Trailers From Hell - MONSTER A-GO GO (1965)

Having discovered this completely terrible film on Mystery Science Theater 3000 I can attest to what Joe Dante says here - this may well be the worst 'film' ever made. Or barely made, anyway. The fact that I now own this disaster on Blu-Ray says something about me that is best left unexamined. 

Wild Wild Podcast #3 - 002 OPERATION MOON (1965)

Join Adrian and Rod as they blast off into space again, this time in the "hilarious" company of Franco and Ciccio in Lucio Fulci's science fiction comedy 002 Operazione Luna (yes, THAT Fulci). During the voyage they discuss Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, what makes things funny, and the true story of the Judica-Cordiglia brothers in Italy, who intercepted radio transmissions from real lost cosmonauts in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

You can find 002 Operazione Luna on YouTube without subtitles, but a subtitled version is out there on more dubious sites if you know where to look.

If you want to learn more about the Judica-Cordiglia brothers, there is a fascinating documentary called Space Hackers (2007) available on YouTube.

Feel free to contact the podcast on our email wildwildpodcast@gmail.com or through Twitter or Instagram and please leave a review wherever you listen.

Podcast LINK 

Posters And Advertising Art for THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942)

Some of these images are magical! 

The Bloody Pit #131 - THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942)

Troy and I return to the Mummy movies made by Universal Studios in the 1940’s. 

THE MUMMY’S TOMB (1942) has always been the film in this series that is the easiest to dump on. It begins with almost ten minutes of flashback footage from the previous movie THE MUMMY’S HAND (1940) and with a running time that barely breaks the one-hour mark it is one of the shortest features Universal ever released. Add to the film’s perceived crimes the decision to advance the story thirty years and bump off the first film’s cast and you have the foundation of decades of fan sneering. But is this film truly as bereft of horror thrills or as ridiculous as the carping has claimed? A deeper look may reveal some hidden qualities. 

In this episode Troy and I follow Kharis through his change of actor and his change of address to Middleton, USA as the undead Egyptian monster stalks those who dared to violate the tomb of Ananka. We talk about the addition of Lon Chaney to the cast, the mysterious survival of the previous film’s High Priest and the fact that the 1970’s look a lot like the 1940’s. We use Thomas Feramisco’s book The Mummy Unwrapped to explore the alterations made from script to screen complete with the details of a few choice bits that should have been left in the film. I lay out my preferred version of this story and we discuss how some of the changes make for a less involving return for the characters. I think longtime listeners will be shocked by our final assessment of this entry as well as our ratings near the end.

 

We are joined by Beth in the final show segment for some feedback about our recent Sherlock Holmes episodes. It seems that some radio shows are not so accurate in their geological descriptions of England! And then we wrap the episode with a song from Nashville’s amazing punk band Peachy, giving us a blast of rock coolness for the summer. 

Peachy's BandCamp Page 

Bloody Pit Apple Podcasts LINK 

MP3 Direct Download LINK 

Severin to Release Jess Franco's BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP (1983)!

I'm pleased to relay the information about this release not just because it's an excellent 80's Franco film but because Robert Monell and I contributed a commentary track for it!

This Blu-Ray is to be part of Severin's big sale this week along with a second Franco film HOUSE OF LAST WOMEN (1983) and both of them are well worth grabbing for the Franco fan. And I think even folks less enthusiastic about Ol' Uncle Jess will find much sleazy joy in these two movies. 

Here's the details for each - 

Special Features for BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP:

*In The Land Of Franco Part 5

*Murderous Passions Author Stephen Thrower On BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP

*Audio Commentary with I'm In A Jess Franco State Of Mind Writer Robert Monell and NaschyCast's Rodney Barnett

Feature Specs for BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP:

*Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

*Audio: Spanish Mono

*Subtitles: English

*Region: All

Special Features for HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN:

*In The Land Of Franco Part 6

*Murderous Passions Author Stephen Thrower On HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN

*Audio Essay with I'm In A Jess Franco State Of Mind Writer Robert Monell

*CD – Daniel J. White In The Land Of Franco Vol. 2

Feature Specs for HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN:

*Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

*Audio: Spanish Mono

*Subtitles: English

*Region: All

Trailers From Hell - THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942)

Here's Joe Dante talking a bit about the odd timeline of the Mummy movies made by Universal Studios in the 1940's. Short form version - somehow the 1940's last for about sixty years in this series! I love it! 

Of course, our podcast on this movie will be dropping very soon. 

What I Watched in May

New films have started hitting theaters again so we ventured out to the drive-in to see A QUIET PLACE PART 2 (2021). I am happy to report that this sequel is at least as good as the original and might have even found ways to be slightly better. In fact, there is one brilliantly edited sequence that is easily one of the most impressive horror moments in recent memory. It brings three separated groups’ tales to their peak of tension simultaneously, intercutting between them in a way that builds their effectiveness perfectly. This is masterful filmmaking and might have been the highpoint of the story except that several interesting things happen in the final act to make this apocalyptic tale bigger and more intriguing. I sincerely hope that a third movie gets made to expand this world again. Plus, I want to see which of my guesses about the monsters turns out to be correct! 

The List 

THE TERROR WITHIN II (1989) – 4 (let’s remake ALIEN/ALIENS again! It’s not terrible) 

STREETS (1990) – 6 (L.A. prostitutes) 

ANGEL IN RED (1991) – 4 (hookers vs. insane pimp)

DUEL ON THE MISSISSIPPI (1955) – 7 

TORCHY BLANE IN CHINATOWN (1939) – 6 (the spark is faded but it’s still good stuff) 

THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (1955) – 4 (rewatch) (terrible but I enjoy it so much) 

URANIUM BOOM (1956) – 6 

IN THE YEAR 2889 (1969) – 2 (TV remake of THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED – abysmal) 

BEFORE I HANG (1940) – 6 (Karloff mad doctor tale)

PANIC (1983) – 3 (easily the worst David Warbeck film I’ve seen) 

SYNCHRONIC (2020) – 8 (well done SF) 

BLACK CANDLES (1982) – 6 (rewatch) 

CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE (1940) – 6 (gleeful, silly villainy from Tod Slaughter) 

THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE (1966) – 6 (not bad and the songs are actually fun) 

SUBMERGENCE (2017) – 7 (thoughtful, touching drama) 

THE DAY THE SKY EXPLODED (1958) – 5 (Italian sci-fi) 

ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE (1960) – 4 (rewatch) 

ARMY OF THE DEAD (2021) – 7 (too long but fun) 

THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE (2018) – 6 (interesting but nothing exceptional) 

THE INVICIBLE MASKED RIDER (1963) – 8 (Lenzi combines Poe and Zorro!) 

DOCTOR X (1932) – 9 (even better on Blu!) 

ABRAKADABRA (2018) – 6 (interesting throwback to 70’s Italian thrillers) 

NORTHERN PATROL (1953) – 6 

KING KONG (1976) – 8 (rewatch) (the TV version on Blu) 

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE (1962) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (Christopher Lee as Holmes)

CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (1964) – 7 (Christopher Lee in a gothic!) 

A QUIET PLACE PART II (2021) – 8 

EYE WITNESS (1989) – 5 (Lamberto Bava TV thriller) 

Power Records - THE HULK AT BAY (1974)

For Marvel comic book fans of a certain age these Power records releases were one of the most exciting things you could beg your parents to get you as a gift. They were one of the very few ways to have an 'enhanced' form of a superhero tale especially if you lived someplace where the 1960's limited animation cartoons were not rerun. I still get a kick out of these brief audio slices of the Marvel Universe and you might enjoy them too.

THE WIFE KILLER (1976)

This Greek thriller is very much in the vein of the giallo in some ways while veering from those films in significant ways. There is no black-gloved mystery murderer in THE WIFE KILLER (1976) so that trope is absent. Outside of one early sequence on a yacht the movie doesn’t seem very interested in showing off stylish clothing or homes in near fetishistic fashion either. The missing ‘lifestyles of the rich’ element seems a choice born of budgetary restrictions but the film plays into that absence well by ramping up the sleaze. In fact, the nastier sections of the film’s story are pretty rough as evidenced by the alternate title THE RAPE KILLER. That isn’t as accurate a descriptor as the one Mondo Macabro has chosen to release this under but it can serve as a warning (or enticement) to potential viewers.

I quite enjoyed this filthy little crime tale. It moves at a pretty good pace most of the time and plays its cards close to the vest on several occasions allowing some of the surprises to keep curiosity high. The violence is fairly bloody with the slapping and sexual assaulting of women making for some tough viewing. The plot has some well-done twists with its central idea seemingly pulled from STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951). It looks to be a smart, devious plan to get a lot of money without the problem of living with the person who actually owns it. But such secret plans have many trust points that criminals rarely seem willing to honestly negotiate so trouble is inevitable. THE WIFE KILLER is an entertaining 90 minutes and the film’s satisfying finale pushes this into the category of a solid, recommendable effort. Glad I finally pulled this disc off the shelf!

 

 

FLIGHT TO MARS (1951) Coming to Blu-Ray!

Can't believe I almost missed this news! While this is not my favorite 1950's science fiction movie I'm excited to see it on Blu-Ray. And the list of extras is phenomenal too. 

*************************

Walter Mirisch: From Bomba to Body Snatchers - A new documentary short from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

 Interstellar Travelogues: Cinema's First Space Race - A new documentary short with celebrated science-fiction artist/historian Vincent Di Fate from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

 Audio Commentary by author/film historian Justin Humphreys

 Full color insert booklet with essay, Mars at the Movies, by award-winning author Don Stradley.

*****************************

Can't wait for July 20th!

Planet of the Apes Magazine Covers

I just can't stop! 

 

Wild, Wild Podcast Episode #2 - Assignment: Outer Space (1960)

Your next assignment is to travel across the galaxy in search of the greatest scoop of your career. As a journalist with apparently nothing else to do for the next few years, why not accept and join Rod and Adrian as they travel into the farthest reaches of Outer Space?

Officially designated as Italy's first science fiction film, Assignment Outer Space has a lot to offer, but will Rod have changed his mind since his somewhat negative blog review fifteen years ago? Listen and find out...

If you want to check out the film before we spoil it completely, it can be seen here on YouTube - LINK!

Podcast RSS feed LINK 

Acast page LINK 

Planet of the Apes Merchandise!

A few of these things I would have had no interest in owning but, nevertheless, I'm impressed with the range. 

Belts? I remember belt buckles being a thing but..... 

 

The Bloody Pit #130 - HARD BOILED (1992)

John Hudson returns to the show to discuss one of director John Woo’s greatest achievements. 

The Hong Kong genre known as ‘Heroic Bloodshed’ was born out of a desire to move away from martial arts action stories and to present a different vision of the modern criminal underclass. Triad tales quickly  became the Hong Kong version of American gangster movies with the addition of the viciousness being turned up to eleven! At the forefront of this movement was John Woo, who employed slow motion shots and graphic bullet hits in ways not seen since the days of Sam Peckinpah’s ‘beautiful violence’ movies such as THE WILD BUNCH (1969). And, like Peckinpah, Woo built his films around tales of men of violence trying to forge a path through a world that often rejects them because of their bloody ways. The films are exciting and tense but with a sympathetic core that serves to enhance their emotional effect on the viewer. The characters in a John Woo film are not just cartoon heroes and villains set In place to fight each other for our amusement. They become people we are invested in seeing succeed even as we harbor doubts about their motivations. Violently complex, perhaps?

After a brief look at how we first encountered HARD BOILED (1992) Hudson and I dig into the film to find the things that still impress us nearly thirty years later. The movie’s rollercoaster ride structure and protracted final ‘cops vs gangsters’ battle make up a lot of our conversation but we also remark on the acting that sells the central character’s internal conflicts. Our personal history with collecting the film is a topic as well as the ways we sought out Woo’s earlier gangster movies from bootleggers. Hudson’s tale of seeking guidance from a professional to obtain the film’s soundtrack CD is a surprise and ties strangely into his recent rewatch of NYPD Blue! Connections are often in the oddest places.

  

Any comments or suggestions can be sent to thebloodypit@gmail.com where we’ll be glad to hear from you. Thank you for listening to the show! 

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Direct Download LINK 

Trailers From Hell - HORROR EXPRESS (1972)

Joe Dante makes a good case for this excellent film that has to stand as one of the best pairings of Cushing and Lee onscreen. Such a great film and one that should be a part of every horror fan's collection. 

Speed Buggy! - Hanna-Barbera Revisited

For the past few months, I've been revisiting several Saturday morning television shows from my childhood. I've wanted to see if my memories held any accuracy about their quality level or if they would prove to be the kinds of things that only serve to guide a kid from one level of understanding to another. Most of the best remembered series that I have been able to watch have stood up as still being worthy of the time to rewatch them with some notable exceptions. Even though most of the Hanna-Barbera shows tend to fall down when seen these days, a few have proved to be interesting or entertaining enough to reward adult viewing.

 

My love of Speed Buggy remains undiminished even as my recent rewatches have pointed out the obvious flaws in the entire affair. My favorite realization is how unnecessary Mark is to show. Of the three human characters Mark is the one whose presence is a complete mystery and he only seems present to provide another person to relate information or to occasionally do things. Tinker is the driver/mechanic who 'created' Speedy Buggy and Debbie is the smart woman who seems to figure out the best course of action when needed. But Mark just seems to be there to do what Debbie tells him to do or to give Tinker tools as he works on Speedy. 

Of course, as an adult my mind roams into non-cartoon reasons for Mark to be around so I tend to think of him as Debbie's boy-toy kept as part of the group because she wants him there. This perspective adds an entertaining point of view to most episodes with Mark as an eager to please hanger-on type just trying to make Debbie happy enough to keep him as part of the group. Thinking about the show's dynamic in this way makes even the silliest scenario play out in an amusing way and invest this silly little show with extra value. 

1966 Marvel Super Hero Title Re-Master

 

This is kind of great!