The Magic Sword (1962)

I was searching for something different after the indie time travel flick 41 last night, and different is definitely what I found. Wanting something with a crusades type feel, I stumbled upon the 1962 low budget entry The Magic Sword, and that is what I decided on for my next review.

Plot/ The son of a sorceress, armed with weapons, armor and six magically summoned knights, embarks on a quest to save a princess from a vengeful wizard.

I wanted something Medieval and that is what I got with this one. While by today’s standards, this B-movie would suffer greatly. However, if viewing it inside the prism of the era of filmmaking, one would find this an fascinating journey into fantasy with some interesting effects, vivid imagery, and a solid cast that took on the low budget entry and made it likely better than it should have been. Yes, the scripting and dialog are laughable at best, some of the plot is insane, and some of the performances were uneven, but those add something to the schlock or cheese factor of this film. In the end, this one may not be the greatest of the era, but it definitely had some intriguing moments that made it entertaining. This one is certainly not for everyone, but if you are searching for a low budget schlockfest from the 1960s, give it a shot!

Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962)

As I prepare to start college again heading toward my creative writing degree, I decided that I needed to take a trip into some other genres. After spending some time in the post-apocalyptic world and then transitioning into a classic Italian horror stage, I decided to head into some classic Sci-Fi era schlock. First up on my list to watch was one of the first flicks I remember seeing the ifluence of the United nations, the 1962 no-budget Journey to the Seventh Planet.

Plot/ Earth sends a five-man team to explore the frozen planet Uranus, only to find a temperate forest and sultry women from their past on it, courtesy of an alien brain with evil designs.

As a fan of classic-era Sci-Fi, it is always fun to kick back and watch some of the no-budget flicks from that time. This is one of those movies that, while it is far from perfect, is a great way to spend time watching. Yes, it is a typical storyline of the day, but it is far from cliché considering the 1960s release date. The women (although they could not act), the scenery, sound effect and cinematography are all solid, something that is often difficult to find in flicks from that era. While the acting is uneven, some of the script lacks depth, the editing poor and a lot of the special effects are laughable, they are also not devastating to the overall enjoy-ability of the movie. In the end, I have seen much worse in this genre and believe this one sits somewhere in the middle. Yes, it is far from perfect, but it is also entertaining and any fan of cheesy Sci-Fi must see. 

The Dungeon of Harrow (1962)

With my time in Pennsylvania winding down, I decided to jump back into the Pure Terror Collection for something to watch. My selection for the evening is The Dungeon of Harrow from 1962.

Plot/ An evil, sadistic count lives in a waterfront castle with his insane family members. One day the survivor of a shipwreck washes ashore near the castle and finds himself a captive there.

This low budget entry had a decent idea and storyline. Unfortunately, having such a low budget prevented that initial vision to come to fruition. The acting is up-and-down, the soundtrack does not work and there is truly a lack of emotion or atmosphere throughout. Yes, there are a couple of genuine creepy moments, but those are few and far between.  In the end, if you like late night horror-show flicks full of schlock check it out, but if you do, pick it up as part of a cheap box set…

Tales of Terror (1962)

As I was thinking of what to do for Vincent Price Day, I couldn’t help but think of his great work in the 1950s and 1960s with Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. So, in honor of Vincent, my review todays is Tales of Terror from 1962.

Plot/ Three stories adapted from the work of Edgar Allan Poe. A man and his daughter are reunited, but the blame for the death of his wife hangs over them, unresolved. A derelict challenges the local wine-tasting champion to a competition, but finds the man's attention to his wife worthy of more dramatic action. A man dying and in great pain agrees to be hypnotized at the moment of death, with unexpected consequences.

This entry of the Corman/Price/Poe adaptations features small variations of the tales, Morella, The Black Cat and The (Facts in the) Case of M. Valdemar. While these very short versions of each lack the feel of the earlier Price/Corman collaborations, feeling uneven and unpaced at times, they do remain as a quality anthology of Poe’s works. There are liberties taken, as all of Poe’s works are difficult to get onto the screen as written, but that is to be expected. Price, who stars in all three segments, does a masterful job playing three diverse characters with the flair and camp humor only he could master. The film also features some tremendous special effects that really added to the development and direction of the movie. Yes, at times the mood lightens a bit too much and it seems too happy of a tone, but it is a movie that is worth watching and a definite must see for fans of Poe, Price and Corman!

The Premature Burial (1962)

Needing to take a break from zombies, I felt it was a great time to revisit one of my favorites in the genre, Roger Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe series (especially with October 7th being the anniversary of Poe’s death). My choice was the 1962 classic The Premature Burial.

Plot / Emily Gault arrives at the Carrell mansion determined to rekindle an old relationship with Guy Carrell, despite the disapproval of his sister, Kate. Guy overcomes his all-consuming fear of being buried alive long enough to marry Emily but soon becomes obsessed again, building a crypt designed to guarantee that he will not fall prey to his most dreaded nightmare. Trying to prove that he has been cured of his phobia, he opens his father's tomb and is shocked into a catatonic state. His worst fears are realized as he is lowered into a grave and covered over, apparently never to learn that the treachery of someone very dear to him was directly responsible for his predicament.

This is one of the overlooked entries in Roger Corman's "Poe" cycle, yet, it stands up quite well in the overall scheme. While this is the only adaptation in the series in which Vincent Price does not appear, his replacement, Ray Milland, does a good job in the starring role and is actually very entertaining. Throughout the movie, Corman does a great job at maintaining a nice and creepy atmosphere with a combination of sound and scenery. Yes, this is no Pit and the Pendulum, but it's an above-average horror flick recommended for everyone. 

Carnival of Souls (1962)

Time to continue with some of the classics I have on hand. Today’s choice was Carnival of Souls, the 1962 Herk Harvey entry that has influenced greats such as George Romero and David Lynch.

Plot / Mary Henry is enjoying the day by riding around in a car with two friends. When challenged to a drag, the women accept, but are forced off a bridge. It appears that all are drowned, until Mary, quite some time later, amazingly emerges from the river. After recovering, Mary accepts a job in a new town as a church organist, only to be dogged by a mysterious phantom figure that seems to reside in an old run-down pavilion. It is here that Mary must confront the personal demons of her spiritual indifference.

Like the movie in my last review,I Bury the Living, this classic is also more of an episode of the Twilight Zone than “B” Movie horror, and it also remains a great example of what can be done on a limited budget. This movie cries atmosphere, with some great locations used throughout. Yes, there are some low points with some average acting and sub par editing, but overall, this remains a very influential flick. One that took a thin story, and made something that has stood the test of time rather well.

The Devil's Hand (1962)

After Night of the Living Dead, I decided to continue with the black and white feel for the evening by selecting The Devil's Hand as my nightcap. This 1962 supernatural film came as part of the Gorehouse Greats Collection, although, I am not quite sure how it fits in.

Plot/ Rick Turner is engaged of Donna Trent and is having nightmares with a beautiful blonde woman dancing in the sky. One night, he is mysteriously driven to a doll shop, and in the next morning he returns to the place with Donna. He finds a doll that resembles his fiancé, but the owner Francis Lamont delivers another doll to him, with the face of the woman of his dreams, Bianca Milan. Rick looks for Bianca and is seduced and convinced by her to join a sect that worships the diabolic Gamba, while the health of Donna is threatened by Francis and Bianca.

The Devil's Hand was a lot better than I expected. Yes, it was short and to the point, but within that movie it took on so many different topics and it worked. There were Supernatural themes, love triangles, voodoo, satanic rituals, beautiful women, and really so much more than I can mention. While I enjoyed it, there were times where it felt predictable once the story started to flow. In all, it was maybe more than the low-budget would allow because the film could have been even better if it were longer. As it is, the storyline, while interesting, does not go into much detail with in the context of the story with many moving parts not being tied together and the acting isn't the greatest. However, between the occasional atmospheric and suspenseful scenes set in the cult's headquarters and the great horrific climax, there are more than enough good points to warrent watching this film again. If you decide not to, the great God Gamba may test you!

The Bloody Vampire (El Vampiro Sangriento)

Tonight I sat on my couch and debated, what to watch, what to watch, hmmm, so many choices, NCIS…same story different week, Lost, never watched it so I am LOST! American Idol, I am not really a reality show person! So, I will continue my journey (although somewhat difficult and painful) through Undead: The Vampire Collection. Tonight for my viewing pleasure, the 1962 classic The Bloody Vampire (El Vampiro Sangriento)! Fortunately, this one was actually about vampires and is a good choice for this set.

Plot/ Count Caliostro is a vampire hunter trying to locate and destroy the vampire Count Frankenhausen. It just so happens, that Frankenhausen lives around the corner and has an opening for a maid. Count Cagliostro agrees that daughter Anna should embark on a fact-finding mission as an undercover house cleaner in the lair of the vampire.

Being the first time I have seen this movie, I have to admit that I was very satisfied with it and Count Frankenhausen may become one of my favorite vampires on the big screen. That stare was just outstanding and really took me back to a lot of different early era films and was Lugosi-esque. Yes, there are flaws, but the good firmly outweighs the bad. The creepy atmosphere, interesting storyline and chilling score definitely set it apart from other vampire flicks from the 1960s. In addition, that slow motion, skeleton driven carriage in the beginning complete with fog is a scene for the ages (and I didn’t even get into the crazy bat) At the end of the night, I feel so much better than I did yesterday after Atomic Age Vampire.