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I
was one of the "untrained teenage voices"
hired (in Nashville
by Chet Atkins
for Al Hirt)
to sing the song "Hoo-ray for Santa Claus".
Is this the same title
song for the
Santa
Claus Conquers the Martians?
“S-A-N-T-A C-L-A-U-S Hooray for Santa Claus...Hooray
for S.C. Yeah, Yeah for
Santa Claus,
He's fat and round, but jumpin' Jiminy, He can climb
down any chim
in y???”
I've been
trying for years to get a recording. It's my claim
to fame. I made
my
first real paycheck ($36) for that recording.
Should I sue for royalties??
Hyla
Well
that's cool. I would venture to guess that the
production company cleared the rights to use the song,
though. Look on the bright side. You've made a small yet
pivotal contribution to one of the wonkiest holiday
classics of all time.
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Hi There, Is a DVD or VHS available
for The
Lonesome Stranger? Friends and relatives don't believe me when I tell them about this
movie short.
Thanks, MMH
Ack.
Not that I'm aware of. I found the short on an old beat
up VHS tape tacked on to a copy of Muscle Beach Party
that I taped off of AMC many a moon ago. Good luck in
your search.
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I
am an Australian novelist living and working in Poland.
I am currently writing a novel set in the 1950s/early
60s, and I am interested in a couple of "educational"
films you have mentioned on your website, in
particular 'red nightmare.' do you have a copy of this
film?
Mat
Schulz
The
Red Nightmare short is still available as a bonus
feature on the old Invasion
U.S.A. DVD. For more of those shorts I'll point
you to Something
Weird Video's Campy Classroom Classics or
Driver's Ed Scare films. There be plenty to sift through
there. Good luck.
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I
read your perspective of the old movie Nightmare
in
Badham
County
and it was well
written. I was just as shocked as you with the scenes
that were not originally shown on ABC back in the 70's
when the movie was released. I thought it was a great
movie and I agree that the Sex scenes were not
necessary. There is one correction that I wanted to
point out to you. You named the character
Alma
as the bull dyke
prison guard but
Alma
was Sara's black friend in the bunkhouse. The bull-dyke prison guard
was
Alice
and she is not
credited that I know of and I even checked the IMDB
site. Do you happen to know the actress' real name?
Al
You
very well could be right about the character snafu, Al.
I'd double check but that was a rental, God knows I
wouldn't waste real money on this -- thing. *bleaugh* If
Alice was part of the new uncredited skuzzy footage, we
may never know who she really is.
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I
was delighted to find your write up of the movie You'll
Find Out. Not many people know this movie exists. I
found it on AMC about ten years ago and it has become
one of my family’s favorites. We watch it every
Halloween. It's become a tradition. My young son took it
to school to show to the class. I thought it was funny,
a bunch of first graders watching an old black and white
movie. They loved Ish Kabibble. It is a delight to
see anything written about it. You did a good job.
Thanks.
John
And thank you, John. Ish is an acquired taste. I
thought he was funny in most instances but in a few
others he fell flat on his kabibbles. He was great when
he played off Kayser and I thought his musical number
was pretty good. I understand that Ish only played the
idiot on stage because he actually was the band's
accountant and took care of all the financial matters
off stage.
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Not
sure if your e-mail address is still good, but just for
fun was reading your Billy
the Kid vs. Dracula site, I remember watching this
film against a sheet hanging on the side of a hooch in
Vietnam, I remember it had everyone laughing especially
in the scene when the stage coach door glass reflected a
modern car driving down a road in the back ground lol.
Grady
Hassell
Thanks
for the tip on the gaffe, Grady. I might have to cue
that up and take a look.
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I
recently found your sight, much to my amusement. I just
finished reading your review on Riding
Bean, and I have some things to say. I'm not going
to attempt to change your opinion on Riding Bean (save
to say that there is in fact worse. It's called the 70's
in general), but rather explain a few things. The Rally
in riding Bean is the same Rally as Gunsmith Cats, just
before Gunsmith Cats existed (Riding Bean is also
recycled into the Gunsmith Cats Manga). This is because
both Riding Bean and GSC were made by Keiichi Sonoda,
and reading the manga will help somewhat to explain
Bean's supposed invulnerability (All his clothing,
including the bandanna is custom made and ceramic
plated, and thus Bulletproof. As for getting run over by
a car, he's a freak of nature.) As for why Riding Bean
stinks so much? Sonoda admits he was between major
projects, and allowed his love of powerful cars and
chase scenes to
get the better of him during the making of Riding Bean.
And though Riding Bean is a major stinker (though the
destruction is entertaining) writing, directing, it has
some redeeming value in helping him to come up with
Gunsmith Cats. If you knew this already, then I
apologize for wasting your time. Oh well. (And yes, I
watched Riding Bean because I thought it would be good
because of Sonoda's involvement. Guess he and I both
messed up.)
Jewette
Well
I didn't write that review but I'll pass it along to
Paul. I just have the crappiest luck when it comes to
renting anime. I can respect it as an art form and have accidentally
stumbled upon some fantastic films but nine times out of
ten I wind up with something like Riding Bean - or
something monumentally worse like that hentai crap.
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I
have read your amazing review about Killdozer
and it’s brought so many memories back to me. I
watched this film hundreds of times and I’ve lost the
only copy that I had of it years ago, I have tried so
hard to find it too. If you could help me out I would be
so grateful!!!
Mike
George
Just
click your way over to Five
Minutes to Live (DVD) or MTC
Europa Video (VHS). They should be able to take care
of you.
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Love
your rating system although it appears that a magazine
calling itself Brutarian started this whole thing way
back in 1991? Are you familiar with the
publication?
Dom
Nope,
can't say I've heard of it. But I will say beer and
movies have been linked together for a lot longer than
fifteen years. I've been doing it since '86 and I sure
as hell know I didn't invent the idea. So a tip of the
glass to all who drank before us in the name of
crap-cinema!
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The
original "Godzilla"
may owe much to "Beast
From 20,000 Fathoms," but not nearly as much as
the Devlin/Emmerich version. Devlin and Emmerich are
already known for lifting material from Harryhausen and
other sources, but geez... If you replace the
Rhedosaurus' virus with asexual reproduction, and Coney
Island with the Brooklyn Bridge, it's horrifying to see
how much is swiped from "Beast;" the giant
monster disappearing into an evacuated Manhattan, its
appearance on the dock, and so on. Hank Azaria's
"stomp" scene in "Godzilla" (in
which he's too ridiculously preoccupied with his
equipment to notice the gigantic threat bearing down on
him) is obviously based on the "reloading dumb
cop" scene from "Beast." It's practically
a (bad) remake of "Beast." And of course, the
stuff they didn't swipe is all s-u-c-k. The appearance
of footage from "It Came From Beneath The
Sea"--the bridge scene, no less!--is the worst
insult to the audience since the TV airing
"Halloween" footage got kicked in during the
slasher's gawful second sequel. Toho Studios got their
revenge on Devlin and Emmerich; the excellent
"Godzilla-Mothra-King Ghidorah: Giant Monster
All-Out Attack" opens with a bit of dialogue
discussing--and dismissing--the US version as "not
the real thing," and in the upcoming Japanese
finale to the current Godzilla series, "Godzilla:
Final Wars," a parody of the Devlin/Emmerich
monster (named "Zilla") will make a very,
very, VERY brief appearance before the "real
thing" turns him into street pizza. On another
topic: Yes! I must say I quite prefer "The Giant
Behemoth" as well. While the overall effects are
not as consistent as those of "Beast"--and
there's a ridiculous amount of repeated effects run
through the optical printer--there are a couple of
effects that are so beautiful, so flawless, that they
still astound me today. (Even if the glass used for the
matte is awesomely filthy!) And I prefer the characters
and actors in "Behemoth." (Ironically,
"Behemoth"--not "Godzilla"--is the
one that has horrifyingly graphic depictions of
radiation burns; yet it's the little kid setting off the
Geiger counter in "Godzilla" that always
chokes me up.) Thanks and Take Care!
Matt
I
honestly wouldn't put it past old D&E to be arrogant
enough to think people wouldn't know the difference
between all those monsters you mentioned but I'm more
inclined to believe that those idiots DIDN'T know the
difference between Harryhausen's dinosaur and Godzilla.
I've only walked out of one movie my entire life. That
movie was Deanzilla. And I really do need to review The
Giant Behemoth one of these days to complete that old
VHS triple feature. What triple VHS feature? Read the
next letter.
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"I
taped this film, about ten years ago, off of TNT late
night. It was part of a triple feature with The Giant
Behemoth and The
Hypnotic Eye." Amazing - I did the same thing
and have the same 3 movies on the video tape...I played
the first 20 minutes of Souls
for
Sale last night. Certainly, Souls for Sale is a film noir by
Price...and one that film buffs can write reams, and
reams of interpretation (by the way, your write-up was
very good). it is somewhat out-of-place in time itself,
it is more of a 1930's style of film interpretation and
being in black and white adds to its mystique...there is
also a bit of social commentary of the yellow menace and
of dangers of drugs, etc...but does capture quite a lot
of imagery - both real and possibly not...frankly, this
is one of my ten best if not strangest movies and as a
Price fan, am quite delighted on how he pulled it off...
the symbolism thru the film would make any surrealist
delight...and I am delighted someone else has a) seen
the film and b) was impressed by it!! great web page
by the way --I also throw one in the VCR every once in a
while and probably have about 1800 video tapes to
catalog somehow. I also have a fascination with the good
ole B movies of the 30's and 40's. I am just waiting for
A Matter of Life and Death aka Stairway to Heaven
w/David Niven to come out in DVD - it is rumored to
be in production but pulled for awhile - oh, and those
wonderful Old/New Testament movies. Such as Quo Vadis,
Silver Chalice, and yes - even George Sanders and Victor
Mature ......oh, anyway..
jonathan
wyner.
Good
luck on those old biblical epics. I caught myself
inventing The Ten Commandments drinking game last Easter
and realized I'm probably going straight to hell on that
one. I wish someone would get Souls for Sale out in
circulation. More people really need to see it -- even
though I think the ending still stinks.
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I
was a regular watcher of the Canned
Film Festival for the three weeks it was on in
Rochester
,
NY
back in the mid-80's. (Late Friday night, I believe.) "The Green
Slime", "Robot Monster", "
Las Vegas
Hillbillies" I was 13 and had just recently picked
up "The Golden
Turkey
Awards". I
remember thinking that it was a strange twist of fate
that brought this show my way. Then, I got pissed off
when it was replaced by some crap that I don't
remember watching. (I'm pretty sure it was crap. Maybe
it was that show where they dubbed over B-movies that I
don't remember the name of.) I remember Laraine
wondering why the family in "Robot Monster"
seems to be having a picnic in the middle of fallout.
And, I remember thinking "Laraine Newman's really
skinny. Is she OK?" This was also the time period
when my mom would rent any movie for me as long as there
was no sex implied in the title. That's how, one Sunday
afternoon, my sister and her came home with (I think)
"Innerspace" and I went in the other room with
"Bloodsucking Freaks". Ahhh, moms. I remember
taping an episode or two on the old Beta but
it's long gone. (Although, the copy I made of "The
Bitch" one night when everyone was asleep still
lives.) If I can come up with anything else, I'll give
you a yell. It's in my mind but it's almost as tough to
get to as "No Soap Radio". (No Soap, Radio)
Great site. I agree with your thoughts on
"Werewolves on Wheels" wholeheartedly. I
ignored it for quite some time due to various reviews
that laughed at the title or said "not enough
wheels, not enough werewolf." What a pile! It's
nice to know that someone else saw the same things I
did. (Have you ever seen "Road of Death"? It's
a hoot!) Keep up the good work. I am at my day job and
one beer away from the required three! ("It's
strong coffee. Get away from my desk.")
Dan
Budnik -- Some guy who reads web sites
Well,
Dan, without guys like you, we guys and gals who write
websites like this would have nothing to do. Glad I
could stir up some memories for you. Gah. I saw Blood
Sucking Freaks and wanted to poke my eyes out. But I
didn't so I'll keep
my eyes out for Road of Death.
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As
a 34-year-old product of excessive TV watching, I
frequently have flashbacks to obscure shows and failed
pilots. By the time the Thorazine kicks in, I usually
can't tell if those memories are real or imagined. "The
Canned Film Festival" is one such spectre.
Every now and then over the years, the show's title has
randomly popped in and out of my mind. This would evoke
the same response every time: "Hey, wasn't that a
goofy movie show with anorexia spokesmodel Laraine
Newman from SNL?" Then I'd get a blur of gags (some
funny, some not) with unrecognizable actors. Then it
would be gone, usually segueing into slightly less
obscure memories of "Fridays" and "A.K.A.
Pablo." By the time I'm hearing Tom Bosley in my
head as "David the Gnome," it's time to hit
the pharmacy. My parents didn't get a VCR until '88, so
everything before that was stored in my dodgy memory.
Ah, the shows I wish I couldn't taped! At least we had
cable... and The Movie Channel, which meant lots of
"Beastmaster." Anyway, it pleased me no end to
see "Canned" featured on your site. The Tor
Johnson masks were the key to unlocking my fuzzy
memories. It all came back. The characters. The
laundromat. Dr. Pepper... Dr. Pepper? Man, those were
weird days. When I first saw MST3K ("Wild
Rebels"), I thought back to that odd, late-night
show... especially later on when the MSTie crew did
movies that had been shown on "Canned." Then I
got old, and my mind really started to go. There's one
thing that sticks out in my head that I think was from
"Canned." If it wasn't, then I have no clue
what to attribute it to. I recall them showing the
famous rhyming duel from the 1950 "Cyrano de
Bergerac," but they dubbed over the scene with some
silly, pithy dialogue. It wasn't all that funny,
but I thought the premise was great... enough that it's
stuck with me all these years. I thought a slew of
movies done "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" style
would make a great series. At least we got MST. Anyway,
keep the B's and the beers coming. Your site is doing
noble work. Take care.
Randy
Johnson
Okay,
when you start hearing David the Gnome talking to you,
it's time to switch meds. If he starts to physically
showing up, seek immediate medical attention and contact
the proper authorities and activate the necessary
protocols. I honestly
didn't notice Laraine's weight problem. Was this a
publicized issue back then?
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OH
THANK GOD! Someone else remembers "The
Canned Film Festival!"
I owe this show more than I can ever repay: it
introduced me to the Mexican wrestling-women film
"Doctor of Doom," a masterpiece of bad
filmmaking and one of my all-time favorite crap films.
(The rest of the CFF cast kept whaling on Chan with
wrestling moves during the skits; in the finale, he
transforms into a monster and strikes back--!?!)
Favorite skit: Laraine explains to her patrons that the
first reel of "They Saved Hitler's Brain" has
been lost, and has to explain the incomprehensible
"plot." I can even remember the Dr. Pepper
commercials--the sci-fi ones featuring the Han-Solo-type
hero with the little alien sidekick, and those excellent
Godzilla spoofs. Man, if someone nailed this onto DVD,
I'd be all over it like ugly on ape. Miss it
fiercely--even if the movies were incomplete. Thanks so
much.
Matt
Those
old Dr. Pepper ads were almost as entertaining as the
show itself. Caroline Munroe even shows up in one! I owe
this show a lot, too, my friend. It popped my cherry on
quite a few b-movie monstrosities for the brief time I
was acquainted with it. Robot Monster, Bride of the
Monster, Hillbillies in Las Vegas and Terror of Tiny
Town. *sigh* I wish I could track more of these down.
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