Universal Classic Sci-Fi Collection, volume 2

[Jinzo Ningen]

[jaymazing]

[Xenorama]

[MouthForWar]

[Jinzo Ningen]

Bless you, Sir!

I have had Land Unknown on VHS for years and really enjoy it, but it's only a matter of time before that old tape wears out or gets eaten by my ancient VCR. Now I can avoid that dreaded situation! I've always been a fan of Dr. Cyclops and The Deadly Mantis. Never seen the other two, so I'm amped about them. I just placed my order a few moments ago. Can't thank you enough.

I really wish I hadn't drug my feet on Vol.1 though. I'd have to sell my truck to buy a copy on eBay. Egad, the asking prices are outrageous!

Now if they just kick out Vol. 3 and include Island of Terror on it...

Thanks again!

[MouthForWar]

[MouthForWar]

[Jinzo Ningen]

Also got mine a few weeks ago. Great to see The Land Unknown on DVD (and in 'Scope!) and The Deadly Mantis. I've always enjoyed Dr. Cyclops, and it was an amazing picture quality compared to my washed out , old VHS dupe. Very sharp and a rich, vibrant Technicolor palette.

I honestly didn't care much for The Leech Woman. The visual and audio aspects were fine, but the film itself is largely unattractive. Seems every character in the picture is self-centered and unappealing. Also the 'old age' make-up on the lead actress was poor. Looked like a greasepaint job you'd see in a high school stage play. The advanced make-ups weren't much better; looking very rubbery and phony. Too bad.

Still have yet to watch Cult of The Cobra, although I know it's mostly a rip-off of Val Lewton's far superior Cat People, so I have no high hopes, though the cast looks good. (can't wait to see Edward "C.O.N.T.R.O.L.'s Chief" Platt as a bad guy priest(!) character.

All in all, not bad. Worth the $20 if you're a fan of Cyclops, Land or Mantis as they all look great - especially Dr. Cyclops (but that should have been the release by itself on the last disc, not the crappy "Leech Woman." Oh well... At least I got this volume. Now waiting for Vol.3!!

[Gwangi]

[Jinzo Ningen]

Finally got around to watching Cult of The Cobra. It was, as I've heard and read elsewhere, just a re-hash of Cat People. No where near as good, I might add. It had a great cast of B-thesps to bolster it. Marshall Thompson (It! The Terror From Beyond Space, Fiend Without a Face, First Man into Space, and many other great B sci-fi flicks) was very solid, as always. Faith Domergue made an interesting villainess but was no where near as exotic and mysterious as Cat People's tragically alluring Simone Simon.

The snake effects ranged from average to pitiful. The transformation from woman to cobra at the end was a simple, pathetic lap dissolve. The change back was slightly more interesting and visually successful, but still not up to par with Universal's other monster pic effects. The car crash gag looked great, but I suspect it was lifted from another movie and the shot of David Janssen's dead body pinned beneath the wreckage was a staged insert with optically added smoke to obscure any differences. At least the film didn't kill everyone off at the end, but poor Marshall Thompson sure got the sh!t end of the stick; left a devastated broken shell of a man.

Worst thing going for the film was that it was such a shallow knock off of Cat People, with only a handful of alterations. I'm surprised Val Lewton and/or RKO didn't sue for such an obvious clone. Still, it was better at least the The Leech Woman. There were certainly other, better films from Universal that could have been used to round out the five movies than that sucker (pardon the pun).

Tried to buy the Universal Horror set tonight, and they're already sold out online! Unbelievable!! I'm gonna have to call around and find a friend or relative who has a Best Buy near them to go out and buy a copy for me - or I'm gonna lose out on that set, too. Damn. Curse those boneheads at BestBuy!