Between 1955 and 1959, Roger William Corman directed 24-motion pictures. This is a look at half of that total, from his overall total of 56-films, that he directed in multiple genres, with his last directed motion picture being, 1990's, "Frankenstein Unbound".
Ask to name a classic director of Western movies, and many people would come up with John Ford. Thinking, they may add one-eyed Raoul Walsh, the man that gave Marion Robert Morrison the new name of John Wayne, in 1930, for the wide-screen Western, "The Big Trail". Perhaps they would mention Jimmy Stewart's favorite Western director, Anthony Mann, or, John Sturges, 1957's, "The Gunfight at the O. K, Corral, and 1960's, "The Magnificent Seven".
What they wouldn't come up with is Roger Corman, because he's thought of being strictly science fiction and horror.
WRONG!
His first directing assignment was a Western for Corman's, "Palo Alto Productions". Which would be released and partly financed by the "American Releasing Corporation". That over time morphed into "American International Pictures (AIP)". That with all their releases, never had a physical studio, but did have an office on what was known as "Poverty Row", on Gower Street, in Hollywood.
WESTERNS
The following comes from the "Roger Corman Blogathon" about the first motion picture he directed.
https://fiftieswesterns.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/the-roger-corman-blogathon-five-guns-west-1955/
Corman: “I was nervous, but I never doubted that I could pull it off. The film was almost all exteriors and I decided to shoot in the parched, rocky terrain at Iverson’s Ranch, on the far side of the San Fernando Valley near Chatsworth… I was also planning to shoot at Ingram’s Ranch, owned by cowboy actor Jack Ingram, because he had built a Western town there.”
Along with his ranch, Jack Ingram himself appears in the film.
Corman: “I had planned everything. Then I awoke on the first day of shooting and drove to the location through an incredible torrent of rain. This wasn’t possible. My first day! I hadn’t even started and I was already behind schedule! I got so worked up and tense that I pulled off the road and threw up. Then I just leaned against my car in the rain and pulled myself together. I made it to Iverson’s and after about an hour’s wait the rain stopped.”
Puddles of water and muddy boots can be clearly seen in the Iverson scenes. Part of the crew trudging around in the rain that day was Oscar-winning cinematographer Floyd D. Crosby, who’d won a Golden Globe for his work on High Noon (1951).
Floyd Crosby: “He needed a lot less coaching than a lot of other young directors. He knew what he wanted, he worked fast, and it was fun. Suddenly we were a team.”
FIVE GUNS WEST released on April 15, 1955
The motion picture was written by R. (Robert) Wright Campbell. His name would appear on other motion pictures in association with Roger Corman. One of his most known non-Corman screenplays. was James Cagney's, 1957, "Man of a Thousand Faces", a Hollywood bio-pic about Lon Chaney, Sr.
Campbell has the distinction of writing the only non-Richard Matheson screenplay for Roger
Corman's, Edgar Allan Poe series. This was, 1964's "The Masque of the Red Death". For those of my readers interested in that series. My article is "Quoth 'The Raven': ROGER CORMAN", to be read "upon a midnight so dreary", at:
John Lund portrayed "Govern Sturges". From 1950 into 1959, Lund was the vice-president of "SAG (the Screen Actors Guild)". Just prior to this movie, he co-starred with up and coming actors, Jeffrey Hunter, Robert Wagner, and Debra Paget, in the 1955 Western, "White Feather". John Lund followed this motion picture by co-starring with Victor Mature, in 1955's, "Chief Crazy Horse".
Dorothy Malone portrayed "Shalee Jethro". Malone started on-screen acting in 1943. Her first nine-roles were all uncredited. She moved slowly into fully credited supporting roles, including 8th-billing in 1955's, "Battle Cry", between 7th-billed, Tab Hunter, and 9th-billed, Anne Francis. The Leon Uris best selling novel based motion picture, was released just prior to the low budget, Roger Corman Western. Dorothy Malone followed Corman's picture by co-starring with Randolph Scott and Peggie Castle, in the 1955 Western, "Tall Man Riding". Eight movies later, and Dorothy Malone won the "Best Supporting Actress Academy Award", for 1956's, "Written on the Wind", and her career was jump started as an "A-List" actress.
Touch Connors portrayed "Hal Clinton". Krekor Ohanian was using his high school basketball nickname of "Touch", and had started his on-screen roles in the Joan Crawford psychological thriller, 1952's, "Sudden Fear". In 1957, "Touch" would become Michael Connors, and in 1967, became Mike Connors. A name he would continue to use for the detective television show, "Mannix", 1967 into 1975.
R. Wright Campbell, billed as Bob Campbell, portrayed "John Morgan Candy".
Jonathan Haze, billed as Jonothon Haze, portrayed "William Parcell 'Billy' Candy". Haze started on-screen acting with producer, not director, Roger Corman's, 1954, "Monster from the Ocean Floor". The actor would be associated with Corman for 23-years, and in 1960, Jonathan Haze originated the character of "Seymour Krelborn", in Roger Corman's classic horror comedy, "Little Shop of Horrors".
Paul Birch portrayed "J. C. Haggard". Birch had just portrayed, the "Sheriff", in the 1955 Western, "Strange Lady in Town", starring Greer Garson, Dana Andrews, and Cameron Mitchell. Paul Birch followed this movie by starring in 1955's, "The Beast with a Million Eyes".
Above left to right, four of the five guns, Paul Birch, Touch Connors, Jonathan Haze, and R. Wright Campbell.
The Good Idea for a Western Hampered by the Budget:
As many reviewers have stated, Campbell's screenplay, was 1967's, "The Dirty Dozen" minus seven, but filmed and released 12-years-earlier.
The story is set during the last days of the Civil War, the Confederacy is bankrupt, and a plan is hatched to save it. The plan calls for offering five imprisoned men, all sentenced to hang, to go on a secret mission for the Confederacy in exchange for pardons.
Should they agree, they will need to ride through Indian territory (Budget is obvious with stock footage of Indians from other motion pictures) in three days, not the normal four, to a deserted town with a stagecoach station. Once there, the five will intercept and ambush a stage coach under Union army guard. Capture a traitor to the Southern cause, "Stephen Jethro", portrayed by Jack Ingram. Who has a list of Confederate spy's in the North, he's exchanging for $30,000 in Union gold, being guarded and transported by Union soldiers.
The five agree, and "Govern Sturges" appoints himself leader, but all five seem to have the gold on their minds and are thinking, why return it?
Before the five arrive at the deserted town, they are already breaking into groups to get rid of the others, once the gold is in their hands. It takes them a full 30-minutes of the movies 78, to get there, including a run-in with some Indians. However, the town isn't deserted, there are two people living in it. One is an old drunk, "Uncle Mike", portrayed by James Stone, the other "Shalee Jethro", who breaks the window of the house, takes aim at "Sturges", and fires a few rounds at him. He stops walking, asks about the stage, is told that it would be two-weeks before the California stage arrives.
The five settle in to wait out the stage, and "Hal Clinton" makes a play for "Shalee", but it becomes evident that she likes "Govern Sturges". The stage finally enters the picture 58-minutes into the story. The Union troops are ambushed, killed, and the sole passenger claims not to be "Stephen Jethro", but turns out to be him. He has the list "Sturges" was looking for, but it is now discovered the gold isn't on the stagecoach. "Jethro" had already been paid and deposited it in a San Francisco bank for security.
This reveal takes place, as "Govern" turns out be a Confederate officer, who is assigned to bring "Jethro" and his list back. The story now becomes "Sturges", with the help of "Shalee" and her uncle inside their house, against the other four that want "Jethro" to take to San Francisco and the gold.
"Hal" decides to wait the three, with their prisoner, out, and the others join him. Inside the house "Shalee" and "Govern" are realizing their love for each other. Outside, it's now getting onto night, and "Billy Candy" can't just sit still, and with guns firing, rushes the house and is killed. A little while later, his brother is able to find a way under the house, crawls through it, and hearing the footsteps above, shoots almost hitting "Jethro". Meanwhile, "J. C. Haggard" pulls a gun on "Hal", tells him to drop his pistol, and kicks it away. "J. C." believes his life is more important than the gold, gets his horse, and rides out of town. Next, "Sturges" crawls under the house and has a gunfight with "John Candy", killing him. This leads to "Hal" holding a gun on "Shalee", which in turn leads to a fight between "Hal Clinton" and "Govern Sturges", and "Hal" being killed with a knife.
The story ends with "Govern Sturges" burying the Union soldiers, saying he'll return to "Shalee", and riding off with his prisoner, "Stephen Jethro".
What is never answered, or explained is why Dorothy Malone's character is listed as "Shalee Jethro", with the same last name as the Confederate traitor.
APACHE WOMAN released on September 15, 1955
This story and the written screenplay came from Lou Rusoff. He would write three more Roger Corman screenplays I will be mentioning. In 1959, Rusoff, wrote the teenage hot rod movie, "The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow", featuring an out of costume Paul Blaisdell. Which the screenplay writer would revise into the first Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, "Beach Party" movie in 1963. That story is found in my article "THE GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW MEETS THE GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI: The Story of the BEACH PARTY Motion Pictures", to be read at:
Lloyd Bridges portrayed "Rex Moffitt". Bridges had just co-starred with Joel McCrea, and Vera Miles, in the 1955 Western, "Wichita". He followed this movie with an appearance on the religious television series, "Crossroads", entitled "Broadway Trust", on November 11, 1955.
Joan Taylor portrayed "Anne LeBeau". Taylor was first seen on-screen, in the 1949, Randolph Scott Western, "Fighting Man of the Plains". She just had 6th-billing in the 1954 musical, "Rose Marie" and followed this feature with 4th-billing in the Peter Graves, 1955 Western, "Fort Yuma". However, it is two motion pictures by stop-motion-animator Ray Harryhausen that Joan Taylor is known for, 1956's, "Earth vs the Flying Saucers", and 1957's, "20 Million Miles to Earth".
Lance Fuller portrayed "Armand LeBeau". Two movies before this feature, Lance Fuller portrayed "Brack", in the 1955 cult science fiction film, "This Island Earth". Six motion picture after this picture, Fuller was "Dr. Ted Erickson", in the Bridey Murphy inspired 1956, "The She Creature". That movie and Roger Corman's, 1957's, "The Undead", are part of my article "Bridey Murphy: 1950's Hypnotism-Regression-Reincarnation Motion Picture Craze" at:
Above left is Jonathan Haze portraying "Tom Chandler", with Morgan Jones portraying "Macy". I will be mentioning "Jones" in one other Corman feature, but he became a solid supporting actor in movies and especially television. Among his roles are "Crewman Nichols" in 1956's, 'Forbidden Planet", and the "Lieutenant-Radar operator", in 1957's, "The Giant Claw".
Paul Birch portrayed "The Sheriff".
Dick Miller portrayed Native American "Tall Tree". This was Miller's first motion picture and he was about to become a familiar name to fans of Roger Corman. However, I could not locate a photo of him from this feature.
The Screenplay:
Once again, Roger Corman presents his viewer with a story that could have been better, if he had a budget to work with. This is not putting the screenplay down, as it goes into the relationship between the title character, Half-Apache, Half-White, "Anne LeBeau" and her college educated brother, "Armand". As written by Lou Rusoff, and played by Joan Taylor, in a role far different from either Ray Harryhausen motion pictures she is known for, and is an attempt by Corman and Rusoff to get away from the typical "Heroine" of the Eisenhower era.
"Anne", is proud of her Apache half, and proves this on the main street of the town. While the locals watch, she stands up to "Tom Chandler", a local tough and anti-Apache white. Who makes the mistake of calling her "A Dirty Half-Breed", and loses face in front of everyone.
While, Lance Fuller's, "Armand LeBeau" answers his sister's questions with riddles and half-truths, and is tormented about who he really is, Apache, or white?
The government has sent agent "Rex Moffitt" to investigate the Apaches. "Moffitt" comes to believe that the raids are by whites using the Apaches as their cover. This leads him to the "LeBeau's", who seem to have a connection with the raiders, but, unplanned, develops into a relationship with "Anne LeBeau".
"Rex" goes to the sheriff with his theory that the "LeBeau's" are somehow involved with the raiders, and that the raiders are primarily white racists, liked "Tom Chandler" and his friend, "Macy". The sheriff isn't ready to accept the idea that they're dealing with people he knows posing as Apaches. "Rex" confronts "Anne" that he now believes "Armand" is the leader of the raiders, but "Anne" will not accept it. However, she will start to think otherwise.
A subplot, has "Macy" kidnap "Anne LeBeau", because he's desires her. This leads to a confrontation with "Armand:, and confirms to "Anne" that her brother is the leader of the raiders.
The screenplay still contains hints of examining racism against Native Americans that the writer and director wanted to explore, but they didn't follow through. The climax instead, becomes a let down in the normal "B" Western style.
As "Rex" and his men ambush "Armand" and his, resulting in a shootout sequence seen in many 1930's and 1940's "B" Westerns between the "Bad Guys" and the "Good Guys". This takes place near a cliff, on which "Rex" and "Armand" have their expected fight, and "Anne's" brother falls to his death. Thereby, quickly settling all the racial animosity between the ranchers and towns people against the local Apaches. While, "Rex" and "Anne" ride off into the sunset, so to speak.
Next came a Western with two actresses that appeared in classic Roger Corman science fiction and horror.
GUNSLINGER released on June 15, 1956
The screenplay came from two writers, this was
Charles B. Griffith's first screenplay. I will be mentioning two other of his screenplays in this article, but his other films include
1957's, "Attack of the Crab Monsters", "The Undead", and
1960's, "Little Shop of Horrors".
The second writer was Mark Hanna, co-writer of 1957's, "The Amazing Colossal Man", and 1958's, "Attack of the 50 Foot Women".
John Ireland portrayed "Cane Miro". There have been several Hollywood movies about "The Gunfight at the O. K. Corral" made since 1932. In director John Ford's, 1946 version, Ireland was "Billy Clanton". In director John Sturges's, 1957 version, Ireland was "Johnny Ringo". Then he was "Bob Ford", in director Samuel Fuller's, 1949, "I Shot Jesse James". My article is "John Ireland: Westerns, Film-Noirs, A Little McCarthyism and a Few Affairs" at:
Beverly Garland portrayed
"Town Marshall Rose Hood". Garland started on-screen acting in the classic film-noir,
1949's "D.O.A.", 4th-billed as
Beverly Campbell . In
1953, she was in the cult horror classic,
"The Neanderthal Man", and in
1955, appeared on the first of two episodes of televisions
"Science Fiction Theatre". I will mentioned
Beverly Garland when I speak to the "Aliens" in this article. The actress was one of the first women to break
"The Glass Ceiling" of television and her story is a part of my article
"Four Actresses Challenging TV's Stereotyped Woman's Roles" found at:
Allison Hayes portrayed "Erica Page". Hayes would follow this feature film with Roger Corman's, take on "Bridey Murphy", 1957's, "The Undead". She would also co-star in three other 1957 horror entries, "Zombies of Mora Tau", "The Unearthly", and "The Disembodied". However, she is best known for portraying the title role in 1958's, "The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman". The actress is part of my article "Peggie Castle, Allison Hayes, Gloria Talbott and 1950's Sci-Fi Movies"at:
Above, Beverly Garland on the left, confronts Allison Hayes on the right, would be gunfighter, "Jake Hayes", portrayed by Jonathan Haze, looks on.
The Very Basic Screenplay:
After her husband, "Marshall Scott Hood", portrayed by William Schallert, below, is killed. His widow, "Rose", becomes the temporary Marshal of Oracle, Texas, and immediately runs afoul of saloon owner "Erica Page".
Above William Schallert and Beverly Garland
"Erica" sends one of her men to hire an unknown gunslinger to kill "Rose". "Cane Miro" comes to town, and "Rose" shoots at him, believing he's the hired killer. "Cane", who is the hired gunfighter, explains he's come after the town's mayor and not "Rose". The mayor commanded an artillery group during the Civil War and under fire ran. His action resulted in the death of many soldiers including "Cane's" brothers.
"Miro" next goes to "Erica's" saloon and she demands that he kill "Rose". "Erica" has been buying up land along the proposed railroad frontage. However, "Cane" isn't as coldblooded as "Erica", and reminds her of a deal the two made to avoid killing "Rose", if the railroad comes to Oracle and the saloon owner becomes very rich, she would just leave the town.
Meanwhile, "Rose" and "Cane" are falling in love, but things progress beyond that possibility. "Rose" has the mayor placed in protective custody from "Cane". Then a series of events follow, started by a "Pony Express" rider bringing a letter that the railroad isn't coming to Oracle. "Erica" now wants "Cane" to kill "Rose", as their deal is off, but first he goes to confront the now released mayor. In a shootout, the mayor's wife is accidently killed, but "Cane" still kills the other. Back in town there's a confrontation with "Rose's" deputy and he's killed by "Cane". "Erica" gets a gun and aims it at "Rose", but "Cane' kills her, and "Rose", in turn, kills him. The dying gunslinger asks, if she loved him and "Rose" says yes!
The following picture was, depending on who is reviewing it, either the third, or fourth Western from
director Roger Corman. Although it was released on the same day as "Gunslinger", it was not on a double bill with the picture, but with the film noir, "Female Jungle".
THE OKLAHOMA WOMAN released June 15, 1956
The screenplay was by Lou Rusoff, in 1957, he wrote the British "Cat Girl", starring Barbara Shelley. Which seems very much like a remake of producer Val Lewton's, 1942, "The Cat People".
Richard Denning portrayed "Steve Ward". Denning's first on-screen appearance was in 1937's, "Hold 'Em Navy", a football story. He fought dinosaurs in 1948's, "Unknown Island", and saved the girl from 1954's, 3-D, "The Creature from the Black Lagoon". Richard Denning was married to "Universal Picture's" horror actress, Evelyn Ankers. My article is "RICARD DENNING: HIS SCIENCE FICTION AND HORROR FILMS" found at:
Peggie Castle portrayed "Marie 'Oklahoma' Saunders". Castle co-starred in one of the better low budget, "Second Red Scare" drama's, 1952's, "Invasion U. S. A.", with Gerald Mohr and Dan O'Herlihy. She co-starred with Peter Graves in producer and director Bert I. Gordon's, 1957, "Beginning of the End", see my article.
Above between Richard Denning and Peggie Castle is Roger Corman stalwart, Dick Miller portraying "The Bar Tender". He had been in all three previous Westerns.
Cathy Downs portrayed "Susan Grant". For her 6th-motion picture, Downs had the title role in director John Ford's, "O. K. Corral" film, 1946's, "My Darling Clementine". In 1955, she co-starred in "The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues", the following year it was "The She Creature", in 1957, "The Amazing Colossal Man", and in 1958, Cathy Downs was on a "Missile to the Moon". My article about her career is "CATHY DOWNS the Hollywood Rabbit Hole into Low-Budget 1950's Science Fiction" for your reading at:
Touch Connors portrayed "Tom Blake". He was still 12-roles from first trying being credited as Michael Connors. He had already appeared in two other Roger Corman features, 1956's, "Swamp Woman", starring Marie Windsor and Beverly Garland, and a film I will mention in the next section of my article.
Jonathan Haze portrayed "Blackie Thompson". Haze is uncredited in an interesting horror movie, 1955's, "Dementia" aka: "Daughter of Horror". There is no dialogue in the movie, as the audience follows a psychotic young woman through one night of horror.
The Screenplay:
Gunslinger "Steve Ward" has served six-years time in prison and is being released to his home town. One of the factors of his release is that "Steve" has inherited a ranch. Upon his return, things have really changed over the last six-years. The town is now split into two groups, one is the business owners and large ranchers, who want complete control of the town, the small ranches and farms. The other side are those small ranchers and farmers. A familiar "B" Western plot in movies since the silent years, but Lou Rusoff adds a twist. "Steve" finds his former girlfriend, saloon owner, "Marie 'Oklahoma" Saunders", has not only aligned with the business men, but is their leader. Additionally, her new love interest is another gunslinger named "Tom Blake". Who doesn't like the old one being back in town.
The screenplay takes the usual "B" Western plot, "Steve" joins the opposition led by politician "Ed Grant", portrayed by Tudor Owen, and the father of "Susan Grant", who will become "Steve's" new love interest.
The climax comes when "Steve" is framed by "Marie" and "Blake" for the murders of "Ed" and "Sheriff Bill Peters", portrayed by Martin Kingsley. "Steve" is about to be hung for the two murders, but "Susan" enters the saloon and goes for "Marie". In the end "Susan" forces "Oklahoma" to confess that she had "Blake" murder both "Susan's" father and the sheriff.
The real action in this Roger Corman production took place before the picture's release. There was a real "cat fight" between Cathy Downs, and Peggie Castle, who had been signed by Corman for the film's female lead. Downs believed her status, starting with the John Ford motion picture, should give her top billing over Castle. It was finally settled that both actresses would have equal size typeface on all posters and press releases for the motion picture and Roger Corman would cast Cathy Downs as the female lead in another motion picture. Downs was never in another Corman film and had 4th-billing in her very next motion picture, 1956's, "The She Creature". Down's and Lance Fuller's print face on the poster was at least 2/3rd's smaller than Chester Morris, Marla English, and Tom Conway's name.
ALIENS
Roger Corman immediately followed "The Oklahoma Woman" with a pure alien invasion science fiction story. Yes, he had been assigned as the 4th-director on 1955's, "The Beast with a Million Eyes", by executive producer Sam Arkoff. However, only David Karmarsky received the director credit for the feature and was also a producer of the picture. Neither Rodger Corman, Lou Place, nor Donald Myers names are seen on the movie's posters, or the film's on-screen credits for the sequences they filmed.
Rodger Corman's alien invasion motion picture was:
IT CONQUERED THE WORLD released July 15, 1956
The credited screenplay writer was Lou Rusoff. Rusoff followed this motion picture with the film noir thriller 1956's, "Girls in Prison", starring Richard Denning and Joan Taylor. The uncredited screenplay writer was Charles B. Griffith, this screenplay immediately followed "Gunslinger", for the writer.
Uncredited for both Special Effects and portraying "The Monster", was the designer and builder of the alien, Paul Blaisdell. My article is "Paul Blaisdell: 'American International Pictures' Creator of 1950's Alien's and Other Creatures" to be read at:
Peter Graves portrayed "Dr. Paul Nelson". Graves wasn't unfamiliar with low budget science fiction. He had already co-starred with Andrea King, in the classic "Second Red Scare" feature, 1952's, "Red Planet Mars", and 1954's, "Killer's from Space". Since February he had been appearing on different television shows, and after this entry, in 1957, Graves would co-star with Peggie Castle and Morris Ankrum, in producer-director Bert I. Gordon's, "The Beginning of the End".
Beverly Garland portrayed "Claire Anderson". This movie immediately followed "Gunslinger", and her next feature film was the jungle horror entry, 1956's, "Curucu, Beast of the Amazon", co-starring with John Bromfield, and directed from his own story by Curt Siodmak.
Lee Van Cleef portrayed "Dr. Tom Anderson". Van Cleef first appeared on-screen in 1952's, "High Noon", portraying "Jack Colby", but also appeared in the first of four-episodes of "Space Patrol" that year. In 1953, the actor received cult fame as the rifleman who kills Ray Harryhausen's, "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms". My article is "LEE VAN CLEEF: A Mixture of 'B' and Spahgetti' Westerns with a Side of Science Fiction and Just a Taste of Drama" at:
Sally Fraser portrayed "Joan Nelson". Basically, at this time, she was a television actress. Fraser started with a 1952, episode of televisions "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok", and was also seen in a 1953 television episode of Ed Kemmer's, "Space Patrol". This was her first motion picture and she returned to television appearances until her next feature film, the 1958 horror entry with Ed Kemmer, the "Giant from the Unknown". Back to television until two 1958, Bert I. Gordon films, the sequel to Cathy Down's, 1957, "The Amazing Colossal Man", "War of the Colossal Beast", and yet a 3rd Ed Kemmer co-appearance, "The Earth vs the Spider" aka: "The Spider".
Above left to right, Peter Graves, Sally Fraser, Beverly Garland, and Lee Van Cleef.
The Basic Screenplay:
"Dr. Tom Anderson" has made radio communication with an alien from the planet Venus. The alien convinces the embittered scientist to help him find a safe landing place and take over the minds of the people he needs to conqueror the earth. Even though the entire motion picture takes place in and around a small rural California town.
The alien's control comes from a bat-like flying creature that comes out of the alien and implants two control devices in a person's neck. The local Sheriff, and the members of "Anderson" and "Nelson's" space research lab will come under the invaders control.
Before, "Tom Anderson" comes to his senses, his best friend's wife, "Joan Nelson", will be taken over by the Venusian invader. She will attempt to do the same to "Paul", but he kills both the bat like creature and "Joan".
Next, "Dr. Tom Anderson's" wife, "Claire", who has learned the truth about the alien and its location goes to confront the alien in a hot springs cave, that it needs to live in, raising another question, how can it conqueror the world if the Venusian is confined to the cave? For her efforts, "Claire" will be killed by the alien.
The climax has a seemingly lost and comic Army patrol discovering the cave and fighting the alien. Look for Jonathan Haze portraying "Pvt. Manuel Ortiz", and Dick Miller portraying "Sgt. Neil".
Finally, completely returned to his senses, after the death's he's co-responsible for, "Dr. Tom Anderson", uses a blow torch and kills the invader, but is also killed.
Roger Corman's second alien story had an alien form of vampirism.
NOT OF THIS EARTH released February 10, 1957
Above, another of those typical 1950 Science Fiction posters. What the creature is I have no idea, because it is not in the movie. However, it does catch the potential audience viewers interest.
The screenplay was by two writers I have already mentioned, Charles Griffith, and Mark Hanna. Griffith had written the screenplay for Roger Corman's, 1957, "Attack of the Crab Monsters", that was released on a double bill with "Not of This Earth".
Paul Birch portrayed "Paul Johnson". He had been appearing on television prior to this motion picture, and followed this feature with the uncredited role of "Blythe", in director Billy Wilder's, 1957, "The Spirit of St. Louis", starring James Stewart as "Charles Lindbergh.
Beverly Garland portrayed "Nadine Storey". Garland had just co-starred with Richard Denning in director Roger Corman's, gangster movie, 1957's, "Naked Paradise", written by Griffith and Hanna. She followed this feature with the Western, 1957's, "Badlands of Montana", co-starring with Rex Reason.
Above left to right, Tamarr Cooper portraying "Joanne", Beverly Garland, and William Roerick portraying "Dr. F. W. Rochelle".
Jonathan Haze portrayed "Jerry Perrin", the chauffeur for "Mr. Johnson". Haze had just been seen in 1957's, "Naked Paradise", and followed this feature with Roger Corman's, 1957, "Rock All Night", starring Dick Miller and Abby Dalton.
Above, Beverly Garland and Jonathan Haze.
Dick Miller billed as Richard Miller, portrayed "Joe Piper", a victim of "Paul Johnson". Miller also
has just been seen in 1957's, "Naked Paradise", and followed this motion picture with Corman's, 1957, "The Undead".
The Screenplay:
Keeping with America's "Cold War" fear of nuclear war. The screenplay has "Paul Johnson" as a survivor of atomic war on the planet Davanna. The survivors have developed a blood disease and are dying out. "Johnson" was sent to Earth to send "examples of the human race" by matter transmitter back to Davanna. These "samples" are for the testing of human blood as a means of keeping the Davanna population alive.
Note, Paul Birch's, blind looking eyes in the above still. Should a human look upon them. The alien's eyes burn the human brain, killing the person. So, the alien wears sunglasses to keep his eyes covered until he decides to kill. The Davannian's have very sensitive hearing which is a weakness from high pitch sounds.
"Nurse Storey" is "Mr. Johnson's" human nurse sent by "Doctor F.W. Rochelle". The Doctor has been hypnotized by the alien, because he knows the truth about "Mr. Johnson".
The alien's plans seem to be proceeding well until a female Davannian, portrayed by Anna Lee Carroll, appears.
She is in desperate need of a blood transfusion. "Johnson" breaks into "Dr. Rochelle's" office and steals blood, but the blood is contaminated with rabies and the alien women dies.
In revenge Paul Birch sends a creature to kill the doctor. The creature was another of Paul Blaisdell's creations and was actually made from a umbrella. 
"Paul Johnson" receives a visit by the
Davannian's leader through his matter transmitter and communication device in his office. There has been problems with the receipt of the Earth people sent through the matter transmitter, they're received damaged, another is needed.
"Paul Johnson" next attempts to kidnap "Nurse Nadine Storey", but she escapes and calls the police department. Her boyfriend, a motorcycle officer, responds with his siren blaring. As the police officer is approaching the alien's house, "Johnson" is attempting to escape in his limousine, but he does not know how to drive the car. The high pitched sound of the siren overpowers him and he crashes, burning to "Paul Johnson" to death in the car.
The film ends with another man with dark sun glasses walking in a cemetery. He passes the place "Paul Johnson" is buried with a tombstone reading: 
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the earth's first artificial satellite, Sputnik I. The successful launch came as a shock to experts and citizens in the United States. The United States didn't launch its first successful artificial satellite, Explorer 1, until January 31, 1958.
Four-months later, Roger Corman took this a step further :
WAR OF THE SATELLITES released on May 18, 1958
It took two writers to come up with the story. They were Irving Block, one of the three writers for the 1956 classic science fiction, "Forbidden Planet". Block co-wrote, 1957', "KRONOS", and 1959's, "Atomic Submarine". While, the second writer, Jack Rabin, had come up with the original story for 1953's, 3-D, "Cat-Women of the Moon", and co-wrote "Atomic Submarine".
Lawrence Louis Goldman turned the story into an actual screenplay. Goldman was primarily a television writer and started with scripts in 1950. His first screenplay was "KRONOS", and his name will reappear for Rodger Corman later.
All three writers worked together on the Lou Costello and Dorothy Provine, released after Lou's death in 1959, "The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock".
Dick Miller portrayed "Dave Boyer". Miller has been appearing on different television shows. His next motion picture will be looked at later in this article.
Susan Cabot portrayed "Sybil Carrington". Her first on-screen appearance was as a restaurant patron in 1947's, "Kiss of Death", the movie that introduced Richard Widmark as an emotionless killer. Cabot was just seen in the Joel McCrea and Forest Tucker, 1958 Western, "Fort Massacre", and followed this featured with another movie for Rodger Corman, that I will mention later in this article.
Richard Devon portrayed "Dr. Pol Van Ponder". In 1957, Devon portrayed "Satan", in Roger Corman's, "The Undead", and was in Corman's, 1957, "Teenage Doll". Other than appearing on television, Richard Devon was a police detective trying to find the vampire in the teen horror movie, 1957's, "Blood of Dracula", but don't look for the count as this was a female rewrite of 1957's, "I was a Teenage Werewolf".
Eric Sinclair portrayed "Dr. Howard Lazar". Sinclair was basically a television actor at the time. His next feature film was portraying "John Dillinger", in 1960's, "Ma Barker's Killer Brood".
John Brinkley portrayed "A crew member". He, also, was basically a television actor, and between 1957 and 1964, his total acting roles were 26. Brinkley was in two more Rodger Corman movies I will be mentioning.
Above left to right, Eric Sinclair, John Brinkley, and Richard Devon.
Jered "Jerry" Barclay portrayed "John Compo". Barclay was just seen in the 1958 Western, "Gun Fever", and he was in the cast of the Second World War movie, 1958's, "The Naked and the Dead".
Above, Richard Devon and Jerry Barclay.
In the real context of the "Cold War's Space Race", think the "Aliens" equate to the Soviet Union, and the "Human's", the United States. Also, consider that the first human in space, the Soviet Union's, "Yuri Gagarin", orbited the Earth only once, on April 12, 1961.
The Screenplay:
The United Nations has been building manned satellites, as part of "The Sigma Project", and sending them into space. The 10th was just destroyed, as the previous nine had been, by coming in contact with what is described as a "Space Barrier'. Which prevents penetration into the void of outer space.
Above left to right, Michael Fox portraying "Jason ibn Akad", Robert Shayne portraying "Cole Hotchkiss", and Richard Devon.
United Nations representative,"Jason ibn Akad", now demands that the "Sigma Project" be abandoned, because of the loss of life and money.
Meanwhile, a young couple sees a small missile like object land and takes it to the authorities. At the United Nations a message inside the missile is read to the assembled representatives.
The message comes from aliens calling themselves, the "Masters of the Spiral Nebula Ghana". The aliens are displeased with the Earth's attempts to explore space and consider "Human's a disease". The aliens state they will set up a quarantine of the Earth to protect the universe.
"Mr. Hotchkiss", the United States representative, gives a rousing speech claiming that no other race has the right to stop mankind's ambitions. The continuing of the "Sigma Project" is approved. "Dr. Van Ponder" suspects the message is a fake, but he will lead the 11th satellite mission.
Next, meeting with mission astrologer, "Dave Boyer", and researcher, "Sybil Carrington", "Dr. Van Ponder" reveals that the message is real and the missile container is of a non-Earth mineral composition. "Mr. Hotchkiss" calls a special "Sigma Project" meeting and "Van Ponder" heads there is his car, but a strange ball of light appears, his car goes off the road, killing the scientist.
At the United Nations, "Jason" argues once again, against the continuance of the "Sigma Project" and the new mission led by "Dr. Van Ponder". As he talks, "Hotchkiss" receives notification of the car crash and the death of "Dr. Van Ponder". After bringing this to everyone's attention, "Van Ponder" walks into the meeting. Later, alone in the office of "Mr. Hotchkiss", "Van Ponder", splits into two exact copies of the dead doctor to be more able to impede "Sigma".
"David Boyer" approaches one of the "Van Ponder" aliens and ask that he reconsider having "Sybil" on the mission. "Boyer" is concerned for her safety, but this "Van Ponder" refuses the request.
Everyone now hears of natural disasters taking place around the Earth and the question is raised, are they related to the alien warning?
"Van Ponder" suggests to "Hotchkiss" that the "Sigma" project be shut down and the other agrees. "Van Ponder" writes a letter to be given to the Secretary of the United Nations and "David" volunteers to deliver it, but once there. "David Boyer" gives an impassioned speech to keep "Sigma" going.
Some days later, after "David" notices perfectly identical marking on "Van Ponder's" arms, he decides to investigate the car crash. While he's gone, "Van Ponder" is working with astronomical engineer "John Compo" and uses a torch.
The alien "Van Ponder" is unaware that his hand is being burned by the torch and in panic, "John" runs to find medical doctor "Howard Lazard". When they return, "Van Ponder's" hand is back to looking normal. "John" insists that the scientist's hand was badly injured and "Lazard" suggests he needs to take a rest and is overworked.
"David" finds "Van Ponder's" car and realizes there is no way anyone could have survived the wreck. He contacts "Sybil" to tell her his findings, but is told the launch has been moved up and will take place in just a few more hours.
Now things start to happen at a faster pace:
"David" realizes he hasn't the time to speak to "Sybil" before the launch. While, "Van Ponder" is surprised to find that "John Compo" is part of the crew. The satellite crew enters the space vehicle, and hurrying to his station, "David" is shocked to see "Van Ponder" duplicate himself. While moments later, the booster rockets send the satellite into space.
Above,
Roger Corman's "Satellite" seems more like a space craft and in many aspects like a luxury hotel. When the audience sees how many people make up its crew, one has to wonder how many lives were lost in the first ten missions?
Now in space, "Van Ponder" corners "John Compo", paralyzes him, and reveals he is an alien. He offers to turn him into one of his own kind. However, he refuses, and "Van Ponder" kills "John Compo". "Sybil" enters the same room and is told, sadly, "John Compo" apparently did not survive the launch acceleration and burial preparations are made.
"David" tries to convince "Sybil" that "Van Ponder" is an alien, but she disbelieves him .
"David" now goes to "Dr. Howard Lazar", who is also part of the mission, and asks him about "John Compo's" health before take off, and is told it was excellent. "David" convinces "Howard" that "Van Ponder" is an alien, and "Dr. Lazar" agrees to examine "Van Ponder". The alien creates a human heart beat to confuse the doctor, but unexpectedly, the alien now feels human emotions toward "Sybil". "Dr. Lazar" meets with "Van Ponder", but instead of an examination, is killed by the alien.
Next, the alien accuses "David" of murdering "Compo", and just before his arrest, "David" convinces "Sybil" to go to "Howard" for protection. Neither knowing he has also been murdered. As she is searching for "Howard", "Sybil" spots "Van Ponder", and heads for the Solar Radiation room for safety.
However, the alien follows "Sybil" into the Solar Radiation room. Just then, over the intercom comes the news that "David Boyer" has escaped his guards. As "Sybil" watches, the alien duplicates himself, one duplicate goes after another"David", and the other attempts to seduce her.
The duplicate that left the Solar Radiation room, now enters the command deck, and instructs the pilots, to the confusion of their original orders, to take the satellite straight into the barrier.
However, "David" now appears, and confronts the "Van Ponder" alien copy, shots it, and a fight takes place.
"David" is able to kill that "Van Ponder", and as it dies, so does the one with "Sybil". "David Boyer", now in command of the "11th Sigma Satellite", orders a radiation blast toward the barrier. Which should get them through it, but just before the blast from the Solar Radiation room takes place. "David" is able to get "Sybil" to safety.
Back on Earth, Mission Control receives the following transmission from "David Boyer":
We are passing through Andromeda at the speed of light. We've made it. The whole universe is our new frontier!
GANGSTER
On December 1, 1957, Mickey Rooney starred in the Hollywood version of the life of Lester Gillis aka: George Nelson aka: "Baby Face" Nelson. The motion picture was directed by Don Siegel, and co-starred Carolyn Jones. What those three did not expect, was that that picture's success, started a run of 1930's gangster's movie biographies leading to the television series "The Untouchables". My article is "1957 To 1961 HOLLYWOOD GANGSTER MOVIES VS REALITY" with Tommie-guns blasting at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/01/1957-to-1961-hollywood-gangster-motion.html
Director Roger Corman decided he wanted in on this action and the very next motion picture directed by him, was:
MACHINE GUN KELLY released in May 28, 1958
The screenplay was from R. Wright Campbell, he had just co-written the 1957, Western, "Quantez", that starred Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Malone. Campbell followed this screenplay with another for Corman, that I will discuss under the "End of the World", section.
The title role was offered to Dick Miller, but he withdrew from the production. It was next offered to an actor who had appeared from 1949 into 1954 primarily on television, but did appear in Vincent Price's, 1953, 3-D, "House of Wax", and Burt Lancaster's, 1954's, "Apache". As on television, this was under his birth name, Charles Buchinsky. Now, in his first leading motion picture role, he was billed as Charles Bronson. A name his agent had suggested and Buchinsky had switched to for an episode of the forgotten television series, "Joe Palooka", May 8, 1954.
Charles Bronson as George Kelly.
The real George "Machine Gun" Kelly.
Susan Cabot portrayed the fictional "Florence 'Flo' Becker". After this role, she only appeared five more time on-screen through 1970, for a total of 23-roles. One of those last five roles was as the title character of director Rodger Corman's, 1959, "The Wasp Women". On December 10, 1986, her 22-years-old son, Timothy Scott Roman, bludgeoned Susan to death with a weightlifting bar. He was charged with, and convicted of second-degree manslaughter, because there was no evidence of premeditation.
In actuality there was George's wife, Kathryn Thorne Kelly, seen below, but I could not locate why the role was change to a fictional character.
Morey Amsterdam portrayed "Michael Fandango". To the "Baby-Boomer Generation", Morey is probably best remembered for portraying "Buddy Sorrell" on televisions "The Dick Van Dyke Show", 1961 through 1966, and as "Cappy", the owner of the surfer hang-out, in the "Beach Party" movie series.
The Screenplay:
George Kelly meets a fictions young woman named Florence "Flo" Becker". "Flo" is the daughter of "Ma" Becker", portrayed by Connie Gilchrist. Think of "Ma" Barker, who had no daughters.
Together they form a gang of bank robbers, and "Flo", because of George's choice of weapon, the Thompson submachine gun, nicknames him "Machine Gun Kelly". However, he is actually very meek and afraid of being killed, but "Flo" goads him into a bigger robberies as he hides his fears behind the Thompson, moving him to "Public Enemy #1" on the FBI lists.
During a robbery, one of his gang, "Michael Fandango" loses his arm, and is very bitter over his treatment by "George" and "Flo".
Next, the two botch a kidnapping, in the movie it's a little girl and her sexy nurse, in reality, it was the real little girl's oil tycoon father and no one else.
Between "Fandango" turning on "George" and "Flo", and the kidnapping. The FBI close in on the house the gang is using, another member of the gang kills "Michael Fandango", and the frightened of dying, "George Kelly" wants to turn himself in to the FBI, hoping to get a lenient sentence. However, "Flo" urges him to keep up shooting the Fed's, but instead, he slugs her out cold, the FBI enters the room, and Charles Bronson gives George "Machine Gun" Kelly's famous line:
Don't Shoot G-Men!
Giving the FBI the nickname of "Government Men aka: G-Men".
From my gangster article on this movie:
The capture of Public Enemy #1 George "Machine Gun" Kelly and his wife was overshadowed, as on the same day, ten prisoners escaped from the Michigan City, Indiana penitentiary. Those ten would soon be known as the John Dillinger Gang.
As to his famous quote: "Don't Shoot G-Men! Don't Shoot G-Men!" It should be noted that George Kelly did not have one weapon on him, or near him to shoot back at the FBI. He was actually demonstrating his real personality of a scared coward who knew he was over his head in anything other than Bootlegging. As with his nickname "Machine Gun", it was once more Kathryn Kelly that got him into Bank Robbery, and created the publicity for their small crimes.
Geoffrey M. Warren in a review for the motion picture in the "Los Angeles Times", July 12, 1958, wrote that the motion picture was:
a "sleeper" with "a very good screenplay"
Adding that Charles Bronson makes George Kelly:
a full, three dimensional human being.
VIKING WOMEN
On June 20, 1957, filming began in Hardanger, Norway, on "The Vikings", produced by Jerry Bresler, directed by Richard Flesicher, Walt Disney's, 1954, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", and starring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, and Ernest Borgnine.
No one ever accused producer and director Rodger Corman of not talking advantage of the circumstances, especially with the major publicity for "The Viking's" being pushed by the distributor, "United Artists".
Also in June of 1957, Corman announced he was making his own "Viking" motion picture, and the race into movie theaters was on. Filming began on August 19th, not in Norway, but Bronson Canyon, in Los Angeles County, and at the Iverson Movie Ranch, just into Ventura County. Of course Rodger Corman needed water for a Viking movie and those sequences would be shot at Leo Carrillo State Park, in Malibu.
THE SAGA OF THE VIKING WOMEN AND THEIR VOYAGE TO THE WATERS OF THE GREAT SEA SERPENT made its way into movie theaters, officially, on January 26, 1958
Although that full title is seen in the opening credits of the motion picture. Reality had sunk into Corman, that the film's title would not fit on a theatre marque.
So, it became:
THE VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT
The story came from Irving Block, I've previously mentioned his story work. Block also was the matte painter for 1950's, "Rocketship X-M", and 1953's, "Invaders from Mars". He did special photographic effects for both 1951's, "Unknown World" and "Flight to Mars", 1952's, "1,000 Years from Now aka: Captive Women", and both 1957's, "KRONOS" and "Monster from Green Hell".
The actual screenplay was by the previously mentioned, Lawrence Louis Goldman.
Abby Dalton portrayed "Desir". This was her 4th motion picture and the previous three, 1957's, "Rock All Night", "Teenage Doll", and "Carnival Rock", were all directed by Roger Corman. She would switch to television and her most successful run was in the Navy comedy, co-starring with Jackie Cooper, "Hennessy", from 1959 into 1962. While from 1981 into 1987, Dalton portrayed "Julia Cumson", on the prime time soap opera, "Falcon Crest".
Susan Cabot portrayed "Enger". Cabot had just co-starred with Dick Miller, in Rodger Corman's, 1957, "Sorority Girl". She followed this feature film with the previously mentioned Joel McCrea, 1958 Western, "Fort Massacre".
Bradford "Brad" Jackson portrayed "Vedric". Jackson's first on-screen appearance was in the uncredited role of "Bob-Dr. Snell's Assistant", in 1953's, 3-D, "It Came from Outer Space". Just before this motion picture, Brad Jackson had the 7th and final credited role of "Al Turner", in the 1957, comedy-musical-drama, "April Love", starring Pat Boone and Shirley Jones. He followed this picture with an episode of the Biblical television programs, "The Book of Acts Series".
Above left to right, Susan Cabot, Brad Jackson, and Abby Dalton
June Kenney portrayed "Asmild", below second from right. Kenney had just been in 1957's, "Sorority Girl", and would co-star in both producer, director, Bert I. Gordon's, 1958, "Attack of the Puppet People" with John Agar and John Hoyt, and "The Earth vs the Spider" aka: "The Spider", with "Space Patrol's" Ed Kemmer.
Betsy Jones-Moreland portrayed "Thyra", far right below. This was Jones-Moreland's 7th on-screen appearance. The previous six were uncredited and included not being seen, but her voice heard. In 1960, she co-starred with Robert Towne, the Academy Award winning writer for Roman Polanski's 1974 "Chinatown", in director Roger Corman's, "Last Women on Earth", that Towne had written.
While her last 7-acting roles, out of 69, was as "Judge Elinor Harrelson", in different episodes of televisions "Perry Mason", between 1990 and 1993.
Richard Devon portrayed "Stark". This motion picture was released four roles prior to "War of the Satellites", and Richard Devon was appearing on television,
The Basic Screenplay for Rodger Corman's $65,000 Viking Epic:
Corman had asked for a $300,000 budget, but co-owner of "American International Pictures", Samuel "Sam" Arkoff would not authorize it. It should be noted that Jerry Bresler's, "The Vikings", had a budget of 3.5 Million Dollars in comparison.
Norsemen, aka: Viking's, were known for their long ships. Below are two stills, the first from the 1958, "The Vikings", and the second from 1964's, "The Long Ships", that starred Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, and Russ Tamblyn.
Below is Roger Corman's "Viking Ship" at the end of the motion picture, and a similar one was used at the opening.
In this motion picture,, five Viking women, convinced by "Desir", go in search of their missing men, but just as they leave the shore. "Desir's" sister, "Asmild" swims out to their ship.
Both going to the land of the "Grimaults", and their return voyage to their home of "Stannjold", the Viking women encounter the sea serpent of the film's title.
Once on land, the Viking Women are captured by "The Grimaults" and taken prisoner to their leader, "King Stark". Where, of course, they find their missing men as slaves working in"Stark's" mines.
"Desir" and "Vedric" are in love with each other, but the Viking high priestess, "Enger", also loves "Vedric" and becomes a problem for "Desir". However, "Enger" knows how to play "Stark", and when "Vedric" makes it clear he doesn't love her. "Enger" manipulates "Stark" to burn "Desir" and "Vedric" at the stake.
As both the Vikings and Grimault's look on, "Stark" adds his perverse sense of humor. The first of the two calling to have their life saved, will be saved, and the other will still die. "Desir" and "Vedric" keep telling the other to cry out to save themselves. "Enger", the priestess, develops pity for the two and calls on Thor to save them.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightening hits and a rain storm develops, putting out the two fires. A second bolt of lightening strikes the sword of "Stark's" son, "Senya", portrayed by Jay Sayer, and he dies.
The climax:
The Vikings use the storm to get away, "Stark" performs a funeral for his son, before throwing his son's body into a deep fire pit. "Stark" tosses in one virgin for good measure, and then the chase is on. "Stark" is using dogs to find the Viking men and women, but the reformed priestess sets a false trail for them to follow. However, "Enger" finds herself trapped in a box canyon and is mauled to death by the dogs.
Meanwhile, the Vikings reach the sea and take a boat out. In pursuit, in another boat is "Stark" and his men. The sea serpent now appears and goes for the viking boat, but "Vedric" takes his sword and throws it at the serpent.
Of course, in typical Rodger Corman style, the sword lands in the sea creature's brow causing it to go crazy. Before it dies, the crazed sea serpent takes out "Stark's" boat and the Viking's sail peacefully for their homeland.
THE BEAT GENERATION
Before there was 1960's, "Little Shop of Horrors", Rodger Corman gave us:
A BUCKET OF BLOOD released on October 21, 1959
Above, the United Kingdom poster with a "Adults Only, X Certificate". When I saw this film in 1959, I had just turned 13-years-old, five-days earlier, such was the difference between the United States censors and the United Kingdom's.
According to Mark McGee's, 1996, "Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures". In mid-1959, "AIP", approached Rodger Corman to write and direct any horror film he wanted to make, but only gave him $50,000 and the left over sets from the just released box office disaster, "Diary of a High School Bride", as a means to offset the studios loss.
Once again the name of Charles B. Griffith appeared as screenplay writer. This collaboration with Rodger Corman would lead to a second black comedy-horror screenplay, the previously mentioned, and classic, 1960, "Little Shop of Horrors".
Just prior to this screenplay, Griffith had written the non-Roger Corman directed, but Corman Brother's produced, 1959, "The Beast from Haunted Cave". Griffith would follow this screenplay with director Rodger Corman's, Second World War entry, 1960's, "Ski Troop Attack", starring Michael Forest, the star of a Peplum (Sword and Sandal) movie, filmed in Greece, by Rodger Corman, 1961's, "Atlas". That picture co-starred, Frank Wolf, who would portray, "Frank McBain", in Sergio Leone's, 1968, "Once Upon a Time in the West".
The black-comedy screenplay for "A Bucket of Blood", was specifically set around a "Beatnik" cafe. Which also generated how the characters are seen on the screen. According to Rodger Corman, in an article he wrote for the "LA Weekly", October 17, 2007. "Chuck" Griffith and Rodger, looked for ideas for a horror story, and one Los Angeles evening, their time was:
spent drifting around the beatnik coffeehouses, observing the scene and tossing ideas and reactions back and forth until we had the basic story.
The two based some of their screenplay upon elements found in director Michael Curtiz's, 1931, "The Mystery of the Wax Museum", that starred Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. "Warner Brothers" reworked that motion picture's screenplay into a semi-remake, 1953, 3-D, "House of Wax", set thirty-years earlier than "The Mystery of the Wax Museum".
For my reader either unfamiliar with "The Mystery of the Wax Museum", or interested in reading about the second all technicolor motion picture. My article is "Lionel Atwill: The Legitimate Stage, Classic and Not So Classic Horror, and Sherlock Holmes", for your reading enjoyment at:
For those of my readers, also, unfamiliar with "Beatniks", I turn to the poet creator of the term,"Beat Generation", Jack Kerouac.
In "Esquire Magazine", March 1, 1958, in his article, "The Philosophy of the Beat Generation", Kerouac wrote:
The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in the late Forties, of a generation of crazy, illuminated hipsters suddenly rising and roaming America, serious, bumming and hitchhiking everywhere, ragged, beatific, beautiful in an ugly graceful new way—a vision gleaned from the way we had heard the word "beat" spoken on street corners on Time Square and in the Village, in other cities in the downtown city night of postwar America—beat, meaning down and out but full of intense conviction. We'd even heard old 1910 Daddy Hipsters of the streets speak the word that way, with a melancholy sneer. It never meant juvenile delinquents, it meant characters of a special spirituality who didn't gang up but were solitary Bartlebies staring out the dead wall window of our civilization ...
For those too young to remember, in the 1960's, "Beatnik's", would morph into true "Hippies".
Dick Miller portrayed "Walter Paisley". Since "War of the Satellites", Miller had been appearing on television and followed this feature portraying "Benny Bristow", in the "Vincent 'Mad Dog' Call" episode, November 19, 1959, of televisions "The Untouchables", actor Clu Gulagar had the title role.
Barboura Morris portrayed "Carla". Morris had just co-starred with Susan Cabot and Anthony Eisley, in Rodger Corman's, 1959, "The Wasp Woman". She would follow this feature film with Corman's, 1961, "Atlas".
Anthony Carbone portrayed "Leonard de Santis". This was only Carbone's 5th on-screen appearance. Three of the others were on television programs and he would returned to that medium after this feature film. In 1961, Anthony Carbone appeared in both Rodger Corman's, "The Creature from the Haunted Sea", and the second Edgar Allan Poe feature, "The Pit and the Pendulum". As with the first in the series, 1960's, "House of Usher", from a screenplay by Richard Matheson, author of "The Incredible Shrinking Man", and "I Am Legend".
The Hipster Screenplay:
The story opens at the "Yellow Door Cafe", the Beat poet, "Maxwell H. Brock", portrayed by Julian Burton, is performing and dimwitted and ignored by the regulars, busboy, "Walter Paisley", is taking "Maxwell's" words to heart.
"Walter" returns to his apartment after work and hears the loud mewing of his landlady, "Mrs. Swickert's (on some websites, "Mrs. Surchart)", portrayed by Myrtle Vail, billed as Myrtle Damerel, cat "Frankie", who has gotten itself stuck in the walls. "Walter" gets a knife to try and cut "Frankie" out of the wall, but instead kills it. Instead of giving "Frankie" a proper burial, he covers him with clay, leaving the knife sticking out of the body.
For some morbid reason, "Walter" shows the clay covered cat to "Carla", who is the hostess of the "Yellow Door", that he secretly loves. She likes the "Sculpture" and shows it to their boss, "Leonard de Santis".
"Leonard" doesn't like the morbid, again believed a sculpture, made by "Walter", but agrees to let him show it in the cafe.
"Leonard" is surprised by the response of his patrons to the sculpture. This starts with a beatnik named "Will", portrayed by John Brinkley, who praises "Walter's" realistic style. The patrons who looked through "Walter Paisley" as if he was a ghost, now consider him one of their own. In appreciation of his art, a beatnik named "Naolia", portrayed by Jhean Burton, gives the naive "Walter" a vial of heroin, to remember her by. This leads to an uncover narcotics cop named "Lou Raby", portrayed by Bert Convy, billed as Burt Convy, following him home. "Lou" wants to arrest "Walter" for possession of narcotics.
The narcotics cop has "Walter" in a panic mode, thinking "Lou Raby" might shoot him. Reacting in blind panic, "Walter Paisley" takes the frying hand he is holding, and strikes "Lou Raby" on the head, killing him instantly.
As the above is transpiring, "Leonard de Santis" discovers the truth about "Walter Paisley's " realistic cat statue. When "Frankie's" fur appears in a spot the clay has fallen off.
The following day, after the "Yellow Door Cafe" opens, sculptor "Walter Paisley" reveals he has a new sculpture, that he has named the "Murdered Man"! "Carla" and "Leonard" are invited to "Walter's" apartment where he has his new sculpture. The two go and he reveals what was actually "Lou Raby".
"Carla's" reacts to the statue of the "Murdered Man", by saying it is both:
hideous and elegant
She adds it deserves a public exhibition at the "Yellow Door Cafe". While, their boss, "Leonard de Santis" doesn't think the statue is elegant, but agrees it's hideous. However, "Leonard" is a practical man, and realizes the possibility of the money he might make off of showing it. Once word of mouth comes out and the statue is moved to the "Yellow Door". The following night the statue is on display and "Walter" finds himself treated like royalty by all the people who looked down upon him. Except by a young woman named "Alice", portrayed by Judy Bamber. "Alice" is widely disliked for her honesty which she directs at "Walter".
Later, "Walter" follows "Alice" to her home and confronts her, but instead of attacking "Alice" over what she said to him. He invites "Alice" back to his apartment to model for him. She accepts and they go there, where she prepares to model in the nude, removing her clothing.
With "Alice" sitting in a chair, "Walter" gently places a scarf around her neck. He tells her this will be the only piece of clothing on the statue, but with it he strangles his model. When the nude statue is completed, "Walter Paisley" unveils it for "Maxwell Brock", who is very impressed by it. So much, that he throws a major costume party for "Walter" at the "Yellow Door". Where the once busboy is now the center of attraction and dressed like the carnival fool,
that the screenplay implies he really is.
After the party, the extremely drunk "Walter Paisley" walks home. He comes across a factory worker using a buzz saw. "Walter" takes the buzz saw and beheads the worker to create a bust. Once the clay over the worker's head has dried, "Walter" takes it to "Leonard" to show off his latest work.
"Leonard de Santis" has reached his breaking point and knows he must stop "Walter". He tells his busboy that he will put together a major exhibition to show off all "Paisley's" work.
We now move at a fast piece at the exhibition party, as "Walter" proposes to "Carla", but she refuses. The dejected "Walter" now offers to sculpt "Carla", and she happily agrees, but after the reception for the exhibit. As "Carla" looks at the sculpture of "Alice", she notices part of the clay has broken away. The broken area reveals "Alice's" finger and "Carla" now notices the marks of strangulation around the other's neck.
"Carla", not thinking, tells "Walter", that there's a body in one his sculptures. His reply was that he has made "Alice" immortal, and can make her immortal too. "Carla" flees the reception being chased by "Walter". Now, those at the exhibit learn "Walter's" secret and they all join in the chase. "Walter" and "Carla" end up in a lumber yard, but she is saved when he starts hearing the voices of "Lou" and "Alice" and leaves her.
Next, "Carla", "Leonard", "Maxwell", and the police break down "Walter Paisley's apartment door to find "Walter" having applied some clay to his body and having hung himself.
The screenplay ends with poet "Maxwell H. Brock" saying:
I suppose he would have called it Hanging Man . . . . his greatest work
There is a colorized version of "Bucket of Blood", do yourselves a favor, don't watch it. The color is terrible and loses the feel of Rodger Corman's original black and white version.
THE END OF THE WORLD
Rodger Corman directed three end of the world motion pictures, but only two fall between 1955 and 1959. The third film is 1960's, "Last Woman on Earth", written by Robert Towne.
DAY THE WORLD ENDED premiered in Detroit, Michigan, on December 8, 1955
The motion picture has one of my favorite examples of the great art work by those who created 1950's science fiction posters. In this particular case, Albert Kallis, of "American International Pictures".
Science fiction movie posters, especially from "AIP", tended to be the artist's own interpretation of the film's title, rather than what exactly might be seen on-screen. For Kallis, he was given the title and told to create a poster. This normally took place at a meeting conducted by co-owner James H. Nicholson. Where the film's title was agreed upon, the main participating writer being told to create a screenplay to fit that title, the director told to cast and film the motion picture, and have it ready for release to movie theaters in "X-days" within the given budget.
Nine examples of Albert Kallis work, that includes 1957's, "Not of This Earth", will be found on the website, "Sneak Peak", at:
http://www.sneakpeek.ca/2024/08/albert-kallis-not-of-this-earth.html
Below, Albert and Trudy Kallis:
"The Day the World Ended", was actually the 4th-motion picture directed by Rodger Corman.
The screenplay and original story were by Lou Rusoff. He had also written the screenplay for the co-feature on the "AIP" double-bill, 1955's, "The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues". Below, is another example of Albert Kallis's work, the newspaper ad for that double feature.
Richard Denning portrayed "Rick". Denning had just co-starred with Frank Lovejoy and Mari Blanchard in director Nathan Juran's, 1955 film noir, "The Crooked Web", and followed this motion picture with an episode of the "Warner Brothers" television Western, "Cheyenne", "Decision", airing on January 24, 1956.
Lori Nelson portrayed "Louise Maddison". Nelson had two major feature films prior to this one, also in 1955. The first was "Underwater", produced by Howard Hughes for his latest girlfriend, Jane Russell, directed by John Sturges, and co-starring Gilbert Roland and Richard Egan, Lori Nelson had 4th-billing. Her second feature was the 3-D, "Revenge of the Creature (From the Black Lagoon)". Lori Nelson had 2nd-billing, behind John Agar, who was attempting a comeback after divorcing "America's Sweetheart", Shirley Temple, and being banned by the major studios.
Adele Jurgens portrayed "Ruby, the gun moll". Jurgens, with her peroxide blonde hair, was the tough talking, "B" movie "Broad" you didn't want to mess with in several film noirs, and "backstage" dramas. She was married o actor Glenn Langan, 1957's, "The Amazing Colossal Man", until his death from lymphoma in 1991.
Touch Connors portrayed "Tony Lamont". Connors had just appeared in an episode of Hugh O'Brien's television series, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp", "The Baby Contest", airing on November 22, 1955. He followed this motion picture with the adventure film, 1956's, "Jaguar", starring Sabu and Barton MacLane.
Paul Birch portrayed "Jim Maddison". At this time, Birch was appearing on several television programs, his last previous motion picture was the Rod Cameron and Julie London, 1955's, sports story,"The Fighting Chance", three roles earlier than this one. After this feature film it would be another three roles until Paul Birch was in the low budget, film noir, 1956, "When Gangland Strikes".
Raymond Hatton portrayed "Pete". Hatton started appearing on screen in 1915, but over his career he became known for portraying "B" Western sidekicks. Hatton was best known for portraying "Rusty Joslin" in 8 of the 51, "Republic Pictures", "The Three Mesquiteers" Westerns, opposite John Wayne, Duncan Renaldo, and Bob Livingston. My article is "An Overview of 'THE THREE MESQUITEERS': A Classic 'B' Western Series" riding the range at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/11/an-overview-of-three-mesquiteers.html
Paul Dubov portrayed "Radek". Character actor Dubov had started in films in 1938, and would become a familiar face, if again not a name, on many television Westerns and Dramas.
Background:
At the end of the Second World War, almost immediately, the United States government dropped our friendship with, and ally the Soviet Union. The country returned to the FBI's previous war on Communism. Which was being feed not just by J. Edgar Hoover, but Senator Joseph McCarthy, and the "House Committee on Anti-American Activities".
Any one of my generation remembers the drop and cover drills, and Civl Defense siren tests to warn of Soviet air attacks. All designed, we were told, to protect (?) Americans from Soviet Atomic Bombs that might be dropped upon us. Both came with newspaper and television spots on the same subject, and the added warning to be aware that your next door neighbor might be a Soviet agent. Think Richard Carlson in television's "I Led 3 Lives", that along with other forgotten television series, actually reenforced that thought.
Between 1950 and this Roger Corman motion picture, there were 8-Science Fiction movies dealing with Nuclear War. 1952's, "Invasion U.S.A.", dealt directly with the fear of both Soviet troops parachuting into United States cities, and the dropping of Atom Bombs prior to that action. "The Day the World Ended", fit perfectly into the fear of Atomic War that the government was helping to push.
There would be, at least, 4-more science fiction films that pertained to Nuclear War following the Corman feature. The two in 1959, were major "A" List actor productions, director Stanley Kramer's version of British author, Nevil Shute's, "On the Beach", and "The World, the Flesh, and the Devil".
The Lou Rusoff Screenplay:
The screenplay starts with the title card:
Followed by stock images of Atomic Bombs exploding in Nuclear War, supposedly, on "The Day the World Ended". Switch to the bottom of a box canyon, and the home of former Navy Commander "Jim Maddison". He lives there with his daughter 'Louise", survivors, if for the moment, of the Nuclear War. "Louise's" fiancé, there is a picture at him bedside her bed, portrayed by Roger Corman, had left the house, after the war ended, to investigate, and never returned.
It is implied that "Commander Maddison" was one of the Naval officers involved with the "Castle Bravo H-Bomb Tests" on the Bikini Atoll, and he was known for speculating on what a nuclear war might look like.
As a result of what he saw, his home is stockpiled with food and other items for the planned three, his daughter, her fiancé, and himself.
However, things do not go as he planned!
To begin with, geologist "Rick", found his way to the house. As the story progresses, "Rick" and "Jim" become close, and "Louise" is falling in love with him, but she is still coping with her missing fiancé. "Commander "Maddison" has a ham radio set and has been attempting to locate other survivors.
"Jim's" primary concern is over the strong levels of deadly radiation. Which start three quarters of the way up the box canyon's wall, trapping the three survivors below it. A secondary concern is that there has been no rain since the nuclear war ended. Although, there is a fresh water lake near the house, if it should rain. His fear is that even the house would become contaminated from the lingering fall-out, and shortly, thereafter, the three of them would die from radiation poisoning.
Next, two more people, "Ruby" and "Tony Lamont" make their way to the house. "Jim" wants to send them away, because their food supply would be cut short by the increase of two more people and "Tony" appears to be a wannabe mobster.
Then, a third person shows up, an old prospector named "Pete" with his mule, and as with the other two unexpected "Guests", he is decontaminated.
Tension is created between "Rick" and "Tony", because the two-bit gangster wants to run the place and even with the goodhearted "Ruby", he is thinking of exchanging her for "Louise".
Adding to her father's problems, are the dreams "Louise" is having about something watching her.
Now, "Radek" arrives, and by his facial features, and his graving for raw meat. It becomes obvious to "Jim", that "Radek" is physically mutating from exposure to the radiation above the safe zone of the box canyon.
As a result of this last arrival, "Jim" now shows "Rick" some drawings he made of the test animals used in the "Castle Bravo" H-bomb test, that he illegally retrieved. The animals were mutating, and the monkey had developed a third eye in its forehead, and two finger like protrusions on both shoulders.
"Louise" and "Ruby" go for a swim, but cut it short, when something seems to be watching them.
The mutant, Paul Blaisdell, that they do not see, is a danger, and will kill any food source contaminated by the radioactive fallout. It can't eat anything that isn't contaminated, and has to stay away from the fresh water swimming pool that would kill it.
"Pete's" mule disappears with "Radek", and "Pete" goes after it and is killed. While the mutant now kills "Radek".
Next, the mutant kidnaps "Louise", but while "Jim" and "Rick" hunt for them. The creature takes "Louise" to the fresh water lake and puts her down and starts to leave. It becomes clear that the mutation is really her missing fiance.
While the mutant walks away, "Jim" and "Rick" bring "Louise" back to the house. There, "Tony" stabs "Ruby" to death, and confronts "Jim" over "Louise". "Jim", who is slowly dying from radiation poisoning, he did not reveal to anyone including his daughter, can't walk very well. "Tony" now steals "Jim's" pistol and awaits to ambush "Rick".
However, the weaken "Jim" produces a second pistol and kills "Tony". It starts to rain and "Jim" runs some tests and realizes it's uncontaminated. As the mutant dies from the fresh rain, "Jim" tells "Louise" and "Rick" that he will be dead within a few days, and for the two to go out of the canyon into the now cleanse world, and start their own life.
The film ends with "Louise" and "Rick" walking up the hill and the words appearing on screen:
The Beginning
When R. Wright Campbell wrote his commissioned screenplay, the title on it was "Prehistoric World". When producer and director Rodger Corman shot the motion picture the title was "Prehistoric World". When the cast appeared in the movie, they believed it was called "Prehistoric World", and their contracts stated that, but no one thought of the owners of "American International Pictures". They changed the title to:
TEENAGE CAVEMAN aka: TEENAGE CAVE MAN released on July 1, 1958
"AIP" had a purely business reason for the change in the picture's title. There was a large amount of teenage aimed horror and science fiction movies taking in large box office receipts, because pre-teens and teens were able to get ticket money from their parents.
These titles included both, 1957's, "I Was a Teenage Werewolf", and "I Was a Teenage Frankenstein". While, 1957's, "Blood of Dracula", was originally to be titled, "I Was a Teenage Dracula". In 1959, there was "Teenagers from Outer Space", but you also had movies with the teenagers being the heroes, with title such as "Invasion of the Saucer Men", "Earth vs the Spider", and of course, "The Blob". My article is "I Was a Teenage Werewolf: 1950's Teenage Horror and Science Fiction Movies" howling to my reader at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/06/i-was-teenage-werewolf-i-was-teenage.html
Robert Vaughn portrayed "The Symbol Maker's Teenage Son". Vaughn was 28-years-old, this was his 19th on-screen appearance and his third motion picture. His second motion picture was the "B" Western, 1957's, "Hell's Crossroads", co-starring with Stephen McNally and Peggie Castle. His first, don't try and find him, had Vaughn portraying two characters, "A Spearman", and a "Hebrew", in director Cecil B. DeMille's, 1956, "The Ten Commandments". In 1960, Robert Vaughn broke into audience recognition as one of director John Sturges's, "The Magnificent Seven", but it wouldn't be for another 4-years until he was "Napoleon Solo", on 1964's television's, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.".
Darah Marshall portrayed "The Blonde Maiden". This was her 2nd, of her total 7-roles, 6 on television. She was a 25-years-old teenager.
Lesley Bradley portrayed "The Symbol Maker". Bradley started on-screen acting in 1934, and was a solid supporting actor. He was the villain, "Baron Jose Gruda", in Burt Lancaster's, fun pirate spoof, 1952's, "The Crimson Pirate". He was another villain in the John Wayne and Susan Hayward, 1956, "The Conqueror", and was appearing on television programs at the time of this motion picture.
Frank DeKova portrayed "The Black-Bearded One". DeKova's face, if not his name, is recognizable as a gangster, and hit-man, in many films and television crime shows. He was "Harry", in Rodger Corman's, 1958, "Machine Gun Kelly", he was in the 1959 pilot for televisions "The Untouchables", and had roles in both 1960's, "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond", and 1961's, "Portrait of a Gangster". Frank DeKova, additionally, was the evil astrologer in producer George Pal's, 1961's, "Atlantis the Lost Continent", among his total 156-roles.
Above left of Robert Vaughn is 29-years-old, Jonathan Haze, portraying the "Curly haired teenage boy". To Vaughn's right, is 34-years-old, Charles Beach Dickerson, portraying one of his 4-roles,as the "Fair Haired Teenage Boy". His other three are the "Man from the Burning Hills", the "Tom-Tom-Drumer" at his teenage character's funeral, and even the "Bear" that attacked the teenagers.
Robert Shayne portrayed "The Fire Maker". Besides Roger Corman's "War of the Satellites", Shayne, co-starred with John Carradine in the 1946 horror movie, "Face of Marble". Among his other science fiction roles are as "Inspector Henderson", from 1952 through 1958, on television's "The Adventures of Superman", the title role of 1953's, "The Neanderthal Man". Along with being in Lon Chaney's, 1956, "Indestructible Man", and both 1957's, "Kronos" and "The Giant Claw". Not to forget non-credited roles in 1953's, "Invaders from Mars", 1954's, "Tobor the Great", and 3-episodes of televisions "Space Patrol", portraying "Groata".
Ed Nelson portrayed the "Blonde Tribe Member", 6-years before he had women swooning over him, as "Dr. Michale Rossi", on televisions "Peyton Place", from 1964 through 1969. This picture was the 30-years-old actor's 5th Rodger Corman's motion picture, and his first as a teenager. He started out as a "Police Sergeant", in 1956's, "Swamp Women".
The Simple Screenplay:
The story opens within a semi-caveman tribe, who are following ancient laws that were passed down forgotten generations ago. One such law, is that members of the tribe cannot cross the river to the other side that is visible to them. Why? No one living knows, but it is the law!
The main antagonist is the teenage Son of the Symbol Maker, who is expected to replace his father upon his death. However, he is an inquisitive teen and wonders what lies across the river? His father tells him he is not to question the law and to continue his studies to take over his father's position within the tribe.
Meanwhile, the young man has discovered a young woman and each has feelings for the other.
However, an older, black-bearded man, also wants the young woman for his mate, and this leads to a short fight between both men.
Moving forward through this "Caveman James Dean" plot with his father and mother. The Son of the Symbol Maker convinces some other teen cavemen to cross the river with him. When it's discovered they're gone, the adults, including his father and the black-bearded man, follow to bring them back.
On of the teens drowns as they're crossing through a swamp area attached to "the river of no return".
This all leads to a confrontation by the teenagers with their God, a hideous monster that walks like a man, as the adults catch up to them.
The Son of the Symbol Maker attempts to approach his God in peace, but from a tree the black-bearded man drops a heavy boulder on the creature.
The teen lets got of an arrow from his bow, killing the man who dared kill their God, but its head comes off, revealing an extremely old man's head.
The Son of the Symbol Maker finds a photo album around the old man's neck, and as he looks at the photo's, a voice over tells the story.
The ancient man-God was a scientist from generations long past and forgotten. There was a Nuclear War and his radiation suit, made to protected him from residual radiation, did more than that.
The scientist discovered he was affected by the radioactivity and his life span had been lengthen beyond his imagination. Over the years, his suit took on the shape of a hideous monster, as he witnessed the survival of a small group of humans beyond the radiations reach. The voice over ends with the scientist asking the question:
Will this new human race make the same mistakes of the past human race?
I opened this article stating that Roger Corman directed 56-motion pictures through 1990. Rodger Corman was also a motion picture producer, between 1954, starting with the Richard Conte and Joan Bennett, film noir, "Highway Dragnet", into 2021, he has produced 492 features and two more, as of this writing, are in pre-production. Starting in 1954, portraying "Tommy", in the "Monster from the Ocean Floor", Rodger Corman, as of this writing, has acted in 44 feature films.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment