Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

In my quest to locate kaiju films eastern and western, I keep finding a listing for one from the 60's that appears to be "lost"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058002/combined

It's obviously a regional flick, but has anyone ever seen it, or even pics from it?

Here's what The Illustrated Dinosaur Movie Guide (I LOVE this book series by Stephen Jones) has to say:

"Made in Sherman, Texas, this independent cheapie features a spaceship filled with various test animals crashing into a lake. Leaking radiation causes the creatures to transmute into a single giant monster."

It's directed by Russ Marker, and one of his other films, NIGHT FRIGHT, was released on DVD by Alpha last year, so maybe their's hope.

"Night Fright!" may well be my favorite bad movie of all time. I taped it 20+ years ago off a late-late TV broadcast, on a no-name VHS tape. Curiously, despite a whole lotta viewings, that old tape has help up remarkably well. When I discovered NF! was on DVD this summer... well of course I just HAD to have it. At only $5, it's a cheap investment. And low-buck fun, to be sure. It never fails to get a lot of laughs whenever I introduce new friends to it.

Besides, any movie with John Agar is worth a look. Admittedly, I've grown to enjoy Bill Thurman's performance too. He's another low-budget actor who's always fun to watch. Speaking of which, several of Larry (Mars Needs Women) Buchanan's regular 'no-talent' thesps are on hand. I believe that NF! director James Sullivan was one of Larry's assistants on some (or all) of his infamous "AIP-8."

In addition to having the best of Buchanan badness, it has a hefty helping of Ed Wood-esque putridity thrown in, too. Gotta love that constant "it's daytime, it's nighttime, it's daytime" flip-flopping throughout the film. Dig those groovy 30 year-old high schoolers! Check out hotty babe "Darlene," a girl wearing so much eyelash make-up that she can barely keep her eyelids from fusing shut.

I love the attempt at Hitchcock-ian edits and so forth. Cool, even though they are wasted in such a deliciously rotten film. And then there's the monster. If Lt. Worf and Bigfoot had a love child, this fella would be it!

I had read that NF! was actually a remake of the earlier "Demon from Devil's Lake" in an old copy of FILMFAX. I always hoped to discover a copy of that film from an obscure archiver outfit like Sinister Cimema, but of course I never did. I am saddened now to hear that it may well be forever lost. I would have liked to have seen it. Maybe someday it'll surface. Stranger things have happened.

Anyhow, I'm delighted to see a film that's long been a "guilty pleasure" of mine getting some recognition! Now which is the best 'worst' for me? Hmmmm... "Night Fright!" or Larry Buchanan's "It's Alive!"??? Boy oh boy! That's a tough call.

-JN

This thread is back from the dead......and it's ready to party!


*listens to .45 Grave*