Cheesy Sci Fi Classics Volume 7

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #11Reprints Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #9-18 (August 1989-May 1990). Timoth and Onyx find themselves in a battle under the streets of Waterdeep when Timoth decides to get an honest job as a courier. Vajra and her hatred of Conner comes to a head when Vajra finds herself betrayed again by the man who sold her into slavery the first time. Kyriani learns that the transformation she underwent that merged her two sides might not be completeand the world could be doomed unless the transformation is finished!Written by Jeff Grubb and Dan Mishkin, Dungeons & Dragons Classics—Volume 2 is an IDW collection.

The Classics series reprints the DC Comics’ series Advanced Dungeons & Dragons published from 1988 to 1991 and features art by Jan Duursema. The volume collects three story arcs.If I got a comic as a kid, I read it.

A free copy of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #14 ended up in my hands, and I of course pored through itunderstanding little. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons stories on the outside were relatively simple constructs, but the individual issues were often difficult to just pick up and read without backgroundcollections like these benefit the series. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #14Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was unapologetically bad fantasy. Based on the roleplaying game that epitomized fantasy, the series continues to push the fantasy to the max.

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It has badly named characters, over-the-top stories, and (in true fashion of roleplaying games) random creatures just popping up so the characters can fight them. The serialized stories arcs help this because it feels like it is a mission for each of the charactersand Grubb and Mishkin are the Dungeon Masters.The art is also very classic comic book art. The late ’80s and early ’90s were on the verge of the art explosion in comic books. The art in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons isn’t very flashy but it does do a good job telling the stories. The panel layouts and everything is very traditional to go with the traditional style of comic book story.Dungeons & Dragons Classics—Volume 2 is a must if you were a fan of the series because it is a great transfer of the comic.

The stories are pretty heavy handed and overblown (you usually see the twists and betrayals becoming long before the characters), but it still maintains a rather cheesy fun read. Enter the Dungeon again!Related Links.

The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection, Volume 2 THECLASSIC SCI-FI ULTIMATE COLLECTION, VOLUME 2 (1940-1960)Directors: Ernest Schoedsack, Francis D. Lyon, Virgil Vogel, Nathan Juran, EdwardDeinUniversalSeptember 2007 has become an overwhelming month of cult DVD releases,perhaps the largest amount of genre titles to be released on one day (9/11,more than 15 releases, over 30 different titles!). This set may be the mostoverlooked, due to being an exclusive release to Best Buy. A follow-up to lastFall’s first volume of Universal sci-fi films, this three-DVD editionfeatures five titles that range from classic themes of giant monsters run amokto obsessed scientists out of control.

All of the movies are cult classics thatare worth the effort to pick up in this affordable set ($19.99). Bear in mind,this is also a limited released, likely to only be on shelves for a few months,assuming supplies last (if you’re hesitant to get this now, take a lookat what the first goes for on eBay).DR.

CYCLOPS (1940, color), directed by Ernest Schoedsack (KING KONG)stars Albert Dekker (Later of THE KILLERS and THE WILD BUNCH) as Dr. Thorkel,a renowned scientist in the jungles of South America who invites three brilliantscientists to help verify the results of his mysterious experiments. After theyarrive, they are met by the seemingly gracious and kind doctor, only to be dismissedafter quickly giving the confirmations Thorkel required of them. Soon, theyfind themselves shrunk down to the size of a Barbie doll by the crazed scientistand having to find a way to escape and return to normal height, battling thenew land of giants around them in the meantime. The actors also featured inthis include Janice Logan, Thomas Coley, Charles Halton, Victor Killian andFrank Yaconelli.Thefilm is notable for being the first science fiction film made using three-colorTechnicolor, and the transfer is outstanding! The print source used is amazinglyclean, free of dirt and scratches. Universal ought to be praised for helpingthis film show up on DVD in such a respectable way.

The clarity and detail ofevery shot is incredible, and I was surprised when reminded it was originallyreleased in 1940! I would surmise that the transfer was done in high-definition,due to the amount of detail and lack of artifacts (not to mention the intensityof the colors throughout the film). The special effects are stunning, deceptivelycreative and effective. I would go as far to say that the Schoedsack’suse of miniatures and early green-screen/rear-projection should be studied bymore filmmakers – you will find yourself easily believing that these shrunkenpeople really are trying to escape from a giant! Only once or twice did I noticesignificant fuzziness of the visual effects in scenes with Dr. Thorkel in pursuitof the victims.

CULTOF THE COBRA (1955, b&w), directed by Francis D. Lyon (editor, Curt Siodmak’sBRIDE OF THE GORILLA), tells the story of six G.I.’s stationed in Asia whomanage to sneak into the ceremony of the Lamians, a cult of that worships womenthat can change into serpents. After giving themselves away, one soldier is bittenby a snake and is taken to a hospital.

While admitted and appearing to recoverfrom the poisonous bite, the soldier winds up dead the following morning froma sudden mysterious increase in venom surging through his system. The soldiersare then sent back home to the US, having to readjust to civilian life after thedeath of a friend. Soon, a new neighbor (Faith Domergue, THIS ISLAND EARTH) toone soldier wiggles her way into their lives, while at the same time the officersbegin to have their ranks strangely killed. The film also features Richard Long,Marshall Thompson, David Janssen, Kathleen Hughes, William Reynolds, Jack Kelly,and Myrna Hansen.CULTstarts out like an Army-buddy film buts turns to a mystery of death and a bizarremyth of shape-changing women that may actually be true. Lyon does a great jobof using shadows to show the impending fates of the soldiers, instead of revealinga poor special effect.

This easily could have turned out to be one of the lesserfilms in the set, but I found it to be the one of the most enjoyable. More ofa horror/suspense film that is more like a lower-rent Val Lewton film, CULT OFTHE COBRA is highly recommended.The1.85:1 anamorphic transfer of this feature is also very well done, though notas bold as DR. CYCLOPS – however, this is totally acceptable since thismovie was not meant to be as visually outrageous as the fore-mentioned film. Thefilm shows little grain and strong contrast between the blacks and whites, againleading me to believe this was transferred in high-definition. A very well donepresentation!THELAND UNKNOWN (1957, b&w), directed by Virgil Vogel (THE MOLE PEOPLE; editorof TOUCH OF EVIL and THIS ISLAND EARTH), stars Jock Mahoney as the Commander incharge of an expedition to Antarctica. Tagging along is a news reporter (playedby Shawn Smith, aka Shirley Patterson), who along with the Commander and two othersailors find themselves having to make an emergency landing while lost in an impendingstorm (not to mention the attack by a pterodactyl).

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They set down 3000 metersbelow sea level in what appears to be a lost jungle among the Artic. The groupfinds they are trapped there with the helicopter damaged and little chance ofsuccessful communication with the rest of the expedition. As if that isn’tenough, they are soon chased by giant lizards, man-eating plants, a hungry tyrannosaurusrex and what might be a long-lost primitive man (or monster)!

The film also starsWilliam Reynolds, Phil Harvey, Douglas Kennedy, and most importantly, Henry Brandonas the would-be caveman villain (perhaps the actor is better known from MARCHOF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS, THE SEARCHERS and later of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13).Presentedin 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, THE LAND UNKNOWN features another stunning transfer,likely in high-definition. Some may find the movie to be cheesy due to the sillySPFX, such as the classic footage of real reptiles intended to be dinosaurs andthe man-in-a-suit as the T-Rex. But I found the effects to actually be admirableand fun. Given a closer look, viewers will notice that the filmmakers did theirbest with their abilities and money (just look at the details given to the T-Rex’sblinking eyes). The sets make the movie, though – the classy transfer andwidescreen presentation show how much effort went into this film. Go with it andsuspend your disbelief, and you may find this more enjoyable than a certain 1990sseries of dinosaur movies.THEDEADLY MANTIS (1957, b&w), directed by Nathan Juran (director of many sci-ficlassics, i.e.

ATTACK OF THE 50 FT WOMAN, 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH, and one ofmy faves, THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS), is the classic story of nature gettingrevenge against man and science. Upon awakening from an iceberg, a giant prayingmantis decides to attack anyone in its path to New York. Fighting it along theway is Craig Stevens, Alex Talton, and William Hopper.Consideredto be a classic of the giant monster movies of the 1950s, I found this to be oneof the lesser films in the context of this set. However, this should not dissuadeanyone from purchasing the set – this is only the reviewer’s opinion.A bit slow moving, but worth the journey once the mantis attacks the army basesand New York. Featuring a giant insect that flies instead of simply crushing anythingin its path to civilization, THE DEADLY MANTIS does make good use of green-screenSPFX, miniatures and large-scale beasts.The full frame transfer of this movie is the most disappointing of the set. Afair amount of grain and artifacts exist, leading one to believe that this maybe the same exact transfer from laserdisc and/or vhsVHS releases, as it lookszoomed in and cropped in several sequences (by ).

Still very watchable, but a let-downafter the first three features.THELEECH WOMAN (1960, b&w) directed by Edward Dein (co-writer of THE LEOPARDMAN), is a morality play in the guise of a mad scientist horror film. The moviestars Colleen Gray as an aging, alcoholic woman trapped in an unhappy marriagewith scientist Phillip Terry, an abusive bully that enjoys tormenting his wife.While looking for a cure to aging, the scientist finds a possible remedy froman odd woman that claims be more than 140 years old and originally from a smalltribe in Africa. She promises to take the scientist to the cure in exchange forthe money to return home to die; of course, nothing is as it seems and the unlikableprotagonists find themselves trapped by the tribe and death.

Once in Africa, thecouple hires an adventurer to lead them to the tribe and find the mysterious oldwoman. The three are shown the secret ritual once they are captured by the tribeof the old woman – unfortunately, it involves the sacrifice of a man. Onceshown that the cure is real, the scientist gives over his wife to allow him tosteal the cure and profit off of it. This greed, of course, leads to a disastrousescape with only Gray surviving with the ability to stay young. Her return homebrings death and lust with those close to her.Arrangedin three acts, this melodramatic movie is the least of the set.

The acts are unbalancedand would have benefited from shifting the amount of time given to the introductoryact (showing the poor relationship between the scientist and his wife) to thefinal act (the return of Gray to the U.S. And the rampage she goes on to maintainher youth). The middle is also plodding, but eventually leads to the meat of thestory and the eventual but hurried climax and ending. Only one character is trulyworth rooting for, being the adventurer played by John Van Dreelen. The film isprobably most notable for having Grant Williams and Gloria Talbott as supportingplayers, and an African-American main character (in the role of the old woman).THELEECH WOMAN is presented in a rather nice 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer, showinggood contrast between the black and white elements of the film. A drawback isthat the film is not highly stylized, but rather plain and lacking in creativity.All titles in this set feature their original trailers and contain clean, satisfactorymono audio tracks in English only.Overall, THE CLASSIC SCI-FI ULTIMATE COLLECTION, VOLUME 2 is highly recommendedfor fans of stereotypical science fiction movies from the days when SPFX werehandmade and the suspension of disbelief was required by film fans. It featuresat least three true classics and may help restore some of the films to a higherstatus among other more highly regarded films.

Universal should be commendedfor putting these collections together, with the only regret being that thesesets are not available elsewhere or individually. Otherwise, thank you, Universaland Best Buy.