random thoughts



I love trash movies but somehow I missed out on this one growing up. I had the wonderfully outdated (for its time) one sheet that I hung proudly on my bedroom wall as a teenager. One of my all-time favorite songs is the Misfits "Astro Zombies" (the Walk Among Us version) which I played non stop for ten years straight. I liked some of Ted Mikels other movies. And John Carradine is one of my five favorite actors. But for some reason I never had the urge to actually watch this movie.

So to quell my curiosity I finally rented this about a year ago and it is just a truly unremarkable peice of crap. It's really sad to see Wendell Corey (who was on his last legs) literally dying on screen right before your eyes. It's sad to see John Carradine making stuff like this (even though he didn't need to do any of the cruddy movies he was in he just liked to work). It's really sad to think I payed two dollars to watch it.

Fans of the genre beware: though I like a good sleazy cheese-fest as much as the next guy this is one to stay way from.

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That said, I saw it a screening at the Astor in Melbourne, back-to-back with Cape Canaveral Monsters, and with a like-minded crowd. Hands down the funniest, crummiest, most deranged bad movie I have EVER seen! Sure the print was terrible (endlessly scratched) but that added to the charm.

It broke my brain, not to mention the brains of my friends, but we loved it!

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to appear in a tortilla in Mexico" - God, The Simpsons.

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I guess it should have been titled "The Astor Zombies".

Nothing is more beautiful than nothing.

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I thought it was great. And I don't think it's really sad that you paid two dollars. It's not even a tiny bit sad.

Anyway, about Corey ... early in the movie one of the agents is reporting on his work spying at a bar, and he makes light of it, and says something like, I hope I don't become a lush. They cut to Corey sitting behind his desk, and he looks down at his hands and smiles broadly ... Weird moment, considering reality.

Tura S was very beautiful in the movie, and she has a great voice, as well. She's the main reason to watch, really.. And she's tougher and more competent than anyone else in the movie.

Funniest part I thought was the head rolling on the grass, it looked like a prop used to display wigs ... it was completely white, and had no eye balls or any details.

I thought the lab bits went on way too long, they were really trying to use up time with that, unfortunately all it serves to do is highlight how pitiful the equipment is, it looks like stuff people might find at a garage sale.

And that little metal drawer Carridine drops the transistor in... Oh Gawd! .. first, he just drops it in the little drawer, loose, and if that's not bad enough, has to use a screwdriver to open the drawer, and then use it again to close it, and then use it to open it again. Three screws each time! Just hilarious........

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yes, dropping the delicate computer chip into the bin wasn't a very scientific process. Also, there were so many lit cigarettes sitting in ashtrays, that throughout the movie it looks like the sets are going up in smoke.....and... if they hadn't kept showing that one stock scene of Franchot the lab assistant (yes, mawsta) slowly turning his head to the left, this film would have been about 45 minutes long. I wonder if that is where Marty Feldman got his inspiration for Igor in Young Frankenstein. Love the bar they go in to make the exchange...velvet and curtains... and YES, that IS the same Wayne Rogers from Mash who co-wrote and co-produced this campy thing. Would have made a GREAT mystery science theater 3K.

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I found John Carradines' part of the movie to be the most fun. His scenes consist of spouting 60s style techno-babble and fiddling around with 50s era technology. His hunchbacked sidekick was well played and probably the most interesting character in the movie.

Unfortunatly, The undercover agents and the "subversives" sections of the movie weren't quite as interesting, Despite the presence of Wendell Corey and Tura Santana. There are some bits of fun in these sections, But they are not as consistant as John Carradines' scenes.


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I thought the "post deleted" above yours really rocked! Wendell Corey had the looks of a dead skunk even in his heyday. What do you think he does in the grave besides stink?

Nothing is more beautiful than nothing.

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