Captain America (1944)
The last Republic serial made about a superhero — and the most expensive serial that they would make — Captain America is about the hero in name only. Republic was famous for making major changes in their adaptations, but these ones get crazy. Cap isn’t Steve Rogers, he isn’t in the army, there’s no Bucky, he […]
Mill Creek Drive-In Classics: Nabonga (1944)
More people have seen this rubbery, sound-studio shot jungle rot by way of Mill Creek box sets in the ’00s than through its UHF-TV broadcasts in the ’60s and ’70s. And boy, did the cheapjack studios of Republic (the biggest), Monogram, and the cheapest-of-the-cheap behind this Buster Crabbe-starrer, PRC, love crankin’ out their Tarzan-ripped exploits […]
Voodoo Man (1944)
Originally written as Tiger Man by author Andrew Colvin — uncredited, of course — Voodoo Man was made in seven days along with Return of the Ape Man and was the last film that Bela Lugosi would make for Monogram. This movie really has a dream cast. For me at least. There’s British character actor George Zucco (House […]
REPOST: Curse of the Cat People (1944)
EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s Val Lewton’s birthday and thanks to Shudder adding so many of his films, I’d love to get more people watching them. This one is probably his best effort. fter the success of Cat People, RKO demanded that Val Lewton get started on a sequel. The original director was Gunther von Fritsch, but when […]
Mademoiselle Fifi (1944)
One of the few failures of Val Lewton’s RKO era, Mademoiselle Fifi is based on two Guy De Maupassant tales, with Boule de Suif being the main inspiration. This was his shot at breaking out of horror and RKO had suggested a period film with Erich von Stroheim directing and Simone Simon and George Sanders as […]
I Accuse My Parents (1944)
James “Jimmy” Wilson (Robert Lowell) is up on charges of manslaughter. How does he plead? Well, when he speaks for his defense, he has one thing to say: “I accuse my parents.” That’s because despite the award he won for the essay about how great his home life is, the truth is that their house […]
Cry of the Werewolf (1944)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Rochester is a librarian. Mad about movies and books and film soundtracks. His favorite film is The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. He recently reviewed Death Played the Flute for us. Made by Columbia Pictures on a low, wartime budget, Cry of the Werewolf (1944), also known as Daughter of the Werewolf, is a […]
The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
After the success of Cat People, RKO demanded that Val Lewton get started on a sequel. The original director was Gunther von Fritsch, but when he fell behind schedule, Robert Wise took over. It was the first film for both men. Fritsch would eventually make Body and Soul and Stolen Identity while Wise would win Best Director and […]
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