Pressbook: Black Dragons (1942)
The best part of this pressbook for Black Dragons is the Bela Lugosi product tie-in to Remington. Who knew even Dracula needed to shave?
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Pressbook: Night Monster (1942)
Here's the Realart re-release pressbook for Night Monster, a tidy little thriller from Universal, with tons of atmosphere and stylish camerawork to enjoy. You can read my movie review here.
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Press Photo: Anoka Halloween Parade 1949
Here's a Tribune press photo showing the Anoka, Minnesota, Halloween parade marching along Main Street, October 31st, 1949. I love the sign that reads "the house that Jack built." Definitely a monsterkid in the skeleton costume.
Double Bill Pressbook:
The Monster That Challenged the World
and The Vampire
The design of the caterpillar-like creature in The Monster That Challenged the World is on my shortlist of favorite monsters of the 1950s. Although the script resorts to the usual 1950s woman in peril and is totally helpless until the man arrives but he gets into trouble so she screams a lot until more help arrives scenario, it's still a worthy B Movie staple. This pressbook shows the fantastic poster art and fun ballyhoo used for promoting this double bill of "blood-curdling monsters of the age!"
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Double Bill Pressbook:
The Monster That Challenged the World
and The VampireRead More »
Halloween 2015 Sighted:
Spirit Halloween Store
and the Zombie Subway
Spirit Halloween is doing a scary subway display this year, and I finally got to see it in all its gory. This store is at the Source Mall on Long Island. The mall, facing stiff competition from others close by, and hit by its anchor stores leaving, is pretty spooky all by itself. The top floor is mostly shuttered shop fronts, and the food court is now more a snack instead of a meal kind of place. But the Spirit Halloween store has the advantage of using a large, previously vacated space, so the merchandising is spectacular (if you’re a Halloween fanatic, that is). Now if only I had room for all this stuff…
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Halloween 2015 Sighted:
Spirit Halloween Store
and the Zombie SubwayRead More »
Halloween 2015 Sighted: Walgreens
Some inviting items this year on the shelves at Walgreens. Among the dancing skeletons and animated Medusas, there's an adorable pumpkin pop-up Grim Reaper and a nifty candy dish with a drop-down spider. Giant skull and clown heads will round out any scary decor, and the Day of the Dead and Nightmare Before Christmas decorations get their own endcaps.
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Vintage Halloween Hotdogs
and Weeny Witch Masks
I don't often equate skinless hotdogs with Halloween witch masks, but when I do, I want weeny witch masks. Just not the ones shown here, since THEY AREN'T WITCH MASKS!
Vintage Halloween Brach’s Candy Advertising
What's really frightening about this ad are the children's costumes. At least one kid has the right idea. Must be a monsterkid.
Vintage Halloween Necco Wafers Advertising
Skip the wafers: that Necco OK Double Bar looks darn tasty.
Terror Tales Vol. 5 Issue 5
October 1973
In issue 5, volume 5, of Terror Tales, a hungry slime goes for dinner, even the dead are exploited, and a beast does some island hopping. Don't miss the "deadly oriental fighting art of instantaneous death that requires no strength or close body contact" advertisement. Ask yourself if you have a head of horror. And last but not least, when Mongol Mummies say don't touch, DON'T TOUCH!
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Pressbook: They’re Coming to Get You
I think this movie is about the IRS. What do you think? Or maybe it's just All the Colors of the Dark (1972)?
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Mexican Lobby Card:
Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938)
I could never make up my mind as to which I liked best, Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers. But I always wanted to be Ming the Merciless. He's so cool with those tall collars and goatee, and all those death-dealing gadgets he fiddled with. How can you not want to be Ming the Merciless?