3D Films -A Short History

Welcome all my three dimensional maniacs, to another journey into fear. This blog concerns the history of 3D horror films and its surging comeback into todays theaters. Back in the early 50s there was a rash of horror films released in the newest technology, 3D. Films such as House of Wax with Vincent Price, The Maze and The Creature from the Black Lagoon were early examples of this newly found audience pleaser. Theaters had to come up with a stategy to compete with a budding innovation called television. How could they coax the general public into abandoning their TV sets and go to the local moviehouse? They found the answer in 3D format. While this technology had been around since the 1890s, it took years to perfect. By the early 1950s it had evolved into an easier and more practical form, and it exploded into theaters much to moviegoers amazement. Other films such as It came From Outerspace, and the OUTRAGEOUSELY BAD cult classic Robot Monster were playing all over the country. Even "the master" Alfred Hitchcock jumped on the bandwagon with a 3D version of his thriller Dial M for Murder in 1954. In 1961 Canada released its first ever 3D horror film called The Mask which I was lucky enough to find on VHS some years back. This was a little known "gem" that came with a pair of 3D glasses in the cassette box. It worked surprisingly well on the small home screen. During the 1960s and 1970s , 3D films were very scarce until it made a comeback in the early 1980s , with such titles as Jaws 3-D , Amityville 3-D, and Friday the Thirteenth 3-D. By the early 1990s , 3-D films were once again hard to come by. This seemed to be a trend that was developing in Hollywood, and it apppeared that 3-D was finally dead at the box office. Cable networks began broadcasting old horror 3-D films in the 3-D format, and audiences were once again craving for this nostalgic brand of entertainment. Their cries did not go unanswered. Coming to the rescue was a little studio called Disney which ushered in the 21st century with their own lineup of 3-D films, but this time they were animated! Monster House was one of their biggest domestic hits and Disney also utilized the 3-D effect in it's theme park attractions.

Most recently, Lionsgate Films released a remake of the 1981 slasher flick My Bloody Valentine which is now available on DVD. With a new interest in this innovation , movie audiences can be assured of many more 3-D films to be produced in the near future. Well thats all for now. Until the next time we cross paths on the highway to horror, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

From Novel To The Screen Part Two

Hey all you denizens of demonic lore, and welcome to part two of my anaylsis of the film adaptation of William Peter Blatty's novel The Exorcist. In part one I discussed the difficulties that arose in depicting scenes from the novel in the big screen version . As far as the book is concerned it was impossible to put down. From the opening sequence to the shattering climax, it kept me enthralled ; all 403 pages of it!

Director William Friedkin stayed true to the books storyline as best as any filmaker could. Subplots involving Karl's drug addicted daughter and Father Karras's mother were barely mentioned. But these omissions had no ill effects on the final screenplay. In fact, the screenplay was so flawless, that it garnered Blatty an Oscar for "best screenplay adapted from another medium" in April of 1974. " The Exorcist" also won for best sound that year. Listen to it on a home theater system and you'll see why! But unfortunately I feel the cast of the film got a bum rap. All of them from Ellen Burstyn to Linda Blair , gave incredible performances, yet were snubbed at Oscar night. Many felt it was the sensational subject matter that did the actors in. But my theory is , that back then horror movies were overlooked by the academy, no matter how good they were. That would finally change in 1991 when " Silence of the Lambs" would sweep the golden statuettes big time. One bright note was that Ellen Burstyn , an incredibly gifted actress and my personal favorite would eventually win a well deserved Oscar two years later for " Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore".

"The Exorcist" took over two years to complete. This was due mainly for two reasons. One , the difficulties of the special effects, and more interestingly, because of the so called " strange events "that plagued the production sets. Fires, floods, untimely deaths and other inexplicable happenings. Could the Devil be behind it all ? Was the set haunted because the crew members were dabbling with something they should't have ? We may never know, but it only enhances the films appeal.

Well that wraps up another mummy...ahemmmm.. I mean another installment to all things sinister. Until next time, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

From Novel To The Screen Part one

Hello my fellow afficianados of horror, and welcome to another trip down the road where things go bump in the night! In this blog we will discuss an example of a novel that was perfectly adapted to the big screen.

In 1971 a screenwriter by the name of William Peter Blatty had a novel published. It was a story based on a real life incident that became an international sensation. I'm referring to a hair-raising little story called THE EXORCIST. By the time it had already become a runaway bestseller, there was talk of a movie adaptation. Many people were skeptical, believing it would be almost impossible to replicate on screen, the horrific scenes depicted in the novel. But director William Friedkin, fresh from his oscar winning film " The French Connection" obviously disagreed.

I had the distinct pleasure of reading the novel shortly before the film opened on December 26, 1973. I remember thinking to myself, the day after Christmas? How ironic. But years later I would see differently. It was my aunt who recomended the book to me. Even though the subject matter was very mature for a 13 year old, she said that if I liked horror that much, I shouldn't be denied the experience. Boy if my father only knew... after all it was his sister!

I went to the local library and took the book out. I brought it to school every day. I can imagine what the teachers were thinking! Well I'm glad that I took her advice , BECAUSE IT WAS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ! Remains so to this very day. Upon finishing this gutwrenching classic, I as well as many others thought it would be impossible to make it into a movie, after all, some of the scenes in the novel could'nt possibly be recreated on the big screen, or so I thought! Special effects were too unsophisticated back in 1973 to do the book justice in a filmed version. Technically, some of the incredible scenes in the book seemed too complicated to reproduce on screen. But much to everyones surprise they were!
The special effects were brought to the screen by a Frenchman named Marcel Vercoutere. He devised ways to replicate the incredible transformation of demonic possession and its effects that it had on 12 year old Regan MacNeil played electrifyingly by newcomer Linda Blair. The details on how he created the horrific effects can be found in a very interesting book entitled " William Peter Blatty on The Exorcist From Novel to Film" published in 1974. (Bantam) These special effects were groundbreaking at the time, and led to the explosion of similiar effects in the horror movies to come. Of course the movie " The Exorcist" cannot be mentioed without the masterful makeup of the legendary Dick Smith, who brought the unforgettable facial transformation of Regan to iconic levels in the history of the horror film.

I'll discuss other aspects of this classic horrorfest in part two. Till we meet again, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

Horror Movie Icons

Welcome once again fear fanatics, to another venture into the realm of horror! I've already profiled a short history of Christopher Lee's movie career last week. But there are two other actors who excelled in this genre. The first was a freqent co-star of Lee's, the magnificent Peter Cushing and last but by no means least, the iconic Vincent Price. These were actors that I grew up watching on the small screen at home. Sadly, they are no longer with us, both having passed on less than a year apart from one another in 1994 and 1995. These two fine actors starred in many topnotch films during their long reign in the horror film industry.

Peter Cushing , aside from his classic appearances with Lee, starred in many fine horror films by himself. Some of his best ,(and my favorites as well) are as follows :

1. " Dr. Terror's House of Horrors" (1965)

2. "Horror Express" (1972)

3. " The Creeping Flesh" (1972)

4. " The Beast Must Die" (1975)

5. " Legend of the Werewolf " (1975)



One of his best " anthology" films was 1972s " Tales From The Crypt" which I dragged my mother to see in the movie theater when it first came out. It remains one of my favorites of his. Cushing never failed to give a convincing and polished performance even in sub-par films like 1969s " The Blood Beast Terror" a ridiculous piece if drivel about a young woman who turns into a "deathshead moth" ! He will always be remembered for his meticulously nuanced performances.

Vincent Price was more known to American audiences than his two British counterparts, and no less beloved. From his early roles in films such as 1939s " The Tower of London" to classics like 1971s " The Abominable Dr. Phibes" , he always brought a deliciously evil sense of style to the big screen. Some of his best and most well known films were a result of collaborations with two legendary producers, William Castle and Roger Corman. He first teamed up with Castle in the 1950s in such gems as " House on Haunted Hill" (1958) and " The Tingler" (1959). These were two of Castle's " gimmick" movies he was so famously known for. But his series of Edgar Allan Poe films he made with Roger Corman were some of Price's best. Corman was legendary for proclaiming he never made a movie that didn't make a profit. With a knack for low-string budgets and stars like Price , it's not hard to believe! Among these films were classics like 1960s "The Fall of the House of Usher" and 1965s " The Masque of the Red Death"

Price also starred in superior works like 1968s " The Conquerer Worm" and what I consider to be his "masterpiece", 1973s " Theater of Blood" opposite his wife Coral Browne. While known for his storied film career, many do not know that he was an expert art collector, accomplished chef , as well as a connisseur of fine wines.

These pair of consumate actors also had one other attribute in common. They both were kind, gentle, and decent men far unlike many of the characters they portrayed on the screen. We can be thankful for one thing, the preservation of their work on film, for they are sorely missed. This concludes our trip down movie memory lane. Until we meet again, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

Great horror movie website

Hi to all my horror buddies out there, had enough of this rain? It would be cool if the dead would come back to life and cause some carnage in the neighborhood...liven up things around here(LOL) ! Well anyway , my boredom led me to a very enjoyable monster movie review website on the net. It's called http://www.badmovieplanet.com/ and it is a must for all B-movie........ heck even Z-movie fans! It's formatted into alphabetical order groups and is not only entertaining but very thorough as well. Heck after reading each film's synopsis's you dont really need to see the film but that would defeat the purpose in the first place! Thats my only gripe with this otherwise topnotch website, it goes too much into the details of each film's plotline. But nontheless I was totally engrossed with it, so much so that I forgot all about the rain!!!! I read great viewpoints on such films as "The Monster of Piedras Blancas"(1959), "Bay of Blood"(1971), "Legend of Hell House"(1973), and a doozy on 1971s "Blood and Lace" a pre-slasher era film with many notable actors from F-Troops Melody Patterson to academy award winning actress Gloria Grahame ! You should check it out. Perfect for a rainy day ... or month I should say! Well back to the old grindstone .. to bring another blog to life . till then, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

1950s Movies So Bad They Were Good

Hey there my fellow horror junkies, whats up? The 1950s produced many classic horror and sci=fi movies. Remember such classics as "The Fly" or "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" ? Well for every gem like those there were at least ten that weren't so classic. But that didn't make them any less memorable; some were great because they were so bad and even laughable. There are a few that hold a special place in my childhood memories. In the early 1970s I remember coming home from school and watching those films at 4:oo in the afternoon usually on channel 9. My mother would be busy preparing dinner for when my dad would get home, so I had free reign of the T.V at that time. There were two films that would turn up on that channel more than a few times. Coincidently they were both produced in 1959, the year before I was born! One was a doozy entitled "The Hideous Sun Demon" and the other, "The Monster of Piedras Blancas". These were considered worse than a B MOVIE but no less special, at least as far as I was concerned.

"The Hideous Sun Demon" starred Robert Clarke as neucleur scientist who is accidentally exposed to radioactive isotopes in his labratory. He appears to have no ill effects from the accident. The only problem is , that whenever he goes out into the sunshine he turns into a lizard!!!! This leads to a series of laughable but enjoyable scenes involving contact with the local folks , including the police and gangsters of all things! One classic scene is when he drives back to his house in his convertible sportscar while he turns into a reptile! As cheesey as this sounds, the makeup and monster suit is pretty decent for a low-budget film of this sort. I wont spoil it for you. You have to see it to believe it. It's not to easy to find ; I only have it on VHS.

The other film I mentioned , "The Monster of Piedras Blancas" is another humdinger. It involves a coastal fisherman who lives in a house along the cliffs and lagoon area with his daughter. An 8-foot tall amphibian/man lives in the caves inside the lagoon. Unbeknownst to the townspeople as well as his daughter, the fisherman has been feeding this monster for years! Well once he runs out of food to feed this monstrosity, it goes on a rampage killing the local folk. While this film has some classicly bad dialogue, it is quite gruesome for it's time and proves to be a decent timekiller on a rainy day. Also rare, I only have it on VHS as well.

I urge you to try and find these two movies, so bad they're good! Until the next time we meet, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

Best Dracula on the silver screen

Good evening, and welcome my fellow children of the night! It's that time again. I have two questions to pose to all of you today.





1. In the history of the horror film, who has brought the best portrayal of Count Dracula to the big screen? There have been many actors who tried their hand at it, with mixed results. A few have excelled in the role, having reprised it on multiple occasions.



In my opinion, the actor who best personified Dracula was non other than Christopher Lee. This icon of the horror film had it all. Tall and lean, he had an aristocratic air about him. His intense bloodshot eyes sent chills up my spine! The way his flowing cape would billow outwards from his body when he would pursue his victim was mesmerizing. While he rarely uttered a word, his intimidating prescence spoke volumes. His first appearance as the famed bloodsucker was in the 1958 chiller "Horror of Dracula". He continued to reprise the coveted role well into the 1970s. His other notable turns as The Count are ( in cronological order)

1. "Dracula, Prince of Darkness" (1965),


2. "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave"(1968),


3. "Taste the Blood of Dracula"(1969),


4. "Scars of Dracula"(1970),


5. " Dracula A.D. 1972"(1972)


6. "The Satanic Rites of Dracula"(1973).

All of these films were released by the prestigious Hammer Films , filmed at the famed Shepperton Studios in London, England. I recommend them all highly.

When I had the immense pleasure of seeing this charasmatic actor in person, back in 1990 at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors convention, I knew that I was in the presence of a legend. He commented that although he was most known for his starring role as Dracula, it only comprised a small portion of his acting career. He starred in many swashbuckling films in the 1940s and 1950s, and noted that Burt Lancaster taught him how to fence. Sadly, he also noted that Peter Cushing, his legendary costar in many films, was ill with cancer. He would eventually pass on in 1994.





Question #2-What are some of your favorite Christopher Lee films? Mine are as follows:

1. "Horror Hotel"(1960),
2. "Dr. Terrors House of Horrors"(1965),
3. "The House That Dripped Blood"(1971),
4. "Horror Express"(1972),
5. "The Creeping Flesh"(1972) with Peter Cushing , and the cult classic
6. "The Wicker Man"(1973).
   

So let's stroll down memory lane, and tell me what your faves are. I want to know! Until then, I bid you farewell, and HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!