4 Shots From 4 Films: Special William Castle Edition


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

Today’s director is the one and only William Castle, who was as well-known for the gimmicks he used to promote his films as for the films themselves.  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 William Castle Films

House on Haunted Hill (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Carl E. Guthrie)

13 Ghosts (1960, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph F. Biroc)

Strait-Jacket (1964, dir by William Castle, DP: Arthur E. Arling)

Shanks (1974, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph H. Biroc)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special William Castle Edition


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

This October, I am going to be using our 4 Shots From 4 Films feature to pay tribute to some of my favorite horror directors, in alphabetical order!  That’s right, we’re going from Argento to Zombie in one month!

Today’s director is the one and only William Castle, who was as well-known for the gimmicks he used to promote his films as for the films themselves.  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 William Castle Films

The Tingler (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Wilfred M. Cline)

House on Haunted Hill (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Carl E. Guthrie)

13 Ghosts (1960, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph F. Biroc)

Strait-Jacket (1964, dir by William Castle, DP: Arthur E. Arling)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special William Castle Edition


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

Today, the Shattered Lens celebrates the 109th anniversary of the birth of director and showman, William Castle!  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 William Castle Films

House on Haunted Hill (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Carl E. Guthrie)

13 Ghosts (1960, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph F. Biroc)

Strait-Jacket (1964, dir by William Castle, DP: Arthur E. Arling)

Shanks (1974, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph F. Biroc)

Horror Scenes That I Love: The Opening of House on Haunted Hill


Today’s horror scene that I love comes from 1959’s House on Haunted Hill.  As the film opens, Vincent Price takes a moment to speak directly to the audience and introduce the characters who are coming to spend the night at the house.  Price, who is one of the patron saints of October, delivers his lines with such relish that it’s impossible not to stick around to see who survives the night.

8 Shots From 8 Horror Films: The Late 50s


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

This October, I’m going to be doing something a little bit different with my contribution to 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films.  I’m going to be taking a little chronological tour of the history of horror cinema, moving from decade to decade.

Today, we take a look at the late 50s!

8 Shots From 8 Horror Films: The Late 50s

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957, dir by Terence Fisher, DP: Jack Asher)

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1957, dir by Edward D. Wood, Jr., DP: William C. Thompson)

Not Of This Earth (1957, dir by Roger Corman DP: John J. Mescall)

Horror of Dracula (1958, starring Christopher Lee as the Count, Dir by Terence Fisher, DP: Jack Asher)

Night of the Ghouls (1959, dir by Edward D Wood, Jr. DP: William C. Thompson)

War of the Colossal Beast (1958, dir by Bert I. Gordon, DP: Jack A. Marta)

House on Haunted Hill (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Carl E. Guthrie)

The Mummy (1959, dir by Terence Fisher, DP: Jack Asher)

4 Shots From 4 Vincent Price Films


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

I woke up today to discover that Vincent Price was trending on Twitter. He was specifically trending because someone did a thread about Price’s political activism. This was something that I already knew about but most people on Twitter are stunned to discover that people actually did good things before the creation of social media.

Once I got over feeling elitist and superior, I thought to myself that it was actually kind of nice that people still love Vincent Price. He’s definitely one of my favorite actors. He started out as a mainstream studio actor, reading for the role of Ashley Wilkes in Gone With The Window and being considered for Mr. Potter in It’s A Wonderful Life. But he found his true stardom as a horror actor, bringing life to films that often would have been dead without his wonderful presence.

There’s no way that we can do Horrorthon without paying tribute to the great Vincent Price. Here are….

4 Shots From 4 Vincent Price Films!

House on Haunted Hill (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Carl E. Guthrie)


The Masque of the Red Death (1964, dir by Roger Corman, DP: Nicolas Roeg)


Witchfinder General (1968, dir by Michael Reeves, DP: John Coquillon)


Scream and Scream Again (1969, dir by Gordon Hessler, DP: John Coquillon)

Halloween Havoc! Extra: “Haunted House” by Jumpin’ Gene Simmons (Hi Records 1964)


gary loggins's avatarcracked rear viewer

Rockabilly singer Jumpin’ Gene Simmons (no relation to the KISS Demon with the long, long tongue!) had a #11 hit on the Billboard charts with the spooky-themed novelty song, “Haunted House”. OK, so the song’s not all that spooky, but this YouTube video is, set to some scary scenes from William Castle’s HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL  ! So put on your blue suede shoes and enjoy!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgSm5re8Gik

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