You are sure to go Ape for this boxed set!
Gregory Holmes | 12/05/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rarely do I feel like I get more than my money's worth when buying any video but this incredible edition of 10 gorilla films is a real steal and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. The curious subgenre of gorilla cinema from the 30's and 40's is now extinct but you can see what all the fuss was about with this amazing collection. The packaging alone is worth the price. This 3 disc set comes in a box with a hinged lid that, when raised, reveals a pop-up gorilla and maiden in a bright purple diorama. Alpha is always great when it comes to cover art but they have outdone themselves this time. The package includes ten of the most curious cinematic treasures you are ever likely to encounter.
The picture quality of the films ranges from average to prestine. Included here are:
THE APE with Boris Karloff. This one is really very good. Picture and sound quality is excellent.
THE GORILLA a mystery/comedy with Bela Lugosi. This one is very entertaining and again picture and sound quality are very good.
BRIDE OF THE GORILLA features Raymond Burr and is a very interesting film. Again PQ and sound are excellent.
THE APE MAN with Bella Lugosi. This is pretty routine stuff, certainly not Lugosi's best work. Picture quality is okay but the sound is a bit muddy througout the picture.
SAVAGE GIRL, a very charming adventure film. Good sound and PQ.
NABONGA, a truly surreal adventure/mystery. Watch for some very strange dialog between Buster Crabb and Julie London. I'm not sure what the point of this film was but it is unforgetable stuff.
LAW OF THE JUNGLE is an adventure comedy that is pretty wild and contians lots of racist and sexist attitudes on display. PQ and sound are very good.
WHITE PONGO is a fairly dull adventure pic with average PQ and sound.
THE WHITE GORILLA gets my vote for one of the worst films ever made. Forget about it. It's a real ripoff.
BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA is a comedy/adventure/musical that is all over the place but is always entertaining. Bela looks a bit embarrased to be in this thing. For lovers of truly strange cinema, this one is a real must see. Picture and sound quality are prestine, the best of the bunch.
If you are not familiar with the gorilla film genre then this is the place to start checking it out. The price is cheap enough, the movies are all watchable (with the exception of the awful WHITE GORILLA) and I'm sure you've never seen anything like it. If nothing else you will be amazed by how many ugly people were stars in 40's movies. While these films are not exactly cult classics (I suppose they could be considered microcult classics) they are representative of an extremely bizarro time in film history. Any lover of the genuinely weird is certain to be pleased with this outstanding collection. Bravo to Alpha video for putting this excellent package together."
Let's hear it for the monkey!
Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 08/22/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"ALPHA's SONS OF KONG 10 movie pack includes a cute marketing gimmick: underneath the front cover is a 3-D pop-up of the ape reaching for a blonde in a short white dress who's standing near some jungle foliage. Inside the box are your typical public domain fright films, with a couple of exceptions.
"Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla" is rarely seen in collections like this one, probably because it is Lugosi at the very nadir of his career-- it's wincingly bad! Cast includes the original Pancho from "The Cisco Kid" MOVIE series (not the TV show). "Law of the Jungle," which is a bit of enjoyable monkey business (to use a simian simile), is also not in wide circulation.
Please note that this manufacturer often compresses too much time on a single disc; video quality suffers as a result.
For the ultimate in monster and other fright films, check out MILL CREEK's HORROR 250 MOVIE PACK.
Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.
(4.1) The Ape (1940) - Boris Karloff/Maris Wrixson/Gene O'Donnell
(4.0) The Ape Man (1943) - Bela Lugosi/Wallace Ford
(2.3) Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) - Bela Lugosi/Martin Garralaga
(4.1) Bride of the Gorilla (1951) - Lon Chaney Jr./Raymond Burr
(4.7) The Gorilla (1939) - Jimmy, Harry & Al Ritz/Anita Louise/Patsy Kelly/Bela Lugosi (in support)
(5.3) Law Of The Jungle (1942) - Arline Judge/John 'Dusty' King/Mantan Moreland/Arthur O'Connell/Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
(4.7) Nabonga (1944) - Buster Crabbe/Barton MacLane/Julie London
(4.2) The Savage Girl (1932) - Rochelle Hudson/Walter Byron
(4.4) The White Gorilla (1945) - Ray Corrigan/Lorraine Miller
(2.5) White Pongo (1945) - Richard Fraser/Maris Wrixon"