Coleman C. Francis was perhaps best known for his film trilogy consisting of The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961), The Skydivers (1963), Red Zone Cuba (1966), all three of which were filmed in the general Santa Clarita, California area and used preoccupation with light aircraft and parachuting, coffee or cigarettes serving as a prop or a center of conversation, and a vigilante-style gunning down of suspects without a trial to conclude the film as frequent motifs. All three films have gained notoriety as a result of their appearances on Mystery Science Theater 3000, and have been often criticized for their abysmal production values, repetitive plot devices, murky picture quality, and stilted acting. Some critics have characterized Francis’ films among the all-time worst, even suggesting that he may surpass Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space in terms of ineptitude.
THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS The Beast of Yucca Flats stars Swedish former wrestler Tor Johnson and was both written and directed by Coleman Francis. Some critics have characterized it as one of the worst science fiction horror films made, and one of the all-time worst, even suggesting that it may be worse than Ed Wood’s legendarily bad Plan 9 from Outer Space.
THE SKYDIVERS
With notes on the films by Anthony Cardoza, star of The Beast of Yucca Flats, The Skydivers and Red Zone Cuba
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1963 • 75 MIN • BLACK AND WHITE • MONO • OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES • 1.85:1
RED ZONE CUBA
1966 • 89 MIN • BLACK AND WHITE • MONO • OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES • 1.85:1 Under exclusive license from Cinema Associates l Crown International Pictures l Hollywood Star Pictures. The Beast of Yucca Flats © Cinema Associates 1961. The Skydivers © Crown International Pictures 1963. Red Zone Cuba © Hollywood Star Pictures 1966. The Criterion Collection. All rights reserved. Cat. no. ECL061. ISBN 978-1-60465-111-9. Warning: unauthorized public performance, broadcasting, or copying is a violation of applicable laws. Printed in the USA. First printing 2020.
Eclipse is a selection of lost, forgotten, or overshadowed classics in simple, affordable editions. Each series is a brief cinematheque retrospective for the adventurous home viewer. Visit us at criterion.com
THE FILMS OF COLEMAN FRANCIS
PARACHUTES, COFFEE AND CIGARETTES
ECLIPSE FROM THE CRITERION COLLECTION
Red Zone Cuba, also known as Night Train to Mundo Fine, is a 1966 American drama film directed by Coleman Francis, who also wrote, produced, and played the starring role. It follows the meandering adventures of an escaped convict and two ex-convicts he recruits along the way as they become involved in the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion, and a quest to find a hidden treasure in a tungsten mine.
THE SKYDIVERS
ECLIPSE FROM THE CRITERION COLLECTION
RED ZONE CUBA
1961 • 54 MIN • BLACK AND WHITE • MONO • OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES • 1.85:1
ECLIPSE FROM THE CRITERION COLLECTION
The Skydivers stars actress Kevin Casey as Beth, Eric Tomlin as Joe, Anthony Cardoza as Harry, and Marcia Knight as Suzy. The film contains performances by influential Nashville guitarist Jimmy Bryant. After being forgotten for three decades it got a second life in 1994, serving the basis for a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode. At one point, the film was the lowest-rated of all time on the Internet Movie Database.
THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS
ECLIPSE SERIES
PARACHUTES, COFFEE AND CIGARETTES
PARACHUTES, COFFEE AND CIGARETTES
THE FILMS OF COLEMAN FRANCIS
THE FILMS OF COLEMAN FRANCIS
ECLIPSE SERIES
ECLIPSE SERIES
THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS THE SKYDIVERS RED ZONE CUBA
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ECLIPSE FROM THE CRITERION COLLECTION
THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS THE SKYDIVERS RED ZONE CUBA
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Fake Coleman Francis - Criterion Collection Eclipse Series Artwork Design Exercise The Beast of Yucca Flats The Skydivers Red Zone Cuba https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0290118/
Artwork Standard DVD Case - Inlay 272mm x 182mm Blu Ray Disc Art 115mm x 115mm