Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Sid Haig – Rest in Peace

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I know as horror fans, we like to throw around the word “icon” when one of our horror heroes passes away, but this time, with this guy, the word icon definitely fits. And I know the internet has been flooded with everyone’s memories of meeting him, but dammit…that is the way it should be!

sid 4The strange thing for me is that my first introduction to Mr. Haig wasn’t any of his appearances in the horror or exploitation films, but a Saturday morning kids show in the late ’70s called Jason of Star Command, as the villainous Dragos. Of course, later I would come to know him from the countless appearances he did in a ton of television and films. Even before Jack Hill’s Spider Baby saw a legitimate release, I had a shabby looking bootleg on VHS, watching this classic film, with a young Sid playing the simple minded Ralph, and just loving it. That was the amazing thing about Sid. No matter what role, no matter how big or small, Sid Haig always made an impression with the viewer. With this height, bald head, and those glaring  eyes, he could stop you dead in your tracks. Continue reading →

Mystery Photo 9/23

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It’s Monday once again and I was able to have this done early enough to post it this morning! So that must mean the start of a good week, right? Let’s hope so. Our photo from last week was indeed an old one. It was from Doctor X from way back to 1932, starring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. If you haven’t seen this little gem, please seek it out and mark it off your list. Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Dave Fronto, Bob Hartman, Troy Howarth, Charles Miller, and Vincent Simonelli. Well done!

So this week’s photo is another classic one, maybe not as old. Maybe. Don’t want to give too many clues! Take a peek and see what comes to mind. As always, please remember not to post your answers here so that others can have a chance at guessing. Just sent your guess to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Hammer Films

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Encyclopedia of Hammer FilmsThe Encyclopedia of Hammer Films
Published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 2019. 589 pages.
By Chris Fellner

Being a die-hard fan of all things Hammer Films, I’m always ecstatic to learn of another book on one of my favorite studios coming out. Now before we get into the blood and guts of this release, we need to cover the obvious… the price. Retailing at $145 (though Amazon has it listed for just under $100), while this is a good size hardcover edition, at 589 pages, that is still a hefty price tag. Though with the recent release of Howard Maxford’s Hammer Complete, published by McFarland, it is impossible not to compare the two. Maxford’s book is 984 pages, a bit larger in size and has much smaller type, and retails at $95. What this means is you get just what the title says… Hammer Complete! So the cost alone would make the decision even easier if you only had to pick one volume.

Because of the huge scope of the film studio, it is difficult to cover everything and everyone, which is where Fellner’s book falls short. There were more than a few names missing having their own entries, such as John Carson, who appeared in three different Hammer titles and one appearance in one of their television series. Other notables excluded were talents such as Richard Wordsworth or George Woodbridge. These actors usually never played the main characters but were one of the many reasons these films stood out. Being wonderful character actors in the background, they filled out a scene as if it was a brilliant painting. Even Guy Rolfe, who played the title character in Mr. Sardonicus for William Castle, starred in The Stranglers of Bombay, does not have his own mention. But again, it is going to be a difficult task to include every single thing that has to do with Hammer. Except, Maxford’s book sort of does that. Continue reading →

Movie Review: Isolation

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(2005)
Directed by Billy O’Brien
Starring: Essie Davis, Sean Harris, Marcel Lures, Crispin Letts, John Lynch, Ruth Negga

Find this movie.  Watch it.  Simple as that.

Years ago, while paging through an issue of Fangoria magazine, there was a little spotlight on this movie called Isolation, that they seemed to give a high rating. I didn’t know anything about it, nor did I read any of the review, other than it had something to do with some quarantine on a farm, and figured it might be ‘inspired’ by the 28 Days Later theme. So I put it in my Netflix queue and later discovered just how wrong I was. Continue reading →

A Haunted Symphony for the Season!

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Haunted Symphony

Just in time to add some audible chills to your Halloween season (which for most of us, lasts all year round, right?), Nox Arcana has released their latest musical journey into the dark realms. This time, we learn (and hear) the story of Aleister Ravenwood, “who embraces the darkness in his own soul.”

Just like each of their previous releases, Nox Arcana spins a haunting tale, through their gothic musical soundscapes, giving listeners a story weaved within the notes. These are perfect for Halloween parties, but also just have playing in the background at any time you want to surround yourself with an eerie feeling!

You can hear clips of the CD on Nox Arcana’s website (just click HERE), as well as checking out their other releases. At only $10 and over an hour’s worth of music, you can’t go wrong. In fact, at that price, order a few of them. You won’t be disappointed, other than not ordering them sooner!

Mystery Photo 9-16

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Sorry for the late post. I was pretty busy over the weekend fighting back and forth from being sick to heading into Chicago Saturday night to see a couple of great movies. But hopefully I’m on the upswing, at least for a Monday! And speaking of Monday, let us get to our pictorial puzzle for this week. I know we missed it last week, but that was because we were completely worn out from the HorrorHound Weekend right before that. But the last photo we posted was from Álex de la Iglesia’s 1995 film El día de la bestia, or better known in the states as The Day of the Beast. Severin has recently announced they will be releasing this on Blu-ray and I couldn’t recommend this title enough. So much fun. Kudos to Zeit Koloss, Erik Martin, and William Wilson for sending in the correct answer!

Now on to this week’s photo. Going old school here so let’s see who’s been doing their research. As always, please don’t post your answers here so that others can have a chance at guessing. Instead, send your guess to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Hammer Horror Music!

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Last October we reported that the complete scores that James Bernard created for Hammer’s The Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula would be coming out on CD, in their complete form, for the first time ever. And now, they are here! Continue reading →

Movie Review: The Horseman

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(2008)
Directed by Steve Kastrissios
Starring Peter Marshall, Caroline Marohasy, Brad McMurray, Jack Henry, Evert McQueen, Christopher Sommers, Bryan Probets, Steve Tandy

When this movie first arrived on our desk for review, we had never heard of it or it’s director. Sometimes that can be a scary thing, since some of the films might be severely lacking in quality or talent. But every now and then it can be a good thing, since you’re going into it completely fresh and unbiased. With The Horseman, the film starts off with a punch and never lets up. Continue reading →

Carol Lynley – Rest in Peace

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Carol Lynley RIPCarol Lynley is another one of those actors that didn’t make a ton of appearances in the horror genre, but when she did, she was always memorable. I think my first memory of her was playing Darren McGavin’s girlfriend in The Night Stalker movie. She made other horror titles like Beware! The Blob (1972), the remake of The Cat and the Canary (1978), and even showing up in Howling VI: The Freaks (1991). Years later, I would discover her in the much sought after The Shuttered Room (1967) as well as Bunny Lake is Missing (1965). She passed away on Sept. 3rd from a heart attack. 

Lynley started acting on Broadway when she was only 15 and went on from there. She had such a recognizable face and was always fun to see on screen. She will be missed but not forgotten.

Savini – The Biography

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Savini BiographyYou can’t be a horror fan and not know who Tom Savini is. It really is simple as that. Growing on horror in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Savini was simply a god to us fans. We knew that if he worked on a movie, it was going to be worth going to see, on that fact alone. And he never disappointed. Just look at this filmography from that time. Friday the 13th, The Burning, Maniac, Prowler, and the list goes on and on. Over the years, fans idolized Savini because he even though he was a master in the special makeup effects world, he was also just like us… a fan.

Now we will get to read a little more in depth about this master of makeup effects, actor, director, and so much more, with the release of his biography, simply titled Savini.

Released by AM Ink Publishing, it will come out on Nov. 3rd, which just happens to be Savini’s 73rd birthday! There is a Limited First Edition Signed by Savini that is priced at $99.99. There is also a regular Limited First Edition that is $74.99. Or you can get it from Amazon priced at $59.99. It is 212 pages, and filled with over 400 images from Savini’s work and career. Truly a must for all horror fans. Our movie memories just wouldn’t be the same without Tom.