From Zombos' Closet

Scared to Death Opens at Museum of Pop Culture

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SEATTLE – The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) announced the opening of a new exhibition, Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film. Organized by MoPOP, this original exhibit takes an in-depth look at more than a century of horror cinema. From blood-thirsty vampires and unrelenting zombies to fiendish slashers, this immersive experience presents the broad range of iconic horror villains and the stories over the generations that have brought them to life.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) Pressbook

Here's an early Halloween treat for you. You can read my review of the movie here. The pages have separated, so don't hold me to the exact order they should appear in. 

Comic reader version:  Download House on Haunted Hill Pressbook

See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.

Halloween Sighted: Michaels Stores 2017

You can always count on Michaels Stores to bring Halloween in early. Lots of decorations, Lemax Spooky Town, and fun wood and plaster craft items you can paint this year to showcase your Halloween mojo. Skeletons, skulls, and Day of the Dead are once again staple themes, and you can go with either a black and white motif or add splashes of color. Either way, I'm always thrilled to see their shelves filled with the creepy and the spooky. Here's a sampling of what's in store and waiting for you. The Lemax Spooky Town display wasn't up yet, but I'll be back to snag some photos for you.

Peter Pain Haunts a Halloween Party 1960 Ben-Gay Print Ad

Yes, throwing a Halloween party is backbreaking work. Lugging those treat bags around will definitely ache-up that lumbar region faster than a kid devours candy.

Monster Mania No. 2, 1967 Tribute to Hammer Issue

Monster Mania was one of the more worthwhile reads in monsterkid horror magazines from the 1960s. Russ Jones, in his Editor's Desk entry for this issue, laments how tough it is to find fresh material and photos. "How many more times can the Frankenstein story be told? How many more times will the same stock shots of the immortal Bela Lugosi as Dracula be printed?" Indeed. And he didn't have the Internet to contend with, where pictures and the same material are shared (and ripped off) faster than a cold. I liked Monster Mania's simple but efficient layout and coverage, and this Tribute to Hammer issue is a keeper. Terrence Fisher talks horror, One Million Years B.C. gets reviewed, Chris Fellner explores The Intriguing World of Hammer Films, Christopher Lee is spotlighted, and Peter Cushing, too. And...the product ads are to die for. How many did you send away for? Take that, Amazon.

Comic reader version:  Download Monster Mania 2  (More magazines in the morgue over here.)

Project Moonbase (1953) Mexican Lobby Card

According to Wikipedia, the same sets and costumes for Project Moonbase were used for Cat-Women of the Moon. At least the Mexican lobby card is a nice hodgepodge of 1950s science fiction imagery. If you like watching men and women dressed for space like they were going to play tennis, this one's for you.

Killer Ape (1953) Mexican Lobby Card

 Jungle Jim deals with a really big problem in Killer Ape. From the cycle that brought us mad scientists conducting bizarre experiments with apes. Yes, the 1940s/1950s brought some weird themes to the cinema. Which, of course, worked out well for genre fans. 

The Woman in Green (1945) Mexican Lobby Card

I'm a big Sherlock Holmes and Watson fan. The Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce series was a well-worked update to the characters. Here's the Mexican lobby card for The Woman in Green. Henry Daniell as Professor Moriarty was a perfect choice: he clearly showed, for me, that reptilian countenance Doyle wrote about. The ending is rather silly, though: Professor Moriarty is certainly more clever than that. 

Curse of the Faceless Man (1958) Mexican Lobby Card

This is one of those horror movies that seems to impress more than its production should warrant. The music is pretty good for a budget horror, and the love storyline, of ancient man and reincarnated woman, brings a certain tragedy and out of time element to it all. But Richard Anderson was practically comatose throughout, and the voice-over wasn't needed. Still, once the music kicks in and Quintilus rises, albeit slowly, there's a definite eerie mood that begs you to yearn for more (an effect I also experienced with The She-Creature).

Halloween Ghost Blow Molds

Lighted blow molds depicting ghosts are a quaint way to bring that vintage feel to your Halloween. Here are some I spotted on eBay.

The Tiger Woman (1944) Mexican Lobby Card

By now you probably have gotten the feeling I'm into Republic Pictures Serials, and jungle movies. Now, if Linda Stirling had actually worn the outfit shown in the illustration for this Mexican lobby card, well, I'd have liked that too. Of course, there are social considerations to discuss and argue in these older jungle movies and serials: how white men and women always seem to find themselves ruling over native tribes, and unlikely stuff like that. Or how the prop and art departments kept coming up with mismatching wardrobes for the culture and time period (yes, budget, I know). I wouldn't mind, though, wearing those puffy pants (see the inset scene). Those are awesome. And don't forget the boots.

Undersea Kingdom (1936) Mexican Lobby Card

A fun Republic Serial, Undersea Kingdom is one of my favorites, with ray gun-toting robots, a rocket submarine, and a cool armored vehicle called the Juggernaut. And with Ray "Crash" Corrigan leading the way, how can you go wrong. Visually, for a budget serial, it still packs a retro and hodgepodge stylish wallop.

Horror Hotel (1960)Mexican Lobby Card

Here's a fantastic Mexican lobby card for Horror Hotel (aka The City of the Dead), a little gem of a movie. They used a lot of fog to cover up the budget sets. Works like a charm. Creepy and spooky. And with Christopher Lee perfectly placed in his element.

Poltergeist (1982) Pressbook

Not sure why they bothered making a remake when the original is so darn good.

Comic reader version:  Download Poltergeist Pressbook

See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964) Mexican Lobby Card

Nicely done Mexican lobby card that simply borrows the illustration from the English poster art.

The Phantom of the West (1931) Mexican Lobby Card

I'm not certain, but I believe this is the Mexican lobby card for The Phantom of the West. The style is colorful and simple, similar to this Chandu lobby. An original photograph was pasted onto the card (I'm assuming by hand), which gave way to printing the scene later. The early Mexican lobbies with the pasted on photographs are quite novel and always a favorite find for collectors like me.

Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952) Mexican Lobby Card

Here's the Mexican lobby card for Zombies of the Stratosphere serial. I still want that jet pack and helmet and leather jacket and...

Invisible Agent (1942) Pressbook Ad Mat Insert

Here's the ad mat insert to the Invisible Agent pressbook. These are the newspaper ads that would be used by the movie theater for promotion. The ads shown here would simply be cut out and sent to the newspaper, along with the theater's location and show times. Now, of course, you just open Fandango or another app on your phone. But seeing these ads in the newspaper was a lot more visually exciting, if not as convenient.

See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.

Necromancy (1972) Mexican Lobby Card

Bert I. Gordon directs a horror movie with Orson Welles. Need I say more? Okay, Pamela Franklin is in it too.

Salem's Lot (1979) Mexican Lobby Card

It still gives me goosebumps.