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HORRORHOUND #41

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FAMOUS QUOTE

"Some people think it's childish to do what I've done for a living. But I think it's wrong when you grow to be an adult to discard your sense of wonder."

- Ray Harryhausen -

5-12-13 A SLIGHT BREAK FROM OUR NORMAL BROADCAST
While we try not to let 'real life' venture into our Krypt, we felt that it was important to point this particular event out because it has so very much to do with the Krypt. On Tuesday the 14th of this month, it will be my 25th wedding anniversary. In this day and age, I know that is even more of a milestone. My wife Dawn and I spent this last weekend in Galena, IL to celebrate this occasion, taking a break from the internet, and the rest of the world. From doing some shopping at the all the little shops they have there (including a few book stores...yes, can't go by a book store without me stopping in!), eating some great foods, and just relaxing, it was an amazing weekend.
What does this have to do with the Krypt, you might ask? Simple...if it wasn't for Dawn, who has not only let me work on this site for almost 15 years, but wants and encourages me to continue as well, there would be no Krypt. I have known a few die-hard fans like me over the years that can only be that fan when their wife is away or busy, sneaking off to the darkened depths of their basement, before being called back into husband duty. My situation couldn't be farther from the truth, and I owe all of that to my wife Dawn. She is always willing to watch anything that I decide to put on the television...most of which she actually enjoys. While not as fanatical about the genre as I am, she is a fan. As she as put it several times, this is what defines us...it is who we are. I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for her. So a huge shout out and thank you to my wife Dawn, who has stood by me for all of these years, even during those times when she had every right to kick my ass but didn't. She is the reason for me still being here, as well as really showing me why there is so much to enjoy in life. Here's to another 25 years.

WONDERFEST NEXT WEEKEND
We've been looking forward to this show for quite some time and next week it happens. But that means there will be no update next week. But this is our last show for a couple of months, so hopefully we'll have time to get all our past show reports done and posted. I mean...we'll only have 4 to get done after next weekend!
One of the things that we are looking forward to at the show is the special premier screening of the new documentary by Cortlandt Hull & Bill Diamond called THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: UNMASKING THE MASTERPIECE. This will take viewers through the different versions of the classic story by Gaston Leroux, with the main focus on the original version starring Lon Chaney Sr., but also the remakes with Claude Rains and Hammer's version with Herbert Lom. There will be interviews with Ron Chaney, Carla Laemmle, Daniel Roebuck, Chaney historian Michael Blake, Steve Haberman, and many more. Not sure when this would actually getting a release somewhere, so if you want to see it, you better head to Wonderfest this weekend! Hope to see some of you at at the show.

RAY HARRYHAUSEN - REST IN PEACE
    What can be said about this legend. That work, legend, was used in just about every obit that I read on Harryhausen. I wonder why. Could it be because he created such magical images on screen for movie goers, at a time when we never thought we'd get to see such things, like giant monsters coming from the sea, or flying saucers crashing in to the White House, hordes of skeleton warriors in swordfights with our movie heroes, or dinosaurs attacking and trying to get to Rachel Welch. But because of Ray Harryhausen, we got to see those. And for a lot of people out there, it changed their life.
    A young Ray went to see the original KING KONG at the Grauman's Chinese Theater on its initial run in Hollywood. He has been quoted several times saying that after seeing that film, "I haven't been the same since." He came away from the movie with the desire to create his own stop-animation creatures. And that is exactly what he did. He started to make his own dinosaurs and make his own little short animated films in his family's garage. As luck would have it, he eventually got to meet Willis O'Brien, the man behind creating King Kong. O'Brien gave him tips and pointers on what he needed to work on to improve his talent. O'Brien later hired Harryhausen to work on MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, which would be Ray's first major picture. And there was no stopping him after that.
    He gave us a giant rhedosaurus in THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953), he showed us a giant octopus attacking the Golden Gate Bridge in IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (1955), in EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956), he showed us giant space ships crashing into such famous buildings as the White House! And the list goes on and on. In the '60s & '70S, he help give birth to the wondrous fantasy creatures in the Sinbad movies, like THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1960), THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1974), and SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (1977). And of course, in 1966, he helped Hammer Films create the dinosaurs in their prehistoric epic ONE MILLION YEARS B.C.
    Needless to say, Harryhausen was an amazing talent. From his work in stop animation, the incredible artwork that he produced, as well as inspiring so many people to follow their own dreams, he really is one that defines the word "legend". This legend passed away last Tuesday, May 7th, at the age of 92. Because of this incredible portfolio of work that he has left us within these movies, he will never be forgotten. His legacy will live on every time a youngster catches a rerun of one of those Sinbad movies and gets blown away by what he sees. Gone, but never forgotten.

CUSHING BOOK UPDATE
    Last update I talked about the new version of David Miller's 2000 book The Peter Cushing Companion, now called Peter Cushing: A Life in Art. We're going to have a normal review of it, but wanted to give a little bit of an update. We got a copy of the new edition and did a little comparing. It is in fact the Companion book, but it is not exactly the same. Right off the bat, you can see that it has 16 full color pages that has some great stills and posters that are not in the original edition, as well as some new black and white photo throughout the book. While it is laid out the same, with the same chapters and oddly enough even the same page length for each chapter, but the text has been edited slightly. While a lot of it is exactly the same, there are some slight revisions, as well as completely new paragraphs. So it is not simply a reprint like we first thought.
    But what I don't understand is why not advertise it as such? Why not say that is it a re-edited & updated version of the Companion book, with now having 16 color pages, and even more information added? Who knows.
    But all that confusion aside, it is a nice hardcover edition of this book, and is a lot more reasonably priced compared to what the original paperback versions are going for. So if you don't have the original, this updated version needs to be on your Want List. This is about Peter Cushing after all. If you already have the original, it wouldn't be out of the question to upgrade it. I know we did. But then again, that's just me.

CUSHING'S 100th BIRTHDAY
While on the subject of Peter Cushing, May 25th of this month would have been Cushing's 100th birthday. I know there are many different things being planned to celebrate that, especially over in the UK. I'm sure there will be plenty of Hammer films being screen on TV, as well as some specials or something to commemorate this event and this incredible actor and amazing human being. One of the things that we know is going to happen is a Peter Cushing Centennial Blogathon, starting on May 25th and going through the 31st, which is being hosted by the Frankenstenia Blog. If you want to be involved in the blogathon, contact them through their website. But starting on May 25th, head over to HERE to get all the different low down on what's going on, as well as to see all the different blogs and info about Cushing.
Even if you're not participating in anything like this, this month would be the perfect time to break out some of those Cushing movies to re-visit, or visit for the first time you just haven't gotten around to them. Cushing really was a one of a kind actor, who was always (and still is) a thrill to watch. From his incredible work he did with Hammer, as well as all the other studios he worked with, such as Amicus or Tyburn, and the rest of them, Cushing was always a joy to watch.

HORROR HISTORY
Welcome back to the Classroom after a few weeks off. Hope you are well rested and are ready to pay attention! So let's get to the classroom and learn about this director who worked for a certain British film studio that was known to drip blood.

MYSTERY PHOTO
Our last photo was from the Amicus anthology film TORTURE GARDEN. Well done to those that did get it since this wasn't the easier pic to figure out. So kudos out to the following who did figure it out: Hoby Abernathy, Cate Cameron, Craig Clark, Kevin Matthews, Jeff Owens, Mike Shields, and Will Wilson. Well done.
So now on to this week's photo. We're going back a few years to when films were black and white. Remember those days? Hope so. But we're not giving you much to go on with this shot, but if you've seen the movie, you'll probably remember this sequence. So give it a peak and get that brain matter working. Just click HERE to send in your answer.

5-5-13 MOTOR CITY MADNESS
Last weekend, we headed into Michigan for the 5th annual Motor City Nightmares convention. We had a blast there the whole weekend and just had a great time. For being able to hang out with our old convention friends/family, to meeting and making a lot of few friends, it really was a great time. We definitely plan to be there again next year. Stay tuned for our complete report in the future.

NEXT STOP ON THE 2013 KRYPTIC WORLD TOUR...WONDERFEST
In two weeks, we will be heading down to Louisville Kentucky for our 2nd time setting up at the Wonderfest Hobby Expo. We had such a great time there last year and are hoping to do it all again. It is a great chance of pace to the normal shows that we go to throughout the year. While they do have some celebrity guest at the show, the main focus of it is the dealer room and the model kits. If you're in to resin and vinyl kits, then you probably already know about the show. But even if you're not, just walking around the dealer room and seeing these amazing kits is a lot of fun. So if you are coming out to the show, make sure you stop by our table and say hello. We'll be there pushing our horror reference books as usual. Hope to see you there.

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS...OLD, NEW, AND NEW OLD TITLES
    As a well known 'book guy', nothing thrills me more than when I hear there are new titles coming out that I can add to my collection. But these days, even with books, we really need to look a little past the cover. Originally we were going to announce a bunch of new titles that were coming out, proving once again that print certainly is not dead. Every year we see more and more titles being published about the genre we love so much. Sure, it does get expensive, but some of these are pretty reasonable in price. And as we've said time and time again, the more you read about these movies and the people that make them, the more you can enjoy the genre.
    But apparently some of these "new" ones we were going to mention aren't really new titles at all, but books that were previously published that are just getting a new title and facelift. Not saying that is entirely a bad thing, but hear me out.
    The first one, which is at least being upfront about what it is, is Peter Cushing: The Complete Memoirs. This is a new hardcover edition that combines Cushing's two autobiographies, An Autobiography (1986) and Past Forgetting (1988), into one book. They had been previously published together in one book back in 1999 by Midnight Marquee. This 424 page edition will be released next month with a price of $24.99 (though Amazon has it listed for $17.08). If you are a fan of Cushing, or Hammer films, or just of actors, then you really need to have this book in your collection. So many great stories, as well as getting a good look inside the head of this incredible man and actor.
    Since this year would have been Cushing's 100th birthday, it makes sense that publishers are trying to release something to tie in with that. Which brings us to our second book, Peter Cushing: A Life in Film, by David Miller. Now back in 2000, Miller published a book called The Peter Cushing Companion, which was also reissued in 2002, under the same title. Since Amazon listed this Life in Film book with same number of pages as the Companion, and both had an introduction by Hammer starlet Veronica Carlson, it got me wondering if this was actually a new book. So checked out a few recent online interviews with the author about this "new" book. Nowhere did anybody mention or ask if this had already been published before, in some cases even calling it a "new" book. Guess some people don't do their homework these days before interviewing. So I went to the publisher's website to read more info about the "new" book. They make also no mention about the Companion book or if this is a reprint of it. But they did have an excerpt from the "new" book, which just happens to match exactly a section in the Companion.   So I sent them an email asking them directly, but haven't heard back from them yet. While we don't have any official confirmation, it really looks like it is the same book.
    Why am I making a big deal about this? Simply because it is getting fans to purchase book that they might already have because they think it is something new. The previous edition is out-of-print, so who cares if it is getting re-published, right? But why couldn't they just state that from the beginning? None the less, the book is out with a retail price of $24.95 (Amazon has it listed for $18.13). But...if you don't already either of these books in any versions, then I highly suggest you pick them up.
    Which leads to another title coming out that seems to have done another re-title and new cover of an older book, unleashing it to the unsuspecting public. The book is called Horror! The Definitive Companion to the Most Terrifying Movies Ever Made, by James Marriott and Kim Newman. Which seemed to me to be pretty close to Horror! 333 Films to Scare You to Death, which came out only in 2010. Now, we have not seen this new book so we are not entirely sure what this volume contains. But we did contact one of the authors to get their input. Since Mr. Marriott had passed away last July of 2012, not sure what he might have done with any revision. But Mr. Newman said not only did he not do anything new for this edition, but he didn't even know it was coming out. We also send a note out to the publishers to get some more info. So until we hear from them or see a copy ourselves, we're just going to have to label this one a tad bit suspicious. Again, if this was an older book that is impossible to find, then kudos to them for re-releasing it. But this first edition is STILL available! The "new" book is due out in August, with price of $24.95, though Amazon has pre-orders for $16.47.
    Now we do have a 3rd Cushing book, The Unknown Peter Cushing, by Michael G. McGlasson, looks to be a brand new book. While only at a 132 pages and priced at $14.95, not sure what to expect with this one. But I know we'll be adding to our collection no matter what. I mean...it is about Peter Cushing after all and I am a sucker for reference books, especially when they are one of my favorite actors.
    And speaking of favorite actors, there is a new book coming out on Vincent Price, called The Price of Fear, one that has been in the making for 25 years. Author Joel Eisner had been working with Price before his death to create his official and definitive biography and finally it is now coming out. Having full cooperation with Price's estate, his daughter Victoria, and hearing from so many people that Price had worked with over the years, it will be one interesting and entertaining read, learning more about this incredibly talented and great men of the genre. The book runs 244 pages and is priced at $19.95, though you can save a few dollars through Amazon. But once again, it is one of these books that needs to be in any serious collector of horror reference books. Like Cushing, Price is one of those types of stars that we probability won't see ever again. So the more we can learn about him and his work, the more we can make sure that neither of them are ever forgotten.

HALLOWEEN HOT SAUCE
We are big fans of hot sauces. And what better way to combine our passion for that than mixing it up with horror! And with Halloween only 6 months away, what better way to celebrate than to order some hot sauces from Halloween Hot Sauce! These make the perfect little gift for your friends who love to spice up their food, not to mention that they look great. They have three different flavors of varying degree of heat and you can get them just in the bottles, or you can get them in a little hand made cedar coffin! Or go for the big gift box and get all three in a larger coffin.
For more info, head over to Halloween Hot Sauce's website by clicking HERE. Tell Victor the Undertaker, who is the devil there behind these creations that we sent you!

FAMOUS MONSTERS & INTRUDER AT THE PORTAGE
    Chicago fans of Roger Corman might want to head to the Portage Theater on August 14th to catch a rare screening of his 1962 film INTRUDER, starring William Shatner. This was a very different type of film for Corman, about a man traveling to a small southern town to try and stop the racial integration. This is a scary film in only because it can show the real darkness of humanity. No cheesy monsters running around in this Corman film, but a one that makes you take a look at yourself and the society around us.
    This is being screen from a 35mm print, courtesy of the Joe Dante and Jon Davison Collection, and will be screened at 7:30pm. There will also be a episode of Twilight Zone (A Nice Place to Visit) screened from a 16mm print.
    Also at the Portage this month, is a all-star monster lineup on May 25th, where they will be screening the following films: ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE (at 12pm), HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (at 1:40pm), HOUSE OF DRACULA (3:15pm) and then the '70s classic BLACULA (at 4:45pm).
    For all the information on the Portage Theater, head over to their website by clicking HERE.

HANDS OF THE RIPPER BLU-RAY
Finally, after many years of waiting, one of Hammer's later films gets a release on DVD & Blu-ray. Peter Sasdy's HANDS OF THE RIPPER will be coming out on July 9th of this year and features an uncut print that has been completely restored in high-definition. This special features include a featurette called The Devil's Bloody Playthings: Possessed by HANDS OF THE RIPPER, a Motion Still Gallery called Slaughter of Innocence: The Evloution of Hammer Gore, trailers and more.
Plenty of red stuff flowing in this film and is a must for Hammer fans, as well as horror fans. This film was made in the transition period of Hammer as they were trying to hold onto their audiences who were growing tired of the gothic pictures that Hammer had been making (and quite successfully doing) for years. So in the '70s, they started to increase the amount of skin and blood on the screen. So while a lot of people criticize these later Hammer films for going "too far", I've always felt that some of these later films are some of Hammer's best. So when this disc comes out, run out and buy it, watch it, and then see what you think!

MORE PRICE HORROR COMING TO BLU-RAY
Shout Factory has announced a Vincent Price box set that will be issued around Halloween time this year. Haven't seen/heard any details other than it will be the following titles: FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, THE HAUNTED PALACE, THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, WITCHFINDER GENERAL (and apparently the cut version of the film under the US title CONQUEROR WORM) and finally THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES. Once we get more information on them, we'll let you know.

NEW LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS COMING SOON
And while on the subject of Hammer, the new issue of Little Shoppe of Horrors will be out soon. They just released the new cover and it looks pretty damn cool. As you can see by the cover, this issue will be covering VAMPIRE CIRCUS. There is no other magazine out there that gives you the kind of Hammer coverage than LSoH. If you want to increase your knowledge of not only Hammer films but of British horror films in genre, start picking up their back issues, since each one is a small book of insight and information. Each one is always filled with tons of interviews and in-depth researched articles. Well worth the cost of admission!
They don't have it listed on the site just yet, but I'm sure it will be up there any day now. You can always drop them an email if you want to order right away. Just click HERE to get over to their site.

EVIL DEAD (2013) SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
We have posted our review of Roque Baños' score for the recent remake of EVIL DEAD. Head over to our Soundtrack section to read our thoughts on this remake that has been dividing the fans!

MONSTROUS MUSIC
And while on the subjects of movie soundtracks, Monstrous Movie Music is a small label that has put some some incredible movie soundtracks over the years, which we have several of them. We have even reviewed one of their releases, such as IT! TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE (click HERE for our review), but have several of them in our own collection. They basically stick with classic 50's sci-fi & horror titles, but we've really enjoyed what we've heard so far from them. I would highly recommend the score for THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD as well. Other more recent releases are of THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, MISSILE TO THE MOON, THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS, and many more. They are a lot of fun for fans of these classic movies.
Well, now they have another double feature release from a couple of the sci-fi horror films of the late '50s. It has Nicholas Carras' score for SHE DEMONS and Guenther Kauer's score for THE ASTOUNDING SHE-MONSTER. This release has close to an hour's worth of music, along with a 20 page illustrated liner book that goes over the music, the compose and the movie. So head on over to their website HERE and order a couple of them. I think you'll be pleasantly impressed with their work here.

KRYPTIC ARMY REMEMBERING FRANCO
For our Army members, they will spend the month of May remembering the late Jess Franco, spending time with at least two of his movies. Depending on which ones they pick, they are going to have a great time. Or...could be at least interesting. So let's hope for the best!
Not a member of the Army? Just click HERE to find out more and join the fun!

ENGLAND ART CONTEST
Thanks to everyone who sent in their answer for our England Art Trivia contest. We had some great titles, some of which I didn't even think of. Because we got such a good response, we decided to drawn two names! And those lucky winners are Catherine Cameron, who chose THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY & Lisa Stewart, who picked the episode of Night Gallery series, The Cemetery. If the two winners can send me an email with your mailing address, I'll get your print sent out to you. Thanks again to everyone who participated, and an especially to Don England who donated the prizes. Stay tuned for more trivia prizes and some of England's artwork soon.

MYSTERY PHOTO
Our photo from last week was from the 1988 film CAMERON'S CLOSET. That demon there was designed by Carlo Rambaldi, the very same man who created E.T.! Congrats to the two people that were able to correctly identify that movie. And they were Mark Turner and Will Wilson. Well done!
So let's get on with this week's photo. Take a look....get the brain working...and see what you can come up with. Good luck! Just click HERE to send in your answer.

4-21-13 DRIVE-IN MADNESS
    Last night, we traveled out to the Midway Drive-in, which is about a 70 miles away, to a triple feature. They screened Carpenter's THE THING, ALIENS, and then THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN. While we normally sit outside the van on lawn chairs, it was a little too chilly last night, so we stayed in the van this time.   But none the less, we had a great time. It was pretty cool to see THE THING at the drive-in, which is where I got to see it the very first time, at the Skylark Drive-in, one of the 2 drive-in theaters Aurora use to have. Of course, both of them are gone now, being replaced with condos and housing. Damn shame.
    Maybe it is just me, since I grew up up at the end of the drive-in era, but even though they were slowly closing down at the time, I still had plenty of fond memories of going to these places for double and triple features. Maybe that is why events like these are so much fun. Sure, you might not have all the technical stereo sound and all the bells and whistles of one of the newer theaters, but there is something about it, like a special charm to it, like a little step back in time, that makes it more than worth it. If you haven't made it out to one, then please make it a point to do it the next time the opportunity is there. I'm sure you'll have a great time.
    It was great to see there were more than a few people that came out to brave the weather for the movies last night. It is events like these that we continually need to support so they can keep going. Like all of these types of events or special screenings, it is the fans that keep them alive and breathing. So please make sure you give them the support to keep them going. Special thanks to Mike and Mia Kerz who run the Midway and giving fans like me, plus plenty more, the opportunity to continue to enjoy these kind of events.

MOTOR CITY NIGHTMARES
Once again, we will be without an update next week since we will be traveling to Michigan for our first time appearance at Motor City Nightmares. We've heard good things over the years so we figured we'd give it a try and see if we can't spread a little of our 'Discover the Horror' gospel while we're there. Looking forward to it. Of course, that will be the 3rd convention report that we'll need to get done! Work, work, work. But if you're coming out to the show, as usual, please stop by and say hello.

MORE HAMMER BUSTS FROM TITAN
While we haven't even gotten around to acquiring the first three busts that Titan has put out in their Hammer series, it looks like they are going to continue this line with even more figures. The first three concentrated on their vampires series, with Lee's Dracula, Cushing's Van Helsing, and Ingrid Pitt's Countess Dracula. This time it seems they are going over to their Frankenstein series, with Cushing's Baron. Does this mean we will have one of Lee's creature soon? While I don't think they did as good as a job with Cushing's face as they did on the Van Helsing one, it is still pretty cool that they are going this route. Just too bad they are damn expensive, running about $80-$100 each. These will be released in October of this year.

ENGLAND TRIVIA CONTEST
    Not sure why, but for some reason I tend to have a lot of friends that are artist, especially that I've met at conventions. I'm talking illustrators here, that actually create amazing pieces of work with a pen, pencil, paint and paper. With such talented people like Putrid, Steve Bejma, Chris Kuchta, you'd think some of that would rub off on me. Afraid not. Only thing I can draw is flies. But another artist friend of ours, one that I've known for somewhere close to 10 years, is Don England. And since I've known him, his artwork has just gotten better and better each and every year. Just take a look at some of the pieces that he's done below. This isn't done on a computer, or enhanced by some program, but these are old fashion hand drawn illustrations. And great ones at that. Head over to his website to see some of his other amazing work by clicking HERE.
    Don was gracious enough to donate some of his prints to our Prize Coffin for our Krypt Army. In fact, he gave us quite a few prints, suggesting to mayble use them for a trivia contest here on the site. What a stellar idea, giving everyone a chance to get one of these great pieces of art.
    So here is what we're going to do: We are going to have a drawing for a drawing! All you need to get your name in the drawing is send us one single title of a horror themed movie or TV episode that deals with an artist or a piece of art. Something like where a painting comes to life, captures their soul, anything like that. We want to help celebrate this talented guy, as well as all the other people that sometimes can literally put their heart and soul into their work. This artist doesn't have to be the main focus of the movie or show, but it must have something to do with the main plot. Easy enough? Just send your movie/show title to me at jon@kitleyskrypt.com with your name. It will go into a drawing with the rest of the names. After two weeks, we will draw one of the names and find our winner. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line and ask away. Then you can proudly display one of these great pieces below in your collection. Good Luck!

HORROR HISTORY
Our lesson this week is about a man who worked his way up, but had the great opportunity to work with a great producer, who took gave him his break behind the camera. Head over to the classroom to find out more.

MYSTERY PHOTO
Okay folks, as we warned you, our last photo was going to be a tough one. Of course, that didn't stop some of you die-hards out there from sending sending the correct guess. Well done! The little snapshot was from a 1941 film called HORROR ISLAND, directed by George Waggner, who also gave us MAN MADE MONSTER right before giving us the Universal classic THE WOLF MAN. While it might not be seeping with horror, it does have some pretty interesting spooky moments, such as the great work with the shadows. But kudos going out to the following for correctly identifying the movie: Hoby Abernathy, Gavin Schmitt, and William Wilson.
So, let's get to this week's photo. Once again, since we won't be having an update next week, you will have two weeks to figure this one out. But don't put it off too long...those two weeks will be up before you know it. So gaze at the photo, get that brain sparking, and click HERE to send in your answer. Good luck!

4-14-13 WASTELAND SURVIVOR!
Not only did we make it through another Wasteland show, once again we had a blast as well. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it, but there is no other show out there like Wasteland. Sure, it might not draw the huge crowds like other shows, but every single person coming through the door are die hard horror fans. We had so many great conversations over the weekend with different fans and dealers and just a fun time. We'll have our full report at some point in the future. But we are already looking forward to their October show, where they are planning to have a HILLS HAVE EYES reunion, with 6 guests from the movie!

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE - BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
    Since our last update, we have lost a few people that had made an impact in the horror movie industry, to different degrees. So we wanted to take some time to mention each of these here. The first one was actor Richard Brooker, who was known to horror fans as the first Jason to ever put on the famous hockey mask. As a stuntman as well, most people don't realize just how hard of work that is, having to perform under a ton of makeup, doing stunts, and still having to hit all your marks and not kill anyone in the process. But Brooker didn't have an extensive film career as an actor, but did do a lot of work in the stunt field, usually working with horses. He would eventually work in the production end of television, such as production manager, producer, and even director, helming over 40 episodes of Bill Nye the Science Guy. But he was a regular at conventions, spending time meeting all his FRIDAY fans. His presence will be missed.
    One of the most well known film critics out there was Chicago's own Roger Ebert. Professionally reviewing movies for close to 50 years, he was one of those that getting a thumbs up from him (or thumbs down) could dramatically effect your box office results. Now being a horror fan, there were plenty of times where he would dismiss or dislike, or right out trash a movie that I happened to think was pretty damn good. Sometimes his arguments didn't even make sense to me. But that is the beauty of film criticism. Just because he didn't like it, doesn't mean I couldn't. So even though we didn't agree on a lot of films, I have to give him respect for the simple fact that anybody that has that big of passion of film, and works on passing on that to others, needs to be given credit. And very few did it as much as Ebert. The last years of his life were very troubled with bouts with cancer, but it never stopped him from continuing his passion of writing about film. So his voice will be one that is definitely missed.
    And lastly, last week we lost one of the greats in cinema, Jess Franco. Now I know some people might say that Franco films were terrible, poorly made, or even god-awful. And yes, some of his films were pretty bad. But here's my take on him and his films. Franco, who is rumored of have made over 200 films in probably just about every major country in the world, loved making films. No matter what kind of budget he had, he wanted to make the movie. His later films suffered from these low, low budgets. But that did not mean that Franco was a hack or couldn't make a decent film. He made plenty of them in his career. Just look at THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF or THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z or even FACELESS.
    It was so cool to see him be presented a honorary Goya award back in 2009, with his faithful and lifelong companion Lina Romay pushing him out in a wheelchair. Granted, we know we'd never see something like that here in the states, it was great to see him get the respect in his home country. When Romay passed away early in 2012, fans thought it would only be a matter of time before Franco would join her. But now, both of them can rest in peace and know that film fans around the world will keep their films and their memories alive and well for generations to come. They will never be forgotten.
    Our thoughts go out to all of the friends and families to the above ones who have left us.

RONDO AWARDS
    Well, I didn't win in this year's Rondo Award for Best Magazine Column, but did make the runner-up. Thank you to everyone who cast their vote for me, but it just wasn't our time, losing out to John Bowen from Rue Morgue magazine. I have to say that if I had to lose, I'm glad it was to him since both of us use our columns to fight the never ending battle of trying to bring some of these classic cult and forgotten films into the limelight for newer fans. It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. And even though we write for different magazines, our goals are the same. So a special congrats to Mr. Bowen. Well done, Sir!
    But also congrats to all the winners, especially our fellow horror-fiend Aaron Christensen for winning Best Article with his piece on Christopher Lee and his films in HorrorHound. Well done! But for us, maybe next year, as they say. But we'll keep doing what we're doing and loving every minute of it.
    If you want to see the complete list of winners, just click HERE.

CUSHING SCRAPBOOK COMING
    May 26th of this year would have been Peter Cushing's 100th birthday. To celebrate this occasion, Hammer scholars Wayne Kinsey, Tom Johnson, and Cushing's secretary Joyce Broughton have been working hard to bring forth the Peter Cushing Scrapbook, published by Peveril Publishing. With approximately 300 pages, this softback book is filled with Cushing memorabilia from both his professional and private life. It has rare photographs, letters, watercolor paintings, pencil & ink drawings, his own annotated script pages and costume designs, samples of his contracts, and so much more.
    Peveril Publishing is the company responsible for the book Hammer Films On Location, as well as an upcoming 8-volume series called Fantastic Films of the Decades. The release date for the Cushing book is Spring of this year, but no set date has been announced. The only problem for us fans in the states, it's going to be a bit pricing for to get our hands on a copy. The price is going to be £35 (around $54) + postage. They are only producing a very limited run of 2000 copies, and won't be available in stores but only through the publisher. While the price might be a bit high for us here in the states, it might be one to make that investment. I know we would love to add it to our collection if only just to know more about one of our favorite actors.
    According to their Facebook page, it was sent to their printers at the end of last month, so I would think it wouldn't be too long before it is available. We'll give out more details when we find them out.

HAMMER'S DRACULA BLU-RAY DEBATE
When the announcement came that not only would Hammer's HORROR OF DRACULA be coming to Blu-ray, but that it would also have the recently discovered footage (as short as it might be) that has been missing all of these years, Hammer fans from around the world rejoiced. The one thing that Hammer was known for was their color. When they started remaking the horror classics in 1957 with CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, audiences were seeing these old standards like never before. So when the news came out that a new restoration was going to happen, with the newly found footage, it was great news. And then the disc came out in the UK and reports started to appear about the transfer. It seemed that the new restoration print has a blue tint to it, which seems to mute out or tone down the rest of the colors.
Now, I am not the technical expert by no means, like the fine folks at Mondo Digital, Video Watchdog, or any of the smarter and more savvy in this department. I'm leaving all of that stuff up to them. But like every fan out there, it matters how it looks to me. I remember a few years ago when one of the later releases of John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN came out on DVD and it had a blue tone to it, which made it look quite different, and in my opinion, no where near as good as the original. It seems this new release of HORROR OF DRACULA has the same issues. These frame grabs were taken from the Latarnia Forums where someone had posted screen grabs from the new blu-ray and the original DVD release. Take a look below and see what you think.

So it is obvious that the blu-ray version (on the left) is much more clear and crisp. Just look at Dracula's eyes in the close up shot. But it does seem like everything else it just too dark. Click HERE to go to the forum to see many more grabs and comparisons, as well as some great discussions on this transfer, with a lot more technical details.
Now, my point of all of this is not to wage a war on anybody or criticize someone's work, since I can only imagine the time and effort that goes into any restoration. But how and why would someone want to go with a darker look to a film that was from a studio that was known for its color? All I am trying to say is that if this transfer is as blue as what I'm seeing, it is not going to make me run out and buy this new disc when it comes out over here. Honestly, I will still get it at some point just because of the uncut footage and the extras, but it won't be until it hits the discount sections. And when it is time to break this movie out to watch, I'm going to be grabbing the original DVD release that I have and enjoying the colors.

THE WITCHES COME TO FLASHBACK
Flashback Weekend have announced a few more guests for their show coming up in August, one of which makes me VERY happy. With the soon-to-be released latest feature from Rob Zombie, THE LORDS OF SALEM, the 'witches' from the film will be making their appearance at the Flashback show. They are Meg Foster, Dee Wallace, Patricia Quinn, and Judy Geeson. Being a huge Hammer fan, we are delighted that Geeson has been added to the list. Of course, not only did she appear in Hammer's FEAR IN THE NIGHT (along side Ralph Bates, Peter Cushing & Joan Collins), she also appeared in INSEMINOID (aka HORROR PLANET), as well as a great Spanish film called IT HAPPENED AT NIGHTMARE IN (aka CANDLE FOR THE DEVIL), as well as one of the best movies based on a true life serial killer, 10 RILLINGTON PLACE.
For all the latest updates on the show, just head over to their website HERE.

KRYPTIC ARMY
With the month about halfway through, the confessions are to roll in. Want to have the chance to unburden your soul? It is easier than you think, not to mention a lot of fun. All you have to do is join our Army and let the excitement begin. Need more info? Just click HERE.
We have also added some more photos of last year's winners and their prizes. Just think...next year YOU could be one of these lucky ones! All you need to do is sign up for our mailing list and.....JOIN US!

FLASHBACK HORROR FEST
And while on the subject of Flashback, on April 20th at their Midway Drive-in theater in Dixon, they will be holding their annual all night horror movie marathon. We've been going to these since they started them a few years ago and always have a great time. You have the chance to see some great movies on the big screen, while sitting in your car (or lounge chair outside) eating some great treats from their snackbar. So far, they have announced the following movies: ALIENS, John Carpenter's THE THING, and the 1977 drive-in classic THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN. Usually they show 4 features, so not sure if there is going to be a 4th one or not. But even if there isn't, you've got plenty of fun listed right now. When THE THING first came out, the only place it was playing was at one of our drive-ins here in Aurora. It was a double feature screening with THE THING along with ENTER THE NINJA! Great pairing, huh? So it will be cool to see THE THING again like I did the very first time.

HUDSON HORROR SHOW
If you're in the area of Poughkeepsie NY (or don't mind the drive), then make plans to attend the Hudson Horror Show 7 on June 8th, at the Silver Cinemas. They will be screening 5 feature films, all from 35mm prints, along with having a vendors room, prizes and give-aways, trailers and more. Here are the four features they have announced: ARMY OF DARKNESS, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, GONE WITH THE POPE, and INFRA-MAN. There will be a 5th feature, but that one is a secret at the moment.
For all the information about the show, head over to their website HERE.

FRIDAY NIGHT FRIGHTS IN OSHKOSH
Oshkosh Horror and the Time Community Theater have started their annual Friday Night Frights series, where they screen classic films on the big screen for fans to gather for a great time. And to make this even better, the admission is FREE! How can you beat that? If we were only closer, we would be up there for every one of these shows. Their first show was last weekend, but their next show is the 19th, with the 1964 film ATOMIC BRAIN. Other titles they will be screening through October are BLOODY BIT OF HORROR (1965), ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE (1963), the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), and William Castle's THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) which will be presented in EMERGO! Plus, they have many more great titles. For the complete list of movies and dates, just click HERE.

HORROR HISTORY
For our History Lesson this week, we are going to point out one of those British character actors that appear in some of our favorite films that make them so much more entertaining. Head over to our classroom to learn more.

MYSTERY PHOTO
Our last photo was the lovely Valerie Leon and Andrew Keir from Hammer's 1971 film BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB. Might not be one of Hammer's best, but it is definitely worth watching. Congrats to the following who sent in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron Christensen, Craig J. Clark, Bill Harrison, Ken Johnson, Alan Rehbein, Mike Shields, and Wayne Teeter. Always nice to see those Hammer fans out there.
Well, back to the tougher ones. This one is going to really make you think long and hard. I just thought that is was just a beautiful shot that it couldn't go unnoticed or appreciated. So take a look, enjoy it, think about it, see if you can't come up with something. Even if you're not sure, send it in. I'll tell you if you're wrong so you can keep trying. Never know...your guess just might be correct. Just click HERE to send in your answer. And as always, good luck. You'll need it this time!

3-31-13 PLAYING CATCH-UP
We got one hell of an update this week. With not having one last week, and not having one NEXT weekend, we're trying to get caught up with a bunch of stuff that we've been wanting to mention. So let's get started, shall we?

HORRORHOUND WEEKEND
    We made it through our first convention of the year, the HorrorHound Weekend in Cincinnati, where the masses collected to what had to have been their biggest show to date. With the lines down the street from the convention center, as you can see in the photo to the right. We got this photo from John Buell and from following the yellow line we put in, you can see just how crazy it was with that many people there. And who knows how long the line went past the photo! I don't think anybody expected that many people to show up. So yeah, there were issues, like most conventions out there.
    But it seems that with all the chaos going on, most everyone still had a great time. I know we did. Had quite a few lengthily and interesting conversations over the weekend with some really great people, talking about movies, reference books and film schools. How could that not be a good time? Of course, it was also great seeing our horror family, the ones that we only get to see at the shows. You guys make up one of the best reasons we come to these time and time again.
    HorrorHound has already set the date for their next show, on Sept. 6th-8th in Indianapolis. Plus, they have already announced some of the guests for the show, including Steve Minor, director of FRIDAY THE 13th 2 & 3, HALLOWEEN H20, LAKE PLACID, and many more. Also scheduled for the show are Danielle Harris, Michael Parks, Sheryl Lee, Dan Yeager, Monica Keena, and Ken Kirzinger. For all the info, head over to their page HERE.

CINEMA WASTELAND NEXT WEEKEND
Of course the reason we won't have our usual update next week because we will be in Ohio for the 23rd show for Cinema Wasteland. That's right...show # 23. This has to be the longest running Horror show out there, especially one that has stayed in the exact same hotel since the very beginning. Sure, it might not be a huge show, but that just makes it easier for those of us that do go. No huge lines to get in, celebrities are easy to find and easy to talk to. Sure, these may be obscure guests to the average fan, but that is just because they haven't dug deep enough into the genre. So we hope to see a bunch of the you regular Wastelanders there and will be ready to have a great time as usual. For all the details, head over to their page HERE.

DAVID EARLY - REST IN PEACE
    While most horror fans know Early from his roles in George Romero films, like DAWN OF THE DEAD and CREEPSHOW, he was a staple in the acting community in Pittsburg. He was an instructor in the theater arts, teaching at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers for over 20 years, and even spent quite a few years with the Pittsburgh Public Theater education outreach program. According to those that knew him, he had a passion for the art of acting. It didn't matter if he was on stage, in the movies, in a classroom teaching or even a recording studio.
    We had the chance to meet Early at the very first Cinema Wasteland show, back in 2000. I can still remember his amazement that people still remember who he was DAWN OF THE DEAD. He was so friendly and just happy to be there with the other cast members and share his memories from working with Romero.
    He passed away last Saturday from cancer. He was 74 years old. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.

MAX BROOKS GOES TO COLLEGE
Best selling author Max Brooks, the man responsible for the books The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, which is now going to be a movie starring Brad Pitt, will be appearing one night at the Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, IL on Saturday, April 20th at 7:00pm. The title of the presentation is 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack. It does sound like an interesting evening, though the tickets are $39 each, which to me seems a bit pricey. But none the less, we may have thought about going except we might be heading out to a drive-in for a night of fun. More details on that later. But if you're interested in learning more about zombies, you can get more information by clicking HERE.

LET'S PLAY HOUSE WITH SEVERIN FILMS
Severin films will be releasing a couple of HOUSE movies this June, one of them has never been officially released here in the states in its uncut form, on a Blu-ray / DVD combo. The first title is the 1976 film HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (aka Trauma aka EXPOSE) will finally hit DVD & Blu-ray with a transfer coming right from an original camera negative. It will also have director commentary as well as cast and crew interviews. The film stars Udo Keir, Linda Hayden, and Fiona Richmond in a twisted tale of revenge. The film developed quite a bit of notoriety due to the steamy love scene between Hayden and Richmon, one that Hayden always claimed they used a body double for her. Yeah...right.
The second film is the 1974 film HOUSE OF SEVEN CORPSES, starring John Carradine, John Ireland, and Faith Domergue. This disc will feature an archive interview with Carradine and a new commentary by Associate Producer Gary Kent and film historian Lars Nilsen. Each release will have a regular DVD version as well as a Blu-ray disc and will retail for $29.95.

JESS FRANCO HOSPITALIZED
Our beloved Spanish director Jess Franco has been in the hospital since last Wednesday after suffering a stroke. We don't have much information other than he is in critical condition. For a man that has made an incredible amount of films, in so many different genres, with a varying degree of quality, you still have to give the guy credit for being passionate about films. And he really has some great films in his filmography. So send some positive thoughts to Senor Franco and hope that he can pull through this.

RONDO AWARDS - VOTING ENDS SOON
You only have a little over a week left to cast your votes for the 2012 Rondo Hatton Awards. Voting ends on at midnight on April 7th. There are a lot of talented people that have been nominated in these categories, so please take a few minutes and let them know your opinions. And of course, we'd love for you to vote for us in Category # 15 for Best Magazine Column, if you're so inclined!
Just click HERE to get to the official Rondo Awards page and follow the directions. It is pretty easy to vote. Do your part and show your support.

CHICAGO CINEMA SOCIETY PRESENTS
Our buddies at the CCS will be screening BIRDEMIC: THE RESURRECTION for one night only on April 25th at the Patio Theater in Chicago. The film starts at 9:00pm, with the director James Nguyen and producer Jefff Gross in attendance. They will be doing a Q&A at some point during the evening. For more information, head over to the Facebook event page by clicking HERE.

EVIL DEAD SOUNDTRACK NEWS
    Now we know that the horror fans are divided on this remake of EVIL DEAD. Trust me, when it was first announced years ago, I never paid attention to it. Once the trailers first started to appear, I again didn't bother with it. But after awhile, I did watch the trailer and was pretty amazed at the amount of gore shown. Then after reading a couple of reviews from some people that I trust, they may have swayed my decision to see the latest remake coming out of Hollywood.
    But nonetheless, we are very interested in seeing what composer Roque Baños was going to do. Started working with Álex de la Iglesia back in 1999 in MUERTOS DE RISA (aka DYING OF LAUGHTER), as well as on LA CCOMUNIDAD (2000), his entry in the Spanish TV mini-series FILMS TO KEEP YOU AWAKE, THE BABY'S ROOM, and many others of his films including his recent THE LAST CIRCUS (2010). He also has worked with Jaume Balagueró on films like FRAGILE (2005) and TO LET (2006). He also scored Brad Anderson's THE MACHINIST (2004). So needless to say, we've been a fan of his work for quite some time.
    The score is going to be available for digital download on April 9th. But also, on that same date, you can get the deluxe CD edition which features 25 more minutes of additional music that is not yet available for download, from La-La Land Records. We've always been more than impressed with the work that La-La Land Records have done with their releases, so we can only expect another incredible CD from them. It won't be available on Amazon or other online retailers until May 7th. For more information, head over to La-La Land's website by clicking HERE. They don't have anything listed on their site just as of yet, but it should be up very soon.

KRYPTIC ARMY - THIS COULD BE YOURS!
No, not the curtains, but for those out there that are already participating in our little monthly experiment, or those that are still thinking about it, check out below for a couple of items sitting in our Prize Coffin. We picked up both of these at the recent HorrorHound convention last week. The first one is a 8x10 still from John Carpenter's VAMPIRES, signed by Carpenter. The next one is a signed print from the amazing artist Gary Pullin, who did this design specifically for the Christine theme at the show. That's right...by joining the army and spending your time watching some movies, you could possibly be the owner of one of those items, or one of the many other great pieces sitting in our Prize Coffin. Wait...you don't think we actually HAVE a Prize Coffin? Think again and look below.
You may wonder why we go through all this work and give these prizes away for free. Simple. Our goal here at the Krypt has always been to help fans discover new movies. By creating this Army idea, I think that we have come up with a fun way to do just that. And from the responses that we get from the soldiers each month, I think we have succeeded quite well. So head over to our Army page and check out what it is all about. You can also see what the past winners have gotten for all of their hard work. Or you can also head over the our Message Board and check out some of the different missions and the movies that were watched for each month. And once you realize just how much fun it is, then go ahead and sign up. If you like horror movies, then you'll love being in our ranks of dedicated soldiers, always fighting to Discover the Horror! If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a line.

HORROR HISTORY
Our little history lesson this week is going to be a little vague, only because there's not too much information to be found on this actor. But if you're a fan of Pilipino horror and exploitation movies, then you've probably seen his face. So let's get over to the classroom and see who we're talking about.

MYSTERY PHOTO
I have to say that I was pretty impressed with the correct answers that we did get in, as well as quite a few that were really, really trying hard to figure this one out. And some of you were so close being on the right theme, but just didn't get the correct title. The shot was from the 1971 film THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN, starring Strother Martin and L.Q. Jones. Kudos going out to Hoby Abernathy, Catherine Cameron, Aaron Christensen, Ken Johnson, Mike Shields, Tom White, and Kristin Wicks for guessing the correct movie. Well done, people. You should be proud.
Now onto our next photo. This one might not be as obscure, and since we won't have an update next week, you have two full weeks to work on it. But don't forget about it and miss out. But take a look and see what you can come up with. Click HERE to send in your answer. Good luck.

3-17-13 BUSY, BUSY, BUSY
These last few weeks seemed to have been keeping us pretty busy. With our first convention of the year happening next weekend, we have been trying to get our last minute To-Do list checked off. Of course, that is in between trying to work on the site, get some of our little writing assignments caught up, and trying to constantly get our office organized and sorted out, as well as still trying to finish changing a few posters and stuff around. You wouldn't believe how much work this is! I mean, deciding which poster to go where, do I go with a theme or just random titles....that can put a lot of stress on a collector.
But with all this going on, since we will be heading to the HorrorHound show next weekend in Cincinnati, we won't be having our usual update next week. But we have a nice 3-day weekend lined up the following weekend, so I would expect quite a bit update then. And speaking of the HorrorHound show, we've been looking forward to the conventions starting up again and this first one is going to be a big one. It is always a great time to be able to see our extended convention family at these shows. You know who you are! But we're always looking to make that family even bigger. So if you're coming out to the show, please stop by our table and say hello. We always love to be able to put the faces to the names and the people that support us and the site. And we like nothing more than talking shop with other like-minded horror fans. So please make it a point during your stay at the show to come by our table. For all the information about the show, just head over to HorrorHound Weekend's website by clicking HERE. And if you're not making it out this one, but are coming to the Cinema Wasteland show the first weekend in April, then make sure you find us there. We haven't missed one of Ken's shows in 13 years, and we don't plan to start now. For info about the Wasteland show, just click HERE.

FLASHBACK GUESTS - SOMETIMES DEAD IS BETTER
While on the subject of conventions, our favorite local convention, Flashback Weekend, has been announcing more guests for their 2013 show. They had previously announced a DAWN OF THE DEAD reunion with the four main actors (Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, David Emge, and Gaylen Ross). But now they have announced they will be hosting a PET SEMATARY reunion, with director Mary Lambert and actors Dave Midkiff, Denise Crosby, and Miko Hughes. Also announced was Nancy Loomis, star of John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN and a few other early Carpenter classics. For all their updates and info, head over to their website HERE.

SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: A DOUBLE DOSE FROM LA-LA LAND RECORDS
We have two new soundtrack reviews posted, both releases from La-La Land Records, one of the best independent soundtrack labels around, who always put out amazing releases. This time out, we have reviews of their amazing release of Polanski's ROSEMARY'S BABY, which is just amazing. But we also have our review of one of their newer releases, the Brian Tyler score for Don Coscarelli's bizarre film JOHN DIES AT THE END. So head over to our Soundtrack Reviews to read all the details and why you should pick up both of these titles!

KRYPTIC ARMY UPDATE
The month is half over already, so those soldiers that are still working on those missions, you better get started on them. The rest of the month will be over before you know it. And we did receive a nice little photo from one of our 2012 Army winners, which we have posted on the Army page. Of course, we still are waiting for a few more. Hint, hint.
Not sure what the Army is or what it is all about? Head over to the Army page (just click HERE) to find out all the details. Or if you still have a few questions, just drop us an email and we'll do our best to answer them. But the bottom line is that it is a little monthly challenge where you can watch a couple of movies a month that you haven't seen before, as well as put in you in the chance to win some cool prizes. Just look at what some of the last winners have gotten over the last 3 years. Not bad for just watching some horror movies, huh?

HORROR HISTORY
This week's lesson is about one of the men responsible for one of the most successful British studios in the history of film. You might know what studio I'm talking about, but do you know who this man is? Let's get to the classroom to find out who he is and why he was so important.

MYSTERY PHOTO
Anybody that has been following our Facebook posts recently might have had some help in figuring out our last photo. It was from VAMPIRES NIGHT ORGY, which had just been released on DVD by Code Red, along with Paul Naschy's DR. JEKYLL VS THE WOLFMAN. Besides, any chance we have to put up a pic of the beautiful Helga Liné, we're going to take it! Anybody that is a fan of Spanish horror should definitely add this DVD to your collection. And if you're not a fan of Spanish horror films, then this is a great disc to start out with.
We did get a few correct answers sent in for this photo. And they were: Hoby Abernathy, Chris Kinniery, Billy Nocera, Mike Shields, & Kristin Wicks. Nice job! So let's get on to this week's photo. This one is going to be another tough one. Not that obscure of a title, but this shot might not be too recognizable, but it is one of the disturbing sequence of the movie. So take a good look and see what you can come up with. Click HERE to send in your answer. And good luck....you're going to need it.

3-10-13 WHY DO WE DO IT?
As I’m trying to finish up a little re-decorating here at the Krypt, it made me wonder about the rest of the people out there that, like myself, cover our walls/rooms with movie posters, lobby cards, model kits & toys, 8x10’s, artwork, or whatever else we use. So my question is simply…Why? Why do we do it? Is it to remind you of these great movies and/or memories? To bask in the glorious spoils of what you have found over the years? Just curious on your answers.
Here is a quote from Vincent Price, talking about his art collection:

“There’s never a day goes by in my life that I haven’t looked at the things I have. And that’s all my life because I started collecting when I was twelve.
I don’t look at everything, of course. I don’t go around and count them. But there are certain things that I have that bring back the whole minute when I first saw them, the impression I had, the things that made me want them.”

While he’s talking about actual art, I myself would include move posters and such in that same category. Either way, I think the point he’s making still rings true, at least I know it does for me. These mementos can bring back those memories of the movies themselves; the memory of finding the poster after digging through a massive pile at a convention; or even just that memory of being able to meet the director or star of the movie to get this item signed. For me, these have many meanings to me, like I ones I just mentioned. But they are also sort of a fuel to my passion for the horror genre. I can't walk into my office without being energized from all the stuff around me. And it also helps define who I am.
Sure, some of us might go a bit overboard on how much we display. But is this any different than what a museum might do? The late, great Forest J. Ackerman reportedly told his wife, “What’s the good of having it all if I can show it to people?”

ALMOST THERE...
    We've only got two more weeks before we head to Cincinnati for the HorrorHound Weekend, our first convention of the year. It has only been four months, but it has seemed like forever. We are so looking forward to get to another show and this one looks like it is going to be a big one. Getting to see a bunch of our convention friends and family, hanging out for the weekend talking about movies, what more could we ask for?
    Then two weeks after that, we head back into Ohio for the 23rd Cinema Wasteland show! As usual, they have also have a great lineup of guests and movies, and all the other great things that make this the best convention around. And then three weeks after that, we head to Michigan to make our debut appearance at the Motor City Nightmares convention.
    So if you're planning on heading out to any or all of these shows, please stop by our table to say hello. We've got a bunch of new stuff for our table, so make sure you check in with us quickly. Never know what you might miss otherwise!

HAMMER BLU-RAYS
We're always excited to hear that some Hammer films are going to get the blu-ray treatment. From a studio that made their name for their glorious use of colors (red being one of the main ones), if done right, these films should just look amazing when they hit blu-ray. And thanks to Millennium Entertainment, three of Hammer's titles will be released on April 2nd in a "Hammer Horror 3 Feature Film Set". The films that will be included are DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966), FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN (1967), and THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES (1974). Since the regular DVD editions of these movies have been long out-of-print, it will give Hammer fans, both old and new, the chance to see these films either for the first time, or hopefully for the first time looking as good as they should.
While there are no mentions of what extras will be on this release, just the fact that we might have the chance to see these films looking their best, that alone is worth my attention.

KRYPTIC ARMY
Okay Soldiers, we're a little over the first week of March, with a quite a few of you already turning in your missions already. Well done! But I still have quite a few of the winners from last year that haven't gotten that little photo sent in. Not asking for much here, just to be able to show that anyone could be winning these prizes. So PLEASE...send me your photos!

FANZINE BOOK
    Last year, I mentioned this little fanzine thing that I use to put out with some friends. As I mentioned then, back at that time, these types of fanzines were put out by passionate fans that were putting a lot of hard work into these things, with the cost coming out of their own pockets. Once again, it was that undying passion that we have that causes us to create something like a fanzine, website, or whatever, in hope of connecting with other like-minded fans. Plus, the creators of these publications weren't tied down by any studio or any connections, so they were free to speak their mind and give their honest opinion, whether they liked a movie or not. They didn't have to worry about pissing off a PR rep that might lose them a Set-Visit on the next film. They were honest. Brutality honest at that. I have to say that is something that is genuinely lacking in today's online journalism, at least if you ask me. There were tons of these types of homemade publications floating around at some points, with titles like Gore Gazette, Sleazoid Express, Slimetime and many more. Some of them are still around.
    Now thanks to the hard work of John Szpunar, we're going to be able to learn quite a bit more about them with his new book Xerox Ferox. For some of us, it is going to be a stroll down memory lane. The book hasn't been published yet, due out in September of this year, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon by clicking HERE. The retail price is $29.95, but can save $10 by getting it through Amazon.
    For anyone that is a serious fan of the genre will get some entertainment out of this book. Plus, they will get a peek into the lives of those who's passion drove them to do what they did, no matter the cost or the time spent, they did it for the love of it. And for that, I can't help but give them all the respect I can. And you should to, especially by ordering this book and remembering these people and their passion.

MYSTERY PHOTO
Our photo from last week was from the Val Lewton classic THE LEOPARD MAN, directed by the talented Jacques Tourneur. Can't recommend the Lewton films enough. Classics, and rightly so. Congrats to the following for correctly identifying the movie: Hoby Abernathy, Aaron Christensen, Craig Clark, Dustin Moravick, Mike Shields, Matt Wedge. Well done, people!
This week's photo might be pretty easy...or not. But those that get it will understand why it is this week's photo and the see methods to my madness! Just click HERE to send in your answer.

3-3-13 RONDO AWARDS 2012
The Eleventh Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards have been announced and yours truly has been nominated for Best Magazine Column for my They Came from the Krypt column in HorrorHound magazine. To say that I am honored is an understatement. With the rest of the talent in that category, I am in some damn fine company. Congrats to all the nominees in the other categories as well. The HorrorHound family ended up with a total of 9 nominations.
As we are all horror fans, with quite a few of us out there running our own sites, blogs, message boards, or other groups, we all know that our passion for this genre is the main reason we are doing what we do. "For the love of the game", as they say. But it always great to be recognized for the hard work that we all do. So please take a moment to head over to the Rondo Awards page and place your votes for your favorites. You don't have to vote in all the categories if you don't want, but I urge you to vote in many as you can. Make sure you send in your name, along with your picks. You can copy and past the ballet, or however you want to do it. Of course, we are hoping that when it comes to Category #15, Best Magazine Column, that you will throw your vote our way. All votes must be in by April 7th. Just click on the banner below to get to the official ballot.

DEL TENNEY - REST IN PEACE
    The world of cult movies has lost another one off their talented people. Writer, director, producer, and sometimes actor, Del Tenney past away on Feb. 21st at the age of 82. Tenney had been acting at an early age, working on Broadway to extra work in films like STALAG 17 and THE WILD ONES. But once he got behind the camera and started writing and directing his own features, that is why we still remember him today.
    In 1964, he wrote, produced, and directed a film called ZOMBIE BLOODBATH. While that title might not register with you, it was later re-titled to be the 2nd feature in one of the all time greatest double features. The new title was I EAT YOUR SKIN and was paired up with I DRINK YOUR BLOOD. But he would also go on to direct one of the best and most entertaining party beach movies, THE HORROR AT PARTY BEACH (1964), featuring one of the most memorable monsters in movie history. His next feature later that same year was THE CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE, featuring the acting debut in a feature film of Roy Scheider. This movie was released on a double disc DVD with PARTY BEACH. I honestly had never heard of this movie before, so was really blown away at actually how well made it is. Highly underrated.
    So for fans of the lower budgeted films of the '60s, Del Tenney may have only made a handful of films, the ones that he did are pretty entertaining and ones that will be remembered by genre fans for a long time.

MOVIE HAPPENINGS IN CHICAGO
    One of the things I love about being close to Chicago is all the great movie events that take place throughout the year. From the great festivals put on by Chicago Cinema Society, Movieside, as well as the great stuff that shows at theaters like the Music Box, the Portage, and now it seems the Logan Theater and thee Patio Theater will be doing these kind of events as well.
    This weekend, there are a few choices for movie fans to decide. At the Music Box Theatres midnight show, they are screening Dario Argento's INFERNO on March 8th & 9th. Other midnight shows coming up at the Music Box include THE SHINING (March 29th & 30th), and Ruggero Deodato's infamous CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (May 24th & 25th). Of course, we would be heading into the city to see INFERNO if we already didn't have plans to go to the Sci-Fi Spectacular taking place at the Portage Theater from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. That's right, 24 hours of movies and madness. They have got some great titles playing, plus special guest Frank Henenlotter will be there as well.
    Also happening that same weekend is the Albert Pyun Triple Threat event at the Patio Theater which is taking place Saturday the 9th. Pyun will be there, along with writer/producer Cynthia Curnan, actress Dru-Anne Perry, and film editor Rozannne Zingale. They will be screening ROAD TO HELL, the director's cut of CYBORG, and NEMISIS.
    And the same guy running the Triple Threat programs is also setting up Night Scares, which will be midnight screenings at the Logan Theatre. The first one they have is lined up is DEAR GOD NO! on April 27th. They have also scheduled William Lustig's MANIAC on May 31st, and then Lucio Fulci's ZOMBIE on June 22nd.
    So lots of great opportunities to catch some classic movies on the big screen. Make sure you come out and support these type of events or they will disappear before you know it.

SPANISH HORROR FANS REJOICE
    Anytime a Spanish horror film gets a release on DVD, it is cause for celebrating. But what is even better when they release TWO of these films on one DVD! And to make that even better, the versions on these discs have never seen the light of day here in the states since back in the bootleg days. Code Red has released a Leon Klimovsky double feature disc that has THE VAMPIRE'S NIGHT ORGY and Paul Naschy's DR. JEKYLL VS THE WOLFMAN!
    Now, ORGY had been released before but it was in either an edited version or one of the 'clothed' version. I don't believe JEKYLL was released here in the states before, but Mondo Macabro did release in on an Region 0 PAL DVD. But again, that was the 'clothed' version. Now for those of you who are not sure what we mean by "clothed" version, let me explain. Because the filmmakers knew that some of their markets wouldn't allow them to have nudity in their films, while other countries wanted it, they would shoot certain scenes twice, once where the actress was nude, and then again with the actress having clothes on. Both of these versions are the uncut prints that have the nude sequences.
    ORGY is kind of like a Paul Naschy movie without Paul Naschy in it. It has a lot of the same familiar faces that we see in his films, including Jack Taylor and the beautiful Helga Liné. Another example of great Spanish horror. And of course, how could you not want a copy of Naschy's film where he not only plays his famous werewolf, but also is injected with the famous Dr. Jekyll potion and turns into one of the more sadistic Mr. Hydes you'll see. You can only order it directly through Code Red's website (just click HERE) though sometimes they say they are out of stock. If it does, just check back in a day or two. For Naschy and Spanish horror fans, this is a must for the collection.

HORROR HISTORY
For this week's Horror History lesson, we are going to learn a little bit about an Oscar winning director who only made a few horror films, but are well worth seeing. Now get to the classroom before class starts!

MYSTERY PHOTO
As expected, our photo from last week was a pretty tough one. But that didn't stop Gavin Schmitt from correctly identifying the movie. The shot was from Jess Franco's REVENGE IN THE HOUSE OF USHER. Though I'm guessing that more of you out there have seen this one, but have done well in trying to forget it, since it really isn't the best that Franco has given us. But kudos to Gavin for naming it.
Now onto this week's photo. We're going with a black and white classic. Might not look like we're giving much to go by, but if you've seen this movie, you'll remember it. Just click HERE to send in your answer.

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