Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Mystery Photo 3-8

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Welcome to another Monday. Right. Okay, now that is over, let’s get to the business at hand! Last week’s photo was a tough one, I’ll give you that. Which amazed even more that we got more than a couple of correct answers. You guys keep making me proud! The shot was from a French TV movie called The Golem (1967). Whether or not it is a horror film could be debated, as well as just what the hell the movie is about! But we’ll leave that for another time. Right now, let’s give praise to those that did recognize it: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron Christensen, Kevin Hart, Alan Tromp, and Nick Wilson. Well done!

Now this week’s photo might seen pretty easy, or maybe it is one that is going to make you think a bit. Either way, it definitely isn’t that obscure, so let’s see what you think. Remember, please do not post your answers here so that others can have a chance. Just send your guess to us in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

More Hammer Scrapbooks from Peveril Publishing!

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If you have any of the amazing volumes put out by Peveril Publishing, then you know how simply amazing they are. Yes, they are a bit pricy, especially when you’re getting them shipped over here to the US, but they are worth every single penny. So start saving those now because (hopefully) this summer, they will be unleashing the Hammer Vampire Scrapbook!

This volume will be covering the following films: Brides of Dracula (1960), Kiss of the Vampire (1963), Vampire Circus (1972), and Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974). This is just a possible cover image right now and may change, but what we do know that inside whatever cover they do decide on, it will be filled with the usual array of amazing facts and photos about our favorite Studio That Dripped Blood!

And don’t freak out because they didn’t mention any of the Karnstein films, like Vampire Lovers (1970), because that is getting it’s own volume! Wait… isn’t Captain Kronos part of the Karnstein series…. ?

Nonetheless, you can also look forward to Fantastic Films of the Decades Vol. 4 which is expected to be out at the end of the year, or early next year.

Head over to their website HERE for all the latest info. Or even better, sign up for their newsletter!

So again, start saving those pennies! 

Weird Wisconsin: The Bill Rebane Collection!

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If you would have told me 20 years ago, that filmmakers of the likes of Al Adamson, Andy Milligan, or William Grefé, were going to be getting a special box set of their films, I’d think you’re just plain nuts. But not only do those exist, we now have one coming on Wisconsin’s own Bill Rebane. Probably best known for his epic The Giant Spider Invasion (1975), he was one of these independent filmmakers that stayed away from Hollywood, making his own little version in Gleason, Wisconsin, producing films for over a 20-years. And now, thanks to Arrow Video, you’ll have the chance to witness 6 of these titles on Blu-ray in all new restorations in the Weird Wisconsin: The Bill Rebane Collection!

Now I will say that I have seen most of the films in this collection and while some are fun and entertaining in a low budget sort of way, one of them is barely watchable. In fact, back in the VHS days, I ended up watching it twice, under two different titles before I realized it. That film would be Invasion from Inner Earth, also released under the title simply as They. But you know what? I’ve already pre-ordered my set anyway! Because that is what we do as film fans. It is simply a way to look a little deeper and closer at someone’s work, maybe seeing it a different way. Not to mention there is so much bonus material in this collection that for me, it is simply a must have. Continue reading →

John “Bud” Cardos – Rest in Peace

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We lost a great hero of independent cinema today, which unfortunately most fans don’t know. John “Bud” Cardos started his career in the film business back in the ’40s with Hal Roach’s Our Gang, and continued on from there, working in just about every part of the industry. He worked in the stunt department, acting, directing, and so much more. As an actor, he worked a lot with Al Adamson, appearing in films like Blood on Dracula’s Castle and Satan’s Sadist (both in 1969), Five Bloody Graves and Horror of the Blood Monsters (both in 1970), and as a director, he gave us Kingdom of the Spiders (1977), The Dark (1979), and Mutant (1984).

In April of 2005, Cardos was a guest at Cinema Wasteland, and along with Gary Kent, Greydon Clark, and William Smith, had some of the best stories of the industry. Cardos told the captive audience about the day he worked on a western film one day, falling off a horse about a dozen different times for different parts of the film, as different characters. Never got hurt. Then when he gets home, all he wants to do is just soak in the tub and relax, and end up slipping in the tub and breaking his arm!

Being a fan of some of the lower budgeted films and the people behind it, like Al Adamson, it really shows you how talented and creative some of these people were, that really don’t get the credit. If you’re not familiar with Cardos or his work, do yourself a favor check out some of his work.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family. Gone, but never to be forgotten.

Mystery Photo 3-1

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While I may not be having a lot of updates lately (for a variety of reasons), I can’t let a Monday go by without a new Mystery Photo, can I? Otherwise, who knows what kind of chaos the world could come to! So let’s get on it, shall we? It seems our little glamour shot last week seemed to have stumped everyone. That little lovely was in the film Books of Blood (2009). Maybe next time.

For this week’s photo, we went a little older and lot more obscure. So take a peek and see what your brain can come up with. Remember, please don’t post your answer in the comments so that others can have a go. Just send them to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

Kryptic Army Mission: March 2021 – March Madness

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Every March, one of the most popular tournaments takes place, with a single elimination rounds that comprises of 68 college basketball teams.

Now our mission has nothing to do with basketball, or sports in general. I’m only stealing the title of March Madness for this month’s topic of movie watching! And that would be madness. The horror genre has long been filled with characters wrestling with their sanity, either caused by natural defects in their brain, or due to something horrific event that they have witnessed and just can’t deal with. Or it could even be due to outside force or influence that is creating the delusions or is twisted their way of thinking. No matter what the reasoning is, they are usually kept in the same type of place. Continue reading →

Movie Review: The Unseen (2016)

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The Unseen (2016)
Written and directed by Geoff Redknap
Starring Aden Young, Camille Sullivan, Julia Sarah Stone, Ben Cotton

Here is yet another example of stumbling across a title that you’ve never heard of, and then are so blown away by it that you’re amazed this is the first time you’re hearing about it. Or at least that you remember! Especially with the big Invisible Man remake from last year, you’d think that the spotlight would have been put on any similar type films. But this one really seemed to be left… unseen!

One of the things that I love about this film is the ambiguity. A little information is given about what is going on, but honestly the obvious has little to do with the story itself. Aden Young plays Bob Langmore, once a contender for a promising career in professional hockey, but has seemed to drop off the radar. He’s left his wife and young daughter, heading to the outskirts of nowhere to work in a mill. We’re not really sure what is wrong with him, but he seems to be in pain, and is seriously contemplating throwing himself into one of the giant grinders at work. Our first clue that something strange is going on is when he is at home and unwraps the bandages on his hand and we see parts of two of his fingers are gone. But then we realize they are not gone, we just can’t see them. He’s partially invisible. But unlike the traditional stories of this type, he’s not slowly fading in and out, just parts of him are transparent, and not completely transparent, but what seems like layers of him. And it seems to be spreading. For some reason, the process seems to be painful. Could the physical injuries he’s receiving, like in a fight, aggravating his condition? Right before he jumps into one of the machines, he decides he needs to see his daughter one last time. Shortly after he gets back home to visit, she doesn’t come home from a night with her friends. As he and his ex-wife start to investigate where she might have gone, more and more truths about what is going on becomes a little bit clearer. Continue reading →

Horror History: Robert Florey

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Robert Florey
Born Sept. 14, 1900 – Died May 16th, 1979

Director Florey is almost as famous famous for the movie he DIDN’T direct as much as the ones he did. He was the one that brought the idea of doing Frankenstein as a follow up to Dracula (1931), as well as H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man and Edgar Allan Poe’s Murders in the Rue Morgue. He was attached at one time to do Shelley’s novel but after a failed screen test with Bela Lugosi, he was dropped from the project, giving him Poe’s Murders to do instead. Florey apparently didn’t read his contract close enough because when he thought he was going to do Frankenstein, his contract said that he would direct “a picture”, not a specific one in particular. But many of the elements from his script would later be found in the final Whale picture.

He started working in Hollywood as a journalist, even working in the foreign publicity department for names like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. He started directing in 1927, with the film One Hour of Love. In 1929, he directed The Cocoanuts, the very first Marx Brothers film. 

Nonetheless, Florey would go on to give us a few great genre films, as well as working in just about every other genre out there. While not as much of a classic as Frankenstein, his adaptation of Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), starring Bela Lugosi, is a perfect example of how they were really pushing the limited in the Pre-Code era. Florey would also direct Peter Lorre in two other well made titles, The Face Behind the Mask (1941) and The Beast with Five Fingers (1946).

Eventually, he would later move to working in television, where he stayed for several years.

He may be knowns as the guy who almost directed Frankenstein, but I think he could be very proud of his output, in the horror genre, as well as in genre. It is just up to us fans to make sure he is remembered.

Mystery Photo 2-22

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Hopefully everyone is surviving all the snow that has been dumped on a lot of us recently along with the cold temps. Here in the Midwest, while we are use to it, that cold brisk wind can wake you up real quick in the morning. But you didn’t come here to hear about the weather, did you? So let’s get to the business at hand. Last week’s photo was from the Brazilian film The Nightshifter (2018), about a morgue attendant who somehow can talk to the dead. If you haven’t seen this one, I highly recommend it. Kudos goes out to Gary McGuire for being the only one to recognize this shot. Well done, Gary.

So on to this week’s photo. It’s a bit gory, so pay heed. Take a peek and see what you can come up with. Remember, as always, don’t post your answers here so that everyone has a chance at guessing. Just send your answer to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

Movie Review: The Deadly Mantis

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(1957)
Directed by Nathan Juran
Starring Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton, Donald Randolph, Pat Conway,
Florenz Ames, Paul Smith, Phil Harvey

“One of the worst SF films made by Universal.”

The above quote is from writer/film critic/historian Bill Warren. Granted, he makes a lot of valid points in criticism, but as much as I respect him and his work, I have to completely disagree with him on this one. Out of all the ’50s giant monster flicks, The Deadly Mantis remains one of my favorites. Maybe it comes down to the simple fact that I think this is one of the best looking creatures in these films. Or that I fondly remember this one as a kid and it has always stuck in my head. And I will say, that while Warren, and a lot of others, refer to this as a science fiction picture, let us get one thing perfectly clear. When you have a giant monster attacking cities and killing people, that right there, my friends, is horror, plain and simple. Continue reading →