Nature can hold great beauty and allure but it can also be full of unseen dangers. Weather can be unpredictable and deadly. A family ventures out on a day hike but gets trapped in a torrential downpour and then the cold. The results are tragic.
All posts by Andrew Swartz
Charles Grodin, 86, R.I.P.
Eccentric actor and personality, Charles Grodin, passed away recently. There are two roles that I most strongly equate him with. One was as an opportunistic oil company executive who hopes to cash in on a motherload of an oil find in “King Kong” (1976.) Very humorous, comic performance. But I best remember Grodin for his playing of the newlywed schmuck who asks his wife for a divorce a day or two after getting married. “The Heartbreak Kid” contains this classic performance and it is linked here. It is a goodie!
The Atomic Submarine (1959) – What’s Under The Ice Is Not Nice
A black and white science fiction film from 1959 that asks the question: What is causing the disappearance of so many submarines in an area near the North Pole? A meeting of military experts convenes to try and come up with a plan to fins what is happening in the region. The nuclear submarine, “Tigershark” is dispatched to the area to investigate further. Be prepared for some crude but cool special effects miniatures work and a reveal of a USO, an unidentified submerged object, that is in fact a flying saucer. The military finds a way to temporarily subdue the alien vessel and board it! Things get a little farfetched at this point but, hey, this is speculative cinema! Anything goes. Some good face melting scenes ensue and a punctured giant eye. Will the Earth survive? Our resourceful military personnel will personally see to it! Very enjoyable viewing diversion. Worth a look.
The Halloween Video Crypt Show – Mysterious Mendocino Update, 2021 – Unfinished Business
A new granular fact regarding our last Halloween Video Crypt episode, “Mysterious Mendocino”. The fate of the first POV camera we used on our remote controlled boat.
“Mysterious Mendocino, California” – Whatsit????
A story from Mendocino, California which may involve the very mysterious. Namely….Bigfoot! But, who knows? You decide. This is the second video episode of Halloween Video Crypt. Hope you like it!
“Horror In The Heights” – Kolchak Saves Humanity Again!
I think “Horror In The Heights” was the best episode from the short lived “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” TV series. I have discussed Kolchak in prior posts but I watched this particular episode again recently. It was scripted by Hammer films vet, Jimmy Sangster, whose screenwriting credits included Hammer’s “Curse of Frankenstein” and “Horror of Dracula”. Very good credentials, indeed.
A series of ghastly murders are occurring in a neighborhood primarily populated by the elderly. What worse is that the bodies show the signs of being partially devoured! Our fearless reporter, Kolchak, begins to sense that the killings are far from ordinary. He comes upon the realization that an ancient Hindu supernatural being may be manifesting itself in this particular Chicago neighborhood and continuing its distasteful habit of man eating.
Very atmospheric and creepy television work on a level far above most. I definitely recommend you view it.
George Segal, 87, R.I.P.
The very talented actor George Segal just left us. Segal was a good dramatic actor as well as possessed of comedic timing. Segal had a long career and certainly will be missed. I include a clip from “The Terminal Man”, an adaptation of a Michael Crichton book. This was a harrowing look at science and technologies meant for good potentially having a disastrous and deadly side effect.
The Monster That Challenged The World (1957) – Salton Sea Monsters
I just viewed this science fiction film from the 1950’s a few days ago. I admit that I was mostly entertained by this movie which eluded viewing until just recently but coincided with some articles I saw that illustrated the decline and fall of the Salton Sea recreational area located in the southern most part of the state of California, USA. Seems that this area was once a thriving vacation and resort spot before things got a little disgusting with the receding of this (basically) unnatural lake. The lake resulted as a collection of runoff of high water from the Colorado River in essentially a desert environment and was sustained for a time from diverted waters from agricultural water usage to form a massive, though reasonably shallow body of water. In its heyday, people bought property here and enjoyed the lakeside life but eventually, as the waters evaporated, the fish in the lake died, the smell of rot ballooned and the dust which kicked up had a very negative effect on the health of local residents. An exodus followed and relatively small numbers of people still occupy the area. Anyway, those notes aside, let’s talk about this movie!
A military base located at one end of the Salton Sea experiences a sizeable earthquake. The event triggers the uncovering of prehistoric mollusk eggs which become exposed to water and subsequently mature into beasties on the attack for food. This comes in the form of unsuspecting humans who become prey. It is the job of the military to neutralize the threat and ensure that said monstrosities do not encroach on nearby and outlying human food sources.
Nice stretches of the military and scientists combining to track and contain the problem. Also some very horrific moments where multiple female cast members are shown to have suffered similar losses of significant others and the devastating impact it has on their lives. These moments definitely caught me off guard. An interesting, mature touch not generally seen in these types of movies! Wow. This movie was very ahead of its time. Worth checking out!
“The Halloween Video Crypt Show” (2021) – “The Invisible Monster”, Jonny Quest Episode
We try our hand at a video based review of the old favorite animated series, “Jonny Quest”. Join our host, Exejo Smith, and his take on “The Invisible Monster” episode.
Early Pink Floyd Videos – Syd Barrett Leaves, Dave Gilmour Joins
This is a cool collection of videos which show an early Pink Floyd doing their numbers live and in the studio. The original creative spark of the band, Syd Barrett, was soon to depart. Drugs and possible mental issues led to his being replaced by David Gilmour. I love the promotional video with Syd playing acoustic guitar, “Jugband Blues”. Roger Waters and Rick Wright doubling on woodwinds for that section of the song pushes the boundaries of belief but very cool lighting is used in the video. Enjoy!!!
Phil Spector, Dead at 81 – Good Vibrations, Bad Vibrations
At one time, Phil Spector was one of the most innovative music producers in the world. He utilized an approach where he would hire a hire a group of musicians to carry out his musical ideas in the recording studio and literally create orchestras with multiple guitarists, keyboard players, percussionists, singers and what have you. The resultant thick sonic tapestry became known as The Wall of Sound. It was an influential technique that caught the ear of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. Wilson would pursue similar orchestrations of instruments using The Wrecking Crew, a group of accomplished players for hire, in his own recording sessions. Spector had employed The Wrecking Crew on a regular basis. Listen to the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” collection and the singles “Good Vibrations” and “Heroes and Villains” for proof.
We give kudos to Spector for his many contributions to the recording industry but he had a dark side to his personality as well. There are many stories outlining his idiosyncrasies and obsessions. Spector was eventually convicted of murder for the shooting of his girlfriend. He died in prison of COVID related causes.
Spector produced The Ramones album, “End Of The Century” in 1979. I linked to their music video for “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?”
“The Horror Of Party Beach (1964) – The Mayhem Mash
I have mixed emotions about this twisted little horror film. I remember watching it as a kid and being terrified of many parts of it. There is a lingering memory of the mutated bullfrog chants of the human/aquatic monstrosities created from a ruptured barrel of hazardous radiation waste. The warped soundtrack music careening between creepily plodding to crazed, primitive synthesizer driven fury. Meanwhile, you’ve got a bunch of blood thirsty, shabbily costumed creatures marauding around in the dark looking for unsuspecting human victims.
I think I covered my eyes more than once during this mayhem. I probably covered my ears as well. This is a movie that was created for the teenage movie going crowd so there is a surf band performing on Party Beach thrown in for good measure. Surf music was very much in vogue at the time. This band isn’t very good.
It’s all a very low budget affair but very entertaining! Watching it these days, it still holds some of its charms. But new fears arise: leaking, cannisters of radioactive waste dumped in the ocean really don’t benefit anyone except the movies’ producers.
HAUNTS OF THE VERY RICH (1972) – Never Ending Hell on Earth
A cadre of well off individuals are transported by plane to what turns out to be anything but an island paradise. We soon learn that these folks are a troubled lot. We are eventually introduced to each character’s particular emotional baggage and then it is revealed that each may have met with a fatal accident.
Wait! We are apparently watching living, breathing people who are trying to figure out where they are stranded and why fate seems to be drawing a dark curtain over their circumstances. Are they in limbo?
In fact, their dilapidated island resort becomes a purgatory from which there is no escape.
Cast includes Lloyd Bridges as a hapless lothario, Ed Asner as a pissed off businessman and Cloris Leachman as Bridge’s latest love interest who find themselves wrapped in an unanswerable riddle.
Fine 1970’s TV movie fare.
“Detour” (1945) – Fate Sucks
Great thriller, clocking in at a whopping 68 minutes, I think. Poor sap, Al Roberts, played by Tom Neal, is hitchhiking across the U.S. from New York to California to join his girlfriend. Along the way, he gets picked up by a “Big Spender” Haskell, in a new vehicle who agrees to take him all the way to Los Angeles. The two exchange stories during their journey but Haskell mysteriously passes out en route and never regains consciousness. Roberts panics and buries the body out in the desert and assumes the dead man’s identity and drives off with his possessions. The police are NOT notified. The shit really hits the fan when Roberts picks up his own hitchhiker in the Mojave Desert. Turns out said lady, Vera, recognizes the car from her previous travels but not Roberts who is now driving the vehicle. She accuses Al of having nefarious aims and having done away with the car’s original owner, Haskell. A web of blackmail is then woven by Vera and intrigue builds upon intrigue….
Classic film with great dialogue and nice, low budget trappings. Definitely worth taking the viewing time for.