Autumn Cleaning

Just a sampling of more sketches completed in the month of October...

click on any one image to see it embiggened.

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!

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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...

A HOST OF HALLOWEEN HORRORS - COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 31)

Well we finally made it to the big day and I have to say that this year's countdown has been a bit of a let-down (as in I didn't quite hold up to the standard I wanted to keep going from last year). I wanted to do some more art of a seasonal nature, wanted to do a few more reviews, wanted to talk about one of my own boogie men and childhood stories, but that's no big deal as there's always next year and in the meantime we have these great classics to view all day over at Turner Classic...




October 31st HALLOWEEN on TCM

7:15 am – THE REPTILE in which a young lady is cursed to become a snake!


8:45 am – The Gorgon in which a lady has snakes in her hair and turns men to stone!


10:15 am – Dracula, Prince Of Darkness, in which Dracula drinks much blood and stalks the night creepily!

12:00 pm – Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, in which Dracula drinks much blood after rising from the grave!


1:45 pm – The Revenge Of Frankenstein, in which the doctor seeks vengeance against the world!


3:15 pm – Frankenstein Created Woman, in which Frankenstein brings a disfigured woman's body back with a different brain!


5:00 pm – The Mummy, in which a mummy's tomb is messed with and a curse brings him back to mess with them!


6:30 pm – Curse Of The Mummy’s Tomb, in which an entrepreneur tries to exploit the tomb of a mummy to no avail!


8:00 pm – Village Of The Damned, in which little albino children use mind powers and scare the crap out of their parents!


9:30 pm – Night Of The Living Dead, in which ghouls rise from the grave and get rowdier than the living would like!


12:15 am – The Innocents, in which Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw" is adapted brilliantly!


2:00 am – The Haunting, in which Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" is adapted brilliantly!


4:00 am – Repulsion, in which a young woman is left to her own devices for a little while and they drive her mad!