EEGAH! (1962) Blu-ray Review

Eegah! (1962) d. Arch Hall Sr. (USA) (90 min)

“Love Breaks the Time Barrier!”

Arch Hall Sr. produced and directed this deliriously delightful train wreck under the pseudonym of Nicholas Merriwether, and then cast himself in a major supporting role under another aka of "William Watters." One assumes this was done to not call attention to his relation to the film’s nominal star, Arch Hall, Jr., who zips around in his dune buggy, squints and smiles a lot from under his zany blonde pompadour, and croons a couple of tunes to his girl Roxy (Marilyn Manning, The Sadist) – usually with other girls’ names as the titles.

THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (1962) Blu-ray Review

The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962) d. Joseph Green (USA)

Brash young surgeon Bill Cortner (TV mainstay Jason Evers, billed as Herb at the time), having developed a serum that keeps human tissue alive even after being separated from the body, decides to run off with his fiancée’s head (Virginia Leith) following a tragic auto accident. He props it up in his out-of-the-way country lab for safekeeping until he can find another host body (preferably a hot rockin’ one) to stick it back on, hitting up various strippers (blonde Bonnie Sharie, brunette Paula Maurice) and models (Adele Lamont) along the way.

LORNA THE EXORCIST (1974) / CASTLE OF FU MANCHU (1969) movie reviews

(Only got two flicks in this week, but since I had a bit to say about them, I figured I'd give them their own slot.)

I’ll come straight out and say it: I’m not really a fan of Jess Franco’s films. I’ve seen at least twenty of the prolific Spanish auteur's efforts at this point and there’s not one that I can point to as a “favorite” or even one that I genuinely “enjoy.” There are some that have more interesting elements than others (Venus in Furs, Awful Dr. Orloff, Vampyros Lesbos, and Eugenie), some of which even manage to entertain on occasion (though never, let it be noted, as a cohesive whole). When sitting down for a Franco flick, I am now braced for tedium, disappointment and/or questionable cinematic technique; while watching, I am frequently reminded of other, better films that proved more engaging, competent, challenging, artistic, etc. The guy might have made hundreds of features, but somehow this never translated into his becoming a genuinely accomplished filmmaker – in itself is a pretty amazing feat.