HARRY THOMAS - Hollywood Monster Maker

It's time to pay some attention to Mr. Harry Thomas, another Monster Maker that did a ton of cool stuff during his career. His name may not be that well known, but his work is. I read an article on Harry in FILMFAX Magazine in the late nineties, I loved it because he had such great stories about the low budget productions he worked on...

Here are four posters from a few of the movies he worked on, some real classics. I noticed in the MISSILE TO THE MOON poster that both the women look like Sanita Pelkey's character, maybe because she was the prettiest of all the Moon Girls!

And, here's our hard working man in a photo late in his career, Harry worked in film from 1936-78 with 99 Makeup Department credits... What a guy!

In 1951 Harry was brought in to create the makeup for the little guys for SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE-MEN which was edited for the 2 episode TV story in THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN.

Look at this devil makeup for GLEN OR GLENDA in 1953, pretty wild, huh? Harry said that correctly lighting his creations was the key to their on screen eeriness.

Here's Robert (INVADERS FROM MARS) Shayne as Professor Groves changing into THE NEANDERTHAL MAN also from 1953, Harry said that he was very disappointed in this production because the producers would not allow him to take the time to light the monster correctly...

Harry also did the makeup on Tandra (MESA OF LOST WOMEN) Quinn, the housekeeper for Groves who he's experimenting on with his special throwback serum.

I had to throw this shot in, it's only shown for a flash, but, this is supposed to be the saber-tooth tiger that Groves created using his serum on a small cat!

Then in 1954, Harry came up with the bright idea to use ping pong balls for the alien eyeball makeup in KILLERS FROM SPACE. As filmmakers ourselves, we love 30 cent props!

In 1957 Harry was brought in to create the mutants in the cellar and do Sally (FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER) Todd's creepy makeup for the production of THE UNEARTHLY.

Harry was also responsible for both the makeup for Sandra (THE TERROR) Knight and the monster played by Harry (UNKNOWN ISLAND) Wilson who is supposed to be the Sally Todd character after she was run over by Olive Frank in 1958's FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.

Harry did a lot of work for Ed Wood, I think Vampira did her own makeup but Harry did the makeup job on Tor (BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS) Johnson for PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE in 1959.

Also in 1959 he worked on Ed's NIGHT OF THE GHOULS, doing the makeup on Lobo, which is pretty creepy. Ed could not afford to make the film prints but Wade Williams was responsible for finishing and releasing it in the 1980's.

Harry also worked on Roger Corman's THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS in 1960.

In 1966 (the year Eegah!! and I graduated from high school) Harry did the makeup for this poor guy that got too close to one of the killer plants in THE NAVY vs. THE NIGHT MONSTERS.

Harry was also showcased in this article in one of the many Monster Mags that we collected. Hope you enjoyed this little post, we just love those creative monster makers from vintage Hollywood. Tune in tomorrow when we'll pull something out of our slimy sleeve for you!

ENIGMA ROSSO - Riz Ortolani - "Trauma" (1978)

Welcome back to another Warped Wednesday the 13th down in The Dungeon!

And when I say warped, I mean it! This film is so twisted, they couldn't even figure out what to call it! The original title is "Enigma Rosso," and it must have really been an enigma, because they tried every trick in the book to sell it! The version I was able to acquire is simply called "Trauma," and it shouldn't be confused with the 1962 title "Trauma," nor either of the 1976 releases with the same name, or any of the other seven "Trauma" titles that have come out over the years!

It's also been released as "Red Rings Of Fear," and plain old "Rings Of Fear!"

And it's been released as "Nemesis,"  "Virgin Killer, and "Virgin Terror!"

In an effort to be totally original, the main location for most of the killing is a religious school for girls!

And that allows for shower scenes, and a boob count of somewhere around 50 if I had to guess!

Will this strange cat icon on a pair of jeans reveal any clues?

A white horse goes crazy and throws it's rider when it gets shot in the ass with this dart!

The music in this thrillfest was created by the omnipotent Maestro Riz Ortolani! Riz was one of those slacker musician types who only managed to rack up 228 composing credits! You can read about four of them by searching for Riz on the sidebar! His funky 70's music could possibly be the highlight of this film, and if you don't believe me, then take a listen to this!

The body count just keeps piling higher!

Still working today, Fabio (Whatever Happened To Solange?) Testi is Inspector Gianni Di Salvo, the man in charge of putting all the pieces of this puzzle together! I liked this one scene where he's wearing his cat!

 From girl's school to abortion clinic!

 Inspector Di Salvo has a unique way of getting answers to difficult questions! He doesn't screw around with penny ante things like waterboarding, he just takes the perp on a terrifying roller coaster ride, and doesn't quit until he gets some answers!

 This cute little girl is not any way near as sweet as she looks!

And this happy ending is bittersweet and not exactly satisfying!

This poster from the original title looks like it's from a James Bond movie! 

It's all just a little strange, and that, my friends, is why you find movies like this in 50 movie packs for next to nothing!

THE UNKNOWN / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer - 1927

Welp, it's time to pay a little visit with Mister Monster himself in a wild and crazy silent movie directed by Tod Browning, who doesn't do anything that isn't complicated. It also stars 22 year old Joan Crawford as the love interest.

I got this copy off TCM, it looks like they redid the title and dialogue cards as the best print available isn't that great, they look too modern to me though.

Lon Chaney is showman Alonzo The Armless, knife throwing ace for the circus.

After using a pistol with his feet to shoot beautiful Nanon's dress off, he then tosses knives around her while the stage spins!

Alonzo is in love with Nanon but sees her with the handsome strongman, Malabar.

Then, Alonzo hears her ranting about...

Uh-oh, things aren't what they seem! Alonzo's little pal Cojo helps him out of his harness after a show, revealing his arms.

It also comes out that Alonzo is hiding from the police from some earlier crime, and, he has a deformity of his thumb. A little detail in the story Lon probably had fun creating.

Great shot as Alonzo relaxes in his room, he's still using his feet while smoking! It's amazing to watch Lon effortlessly use his skills in this scene.

Alonzo wants Nanon bad! He knows how she feels about men's hands, so, he figures out a shocking plan to win her over!.. He blackmails a surgeon into... REMOVING HIS ARMS!!! What guys won't do for love, jeez!

After some time has passed, Alonzo has returned to the circus, Nanon updates him on her love life. Her and Malabar are madly in love, she has finally matured and is now all woman!

Put yourself in Alonzo's shoes, whoa, the look on his face says it all...

Rich people always love a good show when someone might lose their life in a death defying event like this one...

Malabar is holding back two horses on tread mills while the crowd goes wild.

There is a lever that will stop the tread mills in case of emergency, so, Alonzo's plan is to pull the lever and have the horses rip Malabar's arms off. There is a weird theme about arms going on here...

All Hell breaks loose and Nanon tries to help her lover while nearly being trampled.

Alonzo flips out and pushes Nanon out of the way only to be the one to get trampled! It makes you flinch when the horse comes down on Alonzo, it looks real...