R.I.P. BERT I. GORDON

Prince Sirki has claimed another soul. Breaking news is reporting that legendary drive-in movie director Bert I. Gordon has passed away at the age of 100 after complications following a fall.

Gordon is known for his B-movies featuring all types of mutant monsters, including one of my favorites, THE MAGIC SWORD (1962).

Farewell, Mr. Gordon.

Bert I. Gordon, Director of Cult (and Cheap) Sci-Fi Classics, Dies at 100

His movies, including 'The Amazing Colossal Man,' 'Village of the Giants' and 'Earth vs. the Spider,' were known for their cheesy special effects.

By Rhett Bartlett | March 8, 2023 | HollywoodReporter.com

Bert I. Gordon, the sci-fi director who aimed to terrify drive-in denizens of the 1950s and ’60s with low-budget films featuring colossal creatures, shrinking humans and radioactive monsters, has died. He was 100. 

Gordon died Wednesday in Los Angeles of complications from a fall in his Beverly Hills home, his daughter Patricia Gordon told The Hollywood Reporter.

Highlights (lowlights?) on his B-movie résumé include The Cyclops (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), Beginning of the End (1957), Earth vs. the Spider (1958), Attack of the Puppet People (1958), Tormented (1960), The Boy and the Pirates (1960) and Picture Mommy Dead (1966).

In the ’70s, Gordon directed Vince Edwards and Chuck Connors in The Police Connection (1973) and wrote and directed How to Succeed With Sex (1970), Necromancy (1972), The Food of the Gods (1976) and, starring Joan Collins in the muck, Empire of the Ants (1977).

Perhaps as a way to keep costs down, Gordon’s films often were family affairs: His late wife, Flora, assisted him on the low-grade special effects, and their late daughter, Susan, acted in four of his features. 

The budgets for his movies were minuscule, yet Gordon was nicknamed “Mister B.I.G.” (also his initials) and able to get prominent actors to work for him. Some were on the downside of their careers, others on the way up. 

Don Ameche, Martha Hyer and Zsa Zsa Gabor manipulated minds in Picture Mommy Dead (Hedy Lamarr had dropped out after a shoplifting arrest); Peter Graves battled giant grasshoppers in Beginning of the End; Basil Rathbone practiced mean wizardry in 1962’s The Magic Sword; and youngsters Beau Bridges and Ron Howard handled mysterious goo in 1965’s Village of the Giants, which featured a performance by The Beau Brummels.