B-Movies

Besides Annette Funicello, this one introduced Bobbie Shaw. She did other parts, but she’ll be best remembered for her performance as the Swede in the fur-trimmed bikini.

The War in Space was Toho’s Star Wars cash-in. Pop singer Yuko Asano puts in a memorable bit when she’s captured by the enemy and forced to wear a black leather bathing suit.

The title Prehistoric Women was re-used in 1966 by Hammer Film Studios. (The British title was Slave Girls.) At any rate, this Prehistoric Women has nothing to do with the 1950 film.

Here we have that rarest of things; a 50’s sci-fi film that’s not good. The concept of Fire Maidens of Outer Space is serviceable, the problem is it’s played out in a listless fashion.

The most notable bit of casting is German pinup girl Barbara Valentin in her first credited role. Barbara was a glamorous blonde of the Bardot/Diana Dors/Jayne Mansfield variety.

This space opera has a bad rep, but it’s a joyous, colorful romp. Astronauts who have crashed on Venus find the planet populated by Amazons with designs on the rest of the galaxy.

Though the hoi polloi loathed Mickey Spillane’s pulpy-yet-cynical series of novels about tough guy private dick Mike Hammer, the public loved them and lapped them up