The genre has lost another icon with the passing of Brazilian actor, writer, director, producer, José Mojica Marins, better known to fans as Zé do Caixão, aka Coffin Joe. He was another filmmaker breaking ground, making movies that were not the most welcomed in his own home, but he continued on, making the kind that he wanted to make. While he started making films as early as 1950, it wasn’t until 1964 with the release of À Meia Noite Levarei Sua Alma (At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul) that he found the role that would stay with him until he died, that of the devious Coffin Joe. Thankfully, a good number of his films have been made available though various companies, especially Something Weird Video. Continue reading
Author Archives: Jon Kitley
Unusual Themed Books
We all know that there are title upon title on movie reference books that cover the same topic. Whether it is on slasher films, the zombie sub-genre, or any number of those Freudian psycho-babble entries, there are more than enough to keep this fan of horror reference books busy and broke! But I recently came across three titles that are either out or coming out that cover a unique and interesting theme that immediately grabbed my interests. Even more so, at first thought, I didn’t think there would be enough movies under each of these subjects to merit a whole book. But once again, it just shows you can always learn more!
Masks in Horror Cinema: Eyes Without Faces is by Alexander Heller-Nicholas, and has been published by University of Wales Press. This one is a bit pricy, at $51.37 on Amazon, and is 288 pages long. According to the description, “This book explores its transformative potential historically across myriad cultures, particularly in relation to its ritual and myth-making capacities, and its intersection with power, ideology and identity.”
With this striking cover, using poster art from Georges Franju’s Les yeux sans visage (aka Eyes Without a Face, 1960), this doesn’t look to be a book covering a certain number of specific movie titles, but is broken up into different categories, such as Skin Masks, Blanks Masks, Animal Masks, and such. There are separate chapters on pre-1970 films and post-1970. I have to say, it does sound kind of interesting. Continue reading
Horror History: Abel Salazar
Abel Salazar
Born: Sept. 24th, 1917 Died: Oct. 21st, 1995
In the world of the Mexican horror genre, Salazar was the equivalent to someone like Peter Cushing or Vincent Price. Okay, maybe he didn’t have the same acting chops as Cushing and Price, but he loved these films and not only appearing in quite a few of them, he also was the producer of many of them.
In the late ’50s and ’60s, he appeared in films like El vampiro (aka The Vampire, 1957), El ataúd del Vampiro (aka The Vampire’s Coffin, 1958), Misterios de ultratumba (aka The Black Pit of Dr. M, 1958), and my personal favorite, La maldición de la Llorona (aka The Curse of the Crying Woman, 1963). One of the most famous titles, though usually because it is laughed at, is El barón del terror (aka The Brainiac, 1962), which he starred as the title creature!
While some may consider these films a little silly, especially The Brainiac, most are filled with so much atmosphere and creepy sets, that if you’re a fan of the old Universal classics, I think you’ll love these as well.
Mystery Photo 2-17
Hopefully everyone survived their Bloody Valentine’s Day! I know the wife and I spent it watching the wonderful new Blu-ray of it, which happens to be one of my favorites of the ’80s slashers. But I’m rambling. Let’s get to the important stuff, shall we? Our photo from last week was from a little obscure film called Face of Terror (1962) that came from Spain. Sort of a takeoff of Eyes Without a Face theme, but with a little twist. Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Bob Hartman, Michael Shields & Alan Tromp. I don’t think this has gotten an official release over here in the states, which is a shame because it is a fun little flick.
Okay, lets get on with this week’s photo. This one might be a little easy, but we’ll see how much you’re paying attention. As always, please remember not to post your answers here so that others can have a chance at guessing. Instead, send your answer to me in an email (this is the best way for me NOT to forget you sent it in!) to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
Kryptic Archives – 2003
1-5-03 WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR!
Yes, we are finally back, and did survive the holidays. Santa was very nice to us here at the Krypt, delivering not only one of those nice Cyberhome DVD players (the ones that are easily converted to a region free player) under our tree, but also a few nice DVD titles to add to our collection. What better way to spread holiday cheer around than to receive Zombi 3 and Zombi 4 on DVD? Continue reading
Kryptic Archives – 2002
1-8-02 WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR!
We have survived yet another year. But now that we are back online with no problems (knock on wood), plus we’ve just done some major upgrades on our system. Okay, so going to Windows XP may not be a major upgrade, but you try talking to some tech support people when something doesn’t work. Continue reading
Soundtrack Review: Color Out of Space
Color Out of Space
Released by Milan Records, 2020
13 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 45 min.
Music by Colin Stetson
Let me start this by saying that I absolutely love the film Color Out of Space. So yes, this may make my review a little jaded, but I hope that you can at least understand why I think this score is an incredible piece of music when I’m done. So let us begin.
Watching the film, it really brings another world right in front of you, with strange and colorful things happening all around you. The music is right there giving you the audible angle to surround your ears with what your brain is seeing. It seems to just float around you while you’re listening to it, giving you a odd feeling of something… different. It may help when you have the volume cranked up! Continue reading
Movie Review: The Vengeance of Lady Morgan
The Vengeance of Lady Morgan (1965)
Director Massimo Pupillo
Starring Barbara Nelli, Michel Forain, Gordon Mitchell, Paul Muller, Erika Blanc
There is something special about discovering a film that you had never heard of, especially when it came out over 50 years ago! Even better when it is an Italian gothic ghost story! At first, The Vengeance of Lady Morgan seems like your typical story about a ghost coming back from the dead for revenge, but it is quite different than what you’d expect from this genre, which for me, made it even more special. Continue reading
Book Review: Taking Shape
Taking Shape: Developing Halloween from Script to Scream
Published by Harker Press, 2019. 439 pages.
By Dustin McNeill & Travis Mullins
The Halloween series, as a whole, is not one that I would say I’m a huge fan of. I love the original and really like its sequel. This might have something to do with it playing at the theater I worked at upon the sequel’s initial release, where I would get to see parts of it over and over and over again, seeing its effect on the audience time after time. And yes, I was one of those original haters on Season of the Witch, but have since gotten over that and realize the pure genius of that entry. But from then on, there was never a sequel that I got excited over, or was waiting for its release.
Sacrilege, you say? I just felt the sequels got dumber with each entry. When Rob Zombie took his turn, while I thought the first one was better than the last several, I still didn’t care for it. And I still am confused at the reaction to the latest one, when we saw the re-re-re-return of Jamie Lee Curtis, with fans acting like it was her first return since the 1981 film.
Now you might be asking yourself why am I stating how much I really don’t care for the Halloween series as a whole? Because even with all of that being stated, I devoured this book! Continue reading
Mystery Photo 2-10
A little late today with the new photo, but here we are. But before we get to this week’s, let us review last week! It was from Paul Naschy’s Human Beasts (1980). Kudos to the following to sent in the correct answer. They are: Hoby Abernathy, Troy Howarth, Todd Warren, and William Wilson. Well done!
Okay, here’s today’s photo. Pretty much how I felt leaving work today. Hmmm… coincidences? As always, please remember not to post your answers here so that others can have a chance at guessing. Just send them to me in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
