Quatermass 2 on laserdisc

Quatermass 2 was released in the United States on high quality laserdiscs as part of the Hammer Collection. Once again American film producer William Lustig oversaw the project, which was something of a labour of love. During production, a 35mm fine grain print, borrowed from the archives of the British Film Institute, was digitally restored in a painstaking, frame-by-frame process. The result is of superb quality.

The NTSC format disc, accompanied by a reproduction of the original British press book, went on sale in the United States in early August. It features two additional audio tracks of special interest to fans of the film: an interview with film director Val Guest, conducted by Lustig, and Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale in conversation with Marcus Hearn.

Farewell to Eva Bartok

Hungarian actress Eva Bartok died on Saturday 1 August 1998, aged 69. There was plenty of publicity surrounding her funeral which was remarkable given that so few of her films are remembered today. With the exception of The Crimson Pirate (1952), an excellent genre spoof in which she co-starred with Burt Lancaster, her work is largely forgotten. The majority of Hammer enthusiasts are unlikely to recognise Bartok's name despite her co-star billing in Exclusive's Spaceways (1953) and Break in the Circle (1955).

Born Eva Szoke, she married in her teens to Alexander Paal, who later produced a number of Hammer films including Cloudburst (1952), The Four-Sided Triangle (1953) and Countess Dracula (1971). Bartok's second marriage was to German film star Curt Jurgens.

It is her 1956 affair with Frank Sinatra, however, that is the most probable cause of the recent media interest. Bartok always insisted that her daughter, Deana, was the result of a brief fling with Sinatra. The singer himself gave no credance to the claim.

During her mother's funeral on 11 August, Deana refuted newspaper allegations that Eva died homeless, penniless and alone: "I'm here to translate that for you," she said. "Homeless - because she never really appreciated the domestic trappings in life. Penniless - because she didn't really care about money. Alone - she was not, God was with her. I was with her in spirit, and so were many other people."

Hammer classics to dvd

Previously unavailable in the UK on any format, classic 1960s Hammer Horrors The Brides of Dracula and The Evil of Frankenstein are being released on R2 dvd on 15th October by Showbox Home Entertainment.
The Brides of Dracula (1960) is the superb sequel to the original Hammer Dracula, and brought together many of the key personnel from the first film including director Terence Fisher, screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, producer Anthony Hinds and star Peter Cushing. Also in the cast are David Peel, Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur, Freda Jackson and Marie Devereux.
This classic dose of Hammer horror sees Van Helsing (Cushing) investigating the Badstein Girl's Academy in Transylvania and the charismatic Baron Meinster (David Peel) amidst rumours of the spread of vampirism. Can Van Helsing rid the townsfolk of the sinister curse?....

Forrest J Ackerman dead at 92

Sad (but not shocking) news today that Forrest J Ackerman has died. Dennis McLellan, one of the fine obituary writers in the country, writes about this true original:

Forrest J Ackerman, who influenced a generation of young horror movie fans with Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and spent a lifetime amassing what has been called the world’s largest personal collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia, has died. He was 92. Ackerman, a writer, editor and literary agent who has been credited with coining the term "sci-fi" in the 1950s, died Thursday of heart failure at his home in Los Angeles, Kevin Burns, head of Prometheus Entertainment and a trustee of Ackerman’s estate, told the Associated Press.

“House on the Edge of the Park”: Ricky Returns

Euro-cult master Ruggero Deodato is at it again and this time he’s returning to the house on the edge of the park. Based on a story written by Deodato and Giovanni Lombardo Radice and with a screenplay by Andrew Jones, the plot summary released by North Bank Entertainment reads:  “After thirty years at the mercy of a brutal warden in Sing Sing prison, Ricky is released and returns to the old garage in New York City. Desperate for a place to belong, he falls in with a dangerous sociopath named The Poet and his bloodthirsty girlfriend, Muriel. But the memories of Ricky’s old friend Alex continue to haunt him.”
Although details are scarce, this direct sequel to his 1980 House on the Edge of the Park will bring “Italy’s whipping boy” Giovanni Lombardo Radice back in the role of Ricky.  Although David Hess is listed on the film’s IMDb page as reprising the role of Alex, a statement from Giovanni Lombardo Radice himself says otherwise, “Friends and fans, I got the official permission to announce that Ruggero Deodato and myself are working on the sequel of HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK with North Bank Entertainment company in UK. We are very excited, but very sorry that, due to too many bullets through his body, David Hess can’t be in it. But we hope he will approve of the project which will be somehow dedicated to him.”  Perhaps Alex will rear his sadistic head in the flashbacks that haunt Ricky?
Filming will take place in the UK and US and House on the Edge of the Part Part II is scheduled for a 2012 release by North Bank Entertainment.

Dark Sky’s new in-house production will leave you in “Stitches”

Dark Sky Films along with Fantastic Films and the Irish Film Board wrapped up shooting director Conor McMahon’s (Disturbed, Dead Meat) killer clown film Stitches this weekend. The story follows the jaded, sad clown who comes back to seek murderous revenge on a group of bad little kids, now teens, whose party he died at years earlier. Check back for details on release date and more info as they become available.

Full Moon to release classic Wizard Video compilations to DVD! 10/27/11

It seems that Charles Band is finally ready to gain from the VHS phenomena. Full Moon will be releasing 10 films/compilations from the infamous Wizard Video and Force Video catalogs! I know I always say this, but once again I am stunned by what's being released to DVD these days. Not that these movies are unwatchable, but that I really didn't think that there was any money in re-releasing some of these, esspecially the compilations. Some of these titles will include an introduction by Band himself and a "Grindhouse" featurette. I can only imagine that many of these are transfered from the original VHS and in fact they warn us of this in the description of the Promo video on YouTube:

Famous Monsters Breaks Out With The Wolf Man

Famous Monsters Breaks Out With The Wolf Man

Wolf Man throughout the ages in film: Lon Chaney Jr., Paul Naschy and more! Japanese horror films, Re-make-uping the WEREWOLF OF LONDON, THE TWILIGHT ZONE with Rod Serling, Boris Karloff's 1935 BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN comic and more...
Get it on our Creepy Magazine Newsstand today!

Mexican Monster Party

Mexican Monster Party

December 2011

Aaayyy, mis hijos, is it Deciembre already? Indeed it is, so it's time for another Mexican Monster Party, to celebrate both Christmas and the new book getting sent in (The Films of Caroline Munro, First Lady of Fantasy), and to get the party started, we'll take a look at a movie that features the first Mexican horror character that was based on an actual Mexican legend, that of "La Llorona", or "The Crying Woman", LA MALDICION DE LA LLORONA - THE CURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN.

MONSTER BASH SUMMER 2011 DVD Here!

MONSTER BASH SUMMER 2011 DVD Here!

The Henson Press comes through for a great document of the events of this past June's historical MONSTER BASH CONFERENCE:
Interviews with Ed Nelson, Caroline Munro, Veronica Carlson, Yvonne Monlaur, Dawn Wells....Richard Gordon and Norma Eberhardt's last public appearances. Plus, the fun and excitement of the Classic Monster Convention with a spotlight on vampires. See Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde in person, a "Teenage Vampire" rise to scare again, the vampire crypt in the lobby of all the silver screen classic vampires! Caroline Munro, Veronica Carlson and Yvotte Monlaur perform live theatre of "Dracula's Guest" staged by Zach Zito. ....and so much more! Best Bash Ever!
Get it now in our New DVD Department at Creepy Classics!

Creepy Gift Certificates For All Your Creepy Stuff!

Creepy Gift Certificates For All Your Creepy Stuff!

Creepy Classics Gift Certificates For Horror-Day Gift Giving are here. In incriments of $25, $50 or $100. You can order them on line and a hard copy gift certifcate will be mailed to you. Then you can stuff it in that best monster friend's stocking! Get them now on-line at www.creepyclassics.com (look in the left sidebar) or call now at (724) 238-4317.

Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1974)

Hey Bash Synchers!!!
This classic was a holy grail movie for many, many years. I remember seeing the newspaper ads when I was a kid, when it was released on a double bill with Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell. The little pic of Kronos swordfighting with vampires thrilled me, but alas, it was rated R so off limits to this 10 year old. So I had to wait, and wait and wait!!! I knew what the movie was about thanks to House of Hammer 20 and its comic version, which only fueled the desire. I then heard the theme music when I bought the Laurie Johnson compilation album because it had the music from FIRST MEN IN THE MOON, and fell in love with it. Then in 1979, I met and fell in love with Caroline Munro at the Horror, Fantasy, Science Ficthon convention in Pittsburgh.

Monster Bash Magazine #14 Coming For the New Year!

Monster Bash Magazine #14 Coming For the New Year!

I spent this past weekend working on MONSTER BASH magazine #14! Lots of great articles from Tom Weaver, Frank Dello Stritto, Bruce Tinkel, Ed Watson, Leonard Kohl, An Interview with Dick Cavett by Jack Gourlay and more, more more! Rare Mummy Photos thanks to Buddy Barnett....and what a cover painting by Lorraine Bush!
Watch for it right here, we'll have it first...
Street date: January 15, 2012!

Do you want to advertise in MONSTER BASH #14? Get your ads in now! Deadline is December 30. Street date is January 15. Here are rates, if you want to target the Classic Monster crowd - this is the place!

Last gasp chance to get an ad in this issue...e-mail creepyclassics@creepyclassics.com.

MAD MONSTERS Reprint Book Coming Soon!

MAD MONSTERS Reprint Book Coming Soon!

The 50th Anniversary of MAD MONSTERS continues with issue 4 loaded
with all kinds of Fiendish Features! Who's that fiendish Ghoul-Fiend
inviting you on the cover into this monster mgazine? Is she the Bride
of Yucca Flats? Perhaps you'll find out in this Nov. 1962 reprint
limited edition of MAD MONSTERS! You'll find THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS,
THE HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Glenn Strange, Mexican Monsters, INVASION OF
THE BODY SNATCHERS and much more in this fun, fiendish, mad monster
magazine!
Thanks!
Dennis Druktenis
Get yours as soon as its released here at Creepy Classics! Stay tuned...we'll let you know the second it arrives!

Halloween White Elephant: The Masque of the Red Death (1964)

From John–“Is this Roger Corman’s best film?  Possibly.  I gave this one to Jacob Hall because it’s still fresh on my mind after seeing it a few months ago on Netflix.  MASQUE is genuinely perverse, sinister, and colorful, and stands out as the richest of Corman’s cheapies, a little closer in tone to Hammer Films than American International Pictures was typically known for. Time has sort of unfairly lumped it in with all of Corman’s Poe films; I think it stands out as a great horror film. My hope is that Jacob will think so too.”
Did you know that Roger Corman could actually direct? I’m not talking about a some unintentionally funny B-movie piece of junk, I’m talking about an intentionally interesting, creepy B-movie slice of awesome. The Corman name may be synonymous with schlock — and let’s face it, the man deserves it, mainly because he produced a whole bunch of worthless junk because it made him a whole bunch of money — but when he actually got behind the camera and had a decent script in his hand, he was capable of producing some damn fine schlock, schlock so good that it stops being schlock and starts being, I dunno, good schlock. His The Wasp Woman is one of the more character-driven “human becomes a monster” B-movies of the 1950s and his X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes is a legitimately fascinating science fiction film. Better than both of those is his adaptation of a classic Edgar Allan Poe story, The Masque of the Red Death, which manages to effectively Hollywood-ize the original story (Poe’s work is so internal that you’ve got to take some liberties) while capturing what makes the story work in the first place.

ICONS OF HORROR: HAMMER FILMS unleashed on DVD in the US 14 October 2008

ICONS OF HORROR: HAMMER FILMS
unleashed on DVD in the US
14 October 2008 4 classic Hammer adventures from the Columbia vaults, making their US dvd debut

Scream of Fear
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb
The Gorgon

special features include trailers

order here for only $16.99

also available in the new Unofficial Hammer Films shop

Chromeskull : Laid to Rest 2 gets a release date!

IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT BRINGS BACK THE MAN IN THE CHROME MASK!
CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2
Looking Sharp on Unrated Blu-ray™ and DVD September 20th
There’s a saying among horror fans: “You can’t keep a good slasher down!” And for fans of the 2009 cult hit Laid To Rest, the wait is over! On September 20, ChromeSkull – the chrome face-plated, technologically saavy homicidal maniac – returns in ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2 on Blu-ray™ and DVD from Image Entertainment. Starring Brian Austin Green (“Desperate Housewives”), Johnathon Schaech (That Thing You Do, The Poker Club), LTR 1 alum Thomas Dekker (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Owain Yeoman (“The Mentalist”) and Gail O’Grady (“NYPD Blue,” “Hellcats”), with Nick Principe returning as ChromeSkull, the sequel is once again directed by award-winning director Robert Hall (Laid To Rest, “Fear Clinic,” Lightning Bug). ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2 will be available in unrated DVD and Blu-ray versions, as well as a rated DVD. SRP is a razor-thin $27.97 for the unrated and rated DVDs, and a sheer $29.97 for the Blu-ray™. Pre-book is August 23rd.

Mimi Michaels (The Ugly Truth, Gamer), Christopher Allen Nelson (Sin City, Star Trek) and Angelina Armani (Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star) also star in the bloodiest sequel you’ll ever see. ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 is directed by Robert Hall, who also co-wrote and executive produced, and produced by Chang Tseng and Kevin Bocarde. Brian Austin Green and Stephen Niver are co-producers.
Bonus features on ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2 Blu-ray and DVD include audio commentary with director Robert Hall, co-writer Kevin Bocarde, and star Brian Austin Green, “A Cut Above: Creating ChromeSkull” behind the scenes featurette, the “Jump To A Kill” function (available exclusively on the unrated Blu-ray™ and DVD) where viewers can jump directly to one of eight “kills,” deleted scenes, bloopers and the theatrical trailer.