White Zombie

Devil’s Cargo

Condemned to live

The man who changed his mind

Village of the Damned (1960)
6/10

Never saw this film before. And I don't want to give the story away. Basically something happens to a small town and it is apparently of a supernatural or alien origin.

It's a very interesting idea, and shot nicely. But the idea rolls out very slowly and barely gets out of the crib. The idea could have been developed so much more in the time allotted... felt myself tapping my fingers across the table.

Interesting note, especially for those who've seen this before... the more widely distributed Americanized edit freeze-frames the children and white-outs their eyes. Looks good on the movie poster, but in a film it's just hack... it's jolting and looks so fakey, it takes you out of the story.

The Gorilla

I got that impression with other vintage films as well . Seems like the bare notion of the monster was already so terrifying for the audiences at the time that the filmmakers did not feel the need to elaborate on it. Like the abrupt ending in Dracula: somebody just says so and phew, the monster is dead. End credits.

Voodoo Man

THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON (1958). One of the very first scary movies I saw on TV as a little FD, nostalgia played a big part in watching HDS again. A Scientist finds out the hard way that "Hangovers and Radioactive isotopes don't mix" and the main plot is almost WOLF MAN-ish, albeit not as good.
But despite the negligible budget and amateurish acting, it's a fun little romp, although Gil (Star/Director/Producer/Story::shocked:: Robert Clarke) is a tool You quickly lose sympathy for as He doesn't learn from his mistakes and continues the boozing, impulsive behavior and extreme lechery; almost surprised He didn't hit on the Senior on the Solarium! The little moments make the film fun, such as how the lamp almost gets the better of Gil, the Piano player (although the Marilyn Monroe-esque Nan Grey is a startling visage of pulchritude), Gil's ranting and the use of library music later heard to better effect in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.
The costume of the monster isn't bad, although towards the wrap up, it looks like Robert has had an "accident", more likely just sweating up a storm. *81/2

Fog island