The year is 1940, and it’s Christmas in “Everytown.” Crowds gather in the streets, buying last-minute gifts and Christmas turkeys. News boys hold broadsheets declaring “WAR STORM BREWING” and “WORLD ON THE BRINK OF WAR.” John Cabal (Raymond Massey) reads the rumors of war, and is disheartened. He is sure that if war comes, it will mean the end of civilization as it is known. … Continue reading Things to Come (1936)
One year, one film: 1956 The film: Forbidden Planet, dir. Fred McLeod Wilcox Starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, and Leslie Nielsen Rating: Recommended | Highly Recommended | MUST-SEE Forbidden Planet is one of the most beloved examples of mid-century sci-fi, and a truly enduring classic, all for very good reason. In vibrant color and with plenty of special effects, the film tells the story of … Continue reading One year, one film: 1956 – Forbidden Planet
Dr. Tom Merrinoe (Philip Abbott) is an intelligent man, a scientist employed by Stoneman Institute of Mathematics. There he runs a super-secret supercomputer holding “the sum total of all human knowledge.” Merrinoe’s computer is visited one day by General Swayne (Harold J. Stone) and Colonel Macklin (Dennis McCarthy), who want to use it to check the fuel estimates they’ve made for an experimental rocket launch. The … Continue reading The Invisible Boy (1957)
NOTE: This review contains a few spoilers, but they’re marked. These spoilers aren’t serious; most plot summaries of the film include them, but I’ve marked them for those who may be learning of this film for the first time via my blog and prefer to be surprised. Lieutenant Dan Prescott (Bill Edwards) is a test pilot for the United States Navy. His latest mission is … Continue reading First Man Into Space (1959)
Some B-movies are dull, some are hilariously bad, and some walk the line between “so-bad-it’s-good” and brilliant. The Giant Claw belongs to that last type — incredibly corny, and at the same time 100% enjoyable. The film opens with some paranoid narration about how the world has gotten smaller, and time has lost all of its meaning. There are threats in the sky, and radar must … Continue reading Classics of the Corn: The Giant Claw (1957)
Todd of Cinema Monolith and I are back today with another two-person mini-blogathon! We’re reviewing another cheeser, Zontar, The Thing from Venus. Take a gander at our previous buddy-watches: Invasion of the Star Creatures Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory And once you’re done reading my thoughts on Zontar, head over to Todd’s review to see what he thought! Made for television in 1966, Zontar is … Continue reading Zontar, The Thing from Venus (1966)
“I need this world. From millions of light-years away I approach your planet. Soon my space ship lands on Earth. I need your world. I feed on fear, live on human hatred! I, a strong mind without flesh or blood, want your world! First, the unthinking — the birds of the air, the animals of the forest — then, the weaker of men shall all … Continue reading Classics of the Corn: The Beast with a Million Eyes (1955)
The small town of Pine Ridge, California is being terrorized by some kind of livestock-killing creature, and the citizens are in a frenzy over it. Things get even worse when a man turns up dead. Local Native Americans blame the victim himself, saying that any man who walks on the burial grounds will certainly die. The rest of the town has trouble taking this legend … Continue reading Classics of the Corn: Giant from the Unknown (1958)
Joel Cadman (Basil Rathbone) is a well-known, well-respected surgeon living and practicing in England in the late 19th century. He’s so well-known and well-respected, in fact, that he’s been knighted! With the prefix “Sir” attached to his name, one may assume that Cadman lives a charmed life, but no such luck. He’s actually dealing with great emotional anguish, as his wife rests in a coma … Continue reading Chaney Blogathon: The Black Sleep (1956)
A group of scientists have traveled to an island in the middle of nowhere, where they hope to study the effects of nuclear testing on the environment. But when they have some airplane trouble, they’re stranded on the island. Things only seem to get worse from there. The island is plagued with rock avalanches and seems to be slowly crumbling into the ocean. Making the … Continue reading Classics of the Corn: Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)
