The Monster carries his victim into a spooky cave, and a fake bat on a string flaps in front of him, just as real bats flit more convincingly in front the screen. Special effects? Nature can provide something much more special, when films are shown in unusual locations. In this case, it was the 1935 … Continue reading
Category Archives: Horror
Crime / Drama / Horror / Serials / Television / Victoriana / Writing
Farewell to the Rozzers of Ripper Street and their daily dealings with dippers and dollymops
Ripper Street, BBC’s intelligent crime drama set in late 19th century Whitechapel, has been cancelled after two series. We asked the lead character, Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, for his thoughts. I have been surprised and gratified to learn that reports of our work in H Division have spread beyond London to the Provinces, and – … Continue reading
Sherlock, Sherlock’s mum, and a bloody great moth
Most reviewers dismiss the 1968 horror movie The Blood Beast Terror as unremarkable at best, but I reckon there are at least six reasons why you might consider spending an hour and a half of your life on it. 1. Peter Cushing. The master of British horror (and more) brings his class and gravitas to … Continue reading
Dracula in a castle – fangs very much
Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre deserves a vote of fangs for a tricksy Halloween treat this week – a screening of Hammer’s classic Dracula in a real castle. Tuesday night’s (29th October) sell-out show in the spooky undercroft of Cardiff Castle gave us a rare chance to see this revered 1958 production as it was intended … Continue reading
Film / Horror / Television
I did some digging around Bates Motel and found some grisly stuff
As a Psycho prequel arrives on British TV screens [I write this in September 2013], I did some digging around the Bates Motel, and found some grisly stuff. Psycho (a 1960 horror-thriller, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, in case anyone was unaware) is one of my favourite movies, so when I learned of the TV series … Continue reading
The Wolf Man of Wales
You’d never guess from the accents, but Universal’s 1940s werewolf classics are (at least partly) set in Wales. Is it ridiculously geeky to try to figure out where in Wales? I thought so. Continue reading
PieceOf Pink Pie 