Universal Pictures would follow up their 1955 science fiction feature This Island Earth, with another larger than life science horror tale.
This time the focus would be a monster creature feature and developing one of humanity’s greatest fears, the spider, more specifically the tarantula. It would take on one of the popular themes of the time, by increasing the size of creatures (or in some cases, shrinking the humans) to maximise the threat factor on screen.
Set in the fictional town of Desert Rock, Arizona, Tarantula! Is essentially your science gone wrong, film, and picks up with a deformed man emerging out from the vast landscape before dying. The man in question was biological research scientist Eric Jacobs, and we later find out that it was his research that was his own undoing.
Our lead protagonist and local town doctor, Matt Hastings (John Agar) is intrigued by Jacobs’ strange deformity and is compelled to find out the truth. His investigations naturally lead him into danger when he finds out just how life threatening Jacobs’ research has gone. The research laboratory is in the back of beyond, where Jacob’s colleague Professor Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll – Strangers on A Train, North By Northwest) resides and appears to be continuing with the experiments. It also turns out that part of the formula that is being tested on the animals in the lab, speeds up the growth rate, including the titular Tarantula who escapes following the initial fire outbreak and is now growing at an alarming rate and consuming all the local cattle… before taking a fancy to human flesh!
It’s all b-movie material with close ups of the victims as the tarantula descends upon them and they meet their end.
Of course it wouldn’t be a 50s sci fi horror without a love interest thrown into the mix, which is where lab assistant and student, Stephanie Clayton (Mara Corday) enters the scene and into the spider’s lair, so to speak, to become the damsel in distress but with smarts.
By the film’s conclusion, humanity has to resort to some heavy duty firepower to rid the world of this menacing creature, and it comes from the Air Force, carrying napalm and piloted by a certain cameo by Clint Eastwood.
Saul Muerte
Tarantula is currently available at Umbrella Entertainment as part of a double bill blu-ray with The Incredible Shrinking Man.
In the same year that Universal release This Island Earth, Hammer Films were about to enter a brave new world of their own, and it would all begin with their release of The Quatermass Xperiment. Spearheaded by James Carreras knack for networking and the ability for Hammer to produce the familiar in the eyes of the backers but with their own spin. In this instance, the appeal would come from an adaptation of BBC serial The Quatermass Experiment.
The tale takes place when a three-manned rocket ship owned by Professor Bernard Quatermass (Brian Donlevy) loses radio contact and crash lands with two of its occupants vanished without a trace. Its sole survivor, Victor Carroon (Richard Wordsworth) has been clearly affected by a parasitic alien organism that slowly engulfs his body and is also transfused with a cactus plant that he came into contact with.
Part of the attraction to TQX is that Quatermass himself leads questionable character choices. From the get-go, we learn that the rocket ship in question was launched without being sanctioned to do so. This recklessness is still evident too by the films’ end when he is still insistent in going ahead with his scientific plans despite the flaws and drawbacks that were brought about due to his decisions. Was there no lesson learned for him at all? Or is it purely that he is driven to succeed in his experimentations? At what point is it too far to cross? Or does the line simply not exist for the likes of Quatermass?
Richard Wordsworth’s performance is equally compelling, providing heart to the troubled Carroon. His deterioration both physically and mentally on screen keeps the audience gripped and able to connect with his plight.
It should also be noted how integral Director Val Guest’s vision had on defining the style of Hammer’s more sci-fi horror leaning productions, (the more recogniseable Gothic features would very much fall to Terence Fisher) and would have him return for Quatermass 2. There would also be the notable push for adult classification in Hammer’s production releases hence the deliberate X placement in the title to define their approach and the audience they wanted for their movies.
The success of TQX for Britain and across the seas in the States would project them further towards success and unite them in a deal with Columbia Pictures. Hammer Films were a heartbeat away from The Curse of Frankenstein, the movie that would cement their footing in the horror scene, but TQX would provide them with the first footsteps to celluloid history. It’s incredibly riveting and watchable still and highly recommended.
My Universal horror retrospective chronicling the transition away from the genre that made the production company famous throughout the 30s and 40s and into the sci-fi realm continues with This Island Earth.
At the time of its release the movie was noted for its state-of-the-art effects and use of Technicolor but it would later be famously ridiculed in Mystery Science Theater 3000, showing just how far the film had fallen in the public’s eye.
For me, it will always conjure up the image of the Metaluna Mutant, once a rejected choice for It Came From Outer Space (1953)It’s an iconic character that probably deserves a little more screen time than it actually receives than the short scare towards the film’s climax.
Upon closer scrutiny, TIE does suffer with minimal plot narrative to bind it together; a case of more style than substance. So you can understand the mockery that it fell subject to in more recent years,
The story essentially follows Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) who is mysteriously rescued when his jet almost crashlands with the aid of a strange green glow. He is then gifted a set of instructions to build a complex machine; a test to see if he has the smarts to be selected for a special research project run by the equally mystifying Exeter (Jeff Morrow).
Before long Cal is recruited by Exeter and meets up with old flame Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) and a few other hand-picked scientists. The film quickly develops from a proposed science espionage flick into an intergalactic war when Cal and Ruth are whisked away to the planet Metulana, a planet under attack from the unseen Zagons.
There are great leaps in the imagination here from a screenplay based on the novel by Raymond F. Jones, and one needs to give in to the mindless direction it takes you in and not pay to close mind to the obvious flaws within.
It remains a film with some great images for its time, despite this, and is indicative of the b-movie sci-fi flicks that would swiftly follow suit and one that would capture the imagination of cinema-goers in the mid 50s.
On the other side of the pond however, Britain’s Hammer Films were offering up an alternative spin on the science fiction scene with… The Quatermass Xperiment.
Since its release back in 1958, the infamous scene of cinema-goers running from fear of their lives in The Blob has cemented The Colonial Theatre in film history and brought patrons to its doors to reenact the scene. This has now been embraced on an annual basis where the theatre resides in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania as part of their Blobfest celebrations.
What is this appeal from this gelatinous glob? What causes people to still live out this moment from the celluloid archives over sixty years on. Looks like its time for another retrospective…
The Blob (1958)
Directed by Irvin Yeaworth, The Blob would feature Steve McQueen for the first time in a leading role for a feature film; and let’s face it brings the cool factor in what is essentially a B-Movie science fiction horror film about an alien life form that crash lands on Earth to decimate small town America.
The rift in this case would see a reversal in image of the delinquent American teens. No longer are they outcasts with a grudge against the system, but these representatives of the outskirts of society, are actually the solution and bastions of hope in a world surrounded by Soviet oppression and the impact that the Cold War would bring about. The threat of this entity that would ooze its way around town and consume people, altering them with infectious zeal, and growing larger with every passing day.
McQueen’s teen, Steve is introduced while on a date with his girlfriend Jane (Aneta Corsaut) at lover’s lane when they witness a meteor crash, and they go in pursuit to find where it has landed.
The first to be consumed by the red entity is Barney, and one of the elder citizens of the town, who makes the foolish mistake of poking the meteor with a stick, and having the gloop envelop his hand. Steve and Jane take Barney to the local doctor, little knowing that he will be the next victim.
Time to call in the authorities who are sceptical of Steve’s warnings, putting it down to another wayward prank.
Before long the blob engulfs The Colonial Theatre leading to the afore-mentioned scene of patrons running enmasse, and then turns to another young American icon, in the diner where Steve and Jane are trapped. The solution and salvation comes in the form of carbon dioxide extinguishers, freezing out the creature.
These few flashes of what should have been a forgotten flick with its low grade science fiction storyline would resonate deeply and send ripples across the the drive-in movie scene, one that would be notably replicated 20 years later when screened during Sandy and Danny’s date in Grease.
As the film draws to a close, we’re left with the blob being dumped into the Arctic and the words The End? This open-ended conclusion will lead to the possibility of return, which of course it would do 14 years later with…
Beware The Blob aka Son of Blob (1972)
Unfortunately the sequel would prove to be a train wreck of epic proportions and would be the one and only time that Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing, his Dallas alter-ego) would direct a feature. The issue is that it does too much to replicate the original without making a mark of its own. In doing so, it becomes insignificant and paltry in contrast. Where it tries to add humour, it misfires in a big way, and the trio of drifters consisting of Hagman, Meredith Burgess, and Del Close who are taking over by the blob smacks of wasted talent.
Hagman also seems to miss the point of its origin, by having the entity encroach on the hippie movement as though it is a plague on America’s wellbeing. This seems counterintuitive to the idea that youth are the answer to overcoming evil in its wake. Instead the solution is more of an attack on our media consumption with the Sheriff standing in a pool of blobooze; a symbol of the current state of America, wallowing in the stagnant quagmire that forms the building blocks of its forefathers.
And the least said about the skating rink sequence, the better.
What is interesting though and probably its greatest claim is through Dean Cundey who worked as one of the team in charge of The Blob’s special effects. Cundey would go on to work on The Thing, and Halloween.
It would take a further 16 years before new life would be born out of the blob that would not only find its mark but resonate with a new audience.
The Blob (1988)
Thanks to director Chuck Russell, The Blob would rise again at the height of the 80s home entertainment scene. It also capitalised on the body horror movement with creature effects that was a signature of its time. On its release, it was overshadowed by other features which is a crying shame, as looking back at the film now, it has its own appeal and the humour lifts it above the crowd, marking it as one of the better horror features in the latter end of the decade.
It goes bigger, but perhaps not better than its predecessor. It does boast Shawnee Smith (Saw) screaming her ass off and Kevin Dillon, mullet included, as our troublesome protagonist. He is our rebel against the cause in a world that is now born out of distrust against the regime, filled with conspiracies. Our blob is also manufactured by mankind as a biological weapon, fueling the fire of scepticism, and shifting the film’s threat from outer space to one that is our own undoing.
If this film passed you by, or was missed amongst the crowded horror scene that branched its way into the home movie rentals market, then it is well worth a look.
For this writer, casting my eyes across the three instalments of the franchise with its beats and mis-beats, and the fact that it’s been nearly forty years since the last entry made a wave, is the time ripe for another awakening.
How the blob will manifest if it does resurrect once more is one that intrigues, for its guise and current state of climate, given all that has transgressed since the 80s, would seem to be the perfect fodder for humankind’s demise.
…would symbolise the bridge between Universal’s golden horror era and their move into the sci-fi genre. It also marks the last of the iconic monsters to be born out of the giant film production house. Directed by Jack Arnold (who also helmedIt Came From Outer Space (1953)), The Creature would follow a group of scientists who uncover an amphibious humanoid known as the Gill-man in the heart of the Amazon.
Released in 3D at the point of its decline in the early 50s, and also in the traditional two-dimensional format, managed to capture over $1m in Box Office takings but was overshadowed by its predecessors.
Among the scientists are Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson) and Kay Lawrence (Julia Adams), the latter forming the object of affection for Gill-man. The film was reported to been inspired by the tale Beauty and the Beast, which is evident at least in the creatures pursuit for love among humankind, fascinated by the beautiful Kate, leading to a similar conclusion to King Kong, where the monster kidnaps the female lead and ends up riddled with bullets. In this instance, though, the monster doesn’t fall a great height , but instead sinks to the depths of a supposed watery grave.
The story is a simple one enough, and is entertaining despite treading in familiar territory, carving out the usual horror movie tropes. It’s appeal lies mainly through the underwater sequences and the cinematography captured to instil fear and create atmosphere. The Gill-man would be portrayed by Ricou Browning for these water scenes, who had the gruelling task of holding his breath under for minutes at a time to deliver the strenuous fight scenes. On land, this task of donning the creatures mask fell to Ben Chapman, who had to wear the costume for 14 hour stretches in the heat and with minimal visibility at best. Considered a success by Universal, a further two instalments would come in the franchise with…
Revenge of the Creature (1955)
Jack Arnold would be charged with directing the creature once again, only this time the Universal monster is far removed from its native Amazon landscape and confined in captivity where it is studied by Professor Clete Ferguson (John Agar) and his student Helen Dobson (Lori Nelson). The film follows a familiar trajectory though of unrequited love as the creature pursues and captures Helen, only to be shot by police in his escape for freedom. Ricou Browning would once again return for the underwater segments, and Tom Hennesy filling in for the above ground sequences. Revenge though would be something of a forgotten entry other than to be mocked in Mystery Science Theater 3000, and for boasting Clint Eastwood as an uncredited role as a lab technician. This didn’t stop the creature from returning to screens however three years down the track with…
The Creature Walks Among Us (1958)
The creatures final feature length appearance for Universal would see a different director with John Sherwood but would still see Ricou Browning in full Creature make up (Don Megowan would take on the on-land duties), although now the look had altered slightly. This follows its rescue and surgery after being burned in a fire, the creature becomes physically more human looking and loses its gills, developing lungs to breathe.
The villainy and fear factor falls more in human terrain this time with the abusive and mentally unstable Dr. Barton (Jeff Morrow). The creature sided with a tale of what it means to be human or beast? When we go through such psychological stages, can we truly rid our genetic make up, or in the creatures case, would the call of the ocean prove to be too great?
Our last shot of the iconic creature would see it on the beachfront, walking into the great sea.
The Creature’s cultural impact would still hang in the minds and inspirations of film creatives for years to come however, with several attempts at a remake and appearances in films such as The Monster Squad, and the more recent Creepshow series on Shudder. It’s most affection nod tough comes in Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water, eager to give the creature one last shot at love.
Just as Universal were making significant strides away from the horror genre and into the sci-fi realm with It Came From Outer Spaceanother new name would rise to take up the mantel. This production company would have its roots across the pond on British soil, but the Hammer Horror epithet was yet to come and the name would be generated in familiar territory, science fiction.
Four Sided Triangle is a complex tale, but contains some essential ingredients on Hammer’s path to notoriety. None more so than with its director Terence Fisher who would spearhead the Hammer vision and helm the Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing starring film, The Curse of Frankenstein just two years later. For now though, Fisher’s playing field would follow a couple of scientists, Bill (Stephen Murray – A Tale of Two Cities) and Robin (John Van Eyssen – Quatermass 2, Dracula), who dabble in the duplication of objects.
The duo find their scientific breakthrough and look on the borders of success, but as with these things a dramatic barrier must stand in the way and serve as the antithesis to their genius. In this case it is through our love triangle as both Bill and Roy have eyes for their longtime friend, Lena (Barbara Payton – Bride of the Gorilla). The only trouble is, Lena only has romantic feelings for Robin. Heartbroken Bill doesn’t acquiesce but comes with another solution – duplication of Lena. What he doesn’t account for however is that the replicant Lena, named Helen will also fall for Robin. Not content with this, Bill devises a new way to win Helen’s affections through electro-shock therapy to erdicate any memory she has of Robin. Bill’s pursuit for love will only lead to ruin, but how many will fall in his endeavours to win Helen’s heart is left until the final reel.
There are some marked moments that lift this low budget flick above the grade for its time, tackling some interesting subject matter. Fisher also lends a level-headed approach to story-telling in order to deliver the compound narrative in a simple way for audience to understand. Narrated by a secondary character Dr. Harvey (James Hayton – The Pickwick Papers) who breaks the fourth wall through flashback with his pleasing and harmonious nature only solidifies Fisher’s strong direction further.
The film deserves more recognition, being overshadowed by Hammer’s next turn in The Quatermass Xperiment and of course The Curse of Frankenstein. Both of which would stem the way for Hammer’s future, but neither would be as bright without Four Sided Triangle shining a light for the production company to walk towards success.
1953 would prove to be a significant point in Universal horror history with the release of Ray Bradbury’s It Came From Outer Space, mainly because of a notable turn towards science fiction.
Interestingly the fear factor is reduced with the alien invaders actually being stranded on Earth after crash landing their spacecraft and are trying to get home.
The story joins astronomer John (Richard Carlson – The Ghost Breakers) and a school teacher, Ellen (Barbara Rush) as they go in search of a large meteorite that has fallen in their small town.
They soon discover however that the meteor is in fact the aforementioned spacecraft, but when John tries to tell his tale to the locals, he is met with a series of doubters. Trouble soon arises when some of the locals start to disappear and return with their personalities altered ala Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This brings the sheriff to suspect foul play and that there might be truth in John’s alien invasion story after all. Cue miscommunication and preconceptions that could lead to the downfall of humankind, It’s no wonder that this story has been labelled as an anti-communist propaganda film when you look at the underlying subject of alien invasion and the silent threat of destruction that hangs over everyone.
Despite being a pretty mediocre film, lacking substance ICFOS became an iconic feature for its time, it managed to reach the pop culture zeitgeist and has oft been referenced since. For me though is a fortunate set of circumstances that led to the creation of the Metaluna Mutant, once considered for the alien design but dropped in favour of the shape-shifting, single-eyed, jellyfish mutants on display. This decision would pave way for the Metaluna Mutant to have a more credible platform to launch its iconic look in This Island Earth… but that’s for another time.
Nominated for six Razzie Awards with a lot of scathing reviews of the animatronics involved and Jon Voight bagging two Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, just how tragic was this Action Adventure Horror film called Anaconda?
With a fairly decent cast in Voight, J-Lo, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz, Jonathan Hyde, Owen Wilson, and Danny Trejo, Columbia Pictures were clearly hoping for big things. Anaconda would even go on to generate four more sequels including a cross-over with the croc feature franchise, Lake Placid. In some circles, Anaconda has grown to cult status so what exactly went wrong? And do these negative reviews still hold weight over time?
25 years on, I look back at this creature feature to see if it is still as messy as my first recollection of the movie when it was initially released.
Set in the Amazonian rainforest, a National Geographic film crew set off down the river in search of the Shirishamas tribe, with hopes of documenting them. Along the way, the crew encounter stranded snake hunter Paul Serone (Voight) who convinces them that he can assist them in their quest, but holding ulterior motives. Eventually Serone leads them into the anaconda’s lair and as with these movies, our characters get knocked off one by one.
Creature features have always been a draw card and ever since Steven Spielberg’s Jawswas released, the fear of the water and what lurks beneath has been constantly amplified. In this instance Anaconda had tried to leverage a blend of animatronics and cgi to catapult the horror element into new directions. Unfortunately it wasn’t able to leap into the realms of believability throwing the audience out of the picture along the way. In addition, the screenplay is incredibly formulaic with weak writing in the fold, proving difficult for the cast to manipulate or add any depth too despite their abilities to do so before the camera.
It doesn’t help that most of the characters are two-dimensional and therefore unable to provide any depth to them for the actors to dive into and explore. Anaconda is a cheese on toast horror that looks pleasing and will be pleasing to some, but it won’t develop your taste palate, happy to live in the realms of popcorn territory. And with talks of a reboot on the horizon, it sounds like there could be more quests into the anaconda dominion yet to come. Is there life still in this franchise? Time will tell.
Sleepwalkers was one of those movies that has immersed itself in my mind and I’m pretty sure formed part of my horror film makeup. It’s probably not surprising really if I divulge a little of my personal journey through horror films. I would have been around 14 years old at the time of its release and already had sunk my impressionable mind into the works of Stephen King and knowing his name was attached to the writing credits for what would have been his first not to be based on any of his pre-existing works (Not that I knew this at the time). It also starred Madchen Amick, hot off the David Lynch hit tv series Twin Peaks. Lynch was also integral to forming my cinephilia and with Amick’s involvement, I was already hooked. It would also be directed by Mick Garris who has since carved a name for himself in the name of horror on-screen and often using King’s work as source material. Later, I would understand the importance that Aice Krige would play in movies having already carved a name through Chariots of Fire, Ghost Story, and Barfly. This would be my first encounter with Krige however and it’s fair to say that her role of the matriarchal shapeshifter Mary, a shapeshifting energy vampire, sets the tone for the whole movie.
Along with her son Charles Brady (Brian Krause) feeds off the lifeforce of virgin women and can transform into werecats to feed on their prey, whilst also using their powers of telekinesis and illusion to manipulate those with whom they encounter. Their only weakness are domestic cats, who are resistant to the sleepwalkers magic and can cause fatal wounds.
Madchen Amick takes on the role of Charles’ virginal interest Tanya, who is lured in by his magnanimous charm. Before long, Tanya realises that there is more to Charles than meets the eye and must fight tooth and nail to survive.
Looking back at the film now, it still holds some allure despite some clearly aged creature effects, and the moment when Charles transforms for the first time is a great counterweight to our first impressions of his character. Throw into the mix a blink and you’ll miss Ron Perlman as Captain Soames and horror maestros Clive Barker, Joe Dante, John Landis, Tobe Hooper and even King himself cropping up at notable points, and you’ve got a lot to get your teeth into. Oh and Mark Hamill also makes an uncredited appearance which brings a smile to this cinema lover’s face.
It is Krige however as mentioned who really comes to life as Mary and the lead antagonist of the film, with her incestous needs and devilish desires lights up every scene that she is in. For this, Sleepwalkers is well worth a revisit.
Looking back at this 80s cult horror forty years after its release, I am initially struck by its oddity. It is precisely the strangeness of the film that developed a cult following and makes it stand out from other slasher genre films of its time.
Basket Case blends itself right into the centre of the exploitation scene in which Director Frank Henenlotter would proudly own the label and go on to direct another two further instalments in the franchise.
Shot on 16mm and with a tight budget, part of the films appeal comes from its raw approach to filmmaking from which is inspired by the seedier side of Manhattan, combined with the special effects from the antagonist, Belial, a deformed conjoined twin with sexual and deviant manifestations. The puppet is displayed mostly through stop-animation which adds to the disjointed final product.
The premise of the movie would add to the struggle to connect, following Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck), a man out of his element in New York for the first time, having travelled there with a wicker basket containing his twin who can communicate with him telepathically. Dwayne checks into a cheap motel and from here on in, a killing spree begins. Dwayne is provoked into assisting Belial in his murderous activities, escorting him in a journey of revenge, but when he meets and falls for Sharon (Terri Susan Smith) a love triangle ensues with fatal consequences,
The result has Basket Case hosting a unique position at a time when experimental horror filmmaking was at its highest. These low-budget movies would find pride of place in the home entertainment circuit and along with the slogan “This is the sickest movie ever made!”, its status in the genre would morph into success and be welcomed to wallow in all its sick and warped glory.
While it may not be appealing to many, there are a select few that would lap up the grotesque and stylised generated from the boldness of the creativity involved that would appreciate Basket Case for this alone.
Surgeons of Horror 