Horror Scene That I Love: Carolyn Returns In House of Dark Shadows

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since I paid tribute to Dan Curtis with our latest 4 Shots From 4 Films entry earlier today, it only seems appropriate that today’s horror scene that I love should come from one of his films as well!

In this scene from the 1970 film House of Dark Shadows, young David Collins explores around the old pool on the Collins estate and runs into his cousin, Carolyn. The only problem, of course, is that Carolyn died a few days ago so why is she now wandering around the estate? Could she be a …. VAMPIRE!?

There’s a lot of atmosphere in this scene. That dilapidated pool is frightening on its own. Add a vampire and …. AGCK! In the role of Carolyn, Nancy Barrett does a great job of portraying her new vampiric nature. Run, David, run!

Of course, back in the dining hall, no one believes him. A refusal to believe is a vampire’s best friend. (Personally, I don’t believe in vampires so I’ll probably be in trouble if I ever meet one.)

From House of Dark Shadows:

Book Review: What Holly Heard by R.L. Stine

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Has there been yet another murder at Shadyside High!?

That’s the latest gossip!

R.L. Stine’s 1996 YA thriller, What Holly Heard, is all about gossip. Actually, one the things that made the book an interesting read for me was discovering how people gossiped in 1996, in the age before social media. Today, we get our gossip by overanalyzing what people post on Instagram or what they tweeted back when they were 12. Back in 1996, though, you actually had to stalk people through the high school, hide behind a corner to listen to conversations, and essentially act like a private detective. That actually sounds like fun!

Anyway, Holly Silva’s knows all the gossip at Shadyside High! When this book opens, she’s all excited because she’s learned that her classmate, Mei, might be fighting with her boyfriend, Noah. Holly has a major crush on Noah and is hoping that Mei and Noah break up so that she can go out with him. Her best friends, Ruth and Miriam, remind Holly that she has a super nice boyfriend named Gary but Holly doesn’t care. It’s all about the gossip!

Then, suddenly, Holly is found dead in the school gym! Who is the murderer!? Could it Mei? Could it be Noah? Could it even be Gary? How about Jed, the strangely moody jock? Can Miriam solve the mystery before someone else dies!?

As I read this book last night, I found myself wondering if maybe I had read it before. It all seemed strangely familiar. While it is possible that I had actually read What Holly Heard before, it’s just as possible that I was reacting the fact that the same basic characters appear in all of R.L. Stine’s books. There’s always a bad boy. There’s always a couple that’s on the verge of breaking up. There’s almost always a jock who might have a secret. And there’s always at least one murder victim who went too far with the gossip! But, actually, the familiarity is a part of the appeal of these books. They’re like YA Lifetime movies. You don’t read them to be shocked as much as you read them to judge the characters when they’re shocked over the exact same thing happening to them that happened to the people in all of the previous Fear Street book. No one at Shadyside High ever learns a lesson from any of this!

That said, I liked What Holly Heard. It’s fast-paced, it’s silly, and it features a totally out-of-nowhere drug subplot that I imagine was included in the name of 90s relevancy. Plus, it features someone getting hit over the head with a hamster cage. That made me smile. If you’re looking to indulge in a little childhood nostalgia by reading (or re-reading) a little R.L. Stine, this is a good one to go with.

Book Review: “They’re Here….” Invasion of the Body Snatchers: A Tribute, edited by Kevin McCarthy and Ed Gorman

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Saturday night, I watched Piranha, which featured the great character actor Kevin McCarthy in a supporting role. This led to me remembering McCarthy’s iconic performance in the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers (as well as his cameo in the 70s version). And that led to me remembering a book that I found at Half-Price Books a few years ago.

First published in 1999, They’re Here is a tribute to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, featuring essays about the films and interviews with some of the people involved. For instance, Stephen King and Dean Koontz both write about how seeing the original film influenced their later approach to horror. Jon L. Breen, James Combs, and Fred Blosser write about Jack Finney, the author of the book that served as the basis for the film. Other essays take a look at the remakes that were directed by Philip L. Kaufman and Abel Ferrara. Ferrara is himself interviewed and is as outspoken as ever. Also interviewed is Dana Wynter, who co-starred in the original.

However, the majority of the book is taken up with a terrifically entertaining and informative interview with Kevin McCarthy himself. McCarthy not only talks about filming the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers but also his entire career, his friendship with Montgomery Clift, and his status as pop cultural icon. Sometimes it can be disillusioning to read or listen to an interview in which an icon turns out to be kind of boring (call it the Steven Soderbergh syndrome) but, fortunately, McCarthy comes across as being just as eccentric, intelligent, interesting, and downright lovable as you would hope he would be. Kevin McCarthy, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 96, was one of the great character actors and this interview shows that he was …. wait for it …. quite the character! (Sorry.) The interview is a great tribute not only to McCarthy’s most famous film but also the man himself.

Seriously, if you’re a Body Snatchers fan but just appreciate great character acting, order a copy of this book!

International Horror Review: The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus (dir by Jess Franco)

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In the small Austrian town of Hoffen, there’s been a murder.

Actually, there’s been more than one murder. Several women have been killed, stabbed to death by what appears to be an ancient dagger. The people of Hoffen are convinced that it’s the result of ancient curse, one that states that every male descendant of the original Baron Von Klaus is destined to become a sadistic murderer. However, there are only two living male descendants. Max Von Klaus (Howard Vernon, at his decadent best) has an alibi. Ludwig (Hugo Blanco) wasn’t even in town. So, if neither Max nor Ludwig committed the murders, then it had to be someone else in town, right?

Or could it be, as the townspeople suspect …. THE ORIGINAL BARON VON KLAUS HAS COME BACK TO LIFE!

Wait …. what? How stupid are these people? I mean, I know that small villages are supposed to be a breeding ground of superstition but it seems kind of obvious that it’s probably just some random human serial killer. Then again, if you believe in a centuries old curse, I guess it’s not that difficult to accept the idea of the dead coming back to life. I mean, it seems pretty stupid to me but what do I know?

While a police detective and a reporter investigate the crimes, Ludwig is shocked to discover that there’s a torture dungeon in the basement of the Von Klaus castle. Ludwig is encouraged to be the first member of the Von Klaus family to find the courage the destroy the dungeon and abandon the castle. Instead, Ludwig finds himself drawn to the dungeon. Will he be able to resist its musty charms or is he destined to become yet another sadistic Baron von Klaus?

Hmmmm …. a violent and loosely-plotted movie that’s set in a small Austrian village, one that opens with a close-up of two hands playing the piano and which features Howard Vernon as a decadent aristocrat. Even if you hadn’t already read the title of the review, the plot description alone should be all you would need to hear to know that The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus was a Jess Franco film.

Before he died in 2013, Spanish director Jess Franco was famous for being one of the most prolific directors around. He’s officially credited with directing 203 films but most sources agree that he was responsible for a lot more. Franco remains something of a controversial figure. Many of his films were bad. Quite a few of them were surprisingly good and atmospheric. Christopher Lee did several films with him and consistently defended Franco as being an intelligent artist who was often forced to work under less-than-perfect conditions. Franco was also a member of Orson Welles’s European entourage, with Franco even doing some second unit work on the sublime Chimes at Midnight. Speaking for myself, I’ve seen plenty of boring Jess Franco films. But I’ve also seen some surprisingly good ones. Female Vampire, Faceless, The Awful Dr. Orloff, Nightmares Come At Night, A Virgin Among the Living Dead, all of them are atmospheric, dream-like exercises in cinematic style.

The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus is middle-of-the road Franco. Despite plot similarities and the presence of Howard Vernon, it’s not as memorable as The Awful Dr. Orloff (which came out the same year) but it’s also clearly put together with more care than some of Franco’s later films. The plot really doesn’t hang together but that’s to be expected from a Franco film. For that matter, way too much time is spent with the police inspector and the journalist. But, visually, the black-and-white cinematography is gorgeous and, as he often did for Franco, Howard Vernon does a great job of epitomizing the decaying aristocracy of Europe. The film is deliberately paced but Franco does do a good job of creating an feeling of impending doom. Each scene seems to be leading towards the discovery of a terrible secret, with Hoffen coming to life as a town fueled by superstition and repressed desires. The scene in which the Von Klaus torture chamber is used is shockingly violent (the film’s title is not kidding about the sadism) but it also highlights the film’s theme about the impossibility of escaping the sins of the past. Considering that this film was made while Europe was still struggling to rebuild after World War II and when General Franco was still in control of Jess Franco’s native Spain, that was probably intentional on the director’s part. The Von Klaus curse stands in for the fear that fascism, dictatorship, and war was always destined to rise again.

The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus is not one of Franco’s better-known films but it is one that shows that Franco could make an effective film when he had the time, the money, and the motivation.

4 Shots From 4 Dan Curtis Films

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

Since today’s Horror on the Lens was a Dan Curtis film, it only seems appropriate that today’s edition of 4 Shots from 4 Films should be dedicated to one of the most underrated horror directors around, Dan Curtis!

It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Dan Curtis Films

House of Dark Shadows (1970, dir by Dan Curtis, DP: Arthur Ornitz)

Night of Dark Shadows (1971, dir by Dan Curtis, DP: Richard Shore)

Trilogy of Terror (1975, dir by Dan Curtis. DP: Paul Lohmann)

Burnt Offerings (1976, dir by Dan Curtis, DP: Jacques R. Marquette)

Horror Film Review: Piranha (1978, dir by Joe Dante)

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

At the height of the Vietnam War, the U.S. Government came up with a plan that could have changed the course of the war.

What if the government developed gigantic, super-fast, occasionally jumpy piranha? And what if they set those killer fish loose in the rivers of Vietnam? Would those fish swim through North Vietnam and take out the VC? Sadly, the war ended before the government got a chance to test out Operation Razorteeth. With the war over, the government was stuck with a bunch of killer fish. Scientist Robert Hoak (Kevin McCarthy) ignored all orders to destroy his mutant fish because they were his life’s work. (Awwwwwwwww!) He kept an eye on them and did everything he could to prevent them from getting into the nearby river.

Unfortunately, Dr. Hoak’s best wasn’t good enough. Because the piranha have gotten loose and now they’re making their way down to the river! They start out eating skinny dipping teenagers, fisherman, and Keenan Wynn. (They’re good enough not to eat Wynn’s adorable dog, which I appreciated.) Further down the river, there’s a summer camp and a water park! It’s definitely not safe to get back in the water but sadly, that’s what several people insist on doing throughout this film. Even when the water is full of blood, people will jump in. (It’s easy to be judgmental but it is a pretty river. I don’t swim but I honestly wouldn’t mind living near a river that looked that nice. Instead, I have to make due with a creek.)

Floating down the river on a raft and trying to warn everyone is the unlikely team of Maggie (Heather Menzies) and Paul (Bradford Dillman). Maggie is a detective who has come to town to track down the two teenage skinny dippers who were eaten at the start of the film. Paul is a drunk. Well, technically, Paul is a wilderness guide and he does spend the entire movie wearing the type of plaid shirt that would only be worn by someone who goes camping every weekend but really, Paul’s main personality trait seems to be that he enjoys his booze. Paul’s daughter is away at the summer camp. Yes, that’s the same summer camp that’s about to be visited by a school of piranha. AGCK!

Produced by Roger Corman and obviously designed to capitalize on the monster success of Jaws, Piranha was an early directorial credit for Joe Dante. Dante would later go on to direct films like The Howling and Gremlins. Piranha was also an early screenwriting credit for the novelist John Sayles, who would use his paycheck to launch his own directing career. As a director, Sayles specializes in politically-themed ensemble pieces, which is something you might not guess while watching Piranha. (Piranha does have an anti-military subplot but then again, it’s a film from the 70s so of course it does.) Like the best of Corman’s film, Piranha works because it sticks to the basics and it delivers exactly what it promises. Piranha promises killer fish biting away at anyone dumb enough to get in the water and that’s what it gives us. As an added bonus, we also get some occasionally witty dialogue and Joe Dante’s energetic, self-aware direction.

As is typical with the films of both Corman and Dante, the cast is full of familiar faces. Along with Kevin McCarthy as the mad scientist and Keenan Wynn as the eccentric fisherman, Dick Miller shows up as the waterpark owner. Richard Deacon, who made a career of playing bosses and neighbors on various sitcoms in the 50s and 60s, plays the father of a missing teenager. Director Paul Bartel plays the head of the summer camp, who may be a jerk but who still heroically jumps in the water to save several campers. (Bartel’s moment of heroism is one of Piranha’s best scenes and, significantly, it’s played without irony. You’ll want to cheer for the guy.) Finally, the great Barbara Steele plays the government scientist who shows up to clean up Operation Razorteeth.

Piranha is simple but entertaining. Dante’s direction is energetic and, despite the film’s self-referential tone, the killer fish are just savage enough to be scary. It’s a film that tell us not to get back in the water but which understands that the temptation might just be too strong.

Horror on the Lens: The Norliss Tapes (dir by Dan Curtis)

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Norliss Tapes (1973, dir by Dan Curtis)

Today’s Horror on the Lens is The Norliss Tapes, a 1973 made-for-TV movie that was also a pilot for a television series that, unfortunately, was never put into production.

Reporter David Norliss (Roy Thinnes) has disappeared. His friend and publisher, Stanford Evans (Don Porter), listens to the tapes that Norliss recorded before vanishing. (Stanford Evans, it must be said, is a great name for an editor.) Each tape details yet another paranormal investigation. (Presumably, had the series been picked up, each tape would have been a different episode.) The first tape tells how Norliss investigated the mysterious death of an artist who apparently returned from the grave.

For a made-for-TV movie, The Norliss Tapes is pretty good. It’s full of atmosphere and features a genuinely menaching yellow-eyed zombie monster. The film was directed by Dan Curtis, who was responsible for several made-for-TV horror films and who also created the deathless TV show, Dark Shadows. Curtis also directed a few feature films. Burnt Offerings, for instance, will be forever beloved for its scene of annoying little Lee Montgomery getting crushed by a chimney. If you ever get a chance to listen to the director’s commentary that Dan Curtis recorded for the Burnt Offerings DVD release, you must do so. Curtis comes across as the crankiest man on the planet and it’s actually kind of fascinating to listen to. His irritation when Karen Black keeps asking him if he knows the name of the actor who played the ghostly chauffeur is truly an amazing thing to here. (For the record, the actor’s name was Anthony James, he also had important supporting roles in two best picture winners — In The Heat of the Night and Unforgiven — and yes, he was one of the best things about Burnt Offerings. Karen Black knew what she was talking about.)

But back to The Norliss Tapes!

Admittedly, this is not the first Halloween in which I’ve shared The Norliss Tapes with our readers. Back in 2015, The Norliss Tapes was one of our “horrors on the lens.” Unfortunately, there’s only so many good quality, public domain horror films available on YouTube so, occasionally, a movie is going to show up more than once over the years. But, as long as it’s good film, who cares?

Enjoy The Norliss Tapes!

Artwork of the Day: Billy The Kid vs Dracula (Artist Unknown)

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Dazzling Erin

Artist Unknown

This is from 1966. Unfortunately, the identity of the artist is unknown but I like the combination of cowboys and Dracula. Billy doesn’t look like much of a kid, though. I also like that the poster features the shadow of both Boot Hill and Dracula’s Castle in the lower left-hand corner, bringing to iconic places together for one movie.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Review: 9/27/21 — 10/3/21

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Things got a little bit busy here at the Shattered Lens, didn’t they?

Well, it’s to be expected! It’s October and that means that it’s time for our annual Horrorthon! Basically, I spent September resting just so I could make it through this month. (Actually, I spent most of September resting. On September 27th, I posted 18 reviews, just to prove that I still could.) October is totally exhausting but this month, more than anything, reminds me of why I love sharing my thoughts on movies, books, and all the rest. If I can turn you onto a new movie or if I can encourage to give a movie second chance, I feel like I’ve done my work here. We’re only three days in and I already I remember why I love this month, this site, my collaborators, and all of our readers.

Seriously, than you for reading. All of us here at the Shattered Lens hope you enjoy what the site has to offer this October!

Well, it’s been a busy week so let’s get right the recap!

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, dir by Wes Craven, DP: Jacques Haitkin)

Films I Watched:

Another Son of Sam (1977)
Imperfect High (2021)
Malice (1993)
Murder on Campus (1933)
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
A Nightmare of Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part II: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
The Norliss Tapes (1973)
9 Minutes (2014)
No Contest (1995)
No One Gets Out Alive (2021)
Nobody Will Believe You (2021)
Panic at Malibu Pier (1989)
Piranha (1978)
Robot Monster (1953)
Son of Sam (2008)
Summer of Sam (1999)

Television Shows I Watched:

Allo Allo
Bachelor in Paradise
Bewitched
Big Brother
The Bold and the Beautiful
CHiPs
Cold Case
Crossing Jordan
CSI: Miami
Dennis the Menace
Friday the 13th: The Series
General Hospital
Ghost Whisperer
Hazel
I Dream of Jeannie
Knight Rider
McHale’s Navy
Medium
Moone Boy
Open All Hours
Survivor
Talking Dead
That Girl
Three’s Company
Unforgettable
The Walking Dead
The Young and the Restless

Books I Read:

Music To Which I Listened:

Barry Adamson
Big Data
Britney Spears
Cat Stevens
The Chordettes
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Christopher Cross
Coldplay
Daft Punk
Goblin
Jessica Simpson
John Carpenter
Kid Rock
Kate Bush
Lynard Skynard
Lorde
Muse
Phantogram
The Prodigy
Saint Motel
Taylor Swift
Tears for Fears
Warren Zevon

Trailers:

News From Last Week:

Links From Last Week:

Links From The Site:

Yeah, this is going to be a long entry.

I reviewed The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Mahler, Spirit Riders, Psycho Storm Chaser, Deep Blue Nightmare, The Price of Fitting In, The Wrong Cheer Captain, Killer Cheer Mom, Cheer For Your Life, Breaking the Press, Pom Poms and Payback, Imperfect High, Malicious Motives, Driven To Kill, Psycho Intern, Out of Bounds, Malice, Bad Girl, The Devils, The Cars That Ate Paris, Sharktopus, Nobody Will Believe You, No One Gets Out Alive, A Quiet Place Part II, Short Night of Glass Dolls, Another Son of Sam, Splinter, The Case of the Bloody Iris, and Son of Sam!
I read and reviewed Fright Favorites, Who Killed The Homecoming Queen?, Trejo, Execution of Innocence, Guilty Pleasures of the Horror Film, and The Girlfriend!
I reviewed the latest episode of The Walking Dead and shared my week in television!
I paid tribute to Arthur Penn, Nicholas Winding Refn, Michael Powell, Ken Russell, Claudio Fragasso, and Catriona MacColl!
I shared scenes from The Sopranos, Sharktopus, Troll 2, and Summer of Sam!
I shared my Oscar predictions for September!
I shared, for your viewing pleasure, Robot Monster, Mazes and Monsters, and Night Terror. I also shared an AMV of the Day and episodes 1, 3, and 5 of Friday the 13th: The Series!
Jeff shared music videos from Rod Stewart, Nick Lowe, Cliff Richard, 38 Special, Kate Bush, The Selecter, and Leo Sayer!
Jeff reviewed Psycho Cop, The Night Brings Charlie, and Cover Me!
Jeff played and reviewed Zox the Zombie, This Won’t Make You Happy, and The Waiting Room!
Jeff celebrated a great zombie moment in comic book history!
Case reviewed 9 Minutes, WNUF Halloween Special, Jezebel, Night of the Slasher, and Abe!
Erin shared Everybody Loves Irene, New Man In The House, Flush Times, The Restless Dead, A Morning in October, Snake People, and the Oracle!
Erin officially welcomed you to October and she shared some scary tentacle covers!
Ryan took a look at Please God Make Me Normal, Primitva, and Acid Nun!
Doc congratulated all of our readers for surviving the first day of Horrorthon!

More From Us:

Ryan has a patreon! Consider subscribing!
At her photography site, Erin shared: Time To Clean, Bury The Past, Waiting, Empty Room, Jessica, Rachael, and Smoking Sam!
At Pop Politics, Jeff shared: Spider-Man Meets Frankenstein, Cleaning Up New Jersey with the Corleones, Overhead At Work, This About Sums It Up, 2024 Profile: Chris Christie, Dowd and O’Rourke, and Nature Is Healing Part II!
For the Big Brother Blog, I reviewed Big Brother!
At Reality TV Chat Blog, I shared: It’s Time Open Up The Diary Room One Last Time! Who do you want to win?, In Conclusion, and Survivor 41.2 “Jugging Chainsaws!”
At my online dream journal, I shared: Last Night’s Very Weird Dream, Last Night’s Audition Dream, Last Night’s Walk Around The Neighborhood Dream, Last Night’s Messy And Weird Dream About Judith, Last Night’s Searching For A Party Dream, Last Night’s Why Is My Lover Fighting Kanye West? Dream, and Last Night’s Hospital Truck Stop Dream!
At my music site, I shared songs from Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Tears for Fears, The Chordettes, Barry Adamson, Goblin, and John Carpenter!
At SyFYDesigns, I shared 6 Movies That I’m Looking Forward To Seeing, Update on the Kitchen Situation, and It’s October!
At Horror Critic, I reviewed Hellmaster and The Wasp Woman and The Killer Shrews!

Want to see what I did last week, before the start of Horrorthon? Click here!

Have a great week!

Horror on TV: Friday the 13th: The Series 1.5 “Hellowe’en” (dir by Timothy Bond)

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Tonight’s episode of Friday the 13th: The Series is a Halloween episode!

For some reason, Ryan and Micki decide that it would be a good idea to throw a Halloween party in a cursed antique store. Unfortunately, their evil Uncle Lewis is determined to return from Hell and what better time to do that than on the greatest holiday of them all!?

This episode is distinguished by the presence of the great character actor R.G. Armstrong, going totally over-the-top as Lewis and having a lot of fun while doing it! Something to keep an eye on during the Halloween party are the costumes. You’ll see a lot of sheets and leotards. You won’t see many familiar characters, largely because it would have cost money to feature any of them. That’s not a complaint, though. Personally, I like it when people make their own Halloween costumes, as opposed to just copying whatever’s popular.

This episode originally aired on October 26th, 1987.