DOUBLE DOSE OF CLASSIC B-MONSTERS-Price? CHEAP!!!

After suffering DVD bootlegs of these two titles these past years, it was nice to finally get both of these films officially, and on the same disc. I hafta say, the transfer quality is decent and offers crisper viewing of both films if you've only seen VHS transfers-to-DVD courtesy of Ebay as I only had, so I can't really complain.

There are definitely parts in both that are washed out/speckled, but not so much that they're annoying. One of the cool things I appreciate about these Arkoff double features is BOTH FILMS are featured on ONE SIDE of the disc. There's none of that double sided nonsense which ultimately renders one unlucky playing side scuffed over time. Here, the movie art is screened onto the topside of the disc and once in, there's a menu to take you to either film.

For me at least, the main reason to watch these films is the monsters in them. The Paul Blaisdell (sp?) shoestring budget, classic monster creations are a pleasure to see despite not being featured as prominantly as this viewer would like. If you have trouble stomaching old-school cheapie monster suits, then stay far away, especially if you're an unshakable CGI accolyte cuz these rubber suits will make your eyes bleed and send you into seizures. But if you grew up on old FAMOUS MONSTERS issues and model kits, you could probably appreciate the creatures at least. The films:
"DAY THE WORLD ENDED": I'd only seen a full frame of this flick, so it was nice to see it letterboxed or whatever that's called. There's parts of the pic's image (the sides, the top & bottom are the same) I'd never seen before in my old copy. The acting throughout is typical 50's...a little....err..... well....ALOT on the melodramatic end, but hey, if you're watching old school flicks, this shouldn't surprise you. I found the father ...the man whose house all of the survivors gravitate to, to be a little grating through most of his performance....in fact there's a point in the film when he demands his daughter basically marry the Richard Denning character to populate the new world which was not only laughable in that 'ooooooh uh uh, no he didn't' kind of way to almost feeling like nails on a chalkboard it is so painful to watch, despite it trying to play as a heartfelt ....uh....heartfelt....uh......anyway.....

"THE SHE-CREATURE": Man...I love the suit design of this monster. Waiting for her to appear makes watching this mostly stilted movie bearable. I didn't find it as awful as a few people I know....certainly no more awful than other drive in flicks that I get great pleasure suffering through, but it isn't all that great either. The Hypnotist is such an over the top wannabe-all-powerful- villain, he's a pleasure to watch....most of the time. The chick who's under his spell is a 50's hottie, though her innocent victim part got a little grating after a bit, I kept waiting for her to bite her knuckles in typicall 50's fashion. Her 'Hero' was a bit stiff throughout his performance (no pun intended hehe;-) But hey.....remember...it's all about waiting for the monsters.

OVERALL: They're drive-in movies from way back-I love this stuff. My friends sometimes wonder why I bother with them. There's a heavy does of nostalgia involved, but there's also the fact that I can spend 30 bucks at a theater these days and still walk out hating the movie. Here, for less than 15 bucks, I get two films...infinite cigarette and bathroom breaks and no one chopping it up on their cell phones one or two seats over. These fall somewhere between PLAN 9 and HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL in viewability if that tells you anything. For the price, they're definitely worth it. Now when does INVASION OF THE SAUCERMEN come out??????
NOTE: I give this entire package 4 stars for being a double feature and a value at its price. I'd give each film a 3 on their own. Since these are supposed to be reviews of the PRODUCT as well as films, I needed to take that into account. So don't none o' ya'll email me screaming about how awful you thought the films were but bought it because you expected a 4-star feature...lol!!!;-)

Coming to DVD April 2006

It will be part Lion's Gate Films second wave of classic AIP titles from the Arkoff Film Library on Region 1 DVD. The series will be known as "The Samuel Z. Arkoff Collection," and on January 10, they will release a double feature disc of EARTH VS. THE SPIDER/WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST as well as HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER/BLOOD OF DRACULA.
Then in April THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED/THE SHE-CREATURE and THE SAGA OF THE VIKING WOMEN/TEENAGE CAVEMAN