Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

aramis-112-804880 "Zotz" is a run of the mill early 1960s melange that follows the usual pattern. Take a rising comedian (in this case, Tom Poston, best known these days for his long-running stint as handyman George on Newhart), put him in a movie with a semi-popular source novel (like ZOTZ by Thorne Smith wannabe Walter Karig), surround him by about five dependable comedy stalwarts (in this case Jim Backus, Fred Clark, Louis Nye, tough guy Mike Mazurki, and long-time-ago Marx Brothers foil Margaret Dumont). Oh, and throw in a beautiful love interest far outside the hero's league, in this case more chesty than lovely.Then you tone down the source material for family viewing and make it current. The novel ZOTZ took place during World War II but everything in the 1960s had to be updated to the Cold War with spies from the "other side." The surprising thing is that the hero in ZOTZ the novel points his finger and says "Zotz!" to kill. This angle has not been changed, though it has been mollified into stages. Tom Poston with the ability to kill by pointing his finger and saying "Zotz" is worth watching--once. But it's basically a one-joke concept.Another curious thing is, while the James Bond phenomenon is usually accused of starting all this spy-movie stuff, "Zotz" was actually released a few months before the first Bond movie, "Doctor No." So much for conventional wisdom.

utgard14 Lame comedy from William Castle about a professor (Tom Poston) who gains magical powers from an ancient coin. The premise had potential but this just stinks. I didn't laugh once during the whole thing. Poston running around pointing his finger and yelling "Zotz!" gets real old real fast. Despite his character supposedly being a brilliant professor he acts like a complete moron most of the time. A good supporting cast including Jim Backus, Cecil Kellaway, and the great Margaret Dumont doesn't help much. The version I saw on TCM had these weird breaks where scenes went to black before starting another scene, almost like it was made with spots for television commercials in mind. If you're a Castle completist you'll want to see this but everybody else should just avoid it. It's corny and not funny in the least.

AaronCapenBanner William Castle directed this fantasy comedy that stars Tom Poston(later costar on the "Newhart" TV series) as college professor Jonathan Jones, a teacher of ancient languages that comes into possession of a magic(!) coin that has three powers: to inflict pain, to slow down, or to kill, depending how you use the coin and pronounce "Zotz!". Problems arise when Soviet spies get wind of it, and plot to steal the coin, no matter the cost...awful film is both unfunny and stupid. Tom Poston makes a most unlikely heroic lead, and actors like Jim Backus and Cecil Kellaway are wasted. A profound disappointment from Castle, and an instantly forgettable film.

regrunion Ya gotta admit it's a great title and Tom Poston is rather watchable for the nine-year-olds who are the target audience. It's just a silly chase over a coin with silly magical powers, and if one can overlook the Cold War propaganda was a fun fantasy for playacting with my little friends afterwards.Watching it again as an adult I found it rather charmless but not a total bore.