A trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! Not of This Earth (1957)

Not of This Earth (1957)

Ground Breaking Sultan of Cult Film, The King of the B-Movie Roger Corman’s sublime alien invader sci-fi film from the 50s, has some slick low-budget Noiresque qualities and more than a tinge of the vampire mythos. Starring from Corman’s pool of his familiars in acting talent, Paul Birch ( The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 1962, Beast With a Million Eyes 1955) plays the mysterious Paul Johnson an agent sent from the planet Davana to seek out blood for his dying race. The omnipresent and always wonderful actress of film and television Beverly Garland plays Nadine Storey the capable nurse who Johnson chooses to give him blood transfusions.

In the meantime Johnson terrorizes California with his creepy sunglasses and little impish head-crushing, flying bat creature, that’s been described as an inverted umbrella!Â Yet another Paul Blaisdell goodie!

More than a little shade of Film Noir.

Somewhat like if a Brussels sprout had legs and could fly: The Flying Bat Creature!

“Somewhere in the world, there stalks a thing that is…Not of This Earth!”

Happy Trailers MonsterGirl

A trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice (1969)

What Ever Happened To Aunt Alice? (1969)

From the wickedly penetrating mind of Robert Aldrich and his production company comes yet another Hag Cinema obscurity and a consummate Women in Peril movie starring impishly resplendent actress Ruth Gordon and the intensely razor-edged Geraldine Page, in this confrontational psychological thriller of matching wits.

Directed by Lee H. Katzin, ( Along Came A Spider 1970) and uncredited Bernard GirardÂ (Dead Heat on A Merry Go Round 1966, The Mad Room 1969, and several of the most powerful episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1962-64 )

Based on the novel The Forbidden Garden by Ursula Curtiss, penned for the screen by Theodore Apstein.

The casting is perfect, with not only the two brilliant ladies mentioned above but includes the wonderful Mildred Dunnock, Rosemary Forsyth, Robert Fuller, and Joan Huntington.

Ruth Gordon performs the inquisitive and determined Aunt Alice Dimmock, who takes on the job of housekeeper for the iron widow Geraldine Page as Claire Marrable who maniacally tends to her garden. Alice goes undercover as the widow’s helper in order to find out what happened to a missing widowed friend, Edna Tilsney ( Mildred Dunnock).

Claire Marrable is a tightly wound, biting, and ruthless serial killer who is left only a stamp collection by her husband, thus resorting to stealing money from her housekeepers, killing them, and burying the bodies in her lovely garden.

All *kinds* of observable differences: The world of Ruth Gordon

“What makes her garden grow… wouldn’t you like to know!”

Happy Trailers MonsterGirl!

A Trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! From Hell It Came (1957)

From Hell It Came 1957

A wrongfully accused South Seas prince named Kimo (Gregg Palmer) is executed by knife thrust to the heart. Kimo returns as an angry spirit called a Tabanga/Baranga (I haven’t seen it in a while so I can’t remember which is the correct name, I’ll have to do a feature in Obscure Scream Gems soon!), a wickedly adorable glowering walking tree stump with a pulsing heartbeat!

The Tabanga Tree is one of the marvelous creations by the great B- Monster Maker…Paul Blaisdell.

Now scientists Dr. William Arnold ( Tod Andrews) and Dr. Terry Mason ( Tina Carver ) must find a way to stop him on his murderous revenge rampage….!

Directed by Dan Milner and starring Tod Andrews, Tina Carver, and Linda Watkins as Mrs. Mae KilgoreÂ (who was featured in 3 of the best Thriller episodes.)

The sassy Linda Watkins

1960-1962 Thriller (TV series)
Arabella Foote / Maggie Henshaw / Sylvia Slattery

"“ A Wig for Miss Devore (1962) "¦ Arabella Foote

"“ The Terror in Teakwood (1961) "¦ Sylvia Slattery

"“ The Cheaters (1960) "¦ Maggie Henshaw

“Creature of unholy vengeance, born of the heart of a man unjustly condemned to death.”

Happy Trailers, now go hug a tree… MonsterGirl

A trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! “The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)

The Monster That Challenged the World 1957

Spawned by an earthquake that unleashes giant prehistoric mollusk monsters who attack Californians and bunnies alike, it’s up to Naval officer Lt. Cmdr. John ‘Twill’ Twillinger ( Tim Holt) and several scientists to stop these ornery creatures! Once they escape into the canal system of California’s Imperial Valley all hell breaks loose!

Also starring the beautiful Audrey Dalton television and film star who played (Meg O’Danagh Wheeler in The Hollow Watcher…one of the best episodes of Boris Karloff’s ThrillerÂ tv show of the 60s) and Hans Conried

“An upheaval of nature tears loose a creature out of the nightmare of time!”

Happy Trailers! MonsterGirl

A Trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)

Bert I Gordon’s– The Amazing Colossal Man 1957

Lt. Col. Glenn Manning ( Glenn Langan) inadvertently becomes exposed to a plutonium bomb blast at Camp Desert Rock.

He is burned over 90% of his body, yet somehow survives, and regains full tissue regeneration. But one other miraculous thing occurs.

Lt Col. Glenn Manning…begins to grow in size. Unfortunately, his internal organs, heart, and circulatory system cannot support a man of gigantic proportions and so, he starts becoming aggressive and eventually loses his mind as a result of reduced blood supply to his brain.

Manning escapes….and Now this colossal man in a giant diaper starts to wreak havoc in Las Vegas before the military and harried scientists can use their gigantic hypodermic needle to bring him down! Also starring Cathy Downs and William Hudson.

‘Growing…! Growing…! Growing…! To a Giant…! To a Monster…! To a Behemoth…! WHEN WILL IT STOP…??

Happy Trailers! MonsterGirl

A trailer a day keep the Boogeyman away! Horror at Party Beach 1964

the Horror of Party Beach 1964

Sea creatures created from radioactive sludge terrorize a beach community. Weird atomic beasts…who live off human blood! the first horror monster musical! Directed by Del Tenney, and starring John Scott, Alice Lyon, Allan Laurel, Eulabelle Moore as Eulabelle, and The Del-Aires as the surf rock band.

Atomic mutations are only made scarier by the hot dogs shooting out of their beastly mouths!!!!!!!!!!

“HORRIFYING! Teen-age slumber party attacked by demons from the dead!”

Happy Trailers MonsterGirl~

A Trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! Them (1954)

THEM! (1954)

The earliest atomic tests in New Mexico cause common ants to mutate into giant man-eating monsters that threaten civilization.

Directed by Gordon Douglas, and starring James Whitmore as police Sgt. Ben Peterson, and Edmund Gwenn as Dr Harold Medford the cutest entomologist in the world. Joan Weldon as Pat Medford, the doctor’s capable daughter, James Arness as Robert Graham, and Onslow Stevens as Brig. Gen. Robert O’Brien.

One of the all-time great contributions to 1950s sci-fi that blends giant mutant bugs, with cold war anxiety about communist invasion and fear of the bomb. This cautionary tale ushers in the atomic age in film with a sobering, yet sensational flair!

One of my all-time favorites of that era!

A Special Note: I am dedicating this trailer to my beloved cat Oliver, who passed away yesterday from bone cancer. He was a very gentle soul and a great friend. He spent the last 15 years keeping me company while watching all these fabulous films…I miss you, my special boy…

There is a scene in Them when they discover one of the first victims of the giant ant invasion, Gramps Johnson, found dead in his decimated general store. ” Oh no!, they’ve killed Gramps Johnson.”

Since then, for years now,Â I had nicknamed Oliver Gramps Johnson, because I found it a wonderfully fitting name for him, not of course celebrating the idea of Gramps Johnson’s death, but how lyrically the name falls off the tongue.

Ollie had that kind of lyrical lovable appeal. So here’s to you my wonderful friend…Oliver “Gramps” Johnson!

Robert Graham: And I thought today was the end of them.
Dr. Harold Medford: No. We haven’t seen the end of them. We’ve only had a close view of the beginning of what may be the end of us.

The Ellinson Girl: [screaming hysterically] AHHH! THEM! THEM! THEM!

Happy Trailers MonsterGirl

A Trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! The Maze (1953) in 3D

Writer & Director William Cameron Menzies horror/folk lore tale The Maze 1953 in 3D starring Richard Carlson

Gerald MacTeam (Richard Carlson It Came From Outer Space 1953, Creature From The Black Lagoon 1954 ) abruptly breaks off his engagement to his loving and devoted fiance Kitty MurrayÂ (Veronica Hurst) He moves to his uncle’s castle in the Scottish highlands, and cuts off all communications from Kitty completely. But she and her auntÂ Edith ( Katherine Emery Eyes in The Night 1942, Isle of The Dead 1945) do not allow Gerald’s new mysterious behavior to stop them from getting to the bottom of things. They follow him to his ancestral castle, but are shocked to find the he has aged almost 20 years! What is the secret of the MacTeam family curse, and what lurks in the hedge row of the great Maze on the grounds of the castle? Also starring the wonderfully intense character television and film actor Michael Pate who plays Gerald’s loyal valet William.

SHOCKING CHILLS..Bloodcurdling suspense! A thousand thrill-maddening horrors!

What is the story behind TERATOLOGY?

“The deadliest trap in the world!”

Happy Trailers MonsterGirl

A Trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! Dead Ringer 1964

Dead Ringer (1964) Starring Bette Davis & Bette Davis!

The twin sister of a callous wealthy woman murders her sister out of revenge and assumes the identity of the dead woman.

This Film Noir/ Thriller is directed by Davis’s co-star who played Jerry Durrance in Now Voyager (1942), debonair actor and director Paul Henreid (Casablanca 1942, Hollow Triumph 1942. Among over 35 titles Henreid directed one such is my favorite episode of Boris Karloff’s Thriller’s The Terror in Teakwood.

Davis gives a command performance as both the wealthy and ruthless, Margaret DeLorca and modest and kindly club owner, twin Edith Phillips. The film also gives Karl Malden another chance to show off his superb acting skills as Sergeant Jim Hobbson the man who adores Edith and wants to marry her.

Also starring Philip Carey, Jean Hagen, Peter Lawford, and George Macready. Perhaps one of my favorite films of Bette Davis, and the hybrid Film Noir/Thriller as well, I plan on going in depth in the near future with a post called The Twisted Mirror which will cover psychological thrillers featuring female twin sisters.

“What Bette Davis does to Bette Davis and to Karl Malden and Peter Lawford in DEAD RINGER is just what “Baby Jane” people will adore!”

Happy Trailers MonsterGirl!

A trailer a day keeps the Boogeyman away! The Sentinel (1977)

The Sentinel 1977

This chilling 1970s horror film is directed by Michael Winner and based on the book by Jeffrey Konvitz, which I read when I was just a little MonsterGirl. A Scary and compelling read!

Sunday Nite Surreal: The Sentinel (1977) Even in Hell, Friendships often Blossom into Bliss!

The Sentinel stars Christina Raines, Ava Gardner, Chris Sarandon, Martin Balsam, John Carradine, Jose Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, Sylvia Miles, Deborah Raffin, Eli Wallach, Christopher Walken, Jerry Orbach, Beverly D’Angelo, and of course, Joy of all joys Burgess Meredith as Charles Chazen or more informally known as Old Scratch or The Devil!

Christina Raines plays Alison Parker, a top model, who rents a brownstone inhabited by very strange tenants. On the top floor lives a blind priest Father Halliran (John Carradine).

Has Alison been chosen to take over the dubious job of guarding the entrance to hell, which happens to be that lovely Brownstone in NYC? The location for the actual building was 10 Montague Terrace, Brooklyn Heights, I believe you can still see the ivy-covered Gothic building if you walk the promenade. The Sentinel is literally one of my top 10 favorite horror films of all time. I plan on including it in an upcoming Drive-In feature called Satan Slept Here: The Devil in Cinema: From The Devil and Daniel Webster to Rosemary’s Baby.

There are some authentically chilling scenes that will terrorize even the heartiest of filmgoers. The slow descent into Alison’s battle between life, sanity and the gates of hell opening are tautly drawn, and the presence of such terrific actors makes this such a memorable excursion into what makes for a good horror film. In particular, a perfect 70s horror film!