Matt Hastings (John Agar) is a doctor on a mission. After being refused an autopsy on a highly unusual corpse by the sheriff, Dr. Hastings is determined to figure out what caused the corpse’s apparent sudden acromegaly. Hastings calls on Dr. Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll), who had a hand in refusing the autopsy. As it turns out, Deemer knows there’s something odd going on. … Continue reading Tarantula (1955)
“Hey, this is swell. Home murder mysteries! Why go out for thrills when you can have them in your own parlor?” Tim Winthrop (Leslie Fenton) has asked his criminal lawyer pal Clay Dalzell (William Powell) for help tracking down a missing girlfriend. Clay’s sort-of fiancée, Donna Mantin (Ginger Rogers) is intrigued by the case. That night, the three head to the theater, where the mysterious … Continue reading Star of Midnight (1935)
Matt and Jean Spenser (played by real-life couple Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna) are a young couple with big dreams. Matt is set to receive an inheritance from his uncle, and when he does, it’s off to Samarkand for adventure and exploration. But the inheritance isn’t quite what Matt expects. Instead of a wad of cash, it’s a property — a movie theater. Not all … Continue reading The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
Dear readers, I apologize for taking an unexpected break! Things have been a bit wild for me on a personal level this month. I’ve had little time for movie-watching, and even less time for writing. I’m further behind on planning/prepping blog posts for August than I’d like to be, but I hope this post will mark a steady return to our normal three-days-a-week schedule on … Continue reading Period film: The Last Tycoon (1976)
Frank Enley (Van Heflin) was lucky to survive his time spent as a prisoner of war in a Nazi camp during the second World War. When he returns home and settles down in a small California town, he is known as a war hero and a well-respected member of the community. Frank’s Wife, Edith (Janet Leigh), knows that Frank moved them across the country from … Continue reading Act of Violence (1949)
“The desert is full of things that don’t belong.” In the California desert, a meteorite has crashed into the Earth. This isn’t an entirely unusual event, but it is good reason for geologist Ben Gilbert (Phil Harvey) to collect a few rock fragments for study. That night, a container of water is knocked over near the rock, which causes the rock to grow — killing … Continue reading The Monolith Monsters (1957)
Jerry Day (Gary Cooper) and Toni Carstairs (Carole Lombard) are globe-trotting thieves, traveling the world together and falling in love. The two are just leaving Shanghai when Jerry gets word from his hometown and there’s trouble regarding his daughter, Penny (Shirley Temple). Jerry’s wife passed away, and he left Penny with her family. Now they want permanent custody. Jerry considers taking the money offered by … Continue reading Now and Forever (1934)
Dascom Dinsmore (Robert Montgomery) is a telegraph operator working and living in an isolated cabin in the snowy north. His only human contact is with his occasional Eskimo assistant, Kimo (Otto Yamaoka). Dascom’s cabin is about to get a lot more social, though. Sir James Felton (Reginald Owen) has had to make an emergency landing nearby in his small plane. Accompanying Felton in the flight … Continue reading Petticoat Fever (1936)
Buzzy Bellew (Danny Kaye) is a nightclub entertainer… and a part of the criminal underworld. His life has been pretty busy, of late. He’s preparing to testify against a mobster named Ten Grand Jackson (Steve Cochran), and preparing to wed his girlfriend/fellow singer, Midge Mallon (Vera-Ellen). Of course, with his plans to testify, he’s become an enemy of Jackson, who swiftly decides to have him … Continue reading Wonder Man (1945)
“So close, the infinitesimal and the infinite.” Scott Carey (Grant Williams) is enjoying a sunny afternoon on a boat with his wife, Louise (Randy Stuart). When Louise heads into the cabin to get a couple of drinks, Scott is troubled to see a large cloud moving over the surface of the water toward the boat. It engulfs the boat, but passes just as Louise emerges … Continue reading The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
