Girls, What A Dazzling Display Of Color, Frrom "Svengoolie!!!!!!!!!!! " But What Happened With "Sventoonie????????????"

                             I cannot rave enough about "Killer Clowns From Outer Space."  I would never equate this with a masterwork like "The Wizard Of Oz," but it is amazing to me how the Chiodo Brothers, who wrote and directed the film managed to do so well with a low budget.

                             The circus concept is brilliant and maintained throughout.  The clowns arrive in a spaceship replicating a circus tent.  When they kill people, they shoot them with guns that fire out popcorn!   These poor souls are taken to the ship, where they are turned into embryos sacked in cotton candy!  Eventually, the candy breaks open, and new killer clowns are born!!!!!!!!!!!

                            The set decoration and art direction are ablaze with color.  Even the interiors, which, I believe were shot inside some factory. are painted in the most vivid hues.  They must have been influenced by 'Oz', because even though it is a campy cheapie, it is ablaze, and dazzling to look at.

                                                                     

                             The story less so; just your general sci-fi trope, but the visuals make this film.

                              And the visuals include actor Grant Cramer, as--are you ready for this--police Officer Mike Tobacco.  That's right.  He is hot and looks like he just emerged from doing porn.  But he has an A-list pedigree, being the son of actress Terry Moore, who is still alive, at 94!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have seen many of her films; who could forget "Peyton Place," in 1957, when she played Betty Anderson?  And how about her Oscar nominated performance as Marie in 1952's "Come Back Little Sheba?"  Even "Sventoonie" deconstructed one of her earliest films, "The Great Rupert."

                                 Darlins, it simply has to be seen.  Who would have thought a piece of wonderful trash would have such artistic aspirations?

                                   Is there a sequel?  I would like to see it, out of curiosity.

                                                                    

                             I don't know what was up with "Sventoonie," darlings, and I apologize.  I had posted originally, he was to deconstruct the 1977 TV movie, "The Night They Took Miss Beautiful."  Its plot involved a bevy of beauties aboard a ship containing a dangerous bacterial organism--probably Rip Taylor!!!!!!!!!!!!!--but instead, he ended up showing a frothy, romantic MGM musical, "Royal Wedding."  And not one of that studio's best.

                              This film has a checkered history.  It was planned for 1948, with June Allyson to star opposite Fred Astaire, but she became pregnant.  Next, Judy Garland-who, having worked with Astaire in "Easter Parade," would have enlivened the film.   Alas, she had her problems, so could not do it.  Finally, Jane Powell stepped in, a fine singer and dancer, but not Judy Garland!  Though staged with all the wizardry of the studio, with a cast featuring Astaire, Powell, Peter Lawford, Keenan Wynn, and in what might be her only film performance, Sarah Churchill!  Yes, girls THOSE Churchills!  Who knew? Alas, this was shelved, not released until 1951, and, up against the brilliant "An American In Paris," "Royal Wedding" did not find public favor.

                               The film is memorable for Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling and side walls, aided by the camera.  This is worth watching, but even the short deconstruction is boring to watch.  What happened here?  No horror, no camp.  If "Sventoonie" keeps this up, he will lose his audience.

                               But "Killer Clowns From Outer Space" made up for it.  And do you know who handles its distribution???????????

                                That is right, darlings--Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                How ironic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!