Black Zoo

Black Zoo
Film poster by Reynold Brown
Directed byRobert Gordon
Written byAben Kandel
Herman Cohen
Produced byHerman Cohen
StarringMichael Gough
Jeanne Cooper
Rod Lauren
Virginia Grey
CinematographyFloyd Crosby
Edited byMichael Luciano
Music byPaul Dunlap
Distributed byAllied Artists Pictures Corporation
Release date
  • May 15, 1963 (1963-05-15) (U.S. premiere)
Running time
88 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,000,000[1]

Black Zoo (also known as Horrors of the Black Zoo) is a 1963 American horror film directed by Robert Gordon and starring Michael Gough, Jeanne Cooper, Rod Lauren, Virginia Grey, Jerome Cowan, and Elisha Cook, Jr.[2] It was produced by Herman Cohen and written by Cohen and Aben Kandel.

Plot

Michael Conrad is a private zookeeper who owns Conrad's Animal Kingdom. He leads a cult group who literally worship the animals he tends — especially the big cats: 3 lions, a lioness, a pair of cheetahs, a tiger, a cougar, and a black leopard; as well as a gorilla.[3] Conrad plays organ music to the animals in his living room, and uses them to kill anyone who gets in his way. Conrad is married to Edna and forces his mute son Carl to assist him.

Cast

Production

Herman Cohen had the idea for the film, and hired Aben Kandel to work with him on the script. Finance came from Allied Artists.[4]

Cohen had worked with Gough previously in Horrors of the Black Museum and Konga. He was brought into the US for the role. Gough later said this film was the favorite of the ones the actor made for Cohen because of the involvement of the animals.[5]

The film was shot at Raleigh Studios.[6] The animals were provided by Ralph Helfer, most notably Zamba, who played one of the two male lions (Zamba Jr. and Tammy also appeared playing another lion and a lioness, respectively). The zoo was built at Raleigh Studio (formerly Producers Studio) on North Bronson in Hollywood, California. The entire zoo seen in the picture was an interior set.[7]

Publicity was done with the cats – including an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[7] Cohen did not like the title, preferring Horrors of the Black Zoo.[7]

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "As a macabre essay, this has some unusual moments, notably the scenes showing the wild menagerie draped around the living-room furniture; but as a whole it suffers from an extravagant and rather silly script, and from Michael Gough's (perhaps inevitable) overplaying in the central role. Jeanne Cooper is rather fetching as his wife."[8]

The film grossed $260,000 in its first seven days in New York.[9]

Cohen intended to follow it with The Haunted Jungle.[1]

Home media

Black Zoo was released on a VHS by The Fang (Floral Park, NY) in 2001 (OCLC 48234539)

References

  1. ^ a b "Working touters vs lounging execs". Variety. May 29, 1965. p. 15.
  2. ^ "Black Zoo". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 218. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
  4. ^ "Allied Artists shaking things up". Variety. November 13, 1963. p. 19.
  5. ^ Del Valle, David (2012). Six Reels Under. Bear Manor Media. p. 234.
  6. ^ Lilley, Jessie (Spring 1995). "How to Make a Monster Movie Herman Cohen". Scarlet Street. pp. 62–64.
  7. ^ a b c Tom Weaver, Attack of the Monster Movie Makers (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. 1994, ISBN 0-7864-0018-8, ISBN 978-0-7864-0018-8) "Herman Cohen -- Interviews, Attack of the Monster Movie Makers: Herman Cohen, Terror & the Zoo". Archived from the original on February 21, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  8. ^ "Black Zoo". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 30 (348): 170. January 1, 1963. ProQuest 1305824157.
  9. ^ "AA's Black Zoo grosses $260,000 in 60-House 13-Chain Gotham Spread". Variety. May 29, 1963. p. 13.
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