Bert I. Gordon rides again, with an excellent encoding of one of his more popular sci-fi monster-ramas. Pert ‘n’ perky June Kenney is so brave that she keeps going back to ‘that old cave outside of town,’ despite not knowing how many giant spiders are on the loose. Teenagers in their thirties and their bebop-crazy rock ‘n’ roll are no match for Gordon’s titanic, screaming arachnid. This spidey is just plain shifty, the kind of unscrupulous fiend that colors his crayons outside the (matte) lines … in crimson B&w blood! June Kenney’s mom knows her girl only two well: “… I hope she hasn’t gone back to that cave.” With some excellent extras, namely about a million rare behind-the-scenes stills from Tom Weaver.
The Spider
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 73 min. / Earth vs. The Spider / Street Date June 23, 2020
Starring: Ed Kemmer, June Kenney, Gene Persson, Gene Roth,...
The Spider
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 73 min. / Earth vs. The Spider / Street Date June 23, 2020
Starring: Ed Kemmer, June Kenney, Gene Persson, Gene Roth,...
- 6/27/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The ‘other’ Hollywood studio version of the Alamo story is quite good, with strong production values, exciting stunt battle action and something Republic Pictures didn’t manage very often, a solid screenplay. Sterling Hayden is Jim Bowie, this version’s central hero, with great backup from Anna Maria Alberghetti, Ernest Borgnine, J. Carrol Naish, and Ben Cooper. But best of all is that old hay-shaker Arthur Hunnicutt, as the movies’ best and most natural Davy Crockett.
The Last Command
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1955 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 110 min. / Street Date December 11, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Sterling Hayden, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Richard Carlson, Arthur Hunnicutt, Ernest Borgnine, J. Carrol Naish, Ben Cooper, John Russell, Virginia Grey, Jim Davis, Eduard Franz, Otto Kruger, Russell Simpson, Roy Roberts, Slim Pickens, Hugh Sanders, Morris Ankrum, Argentina Brunetti, Robert Burton.
Cinematography: Jack A. Marta
Film Editor: Tony Martinelli
Original Music: Max Steiner
Special Effects: Howard...
The Last Command
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1955 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 110 min. / Street Date December 11, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Sterling Hayden, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Richard Carlson, Arthur Hunnicutt, Ernest Borgnine, J. Carrol Naish, Ben Cooper, John Russell, Virginia Grey, Jim Davis, Eduard Franz, Otto Kruger, Russell Simpson, Roy Roberts, Slim Pickens, Hugh Sanders, Morris Ankrum, Argentina Brunetti, Robert Burton.
Cinematography: Jack A. Marta
Film Editor: Tony Martinelli
Original Music: Max Steiner
Special Effects: Howard...
- 1/15/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Republic raids an early Rko talkie for a fantastic special effects sequence, and you won’t believe how it’s repurposed — in a story about a TV personality (in 1939!) taking on a corrupt political mob. New York crumbles and is then washed away — sort of. It’s yet another resurfacing of a title that not long ago we couldn’t see to save our cinema-curious souls.
S.O.S. Tidal Wave
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1939 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 62 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: Ralph Byrd, George Barbier, Kay Sutton, Frank Jenks, Marc Lawrence, Dorothy Lee, Oscar O’Shea, Mickey Kuhn, Ferris Taylor, Don ‘Red’ Barry, Raymond Bailey.
Cinematography: Jack A. Marta
Film Editor: Ernest Nims
Musical Director: Cy Feuer
Written by Gordon Kahn, Stanley Rauh, Maxwell Shane, story by James Webb
Produced by Armand Schaefer
Directed by John H. Auer
If Republic wasn’t...
S.O.S. Tidal Wave
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1939 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 62 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: Ralph Byrd, George Barbier, Kay Sutton, Frank Jenks, Marc Lawrence, Dorothy Lee, Oscar O’Shea, Mickey Kuhn, Ferris Taylor, Don ‘Red’ Barry, Raymond Bailey.
Cinematography: Jack A. Marta
Film Editor: Ernest Nims
Musical Director: Cy Feuer
Written by Gordon Kahn, Stanley Rauh, Maxwell Shane, story by James Webb
Produced by Armand Schaefer
Directed by John H. Auer
If Republic wasn’t...
- 10/31/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
This charming Roy Rogers oater could reboot interest in vintage ‘series’ westerns. Basically a film for little kids, it’s earnestly played by all concerned and director William Witney’s direction sparkles. The added filip that makes the difference is the beautifully restored Trucolor image — Roy’s wonder horse Trigger is indeed magnificent. I listened carefully, but I don’t think Roy actually says, “Yippie-ki-yay, M_____f____r.”
Sunset in the West
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1950 / Color / 1:37 flat Academy / 67 min. / Street Date April 18, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 19.95
Starring: Roy Rogers, Trigger, Estelita Rodriguez, Penny Edwards, Gordon Jones, Will Wright, Pierre Watkin, Charles La Torre, William Tannen, Gaylord Pendleton, Paul E. Burns, Dorothy Ann White, Riders of the Purple Sage.
Cinematography: Jack Marta
Color by Trucolor
Film Editor: Tony Martinelli
Original Music: R. Dale Butts
Special Effects: Howard & Theodore Lydecker
Written by Gerald Geraghty
Produced by Edward J. White
Directed...
Sunset in the West
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1950 / Color / 1:37 flat Academy / 67 min. / Street Date April 18, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 19.95
Starring: Roy Rogers, Trigger, Estelita Rodriguez, Penny Edwards, Gordon Jones, Will Wright, Pierre Watkin, Charles La Torre, William Tannen, Gaylord Pendleton, Paul E. Burns, Dorothy Ann White, Riders of the Purple Sage.
Cinematography: Jack Marta
Color by Trucolor
Film Editor: Tony Martinelli
Original Music: R. Dale Butts
Special Effects: Howard & Theodore Lydecker
Written by Gerald Geraghty
Produced by Edward J. White
Directed...
- 4/15/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
In the 1970s crime films morphed into sadistic vigilante fantasies about tough-guy heroes avenging terrible crimes against their families. Veteran noir director Phil Karlson directed the bruiser’s bruiser Joe Don Baker in a standard tale of violent vengeance, with the violence factor given an extra bloody boost.
Framed
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1975 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date February 28, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Joe Don Baker, Conny Van Dyke, John Marley, Gabriel Dell,, Brock Peters, John Larch, Warren J. Kemmerling, Walter Brooke, Paul Mantee, H.B. Haggerty, Roy Jenson.
Cinematography: Jack A. Marta
Film Editor: Harry W. Gerstad
Stunts: Carey Loftin, Gil Perkins, Buddy Joe Hooker
Original Music: Pat Williams
Written by Mort Briskin from a book by Art Powers & Mike Misenheimer
Produced by Joel Briskin, Mort Briskin
Directed by Phil Karlson
Time for another curiosity review, of a grindhouse gut-basher from the 1970s — a subgenre I avoided when new.
Framed
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1975 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date February 28, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Joe Don Baker, Conny Van Dyke, John Marley, Gabriel Dell,, Brock Peters, John Larch, Warren J. Kemmerling, Walter Brooke, Paul Mantee, H.B. Haggerty, Roy Jenson.
Cinematography: Jack A. Marta
Film Editor: Harry W. Gerstad
Stunts: Carey Loftin, Gil Perkins, Buddy Joe Hooker
Original Music: Pat Williams
Written by Mort Briskin from a book by Art Powers & Mike Misenheimer
Produced by Joel Briskin, Mort Briskin
Directed by Phil Karlson
Time for another curiosity review, of a grindhouse gut-basher from the 1970s — a subgenre I avoided when new.
- 2/28/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Good neighbor policy? Wartime exigencies inspired an intra-hemisphere cultural exchange, with the movies seizing on the new popularity of Latin music. Republic’s contribution gives us the great songs of Ady Barroso and a full soundtrack of his compositions — in a featherweight musical romance, of course.
Brazil
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1944 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 91 min. / Street Date December 6, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring Tito Guízar, Virginia Bruce, Edward Everett Horton, Robert Livingston, Veloz and Yolanda, Fortunio Bonanova, Richard Lane, Frank Puglia, Aurora Miranda, Billy Daniel, Dan Seymour, Roy Rogers.
Cinematography Jack A. Marta
Film Editor Fred Allen
Songs Ary Barroso, Hoagy Carmichael
Written by Frank Gill Jr., Laura Kerr, Richard English
Produced by Robert North
Directed by Joseph Santley
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
The wartime ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ was a P.R. blitz intended to steer South America toward the U.S. and away from the Axis.
Brazil
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1944 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 91 min. / Street Date December 6, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring Tito Guízar, Virginia Bruce, Edward Everett Horton, Robert Livingston, Veloz and Yolanda, Fortunio Bonanova, Richard Lane, Frank Puglia, Aurora Miranda, Billy Daniel, Dan Seymour, Roy Rogers.
Cinematography Jack A. Marta
Film Editor Fred Allen
Songs Ary Barroso, Hoagy Carmichael
Written by Frank Gill Jr., Laura Kerr, Richard English
Produced by Robert North
Directed by Joseph Santley
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
The wartime ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ was a P.R. blitz intended to steer South America toward the U.S. and away from the Axis.
- 12/10/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
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