Three partners — the Colonel (John Ireland), the Portugese (Piero Via) and Roy Fulton (Gordon Mitchell) – rob a bank of $200,000. But Roy double crosses the other two men and buries the loot in the grave that’s supposed to contain his body. Gut-shot in the get-away, Roy sends a young man he’s befriended off to fetch a doctor. Instead, as Roy lies dying, Glenn (George Hilton) heads back to the grave for the money. Instead of the loot, he finds Roy’s body. And so begins the chase for the $200,000, or a share of it. Starring George Hilton, John Ireland, Sandra Milo, and Gordon Mitchell. Sort of a riff on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with George Hilton as a look alike for Clint Eastwood. Sandra Milo as a pretty blonde isn’t bad either.
When the Mongols invade Europe, they are defeated at Krakow for the first time after many victories. Kubilai (Ken Clark), the responsible commander, asks his emperor Genghis Khan for a second chance. Kubilai has two ideas how to avoid another defeat. First, he wants to eliminate Maciste (aka Hercules in the American dubbed version), the hero of the Polish people, played by Mark Forest. And then, Kubilai holds a prisoner who reveals an important secret: the princess and future queen of Poland lives in a village under false identity. The Mongols want to capture her, but of course, Maciste is a guardian to any maiden in distress... Starring Mark Forest, Jose Greci, and Ken Clark. This action packed movie has Maciste wrestling with a giant snake and a crocodile (yes, in Poland!); plus there is also a fight in an arena with spikes (spears) in the walls. Good sword and sorcery fun.
A family is driving across the country when they stumble across a mysterious house inhabited by the satyr-man Torgo. When the family decides to stay over at the house, mother Margaret is now the object of desire for Torgo and the owner of the house, The Master: a mysterious figure who dresses in a black robe decorated with red hands. Starring Tom Neyman, John Reynolds, and Diane Adelson. The producer, Harold P. Warren was very active in the theater scene in El Paso, Texas, and he once appeared as a walk-on for the television series Route 66, where he met screenwriter Stirling Silliphant. While chatting with Silliphant in a local coffee shop, Warren claimed that it was not difficult to make a horror film, and he bet Silliphant that he could make an entire film on his own. Warren went on to win the bet and make what is thought to be in the Top Ten Worst Movies ever made. El Paso loves this movie. Cast and crew recall that John Reynolds was on LSD during filming. It explains his confused behavior and incessant twitching in virtually all of his scenes.
A mad scientist, who discovered the secret of eternal youth by draining of blood from a young woman, gets executed. His ancestor moves into the home, eventually discovering the scientist's body. He revives him, and the terror continues. Starring Rock Madison, Ann Wells, and George Todd. This film was originally a Mexican film directed by Frederic Corte and titled 'La Marca Del Muerto' American director Jerry Warren bought the rights, threw in a few new scenes, took out a lot of the dialogue and dubbed the rest in English. You never know what will happen when you execute a mad scientist. A real drive-in movie that was definitely part of a double feature!
A salvage vessel is nearly sunk off the Irish coast by an undersea earthquake. A few nights later, a walking sea monster tangles with the fishing boats and enters the town. The salvage vessel captures Gorgo and takes it to London for display. Gorgo's mother, who is upset and significantly larger follows his trail to London leaving a wake of destruction in her path. Starring Bill Travers, William Sylvester, and Vincent Winter. Sort of the British version of Godzilla.
Spaghetti Western icon Anthony Steffen stars as Shenandoah, a man of mystery who joins a vicious band of highwaymen after passing a near impossible and death defying initiation. When the gang begins to suspect Shenandoah may be a traitor in their midst; they learn the real reason he joined their degenerate gang of thieves: retribution. Starring Anthony Steffen, Eduardo Fajardo, and Arturo Dominici. An early Spaghetti Western with a bit of punch and rich Spanish scenery. The original Italian title was Una Bara Per Lo Sceriffo which translates to “A Coffin for the Sheriff.”
When an atomic war on Mars destroys the planet's women, it's up to Martian Princess Marcuzan and her right-hand man Dr. Nadir to travel to earth and kidnap women for new breeding stock. Landing in Puerto Rico, they shoot down a NASA space capsule manned by an android. With his electronic brain damaged, the android terrorizes the island while the Martians raid beaches and pool parties. Starring Marilyn Hanold, James Karen and Lou Cutell. Sort of a sequel to Plan 9 From Outer Space, this movie was meant to be a satire but the producers wanted a serious monster movie. Not sure that they got what they wanted.
A South Korean family celebrates the wedding of an astronaut. Then the groom receives a call on his wedding night that he is needed for a reconnaissance flight during which he observes a nuclear test that triggers an earthquake in Korea. Strangely, the quake's epicenter keeps moving towards Seoul. A photographer who was documenting the moving temblor's damage notifies authorities that its cause is a gigantic underground creature making its way toward Seoul. Martial law is declared. As the creature, Yongary, emerges, it begins to wreak havoc on the city. Starring Yeong-il Oh, Jeong-im Nam, and Soon-jae Lee. This South Korean version of Godzilla has the monster drinking gasoline to fuel his flame-thrower breath.
Two brothers, both of whom are warlocks, use their powers and covens of witches to battle over the family fortune. Starring Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, and Andrea King. Supposedly based on an actual novel, as the credits claim, it has to be filmdom's sorriest screen adaptation, as this plays like an unfinished film. Lon Chaney and John Carradine probably knew exactly what type of muck they were standing in. Carradine hams his role of family patriarch and Chaney, possibly hired because the plot includes a werewolf, plays a horned Satanist. Originally a television movie it was then screened at some drive-in theaters as Blood of the Man Devil.
Writer Rick and his publisher Daniel Parks finally find the ideal location in Italy to shoot some photographs for Rick's Horror photo-novel when they come across an ideal spot. The seemingly deserted castle looks perfect from the outside, so Rick and Daniel, accompanied by his secretary Edith, their photographer Dermott, and his five young models decide to break in. They soon find the castle is actually occupied by former actor, Travis Anderson, who initially is annoyed with these visitors until he recognizes Edith, his ex-fiancèe amongst them. He decides to give them permission to use his castle, but warns them that the dungeons are off limits. Will they heed his warning? Staring Mickey Hargitay, Walter Brandi, and Luisa Baratto. Filmed in Psychovision, this Italian horror movie has a few good moments. Who is that weirdo in the Lone Ranger mask and red suit, the Marquis de Sade?
A discrete tongue-in-cheek western with the vague plot of will Tombstone's town drunk redeem himself. Full of Western cliches, whether classical or spaghetti flavor. The Spanish title "Brandy" is the nickname given to the flawed protagonist who will be given the responsibility of ridding Tombstone of its greedy and evil oligarchs led by George Rigaud (a frequent villain in Spanish films of the 50s). Starring Alex Nicol, Maite Blasco; Antonio Casas. This early Tortilla Western packs drama, shootouts, high body-count, thrills and the results to be quite entertaining in this Western comedy.
The Stranger, a half-breed bandit, is part of a band of thieves that steals a cargo of gold from a stagecoach. However, the Americans in the band betray him and shoot all the Mexicans. The Stranger is not completely dead though, and crawls his way out of his shallow grave, continuing his pursuit of the gold and exacting a bloody vengeance. Starring Tomas Milian, Marilù Tolo, and Piero Lulli. I guess this guy’s name is Django, but essentially he is the Stranger. The full title is: Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot!
Hamilan, a cruel and ambitious general, murders his king and places himself on the throne with the former king's evil niece as his queen. He then wages war against his peaceful neighbors, killing their women and enslaving their men. A hero named Ursus, the son of Hercules, appears at a tournament to challenge Hamilan's authority. Though victorious at the tournament, Ursus is arrested and forced to turn a grist-mill under an overseer's lash. Meanwhile, the former king's virtuous daughter, Diana, is tormented by her evil cousin, the new queen. Sentenced to a slow and tortuous execution, Ursus breaks free and a revolt breaks out. Starring Ed Fury, Luciana Gilli, and Adriano Micantoni. Some good scenes here and Ed Fury is great.
The story of the film is adapted from the Old Testament: The Philistines declare war on the Israelites and wrench the Arch of the Alliance from them. Saul, the king of Israel, listens meanwhile to the words of the prophets who tell him that the new king will be a young shepherd called David. But still David has to fight the enemy in form of their mighty giant, Goliath. Starring Orson Welles, Ivica Pajer, and Eleonora Rossi Drago. Orson Welles is King Saul in this Italian Biblical sword and sorcery epic. Time to listen to the Prophet Samuel.
Ringo Carson has a tough life. First, he has a falling out with his best friend, Frank Sanders, after saving Jane, the girl he loves, from Mexican kidnappers in order to extort a ransom from her gunrunner father. Frank goes off to the Civil War. Ringo reconciles with his estranged mother who needs his fast gun to protect her land from greedy land-grabber Daniels. Then Frank returns from the Civil War and then the shooting starts. Starring Gordon Mitchell, Mickey Hargitay, and Milla Sannoner. A decent Spaghetti Western, also known as Three Graves for a Winchester.
An attorney arrives at a castle to settle the estate of its recently deceased owner. The owner's wife and daughter reveal that he was someone who was able to summon the souls of ancient plague victims and, in fact, his spirit was roaming the castle at that very moment. Soon occupants of the castle begin to die off in gruesome, violent ways. Stars Barbara Steele, Walter Brandi, and Mirella Maravidi. Got to love Barbara Steele, the queen of Italian 60s horror!
Once upon a time there were born two twin boys to Emperor Marcus Aurelius and for reasons of dynasty the birth of twins was kept secret. One of the twins was supposed to be drowned at birth but fate intervenes and the kid is brought up in a good household and enters Rome's legions. Starring Richard Harrison, Moira Orfei, and Alberto Farnese. One of the better gladiator movies of the 60s.
Cleopatra, after the civil war that followed the assassination of Caesar, met with Marc Antony in Assyria where they planned the defense of Egypt against the Romans. Before leaving, Cleopatra entrusted her young daughter, Shila, to the rulers of Assyria to be brought up as their own. After Marc Antony's defeat and Cleopatra's death, Egypt, for the next twenty years, was torn apart and ruled by a youthful Pharaoh, Nemorat, with his despot Queen Mother, Tegi, who desired to unite both kingdoms and strengthen her son's rule by conquering Assyria and making Shila, now a beautiful woman, his queen. Starring Debra Paget, Erno Crisa and Yvette Lebon. Got to love Debra Paget as the daughter of Cleopatra. A good film on spectacular ancient Egypt!
Also known as Island of the Doomed, this Spanish-German co-production about a group of tourists who travel to an island to see its exotic botanicals. There they meet Baron von Weser (played by Cameron Mitchell), a reclusive scientist studying rare horticulture and experimenting with crossbreeding dangerous varieties of plants. One of the Baron’s creations is draining the blood of human beings (through a small hole in their cheek) and the tourists are dying one by one. Starring Cameron Mitchell, Kai Fischer, Elisa Montés, and George Martin. Some islands are best avoided. Cameron Mitchell was the TV show High Chaparral.
A stripper is horribly disfigured in a car accident. A brilliant scientist develops a treatment that restores her beauty and falls in love with her. To preserve her appearance the doctor must give her additional treatments using glands taken from murdered women. His unexplained ability to turn into a hideous monster helps with this problem but does nothing to win her love. The doctor's woes multiply as the police and the girl's boyfriend begin to close in on him. Starring Alberto Lupo, Susanne Loret, and Sergio Fantoni. An Italian mad scientist movie with a poor title translation, because there are no vampires in this movie—just mad scientists!
