Next Tuesday, July 9th, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, join two Rondo Award-winning authors, Aaron Christensen and me, at the Sulzer Regional Branch of the Chicago Public Library, for a new lecture on Horror Film soundtracks. From Psycho‘s shrieking strings to Halloween‘s creepy synths to The Omen‘s haunting choral chants, music in fright flicks can arguably be called the most effective special effect of all. We will explore the aural thrills and chills that have etched a permanent place in popular culture… and our nightmares.
For all the information, just click HERE. Hope to see you there.
Okay cancer … you can just fuck off now. Seriously. Most of you out there have no idea who this person is but he was my wife’s cousin, who I also knew for most of his life. I started dating Dawn a year or two after Brett was born. But Brett left this world today, which was way too fucking early. He put up a good fight, but now can rest pain free and peacefully.
I used to bring Brett (the one on the right) to a bunch of conventions years ago as my helper. He was probably one of the biggest Friday the 13th fans I knew, but also just a simple horror fan. He’d watch anything I suggested or sat him down to watch with me, and always enjoyed them. He didn’t care how cheesy or silly they might be, he still loved them as much as the biggest horror classic out there. He was my helper for quite a few of the early Cinema Wasteland shows, even went out to Baltimore once or twice with me and was always there to help if I asked. I know he was just thrilled to be there and to help out.
Books are a strange thing. When you dig into the details of the publishing world, for every huge best seller, there are countless other titles that barely sell a couple of hundred copies in their lifetime. And with each one of those, the author spent a lot of time on them, years for some, to have them waste away into obscurity.
Happy Saturday!
Fortunately, for people like me and more of a few out there reading this, we still continue to add more and more of these volumes to our library, even though we know the realistic notion of getting to read each and every one of them gets smaller and smaller with each one we purchase. And yet, we still do it. I know for a fact that I do. For me, being that usually get non-fiction books dealing with the horror genre, I never know when I might need to pull particular title out for a little research. I mean, I do it all the time, depending on what I’m working on.
In the mid 1950’s an overzealous witch hunt took place in the United States focused on the corrupting effects of comic books on young people, which ended in horror comics being banned from the shelves by a draconian comics code. But why? What did those comics contain that got people so riled up? Well, it depends on who you ask.
WE asked Dr. Dan Yezbick, a comics scholar, and he sparked a lively discussion. If you’re only vaguely aware of this chapter of horror history, strap in, because pre-code horror is one of the more fascinating areas of the history of the genre.
Last week’s photo was from a film that just watching the trailer on TV scared the crap out of me, the 1974 film Beyond the Door. Not sure why, but something about it just got under my skin. But 50 years later, I still think it is a fun film and is still effective in some parts. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Steve Archacki, Chris Dyer, Mike Shields, Michael Fitzneski, and William Wilson. Well done!
Now onto this week’s photo. Might be easy, might not be. I know I say that a lot, but I’m not giving you much here really, but we’ll see how it goes. Just remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. PLEASE do not post your answers here, that way everyone can have a chance to guess. And lastly, Good Luck!
Common Law Wife (1961) Directed by Larry Buchanan & Eric Sayers Starring Annabelle Weenick, George Edgley, Max W. Anderson, Lacey Kelley, Bert Masters, Libby Hall
Jennie: Wife/Child (1968) Directed by Robert Carl Cohen & James Landis Starring Jack Lester, Beverly Lunsford, Jim Reader, Virginia Wood, Richard Cowl
When I read about the announcement of the latest release from Film Masters, a Hicksploitation double feature, I was going to pass, since it’s not really in the horror genre. Then I realized that one of the titles, Common Law Wife, was partially directed by Larry Buchanan, a favorite cult director of mine! So, I figured I had to take on the assignment of reviewing them anyway because I just couldn’t pass up anything that Buchanan was involved with. I am so glad I did.
On Thursday, June 20th, the world of cinema lost a great talent. Donald Sutherland passed away at the age of 88, leaving an incredible career that lasted six decades. Sutherland appeared in just about every genre of film, but it was with horror where he got his start in feature films. The Italian film The Castle of the Living Dead (1964), which starred Christopher Lee, Sutherland not only made his screen debut, but played 3 different characters! He played Sgt. Paul, an old man, and even the old witch. Pretty impressive for a young actor. His next feature would also co-star Christopher Lee, as well as Peter Cushing, in Amicus’ Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965). He would appear in many more films over the decades, like Hammer’s Die! Die! My Darling (1965), the heart-breaking Don’t Look Now (1973), to the incredible remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), making his wide-eyed, screeching face such an iconic image. But no matter the film or budget, he always gave it his all, even in the crazy, special effects heavy sci-fi/horror film Virus (1999) that featured an all-star cast, he helped make the film even more entertaining.
If you saw his name in the cast, you knew it was worth your time. Thankfully, we have all of these films he’s left us to re-watch, and appreciate the talent that he was, over and over, and over again, never to be forgotten. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.
I know I posted something earlier in the year about Chicago’s Flashback Weekend, taking place Aug. 2nd-4th in Rosemont, IL, where they’re having a reunion for John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), with almost all the remaining cast attending. They had announced 6 of the cast, Keith David, Richard Masur, David Clennon, Thomas G. Waites, Joel Polis, and Peter Maloney, but now have recently announced Adrienne Barbeau. Sure, she may not physically appear in the film, remember that she did provide the voice for the computer chess game!
They had also announced a huge reunion for the cult film The Warriors (1979), with Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright, Brian Tyler, David Harris, Terry Michos, and Thomas G. Waites doing double duty.
I know as I get older and slowly move into Old Man Club, which I apparently have been doing for the past two decades, there are times that I never thought I would see the day. See that? That’s something an Old Man would say. But alas, it’s true. Severin Films had already announced their new 5-disc release of Dario Argento’s Opera (1987), featuring so many extras, including a CD of the soundtrack, so that alone was pretty damn amazing. And then came more recent announcement that had me staring at the notice with such a blank stare, as if to think that I should be waking up at any moment.
Years ago, back when I collected VHS tapes, I remember coming across a big box video of The Mummy and the Curse of the Jackals (1969), released by Academy Home Entertainment. Even though it starred John Carradine and Anthony Eisley, with that kind of title, and the fact that I had never heard of it before, I knew I had to add it to the collection. When I sat down with it . . . oof! How can it be a bad movie when you have a mummy AND a werewolf . . . or were-jackal, or something. While the movie is perfect for a Turkey Day marathon, which I did screen in 2016, the print quality wasn’t the greatest. In fact, you could barely see what was going on in some parts.
It seems my hell week at in the real world from last week has decided to continue on to this week. I wish I would have gotten that memo. I would have called in sick! Oh well, at least we have a new Mystery Photo for you! But first, let’s review last week’s photo. It was from Clive Barker’s Lord of Illusions (1995), which was unfortunately his last film as a director. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Todd Barwick, Peggie Christie, Dahlia Daniels, Kevin Hart, Tim Palace, Mickey Thompson, Brandon Trokey, and William Wilson!
Now on to this week’s photo. I think this is a good representation of what I felt like doing last week! But thankfully, I don’t own a red car! But take a good look and see if you recognize which film this is from. Just remember to email me your answer, at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
kitleyskrypt.com 