Human sacrifices

<Why is this thread twice as entertaining as the movie nominally under consideration.>


Are we that good or is the movie that bad?
Actually, I thought that the movie was really pretty good. Like I have said here before, this is one of my favorite sci-fi flicks from the 1950's.
What, if I may so bold as to ask, did you not like about WWE?

"Are we that good or is the movie that bad?"

Yes.

I thought the film was kinda cheesy and corny. Terrible acting. Story kinda flat. I recommend a similar film with a similar theme. "The Time Travellers" 1964. NEVER shown on tv. The closest I've come in years to seeing it was a trailer for it on On Demand's "Something Weird". Same basic plot as WWE except that the comtemporary Americans get there via time machine, not rocket. The future society is better defined and a more logical result than WWE. For example no weird cult-like beliefs and even though they have created androids to help fight the mutants off, they are in danger of being overwhelmed and have built a space ship to escape in. The special effects are a lot better in TTT too. Also, a nifty plot twist to end the film. WWE suffers by comparison.

Actually, I rather liked WWE myself. As I said elsewhere, the film had a good plot, cast and script. I will grant that the special effects are--to be kind--primitive, but remember that this was a low-budget 1950's flick
Are there better films? Of course there are, but that sure doesn't stop me from enjoying this one. Like I have previously said, this is one of my favorite sci-fi flicks from that era.
You take care.
BTW, haven't I seen you on the board for The Stand?

Probably. Maybe the ""Why does King Hate the Military?" thread?

Hi, MrPie7...if I may refer back a couple of posts to your Hugh Marlowe inquiry.

I also wondered why he didn't maintain a stronger career than he'd started out with. He made a couple of stabs at Hollywood in the late 30s and again the mid-40s but mainly concentrated on stage and particularly radio. He finally settled in films in 1949 when he made Twelve O'Clock High and several other distinguished films at 20th Century Fox, to which he was under contract for five years. (All About Eve, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and a number of other quality films.) But he was seldom a leading man and while I always liked him his range was a bit limited. I think he always did better on those rare occasions when he was the star, and not in support of major leading men. Even so, I'm surprised his movie career declined so precipitously. By the 60s, he was alternating between abysmal films in which he wasn't even the lead (Thirteen Frightened Girls, Castle of Evil, etc.) and very small parts in top films (Elmer Gantry, Birdman of Alcatraz, Seven Days in May). Maybe he was a friend of Burt Lancaster, the lead in all three of those films.

He made his last movie (in the lead) in England in 1969, a weak but okay mystery called The Last Shot You Hear, then took the nominal leading role in the daytime TV soap opera Another World, in which he starred until his sudden death of a heart attack in 1982. I am good friends with the man who originated and wrote Another World for its first 20 years or more, and he liked Hugh Marlowe, but even he said to me once, "He's really not a very good actor." I thought he was a competent, serviceable actor who could be quite good under the best circumstances but even otherwise was certainly convincing and solid, and he certainly didn't quite have the career he deserved...although he did manage to make a lifelong living at it, something a lot of actors don't manage.

As to World Without End, I'm with my friend gary -- I think it's a great, fun film, one of my very favorites. Obviously it's not on a par with The Best Years of Our lives (in my opinion, the finest American film ever made), but then it's not supposed to be. For what it was, and what it tried to do, and with its budget and the cinematic limitations of 1956, I think it was very good indeed. Well-written and -acted, and generally very well made.

Oh, the name of the other sci-fi film Hugh M. made that year was Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers, with effects by Ray Harryhausen. Definitely NOT Invasion of the Saucermen, which was indeed laughably awful! Marlowe was exceptionally good in the above-average EVTFS too -- proof of what he was capable of.

Thanx for the correction. I always get the names of the 2 films confused, but NOT the films themselves. I thought it was a good performance in a limited role. The last third of the film his lines are limited to "Fire at saucer. Keep firing at saucer". Heh heh heh. "Seven Days in May" is greatly under-appreciated. You must be a Fred March fan to mention BOTH of these goodies. As well as "The Desperate Hours" another excellent performance, along with Bogie's. Speaking of "TDH" whatever happened to Dewey Martin, who was GREAT in "The Thing"? "TBYOOL" is difinately in my top 10.

Yeah, I agree that EVTFS kind of falls apart in the last sequence, the saucer attack on DC. It's pretty poorly handled from a dramatic point of view, which stands out even more because the build-up to the climax is actually pretty solid and steady. That's the 2/3 I think Hugh M. did a good job in. No one could have done better with the remainder. (Imagine Olivier!)

I do like Freddie March a lot; in fact, during the summer I run a classic film each week at a club and this year ran one of my favorites, Executive Suite, and everybody loved it. But I consider The Best Years of Our Lives -- it took me a while to figure out what "TBYOOL" meant, as it came after you mentioned Dewey Martin! -- to be the finest American film ever made, ahead of Kane and everything else.

But, I too have always been intrigued by Dewey Martin, and never quite got why his film career petered out in the late 50s. As I understand it, he's still very much alive and with-it at age 85 (almost), I think living in California (but I'm not sure), and appreciates his circle of fans. (Last I looked at his IMDb site, his grandson had posted some stuff about him on the message boards.) In the early 50s he was considered a rising star and likely big Hollywood success but for whatever reasons his career never jelled and after 6 or 7 years of steady film work the bottom simply dropped out of his movie career, though he then switched to television. Obviously Howard Hawks liked him well enough to cast him three times, in The Thing from Another World, The Big Sky (his best role), and Land of the Pharaohs, and he did other major movies but never moved into the first rank. After fulfilling his commitment to MGM with a supporting part in Dean Martin's (no relation) first solo film, Ten Thousand Bedrooms, he disappeared from the big screen. He made just three films in the 60s and one in the 70s, amid declining TV appearances, and finally called it quits near the end of the 70s. I don't know what he did for a living outside acting -- I'd like to find out. In the late 70s he still looked remarkably the same as he had in the late 50s, but I'm surprised he never sought even some small supporting roles in films or TV in the 80s or 90s. I've seen many parts he could have handled well. (BTW, one of his 60s films was a cameo in The Longest Day -- have you seen him in it? He plays a corpse (!), the dead soldier Roddy McDowell's talking to, who he then nudges when he gets no response -- the guy falls over, dead, and we see it's DM. Talk about a let-down role! But his name's in the cast on-screen.)

Nice to see we share a lot of film preferences, MrPie!

Hob, I had often wondered about Dewey Martin's role in TLD. I had also noticed his name in the credits and wondered about what role he played.
Wasn't he the loadmaster in TTFAW? If he is the one that I am thinking of he was the guy who makes the suggestion to the Captain that they limit the time in the storage room with Matt Dillon to two hours?

Oh, and you will interested to hear this: I finally saw Naga in his un-mutated form. Mickey Simpson was not in the credits, but he played Frank McLowery in the 1957 film Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Well Gary, you'll have to pardon my ignorance, I'm not sure what exactly a loadmaster is (I can guess), but you have the right man -- in The Thing Dewey was the dark-haired sergeant (? -- I can't remember his rank) who was the guy who made all the good suggestions -- cutting the shifts with "Matt" in half, setting up the leads to electrocute him, etc. His name was Bob in the film. He wasn't very tall, but compactly built, with that shock of thick black hair and square-jawed face.

That's right, I'd forgotten, but Naga was Frank McLowery in GATOKC. Perhaps my favorite western. Mickey Simpson always reminded me a little of Ernest Borgnine, in face and bulk. Not that Ernie ever played a one-eyed mutate, except according to Ethel Merman.

Hob, it's one of MY favorite westerns too(although I AM partial to my paison Sergio). The Frankie Laine theme music just adds the right touch. One of FIVE times that Kirk and Burt co-starred in a film. And the subordinate cast is terrific too. Martin Milner and DeForrest Kelly as Earps. Earl Holliman as Wyatt's deputy. Ronda Fleming as his gal (pant, pant) Terrific perfomance by John Ireland as Ringo. A better one by Jo VanFleet as Doc's girl. A young Dennis Hopper as Billy Clanton and Dobie Gillis' father as Sherriff Cotton. And just to bring us back NEAR the original thread, B sci-fi lead Kenneth Tobey as Bat Masterson.

Totally agree, MrPie (though I'm not as big on spaghetti wetserns as I am on good ol' American ones -- though I do like Sergio). But Burt & Kirk made six films together, and I'll bet I know which one you forgot -- The List of Adrian Messenger (1963), in which Kirk starred but Burt and several others (Mitchum, Sinatra, et al) had guest cameos in heavy disguise -- Burt as a anti-hunting activist woman! Not strictly a co-star deal, but still, they're in the same movie. (The others were of course I Walk Alone, Gunfight at the OK Corral, The Devil's Disciple, Seven Days in May (my favorite), and Tough Guys. Plus the made-for-TV movie Raid on Entebbe, if you include non-theatrical films as equals -- which, snob that I am, I don't quite! [I won't even type them the same!])

Now we're completely off the thread. Someone -- please -- get us back on course! Rockets forward! Sacrifice someone!!!!

Update! Update! Hey, wait, I just remembered a link!! Nelson Leigh (Galbraithe) played Mayor Kelly of Dodge City in Gunfight at the OK Corral!! But he never had to have a showdown with Naga, who was out in Tombstone. Talk about six degrees of separation!

Ah! The thread is saved!

Don't worry Hob, This thread was not even about WWE.

BTW someone mentioned Kenneth Tobey. The role that I most closely associate him with is Whirleybirds, the 1950's series about helicopter pilots.
He was alo in the original Walking Tall IIRC, as Augie McCollough. This was the movie with Joe Don Baker as Sheriff Buford Pusser.

Downright weird, Gary -- I was thinking about Whirlybirds just this afternoon! I looked it up -- it ran from 1956-59, originally intended as a prime time series on CBS but instead syndicated by them. I loved that show! But haven't seen it since the early 60s. I think at least some of its 111 episodes may be out someplace on DVD. I'll have to check.

Ken Tobey always looked so tough that he played innumerable military men in movies, if not cops or labor leaders, that sort of thing. I saw him last night in The Candidate and he was solid as always. He worked until not long before his death on Dec. 22, 2002 (I didn't look that up -- that's one piece of trivia that for some reason has stuck in my mind!). We remember him best, however, for his sci-fi outings from the 50s: besides The Thing From Another World, there was his starring role in It Came From Beneath the Sea and his fourth-billed part in The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. Seems like he was always battling a creature "from" somewhere.

You know who his best friend from college through the rest of their lives was? Gregory Peck. When they were taking acting classes Ken famously got up and made a statement that the class should only be for those who take the profession of acting seriously -- ending, "I refer, of course, to Mr. Peck," whom he didn't think was serious. Apparently Greg took it to heart and the two soon became great friends. After graduation they both went to New York to look for acting work, where they wound up sharing a barren apartment and at one point had only 11 cents between them -- which they used to buy a quart of milk to mix with their one remaining foodstuff -- a box of pancake mix! Greg said they lived on pancakes -- no butter, no syrup -- for a week until they landed some work. Nice that one of Hollywood's top leading men remained friends with one of its mob of journeymen actors for so many years...though not unheard-of. Ken Tobey passed away just six months before his old (and older) friend.

Alas, all my efforts at pure threadification have once again unraveled!

Good stuff Hob. And BTW, let's not forget Ken turned in the ONE competant acting performance in "Billy Jack." I too, used to watch "Whirlybirds". That was of course pre-Vietnam after which if you used that term instead of "chopper",it would earn you groans and jeers.

Yeah, playing redneck sheriffs and push-the-button generals were two other of Ken T's acting staples. But, remember him also from his comic turns as one of the air traffic controllers in Airplane! and as the gas station owner who buys the "smokeless" ashtray in Gremlins. He was pretty good as a deadpan comic actor too.

Of course, if they called that program Choppers today, you'd probably expect some horror/slasher sort of thing!

I actually looked at KT's filmography a few weeks ago and 98% of his roles were either police or military.

Or Military Police = I Was a Male War Bride!

Hey Hob, the unfortunate failure of Washington Mutual reminded me of something.
Many years ago, when I was living near Seattle, they billed themselves in their commercials as 'The Friend of the Family'. And for a few years on the local TV ads, the WaMu spokesman was none other than our pal Mories.
I thought you might find that interesting.
BTW, did you happen to catch Booth Colman in Them! ?

Yeah! He was one of the reporters questioning "the senator" coming from a giant ant briefing. (And of course you know of Leonard Nimoy as the sergeant who tears off the telex report about Fess Parker seeing the ants while flying his plane in Texas.)

Have you seen The Big Sky? Booth is in that one, too, one of the oarsmen going up the Missouri River. He gets a few lines, using a phony French accent. He's the guy who finally buys it while dancing on the keelboat, when an Indian arrow hits him square in the neck. Really an effective, realistic scene.

Booth's still around, too -- he's 85. He was also Stan Laurel's closest friend in the last years of Stan's life, which I found interesting.

I'm sure Mories gasped when being hacked to death by Naga & Co., "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."

Later, my friend.

hob

Hey Hob!!
How you been?
Long time since I've been in touch. We've just had a big snowstorm out this way and we have been digging out. I have a four-wheel drive Explorer, and my uncle, his son and myself still almost got stuck in a snowbank as we were going to feed his cattle.

That and getting into a few minor affrays on this and another site has just about been all that I have been up to except for working on my book. It is coming along nicely.

Hi Gary,

Saw your post over at The Bottom of the Bottle and came here. I was away for the weekend and haven't even checked my email yet, so I assume I have two notices about your replies both here and over there. But I went on that site to make a quick post about the death of Van Johnson, and so saw your post as well.

Yes, I figured you had a big storm out your way. What county in OK are you in, or the nearest towns? We just got inundated with torrential rains Friday -- same storm system, I think. Tomorrow it'll be 61 here!

It all makes you wonder: "Why should we expose ourselves to the heat, the cold, the discomforts of the surface?" Nah! (Or Nah-gah!) Give me a tunnel any old day. Progressive, if not downright pre-natal, thinking.

Had to organize my fire department's Christmas party this weekend...glad that's done for another year! Hey, it doesn't appear they had Christmas (or anything else religious) in 2508...and I wonder if they had a fire department? How would they vent the smoke?

Anyway, I've been wondering how you were, and glad to hear from you. Great news about the book! Keep me posted [sic]. And hope to talk to you shortly.

(And you'll notice that, as a respectful friend, I mentioned not a word about the results of 4 Nov.! Well, until now, I guess.)

Best as always,
hob

Oh, yeah; I forgot. Congratulations on your guys' win. It was a disaster for the GOP, wasn't it? I am drowning my sorrows in caffeine free diet pepsi.
Still, that's life, and you deal with it.
If you don't mind, I'll answer the question about where I live in a PM. I seem to have gotten into a little hot water on these boards because of my defense of Christian Fundamentalists. I have simply decided not to go back to that particular thread any more. I think that is the best option for me and everybody else there. And yes, I am one.
Then on another forum, it was insinuated that I was a racist. I don't need that, so I don't go there anymore.
Yes, indeed, it is cold out here. I think it is supposed to get down into the teens tonight or maybe even single digits but I'n not sure about that, and with a strong north wind blowing, it feels like a razor is going through your body. I have got to get a heavy winter coat. I might go down to one of the farm supply stores today and get one. Right now, I am dressing up in a hoody sweatshirt, and a medium jacket and the layering keeps me pretty warm but I may need some thing when it gets really cold.
Right now, my uncle's truck is on the fritz, and has been for a while, so I am doing most of his driving. I have a 4WD Explorer and even then I almost got stuck in a snow drift.
Anyway, I'll close now, and PM you with the other stuff.
See you soon.
Gary

PM'd!

Hey Hob!!

How ya been?? Long time no hear from you.

Since this thread is our 'contact thread' (having very little to do with WWE) I have another question for you.

Does Manhattan (New York County, NY--not Kansas) have any beaches that are still in their natural state, that is, not developed and under concrete or whatever? A good deal of my book takes place in the New York City area, and I want to get it right. I don't want those New Yorkers who read it to talk about Okie ignorance.

I am just about to finish the rough draft, building up for the final battle between what is left of the US government and the bad guys. After I have the rough draft printed, I go through it with a fine tooth pen, making the corrections and any necessary changes. I have two bottles of red ink all ready for the big event.

Writing it out in longhand on notebook paper seems to help sometimes with writers block, so my fountain pens have seen a lot of use.

How you been my friend? Give your lovely bride my regards.

Hey GO,

I was thinking about you yesterday, hoping the tornadoes had steered clear of your bailiwick, though it looked like a relative issue. Talk about worlds ending. Hope you're okay.

Your question seems better suited to the Captive Women board than this one! After all, CW takes place in the thousand-year-old ruins of Manhattan (with a side trip to New Jersey), and as we saw, there's plenty of sand around by 3000. You don't even have to go to the beach to find it -- it's right there in the subway.

However, to reply to your Q with an A, no, there are no beaches in Manhattan -- if by "beach" you're thinking of sandy shores, as there are in the other four boroughs of NYC (notably along the southern shore of Queens and Brooklyn, which are on Long Island). Now, there is some more or less unspoiled shoreline in portions of Manhattan, just not what you'd normally call a beach, though I suppose technically you could use the term. The shore on much of the northern tip and northwestern part of the island, along the Hudson River, is largely unbuilt-up, but what little "beach" exists is mostly pebbly and narrow. Even where there is a bare shoreline, there isn't much of any kind of beach, since the island rises up very quickly from the water.

So, all in all, my answer for your purposes would be, No.

I made sure by going over the old books -- books which are ancient to me, but which were the life of your times.

Just had to get a mention of World Without End in there somehow!

Feel free to PM me instead if you'd like, as I get automatic notification of those too. Everything okay here -- I have an election tomorrow for my local Board, so am beginning to come apart at the seams. Will advise later as to the unraveling. Take care, and keep the storm cellar -- you know, some underground place where you'll be "safe and comfortable" -- at the ready...Mories or no Mories.