Monday, December 14, 2009

Mondo Anniversaries: 50 Years!

We forget just how old and timeless some things are until we stop to think about them. I want to bring some focus to a group of films that have celebrated/will celebrate their fiftieth anniversary in 2009. Here are the notable ones...

Attack of the Giant Leeches- This film about rednecks who are besieged by a group of giant leeches is a classic. Sure, it sucks- but it's got rednecks, a shotgun and leeches. That's a hat-trick right there.

The Alligator People- Who can forget this classic film starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Beverly Garland? Okay, most people have. It's not good or all that interesting, but...where was I going with that?

The Return of the Fly- The much lauded sequel to the classic film and one of the few in any series to ever go from color to black & white. I'll spare you the whole story here (until my review), but it involves a man, a plan and a half-hamster man.

A Bucket of Blood- This low-budget, ironic film about how people view art holds up pretty well to this day. As far as Corman films go, this one is good, even if it can be really forced at times.

Plan 9 From Outer Space- Ironically, this *classic* had it's anniversary in the same month as my birthday (July). In a way, that adds to my love of this movie. It's like I share some sort of weird, hidden connection with it. That or it is just a coincidence.

I want to give a shout-out to the other films that share this honor. Those include The Angry Red Planet, The Mouse That Roared, The Hound of the Baskervilles (with Cushing and Lee), Terror in the Midnight Sun, Hercules Unchained, Teenage Zombies, The Killer Shrews, The House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler. What a year for strange films!

Next up, some films celebrating a 40th Anniversary this year. Can it top their big brothers? Stay tuned...

2 comments:

  1. Has it really been 50 years since I first saw Attack of the Giant Leeches in theaters?? Wait..

    Yeah its crazy how fast these anniversaries are coming up, but the more recent ones hit me the hardest. 10yrs for Blair Witch?? 30 for Jaws??

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  2. How about ten years for Star Wars: Episode I?!? I remember being traumatized by that piece of crap, but I never realized that it was a whole decade ago!

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