Unsung Femmes: The Corpse Vanish’s Elizabeth Russell

Published February 20, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

My hypnotic stare has always read as catatonic. Just ask the neighbors who consistently try to call emergency services on me.

Thankfully, graceful beauty Elizabeth Russell (1916-2012) was much better at magnetism than me. Enacting a series of emotionally troubled, occasionally murderous dames in low budget genre films in the 40s, Russell often brought haughty imperviousness to mystical heights. Historically, her work at RKO, Universal and Monogram brought her into performance-contact with the monstrously popular Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr., as well.

The Corpse Vanishes

One of Russell’s biggest roles was in 1942’s The Corpse Vanishes. Portraying Lugosi’s evilly aging wife, Russell radiates with poisonous intentions. When she isn’t busy slapping heroine Luana Walters in the face, she spends her time encouraging Lugosi to drain young brides of their blood for their rejuvenating effects.

Curse of the Cat People

Weird Woman and Curse of the Cat People (both 1944) showed her off to vengeful effect, as well. But in each of these roles, Russell provides moments of true heart, bringing out these characters’ inherent emotional agony.

The 7th Victim

1943’s The 7th Victim, meanwhile, allowed her to show off a broad variety of her skills. As Mimi, a victim of agoraphobia, she withers with cautious fear. But as another character chooses to end her life, Mimi emerges from her shell. With quiet optimism, Russell grandly provides this spooky tale with its haunting denouement.

Bedlam

Nicely, as Karloff’s gin loving niece, Mistress Sims, in 1946’s Bedlam, Russell was able to prove her comic worth, too. With arch sauciness, she provides a number of comic interludes, easing the gravity of the film’s asylum based horror and proving, beyond a doubt, that she is one of classic horror’s unsung femmes.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Astro Radio Z: Argento’s Dracula!

Published February 18, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Sometimes, there is nothing that makes me happier than a bag of red licorice, the company of my vintage Suzanne Somers action figure and the soundtrack of Love At First Bite on my stereo!

But usually I am most pleased when I get to talk cheesy horror flicks with upstanding terror stalkers like Derrick Carey (Swamphead, Hole in the Wall), Cory J. Udler (Incest Death Squad series, Mediatrix) and acclaimed genre journalist Seth Poulin.

Here, we four talk, on the Carrey hosted podcast Astro Radio Z, about Dario Argento’s wildly dismissed Dracula and about the current state of this master of horror and his ilk.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, we all kind of dug this one. Find out why at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fearcast/2014/02/18/astro-radio-z-episode-12

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Big Gay (Nostalgia Ridden) Review: The Ghouligans!

Published February 15, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Every once in awhile I feel like I am missing true quality in my life…and then I head on over to http://www.theghouligans.com/ and get myself cured.

The Ghouligans!, for those not in the know, are a groovy throw back to the Universal monsters, Saturday morning television and 70’s sitcoms. Luckily, regulars Boris Stein (played with bumbling awesomeness by Michael Koscik), Void (the zombie, enacted with charming tentativeness by Sean King ) and Wolfgang W. Wolgang (the boisterously fun Pete Bune) have just released a new 6 episode series that rings with goofy nostalgia and inventive humor.

Marked by incredible production values, each show deals with a particular, often loony adventure. Episode one, for instance, revolves around the feeding of a seemingly scary, very hungry blob that just happens to be Wolfgang’s pet. The fourth entry chronicles the amorous errors that occur due to love lessons delivered by a suave vampire.

Each show, also, includes original commercial breaks, that range from the satirical to the nostalgically enjoyable (IE: A promo for an Odd Couple type situation comedy featuring Boris).

Captured by Boris and Wolfgang…and loving every second of it!!

You can purchase this latest season at the gang’s website (as plugged above) and you can keep up with all of their swinging, terror-ific adventures at https://www.facebook.com/ghouligans, as well.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Valentine’s (With a Twist): Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant, “Suspicion”

Published February 14, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

The mind-blowingly insecure (myself included) will always relate to the tender hope and brilliant confusion that the divine Joan Fontaine perfectly illustrates as bookish Lina in Alfred Hitchcock’s nicely realized 1941 thriller, Suspicion. As the suave Johnny (played with handsome charm by the legendary Cary Grant) pursues and eventually marries her, Fontaine brims with devoted confusion. Of course, just when she seems sure of his affections, Lina finds herself believing that financially troubled Johnny is capable of murder and presently plotting her death to gain the insurance money.

Hitchcock works with his typical slow boil, here, making marvelous use of shadows and ably coloring ordinary exchanges with a feeling of dread and suspense. Fontaine, who won the Oscar for her portrayal, flawlessly assists him in his goals. Thriller enthusiasts may find disappointment in the ending, as contrary to the source material, Johnny’s innocence is revealed. Pesky studio executives thought that if Grant played a cold blooded killer that his reputation (and box office appeal) would be tarnished.

But, what does emerge is a full portrait of a woman in various (true to life) emotional stages. Nothing is for certain in our existence, therefore Lina’s journey from shy to sure to questioning, results in a suspense filled love story that anyone with (even a dab of) sensitivity can, eventually, relate to.

Happy (Bloody) Valentine’s Day — and until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Sharkbait Retro Village: Gale Sondergaard in “The Cat Creature”

Published February 13, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

From soul sucking mermaids to possessed drive-ins and satanic dogs, gay director Curtis Harrington’s film subjects are gloriously unusual. He, like many a lavender lad before him also appreciated a good diva when he saw one.

Counting Gloria Swanson (Killer Bees), Debbie Reynolds and Shelly Winters (What’s the Matter with Helen?), Ann Sothern (The Killing Kind) and Piper Laurie (Rudy) among his leading ladies, Harrington, akin to such Golden Age “female directors” like George Cukor and Douglas Sirk, worked with some of filmdom’s most majestic femmes.

In the 1973 television terror flick The Cat Creature, Harrington worked magic with the mysterious, socially beleaguered Gale Sondergaard. As winner of the first Academy Award for Supporting Actress in 1936, Sondergaard had a quality career until being blackballed in the ’50s for refusing to testify during the McCarthy “Red Scare” trials. She eventually returned to the screen in the ’60s and spent a lot of the ’70s doing television and fright fare such as Savage Intruder (1970).

Here, with a sassy firmness, Sondergaard infuses the supporting role of Hester Black with a steely spine and a heart of gold. A former con, Black provides mothering (with some faint lesbian undertones) to the young female assistants in her pawn shop. Her world is turned upside down, though, when one of the women in her employ mysteriously disappears. As a sly cat works its way through nearby alleys and acquaintances soon lose their lives, it appears that the killer may be mystical in nature and much closer to Black than she ever expected.

Harrington works with an astute sense of shadow, here. (He would employ the same techniques in the sillier, much beloved Devil Dog: Hound of Hell in 1978, as well.) The mood he generates does much to elevate the simple plotline (which makes the true killer’s identity fairly obvious, early on in the proceedings).

Old school horror lovers will appreciate the appearance of David Hedison (The Fly) as the male lead and sit com fanatics should delight to the presence of a very young, almost unrecognizable Meredith Baxter (Birney), who sports lots and lots of hair!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Crinoline Head 2: It’s All in the Chapeau!!!

Published February 11, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Looking backward and forward at the same time can, unfortunately, lead to whiplash.

The sweetest kind of whiplash, though, comes with the announcement that director-writer Tommy Faircloth is revisiting his acclaimed slasher Crinoline Head after nearly twenty years.

With a cast including horror goddess Debbie Rochon and Abraham Lincoln Vs. Zombies’ Jason Vail, Crinoline Head 2: Dorchester’s Revenge will seemingly offer more intense thrills than the original.

Be sure to keep up with the film’s progress at:

https://www.facebook.com/crinolinehead2

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

The Backside of Horror: Michael O’Leary, “Fatal Games”

Published February 11, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Let’s face it, half the fun of horror and exploitation is seeing some hot bodies frolicking around in the buff. And while I worship the female form, I believe exploitation definitely veers into the exploitive when only gorgeous women are on display while their male counterparts remain chastely buttoned up. Therefore, The Backside of Horror salutes the filmmakers and actors whom even up the score a bit by gracing us with instances of hot and juicy male flesh in their bloody celluloid fantasies.

Getting wet can be dangerous – especially when dancing naked in a snowstorm or while embracing an electrical outlet. It is, also, extremely deadly when starring in an early 80’s slasher film. You know the set-up: Skinny dipping leads to sex, sex angers the knife plunging villain, the plunging of the knife leads to death.

Unfortunately, as frisky teen athlete Frank Agee in 1984 (released) thriller Fatal Games, handsome Michael O’Leary learns this the hard way. After a butt baring romp in the school’s pool, Agee soon meets his end.

Those able to tear themselves away from O’Leary’s multiple charms, will also find that Fatal Games features future scream queen legends Linnea Quigley and Brinke Stevens in small roles and marks itself as resume filler for star Sally Kirkland, who would soon go onto her Academy Award nominated turn in 1987’s Anna.

O’Leary, meanwhile, would further explore the sins of the flesh, for over twenty-five years, as Dr. Rick Bauer on the legendary soap opera, Guiding Light. Now, that’s a very long swim!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Film Jerks!: Electrick Children

Published February 10, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Now, this is high voltage!

Film Jerks!, the awesome podcast founded by Wisconsin horror pioneer Derrick Carey, covers 2012 indie fantasy Electrick Children on their most recent episode.

This quirky flick details what happens when a young girl, brought up in a strict Mormon community, discovers that she has become pregnant from listening to a cover of Hanging on the Telephone (famously sung by Blondie) on a purple cassette tape.

Starring acclaimed up and comer Julia Garner (We Are What We Are, The Last Exorcism 2) and featuring a subtle performance (believe it or not) from (low budget) genre regular Billy Zane, this bizarre fairy tale is by no means a horror flick but it definitely appeals to the rock-n-roll outsider in us all!

You can listen to this Film Jerks! episode, here:

http://filmjerks.podomatic.com/entry/2014-02-09T14_12_46-08_00

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: DeadMansWake – “Kickstart My Heart”

Published February 9, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Sometimes it comes to this: the awesomeness of horror loving, hard rocking hotties, DeadMansWake!

Led by eternally vibrant, consistently kick-ass vocalist Kryssie Rydolfi, this Midwest mainstay has recently recorded a truly invigorating cover version of Motley Crue’s Kickstart My Heart!

Be sure to get your (terror loving) motor revving, here:

You can, also, purchase Down at the Whiskey, the Versailles Records compilation that this track appears on, from Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Down-The-Whiskey-Millennium-1981-2013/dp/B00ERH142K – and while you are at it, give DeadMansWake a follow, here, as well: https://www.facebook.com/DEADMANSWAKE

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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Hidden Horror Takes the Cake!

Published February 7, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Yep, Hidden Horror, the book anthology that celebrates over 100 overlooked terror masterpieces, has spread its delicious hideousness out into the world, just like blood specked frosting!

Luckily, I was on hand at this macabre collection’s recent release party to interview a few of the book’s amazing authors.

Indie horror darling Michelle Courvais (Dead Weight, The Landlord) details her love for Brimstone and Treacle, here:

Meanwhile, the glorious Shelley and the fabulous Steve highlight such queer related films as Carnival of Souls and Lemora, as well:

Be sure to pick up Hidden Horror on Amazon:

http://tinyurl.com/m8dzb3y

And if you like, follow its wacky, limb strewn progression at http://www.facebook.com/hiddenhorrorthebook, too.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

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