The Silver Screen Oasis

Of course, I've been a fan of the film ever since I was a kid. I knew the film as just a great movie--maybe even a little more transcendent than that. But in recent years, having watched a number of films from that year--in all sorts of other genres--I'm absolutely stunned by how unique it is among its contemporaries--even I might say, Dracula.

I once heard a commenter say, "It was the Star Wars of its day," or, for a more recent comparison, The Avatar of its day.

Maybe the intuitive preference for the first over the second (Bride) comes from the sheer energy of something brand new being created. Everyone must have put a lot of trust in Whale. Because, when you think of it, as a piece of art, it's completely out there!

Despite it being made up of, maybe, 75% stock footage, the remaining 25% of Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster is truly horrifying. NASA has created a humanoid (named Frank) to pilot a rocket to Mars. Unfortunately, aliens think the ship is a nuclear warhead and explode the rocket, sending "Frank" back to Earth; Puerto Rico to be exact. The aliens' home planet has suffered nuclear war, and as a result, they need to scoop up as many females as they can to repopulate their own planet, so they, too, land in Puerto Rico. Princess Marcuzan (The Brain Who Wouldn't Die's Marilyn Hanold) and her assistant Nadir (who looks like the offspring of Uncle Fester and Doctor Spock--however that might work) have their minions collect as many women as they can find (many of them in bikinis) while Frank's creator and his assistant race to Puerto Rico in search of poor Frank. Despite time being of the essence, an exciting "chase" scene, with a Vespa leisurely careening over the scenic Puerto Rican roads (with strains of 60s rock n roll band, The Distant Cousins), coupled with the dramatic fight between Frank and Mull (the dreaded Space Monster), Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster doesn't disappoint.

Women in horror films are so obliging. They're always in swimsuits, night gowns or half slips.

Having way too much fun in iMovie. This is my tribute to the big guy.

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oh, wow! this is great, Mich, absolutely GREAT!!!!

Thanks! It was a lot of fun trying to remember some of the cartoons in which Frank shows up!

A wonderful short film! Great selection. So glad you got "Borax Karoff" from "Porky's Auto Race" in there.

I knew you'd know Borax! ("Any resemblance to the living or dead is the bunk.") Great cartoon.

I was almost done when I remembered ol' Neon Noodle, so just had to squeeze him in, too.

Many thanks!

This was great! I had forgotten that Michael Sarrazin played the monster once in the '70s in that Christopher Isherwood-Don Bachardy version. I also loved the music. How about doing one about the Brides of Frankenstein sometime?

Great smoking neck bolts! That was superb! I cannot believe you even got Frankenberry in there, and Lurch.

I'm showing this one to everyone I know. Great job!

JackFavell wrote:I cannot believe you even got Frankenberry in there, and Lurch.

Thanks.
Actually I forgot Lurch. That's Richard Kiel as the Monster in an episode of The Monkees. (It killed me not being able to fit a shot of him as the monster wearing a Monkees' wig and playing the guitar. The dancing just fit too perfectly).

I have always been under the impression that Lurch was inspired by Morgan, the butler played by Karloff in "The Old Dark House" (1932).

Oh my gosh, I always thought that was Ted Cassidy! I was wondering where I had seen it before, of course The Monkees! My daughter and I just watched a bunch of the episodes recently.

Lurch was originally to be played by my ex-girlfriend's mother, but the image was deemed too disturbing.

smpfh!

That's me stifling my surprised giggle.