Chicago Ghouls

ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932) LUGOSI AND LAUGHTON

2011-11-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

A twisted treasure from Hollywood's pre-Code horror heyday, Island Of Lost Souls is a cautionary tale of science run amok adapted from H. G. Wells's novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. In one of his first major movie roles, Charles Laughton (The Private Life of Henry VIII) is a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there. This touchstone of movie terror, directed by Erle C. Kenton (House of Frankenstein), is elegantly shot by Karl Struss (The Great Dictator), features groundbreaking makeup effects that inspired generations of monster-movie artists, and costars Bela Lugosi (Dracula) in one his most gruesome roles.

DAY THE WORLD ENDED (1959) ROGER CORMAN PAUL BLAISDELL

2011-10-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

After a nuclear war, an unlikely group of people, including a rancher and his daughter (Lori Nelson), a geologist (Richard Denning), a crook and his girlfriend (Adele Jergens), find themselves trapped in the middle of nowhere. A really cool mutant created by master monster maker, Paul Blaisdell appears to make their problems worse. 50's Sci-Fi at it's best. Radiation and a great monster.

NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957) BEVERLY GARLAND

2011-09-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

An alien comes to Earth, masquerading as a human, to scout our planet for a new blood source in Not of This Earth. He needs the blood of humans to take back to his planet of Davana for his dying race. Starring Paul Birch, Beverly Garland (It Conquered The World) and Jonathan Haze (Little Shop Of Horrors).

NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS (1976)

2011-09-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is the fourth and final chapter in Armando de Ossorio's creepy Blind Dead series, which centers on the horrific legacy of the Templars, a medieval sect of occult-practicing Spanish knights, executed for heresy, who subsequently return as eyeless ghouls to claim symbolic revenge on the living. This installment finds the knights exerting their horrific influence over the population of a small Mediterranean fishing village, where they arise every seven years to claim nightly sacrifices. When a newly arrived doctor discovers that his wife has been chosen as the next victim, he makes a desperate attempt to destroy the Templars, whose arrival is mysteriously linked to the stone idol which guards their tombs.

THE GHOST GALLEON (1975)

2011-08-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Maria Perschy (CASTLE OF FU MANCHU, DER HENKER VON LONDON) and Jack Taylor (BLOOD OF NOSTRADAMUS) star in writer/director Amando de Ossorio's chilling tale THE GHOST GALLEON. A boatload of sexy swimsuit models discover a mysterious ghost ship in the middle of nowhere. But this eerie vessel carries the coffins of the satanic Templar Knights, eyeless zombies who hunt humans by sound then devours their flesh. Even if these frightened passengers can survive through the night. Will they escape the demonic hunger of the Blind Dead?

RETURN OF THE EVIL DEAD (1973)

2011-04-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

The satanic Templars return for more bloodletting and mayhem in this sequel to Tombs of the Blind Dead. This time around, the Templars are shown in flashback killing and drinking the blood of a virgin -- a process by which they hope to achieve eternal life. Local villagers arrest them, scald out their eyes with their torches, and burn the knights at the stake. This differs from the first film which had a legend explaining that crows ate out the Templars' eyes after they had been hung. Either way, the evil blind knights awaken during a festival celebrating the 500th anniversary of their defeat at the hands of the villagers. The drunken shouts of partygoers are quickly replaced by screams at the sight of the skeletal zombies and the massacre is on. A group of survivors -- including fireworks ace Jack, his old flame Vivian, the town's crooked mayor, and a few other eventual victims -- all gather in an old church that is quickly surrounded by the saber-swinging ghouls. One by one, they make idiotic moves that get them killed until only Jack, Vivian, and a little girl remain. As dawn approaches, they make their move to escape in a tense climactic scene that ends in a surprisingly effective twist.

TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1971)

2011-04-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

In 1971, director Amando de Ossorio created what horror fans worldwide consider to be Spain's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. In Ossorio's nightmare vision, a legion of Knights Templar - executed horsemen whose eyes have been pecked out by crows - rise rotting from their graves, hunting only by sound in a quest for human flesh. The BLIND DEAD saga begins here, as a modern-day tourist trip to the ruins of the Templar monastery unleashes a frenzy of lesbian desire, sexual violence and the unholy onslaught of the eyeless undead!

GONE FISHING

2011-04-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK

EQUINOX (1970)

2011-04-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

Before he took you to a galaxy far, far away, before he brought you face-to-face with living, breathing prehistoric beasts, Dennis Muren, the future nine-time Oscar-winning visual effects artist (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), joined forces with a group of talented young filmmakers to create an homage to the creature features of yore in the eerie monster mash Equinox.

Deep within the woods and canyons of California, four teenagers happen upon an ancient book containing the secrets of a strange, malevolent world that coexists with that of mankind. This $6,500-budget wonder, originally called The Equinox... A Journey Into The Supernatural, was picked up for distribution by producer Jack H. Harris (The Blob), who shot new footage for the film with writer-director Jack Woods and released it in 1970 as Equinox. Since then, the film has gained a passionate cult following and inspired succeeding generations of horror/fantasy filmmakers.

MONSTER OF VENICE (1966) AKA THE EMBALMER

2011-04-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

A madman drags one beautiful woman after another into his dark labyrinth of horror beneath the murky canals of Venice. The girls are then embalmed by the skull-masked monster who places the corpses on display as captive zombies in an underwater tomb. Andreas, a reporter, is investigating the disappearances. Unable to convince the police that the missing girls are victims of a maniac, he probes deeper into the cases. Donning scuba gear, the killer stalks his prey, once again sending an innocent girl to her death in his subterranean lair. A nubile young woman accidentally discovers the grisly secret of the Embalmer, sealing her fate and perhaps that of Andreas as well!

TOMB OF TORTURE (1963) AKA METEMPSYCO

2011-03-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

A young woman is suffering from horrific nightmares in which she is murdered night after night. It is discovered that she is the reincarnation of a murdered countess, and her father takes her to a manor in which the murder occurred in an attempt to help her. The manor has also been responsible for the murders of two young girls, and during the investigation, a journalist must come to the aid of the tortured young woman.

LUCIO FULCI: THE BEYOND (1981) CATRIONA MACCOLL, DAVID WARBECK, CINZIA MONREALE

2011-03-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

The seven dreaded gateways to hell are concealed in seven cursed places... And on the day the gates of hell are opened, the dead will walk the earth!

A young woman from New York named Liza (Catriona MacColl) inherits a Louisiana motel that has been unoccupied for nearly 60 years. While restoring the old building, many of the workers meet mysterious and untimely deaths, each more ill-fated than the next. Furthermore, Liza is visited by a blind specter named Emily (Cinzia Monreale) who lectures from a 4000-year-old book of collected prophecies that explains the motel is situated above one of seven portals to hell. As her sanity dwindles, Liza finds some much-needed stability in a local doctor named John McCabe (David Warbeck), who is determined to find a rational explanation for the recent state of affairs. Nevertheless, the protagonists are led through a maze of bizarre confrontations with beings beyond the realm of the living, and into an apocalyptic world of unknown horrors.
THE BEYOND is at once the quintessential Lucio Fulci film and a staple in the overall Italian horror genre. The director's epic masterpiece is a blend of atmospheric surrealism and nightmarish visions (a grisly tarantula attack, flesh-melting acid spills, a softball-sized gun blast through the skull of a young zombified girl, and an eyeball impaling, or two) that are definitely unsuitable for those with weak stomachs.

LUCIO FULCI: THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981) CATRIONA MACCOLL, PAOLO MALCO, GIOVANNI FREZZA

2011-03-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

Dr. Norman Boyle (Paolo Malco), of the New York Historical Society, accepts a research assignment abandoned by a colleague who has committed suicide. The project requires the researcher to temporarily take up residence in a New England mansion along with his wife, Lucy (Katherine MacColl) and their son, Bob (Giovanni Frezza). Norman discovers his colleague had become consumed with the history of the home's original owner, a turn-of-the-Century surgeon named Dr. Freudstein who possessed a fondness for illegal experiments. Further investigation reveals Freudstein had found a way to stay alive by using cells derived from fresh human blood. The Boyles find out the hard way that the maggot-stuffed, undead doctor remains lurking in the shadows of the house, killing anybody who crosses his path.

LUCIO FULCI: CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (1980) CATRIONA MACCOLL, CHRISTOPHER GEORGE, CARLO DE MEJO

2011-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

"WOE BE UNTO HIM WHO OPENS ONE OF THE SEVEN GATEWAYS TO HELL, BECAUSE THROUGH THAT GATEWAY, EVIL WILL INVADE THE WORLD."
The Seven Gates Of Hell have been torn open, and in three days the dead shall rise and walk the earth. As a reporter (Christopher George) and a psychic (Catriona MacColl) race to close the portals of the damned, they encounter a seething nightmare of unspeakable evil. The city is alive - with the horrors of the living dead! Directed and co-written by the legendary Lucio Fulci (ZOMBIE, THE BEYOND), CITY OF THE LIVIND DEAD features some of the maestro's most shocking and controversial sequences of all time.

CAVE OF THE LIVING DEAD (1965) AKA THE CURSE OF THE GREEN EYES-DER FLUCH DER GRUNEN AUGEN

2011-02-25T16:45:00.000-08:00

Because local police are unable to solve the mysterious murders of seven young women in a small village, Inspector Doren (Adrian Hoven) of INTERPOL is assigned to the case. As a result of a talk with an old witch, the inspector begins to suspect that the killings are the work of a vampire. He learns more from some of the villagers, who link the murders to caves under an ancient castle where Professor Adelsberg and his secretary, Karin (Karin Field), are conducting scientific experiments. After tracking the professor to his underground headquarters, Doren finds the seven living dead and discovers that Adelsberg is the vampire. Karin is to be his next victim. With the help of the witch, Doren is able to save Karin and kill Adelsberg by driving a stake through his heart.

SLAUGHTER OF THE VAMPIRES (1962) AKA CURSE OF BLOOD GHOULS

2011-02-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

In this lush Gothic romp from the Golden Age of Italian horror, Walter Brandi (The Playgirls and the Vampire, The Bloody Pit of Horror) and Graziella Granata (A Taste for Women) star as a young well-to-do couple terrorized by a love-hungry vampire (peplum and krimi veteran Dieter Eppler, The Sinister Monk) who makes his nest in the lower rungs of their estate. Before the bloodsucker can lay unholy claim to the voluptuous lady of the land, the couple enlist the unusual services of Professor Nietzsche (Luigi Batzella, writer/director of notable nasties Nude for Satan and SS Hell Camp), who is more than determined to rid the world of all vampires.
Written and directed by Roberto Mauri (Vengeance is My Forgiveness, Madeline: Study of a Nightmare), Slaughter of the Vampires is a Baroque, beautifully photographed entry in the bosom-heaving world of the romantic vampire.

THE PLAYGIRLS AND THE VAMPIRE (1963) L'ULTIMA PREDA DEL VAMPIRO

2011-02-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

After skipping out on an unpaid hotel bill, a bus load of curvaceous showgirls are forced off the road by a thunderstorm. They prevail on the hospitality of a nearby castle, where the reclusive Count Kernassy (Walter Brandi) nearly orders them away...until he sees Vera (Lyla Rocco) , a leggy dancer who's a dead ringer for his beautiful ancestor Margherita! Unfortunately, Vera is also attractive to the Count's 200 year old, bloodthirsty ancestor - who's a dead ringer for his descendant!

BORIS KARLOFF CHRISTOPHER LEE BARBARA STEELE: THE CRIMSON CULT (1968) AKA CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR

2011-02-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

After the disappearance of his brother, antique dealer Robert Manning (Mark Eden) travels to the remote country manor of Greymarsh where he was last seen. There he stays with the charming J. D. Morley(Christopher Lee) and his beautiful niece, Eve (Virginia Wetherell). However, the Morley family are descendants of Lavinia Morley (Barbara Steele), the legendary Black Witch of Greymarsh. As Robert continues to investigate the disappearance of his brother, he is haunted by horrible dreams about black masses and ritual sacrifices. Robert ends up seeking the wheelchair bound Professor John Marshe (Boris Karloff), an expert on the occult, for help.

BARBARA STEELE: THE GHOST-LO SPETTRO (1963)

2011-01-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

The infamous Dr. Hitchcock performs seances and black magic rituals to ease the pain of a debilitating illness. Overwhelmed by sadistic demands, his beautiful young wife (Barbara Steele) concocts a plan to murder the doctor and inherit his riches. The ghastly voice of the murdered professor echoes through the haunted mansion when his ghost returns seeking vengeance. The wife's terror and the spirit's bloodlust lead to a horrific confrontation and their ultimate doom.

The Ghost (originally released in Italy as Lo Spettro) is the second film by Riccardo Freda to detail the gruesome crimes of Dr. Hichcock. In addition to The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962), Freda's other legendary films include I Vampiri (1956), Caltiki, The Immortal Monster (1959) and Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World (1962).

BARBARA STEELE: THE HORRIBLE SECRET OF DR. HICHCOCK (1962)

2011-01-21T13:32:00.000-08:00

Bizarre Gothic horror about a necrophiliac doctor (Robert Flemyng) who accidentally kills his wife during a "funeral game," then remarries to bring her (Barbara Steele) back from the grave with his new wife's blood.

BARBARA STEELE: NIGHTMARE CASTLE-AMANTI D'OLTRETOMBA (1965)

2011-01-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

Barbara Steele has a dual role in this Italian production, Amanti d'Oltretomba. Stephen, a mad scientist, tortures his unfaithful wife, Muriel and her lover, David to death only to have them return from the grave for revenge. Scored by Ennio Morricone.

BARBARA STEELE: AN ANGEL FOR SATAN (1967)

2011-01-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Sculptor Roberto (Anthony Steffen) arrives in a small village to restore an ancient statue. He meets Harriet (Barbara Steele) who bears an amazing resemblance to the statue. Upon complete restoration of the statue, Steele begins to take on the psychotic traits of the woman upon whom the sculpture was based a woman the townspeople believe was a much-feared sorceress of local legend.

HOUSE OF THE WOLFMAN (2009)

2010-12-31T06:21:00.000-08:00

"House of the Wolf Man" tells the story of Dr. Bela Reinhardt (Chaney) and the five guests he has invited to his castle to see which one will inherit his estate. He has arranged for a competition of sorts, and the victor shall be determined through a process of elimination. But it quickly becomes apparent to the five unwitting visitors that danger lurks in every corner, and that the House of the Wolf man holds a secret that could drive anyone to insanity! Starring Ron Chaney, grandson of Lon Chaney and a complete cast of your favorite Universal Monsters! Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s Monster, and more!

K. GORDON MURRAY: SANTA CLAUS (1959) AND SANTA'S MAGIC KINGDOM (1966)

2010-12-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

THE SNOW QUEEN (1957) SNEZHNAYA KOROLEVA Снежная королева

2010-12-17T19:16:00.000-08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_Queen_(1957_film)

BARBARA STEELE: I LUNGHI CAPELLI DELLA MORTE-THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH (1964)

2010-09-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

A woman is accused of witchcraft and put to death. Her older daughter knows the reason is the Lord's sexual desire for her. She confronts him and is also killed. A younger daughter is spared and taken in by the killers. Once she is of age, she is married to the lord's worthless son. The older daughter mysteriously returns from the dead during a thunderstorm and begins to avenge her mother's murder.

BARBARA STEELE: DANSE MACABRE-CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964)

2010-09-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

When American author Edgar Allan Poe visits London, he is approached by British journalist Alan Foster, who becomes the target of a peculiar wager. Not believing Poe's assertion that all of his macabre stories have been based on actual experience, Foster accepts a bet from Poe and his friend Sir Thomas Blackwood that he cannot spend an entire night in the Blackwood's haunted castle. Once installed in the abandoned castle, Foster discovers that he is not alone, as he is approached by various beautiful women, handsome men, and a doctor of metaphysics who explains that they are all lost souls damned to replay the stories of their demises on the anniversary of their deaths.

BARBARA STEELE: THE SHE-BEAST (1966) PLUS MONSTER MANIA-CHERRY HILL, NJ

2010-09-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

A blood-thirsty Transylvanian witch returns from her grave to destroy the descendants of the townsfolk who executed her. For two hundred years her corpse lies in wait at the bottom of a river. A honeymooning English couple crashes their car into the water triggering the resurrection of the witch who launches into a murderous rampage, viciously attacking her prey with whatever implements are close at hand. As the grief-stricken husband searches for his missing bride, a resident of the town informs him that the witch has used his wife's soul to come back to life and that they must perform an exorcism on the monster if they ever hope to see the young woman again. Armed only with this arcane knowledge, the two follow a trail of bloodshed and carnage to the witch's lair to banish the demonic presence and reunite the couple.

I recently had the honor of meeting Barbara Steele at Monster-Mania in New Jersey. She was very kind and fun to talk to. When I told her we came all the way from Chicago just to see her, she was flattered and gave us cool Black Sunday shirts. I had her sign my Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark book too. The 13 hour drive was worth it thanks to my friend Ken Gage and his fuel efficient Toyota Prius.

A cool Jersey cemetery.

KING DINOSAUR (1955)

2010-07-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

This classic 1955 science fiction film stars William Bryant and Wanda Curtis. Four astronauts in 1960 travel to a planet called Nova that has just entered Earth's solar system. The crew begins to study the planet to see if it's able to withstand a possible Earth colony. After first discovering normal Earth animals such as a lemur and an alligator, they soon encounter giant insects, dinosaurs, and the of course, King Dinosaur.

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941)

2010-07-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

Considered by many to be the finest serial ever made, The Adventures of Captain Marvel chronicles the exploits of "The World's Mightiest Mortal" as he combats The Scorpion, a hooded villain intent on obtaining six optical lenses that, when aligned properly, turn ordinary stones into gold! Highlighting the serial were the fabulous flying sequences by Republic's ace special effects team, Howard and Theodore Lydecker. Combining a wired dummy photographed against real backgrounds in natural sunlight, with spectacular take-off leaps and landings supplied by action ace, David Sharpe, the final effects are still as fascinating today as they were in 1941. The Adventures of Captain Marvel marked the very first time a comic book superhero's exploits were transferred to the silver screen, and the resulting 12 chapters have yet to be equaled for excitement and entertainment. I just want to know where the hell is Black Adam.

SHAZAM!

Louise Currie

THE CITY OF THE DEAD (1960) CHRISTOPHER LEE, VENETIA STEVENSON

2010-07-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

College student, Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson) is researching the history of witchcraft. Taunted by her brother and fiance, who have voiced their concern over her silly notions, Nan arms herself with resolve and drives into the small New England village of Whitewood. She is glad that at least she was able to count on the support of her professor (Christopher Lee). A bit anxious but consumed with curiosity, she will soon embark herself on the journey of her life!

THE MECHANICAL MAN (1921)

2010-07-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

A city is gripped in terror as a colossal robot runs rampant in an unstoppable crime spree. The police are powerless in the face of the frightening carnage and destruction, but the remotely controlled menace may soon meet its match - a second mechanical man is sent to confront it in a horrific showdown at the local opera house.

This ultra-rare, nearly forgotten silent horror epic from the dawn of Italian cinema was long considered lost. The chance discovery of a fragmentary Portugese version led to the release of this new special edition of The Mechanical Manfeaturing a new musical score and English subtitles. Though missing much of its original footage, this historic work is still a striking and powerful piece of early fantasy film-making featuring one of the few directorial efforts by Andre Deed, a protege of Georges Melies, the godfather of cinema magic.-Oldies.com

THE FLESH EATERS (1962)

2010-06-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

DER HENKER VON LONDON-THE MAD EXECUTIONERS (1963)

2010-06-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

This film was my introduction to German Krimi (mystery or crime thriller) films. The atmosphere is very close to a horror film and the story draws you in. Anything by Edgar Wallace is recommended.

The stunning Maria Pershy, who went on to star in The Ghost Galleon and Exorcismo.

ROGER CORMAN, VINCENT PRICE, BARBARA STEELE: THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961)

2010-06-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

RODDY McDOWALL: IT! (1966)

2010-06-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

ROGER CORMAN: ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS

2010-05-28T20:14:00.000-07:00