Hallow-Scream Watch Party Finale! "Creature From The Black Lagoon" (1954)

This photo is great, because it acts as both promo and plot summary.  That what he do.

To round out our first (ha HA!) Halloween pass through some classic horror, we're watching the last big monster movie of the Universal monster cycle.  I skipped the silent movies (you're welcome) and a few terrific ones (next year!) because I think this is one everyone should see.  

The film includes:

• an amazing monster design
• fantastic monster swimming sequences and effects
• handsome scientists and their lovely fellow scientist
• a lagoon!
• thrills, chills and spills!

So, join us for an evening with The Creatch, and maybe we'll get Jamie to discuss the designer of the monster!

LINK HERE TO WATCH 

Day:  Friday - 10/29/2021

Time:  8:30 Central, 6:30 Pacific

Service:  Amazon Watch Party Streaming

Cost:  $4

Hammer Watch: The Scars of Dracula (1970)

Watched:  10/28/2021

Format:  YouTubeTV

Viewing:  First

Decade:  1970's

Director:  Roy Ward Baker

Christopher Lee played Dracula 10 times on film, 7 times for Hammer, this being the 5th outing for Hammer.  This Dracula film is one of 9 movies Christopher Lee starred in during the year 1970, when he was still sort of doing lines as Drac, and not just standing there or growling.  

Anyway, the man was supernaturally prolific.  

HALLOWEEN PODCAST: "The Fly II" (1989) - Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels w/ SimonUK and Ryan

Watched:  09/12/2021

Format:  DVD

Viewing:  Second or third

Decade:  1980's

Director:  Chris Walas

For more ways to listen

SimonUK and Ryan see what all the buzz is about as they check out the sequel to the famous Cronenberg remake. This time, it's a wee baby insect man and Daphne Zuniga against the world and spooky corporate interests! Join us as we take a swat at a film that was one I think everyone saw on cable.

The Signal Watch PodCast · 167: "The Fly II" (1989) - Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels w/ SimonUK and Ryan

Music:

Fly II Main Theme - Christopher Young

Halloween 2021 Playlist

The Signal Watch PodCast · Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels

Hallow-Dead Watch: Evil Dead II - Dead by Dawn (1987)

Watched:  10/27/2021

Format:  BluRay

Viewing:  ha

Decade:  1980's

Director:  Sam Raimi

One day I want to do a podcast on the Evil Dead movies, so I'll save some comments for that time.  But.  Evil Dead II (1987) never disappoints.  

Also - this was Jamie's Halloween watch selection.  So, you know, I feel I married well.

Hallow-Spooky Watch: Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

man, Bob Peak's art is never less than amazing

Watched:  10/25/2021

Format:  BluRay

Viewing:  Unknown

Decade:  1980's

Director:  Jack Clayton

We podcasted this film way, way back when the podcast was getting started.  

Further back, the Ray Bradbury book upon which the film is based was assigned reading for me in 7th grade.  I cannot imagine such a thing in schools now, but this was the go-go 1980's, and we were even given assignments to come up with a short story about how Mr. Dark would prey upon our insecurities.  I vaguely remember something about being turned into what I realize now is the Incredible Hulk.  

Special thanks to Stuart, who belongs to Disney Insiders and landed me a copy of this club-only release of Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) BluRay.  Lovely presentation.

Anyway, this is such a strange little movie, one that I don't recall getting any promotion at the time of its release, nor had I seen it on the shelf at the video store.  Possibly, because of the Disney label on the tape, it had been shelved with kiddie movies.  Which is an interesting problem, because it's not one the book has.  It just gets shelved with Ray Bradbury books.  But as a film... 

Muad'Dib Watch: Dune (2021)

Watched:  10/24/2021

Format:  HBOmax

Viewing:  First

Decade:  2020's

Director:  Denis Villeneuve

Well, whatever opinion I have will be wrong, by everyone who watched this movie.  And, especially, if you read the book.

I've only read Dune once, years ago, at the recommendation of RHPT and StevenH (and probably Lauren, if Steven was pitching it).  That said, I thought it was a singular reading experience.  My inability to return to the book has much more to do with life being short and me doing other things rather than my lack of love for what I read.

I think people who read and grok Dune are changed a little after, maybe in tiny ways, but a bit.  I cannot imagine approaching a Dune movie without having read the book - I know watching Lynch's version without having read the book led to me giving up 20 minutes in.  But after reading it, I was like "oh, yeah, this is maybe not the best way to do this, but ok."  Similarly, before reading the book, I could only follow the SyFy Channel TV mini-series version of Dune so far before I was like "y'all are on your own".

So - I have no idea what those who didn't read the book took away from the movie currently in theaters and running on HBOmax.  

Elvira Special Watch: City of the Dead (1960)

Watched:  10/24/2021

Format:  Shudder Elvira Special

Viewing:  First

Decade:  1960's

Director:  John Llewellyn Moxey

I am unfamiliar with this studio, Vulcan Productions, but it's out of Britain.  That said, in theory the movie takes place in Massachusetts, and is a witchy story about a small town where there's still witchy business afoot 400 years later.  

The movie stars a whole bunch of people I didn't know, and I think English people playing Americans, which would explain at least one guy's voice.  But it's got Christopher Lee!  So, super double bonus points.

The movie isn't bad!  It's mostly thriller as young people first try to do some research for a college course, and secondly when others go to look for the first person.  The sets, acting, etc... are all good stuff.  I particularly liked Patricia Jessel as a creepy inn owner.  

Anyway, I mostly watched it as past of Elvira's 4 movie hosting gig on Shudder, and she's terrific!  Good bits in there and what I believe to be a true story of her running into Christopher Lee in a window that I believe would have had to have been pre-Elvira.  Anyway, she has a kicky song at the end I very much enjoyed.

Hallow-Scream Watch Party: The Wolf Man (1941)

Watched:  10/22/2021

Format:  Amazon Watch Party

Viewing:  Unknown

Decade:  1940's

Director:  George Waggner

Well, I've seen this one a lot, and we talked about it last year on the podcast.  

What I noticed this time was that Maleva, the gypsy woman, has a speech of her own as she bids farewell to first Bela, and then Larry after they've been killed and freed from the curse.  

The way you walked was thorny, through no fault of your own, but as the rain enters the soil, the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end.

It's funny - I've seen this movie a lot, and I've listened to a bit about it on commentary tracks and read about it online, and I don't recall anyone calling this out.  Maybe they did.  Everyone gets hung up on the usual rhyme,* but folks tend not to focus on Maleva's farewell, bridging worlds for the cursed and absolving them, I suppose.

One wonders exactly how many werewolves she's had to deal with.

Here's last year's podcast.

The Signal Watch PodCast · 122: "The Wolf Man" (1941) "Curse of the Werewolf" (1961) Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK & Ryan

*A few times in the film, we hear:  

Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.

PODCAST: "Son of Frankenstein" (1939) and "Son of Dracula" (1943) - Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels w/ SimonUK and Ryan

Watched:  09/06/2021

Format:  BluRay

Viewing:  a whole lot

Decade:  1930's and 1940's

Director:  Rowland V. Lee and Robert Siodmak (I KNOW)

For more ways to listen

We check in on the boys and see what the kids are up to! One back in the old family villa and the other heading to Louisiana for some jambalaya, we assume. Two franchises rise yet again, stitched together from ideas new and old as we look at the third in the series for each, and sink their teeth into familiar tropes as well as all new stories and characters!

The Signal Watch PodCast · 166: "Son of Frankenstein" (1939) & "Son of Dracula" (1943) - Halloween 2021 - w/ SimonUK & Ryan

Music:

Son of Dracula Theme - Hans J. Salter Orchestra

Son of Frankenstein Theme - Frank Skinner

Halloween 2021

The Signal Watch PodCast · Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels

FRIDAY Watch Party - THE WOLF MAN! (insert howl sound here)

Universal kept putting out horror films after Bride of Frankenstein, and would hit it big again - zeitgeistwise - with The Wolf Man in 1941.  

No, he does not look like a dog or wolf, he absolutely looks like a guy with a glandular problem and in need of a dentist.  But that's not the real terror of the film.  It's a movie about curses and bad luck.  And trying to convince people that Claude Raines could have fathered Lon Chaney Jr.  (Mrs. Wolf Man must have been 7'3").  

Still, it's a fun picture and perfect for the days leading up to Halloween!

 

Day:  Friday 10/22/2021

Time:  8:30 PM Central/ 6:30 PM Pacific

Format:  Amazon Watch Party

Cost:  $3 - $4

LINK HERE ON FRIDAY TO WATCH 

also - announcing SIGNAL WATCH NOIRVEMBER

Unrelated:  Horror podcast episodes!

The Universal Monsters Hallow-Scream Watch Party series is meant to be a casual good-time as we check out the run of horror movies that started with Dracula and have become staples of culture the world over!  Everyone knows what these monsters look and act like, but it's probable most people haven't ever actually seen the movies they're in!  So, come watch!  

Starting just two years after the silent era, these movies quickly became the blockbusters of their day, bringing strange ideas most people hadn't considered, wild visuals, and complicated creatures to the screen.  And, ever since, studios have been looking to recapture this particular lightning in a bottle.

We think you'll enjoy watching along and checking out the creepfest that is Universal Horror!