Friday, May 27, 2011

TRIP WITH THE TEACHER / United Filmmakers Organization (UFO) - 1975

Welcome to Friday Night Drive-In with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Tonite, we gots this mean 'n' dirty little title, originally part of a 'Teachers In Trouble' triple bill!

The real hippie movement was dead and buried by 1975, it had been turned into an excuse for some ass holes to be as vile as possible and a license to be totally out of it! Our story's about a teacher and her class of female students that take a trip to the desert. When their bus breaks down, they find themselves terrorized by a gang of psycho bikers.

The music's by Austrian born, Igo Kantor, who had 10 composing credits that include titles like HEAVENLY BODIES!, COMMON LAW CABIN, VIXEN!, NIGHTMARE IN WAX and THE PROJECTIONIST. He also has 52 music department credits and credits in 11 other catagories including director.

"The Hummer's Theme" was written by Earl Barton for the soundtrack.

Letz bling inn that fuzzy lil' Dungeon helper and copter-topped freek, right!.. Ralphie The Tarantula!! Ralphie pops in every Friday night to push the big red 'GO' button once again, and, start our Eariffic Earclip. So, hit it Ralphie, here's our... TRIP WITH THE TEACHER!

Here's something that used to be popular back in the day, girls on busses flirting with guys on the road, happened to me more than once... Back in the day!

But, sometimes, you might attract the attention of somebloody like this creep, Al, played by Zalman King. The last time we saw Zalman was when we reviewed the twisted flick, BLUE SUNSHINE. He has also been on these TV shows... THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR, THE MUNSTERS, BONANZA, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., GUNSMOKE, ADAM-12, LAND OF THE GIANTS, IRONSIDE and CHARLIE'S ANGELS!

When nothing's going on, Al likes to drop cars onto mechanics as they work, you know, something to do, he's bored. It's rumored that Dick Cheney used this technique in some 'enhanced' interrogation sessions, and, it was said to be quite effective!!

As one of the biker's checks out the engine, all the other girls are having a big cat fight over by the yucca plant.

This has to be seen to be enjoyed, 3 motorcycles pulling a school bus! Boy, it's a good thing they didn't have to climb a hill, because, you know, they're in the mountains!!

So, the first thing Al needs to do is kill the bus driver!

Then, it's on to part 2, having some fun with teacher! Al looks pretty bad here, but, I still put my money on Gary Kent as the ultimate psycho, Gary, in Ray Dennis Steckler's sadistic, THE THRILL KILLERS!

One biker, Jay, played by Robert (HITCH HIKE TO HELL) Gribbin, barely escapes the clutches of Pete, sicko bro to Al, as he tries to go and get some help. Pete is played by Robert (QUEEN OF BLOOD) Porter.

Al goes all goofy at the thought of Jay escaping! ...I want my blankie, I want my bobble, wah!! Man, lil' baby needs a nap.

Pete catches up to Jay and kicks his bike, causing it to go off a cliff!.. G'night, sweet prince!

Pete goes back to brag to his big cry baby bro.

Al just cannot stop the devil in him!

Later, Pete's lured outside by one of the girls... Little does he know that Jay survived the crash, and, is back to even the score!

Nothing like sweet revenge, the scene goes on for awhile and we get to enjoy all the fear and suffering Pete goes through, until finally...

Al hears some comotion, so, comes outside wielding his switchblade, ready to slice away! When he turns around, though, teacher jabs a large metal stake right through him!! Wow.

These deadheads are already sawing logs! ...Ghoulnight Everbloody!!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

THE HAND - Wilfred Burns - "How About A Round Of Applause" (1960)

"The Hand" is a vaguely droll but grimy little movie! It's a simple tale that is extremely confusing! I had to watch it three times, and I'm still not sure if I understood it all, but then I fell asleep once!

WWII, Burma, the Japanese ask questions, you don't talk, and you pay the price, hence the title "The Hand!"

Years later, back in England, weird hand stuff is going on that needs to be investigated!

It's an age old English question, is a bird in the hook worth two birds in the sack?

The musical director for "The Hand" was a gentleman by the name of Wilfred Burns! No slouch, Wilfred did a lot of composing, I'm just not sure he always got the credit. Some of his composing credits include "Wall Of Death," "Hammer The Toff," "The Broken Horseshoe," "Roadhouse Girl," "Stock Car," and "Booby Trap!" He was also the orchestrator for "The Three Weird Sisters!"

So here's the deal already, you got your hands behind the back with knives!

You got your hands in the drawer with guns!

And you've got hands without bodies in the box!!

"The Hand" is only a little over an hour long, and the story is very Edgar Wallace! The music swings as good as a lot of the German stuff from the same period, and that's some pretty heavy company! I'd much rather watch it than go to work!

Monday, May 23, 2011

THE CRAWLING EYE / Tempean Films - 1958

Gut eefning everbloody, and, welcome to Monster Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Tonite, we gots a reprise of a 5 pic post we did way back on March 1, 2008!

I always thought the poster art was weak, because, imagining what they could have come up with seems much scarier than what they used! Sometimes they do this to confuse the viewer, so, that when you do finally see the things, you get a hit squarely between the eyes with brass knuckles!

In case you forgot, or, don't know, the story's about a remote mountain resort in Switzerland invaded by horrible alien creatures that like to decapitate humans! They inhabit a mysterious, radioactive cloud that clings to the Trollenberg mountain.

My favorite screenwriter is Jimmy Sangster. There's a part in X- THE UNKNOWN that shows clearly how shrewd and sadistic he can be. Watch the scene in the hospital where the kid who had encountered the radioactive mud pie dies. It starts with the doctor pulling the sheet over the boy's face, his mom and dad are there in the room. Okay, notice what happens in the next 5 minutes!!!.. Now, that's good writing. Also, killing a kid with a monster in 1956 was absolutely taboo! As a reminder, here are a few other classics penned by Jimmy!.. THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE, JACK THE RIPPER, THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, THE MUMMY, THE BRIDES OF DRACULA and THE NANNY.

Eegah!! inadverntently chose my title with Saturday's post, because, the music composer was also... Stanley Black!! Go figure. Luckily, I had this one waiting in the Pod, for just such an occassion! Stanley, though, probably didn't have much to do with the stuff we showcase in our soundclip.

So, lettuce bring in our littlest Dungeon helper and palsy-walsy... yessir... it's... yes... Rufus The Gnat!! HOO-RAY for Rufus! Okay, now that the informalites are over with, it's time to start the show! Push the 'GO' button Rufus, here's our psychotronicsoundclip for!.. THE CRAWLING EYE!

The Dungeon Dudes love Forrest Tucker, and are always glad when he makes an appearance!

Holy crap, this is weird!! I just noticed this on IMDb... I had a part in his last movie, TIMESTALKERS!! I got to play a drunk cowboy! Also, I was on the set with Klaus Kinski, and, he was actually nuts, but, a master horseman!

Anyway, Forrest plays American scientist, Alan Brooks. He's been asked to come and visit his buddy, Prof. Crevett, about a strange radioactive cloud on Trollenberg mountain.

Beautiful Janet Munro plays psychic medium, Anne Pilgrim. In the middle of a show she's giving for the people at the inn, she gets a deadly vision!..

The fat one is in danger!!

By the time Alan, Philip and the Mayor climb to the camp, it's too late, and, the fat one's already lost a few pounds!

The creepiest things keep happening! Again, confusing the viewer...

Andrew Faulds plays Brett, who's dead and possessed by the creatures. He's now a murdering zombie that prefers the freezing temperatures outside.

As a scientist, Alan's seen this disoriented characteristic before, in a similar case a few years earlier.

This is about the last thing a cute girl would want to find in her bedroom late at night!!

After Brett's shot and killed, he starts to quickly decompose!

This miniature set gives me vertigo the same way some of the sets do in THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI.

Finally, we're introduced to a true nightmare from Hell!! One of the very best things about the monsters is when their eyeballs look around!

It's a very tense moment when everyone's trying to make it to safety on the tram as the freezing cloud almost causes the equipment to fail before they can reach the laboratory.

Another zombie dude gets through to Anne, she's the target because of her psychic abilities, the crawlers perceive her as a danger to their plans.

This thing was playing on local TV by 1960 and that's when I caught it for the first time.

This is how we watch movies, here at The Dungeon!

Looks like Alan and Philip are just having a ton o' fun!!

....HELP, MR. WIZARD!!

Here's our hero, the B-57 B Canberra attack bomber, ready to drop those firebombs on the icy eyeballs below! I built the original Revell plastic model probably this same year.

For all you model buffs out there.

Ghoulnight Everbloody!!.. Hot, cha cha cha cha!!

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