For the 100th episode John Hudson returns for another discussion of an Antonio Margheriti film! It’s taken a long time to finally get to triple digits and I’m happy to say that we treat the occasion with very little reverence. In fact, it’s just like every other episode Hudson and I’ve done together with him constantly messing with me while I try desperately to keep things on track. I wouldn’t have it any other way!
BATTLE OF THE WORLDS (1961) is the second of Margheriti’s science fiction films. As with his other cinematic SF adventures he directed the film while also overseeing the special effects. It was this movie that convinced the money people at MGM that he could be trusted to make cheap but good-looking space movies leading to the financing of his quartet of Gamma One films in 1965-67. For years this was a staple of Saturday afternoon TV broadcasts but after decades of public domain copies (both VHS and DVD) it seems improbable that we’ll ever get a Blu-Ray of this fun film. It is the presence of the great Claude Raines that makes this one to seek out for fans of his decades long career and he lifts this movie on his shoulders in every scene. It’s a shame YouTube is the current best way to see the film because a special edition video release would bring deserved attention to both the director and often neglected 1960’s space opera genre. Special effects may have advanced well past this film’s day but the care on view is still worth more widespread attention.
Mr. Hudson and I start the show with a discussion of some recent viewings and a side conversation about Stephen King’s output over the last couple of decades. Those expecting certain invisible creatures to get mentioned won’t be disappointed even if I was. As usual. Sometimes I wonder why I tolerate this guy!
Any comments can be sent to thebloodypit@gmail.com or dropped over on the show’s FaceBook page. We’d be glad to hear from you as we plot the next one hundred episodes!
The Bloody Pit #35 - GHIDORAH, THE THREE HEADED MONSTER (1964)
The Bloody Pit #34 - CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE (1980)
The Bloody Pit #33 - NEW YEAR'S EVIL (1980)
The Bloody Pit #32 - WESTWORLD (1973)
The Bloody Pit #31 - DIARY OF A MADMAN (1963) and other Horla adaptations
The Bloody Pit #30 - Halloween Mix 2015
The Bloody Pit #29 - GODZILLA FINAL WARS (2004)
The Bloody Pit #28 - TAKE A HARD RIDE (1975)
The Bloody Pit #27 - CONTAMINATION (1980)
The Bloody Pit #26 - CASTLE OF BLOOD and WEB OF THE SPIDER
The Bloody Pit #25 - GODZILLA MOTHRA KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL OUT ATTACK (2001)
The Bloody Pit #24 - FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965)
The Bloody Pit #23 - WAR BETWEEN THE PLANETS (1966)
The Bloody Pit #22 - GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER (1972)
The Bloody Pit #21 - Movie Music Show!
The Bloody Pit #20 - ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976)
The Bloody Pit #19 - ALL MONSTERS ATTACK (1969)
The Bloody Pit #18 - Halloween Mix 2014
The Bloody Pit #17 - Doc Savage!
The Bloody Pit #16 - NIGHTMARE CITY (1980)
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