THE WICKER MAN (1973) 50TH ANNIVERSARY ROUND TABLE!!!

THE WICKER MAN (1973) d. Robin Hardy (UK)

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Released the same year as The Exorcist, The Wicker Man also wrestles with religious rituals and fading faith. However, while the former was an instantaneous sensation that garnered Oscar nominations and huge box office receipts, its poor British relation suffered the indignities of studio-imposed edits and general public disinterest. However, as time has shown, this literal cult classic has endured for 50 years and is now regarded as one of the finest horror movies of the early 1970s.

NYC VS. GIANT MONSTERS (BEAST FROM 20K FATHOMS, GODZILLA, CLOVERFIELD) ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953) d. Eugene Lourie
GODZILLA (1998) d. Roland Emmerich
CLOVERFIELD (2008) d. Matt Reeves

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Ever since King Kong tore up the town in 1933, New York City has played host to a number of giant monsters stomping their way down 5th Avenue and giving colossal headaches to insurance companies. Tonight, we’ll be paying homage to a trio of cinematic goliaths, all of which are celebrating significant anniversaries this year.

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, THE LEOPARD MAN, and THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943 VAL LEWTON SPECIAL)

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) d. Jacques Tourneur
THE LEOPARD MAN (1943) d. Jacques Tourneur
THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943) d. Mark Robson

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From 1942 to 1946, when rust was appearing on the Frankenstein Monster’s neck bolts, Dracula was growing longer in the tooth, and swaddled, swollen mummies were limping along, both literally and figuratively, a savior appeared on the horror horizon, who would provide welcome counter-programming to the usual parade of fur, fangs, and putty. That man was Val Lewton, and his debut production with RKO, 1942’s Cat People, heralded a new style of horror, where less was infinitely more, where shadows grew ripe with menace lurking just beyond the edge of the frame.

IT CAME FROM 1953!! (INVADERS FROM MARS, WAR OF THE WORLDS, ROBOT MONSTER, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE)

IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953) d. Jack Arnold
INVADERS FROM MARS (1953) d. William Cameron Menzies 
WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953) d. Byron Haskin
ROBOT MONSTER (1953) d. Phil Tucker

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By the closing of the 1940s, it seemed that audiences had grown weary of the classic monsters of yesteryear, and were hungry for new thrills. Those exciting new stories came not from moldy crypts or ancient curses, but rather from beyond the stars. With space exploration already a going concern among the world powers and reports of UFOs starting to make their way into the public consciousness, it was no surprise that filmmakers also cast their gaze to the heavens, imagining what fresh wonders and threats might make their way toward our little planet.

KING KONG (and SON OF KONG) 90TH ANNIVERSARY JAMBOREE!!

KING KONG (1933) d. Merian C. Cooper / Ernest B. Schoedsack (USA)
SON OF KONG (1933) d. Ernest B. Schoedsack (USA)

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It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance the original 1933 King Kong has had on the monster movie genre and on the history of cinema overall. As such, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that there was a time before Kong, and that there were individuals who brought the character and the film surrounding him into existence. People like producers Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, writers Edgar Wallace, James Creelman, and Ruth Rose, special effects wizards Willis O’ Brien and Marcel Delgado, composer Max Steiner, sound effects pioneer Murray Spivack, and stars Robert Armstron, Bruce Cabot, and the legendary Fay Wray.

CURTAINS/PSYCHO II - 1983 DOUBLE FEATURE!!!

PSYCHO II (1983) d. Richard Franklin (USA)
CURTAINS (1983) d. Richard Ciupka/Peter Simpson (Canada)

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Tonight we're jetting back to 1983 to discuss a couple of undersung gems from the heyday of the slasher boom, one a belated sequel to a groundbreaking masterpiece, the other a curious Canadian feature made all the more appealing by its troubled production, release, and subsequent obscurity.