The Day Mars Invaded Earth
The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963), starring Kent Taylor, Marie Windsor
The Day Mars Invaded Earth isn’t a cheesy monster movie — but a subtle one. It’s an invasion that happens so gradually, that the characters, and the audience, isn’t sure at first that anything is going on. It’s in the vein of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but in my opinion, more subtle, and therefore more frightening.If you think “ashes in the pool,” you’re thinking of this movie — and if that means nothing to you, that simply means that you haven’t seen the movie yet. And I won’t spoil your viewing pleasure by explaining what that means in this review.
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The Selling of Scarry Manor
The Selling of Scarry Manor (2011) starring Gabriel Diani, Janet Varney, Jonathan Klein
Yesterday, I ran across a movie titled The Selling on the Chiller cable network. Normally, I don’t bother watching Chiller. It tends to have the blood spewing, goriness that I don’t care for in modern horror movies. But the title — The Selling — intrigued me enough to watch. And I’m glad I did.
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World
movie review of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (1960) starring Michael Rennie, Claude Rains, Jill St. John, Fernando Lamas
This is the Irwin Allen version of the movie, where the “dinosaurs” are plainly lizards with fins and horns attached, making the “frightening” monsters laughable. And that’s a crying shame. The acting is fine, and the interaction between the various A-list actors (Michael Rennie, Claude Rains, Fernando Lamas, Jill St. John, David Hedison) is one of the best things about the movie. It should also be said that, despite the title, the movie takes large liberties with the basic story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For example, in the original novel, there were no female characters at all.
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Yongary, monster from the deep
Yongary, Monster From the Deep (1967) aka Taekoesu Yonggary
It should be said up front that Yongary, Monster From the Deep is an imitation of Godzilla. A funny, delightful, cheesy imitation, but still an imitation. The basic plot is very familiar. It has a prehistoric monster awakened, causing massive damage to cardboard cities. It fights toy tanks and helicopters …. And only a brilliant young scientist can devise a way to stop the monster.
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Plan 9 from Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) starring Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Vampira, directed by Ed Wood
What can be said about Plan 9 from Outer Space that hasn’t already been said? It’s clearly the cheesiest of cheesy monster movies. It’s been considered for many years the worst movie that has ever been made – although there are other contenders.
In short, aliens from Outer Space plan to destroy Earth by reanimated corpses as an unstoppable army. In that respect, it’s similar to Invisible Invaders – another low-budget invasion movie. However, Invisible Invaders also has good acting and a relatively sensible script. Plan 9 from Outer Space has neither of those.
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The Curse of the Werewolf
Synopsis for Curse of the Werewolf
Curse of the Werewolf begins with a beggar arriving at a deserted town. There a cruel Marques is celebrating his wedding at his castle. First the Marques humiliates him. Then he imprisons the beggar in the dungeon. Where he’s forgotten. His only human contact is the jailer and his mute daughter. After many years, the jailer’s daughter has become a beautiful young woman. The cruel Marques imprisons her. Sadly, the near-insane beggar rapes her.
After her release from the dungeon, she murders the Marques and escapes. She nearly dies in a forest. But a kind nobleman rescues her. The nobleman takes the ill woman into his house. There the pregnant woman eventually gives birth to a son on December 25th. She dies in childbirth. The nobleman raises the boy as his own. But from an early age the boy is fighting against an evil wolf-spirit that tries to corrupt him …
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The Body Snatcher [Boris Karloff]
The Body Snatcher (1945) starring Boris Karloff, Henry Daniell, Bela Lugosi
The Body Snatcher is considered by many to be Boris Karloff’s finest role–and they may well be right. Unlike what the trailer for the movie says, this is not a team-up between Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Both appear in The Body Snatcher, but in this tale Lugosi is strictly a secondary character, although important. And the scene between the two of them is definitely the most chilling of the film. “Stand still, man! How can I demonstrate if you won’t stand still?”
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Godzilla (1998) starring Matthew Broderick
movie review of Godzilla (1998) starring Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick stars in Godzilla (1998), which was originally supposed to be the first of a trilogy of films. However, film critics were merciless in their criticism of the film. And the American movie public didn’t disagree. The movie cost 130 million dollars to produce and promote. It made 138 million in its’ U.S.A. release. Not a flop, but not a large success, either. So what, if anything, is wrong with the film?
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Son of Frankenstein
Son of Frankenstein (1939), starring Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill
Movie review of “Son of Frankenstein” starring Basil Rathbone as the son of the deceased mad scientist. He tries to repair and revive the Monster to vindicate his father. All the while Ygor (brilliantly played by Bela Lugosi) schemes to use the Monster for his own plans … for revenge.
