I have had time to catch up on some reading while sheltering at home with the coronavirus pandemic raging on. I came across an interesting observation made by Kim Newman in his “Apocalypse Movies” book. He observed that in several 1950’s era science fiction movies, the military and scientists combined their efforts to rid the world of alien menaces with some new sonic based weapons. Newman imagined that the sonic weapons could have either been introduced as a safer, more progressive form of warfare, especially when having to secure the safety of the civilian population, as opposed to nuclear weapons which could definitely get messy. But another supposition of Newman’s was that the use of the audio based weapons could have been a function of the science fiction films having too low of budgets to afford more spectacular, expensive visual shows of cities exploding and similar destructive spectacle. Great point! Here is a clip full of some scientific mumbo-jumbo detailing how the good guys in “Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers” plan on using their sonic weapon to take out the offending alien threat. We’ll take their word for it.
Category Archives: action
Desert Is Stunning in “Satan Bug”
“The Satan Bug” (1965) has an intriguing concept, the world could possibly end if a germ warfare agent known as the Satan Bug were to be accidentally exposed to an unknowing public. Well, in the desert, there exists a germ warfare lab and it appears that a vial of the Doomsday Drink is missing. Ah…..Espionage is afoot. This is all well and good but I must say that trying to follow all the clandestine activity and all the bodies involved in the nefarious deeds and double crosses (TODAY’S HEADLINES, ANYBODY?) was a bit migraine inducing. What I find very alarming and interesting in this spy potboiler is the scenery in which it takes place. The desert has never looked so inhospitable, arid and beautiful. I found this cool video which was assembled to show the cool Mojave Desert and Palm Springs locations.
CASINO (1995) – They were too excessive for Vegas!
Martin Scorsese’s epic crime movie of The Mob setting up shop in Las Vegas and the rise and fall of a few of the characters involved. It is hard to believe that this thing is almost three hours long. Violence, greed, colorful dialogue and equally colorful characters inhabit this desert landscape. Episodic in nature, the exploits of all the bad guys and their battles for power and control are nicely interwoven and interesting. Great performances by Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone. This is one of my favorite Scorsese films.
Escape Presents: The Abominable Snowman – Fun, Old Radio Adventure
I used to listen to the CBS Mystery Theater radio program late at night as a kid and, then, in later years tried to relive those happy moments by collecting old cassette recorded copies of similar radio drama programs. I stumbled upon this gem, the 1950’s era Escape show and its feature, “The Abominable Snowman”.
The story is presented in an economic style with a handful of characters, emotive music and gobs of sound effects. All the better that there are no visuals involved so that your mind’s eye can more effectively play tricks on you. The imagination can be a powerfully suggestive thing.
A search ensues in the Himalayan mountains to find evidence of an Abominable Snowman or Wildman. Some things are just better left alone. Tragedy ensues. Drama.
This is definitely a nice road trip companion to play as the miles melt away. Just be sure not to pull the car off into some darkly lit, remote location. Who knows what lurks in the shadows?
DICK MILLER, R.I.P.
Sadness at the passing of great character actor Dick Miller. A wise cracking, world weary, dependable presence in many horror and science fiction pictures including “The Terminator”, “The Howling”, “Gremlins” and an early starring role in the Roger Corman directed “A Bucket of Blood” which is linked to here. Macabre in the extreme, “Blood” is the tale of a destitute artist who turns his fortunes around and becomes the darling of the local Art crowd after he adopts a shocking new change to his sculpting style. Can you guess how? A twisted, enjoyable romp made back when Miller was younger and fresher and not his more recognizable, grizzled self. Miller was 90.
POSEIDEN ADVENTURE – 1972 – WHEN DISASTER MOVIES REIGNED
Here is a disaster flick with an unhappy New Year’s theme. A luxury cruiser on its final voyage has the misfortune of confronting and ending up on the losing end of an earthquake generated massive tidal wave. The net effect is that the USS Poseiden is flipped upside down by the wave and as a result everything down is now up and vise versa. A group of survivors of the initial disaster then mount an effort to find a way to be saved by the eventual rescue crews. What proceeds from this point is a potboiler of clashing ideologies and personalities and unforeseen ship generated crises. What great fun! Gene Hackman leads this merry band as they make their way toward the engine room and meet up with disaster tacked upon disaster. Also features Ernest Borgnine, Stella Stevens, Red Buttons, Shelley Winters and Roddy McDowall. It will keep your attention. Nice special effects. I guess Airport started the disaster trend in movies in the early 1970’s and this one followed before being joined by Earthquake and more Airport flicks. Gritty goings on here to be sure.
RECOMMENDED HOLIDAY ACTION MOVIE VIEWING!
You may be a big fan of Christmas themed movie at this time of the year and that is fine. But there is a wide variety of viewing experiences available to you and a good action movie may be what you are looking for. I will recommend a few thoroughly enjoyable action/adventure flicks.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) – Clint Eastwood as a bank robber on the run who winds up getting drawn back into a repeat heist attempt on a bank where everything eventually went bad the first time out. The second attempt ends up no better. This is a very entertaining, well paced movie with plenty of violence, humor and beautifully shot locales that it will keep you glued to it. Jeff Bridges and George Kennedy turn in memorable performances. This was written and directed by Michael Cimino who would go on to direct The Deer Hunter, an epic of another kind. One of Eastwood’s better films.
Die Hard 2 (1990) – Bruce Willis back as John McClane, a New York city cop, with a nose for terrorist plots. This time he is spending time in an airport before Christmas battling rogue military types who are involved with nefarious misdeeds. Nice action interludes and some pretty implausible heroic antics from Willis. It is amazing how it all draws you in.
Jaws (1975) – For good or bad, this movie ushered in the era of the big blockbuster Summer or Holiday released film. In this case, it was for the better. Although a relatively early effort from Steven Spielberg, it is maybe his most easily watchable film. This thing packs a whollup every time you see it! The small coastal town that is plagued by a killer great white shark and the ill equipped attempts made to finally destroy the man killer make for a timeless classic. Amazingly engrossing storytelling and a visual treat!
Go now and catch up on viewing your own favorite holiday time classics.
Another Five Choices For A Halloween Marathon Movie Day/Night
When you get right down to it, there are a ton of potential choices for Halloween movie viewing marathons. For the sake of brevity, I am choosing just five selections which will still take you a good day to get through so plan ahead to take the day off from your work or school grind!
- Wolfen (1981) – a cop is assigned to investigate a series of animal attacks. Is there a pack of werewolves on the loose in modern day New York? Some creepy situations and a suspenseful story should keep you entertained throughout. Albert Finney and Gregory Hines are the stars of this one.
- Attack Of The Mushroom People (1963) – OK. This one is really freaky. A group of young folk out on a boat trip have an accident and are stranded on a mysterious island. They take refuge in another landlocked but larger ship. The ship’s journal is examined and a warning is discovered: don’t eat the island’s ample mushroom supply. In order to survive, they’ve got to eat and it’s just easier to grab some of the island’s main staple. That, as you will find out, is a big mistake. Dripping with atmosphere and garish color, this is a must see shocker.
- The Thing (1951) – Science fiction film cornerstone that still maintains its freshness to this day. An alien spaceship is discovered buried in the ice by an American military team stationed in a remote arctic outpost. Although the ship is destroyed, the craft’s only surviving occupant is accidentally reawakened and is in a thoroughly pissed off frame of mind. A last stand ensues as humans battle a formidable alien foe to the death. Essential viewing!
- The Lost Continent (1968) – More whacked out material as a group aboard a doomed ocean freighter become stranded in the Sargasso Sea, a place of strange clogging and rampant seaweed and some cool matte painting shots of a ship graveyard. Yes. There have been others who have also unfortunately succumbed to the deadly area. Attempting to find a way out of the morass, the ship’s inhabitants have a run in with a population of lost in time Spanish conquistadors who rule the region by force. Also thrown into the mix are some oversized creepy crawlies who see anything on two legs as there next meal. This is all great fun.
- Lifeforce (1985) – A huge alien ship is investigated by a team of astronauts from Earth and three seemingly human survivors from the other worldly ship are brought onboard the astronaut’s space shuttle. One by one the human crew succumb to some bizarre malady with only a sole survivor who incinerates the shuttle and takes an escape pod back to Earth. A rescue mission recovers the three aliens from the wrecked shuttle to the detriment of the human population as they come out of a dormant state and seek out our life sustaining energy or lifeforce. A plague ensues on Earth as these energy vampires plunder our planet. Epic destruction and carnage result. Pretty entertaining!
So there are another five fine films that I would personally take a day/night to sit through consecutively for a perfect Halloween viewing experience!
TOP 5 MOVIES FOR MY HALLOWEEN VIEWING
I have given a minute or two of thought to what I would enjoy most viewing on Halloween. I would most definitely need to take the day off of work because this lineup would probably consume a good 10 hours. Sacrifices must be made! Granted this is the first of what may be a series of some of my most adored movies piled together in one marathon viewing. These movies are what came off the top of my head at the time and can definitely be mixed and matched and replaced with other selections. I think that makes sense.
- 5 Million Years To Earth – 1967 – A Hammer Films science fiction entry that postulates that some long ago Martians visited our remote ancestors and planted the seeds of intelligence in our shaggy, far removed, ancient ape-like relatives. Is the recently uncovered spaceship located in the London underground still harboring a Martian presence?
- The Mummy – 1959 – This is a great one to curl up with your favorite snack and beverage and soak up the suspense. Very entertaining and satisfying mummy on the loose tale. Christopher Lee is mainly silent and heavily bandaged as the title character. Peter Cushing is out to stop The Mummy’s diabolical rampage.
- The Fearless Vampire Killers – 1967 – Roman Polanski directed and co-starred in this hugely atmospheric comedy/horror piece about a couple of bumbling monster hunters who try to rescue a damsel who is fortified in a castle full of undead vampires. Great sets!
- Horror Express – 1972 – Another Cushing/Lee vehicle set aboard a trans-Siberian train that transports an ages old ape man found frozen in ice. The recently unearthed specimen seems to not be fully dead and can swap human hosts! A true hoot.
- Invasion – 1966 – A hospital is literally held hostage as an alien presence temporarily makes a stop on Earth and has to recover its lost property before it can again go back to outer space. It’s bad enough being in a hospital, as it is!
Like I said, I will make another list of five more films that it would be Heaven to just spend Halloween day watching back to back. Maybe I’ll defer it until Thanksgiving or Christmas. I’ve got time off then. Check some of these films out and enjoy!
THEM – (1954) – Regular Ants Are Bad Enough!
A real creepy premise in this flick: giant, mutated ants are on the loose and stalking victims in isolated areas of the God forsaken desert!
I bring you this cinematic, sci-fi gem because of a recent summer time invasion of the small variety of ants in our house in pursuit of the cat’s food. These little beasts are annoying enough in their present miniature state as they scamper in all directions as you try to eradicate their presence inside your home. In addition to the trouble of getting them picked up and removed, you get the sinister feeling that the insects are crawling all over you! Imagine how you’d feel if the ants in question were 10 or more feet in length?
This is a classic science fiction film from the 1950’s that postulates that exposure to radiation could mutate a small ant into a formidable, potentially man destroying monster. And what if there were a nest of these giants?
You get the idea. Arm your self with a flame thrower and an automatic weapon and you may stand a chance of survival against these denizens from some unnamed Hell! Give it a look and drink up the lovely desert studio set ups! Some definitely scary set pieces crop up in this engaging science fiction thriller.
HARLAN ELLISON – R.I.P.
Legendary science fiction and fantasy writer Harlan Ellison has passed away. Call him an iconoclast, outspoken, a larger than life character who didn’t suffer fools, especially those he felt tampered with the integrity of his work. He reached a settlement with CBS 40 years after his script for “Star Trek”-TOS, “City on the Edge of Forever” had been delivered to reclaim his share of the profits generated from his work. He had more impressions on the television industry collected in his series “The Glass Teat”. Acidic observations to say the least.
I count Ellison as an early influence in my life. He was outrageous, profane, and definitely embodied a punk sensibility. He didn’t take shit from anybody and let the world know it. When I was maybe a teen or 12 years old, the years recede rapidly, I found out that Ellison would be in town at a book store reading from his latest work. I got my dad to bring me down there and crowded in to the small store to be in the Man’s presence. He read from his book and the profanity flowed. It felt a little awkward with my dad there but he understood the content much better than I could hope to! A good memory.
I highly recommend the novella “I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream”. I reread it recently and it retains its nightmarish hold. The idea has been a source of inspiration through the years. Call it “Skynet” before it was known as such. You’ll see what I mean.
Harlan Ellison was a great and influential writer. Go find his stuff and enjoy!
WORLD WAR 3 – (1982)
Although this TV movie was released in 1982, it seems like history rolls around again and the Cold War is a timely topic again. War and aggression in the World. Some things never change.
A strategic United States “listening post” located near the Bering Strait becomes compromised by Russian agents masquerading as U.S. soldiers and suddenly a gateway opens up to an invading force to get onto American soil. Hostilities have been brewing between both countries as a result of a grain embargo that would have otherwise fed starving Russian masses and then some KGB machinations take place which result in assassination and, Voila! A standoff occurs between the two countries’ forces at an oil pipeline station. Only the fate of both nations and maybe the rest of the world hangs in the balance.
Nice turn by David Soul who is best known for his beefcake turn as one of the cops in “Starsky and Hutch”. He is tasked with the impossible role of being the commander of a tattered force of soldiers who are outnumbered by an invading horde. There are the echoes of the American Revolution where guerilla warfare must be resorted to in order to cripple a superior force trying to kill you. Not to be forgotten for his thespian skills is The Rock. Hudson, that is, as the guilt ridden POTUS, appalled at the thought of World War 3 and the ensuing exchange of nuclear arsenals that is inevitable. As you can well imagine, things don’t end well.
Where Eagles Dare (1968)
Great World War 2 set action adventure movie starring the unlikely combo of Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. Burton was a movie star at the time and Eastwood was suddenly hot after his run of spaghetti Westerns. Why not toss them together and pour them into this macho, adrenaline-fueled blockbuster? This picture clocks in at around 3 and a half hours but it certainly won’t seem so! In the days before Star Wars and Indiana Jones, this movie was the shit. Completely absorbing espionage caper where a team of Allied agents attempt to go deep behind German lines to recover an officer from a heavily fortified castle. Gun play and explosions and acts of daring do galore. This is perfect holiday fare where if you have an afternoon or evening to burn, you should try to take this adventure epic in. Highly recommended.
PREDATOR – “BRINGING OUT THE BIG GUNS!”
It is the week of the Fourth of July. Why not round out the week by enjoying some glorious, cinematic firepower brought to you by “Predator” (1987). This is a favorite scene of mine from this alien on the loose science fiction classic. Nice gun play and explosions at the expense of the jungle. The rainforest was never the same after this.