From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Ape Man (1943)

Posted on September 23, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update as these themed updates are so much fun to do and you readers really seem to enjoy them. For this update we will be taking a look at the 1943 B-Movie classic The Ape Man that stars horror icon Bela Lugosi as the title character and the Blood Scream Comics adaptation of the film that was done by Scott Scarborough who took the story of the film and added an Ohio touch to it as well as adds his own touches to make it more spooky as well as silly. Due to this comic being released by Blood Scream Comics I will not be giving the comic a star rating as that just feels gross to do as I am connected to Blood Scream and I am proud of everything we have released. I am a fan of the film Ape Man and really am looking forward to doing this update, so if you are ready, let’s dive into this From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update.

Let’s first take a look at Dr. James Brewster, the villain and killer of the film, and his ways of dealing death to his victims. Dr. James Brewster is a brilliant scientist who during a failed experiment turns himself into a half man and half ape being that is filled with anger and sorrow. Brewster has super human strength and can use this in order to squeeze and choke the life out of his victims, he can also use it to his advantage to keep them captive as well as at bay. His anger can fuel him into going into an almost berserk like rage and will cause him to rampage and during this time he can cause death as well as serious injury. His appearance as well can shock those that see him as his long jet back hair and crazed eyes as well a grunting noises and ape like walk is sure to strike terror in his victims. Dr. James Brewster also has the need for human spinal fluid in order to try and find a cure for his condition makes him dangerous, as he is desperate and will commit murder or have others do so for him in order to get it. Brewster also has a gorilla named Ape as a friend that he abuses as well as commands to do his bidding and that includes abducting and murder. Dr. James Brewster, while strong and brilliant, does have weaknesses that could lead to his death as while enhanced he is still a living breathing man creature. Brewster has temper tantrums that cause him to lash out and break things around him causing destruction and also make him very sloppy in protecting himself and this could lead to an accident or even him being killed by someone who is wise to his evil ways. Also his nasty temper and lack of respect for his gorilla sidekick Ape can lead to his death as if he pushes the primate to far the animal might just fight back and break his back or crush his neck. Dr. James Brewster can also be stopped by being shot, burned, stabbed, poisoned or crushed as well as could die from other natural things that kill humans. One of his biggest flaws that could lead to his destruction would be his slow decent into madness as it is mudding up his brain and causing him to truly become a savage animal. Say what you will but Dr. James Brewster aka The Ape Man is very dangerous and his rage and madness makes him a threat to anyone who gets in his way.

Now that we have chatted about Dr. James Brewster aka The Ape Man and his murderous and sinister ways of dealing death, I think we should now chat about the 1943 film he is from called The Ape Man. I would like to remind you readers that I will be taking the film’s plot from our friends at IMDB and after that I will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts on the film. So with that, let’s avoid Ape and try and sneak into the lab of Brewster.

Ape Man (1943)

“Conducting weird scientific experiments, crazed Dr. James Brewster, aided by his colleague Dr. Randall, has managed to transform himself into a hairy, stooped-over ape-man. Desperately seeking a cure, Brewster believes only an injection of recently-drawn human spinal fluid will prove effective. With Randall refusing to help him, it falls to Brewster and his captive gorilla to find appropriate donors.”

The Horror boom of the 1930’s continued into the 1940’s and during this time many smaller film producers as well as production companies got into the act of making spooky films to fill the theaters as movie goers seemed not to be able to get enough. Monogram Pictures was one of these companies and along with the producers Sam Katzman, Jack Dietz and Barney Sarecky they came up with the idea for a sci-fi horror film that would be called “The Gorilla Strikes” and would later have a title change to “The Ape Man”. The film’s script was written by Barney A. Sarecky and was based on the Karl Brown story “They Creep In The Dark” and they hired on William Beaudine to direct as he was a veteran of cinema as he had been making movies snce the 1920’s! When casting the film they brought in such names as Louise Currie, Wallace Ford, Henry Hall, Emil Van Horn, Minerva Urecal and the big star for the film was Bela Lugosi who would play Dr. James Brewster, the film’s main villain. At this time Lugosi was still working for Universal from time to time and was still a big name at the box office for Horror and that is why the indie companies tried to lock him in for these roles. The film began filming on December 18, 1942 and was filmed in only 15 days and was your typical fast paced indie production for that era. The film would be released in theaters on March 5, 1943 and was met with mixed reviews from critics and fans. The film was released alongside such other films as Son Of Dracula, The Mad Ghoul, The Return Of The Vampire, I Walked With A Zombie, Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, Dead Men Walk and Phantom Of The Opera among others in 1943. The film would become a cult classic over the years once it was released on home media and new viewers discovered this fun and cheesy classic that has Bela Lugosi as a half man and half ape creature. The film would have a sequel in 1944 with “The Return Of The Ape Man” that was a very loose sequel and Bela Lugosi returns this time as Professor Dexter and the Ape Man is a Caveman. The film also starred John Carradine, George Zucco and Judith Gibson.

The Ape Man is one of those films that took me many years to track down and see as I had always read about it as I was a big fan of Bela Lugosi and had seen many of his films thanks to VHS releases as well as being aired on TV when I was a youth. But The Ape Man was one that seemed to not be carried at any of the rental stores my family had a card to and TV just seemed not to air it. But I finally got to see it when I was a teenager when I found a copy of the film on DVD released by Alpha Video at one of the local malls as my friend Josh Weinberg and I were on the prowl to find some classic Horror Films to watch while we scarfed down some fast food and talked about some shot on video movie ideas we had. And during that trip Josh bought the film “The Mad Monster” starring Glenn Strange and I have to say this made for a great double feature! When watching The Ape Man I was glued to it as I found it to be a very delightful cheesy z-grade film that showcased Lugosi doing what he does best and that was creep around all scary like and spook the viewers with his masterful performance. His appearance as The Ape Man was great as they gave Lugosi long black hair on his head, face and hands and the look of madness in his eyes made for some classic scares. After watching the film Josh and I even toyed with the idea of making a shot on video sequel to the film, that sadly we never did make, but man I wish we would have done that one as I am sure that it would have been a cheesy watch just like the original…and who knows maybe one day I will get the old Independent B Movie and Bloodline Video crews back together and make Ape Man 3 as I am sure the awesome company SOV Horror would love to release it! I feel that many of the Z-Grade Horror Films that Bela Lugosi made in the 40’s and 50’s are often over looked and tossed aside for being Golden Turkeys but I have to say many of these films are loads of fun. The Corpse Vanishes, Bride Of The Monster, Voodoo Man, The Black Sheep and Devil Bat are all great and entertaining films in their own right. In fact, if you have not seen Devil Bat make sure to check it out as it’s an over the top film that Lugosi shines in. But back to The Ape Man, I also have to point out that I really like the film’s score music done by Edward J. Kay as the opening them to the film is very exciting sounding and draws you in. I also have to say that actress Louise Currie who plays photographer Billie Mason is stunning and had worked with Bela Lugosi as well in 1944 in the film Voodoo Man. If you have not seen The Ape Man and love the films of Lugosi or just like 1940’s sci-fi horror, make sure to give this a watch as you can find the film on DVD as well as can watch it even on YouTube.

The Ape Man is truly a forgotten gem that blends horror, sci-fi, romance and even comedy together and was a fun film to watch Bela Lugosi act like an ape in as he would shuffle around the sets. And now that we have talked about the film as well as the main monster of it Dr. James Brewster, we are now at the part of this update that we will be taking a look at the comic book that is based on it! And I would like to thank Scott Scarborough for creating this comic for Blood Scream Comics and making this update possible. I would like to also remind you that due to this comic being released by Blood Scream Comics and by connection to this publisher I will not be giving this comic a star rating as that just seems very silly. So if you are ready, let’s head to the lab of Dr. James Brewster and see what kind of Ohio twist Scott put into this tale of classic terror. Oh and remember this review will have spoilers so read on if that does not bother you.

Ape Man # 1
Released in 2021 Cover Price $3.99 Blood Scream # 1 of 1

Dr. James Brewster is locked in a cage in his lab in Ohio, as he was trying to find a cure for polio as he had been diagnosed with the disease but instead of finding a cure has turned himself into a monster that is part man and part ape as he has to inject himself with the spinal fluid of apes in order to live. Dr. George Randall has called for Agatha Brewster, the sister of James who is also a scientist that is working in Africa, and the three are trying to find a cure. When there Agatha also meets the gorilla sidekick and friend of James named Ape who is very loyal as unknown to all James has been injecting Ape with human brain fluids to make him smarter as the two have plans to take over the world. Outside the Brewster estate, FBI Agent Richards as well as photographer Billie are watching as a newspaper reporter is peeking in the windows and this leads to Ape going outside and removing the head of the reporter! And Agent Richards calls his boss J. Edger Hoover for permission to investigate the Brewster Home as he and Billie saw Ape and The Ape Man. That night Brewster and Ape go after Wilber Wright at his home but things go wrong when FBI Agents bust in and wound Ape, the agents are both killed and Wilber escapes. But as Brewster and Ape are returning hope they run across Agent Richards and Billie and after Ape beats Richards bloody Brewster takes Billie to his lab as he wants to make her is bride and the mother of what will bring in the new race of super apes! Once at the lab Brewster is using his experiments on Billie and George tries to stop him only to have his neck slit, more FBI Agents also rush in and end up killing Ape with bullets as well as electrocuting him…as Brewster tries to get away with Billie he is as well shot and as he is dying he laughs as he knows that this is far from over as Billie is now half ape like he! And it was Agatha Brewster who had tipped off the FBI all along.

This is such a fun and creative take on the 1943 film Ape Man as when you read this issue it comes off more like an alternative universe version of what Dr. James Brewster could have been if he was in Ohio and working for the government to find a cure for polio when he was turned into The Ape Man. The new twists and turns for the story are also lots of fun as we get to see Ape Man and Ape be more of friends who have an idea to make Earth a true to life Planet Of The Apes. We get cameos from such historic figures as J. Edger Hoover and Wilber Wright, who of course is one half of the Wright Brothers who invented flight as we know it. Scott, the madman behind this comic, also takes away the humor and the newspaper reporter hero is traded in for FBI Agents and he adds in a good amount of blood and gore to make horror comic readers very happy. Dr. James Brewster is a madman who has turned himself into a Ape Man and instead of wanting to cure himself would rather stay this way and wants to make Apes smarter in order to run the world, he also enjoys killing and wants to use the fluids he takes from his victims to make his friend Ape smarter. Dr. Brewster is both sinister and smart and all signs of having human feelings are gone as he is truly a monster. Ape is Brewster’s gorilla sidekick and best friend who is super strong, smart and also very brutal as he takes human life with ease and will also die for his friend in order to protect him. Agatha and George are fitting parts who both want to help Brewster find a “cure” but also want to try and stop his killing ways to achieve it. The FBI Agents are brave and charge in to the rescue as the local cops are goofs and botch the capture of The Ape Man as the President wanted him taken alive, but instead he is shot and killed. In this comic as well it’s shown that Dr. Brewster did not start with apes but instead with wolves and one of his past assistants was injected with wolf spinal fluid and was turned into a weird wolf life creature that escaped into the woods, a very cool touch as I like the idea that Brewster tried other animals before the Gorilla and this makes him some what of a Dr. Moreau type mad scientist as we as a Dr. Jekyll as Brewster’s experiment gone wrong turned him into a cruel monster as well. The comic has two different covers both showcasing Ape Man as well as Ape and both are very cool and eye catching for fans of Indie Horror Comics. Scott Scarborough’s interior artwork is really great stuff and I love the way he draws both Ape Man and Ape and his gore is over the top and cartoonish that gives it a charm all of its own and for me that is awesome. Over all The Ape Man from Blood Scream Comics is truly an experience of it’s own and while elements of the film and characters are there it’s a whole new experience that will truly delight readers. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by Scott in this issue.

The Ape Man is a great comic by Scott Scarborough who brings the terror feel of the film more to the front and plays more on the sci-fi horror elements for his comic and that is one of the great skills that Scott as a creator has and that is he can bring out the scary elements but they truly have that b-movie feel that makes them very entertaining reads. And for those who are wondering, you can get a copy of Ape Man # 1 from HERE while supplies last and make sure to check out some of Scott’s other work that includes The Wolf Hunter # 1, The Cool Ghoul # 0 and Captain Scurvy # 1 with that last two being based on TV Horror Hosts and the first being the classic Shot On Video film by director Matt Hoffman. And with that this update has come to an end and before we head our separate ways, I would like to let you know that our next update will continue our countdown to Halloween 2024 and will keep us in the groove of another From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update as we look at Return Of The Living Dead! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a classic horror film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update as we party with the living dead!

Wild West Round Up: The Law Rides Again (1943)

Posted on March 23, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to the Rotten Ink Ranch. I am sure you can smell that chili cooking over the campfire and you know that we will be talking about another classic western film that was released on DVD by Alpha Video around the old fire as we eat a bowl or two. This Wild West Round Up update will like always have one film that I will break down. I will talk about the plot of the film and will also use pictures to do so. I will also very quickly talk about the film’s production as well as the lead star of the film, and sometimes even the director, as they are very important to the film as well. Also for these updates I will find a chili recipe online and cook up a batch and watch the movie while eating a bowl or two…and the chili and the film will be graded on a 1-4 star scale! This should be a fun time as Rotten Ink Ranch has been kind enough to allow us to sit around a campfire and cook some chili and chat about good old western films. So if you are ready, let’s start The Law Rides Again and get this themed update started and the chili cooking.

The Law Rides Again was a cheaply shot western film that was released on October 12, 1943 and was released by Monogram Pictures. Like many films at this time, it was filmed quick and cheap to get into the cinema to cash in on the still hanging on cowboy popularity. The film over the years has held up and is one that is mostly met with positive reviews from critics as well as fans. The director of this film was Alan James, who over his career directed over 70 films with many of them being westerns as well as the Dick Tracy serials from 1937. And besides directing, James was also known for his writing skills as he wrote over 60 scripts. The film’s main star was Ken Maynard, who plays the part of U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard. He was a true star when it came to acting in Western films, and this was his second time playing the U.S. Marshal character. It also had Hoot Gibson, Jack La Rue, Chief Thundercloud, Budd Buster and Betty Miles added to the cast. The film was cheap to shoot and when finished Frank Sanucci was brought in to score it. The film did well at the theaters and that was mainly due to the duo of Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson both who were really well loved by movie goers of the 1940’s. Over the years the film has built a following with fans who enjoy this era of Hollywood Westerns and as of this update’s posting holds a 6.1 out of 10 star rating on IMDB. The film has also been released on home media on multiple DVD labels.

For The Law Rides Again screening we decided to cook up some “Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili” a slow cooking chili that should be very tasty and is by Emily Walker and sounds like it could be a very good meal as we chose to fix and eat it on a very cold January day in 2022. We both picked this chili as it sounded really interesting and would have to slow cook for around four hours. So after getting all the ingredients, we placed it all into the crockpot and followed the recipe and we will soon find out if it’s as good as its sounds.

I have a blast doing these western and chili updates and for sure the “Wild West Round Up” will be around for a while here at Rotten Ink. I will be grading both the film and the chili on a classic 1-4 star scale. I also want to say on my film ratings, I am basing it on a scale that is for this era of classic westerns. So pull up a rock and gather by the campfire as it’s time to eat some home cooked chili and watch a western flick brought to us from the folks at Alpha Video.

The Law Rides Agian
Starring: Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson Directed: J.P. McGowan
Not Rated 1943 58min Alpha Video DVD Full Frame

A wagon train is spotted by an Indian Scout. He reports back to his tribe, and they decide to go on the attack! The people of the wagon train try to escape but they are no match and are caught and killed and many of the wagons are set on fire. The aftermath is spotted by Eagle Eye who in fear rides off heading into town.

Meanwhile in the Arizona Territory at the Commissioner’s Office Eagle Eye is inside talking to Commissioner Lee about the wagon ambush and is worked up over all that the tribe took and what they destroyed, and now the Commissioner is looking at U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson to investigate and see why the Native Americans have gone against the peace treaty. Ken and Hoot end up with an idea to use connected fugitive Duke Dillon to help find who is creating the tension and making the tribe attack the wagons, and Duke agrees to help dig and find the info as they promise his punishment would be made lighter for the help. Meanwhile in town Indian Agent John Hampton is talking with Chief Barking Fox as they have gotten a herd of cattle for the Indians and as well John slips Thundercloud, a brave, some coins and the deal is done.

The Marshal arrives at the jail with Duke Dillon arrive at the stage coach office and Betty Conway takes over the job or driving it as they head toward the town so that Duke can find the person who is causing the drama with the tribe. Meanwhile as Eagle Eye stops to take a drink of water he is almost hit with an arrow as the tribe have spotted him and do not want him on their land, they give chase to them and it’s luck that he is able to give them the slip. Eagle Eye rushes to the station and informs Pete Conway the owner of the stage couch company that the tribe is on a path of destruction…and lucky for them Ken and Hoot arrive and are told of the situation and they go after the stage coach and after a chase they are able to leap from their horses onto the coach and get Betty to stop it. But they are all unlucky as the Native American Tribe has shown up and now Betty’s driving skills are being put to the test. And during this chase Duke is able to get the Marshalls gun away from him and kill him and then leap out of the coach just as they reach the safety of the town as the Native Americans turn around. Meanwhile Ken, Hoot and Betty are unaware of the escape of Duke and the killing of the Marshall. And just Duke’s luck where he lands he finds a house that he limps to.

John Hampton and his men have gotten word that Duke Dillon is working alongside the law in order to help point the finger at the people who are working up the Native Americans and causing these attacks, and of course its them that are doing so and they have an idea to kill Duke as he exits the coach…but of course he has already escaped. Meanwhile Sheriff Jeff is called when the body of the Marshall is found and Ken and Hoot are taken in for questioning, as Betty does not know them and they are the ones who originally stopped her coach before the Indian attack. Hampton stops by and tries to get information from Betty and Jeff as well as acts as if he is not sure why the Indians are attacking and even more he wants to know who was the criminal passenger who was on the coach that escaped. And when he doesn’t get what he seeks he acts like he will help Jeff in finding out why the tribe is attacking.

Ken and Hoot are locked up in a jail cell for over three hours now and they are getting antsy as they want to be on their way to track down Duke And with a whistle they get their horses to show up at the jail window and Hoot uses a lasso to get Ken’s gun off the desk and they then use the rope to also tie to the horse who pulls the window out and they are now free. Sheriff Ken arrives at the jail just in time to see them ride off as he had been spending the morning talking to Betty and letting his prisoners think about the crime he thinks they did in jail. Meanwhile John Hampton is relieved that Ken and Hoot escaped as they think now the investigation into the Tribe attacks will be over.

Ken and Hoot return to the trail and find the tracks of Duke as well as the old house he is taking shelter in. Before the head to the house Hoot tells Ken that even though Duke double crossed them he still might be useful into the matter of finding out who is behind the Tribe attacking. When they get to the house they leave the horses by the door and walk away to the back of the house, as Duke limps out of the home thinking about stealing a horse to get away Hoot and Ken bust him as it was a trap and the crook fell for it. When caught the three head into the home to talk about the original plan as Duke claims he did not kill the Marshall that it was a bullet from the attacking tribe that killed him. Meanwhile back in town Thundercloud visits with Hampton who just wrapped up a meeting with Sheriff Jeff and warns him that trouble could be on the way as a white man has scheduled a meeting with Chief Barking Fox at sundown and this worries Hampton as he thinks that the gig could be exposed. And worse for Hampton is Ken, Hoot and Duke have just arrived in town and Duke heads toward Hampton’s building as Ken and Hoot watch on.

Ken and Hoot are shocked that Duke headed straight for Hampton’s post and they think that they should go and get the Sheriff and Hoot breaks off to go do so as Ken keeps his eye on the building. Inside Duke and Hampton have a talk and Duke alerts him that he has no intention in helping the law and turning in Hampton for his work on angering the Indians, and all he wants is for him to help him escape. Duke even says that if Hampton refuses and has one of his men shoot him that the law will be at their door in no time as he tells him that Ken and Hoot are outside. Meanwhile back at the jail Hoot is having to explain to Sheriff Jeff, Betty as well as two other men why they had such strange behavior and why they escaped jail, and Ken is tricked into coming into the Indian Agent building and even punches and knocks out one of Hampton’s men in the lobby.

Ken starts looking around seeing if he can find Hampton and Duke and once upstairs he has a fist fight with two more of Hampton’s men and the odds being against him Ken is hit with a chair and goes down, the attackers all flee the scene when Hoot along with Betty, The Sheriff and the two other men arrive. Ken wakes up and joins the search party and when they arrive at the room of Hampton he plays dumb and acts as Duke is gone and he acts as if he has never heard of him before. When they all leave Duke comes out from behind a trick bookcase and tells Hampton that he thinks that the only way out of this is if they kill Ken, Hoot and Betty as they have all seen him. Meanwhile back at the jail Eagle Eye is telling Ken and Hoot that the meeting with Chief Barking Fox is a go at sunset. Hoot heads off to the meeting with the Chief as Betty heads to the fort to bring her fiancé who is a Calvary soldier, while Ken and Eagle Eye stay with the Sheriff and his deputies in case of trouble in town. While at the office of Hampton he is being convinced by Duke and Thundercloud that during the meeting they should attack and kill those who are close to exposing this crime ring they have. And when they find out Hoot and Betty have rode off Hampton sends men to go and get them.

As Hoot and Betty are riding he catches on that they are now being followed and tries to come up with an idea to loss their soon to be attackers, he even had Betty split off so that it would be harder for the bad guys to track them. And Betty outsmarts her followers and heads toward the fort, while Hoot as well makes his trackers look silly as he gets the jump on them and even steals their horses, leaving them walking back to town. Hampton and Duke’s attempt to stop Betty and Hoot was a failure. While back in town Ken gets on top of the roofs and makes his way to Hampton’s Indian Agent Post as the front door was heavily guarded. Once inside the office of Hampton he locks the door and starts snooping around and taking evidence, but is caught when Hampton comes from behind the bookcase and a fight breaks out alerting his men who arrive to late as Ken escapes and Hampton is knocked out.

Ken goes to the Sheriff with the evidence he has found about Hampton and his men stealing cattle from the tribe during delivery, and Hoot finds that the Chief has not been happy as they are promised lots and always delivered little by the white man. And when Hoot returns to town they all agree that Hampton is the man behind cheating the tribe and that he as well has been hiding and working alongside Duke Dillon and they now have one day to make things right with the tribe before a war breaks out. And the whole time they talk Thundercloud is at the window listening to the plan and figures out that he as well has been lied to by Hampton, and once back at his office he is knocked out and taken away by Hampton’s men. Meanwhile Ken, Hoot, Sheriff Ken, Eagle Eye and the two deputies are going to try and bluff until the Calvary arrives that Betty has went to fetch.

Hampton gets all his men ready for a gunfight as Duke now just wants his money so that he can skip town and be away from all this madness, but Hampton refuses and now he is stuck at the post. And now Eagle Eye and Sheriff Ken have also went to go get Chief Barking Fox to bring him to town as well to not only even the odds but to expose the scam that Hampton has been pulling on them. As Hampton empties his safe Duke takes out his gun and shoots Hampton and steals the money and tries to make his escape. And as Duke rides away he is spotted by Ken and Hoot who give chase and in turn Hampton’s men as well start to chase the other men. Duke gets off his horse and hides in the rocks as Ken and Hoot follow and try to get him to give up, but then things get worse as many of Hampton’s men show up guns ready and a shootout starts with Ken and Hoot being badly out numbered and out gunned, but just on time arrives the Calvary and during this gun fight even Duke is hit by a bullet and wounded badly. And when the Sheriff, Eagle Eye and The Chief join the fight its over as Hampton’s henchmen surrender, and when Ken and Hoot make it to Duke he dies. In the end the tribe and the town have peace and after chatting at the jail with Sheriff Ken, Betty and Eagle Eye our heroes Ken and Hoot then set out for more adventures.

Review: You can tell from the start that “The Law Rides Again” was made on a very cheap budget as very little gunfights breakout and the cast is kept pretty small as are the locations used. The pairing of Ken and Hoot is fun to watch, and while they are the heroes of the story and do lots of heroic and brave things, they also oddly have a comedy aspect to them that made me as the viewer take them not as serious as I should. It’s almost like they wanted to make a western comedy but got cold feet and just decided on a normal production. Ken Maynard is a good actor but for some reason in this movie for me he just did not pack that leading man punch that one would think of when it came to these classic western films, as just something was lacking in his performance and I think it was making his character have confidence. Hoot Gibson does a pretty good job of being the sidekick character who has good ideas and in the final gunfight shows that he might been the more skilled of the two heroes as his bullets save Ken twice from dying. I like the character of Betty Conway played by Betty Miles, a beautiful stagecoach driver who it appears could by all means take care of herself and I wish they would have allowed her to take part in the gun fight at the end of the film. And speaking of that gun fight, I wish there was a little more to it most of the take it was just characters firing the guns with close ups and once and awhile one of the actors would act as if they got hit by a bullet, and both of our films villains Duke Dillon and John Hampton meet their end with Hamptons being a good death for a cheat while I felt Duke’s was a little lacking. As far as bad guys go in these old western films, I would say that both Duke and Hampton are pretty dang good as Duke is just sneaky and Hampton is a full fledge conman. Plus the subplot of the Tribe attacking wagon trains and white men on their land should have been a bigger part as having them even attack the town in revenge for being cheated would have been a great touch. While this film does have many flaws it also has many charms as I felt the acting was good for the time, the fist fights were very cheesy and glorious and the fast pace and focus on our two heroes made for an enjoyable watch. And while not a classic by any means, fans of Ken Maynard and or Hoot Gibson will surly enjoy this one. I was really torn on what star rating to give this one as my gut was saying it was a *1/2 to ** star at best film, but the entertainment it gave me on a cold winters day in 2022 made me bump it up to the rating you will see it got below and yes I know I am being generous. Also the DVD print from Alpha Video is ok and while it does have a few audio and picture issues, they just added to the charm.

Now onto the Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili first thing I have to say is that while cooking in the crockpot it had a great smell to it that filled the house and both Juliet and I thought so. Now for the test of the chili I can say it really does taste like a Chicken Enchilada that was blended up and made into a chili type soup. The tastes are bold but not like your normal chili taste, as the enchilada sauce is very powerful with each bite and it kind of over powers the dish. But the mix of chicken, corn and black beans do as well add to the taste and texture and helps take your tongue to the chili comfort food zone. While not as hearty as I like my chili, this one was an above average bowl that had some unique elements that made for a tasty meal.

Movie: **1/2
Chili: **1/2

Well that was some tasty chili and a fun and entertaining classic western movie featuring Hoot Gibson and Ken Maynard, two icons of the western genre, and again while flawed the movie really was a fun watch. As you can see, the camp fire is going out and the bright stars are filling the night sky and that means its time for us to hit the dusty old trail but before we do, I would like to let you know that our next update will be taking us back to the world of Pro Wrestling and will also kick off our WrestleMania month as we will have three updates all based on R.I.W Wrestling Legends with the first one being about Big John Studd, who is one of my all time favorite big man wrestlers and then you will have to wait and see who the second Legend is we cover! So until then, read a Western comic or three, watch a western film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update at the Rotten Ink Arena for a body slam challenge.