Turkey Day 2022

20 years. Two whole decades of Turkeys. In fact, 174 films during those years. I started doing this little mini marathon back in 2003, on my own, as a way to celebrate the type of films that most critics would scoff at. Two years later, I was joined by my friend Aaron Christensen, who has never missed one since then. While it took a few years of it just being Aaron and I battling through these wonderful cinematic shipwrecks, by the time we got to 2010, the number of people joining us on this mad quest started to grow. We had 6 that year, increasing year by year to around a dozen each time. In 2010, we started our second annual event, Turkey Day in May, because there was just too much Turkey to do it only once a year! We did go online during the pandemic, where during those online adventures, we did get 20 to 25+ people watching online, so that was kind of cool. But it just wasn’t the same as being in the same room with other fans.

Before we get to the films, I wanted to send out a huge thanks to those that have attended my little crazy marathons. I started this because I wanted to give these movies the appreciation that I feel they deserve. As I’ve quoted many times before, the only bad movie is a boring one, and the ones we’ve screened over the last 20 years are far from boring. Well, okay, most of them weren’t. With every person that started attending, they not only understood that statement, but they believed 100% of it, and relished in the outrageous titles, sometimes just plain bat-shit crazy. Never making fun or shitting on these, we treat them with love and respect. My fellow Turkey Day attendees are more dedicated film lovers than any serious critic I know. Because we can see past the flaws of low budget, maybe with not the most talented cast, or a script that doesn’t seem possible that someone would not only want to film, but actually get it done with a straight face! For that, I am forever grateful to consider these fellow demented cinephiles my friends. They really know and understand what true cinema is.

Continue reading

Book Review: Nightmare Fuel

Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, 2022. 294 pages
By Nina Nesseth

As in the very subtitle of this book states, the Science of Horror, has always been a fascinating subject for me to tackle because usually it consists of a lot of academics using very big words trying to explain to me why horror films scare me, or why I like them. Even better is when they give plenty of examples from movies, usually getting even the most basic plot point incorrect which then makes you wonder if they had even watched the film they’re referring to.

I’ve also found some of these types that try to explain why you are scared that seem to get lost in the woods somewhere to really have it connect with the reader. Not saying they don’t have good ideas or theories, but they just don’t connect with me personally.

What I found with Nesseth’s book, on the other hand, is just the opposite. There is a lot of science in here, discussing the different parts of the brain, what each one does and how it affects what we feel. There’s a lot of technical terms for these for these locations of the brain, most of which I’ve already forgotten, though I now know where to them up when needed. Honestly though, I was really captivated on learning how the brain works with these different types of responses as we’re experiencing different kinds of fear from watching horror films. Such as the explanation of what fear does to a person, such as the fight-or-flight idea or where you just become frozen on the spot because of the fear, and what your brain is doing to cause these reactions or effects, giving us sort of a “behind-the-scenes”.

Continue reading

Happy Turkey Day!

While our real Turkey Day is happening tomorrow, for everyone else out there, from everyone here at the Krypt, we wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. No matter how commercialized the holidays become these days, it doesn’t take long to take a few seconds and realize how thankful one should be. I know it’s hard sometimes, especially when you’re in the thick of it, but there are some bright spots out there that I think a lot of us tend to not notice. I know that is the case for me. So, when I have the chance to stop and look around and see with a little more clarity, things always do look a little better.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Karloff!

As a young horror fan, Boris Karloff was the first of my horror heroes, and all of these years later, remains my all-time favorite. He was the first one that I knew the name of the person who was behind the monsters that he played. That came from probably his most famous role as the creature in James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), or possibly because he narrated the Grinch, but I would later learn and appreciate more and more of his roles.

One reason for this was due to Richard Bojarski’s book The Films of Boris Karloff, which I checked out so often from my middle school library that I was told I couldn’t check it out any longer, to apparently give others a chance to check it out. I would page through there, looking at all the different roles that he appeared in, especially the horror ones, and dream of the day when I might be able to stumble across it on TV some Saturday afternoon. Oh, how naïve we were back then, huh?

Continue reading

Mystery Photo 11-21

In honor of the upcoming Turkey Day (and no, I’m not talking about Thanksgiving), we’d thought we’d go in that direction for this week’s photo. But before we get to that, let’s go over last week’s photo. We only got one correct answer sent in. In fact, we only got one answer sent in at all, so it must have stumped most everyone, except for Hoby Abernathy. It might have something to do with the fact that the film in question, The Banishing, just came out in 2020. Directed by Christopher Smith, who has always delivered the goods, and here is no different, other than part of the ending which is a real headscratcher. But still worth seeing.

Okay, on to this week’s photo. This is one that you’ll never read about in one of those “greatest movies of all time” books, unless you’re talking about Turkeys. So, give it a look and see if you can recognize what this shot is from. Just remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

McFarland Book Sale!!!

In our never-ending pursuit of learning more about the horror genre, we have many volumes from McFarland in our library. They have such a wide variety of subjects, from critical essays and academic studies overviews of different sub-genres, and plenty of amazing biographies.

Going on right now, McFarland is not waiting until Black Friday to start their online sales but have started offering 40% off ANY title!!! Just head over to their website (by clicking HERE) and start choosing titles. When you get to the check out, add in HOLIDAY22 for the code and it will take off the 40%. That’s damn near half price folks! I know McFarland can be a bit pricy so now is your chance to save some series dough! The sale goes from now until Monday, November 28th, so don’t wait too long!

Continue reading

Discover the Horror Podcast: Episode 30 – The Turkey Part 2

Zontar: The Thing from Venus (1967), The Chooper (1971), and Lady Terminator (1989).

Last November, in Episode 4, we discussed the Turkey. Not what some would call a “bad” film, but would probably not be on anybody’s Oscar’s list. These are the cinematic shipwrecks, where the filmmakers tried their best to make a good film, but just missed the mark. But if they are still entertaining, then they can’t be bad, right? We’ll we’re back again this year to cover three more of these epic miss-adventures of cinema from directors Larry Buchanan, Ray Dennis Steckler, and H. Tjut Djalil. And boy, are you in for a treat with these!

Make sure you listen to the whole episode to get a special discount code for Pallbearer Press!

So, sit back and enjoy a nice second helping of some Turkey!

Remember, you can find us at the following sites:

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/discoverthehorror/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiscovertheHorror

Web: https://discoverthehorror.com/

Titles mentioned this episode:

Attack of the Eye Creatures (1967), Beyond the Darkness (1979), Blood Shack (1971), Body Fever (1969), Brain from Planet Arous (1957), The Chooper (1971), Creature of Destruction (1968), Curse of the Swamp Creature (1968), Don’t Look in the Basement (1973), Don’t Open the Door (1974), Hand of Death (1962), Hell Raiders (1969), The Hollywood Stranger Meets the Skid Row Slasher (1979), In the Year 2889 (1969), Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-up Zombies (1964), It’s Alive! (1969), It Conquered the World (1956), Keep My Grave Open (1977), Lady Terminator (1989), The Lost Continent (1951), The Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters (1968), Mars Need Women (1968), Mystics in Bali (1981), The Naked Witch (1961), Queen of Black Magic (1981), Revenge of the Creature (1955), Scum of the Earth (1974), The She-Creature (1956), Tarantula (1955), Thrill Killers (1964), Wild Guitar (1962), Zontar: The Thing from Venus (1967)

Mystery Photo 11-14

Happy Monday! We’re halfway through the month and should start seeing the snow anytime now! Ain’t that grand? Yeah, so while I’m not a huge fan of the snow, I will take it over 90-degree weather with a blazing sun. Besides, when it gets really cold outside, that just means it’s perfect time to stay inside and watch movies or read books! Okay, down to business. Last week’s photo was from the strange little film The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976). I know a lot of people did not like Martin Seen for a long time after his role here. And if that didn’t do it, his character in 1983’s The Dead Zone definitely would have! Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Kevin Hart, Christopher Highland, and Rory Vargas Schutt. Well done!

Now to this week’s photo. Might look familiar, like you’d seen it years ago. Or maybe last week? Or not at all? That’s the fun part. Take a look and see what you can come up with. Just remember, send your answer to us in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

Italian Gore . . . Way Back in 1936

A couple of things here. Italian horror cinema has always been known for its gore, especially when you consider the films that came out in the late ’70s and ’80s. From the works of Deodato, D’Amato, Lenzi, Fulci, Bava, Soavi, and the list goes on and on. So why am I surprised to see this Italian short film, called Il caso Valdemar, made way back in 1936? Directed by Gianni Hoepli & Ublado Magnaghi, it was based on the Edgar Allan Poe short story, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, first published in 1845. What I didn’t expect was the amount of gore for that time. When Corman adapted this story in his film Tales of Terror (1962), which Vincent Price melting at the end, was pretty cool, but seeing this done 26 years before is just amazing. This is a silent film, though there is some written Italian in the form of letters or notes. But the ending, though pretty dark, is just incredible that they came up with those effects that long ago.

Secondly, it amazes me each and every time that no matter how long I’ve been a fan and student of the horror film genre, that one can still learn new things. I always like to point this out to fans that are newer to the genre and that might feel a little intimidated by what some older and more experienced fans might know or all the films they have seen. Honestly, the way you need to think of it is that we are all on the same path, just that some have been on it a little longer. I don’t see a point where someone is going to be where they’ve seen it all. There will always be new things to discover, even if they came out decades ago. The goal should be to always to continue to discover more, whether it be new films or old ones, the excitement will be the same.

Continue reading

Movie Review: Werewolves on Wheels

(1971)
Directed by Michel Levesque
Starring Stephen Oliver, D.J. Anderson, Deuce Berry, Billy Gray, Barry McGuire, Severn Darden

This is one of those famous cult titles that we all remember reading about or seeing mentioned in some reference book.  What a great exploitation title, huh?  Right there you have two different types of exploitation movies together…bikers and monsters!  What more could you ask for? Well, maybe that the film delivered on what the title promised? Okay, this is exploitation after all, so I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised to discover that it’s only ONE werewolf on wheels, and that is only at the end of the film. But since when did these kinds of movies from this era deliver 100% of the time on what their ads promised?

Continue reading