Updating the IMDb: The Alternate Title Roundup

A handful of new alternate titles have recently come to our attention, but before we get to those, there's apparently still some confusion over whether or not Norman J. Warren's ALIEN-inspired birth-of-a-baby bloodbath INSEMINOID actually received stateside release under that handle. The answer is a very loud YES, and here's the proof: a May 1982 newspaper ad from Madison, Wisconsin. By the time the movie reached the New York City area six months later (on November 26th, 1982), the title had been changed to HORROR PLANET.

It's been almost a year and a half since we did a "Mystery Movies" entry on the Crown International obscurity KISS THE TEACHER GOODBYE, which was revealed by dedicated TOS reader and researcher John Black to be a re-release of HORROR HIGH. Lead actor Pat Cardi's name on the newspaper ad below should finally convince the IMDb to include this in their HORROR HIGH entry as a legitimate alternate title.

The sexy Tigon production ZETA ONE, produced in 1969 and co-starring Anna Gaël (THERESE AND ISABELLE) and Yutte Stensgaard (LUST FOR A VAMPIRE), was released stateside by Film Ventures International in 1974 under the title THE LOVE FACTOR. However, the newspaper ad below - from 1973 - indicates that Donn Davison, FVI's head of promotion, originally had another title and ad campaign in mind for the film.

Next we have another Donn Davison/Film Ventures campaign from 1973, for a British film titled A TOUCH OF THE OTHER (1970) but given its widest exposure in the U.S. as HOUSE OF HOOKERS. I love how Davison implies that it's based on a book, hoping viewers will confuse it with Xavier Hollander's memoir The Happy Hooker (which was still on the New York Times bestseller list at this point and had sold 4 million copies).

Back in March we did a "Movie Ads of the Week" post containing 5 ads for S.F. Brownrigg's DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT under 5 different titles (See them all here). Below is a recently found sixth alternate title, DON'T GO IN THE ASYLUM.

And just when you thought it was safe to close the file on Al Adamson's HORROR OF THE BLOOD MONSTERS, yet another alternate title has been discovered. Big thanks to our pal John Charles of Video Watchdog and the ByJohnCharles blog for sending along this ad for its October '71 run in San Antonio as PLANET OF THE BLOOD MONSTERS.

Random Movie Ads: The Alternate Title Edition

THE ACE OF SPADES is one of at least three alternate titles for THE NIGHT OF THE STRANGLER (1973).


BLACK BROTHER, BLACK SISTER is a late '70s retitling of Mac Ahlberg's THE DAUGHTER: I, A WOMAN PART III (1970)


BLACK VOLTAGE is another retitling of Mac Ahlberg's THE DAUGHTER: I, A WOMAN PART III (1970), while HIGH VOLTAGE is a reissue of THE ELECTRIC CHAIR (1976).


THE BROTHERS is a 1974 title for Greydon Clark's TOM (1973), later released as NIGGER LOVER (1975) and THE BAD BUNCH (1976)


Here is an alternate release title for BOSS LADY (1982), the R-rated cut of the hardcore pic CHAMPAGNE FOR BREAKFAST (1980).


CROPSY is the original release title of THE BURNING (1981)


Above is Cirio Santiago's DEATH FORCE (1978) retitled THE FORCE, with an advertising campaign inspired by STAR WARS! The movie was later rereleased by 21st Century Distribution as FIGHTING MAD.


After the success of WATERMELON MAN (1970), Futurama Releasing took an earlier movie featuring comedian Godfrey Cambridge -- the 1963 Ossie Davis penned PURLIE VICTORIOUS (a.k.a. GONE ARE THE DAYS!), which was shot in black-and-white -- and retitled it THE MAN FROM C.O.T.T.O.N. (1970).


One of several alternate titles for THE FOLKS AT RED WOLF INN (1972), this one is from 1981.


SEED OF TERROR is a Howard Willette/Coast Films retitling of GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE (1972).


William Inge hits the exploitation circuit! THE SIN is better known as GOOD LUCK, MISS WYCKOFF (1979). On VHS in the U.S. it was called THE SHAMING.


There's more than one stunt in THE STUNT (1977), so the title was changed to STUNTS. When the movie hit NBC two years later, it was retitled WHO IS KILLING THE STUNT MEN?


Above you'll find the G-rated JOE PANTHER (1976) being fraudulently advertised as a PG-rated horror movie (circa 1979), THE MONSTER OF GATOR SWAMP!


At attempt to make the PG-rated COACH (1978) appear sexier than it actually is.


THE VAULT OF HORROR (1973) was still playing theatres as TALES FROM THE CRYPT II in the early '80s.