From Zombos' Closet

The Atomic Submarine (1959) Movie Pressbook

With nefarious and icky one-eyed aliens, the Navy's new strategic weaponry of atomic powered submarines, and a budget take on alien encounters, pacifism versus fighting, and somewhat passable underwater staging, The Atomic Submarine launched before Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea's Seaview and the underwater warship Atragon. And I built the Revell atomic sub model, too!

The Bad Seed (1956) Movie Pressbook

A big 28 page pressbook for a little girl. But what a little girl. The Bad Seed seemed pretty daring for the 1950s: making a kid a serial killer (and the daughter of a serial killer to imply  a genetic bond). Of course the movie twists around the ending from the novel to appease the Motion Picture Production Code (and also to make it more sellable to the adult theater audience). There's an interesting filler article on page 24 that states Alfred Hitchcock wanted a walk-on part in the movie. Sounds like a smart piece of promotion more than the truth, but check it out.

Devil Goddess (1955) Movie Pressbook

Here's the pressbook for Devil Goddess, the last film in the Jungle Jim series by Columbia Pictures.

Mesa of Lost Women (1953) Movie Pressbook

This Howco movie pressbook for Mesa of Lost Women doesn't do this opus of inanity justice, so read my movie review to get a better sense of the senselessness this movie brings to 1950s bottom-basement wonders.

First Man Into Space (1959) Movie Herald

Who knows the effects of the deadly gamma rays? The mysteries of space provided a fertile ground for destructive rays and destructive aliens in the 1950s and 1960s as well as for heroic and conflicted comic book heroes. The Fantastic Four would blast into space and be enveloped by cosmic rays in 1961, Bruce Banner would be mutated into the Incredible Hulk in 1962 by gamma rays, and space rays would have a positive influence on DC's Negative Man in 1963. But First Man into Space in 1959 blasted off first to ignite the radiation mania in popular culture.

More Stuff in the Closet

Marvel-Con 1976 Program

The Monster Times Issue 5

Monster Game Board to Die For

Mexican Lobby Card: Chamber of Horrors (1966)

Circus of Horrors (1960) Movie Herald

Here's the Circus of Horrors movie herald. This version came with the pressbook, offering movie theaters a sample of the advertising handout they could order. Pretty elaborate for a horror movie. The pressbook is even more amazing. It's a whopping 18 inches by 24 inches in size. A big pressbook for a circus big top movie.

Jungle Woman (1944) Movie Pressbook

Long time pressbook collector and contributor to Zombos' Closet,  Tony Rivers once again goes to the jungle and returns with Jungle Woman.

Caltiki (1959) Movie Pressbook

Here's the four-page pressbook for Caltiki, the Immortal Monster. Mario Bava reportedly had a hand in the direction of this horror movie, but whoever is to blame, the end result is a mess only a tad less horrifying than Caltiki. Of course, I didn't notice the slipshod editing at the time, but the monster is quite impressively gloppy and scary. Hard to say if this movie was a rushed attempt at cashing in on The Blob, starring Steve McQueen, but I can tell you it scared me so much as a child I had nightmares for a week. And of course, came back for more ;) The story is still very good, just the execution could have been much, much better.

Beach Girls and the Monster (1965) Movie Pressbook

So, what's a really bad horror movie with girls, sand, and a monster? Why, The Beach Girls and the Monster, of course, from 1965.

Them! (1954) Movie Pressbook

Here's the 20 page pressbook for Them! And some interesting tidbits from the Wikipedia article on the movie: 

• Actor James Whitmore wore "lifts" in his shoes to compensate for the height difference between himself and James Arness. It has also been noted that Whitmore employed bits of "business" (hand gestures and motions) during scenes in which he appeared to draw more attention to his character when not speaking.
• The Wilhelm scream, created three years earlier for the film Distant Drums, is used during the action sequences: when a sailor aboard the freighter is grabbed by an ant, when James Whitmore's character is caught in an ant's mandibles, and when an overhead wooden beam falls on a soldier in the Los Angeles storm-drain sequence.
• The giant ants were constructed and operated by unseen technicians supervised by Ralph Ayers, and were actually purplish-green in color. During the climactic battle sequence in the Los Angeles sewers, there is a brief shot of one ant moving in the foreground with its side removed, revealing its mechanical interior. This blunder has been obscured in the DVD releases of the film. (Wow, I've seen this movie a few times and never noticed. Will be looking next time.)
  

Pressbook: Black Dragons (1942)

The best part of this pressbook for Black Dragons is the Bela Lugosi product tie-in to Remington. Who knew even Dracula needed to shave?

Pressbook: Night Monster (1942)

Here's the Realart re-release pressbook for Night Monster, a tidy little thriller from Universal, with tons of atmosphere and stylish camerawork to enjoy. You can read my movie review here.