Keep Watching the Skies! 1950s Sci-Fi and Horror on Blu-ray

[sa5150]

Wikipedia has most of the info I was looking for .

Is there a list of what titles they remastered pre-1972 anywhere ? Where are these copies now ? I'm surprised no one has cashed in on streaming subscription to these movies .

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Was wondering if this is worth the purchase , Icons of Horror Collection: Sam Katzman dvd collection ? http://www.amazon.com/Icons-Horror-C...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

If you like functional if not particularly innovative or memorable films of the era that are extremely low-budget, and, at least in the case of The Giant Claw, feature laughably (but enjoyably) ridiculous and unconvincing critters, than I'd say yes. If you're region-free, The Giant Claw (and, I'm hoping, The Werewolf, which is the best of the four) will be an eventual release from Anolis in Germany.

According to camelcamelcamel, the Katzman set has been as low as $9.99, so you might want to wait for a price drop.

[cakefactory]

The Giant Claw is fairly legendary for having one of the worst-looking monsters of all time, I used to love watching the trailer over and over when I was a kid and had a trailer compilation. I have never actually seen the movie, though. If it lives up to its trailer it's probably a lot of fun. I know absolutely nothing about the other movies other than seeing a still or two of Zombies of Mora Tau in some old book or another.

[sa5150]

Hmm , I may wait for the Anolis stuff , No rush, I prefer to have the the movies I like in the best format possible . I've been very intrigued by the Giant Claw .

[dagover]

I may have to buy the Katzman collection. I still remember seeing The Werewolf when it first came out. I was about 9 and told my mother I was going to see a fireman's parade downtown. When I got downtown, I ditched the parade and went to see The Werewolf. I remember it being a good werewolf movie. Of course that was 60 years ago. The only scene I still remember from Creature with the Atom Brain (I think I have the right movie) was a shadow on the wall of the zombie picking someone up and breaking his back. I know I saw The Giant Claw on tv back in the 50's or 60's, but only remember how bad the bird looked. Every time I see the title I think of the Get Smart scene "Not the craw. THE CRAW!" I don't remember the 4th movie at all.

[NoirFan]

Creature with the Atom Brain is a pretty lackluster film but it did inspire this awesome song from the dependably terrifying Roky Erickson:

Roky Erickson - Creature with the Atom Brain - YouTube

[sa5150]

Is this the same "The Werewolf" that starts foaming at the mouth ? I watched it years ago on Svengoolie . I don't remember being that crazy about it .

[NoirFan]

The German discs of The Incredible Shrinking Man and Tarantula are both under 9 Euros at Amazon.de - that's the lowest price for Man and second-lowest for Tarantula (it briefly dropped to 7 Euros last October), for those who had been mulling a purchase.

[Val Lewton]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Creature with the Atom Brain is a pretty lackluster film but it did inspire this awesome song from the dependably terrifying Roky Erickson:

I love Roky Erickson, and The Evil One is a flat-out masterpiece. It also contains the Val Lewton inspired "I Walked with a Zombie." Not to derail this thread too much, but have you seen the documentary You're Gonna Miss Me? It's really well done. It touches on his music, his battle with schizophrenia, and the court room drama of attempting to take Roky out of the custody of his Mother - who seems to have her own issues with mental health. Highly recommended if you haven't seen it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVFLqzJB6qw

[NoirFan]

Yes, it's quite good. One of the saddest parts is when Roky is shuffling around, half-dazed, oblivious to the TV blaring in the background. On the TV is a rerun of American Bandstand, a show on which The 13th Floor Elevators once appeared (with Roky making a subtle drug quip that sails over Dick Clark's head). Erickson isn't even aware the program is on, and I doubt if at this point he'd remember having been on the show.

[NoirFan]

Invisible Invaders has dropped to the usual Kino/Lorber pre-order price of $16.49 on Amazon.

[lilboyblu]

There's one new release and several pre-orders available from French label Elephant Films:

It Came From Outer Space
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/It-Ca...lu-ray/154302/

This Island Earth
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/This-...lu-ray/154301/

Revenge of the Creature*
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Reven...lu-ray/151626/

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy*
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Abbot...lu-ray/153761/

*A few more earlier Universal Monsters sequels are coming from Elephant as well.

[NoirFan]

Thanks, I'll add Space and Earth to the OP, where the other two already reside. I'll hold out for the UK 3-D edition of Space, but, assuming Earth is an improvement on the lousy German disc(s), I'll be happy to order it. Hopefully the next title from Anolis will be announced soon!

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by lilboyblu

There's one new release and several pre-orders available from French label Elephant Films:

It Came From Outer Space
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/It-Ca...lu-ray/154302/

This Island Earth
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/This-...lu-ray/154301/

Revenge of the Creature*
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Reven...lu-ray/151626/

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy*
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Abbot...lu-ray/153761/

*A few more earlier Universal Monsters sequels are coming from Elephant as well.

Will that be a first for "It came from outer space" being released in HD ?

[sa5150]

I was going through some of the dvd's I have bought and not opened yet ... And I thought that Mill Creek Crammed stuff , MGM Timeless Media does it too http://www.amazon.com/Movies-You-Cla.../dp/B00D9EJFZA . For $4 I should not be surprised

Has anyone ever started a data base of what is the best version available of scifi movies ? I thought that one was at least a dual layer double sided .

[lilboyblu]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Will that be a first for "It came from outer space" being released in HD?

For now, yes. The UK had a Blu-ray planned (below), but it was postponed awhile back.


On an unrelated note, I put in my order for Tarantula and The Incredible Shrinking Man today from Amazon-DE. Thanks for the heads up, NoirFan!

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by lilboyblu

For now, yes. The UK had a Blu-ray planned (below), but it was postponed awhile back.


On an unrelated note, I put in my order for Tarantula and The Incredible Shrinking Man today from Amazon-DE. Thanks for the heads up, NoirFan!

I want that for sure .

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by sa5150

Has anyone ever started a data base of what is the best version available of scifi movies ? I thought that one was at least a dual layer double sided .

You can always look a movie up on Film Aficianado to see what versions exist, and then check out reviews of those versions on DVD-Basen.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Invisible Invaders has dropped to the usual Kino/Lorber pre-order price of $16.49 on Amazon.

I yield to no one in my love of vintage scifi films, including the cheesiest of the cheese, but INVISIBLE INVADERS has virtually nothing to recommend it as a purchase, much less at $16.49. Had it been released as the back end of a double feature Blu, perhaps with its original theatrical partner, THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE or its DVD flip side, JOURNEY TO THE SEVENTH PLANET, it might make an ok time passer, but on its own it's a deadly 67 minutes. What a shame KINO hasn't paired these lesser titles with a suitable co-feature, thereby preserving the original drive-in experience of their time, as well as making a much more attractive package, rather than gouging with these overpriced individual releases.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

What a shame KINO hasn't paired these lesser titles with a suitable co-feature, thereby preserving the original drive-in experience of their time, as well as making a much more attractive package, rather than gouging with these overpriced individual releases.

I believe that Mister Lime has stated that, for certain studios at least, they don't allow their films to be doubled up like that. The disc will have a doubtlessly detailed and entertaining Tom Weaver commentary though.

I hadn't noticed until checking now, but Bill Warren's wonderful, exhaustive bible on 50's-early 60's sci-fi cinema, Keep Watching the Skies! has been released in paperback, and can be purchased for $36xx from Barnes and Noble using the 20% off code BNLOVEMOM before May 4th. I can't speak on the paperback, but the hardcover edition has two gorgeous high-resolution full-color photo sections, as well as black and white stills peppered throughout, and is printed on high-quality paper. It's a smart, funny, comprehensive (Warren digs up choice quotes from reviews of the time as well as more recent reviews and snippets from cast and crew interviews) and eminently re-readable tome that, at over 1,000 pages, is truly the final word on its subject.


Edit: The 20% off coupon does NOT work on the hard-cover edition.