Wednesday, June 29, 2011

DANCING ON THE MOON - Murray Mencher/Charles Tobias (1935)

It's now our pleasure to go back in time another 20 years to 1935, and the fantastic Fleischer Brother's vision of the future, a little story called not Surfin', but "Dancing On The Moon"!!!

If you count Max Fleischer as Producer, there are only six people taking credit for the work you see and hear here, I know it's an unfair comparison but the first "Shrek" flick has something like 178 credits just for "Other Crew!" All total, probably close to 1000! My, how times have changed!

The perfectly amazing "Dancing On The Moon" theme song will get stuck in your head, and then launch your brain into orbit! "Dancing On The Moon" was co-written by Murray Mencher and Charles Tobias! Murray and Charlie were the two guys along with comedian Eddie Cantor who wrote the 'Merrie Melodies' theme song, "Merrily We Roll Along!" Charles also wrote "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer," and "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree(With Anyone Else But Me)."

Great concept, a dollar per couple to go "Dancing On The Moon!" Looks to me like there's going to be quite a bit of hanky panky going on too! Speaking of "Hanky Panky," did you know that by the time Tommy James and the Shondell's hit #1 with that song (almost three years after it was released), the band had already broke up!

Uh-Oh, looks like this lovely young couple is running a little bit behind schedule!

Doggone it, the rocket took off and the young lady got left behind!

Nothing worse than being the only solo in a rocket full of couples! I realize it's only a cartoon, but this guy looks like he could really use one of Eegah's!! Ultima Margaritas, and here's the recipe for the latest version: A shot and a half of some decent tequila like Corralejo, Cabrito or Cazadores, a shot of grapefruit juice, a shot of orange juice, a shot of sweet & sour, half a lime, and a splash of Grand Mariner! Salud!! To better times!!

All the happy couples are having the time of their life! It's like some kind of futuristic Noah's ark!!

"Venus, Jupiter and Mars are all right tonight!"

"The Milky Way" as only The Fleischers could envision it!

I'd be willing to bet that the Director and Writer Tom Schiller, had seen "Dancing On The Moon" before making "Nothing Lasts Forever."

They got all their business done, and with a quick turnaround, it's back to terra firma, back to work, honeymoon's over!

Perpetuating the myth of the stork, kids in 1935 were a little mixed up about birth control! Now you know how the whole baby boomer thing got started!

Our hero had a crappy trip all by himself, and couldn't wait to get back to the woman he loved, but the stork didn't drop them off a kid, so she's pissed off and beats the crap out of him in typical loving Fleischer style!

Monday, June 27, 2011

IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA In Color / Columbia Pictures - 1955

Welcome to Monster Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Tonite's feature is a reprise of a previous post of this title, but, this time we're bringing it to you in COLOR!! Also, like our last post, this is a movie from the great year of 1955!

Nothing sez 'big ugly thing' better than blaring horns!

Lettuce bring in our Monster Monday Helper, sure 'nuf, good old Rufus The Gnat! Rufus is here to push the big red 'GO' button and start the show. Push the button now, Rufus, here's... IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA In Color!

Enjoy the pretty pitchers!..

Kenneth Tobey, on the left, will forever be remembered as Captain Patrick Hendry in THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, the guy was totally awesome with 205 acting credits!! So then, he's perfect here as submarine Commander Pete Mathews. Him and the crew brace themselves for a hit by something big!

Here's Donald Curtis and Faith Domergue as atomic bee keepers!! Don plays Dr. John Carter, Faith plays Professor Lesley Joyce.

Here's another classic fifties 'wrench in the works of the woman scientist' line by the Commander... You know, how can you deny yourself the greatest gift of being a woman...

Faith was discovered by and was a girlfriend of Howard Hughes.

Come on dude, even a giant octapus looks like an octopus, quit acting like a weirdo! The stethoscope reminds the guy of the monster's tentacles he saw... Sheesh!

He won't crack, so they send in the A-Squad to get to the bottom of the story!

Everbloody goes out looking for the giant puss! I built a Revell Panther Jet about this same year. Also, a B-47 with white walls, stylish!

Another Dungeon Favorite is Harry Lauter, he played the Queen's helper, Ampersand, in the Rocky Jones TV series. He was also in FLYING DISC MAN FROM MARS, THE FLYING MISSILE, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, EARTH vs THE FLYING SAUCERS, THE WEREWOLF, JET PILOT, IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD, THE SATAN BUG and SUPERBEAST.

Fish is an aphrodisiac!

Dr. Carter goes out with the crew to look for the beast! I swear, look at the size of Donald's cranium!

Yessir, that's where the Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory is located... Sir!

A still for every tentacle!

If a monster attacked our city in the fifties, we would all meet at the park!

This is how you got around and communicated in the fifties. Look at that radio!

A picture perfect for a postcard!.. 'Greeting from Fisherman's Wharf!'

It's old Rusty the Firetruck to the rescue, go Rusty!!

You know, a flame thrower is always a pretty effective weapon, just ask Dr. Mabuse!

The monster heads back to the ocean to escape the heat!

The only chance they have is with this atomic warhead! Those 2 stills look like some kind of model work!

If you ever wondered what the big red 'GO' button looks like here at The Dungeon, well, not this one!

The button is pushed, thus detonating the deadly bomb!..

Ghoulnight Everbloody!!..

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Monster Music
AAARRGGHHH!!!! Ya'll Come On Back Now, Y'Hear??