Black Zoo

BLACK ZOO marks the third and final teaming of producer Herman Cohen and actor Michael Gough and the results are definitely mixed. This is a pity because the other two movies, the incredibly lurid HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM and the deliriously outrageous KONGA are guilty pleasures of the first order. ZOO doesn't quite measure up to the other two although it does have its moments which I will mention later on.

Although responsible for the first two films, screenwriters Aben Kandel & producer Herman Cohen ran out of steam this time around. This screenplay is not lurid or outrageous enough and it recycles themes and plot development (young assistant to do his dirty work, unhappy female partner) from the others. It may have been cheaper to shoot it in America (and these were certainly not big budget productions) but this one does look cheap due to the claustrophobic sets in pastel colors (the colors are recycled from KONGA) but at least there is some creative background lighting.

Fortunately BLACK ZOO is graced by a number of fine performances from Jerome Cowan's sleazy developer to Gough's tormented wife as played by future soap opera star Jeanne Cooper. Former child star Virginia Grey is very good in her small part as Cooper's agent and Elisha Cook Jr is...Elisha Cook Jr. There are a few outstanding scenes that linger long after the film is over. One is the sequence where Gough entertains his big cats with an organ recital while they lounge on furniture just like domestic ones. Another is the funeral of a tiger which is staged as if it were one of Roger Corman's Poe films. Finally the gathering of the animal worshipers must be seen to be disbelieved.

When I first saw this back in the mid 1960s it was on TV and it was in black & white. This Warner Archive DVD-R is a high quality transfer that preserves the original widescreen aspect ratio as well as the early 1950s color scheme. I only wish that it contained subtitles so that I could really follow and enjoy the "remarkable" dialogue. While not his best, this rarity is still a must for fans of Michael Gough...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

BLACK ZOO (1963) marks another pairing for B-movie producer Herman Cohen and star Michael Gough, following on from their HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM and KONGA. This time around the story is set in America, where Gough plays a zookeeper who specialises in all manner of big cats. His philosophy is to show his creatures the utmost kindness and care, but he doesn't treat people in quite the same way...

Although the film begins with an arresting murder, this turns out to be quite the plodder. The nature of the production means that the kills are typically kept off screen and are few and far between as it is. Gough delivers a delightful barnstorming performance as usual - truly an underrated presence in the genre - but the rest is pretty talky with only the occasional element of depth or interest.

Herman Cohen transferred his activities to the good U. S. of A. Accompanied by Michael Gough to further satisfy his penchant for murder - this time under the cover of the curator of a zoo - between sessions on the organ.

Elisha Cook Jr. Naturally doesn't stand a chance; but (SLIGHT SPOILERS COMING:) but Gough learns the hard that cats aren't exactly known for their gratitude.

The deliciously theatrical Brit thespian Michael Gough is at his scenery devouring best in the role of Michael Conrad, owner of a private zoo that specializes in big cats. Michael is insanely devoted to these creatures, and is also mad enough to sic them on any nuisance in his life - including an extremely pesky realtor (Jerome Cowan). He keeps his wife Edna (Jeanne Cooper, 'The Young and the Restless') and mute employee Carl (Rod Lauren, "The Crawling Hand") completely under his thumb, to boot.

Very nicely shot in Panavision by Floyd Crosby, the man who was who doing such exemplary work on those Roger Corman Poe pictures during this time, "Black Zoo" is decent, but that's mostly due to Gough. Overall, director Robert Gordon ("It Came from Beneath the Sea"), working from the script by Aben Kandel and producer Herman Cohen, just doesn't make this that much fun. It might have helped if the animals had been let loose upon a couple more victims; as it is, the story is only mildly entertaining most of the time. Still, there's camp value in the presence of an obvious "man in a costume" styled gorilla (played by George Barrows), the absurdly touching funeral for one of the big cats, and in the laughable meeting of a cult of cat worshipers called The True Believers - a definite highlight of silliness. And those felines appear to be extremely well trained.

Unlike Gough, much of the cast is required to play it straight, and it is delightful to see such familiar faces as "Maltese Falcon" cast members Cowan and Elisha Cook Jr., Edward Platt ('Get Smart'), lovely Marianna Hill ("Messiah of Evil", "Blood Beach"), Byron Morrow ("Colossus: The Forbin Project"), and Warrene Ott ("The Undertaker and His Pals").

This is fairly enjoyable schlock that might play well alongside another Cohen-Gough collaboration, "Konga".

Six out of 10.

Michael Conrad (Michael Gough) is the tyrannical owner of a successful private zoo that would give today's PETA activists a coronary, with wild cats in cramped cages, and a chimpanzee theatre-the act of Michael's downtrodden wife Edna (Jeanne Cooper)-that sees the chimps dressed in clothes and forced to perform circus tricks, the show culminating with one of the poor primates being rewarded with a cigarette.

Amazingly, Conrad is convinced that he is treating the zoo's attractions with love and respect, and even belongs to a cult of animal worshippers who believe in soul transferrence. Clearly off his rocker, the zoo owner uses his obedient beasts to kill anyone that might threaten their way of life, sending a tiger to pounce on a snoopy reporter, a lion to maul a pushy property developer, and getting his gorilla (played unconvincingly by a man in an ape suit) to bash in the skull of Jenny Brooks, an entertainment agent who offers a circus job to her friend Edna.

When Edna learns of Jenny's death and finally realises the true extent of Conrad's cruelty, she decides to skedaddle, convincing Conrad's mute son Carl (Rod Lauren) to join her. Of course, Conrad isn't about to let that happen if he can help it...

To put it simply, Michael Gough makes this film. The actor goes so over the top in his performance as the bitch-slapping, lion-hugging maniac that he takes the film into camp territory, making it a whole lot of fun despite the somewhat trite set-up. Gough chews up the scenery and spits it out with relish, his hammy histrionics hugely entertaining, with his meal-time altercation with Edna being particularly memorable, the argument resulting in a hilarious spot of casserole hurling!

Other highlights include Conrad inviting his big cats into his study where he entertains them with his organ (oo-err!), the zoo owner dealing with a sadistic employee by feeding him to a lion, and the eerie night-time funeral of Conrad's beloved tiger Baron.

7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for the completely pointless but welcome inclusion of three pretty young art students who come to the zoo to draw the animals.