The Bloody Pit #100 - BATTLE OF THE WORLDS (1961)

For the 100^th episode John Hudson returns for another discussion of an Antonio Margheriti film! It’s taken a long time to finally get to triple digits and I’m happy to say that we treat the occasion with very little reverence. In fact, it’s just like every other episode Hudson and I’ve done together with him constantly messing with me while I try desperately to keep things on track. I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

BATTLE OF THE WORLDS (1961) is the second of Margheriti’s science fiction films. As with his other cinematic SF adventures he directed the film while also overseeing the special effects. It was this movie that convinced the money people at MGM that he could be trusted to make cheap but good-looking space movies leading to the financing of his quartet of Gamma One films in 1965-67.  For years this one was a staple of Saturday afternoon TV broadcasts but after decades of public domain copies (both VHS and DVD) it seems improbable that we’ll ever get a Blu-Ray of this fun film. It is the presence of the great Claude Rains that makes this one to seek out for fans of his decades long career and he lifts this movie on his shoulders in every scene. It’s a shame YouTube is the current best way to see the film because a special edition video release would bring deserved attention to both the director and the often neglected 1960’s space opera genre. Special effects may have advanced well past this film’s day but the care on view is still worth more widespread attention.

Mr. Hudson and I start the show with a discussion of some recent viewings and a side conversation about Stephen King’s output over the last couple of decades. Those expecting certain invisible creatures to get mentioned won’t be disappointed even if I was. As usual. Sometimes I wonder why I tolerate this guy!

Any comments can be sent to thebloodypit@gmail.com or dropped over on the show’s FaceBook page. We’d be glad to hear from you as we plot the next one hundred episodes!

Apple Podcasts LINK

Direct MP3 Download LINK

BATTLE OF THE WORLDS (1961) on YouTube

In a couple of days the next episode of The Bloody Pit will drop and we'll be covering this early Antonio Margheriti science fiction film. Check it out and we won't actually be spoiling it when you listen to the show! 

What I Watched In February

BIRDS OF PREY (2020) is DC’s latest R-rated superhero film and I loved every off-kilter minute of it. The story combines various female Bat-Family characters from both sides of the law into a ramshackle bunch of violence prone loons trying to save themselves and take down a murderous crime boss played in balls-to-the-wall style by Ewan MacGregor. Of course, the film has an ace in the hole named Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Rarely has an actress more perfectly embodied a character from the comic book page then Miss Robbie. She has a firm handle on the character and centers this movie in a way that hopefully will lead to many more performances as Harley Quinn in the future. She's surrounded by an able, talented cast capable of smartly supporting her in this rather nasty but completely fun R-rated mess of a superhero crime film. It is certainly not to everyone's taste but for those who enjoy fare such as Deadpool this is a great variation on that dark theme. Bring on more Harley Quinn movies!

Usually when a film is described as a ‘slow burn’ the idea is that you have to sit through an hour of laborious somewhat tedious storytelling or protracted character development before you get to the moments that are compelling. This is not the case with the GRETEL AND HANSEL (2020) at all. Although the movie does rest squarely on the shoulders of two fantastic performances this small-scale retelling of the fairy tale is mesmerizing and its ability to impart loads of information through its imagery is phenomenal. Certainly, it IS a slow burn as the first hour or so of the film slowly, carefully gives us, through mood and atmosphere, a sense of incessant dread as the two title characters are pushed out into an unforgiving world because their parents have no future. They eventual stumbling upon what looks to be a safe harbor in a cottage in the woods inhabited by an old lady who seems to have a miraculous larder filled with every type of baked good imaginable. At first what seems like a heaven-sent release from eventual starvation and death slowly turns until the inevitable truth of their situation makes itself painfully and bloodily evident. This is an exceptional film that will reward repeat viewings. For me, it became a thoughtful rumination on fear, loneliness and the desire to live regardless of the cost. Not enough can be said to praise the excellent lead performances from Alice Krige as the witch and Sophia (IT) Lillis as Gretel. They are fantastic and this carefully crafted deliberately paced horror tale would not work half as well without their fine work.

THE LIST

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (2017) – 5 (predictable kid’s movie) 

HOUSEBOUND (2014) – 9 (rewatch)

THE WOMAN IN THE MOON (1929) – 8 (Lang’s epic science fiction tale) 

DJANGO THE BASTARD (1969) – 7 (well done and creepy spaghetti western) 

REQUIEM FOR A GRINGO (1968) – 7 (an alternate title spoils the climax but a good SW) 

THE HOUSE ON THE OUTSKIRTS (1980) – 7 (well-made Spanish thriller by Eugenio Martin) 

REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (1967) – 8 (brilliant drama) 

THE LIVING SKELETON (1968) – 8  (Japanese ghost revenge tale – insane!)

GENOCIDE (1968) – 7 (dark Japanese sci-fi tale) 

PEEPER (1975) – 6 (merely OK noir styled mystery/comedy) 

THE SILVER BULLET (1942) – 5 (typical Johnny Mack Brown B-western) 

BIRDS OF PREY (2020) – 8 

NIGHTWISH (1989) – 5 (low budget horror effort- its reach exceeds its grasp) 

THE CALLER (1987) – 6  (oddball thriller with an unexpected ending) 

RIDE’EM COWBOYS! (1942) – 6  (Abbot & Costello silliness) 

GRETEL & HANSEL (2020) – 7 (fascinating fairy tale) 

FURY OF THE WOLFMAN (1970) – 4 (rewatch) 

STIGMA (1980) – 7 (Jose Larraz murder tale) 

THE WOLF MAN (1941) – 8 (rewatch) 

THE LEGEND OF HILLBILLY JOHN (1972) – 6 (interesting low-budget attempt to adapt Manly Wade Wellman’s Silver John tales) 

BATTLE OF THE WORLDS (1961) – 6 (rewatch) (Margheriti’s sci-fi tale with the great Claude Raines) 

THE PRODIGY (2019) – 7 (great ‘evil child’ horror story) 

Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman Toys

The 1970's were a very strange time. 

Pity us. 

DINOSAURUS! (1960) - Poster Art and Comic Book!

I caught up with this minor dinosaur tale last night and found it to be on the low end of entertaining. It was produced by the same team that made THE BLOB (1958) a few years earlier but is a less endearing bit of science fiction. A construction team working on a Caribbean island accidentally unearth a couple of frozen (?) dinos who thaw and start butting heads, A local jerk also finds a frozen caveman who proves himself helpful as the action limps along. Much more screen time is spent with the caveman than the dinosaurs which is reflected in the French poster art. 

As soon as I made mention online of watching this film Hunter Goatley pointed to the strange synchronicity of the World of Monsters blog posting a scan of the Dell comics adaptation on the same day! Sometimes a silly monster movie is on everyone's mind at once, I guess. In several ways the comic book is a better version of the story!

World of Monsters LINK

Color Trailer Experiment for ABBOT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)

How have I missed this until now? 

"A "trailer" with music performed by the Golden State Orchestra under the direction of William Stromberg (also available on youtube). Animation and colorization by Mark Thompsen, Kerry Gammill, and Ted Newsom, all lovingly combined under the "Fair Use" clause of the Copyright Act regarding "Derivative Works" and parody." 

Simpy wonderful! 

THE WOLF MAN (1941) Lobby Cards