The William Castle Blogathon :: Feel Every Thrill of the Blazing Battle and Savage Siege! (August, 1953)

 

 

 

 

 

 
After taking a brief hiatus from Columbia for a string of film noir pot-boilers at Universal International (– films that, alas, I have no ads for yet … stress on the yet), William Castle migrated back and started a five year (and nearly a dozen picture) odyssey under the tutelage of producer and notorious industry cheapskate, Sam Katzman, beginning right here with Fort Ti. E’yup. A few years before he started insuring audiences, wiring up seats, and floated skeletons over audiences, this marked Castle’s first official foray into gimmick film-making. Though technically a western, I suppose, Castle’s little adventure into the Third Dimension actually takes place during the French and Indian War, where Roger’s Rangers come to the aid of the British outpost at Fort Ticonderoga, currently on the verge of being overrun by said hostile parties. And just like with his later product, Castle doesn’t cheat the audience, exploiting the stereoscopic process for all it was worth.
 

 
This re-post is part of Goregirl’s Dungeon and The Last Drive-In’s The William Castle Blogathan, a week long tribute to the King of Schlock. Follow the linkage, Boils & Ghouls. It’s gonna be a great week. And stick around, as we’ll be showcasing Castle’s film career from its fairly normal beginnings through it psychotronic glory days. Stay tuned!

Fort Ti (1953) Esskay Pictures Corporation :: Columbia Pictures / P: Sam Katzman / D: William Castle / W: Robert E. Kent / C: Lester White, Lothrop B. Worth / E: William A. Lyon / M: Ross DiMaggio / S: George Montgomery, Joan Vohs, Irving Bacon, James Seay, Phyllis Fowler

Pardon My Backfire (1953) Columbia Pictures / P: Jules White / D: Jules White / W: Felix Adler / C: Henry Freulich / E: Edwin H. Bryant / S: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Benny Rubin, Frank Sully