CISCO PIKE (1972)

 

Kris Kristofferson, in his film debut, stars as the title character, a struggling musician who has been dealing marijuana in order to survive. After getting busted several times by Sgt. Leo Holland (Gene Hackman), Pike has given up dealing and is trying to get his music and song writing career back on track. Then Holland shows up with a huge amount of marijuana and blackmails Pike into selling it for him. Pike is reluctantly drawn back into his former way of life. This very laid-back film records his experiences as he attempts to do the crooked cop's bidding and not get himself into even more trouble along the way. 

CISCO PIKE is a nice, nostalgic time capsule for us Baby Boomer types, and very typical of the films oriented towards the youth culture in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Kristofferson is quite effective and natural, and in this first film establishes himself as one of the iconic images of the cinema during this period. Another iconic actress of the period, Karen Black, gives a warm, believable performance as Pike's girlfriend. Hackman is terrific as the cop-turned-narc who becomes more emotionally unhinged with every scene. Also giving an excellent performance is Harry Dean Stanton, credited here as H. D. Stanton, as Pike's former music partner who has more than enough serious troubles of his own.

Kristofferson does a little singing in the film, but his songs are heard mainly on the film's soundtrack. "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again") and "The Pilgrim" are both featured on his LP "The Silver Tongued Devil And I", released the same year as this film.

Also featuring Viva, Allan Arbus, Roscoe Lee Brown, Joy Bang, Antonio Fargas, and musician Doug Sahm. The director was Bill L. Norton.

THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961)

 

It's fun to be blindsided by a film you've never seen. With a title like THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE, I was expecting another sci-fi extravaganza with lots of cool special effects and enough people screaming that I would be forced to turn down the volume to preserve my hearing. Instead, I got a serious, well-balanced mixture of human drama, fast-paced newspaper office action, and environmental disaster. The film was directed by the prolific Val Guest (THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT (1955), CASINO ROYALE (1967), who co-wrote the screenplay with Wolf Mankowitz.

After simultaneous nuclear bomb tests are carried out by The United States and The Soviet Union, unusual weather events begin occurring. In London, the Daily Express sends writer/reporter Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) to the British Meteorological Office to get information about what's happening. Stenning is an accomplished writer who has fallen on hard times after a divorce and is spending most of his time drinking and exhibiting a cynical attitude. At the British Met Office, he becomes acquainted with Jeannie Craig (Janet Munro), who works there. An attraction grows between them as Peter asks Jeannie to help get him information for the story.

The bomb tests have changed the earth's axis by eleven degrees. This is causing the Earth to leave its orbit and move steadily closer to the sun. As more dramatic weather begins to happen, scientists determine that still more nuclear bombs must be detonated in Western Siberia to try and move the Earth back into its proper orbit. In largely evacuated London, the Daily Express has prepared two headline pages, depending on the results of the bombings. One headline reads "Earth Saved!" The other reads "Earth doomed!"

Edward Judd and Janet Munro

The film succeeds admirably in making its point about the dangers of nuclear proliferation and continued hostility between world superpowers. But it's as much a study of the two lead characters, Peter Stenning and Jeannie Craig, as it is a disaster movie. Judd and Muro are wonderful as two people who very quickly fall in love. Since this is 1961, there's no graphic lovemaking, but more than enough suggestions of obvious physical chemistry. Both characters are well-written. Stenning's' struggles are dealt with in a very sensitive way. We see this hardened, cynical man interacting lovingly with his little boy whom he rarely gets to see. His interaction with his best friend, fellow journalist Bill McGuire (Leo McKern), is believable and touching. In fact, all of the human interaction and dialogue are incredibly true to life. The outspoken, intelligent Jeannie Craig is a harbinger of change in the establishment of female characters in the mostly male world of science fiction.

THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE is definitely a continuation of the atomic disaster flicks of the 1950's. But it is in no way typical. It contains no monsters rising from the sea and the special effects are minimal. Still, I think it's a film that genre fans will love. There are some well-done scenes of mist rising off of the Thames that covers London with more fog than it's probably ever seen. There are scenes of high winds causing serious damage to people and property. Stock footage of floods, etc., is used. The film is in Black & White, but there is an orange tinting of many scenes to indicate the scorching heat.

The ambiguous ending is fascinating and will stay in the viewer's mind long after it's over. The narration at the end conveys an important, haunting message to mankind that is even more relevant in 2023 than it was in 1961:

So, man has sown the wind-and reaped the whirlwind. Perhaps in the next few hours, there will be no remembrance of the past, and no hope for the future that might have been. All the works of Man will be consumed in the great fire out of which he was created. But perhaps at the heart of the burning light into which he has thrust his world, there is a heart that cares more for him, than he has ever cared for himself. And if there is a future for Man-insensitive as he is, proud and defiant in his pursuit of power-let him resolve to live it lovingly; for he knows well how to do so. Then he may say once more: Truly the light is sweet; and what a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the Sun.

COLLECTION UPDATE: KINO-LORBER SUMMER 2023 SALE PART TWO!!

 

This is the second, and final (Who am I kidding?) physical media haul for the season. As I diligently prepare for bankruptcy, I hope these additions to my burgeoning collection will offer some solace.

COUNSELLOR-AT-LAW (1933) Directed by William Wyler and starring John Barrymore, Bebe Daniels, and Doris Kenyon

LUCKY JORDAN (1942) Directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Alan Ladd, Helen Walker, and Sheldon Leonard.

EYES OF LAURA MARS (1978) Directed by Irvin Kershner and starring Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, and Brad Dourif.

BACKTRACK (1990) aka CATCHFIRE Directed by Dennis Hopper and starring Dennis Hopper, Jodie Foster, and Vincent Price.

THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961) Directed by Val Guest and starring Janet Munro, Edward Judd, and Leo McKern.

THE STRANGE DOOR (1951) Directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest, and Richard Stapley.

THUNDER BAY (1953) Directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland, and Dan Duryea.

THE CRUSADES (1935) Directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Loretta Young, Henry Wilcoxon, and Ian Keith.

TENDER MERCIES (1983) Directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley, and Ellin Barkin.

LONELYHEARTS (1958) Directed by Vincent J. Donehue and starring Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, and Myrna Loy.

ROAD TO BALI (1952) Directed by Hal Walker and starring Dorothy Lamour, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby.

DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Basil Dearden, Charles Crichton, and Robert Hamer and starring Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers, Sally Ann Howes, and Michael Redgrave.

THEY CAME TO CORDURA (1959) Directed by Robert Rossen and starring Rita Hayworth, Gary Cooper, Tab Hunter, and Van Heflin.

THE TRUTH ABOUT SPRING (1965) Directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Hayley Mills, John Mills, and James MacArthur.

4D MAN (1959) Directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr. and starring Robert Lansing, Lee Meriwether, and James Congdon.

ROOM AT THE TOP (1959) Directed by Neil Paterson and starring Simone Signoret, Laurence Harvey, and Heather Sears.

EDGAR D. ULMER SCI-FI COLLECTION

THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951) Starring Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, and William Schallert.

BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER (1960) Starring Robert Clarke and Darlene Tompkins.

THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN (1960) Starring Marguerite Chapman and Douglas Kennedy.

ACCIDENT (1967) Directed by Joseph Losey and starring Dirk Bogarde, Stanley Baker, Jacqueline Sassard, Michael York, and Vivien Merchant.

ROAD TO RIO (1947) Directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Bing Crosby, and Gale Sondergaard.

THE TURNING POINT (1952) Directed by William Dieterle and starring William Holden, Edmund O'Brien, and Alexis Smith.

YOU AND ME (1938) Directed by Fritz Lang and starring Sylvia Sydney.

NIGHT PASSAGE (1957) Directed by James Neilson and starring James Stewart, Audie Murphy, and Dan Duryea.

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XIV

APPOINTMENT WITH A SHADOW (1957) Directed by Richard Carlson and starring George Nader, Joanna Moore, Brian Keith, and Virginia Field.

ONE WAY STREET (1950) Directed by Hugo Fregonese and starring James Mason, Marta Toren, and Dan Duryea.

UNDERCOVER GIRL (1950) Directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Alexis Smith and Scott Brady.

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XII

UNDERTOW (1949) Directed by William Castle and starring Scott Brady, John Russell, Dorothy Hart, and Peggy Dow.

OUTSIDE THE WALL (1950) Directed by Crane Wilbur and starring Richard Basehart, Marilyn Maxwell, Signe Hasso, and Dorothy Hart.

HOLD BACK TOMORROW (1955) Directed by Hugo Haas and starring Cleo Moore and John Agar.

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XIII 

STEP DOWN TO TERROR (1958) Directed by Harry Keller and starring Colleen Miller, Charles Drake, and Rod Taylor.

THE NIGHT RUNNER (1957) Directed by Abner Biberman and starring Ray Danton, Colleen Miller, Merry Anders, and Harry Jackson.

SPY HUNT (1950) Directed by George Sherman and starring Howard Duff and Marta Toren.

COLLECTION UPDATE: KINO-LORBER SUMMER 2023 SALE

 

This year I showed even less restraint than usual. Such is the madness of collecting! I placed not one, but two orders with Kino. The first one was placed on July 22, and the second on August 7, the day before the sale ended. Weirdly enough, the first order still hasn't arrived, but the second one arrived in just a few days. All Blu-rays. Here is a look at what I ordered, starting with the films I've already watched.

Two excellent British Films Noir:

THE BLUE LAMP (1950), directed by Basil Dearden, and starring a young. lean, mean Dirk Bogarde as a cop killer. The film shows incredible realism as the investigation of the crime is shown in detail. Excellent post-WW2 London locations.

BRIGHTON ROCK (1948), directed by John Boulting, and starring Richard Attenborough, Hermione Baddeley, and Carol Marsh. Fascinating Noir, based on a novel by Graham Greene, and also a riveting character study of the complex killer played by Attenborough.

DRAWING FLIES (1996), starring Jason Lee. Very strange little film featuring a good, quirky performance by Lee, who is   always worth watching. He plays a slacker who leads a group of friends into the woods, ostensibly for a camping trip. But he really is trying to locate, and maybe join forces with, Bigfoot himself. Also featuring Jason Mewes.

BREEZY (1973), directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring William Holden and Kay Lenz. Fairly predictable love story. Hippie girl Lenz imposes herself on straight-laced, wealthy divorcee Holden who is twice her age. Will they fall in love despite all odds? Take a guess! A pleasant way to pass the time.

ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE (1973), starring Robert Blake, Billy Green Bush, Jeannine Riley, and Elisha Cook. Not your typical cop drama. Blake encounters prejudice and corruption from both the public he serves and his own colleagues. 

GET CRAZY (1983), directed by Allan Arkush, and starring Malcom MacDowell, Daniel Stern, and Ed Begley, Jr. All about the trials and tribulations of producing a big rock concert for New Year's Eve. Nothing terribly special, although MacDowell as a typical glam rock star is fun to watch. And it's fun seeing former teen idols Fabian Forte and Bobby Sherman in cameo roles.

BY CANDLELIGHT (1933), directed by James Whale, and starring Paul Lukas, Elissa Landi, and Nils Asther. Truly one of the most delightful films I've seen in years. A pre-code masterpiece with manservant Lukas pretending to be his master, a prince, played by suave Asther, in order to court lovely Landi, whom he meets on a train. But Landi isn't what she appears to be. Pure pleasure from beginning to end!

BACK STREET (1941), directed by Robert Stevenson, and starring Charles Boyer, Margaret Sullavan, Richard Carlson, Frank McHugh, and Tim Holt. A remake of the 1931 film with Irene Dunne and John Boles. I know this is considered to be a classic love story, but, really, watching Sullavan throwing her life away to be the mistress of a married man is beyond exasperating. Good performances, but hard to take.

ALL I DESIRE (1953), directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Carlson, Lyle Bettger, Maureen O'Sullivan, Lori Nelson, Marcia Henderson, Richard Long, and Billy Gray. Miss Stanwyck is always enjoyable, even in a convoluted soap opera like this. She plays a struggling actress who left her husband and three children years ago to avoid destroying them over a scandal she was involved in. All conflicts, secrets, and resentments are smoothed over beautifully by the end of the film, as would be expected in a Sirk drama.

FREUD (1962), directed by John Huston and starring Montgomery Clift, Susannah York, and Susan Kohner, and David McCallum. Serious intellectual drama concerning the famous doctor's research into human sexual behavior. Dark sequences make it almost a horror film. Last film appearance by Susan Kohner.

IF I HAD A MILLION (1932). It took seven directors, including Ernst Lubitsch and Norman Taurog to make this episodic pre-code film. Big name cast includes: Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, W.C. Fields, Frances Dee, George Raft, and Jack Oakie.

THE FRONT PAGE (1931), directed by Lewis Milestone, and starring Adolphe Menjou and Pat O'Brien. Classic pre-code newspaper drama features endless shouting and people screaming into telephones. I was prepared to love this film but found it quite disappointing. A second watch may change my initial impression.

BLUE SKIES 91946), starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Joan Caulfield, Billy De Wolfe, and Olga San Juan. The oft-told story of two guys in show business competing for the same girl was pretty tired by 1946, but that doesn't matter when you have the pleasure of watching Astaire dancing to Puttin' On the Ritz and hearing Crosby croon the lovely title tune. Miss Caulfield is as vapid as it gets. But Miss San Juan is energetic and fun, and the Technicolor is gorgeous. All the songs are composed by Irving Berlin.

BACKLASH (1956), directed by John Sturges, and starring Richard Widmark, Donna Reed, William Campbell, John McIntire, Barton MacLane, Harry Morgan, and Jack Lambert.

THE EAGLE (1925), directed by Clarence Brown and starring Rudolph Valentino, Vilma Banky, and Louise Dresser. I figured it was about time I saw Valentino in a movie.

OUTSIDE THE LAW (1920), directed by Tod Browning, and starring Priscilla Dean and Lon Chaney. 

DRIFTING (1923)

WHITE TIGER (1923). Both films directed by Tod Browning and starring Priscilla Dean.

FOOLISH WIVES (1922), directed by and starring Erich von Stroheim.

HANGMEN ALSO DIE (1943), directed by Fritz Lang.

DETECTIVE (1985). directed by Jean-Luc Godard, and starring Claude Brasseur, Nathalie Baye, and Johnny Hallyday.

THERE'S NO TOMORROW (1939), directed by Max Ophuls, and starring Edwige Feuillere.

DEATH IN THE GARDEN (1956), directed by Luis Bunuel, and starring Simone Signoret.

MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (1929), directed by Dziga Vertov.

FEAR AND DESIRE (1953), directed by Stanley Kubrick, and starring Frank Silvera, Paul Mazursky, Kenneth Harp, and Virginia Leith.

BOB LE FLAMBEUR (1956). directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and starring Roger Duchesne.

THE BODY OF MY ENEMY (1976), directed by Henri Verneuil, and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.

 

THE BLACK CAT (1941)

 

My brain has been filled with thoughts of Universal Pictures' classic monsters lately, as reflected in my two previous blog posts. After reconnecting with horror film culture at the Monster Bash Conference in June, I signed up for a non-credit class all about the Universal monster movies slated to begin in September. And now my friend Brian Schuck, creator of the excellent blog Films From Beyond the Time Barrier, has challenged me to write an article based on one of the following choices:

1. Favorite Universal horror movies not featuring Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolf Man, or the Mummy.

2. Favorite moments from Universal horror movies.

I sincerely thank Brian for this intriguing challenge! Not just because it's a good idea, but it may help me get over the writer's block (Or should I call it blogger's block?) that's been holding me down for several months.

I decided to reconnect with one of the most lovable B-movies from the Universal catalogue: THE BLACK CAT (1941), directed by Albert S. Rogell. This 70-minute horror-comedy features an impressive cast of actors, including Basil Rathbone, whose film career began in 1921. Rathbone had been in Universal's SON OF FRANKENSTEIN and was finding fame in the Sherlock Holmes film series. Also featured is Academy Award winner Gale Sondergaard (ANTHONY ADVERSE (1936), Best Supporting Actress). The most prestigious name of all is Gladys Cooper, the English stage actress whose career began in 1905 when she was a teenager. Miss Cooper moved to Hollywood in 1940 and began a second career as a character actress in a variety of films at different studios. 

For horror fans, the most important name in the cast is Bela Lugosi, the legendary star of DRACULA (1931) as well as several other classic horror films from Universal and other studios. Mr. Lugosi had co-starred with fellow horror legend Boris Karloff in an earlier film called THE BLACK CAT (1934), also loosely based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe. However, no similarity exists between the two films, and Lugosi's participation in the 1941 production is, sadly, minimal. Since his triumph as Dracula ten years earlier, the actor's career had taken a rather uneven, difficult trajectory. Universal hadn't treated him very well over the years, in spite of some excellent performances, including his role as Igor in 1939's SON OF FRANKENSTEIN. Nevertheless, his name had marquee value, which is no doubt why he was hired for this second adaptation of Poe's story.

Horror legend Bela Lugosi adds name value to the film.

The plot is similar to many of the "old dark house" movies that were popular in those years. A group of people, most of them family members, are gathered in a creepy old mansion on a stormy night for the reading of a will. Domestic quarrels, romantic conflicts, and the exposure of family secrets eventually lead to murder. As the body count begins to pile up, a non-family member tries to solve the mystery. And that's pretty much all there is to the story. But it isn't the details of the plot that matter. It's the pleasure of seeing the interaction of all these talented players amid the very atmospheric sets and creative cinematography. The characters may be somewhat stereotypical, but they're all well written and well played. The owner of the estate is played by elderly Cecelia Loftus, another stage veteran who had been in a small number of films going all the way back to 1913. Loftus' character, Henrietta Winslow, is a wealthy, cantankerous old widow who has more devotion to her large collection of cats than she does for her various family members. Henrietta has a special crematorium for the cats on her property. This creepy location is one of the coolest things about the movie. 

For many viewers, one of the biggest drawbacks of this film is the overemphasis on comedy, much of it of the slapstick variety. The comedy is provided by vaudeville and screen veteran Hugh Herbert, with able assistance by Broderick Crawford. Crawford's purpose in the film is to act as Herbert's foil and also assume the role of outsider/hero who solves the mystery. Since all of the other actors play their parts with deadly seriousness, the constant barrage of comedy makes for an interesting, but slightly off-putting situation. Certainly, the film could have worked as a straight drama. Most of the horror movies from that era had comedy relief included to lighten the impact that the dark stories and actions might have on audiences. Many of us who love these old films tend to bemoan this so-called "relief". In spite of the funny bits, the film provides some good action sequences as well as a surprisingly dark climax. 

The regal English stage legend Gladys Cooper brings much dramatic quality to THE BLACK CAT.

There are many good reasons to appreciate this film. One of them is the cinematography by Stanley Cortez, an extremely talented, creative artist who would go on to photograph prestigious films like THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1943), FLESH AND FANTASY (1943), and THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955). Popular Universal contract star Anne Gwynne adds her own special kind of beauty and energy to the cast. And one of the supporting roles is ably played by Alan Ladd, a hard-working actor coming to the end of a long apprenticeship in films. One year later, Ladd would find major stardom in Paramount's THIS GUN FOR HIRE. When THE BLACK CAT was re-released after Ladd's big success, his name was moved up on the film's cast list. 

And Bela Lugosi? Some of his diehard fans might say his talents are wasted in this movie. He most certainly deserved much more substantial roles in good films during these years. And he deserved more respect than he was generally given by Universal. Still, he does his usual competent, professional work in the role of Eduardo. He doesn't get anything "horrific" to do, other than peering through windows and trying to look as mysterious as possible. But he holds his own in the story and, hey, it's Bela Lugosi, right? He's always worth watching, no matter the role or the prestige of the film.

While THE BLACK CAT may not wind up being included on most fans' lists of horror classics from the Golden Age, its impressive look and enjoyable roster of stars will guarantee 70 minutes of pure pleasure. In glorious Black & White!

Thanks again to my friend Brian Schuck for issuing the challenge that encouraged me to write the above article. Be sure to visit Brians's blog: FILMS FROM BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER.

Films From Beyond the Time Barrier

MONSTER SCHOOL!!!

 

Major announcement! Your humble blogger is getting ready to go back to school!

To learn all about monsters!!

This morning, I registered for an eight-week non-credit course entitled, The Universal Horror Film: The Birth of a Genre. The course is being offered through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which is affiliated with the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, my place of residence for many years. OLLI classes are available to anyone over the age of fifty.

The class will meet on Wednesday at 5:30-8:30 PM from September 6-October 25, ending just in time for Halloween. I can't think of a better way to prepare for the holiday.

The instructor will be local educator, film scholar, and critic Chuck Koplinski. I've taken several film classes from Chuck since I joined OLLI in 2015. He's very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all different kinds of films but has a special love for the world of Universal horror. Chuck taught a similar class several years ago, but it was before my time. He said on occasion that he wanted to conduct such a class again someday. I'm so glad he decided to go ahead. The structure of Chuck's classes, like the film classes I've taken from other instructors, consists of an introduction to the film being shown, complete with a slide presentation, followed by the film itself, which, in my experience, has always been on Blu-ray. Then there is more information, including critical analysis, from the instructor, followed by Q & A time. Chuck's easygoing manner makes for a relaxed atmosphere that encourages people to ask questions and give their opinions. Chuck may be easygoing, but he isn't afraid to argue a point or disagree respectfully when someone challenges him. I've always found his classes to be interesting, stimulating experiences.

Film scholar and critic Chuck Koplinski

My last OLLI class was in 2020 when I took Chuck's Sports Films course on ZOOM. This, of course, was during the Covid era when we weren't allowed to meet in person. The ZOOM situation was OK, but it wasn't nearly as engaging as the classroom experience. At this time, Chuck was getting a little burned out (He has a day job teaching in a local middle school.) and decided to take a break from OLLI and the less than satisfactory ZOOM situation. Hopefully, life is now back to normal, and these film classes will continue.

Meanwhile, I'm making sure my Universal monster T-shirt collection is up to date and ready to wear to each class. The actual schedule of films hasn't yet been announced, but I'm expecting to be meeting up with some old friends: Count Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Wolf Man. One should always be properly dressed when reuniting with one's friends.

You can find information about Chuck Koplinski here: Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam – Reel Talk for Real People

Chuck Koplinski (illinoistimes.com)

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION: THE MONSTER BASH CONFERENCE, JUNE 2023

Sometimes in life, as in blogging, it becomes necessary to stop procrastinating and make a move, to jump in the car and go somewhere. Or sit down in front of the old computer and write something. In this adventurous spirit, I attended the Monster Bash Conference in Mars, Pennsylvania on June16-18. And in the same spirit, I am submitting my first blog post since March, in an attempt to get past my writer's block. I made it to the conference. Now let's see if I can finish the blog post!

This was my first convention attendance, indeed my first vacation of any kind, since the Summer of 2019, when I went to the Horrorhound Convention in Indianapolis to pay homage to Barbara Steele. Then, of course, in 2020 the world went insane, and my life changed forever. I've always been somewhat reclusive and enjoyed spending a lot of my time at home. But in the years since my retirement in 2015, and certainly since the Covid lockdown, I became less active and more sedentary. This year I decided to make an effort to challenge my laziness, and going to the Bash seemed like the perfect way to do it.

Although I've been a film freak for a long time, I came late to the party regarding conventions. I became aware of the Monster Bash from the Creepy Classics website, an amazing resource for all thing horror and sci-fi, including movies, magazines, posters, you name it. I decided to drive to Butler, Pennsylvania for the 2005 Bash and see what all of this was about. The drive from my home in Champaign, Illinois is around 7 1/2 hours, so I split the driving into two days by spending the first night somewhere in the Ohio wilderness. The Bash was interesting and fun, and I was glad that I went. The experience jumpstarted my new convention lifestyle, which continued later that year with Starbase Indy, a sci-fi convention in Indianapolis. This resulted from my sudden fascination with the world of Star Trek. In 2006, I returned to the Bash, this time in a different location, somewhere in the hills of Pennsylvania. The experience was less positive than the previous year, mainly because I hated the long drive. So, I didn't go back until this year. My convention experiences mostly consisted of Trek cons in Las Vegas and Chicago, all accessible by flying, which became my Number One favorite mode of travelling. (The one exception was Horrorhound Indianapolis in 2011, my first encounter with La Steele.) 

The registration table at the Monster Bash.

The Monster Bash Conference was held at the Marriott Hotel.

My hotel, the Marriott Courtyard.

This year, I decided to make the long drive in one day, not necessarily the best idea for someone who isn't crazy about driving. The conference was being held at the Marriot Hotel near Mars, Pennsylvania, nestled in a rather bizarre combination of beautiful hill country and urban nightmare. I decided to stay at the adjoining Marriott Courtyard just a few steps away from the main hotel. I made the trip on Wednesday, June 14 in order to give myself plenty of time to possibly get lost, as I am known to do, and to relax and get rested up for the conference. On Thursday, the conference was still being set up, but they were showing movies all day and allowing early arrivals to register and wander around the area. The main dealers' room was already mostly set up. I could feel my credit card twitching anxiously in my wallet as I looked over all the DVDs, Blu-rays, posters, action figures, etc. that were available. After registering, I went into the movie room to watch a Boris Karloff classic, THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG (1939), chatted with a few people, and then went back to my hotel to have dinner and turn in for the night.

The main dealers' room.

The next few days were, quite honestly, a bit of a blur. The change in my sleep habits, including the loss of an hour by leaving the Central Time Zone, turned me into a zombie, which may have been appropriate, considering this was a horror flick conference. The Bash schedule was pretty intense, with activities beginning early in the morning and continuing until well after midnight. There were interviews with celebrities, movies, episodes of TV shows like THRILLER, trivia contests, and much more. I must admit I didn't attend all of the events, although now I wish I had done more than I did. But I had a good time, nonetheless. One of the best things that happened was getting the chance to meet an online friend, fellow Monster Kid Dan Day, Jr. Dan is a Facebook friend and a fellow blogger. His excellent movie blog, THE HITLESS WONDER (dandayjr35.blogspot.com) was, and continues to be, a big inspiration to me. Calling Dan a Monster "Kid" is appropriate, since it turns out I'm old enough to be his father! It was fun hanging out with someone who loves the classic horror films. Dan has been going to the Bash for several years and knows many of the people. The wonderful thing about the Bash is that it is literally a Mom & Pop event. Ron Adams, the owner and operator of the Creepy Classic website, runs the conference with his wife, family members, and a group of old friends. Ron is like so many of us who grew up in the early days of television. We were exposed to old movies, including the classic horror movies of the Golden Age, by seeing them over and over on TV. For some of us, that connection became one of the most important parts of our lives and memories. The Monster Bash gives us a chance to relive those memories and spend time with others who feel the same way.

Fellow Monster Kid Dan Day, Jr. (L) and myself.

I must confess that I didn't meet very many people or approach many of the celebrities who were selling merchandise and signing autographs. I tend to be rather shy about talking to people I don't know, another obstacle I need to work on. During the years when I was involved in the Star Trek universe, I became a little more outgoing. There's something about Trekkies that makes many of them very easy to approach and start conversing about favorite episodes of The Original Series or Voyager. I've lost a lot of that gregariousness. Hopefully, I can get some of it back.

I did meet a marvelous actress named Beverly Washburn, known for films like OLD YELLER (1957) and SPIDER BABY (1967), and get an autographed copy of her book, REEL TEARS. She was delightful! And I met an author named Frank Dello Stritto, who writes both fiction and non-fiction about the classic horror films. I read his book I SAW WHAT I SAW WHEN I SAW IT a few years ago and bought two more of his non-fictional works: VAMPIRE OVER LONDON and A QUAINT AND CURIOUS VOLUME OF FORGOTTEN LORE: THE MYTHOLOGY & HISTORY OF CLASSIC HORROR FILMS.

One of the main celebrities at the Bash was an actress named Audrey Dalton, known for genre films like THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD (1957) and MR. SARDONICUS (1961). I didn't meet Miss Dalton, but I attended her interview, as well as Beverly Washburn's, and they were both wonderful. Miss Dalton's film, THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD was showing one evening at a drive-in theater setup outside of the Courtyard hotel. I didn't bring a lawn chair, so I didn't go. As it turned out, the drive-in was right outside of my second-story window, so I had a perfect seat!

Even though I didn't attend all of the Bash activities, I had a good time and I'm very glad that I made myself jump into the car and GO SOMEWHERE! What better destination than a gathering of Monster Kids of all ages? 

I hereby declare an end to reclusiveness. And, just maybe, writer's block!!

 

ALAN LADD IN 13 WEST STREET (1962)

 

Legendary actor Alan Ladd was certainly no stranger to B movies. Before he became an overnight sensation in the classic THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942), Ladd had been acting in the movies for ten years, often in low budget programmers and sometimes uncredited. It wasn't until he met actress-turned-Hollywood agent Sue Carol, whom he eventually married, that his fortunes began to rise. His first film as Carol's client was RULERS OF THE SEA (1939). After that, he began to work more frequently, but still in mostly small roles. In 1940, Ladd appeared in eleven features, one serial (THE GREEN HORNET), and four short subjects. In 1941, he made seven features, including Universal's THE BLACK CAT, a brief appearance at the end of CITIZEN KANE, and two short subjects.

His small role in 1942's JOAN OF PARIS got him enough attention for RKO to offer him a contract paying $400 per week. But he turned down that offer for a better chance at Paramount. Ladd won the part of Raven the hired killer in THIS GUN FOR HIRE and signed a long-term contract with the studio. Paired with the new sultry screen queen Veronica Lake, Alan Ladd had found his niche. He and Lake followed with another hit the same year, THE GLASS KEY. Ladd was established as one of the most popular male stars in the business. 

Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in all their Film Noir glory in THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942)

Alan Ladd's film career continued with many great successes. One of his last films under his Paramount contract was the classic Western SHANE (1953). He formed his own production companies, Ladd Enterprises and Jaguare Productions to make films for himself as star and for others. His last work was a highly praised supporting role in THE CARPETBAGGERS, released in 1964 following his death at age 50 in January of that year. 

Ladd's penultimate film role was in 13 WEST STREET (1962), a well-made crime thriller produced by Ladd Enterprises and released by Columbia. Running a fast-paced 80 minutes, the film provided plenty of action and a solid performance by its veteran star. Ladd plays Walt Sherill, a scientist living in Los Angeles. After working late one night, Sherill runs out of gas on a deserted street. As he begins walking, he's almost run down by a car driving at high speed. When he shouts at the driver, the car comes back and stops. Five well-dressed teenage boys get out and begin harassing him. Their leader is Chuck Landry (Michael Callan). He says he's fed up with adults telling him what to do. When the boys start beating Sherill, he tries to fight back. Before they run off, the boys leave him with a broken leg, a head injury, and plenty of bruises. Sherill wakes up in the hospital to see his wife, Tracey (Dolores Dorn), and his boss, Paul Logan (Kenneth MacKenna), keeping watch. A police detective, Seargent Pete Koleski (Rod Steiger), arrives and starts asking questions. Sherill remembers a boy named Bill who said he knew Sherill. He also remembers hearing the name Chuck and something about the boys having trouble at a bar that same night.

Alan Ladd with Michael Callan (Right)

Koleski begins an investigation. Mrs. Sherill's brother (Ted Knight) is the principal of the local high school. She and the detective go there to find out if any male students have a record of criminal activity. Bill Quinn (Arnold Merritt), the gang member who knows Sherill, and who attends the school, sees them and informs Chuck and the other guys. They decide to intimidate Sherill into dropping the matter. They throw a rock through a window of his home and follow up with a threatening phone call to his wife. After this, Sherill is impatient with the police and their lack of progress. One night, while driving, he believes he spots the attackers' car. He follows the car until it stops at a gas station. When he angrily opens the passenger door, he sees a hysterical teenage girl begging him not to hurt her. This incident lands Sherill in jail for the night. After he's released, Koleski warns him to let the police handle the case. When the gang reads about this in the newspaper, they go to Sherill's house, beat him up again, and tell him to leave them alone or they might have to kill him. Sherill, now walking with a cane due to his injury, uses it to beat one of the boys before they run off. 

Sherill, angry and frustrated, begins to unravel. He waits outside the local high school, hoping to see a boy who looks like he may have been recently injured. Spotting a kid with one arm in a sling, Sherill begins harassing him. A police officer shows up to assure him the boy is not under suspicion.  

Meanwhile, Koleski has discovered that Chuck and his gang were thrown out of a local bar right before the encounter with Walter Sherill. Besides being too young to drink in the first place, the boys had insulted two of the patrons, a Black man and a Mexican man, resulting in an altercation. Koleski surmised the boys took out their displaced anger on Sherill. The Black man (Bernie Hamilton) gives them a lead on a boy named Everett Bush (Chris Robinson). Bush has an alibi that's backed by his parents. Sherill now decides to take matters into his own hands by hiring a private detective (Stanley Adams) to start following Bush. He also buys a gun. His obsession with finding his attackers is causing him trouble with his wife, the police, and gets him suspended from his job.

Sherill's interference finally results in tragedy. Bill Quinn has been identified as a friend of Everett Bush. Quinn works at a local drug store. When Sherill goes there to confront him, Bill sees him and runs away. He goes to Chuck for help. Chuck warns him to keep his mouth shut or he'll wish he was dead. When Sherill tracks down Bill at his home, he finds that the boy has hanged himself.

Chuck Landry is finally identified. When questioned by Koleski at his home, Chuck lies and is backed up by his mother (Margaret Hayes). Chuck calls the gang to meet at a park to coordinate their stories as the police get closer. The detective Sherill hired to tail Everett Bush sees the boys meet and calls Sherill to let him know. Koleski is there. They head for the park. When the gang drives away, the detective follows, once again calling the Sherill home to keep them informed. Chuck realizes he's being followed. In a high-speed chase, they run the detective off the road and he is killed. Tracey, on the phone with the detective, hears the man screaming and the sounds of the crash. She calls the police. Bush and the other gang member (Mark Slade) are devastated by what they've done. Chuck coldly tells them to get out of the car and drives off alone. 

Sherill and Koleski reach the park and find it deserted. They phone Tracey, who tells them about the crash and the location the detective gave her. Chuck shows up at the Sherill home. He confronts Tracey with a gun and then tries to sexually assault her. When he hears Sherill's car outside, he runs away on foot, heading for his house. Sherill follows Chuck home and beats him savagely. He knocks the boy into a swimming pool, grabs him, and starts to drown him. Suddenly, he has a change of heart and pulls Chuck out of the water just as Koleski and Tracey arrive. Chuck is taken into custody.

Dolores Dorn and Michael Callan

13 WEST STREET is not just an exciting thriller, but also an engrossing character study of a man losing control of his senses after experiencing acts of violence. The film is similar in theme to two other B movies of the period, both involving gang violence and home invasions disrupting the lives of ordinary citizens. One is JOY RIDE (1958), starring Ann Doran, Regis Toomey, and Rad Fulton. In this film, a group of juvenile delinquents decide they have to take a ride in middle-aged Toomey's new Thunderbird. When he doesn't go along with the idea, they retaliate by breaking into the man's home and terrorizing his wife. The other is KEY WITNESS (1960), starring Jeffrey Hunter, Dennis Hopper, and Corey Allen. Businessman Hunter stops at a drugstore to use the telephone. While there, he witnesses a murder committed by Hopper and his gang. When Hunter tells the police what he saw, the gang has it in for him and his family. Of all of these films, 13 WEST STREET is the most serious in tone, its violence more shocking. Alan Ladd is quite convincing and physically energetic. He makes you wonder if perhaps Raven, the hit man from THIS GUN FOR HIRE, might have survived, moved to the suburbs, and was waiting for the right time to get back to work.

Michael Callan gives the most impressive performance as the sociopathic Chuck Landry. He is completely believable as a cold-hearted killer who is becoming more unhinged with every scene he's in. Callan had played another cool juvenile delinquent type, although not a killer, two years earlier in BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG. He was already in his late 20's but looked young enough to be playing troubled teenagers.

Rod Steiger brings quite a bit of intensity to the role of Seargent Koleski, a man who is understanding of Walt Sherill's anger and frustration, but also increasingly resentful of the man's dangerous interference into the investigation. Steiger underplays the role to good effect. I must admit the actor's cultured voice makes one expect him to start quoting Shakespeare at any moment.

Dolores Dorn seems like a poor choice to play Ladd's wife, and not just because of the obvious age gap. Throughout most of the film, Dorn plays Tracey as if she were little more than a moderately inconvenienced housewife, rather than a woman whose husband is going mad with a desire for vengeance. However, during the scene where Tracey is confronted by Chuck Landry in her home, Dorn comes through perfectly.

There is also a marvelous performance by beautiful Jeanne Cooper, forever known as matriarch Katherine Chancellor on the long-running soap opera THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Cooper plays the aunt of Bill Quinn, the gang member who kills himself. In her few minutes of screen time, Cooper makes quite an impression as a woman who experiences a quick succession of emotions. At first polite when Walt Sherill shows up at her home insisting on speaking to her nephew, she quickly becomes suspicious of his motives and asks him to leave. After her horror at discovering the boy dead in his room, and after the police have been called, she has these mournful, accusatory words for Sherill: "I hope you can sleep well tonight." It's one of the film's most memorable moments. Cooper was a fine actress who deserved much more opportunity in films than she was given.

Alan Ladd and Jeanne Cooper make a tragic discovery.

13 WEST STREET was directed by Philip Leacock, who also directed another one of my favorite films, LET NO MAN WRITE MY EPITAPH (1960). The screenplay, by Robert Presnell, Jr. and Bernard C. Schoenfeld was based on the 1957 novel The Tiger Among Us by Leigh Brackett.

This post is part of THE 'FAVORITE STARS IN B MOVIES' BLOGATHON sponsored by FILMS FROM BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER. https://www.filmsfrombeyond.com