Magic

 

(1978) Directed by Richard Attenborough; Written by William Goldman; Based on the novel by William Goldman; Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith and Ed Lauter; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. 

Rating: ****

“Magic is misdirection, that’s all it is. And misdirection is getting people to look in the wrong place at the right times.” – Ben Greene (Burgess Meredith)

“I wasn’t aware of this when I was doing the film, but afterward somebody asked me… ‘Was there a parallel in your own life?’ and I remembered, when I was at school, I was very much on the outside, and I developed a repertoire of jokes and impersonations, and through my formative years I kept this repertoire going of impersonations, and I became brilliant at imitating people. It was my only way of bridging this sort of a gap, and in a way, ‘Fats,’ in solid form, is a representation of what was going on in my own life.” – Anthony Hopkins (excerpted from 1978 interview)

If you want to make your movie instantly creepy (or creepier) you can’t miss with a ventriloquist’s dummy. While most dummies would never pass muster as a miniature human being, they dwell in that uncanny valley between real and fake, where a seed of doubt germinates (Are they alive or somehow possessed? Who’s the puppet, and who’s the puppeteer?). Our mind’s rational half scoffs at the idea that a crude facsimile of person, made of wood, plastic and cloth could ever be alive, but our emotional half suggests otherwise (I didn’t see the puppeteer’s lips move… And did those eyes just move on their own?). Director Richard Attenborough’s* film Magic (based on William Goldman’s 1976 novel) raises these questions and more. 

* Fun Fact #1: Norman Jewison was producer Joseph E. Levine’s first choice for director, but when they had a falling out, Richard Attenborough replaced him.

When we’re introduced to Corky (Anthony Hopkins), he’s not exactly an overnight success, struggling to keep an apathetic audience entertained with his mediocre card tricks. His elderly mentor Merlin (E.J. André) encourages him to find a way to connect with his audience. Corky’s solution comes in the form of a comedy routine with his dummy “Fats.” As his new act begins to take off, he’s courted by high-profile agent Ben “The Postman” Greene (played by the always reliable Burgess Meredith),* who envisions a bright future for his new client. As they discuss TV talk show appearances, leading up to a pilot for his own show, there’s only one sticking point. Corky’s elation quickly turns to irritation when Greene mentions that the network requires a medical exam. When the pressure becomes too great, Corky takes off on a self-imposed retreat to calm his nerves. He finds an out-of-the-way cabin in the Catskills managed by his old high school crush, Peggy (Ann-Margret). He soon learns that things aren’t looking good for Peggy, whose marriage to former high school boyfriend Duke (Ed Lauter) is on the rocks, while their resort business is dying. As a romance between Corky and Peggy blooms, Corky’s façade begins to crack. When Fats’ personality gradually begins to overshadow Corky’s, will it be the puppeteer or the puppet** who comes out on top? 

* Fun Fact #2: Sir Lawrence Olivier was originally cast as Corky’s fast-talking agent, but when the British actor fell ill, he was replaced with Burgess Meredith 

** Fun Fact #3: In the novel, the story was told from Fats’ perspective.

Anthony Hopkins walks a tricky tightrope as the mentally unstable Corky* and his alter-ego Fats.**/*** Hopkins credibly creates the illusion that Fats isn’t merely an extension of Corky’s personality, but imbued with a personality of his own. As with many good ventriloquism acts, Corky says things that you could never imagine coming from such a genteel puppeteer. Of course, it’s merely another facet of Cork’s personality, brought to life through an inanimate object. As Corky’s mental state deteriorates, the boundaries eventually dissolve to the point where Fats takes over as the dominant personality. In one scene, Greene catches the two in the middle of a heated argument. Fearing that his client is losing a grip on reality, he challenges Corky to “Make Fats shut up for five minutes.”  When Green subsequently encourages Corky to see a mental health professional, Fats wants the agent out of the picture. 

* Fun Fact #4: Jack Nicholson was originally slated to play Corky, but when that fell through, Levine considered Al Pacino, Gene Wilder and Chevy Chase for the lead role. 

** Fun Fact #5: Professional ventriloquist Dennis Alwood trained Hopkins on his craft prior to filming. As a result, most of the ventriloquism in the film was performed by Hopkins himself.   

*** Fun Fact #6: Levine originally wanted to purchase Alwood’s dummy “Dudley” and change its appearance, so it more closely resembled Hopkins. Instead, a brand-new dummy was created for “Fats.”

 

Ann-Margret is the other major player in this twisted drama, Peggy, who’s the calm within the storm. It’s easy to see why her underemployed, emotionally insecure husband has lost his luster, while this strange man from her past represents something new yet familiar. In a tense scene with Corky, an innocuous card trick becomes a personal struggle when a simple mistake makes him doubt his competence. He lashes out angrily at Peggy, browbeating her for allegedly messing up the trick. Sure, there couldn’t have been a more obvious indication of Corky’s deteriorating mental state if a there had been a neon sign flashing in front of her face, stating “DON’T TRUST HIM. HE’S NUTS,” but love isn’t logical. On the one hand, it’s easy to say she’s making a big mistake when she decides to run away with Corky, shifting from one verbally abusive partner to another. On the other hand, Corky appears to be her ticket out of a loveless marriage.

The film establishes early on that there’s nothing supernatural occurring. Unfortunately, Corky’s fractured mind can’t distinguish between his dummy and a living, breathing human being. The puppet doesn’t manipulate itself. It’s always been Corky, but in his mind’s eye, puppet and puppeteer are two separate personalities. Although Fats doesn’t move or talk on his own when he’s not controlled by Corky, one brief shot suggests otherwise, when the unattended dummy’s eyes suddenly move. Attenborough admitted it was an error, but decided to leave the flub in the movie. While the brief sequence was incongruous with everything else we know about Corky and Fats, it works on a different level suggesting that subjectively, from Corky’s perspective, Fats is alive. 

The ventriloquist’s dummy with a mind of its own is an enduring trope, guaranteed to send audiences on edge. From The Great Gabbo (1929), to the unforgettable final segment of Edge of Night (1945), to Devil Doll (1964) filmmakers and filmgoers alike have been suitably entranced and terrified, and Magic represents a continuation of this grand tradition. Anthony Hopkins’* intense performance anchors the film, serving as its chaotic center. Jerry Goldsmith’s excellent score, simultaneously wistful and eerie, is a great match for Victor J. Kemper’s moody cinematography. The careful control of light and shadow reveals just enough, but never too much, creating an almost noirish tone. It all contributes to a sense of unease that continues long after the movie has ended. 

* Fun Fact #7: In a 1978 interview, Hopkins revealed that he was preparing for his next project with Attenborough, playing the title role of Gandhi (a part that eventually went to Ben Kingsley).

  

Sources for this article: “Screenwriting for Dummies” (2006 interview with author William Goldman); “Fats and Friends” (2006 interview with ventriloquist Dennis Alwood); “Swank in the Arts: Anthony Hopkins” (1978 interview, KERPA, Dallas)

Blue Sunshine

 

(1977) Written and directed by Jeff Lieberman; Starring: Zalman King, Deborah Winters, Mark Goddard, Robert Walden, Wendy Flemming and Ray Young; Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Rating: ***½

“Millions of my generation had experimented with LSD during the late 60s into the 70s. Deep down they all must harbor a fear there could be some validity to the detrimental long-term effects of the mysterious drug. Why not tap into that universal fear the way Hollywood tapped into our generation’s fear of the atomic bomb back in the fifties? What if there was a particular strain of LSD that altered our chromosomes the way they claimed radiation did?” – Jeff Lieberman (from Day of the Living Me)

“There’s a bald maniac in there, and he’s gone batshit!” –  Man fleeing discotheque (Unknown)

Once in a great while, a movie comes along that baffles all expectations. Blue Sunshine is such a film. Writer/director Jeff Lieberman’s follow-up to Squirm (1976) drew upon the paranoia and misinformation surrounding the anti-drug efforts of the ‘70s. The so-called “War on Drugs” and its accompanying propaganda campaign preached about the supposed deleterious effects from various illegal substances, even with one use. But what if the anti-drug campaigns were right all along?  

From the movie’s opening party scene, you know you’re in for a wild ride. Brilliant but directionless drifter Jerry Zipkin (Zalman King) watches his friend Frannie Scott (Played by Billy Crystal’s older brother, Richard) goof off,* doing his best Sinatra imitation. But in an instant, things go horribly wrong, resulting in the brutal killing of a woman at the party, as well as Frannie’s death. Zipkin, now implicated in the murders, is on the run, and has no alternative but to embark on a personal crusade to prove his innocence. Clues point to a politician running for congress, Ed Flemming (Mark Goddard, of Lost in Space fame), who sold drugs in college. Now Flemming is doing his best to bury that sordid part of his past. Meanwhile, the trail leads to a police detective who murdered his entire family before killing himself, as well as Flemming’s ex-wife Wendy (Ann Cooper) who suddenly loses her hair and becomes violent. All the suspects share a common denominator: they once attended Stanford University (Ed Flemming’s alma mater) in the late 1960s, with all appearing to have taken a particular strain of LSD nicknamed “Blue Sunshine.” 10 years after using the drug, they’re now experiencing a host of symptoms: hair loss, headaches, and extreme irritability, which increases over time. The symptoms eventually escalate, causing them to lapse into a psychotic episode. Can Zipkin prove his innocence and save more potential victims before it’s too late? 

* Fun Fact #1: Look for a pre-Blade Runner Brion James as an inebriated partygoer, wildly flapping his arms and cawing like a bird of prey.

I’m not sure how Lieberman directed Zalman King, but his performance is turned up to 11 in every scene. Virtually every line from our protagonist is delivered at a volume and intensity that seems out of proportion to the scenes at hand. Jerry Zipkin is a true believer who never caved in to the temptation to sell out, unlike so many of his peers. Because he refuses to play life by the rules, he’s seen by others as an outsider for his erratic behavior. It doesn’t help Zipkin’s case when on two occasions, attempting to intervene results in death. Only his girlfriend Alicia (Deborah Winters) believes in his innocence, but assisting him could spell trouble with LAPD Detective Clay (Charles Siebert), who’s hot on Zipkin’s tail.

What distinguishes Blue Sunshine from the rest are all the bizarre little moments that make the film so memorable. Witness Ed Flemming’s estranged wife, Wendy (Ann Cooper), who succumbs to the delayed effects of Blue Sunshine. A simple day babysitting turns into terror when the obnoxious kids in her care set her over the edge. Minus the butcher knife, it’s a scene most parents (or anyone who’s worked with kids) could relate to. And did I mention there’s a puppet show? Deciding to have creepy Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra puppets opening for a political campaign speech might not seem the most orthodox or advisable approach to capturing the hearts and minds of potential voters, but you do you, Mr. Flemming. If anything, it’s a welcome distraction from his empty campaign promises. In one of his commercials, he stresses how he wants to “Make America good again” (Hmm… Sound familiar?). The icing on this surreal cake is when Flemming’s hulking aide, Wayne Mulligan (Ray Young) flips his lid, embarking on a disco rampage.* As played by Young, Mulligan looks as if he’s auditioning to play Frankenstein’s monster. 

* Fun Fact #2: The tunes in the discotheque are provided by a band called “The Humane Society for the Preservation of Good Music” (I’ll leave that for you to decide if they’ve succeeded or failed in their mission).

Blue Sunshine throws us a few red herrings along the way, keeping the audience guessing (Did they take the drug or not?). Not everything is how it seems, as depicted in a tense moment when Zipkin’s surgeon friend, David Blume (Robert Walden), starts to lose his cool in the operating room.* Is it the delayed effects of Blue Sunshine, or is it just stress from overwork? 

* Fun Fact #3: Lieberman’s brother was a pediatric medicine intern at the time. While he wasn’t trained as a surgeon, Lieberman consulted him about the various instruments. Unfortunately, his brother only recalled two operating instruments, a “Kelly” and a “Long Instrument,” so Blume keeps asking for the same ones repeatedly.

Lieberman’s oddball film defies easy categorization. Is it horror, a psychological thriller, or a drama? It’s all of these, and more. Blue Sunshine can also be viewed as a vicious satire, skewering the Baby Boomer generation, when many hippies sold out to become part of the establishment. Viewed from a contemporary lens, it’s easily applicable to subsequent generations of Gen X and Millennials, who followed in the footsteps of their parents. Many of us start off with lofty ideals, which gradually become diluted and compromised over the years, sacrificing our scruples for creature comforts.

Much like the fictional eponymous drug, Blue Sunshine is the gift that keeps on giving after repeated viewings. One scene after another is filled with something odd. It’s refreshing to see a film where you can’t predict where it’s going from one moment to the next. Anything can happen (and often does), in a film that’s obviously not made by a committee or focus groups. Filmmaker Jeff Lieberman succeeds by successfully feeding into our collective paranoia – It’s genuinely scary to consider the possibility that some of us might be walking around right now, unaware of the dangers that lurk within ourselves. To say there’s nothing else like the delightfully idiosyncratic Blue Sunshine is a gross understatement. Come for Zalman King’s histrionics, stay for the puppet show. 

 

Sources for this article: Day of the Living Me, by Jeff Lieberman; “Lieberman Using Film Techniques Which Heighten On-Screen Impact,” by John Cocchi, Boxoffice (May 22, 1978)

 

 

The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon V – Final Recap

 

Well, folks, we’ve reached the end of the fifth Hammer-Amicus Blogathon. It’s hard to believe that our first Hammer-Amicus Blogathon was back in 2018, or that seven years later we’d still be hosting these events, but the call went out, and you answered. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our blogs to check out the posts, and especially to those who contributed to the blogathon. It’s a busy time for everyone, so we truly appreciate your hard work and dedication.

A big thanks is in order for Gill, who’s been my incredibly supportive co-host through five Hammer-Amicus Blogathons and eight (!) other blogathons. With this in mind, we both decided that we’ll be taking a brief hiatus from further blogathons. Rest assured that we have plenty of ideas – whether it will be in 2026 or 2027 remains to be seen, but I’m certain there will be future collaborations. Until then, I look forward to an entire year’s worth of new themes and new blog posts.

Wishing all of you (and yours) the very best in the upcoming holidays, and a happy New Year!  

 

 

In addition to today’s links, be sure to visit the Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 Recaps.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 

…Now on to the latest posts:

Rebecca from Taking Up Room witnesses the Horror of Dracula (aka: Dracula) (1958). 

Eric from Diary of a Movie Maniac warns you to NeverTake Candy from a Stranger (aka: Never Take Sweets from a Stranger) (1960).  

 …And don’t hold your breath, but here comes Eric’s (from Diary of a Movie Maniac) second feature, Scream of Fear (aka: Taste of Fear) (1961). 

 

 

The Pit

(1981) Directed by Lew Lehman; Written by Ian A. Stuart; Starring: Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Sonja Smits and Laura Hollingsworth; Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Rating: ***

“I look back and I think to myself, there’s always things you can do better… Jamie’s character, even when you watch it today, is gonna freak you out. You can see the eyes on Jamie. There was something there, and I’m proud of that.” – Sammy Snyders

Everyone likely has a story about the weird kid at school other kids seemed to steer clear of, because of their appearance or behavior (Hey, no judgment here! I was probably that weird kid).  By necessity or choice, they become immersed in their own world – someplace they feel accepted. While we wonder what’s his or her deal, our imaginations take flight with idle (and often inaccurate) speculation. In most cases, they’re harmless but lack the social skills to navigate the nuances and pitfalls of social interactions, have interests that no one else cares about, or just behave a little differently from their peers. The Pit (1981)*/** is about a not-so-benign oddball kid, with the repercussions of his social estrangement taken to horrible extremes.    

Fun Fact #1: Although The Pit was another example of a Canadian tax shelter production, filming was predominately in the United States (with a combination of Canadian and American cast and crew), in the small town of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. 

Fun Fact #2: The film’s original title, Teddy, was also the title of the novelization.

Jamie Benjamin (Sammy Snyders)*/** is a smart but troubled 12-year-old boy that other kids avoid like a communicable disease. Everyone, including the adults in his life, sense something is “off” about him. Interactions with other kids often end in disaster (such as the opening scene, where he’s punched in the face by a schoolyard bully), so he mostly keeps to himself. His only friends are the critters he keeps in an overcrowded terrarium and his stuffed toy, Teddy, who “tells” him what to do. His frustrated parents (Laura Press and Richard Alden) have gone through several babysitters, but when they need to travel out of town, they hire a new sitter, perky college student Sandy O’Reilly (Jeannie Elias). Sandy views Jamie as an interesting challenge. With a major in psychology, she somehow considers herself qualified to conduct some dime-store analysis on him (which goes about as well as you would imagine). While she gradually earns Jamie’s confidence, she becomes the unwitting object of his infatuation. In an effort to gain her trust, he reveals his secret about a pit hidden in the woods (with some particularly nasty little residents), but things don’t quite end up as planned. 

* Fun Fact #3: Screenwriter Ian A. Stuart was less than enthused about the final results, claiming that his “story was destroyed,” turning it into a pure horror film rather than a psychological drama. The filmmakers omitted the ending as originally written, which suggested that everything was in Jamie’s mind (and depicted Jamie institutionalized). 

** Fun Fact #4: Stuart’s screenplay envisioned Jamie as a pre-pubescent boy, around 8 or 9. Instead, the filmmakers cast 14-year-old Sammy Snyders to play the now12-year-old lead character, significantly changing the dynamics of the movie.

We’re never sure how we should feel about Jamie. On the one hand, it’s easy to sympathize with his social and mental isolation as a result of the ostracism he endures. On the other hand, it’s not so easy to excuse his antisocial (not to mention wildly inappropriate) behavior. In one especially uncomfortable scene, when Sandy reluctantly agrees to wash his back, Jamie confesses that his mother still bathes him (“She really tried to make me clean.”), providing some insight into the family’s dysfunctional relationship. He follows up by asking Sandy, “Do you like washing me?”  which predicably sends her running out of the bathroom. In a later scene, he extorts the town librarian (who believes her niece has been kidnapped) into giving him an impromptu striptease (Yes, this scene is about as creepy as you would likely imagine).* In another scene, he professes his love to Sandy by writing on the bathroom mirror while she’s showering. In times of discomfort or indecision, he consults his teddy bear (whose voice sounds suspiciously like him), bringing to the surface his suppressed urges. In the case of Teddy, the conversations are strictly in Jamie’s head. It’s not so easy to explain away the existence of the pit and some troglodytic primordial humanoids (which he calls “Troliwogs”)**/*** that dwell at the bottom. He takes it upon himself to feed the creatures (buying meat with stolen money), but the food supply quickly diminishes, forcing him to take more drastic measures – anyone he deems to be a "bad” person is fair game for the pit. He once again faces a moral dilemma, however, when his supply of enemies runs out. 

* Fun Fact #5: According to Stuart, director Lew Lehman’s wife (who was frequently on the set) didn’t want her husband directing the brief nude scenes. Those sequences, shot later as inserts, were directed by Stuart instead. 

** Fun Fact #6: The troglodytes were initially played by young children, but when the kids started getting sick and passing out from the constrictive costumes, they were replaced by adult little people. 

*** Fun Fact #7: There were two types of costumes used to depict the troglodytes, with the initial crude, makeshift costumes created on location. The filmmakers weren’t impressed with the results, prompting them to fabricate new costumes for close-up shots in a Toronto-based studio.

 

Considering the scenes that preceded his homicidal conversion, it’s an odd choice of the filmmakers to play Jamie’s murder streak for laughs. The Pit lapses into dark comedy through a montage of scenes (accompanied by wacky musical cues), as he leads his enemies (real or perceived) to their doom. Following an argument with Sandy (who believes the pit creatures should be studied), Jamie allows them to escape to the surface, which in turn condemns them to a harsher fate. At this point, the film’s narrative loses its way, with our central character disappearing for the next few scenes. Left to their own devices, the little subterranean beasties create more murder and mayhem than they might have been capable of otherwise. The local police and townspeople combine forces to hunt down the malevolent troglodytes, but it’s never made clear whether Jamie learned about their eventual fate or if he felt any remorse about them. 

 

The distributors should have warned audiences about the risk of whiplash, considering the abrupt mid-film tonal shift, when Jamie starts luring his victims to the pit. In the context of the film, it’s a jarring choice (it’s a credit to composer Victor Davies that he does his best to keep up with the changes). By far, the best part of The Pit is Sammy Snyders’ convincing and creepy performance as the antiheroic main character. Despite the excesses of the rest of the movie, Snyders creates a believable character in Jamie, with a warped sense of justice but recognizable motivations. In Jamie’s defense, the adults he interacts with aren’t much better than his peers, ranging from dismissive to outright hostile, so it’s hard for Jamie to find a moral/ethical compass when no one else does the right thing around him. The Pit is a fascinating mess – a near-miss that almost works, despite its numerous inconsistencies and weird structure. Fans of offbeat low-budget horror may want to give this a try. All others might consider proceeding with caution. 

* Fun Fact #8: Some of The Pit’s disjointed nature could be attributed to the fact that director Lew Lehman was fired before the film’s completion, and wasn’t available to provide input for the subsequent editing. 

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Paul Corupe and Jason Pichonsky; Interview wish Sammy Snyders, “The Babysitter – An Interview with Jeannie Elias,” “Teddy Told Me To – An Interview with Ian A. Stuart.”

 

The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV – Day 2 Recap

We’re back for Day 2 of the Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV, hosted by Yours Truly and Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews. Today, we have another batch of eclectic posts for your reading pleasure. Oh, and please excuse my tardiness if you haven’t received a comment from me yet. You should be hearing from me soon.

Don’t worry if you’re running a bit late! We’ll be sure to post your link on Day Three or (just confirmed) Bonus Day 4. Post a comment below, email me at barry_cinematic@yahoo.com, Twitter (@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic), or by commenting below. You may also contact Gill by commenting on her post, or through her blog’s Contact Me page.

 

Here are today’s offerings...  and be sure to check out the posts from Day 1, and stay tuned for Day 3!

 

What’s that behind you? Never fear, it’s only John from Tales from the Freakboy Zone discussing Paranoiac (1963).

Andrew from Maniacs and Monsters is back in black with TheWoman in Black 2: Angel of Death (2014).

Rise and shine with Jack Seabrook’s (from Bare Bones E-Zine) look at Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968). 

Don’t be afraid to check out Nitrate Glow’s review of Nightmare (1964).

Kevin, aka: The Grump of Horror looks at books – specifically The Engelsfors Trilogy. 

 

Holger Haase from Hammer and Beyond spends some quality time with The Viking Queen (1967).  

Sit a spell with Eddie Harrison from Film Authority as he reviews The Witches (1966).

You’d better not avert your eyes from Dan Stephens’ (from Top 10 Films) take on The Gorgon (1964). 

 

…And don’t slither away before reading my review of The Reptile (1966).

 

I hear your noggin, but you can’t come in. Check out Black Cats and Poppies’ take on The Skull (1965). 

Hey, daddy-o, don’t be a drag. Hang with cool cat Terence Towles Canote from A Shroud of Thoughts, as he comments on It’s Trad, Dad! (1962). 

 

The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV is Here! Day 1 Recap

 

Welcome to the first day of the Hammer-Amicus Blogathon! My co-host Gill (from Realweegiemidget Reviews) and I were blown away by the number of signups (35!), which only proves (after a one-year hiatus with Hammer-Amicus) that absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. We’ve got something for everyone in Day One’s posts, but first, some housekeeping…

If you plan to participate but you’re not quite ready, never fear, we’ll post your link on days two or three (and rumor has it there could be a fourth bonus day for the fashionably late). Post a comment below, email me at barry_cinematic@yahoo.com, Twitter (@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic), or by commenting below. You may also contact Gill by commenting on her post, or through her blog’s Contact Me page.

Be sure to watch out for tomorrow’s batch of posts. Enjoy!

 

 

Forget calling an Uber. Join Terence Towles Canote as he takes The Devil Rides Out (1968) for a spin.    

You’d have to be daffy to pass on Kristina’s (from Speakeasy) review of Madhouse (1974). 

 

Virginia DeBolt from Old Ain’t Dead considers The VampireLovers (1970).  

 

Andrew Wickliffe from The Stop Button entrances us with his take on The Plague of the Zombies (1966).  

 

Joey from The Last Drive-In invites us to spend a night with The Psychopath (1966).  

 

Quiggy from The Midnite Drive-In serves us a delectable double feature of Hammer noir, with Bad Blonde (1953) and Man Bait (aka: The Last Page) (1952). 

 

The one and only Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews discusses Ralph Bates’ career at Hammer (including an introduction by actress Judy Matheson). 

 

 

Space out with Greg Wilcox from Destroy All Fanboys as he explores The Terrornauts (1967).