HAVE A BEISTLE HALLOWEEN!

WHEN I WAS A KID, A LOT OF HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS AROUND THE HOUSE WERE FROM THE BEISTLE COMPANY.  Martin Luther Beistle founded his company in 1900 and beginning in 1921 they began producing what would become some of the most fondly-remembered and biggest-selling Halloween decorations in the country.  Every October, my mother would bring out the old Halloween decorations I loved so well - I'm assuming these were from the 1950s and 1960s and many were made by the Beistle Company.  Here are those iconic Halloween decorations of yore. . .

    

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 31

DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS!  

Perhaps the perfect film to wind up the Countdown to Halloween's Christopher Lee-A-Thon!  The first and some say the best Amicus portmanteau multi-story film; this one certainly holds a place in my heart.  First introduced to me by my cousin Loran when we were teenagers.  I love this film!  From the very first spooky, atmospheric opening moments on the train enveloped in fog and moody music, DR. TERROR makes my Halloween complete!  

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 30

THE DEVIL RIDES OUT!  

Hammer's almost entirely successful filming of Dennis Wheatley's black magic novel brought to the film company by the author's buddy Christopher Lee.  The special effects climax (which features not-very-special effects) may not be as spectacular as one would like but it doesn't dampen the fun.  Great performances throughout by Lee "on the side of the angels" this time as the Duc de Richelieu and Charles Gray (of the neon eyes) perfect as the Aleister Crowley-like evil mage Mocata.  

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 29

HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS!  

Final film pairing of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing (if you don't include the Hammer Horror documentary "FLESH AND BLOOD") which also features Vincent Price and John Carradine along for the spooky fun.  And Desi Arnaz Jr., of course.  This is the umpteenth retelling of the George M. Cohan stage warhorse "SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE".  I've seen probably every film version of this hoary old stage play and this one is not the best . . . nor is it the worst.  Desi Arnaz Jr. is actually adequate in his role as a horror writer who makes a bet that he can churn out a novel in 24 hours in a deserted old mansion.  Of course, he is constantly interrupted by the repeated arrival of dotty old horror icons!  British veterans Sheila Keith and Richard Todd (who have some fair affinity for the horror genre themselves) are here as well as a Benny Hill beauty. . .who doesn't stay beautiful for long.

HALLOWEEN GALLERY - THE EAST WING

AND NOW FOR OUR FINAL VISIT TO THE HALLOWEEN GALLERY, WE SASHAY OUR COSTUMED ASSES INTO THE EAST WING. . .

ANOTHER GREAT VINTAGE SPOOK SHOW AD

MORE HALLOWEEN HIJINX FROM SHIRLEY TEMPLE, 1934

HALLOWEEN WITH SANDRA DEE, 1968

PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY WITH CAROLINE & JOHN JR., OCTOBER 31, 1963

A VIEW OF THE SALEM WITCH MUSEUM TAKEN BY MY FATHER, 2015

PETER CUSHING LIVES!  STRAIGHT OUTTA WHITSTABLE

GOTHIC ARTWORK FOR PAPERBACK EDITION OF "THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE"

VINTAGE COMIC BOOK OF TV HORROR HOST GHOULARDI

"MAKING THE JACK-A-LANTERN", 1882

THOSE GLORIOUS AURORA MODEL KITS

ATMOSPHERIC ENDPAPER ART FOR "ALFRED HITCHOCK'S GHOSTLY GALLERY" AND "ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S HAUNTED HOUSEFUL" HARDCOVERS

ARTICLE ON PHILLY'S TV HORROR HOST DR. SHOCK

BEISTLE "STUNT HALLOWEEN QUIZ"

ME IN MY HALLOWEEN COSTUME CIRCA MID-1970s (check out the Beistle Goblin Witch decoration on the door behind me - it had already lost it's bod!)

TRICK OR TREAT!

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 28

SCREAM OF FEAR!  

A.K.A. TASTE OF FEAR.  Early Hammer venture into "Let's make a movie just like Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO" sweepstakes.  This film starring Susan Strasberg with Christopher Lee in a supporting role is extremely good in the psychological horror mode while managing not to ape PSYCHO too closely.  It stands on it's own merits.  Well worth your time!

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 27

RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK!  

Filmed concurrently with DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, Hammer puts Christopher Lee in the role of the eponymous odd historical figure who was notoriously hard to kill.  Perhaps the best aspect of the DVD release of this film is the commentary track in which Christopher Lee regales the rest of the assembled cast with the TRUE story of the murder of Rasputin as told to him by someone closely connected with the historical events.  Raconteur Lee at his finest!

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 26

THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD!  

Patented Amicus multi-story "portmanteau" horror movie with both Cushing and Lee together again (but not in the same stories).  Lee is terrorized by a tiny tot while Cushing loses his head over a woman.

THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN

from BOYS' LIFE, OCTOBER 1962

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 25

I, MONSTER!  

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing co-star in this retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novella "THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE".  Unfortunately, the film is hampered by the absolutely inexplicable decision NOT to use the names "Jekyll" or "Hyde" (even though every OTHER character's name is straight from the Stevenson story.  And then the decision to release the film in 3-D results in a constantly moving camera that veers around the set and the actors so much you may need to take your dramamine before watching it.  Despite all this, Lee manages to acquit himself quite well in the role while Cushing is strangely somnambulant in his portrayal; in fact, I don't think I've EVER seen Cushing this subdued.  

HAVE YOU DECORATED YET?! IT'S ALMOST HALLOWEEN

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 24

THE SKULL!  

Amicus ventures out of the "omnibus portmanteau" multiple story horror film to bring this full length adaptation of Robert Bloch's "THE SKULL OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE" with Lee and Cushing together again.  Fairly effective horror yarn with the famous "Floating Skull POV" camera shots.

LEE-A-THON MOVIE OF THE DAY NO. 23

NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT!  

Obscure (and perhaps rightly so) screen teaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in a yarn involving rich old ninnies transferring their souls into the bodies of children.  For eternal youth, yeah?  Rather distasteful and ultimately boring film.

HALLOWEEN GALLERY - THE WEST WING

TODAY WE GAZE AT OUR GALLERY OF HORRORS AS WE ENTER THE WEST WING OF OUR HALLOWEEN GALLERY. . .

VAMPIRA RELAXES IN HER TOMB, 1954

JACK DAVIS ART FOR HORROR BUBBLE GUM CARDS, 1959

ORIGINAL MAGAZINE AD FOR CBS RADIO MYSTERY THEATER

SHIRLEY TEMPLE MEETS HALLOWEEN, 1935

MOODY ENDPAPER ART FOR THE "ALFRED HITCHCOCK & THE THREE INVESTIGATORS" BOOK SERIES

STARLET JUNE MARLOWE FROM THE 1930s

CLASSIC CHARLES ADDAMS CARTOON

TONIGHT'S GUEST STAR ON THE LOVE BOAT...

THE SHADOW FROM A 1930-1931 PUBLICITY PHOTO FOR "THE DETECTIVE STORY MAGAZINE HOUR"

NOW THIS IS A MONSTER MOVIE MARATHON I WANNA SEE - FROM A VINTAGE SPOOK SHOW AD

CEMETERY SYMBOLISM