Terrance Stamp & Robert Vaughn in The Mind of Mr. Soams (1969)

I'd been reluctant to watch this film because it has something of an aura of impending doom. A brain surgeon (Vaughn) revives John Soams (Stamp) who has been in a coma since birth. At the age of 30 he must begin to learn to join the human race. The well meaning, but autocratic head of the institute (Nigel Davenport) takes a clinical approach that makes no allowances for warmth, tenderness and love and understandably, John develops a rebellious nature. When he escapes the institute, he's completely unprepared for the world at large.

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This was an Amicus production. The British studio was known for its horror films, primarily, and it milks the subject matter for its scare factor, but in this case, the "monster"everyone is afraid of is a 30 year old man with the mind of a child. You can't help but identify with him, and the pain he's going through. Stamp's performance is extremely effecting and seeing this innocent subject to uncaring treatment and indifference can be painful to watch. It's very much a piece of its time, reflecting the pessemistic attitudes about human nature and the world at large.

This film was released on DVD last year and can be seen in full on YouTube. Part one is above, uploaded by feverpitch96.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD & YouTube, largely forgotten)

Barbara Eden & Robert Vaughn in The Woman Hunter (1972)

Dina Hunter (Eden) is a wealthy socialite vacationing in Acapulco with her husband (Vaughn). She's still out-of-sorts after a traumatic automobile accident in which she killed a man and was put on trial and acquitted, but the couple hope that the change of scenery will do Dina some good. Shortly after her arrival she meets painter, Paul Carter (Stuart Whitman), who tries to seduce her with mixed results. She agrees to sit for him, but changes her mind when she finds and unfinished painting featuring her priceless emerald necklace and clippings about her and another woman who had been killed for her jewelry in his apartment one night. Is Paul the killer she thinks he is?

This made-for-TV movie is a bit stilted, but has some fun, campy moments in it. Eden is just gorgeous and changes clothes at the drop of a hat and the scenery is breathtaking. Look for a campy cameo from Larry Storch at the beginning and a wacky dance Eden does in the middle of the film that seems completely unmotivated. The Woman Hunter has been released on DVD, in a cheap dollar bin transfer and can be found on Amazon. It's also available in full on YouTube, uploaded by drelbcom.

Obscurity factor: 8 (available on DVD & YouTube, almost completely forgotten)