COWBOYS, DYNAMITE, AND THOSE WACKY CLONES

    

UNCLE PETE SHIFTS INTO HIGH GEAR FOR THIS WEEK’S FEATURE

     It’s the return of our favorite spaghetti western duo this Saturday night.  Join UNCLE PETE in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN for the action packed sequel to Trinty - Trinity Is Still My Name.  Starring, of course, Bud Spencer as Bambino and Terrence Hill as Trinity, we get a look at the home life of the boys and their family.  After a bit of rollicking fighting, we find Bambino with his dear old Dad (Harry Carey Jr.).  As Trinity arrives at the homestead, he gets the cold shoulder cuz Dad has found out about his boy disgracing the family name by giving away a herd of 30 horses that he had appropriated from an unfortunate bad guy (in the previous movie).

TRINITY AND BAMBINO GET DUDED UP

      Like a bolt from the blue, Dad is stricken by some sort of attack and makes the boys promise him on his death-bed to restore the family pride by becoming good, successful outlaws.  While wandering about the countryside, the spy a travelling farmer and his family and their stranded wagon.  The decide to start fulfilling their promise to Dad by robbing these travellers but wind up helping fix the wagon (much in part to Bambino’s Popeye like muskles and in the meantime, Trinity takes a shine to the farmer’s daughter (Yanti Somer.  The brothers travel with the family to town, get all duded up, engage in some brawling, card sharping, and fancy gun play and somehow get people to belive that they are federal agents (partly because that’s what they tell them).  They discover a big time bandit terrorizing the area and stashing his booty in a nearby monastery, a fact that leads to yet more Trinity type fightin’ and funnin’.  Directed by Enzo Barboni, it’s the 1971 feature Trinity Is Still My Name.

    

UNCLE PETE CHANNELS CRAZY EDDIE – WITH DYNAMITE

     UNCLE PETE is moving in high gear back at the VAULT.  El Vato has gotten into the dynamite and there’s no time to dally when that happens.  So join UNCLE PETE this Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 10PM on channel 4.  It’s Trinity Is Still My Name and it’s the feature presentation on the next DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!

THE LOST ART OF WHITTLIN’ (AND THE REAL ORIGIN OF WHO DAT!)

    

UNCLE PETE AND OXNARD ENJOY A LITTLE WHITTLIN’ FUN

     Bela and the Boys are both back in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!  Join UNCLE PETE and his ever faithful Beagle OXNARD at LAKE DARK VAULT for the suspense filled 1943 comedy thriller Ghosts On The Loose.  Directed by William Beaudine,it stars Leo Gorcey as Muggs, Huntz Hall as Glimpy (the longest lasting version of his pre-Sach metamorphosizing character name), Bobby Jordan as Danny and Sunshine Sammy Morrison as Scruno.  It also features some other pretty big draws in the world of cinema, including Ava Gardner as Betty and Bela Lugosi as Emil.

     We find Glimpy’s sister Betty (no family resemblance here, fortunately for Ava Gardner) preparing to marry Jack, played by Rick Vailin.  The Boys are helping with all the wedding set-up and preparations including taking care of the music personally.  Jack has recently purchased a little home in the suburbs for which to settle in with his new bride and the Gang decides to go out and do a little extra fixin’ up for the happy couple.  Meanwhile, Jack receives an offer to sell his cottage and make some dough for the reason that the mansion next door is haunted.  Also meanwhile, the Gang confuses the address of the new place and starts fixin’ up the haunted place.  Mysterious doings have the Gang thinking evil is afoot, but little do they realize there’s even eviler evil going on cuz Emil (Bela) and his bunch are Nazis!

THE GANG AT THE SITE OF THE ORIGINAL WHO DAT

One of the most classic exchanges in all of filmdom occurs between Scruno and Emil as the Boys explore the secret passages and Scruno utters the immortal “Who Dat!”  The film also features popular film star Wheeler Oakman as Tony and Stanley Clements as Stash.  Clements, who didn’t appear in any more East Side Kids films would resurface in the 1950′s as Duke, the leader of The Bowery Boys after Leo Gorcey’s retirement.  Plus, make sure to listen for (and watch) Bill Bates as Sleepy, who actually plays the organ in his only East Side Kids appearance in this week’s feature Ghosts On The Loose.

     UNCLE PETE, OXNARD, Max and Stone Dog are relaxing at LAKE DARK VAULT and reminiscing about some of the forgotten pastimes like what they used to do back in the old neighborhood.  Like caber tossing and whittling.  Especially whittling.  UNCLE PETE has broke out his 47 blade pocket knife – including the sterling steel dinner service – and is plying his carving artistry on a prime hunk of stick.  Between wood chips, he finds time to bring you a short from our favorite trio – The Three Stooges.  There’s been a murder committed and Moe, Larry, and Curley are ready to tell their story to get to the bottom of this dastardly deed in the 1936 classic Disorder In The Court.

     Who Dat Say Who Dat When I Say Who Dat?  It could be Scruno, it could be Bela Lugosi, it might just be UNCLE PETE.  It’s whittlin’ and hound dogs, ghosts and nazis, eye pokes and face slaps and a great rendition of Drink To Me Only With Thine EYE (er, I guess that might be Eyes) this Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 10PM on channel 4 as UNCLE PETE  brings you Ghosts On The Loose.  It’s the feature presentation on the next DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!

P.S. - In one of those “plate of shrimp” moments, while I was writing this about the Gang what should appear on my cathode ray tube on one of those other channels, but a movie featuring the Dead End Kids. 

 And the lattice of coincidence continues!

CRIME, SCIENCE AND LITTLE BROWN JUGS

UNCLE PETE COMBINES SCIENCE AND BOOZE IN THE DARK VAULT DISTILLERY

     Crime, action, fun and science (of a sort) fill the screen this week in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN. Join UNCLE PETE for the 1973 crimedy spectacular Mean Frank and Crazy Tony. It stars DARK VAULT fave Lee VanCleef as Mean Frank and Tony LoBianco as Crazy Tony. Mean Frank is a had boiled crime boss who has arranged to get himself into prison as an alibi for some nasty inter-mob interactions. Crazy Tony, from Hoboken, NJ, is a mob boss fanatic who idolizes Mean Frank. Unaware of Frank’s plans, he decides that he’s gonna spring his ideal no matter what anybody says or does to try to stop him. The film also stars Edwige French and Romano Pupo – yet another tie in to another Dark Vault Cinema Graveyard gem, Little Rita Of The West.  A sort of unofficial crime remake of My Name Is Nobody, from 1973 and director Michele Lupo (Sheriff and the Satellite Kid), it’s Mean Frank and Crazy Tony.

ANOTHER HAPPY TURTLE

This week finds UNCLE PETE hard at work in THE DARK VAULT DISTILLERY. With the world-wide success of Pepe Lobrow TM – The Tequilla That BitesTM and Tequilla Mockingbird tm, and the popularity of flavored liqueur type drinks, UNCLE PETE and VITO GOLD have decided that a new flavor of schnapps would be a good addition to the VITO GOLD line of spirits. Having already tested and eliminated chlorine and motor oil flavored concoctions, UNCLE PETEhas a raft of flavor additives at hand for some crafty mixin’ (and you can be sure there’s some bar-b-que sauce nearby).To keep in the theme of things, UNCLE PETE also has a cartoon treat from 1947 – Little Brown Jug– a sing-a-long you can all join in on.

It’s Mobsters, Jugs, and UNCLE PETE (wasn’t that a movie with Raquel Welch?) this Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 10PM on channel 4. So be sure to join us for Mean Frank and Crazy Tony, the next feature presentation on THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!

DEAN, JERRY, DUKE, SAMMY, BELA, AND UNCLE PETE

UNCLE PETE AND EL VATO SENDING OUT ANOTHER DARK VAULT GEM

     It’s clones in the VAULT and clones in the film this week with UNCLE PETE in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!  Join us as we bring you the wacky romantic music filled comedy horror classic Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla.  It stars Duke Michell as Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo as Sammy Petrillo in their only cinematic outing presenting their clone-like impersonations of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (another couple of actor/singer/comic type guys who also had movie and recording careers of sorts, or so I’ve heard).

SAMMY , DUKE AND NONA AT THE SHINDIG

Duke and Sammy, flying on their way to entertain the troops stationed in Guam, mistake the Out Door for the powder room and wind up landing on a deserted (or so they think) island (good thing they were wearing their parachutes).  It turns out they have landed on the very inhabited island of Kola Kola (Cola Cola?) at the far end of the Zamboanga group (and as you may know, the monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga – but that’s another song…).  The chief’s daughter Nona (played by Charlita) saves the boys’ lives and sparks begin to fly between Nona and Dukey.  But, there’s a fly, or more accurately a Mad Scientist, in the ointment.  Nona relays that there is a castle nearby owned by Dr. Zabor (Bela Lugosi) that the natives avoid like a porcupine in a nudist colony.  But since Nona happens to have a job as a lab assistant with the Doctor, Duke and Sammy head up there to see about getting off the island.  Unfortunately, Zabor also has eyes for Nona and decides to get Duke out of the way by using him as the donor for his brain transfer experiment involving a big ol’ gorillillilla.  As might be expected, wacky hi-jinx ensue!  This 1952 gem from director William Beaudine also features Ramona the Chimp, and you gotta love any movie with a Ramona in it.    

UNCLE PETE SPREADS ADVICE ON THE AIRWAVES

     UNCLE PETE gets a bit of a disappointment concerning the showing of a big name Hollywood feature presentation and slips into s little flashback to his days as host of a radio advice phone-in show with some interesting callers.  But he also manages to dig up not one, but two, helpings of our favorite cartoon cutie, Betty Boop, with 1933′s The Old Man Of The Mountain (also featuring Cab Calloway and His Orchestra) and 1932′s Betty Boop’s Bamboo Isle!  Pull out your sarongs, your grass skirts and your half coconut drinking cup things.  It’s two hours of songs, dances, and snappy patter (and flashbacks) with UNCLE PETE and Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla, the feature presentation this week (Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 10PM on channel 4) in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!

EYE EYE EYE! BOOK OF MAPS VS. PEOPLE EATER!

     

UNCLE PETE SEARCHES THE CRYPT FOR MORE "THINGS"

     Dust off your sandals and sharpen up your sword, it’s Old World epic adventure time this week with UNCLE PETE in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN. It’s muscles and meanies galore in the 1961 peplum gem – Atlas In The World Of The Cyclops. The folks of Sadok are having some trouble with a nasty monocular giant. He’s not one horned or flying or purple, but he sure is a people eater and has already consumed many of the locals. Atlas, being a good-guy, heroic type, comes to Sadok with the intent of vanquishing the Cyclops and saving the people. However, he hadn’t figured in the presence of the evil Queen Capys. Capys has an affinity, not unlike Mae West, for good lookin’, muscular demigod type guys and has her cap, er, crown set for Atlas. She decides to do everything in her power to make Atlas’ quest even more difficult.

TYPICAL DARK VAULT VIEWER

     The urgency of defeating the Cyclops increases when Atlas finds that the son of Ulysses is in the Cyclops’ lair on the appetizer list. (Rumor has it that the baby is played by a very young version of more contemporary hunk Fabio and is listed in some credits as being played by little Fabio). Directed by Antonio Leonviola, Atlas In The Land Of The Cyclops stars Gordon Mitchell as Atlas, Chelo Alonso as Queen Capys, and Aldo Padinotti as the Cyclops. Note: Gordon Mitchell, who had a pretty extensive career in the movies through the 60s, 70s, and 80s (including DARK VAULT fare Little Rita Of The West) must have walked in the studio backwards for this one, being listed in the credits as Mitchell Gordon.

     After a successful foray into the DARK VAULT CRYPT a couple of weeks ago, UNCLE PETE and Max head back down to the CRYPT for this week’s adventure finding some fancy flower vases with what looks like fireplace ashes in them and some surprises as well. So join UNCLE PETE this Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10PM on channel 4 for Atlas In The Land Of The Cyclops. It’s a cool dark crypt, a cold evil queen, and some heated muscleman-monster mayhem this week in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!

JACUZZIS, BLITZKRIEG, AND A SHORTCUT TO CHINA

UNCLE PETE SHOWS OFF SOME OF THE HOT TUNES FOR THE JACUZZI PARTY

     We’re boxing in the Bowery, partying in the Vault and diggin’ to China in the next DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN. Join UNCLE PETE as he brings you our favorite gang of All-American JDs in the 1941 East Side Kids feature Bowery Blitzkrieg. Once again we have Danny (Bobby Jordan) and Muggs (Leo Gorcey) as long-time pals up to their usual struggles and hi-jinx in the Bowery. Danny is working hard to make something of himself – studying and boxing and keeping his nose clean – in large part due to the encouragement of his sister Mary (Charlotte Henry – the one and only Bo Peep from The March Of The Wooden Soldiers).Muggs is busy using his fists and wise-cracks to get by and hanging out at Clancy’s (played by Key (no second e here) Luke). Mary’s policeman fiance – having seen his best childhood buddy wind up on death row – takes an interest in Muggs and gets him involved in the city-wide boxing competition representing the local Bowery’s finest. This and a few other things causes friction between Danny and Muggs and Danny starts to keep company with some seedy characters for some quick cash. In the meantime, Danny’s new creepy friends and their boss try to set up Muggs to take a dive in the championship.

UNCLE PETE AND THE GANG

Will Muggs take a dive? Will Danny go up the river? It’s another dose of great Bowery Boys action, drama and humor. Directed by Wallace Fox and also starring David Gorcey as Peewee, Sunshine Sammy Morrison as Scruno and introducing Huntz Hall as Limpy, it’s Bowery Blitzkrieg.

And don’t forget your swimsuits and towels cuz UNCLE PETE has clone buddies Azul and 42^nd Street Jimmy digging a brand new combination giant in-ground jacuzzi/swimming pool/nuclear generator coolant tank for to throw a big ol’ DARK VAULT party. In preparation for the festivities, we find UNCLE PETE in the Nipsey Russell wing of the DARK VAULT RECORD LIBRARY selecting just the right records for the celebration. Unfortunately. The Clones do a little too good a job digging and find that well-known shortcut to China.

MR. TURTLE

Along the way, UNCLE PETE and El Vato dig up some other cinematic nuggets for you entertainment and general enrichment. From 1958, it’s The Grapevine – an educational short about the dangers of rumors. Our favorite animated cutie – Betty Boop - is joined by Koko, Bimbo and Louis Armstrong in 1931′s I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead You Rascal You. And there’s good old Burt the Turtle in his famous Civil Defense flic – Duck and Cover (perhaps still as informative today as it was when first shown).

So tune in to channel 4 this Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10PM. It’s a ton of trailers, a selection of shorts, and a fight filled feature with 1941′s Bowery Blitzkrieg with your host UNCLE PETE on the next DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!

THE SUMMER OF LOVE AND GIANT TURTLES (UNCLE PETE RULES RADIO JAPAN!)

   

UNCLE PETE WOWS 'EM ON JAPANESE RADIO IN THE SUMMER OF LOVE

Like the song says – Gimme a T for Turtle  and a T for Tokyo!  It’s TTT – Tokyo Turtle Time ) with a tip of the hat to our friend Tennessee Tuxedo).  Join UNCLE PETE this week in THE DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN as he brings you the 1968 giant monster epic Destroy All Planets starring that city leveling, kid loving turtle – Gamera!  There was a time in the not so distant past when most Earthlings weren’t too happy with Gamera and shuttled him off to Mars with few regrets.  But Gamera’s comin’ home and along the way beats up on some aliens who have designs on taking over Earth (seems they like the air down there).    

GAMERA'S BATH-TIME FUN

Meanwhile, Scoutmaster Mr. Shimida (Kojiro Hongo) has taken his troop to visit Dr. Dobie (Peter Williams) to watch a demonstration of their latest hi-tech mini-submarine.  Unbeknownst to the adults, mischievous (and scientifically savvy) scouts Masao (Toru Takatsuka) and Jim (Carl Craig) have tinkered with the sub’s controls so only they can pilot it properly as they demonstrate.  They meet good buddy Gamera while underwater but all three are captured by the aliens and Gamera is retrofitted with a mind control gimmick while the boys are held at alien central.    When the boys help release Gamera, the aliens counter with their own giant beastie - Viras (no relation to last weeks feature presentation).

     Directed by Noriaki Yuasa, this film includes a lengthy Gamera mind-scan sequence that takes us back through some highlights of prior Gamera versus big bad monsters battles.   Released in 1968, the Summer Of Love, this movie is also known as Gamera vs. Viras.

      And speaking of the Summer Of Love, UNCLE PETE does some fond reminiscing and has his own flashback sequence of when his popular TV music program Rock-A-Rama was cancelled and the call went out from the Land Of The Rising Sun Radioland to come on over and grace the airwaves with your dulcid tones (or something like that).  UNCLE PETE also has a bunch of cool and obscure (what else) music videos for you and some rare footage of UNCLE PETE on the radio in Japan!  So join the multimedia guy himself, UNCLE PETE, this Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 10PM on channel 4 for Destroy All Planets on the next  DARK VAULT OF PUBLIC DOMAIN!