Theme week updates

A while back I announced a few theme weeks and most surprisingly I have stuck to the ones for the last three months (Frankenstein, Star Trek, Superman)  plus I even knocked out a couple of extra theme weeks (Monkey Business, Monster Battles). Here is the current schedule I had made for the rest of the year.

70′s sci-fi movie week-July
Sequels week-August
Dinosaurs week-September
Vampires week-October
80′s horror film week-November
Made for tv movie week-December.

While looking over the list I decide to make a few changes so here is the updated plan. If I feel ambitious maybe I’ll add in a few more theme weeks during the rest of the year.

Giant monster week -July (around the release of Pacific Rim)
Sequels week-August
70’s sci-fi week-September
Vampires week-October
80′s horror film week-November
Mummy week-December.

Dr. Smith’s Insult of the week

Ah, I see that you have returned for more advice on proper insults. Never fear Smith is here to pass on his knowledge once again. This week’s insult is “Silver-plated Sellout”. I do hope that you find the proper person to use this upon.

Mothra vs. Godzilla (AKA: Godzilla vs. the Thing)

1964
*Note-I watched the English dubbed version for this review.

Who’s in this? For the sake of time I’m going to skip this section this time. Plus this is the conclusion of Monster Battles week so that’s what I want to get at.

What’s this about? After a rough typhoon a huge egg shows up on shore. The media shows up too, but before you can say “giant omelet” a rich dorky type goon buys the egg from locals. So now he only needs 11 more and big old carton, well maybe not. Our reporter/hero/time filler characters mull over the egg buyer as possibly buying the egg for someone else. Then these little woman show up, no not of the Louisa May Alcott variety (thank goodness), but more of the “now that they are here we know that Mothra will eventually show up” variety. These woman explain that the large egg came from their island and during that rough storm was washed over to these shores. Now they want the egg back because if it stays where it is giant larva will come out of the egg and cause destruction and we don’t want to see monsters destroying Japan in one of these films, oh, wait. The Shobijin (those little woman) have no luck getting the egg back. Hold everything because Big G emerges from the beach shaking a bunch of dirt off of himself. Now maybe something will eventually happen. Somewhere around this point people are talking blah, blah, blah. Yet Godzilla is on a rampage and Mothra is called upon to protect the giganto egg from the big rubber suited lizard. Alright, about time bring on some puppet vs. guy in a monster suit action. Mothra goes at it with everything as she attacks Big G’s head from above, then uses some wing flapping action to make a brutal wind force. Big G won’t be sidetracked as he goes after the egg like a fat dude at breakfast time. Mothra gets Godzilla by the tail and tries to drag him away. The flying puppet seems to be putting a whooping on lizard puss and goes for the kill by dropping yellow powder which may be as nasty as yellow snow, but Big G lets out a spray of his burning breath and Mothra goes down and out for the count. The military tries to shock the spiked back star will to no avail of course and then they get their tanks melted by Godzilla’s toxic breath plus the bad greedy dorks from the beginning get theirs around this time too, take that puny humans! Hold on there not so jolly green giant because that egg is hatching and out come two Mothra larvae and they are raring for a fight. One bites big G right on the tip of his scaly tail yeaowwwww! Then they spray silk crappola at the mean old lizard and he stumbles and falls into the water splashhhhhh! The Shobijin and the larvae cheer hiphiphooray and head back home. Roll the credits.

What a drag being Godzilla.

The negatives-Like a number of these type of movies you have to wait a little while to get to the action.

The positives-The effects are what they are, rubber suits, puppets and toy tanks. However this is two of the top giant monsters going at it fairly early on in the series. Silly? Maybe, but it’s a fun film with enough monster fighting going on to make it worthwhile. I first saw this years ago probably on a little black and white TV, but I enjoy just as much now as I did then. Nothing happens that easy in the film, the excitement is decent and it wraps up well enough. If you like these films you certainly like Godzilla, but I’ve always had a strong liking for Mothra too. I like the parts about her being worshipped and being called upon plus a giant moth was a fairly unique idea.

There you go. Hope you have enjoyed Monster Battle Week!

Get the mothballs!

Upcoming stuff and junk

There is still a little more left to monster battles week as I will review Mothra vs. Godzilla on Friday (watched it yesterday). I may also get to a Zardoz funny on Friday too, if not then he’ll definitely come around next week. Likely there will be a Saturday morning flashback in two days and Dr. Smith will be by over the weekend. For next week I’m thinking another Poster Postings will happen plus something about expendable characters in sci-fi. For reviews I’m thinking an old Hercules movie will get reviewed. Also I’ll be taking on the 1951 film When worlds collide. I have only seen it once maybe five years again. I liked it, but I want to see is it really a classic as a whole or just a film with good effects (for the time).

Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein

1948

I’m changing the line-up a little as I am putting this film in place of The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman because I am running out of time to watch that film. Despite the “meet” in the title there is some monster battle action going on.

Who’s in this?
Well, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello of course. The famous comdey duo had been at it for a while by the time they did this one. This was one of several films where they met a monster or some sort as they also dealt with ghosts, the mummy, the invisible man and others.

Bela Lugosi as Dracula. Lugosi was in tons of horror films from the 30’s through to the 50’s. He’s best known for playing Dracula and this was the second and last time that he took on the role.

Glenn Strange as the monster. Strange was perhaps best known for playing the monster three times (this was the last) and as Sam the bartender in Gunsmoke.

Lon Chaney Jr. as the wolfman and Larry Talbot. The son of silent movie star Lon Chaney. Chaney Jr. was in lots of monsters films for decades, but the wolfman is easily the one he is most known for.

So Bud and Lou are porters who go through lots of slapstick messes before losing the Frankenstein monster and being blamed for the loss. The monster was thought to be a wax figure, but hey he’s for real and actually Dracula took him for his nefarius plans. An evil and slinky female scientist has designs on Lou’s brain for the monster. Oh, wait there’s a wolfman in this film too. Actually it’s THE wolfman. Like in the other filsm poor, poor Larry Talbot wants not to turn all hairy under the full moon. Bud and Lou and a good looking but bland couple (mandatory in many of these flicks) end up in or near a castle which apparently was not out of place in the late 1940’s. Drac, Frank, the evil woman scientist and the wolfman all end up there with everyone chasing everyone else. The wolfman and Drac lock up with both falling to their apparent deaths. Bud and Lou bumble and stumble into taking down Frankie. Then the Invisible Man (voice by Vincent Price) shows up to scare the comedy duo to end the film. Roll the credits.

Jokes, we want lots of jokes.

The negatives-Universal monster purists may not like their monsters being in a comedy (tough I say). I always wish Karloff could have been squeezed into this film.

The positives-John Carradine was good as Drac, but Lugosi has always Dracula for me and he’s golden here too. Having the monsters play it straight and bud and Liou do the laughs was the right approach. this is classic A and C and a classic horror comedy. The candle scene and the wolflman in the hotel room are both great scenes. I first saw this movie when I was like 6 and have loved it ever since. It was sad to see the classic Universal monster line end, but they went out on a high note.

I am better than Karloff, say it I am better than Karloff.

Monsters battles that should have happened

“Oh, Kong you dance like you are floating on air.”

So let’s open up those doors and consider what monster battles should have or should now happen.
In Universal horror the monster meetings began towards the end of the monster cycle and I think some fans consider these multiple monster films to be hokey or that the gimmick of of a monster mash was stronger than the the plots in these films. Maybe but monster fans have some room for seeing different monsters mix it up. From Universal we got some limited views of Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula and the Wolfman going at it, but no other monsters from them. The invisible man for all his insanity and his trouble making was still just a regular dude so he wouldn’t have given any other majoe monsters much of a match. The creature from the black lagoon was from a later time period. Now I always thought a Mummy vs. Dracula movie was possible. Both popped in the states in some of the films and undead vs. undead could be cool.
Hammer films updated a number of classic monsters, but never pitted them against one another. They seemed more interested in just chaning the stories around, but never went the way of pitting two against one another. I think Peter Cushing’s Baron Von Frankenstein pitting a creation against Christopher Lee’s Dracula would have interested me although no doubt some Hammer films would have seen that as being beneath the company’s standards.
Godzilla took on all kinds of beasties most of them multiple times. Yet he and the mighty Kong only went at it once and let’s face it even though it was fun that was a lame Kong. There were rumors that in the early 90’s that Toho considered another match-up of big G vs. King Kong, but when they found out they’d have to shell out some loot for the rights to use the big monkey they lost interest.
Now pitting Godzilla vs. Gamera would be a battle that many people have dreamed of. I don’t think it will ever make it to film, but big lizard vs. big turtle would be a great battle sure to level most of Japan.
Slashers? I never got into the Jason vs. Michael vs. Freddie hoopla because
A)They always seemed more intent on hacking up people then wanting to pattle a fellow meat ripper
B)Slashers never interested me as much as classic or giant monsters.

***So what monster battles would you like to see?

Malfunctions and other problems

At the beginning of yesterday we were without A/C and our land phone line was down (we have dial-up). Today the A/C was fixed. Thursday the phone guy is supposed to come and take a look and I am off from work that day to wait for his arrival. I am hoping he says “hey, it’s our fault and we’ll fix it quickly and it won’t cost you a cent”. Just in case it’s not fixed on Thursday there is a chance I won’t be able to post that day, but here’s hoping that it works out.

Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy AKA-The Aztec Mummy against the humanoid robot

1958 (sometimes listed as 1959 too)

Who’s in this?
Wow, a number of low rent people standing around to earn a paycheck.
The standouts here are probably:
Crox Alverado as Pinacante. Had almost 100 credits over the course of six decades.
Rosa Arenas as Flor Almada. She had over 60 credits including the Witches Mirror.

What’s this about?
The most accurate title might be “A big dull recap of the previous two films followed by a bunch of meaningless talking and finally a lame fight between a mangy mummy and a cardboard box and spraypaint mummy”. That would however be too long for the movie poster or the marquee. Also it gives aways the plot, oh wait that really isn’t much of a plot nor is this much of a movie. Nor is the fight at the “climax” much of a battle. Yes, those MST3000 guys really tore into this one when they covered it. However it is a monster battle. Eventually an evil doctor wants to steal the mummy’s treasure so he creates one of the clunkiest looking robots that was ever half heartedly constructed. The battle is laughable, but still it’s two creatures sort of slugging it out in a bargain basement kind of way.

Look what Fred Sanford just made!

The negatives-It’s just over an hour long and it’s still hard to take because it’s very slow. Remember when you’d be watching a show and they’d do a flashback episode and you’d be highly disppointed? I know I was and this movie spends too much time being a flashback episode. The acting is dry at best. I already described the robot and mummy so you know they are not high grade.

The positives-Low rent or not it’s still a monster battle and a different one at that as mummies don’t usually get in on the fisticuffs action. Although I did read something saying that the Aztecs didn’t do mummification, oh well it’s just a movie. Rosa Arenas is quite stunning despite the poor dialog. I also kind of like the tomb set as far as bottom of the barrell tombs go.

No, these are not your living room drapes!

Monster battles in the movies

Monsters and creatures have been battling each other in films almost as long as there have been films. Monsters existed in literature for centuries so when film came around it was no surprise that monsters would become topics and even stars of this new medium. Although monsters vs. man was a popular topic for movies, but everyone who watched monster films at one time another had that competitive part reach out and say I’d like to see this monster take on another monster. Films like the original Lost World and King Kong had giant beasties battling it out. Universal then had almost two decades of success with their monsters in the 30’s and 40’s. The earlier films in that cycle had one monster going through some drama, but after a the novelty was wearing off some the film makers that if people liked one monster in a film then they would be even wilder about two or more. Even though the above film may be called “Frankenstein meets the wolfman” the poster shows a monster battle and I am sure that’s what moviegoers were wanting and hoping for. The 50’s would bring about one of the most popular battling monsters of all time. Even though the first Godzilla film was about more serious concerns in society it didn’t take long for the Big G and his friends and enemies to become the stars of giant monsters battle films for decades. Rubber suits and toy cities aside there was still something exciting about seeing some big creatures duke it out. When I was in elementary school maybe in 1-3 grade I frequently remember debating the outcomes of what would really happen if Frankenstein took on Dracula or who would triumph in a Godzilla vs. King Kong rumble. Granted most kids then were more into Hot Wheels cars and baseball, but there were a few of us monster fans that had out priorities right. The 80’s saw slasher films coming into the limelight and showing a killer ripping people apart before the one survivor somehow either stopped the killer or just got away to keep a door open for the inevitable sequel. Monster vs. monster battles seem to be a lost genre for a while. Godzilla and company would soon be back, but here in the states the beast battles have not been quite as exciting to me in the last few decades as they were years ago. Yes, Jason and Freddy eventually had it out and those Underworld movies put out a slick, but soulless version of vampires vs. werewolves. Still the idea of monster battles is still a topic worth discussing and hopefully some film makers will yet again revive the idea with some positive results.

Monster Battle week marches on with the Monday entry being the Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy.

Dr. Smith’s Insult of the week

Spare me your poisonous barbs as I am here to pass on another insult for you to utilize. This week it is “deplorable dunderhead”. You may use it as you see fit. Good day to you sir or madam.