THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) Lobby Cards

The Bloody Pit #112 - THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942)

Universal’s Frankenstein film series enters the 1940’s with its neck-bolted head held high.

As the fourth in the series THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) is usually seen a massive step down from the classic films produced in the 1930’s but Troy and I have some things to say about that. The story has Bela Lugosi’s Ygor character as the main agent of action which is a smart beginning. His desire to help his monstrous ‘friend’ regain its full strength sends this twisted George and Lenny to yet another son of Frankenstein for mad medical assistance. What could possibly go wrong?

We discuss the impressive cast including the holdovers from THE WOLFMAN (1941), giving our takes on the various qualities of their performances versus what the script gives them to do. We lament the sad waste of Eveyln Ankers and seriously question the intentions of the film’s costume designers. What is with that bizarre dress? The film’s decision to double up on mad scientists gives us the chance to see Lionel Atwill run off with nearly every scene he has including being the most interesting thing to watch even when he is in the background. We dig into the switch from Karloff to Lon Chaney Jr. being behind the monster’s makeup and debate the choice to use dubbing for his voice in the climactic final sequence. I refer to the published script for the film to point out some interesting trims that might have made this short movie feel a little more substantial but there is something to be said for brevity, I suppose. At an hour and seven minutes it is certainly a fast ride!

We end the show with the demo or practice take of an Exotic Ones’ song Knock It Down which was co-written by Liz Morris. It’s a fun tune centered around the Universal monsters and hopefully the band will eventually record a full-strength version for a future album.

We can be reached at thebloodypit@gmail.com for any comments or suggestions or over on the FaceBook page. Thank you for listening to the show!

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Dr. Cushing's Chamber of Horrors by Stephen D. Sullivan - Out on August 30th!

About the Book: The monsters aren’t only in the museum! Despite a lifetime of traveling with their father to collect strange artifacts, twins Topaz and Opal Cushing have never fully believed in monsters or the supernatural. Oh, sure, they share an eerie psychic connection, and their tarot card readings often come true, but… Werewolves? Vampires? Living mummies? None of those could be real. Those legends are just for rubes. Right? Since the girls’ father has been away, though, strange things have been happening in the family’s little exhibit—and in the waxworks studio that shares their dilapidated Victorian mansion on the outskirts of London. Now, the twins’ dreams of a fun, romantic summer season are turning into a nightmare, and the monsters are running... Dr. Cushing’s Chamber of Horrors! Print Length: 437 pages Publisher: Walkabout Publishing (August 30, 2020) Publication Date: August 30, 2020 Language: English ASIN: B08F13XKQG ISBN-13: 979-8668896547 Pre-Order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08F13XKQG

About the Author: Stephen D. Sullivan has over sixty published titles to his name and helped create more comics and games than he can either list or remember. A Scribe award-winner for “Best Novel Adaptation, 2016” with his book Manos: The Hands of Fate, Sullivan lives with his wife in a small town in Wisconsin. You can contact him via Twitter, Facebook, Patreon, or on his website: www.stephendsullivan.com

Trailers From Hell - THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL (1960)

NaschyCast #64 - Samm Deighan Visits!

As 2020 rolls on we continue to bring new voices onto the show! This time Troy and I sit down with the amazing Samm Deighan to talk about the joys of Spanish horror. Miss Deighan is an associate editor of Diabolique Magazine and co-host of the Daughters of Darkness Podcast. She is also the editor of Lost Girls: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin and her book on Fritz Lang’s M (1931) is a must read for those interested in movie serial killers. We are very lucky to have her on the show!

While the main subject of this episode is the brilliant and underseen A BELL FROM HELL (1973) there is no way to be a guest on the Naschycast without talking a (long) while about the hirsute icon of the genre – Paul Naschy! That means that at some point chest hair is brought up and wigs are discussed. It cannot be avoided.

Samm comes with a list of her favorite Naschy films and manages to gives us a fresh perspective on a couple of them. The repressed Spanish society is a major topic with the country’s rigid genre roles playing into the ways that these stories are told. A BELL FORM HELL is especially interesting when examining the skewed power dynamics of the story with the wheelchair-bound aunt exerting her control over the only male in the family. Also, we dig into the often bizarre 1970’s film attitude toward rape as a plot point or harmless joke with the women sometimes seeming to long for the act or even encourage it. Repressive cultures shape psyches into twisted forms! The genre’s common scenes of animal cruelty get into the mix with Samm’s take on modern sensibilities bringing some unexpected laughs to Troy and I.

But nothing can prepare you for the out-of-left-field discussion of Yeti nipples! You’ll just have to listen to understand. Plus, Troy and Samm briefly talk about their mutual love for the severely neglected folk horror film EYES OF FIRE (1983) and their wonder that it has yet to appear on any form of digital media. What is up with that?

If you have any comments or questions the show can be reached at naschycast@gmail.com or over on the podcast’s FaceBook page. Thank you for listening!

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Alternative 'Little Golden Books'

There's nothing like twisting a childhood classic to bizarre ends. 

This ain't The Poky Little Puppy! 

Dalek Cross-Sections! or Dalek Guts!

Or Interior Views of a Hideous Monster! 

EXTERMINATE! 

West of Shatner - A Radio Play!

Just when I think I've heard the strangest thing I'm likely to hear in 2020 comes this bizarre thing! 

This audio 'drama' asks the question 'What if Adam West and William Shatner were the world's two greatest detectives solving crimes on the streets of Venice Beach?' It's just as crazed and funny as you might hope. 

The Bloody Pit #111 - Doctor Who: Inferno (1970)

I’ve been a fan of the classic version of Doctor Who since I was a teenager. Like many Americans I discovered the show on PBS and have been striving to catch up ever since. The standard debate amongst Whovians is about favorite Doctors but I think a more interesting discussion can be formed around favorite stories. So, when approaching our first podcast on the subject we picked a classic from early in the Third Doctor’s run that showcases the joys typical of the 1970’s version of the series.

Jon Pertwee’s five year run as Doctor Who is one of the periods of the original show that still holds some mysteries for me. There are a number of stories from these years that I have never seen, meaning that I get a bit excited to explore Pertwee’s version of the character because they are new Classic Who! Or, at least, new to me. This enthusiasm for the Third Doctor’s tales causes me to repeatedly watch beloved stories to soak up the pure fun of what they were doing. Even so, it took me a long time to realize that the entire time Pertwee’s Doctor is working with UNIT is supposed to be in the 1980’s! That just makes things even cooler!

Mark Maddox is a longtime Who fan and has had the pleasure of getting to create artwork for Doctor Who magazine. He has even gotten to interpret some unfilmed Who stories with brush and paint! He talks about that as we meander around this episode discussing ‘Inferno’, the final tale from Jon Pertwee’s first season. This is a seven-part tale so we dig into why those longer stories are so much fun. As to be expected, the inevitable talk about favorite Doctors comes up along with a sharp digression into the elements we feel are missing from the 21st century incarnation of the show. This leads to a verbal scrum involving the various actors who have played the character. When we work our way back to ‘Inferno’ we discuss the smart sound design of the story, the fascinating alternate Earth we get to see and Mark tries to convince me to call the hairy green creatures in the story Lava Monsters. He is only occasionally successful. Occasionally.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the show or if you’d just like to tell us who your favorite Who is/was/will be drop us a line at thebloodypit@gmail.com and we’ll respond. Right now we have no idea what Mark and I will cover next so get those ideas in and you might influence our choice. Maybe.

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Mystery Film Clip From THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942)

At the end of THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) the Frankenstein Monster goes on a rampage and dies a fiery death in the blazing laboratory. I've seen photos of the scorched Monster outside the burning house including in the published script of the film. It was always thought to be nothing more than a posed publicity still until on a 1959 episode of "The Steve Allen Show", a joke montage featured this mysterious clip. It seems to be actual film footage of the Monster staggering away from the burning building at the end of the movie.

Is this part of an entirely different ending that was filmed, but never used?

What I Watched in July

NetFlix recently debuted THE OLD GUARD (2020) which is a new comic book to film adaptation. Remember when those were rare? Well, this is a comic book I was unfamiliar with, so I tuned in because I was intrigued to see star Charlize Theron who I enjoy watching in nearly anything. And then I learned that the film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood who I recognized as the director of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (2008) and LOVE & BASKETBALL (2000). This film is her first step into action cinema although she got some practice directing (and producing) some more action-oriented television shows. From the evidence here she is ready for nearly anything.

The film tells the story of a small group of immortal people able to sustain a near infinite amount of physical damage without dying. Drawn to war they have served as mercenaries for centuries lead by the oldest of their number Andromache "Andy" of Scythia played by Theron. Andy has tasked the group with trying to help people and improve the world rather than act as simple hired killers but has become depressed over the last few years convinced that their work isn’t doing any good. She sees the world getting worse overall and isn’t sure what to do. Persuaded by a former CIA operative to go on a rescue mission the team is instead ambushed and mercilessly gunned down. They survive this – of course – but their resurrection is captured on camera and now they know that someone out there is aware of their abilities. Complicating matters is that the team also senses in Afghanistan that a new one of their special kind has come into being meaning they have to help this new recruit understand their new world.

I was stunned by how quickly I was wrapped up in THE OLD GUARD’s story. I liked the characters immediately and loved that there was so much backstory communicated with such economy. The actors feel as if they really have been together for centuries and are comfortable with knowing their companions good and bad sides. The story doesn’t give up its surprises too early leading you down a twisty path that ends in a very satisfying place. On top of that, I was surprised by how emotionally invested I became as the film went on. I found myself liking these people and rooting for them to overcome the worst struggle any of them have faced before. There is a scene in which a member of the team expresses his love for another in the most poetic and beautiful language I’ve ever heard in a film of this type. It explained perfectly why this man will do anything for his beloved and was one of the most touching screen moments I’ve witnessed in years. All that surrounded by a great story and exciting action scenes! Bring on the sequel!

THE LIST

FLASH GORDON (1980) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)
YOUNG MR. LINCOLN (1939) – 8
JUNGLE CAPTIVE (1945) – 6
THE BANANA SPLITS MOVIE (2019) – 6
THE MARK OF THE DEAD (1961) – 6 (Mexican mad scientist horror tale)
MEXICAN HAYRIDE (1948) – 6 (Abbot & Costello con game)
COBRA (1986) – 3 (rewatch on Blu) (so, so bad!)
THE OLD GUARD (2020) – 9 (excellent comic book adaptation)
THE VAMPIRE (1957) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
REVENGE OF THE NINJA (1983) – 4 (rewatch) (terrible but fun)
DOUBLE FACE (1969) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)
RAGE OF HONOR (1987) – 4 (rewatch)
AMERICAN RICKSHAW (1989) – 7 (kind of amazing)
LOS VAMPIROS DE COYOACAN (1974) – 6 (silly, fun Masked wrestler film)
A GAME OF DEATH (1945) – 7 (good remake of The Most Dangerous Game)
TINTORERA (1977) – 7 (well done drama - short version)
THE PROJECTED MAN (1966) – 7 (solid British variation THE FLY)
ROY COLT AND WINCHESTER JACK (1970) – 3 (rewatch on Blu)
THE FALCON’S ALIBI (1946) – 6
SPECTRE (2015) – 8 (rewatch)
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS (2017) – 8 (rewatch)
PRIMAL RAGE (1989) – 4
MISSILE TO THE MOON (1958) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)
ORLAK – THE HELL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1960) – 5 (Mexican mad science /revenge plot)

Video - Jason & Friends -The Saturday Morning Cartoon!

This was just too good NOT to share. What if the 'adventures' of Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees were turned into a Saturday morning cartoon show in the 1980's in the same tone deaf way other R rated characters were? It might have looked a little something like this!

If we were lucky. 

Thundarr the Barbarian Coloring Book!

On the recent Bloody Pit podcast focused on REVENGE OF THE NINJA (1983) my co-host Brian and I rambled briefly down a side-road lamenting the fact tat our beloved Thundarr the Barbarian was cancelled far too soon. Soon after this show was posted I noticed that the great Mark Evanier wrote a piece for his blog about the fact that there was never a comic book series based on the show. I recommend reading it HERE.  

And today my good buddy Jeff Nelson pointed me toward this excellent blog posting that has a downloadable version of the Thundarr coloring book that was released in 1982. I have vague memories of seeing this item years ago but I can't remember if it was back in the day or as a collectible long after. Still, this and the board game from Milton Bradley are the only merchandising stuff that I know of that has ever been released connected to the this amazing, fun show. I guess we're lucky that all 21 episodes are available on DVD, huh? 

Magazine - Little Shoppe of Horrors #44

I should have already mentioned that the latest issue of the venerable magazine focused on the classic Hammer films has come out. You can order it at the LINK HERE and pick up any back issues that you might have missed. The 'zine is always filled to the brim with great information, interviews and reviews that range all over the Hammer landscape and off occasionally into other British production houses from the 50's, 60's and 70's as well. I can't recommend Little Shoppe more highly so if you've never read an issue you can jump in anyplace that most interests you and find hours of good reading. It's a horror fan's dream come true. 

LSOH Website

Comic Book - Savage Sagas #1

Comic book writer Christopher Mills has released the first issue of a new sword & sorcery anthology comic called Savage Sagas. This is part of a slew of new independent comic books Mills is creating and publishing on his own and I have loved every one I've read so far. Until Savage Sagas debuted my favorite had been Space Crusaders but I love barbarian ass-kicking more than laser battles by the length of a (short) dagger so .... top spot goes to 'ax wielding man fighting Lovecraftian monster' every time! 

If these kinds of old style comics are your cup of tea as well I strongly recommend checking out the various titles Mr. Mills and his impressive array of artists have on offer over the IndyPlanet sales website. You'll be glad that you did.  

Christopher Mills LINK at IndyPlanet 

Savage Sagas #1

Space Crusaders #1

Space Crusaders #2

Femme Noir