In this block, I take a look at a couple of classic stories, an influential play, a modern creepypasta, the world’s introduction to notorious fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter and the funereal gloom of puritanical America. Here we come to another entry in my journey through the following three horror lists: https://www.npr.org/2018/08/16/632779706/click-if-you-dare-100-favorite-horror-stories https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/best-horror-books http://www.stephenjoneseditor.com/sale1988-horror100best01.htm http://www.stephenjoneseditor.com/book2005-horroranother100best01.htm…
The Plainsman Blu-ray review
The Plainsman is a 1936 American Western film about the legendary gunman Wild Bill Hickok (screen legend Gary Cooper, Unconquered, The General Died at Dawn) and his adventures with his lover Calamity Jane (Jean Arthur, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), Buffalo Bill Cody (James Ellison, The Undying Monster) and General George Custer (John Miljan, I…
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Blu-ray review (Kino Lorber)
Based on Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most iconic pictures in our cinematic history. The first version was a 26-minute short French film from 1911. The 1923 silent classic starring Lon Chaney as Quasimodo followed and has been remade several times since then with various big-name actors…
Rififi in Paris Blu-ray review
Rififi In Paris aka The Upper Hand is a story about an experienced gold-smuggler Paul Berger “Paulo” (Jean Gabin, Moontide, The Sicilian Clan) and his partner Walter (Gert Frobe, Goldfinger) is at war with other gangsters who would like to be part of the gold-smuggling operation including a gang from America, led by Charles Binnaggio…
Theater of Blood Blu-ray review
Theater of Blood has been part of my cinematic life for decades, having owned a VHS and DVD release, plus the Blu-rays from Twilight Time and Arrow Video. Because the Twilight Time Blu-ray is long out of print, Kino Lorber decided to re-release it to those who prefer not to spend too much for their…
The Woman One Longs For Blu-ray review
Also known as Three Loves and The Woman Men Yearn For, The Woman One Longs For is a 1929 German tragic love story between two men and one woman, who happens to be the iconic Marlene Dietrich in one of her earliest roles. Even in these early roles, she has an incredible screen presence that…
13 Washington Square Blu-ray review
I hadn’t heard of 13 Washington Square until it was announced by Kino Lorber several months ago. The movie immediately caught my attention, not so much because of the cast, since none of them rang a bell at first, but due to its premise of a rich man marrying a middle-lower class woman which was…
Ben Reads the Horror Classics: An Introduction
Roughly a month ago, I came across the NPR Reader’s Poll list of 100 Best Horror Books and Stories and was surprised at just how few I had actually read. Have I really been neglecting horror literature over the years in favor of Stephen King novel after Stephen King novel? I felt like this was…
Gutter Trash Maestros Presents: Charles Band
The man, the myth, the legend. Known as much if not more so for being a producer, Band has a long directing career as well. Band’s first big success was with his Empire production company where he produced bonafide classics like The Re-Animator and the horror comedy fun of flicks like Ghoulies and Troll which…
Blu-ray Review – The Frenchman’s Garden – Mondo Macabro
I am sitting here having just watched the Paul Naschy directed/starring the Frenchman’s Garden. A film I could only have sat through on a bad bootleg just a few years ago. 10 years ago even I could only get a handful of Naschy’s more popular horror works on DVD, and now I could pull so…