Book Review: Feeding the Monster

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Feeding the Monster
Published by Faber & Faber, 2024. 256 pages
by Anna Bogutskaya

These days, way more than before, I love reading a book about the horror genre, and especially other writer’s views, thoughts, and opinions out it. Unfortunately, in my early days, it would be more like “this person doesn’t know what they are talking about”. But once I (thankfully) grew out of that phase and realized that everyone can bring something new to the conversation, especially when it gets you to think, it is always a good thing. Even when you don’t agree with them, if it makes you think about something more or even a little differently, then it’s a win.

I had picked up this new book because, well, it was on the horror genre and that’s what I do. But I didn’t have any intention of reading it right away since I have several other books I want to get to first. Then as I saw it sitting on my desk, waiting to be put away in my library, I picked it up and started browsing. Then I started reading. Next thing I know, I’m 50 pages into it.

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Soundtrack Review: I, Desire

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I, Desire
Released by Dragon’s Domain Records, 2024
23 Tracks with a Total Running Time of 44:03 min.
Music Composed and Conducted by Don Peake

Sometimes it just amazes me what soundtracks get a CD release these days. Here’s a made-for-TV from the early ’80s, that never even had a released on VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray, and yet here we are, talking about a CD release for it. Just amazing. It’s even more impressive because this is an exceptional score.

I remember trying to track down this film on the grey market back in the ’90s because had never shown up on VHS, and because it was a TV-movie about a vampire, starring David Naughton, fresh from An American Werewolf in London (1981), and Brad Dourif, so how could this be not worth seeking out!

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Mystery Photo 12-2

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Welcome to December! Thanksgiving and Turkey Day is over and now we can get prepared for the last celebration of the year . . . spending money! Okay, there might be some other reasons too. But let us get to the reason why we’re here, the Mystery Photo. Last week’s photo was from the later day film by Lucio Fulci, called The Sweet House of Horrors (1989). Not one of the maestro’s best, but it is still his. Congrats to the following so sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Scott Bradley, Troy Howarth, Erik Martin, and Tim Palace. Well done!

For the rest of the month, I’m going to try and use films that came out within the last couple of years. The reason is that with so many films that are always coming out, in the theater and especially on the streaming services, titles can get lost in all the titles. So, the ones that we’re going to highlight this month are ones that we feel need to be sought out. If you’ve already seen them, then you will have no issues recognizes the shots, right? Just remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And most of all, good luck!

Turkey Day 2024 Report

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Another very successful Turkey Day in the books. As usual, we got through 7 features, some hitting the low point, many hitting some high points, and one hitting so far off the grid that it would be tough to explain! But we managed through, because we are, after all, professional lovers of cinema! And if you can’t find enjoyment in some of the strangest films out there, you’re just looking too hard at them. These films are the ones that you just sit back and bask in the wonderment, that someone thought that not only was the story good enough to proceed, but that they actually found backers willing to put up the money!

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The Blood is the Life Book

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Since it is Black Friday and all . . .

The latest volume from the creators of We Belong Dead magazine, this time covering one of the oldest monsters around, the vampire! The Blood is the Life covers “a century of filmic bloodsuckers”, starting with the one and only Nosferatu (1922), which is only fitting since next month we will be getting a new version of this tale with the release of Robert Eggers new film. This book covers a wide range of films from the classic Universal titles like Dracula (1931), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), to a slew of Hammer titles with Christopher Lee as the Count, to their other efforts like Kiss of the Vampire (1963) to Twins of Evil (1971). I was honored to be part of this tome, having essays on Al Adamson’s Dracula vs Frankenstein (1971) and José Ramón Larraz Vampyres (1974).

While these books are a bit pricy with the currency exchange and the overseas postage, because I have several of their books, I will say they are luxurious looking volumes of well written essays on the genre. With full color pages, filled with plenty of poster art, stills, lobby cards, and even some behind-the-scenes shots, it’s one of those volumes that just paging through it can be a little time machine, helping you escape into many different worlds! So yes, an investment, but I feel a worthy one.

Hardcovers are £45.00 or $57.02 US, and softcovers are £35.00 or $44.35 US. Shipping to here in the US will cost another $25. So again, it’s a bit of cash, but a beautiful investment in knowledge, and for your library. Just click HERE to see more information about the book!

A Day to Give Thanks

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While I do try to keep this idea in my head all year long, but it seems to be so much easier today. I know I personally have so much to be thankful for, from an incredible family to a multitude of really passionate friends that I am able to share those passions with.

We know that there are daily reminders of how life is not going well, that when we look back, we realize it might not have been the big deal we thought at the time. Time can do that. As they say, time is precious, so we are usually so busy trying to make things happen or just survive to really see the positives that we have all around us. That is what I’m really thankful for this year, to really strive to make that a daily mantra, if you will, to take a second and think of what is positive in your life. Trust me, it’s not easy and I often lose track of it. But like life itself, it’s a work in process.

So, from everyone here at the Krypt, we wish everyone out there a very Happy Thanksgiving! Stay positive, stay creative, and always remember to feed that passion, no matter what it is.

DtH Episode 84: Turkey Day 2024

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Cry Wilderness (1987), From Hell it Came (1957), The Oily Maniac (1976)

It’s Turkey Time once again here at the podcast! And in this one, we have 3 wonderful titles to serve up to you, each one with a different flavor to appease a variety of tastes!

As we’ve mentioned many times before, a “turkey” is not a bad movie. It’s not an intentionally made bad movie. It is a film where the creators did their damnedest to make an honest-to-goodness quality production. For whatever reasons, either lack of budget, time, talent, or whatever, what they delivered might not be as good as they’d hoped, but it is still entertaining. Remember, the only bad movie is a boring one, and Turkeys are not boring. So, tune in to find out about 3 Turkeys that we feel are more than worth watching during your own Turkey Day celebration!

Movies mentioned in this episode:

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New Issue of Midnight Magazine

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Need some more reading material for the end of the year? Then click HERE and order the new issue of Midnight Magazine. Issue #12 has another amazing cover from artist Alberto Ugarte covering Al Adamson’s Dracula vs Frankenstein. Inside these devilish pages you’ll find articles by yours truly, along with pieces by Aaron Aubuchon, Mike Howlett, Scott Bradley, Brad Sykes, Terry Alexander, Sean Simonson, Kris Gilpin, and James Turner, and more, with editor in chief Eric Wright holding the chains!

To order your copy, just click HERE!

Mystery Photo 11-25

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I have to say that by going with something a little bit more mainstream, I thought I would have stumped more of you, but you proved me wrong. The shot was of Michelle Pfeiffer in the bathtub from What Lies Beneath (2000), which I actually think was a pretty decent ghost story. But well done for this lot for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Dave Fronto, Kevin Hart, Erik Martin, and William Wilson. Nice job!

So, to end November, let’s go out on a low note, since it is the time of the Turkey! Take a peek and see if you can recognize what movie this is from. Just remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. And good luck!

Turkey Day Approaches

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For any long-time followers to the Krypt know about my bi-annual Turkey Day Marathons, a celebration of some of the finer titles in cinematic history, the Turkey. No, not the “so-bad-their-good” films because as we all know, the only bad movie is a boring one. So says Stephen Thrower, and I’m a full believer in that statement. No matter what the budget is, how inept the acting might be, the incredible poor written script, if you’re entertained, then it can’t be a bad movie.

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