Monster Chiller Horror Theater

“I have no home…”

Just another great moment from Tim Burton’s best film ED WOOD (1994) featuring one of the most towering performances in the history of Cinema: Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi.

Happy Halloween

 

Scar Stuff

From the way kool blog of the same name comes this nostalgic look at the fun 1970′s mass-produced horror make-up kit. I used it. And who didn’t love their plastic fangs?

Favorite Monster Chiller Horror Alternate Title Theatre: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

As we come to the horrible end of Shocktober here at Technicolor ScDreams, it seems apropos to bust out Richard O’ Brian’s wistful, wonderful anthem to the movie palace drive-in sci-fi horror era from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. For a more in-depth examination of the ultimate midnight movie, here’s my Retro-View for TRHPS. As for this particular version of “Science Fiction Double Feature,” this was the original title concept to include clips from each of the films mentioned. Due to a poor test screening response, that idea was jettisoned in favor of the famous singing red lips (which I’m sure the next test audience must have also adored). I’m still partial to the opening as it stands now, but I like the idea of illustrating O’ Brian’s elegiac lyrics with the images from the classic genre films that inspired the world’s best science fiction horror musical…

Scary Book: Night Shift (1978)

I was probably eleven the first time I read Stephen King. I picked up a copy of THE SHINING and flipped it to the scene with Jack Torrance breaking down the door with an axe. I was terrified in daylight. I couldn’t put the book down and snuck paragraphs in school between ignoring the teachers. For me, the rotting Old Woman in Room 217 is one of the creepiest things in any genre media and I was chilled in the classroom. I loved King’s barbed writing and spooky atmospherics; he also captured a sense of socio-economic desperation, a blue-collar sensibility amid the gothic horror. I was a Stephen King Fan after THE SHINING, and like many, voraciously devoured his books on publication. As for the 1980 film version, it’s technically brilliant as befits Stanley Kubrick — but does not scare me. I find it hard to separate the author’s powerful images created in your mind from another’s representation.

I was particularly enamored and genuinely frightened by King’s next book, NIGHT SHIFT, his first anthology. Comprised of previously published stories from “Cavalier” to “Penthouse,” each tale spans the edges of King’s style and imagination, from the Victorian-era gothic stylings of “Jerusalem’s Lot” to the gritty sewer critters of  “Graveyard Shift” to the real-life paranoics of “The Boogeyman,” King established a new American form for naturalistic horror fiction. Though the stories are not connected narratively, their cumulative thematic effect is walloping.

There is a real edge to his writing here, no doubt born of his own difficult circumstances, and as Harlan Ellison pointed out in an essay on his friend, “He knows what scares us.” Ellison makes a case for how King made his first big mark as secretaries at Random House eagerly passed around galley copies of his first novel “Carrie.” Like George Lucas did with STAR WARS on another psychic level, King’s middle-class pop sensibility of beer, lawnmowers, McDonald’s and monster movies on late night television taps right into our cultural archetypes, albeit of the terrifying kind. To that end, NIGHT SHIFT remains the scariest book I have ever read.

Grande Illusions

I bought this popular Tom Savini guide (with Ted Danson on the cover!) the second it hit the shelves back in the 80′s horror day. I wanted  to upgrade my Super 8 gore skills and I was already burned out on my Blood-Pic (a Water-Pic teeth cleaner converted to spray my home-brewed arterial crimson at least eight feet). Sadly, I never got around to imitating the easy-to-use effects that Savini helpfully prepared, except  for the awesome razor-blade, ear-cleaner gag that is effective to this day. I always wanted to make the wicked vampire fangs but lacked the funds for all the dental supplies. I’m glad to see the book has gone into at least six editions as I always thought Savini’s skillz fun and terrific, especially his masterful work in CREEPSHOW. And just for fun, how about that rarely used poster for FRIDAY THE 13TH?

Forgotten Films: Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)

I know, YOU haven’t forgotten it, and neither have I, but I’m still mystified as to why this unique subversive attempt to introduce an annual scare film utilizing the banner of HALLOWEEN didn’t meet with the approval of American audiences — on the other hand, I’m not mystified at all. I didn’t know until recently that John Carpenter’s immortal 1978 classic was always intended to be an annual un-related scare fest, but you don’t mess with success in Hollywood. HALLOWEEN II (1981) was an undistinguished pastiche of unpleasant FRIDAY THE 13TH style gore with exactly three great moments:

1) The opening titles with Carpenter’s brilliant theme and that creepy pumpkin splitting open to reveal a creepier skull inside.

2) The ambulance driver slipping on a floor of blood.

3) The “Mr. Sandman” song that closes the film.

So I was thrilled that the next HALLOWEEN would try to re-boot the series away from Michael Myers and into another spooky realm. To my mind, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH delivers that in spades. Amazingly, Joe Dante was set to direct and he approached the esteemed British SF writer Nigel Kneale (QUATERMAS AND THE PIT) to pen the story. After Dante left for another project, Kneale took his name off the film due to alterations to the script, and new director Tommy Lee Wallace was given final credit (he complained in a FANGORIA interview that Kneale made the Irish look really bad). Having a subtle sci-fi horror writer like Nigel Kneale pen the screenplay was a masterstroke, and I’d love to read his favored draft. And there’s no doubt that sections of the script as filmed are rather wonky and sometimes nonsensical. If anything, this is a large scale story dealing with Celtic warlocks seeking a new era of child sacrifice to honor the spirit of Samhain and it required that type of scope and budget. For 2.5 million dollars, the results here are fairly adequate and clever. Wallace is clearly influenced by his producer John Carpenter, and the movie looks great with Dean Cundey’s usual excellent wide-screen vistas. Along with Tom Burman’s nifty make-up efx, Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s arcade-game era score is another electronic bonus.

I saw HALLOWEEN III opening weekend with a confused audience who kept wondering when The Shape was going to make his bloody entrance. Being a monster kid, I was already privy to the secrets of the horror-verse via the pages of FANGORIA, who advertised the cool Don Post “Silver Shamrock” masks for mass consumption. And you can’t talk about this film without mentioning the catchy, ingratiating Silver Shamrock ads that play as a ghoulish chorus throughout the film. There’s also a game cast in Carpenter regular Tom Atkins, whose tough-guy congeniality is welcome here and I’m particularly impressed by the way he plays his role as the events become more fantastic; he really seems knocked for a loop when he discovers the evil secrets behind the masks. Stacey Nelkins is sexy and smart but the stand-out actor here is Dan O’ Herlihy as Conal Cochran, the grand warlock behind the insidious plan to suffer the children. You get a sense of what the film could have been during his awesome monologue when he unveils the dark history of the season. With the original HALLOWEEN cleverly playing on the TV as Atkins sits bound with a Skull mask over his head and Herlihy waxing druid bloodletting, the story hits a creepy peak and remains the best scene in the film.

HALLOWEEN III was ravaged critically at the time, primarily by the same folks like Roger Ebert who were on a crusade against Slasher Films of the era. You would think they would have approved of a fun, clever, non-maniacal Saturday afternoon horror effort trying something new. At least Vincent Canby of the New York Times dug it though and appreciated the spirit of the thing. Audiences didn’t respond either and I’m sure the mysterious title didn’t help, which meant a stream of forgettable sequels years after. So it goes. Despite some flaws, I adore HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH, and have long held it in genre esteem. How can any fan not at least be moved by little Buddy and his melting pumpkin mask?

And remember kids, it’s almost time: Four more days to Halloween, Halloween…Silver Shamrock…

Class of ’84 Blogathon

Where’s my piece for This Distracted Globe’s Class 0f ’84 Blogathon you ask? I TOTALLY am still working on it but like, my computer did a complete bogus spaz out. I am such a dweeb. But like, the way cool kids that got theirs in on time and schedule are AWESOME! But can you believe that Wes Craven’s classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET came out in that Orwellian Fear Year? I still remember seeing it opening week with Eric as there was only one other person in the theater sitting far behind us – and yes, he was wearing a hat just like Freddy Krueger. I shit you not, dude.

UPDATE: I’m going to cheat big time and link y’all to my Retro-View for 1984′s punk classic, REPO MAN, which due to its alien backstory, also qualifies for Shocktober. Don’t blame me. I’m just a white suburban punk.

Season Of The Witchiepoo

My favorite Sid and Marty Kroft proto-psychedelic kid’s series was H.R. PUFNSTUF. I always liked that li’l English sprite, Jack Wild, and the cast of costumed characters and other strange puppets. They also had a good villain in Witchie (Billie Hayes) and her batty assistants. I actually saw the Kroft’s only theatrical release, PUFNSTUF (1970), at a military theater kiddie matinee, and I was entranced. I particularly loved the hip music and songs (including one by Mama Cass), written by BARBERLLA’s Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. It would be decades before I scored that soundtrack on CD and the film was finally released on DVD last year. In the Halloween spirit of Witch Power, here she is in all her gory with the anthem, “Zap The World.” Sing along…or else!

Don Post Monster Masks

I always wanted one of these masks but they were damn expensive in the day, running from 30 bucks and up. The only time I saw them in the latex flesh was a collection at the DisneyWorld Magic Castle when I was wee lad. And Mom wasn’t budging. Look at that Wolfman!

Friday Farewell Song: a-ha

Coinciding with the 23 year anniversary of their sweeping synth pop masterwork, “Scoundrel Days” and this year’s global hit “Foot Of The Mountain,” my favorite band has called it quits after a 30 year career. Contrary to the “one-hit wonder” school of American ignorance, a-ha reigned supreme around the world (36 million albums sold and a Guinness World Record for audience attendance) and already had the respect of the foreign music critics (Q Magazine often included their albums among the best of the year), who tend to have better taste than our “three chord and the truth” Chuck Klostermans. And of course they did a James Bond theme song.

So while all the celebrated critic’s 80′s darlings like the pedantic New Order and the limited Scritti Politti faded long ago, a-ha kept making discs and survived “Take On Me,” still the greatest music video and the best pop keyboard melody since “Light My Fire.” As I’ve pointed out before, Morten Harkett’s soaring voice over Mags and Paul Waaktar-Savoy’s unique, Nordic melodies and ambitious soundscapes captured something melancholy yet expansive to this suburban youth living a boy’s adventure tale. But I survived the brickbats of my confused friends and still have their nine discs and the continued work of Waaktar-Savoy, whose outside band, Savoy, are making beautiful music. He’ll be acknowledged as one of the finest tunesmiths we’ve ever had.

As there’s no acrimony, the band will play live long into next year with the “Ending On A High Note” tour, including their first stop here since 1985. And to wave goodbye to the Norwegian Kings Of Pop, here’s one of my favorites, “The Blood That Moves The Body” from their 1988 third disc, “Stay On These Roads.” This haunting epic is more typical of their darker, progressive songs with some lovely strings and one of their best minor chord melodies. Thus, an era ends.

A Message From Silver Shamrock

Shock Cinema #37 On Sale Now!

Just in time for SHOCKTOBER is the new issue of my favorite magazine (what dat?) SHOCK CINEMA, featuring a panopoly of Steven Puchalski’s insightful reviews and great interviews with familiar cult faces. There’s a good reason Tarantino featured this mag in DEATH PROOF…

Vic Mizzy RIP

Sad news. Prolific composer Vic Mizzy, who scored the tv series GREEN ACRES, THE ADDAMS FAMILY and most of Don Knotts 1960′s film output, has passed on. Apropos that the New Beverly Cinema is screening Mizzy’s finest sonic moment tonight, THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN (1966), which happens to be Knott’s finest cinematic hour. Atta boy, Vic!