Ohhh noo!!! It’S the one year anniversary of !!! -The return of the Son of Chiller Theater TV Monster Fest! Run, Jump, Crawl & Scream! For your lives!!!
Challenge-Try and name as many of these characters / the titles of these classic B-Movies they materialized from…the images above.
What can I say but this guy is having a roaring good time checking out all the programming on Chiller Theater TV…
It’s been one year and it is more monsterous than ever. I have hunkered down and loaded for vampires, mutated alligators, green giants with radioactive breathe that hail from Japan, slimy ectoplasmic things that go bump in the night…I have lots of garlic — my finger on speed dial of the local ghost busting firm and I have a fail safe device in my bomb shelter. And I know Burt personally…aw you don;t know who Burt is .. the savior of Perfection. The world famous Graboid remover… man Temors!!!!! don’t mess around..oh and lots of glasses of water ….
This is about the size of a phantasmagorical journey- one that takes you into the realm of aliens, giants, monsters and things that go bump in the night…
To set the mood-Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett
Calling all monster fans, if like your monsters taller than 6ft , then Chiller Theater TV has got what you are looking for -How about 12 films starring your favorite ape… King Kong including my favorites
King Kong Escapes(German release poster to left) and Kong of Skull Island. All part of Monster Fest Creature Feature starting Oct 1st-a sneak peek today- the 6 Kongs including the original with Fay Wray and and a Godzilla bash featuring the big green guy vs a sea monster plus all those maecha creations…already available to stream…super excited..oh and watch out for the Boogens(1981)-it’s happening again. As Roddy Mcdowell says “Welcome to Fright Night”..it’s happening again.🎃🤖🙃
Above — banner ad for Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror (Paul Naschy) but also it makes the distinction that Chiller is now in color
**see expanded Werewolf, Dracula and Frankenstein categories now includes the above mentioned Frankensteins’s Bloody Terror released originally in 70mm-starring Paul Naschy-(his first go round as the cursed werewolf with just a couple of vampires n tow but no Frankenstein monster insight…)
Now you can experience all the thrills and chills of WPIX-CH 11 New York City as a streaming service — on the Roku platform. Now is a great time to jump and ride a out of control rollercoaster of frights right thru the month of November just like the good old days.
Pull up a chair or relax on the sofa or behind the sofa when the scary parts are on, crack open a root beer. *** see link below to Arrow Films- Elvira-Mistress of the Dark..out on Bluray and like the hostess with the mostest, she’s loaded with goodies & treats…
Oktoberfest pretzels(Snyder) or some apple cider and doughnuts.I didn’t say it couldn’t be hard cider or not your dad’s root beer.
- * Trivia break
I hope this is getting you in to the spirit —if you were in Toronto Canada Kresge’s had 24 locations to keep you in “stitches and rags”- notice the prices ? When was the last time you were able to grab a costume for $1.98… Remember Woolworths…they had similar pricing and that is where we shopped ….Ben Cooper Costumes they probably had the most variety in characters…especially from TV and Movies… my next door neighbor was King Kong one year. I myself sported a Captain America outfit at age 3 and Spider Man the following year.. Most likely due to the Marvel Comics cartoon series that ran in the afternoons.
*Growing up in the ‘50s/60’s was coined the Monster Kid era. Monster magazines were sold at every drugstore and newsstand. Kids kept them under their beds along with comic books and Playboys(or some off shoot). At times housed in metal boxes that locked .. to keep that pesky little brother or sister from intruding.,,along with a handy flash light for a midnite read… always the best time…
Below — my first issue and I never looked back after that…
Above- Scream and Scream again- the first time that Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee ever starred in the same film… and it was not the last…currently streaming on Chiller…
WPIX ch 11 in New York was not the only ch 11 that had a Chiller domain where all the scary,creepy crawly “things” hung out on Saturday afternoons and dominated late night fare on the weekends.. no there was 11 Alive in Pittsburgh. The New York Chiller ran for several decades and there is a Chiller Theater Expo or Con in Meadowlands, NJ twice a year- once in the fall and a spring event as well.
Which when not hosting Ch 11’s dishes of the macabre presided over the event Horror Host John Zacherly or just Zacherly to his fans…He was an enormous talent and simply a nice all around ghoul. So Chiller has had an amazing effect on the horror industry and cons.
I always looked forward the the annual Monster Fest. I would actually start planning out my viewing schedule to catch as many of the films as possible. Once thee lineup was announced, Here you won’t have to do that it is all here for you to watch at your convenience and making it very easy to throw or host your own party or a binge fest. Listed be is some breaking news a few of the titles and categories you can choose from.
Without further ado I bid you welcome to Chiller Theater my dear guests.My name is Crookshank. Please make sure to stay the course and don’t wander off! Especially after dark and nearest the midnight hour. But I can guarantee… a most enjoyable, melodic performance, baying at the moonlight. Usually after they have had a bite to eat. Oh those children of the night, love to sink their teeth into . Well enjoy, while you can!!!
- * This just in- the animals have taken over and Grizzly (1977) can now be seen from the safety of your home
Ever wonder what the Night Callers song sounded like -Below the title credits with a British crooner giving a jazzy.From Russia With Love feel to this neat little bonus to a very clever scifi mystery story… it’s part detective procedural / alien abduction.. you see on the “Night Callers” planet women have become sterile thanks to a world war and the females of Earth are needed if their race is to survive ..oh don’t worry they’ll be returned when mission accomplished…
Above — John Saxon(Enter The Dragon/Planet Earth*see below available on Bluray with Genesis II)
Brandishing new categories-
Filled with villains, monsters and things crawl and ooze their way across the screen.
See the The original scream queen-FAY WRAY in King Kong(1933) , Doctor X (Who is the Moon Killer?) and Mystery at the Wax Museum & The Vampire Bat -The latter three co-starring Lionel Atwill
Peter Cushing-
1966 -Island of Terror
Left — Cover Art for Bluray import-
To be found in Fantasy & Mythologies-
Ray Harryhausen’s Sinbad(3 films)
Below- one of the most influential films on today’s masters of Special Effects…
- no discrimination * offers are open to all types of giants-men,women and Blobs!!!! And yes we have hypodermic needles in all sizes…
- *** Breaking News**** now added Mexican/Aztec Mummies/werewolves, Paul Naschy, Hammer Films titles(inc Curse of Frankenstein) * my favorite 60’s Euro- Werewolf in a Girls Dormitory featuring many actors from the Edgar Wallace mysteries by Rialto and the cult classic Dracula vs Frankenstein
The Fly- classic and modern…help me,…help me…
Now showing for all those people with Graboid fever every Tremors movie including the latest-Shrieker Island. Finally Asia ha s gotten in on the act.
Rodent Marathon -Ben, Willard, Deadly Eyes(Sam Groom) and H.G.Wells Food of the Gods(Marjoe Gortner)and the Killer Shrews…
Killer Cars & Trucks- The California Kid(Martin Sheen and Vic Morrow), Killdozer( Clint Walker), The Car, Death Proof(Kurt Russell), & Duel(Starring Dennis Weaver and directed by Steven Spielberg)…
Water Monsters- 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea(1954-Kirk Douglas), Frogs(Ray Milland), Orca plus All the Deep Blue Sea and Jaws you can catch in one day…ask Quint!
Apes- The entire Planet of the Apes series from the classic ’60s thru the most recent reboot.Plus the ‘74–75 TV series starring Roddy McDowall, James Naughton and Ron Harper . Still waiting for the cartoon series…
* Disclaimer-no monsters(naturally occurring or created), aliens, beasts, dinosaurs or mythical beings were injured during the preparation of this post**
- *Vintage ads- A Freak Off-Did you guys get my tickets? ..I told you last week I wanted to go..
- Back in the day- 7 out of this world bands…this has ’60s all over it.
***from Hammer -Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell/Frankenstein Created Woman plus the rare-hard to find Hammer classic…
Left: Japanese release-1967-Frankenstein Created Woman
Below- A British quad for Kiss of the Vampire. Notice the Cert X underneath Vampire ? Many horror films had a Certificate X rating indicating adult material .
- -Kiss of the Vampire with all of it’s creepy Gothic settings,
- a very spooky/haunting score from James Bernard and starring Clifford Evans as Professor Zimmer with a somewhat different take on the vampire “hunter”.
- Oh and we could not fail to mention Ghost of Frankenstein starring a young William Smith(at age 8)…
Now Godzilla up to 32 monstrous titles stompin it’s way to your living room( and some non Zilla-Toho films as in Atragon/Dagora: both rare and with a large cut following.
Television-
now includes episodes of Irwin Allen’s Land of the Giants, Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,
the complete Invaders with Roy Thinnes and Thriller with Boris Karloff…
Plus all the Eerie Indiana you feast on….
All for a little over 2.00 a month… far less than a comic nook these days and basically that would have been two issues of Famous Monsters. Content added weekly/daily…this is bigger than any beast or monster to ever invade Tokyo or New York.
The great thing about this service is it is virtually a monster fest 24/7. So don’t miss out come and get your scare full.
- Just added- The 1st two original Made for TV films from 1972 & 1973 The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler. The ones that helped launch the cult classic series starring Darren McGavin as Kolchak, The Night Stalker. The complete series is also here for your screaming pleasure or is that streaming…maybe it’s both!!!!.
Below- part a print ad for beer -Baltimore ‘50s..so if you are throwing a party this the way to go
- More thrills and chills creeping your way…1977’s Tentacles (John Houston), A Rowdy Roddy Piper double feature-John Carpenter’s They Live & ***Hell Comes to Frogtown co-starring William Smith & Sandahl Bergman (both had prominent roles in Conan The Barbarian). A slew of Mexican Horror Cinema classics including The World of Vampires and if that was not enough Invasion of the Vampires .. and this guy can not be far away German Robles ( a prolific International actor during the 50’s and 60’s -mostly with his teeth barred. He really should see a dentist..oh well)
- So don’t forget if you need a midnight snack and not sure what to cut your teeth on this channel has something for everyone.
So if you like things that go bump in the night, boo not hoo/who, Gothic estates with long winding driveways, crooked trees and sinister looking servants. And you don’t have one next door then this is the channel for you. I personally gotta run. It’s time for one of my favs- Werewolf in a Girls Dormitory. Plus I forgot to pull up the drawbridge and put out the alligators. It helps keep those pesky insurance agents away or on their toes. So till next time …
I’m heading over to my next door neighbor Lawrence as in Talbot… although he did place an emphasis on making it there before the full moon… oh well. We getting ready fire up our Creepy Crawlers machine…
Link to Chiller Theater —
https://chillerthrillertv.wixsite.com/chiller/monsterfest
Available on Roku’s various streaming devices -https://www.roku.com/
ENTER IF YOU DARE!!!!! Not for the faint of heart…. if you don’t though you may be missing out some delicious brain food?
Bonus section-Additional related Links and mini reviews:
Vinegar Syndrome-
These guy’s are working around the clock to keep you knee deep in %&$# and I mead the good “stuff” … remastered from original negatives when possible many of their releases are hard to find rare sought after cult classics both of the beaten cuff and the adult industry…
- * Hell Comes to Frogtown-now available with lots of goodies(extras)Bluray from Vinegar Syndrome…audio commentary from the director and the writer producer, an interview with one my favorite fx creators/director Steve Wang(super nice guy!!!), reversible cover art, remastered from an interpositive & restored in 4K
Above — trailer- features Wolfman Jack voice over
Left-sink your teeth into that tag line
Old Dracula 1974- US premiere Bluray release… aka Vampira(British title)- a mix of comedy and gothic vampire atmosphere and the twist as Dracula played wonderfully by David Niven(The Pink Panther-1964)is trying to bring his beloved back from beyond the grave. What he doesn’t bank on is Teresa Graves(Get Christy Love) as a funky version of his immortal love. ….time to get your freak on!!!
- ***Breaking News***!!! New 4K-UHD/Bluray and what a way to spend Thanksgiving…North American Premiere release Special Collectors arriving 11/27/20
- The Beast Master -Marc Singer-Tanya Roberts-Rip Torn and John Amos. Loaded with too many extras and Don Coscarelli (Diretcor-Phnatasm) couldn’t be happier and why not he directed this masterpiece of 80’s Sword and Sorcery…
- I saw it 5 times in the theater…
- In the tradition of Conan and Red Sonja comes a brilliant ,tongue in cheek at times rollicking high adventure with a man who has the ability to communicate with animals. He is joined by his traveling companions: two ferrets, a hawk and a black panther. Together they are on a showdown with destiny- they just don’t know it…
- trailer
Thanksgiving tradition is back with Black Friday sales !!!!
Arrow Films & MVD -International Cult Cinema and rare, sought after films featuring iconic/retro performances by the likes of Rutger Hauer(Blade Runner) , Sam Jones(My Chauffeur), Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira and many more….
MVD -one there most recent releases-Fans have been crying for this for years…remastered
Split Second- Collectors Edition Bluray-starring Rutger Hauer. Kim Catrall and Michael J Pollard…
featuring a creepy action piece of cinema taking place in the not too distant future up on rooftops, on and below the very streets we travel as Rutger tracks what may be a not too human killer…oozing & dripping with slime, sweat and blood spray. This is high octane and it’s Rutger at his best. But will he be a split second faster than his pray.. because that is as long as it takes before it’’s all over for it’s next victim..
It killed his partner years ago! Revenge! it’s personal and nobody does revenge better than Rutger Hauer…
**I only saw this once and it scarred the &*%# out of me….I dare ya to see Split Second..remember that’s all it takes…
Arrow Films- Elvira,Mistress of the Dark. Bluray
The hostess with the most -est just inherited a spooky mansion right in the heart of Salem… and it comes with all the trimmings including a distant relative after a certain book… a freaky poodle and some of the goofiest town folks. But don’t even spit on the side walk .. because as “nice” they appear… they will just as soon as burn ya at the stake if they suspect you of any “ shenanigans-the unnatural kind. Brimming with lost of throwaway one liners and a cauldron or two. This is the perfect film for Halloween..
Tricks and Treats included-Commentaries, behind the scenes.Trailers and more…
Flash Gordon 4k release-Sam Jones is Flash and as Queen sings “Saviour of the universe!!!” Flash ah ahh…
Dino Delaurentis presents Alex Raymond’s hero in a psychedelic cinematic setting… with the visuals and prime colors — not quite Barbarella but one sequence is more than likely an homage when Flash has been drugged and rescued by Princess
Get the Limited Edition 4K — recommended- comes with posters and lobby cards plus a 2nd disc that offers a feature length documentary detailing Sam Jones before and after and his ups as well as his downs..
Warner Archive —
Genesis II / Planet Earth Bluray — 2 pilots from the mid ’70s by Gene Roddenberry which the networks did not greenlight. A shame because I love the cast in both films- Alex Cord and John Saxon both play Dylan Hunt -awakened from suspended animation in a very changed future planet Earth. The later film with Saxon also has among the players Ted Cassidy, Lurch of Adams Family/voice actor heard in many Hanna Barbera cartoons and happens to hail from my side of the world- Daytona Beach, Fl (where he was a former lifeguard)…you ranng Madam?
And if you want to green and slimy? Then why not a ride on space station Gamma Three. Teaming with lots of girls and a not too friendly group of stowaways. Some green, mini sized, one-eyed tentacled aliens (not the Purple People Eater kind who just want to play in a Rock n Roll Band). These critters bleed green blood and thrive off of laser blasts and electricity of just about any source even the humankind?!
Backed by Walter Manly(who imported many German Krimi films, directed by Kinji Fukasaku and filmed completely in Japan(film crew as well) with an international cast -Robert Horton , Richard Jaeckel (The Dirty Dozen)and Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball). Boasting some fun, cheesy ’60s miniature work, cinematography by from Toei( distributed by MGM in US). This film is also the unofficial sequel to the 4 Gamma One flicks directed by Antonio Margheriti in the mid ‘60s.
Charles Fox re-scored the soundtrack and wrote the title track.. which is worth the price of admission in my book .. any one who can work the words Green Slime in to a song has some gusto and chops…its jazzy & rockin with a psychedelic beat. A few synthesizers thrown in for good measure. You’ll find it sticks in your head for a few days.. Hopefully that’s the only thing except for all that knowledge you just crammed in to your brain for that exam on Monday…
I would tell you to grab the gang and head to the Drive-In. So much fun…
But this will have to do.
Published By
Chris Nersinger
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
