Video - Trailer for HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944)

This film is on my mind this week as I prepare for October podcasting! 

The Bloody Pit #188 - THE INVISIBLE MAN'S REVENGE (1944)

Troy and I return to the Universal Horrors of the 1940’s to check out the fifth and last of the Invisible Man series. THE INVISIBLE MAN’S REVENGE (1944) is sometimes seen as a strong final entry but both of us find far too many loose ends and discordant elements to fully enjoy the film. I must caution you that we spoil this one completely early on and I find myself cursing more than normal as we discuss the questions the movie throws in our faces. Sorry about that.

 

This is an interesting film but mostly for the wrong reasons. We try to pinpoint all the spots where the original, nastier version of this story peeks through the softened final product. The amazing Gale Sondergaard is a victim of the alterations to the story and disappears after only two scenes – we were displeased by this! The timeline of the Robert Griffin character is confusing and neither of us can work out how he carried around a piece of paper with his name on it for five years but didn’t know his own identity. I spend time marveling at how unlikable Griffin is throughout the story. Jon Hall does a great job in the role but he is playing a man with no redeeming qualities and a hair-trigger propensity for violence. This is our hero? Following on from the previous sequels we get the series’ now standard irritating ‘humor’ culminating in a dart competition that goes on forever. Both of us found this to be the weakest of the Universal Invisible Man cycle and would be curious to find fans of the film to defend it.

 

If you do want to stick up for THE INVISIBLE MAN’S REVENGE drop us a note at thebloodypit@gmail.com – we really are interested in hearing a defense of this one. 

The Bloody Pit #176 - KING OF KONG ISLAND (1968)

Bob Sargent joins Troy and I to discuss KING OF KONG ISLAND (1968). Or is it just KONG ISLAND? And what connection to King Kong does this movie actually have? Spoiler alert – none!

Because Mr. Sargent has a soft spot in his heart (and head) for this bizarre Italian production we examine it for signs of sanity. None were found, but along the way we learned a little about ourselves. Sort of. And for some reason we also talked about 70’s rock group StoneGround. I can’t understand why.

For the curious, KING OF KONG ISLAND (1968) is a movie of many parts. It is roughly 20% jungle mercenary movie; 20% mad scientist tale; 20% revenge story; 20% jungle girl adventure and 20% family melodrama. It is also 100% nuts! While much of the advertising for the film centers around the jungle girl sections of the story we come to the conclusion that Eva (or the Sacred Monkey as she is referred to most often) could be removed from the film with little detriment to the story. Of course, this would have eliminated the film’s nudity so I don’t think anyone involved would have agreed to do this. But the film has so much going on that it is difficult to stop watching as the madness unfolds. We see stuntman turned actor Brad Harris beefcake up the place with his exciting dance moves and flinty abs. We see veteran Hollywood tough guy Marc Lawrence play a mad scientist/Bond villain using surgically altered gorillas to control a jungle cave. We witness plenty of animal stock footage. It all adds up to a featue length movie. Really.

Even if you haven’t seen this cinematic epic there are things in the episode to entertain you. Troy’s alternate title suggestions are inventive and arguably better than any of the ones actually used. Bob’s attempts to explain his lifelong fascination with this whacky film lead us from a sweaty apartment in the 1980’s to modern 21^st century life – pity his poor wife! And bonus points to the listeners that can pinpoint the moment when I gave up on presenting a plot synopsis. Eventually you have to accept that things have gotten away from you.

If you have seen KING OF KONG ISLAND and have something to add to our discussion thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send your thoughts. Thank you for listening!

Video - KING OF KONG ISLAND (1968)

Podcast on the way!

The Bloody Pit #172 - THE MAD GHOUL (1943)

Troy Guinn joins me to discuss another Universal horror film of the 1940’s!

Although it is a mad scientist film THE MAD GHOUL (1943) stands out from the other films of its type in many ways. It’s literate, mature script weaves interesting adult relationships into its fantastical narrative of college student zombification and graveyard surgery. Troy makes the claim that the film would be worth seeing even if the titular Ghoul was not part of the story but I think we all know why people were buying tickets – cardiectomies! Still, the more adult nature of the romantic complications in the story are interesting and the script gives the great George Zucco many chances to utter dialog that is a cut above the usual level of horror tales of the period. Often his delivery of a line is what makes a scene both believable and entertaining.

We discuss the cast and crew with an eye toward what the actors thought of the process and each other. We revel in the nasty details of the story and talk about the surprisingly dark stuff the film gets away with. Robert Armstrong as the comic reporter character gets some time in the spotlight as we fight the urge to call him by his KING KONG character name. And we express disappointment that although Evelyn Ankers gets a lot more to do in this movie than in SON OF DRACULA we still don’t get the chance to hear her sing.

If you enjoy THE MAD GHOUL or even if you don’t thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send your opinions, comments or suggestions. We’d be glad to her from you. Thank you for listening! 

The Bloody Pit #147 - FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN (1973)

Where is the line between grotesque horror and dark comedy? Paul Morrisey’s FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN (1973) explores that blurry line with colorful delight. Often known as Andy Warhol’s FRANKENSTEIN this is a one-of-a-kind experience and is now finally available on Blu-Ray!

 

Mark Maddox and I discuss the film and our history with it as we look at what we like and/or love about this bizarre piece of cinema. The movie was produced without a full script while the director composed pages on the way to Cinecittà Studios every day of its three week shoot. This creates a strangely meandering story about Baron Frankenstein (Udo Kier) attempting to bring about a Serbian master race by creating a perfect mating pair. As you might expect, things do not go as planned. Scattered about the story we find the mad doctor’s sister/wife, their creepy children and the lower-class servants who are asked to participate in some grisly experiments. It’s a bloody, nudity filled madhouse of a movie and is sure to please or anger an almost equal number of viewers. Our talk ranges from the very talented cast and the opulent sets to the well-done gore effects and the disgusting visuals. Of course, by the end we are off track and talking about other things but we start with good intentions. Forgive us!

The email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com and we’d love to know your thoughts on this odd work of cinema or any other subject we bump up against in our discussion. Thank you for listening. 

Apple Podcast LINK 

MP3 Download LINK

The Bloody Pit #135 - WILD, WILD PLANET (1966)

I have talked about this film on many occasions and on several different podcasts but never on my own show. After all, there are hundreds of films I want to discuss and this one has had some attention around the podcasting dial.  But Mark Maddox loves this one almost as much as I do so he insisted that we make time to praise it as it deserves! Who am I to say no?

 

We start by relating our history with WILD, WILD PLANET (1966) and first impressions from our younger days. After some fumbling with the titles of the other three Gamma One films, we talk about the relative merits of the various Antonio Margheriti science fiction films and even loop in THE GREEN SLIME. Part of the discussions revolves around the character stereotypes that the film uses and what they represent both as tropes and storytelling shortcuts. Mark makes note of a 1960’s German television series (Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion - literal translation: “Space Patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion”) that reminds him of some of the better attributes of space opera stories and this film too. I have to find English subtitled versions of that show!

 The film’s strong body horror elements are put under the microscope as we relate it to the public fascination with the then emergent field of organ transplantation. This leads us into dissections of several of the special effects and especially the variable quality of the miniatures. Fire gives the game away nearly every time! And then we point out the several threads the movie leaves dangling including the fate of the room of mad scientist experimental mistakes. Were they drowned in the blood flood? We may never know.

 

If you have any questions or comments thebloodypit@gmail.com is the podcast’s email address. Thank you for listening! 

Apple Podcast LINK 

Download LINK 

The Bloody Pit #112 - THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942)

Universal’s Frankenstein film series enters the 1940’s with its neck-bolted head held high.

As the fourth in the series THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) is usually seen a massive step down from the classic films produced in the 1930’s but Troy and I have some things to say about that. The story has Bela Lugosi’s Ygor character as the main agent of action which is a smart beginning. His desire to help his monstrous ‘friend’ regain its full strength sends this twisted George and Lenny to yet another son of Frankenstein for mad medical assistance. What could possibly go wrong?

We discuss the impressive cast including the holdovers from THE WOLFMAN (1941), giving our takes on the various qualities of their performances versus what the script gives them to do. We lament the sad waste of Eveyln Ankers and seriously question the intentions of the film’s costume designers. What is with that bizarre dress? The film’s decision to double up on mad scientists gives us the chance to see Lionel Atwill run off with nearly every scene he has including being the most interesting thing to watch even when he is in the background. We dig into the switch from Karloff to Lon Chaney Jr. being behind the monster’s makeup and debate the choice to use dubbing for his voice in the climactic final sequence. I refer to the published script for the film to point out some interesting trims that might have made this short movie feel a little more substantial but there is something to be said for brevity, I suppose. At an hour and seven minutes it is certainly a fast ride!

We end the show with the demo or practice take of an Exotic Ones’ song Knock It Down which was co-written by Liz Morris. It’s a fun tune centered around the Universal monsters and hopefully the band will eventually record a full-strength version for a future album.

We can be reached at thebloodypit@gmail.com for any comments or suggestions or over on the FaceBook page. Thank you for listening to the show!

Apple Podcasts LINK

MP3 Download LINK

The Bloody Pit #107 - THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET (1942)

Mad science is a strange field of endeavor. It seems that there are few barriers to becoming a practitioner with the one real requirement being a narcissistic belief that the world needs to be changed and that YOU are the person to change it! For these types of roles Lionel Atwill was usually the perfect choice and this episode’s film has his second onscreen shot at being the baddest, maddest doctor (or, actually, a chemist) he can possibly be. It is fun to watch Atwill squeeze every bit of evil out of the script and he is easily the best thing about the movie.

Troy and I discuss THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET (1942) and ask the most obvious question first – Why does this movie mostly take place on a Pacific island? That title is an example of blatant false advertising! This bizarre tale of mad science in the South Seas does begin in San Francisco on Market Street but quickly shifts to a doomed cruise ship and then, after some footage from another movie, to an island inhabited by the usual Hollywood-style native stereotypes. These easily fooled islanders are soon convinced by the Mad Scientist (Atwill) that he is a god capable of resurrecting the dead. You don’t have to be a genius to know that this is not going to work out well long term. The silly portrayal of these natives is only partially redeemed by the chief being played by the great Noble Johnson who manages to inject some dignity into the proceedings. And top billed Una Merkle is a real joy as the flighty Aunt Margaret who is on her way to marry a wealthy man in New Zealand. Past those elements your mileage may vary.

If you have any comments or questions our email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com or we can be reached on the show’s FaceBook page. We’d be thrilled to hear from you. Thanks for listening to this episode!

Apple Podcast LINK

MP3 Download LINK

Trailers From Hell - MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET (1942)

What I Watched In March

Leigh Whannell’s remake/reimaging/adaptation/whatever of THE INVISIBLE MAN is one of the best science fiction horror films of recent years. As the screenwriter he chose a brilliant way into the tale shifting the focus from the title character to his victims which allows the invisible person at the center of the story to remain offscreen as we learn about him from other characters. The picture we get is one of a near psychotic paranoid control freak intent on getting his way at every turn. Being the very wealthy inventor of sophisticated surveillance technology, it has been easy for him to have his way except for one glaring spot in his life – he can’t make his girlfriend do more than fear him. In fact, his controlling nature has done so much harm to her mentally and physically that as the film begins she is executing an elaborate plan to escape from their shared home. Once away from him the film becomes a smart, perfectly directed tale of terror, murder and the madness that comes from feeling stalked by something that isn’t there. Or is it?

Whannell’s most ingenious decision in crafting this story is in rethinking the drive of the man at the center of the action. In the 1933 film an ambitious man succeeds in creating an astonishing breakthrough but is pushed to madness by it. This film is about a man who is so successful in such a profitable way that his madness is tolerated and even encouraged. Instead of his scientific breakthrough/discovery slowly driving him mad, it was his madness (or at least his personality disorder) that allows him to accomplish the breakthrough around which the film revolves. It is his ‘madness’ that pushed him toward this discovery meaning that his flaws created the capability to achieve his incredible accomplishment but it is also what will be his downfall. Just changing the focus from the title character to victim wasn’t considered enough to craft a new tale. Whannell wisely saw that the kind of person that could create such a next level project would have to be slightly cracked from the beginning. That insight makes THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020) more than just a clever horror film – it is also a scary look inside a disordered mind. It’s nice to see a movie think several steps beyond the standard twist endings a good thriller can provide and nail each and every one. Bravo!

The List 

PANTHER SQUAD (1984) – 3 (Jack Taylor is great in this mess) 

DINOSAURUS! (1960) – 4 (not great)

THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020) – 9 

THE MAGIC SWORD (1961) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

DANGEROUS CARGO (1977) – 6 (Greek crime film) 

UPGRADE (2018) – 7 (solid, scary sci-fi thriller) 

THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR (1929) – 6 (creaky but well done mystery) 

THE STRANGE DOOR (1951) – 8 (rewatach on Blu) 

THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY’S TOMB (1964) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

GIGANTES PLANETARIOS (1966) – 3 (terrible but amusing Mexican SF/comedy) 

THE FALCON AND THE CO-EDS (1943) – 7 (very good/artful entry in the series) 

EXTERMINATOR 2 (1984)- 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES (2018) – 9 (excellent subjective look at the great man’s art)

X THE UNKNOWN (1957) – 7 (rewatch) 

DAVID HARDING, COUNTERSPY (1950) – 6 (the radio show on the big screen!)

The Bloody Pit #98 - MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1932)

Mark Maddox returns to the show to talk about one of the more overlooked of the Universal horror films of the 1930’s - MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1932). This movie’s lack of attention may be because it doesn’t have one of the classic monster characters as a draw or, possibly, because it is one of the darkest, nastiest sixty-one minutes the studio ever released! Luckily, I don’t think it will remain as underseen in the future as it has just gotten a tricked out new Blu-Ray release which gives the film the best visual presentation it’s ever received on home video. The picture is so sharp that you can almost see the evil thoughts as they flicker in Bela Lugosi’s eyes!

We start the episode with a brief discussion of some of some of the projects Mark has coming out soon including some fun information about the genesis of his cover art for the upcoming Blu-Ray of Hammer’s EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN. We then move into a rather scattered discussion of MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE, jumping from one topic to another as we explore the qualities that make it a unique part of the decade’s horror output. Lugosi’s masterful acting is examined along with his bizarre uni-brow. That is one strange look! The not-so hidden strain of bestiality embedded in the story is touched on as well as the fears of a Darwinian view of the world that the script uses to terrify its audience. We disagree about the inserted chimp scenes but both of us find some generally held ideas about this movie to be a bit silly. We bring up the legendary first edit of the film along with Tim Lucas’ Video Watchdog article (in issue #111) in which he proposed a way to re-edit the existing film to approximate the director’s original version. It’s a shame there wasn’t an attempt to include such a variation for the new Blu.

If you have any thoughts about this film or any other that we’ve discussed on the show, write to us at thebloodypit@gmail.com or over on the Facebook page. Mark will return in a few weeks to talk about another movie so you could even ask him some questions directly, if you wish. Thanks for listening!

Apple Podcasts LINK

Direct Download LINK

  

The Bloody Pit #97 - TERROR IS A MAN (1959)

I welcome artist Mark Maddox back to the show and we take a trip to Blood Island to survey the territory. TERROR IS A MAN (1959) is the first of what would become a series of Philippine produced horror films featuring monsters and bloody (for the times) violence. While the later films were colorful sleaze-fests this movie was shot in stark black and white with its horrors being moodier rather than grotesque. Not that the film skimps on horror thrills but, while it is pushing the outer edge of what was permissible in the 1950’s, it is still a more restrained tale than would come later.

Mark and I cut into this variation on Wells’ ‘Island of Doctor Moreau’ searching for the best parts and throwing out the worst. We disagree on a few elements with me decrying lip gloss and high heels while Mark makes the case for a shortened running time. But we agree on how much the film is improved by the recent HD release on Blu-Ray. This film has spent decades being presented to viewers in terrible prints on sub-par video releases that made it difficult to pay attention to the often excellent qualities onscreen. Now it’s possible to see the movie in a crisp, clear version that allows all the fine work done to be appreciated. Of course, it also allows us to focus on the less well-done aspects too. But this is a film that falls much more on the positive side than the negative and I will keep insisting on that until Mark shuts up!

We don’t stray too far off topic but if there are any odd side roads that you think we should travel down further in the future please let us know. The podcast email address is thebloodypit@gmail.com or we can be reached on the show’s FaceBook page. Thanks for listening and we’ll be back soon!

Apple Podcast LINK

Direct Download LINK

Brief Thoughts - CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN (1955)

I can't say that CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN (1955) is a particularly good movie but it is an enjoyable one. It's got a lot of things going for it even if one of those things isn't a particularly high budget. Director Edward L. Cahn is known for a handful of 1950s science-fiction / monster movies and although CEATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN is not the best it is also definitely not the worst. The reason for this is probably the script. Although it's also not Curt Siodmak best genre work his script for this film does have a firm enough structure and a strong enough basic idea for the movie to work. It's a little ramshackle but it still functions pretty well. On my umpteenth viewing last night, I found myself liking the movie more than in the past. Maybe I’ve seen it enough times for it to have become comfort viewing. 

My main takeaway this time is a continued fascination with Siodmak returning again and again to the combination of gangsters and mad science. DONOVAN’S BRAIN (1955) (both novel and film) is the better-known example and the better film if truth were to be told. This strange combination is something that probably shouldn't work but somehow does. And this film’s concept of ill-gotten money funding evil science for criminal revenge is a pretty tasty combination. Even if it doesn't serve up a fully satisfying meal here it's still a pretty good snack. Can’t watch just one! 

The Bloody Pit #90 - THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK (1946)

It’s strange to think that there might be a Universal horror film that has never been released on video but THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK (1946) fits that description. Like a handful of other obscure movies the studio made in the 1940’s there has been no release of this interesting picture for home viewing. The only option for the curious is a dodgy, spliced print sourced from 16mm that can be found on YouTube. This is far from a good way to see this rare movie but, for now, the only way. I think the film is worth watching even in this muddy, blown out form but others don’t think so highly of it. In fact, I know one of these people!

Mark Clark is the author responsible for two excellent books on the horror genre. He makes an argument for the finer qualities of the best performances in classic horror in his excellent book ‘Smirk, Sneer and Scream: Great Acting in Horror’. His book ‘Sixties Shockers’, co-written with Bryan Senn, is an excellent overview of horror and thriller films of that pivotal decade that will point almost any reader to hidden gems while giving a fresh perspective on well-known classics. And his three FAQ books on Star Trek and Star Wars are addictive tomes packed full of information even longtime fans will not know. Mark is currently working on a lengthy overview of the horror films of the 1940’s making him a perfect guest to discuss this hard to see movie. Will Mr. Clark and I find a way to punch each other over Skype when he attacks the movie? Tune in and see! Or, hear, I guess. You understand! I mean- how many female mad scientist movies have there been? 

It’s not spoiling too much to say that we both survive the podcast but if you have an opinion on THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK drop us a line at thebloodypit@gmail.com or on the show’s Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Apple Podcasts LINK

MP3 Download LINK  

Re-Viewing ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE (1958)

The other night I settled down to watch the ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE (1958) for the second time in my life. The only reason I watched this in 2019 is because Shout Factory has been nice enough to put it out on a gorgeous looking Blu-ray. I've owned the old DVD for years but after my initial viewing easily slotted this film into the ‘why bother again’ category and placed it on the shelf. After the second viewing I'm thinking it might be time to get rid of both copies of this film as I can never imagine watching this thing again. There are a number of Bert I Gordon films that I enjoy but this one just does not have nearly enough in it to keep me consistently interested for its admittedly short running time. In fact, I find it to be a pretty good cure for insomnia even for someone as in love with films of this type as I am. It feels like a 45-minute long idea stretched to feature-length and is extraordinarily boring for long stretches. Not even the presence of the stalwart 50’s B-movie icon John Agar or his amiable female co-star June Kenney can keep this from being a pretty turgid affair.

The new Blu-ray does have a commentary by the great Tom Weaver and after the first 15 minutes I'll have to admit he's keeping me interested enough to finish listening to what he has to say. He's begun making a decent defense for the movie and a couple of his points so far have amused me, but I really doubt even the entire track is going to change my mind on the qualities of this Bert I Gordon effort. We’ll see though.

Beyond Naschy #26 - THE DIABOLICAL DR Z (1966)

The Naschycast returns with our ninth anniversary episode! We dive back into the films of beloved Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco with THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z (1966). This is one of the director's final black & white movies and is considered by many to be his most accomplished work. I'm not sure where I would rank it on Franco's long list of credits but it is certainly a fantastic and beautiful horror film that features several amazing performances. It also has one of the best revenge seeking female mad scientist characters in cinema history. The lovely and deadly Doctor Zimmer is not someone you want to antagonize! Especially not when she can bend to her will the incredible nightclub dancer Nadia (a.k.a. Miss Death) whose long fingernails are laced with poison! And did I mention the murderous, mind-controlled escaped convict willing to strangle anyone blocking the destructive path of this mad woman? Strap in or, more likely, be held down by scary robotic arms for this amazing film!

Troy and I ramble our way through a discussion of this Spanish Horror classic marveling at the clarity and sharpness of the print available on the Kino Blu-Ray. The black & white  cinematography of Alejandro Ulloa is remarkable to see in high definition. As fans of his director of photography work for Naschy's lushly colorful EL CAMINATE (1979) and NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF (1981) we're amazed by his ingenuity at presenting shades of light and darkness without losing detail. Even if the film was only half as good as it is Ulloa's skill would make this a must-see for curious cinema aficionados.

We pick apart the plot, question the need for certain evil elements and gush about the intelligence of the script. Some time is spent on co-writer Jean-Claude Carrière's amazing career with me delighting in talking about his late 1950's Frankenstein sequel novels. The adult nature of the story is discussed as we make note of possible censored spots in the narrative. The amusing onscreen roles played by Franco and his longtime musical collaborator Daniel White are pointed out so that we can praise their acting talent. And we can't resist taking note of Franco's kitty co-star in one scene and his rather direct directorial touch with this wandering performer. Meow!

Any comments or questions can be sent to naschycast@gmail.com or dropped on the Naschycast Facebook page. We read out a couple of missives in the final few minutes of this episode and they stir some unexpected conversation, as always. Thank you for downloading and listening to the show. We'll be back next month with more Spanish Horror! 

iTunes LINK

MP3 Download LINK

Trailer - THE DIABOLICAL DOCTOR Z (1966)

Prepping for the next Beyond Naschy episode! 

The Bloody Pit #79 - MAN MADE MONSTER (1941)

We begin 2019 with the first new show in our Universal Horrors of the 1940's series.

MAN MADE MONSTER (1941) marks the first Universal horror starring role for Creighton Chaney a.k.a. Lon Chaney, Jr.  Given the part of a lovable lug misused by one of the screen's maddest mad scientists, Chaney establishes the perfect acting style for his character. With his hang-dog eyes, broad grin and furrowed brow he presents himself as a good natured, kind fellow without an unpleasant thought for anyone. This performance would serve as the template for his future roles in Universal horror films as the much put upon victim of a certain lunar curse. But this is the starting point for that 'doomed man' characterization and it's a good one for both the actor and the film.

Troy and I pull this one apart with the usual help of the fantastic Universal Horrors book by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas which provides a lot of background and contemporary reviews. We also heavily reference the excellent essay by Bryan Senn on this film from the Lon Chaney, Jr. Midnight Marquee Actors series book. His work is essential reading for fans of the actor and those looking for real insight into this underappreciated movie. We discuss the odd notion of having a good scientist and a bad scientist under the same roof; the strange case of the missing romantic subplot; the late blooming lust of the mad scientist for the film's lovely co-star; the 'master race' desires that drive the plot and the dividing line that keeps pets alive in a horror film. We talk about director George Waggner's work before and after this effort as well as the years long trail the story took to finally reach the screen. We also spend a lot of time heaping praise on the great Lionel Atwill's amazing performance as the crazed man seeking knowledge to keep the lower classes in their places!

In the final segment of the show we read out a pair of emails from listeners and dive into the various topics they bring up. On what other podcast will you hear discussions of the Italian Filmirage production company's output (Ator!) paired with a critique of Hammer's four mummy films? If you'd like to let us know what you think on these subjects, or any others, we can be reached at thebloodypit@gmail.com or over on the show's FaceBook page. Thank you for downloading and listening!

iTunes LINK

MP3 Download LINK 

What I Watched in November

It may seems strange for me to say this, as I'm pretty upfront about my love of comic books, but I've never read a single issue of a Venom series. I've never even read an issue with the character guest-starring. I know where the black alien symbiotic life-form comes from because I was an avid Marvel fan in 1984-85 and read Secret Wars like the good little zombie I was. I know that at some point the alien grafted itself onto a new host (post Peter Parker) and was first a major villain but (as the character became popular) was turned into a hero. Of sorts. All of this happened in the 1990's when I was taking a long sabbatical from Marvel because I was tired of the latest X-Men spin-off/reboot/new direction/whatever sucking all the oxygen out of the entire line. So, I come to this new film with only the bad memory of SPIDER MAN 3 (2007) coloring my thoughts of what the character could be. This film had to be better than that tragic mess, right? Well........

VENOM (2018) is a stand alone off-shoot of the Sony Spider Man films. It doesn't seem to reference the other films in any way so it can be seen as a form of reboot, I suppose. I had some hopes for this to be a fun film based solely on the cast. I think Tom Hardy is a fantastic talent with natural screen charisma and Michelle Williams has never seemed less than letter perfect in any role she attempts. But, sadly, this film wastes them and their impressive efforts on a script that just cannot be bothered to generate much interest. The entire things feels artificial from the relationships, the plot and even the underlying ideas. Nothing seems to  fit together properly giving the story a disjointed feeling. It might as well be cobbled together from random issues of the Venom comic book for all the sense it makes and maybe it was. It can't even manage to strike a solid tone for it's ending leaving the entire thing feeling more like a mess than it had to, really. In the end the film is bland and forgettable. If they make a sequel there is nowhere to go but up from this flat starting point.  

OVERLORD (2018) should have been much better than it is. The scenario reads like either a first person shooter video game or the most perfect SF tinged WWII film of all time. Just before the D-Day invasion of Normandy a squad of American soldiers parachute into occupied France to destroy a German communications jamming station. Almost immediately the group is reduced to a handful of survivors but they continue to their objective enlisting a local young woman's aid. Once in the country town the soldiers learn that the French citizens have been systematically taken into the castle headquarters for hideous human experimentation. Since the target is in the same place they decide to destroy both problems with one attack but are well aware that their small numbers mean there is little chance of survival. Everything is in place for a rousing action film with mad scientist created monsters in a WWII setting. Cool! But then the script falters.

At a certain point our main character leaves the cottage in which the soldiers are hiding for less than clear reasons. And then he manages to stumble, fart and fall inside the castle with none of the German troops ever spotting him. He gets into the deepest areas of the laboratory, sees the important information and gets out of this highly guarded place without a single person laying eyes on him. Once. This sequence breaks the movie for me. I kind of enjoyed the third act because it's a well played action set-piece but this pathetic way of getting the American characters the necessary intel is just terrible screenwriting. I wasn't bothered by the unhistorical mixed race American army of the 1940's in the film because we're here to see Nazi monsters get splattered. But this idiotic plotting disaster is just too much. The whole sequence needed to rewritten. Oh well.

THE LIST 

THIS NIGHT I WILL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (1967) - 7 (rewatch)

GHOSTKEEPER (1981) - 6 

SUSPIRIA (2018) - 9 

VENOM (2018) - 4 

THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (1954) - 5 

MACON COUNTY LINE (1974) - 7 

THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST (1945) - 4

MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND (1964) - 4 (rewatch) 

THE NANNY (1965) - 7 

ABSOLUTE QUIET (1936) - 7 

SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT III: BETTER WATCH OUT (1989) - 3 (Ugh!)

SCHIZOID (1980) - 5 (not bad sleazy thriller) 

OVERLORD (2018) - 6 

PRISONER OF THE LOST UNIVERSE (1983) - 3 (Riftrax version - 7) 

RAW FORCE (1982) - 3 (inept but entertaining for all the wrong reasons) 

SUMMER OF '84 (2018) - 9 

NIGHT OF TERROR (1933) - 6 

CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980) - 8 (rewatch)