Wizards (1977) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - May 6, 1977

"THEY KILLED FRITZ!"

That one scene, and the pacifist wizard strolling around making flowers bloom everywhere and anywhere, are my most vivid recollections of this fever dream oddity from Ralph Bakshi.

The only other Bakshi film I have seen, from beginning to end, is Fire & Ice, which was a creative collaboration with Frank Frazetta. Which is not the subject today's post.

My viewing of Wizards is so far in the past that, other than the aforementioned moments, I have zero memory of it. Perhaps the time has come to reacquaint myself with it. Thoughts?

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #26

Datalog: Approx. 0:1800 Hours, Day 2

Dillon was my only chance to help me kill the Alien. Before long, the company would arrive to capture it and take it back. They would never kill it. But before we could decide on a plan, Morse interrupted us with some shocking news. Galic had released the Alien.

In Search of Dracula [Vem var Dracula (1974)] - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - May 5, 1976

I know this ad is supposed to invoke a Vampire Bat swooping down to attack, but to me it just looks a slightly doctored image of a hanging bat that was inverted. So it could look spooky and threatening. While I am somewhat certain it may have worked in 1976, today it only makes me think of those videos of inverted bat footage set to Bela Lugosi's Dead.

In Search of Dracula is one of a plethora of paranormal-themed documentaries that carpet bombed theaters and drive-ins throughout the 1970s. The big selling point here is Christopher Lee, who was quite vocal with his frustrations at being unable to perform Dracula as written and envisioned by Bram Stoker. This documentary gave him the chance to portray the historical figure, and Dracula inspiration, Vlad III (aka Vlad Țepeș, or Vlad the Impaler).
 

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #61

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

 

Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - May 4, 1965

While Amicus would produce a great many more, and quite a few better, anthology films. Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, the company's first such offering, is a nostalgic favorite of mine. It is one of those movies I grew up watching. Back when the proliferation of English and European genre films on the various late, late shows, as well as any and all syndication stations, made it seem as if Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing had starred in every horror movie made between 1957 and 1977. This one even had Donald Sutherland in it! I also recognized character actor Michael Gough.

My childhood favorite segment was The Creeping Vine, because a monster plant just seemed weird and cool to me. That segment also featured Bernard Lee. An actor best known for playing M in every James Bond film from Dr. No (1962), the first, to his final appearance in 1979's Moonraker.

As an adult I think my favorite segment just might be Werewolf. Maybe. But I do reserve the right to change my mind at any time.

The distributor looks to have dusted off the 1959 Hammer offering The Man Who Could Cheat Death to keep Dr. Terror company, whilst touring with his diabolical deck of terrifying tarot cards. 

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #25

Datalog: Approx. 0:1700 Hours, Day 2

I left Galic under guard by Morse. Galic was still bound in a straitjacket and was ranting about the dragon he had seen. I remember what he said when we were in the infirmary with the Alien, just after it had killed Clemens. He told it, "I want to be your friend."
 

Creepshow 2 (1987) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - May 1, 1987

Considering that Creepshow 2 was made by the same creatives that were grinding out weekly episodes of Tales from the Darkside, it comes as no surprise that this film feels more like a collection of Darkside episodes spliced together than it does a sequel to Romero's visually kinetic Creepshow.

While not an altogether bad film, it does lack the narrative and visual zest of the first film. Old Chief Wood'nhead, the opening tale, is the weakest of the three live-action segments. The Raft is my favorite segment, and even scared me the first time I saw it, because it is a faithful-to-decent adaptation of one of my all time favorite Stephen King short stories.

But the best segment of the film is its final live-action tale, The Hitch-hiker. You might be muttering, or wanting to say, "Thanks for the ride, lady," well after the film has ended. According to an article, or interview, I read in Fangoria, King had written The Hitch-hiker for Creepshow as a possible replacement for the "They're Creeping Up on You!" segment, should it be considered too difficult to film. This might explain why this segment seems to have a tad more energy to it than the segments that preceded it.

The wraparound, like the first film, is animated. But this time there is an actual story being told. One featuring Venus Fly Traps. "They eat meat." Heh.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #60

Ghostbusters (1984)

First and best Ghostbusters, that is all.
 

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - April 30, 1981

Georgetown Productions and Paramount Pictures wasted zero time making a sequel to one of their biggest moneymakers of 1980, Friday the 13th. This short and simple retread was rushed into theaters and drive-ins before the first anniversary of the first film's release.

Friday the 13th Part 2 was my first Friday the 13th movie and thus is something of a personal favorite of mine, warts and all.

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #24

Datalog: Approx. 0:1500, Day 2

Just when we thought we were safe, the Alien appeared from an overhead air duct. Junior quickly lured the Alien into the Toxic Waste Disposal, sacrificing his own life. And Dillon reached the control box just in time to close the triple doors and trap the Alien - and Junior - inside.