CORMAN, PRICE, & POE in '64: THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH/THE TOMB OF LIGEIA

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964) d. Roger Corman (USA/UK)
THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964) d. Roger Corman (USA/UK)

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We at HORROR 101 would like to honor the passing of the late great Roger Corman by highlighting two of the more unusual efforts in his now-classic series of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, both of which premiered in 1964 and both starring the inimitable Crown Prince of Horror, Vincent Price: The Masque of the Red Death and The Tomb of Ligeia.

BRING ON THE BIG BUGS - THEM! (1954) TURNS 70!!!

THEM! (1954) d. Gordon Douglas (USA)

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Unleashed upon a hungry-for-sci-fi movie-going public in the summer of 1954, Them! was the first of the “big bug” movies and proved to be the year’s biggest moneymaker for Warner Brothers. Originally slated to be shot in color and 3D, the studio cut the budget at the last minute, although the stark black and white cinematography may have worked to its advantage, yielding an impressively eerie visual landscape. These elements, combined with extraordinary sound design, art direction, and solid ensemble performances, resulted in a true genre classic that would go on to earn an Academy Award nomination for its imaginative and thrilling special effects.

GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) HITS THE BIG 4-0!!!

GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) d. Ivan Reitman (USA)
GHOSTBUSTERS 2 (1989) d. Ivan Reitman (USA)
GHOSTBUSTERS: ANSWER THE CALL (2016) d. Paul Feig (USA)
GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (2021) d. Jason Reitman (USA)
GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (2024) d. Gil Kenan (USA)

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(Apologies for the dicey audio - apparently my microphone wasn't plugged in, so you're getting that sweet, sweet laptop mic instead.)

40 years ago, no one had ever seen anything quite like Ghostbusters. A movie populated with hilarious and charming heroes and genuinely scary ghosts. A story that made you laugh one minute and scream the next. A big-budget comedy festooned with elaborate special effects. Despite the unconventional concept, director Ivan Reitman and co-writer/co-star Harold Ramis refashioned Dan Aykroyd's original story treatment of interdimensional ghost hunters into a contemporary comedy set in New York City. Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson eventually filled out the titular quartet, alongside rising stars Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, with improvising galore and guffaws aplenty.

50 YEARS OF VAMPYRES (1974)!!!

VAMPYRES (1974) d. Jose Ramon Larraz (UK/Spain)

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At a time when throwing extensive vampiric nudity on screen would have been enough, writer/director Jose Ramon Larraz went the extra mile to conjure a deceptively simple, highly satisfying tale of two bisexual bloodsuckers with Vampyres, released in 1974. Played with charged sensuality by newcomers Marianne Morris (as the dark, mysterious Fran) and Anulka (as blonde, fresh-faced Miriam), the Sapphic duo take up residence in a remote English countryside estate, flagging down unsuspecting male drivers to take home for an evening snack. In addition to their daily iron intake, these vampires enjoy all pleasures of the flesh, and Larraz delivers the goods in numerous well-shot, sexy interludes between the lovers and their victims.