If you find it strange, like I did, that the two boys who lead Gamera into full-fledged children’s movie territory with Gamera vs. Viras (1968) are named Masao and… “Jim,” it’s because Daiei had entered into an agreement with American International Pictures for the next Gamera films to premiere on United States television. As part…

One of the cost-cutting measures Daiei implemented in the third Gamera film, Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967), was giving Noriaki Yuasa double duty as both Director and Director of Special Effects. Whether it’s this, or the fact that writer Niisan Takahashi felt the previous film, Gamera vs. Barugon (1966), “failed as children’s entertainment,” Gamera vs. Gyaos…

Following the surprise box office success of Gamera: The Giant Monster, Daiei Studios put more money, but not more time, into producing a sequel. A mere six months after the original film was released, Gamera vs. Barugon (1966) opened in Japanese theaters. Based on what everyone learned during the low-budget process of making the first…

Welcome to the five-week series I’m calling, “GaMAYra.” I have to start by saying that I’ve never (until now) seen a Gamera movie (that I can remember.) However, I was compelled to purchase Arrow Video’s spectacular box set of twelve uncut original Japanese versions of the films, spanning the years 1965-2006. This will be a…

It’s been years since I’ve seen King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963) and, until now, I’d never seen the original Japanese version, Kingu Kongu tai Gojira (1962.) It’s found as a bonus feature on the eighth disc of Criterion’s wonderful Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 collection. Either version you watch, the movie has only gotten better…

You know what curiosity did to the cat. For this horror film fan willing to explore unusual territory, though, The Curious Dr. Humpp (1969) did not kill me. I can’t say I completely enjoyed it; it’s a little slow and not terribly well-made. However, the idea is compelling even when the execution is not. Yeah,…

Before I removed the plastic on The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh Blu-ray that my daughter gave me for Christmas, I hadn’t realized it was originally a three-part series that aired on Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color on ABC-TV. I remembered it as the movie I saw in theaters as a kid: Dr. Syn, Alias…

When I can’t locate mentions in my collection of vintage monster magazines or horror movie reference books, I like to find original reviews of a movie from when it was first released in theaters. I wouldn’t say this usually uncovers anything earth-shattering; however, in the case of Lady in a Cage (1964), two reviews indicate…

We all know about the big Hollywood names that started their careers with Roger Corman; however, we hear mostly about the actors and directors. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown, 1975) also got his start with Corman by writing Last Woman on Earth (1960.) I’ll be darned if his screenplay doesn’t make this low-LOW budget…

It’s impossible to know how much I would have liked The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) had I never seen its musical counterpart from 26 years later, Little Shop of Horrors (1986.) While it’s surprising that I watched the former for the first time only recently, I couldn’t keep myself from hearing the songs from…