Invasion of Monster Bash!

Next August, Monster Bash is invading The Palace Theatre in Canton, Ohio, for what is becoming their annual film fest. And this year, the theme is INVASION! They have 8 fantastic titles lined up over two days, featuring some of the best in sci-fi / horror, that you can see all of them for only $40! That’s only $5 a movie! Plus, there will be vendors there as well, as well as plenty of the Monster Bash fun. This is taking place on Aug. 18th & 19th, 2023. Below is the lineup for each day, so start making your plans!

Friday, August 18th

Invaders from Mars (1953)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
War of the Worlds (1953)

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Mystery Photo 12-12

Welcome to another Monday Mystery Photo! Our last photo must have really stumped everyone because I only got one correct answer and that was from Hoby Abernathy. The photo was from Guillermo del Toro’s first film, Cronos (1992), which still remains one of my favorites.

But let’s not waste time and get to today’s photo. Might not be on the same quality as del Toro’s work, but I think it is an interesting shot, nonetheless. Take a look and see what you can come up with. As always, remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

Robert Tayman – Rest In Peace

Robert Tayman was an actor that didn’t appear in too many horror films, but a few that are worth mentioning. He appeared in Pete Walker’s House of Whipcord (1974), and even Hammer’s strange Sci-Fi / Western Moon Zero Two (1969). But it really his performance as the vampire Count Mitterhaus in Hammer’s Vampire Circus (1972) that most Hammer and horror fans remember him by. While we haven’t seen anything official announced, I’ve seen a couple of posts from reliable sources that Mr. Tayman has recently passed away, at the age of 80 years old.

His performance as Mitterhaus is a bit over-the-top, but that is one of the reasons I’ve always enjoyed it, as well as the film itself. It’s a style that I’m not sure we’ll see anytime soon, but as a young horror fan, I thought the film, and the vampires throughout the story were just so damn slick and cool.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family in this difficult time, but know that because of his performance in Vampire Circus, along with Count Mitterhaus, his life will go on for us fan.

Mystery Photo 12-5-22

Welcome to our first Mystery Photo for December! That means we’ll be in 2023 before you know it! Better get those last-minute films in to make it on this year’s list! But let’s get down to business. Last week’s photo was from José Ramón Larraz 1973 film Scream…and Die, also known as The House that Vanished. Which, depending on which version you have, it could be cut quite a bit. I know the Blu-ray release that came out here in the states is definitely cut. The copy I have from an old VHS tape under the Scream…and Die title looks to be the full version, though the print is a little less than stellar. But still worth seeing if you’re a fan of Larraz’s early work. Definitely repeating the sleaze and dark tone that he had been doing so far in his career. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Kevin Hart, Gary McGuire, and Todd Warren. Well done!

Okay, throwing everyone a bone as an early holiday gift with this week’s photo. Should be pretty easy. Or is it? Maybe I’m trying to make throw you off by making you think it is easy, when in fact, it’s an obscure film only shown in one theater in outer Mongolia back in the ’40s, that reported made people go mad. Or not. Either way, take a look and see what you think. Just send me your guess, in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. As always, Good Luck!

To-See List!

Around this time of year, everyone is making their Best Of lists for the last year, myself included. But here’s an idea . . . how about you make a list of films that you will watch next year. There are more than a few books (some pictured below) that give you a list of films you must see before you die or the Top 100 in whatever genre out there, plus there are plenty of those lists online if you just google it. Or, since everyone will be posting their lists within the next month, you could even go through those and see which ones you haven’t seen. For me, usually when I go through there, I’ve seen quite a few, but there is usually a title or two that I’ve never gotten around to. So, while I’m working on my Best Viewings for this year, I am also compiling a list of films that I plan to knock out in 2023.

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DtH Podcast: Episode 31: Unearthed Zombie Films

Sugar Hill (1974), Wild Zero (1999), Juan of the Dead (2011).

Everyone loves zombie films. Ever since Romero brought them to the screen in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead, they have become one of the horror genre’s favorite and most used monster. With this sub-genre flooding the market over the last 2 decades, there are a lot of good films that get buried or forgotten. Because of that, we decided to dig up three titles that we feel need more time in the spotlight. They are all three uniquely different, with more than a little social commentary in there, but all damn entertaining.

So, sit back, take some notes, and then seek these films out! Even a genre as “dead” as zombies, there are still plenty of them to see that you’ll still find damn entertaining and well worth your time.

Movies mentioned in this episode:

Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Blacula (1972), Castle of the Living Dead (1964), Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (1972), Dawn of the Dead (1978), The Dead (2010), Death Line (1972), Juan of the Dead (2011), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Poltergeist (1982), Race with the Devil (1975), Salem’s Lot (1979), Scream Blacula Scream (1973), Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), She-Beast (1966), Six-String Samurai (1998), Sugar Hill (1974), Under the Shadow (2016), White Zombie (1932), Wild Zero (1999)

Mystery Photo 11-28

For those that didn’t send in the correct photo must not have read my Turkey Day report because I unknowingly used the exact same photo of last week’s Mystery Photo, from Bill Rebane’s Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake (1980). If that is where you got it and sent in your answer, I’ll still count it, so no worries! Yes, that is the gill-man named Rana from Rebane’s take on The Creature from the Black Lagoon, for what it’s worth. I happened to like the film, while admitting it’s not the greatest. But congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron Christensen, Craig Clark, Kevin Hart, Bob Hartman, Tim Palace, Michael Pniewski. Well done!

This week’s photo might be a little tougher and a lot more obscure. Get your thinking caps on because this one will have you thinking. Just remember to send your guess to me in an email (that way I don’t lose your name!) to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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.

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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”.

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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.