“The Scarlet Clue” (1945) starring Sidney Toler & Mantan Moreland / Z-View

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The Scarlet Clue (1945)

Director:  Phil Rosen

Writer:  George Callahan based on the character by Earl Derr Biggers

Stars:  Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Ben Carter, Benson Fong, Virginia Brissac, Robert Homans and Leonard Mudie

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Charlie Chan (Toler), aided by his valet Birmingham (Moreland) and his son Tommy (Fong) are working for the US Government tracking down spies trying to steal radar secrets.  The trail leads to a radio station where one of the many suspects is murdered… with no visible cause for the death!  As Charlie gets closer to solving the murder, the more at risk he, his son and Birmingham become!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Scarlet Clue features a murder that’s pretty shocking for a Charlie Chan film made in 1945.

Mantan Moreland and Ben Carter recreate two of their nightclub acts for the film. The more screen time a movie gives Mantan, the better the film will be.

At one point Charlie, his son and Birmingham are learning about the dangers of some of the radio station equipment.  In the scene it appears that Sidney Toler was actually shocked!

The Scarlet Clue earns 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Ricou Browning

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Ricou Browning died on February 27, 2023, from natural causes.  He was 93.

Best known as the actor who played The Creature from the Black Lagoon in all of the movie’s underwater scenes, Mr. Browning was much more.  Over the course of his career Ricou Browning was an actor, stunt man, writer, producer and director.

Ricou Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and he majored in physical education at Florida State University. Mr. Browning worked as a performer at both Wakulla Springs and Weeki Wachee Springs.  When a camera crew came to Weeki Wachee it was Mr. Browning who showed them around and swam underwater for their test shots.  They liked what they saw and Ricou Browning was offered the part of the Creature for all underwater filming.  Mr. Browning could hold his breath for extended periods of time and that was a plus for the role.  Mr. Browning was brought back to play the Creature in both sequels, Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us.

As an actor Ricou Browning appeared in: Creature from the Black Lagoon; Revenge of the Creature; The Creature Walks Among Us; Sea Hunt (tv – 1 episode); Flipper’s New Adventure and Flipper (tv – 2 episodes).

Ricou Browning wrote or co-wrote: Flipper; Flipper’s New Adventure; Flipper (tv – 33 episodes); Salty; Island Claws; Flipper (1996) and Flipper (tv – 34 episodes).

Ricou Browning severed as director for: Flipper (tv – 37 episodes); Thunderball (2nd unit – underwater sequences); Around the World Under the Sea (underwater sequences); Gentle Ben (tv – 14 episodes); Off to See the Wizard; Island of the Lost (underwater sequences); Hello Down There (underwater sequences); Primus (2 episodes); Joe Panther (2nd unit); Hot Stuff (2nd unit); Caddyshack (2nd unit);  Salty; Mr. No Legs; Nobody’s Perfekt (2nd unit) and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (2nd unit).

Ricou Browning performed stunt work for: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (stunt diver); Don’t Give Up the Ship (Jerry Lewis’ underwater swimming double); The Heavenly Kid (stunt coordinator); Opposing Force (stunt coordinator).

Ricou Browning will forever be linked with one of the Classic Universal Movie Monsters, The Creature from the Black Lagoon.  If that was the only thing he ever did, Mr. Browning’s legend would live forever.  As you can see from his resume, he was a rare talent who could do it all.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ricou Browning’s family, friends and fans.

“Last Sentinel” starring Kate Bosworth – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Although the poster for Last Sentinel is boring, the trailer looks interesting.

Set in the near future, a skeleton crew of soldiers is stranded at sea on an abandoned military outpost awaiting the arrival of reinforcements or an enemy invasion, whichever comes first.

Starring: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Kretschmann, Lucien Laviscount, and Martin McCann
Directed by: Tanel Toom
Release Date: 3/24/23

“Stone Age Romeos” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Stone Age Romeos (1955)

Director:  Jules White

Writer:  Felix Adler, Zion Myers

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard and Emil Sitka 

Tagline:  Sanity takes to the hills, as The Three Stooges achieve new heights of buffoonery!

The Plot…

The boys have a plan to collect a $50,000 prize by proving that cavemen still live in the deepest unexplored jungles.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Stone Age Romeos is an adaptation of the Stooges short I’m a Monkey’s Uncle from 1948.  A new opening and closing was filmed with the middle using ample footage from the earlier film.

Stone Age Romeos earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Fubar” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger – The Teaser is Here!

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The teaser for Fubar starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is below.  Because it come from Nick Santora, stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and is on Netflix, checking it out will be a no-brainer.  I just hope it has the right mix of action and comedy.

ARNOLD. IS. BACK. MAY 25. And starring in his first series ever: FUBAR – Everything else is top secret, except for that ice pack he’s gonna need. To receive classified updates click here: https://netflix.com/FUBAR

Also starring Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter, Fortune Feimster, Travis Van Winkle, Jay Baruchel, Andy Buckley, Aparna Brielle, Barbara Eve Harris, Fabiana Udenio and Gabriel Luna.

From creator Nick Santora (Reacher, Prison Break): A CIA operative on the verge of retirement discovers a family secret. Forced to go back into the field for one last job, FUBAR tackles universal family dynamics set against a global backdrop of spies, action and humor.

“Gypped in the Penthouse” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Gypped in the Penthouse (1955)

Director:  Jules White

Writer:  Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Jean Wiles, Emil Sitka and Al Thompson

Tagline: Goofs vs. gold-digger!

The Plot…

The boys are all in love with the same gold-digger.  She’s playing each of them, and they are unaware of her other suitors.  But they’re about to find out.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although Larry and Shemp are members of The Woman Hater’s Club, this 1955 short is not a remake of the Stooges 1934 outing Woman Haters.

In the scene where Moe is thrown out of bed he can clearly be seen hitting his head on the nightstand.  This wasn’t in the script.

Loco Boy Makes Good earns 4 of 5 stars.

“No Holds Barred” (1952) starring The Bowery Boys / Z-View

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No Holds Barred (1952)

Director:  William Beaudine

Writer:  Tim Ryan, Bert Lawrence, Jack Crutcher

Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Marjorie Reynolds, Bernard Gorcey, Henry Kulky, David Gorcey, Benny Bartlett, Sandra Gould, Tim Ryan, Murray Alper and Ray Walker

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

When Slip (Gorcey) discovers that Sach (Hall) has different body parts that feel no pain and give him super-strength, he turns Sach into a professional wrestler.  Although the super-strength body part changes from time to time, they are able to take advantage of this.  Sach is winning all his matches and this draws the attention of a crooked manager and the former champ.  Soon Sach will have to face manager’s wrestler in the ring… what could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

No Holds Barred is a fun Bowery Boys outing.  The outfit Sach wears in his final match is actually Klaatu’s  (Michael Rennie) spacesuit from The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).

Each time the power would move to a different body part (head, elbow, toes, etc.) Slip would change Sach’s wrestling moniker.  When the power moved to the last body part Slip started to give Sach a new wrestling name, but Sach breaks the fourth wall and says, “You say it and we’re out of pictures!”

No Holds Barred earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954) starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams & Richard Denning / Z-View

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Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Director:  Jack Arnold

Writer:  Harry Essex, Arthur Ross from a story by Maurice Zimm

Stars: Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Whit Bissell, Ricou Browning, Ben Chapman, Perry Lopez and Rodd Redwing

Tagline: Not since the beginning of time has the world beheld terror like this!

The Plot…

When a huge fossilized hand containing webbed fingers/claws is found on the banks of the Amazon, an expedition is formed to look for the rest of the skeleton.  The mission consists of Dr. Carl Maia (Moreno), Dr. David Reed (Carlson), David’s girlfriend Kay Lawrence (Adams) and Dr. Edwin Thompson (Bissell).  They are piloted by Captain Lucas on his small steamer into the depths of the Amazon.

Far out of contact with civilization, in an area known as the Black Lagoon, the group discovers a living gill-man. When they attempt to capture the creature, they learn it is strong, smart and now hunting them.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of Universal’s Classic Monsters.  I’ve watched this film as many times as any other horror movie.  It never loses its effectiveness.

Jack (The Incredible Shrinking Man) Arnold helms another horror classic.  He’s smart to allow the audience to see the creature’s huge webbed claw a couple of times before we see the full gill-man.  Richard Carlson and Richard Denning are at home in science fiction/horror films.  Has there ever been a prettier female lead in a horror film than Julie Adams?  Kudos to  Henry Mancini (!), Hans J. Salter and Herman Stein for the music.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Kiss the Blood Off My Hands” (1948) starring Burt Lancaster & Joan Fontaine / Z-View

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Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948)

Director:  Norman Foster

Writer:  Leonardo Bercovici (screenplay),Walter Bernstein, Ben Maddow (adaptation), Hugh Gray (dialogue), Philip MacDonald (uncredited) based on the novel Kiss the Blood Off My Hands by Gerald Butler

Stars: Joan Fontaine, Burt Lancaster, Robert Newton, Jay Novello and Reginald Sheffield

Tagline: “A Hunted Man! A Love-Haunted Woman! Caught! With Every Kiss More Reckless, More Dangerous Than the Last”

The Plot…

Bill Saunders (Lancaster) is a former POW suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. He’s on the run for accidentally killing a man.  In order to escape the police, Bill enters a window. Jane Wharton (Fontaine) wakes to find a stranger in her room.  Jane believes Bill that the man’s death was an accident.

Bill and Jane slowly develop a relationship.  All is going well until, Harry Carter (Newton) a local hood, recognizes Bill from the fight that killed a man.  Carter says he will go to the police unless Bill helps him with a planned robbery.  Bill wants no part of the deal, but knows if he goes to jail he’ll lose Jane.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Kiss the Blood Off My Hands was ahead of it’s time in the portrayal of PTSD.  Yet, the love affair and ending of the film is right out of the 40s.

Kiss the Blood Off My Hands earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Loco Boy Makes Good” (1942) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Loco Boy Makes Good (1942)

Director:  Jules White

Writer:  Felix Adler, Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Symona Boniface, Heinie Conklin, Vernon Dent, Charles Dorety and Bud Jamison

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

When the boys learn that an old woman is going to lose her hotel, they decide to help her raise money to save the place.  Our guys help her spruce up the joint (with their usual success).  They then put on a big show with Curly accidentally ending up wearing a magician’s coat.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Four years after Loco Boy Makes Good‘s release, Harold Lloyd, the silent film star, sued Columbia Pictures for copyright infringement.  Lloyd won.  Clyde Buckman, the director of Loco Boy Makes Good also directed Lloyd’s film Movie Crazy.  Both featured the same magician’s coat sequence.

Loco Boy Makes Good earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Sisu” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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One of the folks on our message board posted the trailer to Sisu.  I loved it and found the poster to share both here. (Check out that poster – with the reflection of Nazis in his blade!)  Release in the US is set for April 28th.  Deal me in.

When an ex-soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness tries to take the loot into the city, Nazi soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him.