Movie Review: Hammer Horror – The Warner Bros. Years

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Hammer Horror Warner Bros YearsHammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years (2018)
Directed by Marcus Hearn
Starring Veronica Carlson, John Carson, Steve Chibnall, Joe Dante, Jonathan Rigby, Peter Sasdy, Madeline Smith, Caroline Munro, Christopher Frayling, Wayne Kinsey, Denis Meikle

So…a new documentary on Hammer Studios? I’m there. Simple as that. Add to the fact that when the producers of this documentary started a Kickstarter fund to get this project off the ground, I immediately signed up. Honestly, I don’t remember which level I put in for, but I did get a nice poster print as well as the Blu-ray. Being a huge fan of this famous British studio, this review might be a little jaded, but I will try to be as honest and straight forward as I can.

If you ever wondered just what happened to Hammer Studios, as to why they went under, then this feature length documentary will either answer that, or at least give you some very strong contributing factors that might have caused it. Even though this studio was very successful in the late ’50s and ’60s, by the time the ’60s were coming to a close, things were starting to change. Not with just the audiences, but the ratings boards, other movies the studios were releasing, as well as where Hammer was getting their funding from.

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Mystery Photo 4-2

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I briefly thought of posting a photo yesterday that wasn’t even from a movie but one that I took somewhere, just to see the answers I’d get, but there were too many of those April Fool’s things going on already and I didn’t feel I needed to add to it. So while it wasn’t posted this morning, we do have a new photo now. But first, let’s give a little congrats to Bill Harrison and Michael Shields for identifying our last photo from the film The Cosmic Man (1959), starring John Carradine. Nicely done!

So on to this week’s photo. Maybe it will be an easy one…maybe not. But give is a look and see what you got! As always, please remember not to post your answers here so others can have a chance. Just send them to us in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Horror History: Les Tremayne

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tremayneLes Tremayne
Born Apr. 16th, 1913 – Died Dec. 19th, 2003

Here is an actor that was more famous for his voice than his face. In fact, along with Bing Crosby and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he was one of the most distinctive voices on American radio. Born in England but moving to the states when he was only 4, it didn’t take long for him to develop his voice. By the age of 17, he was already working in radio. During the ’30s and ’40s, you could hear Tremayne’s voice on as many as 45 shows a week. He also appeared in countless TV shows over his career, from soap operas to westerns to thrillers and everything in between, including the role as the Mentor in the TV show Shazam!

But cult movie fans will recognize him for his roles in films like War of the Worlds (1956), The Monolith Monsters (1957), The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959), and The Angry Red Planet (1959). For real fans of the cheesy classics, he also appeared in The Slime People (1963) and in Larry Buchanan’s Creature of Destruction (1967), and the killer snake movie Holy Wednesday aka Snakes (1974).

With a very distinct voice, Tremayne will always be remembered to cult film fans like us, always giving it all, never winking at the camera, and always entertaining the audience.

Movie Review: Twilight People

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Twilight People Banner

The Twilight People (1972)
Directed by Eddie Romero
Starring John Ashley, Pat Woodell, Jan Merlin, Charles Macaulay, Pam Grier, Ken Metcalfe, Tony Gosalvez, Kim Ramos, Mona Morena, Eddie Garcia,

If you’re a fan of Filipino cinema, then you really don’t need to read any further other than to know that this movie came from Eddie Romero and John Ashley. Those two names alone would get any fan of the Blood Island movies to sit down with this one with open arms. If you’re not familiar with the plethora of titles to come from this little Southeast Asian country, and are a fan of cult cinema, then you now have a chance to experience a whole new sense of wonder when you take a cinematic journey there.

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Soundtrack Review: The Strangers: Prey At Night

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Strangers Prey at NightThe Strangers: Prey at Night
Released by Varèse Sarabande, 2018
23 Tracks with a Total Running time of 73 min.
Original Music By Adrian Johnston

In case you’re weren’t aware of it, but I tend to listen to a lot of soundtracks. Anytime I’m working on this site,  or doing any writing, I have a movie score playing. One of my favorites of all time is John Carpenter’s The Fog. Why am I bringing this up? Because as I was listening to this score for The Strangers: Prey at Night, the opening sure sounds a LOT like The Fog. Now I’ve been told by those that have seen it that it purposely has an ’80s feel to it, so maybe that’s why the ‘homage’. But geez…that is one hell of a homage. This piece is reprised later in the score on the track On the Run.

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Killer Klowns 30th Year Anniversary Celebration!

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Killer Klowns in Concert

Everyone may not love clowns, but everyone LOVES Killer Klowns from Outer Space, right? Well fans of this cult classic that live in the Los Angeles area are in for a big treat this May because the creators of this crazy feature are having a 30th Anniversary celebration of the film, that is going to feature circus performers, magicians, contortionist, balloon artists, fortune tellers, and all sorts of fun things, not to mention a screening of the picture with a live score!

The craziness begins at 6pm with all the above stuff. Then at 7pm, there is a Q&A with Stephen Chiodo (writer/director), Charles Chiodo (writer/art director), and Edward Chiodo (writer/producer), actors Grant Cramer & Suzanne Snyder, and members of the band The Dickies, and composer John Massari, all moderated by Jim Branscome of Cinematic Void.

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Horror History: Bruno Punzalan

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punzalanBruno Punzalan

Trying to find any information on this actor from the Philippines is damn difficult. But since his face was a staple of movies in the ’60s and ’70s that were filmed there, I thought a little attention needed to put in his direction. If you’ve seen any of the famous Blood Island Trilogy, Brides of Blood (1968), Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1968), and Beast of Blood (1971), then you’ve seen Punzalan. He is usually cast as a bad guy, usually a thug of whoever is in charge. He had a very distinct face that always made him easy to pic out in the casts. He worked many times with director Eddie Romero, as well as with actors Sid Haig and Vic Diaz (another staple of Pilipino movies).

While not much is known about this actor, we feel that because of his contributions to the horror genre, we think that people should at least know who he is. So when they see that same face again, they can say “Hey…that’s Bruno Punzalan!”, impressing everyone around them. Not to mention, keeping this actor’s memory alive.

He also appeared with Ingrid Pitt in The Omegans (1968), as well as Blood Thirst (1971), Black Mama, White Mama (1973), and Savage Sisters (1973).

Mystery Photo 3-26

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After surviving our first convention of the year, getting very little sleep over the last few days, I was still determined to get this photo posted today. Before we get to it though, let us recap last week’s photo. It was from Tony Scott’s 1983 vampire tale The Hunger. I thought by showing Bowie from behind, it might stump you. Well…all but a few. Kudos to Gary Miller, Gavin Schmitt, and William Wilson. Well done!

So our next photo is from a slightly older film, so see if it rings a bell. As always, please do not post your answers here so others can have a guess. Just send them to us in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

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Movie Review: Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1973)

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Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1973)
Directed by Brian Clemens
Starring Horst Jansen, Caroline Munro, John Carson, Shane Briant, John Cater, Lois Daine, and Ian Hendry.

Trying to come up with a new series with a different kind of twist to it, Hammer gave us a swash-buckling vampire hunter. This is not your ordinary vampire movie, or vampires for that matter, as Kronos and his faithful companion Prof. Grost, travel the countryside seeking out and destroying vampires, in all of their varying guises. They are called on by an old friend for help. It seems that some of the local girls are being found basically drained of their youth, left dead as an old withering hag. But what is underneath the black cloak that stalks them?

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Horror History: Julia Saly

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salyJulia Saly

Saly apparently is one mysterious character since it is pretty tough to find out much info about here. What we do know is that her first film she appeared in was the 1972 film La Guerrilla, and that she continued to work in films until 1985.

It was in 1975 when she made her first horror films, both with Amando de Ossorio. The first one was The Possessed, also known as Devil Witch Child, and then the last Blind Dead entry, Night of the Seagulls. It was also in that same year where she started to work with Paul Naschy. In fact, the rest of the films she appeared in where Naschy films, and the last six of them, she was even producer on them. Rumor has it that she was a flamenco dancer before getting into the film business, but not much information is available, or what happened to her once she left the business.

But no matter what, the films she did appear in, it was always a treat to watch her on screen. Her performance as the Countess Bathory in Naschy’s Night of the Werewolf is just enchanting. It must be something with those amazing eyes! So if you’re watching a Naschy flick that was made between 1975 and 1985, there’s a good chance Saly is in there somewhere.