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Of course, I have heard about this film since the 1970's, though I have yet to see it. It made a career for Darren McGavin. But the reason I am interested in seeing tonight's first feature is not only historicity, but because this is the film (or footage from it) used when Robert Burton as Chad takes English teacher Julie Eldridge (Karen Black) on a date at the drive-in movie and drugs her. Of course, later she turns the tables on him, which is why we love Julie. I don't know what tables will be turned here, but it will be interesting to see a once iconic, but now forgotten film.
But--
The good news is that, for the second feature, Gojira is getting his due. The bad news is this starts at 10:30, meaning the program will run till 12;30, which is too late for this queen to stay up, unless he is out at a social event. The other bad news is that the original 1954 masterpiece, "Gojira," will not be shown, but it should. Instead, it will be the pasteurized process version, released in 1956, which combines all the best footage of the masterwork, but was re-marketed, and added Raymond Burr as a narrator to explain things to audiences whom producer Joseph E. Levine considered dumb. And that included Americanizing "Gojira" to "Godzilla!" Well, in this house, we call him Gojira!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For those willing to stay up, you can see through the crap to what a masterwork this is, when shown in its original version, which, so far, has only been seen in revival houses. As for those who cannot stay up, watch until Gojira's iconic appearance atop the hill. And then cheer him on!!!!!!!!!!!!
Poor Gojira! His should have been the first feature, so more people could watch.
You can bet Gojira will be contacting Svengoolie!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Baby Gojira, too!
Plus, Little Pippin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK I like Svengoolie, but if "The Night Stalker" (a brisk little gem that clocks in at approximately one hour fifteen minutes) is being shown in a 2 and a half hour time slot, the pacing is going to be completely shot. That's a shame if it's your first viewing, because, far from being forgotten, this may be the ultimate 70s cult TV movie. Chock full of recognizable faces from that era of television, it was revolutionary in treating a vampire story as a police/journalistic investigation into the "impossible".
ReplyDeleteI watched the Godzilla movie....but alas, I could never get into the Nightstalker series of episodes. I skipped that and watched my local station with an offering of Rosemary's Baby.
ReplyDeleteTheMst7883,
ReplyDeleteYou were right. It is a better movie than I thought, and the Svengoolie format made it extremely slow moving. I could tell it was not meant to be. And, yes, lots of familiar faces from that era of TV, I remember.
Some never-to-be-forgotten lines:
ReplyDelete"Cheryl Hughes.... en route to her doom."
"What'd he do - throw her?"
"This nut THINKS he's a vampire!"
And the fashions! Hot pants, go go boots and psychedelic polyester double knit!
Hope you get to see it uncut and uninterrupted some time!
Mistress Maddie,
ReplyDeleteOh, my God! "Rosemary's Baby?" Horror doesn't get any better than that!
TheMst7883,
ReplyDeleteLove those lines. Yes, I hope to see it in its proper form, sometime. Thanks for the references.