Bride of the Monster!

By Doug Gibson

Plan9Crunch fans in Utah, make sure that you don't miss the inimitable Ed Wood's classic "Bride of the Monster." It airs Friday, Feb. 11, at 9 p.m. on UEN Channel 9's Sci-Fi Friday night. I love this threadbare film starring Bela Lugosi. It was his last speaking role! Also, cast in a bit part was Wood's soon-to-be-ex paramour Dolores Fuller. Lugosi gives it his all despite the rushed shooting schedule and very low budget. Tor Johnson lumbers around effectively and the "Monster" certainly looks different up close compared to its stock shots But it's a film you can't hate, and like everything Wood made -- IT IS UNIQUE!

Here's a short review: This 1955 film is probably the best film Ed Wood directed in a technical sense. An emaciated, drug-addicted Bela Lugosi gives it his all in an inspiring performance as embittered, exiled mad scientist, Dr. Eric Vornoff, who "vill perfect ... a race of atomic superman who vill rule the vorld!" Tor Johnson, all 500-pounds of him, lumbers around the cheap sets menacing a young lovely newsgal with a detective for a boyfriend. Rubber octopuses and a photo enlarger substitute for a monster and an atomic energizer.

RIP: Tura 'Varla' Satana

Plan9Crunch has a sad note to pass on: Cult actress Tura Satana, best known for her kick#@@ roles in Russ Meyers' Faster Pussycat Kill Kill and Ted V. Mikels' The Doll Squad, has died of heart failure, her manager states. A New York Times arts blog report is here

Above is a memorable scene of Tura in Mikels' The Doll Squad. If you time tonight, watch Faster Pussycat ... again. It's a classic cult film. We'll hopefully have more on Tura in the next few days.

Doug Gibson

Dick Tracy versus Cueball

By Doug Gibson

The Medved brothers list Dick Tracy Vs. Cueball as one of the 5o worst films in their book, The 50 Worst Films of All Time, that was popular generations ago.

They're wrong, of course, "Dick Tracy vs. Cueball," from RKO Radio Pictures, is a lean 62-minute programmer that provides exactly what is offers. A cartoonish detective story of the famous detective stopping a dangerous mug, Cueball, who starts strangling people with a hatband who get in his way of getting full value for the diamonds he stole.

Morgan Conway as Tracy lacks the facial looks and screen presence that Ralph Byrd brought to the role but he does an OK job. The funny-pages feel to the picture is accentuated by colorful characters, including Anne Jeffreys as Tess Truehart, Tracy's girl and Lyle Latell as Pat Patton, Tracy's silly sidekick.

The other characters have names that highlight their personalities, such as Jewels Sparkle, Percival Priceless, Vitamin Flintheart, Filthy Flora and, of course, the baddie Cueball, played in sinister fashion by Dick Wessel. A chief clue toward catching Cueball is learned when a youngster tells Tracy all the kids bought hatbands made by a prisoner who was recently released. ...

A 50 worst film? ... NONSENSE. I loved this action programmer from director Gordon Douglas. Why don't we watch the trailer above! YouTube also shows the entire film in parts.

Dick Tracy versus Cueball

By Doug Gibson

The Medved brothers list Dick Tracy Vs. Cueball as one of the 5o worst films in their book, The 50 Worst Films of All Time, that was a popular a generation ago.

They're wrong, of course, "Dick Tracy vs. Cueball," from RKO Radio Pictures, is a lean 62-minute programmer that provides exactly what is offers. A cartoonish detective story of the famous detective stopping a dangerous mug, Cueball, who starts strangling people with a hatband who get in his way of getting full value for the diamonds he stole.

Morgan Conway as Tracy lacks the facial looks and screen presence that Ralph Byrd brought to the role but he does an OK job. The funny-pages feel to the picture is accentuated by colorful characters, including Anne Jeffreys as Tess Truehart, Tracy's girl and Lyle Latell as Pat Patton, Tracy's silly sidekick.

The other characters have names that highlight their personalities, such as Jewels Sparkle, Percival Priceless, Vitamin Flintheart, Filthy Flora and, of course, the baddie Cueball, played in sinister fashion by Dick Wessel. A chief clue toward catching Cueball is learned when a youngster tells Tracy all the kids bought hatbands made by a prisoner who was recently released. ...

A 50 worst film? ... NONSENSE. I loved this action programmer from director Gordon Douglas. Why don't we watch the trailer below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVOZRFEk5Pk