Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Cinevent Next Weekend!

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cinevent-banner-generic

FangsSeems like forever since our last stop on this year’s Discover the Horror World Tour. But next week, we’ll be heading to Columbus, Ohio for the annual Cinevent Classic Film Convention. This is taking place from Thursday, May 23rd, to Sunday, May 26th, at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown.

Hard to believe, but this show has been running for over 50 years. And unlike most shows, this is all about collecting and memorabilia. While there are a few guests, they are mainly authors and film historians, so there is no autograph lines drawing people from the dealer room. Just a good old fashioned collector’s show. While this isn’t a horror show, there is still plenty enough to keep me interested and browsing, and I usually come home with a few good things.

This show has films playing all weekend long, starting at noon on Thursday and running until midnight. On Friday and Saturday, they are running from 9am until midnight. Most of the films are not in the horror genre, but this time out, I’m going to have the chance to catch the 1974 exploitation film Fangs (also know as Holy Wednesday) on Saturday night! Since we’re actually staying at the hotel this time, it will be no problem catching that one! Continue reading →

Cinepocalypse Unleashes Lineup for 2019

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Cinepocalypse 2019 banner2Cinepocalypse, the genre film festival taking place at Chicago’s own Music Box Theater has unleashed it’s lineup of films and special guests for this year’s event. Starting on Thursday, June 13th, and running thru June 20th, the festival will have 8 days of features, shorts, events and guests, including 8 world premieres.

Some of the highlights right off the bat would be the world premiere of Verotika, Glenn Danzig’s directorial debut, which is opening the festival, with Danzig in attendance! Director Joel Schumacher will also be in attendance for screenings of Falling Down (1993) and Flatliners (1990), and will be there for Q&As after the screenings. Actor Michael Ironside will be there to receive Cinepocalypse’s annual achievement award, who has contributed to so many genre pics over the years. He will accept this award after a 70mm screening of Total Recall (1990).

You can get the entire list of films and when they are playing by heading over to the Music Box website HERE.

Mystery Photo 5-13

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Last week’s photo was from the film The Black Zoo (1963), starring the always entertaining Michael Gough. His performances, especially when he’s playing the villain, tend to be a tad over the top, but are always so much fun to watch. Kudos to Hoby Abernathy, Dave Fronto, and William Wilson for sending in the correct answer.

This week’s photo is another rare one that you might have to think a little harder on, or maybe brush up on your geometry. But take a look and see what you can come up with. As always, please don’t post your answers here so others can have a guess. Just send them to us in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Book Review: “Twice the Thrills! Twice the Chills!”

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Twice the Thrills“Twice the Thrills! Twice the Chills!”
Published by McFarland, 2019. 433 pages.
By Bryan Senn

The double feature was an interesting concept from the start. If you’re not aware of how it all started, then the beginning of the latest book from Senn will fill in all those historical details for you. In fact, I found that part of the book to be a very interesting history lesson, how the studios were reacting to what the TV market was doing to them. It shows that once again how things tend to change because of money, either due to an increase of it, or a decrease, and definitely in the film business. Continue reading →

Book Review: 150 Movies You Should Die Before You See

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150 Movies You Should Die Before You See150 Movies You Should Die Before You See
Published by Adams Media, 2010. 290 pages.
By Steve Miller

This one had me really confused, especially the title. I first picked it up because I thought it might give me a few ideas for some future Turkey Day viewing. But as I read through it, I became really confused at just what Miller was trying to do here.

Each film has a very short synopsis along with cast and crew listing. Then a paragraph under the Why It Sucks moniker, a ratings of how many Thumbs Down, then a Crappies Award for whatever he didn’t care for.

In his introduction, Miller writes that there is “something magical about bad movies. Something that makes them worth the sometimes considerable effort to sit through.” Now while I really don’t like the term “bad movies” when you’re talking about a film you enjoy watching (same goes with “guilty pleasure”), I’ll let it slide here because that is an discussion for another time. But if you’re talking about movies that you do enjoy watching, then why are you putting them in a book with the title telling people NOT to watch them? Continue reading →

Mystery Photo 5-6

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Welcome to our first Mystery Photo of May. Another new month, another new round of pictorial puzzles! Last week’s photo was from Dan Curtis’ The Norliss Tapes (1973). Any monster fan growing up in the ’70s owes a great debt to Mr. Curtis for his constant work in the genre, titles that still hold its power today as it did all those years ago. Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answers: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron Christensen, Dave Fronto, and Lee Nattrass. Well done!

Now on to this week’s photo. One of those flicks that shows you that zoos might not be the safest places to visit… especially in a horror movie! As always, please remember not to post your answers here so that others can have a chance at guessing. Send your guess to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Movie Review: Shrew’s Nest (2014)

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Shrew's Nest PosterShrew’s Nest aka Musarañas (2014)
Directed by Juanfer Andrés & Esteban Roel
Starring Macarena Gómez, Nadia de Santiago, Hugo Silva, Luis Tosar, Gracia Olayo, Carolina Bang

Okay first of all, why the hell aren’t more people talking about this movie??? Maybe because it came out five years ago and it still hasn’t gotten a DVD or Blu-ray release over here in the states? I finally found it on Shudder, and then quickly ordered an import Blu-ray. Yes, that is how much I liked it. I’m pretty sure this is going to be in my Top Ten for this year’s viewing too. Okay, okay, I’ll try not to hype it up any more. Let me say that I am a huge fan of Macarena Gómez so that could possibly be swaying my feelings towards this movie, but I really think this can totally stand on its own. Don’t worry, I won’t be giving any spoilers away here, and you really don’t want to know much about this before watching it. Which now that I write that, it might be a little tough reviewing this…

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Super Monster Movie Fest 2019

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Super Monster Movie Fest 2019 banner

Last year we missed this event, which really bummed me out, especially since they were doing Jaws and water terrors theme. But this year, we definitely am going to make it. Why you ask? Even when they haven’t announced any of the titles? Well first of all… it’s a 2 full-filled evenings at the Drive-in? What could better than that? Oh yeah, maybe with the theme being: Man Created Monster. Hmmm… do you think there might be a Frankenstein film in there somewhere? One can only hope.

I am very interested to see what kind of titles they are going to spring on us, but we’ll announced them here once they do list them. I know we will be there once again to enjoy the films, eat a corn dog or two, and have a great time. Why not come out and join us.

This event takes place on Aug. 23rd & 24th, at the Skyline Drive-in, located in Shelbyville, Indiana, it’s just about 20-30 minutes south of Indianapolis. Start making your plans now to attend. You won’t be disappointed.

Monsterpalooza – Part 5: Celebs and Goodbye!

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We never bothered with going to the celebs that were signing outside in the hall, mainly because they were ones that have been convention regulars, plus the fact that I had no interests in paying for an autograph. But there were more than a few “famous” people wandering around the vendor room throughout the weekend. On Saturday, as Dawn, Scott, and me were wandering around, we were coming up to the Severin table and I see this hat from the back. I looked over at Scott and said, “That’s Richard Stanley! I can tell by the hat.” And I was right. In 1990, I was got to see Stanley’s first feature film, Hardware, in the theater. It was an incredible experience, filled with colors, images, and music, all intertwined together into this futuristic, post-apocalyptic tale of humanity, barely holding on. His second feature, Dust Devil (1992), was another visually stunning film. His latest film, Color Out of Space, is in post-production and I can’t wait to see it. Stanley is one of those directors that I had never met before, but always wanted to at least shake his hand and thank him for his work. And now, I got to do just that. Another one off my bucket list.

Richard Stanley

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Monsterpalooza – Part 4: The Vendors

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blind dead bustSince this was our first West Coast show in close to two decades, I was hoping to see some vendors that we don’t normally see the usual shows that we go to. We definitely did, which is why I probably I spent so much money! But the Krypt is always needing some new little trinkets, right? Got to keep it fresh, right? Like this little Blind Dead bust? I mean, can you really have too many Blind Dead items? I didn’t think so either. Especially when it is a bust that was sculpted by Daniel Horne!

Sometimes after walking around any vendor room, you see plenty of cool stuff, but nothing really jumping out at you that is demanding that you take it home with you. Earlier in the weekend, we noticed that this guy had some old-fashioned looking hand puppets, but with characters you wouldn’t expect to be seeing, such as the little doll from Dario Argento’s Deep Red or Corbis from The Devil’s Rain! These were handmade and very cool, but with a price tag of $50, I really didn’t need one of those. Then walking by their table again on Sunday, either I missed it the first few times or they just put it out, but now they had a Mr. Sardonicus puppet out. Being a huge Castle fan, I just couldn’t pass it up and bought it. Check them out at www.skullclown.com. Just they don’t have a lot listed on their site so just email them and ask about their puppets. Or about all the other cool stuff they had out on their table. I know I’ll be looking for them again at the next show. Continue reading →