Ray Harryhausen 1920-2013

"What we do now digitally with computers, Ray did digitally long before. But without computers; only with his digits."

                                                               -Terry Gilliam

As a young child of no more than six, I can still remember sitting on our multi-colored shag carpet in rapt attention before that wood-paneled, 19" RCA TV set. Playing that quiet afternoon was Jason and the Argonauts, and watching it awakened in me a lifelong love of both Greek mythology and movie special effects. I sat aghast as malevolent skeleton warriors, massive bronze statues, vicious harpies and more came to life right before my eyes. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. 

That was my introduction to the work of Ray Harryhausen.

Back in those days before any form of self-determined video viewing, you had no choice but to watch what happened to be on TV at that moment. And in my naivete, I assumed that since King Kong was shown on Thanksgiving every year, and The Wizard of Oz was always shown at Easter time, that Jason and the Argonauts would be shown again the next year on the same day. So I took note of the date. Alas, one year later, I learned the folly of my ways. I would have to wait for the advent of VHS to enjoy the movie again.

 

The beloved Cyclops from 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

For me, there was a magic to the work of Ray Harryhausen, the special effects pioneer who passed in London today at the age of 92, that distinguished him as one of the most influential forces in the history of genre film making. For my money, he was the single most important living figure in all of horror/sci-fi/fantasy entertainment. And so, today is a very sad day, in which we mourn the loss of a man, much as we've mourned the loss of the ingenuity and spirit that he brought to his industry.

For so many of us, there are those special Harryhausen films that stand out for one reason or another. I recall when Clash of the Titans came out in theaters in the summer of 1981, alongside Raiders of the Lost Ark, and my parents made me choose one to go see (admittedly, I picked Raiders--a film which epitomized the ILM-era of movie effects that helped phase out the Harryhausen style.) And there was nothing so exciting as catching a movie like The 7th Voyage of Sinbad or The Golden Voyage of Sinbad on TV. For my dad, a monster movie fan through and through, it was all about stuff like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and 20 Million Miles to Earth.

Harryhausen made a mark that was as deep and wide as that made by his lifelong friend and fellow genre giant Ray Bradbury. It was a childhood viewing with Bradbury of King Kong in 1933 that first set Harryhausen's young mind in motion. Studying the groundbreaking work of Willis O'Brien would lead Harryhausen to one day innovate a particular brand of stop-motion model animation--he called it "Dynamotion"--that would ensure that his name would live on forever in the hearts of all those for whom cinema is an escape into fantasy and wonder.

There was something about those quirky, jerky creations that, for this writer, will ever trump whatever CGI concoctions can be thrown at our overloaded senses in the movies these days. You could feel the energy and passion that went into the work. The dedication this man invested to create such marvels. They had spirit, personality, and more life to them than any overwrought, cold-as-ice, super slick digital construct. You can't recreate that kind of flavor in a hard drive. You need to get down on your hands and knees, with solid objects, and work it out in the trenches. That's what this man did, and that's why his name will be remembered longer than that of any programmer at a keyboard.

The Ymir from 20 Million Miles to Earth.

So I say God bless Ray Harryhausen and the tremendous gifts he gave to all of us. I thank him for populating my nightmares and sparking my imagination. Learning of his death today was like a blow I expected for years, but one that nevertheless did not feel any softer for the anticipation. He had been on my mind a lot lately, as I plan to host a double-feature screening later this month that will actually include It Came from Beneath the Sea, one of his true benchmarks. In fact, as fate would have it, today I came home to discover in the mail the DVD box set of Harryhausen classics I had ordered some days earlier to help me prepare. As if there were any chance of me forgetting this day as it was.

I close tonight with words that have always resonated with me, from the critic Peter S. Beagle. They were written for J.R.R. Tolkien, but could just as easily describe the amazing talent we've just lost:

“He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found them a place to live, a green alternative to each day's madness here in a poisoned world. We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers - thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.”

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Hump-Day Harangue: Why Hammer Beats Universal (Almost) Every Time

As a fan of classic horror—by which I mean anything before Romero’s zombies threatened the countryside and Rosemary had her baby—I’ve often gotten caught up in that eternal debate: Which studio was superior, Universal or Hammer? And by writing this, by no means do I want to denigrate one or the other, or imply that one is subpar. Rather, both the Universal Studios output of the 1930s/40s and the Hammer output of the 1950s/60s/70s represent high watermarks in the history of horror. It’s just that, given the choice, I usually go with Hammer.

That’s right, I’m choosing the Brits over my own countrymen. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Universal’s iconic cycle of horror flicks, which first introduced moviegoing audiences to the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man and more. I just believe that by reinvigorating the gothic genre in the era of radioactive monsters and exploitation, Hammer did Universal one better and set the benchmark even higher.

Let’s get one thing out of the way, first and foremost—in my estimation, both James Whale’s Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein are superior to any film ever put out by the Hammer studio. That said, outside of those two films, I generally find the Hammer body of work to be more enjoyable than the Universal body of work. There are a number of reasons for this.

Maybe chief among them would be that Hammer represented my original introduction to the horror genre. I like to think I’m not so prone to such a subjective view, but I must at least entertain the possibility that I’m biased. As a very small child, I first discovered what horror was all about thanks to those weekend afternoon showings of Hammer gems on syndicated TV in New York. Channels 5, 9 and 11 were my tutors in pop culture, and among the gifts they gave me was Hammer. In fact, Hammer’s Lust for a Vampire may have been the first horror movie I ever saw.

But beyond this mere nostalgia, there’s more. As time went by and I came to discover Universal not long after, I also developed a strong love for their brand of horror as well. But it never supplanted Hammer in my heart.

Not to sound like a Philistine, but a large part of this had to do with Hammer’s vibrant Technicolor. One of the main elements that the studio itself took pride in was that it was reinventing these classic horror tropes in a color medium, replacing Universal’s crisp black and white with the garish, comic book-like hues never before seen in gothic cinematic horror. And while generally I deplore the attitude that black and white is somehow inferior, in this case—especially as a child—I was more drawn in by those bold, almost shocking colors.

Needless to say, one of the main uses Hammer made of that full color palette was to show blood. And by “blood” I mean some of the first major instances of simulated bloodshed ever seen in horror movies, especially of this kind. Whereas the Universal canon was more staid in its presentation, leaving more to the viewer’s imagination (often due to constraints from the Hayes Committee), Hammer let it all hang out, splashing the camera with more bright red plasma than had ever been seen. This meant that instead of a fangless Dracula (all due to respect to Bela Lugosi), we got a fanged and fierce Christopher Lee, gore dripping from his lips, his eyes ringed in scarlet. For an eight-year-old, literally the stuff of nightmares.

Hammer made a splash (pardon the pun) through their then-liberal usage of blood, but they also became known for something else: beautiful women. Although it may sound silly to harp on it, Hammer’s unprecedented emphasis on sexuality was a big deal, and also helped usher horror into a new era just as much as the blood did. The buxom and often exotic women who populated Hammer’s films brought blatant sex appeal like never before, in stark contrast to the often prim and buttoned-up sexuality occasionally glimpsed in Universal. This is not to say that Universal horror was not dealing with sexual themes, just that they did it in a much more (necessarily) subtle and subtextual way, whereas Hammer—in typical studio fashion—loved bashing you over the head with it.

Another aspect of Hammer that they often don’t get enough credit for is the return of gothic horror to its proper Victorian roots. Whereas Universal’s films often took place in some vague, unknown time period that seemed like a confusing cross between modern times and the 19^th century, Hammer was careful to set its stories firmly in the Victorian era (or earlier in some cases). 

This worked especially for many of the tales, like Dracula and Frankenstein, which were set in earlier time periods and were for the first time being presented that way—but Hammer went much further than that. Perhaps out of a sense of national pride in their own fabled history, they enjoyed making nearly all their films period films, delighting in breathtaking costume and set design that really gave you a sense of being in an earlier time. It would be a new standard that would be copied by all gothic horror going forward, right up until today.

In short, I think what makes Hammer my preferred source for classic horror is that their output generally works better as horror films, if that makes sense. While the Universal classics were usually more polished, especially those of the 1930s, and were superior as films, Hammer’s work was just downright scarier, with more of a flair for the horrific. While Universal had fine filmmakers like Tod Browning and Whale, exceptional cinematography from the likes of Karl Freund, brilliant set design from the likes of Russell Gausman, and of course the writing of the great Curt Siodmak, Hammer answered back with workhorse director and writer Terence Fisher and Jimmy Sangster, meticulous costume designer Molly Arbuthnot and the blaring musical scores of James Bernard. 

While Hammer generally worked with a smaller budget, they made you feel as if their productions were more lush. Universal may have been more mainstream and high-profile, especially in the U.S., but Hammer made up for their technical shortcomings with more of a genuine relish for horror. They threw themselves into taking the groundwork laid by Universal and ratcheting it up about five or six notches. And they were damn good at it.

So while I thoroughly enjoy my Karloff, Lugosi and Chaney just as much as the next horror nut, my soul belongs, in the end, to Cushing and Lee. Pressed to make a choice between Universal and Hammer, I’ll go with Hammer. But it’s kind of like asking me to choose between Sinatra and the Beatles, or Marvel and DC—I may go with the Chairman and the Board and the House of Ideas, but that shouldn’t take anything away from my profound love for the Fab Four and the Distinguished Competition as well. There’s room for all in my horror-lovin’ heart.

And if you, like me, enjoy a good Hammer flick—or two!—I urge you to join me tomorrow night in Bridgeport for BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU: Hammer Horror, a unique double feature in which I’ll be screening both Hammer’s version of The Mummy and the vastly underrated Curse of the Werewolf! Plus, we’ve got Hammer DVD and book giveaways, and a special appearance by the LoTTD’s own John Cozzoli of Zombos Closet of Terror! Hope to see you there, Vault dwellers…

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The Vault of Horror's Post-Holiday Gift Guide!

What, you may ask, is B-Sol doing putting out a gift guide now, a week after New Year's--and two weeks after Christmas? It's simple, really. There will be many of you, no doubt--myself included--for whom this time of year brings with it the promise of great generosity from our loved ones. Yes, it is indeed better to give than receive, and God bless those in our lives who also feel that way. Because if you're anything like me (which I hope, for you're sake, that you're not), then the days following Christmas find you burdened with the weight of gift cards and/or cold-hard cash bestowed upon you by those who hold you dear.

If you ask me, this is the time when a gift guide really comes in handy. You can hem and haw all you want about what to buy that special someone in your life, but what about when you actually find yourself flush with capital and eager to spend it on your life's one great passion: horror? Well, that's when you turn to your old buddy B-Sol, right here in The Vault of Horror. Because I'm about to regale you with a veritable cornucopia of self-gifting ideas designed to help make your post-Holidays retail therapy as beneficial as possible...

BOOKS

Cannibal Kitchen: A Horror Lover's Cookbook
If you're a longtime reader of horror website Brutal as Hell, then you're very familiar with the work of Shannon Rullo, whose "Slash and Dine" column on terror-themed culinary delights never failed to amuse. Slash and Dine later spun off into "Cannibal Kitchen", which led to what we have here--easily one of 2012's coolest horror-related books. Shannon's love of horror and cooking are both voracious, plus she's just a swell gal, period.

The Walking Dead: Compendium 2
The immense popularity of The Walking Dead TV series (it's the highest rated dramatic series in the history of cable television) has brought a new and fervent fan following to Image Comics' Walking Dead comic series upon which it's based. I checked out after issue #34, but I've always meant to go back and catch up. For those of you like me, Image has just put out the second in a series of mondo-sized reprint collections. This one covers graphic novel collections #9-16--or if you were one of those old souls who actually, you know, read the actual comics, that's issues #49-96.

11/22/63: A Novel
Leave it to Stephen King to make time travel this scary. Published earlier last year, this latest doorstop-sized tome from New England's favorite son is the tale of a man traveling back in time in an attempt to prevent the Kennedy assassination. My sister picked this one up for my dad for Father's Day last year, and the old man had nothing but rave reviews for it.

VIDEO

Baron Blood: Kino Classics Remastered Edition
Did I ever tell you how much I love Kino Video? Well, I love them. And this is just one more reason why. Added to the list of lost classics they've restored to home video is now the Mario Bava chestnet Baron Blood, starring the legendary Joseph Cotten and the delicious Elke Sommer. It's Bava returning to his gothic roots in a delightfully garish smorgasbord of technicolor that's a must-have for any fan of Italo-horror. It even has an audio commentary from Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas!

Godzilla vs. Biollante
Arguably the most popular of the Heisei Godzilla films at last gets its long-awaited release on DVD and Blu-Ray. Now you can glory in Big G battling a giant radioactive flower with the amazing picture and sound such a conflict deserves. And even though that sounds bitingly sarcastic, I actually mean it in all earnestness. 

Paranorman
Easily one of the most fun genre releases of 2012, perhaps rivaled only by The Cabin in the Woods and Frankenweenie. I took the Captain and the kids AND my mom to this, and we all had a blast. Great to see such smart, dark humor make its way into a "family" film, not to mention the stunning stop-motion animation work we've come to expect from LAIKA, the studio that gave us Coraline in 2009.

The Gingerdead Man Trilogy
You read that right. For all of you who just can't get enough of everyone's favorite homicidal baked food product, now you have a chance to own all three films (there were three films??) in one magnificent box set. Get it for Gary Busey alone!

American Horror Story Season 1
The finest pure horror series to come down the pike in a very, very long time--and possibly the finest episodic horror series of all time, AHS is a gift-wrapped present to the entirety of horror fandom. I encourage anyone who hasn't discovered it yet to please do so. This is the first outstanding season, which aired in late 2011 and early 2012 on the FX cable network. If you want to find out what all the fuss is about, here's your chance.

VIDEO GAMES

Resident Evil 6
Capcom's juggernaut--which arguably launched the entire zombie renaissance of the 2000s, soldiers on with this latest installment. I'm not much of a gamer, but I will admit to a certain fondness for zombie fare like RE and House of the Dead. Available for PS3 and XBox.

Dead Island
Speaking of zombies, here's one that's been generating quite a bit of buzz since first hitting the scene a little over a year ago. Anytime there are zombies on a tropical island, only good things can ensue, as far as I'm concerned.

OTHER STUFF

Doctor Dreadful Zombie Lab
If your kids are anything like mine, they'll probably eat this up--literally. In a throwback to those classic morbid kid's food-making toys of the 1970s, this set allows little ones to make their own bubbling brains, eyeballs, barf, and a whole lot more--all edible, of course.

2013 Zombie Girl Calendar
Can you tell I like zombies? We might be a few days into the new year, but it's still not too late for a new calendar if you don't have one yet. And what better than 13 months of hot zombie chicks? Trust me, I'm a bit of an authority.

Arkham Horror
A stunning update to the classic 1987 original, this new edition of the acclaimed Lovecraftian board game/role playing game is well worth the wait. A bit pricey, but there are few games of this kind that are this downright cool in both concept and design.

There you have it, Vault dwellers. For those of you still holding on to cash presents and gift cards, I say happy hunting, and may you gift for yourself all the things you didn't get from anyone else. Even if you don't have any gift money to speak of, I think you might just find a few of these items a little too awesome to pass up. Enjoy the new year, horror fans!

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Worthy Causes and Useful Resources in the Wake of National Tragedy

Less than a week has passed since the unthinkable events at Newtown, Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School. In lieu of discussing my own personal reaction, I'll eschew the ludicrous navel-gazing of the Facebook Era and instead focus on how you can best respond to what has happened, in terms of giving of yourself to support those in need, and/or dealing with your own children's questions and concerns.

There are two very worthy and very laudable causes making the rounds right now. I encourage you to give to either of the following:

My Sandy Hook Family Fund: Established by the parents of the surviving students of Sandy Hook, this fund was begun to help support those who were far less fortunate.

Sandy Hook School Support Fund: This one was put in place by the United Way, and is the charity of choice for the company I work for. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Additionally, for those coping with the shock on a personal level, and trying as best as possible to explain to your own children what has happened, here's a very useful collection of resources posted online by PBS.

Please give if you can. And be strong. Don't lose hope. These are the times that try men's souls. But we will endure.

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SCARS Magazine's Bodacious Horror Babes!

After a hard day's work in the land of franchised fruit products, I was delighted last night to come home and find, waiting for me on the kitchen counter, the latest issue of SCARS Magazine. Even ordinarily, this would be a very exciting thing for me, as SCARS just happens to be one of the coolest and most eminently readable underground pop culture magazines on the market. But this... this was extra special, because within this issue's thick and sturdy pages resided my very own article.

You'd think after 15 years as a professional writer, the thrill just wouldn't be there anymore, but nothing could be further from the truth. I got just as much of a kick picking up that issue as I did picking up H.W. Wilson's Chemical and Biological Warfare back in 1997 (nothing but uplifting subject matter for me!). I'd been waiting a long time for this one, and I'm grateful to Managing Editor Fallon Masterson for allowing me entry into such a groovy publication.

If you're a fan of this blog, chances are you will enjoy reading SCARS Magazine very much. I urge you to check out the website and pick up your own copy. In the new issue (dated Winter 2012-2013), I have an article entitled "Bodacious & Bloodied: Horror's Great 8 Badass Women of the '80s", in which I run through the absolute best female leads of '80s horror. You'll find them all there, from Heather Langenkamp to Jamie Lee Curtis, with perhaps a few surprises. It was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you enjoy reading it just as much.

Beyond my own article, there are other pieces on Alan Moore, '80s video game movies, and a profile of the amazing artist who did the cover illustration, Jason Edmiston--plus much more Reagan Era goodness. It's the Big '80s Issue, and I'd seriously have demanded a copy even if I wasn't published in it.

Check out SCARS, and let me know what you think of my rankings. Nothing like a good old fashioned horror debate...

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Retro Review: Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

“You don’t understand—in a half hour the moon will rise, and I’ll turn into a wolf…”

“You and 20 million other guys.”

There are the great horror films, and there are the great comedies. But great horror comedies? Films that work equally well as both, and can scare you and make you laugh in equal measure? Few and far between. Possibly the first really great one, and for many still the best, would be the 1948 timeless classic Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. All these decades later, and it can still leave us in stitches, while delivering a healthy dose of authentic Universal monster madness. The fact that this movie even happened both was and is a gift to movie fans of all ages.

By 1948, both Abbott & Costello and the Universal monsters, two cash cow franchises for the legendary studio, were sort of on the ropes. Bud and Lou had made their name at the studio during the war years, but the act was starting to wear thin with audiences. As for Dracula, Frankenstein and the gang, they were far removed from their halcyon days of the 1930s and early ‘40s, having been reduced to flimsy team-up flicks for kids.

So what did the powers-that-be at Universal decide to do, but cross the two franchises, in one of the most inspired movie mashups ever conceived. Lon Chaney Jr. may have later condemned the film as the death knell of the classic monsters, but the hindsight of film history has revealed it as a beloved gem that, rather than tarnish the reputation of the monsters, has kept their legacy alive for generations.

In short, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is the perfect “gateway movie” for getting children into horror. I should know; I used it in exactly that way for my own kids. It’s hilariously funny on a level that can be appreciated by people of all ages, and the creep factor is there in copious amounts, especially for young children not too familiar with horror in general. It causes chills and laughter in equal measure, as we watch Bud and Lou mix it up with some very scary individuals.

In the end, that’s what makes the movie work so well. Neither franchise is compromising its integrity. Abbott & Costello are doing what they do best, getting into ridiculous situations and doing the whole straight man/childish fat guy routine. In fact, this film is probably their funniest moment, in a movie career that spanned nearly two decades. As for the Universal monsters, they are playing themselves here. There’s no campy hamming-it-up going on. Although Bela Lugosi’s Dracula may feel a bit different than his 1931 interpretation, he is playing Dracula to the hilt—just as Glenn Strange is playing the Monster, and most impeccably, Lon Chaney Jr. is playing Larry Talbot. I defy you to find any difference between the Talbot here and in any of his previous appearances. There is no “winking at the camera” on the part of him, Lugosi or Strange.

The perfect blend of horror and comedy make this, for my money, one of the most downright fun movies ever made. There are so many unforgettable set pieces here—particularly the predicaments the hapless Lou constantly finds himself in; from accidentally sitting in the Monster’s lap, to the scene in Talbot’s hotel room with the fruit bowl. And of course, the scene most people remember from this movie, in which Lou first encounters Dracula at the House of Horrors, all the while trying breathlessly to explain it to an incredulous Bud. This is effortless, timeless comedy from two masters, and best of all, is so true to the material that you can honestly imagine that this is what would happen if Abbott & Costello were to encounter Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolf Man.

Costello cracked up Strange so much during this
scene that it had to be shot numerous times.

We get Lugosi in his only other film appearance as Dracula after his first iconic turn in 1931. That alone is enough to recommend the film! We get an excellent score from Frank Skinner—so good, in fact, that it would be lifted outright for future A&C movie installments. We get a rip-roaring monster-laden finale that is the perfect payoff for all the insanity that has come before. And, at the risk of “spoiling” a 65-year-old movie, we get an unforgettable final-shot cameo by Vincent Price as the voice of the Invisible Man! What more can you possibly ask for?

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein succeeded in redefining both franchises. Going forward, the A&C series continued trying to recapture the new formula. The series took on a decidedly fantastical slant that was very different from the releases of the early ‘40s, pairing the comedy duo up with other monsters and villains like the Mummy, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and even “The Killer, Boris Karloff”. It may have been a gimmick, but it was a gimmick that kept the act going for nearly another decade. As for the Universal monsters themselves, this film became their last appearance for the studio. But it needs to be said that it also reinvented them for a whole new generation of young moviegoers, and helped give rise to the kitschy “Monster Kid” culture of the ‘50s, ‘60s and beyond, raising the studio’s creations to the level of pop culture gods.

Personally, the film brings me back to those lazy Sunday afternoons of my youth, spent with family, food and syndicated New York television. If you’re a fan of classic horror, I encourage you to check it out. Particularly, this movie is a joy to watch with young children. If you don’t have your own, go and steal someone else’s—it’s worth it. I screened it at one of my kids’ Halloween parties, and few sights in my memory will ever match the sight of a room full of initially skeptical 7-10 year olds, falling out of their seats with laughter and yelling at the screen in comic frustration. 

I’m so glad the world of Abbott & Costello and the Universal monsters crossed paths, and I enjoy revisiting it whenever I can. Give it a try, and I think you’ll be hooked as well.

And if you ever wanted to catch this gem on the big screen, then you’re in luck! I’ll be screening it on Thursday, December 27, as part of my BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU series at Bridgeport’s Bijou Theatre. I hope you’ll join me for BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU: Scared Silly, in which I’ll be pairing this movie up with another classic Universal-themed comedy, Young Frankenstein. Check out the Facebook page for more info, or the official Bijou website!

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A Haunted Day in Connecticut...

A while back, in preparation for Halloween, I decided it would be a capital idea to make my own little “haunted tour” of my local surroundings in Connecticut. Add to the fact that my daughter Zombelina is extremely fascinated by all manner of hauntings and paranormal phenomena (no surprise there), and it really seemed like an obvious thing to do during the Halloween season. So Captain Cruella and I packed up the little ones and made our ghostly pilgrimage.

I selected as our two primary locations, two of the most notorious haunted spots in the entire state: Union Cemetery in Easton and the Remington Arms factory in Bridgeport. It was quite a chilling experience, and the resulting images turned out to be very striking. In fact, the reaction I got from initially posting them to social media led me to (finally_ bring them right here, where they can be enjoyed by all you fine Vault dwellers.

So please proceed, and follow our exploits from that day, if you will…

A portion of the ominous Remington Arms munitions factory on Barnum Ave. in Bridgeport, our first stop...

The fearless Captain ventures down into the factory. I soon followed, and heard some honest-to-goodness footsteps... This, along with the prompt arrival of the Bridgeport PD, led to our hasty departure to a safe distance.

More of the inside, as seen from the street. The factory was run by Remington until 1988, when it was closed down after a series of mysterious deaths. G.E. has since purchases the property and has been planning to tear it all down for years.

See something in there? Yeah, I wasn't sure either. Besides, the decidedly foul neighborhood in which this factory is located left little time for careful inspection.

Although closed off to the public, this doorway seemed to have been forced open, no doubt by some reckless teenagers looking for a spooky time.

Travel Channels' Ghost Adventures show did an episode here at the factory back in 2009, and apparently found "conclusive evidence" of paranormal activity. The footsteps I heard, admittedly, could not be found to have been made by anyone else at the site...

Another view of the vast Remington Arms campus, made up of several buildings in various states of gross disrepair.

Farewell, Remington Arms! And really, is anyone going to check out that tag sale..?

Next, we made the trek through Fairfield, up Route 59 to the posh town of Easton. There we came to Union Cemetery, home of the notorious "White Lady".

Many of the graves here date back to the 17th century. They're largely worn away by weather erosion, but much of the 18th century stones, like this one, still stand.

A closeup of one of the 18th century stones, showing the angelic iconography common to grave markers of the era.

This tree stump shows just how old the place is. And although we caught no sight of the White Lady, we eventually had out fill of the cemetery's general creepiness. The start of a cold drizzle also motivated to head back into the warmth and safety of the car...

There you have it—just a taste of our experiences that day. I’ll never forget those footsteps I heard, nor the very eerie presences palpable at both locations. All in all, I’d call our “Haunted Day” a success, and the perfect prelude to a generally smashing Halloween season!

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Random Ramblings from the Vault

• First things first: The Walking Dead has very pleasantly surprised me this season thus far. As much as I love the concept, I don't really believe the show had hit its stride until now. Last week's episode in particular was just about the most harrowing dramatic television I've ever witnessed, and I don't mind telling you that I was seriously emotionally shaken. Not to mention some amazing acting all around! Kudos to the entire WD creative team, but just go easy on me for the next couple of episodes, OK? I'm a very sensitive boy.

• I know I'm not the first to say this, but The Cabin in the Woods was everything everyone said it was, and then some. What a creative and brilliantly executed horror film! A horror fan's wet dream, plus entertaining enough to bring new fans to the genre in the process. Horror had been in desperate need of a reinvention after nearly a decade of nihilistic torture porn aftereffects, and I think this was just the kind of deconstructionist fun that was called for. I can't remember the last time I was this downright amused by a horror movie.

• Maybe it's not popular to say it (or maybe it is, what do I know?), but I was also very pleasantly surprised by the red-band Evil Dead remake trailer that's been making the rounds. You can count me in the camp of, "Why are they remaking this movie," but after seeing that, I'm on board. I'm not dead-set against any and all horror remakes--sometimes they turn out excellent, like The Thing, The Fly, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and even Dawn of the Dead. The original Evil Dead is a 30-year-old shoe-string budget student film, and while it is a great horror flick, I do not consider it sacred or anything. It's been more than a generation, why not let someone take a crack at it, especially with Sam Raimi's blessing? Count me in.

• And on the flipside of that, the last thing I expected was that I'd be looking forward to the Evil Dead remake, and NOT looking forward to the World War Z movie. What a turd of a trailer that was! Here I was, hoping for the last six years to get the ultimate big-budget zombie epic I'd been waiting for, and what it looks like we're getting is Brad Pitt running from zombie tidal waves. I mean seriously...what the heck is that? I'm not even sure what I'm looking at, but it sure as hell ain't zombies, and definitely not the creatures of Max Brooks' novel. Sadly, that one is looking like a giant disappointment.

• As I mentioned at the Vault of Horror Facebook page, I'm proud to announce that my BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU double feature series will indeed be continued through March! That's right, the Bijou Theatre in downtown Bridgeport is giving more opportunities to share my love of horror with the community at large. It will be my pleasure to be screening Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein (12/27), The Mummy (1959) and Curse of the Werewolf (1/24), Theater of Blood and The Abominable Dr. Phibes (2/21) and The Giant Claw and Plan 9 from Outer Space (3/28). Plus as always, there will be special guests and giveaways galore! Check the official Bijou website, plus the VoH Facebook page for more info, and I hope to see you there!

• One of the films I'll be showing this Thursday at the Bijou is Nosferatu, whose 90th anniversary I've been celebrating all year--hope you've been enjoying it. I like to do that every year with a notable anniversary for a different horror film (Nightmare on Elm Street 25th in 2009, Psycho 50th in 2010, American Werewolf in London 30th in 2011). Right now I'm thinking of celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Exorcist next year. Sound like a good idea? Anything you'd rather see instead?

• Do you have a favorite one-shot Hammer film? I think I'd have to go with either The Gorgon or The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll if put to it.

• For those dying to know, my young progeny Skeleton Jack and Zombelina hosted another smashing Halloween party this year--I daresay the annual party has become one of the highlights of the social calendars of little ones in our community. I mean, what other Halloween party features a haunted walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood? Special thanks to Michael J. Bielawa, author of Wicked Bridgeport, for the terrific tour, and of course what better party planner could any Halloween gathering hope for than Captain Cruella herself??

• Speaking of Zombelina, she recently found herself in the bookstore with a gift certificate burning a hole in her pocket--and what did she choose to buy with it? Why, the first hardcover volume of the collected archives of Warren's Creepy Magazine, of course. Did you expect anything less?

• In closing, I'd like to thank Turner Classic Movies for carrying the torch of horror filmdom during the Halloween season. AMC's Fear Fest is a pale shadow of the former greatness of  Monster Fest, and TCM has dutifully stepped in to fill the seasonal needs of horror fans everywhere. I love AMC, but after all, how many times do you really want to watch Jason X and Halloween 5 in a three-week period? All Hail TCM and their excellent, eclectic mix of selections! Long may they reign.

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