Celebrating Halloween at Bran Castle

Halloween Midnite Shows - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - October 31, 1946

The Fox West Coast Theatre chain held a series of late night screenings of Halloween appropriate fare to celebrate All Hallow's Eve in 1946. I have no idea what that 'Sneak Spook Preview' being screened at the Paramount was, but it might have been a marketing bait and switch. No idea.

House of Frankenstein (1944) is a fun little romp that plays like two episodes of a television series have been edited together to form something that resembles a feature length movie. The Vampire's Ghost (1945) is an above average cheapie boosted by a somewhat decent script, co-written by Leigh Brackett, and enlivened by a solid performance from John Abbott, who plays the titular vampire.

I have yet to see Voodoo Man (1944), but seeing that it was directed by William Beaudine and stars both Bela Lugosi and John Carradine, I just might check it out some random, rainy morning when I am in the mood to watch an old school grind-house programmer.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #38

Tender Beauty

When her armor comes off, and her sword is laid down, Lady Death's true self is revealed - through and through, she is a woman, with the needs, wants and desires of any other. Her path keeps many of those wants forever denied. 

Old Dracula [Vampira (1974)] - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - October 30, 1975

It might have been Halloween, but this retitled 'comedy' served some of 1975's Thanksgiving turkey early that year. I do remember seeing this on the big screen, at the Alameda Southshore Twin, and finding it a painfully unfunny chore to sit through.

The blistering racial insensitivity (i.e. racism) of the central conceit, having a blood transfusion change Countess Dracula from white to black and thus 'forcing' Count Dracula to try and figure out a way to 'fix' her, went over my head. But I do remember my shocked reaction to seeing David Niven in blackface.

Although director Clive Donner would go on to helm the underrated made-for-television gem Spectre (1977), a failed pilot for Gene Roddenberry, he would also make two more dubious and disastrous big screen comedies. 1980's The Nude Bomb and 1981's Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen. Ouch.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #2

Fright Night (1985)

The jump scare reveal of Amanda Bearse's character's new vampiric visage was supposed to be a surprise shock for the audience. But the distributor decided to put it front and center on the film's theatrical poster and newspaper ad artwork, thus 'spoiling' the horrific reveal for most, if not all, of the film's potential audience. So it goes.

Halloween II (1981) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - October 29, 1981

I believe I saw Halloween II on Saturday, October 31st, at the Hayward Festival Cinemas. Two things stand out in my memory. When we arrived at the multiplex there was a line around the theatre, but no line at the ticket window. Turns out the line was for Halloween II ticket holders. I was both shocked and delighted.

My second memory is of the moment Carpenter's 'chase music' started pounding and the packed house erupted with enthusiastic cheers.

While this first sequel to Halloween does not warrant a spot on my exalted Favorite Movies of All-Time List, I cannot say that I dislike all that much. While it does suffer from a certain lack of imagination and energy, I do not think it is the abomination John Carpenter himself has dismissed it as. So it goes.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #37

The Cup of Victory

And never has it tasted so sweet than when it is filled with the blood of her enemies. Trained in the ways of war on the plains of Hell itself, Lady Death will not stop until the last of her enemies is dead. 

Our Trail Cam - Vol. 33

The Blob (1958) / I Married A Monster from Outer Space (1958) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - October 28, 1958

The Blob was a beloved viewing staple of my youth and remains one of my all-time favorite monsters and monster movies.

I have yet to see I Married A Monster from Outer Space, but it is supposed to be quite good and well worth seeking out. At time of writing I know star Tom Tryon only as the author of The Other, Harvest Home, and The Night of the Moonbow.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #1

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

In 1989, while working at liquor store in the Marina district of San Francisco, I lamented to a co-worker about the amount of money it would take to get every one of the cards in the Topps Fright Flicks series. As you have to buy dozens of packages in order to get the 'rare' one(s).

He told me it would be cheaper, and easier, to just order another box, as each box contained every card in the series. So I had him order an extra box for me and I got my first ever complete set of trading cards. I was quite happy about that.