This Week in Horror: November 9 - 15

November 9
1984 – A Nightmare on Elm Street released theatrically
1984 – Silent Night, Deadly Night released theatrically
1988 – Child's Play released theatrically
2001 – Castlevania Chronicles released on the PlayStation in the European Union

November 10
1889 – Claude Rains (actor in many horror films) born (d. 1967)

November 11
1951 – Bill Moseley (actor in many horror films) born
1995 – Interview with the Vampire released theatrically
2002 – Resident Evil 0 released on the Nintendo GameCube in North America

November 12
1904 – Jacques Tourneur (director of many horror films) born (d. 1977)
1943 – The Mad Ghoul released theatrically
1999 – Resident Evil 3: Nemesis released for the PlayStation in North America
2004 – Seed of Chucky released theatrically

November 13
1933 – The Invisible Man released theatrically
1991 – Cape Fear (1991) released theatrically
1992 – Bram Stoker's Dracula released theatrically

November 14

November 15



Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Friday Night Frights: The Toxic Avenger (1984)

Welcome to tonight's episode of Friday Night Frights.

Tonight's feature is an American cult classic comedy horror film - The Toxic Avenger.

Released by Troma Entertainment, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts, and virtually ignored upon its first release, The Toxic Avenger caught on with moviegoers after a long and successful midnight movie engagement at the famed Bleecker Street Cinemas in New York City in late 1985.

Ghosts of the White House

Happy Election Day! In keeping with the theme of this site, yet wishing to note the day, here - straight from the White House website - are Ghosts of the White House!

Back For Christmas

Halloween is over (sigh), but here's a little pre-Christmastime tale for you.

Escape's "Back for Christmas" was adapted from the short story of the same name by John Collier. Both Escape and Suspense presented this tale but without the gruesome elements of the original work. The radio dramatizations also added extra scenes to fill the half-hour format.

The story begins in England, inside the house of a professor of botany named Herbert Carpenter. He and his wife, Hermione, are soon to leave for an extended trip to America, where he will be lecturing.

Hermione is a shrew who keeps her husband under her constant control. She has planned every detail of their trip with precision and, to her annoyance, Herbert is not conforming with her plan. Instead, he is wasting time on a botanical project in their cellar. He is also lingering too long at the bookshop to chat with the bookseller, Miss Markham.

Hermione has promised all of their friends that they will be back for Christmas, but if Herbert has his way -- she won't be.

The radioplay performed on Escape had originally aired on Suspense on December 23, 1943. Peter Lorre played the role of the professor and his rendition of the hen-pecked husband gone mad is classic. The name of the actress who played Hermione is not given, but it was probably Jeanette Nolan.

Listen to "Back for Christmas".

The story was also produced as an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1956. You can watch the full episode in a popout window by clicking on the picture below.





Source for radio broadcast: Escape and Suspense!

This Week in Horror: November 2 - 8

November 2
1990 – Jacob's Ladder released theatrically

November 3
1976 – Carrie released theatrically

November 4
1948 – The Snake Pit released theatrically

November 5
1943 – Son of Dracula (1943) released theatrically
2006 – Castlevania: Curse of Darkness released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in North America

November 6
1931 – Mike Nichols (director of Wolf) born
1972 – Thandie Newton (actress in Interview with the Vampire) born
1972 – Rebecca Romijn (actress in Godsend) born

November 7
1971 – Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde released theatrically
2000 – Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem released on the Nintendo GameCube in Australia

November 8
1847 – Bram Stoker (author of Dracula) born (d. 1912)
1968 – Parker Posey (actress in Scream 3) born
1975 – Tara Reid (actress in A Return to Salem's Lot, Urban Legend (film), Devil's Pond, Alone in the Dark, and The Crow: Wicked Prayer) born


Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Friday Night Frights Bonus Saturday Night After Halloween Movie: The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Welcome to tonight's episode of Friday Night Frights. Yes, it is Saturday, but the Halloween spirit(s) lingers.

Tonight's episode, The Midnight Meat Train, is a FEARnet Special Presentation. From Clive Barker comes the story of a man struggling to make it as a photographer. Today's assignment: Follow that guy into the NYC Subway. And by the way, he is a serial killer. Starring Bradley Cooper, Brooke Shields, Leslie Bibb, and Vinnie Jones.



(Click here to watch The Midnight Meat Train on FEARnet.com)

Halloween 2008

Playing on the side of the house were Mad Monster Party (1969) and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).