|
2020:
Texas Gladiators
 aka One
Eye Force aka Anno 2020 - I Gladiatori
del Futuro. Starring Al Cliver, Al Yamanouchi
& Directed by Joe D'Amato & George Eastman.
In retrospect, some great old 'lost' flix from the 1980's
video boom craze seem truly prescient in these 'daze'
of Middle Eastern wars and rumors of wars. 2020:
TEXAS GLADIATORS (1982) is a case in point. Whereas
all the trappings are straight out of the Mad Max series,
the politics are decidely more 'on the head' than Miller's
more apolitical conclusions.
 For
example, whereas the Max series focuses on society's collapse
as a pretext for what amounts to a grand post-apocalyptic
spaghetti western, 2020:
TEXAS GLADIATORS goes right for the pulsating
throat, squarely laying blame for the world's unrest on
an evil oil cartel. Said cartel is run as the world's
only de facto militaristic government hell-bent on subverting
all who stand in the way of its New World Order mission
to wed state, oil and religion into one evil entity.
Naturally, this bein' Tejas of 'don't mess with' fame,
many of the common, God fearin' folks who haven't sold
their souls for future Hummers are holding out in the
 last
remaining oil refinery, determined to stop the spread
of the Energy Barons. But when the Evil Warlord launches
all-out war on them rather than negotiate peace for their
survival, what are the defenders to do but make an Alamo-styled
stand against him and his overwhelming forces?
 Like
I said, it's not dated, but timely. Not that
you're likely to add 2020:
TEXAS GLADIATORS to your collection simply
because it confirms your worst suspicions about W (though
that's as good as any reason we can imagine). No, more
likely, you will want it simply for the audacious 'we
know it's going to video so why bother?' attitude, which
this flick has by the, er, crude gallons.
But even with all the non-stop action, and strange blendings
of spice melange, you can't help but escape the feeling
that for once, the folks behind the camera were actually
venting a bit at what they saw even two decades ago now
as the American hegemony over All Things Oil.
Though wildly implausable and ridiculous in an entertaining
fashion, 2020:
TEXAS  GLADIATORS
proves ala THEY LIVE you can have subversive subtext aplenty
as long as the action never abates for it. --
Notes by Jack Morax.
What
Other Critics Say:
"One not-bad Italian post-apoc flick
if you are used to this genre... good production design
with brilliant and imaginative use of colors and excellent
 action
scenes... worthwhile addition to your post-apoc library...
see it with a beer and plenty of nachos." -- Mike
Martinez, KULT MOVIE MAXIMUS
"Kung Fu in the Wild West. Yeehaw. And I do believe
I saw FOUR -- count em, four -- Eyetalian mushmelons there
on the saloon girls... 85 dead bodies. Two breasts --
and it's my theory that you DO see em. One bar fight.
Stair-rolling. Sword-hacking. Head-butting. Necklace-rippin.
Crucifixion.Tomahawk to the head. Dagger to the chest.
Multiple gun battles. Salty-mouth torture.Kung Fu. Russian
roulette Fu. Harley-Davidson Fu." -- Joe Bob Briggs,
JOE BOB BRIGGS.com
"Body
count: 91. Breasts: 9. Explosions: 9. Ominous thunderstorms:
0. Actors who've appeared on STAR TREK: 0" -- Nathan
Shumate, COLD FUSION
"One of those movies that never ceases
to amuse me! I had a hell of a fun time watching this
film. The nonstop action keeps this film
moving at a steady, energetic pattern." -- David
Choi, IMDB
"A band of renegades battle with an oppressive
empire over the last source of precious energy."
-- MOVIES UNLIMITED
"Trouble
erupts when a megalomaniacal Neo-Nazi dictator and his
cruel minions attack the heavily fortified refinery and
begin trying to convert the hapless workers to his insane
idea of the New Order." -- POST APOCALYPTIC
 MEDIA
"Naff
but entertaining futuristic action adventure. Better
than most of it's kind... Good trashy fun." --
CUTLASS VIDEO
"It's
so confusing that every time you watch it, it's like the
first time, and you'll pick up new things. As I said before,
it's very incoherent, but if you love Italian post-nuke
flicks like I do, then I recommend you give it a try.
3.5 out of 4." -- Blake, FULCI METAL JACKET
"Sabrina Seggiani is best known for her contributions
in the Italian 'peplum,' or heroic fantasy, film genre.
Sabrina has such a cuteness about her, that it is almost
painful to see her in these sleazy exploitation pictures.
However, in her own way, Seggiani brings class and a reason
to watch the films she graces." -- THE EUROPEAN
FILM EXPLOITS |
8th
Man
aka Tobor the 8th Man. Produced by Gene Prinz.
8th
Man created by Jiro Kuwata and Kazumasa Hirai.
This
early entry into American syndicated 'toon animation
was a clever combination of manga meets U.S. 'know how,'
with a resulting smashing success of what was otherwise
a theretofore
unknown quantity in America.
But wherever 8th MAN debuted (aka Tobor),
the audience of appreciative tykes was sure to grow.
8th
MAN
was the brainchild of yank producer Gene Prinz and writer
Rueben Guberman. With over 56 produced episodes and
the kiddies left clamoring for more, it was no wonder
that the first Golden Age of anime was just around the
corner and that 8th MAN was striking
a genuine chord with its space-crazed fans.
According
to the producer, wherever the series popped up, the
Neilsen numbers were always the same: they owned the
slot 8th MAN occupied no matter the
competition. That meant a lot of advertising dollars
on the side for that number one ad slot, too,
which the producers wisely kept a share of for
just such market realities.
But
for those not in the know about 8th MAN
(and given how rare these episodes are to find, it is
no wonder!), it should be noted that though obscure
by today's standards, 8th MAN was the
pathway paver for such later genre mega-efforts as ROBOCOP.
No
joke, the basic set-up is identical, except herein our
former police officer's brain is installed into the
"8th Man" project, which is basically a super
robot with our deceased hero's brain and face. Again,
the similarities are beyond coincidence, but still,
that's just one of 8th MAN's charms:
it was an inspiration for a whole generation of soon-to-be
loyal manga readers.
The three episodes contained in this reviewed assembly
include: "Baron Stormy,"
which showcases the supernatural powers of Baron Stormy
aka The Weather Wizard against 8th Man's cybernetic
advantages; "Attack of the Horrible Honey
Bees," an amazing take-off of the classic
giant ant flick THEM!; and "Pounce the
Robot Tiger," with Dr. Spectra and his
robot tiger taking on 8th Man.
Two
curious side notes about 8th MAN. One
is that it is entirely possible
that one contributing factor to 8th Man's obscurity
is his unique way of charging up before having a super
adventure. If you're not familiar, 8th Man must literally
smoke a "special
blend" before his powers expire. One can imagine
the PC and right wing parents freaking at just the thought
were this in popular syndication on, say, NICKLOADED'ON,
or whatnot. ;)
The
other intriguing but admittedly unverified tidbit is
that Ralph Bakshi may have done the opening animation
sequence, which was -- unlike the rest of the series
-- made in America. Supposedly Bakshi did it
while still living in New Jersey very early in his career,
and years before he went on to doing FRITZ THE CAT and
WIZARDS. True or not, the opening was clearly done by
a different studio, as the figures, style and animation
fluidity all spell American budget.--
Notes by B.D. Black.
What
Other Critics Say:
"The original Japanese name for 8th Man
in his human form was Detective Yokota. (Special  Agent
Brady was his American Name). After he was rebuilt his
new identity was Private Detective Hachiro Azuma. The
original name for Chief Fumblethumbs was Chief Inspector
Tanaka."-- 60's ANIME
"Created by artist Jiro Kuwata and scriptwriter Kazumasa
Hirai as a Japanese comic strip in April 1963 and adapted
for a TV cartoon show. Originally produced  by
TCJ Animation Center in Japan, the series was dubbed
and produced... by Gene Prinz and his staff at Copri
Films International in Miami. In addition to the production
and dubbing on 8th MAN, this team is
also responsible for the English dubbing on PRINCE PLANET,
JOHNNY SOCKO & HIS FLYING ROBOT, and THE AMAZING
THREE series." -- THE TOON TRACKER
"A classic cartoon with great start/stop animatiom (the
way cartoons used to be made). Fascinating plots between
good and evil and the obsession of using power to generate
one's selfish ways." -- EXCELSIS.com
Like this flick? See also:
SPACE
ANGEL |
|
AckerMania
starring Forrest
J. Ackerman. With Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen and
many others.
In
an under appreciated documentary that largely focuses
on Hollywood's glam "Sci-Fi"
and Horror Golden Eras, ACKERMANIA
wisely has venerable
FAMOUS MONSTERS editor and frequent B-movie cameo
actor Forry Ackerman take center stage. A natural born
raconteur, he hosts this fun "Forr-ay" into
what made the classic horror & sci-fi flicks work
as popular art-ertainment and thus enduring for future
generations, even though the films chronicled were largely
made within the confines of the Holly-weird system.
Forry's inside insight is great, as are the endless
clips from a wide array of fantafilms across the century
of cinematic time! It's like taking a trip in a cine-time
machine with Forry at the controls, careening vividly
from one anecdote about the day and age when or the
person who embodied such respect by his peers.
By dividing each genre of the dark spectrum into epochs
and genres, Forry gives you a fang-tastic trip through
Hollyweird celluloid from the dawn 'til modern era but
without the textbook dryness you'd expect from Cine
101. Instead, hookin' up with Forry & the gang is
fun -- they're definitely "Old Ghoul" but
still way cool.
--
Notes by Dr. Ackula.
What
Other Critics Say:
 "Forrest
J. Ackerman is the son of Science Fiction."-- Hugo
Gernsback, publisher of SCIENCE WONDER STORIES
"If Forrest J Ackerman had not existed it would
have been necessary to invent him." -- Anthony
Boucher, editor of FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION
"Our mentor." -- John Landis, Joe Dante & Rick
Baker
"[Forry is] peculiarly
ridiculous." -- HPLovecraft
"Forry is a hero in
his own time." -- Steven Spielberg, director of
LA 2017
|
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Starring Michael
Crawford, Sir Ralph Richardson, Dudley Moore, Fiona
Fullerton, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. Directed
by William
Sterling.
It's
very unfortunate that this British adaptation of Carroll's
novel isn't better known stateside. For while it has
its share of detractors, we think the approach director
William Sterling took is imaginative and impressive.
Given how many versions render the tale as cinema enema
and flush away the essentially disturbing surrealism
inherent in the material.
While ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
(1972) was clearly shot on a small stage and a limited
budget, the care and cleverness which the talented crew
and cast achieve with their enthusiasm and creativity
really makes this much better than its critical reputation.
And
what a cast -- Fiona Fullerton, who would later go on
to cult infamy as a "Bond" girl in A VIEW
TO A KILL; Peter Sellers as the March Hare; Sir Ralph
Richardson in an inspired turn as the houka-smokin'
Caterpillar; Dudley Moore as Dormouse; Spike Milligan
as Gryphon and Michael Crawford as one of the truly
best White Rabbit performances. And there's another
Bond connection, as well: the score is by John Barry!
Lacking the cloying cuteness and sanitizing Disney-type
versions render, ALICE'S
ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND probably
isn't the version your English teacher screened in class.
Nevertheless, it is truly enchanting and unexpectedly
faithful to the surreal tone of the book many screen
adaptations omit as 'too adult.' --
Notes by R.U. Holden
What
Other Critics Say:
"Carroll's nonsense ditties are made to work quite
effectively... Fiona Fullerton makes for  a
intelligent, nicely self-possessed Alice." -- THE
SF, HORROR & FANTASY FILM REVIEW
"[The] sets, such as a forest of mushrooms, an
endless corridor, a beach adorned with precariously
leaning boulders shaped like dour faces, a glade of
drooping, obviously fake willows, and a wood of frightening,
impossibly twisted trees, are lovely, suffusing the
tale the director is telling with a strange sense of
dreamlike otherworldliness... attractive details,
a truly impressive cast, and a skilled composer."
--
MOVIERAPTURE.com
"Alice
is not a child but a beautiful teenager on the verge
of womanhood... attempts to explore the psychological
sub-texts of the original novel in a way that the Disney
version, for example, did not. The story has a deeper
significance than that of merely an entertaining children's
story. Alice's bizarre adventures are symbolic of the
process of discovery of oneself." -- James Hitchcock,
IMDB
"Teenage
Fiona Fullerton was an ideal Alice for the film, bringing
beauty, warmth and a
soft, winsome quality to the neurotic (and difficult)
character. The film's cinematic distinction is its extraordinarily
beautiful photography by Geoffrey Unsworth, B.S.C. (2001:
A SPACE ODYSSEY; CABARET), whose graceful images and
fluid, balletic camera movements create a dream-like
atmosphere. The haunting orchestral score by John Barry
finds the contrasting emotional mood underlying the
cool cerebral surface. The film debuted in America at
the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, was greeted with condescension
by critics, and vanished into undeserved obscurity.
Its value as a sincere and true reproduction of Carroll
has not gone entirely unappreciated." -- Doctor
Mabuse, IMDB |
|
Amphibian
Man
aka Chelovek-Amfibiya.
Directed by Vladimir Chebotaryov & Gennadi Kazansky.
A
young man, it is found, will not survive on land. It is
determined that, in an aquatic environment, he could.
His father, a scientist, constructs a lab under the sea.
Here, the AMPHIBIAN MAN (1962) thrives.
His father warns him to stay away from the city coastlines
of Mexico. The young man cannot resist. He sees and falls
in love with a beautiful woman. But she lubs the land.
Amphibian Man's problems start, predictably enough, when
he leaves the water to try to be with his love. For one,
an evil scientist tries to knock off our young hero.
Sounds like a bucket of sap and cheese, right? But this
isn't. The flick achieves some remarkable moments of beauty,
especially in the lush, even gorgeous underwater scenes.
The characters are not your typical stereotypes; they
have been conceived with a depth rarely  found in genre films and,
well, in a way, this simply isn't a genre film in the
sense that we usually mean.
Once you get beyond the jarring dubbing, AMPHIBIAN
MAN has genuine emotional depth. Provided you
are open to the concept, you may even be moved. Unlike
grotesque American bastardizations such as Patrick Duffy
in THE MAN FROM ATLANTIS, this  Soviet
era flick uses expressionism ala Douglas Sirk to tell
it's "fish in the water" variation storyline. Many folks
consider this film, based on the novel "Chelovek-Amfibiya"
by Alexander Beliaev (a pioneer of Russian SF), to be
among the highlights of their Science Fiction film experiences.
Bit of movie trivia: the heirs of Edgar Rice Burroughs
sued to keep the French release from using title 'Tarzan
des Mers.' Understandably, they never bothered with Patrick
Duffy. --
Notes by JR & Barkeep.
What
Other Critics Say:
 "The
dark side of SPLASH."-- John Stanley, CREATURE
FEATURES
"Excellent camera work and beautiful actors." -- Andreas
Thenhaus, IMDB
"Well-developed and multi-dimensional." -- Dave Sindelar,
SCIFILM
Like this flick? See also:
PLANET OF
STORMS; CREATION
OF THE HUMANOIDS;
VOYAGE
TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE |
 Ark
of the Sun God
aka
Hunters of the Golden Cobra. Starring David
Warbeck. Directed by Anthony M. Dawson.
If
you dig "Anthony M. Dawson" aka Antonio
Margheriti (7 DEATHS IN THE CAT'S EYES), then by all
means add this RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 'riff-off'
to your collection. Though not his best flick, it
is one of the best of his latter years, filled with
good production values, exciting boat chases on the
open sea, etc.
The plot concerns a hired expert safecrack artiste
to infiltrate a secret temple, steal a precious artifact
containing mystical powers, and get the hell out of
Instanbul (where the cult is HQ'd) alive with object
intact. Played by cult
icon David Warbeck, the proceedings definitely feel
more "thespian-friendly" than most of Margheriti's
ouevre (or is that 'paella'?).
In case you don't know, Warbeck was a real trouper
in a lot of truly great Italian and other Euro shockers
of the era. His best known credits are Fulci's THE
BEYOND (aka SEVEN DOORS OF DEATH) and SPACE ISLAND,
the latter a TREASURE ISLAND redo set in the stars
and also directed by Dawson, but he also appeared
in over 35 features including BLACKSNAKE!, TROG, and
LASSITER. A final notable appearance was in RAZOR
BLADE SMILE before Mr. Warbeck sadly passed away from
cancer much too young.
With better than average production values, Margheriti
races his characters around the globe (or at least
lots of scenic Turkish countryside!) in search of,
well... the Ark (of the Sun God instead of... get
it?). And with Warbeck still in good physical shape,
his prescence makes the outing much more fun than
the usual "who the hell was that blue-eyed guy
with the last name something like, uh, Tellenorino
again?" post-credit crawl at three a.m. when
you're likely to be watching this opus.
Okay, so it's intellectually on a sub-par with most
of Margheriti's flix, at least it moves,
baby! And
with B movies, that always counts for more than the
cover box art. -- Notes by Justin Thyme.
What
Other Critics Say:
 "The
ever likable David Warbeck headlines in this highly
enjoyable RAIDERS FROM THE LOST ARK inspired yarn...
 action
inevitably ensues with a plethora of high speed car
chases (which utilise some cool looking Gerry Anderson
style model work), fist fights, shoot outs and James
Bond style intrigue together with a healthy dose of
humour." HaemovoreRex, IMDB
"An exercise in squeezing the most out of about the
thirty-five drachmas this one cost to make. Antonio
tried hard, busting out the miniatures that you rarely
see in car chase scenes and pushing columns over in
that dang tomb... in the old days you could probably
rent it on VHS... a whole generation may be deprived
of David Warbeck babbling on about counterbalances
and shaving kits (don't even ask)." -- MONSTER
HUNTER.com
"I
was pleasantly surprised to see that the film stars
Italian horror film legend David Warbeck... little
attempt is made to disguise the James Bond connection...
a fun little bit of hokum." -- OMEGA
CHANNEL
Like this flick? See also:
2020:
TEXAS GLADIATORS
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top
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Arousers,
The
aka A Kiss
for Eddie aka Sweet Kill. Starring Tab
Hunter, Cherie Latimer & Angus Scrimm. Written
& Directed by Curtis Hanson.
Before directing such studio hits as L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
and BEDROOM EYES, Curtis Hanson cut his teeth on this
sexy psychothriller potboiler. Simultaneously, star
Tab Hunter was beginning a descent careerwise every
bit as lurid as the character Eddie he portrays perhaps
too convincingly: Eddie is a raging male time bomb
set to detonate any time any female within libidinous
range happens to disrobe in front of him, even if
only flirtatiously.
Compared to today's watered down erotic 'd2D' (direct-2-DVD),
THE AROUSERS feels positively "pre-code"
in its savage depiction of violence towards naked
women and use of weird ly neglected urban locales
to induce paranoia (think Abel Ferrara). Instead of
the horrid MTV-cuts and useless exposition with talking
heads, you are witness to what is more akin to an
Americanized ode to PEEPING TOM. You know, cinema.
;)
It is really strange to contemplate whilst you watch
THE AROUSERS a bygone time in which
such flicks as this were not only weekly change of
fare, but often double-billed with a flick even more
exploitative of conventional 'taboos' as a fun co-feature
of debauchery.
While the internet makes such creations readily available
today, there was a time when seeing movies like THE
AROUSERS meant "taking a chance"
in actually viewing it in a seedy downtown theater.
Jostling with the bums and the psychos leering and
lurking behind and all around you in the pitch black
as your co-watchers and doing your best to ignore
the reeking scent of sins committed too long ago to
be cleaned is a lost skill to the generation weaned
only on mall and multiplex movies.
THE AROUSERS is loaded with a potent
brew of beautiful women, a creepily effective psycho
turn by Tab Hunter in one of his last good pre-camp
roles, and some  great
location photography of Venice, CA, back when it had
yet to be 'gentrified' by Starbucks and company. Thrill
to the colorful characters and unique Venice arches
which remind of a colorized TOUCH OF EVIL, an obvious
cinematic reference (one of many).
Hunter plays a stud muffin who picks up chicks faster
than Warren Beatty but cannot make love to them, so
he... kills them! Wow, good thing they didn't have
www.thearousers.com dating back then... Eddie would
be IM'ming his way to serial killer hall of infamy
status! Angus Scrimm (the Tall Man from the PHANTASM
flix) has an early role. --
Notes by Morty Fied.
What
Other Critics Say:
"Hunter's performance is terrific as
the man who is unable to make love to women."-- Oliver-50,
IMDB
"[Hunter] is gradually revealed as a pantie-collector,
foot fetishist, and the type who wanks by the bedside
of a callgirl dressed up as his dead mom. ... stark
titles and moodily shot interiors." -- TIME
OUT, UK
"THE
AROUSERS is tawdry... a fairly solid creepshow
that emphasizes suspense over sleaze." -- Paul
Gaita, WORLDLY REMAINS
"Hunter gives a convincing performance as a lonely
gym teacher whose sexual impotence causes him to kill
the women he tries to seduce." -- ROTTEN TOMATOES.com
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Ashanti 
Starring
Michael Caine, Beverly Johnson, Peter Ustinov, Omar Sharif,
Rex Harrison and William Holden. Directed by Richard Fleischer.
Of
ASHANTI (1979), Michael Caine in his
autobiography calls it the worst flick he ever made, bar
none. But
I'd nominate THE SWARM over this mildly amusing adventure
tale if pressed by Mr. Caine; at least this all-star ensemble
piece keeps a logical if predictable narrative going from
start to finish. Speaking
of storylines, ASHANTI is the tale
of slavery and redemption. I stress the redemptive aspects
because otherwise, virtually all tales of human exploitation
become too oppressive to "enjoy" as even simple
adventures. There's not much  amusement
watching for entertainment what one can see on any street
corner unless you're a real sadist.
And
if you think that sentiment hard? Wait until you go
along with Michael Caine in a fine performance (despite
his assessment of the flick) as a man whose African
wife is taken by Arab slave traders who has to track
her down before she's sold to "dee highest beeder!"
Stereotypes
do not abound, they are the central motif to all that
is rousing about ASHANTI. From scene-stealin'
William Holden (who hasn't been this grizzled since
THE WILD BUNCH) as a chopper merc-for-hire to Peter
Ustinov as the Arabic slave trader in question, ASHANTI
is truly star driven. And that's not even mentioning
Omar Shariff and Rex Harrison!
That
this is basically an umpteenth retelling of THE SEARCHERS
in slavery shackles isn't relevent. What makes it work
is the professionalism on display from all involved.
From  Richard
Fleischer, who took you 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
on what was truly a FANTASTIC VOYAGE, to the actors
mentioned, to the authentic on-location cinematography
which is quite good,and to the sets and production design,
ASHANTI is never less than entertaining
and "cast of 1,000's" in feel.
It
reminds you, in fact, that in the Golden Era of the
70's, even what Michael Caine would call the "worst"
flick he ever made is still better than, say, 70% of
what you'd see tonight at the local multi-simplex. At
least in ASHANTI you know each scene
will having meaning, advance the story and produce some
dramatic tension; that's a huge accomplishment compared
to today's standard drek.
The
subject matter and timeliness of cultures clashing are
equally fascinating. You can pretend it is but an adventure
melodrama if you wish, but remember: for untold thousands
of human beings each year, these clashes mean life or
death, and all too often the latter. -- Notes by
Otto Potts.
What
Other Critics Say:
"Breathtaking
adventure of a man who resolutely takes on a treacherous
journey in order to find his beautiful wife, who has
been kidnapped by ruthless slave traders." -- VIDEOLOG
"After
a week of shooting in Africa, the cast was sent back
to England while the director, leading lady and art
director were removed. ASHANTI was
never properly released." -- CAINE IS CAINE
"ASHANTI
was the worst, most wretched film I ever made."
-- Micahel Caine, WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
"I
found every moment of this film interesting and thought
provoking... I watched the horrors  that
the captives endured it reminded me of the horrors that
African captives endured over the centuries." --
chemiche, IMDB.com
"Camp,
as only late 70s 'action' movies can be, this is mindless
but mildly entertaining fun... Truly all-star."
-- CITIZEN CAINE
"An
all-stops-out action finale. Breathtakingly photographed
by Aldo Tonti, ASHANTI is for the most
part on the dramatic level of THE PERILS OF PAULINE
-- which isn't to say that it's not fun to watch."
-- Hal Erickson, ALL MOVIE GUIDE
|
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Atom Age Vampire
aka Seddok,
l'erede di Satana; Atom Age Dracula &
Seddok, Son Of Satan. Directed by Anton
Giulio Majano.
 Though
it enjoys a small cult following because of t.v. showings
many decades ago, probably the reason most folks have
ever seen or have an interest in seeing ATOM AGE
VAMPIRE today is the “toss-up” credit
Mario Bava has on it, which has been listed as everything
from d.p. to producer to simply a credit added to the
flick to exploit Bava’s mega-successful BLACK SUNDAY
released in the same year. One release company even mistakenly
lists his credit as “Mario Flava,” which certainly
goes well with Chianti and an Italian horror flick (but
sadly is factually incorrect).
ATOM AGE VAMPIRE bears only a superficial
resemblance to later Bava classics, so whatever influence
Bava may
or may not have had on the cinematography or direction,
it would be nearly impossible to completely decipher.
That said, the moody, black & white ‘look’
is very characteristic of the dark, shadow-filled sets
mixed with high-contrast key lighting favored by the Italian
horror maestro. Later he would add lurid color to the
palette in such hits as BLACK SABBATH, but even here (if
indeed his touch is authentic and not an imitator), his
basic approach is  </ | |
/ Reviews: At
Reviews:
A