It has been one hell of a month, one filled with movie screenings, conventions, lectures, and so much more. I know I am sheer exhausted by the time the month is over, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wait… actually, I’d like to have even more time to see more movies, go to more different spooky and Halloween themed events, as well as spending more time with my other horror friends and family. With all the crap going on in the world, these are the things where you can sit back and still see the beauty in the world, even when it’s covered in spiderwebs and has fog encircling it! There are times when I start to lose hope for humanity, but then I have a passionate conversation about an old black and white movie that they have just seen. Or even just two complete strangers talking about movies together as they wait in line for a film. It not only still shows me the power of film, but it seems that more and more people are “getting it”.
Continue readingTag Archives: Aaron Christensen
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween from Kitley’s Krypt!
This month has been a complete whirlwind, from conventions, a 24-hour movie marathon, 4 library lectures, as well as with all the regular real-life BS that everyone has to deal with. Trying to find to time to actually enjoy the month’s festivities can be a bit tough, while also trying to squeeze some movies whenever you can get a free 90-minutes! I always say at the end of each October, as tired and stressed as I might be, I have had an absolute blast and wouldn’t change a thing.
These are the choices we make. The choices may put extra work on our already full plate, but we do it anyway because it feeds our soul. We know we’re doing it for the right reasons and no matter how much work goes into it, when we look back and see all that we’ve done at the end of the month, you do get that sense of accomplishment.
Continue readingDtH: Episode 101 – Horror 101 with Dr. AC
Better get your pad and pencil before you hit play on this episode. In this extra-long episode, where we go through some different sub-genres and come up with some titles that each of us feel is a good representation of that sub-genre. Not the best, but one that we feel can define that specific category. And to do that, we’ve asked Aaron Christensen, aka Dr. AC, back to the show to help us tackle this ridiculous attempt to such a task.
Hopefully you have seen a lot of what we’re discussing, but I have a feeling there will be a few titles you never heard of, or knew about, but never got around to. Now’s your chance to start that new list! Again, these aren’t the best, but ones that we feel are pretty important, not to mention well worth your time. Okay… all set? Got your notes ready? Maybe some coffee or energy drink ready? Then hit play!
And if you haven’t already, go check out Aaron’s YouTube Channel HERE.
Titles mentioned in this episode:
Continue readingHalfway to Halloween at Sulzers!
Aaron Christensen and I will be back at the Sulzer Region Library next Tuesday with a one lecture on Family Fun Frights! This is for those family and friends that kind of like horror but might get a little too scared to watch any “serious” frightening flicks? Well, we’re going to cover a bunch of films, in a range of “scariness”, starting with some for all ages and then move up in the fear factor, but never going too extreme. Whether it’s for your own kids, or even yourself, we discuss a wide range of titles that are perfect for all year round, but especially during that Halloween season. While we will be covering some titles for a younger audience in the beginning, it will move into some more scarier titles, so the event is listed as 18 years and over.
The event is located at 4455 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL, 60625, going from 6:30pm to 8pm. For all the info, just click HERE to get to the library’s event calendar. Hope to see you there!
Terror Tuesdays at the Sulzer Library!
Thank you to those that came out to our first entry into this year’s Terror Tuesdays at the Sulzer Regional Library. It was a lot of fun, but that’s just the beginning! Next Tuesday, October 15th, Aaron Christensen and I will continue our weekly lectures on the horror genre, with this month’s subject being Women in Horror. For this week’s lecture, we focus on Women Directors that have worked in the horror genre.
Continue readingLibrary Lectures on Horror History
Since it’s now October, that means that Aaron Christensen and I will be doing our annual Terror Tuesday lectures at the Sulzer Regional Library! The first lecture is next Tuesday, Oct. 8th, starting at 6:30pm. The series this year will all be focusing on Women in Horror, with the first lecture on the Queens of Screams, where we will go over some of the talented faces that we’ve seen over the years in our favorite horror films, from Fay Wray to Bette Davis to Jamie Lee Curtis to Linnea Quigley, and many more.
Continue reading2023 Year End Review – Part 1: The Highlights
2023 was one crazy year. A lot of things changed, had some amazing travel adventures, another year on the convention circuit, movie screenings and marathons, and more than a few visits to the drive-ins. Plenty of be grateful for really. That should be the first thing to mention because it is one that we only bring up on certain holidays, when it should be celebrated each and every day. It is a time to not only look at the upcoming year, but also to look back on your accomplishments from 2023. Sometimes, just getting through the year is something to be proud of, because we know that that alone can be difficult. So don’t think you have to list off a dozen or so things that you did. Just be proud of what you did. But we can always make those lists of what we want to do in 2024. I don’t like to use the word resolution because that seems to come and go with the holiday. Write it down. Make a list. Set a goal. And then work your way there. Doesn’t have to be a huge one either. Could be just to watch all the Hammer Frankenstein films. Then on to the next thing. Most importantly, remember why you put it on your list in the first place. Have fun with it.
My website hit the 25 anniversary this year. Still hard to believe, but honestly, when you know how stubborn I can be, it makes perfect sense. The Krypt has helped keep my passion alive and well, as well as thriving. It is the one place I can go and spout my views and opinions to those that are always checking in with what this slightly obsessive horror fan has to say. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everyone’s continued support. So, thank you!
Continue readingHistory Hunt in the Land of Rebane!
Last October, we traveled 5 hours up north to Merrill, Wisconsin, for the opening of a Bill Rebane Museum at the Merrill Historical Society, which we reported on HERE. There was talk of some directions to some of the filming sites of some of his movies, since he pretty much stayed in and around Gleason, Wisconsin, which is where his Shooting Ranch film studio was located, but it just never happened. Fast forward almost a year, and Brandon Johnson, the man behind the exhibit, lets me know that they are planning sort of a Bill Rebane scavenger hunt, called the 2023 Merrill Historical Society History Hunt, where teams will be given sort of a scavenger hunt map to visit different locations, and even interact with people that worked either on the films, or were in some way part of them. Without putting much thought into it, I sent out the emails to those that joined me last time and see if they’d be up for it again, which they all agreed!
So, Aaron Christensen and I left my house at 4:15am on Saturday the 9th, drove about 90 minutes just outside of Milwaukee to pick up Dave Kosanke, and then drove another 3+ hours further north into Merrill, getting there around 9:30am, meeting up our last team member, Gavin Schmitt.
Continue readingReturn of the Terror Tuesdays!
Once again, the Sulzer Regional Library in Chicago has asked me and my partner-in-crime, Aaron Christensen (aka Horror 101 with Dr. AC) back for another 4 weeks of lectures, with the first one starting Tuesday, October. 3rd. This year, each week we will be tackling directors that are known for their contributions to the horror genre throughout the decades. The first Tuesday, we’ll be going over directors from the 1920s through the 1960s, such as names like Tod Browning to Terence Fisher. The second Tuesday, October 10th, we’ll be discussing directors from the 1970s and 1980s, from Al Adamson to David Cronenberg. Next up, on Tuesday, October. 17th, we’ll cover directors from the 1990s to the current date, with names like David Bruckner to Peter Jackson. And the final lecture, on Tuesday, October 24th, will be on the makeup masters. People like Roy Ashton, Jack Pierce, to Chris Walas, these are the ones that have created some of the cinematic nightmares that we’ve enjoyed over the years!
Continue readingAbbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein 75th Anniversary Screening
If you’re in the Chicago area tomorrow evening, June 20th, there will be a screening of one of the last, true great Universal Monster Films from the classic era, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). Sure, it is a comedy, but it still remains one of the best from that decade and still brings plenty of chills, as well as laughs.
The event starts at 6pm at the Sulzer Regional Library, with an introduction by Aaron Christensen (Horror 101 with Dr. AC) with a Q&A to follow. For all the details of this event, just click HERE.










