michael armstrong | Through the Shattered Lens

First released in 1969, The Haunted House of Horror features a group of 20-somethings who, bored with the usual parties, decide to that it might be a kick to hang out in a supposedly haunted mansion. Once they’re in the mansion, they decide that it might be even more fun to hold a seance!

(Seriously, what is the deal with people holding séances in haunted mansions? That really seems like the last place where you would want to mess with potentially malevolent spirits!)

The party becomes much less fun once someone starts killing off the group, one-by-one.

This film is notable for two reasons. First off, it features Frankie Avalon in one of his attempts to break free of his Beach Party typecasting. Secondly, the role of Richard, who is played by Julian Barnes, was originally offered to a young singer named David Bowie. Reportedly, Bowie was quite excited about doing the film but, in the end, the producers worries that he and Frankie Avalon would not get along. I’m not sure why. David Bowie had a sense of humor and, judging from his Casino cameo, so does Frankie.

You probably haven’t heard of Michael Armstrong, but you might have heard of his musical project, Rockabye Baby. Armstrong (not to be confused with the Christian pop singer of the same name) has made his claim to fame by taking music by the likes of Radiohead, Tool, and Nirvana, and, through copius glockenspiel, converting their best hits into lullabies. But don’t roll your eyes at another Richard Cheese just yet. The Rockabye Baby albums are actually pleasant to listen to in their own right.

I suppose Christmas music was the logical next step.

It’s hard to give credit where credit is due concerning these; I’ve seen a number of different names associated with the Rockabye Baby series, but Armstrong’s definitely pops up the most. Individual credits for each album are difficult to come by. I’m pretty sure he is the composer of this holiday absurdity, but don’t quote me on it.