Sven- The Mole People (1955)

 

Three archeologists venture to the Himalayas in search of lost people.  They find a tunnel down to the lower depths (can't be more than 11 miles, ask Jules Verne) and lo and behold, they find a race of albino Sumerians.  They use mutant mole people as slaves, as well as most of their women.  The Sumerians think the doctors are gods sent from Ishtar, and the docs let them believe that.  The flashlight helps.  Eventually, the lie is found out, and the docs have to leave as the Mole People have had enough and revolt.  Ishtar herself must have had enough, as earthquakes destroy the city and the tunnel down to it.  Our heroes escape, but the woman Adelle suddenly changes her mind and heads back.  Then she gets killed by collapsing debris.  The end.

The Mole People are iconic, but this movie is kinda meh.  The whole expedition leads to a lot of death.  I think the Mole People got their freedom, so that is good, and the docs were nice to them.  Otherwise, nothing good comes from this.  I do like see Dr. Frank Baxter, he is always fun.

Seeing pictures of the Mole People made them seem super scary.  All they were was masks and gloves.  And odd humps that make no sense, though it protected the stuntmen from the whips, I suppose.  Cool creatures in search of a better movie.

next week (dun dun DUN)... DESTROY ALL MONSTERS! (yeah, it is the international version, but I'll still take it)