The Screaming Skull (1958)-John Hudson

Director: Alex Nicol

Stars: John Hudson, Peggy Webber and Russ Conway

Genre: -  Horror | Thriller  -

MPAA Rating:

Running Time: 68 Mins

Tagline: "FREE!! We guarantee to bury you without charge if you die of fright during SCREAMING SKULL! "

Unlike Atom Age Vampire, this movie is a perfect example of “so bad it’s good” I will admit that I was laughing through most of this movie, even though most of it is unintentional humor.  The Screaming Skull is one of those flicks that will keep you entertained for all the wrong reasons. If you watch this movie, I suggest you walk into to it as if you were watching a cheesy B-movie, very much in the fashion of Plan 9 from Outer Space.  Also, this is the type of film that would air in MST3K, and believe it or not it actually did. In terms of purchasing, you will find either at a local dollar store or at Wal-Mart in those 50 horror movie packs.

The Screaming Skull tells the tale of a young woman who has recently married a widower. The film begins with her and the husband moving back in to the house where he lived with his prior wife.  After moving into the house, strange things start to manifest. Mainly, the wife begins to see a skull randomly in every corner, as if to follow her. She convinces herself that the skeleton belongs to the ex-wife. Now, to be quite frank, I give them credit for trying, but all these scenes with the skull are hilarious. You really can’t take any of it seriously. Later on, the wife explains to her husband the incidences with the skull; he tries to empathize but just can’t seem to believe her tale.

In the finale, and I warn I am about to spoil the ending, we discover that the husband was behind the whole thing; he planted the skull over the house to get his wife mad…yeah, that’s the ending. The motive behind all of this is never really explained, which leaves the audience perplexed about the whole thing. Generally, when it comes to films like this, I know what to expect, they are not masterpieces, and they are to be enjoyed for what they are: products of their time. But if you were to ask me to compare this with a modern B-movie from the sci-fi channel…I would have to say this is a far superior type of film. So to wrap up, I recommend this movie to anyone interested in having a good time watching a low budget movie. I had a good time with this movie, and enjoyed it for what it was: a classic B-Movie. If you are interested in seeing this movie for free, please scroll down and you will find a free full video of the film, I will also include a full version also free of the MST3K version of The Screaming Skull. Hope you enjoyed this review, if you like leave me a comment down below.

Atom Age Vampire (1960)- Alberto Lupo

Director: Anton Giulio Majano

Stars:  Alberto Lupo, Susanne Loret and Sergio Fantoni

Genre: Horror | Sci-Fi

MPAA Rating:

Running Time: 107 Mins (Italy)
                         87 Mins (U.S.)

Tagline: "You'll gasp with Horror . . . a spine-tingling motion picture only the atom age could produce! "

Wow I think I found the cure the insomnia! This film is literally my new night-quill. I can personally say that there is no redeeming value in this turkey.  Atom Age Vampire is your perfect example of a so bad it’s just plain bad. From the bad dialogue to the less than average acting, this movie has it all. For this review I will try to go over the main point as detailed as can be and in the shortest way possible-trust me when I say this not a movie you want to own or see. Also, before beginning this reivew: I would like to let the readers know that there is not one vampire in this movie. The original title of this movie in italy was "Seddok, l'erede di Satana"  and the translation has nothing in relation to vampires or atoms. The only mentioning of atom or vampires is in one scene where a character randomly mentions the word as an analogy. But aside that, no vampires, no atoms.

Atom Age Vampire tells the story of a striper named Jeanette, who ends up disfigured after a fatal car accident. After the accident, Jeanette feels contempt for herself, for she is now scarred in the face. Funny how the scarring isn’t too serious and she makes a big fuss about it, that’s just me of course. Anyhow, Jeanette eventually seeks one of the best doctors in the region. This little mad doctor is working on a new serum that can cure any deformalized face or imperfection in the skin…however it comes with a cost: for the process, living bodies must be used to absorb energy; once the energy is absorbed, the process of “curing” can take place. Notice how I quote curing, I emphasize because the cure isn’t permanent, it only lasts a couple of days before returning to its natural state.

Without knowing the side-effects, Jeanette undergoes the procedure for the rejuvenation. Initially content, she discovers the truth: that the process does not last. Even worse she discovers that the doctor has undergone the process too, and he himself is deformed. The mad doctor does not stop there, he continues to find innocent victims at night to keep him and Jeanette looking perfect. And as the film progressed we find out also that the doctor is madly in love with the stripper, and he goes to these extreme measures for her. In between all this mess is the stripper’s ex-boyfriend, who is on the look for her.

I really couldn’t take this film seriously. The whole thing was disjointed and incoherent. Not to mention that this movie is also very boring and slow. Like I said at the beginning the whole thing is perfect as a cure for sleeplessness; I fell asleep 15 min into the movie. I think it took me about four nights to finish the damn thing.  Another thing with this movie is the music they chose for it-doesn’t fit the tone of the film. And lastly, the dubbing of the film makes it so much worse. The film’s original language is Italian and it was dubbed and trimmed down 20 min before release. I honestly don’t know if the 20 minutes omitted and a new audio track can save this film. I would personally avoid this film.

I own this movie thanks to the 50 Horror Movie Pack from Millcreek Entertainment. The box set contains this film and plenty of other B-Movies. I would recommend the box set if you are interested in cheap, low budget, drive in style sort of movies. However, I would not recommend this DVD if you are interested in Atom Age Vampire.  If you really want to see this turd of a film, I will leave a link below to the full movie for free, but be advised that this movie literally sucks big time.  The quality of this movie on both the link provided and DVD is identical, being that it is public domain, the quality is poor and un-remastered. The audio is also of very low quality. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took the rip of this movie from an older generation VHS tape. The quality of the DVD and link are of no better than an SLP recorded tape. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this review, feel free to comment below.

Rebel Without A Cause (1955) - James Dean

Director: Nicholas Ray

Stars: James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo

Genre:   Drama | Romance

MPAA Rating: (some violence and thematic elements)

Running Time: 111 Mins

Tagline: "Teenage terror torn from today's headlines "







 Ever hear the phrase “they don’t make them like they used to” well it’s quite evident in this timeless classic, starring the late talented actor James Dean, who passed away in 1955 from a tragic car accident. Rebel without a Cause is one of three films released upon the time of his death, and the only three films he ever got to work in.  Now, I had never seen a James Dean movie, not until I saw this one last week; and to be honest it’s a shame I had not seen this earlier, it easily falls in my top 25 films of all time. Rebel without a Cause may be considered by some as an antiquated and dated film- I personally beg to differ. This movie is as ever relevant now as it was in 1955 (when released). The films topic of rebellious youth adapting to transitions from childhood to young adulthood can still be observed in many adolescents today; perhaps even to a higher degree today.  That is why I wouldn’t regard this film as out-of-date.  The wardrobe and manners of expressions of the 50’s may no longer be apparent today, but youth alienation, and eagerness for acceptance from peers  is still very relevant  and significant  in today’s modern society.



As for the plot of Rebel without a Cause, the film follows the story of three troubled and misunderstood teenagers. All of which just want one simple thing: “to be accepted”. The parents of these youths can’t relate with them, some try to empathize with their dilemmas, but they fail to provide any real help. The first youth we are introduced to is Jim Stark (James Dean) a new student in town who doesn’t seem to be able to fit in with anyone in school. Jim’s attempts at fitting in end up in rebellious acts-such as-drag racing, street fighting, and other mischievous acts. The other adolescents we are introduced to are Judy (Natalie Wood) who only wants love from her mother and father, and Plato (Sal Mineo) who just want to be acknowledged and understood by his peers. 

In all, the characters presented want the same things from society: approval and acceptance. That is why I restate that this film is not outdated, it offers viewers a view of how the problems children face today was also evident in the past. Nothing ever really changes, it is all a cycle, and we are connected. So the next time you hear your parents say “I know what you are going through” listen, very likely there is a reason for why they tell you that.  As mentioned before, the film’s tone may be old-fashioned, but the message is as important now as it was then. Give the film chance; it is definitely a classic that shouldn’t be missed. Personally I would recommend owning this one and having it on your shelf.

If you are going to purchase this movie, I recommend you buy Rebel Without a Cause (2-Disc Special Edition) this version brings a remastered print of the movie, and it includes special features never before seen. Also, if interested in more of James Dean’s movies I recommend the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection DVD. This DVD includes another Dean film titled “East of Eden” and two other movies starring Marlon Brando and Paul Newman.