GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 12/14/20

 

One fan's cheesy low-budget monster mash is another fan's treasure.  Film Detective has taken a prime example of this, director Richard Cunha's 1958 debut feature GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN, and served both kinds of fans (including those of us who are both) with a crisp, finely-rendered restoration.

Filmed mostly on location in the rugged mountains and forests of southern California, this is the tale of a monstrous Spanish conquistador named Vargas who wakes after being frozen alive in solid rock for centuries and goes on a rampage that leaves ravaged bodies both animal and human in his wake.

Played by 6'6" actor Buddy Baer (FAIR WIND TO JAVA, QUO VADIS, AFRICA SCREAMS), brother of famed boxer Max Baer, the armor-clad behemoth sports a fearsome visage created by former Universal makeup maestro Jack Pierce and swings a deadly battle ax.

While the local sheriff (cowboy star Bob Steele, later to be a regular on the TV classic "F Troop") tries to solve the mysterious murders, archeologist Wayne Brooks (Ed Kemmer, THE SPIDER, "Space Patrol") heads into the wilderness with fellow explorer Dr. Cleveland (Morris Ankrum, ROCKETSHIP X-M, EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS) and his beautiful daughter Janet (Sally Fraser, WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST, IT CONQUERED THE WORLD, THE SPIDER), where their search for ancient relics brings them frighteningly face to face with a live one.

As they inch closer to the truth behind the recent murders, Vargas follows up his killing of more townspeople by setting his sights on Janet.  This will eventually bring every able bodied man in town into the hunt for the monster, who uses his fierce strength and cunning to fight them off. The film climaxes with a furious confrontation between him and the vastly outmatched Brooks.

 

For fans of low-budget movies, this is a fascinating opportunity to observe Cunha's handling of his meager resources and limited experience (before this, he'd done mainly commercials, industrial films, and the like), and a solid cast composed largely of film veterans doing their best with an often awkward script, to turn in what is a professional-looking effort that entertains despite a slow pace and some dull spots.

Technical aspects are well-handled, with photography and camerawork especially good. Composer Albert Glasser turns in his usual wildly bombastic score. Pierce's makeup mastery creates a monster who resembles a huge stone Golem, with Baer using his wide, glaring eyes to good effect. 

 

The Blu-ray from Film Detective is a 4k transfer from the original camera negative. Bonus features include a commentary track by noted horror/sci-fi film historian and author Tom Weaver which also includes comments by Cunha and others involved in the film. There's also an illustrated booklet with additional information and trivia. Several other features are listed below.

Fans of Cunha's other films such as FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER, SHE DEMONS, and MISSILE TO THE MOON will likely find this relatively modest but nicely-done effort of great interest. While B-grade at best, and only moderately exciting, GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN nevertheless remains one of those minor gems from which appreciative genre fans can derive a special kind of pleasure from watching.

 

Order it from Film Detective


Retail Price: $24.95
Release Date: 1-19-2021
Runtime: 77 minutes
Genre: CULT CLASSIC, DRAMA, HORROR
Language: English
Color/BW: BW

Also available in DVD and red-label Blu-ray

 

BONUS MATERIALS:

Audio Commentary with Author/Historian Tom Weaver and Guests; 

Audio Commentary with co-star Gary Crutcher; 

'YOU'RE A B-MOVIE STAR, CHARLIE BROWN' - An all-new interview actor/screenwriter Gary Crutcher; 

'THE MAN WITH A BADGE: BOB STEELE IN THE 1950'S' - An all-new interview with author/film historian C. Courtney Joyner; 

Collector’s booklet with still gallery and liner notes by Tom Weaver; 

Original Theatrical Trailer

GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1958) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 10/26/21

 

I remember reading one of those capsule-review books that deemed director Richard Cunha's 1958 monster thriller FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER so bad as to be "practically unwatchable." Well, there's no denying it's definitely bad in a variety of ways. But for those of us who happen to like that quality in certain films, "unwatchable" it certainly isn't.

Cunha's list of films also includes GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN, MISSILE TO THE MOON, and the ever-popular SHE DEMONS, all of which share a similar appeal as low-budget fare with a certain something that just makes them fun to watch despite how lacking they may be in production values and polish.

For this effort, he continues the classic "Frankenstein" saga, this time in the form of the famous scientist's unhinged grandson, Oliver (Donald Murphy), who now goes under the name "Mr. Frank." 

Oliver works as an assistant to benevolent old research scientist Prof. Morton (Felix Locher, familiar to "Star Trek" fans from the 1967 episode "The Deadly Years") but is really just using the old man's home laboratory to create an artificial being out of dead body parts as his forefathers did before him.

Meanwhile, Prof. Morton's cute teenage niece Trudy (Sandra Knight) is an unknowing test subject for Oliver, who slips her a formula that turns her into a "Miss Hyde"-type monster who runs around the neighborhood in a nightgown or bathing suit, terrorizing old ladies and such.

Her boyfriend Johnny (the great John Ashley, HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER, BEACH PARTY, BRIDES OF BLOOD) scoffs at her hazy memories of being a stalking beast, as do their friends Don (Harold Lloyd, Jr., son of the famous silent film comedian) and Suzie (sexy blonde Sally Todd, a former Playboy Playmate of the Month). Suzie will eventually throw boyfriend Don over for the scheming Mr. Frank, who plans to kill her and use her head on his patchwork creature.

From this brief description alone, one gets an idea of what a crazy mixed-up story this is, made all the better by earnest performances, an often downbeat and even noirish atmosphere (some of the black and white photography is actually quite good), some wonderfully wild scenes of Trudy during her monster rampage, and one of the worst monsters of all time, big-lug actor Harry Wilson (who specialized in brawny thug types) as "Frankenstein's Daughter."

Once we're told that the late Suzie's head has been transplanted onto the body of Oliver's monster, Wilson assumes the role under a badly-applied heavy makeup complete with lipstick-smeared lips and what appears to be a nylon jumpsuit with black rubber gloves.

It's quite a sight, seeing him do a sort of robotic walk while advancing on his hapless victims who must all back away slowly enough for him to catch them.

More fun comes when Prof. Morton persuades Trudy to have a pool party to cheer her up. Here, Page Cavanaugh and His Trio perform "Daddy Bird" and "Special Date" with vocal help from Harold Lloyd Jr. while Johnny and Trudy cook hot dogs for a gang of "teens" made up of MILFs and guys who look like they have their own teenage kids.

As the police and a not-too-bright Johnny close in on Oliver's nefarious undertakings, Donald Murphy keeps things hopping with his deliciously dastardly performance. Likable Sandra Knight, who would later co-star with then-husband Jack Nicholson in THE TERROR, wanders through the film in a daze, while John Ashley is his usual awesomely faux-Elvis self.

Director Cunha, who could keep things hopping even on a rock-bottom budget, delivers a film that looks good (thanks in no small part to The Film Detective's terrific new restoration--bonus features listed below) and has enough nutty plot twists to keep us mildly agog for the full running time, especially when that wildly improbable "female" monster is stalking the screen.

Naturally, those who don't enjoy bad movies as much as us junk-film junkies may very well agree with that old assessment of FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER as "practially unwatchable." But if you do get a kick out of them, this one should be right up your dark alley.



Buy it at Amazon.com

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Full Commentary track with Author/ Historian Tom Weaver
Full Color Booklet with original essay by Author/ Historian Tom Weaver
"RICHARD E. CUNHA: FILMMAKER OF THE UNKNOWN" - A new career retrospective from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures featuring an archival interview with director Richard E. Cunha
"JOHN ASHLEY: MAN FROM THE B'S" - A new career retrospective featuring film historian C. Courtney Joyner 

Frankenstein’s Daughter
The Film Detective
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Original Release: 1958 (BW)
Not Rated
Running Time: 85 Minutes
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)
Discs: 1
UPC Code:  760137658283 (Blu-ray) / 760137658191 (DVD)
Catalog #:  FB1014 (Blu-ray) / FD1014 (DVD)

FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1958) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

THE AMAZING MR. X (1948) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 10/27/21

 

I'll admit, I had my initial doubts that THE AMAZING MR. X (The Film Detective, 1948) was going to be all that amazing, judging from the pics that made it look like some kind of faux-supernatural romance fantasy with a few mildly Gothic touches.  

It didn't take long for director Bernard Vorhau (whose filmography contains several interesting-sounding films that I've never seen) and original story author Crane Wilbur (who wrote and directed the wonderfully hokey potboiler THE BAT) to dispel such notions.

Right off the bat, we find wealthy, still-grieving widow Christine (Lynn Bari, FRANCIS JOINS THE WACS, ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS) rising from her bed in the dead of night and wafting onto the dizzying balcony of her mansion overlooking the ocean because she hears her dead husband Paul croaking her name from the great beyond.

 

This claim is met with skepticism by her ardent suitor Martin (Richard Carlson, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE), who doesn't want to compete with a ghost for Christine's affections, and her kid sister Janet (Cathy O'Donnell, BEN HUR, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES), who fancies herself more sensible and mature than her older sister.

Again right off the bat, this movie pulls us down into a dark sea of scintillating mystery and spooky atmosphere photographed in rich, gloomy black and white that's often quite beautiful.

That sheer cliff looming over the constantly rushing waves, along with stunning interiors of vast, ornate rooms strewn with shadows, makes for some exquisite production design which gives it all a noirish and at times dreamily indistinct quality. 

 

Being in such a suggestible state makes Christine easy game for supposed psychic Mr. Alexis (Turhan Bey, THE MUMMY'S TOMB, THE MAD GHOUL) who promises to pierce the veil of the spirit world and put her in contact with Paul. But is he for real, or just a slick, money-grubbing phony?

Bey is just right as the handsome and very smooth Mr. Alexis, who pretty much had me convinced from their first nocturnal meeting on the beach.   We then follow the investigation as a more logical-minded Martin hires a private detective to dig up dirt on "Mr. X." Even Janet does some undercover work as a prospective client but ends up taken in by the apparent huckster herself, finding him not only intriguing but also quite exotic.

What follows is a dizzying journey into the world of creepy seances, ghostly visitations, and other fever-dream stuff that's a pleasure to watch as the plot's various secrets slowly unravel themselves in satisfying fashion.

 

 

 The two female leads are fine, especially the very young Cathy O'Donnell. Richard Carlson does the "mundane guy" routine to a tee. Also on hand is prolific character actress Virginia Gregg who would later enjoy a lead role in OPERATION PETTICOAT and turn up in the original DRAGNET movie as well. Donald Curtis appears as the apparition of dead but not quite gone Paul.

The Blu-ray from The Film Detective gives us a new 4K transfer restored from original 35mm film elements, the result being a treat for those who appreciate good old black and white photography. Special features consist of audio commentary from professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney, the original documentary "Mysteries Exposed: Inside the Cinematic World of Spiritualism", and a full color booklet with the essay "The Amazing Mr. Bey" by Don Stradley.

A very pleasant, and very spooky, surprise, THE AMAZING MR. X emerges from its seeming cinematic obscurity (for me, anyway) to offer lovers of old-fashioned supernatural thrillers a heady experience that's so deliciously dark and moody that it's almost immersively atmospheric.

 

Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 18 minutes
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Release date ‏ : ‎ October 26, 2021
Actors ‏ : ‎ Turhan Bey, Lynn Bari, Cathy O'Donnell
Studio ‏ : ‎ Film Detective
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B096WNY182
Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA 

THE AMAZING MR. X (1948) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

 

 

Originally posted on 6/18/22

 

The Film Detective does it again with a nicely-restored special edition of the 1957 fan favorite THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS, which looks way better now than most of us have ever had a chance to see it.

Of course, the scratchy old prints on my local station's afternoon movie show sufficed for me as a kid back in the 60s. While very low-budget and admittedly hokey at times, the film gave me chills back then and still delivers on sheer entertainment value for those of us who grew up on these lurid sci-fi/monster thrillers.

BRAIN boasts a solid cast, with genre stalwart John Agar as scientist Steve March, who stumbles upon strange radioactive signals coming from deep within a desert mountain. Robert Fuller plays Steve's assistant Dan, years before he would become a TV icon in such shows as "Laramie", "Wagon Train", and "Emergency." 

 

Joyce Meadows vividly plays Steve bride-to-be Sally, who grows concerned when Steve returns from the cave without Dan and displaying strange, frightening new personality traits (including a wildly increased libido). This is because he's been taken over by Gor, an evil alien entity bent on conquering the world.

While Gor's appearance has evoked laughter from many viewers over the years--he's basically a giant floating brain with eyes--I've always had a fondness for both him and his counterpart, a benign floating brain named Vol whose mission is to capture the criminal fugitive.

Whenever Steve's body is ruled by Gor, it gives John Agar a chance to display maniacal, homicidal villainy as never before, which he seems to enjoy despite the pain caused by a pair of silver-painted contact lenses designed to make his eyes glow.

It was this indelible vision, and not the floating brains, that gave me such shivers as a kid as Steve/Gor gleefully blew up passenger planes and fried hapless victims with that sinister glare.

The film is skillfully and econically directed by Nathan Juran (aka Nathan Hertz), whose eclectic career also included such diverse titles as THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD and ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN. Camerawork and lighting are particulary good, as is a rousing musical score by Walter Greene.

The disc from The Film Detective offers some nice featurettes (listed below) including a recently-shot tour of the film's outdoor locations with star Joyce Meadows, who also appears along with other guests in the commentary track by leading film historian Tom Weaver. Weaver also penned the illustrated booklet on the career of producer Jacques Marquette. Viewers of the film can choose between full-screen and matted widescreen.

Good production values, amusing dialogue, and a few actual chills are some of the reasons why THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS should appeal to fans of low-budget 1950s sci-fi thrillers. For a film which, on first glance, looks like just another of those "so bad it's good" flicks, it's actually not bad at all.



THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS

Retail Price: $29.95
Release Date: 6-21-2022
Runtime: 71 min.
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Language: English
Closed Captions: English, Spanish
Color/BW: BW

SPECIAL FEATURES -

    Full Color Booklet with original essay by Author/ Historian Tom Weaver
    Full commentary track by historians Tom Weaver, David Schecter, Larry Blamire, and PLANET AROUS star, Joyce Meadows
    The Man Before the Brain: Director Nathan Juran - an original Ballyhoo Motion Pictures production
    The Man Behind the Brain: The World of Nathan Juran - an original Ballyhoo Motion Pictures production
    The film will also be included in a full frame format, 1.33:1
    Now including a special, all new, introduction by Actor Joyce Meadows!

THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 4/25/20

 

Some movies take material that's unused or left over from other films, shoot new footage to augment it, and repackage it all as a new film. But every once in a while a movie is such a mishmash of various elements that it looks like something out of Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.

Which brings us to the 1980 martial arts monstrosity FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH (Film Detective), one of the most stupefyingly shameless Bruce Lee death-sploitation pastiches you'll ever see.

Being that he was the most popular martial arts superstar of all time, Bruce Lee's death brought on an endless parade of cash-ins that used either random footage of the man himself or lookalikes pretending to be him, or both, all hoping to appeal to fans of actual Bruce Lee films such as ENTER THE DRAGON.

Here, exploitation producer Terry Levene discovered a print of a black and white film called "Thunderstorm" which featured a very young Bruce Lee in a pedestrian family drama.

Redubbing it to turn it into a story of a young man who wants to be a martial artist despite his parents' wishes, Levene also added lengthy scenes from an unrelated samurai film as flashbacks, its lead character now identified as Bruce's great-grandfather who was a great warrior.

But Levene wasn't done yet. To this he added new scenes with action star Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, martial arts legend Ron "The Black Dragon" Van Clief, and fight promoter and star Aaron Banks, in a wraparound scenario which takes place during a major fight event at Madison Square Garden in which a new successor to Bruce Lee is to be named.

Some of the ring action is as fake as WWE wrestling (one fighter plucks out an opponent's eyeballs and tosses them to the fans) but there are also some exhibitions of skill and a climactic kickboxing match.

With Banks promoting the actual event, a non-union film crew was allowed access disguised as a TV news crew, including golden-voiced actor Adolph Caesar (who would later be nominated for an Oscar for A SOLDIER'S STORY) serving as both sports commentator and the film's narrator.

Caesar's narration and interviews with actual fight stars give the film a mockumentary quality at times, and his reminiscences about Bruce Lee's early life serve to introduce the "Thunderstorm" footage.

This storyline fails to generate much interest save for the novelty of seeing the charming young star playing a "gee whiz" teen who just wants to skip homework and attend the big karate match.  The "samurai" scenes are even less compelling since we keep joining them in progress and don't really know or care what's going on in them.

In fact, when the film starts juggling scenes from these different old movies in earnest, you may want to start chapter skipping through them just to see what this dizzying patchwork narrative has in store for us next.

I like the Fred Williamson storyline, with some funny touches such as having everyone mistake him for Harry Belafonte. When he fights over a taxi with a nerdy white dude in a suit, I even laughed out loud at the obviousness of the guy's name (scripter Ron Harvey as "Jasper Milktoast").

Later, martial arts star Bill Louie rescues two women from being raped in the park, fighting off a horde of thugs while dressed as Bruce Lee's character "Kato" from TV's "The Green Hornet." And interlaced with all this is actual interview footage of Bruce Lee, dubbed with new dialogue.

Restored from the original 35mm camera negative, the print is not bad at all for an old grindhouse flick such as this. Special features include trailers and a lengthy making-of featurette with Levene, Harvey, Williamson, Van Clief, and director Matthew Mallinson which I actually found more enjoyable than the feature (!) The keepcase includes liner notes from Will Sloan and Justin Decloux, hosts of The Important Cinema Club podcast.

Bottom line: if you get a kick out of this sort of cinematic oddity, then you know just what you're in for and should view FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH in a state of giddy delight. If not, then chances are you'll like it about as much as a swift kick in the teeth.




SPECIAL FEATURES

    Restoration from the original 35mm camera negative
    A featurette of behind-the-camera takes on the film in brand new interviews with Fist of Fear, Touch of Death actors Fred Willaimson and Ron Van Clief, producer Terry Levene, director Matthew Mallinson, and scriptwriter Ron Harvey
    Original theatrical trailer
    Liner notes from Will Sloan and Justin Decloux, hosts of The Important Cinema Club podcast

Release Date: 3-31-2020
Runtime: 82 minutes
Genre: Action
Language: English
Rating: R
Color/BW: Color

FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

FLIGHT TO MARS (1951) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

 Originally posted on 7/12/21

 

One of the best of the wave of fanciful space exploration thrillers that helped usher in the science-fiction-heavy cinema of the 1950s, FLIGHT TO MARS (1951) has been given a lush restoration and released on Blu-ray by The Film Detective along with some interesting extras.

With surprisingly good production values for a Monogram Picture (the studio best known for its lurid 1940s Bela Lugosi chillers), it still retains an endearingly corny B-movie atmosphere.

In such a setting, a historic expedition to Mars can still be manned by a team composed of stuffy old scientists, a brainy woman for whom science is a poor substitute for domestic bliss, her pipe-smoking mentor who is oblivious to her love for him, and a cocky reporter (Cameron Mitchell, THE KLANSMAN, THE SILENT SCREAM, THE TOOLBOX MURDERS) along for the ride who ends up the third corner in their love triangle.

 

One can hardly fault the story for getting so much wrong about space exploration since so little was known about it in 1951. Still, it's amusing when the crew must have the concept of a shower of meteors burning up in the Earth's atmosphere as "shooting stars" explained to them, and certain members are so dourly pessimistic about the mission's success that one crewmember refers to the ship as his "coffin."

Fans of this sort of entertainment will enjoy the ride from Earth to Mars (in the same spaceship interior left over from ROCKETSHIP XM, according to IMDb), including a thrilling crash landing brought off with obvious yet impressive model work.

Once on Mars, the crew encounter a race of intelligent men and women who live in a vast underground complex composed largely of colorful matte paintings that recall the best illustrations from science-fiction pulp magazines of the era, whose wildly imaginative stories seem to have provided much inspiration for this one. 

 

 

With the seemingly kindly Martian leader Ikron (Morris Ankrum, ROCKETSHIP XM) promising to help the Earth people repair their ship for takeoff, Dr. Barker (Arthur Franz, THE CAINE MUTINY, MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS) and his crew soon discover Ikron's more dastardly intent--to take over their repaired spacecraft and use it to escape the dying planet and conquer Earth.  

It's here that the film's star, Marguerite Chapman (THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH, THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN), finally appears as Alita, a Martian woman assigned to help Dr. Barker (and arouse the jealousy of the Earth woman in the bargain). After discovering Ikron's plan, she will side with the Earth people and aid in their attempted escape.

Again, production values during the Mars scenes are quite lovely in a pulp sci-fi kind of way, helped in large part by the use of Cinecolor. Costumes are attractive as well, with Marguerite Chapman an absolute knockout in her micro-mini uniform (Dr. Barker's lovelorn assistant Carol gets one too) and even Morris Ankrum looking spiffy in his stately Mars garb.

Societal norms of the time will either amuse or annoy various viewers (Carol regards Mars' domestic conveniences as "a heaven for women"), although the female characters are all noteworthy for their above-average intelligence.  

 

The film is aided immeasurably by the smoothly capable direction of Lesley Selander, one of the most prolific directors of all time who helmed most of the "Hopalong Cassidy" series as well as countless other westerns, while also venturing into other genres (THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST).

The Blu-ray from The Film Detective is restored via a 4K transfer sourced from the original 35mm Cinecolor separation negatives.  Bonus features consist of two new documentary shorts, "Walter Mirisch: From Bomba to Body Snatchers" and "Interstellar Travelogues: Cinema's First Space Race", an audio commentary by author/film historian Justin Humphreys, and a full-color insert booklet with essay, "Mars at the Movies" by award-winning author Don Stradley.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.

Despite a rather abrupt ending, FLIGHT TO MARS pays off with a final sequence that is exciting and suspenseful. The whole thing's as corny as can be at times, but that just adds to what amounts to one of the most absorbing and enjoyable space exploration yarns of the 1950s.




FLIGHT TO MARS

The Film Detective
Genre: Science-Fiction, Fantasy
Original Release: 1951 (Color)
Not Rated
Running Time: 72 Minutes
Language: English
Subtitles: English & Spanish
SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)
Discs: 1
Release Date: July 20, 2021 (Pre-order now)
UPC Code:  760137572985 (Blu-ray) / 760137572893 (DVD)
Catalog #:  FBR1011 (Blu-ray) / FD1011 (DVD)

FLIGHT TO MARS (1951) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

 

Originally posted on 3/30/21

 

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (The Film Detective, 1961), having seen other sword and sandal flicks that were entertaining but not all that impressive. Which is why this rousing adventure (now fully-restored), which starts out rather modestly before gradually building to an intense finale, left me not only cinematically satisfied but on the verge of enthusiastic applause.

We meet Hercules (former Mr. Universe, Reg Park) in a tavern where he's trying to finish a delicious meal as rowdy young musclemen in service of the crown blow off steam by fiercely brawling all around him. When he figures they've had enough, he rises from the table and amiably makes short work of them all singlehanded, as we would naturally expect Herc to be capable of doing without breaking a sweat.

Various plot complications (along with ample feats of strength from our hero) result in Hercules leaving his wife and his impetious son Illo (Luciano Marin) for a seagoing quest that ends with a mutiny, the loss of his friend Androcles (Ettore Manni), and his being stranded on a savage island where he must rescue the beautiful young Ismeme (Laura Efrikian) from an evil shape-shifting wizard named Proteus whose transformation into various bloodthirsty creatures gives us our first SPFX feast and Hercules his first major adversary.

It turns out that Ismeme is the daughter of Queen Antinea of nearby Atlantis (deftly played by the wonderful and beauteous Fay Spain, THE GODFATHER PART II) and Hercules has foiled a sacrifice to the god Uranus that was meant to ensure peace and serenity to Atlantis. 

 

While the cunning Antinea has an eye for our favorite strongman, he rejects her offer for joint rule of the known universe and instead goes on a rampage against Atlantis' sword-slinging army, with the help of son Illo and feisty "little person" Timoteo (Salvatore Furnari), to free Atlantis' doomed captives and thwart Antinea's evil plans.

The upshot of all this, fortunately for us, is a consistently engaging mix of action, drama, humor, and endless spectacle, with Reg Park an effortlessly likable Hercules. I don't know whether or not it's his own voice that's dubbed in--being an Italian film, everyone's dubbed--but he does a fine job handling this kind of roughhewn classicism.  The rest of the cast are also exceedingly capable.

Other aspects of the film are similarly well-done, and the special effects look good even in those instances when they're not entirely convincing. Surprisingly lavish sets and production design give the film an A-list look, as do the superlative cinematography, costumes, and exquisite locations. 

 

The musical score is rousing, although I've read that the original one was replaced for the American release version, with none other than the theme from "Creature From the Black Lagoon" accompanying one or two scenes.

The finale is so explosive and chock full of special effects (supervised by Mario Bava, no less) that I was reminded of the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice."

It's as though Ian Fleming and Alistair MacLean had collaborated on a Hercules movie, although this time the good guy doesn't just infiltrate and destroy a criminal mastermind's impregnable lair but the entire island of Atlantis itself. The resulting extended sequence, complete with erupting volcano, had me gasping in awe at its spectacle.

The sword and sandal genre (like any other, I suppose) has always been widely hit-or-miss with me, but HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN is so guilelessly entertaining that it's like a first-class ticket on a voyage of pulp fiction fun.


EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL FEATURES

Includes the full Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) version of the film, released in 1992. Additional special features are an introduction by MST3K writer and co-star Frank Conniff; audio commentary by film critic and screenwriter Tim Lucas; Hercules and The Conquest of Cinema: Swords and Sandals, a documentary from Daniel Griffith at Ballyhoo Motion Pictures; and The Duel of the Titan, a 12-page, full-color booklet insert with an essay from author and historian C. Courtney Joyner. (Note: This offer may no longer be available.)

Hercules and the Captive Women

The Film Detective

Genre: Action-Adventure

Original Release: 1963 (Color)

Not Rated

Running Time: 95 Minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)

Discs: 1

Release Date: April 13, 2021 (Pre-order now)

UPC Code:  #760137475286 (Blu-ray) / #760137475194 (DVD)

Catalog #:  FB1010 (Blu-ray) / FD1010 (DVD)

HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 5/23/17

 

It sounds like they put all their eggs-ploitation elements into one basket with the title VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST (aka "Vudú sangriento"), but this wonderfully awful 1974 Euro-horror potboiler, now available on Blu-ray from The Film Detective, is actually pretty short on exorcism (there isn't any) and black people (two of them are actually white actors in dark body makeup). I guess VOODOO WHITE NON-EXORCIST just didn't have the same ring to it.

They didn't skimp on the voodoo, though--the opening flashback sequence, which is revisited several times throughout the film, was filmed in real Caribbean locations such as Jamaica and Haiti, and there's a frenzied voodoo ceremony during which the beautiful Kenya (Eva León) is beheaded.  After everyone tosses her noggin around like a beach ball at a rock concert, her lover Gatanebo (Sergio Leone regular Aldo Sambrell) is entombed alive as punishment for their illicit love. 

Kenya turns up again centuries later, reincarnated (sans body makeup) as Silvia, assistant and mistress to archeologist Dr. Kessling (Alfred May).  As fate would have it, the newly-unearthed mummy they're traveling with via cruise ship is none other than the undead Gatanebo, who not only stalks the ship killing descendants of those who buried him alive, but discovers his lost love right there on board with a new identity and complexion.

 

It's pretty much a shipboard retelling of THE MUMMY but with voodoo instead of Egyptian curses.  The buff, bald, and now inexplicably Caucasian Gatanebo passes for normal most of the time but occasionally reverts back to mummy form with a makeup job that resembles crinkled papier-mache', whereupon he either murders people or pokes them with his golden asp-ring to make them his slaves. 

He kills a bartender descended from the man who beheaded Kenya, then leaves the guy's head on Silvia's pillow for her to find, Godfather-style, when she wakes up.  (He's like a cat bringing home a dead mouse to its master as a present.)  Later, he intercepts a visiting professor at the airport in order to assume his identity, squishing the poor sap under a steam roller.

Production values for this low-budget Spanish effort are fair to poor--direction and camerawork are slipshod at best (but with the odd flash of style now and then), the script is half-baked and filled with howlers ("In infinite time, what must happen happens"), and much of the acting and dubbing are below par.  SPFX and makeups are fake-looking but fun, including some man-to-mummy (and vice versa) transformations.

The Caribbean locations are nice, and the cruise ship is actually at sea during the on-deck exteriors, adding much to the film's ambience.  (Is it just me, or does the recurring island musical theme sound just like the first bars of "Ferry Cross the Mersey"?)  Animal lovers will find the killing of an actual chicken during the voodoo ceremony distressing.

The cast of characters can be a real hoot, especially an excitable lady named Mrs. Thorndyke who reads cards and tells the future (her visions about what's happening aboard the ship are totally accurate yet nobody takes her seriously).  Some of the exchanges between her and henpecked husband Alfred are hilarious:

"Alfred! I would like to get a sarcophagus like this to rest in eternally."
"I'll do my best, honey."

There's also an exotic dancer who's the very definition of "overripe" (I mean that in a really good way) constantly being courted by a world-famous hamburger tycoon, and a portly police inspector who makes like he's Hercule Poirot by deducing that since the first murder occurred at sea, then the culprit must be someone on board the ship.  "It's a shame," he opines after the hamburger guy is killed.  "The best hamburgers in the world."

After more mindnumbing mayhem, the finale has the inspector and his dangerously callow assistants tracking the mummy and the kidnapped Silvia to a cave where they manage to cause more chaos than they avert, leading to a startlingly abrupt ending that slams a sarcophagus lid on the whole shebang. 

The Blu-ray from The Film Detective is widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35 and Dolby digital sound.  English captions are available.  No extras.  The film itself is "in HD with a brand new 2K scan from a rare 35mm archival print.”  The picture quality is likely the best this film has seen since the 70s, although there's still a lot of blemishes here and there which I assume couldn't be helped. 

To be fair, many will find this film about as boring as...well, actually being a mummy.  But for those hardy souls who seek out bad movies to willingly subject themselves to, VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST may prove as pleasantly entertaining as it is woefully inept.



Release date: May 23, 2017

(Stills used are not taken from the Blu-ray disc)

VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

“THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS” (1957) on Special-Edition Blu-ray + DVD, June 21st

 

The Brain From Planet Arous (1957) on Special-Edition Blu-ray + DVD, June 21st

 
Incredible Space-Brain Invades a Human Body With Its Destructive Evil Power!


Independent, Sci-fi Classic Returns With Exclusive Special Features, Including Commentary From Star Joyce Meadows

 

LOS ANGELES — May 23, 2022 — For Immediate Release: Cinedigm announced today that The Film Detective, the classic film restoration and streaming company, will release the 1950s, sci-fi classic, The Brain From Planet Arous (1957), on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, June 21.

 

A great example of cut-rate, sci-fi from the 1950s, this independently produced feature stars B-movie favorite John Agar (The Mole People, Revenge of the Creature) and Joyce Meadows (The Christine Jorgensen Story, The Girl in Lovers Lane) and was directed by Nathan Juran, a master of the genre who helmed such classics as The Deadly Mantis (1957), Attack of the 50-Foot Woman (1958) and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958).

 

Get ready for planet Earth to be overtaken by a criminal brain from outer space! When Gor, an evil brain from planet Arous, inhabits the body of scientist Steve March (Agar), his intention is nothing less than world domination. Lucky for Earth, another intergalactic brain, Val, offers to assist March's wife, Sally (Meadows), in stopping the madness. How does Val intend to help? By inhabiting Sally's dog!

 

The special edition Blu-ray and DVD release will feature a stunning 4K transfer, including two versions of the film, presented in its original 1.85 theatrically released format and in 1.33:1 full frame format. Included in the bonus features will be exclusive commentary with original The Brain from Planet Arous star, Joyce Meadows!

 

“The Film Detective's magnificent restoration of The Brain from Planet Arous reminds me of when I saw the movie on the big screen back in 1957,” said the film’s star, Joyce Meadows. “An amazing achievement, and I'm so pleased this picture is getting the respect it deserves.”

 

BONUS FEATURES: Full-color booklet with original essay by author/historian Tom Weaver; full commentary track by historians Tom Weaver, David Schecter, Larry Blamire and The Brain From Planet Arous star Joyce Meadows; The Man Before the Brain: Director Nathan Juran and The Man Behind the Brain: The World of Nathan Juran, both original Ballyhoo Motion Pictures productions; restored film presented in its original 1.85 theatrically released format and in 1.33:1 full-frame format; and a special, all new, introduction by star Joyce Meadows.

 

The Brain From Planet Arous will be available on Blu-ray ($29.95) and DVD ($19.95) June 21 or fans can secure a copy by pre-ordering now at: https://www.thefilmdetective.com/arous

 

About The Film Detective:

The Film Detective (TFD) is a leading distributor of restored classic programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports, and documentaries and is a division of Cinedigm. Launched in 2014, TFD has distributed its extensive library of 3,000+ hours of film on DVD and Blu-ray and through leading broadcast and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS and more. With a strong focus on increasing the digital reach of its content, TFD has released its classic movie app on web, Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. TFD is also available live with a 24/7 linear channel available on Sling TV, STIRR, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV and DistroTV. For more information, visit www.thefilmdetective.com

 

About Cinedigm:

For more than 20 years, Cinedigm has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe by providing premium content, streaming channels and technology services to the world's largest media, technology and retail companies.

 

The Brain From Planet Arous

The Film Detective

Genre: Sci-fi

Original Release: 1957 (B+W)

Not Rated

Running Time: 71 Minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: English/Spanish

SRP: $29.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)

Discs: 1

Release Date: June 21, 2022 (Pre-order Now)

UPC Code: 760137100454 (Blu-ray) / 760137100447 (DVD)

Catalog #: FB1020 (Blu-ray) / FD1020 (DVD)

“THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS” (1957) on Special-Edition Blu-ray + DVD, June 21st

Classic Creature-Feature "MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL" on Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD March 8th

 

 

Classic Creature-Feature Monster From Green Hell

On Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD March 8th

Featuring New 4K Transfer, Exclusive Bonus Features &

Rare, Colorized Version of the Film’s Climax

Too Awesome to Describe! Too Terrifying to Escape!

 

LOS ANGELES — Feb. 9, 2022 — For Immediate Release: Cinedigm announced today that The Film Detective (TFD), the classic film restoration and streaming company, will release Kenneth G. Crane’s classic B-movie creature feature Monster From Green Hell (1957) on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, March 8.

 

From the era of giant bugs and atomic testing comes this low-budget howler about mutant wasps. When scientists try to understand the effects of radiation on earth creatures, the result brings them to an area of Africa known as “Green Hell,” where wasps have mutated into monsters!

 

Jim Davis, who later starred in the TV series Dallas, plays Dr. Quent Brady, the scientist who starts the whole mess. The film also stars Vladimir Sokoloff (The Life of Emile Zola, Mission to Moscow) as the skeptical Dr. Lorentz and Joel Fluellen (Raisin in the Sun) as Arobi, who warns Brady to beware of the African location. The locals don't call it “Green Hell” for nothing! Monster From Green Hell was co-written by Louis Vittes, famed writer of the classic I Married a Monster From Outer Space.

 

The special-edition release features a stunning 4K transfer, including both widescreen (1.85:1) and full frame (1.33:1) versions of the film. Monster From Green Hell comes as the latest in a series of collaborations between TFD and The Wade Williams Collection.

 

BONUS FEATURES: Missouri Born: The Films of Jim Davis, an all-new career retrospective with author/film historian C. Courtney Joyner; The Men Behind the Monsters, an essay by author Don Stradley featured in a full-color booklet; and commentary with artist/author Stephen R. Bissette.

 

Monster From Green Hell will be available on Blu-ray ($24.95) and DVD ($19.95) March 8 or fans can secure a copy by pre-ordering now at: https://www.thefilmdetective.com/monster-from-green-hell

 

About The Film Detective:

The Film Detective (TFD) is a leading distributor of restored classic programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports and documentaries and is a division of Cinedigm. Launched in 2014, TFD has distributed its extensive library of 3,000+ hours of film on DVD and Blu-ray and through leading broadcast and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS and more. With a strong focus on increasing the digital reach of its content, TFD has released its classic movie app on web, Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. TFD is also available live with a 24/7 linear channel available on Sling TV, STIRR, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV and DistroTV. For more information, visit www.thefilmdetective.com.

 

About Cinedigm:

For more than 20 years, Cinedigm has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe by providing premium content, streaming channels and technology services to the world's largest media, technology and retail companies.

 

Monster From Green Hell

The Film Detective

Genre: Horror/Sci-Fi

Original Release: 1957 (B&W)

Not Rated

Running Time: 61 Minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: English/Spanish

SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)

Discs: 1

Release Date: March 8, 2022 (Pre-order Now)

UPC Code: 760137830887 (Blu-ray) / 760137831099 (DVD)

Catalog #: FB1019 (Blu-ray) / FD1019 (DVD)

Classic Creature-Feature "MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL" on Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD March 8th

The Film Detective Presents: "THE AMAZING MR. X" (1948) & "FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER" (1958) Coming To Blu-ray and DVD in October

 

The Film Detective has two special-edition titles arriving on Blu-ray and DVD just in time for Halloween …

"THE AMAZING MR. X" (1948) Oct. 5th, and "FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER" (1948) Oct. 19th

####

Atmospheric Film Noir Masterpiece, "The Amazing Mr. X" (1948) Coming to Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD, Oct. 5th

Starring the Mysterious Turhan Bey, With Exclusive Special Features

From Out of the Surf It Came ... A Familiar Voice ... A Voice That Belonged to the Afterlife!


LOS ANGELES — October 2021 — For Immediate Release: Cinedigm, the leading independent streaming company super-serving enthusiast fan bases, announced today that The Film Detective (TFD), the classic media streaming network and film archive that restores and distributes classic films, is releasing a special- edition version of the mystifying, film noir classic, The Amazing Mr. X (1948), on Blu-ray and DVD, Oct. 5.

The Amazing Mr. X stars Turhan Bey as Alexis, a mystery man who claims to communicate with spirits. Appearing on the beach one night, Alexis easily charms a depressed widow (Lynn Bari) and her sister (Cathy O'Donnell). The sly Alexis makes a living by separating gullible people from their money, but before this tale is over, he will learn that the living are far more dangerous than the dead.

 

Featuring exceptional cinematography by John Alton, director Bernard Vorhaus delivers a film that oozes weird passion and sinister suspense. The film’s striking 4K restoration from original 35mm film elements and Bey’s performance as the debonair, yet lurking mystic, contributes to one of the most unforgettable film noir restorations to be released in recent years.

Featured alongside The Amazing Mr. X (1948) release will be an exclusive opportunity to own the film with The Amazing Mr. X NFT Auction, live on Rad. The winner of the auction will receive an exclusive physical framed lithograph of the movie poster, two Blu-ray copies of The Amazing Mr. X and NFT tokenized access to view the movie on Rad. The auction is currently available and will close on Oct. 4. For more information, visit: https://rad.live/nft/0x7b5435058ce23328bb918e815c4c13558e468964/14

 
SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio commentary from professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney ● a full-color booklet with essay, “The Amazing Mr. Bey,” by Don Stradley ● Mysteries Exposed: Inside the Cinematic World of Spiritualism, an original documentary from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures.

The Amazing Mr. X will be available Oct. 5 on Blu-ray ($24.95) and DVD ($19.95) and can be pre-ordered now via Amazon and MVD. For more information or to pre-order, visit: https://www.thefilmdetective.com/amazing-mr-x

WATCH THE TRAILER:




 

The Amazing Mr. X

The Film Detective

Genre: Film Noir

Original Release: 1948 (BW)

Not Rated

Running Time: 78 Minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)

Discs: 1

Release Date: October 5, 2021 (Pre-order Now)

UPC Code:  760137652588 (Blu-ray) / 760137658092 (DVD)

Catalog #:  FB1013 (Blu-ray) / FD1013 (DVD)

       

# # #

 
 

 
Richard E. Cunha’s Cult Classic, Frankenstein’s Daughter (1958) Coming to Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD, Oct. 19th

1950s Re-Imagined Frankenstein Film is Reaching From Beyond the Grave to Relive the HORROR and TERROR on Special-Edition Blu-Ray and DVD, With Exclusive Bonus Features


LOS ANGELES — October 2021 — For Immediate Release: Cinedigm, the leading independent streaming company super-serving enthusiast fan bases, announced today that The Film Detective (TFD), the classic media streaming network and film archive that restores and distributes classic films, is releasing a special-edition version of the 1950s cult classic, Frankenstein’s Daughter (1958), starring John Ashley and Sandra Knight, on Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 19.

Fans of low-budget horror will recognize many familiar faces, including John Ashley, Harold Lloyd, Jr., and former Playboy Playmate of the Month, Sally Todd. For director Richard E. Cunha, Frankenstein's Daughter was released in the heat of a historic year for low-budget favorites, also having directed such cult classics as She Demons (1958), Giant from the Unknown (1958) and Missile to the Moon (1958).

Frankenstein’s Daughter finds Dr. Oliver Frank (Donald Murphy) carrying on the legacy of his late grandfather, the notorious Dr. Frankenstein, by building his own hulking beast with the transplanted brain of a beautiful, young woman. Bringing a fresh twist to Frankenstein films, Frankenstein’s Daughter takes place in ''modern'' Los Angeles, where—despite news reports of a female monster menacing the neighborhood—nothing stops the local sun-soaked teenagers from partying poolside.

This special-edition release marks the latest in a series of collaborations between The Film Detective and The Wade Williams Collection. Restorations of Flight to Mars (1951), Giant From the Unknown (1958) and The Other Side of Madness (1971), have also been released recently on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD.

 
 

 
SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio commentary track with author and historian Tom Weaver ● Full color booklet with original essay by Weaver ● Richard E. Cunha: Filmmaker of the Unknown, a new retrospective from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures, featuring an archival interview with the famed director ● John Ashley: Man from the B’s, a new career retrospective featuring film historian C. Courtney Joyner

Frankenstein’s Daughter will be available Oct. 19 on Blu-ray ($24.95) and DVD ($19.95) and can be pre-ordered now via Amazon and MVD. For more information or to pre-order, visit https://www.thefilmdetective.com/frankensteins-daughter

 
Frankenstein’s Daughter

The Film Detective

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi

Original Release: 1958 (BW)

Not Rated

Running Time: 85 Minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)

Discs: 1

Release Date: October 19, 2021 (Pre-order now)

UPC Code:  760137658283 (Blu-ray) / 760137658191 (DVD)

Catalog #:  FB1014 (Blu-ray) / FD1014 (DVD)

 

About The Film Detective:

The Film Detective (TFD) is a leading distributor of restored classic programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports, and documentaries and is a division of Cinedigm. Launched in 2014, TFD has distributed its extensive library of 3,000+ hours of film on DVD and Blu-ray and through leading broadcast and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS and more. With a strong focus on increasing the digital reach of its content, TFD has released its classic movie app on web, Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. TFD is also available live with a 24/7 linear channel available on Sling TV, STIRR, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV and DistroTV. For more information, visit www.thefilmdetective.com


About Cinedigm:

For more than 20 years, Cinedigm has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe by providing premium content, streaming channels and technology services to the world's largest media, technology and retail companies.

The Film Detective Presents: "THE AMAZING MR. X" (1948) & "FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER" (1958) Coming To Blu-ray and DVD in October

"FLIGHT TO MARS" (1951) Launches To 70th Anniversary, Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD, July 20

 

Classic ’50s Sci-Fi Adventure "FLIGHT TO MARS"

Launching to Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD, July 20

From the Dawn of the Science-Fiction Boom, With a Stunning, 70th Anniversary Restoration

From the Original Cinecolor Separation Negatives & Out-of-This-World Special Features

 
LOS ANGELES — July 2021 — For Immediate Release — Cinedigm, the leading independent streaming entertainment company super-serving enthusiast fan bases, announced today that The Film Detective, the classic film restoration and distribution company, is releasing Flight to Mars (1951) on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, July 20.

Flight to Mars blasted into theaters at the dawn of the 1950s science-fiction boom from legendary producer Walter Mirisch (Some Like It Hot, The Magnificent Seven, West Side Story, The Great Escape, The Pink Panther).  Filmed in gorgeous Cinecolor with special effects ahead of its time, Flight to Mars stands as an eye-popping, must-have feature for any fan of the science-fiction genre.

 

 
Starring Marguerite Chapman (The Seven Year Itch, Coroner Creek, Destroyer, A Man’s World, Parachute Nurse) and Cameron Mitchell (The High Chaparral, Hollywood Cop, Monkey on My Back, How to Marry a Millionaire), the film follows five Earthlings who land a successful space expedition on Mars, where they encounter seemingly welcoming Martians. To their surprise, the Martians fear they have depleted the key mineral used to power their life support systems and are determined to get off the red planet by any means necessary, including stealing the Earthlings’ ship and invading Earth!

Restored via a 4K transfer sourced from the original 35mm Cinecolor separation negatives, the stunning restoration and preservation was completed by Paramount Pictures Archive, Andrea Kalas, Charles Stepczyk and Charlotte Johnson and serves as the latest collaboration between The Film Detective and The Wade Williams Collection, with future titles to be announced this summer from Williams’ expansive collection of essential genre films.

 

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD SPECIAL FEATURES:

Two new documentary shorts from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures, Walter Mirisch: From Bomba to Body Snatchers and Interstellar Travelogues: Cinema's First Space Race, with celebrated science-fiction artist/historian Vincent Di Fate ● Audio commentary by author/film historian Justin Humphreys ● Full-color insert booklet with essay, Mars at the Movies, by award-winning uthor Don Stradley ● English and Spanish subtitles.

Flight to Mars will be available for purchase on July 20 on special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95) and DVD ($19.95). To secure a copy, pre-order now on Amazon or via the MVD Shop:

 

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Flight-Special-Blu-ray-Marguerite-Chapman/dp/B08Z4B13ZL/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1621888727&sr=8-2

MVD Shop:

https://mvdshop.com/products/flight-to-mars-1951-special-edition-4k-blu-ray?_pos=2&_sid=4e6cc376c&_ss=r

To learn more, visit:  https://www.thefilmdetective.com/flight-to-mars

 

About The Film Detective:

The Film Detective (TFD) is a leading distributor of restored classic programming, including feature films, television, foreign imports and documentaries and is a division of Cinedigm. Launched in 2014, TFD has distributed its extensive library of 3,000+ hours of film on DVD and Blu-ray and through leading broadcast and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS and more. With a strong focus on increasing the digital reach of its content, The Film Detective has released its classic movie app on web, Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. The Film Detective is also available live with a 24/7 linear channel available on Sling TV, STIRR, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV and DistroTV. For more information, visit www.thefilmdetective.com.

 

About Cinedigm:

For more than 20 years, Cinedigm has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe by providing premium content, streaming channels and technology services to the world's largest media, technology and retail companies.

 

FLIGHT TO MARS

The Film Detective

Genre: Science-Fiction, Fantasy

Original Release: 1951 (Color)

Not Rated

Running Time: 72 Minutes

Language: English

Subtitles: English & Spanish

SRP: $24.95 (Blu-ray) / $19.95 (DVD)

Discs: 1

Release Date: July 20, 2021 (Pre-order now)

UPC Code:  760137572985 (Blu-ray) / 760137572893 (DVD)

Catalog #:  FBR1011 (Blu-ray) / FD1011 (DVD)

"FLIGHT TO MARS" (1951) Launches To 70th Anniversary, Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD, July 20