LA NOCHE DE LOS ASESINOS - Carlo Savini - "Night Of The Skull" (1976)

Welcome all you wild cats and cool kittens to the Saturday Night Spooktacular down here in The Dungeon, Post #1013, to be precise, which means it's time to break out something that is the epitome of what we're trying to present around here in sound and pictures, another Jesus Franco Freakfest for your late nite Breakfast, a film that has been released under various titles, like "Night of the Assassins" or in this case, "Night Of The Skull!"

Well, actually they meant Rubber Skull Mask, and the guy wearing it is really pissed off, as you can tell!

The composer of the music for this film was Maestro Carlo Savini, a brilliant man, who also worked with the other Euromaster of horror, Mario Bava, on films like "Lisa E Il Diavolo!" His other film work includes a crazy palette of movies ranging from "Kill The Poker Player" and "Naked Girl In The Park" to "School Of Erotic Enjoyment" and "Thirteenth Is A Judas" just to mention a couple!

The story is an amalgamation of thoughts from the team of Edgar Allen Poe, Edgar Wallace, and Jesus Franco, or was it really John Willard and James P. Johnson? Probably nobody really knows except Jess Franco!

Just a simple question. Would you have sex with this version of Yelena Samarina?

We've seen him before as Morpho, but in this film, the renown Luis Barboo has the role of Rufus!

Just like in Edgar Wallace's "The Terror" there is the reading of a will, and the one subsequent character unhappy with the outcome! Mildly Giallo and Gothic in nature, "Night Of The Skull" is actually a pretty straight ahead affair for being a Jess Franco flick!

The killer has a penchant for literature, and likes to play by the rules of "The Apocalypse," and the first line reads, "Earth to bury us!" or Tierra Para Enterrarnos!

"Wind to scourge us!" Vendaval Para Arrasarnos!!

"Water to drown us." Agua Para Ahogarnos!!!

"Fire to burn us!" Fuego Para Incinerarnos!!!

They intentionally left out the line, "Wine to drunk us!" Vino Para Beber Con Nosotros!!!

Now this is some freaky-deaky crapola!

What are you talking about? There aren't any zombies in this movie!!

The line of the century! And what if they hadn't been, then what kind of trouble would you be in??

Very few of Jess Franco's main squeeze, Lina Romay's roles are as innocent as she is here, as Rita Derian, and boy, is that an understatement!

"I woke up in a Soho doorway, a policeman knew my name, He said you can go sleep at home tonight, if you can get up and walk away, I staggered back to the underground, and the breeze blew back my hair, I remember throwin' punches around, and preachin' from my chair!" - Pete Townsend

And finally a big shout out to Tabonga's little button-pushin' buddy!! The little guys behind the scenes never get enough credit! This one's for you pal!!

THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU - Bruce Montgomery - "13 Slaves" (1966)

Down time! Hard to face it when there doesn't seem to be a whole Helluva lot going on; still recovering from The Kev-Dog's grilled Easter "Bacon Explosion" backed up with that three litre batch of my own signature "Acai Margaritas" which will have me stupefied for who knows how long, but somehow it still all adds up to the same conclusion film-wise, and that is "The Brides Of Fu Manchu"!!!!!

Sure, absolutely, and without a doubt, Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu is a classic character, and it's not within me, or without me, to say anything bad about Christopher Lee in any role, but a Fu Manchu movie that's not directed by Jesus Franco, and that doesn't have a fiery character like Sancho Lopez in it, does not even stand a chance of being as good as one that does! Okay, Here you go, this is what I figgered out the other night! Think of any, yes ANY movie you have ever seen in your entire life, a really good one you liked a lot, or the worst piece of crap you ever wasted two seconds of your life on! Now, close your eyes, and envision the same movie directed by Jesus Franco! Potentially a night and day situation, if you get my meaning!

So, You want Brides?? Okay, Here come the Brides!!! There were no individual credits, only as a group credited as "The Brides Of Fu Manchu!"

What do you expect me to do with her, you've got her upside down!!

The Brides, aka Sex Slaves, did try to escape, but never made it out of the building!!

Don't worry about them, somehow they do finally manage to escape in The End!!! Imagine that!!!

Director Don Sharp ain't no chump himself, having directed more than a few excellent titles we've written about here like "Psychomania", "Witchcraft", & "Kiss Of The Vampire" just to name a few, but try comparing Don Sharp to Jess Franco, and it's like trying to compare Picasso and Dali, although they've both got amazing skills, Dali, like Jess Franco, had a more surreal vision, and knows how to convey it to you!!! Part of that vision is the use of music, and it sounds like to me that composer Bruce Montgomery was a little bit more focused on writing mystery and Sc-Fi books that he was on writng the music for this movie, his last film score!!

LA MUERTE SILBA UN BLUES - "Death Whistles The Blues" (1964)

This week's Saturday Night Special is a 1964 film by Jesus Franco entitled "La Muerte Silba Un Blues," and/or "Death Whistles The Blues!"
How such a cool movie could have one of the dullest posters I've ever seen, I have no idea!

 I originally thought the title was "Death Sings The Blues," which quite francoly, has a much better ring to it!

 "La Muerte Silba Un Blues," was fun to watch from start to finish, it's total eye candy, with a tricky story, and very cool music written by Jesus Franco himself, who is also the guy there playing the sax!

Great observation on how phony people can be!

 One minute the horn used to play "Roof Blues" looks like this.........

 
..............The next minute all the player can remember is 'the headlights' before he dies!

 I'm pretty sure it's illegal to have this much fun!

 Here's another great shot of Jess Franco playing sax!
The music was performed by the "Whisky Jazz Club" orchestra!

 No wonder the world's so screwed up today, this is the kind of guy that was running the show 50 years ago! Gee, you think there's maybe more than one reason his wife doesn't love him?

 During this era of Franco's life, he was making films as good as anyone. His later psyco-surreal sex romps are a different story!

 She says she looks ugly without the wig!

 At this place and time, this guy is truly King of the Jerks!

 When he doesn't get his way he drives too fast!

 Then this wild-eyed joker from ten years in the past shows up.and spoils the fun for everyone!

 In this bar, he's watching these two guys arm wrestle, and he's told to buzz off!

 But instead of leaving, he challenges the two of them!

 He's pretty strong and beats them both fairly easily!

 After that, they all become best friends, and it's a good thing, because he's going to desperately need their help!

 Just one cool shot after another!

Like I said, so simple but very effective!

Of course there had to be a costume party, and this shot almost looks like a scene from "Batman!"

The cape blowing in the breeze makes him look like a super villian!
"La Muerte Silba Un Blues" is a great film, period!
Seek it out would be my suggestion!