Video Vamp: The Countdown to Halloween (Day 2)

Since I had no solid plans for my Halloween blog this year, I figured I would wing it.  I’ve done it before, but not up to my own expectations.  I always have a few ideas come the lonesome October, but sometimes an overarching theme avoids reach.  So I figured that this year would probably be much the same…

And then I looked to my movie shelves… I’ve got a lot of them.

And then I remembered all the VHS tapes of old taped shows I’ve yet to transfer to DVD.  And then I saw a handful of oversized VHS boxes that I’d been meaning to view for about a year.  They are pretty neat.

Last year, while doing my usual orders for the comic book store where I work, I came across a listing in the Diamond Comic Distributers monthly Previews catalog for about three dozen VHS tapes being offered by Full Moon Features…

WIZARD VIDEO

“Lost in a warehouse for 33 years! The amazing big box Wizard Video Collection! An early pioneer in the home video business, Charles Band started both MEDA HOME ENTERTAINMENT in the late 70's and WIZARD VIDEO in 1980.

After releasing features like THE GROOVE TUBE, FLESH GORDON and TUNNELVISION in the standard VHS box format, WIZARD VIDEO introduced the oversized "big VHS box" which featured lurid titles such as ZOMBIE, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, DEMONIAC & BREEDERS! After a few short years of these big VHS box releases WIZARD VIDEO returned to the standard size VHS box as retailers were quickly running out of shelf space. A fond memory for people who grew up in the video store era of the early 80's - the big VHS box has become a rare collectable due to its scarcity and (usually poor) condition. 

And now a treasure trove of original big VHS boxes was found late last year in one of Charles Band's and Full Moon's many overcrowded warehouses! 36 features are represented in this discovery with quantities ranging from 180 boxes to 420 boxes. The 30+ year old big VHS boxes are in mint condition as they have never been out of their original shipping boxes!

This unique sale!

Beginning February 12th and for every month thereafter four of these 36 Wizard Video big box VHS cassettes will go on sale. They will contain the original program newly duplicated on VHS in a black clam shell which will be in the original box.

This is truly a rare discovery and little part of the early days of the home video explosion!”

And so, even with the quantities as limited as they were, I ordered a handful of these big box VHS videocassettes.  I have yet to view them, partly because I was unsure if I had a working VCR.  I was pretty sure the last working one I had had eaten the last tape I tried to play in it.  But we’re in the proper season for both cheesy B-Grade horror and Mad Doctor antics and, so, I’m willing to take the risk!  More than crazy enough to sacrifice VHS tape to the Great Pumpkin if there’s a chance for real, unwholesome, schlocky goodness!

Each week I will attempt to watch and review one of the following five features for The Goods:

A Virgin Among The Living Dead

Click to Enlarge for a better look at the art stolen from Marvel Comics' Marvel Zombie, by Pablo Marcos, methinks!

Headless Eyes

The Screaming Dead

The Possessor

Fraulein Devil

More on each of these titles as they arrive on the blog individually!

As for the rest of the days...

we'll figure it out.

We've got, what, twenty-nine more of these to go?

Ghosts and Goblins: THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 1)

The Countdown begins now…

Here’s a brief reminder of what the “Countdown to Halloween” is all about:  Every year a group of bloggers ban together and agree to post blogs about the coming holiday all throughout the month of October for the purpose of celebrating the season.  One can follow all of the participants through the link below:

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN

One can find such treasures in another’s trash.  As is usually the case, I find, with library book sales and friends of library book sales.  This year the treasure is an old children’s anthology entitled GHOSTS AND GOBLINS compiled by Wilhelmina Harper.

Now, my copy isn’t as attractive as these pictures of it in it’s real glory.  Mine has been rebound in one of those typical hardbacks that libraries provide to keep the true innards around for a few more years.  And they were successful… it lived in that library for half a century.

And, speaking of libraries… Miss Harper was born in Maine and worked in libraries in France and New York City before moving to California where she reorganized the Redwood City Public Library where she was librarian for many years.  She’s taught courses in children’s literature and in library work.  Miss Harper has compiled the companion volumes to Ghosts and Goblins entitled Easter Chimes, The Harvest Feast and Merry Christmas to You.  What Wilhelmina Harper is probably most recognized for, however, is her retelling of  The Gunniwolf.

One of the poems added when she revised this book was a fun little ditty by the late great Mr. Sandburg…

Theme in Yellow

by Carl Sandburg

I spot the hills

With yellow balls in autumn.

I light the prairie cornfields

Orange and tawny gold clusters

And I am called pumpkins.

On the last of October

When dusk is fallen

Children join hands

And circle round me

Singing ghost songs

And love to the harvest moon;

I am a jack-o’-lantern

With terrible teeth

And the children know

I am fooling.

This month I have a few ideas of things to feature, but I’ll give you a more complete accounting of these plans tomorrow.  It’s more of a last minute thing for me this year, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t the material to entertain for 31 days, however!

Oh, don’t you worry—I’ve got the goods!

This is...

THE GOODS.

Testing... testing... COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN...

Testing...

...testing...

...counting down...

...to the...

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN