Zotz

William Castle's production of Zotz! is an engaging juvenile comedy featuring likeable Tom Poston as a fellow who comes across a coin that has magical powers, which in due time becomes a matter of interest to Soviet agents. The movie was heavily hyped for kids when first released, and pleased audiences at the time. Now it plays like a Disney version of an Ealing comedy, such as The Man In the White Suit, which it vaguely resembles, with Poston in the Alec Guinness role. This was an odd project for Castle, better known as a producer of horror movies, though it's pleasant enough if one is in an undemanding mood.

Director William Castle, upon seeing the end results of this movie of his, seemed to have realized that this movie wasn't up to his previous movies. For one thing, the gimmick that he came up for this movie was to give patrons a copy of the coin seen in the movie. (Whoopie!) *I* certainly thought that this was one of his weakest efforts.

The premise of the movie, while not really original (even when the movie was made), still did have some promise. But there are two main problems that shoot down the movie. The first is that the characters act pretty stupid for most of the movie. Our hero is a college professor, yet the coin-related actions he does suggest he has put little thought into what he has discovered and what he should do with it.

The second problem is related to that first problem, in that most of the movie is devoted to him *not* using the coin to his advantage (which is what most people would do), or being responsible with the coin. You will keep wondering just when some conflict will come into the movie, and he will be forced to struggle, to bring some ACTION into the movie. Eventually (after more than an hour of the running time has passed), our hero is challenged, but he acts (again) so stupidly when someone with even average intelligence would figure out how to use the coin to end the conflict in just a few minutes.

Not even worth two cents.

Every now and then you come across a film that you wish was better than it actually turned out to be: this is such a film. After years endlessly rehashing scenes from other successes William Castle came up with a film that was so startlingly original he was obviously completely at a loss how to exploit the idea adequately. But it leaves you glad you saw it. There's even a little mild satire in that the coin's potential is completely ignored by the Pentagon, the only person paying attention being a Russian spy working as a window cleaner.

Eccentrically cast as a brilliant authority in the field of Ancient Eastern Languages, TV comedian Tom Poston was at the time a complete unknown abroad (he's now best remembered as the landlord in "Mork and Mindy'), but proves quite an attractive personality who rises to the challenge of carrying a film. One also wishes female lead Julia Meade had made more films too.

I own an original copy of this movie on VHS and a copy of Walter Karig's book of the same title. They are both little treasures and should be enjoyed when they are available to you.

Karig's book is a satirical little allegory and ends in a manner quite unlike the movie. I don't want to give away the ending of either, but I can assure you that you will enjoy reading the book even if you have already seen the movie (and vice-versa.) I will warn you, though, that the ending in the book is NOT necessarily a happy one.

As for the movie, it is indeed a departure from the norm for William Castle, but he dabbled in comedy in several other movies, so it is not THAT out of character. After all, the movie deals with what are essentially supernatural forces.

Contrary to what some other reviewers have written, I would argue that this move is much closer in tone to Disney's "Absent-Minded Professor" movies. There are the usual bumbling academics, the sexy-but-safe women, the well-meaning but suspicious Federal agents, the vaguely- threatening-but-incompetent foreign agents, and the likable and innocent hero. When the day is done, the hero defeats the villains, the self-righteous get their comeuppance, the girl gets the guy, and the "secret" is lost again...maybe.

The FX are about average for B-movies of that period. As a kid, I was astonished, but they definitely show their age when I watch it now.

I really think that kids today would enjoy seeing this movie. Give it a chance, if you get one. This is one rare movie to find on tape.

My two older brothers and my younger sister and I saw this at the historic Paramount in Abilene. I was 7, so this is a review written through my seven-year-old's memory. I loved it, and thought Tom Poston was incredibly funny. As a promotional item, we all got a bronze-looking metal Zotz! coin upon leaving the theatre. I had mine for years until my mother, in a hissy fit, "cleaned" my room and closet and threw away the cigar box housing it and a neat little collection of valuable Cracker Jack prizes. They were made of metal in those days, with wonderful craftsmanship and detail. I'm still sore about that. Anyway, we all loved the movie. I'd like to see it again.