GOREGIRL'S DUNGEON

Eisenhower and the Horror Movies is Over

goregirl — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:05:45 +0000

That’s all folks! Yesterday’s Godzilla was the last review of my Eisenhower and the Horror Movies feature. I regret only one thing; I did not do a review of a Vincent Price film! Price was in a ton of films during the Eisenhower years. Shame on me! I totally owe Vincent Price a review. I will be watching classic horror more regularly from now on. I would rather watch a horror movie made before 1990 than the vast majority of shitty shit that has come out since. That said, I will be reviewing the 2011 film The Woman that just came out on DVD last week. Films like The Woman remind me why I still bother watching new horror films. The balance of February is a free for all so I will be reviewing what ever tickles my fancy. Below I have summarized my Eisenhower and the Horror Movies reviews which I will put in my sidebar for easy future access. Classic horror rocks!

I watched 22 horror films that were released during Eisenhower’s presidency and posted 18 reviews. The four films yet to be reviewed; It Came from Beneath the Sea, The Abominable Snowman, The Curse of Frankenstein, and Mothra.

I failed only one film; that honour went to Horrors of Spider Island (1960).

One film received a borderline pass which was Reptilicus (1961).

Six films I reviewed were not first viewings; Les Diaboliques (1955), Night of the Demon (1957), Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959), The Brides of Dracula (1960), Jigoku (1960) and Godzilla (1954 & 1956).

The top five films I watched for the first time during this feature were…
Corridors of Blood (1958)
The Mole People (1956)
Mother Joan of the Angels (1961)
Cult of the Cobra (1955)
Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)

And here are the rest of the films reviewed…
Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)
The Wasp Woman (1959)
Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961)
The Haunted Strangler (1958)
The Cyclops (1957)

GODZILLA (1954) & GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (1956) – The Dungeon Review!

goregirl — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:22:19 +0000

My final review for Eisenhower and the Horror Movies is a film that is very close to my heart; Ishirô Honda’s 1954 Japanese monster epic Godzilla. The film that would go on to spawn a number of sequels and other successful creature features for Toho Studios. Godzilla was quite literally the first film I ever seen. My parents brought me home from the hospital on a Sunday afternoon and sat holding me in their arms as they watched Godzilla on television. My mom told me that I use to pretend I was Godzilla when I was a toddler making growling noises and stepping on my toys. I don’t remember that to be honest, but Godzilla was certainly a huge part of my childhood. I’ve mentioned on a few occasions that it was my dad who introduced me to horror films. He was passionate about classic horror and I watched tons of it growing up. When I was a kid there was no such thing as VCR’s, DVD players or the internet. You either watched movies on television or at the theatre. They played Godzilla and other Toho Studio monster flicks on television regularly in the 1970′s. I have fond memories of watching these films on rainy Sunday afternoons. I admit, I get a little sentimental when it comes to Godzilla. I watched quite a few creature features over the last two months and while I enjoyed some of these very much; nothing but nothing tops Godzilla.

A fishing boat goes missing off the Coast of Odo Island. A second boat sent to investigate also suffers the same fate. One night Odo Island is hit by a storm that brings with it more than just heavy winds and rain. The Odo Island residents believe the destruction and death was caused by a creature of their folklore called Godzilla. Archeologist Dr. Yamane along with a team is sent to investigate. Dr. Yamane discovers an alarmingly large footprint. Inside the footprint he finds a 3-lobed creature called a trilobite that has long been extinct. Godzilla soon appears, going on a rampage; leaving death and destruction behind. Attempts to destroy Godzilla fail and Japanese officials are desperate. Meanwhile Dr. Yamane’s daughter Emiko has been keeping a secret that could save the world. Daisuke Serizawa confides to Emiko that he has created a device that could destroy the beast. Serizawa refuses to divulge his discovery to others fearing it would be used for evil. Will the world be destroyed by a two million year old monster?!

Watching all these monster movies in close succession made me realize just how awesome and ground-breaking the effects in Godzilla really were. The action sequences are elaborate, lengthy and numerous. There is so much detail in the models; power lines, boats, cars, dozens of unique buildings constructed only to be smashed. Godzilla is an amazing creature. His menacing size, scaly back, powerful tail, fiery breath and mighty ancient cry cuts an imposing figure. The giant reptilian creature walking away from a city ablaze and in ruins is pretty damn spectacular! The awesome flawless way Godzilla interacts with his environment brings it all to horrifying life! It is awe-inspiring what these filmmakers were able to achieve with a guy in a lizard suit. Apparently the Godzilla suit was quite the nightmare to deal with. They spent a great deal of time and money on the creation of the suit only to discover it was unusable. Godzilla is the centerpiece of the film, so needless to say this was a huge set back. The issue was a person could not move once inside the rigid and heavy costume. They recreated the suit with a lighter material and while there were still issues they made due. The suit was still heavy and the actor would sweat buckets, so he could not stay inside long. They made the best of it and even found a use for the original suit. They cut the legs off and used it for foot smashing close-ups. The effects are remarkable, but that is not the only reason to appreciate Godzilla.

Godzilla also has a story to tell. The opening scene where a boat mysteriously disappears in the ocean is a wonderfully ominous start. Right off the bat we are filled with wonder. The anticipation steadily builds as we move along to that first Godzilla citing. Godzilla is the result of nuclear radiation; a horror experienced first hand by the Japanese in 1945 when The United States dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima. There is one particularly intense scene in a hospital overflowing with victims of Godzilla’s rampage. Not only are they injured but some are suffering from radiation poisoning. According to Wikipedia “Japanese critics accused the film of exploiting the widespread devastation that the country had suffered in World War II”. Others embraced Godzilla which was actually one of the most attended Japanese films in the year it was released. Godzilla deservingly won the Japanese Academy Award for best special effects.

I love DVD special features. The DVD I rented had both the original 1954 version of Godzilla and the 1956 made for America/Raymond Burr version. Apparently Godzilla’s Serizawa character was supposed to be an evil scientist type; unsympathetic creepy guy that kept to himself. Instead he is a handsome dude with an eye patch who appears to be on the losing end of a love triangle. Emiko and Serizawa seem to have history but Emiko is in love with Ogata. Serizawa has been particularly secretive as of late so Emiko decides to give him a visit. It turns out Serizawa has created a way to split oxygen atoms into fluids. When the oxygen is disintegrated the living organisms around it die of asphyxiation. He calls it the oxygen destroyer and it has the ability to kill en mass. He has been keeping his discovery secret, fearing it would be used as a weapon. Meanwhile at Counter-Godzilla Headquarters Dr. Yamane is working with officials but would rather study the creature than destroy it. The central characters are really a likeable lot and the actors do a good job of making their interactions natural and believable.

In 1956 Toho reworked Godzilla for American audiences. Godzilla, King of the Monsters is literally the Godzilla 1954 version with Raymond Burr scenes added. Raymond Burr plays an American reporter covering the monster’s activities. I actually found the Burr version a bit painful to watch after the original. The opening sequence has Burr lying on the ground wounded and completely stomps all over the original version’s great early suspense. When watching the two versions back to back it is hard not to notice how poorly executed the added scenes were. There are scenes where Burr is called on to interact with the original film’s characters. They show the back of a look-a-like’s head and dub their voice. The awkward shot concentrates squarely on the back of the head and really draws attention to it. Other times Burr is called on to interact with groups. He sporadically pops up like a mole in that whack-a-mole game behind groups of Asian actors. Finally the dubbing drove me to drink. I am mystified as to why they would not have just dubbed the whole film. They only dub the central characters which was sometimes illogical for the scene. During an excavation scene Dr. Yamane surrounded only by Japanese people speaks to them in English. I understand he might speak English to Burr but why would he speak English in this scenario? Other times they leave the Japanese dialog and Burr narrates over it. I don’t really have a bone to pick with Raymond Burr himself. Burr was okay. There really is no reason to watch this 1956 version when you can watch the original.

I have loved Godzilla my entire life. I have seen Godzilla a stupid number of times and it always thrills me. Godzilla is a visual extravaganza, with a compelling story, suspense and great action. It also has the most ass-kickinest, stompinest, fire-breathinest awesome monster ever to grace the silver screen! Many have tried but no one has really been able to duplicate Godzilla. Even Toho themselves haven’t created a monster flick to top it. Godzilla is in a class all its own. Highest of recommendations!

Japanese with English subtitles.

Dungeon Rating: 5/5

Directed By: Ishirô Honda

Starring: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Murakami, Sachio Sakai

Hammer Film Posters with music from The Devil Rides Out

goregirl — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:10:51 +0000

My latest slideshow featuring Hammer film posters with music from The Devil Rides Out Performed by The Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra. Every last one of these posters are a work of art! I will have one more review for Eisenhower and the Horror Movies and than a summary of the feature on Monday and Tuesday.

THE BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960) – The Dungeon Review!

goregirl — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:16:29 +0000

Terence Fisher directed several films for Hammer Film Productions. Most of the titles Fisher directed were during Hammer’s heyday in the 1950′s and 1960′s and are some of the studio’s best. Among his outstanding entries are The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Mummy, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Gorgon and The Devil Rides Out. The Devil Rides Out is without a doubt, one of my favourite Hammer films of all time. I contributed a review for The Devil Rides Out to friend of the dungeon Basement Scream’s feature “Six Weeks of Satan” (to read the review click here). Terence Fisher directs The Brides of Dracula with stylish flare and a touch of sexy and the result is positively captivating!

Marianne Danielle has travelled a long distance by carriage to take a position as a teacher in an all girl’s boarding school. Along her travels the carriage driver stops at an inn and leaves Marianne to fend for herself. She is befriended by the Baroness Meinster who invites her to stay at the family estate. The Baroness’ it turns out has a son who she is keeping hidden from the townsfolk. The Baroness does not divulge to Marianne why she is imprisoning her own son only that there is a very good reason for doing so. When Marianne meets the Baron he appears to be ready to jump from the balcony to his death. She comes running to him only to discover he is in chains. The charming and handsome Baron paints a very different picture for Marianne of the reasons he is imprisoned in his own home. Falling for him instantly Marianne rushes to find the key that will unlock his chains. Marianne has no idea the evil she has unleashed, but she soon will.

Despite the lack of Dracula himself, The Brides of Dracula is a sequel of sorts. While Christopher Lee is absent the always excellent Peter Cushing is back as Dr J. Van Helsing. The performances are perfect by the entire cast. Our lovely Teacher Marianne is played by Yvonne Monlaur who is downright adorable. It is she who unleashes the naughty Baron Meinster played with devilish mischief by David Peel. Under the guise of a romantic gesture the Baron lures himself females to grow his vampire army. One of my favourite characters is Greta. Greta was charged to care for the Baron by his mother insuring he stay hidden, tethered and fed. Greta cackles madly at the discovery the Baron has been freed, and fulfills her duties as his human servant. Greta aids with such grim tasks as helping new vamps claw their way out of their coffins! Freda Jackson is fantastic as Greta creating a character that is both amusing and spooky. The icy Baroness Meinster is conflicted and realizes her decision to keep her son alive is a dangerous and foolish one. Marita Hunt plays the Baroness with sophistication and confidence and an air of self importance. There is no mistaking that she is indeed “the Baroness”. Last and certainly not least is the wonderful Peter Cushing. The serious and efficient Mr. Van Helsing can also show sensitivity and concern when necessary. Peter Cushing brings the perfect balance to the role creating a Van Helsing that is both very likable and credible. Cushing would reprise his role as Van Helsing for Hammer several more times after this.

Like most Hammer Films The Brides of Dracula is a high achiever when it comes to its visuals. The sets are just fantastic. The colors and lighting is extremely easy on the eyes and the always lingering red color scheme gives the film a blood soaked vibe. Much of the film takes place in the home of the Baroness and Baron Meinster. The property appears to be absolutely massive and the home and its interiors are divine. The scenes filmed from Marianne’s bedroom balcony are particularly impressive in displaying the enormity of the property. There isn’t much here for effects however and just a glimpse of blood; but The Brides of Dracula is certainly none the lesser for it.

Those crazy nightgowns women wore during the Victorian period were not the gear for running in. Of course all that flowing fabric makes for some pretty pictures. I wonder if any women broke bones falling down those Hammer stairway sets in that Victorian garb? In any case, the costumes are all lovely and impressive; they just are not very practical when you need to run for your life! The story is simple but engrossing and they even add a couple special touches that make this particular vampire tale unique. A steady pace and a thrilling finale seal the deal. Certainly these older Hammer films seem quite subdued and bloodless in comparison to the films that came after. Keeping in mind that color was still a relatively new concept in film; a beautiful gothic horror tale like The Brides of Dracula must have been that much more impressive to audiences.

I have seen The Brides of Dracula probably a half dozen times over the years and I never get tired of it. It is charming, beautifully shot, well acted and chocked full o’mood and atmosphere. An entertaining and well made gothic horror and one of Hammer Studio’s best in my opinion. Highly recommended!

Dungeon Rating: 4.5/5

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur, Freda Jackson, David Peel, Miles Malleson, Henry Oscar, Mona Washbourne, Andree Melly

CULT OF THE COBRA (1955) – The Dungeon Review!

goregirl — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:59:18 +0000

My Eisenhower and the Horror Movies feature is almost over. I will probably only get another two reviews posted by months end at this point. I am going to miss watching and reviewing the films from this period. I am really digging these black and white films! They are just so pleasant to look at. Even the crummier films look a little less crappy in black and white. It is also a nice treat to get some character development in a horror film. Not to mention characters you actually root for. Even in the 1950′s there was a certain amount of regurgitation with adaptations of the likes of Dracula and Frankenstein but the pool in which to dip was considerably shallower. Originality was abundant; one more reason to visit this particular era of horror filmmaking. What more can I say to convince you that classic horror rocks?

A group of American G.I.’s are looking for the ultimate tourist attraction as they end a tour in Asia. A snake charmer offers to sneak the men into a ritual of the Cult of the Cobra for a small fee. The outsiders are apprehended when one of the men can not resist snapping a picture. They manage to escape the angry cult members but not before a curse is placed on them. One of the men is bitten by a snake and is taken to a hospital where he quickly recovers; but mysteriously dies the next day. Fortunately the uneasy G.I.’s are travelling home to the U.S.A.; but you can not run from the deadly curse of the Cult of the Cobra!

Once back home in the U.S.A., a love triangle kick starts our story. Paul and Tom are both in love with Julia. On their return from duty Julia decides that Paul is the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. It is a little weird that Paul and Tom are best friends and roommates but I chose to just ignore that. No hard feelings right buddy? One evening a woman’s scream sends Tom running to the apartment across the hall. The woman behind the scream is Lisa Moya. Lisa is new to the city and Tom who is smitten with her instantly offers to give her a tour.

I never heard of Faith Domergue before this feature. I have now seen two films starring the intriguing Ms. Domergue. In Cult of the Cobra she plays Lisa Moya and in It Came from Beneath the Sea she plays Professor Lesley Joyce. I rented It Came from Beneath the Sea from the library and it was in rough shape. A small section of the DVD would not play and it got stuck a couple times in other places which really messed up the flow. Damn shame really, because it features a giant Octopus and the effects were done by the great Ray Harryhausen! Between the DVD not functioning too well and the volume of giant monster flicks I’ve already covered, I decided not to write a review for it. One of these days I will rewatch It Came from Beneath the Sea and give it a proper review. Perhaps an entire Harryhausen feature? So back to Faith Domergue who plays strong central characters in both films. She is an interesting woman to look at. She has sultriness about her and the confidence to sell it. She is quite icy as Lisa Moya in Cult of the Cobra. Considering her true nature it makes perfectly good sense that she would lack appropriate social skills. It is not a spoiler to tell you that Lisa has the ability to transform into a snake. We see much of the film through her perspective. It is the film’s characters that must solve the mystery. I quite enjoyed Domergue and her cold demeanor and by the end of the film I even had empathy for her.

The acting is decent across the board. The G.I.’s have a good chemistry and the casual conversation felt natural. Cult of the Cobra has an intriguing opening and not too much downtime before the action begins. The film looks good and they include a particularly neat pov shot through a snake’s eye. What looked less than stellar was the snake transformation. You never actually see a transformation only the shadow of a snake on the wall. It was a cool and inexpensive way to execute but it looked like someone had their hand in a sock. Otherwise the death scenes are all lively and well done; each one is unique. I did have a wee issue with a detail in the finale but it is a spoiler so I will only say it was forgivable. They add some nifty touches like Tom’s dog being afraid of Lisa and barking when she is near. Minor flaws aside Cult of the Cobra is a damn good watch.

Cult of the Cobra is a creature feature with an intriguing story, strong performances, solid atmosphere and creative death scenes. Recommended.

Dungeon Rating: 3.5/5

Directed By: Francis D. Lyon

Starring: Faith Domergue, Richard Long, Marshall Thompson, Kathleen Hughes, William Reynolds, Jack Kelly, Myrna Hansen, David Janssen, Leonard Strong, James Dobson, Olan Soule

Deadly Dames of Horror! With Music by Lesley Gore!

goregirl — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:09:39 +0000

My newest slideshow featuring a few of my favourite deadly dames of horror with music by Lesley Gore (You don’t Own Me). I would like to do a “more deadly dames of horror” slideshow and would really appreciate some suggestions! Who is your favourite deadly dame of horror? Leave a comment here or tweet me at ggsdungeon.

THE CYCLOPS (1957) – The Dungeon Review!

goregirl — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:11:35 +0000

Bert I. Gordon aka Mr. B.I.G.; nicknamed on account of his initials and his penchants for featuring large critters and people in his films. Mr. Gordon, who is in his 80′s recently wrote a book about his life and career in the world of filmmaking. The Amazing Colossal Worlds of Mr. B.I.G.: An Autobiographical Journey sounds like something I should have on my bookshelf! The Cyclops was written, produced and directed by Mr. Gordon who also handles the film’s technical effects. Bert I. Gordon knows how to multi-task! His techniques are not always flawless by any means; but speaking for myself, I have yet to see a Bert I. Gordon film that didn’t entertain me. The Cyclops, I’m happy to say, is no exception.

Susan Winters is financing a trip to Mexico to search for her fiancé Bruce whose plane went down three years previous. She arranges a small four seat plane and hires pilot Lee Brand. Accompanying Susan is Bruce’s closest friend Russ Bradford and Martin Melville who hopes to find uranium. The quartet finds more than they bargain for when they discover the area is inhabited by giant animals. And that is not the only surprise that awaits the group…

There is of course a bit more to the story than that, but not a whole lot more. Bruce’s best friend Russ is in love with Susan and is hoping this trip will allow her to move on. Lee Brand the pilot they hire is a heavy drinker but it doesn’t effect his flying at all. The biggest threat in the film is the impossibly sweaty and obnoxious Marty Melville! In one hilarious awkward scene Melville punches Brand and knocks him out while he is flying the freaking plane! Boy oh boy is this a scene! Marty remains a thorn in everyone’s side right up to the bitter end! The story isn’t exactly mind-blowing and the twist is painfully obvious! I don’t think anyone could watch this film and not figure out the twist well before it happens. Gordon lets us in on the secret way too early! That said, there is still plenty here to entertain.

The film is insanely short and Gordon packs a fair amount of activity into the runtime. Gordon’s creatures are all real critters and he uses tricks of the trade to make them large. Who doesn’t love a 20 foot tall bird preying on a mouse the size of a dog?! Unfortunately the quality of the effects ranges quite a bit. The bird and mouse scene actually looked pretty good but another scene that features some type of lizard looked like my grade four art class collage project. The effects are occasionally iffy but I will take these delightful practical effects any day over CGI. This is one of the few if not the only giant creature flick I’ve watched during this Eisenhower feature that was entirely filmed in the daylight. A bold move really, but I liked it! The night would have added to the mood but who goes exploring some isolated canyon at night after seeing giant critters?! The Cyclops does not feature the one-eyed giant of Greek Mythology. Gordon’s cyclops is actually a giant man with a bad-ass eye injury. While some might be disappointed by this news, I assure you this guy is quite unforgettable. One side of “the cyclops” face is badly deformed and he has one mean freaking harelip complimented by some gnarly looking teeth. His mangled skin has grown over one of his eyes leaving him with only one huge bulging eyeball exposed. It is a face only a mother could love! Just have a look at this bad boy!

The cast do a decent job and it was particularly nice to see a dame in a 50s flick not portrayed as a wilting flower. Mind you Ms. Winter does have her screaming moments too. The ridiculously pretty Gloria Talbott, plays the personable and determined Susan Winters with plenty of heart. James Craig who plays Russ Bradford is fairly typical as far as leading men goes but does a fine job of it. Tom Drake who plays our hard drinking pilot never seems drunk at all. I felt he needed to work harder on his alcoholism, but he was a likable bloke really. And finally we have Lon Chaney Jr. who plays Marty Melville. Chaney has played more than his share of unsavoury characters over the years. As Melville he is nervous, self-involved, sweaty and cowardly. I wouldn’t call this Chaney’s finest hour but I think at least some of that can be attributed to the writing of the character.

Attack of the Puppet People will always be my personal favourite Gordon film. I had intended to make Attack of the Puppet People and The Cyclops a double shot video review but time and technical difficulties with the new camera put a damper on that. Despite its flaws I got a real kick out of The Cyclops. A short but sweet creature feature worth checking out. Recommended.

Dungeon Rating: 3/5

Directed By: Bert I. Gordon

Starring: James Craig, Gloria Talbott, Lon Chaney Jr., Tom Drake, Duncan Parkin, Vicente Padula

The Thing from Another World (1951) Images and Music from the film

goregirl — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:18:03 +0000

Okay, The Thing from Another World does not fall within the Eisenhower years; I just happened to have some music from the film. Nonetheless, The Thing from Another World is one of the best of the classic horror/sci-fi films. If you haven’t seen it before you should make it a priority!

Check out my latest slideshow for The Thing from Another World with images and music from the film! Original music by Dimitri Tiomkin.