Gerardo (Gerry) de Leon Movies
- 1971
In this prison melodrama set in a women's reformatory, a sadistic lesbian guard takes great pleasure in tormenting her inmates in the grim confines of "The Playpen." The film is called Women's Penitentiary III on video. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Made in the Philippines, this effective tale of vampire family values begins with prodigal son Eddie Garcia's return to his father's creepy estate, where he is soon transformed into a vampire after being bitten by his own mother, whom his paranoid father had been keeping in the cellar. He in turn passes on the curse to his fiancée, and later his sister (Amalia Fuentes), who had only recently lost her own beau. Fuentes' blood-drinking pursuits in the surrounding village are eventually traced back to the source, and the family becomes the target of a group of torch-bearing vigilantes. This sequel to The Blood Drinkers is more complex than its pulpy predecessor, thanks to an abundance of religious symbolism stressing the power of faith over the forces of darkness. Also known as Creatures of Evil. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1969
- PG
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This Filipino scarefest is better known by the title Mad Doctor of Blood Island. The principle villain, however, is not a "he" but an "it". A frantic search is conducted on a remote island for a deadly, green-blooded "Chlorophyl Monster." Notice how we aren't making any toothpaste jokes here. It should come as no surprise that John Ashley is the star; his leading lady is the luscious Angelique Pettyjohn, while Ronald Remy is the eponymous mad doctor. Remy would make a return appearance in a sort of sequel, Beast of Blood ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The Philippine splatterfest Brides of Blood has also been released as Brides of the Beast, Island of Living Horror and Grave Desires. You get the idea. Anyway, the resident monsters are the spawn of nuclear radiation. These horrid creatures prey upon beautiful, undressed women; they have sex with their victims (by consent!), then gobble up the poor girls. John Ashley, an American actor who was a mainstay of the Philippine horror industry of the 1960s, tries to stem the monster uprising, along with dedicated scientist Kent Taylor and his onscreen wife, Beverly Powers, played by well-proportioned heroine Beverly Hills. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
What would a Filipino horror film be without leading man John Ashley? During most of Island of Living Horror, Ashley takes a back seat to the voluptuous female cast members. These delectable damsels find themselves on the menu when a group of cannibalistic vampires run rampant. Ashley and his bride (Beverly Hills) are put out by this situation, and do their best to send the vampires whence they came. Island of Living Horror was also released as Brides of the Beast, Brides of Blood, and (more wittily) Grave Desires. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This horror film is about a vampire who decides a heart transplant is what his girlfriend requires in order to live. He and his assistants (a dwarf, girl and pigeon) set out to acquire the heart from the girlfriend's twin sister. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In this campy low-budget actioner, an Intepol agent heads to the Philippines to investigate the murders of two Americans whose corpses where found on an opium plantation. With the assistance of one of the victim's sisters he is led into the hellish religion of a charismatic, ruthless witchdoctor who has his followers help him smuggle guns and drugs. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jock Mahoney, Margia Dean, (more)
Fort Santiago in the Philippines, built in 1574, was called "Intramuros, the walled city of Manila." This action feature is centered around Intramuros and the events that occurred there in February of 1945. After Japanese troops were finally showing defeat in Manila, they retreated into the fortress with 10,000 Filipino captives. American Lieutenant Jim Sorenson (Jock Mahoney), whose wife is held inside the fort, is instructed to rescue the prisoners with his guerrilla forces. Lt. Sorenson finds help from a brave Filipino (Fernando Poe Jr.) who managed to escape the fortress himself. Intramuros/The Walls of Hell was a slightly different topic for Filipino director Eddie Romero, known more for his low-budget exploitation and horror pictures. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jock Mahoney, Michael Parsons, (more)
After a Philippine guerrilla soldier witnesses the benevolence of his American enemies during their military occupation in 1902, he changes his attitude. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Agar, Richard Arlen, (more)
A man who was the lone survivor of a shipwreck is rescued, only to discover that he's in greater danger than ever before in this horror story inspired by H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau. After his ship sinks in the midst of an ocean crossing, William Fitzgerald (Richard Derr) is near death when he finds his way to a remote island off the shore of Peru. Fitzgerald is discovered and given shelter by Dr. Girard (Francis Lederer), a scientist who has set up a lab on the island with his wife Frances (Greta Thyssen). It seems that most of the natives have fled the island in fear of what Girard is doing, and Fitzgerald soon discovers why -- the doctor has unusual theories about the links between humans and animals, and he has performed bizarre experiments on a panther that has transformed the feline into a man. The creature has gotten loose from Girard and now prowls the island with a thirst for blood; Fitzgerald's danger is only increased when he discovers that Frances has fallen in love with him. Terror Is a Man was also distributed under the titles Blood Creature, Creature from Blood Island, and The Gory Creatures. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Francis Lederer, Greta Thyssen, (more)
