LADY VAMPIRE (1959) a.k.a. Vampire Man

I discovered this film last night and watched it this afternoon because the internet is often a true wonder. The more accurate title is definitely Vampire Man but I understand the desire to give it the Lady title. Whatever it is called this is a wonderfully odd little hidden gem of Japanese supernatural horror that takes a novel approach to the idea of the bloodsucker myth. Here the vampire is capable of moving around comfortably in daylight but the direct rays of the moon transform him into a ravenously thirsty monster attacking the throat of any female within reach. He also casts a reflection in mirrors and uses golden crosses to immobilize past victims he likes to keep around as decorations. And he has a small group of Renfields including a dwarf, a bald muscle-man and a witch! Did I mention it is an odd movie? 

There is a very good subtitled copy available on the Sinister Cinema YouTube page HERE and I recommend it if you are the least bit curious.

 

KING KONG Magazine Cover Art!

 

CALTIKI - THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (1959) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

Wild, Wild Podcast - SPECTERS (1987)

Archaeology is a dangerous business, as we discover the hard way in this latest episode where we are taken deep into the catacombs underneath Rome. Donald Pleasence's Professor Lasky leads a well-funded but under-staffed dig to find a two-thousand-year-old tomb which may or may not be evil. It is (of course) evil, and something nebulous is unleashed with the power to do whatever the special effects budget will allow. How can it be stopped?

This season is dedicated to that great quiet man of British cinema, Donald Pleasence, who spent a great deal of time in the 1980s in Italy. We would love to hear from you about your favorite Donald Pleasence films from this period, or if you have ever been attacked by a demon wind whilst down a tunnel. You can get in touch with us, follow us on social media, buy our merch, and all that stuff, through our LINKTREE.

Poster Art for REPTILICUS (1961)

 

Poster Art for BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)

 

Video - SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967)

For those who are curious about the mad Korean giant monster film we talked about in the most recent episode of The Bloody Pit - here it is! This is a sharp looking copy with English subtitles so any confusion caused is completely normal. 

The Bloody Pit #227 - SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967)

SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967) has been hidden from view for decades. Locked away in a South Korean film vault since its original release and unseen by giant monster fans outside of rare Seoul screenings, it qualifies as a newly recovered cinematic experience. But is it a movie that stands honorably next to the other giant monster movies of the 1960’s? Does it even compare well with 1967’s other Korean rampaging monster film, YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP? Mark Maddox and I have thoughts. Exasperated thoughts. 

We discuss the film is painful detail and spoil it from head to toenail. We both suspect that one of the many reasons the movie wasn’t distributed outside its home country is that, unlike YONGARY, it was shot in black & white. Of course, the fact that the film looks like it had a $50 budget would have also mitigated against anyone wanting to give it a chance. Or spend the money for an English dub! The tone of the film is a strange combination of pre-marital anxiety and childish comedy sequences that play like poor improv bits. I argue that one of the few positive elements is the usually irritating punk kid character simply because he actually factors into the fight against the mildly destructive giant monster. His climb inside the ear canal of the creature is a unique sequence in these kinds of movies and is the best reason to see this below average example of the genre. Our advice is to not expect a forgotten classic and go with the flow. Luckily (?) it is available on YouTube so you can witness the madness. 

If you have any comments about this movie or any other film we have covered on the show thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. Thank you for listening. 

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN (1957) Lobby Cards and Poster

When the weather turns chilly I think of this film!