Halloween Costumes of the 70s

Ah...the 70s.

A simple time. A time of plastic masks that covered the front of your head, but not the back.
Masks that cut into the skin around your eyes and cut your vision down by roughly 45%.
Of rubber bands that snapped and whipped your skin, forcing you to either hold the mask in place with your hand or abandon it all together - popping it into your treat bucket (...mine was an orange pumpkin bucket with a black handle that would cut into your hand more and more the more candy you got!) or in a neighbor's yard.




Good times!

Horror Television when I was a kid

I remember that Saturdays were a big horror day for me as a kid. CREATURE FEATURES was the Holy Grail for me when I was younger. I had to make sure I got my rest during the day so I could keep my eyes open long enough to watch it.






First came THE LOVE BOAT - another fave of mine back in the day that reached the extreme high point when I actually met Charo when I was on a cruise! (She was super nice to me and my 13 year old or so self was in love with her at once.)











Then after the Love Boat was FANTASY ISLAND which was my gateway vehicle into the likes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE and THE NIGHT GALLERY a bit later.







Then...if I managed to stay awake and look chipper, my parents would let me stay up for 
CREATURE FEATURES. This was the best thing in the world. The opening montage of horror goodness followed by the most excellent Bob Wilkins and his cigar with his fantastic, deadpan voice and blank stare.




The movies ranged from THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE to TWINS OF EVIL and never failed to fill me with glee. I still remember the version of TWINS OF EVIL they picked still having the nudity and me seeing the Collinson Twins'...delights...when I was very young and being thrilled by the sight. hehehe

I also stared in horror as the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD trailer was presented one night by ole Bob. The damn thing scared the crap out of me and still fills me with dread when I hear those discordant piano cords!



However, CREATURE FEATURES wasn't the only show in town. KTVU also had a few afternoon features that played horror that I loved as well. I still remember my Mother making popcorn in a big pot, putting it into a large bowl, then sitting with me to watch these old horror movies. We'd have a ball watching the likes of THEM, EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. So good. And, I'm still a fan of popcorn to this day. :)

There was one that I recall the visual for, but not the name of, where a man dressed in a white gorilla suit played music on a Victrola that was next to him on a little stand, then he'd do these odd little dances to begin the show. As the movie went on, he'd do little skits that were related to the movie, I believe.

There was the CHILLER DILLER movie that had another fantastic little 70s opening that I loved.



KBHK had the GHOULIE MOVIE in the 80s which was another good horror outlet. 



A lot of these sorts of shows went by the wayside with the advent of VHS and cable programming.  The idea of being able to go to the store and rent full movies to take HOME and watch was epic. I remember a friends parents actually purchasing the first VCR in the group and us flocking to his house for movie parties that would last all night.

When we all made VCR purchases, we would round robin the movie party location and make an effort to have one every two weeks or so.

A fantastic time to be a kid who loved horror. :)

Fury (1978)

Have you seen THE FURY from 1978?

I remember watching back in the day. It was on SHOWTIME or some such and I had to see it. I looked cool and, I must admit, I thought Amy Irving was gorgeous. :)  De Palma?  ::shrug:::  Director? And I saw Kirk Douglas in all my Mom's old bible movies, right?  But....Amy....she was CUTE.

:)


Two years after CARRIE, we have another mind control, telekinesis story with X-FILES undertones. Amy and Andrew Stevens have mind powers. They can make things happen. And certain people want that kind of power on their side. Douglas plays the Father of the boy (Stevens) and John Cassavetes plays another seeking these mind power folks out.

All in all, it's grand, 70s horror fair - biting CARRIE's style here and there, but...you know...it's friggin De Palma. CARRIE was his, too. :)    It's a fun flick if you can find it. NETFLIX has the disks.

Funny - I wonder when they'll remake this one. Might be cool to see, actually.

Remakes: The Thing

Whew, THE THING. THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD.  Both films shaped my love of horror films for different reasons and both were equally amazing and powerful works in my mind.

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD - 1951
Howard Hawks really brought the  John W. Campbell short story "Who goes there?" to life with his Direction. There are Howard Hawks moments throughout the film and it's SO WONDERFULLY 50s. (( I ALWAYS mess this up.  Christian Nyby was also a Director on this film, but I always leave him out. Sorry Chris. :)   ))
Quick dialog and some grand play with the camera and character interactions makes this one of the biggies from my childhood. Mom would make a huge bowl of popcorn and we'd sit and watch the afternoon movie back in the ye old 1970-somethings and we'd never miss THE THING when it was on.

You know the story. A team of scientists in a remote, arctic outpost pair up with the Air Force to investigate a U.F.O. crash site. They discover an alien occupant and bring it back to the base to check out. Said occupant thaws and mayhem ensues as the small outpost wages war against the alien to save the planet from being taken over.

There are little things in here that make me smile time and time again. Conversations are like machine gun fire - rattling off quickly and smoothly with some cute, 1950s moments that are just awesome. Some good writing there. Then there are things like doors opening and closing. Watch the film again. You'll see doors opening and closing, people going in and out and people talking about doors throughout. But why? Oh...you'll find out! HA! And the James Arness monster makeup is grand.

The story goes that test makeup was done on a stand-in offsite before shooting started. Jack Pierce did the makeup, I believe. When the effects artist got the perfect THING, he tossed the stand-in into the car to drive him over to the studio to show the execs. On the way over, a women in another car looked over and started SCREAMING at the top of her lungs in her vehicle. The makeup artist knew this was the one after that.

I just love this film.






THE THING - 1982
Now, I went a long while wanting to kill every remake with fire. They could never make me happy.
But....wow. Walking into the theater, sitting down and having this film unfold before me like it did - even with pages and pages of FANGORIA magazine pre-press committed to memory - just completely blew our minds.

Here you have two people (my Mother and I) who not only loved the original, but had all these huge,  emotional ties to it as well. The film had to be amazing to make us come anywhere close to liking it as much as the original film. We sat there at the opening copter scene and were interested. This was different and we were ok with it and wondered where it would lead.

Turns out it lead to some of the most impressive effects work we'd seen and we'd seen a lot being genre film lovers for years and years. Rob Bottin took things up to screaming standards with his practical effects work and blew us away. It was fantastic.

The script was grand as well, taking the original storyline and adding some super details and game changing plot points into the mix that made this an update well worth sparing from the flames of hatred. They basically kept the whole of the story and added this mystery element of who was good and who was bad in that ramped the game up to new and fantastic heights.


And Carpenter was SPOT ON POINT with all his work on the film with a cast that took everything and played it real and deadly serious. That's why this remake stands out among many as a work that can not only stand on it's own, but one that people really can't see being without in the horror community.



And, this is what I really want out of a remake. I really don't mind them anymore, but...make an effort. That's all I ask. Try something interesting. Update the sucker with something cool and new. Maybe do some writing. :)

I suppose I should take a look at the 2011 THE THING (...that we couLd not come up with a better name for)  but, I don't really wanna. :)

I'll be looking at some other remakes that do just that. And...some that don't, but give it a shot.

Our recent MANIAC compare and contrast takes a look at the remake.   Take a look if you have not already.

Devil

Well, color me surprised. I liked DEVIL. It's not without it's faults, but they are outweighed by what the film has to offer.

The plot is super simple. There is a group of people trapped in an elevator. No one can get it working again despite the efforts of the security staff and maintenance people. The lights flicker...dim...and go dark. And that's when the incidents start to occur. Will the detective on the scene be able to calm them down enough so they won't hurt each other so he has time to sort out what's going on? And, will that one security guy STOP going on about...the Devil?





This is a classic "lifeboat" situation with a twist. We're not just dealing with trapped people on edge here. It's a pressure cooker with a supernatural bent. A great "Who dunnit?" plot line with some great reveals and fun edit work. There's a flickering light element that is a lot of fun. It was a fun gag that had me giggling at one point.

The detective work within the film works, too. There's nothing flying in from left field. Everything seems to work and flow naturally. And the way the story unfolds really had me engaged.

Now, the film isn't without it's "faults". The screenplay was based on an M. Night Shyamalan story, so it has some heavy handed themes about good and evil. But, that aside, the story is also a lot of fun and packed with great, rolling set pieces that lead the viewer along nicely.

John Erick Dowdle's direction is pretty dern good as well. Looking back on his other efforts, he does have some shining moments in the darkness. 2007's The Poughkeepsie Tapes was all the rage. In 2008, he was handed Quarantine. While the film SHOULD have worked due to the success of the original...released in the same year...it didn't have the same success as the amazing Spanish original. Two years later, Devil came and received ok reviews, but I think people were not ready to see this claustrophobic horror mystery unfold - a tale told in one space, basically.



Much of what works here is Brian Nelson's script. It's a lot of fun and moves quickly. Seeing as he was involved in HARD CANDY and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT - two more films that take place in basically the same area in a closed in way, it's not surprising that this film worked so well. 

I had this in my list on NETFLIX for a while and hovered over it several times. But...to be honest...M. Night being involved made me shy away. It's sad, but true. I was so into him when he first showed up on the scene and now I see his name on something and shy away. Personally, DEVIL has me back in the M. Night camp.


If you're in the mood for a good story, interesting situations and some fun acting, give DEVIL a go.

It Came From My Childhood

I was just thinking back on a few films that shaped my childhood love of horror. Sitting on the sofa on a Saturday afternoon or evening watching some great black and white goodness. Now, mind you, I wasn't around when these originally came out. :::grin:::  However, these were the films of the 50s-ish era that I was comfortable watching as a child. And I'd watch them over and over and over again.

What are your favorites from childhood?

The Thing from Another World

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

Them!

Tarantula!

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The Mole People

The Deadly Mantis

The Incredible Shrinking Man

Night of the Demon

The Blob

The Fly

The Tingler

Mr. Sardonicus

13 Ghosts

The Birds

Day of the Triffids

Dementia 13

The Abominable Dr. Phibes

Mephisto Waltz

Twins of Evil

The Asphyx

Trilogy of Terror

Alice, Sweet Alice

Kingdom of the Spiders

...and a little later in life...

Jaws

Alien

Phantasm

Prophecy

Tourist Trap

The Night Walker (1964)

I recently took a walk down memory lane and re-watched the William Castle film THE NIGHT WALKER. It was a favorite of mine from way back in the day and I remember catching it on TV from time to time and loving the heck out of it. The music, the strange plot and the cinematography were just a lot of fun. I have to say I was happy with the re-watch.

The Night Walker stars Babara Stanwyck as the wife of a blind....scientist? played by Hayden Rorke of I Dream of Jeanie fame. It seems old Mr. Trent thinks that his wife Irene has a lover that she's messing about with behind his back. He's sure that her night dream talking is a product of their romance and brings in his lawyer Barry Morland (Robert Taylor) to help him sort it out. Is he there to help or does he, in fact, have eyes for Irene? All very black and white drama goodness...until Howard Trent is blown up in his lab.

Irene is sad for her loss, but happy not to face the daily pressures and watchful, cold dead eyes her husband had put on her 24 hours a day. But, will he stay gone? Is that tap...tap...tap of his cane merely a nightmare...or has he returned?

Oh, great old stuff. :::grin:::

The music was composed by the great Vic Mizzy who worked on other classic themes like THE ADDAMS FAMILY, THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN and THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT.  It has that hook filled goodness I love about his work. You find yourself whistling and humming the tune as you're walking around. 

Now, this is rather dated, mind you. The story is very 60s and the acting follows suit - a very 60s feel to the whole of it. But, it has a charm to it and an innocence that I love. It's a Castle film, but it doesn't have the same "SIZZLE" as some of this other films had. The poster sure does, however. Needless to say, NONE of what is seen there is in the film save the small picture of Stanwyck and Taylor in the bottom left! LOL!

The core of the film is a mystery and not really horror, but there are some horrifying scenes in it for sure. This one is ideal for younger viewers who may like a little scare, but don't want to see too much gore or violence.

And this one tops the list of films I'd love to see properly remade. I kinda wish Dark Castle Entertainment picked this up and did something with it like they managed with 13 GHOSTS and HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL - I thought they were a lot of fun. Though, I'd like to see it played in a very serious way - maybe in a period style (though cost would stop that) or updated properly with the likes of someone like James Wan directing.

If you're looking for a slow burn story with some thrills tossed in, give THE NIGHT WALKER a shot if you can find it!   (...at the bottom of the page!  ENJOY!)

TRAILER!

Watching horror in the theater

The recent buzz-and-grumble about V/H/S got me thinking a bit. People were saying that it's not worth seeing in the theater due to the hand held cam scenes and the general nature of the production. However, I disagree. I think that films like V/H/S and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY should be seen in a theater and that the experience is drastically different when sitting in the dark with other people in a theater - even a theater that only has 11 other people in it.

The movie MATINEE (1993) had a great scene in it where John Goodman talked about cave drawings and the social aspect of people getting scared about something together.




-

Lawrence Woolsey: A zillion years ago, a guy's living in a cave. He goes out one day, Bam! He gets chased by a mammoth. Now he's scared to death, but he gets away. And when it's all over with, he feels great.
Gene Loomis: Well yeah, 'cause he's still living.
Lawrence Woolsey: Yeah, but he knows he is. And he feels it. So he goes home, back to the cave, the first thing he does,
[Waving his hand on a brick wall to show cave-drawing of Woolly Mammoth]
Lawrence Woolsey: ... he does a drawing of the mammoth. And he thinks, "People are coming to see this. Let's make it good. Let's make the teeth real long, and the eyes real mean."
 

[Animated sequence of roaring Woolly Mammoth, squashed at end by Woolsey's hand]
Lawrence Woolsey: Boom! The first monster movie. That's probably why I still do it. You make the teeth as big as you want, then you kill it off, everything's okay, the lights come up...
[Pretending to sigh]

-

A great film - check it out. :)

But, there's a point here. The fear. The being scared together in the dark. The internet and the easy access to movies (...and CRAZY costs associated with going to the theater! ) have made the theater experience something that's a second or third choice for people. Drive-In theaters used to make it easy for families to go to the theater with small children. Now, Netflix and other online movie delivery methods fill that spot.

However, I'll never forget seeing PARANORMAL ACTIVITY in the theater. Man, the buzz when something was going to happen. People sighing and ramping up for fear when a night shot would start. The tension in the air as things built to crippling heights. And, the screams when something scary happened. You can't get that at home unless you invite 100 of your close friends over to watch with you. :)

Stranger still was the fact that people had to be shooed out of the theater when it was done. It was 1:30am, but people wanted to stay and talk about the film. Once they were pushed out, they stayed in the hall of the theater area and talked some more. Outside, additional groups spoke  about the film and tried to laugh off the tension.

When I saw THE EXORCIST III in the theater, I found myself looking around to see who...or what...what in the theater with me from time to time. There were six other people in the theater for that viewing and the BLAIR WITCH viewing (afternoon weekday showings), but it was still a far different experience than watching at home.

I saw V/H/S in a small theater in San Francisco -  THE BRIDGE theater built in 1939. There were about 15 people total at the fantastic venue's 9:35pm showing. And, it was awesome. People behind me winced and muttered words of warning to the characters on the screen. A girl sitting in front of us wrapped her hands over her head at one point and muttered, "Oh God....oh God....no no....". And, I laughed out loud at a few situations because I had NO idea what I would do if it were me up there on the screen. There was an energy that swirled in the theater. A buzz. It made the movie more enjoyable.


What are your thoughts?

Do you enjoy the theater experience or have the internet and high movie costs driven you to the sanctuary of your home theater arrangement?

Leave a comment!

HALLOWEEN LIST 2012: Fear in Black and White

Ah...a grand era for film - the days of black and white. A time where wonder and imagination seemed to blossom and go wild. I love it.

I'm not old enough to remember seeing these films in the theater, of course, but I do remember sitting down with my parents - my Mother is a HUGE sci fi and horror fan - with a big bowl of popcorn on Saturday afternoon and watching on TV.  My mind almost exploded when I saw THE THING for the first time. I already have a movie list ready for when my two year old is old enough to start watching these with me!




Yes, there are other black and white classics, of course, but you most likely already know and love those.  These are just a few that you might have missed or might not have seen in a while.


YouTube embedding has not been kind to load times, so I'll keep things to a minimum on that front. If you have younger children and want to do some Halloween movie watching with them, older films like these may be the ticket for you. Some of them still pack a punch!

THE THING (...from Another World)
Storytelling, dialog and a great pace make this film a personal favorite. Iconic scenes like the one to the left are plentiful and the whip-crack pace of the dialog is fantastic. Howard Hawks at his best.

This is a must see.

Keep your eyes peeled for scenes of doors opening. Someone pointed it out to me once and it's a very interesting thing to pay attention to. There are many doors opening and closing in this film. And the makeup work on James Arness is awesome even today. Suggestion: Watch this the same week you watch the remake - it is wild to see the same story told in far different ways. Both are classics.

THEM!

Giant ants. Yes, THE BOMB and fear of what radiation might do had a lot of these giant insect movies popping up, but THEM! holds a special place in my heart. I've re-watched it recently and it's a fun film.

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Can't....stop....laughing! :) This is classic comedy paired with classic monsters. We have The Wolfman, Frankenstein and Dracula paired up with the brilliant comedy antics of Abbot and Costello. The result is pure gold.
A fun film for the whole family!

 
Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Gillman is a movie monster that tends to get second billing, but he's still number one in my book. Sure, I love the other movie monsters, but the original concept and fun, action adventure setting of this film really make it for me.







 


Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Communists....I mean....aliens.....taking over the world. Brilliant.
This classic is chilling on several fronts. The metaphor isn't lost in translation and it still holds up wonderfully today. Don't fall asleep!









 
The Tingler

William Castle greatness. He even rigged seats with a minor electric shock when the film originally came out. You can't beat that for old school showmanship! (...that would have people running to their lawyers today!) Vincent Price is grand in this film as well.

What makes a shiver run down your spine? THE TINGLER!











 
Night of the Demon

This movie is another one that was watched every time is came on TV. Story plays a major part of this movie. It unfolds like you are reading the original story it was based on and is thick with atmosphere and great performance. Love it. 







 
Dementia 13

Francis Ford Coppola cut his teeth on this twisted tale of greed and family secrets. It has some gritty and creepy visuals that still manage to creep me out when i watch it late at night. If you like a little mystery with your shivers, this is perfect for you. 

The ever chilling CARNIVAL OF SOULS

Carnival of Souls

Madness. This film is madness. Part of me would like to see a "re-envisioning" (remake) of this film, but I know it would just fall flat. This is a perfect film to toss on around 11pm so it starts to wrap up a little after midnight when your mind is a bit mushy and you are sleepy and vulnerable! It's just a creepy film with some great visuals. Be warned, it's a tad slow in parts, but the end is well worth the wait!

And...of course....