Boris Karloff...

He was born William Henry Pratt in London, England.

I worked in North Conway again today and on the hour and twenty minute ride home I was thinking about my blog and the fact that Tina had told me earlier in the day that she was reading my blog and left a comment. I started thinking about my horror roots and of course, it brought me to Boris Karloff. I admit, Dracula was always my favorite horror character... at least till Pinhead came on the scene in the 80's. However, my favorite "horror" actor has always been Boris Karloff. The presence he brought to the screen was powerful with his strong facial expression and his distinctive voice. Yet, we know him best for a role in which he merely grunted and yelled. Frankenstein's monster was brought to life by Boris Karloff. It's interesting to me that Karloff was only given the role of the monster after Bela Lugosi rejected the role. I bet Lugosi kicked himself in the ass everyday for the rest of his life after that grave mistake! Karloff had a long movie and TV career throughout his life. He played The Mummy in 1932. He was in the original Scarface in the 30's as well. From 1916 - 1971 (several released after his death in 1969) Boris Karloff was in 160 movies. Early years were silent films. One of my favorite roles for him was a voice over narrating the 1966 movie "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". His voice was perfect for the role. He did many more movies that were not in the horror genre than were. Yet, he will forever be known as Frankenstein's monster. Short clip of the introduction of the monster in the 1931 classic at the end of this post.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Boris Karloff (23 November, 1887 – 2 February, 1969) was an English actor who emigrated to Canada in the 1910s. He is best known for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 film Frankenstein. His popularity following Frankenstein in the early 1930s was such that for a brief time he was billed simply as "Karloff" or, on some movie posters, "Karloff the Uncanny".

PS: I put on a new widget from Amazon.com near the end of my blog. You can watch movies, TV, buy DVD's... all kinds of interesting stuff. Check it out!




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Blog updates and misc, stuff...

I'm still amazed at all the hits I'm getting from England for the Eden Lake posts. The movie looks great and since it has been released there is a lot of traffic on the web for it. Thanks for all the hits from across the pond, much appreciated! As you can see I've changed my blog around quite a bit. I was getting bored with the same ol' look and wanted something different. I have several new things I added to the blog today: first, at the top right hand side you will see a slideshow of many of my favorite things that you can purchase from Amazon.com... mainly to do with Pinhead/Hellraiser, Dark Shadows, and a few of my favorite CD's. Check it out if you like. Second, The poster to the right of Eden Lake. If you click on the poster, it will send you to Bloody-Disgusting.com and you can view the trailer, read updates and reviews for the movie. Third, The poster for the movie Saw V does the same thing if you click on the poster. Bloody-Disgusting.com is one of my favorite sites and has SO much information on everything dealing with the horror genre. It is worth putting this site in your favorites and visiting everyday.

I'm off today after a long weekend working at the North Conway Rite-Aid. North Conway is an hour and twenty minutes from my home and I was asked to help out in that store two times a week for a while... hopefully, a short while. The manager there had to go to the Colebrook Rite-Aid because the manager and assistant there were let go and the store needs help. North Conway is not a bad store, but driving almost three hours a day for work when I'm used to only driving fifteen minutes is not much fun, So I'm hopeful that this will be short-term. At least it's only two days a week.

Thanks for the visit and I hope you enjoy the new updates to my blog!

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Quarantine...

I really thought I had already posted concerning this movie, but nope, I hadn't. I was looking at Fearnet.com and saw the trailer to this movie. I searched my blog for the movie and it came back "none found". Hard to believe... this movie looks very intense. It centers around a TV reporter being trapped in an apartment building that is being quarantined because of a mysterious lady in an upstairs apartment. What happens during the quarantine is all filmed by the reporters camera man. Some very spooky, creepy elements in this movie. Check out the trailer... it looks very good. Should be released to DVD in the next couple of months.



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They Wait...

I saw this movie on Bloody-Disgusting.com and thought the trailer looked very interesting. The movie concerns a young mother and her son who discover that there were two murders and a crime against the Chinese community. The trailer has the feel of The Ring and The Grudge, two movies I enjoyed. The review that I saw was not that favorable, but that really means nothing to me. Everyone has an opinion and it doesn't mean I will agree. The movie is coming to DVD 9/16/08. It looks creepy and ghostly. I have it Q'ed in Netflix and hope to get it soon after it's release. I will let you know what I think... check out the trailer.

A couple new items listed. On the blog, The Horror Vault I saw that Stephen King has a side project with Marvel Comics to create web videos ("horror" cartoons) that I think are very interesting. I watched a couple and thought I would like this on my blog. I put it near the end of my blog. Check them out and let me know what you think. Stephen King is such an imaginary when it comes to working the horror genre and I think he may have hit on something here. Very good stuff!

Just under the Stephen King post is also a new gadget called The Horror Quiz. It asks you 50 questions and gives you a rating at the end. Believe it or not, I didn't do all that well. It was fun to try though! Give it a shot and let me know how you do! Enjoy the They Wait trailer, the King clip, and the quiz!



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Eden Lake Update...

I've noticed a lot of interest in my past post of the movie Eden Lake which comes to theaters September 12th. There have been many searches from the UK for this movie and they have visited the post. The Net is an interesting animal. To think that someone half a world away is reading what you wrote is mind-blowing. However, Eden Lake looks like a very good movie and from watching the trailer, I can understand the interest in it. I have put a copy of the URL at the end of this post so you can visit the official site for the movie. I also put an extended trailer for the movie that is a little more violent that the 1:47 minute original trailer. This trailer is very intense and really makes a person want to see this movie. The idea is not all that original, reminds me of the many "in the woods" type of horror films like Wrong Turn and the like. However, it does look to have some talented actors in it and presents itself as a very "scary" thriller. So for all the people from the UK who are visiting my blog, thank you! Comment and visit as often as you can. Check out the trailer and visit the official site for Eden Lake!



http://www.edenlakemovie.co.uk/

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Saw V...

Saw V is coming to theaters October 24 (my Mom's 70th birthday!) and I imagine she won't be going to see this one... not a horror fan:). Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing it as I have seen the other four. The first one was great and the other three have tied many of the loose ends from their predecessors. The Saw movies have been very entertaining to me because they bring to the screen, horror that is full of tension, fear, and gore. The story lines have all been interesting and follow the evil "games" of an ailing serial killer, Jigsaw. In the last movie it looks as thought Jigsaw is dead and that may or may not be fact. You just never know with horror movies. Halloween is a very special time of year for me and Tina. Over the past several years, the Saw movies were released and we decorate her salon for trick or treaters. Her salon is on Main Street in Plymouth, NH and we have kids, teens, and parents lined up to come inside. I remember as a kid how scared I was to go into a haunted house during Halloween. We move all the furniture out of the main room and bring in about 5 bags of leaves to spread on the floor. A casket, "dead" people on the floor, and a couple years we had a live hanging witch on a pulley system hanging from the ceiling. The kids have to walk through strobe lights and scary music to the back of the room to where I'm sitting with the goodies. I have a black cape and a great mask I always wear. I NEVER talk, but turn my head slowly in order to make the effect much more scary. We won last year as the best set up out of all the downtown merchants. It was awesome! However, we may not do it this year because Tina's salon is on the market... not really sure at this time. I love Halloween... and I love the Saw movies. Check out the trailer at the end of this post!



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Johnny Depp Remaking Dark shadows...

I had heard about this some time ago, but hadn't heard anything lately. I found an article from Variety.com that confirms that Johnny Depp is remaking Dark Shadows. I think this is AWESOME! Dark Shadows is one of my favorite all-time TV shows. I think Barnabas Collins is such a unique vampire... a reluctant "monster" if you will. I have to admit, some of the elements of my vampire in my book are similar to Jonathan Frid's character, Barnabas. Barnabas was such an interesting character. He was evil, but he didn't want to be. He needed blood, but he desperately wanted to be human again. Jonathan Frid turned Dark Shadows into a cult favorite. I have mentioned before that he was only going to be on the show for about 3 weeks and the show was scheduled to be canceled... the fans would not allow that to happen. The show was on almost 6 years from 1966-1971. I loved the show as a kid and have since watch over 80hours of the show on DVD. I'm really looking forward to Depp's take on this great show! Check out the articles below and the links as well if you're interested!

Depp lights up 'Dark Shadows'
Graham King to produce Warner feature
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Johnny Depp is looking to bite into the Jonathan Frid-originated character Barnabas Collins of 'Dark Shadows.'

Depp has said in interviews that he has always been obsessed with "Dark Shadows" and had, as a child, wanted to be Barnabas Collins, the vampire patriarch of the series. The role was originated by Jonathan Frid.

A rights deal just closed with the estate of Dan Curtis, the producer/director who created the soap that aired weekdays on ABC, from 1966 to 1971. Depp and King will produce with David Kennedy, who ran Dan Curtis Prods. until Curtis died last year of a brain tumor. Infinitum-Nihil's Christi Dembrowski served as the point person on the deal.

Over 1,225 episodes, "Dark Shadows" was a highly atmospheric, spooky soap that featured gothic horror staples like vampires, monsters, witches, werewolves, ghosts and zombies. The show has a continuing rabid fan base that populates Dark Shadows Festival conventions. Numerous TV revivals of the series and pic adaptations have been attempted over the years but none with as high-wattage a star as Depp.

Depp, who is coming off "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and who just wrapped the Tim Burton-directed "Sweeney Todd," is next expected to star in "Shantaram," a Mira Nair-directed adaptation of the Gregory David Roberts novel that Depp, King and Plan B are producing for Warner Bros. Depp, King and WB are also mobilizing to make a film about the life of Alexander Litvinenko, with Depp poised to play the former KGB agent, who was fatally poisoned.


Here is the link and a copy of an article that says that Depp will team of with director Tim Burton on Dark Shadows...

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=45590
Burton, August & Depp Reteam on Dark Shadows
Source: IESB.net June 2, 2008

IESB.net has learned, via an interview with director Peter Segal, that the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and "Corpse Bride" team of Tim Burton, John August and Johnny Depp are reuniting for Dark Shadows.

Burton will reportedly direct the Warner Bros. feature based on the '60s supernatural TV show from a script by August. Johnny Depp's Infinitum-Nihil and GK Films are producing and Depp has had interest in playing Barnabas Collins, the vampire patriarch of the series, but that hasn't been confirmed.

Over 1,225 episodes, "Dark Shadows" was a highly atmospheric, spooky soap that featured gothic horror staples like vampires, monsters, witches, werewolves, ghosts and zombies.


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Clive Barker/Pinhead...

Reading that article today on Clive Barker had me thinking about my all time favorite horror character, Pinhead. I went web searching for all the Clive Barker and Hellraiser stuff I could find. I really don't know what began my fascination with Pinhead, but I remember seeing the second Hellraiser first and thinking "Wow, what a scary horror character Pinhead is." I then went out and rented the first Hellraiser. I love the imagination it took to come up with such an evil character as Pinhead. Pain and suffering is what Pinhead lives for. Total evil and I think that is what makes for a good horror character... lack of any goodness, just plain scary and evil. It is escapism and by that I mean, none of us really expect to come in contact with a Pinhead, Freddy, Michael Myers, or a Jason. I love horror movies that scare me because it is an adrenaline rush to be in fear. I want it to be a good story line and well acted. I don't enjoy campy horror, because for the most part they are "funny" without trying to be funny. I guess that applies to all movies... I have some info on Clive Barker and the movie Hellraiser below that I found on the web. It discusses the film and what it is about. At the end of my post I have a clip of Pinhead that really shows his evil side... great clip from You Tube. Enjoy!

In 1986, critically acclaimed and celebrated author Clive Barker directed his first feature film which has since become a modern horror classic. Clive Barker's Hellraiser introduced some of the most frightening and sophisticated images of horror to ever grace the silver screen. No film has ever gripped the imagination so shockingly nor presented such nightmarish characters, deeds, monsters, and ideas which go so far beyond the realm of horror filmaking and fiction.

From beyond the Outer Darkness. From the nightmarish realm of imagination. From the mind of the horror-master extraordinaire, Clive Barker, comes Hellraiser -- there are no limits.



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Synopsis

Frank (Sean Chapman), a sexual adventurer in search of new carnal pleasures, purchases a mysterious Chinese puzzle box while visiting an unnamed Third World country. Back home in England, he opens the box only to discover that he has unlocked the door to hell. Frank is pulled into another dimension, whose inhabitants, known as Cenobites, push him over the fine line between pleasure and pain by ripping him apart with tiny fish hooks. Years later, Frank's brother, Larry (Andrew Robinson), moves his family into the house--to which, through some blood spilled on the attic floor, Frank returns in near-skeletal form. With the help of sister-in-law Julia (Clare Higgins)--with whom he once had an affair--Frank begins sucking the life out of bodies in order to regenerate to his old form. Meanwhile, Larry's daughter from a previous marriage, Kirsty (Ashley Laurence), begins to suspect her hated stepmother of having an affair, and to her horror becomes involved with Frank, the puzzle box and the Cenobites.

The Vault of Horror...

I was looking through all the horror sites I read nearly every day and saw an article concerning PG-13 "horror" films and Clive Barker's opinions on this and other topics. I found the article to be very interesting because I have never really been a fan of these movies. I have seen many and several I liked, but I always seem to feel they could have been better if done in a "R" rated version. Clive Barker's quotes as well as the blob writer for The Vault of Horror are below. I can really agree with both comments to the extent that I understand both points of view. I don't mind a PG-13 horror movie if there is a lot of tension, suspense, or fear in it. However, if the film studio restricts the film maker into making a PG-13 movie for the purpose of making more money by getting a younger audience, then I'm against it. It's an interesting argument and one I'm sure won't be solved any time soon, but I thought enough of it to post my thoughts on the topic. As you know, I'm a big Clive Barker fan... mainly for his creation of Pinhead and the Hellraiser series, but I think both views hold merit. I highly recommend checking out The Vault of Horror... good site!

Blog writer's comments:
There certainly can be excellent horror movies rated PG-13 (and even milder!)--they're just different types of horror movies. Not the kind in which excessive body parts--both internal and external--are on plentiful display. But there are movies which can fully accomplish what they need to, and be effective, without exceeding the MPAA's guidelines for PG-13. For example, movies like The Others, The Ring, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Lady in White were all very good, and all rated PG-13. But to be clear, none of them were "trying to be R."


Clive Barker's comments:
"It’s one of the most disgusting developments in the last few years; the whole notion of a PG-13 horror movie to me is a contradiction in terms. It’s like having a triple-X Disney picture. It doesn’t work... Wes [Craven] says that ‘When you go into a horror movie, you need to feel that you’re in the hands of a madman.’ Now what madman makes a PG-13 picture, right? Your horror-movie madman… doesn’t neaten up all the edges and make it all nice for mommy. [Studios] do it because they want to bring in younger audiences and make more money. But they don’t make better movies."

The Burrowers...

Another find from Bloody-Disgusting.com... what a great site! This movie is a horror/western, which I think is a great concept. Not too many of these out there. When a family is murdered, a group of citizens and soldiers go looking for those who were responsible. The trailer looks very intense and in a way reminds me a liitle of the movie Tremors, but not as campy as tremors was. Check out the trailer at the end of this post.

Haven't heard from Prof. D. yet, but he is a very busy man. He teaches at St. Anselm's in Manchester, NH and also at Laconia Tech so I usually have to wait a little while. I don't mind at all... after all, he has been helping me for free for over 5 years. I could never repay him for his help or his time on this book, so I can't complain! I will let everyone know what he thinks about the "finished" product as soon as I know!

Passengers...

I saw this movie on Bloody-Disgusting.com and looked for a clip from it on You-Tube. This movie is not really "Horror", but it has some supernatural elements that make it pretty close. It's about a therapist who is working with ten victims of an airplane crash and one of the victims now has a special gift. One by one the victims end up dead and the therapist must find out how to stop it before it's too late. The trailer looks good and there are several good actors in this movie. So check out the clip.

Also, I'd like to wish everyone a happy Labor Day!

Falling Down...

This has been a very bad week... truck cost me over $600 to repair, ex-wife cashed a check before the date I asked her too (can you say things bounced!), worked 6 days this past week and one day was an open to close (7:30am-(9:10pm) because Elise was on vacation and my manager doesn't know how to schedule... so all in all I felt like Michael Douglas in the movie Falling Down. Not Michael Douglas' best movie, but it does bring to light what it takes to push someone to the point of no retuurn. In the movie, he's having everything go wrong that can go wrong and finally snaps. No, I won't snap, but it makes me wonder just how much needs to happen to push a person to the breaking point. I'm a very laid back person, but stress is an intersting animal. Tina and I have struggled for years, some in part because of spending mistakes we made early on, but that has not been the case in recent years. My divorce cost me everything... total rape job! Filed bankruptcy several years ago and that does a number on your credit. However, I would do it all over again to be with Tina. She's a wonderful women with a heart of gold and I am so blessed to call her my wife. So in reality, no matter what life throws at you and no matter how "bad" finances are (and they are bad!), there ARE things and people in your life that make it bearable. Life can be a horror movie at times... but it can ALWAYS be worse and there are always people in worse shape than you. Sorry I haven't posted much this past week... too much going on. Hopefully Tina's salon sales soon and all this finance hell will be behind us. Check out the clip of Falling Down... "funny" scene at a burger joint.