Category Archives: Rest in Peace

To highlight those that we have lost, that have made an impact to this genre we love so much. They may be gone, but will never be forgotten.

Gary Kent – Rest in Peace

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We were out of town at a convention when we saw the news that Mr. Kent had passed away and it just put a huge cloud over the rest of the day. I met him at a Cinema Wasteland show way back in 2005, where he was there with Bud Cardos, William Smith, and Greydon Clark, where they talked about the old days doing stunts, and all sorts of crazy stuff in the low budget and independent filmmaking world, as well as with working with Al Adamson. Kent had such great stories, as they all did. A few years later, I learned that Kent had written an autobiography called Shadows & Light: Journeys with Outlaws in Revolutionary Hollywood, that came out in 2009. I immediately ordered it and started reading it when it arrived. I have read a lot of autobiographies before, but never one as entertaining, and definitely not as funny as this one. Kent’s style and use of metaphors made it such an enjoyable experience, plus, hearing all the crazy stories of what they used to do in the stunt world.

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Alan Frank – Rest in Peace

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For those out there who were horror fans before the internet, the only way to learn about these movies were reference books. Along with names like Denis Gifford and William Everson, Alan Frank was one of those authors who wrote several books on the horror genre, which gave us young and eager fans volumes filled with photos that were etched in our young minds. This was at a time when looking at some of the movie stills, we dreamed that one day we might be able to see the actual movie. These books were paged through, over and over, committing the names of the people, the titles of the films, and the amazing images that were throughout each of them. They sparked our imagination, sent our brains into wonderous pondering of what actually happened in the movies just from one image.

Now, all these years later, when watching a movie and a scene comes up where a still was used from, it all comes back to that time gazing into those books.

Alan Frank wrote a number of these volumes, most of which I have copies of in my library. These were some of the first that were available at that time and were the go-to titles for the longest time. We recently heard that Frank has passed away, at the age of 85. While our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time, I just want to say THANK YOU to Mr. Frank for helping become the horror fan I am today. Your work was essential for me, as well as many others, during those early years.

Giovanni Lombardo Radice – Rest in Peace

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Fans of Italian horror, especially the over-the-top, gore-filled pictures, know the face of this man. They may know him by his pseudonym John Morghen, but they definitely know his face, and usually how he met his grisly end in whatever picture he was appearing in. But unfortunately, news of his passing today spread through social media, making a lot of us fans a little more somber than before.

While he may have been known for his crazy characters, the outcasts, the one that you sometimes want to see get what’s coming to him, but beyond that he actually brought those different characters to life, making them quite different in each one. That showed real talent, that he wasn’t just hitting the numbers and walking through. Granted, some of the working conditions probably weren’t the easiest either, but he always delivered.

So here at the Krypt, we are deeply saddened to hear this news this morning. As we always say, we know that he will always be remembered, and his legacy will continue to live on amongst all horror fans. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Bert I. Gordon – Rest in Peace

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Affectionally known as Mr. BIG because of his earlier pictures all dealt with some sort of a larger than normal monstrosity that was threatening mankind, Bert I. Gordon made a lot of entertaining films in his career. While most critics might say they were trash, awful, terribly made, or any of the other criticisms, doesn’t matter because the fans watching them were having a blast. And, if you’re counting on how much money they made, then you have to say that he was a successful filmmaker then as well. He gave us titles like King Dinosaur (1955), which was his first feature film, made with 4 actors, shot in 7 days, and with a budget of only $15,000. But it made a good amount of money at the drive-ins! He followed that up with titles like The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), The Cyclops (1957) to the more modern ones (for the time) Food of the Gods (1976) and Empire of the Ants (1977). I know I was always entertained by his work when I was growing up and I still enjoy watching them today.

But Mr. BIG left us today, passing away at the age of 100! His reputation will also be huge, as well as his fandom, because he truly created films that capture the excitement of our youth, giving us giant monsters of all kinds, and while they may make us laugh and snicker at times now when we really shouldn’t be, it still doesn’t take away the fun. And at the end of the day, that is what it is all about.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family at this time. Rest in Peace, Mr. BIG.

Ricou Browning – Rest in Peace

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It truly is the end of a legacy. Mr. Browning was the last actor alive that had played one of the famous classic monsters from Universal, in The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), as well as playing him in both the sequels. So many things go into making a film that still has fans close to 70 years after it came out, such as the designers of the monster and those that made the costume. But it is the performer inside of it that really breathes life into it, making the viewers forget that it is simply a man in a suit but we’re really watching a creature from a lost age. Ricou Browning did that with his underwater performance as the Gill-Man. To this day, watching this film, it is amazing how well it still plays, as well as what Browning did to make it look like we were really watching some sort of fish creature following the lovely Julie Adams.

Mr. Browning passed away on Monday, Feb. 27th, at the age of 93. From monster kids, monster fans, and all the other horror fans out there, we bow our heads today as we lose the last of the icons of an era that ended more than half a century ago. But it still makes me smile in wonderment, when we bust out one of these old classics and feel like a little kid once again. Rest in Peace, Mr. Browning, and thank you for what you have given the fans then, the fans now, and those new ones that will soon discover your talent.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

George Wilbur – Rest in Peace

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The horror genre has lost a key figure in some of the films that we’ve enjoyed over the last 60 years. Stunt work is one profession in the movie world that seldom gets the credit it so richly deserves. They are the nameless, usually faceless actors and actresses that do all the amazing work with the stars of the film getting the credit. George Wilbur worked on some amazing films in his long career, in quite a few different genres. But it is the horror titles that we’re interested in. Ones like Blacula (1972) and Grizzly (1976), to Escape from New York (1981), Re-Animator (1985), to even Oscar winning films like Silence of the Lambs (1991). But it was his appearance playing Michael Myers in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1989) that really put his name in the minds of fans. He reprised that performance in Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995).

He attended many conventions over the years, getting to meet tons of his fans and was always so gracious to them. He understood the importance of his work and what it meant to the fans. Wilbur passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 1st at the age of 81 years old. We must remember that it isn’t just the famous actors from the movies we love that make them so great, but everyone involved, some that we’re purposely not aware of, such as the stunt people. And Wilbur definitely was one of those special ones. Thanks to his involvement in the Halloween series, he will always be remembered. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Eugenio Martín – Rest in Peace

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Well, we almost made it through the month.

While he might not have directed a lot of films in the horror genre, the ones he did were enough to make his mark in my book. Spanish filmmaker Eugenio Martín has passed away at the age of 97. His 1972 film Pánico en el Transiberiano, or as we know it here in the states, Horror Express, is one of those films that no matter how many times you see it, it still retains the same entertainment level, if not more, than before. Martín led an amazing cast of highly talented actors and actresses to such a strange story of an alien being found in the ice and awakening after centuries of being asleep. The following year, he gave us It Happened at Nightmare Inn aka A Candle for the Devil (1973), which was another highly memorable film, though with a much smaller cast.

I know that because of these two titles along, not to mention the other films he created, working in just about every film genre, he definitely will be remembered and highly regarded. We were very sorry to hear this news and our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.

Ruggero Deodato – Rest in Peace

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The man that showed us the power of cinema, Ruggero Deodato, passed away yesterday at the age of 83. While he had directed 36 films, he worked in just about every genre out there. But it was his 1980 film Cannibal Holocaust that brought him international fame. While I am not a fan of it personally, no one could argue how powerful of a film it is. He would go on to direct other horror films such as Cut and Run (1984), Body Count (1986), and Phantom of Death (1987). In the last couple of decades, he was no stranger to the convention circuit, even here in the US, and always seemed to just love the attention. While his English wasn’t that great, he was extremely friendly and loved to meet his fans. You can tell that by the number of photos with fans that were posted on social media over the last few hours, with everybody saddened by the news.

But his fame and notoriety will continue to live on as long as people still talk Cannibal Holocaust, which they will for decades to come. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time. Rest in Peace.

Robert Tayman – Rest In Peace

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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.

Andrew Prine – Rest in Peace

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This one just plain sucks! I saw it posted earlier this morning, but couldn’t find any confirmation, so I was hoping it wasn’t real, but unfortunately, it has now been reported by the Hollywood Reporter. Actor Andrew Prine passed away on Monday the 31st, at the age of 86. Prine had close to 200 film and TV credits over his career, appearing in westerns, war films, and more than a few titles in the cult and horror genre. I got to meet Mr. Prine a few times over the years at different shows, and even had the honor to interview him way back in April of 2005. Such a kind and funny man, with a ton of great stories. He had recently been a guest at the Monster Bash show in PA and his Q&A was just so funny and entertaining.

His portray of the title character in Simon, King of the Witches (1971), while it may not be a true horror film, is an incredible tale of someone that may or may not be a real warlock. Of course, there’s ways William Girdler’s Grizzly (1976), where Prine was the only actor to get inside the caged area where the very real and very huge bear was in! But so many other great titles, like Crypt of the Living Dead (1973), The Centerfold Girls (1974), or The Evil (1978). Hell, even Barn of the Naked Dead (1973), which was made under the title Terror Circus, is pretty fun to watch. Again, that comes down to Prine and his performance.

Thankfully, all of those films mentioned, plus plenty more, are readily available for fans to enjoy over and over again. And thanks to Rob Zombie, who cast Prine in a small role in his 2012 film The Lords of Salem, maybe that will bring in some newer fans to might want to look into his long and entertaining career. So, while we might have lost him from this realm of existence, he will continue to not only be alive to us fans, but he will continue to entertain us with his performances. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.