Night Warning [Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)] - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - January 2, 1983

The Sunday Examiner/Chronicle Datebook had this ad hyping the January 7, 1983 release, or re-release, of Butcher Baker, Nightmare Maker under the title Night Warning.

Although no theaters or drive-ins are listed in this teaser ad, I did see Night Warning on Saturday, January 8, I believe, at the Alameda Southshore, where it was on a double-bill with the equally memorable The Beast Within. That was one raucous and lively night at the movies. The crowd, and it was a crowd, went wild throughout both movies.

I do remember being taking aback by Bo Svenson's bigoted 'Detective Carlson' character. He was so over-the-top with his homophobia I remember leaning over to a friend and whispering in his ear, "This has to be an act, he's protesting too much." Which was pretty progressive thinking for a 14 year-old kid in 1983, I think.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #57

Target Acquired

Spotting her prey, Chastity leaps from the heights to bring them a world of hurt. Sword at her side, the heads of those in her way will be rolling - literally.
 

Creature Features [Night of the Living Dead (1968) / House of Horrors (1946)] - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - January 1, 1972

If I might be forgiven for making an unlearned assumption here, but I think this New Year's Day Creature Features double feature might be a tad top heavy. As Night of the Living Dead is the superior picture, by a considerable margin.

House of Horrors, which I have yet to see, is one of the last gasps of the Universal Monster movies released throughout the early 1940s. Rondo Hatton stars as a psychopathic killer known as The Creeper, who is saved from drowning by a sculptor (Martin Kosleck). Said sculptor then used The Creeper to murder those that have either displeased him or given his work harsh criticism. 

With his sharp features and cold eyes, Martin Koslek made a career out of playing the baddest of bad guys. Some of his Ghoulies, Ghosties, and Long-Leggedy Beasties appropriate villainous roles were as Hugo in The Devil Is Not Mocked segment on Night Gallery, Prof. Peter Bartell in The Flesh Eaters, Dwight Severn in She-Wolf of London, and Ragheb in The Mummy's Curse (1944). He died in 1994 at the age of 89.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #21

Fright Night (1985)

 

Dracula - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - December 31, 1978

Full page ad for a special New Year's performance of the Edward Gorey production of Dracula at the Curran Theatre. No idea if lead actor Jeremy Brett's understudy was playing the title role or not, but seeing this production would have been a perfect way for me to ring in the New Year.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #56

Ready for Action

In her full leather body armor, Chastity is ready for a night on the town - and her sword indicates just what kind of action she's looking for - the monster-killing kind.

Stuff of the Month - December 2025

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - December 30, 1969

The first movie in what would become the Dexter Riley trilogy might not seem to some to be a subject worthy of a post on a horror-themed blog like Ghoulies, Ghosties, and Long-Leggedy Beasties, but these movies served as my gateway into the "mad scientist" sub-genre. So there.

I am also happy to share that I was able to see every single one of the Dexter Riley films on the big screen, but I was far too young to catch any of these Special New Year's Eve Show screenings being advertised here.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #20

The Fly (1986)

 

Our Trail Cam - Vol 38