Boris Karloff: A Gentleman’s Life
By Scott Allen Nollen.
Published by Midnight Marquee, 1999. 356 pages.
Book Review: Boris Karloff: The Man Remembered
Boris Karloff: The Man Remembered
By Gordon B. Shriver
Published by Publish America, 2004. 208 pages.
Romero Gets A Star
It was announced today that George Romero would be getting one of those illustrious stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And all I can say is it’s about damn time. For a man who pretty much invented the modern day zombie, created so many films that gave millions of us the chills, and more than a few nightmares, it’s nice to see him get a little bit of credit for his work.
My very first horror convention that I attended was at a Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in LA in 1988. I had never seen or met anyone famous before so one of the first ones that I see there, just standing outside the dealer room, was the one and only Romero. I pulled out my copy of Tom Savini’s Grand Illusions and asked him to sign it since he wrote the forward to it, which he graciously did with a huge smile. That was my very first autograph. And I still have that copy of the book.
Book Review: Bela Lugosi: Dreams and Nightmares
Bela Lugosi: Dreams and Nightmares
By Gary D. Rhodes
Published by Collectables Records Corp, 2007. 352 pages.
Mystery Photo 6-27
Happy Monday Everybody! Sorry to say but our last photo seemed to be quite a tough one. Honestly, I was surprised that I didn’t get any guesses of Happy Birthday to Me for this one, but it would have been incorrect. It is in fact from the 1981 film called And When She Was Bad, but also known as simply Madhouse. Twisted little movie that is worth your time. The only two that sent in the correct answer were Hoby Abernathy and Kuba Haczek, so congrats out to them.
So this week we’re going to go with something similiar to last week. And by that I mean that at first glance you might think this is from a certain movie, but you need to look closer. But it should be a much easier one than the last few weeks. But we’ll see, won’t we?
Please remember not to post your answers here, but send them in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
Book Review: The Films of Boris Karloff
The Films of Boris Karloff
By Richard Bojarski & Kenneth Beals
Published by Citadel Press, 1974. 287 pages.
Phantasm Phans Unite!
Some troubling news in the world of Phantasm, with everyone’s favorite dwarf-ass-kicking ice cream man, Reggie Bannister. This news was posted on Reggie’s and his wife Gigi’s Facebook page some time ago, but I think we need to gather the troups and send Reggie our support. Not a lot of details are being given on what exactly happend for their privacy, which is totally understandable, other than this, which comes from Gigi herself:
“Reggie and I were coming down the stairs in our mountain cabin in the early hours of June 5th when he fell and we – literally – went over the side of the rail – or lack of rail landing 6 feet below.”
Horror History – Geoffrey Bayldon
Geoffrey Bayldon
Born Jan. 7th, 1924
While he might be known for his extensive work on television and in the theater, for us horror fans, Bayldon was known for the little roles that he appeared in a handful of horror films, most notably in the 1972 films Asylum for Amicus Films, which he is pictured here. He was trained to become an actor in the Old Vic Theatre School from 1947 to 1949, making his first stage appearance in 1949. According to Bayldon, he was also offered the role of Doctor Who in the first incarnation of him, as well as the second. But for some reason, he turned them down.
For horror fans, you will see Bayldon pop up in films like Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), Tales from the Crypt (1972), The House That Dripped Blood (1972), and even The Horror of Dracula (1958). Like his role in ASYLUM, his performance in The House That Dripped Blood, as the person who sells John Pertwee a Dracula cloak, is so fun and so memorible. Bayldon is another one of those many character actors that filled out the British film industry, making the films so much more entertaining.
New Elvira Book Coming This Fall
Just in time for Halloween, the one and only Mistress of the Dark is putting out her own coffee table…or should we say coffin table book, of a collection of photos, many never before published. This 240 page hardbound book will contain 350 images and original commentary from Elvira’s alter-ego, Cassandra Peterson.
Movie Review: Beast of Blood
Beast of Blood (1970)
Directed by Eddie Romero
Starring John Ashley, Celeste Yarnall, Eddie Garcia, Lisa Belmonte, Bruno Punzalan, Beverly Miller
This is the last of the famous Blood Island trilogy and is a direct sequel to Mad Doctor of Blood Island, starting right where the last one left off. While on the boat leaving the island, it seems that our favorite chlorophyll-blooded monster had stowed away. It comes out and starts attacking the crew members, causing a fire to start. The boat blows up, with star John Ashley being thrown overboard. After recovering in the hospital, Ashley decides to return to Blood Island to once again, find out what’s going on there. Joining him on this trip is a reporter, played by Celeste Yarnall, who is in search of a story about the infamous Blood Island after the events from the last film. She knows she’ll get it too, especially once they arrive back on the island and find out “the green men have returned.”
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