Category Archives: Misc. Ramblings

Movie Review: Die, Monster, Die!

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(1965)
Directed by Daniel Haller
Starring Boris Karloff, Suzan Farmer, Nick Adams, Freda Jackson, Terence de Marney, Patrick Magee

It’s funny sometime as a movie lover, that you have such fondness for a particular film that you had first seen as a kid, always remembering how cool it was. As an adult though, does that cinematic pleasure still remain, even after you’ve become more “educated” in the film world? Even after reading some less than positive reviews about the film? Do you watch it now and wonder how could I have ever liked this? Or is it like a small part of your brain is stepping back in time to that first viewing? Continue reading →

Movie Review: The Untold Story

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The Untold Story (1993)
Directed by Danny Lee & Herman Yau
Starring Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Danny Lee, Emily Kwan, Siu-Ming Lau, Fui-On Shing, Eric Kei

Back in the early ’90s when I was really into the Honk Kong film genre, especially the horror titles, we were always on the lookout for any of the Category III films that were going to blow us away. For Hong Kong titles, Category III meant adult content, that could be sex and nudity, or gore and violence. Or both. While they never could top the gore coming from American films, Hong Kong would have some subjects that never would have made it past the MPPA, such as the murdering of small children. So when I came across The Untold Story, the violence was so over the top and grim, I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. Now, revisiting the film after many years to check out the new Blu-ray from Unearthed Films, I wondered if it was going to have the same impact. Continue reading →

Horror History: Pamela Franklin

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Pamela Franklin
Born February 3rd, 1950

The first movie I rented after buying my first VCR was The Legend of Hell House (1973) and it has remained one of my all-time favorites to this day. One of the reasons for that is because of one of the stars of that film, Pamela Franklin. I would learn and discover more of her work in the genre, especially the one she made her screen debut in, as little Flora in Jack Clayton’s The Innocents (1961), where she was only 11 years old at the time. But she also appeared in other titles such as Hammer’s The Nanny (1965), Necromancy (1972) and Food of the Gods (1976) both for Bert I. Gordon, and the original versions of both And Soon the Darkness (1970) and Satan’s School for Girls (1973).

Franklin always seemed to play the woman in peril, probably because of her beautiful innocent eyes and face. But no matter what she was in, we have always found her very memorable and entertaining, and still remains one of our favorite actresses from that period. Shame she left the business in the early ’80s. We highly recommend seeking out some of her films if you haven’t seen them already. And go watch The Innocents again. If only because it really is THAT good! 

Curse of Frankenstein 2-Disc Blu-Ray!

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Coming to Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S., Warner Archives has announced a new 2-disc special edition of Hammer’s The Curse of Frankenstein, the movie that really put the Studio that Dripped Blood on the map. This new release will contain 75 minutes of new documentary work, audio commentary by Screenwriter/Film Historian Steve Haberman and Filmmaker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr. You’ll get to hear from some of Hammer’s best scholars, such as Richard Klemensen discussing the history of the film, cinematographer and producer David J. Miller discussing Hammer’s underrated cameraman Jack Asher, as well as hearing from Christopher Frayling, Christopher Drake, and so much more.

The disc will contain a 1080p HD Restoration Masters from 4K scans of Preservation Separation Elements, but also a newly re-mastered 1.37:1 open-matte version as well. Continue reading →

Happy Halloween from Kitley’s Krypt

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Today is the day we’ve been waiting for all year. The day where we fit in with the rest of the “normal” people! Where we can wear our usual horror t-shirts and not get the look we get when we were them the same around Christmas time! What? A Maniac T-shirt that says “I Warned You Not to Go Out Tonight” isn’t appropriate for midnight mass? Granted, for us, we all know that every day is Halloween and our love and passion for the horror genre is not something we celebrate once a year, but every single day. Hopefully everyone has still be able to enjoy this season, even with all the craziness going. I do miss the parties and get-togethers, but I really feel those will come back soon enough. Continue reading →

Movie Review: Fulci for Fake

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Fulci for Fake
Written and Directed by Simone Scafidi

Starring Fabio Frizzi, Paolo Malco, Sergio Salvati, Michele Soavi, Sandro Bitetto, Enrico Vanzina, Berenice Sparano, Michele Romagnoli, Davide Pulici, and Camilla and Antonella Fulci.

When I first read of this new biography being made on Lucio Fulci, of course, I was skeptical. A lot of biographical films tend to exaggerate things to tell a better story, instead of sticking to the truth. But after watching it, I now realize that it is something completely different. It is like if someone is going to make this biographical film, hires an actor to play Fulci, then the actor decides to go out to talk to the people that knew and worked with him, to give him some insight to this enigmatic man. And they did it brilliantly. So it is really more interviews and stories, interlaced with tons of photos and home movies showing a side of this director that we hadn’t seen before. Continue reading →

Horror at the Chicago Public Library TONIGHT!

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In case you didn’t know, my good buddy and fellow horror fanatic Aaron Christensen (aka Dr. AC) will be hosting a presentation online through the Chicago Public Library, starring in a little over an hour! So you still have time to come join us.

For the link, just click HERE.

And if you do, below is some take home work for you. It is a list of films, actors, directors, and other names in the genre that you should familiar yourself with, if you don’t know them already.

Film Recommendations: Continue reading →

22 Years of Discovering the Horror!

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Today marks the 22-Year Anniversary when Kitley’s Krypt came online. That’s right, folks, for over 2 decades, I’ve been spreading the gospel to whoever would listen. Or read, technically. I never set out to make this into a job that I could do for a living (though it wouldn’t be a bad thing), nor did I set out to become some famous journalist. My path was simple: I wanted to spread the passion I have for this incredible genre and hope others would walk with me, if even only for a moment, down this long and twisted road, looking and learning about the genre during this wonderful journey. I know some of you out there have been with me down the path for quite a long time, while others have just recently joined. But I hope in that what I’m offering here, is something more than puff journalism, more than quick click bait stories that don’t even qualify as a bit of news, but something a bit more substantial. And that it continues to fan the flames of our shared passion. Continue reading →

Karloff on Stage!

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It’s probably no secret that Boris Karloff is one my idols in the movie world. From the countless entertaining movies he appeared, to all the stories of him just being a great person in real life, he’s definitely my favorite of the horror icons. When the stage play Arsenic and Old Lace started, the role of Jonathan Brewster was played by Karloff. This was the character who stated that he killed someone because he said he looked like Boris Karloff! Karloff toured with that play for many years, but never made it to screen version. Continue reading →

Caring Through Scaring

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My good friend Dr. AC (aka Aaron Christensen) is once again taking on a cause to try to raise money (and awareness) to something special to him. And he’s doing it through the use of scary movies. How cool is that? This is something that AC has been doing for the past 10 years, picking a cause that he feels needs some help, and doing it in a way that all horror fans can appreciate. As horror fans, the ones that a good chunk of society looks upon as deviants, degenerates, and the ones you wouldn’t want to be walking down the street with. Granted, we know that is all nonsense since pretty much all of my fellow horror brothers and sisters are some of the kindest, warm-hearted people I know. So this is a chance to show those people we care, as well as putting some good back into the community.

The way it works is that AC has committed himself to watch 1 horror movie a day for every day in October. Your part comes in my donating a specific amount of money per movie. For example, if you pledge a $1 a movie, at the end of the month, you would be donating $31. You can do more, you can do less. The whole point is to put some financial help to a cause that could use it. This year, AC has chosen Boxville.org to help out. To explain more about this, I’ll let AC do the talking… or writing.

Continue reading →