For our first Favorite Question, we’re going to go with something easy.
What is your favorite ghost story or haunted house movie? The reason I combined them because sometimes a ghost story doesn’t necessarily take place in one location. Or sometimes a haunted house doesn’t even involved a ghost. But I think you get the idea.
So feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Let’s get this conversation going!!!
Greetings followers of the Krypt. I hope everyone out there is keeping safe, limiting contact with the outside world so we can cut this contagion down to zero and get back to our lives. But until then, we have to think about ourselves and others. It’s been a crazy week, and it is probably going to get worse before it gets better. So please, stay safe.
In the “really real world”, I work in the corrugated box business, so I still will be going to work, at least for now. Sure, I’d love to be home too, but people need boxes to ship stuff, from medical supplies, food products, or all the other stuff being ordered from Amazon. So box makers are an important part of the world’s supply chain. Never thought I would consider what I do that important, being just “some schmoe at a box plant”, but it’s funny how and when we can learn those life lessons.
For those that are at home, there is plenty of time to watch those movies, read those books, work on projects that we just didn’t have time for.
To help keep our minds off of the real world and give you a little distraction, I’m going to post a daily question starting tomorrow asking about a favorite movie of yours. Yes, I have a little hidden agenda with this, but as it helps me, it will also give this community the opportunity have some of those conversations we would normally might have at a convention! As much negativity social media gets (which I’ll admit it usually deserves), this is the chance we can use it for a positive reason.
So starting tomorrow, I’m going to post a sub-genre and ask a simple question. What is your favorite in that sub-genre? All I really need is the title. But if you feel adventurous, and have the time, then you can explain why? What is it about this particular film that makes you consider it your favorite. Be as short or long as you want. Sound fun?
I know there’s going to be a lot of the obvious answers on some of these, but I’m hoping to get two things out of these. The first is for those that might be new to the genre, they might be able to get a few titles that now they will want to seek out so they hit the “classics”. And secondly, maybe even for us more experienced viewers, we’ll learn of a title or two that we haven’t seen yet. And that, my friends, is always a good thing.
So get ready. The quest(ions) starts tomorrow.
Welcome to a whole new world. Because of the uncertain of what is going on, we’re going to do our best here at the Krypt to give everyone out there a little distraction. Don’t know if this is the smartest thing to do, but it is all we can think of to try and hold on some sort of normality. I know one positive thing is that I’m getting to watch a LOT of movies recently, so I’m definitely taking advantage of it.
Okay, our photo from last week was from the Japanese film The Haunted Castle (1969). I caught this for the first time a few weeks ago and was amazed at the cinematography and all around style the film had. Highly recommended. Unfortunately, the only one to send in the correct answer was Hoby Abernathy. But hopefully this will cause a few others out there to seek out this great film.
This week’s photo is a little more current, so hopefully it will be a little easier. We’ll see! So take a look and then send your guess to us in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
Directed by Roy Ward Baker
Starring Ian Oglivy, Stephanie Beacham, Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom, Patrick Magee, Guy Rolfe
This was kind of a different film for Amicus, first off, not being an anthology film. But it was a period piece as well. Amicus’ films usually were set in modern day, except maybe I, Monster (1971). So this was something new for them. But once again, when you have a great story, a first-rate director, and an exceptional all-star cast, it’s really hard to go wrong. Continue reading
Antiviral
Released by Lakeshore Records, 2013
21 Tracks, with a total running time of 42 min.
Music by E.C. Woodley
Having not seen the film yet, we’re going strictly on this score alone, and not how it might add or enhance the movie. But right away, we can tell how different this score is from most soundtracks. It is very quiet, slow, subdued, and very unique. To know that it is from a film directed by David Cronenberg’s son makes perfect sense. The opening track, just entitled Opening, starts out with a slow echoing piano, playing a few notes, before either a violin or an electronic device takes over right before moving into the next track. And that is what we’re in for with the rest of the score. It is very heavy on the electronic sounds, with vibrating notes holding for long periods of time with other sounds overlapping them, such as more piano or a bass sound, something soft and distance, other times loud and vibrating. Continue reading
With all these conventions being cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled, while it sucks that we don’t get to attend them and hang out and have fun, there are a lot of those vendors where doing shows like that are their livelihood! Missing a show can have an impact on their income, making it difficult do simple things like pay rent and buy food. Yesterday, I saw a posting from Del from the Dark Delicacies reminding people of this fact, and that a lot of them have online stores to purchase items from them that you would have picked up from them at the show. I think this is a brilliant (and a damn thoughtful) idea and wanted to pass that on here. Continue reading
Since the internet has been flooded with notices about this a few days ago, everyone I’m sure has heard of the passing of actor Max von Sydow. Even though he only made less than a dozen films you could consider horror, you couldn’t be a fan of the genre and not know who this man was, because of The Exorcist (1973). Granted, like a lot of us, we always assumed he was already an old man because of the incredible aged makeup he wore in that film, thanks to Dick Smith. But no matter what role he had, like a small part in Conan the Barbarian (1982), the over-the-top role of the Emperor Ming in Flash Gordon (1980), to even the humorous role of Brewmeister Smith in Strange Brew (1983), he always commanded your attention, as well as gave a very memorable performance.
From his early days with Ingmar Bergman to Dario Argento in Sleepless (2001), to even working with Martin Scorsese in Shutter Island (2010), he always had a captive audience with his talent. He is one that will definitely live on and be remembered for all of those incredible characters. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.
Thank you to everyone that sent in their answers for our little trivia contest. Before we get to the winner, let’s go over the questions. As someone pointed out, one of the questions might have been a little bit of a trick question, even though I didn’t mean it to be. The answers are:
Now for the winner… Congratulations to Gary McGuire!
Thanks again for everyone that participated. I’m sure I’ll come up with another one of these at some point to keep the fun going! Thanks again to Operator 13 Productions!
The Amityville Horror
Released by Aleph Records, 2017.
17 Tracks, with a total running time of 61:02 min.
Composed and Conducted by Lalo Schifrin
There are some movies that are obviously classics, The Amityville Horror being one of them. But that can be said for soundtracks as well, and the score that Lalo Schifrin created for this 1979 film is also one of them. From the opening Main Title theme, it creates a false sense of comfort with this dreamy, child-like nursery theme, but then also has some darker elements in the background, like a storm brewing! But then next track, Father Delaney, it immediately starts to build up the suspense and the terror that is soon to come. Continue reading
Welcome to another Monday! Our photo from last week was kind of a trick one. That definitely is a young Jack Taylor and it is from the Nostradamus series that was later cut up into 4 separate features. That shot particular was from Nostradamus y el destructor de monstruos aka The Monster Demolisher (1962). If you’re a fan of early Mexican horror films, that series is a lot of fun. Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Bob Hartman, and Troy Howarth.
Now on to this week’s photo. Might be pretty obvious what country this is from… or is it? There… that was to throw your game off a bit! Either way, take a look and see what you can come up with. Just send your answer to us in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
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