"Look Into My Eyes..."

Mesmerizing Dracula artwork by Mark Spears.

Creepy Carolers

Universal Monsters... By Alex Ross!

This is truly exciting news!  Alex Ross an artist most famous for his life-like renditions of superheros (how have I not shared a post on this guy?) has announced that he has a created a series of illustrations based on the Universal Monsters!  The series isn't actually going to be released until next year, but in the meantime enjoy the amazing artwork featuring almost the entire gang!

Classic Horror on TCM!

Well...  Good job, Turner Classic Movies.  I'm not going to have much room left on my DVR after October!

I don't know how many of you have access to the TCM channel, but I thought I would share a portion of their programming schedule for this month which is dedicated to classic horror films!  TCM is celebrating Halloween all month long with a great selection of vintage movies, including films from the silent era, the original Universal classics, and the Hammer films as well!

Friday, 7th
Nosferatu (1922) @ 8pm
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) @ 9:45pm
The Unholy Three (1925) @ 11:15pm
Phantom of the Opera (1925) @ 1am

Saturday, 9th 
Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) @ 8pm
Frankenstein meets the Wolfman (1943) @ 9:15
House of Frankenstein (1944) @ 10:45pm
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) @ 12:15

Sunday, 16th 
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) @ 8pm
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) @ 9:45pm

Monday, 17th 
Horror Hotel (1960) @ 8pm
Horror Express (1972) @ 9:30pm
The House that Dripped Blood (1970) @ 11:15pm
The Creeping Flesh (1972) @ 1:15am

February, 21st 
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) @ 8pm
Eyes Without a Face (1960) @ 10:00pm
The Body Snacher (1945) @11:45pm
Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954) @ 1:15am
Machabre (1958) @ 2:45am

Saturday, 22nd 
The Killer Shrews (1959) @ 6:45am
The Devil Bay (1940) @ 8am
The Seventh Victim (1943) @ 9:15am

Sunday, 23rd 
Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) @ 8pm
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1970) @ 10pm
The Phantom Carriage (1922) @ 12am
Epidemic (1987) @ 2am

Monday, 24th 
The Gorgon (1964) @ 3:15pm
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) @ 4:45pm
Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966) @ 6:15pm
House of Dracula (1958) @8pm
Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1965) @ 9:30pm
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1969) @ 11:15pm
Taste The Blood of Dracula (1970) @ 1am
The Scars of Dracula (1970) @ 2:45am
Dracula A.D. (1972) @4:30am

Wednesday, 26th 
The Robot vs The Aztec Mummy (1965) @ 6am
The Time Machine (1960) @ 7:15am
Time After Time (1979) @ 9am
The Ice Pirates (1984) @ 1pm
Satellite In the Sky (1956) @ 2:45pm
Logan's Run (1975) @ 4:15pm
Soylent Green (1973) @ 6:15pm

Friday, 28th 
Dracula (1931) @ 8pm
The Mummy (1932) @ 9:30pm
The Invisible Man (1933) @ 11pm
THE Wolfman (1941) @ 12:15am
The Black Cat (1934) @ 1:30am
The Uninvited (1944) @ 2:45am
Island of Lost Souls (1933) @ 4:30am

Saturday, 29th 
The She-Doll 1936 @ 6am
Bedlam (1946) @ 9am
The Black Scorpion (1957) @ 12pm
The Blob (1958) @ 1:45pm
Village of The Dammed (1961) @ 3:15pm
The Thing From Another Would (1951) @ 4:45pm
Earth vs The Fling Saucers (1956) @ 6:30pm
Blood and Black Lace (1964) @ 8pm
Carnival of Souls (1962) @ 9:30pm
It's Alive (1974) @ 11pm
The Baby (1973) @ 12:45pm

Sunday, 30th 
The Tingler (1959) @ 12pm
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) @ 1:30pm
The Abominable Dr. Philbes (1971) @ 6pm
Young Frankenstein (1974) @ 8pm
Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1947) @ 10pm
The Monster (1925) @ 12am

Monday, 31st 
Mark of The Vampire (1935) @ 6am
Walk With A Zombie 1943) @ 8:30am
Dementa 13 (1963) @ 9:45am
House of Wax (1953) @ 11:15am
Black Sabbath (1964) @ 12:45pm
Dead of Night (1945) @ 2:30pm
House on Haunted Hill (1958) @ 4:30pm
The Haunting (1963) @ 6pm
The Devils Bride (1968) @ 8pm
The Mummy (1959) @ 9:45pm
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1961) @ 2:45am
To The Devil, A Daughter (1976) @ 4:30am

Famous Monsters Speak!

What a treat this must have been for the monster kids!!!  

"Famous Monster Speak" was an album released in 1963.  Advertised, appropriately enough, in the back of Famous Monsters magazine and other Warren publications this record delivered on its promise:  Allowing the listener to hear Frankenstein's Monster and Dracula talk!  

The album consisted of two stories - one on each side of the record - featuring each monster as the narrator.  Both stories are creatively framed by their own establishing plots.  For Frankenstein's Monster, a summit of scientists has gathered to listen to a "primitive recording device" which features the creature recounting his creation from his own perspective and his struggles against creator.  Meanwhile, Dracula's story is told when he summons a reporter to his lair to type up an expose' on his life as an immortal vampire.

I particularly enjoy the artwork for the album with iconic images of both the Monster and Dracula.  Inexplicably, the Wolf Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Mummy also share the spotlight despite not actually appearing on the record itself at all.  

Overall, this is good listen if you enjoy the old radio dramas.  The voice acting is spot-on.  Gabriel Dell supplied the voices of both the Monster and Dracula.  His portrayal of the Monster appropriately alternates between menacing and tragic, while his Dracula maintains a consistently sinister tone (and without imitating Lugosi!).  The sound effects also help to set a great atmosphere for both the framing narratives and the monsters telling their stories.  

Side 1 - Frankenstein

Side 2 - Dracula 

I'm always on the look out for a copy of this record as I scour the shelves and racks of flea markets flipping through vinyls.  Maybe one day I'll luck out and actually track one down. 

Morphing Famous Monsters

Whoever came up with this is brilliant.  I'm at a loss for words...  This is just pure awesome.

"Monsters of Legend" - Midnight Syndicate

In describing their music, Midnight Syndicate have characterized their dark, moody work as "soundtracks for the imagination".  Monsters of Legend, one of the groups' most recent releases, certainly lives up to this lofty aspiration, while refining their craft and managing to break new ground!

I was actually introduced to the music of these amazing artists a long time ago, but I didn't even realize it at the time.  It wasn't until I began honing my monster-making skills to create my own Halloween display and was looking for something to set the mood that I stumbled upon their work and "rediscovered" their music.

The group's albums have been a mainstay in Halloween attractions for years with most major professional haunts around the world using their albums in their shows.  In fact, according to Midnight Syndicate's website, it is estimated by an industry expert that "75-90% of the attractions in the haunted house industry owned at least one Midnight Syndicate CD".  I guess that would explain why I felt a such great sense of déjà vu when I listened to their music!

Midnight Syndicate has been creating Gothic music since 1997.  The award-winning group consists of composers Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka.  Through the years, Midnight Syndicate has developed 18 albums, including soundtracks for three films and an album meant to accompany the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. 

The majority of these collections, however, exemplify what Midnight Syndicate is best known for:  Mood-establishing music that tells a story.  Described as "scores for imaginary films", each album has a different foreboding theme and locale with albums set in a haunted mansion, abandoned asylum, and supernatural circus.  

With Monsters of Legend, Midnight Syndicate sought to pay homage to the classic horror films of Universal Studios and Hammer Films.  As always, Midnight Syndicate's subtle melodies establish an eerie mood from the outset.  This time around, however, their sound is punctuated by symphonic embellishments and a deeper resonance, giving each piece an appropriately cinematic tone.  The understated melodies provide some great goose bump-inducing moments while the epic orchestral flourishes make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.  As they have in previous albums, the group utilizes sound effects throughout their pieces, method that could easily derail a piece in less-talented hands, but the group somehow manages to use these effects at the most effective moments, further enhancing their story-telling by generating imagery in the listener's mind.

Midnight Syndicate prove once again that they definitely know what they are doing.  Through the music, one can easily envision classic scene's from classic horror films...  Carriage rides to ancient castles where vampires reside, victims evading bloodthirsty werewolves in foggy moonlit forests, mad scientists working feverishly to give life to monsters cobbled together from corpses.  Indeed, the music creates a great atmosphere for concocting monsters of one's own... I'll admit, I find myself listening to this album on repeat as I work on Cryptic Corridor posts, regardless of the time of year!

It should be noted that Monsters of Legend was met with much well-deserved accolades and critical acclaim upon its release.  The album was named one of FEARnet's Top 10 Horror CD's of 2013 and earned the group a second Rondo Classic Horror Award for Best CD.

After rediscovering Midnight Syndicate through this amazing album, I have had the pleasure of meeting Edward Douglas on several occasions at various Horror conventions such as Scare-Fest and Mask-Fest.  Each time, Douglas was cordial and overflowing with enthusiasm, eager to talk about the group's music and upcoming projects.  

One such project was Kickstarter campaign Midnight Syndicate created around the time Monster of Legend was released.  The goal of the fundraiser was for the group to go on tour and share their music with live audiences.  I was disappointed to find that that particular project fell through, but was later delighted to find out that the group was invited to create a live show for Cedar Point amusement park, called Midnight Syndicate Live:  Legacy of Shadows.  The show features a live music concert with elements of horror theatre.  I hope to one day be able to attend this show!

Another exciting project is the follow-up to Monsters of Legend, a Christmas/Winter Solstice-themed album -  Christmas:  A Ghostly Gathering - released earlier last month (which I'll make a special post on as we near the holiday season).  I'll admit to this:  I'm not a big fan of Christmas music, especially not in season, but I've had to force myself to stop listening to it while I work on my Halloween projects to save it for the winter months!

You can find out more about Midnight Syndicate and purchase music on their website.

Spine-Tingling!

I've always loved this image of Dwight Frye from "Bride of Frankenstein".

Dwight Frye is mostly remembered from his roles in Universal's horror pictures, including:  "Dracula", "Frankenstein", and the "The Invisible Man".  Each of these films featured Frye in minor, supporting roles, but he always managed to shine.  For example, in "Dracula", Frye delivered a particularly chilling and memorable performance as Renfield, the Count's (literally) bloodthirsty henchman.

Brrrr...  If that doesn't send shivers down your spine!

Pepsi Party Monsters!

Back in the early 90's Pepsi (and Doritos's) teamed up with the Universal Monsters brand to do a series of Halloween promotions.  One of my favorite products of this unholy union was the "Pepsi Party Monsters" from '92.  As you can see, the results were gloriously unadulterated cheesy fun!

The artwork seen in this post graced the backside of twelve packs.  I remember tracking down relatives that drank the various Pepsi products so I could collect all of the artwork and hang it up in my room.  I also remember being so disappointed the year they stopped producing these!

As seen above, Frankenstein's Monster celebrated the occasion by shooting some pool.  I never noticed the Wolfman's high-top sneakers until this post.

The Bride of Frankenstein hosted a frat-house toga party.  I remember her headdress on this one always bothered me as it looked a bit too Egyptian...  That's the Mummy's schtick!

 Dracula opted for a classy disco.  Growing up, I always wanted a pair of Drac's sunglasses.

The Mummy went for a hard rock concert.  I love the details for some of the instruments on this one:  Creech is back there rocking out a fish guitar while the Mummy's Egyptian-styled bass guitar is resting in a sarcophagus case.

Inexplicably, the Wolfman threw a luau.  Notice: Frankie's got mad limbo skills!

Finally, the Creature from the Black Lagoon invited everyone to back to his bachelor-pad cave for a conga line while he sucks down some Mountain Dew.

The Art of Basil Gogos

Basil Gogos is a celebrated artist best known for his cover artwork for classic issues of "Famous Monsters of Filmland".  His signature style features saturated colors and dramatic lighting, resulting in striking and unforgettable images.

Basil Gogos

Monster Magazine Ads

During the late 50's and up into the early 70's, it must have been a great time to be a fan of monsters!

At this time a subculture centered around the science fiction and horror genres captured the imagination of adolescents across the United States.  While it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly set off such rabid fandom, two contributing factors have their place at the epicenter:  "Shock Theater" and "Famous Monsters of Filmland".

"Shock Theater" was a package of over 50 classic Universal horror films distributed to television networks for syndication in 1957.  Airing during the late night hours on the weekends, local television would broadcast movies such as Dracula and Frankenstein.  Such programs were typically presented by flamboyantly spooky "horror hosts" such as Vampira and Zacherly.  Later film packages that further stoked the flames included "Son of Shock" and "Creature Features".

Coinciding with this resurgence in the interest in horror movies and the like was Forrest J. Ackerman's fan magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland".  First printed in 1958, this publication consisted of articles about the "sci-fi" (Ackerman is credited with creating this term) and horror films old and new.  Interviews with filmmakers and special effects wizards gave many their first exposure to what goes on "behind the scenes" of their film fantasies.  The magazine was also unique in its devotion to its readership.  Famous Monsters would regularly feature fan-made artwork, movies, costumes, and other creations.

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I'd better stop myself here to keep from writing an in-depth history lesson on the Monster Kid phenomenon  (although I think I'd like to do just that some time in the future), and revert back to the original topic I set out to present...

Seeking to further capitalize on this craze for all things monster, companies rushed to flood the market with monster and horror-related merchandise including masks, model kits, vinyl records, and other products. Primarily designed to appeal to juveniles, the back pages of these magazines such as "Famous Monsters" were filled with advertisements seeking to deprive young monster lovers of their hard-earned paper route and allowance money.