tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84706042764102201592024-03-14T14:48:49.701-04:00The Vault of HorrorB-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.comBlogger1301125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-39369028777939701782016-02-25T17:30:00.000-05:002016-02-25T17:30:04.319-05:00The Witch: Mining the Roots of American Horror for a Deliciously Disturbing Modern MasterpieceBless me Father, for I have sinned.<br />
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It has been 27 months since my last blog post. Life has gotten quite busy for ol' B-Sol, including writing gigs that pay actual money, and so the Vault has been collecting dust for quite some time. And yet, I am compelled to blow off that dust (for now, at least) and lift the lid on the Vault, thanks to a film which I can honestly say is the finest horror movie I have seen this decade thus far. Not only that, but one of the finest films of any kind that I have seen in some time. It is rare that a film like Robert Eggers' The Witch comes along, and I feel I must discuss it, in the most effective forum I have at my disposal.<br />
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As you may know, I enjoy horror movies. However, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that most horror movies are the cinematic equivalent of junk food (and I love junk food!). I love them all, but I especially cherish those that go beyond being fun horror experiences and enter the realm of being not just great horror cinema, but great cinema, period. Films like <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2008/12/let-right-one-in-find-way-to-see-it.html" target="_blank">Let the Right One In</a>, The Silence of the Lambs, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/06/retro-review-shining.html" target="_blank">The Shining</a>, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2013/07/exorcist-xl-is-friedkins-film-blasphemy.html" target="_blank">The Exorcist</a>, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2010/03/psycho-semi-centennial-underrated.html" target="_blank">Psycho</a>, Frankenstein, etc. do more than make us jump out of our seat, and give us more than gross-outs and one-liners. They stand the test of time as pieces of art, put together by masters of the form. I believe that The Witch is one of these films, and will take its place among them. In fact, I haven't been this impressed with a horror film since Tomas Alfredson's aforementioned 2008 vampire coming-of-age fable.<br />
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I should mention that this is a review/discussion intended really for those who have already seen the film, so you spoilerphobic types should skidaddle at this point. There is much to talk about in this rich, marvelously constructed and directed motion picture, and some of it has to do with some important plot and character moments.<br />
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All the credit in the world goes to Eggers, a production and costume designer astonishingly making his feature film writing and directing debut with what feels like the work of a seasoned, insightful craftsman. He has thoroughly researched the life and beliefs of 17th century Puritan settlers not in a useless or masturbatory way, but all in the service of building a story that is like an Elizabethan-era folktale come to life. Having been fascinated with the topic myself in the past, I adored the way in which he captured that Puritan paranoia, as well as the fervent, fundamentalist Christianity that helped perpetuate a great deal of lunacy in early American times. It's like Cotton Mather's worst nightmare come to life.<br />
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One of the more fascinating things about the film is that it presents these terrible fears of witchcraft and Satanism not just as metaphors, but also as concrete realities. Yes, the film has a symbolic message about the dangers of unchecked patriarchy and religious hysteria, but make no mistake--in Eggers' world, the Devil and his magically powered minions are very much real. This is period drama, but it is also very much supernatural horror as well, and not ashamed of it.<br />
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Virtual unknown (not for long) Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Thomasin, the repressed teenage daughter of renegade fundamentalist preacher William, played by gravel-voiced veteran British actor Ralph Ineson. Thomasin longs deep down to be free of her drab and spartan life, especially after her father's extremist ways force even the Puritans to say, "Hey, this guy is kind of a looney tune," and banish the whole family from the community and into the terrifying, untamed New England wilderness. She longs for sweeter times at home in England, and seeks emotional escape through playfulness and imaginative flights of fancy.<br />
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And yet, she is rejected by her family. She is seen as a threat and burden by her mother Katherine, played with stern desperation by Kate Dickie, perhaps best known for her performance as the batty, breastfeeding Lysa Arryn on Game of Thrones. Her younger brother Caleb (breathtaking child actor Harvey Scrimshaw), at the very beginning of his sexual awakening in such a repressive environment, can't help but begin to view her in an erotic fashion. And her fiendishly precocious youngest siblings, the twins Mercy and Jonas, are terrified and outraged at the willfulness they see burgeoning inside her, labeling her a witch with the same childish zeal that undoubtedly led many innocent women to their deaths in Salem.<br />
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Thomasin is both tempted and horrified by the potential presence of Satanic forces in the woods near their homestead. Gradually but confidently, Eggers paints a picture of encroaching doom, as the family is preyed upon by this force and picked off, one by one. As with many horror films of the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/07/tuesday-top-10-faith-based-horror.html" target="_blank">Satanic subgenre</a>, there seems to be an implicit message that the Devil exists, but God does not--or at least if He does, He is far less directly manifest than His dark counterpart, preferring to have His followers stick it out for themselves rather than intervene directly. In typical Puritan distrust of the natural world, here the Lord of Darkness takes animal form, as a rabbit, a crow, and most memorably of all, in the form of the family's prize goat, Black Phillip, a creature who has enthusiasts of the film (including this one) singing his praises like so many black sabbath revelers.<br />
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There is moral ambiguity at play here which only adds to the richness of the experience. William's religious fervor and pride, coupled with his practical ineptness, has recklessly condemned his family to poverty and near-starvation. It is painful to watch these folks praying desperately to a God who simply does not seem to be listening, or to care, all while a cruel intelligence tears them apart. Clearly, part of Eggers' message is the futility of blind faith, and in fact the harmfulness of it. The family members turn against each other, and the Devil and his minions use each of their weaknesses against them: William's pride and stubbornness, Katherine's attachment to her children, Caleb's sexual curiosity, and even Thomasin's desire for freedom.<br />
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Chafing at the bonds of her father's faith, her future seemingly dictated by his choices, she embraces the darkness in the end, giving in to the frightening voice inside her that was pushing her toward it all along. And yet, in Eggers' world, this is not the black-and-white issue the Puritans themselves may have viewed it as. Forced to accept the inherent sinfulness of her nature as preached endlessly by her father, she could not even enjoy the acceptance and affection of family, but was constantly pushed away by parents and siblings she loved. Instead, she finds unconditional acceptance, and yes, freedom at last, in the silken, soothing tones of Black Phillip and the release and power offered to his followers. Moments after being compelled to murder her own mother in self-defense, she seems to heave a figurative sigh of relief, and her first instinctive actions are to literally let her hair down and remove the attire that had kept her physically and emotionally bound up. In the final moments of the film, she rises above everything, once again quite literally, and exults in complete and total joy. It is thrilling, cathartic, and terrifying, all at once.<br />
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This is a film without easy answers, that challenges our beliefs as great art should. Is Thomasin's character arc the ultimate expression of feminist independence, or a reinforcement of the very anti-feminist stereotypes promulgated by Puritans both then and now? From where I sit, Eggers seems to be using the reported accounts of witchcraft from those olden days to weave a very modern story that delivers a moral that probably would've been abhorrent to the religious thinkers of that time. It is about the rejection of a constrictive society for the liberty of hedonistic indulgence, and not necessarily as a bad thing. And it generates fear on a deep, primal level.<br />
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Cinematographer Jarin Blaschke and composer Mark Korven both contribute greatly to achieving Eggers' vision of inevitable gloom and despair. Blaschke's work is bleak and understated, recalling some of the best work of Kubrick lensman John Alcott. And Korven, best known for his work in documentaries, delivers a chilling, relentless aural onslaught that is part Philip Glass, part Gyorgy Ligeti.<br />
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Such work enhances some of the most disturbing imagery I've encountered in horror in a long time. Caleb's death scene, played with shocking maturity by young Scrimshaw, is something from which I fear the hairs on the back of my neck may never fully recover. Caleb's encounter with the witch in the woods, a moment that would make the Brothers Grimm proud. Katherine's breast-feeding scene (a Game of Thrones inside joke, perhaps?) makes the last scene of Paul Solet's <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/08/amazing-grace.html" target="_blank">Grace</a> seem like Elmo's World. And the unexpected moment (for me, at least) when Black Phillip does indeed speak and the Devil reveals himself made me gasp in enthralled shock.<br />
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Horror often gets a bad rap for being a genre that seeks primarily to make us feel a basic human emotion, as if that were a negative in and of itself, something cheap or undesirable. It's very encouraging to find one that makes us feel in such an emotionally complex way, and also makes us think. The Witch is a powerful piece of film that represents the best that horror can be--less Eli Roth, and more Nathaniel Hawthorne. It's one that I'll certainly be revisiting many times in the years to come, and was more than worth the effort of delving back into The Vault of Horror one more time. If you haven't seen it, do so. If you have, see it again.<br />
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Oh yeah, and Hail Black Phillip.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-40815213754745821172013-11-15T10:04:00.000-05:002013-11-15T10:06:39.092-05:00Visceral Visionaries: The Cloisters, Vol. 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">Christ Child with an Apple. Willow with original pain and traces of gilding. Michel Erhart, Germany, c.1475.</span></b></div>
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Four long years ago--my, how time does fly--I paid a fateful visit to The Cloisters, one of NYC's best-kept secret and a haven for rare and often creepy-as-hell medieval European art. If you don't believe me, you can <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/10/visceral-visionaries-cloisters.html" target="_blank">read about it right here</a>. Anyway, ever since then I've been haunted by the beautiful and disturbing things I saw on that day, and so it was only a matter of time before I returned.<br />
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Thanks to a collection of free passes acquired by my daughter <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/Zombelina" target="_blank">Zombelina</a>, I was encouraged all the more to make the return trip to the northernmost tip of the island of Manhattan a couple of months ago to once again immerse ourselves in the twisted imaginings of the pre-Renaissance Western world, when the oppressive yoke of religion forced its will upon everything, and turned men's minds to thoughts of a most bizarre nature.<br />
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That's not to say that there isn't a lot of pleasantness here, as well; although I chose to pictorialize only the most frightening imagery for the purposes of this rather single-minded blog, I would encourage a visit to The Cloisters for many other reasons, including the peaceful herb garden (don't eat the hemlock) and the magnificent views of the might Hudson River.<br />
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Sadly, we were ousted abruptly due to an earlier-than-expected closing time, and so I'm proud to say we returned once again a mere few weeks later. Two visits to The Cloisters in one summer! It gets no better. Well, enough of the wistful musing! On to the gloom and doom...<br />
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;"><b> Saint Michael. Tempera, oil, gold and silver on wood. Master of Belmonte, Spain, c.1475. The detail on Lucifer is quite gruesome, indeed.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">From Panels with the Crucifixion and the Lamentation. Tempera on wood with tooled gold ground. Master of the Codex of St. George, Italy, 14th century.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">House Altarpiece. Oil and gold on wood; metal fixtures. Germany, c.1490. That's St. Anne, holding both her inexplicably diminutive daughter Mary and her grandson Jesus. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">The Lamentation (detail). Walnut with paint and gilding. Spain, c.1480. Originally found in a Benedictine monastery, the intense emotion was meant to urge the faithful to imagine themselves present at the death of Christ.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;"><b>Altarpiece with Scenes from the Life of Saint Andrew (detail). Tempera on gold and wood. The Master of Roussillon, Catalan, c.1425.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">Altar Frontal with the Man of Sorrows (detail). Wool, linen and metal thread. Germany, c.1465. "Man of Sorrows" was a common medieval euphemism for J.C. himself. Note the amount of blood, consistent with passion plays of the Middle Ages.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">Wooden sculpture of a lamenting woman, presumably Mary. Sadly, I did not get the details on this one.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;"><b>Lurking in the herb garden...</b></span></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-88262075809914689362013-11-01T11:42:00.000-04:002013-11-01T11:42:57.644-04:00"Get Away from Her, You Bitch": Maternalism in James Cameron's ALIENS<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><i>"<span style="font-family: inherit;">My mother was a housewife, but she was also an artist. My father was an electrical engineer."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-family: inherit;"><i> --James Cameron</i></span></div>
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Much has been made of the sexual imagery of Ridley Scott's Alien. Stylistically based as it is on the work of H.R. Giger, it would be difficult for it not to be--after all, Mr. Giger has traditionally been fixated on all things genital-related. I won't even get into what those alien heads really look like. No doubt about it, sexual and birth-related imagery abound in the film.<br />
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But when it comes to Aliens, James Cameron's 1986 actionized sequel, that symbolism has been taken to its next logical stage (biologically speaking, anyway): Parenthood. In particular, motherhood. Aliens is preoccupied with maternalism, and I would go so far as to say that it is far and away the central theme of the movie.<br />
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To be sure, motherhood plays a certain role in <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/09/alien-vs-thing-battle-of-ensemble-casts.html" target="_blank">Scott's film</a>, as well. After all, the Nostromo's central computer is called "MOTHER"--it doesn't get any more blatant than that. And the manner in which the main characters rebel and rail against their cold, unfeeling, even treacherous "Mother" throughout the film has "mommy issues" written all over it. This culminates, of course, in Ripley's desperate attempts to escape before Mother destroys the ship, as she refers to the disembodied ship's voice as "You bitch!"<br />
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However, it's in the second film that this theme, merely touched on in the first, comes to full fruition. And it all centers on Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo. In the first film, Ripley is a decidedly asexual character. In fact, she isn't even feminized with the first name Ellen until the sequel. The fact that the character was originally written to be a man, and that not a single word of the script was changed following the decision to cast a woman, speaks volumes. In short, Ripley's womanhood is irrelevant to the plot. She is a protagonist who just happens to be a woman--albeit a very strong and resourceful one who's more fit for command than any of the men on the ship. But that part could've been played--as it was originally intended--by a man, and no one would've batted an eye.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0iKx5vN2n6rNgOHN7A64Ysw7DBGf5tc-wFuwQc40pu2TjidKA1KP_6kAlXBLeWa9iZ5Galt4rrTJd33Fh7CVnbqh0-9j7bE0P3YbUDCRwCR1jc5wIvRJcwMgK7kGVCu8fH-ajptb770/s1600/ALIENS_RipleyNewt1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0iKx5vN2n6rNgOHN7A64Ysw7DBGf5tc-wFuwQc40pu2TjidKA1KP_6kAlXBLeWa9iZ5Galt4rrTJd33Fh7CVnbqh0-9j7bE0P3YbUDCRwCR1jc5wIvRJcwMgK7kGVCu8fH-ajptb770/s320/ALIENS_RipleyNewt1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"A-ffirmative."</td></tr>
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When we get to the second film, though, Ripley's womanhood comes front and center. The Ripley of Aliens could <i>not </i>have been played by a man. Being a woman is essential to the character. In that film, James Cameron did something remarkable--he created cinema's first truly viable mainstream female action hero. (Considering Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2, the female action hero seems to be something of a preoccupation for the director.) Not only is being a woman essential to Ripley's character, but being a mother in particular.<br />
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Cameron's genius here is in giving us a character who is not a strong protagonist despite her femininity--as in Scott's film--but rather <i>because </i>of her femininity. Cameron grafts all the tropes of the action movie hero--particularly the 1980s action movie hero--onto the image of the woman in her most traditional social role, that of the mother. And it works--because Cameron knows something most of us instinctively know, that mothers, as positively characterized, can be among the most determined, strong-willed, and powerful forces in all of fiction (as well as real life). Driven to protect their young, as well shaping who they grow up to become, the limits of their heroism are nearly boundless, and it could only be in a heavily paternalized culture as our own that this role would ever be demoted into something<i> lesser than</i>.<br />
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Cameron knows better, and succeeds in making a character simultaneously maternal and decidedly kick-ass in a stereotypically "masculine" sort of way. In the era of Predator and Rambo, Ripley stands out as a subversion of that macho ideal. Cameron has the vision to take the trope to places other filmmakers were too close-minded to go--or perhaps where they feared their audiences wouldn't follow.<br />
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If you've only seen the theatrical version, you're missing a big piece of the puzzle. In one of the worst examples of a movie being somewhat hamstrung in the editing process and much better served by the director's cut, there is a scene--included in the latter but missing from the former--in which we learn that Ripley was a mother. Tragically, because she was trapped in hypersleep for nearly 60 years, she has missed out on her daughter's entire adult life, and learned that she lived to a ripe old age and died just a couple of years before Ripley was recovered in deep space. It's a shocking moment for her and for us, and informs the character so greatly for the rest of the film. It's mind-boggling to me why it would've been removed, thus removing an important part of the movie's impact.<br />
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Knowing that Ripley was a mother who lost her child changes the way we look at Ripley's relationship with Newt, the little girl who is the only survivor of the ill-advised colony on planet LV-426. It is that loss which colors the rest of the movie, and their interaction in particular. Ripley has suffered the greatest trauma an adult can suffer--the loss of a child--and she'll be damned if she's about to let it happen again. For her, Newt represents not just a surrogate for her own biological daughter, but a second chance to indirectly "make up" for what happened the first time. Ripley was powerless to change anything about what happened to her own child, but she has the power to make a difference in this little girl's life, to substitute for her lost parents, and protect her from harm in a way she couldn't do for her daughter.<br />
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The growing bond between Ripley and Newt is quite touching to watch, as she begins to care for the child, gradually filling the parental role in a very real and emotionally invested way. It represents the heart of a film that is often consumed with macho, militaristic sci-fi. Or is it? Perhaps one of Cameron's greatest tricks is to subvert this macho ideal. All is not what it seems here. Rather, the Space Marines are portrayed more or less as ineffectual cartoon caricatures (with the exception of Hicks as well as Vasquez--the toughest soldier in the squadron who is, quite tellingly, a woman). Also, they are unable to stop the alien threat and properly protect the civilians Ripley and Newt. It falls to Ripley, in the role of "warrior-mother", to stand up and do the job herself. And she does it better than her militarized compatriots, unencumbered as she is by testosterone-driven hubris. Rather, she channels her maternal instincts and becomes the most formidable of them all.<br />
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In the process, she becomes cinema's first bona fide feminine action hero. She's not a woman posing in a traditionally "masculine" way, as a character who could either be a male or female, but just so happens to be a woman. Rather, her womanhood is tied directly into her action role. This is not to say that womanhood is only defined by motherhood; but rather, it is to say that, as written, the Ripley of Aliens <i>must </i>be a woman.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make room for Mommy!</td></tr>
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For the film's final conflict, Ripley is forced to do battle with another mother. But this is a very different mother--an "anti-mother" if you will. Of course, I'm talking about the Alien Queen. It's interesting to note that this creature would appear to be created for Cameron's sequel. As conceived in the original Alien, there's no indication given whatsoever that there is such a being. In fact, given what we know now about Ridley Scott's mythos with the expansion of last year's quasi-prequel <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2012/06/prometheus-70s-art-rock-album-cover.html" target="_blank">Prometheus</a>, it seem as if the eggs on that ship weren't necessarily laid by a mother at all, but rather, genetically engineered. Given the evidence we have, it's reasonably to argue that the "Alien Queen" device was invented specifically to further drive James Cameron's maternal themes in Aliens.<br />
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The Alien Queen represents the negative side of the mother--whereas we think of mothers bringing life, this mother, in a sense, brings death. Her offspring are killing machines, and her purpose for existing is solely to destroy and to breed others to destroy. She is the poisonous, cancerous mother. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that despite her ugly traits, she still retains that primal aspect of motherhood--the desperate need to protect her young. We can palpably feel her horror when Ripley torches the eggs in her chamber.<br />
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In order to truly save Newt in the end, Ripley must protect her from this evil maternal force which also seeks to possess her. And so, one of the watershed action films of the 1980s--if not of all time--culminates in a battle of Mother vs. Mother. And finally, it is the good that triumphs, the nurturing mother driven by altruism. Ripley redeems herself and achieves catharsis. In her final scene, she has become the surrogate mother, figuratively embracing Newt in the womb-like sanctuary of hypersleep.<br />
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Yes, this maternal triumph is heart-breakingly nullified by the opening scenes of the next film, David Fincher's Alien 3, when we learn that Newt dies when her hypersleep chamber malfunctions. In my opinion, this creative decision was destructive from a storytelling point of view. However, this need not diminish Cameron's achievement in Aliens, and when taken as a film on its own, as it should be, it remains one of the most impressive accomplishments of '80s cinema. Disguised as a traditional action sci-fi flick, James Cameron gave us one of film's most enduring odes to the nurturing power of motherhood.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-9871605605846805592013-09-23T14:31:00.000-04:002013-09-23T14:36:53.449-04:00Art. Zombies. Rock 'n roll. Catching Up with Lara Hope<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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B-Sol here to tell you all about one very special woman whose
band will be headlining <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Captain-Cruella-of-the-Carnivorous-Cadavers/183187265028317" target="_blank">Captain Cruella’s</a> 4<sup>th</sup> annual Village
Invasion on October 19 in Saugerties, New York. The woman is Lara Hope,
and the band is Tigeriss. Lara was on hand and tore it up last year, and
knowing her as well as we do, it’s a lock that she’ll be tearing it up
once again.<br />
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But
as if one band isn’t enough, the overachieving Ms. Hope happens to be a
member of several rockin’ ensembles. Her rockabilly band Lara Hope and
the Arktones is prepared to launch an ambitious fundraising campaign on
Indiegogo to help them record their very first full-length album—a
project they’ve been dedicating a lot of hard work to as of late. On top
of that, Lara is gearing up yet another group, the Misfits tribute band
known as the Miss-Tits (!!), to make a boobalicious debut at her very
own Rosendale Zombie Festival.<br />
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Yes,
you heard that right. In addition to her musical endeavors, Lara is
also the brains behind the Hudson Valley’s other undead extravaganza,
the Rosendale Zombie Festival, which will also be celebrating its fourth
year on Saturday, September 28! This one will be used as a fundraiser
for the Rosendale Food Pantry. Check out the official Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/415406515246600/">right here</a>!<br />
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In
addition to this, as part of the Gold Hope Duo, Ms. Hope had the
opportunity to be a part of the northeast leg of the Oddball Comedy and
Curiosity Festival, in which she opened for Dave Chappelle and Flight of
the Conchords. After Halloween, both the Gold Hope Duo and Tigeriss
will be embarking on a northeast tour along with fellow New York band
S.S. Web.<br />
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And
as if the whole music and zombies thing wasn’t enough, did I mention
that Lara Hope is an artist as well? Recently, she has begun focusing on
up-cycled, functional artwork, which includes turning cigar boxes into
mini coffins, as well as painting picture frames, mirrors and other
items. On Friday, September 13, she had her very first show opening at
the Ark Riot in Kingston, New York. Her work will continue to be on
display for the rest of the month. For more info, check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/415406515246600/">official Facebook event page</a>.<br />
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There’s
no doubt about it—Lara Hope is a true renaissance woman and a match for
even Captain Cruella herself in the events and arts departments. Be
sure to check out the Rosendale Zombie Festival later this month, and
then we “hope” (heh) to see you on hand to watch Lara and Tigeriss
perform at Village Invasion IV! </div>
<br />
<i>[This has been a cross-post from Cruella's Crypt.]</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZhdnGB7KCw4" width="420"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-42130356832543060582013-09-14T13:08:00.001-04:002013-09-14T13:08:47.535-04:00Announcing the 5th Annual Cyber Horror Awards!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It took a lot longer than usual this year--thank you, day job!--but earlier this week, I was proud to finally release the complete list of winners for the 5th annual Cyber Horror Awards! I encourage everyone to head right over to the official page of the awards to find out all the winners, as voted on by the online horror journalism community.<br />
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Since 2009, the CHAs have been the only annual horror movie awards voted on exclusively by bloggers and other online critics. It's always a blast putting them together, and always fun to recognize the best in horror cinema each year. This year was quite an interesting one! For the first time, the awards were not dominated by one big movie, but rather by two: Drew Goddard's The Cabin the Woods and Ridley Scott's Prometheus. For the most part, Scott's Alien quasi-prequel snagged prizes in the more technical areas, while Goddard's meta-horror chestnut received more of the content-driven awards--which is pretty spot-on. Also, it's worth noting that this year saw the fewest amount of films winning awards, with only four. However, they were arguably the four best horror films of 2012, which makes me happy.<br />
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We saw a tie for David Cronenberg Award for Best Director, and a winner of the Dwight Frye Award for Best Supporting Actor who received more votes than all the other nominees combined! Ti West's The Innkeepers won three awards, and two of them were the Jamie Lee Curtis Award for Best Actress and the Linnea Quigley Award for Best Supporting Actress--a testament to that movie's strong female performances. <br />
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For the complete lowdown on all the winners, please proceed directly to the official Cyber Horror Awards page! And as always, I'm eternally grateful to the luminaries who took the time out to cast their votes this year:<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Matt-Suzaka of <a href="http://chucknorrisatemybaby.com/">Chuck Norris Ate My Baby</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span>Dod March of <a href="http://wgonhelicopter.blogspot.com/">The WGON Helicopter</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span>Bryan White of the Rondo-nominated <a href="http://www.cinema-suicide.com/">Cinema-Suicide</a><br />John W. Morehead of <a href="http://www.theofantastique.com/">Theofantastique</a><br />Stu Conover of <a href="http://www.buyzombie.com/">BuyZombie</a><br />BJ-C of <a href="http://dayofwoman.com/">Day of the Woman</a> & <a href="http://iconsoffright.com/" target="_blank">Icons of Fright</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>BC of <a href="http://horror-movie-a-day.blogspot.com/">Horror-Movie-a-Day</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span>Max Cheney of the Rondo-winning <a href="http://drunkenseveredhead.blogspot.com/">Drunken Severed Head</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>John Cozzoli of the Rondo-nominated <a href="http://zomboscloset.typepad.com/">Zombos' Closet of Horror</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span><span>William Israel of <a href="http://nightmare-castle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nightmare Castle</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span><span></span>Christine Hadden of <a href="http://fangoria.com/">Fangoria.com</a> and <a href="http://fascinationwithfear.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fascination with Fear</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>Michele Eggen of <a href="http://thegirlwholoveshorror.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Girl Who Loves Horror</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>Anna Dynamite of <a href="https://bemusedandnonplussed.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Bemused and Nonplussed</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>Johnny Squires of <a href="http://freddyinspace.com/" target="_blank">Freddy in Space</a> and <a href="http://fearnet.com/" target="_blank">Fearnet</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>Paige MacGregor of <a href="http://fandomania.com/" target="_blank">Fandomania</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><span>John Kenneth Muir of <a href="http://reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Reflections of Cult Movies & Classic TV</a> </span></span></span></span></span> </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-61130785308421952912013-08-12T10:48:00.001-04:002013-08-12T10:48:44.878-04:00Karen Black 1939-2013<span style="color: yellow;"><i>"There aren't any more movie stars, which is terrific with me,
it's very healthy. A lot of love now occurs in the business, people
helping each other to do good work, getting high on each other's
success. Isn't that great?"</i></span><br />
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She rose to prominence as part of a new wave of "actor's actors" changing Hollywood in the late 1960s and 1970s, but would later redefine herself as what is often referred to as a "scream queen". Yet that simple term unfairly reduces the contributions she made, both to mainstream film and the horror genre, over the course of her 45-year career. Karen Black was a one of a kind, and has inspired a devoted following which was saddened to learn that she had lost her three-year battle with ampullary cancer last Thursday at the age of 74.<br />
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Born Karen Blanche Ziegler in Park Ridge, Illinois, she took her stage name from first husband Charles Black, whom she married at the tender age of 16. The marriage would last only seven years, but she would keep the name for the rest of her career. And she was advanced for her age in more ways than this, as at the time of her marriage she was already a student at Northwestern University. However, she was bitten by the acting bug early, and dropped out of college to head to New York and Lee Strasberg's world famous acting studio at age 17.<br />
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She started appearing in a number of off-Broadway roles in her late teens and early twenties, and even had her first bit part on screen in 1959 in the exploitation flick The Prime Time, at the age of 20. By 1965, she had debuted on Broadway to acclaim in the short-lived critical darling The Playroom. The following year, she got her first major screen role in the early Francis Ford Coppola film, You're a Big Boy Now.<br />
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By the latter part of the 1960s, Black had begun to establish herself amongst a new generation of young and hungry actors, born of the Stanislavsky method and eager to turn Hollywood on its ear--actors like Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and others. It would in fact be her 1969 appearance alongside Hopper, Nicholson and Peter Fonda in the groundbreaking biker opus Easy Rider that would truly introduce her to the world as a major star.<br />
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Black turned her heads with her self-named role, and followed it up the next year with another turn co-starring with Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces. This time, she earned an Oscar nomination, and the first of two Golden Globe awards she would receive in her career. Karen Black had become one of the most buzzworthy actresses of the new decade--a decade in which she would participate in changing the face of American film.<br />
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At the apex of her career in the 1970s, Karen Black got to star in Coppola's adaptation of The Great Gatsby alongside Robert Redford; The Day of the Locust with Donald Sutherland and Burgess Meredith; and Airport 1975, in which she became the infamous "stewardess flying the plane" that would inspire the title and theme of Ron Hogan's <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2010/01/exclusive-interview-author-and-film.html" target="_blank">excellent book on '70s cinema</a>.<br />
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She would also begin to dabble in the horror genre, beginning with the horror-tinged thriller The Pyx in 1973, but starting in earnest in late 1974, when she took a major role in the TV movie Trilogy of Terror--mainly because her second husband, Robert Burton, had landed a part. The two would be divorced by the time the movie aired, but Black's sojourn into the realm of the dark and bizarre had begun. She followed it up in 1976 with starring roles in Dan Curtis' Burnt Offerings with Bette Davis, and in Family Plot, the final film of Alfred Hitchcock.<br />
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Karen Black's career would never again reach the heights it did during the 1970s. And although she once again turned heads in 1982 with an appearance in Robert Altman's Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, by this point she had embarked on a different stage of her career--one that would wind up defining her for the next quarter century. Karen Black had become a so-called "scream queen"--yet her acting chops and legit training helped her stand out from the pack of '80s horror starlets. In truth, she was a cut above.<br />
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Her resume during the 1980s would include such movies as Tobe Hooper's Invaders from Mars remake and It's Alive III: Island of the Alive. By the 1990s, she had settled firmly into B-horror shlock territory--her films of that era include the likes of Children of the Corn: The Gathering and other obscure direct-to-video fare. It was a far cry from starring roles in Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Altman pictures, but she continued to work steadily and had found a niche for herself which endeared her to legions of fans like never before.<br />
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Black's most memorable role of the new century, and perhaps the part for which she is most known to younger horror fans, would come in 2003 thanks to horror aficionado Rob Zombie. A fan of the genre--particularly the '70s and '80s era of splatter and exploitation, Zombie had been a big fan of Black's work and decided to thrust her back into the horror mainstream along with other cult favorites in his debut picture, House of 1,000 Corpses. As the unforgettable Mother Firefly, Black was the best thing about the film, and it instantly reminded fans of just what a talent and a gift to the genre she truly was.<br />
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Nevertheless, House of 1,000 Corpses didn't quite lead to the full career resurgence fans of Black had been hoping for, and she continued to ply her trade in B cinema for the remainder of the decade, most notably in the 2011 underground horror comedy Some Guy Who Kills People.<br />
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However, by that point, Black had already been forced to curtail her career thanks to a diagnosis of ampullary cancer in 2010. Through surgery and treatment, she was able to beat it within months, but it returned aggressively last year, and on August 8, 2013, with fourth husband Stephen Eckelberry by her side, it claimed her life.<br />
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Although her career trajectory did not follow the same path as many of her compatriots from those exciting game-changing days of the late '60s and early '70s, in her own way Karen Black left a mark that will never be forgotten. She found a niche and a formula that worked, keeping her working and beloved by fans of horror and B-movies for decades.<br />
<br />
All in all--a legacy most actors would kill for. <br />
<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-56788660889558864412013-08-06T12:01:00.003-04:002013-08-06T12:03:16.807-04:00Random Ramblings from the Vault!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu9DJYmpBozTN5FlFCaUDXaIFVQMp_Wyg0f79xdCPThFCixI9o9HIJdsw4g0Ta-DNWEk7hEtjmr0LgrZjJTG6Cd3cK3d1hOo15QVvKlAbAmesju-XvVhC88c1dLudAQBunoBjD73FzUI/s1600/the-wicker-man-original-1973-christopher-lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu9DJYmpBozTN5FlFCaUDXaIFVQMp_Wyg0f79xdCPThFCixI9o9HIJdsw4g0Ta-DNWEk7hEtjmr0LgrZjJTG6Cd3cK3d1hOo15QVvKlAbAmesju-XvVhC88c1dLudAQBunoBjD73FzUI/s200/the-wicker-man-original-1973-christopher-lee.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>Random Ramblings is back this week, and I'd like to kick it off by shouting to the rooftops how excited I am about the impending release of the long-pined-for restored version of Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man. Director Hardy had long lamented the seemingly permanent loss of 14 minutes of the film's footage due to a ridiculous studio bungle. Now that it's finally been found 40 years later, I can't wait to see Hardy's true, original vision at last.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I've spent years educated my kids on the joys of horror, but till now have kept things relatively confined to the PG/PG-13 realm. I recently broke that edict with a screening of the brilliant '70s zombie chestnut <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/04/this-shouldve-been-real-trailer-for-let.html" target="_blank">Let Sleeping Corpses Lie</a> (a.k.a. The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue). I'm proud to report that <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post.html" target="_blank">Zombelina and Skeleton Jack</a> (ages 11 and 9) are alive, well and untraumatized. Like Luke Skywalker, they've taken their first step into a larger world.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPYmVB8VN5HyvGGrJ4KpELebaPEijJlnTYBdab5ibE6rKzuvuM2-5MKASZArfqLrYPKaKWJJqhvlCmt_DCYrnu4OQT60op7vvW_9acUoUh0ZmXAXyMxFIAwuFA1umtD8lk37lOnQSCu0/s1600/trueblood-s6-mediablast-19-1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPYmVB8VN5HyvGGrJ4KpELebaPEijJlnTYBdab5ibE6rKzuvuM2-5MKASZArfqLrYPKaKWJJqhvlCmt_DCYrnu4OQT60op7vvW_9acUoUh0ZmXAXyMxFIAwuFA1umtD8lk37lOnQSCu0/s200/trueblood-s6-mediablast-19-1024.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Is it just me, or has True Blood been improving this season? For me, the show has always seemed so erratic, going from interesting to unbearable at regular intervals. But I have to say, this season so far has captured my attention and seems to be getting back to more of what made the show so intriguing in the first place.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As you might have been able to tell by the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2013/07/video-review-my-son-and-i-take-on.html" target="_blank">recent vlog</a> here in the Vault, and elsewhere in <a href="http://jacksmovietown.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jack's Movie Town</a>, I'm seriously on a Pacific Rim high this summer. I've now seen the film three times, and it's successfully washed away the taste of the horrendous Man of Steel and the slightly disappointing Star Trek: Into Darkness. If you haven't seen it yet--SEE IT. Word of mouth is spreading, and it now looks like a sequel may actually happen.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fNHPGqOtRJvxjrvtjLz5NNtX7xO4xaTwWeH3X84s4RaWGQ1-Tr9uHJGYhIrK4go4eLdkRWFtd6gm7Oops38nANBCy1Px5UhF23Twjr3_nK_sHJY2x5p86cJx5eiA8XCc19MiGWQ2rTk/s1600/original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fNHPGqOtRJvxjrvtjLz5NNtX7xO4xaTwWeH3X84s4RaWGQ1-Tr9uHJGYhIrK4go4eLdkRWFtd6gm7Oops38nANBCy1Px5UhF23Twjr3_nK_sHJY2x5p86cJx5eiA8XCc19MiGWQ2rTk/s200/original.jpg" width="155" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>Did you know that <a href="http://weirdtalesmagazine.com/" target="_blank">Weird Tales magazine</a> is back in publication? Shame on you if you didn't. The classic old school horror pulp, which boasted such authors as H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard among its contributors, has been back for a little while now, and I strongly encourage you to support it. We need solid outlets for new horror short fiction, and I can think of no better home for it than the legendary Weird Tales. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I always love putting together the <a href="http://cyberhorrorawards.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cyber Horror Awards</a>, because it gives me a chance to catch up on the best horror films of the past year that I may have missed. This time, I'm taking some time to discover Lovely Molly, Sinister and Mother's Day...</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For many years, I've admired the amazing Alamo Drafthouse from afar. A theater that combines good movies with good food and drink, and also has genuine knowledge of film history and respect for the moviegoing experience? Count me in. Color me ecstatic at this month's brand new opening of an <a href="http://drafthouse.com/nyc_area/yonkers" target="_blank">Alamo Drafthouse in Yonkers, New York</a>, a mere 20 miles or so from me. And among their first screenings will be Stanley Kubrick's The Shining! I'll be heading down there very soon, you can count on that...</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For all you supporters of my <a href="http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Bedlam-at-the-Bijou-horror-film-series-set-to-3893406.php" target="_blank">Bedlam at the Bijou</a> series, I just wanted to let you know that our run at that venue has ended after a glorious and very fun year. However, fear not--because I'm looking to take the Bedlam brand on the road and continue the coolness at a new location in Connecticut. Stay tuned for more updates on where and when you can expect to see <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2012/10/bringing-bedlam-to-bijou.html" target="_blank">vintage horror double-features</a> in the mighty B-Sol manner.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFGnqObtB4TmqAsK7ZSoxgkloi6IvnVLUU4h6Ib0VqLWdceXy47zof_Tr58k9qSFAAYqeN-NMOw4E6duk9UWxrM_XUEuqYgjwdDgMYW_eFUAR5h02pm7WMkUc6wM5fO2Yta60-Y4h0U0/s1600/5352982779_4e4ddd31dc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFGnqObtB4TmqAsK7ZSoxgkloi6IvnVLUU4h6Ib0VqLWdceXy47zof_Tr58k9qSFAAYqeN-NMOw4E6duk9UWxrM_XUEuqYgjwdDgMYW_eFUAR5h02pm7WMkUc6wM5fO2Yta60-Y4h0U0/s200/5352982779_4e4ddd31dc.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Captain-Cruella-of-the-Carnivorous-Cadavers/183187265028317" target="_blank">Captain Cruella's</a> Village Invasion is returning with an amazing FOURTH annual installment in the town of Saugerties, nestled in New York's idyllic Hudson Valley. It's the Northeast's premiere zombie crawl event, and this year looks to be bigger and better than ever. Check it out at the official <a href="http://villageinvasion.com/" target="_blank">Village Invasion website</a>, or stay tuned to <a href="http://cruellascrypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cruella's Crypt</a> for more news and information!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>While I'm bragging and boasting, I'd like to take this moment to give a mention to my Twitter and Instagram presences. For Vault updates and more, plus a coveted glimpse into my ever-fascinating life, feel free to follow me <a href="http://twitter.com/B_Sol" target="_blank">@B_Sol</a> on Twitter, or <a href="http://instagram.com/b_sol13" target="_blank">@B_Sol13</a> on Instagram. </li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-22447075035566721292013-08-01T14:41:00.000-04:002013-08-01T14:41:03.586-04:00Better Late Than Never: Announcing the Nominees for the 5th Annual CYBER HORROR AWARDS<br />
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<br />
It all started four years ago as a novel idea... how interesting would it be to give the horror blogosphere a platform from which to praise the best in horror movies each year? Other critic-based movie awards exist out there, so what about one for online horror journalists--who happen to be among the most opinionated, vocal critics of them all? So I came up with the Cyber Horror Awards, taking advantage of the connections I had made in the online horror world to create a system that could be used to recognize greatness in horror cinema each year.<br />
<br />
Each year, I reach out to a select group of notables to help me select nominees in 13 different categories. Once that's done, the official ballot is emailed to scores of online horror critics (this year that number reached nearly 150), both blogger and non-blogger alike, asking them to select their choices. And then, at long last, the winners are declared over at the <a href="http://cyberhorrorawards.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">official home of the Cyber Horror Awards</a>. Needless to say, this is all happening a few months later this year than I'd normally like, but hey, sometimes real life can be a bit of a nuisance.<br />
<br />
Speaking of the official CHA website, by going there you can check out the official list of this year's nominees, highlighting some of the best and brightest the horror genre had to offer in 2012. It's quite an interesting field this time out... In previous years, a single movie usually dominated the nominees: 2008 was the year of Let the Right One In; in 2009 it was Trick 'r Treat; 2010 was dominated by Black Swan; and last year it was Attack the Block. This year, however, there are three films which are running neck-and-neck: The Woman in Black, with 10 nominations; The Cabin in the Woods, with 11 nominations; and Prometheus, with a whopping 12 out of 13 nominations (all that was missing was Best Supporting Actor... poor Idris Elba.) The Innkeepers also made a significant showing with 6 nominations.<br />
<br />
But enough jibber-jabber. To give you a taste, our nominees for the Val Lewton Award for Best Horror Film of the Year are:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prometheus</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Cabin in the Woods</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Woman in Black</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Innkeepers</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sinister</span></b></li>
</ul>
Head over to the <a href="http://cyberhorrorawards.blogspot.com/2013/07/2012-cyber-horror-award-nominees.html" target="_blank">Cyber Horror Awards website</a> and check out the full list now! Ballots have been sent out, with a deadline of August 15. I expect to publish the results not long after that. And incidentally, if you're an online horror critic/blogger and you have NOT received a ballot from me, feel free to reach out to me, and we'll see what we can do to rectify that!<br />
<br />
And now, I leave you with a handy guide to all the awards and their previous winners:<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Val Lewton Award for Best Film</span></b><br />
2011: <i>Attack the Block</i><br />
2010: <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: <i>Trick 'r Treat</i><br />
2008: <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>David Cronenberg Award for Best Director</b></span><br />
2011: Joe Cornish, <i>Attack the Block</i><br />
2010: Darren Aronofsky, <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: Michael Dougherty, <i>Trick 'r Treat</i><br />
2008: Tomas Alfredson, <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jamie Lee Curtis Award for Best Actress</b></span><br />
2011: Jodie Whittaker, <i>Attack the Block</i><br />
2010: Natalie Portman, <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: Isabelle Fuhrman, <i>Orphan</i><br />
2008: Lina Leandersson, <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vincent Price Award for Best Actor</span></b><br />
2011: Rutger Hauer, <i>Hobo with a Shotgun</i><br />
2010: Leonardo DiCaprio, <i>Shutter Island </i><br />
2009: Woody Harrelson, <i>Zombieland</i><br />
2008: Kare Hedebrant, <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Linnea Quigley Award for Best Supporting Actress</span></b><br />
2011: Angela Bettis, <i>The Woman</i><br />
2010: Delphine Chaneac, <i>Splice</i><br />
2009: Lorna Raver, <i>Drag Me to Hell</i><br />
2008: Lizzy Caplan, <i>Cloverfield</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dwight Frye Award for Best Supporting Actor</b></span><br />
2011: John Goodman, <i>Red State</i><br />
2010: Vincent Cassel, <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: Bill Murray, <i>Zombieland</i><br />
2008: Vinnie Jones, <i>The Midnight Meat Train</i><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Curt Siodmak Award for Best Screenplay</span></b><br />
2011: Joe Cornish, <i>Attack the Block</i><br />
2010: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz & John McLaughlin, <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: Michael Dougherty, <i>Trick 'r Treat</i><br />
2008: John Ajvide Lindqvist, <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Karl Freund Award for Best Cinematography</b></span><br />
2011: Hallvard Braein, <i>Troll Hunter</i><br />
2010: Matthew Libatique, <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: Anthony Dod Mantle, <i>Antichrist</i><br />
2008: Hoyte Van Hoytema, <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Albert S. D'Agostino Award for Best Production Design</span></b><br />
2011: Roger Ford, <i>Don't Be Afraid of the Dark</i><br />
2010: Dante Ferretti, <i>Shutter Island</i><br />
2009: Steve Saklad, <i>Drag Me to Hell</i><br />
2008: David Hackl, <i>Repo! The Genetic Opera</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bernard Herrmann Award for Best Score</b></span><br />
2011: Tie: Joseph Bishara, <i>Insidious </i>/ Steven Price, <i>Attack the Block</i><br />
2010: Clint Mansell, <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: Christopher Young, <i>Drag Me to Hell</i><br />
2008: Johan Soderqvist, <i>Let the Right One In</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tom Savini Award for Best Makeup</b></span><br />
2011: Sharon Toohey, <i>Tucker & Dale vs. Evil</i><br />
2010: Rick Baker, <i>The Wolfman</i><br />
2009: Greg Nicotero, <i>Drag Me to Hell</i><br />
2008: Greg Nicotero, <i>Diary of the Dead</i> / <i>Mirrors</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ray Harryhausen Award for Best Visual Effects</b></span><br />
2011: <i>Troll Hunter</i><br />
2010: <i>Black Swan</i><br />
2009: <i>Coraline</i><br />
2008: <i>The Ruins</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Molly Arbuthnot Award for Best Costume Design</b></span><br />
2011: Ha Nguyen, <i>Priest</i><br />
2010: Milena Canonero, <i>The Wolfman</i><br />
2009: Magali Guidasci, <i>Zombieland</i><br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-55281788056928375722013-07-24T16:38:00.001-04:002013-07-24T16:38:51.931-04:00Exorcist XL: Is Friedkin's Film Blasphemy or Reverence?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>With the 40th anniversary of what is arguably considered the most frightening horror film of all time--and unarguably the most financially successful--my intention has been to celebrate that milestone all year. Much like I did with the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Quarter-Century%20of%20Krueger" target="_blank">25th anniversary of A Nightmare on Elm Street</a> in 2009, the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/Psycho%20Semi-Centennial" target="_blank">50th anniversary of Psycho</a> in 2010, the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/Three%20Decades%20of%20David" target="_blank">30th anniversary of An American Werewolf in London</a> in 2011 and the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/Nosferatu%20at%2090" target="_blank">90th anniversary of Nosferatu</a> in 2012. Alas, my schedule has made this more difficult than I originally planned, but at long last I'm able to sit down and put together the first of my "Exorcist XL" series, commemorating 40 years since the release of the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture...</i><br />
<br />
Growing up as a Roman Catholic, The Exorcist was a film that has filled me with dread for as long as I can remember. On the sidebar of this very blog, I recount the traumatic experience of first being exposed to it at the tender age of 8. It was a film that had an aura of the forbidden, and seemed in many ways to be the literal embodiment of evil. However, over time, I've come to the conclusion that--far from the unholy terror it has often been portrayed to be--The Exorcist is actually a very pious work. In fact, I'd go so far as to call it pro-Catholic propaganda. And that's coming from someone with the utmost admiration for the film.<br />
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I've heard religious individuals condemn The Exorcist as being the work of the Devil, and of being an immoral and irresponsible movie that devout Christians should avoid at all costs. Never mind the fact that, to my knowledge, the Roman Catholic Church (nor any major religious group, for that matter) never came out openly against the film in any way. In fact, the film even had the full participation of the Jesuit order, and even lent one of their brethren, Fr. William O'Malley (a licensed exorcist) to not only consult on the film, but to even appear on camera as the character Fr. Dyer, close friend of Damien Karras.<br />
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Why would this be the case, if The Exorcist were in fact a Satanic, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2010/05/take-this-all-of-you-and-eat-it.html" target="_blank">anti-Catholic</a> movie? If anything, it is quite the opposite. Within the world of The Exorcist, the priests are the good guys--they are soldiers of Christ. In fact, the movie is almost medieval in its thinking, casting the scientists as misguided, ineffectual and even actively negligent in their inability to help Regan during her plight. God and the Devil are quite real here, and only the disciples of God can be of assistance. Von Sydow's Fr. Merrin knows this to be true, and calmly dismisses more secular approaches.<br />
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One can even go so far as to interpret Regan's possession as a punishment for her mother's atheism--a belief system that in the world of this film leaves her without the ability to protect her daughter in any way. Chris MacNeil must go on a journey that forces her to confront the existence of traditional spirituality--much like Fr. Karras must struggle with his own loss of faith. It is only when Karras abandons his nihilism and embraces the empathetic virtue of self-sacrifice that he is finally able to find a true solution that separates Regan and the demon (although one can argue his selflessness is not necessarily religious but simply humanist in nature.)<br />
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Those who choose to avoid The Exorcist because they consider themselves good Catholics are missing the whole point. The movie may portray things that are considered hideous and obscene sacrilege, but these are depicted solely to demonstrate the work of the Devil in all its explicit evil. The movie does not take the demon's side--if anything, it is the men of God whom we are most encouraged to root for. Regan's revolting words and actions are shown simply to make the defeat of the demon that much more satisfying. And there is nothing seen that cannot also be found in actual reports of exorcisms performed by Catholic priests. I do not believe the film glorifies these elements, but rather uses them to establish the significance of the threat.<br />
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In short, the world of The Exorcist postulates that God and the Devil exist, that radical good and evil also exist, and that Christian spirituality is better equipped to combat evil than man's 20th century secularism. In other words, it is an extremely traditional film in theme and philosophy, and not the sordid, blasphemous work its opponents have often characterized it to be. In fact, I'd go so far as to speculate that the film can be interpreted as alarmingly archaic in its traditionalism, eschewing modern humanistic developments for a very black-and-white, fire-and-brimstone Old Testament version of reality. Far from being a Satanic work, it could easily have been based on an ancient or medieval fable, intended to keep potential stray believers on the straight and narrow.<br />
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The Exorcist may make the Devil seem cool, but don't forget that in the end the Devil loses--and it's the power of Christ that compels him.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-39192283308280872932013-07-15T19:38:00.001-04:002013-07-15T19:38:38.509-04:00Faces of Fear: VampiresTonight we debut a brand new feature here in The Vault of Horror, in which we will spotlight various distinguished denizens of our nightmares. For our first edition, we take a look at what is perhaps horror's most iconic monster of all...<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-16048461261075547462013-07-13T14:29:00.000-04:002013-07-13T14:29:10.603-04:00VIDEO REVIEW! My Son and I Take on PACIFIC RIM, Guillermo del Toro's 21st Century Kaiju Masterpiece!Direct from <a href="http://jacksmovietown.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jack's Movie Town</a>, the movie review blog of my son Skeleton Jack (a.k.a. Wee-Sol), I give to you this very special <a href="http://jacksmovietown.blogspot.com/2013/07/pacific-rim-2013.html" target="_blank">video review</a> of the film that single-handedly saved the summer of 2013 for me...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1DABGdvCOs4" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-23337139291450909732013-05-30T22:49:00.000-04:002013-05-30T23:17:49.693-04:00What Might Have Been: Peter Cushing in the ‘70s (And Beyond)<br />
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One of the most iconic performers in the history of the
horror film genre, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/12/many-faces-of-peter-cushing.html" target="_blank">Peter Cushing</a> attained that iconic status thanks to a string
of roles—mainly for legendary Hammer Films—during the 1950s and 1960s that saw
him play the likes of Dr. Frankenstein, Dr. Van Helsing, Sherlock Holmes and
others. A classically trained actor who played it much straighter during his
earlier years in the 1930s and 1940s, Cushing will nevertheless always be
remembered for the reputation he established as one of the true gentlemen of
horror. <br />
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Nevertheless, after nearly 20 years as the face of British
terror, Cushing’s career took a step back in the 1970s. There are a few reasons
for this. One would be the death of his beloved wife Helen in 1971—a loss
that left him a shell of his former self for the remainder of his life. There
was also the fall of Hammer from its position of prominence into oblivion. For
much of the decade, the actor slummed it in roles that his fans and supporters
believed to be clearly beneath him. Even the role of the villainous Grand Moff
Tarkin in Star Wars, for which Cushing is perhaps best known by younger
audiences, was mainly undertaken by Cushing because he felt it would appeal to
children. Whatever the reasons for it, there is no doubt that Cushing’s 1970s
output was decidedly more erratic and of lower quality than the work that had
come before.</div>
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But it didn’t have to be that way. There are several
tantalizing “What Ifs” surrounding Cushing’s career during this period that are
enough to give any horror aficionado pause. The 1970s (and even 1980s) could
have played out very differently for him than they did, if only a few different
choices had been made. </div>
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In 1970, when American International Pictures was in
pre-production on a quirky, ambitious vehicle for Vincent Price, Cushing was
approached to play the chief protagonist alongside Price. Aside from Price, the
film starred an assortment of British character actors, and Cushing would’ve
been perfect heading up the bunch. It would’ve been a breakout role for
American audiences who knew him mainly for the British imports from Hammer.
However, Cushing’s wife Helen was very ill with the emphysema that would soon
claim her life, and the actor turned down the part in order to stay by her side
and care for her.</div>
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The film was <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2011/07/exclusive-abominable-dr-phibes-dvd.html" target="_blank">The Abominable Dr. Phibes</a>, and the role was
that of Dr. Vesalius, the noble foil to Price’s titular villain. American
Oscar-winner Joseph Cotten was eventually chosen for the part, and although he
is very effective in the finished film, his American-ness does make him stand
out like a sore thumb amongst the film’s cast (while Price was also American,
of course, his bearing and demeanor always helped him get away with it
somehow). The movie is easily one of the finest horror pictures of the entire
decade, and arguably better than any Hammer film put out during the same
period. There can be no doubt that Cushing’s presence alongside his fellow
horror icon Price would’ve only made it that much better.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62L9uELjKk-ICadYuNG5V0lq-QyStuRpAim2SCObGlAfGpN_XXM5hoTpW1beBKslCE1RxpHFgSRzXlRCr3UCfvsXUeSNclXFYR2IWBh-UUwiGLzpaQC2rn1xDSR9sKUkaY2IawIPH5yE/s1600/mqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62L9uELjKk-ICadYuNG5V0lq-QyStuRpAim2SCObGlAfGpN_XXM5hoTpW1beBKslCE1RxpHFgSRzXlRCr3UCfvsXUeSNclXFYR2IWBh-UUwiGLzpaQC2rn1xDSR9sKUkaY2IawIPH5yE/s320/mqdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cushing as the ship's captain in Dr. Phibes Rises Again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Interestingly, Cushing—mere months after Helen’s
passing—would appear in the 1972 sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, but in a tiny
role so unworthy of him one wonders why he was even cast. It would not be until
two years later that Cushing and Price would finally have the opportunity to
properly co-star with each other, in the Amicus production Madhouse. It would
be one of the only times.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two years after Madhouse, wunderkind filmmaker George Lucas
was ramping his soon-to-be game-changing space opera Star Wars into production.
Although the cast would be made up largely of young unknowns, Lucas wanted two
British actors with established gravitas for two of the key roles—that of
wizened Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, and of the evil galactic tyrant Grand Moff
Tarkin. Initially, the director approached Cushing for the role of Kenobi—but
presumably the actor’s horror track record and aristocratic, aloof on-screen
presence (a direct contrast to his warm, gentle personality in real life) led
Lucas to switch gears and instead cast him as the icy Tarkin. Fellow acclaimed
Englishman Alec Guiness was instead chosen to play the benevolent Kenobi.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGiWFHiDHUNTofCMvV-NVZK41WMVbno5OnML-PY_AYp8LqaD8PkpVRXU2VcPMO9SeJdTkKs0pvnM5XOQZRQblrr7ik1RJ0qLovtF8alddHrXRL1DS_tH2X6UqDkyl9fk8dt-GLqhbeJ4/s1600/Tarkin_DS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGiWFHiDHUNTofCMvV-NVZK41WMVbno5OnML-PY_AYp8LqaD8PkpVRXU2VcPMO9SeJdTkKs0pvnM5XOQZRQblrr7ik1RJ0qLovtF8alddHrXRL1DS_tH2X6UqDkyl9fk8dt-GLqhbeJ4/s320/Tarkin_DS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Needless to say, had Cushing landed the part he was
originally approached for, he would’ve had the opportunity to appear in both
Star Wars sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (as Guinness
did in the role), not to mention have his character reprised by a younger actor
in the later prequels (which Ewan McGregor did for Guinness). As it stands,
Cushing’s appearance in perhaps the most successful movie franchise of all time
is relegated to a one-time appearance that covers less than ten (albeit
memorable) minutes of screen time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Star Wars raised Cushing’s profile with American audiences
higher than it had been in years, and hot on the heels of that
mega-blockbuster, Cushing was approached by another young upstart filmmaker by
the name of John Carpenter, hard at work on a project that was decidedly
grittier and less grandiose, and yet just as ambitious in its own right:
<a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/10/retro-review-halloween-1978.html" target="_blank">Halloween</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carpenter was looking to redefine the parameters of horror,
taking some cues from earlier films like Psycho, but moving them in a
completely different direction. Nevertheless, it was a very small picture, and
no one understood at the time that he was basically inventing the modern
slasher subgenre. A rabid fan of 1950s and 1960s horror, Carpenter wanted
Cushing, one of his idols, for a key role in the film—that of Dr. Sam Loomis,
the beleaguered psychiatrist of psychopathic killer Michael Myers, who tracks
the maniac down to the sleepy town of Haddonfield, Illinois.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqmazEmqlKYagYnpPyIE0ka6M360v-sbpeMomA_uxwM3ZLKOg9GW0IHXx3pYXTHOWw8CqeIrCHIlGPGojz-CiQCK0rt4h7pX2_X7MS6fxbn5SGJbFuXX-ffD_tuXtQpHzvSCA7wl-i78/s1600/son-of-hitler-1978-dvd-peter-cushing-bud-cort-comedy-de0d4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqmazEmqlKYagYnpPyIE0ka6M360v-sbpeMomA_uxwM3ZLKOg9GW0IHXx3pYXTHOWw8CqeIrCHIlGPGojz-CiQCK0rt4h7pX2_X7MS6fxbn5SGJbFuXX-ffD_tuXtQpHzvSCA7wl-i78/s320/son-of-hitler-1978-dvd-peter-cushing-bud-cort-comedy-de0d4.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The movie Cushing made<br />
instead of Halloween</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was quite a meaty role, but Cushing nevertheless turned
Carpenter down. Perhaps the then-somewhat-sordid subject matter was the reason
for this, although that argument loses some steam when one realizes that
Cushing instead chose to star in a clunker called Son of Hitler. Incidentally,
a disappointed Carpenter next asked Cushing’s Hammer cohort Christopher Lee,
who also turned down the part—a decision he would later cite as the biggest
mistake of his career. The part instead went to another British character actor—and
former Bond villain—Donald Pleasance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the wake of Hammer’s demise, Halloween could have been
Cushing’s grand return to horror relevance. The film became one of the most
groundbreaking horror pictures not only of its time, but of all time, and
Cushing as Dr. Loomis would’ve been the most eloquent evolution of his old Van
Helsing character, a scientist tracking a ruthless murderer, taken to a whole
new, thoroughly modern level for a new generation of horror fans. It also
would’ve all but guaranteed repeat appearances for Cushing as Dr. Loomis in the
three Halloween sequels in which Pleasance instead appeared over the course of
the 1980s. That would’ve meant we’d have Peter Cushing front and center in a
top horror film series during an era when all his fellow former horror icons
had faded from prominence in the face of Freddy, Jason, Pinhead and their ilk.
Now that would’ve been something.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As it stands, we’re left only to speculate on the further
greatness Peter Cushing may have sustained in the 1970s and 1980s, and an alternate reality in which Cushing starred alongside Vincent Price in Dr. Phibes, played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars movies, and was Michael Myers' mortal enemy. Clearly, it
just wasn’t meant to be, and the actor’s deep depression during those years is
reflected in both his lackluster roles and comparatively half-hearted
performances. Peter Cushing gave us all he had during his entire career—it’s
just sad that in those later years he had so little left to give. We’ll have to
be happy with the Peter Cushing of the 1950s and 1960s, at the height of his
powers, creating a breathtaking and unforgettable body of work. For most of us,
that’s more than enough.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: yellow;"><i>This post is part of Pierre Fournier's Peter Cushing Centennial Blogathon, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of horror's greatest treasures. Please check out Pierre's excellent blog <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cpqj4kl" target="_blank">Frankensteinia</a> to find all the other posts in the blogathon! </i></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-40171108340659162013-02-02T00:10:00.001-05:002013-02-02T00:10:30.399-05:00VAULT VLOG: Attention Amateur Filmmakers! Take Part in Bedlam at the Bijou's B-Movie Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-86573743294244743482013-01-23T14:24:00.001-05:002013-01-23T14:24:50.791-05:00Hump-Day Harangue: Why Hammer Beats Universal (Almost) Every Time<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMVaM4SOifS3VvhKf0qh085EQcbqPS3rWelmtnlIVeDflxzWzGQc0N4NZHI3dqj0sHMue8IkiaG50L7Qn2AvA_H0pMZltOrjuPrbmqEJpVE08O7ztzySgFj27TPIUzIZ-8LA9ryuy20g/s1600/Hammer-Films.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMVaM4SOifS3VvhKf0qh085EQcbqPS3rWelmtnlIVeDflxzWzGQc0N4NZHI3dqj0sHMue8IkiaG50L7Qn2AvA_H0pMZltOrjuPrbmqEJpVE08O7ztzySgFj27TPIUzIZ-8LA9ryuy20g/s320/Hammer-Films.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Let’s get one thing out of the way, first and foremost—in my
estimation, both James Whale’s Frankenstein and <a href="http://cinema-geek.blogspot.com/2010/01/52-perfect-movies-bride-of-frankenstein.html" target="_blank">The Bride of Frankenstein</a> 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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3QuKrhWWhHyixduC-9MRdqBVj93tLZkRKceo2RQg8AKw7tau3KRoaw2bgFd45hebh3YK7JXviXYVqUCpJyMYPQqyhSpJmw1sVo8eAHxhqAOBgv928la3GmjhgRAI71jIIeTxW2vtSbw/s1600/wnew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3QuKrhWWhHyixduC-9MRdqBVj93tLZkRKceo2RQg8AKw7tau3KRoaw2bgFd45hebh3YK7JXviXYVqUCpJyMYPQqyhSpJmw1sVo8eAHxhqAOBgv928la3GmjhgRAI71jIIeTxW2vtSbw/s320/wnew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNO7gtOYeF4ZeQMPnagZGYrxHx5fJBmOZUmW-cB5vSgxC6OCHm9R7pzfPh43Gk_iEXmUnEIdORGwxTLLM8-_DwcY77rCoXh5hVmJOj7mjOPfwPZ4Ag3phVhWXseK8Mbf48D1QezQEMRY/s1600/article-1348642-05521240000005DC-558_306x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNO7gtOYeF4ZeQMPnagZGYrxHx5fJBmOZUmW-cB5vSgxC6OCHm9R7pzfPh43Gk_iEXmUnEIdORGwxTLLM8-_DwcY77rCoXh5hVmJOj7mjOPfwPZ4Ag3phVhWXseK8Mbf48D1QezQEMRY/s320/article-1348642-05521240000005DC-558_306x423.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbINLkBZ6nUnsI1J_asjpYuC72SHoqBtNHCFUzkYPW0SJVManpdKo9kXuiIGUKPlyhpz0AAxapqe0JNuq0D8BYFgb1TkyV0WKRqOWuTg6BE3slgP2MUpjpwXObXcHoRQr6p7boY2pkTM/s1600/Pipe-used-by-Peter-Cushing-as-Sherlock-Holmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbINLkBZ6nUnsI1J_asjpYuC72SHoqBtNHCFUzkYPW0SJVManpdKo9kXuiIGUKPlyhpz0AAxapqe0JNuq0D8BYFgb1TkyV0WKRqOWuTg6BE3slgP2MUpjpwXObXcHoRQr6p7boY2pkTM/s320/Pipe-used-by-Peter-Cushing-as-Sherlock-Holmes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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<sup>th</sup>
century, Hammer was careful to set its stories firmly in the Victorian era (or
earlier in some cases). </div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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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. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHfEDzAJmu5PMcKgi0Anm1xKNxkj1tye4A1VSqXQz4qlLYuwobvooVjiH9HW92NURpI99qceZFeBH9kcDMtlTFQlPZq3TiXaK_7Ex3t-mOD3RirXbkp6-bUJ10gT-FgYETHuqUz2mhD0/s1600/House-Blood-Ingrid-Pitt_320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHfEDzAJmu5PMcKgi0Anm1xKNxkj1tye4A1VSqXQz4qlLYuwobvooVjiH9HW92NURpI99qceZFeBH9kcDMtlTFQlPZq3TiXaK_7Ex3t-mOD3RirXbkp6-bUJ10gT-FgYETHuqUz2mhD0/s320/House-Blood-Ingrid-Pitt_320.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX06u5oLDRJ-NfyvoU21xRCxqL0I5wTDyiNRX-Qecg3mY50zXD4FyoM7UfxxsYqzV1KC8cQ2sc5iC3Lw6mSid2PI3nX7dk9i3bHaSQRy3KVdAauKZMEOZz7aNq0WLKPbtuiYQddjjcw4/s1600/tim-thumb.php.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX06u5oLDRJ-NfyvoU21xRCxqL0I5wTDyiNRX-Qecg3mY50zXD4FyoM7UfxxsYqzV1KC8cQ2sc5iC3Lw6mSid2PI3nX7dk9i3bHaSQRy3KVdAauKZMEOZz7aNq0WLKPbtuiYQddjjcw4/s200/tim-thumb.php.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And if you, like me,
enjoy a good Hammer flick—or two!—I urge you to join me tomorrow night in
Bridgeport for <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/films/hammer-horror-double-feature/" target="_blank">BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU: Hammer Horror</a>, a unique <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/312586728858420" target="_blank">double feature</a> 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 <a href="http://lottd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">LoTTD</a>’s own <a href="http://twitter.com/jmcozzoli" target="_blank">John Cozzoli</a> of <a href="http://zomboscloset.com/" target="_blank">Zombos Closet of Terror</a>!
Hope to see you there, Vault dwellers…</i></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-46053815669607262882013-01-08T00:56:00.002-05:002013-01-08T00:56:59.861-05:00The 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.<br />
<br />
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...<br />
<br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><b>BOOKS</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW7W4CINbjPShWg4k9sBxeWvzNF7PhQS9azP4ysTab_5ItwxCTn0DhQH2ht3FARSvB3FCE9zNRJtnHP56z04Tn0xe1RL37ztPIqp0gjYta0s8yqXg_CJ_clL9-txQWHxLZAddsoqAe2Q/s1600/cannibal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW7W4CINbjPShWg4k9sBxeWvzNF7PhQS9azP4ysTab_5ItwxCTn0DhQH2ht3FARSvB3FCE9zNRJtnHP56z04Tn0xe1RL37ztPIqp0gjYta0s8yqXg_CJ_clL9-txQWHxLZAddsoqAe2Q/s320/cannibal.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cannibal-Kitchen-Horror-Lovers-Cookbook/dp/0615609597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623847&sr=1-1&keywords=cannibal+kitchen" target="_blank"><b>Cannibal Kitchen: A Horror Lover's Cookbook</b></a><br />
If you're a longtime reader of horror website <a href="http://brutalashell.com/" target="_blank">Brutal as Hell</a>, then you're very familiar with the work of <a href="https://twitter.com/CannibalKitchen" target="_blank">Shannon Rullo</a>,
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.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Dead-Compendium-Two/dp/1607065967/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623918&sr=1-1&keywords=walking+dead+compendium+2" target="_blank"><b>The Walking Dead: Compendium 2</b></a><br />
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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVZH_NJ-TGzbm-Lbqge0ROTcod4uE7-DsyUeYPbMiawpqX-ZLJyGtmghMgVRmlOrheWMh4ZFvjCa1K6cKvCL5TitUEVEh4u4FZYzzCWySxCeXe_ZWRL2jYhZfkiwB-Lqd364umTLjXwI/s1600/200px-11-22-63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVZH_NJ-TGzbm-Lbqge0ROTcod4uE7-DsyUeYPbMiawpqX-ZLJyGtmghMgVRmlOrheWMh4ZFvjCa1K6cKvCL5TitUEVEh4u4FZYzzCWySxCeXe_ZWRL2jYhZfkiwB-Lqd364umTLjXwI/s200/200px-11-22-63.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/11-22-63-Stephen-King/dp/1451627289/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623900&sr=1-1&keywords=11%2F22%2F63" target="_blank"><b>11/22/63: A Novel</b></a><br />
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.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b>VIDEO</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXdVMTdnTUYx2r71yIQLfz1sYWpr8_EiDdb9N4zSO_xLps37UzuuVXg_1pBZftqO7Xnop2xP6zOZJWJhB9wHgRiOS3kDrQXvCzgB8r4VIOnQQFNGrPBl_it7oFJ0WJ4JhfT28uZ3j3rU/s1600/baron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXdVMTdnTUYx2r71yIQLfz1sYWpr8_EiDdb9N4zSO_xLps37UzuuVXg_1pBZftqO7Xnop2xP6zOZJWJhB9wHgRiOS3kDrQXvCzgB8r4VIOnQQFNGrPBl_it7oFJ0WJ4JhfT28uZ3j3rU/s200/baron.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baron-Blood-Kino-Classics-Remastered/dp/B009CSVQRC/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623822&sr=1-2&keywords=baron+blood" target="_blank"><b>Baron Blood: Kino Classics Remastered Edition</b></a><br />
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!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Godzilla-vs-Biollante-Kunihiko-Mitamura/dp/B009ERJY6G/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623786&sr=1-2&keywords=godzilla+vs+biollante" target="_blank"><b>Godzilla vs. Biollante</b></a><br />
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. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/ParaNorman-Leslie-Mann/dp/B005LAII62/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623754&sr=1-2&keywords=paranorman" target="_blank"><b>Paranorman</b></a><br />
Easily one of the most fun genre releases of 2012, perhaps rivaled only by The Cabin in the Woods and Frankenweenie. I took the <a href="http://cruellascrypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Captain</a> 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 <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2008/12/all-coraline-you-can-handle.html" target="_blank">Coraline</a> in 2009.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVEbRIqSqo0n41b_v2eelMvTEtOjaeoZrrER7iyAw-Sa31OA4JSmW8_vYh6nz2HUVn0mYqvAAKhqLXSN_ZvR13opTIm6OEfLr6F2cfwViRdJBHKvrVZKWDJPZa3JTQlcy26CD9qv2Dmc/s1600/WE00388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVEbRIqSqo0n41b_v2eelMvTEtOjaeoZrrER7iyAw-Sa31OA4JSmW8_vYh6nz2HUVn0mYqvAAKhqLXSN_ZvR13opTIm6OEfLr6F2cfwViRdJBHKvrVZKWDJPZa3JTQlcy26CD9qv2Dmc/s320/WE00388.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gingerdead-Man-Trilogy-Box-Set/dp/B008VNIB6I/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623736&sr=1-1&keywords=gingerdead+man+trilogy" target="_blank"><b>The Gingerdead Man Trilogy</b></a><br />
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!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Horror-Story-Complete-Season/dp/B005LAJ1O0/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1357623706&sr=1-4&keywords=american+horror+story" target="_blank"><b>American Horror Story Season 1</b></a><br />
The finest pure horror series to come down the pike in a very, very long time--and possibly the <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2011/11/hump-day-harangue-did-american-horror.html" target="_blank">finest episodic horror series</a> 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.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b>VIDEO GAMES</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ekR-6SqUCx2TJbwdTEc2RSiP54cGq_ezKc24a-1HgngnOVyGn5pYIPQLpfY7FVhC3Upn8sPG9ylHw1xPGRtNUPoNwWCKkISKy0mIhMmY4o631glqAplOBoXj1a6mUC0ktis5qbxPXhw/s1600/resident-evil-6-emblems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ekR-6SqUCx2TJbwdTEc2RSiP54cGq_ezKc24a-1HgngnOVyGn5pYIPQLpfY7FVhC3Upn8sPG9ylHw1xPGRtNUPoNwWCKkISKy0mIhMmY4o631glqAplOBoXj1a6mUC0ktis5qbxPXhw/s200/resident-evil-6-emblems.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Resident-Evil-6-Playstation-3/dp/B0050SXLQC/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1357615279&sr=1-1&keywords=resident+evil+6" target="_blank"><b>Resident Evil 6</b></a><br />
Capcom's juggernaut--which arguably launched the entire <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2008/06/dont-say-zed-word-40-years-of-modern.html" target="_blank">zombie renaissance of the 2000s</a>, 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.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Island-Xbox-360/dp/B004PAGJOC/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1357615476&sr=1-1&keywords=dead+island" target="_blank"><b>Dead Island</b></a><br />
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.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><b>OTHER STUFF</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWLRGCCMELthtr7H-eG66ZTdVYQllwdowNFqiohLYvyGFtmPKapswoZ7YozbLtslrV86Or0TRDOjeX_36cN4C3WZfKBsWb9YmLi3dq2kLgpjY8oo_OALNz7pk_j8MO21IybsaQWtA6WU/s1600/6a00d83451d04569e20154352cc933970c-500wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWLRGCCMELthtr7H-eG66ZTdVYQllwdowNFqiohLYvyGFtmPKapswoZ7YozbLtslrV86Or0TRDOjeX_36cN4C3WZfKBsWb9YmLi3dq2kLgpjY8oo_OALNz7pk_j8MO21IybsaQWtA6WU/s320/6a00d83451d04569e20154352cc933970c-500wi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Umagine-20039694-Doctor-Dreadful-Zombie/dp/B004OTE8V0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357622452&sr=8-2&keywords=dr.+dreadful" target="_blank"><b>Doctor Dreadful Zombie Lab</b></a><br />
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.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Girl-Calendar-months-gorgeous/dp/B008MBP3RY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1357622339&sr=8-3&keywords=hot+zombie+girls+2013+calendar" target="_blank"><b>2013 Zombie Girl Calendar</b></a><br />
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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvaaWmaRqwHeW2LwDAgI-jOke3XmZRpvaGuCsfYIi-qhpvpZPZNUihYNIN0Lp5Si8FAhfHqao_MkCAHbE0AXGu7bw61JONOo7fdtDuwOzWUYLJitmTotAffF3w40Ah53neRyU5AbW3wY/s1600/arkham01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvaaWmaRqwHeW2LwDAgI-jOke3XmZRpvaGuCsfYIi-qhpvpZPZNUihYNIN0Lp5Si8FAhfHqao_MkCAHbE0AXGu7bw61JONOo7fdtDuwOzWUYLJitmTotAffF3w40Ah53neRyU5AbW3wY/s200/arkham01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Flight-Games-VA09-Arkham/dp/1589942108/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1357622652&sr=1-1&keywords=arkham+horror" target="_blank"><b>Arkham Horror</b></a><br />
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.<br />
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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!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-39871304817013040842012-12-20T14:58:00.002-05:002012-12-20T14:58:32.973-05:00Worthy Causes and Useful Resources in the Wake of National Tragedy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_D3PtKaiXbdAA3WE3rIZHIpue9HNmT0Ne5fTYHPijb8fJwjwD13362D6swatln1IlcspZG0WF0T8mdwjLRs1lKU_yRN9aq38g9uqi3gPGsyrSABPZf2V4XDybON1Ke_xOyFUs-c298Cc/s1600/ribbon-540x405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_D3PtKaiXbdAA3WE3rIZHIpue9HNmT0Ne5fTYHPijb8fJwjwD13362D6swatln1IlcspZG0WF0T8mdwjLRs1lKU_yRN9aq38g9uqi3gPGsyrSABPZf2V4XDybON1Ke_xOyFUs-c298Cc/s200/ribbon-540x405.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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.<br />
<br />
There are two very worthy and very laudable causes making the rounds right now. I encourage you to give to either of the following:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.everribbon.com/ribbon/view/10076" target="_blank">My Sandy Hook Family Fund</a>: Established by the parents of the surviving students of Sandy Hook, this fund was begun to help support those who were far less fortunate.<br />
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<a href="https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/" target="_blank">Sandy Hook School Support Fund</a>: 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 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/United-Way-of-Western-Connecticut/44789157732?ref=hl" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/uwwesternct" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
<br />
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 <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/12/how-do-you-explain-the-newton-shooting-to-kids.html" target="_blank">collection of resources</a> posted online by PBS. <br />
<br />
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.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-85213855169653334962012-12-11T10:39:00.000-05:002012-12-11T10:39:02.040-05:00SCARS Magazine's Bodacious Horror Babes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMdpkCAIz020xDds2V80gsHoKxJlp4jcHx1YaZXt_VlIMMgRZ5IM3Q5ZMQo9r4yvzCBRfOO4AJjx7iCjPURUnr0RLCfPUXOjUfOCcgiEPZYH_c8KhRbVaWpIpgpS8doUSchfB8N8lGRo/s1600/scars-jason-edmiston-80s-issue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMdpkCAIz020xDds2V80gsHoKxJlp4jcHx1YaZXt_VlIMMgRZ5IM3Q5ZMQo9r4yvzCBRfOO4AJjx7iCjPURUnr0RLCfPUXOjUfOCcgiEPZYH_c8KhRbVaWpIpgpS8doUSchfB8N8lGRo/s320/scars-jason-edmiston-80s-issue.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
If you're a fan of this blog, chances are you will enjoy reading SCARS Magazine very much. I urge you to <a href="http://scarsmagazine.com/" target="_blank">check out the website and pick up your own copy</a>. In the new issue (dated <a href="http://scarsmagazine.com/blog/2012/11/28/new-scars-magazine-out-now/" target="_blank">Winter 2012-2013</a>), 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Check out SCARS, and let me know what you think of my rankings. Nothing like a good old fashioned horror debate...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-42427911020617700362012-12-06T10:51:00.000-05:002012-12-06T10:51:04.962-05:00Retro Review: Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You don’t understand—in
a half hour the moon will rise, and I’ll turn into a wolf…”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You and 20 million
other guys.”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CohHXDrykoKoQ1aGi4WEm_hRG8izjA5ceiLOEcFWRUiZuoSk41rIKOwPIwR8tJcm0PR2AzQ4g2RnyNLhz0tGe_PCDw3smak8kDtj_6Tj6oBC5_k5QVNCqXA9IIvvUxBc3GyrsMFC12Q/s1600/Abbott__Costello_Meet_Frankenstein_5217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CohHXDrykoKoQ1aGi4WEm_hRG8izjA5ceiLOEcFWRUiZuoSk41rIKOwPIwR8tJcm0PR2AzQ4g2RnyNLhz0tGe_PCDw3smak8kDtj_6Tj6oBC5_k5QVNCqXA9IIvvUxBc3GyrsMFC12Q/s320/Abbott__Costello_Meet_Frankenstein_5217.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are the great horror films, and there are the great
comedies. But <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/10/tuesday-top-10-favorite-horror-comedies.html" target="_blank">great horror comedies</a>? 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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlfy1iwi2T3L2lOX0Y56cAqF30QEL5rcjAbphNhYylNR_TxbsLqChqdZu-U560gc7YeJHQr9mPzrzRmkg83YjSpBVO8wDWcLlNiCeMO1rgK60-w8ojmeh5h2sMnSmcTZw_3GOW8OwvTM/s1600/lou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlfy1iwi2T3L2lOX0Y56cAqF30QEL5rcjAbphNhYylNR_TxbsLqChqdZu-U560gc7YeJHQr9mPzrzRmkg83YjSpBVO8wDWcLlNiCeMO1rgK60-w8ojmeh5h2sMnSmcTZw_3GOW8OwvTM/s320/lou.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEWt4D6q28_OiCYjJq1ezX7gmLuvZegOIub7snVY3akV243AMJpXVerP1X8clPqgVDZdvcL4dTfUKJTJLWkBF8mujdkjxutCCDmCfJ_qKceYgDLMuga0s_X7Gj-tUcJThzUoIzu3KZhI/s1600/frank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEWt4D6q28_OiCYjJq1ezX7gmLuvZegOIub7snVY3akV243AMJpXVerP1X8clPqgVDZdvcL4dTfUKJTJLWkBF8mujdkjxutCCDmCfJ_qKceYgDLMuga0s_X7Gj-tUcJThzUoIzu3KZhI/s320/frank.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Costello cracked up Strange so much during this<br />scene that it had to be shot numerous times.</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO6mfoD2Wl_yZKY9nT9U4iHMH7JDnIzuwW9RoK3z-fjxOcSCfEH75z4CjEZxyrGoevz0oMJZkxK88Zz45ZUwyagMyYg7RdQ6RFiqpfOSOAZVoC6IO33sI-a1MQIiKqCfnSedS-CSVm0w/s1600/abbott-and-costello-meet-frankenstein-smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO6mfoD2Wl_yZKY9nT9U4iHMH7JDnIzuwW9RoK3z-fjxOcSCfEH75z4CjEZxyrGoevz0oMJZkxK88Zz45ZUwyagMyYg7RdQ6RFiqpfOSOAZVoC6IO33sI-a1MQIiKqCfnSedS-CSVm0w/s320/abbott-and-costello-meet-frankenstein-smiles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">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, <a href="http://cinema-geek.blogspot.com/2011/06/52-perfect-movies-young-frankenstein.html" target="_blank">Young Frankenstein</a>. Check out the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/555475254478655" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> for more info, or the
<a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/films/sacred-silly-double-feature/" target="_blank">official Bijou website</a>!</i></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-68098509279704707232012-11-28T11:30:00.000-05:002012-11-28T11:30:02.304-05:00A 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 <a href="http://book-town.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Zombelina</a> 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 <a href="http://twitter.com/CaptainCruella" target="_blank">Captain Cruella</a> and I packed up the little ones and made our ghostly pilgrimage.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
So please proceed, and follow our exploits from that day, if you will…<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRkvqeijxF5JJzh09APAlIgfJ_6t-wS19hnvjyKgwSpEo-ge9odwcmv7T3YKZhKgzvpDHLYJKFHfqPEr3RgZgq9_P1_oBMzH_KAfc1RQCiaJQ7UPw_eqZQ80bzBj7Us22iWb71r85w7A/s1600/haunted11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRkvqeijxF5JJzh09APAlIgfJ_6t-wS19hnvjyKgwSpEo-ge9odwcmv7T3YKZhKgzvpDHLYJKFHfqPEr3RgZgq9_P1_oBMzH_KAfc1RQCiaJQ7UPw_eqZQ80bzBj7Us22iWb71r85w7A/s1600/haunted11.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A portion of the ominous Remington Arms munitions factory on Barnum Ave. in Bridgeport, our first stop...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxIenXShdxcBdFey8_daaseYJJIk0L0Er2BdqDLb6JzUs5ccxIkEMj8FAWrCfbRLIBIHiNJApSFiPNcQRSGYmitz7qtSdD9lZWNNaWhdZjC1rV4ZeEPtiMfGght-LKrkHLtGivaiNdT0/s1600/haunted7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxIenXShdxcBdFey8_daaseYJJIk0L0Er2BdqDLb6JzUs5ccxIkEMj8FAWrCfbRLIBIHiNJApSFiPNcQRSGYmitz7qtSdD9lZWNNaWhdZjC1rV4ZeEPtiMfGght-LKrkHLtGivaiNdT0/s1600/haunted7.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawDQ120Dim1SvWz4945xnm3KqAxr9PPXQCM_FMoMRClf2wqW3wlIg0fnB8E1njGxwIL8z0Jva7zLeLVjZmCzdwIEBoEZmiAIR9nc9I-BLCRxZilNqqbc9gt1THVSiJWCRf6zKMS0U6sI/s1600/haunted9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawDQ120Dim1SvWz4945xnm3KqAxr9PPXQCM_FMoMRClf2wqW3wlIg0fnB8E1njGxwIL8z0Jva7zLeLVjZmCzdwIEBoEZmiAIR9nc9I-BLCRxZilNqqbc9gt1THVSiJWCRf6zKMS0U6sI/s640/haunted9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAacqZNh7r1PaG66drXEPueFYAyfEfDqbpK4MtRumqKiSTt6u92AJ4q5SFnMYP-KB6eVgG9-9Bm36wWI-dFZ5_T7mq4NtBGMeb3NxplOshrICWi4uEKRp4Kzyv7iGzu6uOQPYS5D7ocM/s1600/haunted8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAacqZNh7r1PaG66drXEPueFYAyfEfDqbpK4MtRumqKiSTt6u92AJ4q5SFnMYP-KB6eVgG9-9Bm36wWI-dFZ5_T7mq4NtBGMeb3NxplOshrICWi4uEKRp4Kzyv7iGzu6uOQPYS5D7ocM/s640/haunted8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpMOyb_gua0UtDKbLS497oGrFOW2HYS_nx2fSrZaVRNzgXRVhX4AQoggS8zjh6eVPyXyvSnhTCtrHLIcPKxxh02nnoYbxWSspGSzjhiiU4PvrS0sGOVnJhsBVk_9x43iEbTsaQOC5x5Q/s1600/haunted6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpMOyb_gua0UtDKbLS497oGrFOW2HYS_nx2fSrZaVRNzgXRVhX4AQoggS8zjh6eVPyXyvSnhTCtrHLIcPKxxh02nnoYbxWSspGSzjhiiU4PvrS0sGOVnJhsBVk_9x43iEbTsaQOC5x5Q/s1600/haunted6.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPKS5iRRQcL9vwylzzc2Kt1RKMXlVdKmyQ72shYyF8LecIsWIIjLevj6IgWBctVgEa0obQ7Iksdh-ZUiJuxElZk5LMrR99_NnKU38HqIyEXX3Nv-EbKSKca1xCTjSG2k8fLFppebg6Hc/s1600/haunted10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPKS5iRRQcL9vwylzzc2Kt1RKMXlVdKmyQ72shYyF8LecIsWIIjLevj6IgWBctVgEa0obQ7Iksdh-ZUiJuxElZk5LMrR99_NnKU38HqIyEXX3Nv-EbKSKca1xCTjSG2k8fLFppebg6Hc/s1600/haunted10.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefPjKbTbaXZtz9d6fiwOz3eI7Impnq1FCqcJaYPuVzQAg8OaB0q5VXa9DHsfZR5Y1BysZ-spnOsRpC2VOtnGyeS-vQFPxLXtLbaOcBe7PnsGOiN4mkqX2uVk9fEi4Pj7n0YNBbqE63DA/s1600/haunted5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefPjKbTbaXZtz9d6fiwOz3eI7Impnq1FCqcJaYPuVzQAg8OaB0q5VXa9DHsfZR5Y1BysZ-spnOsRpC2VOtnGyeS-vQFPxLXtLbaOcBe7PnsGOiN4mkqX2uVk9fEi4Pj7n0YNBbqE63DA/s1600/haunted5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the vast Remington Arms campus, made up of several buildings in various states of gross disrepair.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKApKsdQk6L_iLBgND5Bx0HD2GFes7hLrS9kpitPShXifGGzHVPOhubsdg2pzJ_DICkYtxCpj6fQsSlfI7VcHWePjdkxjlc6x-tcYTEXtfKVz0LFcMS6XS7ib7ic_SCo4hS8khpAhaIvo/s1600/haunted12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKApKsdQk6L_iLBgND5Bx0HD2GFes7hLrS9kpitPShXifGGzHVPOhubsdg2pzJ_DICkYtxCpj6fQsSlfI7VcHWePjdkxjlc6x-tcYTEXtfKVz0LFcMS6XS7ib7ic_SCo4hS8khpAhaIvo/s1600/haunted12.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell, Remington Arms! And really, is anyone going to check out that tag sale..?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhO8IKD8hsqXPsWgWVkOcrJiHYMdYDd0OADkyrdl-TIPEgk8OomX2EvSzYyCx4k9m65Nx4MlJ_QaSVirrpUfOeT0oqbsScZYeEqnAfC3DYHTa8BW2H8MRp8sJs5rGviYPHRY7E8LC2CY/s1600/haunetd2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhO8IKD8hsqXPsWgWVkOcrJiHYMdYDd0OADkyrdl-TIPEgk8OomX2EvSzYyCx4k9m65Nx4MlJ_QaSVirrpUfOeT0oqbsScZYeEqnAfC3DYHTa8BW2H8MRp8sJs5rGviYPHRY7E8LC2CY/s1600/haunetd2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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".</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITZiRykPFJ3XLaO82xvPOm4cJl0RTnN1klte5964bCtVbknatDzdtcvDSd00NVgdhBQupLUme_MvgurgezbjxUOps6xHHD73s2cp1bJcXlVVoer891a4yJNkb7QLTsBvt_D6PPPOeK2I/s1600/haunted1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITZiRykPFJ3XLaO82xvPOm4cJl0RTnN1klte5964bCtVbknatDzdtcvDSd00NVgdhBQupLUme_MvgurgezbjxUOps6xHHD73s2cp1bJcXlVVoer891a4yJNkb7QLTsBvt_D6PPPOeK2I/s1600/haunted1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP58BVFelxIEl-2M0ITrOWCIH2bz5kscxBGWrLSdZ53cMxoqFRb5ecm4DVOq_C7RG__oeQjkGJ0vPifHRIgzE_H4StYS3mYVXDvF0N5ZV-zGu3hFoW5Jmw__KCUOKg-8RmJz6cuvLPCLw/s1600/haunted3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP58BVFelxIEl-2M0ITrOWCIH2bz5kscxBGWrLSdZ53cMxoqFRb5ecm4DVOq_C7RG__oeQjkGJ0vPifHRIgzE_H4StYS3mYVXDvF0N5ZV-zGu3hFoW5Jmw__KCUOKg-8RmJz6cuvLPCLw/s1600/haunted3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closeup of one of the 18th century stones, showing the angelic iconography common to grave markers of the era.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2CXsby8ZVdH9wxaGVfXh-u4hVtUn6p33QNxGooMPy_WK6_LPHR7OH3mBk61lTazLaICsz8vMJvJpDcW10HYJFp1Vnk-iaApp1VWsJghJdF2QrtcvQJi-kggwqbEKnv3-Tr3FrH8j5ZE/s1600/haunted4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2CXsby8ZVdH9wxaGVfXh-u4hVtUn6p33QNxGooMPy_WK6_LPHR7OH3mBk61lTazLaICsz8vMJvJpDcW10HYJFp1Vnk-iaApp1VWsJghJdF2QrtcvQJi-kggwqbEKnv3-Tr3FrH8j5ZE/s1600/haunted4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">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...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-14847589804526642232012-11-12T11:57:00.000-05:002012-11-12T11:59:17.851-05:00Random Ramblings from the Vault<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-AugQtBA1ZDjwgna8Bfpud5PTBhqL8OVpEslOWsQCp3tXfMnEnX-j8a8X2OeD-JRJIr9Av5u_F42pdFg2NLrF52FHGju00HDiflOCLr_vp1oxdjW1XI8gBuPUsKbX6LIHuPmkZ6-ho4/s1600/comic-con-2012-walking-dead-panel11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-AugQtBA1ZDjwgna8Bfpud5PTBhqL8OVpEslOWsQCp3tXfMnEnX-j8a8X2OeD-JRJIr9Av5u_F42pdFg2NLrF52FHGju00HDiflOCLr_vp1oxdjW1XI8gBuPUsKbX6LIHuPmkZ6-ho4/s200/comic-con-2012-walking-dead-panel11.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJTp0kUXMhubrqqaHXolusfUPjM4slkx4Cdyp-8igTbQAqi25uufaqlLWAvQkL8yy44Li6iy-6etdx7AD88qAvh-2MACeI3rmiE2EqDv-RHt8qmzPbPiBwl3YZnndSam9krDTvMCloHc/s1600/evil-dead-remake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJTp0kUXMhubrqqaHXolusfUPjM4slkx4Cdyp-8igTbQAqi25uufaqlLWAvQkL8yy44Li6iy-6etdx7AD88qAvh-2MACeI3rmiE2EqDv-RHt8qmzPbPiBwl3YZnndSam9krDTvMCloHc/s200/evil-dead-remake.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfapTPBtKxlrc5f59TLhB4bJM3kkl5kmlKHDulvXVEm4jwL3sPO1pljyphbybA9fwnBmyb-BqYXDa2Qt5DGWFaSUZznvxdaCJVaYAQG_jLJ8ySArGuQJDCOJvo_EblmWPZwE9E27ZKXIg/s1600/bijou1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfapTPBtKxlrc5f59TLhB4bJM3kkl5kmlKHDulvXVEm4jwL3sPO1pljyphbybA9fwnBmyb-BqYXDa2Qt5DGWFaSUZznvxdaCJVaYAQG_jLJ8ySArGuQJDCOJvo_EblmWPZwE9E27ZKXIg/s200/bijou1.png" width="150" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>As I mentioned at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/VaultofHorror" target="_blank">Vault of Horror Facebook page</a>, 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 <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/film/bedlam-bijou/" target="_blank">official Bijou website</a>, plus the VoH Facebook page for more info, and I hope to see you there! </li>
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<li>One of the films I'll be showing this Thursday at the Bijou is Nosferatu, whose <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/Nosferatu%20at%2090" target="_blank">90th anniversary</a> 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? </li>
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<li>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. </li>
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<li>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 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Bridgeport-The-History-Press/dp/1609493796" target="_blank">Wicked Bridgeport</a>, for the terrific tour, and of course what better party planner could any Halloween gathering hope for than Captain Cruella herself?? </li>
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<li>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. <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/09/zombelina-presents-creepy-magazine-then.html" target="_blank">Did you expect anything less</a>? </li>
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<li>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.</li>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-75920830907038492422012-11-08T23:22:00.001-05:002012-11-08T23:30:00.830-05:00Conversations in the Dark: Universal Armageddon Part 1, w/ Miguel Rodriguez!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUHP_K3Uxnu4TNZe8lRX7RoMDxXguKIgrmpBJqKE_kZEJfMDrZOkuC5xfhVv-ZnLpdk9u3-PuKrxCX8nEStVjL_fvN5vfdPyig-TL1c0A7xSuJC_WB0s2u4yTfuOxV5AyysG4jFjr4gM/s1600/CITD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUHP_K3Uxnu4TNZe8lRX7RoMDxXguKIgrmpBJqKE_kZEJfMDrZOkuC5xfhVv-ZnLpdk9u3-PuKrxCX8nEStVjL_fvN5vfdPyig-TL1c0A7xSuJC_WB0s2u4yTfuOxV5AyysG4jFjr4gM/s200/CITD.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A little while back in Conversations in the Dark, I had as my special guest for a <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2010/09/vaultcast-conversations-in-dark-wmiguel.html" target="_blank">series of discussions</a>, the one and only Miguel Rodriguez of the <a href="http://www.monsterislandresort.org/" target="_blank">Monster Island Resort</a> podcast. Both here, and at <a href="http://www.monsterislandresort.org/16-godzilla-talk-with-b-sol-part2/" target="_blank">Monster Island Resort</a>, Miguel and I discussed the massive 28-film Godzilla series in <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2011/02/vaultcast-conversations-in-dark-miguel.html" target="_blank">exhaustive detail</a>. It was <a href="http://www.monsterislandresort.org/godzilla-day-with-the-vault-of-horror/" target="_blank">a lot of fun</a>, and I hope a lot of people enjoyed it. However, once it was done, we were left with that empty feeling inside, and determined we should continue our discussion on a different topic.<br />
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That topic would turn out to be the classic Universal monster movies. We both agreed we would next turn our attentions to those timeless horror gems of Hollywood's home for horror during the golden age. What you have here is the first chapter in this brand new series, in which we take on the first half of Universal's Frankenstein series, arguably the studio's flagship franchise.<br />
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So join Miguel and I as we wax philosophical on Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein. You'll hear tales of Boris Karloff, James Whale, Dwight Frye, Elsa Lanchester, Basil Rathbone and more. Listen in on the embedded player below, or head over to the <a href="http://vaultofhorror.podomatic.com/" target="_blank">official Vaultcast page</a> and <a href="http://vaultofhorror.podomatic.com/enclosure/2012-11-06T21_30_22-08_00.mp3" target="_blank">download</a> for listening at your leisure!<br />
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Stay tuned for further Vaultcasts in the Universal Armageddon series!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-31755131177441162752012-10-30T20:27:00.002-04:002012-10-30T20:27:44.710-04:00Zombies Strike in Bridgeport! Next Up? Vampires...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been my pleasure to welcome Bridgeport to the Vault of Horror, and I hope to be able to do so for some time to come. Coming fresh off my second monthly installment of <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/film/bedlam-bijou/" target="_blank">BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU</a> in the city's historic downtown district, I have to say it is just about the most fun I've ever had. Sharing my passion for horror with like-minded individuals, and opening the minds of intelligent folks giving it a chance for the first time? Count me in!<br />
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And speaking of "Count", that brings to mind my *next* BATB presentation, happening next month on Thursday, November 15. But I'm getting ahead of myself.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bedlam faithful take in the undead goodness.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Captain in human guise prepares to bloody up some moviegoers.</td></tr>
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Last Thursday night, I had the privilege of screening a zombie double feature made up of White Zombie and The Last Man on Earth (yes, I know it's technically not a zombie film, but anyone who's seen it knows why I included it.) Just like my first <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2012/10/bringing-bedlam-to-bijou.html" target="_blank">Godzilla/Them double feature</a> last month, it was truly a blast bringing these flicks back to the big screen with fans old and new on hand. I cannot thank those who came out to support the event enough.<br />
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I am especially grateful to the Bijou's tireless Molly Ann Sabas, who put up with all my anal retentive crap and made sure everything ran smoothly from a technical standpoint. I was very excited to see my <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2011/10/zombies-tribute-montage.html" target="_blank">zombie-themed photo montage</a> pre-show flash on the big screen prior to the movies. I must also thank the amazing Chad Anderson, who took more great pictures of the event, and Michael Barnes, who designed another fantastic poster for the event (I'm officially stealing a copy of every poster he creates for BATB!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our adventurous patrons gets zombified by Cruella!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Paffenroth drops some zombie knowledge.</td></tr>
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The lovely <a href="http://cruellascrypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Captain Cruella</a> was on-hand to zombify a few of our patrons right there in the Bijou's sumptuous lobby, and the Bram Stoker Award-winning author and good friend <a href="http://gotld.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Kim Paffenroth</a> made the trek all the way from Westchester to be my special Q&A guest. Just as it was last month, the Q&A was my favorite part of the evening, and I got a huge kick out of some of the very thought-provoking questions that were asked and answered.<br />
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And what can I say about seeing Bela and Lugosi and Vincent Price up on the big screen? These movies will never be as enjoyable as they are in an environment like this, and the Bijou is such a beautiful venue for it. I'm not sure what was more enjoyable--feeling the excitement of long-time fans as they witnessed these movies 20 feet high, or watching the rapt discovery of those who had never seen, or maybe even heard of them, before.<br />
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I was proud to discuss the unique cultural zombie phenomenon at length, and will be equally proud next month when BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU returns with my next double feature: <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/films/bedlam-bijou-series-count-begins/" target="_blank">"The Count Begins"</a>. I cleverly called it that because I'll be screening a double feature of the first two screen adaptations of Bram Stoker's Dracula: the original 1922 Nosferatu, and the classic 1931 Universal film Dracula. I'll be joined by another great horror non-fiction author, <a href="http://paulbibeau.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Paul Bibeau</a>--whose book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sundays-Vlad-Pennsylvania-Transylvania-Undead/dp/0307352781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351643111&sr=8-1&keywords=sundays+with+vlad" target="_blank">Sundays with Vlad</a> proves what a Dracula aficionado he is. I'm also working on scoring some live musical accompaniment for Nosferatu, which should be enthralling. And of course, what would a Dracula double feature be without some wine specials? After all, he may never drink it, but that doesn't mean we can't.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHF1zUmXKzbPvhJRQDgshiZUKZcBDZVCpN-P-EFNP51JF8ymEDiNGOgMoigziRg9nwKCAClu99bEdJDh6IvwvcH-xxgF1Q9lJ6rEoA0yliNtOCSFIDlgsHirL7GmVWbVIrrWwzW_-NQkM/s1600/IMG_3492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHF1zUmXKzbPvhJRQDgshiZUKZcBDZVCpN-P-EFNP51JF8ymEDiNGOgMoigziRg9nwKCAClu99bEdJDh6IvwvcH-xxgF1Q9lJ6rEoA0yliNtOCSFIDlgsHirL7GmVWbVIrrWwzW_-NQkM/s400/IMG_3492.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The good Doctor and myself.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirh9fK3iovbAmRVG3h4VgKY_g4Tmusev6pUAuhhOjd5_GaKPUfUE7rwkWZHP2Pd5-gSQQqtg16AzoT4X1Tt4gad5o0avG7D78m2xd6prMKxv9IlKczUvRoCJcaNhQLkbkHWjchJG5mKeY/s1600/IMG_3539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirh9fK3iovbAmRVG3h4VgKY_g4Tmusev6pUAuhhOjd5_GaKPUfUE7rwkWZHP2Pd5-gSQQqtg16AzoT4X1Tt4gad5o0avG7D78m2xd6prMKxv9IlKczUvRoCJcaNhQLkbkHWjchJG5mKeY/s400/IMG_3539.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the stage with our newly minted zombies.</td></tr>
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So I hope you'll join me for the next BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU, coming up Thursday, November 15 at 7pm. If you love these movies, or want to discover them for the first time, I encourage you to come down to the Bijou Theatre. For more info, <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/" target="_blank">check out the Bijou website</a>!<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-67699046335062463712012-10-22T11:59:00.000-04:002012-10-22T12:01:33.485-04:00Nosferatu at 90: The Many Faces of Count Orlock!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfjUwFImmT6Q7uNEvtX61Xjkhak1dagHoorhF_1kU_dhoUeN8wtzZd2G1Vi9z1hge1It7JB1_r-crPDDefjmV31JWpUqIamxRt7DhZkcnG9tyTeVlicItykpprI_uuFR0oiDvMdkcNtw/s1600/nosferatu72.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfjUwFImmT6Q7uNEvtX61Xjkhak1dagHoorhF_1kU_dhoUeN8wtzZd2G1Vi9z1hge1It7JB1_r-crPDDefjmV31JWpUqIamxRt7DhZkcnG9tyTeVlicItykpprI_uuFR0oiDvMdkcNtw/s400/nosferatu72.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtATWRcNN8-omT1fXk5dzxaJ0ysQBNpjdeHCmoMclEAlo3IydbOy5rQQwD_8ilgjjAELYkznEDskT5vVRp06SWR51JhPeakRW9h_9VuMILkTsX-zHbFrLCE_R2KPoaexRVY9gzDRyl444/s1600/Tumblr_kxm7nkGnAo1qaqps8o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtATWRcNN8-omT1fXk5dzxaJ0ysQBNpjdeHCmoMclEAlo3IydbOy5rQQwD_8ilgjjAELYkznEDskT5vVRp06SWR51JhPeakRW9h_9VuMILkTsX-zHbFrLCE_R2KPoaexRVY9gzDRyl444/s1600/Tumblr_kxm7nkGnAo1qaqps8o1_500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtATWRcNN8-omT1fXk5dzxaJ0ysQBNpjdeHCmoMclEAlo3IydbOy5rQQwD_8ilgjjAELYkznEDskT5vVRp06SWR51JhPeakRW9h_9VuMILkTsX-zHbFrLCE_R2KPoaexRVY9gzDRyl444/s400/Tumblr_kxm7nkGnAo1qaqps8o1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/films/bedlam-bijou-series-count-begins/" target="_blank"><i></i></a><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8470604276410220159">Remember, kids! For more Nosferatu action, come to Bridgeport's Bijou Theatre on Thursday, November 15 and catch the original film as part of "The Count Begins", a BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU double feature also featuring the 1931 Universal Dracula...</a></i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-30859423060508261842012-10-17T22:06:00.000-04:002012-10-17T22:06:58.543-04:00Bringing Bedlam to the Bijou!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMDZ1OdYjdHOpD69iE0k0BpR6UWjmr5l1rKPlSrci1icfRlRUsdig79xxWHiHE5CoG8RsgotEHbIEbOH5rBfsh-7pBX0LbT3rRI825FLO9xL4uCYBu4EuKdpTo-YagRBGTJvKRgt_8qI/s1600/me+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMDZ1OdYjdHOpD69iE0k0BpR6UWjmr5l1rKPlSrci1icfRlRUsdig79xxWHiHE5CoG8RsgotEHbIEbOH5rBfsh-7pBX0LbT3rRI825FLO9xL4uCYBu4EuKdpTo-YagRBGTJvKRgt_8qI/s400/me+poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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It's no secret that I love movies. Especially horror movies. And like anyone who loves something, my greatest joy comes from sharing that love with others. As a horror movie buff, I've always wanted to host public screenings of classic fright flicks, and thanks to The Vault of Horror, that dream has been able to be realized.<br />
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Last month, I had the pleasure of taking to the stage for the very first time for special double feature at Bridgeport's historic <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/" target="_blank">Bijou Theatre</a>. It was the kickoff for a little series I've entitled... <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/film/bedlam-bijou/" target="_blank">Bedlam at the Bijou</a>. If you've been following the Vault, you probably know <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2012/08/celebrating-5th-anniversary-of-vault-of.html" target="_blank">a little bit about it</a>. Maybe you were there. In any event, it's been serving for me as a sort of fifth anniversary celebration for the VoH (which officially blew out the candles last Sunday, by the way). And I can't think of a better way to celebrate such a milestone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25uCcvK1Kv1y9TDWjP9O2688MojXxiOBZuJloCzPKtNxwbiocKE26RmsdWChULJ8SA5akh3Mp8YIQEH1WbifJpmgRXES9udZgjFGll5ldWosPQmRa7BQQpz6w2KWJrGq-dZWwoYlDJnM/s1600/tickets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25uCcvK1Kv1y9TDWjP9O2688MojXxiOBZuJloCzPKtNxwbiocKE26RmsdWChULJ8SA5akh3Mp8YIQEH1WbifJpmgRXES9udZgjFGll5ldWosPQmRa7BQQpz6w2KWJrGq-dZWwoYlDJnM/s400/tickets.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tickets!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIM6WVWWJckEUCelvOZmpe3es8uF1oOC0REdi6eC8SDQqlJKZs07XJr6mpdAkxYHkWn0brJdPOUDRJkQU-lF3EVjNKfERkLExw0bZ-4PGW8zIoWBcrqlldNhdv0r482w63iCMTduG6yk/s1600/me+screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIM6WVWWJckEUCelvOZmpe3es8uF1oOC0REdi6eC8SDQqlJKZs07XJr6mpdAkxYHkWn0brJdPOUDRJkQU-lF3EVjNKfERkLExw0bZ-4PGW8zIoWBcrqlldNhdv0r482w63iCMTduG6yk/s400/me+screen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Welcome to Bedlam at the Bijou!"</td></tr>
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I had the pleasure, a few years ago, of hosting screenings at Stamford's <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2010/10/celebrate-return-of-living-deads-25th.html" target="_blank">Avon Theatre</a> along with <a href="http://cruellascrypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Captain Cruella</a>--as part of the Avon's very cool Cult Classics series. However, that never afforded me the opportunity to do any kind of programming. This time, I'm running the show--picking the films, inviting guests, thinking up fun promotions. I'm grateful to all the fine folks at the Bijou for giving me carte blanche like this--and to the good Captain for brokering the deal with her wicked zombie influences!<br />
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Anyway, September 27 marked the start of Bedlam at the Bijou with "Nuclear Nightmares", a double feature of the original Gojira and the giant ant epic Them! It was a joy seeing both these gems on the big screen, and back-to-back, no less! I never realized how much they had in common until I picked them for this screening, and it was fun exploring those connections with a very eager audience. I was also blessed to be joined by none other than Hearst media film critic--and fellow uber movie geek--<a href="http://blog.ctnews.com/meyers/" target="_blank">Joe Meyers</a>, who was more than happy to expound on both films during a most engaging post-screening Q&A.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Avon crew represents.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitN-LSAQEK_XKJAIUdPiO1h6Z6CUYP5nIoNu7W97iP4KR9X1Ru9YX2_Y7qGFQCh4g7I64a7R8luOlM6N-n_-LqFTTUL3vX_LVJhDcjxP7vXEFfc6U8ATHE-jShqApCK_u6tEEcSSjU8io/s1600/godzilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitN-LSAQEK_XKJAIUdPiO1h6Z6CUYP5nIoNu7W97iP4KR9X1Ru9YX2_Y7qGFQCh4g7I64a7R8luOlM6N-n_-LqFTTUL3vX_LVJhDcjxP7vXEFfc6U8ATHE-jShqApCK_u6tEEcSSjU8io/s400/godzilla.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big G does what he does best.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It made me proud to be able to stand there, before my friends, my parents, and my love, and blabber about classic horror. I consider myself privileged to have such an outlet, and I don't take it for granted! I sincerely hope that everyone who attended had a magnificent time being immersed in all the radioactive monster mayhem.<br />
<br />
But it hardly ends there... Because next Thursday, October 25, the second installment of Bedlam at the Bijou will grip Bridgeport in its icy clutches. This time out, I'm hosting <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/films/bedlam-bijou-series-undead/" target="_blank">"The Undead Among Us"</a>, a double feature of White Zombie (the original zombie film) and The Last Man on Earth (the movie that inspired Night of the Living Dead). What better month than October to explore the origins of zombie cinema? Captain Cruella will be on hand to zombify our moviegoing guests, and there will even be a zombie costume contest. Plus, I'm joined by Stoker-award winning author <a href="http://gotld.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Kim Paffenroth</a>, who may be the world's only theologian/zombie expert.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjUhlOb602ip6OcLKvAd5WZJGDnBrW5CbhEnf7hiqc0fgxTpXSwY25oI-P-1TC90XD3burv0-ogL2K7paNeFqwuIejOoONUCJaYE75jW4P47Ghb0sPr33gN0GiPCEKR2e-jQRA-RolYM/s1600/them.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjUhlOb602ip6OcLKvAd5WZJGDnBrW5CbhEnf7hiqc0fgxTpXSwY25oI-P-1TC90XD3burv0-ogL2K7paNeFqwuIejOoONUCJaYE75jW4P47Ghb0sPr33gN0GiPCEKR2e-jQRA-RolYM/s400/them.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZcgIMH9x9k0nNttNIOuJU8K2guAXMKwSneGpk6g0CyZq63PvYYFDlKYzHjQXB1oFqAGaTea_G9GKjzTWot3IM3bXPzT4O9LoQd6e_9JNFcGIeztUO8BspYWxs1iEajucQ1POBXlGT80/s1600/joe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZcgIMH9x9k0nNttNIOuJU8K2guAXMKwSneGpk6g0CyZq63PvYYFDlKYzHjQXB1oFqAGaTea_G9GKjzTWot3IM3bXPzT4O9LoQd6e_9JNFcGIeztUO8BspYWxs1iEajucQ1POBXlGT80/s400/joe.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the stage with the amazing Joe Meyer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once again, it will be a pleasure to celebrate the fifth anniversary of The Vault of Horror in such fashion, and share my love of the nightmares of the silver screen with a gaggle of like-minded enthusiasts. I hope you'll be among them. <br />
<br />
<i>Whether you caught the first Bedlam at the Bijou or not, I encourage you to join me next Thursday night, October 25 at 7pm sharp! Check out the <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/films/bedlam-bijou-series-undead/" target="_blank">official website</a> for more info, and read all about it at <a href="http://thebijoutheatre.com/undead-double-feature-zombies-vs-vampires/" target="_blank">the Bijou blog</a>!</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpB56_1SKXxra_bl6d2RhJWYskoihHw9E7gnok7Zko8LEa8_Fa2XMVclF8DA3RRoRteId-IUpfz-6F55-frQ6OE0ub4w9RE8vl_dl8ZZQjUKIURWk-E3ZyDu3Don2GylV-yruLkZSRASw/s1600/Undead+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpB56_1SKXxra_bl6d2RhJWYskoihHw9E7gnok7Zko8LEa8_Fa2XMVclF8DA3RRoRteId-IUpfz-6F55-frQ6OE0ub4w9RE8vl_dl8ZZQjUKIURWk-E3ZyDu3Don2GylV-yruLkZSRASw/s1600/Undead+poster.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8470604276410220159.post-68775600337060687902012-10-09T12:12:00.000-04:002012-10-10T01:39:45.386-04:00Presenting the TOP 25 HORROR TV SERIES OF ALL TIME!As promised some weeks ago, at long last I bring to you my ultimate endeavor to determine the greatest horror-themed television shows of all time. Long-time readers will remember that years back, The Vault presented a series of "Best Of" lists covering topics like <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2008/11/cyber-horror-elite-have-spoken.html" target="_blank">"The Greatest Horror Films of All Time"</a>, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/02/return-of-cyber-horror-elite-presenting.html" target="_blank">"The Greatest Horror Literature of All Time"</a>, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/02/return-of-cyber-horror-elite-presenting.html" target="_blank">"The Greatest Foreign Horror of All Time"</a>, <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/08/cyber-horror-elite-present-horror-canon.html" target="_blank">"The Horror Canon"</a>, and <a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com/2009/02/return-of-cyber-horror-elite-presenting.html" target="_blank">"The Greatest Contemporary Horror Films"</a>.<br />
<br />
Yet, I specifically avoided covering horror television series. The reason for this was that I (naively) didn't really think there were enough truly high-quality shows to warrant an extensive list. However, in the past four years certain things have changed: For one thing, horror on television within the past few years has improved noticeably. Also, I admit that my awareness of great horror television has broadened thanks in large part to working on The Vault all these years. And so the time came to revisit the concept.<br />
<br />
As before, I enlisted the help of some of the best and brightest online horror writers/bloggers out there, the group once (inflammatorially) referred to as "The Cyber Horror Elite". Elite or not, these excellent thinkers and superfans were asked to send me their personal top 10 horror TV shows of all time. Only ongoing, regular series were eligible, meaning made-for-TV movies and miniseries were excluded (For the record, they were actually eligible for inclusion in the Greatest Horror Films of All Time list--only Salem's Lot made the cut.)<br />
<br />
Once I received everybody's lists, I ranked them on a points system--ten points for a number-one choice, nine points for a number-two choice, etc. Then I compiled a master list of the top 25 scoring shows, which I now present to you.<br />
<br />
So here it is--the Top 25 Horror TV Series of All Time, as voted on by the horror blogosphere:<br />
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>The Twilight Zone</b> (1959-1964) <span style="font-size: x-small;">CBS</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>The X-Files</b> (1993-2002) <span style="font-size: x-small;">FOX</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Tales from the Crypt</b> (1989-1996)
<span style="font-size: x-small;">HBO</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Kolchak: The Night Stalker </b>(1974-1975) <span style="font-size: x-small;">ABC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b>Twin
Peaks</b> (1990-1991) <span style="font-size: x-small;">ABC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Buffy the Vampire Slayer </b>(1997-2003) <span style="font-size: x-small;">WB</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Dark Shadows</b> (1966-1971) <span style="font-size: x-small;">ABC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>The Walking Dead</b> (2010-present) <span style="font-size: x-small;">AMC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>The Outer Limits</b> (1963-1965) <span style="font-size: x-small;">ABC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <b>
</b></span></span></span><b>American Horror Story </b>(2011-present) <span style="font-size: x-small;">FX</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b>Rod Serling's Night Gallery</b> (1970-1973) <span style="font-size: x-small;">NBC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Are You Afraid of the Dark? </b>(1991-2000) <span style="font-size: x-small;">YTV/Nickelodeon</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Tales from the Darkside</b> (1983-1988)
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Syndicated</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Dexter</b> (2006-present) <span style="font-size: x-small;">Showtime</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Supernatural</b> (2005-present) <span style="font-size: x-small;">WB/CW</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Boris Karloff's Thriller </b>(1960-1962)
<span style="font-size: x-small;">NBC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Friday the 13th: The Series</b> (1987-1990) <span style="font-size: x-small;">Syndicated</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Alfred Hitchcock Presents</b> (1955-1965) <span style="font-size: x-small;">CBS/NBC</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Millennium </b>(1996-1999) <span style="font-size: x-small;">FOX</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Masters of Horror</b> (2005-2007)
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Showtime</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>True Blood</b> (2008-present) <span style="font-size: x-small;">HBO</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>American Gothic</b> (1995-1996) <span style="font-size: x-small;">CBS</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Goosebumps </b>(1995-1998) <span style="font-size: x-small;">YTV/Fox Kids</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>Monsters </b>(1988-1991) <span style="font-size: x-small;">Syndicated</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><b>The Hitchhiker </b>(1983-1991) <span style="font-size: x-small;">HBO/First
Choice/USA</span></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Other vote-getters worth mentioning included: Being Human (UK), Angel,
The Kingdom, Brimstone, The Addams Family, Werewolf, Fringe, Riget, The
Munsters and Gareth Marenghi's Darkplace.<br />
<br />
More than with any other list, this time out, the number one choice was quite literally a mandate. Not only was The Twilight Zone included on nearly every single list submitted to me, it was at or near the very top, every time. As a result, it scored a full <b>50%</b> higher than the second-place show, The X-Files, and was head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. <br />
<br />
Speaking of X-Files, that show, along with the #3, Tales from the Crypt, and #4, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, received a general consensus as well, appearing on most of the lists submitted. After the top four, there was a noticeable drop-off as individuals' personal tastes came into play and a multitude of different series were selected. But it's worth noting that the group in general gave a very solid stamp of approval to those top four shows, which is not really all that surprising.<br />
<br />
<b>Decades Breakdown:</b><br />
<br />
1990s: 9<br />
1960s: 5<br />
2000s: 5<br />
1980s: 4<br />
2010s: 4<br />
1970s: 2<br />
1950s: 1<br />
<br />
In the event of shows airing in two different decades, I went with the one that contained the vast majority of the seasons (1990s for The X-Files, 1960s for Twilight Zone, etc.). Shows that were fairly evenly aired in two different decades were counted for both (Alfred Hitchcock Presents for both the 1950s and 1960s, Buffy the Vampire Slayer for both the 1990s and 2000s, etc.) It's very interesting to note that the most heavily represented decade is the 1990s, which was by far the least represented decade for horror <i>films</i>. I guess most of the best horror that decade was confined to the small screen!<br />
<br />
<b>By Network:</b><br />
<br />
ABC: 4<br />
CBS: 3<br />
HBO: 3<br />
Syndication: 3<br />
NBC: 3<br />
FOX: 2<br />
WB/CW: 2<br />
YTV: 2<br />
Showtime: 2<br />
And one each for AMC, FX, Nickelodeon, Fox Kids, First Choice and USA<br />
<br />
In addition to the three syndicated shows, 13 of the shows were aired on broadcast TV, and 9 were cable programs. Certain programs were run on more than one network during their run, and so were counted for both.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Interesting Facts:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>All shows were American productions, with the exception of Goosebumps (Canadian), as well as Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Friday the 13th: The Series, which were American/Canadian co-productions.</li>
<li>Five of the 25 shows on the list, or a full 20%, are currently still running on television (Dexter, True Blood, Walking Dead, Supernatural and American Horror Story). I'd say that says a lot about the current state of horror on TV. Either that or the importance of short-term memory.</li>
<li>Despite that last stat, only one of the top seven shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was in production during the past decade. And five of the top ten shows aired more than 20 years ago, with the top five <b>all </b>airing at least a decade ago or more. </li>
<li>Six shows on the list ran for only two seasons or less. Some shows only get their due later...</li>
<li>Four of the top ten shows were aired on ABC.</li>
<li>The longest-running show on the list is the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which ran for 11 seasons.</li>
</ul>
As always, I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit to the many knowledgeable individuals who contributed their personal picks for this list. Thanks to you all!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">BJ-C of <a href="http://dayofwoman.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Day of the Woman</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Heidi Honeycutt of <a href="http://www.planetetheria.com/" target="_blank">Planet Etheria</a> and <a href="http://www.planetfury.com/" target="_blank">Planet Fury</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">John Morehead of <a href="http://theofantastique.com/" target="_blank">Theofantastique</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Unkle Lancifer of <a href="http://kindertrauma.com/" target="_blank">Kindertrauma</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dr. Gangrene, horror host and writer of <a href="http://drgangrene.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tales from the Lab</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dod March of <a href="http://wgonhelicopter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The WGON Helicopter</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">John Kenneth Muir, literary/film critic and writer of <a href="http://reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Reflections on Cult Movies & Classic Television</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rondal Scott of <a href="http://www.strangekidsclub.com/" target="_blank">Strange Kids Club</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">James Gracey of <a href="http://watchinghorrorfilmsfrombehindthecouch.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Behind the Couch</a>, Fangoria contibutor, author of Dario Argento</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chris Hallock of <a href="http://www.allthingshorroronline.net/" target="_blank">All Things Horror</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">John Cozzoli of <a href="http://zomboscloset.com/" target="_blank">Zombos Closet of Terror</a>, majordomo of the <a href="http://lottd.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">League of Tana Tea Drinkers</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Christine Hadden of <a href="http://fascinationwithfear.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fascination with Fear</a>, Fangoria contributor </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Lightning Bug of <a href="http://www.thelightningbugslair.com/" target="_blank">The Lightning Bug's Lair</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bryan White of <a href="http://cinema-suicide.com/" target="_blank">Cinema Suicide</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stu Conover of <a href="http://www.buyzombie.com/" target="_blank">Buy Zombie</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nate Yapp, formerly of <a href="http://classic-horror.com/">Classic-Horror.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nia Edwards-Behi of the <a href="http://www.abertoir.co.uk/" target="_blank">Abertoir Horror Festival</a> and <a href="http://brutalashell.com/" target="_blank">Brutal as Hell</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeff Allard of <a href="http://dinnerwithmaxjenke.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dinner with Max Jenke</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Mike of <a href="http://frommidnight.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">From Midnight, With Love</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Melissa Yearian, formerly of <a href="http://babyjanehudson.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Chickapin Parish</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.strangekidsclub.com/" target="_blank"></a>Michelle Moricola of <a href="http://frightskool.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fright Skool</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ryne Barber of <a href="http://www.themoonisadeadworld.net/" target="_blank">The Moon Is a Dead World</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pax Romano, formerly of <a href="http://billylovesstue.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Billy Loves Stu </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jose Cruz of <a href="http://macabrebookshelf.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Grim Reader</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Divemistress of <a href="http://theavod.com/" target="_blank">The Avod</a> podcast</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Monster Scholar of <a href="http://welcome-to-monster-land.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Monster Land</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Emily Intravia of <a href="http://deadlydollshouse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Deadly Doll's House of Horror Nonsense</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt Suzaka of <a href="http://www.chucknorrisatemybaby.com/" target="_blank">Chuck Norris Ate My Baby</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">And yours truly, of course.</span><br />
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There you have it. Digest. Discuss. Debate. Distribute.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://thevaultofhorror.blogspot.com">The Vault of Horror</a></div>B-Solhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717121313061173603noreply@blogger.com15