“The Corpse Vanishes” (1942) starring Bela Lugosi / Z-View

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The Corpse Vanishes (1942)

Director: Wallace Fox

Screenplay: Harvey Gates; story by Sam Robins, Gerald Schnitzer

Stars: Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin, Vince Barnett and Angelo Rossitto.

Tagline:  KIDNAPPED BRIDES Are The Victims Of His Terror! Prepare to shudder when you see the strange practices of this doctor who sacrificed beautiful women for the sake of a mad love!

The Plot…

Someone is killing young brides on their wedding day.  No one can figure out why they are dying. Or who is stealing their corpses.  Then Patricia Hunter (Walters), a young reporter, notices the brides are all wearing orchid corsages. She decides to investigate.

The clues lead Patricia to Dr. Lorenz (Lugosi).  Lorenz lives in a remote mansion with his younger wife.  Dr. Lorenz seems nice enough, but the wife is a bit cold.  When a terrible storm hits and washes out the bridge to town, Patricia is forced to spend the night.

What Patricia doesn’t know is…

  • …Dr. Lorenz has been behind the murders of the brides.  Lorenz takes their glandular fluids for injection into his wife.  These fluids make his elderly wife appear young for a brief time.
  •  …in the Doctor’s cellar laboratory a crazy old hag and her two sons live.  One of the sons is a cruel dwarf.  The other is a feebleminded hulk.  The three assist Dr. Lorenz with the murders.
  • …also in the cellar is a room with the bodies of the dead brides.

Patricia doesn’t know these things… but she is about to find out.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Beware of poor copies.  The movie is in the public domain.

Angelo Rossitto plays the dwarf son.  Mr. Rossitto is best known for his roles in Tod Browning’s Freaks and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.  His career spanned 60 years and over 100 resume credits.

The Corpse Vanishes is a low-budget, quickly shot B picture and it plays like one.

The Corpse Vanishes (1942) rates 2 of 5 stars.

WRECKED: AN IQ NOVEL by Joe Ide

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WRECKED: AN IQ NOVEL by Joe Ide

First sentence…

“Do you know what Abraham Lincoln said after a six-day drunk?” Jimenez said.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Isaiah Quintabe, who everyone calls IQ because of his superior intellect, is back.  IQ was in high school when his brother was killed in a hit and run.  It was at that point that IQ began earning money from neighborhood folks needing help. After IQ found a a runaway young girl word spread. Soon he was getting requests for assistance with “cases the police couldn’t or wouldn’t touch.” The cases didn’t pay much and sometimes the reward was food or a service IQ needed.

But that was over a decade ago.  Now IQ is famous in the neighborhood for the “cases” he’s resolved.  IQ’s the go-to guy when folks need a detective or issue resolved.  IQ became so busy that he brought on his childhood friend, Dodson to assist.  If IQ is the brains of the outfit, Dodson is the one with street smarts. Dodson used to run with a rough crowd, but those days are over.  Now he’s married with a young daughter.  His job is to make IQ a legitimate detective.  One with a social media presence.  One who gets paid with cash instead of new tires or a carpet cleaning.

When IQ meets a local artist named Grace, he begins to fall for her.  She needs help.  Grace hasn’t seen her mother in decade.  Grace wants IQ to find mom and fast.  Her mother has something that could get some bad men sent to prison for a very long time.  These guys are killers and will stop at nothing to get what they want.

To complicate matters, Seb, the African gangster responsible for IQ’s brother’s death has IQ in his crosshairs.

The race is on to find Grace’s mother.  Even IQ gets there first, how can he protect her from the killers closing in?

+++++

Joe Ide has another winner.

Rating:

ROCKYfest 2024

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Last year the city of Philadelphia held the first Rocky Day.  Rocky Day was a city holiday to celebrate the release of Rocky in 1976.  Rocky Day was such a hit that this year it has expanded into Rockyfest!  Rockyfest will feature city-wide events that run from November 29th – December 8th.

The schedule of events include:

Attend for the day or the entire week plus!  A great time is guaranteed for Rocky/Stallone fans.

“The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story” (2006) / Z-View

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The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story (2006)

Stars: Dusty Rhodes, Dick “the Bruiser” Afflis, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Eric Bischoff, Tully Blanchard, Gerald Brisco, John Cena, Ted DiBiase, Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Superstar Billy Graham, Mike Graham, Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, Jerry Lawler, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Vince McMahon, Dick Murdock, Gene Okerland, Pat Patterson, Roddy Piper, Bruce Prichard, Harley Race, Dustin Rhodes, Ron Simmons and Hulk Hogan.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

The life story of Dusty Rhodes.  Born the son of a plumber in Austin, Texas, he became one of the most beloved professional wrestlers in the world.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Dusty Rhodes, at one time, was one of the highest paid and most successful wrestlers in the world.  Everywhere he went Rhodes rose to the top.  Even when Dusty Rhodes was older, he was wanted as a writer and booker for promotions.

What I admire about Dusty is that he was able to figure out how to make each situation he was in work.  Even when Vince McMahon gave Rhodes a silly persona and a polka-dot outfit, Rhodes was able to make the character a fan favorite.

Rhodes was king on a microphone.  His “hard times” speech is considered a classic by wrestling fans.  One of my favorite Rhodes’ quotes is: “I have wined and dined with kings and queens and I’ve slept in alleys and dined on pork and beans”.

The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story (2006) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“White Zombie” (1932) starring Bela Lugosi / Z-View

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White Zombie (1932)

Director:  Victor Halperin

Screenplay: Garnett Weston based on THE MAGIC ISLAND by William Seabrook

Stars: Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy, Robert Frazer, John Harron, Brandon Hurst, Clarence Muse and Frederick Peters.

Tagline:  With These Zombie Eyes he rendered her powerless – With This Zombie Grip he made her perform his every desire!

The Plot…

Madeleine Short (Bellamy) and her fiancé Neil Parker (Harron) arrive in Haiti. They are guests of Charles Beaumont (Frazer) and staying on his huge plantation.  Charles secretly loves Madeleine and wishes she would marry him.  Desperate to have Madeline, Charles visits ‘Murder’ Legendre (Lugosi).

Murder is the owner of a huge plantation.  Everyone knows that Murder’s plantation is worked  by Haitian zombie slaves. Murder has the ability to turn people into mindless beings that follow his every command.  Charles wants Madeleine to love him.  He believes Murder can make this happen.

Murder agrees to help.  But the truth is he has other plans for Madeleine.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

White Zombie was filmed in less than two weeks on a budget of $50,000.00.  Reportedly up to 10% of the budget was Lugosi’s salary.

White Zombie was one of Bela Lugosi’s favorites of the films he made.

Beware of poor copies since the film went into public domain in 1960.

White Zombie (1932) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Tarzan and the She-Devil” (1953) starring Lex Barker, Joyce MacKenzie & Raymond Burr / Z-View

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Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953)

Director: Kurt Neumann

Screenplay: Karl Kamb, Carroll Young; based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Stars: Lex Barker, Joyce Mackenzie, Raymond Burr, Monique van Vooren, Tom Conway, Michael Granger, Fred Aldrich, Ben Astar, Ben Astar, George Barrows, Robert Bice, Mara Corday and Henry Brandon.

Tagline: TARZAN FACES HIS GREATEST PERIL!… when he clashes with the ruthless, alluring Queen of the Ivory Thieves… in the BEST of all the Tarzans!

The Plot…

Vargo (Burr) convinces Lyra, the She-Devil (van Vooren) to take her “soldiers” and join him on an expedition to kill a large herd of elephants for their tusks.  Vargo isn’t worried about Tarzan.

But he should be.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The fifth and final Tarzan film starring Lex Barker.

I wish the movie was a nice as the poster.

Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953) rates 2 of 5 stars.

RIP: Ron Ely

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Yesterday it was announced that Ron Ely died of natural causes on on September 29, 2024, at the age of 86.

Mr. Ely was best known for his role as Tarzan on the NBC series of the same name.  The series ran for 57 episodes over the course of two seasons.  Mr. Ely performed most of his stunts throughout the series and suffered multiple injuries.

Prior to Tarzan, Ron Ely appeared in supporting feature film roles and guest spots on television series.  After the series ended Mr. Ely continued acting on television and feature films for the rest of his career. Although Ron Ely retired from acting in 2001, he came back to appear in the television movie Expecting Amish in 2014.

Ron Ely also authored two excellent detective novels, NIGHT SHADOWS and EAST BEACH.

Television projects that feature Ron Ely include: Father Knows Best; Steve Canyon; Playhouse 90; How to Marry a Millionaire; The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis; The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp; The Aquanauts (18 episodes); Thriller; Tarzan (57 episodes); The Courtship of Eddie’s Father; Ironside; Marcus Welby, MD; Wonder Woman; Face the Music; The Love Boat (3 episodes); Matt Houston; Hotel; Fantasy Island (5 episodes); Blacke’s Magic; Sea Hunt (22 episodes); Superboy; The Hat Squad; LA Law; Hawkeye; Renegade (2 episodes); Sheena and Expecting Amish.

Feature films that Ron Ely appeared in include: South Pacific; The Fiend Who Walked the West; Night of the Grizzly and Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.

I probably first saw Ron Ely in Tarzan.  I loved that Mr. Ely’s Tarzan was not only physical but also intelligent.  I have great memories of watching the series with my grandfather.  Then going out to play Tarzan with my other friends.  After the series ended I enjoyed seeing Mr. Ely in television roles and movies.

Mr. Ely was also an excellent writer.  I own his two detective novels and always hoped there would be more.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Rob Ely’s family, friends and fans.

“Making Manson” – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for Making Manson is here.  I’m glad this is a series since there will be access to all of those original recorded interviews.

Deal me in.

Making Manson is streaming November 19 on Peacock: https://pck.tv/45hBP6q

Synopsis: An explosive series offering unfiltered insights into America’s most notorious killer, Charles Manson. Through 20 years’ worth of never-before-aired conversations, those closest to the case have their views challenged as Manson talks openly about his part in the infamous crimes, as well as his upbringing, criminal youth and his true feelings about “The Family.”

Manson reveals the cruelty he suffered in reform school and the childhood experiences that made him who he was. Former “Family” members listen to the exclusive conversations and are taken back to the time when they “would do anything for Charlie.” Manson recounts the early crimes that led to the murder spree in the summer of ‘69, laying out an explanation of loyalty and brotherhood that pushes against the accepted motive: his desire to incite Helter Skelter. In the final moments before his death, Manson reflects on his life in prison and shows rare tenderness for the man who spoke to him across the decades.

“The Eichmann Trial” (2023) directed by Elliott Levitt / Z-View

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The Eichmann Trial (2023)

Director: Elliot Levitt 

The Plot…

Fifteen years after the end of World War II, Nazi Adolf Eichmann was captured where he was living in Argentina.  Eichmann was then transported to Jerusalem to stand trial.  Eichmann was charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership in a criminal organization.

The trial lasted 56 days and garnered world-wide coverage.  Over 100 witnesses were called.  There were thousands of pages of documents.  Eichmann admitted that he didn’t like Jews and viewed them as the enemy.  Eichmann further admitted he made the statement: “I will leap into my grave laughing because the feeling that I have five million human beings on my conscience is for me a source of extraordinary satisfaction.”  Eichmann claimed his statement was about the Soviets.  Eichmann’s defense was that he hadn’t personally killed anyone and he was just following orders.

Eichmann was found guilty on 15 counts of crimes against humanity, war crimes, crimes against the Jews, Poles, Slovenes, and Roma, and membership in three criminal organizations (the Gestapo, the SD, and the SS).  The judges ruled that Eichmann had not simply been following orders but had been a Nazi true-believer and one of the key principals in genocide.  Eichmann was sentenced to death by hanging.

Appeals for clemency were heard by the Israeli Supreme Court and Israeli President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi to no avail.  Adolf Eichmann was executed by hanging on June 1, 1962.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Eichmann Trial is an excellent documentary.  Kudos for director Elliott Levitt for his use of trial, news and other vintage footage to not only cover the trial but to place its importance in a historical context.

The Eichmann Trial (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.