EVEN DeepER Blurting!: DBNS: "Zotz" and Dashes

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DBNS: "Zotz" and Dashes

Posted by Kenneth Morgan on 3/15/2009, 10:22 pm

Today, Kenneth Morgan says the magic word, but not much happens.
*****
As I’m sure I’ve mentioned here in the past, William Castle occupies a special place in the history of American movies. It’s not so much that his movies were all that great, but that he was a one of the great showmen when it came to hyping them. He, of course, is known for all sorts of gimmicks in that respect, ranging from the “Emergo” effect for “The House on Haunted Hill” (a skeleton on a wire over the audience) to “Percepto” for “The Tingler” (wiring up vibrators to theater seats). Unfortunately, I wasn’t around during Castle’s heyday, so I can only really comment on how his movies are in and of themselves (though, boy, do I wish I’d have been there for that stuff).

Which brings us to our subject for today: Castle’s comedy/fantasy “Zotz!”, released by Columbia Pictures in 1962.

The film opens at the home of Jonathan Jones (Tom Poston), a professor of ancient languages at a small California college. He’s a rational, bookish health nut, and is temporarily looking after his teenage niece Cynthia (Zeme North). He’s also in a bit of a competition for the position of Dean of Languages with Kellgore (Jim Backus, sans island), a more opportunistic fellow professor. Later, he’s also in competition with him for the attention of a newly-arrived professor, pretty Virginia Fenster (Julia Meade). He seems to lead a pretty orderly and average life…at first.

One day, the mail brings Cynthia a gift from her boyfriend, a former student of Jones, who’s away on an archaeological trip. It’s a charm bracelet, featuring an ancient coin. Jones is surprised to find that the coin has writing on it in a long-dead language that he is one of the few able to translate. Borrowing the coin, he does research and finds that the long inscription (which, oddly, fits on a small coin) tells that the coin can give magic powers to whomever possesses it. And, following an inadvertent magical invocation, guess who has the power?

Jones learns that the coin grants three powers: the ability to cause sudden pain by pointing at someone, the ability to cause time to slow for someone by looking at them and saying the name of the ancient god Zotz (hence the title), and the ability to destroy by both pointing and saying the name. He also learns that he only has these powers if he is in actual possession of the coin, and that someone else may have them if they get it. (You can probably see where this is going.) Well, he decides to demonstrate these powers at a cocktail party given by college Dean Updike (Cecil Kellaway) and his society matron wife Persephone (Margaret Dumont, sans Groucho). A brief misplacement of the coin results in the demo breaking down in chaos and Jones’ reputation left in doubt.

Jones gets sent to a psychiatrist and his story is still disbelieved, even when he demonstrates the power. Ordered to take a vacation, Jones goes to the Pentagon to offer the secret to the government, only to find that they don’t buy it, either. Disappointed, he heads home and, finding himself practically disinvited to a farewell dinner for the Dean, shows up and uses the power to mildly get back at Kellgore. And, it looks like things may be looking up for Jones, one way or another.

Unfortunately, it seems others have learned about Jones, and they’re interested in gaining possession of the coin. And, given that particular era, is it any surprise these others are based in Moscow?

A fairly modest comedy, this one is different from the more scare-oriented movies from William Castle. And I thought it was basically OK. The actors do a good job in somewhat typical roles, though I’m more used to seeing Tom Poston in, let’s say, less intellectual roles (like on “Newhart”). There’s a good musical score from Bernard Green, and there are some amusing sequences of the Zotz power being used inadvertently. I did have some difficulties, though. For example, some bits involving Jones’ powers go on for too long to be really funny. Actually, even though it only runs about 85 minutes, it does seem to go too slow at times.

Basically, the problem that I have with this movie is that it’s kind of ordinary. The coin’s powers, once introduced, don’t seem all that fantastic, and Jones doesn’t really go to extreme lengths with them. It might have been better if he’d been given some really major league magical abilities, then have the movie run wild with them. Also, I think the movie might’ve worked better had there been more competition for possession of the coin, either from Kellgore or the Russkies; there doesn’t seem to be much of a threat when Jones has to fight for it. Add in a far too pat ending, with a final scene that really doesn’t fit in with the rest of the movie.

There is an interesting point regarding the print of this movie that I saw on Turner Classic Movies. At several points, the picture faded to black, then faded up on the next scene. From the look of things, I don’t believe this is how it was when it was originally released. Also, the credits list on IMDB includes a couple of roles (including one played by composer Albert Glasser!) that I didn’t see featured in the movie. I suspect that TCM was using a TV print, with time edits and spots for commercial placement. I understand that “Zotz!” was released on VHS at one time, but I’m not really eager to hunt down a copy and compare.

All in all, I guess “Zotz!” is a pleasant enough movie. Actually, it’s not all that different from the sort of comedies Don Knotts started making a couple of years later. Still, as I noted, it’s pretty average. Not one of the better movies Castle made, actually, but it’s OK for a look.

Oh, by the way, Castle’s gimmick for this one wasn’t all that big, either. Reportedly, they just handed out souvenir Zotz coins to theater patrons.

Kind of a comedown from selling life insurance in case you die of fright watching one of Castle’s movies.

CONNECTIONS NOTE: Tom Poston (Jones) appeared in the previously-reviewed “Cold Turkey”. Jim Backus (Kellgrove), sadly, appeared in the MSTed “Angels Revenge”. Both Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Updike) and Mike Mazurki (who plays a henchman late in the movie) appeared in the previously reviewed “The Horn Blows at Midnight”. Associate Producer Dana Holloway worked on the previously-reviewed “The Tingler”. And William Castle gave us both “The Tingler” and the RTed “The House on Haunted Hill”.

TRIVIA NOTE: At one point, there’s a scene where Jones seems to recognize someone in an office at the Pentagon. Actually, this is understandable; the man is played by Louis Nye, who was Tom Poston’s co-star on Steve Allen’s TV show. (He’s everywhere! He’s everywhere!)