On tonight’s episode of Ghost Story, a rodeo is terrorized by a series of cougar attacks. Could it have anything to do with the cat-like wife of rodeo star Doug McClure?
This episode originally aired on November 24th, 1972 and it is kind of silly but …. hey, it’s Doug McClure. It doesn’t get more early 70s than Doug McClure.
Enjoy!
Night of the Ghouls (1958, dir by Edward D. Wood, Jr)
From the one and only Edward D. Wood, Jr. …. it’s Night of the Ghouls!
Night of the Ghouls begins with Criswell, the “psychic” who also provided the introduction for Wood’s best known film, Plan 9 From Outer Space, sitting up in a coffin and telling us that we’re about to see a film about the dead and the problems of everyday Americans. This is followed by one of Wood’s trademark stock footage montages. Cars crash. Teenagers fight. Drunken bums stare at the camera. It’s a scary world out there!
And it’s about to get scarier. The police have received reports that a deserted old mansion that was previously destroyed by lightning has been rebuilt! Lt. Dan Bradford (Duke Moore) is assigned to investigate the case with the help of cowardly Patrolman Kelton (Paul Marco). Bradford was called away from the opera so he wanders through the entire film in a tuxedo. Apparently, this case is so important that he couldn’t even change clothes before investigating.
Anyway, it turns out that the house has been rebuilt by Dr. Acula (Kenne Duncan), who wears a turban and claims that he can speak to the dead. Acula lives in the house with his silent and scarred assistant, Lobo (Tor Johnson). A typical Dr. Acula seance involves a floating trumpet playing off-key, several skeletons sitting at a table, and a mysterious woman in white. Acula says that the house is full of spirits but it turn out that Acula is juts a guy named Karl and that even the woman in white is just an actress that he hired. ACULA’S A FRUAD!
Well, fraud or not, it turns out that Acula is right about one thing. There are actual ghosts in the house and it turns out that they’re not happy about the house’s new inhabitant!
Night of the Ghouls (1960, dir by Ed Wood)
Night of the Ghouls was filmed in 1959 but it went largely unreleased, largely because Wood didn’t have the money to pay off the lab fees. The film was erroneously thought to be lost until 1984, seven years after Wood’s passing. That was when a fan named Wade Williams discovered that a copy of the film was still being held by the post-production house. Williams paid the overdue lab fees and the film was finally released.
Night of the Ghouls is a typical Ed Wood film, which is to say that it’s in black-and-white, it’s extremely low budget, and it’s a lot of fun even though it’s not very good. The film’s plot has a make-it-up-as-you-go feel to it and, with a running time of only 70 minutes, it’s over before you can get too bored. While the cast may be largely inept, they’re also rather enthusiastic and it’s hard not to enjoy watching them try their best to sell Wood’s uniquely overbaked dialogue. The film also features not one but two appearances from Ed Wood himself! Not only is his picture hanging on the wall of the police station but Wood himself appears as a female ghoul.
Finally, fans of Ed Wood will also be happy to know that Night of the Ghouls contains references to both Bride of the Monster and Plan 9 From Outer Space, establishing that the Ed Wood cinematic universe existed long before Marvel made their first movie.
Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Sundays, I will be reviewing the made-for-television movies that used to be a primetime mainstay. Today’s film is 1974’s Scream of the Wolf. It can be viewed on YouTube!
A small town in California is shocked when a series of brutal murders occur within the city limits. Someone or something is killing people whenever the moon is full. The only clue are the footprints that the killer leaves behind at every scene. Strangely, there are time when the kill seems to walking on all fours, suggesting that it’s a wild animal. But then, suddenly, there are only two footprints, indicating that the killer is a man. Is the killer a beast or a human?
Maybe it’s both.
That’s the question that John Weatherby (Peter Graves) attempts to answer in Scream of the Wolf. John is a former hunter who is now working on a book about his life. He looks at the footprints and the savagery of the attacks and he says that the killer is obviously a wolf because no human could be capable of doing such a thing. However, many people in town are convinced that the killer is a werewolf. That includes John’s girlfriend, Sandy (Jo Ann Pflug).
In fact, Sandy thinks that she knows exactly who the werewolf is. She thinks that Bryon Douglas (Clint Walker) is responsible for the murders. Byron is an old friend of John’s. They used to hunt together. John eventually turned his back on hunting but Byron continues to insist that people are never more alive than when they are hunting another creature. In fact, Byron claims that the murders are actually a good thing. According to Byron, the murders have woken up the survival instinct in the spoiled inhabitants of the town. And indeed, the citizens of the town do appear to be getting progressively more and more paranoid.
Okay, so Byron obviously has some issues. But does that make him a werewolf? John insists that there are no werewolves and that Byron is just a somewhat eccentric blowhard. John better hope that he’s right because Byron has announced that he’s going to hunt down the werewolf and he’s invited John to join him on the hunt.
Running a brisk 78 minutes and not wasting a single one of them, Scream of the Wolf is an enjoyable and atmospheric werewolf film. I don’t think I actually heard a wolf scream over the course of the film but I did hear plenty of people scream. For a made for TV movie, Scream of the Wolf doesn’t shy away from showing the horror of being stalked by an unseen creature in the middle of the night. Needless to say, any film featuring Peter Graves as a former big game hunter is going to have a bit of camp appeal but, in the end, Graves’s somewhat stolid acting style works well for the character that he is playing. Clint Walker, who towers over everyone else in the film, gives an intimidating and creepy performance as Byron. The film’s central mystery isn’t particularly complex but the story is told well. Scream of the Wolf is a simple but entertaining film, one that’s ideal for October viewing.
The City of the Dead, a 1960 British horror film that is also known as Horror Hotel, takes place in the town of Whitewood, Massachusetts. (Though it takes place in America, this is a very British film, from the cast to the sensibility.)
Like most small New England towns (or, at the very least, the type of small New England towns that show up in movies like this), Whitewood has been around forever. And it apparently has quite a history, especially where witches and devil worshipers are concerned! In the 17th century, a witch was burned at the stake. Rumor has it that, before she died, she sold her soul to the devil. As long as she arranges for two virgin sacrifices a year, the spirit of the witch can torment Whitewood for as long as she likes.
Fortunately, a virgin has just arrived in town! Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson) is doing a term paper on the history of witchcraft and her very helpful professor, Alan Driscoll (played by the man himself, Christopher Lee), suggested that maybe Nan should visit town and stay at the Raven’s Inn.
As soon as Nan arrives, it becomes obvious to her that there’s something strange about Whitewood. All of the people are so strange and secretive and the streets always seem to be covered in fog. As Nan starts to do her research, she discovers that it will soon be time for the first annual sacrifice. The sacrifice is meant to happen at “The Hour of 13.” What does that mean? Why not go into the basement of the inn and search for some clues….
When Nan never returns from Whitewood, her brother, Dick (Denis Lotis), teams up with her fiance, Bill (Tom Naylor), and they head up to town to investigate. Once Dick arrives in town, he meets Whitewood’s only seemingly normal inhabitant, Pat (Bella St. John). Pat, who had previously befriended Nan and is the daughter of the local (and apparently quite ineffectual) reverend, agrees to help them in their search. Of course, Pat is also apparently the only virgin left in Massachusetts and the time for the second sacrifice is approaching….
Though set in America, The City of the Dead was produced in the UK and features British actors, all of whom do a fairly good job of sounding like natives of New England. (Much like would happen later with the Italian zombie and cannibal films, this very British film was still made with the a focus on appealing to an American audience.) This deliberately paced film is a masterpiece of mood and menace. Director John Llewellyn Moxey emphasizes atmosphere over jump-scares and the black-and-white cinematography gives the entire film a gothic, dream-like feel. Though he’s not in the film as much as you might expect, Christopher Lee still makes the most of his scenes as Prof. Driscoll and the film’s fiery finale definitely makes an impression.
The City of the Dead is one of those films that, because it has fallen into the public domain, is very easy to find. (It seems to get included in every “50-DVD” box set released by Mill Creek.) It also plays frequently on TCM so keep an eye out for it!
In 1987, a wealthy white attorney is running for Congress in Georgia. After watching an interview in which he attacks affirmative action programs, an elderly black woman named Hattie Mae (Amirah Vann) collects a stack of old letters and drops them off at the attorney’s office. As the attorney reads the letters, he learns the truth about his past.
That’s the opening of Tyler Perry’s latest Netflix film, A Jazzman’s Blues. The rest of the film is largely set in Georgia in the 30s and the 40s. Hattie Mae is the mother of two sons, Bayou (Joshua Boone) and Willie Earl (Austin Scott). Bayou is shy, innocent, and naïve. He has a wonderful singing voice but no one takes him seriously. Willie Earl is egotistical and temperamental. Because he can play the trumpet, Willie Earl is his father’s favorite. When Willie Earl and his father leave to seek fame in Chicago, Bayou remains in Georgia with his mother.
He also falls in love with Leanne (Solea Pfeiffer), who everyone calls “Bucket” because her mother abandoned her in a used bucket. Leanne teaches Bayou to read. Bayou tries to protect Leanne from he abusive grandfather. Eventually, though, Leanne leaves Georgia. Years later, she returns as the wife of the local sheriff’s political ambitious brother. Leanne is now passing as white but Bayou still loves her. Leanne’s mother, who is now back in the picture, lies to the sheriff and says that Bayou whistled at Leanne. Bayou is forced to flee Georgia. He ends up in Chicago, performing with Wille Earl, who is now junkie.
In Chicago, Bayou becomes a star while Wille Earl plays in his brother’s band. Willie Earl grows jealous of his brother’s success. When Bayou learns that Leanne has had a son and that he’s probably the father, Bayou makes plans to return to Georgia for a one-night performance. Tragically, this provides Willie Earl with his opportunity to seek revenge….
Based on the first script that Tyler Perry ever wrote, A Jazzman’s Blues looks and feels like a real movie. Netflix actually invested some money in this film and that alone represents a step up from Perry’s previous Netflix film. Visually, the film does a good job contrasting the lushness of rural Georgia with the harshness of Chicago and the scenes in which Bayou performs in Capital Royale club are particularly well-shot. Joshua Boone may not be the most expressive actor in the world but he’s got a great voice. That said, this is still a Tyler Perry film and the story is still both melodramatic and predictable. The framing device of the attorney reading the letters is rather clumsily handled and you’ll be able to guess the identity of the attorney long before the end credits roll.
The main problem with the film, to be honest, is that Willie Earl is a far more intriguing character than Bayou. Willie Earl’s story is the interesting one and, as the film comes to a close, you find yourself wondering what Willie Earl did with the rest of his life. Unfortunately, Perry doesn’t tell you or provide any hints. His script uses Willie Earl as a dramatic device (and as an excuse to indulge in a bit of biblical allegory) but Austin Scott gives such a strong performance in the role that he takes over any scene in which he appears. Can there be redemption for Willie Earl or is he doomed to spend the rest of his life in denial? Does he regret his actions or is he so blinded by jealousy and hatred that he can justify the worst possible betrayal? It’s the most interesting question that the film leaves us with but Perry doesn’t seem to realize that.
In the end, A Jazzman’s Blues indicates that, with the right resources, Tyler Perry can direct a real film. But perhaps he should collaborate with another screenwriter. A Jazzman’s Blues is not a bad film but it’s hard not to feel that Perry missed an opportunity to make it even better.
The 1977 film, Audrey Rose, tells the story of an annoying little girl named Ivy (Susan Swift), who is the daughter of annoying Janice (Marsha Mason) and annoying Bill (John Beck). Everything seems to be perfectly normal in an annoying way until, one day, they notice that they’re being followed around by an annoying man named Elliott (Anthony Hopkins). Elliott explains that Ivy is the reincarnation of his daughter, Audrey Rose, who was herself kind of annoying. Whenever Elliott says, “Audrey Rose,” Ivy going into a trance and starts screaming, which gets a bit annoying after a while. Elliott explains this is because Audrey died in a fiery car crash and was apparently reincarnated too soon after her death. Therefore, anytime Elliott shows us, Ivy relives the crash and tries to burn herself. Annoying!
To me, it seems like there’s a simple solution to all of this. Elliott could just go away or, at the very least, stop saying, “Audrey Rose” every ten seconds. Anyway, at one point, Ivy starts screaming so Elliott rushes into the apartment and makes her stop. However, Elliott is accused of attempting to abduct Ivy, arrested, and put on trial.
Elliott’s defense is that he couldn’t abduct his own daughter so therefore, if Ivy is the reincarnation of Audrey Rose, then he’s innocent. Somehow, this leads to the trial becoming about proving reincarnation. Hindu holy men are called to the stand. Elliott smirks and tells his lawyer to call Janice to the stand because he’s figured out that Janice believes him. Meanwhile, Ivy finds herself drawn towards every fire that she sees…
Audrey Rose was directed by a legitimately great director, Robert Wise. Unfortunately, Wise takes the material way too seriously. Just when you think the film is going to be an over the top possessed child flick, it suddenly turns into a turgid and serious debate about reincarnation. The movie is so busy trying to be realistic that it forgets to be fun.
There’s also a lot of yelling in Audrey Rose. In between Ivy screaming and Elliott continually calling his dead daughter’s name and Bill arguing with Janice and random characters screaming whenever Ivy gets to close to a fire, it’s easy to get a headache while watching this film.
Mason and Beck are pretty lousy in the roles of Janice and Bill. Hopkins brings an occasionally neurotic edge to the role of Elliott. You never quite trust him, even though the movie wants you to. The best performances in the film come from the performers in the minor roles, character actors like Norman Lloyd, Robert Walden, and John Hillerman. None of them are required to pretend like they’re taking their dialogue seriously and, as such, they’re a lot more fun to watch.
All in all, Audrey Rose is a fairly silly movie. For some reason (probably the presence of Hopkins), it does seem to show up on TCM fairly regularly but I wouldn’t recommend watching. If you want to see a good Robert Wise horror movie, check out The Haunting.
Today’s horror on the lens is 1974’s The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer.
This short but entertaining sci-fi film may be a bit obscure but it’s a personal favorite of mine. Check out my review here and then be sure to enjoy the show!
The 1987 film, The Pretender, invites us to meet Keith!
As played by Mark Rose, Keith is a typical high school student. He has a job delivering pizzas. He likes to hang out with his friends. He likes to smoke. He likes to drink. He takes football a little bit too seriously. And, most of all, Keith wants to get laid.
However, almost all of the girls at his high school have gone out with Keith and are tired of him. At least, that’s the way that Keith and his friends explain it. (Considering how unappealing Keith is, I think he might be giving himself a little bit too much credit.) Though his friends insist that “Robin Williams” is the hottest girl in school, Keith sets his sights on Dana (Crystal Robbins). Everyone wants to date Dana but everyone also knows that Dana is ultra-religious.
So, quicker than you can say Dangerous Liaisons or Cruel Intentions or even The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, Keith decides to pretend that he’s become ultra-religious as well! Keith announces to everyone that he’s met that he became a Christian over the summer. Keith even fools the leader of the school’s Christians, Frank (Dan Addington). Keith reads the Bible. Keith memorizes verses. Keith goes to church. And soon, Keith is kind of dating Dana!
Now, if you’re expecting me to say that all of this means that Keith actually becomes a Christian …. well, you’re wrong. This is a film from the Christiano Brothers and a major theme running through almost all of their films is that most people who claim to be a Christian actually aren’t. Indeed, the major Christiano theme always seems to be that you should trust no one. That’s the case with Keith, who comes across as being something of a sociopath, a southwestern Patrick Bateman. Keith is such a liar that he even convinces another friend of his to start a fight with Frank so that Keith can step in and protect Frank. Keith may say that he’s all about Jesus but he’s still getting into fights on the football field and threatening kids in class. Speaking of class, I’m a little bit curious about just what exactly Keith’s grades look like. He spends so much time setting up fake confrontations and hiring people to lie for him, you have to kind of wonder if he actually has any time left for studying. Those lies aren’t going to get you into SMU, Keith! Eventually, much like Valmont, Keith is on the verge of getting what he wants from Dana but don’t worry! Keith’s not a slick as he thinks he is.
The film is a definite time capsule, full of 80s styles, 80s haircuts, and 80s attitudes. The grainy cinematography gives the film almost a documentary feel and, as a Southwesterner, it’s always nice when I get to watch a film where everyone has the same accent that I do. That said, it’s a pretty silly film. The problem is that Keith’s plan is so obvious that you actually kind of lose respect for Frank and Dana when they don’t immediately see through him. This is one of those films where things happen not because they make sense but because the film needs them to happen in order to make a bigger point. Still, the film ends on a slightly upbeat note, suggesting that redemption is available to even sociopaths, like these three toadsuckers below.
Here’s some thoughts on what I watched this week!
Abbott Elementary (Wednesday Night, ABC)
Oh Lord, the Story Samurais. Seriously, I’ve known people just like that. I was cringing for them through the entire episode. Ava continues to be the best character on the show.
The Amazing Race (Wednesday Night, CBS)
I wrote about the latest episode of The Amazing Race here.
Atlanta (Thursday Night, FX)
This week’s episode dealt with an enigmatic entertainment mogul known as Kirkwood Chocolate, who was a prolific and popular creator of melodramatic dramas and broad comedies. Everyone on the show acknowledged that Mr. Chocolate’s shows were not necessarily good but they also wanted to support black art. Mr. Chocolate, himself, turned out to be a somewhat crazed megalomaniac who also claimed to have no control over his shows. Lottie briefly became Mr. Chocolate’s biggest star. It was a funny and thought-provoking episode and it made no attempt to hide that Kirkwood Chocolate was basically Tyler Perry.
Bachelor In Paradise (Monday and Tuesday Nights, ABC)
I just watched it for the scenery. It is kind of interesting that everyone who has been eliminated so far came from Clayton’s season. It’s like someone put a curse on that season and the people involved will never find peace.
Beyond The Headlines (Sunday Morning, Lifetime)
This was a one-hour discussion of the Gabby Petito case, which Lifetime aired as a companion to The Gabby Petito Story.
East New York (Sunday Night, CBS)
On Sunday, I watched the first episode of CBS’s newest cop show, East New York. The main reason that I watched it was because I had been inundated for commercials for the show while I was watching Big Brother last month. Much as I was expecting, East New York turned out to be a middling cop show, one that tried to walk the fine line between back the blue and defund the police. It didn’t really work but it was nice to see that the show had good roles for Richard Kind and Jimmy Smits.
Ghosts (Thursday Night, CBS)
Sam started a podcast about Hetty’s murder but, in order to get funding, she had to accept the eccentric and creepy Todd Pearlman as a co-host. This episode wasn’t quite as funny as the season premiere but it did set up what I assume will be this season’s major storyline.
Hell’s Kitchen (Thursday Night, FOX)
Someone finally tried to serve raw chicken. It’s not really Hell’s Kitchen until that happens.
Inspector Lewis (YouTube)
I watched the end of the 8th series on Tuesday. Robbie was upset because one of his old cases was being reopened. I was upset because Hathaway had a truly terrible haircut. Hopefully, that’ll be corrected next week.
Interview With A Vampire (Sunday, AMC)
I watched the premiere on Monday and I was bored out of my mind.
Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)
Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise in New York City so, of course, Law & Order decided to do an episode about it in which they blamed it all on a generic right-wing gun nut who was upset over COVID. The U.S. government wanted to prosecute the criminal but they also wanted to see the death penalty. “I don’t know if I can set my personal beliefs aside,” Price said. When has Price ever been able to set aside his personal beliefs? Seriously, we’re only to seasons into this season and I’m already sick of Price talking about his personal beliefs.
Law & Order: Organized Crime (Thursday Night, NBC)
I did watch Organized Crime but seriously, don’t even ask me what happened on this week’s episode. I got bored and kind of zoned out. All I know is that Stabler needs to relax. Maybe try yoga or something.
Law & Order: SVU (Thursday Night, NBC)
SVU took a heavy-handed swipe at influencer culture this week. It was a bit of a generic story but the episode was somewhat redeemed by Killi Giddish’s performance as Amanda Rollins, who is still struggling to put being shot behind her.
Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head (Paramount Plus)
Never will I forget the horror of Beavis putting on Yoga pants. The season came to an end this week with an appropriately hilarious episode. First, Beavis and Butt-Head were thrilled to discover their employer reserved the right to refuse service to customers who created an unsafe work environment. And then Beavis decided that he would “look really sexy” in yoga pants. Needless to say it didn’t go well. As for the overall season, I liked it. I perhaps would have done a bit less with Old Beavis and Old Butt-Head but otherwise, this was a really funny and sharply satiric show.
Night Flight (NightFlight+)
I watched two episodes of this old 80s show on Friday night. One dealt with songs about drugs. The other was a profile of Depeche Mode.
The Real Love Boat (Wednesday Night, CBS)
Basically, this is just Paradise Hotel on a boat. Who knows? Maybe everyone will find love before the season ends.
So Help Me Todd (Wednesday Night, CBS)
This is a new show about a lawyer and her son, the private investigator. Guess what the son’s name is! CBS advertised the Hell out of this during Big Brother, so I watched the first episode when it was re-aired on Sunday. It was not quite as bad as I was expecting but it’s still very much a middle-of-the-road, safe to watch with your middle-aged relatives sort of show. Marcia Gay Harden plays the lawyer and it’s nice to see her playing someone who isn’t a half-crazed victim for once.
Survivor (Wednesday Night, CBS)
I wrote about the latest episode of Survivor here.
Talking Dead (Sunday Night, AMC)
I still like Talking Dead but it’s hard not to feel that everything that can be said about The Walking Dead already has been said. Even Chris Hardwicke seemed to be kind of bored with it all.
The Walking Dead (Sunday Night, AMC)
The Walking Dead returned with a boring episode. Let’s hope things pick up next week.
Tonight’s episode of Ghost Story is full of stars!
Evil grandpa comes to visit his family and, with the help of voodoo cookies (you read that right), he tries to manipulate his deaf and mute granddaughter into helping him kill everyone! Grandpa is played by Melvyn Douglas. His granddaughter is played by Jodie Foster! And the script was written by none other than Robert Bloch and Richard Matheson!
This episode originally aired on November 10th, 1972.
Through the Shattered Lens 