Caltiki, il mostro immortale [1959] @ EOFFTV


			SYNOPSIS \| REVIEW \| PRODUCTION NOTES \| TRIVIA \| PRESS \| QUOTES

	Caltiki, il mostro immortale [1959] Country of Origin: Italy / Spain Year of Production: 1959 Running Times: 76 mins Format: black and white Ratio: Sound: CREDITS PRODUCTION Production Companies: Galatea Film / Climax Pictures Producer: Bruno Vailati US Version Producer: Samuel Schneider Production Manager: Massimo De Rita SCRIPT Script / Story: Philip Just (real name: Filippo Sanjust) Based on Mexican legend DIRECTION Director: Robert Hamton (real name: Riccardo Freda); Mario Bava [uncredited] US Sequences Director: Lee Kresel PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography: John Foam (real name: Mario Bava) EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION Editor: Mark Sir Andrews (real name: Salvatore Billitteri) MUSIC Music: Robert Nicholas (real name: Roman Vlad) SOUND Sound Editor: Salvatore Billitteri US Dub Sound Recording: Maurice Rosenblum US Version Sound Editor: Salvatore Billitteri US Version Dubbing Director: Lee Kresser US Dubbing Recorded By: Titra Sound Corporation, New York City SPECIAL EFFECTS Special Effects: Marie Foam (real name: Mario Bava) MISCELLANEOUS Choreography: P. (Paolo) Gozlini CAST John Merivale [John Fielding] Didi Sullivan (real name: Didi Perego) [Ellen] Gerard Haerter [Max] Daniela Rocca [Linda] Gay Pearl [dancer] Daniel (Daniele) Vargas [Bob] Giacomo Rossi Stuart [Rodriguez] Victor (real name: Vittorio) Andree [lab assistant] Blake Bernard (real name: Nerio Bernardi) [police commissioner] Arthur Dominick (real name: Arturo Dominici) [Nieto] Daniele Pitani Rex Wood SUMMARY During their exploration of a ruined Mayan temple, a team of archaeologists discover a blob-like monster that they manage to destroy by setting it alight. They retain a sample, however, and as a comet pases the Earth - the same comet that appeared at the time of the fall of the Mayan civilization - the creature is reborn... CAPSULE REVIEW There's evidence of padding to fill up the meagre running time, with much expositional dialogue between Perego and Rocca, and the introduction of a subplot where Merivale is arrested by the cops for speeding, on his way to rescue his wife, detained by them and then breaking his way out of gaol. It's to Bava's credit that in addition to his abilities as an effects designer, his directorial skills mean that the climax is an exciting and tense piece of work. [Full Review] AVAILABILITY UK Television Distributor: Bravo USA Theatrical Distributor: Allied Artists Video Distributor: J&J Video; Video Search of Miami TIMELINE 1960 September 20: USA - theatrical release ALTERNATIVE TITLES Caltiki, the Immortal Monster LINKS SEE ALSO The Blob [1958] The Quatermass Experiment [1955] REFERENCES MAGAZINES Daily Cinema 19 Jan 1962 p.9 [UK] review European Trash Cinema Special 2 pp.7-8 [USA] review Film Francais 8 July 1960 p.17 [France] review Filmwoche 20 August 1960 p.5 [Germany] review Hollywood Reporter 30 March 1961 p.3 [USA] credits, review Kine Weekly 25 January 1962 p.13 [UK] review Monthly Film Bulletin March 1962 p.39 [UK] credits, synopsis, review Motion Picture Herald 3 December 1960 p.941 [USA] review BOOKS Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.60 credits, review Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.54 credits Spaghetti Nightmares p.164 credits, review OTHER SOURCES National Film Theatre screening notes credits screen credits KEYWORDS archaeologists, blobs, comets, mayan ruins, monsters, radiation, scientists, south america, volcanoes Last Updated: 6 March, 2007