Movie Ads of the Week: The Many Faces of SOLANGE (1974-1977)

Massimo Dallamano's COSA AVETE FATTO A SOLANGE?, featuring Fabio Testi and Camille Keaton, was picked up for U.S. distribution by Hallmark Releasing Corporation in 1973 and apparently screened as both WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? and then SOLANGE before arriving in Pittsfield, MA as BLOOD RELATIONS on April 5, 1974. Like other Hallmark horror releases of the period, the ads recycle the "It's only a movie" tag line from the company's most notorious hit, Wes Craven's LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. Craven later borrowed the BLOOD RELATIONS title for a screenplay that eventually became his second film, THE HILLS HAVE EYES.

At the same time this beloved giallo was playing some areas as BLOOD RELATIONS, American International was sub-distributing it as TERROR IN THE WOODS. The ad above is from Louisville, KY on April 17, 1974.

If you've watched Garagehouse Pictures' Blu-ray TRAILER TRAUMA, then you already know that THE RAH RAH GIRLS is yet another title for Dallamano's '72 thriller (That trailer came from the Temple of Schlock Archives, by the way). The ad above is from Bloomington, IL on July 17, 1977. SEX ON THE GROOVE TUBE (1976), another Hallmark release, is a downright fraudulent re-titling of THE CASE OF THE FULL MOON MURDERS (1973) a.k.a. THE CASE OF THE SMILING STIFFS, with voiceovers added to trick viewers into thinking it’s a sequel to THE GROOVE TUBE. It's also heavily edited from a self-applied X rating to an MPAA-approved R.

Yet another title for the film is THE SCHOOL THAT COULDN'T SCREAM, seen above playing in Chicago on October 21, 1977 co-billed with LAST HOUSE PART II, a reissue of Mario Bava's BAY OF BLOOD, which Hallmark had already released as CARNAGE and TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE.

Since Hallmark sometimes used the same title for more than one movie (DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT and HORROR HOSPITAL were both released as DEATH WARD #13, for example), we'll assume in the ad above that THE RAH RAH GIRLS is another Hallmark release and not the Massimo Dallamano film mistakenly booked with itself as THE SCHOOL THAT COULDN'T SCREAM in Limerick, PA on June 3, 1977. Our guess is that it was PRIVATE SCHOOL GIRLS (GEFÄHRLICHER SEX FRÜHREIFER MÄDCHEN).

Mystery Movie: TEENAGE RUNAWAYS (1974)

In June 1974, Hallmark Releasing put out something called TEENAGE RUNAWAYS, an obvious cash-in on a then-topical subject, with a tag line that rips from a well-known television PSA ("It's 10 P.M. Do you know where your children are?"). In the ads above (Louisville, KY) and below (Pittsfield, MA) -- both dated June 21, 1974 -- the second feature is ASYLUM EROTICA, a.k.a. Fernando Di Leo's LA BESTIA UCCIDE A SANGUE FREDDO/THE BEAST KILLS IN COLD BLOOD, which Hallmark had previously released as SLAUGHTER HOTEL.

Earlier in June of '74, the film played in York, PA on a triple bill with DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT and TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE.

Since it appears to have been booked only with horror movies, we're guessing this is another title for either HORROR HOSPITAL or WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? It could also be LAS AMANTES DEL DIABLO/THE LOVERS OF THE DEVIL, which Hallmark submitted to the MPAA for re-rating (PG) in 1973 as NIGHT OF THE DEVILS. Both that film and another Hallmark release, FOURSOME a.k.a. SWEET AND SEXY, are about people searching for their missing sisters, so we now have four possibilities. Does anyone recognize the actress in the ad?

Movie Ads of the Week: The Many Faces of HORROR HOSPITAL (1974-1978)

Richard Gordon's comic-horror production HORROR HOSPITAL (1973) -- directed by Antony Balch and starring Michael Gough, Robin Askwith, Vanessa Shaw and Dennis Price -- was acquired for the U.S. by Hallmark Releasing in late '73 and retitled EASTWORLD to capitalize on the success of Michael Crichton's WESTWORLD. The ad above is from Kokomo, IN where American International was handling Hallmark's releases, while the ad below is from Poughkeepsie, NY (Both are dated January 25, 1974).

Simultaneous with the film's release as EASTWORLD, Hallmark was also circulating prints under the title COMPUTER KILLERS, using the same ad campaign.

Middletown, RI - February 8, 1974

Two months later (April 19, 1974) the film surfaced in Louisville, KY as DEATH WARD #13, a title Hallmark had used the previous year for S.F. Brownrigg's DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT.

HORROR HOSPITAL was re-released in 1978, despite being sold to television two years earlier, this time under its original title and with a tag line that took aim at another Michael Crichton film, COMA (also 1978). The ad above is from St. Louis, MO on December 1, 1978.

Movie Ad of the Week: THE CANNIBAL MAN a.k.a. THE APARTMENT ON THE 13TH FLOOR (1973)

Eloy de la Iglesia's grisly 1971 shocker LA SEMANA DEL ASESINO/THE WEEK OF THE KILLER, starring Vicente Parra and Emma Cohen, was acquired for U.S. distribution by Hallmark Releasing (of LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and MARK OF THE DEVIL infamy) and retitled THE CANNIBAL MAN. The ad above is from Pittsfield, MA on January 17, 1973.

Later in '73, Hallmark designed a new promo campaign and changed the title to APARTMENT ON THE 13TH FLOOR. The ad above is from Cincinnati, OH on November 2, 1973. American International Pictures handled Hallmark's releases outside the New England territory, which explains the second feature here being the AIP hit SLAUGHTER.

Movie Ads of the Week: The Many Faces of Alfred Sole's COMMUNION

COMMUNION - Corpus Christi, TX - July 22, 1977

THE MASK MURDERS - La Crosse, WI - August 12, 1977

ALICE, SWEET ALICE - Decatur, IL - May 12, 1978

HOLY TERROR - Philadelphia, PA - June 4, 1981

Mystery Movie solved! GIRLS IN BONDAGE (1979)

Over six years ago, we posted a Mystery Movie entry for the HOUSE OF SHAME/GIRLS IN BONDAGE double bill in which we surmised that one of these films, probably HOUSE OF SHAME, was a re-titling of THE CULT (a.k.a. THE LOVE CULT, THE MANSON MASSACRE and TOGETHER GIRLS), #26 on our Endangered List. It turns out we were partly correct. Thanks to the tireless efforts of T.O.S. correspondent Mike MacCollum, who attended the Pandemonium Picture Show event at the Skyline Drive-In in Shelbyville, IN this past weekend, we now have confirmation that GIRLS IN BONDAGE is another title for THE CULT. Thanks, Mike!

One down, one to go. Now what film do we think is hiding behind the HOUSE OF SHAME title? Our guess: THE HOUSE THAT VANISHED.

Movie Ad of the Week: PLEASE! DON'T GO IN THE BEDROOM (1973)

The IMDb lists DON'T GO IN THE BEDROOM as a "pre-release" title for José Ramón Larraz's SCREAM AND DIE, with a U.S. release date of October 1974 as THE HOUSE THAT VANISHED -- but here it is at the Trail Drive-in theater in Lake Worth, FL on December 7th, 1973 under the title PLEASE! DON'T GO IN THE BEDROOM. Big thanks to long-time friend Jon Putnam for sending this one our way.

Mystery Movie: THE HOUSE BY THE HILL (1977)

Our pal Jon Putnam brought this latest installment of “Mystery Movies” to our attention a couple of months ago. A Newport/Hallmark release that made the rounds during the 1977/1978 release year, THE HOUSE BY THE HILL borrows the tag line and title design from THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE (1976), but doesn’t appear to be a re-titling of that movie; the ad below is from the Boston opening on September 28, 1977, just a few months after THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE passed through the area. We know that it isn’t a re-titling of HORROR HOSPITAL, THE SCHOOL THAT COULDN’T SCREAM (WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE?) or LAST HOUSE – PART II (BAY OF BLOOD/ TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE), since we’ve found those listed in different cities as co-features. We’re also pretty sure that it isn’t THE NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS/LAST STOP ON THE NIGHT TRAIN/NEW HOUSE ON THE LEFT, since Newport had that in circulation in late ‘77 under the title THE X-MAS MASSACRE. Two possibilities are THE HOUSE ON STRAW HILL and THE HORRIBLE HOUSE ON THE HILL, but those were already making the rounds under alternate titles and from different distributors – TRAUMA (Entertainment International) and DEVIL TIMES FIVE (Seymour Borde), respectively – right around the same time.

The most likely suspect is THE CULT (1971), which Allied Artists was playing on the drive-in circuit as THE MANSON MASSACRE from 1976 to ’78, co-billed with everything from FRIGHT and ALICE, SWEET ALICE to LAST SUMMER and TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING -- and because THE HOUSE BY THE HILL’s co-feature throughout New England (Newport’s sub-distribution territory) was another Allied Artist release, TEENAGE GRAFFITI, we’re just about ready to put money down on this one. Besides, THE CULT is still our favorite guy in this unsolved case, and no one has come forward to dispute our assertion that the film’s mystery director, “Kentucky Jones,” is actually Albert Zugsmith. We’re sure this will all get cleared up someday, but until then, we’re hoping someone will come forward with more information on THE HOUSE BY THE HILL and the whole Hallmark/Newport/Central Park/Parker National connection.

Movie Ad of the Week: BREAKFAST AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE (1975)

Almost a year before its May 1976 rollout in New York, Los Angeles and St. Louis as DON'T OPEN THE WINDOW...

...with an advertising campaign that ripped off Avco Embassy's marketing for SOMETHING TO HIDE (1976), including unlicensed images of co-stars Shelley Winters and Linda Hayden...

...American International Pictures and Hallmark Releasing slipped Jorge Grau's NON SI DEVE PROFANARE IL SONNO DEI MORTI / LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE (1974) into one 42nd Street theater as BREAKFAST AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE, with a completely different (and more original) ad campaign.

Movie Ad of the Week: XMAS MASSACRE (1977)

Newspaper ad from San Francisco, where Aldo Lado's L'ULTIMO TRENO DELLA NOTTE (1975) was known as XMAS MASSACRE. Bryanston Releasing first put this out in May 1976 as LAST STOP ON THE NIGHT TRAIN before Newport/Central Park acquired it for re-release as XMAS MURDERS and THE NEW HOUSE ON THE LEFT. It's available on DVD as THE NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS.

Movie Ad of the Week: THE CATAMOUNT KILLING (1975)

World Premiere - Wednesday, December 10, 1975 - Bennington, VT

Movie Ads of the Week: The many faces of DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT (1973)

THE FORGOTTEN - Des Moines, IA - June 1, 1973

THE SNAKE PIT - Pittsfield, MA - July 6, 1973

BEYOND HELP - Newport, RI - July 27, 1973

DEATH WARD NO. 13 - Lowell, MA - August 24, 1973

DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT - El Paso, TX - November 2, 1973

Compiled by Jon Putnam & Chris Poggiali

LOLA BABY (1967) -- Happy Birthday Lola Falana!

First of all, we’d like to wish the lovely and talented actress-singer-dancer Lola Falana a very happy birthday today (b. 9/11/42). We were hoping to have The Lola Falana Show in our sweaty little hands by now, but Video Service Corp’s 2-disc collection of Ms. Falana’s mid ‘70s variety show doesn’t hit stores until October 6th and because we’ve never lifted a finger to get on any company’s DVD screener list, I’m afraid there’s no birthday cake for us at the moment. We’ll just have to fill up on the main course -- which happens to be spaghetti.

[Above: A sub-distributor's Boxoffice ad for one Washington, D.C. playdate]

A few years after her Broadway debut in the Sammy Davis, Jr. stage hit Golden Boy but before Vegas, Hollywood and Playboy came a callin’, Ms. Falana from Philadelphia was something of a pop star in Italy and even managed to top-line a couple of movies, including a Euro western. It’ll never cut it as a serious genre piece but as a star vehicle LOLA COLT (FACE TO FACE WITH EL DIABLO) isn’t half-bad. Falana handles the action scenes surprisingly well, has fun with her wildly anachronistic musical numbers, and is a good enough dramatic actress to not look foolish with someone else’s lackluster line readings emerging from her mouth. She also looks beautiful in nearly every frame, whether she’s belting out songs in a skimpy showgirl outfit or kicking up dust in her cowgirl costume. Despite the fact that she was blasting away bad guys six years before Cleo and Coffy made it fashionable, LOLA COLT (or LOLA BABY as the English print reviewed here is titled) took a decade to reach American theaters, arriving in 1976 as THE BLACK TIGRESS soon after Lola landed a lucrative deal pitching Tigress perfume for Faberge. Released by Hallmark/Newport (the company that brought you “It’s only a movie…only a movie…only a movie…”), it played double bills with BORN BLACK and MAN-EATER (a.k.a. SHARK) before fading into obscurity, around the same time Tamara Dobson replaced Falana as the Tigress spokesmodel.

[Above: A Tigress perfume ad autographed by Lola Falana, currently framed and hanging in the Temple library]

When the stuffy white women of Santa Ana confront beautiful black showgirl Lola Gate not two minutes after she steps out of a stagecoach that’s just arrived and one of them sneers “We don’t need your kind around here,” it’s impossible not to see the racial implication of the situation. Yet it’s all knee-jerk reaction on the part of American viewers who saw SERGEANT RUTLEDGE, THE SCALPHUNTERS, DUEL AT DIABLO or any other western with a prominent black actor in the cast, because here there is no racial implication. Lola and her three white colleagues are sexy showgirls, and by “your kind” the townswomen simply mean prostitutes (although that isn’t explicitly stated either). Race is in fact the furthest thing on the minds of screenwriter Luigi Angelo and director Siro Marcellini, as the color of Lola’s skin is not mentioned once. The story is pure formula -- Lola rallies the locals against a greedy Anglo villain known as “El Diablo” while flirting with the town’s handsome young (white) medical student -- and I guarantee you the movie would’ve been forgotten 40 years ago if it weren’t for the anomalous casting of a black American woman in the lead. The role could’ve been played by Nancy Sinatra, Lesley Gore, Rita Moreno, Annette Funicello, Brigitte Bardot or any Italian beauty with a decent voice and it would’ve been the same movie.


In addition to its colorblindness, the film is also surprisingly tame, despite a bogus R rating that frequently turned up on its stateside ad campaign. Considering that both of Falana’s major studio Hollywood productions -- THE LIBERATION OF L.B. JONES (1970) and THE KLANSMEN (1974) -- were totally preoccupied with race and went out of their way to show her naked and being manhandled by her co-stars, LOLA COLT is probably the one film she can safely run for her children and grandchildren today without embarrassment. And while we’re on the subject of children, let’s consider this film’s target audience for a moment. Sure, adults who love westerns may have bought tickets, and I bet a lot of men were lured in by the stunning and exotic lead actress, but LOLA COLT seems ideal for young black girls who rarely - if ever - get the chance to see a strong black woman in the wild west strapping on a six-shooter and taking care of business (The movie about "Stagecoach Mary" Fields, which Pam Grier was attached to over 30 years ago, still hasn’t been made). Reality hits them in the face too soon as it is, so why screw up pleasant escapist entertainment such as this with trash talk and racial epithets? LOLA COLT could be the celluloid equivalent of a summer afternoon spent playing with black Barbie dolls in between games of double-dutch, slide and Miss Lucy. And besides, it’s certainly not the worst spaghetti western I’ve ever sat through.


[Available from European Trash Cinema]

One-Sheet of the Week: THE SCHOOL THAT COULDN'T SCREAM (1977)

COSA AVETE FATTO A SOLANGE? (1972)

U.S. release as TERROR IN THE WOODS in 1975 and THE SCHOOL THAT COULDN'T SCREAM in 1977.