Last post of 2007

Welcome to the last day of 2007. Been an interesting year, one which flew by very quickly, as each one seems to do just a tad faster than the previous. Sign of getting older, I suppose!

Our LAST MAN ON EARTH episode aired Saturday evening at 7pm. It went off without a hitch, which made me quite happy! In the past we've had issues with the station playback - but they were right on the money Saturday, as they were the past two shows. Bravo WNAB!!

Not sure yet what the ratings were, but we were opposite the NFL football broadcast of the New England Patriots vs. NY Giants game (which was broadcast on a ridiculous THREE stations!!), so I suspect that ratings suffered accordingly, but we'll see Wednesday when the station is back in operation fully. I did get several emails from viewers who watched the show and enjoyed it. The overwhelming question I've been asked... "How did you eat that FRUITCAKE?!" That's suffering for your art, let me tell you!

Here's wishing you all a safe and happy New Year and a terror-ific 2008!!
STAY MAD, all!!

Last Man on Earth

With our new episode airing this coming Saturday night, I thought I'd repost the trailer here.

SEE - The original film version of "I am Legend"
SEE - Vincent Price battle hordes of vampires!
SEE - Dr. Gangrene face a fate worse than death - FRUITCAKES!!

It all happens this Saturday at 7pm on the CW58!

Last Man on Earth

Hope you all had a very Scary Christmas and enjoyed it as much as I did. Santa visited the lab and left me lots of nice lumps of coal - just what I asked for!!

I got an email from a fan pointing out that the Tennessean newspaper had the wrong movie listed for this Saturday night, and he wanted to make sure that THE LAST MAN ON EARTH was indeed airing this Saturday. I checked the WNAB website, and it is listed correctly there:

http://titantvguide.titantv.com/apg/ttv.aspx?siteid=51637

So thanks to Jeff for calling my attention to it. It's full steam ahead for some Vincent Price madness Saturday at 7pm. See you all there!!

Come Out Neville

Posted a music video this weekend for The Creeping Cruds song "Come Out Neville". This song is based on the Richard Matheson novel "I am Legend" and the film THE OMEGA MAN, and will be shown next Saturday night during our broadcast of THE LAST MAN ON EARTH. This was filmed live at the Horror Hootenanny 4 last October. Rock on!

R-A-M-O-N-E-S

Has there ever been a better debut album than the Ramones first release. THE RAMONES? If so, I don't know it. re-listening to this the other day, I was struck with how terrific all the songs are on it. Released in 1976, the songs sound as fresh and energetic 31 years later. Just a fantastic CD, and with Christmas coming up in 6DAYS! it would make a great present - for those of you who have someone you haven't shopped for yet, HEY HO, GO get em' some Ramones.

Here's the tracks on the original release:

"Blitzkrieg Bop"

"Beat on the Brat"

"Judy Is a Punk"

"I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"

"Chainsaw"

"Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"

"I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement"

"Loudmouth"

"Havana Affair"

"Listen to My Heart"

"53rd & 3rd"

"Let's Dance"

"I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You"

"Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World"

I was just talking with Tim Lucas from Video Watchdog the other day about the song "I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement". It is probably my favorite Ramones tune, and he mentioned it's his as well. It's written by Johnny Ramone and is his tribute to B movies. "I don't wanna go down to the basement, there's something down there, I don't wanna go..."

The Bell Witch – An American Haunting

Here in Tennessee the Bell Witch is a big deal. I remember as a kid we all knew the legends. There was a witch that supposedly existed in Tennessee, and she haunted the Bell family, even killing one of them. Legend said if you went into the bathroom, turned off all the lights, and slowly turned in circles repeating "I don't believe in the Bell Witch" ten times, she would appear in the mirror and attack you, clawing your face. At least that's the way I remember it. I have heard other similar versions of this kids' tale repeated by various people who grew up in these parts.

In Elementary school one year we took a field trip to the Children's Theater in downtown Nashville. I remember loading into the buses and riding across town to see the "Bell Witch" play they were performing. Scared the beejezus outta me. They had a blackout toward the end accompanied by a bloodcurdling scream, if I remember correctly. It was so cool! All the kids talked about it for weeks. People held seances to try and conjure the Bell Witch. It was big stuff.

The Bell Witch is a legendary haunting that supposedly took place in the area of Tennessee now known as Adams, Tn. Supposedly the Bell family was beset by a demonic force, a poltergeist which haunted them and terrorized their family. In particular it attacked the daughter, Betsy, slapping her face, pulling her hair, pinching and scratching her. The spirit was witnessed by a number of different people, and well documented. President Andrew Jackson supposedly saw it firsthand, and afterwards said, "I'd rather fight the British than spend the night in the Bell house."

Legend says the spirit attacked the father, John Bell, and eventually drove him to his death. John Bell was struck with an illness which left him with difficulty speaking. His health slowly declined until he eventually died. According to legend John's medicine was switched with a bottle of poison. The witch claimed she had replaced it and poisoned John. Supposedly the spirit disappeared for a while, but returned again years later, to haunt John Bell's son.

On the grounds formerly owned by the Bell family there is a tourist attraction called "The Bell Witch Cave." When I first started my TV show, I shot my second episode there. For Episode One I hosted a friend's movie filmed in nearby Murfreesboro, TN. The very next episode I went to Adams TN and toured the cave, interviewed the owner, and talked about the legend of the Bell Witch!! I couldn't wait to highlight the Bell Witch! It is rumored that strange activities still take place on those grounds to this very day! I have taken several friends there, including fellow horror host Count Gore DeVol when he visited a few years ago.

Needless to say, I have a bit of a personal attachment when it comes to the Bell Witch. That is our legend, a Tennessee tale that we're proud of. So it was with great interest that I finally sat down and watched AN AMERICAN HAUNTING last night.

AN AMERICAN HAUNTING was filmed in 2005 and released in 2006. It was written and directed by Courtney Solomon, who's only previous directorial experience was the 2000 film DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS. It was based on the book "The Bell Witch: An American Haunting", by Brent Monohan. It stars Donald Sutherland as John Bell, Sissy Spacek as his wife Lucy, and Rachel Hurd-Ward as Betsy Bell.

WARNING: There's gonna be spoilers from here on out.

This movie starts out in modern times. We see a young girl who wakes from a bad dream. It turns out she has been prowling in the attic, which she is mysteriously forbidden to enter, and has retrieved a few items: a book, manuscript and doll. Her mother, who is divorced, takes these items from the girl, who is readying for a weekend away with her father, and takes them to the next room where she looks them over. Turns out these are the diaries of the Bell family, who we are led to believe are descendants of this family

As the mother begins reading from the journals we flash back to the Bell family in the 1800s and follow their story. Occasionally the film jumps back to present day, to remind us this is a narrative.

John Bell angers a woman named Kate Batts, who is rumored to be a witch. They have a land dispute which is settled in court, but not to Kate's satisfaction. She promises she'll get revenge.

Shortly thereafter the hauntings begin. At first these are fairly harmless: mysterious sounds in the night and covers being yanked off the bed, but later physical attacks begin, mainly upon Betsy. She is drug around the house by her hair, raised off the ground by the hair, slapped, and thrown across the room violently.

Eventually Betsy's school teacher tries to help, staying at the house and at first attempting to explain away the disturbances until he no longer can and becomes a believer. Eventually John Bell becomes sick, on the brink of dying, and the true secret of the manifestations is revealed. John Bell has been molesting his daughter Betsy. When his wife finds out she is grief stricken, and poisons him. He dies and is buried, and shortly thereafter the spirit disappears. We are then told that Lucy suspects it was no spirit after all but a part of Betsy herself she conjured forth as a defense mechanism against her father's advances.

We then cut back to present day, where the girl is leaving for the weekend visit with her father. As the door closes, the mother sees a vision of the ghost of the Betsy Bell and realizes HER daughter is also being molested by her ex-husband, and runs screaming after their car, chasing them down the driveway! End.

I was lying in bad with my wife watching this, and afterwards I turned to her and said, "You know, I think I hate this movie."

The writer/director, Courtney Solomon, is a native Canadian, and that perhaps explains why this was shot on location partly in Canada. But why it was also shot on location in Romania is beyond me. Maybe someone can explain to me why, when you are making a movie about the Bell Witch, a legend of Tennessee folklore, you don't shoot it on location somewhere in the state of Tennessee. I understand that the owners of the Bell Witch cave now refuse to let anyone shoot on their property. Fine. Film it somewhere else. They probably could have gotten any number of locations in the nearby area for free – there are plenty of people who wouldn't mind the Bell Witch movie being shot on their property. I realize this is nit-picking to some degree, but a real opportunity to lend some legitimacy to the film was missed, not to mention a great promotional opportunity.

Instead they shoot it in Canada and Romania, and honestly, it just looks wrong. The trees are obviously not the type we have here, the surroundings look nothing like Tennessee –even the woods are foreign looking. We NEVER get the size snow you see in this movie here in Tennessee. Heck, they close the schools if we get an inch of snow, no joke. It was in the 60s here last week. But all of that is forgivable when compared to the movie itself.

The wrap around story was ridiculously cliché. It was so clumsily handled it was laughable, especially at the end when Betsy's ghost appears and she runs screaming down the driveway. The premise of these books sitting up in the attic for whatever reason is never explained, the connection to the Bell family hinted only through the mother's glances to the framed picture. I could have taken this movie much more seriously without these wrap-around bits.

The movie had some suspenseful moments, and some creepy effects. But these were ruined when the source of the troubles is revealed. It felt like a real cheat, some poor man's M. Night Shyamalan. To quote a recent South Park episode where military leaders consult M. Night Shyamalan for ideas to solve a dire dilemma - "No sir, I'm sorry, those aren't ideas, they're a twist!" I don't know how closely this film follows the book, but the premise of child molestation was just really a cheap shot. Nowhere has there ever been any indication of foul play on the part of John Bell, and the insinuation that Lucy poisoned him is equally undocumented.

To top it all off the grand cheesy moment comes in the form of several "ghost-cam" shots, where we slip into the viewpoint of the spirit tormenting the family, moving throughout the house, and actually flying across the countryside at high speed at one point chasing some of the family who are trying to escape in a carriage, complete with requisite growling and evil sounds, of course!

To be fair, I realize this isn't the most un-biased review. Hey, you got me. I'm a native Tennessean, born and raised here, and we like our legend. Here's the real basis of the myth: Kate Batts was the Bell Witch, she was angered by John Bell, released a spirit which haunted and tormented the family, ultimately leading to John's death. It was well documented, even seen by Andrew Jackson (of whom there is no mention in this film). THAT is your story. Shoot that, not some BS that belongs on the Springer show. And you know, I think when it's all said and done that is what disappoints me the most about this. There is a really creepy and scary story to be told here, but the filmmakers missed the mark and went the cheap exploitative route instead.

You know what - I hope the ghost of John Bell visits Courtney Solomon and Brent Monohan for slandering his good name. How's THAT for an American Haunting?!

It's about time!!

Finally!

The Dolphins get a break and get their first win in overtime! I never thought I'd be so happy for a 1-13 season, but it feels like a weight was just lifted from the backs of this team and it's fans alike. Now if they could somehow go into Foxboro and beat the undefeated Patriots next Sunday that would be a true Christmas gift!! Go Phins!!

Help Save the Public Domain

There is a very real threat to the public domain that started in 1998 when Congress passed the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA). That Act extended the term of all existing copyrights by 20 years. But this was done without full realization of the effect of such legislation, and unnecessarily threatens the public domain and vintage films in general.

For example: The vast majority of film created during the 1920s and 1930s is not commercially available. Because of the CTEA, much of it remains under copyright. Yet because it is often impossible to track down the copyright owners for these films, commercial and noncommercial preservationist and distributors cannot safely restore and distribute these films. And because these films were made from nitrate-based stock, by the time the copyright to these films expire, most of them will have dissolved.

One solution in particular is being spearheaded by folks at the Public Domain Movie Database website. They are asking Congress to consider the Public Domain Enhancement Act. See http://eldred.cc This statute would require American copyright owners to pay a very low fee (for example, $1) fifty years after a copyrighted work was published. If the owner pays the fee, the copyright will continue for whatever duration Congress sets. But if the copyright is not worth even $1 to the owner, then they believe the work should pass into the public domain.

If you haven’t already, please go sign the Reclaim the Public Domain Petition — it only takes a few seconds of your time, is all done online, and is very easy. Momentum is starting to build, and they REALLY need everyone’s support.

SIGN HERE
http://pdmdb.org/content.asp?contentid=992

Rondo Awards - BEST DVD COMPANY

With the Rondos just around the corner I thought it a good time to discuss them.

In the DVD Company of the Year category, my personal selection is, and has been for several years now, ALPHA VIDEO. Alpha Video is best known for low priced public domain movies. They typically have no (or very few) extras on the discs. Why, you might ask, would I vote for a DVD company like Alpha for best video company when they don't even have extras on their discs? Well, let me tell you...

Alpha Video has done more to keep classic horror alive than most video companies out there. People who are willing purchase expensive films from companies such as Criterion, for instance, are genre fans – they would buy these movies regardless of the price. It’s the non-genre fans who are paid the biggest service from Alpha Video, and that is exactly the way in which Alpha is helping keep classic horror alive.

Now don’t get me wrong – I LOVE many of the films that Criterion puts out. They have a really terrific selection of DVDs. I just am not going to spend 30-40 dollars on movies like THE BLOB, or FIEND WITHOUT A FACE, as fond as I am of those movies (and believe me, I really, really like both of them). As much as I might like to buy these, I am a father of three boys, and my discretionary income for DVD purchases is severely limited. I won’t buy a $40 DVD, but I might just pick up a 5 or 6 dollar print of something like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, SHOCK with Vincent Price, REEFER MADNESS, or any of a number of the fun films from their catalog. And I know there are many people out there just like me, folks who might otherwise not even think about buying an old horror movie, but for five bucks, why not?

Alpha has a terrific selection of movies in a variety of categories: Horror, Sci-fi, Exploitation, Serials, Silent Movies, old Television series, and more. Plus they’ve started distributing some newer material such as Mark Redfield’s terrific DR.JEKYLL & MR. HYDE, (which I highly recommend). Their covers are really top notch, and really make these DVDs stand out on the shelves.

So for these reasons I’m voting for Alpha Video for DVD Company of the Year in the Rondo Awards again this year. Good luck Alpha, and I hope all of you out there vote in the Rondo Awards this year.

And by the way, if anyone wants to get me THE BLOB or FIEND WITHOUT A FACE for Christmas, feel free!!

The Rondo Awards are just around the corner!

The Rondo Awards are an annual award for excellence in the field of horror, particularly classic horror. It is named after the actor Rondo Hatton, who appeared in a number of films throughout the 30s and 40s, and is best known as "The Creeper" in Universal's HOUSE of HORRORS (1946) and THE BRUTE MAN (1946).

The winners receive a statuette, a miniature version of the giant bust of actor Rondo Hatton seen in the Universal film, HOUSE OF HORRORS. Nominees for the Rondo award are selected from suggestions by horror fans, pros and enthusiasts offered all year at the Classic Horror Film Board. The awards are fan-based, and have no connection to any commercial sponsor. The Rondo Awards were created by David Colton and Kerry Gammill in 2002.

Anyone in fandom can vote or propose nominees. If there are any nominees or films you feel are deserving of recognition in the year 2007, then please, don't hesitate! Go to www.classichorrorfilmboard.com, scroll down to the Rondo Awards heading, and post a suggestion. Doctor's orders!! For more information about the Rondo Awards go to their website at www.rondoaward.com.

More on this in the near future!!

75th Anniversary of THE MUMMY

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal classic THE MUMMY, a special Jack Pierce tribute will soon be released on dvd. The tribute was taped on October 20, 2007, and hosted by horror host Ivonna Cadaver. It included a recreation of the Im Ho Tep mummy makeup, as well as a portrayal of legendary makeup artist Jack Pierce himself. Ivonna Cadaver introduced Jack Pierce, the Mummy, and told the history of the Universal film.

The final dvd will also include a video interview with Sara Karloff, segments from Conor Timmis' Kreating Karloff documentary, as well as segments from Scott Essman's Jack Pierce Tribute from June of 2000.

More info coming soon!

Last Man on Earth Promo

Got the promo put together for our next episode. We should see this pop up on our local CW station soon!

Tales from the Crypt/Vault of Horror

With Christmas just around the corner (13 days and counting) I thought I'd mention one of the dvds I'm most looking forward to in my stocking. Fox/MGM's Midnite Movie double Feature, TALES FROM THE CRYPT and VAULT OF HORROR


TALES FROM THE CRYPT was made in 1972 and is on my list of favorite horror movies. I've always said it's one of the movies I'd most like to host. It is the first big screen adaptation of the EC comic Tales from the Crypt, of which I'm a huge fan, and is a real treat to watch. It's an anthology film, from Amicus studios, and features five stories plus a wrap-around segment. All of the stories are excellent, in particular the Peter Cushing story, "Poetic Justice", and the final story, "Blind alleys", staring Nigel Patrick, in which a mistreated group of elderly blind patients exact revenge on their cruel headmaster in true EC fashion.

VAULT OF HORROR is the follow-up to TALES FROM THE CRYPT, made a year later. It is still fun, once again following in the anthology format, but not nearly as strong of a film as it's predecessor. The best story is "Midnight Mess", which is adapted from the "Tales from the Crypt" comic story in issue #35 (written by Al Feldstein and art by Joe Orlando). It concerns a brother tracking down his sister to a small town. He kills her for her inheritance money, and afterwards stops in a quiet restaurant for a late night snack. The main course, however, isn't exactly what he expected…

This story in particular is one of the more disappointing things about this dvd, from reviews I've read. Fox included the edited version of this film, where they use a freeze frame of the gore moment in the climax of this story. I understand this is the "PG" edited version, not the uncut original. Disappointing. The print of "Tales from the Crypt, however, is supposed to be pristine. This alone makes it a good buy for me, as I only have "Tales" on VHS currently - hopefully a complete version of "Vault' will be released on dvd at some point in the near future.

Regardless of the edited print used for VAULT OF HORROR, I still look forward to adding this one to my collection. One neat bit of trivia to look for when you watch these - there was a novelized version of TALES FROM THE CRYPT written, and as an in-joke it appears in VAULT OF HORROR. You can see a character (Micheal Craig) read it in the 4th story, "Bargain in Death."

A Season of Agony

I grew up a Miami Dolphins football fan. I can't tell you exactly why I picked them as my favorite, (other than maybe because their games were on TV in our area more often than other teams), but for some reason I chose the aqua and orange. My brother chose Dallas as his favorite team. My dad was a Washington Redskins fan. My mom really didn't have a preference, but she leaned toward the Oilers because she liked their coach, Bum Phillips. I kind of preferred it this way - it seemed more individual, more personal. They were MY team. I chose them, despite who the rest of my family liked.

As a kid your favorite team becomes more than just a casual interest - it infuses into your personality and become a part of who you are. I had an entire wardrobe of Miami Dolphins jerseys and clothing, which I wore proudly.

I remember the year I first had to get glasses. More and more trouble reading the chalkboard led to a trip to the eye doctor and then the inevitable... glasses. I was devastated - I HATED it!

But that same year Bob Griese, quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, got glasses too, even wearing them under his helmet during games. Wow! If the quarterback of my favorite football team could wear them then I guess it must be okay. I just became that much more of a fan.

I was friends with an employee at the local library named Kevin who just so happened to be a huge Miami Dolphins fan. Kevin helped me look up Bob Griese's address in a big directory of some sort that they had there at the library, and I mailed him a letter. Months later, after I had forgotten all about it, I received an autographed postcard back. Too cool!

My junior high school days were not the greatest. It was a tough time. I was going through an awkward, nerdy phase - all tall and gangly, uncoordinated, and a bit shy. Needless to say I was not the most popular kid. I didn't have a lot of friends, preferring books and comics to actual people, in most cases. To make matters worse my school wasn't the best, in fact it was terrible. It is tough being a smart kid in a public school. Kids are merciless, and anything they perceive as different is immediately a target of ridicule.

But no matter how bad things got, one of the constants I could rely on was the Miami Dolphins. They were a proud franchise - they posted the only undefeated season in 1972, culminating in one of their back to back Superbowl wins. They always had a winning record and were in the playoffs. In the 80s came the Marino years, guiding the dolphins all the way to the Superbowl in his first season. They had the winningest coach of all time, Don Shula. Marino set every passing record there was. The Dolphins were riding a wave of good fortune.

I had, truth be told, moved on to college by this point and was much more concerned with grades, girls and parties than football, but I still followed them somewhat and kept up with what the team was doing when I could.

But the dark days started in 1993. The team was sold to new owner Wayne Huizinga. The original owner, Joe Robbie, passed away and his family sold the team to Huizinga in 1993 (Huizinga actually purchased a 50% share in 1990, and bought the rest in 1993). The first thing he did was pull the Joe Robbie name off the stadium, selling the naming rights to an underwear line - the Dolphins home stadium was then known as Pro Player Stadium. From there, it all went downhill. Here's a few low lights:

1995 - Don Shula retires. Shula said that he "agreed to step aside", leading to speculation that Huizenga fired him. Jimmy Johnson, former head coach of Dallas (the man who replaced legendary coach Tom Landry), is named as head coach. Jimmy would, in 1999, draft convicted felon Cecil Collins with the first pick of the 5th round, who would again break the law in December of that year and is currently serving time in prison.

1999 - Team suffers the worst playoff loss in NFL history to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 62-7. After the season Jimmy Johnson and Dan Marino both retire.

2000 - Dave Wannstedt named head coach, despite a paltry 41-57 record as head coach of the Bears.

2002 - Wannstedt gives 2 first round draft picks for running back Ricky Williams, one of the worst personnel moves in team history.

2004 - Ricky Williams "retires" from football after testing positive for Marijuana for a third time. The team starts the season 1-8, and holds the NFL worst record at the time - Wannstedt resigns as Dolphins head coach mid-season (November 9, 2004) and is replaced by interim coach Jim Bates. The team finishes 4-12.

2005 - The Dolphins hire LSU head coach Nick Saban to lead the team, despite many player's desire to keep Jim Bates as coach.

2007 - Jan. 3, 2007 - Nick Saban resigns and becomes head coach of the University of Alabama. In the previous weeks leading to the cowardly January 3rd announcement, Nick had vehemently denied that he was going to accept the Alabama job.

The Dolphins most recently named Cam Cameron as head coach, the offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers. Cam has NO experience as an NFL head coach, and his only previous experience as head coach was at Indiana University where he posted a stellar 18-37 record.

Here is one damning statistic. Of the 58 players drafted or acquired using their draft picks between the years 1998-2003, not one is on the Dolphins' 53-man roster today. That is a 6-year span of wasted draft and trade picks.

As of today, the Miami Dolphins are 0-13. It is a franchise low - worse than even their inaugural season. They are the laughing stock of the NFL. Under Cameron's regime they have traded away star players (Wes Welker and Chris Chambers), suffered a rash of injuries, and are down to third and forth string players in many cases. The play calling has been atrocious. Bad decision after bad decision. Things stink down south. There is something wrong with this team. They are bad across the board.

To make matters worse, the New England Patriots are 13-0, threatening to break the Dolphins solitary undefeated season record.

Consolation prize - the Dolphins will get the number one draft pick next year. They suck so bad the NFL will award them the first pick in the draft. Hooray.

It's been a tough year for Dolphins fans. They look a sure bet to be the first team in history to go 0-16. That's Karma for you. After years of gloating over the perfect season and celebrating when the last undefeated team loses it's come back to bite them in the rear. A double whammy of the Dolphins going 0-16 and the division rival Patriots going 16-0 is enough to make Dolphins fans want to puke. I know I do.

But times are different now. I no longer live and die with the Dolphins on Sundays - heck, I only rarely get to see their games. We have our own professional football franchise in Nashville now, the Tennessee Titans, something I only dreamed of as a kid. I no longer get overly up or down with wins and losses, it just doesn't seem that important any more. But I do still follow the team, and it is a shame to see a proud franchise like the Dolphins in such a state of disarray.

No, I no longer get upset over it – I just blog about it.

Hayden Milligan tribute

Thanks to my good friend Troy Guinn for this head's up. Deadpit radio dedicated their 11-30-07 podcast to the late Hayden Milligan, a.k.a. horror host I. Zombie. Just go to www.deadpit.com, then scroll down to the past shows and it's available there.

Last Man on Earth episode in the can!

Wrapped up shooting all the segments for the next Creature Feature episode this past Saturday evening. The next show is "The Last Man on Earth."




Now begins the editing phase. I will drop the raw footage off this week to my editor, and then all the pieces will come together. Did a few things different this episode, trying different lighting/sound techniques and equipment, as well as working with some new crew members. Look forward to seeing how it all turns out!

This episode airs Saturday, December 29th @ 7:00pm, on Nashville's CW58.

More Wonder Woman Updates

Since I wrote about this a couple of days ago I thought I'd follow up here - Ain't it Cool News reports the new Wonder Woman will be an Australian Supermodel named Megan Gale.

Looking at her listing on IMDB.com, she only has two films under her belt to date, one of which was a 2005 film called Stealth. She only plays a bit part in it, apparently, but the film stars, interestingly enough, Jessice Biel, who reports now say passed on the role.

Don't know if her acting is up to the task, but she certainly looks like an Amazon warrior princess to me!

Karloff Inner Sanctum

Since I posted the first two parts of this Inner Sanctum broadcast with Boris Karloff, I thought I'd put the final part here. My congratulations to whoever posted these on Youtube - a subscriber by the moniker of Lost Airwaves. Great job with the photos accompanying the radio broadcast. Parts 1 & 2 are in posts below - enjoy!

Evel Knievel's Final Jump

Evil Knievel passed away Friday, November 30th, 2007. He was 69 years old. News reports say Knievel had been struggling for years with diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung condition. In 1999 he underwent a liver transplant after nearly dying of hepatitis C, which he believed he contracted through one of the many blood transfusions from his wrecks.

What a character. Police dubbed him "Evil Knievel" as a child when he was caught stealing hubcaps. Among his many achievements in life, he also was a star athlete in High School, volunteered to be an army paratrooper in the 1950s (making 30 jumps), and played hockey with the Charlotte Clippers. But it was as a motorcycle daredevil that Evel would rise to fame, capturing the world's attention and becoming one of the biggest attractions of the 1970s. His son Robbie later followed in his footsteps, becoming a stunt cyclist himself.

Evel starred in a 1977 movie called Viva Knievel!, in which he played himself - it also starred Laura Hutton and Leslie Nielson. There was also a 1971 film starring George Hamilton, as well as a made for TV film in 2004, and a failed TV pilot starring Sam Elliott.

Is there any American male who grew up in the 1970s who wasn't inspired by the exploits of Evel? I remember setting up wooden ramps to jump on my bicycle, placing various objects below in my own death defying stunt. I also remember, in true Knievel fashion, wrecking and lying on the ground afterwards staring up at the sky!

I was listening to sports talk on my car radio last night and they had a segment called 4 Questions. Of the 4, only two were sports related - and one of them was, "What was your favorite toy as a kid?"

I thought about it, and my favorite toy growing up was my Evel Knievel stunt cycle. I used to play with that thing for hours in my driveway, cranking the handle furiously to watch Evel ride again and again. I have a scar to prove it, on the knuckle of the first finger of my right hand, where it would scrape the ground as I cranked the launcher, and although it was bloody and hurting I kept on cranking!

Evel definitely wasn't a saint. He was an alcoholic, got caught soliciting an undercover police officer for sex, left his wife of 38 years for a younger woman, was later charged with domestic violence toward this younger woman (whom he did eventually marry), and most recently was involved in a lawsuit with rap artist Kanye West over West's usage of Evel's image in a rap video. Life is so much simpler as a kid - you don't know the details of your heroes, you simply see them as the image they portray. Sometimes it's sad to learn the real person behind the facade. That is the most disappointing thing I've encountered since I started this horror host business.

Below is video footage of two of Evel's most spectacular jumps - look at the size of the ramp in this first one!! Seeing this as an adult it's a wonder he wasn't paralyzed - check out the crew as they get to him. The first thing they do is start yanking on his head and flip him over on his back. Amazing. The second clip is the famous Ceaser's Palace jump. I remember watching this one live on TV. Incredible crash - He was the real life Ghost Rider, suffering multiple crashes that should have killed him. Ride on, Evel. Ride on!

You're a Wonder, Wonder Woman!!

While I was surfing the web this morning I stumbled across the website IESB.net. It's a movie news site, and among the various movie rumors/news/gossip was a report about the upcoming (still in planning/production stages) JUSTICE LEAGUE movie. Various cast rumors were being discussed, and among them, Wonder Woman!

Now, I've never been a huge Wonder Woman fan, but I sure did watch the 70s TV show starring Linda Carter. That was one groovy show, and I managed to watch it regularly. It was a real product of the 70s - Linda Carter did a great job with what they gave her to work with, and she looked great in the suit.

The Justice League movie is actually slated for a 2010 release, according to IMDB - but there is also a Wonder Woman film in the works for 2009, again according to IMDB. So who would they cast to play Wonder Woman in the new movies?

Well among the rumors floating about on IESB.net was this one from September 2007:

Jessica Biel

On first glance, I'd say Jessica looks too young when compared to Linda Carter. But, Linda was actually only 24 years old when Wonder Woman first hit the airwaves in 1975, which puts Jessica Biel actually a year older than Linda was when they started shooting the series! She certainly has the physique, and she did a fine job in the movies I've seen her in. I think she'd be a great choice.

One thing they'll have to be careful about, if they cast Jessica as Wonder Woman - next to her they'll definitely have to have someone other than Brandon Routh play Superman - she's more buff than he was in Superman Returns, without a doubt!

Regardless of who they cast in either film, one thing is guaranteed - the theme song won't be anywhere near as good as the TV show!!

Karloff Inner Sanctum PT2

Here is the second part of the Inner Sanctum radio broadcast I posted yesterday starring Boris Karloff. These old time radio shows are a LOT of fun. I have been downloading a ton of "Lights Out" shows lately. There are lots of sites nowadays that have these and other radio shows available for free download. Gotta love the internet!!

Boris Boris Boris

You just gotta love youtube. Type in Boris Karloff and you get tons of fun clips. Here is an old time radio clip of Boris Karloff from the Inner Sanctum, part 1. As I was saying earlier... Boris has the greatest voice. Enjoy!!

Happy Belated Birthday, Boris

November 23rd was the birth date of William Henry Pratt, better known to the world as Boris Karloff. Boris would have turned 120 this past Friday! Boris' birthday is always easy for me to remember as it is also my mother's birthday. I celebrated the evening watching House of Frankenstein with my ten year old son.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for good ole' Boris. From Frankenstein all the way to The Snake People, I don't believe he ever delivered a performance I didn't enjoy - even if the film was a stinker, Boris was enjoyable. From all accounts he was a genuinely nice guy, which just makes me appreciate him all the more.

Boris shared that great quality all the classic horror stars of yesteryear seemed to have - an amazing voice. I have always said I could listen to Vincent Price read a grocery list and still be entertained, and the same is true for Boris. His voice is what makes "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" so special. He was a one of a kind, and I always thought it great that he embraced his monster past, rather than feeling typecast. He once said "The monster was the best friend I ever had." Too true.

Below is a shot from one of my favorite Thriller episodes, "The Incredible Dr. Markeson." Boris plays a demented mad scientist with a rather ghoulish plan for revenge. Happy birthday, Boris.

Munchkins Star on Hollywood walk of "Fame"

Well, it's official. The munchkins have a star in Hollywood. Boy, the whole Hollywood star thing has been devalued more than the nobel peace prize!


I guess I shouldn't be surprised - this has been going on for years. It seems that just about anyone who raises enough cash can buy a star nowadays - but at least the stars used to be for real actors/directors/industry people. Now they give them to fictitious characters such as Woody Woodpecker, Mickey Mouse, and the MUNCHKINS.


Are you kidding? The Munchkins? They really will give a star to anyone now. They were bit players in a movie that too place 68 years ago. Not even main characters, just bit players.


Now I have to admit, I have a bit of a personal gripe here. Jerry Maren refused to do an interview with me once. For those who don't know who Jerry is, he was one of the munchkins in The Wizard of Oz. I have to admit, I got quite a laugh out of it! Here he was, making an appearance at a shopping mall in Nashville, TN, being ignored by pratically everyone there, and I walk up to ask him to do an interview and he refuses because he's too big of a "star." Asked to see my press credentials. What? You should be happy anyone knows or cares who you are, Jerry!


I was looking through Jerry's IMDB page today - he claims he was in the original Planet of the Apes. It is "unconfirmed" though. No doubt. You know, I would have been happy to interview and give press to Jerry, before he showed his ass. Afterwards I told that story to various people and was razzed by my friends for years - you got brushed off by the MUNCHKIN!

It is pretty funny, though.


So you go Jerry. You proved what a big star you are afterwards, I guess! Congratulations.

I. Zombie

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of
Lexington KY horror host I. Zombie.

He passed away Monday Nov. 26th, 2007.

I. Zombie was played by Hayden Milligan, one of the genuinely nicest people you could ever hope to meet. Virtually everyone who knew Hayden was touched by his gentleness and courage. He overcame tremendous odds by creating and performing despite horrible burns over the majority of his body at the age of two. He underwent years of physical therapy growing up. He never let his affliction hold him back, despite the odds being stacked against him. He worked out, played guitar, dressed as an Elvis Impersonator, ran his own video company, and hosted movies on "The Witching Hour." Hayden was a friend and a true inspiration. He found out earlier this year he had inoperable cancer, a final unfair blow to one who had suffered so much in this life. Farewell Hayden, you will be missed.

Horror Movies Abound

Seems almost every other movie nowadays is a horror title, which I have to say I am quite happy about. I remember the drought of horror films in the early 90s where it almost seemed the genre was dying.















I received a press release the other day about P2. I have to admit I'd seen the previews on TV but wasn't too sure about it. Here is the setup:


It's Christmas Eve. Angela Bridges (Rachel Nichols- “Alias”), an ambitious young executive, works late before she leaves for her family's holiday party. When she gets down to the parking garage, she discovers that her car won't start. The garage is deserted and her cell phone doesn't get a signal underground. When Thomas (Wes Bentley- AMERICAN BEAUTY), a friendly security guard, comes along and offers to help, Angela nervously accepts his gesture of good will. Soon after a failed attempt to start her car, he invites her to stay and share a small Christmas dinner he's preparing in the parking office, but she laughs it off. Angela doesn't realize this is no laughing matter – Thomas has been watching her closely...for months. His dinner invitation is not optional. If Angela wants to live to see Christmas morning, she must find a way to escape from level P2 of the parking garage.


Will be interesting to see if this movie does well. It has some stiff competition with the Christmas season coming up. The fact it's a Christmas themed film had to play into the release date. This film will probably play well with the younger audience, which is the target audience, I'd think. Interesting how every film has to write in an excuse for why cell phones won't work. Sign of the times, eh?

New Creature Feature Show

We now have a date for the next Creature Feature.
The show that night will be:


The Last Man on Earth!

It will air Saturday, December 29th at 7pm on Nashville's CW58.

If you live in the Middle TN or Southern KY area, make plans now to check it out!!

Next Creature Feature Episode

We now have a date now for the next Creature Feature confirmed. Saturday, October 13th at 8pm on Nashville's CW58. The movie we'll be hosting is Night of the Living Dead.

We've already begun work on this Halloween special , and hope to get some previews up online ahead of time. Looking forward to shooting this one!!