There's no movie for this episode because we finished all 50 episodes! I'm calling this "Season 1" and Mike is maybe not convinced that we should go on to Season 2. We go over our ratings and discuss the movies we rated lowest and highest. Then Mike quizzes Amber on the characters he created from this series of movies and...well, you'll just have to listen to find out how well she did. Or didn't do.

Learn about what we'll be up to next and if you have an opinion, you're welcome to share it! Find us on the interwebs:

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"The House of Secrets" is an old, dark house mystery from 1936. When a man unexpectedly inherits an English estate, he tries to take over the property only to find squatters there. He's later attacked by a group of American gangsters, and along with a detective friend, works to find out the mystery of why everyone wants to get into his house. Amber and Mike sum up the plot of this confusing movie, and Mike shares the original character he created based on this movie that you can download for use in tabletop role playing games.

Title: The House of Secrets

Director: Roland D. Reed

IMDB Rating: 5.0 out of 10

Rating: Approved

Content warnings: Misogyny, trivializing mental illness, kidnapping and abduction, violence, murder

5th Edition Character: Hector Munson, a poison gas wizard

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N3ztbkDDknA?si=At78D0x689V0KEVJ

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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In "The House of Mystery," an archeologist is cursed after stealing treasure from a temple. Twenty years after he goes home, he invites the investors he shrifted over to his old, dark house for shenanigans and murder. This movie, like many in the genre, is offense, because it trivializes Hinduism in several different ways. Plus, it trivializes disability and involves animal abuse. Other than that, it hits all the notes for your basic haunted house movie, including a seance which makes no sense at all. Amber and Mike sum up the plot of this movie and Mike shares the original character he created based on this movie that you can download for use in tabletop role playing games.

Editor's Note: The movie Saltburn is mentioned in a general way at 1:05:00. You may want to skip 30 seconds if you don't want any whiff of the plot of that movie.

Title: The House of Mystery

Director: William Nigh

IMDB Rating: 4.8 out of 10

Content warnings: Racism, trivializing disability, trivializing religion, animal abuse

Notable actors: Joyzelle Joyner

• https://archive.org/details/sininsoftfocuspr0000viei
• http://www.precodemisbehaving.com/2013/08/the-life-and-scandal-of-joyzelle-joyner.html

5th Edition Character: Chanda the Gorilla Queen

Learn more at World of Welstar:

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zg2ZbV0xeyI

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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"House of Danger" is not really a mystery -- the audience is in on the "mystery" almost from the beginning. Instead, it's more of a romance/thriller, where the main characters work out how to disengage from the mess they put themselves in. It's an uneven film, with a few nice moments sprinkled in, and an ending that we guessed at, but couldn't quite believe actually happened. Stay to the end to hear about the character Mike created while inspired by this movie for use in tabletop role playing games.

Title: House of Danger

Alternate Title: The Great Gamble

Director: Charles Hutchison

B/W or Color: B/W

IMDB Rating: 5.2/10

Content warnings: Suicide, kidnapping, car crash, impersonating someone

Hilarious tagline: “A MYSTERY STORY OF THRILLS AND ROMANCE!"

5th Edition Character: Gordon, a villainous manservant

Learn more at World of Welstar:

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BVZ0-5F_7Zk

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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"The Savage Girl," starting with its title and continuing on to its conclusion, is a loathsome male power fantasy passing as a jungle adventure. A rich man with an alcohol dependency talks a big game trapper into traveling with him to Africa. While there, they cross paths with a White woman living alone in the jungle, and the men of the expedition fight over who can possess her. Amber and Mike go through this stinker but in the end, find nothing redeeming in it. However, Mike creates a brilliant and glorious non-player character from the ashes, which is free for use in tabletop role playing games.

About The Movie 

Title: The Savage Girl

Year: 1932

B/W or Color: B/W

Director: Harry Frasher

IMDB Rating: 4.4 out of 10

Hilarious tagline: A wild goddess rules the jungle!

Length: 1 hour and 6 minutes

Content warnings: Racism, misogyny, attempted rape, violence

5th Edition Character: The Goddess, an elven druid

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xa-WZsRC1YU

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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"The Phantom of 42nd Street" takes the trope of the reporter as a detective a step further and has a newsletter theater critic turning detective. A wealthy and prominent theater owner is murdered and his family and employees are all suspects. Tony, the Broadway theater critic, reluctantly takes on the investigation to find the killer. This mystery from 1945 suffers from an inscrutable plot, although it's well acted and there are some high points. Mike and Amber go through the plot of this movie and share an original character for use in tabletop role playing games that listeners can download for use in their campaigns.

• Title: The Phantom of 42nd Street
• Year: 1945
• B/W or Color: B/W
• Director: Albert Herman
• 5.2 out of 10 on IMDB
• Length: 57 minutes
• Content warnings: Gunplay, murder, trivializing mental illness
• 5th Edition Character: The Thesbian, a shape shifting actor

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Tj_M0i7QqUI

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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"The Lion Man" is a desert adventure from 1936 that is set in the middle east, but was filmed in Arizona. A titled man from England takes his young son on a business trip, but it turns violent and the boy is orphaned an left to be raised by a man who trains lions. As he grows, he finds there is disharmony in the community and winds up being a pawn between two groups. Amber and Mike try to understand this murky plot and Mike describes the original character he created for use in tabletop role playing games that he developed based on this movie.

Title: The Lion Man

Director: John P. McCarthy

IMDB Rating: 4.8 out of 10

Rating: Approved

Content warnings: death of an animal, kidnapping, murder, human trafficking, violence against children, drugging someone against their will, hostage situation

Hilarious tagline: “He led an army of lions!"

5th Edition Character: El Lion, a lion-themed barbarian who ferociously defends his territory.

Learn more at World of Welstar:

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ukzbaDSatz0

Buy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGn

These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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In "Wanted: Babysitter," the young son of a wealthy man and his babysitter are held hostage by a disparate group. The plan goes awry and results in a series of events that puts everyone at risk. This thriller from 1975 starts out strong and has a few twists and turns but is ultimately difficult to follow due to the poor quality and number of characters who behave in ways that often don't make sense. Mike and Amber go through this movie and try to understand who ended up with the ransom money. Plus, Mike shares an original character that he created for tabletop role playing games which is available for free download (see below).

Title: Wanted: Babysitter

Director: René Clément

IMDB Rating: 5.4 out of 10

Rating: NR

Content warnings: Kidnapping, child abuse, domestic abuse, the dog dies, murder, nudity, body horror, trauma, extortion, suicide, adultery

5th Edition Character: Vic the kidnapper

Learn more at World of Welstar:

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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"The Thirteenth Guest" is an old, dark house / whodunit from 1932. It was one of Ginger Rogers' early film roles, although it doesn't showcase her talent. A wealthy man left his millions to a "thirteenth guest," but no one knows this person's identity. His former home has lain empty for many years and is now the site of several murders which the police and a private investigator are tasked with solving. Mike and Amber try to understand all the twists and turns of this movie and Mike shares an original character that he created for tabletop role playing games which is available for free download.

Title: The Thirteenth Guest

Director: Albert Ray

IMDB Rating: 5.7 out of 10

Rating: NR

Notable actors: Ginger Rogers, who is probably best known for 42nd Street, which won best picture in 1934

Content warnings: Misogyny, infantilization of women, murder

Hilarious tagline: “BAFFLING! BREATHTAKING! CHILLS-THRILLS!"

5th Edition Character: The Hooded Terror — A lightning Gnome

Learn more at World of Welstar:

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/71IJjCbbK7k

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These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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"The Tell-Tale Heart" from 1960 is a loose adaptation of the 1843 short story by Edgar Allan Poe. A man becomes obsessed with his neighbor, Betty, and goes on a few dates with her while covertly spying on her through her bedroom window. Edgar introduces Betty to a friend of his, Carl, and Betty and Carl consummate their relationship in full view from Edgar's window. Edgar takes out his jealousy on Carl and is driven mad by his guilt. Mike and Amber review this worthy effort that takes Poe's work and expands upon it to bring a new perspective. Plus, Mike shares his original character based on this movie that is created for use in tabletop role playing games.

Title: The Tell-Tale Heart

Director:Ernest Morris 

IMDB Rating: 5.8 out of 10

Rating: N/R

Content warnings: Murder, Violence, Drug Use, Sexual Predator, Mutilation of Corpses

Hilarious tagline: "From the Terrifying Pages of Edgar Allan Poe!"

5th Edition Character: Edgar Marsh, bard, cursed to live a life without love

Learn more at World of Welstar:

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Watch this movie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RfkxjlyzISQ

Buy the 50 movie set: https://amzn.to/3Nj5PGn

These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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