This weekend, we will be making our 29th trip out to Strongsville, Ohio, for the Cinema Wasteland Movie and Memorabilia Expo, as we’ve been doing since Sept. of 2000. No other show out there has run this long, being held at the very same hotel since the first one, and has created a reputation for being a show for the real die-hard movie fan. This is one of the few shows left that really is about celebrating the movies and the people behind them. There is always plenty of things going on to keep a movie fan occupied and entertained. From the Q&A panels to the film screening in two different rooms, you will never be bored. This time out, you’ll get the chance to see titles like The Green Slime (1968), Queen of Outer Space (1958), and Stanley (1972), all screened from 16mm prints! In the video room, you can watch classics like King Kong Escapes (1967) or Psychos in Love (1987), and much more.
Category Archives: Misc. Ramblings
Naschy’s Crimson Gets Redeption…
…Redeption release that is. Okay, for anybody out there, Naschy die-hard fans included, lets not mince words here. We all know that Crimson is not one of his best work. In fact, it is not a good one at all. But for us poor souls that are doomed with the curse of being a completest, we know that we will have to add this new edition from Redemption when it gets released in June.
Quartet Records Gives Us Blood!
It never ceases to amaze me the titles that are getting a soundtrack released these days. Even the most obscure movie scores seem to pop up out of nowhere, and demanding money from me! And who am I to argue?
Do You Giallo?
Yes, we all know of the giallo films from the likes of Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and Sergio Martino, but there are so many other names out there that need to be remembered. One of them is Luciano Ercoli, who just happened to pass away exactly one year ago today.
While he only directed a little over a dozen film, his last two are usually what makes the biggest impression on viewers. And now, thanks to Arrow Video, these two titles, Death Walks at Midnight and Death Walks on High Heels, are being released on blu-ray in double feature box set. Both starring Ercoli’s wife, the lovely Nieves Navarro (or Susan Scott, as she is usually billed as), these films are great examples of the giallo genre. Filled with twists and turns, beautiful women, amazing shots, and glorious color, they are not to be missed.
Arrow Re-Animates the Bride
As we all know, it is very hard for a sequel to top the original, or even come close. And when you’re talking about the original Re-Animator, it would seem to be an impossible task even to think about. But producer turned director Brian Yuzna did just that with his 1989 film Bride of Re-Animator. And you know what…it’s actually pretty damn entertaining!
Okay, so we all know that it isn’t as good as the first one. Case closed. But as a sequel, filled with some incredible, crazy, and down right jaw-dropping effects, not to mention some humorous and wonderfully dark performances by Jeffrey Combs and the rest of the cast, this is well worth your time. Even on mutliple viewings, this is still a great film.
Have You Rondo?
Yes, it is that time of the year again, with the 14th Annual Rondo Awards recently being announced. Yes, my work in HorrorHound magazine has been nominated again for Best Column, which I’m honored to be listed amongst so many other great writers. I’d love your vote, but more importantly, I would love you to vote period. Doesn’t need to be for me, but vote from your heart, to those you feel has done an admirable job. There are many different categories, from writing to artwork, to the DVD releases. Try and vote in as many categories as you can, but it not mandatory to do so. Just keep in mind that these people put in a lot of hard work for what most of us is just a passion and not a profession. And I think that is something that needs to be rewarded, even if it just a little statuette.
So click on this link HERE and send them an email with your vote. It only takes a few minutes and will help show these dedicated people that their work is not in vain, but that is being enjoyed by many out in the world.
Paganini Horror Soundtrack Anyone?
While I will admit that this movie is really only viewing during a Turkey Day marathon, I still have a certain fondness for it. Directed by Luigi Cozzi and c0-written (and starring in) Daria Nicolodi, this movie definitely freezes that point in time with cheesy rock music videos. A band is shootting a muisc video with the ghost of composer Paganini shows up to kill them with a bladed violin. Yeah…gotta love it.
Krypt is Ad Free, Once Again!
One of the things that I always promoted and was very proud of at the Krypt was there wasn’t going to be any ads on the site. I wanted your visit here to be free of anything trying to sell you something. Plus, I refused to jump on the bandwagon like so many other sites and have it filled with more ad banners than actual content.
But coming over to WordPress, I hadn’t realized that with the free version, that ads would be showing up. I apologize for not realizing that earlier, but that has changed. And as of a today, the Krypt is ad-free once again. Just a little reminder that when you come here, the only thing we want to entice you with is to Discover the Horror!
Has It Really Been a Year?
Actually, it has. Last February is when we moved the Krypt to this new location, saying goodbye to the Front Page based website to the Word Press blog format. There are times when I miss the old way, but I have to admit this new format is much easier to work with. I know there is still a ton of stuff I still need to import from the old site, like reviews, interviews, etc., which I’ve slowly been doing. It is a long process, but I’m working through it.
But I guess the real question is up to you, the readers and followers of the Krypt. After this last year of the new layout and format, what are your thoughts? Better? Worse? Easier to navigate and find stuff? Or harder? I would love to hear any and all feedback, be it good or bad.
So please drop me a line when you can (email: jon@kitleyskrypt.com) and let me know your thoughts.
Here’s to another year!
Do You Have Jose Larraz’s Symptoms?
While José Ramón Larraz is most known for his 1974 blood thirsty picture Vampyres, he also made another film that same year (actually a few in 1974) that starred the daughter of the immortal Donald Pleasence, Angela, who gives us a very creepy performance here. I don’t believe this film has never gotten an actual video release here in the states other than in the bootleg market, but it is one that should be seen, if only because of Pleasence’s performance. The film has such a strange and eerie look and quality to it, with a good and slow burn, but worth seeing.
And now, thanks to Mondo Macabro, you will have that chance. They will be releasing this film this spring that will have plenty of extras, besides the film being fully restored from the original negative. The extras include a documentary on Larraz by Celia Novis called On Vampyres and Other Symptoms, the 1999 entry from the show Eurotika series that was on Larraz, a new interview with actresses Angela Pleasence and Lorna Heilbron, and editor Brian Smedley-Aston. Continue reading
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