The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra (2001)

A dedicated scientist, aided by his clueless wife, rolls up his shirt sleeves and tries to save the world from a radioactive monster, curious space aliens, an evil scientist and a crabby ... See full summary »

Director:

Larry Blamire

Writer:

Larry Blamire

Stars:

Fay Masterson, Andrew Parks, Brian Howe

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Fay Masterson	...	Betty Armstrong
Andrew Parks	...	Kro-Bar
Susan McConnell	...	Lattis
Brian Howe	...	Dr. Roger Fleming
Jennifer Blaire	...	Animala
Larry Blamire	...	Dr. Paul Armstrong
Dan Conroy	...	Ranger Brad
Robert Deveau	...	The Farmer
Darrin Reed	...	The Mutant

Storyline

A dedicated scientist, aided by his clueless wife, rolls up his shirt sleeves and tries to save the world from a radioactive monster, curious space aliens, an evil scientist and a crabby skeleton in this send-up of the best of the B movies of the 1950's.

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Plot Keywords:

monster | skeleton | alien | spoof | doctor | 

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Taglines:

None Can Stand Its Mental Power!

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cadavra elveszett csontváza

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$10,425 (USA) (6 February 2004)

Gross:

$110,536 (USA) (9 April 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fragmighty, Transom Films, Valenti Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Larry Blamire not only plays Paul Armstrong, but is also the uncredited voice of the Skeleton. This information should be in the cast list, but someone has prematurely put a lock on that so it does not show up.

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Goofs

Most errors in continuity and acting are purposeful and are part of the gag in recreating the '50s B movie experience. For example during the cabin sequence, Dr. Fleming's jacket disappears between shots immediately after Ranger Brad arrives, Animala suddenly sprouting furry gloves without explanation during the last half of her appearance in the film, the visible wires on the Skeleton, and the shoes of the actor portraying the mutant during some of the walking scenes.

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Quotes

[giving directions]
The Farmer: Stay on this road here, past Dead Man's Curve, you'll come to an old fence, called The Devil's Fence. From there, go on foot till you come to a valley known as The Cathedral Of Lost Soap. Smack in the center is what they call Forgetful Milkman's Quadrangle. Stay right on The Path Of Staring Skulls and you come to a place called Death Clearing. Cabin's right there, can't miss it.

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Crazy Credits

And introducing The Skeleton

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Connections

References The Graduate (1967)

User Reviews

Hugely entertaining film for low-budget classic sci-fi and humor fans

10/10 rating

Lost Skeleton of Cadavra is a remarkable little film that recreates the look and feel of old low-budget black and white sci fi films, but it has a refreshing spirit all its own that is smart and silly at the same time. You've never seen a film like this before. It's the best new film I've seen in years.

Lost Skeleton is fun in its own right because it takes the archetypes of sci fi and its cliché's and mixes them together to make something that is more entertaining than straight parody.

Those who look at Lost Skeleton as only parody or a recreation of old movies are missing Blamire's unique accomplishment. It's a mixture of late 50's pompousness and innocence with modern perspective and grace.

Done in good taste that reflects the boy-scout best of the 50's genre, the movie is unlike anything else that Hollywood or indies are putting out. It's refreshing, inviting, friendly, goofy, and true to a singular vision.

I've seen it now with four different small audiences, and for the most part everyone has enjoyed it immensely. You need to view this film with a group to get the most out of it--it's easily the most quotable movie I've ever seen. Blamire's sense of those delightfully absurd pitfalls many sci-fi writers have fallen into time and again is uncanny. Halfway between Shakespeare and Ed Wood, almost every line of dialogue is a wooden comic gem laced with a sense of sweetness rather than mean-spiritedness. It's hard to tell where the parody ends and the celebration of these loftily ambitious lines begins.

This makes the film a joy to watch again and again. Blamire is hitting something deeper than a stiff sci-fi parody, and his touch makes this a much greater film than on the surface it has any right to be.

I predict that Lost Skeleton will go the way of Young Frankenstein and establish itself as a comedy classic over the next couple of decades. It's just that good. Perhaps indescribably good, but I did my best.