Category Archives: Misc. Ramblings

Severin Celebrates Sangster!

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Jimmy Sangster is one name that is partially responsible for what Hammer Films is known for. While he may not think that what he did was all that special, he was an essential part of the mechanism that help give birth to a new generation of gothic horror films, resurrecting famous monsters that were not only long-thought passé, but giving them to fans like we’d never seen before.

Sangster had started in the industry, like most, at the bottom, as a third assistant director on the film Third Time Lucky (1949) for producer Mario Zampi. That same year, when Zampi was asked to produce the film Dick Barton Strikes Back for Hammer, he brought a lot of his crew to work on the film, including Sangster, who would now make his Hammer debut as Second Assistant director! At the age of 21, he became Britain’s youngest Assistant Director!

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Hammer is Killing My Wallet!

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After years of complaining about Hammer Films getting a new owner and a promised reboot that never happens, I would almost say that I’m regretting that it is actually happening now. But I won’t. Because even though it’s costing me more and more money, I’m loving every minute of it! We all know the incredible special edition box sets they have put out on the first two Quatermass films, as well as The Curse of Frankenstein, as well as some other more rare non-horror titles, but now even releasing some non-Hammer but still British horror titles, such as Doctor Blood’s Coffin and Cry of the Banshee. Then there is their new documentary Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters documentary that his coming out. What more could we ask for? How about The House of Hammer: Volume 1?

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Double Dose of Frankenstein Soundtrack?

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Even before the movie came out, because I was so excited about it, when Alexadra Desplat’s soundtrack became available on Amazon in a digital format, I bought it. It had 37 tracks with a running time of about 105 minutes. Granted, for a movie almost 2 1/2 hours long, and being del Toro, you know it’s going to have a big score. That is the artwork on the left below.

But about a week ago, I saw they were releasing the actual CD soundtrack, put out by AEC, (pictured on the right below) but even though it is a 2-disc release, it does not have the whole score that I originally purchased on Amazon. This version only has 29 tracks, but it doesn’t list the complete running time, but it looks like it’s about 15 minutes shorter. Not sure why they would do that, but there you have it. If you want the longer score, the digital format might be the only way. They are both showing available on Amazon.

The Thing Expanded

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I know with the amount of attention this has been getting, from all over social media to just the fans aching to see and hear more about not only one of their favorite films, but let’s face it… it’s simply one of the greatest horror films ever made. Am I right? But why this post when everyone in the horror genre already knows about it, possibly even supported the online support process to get your name in the credits as well as some cool additional stuff besides the documentary. Simple. Because we need to remember the fact that upon its initial release, it was hated by most critics and the general public. But us fans… we knew then how fantastic and incredible this film was. And we supported it then and continued to support it until those lame critics faded away, along with those words they wrote some 40+ years ago. Unlike those words, this movie has lasted.

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Still Kicking

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Sorry for the lack of updates last week, including our Monday Mystery Photo, but I’m still dealing with a freaking cold/virus/infection/plague or whatever you want to call it that I’ve had since the beginning of January. I thought it was going away at the end of that month, but nope! Came back even stronger. No fever or anything like that, but a raging cough that just won’t quit. After hitting Walk-In care twice in those two months, finally went to see my normal GP for some tests to try and pinpoint what it is. But after everything coming back negative (which is a good think I suppose), just got another round of drugs that hopefully this time will finally kill this damn thing. It’s just enough to kill your mood and motivation, where you just don’t feel like doing much of anything. But on a good note, I have spent quite a time in front of the TV, knocking out over 90 films over the last two months. So, there’s that. But I’m just starting to get a little desire to spend time in front of the computer, so hopefully we’ll be back on our normal track real soon.

In the meantime, in just a couple of weeks, we head to Michigan for our first show of the year, Michigan is Dead event! You can get more information by clicking our Kryptic World Tour link at the top of the page. If you’re in the area, stop by and say hello!

National Film Registry Adds The Thing

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When you think about a film that has initial reviews that said it was “foolish, depressing” and its actors are “used merely as props to be hacked, slashed, disemboweled and decapitated, finally to be eaten and then regurgitated” and the film overall, “is too phony to be disgusting. It qualifies only as instant junk,” which was from the New York Times Vincent Canby. Or when Roger Ebert called it, “a great barf-bag movie.” But it wasn’t just these types of film critics that hated John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), his adaptation of John W. Campbell’s novella entitled Who Goes There, first published in 1938. Even Alan Spencer, writing for Starlog magazine wrote that the film, “smells, and smells pretty bad. It has no pace, sloppy continuity, zero humor, bland characters on top of being totally devoid of either warmth or humanity.” He went on to write that Carpenter should not be directing films, but instead, would be “suited to direct: traffic accidents, train wrecks and public floggings.”

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Andy Milligan Rises Again!

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If you would have told me a decade ago that I would be praising the work of Staten Island bottom of the basement auteur Andy Milligan, I would have said you’re crazy. I had known about him and a few of his titles but just wrote him off as another low-budget schlocky filmmaker. But a couple of years ago, Severin Films did an amazing thing by releasing a massive box set of Milligan’s work, with a ton of extras. These films looked better than they probably did if/when they played in theaters. As I started to go through the set, I realized that while they are still very low budgeted films, and weren’t the best on the technical side, there was a charm to them that I really started to enjoy. I’ve always said that the more you know about an artist, it will make you appreciate their work a little more. And between that box set and Jimmy McDonough’s book The Ghastly One, I really started to enjoy what I was seeing.

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What a Time to be a Horror Fan

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Horror fans and the Oscars have not had a long and friendly relationship. Over the decades, when some incredible performances have been given out in a wide variety of titles, because they are classified as horror, they usually get passed over. Not always, but in the history of cinema that is well over a century old, let’s face it… traditionally, if it is a horror film, it won’t get nominated besides maybe in makeup or visual effects.

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Marshmallow Sequel Coming

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I had picked Daniel DelPurgatorio’s feature film debut, Marshmallow (2025) for my Best Viewings of last year. If you still haven’t seen it, PLEASE seek it out, which should be available on a few different streaming services. BUT… and this is very important… DO NOT READ ANYTHING ABOUT IT! You want to go into this film completely blind. And just when you think you know what is going on, just sit back and wait. Trust me.

Anyway, the reason for this post is that a sequel has been announced, with director DelPurgatorio and writer Andy Greskoviak returning, as well as actor main actor Kue Lawrence, as well as Kai Cech, Dylan Friedman, and Max Malas. No title has been released just yet, but just like the original, they are making sure the plot is kept under wraps. The basic premise they have stated is that it takes place years after the events of the film, and what has happened to the characters who survived and throughout the world.

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Happy Holiday from the Krypt!

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No matter what you celebrate, or don’t celebrate, we here at the Krypt wish everyone out there a joyous time, hopefully getting to spend it with your loved ones, or even just sitting in front of your TV watching some great films. It’s been a rough year, but it is always a great time to remember the good times and good friends. You can always give them a call, send them a note or email, just to say hello, or a simple thanks for being there. I think everyone can use one of those messages these days.

And while we wait for Godzilla to deliver us presents this year (make sure you leave out BIG cookies), just remember these words of advice from director Ishiro Honda. I think if we all try and follow them, we’d all be a lot better off.

“Read good books, say kind words, do good deeds, be a good person.”