Merkins and Humppes

One of the oddest movie titles ever is Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? This 1969 film, directed by and starring Anthony Newley, was rated X on its initial release (sexy but not pornographic according to critics). I've always wanted to see this, but I've never run across it. After reading some summaries and given that it's Newley at the helm, it's probably very similar to his Stop the World I Want to Get Off, which was interesting but not nearly as charming or profound as Newley seemed to think it was. The first ad is from Columbus Ohio, 50 years ago this week; the second from Honoluly in August of '69.

At the drive-in 60 years ago

I guess I'm feeling a little trashy today. Here are a few ads featuring perfect examples of drive-in exploitation movies which were playing around the country in the fall of 1959, 60 years ago.

A double bill of High School Big Shot and T-Bird Gang. The lead in High School Big Shot, Tom Pittman, died in a car accident just two weeks after this film was released. T-Bird Gang had Ed Nelson (Peyton Place) and Vic Tayback (the diner owner in Alice) in supporting roles.

I love the title of Louisiana Hussy, which involves a woman seducing two brothers, one of whom is a newlywed. The Beatniks has Peter Breck from Big Valley in a supporting role.

Back in the summer, a Columbus drive-in was showing Because of Eve, one of those supposedly educational movies about childbirth, firsr released in 1948. The co-feature, Dangerous Age, was a 1957 teenage angst movie. A color ad appears below, highlighting the tastes of life and love (probably more like the taste of lipstick)

September 1981 in Columbus Ohio

A sampling of what was playing in Columbus in September, 1981.

The first time I felt a bit disillusioned with Hollywood horror was with American Werewolf in London. It seemed like the movie makers couldn't decide on comedy, drama or horror, and they kept stopping the action to show off their special effects.

I saw Body Heat before I saw its inspiration, the classic noir Double Indemnity. Indemnity is great, and Body Heat is pretty good, too.

How proud the local Loews theaters must have been to snag the premiere of Soggy Bottom USA with Ben Johnson (years after he won a well-deserved Oscar for The Last Picture Show), Dub Taylor (lots and lots of big-bellied parts on TV), and Don Johnson (pre-Miami Vice). Looks like a Southern family comedy, though info on it is hard to find.

John Travolta triple feature from Paramont: Blow Up, Grease, and Saturday Night Fever.

The Unseen, a "what's in the basement?"horror film with Barbara Bach, former Bond girl and wife to Ringo Starr.