Derek rejoins Sarah and Dylan this week to talk about 3 incredibly silly movies from the mind of Larry Blamire. The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, The Lost Skeleton Returns Again as well as Dark and Stormy Night.
I will warn you right off the top, if you have not seen these movies, there's a very good chance you will not be able to follow our conversation. So please, watch them.
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra seems to me to be a love letter to sci-fi horror films from the 50s. It takes a humorous approach without actually disparaging those films. While other movies parodying these types of movies may do it in a mean spirited way, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra and it's sequel hold true to the tropes without insulting the films it parodies.
The movie revolves around a scientist and his wife, Paul and Betty Armstrong, as Paul searches for a mysterious element that could lead to real advances in the field of science, known as atmospherium. But Paul isn't the only one with plans for the atmospherium. Including mad scientist Dr. Flemming, who wants to use the element to revive the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. Then there's the aliens, Kro-Bar and Lattis from the planet Marva who need the atmospherium to power their spaceship. All the while they have to contend with the aliens escaped pet mutant.
The Lost Skeleton Returns operates in a similar parody vein, but with an obviously larger budget. This time we find Paul has been in South America for the past 2 years looking for another mysterious element, but the trip has taken it's toll on him, as he's become bitter. All the familiar faces from the first movie return for the sequel as well as adding a few new members to the cast.
Dark and Stormy Night is a little different from the previous two movies. While still a parody, it focuses more on old murder mystery type films. It's clear that Larry has a very good understanding of the genres he parodies, as the tropes are completely consistent in each of the three films. Dark and Stormy Night feels like a very different movie to the previous two, while still maintaining the silliness that made them so enjoyable and fun to begin with.
All of the regular faces return again with a few additions, including the fantastic Jim Beaver. It's almost as if Larry is creating something akin to a traveling actors troop for the modern era. Picking up new members as he goes.
In the end, these movies are fantastic and I think Larry is brilliant and an excellent film maker with an incredible ability to use tropes to full effect as parody. He has such a deep understanding of the tropes that you almost forget they're modern films.
But hey, enough reading already, right? Let's get to the listening part.
As always we encourage you to buy the movies we discussed today. In this case, not only because it will be easier to follow the conversation, but because Larry is a great film maker who deserves our support.
You can also find us on iTunes and Stitcher.
-Dylan
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