All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 11, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Spanish Cinema, TCM

At the Movie Morlocks this week I took a sneak peek at Severin Films upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Package for HORROR EXPRESS (1972). This entertaining Spanish/British production directed by Eugino ‘Gene’ Martino is finally getting the red carpet treatment from Severin that it’s long deserved and if you’re a fan of the film you’re going to want to pick up this release. A brief outtake from my post:

“HORROR EXPRESS has often been described as an unusual mix of THE THING (1951) and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974). But it also contains a dash of QUATERMASS AND THE PITT (1967) and a touch of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1971) during its suspenseful final moments. The direction is somewhat static but the film manages to maintain a steady momentum throughout its 90-minute running time. In an interview with Spanish director Eugenio Martin included on the DVD he constantly refers to the film as an ”action” movie instead of using the word “horror” and I think that’s understandable. HORROR EXPRESS has plenty of horrific moments and it’s surprisingly gory for its time. But the film also features some effective action sequences including an explosive ending that’s particularly well-staged. Like many of Eugenio Martin’s westerns including BAD MAN’S RIVER (1971) and PANCHO VILLA (1972), the characters in HORROR EXPRESS also exchange some funny banter that lightens the mood without lessening any of the tension. This low budget fast-paced thriller is sure to gain many more fans thanks to Severin’s careful restoration. It’s a particularly modern horror film even though it takes place in a period setting and I think it’s aged well.”

You can read my full review if you follow this link:
- “All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!” @ TCM’s Movie Morlock’s

I’ve also created a an image gallery for HORROR EXPRESS at Flickr that you cam view here.

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Happy Halloween!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 31, 2011

Categories | Soundtracks, Composers, Horror, Steve McQueen, Serge Gainsbourg

My final October music collection is simply called “Halloween Party Mix” and it contains all kinds of horror and Halloween themed songs that didn’t fit on any of my other mixes, including a couple of songs from some of my favorite horror films like The Blob (1958) and An American Werewolf in London (1981). It’s a fun mix and hopefully it will keep you dancing or least tapping your toes this Halloween. You can still find all my previous October music mixes at 8tracks. Enjoy & Happy Halloween!

Track Listing:
Larry’s Rebels - “Halloween” (1968)
Dickie Goodman - “My Baby Loves Monster Movies” (1964)
The Five Blobs (written by Burt Bacharach & Mack David) - “Beware of the Blob” (1958)
Bruno Martino - “Dracula Cha Cha Cha” (1960)
Christine Pilzer - “Dracula” (1966)
Screaming Lord Sutch - “Jack the Ripper” (1963)
Serge Gainsbourg - “Docteur Jekyll et Monsieur Hyde” (1968)
Bobby “Boris” Pickett - “The Monster Mash” (1962)
The Cramps - “Zombie Dance” (1980)
Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders - “The Shadow Knows” (1966)
Exuma - “Mama Loi, Papa Loi” (1970)
Marsha Hunt - “(Oh No! Not) The Beast Day” (1973)
Gary Warren - “Werewolf” (1958)
Warren Zevon - “Werewolves of London” (1978)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - “Bad Moon Rising” (1969)
The Shaggs - “It’s Halloween” (1969)

“Halloween Party Mix”

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Do You Want to See Something Really Scary?

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 27, 2011

Categories | Horror, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Oliver Reed, Peter Lorre, Deborah Kerr, Terence Fisher, Roman Polanski, Jack Clayton, Peter Wyngarde, Curtis Harrington

I managed to catch a cold this week so I’ve been feeling under the weather but hopefully I’ll be back on my feet soon. In the meantime I wanted to direct you to my latest post at the Movie Morlocks.

All month long I’ve been writing about horror films but this week I decided to share some of the scariest moments from a few of my favorite fright filled movies. If you’re a regular Cinebeats’ reader you’ll recognize many of the films I mention in my latest post such as longtime favorites like The Innocents (Jack Clayton; 1961) , The Tenant (Roman Polanski; 1976), Blood on Satan’s Claw (Piers Haggard; 1970), Night Tide (Curtis Harrington; 1961) and Dracula Prince of Darkness (Terence Fisher; 1966) but a few others might be a surprise such as The Beast with Five Fingers, (Robert Florey; 1946), which was the first Peter Lorre film I saw on television when I just 9 or 10 years old. A couple of the films I mention will be shown on TCM during Halloween on Oct. 31st so you’ll have a chance to experience them for yourself if you have cable TV.

If you’re looking for a few atypical Halloween viewing suggestions or just want to know what kind of films chill me to the bone and get my heart racing then please make your way over to the Movie Morlocks.
- “Do You Want to See Something REALLY Scary?” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Klaus Kinski in Nosferatu

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 20, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Movie Morlocks, TCM

I promised more Kinski and now I’m delivering…

Over at the Movie Morlocks you can find my recent post on Werner Herzog’s 1979 film NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE. It’s one of my favorite Herzog films and I think it contains one of Klaus Kinski’s most compelling performances. This modern reimagining of F. W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU (1922) is really more of a tribute than a remake but it’s a wonderful example of how a director can reinterpret an old film for a new audience. I don’t hate remakes. Some of my favorite films are remakes. But I do hate bad movies with big budgets and no imagination. And there’s way too many of them taking up valuable real estate at multiplexes across the country while an army of compliant critics champion their failings. With all that in mind I decided to write about Herzog’s film because when I’m asked about my favorite remakes NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE often comes to mind. Do I think it’s better than Murnau’s original? No. But I do think it’s just as good in its own unique way. A sample paragraph from my post:

“One of Herzog’s smartest directing choices was casting Klaus Kinski in the role of Dracula, which was a part previously played by Max Schreck. Klaus Kinski makes a formidable vampire and his dynamic working relationship with the director undoubtedly impacted his performance. Strangely enough, the role of Dracula in NOSFERATU also provided Kinski with one of his most sympathetic and humane roles. Although Kinski is obviously playing a hideous undead creature, he manages to give Dracula some genuine humanity and it’s one of the actor’s most fascinating and strangely touching performances. Instead of directly following in Max Schreck’s footsteps, Kinski seems to have been inspired by the tragic monsters found in classic Universal horror films such as FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and THE WOLF MAN (1941). In Klaus Kinski’s autobiography he articulated how much the physical aspect of playing a vampire had transformed him.

In Holland and Czechoslovakia and all the way to the Tatra Mountains on the Czech-Polish border. The departure point is Munich. Four weeks before shooting starts, I have to fly there for costuming. And this is where I shave my skull for the first time. I feel exposed, vulnerable, defenseless. Not just physically (my bare head becomes as hypersensitive as an open wound) but chiefly in my emotions and my nerves. I feel as if I have no scalp, as if my protective envelope has been removed and my soul can’t live without it. As if my soul has been flayed.

At first I go outdoors only when it’s dark. Besides, I wear a wool cap all the time even though it’s spring. You may think ‘So What? Some guys are bald.’ But the two have absolutely nothing to do with one another. What I mean is the simultaneous metamorphosis into a vampire. The nonhuman, nonanimal being. That undead thing. That unspeakable creature, which suffers in full awareness of its existence.” - Klaus Kinski from Kinski Uncut”

Want to read more? Please visit The Movie Molocks!
- Reimagining a Classic: Werner Herzog’s NOSFERATU @ TCM’s Classic Film Blog

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VOICES (1973) or The Other OTHERS

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 13, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, David Hemmings, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Gayle Hunnicutt

If there’s a couple that was more modtastic and appeared in more outstanding horror films & thrillers than the fabulous David Hemmings and the vastly underrated Gayle Hunnicutt, I don’t know who they are. Hemmings and Hunnicutt were married between 1968 and 1975. During that brief period of time they made FRAGMENT OF FEAR (1970) and VOICES (1973) together (as well as THE LOVE MACHINE, which I’ll be writing about soon). They also individually starred in such noteworthy films as EYE OF THE CAT (1969), UNMAN, WITTERING AND ZIGO (1971), NUITS ROUGE (1974), THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1974) and DEEP RED (1975).

David Hemmings & Gayle Hunnicutt (1967)
Note: Gayle’s holding David’s LP!

Speaking of Hemmings & Hunnicutt, I’m taking a lengthy look at the spooky supernatural thriller VOICES (1973) at the Movie Morlocks this week, which features the real-life couple as a husband and wife haunted by ghosts and plagued by their own personal demons. I recently watched VOICES for the first time and was very impressed with this vastly underrated - and undeniably influential - little horror film. I was also surprised by the lack of available information about VOICES. I scanned my personal library and did extensive research online but solid facts and important figures were incredibly hard to come by. I decided to try and remedy the situation by writing a dissertation piece about the film for the Morlocks, which hopefully shines some much needed light on the movie and encourages more horror enthusiasts to seek it out. Unfortunately it’s currently only available on VHS legally but bootleg DVDs are floating around online. You can also watch VOICES on Youtube, which is where I saw it. Here’s a brief excerpt from my post:

“VOICES is based on the work of accomplished horror author, Richard Lortz (Lovers Living Lovers Dead, Bereavements, Dracula’s Children, etc.) and it explores the life of a young couple (David Hemmings & Gayle Hunnicutt) whose idyllic existence is turned upside down when their young son accidentally drowns. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that the mother, Claire Williams, was deeply traumatized by the loss of her child and after numerous suicide attempts she was finally hospitalized. Her husband Robert has been trying to cope with the stress as well as but it’s apparent that the situation has become increasingly difficult for them both. After Claire is released from the hospital the couple plans a trip to the country where they can relax in a large manor house that was left to Claire by her recently deceased aunt. It seems like the perfect setting for the couple to rekindle their romance but things begin to disintegrate quickly after their trip becomes hindered by the foggy weather, which makes finding the house almost impossible. The situation reaches a breaking points after Claire begins hearing strange unidentifiable voices in the house. Eventually the voices take shape and Claire comes face to face with the ghostly figure of a young girl playing with a toy ball who doesn’t seem aware of the couple’s presence. But she isn’t the only ghost haunting the old house and before the film is over both Claire and her husband Robert will experience a series of unexplained supernatural events that leave them questioning their sanity as well as their very existence.”

For more (much more!) please continue reading at The Movie Morlocks:
- “The Voices of Terror – Twisting Two Minds!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Do the Jellyfish!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 12, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, Science Fiction

STING OF DEATH (1965) tells the strange and tragic story of Igor Egon (John Vella), a horribly disfigured loner who just might be Oliver Reed’s ugly American cousin. Egon works for a scientist (Jack Nagle) in the Florida Everglades who is studying jellyfish, in particular the extremely dangerous Portuguese Man of War. Egon also happens to be in love with the scientist’s pretty daughter Miss Karen (Valerie Hawkins) but Miss Karen only has eyes for John (Joe Morrison), a clean-cut and incredibly dull young man that also assists her father. John smiles a lot, seems to enjoy berating Egon and likes to take his shirt off. Things get interesting when Miss Karen arrives at her father’s swanky Florida home with a bunch of her cute girlfriends. John throws Miss Karen a wild party and a group of local hipsters arrive to drink, dance and assault poor Egon. But unbeknownst to them, Egon has been hatching a sinister plan! Undoubtedly inspired by a steady diet of comic books and low-budget Japanese monster movies, Egon transforms himself into a deadly jellyfish-like monster and begins eliminating the rhythmless party guests who seem determined to prove the old adage is true: white people can’t dance.

“Wella, I’m saying fella, forget your Cinderella and do the jella, the jilla-jalla jellyfish!”
- Neil Sedaka

Before this no-budget movie comes to an end you’ll see people “Do the Jellyfish” and witness some of the most unconvincing special effects ever captured on film. It might be hard to believe but STING OF DEATH is probably my favorite William Grefe film. Grefe directed and produced a batch of vaguely interesting American B-movies shot in Florida during the ’60s and ’70s such as DEATH CURSE OF TARTU (1966), THE WILD REBELS (1967) and STANLEY (1972). STANLEY, which tells the odd tale of a Vietnam vet with a penchant for killer snakes, is probably the director’s most respected and best-loved film but I personally prefer STING OF DEATH. Maybe it’s the “Do the Jellyfish” ska inspired tune sung by Neil Sedaka? John Vella’s scene stealing turn as the sympathetic Egon? Or could it be the cheap jellyfish monster costume that stuntman Doug Hobart risked his life to wear? Whatever the case may be, I found STING OF DEATH a hell of a lot of fun to watch and it’s available from Something Weird Video. If you have cable TV you can currently see STING OF DEATH on demand, which is where I recently watched it.

Trailer for STING OF DEATH (1965)

One of the film’s highlights!
A ska influenced musical number “Do the Jellyfish” sung by Neil Sedaka

Recommended links:
- William Grefe’s Official Homepage
- Eccentric Cinema’s review of Grefe’s STING OF DEATH & DEATH CURSE OF TARTU with jellyfish monster sound effect!
- STING OF DEATH was the subject of a B-Masters blogathon & you can find a batch of reviews for the film at their site.

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The House That Screamed… “Murder!”

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 6, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, Horror, Spanish Cinema, Thrillers, Gay Interest

Mod Macabre continues over at The Movie Morlocks today where I take a look at Narciso Ibáñez Serrador’s horrific thriller The House That Screamed (1969) featuring a great cast that includes Lilli Palmer, Cristina Galbo, Mary Maude and mod wonder boy, John-Moulder Brown. Here’s a brief description of The House That Screamed from my post:

“THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED takes place at an isolated boarding school where troubled young women are being taught by a sadistic headmistress called Madame Fourneau (Lilli Palmer) who enjoys disciplining her female students with a whip followed by a tender kiss. After an attractive young French girl named Theresa (Cristina Galbó) enrolls and is given a tour of the grounds, it quickly becomes apparent that something odd is going on at the school. Unseen eyes seem to follow Teresa’s every move and the tense atmosphere is punctuated by the headmistress’s cursory behavior. The other young women at the school immediately take an interest in Teresa and she becomes an object of adoration and scorn for one particular student by the name of Irene (Mary Maude). Irene is Madame Fourneau’s right-hand girl and she enjoys helping the headmistress discipline ill-behaved girls. Adding to the tension is the addition of Madame Fourneau’s handsome son, Louis (John Moulder-Brown) who is kept at the school due to his poor health. His mother insists on isolating him from the young women who she feels aren’t “good enough” for him. The headmistress wants her son to meet someone like herself who will look after him and keep him safe but Louis isn’t interested in following her advice. It soon becomes apparent that he’s been spying on the girls at the school as well as starting up relationships with a few them. So when an unknown killer begins stalking the students it’s easy to assume that Louis might be the murderer but he’s not the only suspect. There’s the lurking gardener (Vic Israel) who seems to also enjoy spying on the students and of course the headmistress herself comes under scrutiny along with the cruel Irene. Director and co-writer Narciso Ibáñez Serrador keeps the audience guessing until the film’s final moments and the plot’s unpredictable twists and turns should surprise many viewers.”

Pictured: Teresa Hurtado and John-Moulder Brown (1969)

To read more just follow the link:
- The House That Screamed… “Murder!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Film Locations: Kensal Green Cemetery

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 4, 2011

Categories | Rants & Raves, Horror, Vincent Price, Dennis Price, Film Locations

“Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode, The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road… My friends we will not go again or ape an ancient rage, Or stretch the folly of our youth to be the shame of age. But walk with clearer eyes and ears this path that wandereth, And see undrugged in evening light the Decent Inn of Death; For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen, Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green.”
- From “The Rolling Road” by GK Chesterton

In December of 2000 I visited the UK for the first time with my husband, Andis. During our trip we were determined to see one of London’s spectacular old cemeteries and we decided to visit Kensal Green. We chose Kensal Green for three reasons:

1. It wasn’t as popular as the well known Highgate Cemetery so we assumed it would be empty of people & a great spot to take lots of photos.
2. It contained the remains of some of the most fascinating figures from the Romantic era such as writer and political radical Leigh Hunt, Lord Byron’s closest friend John Hobhouse as well as Byron’s wife Annabella Milbanke and Charles Babbage who was Byron’s daughter Ada’s companion and the inventor of the Analytical Engine. As well as painter John William Waterhouse and writer Wilkie Collins among others.
3. It has an ossuary.

On the day we were scheduled to go the sky turned a nasty shade of gray and spilled buckets of icy rain down on London. I was not going to let that stop me so I put on some industrial strength clothing, wore two jackets and grabbed the umbrella along with my 35mm camera before heading for the tube station. The trip to Kensal Green took about two hours because we got a little lost trying to find our way there (a common occurrence in London). As we reached the cemetery gates the sky began to clear a bit and the downpour stopped. What luck I thought! And then I took a good look around the cemetery…

Kensal Green is old. Very old. Almost 180 years old to be exact. And it’s suffering from serious decay and neglect. On the day we visited the grounds were saturated from the rain storms which had been hitting London on and off for weeks and you could see many graves that had been filled up with water now spilling their ancient muddy contents everywhere. The faint scent of rot and mildew filled the air. The necropolis was also vast and the grounds seemed to stretch out forever in the gloomy light. Realizing that we needed a little help, we headed to the small office to see if they were open and might be able to offer us some directions. Andis spoke to one of the helpful caretakers who offered us a copy of a crude hand drawn map and some important advice, “Stick to the roads and paths!” The area had grown dangerous over the years and the recent storms just added to the problems. She also mentioned that the catacombs were only open to the public on certain days of the year when special tours occurred. Unfortunately today was not one of those days so I wasn’t going to be able to see the ossuary, but I wasn’t going to let that get me down. There were plenty of incredible things to see on the cemetery grounds.

We heading in the direction of Leigh Hunt’s permanent resting place and began our exploration of Kensal Green. Signs such as “DANGER - COLLAPSING GRAVES AND STONEWORK” were everywhere but I decided to ignore them. I was determined to get some good photos no matter what the dangers might be. Besides the caretakers, we were virtually alone in the place but as we began to wander into dangerous areas we saw a haunting figure in black coming towards us. It turned out to be an old Scottish priest with a heavy accent carrying a large camera around his neck. He was a friendly man but he looked a bit lost and tired. He mentioned that he had been exploring Kensal Green for the past week and still hadn’t seen it all or found the graves that he was seeking. We discussed the dangers of roaming the place in the rain and wished each other luck before going our own way again. And as he waved goodbye he warned us once again to, “Stick to the roads and paths!” To say we weren’t a little disturbed by his words would be a lie. We were. But again, I was determined to get some good photos so I conveniently put his warnings, as well as the caretakers, out of my mind as I headed out into the soggy cemetery.

I started to move quickly because every ten minutes or so a few drops of rain would fall from the sky and I was sure we’d be caught in another downpour at any moment. Before long I was wandering off the roadways and paths while going my own way as I heard Andis saying behind me,”Be careful and watch where you’re walking!” Well, I wasn’t watching where I was walking. Soon I was dirty and mud soaked but I didn’t really take notice. I was too busy looking through the camera lens trying to get a good shot of the incredible scenery as well as trying to locate the graves I was especially interested in paying my respects to. As I made my way up a grassy saturated hillside I slipped. My foot went down deep and taking a good look around me I suddenly realized that I was knee deep in grave mud.

I couldn’t free my foot so I called to Andis for help but I couldn’t see him anywhere. Surrounding me were old damp graves erupting from the swell of water. The smell of ancient rot and mildew suddenly seemed stronger and I couldn’t seem to shake the voice of the priest warning us about the dangers in the area. As I struggled to pull my leg out of the thick muck I was struck by the fact that I was truly experiencing a scene straight out of one my favorite horror films. I expected a rotting zombie corpse to suddenly grab hold of my leg at any moment and pull me deeper into the ground as it gurgled out the word, “Brains!” I quickly came to the conclusion that zombies must had already gotten a hold of the priest, which is why we hadn’t seen him again or anyone else for the past few hours. I also suspected that the zombies had gotten Andis. A scream began to rise in my throat but at that moment my foot suddenly started to come loose and I heard Andis making his way towards me saying, “Move slowly, very slowly! You’re surrounded by collapsing graves!”

When Andis finally reached me he could see the look of panic on my face and knew exactly what was running through my mind. Thankfully I had come to my senses and we both burst out laughing and decided to continue our exploration of Kensal Green. I should mention here that I’m an independent person who often goes her own way without thinking things through properly and I think Andis might have gotten a small kick out of seeing me suffering the results of ignoring all the warning signs around me. But without one word of condemnation he helped me off the crumbling hillside.

We continued to explore the old cemetery for another hour or so but unfortunately we couldn’t find all the graves we were looking for and it was beginning to get dark. We both thought we had experienced enough horror film-like moments for the day so we decided to make our way back towards the main gates. Once there we realized we couldn’t possibly get back on the tube in the condition we were in. We were both covered in mud, dead leaves and the dust of a few ancient Londoners so we asked the caretaker if we could clean up in the office. She was surprised by our appearance so I had to confess that I had ventured off the path and had a minor accident. She seemed to get a laugh out of it (dumb Americans!) and pointed us to the bathroom. I spent 10 minutes in there trying to get cleaned up but I was still dirty when we finally left. I was rewarded for my exploits with a terrible cold which almost put me out of commission for the last two days of our trip and stuck with me for almost two weeks once we returned home to the states (I called it the “London Black Phlegm Flu” and it occasionally returns in the winter transforming me into a hacking beast and reminding me of my trip to Kensal Green). Would I do it again? You bet I would! It was one of the most memorable days of my UK trip and I wouldn’t change a thing. I also think I got some decent photos out of it all too.

When I returned home I discovered that Kensal Green had been used as a location for some great movies including two Richard Burton films, Look Back in Anger (1959) and Villain (1971) as well as two great horror films, Theater of Blood (1973) and Afraid of the Dark (1991). I’m particularly fond of Theater of Blood and I’ve written about the film before so I thought I’d share some of my photos of Kensal Green, which was used to great effect in the movie. They even re-created one of the cemetery’s most well-known tombs for the final resting place of Edward Lionheart (Vincent Price), which is visited by his daughter (Diana Rigg) in the film. It’s also the spot where my favorite scene in the movie takes place involving actor Dennis Price and a runaway carriage. If you enjoy pitch black horror comedies Theater of Blood is well worth a look. More of my thoughts on the film can be found here.

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Something Is Always Left Behind

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 22, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Dennis Price

Images from A Place of One’s Own (1945)

Summer officially makes way for autumn this week and in celebration of my favorite season I decided to write about the classic supernatural thriller A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN (1945) at the Movie Morlocks. This unusual British film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock’s cinematographer Bernard Knowles and features an exceptional performance from Margaret Lockwood as a young woman haunted by ghosts. It also features one of my favorite horror film regulars, a very young & handsome Dennis Price (THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING; 1964, VENUS IN FURS; 1969, THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN; 1970, TWINS OF EVIL; 1971, VAMPYROS LESBOS; 1971, THE EROTIC RITES OF FRANKENSTEIN; 1972 and THEATER OF BLOOD; 1973), in his first thriller as well as James Mason. You can read more about A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN if you follow the link below.

- Something Is Always Left Behind @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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