Voodoo Woman
Encyclopedia
Voodoo Woman is a horror film
directed by Edward L. Cahn and released by American International Pictures
.
), discover gold in the voodoo idol of a tribe of the African
jungle
. Hoping to find more such treasures, they con
the innocent Ted Bronson (Mike Connors
) into acting as a jungle guide and leading them to the tribe that made the idol.
Meanwhile, Dr. Roland Gerard (Tom Conway
), a mad scientist
who has exiled himself deep in the same jungle, is using a combination of native voodoo and his own biochemical
discoveries in an attempt to create a superhuman being. He hopes that this being, possessing the best of man and beast, will be the mother of a new perfect and deathless race which he will control with a mixture of hypnosis
and telepathy
. He is accompanied by his wife, Susan (Mary Ellen Kaye), who has long since disavowed her husband but remains trapped by her husband and the natives.
Dr. Gerard's initial attempts to create a female superbeing are a failure because the transformation is only temporary and she lacks the killer instinct he deems necessary for survival. However, when he stumbles upon the party of treasure hunters, he decides that Marilyn will be a perfect subject for his experiment. He successfully turns her into an invulnerable monster, but her inherent selfishness and greed outweigh his mental control over her and she turns on him. Ted and Susan are able to escape in the ensuing chaos.
into a TV film that is considered even worse, Curse of the Swamp Creature
.
On a more personal level, in his The Pit and the Pen column in Fangoria
magazine producer Alex Gordon
revealed that the movie nearly caused a break-up with his then-fiancee Ruth Alexander. Proud of the finished production he took her to see it at its Burbank
premiere only to have her hand back his engagement ring
when it was over, telling him that he should be making prestigious high class art films and not trash like this. Luckily, his brother Richard
was able to explain to her the differences between low budget and big budget film-making, and she and Alex were eventually married, with her later actually scripting several of his features.
the year before.
The original make-up design for the voodoo woman was deemed unsuitable at the last minute and the title monster is actually the She Creature costume hurriedly stripped of its tail, fins and pincer-like
claws. What remained was the bulky Thing
-style body, which was wrapped in a burlap
sarong
and topped with a modified skull
mask
and big blond
wig
. Cahn worked actively to conceal this fact, using quick cuts and keeping her mostly in shadows or behind foliage. The rumbling growl of a lion
was also dubbed
for added effect.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
directed by Edward L. Cahn and released by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
.
Synopsis
A pair of treasure hunters, which includes the beautiful but ruthless Marilyn Blanchard (Marla EnglishMarla English
Marla English is a motion picture actress from San Diego, California who made movies in the 1950s.English was originally signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures after winning a San Diego beauty pageant...
), discover gold in the voodoo idol of a tribe of the African
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
. Hoping to find more such treasures, they con
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
the innocent Ted Bronson (Mike Connors
Mike Connors
Mike Connors is an American actor best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series, Mannix. Before that, he had played a crime-fighting investigator, wielding a .38 handgun hidden in his back, in another CBS series, Tightrope.-Early life:Connors was born Krekor Ohanian in...
) into acting as a jungle guide and leading them to the tribe that made the idol.
Meanwhile, Dr. Roland Gerard (Tom Conway
Tom Conway
Tom Conway was a British film and radio actor, and elder brother of actor George Sanders.-Early life:...
), a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
who has exiled himself deep in the same jungle, is using a combination of native voodoo and his own biochemical
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
discoveries in an attempt to create a superhuman being. He hopes that this being, possessing the best of man and beast, will be the mother of a new perfect and deathless race which he will control with a mixture of hypnosis
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
and telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
. He is accompanied by his wife, Susan (Mary Ellen Kaye), who has long since disavowed her husband but remains trapped by her husband and the natives.
Dr. Gerard's initial attempts to create a female superbeing are a failure because the transformation is only temporary and she lacks the killer instinct he deems necessary for survival. However, when he stumbles upon the party of treasure hunters, he decides that Marilyn will be a perfect subject for his experiment. He successfully turns her into an invulnerable monster, but her inherent selfishness and greed outweigh his mental control over her and she turns on him. Ted and Susan are able to escape in the ensuing chaos.
Cast
- Chaka, the Witch DoctorWitch Doctor"Witch Doctor" is a song written and performed by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., and released in 1958 by Liberty Records under the name David Seville, a character whom Bagdasarian portrayed.-Song information:...
who is Gerard's partner in monster-making - played by Martin Wilkins - Bobo, the Gerards' native houseboyHouseboyA Houseboy is typically a male servant or assistant who performs domestic or personal chores. Examples of its usage include:*An American slang term that originated in World War II for a native boy who helped a soldier perform basic responsibilities like cleaning, laundry, ironing, shoe-shining,...
- played by Otis Greene - Gandor, a burly and surly native guard with a spear - played by Emmett Smith
- Zaranda, a gentle native girl and the first victim of Gerard's evil experiment - played by Jean Davis
- Susan Gerard, the doctor's trapped and terrified wife - played by Mary Ellen Kaye
- Rick Brady, Marilyn's cowardly killer of a boyfriend - played by Lance Fuller
- Marcel, a good-naturedly crooked barBar (establishment)A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
owner in a lawless African town - played by Paul Dubov - Harry West, a tough-talking treasure hunter who lets the wrong woman see a gold and gem-decorated voodoo doll - played Norman Willis
- Ted Bronson, a heroic, handsome but rather hapless jungle guide - played by Mike "Touch" ConnorsMike ConnorsMike Connors is an American actor best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series, Mannix. Before that, he had played a crime-fighting investigator, wielding a .38 handgun hidden in his back, in another CBS series, Tightrope.-Early life:Connors was born Krekor Ohanian in...
- The Voodoo Women, an identical pair of massively mutated zombies - created and played by Paul Blaisdell
Reception
The film is widely regarded as one of the worst films in cinema - yet in 1966, just nine years later, it was remade by Larry BuchananLarry Buchanan
Larry Buchanan was a film director, producer and writer, who proclaimed himself a "schlockmeister". Many of his titles have landed on "worst movie" lists, but all at least broke even and many made a profit.Buchanan was born in Mexia, Texas. He was orphaned as a baby, and was raised in Dallas in...
into a TV film that is considered even worse, Curse of the Swamp Creature
Curse of the Swamp Creature
-Plot:Deep in the rural swamps of Texas the insane Dr. Simond Trent is conducting experiments on the local swamp people in an attempt to discover the secret of evolution...
.
On a more personal level, in his The Pit and the Pen column in Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
magazine producer Alex Gordon
Alex Gordon (writer-producer)
Alex Gordon was a British writer and film producer.He produced eighteen films, including the American International Pictures films Day the World Ended and The She Creature...
revealed that the movie nearly caused a break-up with his then-fiancee Ruth Alexander. Proud of the finished production he took her to see it at its Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
premiere only to have her hand back his engagement ring
Engagement ring
An engagement ring is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married, especially in Western cultures. In the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America, engagement rings are traditionally worn only by women, and rings can feature diamonds or other gemstones. In other cultures...
when it was over, telling him that he should be making prestigious high class art films and not trash like this. Luckily, his brother Richard
Richard Gordon (film producer)
Richard Gordon was a British-born producer and financier of horror films.-Career:As a youth, Gordon displayed a love of films from an early age. While he was in school, he wrote articles on the subject, edited fan club magazines, and organized a film society...
was able to explain to her the differences between low budget and big budget film-making, and she and Alex were eventually married, with her later actually scripting several of his features.
Trivia
This film reunites Conway, English, Fuller, Dubov and Blaisdell, all of whom had previously appeared together in Cahn's The She CreatureThe She Creature
The She Creature is a 1956 American black-and-white horror film produced by American International Pictures from a script by Lou Rusoff , produced by Alex Gordon and directed by Edward L. Cahn...
the year before.
The original make-up design for the voodoo woman was deemed unsuitable at the last minute and the title monster is actually the She Creature costume hurriedly stripped of its tail, fins and pincer-like
Pincer (biology)
A pincer is the part of an arthropod that enables it to carry loads, to defend against other creatures, or to attack prey. In insects, the pincers are usually part of the creature's mandible, and often venom or acid can be injected through the pincer into an enemy during a pincer strike.Some...
claws. What remained was the bulky Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
-style body, which was wrapped in a burlap
Burlap
Hessian , or burlap in the US, is a woven fabric usually made from skin of the jute plant or sisal fibres, or may be combined with other vegetable fibres to make rope, nets, and similar products...
sarong
Sarong
A sarong or sarung is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a kilt by men and as a skirt by women throughout much of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric most often has woven plaid or...
and topped with a modified skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
and big blond
Blond
Blond or blonde or fair-hair is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some sort of yellowish color...
wig
Wig
A wig is a head of hair made from horsehair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair, or synthetic materials which is worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first...
. Cahn worked actively to conceal this fact, using quick cuts and keeping her mostly in shadows or behind foliage. The rumbling growl of a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
was also dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
for added effect.