COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 11): PETER VINCENT

Easily my favorite fictional Horror Host,

I’d raid a house full of vampires with this baddass!

“I am Peter Vincent, vampire killer!”

Host of the late-night creature feature “Fright Night” on Channel 13, WYIC, Peter Vincent is also an actor whose career has taken a downward turn.  He used to star in the films he now features on his local television show.

Vincent holds the rise of the 80’s slasher genre responsible for the decline in vampires and the supernatural—and, thus, his career.  And so, perhaps it is the fact that a real fan contacts him about a vampire living next door that allows him to consider helping the boy out.  That bit of need that he has of being needed.

Roddy McDowall compared his character, Peter Vincent, to the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.  A friend who overcomes his great and real fear of something as inconcievable as a vampire to help a friend.

Tom Holland named McDowall’s character Peter Vincent by crossing the names of two of Hammer’s greatest actors… Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.  Holland was originally thinking of Vincent Price in the role of the host of “Fright Night”, but his failing health made it impossible.

There was a sequel made of FRIGHT NIGHT to cash in on the popularity of the first.  Unfortunately, it was made to cash in and did not feature the writing/directing talents of Tom Holland or the acting of Chris Sarandon as the villain.  Regardless, Roddy was there as Peter Vincent--this time rescuing Charlie from being turned into a creature of the night by a seductive vampiress!

Apparently Roddy McDowall was eager to make a third FRIGHT NIGHT picture and enjoyed playing the role.

There are two “commentary tracks” available for download for free on iTunes c/o the Icons of Fright website (link below) featuring the writer/director Tom Holland, star Chris Sarandon and much of the cast and FX artists—they thought the original DVD release deserved it and so they got together and made it.  Unfortunately Roddy isn’t around to add his part.

http://iconsoffright.com/2008/11/12/iofs-fright-nightchilds-play-pirate-commentary-tracks-now-on-itunes/

THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN: DAY 24

(The Price of Fright)

Tonight, Turner Classic Movies features another slew of films

in which Vincent Price chews more scenery than a zombie can chew brains!

And it's all horror, all the time too!

It is impossible to go wrong with any of these films but I do want to let you know, dear reader, that this Goods Guy would more likely recommend HOUSE OF USHER, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL or THE RAVEN.

In USHER, Price's character takes a journey from refined, reserved and restrained to manically mad, madman and it is a pleasure to watch him bloom!

HAUNTED HILL is full of character intrigue as one wonders what to think of Price's character and his wager with those who are willing to stay locked in his house.

THE RAVEN is equal parts Dr. Strange, Edgar Allen Poe and all the while we have Price matching wits with Karloff all the while poor Peter Lorre tries to wiggle his way out of the whole situation.

At 8pm

HOUSE OF WAX

Here's the trailer for this 3-D masterpiece:

At 9:45pm

THE MAD MAGICIAN

The trailer...

At 11pm

HOUSE OF USHER

The trailer...

At 12:30am

DIARY OF A MADMAN

And the trailer...

At 2:15am

THE TINGLER

The tingling trailer...

At 3:45am

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL

The trailer...

At 5:15am

THE BAT

This is the Price himself selling the movie...

At 6:45am

TOWER OF LONDON

No trailer here, but the drinking contest scene between ol' Vinny and Basil Rathbone...

At 8:15am

THE RAVEN

Quoth the trailer...

Finally, Vincent gives Kermit insight into the method of acting...

Tomorrow it's back to vampires for the final week of our Countdown to Halloween!

Where does the time go...

THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN: DAY 18

(Murderous Guide to Movies)

Since I totally forgot about Mr. Vincent Price's Thursday marathon this week, I think we should take this chance to really focus on the fine selection of films scheduled to show

on TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES over the next few days.

Tonight on TCM

Friday, October 18, 2013

First up is the story of a logical college professor and his wife who is a firm believer in the supernatural, specifically witchcraft, which she indulges in to gain her and her family an advantage in life.

So, imagine BEWITCHED gone dark as the forces of fate close in on this couple

and the sense of doom looms overhead like

the sword of Damocles!

The Goods Grade: B+

8PM -- BURN, WITCH, BURN

(aka Night of the Eagle & based on Fritz Leiber's novel CONJURE WIFE)

Based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe, Vincent Price is brilliant as Verden Fell, a widower who is obsessed with the idea that his late wife will return to him from the grave one day.  Nevertheless, he falls in love with a new bride, Lady Rowena, who looks remarkably similar to his dead wife, and attempts to live with her at his old abbey.  Old anxieties emerge and obsession returns... but will the Lady Ligeia?

The Goods Grade: B+

9:45PM -- THE TOMB OF LIGEIA

Mary Gibson must travel to New York City from her rural private school to look for her older sister who has gone missing.  Not really sure of what to do, she is led in a few different directions.  Eventually, she meets her sister's husband and a mysterious psychiatrist who claims to know where her sister has gone.  What she doesn't know is that her sister had become involved with some real shady characters who seem eager to make her disappear the same way her sister has.

Full of moody atmosphere and isolation and shot beautifully,

this is some of Producer Val Lewton's best work.

The Goods Grade: A-

11:15PM -- THE SEVENTH VICTIM

Dr. John Holden, a skeptic who takes it upon himself to expose frauds, takes it upon himself to take down brazen demon cult leader, Julian Karswell.  Holden agrees to stay at the estate of Karswell with the expressed intention of disproving the supernatural power that Karswell claims he uses

for his own purposes of power and success.  Joanna Harrington stays at the estate as well

and she and Holden develop a strong bond all the while she pokes holes in his skepticism.

Evidence of Karswell's power continues to pile up and the danger for Holden

and Harrington grows exponentially as the climax to this one grows

nearer.  A fine effort that builds nicely,

The Goods Grade: B+ 

12:30AM -- CURSE OF THE DEMON

(aka Night of the Demon)

Betsy Connell is a nurse hired to care for the wife of Paul Holland, a sugar plantation owner.  His wife, Jessica, seems to be suffering some form of malaise or depression or even hypnosis.  Having been told by the husband that every western treatment for his wife has been tried and failed, the nurse slowly comes to believe that the wife has been transformed into a zombie.

Another Val Lewton masterpiece.

The Goods Grade: A-

2:15AM -- I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE

The Goods Grade: NA

3:30AM -- THE LEOPARD MAN

Early Saturday, October 19, 2013

Joan Fontaine plays a teacher who, after a terrible encounter with a witch doctor destroyed her teaching mission in Africa, returns to England to a rural village where she intends to lead a nice quiet life of educating young children.  And it starts out as expected, until the wicked roots of the occult reveal themselves at the very heart of this village.  An underrated effort by the folks at HAMMER.

The Goods Grade: B+

10:30AM -- THE DEVIL'S OWN

(aka The Witches)

Hammer brings the island zombies to Great Britain in this twist on the classic tale of the dead being forced to labor long after they deserve their final reward.  A bit of a disjointed effort that does its best to bring that old gothic feel to the fore but doesn't quite make all the connections.

The Goods Grade: B-

12:15PM -- THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES

And don't forget to stay tuned Saturday night on TCM

as another host of horror films await your viewing pleasure!

THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN: DAY 10.5

In my earlier blog for today, I forgot to mention the continuing tribute to Vincent Price going on over at Turner Classic Movies all month.

Since Vincent is the artist of the month, they'll be playing a selection of his films every Thursday night and tonight Mr. Price gets to shine in some mainstream pictures...

At 8pm there's BARON OF ARIZONA

Then at 9:30pm it's HIS KIND OF WOMAN

And at Midnight we have LAS VEGAS STORY

Later it's DANGEROUS MISSION at 1:30am

And at 3am, SON OF SINBAD

Finally, at 4:45 it's SERENADE

WAXING ON VINCENT PRICE - COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (DAY 8)

Being that HOUSE OF WAX will be showing early this morning on TCM (don't worry if you can't get up in time to catch it--it will be showing again later in the month at at more midnight hour) at around 9:30am ET, I figured a brief look at some wax museum displays might put you in the mood for some hot wax... place your cursor right on the picts and click them for a closer look at the creepiness!









HOUSE OF WAX was the first of the color 3-D films from a major studio.