Dr. AC (aka Aaron Christensen) and I will once again make it to the Sulzer Regional Library in Chicago for this year’s lecture series, where the library has been gracious enough to have us back each year to talk about the horror genre! Each Tuesday of October, we’ll be discussing a different topic dealing with the genre. In the past, we’ve covered different directors, women in horror, horror through the decades, and more. This time out, the subject is Houses of Horror: The Studios That Made the Screams! We’re going to delve into some of the studios behind the films we love, and what made them different or unique. Stop on by for the lecture and join in the discussion afterwards!
Starting on October. 6th, and going every Tuesday of the month, from 6:30pm to 7:45pm, there is a different lecture each week. Here’s a breakdown of what we’re covering each week.
I’m not sure what worries me more, the fact that I’m going to run out of room for all these books I want to add to my library, or just how the hell am I going to pay for all of them! I know I’ve stated before that if they stopped making movies now, I still wouldn’t be able to see them all before I’m gone. It’s really same for these books. With each movie offering you something we haven’t seen or experienced before, these volumes below, as well as so many more, are just waiting for you to read and absorb the knowledge within, which then in turn is going to help you see those films in a different light. It really is a never-ending path, and one I intend to continue to travel down as long as I can!
We have new books, updated and revised volumes, covering classic British horror films, horror in the USA, Lewton horrors of the ’40s, and much more. Take a look below and start that Want List or add to the one you’ve already started!
Bride of a Vault of Horror – Back in 2004, author Keith Topping gave us A Vault of Horror: A Book of 80 Great British Horror Movies from 1956-1974, which we reviewed HERE, and had a lot of fun with it. Then in 2024, he published a sequel, Return to the Vault of Horror, giving us reviews of another 58 titles of British horror films, following the same format and fun. Then last year, he switched to Science Fiction to give us Island of Terror (A Guide to 60 Great British SF and Fantasy Movies From 1936 – 1984). One would think that Topper has really kept himself busy, but apparently not. Because now we get Bride of a Vault of Horror: A Book of 72 Great British Films of Mystery and Suspense from 1933-1986! Taking a little different direction on the sub-genre but still covering plenty of horror titles and more here. Within the 600+ pages, this volume covers titles such as The Ghoul, Hell is a City, The Flesh and the Fiends, Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, The Shuttered Room, and many more.
This is coming from Telos Publishing at the end of October, priced at £24.99 or $33.40. You can head over to their website by clicking HERE.
(1956) Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Starring Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, William Hopper, Henry Jones, Evelyn Varden, Eileen Heckart, Joan Croydon, Gage Clarke, Jessie White, Paul Fix
I am amazed more and more by this film, every time I watch it. I’m astonished and shocked at the subject matter for starters. For a movie to be made dealing with a very young female sociopath that possibly murdered a fellow classmate, delving into the whole theory of mental illnesses and the debate of “nature versus nurture,” is a shocking theme to be tackling at any time, but especially for 1956. Then you discover it was based on a stage play from 2 years earlier, which had huge success, running over 300 performances. The play was based on a book of the same name, written by William March, which came out the same year it was adapted for the stage. The film follows the book and stage play, for the most part. But the ending is quite different, but we won’t go into that so we’re not giving away any spoilers.
For our second episode in this series, we move up to the 1930s. Besides the boom of Universal, and honestly the creation of what became the horror genre, there was still a lot going on during that time. From the Great Depression to the introduction of the Hayes Code to getting ready for another World War, it seems audiences wanted to continue to escape into the world of monsters. But while these are considered “old classics”, there is still a lot of dark subject matters here.
So, join us as we go through this decade, discussing some major events and titles that happened in the horror genre, almost 100 years ago!
We got back from HorrorHound Weekend early this morning, so going on about 4-5 hours of sleep. I apologize up front for any errors! But we had one hell of a time at the show, so thanks to everyone that came out and stopped by our table, to buy some books or just talk movies!!! Such a fun weekend. But let’s get to business. It looks like our last photo stumped a bunch of our regulars. The movie is David Schmoeller’s Crawlspace (1986), starring the one and only Klaus Kinski! Kudos to Hoby Abernathy and Christopher Highland for sending in the correct answer!
Okay, let’s get to this week’s photo, so I can go take nap! Take a peek below and see if you can recognize what movie this is from. Just remember to send your guess to me in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good luck!
This year’s Music Box of Horrors, their annual 24-hour horror movie marathon, as we know sold-out in record time this year. Literally within minutes. Just crazy. But honestly, it shouldn’t be a surprise with what the Music Box has been programming, with plenty of stuff to keep us horror fiends excited all year long. They have announced a few more titles for this year’s marathon, which we have everything they have listed on their website below, or you can just click HERE to right to their page.
Amityville II: The Possession (1982) with Diane Franklin in person for a post-film Q&A
Attack the Block (2011)
Black Magic with Buddha (1983)
Danse Macabre (2011)
The German Chainsaw Massacre (1990)
The Haunted House (1921)
I Saw the Devil (2010)
The Leopard Man (1943) – Val Lewton!!!
Suspiria (1977) – Ultra-rare IB Tech 35mm print English-language, original UK release version
But it is the rest of October that is just jar-droppingly stunning with the number of amazing features, Q&As, and everything else they have listed. This isn’t the full list, but just a few titles that I think are pretty special or have a special guest attending! For the entire lineup, just click HERE.
Our next stop on the 2026 Kryptic World Tour is back in Cincinnati for HorrorHound Weekend! Not only do they have a hell of a lineup, but for fans of Euro-Horror, they have some real royalty appear at this show. First and foremost, we have Barbara Steele, who appeared in so many incredible films in the ’60s, working with some amazing directors, such as Mario Bava and Antonio Margheriti, amongst others. But we also have Lamberto Bava appearing as well, director of both Demons (1985) and Demons 2 (1986), just to name a few. And to make the Demons connection even better, we have Geretta Geretta, who played Rosemary in Demons, and Coralina Cataldie-Tassoni who played Sally in Demons 2, as well as her co-star David Edwin Knight! So, it will be a nice little Demons reunion! I couldn’t recommend taking the opportunity to meet Bava and Steele at the show. Who knows now many more shows they will be attending, so make sure you don’t regret it later!
Welcome to September! Hopefully the temps outside are dropping a bit and we can feel like we’re not living in an oven! Not to mention that Halloween is not only just around the corner, but this October is looking to be, once again, busy as hell with a lot of fun things to do. But first, a little business. Last week’s photo was from Hangover Square (1945), directed by John Brahm and starring Laird Cregar, who had just worked together the previous year on The Lodger (1944). I couldn’t recommend both movies enough! Congrats to the following for sending in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Cate Cameron, Dave Fronto, Vincent Simonelli, and William Wilson. Well done!
This week’s photo is a little more current, so take a peek below and see what you can come up with. Just remember, as always, just send your guess to me in an email to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
(1956) Directed by Fred M. Wilcox Starring Walter Pidgeon, Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly, Richard Anderson, Earl Holliman, Robert Dix, James Best, and Les Tremayne as the Narrator
Yeap, here we are again with another NON-horror title!?!? What is going on here at the Krypt? Okay, okay… hang on. There is a monster in here, and one like you’ve never almost seen before, so I think I’m good. But in reality, I do like this movie because of its originality, of course the incredible look of the whole thing, but also giving audiences not just a monster we’ve never seen before, but an idea that was new and something different, especially its origin. But enough of that…no spoilers! Nonetheless, there are so many things in this film to admire.
It’s strange how you could be a 3-time Emmy winner, nominated 8 times, and countless other awards in Daytime Television, but it is because of writing one film that most people are going to remember him by. That film was the first, the one and only Friday the 13th. And no, he’s not the creator of Jason, because it is only the first film that he ever wrote, not even liking the sequels because he didn’t care for the fact that Jason was now the killer. But nonetheless, he helped give us one of horror’s most famous franchises and kept a lot of people from camping in the woods!
But it is with sadness when we read of his passing on August 31st, at the age of 86. But he will be remembered for his work on that one specific film. And that’s okay. Because that series will always have a fanbase, and they will always remember the man that helped start it all. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time. Rest in Peace, Victor.
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