Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Joel Schumacher – Rest in Peace

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Joel Schumacher RIPWhile this director only worked in the horror genre a couple of times, there are many of this titles that could cross many genres. I know critics were calling his 1990 film Flatliners a medical thriller, but sorry guys, that was a horror film, woven inside a nice morality tale. And a damn fine one too. While I wasn’t that big of fan of his Batman movies, his other “thrillers” like Falling Down (1993) and Phonebooth (2002) were well done and well worth your time.

But for horror fans, it is his 1987 MTV style vampire film, The Lost Boys, that he will always be remembered by. Sure, the film plays a little dated these days, but it is still filled with some incredible sequences, creepy elements, not to mention pretty funny at times too. Kiefer Sutherland showed audiences what a young punk version of Dracula would be like and it worked.

After a year-long battle with cancer, he passed away yesterday at the age of 80. Because of his work, he will always be remembered, and for much more than giving Batman nipples. 

Mystery Photo 6-22

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Summer is finally hear. Yeah. I’ve got my AC cranked so high that I have to wear a hoodie. Okay, maybe because I like wearing a hoodie, but don’t judge me! Happy Monday, folks. And Monday and another Mystery Photo. So let’s get started. Last week’s photo was from the Karloff film Corridors of Blood (1958). Karloff still showing he’s got it and a nice little performance by Christopher Lee. Although, I have to say the most disturbing part of the movie is when the one surgeon makes a comment about Karloff’s attempt to come up with way to help the patient, and says “Yes, most distressing, but, alas, inevitably you can’t have operations without screams. Pain and the knife, they’re inseparable!” Yeah… guess we shouldn’t complain TOO much about today’s doctors! Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Todd Barwick, Peggy Christie, Bob Hartman, Troy Howarth, Martin Meeks, Lee Natrass, Bryan Senn, and Michael Shields. I think I remembered everyone…

Okay, let’s get to this week’s photo. Take a peek and see what you come up with. As always, just send your answer to us in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Horror History: Alberto Dalbés

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albertodalbesAlberto Dalbés
Born Apr. 3rd, 1922 – Died Sept. 14th, 1983

Spanish horror from the early ’70s, especially that of Jess Franco’s work, probably have seen Dalbés’ face at some point. For me, I first became aware of him from appearing as the mad doctor in Paul Naschy’s The Hunchback of the Morgue (1973). He really was fun to watch there, playing a scientist so driven in his plans to create a new life form, that he had no care or whims about other people, even having them killed to be used to feed this beast he was creating. Great stuff.

He made his screen debut in 1943 in a film called Youth Kicks and worked in quite a few movies before moving to Spain, where he continued to appear on screen. He appeared in other genre films like Maniac Mansion and Cut-Throats Nine, both from 1972.

He seemed to work quite a bit with Jess Franco, appearing in quite a few number of his pictures, such as Night of the Assassins (1974), The Demons (1973), Tender and Perverse Emanuelle (1973), Dracula: Prisoner of Frankenstein (1972), The Curse of Frankenstein (1972), and so many more.

So the next time you find yourself watching a Franco film, you just might want to keep your eyes open to see if you don’t see Dalbés come onscreen.

Ian Holm – Rest in Peace

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Ian HolmYesterday, we lost a incredible talent in the movie world, that of Ian Holm. He passed away at the age of 88, from complications of Parkinson’s. He appeared in so many role over the years, in all genres, that his was a face and name that as soon as you knew he was in the film, you were going to see something special. He could project more in a look than some actors could do in a 10-minute monologue! His genre appearances in films like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) and David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ (1999) showed his range. In fact, in 1968, on a TV series called Mystery and Imagination, he played both the creator and creature in an adaptation of Frankenstein. Of course, how can anyone forget his portrayal of Bilbo in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy?

But for most of us old horror fans, it was his role as the android Ash in Ridley Scott’s Alien when we became aware of this actor and his incredible talent. When his character goes off the deep end, I can remember thinking “what the hell is going on?” 

A great talent like this will be missed. But as I always say, at least those wonderful characters and performances have been captured in time that we can revisit time and time again. Rest in peace, Sir Ian. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Friday Favorites: Soundtracks

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music and film 1 (1)

Just imagine some of our favorite films and how they would play out if there was no music. Would Jaws be so effective in building that tension and suspense? What about Dario Argento’s Suspiria? Just think of watching that with out the incredible score created by Goblin. Or maybe the vocals in The Omen, with the demonic chanting? All of them make such an impact through audio that registers with the audiences just as much as the visuals, though maybe not as apparent. While Jaws probably effected me as a horror film more so than anything else, it was John Williams score for Star Wars that I really started to understand the power of film music. And have been a strong follower ever since.

So for today’s Friday Favorites, what would be one of your favorite horror film scores? Is it something from Goblin? John Williams? Tangerine Dream, maybe? Christopher Young, Jeff Grace, Bear McCreary, Marco Beltrami, or any of the other amazing composers out there? It doesn’t have to be one that you can listen to by itself over and over, but one that consciously made an impact on you while you were watching it? Was it something that got to you on that first viewing, or one that you heard later and then realized how the music in the film help make an impact on you.

Let’s hear you!

Movie Review: War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

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warbeastbanner

War of the Colossal Beast (1958)
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
Starring Sally Fraser, Roger Pace, Duncan Parkin, Russ Bender, Rico Alaniz, George Becwar

For me, this is a perfect example where the sequel is better than the original. I know it might be hard to believe, but in this case it is more than true for me. Honestly, I was never a big fan of the first film, The Amazing Colossal Man (1957). It just seemed a little cheesy and the effects weren’t the greatest, or more than likely I grew tired of some half naked guy running around yelling “I DON’T WANT TO GROW ANYMORE!” Of course, you have to love the death by giant syringe scene, but besides that, not much going for it. Continue reading →

Mystery Photo 6-15

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Welcome to the halfway point through June. Not sure if that is something to be hopeful about or just amazed that we’ve made it this far!?!? But in any case, we have a new Mystery Photo. Last week’s photo was from Journey to the Seventh Planet (1961), from the same people that brought us Reptilicus that same year! Directed by Sidney W. Pink, and even starring Carl Ottosen, this one also stars John Agar, not to mention having this stop-animated one-eyed monster! A lot of fun in this one that is perfect for any Turkey Day event! Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Peggy Christie, Dave Fronto, Bob Hartman, Lee Nattrass, and Michael Shields.

So let’s get to this week’s photo. Might be a little easier for everyone. But I guess we’ll wait and see. Just send us your answer to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Soundtrack Review: Maniac (1980)

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Maniac soundtrackManiac (1980)
Released by Intermezzo Media
16 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 32 min
Music Composed and Conducted by Jay Chattaway

There is really nothing about this film where it doesn’t go above and beyond. And Chattaway’s score is another prime example of that. For a film as brutal and disturbing at it is, the music fits perfectly. As score starts out with the Main Title, it almost sounds like a sweet lullaby, or music box. But as the score progresses to the very next track, Apocalypse New York, we can feel the darkness seeping in. By using different instruments and even strange sounds, it starts to build that feeling of uneasiness. Continue reading →

Movie Review: Antrum (2018)

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antrum posterAntrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018)
Directed by David Amito & Michael Laicini
Starring Nicole Tompkins, Rowan Smyth, Dan Istrate, Circus-Szalewski

I had recently watched what I thought was a real documentary called Fury of the Demon (2016), written and directed by Fabien Delage, which was about a lost silent film that was reported to make people go crazy. It is played completely straight as if it was a real, talking about a real curse film. But when they started talking about a screening in France in 2012, I kept thinking “Wait… I would have remembered that!” That is when I really started to question the legitimacy of it. But, I will say that it worked.

The legend of the curse film has been around for a while, with even John Carpenter tackling the subject in his Masters of Horror episode Cigarette Burns (2005). But two years after Fury, another film comes out that seems to have the same shtick, this time it was a film from the early ’70s that no one seems to know where it was made, or who added some extra frames here and there, or scratched the markings or sigils that appear every so often. But what is different here is that after the opening where they are talking about this supposedly cursed film, it seems a print had been discovered and are now going to screen it! It is called Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made. Continue reading →

Friday Favorites: Lucio Fulci

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Lucio Fulci

Next Wednesday, the 17th, is Lucio Fulci’s birthday. He would have been 93 years old. Any young gorehound perusing the video store aisles in the ’80s knew Fulci’s work, even if they didn’t know his name. Granted, it didn’t help when some of his titles had a more American sounding name (such as Louis Fuller) listed as the director. But we knew his movies. Titles such as Zombie (1979), Gates of Hell (1980), House by the Cemetery (1982), or even New York Ripper (1982), these four titles were pretty easy to find in most video stores. Sure, you might come across a copy of Seven Doors of Death, but that one wasn’t as common, not to mention cut to hell. But as we all learned more and more about this guy, we learned and sought out more and more of his titles which weren’t as easy to come by, looking on the grey market to fill those needs. Continue reading →