A Creature's Queen: Countdown to Halloween (Day 17)

Didn't think I'd go a Halloween without doing a post about the Creature from the Black Lagoon, did you?

Just like every hero needs a compelling villain,

every horror movie needs a scream queen.

Every monster needs his maiden.

Every vampire needs his vamp.

Every creature needs his queen.

And if the Gill-Man is the King of the Black Lagoon, then  Julie Adams is surely the Queen.

October 17th is actress Julie Adams' birthday.  She's a spry 90 years old and still gets out to conventions now and again.  She's had a long career in acting, working regularly from 1949 until 2010 on everything from numerous westerns to thrillers, to mysteries on shows such as The Jimmy Stewart Show, The Andy Griffith Show, Mannix, The Mod Squad, The Virginian, The Girl From Uncle, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, etc.

Nonetheless, she will be forever known as beautiful researcher Kay Lawrence, the young lady who took a dip in the Black Lagoon and seduced the poor Gill-Man however inadvertently.

More on Julie can be found here:

Julie Adams

And now a nice article about the original film that you might find interesting and informative:

10 Facts about The Creature From the Black Lagoon

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 9): AND NOW A BRIEF WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR...

You know how, when on a Halloween of trick-or-treating, you'd come across the house that had left the porch light on even though they weren't home at the time?

How they'd leave a bowl of candy out for the taking by any group of kids who would come by?  How they may have left a note reading something to the effect of how the reader should only take one piece of candy?

Well, I'm doing that tonight.

I'm going to trust you rambunctious kids to do the right thing.

Leave some for the next kid...

HULK SMASH CANDY HOG!!!

I'll be back tomorrow night with more in my

Countdown of Horror Hosts as my part of the

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN!

For now I leave you with this series

of images to haunt your nightmares

and confound your dreams:

MONSTER-MONTH: COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 4)

The fourth day of our Monster countdown brings us to 1987 and THE MONSTER SQUAD.  This is the kind of potential monster mash-up that gives horror geeks the chills!

(Click to Frankensize)

THE MONSTER SQUAD is a 1987 comedy/horror film written by Shane Black and Fred Dekker, who also directed.  Dekker is known for his film NIGHT OF THE CREEPS which pays homage to the B grade sci-fi/horror films of the 50s and 60s.

(Click to Frankensize)

This is the Tri-Star Pictures take on the classic Universal Pictures monsters as reimagined by Stan Winston and other special effects artists.  In short, it’s THE GOONIES meets FRIGHT NIGHT.

Here’s an insightful and brief interview with Fred Dekker which is about the mythology of the film, a comparison to the modern monsters and a hint a what a Monster Squad reunion could be about (hint: he’s big in Japan):

http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/07/10/monster-squad-monday-director-fred-dekker?page=1

(Click to Frankensize)

The Frankesntein Monster in this feature is played quietly by excellent character actor Tom Noonan, known for playing such interesting fellows as the serial killer Francis Dolarhyde from MANHUNTER,  Mr. Ulman in HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, a superb horror film that mirrors classics like ROSEMARY’S BABY, and the tragically flawed Reverend Nathaniel Cole in the AMC series HELL ON WHEELS.

(Click to Frankensize)

His monster follows closely the path set by Karloff.  While visually similar, this Monster has no flat-top head, no neck bolts or furrowed brow, but the green tinged skin, jacket and scars are all there.  Slow, quiet, monosylabic and strong and with a penchant for befriending little girls.  He’s not a planner.  He’s not much for charisma but he’s got a gleam in his eye.  In a movie where the monsters are up to no good via the leadership of Dracula, this Frankenstein Monster’s vote is undecided.

(Click to Frankensize)

Dont’ be chickenshit, check out THE MONSTER SQUAD for a light scare that may take you back to your childhood or, at the very least, remind you of your love for the Universal Monsters.

(Click to Frankensize)

FIVE FRANKENSTEIN FUN FACTS

1. Tom Noonan played Francis Dolarhyde in MANHUNTER just one year before his role as Frankenstein’s Monster in THE MONSTER SQUAD.
2. Liam Neeson nearly captured the role of Count Dracula in THE MONSTER SQUAD.
3. The original opening sequence for THE MONSTER SQUAD would’ve involved Van Helsing storming Count Dracula’s castle with hundreds of men on horseback and in zeppelins!  Unfortnately, it was cut for budgetary reasons.
4. Co-writer Shane Black went on to write LETHAL WEAPON, THE LAST BOYSCOUT and KISS KISS, BANG BANG.
5. A fictional movie entitled “Groundhog Day” is viewed in THE MONSTER SQUAD--a holiday-themed slasher flick which parodys such films as MY BLOODY VALENTINE, BLACK CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR’S EVIL, APRIL FOOL’S DAY and, duh, HALLOWEEN.

Lookie here:

Den of Geek

JuntaJuleil

Now I’m putting this post to web here on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, but I want you to know about these Friday morning finds on Turner Classic Movies in time to set VCRs, DVRs, Tivos and the like to record these films OR to call in sick to work so that you can check them out in person.

On TCM on Friday, October 5, 2012

9am - THE REPTILE (1966)

  

10:30am - THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944)

11:45am - THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE (1959)

1:15pm - I MARRIED A WITCH (1942)

2:45pm - CURSE OF THE DEMON (1958)

4:30pm - THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY’S TOMB (1964)

6pm - SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (1977)

2:30am - ROAD GAMES (1981)

4:15am - HOT RODS TO HELL (1967)

AND DON'T FORGET...