The Manster (1959) 双頭の殺人鬼, "The Two-Headed Killer"

An imaginative low-budget movie with a cautionary tale that explores questions of identity and what it means to be human

Directed by George P. Breakston, Kenneth G. Crane
Produced by George P. Breakston
Screenplay by Walter J. Sheldon
Story by George P. Breakston
Music by Hiroki Ogawa
Cinematography: David Mason
Edited by Kenneth G. Crane
Production company: Shaw-Breakston Enterprises
Running time: 72 minutes

Cast

Peter Dyneley: Stanford
Jane Hylton: Linda Stanford
Tetsu Nakamura: Dr. Robert Suzuki
Terri Zimmern: Tara
Norman Van Hawley: Ian Matthews (as Van Hawley)
Jerry Itô: Police Supt. Aida
Toyoko Takechi: Emiko Suzuki
Kenzo Kuroki: Genji Suzuki
Alan Tarlton: Dr. H.B. Jennsen
Shinpei Takagi: Temple Priest
George Wyman: Monster

A mad scientist! 

Experimental drugs! 

Two-headed test subjects! 

Horribly mutated human guinea pigs! 

What on earth is going on?

Trailer

Before the credits even begin to roll, let’s consider the title we have before us: THE MANSTER. Encapsulated within this title we have two concepts which are central to the film – MAN & MONSTER. At what point does a man stop being a man and instead becomes a monster? Does a monster in fact lurk deep within the heart of every man? If so, what forces contribute to bringing that monster to the forefront? These and other questions will be answered in…..

The Manster!

Read on for more....

Father of Science Fiction & Fantasy - Oscar Winner George Pal Interview Preservation - GoFundMe

George Pal was as you may know is known as The Father of Science Fiction and Fantasy in Modern Film. In the annals of Hollywood, Academy Award winner George Pal will always be remembered as a titan, a brilliant visionary who profoundly shaped the art of motion pictures. As an animator, Pal was a pioneer of stop-motion animation known as Puppetoons ™ and a peer of Walt Disney. In the 1950's as a producer and director of live-action films, he brought to the screen such science fiction and fantasy classics as "The War of the Worlds", "The Time Machine", "When Worlds Collide", "Destination Moon", "Tom Thumb", "Houdini", "Atlantis the Lost Continent" "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm", "7 Faces of Dr. Lao", "The Power", "Doc Savage: Man of Bronze" and others. Pal's cinematic legacy can be traced in the works of Walt Disney, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Gene Roddenberry, Tim Burton, James Cameron, Peter Jackson and dozens of others.

Link to George Pal Tribute on this blog: 

The original 1 inch 'B' NTSC video format used in the production of The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal - the only film document ever done on Pal - are long out of use. To make matters worse, only 2 working 'B' NTSC 1 inch videotape machines exist that can aid in the digitization process. There is no telling how long these machines will last or their working parts as they are no longer in existence! 

It goes without saying, this is a severe race against time to preserve what represents the only film document ever made on George Pal and the beloved one of a kind icons that worked with him.... most of whom have sadly passed on.

The historical importance of preserving and digitizing these interviews cannot be understated!

Talent interviews to preserve includes: Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Tony Randall, Tony Curtis, Ray Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury, Gene Roddenberry, Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Russ Tamblyn, Barbara Eden, Ann Robinson, Roy E. Disney, Ward Kimball, Robert Wise, George Pal, Mrs. George Pal, David Pal, Gae Griffith, Walter Lantz, Gene Warren Sr., Wah Chang, Jim Danforth, Robert Bloch, Chesley Bonestell, Albert Nozaki, William Tuttle, Duke Goldstone, Bob Baker and Phil Kellison.

The digitizations will be used to upgrade existing productions. Eventually they will be find a home with film footage companies and possibly donated to an educational institution yet to be determined.

If you’d like to help with preserving these irreplaceable interviews about one of the most influential figures in the history of motion pictures and the science fiction/fantasy genre, please use the Link Below:

https://www.gofundme.com/fantasy-worlds-of-george-pal-film-preservation

The Giant Gila Monster (1959)

The Giant Gila Monster is a film that tries to rise above the typical B science fiction film of the 50's. It contains relatable characters who have interesting relationships rather than just pure stereotypes. The settings have an air of authenticity and the eerie background music adds to the atmosphere of the film. Despite the dismal special effects and a largely unconvincing and almost irrelevant monster, it is pretty darn hard to hate the film. 

Directed by Ray Kellogg
Produced by Ken Curtis, B.R. McLendon, Gordon McLendon
Written by Ray Kellogg (story), Jay Simms (screenplay)
Music by Jack Marshall
Cinematography: Wilfred M. Cline
Edited by Aaron Stell
Distributed by McLendon-Radio Pictures Distributing Company
Running time: 74 minutes
Budget: $138,000 (estimated)

Cast

Don Sullivan: Chase Winstead
Fred Graham: Sheriff Jeff
Lisa Simone : Lisa
Shug Fisher: Old Man Harris
Bob Thompson: Mr. Wheeler
Janice Stone: Missy Winstead
Ken Knox: Horatio Alger 'Steamroller' Smith
Gay McLendon: Mom Winstead
Don Flournoy: Gordy
Cecil Hunt: Mr. Compton
Stormy Meadows: Agatha Humphries
Howard Ware: Ed Humphries
Pat Reeves: Rick
Jan McLendon: Jennie
Jerry Cortwright: Bob

Trailer

Thank goodness for the grand disembodied voice of the narrator! If only life in today’s bewildering and over-complicated world had the comforting baritone voice of an all-seeing narrator to waft over us as it explains to us what the hell is going on……And what do we have instead? Bloody Alexa and Google Assist! God help us! 

The story starts off with a teenage couple’s romantic shenanigans about to be rudely interrupted when their car is pushed over and down into a ravine. Their existence is about to be obliterated by a giant claw-like object that descends upon them.

Read on for more.....