Al Adamson
Encyclopedia
Al Adamson was a prolific director of B-grade horror films throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
After assisting his father, Victor Adamson
, in making the 1963 movie Halfway to Hell, Adamson decided to work in the motion picture industry himself. Three years later, he and Sam Sherman founded Independent-International Pictures, which became the vehicle for the many movies he directed. Among them are Psycho-A-Go-Go
(later worked into Blood of Ghastly Horror
), Satan's Sadists
, Horror of the Blood Monsters, Dracula vs. Frankenstein
, and Five Bloody Graves.
After Adamson was reported missing for five weeks in 1995, after which law enforcement officials discovered his murdered corpse beneath the concrete and tile-covered whirlpool bath in his newly remodeled bathroom. The perpetrator was his live-in contractor Fred Fulford who, after being apprehended at the Coral Reef hotel on St Pete Beach, Florida
, was charged with and convicted of murder, and was sentenced to twenty-five-years-to-life in prison.
After assisting his father, Victor Adamson
Victor Adamson
Victor Adamson was an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor most famous for directing and starring in B and Z grade westerns in the early days of motion pictures. Adamson often used pseudonyms to credit himself, most often using the name Denver Dixon...
, in making the 1963 movie Halfway to Hell, Adamson decided to work in the motion picture industry himself. Three years later, he and Sam Sherman founded Independent-International Pictures, which became the vehicle for the many movies he directed. Among them are Psycho-A-Go-Go
Blood of Ghastly Horror
Blood of Ghastly Horror is a 1972 horror film directed by Al Adamson and starring John Carradine. Much of the footage in the film was previously released in 1965 as part of a crime thriller feature entitled Psycho A-Go-Go...
(later worked into Blood of Ghastly Horror
Blood of Ghastly Horror
Blood of Ghastly Horror is a 1972 horror film directed by Al Adamson and starring John Carradine. Much of the footage in the film was previously released in 1965 as part of a crime thriller feature entitled Psycho A-Go-Go...
), Satan's Sadists
Satan's Sadists
Satan's Sadists is a 1969 biker film directed by Al Adamson and starring Russ Tamblyn.-Plot:...
, Horror of the Blood Monsters, Dracula vs. Frankenstein
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
Dracula vs. Frankenstein is a 1971 horror film directed by Al Adamson.-Plot:A mad descendent of the original Dr. Frankenstein takes to murdering young women for experimentation in hopes to revive his ancestor's creation , with help from his mute assistant...
, and Five Bloody Graves.
After Adamson was reported missing for five weeks in 1995, after which law enforcement officials discovered his murdered corpse beneath the concrete and tile-covered whirlpool bath in his newly remodeled bathroom. The perpetrator was his live-in contractor Fred Fulford who, after being apprehended at the Coral Reef hotel on St Pete Beach, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, was charged with and convicted of murder, and was sentenced to twenty-five-years-to-life in prison.
Filmography
- Psycho a Go-Go (1965)
- The Female BunchThe Female BunchThe Female Bunch is a 1969 western film. It was directed by Al Adamson and starred Russ Tamblyn and Lon Chaney Jr. . The plot centered around a group of female criminals who cause trouble around the Mexican border...
(1969) - Satan's SadistsSatan's SadistsSatan's Sadists is a 1969 biker film directed by Al Adamson and starring Russ Tamblyn.-Plot:...
(1969) - Blood of Dracula's CastleBlood of Dracula's CastleBlood of Dracula's Castle is a 1969 horror cult B-movie directed by Al Adamson.-Plot:Count Dracula and his vampire wife , hiding behind the pseudonyms of Count and Countess Townsend, lure girls to their castle in the Arizona desert to be drained of blood by their butler George , who then mixes...
(1969) - Hell's Bloody Devils (1970)
- Horror of the Blood Monsters (1970)
- Five Bloody Graves (1970)
- Dracula vs. FrankensteinDracula vs. FrankensteinDracula vs. Frankenstein is a 1971 horror film directed by Al Adamson.-Plot:A mad descendent of the original Dr. Frankenstein takes to murdering young women for experimentation in hopes to revive his ancestor's creation , with help from his mute assistant...
(1971) - Brain of BloodBrain of BloodBrain of Blood , also known as The Creature's Revenge, The Oozing Skull, and The Undying Brain, is an American horror film directed by Al Adamson and starring Grant Williams, Kent Taylor, and Reed Hadley. The film was shot in one go and is the only of Hemisphere Productio's films to be filmed in...
(1972) - Blood of Ghastly HorrorBlood of Ghastly HorrorBlood of Ghastly Horror is a 1972 horror film directed by Al Adamson and starring John Carradine. Much of the footage in the film was previously released in 1965 as part of a crime thriller feature entitled Psycho A-Go-Go...
(1972) - Angels' Wild WomenAngels' Wild WomenAngels' Wild Women is a 1972 biker film written and directed by cult director Al Adamson. The plot centers on a group of tough biker babes who leave their cycle gang boyfriends to go on a violent rampage. However, when a cult leader kills one of the girls, the others go out for revenge.The film is...
(1972) - Dynamite BrothersDynamite BrothersDynamite Brothers, also known by its alternate title East Meets Watts, is a 1974 martial arts and blaxploitation film.It was filmed on location in Watts, Los Angeles, and San Francisco...
(1974) - Girls for Rent (1974)
- Naughty Stewardesses (1975)
- Jessi's Girls (1975)
- Blazing StewardessesBlazing StewardessesBlazing Stewardesses is a 1975 sex comedy film that reunited the last remaining members of the Ritz Brothers comedy team. Originally, the film was to have starred the Three Stooges featuring Moe Howard, Emil Sitka , and Curly Joe DeRita, but Howard's illness led to the Ritz Brothers being brought...
(1975) - Black HeatBlack Heat (film)Black Heat was a blaxploitation action film by producer Al Adamson. The cast included Timothy Brown, Russ Tamblyn and Geoffrey Land. The film was renamed to Girl's Hotel for play at drive in theaters, then later changed to Murder Gang....
(1976) - Black SamuraiBlack SamuraiBlack Samurai is a 1977 American blaxploitation film directed by Al Adamson, starring Jim Kelly. The script is credited to B. Readick, with additional story ideas from Marco Joachim...
(1977) - Cinderella 2000 (1977)
- Doctor DraculaDoctor DraculaDoctor Dracula is a 1978 horror film directed by Al Adamson, featuring horror movie icon John Carradine....
(1978) - Sunset Cove (1978)
- Death DimensionDeath DimensionDeath Dimension is a 1978 American B-list action and martial arts film by Al Adamson starring Jim Kelly, Harold Sakata, George Lazenby, Terry Moore, and Aldo Ray.The plot is about a scientist, Professor Mason, who invented a powerful freezing bomb for a gangster leader...
(1978) - Nurse Sherri (1978)
- Carnival MagicCarnival Magic (film)Carnival Magic is a 1981 American film directed by Al Adamson and starring Don Stewart. Originally intended as a family-oriented children’s film, it has since gained a cult following in underground and B movie film circles due to its surreal plot and incongruously-adult themes.-Plot:Markov the...
(1981) - Lost (1983)
Sources
- Quinlan's Film Directors (Sterling, 1999) ISBN 0-7134-7753-9
- 'Al Adamson On Razor Reel'