Science Fiction Saturday - The Tingler (1959) and Omni Loop (2024)

[@joseluisherreralepron9987]

I was lucky enough to see both "The Tingler" and "The Mad Magician"--the latter in 3-D--at a revival cinema in Tucson back in the 90's. Tons of fun, and I've always rather liked the idea for "The Tingler". It's outrageous, but it works. Nobody wrote snarky dialog between estranged spouses like Robb White: "There are words for men like you, Warren." "And there are several for women like you."

[@terrytalksmovies]

The dialogue is crisp and those subplots are really weird and interesting, too.

[@peterkarargiris4110]

I remember seeing The Tingler, late night, way back in the 70s and not really thinking much of it. All the nuance and subtlety was lost to my 12 year-old mind. But now I've had it on my radar for a number of years. As a skin diver of many years, I'm certain they based the creature's design on a holothurian (sea cucumber) - a totally harmless sea creature that restaurants in Asian countries serve. Omni Loop sounds fascinating and quirky enough to be right up my alley. I picked up a copy of a French film with Audrey Tatou yesterday from the good people at St Vinnies, 'Mood Indigo' (2013) I've never heard of this one but it is described as "surreal and poetic" on the back of the case. The dvd was released by Vendetta Films - a New Zealand company. Cheers Terry and have a good weekend.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Thanks, Peter. You can probably find The Tingler on Tubi.

[@AdrianSimmons-ol5rc]

I did watch MONOLITH MONSTERS last weekend-- it was quite impressive!

[@terrytalksmovies]

It is!

[@dogzdad123]

Terry: Yeah, glad you're on the mend! Having a head-cold during your "summer" really sucks. As to "The Tingler"...what an iconic low-rent film from the master of Schlock, Wm Castle. I believe that Castle, always the showman, hit gold with this film. (He even tries to be a low-rent Hitchcock introducing his films). Thanks for profiling this film...time to find a copy or streaming to give it a rewatch...it's been decades.

[@ClutchCargo001]

I hope you've seen 'Matinee,' It's practically a love letter to Castle. And John Goodman infuses a real joy and innocent chicanery into the Castlesque character.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Try Tubi

[@denniskristos3800]

"The Tingler" directed by the master of the in performance / in-theatre audience gimmick, William Castle. This time around, it was a vibrating device on the underside of the some seat triggered during key thriller scenes. I know, I was 8 yrs old and creeped out by it. One of those Percepto! things was under mine and I thought because how it felt, was well, .. a nest of bugs. Just a little too much for my psyche, 'cos I had a little incident the month before in school assembly with a paper wasp lighting onto my cheek and me, having to wait it out until it flew away. Scary stuff, Terry! As to the movie, Vincent Price was his usual scenery chewing self, so arch and fun to watch... Cut to some 40 years later and I saw that picture again on a late night TV broadcast and what I got from it that time, was that it was guilty pleasure.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Trigger warnings didn't exist in those days. Never have guilty pleasures. Guilt isn't required. 😉😀

[@jeffmartin1026]

IMHO, Ollie is not a mass murderer, he is a premeditated murderer. He framed his brother-in-law so that when his wife dies, he will get all the money and the theatre. LSD is a nod to the fact that many actors were involved with LSD in therapy sessions, and to improve their acting skills in the mid to late 50s. It was legal at the time for Drs. to prescribe the drug. I will look out for Omni Loop, it looks like my kind of movie. Except for the TV pilots, all the other recommends are great and most are favorites of mine. Glad to hear that you are feeling better!

[@terrytalksmovies]

Robb White, the writer of The Tingler had experimented with acid after reading Aldous Huxley.

[@KarlBunker]

You've done _The Tingler_ before, unless I've been doing my time-travel drugs again. _Omni Loop_ sounds great; cool, weird and charming!

[@terrytalksmovies]

I thought I had. I don't have a list. Thanks for the correction. 😀

[@douglascarter2078]

Damn, now you have me thinking about a reality that's just Tinglers and Boltzmann brains. I bet the acid was that really amazing stuff you read about made by Owsley Stanley too. Good times as always Terry. Cheers!

[@jeffmartin1026]

It was legal LSD, so it was probably made by the Sandoz pharmaceutical company in Switzerland.

[@douglascarter2078]

@jeffmartin1026 yeah, I'm about 10 years too far in the future. That Albert Hoffman bicycle ride stuff then? Nice.

[@jeffmartin1026]

@@douglascarter2078 Nothing I was ever able to enjoy, but Owsley was good enough for me.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Definitely the Sandoz stuff.

[@ianmurrell209]

I enjoyed the camera work on the Big Clock. Have you seen the tracking shot in opening scene of another John Farrow movie China (1943)?

[@terrytalksmovies]

Not yet. I do have the Directed By John Farrow box set from Imprint. It's very impressive.

[@RamZar50]

Glad you’re feeling better Terry. We’re dealing with unhealthy air all over Los Angeles County (masks outdoors). The Hollywood Hills wildfire was about 3 miles from me but it’s fully contained. The other wildfires continue with a new one started yesterday and another today. The winds should taper down this weekend. Of the sci-fi movies released in 2024 which I’ve watched I rank them below: 1. Dune: Part Two 2. The Substance 3. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 4. The Wild Robot 5. Robot Dreams 6. Transformers One 7. Mars Express 8. Deadpool & Wolverine 9. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes 10. Alien: Romulus 11. Kalki 2898 AD 12. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire 13. A Quiet Place: Day One

[@terrytalksmovies]

Take care up there. I'm glad you dodged those fires. The list is good, too. Denis Villeneuve cops a lot of flak but he's brilliant at SF.

[@ClutchCargo001]

I enjoy Tingler mostly for its unrelenting oddness. It's just a very strange little film. But a question. When the woman jumps back in time a week, she wouldn't have taken the pill yet. So, is the supply of pills inexhaustible?

[@terrytalksmovies]

Yep. The pills are inexhaustible.

[@kaboombox1581]

I agree with you on the Battlestar Galatica/Buck Rogers not having aged well. Both were efforts to cash in on the Star Wars phenomenon . The pilot movies are considerably better than the series that followed, but still mediocre.

[@terrytalksmovies]

All those Glenn A Larson series were dumbed down and basic.

[@maxpayne2574]

Imo Science fiction can cross into any genre except fantasy. Anything with dragons isn't SciFi. The only thing my cat guards is his food dish. lol

[@terrytalksmovies]

Luna always has her own agendas and sometimes humans can't figure them out.