Door-To-Door Maniac — Door-To-Door Maniac / Right Hand of the Devil

This rather impressive-looking double-bill Blu-ray set from Film Masters features two early 60s neo-noir titles from the early 1960’s- Door-To-Door Maniac which features none other than Johny Cash in its lead, and the sightly sleazier Right Hand Of The Devil.

So firstly  Door-To-Door Maniac (aka Five Minutes To Live) from  1961 starring country music legend, Johnny Cash as Johnny Cabot and directed by Bill Karn (Ma Baker’s killer Brood, Gang Busters and Guns Don’t Argue). The film starts at breakfast time in the Wilson house, a suburban middle-class household that’s all white picket fences and PTA meetings. Ken Wilson (Donald Woods, The Case of the Stuttering Bishop, 13 Ghosts and The Frisco Kid), his wife Nancy (Cay Forester, DOA, Fuzz and Canon City) and their son Bobby (legendary actor/ director/ producer Ron Howard, Happy Days, American Graffiti and The Shootist)  are sat at the breakfast table arguing over who will take Bobby for his new baseball uniform, before Ken heads off to the office (he is a bank manager). On the way, Ken makes a detour to visit his mistress, Ellen Harcourt (Pamela Mason, Lady Possessed, Sex Kittens Go to College and Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex  but were Afraid to Ask) who he plans to leave his wife for. She nags him about not asking Nancy for a divorce, but Ken fobs her off with the excuse that he didn’t have a chance that morning, but he will do it. Once both Ken and Bobby are out of the house, murderous thug, Johnny Cabot (Cash) forces his way in and takes Nancy hostage. Meanwhile, Cabot’s associate, Fred Dorella (Vic Tayback, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Bullitt and All Dogs Go To Heaven) arrives at the bank with a cheque for $70,000 which he expects Wilson to cash in exchange to save his wife. Will Ken leave his wife to die at the hands of Cabot or will he cash the cheque to save her life?.

The film itself it is a solid low budget thriller with pretty good performances across the board, Cash being the only one who seems a bit wooden, although he does ably present himself as the brutish killer for hire. The film comes in two different prints, the theatrical and the TV print, for the purpose of the review I watched the theatrical version. The print was clean and crisp and it looks as good as it probably ever has. The only bonus material on this disc is a newly recreated trailer.

Disc two features our second movie, Right Hand of the Devil, a 1963 crime drama directed by and starring Aram Katcher (Spy Hunt, Beneath The Valley of the Ultra-vixens and The Female Animal). This was Katcher’s attempt to step up from the many supporting actor roles he had become synonymous with and into the limelight. Not only did he write, direct and act in the movie, he wrote, edited and undertook a host of different roles in order to get it made for the under $20,000 budget he had. Alongside Katcher, who plays Pepe Lasara, the film stars Lisa McDonald (in her only ever screen role), Brad Trumbull (Paratroop Command, Flight that Disappeared and The Gambler Wore A Gun), and James V. Christy (Raging Bull, The Laughing Policeman and Capone).

Pepe Lusara, sees himself as something of a criminal mastermind who has arrived in Los Angeles with the intention of engineering a highly profitable heist. He hires a small team made up of just four men, Spooky (Randall), Carter (Monte Lee), Sammy (Christy) and wheelman Williams (Trumbull) with plans to rob the Hollywood Arena the day after a big boxing championship fight when there is expected to be around a quarter of a million pounds in cash. Lusara also wines and dines Elizabeth Sutherland (McDonald), who just so happens to be the venue’s cashier, with the intent of using her for information, however, Elizabeth is wise to what’s going on and decides she would like to be in on the heist, handing Lusara the keys to the box office in order that he can commit the act. 

Overall, this is an enjoyable little thriller that belies its low budget, the cast are solid and Katcher, gives a really sleazy performance in the lead role.  The whole thing is a little odd, with some great twists thrown in for good measure, which makes for an interesting and sleazy movie. As a sole directorial effort, it feels remarkably good and we can only wonder just how good his projected follow-up, Since Cain and Abel, would have been. The print itself looks fine, it’s not as crisp as Door-to-Door-Maniac, but it is an even more obscure title. 

It has to be said that whilst neither film will ever be regarded as a masterpiece, this two Blu-ray set makes for an entertaining few hours. Both films are enjoyable low-budget movies that, whilst not perfect, are both far better than one might expect from such cheapo titles. Both film have some pretty sleazy moments that are well handled and give both movies an extra little something. If you enjoy a good, sleazy neo-noir, then this set is a must for you, but there is plenty here for fans of general crime thrillers of this period. The set from Film Masters features good prints of the movies and a rather nice booklet, but very little in the way of bonus materials, adding only a couple of trailers, audio commentaries for both movies and a visual essay about Aram Katcher.