Hopelessly Devoted To: Joan Woodbury

Published December 21, 2019 by biggayhorrorfan

Joan Charlie

With cheekbones that could have cut you like a quick blade, the striking Joan Woodbury actually brought a truly cozy energy to her many screen roles. Whether adopting a slight accent (King of the Zombies) or blonde locks (The Chinese Cat), she always radiated with warmth and easy humor.

The Living Ghost, an old dark house style murder mystery, especially gave her a chance to shine with a screwball wit. Paired against the wisecracking James Dunn, Woodbury truly steals the show here with her glamorous fashions and good natured bantering. Joan Woodbury the-living-ghost-2

Proceeding Brooke Shields by decades, Woodbury was also the first actress to bring famed comic strip reporter Brenda Starr to life. Although, she is perhaps more significantly known for her multiple roles in the Charlie Chan programmers, including Charlie Chan on Broadway.

Joan charlie-chan-on-broadway-1937 But with credits in everything from Bride of Frankenstein to popular musicals (Bring on the Girls, Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies), Woodbury is truly deserving of appreciation from old school film lovers of every imaginable genre in glorious perpetuity.

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

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Joan Woodbury blonde

Bubblegum

Published June 21, 2019 by biggayhorrorfan

It’s Pride Month and in celebration, Count the Clock Productions does The Favourite one better. Their recently released music video Bubblegum features a vengeful servant playing florescent tricks on an out of control monarch. Revenge has never quite been so brightly fun!

Director Zach Lorkiewicz’s consistent sense of style, a frosty mélange of Richard Avedon morphed into David LaChapelle’s visual torso, is present here…along with a beautiful half naked milk pourer. That tune is pretty sweet, too!

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

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Velvet Underground

Published December 2, 2018 by biggayhorrorfan

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In the ‘60s Lou Reed and crew probably didn’t know that Venus in Furs, from Velvet Underground’s debut album with Nico, would define mystery, dark horror and sexiness for every generation that followed. Case in point, the song was just used in the 7^th episode of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to highlight a moment of gothic sensuality.

But the band was always of their time and ahead of it, as well. 1971’s Candy Says detailed the experiences of Candy Darling, one of the first transgendered superstars, with a beautiful honesty.

Darling, who appeared in cult classics like 1972’s Silent Night , Bloody Night, has plenty of deserved online appreciation. The Velvet Underground, currently being celebrated with an art show in NYC, are always being celebrated at http://www.velvetundergroundmusic.com/, as well.

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

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Dorothy Lamour

Published May 20, 2018 by biggayhorrorfan

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The glorious Dorothy Lamour was probably best known for the multiple Road pictures that she did with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope (and for the vibrant wraparound dresses that she wore in them) in Hollywood’s golden age. There, and in other brightly filmed projects, she often burst into inventive song. Anthology buffs, though, probably know her best as the doomed Martha Spruce in the Old Chief Wooden’head episode of Creepshow 2. Thankfully, she had a much more colorful (and happier) role in Cecil DeMille’s grandiose The Greatest Show on Earth.

Lamour, who also appeared in the fun 1975 television terror Death at Love House also showed some new generation teens how to sell a production number in 1964’s Pajama Party.

Saying sarong…and until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Review: Malafafone

Published January 20, 2018 by biggayhorrorfan

I can’t keep anything sweet in my apartment. A bag of chocolate chip cookies or red licorice that is meant to last a week (or two) is always gone in a single evening. Naturally, others have different types of overindulgences.

The heroine of writer-director Jono Freedrix’s bright yet powerful horror comedy short Malafafone is such a case. Her pre-date beauty regimen soon takes a turn for the excessive. Of course, while this is presented in fun, Freedrix also makes a powerful point here about society’s rigorous beauty standards and their effects on the people, mainly women of all backgrounds and types, who have no hope of truly being able to prescribe to them.

Accented by excessively cheery lighting and vibrant music by Scott Hampton, Malafafone is also helped immeasurably by the perky, slightly demented performances of Lesley Shannon and Andy Baldeschwiler. Alan Rowe Kelly’s grizzly special effects and make-up, meanwhile, add just the right amount of unbridled horror to the proceedings, as well.

Malafafone is currently available for free viewing at:

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

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Phoebe Snow

Published December 17, 2017 by biggayhorrorfan

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The dusky soulfulness of singer-songwriter Phoebe Snow seems far removed from the world of horror. This may be exactly why the producers of Ash Vs. Evil Dead decided to use her classic love ballad Poetry Man as the end title song for Confinement, a particularly gruesome second season episode. Amazing artistry can often be found in extreme contrasts.

…and, indeed, from the ‘70s until her untimely death at the age of 60 in 2011, Snow always provided the world with impeccable artistry.

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

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