Turkey Day 2020

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We may have just set a record with this year’s Turkey Day, at least when it comes to attendance. Once again, with the pandemic raging on, we were force to hold our Turkey Day marathon online, through a streaming service. This time though, we opened it up to everyone if they wanted to join in. And I think we had around 20+ people in the screening throughout most of the day. So for that, I think it was a great success. We did have a few glitches in the beginning, but thankfully my technical staff (aka Jason Coffman) was able to help me fix the problem and from there on went on with very little issues. Continue reading →

A New Look at Dracula

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For years, some horror fans have concluded that even though Bela Lugosi’s performance is highly memorable, that the original 1931 version of Dracula itself doesn’t hold up well today. Honestly, I would have to agree with that. Which makes me even more excited to read this new book that has recently come out from Hemlock Books and author Matthew Coniam, entitled Dracula AD 1931.

In this 182 page volume, author Coniam wants fans to give this film a second chance, with his aim “of bringing it back to Undead life and to counter the accusations of staginess and anti-climax that have dogged it for 90 years. Through a detailed study of the film that makes much use of original research, he offers a new way of seeing Dracula that restores the urgency and excitement with which it was embraced by its original audiences.”

Now, as I said, I’m not the biggest fan of this movie, but do understand and agree why it is considered a classic. But I am very anxious to read this book to maybe learn a few things I wasn’t aware of, or even hearing another person’s insight that might shed new light to my thoughts about it. I mean, being open to different ideas about films is something all film fans should embrace, isn’t it? You never know what you might learn then.

Priced at £17.95 (approx. $24), one can order this title directly from Hemlock Books at their website HERE. Now if these books weren’t so darn expensive to import over here in the states….

December Kryptic Army Mission: End of Days

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For our final mission for 2020, I figured what better subject that the end of the world. I mean, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic, so what better way than to go out fighting, right?

Now your subject matter is pretty wide open here, meaning you can go with a worldwide zombie outbreak, some sort of disease that has wiped out most of the population, or even some sort of creatures invasion that have taken out mankind, or at least a majority of it. The only key element that is required is that it would seem that humanity might be on its last leg, or has at least been seriously crippled. But besides that, it should be pretty easy to come across a couple of films that you haven’t seen yet. Continue reading →

Kryptic Army – Another Year of Service?

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We’re about a month away from completing a year’s tour of duty in the Kryptic Army. It’s been fun reading some of the entries from the ones participating, even getting some good suggestions for movies to watch. Strangely though, for all of those that seemed to be glad it was back, we didn’t seem to get the participation that I thought we would have. So my question to you out there, do we go another year? Continue reading →

Mystery Photo 11-30

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Welcome to Monday and for our last Mystery Photo for November. Before we get to it, let’s review last week’s photo. It was from the 1943 The Mad Ghoul, starring the one and only George Zucco. We got quite a few correct answers sent in on this one, which always puts a smile on my face! Here are the names: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron AuBuchon, Dave Fronto, Kevin Hart, Troy Howarth, Doug Lamoreux, Matt Masters, Gary McGuire, Lee Nattrass, Charles Miller, Bryan Senn, Vincent Simonelli, and Alan Tromp. Well done to you all!

Now today’s photo will probably be pretty easy for some, but others might have to think about it. Have a good look and see what you can come up with. Remember, just send your answer to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

David Prowse – Rest in Peace

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And we lose yet another movie icon. Yesterday, we lost the actor to give physical life to one of cinema’s greatest villains, Darth Vader from the original Star Wars trilogy, David Prowse. Being a huge fan of that series, I had learned all of the main actors’ names, so I knew who Prowse was at the time. But it wasn’t until years later, when I started down my path of the horror genre, that I realized his connection to Hammer Films, as well as the many other things he had worked on.

But as I delved more into the works of Hammer, I discovered that Prowse played the creature in not one, but two different titles in their Frankenstein series. The first with Ralph Bates as the scientist in The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) and second with Cushing back in the role of the mad baron Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974), as well as playing the strongman / vampire familiar in Vampire Circus (1972). He made dozens of other appearances in genre titles, even appearing in a couple of Doctor Who episodes. Continue reading →

Turkey Day 2020 Survivors

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I wanted to give a quick thanks to everyone that attended our Turkey Day Marathon yesterday. Since I started doing these little events back in 2003, I couldn’t let a little thing like a pandemic stop us from continuing the tradition. Adapt and adjust, as they say, and that’s what we did by moving it to an online streaming event. While nothing will substitute getting together in person to watch these films, at least this way did give people outside of our circle of friends the opportunity to join in the fun. And with the number of attendees around 20 throughout the day, I think it was a great success.

If you were one of the ones that attended, please make sure you send me a selfie so I can add you to the photo collage of this year’s Turkey Day Survivors! Need them ASAP, please!

I’ll have our official write up posted (hopefully) this week with all the details of our excursions into this wonderful land of misfit movies. Until then, keep Discovering the Horror!

Daria Nicolodi – Rest in Peace

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These posts are always tough to do. It is with great sadness that we have found out that Daria Nicolodi has passed away today, age the age of 70. One cannot be a fan of Italian cinema and not know of her work, both in front of and behind the camera. From her appearance in Dario Argento’s Deep Red (1975), Tenebre (1982), to Opera (1987), as well as co-writing Suspiria (1977), one of the best horror films ever committed to film, she has definitely made her mark.

Thankfully, we know that her memory will not fade away, because she will still remain alive in our minds and hearts, every time we break out one of these movies. Her talent and beauty will be alive on screen every time we push play, and we can continue to be grateful that she has left us such gifts.

Our deepest sympathies go out to her family and friends in this most difficult time. Riposa in pace, Daria. 

Naschy News!

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When the first couple of Paul Naschy movie titles first hit Blu-ray, even the biggest fan out there couldn’t not have a clue of just how many of those titles were going to continue to come out in that format. Some titles even hitting the digital format for the very first time, while some never even officially released here in the states. So grainy multi-generation bootlegs is all that we had to deal with. But thanks to companies like Shout Factory, Scorpion Releasing, Mondo Macabro, and others, they continue to show the care that these movies deserve, and putting out some amazing releases, helping to save these from moving into obscurity.

Today, Mondo Macabro announced two more Naschy titles they will be releasing some time next year. The first one is El aullido del diablo, better known as Howl of the Devil (1988), co-starring Howard Vernon and Caroline Munro, who told me that Naschy was “a huge favorite of mine to work with.” In the film, Naschy appears as more than a few of the classic monsters, from Frankenstein’s creature to the wolf man, Quasimodo the Hunchback to the Devil himself. This was one that fans have been dealing with shabby looking bootlegs for years. But now, it will get an official release for the first time anywhere in the world, AND a 4K restoration from a recently discovered negative. Continue reading →