The B Movie "Creatures" of Sam Katzman

Sam Katzman was one of the most prolific (and successful) producers in Hollywood. He sheperded hundreds of films into production and onto movie screens from the 1930s thru the 1970s. Katzman produced westerns, comedies, thrillers and rock and roll musicals. His "B" movies often filled out the bottom half of double bills, but he also produced serials, action movies and even a pair of Elvis Presley films. Like Roger Corman, his movies were often made on a minuscule budget, but were always very profitable for their studios. Katzman is probably best remembered by fans of classic science-fiction cinema for producing a pair of early films by special effects master Ray Harryhausen, It Came From Beneath The Sea and Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers.

Some of Katzman's other sci-fi and horror movies aren't quite as revered as those two Harryhausen epics, but they're much beloved by devotees of old school sci-fi, horror and fantasy. Theses other films, like The Night The World Exploded, may not be classics, but they're a whole lot of fun. Arrow Video has just released Cold War Creatures: Four Films By Sam Katzman, a wonderful limited edition box set of four of Katzman's creature features. The movies included in the set are Creature with the Atom Brain, The Werewolf, Zombies of Mora Tau, and The Giant Claw. Older fans will probably recognize these titles, and if you didn't see them on the big screen, you probably caught them, as I did, on shows like Chiller Theatre or Creature Features, which featured showings of horror, science-fiction and fantasy films on local stations in the pre-cable, pre-streaming days. Here's a brief synopsis of each of the four films featured in Cold War Creatures: Four Films By Sam Katzman:

1. Creature with the Atom Brain (1955) – A gangster unleashes remote-controlled corpses, aka atomic age zombies, as instruments of revenge upon the men who got him deported. There are some effectively scary moments in this gangster flick mashed up with a mad scientist thriller, directed by Edward L. Cahn. Note for rock and roll fans; this is the film upon which psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson (of The 13th Floor Elevators) based his same named song. Here's a look at the trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L82jN6Z6qUE.

2. The Werewolf (1956) – This science-fiction infused variation on werewolf tales features an amnesiac man who transforms into a monster and terrorizes a small town. But how did he become a werewolf, and can he be captured before he wreaks more havoc? This offbeat and eerie film is well-directed by Fred F. Sears, and features a couple of genuine scares. Here's the trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI4pMEpCkAI.

3. Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) – This horror tale features treasure hunters who get more than they bargained for when they run afoul of the walking dead while searching for diamonds on a sunken ship. This is kind of a film noir (complete with a femme fatale) cross-wired with a zombie flick. Edward L. Cahn is back behind the camera for this one. Here's the trailer for this underwater (?) zombie thriller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3kpfVH1bT8.

4. The Giant Claw (1957) – This vintage monster movie is famous (or is that infamous?) for featuring one of the silliest looking monsters ever put on film, in the story of a giant bird terrorizing the world. You have to see this one to believe it. It's a fairly standard and decently made 1950s monster film, until the not so terrifying title menace shows up. Fred F. Sears returns to direct this one. Here's the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOj0nXpRqX8.

There are a lot of familiar faces among the casts in these films, including Allison Hayes (who starred as the title "creature" in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) in Zombies of Mora Tau, Don Megowan in The Werewolf, and Jeff Morrow (This Island Earth) and Mara Corday (Tarantula) in The Giant Claw. I have an unabashed love for these type of movies, and the ones selected for this set are prime examples of the kind of films Hollywood doesn't make anymore. No one is ever going to call these movies A-list classics, but they're very entertaining, and in the case of The Werewolf, you might just discover a well-crafted and under-appreciated B-movie gem. As a big fan of Allison Hayes, I also like Zombies of Mora Tau quite a bit, but Creature with the Atom Brain and The Giant Claw are also enjoyable.

All four of the films in this set look great, and the hi-definition remasters are well done. This beautifully put together collection is jam packed with extras, including an introduction for each film by noted author and critic Kim Newman, audio commentaries from various experts, featurettes on the themes and subtexts of Katzman's movies, and a biography/presentation on Katzman's career by writer Stephen R. Bissette. Also included are lobby card reproductions, two double-sided posters, and two booklets which include articles and analysis on each of the films, as well as a wealth of photos. This lovingly crafted set is a wonderful tribute to the movies of Sam Katzman, and it's truly a gift for "Monster Kids" and classic B movie fans everywhere. Here's a video from Arrow Video that shows you the lavish extras included in the set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBVTPZcuizg.