News

Nothing like a little decapitation to ring in the spooky season! Expanding on one of its most beloved showcases, “Mind F*ck Night” the Lower East Side Film Festival is unveiling a new, three-day pop-up festival called “Off/Season.” The series will focus on terrifying, mind-altering, genre-defying cinema and feature a curated selection of advanced screenings, retrospectives, short films, as well as filmmaker Q&As and receptions, all held at the Alamo Drafthouse, Lower Manhattan location from October 2-4.

In honor of the film’s 60th anniversary, “Off/Season” is proud to present “Strait-Jacket” from B-Movie horror master William Castle. Featuring screen legend Joan Crawford, this “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” follow-up continued the star’s decent into hagsploitation, but has become a cult classic in its own right, with her madly swinging an axe becoming one of cinema’s most iconic images. Castle’s daughter, Terry Castle, will be...

It’s that time of year again. While some directors annually share their favorite films of the year, Steven Soderbergh lists everything he consumed, media-wise. For 2023––another year in which he not only Magic Mike’s Last Dance Review: Steven Soderbergh and Channing Tatum Take a Familiar, Gentle Bow”>released a new film, but dropped two TV series (Full Circle and Command Z“>Command Z) and shot another film (the Sundance-bound Presence)––he still got plenty of watching in.

Along with catching up on 2023’s new releases, Ferrari, Anatomy of a Fall, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Air, Reality, Dead Reckoning, among others), he took in plenty of classics, including Eyes Wide Shut, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Casablanca, Out of the Past, The Shining, the epic War and Peace, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and, following Tom Wilkinson’s passing, Michael Clayton. He also got an early look at Pussy Island,...

Set upon a melodramatic pile-up of pulpy excess and fairly macabre shocks, Strait-Jacket is a nippy thriller that teeters on the edge of psychological horror from the pen of Psycho's Robert Bloch and featuring a memorably showy role for its star Joan Crawford. Released 4 years after the aforementioned masterpiece and 2 years after Crawford locked horns with an unforgettably tyrannical Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Strait-Jacket serves as more than mere imitation in the way it blends creeping unease with well-delivered bursts of grisliness. It also ushers in a fairly predictable but nonetheless entertainingly staged third-act twist that only serves to further highlight Crawford's effectiveness in the lead role. A thespian of commanding force, and capable of providing a borderline over-the-top shriek with full-bodied gusto, she carries what could've been a fun but forgettable schlock-piece into something with bucketloads of attitude.

Blade Runner Image: Warner Bros. Product placement in movies stretches back to the earliest days of cinema. Wings, the 1927 silent film that won the first Academy Award for Best Picture, prominently featured Hershey’s chocolate bars. Product placement became more commonplace in the 1940s and has only increased since. Today,...

Horror icon Barbara Crampton discusses a few of her favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes:

Movies Referenced In This Episode

Re-Animator (1985)

Body Double (1984)

Jakob’s Wife (2021)

The Court Jester (1955) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)

The Three Musketeers (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

The Matrix (1999)

Bound (1996)

Eyes Without A Face (1962) – Sam Hamm’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Halloween (1978) Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing, Alex Kirschenbaum’s film power rankings, Alex Kirschenbaum’s timeline power rankings

All About Eve (1950)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Relic (2020)

Anything For Jackson (2020)

The Haunting (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary

Strait-Jacket (1964) – David DeCoteau’s trailer commentary

The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary,...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Creepy (Kiyoshi Kurosawa)

One has to appreciate Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s winking self-awareness in calling his new feature Creepy. It’s as if the Coen brothers released a film entitled Snarky, or Eli Roth named his next stomach-churner Gory. Kurosawa, who’s still best known for Cure (1997) and Pulse (2001), two rare outstanding examples of the highly variable J-Horror genre, instills a sense of creepiness into virtually anything he does, regardless of subject matter. His latest, which sees him return to the realm of horror after excursions into more arthouse territory, certainly lives up to its name and has a lot of fun doing so. – Giovanni M.C. (full review)

Where...

It’s officially a new month and a new week, which means we have a bunch of brand new Blu-ray and DVD releases headed home this Tuesday. The official start to summer is right around the corner, which makes this the perfect time for Steven Spielberg’s Jaws to swim its way into 4K waters for the very first time, in honor of the film’s 45th anniversary this year. And if that wasn’t cool enough, Oscar winner Parasite from filmmaker Bong Joon Ho is also getting a 4K release this week as well.

Kino Lorber is also keeping busy with a pair of Blu-rays to kick off their slate of releases for the month—Let’s Kill Uncle and They Came from Beyond Space—and if you’re a big Creepshow fan, you’re definitely going to want to pick up the new anthology series this week.

Other...

There may not be a ton of titles headed home this week, but we still have some fantastic releases to look forward to on Tuesday nonetheless. In anticipation of its sequel headed to theaters on March 20th, Paramount has teamed up with Mondo for a stunning new 4K SteelBook release of A Quiet Place, and for those of you who enjoy cult horror that is sure to creep up under your skin, Scream Factory is showing both Inseminoid and Bug (1975) some love with the Blu-ray treatment.

Other releases for March 10th include Little Joe, Luz, Ghost Killers vs Bloody Mary, The Assent, Don’t Speak, Exit 0, and The Alpha Test.

Bug (1975)

Legendary horror writer/producer/director William Castle presents a creeping, crawling film nightmare that will have you screaming and squirming with fright! A massive earth tremor opens a crevasse in the California desert, releasing a plague of bizarre, fiery,...

In addition to releasing new Blu-rays in December for horror fans to put under their trees and place in their stockings hung with care, Scream Factory is also giving the gift of announcing Blu-rays for viewers to look forward to in the new year, including the Snoop Dogg-starring Bones, 1981's Inseminoid, and Bug (1975).

Special features for the new Blu-rays of Bones, Inseminoid, and Bug have yet to be announced, but all three releases are slated to come out in March of 2020, and we'll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers updated as more details are revealed. In the meantime, we have the official announcements and cover art below:

Bones Blu-ray: "We’re unleashing the “Dogg” today with the news that that the 2001 horror tale (staring rapper Snoop Dogg) Bones is coming to Blu-ray on March 31st!

The time is 1979. Jimmy Bones (Snoop Dogg) is respected and loved as the neighborhood protector.

By Fred Blosser

Two 1960s murder thrillers with Joan Crawford have been released by Mill Creek Entertainment on single-disc Blu-ray. The cover sleeve bills the package as a “Psycho Biddy Double Feature.” The films are “Strait-Jacket” (1964), the first of Crawford’s three pictures with producer-director William Castle, and “Berserk!” (1967), her first of two with producer Herman Cohen. In using the possibly ageist and definitely sexist phrase “Psycho Biddy,” Mill Creek’s marketing department clearly hopes that audiences will have fond memories of the frenzied, middle-aged Joan Crawford in 1981’s “Mommie Dearest,” shrieking “I told you! No . . . wire . . . hangers -- ever!” at her terrified adopted child, Christina. Never mind that the belittling term “biddy” is problematic in the case of Joan Crawford. There may be plenty of biddies in the world, but the imperious Joan was never one of them. Never mind either that it was Faye Dunaway impersonating Joan Crawford in “Mommie Dearest,...

The people at Scream Factory have made their name releasing special edition Blu-rays of horror movies primarily from the ’80s and ’90s, the decades that fans of my generation first fell in the love with the genre, and, as a result, produced the movies we hold most dear. But Scream Factory has also branched out in their later years, releasing not only contemporary films (through their partnership with IFC Midnight), but classics as well. Three classic catalogue titles recently made their Blu-ray debuts as part of the this trend: one lesser-known effort from John Carpenter and two from the great William Castle.

One of my favorite of all of Castle’s productions is The Tingler from 1959, starring Vincent Price as a scientist who discovers a creature that attaches itself to the human spine and feeds on fear. Every human has one of these “tinglers,” the movie suggests, but by screaming and releasing our fear,...

It’s 1964. You’ve been a long time fan of Joan Crawford since her Oscar winning performance in Mildred Pierce (1945), and you see she has a new movie opening this weekend: Strait-Jacket! “What could it be about?” you exclaim, right before you see the ad of Joan swinging an axe with a maniacal gleam in her eye and throw down your paper in disgust. “Horror nonsense”, you mumble. “She’ll never get my money again!” That’s a shame, Winifred, because Strait-Jacket is a hot blast of campy delights that I’m positive your kids and grand babies would have a grand old time with. Now have a lay down and I’ll tell you why.

Released by Columbia Pictures stateside in January, with a worldwide rollout in the spring, Strait-Jacket was a big hit for director William Castle (The Tingler) and Crawford, bringing in over $2 million at the box office,...

Strait-Jacket

Blu ray

Shout Factory

1964 / 1.85:1 / Street Date August 21, 2018

Starring Joan Crawford, Diane Baker

Cinematography by Arthur Arling

Directed by William Castle

The planets aligned in 1964 as William Castle’s Strait-Jacket premiered in January and Susan Sontag’s Notes on Camp was published later that fall. There’s no mention of Castle’s axe-happy melodrama in Sontag’s essay – an eclectic rundown of kitsch touchstones extolling everything from The Mysterians to Steve Reeves – and that’s surprising because frame by frame, Castle’s overcooked fright-fest encompasses almost everything Sontag had to say about the joys of guilelessly bad art.

Joan Crawford stars as Lucy Harbin, a middle-aged outcast back home after a twenty year stint in a mental institution. The film’s prologue sets the stage; one hot night in 1944 Lucy paused by her bedroom window to find her husband sharing their bed with another, distinctly younger, woman. The enraged...

So many icons, so little time. Two of William Castle's classic films, The Tingler (starring Vincent Price) and Strait-Jacket (starring Joan Crawford) are finally available on Blu-ray courtesy of Scream Factory. If you're not familiar with The Tingler or Strait-Jacket, it's no sweat, because we have three Blu-ray clips for each film, plus trailers!

Press Release: "This August, beat the heat with two classic chillers from Scream Factory! On August 21st, 2018, two of legendary horror filmmaker William Castle’s best-loved films will make their Blu-ray debuts loaded with bonus features, including new interviews and audio commentaries on each release. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com

In Strait-Jacket, film legend Joan Crawford gives a terrific performance in this chiller from pioneer horror movie producer William Castle.

Crawford plays Lucy Harbin, a woman who goes berserk when she finds her husband in bed with another woman. With...

Love can often be beautiful, but sometimes it can drive you crazy, as Joan Crawford's character Lucy Harbin discovers in William Castle's Strait-Jacket. In addition to releasing Castle's The Tingler on Blu-ray this week, Scream Factory is giving Strait-Jacket the high-def home media treatment, and we've been provided with three copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers!

---------

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Strait-Jacket.

How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:

1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:

https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Strait-Jacket Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on August 28th.

It's been a long time since I've seen Strait-Jacket, but it's just as odd and as much fun as I remember. William Castle rarely lets me down; his films have a comforting glee in them, just as the weirdness descends like a welcome blanket on a cold day. For those unitiated, he directed The Tingler, Mr. Sardonicus, 13 Ghosts, House on Haunted Hill, and was producer of Rosemary's Baby, among many other films.  As of today, you can get Strait-Jacket (as well as The Tingler) from Scream Factory, and what a terrific release it is. It looks incredible for a film released in 1964, and sounds just as great. In the film, Lucy Harbin (Joan Crawford) finds her husband (a young Lee Majors!) in bed with another...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

“Frightening … this effectively paced and conceived project provides more proof of William Castle’s talent as a master of entertainment.” – TV Guide “Joan’s fans will not be disappointed.” – Time Out Strait-Jacket and The Tingler Two William Castle Classics Make Blu-ray Debuts August 21st, 2018 from Scream Factory This August, beat the heat …

The post Scream Factory Presents Two William Castle Chillers: “Strait-Jacket” and “The Tingler” Make Br Debuts Aug. 21st appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net. Copyrights 2008-2018 - Horrornews.net...

In addition to their recent Blu-ray announcement of the House on Haunted Hill remake, Scream Factory will also release two William Castle movies on Blu-ray this August, and we have a look at the full lists of special features for Strait-Jacket and The Tingler:

Press Release: This August, beat the heat with two classic chillers from Scream Factory! On August 21st, 2018, two of legendary horror filmmaker William Castle’s best-loved films will make their Blu-ray debuts loaded with bonus features, including new interviews and audio commentaries on each release. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com

In Strait-Jacket, film legend Joan Crawford gives a terrific performance in this chiller from pioneer horror movie producer William Castle.

Crawford plays Lucy Harbin, a woman who goes berserk when she finds her husband in bed with another woman. With her three-year-old daughter accidentally witnessing the grisly act, Lucy axes the couple to death.

Does this William Castle double feature send shivers up your spine? Perhaps it's... the tingler! The third of five films that director William Castle and writer Robb White worked on together, The Tingler (1959) Blu-ray will be released on August 21st from Scream Factory, along with 1964's Strait-Jacket, starring Joan Crawford!

You can read Scream Factory's Blu-ray announcement below, and there will be more information to come once bonus features are announced, so stay up to date with Daily Dead for more details!

From Scream Factory: "Today we’re happy to reveal that we are releasing two of William Castle’s more prominent cult classics this Summer! The Tingler (1959) with Vincent Price and Strait-jacket (1964) with Joan Crawford will both shock and chop on Blu-ray for the first time on August 21st. Extras will be announced on a later date.

If you order directly from us on our site we’ll ship it out two weeks early!

Between the horrors of the Baby Jane shoot, Joan’s Oscar-night stunt, and her and Bette’s natural antipathy, you would think that the last thing either of them would ever do would be team up again. But desperate times call for desperate measures. So, with the mortal enemies’ stars fading down to mere flickers, Sunday’s Feud: Bette and Joan found Davis and Crawford signing on to headline Bob’s new thriller, What Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte? How did it go? As if you don’t already know the legend, read on…

RelatedFeud Season 2 to Focus on Charles...

Mildred Pierce

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 860

1945 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 111 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date , 2017 /

Starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Lee Patrick, Moroni Olsen, Veda Ann Borg, Jo Ann Marlowe, Butterfly McQueen.

Cinematography: Ernest Haller

Art Direction: Anton Grot

Film Editor: David Weisbart

Original Music: Max Steiner

Written by: Ranald MacDougall from the novel by James M. Cain

Produced by: Jerry Wald, Jack L. Warner

Directed by Michael Curtiz

James M. Cain’s 1941 novel Mildred Pierce offers a venal and self-destructive view of America not with a story of respectable bourgeois society, not the criminal underworld. A de-classed, suburb-dwelling nobody fights her way onto the social register by using men and by hard work… and then watches as her obsessive goals blow up in her face In Cain’s worldview it’s every woman for herself. He drags in an odd personal theme,...

Bruce Campbell returns as Ash this Sunday in the premiere of Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2 on Starz, and he couldn't be more excited for fans to check it out. Having seen the first two episodes, I can tell Daily Dead readers that the series continues to deliver great character moments and over-the-top horror at the breakneck pace we saw in season 1. We get to learn more about the time between Army of Darkness and Ash vs Evil Dead when Ash goes back home, we're introduced to brand new characters (including Ash's father), and the second episode has Ash in his most outrageous battle to date (and that's saying a lot...).

While he was out at Fantastic Fest, I had a chance to catch up with Bruce Campbell to discuss all things Ash vs Evil Dead. Continue reading to learn about exploring Ash's past, working with Lee Majors, interest in future seasons,...

For those of you looking to live a bit more deliciously, May 17th is certainly going to be your day, because Robert Eggers’ The Witch is finally making its way onto Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday. Scream Factory also has two releases that genre fans will certainly want to keep an eye on this week: William Castle’s cult classic I Saw What You Did and the recent thriller Dementia, which stars The Sacrament’s Gene Jones. The killer anthology Southbound is also coming to DVD on Tuesday, and Universal has several four-title collections that might be worth your time as well.

I Saw What You Did (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

A simple prank call turns into a night of person-to-person terror in I Saw What You Did, a movie that dials up the suspense.

Teenagers Libby and Kit have found a new way to entertain themselves: by calling...

George Kennedy, known for his role in Cool Hand Luke and The Naked Gun movies, has reportedly died at 91. The Oscar-winning actor died Sunday morning in Boise, Idaho, his grandson Cory Schenkel confirmed on his Facebook page. Schenkel told TMZ that his grandfather's health had been in decline since the death of his wife Joan last year. He also reported that his grandfather had been under hospice care over the past month. "I have created so many great memories and I will enjoy them for life," Schenkel wrote of his grandparents on Facebook. "While I am extremely sad that they...

Usually, prank calls are just annoying, but this call might be deadly. I Saw What You Did (1965) will be available on Blu-ray for the very first time courtesy of Scream Factory on May 17th.

From Scream Factory: It starts as a game…and there’s no end in fright! A simple prank call turns into a night of person-to-person terror in 1965's I Saw What You Did--which streets on Blu-ray for the first time on May 17th.

The legendary Joan Crawford (What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?) and John Ireland are among the stars in this chiller produced and directed by the legendary Master of the Macabre, William Castle (House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler, Strait-Jacket).

Pre-order now @ https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-horror/i-saw-what-you-did

Trailer from alifeatthemovies:

The post Scream Factory to Release 1965’s I Saw What You Did on Blu-ray appeared first on Daily Dead.

Joan Crawford Movie Star Joan Crawford movies on TCM: Underrated actress, top star in several of her greatest roles If there was ever a professional who was utterly, completely, wholeheartedly dedicated to her work, Joan Crawford was it. Ambitious, driven, talented, smart, obsessive, calculating, she had whatever it took – and more – to reach the top and stay there. Nearly four decades after her death, Crawford, the star to end all stars, remains one of the iconic performers of the 20th century. Deservedly so, once you choose to bypass the Mommie Dearest inanity and focus on her film work. From the get-go, she was a capable actress; look for the hard-to-find silents The Understanding Heart (1927) and The Taxi Dancer (1927), and check her out in the more easily accessible The Unknown (1927) and Our Dancing Daughters (1928). By the early '30s, Joan Crawford had become a first-rate film actress, far more naturalistic than...

The craft stores know something you don’t know. That’s right. It’s time for the 2014 Halloween Season TV Preview! This is where we let you know about the time and channel for everything we can find on TV having to do with Halloween or Horror for the month of October and sometimes late September. This will include holiday specials, horror movies, TV show premier dates and Halloween episodes of your favorite series as well as documentaries that might be considered scary. Anything and everything that might get your ghost good.

I always start with TCM because you can tell they take such care in developing their lineup. Be sure to check out their Thursday nights. This is truly a unique year for that station.

A quick note: We are not going to be able to get it all. So many different markets and channels and providers… it’s...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a 40th anniversary screening of “Young Frankenstein” with special guests Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr and executive producer Michael Gruskoff on Tuesday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Film historian Leonard Maltin will introduce the comedy classic and host a live onstage discussion with Brooks, Leachman, Garr and Gruskoff.

“Young Frankenstein,” Brooks’s 1974 homage to the Golden Age of monster movies, features a large ensemble cast including Leachman, Garr, Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman. It earned Oscar® nominations for Adapted Screenplay (Wilder, Brooks) and Sound (Richard Portman, Gene Cantamessa).

Additional Academy events coming up in September at the Bing Theater in Los Angeles are listed below, with details at www.oscars.org/events:

“Let There Be Fright: William Castle Scare Classics”

The...

Every year, we here at Sound On Sight celebrate the month of October with 31 Days of Horror; and every year, I update the list of my favourite horror films ever made. Last year, I released a list that included 150 picks. This year, I’ll be upgrading the list, making minor alterations, changing the rankings, adding new entries, and possibly removing a few titles. I’ve also decided to publish each post backwards this time for one reason: the new additions appear lower on my list, whereas my top 50 haven’t changed much, except for maybe in ranking. I am including documentaries, short films and mini series, only as special mentions – along with a few features that can qualify as horror, but barely do.

Come Back Tonight To See My List Of The 200 Best!

****

Special Mention:

Wait until Dark

Directed by Terence Young

Written by Robert Carrington

USA, 1967

Directed by Terence Young,...

The Last House on the Left

Directed by Wes Craven

Screenplay by Wes Craven

1972, USA

Much like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and I Spit On Your Grave, Last House on the Left is a prime example of the discrepancy of censorship in independent horror films. The film developed such a bad reputation that it was banned in several countries due to scenes of sadism and violence, and in 1982 was put on the “video nasties” list by the Department of Public Prosecutions. But thanks to critics such as Mark Kermode and Roger Ebert, who praised the film as an important piece of work, it eventually picked up a rabid cult following, and is still ranked by mane as one of Craven’s best films.

Loosely based on Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring, the exploitation flick follows two teenage girls (on route to score some weed before a rock concert), who...

"William Castle's Shockers", presented by the very undead folks from Cinefamily at Hollywood, California's iconic Silent Movie Theatre, has been running Saturday nights in October. Of course there will also be a double feature on Halloween night, Sunday, October 31st.

Here's a list of what will be shown during the last two weekends of the month. See you at The Silent Movie Theatre, 611 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90048; for more info call (323) 655-2520.

October 23rd / Macabre shown with Mr. Sardonicus

Macabre - 6:00pm

Macabre is a taut little race-the-clock picture about a kidnapped doctor's daughter and the his panicked attempts to save her! This was Castle’s first foray into horror (though he’d made some fine noir thrillers), and there’s the extra pleasure of the ever-jovial Jim Backus (Mr. Howell from “Gilligan’s Island”, and the voice of Mr. Magoo) sliming it up in a...

If H.G. Lewis is the Godfather of Gore, then William Castle must be horror’s lovable Grandfather ... or at least its sneaky uncle. And just like family, we sometimes take him for granted, relegating him to the bowels of schlock cinema - a term that celebrates the gimmickry of niche movie making but not its inherent ingenuity.

The name William Castle has become synonymous with classic horror, but not dared spoken in the same breath as Hitchcock or even Terence Fisher for that matter. No, Castle is the midnight movie madman who elevated audience exploitation to an art form and invented the twist ending decades before M. Night Shyamalan pitched The Sixth Sense to Disney executives. Now, when one name splashes across the screen, it elicits groans from the audience (been in a theater showing the Devil trailer lately?), but when the name William Castle pops up, a sinister smirk...

A quick follow-up to yesterday's news story about the New York City Return of William Castle. In typical Castle fashion you just can't keep a good ghoul down! Get ready to hear from "the man himself" regarding the upcoming film festivities!

A Special Message From The “Master Of The MacAbre” William Castle

“Don’t think that a little thing like being dead would preclude me from attending “The Return of William Castle” retrospective at the Film Forum in New York City beginning on Friday, August 27th.

I am very much present. And I do so remember how I loved scaring the living daylights out of all of you ... But I’m not done yet. Not by a long shot. I am sure you are dying to know what to expect from me now that I’m back with From The Grave!, a new tale of terror and my first novel,...

If someone were to ask us to name our top ten directors of all time, the name William Castle would sit firmly somewhere within the top five. The man was not only a true showman but also an absolute genius. If we have one regret in our tenure here at Dread Central, it is that we weren't around during Castle's heyday of insane gimmicks. The man was without question the godfather of viral marketing, and it's taken the rest of the industry decades to catch up. If you live somewhere within the Tri-State Region, we have the info on an event that you do Not want to miss!

From the Press Release

The Return Of William Castle, a 15-film festival of horror and exploitation classics by the director and master showman, complete with their original gimmicks (Emergo!, Percepto!, Illusion-o!, and others – including one created exclusively for Film Forum), will run...

Open from 1897 to 1962, The Grand Guignol Theater in Paris was famous for mounting horror productions, and as such, the name of the theater has since proliferated the horror genre. It’s now a general term used to describe graphic or morally ambiguous horror productions. Everything from Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) could be considered within the tradition.

Among the most famous plays mounted at The Grand Guignol was a play called Un Crime dans une Maison de Fous by André de Lorde. The play concerned the adventures of two old hags in a booby hatch who viciously attacked another patient with scissors. It’s this particular play that is of interest to a girl like me. (This particular kind of story was eventually dubbed “Grand Dame Guignol.”) While I might never get to see this production mounted, I can get my fix of what is...

When I was but a wee bonny lass, I was eating toast in the kitchen of my Southern Illinois home, and I accidentally mixed my peanut butter with my Nutella. “Oh no!” I cried. This was, to my child’s mind, an absolute tragedy. Nothing was worse than that disgusting food mixture that happens sometimes on a plate. My mother, however, encouraged me to eat it anyway. I grudgingly forced the toast with the two spreads into my mouth, and what did I discover? Why I found that my deep passion for peanut butter and Nutella as exclusive spreads was increased exponentially (I actually have no idea what this word really means) when they were combined.

It turns out that watching two “Nature Hates You” movies back-to-back is a lot like this. You go into them thinking, “These two movies are completely rad, and their radness cannot possibly be outdone!

The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)

When new editions of previously released titles come out, it’s always difficult to determine whether there is a significant difference in image/sound quality or bonus features to make a re-purchase worth it. And sometimes, it’s an easy decision - and that’s the case with Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$79.98 Srp) and Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered (BBC,...

The William Castle Film Collection (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, $80.95) includes eight pictures produced and directed by master showman Castle. In Part One of this lengthy DVD review, I dissected four of them—13 Ghosts, Homicidal and the two best, The Tingler and Mr. Sardonicus. Believe you me, it was a ghastly business! As Sardonicus would say, “I have known a ghoul—a disgusting creature that opens graves and feeds on corpses.” Like a DVD reviewer. See here.

In this epic conclusion, I am fitted out with a Strait-jacket (about time!) and also chronicle Zotz!, 13 Frightened Girls and The Old Dark House, the three Castle entries new to DVD (which lack the short, individual “making of” documentaries accompanying the other five). Only two of these eight flicks were shot in color (Girls, House); theatrical trailers are included with all of the movies. And that’s all you need to know as we continue—in amazing Screamarama,...

In this incarnation of our Videolog column (which began in 1982 with VHS & Betamax and later laserdisc), Starlog posts information weekly regarding selected genre titles now being released (or re-released) on DVD and Blu-ray. Prices listed are Msrp, though any clickable links lead to Amazon where the savings can be significant.

This week’s DVD releases:

Blood: The Last Vampire (Sony, $24.96 DVD; $34.95 Blu-ray): Based on the cult anime series, Blood: The Last Vampire takes place in a world where demons have infested Earth. Only one warrior stands between the dark and the light: Saya, a half-human/half-vampire samurai who preys on those who feast on human blood. Joining forces with the shadowy society known as the Council, Saya is dispatched to an American military base, where an intense series of swordfights leads her to the deadliest vampire of all. And now after 400 years, Saya’s greatest hunt is about to begin.

Here’s a list of some of the new movie and TV shows coming to DVD and Blu-ray this week that we’re looking forward to seeing. Also, there’s some classic, and not-so-classic, movies hitting Blu-ray for the first time this week as well.

Of all the new releases, we’re particularly interested in the Blu-ray versions of movies and TV shows such as Blood: The Last Vampire, Easy Rider and the first seasons of Hawaii Five-o and Vega$. Plus, I think some movie with lots of robots, explosions and Megan Fox also came out this week as well.

Check them out.

Movies

Blood: The Last Vampire ~ Michael Byrne, Constantine Gregory, Yasuaki Kurata (DVD and Blu-ray)

Cheri ~ Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates (DVD – 2009)

Easy Rider ~ Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson (Blu-ray)

Monsoon Wedding (The Criterion Collection) ~ Lillete Dubey, Vijay Raaz (Blu-ray)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Those Aren’t Pillows Edition) ~ Steve Martin,...

The William Castle Film Collection (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, $80.95) assembles the master showman’s eight Columbia Pictures features in one set. Three (Zotz!, 13 Frightened Girls, The Old Dark House) are new to DVD. Only two are in color (Girls, House), but black and white works far better here to evoke film fear anyhow. Castle produced and directed them all (though he shares a producing credit with Hammer Films’ Anthony Hinds on the House remake). Three were scripted by Robb White (who also wrote Castle’s earlier gimmicky genre hits MacAbre and House On Haunted Hill) while Ray Russell and Robert Dillon racked up two scripts each and Starlog contributor Robert Bloch penned one.

The films (fantasies, thrillers, comedies) are grouped sort of by theme, two per disc. So, 13 Frightened Girls (a.k.a. The Candy Web) is teamed with 13 Ghosts for the triskaidekaphobia entry. Homicidal and Strait-jacket represent the murder,...

Sony is releasing the William Castle Film Collection on October 20th. Castle is famous for releasing horror films with gimmicks like buzzers on seats, special glasses that let you see the ghost in 13 Ghosts, and so on... The set includes; The Tingler (1959), 13 Ghosts (1960), Homicidal (1961), Mr. Sardonicus (1961), Strait-Jacket (1964) and for the first time on DVD Zotz! (1962), The Old Dark House (1963), and 13 Frightened Girls (1963).

William Castle is a hero around the Dread Central offices. The man was a true showman in every sense of the word and knew how to deliver laughs, chills, and lunacy like no other! Come this October fans will be getting a box set to scream about courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment -- The William Castle Film Collection!

From the Press Release

The master of ballyhoo who became a brand name in movie horror with his outrageous audience participation gimmicks will be remembered on October 20 when the William Castle Film Collection debuts from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The set features eight of the legendary producer/director’s most notable films, including The Tingler (1959), 13 Ghosts (1960), Homicidal (1961), Mr. Sardonicus (1961), and Strait-Jacket (1964). Also included in the collection are Zotz! (1962), The Old Dark House (1963), and 13 Frightened Girls (1963), each making their DVD debuts. The extensive bonus materials include original theatrical openings, alternate sequences, vintage footage,...

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced that it will release the William Castle Film Collection October 20. The five-dvd set will include eight films by the veteran genre director/producer (famed for his attention-grabbing in-theater gimmicks), including three that have never been on disc before, plus a host of special features.

The most notable of the bonuses is Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story, Jeffrey Schwarz’s documentary on the filmmaker’s life and work that has won raves and awards over the last couple of years on the festival circuit. Also included are two episodes of the Castle-produced Ghost Story TV series. The three new-to-dvd titles are 1962’s Zotz!, a fantasy/comedy about a coin with magic powers; The Old Dark House, Castle’s 1963 take on the classic haunted-mansion tale; and ’63’s 13 Frightened Girls, in which a group of diplomats’ daughters at a Swiss boarding school become self-styled spies. Also...

Following up on our report last week regarding this package, we now have artwork for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's The William Castle Film Collection . The set arrives on October 20. 13 Frightened Girls , 13 Ghosts , Homicidal , Straight-Jacket , Mr. Sardonicus , The Old Dark House , The Tingler and Zotz will all be included. Special features include... . The Magic of Illusion-o . Battle-Axe: The Making of Strait-Jacket . Joan Crawford Wardrobe Tests . Axe Tests . Scream For Your Lives: William Castle and The Tingler . Taking the Punishment Poll . Psychette: William Castle and Homicidal . TV spots . Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story . Commentary with Producer/Director Jeffrey Schwarz and Terry Castle . Ghost Story: Pilot (The New House) . Ghost...

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is preparing the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Blood: The Last Vampire . Expect it to street on October 20th. Special features include The Making of Blood: The Last Vampire and Battling Demons: Behind the Stunts featurettes. The Blu-Ray edition will exclusively host a storyboard gallery. Also on October 20th, Sony will release the 5-disc William Castle Film Collection. 13 Frightened Girls , 13 Ghosts , Homicidal , Straight-Jacket , Mr. Sardonicus , The Old Dark House , The Tingler and Zotz will all be included. Why this isn't issued on Blu-Ray is beyond us. Special features? There are a ton: . The Magic of Illusion-o . Battle-Axe: The Making of Strait-Jacket . Joan Crawford Wardrobe Tests . Axe Tests . Scream For Your Lives:...

Established 1974! Our ongoing news column is on the website.

Guillermo del Toro (left) has a new book out, The Strain (co-written with Chuck Hogan). He’ll talk to Craig Ferguson on CBS about it tonight and fly to NYC to appear at Fangoria’S Weekend Of Horrors Friday.

Sci-fi People

The best of Robert Bloch will soon be available again, Publishers Weekly reports. Idw Publishing has licensed 100 of the legendary Bloch’s short stories for re-imagined adaptations in graphic novel and other formats. Bloch—who always knew he would be best remembered as the “author of Psycho”—was a genre fan who began his professional career writing for Weird Tales in the 1930s and even corresponded with H.P. Lovecraft. He was a master of the short story (his most-anthologized tale being “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper”) who eventually began writing novels (among them The Scarf, American Gothic, Nightworld). He adapted...

I Heart Camp! No, Not The Kind With Tents!

I have no taste. That's the general consensus from my friends, who are by turns bewitched, bothered, and bewildered by my obsession with camp, especially when it comes to films and 80's pop culture. Things came to a head last week when I invited some of them to a special screening in my house of the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man. For those unfamiliar with it, here's a clip of some the movie's greatest scenes. Enjoy!

"How'd it get burned? How'd it get burned? How did the Bees in my eyes get Burned?

There is absolutely nothing better than Nic Cage at his most spastic. The Wicker Man had Nic in full looney-tunes mode, along with the most unintentionally hilarious script to come along in many a moon. Plus it also had the great Ellen Burstyn looking like Braveheart's crazy grandma.