Soundtrack Review: Dr. Phibes Rises Again

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phibes2coverDr. Phibes Rises Again
Released by Perseverance Records
29 Tracks, with a total running time of 45:10 min.
Composed and Conducted by John Gale

For fans of the Dr. Phibes movies, how could you not love to have this in your collection? Perseverance Records did an incredible job bringing this to fans with this release. From the opening Main Title track, you can just about picture the good Doctor being resurrected from his sleep! Then when the next track, Vulnavia’s Theme kicks in, it really is like a dream!

Composer John Gale has created a wide variety of musical styles in this soundtrack. From the operatic Vulnavia’s Theme to the sound of the big band era, with some classic pieces thrown in for good measure, it has such an immense range of music and feelings produced for the many different elements of this movie. From tracks like Remembering Victoria is a short but beautiful little piece of music, almost sounding like a harpsichord, to the wonderful guitar sequence in the track To Egypt, but it captures the feelings perfectly. Continue reading →

Movie Review: Night Watch (2004)

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Directed by Timur Bekmambetov
Starring Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Valeri Zolotukhin, Mariya Poroshina, Galina Tyunina, Yuri Ketsenko, Aleksei Chadov, Zhanna Friske, Ilya Lagutenko, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Dmitry Martynov

First off, let’s not get this confused with another foreign title with the same name, though that is usually called Nightwatch. That is a Danish film from 1994, that I would still highly recommend (just don’t watch the American remake). But the film we’re reviewing today is a Russian film from 2004, titled Nochnoy dozor, or Night Watch. Continue reading →

Women in Horror at the Music Box

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Saint Maud posterSaint Maud, the debut film from writer/director Rose Glass will be opening at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre on April 3rd. We don’t much about it but it described as “a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and salvation in a fallen world.”

But they are having a Sneak Peak Preview on Wednesday, March 25th, at 7pm, featuring a post-film Q&A with the director Rose Glass. Unfortunately, this is for MBT Members only, but you can always sign up for a membership!

But in honor of the women working in the horror industry, the Music Box is having a Women in Horror Series. I’m not sure if there will be more features, but right now they have 2 other titles listed. On March 20th & 21st, they will be screening The Babadook, from writer/director Jennifer Kent. Then on March 27th and 28th, they will be screening Raw, from writer/director Julia Ducournau.

While I haven’t seen Saint Maud yet, I would highly recommend seeing The Babadook and Raw if you haven’t. Or even better, have a chance to see them in the theater! For more information about their Women in Horror Series, just click HERE. You can see the trailer for Saint Maude below.

 

Book Review: The Science of Women in Horror

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Science of Women in HorrorThe Science of Women in Horror: The Special Effects, Stunts, and True Stories Behind Your Favorite Fright Flicks
Published by Skyhorse Publishing, 2020, 247 pages
By Meg Hafdahl & Kelly Florence

The funny thing about this book is that I had no intention of diving into it right away. I saw it on Amazon, I didn’t have it in my library, it was a pretty decent price, so I figured I would order a copy. I was already in the middle of another book so when it came, I just picked it up browse through it quickly before it was put away on the shelf. Then I started reading the intro. Then the first chapter. Next thing I know I’m 25 pages into it!

There are several things that I really enjoyed about this book. The first, which is right in the introduction, authors Hafdahl & Florence remind us all that one of the greatest monster tales of all time was created by a young woman, Mary Shelley. You would think that would have made the road for other female creators to continue that path equally alongside their male counterparts. Unfortunately, we all know that isn’t the case. But this book shows that there are many names out there in the genre that are working very hard and keeping that path open, maybe making it even easier for the next female talent to find and start their journey. Continue reading →

Bela Lugosi Trivia Contest

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We had recently posted our review of Lugosi: The Forgotten King, from Operator 13 Productions, which we really enjoyed. Well, due to a mix up of our wonderful postal service, I ended up getting an extra copy. So I thought it would be a good idea to pass this on to another fan of Lugosi with a little trivia contest. I’ve come up with a few questions that might be easy, they might be hard, but maybe with a little research, you can find them. Send your answers to us to jon@kitleyskrypt.com and if you’re are correct, your name will be put in a hat for a drawing. The name drawn will win the DVD. Sounds easy, right? You have one week to send in your answers so don’t wait. Okay… lets get to those questions!

  1. The rumor is that the original design for Frankenstein’s creature, when Lugosi was attached to the project, resembled what German mythological creature.
  2. True or false: Lugosi earned less money for his role in Dracula (1931) than he did for NOT appearing in Dracula’s Daughter (1936).
  3.  Name the cemetery where Lugosi was buried at.

You have 1 week to send in your 3 answers. You must answer all 3 correctly to be thrown in for the drawing. Good Luck!

Mystery Photo 3-2

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Welcome to March! This means that convention season is even closer! Okay… back to the subject at hand! Our last photo was from Dan Curtis’ film Burnt Offerings (1976), in an obvious tribute to composer Bob Cobert who had recently passed away. Burnt Offerings isn’t one of my favorites of Curtis, but is always entertaining, mainly from the wonderful cast in it. I mean, how can you go wrong with Bette Davis, Oliver Reed, Karen Black, and Burgess Meredith??? We had quite a few send in the correct answers this time, which always makes me happy! Glad to know people know these classic Curtis movies! So congrats to the following: Hoby Abernathy, Todd Barwick, Cate Cameron, Richard Garcia, Christopher Highland, Doug Lamoreux, Martin Meeks, William Wilson, and Greg Wojick. Well done, indeed!

On to this week’s photo. This one might be a little tougher, so take a good look and see what you can come up with. Maybe you’ll recognize the actor which might help you. Maybe. I don’t need to remind everyone not to post your answer in the comments because after only five years, I’ve realized I can make it so nobody can leave a comment on certain posts. I’m slow, but steady. Anyway… here’s this week’s photo.

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March Kryptic Army Mission: Fear Itself!

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Fear Itself banner

“the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

In his first inaugural address as the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his speech that included that famous line quoted above. This took place on March 4th, 1933. This was given to a country that was still desperately trying to survive the great depression, so there was a lot to be afraid of. And there still is today. We’re not going to get political here, but focus on the subject of “fear itself”, as in personal fear. What are YOU scared of? Snakes? Sharks? Nuclear holocaust? Zombies? Ghosts? Or maybe something more simpler like dogs or cats? Continue reading →

Book Review: Fecund Horror

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fecund horrorFecund Horror: Slashers, Rape/Revenge, Women in Prison, Zombies and Other Exploitation Dreck
Self-Published in 2016, 158 pages.
By Noah Berlatsky

This was a tough one. I had a feeling that this might fit into one of my Psycho-Babble categories, and boy, was I right. Granted, when you have the word “dreck” in your title, after naming a few sub-genres, it kind of gives you the feeling that these are not spoken with any fondness. Which is even stranger because it does seem like Berlatsky likes a lot of the films he’s writing about.

As with many of these types of books, the authors are very smart, educated, and like to quote a lot of different material, giving credibility to their speculations and theories. But once again, I feel a lot of what is read into these films is just pure Freudian fiddle-faddle, trying to point out anything that could remotely be taken for or looked at in a sexual manner. Therefore, anything that is long and hard is always going to be taken as phallic symbolism. I’m sure it might be in there in some cases, but for the most part… I still call bullshit. Continue reading →

Andrée Melly – Rest in Peace

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Andree Melly - RIPFor fans of Hammer Films, especially The Brides of Dracula (1960), you knew the stunning beauty that was Andrée Melly, who appeared as one of the brides. This was her only Hammer film, but she also appeared in another Terence Fisher film, The Horror of It All (1964), alongside Pat Boone and Dennis Price. But one couldn’t watch Brides and not be enamored with her, along with Marie Devereux as the other bride (who we also recently lost last December). Seeing them transformed from young school girls to fanged creatures of the night, they once again showed why Hammer Films are still be watched and remembered with so much fondness today.

Melly passed away on January 31st, at the age of 87. She will be missed but always remembered for her brief film career. Our thoughts go out to her friends and family.

WildClaw Presents Deathscribe XII

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deathscribe XIIOn Monday, March 30th, Chicago’s own WildClaw Theatre unleashes Deathscribe XII! For over a decade now, WildClaw Theatre has taken some stories from some of the most creative writers and turned them into amazing radio plays performed live on stage, with some of Chicago’s finest actors and a live Foley! It really is something dark, twisted, funny, and always entertaining.

This year, from over 160 entries, they have narrowed it down to a final five to be brought to life. Hosted by WildClaw’s Josh Zagoren, this year’s event will take place at The Den Theatre, located at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave, in Chicago. Here are this year’s finalists: Continue reading →