From Zombos' Closet

One Million Years B.C. (1966) Movie Herald

Here's the tabloid newspaper herald for One Million Years B.C.  I love the tongue in cheek approach. Raquel Welch's fur bikini pin-up was quite a seller after this movie came out. This was Hammer Studios first prehistoric movie. I'm not sure why Hollywood had a fascination with prehistoric period dramas back then, but I doubt many in the audiences went to see the dinosaurs. 

Mars Attacks the World and Planet Outlaws Movie Herald

Here's a 1974 double bill herald for a re-release of the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers space operas, Mars Attacks the World and Planet Outlaws. I'm more partial to Buck Rogers, but Flash was pretty cool too. Larry "Buster" Crabbe really made the characters come to life on the big screen. These serials and subsequent movies influenced a lot of creative people, Steven Spielberg being one of them. This is also a good example of the newspaper-styled herald some movies used for promotion. Notice also that this one isn't a pressbook sample: it has theater information printed on it. I'm guessing this was a college showing, based on the theater names, lack of location information, and the fact that colleges would do programs like this back in the 1970s, when fandom was beginning to pay attention to the serial heroes.

Dracula (1931) Movie Herald

Here's a colorful herald for Dracula (1931), currently up for auction on eBay from seller cvtreasures1. Dr. Gangrene has another version here. Heritage Auctions auctioned off another version too. 

Prom Night (1980) Pressbook

While critics mostly hated Prom Night on its first release, I'd watch this on a double bill with Terror Train anytime.

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Voodoo Woman and The UndeadDouble Bill Pressbook (1957)

The pages had separated in this double bill pressbook for Voodoo Woman and The Undead, so I'm not sure if it is complete. A double bill, by the way, was two movies released to be shown together. You could see lots of double bills playing in the 1950s and 60s, especially for drive-ins. I've not seen Voodoo Woman yet, but I admit to a strong fondness for The Undead, a low budget, but very atmospheric and engrossing supernatural tale. And once again, a good portion of the budget for both of these movies appears to have been spent on the poster art.

Comic book reader version: Download The Undead and Voodoo Woman DB  (See more deathless pressbooks From Zombos' Closet)  

War of the Satellites and Attack of the 50 FT. Woman Double Bill Pressbook (1958)

Needless to say, the poster art for both of these movies is a lot more exciting than what was shown onscreen. But Attack of the 50FT. Woman is a classic, not so much for its shoddy special effects, but because it was a monsterkid staple that could stand up to (or was that more like provide fodder for?) repeated late-night viewings on a flickering black and white television set. Corman's cheapie, War of the Satellites, gave us Dick Miller. What more do you need? 

Comic book reader version: Download War of the Satellites DB (See more out of this world and BIG pressbooks From Zombos' Closet!) 

Blood of the Vampire (1958) UK Pressbook

Not a Hammer movie but inspired by Hammer (Jimmy Sangster wrote the screenplay), Blood of the Vampire received the X certificate (given to horror movies by the British Board of Censors, during that time, to limit the audience to 16 and above). It boasts yet another evil hunchbacked sidekick and some gore "for adults only...with nerves of steel!"

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Voodoo Island and Pharaoh's Curse (1957)Double Bill Pressbook

Not a bad double bill to while away a midnight afternoon, given that Voodoo Island can boast Adam West's first movie appearance.

Comic book reader version: Download Voodoo Island DB (see more cursed pressbooks From Zombos' Closet)

Dead Men Walk (1943) Pressbook

A tidy little budgeter featuring one of Dwight Frye's last performances. Zucco plays Zucco, which is enough to satisfy any horror fan, and the story is neatly supernatural, pitting nice brother against satanic brother, albeit one of them is dead and into all that occult stuff. Given more money to flesh out the mood and scenery, this would be more highly remembered.

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Day the World Ended and Phantom From 10,000 Leagues Double Bill Pressbook

Of the two horror movies in this double bill, Day the World Ended gets my vote of approval. It helps to see it as a kid (which I did, on television, properly horror-hosted of course), but the movie is still quite palatable if you're older. With Roger Corman heading Day on the cheap, and Paul Blaisdell fabricating the monster (Marty the Mutant), you couldn't go wrong. The double billing was financially successful. Pick up Paul Blaisdell, Monster Maker by Randy Palmer if you want to read an informative rundown on Day the World Ended's production and creature creation, as well as information on other Corman and Blaisdell monster movies.

Comic book reader version: Download Day the World Ended Double Bill Pressbook

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Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) Pressbook

Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation is a real visual treat in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, but the alien design is stellar also. This still remains one of those science fiction movies you should watch at a drive-in or on a big screen, with popcorn and a Coke. It's quintessential 1950s UFO paranoia smartly captured in a quickly moving story. Yes, it has stock footage; yes, it has that odd, semi-documentary approach that some 1950s movies belabored their stories with (The Mole People being the worst example of this), but it's still entertaining and it's still fun.

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Adventures of Captain Africa (1955) Pressbook

One of the last few serials produced by Columbia, the Adventures of Captain Africa: Mighty Jungle Avenger!, were born when Columbia lost the rights to the Phantom, of which this movie was going to be the sequel. A lot of coffee and rewrites later, the costume was altered and the plot revamped, along with the character, to hit the jungle trails once more. Unfortunately, a lot of stock footage was used, along with a few cheater chapters, rendering these adventures not so thrilling. Wikipedia and The Files of Jerry Blake give good rundowns on this serial entry.

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