The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day, Jr. on October 25, 2020

In the late 1930s, Boris Karloff signed a deal with low-budget Monogram Pictures to star in a series of films concerning the exploits of a Chinese detective named Mr. Wong. Karloff's last film in the contract wound up being a horror film: 1940's THE APE, just released on Region A...   read more

The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog Posted by Dan Day Jr. on November 12, 2017

RETURN OF THE APE MAN (1944) was the last of the infamous "Monogram Nine", a group of very low-budget horror films from that Poverty Row studio starring Bela Lugosi. It has nothing to do with THE APE MAN (1943), which was also released by Monogram and starred Bela. Both movies...   read more

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on April 3, 2017

Despite being dated and marred by the imprint of imperialism, this initial entry of the well-remembered Tarzan serial of the 1930s and 4os, based on the works of Edgar Rice Boroughs, is a surprisingly gripping pre-code tale of perilous adventure. It feels a bit like a jungle cruise, a big game...   read more

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on April 3, 2017

Despite being dated and marred by the imprint of imperialism, this initial entry of the well-remembered Tarzan serial of the 1930s and 4os, based on the works of Edgar Rice Boroughs, is a surprisingly gripping pre-code tale of perilous adventure. It feels a bit like a jungle cruise, a big game...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on June 23, 2016

Early on I wondered what I was in for when watching MGM's 1959 Technicolor take on the Tarzan story. The bongo drums and blaring horns over the opening credits (composed by West coast jazz musician Shorty Rogers) belonged in a drama about teenage delinquents, making me unsure what effect the...   read more

Le Mot du Cinephiliaque Posted by Michael on January 29, 2015

Old Man Gloom – The Ape of God (2014) The super group that is Old Man Gloom consisting of Aaron Turner on guitar and vocals (Isis), Nate Newton also on guitar and vocals (Converge, Doomriders), Caleb Scofield on bass and vocals (Cave In, Zozobra), and drummer Santos Motano. With the...   read more

Durnmoose Movie Musings Posted by Michael on January 11, 2015

I consider myself to be a pretty big fan of the original Planet of the Apes series. I have all of the original films on Blu-ray. I have a collection of the entire run of the TV series, I even have a full set of the Saturday morning animated series...   read more

The Movie Rat Posted by Bernardo Villela on February 21, 2013

Last year the character of Tarzan celebrated his 100th year in print. A serialized version of the story first appeared in 1912. A hardcover collection of Tarzan of the Apes first appeared in 1914. Being in the middle of the Tarzan centennial period it’s an opportune time to (re)visit many...   read more

The Stop Button Posted by on November 18, 2011

I always forget awful films have always been made; I usually establish some arbitrary point in the mid-fifties when they started getting unwatchable. Then something like The Ape comes along and reminds me I need to set that point earlier. The film’s based on a play, which must be a...   read more

Hollywood Revue Posted by Angela on March 21, 2011

When traders Harry Holt and James Parker are in Africa about to embark on an expedition to find an infamous elephant graveyard, they’re surprised to find out they will be taking along a guest: James’ daughter Jane (Maureen O’Sullivan).  Jane decided to pay her father a visit when   read more

The Stop Button Posted by on October 13, 2008

Greystoke ought to work. From the opening, it really seems like it might. It survives a massive narrative hiccup–switching perspective from young Tarzan to explorer Ian Holm. It establishes people in ape costumes as believable, sympathetic, feeling characters. It’s got beautiful cinemat   read more

The Stop Button Posted by on September 16, 2008

It’s hard to believe a movie called Tarzan the Ape Man is going to be boring, but this one drags on and on. After a solid opening twenty minutes, the movie stumbles and never regains its footing. The problem is with Tarzan. Johnny Weissmuller’s Tarzan obviously doesn’t speak Engli   read more