult!

Elmer is flung completely backwards and into this tree that dumps it's whole harvest on him!

 

This doesn't look like it would be too comfortable for Elmer.

 

This cartoon also featured the newly redesigned Elmer Fudd, who was previously only known as Elmer!

Elmer finally captures Bugs!

And then Bugs turns the tables!

Elmer then loses his mind completely and destroys all his camera gear!

I think it's interesting that this cartoon predated the popular "Candid Camera" TV show by a good eight years!

So now let me see if I can figure out an Edgar Wallace film I haven't seen yet. There are still plenty more out there.