HYPNOGORIA 283 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part VII - The Masque of the Red Death

In this chapter we examine the movie often hailed as the greatest Roger Corman ever made - The Masque of the Red Death (1964) - starring Vincent Price, Hazel Court, and Jane Asher, plus cinematography from future legendary director Nicolas Roeg.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - The Corman Poe Cycle Part VII - The Masque of the Red Death

Find more writing and  podcasts on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 282 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part VI - HP Lovecraft's Haunted Palace

In this chapter we learn how Roger Corman made the very first movie adaptation of a HP Lovecraft story - The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, starring Vincent Price and Lon Chaney Jnr. - but when it hit cinemas, it had become Edgar Allen Poe's The Haunted Palace! (And yes, they even spelled Poe's middle name wrong!)

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - The Corman Poe Cycle Part VI - HP Lovecraft's Haunted Palace

Find more writing and  podcasts on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 281 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part V

In this chapter we have the next two Poe movies from Roger Corman, which each took a different direction. Tales of Terror (1962) was an anthology film featuring three different Poe stories, plus guest stars Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone. While The Raven (1963) was a comedy horror tale of feuding sorcerers which saw Vincent Price plotting magical skulduggery with Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and a young Jack Nicholson!  

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 281 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part V

Find more writing and  podcasts on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 273 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part III

In this chapter, we learn how Roger Corman and Richard Matheson devised a second cinematic foray in the world of Edgar Allan Poe, this time plunging horror icons Vincent Price and Barbara Steele in the the nightmares of The Pit and Pendulum (1961).

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 273 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part III

Find more writing and  podcasts on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 270 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part II

In this episode we detail how Roger Corman made his first adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe, The House of Usher, starring Vincent Price, and the impact it had when unleashed upon the world in 1960! 

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 270 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part II 

Find more writing and  podcasts on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 269 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part I

 A new series begins - devoted to the cycle of Edgar Allan Poe films directed by Roger Corman for AIP back in the 1960s. In this first chapter, we explore the origins of this series of classic movies, tracing the road that led to the House of Usher! 

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 269 - The Corman Poe Cycle Part I 

Find more writing and  podcasts on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 264 - Cormania Part V

In the final part of our epic retrospective on the late great Roger Corman, we chart the birth and huge success of New World Pictures, his subsequent ventures such as Concorde and New Horizons, and chart his incredible legacy,

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 264 - Cormania Part V

 

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

FROM THE GREAT LIBRARY OF DREAMS 110 - The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

As another tie-in to the Hypnogoria Roger Corman series, we have a story from Edgar Allan Poe, which was brought to the screen in Corman's Poe anthology Tales of Terror (1962).

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here-

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 263 - Cormania Part IV

In this chapter we find Corman looking for new cinematic ventures in the late 1960s, and working with a host of future movers and shakers such as Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese!

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 263 - Cormania Part IV

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

COMMENTARY CLUB 095 - The Terror

In another special show, we revisit another movie from the late great Roger Corman - The Terror (1963) a gothic fever dream which stars Boris Karloff and a very young Jack Nicholson!

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - COMMENTARY CLUB 095 - The Terror

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 262 - Cormania Part III

In the third chapter of our retrospective, we find Corman in the 1960s enjoying huge success with his cycle of movies based on Edgar Allan Poe, but still breaking new ground with other movies such as the very highly controversial drama The Intruder

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 262 - Cormania Part III

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

HYPNOGORIA 261- Cormania Part 2 - The Rise of the House of Usher

In the second part of our retrospective on the life and works of the late great Roger Corman, we chart how he moved from making B pictures such as The Wasp Woman  and cult black comedies such as  The Little Shop of Horrors to bringing a gothic literary classic to the screen.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - Cormania Part 2 - The Rise of the House of Usher

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

COMMENTARY CLUB 094 - Not of This Earth

In a special show, we revisit an early classic from the late great Roger Corman - Not of the Earth (1957) 

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - COMMENTARY CLUB 094 - Not of This Earth

Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here plus more articles on the weird and wonderful here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN 

The History of Horror Double Bills

Mr Jim Moon delves through the cinema archives of the Great Library of the Dreams to unearth the history of everyone's favourite two for one - the horror double bill! A three part podcast series exploring the history of the double feature, late night monster movies, horror hosts, and of course the legendary BBC2 horror double bills!

 


DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 001 - Horror Double Bills Part 1

In the second part of our investigations of horror double bills, Mr Jim Moon details the second wave of the Universal Monsters, the chillers from RKO conjured up by Val Lewton, charts the building of the Hammer house of horrors, takes a spin through the history of the drive-in, and examines the double trouble that was AIP and Roger Corman!

 


DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 002 - Horror Double Bills Part 2

In the third and final part of our series of double features in horror, Mr Jim Moon examines the history of the late night horror double bill on TV, discussing the likes of Shock Theater, horror hosts, Creature Features and the legendary BBC 2 horror double bills

 


DIRECT DOWNLOAD - HYPNOGORIA 003 - Horror Double Bills Part 3


Find all the podcasts in the HYPNOGORIA family here -

HYPNOGORIA HOME DOMAIN - Full archive, RSS feed and other useful links

HYPNOGORIA on iTunes

HYPNOGORIA on STITCHER

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

TOMB OF THE TRUMPS #26 - Dracula Pack XII

Welcome dear fiends once again to the haunted chamber of tat that is Tomb of the Trumps! However this week for a change, we actually have some quality finds in our lurid art autopsies! And we kick off with a name that surely needs no introduction! 

Now the Phantom of the Opera has already made a couple of appearances in this series before, courtesy of the great Lon Chaney Snr. For his marvellous depictions of the disfigured Erik have already been ripped off, I mean, inspired a couple of early cards, The Hangman and the Lord of Death. 

However I'm sure it will come as absolutely no surprise that by the time we actually get to the old Phantom himself at last, in true Horror Trumps fashion,  the image gracing the card isn't him at all! For while this fellow at an organ certainly looks the part, he doesn't hail from any version of Gaston Leroux's classic horror tale. No, it's an entirely different well-loved horror icon, the abominable Dr. Phibes!  

Now in fairness, the legendary Phibes does owe something of a debt to the Phantom - for like Erik, he is a musical, genius, loves playing the organ, and the first movie features a starling unmasking scene where his disfigured skull-like visage is revealed. And what's more both are a dab hand at creating memorable set-piece deaths for their victims. 

Played by the great Vincent Price, the not-so-good Doctor wreaked havoc in two cult movies directed by Robert Fuest. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) saw the undying genius taking revenge on the surgical team that failed to save his wife by recreated the Biblical plagues of Egypt, while the sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) saw him devising similarly ornate deaths for all those standing between him and the fabled Waters of Life. 

Now I am a huge fan of these movies, and for more information on this celebrated duology and the possible sequels that never materialised, tune into these pair of episodes from my podcast - I thank you!

HYPNOBOBS 25 – The Lives & Times of Dr Phibes I 

HYPNOBOBS 26 – The Lives & Times of Dr Phibes II

So then, onto our next exhibit! And rather appropriately this too is another cult classic getting a spurious new title in the Trumps-land!  

Now then, while you may be forgiven for thinking that this card was inspired by demoniac imagery from some medieval horrors, in fact this Satanic chap isn't in fact even a gentlemen! Actually this card is derived from a famous still from a classic Japanese film - Onibaba (1964)

Onibaba, which literally means "Demon Hag", was written and directed by Kaneto Shindo and was inspired by a Shin Buddhist parable. Critics are seemingly unsure as whether this movie should be classed as a period drama or a horror movie, but it is widely agreed to be a classic. Set in the 14th century, the story tells of two women, one older and one younger, who kill passing warriors and samurai and sell their armour and weapons for profit. However this set-up get more complicated when they team up with a soldier Hachi, and then things go badly awry when the older woman acquires a demon mask from one of her victims...

However for some bonus points, that's not the only rip-off in this card. Yes, that bloodied blade at the top has been borrowed too - for if you look closely you can see that it is the titular device in  this poster! 

Based  - very loosely  I might add - on the Edgar Allen Poe tale of the same name, The Pit and The Pendulum (1961) was actually the second of a series of movies inspired by Poe which were helmed by Roger Corman. They nearly all starred the great Vincent Price, and several, like this one, boasted a script by the great Richard Matheson too. A first class horror pedigree I'm sure you agree for a humble blood-splattered blade! 

Next time, there's a distinct touch of the grave to the next two cards we will be excavating here... 

TOMB OF THE TRUMPS #13 - Devil Priest Pack Part XIII

And welcome back to the shadowy realm of cobwebbed festooned tat that is Tomb of the Trumps! And we start the New Year with a real puzzler!

Oh Sorcerer, how thou dost tantalize us! So familiar and yet so unplaceable! Much like the Slime Creature, many of my predecessors in the field of Horror Top Trumpology have simply thrown up their hands in despair and claimed this is just a generic Bad Wizard pic, one of the those rare original pieces by the artist of these decks. 

However there is something nagglingly familiar about the Sorcerer. For a long time I had the feeling that perhaps he was cribbed from a '70s comic book, but alas, despite searching high and low I still have never found a doppelganger for this rogue. But looking at him again recently, another possibility suggested itself - consider those arched eyebrows, that pronounced nose, and that pencil mustache - could this be a very rough image of the great Vincent Price? From the lurid lighting, black robes, and the pustules on his face I'd guess perhaps a still from the classic Masque of the Red Death, directed by Roger Corman in 1964... However unfortunately I can find no corresponding still to match. But, if any of you recognize the Sorcerer, do get in touch! 

However to identify the next card we will be delving in the extensive back catalogue of that wizard of low budget film making Sir Roger of Corman! 

Now this was one of those cards that instantly rang a bell for me, as I knew I had seen the photo this was copied from before. And after much leaving through tomes by the likes of Alan Frank and Dennis Gifford, I finally found the original! It's a still from an obscure SF/horror flick, produced by Roger Corman in 1958, and scripted by his brother Gene! 

Night of the Blood Beast was the directorial debut of Bert I Kowalski, who is now perhaps best remembered by movie buffs for the 1969 disaster movie Krakatoa, East of Java, and by monster movie fans for 1973's killer man-snake flick Sssssss. As the titular beast, this wasn't actually it's first screen appearance - previously it - well, the same costume - appeared in another Corman movie Teenage Caveman, filmed a mere fortnight before! Sadly however after this, the work dried up for 'Talon'... such are the perils of being a B movie monster!