The Vampire's Ghost - Leigh Brackett and John K. Butler

An almost horror movie if you like. Set in a town called Bakunda, in Africa. Multiple deaths of locals have happened, all with puncture marks in the neck.

The outsider in town is a gin-joint owning gambler complete with exotic accented dancer in tow.

Being Africa, got to have a safari - through cheesy sets - and said gin-joint owner tags along. Shootings, traps, and putting people in your power. All that sort of thing. Of course, the bloke he is safari with has a woman of interest (and a not very quick on the uptake variety, being the last of them to defend the vampire).

Hypnotised one, bumps off some more, has plans to vampirise the women - but promptly forgets about his dancer and moves on to other ritual plans.

Some stalwart locals know what the score is, and Phantom fans would be pleased with their jungle telegraph - the drums being the best bit of a cheesy movie with no acting talent. The vampire is around 400 years old, too, he says. Fortunately it is only about an hour long.

Interestingly the vampire can actually wander around whenever he wants - but bright direct light he is not a fan of. Shady jungle not so bad, it appears.


1.5 out of 5

Best Dramatic Presentation - Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan

1981 Hugo Awards :-

http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1981-hugo-awards/

Best Dramatic Presentation
The Empire Strikes Back (1980) [Lucasfilm] Directed by Irvin Kershner; Screenplay by Leigh Bracket and Lawrence Kasdan; Story by George Lucas
The Lathe of Heaven (1980) [WNET/PBS] Directed by Fred Barzyk and David R. Loxton; Screenplay by Diane English and Roger Swaybill; based on the novel by Ursula K. Le Guin
Cosmos (TV Series) (1981) [KCET/PBS] Written and directed by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan
The Martian Chronicles (1980) [BBC/NBC] Directed by Michael Anderson; Screenplay by Richard Matheson; based on the collection by Ray Bradbury
Flash Gordon (1980) [20th Century Fox/De Laurentiis] Directed by Mike Hodges; Screenplay by Lorenzo Semple, Jr.; Adaptation by Michael Allin; based on the comic strip by Alex Raymond


4.5 out of 5

The Long Goodbye - Leigh Brackett

1973, E-K Corporation. 112 mins.

A completely different take on the Chandler novel adaptation.


2 out of 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Goodbye_(film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070334/

The Empire Strikes Back - Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan

1980, 20th Century Fox. 124 mins.

The sequel to Star Wars.

Here's a quote from the Brackett entry on Wikipedia about this: -

"However, Laurent Bouzereau, in his book Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays, states that Lucas disliked the direction of Brackett's screenplay and discarded it. He then produced two screenplays before turning the results over to Kasdan, who did not work directly with Brackett's script at all. By this scenario, Lucas' assignment of credit to Brackett was a mere courtesy or mark of respect for the work she had done during her illness.[4] Support for this view comes from Stephen Haffner, owner of the press that printed Martian Quest: The Early Brackett, who has read Brackett's script, and claims that—outside Lucas' storyline—nothing of Brackett's personal contributions survives in the finished movie.

Brackett's screenplay has never been published. According to Haffner, it can be read at the library of the Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico, but may not be copied or borrowed off-site."


4 out of 5

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080684/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search?search=Star%20Wars%20Episode%20V%3A%20The%20Empire%20Strikes%20Back

Rio Lobo - Leigh Brackett and Burton Wohl

1970, National General. 114 mins.


A just after the Civil War Western with John Wayne.


3 out of 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Lobo

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066301/

El Dorado - Leigh Brackett

Paramount, 1967. 126 mins.

A John Wayne western with a lot of similarities to Rio Bravo.


3.5 out of 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado_(film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061619/

The Big Sleep - Leigh Brackett and William Faulkner and Jules Furthman

1946, Warner.

Classic crime movie adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel about detective Philip Marlowe.


4.5 out of 5

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038355/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Sleep_(1946_film)

Hatari! - Leigh Brackett

1962, Paramount.


A John Wyane movie about capturing animals in Africa for zoos before tranquiliser guns were available. Lots of chasing in vehicles and roping, and funny antics with monkeys and baby elephants and pet leopards to go with it.


4 out of 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatari!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056059/

Gold of the Seven Saints - Leigh Brackett and Leonard Freeman

Warner, 1961. 88 mins. Black and White.

Amusing treasure hunting dodgy bloke buddy movie with rivals who'd like to perforate 'em.


3.5 out of 5


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_of_the_Seven_Saints

Rio Bravo - Leigh Brackett and Jules Furthman

Armarda, 1959. 141 mins.

Classic Western starring John Wayne. A great movie.


5 out of 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Bravo_(film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053221/

Crime Doctor's Manhunt - Leigh Brackett

Columbia, 1946. 61 mins. Black and White

The Crime Doctor is apparently a multimedia series character = see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_Doctor_(character)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038430/

The Vampire's Ghost - Leigh Brackett and John K. Butler

Republic Pictures, 1945. 59 min. Black and White.

Not seen.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038214/