Customer Reviews

Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This little movie isn't as bad as the title and cast might suggest. Duke Mitchell is no Dean Martin, but Sammy Petrillo does a credible imitation of a young Jerry Lewis. Whether Petrillo's performance is satire or just a blatant rip-off is up to the viewer. The humor is simple-minded, but occasionally hilarious. Charlita (as if anyone recognizes the name) does a passable imitation of Dorothy Lamour in revealing (for 1952) South Sea togs. Bela Lugosi with a twinkle in his eye spoofs his own horror movie character as Dr. Zabor. This flick was made a year or so before Bela fell into the clutches of the infamous Ed Wood. Sadly, it emphasizes Bela's troubled downward spiral career path. Veteran low budget director William Beaudine competently puts the cast through the paces. Artistically (to use an unlikely term), the flick is on the same level as Beaudine's Bowery Boys movies. Filmed in glorious B&W, the low cost DVD edition features a clear transfer and acceptable audio. It's harmless "G" rated fun. From here on, you are on your own. ;-)

My friend brought this DVD over for me to watch, saying it was a hoot. He was right. But beyond the pale specters of Martin & Lewis imitators and Bela, we both noticed something else that really stood out.

"That chimp is the best actor in the flick!"

The chimp performed complex comic actions, room-to-room walkthrus, and used perfect timing. Much of it in long, uncut sequences. The chimp never missed a beat and always "hit his mark.' Let me tell you, I almost thought it was an human in a suit, if not an inserted, contemporary CGI character.

But nope, it was a real chimp - none other than CHEETA, of Tarzan movie fame (portraying "in drag" as "Ramona" - like Lassie did, I guess, and billed with a screen alias - maybe it was a legal thing).

And get this - Cheeta is ALIVE and turns 74 this year. He's the oldest chimp on record and mentioned for it in Guinesses. Moveover, he's happily living in Palm Springs at the Cheeta Primate Sanctuary, Inc, with the nephew of his original trainer! He watches TV, looks thru National Geographic and paints pictures (not a bad retirement at all)! So, if you enjoyed watching this primate star over the years as much as I have, visit him and the retired primate santuary at www.cheetathechimp.com - consider sending a donation to a worthy cause!

Don't be fooled by the stupid title. This is an amusing, efficient B comedy of 1952 starring the young nightclub comedians Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo. If you like Martin & Lewis, The Bowery Boys, or Abbott & Costello, you've come to the right place, because the stars impersonate Martin & Lewis; the director, writers, and leading lady were moonlighting from the Bowery Boys series; and the cameraman and editor worked on Abbott & Costello pictures. This silly jungle comedy is no worse (and sometimes better) than a 1950s effort from those higher-budgeted comedians.

The 69-year-old Bela Lugosi is an excellent comic foil, and even plays romantic scenes persuasively. The playful Petrillo improvises to confound Lugosi, but Lugosi -- ever the professional -- never loses command of the scene. The crew gets the maximum value from the budget, with good photography and musical score, and here's a small mark of authenticity, as jungle movies go: "Ramona the Chimp" is really Cheetah of the Tarzan series.

This DVD edition is an extraordinary value for the dollar (literally). Picture and sound quality compare favorably to the premium laserdisc editions; the Realart logo is missing from this disc, but everything else is here.

If you have heard of this film and know of it's "Golden Turkey" reputation, well you have been warned. Lots of fun and essential for students of bad movies. The real shock of this Alpha Video release is that the picture quality is possibly the best I have ever seen of this film. Usually Alpha's quality is very spotty, but this is way above average. Especially for a film THIS bad.

The two Martin and Lewis look alikes almost fool you at first, but the production values are non-existent, as is the script in this "so bad that it's almost good" flick. If you like Arch Hall Jr. or Cash Flagg movies, this might appeal to you.

What a pleasant surprise DIGIVIEW's slim-line cased DVD of BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA (1952) is.

The transfer is positively flawless: great sound and a clean, break-free full-sized picture throughout. Of course there's no extras, but who needs some erudite analysis of this simple movie, anyway?

Sammy Petrillo as Jerry Lewis is nothing less than remarkable. No wonder Jerry hated this younger man on sight! The kid had his act down to the tiniest nuance. Especially enjoyable is when Sammy drops the "la-la-la nice lady" voice to do a corny stand-up routine in his natural baritone and manner. Just like that (snap) Jerry Lewis vanishes.

Conversely, Duke Mitchell is no Dean Martin, and he clearly knows it. Twice, Mitchell sings in a near-operatic vibrato. The balance of the time he's content to let Sammy carry the load, which the kid does admirably.

Evidence of a 'C' grade budget is everywhere-- in the cheap sets, store-bought wardrobes, jungle animal stock footage and lack of retakes. Example of the latter: once they enter Lugosi's home, Sammy flashes a tiny grin after sarong-clad 'Nona' (Charlita) mentions how brilliant 'Dr. Zabor' is. He matter-of-factly replies, "Anybody who'd live in a creep joint like this must be a moronic idiot." Duke glances at him, breaks into a broad smile and Sam responds in kind. These men must like each other. At very least, they're enjoying themselves and so can we, thanks to the inclusion of an imperfect but cute 'take.'

"Brooklyn Gorilla" is mindless fun. It belongs in the home libraries of Lugosi and Lewis fans alike. This fine-quality dub guarantees you'll never seek a 'better' copy elsewhere. Buy with confidence!

This film is not as bad as the title would make it seem.
Duke Mitchell & Sammy Petrillo are the poor man's Martin and Lewis.
Petrillo's "humor" makes Jerry Lewis appear understated in comparison and I'm sure Dino never felt threatened by Duke.
Bela Lugosi turns in his usual credible mad scientist performance.
Charlita plays the love interest and is smokin' HOT, scantily attired in her best South Sea togs.
The video and audio quality are very good as was the print used for the transfer.
Add another star if you're a diehard Lugosi fan.

Dean and Jerry hacks fumble through this Alley McBeal-thin plot. The only genuine talent is Bela Lugosi, though his skin and his personality are that of a leather suitcase by now. My suggestion is to pop in Ed Wood after seeing this movie. It will give you some idea of Bela's later years of life, and besides, it's just a great movie. But Brooklyn Gorilla...okay...

Instead of watching it, you can beat yourself with a bullwhip and go through less pain... there, I just zinged this movie and now I'm done.

This movie was basically a vehicle for Sammy Petrillo and Duke Mitchell, who were kind of a low-rent Martin & Lewis. Sammy had, in fact, appeared on a Dean & Jerry TV show as Jerry's infant son. He was 17 at the time this movie was made and shamelessly imitates Lewis in it, but he does it very well! He looks amazingly like him and although his voice gets grating when he yells (which he spends a lot of the movie doing), his imitation is first rate.

This movie was obviously knocked off in about a week's time (including writing, no doubt) and made it into theaters despite threats from Jerry Lewis to sue the studio. I think we would have been better off if they DID burn the prints.

BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA is about as good as it sounds. It has a simplistic, not-a-thought-in-its-head story, incredibly unfunny jokes, dull direction, dinner-theatre level performances, and

*SPOILER*

in the end, it all turns out to be a dream!

If only I could chalk watching this movie up to being a nightmare, we'd all be happy. Absolutely not to be missed under any circumstances.

This 1952 "horror-comedy" finds Bela Lugosi with a pair of infamous Martin and Lewis imitators: Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo (remember them?). The result is a strange cultural artifact, yet perversely watchable. Lugosi makes the most of his limited footage as a traditional mad scientist. Directed by William "One Shot" Beaudine, who also helmed Bela's "The Ape Man" (1943). Jerry Lewis and producer Hal Wallis tried to stop the release of this Z-grade turkey, but it escaped anyway.