PLAYGIRL KILLER (1967) – Oh, Canada! With the passing of Neil Sedaka I no longer had an excuse to put off reviewing this Canadian-made “horror” film which was Sedaka’s first, last and only thespian effort.
Though Playgirl Killer, also released as Decoy for Terror with unrelated footage edited in, is close to So-Bad-It’s-Good territory Neil Sedaka doesn’t have a very big role in the film. If he’s your only reason for checking out this movie you can quit right after Neil’s character rides off in a limo. He does get to sing, though!
Taking things from the top, William Kerwin from blood-soaked Herschell Gordon Lewis flicks like Two Thousand Maniacs is our star. He plays serial killer Bill wearing facial hair that makes him resemble William Campbell as a Klingon on the original Star Trek series.
We see Bill in the Canadian wilderness rowing a beautiful young lady in a boat while the French song Montage is heard, performed by female singer Andree Champagne. Playgirl Killer was filmed in and around Quebec, hence the French language song and some French signs here and there.
Bill and his lovely lady pull up at a rock overlooking the lake and he starts trying to sketch her since he’s an artist. She’s not in the mood to sit still, though, and starts laughing at how bizarrely angry Bill gets about it.
Pssst! Bill! There are people called artist’s models who can be paid to sit still and let you paint them, buddy. Rather than pursue that common-sense solution, Bill grabs a handy harpoon gun (What the hell kind of fishing gets DONE at this lake?) and shoots her to death with it. Continue reading
APPALACHIAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in this conference tournament were the 3 seeds – the JOHNSON UNIVERSITY ROYAL CRUSADERS – and the top seeded UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE BEARS. By Halftime the Royal Crusaders had UPike worried with their 38-30 advantage. From there the Bears rallied but fell just short as Johnson University triumphed 76-75 led by Mason Lockhart and his Double Double of THIRTY-SEVEN POINTS and 12 rebounds. 
CALIFORNIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE: ROUND ONE, GAME ONE – The 3rd seeded CAL MARITIME ACADEMY KEELHAULERS took the court against the 6th seeded PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE PIONEERS. This was a tale of two Halves as the Pioneers dominated at first, leading 51-41 at the midpoint. After the break, the Keelhaulers owned the 2nd Half, winning out 87-78. Lawrence Long led Cal Maritime with a Double Double of 25 points and 11 rebounds. 
MR. A 
UTOPIA or THE HISTORY OF AN EXTINCT PLANET, PSYCHOMETRICALLY OBTAINED (1884) – Written by Alfred Denton Cridge. An unnamed narrator comes across the remains of a meteor that entered Earth’s atmosphere. This narrator has the gift of psychometry (the author’s uncle was THE William Denton) and after he picks up the tangerine-sized chunk of black rock from another planet he begins getting impressions from it. 
The planet was just 2,500 miles across and was home to a race of roughly 5 1/2 feet tall humanoids, some with yellow skin, some with brown skin and others with gray skin. All the races had long, black hair. Utopia sported Earthlike plains, mountains, lakes and rivers with just one huge ocean. 
BEN VEREEN … COMIN’ AT YA (1975) – As famous and celebrated as the multitalented Ben Vereen is, he’s STILL underrated! At least here in 2026 he is, but in 1975 the stage and television performer was enchanting the U.S. like no other black performer since Sammy Davis Jr. 
Vereen hosted the program plus sang, danced and starred in comedy sketches with celebrity guest stars. One of the show’s regulars was the one and only Lola Falana, who always got a show-stopping introduction from Ben. (“Lola Fuh-LAW-Naaa, Lola Fuh-LAW-Naaa.”) 
HEART OF AMERICA ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – Only one Upset in the HAAC Tournament Opening Round. 
WAVELENGTH (1983) – This is an unjustly neglected science fiction film that stars Robert Carradine, Cherie Currie and Keenan Wynn in a very unconventional love triangle: both Carradine and Currie are fighting over Wynn. (I’m kidding!) 
ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP aka Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1917) – Remember how the 1976 movie Bugsy Malone presented a gangster tale with children in all the roles? And how Shirley Temple starred in an entire series of Baby Burlesque shorts with all-child casts in assorted genres? Well, this 80-minute silent film was earlier than all of them. 
DAIGORO VS GOLIATH (1972) – This neglected kaiju (giant monster) film from Japan is one of the most obscure of them all in America. That’s odd since the movie was a joint project between the creators of Godzilla AND the creators of Ultraman, two very popular characters here in the west.
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