Author Archives: Jon Kitley

Abraham’s Boys

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We all know the heroic stories of Professor Van Helsing, or Doctor in some films, always doing battle against the undead, saving the world from vampires. In this new film by director Natasha Kermani, which she adapted based on the short story by Joe Hill, we get to see a little more in depth look at the Van Helsing family, and more important, how they were raised by this “hero”.

Starring Titus Welliver as the Van Heling patriarch, who is forever on the lookout for not only other vampires, but perhaps the return of his greatest foe. And in that process, “trains” his sons to carry on this tradition, though one of them is more than a little reluctant to even believe these stories are real.

I am very intrigued on this new take on a very famous character from the world of horror, and how writer Hill came up with this unique twist, and how Kermani has adapted it for the screen. This new film hits theaters on July 11th. Below is the trailer.

DtH Episode 98 – Twice Told Tales: The Blob

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The Blob (1958) & The Blob (1988)

Continuing our theme of taking a deep dive into an original film and its remake, this time we’re looking at a pair with exactly 30 years between them: The Blob, from 1958, and its 1988 remake. A lot had changed in those three decades, especially on the technical side, with advancements in special makeup effects definitely upping the ante on what we see on screen. But the remake also retains much of the same small-town feel and trappings of the original. With these two entries, it’s interesting to see the similarities just as much as how the remake plays out as its own creature, sometimes winking at the original but ultimately leaving its own gelatinous footprint.

For those out there that love to hate on remakes, here’s yet another pair that break the mold and had given us two entertaining entries. Sit back and enjoy!

Films mentioned in this episode:

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Mystery Photo 6-9

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I was delighted to see all the correct answers from last week’s photo. This is a title that you don’t hear about too often but is such a great little flick. It is from The Flesh Eaters (1964). While some of the effects might look a little crude by today’s standards, I still think they are pretty cool. Kudos to the following that sent in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Chris Dyer, Dave Fronto, Kevin Hart, Bob Hartman, Erik Martin, Charles Miller, Michael Pniewski, Michael Shields, Alan Tromp, Mike Tutino, and Todd Warren. Always nice to see fans of this one!

How about we go with another black and white one, huh? Maybe this will show younger fans that there are still some amazing pieces of cinema out there that are not in color. So, take a look below and see if you can recognize where this shot is from. Just remember to email me your answer in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And Good Luck!

Screenshot

Animals Attacks!

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The fine folks at We Belong Dead have a brand-new book out covering all those pesky and nasty animals, insects, and all those other beasties that revolt against us humans in Animals Attacks! now available through their website that you can get to by clicking HERE. Like all of their titles, these are beautiful volumes, filled with amazing images from stills to movie posters and so much more. Not to mention a wide array of talented writers giving us their thoughts on these movies. Yes, for full disclosure, I have 3 essays in this volume myself. But I know I would have been buying this latest volume even if I didn’t. Yes, they are also a bit pricy, especially when you get them shipped over here to the states. But because of their quality, and that you can just order them through Amazon, they are well worth the investment, both to your library, as well as your continued learning about the different films in the genre.

This book covers everything from the fun ’50s era of the big bug films, such as Tarantula (1955) to the major blockbusters like Jaws (1975), to even the modern-day cheesy CGI titles flooding the market. A lot to be covered here, and a lot to learn about, as well as maybe adding a few movies to your “need-to-watch” list.

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Book Review: We’re Here for the Krites

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We’re Here for the Krites: The Making of Critters
Published by Harker Press, 2025. 339 pages.
By Matthew C. DuPée

The great thing about these types of books is that you learn so much about what happened behind the scenes, on every aspect. Whether it’s how the actors brought their character to life, how the sets were built, the other technical stuff like prop building, the monster, even the sets, it really helps give you more of an appreciation of the work that went into it, from the very beginning to the end. Not to mention showing you just how much work does go into a film, even if it’s a low budget film. Harker Press continues to put out books that are a wealth of information that eager film fans can devour and will make you look at the subject matter with more of an educated and often different view going forward.

This new title covers the Critters franchise, from the original 1986 feature, the sequel, and the two straight-to-video follow-ups. Then we finally get the 8-episode series, Critters: A New Binge, and the last entry, Critters Attack!, both of which came out in 2019. There is a lot more focus on the first feature, and then a little less with each film, but that doesn’t mean you’re still going to learn so much of what went on during these productions. The best thing about this is that we get to hear from so many people involved, from the actors, directors, writers, special effects crews, detailing some of the issues that came up, how things were laid out and designed, and all the fun stuff that goes into filmmaking!

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Turkey Day in May 2025

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Another T-Day in May is in the books, with our usual 7 features devoured, along with about 22 pizzas! Truth be told, this last month or so has been a struggle for me, dealing with some health issues, new medication, work stress, and all the other fun things that go into life. Nothing serious, but just those things that can try to take any of the positives and put them in the shadows making it a little harder to see. But getting together with about a dozen like-minded film nerds, sitting and watching 7 features that probably would never make anybody’s Best-Of lists, and having a damn fun time doing it, really did wonders for me. It was the closest that I’ve felt back to my normal self in a long time. So, for those of you that came out, thank you!

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Want to Buy a Drive-In?

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That’s right . . . not only are there close to 300 drive-in theaters still up and running, but there are ones where the current owners have already retired or are going to be soon and are looking to sell it. It’s a lot of work, but when you love something as much as movies and keeping something this nostalgic alive, you never know.

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Monster Bash Approaches

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In a little less than 3 weeks, we’ll be heading off to one of our favorite shows, the Monster Bash Conference, taking place from June 20th to the 22nd, in Cranberry Township, PA. While it might be a little smaller than some of the usual shows we attend, there is so much to do and see here, that it is always a great time. They have film screenings from Thursday night all the way through Sunday, going into the wee hours of the night! You’ll get the chance to see some classic horror films, usually screened from16mm prints, including titles like The Vampire’s Ghost (1945), Weird Woman (1943), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), the not-to-be-missed Mexican horror/sci-fi spectacular The Ship of Monsters (1960), Lon Chaney’s The Penalty (1920), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Man Made Monster (1941), Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), and Zombies on Broadway (1945)! These are the kind of titles that makes me wish I wasn’t vending, just so I can sit and watch movies all weekend!

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Hitchcock and Herrmann Book

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Composer Bernard Herrmann worked with Alfred Hitchcock on some of his most well-known scores, such as Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and of course, Psycho (1960). They would work on 8 films together, creating some of the finest in cinematic history. Now, author Steven C. Smith gives us a book that delves into that relationship in his new book Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema, due out this fall. Smith spent over four decades doing research, from unpublished documents, new interviews, giving us readers a look inside the collaboration between Hitchcock and Herrmann.

When you have to strong-willed characters like these two, you know there are going to clashes. But they still were able to work together for some time and helped create some amazing films and film scores. This 312-page hardcover book is being published by Oxford University Press and can be pre-ordered now, with a cost of $39.99.

Mystery Photo 6-2

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Welcome to June!!! While some of you are excited about the incoming summer months, I am, of course, counting the days to fall, when the temps drop and we get closer to the Halloween season! Then again, we all know that every day is Halloween, right? I know it is here in the Krypt. Anyway, enough rambling. Let’s get down to business. Last month’s photo was somewhat of an easy one, because of Peter Cushing in the photo. The photo was from the 1976 film The Devil’s Men aka Land of the Minotaur, starring not only Cushing, but Donald Pleasence as well. While not a great movie, with those two in the credits, it’s at least worth a watch. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct guess: Hoby Abernathy, Steve Archacki, Todd Barwick, Dada Debaser, Dave Fronto, Kevin Hart, Bob Hartman, Erik Martin, Lee Nattrass, Jeff Owens, and Todd Warren. Well done!

With our next photo, we’re going back to black and white, because we all know there are plenty of amazing titles out there in this wonderful monochrome presentation, right? And this one here is one of them. So, take a peek and see what you can come up with. Just remember to send me your guess in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And most of all, good luck!