Up from the Depth (1979) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - August 29, 1979

I remember being freaked out by this artwork for Up from the Depths, but the movie was not booked at any venues I would have been able, much less even allowed, to go to in order to see it on the big screen. If I had even dared to. This ad made the movie look pretty darn scary to me.

The co-hit for the film at the Eastmont Four was Piranha (1978), a far better film than Up from the Depths turned out to be. At the Lux Up from the Depths would be sharing the screen with The Great Train Robbery (1978) and Fast Charlie...the Moonbeam Rider (1979), making this creature feature the cinematic fish out of water of the three. The Nimitz and San Ramon drive-ins would also have Up from the Depths coupled with Piranha, like the Eastmont Four.

Alien (1979) - Sticker #1

 

Prom Night (1980) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - August 28, 1980

I saw Prom Night (1980) on the big screen, on home video, and watched its network television debut. I am also reasonably certain that I even watched it, once or twice, when it aired on HBO. Maybe. Which means that, of all the date-themed cash grabs that were pumped out in the money-making wake of Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980), Prom Night is the one I have watched the most. Go figure.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #15

Tomcat

Tommy guns and white walls seductively mask bad Kitty, the newest Chaos! tomcat. 

The Last Exorcism (2010) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - August 27, 2010

Rather than struggle with writing some commentary on the film being advertised, I will just share that the only things I remember from it are the Banana Bread recipe bit, Ashley Bell's wonderful performance as the possessed Nell, and Cotton Marcus clutching a cross and praying while walking into what just might be his last battle against Evil.

Alien (1979) - Trading Card #84

Kane, Lambert, Parker, Brett, Ash, and Captain Dallas... all dead. Only officer Ripley survives, along with Jones, the cat, now purring in her lap. Ripley's going home.

And it will be a very long trip, Ripley.... 

Catch Me If You Can (1989) - Soundtrack

The liner notes for this limited edition release from BSX Records is rather light on any and all information about this 1989 feature film that, prior to seeing this album being made available, I had never heard of. Not that my ignorance of its existence means anything about the quality of the film.

Catch Me If You Can (1989) served as the feature film debut of Stephen Sommers, who I know best for writing and directing monster-laden fare such as Deep Rising (1998), The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Returns (2001), and Van Helsing (2004).

My reason for purchasing this album was simple. Tangerine Dream provided the score and I have been a fan of the group since 1981, when Michael Mann's Thief (1981) first exposed me to their unique and addictive sound.

Although I still have yet to see the actual film, I am enjoying listening to the peppy music Tangerine Dream composed and performed for it.

Night of Terror (1933) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - August 26, 1933

The capsule review in John Stanley's Revenge of the Creature Feature Movie Guide describes Night of Terror as a "creepy Columbia chiller" that is "aged, but not vintage."

This appears to be yet another semi-serious "Old Dark House" story. A group of potential heirs arrive to hear the reading of a will and attend a seance, only to be murdered one by one. Although Lugosi was top-billed for marquee value, he actually plays more of a supporting role here.

You can watch it on You Tube, if you dare...

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #14

Relationship

A vampire assassin falls victim to a vampire hunter. Chastity is in a compromising position here. Mister Mischief and Psychotica have her right where they want her. 

Hero and the Terror (1988) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - August 25, 1988

While Hero and the Terror (1988) may not have been as enthusiastic in its use of slasher film tropes and set pieces as Silent Rage (1982), the film nonetheless gave star Chuck Norris a second round with a threatening boogeyman of a serial killer.

There are a few interesting pieces of trivia that further sync it with the overall vibe of this blog. One is that it was based on a novel of the same name by actor-writer Michael Blodgett. I knew Blodgett best for his flamboyant turn in Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) and his titular role in one of the better Night Gallery segments, The Dead Man. He also starred in The Velvet Vampire, which I have yet to see.

But I have seen two other movies that Blodgett had a writing credit on. One was the Burt Reynolds/Liza Minelli action-romance Rent-A-Cop, the other was an early Tom Hanks action-comedy called Turner and Hooch.

Blodgett's writing partner on all three films was Dennis Shryack. A familiar name to me because, with Michael Butler, Shryack had written the scripts for The Car (1977), The Gauntlet (1977), Flashpoint (1984), Code of Silence (1985), and Pale Rider (1985).

I think Hero and the Terror was one of the better, if not one of the best, movies that Norris made with Cannon. While it has dramatic and storyline weaknesses that prevent(ed) it from becoming a beloved cult classic along with the Missing in Action trilogy or the campy as hell Invasion U.S.A. The movie really deserves a little attention and love thrown its way.