Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" has been dramatized many times. I just finished watching Hammer Studios' take on the story The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960).

They add some interesting twists. Number 1 they gave Henry Jekyll a wife. who is unfaithful to him, with his oldest friend. Number 2 unlike some of the other versions Edward Hyde is actually a good looking man. Dr. Jekyll has darker hair, and wears facial hair. Mr. Hyde has lighter hair and is clean shaven. Mr. Hyde is more interested in wine, women and song than violence. He turns violent because he wants to ruin Jekyll's life. The ending of the film is different than usual as well.

Being a Hammer film it featured Christopher Lee, but as a victim for once, Dr. Jekyll's oldest friend who Jekyll's wife has an affair and who is Mr. Hyde's first victim when he decides to eliminate those Dr. Jekyll cares about.

Directed by Terence Fisher
Produced by Michael Carreras

Paul Massie as Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde
Dawn Addams as Kitty Jekyll
Christopher Lee as Paul Allen
David Kossoff as Dr. Littauer
Francis de Wolff as Inspector
Norma Marla as Maria

At the time the film was considered a failure costing Hammer Studies £30,000. Apparently oriignal audience didn't like changes. I thought they made it interesting after having read the story several times and haveing seen many other versions some of whihc are closer to the original story.

I have the movie as part of Hammer Films: Icons of Horror set which has has 4 movies on 2 DVDs
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)
Scream of Fear (1961) [British title: Taste of Fear]
The Gorgon (1964)
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)

They are actually out of sequence on the two DVDs but I'm watching them in order. Scream of Fear unlike the others is b/w. And was Christoper Lee's favorite Hammer film.

There is also a Hammer Films" Icons of Suspense which features 6 of there non horror, suspense films. Haven't seen any of those yet.

Sounds good Guybrush!

Scream of Fear (1961) (UK title: Taste of Fear)

This is more of a thriller or suspense film than a horror movie. Yet its included in the Hammer Films: Icon Horror Collection rather than the Iconic Suspense Collection. The US title exegerates the screaming and screaming is all the trailer talks about. The British title, Taste of Fear is more apt. The ending has several twists, one part I suspected he rest I didn't.

For an English language movie this film has an odd opening. Two men in the boat are searching for something in the water. They are being directed by a man on shore with a bullhorn. What odd about this is the three men are speaking German. And their are no English subtitles. The men in the boat pull a body ouf of the water, Then the opening credits, in English roll.

A wheel chairbound young woman (the result of a horse falling on top of her 9 years ago) is picked up at the airport in France, by her father's chauffeur he speaks to her in English. The airline staff who were assisting her speak only French, again no English subtitles.

After her parents divorced Penny Appleby lived with her mother for eight years, until her mothers death.. Then she lived with her nurse whom she said was like a sister to her for two years, but then her nurse drowned, leaving her alone. Three weeks later, having received a letter from her father asking her to join him and his new wive, she heads for her father's home in France, after 10 years apart. When she arrives at her father's French Riviera estate here father is not there. His new wife Jane Appleby claims he left on business. Which seams odd since he knew his daughter was coming. And according to his chauffeur, Robert, he has been ill. Penny feels unmfortable intruding into her step-mother's life, but Jane keeps insisting that she want her hear, that it was her idea and she is very happy for her to be here. The senic is me is immedialy supiscious. Jane claims that Robert misunderstood the visits of Doctor Gerrard who played chess with Penny's father, that he is not sick. Later that night, Jane is awoken by baning shutters, she backs herself into her wheelchair and goes to the window, then for some reason she wheels her outside around the pool to a "summer house" where she finds her father, sitting, dead in a chair. She screams. She cannot run but she can wheel herself out of the room. Frightened she gets too close the pool and fallls. Robert hears her cries for help rescues her. The next scene she is in bed being, a strang man is there, turns out its Doctor Gerrard, Jane and Robert are also in the room. When she tells them about finding her father's body they are not taking her seriously so she insists on showing them. But, the summer house is locked and they insist it is alwasy kept locked. The key is above the door however. The doctor unlocks the door. The room is dark. Penny says there was a candle,but Jane says there is no need for candles as she flips on the electric light. And there is no sign of Penny's father, dead or alive. Jane and the doctor treat Penny as if she were mentally ill. Robert cannot seem to make up is mind wether he believer her or not. Other strange things begin to happen to Penny, whenever she is alone. So, is Penny Appleby mentally distiurbed, suffering from paranoid delusions? Or is someone trying to drive her crazy? Or is she being haunted?

I admit I didn't realize what was happening until just before the reveal. I knew part of it but not all.

The biggest mystery is why the British call melted candle wax, "candle grease" it makes no sense.

Directed by Seth Holt
Produced by Jimmy Sangster & Michael Carreras

Susan Strasberg as Penny Appleby
Ronald Lewis as Robert
Ann Todd as Jane Appleby
Christopher Lee as Doctor Gerrard
John Serret as Inspector Legrand
Leonard Sachs as Spratt
Anne Blake as Marie
Fred Johnson as Father

Christopher Lee was quoted as having said: "Taste of Fear was the best film that I was in that Hammer ever made... [...] It had the best director, the best cast and the best story."
Garry Copper was filming his last movie (he was dying of cancer) in the same studio and starled Christopher Lee during filming the dining room scene when he looked up and saw him watching them.

This sounds good too!

I don't like modern horror films, but love the old ones

The Gorgon (1964)

If you think that in the Hammer Horrow movies Christopher Lee was always the bad guy (because he so often played Dracula) and Peter Cushing was always the good guy (because he was hunting the vampire) this movie will help to disuade of that notion. As Dr. Namaroff, Peter Cushing knows full well the Gorgon is real yet he is perfectly willing to cover it up, allowing eight people to die when he could have stopped it.

In the Greek mythology there were three sisters Stheno and Euryale who are immortal, and Medusa who was mortal and was was slain by Perseus using a mirrored shield to keep from looking at her face as he cut of her head. Any one who look at the face of the snaked haired Gorgons was instantly turned to stone. According to the myths even dead the head still turned those who looked at into stone. The Gorgons were original said to be beauitful women, priestess of Athena. They were cursed by Athena for the offense of standing with Medusa after she said Posedion raped her. Typical pagan attitude punish the woman for a man raping her.

Borski Castle in Vandorf is inhabited by a monster, nothing can surive there.

This movie, typical of a Hammer Horror film, rewrites the legend. having two of three Gorgon slain instead of one and the one fleeing to Vandork. When Carla Hoffman recites the legend of the Gorgon she changes their names to Tisiphone, Medusa and Magaera The police and the head of the local hospital/asylyum try to cover up the existance of the Gorgon and would claim its to not cause fear among the villagers but the villagers are already terrified. And even the police will not go near the castle.

During the night of a full moon, Magaera, The Gorgon appears and some one may die, turned to stone. The local police inspector and the local doctor have kept the truth of what caused the deaths from the people. Its a small village they cannot hide the deaths, only their causes. And after 7 "unsolved murders" in 5 years the inspector is more worred that his reputation is suffering than he is concerned to put a stop to the mystifying killings. The local doctor for reasons of his own is even more anxious to keep anyone else from learning the truth that that the spirit of an ancient creature of Greek mythology actually exists. Soon there is an eighth victim. His son refuses to rest until he uncovers the truth. Can he, assisted by his mentor, find and destroy the Gorgon before any one else dies? There is of course a love triangle with tragic results,

The Gorgon itself is for most of the film seen in shadows. At the end when its finally seen clearly its not scary at all. Being 1964 the snake hair looks like robber and the heads on the ground look like what they are, heads off manikins.

Directed byTerence Fisher
Produced by Anthony Nelson Keys

Christopher Lee as Professor Karl Meister
Peter Cushing as Dr. Namaroff
Richard Pasco as Paul Heitz
Barbara Shelley as Carla Hoffman
Michael Goodliffe as Professor Jules Heitz
Patrick Troughton as Inspector Kanof
Joseph O'Conor as The Coroner
Prudence Hyman as The Gorgon
Jack Watson as Ratoff
Redmond Phillips as Hans
Jeremy Longhurst as Bruno Heitz
Toni Gilpin as Sascha Cass
Joyce Hemson as Martha
Alister Williamson as Janus Cass
Michael Peake as Constable

Patrick Troughton was the second Doctor in the original Doctor Who TV series, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travles though time and space. Peter Cushing played Doctor Who, a human inventor traveling through time in space in two movies based on two Doctor Who TV series story lines. His character being a variation on the first Doctor played by William Hartnell.

Third movie I watched from Hammer Films: Icons of Horrow or Icons of Horrow: Hammer Films, depending if you go by the spine of the DVD case on the front cover. The final film on the DVD set is Hammer's version of the Mummy.

The Gorgon trailer

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)

Unsual for a Hammer Horror film it consists mostly of actors not prevously seen in Hammer films and does not feature Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing at all.

Produced, written and directed by Michael Carreras (I have more of his films)

Terence Morgan: Adam Beauchamp, a secretive key character
Ronald Howard: John Bray, the Egyptologist
Fred Clark: Alexander King, the American promoter
Jeanne Roland: Annette Dubois, daughter of Professor Dubois (the Egyptologist who is killed in the opening scene) and John Bray's fiancée
George Pastell: Hashmi Bey, representative of the Eygptian government
Jack Gwillim: Sir Giles Dalrymple, another Egyptologist
John Paul: Inspector Mackenzie
Dickie Owen: the Mummy
Jill Mai Meredith: Jenny, Beauchamp's maid
Michael Ripper: Achmed, Egyptian servant
Harold Goodwin: Fred, one of Alexander King's workmen
Jimmy Gardner: Fred's mate
Vernon Smythe: Jessop, Beauchamp's butler
Marianne Stone: Hashmi Bey's landlady
Ray Austin: Stuntman: Assassin on-board ship

In Egypt in 1900 three Egyptoligists discover a mummy. One of the men is murdered and the sadistic killer cuts of his left hand and places it and the knife in the tent of his daughter. Later someone ransacks the dig site leaving a dead body in one of their packcrates and stealing their lists of the aritfacts for which there are no copies months of work lost. The aritfacts are shipped to London where Alexander King, the wealthy American (who has no redeeming qualities at all) who backed the expidation intends to begin sending the artifacts on a world tour instead of selling them to the Cairo musuem.

Alexander King reveals the mummy for the first time backstage. On stage he pretends he's breaking the ceal and opening the case for the first time. Before doing so he announces there is a curse that any who look upon the mummy will die. Of course he doesn't actually believe it, he just thinks its good showmanship. When he opens the case it's empty.He scoffs at John Bray's claim the mummy was stolen by the same person who stole a medalian containing the "sacred words of life" in order to bring the mummy back to life. But that very night mummy begins to murder the members of the expedition.

The mummy is a silly monster. When attacked the victims have time to catch a cab to the nearest bus terminal, strain station or airport but they just stand there waiting for it strangle them.

The back story for the mummy is absurd. First the named him Ra, which is the Egyptian sun god. Then they claimed he was banished from Egypt for practicing witchcraft., which is nonsense. And murdered by asssasins working for his twin brother.. And yet they found him entombed in Egypt.

Of course their is another triangle. John Bray who is enganged to Annette Dubois but is so concerned about the expedition and the displaying of the treasures that he forgets to romance her. And Adam Beauchamp who is very romantic, but is up to something.

The biggest probelm with these movies is they potrary the British Egyptolagists as some how doing something of great benefit to mankind by robbing tombs and the Egyptians who object to their ancestors graves being robbed as being evil for doing so.

I've seen Ronald Howard play Sherlock Holmes

End of Hammer Films: Icons of Horror. Onto Icons of Suspense (1958-1963), I should have done that set first I guess.

Thanks, Guybrush. These old films are full of silliness, but that's what makes them fun to me

Beware!

The Snorkel (1958)

Directed by Guy Green
Produced by Michael Carreras
Stars
Peter van Eyck - Paul Decker
Betta St. John - Jean Edwards
Mandy Miller - Candy Brown
Grégoire Aslan - Inspector
William Franklyn - Wilson
Marie Burke - Daily Woman
Irene Prador - French Woman
Henri Vidon - Italian Gardener
Armand Guinle - Waiter
Robert Rietti - Station Sergeant
David Ritch - Hotel Clerk
John Holmes' dog Flush - Toto

"TEEN-AGE GIRL... VS. KILLER WITH A-GIMMICK!"

Paul Decker fills a room with gas to murder his wife. He stays in the room using a snorkel conntected to an airtank to breath while she dies. The authorities rule his wife's death a suicide. His step daughter Candy Brown is the only person who believes he murdered her mother and also her father years before. But will she live long enough to prove it?

After the first tweleve minutes I found it difficult to take this film seriously. First off his actually staying in the room with his unconscious wife makes no sense. Is he afraid she'll wake up? Then what? He can't strangler her, beat, shoot or stab her that would make it clearly murder. So its obviously just to give him the gimmick in the tagline. Second, everyone in this film is an idiot. The dog is sniffing at the floor and trying to tear up the carpet and these fools don't actually look under it to see why. They'd have found the door n the floor and cought him then and there.

I couldn't take watchiing him repeatedly try to murder her and fail and everyone else telling her it was just her imagination, even after he killed her dog, so I skipped to the ending .

Included in Hammer Films: Icons of Suspense Collection. I hope the other films are better than this.


The Snorkel trailer

Stop Me Before I Kill! (1960) aka The Full Treatment aka The Treatment

Written, produced, directed by Val Guest
Stars
Claude Dauphin ... David Prade
Diane Cilento ... Denise Colby
Ronald Lewis ... Alan Colby
Françoise Rosay ... Madame Prade
Bernard Braden ... Harry Stonehouse
Katya Douglas ... Connie
Barbara Chilcott ... Baroness de la Vailion
Ann Tirard ... Nicole
Edwin Styles ... Doctor Roberts
George Merritt ... Mr. Manfield

An English racing driver, Alan Colby, and his French wife, Denise, were involved in a bad accident a year ago, in which the other driver was killed. Though they are both physically well, Alan struggles with mood swings and is increasingly violent. Denise tries to get him to see a pyschiatrist, Dr. David Prade but he refuses. until he nearly stranged Denise to death. Then hey finaly consults Dr. Prade, who treats him by making him describe how he would murder his wife and dispose of her body and then by getting him to remember the accident. Eventually he pronounces him cured.. But the next morning Alan wakes up to find Denise has vanished. Did he carry out his sick fantasy, murder his wife, dispose of the body and then black out and forget it? Or is something else going on?

If you want to know how it ends whithout finding the movie and watching it:

I like this much better than The Snorkel which I thought was lame. They did a good job of not revealing the truth until the last few minutes.


Stop Me Before I Kill trailer

Shield For Murder (1954)

(not a Hammer Film) thie film noir features several future TV stars

Directed by Edmond O'Brien & Howard W. Koch
Produced by Aubrey Schenck

Edmond O'Brien as Lieutenant Barney Nolan
Marla English as Patty Winters
John Agar as Sergeant Mark Brewster
Emile Meyer as Captain Gunnarson
Carolyn Jones as Girl at Bar (Beth)
Claude Akins as Fat Michaels
Larry RyleRyle as Laddie O'Neil
Herbert Butterfield as Cabot (reporter)
Hugh Sanders as Packy Reed
William Schallert as Assistant District Attorney Andy Tucker
Stafford Repp as Detective O'Dell (uncredited)

Carolyn Jones of course goes on to star as Morticia Addams in the Addam's Family and guess star as Marcia Queen of Diamonds in Batman
Stafford Repp would play Chief O'Hera in Batman, his role in this is just a cameo
Claude Akins would star as Sheriff Lobo

Lieutenant Barney Nolan (Edmond O'Brien), a 16-year veteran of the police force, has had it with the world he inhabits. In a secluded alley late one night, he fatally shoots a bookmaker in the back and steals the $25,000 the man has on him. He then claims he had been forced to kill the man because he tried to escape custody. Sergeant Mark Brewster (John Agar), his friend and protégé, believes him, as does the Captain of Detectives, Captain Gunnarson (Emile Meyer), he does chew him out for "thinking with your trigger finger" for being involved in multiple shootings. However, newspaper reporter Cabot (Herbert Butterfield) suspects otherwise. And the bookmaker's boss hires two private investigators.


Pet peeve of mine is movie or TV series that show revolvers with a "silencer". Its impossibe to "silence" (the proper term is supress, silencer orignally being a brand name of a supressor) a revolver because most of the noise comes from the exploding gasseses escaping through the opening around the cylinder not the barrel. You can supress (reduce the decible level to below perment hearing lose levels) a semi automatic pistol or a rilfe but even then it is never actually silent its only slightly quiter than a jack hammer or jet plane engine. Guns are always louder in reality than in films or movies. The first time I fired a hand gun (a rented semi auto pistol) almost jumped out of my skin, I scared myself. I still tend to flinch at the range when somebody is shooting 45s and 9mms. After another rented semi auto bounced a spent cartidge off the rim of my glasses I become a revolver fan.

I watched it through Amazon Prime. but somebody has it on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NGRKhD2A_Y

Never Take Candy From A Stranger (1960) (UK title: Never Take Sweets from a Stranger)
based on The Pony Trap (play)
Directed by Cyril Frankel
Produced by Anthony Hinds
Stars
Patrick Allen as Peter Carter
Gwen Watford as Sally Carter
Janina Faye as Jean Carter
Felix Aylmer as Clarence Olderberry Sr.
Niall MacGinnis as Defense Counsel
Michael Gwynn as Prosecutor
Alison Leggatt as Martha
Bill Nagy as Clarence Olderberry Jr.
MacDonald Parke as Judge
Estelle Brody as Eunice Kalliduke
Robert Arden as Tom Demarest
Frances Green as Lucille
John Bloomfield as Foreman of Jury

Hammer's most controversial film

This could be made today. Its subject: pedophilia and how those with money are able to get away with it.

"This story - like it's characters - is fictitious. It is set in Canada. But it could happen anywhere - And it could be true."

Peter Carter, Sally Carter and their daughter Jean have just moved from England to Canada. Mr. Carter has accepted a job as high school principle. Peter and Sally are initially welcomed by the locals. But then Jean Carter tells her parents that she and another girl, Lucille Demarest, were given candy to take off their clothes and dance around naked by an old man. (Its only talked about not seen). When they bring charges against Clarence Olderberry Sr. one of the wealthiest and most respected men in town, tmost of the town turns against them., even though many know the old man "likes children too much". At the trial the defense attorney confuses little Jean. Lucille's parents get a doctor to say she is too sick to appear in court. After the trial as the Carter;s are prepending to leave town. Jean and Lucille vanish [spoiler]After both laywers and Jeans' father speak with the judge his his chambers to protect Jean from any further psychological damage caused by the defense tactics, the prosecuter asks the court to drop the charges. Not satifised with that the defense demands a directed verdict of not guilty and the judge orders it and the jury declares the accused "not guilty". Later, Luccile is miraclouus cured of her ailment and she and Jean are playing together as Pater and Sally Carter are packing to leave town. The girls are chased through the woods by Clarence Olderberry Sr. Jean escapes and is returned to her parents safely but Clarence Olderberry Jr confesses his father caught and murdered Lucille.[spoiler]

The grandmother is disgusting. But sadly probably realistic. She want her daughter to act like nothing bad happened.

Hammer tried to make a socially responsible movie but the 1960s audience wasn't ready for it and this film was their biggest failure. The press attacked it, talking about sexual assault on children was socially unacceptible (the crime itself went unpunished which is the whole point of the film). The UK censors rated it X which meant adults only. becase of the subect matter. There's no nudity, the discusion about the sexual abuse is done very sensitively. And the violence at the end is off camera. again only talked about. So there was nothing visible to give it such a rating. And audiences stayed away from the theaters.

Never Take Candy From A Stranger trailer

I remember this film very well because at the time it scared the pants off me !!

[In the UK it was released as "Never Take Sweets from a Stranger".]

Hammer Films: Icons of Suspense Collection:

Cash On Demand (1961)

Directed by Quentin Lawrence
Stars
Peter Cushing as Harry Fordyce
André Morell as Colonel Gore-Hepburn
Richard Vernon as Pearson
Norman Bird as Sanderson
Kevin Stoney as Detective Inspector Mason
Barry Lowe as Harvill
Edith Sharpe as Miss Pringle
Lois Daine as Sally
Alan Haywood as Kane
Vera Cook as Mrs. Fordyce
Charles Morgan as Detective Sergeant Collins

The only film in this collection to feature Peter Cushing,

Two days before Christmas the family of a bank manager (Peter Cushing ) are held hostage as a scheme to rob the bank by a charming but ruthless criminal (André Morell).

The bank manager is a Scrooge like character, who doesn't like Christmas cards on a desk and suspects his subordinates of an embezzlement scheme when a teller accidentally gives a depositor 10 pounds too much even though the depositor realizes the error and returns the money. Of course at the end like Scrooge he's has a change in outlook.

Cash On Demand Trailer

Maniac (1963)
Directed by Michael Carreras
Produced by Jimmy Sangster
Stars
Kerwin Mathews as Jeff Farrell
Nadia Gray as Eve Beynat
Donald Houston as Henri
Liliane Brousse as Annette Beynat
George Pastell as Inspector Etienne
Arnold Diamond as Janiello
Norman Bird as Salon
Justine Lord as Grace
Jerold Wells as Giles
Leon Peers as Blanchard
André Maranne as Salon

Another Hammer film that begins with characters speaking another language (in this case French) without English subtitles. A young woman is walking down a street. A man in a truck offers her a lift and she rather foolishly accepts.

An American artist, Jeff Farellm on vacation southern France becomes romantically involved with Eve Beynat. The woman's husband is in an asylum convicted a killing a man who raped their daughter, with a blow torch. Eve convinces Jeff to help free her husband, claiming that if they free him, he will run away with their daughter Annette and Eve and Jeff will be be together alone. Of course things do not go as expected when dealing with a maniac...

There is a twist to the ending:

Kerwin Mathews s better known for The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, The 3 Worlds of Gulliver, Jack the Giant Killer (title role in each).

Maniac trailer

The live action Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward aired its last episode on March 14, 1968.

October 11, 2016 Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders first of two animated Batman films starring Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar as the voices of Batman, Robin and Catwoman was released.

Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin
Julie Newmar as Catwoman
Jeff Bergman as Joker, Announcer
William Salyers as Penguin
Wally Wingert as Riddler
Jim Ward as Commissioner James Gordon
Steven Weber as Alfred Pennywortth
Thomas Lennon as Chief Miles O'Hara, Warden Crichton
Lynne Marie Stewart as Aunt Harriet Cooper
Sirena Irwin as Miranda Moore[

Cesar Romero (Joker) died January 1, 1994
Burgess Meredith (Penguin) died September 9, 1997
Frank Gorshin (Riddler) died May 17, 2005
Alan Napier (Alfred) died August 8, 1988
Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon) died September 24, 1984
Stafford Repp (Chief O'Hara) died November 5, 1974
Madge Blake (Aunt Harriet) died February 19, 1969

Batgirl was not in this but Yvonne Craig died August 17, 2015 so the character would have had to be recast as well.

Batman's greatest foes Joker, Penquin, Riddler and Catwoman join forces, again. But it doesn't last as Joker, Riddler and Penquin turn on Catwoman.

My favorite scene is early on. Catwoman is trying to convince Batman to give us his do gooder ways and join her (and she means her) as an arch criminal And of course Batman tries to convince her to turn to law and order. The Penquin objest to all the flirting and hits Batman over the head with his umbrella causing Batman to see tipple. On the left a Catwoman based on Lee Meriwether's movie Catwoman, in the middle a Catwoman based on Julie Newmar (seasons 1 and 2) and to the right a Earth Kitt (season 3) like Catwoman. For those who haven't seen it, during the first two seasons of Batman (1966-68), Batman and Catwoman were drawn to each but could never get together because of course he was a crime fighter and she was an arch criminal/super villian. Every time she claimed she could reform and join Batman he would ask what about Robin and her reply "I'll kill him". Which proved she couldn't For the third season there was no sign of the romance. Guess they were not that brave.


Adam West must have had fun with this. He starts out the heroic "Bright Knight" (yes some fans called his Batman that), changes to the "Dark Knight" anti-hero version of Batman, and finally into a super villain who wants to rule "Gotham City and then the world!" thanks to a Catwoman's morals suppressing drug. He's so bad even Catwoman cannot stand it. Can she and Robin restore Batman? Well of course they can, eventually.

They made one mistake Dick Grayson got his driver's license in the third season so Robin shouldn't claim to have a learner's permit when he wants to drive the Catmobile.


After this was succesful Warner Brothers announced they were considering an animated Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter but its not yet materialized. Probably because of the life action movie with someone else.

"Loving you was wrong, but I had to do right."

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders trailer

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders main title

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders end credits

Thanks, Guybrush. I loved that t.v. show

October 10, 2017 Batman Vs Two-Face was released
Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin
William Shatner as Harvey Dent / Two-Face
Julie Newmar as Catwoman
Steven Weber as Alfred Pennyworth, Two-Face Henchman
Jim Ward as Commissioner Gordon, Hugo Strange
Thomas Lennon as Chief Miles O'Hara, Warden Crichton
Lynne Marie Stewart as Aunt Harriet Cooper
Jeff Bergman as Joker, Bookworm, Desmond Dumas
Wally Wingert as Riddler, King Tut
William Salyers as Penguin
Sirena Irwin as Dr. Harleen Quinzel
Lee Meriwether as Lucilee Diamond/second Catwoman

Lee Meriwether played Catwoman in the 1966 movie because Julie Newmar was not avaialble at the time.
Victor Buono (King Tut) died January 1, 1982
Roddy McDowall (Bookworm) died October 3, 1998

Adam West died June 9, 2017 but he had already recorded all his dialogue for this film the previous year.

Like the TV series this movie doesn't even attempt to explain Catwoman it simply starts with her in a cell and Batman outside her windown with a book of poetry.

An accident with an experimental "evil extractor" turns District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman's best friend (strange we've never seen him before) into the arch fiend Two-Face.

In a reversal of the previous film plot, its Robin who is turned evil (by Two-Face not Catwoman this time) forcing Batman to say "this will hurt me more than it will you, old
chum".

Features Lee Meriwether, Catwoman in the 1966 movie as a public defender who finds herself forced into the Catwoman costume and after looking at herself in the mirror decides she looks "purrfect" .

"In Loving Memory of
ADAM WEST (1928-2017)
REST WELL, BRIGHT KNIGHT."


Batman vs Two-Face trailer
Batman vs Two-Face opening title - this does not show the prologue and the rest of the film takes place six months after the events in the opening
Batman vs Two-Face ending credits - expands the first animated ending, more dancers

Dr. Syn Alias The Scarecrow aka The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (1963)

I read one of the book along time ago and I'm a fan of Patrick McGoohan's so I've wanted to see this along time.

Patrick McGoohan ... Dr. Christopher Syn / the Scarecrow
George Cole ... Sexton Mipps / Hellspite
Sean Scully ... John Banks / Curlew
Tony Britton ... Simon Bates
Michael Hordern ... Squire Thomas Banks
Geoffrey Keen ... General Pugh
Kay Walsh ... Mrs. Waggett
Eric Pohlmann ... King George III
Patrick Wymark ... Joseph Ransley
Alan Dobie ... Mr. Frank Fragg - Prosecutor
Eric Flynn ... Lt. Philip Brackenbury
David Buck ... Harry Banks
Percy Herbert ... Dover Castle Jailer
Robert Brown ... Sam Farley
Jill Curzon ... Katharine Banks

The poor peole of Romney Marsh would starve or rot in debtor's prison if it were not for the masked smuggler known as The Scarecrow, hated and feared by the soilders of King George III but beloved by the people. Only two others know that The Scarecrow is the kindly vicor Dr. Syn, his Sexton Mr Mipps and young Simon Bates, second son of the local Squire. The oldest son having been taken away to forced servitude in King George's navy by the despised naval press men. The rutless General Pugh is ordered to hang The Scarecrow or he will hang himself.

There are two versions of this the original Walt Disney Wonderful World of Color 3 parter and an editted movie version.

Dr. Syn Alias The Scarecrow opening theme

I remember watching Dr. Syn on the "Wonderful World of Disney" when I was a little kid (the anticipation was incredible)and I absolutely loved it. I was lucky enough to get the DVD when it was released.

Before Gal Gadot was Wonder Woman (2017), Lynda Carter was Wonder Woman (1975-1979). But before Lynda Carter was Wonder Woman, Cathy Lee Crosby was Wonder Woman (1974).

Intended as a pilot for the what would have been the first live action Wonder Woman television series. It didn't do well enough in the ratings to be picked up as a series.

The costume is not the more traditional costume but is apparently how Wonder Woman was dressing in a series of comics experimenting with a "mod look" back in the 1970s. Supposedly the producers were forced to use this costume by DC.

Cathy Lee Crosby as Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)
Kaz Garas as Steve Trevor
Charlene Holt as Hippolyta
Ricardo Montalbán as Abner Smith
Richard X. Slattery as Colonel Henkins
Andrew Prine as George Calvin
Anitra Ford as Ahnjayla
Beverly Gill as Dia
Sandy Gaviola as Ting
Robert Porter as Joe
Jordan Rhodes as Bob
Donna Garrett as Cass
Roberta Brahm as Zoe
Thom Carney as Fred
Ed McCready as Wesley

Having been sent on a mission to bring peace to the world of men, Diana princess of Paradise Island, joins an unnamed American intelligence agency, with links to the military, led by Steve Trevor. To his male agents she is merely his lovely secretary but Steve knows she is actually his best agent, Wonder Woman. So however do the mysterious Mr. Smith, an adversary who has never been photographed and his subordinate Andrew Prine who is actually trying to undermin his boss. And tries in vane to seduce Diana. When Mr. Smith appears on camera his face is always obscured but his voice is unmistakably that of Ricardo Montalbán. He wears a white suit, just like another mysterious character of his. Disregarding Mr. Smith's orders, he finds violence to be unnecessary and counter productive, George keeps trying to kill Diana. Of course Mr. Smith is finally seen near the end and George gets what he's asking for.

As Wonder Woman attempt to retreave stolen lists of 39 secret agents, she will find herself unwilling and unhapply having to fight an old friend, a woman who has no respect for the "sisterhood" of Paradise Island but has allowed herself to be corrupted by wicked men. She is seduced by wealth and the pretty things it can buy, diamond rings, necklaces. She was obviously being set up as a regular foe had there been a series.

This Wonder Woman doesn't bounce bullets of her bracelets and her rope is just a rope. She beats up men because she know karate and they don't.

The Wonder Woman as a secret agent in modern times plot is actually the direction the Lynda Carter series takes in its second and third seasons after a first season set during WII. However, neither Steve Trevor Sr (season 1) nor Steve Trevor Jr (seasons 2 and 3) know that Diana Prince is Wonder Woman. Junior is lead to believe the Diana Prince he knows is the daughter of the woman his father worked with not a woman who has not aged in 30 years.

I saw this years ago, in my teens. I wanted to see it again so when I found it cheap on Amazon I bought the DVD. The DVD has no features just the film. Not even scene selections just a "Play Movie" option.

Opening credits

a 3 minute clip from the film


Note: this isn't actually fhe first attempt at TV series, William Dozer, executive producer (an uncredited narrator) of Batman filmed a 5 screen test in 1967.. I've seen the clip its pretty dumb, more of a bad paroty of Wonder Woman than an attempt to actually portray the cominc book character. Here it is 1967 screen test

Also there was a failed attempt at another Wonder Woman TV series in 2011