Because today would have been Bela Lugosi’s birthday, it seems appropriate to showcase him in a bonus horror on the lens!
In the 1940 film, The Devil Bat, the owners of a company in the small town of Heathville are super-excited because they’re going to be given their head chemist, Dr. Paul Carruthers (Bela Lugosi), a bonus check of $5,000. However, since Carruthers’s inventions have made millions for the company, he is offended by the small check and decides that the best way to handle this would be to sue in court and demand fair compensation …. just kidding! Instead, Dr. Carruthers sends his army of giant bats to kill the families of his employers.
The Devil Bat was produced by Production Releasing Corporation, a poverty row studio that specialized in shooting quickly and cheaply. Going from Universal to PRC was technically a step down for Lugosi but The Devil Bat is actually an excellent showcase for Lugosi and he gives one of his better non-Dracula performances as the embittered Dr. Carruthers. Indeed, one can imagine that Lugosi, who played such a big role in putting Universal on the map, could relate to Carruthers and his bitterness over not being fairly rewarded for the work he did to make others wealthy.
Enjoy The Devil Bat, starring the great Bela Lugosi!
If you’re new to Iron Maiden and want to experience a melodic metal song that doubles as a horror anthem, “Fear of the Dark” is a must-listen. Written and composed by Steve Harris, Iron Maiden’s bassist and primary songwriter, the song vividly captures that feeling of walking alone at night with the uneasy sensation that something might be lurking just out of sight. It’s a powerful exploration of a common fear—the discomfort and paranoia that darkness brings—which makes it feel like a spooky bedtime story set to powerful music.
What really makes this song stand out is how the music and Bruce Dickinson’s dramatic vocals work together to build tension and then release it. The guitars start slow and eerie, setting a creepy atmosphere, then shift into faster, catchy melodies that ramp up the excitement and nervous energy. Dickinson’s voice is full of drama and really sells that feeling of fear mixed with urgency. It’s not just heavy music; it’s storytelling with heart and melody.
Plus, the lyrics reference classic horror themes like watching scary movies and ancient folklore, which makes the song feel timeless and accessible. It’s a perfect gateway into how metal bands can blend melody with horror themes, making it approachable even if you’re not usually into heavy music. Overall, “Fear of the Dark” showcases Iron Maiden’s skill at creating music that is not only thrilling but also emotionally gripping and narratively rich.
Fear of the Dark
I am a man who walks alone And when I’m walking a dark road At night or strolling through the park When the light begins to change I sometimes feel a little strange A little anxious when it’s dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone’s always there
Have you run your fingers down the wall And have you felt your neck skin crawl When you’re searching for the light? Sometimes when you’re scared to take a look At the corner of the room You’ve sensed that something’s watching you
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone’s always there
Have you ever been alone at night Thought you heard footsteps behind And turned around, and no one’s there? And as you quicken up your pace You find it hard to look again Because you’re sure there’s someone there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone’s always there
Watching horror films the night before Debating witches and folklore The unknown troubles on your mind Maybe your mind is playing tricks You sense, and suddenly eyes fix On dancing shadows from behind
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone’s always there
When I’m walking a dark road I am a man who walks alone
A lot of that is because I’ve never been stung by a wasp so I have no idea whether or not I’m allergic. Considering that I’m allergic to almost everything else, it just seems likely that I would be allergic to wasps as well.
Another reason why I dislike wasps is that, opposed to hard-working honey bees, wasps just look evil. They fly straight at you. They get tangled in your hair. They try to build their nests right next to your air conditioning unit. They’re the worst!
1957’s MonsterFromGreenHell is all about evil wasps. A group of scientists, working with the space program, come up with the brilliant idea of sending wasps into space. When the wasp rocket crashes back to Africa, it leads to giant wasps and paralyzed victims. Can the scientists who created the problem fix things? Or will nature have to take care of itself?
Watch and find out! This film is one of many “giant monster’ films to come out of the 50s but it’s perhaps more interesting as an examination of the fears of what would happen when mankind finally went into space. Today, we take space exploration for granted. In 1957, it was very exotic and, I imagine to some, very frightening.
One final note: Barbara Turner, the female lead in this film, is also the mother of actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.
As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in hosting a few weekly live tweets on twitter and occasion ally Mastodon. I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of Mastodon’s #MondayActionMovie! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We snark our way through it.
Tonight, for #MondayActionMovie, the film will be 1974’s Killdozer!
It should make for a night of fun viewing and I invite all of you to join in. If you want to join the live tweets, just hop onto Mastodon, pull up Killdozer on YouTube, start the movie at 8 pm et, and use the #MondayActionMovie hashtag!
Through the Shattered Lens 