Nip-and-tuck surgeries taken to the extreme!

The Head (1959)
Starring: Horst Frank, Karin Kernke, Dieter Eppler, and Michel Simon
Director: Victor Trivas
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

When a scientific genius Dr. Able (Simon) suffers a heart attack, his psychopathic assistant Dr, Ood (Frank) decides to use his cutting-edge methods for preserving transplant organs to keep his head and brain alive--for SCIENCE! Ood then embarks on a project to put the beautiful head of a hunchbacked nurse (Kernke) on a matching beautiful body.

This German (dubbed into English) B-movie of horror and mad science has some themes in common with "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" (review here), but it tries to stay more scientifically grounded, and it avoids the unintentional comedy of that better-known film. It also generally features better cinematography and more moodily lit sets, making its chills more impactful.

Sadly, the film falls down over the fact that it is populated mostly with characters who are either dull or unlikable. I also had a strange feeling that we're supposed to feel empathy for the murderous Ood, despite the fact that he is utterly remorseful in is actions--although that could just be my reaction to the fact that Horst Frank has the strongest screen presence of any of the actors in the film.

This is not a film that I recommend going out of your way for, but if you see it in one of those multi-movie packs (like I did, in the Sci-Fi Invasion 50 Movie Collection) it's harmless filler.


Trivia: Victor Trivas's greatest claim to fame is that his directorial debut--"Hell on Earth" (1931)-- was outlawed by the Nazis in 1940, who attempted to destroy all prints. He was nominated for an Oscar for the script for Orson Welles' "The Stranger".

The Sorceress of Zoom strikes again!

The multiverse's most dangerous femme-fatale returns in NUELOW Games's "The Sorceress of Zoom: Down to Earth". The book features five weird tales in which the Sorceress tries to gain control of Earth's magical treasures and faces off with hardboiled gangsters, Eastern mystics, and Morgana La Fay of Camelot! Here are a few preview pages...

The book also contains OGL d20 Modern roleplaying game rules that detail the artifacts the Sorceress uses to control her flying city, and others that will facilitate the creations of cross-reality games in the mode of TV show "Sliders"--not to mention the opportunity for PCs to chase the Sorceress as she moves from universe to universe.

Click here for more information, or to get your own copy of "The Sorceress of Zoom: Down to Earth" at DriveThruComics.com.

In memory of the lovely Yvonne Craig

Yvonne Craig, a ballet dancer who turned to acting in the early 1960s, and best known for her role as Batgirl on the "Batman" television series, passed away on Monday, August 17, at the age of 78. You can read a more complete death announcement by clicking here.

Craig may have moved on, but she lives on in those fun episodes of "Batman"; her appearances opposite Evil Presley in "It Happened at the World's Fair" and "Kissin' Cousins; and her many guest appearances on television series during the 1960 and 1970s. And in photos like the ones that will make this a Picture Perfect Wednesday, despite the sad news of Craig's passing.

Honey Starchilde, Space Hooker!

NUELOW Games is preparing to make another collection of art available. This one will have a retro-sci fi theme, similar to the popular Scenes From Yesterday's Future collection. Here are a few images from the set that NUELOW Games' L.L. Hundal nicknamed "The Exploits of Honey Starchilde, Space Hooker!"

I'm including her amusing comments (together with one of my own, incorporating her Honey Starchilde name) on these Xela illos with this post. They made this Picture Perfect Wednesday even more perfect.

Honey Starchilde's Close Encounter of the Entirely-Too-Friendly Kind...

Honey and her pimp Gerald discover why open-air bukakke parties are illegal on Mining Outpost Xevon IV.

Gerald must rescue Honey from a rival pimp who has the backing of the Space Mafia.