Hammer Horror Documentary Needs Your Help

hammer horror warner bros yearsFollowers of this site know my love for Hammer Horror. So when I heard the news that there was a new feature length documentary in process about the work Hammer did with Warner Bros, I immediately got excited. But they need a little help getting the funds to get this made. As of this writing, they are almost half way to their goal and have around 20 days left to meet it. So read on and hopefully you can show your support. Every little bit helps.

Authors and Hammer scholars Marcus Hearn and Jonathon Rigby are the two behind this project, so we know the end result is going to be well worth it. They wanted to explore the work that Hammer did when they had a working relationship with Warner Bros Studios in the late 60s / early 70s, on features like Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed and Taste the Blood of Dracula. They have plenty of great rewards to those that contribute, from copies of the documentary to some incredible newly commissioned artwork designs by Mark Spears. These look amazing. This one here is just one that they have available. Check out the Kickstarter page to see the rest of them, as well as checking out all the different rewards. Again, every little bit helps. If this would be a documentary that  you would buy anyway, then this is just like pre-ordering it!

For all the details, just click HERE. Hopefully we can see this come to life. You can see some of the updates on their Facebook page HERE, such as that they’ve announced they will have interviews with Hammer actress Madeline Smith and actor John Carson. Stay tuned for more details, but please contribute if you can.

Mystery Photo 10-26

I figured our last photo might be a tough one and since we only got 2 correct answers sent in, looks like I was right. But don’t feel bad, this was an obscure one. The shot is from a film called The Strangeness (1985) and is about a bunch of spelunkers who run across this wicked stop-motion monster at the end. Is it a great movie? Not by any means, but any time you have a stop-motion monster, I’m all for it. This has recently been released by Code Red, so it is a little easier to get to these days than before that, since it had never gotten a DVD release, and even the VHS tapes were pretty rare. This title would make a great addition to any Turkey Day lineup. But congrats to Hoby Abernathy and Will Wilson for sending in the correct answer.

Now to this week’s photo. This one might be a little easier….might be. So take a peek and see what you can come up with. Remember, please don’t post your answer here, but send us an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!

mp102615

Antiviral Screening with Director Attending

Antiviral screeningIf your in the area of DePaul University this Thursday (Oct. 29th), they will be having a FREE screening of Brandon Cronenberg’s feature debut film Antiviral, plus an extensive interview and Q&A with the director after the screening. The event starts at 5:30, with a “Haunted House” interactive exhibit, followed by a Halloween-themed improv comedy. Then at 6:30, they will screen the film, followed by the Q&A.

You are in the area, I would suggest checking it out. I mean, it is free after all. It takes place at the DePaul Student Center, Room 120. For more information, just click HERE.

Book Review: Jaws 2: The Making of a Hollywood Sequel

Jaws 2Jaws 2: The Making of the Hollywood Sequel
By Louis R. Pisano & Michael A. Smith
Published by BearManor Media, 2015. 343 pages.

I have to say that out of all the movies I’ve seen in my lifetime, I really can’t think of one that effected me as much as Jaws did, first seeing it on a re-release around 1977. Because of it, any movie that deals with sharks, or really any aquatic terrors, really has a emotional effect on me…meaning it really gets under my skin! And even though the original film terrified me to the core, I was somehow anxious to maybe do it all over again when Jaws 2 hit the screens a few years later. Yeah, we all know that it is not even close as being as good as the first one, but I did enjoy it back then and think that even today it still holds up for the most part. There also has been more than a few books written about that original summer blockbuster, but not too many on the sequel. Until now. Authors Louis R. Pisano and Michael A. Smith have spent a few years pulling together information, interviews, stories, and so much more, all jammed into their new book, Jaws 2: The Making of a Hollywood Sequel.

Continue reading

Support the Empire!

CELLULOIDWIZARDSEXTRAILFEATNo, this doesn’t have anything to do with the new Star Wars movies. But it is about another Empire. Empire Pictures, a low budget studio back in the 80s that delivered the goods when it came to low budget and damn entertaining films. Many of these were enjoyed by people my age, when video stores were all over the place. Empire Pictures was a name that you could trust to give you something you probably haven’t seen before, with some wild imagination, crazy special effects, and so much more. Titles like Trancers, Re-Animator, Crawlspace, From Beyond, Trolls, Ghoulies, and so man more.

Continue reading

Mystery Photo 10-19

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. I know I did, even with two seven hour drives within 3 days. But well worth the trip. So let’s get to it, shall we?

Our photo from last week was a tricky one, mainly because it really did look like it could have been from a dozen different movies. Or the fact that it is known as probably a dozen different titles as well. But the film is the 1980 classic Monster…aka Monstroid…aka Toxic Monster….aka It Came from the Lake…and many more. Starring James Mitchum, Anthony Aisley, and John Carradine as a priest, this underwater sea creature is just a hoot to watch. Granted a lot of the prints are so dark you can’t see anything. Maybe that’s a blessing! Anyway, kudos out to Hoby Abernathy, Doug Lamoreux, and David Smith for sending in the correct answer. Well done, guys!

Now for this week’s photo, we’re going to go with another creature feature. See if you can recognize this little lost classic. Just email your name to me at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And Remember…please don’t post your answer here, but send us an email. That way it gives others a chance.

mp101915

Come Discover the Horror

During the last week of this month, Dr. Ac (aka Aaron Christensen) and myself, will be hosting a couple of events of horror lectures/discussions, and if you’re in the Chicagoland area, we’d love to have you come out for it.

The first one is on Monday, October 26th, at the new Santori Branch of the Aurora Public Library (101 S. River St.), starting at 6:30pm and goes to 8pm, or until they kick us out! You can get more information by clicking HERE.

Then the following Wednesday, the 28th, we’ll be heading into Chicago to the Sulzer Regional branch of the Chicago Public Library, located at 4455 N. Lincoln Avenue. For more information about this event, just click HERE.

At each event, we’ll give a little historical trip through the years, talking about what each of the decades offered up to horror fans, really showing the scope and size of the genre.

So if you are a fan (which you most likely are if you’re reading this) and are in the area on those nights, stop by and join in on the fun!

Fantastic Films of the Decades – Volume 2: The 1930s

Fantastic Films of the Decades vol 2Just in case you’re waiting, volume 2 of this incredible series is at the printers. I made sure I a copy of the first volume (which is still available, so order now!) and was blown away by the quality. Then again, I have always been really impressed with the work that Peveril Publishing has put out.

Volumen 2 will cover the 1930s, with all the wonderful Universal monsters that made their mark all those years ago, along with other cinematic terrors from other studios. This volume has 256 pages, with tons of color images throughout it.

If you haven’t picked up the first volume yet, now is your chance to get both at the same time. Like the first one, this one is only going to be released in a 500 limited edition set. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. Or you’ll have to pay an arm and a leg on the secondary market. So why wait…order NOW!

For all the info, head over to Peveril Publishing HERE.

Making a Horror Fan Proud

NotLD signAs a life-long horror fan, we all know that Halloween is one of the few times when we seem like normal people. Or maybe it is because the ‘normal’ society is celebrating something that we do every day. But when I heard about this recent event that happened in a small town in Pennsylvania, it brought a smile to my face and a little tear to my eye. Evans City, Pennsylvania is the little place where the movie Night of the Living Dead was filmed, almost 50 years ago. Many horror fans have made the trip out to their, especially the cemetery where the famous opening sequence was filmed, myself included.

Now, most of society, at least in my experience, would want to shy away from the exposure their town might have because of some horror movie that was made there. God forbid that it would draw those crazy fans that would loiter around, and destroy and vandalize the area. But it seems that not only does Evans City not have that attitude, they actually embrace the fact their little town is known for this historical film.

Continue reading

Mystery Photo 10-12

I have to say that I was pretty impressed with the amount of correct answers this time. And here I picked a little film that came out that didn’t seem to make that big of a splash, though I remember enjoying it quite a bit. But apparently I wasn’t the only one since quite a few of you out there recognized the last shot. It was of course from the 2008 film Splinter. Hard to explain it if you haven’t seen it, but I think it is well worth your time. I’m pretty sure it will at least make your fingers hurt. Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Todd Barwick, Jason Buchanan, Ashley Crisman, Jerry Downing, Jordan Eucker, Albert Gerber, Brett Harrison, Kevin Matthews, Dustin Moravick, Luke Ostrowski, Wayne Teeter, Matt Wedge, and Kristin Wicks. Well done!

Now, let’s get to this week’s photo. Might be a bit harder, and definitely a bit more cheesier, but still fun none the less. See if you can’t tell what film this creature stars in. Just send us your answer to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And as always…Good Luck!

mp101215