31 Days of Halloween – 031: Le Manoir Du Diable (The Devil’s Chateau) (1896)

October 31, 2013October 30, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ 1 Comment

And so, here we are, and the end of the countdown. I’ll be honest, there were days this month that I wasn’t sure we were going to make it. Not that I didn’t think Halloween would come, that was going to happen no matter what, obviously, just that I wasn’t actually going to make my post-every-day goal. Of course, it’s meant back-burnrering a couple of the other regular features, but worry not, faithful readers they will be returning. (Well, for the most part, anyway There may be a few changes coming up, but more on that another time.)

So, let’s wrap things up in a big way, shall we? How? By going back to the start.

Le Manoir du diable (variously known in English as The Devil’s Chateau, The Devi’s Castle, and The Haunted Castle) is only 3:16 long, but it holds a special significance in the history of cinema as it is recognized as the first horror/vampire film.

Created by silent film pioneer Georges Melies, the film, though short, is full of his trademark camera tricks, and is easily recognized as the work of a master at play, seeing exactly what he can do with his camera, and trying new tricks as he went along.

Obviously, it’s not really meant to terrify, but it does have some interesting moments, and uses its short duration to its fullest. And in many ways,, it foreshadows all of the many many vampire movies that would follow in its wake, including even those made today.

It’s a truly fascinating little film, and one that deserves to be seen and loved as much as Melies’ later and much more famous A Voyage To The Moon.

So, in honor of one of film’s great pioneers, and in celebration of All Hallows Eve, here is Le Manoir du diable:

George Méliès – ‘Le Manoir du diable’ – First Known Horror Movie (hannahandharriet.wordpress.com)
The History of Horror films. (petrya13.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 030: The Midnight Coterie Of Sinister Intruders (SNL 2013)

October 30, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ Leave a comment

October marches on, and so does our countdown to All Hallows Eve. This year, rather than trying to do a full 31 film reviews or something truly time-consuming like that, most of what I’m going to be posting are favorite trailers, short films, some full-length movies, and other items just to kind of help get everyone in the spirit of what really is one of my favorite holidays.

Every once in awhile, Saturday Night Live still hits one out of the park, and they’ve definitely done it with this year’s Halloween film parody. The premise is simple: what if Wes Anderson directed a horror movie? The results? The Midnight Coterie Of Sinister Intruders. The verdict? Hilarious!

The Midnight Coterie of SINISTER INTRUDERS (thegypsycharmer.com)
SNL’s Wes Anderson Slasher Film, The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders (acollectivemind.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 029: Spook Sport (1939)

October 29, 2013October 28, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ Leave a comment

Spook Sport is a kind of animated ballet created by Norman McLaren in 1939 and set to Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse macabre.

31 Days of Halloween – 024: Alfred Hitchcock’s Music To Be Murdered By (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 006: Nosferatu (1922) Newly Restored, Heading To Theaters – Here’s The Trailer (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 028: Creature Feature Theater – Svengoolie Presents Saturday The 14th (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 028: Creature Feature Theater – Svengoolie Presents Saturday The 14th

October 28, 2013October 29, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ 1 Comment

I really wish that I had more time to write about this today, going into the history and legacy of Chicago horror host Svengoolie and also talking about the horror comedy Saturday the 14th itself which is another one of those that really belongs on my “favorite guilty pleasures” list – yes, it really is as bad as you think it might be – but other commitments mean that I simply can’t today. I do promise to return to both topics before too long, though. In the meantime, however, I’m just going to invite yo to kick back with me and enjoy the show.

Remember Jerry G. Bishop aka Svengoolie (wgnradio.com)
Jerry G. Bishop, aka ‘Svengoolie,’ leaves behind legacy (utsandiego.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 026: Halloween Is Grinch Night (1977) (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 027: Three Skeleton Key Starring Vincent Price

October 27, 2013October 29, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ Leave a comment

Those of you who have been following this blog for awhile now will know that Vincent Price holds a special place in my heart. Of course, if you’ve been following along, you also know that I have a special love for Old Time Radio shows. Today those loves come together as I spotlight one of my all-time favorite shows.

“Three Skeleton Key” originated as a short story written by French author George G. Toudouze. It first appeared in English in the January 1937 issue of Esquire magazine. The story concerns three men who inhabit and tend a lighthouse on an island off the coast of French Guiana. One night, an abandoned ship, which has been overrun by thousands of ferocious rats, wrecks on the island. From that point on, the lighthouse, which has meant life for so many, becomes a deathtrap for the three men.

The short story was adapted for the radio by James Poe, and was first broadcast on the anthology series Escape in 1949. It was so popular that it was performed again (these were actual re-performances, not simply rebroadcasts) in 1950 and 1953. It was also performed on the series Suspense at least twice, once in 1956, and another time in 1958. Each of these performances had different casts, but three of them, the 1950 Escape broadcast and the two Suspense performances featured Mr. Price in the starring role.

The version that I’m presenting below is my personal favorite, the March 17, 1950 Escape broadcast.

Also, for those interested in reading the original short story, it’s available in .pdf format here. And, of course, for more Golden Age of Radio goodness, just check back here every week for Old Time Radio Thursday.

The Very Best Films of Vincent Price (vallieegirl67.com)
Greatest Films of Vincent Price (houseofgeekery.com)
In the Kitchen with Vincent Price (moviemorlocks.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 026: Halloween Is Grinch Night (1977)

October 26, 2013October 24, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ 1 Comment

I feel fairly sure that I must have seen this somewhere along the way at some time or another, but I had honestly forgotten that it existed until reminded very recently. Of course, there may very well be a reason for that. Nonetheless, Ladies and Gentlemen, from 1977, Dr Seuss‘s Halloween Is Grinch Night:

ABC Family 13 Nights of Halloween 2013 Schedule Days 3 – 13! (myfrugalsavings.com)
ABC Family 13 Nights of Halloween 2013 Schedule Days 6 – 13! (myfrugalsavings.com)
NYU Local’s Favorite Flicks For The Upcoming Harvest Celebration (nyulocal.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 025: Or Maybe We Shouldn’t…

October 25, 2013October 23, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ Leave a comment

There are some things that are almost always a bad idea. This supercut highlights a couple of very closely related ones.

31 Days of Halloween – 018: The Ruins (2008) (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 022: The Return Of The Living Dead (1985) (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 023: Night Of The Living Dead – In 30 Seconds! With Bunnies! (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 024: Alfred Hitchcock’s Music To Be Murdered By

October 24, 2013October 23, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ 1 Comment

Once again, the great Cinephilia and Beyond has come up with a terrific find: Alfred Hitchcock’s Music To Be Murdered By, a 1958 compilation LP hosted by rhe famed director. Why not head over there and give it a listen?

The lighter side of Alfred Hitchcock (vickielester.com)
On this day: Alfred Hitchcock as product placement (brandsandfilms.com)
Alfred Hitchcock (didy101.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 023: Night Of The Living Dead – In 30 Seconds! With Bunnies!

October 23, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ 1 Comment

Yeah, you know how bunnies are. They know how to get in, get to the heart of the matter, and get out. And that’s just what we get in this quick little animation.

That’s actually only one in a series of 30 Second Bunnies shorts, (hey, they do multiply like… well..) and more of them can be found here.

31 Days of Halloween – 019: The Tell-Tale Heart (1952) (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 014: Tol’able Tingler (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)
31 Days of Halloween – 016: The Unknown (1927) (durnmoosemovies.wordpress.com)

31 Days of Halloween – 022: The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)

October 22, 2013October 23, 2013 ~ Michael Laws ~ 4 Comments

Of course, any real horror fan knows Night of the Living Dead and the subsequent follow-ups, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, etc., but it seems that fewer people know that there was actually a separate series of sequels which spawned from the breakup of George Romero and his Night partner John Russo

The basic idea behind The Return of the Living Dead is that the original movie was only based on the real events, and was put out as part of a military cover-up of what actually happened. From there we are treated to what really amounts to a lot of cheesy 80s horror comedy that actually, if I’m honest, I really enjoy more than the more serious sequels even if it does really wear its time period on its sleeve.

So which is your favorite NOTLD sequel? Let me know either in the comments below, or over on the Durnmoose Movies Facebook page which can be found here.