Thursday, December 9, 2021

Darlings, Join Us Saturday Night, As Svengoolie Presents That 1958 Favorite, "How To Make A Monster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   This is a nice, warm, human story about a disgruntled studio make-up artist, understandably upset after being given the heave-ho after 35 years.  I get it, girls; believe me.  But the extremes he goes to outdoes any lengths to which I might go. 



                                      Robert H. Harris is Pete Dumond, the disgruntled employee.  Nine years later, he would give another memorable performance in 1967's "Valley Of The Dolls.  This is a horror movie, but there is some reality.  Because real actors are used as the murderers.  Gary Conway, who did play in "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein," reprises his role here. AIP could not get Michael Landon to come back and do a 'Teenage Werewolf' reprise, but Gary Clarke, as Larry Drake, ably fills in.  The saddest character in the film is Rivero, played by Paul Brinegar. He is Dumond's personal assistant, and he gets treated like dirt.



                                         One has to believe that a component in the make-up of the monster actors has a hypnotic ingredient whereby Dumond can get them to do anything; namely get even with those who terminated him by killing them.



                                              Some magic happens near the end, but I won't tell you.  However, the viewer does get a glimpse of some of AIP's greatest make-up creations--the Saucer Man, the She-Creature, and my personal favorite, Cucumbo!!!!!!!!!!!!   Who always, and still does, deserve a second movie.



                                               See those teeth in the poster?  Those are Cucumbo's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                                                 So, join us Saturday night, for this special favorite!



                                                 Little Pippin is so excited.  He has never seen this before.  He cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                                                  Let's all make a monster Saturday night, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                                      
                    

9 comments:

  1. hello michael and david we just saw west side story and im happy to say it can stand on its own against the orignal the cast was great except tiny was a little weak they have a trans actor on the jets side.But speilberg took actual photographs of the demolition of the whole area and cgi it and set up cranes and mounds of dirt and dust you really feel the area and rita morenos role is so much bigger than i thought it would be so good. and my audience no left when the film ended they applauded each cast member went wild over sondheim they showed the proper respect for everyone now the only thing is i saw it in imax maybe 2 dozen people in audience i dont think it will do well with spiderman opening next week, happy holidays you two interested to see what you think when you two see it take care stay well

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  2. didnt proof read it tony the actor playing him a little weak

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  3. aww Cucumbo one of my all time favorites too!

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  4. Norman,
    We are fine. I saw WSS Friday, and
    was enormously impressed by it. Loved
    Ritta Moreno. I want David to see it,
    see it, so will do at a later time. I
    had no problem with Tony; he puts Richard
    Beymer to shame, and has a magnificent voice.
    The audience at my screening reacted the same
    way. Only 2 dozen at the screening. Will do
    a blog post on it eventually so keep your eyes
    peeled. Happy Holidays to you, Joe, and everyone.

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  5. Victoria,

    Thanks for your support of Cucumbo.
    He deserves another movie. He is so
    cute!

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  6. The monster masks displayed in the climactic gallery scene appeared to be backup copies or draft copies of the "real" masks used in prior American International films (i.e. the Cucumbo was not the complete creature but just the face part, and was missing its eyes). Was looking forward to the restored color ending Svengoolie promoted, but when it came there wasn't any real reason for it to be in color aside from the flames. Tho it was amusing that the red curtained gallery strongly resembled the Black Lodge in Twin Peaks: I half expected Laura Palmer to emerge from the curtains.

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  7. Darling,
    I did not notice the missing
    eyes on Cucumbo. As for the color
    sequence, it has always been there
    every time I have seen this film.
    But such homosexual subtext!

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  8. "Homosexual subtext"?

    The text was rather overt for ME: Gary Conway was so friggin beautiful I nearly clawed thru my TV screen to get to him. Holy mother of pearl: did you see how lovingly they showcased his chest and biceps in that too-tight gray "Teenage Frankenstein" t-shirt?

    Gave me the vapors even more than his Playgirl pictorial, which was hot stuff for 1973:

    http://welclometomyworld0426.blogspot.com/2013/07/gary-conway-playgirl-august-1973.html?zx=f0c51d145c141440

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  9. Darling,
    All you say about Gary is true.
    But the whole thing with them hanging
    out all the time, saying they had dates--
    yeah, right--and Dumond's obvious attraction
    to them. This movie also shows why closet
    cases are so dangerous!

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