Man Beast (1956) (B&W)

Starring:Rock Madison, Asa Maynor, George Skaff, Tom Maruzzi, Lloyd Nelson, George Wells Lewis, Jack Haffner, Wong Sing, Brianne Murphy
Director: Jerry Warren
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Product Type: DVD

Masters of Horror - Dario Argento - Jenifer

Average customer rating:

is it rape if she is mentally disabled
Great body. Shame about the face.
Divided
READ MY REVIEW!! (If you haven't seen it yet)
Fan of Horror

Masters of Horror - Dario Argento - Jenifer
Starring: Jano Frandsen , Cynthia Garris , Beau Starr , Steven Weber , and Mark Acheson
Director: Dario Argento
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FS2W3A
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Amazon.com

Leave it to Dario Argento (Suspiria) to cook up a truly stomach-flipping installment in Showtime's Masters of Horror series. Argento's hour-long Jenifer has an uncluttered through-line that combines a relentlessly destructive film noir plot with zombie attitude. Steven Weber plays a cop who kills a man about to harm a disfigured woman named Jenifer. Weber finds himself strangely protective of the girl, who incidentally has enough sexual appetite to tempt him away from everything sane and holy. Unfortunately, she has other appetites as well, which spells trouble for the odd child (or housecat) who might be taken as a snack. Weber's downward spiral is predictable enough, but there's something in almost every scene that makes you shiver--either overtly (Jenifer chomping down on entrails) or indirectly (the way trees ripple as a car moves into the forest). Jenifer is played by Carrie Anne Fleming, wearing a prosthetic horror mask and flimsy negligee, an unsettling combination of repulsive/sexy that Argento exploits to the maximum. The trim script is by Steven Weber, from a short story by Bruce Jones; the excellent music is by Claudio Simonetti, whose ensemble Goblin did the music for other Argento films and the original Dawn of the Dead. --Robert Horton

Description

Steven Weber of THE SHINING,THE STAND and DESPERATION stars as Frank Spivey, a detective who rescues a strange young girl (Carrie Anne Fleming) with a horribly disfigured face and lusciously ripe body from a deranged killer. But when Spivey takes responsibility for the mentally challenged orphan, she reveals herself to be a creature of untold carnal pleasures and unspeakable violent depravities that may lead him straight to hell. She is seductress, psychopath and succubus all in one…and her name is JENIFER. The legendary Dario Argento directs this jaw-dropper that features a haunting score by Claudio Simonetti of Goblin (DAWN OF THE DEAD,TENEBRE).

Customer Reviews:

is it rape if she is mentally disabled.......2007-07-01

I'm sorry, but I don't think that this should be in the genera of horror because it fundamentally consists of a man having sex with a "special" girl. The plot makes little sense and there are no unexpected twists in the movie what so ever, with the exception of a man (who seems to be an upstanding citizen) having sex with a mentally disabled girl. The movie was a waste of my time and should be locked away in a vault to be burned at a later date.

Great body. Shame about the face........2007-05-31

Its been a long time since Dario Argento hit his own personal zenith of horror heights with early classics such as "Suspiria", "Tenebrae", "Deep Red" and "Opera" but luckily for us, this new MASTERS OF HORROR TV series has finally given him a new reason to kick back, cut loose and deliver the dark splattery goods that only Argento can.

Based upon an Eerie comic book by Bruce Jones (illustrated by top artist Berni Wrightson) this dark, sexual horror movie delivers everything that you want from an Argento flick . . . and more. Steven Weber (who has never been better. He scripts as well as stars) plays detective Frank Spivey, who is forced to gundown a man about to harm a disfigured young woman named `Jenifer' (played by Carrie Anne Fleming under a lot of latex appliances). He soon finds himself strangely protective of the girl, who uses her insane sexual prowess to steal Weber away from his wife and son and plunges him into a world of depraved sexuality and murder. Jenifer herself is a marvel. Both childlike and predatory in equal measure - she dominates Weber's world, offering him sex at the drop of a hat and killing just about anything that comes near her (cats, young teens, anything!). The murder sequences are highly erotic and graphic in their imagery, and mark a return to form (for me at least) to what Argento used to do. His fluid and assured use of camera movement combined with Claudio Simonetti's execellent score and the pitch perfect cast add up to one of the best times I have had in a horror movie in quite awhile. It all feels very `vintage Argento' and if you love his late 70s/mid 80s output - this is highly reminiscant of that period - although no `Suspiria' under any terms, it is, for me, the best of his recent offerings. Mixing dark imagery with a lyrical, almost dreamlike cinematography - it evokes an atmosphere unlike any other horror movies that out there at the moment. The only thing that lets it down is the `obvious' ending which coming after all the glorious bloodshed and atmosphere leaves you a little "huh?", but as the preceeding 50 minutes are largely excellent - you can forgive this minor mistep.

The disc is loaded with extras. Like the other MASTERS OF HORROR - you get the usual documentaries, trailers and deleted scenes. Oh yeah, those deleted scenes . . . owch! This new TV series is a real shot in the arm to the genre and you get the impression that the directors involved are having a good time pushing taboos and going back to horror basics. What with this and Miike's `Imprint' - this series is delivering the goods time and time again. Its only my opinion, but I highly recommend this series (if you can get it, go for the UK Anchor Bay boxsets which has all of the first season spread across 2 boxsets at around UK £15/$30 each online. Well worth it). To sum up, I loved this short movie and although wasn't totally enamoured with Argento's follow up `Pelts' - this master of horror surely makes up for lost time and has firmly got me back in the Argento camp. Plus, on a purely empty headed/dumb male standpoint: Jenifer has the hottest body I have ever seen! To be honest, if I was Weber's character - I would have probably done the same. Even if she does have massive fangs and eats entrails . . . what guys will do for a hot chick, huh? But, don't tell the wife.

Divided.......2007-05-31

On one hand, this film is brilliantly shot, the gore scenes are A+, the makeup is fab, the movie refuses to let you look away. On the other hand, the damn thing is so predictable, some parts are preposterous even within its own universe...

Which leaves me taking the easy way out by giving it a vague 3 star rating. Definitly worth watching, as Argento expertly exploits sex and violence in a visually mind searing way, and this one does have some unsettling parts-- some genuine chills. But it was impossible for me to ignore the plot holes and I ended up grunting and slamming my fist down at the end when all winded up exactly as predicted.

Argento took a flawed piece and got something out of it. Horror aficionados should dig this piece, but be warned that it is no Suspiria.

READ MY REVIEW!! (If you haven't seen it yet).......2007-05-19

OK lets get this straight, I like Masters of Horror, but they should really work on their endings! This 1 hr. episode is all about one girl cannibal, and they couldn't even make her die?! She turned a cat into pieces, she killed this little asian girl, she made this guy into pieces too, she even ate some guy's private part! And she still survives after Frank tried to kill her (but failed when some hunter had to shoot him)! Tons of sex, but creepy sex. Jenifer is hot without her nasty make-ups and masks! But Frank didn't even try to get his wife and son back after they left him while Jenifer was eating their cat!

Fan of Horror.......2007-05-15

I'm not educated on the background of this film, the origin, etc. but I am a fan of horror movies. I like this moving alot for the simple reason that it grossed me out. The gross out is an important aspect of horror, not the SINGLE most important aspect of course, but one of them. This film, portions of it were disgusting to watch, which in turn (being a gore fan)made me want to watch it more. The disfigured character Jenifer pursues Frank Spivey (Steven Weber) after she is rescued by him. From there it quickly builds into a bizarre ride filled with lust, cannibalism & animal mutilation. A must for Argento fans, a must for fans of the genre.

Average customer rating:

Nice find for 50's monster/horror fans....
CasaNegra really takes the cake with Mexican classics...

The Man and the Monster
Starring: José Chavez , Ofelia Guilmain , Enrique Rambal , Martha Roth , and Abel Salazar
Director: Rafael Baledon
Manufacturer: Casanegra Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Living Coffin
El Vampiro (The Vampire) & El Ataud del Vampiro (The Vampire's Coffin) - 2 Disc Special Edition
Jess Franco's Count Dracula (Special Edition)
The Mario Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Black Sunday / Black Sabbath / The Girl Who Knew Too Much / Kill Baby Kill / Knives of the Avenger)
The Aztec Mummy Collection

ASIN: B000NA1W90
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

Casa Negra's latest Mexican horror re-release, The Man and The Monster, is a direct hybrid of Phantom of the Opera, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Wolf Man. Professor Samuel Magno (Enrique Rambal), cursed by his decision to exchange his soul for being the world's best pianist, plans to heal himself by passing the torch to Laura, his student prodigy. Laura happens to be a doppelganger of Magno's former competitor, Alejandra, who he killed and has stored in his closet. Alejandra's rotting face looks uncannily like Barbara Steele's in Black Sunday, leaving one to wonder if this film inspired Bava's puncture-wound look. The crux of the tragedy occurs when Magno's curse takes effect, whereby he can play piano gorgeously but not without turning into a hideous, hairy, wolf-like monster. The Man and the Monster is all about the transformation scenes, time-lapsing hair, fangs, and facial crags that are as humorous as they are scary. Made the year after El Vampiro, director Rafael Baledón's film could possibly share castle sets. It relies on the same narrative trope in which an outsider, Ricardo Souto (Abel Salazar, who also played the similar character in El Vampiro), intervenes to solve the mystery and rescue the woman. However, there is always room for more cinema investigating Faustian bargains. --Trinie Dalton

Description

AKA: El Hombre y el Monstruo.
Gothic horror, special effects and an inventive re-thinking of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story converge in The Man and The Monster, one of the most chilling and exciting classics in the annals of Mexico's supernatural thrillers. Enrique Rambal portrays Samuel, a pianist so ambitious that he sells his soul to Satan in exchange for musical greatness. Every time Samuel plays the composition that wins him fame, fortune and adulation, he turns into a hideous beast with a lust for murder.

Special Features:

* Original Uncut Version
* Completely Re-Mastered Picture & Sound from Newly Restored Vault Elements
* Bilingual Menus in English & Spanish
* Exclusive Classic Mexican Horror Movie Poster Slideshow
* Original U.S. Theatrical Release Radio Spot
* Cast Biographies
* Poster and Stills Gallery

Customer Reviews:

Nice find for 50's monster/horror fans...........2007-05-21

For the most part, The Man and the Monster, released in the Mexico as "El hombre y el monstruo" is your average 1959 horror flick. It was filmed in the spanish language and then dubbed into english with careful attention paid to matching the dialouge with the actors lips. Unlike most other dubbed efforts, this one is very easy to watch without being distracted by the dubbing.

The film tells the sinister story of a pianist who sells his soul to the devil to become the greatest pianist in the world, with one catch - when he plays, he turns into what appears to be some type of monster/werewolf creature. The makeup effects for the monster are well done and much in alignment with what every other studio was doing at this time.

But what makes this flick really worthwhile is the above average cinematography, atmospheric lighting and the great score. A real nice achievement for the Mexico studio who put this together. makes one wonder what other south of the border classics are out there. It is truly a great looking film with solid acting with an air of creepy fright that is well sustained throughout the entire feature.

While not an all-time classic, Man and the Monster is very much suitable entertainment with much repeat watchability for those who enjoy the 50's sci-fi/horror genre and also for those who enjoy great black and white cinematography punctuated with film noir style lighting.

Check it out...

CasaNegra really takes the cake with Mexican classics..........2007-03-02

The Man and the Monster is actually a really good classic horror film. Visually and stylistically it borrows from the elements of other Mexican horror classics such as The Vampire and Curse of the Crying Woman. Most of these classic Mexican horror films were shot on the same sets however with each film the sets are manipulated and added to, subtracted from to make it look quite different and provide unique levels of atmosphere in each movie. The scenes shot in the Hacienda courtyard where Rambal's monstrous character lives are beautifully composed and deliciously lit. Director Baledon does a great job directing this film. People who have seen this film agree the monster is not terribly "monstrous" and is more funny to look at then scary but for me it does not detract from what a good film it really is. The film as a whole is quite an accomplishment with excellent acting and wonderful direction and photography. The film is pristine and probably even looks better then when people first saw it back in the 50s. The restoration on the DVD is absolutely perfect and on par with previous CasaNegra releases. A key feature of the DVD is a really fantastic Mexican Horror Poster slideshow set to music from the film which I also thought was really great.

Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Average customer rating:

The only review on this page is an advertisement. Let's change this...
The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Starring: Matt Frewer , and Kenneth Welsh
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0007LPS2W
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Customer Reviews:

The only review on this page is an advertisement. Let's change this..........2007-01-27

I really don't want to waste too much time reviewing this movie. In fact, I wasn't going to write a review at all, until I saw the average five star rating. It turns out, the other review here is an advertisement, which is perfectly legal...why not?

But I must warn you, this is an AWFUL adaptation of Hound of the Baskervilles. While Kenneth Walsh is a very good, though somewhat elderly Watson, Frewer is embarrassing to Watch as Holmes. In an interview, Frewer claimed that Brett did not play up Holmes' intellect enough. If you Watch Frewer's Sherlock films, not only will you see a performance that lacks intellect, but falls into the kind of accidental slapstick that Monty Python would praise and try to emulate for true comedy.

Perhaps it is because I am a fan of Brett that I was so turned off by this particular production. But looking again at my collection, I have both Cushing performances (excellent), the Rathbone movie (also excellent), the Roxburgh adaptation (I might be spelling his name wrong..that version had atmosphere, but misfired on the relationship between Holmes and Watson), and this version simply does not stand on its own for any reason I can think of. In fact, it sinks deep into the proverbial mire.

There are so many wonderful Sherlock Holmes movies out there...why waste your ninety minutes and your money?

The Hound of the Baskervilles .......2005-04-07

Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
2004 Hallmark Entertainment/Platinum Disc Corp.
Matt Frewer, Kenneth Welsh, Emma Campbell.
120 Minutes, Color, Full Screen, Interactive Menus, Chapter Selection.
The Mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville is blamed on a longstanding curse that has followed the Baskerville family for two hundred years. Enigmatic sleuth Sherlock holmes is on the case to uncover the truth about a monsterous, supernatural hound who roams the moors, waiting to attack the latest heir to the Baskerville estate.

Average customer rating:

"There it is...Yeti country."
SOMETHING IS AFOOT - - - - BIG-FOOT THAT IS!!
Man Beast - Jerry Warren's Most Entertaining Film
Not a great film, but not as bad as advertised.

Man Beast
Starring: Rock Madison , Asa Maynor , George Skaff , Tom Maruzzi , and Lloyd Nelson
Director: Jerry Warren
Manufacturer: Rhino Theatrical
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000068QMP
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Customer Reviews:

"There it is...Yeti country.".......2006-05-24

Producer, director, writer, and all around hack (I use the term `hack' in the nicest, possible connotation here) Jerry Warren (Teenage Zombies, Curse of the Stone Hand, The Wild World of Batwoman) may not have been as prolific as some in his field (about 11 features in all), but he did manage to leave his mark on the collective consciousness, that mark being akin to a nice sized skidmark one might find in a pair of used underwear. Prior to his importing and subsequently hacking the hell out of a handful of Mexican features, Warren did actually make movies from scratch, Man Beast (1956) being his first, and oddly enough, most watchable. Produced and directed by Warren, the film features Asa Maynor (Under the Yum Yum Tree), Tom Maruzzi, in his only silver screen appearance, and George Skaff (The Incredible Petrified World, Topaz), along with Lloyd Nelson (The Incredible Petrified World, A Bullet for Billy the Kid), and George Wells Lewis. Listed in the credits, but not actually appearing in the film, is one Rock Madison, a fictitious individual created by Warren with the intent on making the cast of his relatively meager production seem larger (Warren claimed Madison played the character of Lon Raynon, who supposedly was edited out of the film prior to its release). Madison would go on to get credit in Warren's 1965 feature Creature of the Walking Dead.

The movie begins with an establishing shot of the snowy Himalayas, and from here we see two individuals arriving at a lonely outpost. We soon learn they are Connie Hayward (Maynor) and her beau Trevor `Hud' Hudson (Nelson). Seems Connie has come looking for her brother Dr, James Hayward, one of the individuals who signed on with a prominent anthropologist named Dr. Eric Erickson (Lewis) in his expedition to locate an abominable snowman, or, as the locals call them, a Yeti. At the outpost Connie and Trevor hook up with a man named Steve Cameron (Maruzzi), who agrees to help them find Dr. Erickson's party. As the trio head up the mountain, Trevor starts in with the bellyaching, and eventually they catch up with Erickson and his guide named Varga (Skaff). The larger group heads towards camp, where James is supposedly located, only to find the camp in disarray and nobody home. Connie eventually spills the beans about her brother and his medical condition (seems he's on some sort of experimental medication that doesn't react well to high altitudes), and the group begins searching for James, but all they end up find is trouble in quite a few forms, including poison pill, so to speak, within their own group. Things get a little hairy, literally and figuratively speaking, as they do, in fact, discover there are Yeti alive and well living high in the Himalayas, and they don't much care for visitors...some interesting revelations are made, and it soon becomes apparent no one may get off the mountain alive...

I've seen a handful of Jerry Warren's films, and I have to say, Man Beast is probably one of his better movies...which really isn't saying a whole lot given some of his excrementally rotten features like The Wild World of Batwoman (1966) or Frankenstein Island (1981), but I thought it interesting that his first is probably his best, relatively speaking. The story does have some rather huge holes in the plot, and a number of loose threads, but overall, it ain't half bad, especially considering I was expecting a lot worse. I did learn a few things while watching the film including the following...

1. While it may be difficult to breath at extremely high altitudes, smoking certainly isn't an issue.
2. One of actor Lloyd Nelson's abilities was that of being able to scream like a twelve-year-old girl on cue.
3. The climate in the Himalayas is such that one can get by with a windbreaker, a skimpy hat, and no gloves.
4. Anthropologists, while enthusiastic to a fault, aren't terribly bright.
5. Yeti creatures seem to spend their days sitting around in the snow, peaking out from behind rocks, and starting avalanches.
6. Yeti are not covered in fur, but hair, much like men (and sometimes women) from the Mediterranean.
7. If you take a standard gorilla suit and spray paint it white, you have yourself one fine Yeti costume.

I mentioned plot holes earlier, the biggest one here, in my mind, is Connie's reasoning for looking for her brother. She claimed at one point he was taking some experimental drug, and that it had been recently discovered said drug didn't react well in high altitudes. I thought for sure this drug, in conjunction with the high altitude, was going to result in her brother turning into a Yeti (perhaps explaining the recent Yeti activity), but the story never went in that direction, ultimately turning her whole motive into a rather flimsy one at best. What was really funny was throughout the movie she's determined as hell to find her brother, so much so she follows him up a mountain, but the second some hairy, relatively benign beasts make the scene, she's ready to split, like quick...what about James? James who? The story did have a fun and interesting twist involving Varga near the end, one I didn't see coming at all, so that made things worthwhile for me. As far as the performances, most were adequate (George Skaff was entertaining), but Asa Maynor, who played Connie, came off the worst. She was obviously new to this whole `acting' thing at the time, and a quick look at her credits does indicate this was her first feature, so it wouldn't hurt to cut her some slack. One of the things I liked about this film was the fact it didn't drag things out too much, as the running time is barely over an hour. There are lengthy scenes of people trudging through the snow and appearing to climb mountains, so if that kind of thing gets you all wet and squishy, you're in for a real treat here. Warren keeps things moving along fairly well, and provides a good sense of forward flow, aspects not necessarily found in some of his later works. As far as the snowmen, yeah, they were hokey, but for a cheapie B horror/adventure movie from the mid 1950s, they weren't half bad. I would have liked to have seen the creatures mix it up a bit more than they did with the characters, but oh well...maybe they're truly pacifistic in nature (they didn't seem to mind bonking the occasional person on the head with a rock, though).

The picture quality, presented in fullscreen, on this Rhino Home Video DVD release looks decent enough. There are lines and aging elements present throughout, but nothing overly intrusive or bothersome. As far as the audio, I'm unsure the format, but it does come through surprisingly clear and crisp. There aren't any extras, but there is a scene index, for what it's worth.

Cookieman108

If abominable snowmen movies are your bag, I'd highly recommend checking out the Hammer Studios feature The Abominable Snowman (1957), featuring the Peter Cushing and Forrest Tucker, directed by Val Guest.

SOMETHING IS AFOOT - - - - BIG-FOOT THAT IS!!.......2006-01-17

IN A NUTSHELL: A DECENT "B" SCI-FI/HORROR FLICK - NO GORE, VIOLENCE OR SEX!

This film seems to be rather interesting, busy and purposeful, but looks can indeed be deceptive.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT: THERE IS SOMETHING AFOOT -- BIG-FOOT THAT IS!

An expedition to the Himalayas is followed by a trio of intrepid amateurs in search of Connie Hayward's, [Virginia Maynor] soon to be found to be missing, brother. There's alot of chasing around in what looks like snow, and somewhere, in the thick of things, there is an expedition to find, yes, the always elusive Yeti.

Without giving away what plot surprises there are, be advised that in this film you will indeed see what the filmmaker is passing off as the mysterious Yeti. But, there is more, lots more, and that is the reason to see this film. You see, there is something that is not quite right going on here, and in each of the last four expeditions there were fatalities and missing people. Indeed, something is afoot, Big Foot that is, and this element of the plot may make this film worth watching, at least once.

THE ACTORS AND PRODUCTION CREW:

Rock Madison - Lon Raynon
Virginia Maynor - Connie Hayward
Tom Maruzzi - Steve Cameron
Lloyd Nelson - Trevor Hudson
George Wells Lewis - Dr. Erickson
George Skaff - Varga
Jack Haffner - Kheon

Jerry Warren - Director / Producer
Victor Fisher - Cinematographer
Josef Zimanich - Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score)

ABOUT THE VIDEO: AVAILABLE NOW ON DVD

The version of the film I have is the "Acme Video Edition". It is in B/W and plays in the "SP mode", and was recorded in "Hi-Fi" so the resolution of both the audio and video are actually quite good, especially for a 50 year old low budget film. There are NO special features.

LOOKING FOR HIGHER PRODUCTION VALUES? CONSIDER VIEWING ---

"The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas", 1957, Directed by Val Guest and Starring Peter Cushing and Forrest Tucker.

Man Beast - Jerry Warren's Most Entertaining Film.......2002-11-03

Okay, I realize that's not saying much, but this is an entertaining picture much in the way that Ed Wood and Phil Tucker movies are entertaining. This is one of the 3 Abominable Snowman pictures released in the 50's. This version is much better than the BORING Snow Creature and more campy than Hammer's Abominable Snowman. Plot involves a young woman in search of her brother who is on an expedition to find the Yeti. Warren has stolen some footage of mountain climbing, but obviously spent more time trying to match the footage in this film versus his other spliced up messes.

There is enough plot information in the Editorial review and the VHS review. Let's discuss the merits of the DVD. As with most Rhino DVD's, you get the movie and that's it. The picture is okay. Not spectacular, but not bad. Certainly nowhere close to an Image Entertainment release, but much better than a Retromedia DVD. Unlike other Rhino DVD's, the sound is consistent and you don't have to crank the sound on your TV. This version is certainly acceptable and worth the low price.

Not a great film, but not as bad as advertised........2001-05-01

True, it would be difficult to come up with a list of three people with worse filmographies than the director of Man-Beast, Jerry Warren. But he evidently had not learned enough to do absolutely everything wrong yet in this 1956 creature feature, his first foray into flicks. The acting is lousy, the budget is minuscule, the direction is bad (when it's not stock footage) and the overall film-making quality is negligible, but somehow it manages to be more entertaining than its more intelligent and more highly-regarded Hammer counterpart, The Abominable Snowman. This is due primarily, in my thinking, to the fact that we ACTUALLY SEE THE MONSTERS (cheap and lumpy though they be)! Yes, I know, a gradual build-up of suspense is important, and one never wants to reveal too much too soon, but in the Cushing film that revelation is the whole point. A thousand pardons to zealous Val Guest fans, but whoopty-doo. Man-Beast builds to an adequately satisfying suspense climax, and the motivations of the titular character(s) and their cat's paw are pressingly evil, ringing more true than in the later film. In addition, some of the action in Man-Beast takes place in darkness. In "Snowman" it is mostly in the light, or else in badly-composed day for-night scenes. Still, if you don't like fairly ludicrous 50's drive-in fare, there is no way you will be able to stomach Man-Beast. Yet again, if you don't like fairly ludicrous 50's drive-in fare, you wouldn't click on a movie called Man-Beast. Sit back, enjoy, and experience a time we will never recapture.

Average customer rating:

Return to your Easter Bloc childhood
The Amphibian Man
Absolutely beatiful!
Praise RUSCICO!

The Amphibian Man
Starring: Vladimir Korenev , Anastasiya Vertinskaya , Mikhail Kozakov , A. Smiranin (II) , and Nikolai Simonov
Director: Vladimir Chebotaryov , and Gennadi Kazansky
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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Kidnapping Caucassian Style
Gentlemen of Fortune
The White Sun of the Desert
The Amphibian Man
Viy (Spirit of Evil)

ASIN: B00005M20E
Release Date: 2001-08-21

Description

There is panic in a small seaside town as reports of a "sea devil" are terrifying the local fishermen. No one has seen him up close, but a beautiful girl named Gutiere meets and falls in love with the so-called devil, who turns out to be an amphibian man whose element is the sea. By falling in love with Gutiere, who is forced to marry the treacherous Zurita, he is subjecting his life to a deadly risk. This romantic melodrama, based on Alexander Belyaev's novel, was a box-office smash in the USSR in 1961.

Customer Reviews:

Return to your Easter Bloc childhood.......2007-05-21

My wife had told me of this film she had seen on TV as a little girl in Cuba. Apparently it was played quite often because many Cubans I spoke to were familiar with it and had fond memories associated with it. A friend said she had seen it here and was disappointed because it was campier than she had recalled, but she did remember the title and so I was able to find it for my wife. We watched it together, and sure, it was dated, but she enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed seeing again Mighty Joe Young after thirty years, recognizing its flaws, yet still able to appreciate and recall the experience of seeing it as a child. The film is frequently dark and grainy and difficult to see. The villain is stock - an oyster boat captain who forces his worker's beautiful daughter to marry him and wants to capture in the amphibian man the ultimate oyster diver. The hero, a young man whose scientist father had performed the operation that allowed him to breathe under water, has that wide-eyed innocent yet self-assured look of Terence Hill in My Name is Nobody. The story is actually familiar to anyone who's ever seen Splash or The Little Mermaid - your typical fish-out-of-water story, but more a drama than a comedy with mild socialist overtones. Not a great movie, but worth seeing, I think.

The Amphibian Man.......2005-10-02

I saw this movie long time ago in the movie theater. I know I liked it then. Some thing must have changed. May be it is my age. When I saw the movie in DVD, I was totally disappointed. The DVD quality was very poor. The story was average. I regret buying this movie.

M.Rahman

Absolutely beatiful!.......2003-03-17

I have read "Amphibian Man" by Aleksandr Belyaev and then I watched this movie. Wow! It's really great! I like it even more than book. Beautiful, beautiful movie! Highly recommended

Praise RUSCICO!.......2003-01-31

A 1928 science-fiction/fairy-tale, dear to generations of Russians, was brought with loving care to their cinemas in 1961 and attracted lines of adoring fans, which spanned blocks at the box offices.

More than 4 decades later, the Russian Cinema Council through Image Entertainment, presents a DVD so stunning in color, clarity and crisp stereophonic sound that you can't help but beileve this is what it was like on the big screen!

I recommend this very highly for what it is; a sensitive love story with many twists and complex characters. Don't be misled by the title, this is not a Russian Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Praise RUSCICO for a dvd (great extras included) made with the same great care that was used in the making of the film.

The Mad Monster
Average customer rating:

ALPHA DVD VERSION

Silly Fun

Coyote Ugly...

Don't Buy This DVD - There Is A Glitch!

The Mad Monster
Starring: Johnny Downs , George Zucco , Anne Nagel , Glenn Strange , and Sarah Padden
Director: Sam Newfield
Manufacturer: Retromedia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Dead Men Walk

ASIN: B000AYYVBA
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Description

Dr. Cameron (George Zucco), a mad scientist who is put upon by his contemporaries who believe his ideas to be foolish, decides to exact revenge by creating a wolf-man. He injects wolf's blood into the veins of a slow-witted handyman named Petro (Glenn Strange), turning him into a man-beast with a taste for blood. Cameron releases Petro on his fellow scientist, with ghastly results.

Customer Reviews:

ALPHA DVD VERSION.......2006-10-30

THIS ONE WASTES NO TIME. WE'RE ONLY MINUTES INTO MAD MONSTER & WE GET TO SEE THE WEREWOLF TRANSFORMATION!!! GEORGE ZUCCO IS OVER THE TOP RAVING MAD IN HIS QUEST TO CREATE AN ARMY OF WEREWOLVES TO BATTLE NAZIS. THOSE WHO SCOFF & RIDICULE HIM ARE MARKED FOR DEATH. GLENN STRANGE PLAYS THE DIM-WIT TURNED WEREWOLF. HE'S GREAT FUN AS BOTH. SOME PRETTY NASTY POVERTY ROW STUFF HERE IN WHICH A CHILD IS MURDERED BY THE WEREWOLF...STILL, ALL IN ALL, THIS IS ONE LOW BUDGET CLASSIC & AN ENJOYABLE ROMP DOWN MONSTER LANE...RECOMMENDED.
THE ALPHA DVD VERSION IS PRETTY POOR THOUGH VISUALLY QUITE CLEAR. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE AUDIO, AN ANNOYING HUMMMM....ON THE SOUNDTRACK THAT DISTRACTS FROM THE OVERALL ENJOYMENT...STILL, FOR THE BARGAIN BASEMENT PRICE I'M GLAD I BOUGHT THIS GEM. IT'S MY FAVORITE ZUCCO PERFORMANCE & FOR THAT ALONE A MUST!!!

Silly Fun.......2005-10-23

If you're a fan of the sillier monster movies that Universal cranked out during the '40s, you'll probably enjoy this. I'm not sure what studio released it, as I got the Alpha Video edition, which doesn't provide that info. But it was released in 1942, and very obviously a cash-in on the previous year's "Wolf Man".

Here's the skinny: The makeup is very silly, but you do get the chance to see a werewolf in overalls, just like you've always dreamed. The acting is, in my opinion, rather charmingly bad. The misty swampland setting provides for some nice atmosphere. And the ending is pretty exciting.

Also, we get the chance to see two of the more recognizable faces from the latter days of Universal's classic monster movie cycle: Glenn Strange in a non-Frankenstein, speaking role (the first I've seen), and George Zucco, who played the obligatory "high priest of Arkam" in a couple of the "Mummy" sequels. Zucco is a pretty perfunctory mad scientist here, but Strange, although no Lawrence Olivier, is likeable as the hulking halfwit subjected to Zucco's werewolf experiments.

As for the Alpha DVD, it's just this side of "watchable"--something I can't say for some other Alpha releases I've seen. Alpha is always a crapshoot, but at six bucks a pop, sometimes I can't resist. Critically speaking, the movie looks about as good as it deserves to. But speaking as a lifelong lover of silly monster movies from the '40s, "The Mad Monster" is a fun surprise.

One more thing: The dialogue during the first reel is a little low. I'm guessing this is the movie's bad and not Alpha's. It does become clearer for the rest of the movie.

Coyote Ugly..........2005-04-07

Dr. Cameron (George Zucco) is a scientist experimenting on his handyman, Petro (Glenn "don't call me Lon" Strange), by injecting him with a serum that turns him into a ravenous werewolf by night! Cameron's been using wolf's blood (which is funny since the animal in the laboratory cage is clearly a coyote) to make his serum. Petro thinks he's been doing some harmless sleepwalking, when all along he's been on a murderous rampage! You see, he's Dr. Cameron's test subject, to both convince and slaughter the other scientists who mocked his revolutionary idea of creating an army of werewolves (!) to help in the war effort. Strange does his best to keep his dignity intact under the poofy wig and dime-store make-up he's forced to wear. MAD MONSTER is certainly not a classic wolfman movie, but it's worth a look or two...

Don't Buy This DVD - There Is A Glitch!.......2002-07-26

Please don't buy this DVD as at 8:32 into the movie the disc freezes. The only way to get past it is to skip to the next chapter and rewind to that point. Fast-forward will do no good, as it's doesn't work. I had two copies sent and they were both the same.

By the way: The quality of the print is just awful.

To be clear I want to explain that I'm talking about the more expensive Ventura Distribution edition. I doubt the less expensive disc freezes, but would bet the quality is even worse (if that's possible).

Description

Hélène Angel's stunning feature-length debut presents an unsettling story of brutality and domestic violence. Claiming to have run off and joined the Foreign Legion, Coco (Bernard Blancan) returns home to the Southern Alps after a mysterious fifteen-year absence. Despite his strange and withdrawn appearance, brothers Francky (Serge Riaboukine) and Alex (Pascal Cervo) welcome him back with open arms. His two nieces, however, recognize something far more sinister in the hallow-eyed and rotten-toothed loner. Before long, their fears become a reality, as Coco's unstable and increasingly threatening presence awakens a legacy of savage aggression within the troubled family.

Average customer rating:

ALPHA DVD VERSION
Silly Fun
Coyote Ugly...
Don't Buy This DVD - There Is A Glitch!

Mad Monster, The
Starring: Johnny Downs , George Zucco , Anne Nagel , Glenn Strange , and Sarah Padden
Director: Sam Newfield
Manufacturer: Alpha Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)
Icons of Horror - Boris Karloff (The Boogie Man Will Get You/The Black Room/The Man They Could Not Hang/Before I Hang)
Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection
The Black & Blue Collection (3 films} Bluebeard, Black Dragons, & The Black Raven
Dead Men Walk

ASIN: B00006AUGT
Release Date: 2002-06-18

Product Description

A mad doctor creates a werewolf to destroy his enemies.

Customer Reviews:

ALPHA DVD VERSION.......2006-10-30

Silly Fun.......2005-10-23

Coyote Ugly..........2005-04-07

Don't Buy This DVD - There Is A Glitch!.......2002-07-26

By the way: The quality of the print is just awful.

Product Description

Numerous candidates for the Beast of Revelation have been advanced throughout the years. They have included Pope Leo X, Napoleon, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Henry Kissinger, Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan, and even Bill Gates. Predictions about who the Beast is and what he will do are so varied and dissimilar that one could almost be forgiven for thinking that the answer to the riddle is unknowable to all but God. And yet the Bible clearly challenges us to gain understanding so that we can decipher his identity. By placing the book of Revelation in the context of the time it was written and letting Scripture (rather than current events) interpret Scripture, a plausible candidate for the Beat of Revelation has been identified or, more properly re-identified. If you will consider Dr. Gentrys case with an open mind and Bible, his teaching is likely to revolutionize your understanding of the book of Revelation while energizing your entire worldview as well. The Beast of Revelation Identified (DVD) is divided into three sections that are easily adaptable for Sunday School or personal Bible study. Historical footage, graphics and a compelling introduction by Eric Holmberg help amplify the material you are about to consider. A one hour Q&A session addresses many of the speculations and objections presented by the modern-day self proclaimed prophecy experts.

Customer Reviews:

Compelling Arguements.......2006-07-26

If you are interested in the Book of Revelation, then this DvD is for you. Everyone I have shown it to agrees - even my 18 year old son! I found Dr. Gentry's arguements for a pre AD 70 dating for the writing of Revelation to be logical, interesting and compelling.

Mind-blowing and paradigm-shifting!.......2006-06-27

I loved the introduction by Eric Holmberg; I could totally relate. After I became a believer I got caught up in "rapture fever" because it was the default setting for true Bible-believing Christians. But as I studied the Bible and got to know God better, I gradually started having problems with the system. Satan is definitely alive; but is he "really well on planet earth?" This DVD really helped me work through some of these issues and better understand the book of Revelation.

DISPEN - SIN - SATIONALISM!!!.......2006-03-30

The Left Behind generation has rejected scholarship in favor of speculation, fact in favor of fantasy, and history in favor of "nonfiction." In this brilliant doculecture, Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry explains that the Beast of Revelation was easily identifiable to first century Christian. They were the ones who received the Revelation of Jesus Christ written by the hand of the Apostle John and these same first century Christian were the letters primary audience. If you like being challenged, this production from The Apologetics Group will do just that.

A REAL EYE-OPENER!.......2006-02-10

Like a lot (most?) Christians, I have struggled to understand what Revelation and other apocalyptic passages in the Bible are really talking about. Popular "Left Behind/Satan is Alive and Well" teaching has never quite settled well with me. It just doesn't seem to square with the victory of the cross, the crushing of the serpent's head and the greatness of the Great Commission ("All power has been given to Me..." Matt. 28:18) This DVD really helped open my eyes and heart... Eric Holmberg's introduction alone is worth the cost of admission."

Average customer rating:

Ultimate Sleepover DVD Giftset
Starring: Sam Waterston , Tess Harper , Gail Strickland , Reese Witherspoon , and Jason London
Director: Robert Mulligan , Peter Markle , and Melville Shavelson
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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This giftset includes 15 sleepover favorites including: Material Girls, Uptown Girls, Saved!, Legally Blonde, Legally Blonde: Red, White & Blonde, Valley Girls, Virginia's Run, Man in the Moon, The Princess Bride, Courage Mountan, Yours, Mine & Ours, Mermaids, Mystic Pizza, Sleepover and Beauty & The Beast.

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