Ghosts That Still Walk (James T. Flocker; 1977)

In the days when movies still aired late at night instead of infomercials, this unassuming film made an impression upon UHF-surfing night owls, if for at least one image.  After six decades of fantasy cinema featuring humans besieged by numerous ghouls and goblins, Ghosts That Still Walk offers the intriguing premise of an elderly RV-ing couple being pursued by boulders! This sequence is surely reason enough to warrant a watch. However, as in the case of most films released by Gold Key Entertainment, this movie is better to have seen than to sit through.

The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964; Del Tenney)

One of the greatest double-bills in history, two independently produced horror films by Connecticut-based auteur Del Tenney, The Horror of Party Beach and The Curse of the Living Corpse were picked up as a double bill for distribution by Twentieth Century Fox for a successful run in drive-ins. Both films are well-produced despite their meager budgets, and nicely shot by Richard Hilliard: each fine examples of regional filmmaking.

Keep My Grave Open (1976; S.F. Brownrigg)

Of all the genre filmmakers in the "regional" circuit, few had a body of work as distinctive as that of S.F. Brownrigg. The Texan's quartet of horror-exploitation films, made in the 1970s, is remarkable for the “you are there” atmosphere, unusual camerawork and melodramatic acting, in addition to the helpings of gore and violence to sell tickets. Although these pictures had different screenwriters, similar themes of madness, dysfunctional famiiles and sexual tension play into all of these scenarios, best described as macabre mélanges of Tennessee Williams and Erskine Caldwell. 

Superargo and the Faceless Giants (1968; Paolo Bianchini)

An instance where the sequel is better than the original, this followup to Superargo Versus Diabolicus gets right down to business, as it doesn’t have to spend half an hour of screen time on an origin story. The so-called “faceless giants” are actually human-sized: humanoids in red and silver suits, helmets with tubing, and with characterless faces reminiscent of plaster casts. These creatures go around kidnapping athletes and robbing banks, all with the dexterity of Rock Em Sock Em Robots in a china shop, at the behest of the mad Professor Wond.

Superargo Versus Diabolicus (1966; Nick Nostro)

Unlike most Italian superheroes, Superargo doesn’t seem to have any other “normal” human identity, much like the wrestling superhero Santo persona in Mexican films. And speaking of Santo, this movie also begins in the ring, as Superargo is first seen as a wrestling superstar, who accidentally kills his opponent El Tigre during a match. Disgraced from the wrestling profession, he is enlisted by the government to use his strength for good.