Forbidden Planet Movie Herald
I know of two movie heralds made available for Forbidden Planet. Both feature Robby the Robot. The theater would add its information on the last page.
Appointment with Murder (1948) Pressbook
Interesting to note that this low budget movie does get a nicely produced pressbook to promote it. I like the mustachioed clock with the skull pendulum. It’s an odd little embellishment that, while not exactly well placed, does hint of pressing danger. I’ve not seen the John Calvert Falcon movies, three in all, but this pressbook does wet my appetite to see this one. My favorite series is Boston Blackie with Chester Morris. I’ve yet to come across any of those pressbooks. But it is only a matter of time.
ComicRack reader version: Download Appointment with Murder Pressbook
Make more appointments with pressbooks from Zombos’ Closet.
…
Buck Jones in White Eagle (1941) Pressbook
Wasn’t it great knowing the good guys from the bad guys? The early Westerns always kept it simple. Perhaps too simple. By the time they rolled around to television, we expected everything to be wrapped up nice and neat by the end, even with the commercials. Buck Jones starred in the 1932 movie, White Eagle, and followed his role into this serial, the eight from Columbia. From Ron Backer’s The Gripping Chapters, the Sound Movie Serial book: “There were apparently a lot of mountain lions roaming the Wild West, as can be seen in the cliffhanger to Chapter Ten of White Eagle (1941)…One lesson to be learned from many of these serials was how easy it was to dispose of a large ferocious beast with a very small knife.”
ComicRack reader version: Download Buck Jones White Eagle Serial Pressbook
See more soaring pressbooks from Zombos’ Closet.
…
Scars of Dracula (1970) British Pressbook
Christopher Lee may have disliked how his famous count was being treated by Hammer, but each movie was always a treat for me to catch in the local movie theater. The 1970s were a great time for horror movies and conventions. Hammer, and especially Lee’s Count Dracula, were still the icing on the fandom cake. While Scars suffered from a lack of attention and commitment, it’s still a fun, bloody romp.
ComicRack reader version: Download Scars of Dracula Pressbook
See more biting pressbooks from Zombos’ Closet.
…
Fantacon 90 Convention Program
September 1990
The problem with being a disorganized collector is that you tend toward acquiring things and promptly forget about them. I had made photgraphs of this convention program back in 2016, but, well, here you go. Memory Lane Alert! When I went to conventions, back in the day, they weren’t the slick-slacks affairs they are today; where your wallet goes bust and your body is crushed trying to fit into spaces not even Einstein had thought about. And you got a REAL convention program. I mean a honkin tome you could actually read and enjoy, along with the cool bag-o-stuff it was tossed in. Highlights in this Comics Buyer’s Guide Fantacon 90 Convention Program include I Was a Zombie in Night of the Living Dead by Dennis Daniel and Editing The Famous Monsters Chronicles by, oh yeah, Dennis Daniel again (man, he got around). The other highlights are the cool advertisements and the tids and bits regarding the con itself.
See more convention programs from Zombos’ Closet.
ComicRack reader version: Download Fantacon 90 Convention Program
…
Borderline (1950) Pressbook
It’s unusual for a noir film to toss in humor and a light touch along with the criminal goings-on, but Borderline does that. Not all that well either: with Raymond Burr as the heavy and Claire Trevor and Fred MacMurry as agents not realizing they are on the same side, this story never quite finds its footing. So Borderline may be the film’s title, but it could also mean the way it doesn’t quite decide what’s serious and what’s funny, leaving the viewer precariously watching along that borderline to figure it out.
ComicRack reader version: Download Borderline Pressbook
See more pressbooks over the borderline from Zombos’ Closet.
…
Asylum of Satan (1972)
Mexican Lobby Card
Continuing our 1970s theme of satanic mayhem, here's Asylum of Satan. The illustration has a real Coney Island spook house feel to it.
Satan’s Cheerleaders (1977)
Mexican Lobby Card
Sure, you always think of Yvonne De Carlo as Eddie's wholesome mom on The Munsters, but she's a bit of a devil, too, you know. A school janitor gets the cheerleading squad into trouble with witches. John Carradine also manages to stop by. Originally given a PG rating, after the producer spiced it up, it received an R.
Satan’s Mistress (1982)
Mexican Lobby Card
This is a very large Mexican lobby card for Satan's Mistress. John Carradine did a cameo and Britt Ekland, although top-billed, didn't appear much. This movie came out around the same time as The Entity (which you really shouldn't miss). The card uses two very strong elements: a frightened, vulnerable woman and a pair of sinister, threatening eyes. Note the emphasis on sex and terror to sell theater seats.
Black Dragons (1942) Mexican Lobby Card
Here's a suitably mystery-hinting Mexican lobby card for Bela Lugosi's Black Dragons. Notice the "recommended for the horror club" seal of approval.
Weird Worlds Vol.2 Issue 1
February 1971
Not the best stories of the bunch in this issue, but the artwork is always wonderful. After you read a lot of these magazines you realize that women were either married, looking to get married, or not pretty enough to be married. The men were either heroic, scientists or fools; or married, looking to get married, or not handsome enough to be married. The best stories hinge on revenge, murder or monsters, and dead things looking for revenge or murder. Often enough the married men and women were hellbent on revenge or murder. Oh, and yes, ghosts, ghouls, witches, zombies, vampires, and other assorted nasties churned up the mix too, and were always more interesting than the men or women.
ComicRack reader version: Download Weird Worlds Vol2-1 Magazine
Seem more out of this world magazines From Zombo’s Closet.
…
The Pearl of Death (1944) Pressbook
This, The Pearl of Death, pressbook comes courtesy of director Joe Dante (Trailers from Hell, Gremlins, The ‘Burbs, The Howling, and more). Interesting story: I received an email from Charlie Largent asking if I’d like a bunch of pressbooks from Mr. Dante. Me, I’m thinking I’m being punked or scammed, but it turned out to be true. We worked out the logistics and, well, here we are. I’m always happy to hear from anyone who likes what I post, but when it comes from people like Joe Dante and Charlie Largent, it makes it especially pleasant. And I could never turn down an offer of pressbooks. Never.
Rondo Hatton is especially effective as the Hoxton Creeper, looming large and menacing, and Evelyn Ankers is always wonderful: a solid entry in the series.
ComicRack reader version: Download The Pearl of Death Pressbook
It’s elementary. You don’t need a detective to see more thrilling pressbooks From Zombos’ Closet.
…