50 Date Night Screams

"A Scream in the Night” from 1935 is a Lon Chaney, Jr vehicle that is deeply problematic when viewed today. On the face of it, it’s a crime drama set somewhere in the Middle East. However, as typical for the time, it manages to include a whole lot of things that aren’t necessary to tell the story of a jewel thief and the detectives looking to stop him. Mike and Amber dig into the highly questionable parts of this film while putting it into historical context and looking for something good in the narrative. Title: A Scream in the NightDirector: Fred C. NewmeyerIMDB Rating: 4.3 out of 10Rating: UnratedNotable actors: Lon Chaney Jr.Content warnings: Racism and racial slurs, violence, kidnapping, domestic violence, misogyny5th Edition Character: The Fly, a jewel thief and murdererLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkJ0_w23YQBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When is a train not a train? When it’s a phantom! In "The Phantom Express,” from 1932, the number of train accidents taking place is becoming alarming. The engineers are claiming that they are seeing a train on their track, come straight at them, leading to them applying the brakes and leading to derailment. But: there’s no train actually there. This poverty row thriller/whodunit offers some surprises and ingenuity as well as the cutest model train set ever. Get aboard with Mike and Amber for the details on this film as well as too many train puns.Title: The Phantom ExpressDirector: Emory JohnsonIMDB Rating: 5.3 out of 10Rating: Not RatedContent warnings: Death, train wreck, violence, kidnapping Hilarious tagline: “Terror rides the rails!"5th Edition Character: The Phantom Express, a ghost locomotive run by a wraith named Huntely and his 14 specters.   Learn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUQABR7eyKkInternet Archive: https://archive.org/details/phantom_expressBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Murder at Midnight” kept us guessing about the identity of the killer to the end. A high society party game of charades turns deadly when a man accidentally shoots a friend. The local police start to unravel the mystery behind the shooting when more bodies start piling up. Just when you think you know who the murderer is: they wind up dead themselves. Mike and Amber dig into this pre-Hayes early talkie that delivers some unique moments and surprising one-liners. Title: Murder at MidnightDirector: Frank R. StrayerIMDB Rating: 5.4 out of 10Rating: Not ratedContent warnings: Murder, gunplay, suicideHilarious tagline: “Is he dead?” “No. It’s his day off!"5th Edition Character: Phillipe Montrose, a rogue who mingles in high societyLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88hirTZBn0cBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Manfish,” from 1956, is a “find the treasure” adventure flick which takes place in the Caribbean. What sets this story apart is that it’s based on two Edgar Allan Poe stories, "The Gold-Bug" and "The Tell-Tale Heart.” The movie follows a ne’er do well captain of a turtle fishing boat and his crew, as they get involved with a local treasure hunter. They find mistrust and misadventure in equal measure, and wind up getting more than they bargained for. Mike and Amber take on this uneven but interesting film and discuss the original non-player character that Mike created after being inspired by “Manfish."Title: ManfishDirector: W. Lee WilderIMDB Rating: 4.6 out of 10Length: 1 hour and 26 minutesNotable actors: Lon Chaney Jr.Content warnings: Alcoholism, racism, misogyny, murder, animal crueltyHilarious tagline: "Three deep sea divers get involved in murder while searching for a lost treasure."5th Edition Character: Swede, the WeresharkLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4J1G7JhtskBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Strangers of the Evening" is a pre-Hayes code mystery from 1932. There's some body switching going on at the coroner's office, in order to cover up a crime. When a prominent person is presumed murdered, his daughter and her fiancée are the main suspects, because they've left town abruptly. Are these two completely different storylines that don't seem to have any connection? Yes, they are. How do they wind up coming together? Well, Amber had to watch the movie several times to understand. Amber and Mike discuss how it all ends and talk about the character Mike created for use in tabletop role playing games which you can download for free.Title: Strangers of the EveningDirector: H. Bruce HumberstoneIMDB Rating: 5.0 out of 10Rating: Not ratingContent warnings: Murder, Violence, and DeathHilarious tagline: “Snookie, tell me what happened!"Notable actors: Zasu Pitts, who was known for her self-effacing comedic roles in over 200 productions5th Edition Character: Dr. Chandler, a necromancerLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GMCe7weOsioBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The Vampires' Night Orgy" is a Spanish horror film from 1973 and directed by León Klimovsky. A group of stranded travelers seek refuge in a seemingly deserted village. However, they are attacked one by one by the villagers, who are undead creatures. Amber and Mike go over the high and low points of this quirky and inscrutable horror flick. Mike also discusses the non-player character he created for tabletop role playing games that is available for download.Title: The Vampires Night OrgyDirector: León KlimovskyIMDB Rating: 4.8 out of 10Rating: RContent warnings: blood, gore, death of a child, voyeurism, nudity, gross images, murder, violenceHilarious tagline: "When the moon is up the fun begins."5th Edition Character: The Countess, a vampireLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnnJF4G7FwsBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The Midnight Warning” is a mystery based on an urban legend. The plot follows the legend which might be called "The Vanishing Hotel Room" or "The Vanishing Lady.” A woman insists her brother was staying in a hotel room, but the hotel staff says they have no record that he was ever there. Mike and Amber go through this plot, which has some interesting twists, but falls flat at the ending, which was typical of a pre-Hayes code flick.Title: The Midnight WarningDirector: Spencer Gordon BennetIMDB Rating: 4.9 out of 10Rating: Not ratedContent warnings: Kidnapping/abduction, mental torture, trivialization of mental illness, trauma, corpse mutilation (offscreen), death (offscreen)Hilarious tagline: “Capitalism is a the real villain."5th Edition Character: Huntley Gordon, a necromancer who runs a profitable inn (Clarendon Arms) but performs plague experiments in the basementLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienWatch this movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBFTVQPVNT4Colorized version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbGuQKikD7EUrban legend “the vanishing hotel room”: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-vanishing-hotel-room/Buy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Death in the Shadows” is a mystery/thriller set outside of Amsterdam. When a woman is murdered, her high school aged daughter is left orphaned and looking for answers. Along the way she discovers some unpleasant truths, and becomes a target for the murderer herself. Mike and Amber take on this quirky little film that demonstrates why adults shouldn’t try to outsmart teenaged girls.Title: Death in the ShadowsDirector: Vivian PietersIMDB Rating: 5.1 out of 10Rating: R (?)Content warnings: Pornographic content, Sex with a Minor, Violence, Trivializing Mental IllnessPositive content: Teen empowerment, justice servedHilarious tagline: “They murdered the woman she thought was her mother — and now they’re after her — but why?"5th Edition Character: Van Maurik, a villainous gnomish bankerLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnWatch this movie on YouTube:English Dubbed: https://youtu.be/Jpm_FJWCK_EDutch Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0OKOsRXmicThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The Wasp Woman” is a monster of the week movie that has many facets. It makes use of some tired tropes, but it also brings something new to the genre. The founder of a cosmetic company is afraid of losing her looks as she ages, and decides to use an experimental treatment to look younger. The script plays fast and loose with wasp morphology and society in order to make the premise work. Mike and Amber get into it, teasing out the themes of corporate greed, feminism, ageism, and addiction.Title: The Wasp WomanDirector: Roger CormanIMDB Rating: 4.8 out of 10Rating: Not ratedContent warnings: Animal cruelty, Drug Use, Murder, Body Shaming, AgeismHilarious tagline: “A beautiful woman by day — a lusting queen wasp by night."YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpPAN6frZmUColorized version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiL8C_O5YwA5th Edition Character: Starlin, a werewaspLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The Phantom," a thriller/mystery from 1931 may in fact be a parody. It’s an early "talkie," and was the final film for silent movie star Allene Ray. It is filled with some of the tropes we are familiar with today: a daring prison escape, a masked killer, mistaken identity, and characters who provide some comic relief through overacting. It’s a worthy effort for the time, and Mike and Amber discuss both the merits and the pitfalls of this historical curiosity.Title: The PhantomDirector: Alan JamesIMDB Rating: 4.3 out of 10Content warnings: Kidnapping and abduction, Mental illness and ableism. Trivializing Mental IllnessHilarious tagline: "A group of people are stalked by a masked killer in an old mansion."Length: 1 hour and 2 minutes5th Edition Character: The Phantom, a mind flayer (can't use mind flayers though) with affinity for brain transplantsLearn more at World of Welstar:Twitter: @WorldofWelstarInstagram: @world_of_welstarFacebook: @worldofwelstarPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/talienBuy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGnWatch the movie on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AbxEtjzG5YThese show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.