The Puppet Master Continues: Puppet Master: The Legacy

Welcome back one and all for Day 3 of The Puppet Master Continues. When last we left our monstrous moppets, they were flashing back to a simpler time when they were first brought into existence and Sutekh's people were rampant over Cairo. This time around we move into modern era with a "rogue" agent searching for Toulon's puppets and secrets and she will not be detoured. This is Puppet Master: The Legacy.

Jeez, another old guy. Why don't babes ever answer our Craigslist post?

Maclain (Kate Orsini of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Gargoyle, Rail Kings, Welcome to Earth and The Nurse) has tracked and scoured the Earth looking for the secrets of Toulon back to the Bodega Bay hotel where Toulon offed himself waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the first film... and was resurrected for the second and them we are at a lost from there on. Reading through his diary and getting a narrative of earlier accounts the diary catches fire and Maclain will have to seek her answers elsewhere. She found a older gentleman now of Eric Weiss (Jacob Witkin of Ekkusu bonba, Superboy, Swamp Thing, Showgirls, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II- Jedi Outcast, Dr. Moreau's House of Pain and Phantom) formally Peter Hertz, the boy Toulon saved from the Nazis in World War II. Present day, Peter has finally found out whatever happened to his friend after years of being out of contact with each other.

Yul Brynner??!!!

Eric has been going through Toulon's notes in order to make sense of the alchemy and strange chemical formula when he is held at gunpoint by Maclain and she demands the secrets so we go through an extensive flashback re-telling with... archived footage? That's right folks, we are getting Toulon's vacation slides and a narrative from Eric. Interspersed with previous footage I saw maybe a half hour of new material but otherwise the rest is from the previous flicks. Maclain goes on to further establish before she arrived at the hotel she tracked Dr. Rick Meyers of Puppet Master 4 and Puppet Master the Final Chapter down and stipulated she wanted Toulon's diary. When she didn't get it by means that were not evil she apparently shot Meyers and his friends to lay hands on the diary.

Eric remains calm for the most part, waiting for a chance to strike. Knowing full well that the puppets remember him and will protect him at Toulon's last wishes and thoughts are being played out on a recorder. The recordings always speak of someone else discovering the secrets and not knowing fully what the formula can be. Soul transference is the name of the game kiddies. Toulon has been dropping souls into his deadly dolls for ages and each new puppet master has been doing the same. Are they now legion? Where are these other dolls? What is their end game?

A few comments of the film now. This is the first Puppet Master film directed by the franchise creator Charles Band. The acting in this movie between Orsini and Witkin isn't bad. The film really tries to fill in the massive amounts of gaping plot holes left by the series but let's face it, those holes are as wide as chasms by now. The pretentious need to have everything tie together by this time does not quite meet up with fans' expectations by this point. Vainglorious endeavors aside, the effort should be acknowledged in spite of the lack of real story telling. If you are an avid fan of the series then by all means, partake in the movie. Otherwise, you can easily skip it. This moving picture doesn't really tell us anything we didn't already know but plays up a bit of suspense.

You will sexually gratify me or get a bullet in the head!!

The Puppet Master Continues: Retro Puppet Master

Hello all and welcome back for Day 2 of The Puppet Master Continues. Yes after that tremendous pile of donkey flop, I wouldn't at all be surprised if all interest in this series completely stopped. Well enough of Dr. Magrew, his daughter Jane and Tank and surprise, surprise NO NEED TO FOLLOW THEM anymore. It's time for another flashback story. Toulon returns after the events of Puppet Master III as he escapes the Nazis heading towards the Swiss border for their fine hot chocolate, watches and knives. What adventures await Toulon and his creations this time around? This is Retro Puppet Master.

No I am not Wesley Snipes and does it look like I can sign an autograph??!!

So the year is 1944 in Switzerland... which is impressive considering Toulon blew his brains out with a pistol in 1939 so this should actually be the year 1938 but who needs fact checking and consistency in their own series? Find me a Horror franchise that has actually mastered that well. Toulon and puppets hide out in an abandoned inn when Blade discovers an old carved puppet head in the case called Cyclops bringing Toulon into a series of flashbacks within a flashback. Ahhh!!! We are approaching Highlander territory now. Journey to Cairo in 1902 when Toulon (Greg Sestero of Nash Bridges, Gattaca, Edtv, The Room, Accepted, Alien Presence and The Pit and the Pendulum) as a young man meets Afzel (Jack Donner of Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, Good vs Evil, Star Trek: Enterprise and Vampire) a reputed 3,000 year old sorcerer that stole vast secrets from the followers of the demon Sutekh. Sutekh less than thrilled about this creates three mummies to dispatch him but for some reason the mummies subcontract to a couple of human servants because the sorcerer can sense the mummies trailing him. Confused? EXCELLENT!!

I think we are too early for Goth.

Moving on, Ilsa (Brigatta Dau of Ranma 1/2, Alien Nation: The Enemy Within, Sliders and NightMan) is daughter to the German Ambassador who is apparently a horrible human being and her mother is well less than notable as she doesn't even appear physically in the movie at all. Thugs start pummeling Afzel in the streets outside the theater Toulon's puppet show inhabits, shrieks for help as the thugs scatter like rats deserting the sinking ship, leaving Toulon and Ilsa to aid Afzel.

Realizing that humanity will need help from the elder gods stirring in their sleep, Afzel teaches Toulon the power and formula to animate the puppets as saviors to humankind. In spite of their murderous tendencies of the past movies. A humble beggar dies on the streets and Afzel and Toulon transfer his soul into Pinhead (the puppet not Hellraiser's Doug Bradley). Amazed what is before his eyes, Toulon becomes a diligent student in these arts of magic. Our mummies look a bit foppish in bowler hats, suits, ties and dark smoked glasses. Yes I am not even making that up.

White guys playing Egyptians which I guess that would be Brownface do their level best to secure the secrets of Sutekh by being total peckerheads. Attacking the embassy in the night, abducting Ilsa and killing her parents. Toulon must give back the scrolls to the white Egyptians or they will dispatch Ilsa. Will they be true to their word? Is there a double-cross lurking in the wings?

Yup, now it is time for more facts on the film. This is the first of the Puppet Master series to be filmed outside the US. Mostly "Paris" was Bucharest and Snagov Romania. Shot in 12 days Guy Rolfe's scenes were shot in a day so you guessed it, we will be in flashback land for a bit. The footage of the train is actually shot for a mini-trilogy called Puppet Wars that never got off the ground, so why not use footage already in the can? It was all interior anyway. Interesting enough James Franco auditioned for young Andre Toulon. Well it beats playing new Green Goblin with Sandman and Venom I suppose. Mono-filament wire is being used yet again so no stop-animation for our puppets. Still this was vastly superior to Curse of the Puppet Master.

So what did happen to Rick Meyers? Even beyond the grave I cannot tell you.

Exploitation Week: Black Samurai 200th Blog!!!!

Welcome back babies to the end of Exploitation Week and my 200^th Blog!!!   Now being a fan of some of the more interesting exploitation I see the name Jim Kelly pop up now and again.  Who you ask?   Well this fella starred in a film called Enter the Dragon alongside Bruce Lee and John Saxon.  So I thought I would view his take of a James Bond agent of D.R.A.G.O.N.  So get those skinnies on, prep some R & B and get your groove on.  This is Black Samurai.

 

Gotcha now John Saxon!

Robert Sand: Surprise spoilers!

Robert Sand (Jim Kelly of Enter the Dragon, Black Belt Jones, Three the Hard Way, Take a Hard Ride and The Tattoo Connection) is a special agent of D.R.A.G.O.N. (Defense Reserve Agency Guardian Of Nations) on his month long vacation enjoying a little tennis with a honey when whitey appears with a case!  Say it ain’t so!   His commanding officers Whitey and Oppression inform Sands that he must save a Chinese girl named Toki (Essie Lin Chia of the Dragon Creek, Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, The Singing Thief and Love Without End) who is the top Eastern Ambassador’s daughter as well as Sand’s girlfriend.  

Big Jim is happy to see you too...

The scalawag responsible is named Janicot (Bill Roy of Black Samurai and Nurse Sherri) a student of the dark arts and occult who is known by his mass growing cult as the Warlock.  Why anyone would want to be referred by a Julian Sands movie is beyond me.   The cult specializes in kidnappings, sex trade and human sacrifices as well as dope peddling.   Oh and do expect many a racist comment to be had.   Apparently if you are in a devil worshiping cult you are also a racist.  Who knew?   Janicot’s high priestess Synne (Marilyn Joi of The Kentucky Fried Movie, Nurse Sherri and Satan’s Princess) while very eye catching just delivered her lines with less enthusiasm than a hostage.  Nuance and subtly just was not the order of the day.

Hmm, Charlie's Angels or Andy Warhol? You decide.

I have a few notions on the film at this time if you don’t mind.  Shot in 35 mm Spherical but again recorded in Mono.  C’mon babies put that audio in 4 Track Stereo at least.  The track is mostly redubbed due to their previous boom mic handling was crap they had everyone come in to the same recording booth and then they dialed down the ambient sound.

 I had to hear a midget sound like Edward G Robinson sporting a 20 gauge sawed off shotgun.   Of course the midget gunsel got blown away and I was screaming hate crime.  More midgets were used in martial arts flogging.   Our Bond car was a ’71 Stingray with a retractable shotgun aimed low for tires and I guess the redneck gunsels were carrying nitroglycerin and moonshine in the car because it went up like a bonfire.

Size 12 snap kick fo you, sucka!

Sorry if this sound like I am on a rant but I had to see “Sands” on a less realistic jetpack that Connery’s in Thunderball.  Yes, I heard the helicopter flying in our jet pack plus saw the crane towing it. The dark arts set up looked like a combination of Haitian beliefs, interpretive dance and leftover Hammer sets for their black mass.  Yeah folks you can avoid this one.

Ossorio Week: Night of the Seagulls

Day 4 of Ossorio week and things may be looking up as we journey into the final installment of the Blind Dead series.  Will there be terror?  Will there be dread and chaos?  Will jiggly girls dominate the screen?  Will there be a decent plot and I and talking about a cemetery.   Strap yourselves in, make peace with your deity and hold on tight!   This is Night of the Seagulls a.k.a. La noche de las gaviotas

Pesky Mormons at the door!

Spoilers raaann… they ran so far awaaaaaaayyyyy…

We open our film with… you guessed it, a flashback sequence.  Seems to be the theme set from the second opus Return of the Blind Dead so this could mean we are in for some thrills and blood spills.   If it has a faster pace than the third film I am all in favor.    Our location is in Cataluna Spain with its various ruins and monasteries for excellent background, already a step up for a cheesy alleged 16^th century Spanish Galleon that the Scooby gang would have torched.    An aide, presumably the guard of a noblewoman scouts on ahead to see if there is any danger in the night, and yes it is shot at night with a decent lighting array.   Yay!  Budget increased!!    In travel to this little village the man is slain almost immediately by the then live Knights Templar and the lady is to be (dun dun dun) sacrificed.   Not sure if that means the fair sex is more appealing to demons and rites of that nature or if it is just blatant sexism.   Take your pick.   The tone of the movie is already set at the 8 minute mark; in that there will clearly be a coherent storyline again.   With clearly an off-screen dismemberment and some impressive body part props I think we may be in for a horror movie after all. Yay again! 

Psst.. you fart?

500 years later… back at the same quaint little fishing village, Dr. Henry Stein (Victor Petit of Topical Spanish, Hora once, La respuesta, Clara es el precio and Trampa sexual) and wife Joan (Maria Kosty of The Family, Fine, Thanks, El divorcio que viene, Las chicas del bingo and My Friend Washington) are moving in as clearly his practice will not only be necessary but welcomed.     The town acts a bit standoffish and the Steins are a bit at a loss for words.   Might have helped their case if they didn’t announce how drab the town looked and clearly the inhabitants are primitive savages.  That's a lousy bedside manner, doctor.   Henry is quick to anger and clearly when good cheer doesn’t get you your way there is always manhandling.    After finding the elder doctor’s house Henry and Joan are invited in and the elder doctor looks more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. 

We got some eerie music with a range of electric guitar and synthesizer to set the mood.   Sadly the Steins didn’t find a Crazy Ralph archetype to warn them off with mentions of a death curse or they would be spinning that Yugo outta there.   Henry sees the old doctor out via burrow and the elderly fellow tells him to not to pry into the town and never go out at night.   Abandoning the story arc created by Horror of the Zombies, Night of the Seagulls seems to bring all that was lacking in the third film such as: the shrouded horses, terrified villagers and in general well executed jump scares.  A little bit of stock footage from the first two movies is spliced and hell who can blame them when they looked as menacing as they did.

 It seems the Knights Templar now called roughly the Knights of the sea, and yet they escape their tombs riding out every seven years for seven nights to demand a sacrifice of a young maiden.   The kicker is the village seems to be perfectly fine with this notion that the lot of them garbed in black as some sort of cult straight out of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth.  So fine with it that the villagers themselves with a dark chapter of the lottery here, the Steins and Teddy (Jose Antonio Calvo of El mercenario II, Evilio, Torrente 2: Mission in Marbella and Torrente 4) the village punching bag/idiot finds out that one of the girls slated for sacrifice is Lucy (Sandra Mozarowsky of The Book of Good love 2, Beatriz, Hitler’s Last Train and Mortal Sin), a maid of all trades that frankly I really don’t know what her job title is.   Nevertheless her countless…um days of compassion and assistance must not be wasted.  On to save young Lucy!  

Fellas, we eat tonight!

The filmstock looks immaculate.  Not the hopeless grainy of the third film but a good solid print and of course the option of English voice dubbed or subtitles is presented.  Highly recommend the subtitles.  You get a better inflection in the tone of emotional states and hey you may learn a little Spanish.   No guarantees.   For some reason due to the windy cliffs our cult masses begin around 5 in the afternoon and are edited with late night shots.   Lighting may have been a bit of a hassle.  Getting a far amount of generators to run that many lights plus anchoring them down somehow.    Not quite as impressive as the first two but definitely a decent capper from the 3^rd.    Maybe we can just view Horror of the Zombies as the Highlander 2 of the Blind Dead.

Amando Ossorio Week: Horror of the Zombies

Back again boys and girls as we trek further into our Blind Dead tetralogy.   The opening credits start us off with the same Gregorian chant yet again and I will be buggered if I know what they speak of.   I have it on good authority that there will be some surprises in store for us this time around.   So saddle up, settle in and get ready for this whirlwind of excitement.   This is Horror of the Zombies a.k.a. El buque maldito.

Tee hee!

A’ vast maties there be spoilers on this voyage of the damned!

Moving our location we find ourselves away from Portugal and on the happening streets of Madrid and it’s fashion week…in Madrid…didn’t know that was a port of call for such so I will just smile, nod and sally forth.     We see that world of modeling through the eyes of Noemi (Barbara Rey of El chulo, Zorrita Martinez, Rostros and Vampiresas) as she is looking for her missing roommate Kathy.  Her last known location was with her employer Lillian (Maria Perschy of Man’s Favorite Sport?, 633 Squadron, House of Psychotic Women, Fox Hunt and The People Who Own the Dark), a woman so cold to the touch you could keep a side of beef in her for a month.    Lillian states that Kathy (Blanca Estrada of I Hate My Body, Suesualidad, The Book of Good Love, Las locuras de Jane and Mystery on Monster Island) no doubt is a typical dumb girl and is shirking her responsibilities and shoos Noemi away.   Noemi threatens to call the police and Lillian looks genuinely nervous.   Later that day, Lillian explains to Noemi that Kathy is fine and in a boat in the Atlantic with another model partaking in a publicity stunt for a sportswear advertising campaign.   Yeah I am stumped how that helps the shareholders too folks.   

Curse you, He-Man!

 Say, wasn't there supposed to be Knights Templar in this flick?  This is where the story sort of detracts from the story presence of the second film.  With a foundation of explaining who the Knights are, what is their purpose and overall goals this film does a 180 and just leaves you thinking, “I really could be doing the laundry now.”   Methinks the producers or money lenders had too much influence and said, “Hey we want to see jiggly girls in bikinis!”    Ossorio went on record during his interview/documentary that he was less than satisfied with this film so you can be assured there will be some chop in the waters already.

Getting back to our riveting story, entrepreneur Howard Tucker (Jack Taylor of The Vampires’ Night Orgy, Call of the Blonde Goddess, Conan the Barbarian, Panther Squad and The Sea Serpent), sporting goods mogul hired both Kathy and second model for this brilliant concept to bring vast media attention as they are…out in the sea by a main shipping route.  Tee hee girlies all defenseless and in need of rescue.    I really do not get the crux of this plan but Tucker is convinced this will net him millions, since his car didn’t do so well.  Oh wait.. that was Jeff Bridges’ movie.  Boy that sounds much better to watch.   The girls report in every other hour via CB to inform us they are fine but this time around they see in the *ahem* Fog an ancient Spanish Galleon that crashes into their little speedboat.  They are forced to climb aboard as they are many miles from civilization.  Such awesome power does the ship emit, that it can turn day into night.  And more Fog than the Carpenter flick and yet it is less dense than the models.

Jazz Hands fail!

With no communication since their last contact, Noemi threatens to go to the press and Tucker’s henchman locks her up and collars her to a cot.  Yeah so now endangerment to human life, fraud and kidnapping is the order of the day.   For a business mogul Tucker seems a bit dumb.  Clearly he needs to just take Noemi for a little drive that ends with her in a trash compactor but hey I can only do so much for the guy.   Tucker and Lillian go to the girls’ aid after making a stop at the University for an expert on 16^th century Galleons.   Keep in mind the description of the ship was so vague it bordered on a big boat.  

33 minutes go by with a tick tock of the slowest clock and finally a hint that the Knights Templar are even in this fricking movie.  OVER A HALF HOUR!!!!!   The pathetic attempt at a back story for almost every character except the ship’s parrot just drug on.   The parrot didn’t get much of a speaking part and was a womanizing booze hound. 

The production quality went really downhill, the lighting with fog looks atrocious, I feel like I watching a Scooby Doo mystery…with implied rape, slow pacing and death scenes that takes ages to start.  Yes it is about the same level grisly kills but it just felt forced.  Yes somehow we’re supposed to forget Tucker’s henchman clearly attacked Noemi prior to this rescue attempt.     That’s all for now folks.   Here’s hoping number 4 is a vast improvement.

Amando Ossorio Week:Return of the Blind Dead

Back again kiddies for Day two of Ossorio week as we journey further with a look at the continuation of the Blind Dead series. The story may just bring some new developments.   So get warm and snug in your sleeping bags and listen the tales of high adventure.  This is Return of the Blind Dead a.k.a. El ataque de los muertos sin ojos.

Spoilers can be an inconvenience….

Spa treatments of the 13th Century

Our film opens with of all things a flashback to 13^th century Bouzano, Portugal.  An unruly mob of peasants of captured the Templar Knights and only by using sheer numbers.   The villagers plan on condemning these men for heresy, witchcraft and murder.   One of the knights swears revenge on the village for their persecution and you have to see the irony in that, now don’t you?    Prior to their deaths by fire each of the knights’ eyes are burned out via torch, on the off chance they can in fact raise themselves from the dead and seek bloody retribution. Then they are treated to a little fire, Scarecrow as they roasted alive.  I do not claim to be an authority on chainmail or a historian but the cloaks over the chainmail of our knights… well I can see the stitch patterns.  So it was either the work of demons from the Underworld or a Singer stitched it up hastily

    After that festive and happy scene we crank forward 500 years into the future as the village prepares for the anniversary since the Knights were defeated and the best way I know how to break into a celebration is to hurl stones at the village idiot.  Yes a gaggle of youngsters feel that is truly the best greeting for Murdo (Jose Canalejas of Django (1966 version), A Professional Gun, Horror Express, If You Shoot… You Live! And The Standard) the crippled buffon fends off stones until Monica (Loreta Tovar of Night of the Sorcerers, The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff and When the Screaming Stops) and Juan with his Manos, Hands of Fate handlebar mustache (Jose Thelman of Tombs of the Blind Dead, Night of the Sorcerers, When the Screaming Stops and Night of the Werewolf) shoo the little scamps away. 

Due to extreme recycling laws, kick the can is replaced with Kick the Murdo

Back in town square fireworks technician and former military captain Jack Marlowe (Tony Kendall of The Big Bust Out, They Were Called Three Musketeers But They Were Four, When the Screaming Stops, Giant of the 20^th Century, Cop or Hood and Thrilling Love) converses with the Mayor (Fernando Sancho of I Was a Parish Priest, The Return of Ringo and The Big Gundown) his secretary/fiancée Vivian (Esperanza Roy of The Girl of the Nile, The Garden of Delights, It Happened at Nightmare Inn and The Book of Good Love 2) and Dacosta (, The mayor’s faithful man servant er um I mean aide.   With an expedient backstory, you get the feeling of bad blood between Mayor Duncan and Marlowe as it would appear they love the same woman.  Gasp a love triangle!  Well we all know that will end with quiet, dignity and grace.

Vivian and Marlowe go for a walk in the region as they just happen to stop by the very same ruins were the Knights Templar is buried.   Murdo spies on them making out and then speaks of the legend of Knights Templar.  After they both scoff at him he makes a blood sacrifice of one of the local girls in order to raise our nefarious Knights and bring death and destruction to all those who mocked him.   From flashbacks to current rampages this entire movie has taught me if you an attractive girl you will be topless, stabbed and receive the Mola Ram heart treatment.

 Lot of tight pan zooms and really impressive handheld work here and in 1973 that means they were still using thePFX_Gll Panaflex that still was a load and lug up these hilly terrains.  Possibly Vista Vision but they would have had to pry that from Paramount.  Similar to the anamorphic lens getting high residue shoots with a wide scope shot.   The outcome is a bit more plot, depth in the story from the first but a bit more graphic deaths and yet a far amount of topless shots.  I still feel bad for Ossorio not getting the spectral horse effect he really wanted.  Instead their heads are covered with a foul looking shroud symbolizing they are as undead as their masters.   I am thinking if you did a few spliced shots of the horses in full gallop combined with some foam and fiberglass dummies the riders could sit on in exterior night shots you would capture the effect.     Mind you a very simple but easy costume effect is their undead portion later with just using canvas tarps, smudging and smearing their cloaks with mud, dirt and local cow flop I guess.   A bit ominous and imaginative I have to say I am kinda pumped to see how this tetralogy finishes. 

Amando Ossorio Week: Tombs of the Blind Dead

Howdy all.  Today I have chosen Amando de Ossorio as the subject of the week.    With the mass level of Spanish and European Horror films making a huge surge, Ossorio wanted to stem away from films like: Santo E”La Vengaza De La Momia, The Lepers and Sex, Mission Sabotage and of course the uprising continuation of the Hammer Films of this time like Dracula ’72, The Karnstein Trilogy know as: The Vampire Lovers, Lust for a Vampire and Twins of Evil.   Ossorio knew the mainstream was changing and more violence, an increase in gore and nudity was on the horizon past the exploitation films.   That did not mean that story had to be sacrificed in the process.   The basis of the Blind Dead series is around the ghost stories he heard as a boy.    So huddle in around the burning pit, and make sure your charcoal filtered mask is working.   This is La Noche del terror ciego.

Even spoilers need subtitles… (Incluso spoilers necesita subtítulos)

With capturing the legends of the Knights Templar a order of the Crusade that was said to be annihilated for performing the black arts of witch craft, Ossorio spins the tales of perhaps those very wealthy and pagan men did receive the immortality promised to them all those centuries ago.

 But enough of that, pool party!  Bikinis and more body hair than Ron Jeremy and John Holmes combined and yes everyone disco dancing.    Our story opens with a young couple on vacation running into an old friend from school.   Virginia (Maria Elena Arpon of The House That Screamed, Crimen imperfect, Black Story and El Cristo del Oceano) recognizes her dear friend Betty (Lone Fleming of Bad Man’s River, In Happened at Nightmare Inn, Where Time Began and Return of the Evil Dead) and the two proceed to catch up.  They speak on about their lives, work and any budding romances, when Roger (Cesar Burner of The Man Called Noon, Green Inferno and Last Chance), Virginia’s boyfriend pulls himself out of the pool in a suave yet smarmy manner.  Virginia tells Betty of Roger and her impeding trip into the country.  Free from the hustle and bustle of society and just enjoying the relaxation that the country provides.   Betty is hesitant to join as she is unattached and Roger assures her she will find a man willing and with this they are scheduled to meet up at the train promptly at 4. 

A few odd notes and it will be right back to our gripping story line.   To cash in on the popularity , foreign distribution want re-cut and released La Noche del terror ciego with the alternative title Revenge from the Planet Ape in some half assed effort to capitalize on the success of the Planet of the Apes films.  With a new prologue attempting to link the two stories together, this story makes ape prisoners whom been tortured and maimed, vow to return from the dead to seek bloody retribution on mankind and avenge themselves against man’s injustice and tyranny in the hopes of saving the planet.

Back to our flick in process, our couple is met back up with Betty who couldn’t snare a fella but Roger insists she join them all the same.  Virginia seems to be quietly seething and is of the mindset Roger is looking for a little action on Betty’s behalf.   And with a bit of stomping out and a rather nice dissolve when find out in a flashback that Virginia and Betty were…close one might say and sorry fellas the shots are actually tender (minus the organ music) and feel innocent.  Roger now hip to what is going on, Virginia settles on the brilliant idea of leaving the train at the only port of call being some old ruins and no civilization to be seen.    GENIUS!!!  Roger and Betty discover this temper tantrum; jump the train in the hopes of finding her.  After trekking a bit in the ruins clearly it is time to camp in the very…eerie ruins that is not even on a current map. Now before this sounds cranky this is only in the first 12 minutes. 

Finally, the legion of Spamelot rise and it is clear they are not big on trespassers.    I had the hardest time not snickering as the burial crosses starting to shift in the loose soil. No no, that’s not Styrofoam, that is clear a marble and granite found in the area and just appears as though wind could push it about.   And what brings back the dead you may ask? Why those pesky kids with their smooth FM Jazz and their filthy cigarettes.    Given their complete lack of peepers it is said that the Blind Dead must hunt by sound and sound alone.  Don’t…make…noise.

The handheld, tripod based and steady cam work has been amazing.   I admit I was drooling a bit over the ladies but as characters boy they needed name tags establishing: Born to be disemboweled.  The tone of the movie is captured well by lighting and various fog and smoke effects. Exterior shots as well as a few day for night did not sway me from finishing this.  I gather what the overall effect was to be from this film in telling a ghost story that shook our writer/director’s very being but the limited budget must have been utter hell for Ossorio and personally I would have loved to see the knights’ mounts mostly skeletal with bit of fur and meat draped haphazardly.   Ah well.  What could have been.