House of Baron

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Nightmare before Christmas (1993)

My final October film is "The Nightmare before Christmas"(1993). Tim Burton had once worked for Disney, but after creating a few shorts, it was decided Burton wasn't a good fit for the company. One of the ideas he had, was a dark take off of "The Night Before Christmas". Several years of successful films later, now Disney wanted to have Tim Burton make one of his style of films, but not as a Disney film, instead as a Touchstone film. The inspiration for this, was Burton watching a store window being changed from a Halloween theme, to a Christmas theme. A skeleton leader of Halloween Town, has become bored with doing the same thing every year. This causes him to wander off, where he ends up in Christmas Town. He loves what he see's so much, he decides to take Christmas Over, and hilarity ensues. Clearly inspired by the old Rankin Bass Christmas specials, there is some top rate stop motion animation here, directed by Henry Selick, with music by Danny Elfman. The aesthetics are very much in the German expressionism found I early films , such as "The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari". The film did well at the box office, and only increased in popularity. What Disney was once reluctant to release as a Disney Film, has achieved such popularity, that every year their Haunted Mansion attractions in California and Tokyo, get a full Nightmare Before Christmas makeover.

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Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

When I was a teenager, I caught an old movie on late night television about a man eating plant, and I loved it. Later, it was turned into a stage musical I saw with my late sister in West Hollywood, which I also enjoyed. Needless to say, I was looking forward to seeing it, when I heard it was coming to the big screen. So today's October film I wish to mention is "Little Shop of Horrors"(1986) When I saw it, I was definitely not disappointed. The film is about a hapless loser, named Seymour Krelborn, who is a lowly worker at Mushnik's Flower Shop, located in the Skid Row area. He happens upon a strange and unusual plant, which seems to have t a real appeal to those who encounter it at his shop. However, he finds if he wants to keep the plant healthy, he must feed it his blood, This eventually leads to the plant wanting a Faustian deal with Seymour, where simply feeding the plant small amounts of human blood isn't enough. N

ow Audrey 2 is demanding bodies, which Seymour is reluctant to do. Directed by Frank Oz, with a wonderful, Rick Moranis playing Seymour, Audrey 2 a plant puppet voiced by Levi Stubbs, and Ellen Green playing Seymour's love interest Audrey (who Seymour named the plant after). Songs are provided by Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin. A very talented team of songwriters who played a huge part in the Disney Renaissance; with the music they provided for Disney's "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin". The sets, representing a 1950s skid row, are also incredible. Two of the supporting cast here deserve mention. Steve Martin plays a sadistic Dentist, while Bill Murray plays a masochistic patient. Together they remind me of the old joke where a masochist is the one who begs to be beaten, while the sadist is the one who tells him "No!" Considering how often we find things we love being remade as something we don't like at all, I'm very happy that this was a case where something I loved, was made something I found even better.

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Nosferatu (1922)

For today's October film, I decided to choose a film that is over 100 years old, and still an amazing film after all these years. "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" from 1922. As much as I like Bela Lugosi in "Dracula"(1931), this is the better Dracula film, Unlike the Hollywood backlot and sound stages that gave us the 1931 Dracula, this was filmed in Europe using locations that gave the film authenticity, and unlike Dracula (much of which was a filmed stage play), this was pure cinema. There is a certain nightmarish and surreal quality to this film that had to focus on visuals, rather then dialogue to tell the story. The vampire count's makeup was so iconic, that when they made the miniseries "Salem's Lot" many years later, they basically copied it for the vampire "Mr. Barlow". This film came very close to being a lost film, as the film was sued by Bram Stoker's widow, for being an unauthorized "Dracula" film, and the court ordered every print destroyed. The film makers did make some attempt to skirt around it being "Dracula". One change they made from the Bram Stoker novel, was having daylight destroying the vampire. Many years later Universal used daylight to destroy their Dracula in "House of Frankenstein"(1944), and Hammer used daylight to destroy Dracula in "Horror of Dracula"(1958) What was intended to skirt a copyright, is now accepted vampire lore. There is a remake scheduled for later this year, to be released in the US on December 25th, and as we all know, nothing says Christmas like a vampiric Count. However, there isn't any reason you can't enjoy spending some time this Halloween, with the original Count Orlok, in Nosferatu.

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Scooby-Doo (2002)

Scooby Doo has been a favorite of kids, since it originally started showing up on Saturday morning in 1969. There have many different takes on the show, including my favorite "Thirteen Ghosts of Scooby Doo" where one of the characters was voiced by screen legend Vincent Price. However, since the October films I've selected all had a theatrical release, there were two that made it to the big screen, and I wanted to say a little about the first of these, "Scooby-Doo" (2002), a live action version of the animated show. Not well received by critics, the film was a box office success, and I enjoyed the film. The human cast is well chosen; Mathew Lillard does a dead on impersonation of the character portrayed for years by the late Casey Kasem. Sarah Michelle Geller and Freddie Prinze Jr. are fine as Daphne and Fred, and Linda Cardellini is well cast as Velma. Scooby Doo? Let's face it, there was no possibility of an actual Great Dane playing that part, so a Computer version of Scooby Doo is used, which I found acceptable. Rowan Atkinson is also on board, and I always find him entertaining. The story involves the gang breaking up, and going separate ways. Two years later, they are separately contracted by Emile Mondavarious, who says he wants mysterious goings on at his spooky themed Island/amusement park (Spooky Island). Despite misgivings, they end up working with each other. I do enjoy the horror themed resort, and maybe with the upcoming "Dark Universe" area of Universal Orlando, we may be getting something like that. If there is one thing I wasn't big on, it's the way Scrappy Doo is treated. The introduction of Scrappy, did keep the series going, and in "Thirteen Ghosts" and the made for video movies, I didn't find him as annoying as he was when he was originally introduced. There is something called "Character Development", and let's face it, after decades, there is no reason he had to continue competing with He-Mans "Orco" or Thundercat's "Snarf" to see who can be the most annoying.

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Munster Go Home (1966)

Since I covered "The Addams Family"(1991) yesterday, I thought it might be fun to look at the only theatrical film starring that other macabre family that appeared on television in the 1960s, "Munsters Go Home".

In this film we get back to Herman's roots: which is a Europe filmed in California, with a lot of actors having British accents, just like the 1940s horror films that inspired the series. If you are a fan of the original series, you should very much enjoy it. It would be the only time we got to see the iconic Munster House in color, looking the way it did. (For "Munsters revenge"(1981) they only used a photo of the house for an establishing shot) and Fred Gwynne as "Herman" and Al Lewis as "Grandpa", at the height of their comedy teamwork. There are some seasoned veterans sharing the screen. Fans of "Hogans Heroes" will recognize Richard Dawson and Bernard Fox, and John Carradine as Cruikshank, the butler.

We also get the second appearance of the Dragula racer, which appeared (outside the ending credits) in only one episode. For fans of the Munsters, this is well worth giving a watch.

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The Addams Family (1991)

For today's October film, I chose "The Addams Family"(1991). An interesting take of the Iconic family that many people were introduced to in the original Charles Addams Cartoon which he began creating in 1938, but probably even more people through the TV series, that debuted in 1964. In fact. Although this film was said to be more faithful to the original Charles Addams cartoons, it owes a great deal to the TV series, which created the whole idea of this being a wealthy eccentric family, and Gomez and Morticia being deeply in love, not to mention uses the same names for the characters, many of which were first named while the TV show was being developed. Raul Julia and Angelica Huston's performance as Gomez and Morticia Addams became favorites of many as the Macabre couple passionately in love. Wednesday is played by Christina Ricci as their sinister child, and became the model for all future versions of Wednesday. Christopher Lloyd plays someone claiming to be Fester Addams, but appears to be a fraud, in a scheme cooked up by the Addams family lawyer and the loan shark the lawyer owes money to, to get access to the Addams family's vast wealth. I found the film entertaining, and it was successful enough to get a sequel, which many prefer to the original. It's certainly a film I enjoy revisiting, and a fun Halloween watch.

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Hocus Pocus (1993)

Yesterday, I watched "Paranorman", which was a film very sympathetic toward the people who had been falsely accused of witchcraft. Today, I chose to enjoy a film that is 180 degrees in the opposite direction. "Hocus Pocus" (1993), a comedy I enjoy about three irredeemably evil women who happen to be Witches, which are the three Sanderson sisters. Not that the film makes a claim that being a witch necessarily makes you evil. At one point, the eldest Sanderson sister "Winifred", claims the girl Allison must be a "White witch", for using salt against her for protection. The Sanderson Sisters, played by Bette Midler (Winifred), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah) and Kathy Najimy (Mary) are hysterical playing the evil witches, and one of the great screen comedy teams. That they are despicable is established early on, when they take the life of a child, and curse her brother to spend eternity as a cat, before the Salem townspeople break into their house, and put the three sisters out of the town's misery. However before they are dispatched by rope (historically, there were no witch burning in North America.) They curse the town, and let the townsfolk know they will be back. The opening of the film is being told as a flashback, and Max, one of the students hearing the story makes it clear how much he dislikes, Salem and Halloween. It turns out he is bitter he had to leave California and his friends behind, and has been having a rough time fitting in. Max's disgust with Salem and Halloween annoys his classmate Allison, who reject's his attempt to get her attention, because she love Halloween. Later, being forced to take his little sister Dani trick or treating, they find Allison at a house giving out trick or treat candy. When Max finds out she has the keys to the house where the Sanderson once lived. the three soon head over there, over the younger sister Dani's objections. While they're there, in an act of stupid bravado, Max lights the Black Candle, which brings back the Sanderson sisters after a three century absence. Max Allison and Dani are joined by "Binks", the boy who had been cursed by the sisters to become a cat, and had been there on Halloween on idiot patrol to prevent a moronic virgin, from lighting the Black Candle. The rest of the film is about the three young people and cat matching wits from the Sanderson Sisters, to make their return, a temporary one. I found the ending of the film touching and very satisfying, which is why although a sequel has been made, with another said to be on the way, I have no interest in seeing them. I'll stick with the 1993 film, which was to me funny and satisfying on it's own.

[baronvonkrieger]

Paranorman (2012)

Witches are associated with Halloween, and Salem is a place known for being fascinated with witches, which is why Salem Massachusetts is a very popular Destination in October. Of course behind the cackling Halloween Witch that has been such a popular Halloween Icon, there was some very real tragic circumstances that involved human lives. This is why I chose for today's October film, I chose the stop action animated film "Paranorman" (2012). Paranorman is the story of Norman Babcock, a boy who is able to view, and talk to, those spirits which haven't crossed over. He lives in the town of "Blythe Hollow" in Massachusetts, that was clearly inspired by Salem. Like Salem, Blythe Hollow had witch trials, and the arch typical crone with the conical hat can be seen every where. Norman notices strange things around him, and his Uncle reaches out to him to let him know that the Witch spirit is real, and it's up to him to keep the spirit at peace. Norman's attempts to pacify the witch fail, when a school bully interferes, and after that, we see the dead rising from the grave. The film then becomes a journey to discover exactly the story behind the tragedy, and bringing peace to the souls of those involved. "Paranorman" is a film made by horror film fans, but presented in such a way, I was glad to have taken my family to see it when it was in the theater, and to have watched it again, today.

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The Legend of Hell House (1973)

When it comes to a film about a house which is haunted by a malevolent force, the first one that comes to mind is "The Haunting" (1963). But the next one that would come to my mind is a film made 10 years later, and that's "The Legend of Hell House". This film based on "Hell House" (1971), by famed author Richard Matheson. It involves the Belasco house, once owned by a very evil millionaire, who disappeared after a massacre had occurred in the home. Several previous researchers who had investigated the house had died, and the family who owned the house had sealed it off. Well until they needed money, and was purchased by an elderly millionaire, who wants to see if researchers can discover anything about the great beyond. Enlisted are three. Physicist Dr. Lionel Barrett, who hopes to use science to find what has been behind the goings on at this house, who is accompanied by his wife, who insists on being there with him. Also, accompanying the Physicist and his wife, are two mediums, which is physical medium "Ben" Fischer (the sole survivor of the team that had investigated the house 20 years earlier) and mental medium and spiritualist minister Florence Tanner. As far as the Physicist is concerned, the disturbances are some kind of mindless energy, and can be expelled by a device, he has been working on. This leads to an argument with the Spiritualist, who believes that the phenonium is caused by sentient spirit. While they quarrel, the Physicist is attacked by unseen forces, that the Physicist is convinced is being caused by the spiritualist, directing the energy of the house to attack them. In the end, the physicist and two spiritualists each held part of the answer, and how the story was resolved, was fascinating to me. That I got to enjoy this film when it came out in 1973, was because of what a huge fan of Roddy McDowell, my late sister was. and I've enjoyed viewing it, ever since.

[baronvonkrieger]

House of Usher (1960)

For today's October film, I chose one that cemented Vincent Price and Edgar Allen Poe as two of the biggest names in horror. The first of a series of Poe Inspired films, Starring Vincent Price, and created by Roger Corman; it may also have been the most faithful to the book it was based on. Later films in the Price/Corman Poe films, sometimes were based on other authors. The Haunted Palace(1963), for example, was based on the works of Lovecraft. "The Conquering Worm"(1968), had nothing to do with Poe, but was the title slapped on the British film "Witchfinder General" which was a movie about the historic figure Matthew Hopkins.

Vincent Price plays Roderick Usher, a man living in a decaying manor house, who is convinced that he comes from a family with a cursed lineage, and opposes his sisters marriage, because of how much he wants the family linage to end. A very well made film, with one of Price's best performances

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Ghost Ship (2002)

There is something about a film which features a place that has been deserted many years, but then we get glimpses of what that area was like once, before it was abandoned. Two films that come to mind is "The Frighteners"(1996), with the sanitarium featured in the climax, and my choice for today's October film, "Ghost Ship"(2002). The later film involving a group of salvagers who are led to what turns out to be the Italian ocean liner MS Antonia Graza, which there is no record to be found of the ship, since it's disappearance forty years earlier. I think what most people remember best about this film is the opening, that begins with the old Warner Brothers logo, while the song "Senza Fine" (1961) can be heard. We see scenes of happy passengers enjoying the cruise, only for a tragic occurrence to happen. A sole survivor on the deck where couples had just been dancing, let's out a pained scream, followed by a cut to the present day, where the crew of the salvage tug successfully bring in an oil rig. While they celebrate a job well done, they are approached by weather service pilot Jack Ferriman, who needs a salvage crew to bring in what appears to be an abandoned vessel adrift in the Bering Sea. They reach the abandoned liner, and I found the look of the abandoned ship very impressive, with an occasional glance to what the ship was before the tragedy, courtesy of some ghosts haunting the liner. All in all, this was one cruise, I've enjoyed more than once.

[baronvonkrieger]

The Corpse Bride (2005)

For today's October movie, I thought I'd revisit perhaps the most romantic film ever, about a corpse rising from the grave. My favorite of Tim Burton's stop motion, the opening scene of Victor releasing a butterfly from a jar, I think sets a nice message about the need to free others, and ourselves. Johnny Depp plays an awkward young man named "Victor Van Dort", who is being put into an arranged marriage, as the parents of Victor want better social standing, while the parents of Victoria (played by Emily Watson) who are have great social standing, but are penniless. It's when Victor is practicing his wedding vows in a nearby forest, that he accidently places the wedding ring on the finger of a bride who had been murdered by her groom. In the film, the world of the living is seen as dull and cold, while the land of the dead is livelier and more colorful. Victor goes from being terrified of the corpse bride, to growing feelings of attachment. In the end, things are worked out for the best. Great voice cast, including Christopher Lee as the Pastor, and Danny Elman performing as "Bonejangles". The music, from Danny Elfman sets the mood beautifully, and on my DVD, you have a music only setting, without the dialogue.

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The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

For today's October film, I chose another film that cemented my love for spooky old houses. "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" was released in 1966, and since that was about the time "Munsters Go Home" was released, they often were a double bill together. This was one of five films Don Knott's made for Universal, where he plays an underdog, who ends up proving himself, in spite of himself. In this case, the old Simmons House is a known murder house, where a couple died twenty years earlier, and the nephew of the man who died there, wants it bulldozed as soon as possible. The popularity of a three inch filler piece about the murder at the Simmons house written by Knott's character Luther, leads to the publisher of the paper having Luther spending the night, after which a full story of how haunted Luther finds the home, creates a sensation with the local Spiritual group, which means the Nephew who was looking forward to bull dozing the house, is now finding himself at odds with a spiritualist who blocks his efforts. By the films end, we find out why the Nephew was so determined to have the house flattened. Don Knotts is great as Luther, but two things that really contribute to my love of this film, is the musical score, and the Simmons house. The music is by Vic Mizzy, who wrote the Addams Family theme song, as well as the musical score for the series. Then there is the house, which is located on Colonial Street at Universal Hollywood. That the house resembles the Bates House from Psycho, is that the tower on the house, was removed from this facade, and placed on the facade of the Psycho house. There are some episodes of "Leave it to Beaver", where this facade can be seen without the tower. By 1966, the a reconstruction of the tower was back on the facade, and much more recently the facade was used as the home of Elvira's Aunt Morgana in "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark"(1988). As a child (I was nine when this film came out) It really bothered me that someone wanted to demolish this fascinating old house, and it was one of the reasons I became a preservationist.

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Psycho (1960)

I love creepy old houses, so for today's October film, I chose one of the films that led to my love of creepy old houses. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, is one of my all time favorite horror films, and i wanted to re-watch it today. With an Iconic performance by Anthony Perkins, who plays a man devoted to his mother, the film has stayed with me since I saw it on late night TV, before I knew anything about the ending. Alfred Hitchcock was a huge fan of Charles Addams, so it's not surprising he built a facade for the ominous old house, looming above the isolated motel, looking much like the kind of house Addams would draw in his cartoons for the New Yorker. To think after nearly 65 years, the Bates house still stands on the Universal Hollywood backlot, where it can be seen on the Studio Tour.

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Comedy of Terrors (1963)

When it comes to horror films, two names that are very much associated with the genre are Vincent Price and Boris Karloff, and I was fortunate to have grown up, when they were still releasing new films to the theater. For today's October film, I chose a film with both of them, "The Comedy of Terrors" (1963) Price plays a vile Funeral Director who hobbies include drinking, hurling insults at his wife and assistant, and attempting to poison his father in law (Played by Boris Karloff). His assistant is Peter Lorre, who is tuck working for Price's Undertaker, because Price hold's going to the authorities, with information about his criminal background. Also holding Lorre's character there, are his feelings for Price's long suffering wife. When Price's landlord (played by Basil Rathbone) informs him that he is facing eviction, for being a year arrears in rent, Price comes up with a solution that would erase both his debt and his landlord. A fun film made when AIP was at the top of it's game, making their 1960s horror films.

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Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

For today's October film, I've chosen my favorite screwball comedy, that takes place around Halloween, which is "Arsenic and Old Lace". Starring Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, and Peter Lorre, it never lets up, from a brawl breaking out during a Brooklyn Dodgers game, to the Taxi Driver saying he's a coffee pot. Raymond Massey, does a great job filling in for Boris Karloff, who made the play a huge success on Broadway. Karloff was sold on playing the part of Jonathan Brewster on his saying "I killed him, because he said I looked like Boris Karloff!", and they do a good job making Massey up, so he looks like Karloff. Because the stage show was so successful, and Karloff was an investor in the show, he had to miss appearing in the film version, as the fear was if Karloff wasn't performing as Jonathan Brewster, that would have meant a drop in ticket sales. Peter Lorre is in top form playing Dr. Einstein, who is playing a character clearly uncomfortable being a sidekick to a psychotic murderer, and of Cary Grant is fun playing a celebrity critic who discovers on the day of his wedding, his sweet little old aunts have developed a hobby of murdering older men who they find out have no family, by poisoning them, so they don't have to be lonely. This is a movie, I never get tired of watching.

[baronvonkrieger]

Mad Monster Party? (1967)

Growing up in the 1960s, it seems there was a lot of monster things aimed at kids. Toys, models, costumes, and monster shows. So, for today's October movie, I chose "Mad Monster Party"(1967). From Rankin Bass, who created a great number of holiday specials, this is a stop motion picture, featuring Boris Karloff as Baron Frankenstein, and Phyliss Diller as the Frankenstein monster's mate. A great deal of well known monsters appear, including King Kong, who for copyright reasons, is called "It". The character designs came from Jack Davis, who had a long career, which included his work in the "Tales from the Crypt" comic books, and Mad magazine. Since Boris Karloff had an affection for children, I'm certain he had a great time doing this. It's an entertaining show, which was one of the inspirations that Tim Burton had for his films.

All reactions:

1Rebecca Vanzant