Soundtrack Review: Dark Touch

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Dark Touch
Released by Tricatel, 2013
18 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 43 min.
Original Music by Christophe Chassol

It didn’t take but a few minutes into the movie for this score to get my attention. Right from the very beginning, we hear this haunting piano tune, which will always get my attention. But it continues on, drawing the listener in even more. The sound of the piano almost has a slight distortion, or like weird vibration to the notes, which gives it even more of an eerie sound to it. And right at that moment, I knew I had to look for this score after the film was done. Which is exactly what I did, and why we are here now!

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DtH Episode 115: New French Extremity Films

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In My Skin (2002), Inside (2007), and Martyrs (2008)

While the French aren’t known for their horror films, when they do move into that genre, there is something to be said. Perfect example is Georges Franju’s Eyes Without a Face (1960), with its stark realism and dark themes, it is still a powerful film even today. But in the early 2000’s, a bunch of younger filmmakers pushed the boundaries even farther, making viewers even more uncomfortable as they view these newer entries into the genre. They were often graphic, some over-the-top, and others dealt with darker subjects that were just as disturbing, even though the violence and/or gore wasn’t onscreen. It was the subject and the way it’s shown was what was hard to watch.

In this episode, we decided to take on 3 titles that show the different ranges of that, from the very subversive and uncomfortable subject matter to taking the gore through the roof, but also making you think more than you thought you could, even leaving you in a distressed state for days after the movie ends. That is powerful filmmaking.

Films mentioned in this episode:

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Monsterama in Atlanta

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Ever since I heard about this show, we wanted to attend. But being in Atlanta, which is about a 12-hour drive, is a bit too long for us. Sure, might be easier to fly, but if we were going, we’d want to be vendors there, which means we’d have to drive. So, I would just sit and look at the events, the guests, and all the fun it looked like everyone was having. But not this year!

Because I wanted to try some other shows that were a little different than the huge convention with massive guests lists, to those where fans were coming to have fun and maybe learn something about the genre. Monsterama, which has been running since 2014, is the brainchild of Anthony Taylor, who I’ve known for a few years since we both attend Monster Bash every year. Just hearing about the way the show is put on, with all the different panels they have, plus the steady stream of films being screened from actual film prints, I knew at some point, I was going to have to make it someday. And this is the year.

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Mystery Photo 2-2

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Man, those last 4 weeks sure did seem like it lasted a lot longer than a month. Being that I’m STILL dealing with the remnants of whatever cold/virus that I got at the very beginning of January, I am one that is glad that month is finally over. Hopefully February will be a little better! But on to business. Our last photo was from the wonderfully entertaining and scary 1987 film The Gate. While it may be a PG-13 rating, there are plenty of things in here to get to most viewers. Not only does a very young Stephen Dorff do a great job, but we also have to give a special shout-out to Randall William Cook for his visual special effects work. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct title: Hoby Abernathy, Todd Barwick, Chris Dyer, Kevin Hart, Lee Nattrass, Jeff Owens, Tim Palace, and William Wilson. Congrats, my friends!

This week’s photo is a wee bit older, and while nowhere near as frightening, unless you consider the budget! Take a look and see what you think. Just remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

National Film Registry Adds The Thing

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When you think about a film that has initial reviews that said it was “foolish, depressing” and its actors are “used merely as props to be hacked, slashed, disemboweled and decapitated, finally to be eaten and then regurgitated” and the film overall, “is too phony to be disgusting. It qualifies only as instant junk,” which was from the New York Times Vincent Canby. Or when Roger Ebert called it, “a great barf-bag movie.” But it wasn’t just these types of film critics that hated John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), his adaptation of John W. Campbell’s novella entitled Who Goes There, first published in 1938. Even Alan Spencer, writing for Starlog magazine wrote that the film, “smells, and smells pretty bad. It has no pace, sloppy continuity, zero humor, bland characters on top of being totally devoid of either warmth or humanity.” He went on to write that Carpenter should not be directing films, but instead, would be “suited to direct: traffic accidents, train wrecks and public floggings.”

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Andy Milligan Rises Again!

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If you would have told me a decade ago that I would be praising the work of Staten Island bottom of the basement auteur Andy Milligan, I would have said you’re crazy. I had known about him and a few of his titles but just wrote him off as another low-budget schlocky filmmaker. But a couple of years ago, Severin Films did an amazing thing by releasing a massive box set of Milligan’s work, with a ton of extras. These films looked better than they probably did if/when they played in theaters. As I started to go through the set, I realized that while they are still very low budgeted films, and weren’t the best on the technical side, there was a charm to them that I really started to enjoy. I’ve always said that the more you know about an artist, it will make you appreciate their work a little more. And between that box set and Jimmy McDonough’s book The Ghastly One, I really started to enjoy what I was seeing.

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Kryptic World Tour 2026 Starts Soon

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While we’re in the middle of a deep freeze here in the Midwest, what better time to think ahead to when convention season starts! We’ve got a couple of new shows that we’re going to be hitting this year, plus some that I really wanted to highlight in the incoming months just to keep getting the word out.

On March 14th, we are going to be heading to Muskegon, Michigan for the Michigan is Dead show, which is just a 1-day event that actually takes place in a mall. The people that run Static Tape Video have been doing this little tape trade, sort-of flea-market style event that looks like it might be fun to give it a try. So, we’ll be set up there with our usual array of horror reference books, maybe some magazines, movies, and of course some horror pillows and tote bags from my lovely wife.

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Mystery Photo 1-26

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Before we get started, I wanted to make sure everyone knew that I wasn’t referencing Martin Luther King’s holiday last Monday, but in fact it was Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday. Obviously two very different people and especially what they contributed to the world. Wasn’t trying to imply one was more important than the other, but this is the Krypt, where we try to celebrate those that had made some contributions to the world we love. And Poe definitely did just that. And on that note, the film was from Premature Burial, the one Poe film Corman did without Vincent Price, but starring Ray Milland instead. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Dave Fronto, Kevin Hart, Erik Martin, and Charles Miller. Well done!

Now on to this week’s photo. No birthday tie in this week. Just a creepy little film for decades past. Damn does that make me feel old! But take a peek and then send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And most of all, Stay Warm, and Good Luck!

What a Time to be a Horror Fan

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Horror fans and the Oscars have not had a long and friendly relationship. Over the decades, when some incredible performances have been given out in a wide variety of titles, because they are classified as horror, they usually get passed over. Not always, but in the history of cinema that is well over a century old, let’s face it… traditionally, if it is a horror film, it won’t get nominated besides maybe in makeup or visual effects.

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DtH Episode 114 – Deadly Spawn’s Ted A. Bohus

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The Deadly Spawn (1983) & Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor (1990)

One of the greatest low-budget monster movies of the ’80s, with one of the most original looking creatures, is The Deadly Spawn. And its much-underrated semi-sequel Metamorphosis is also a lot of fun that sadly needs a Blu-ray upgrade. But the guy behind both of this is Ted A. Bohus. Not only being a producer and director, but has also created some amazing film magazines, such as SPFX and Candid Monsters, that can prove that maybe you don’t know as much about a movie you thought you did!

Mr. Bohus sits down with us to discuss both Deadly Spawn, Metamorphosis, as well as working in the independent low-budget world of filmmaking, with more than a few lessons out there for up-and-coming filmmakers. We also cover his role as a publisher, doing deep, deep dives into some of our favorite classic films in his magazine (damn near book) Candid Monsters. So, sit back and get ready for some great and fun stories about the wonderful world of making movies and magazines!

Films mentioned in this episode:

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