New release: Dark Shadows documentary. One can't deny the importance of the horror genre in 1960s pop culture, both in terms of the enduring popularity of the Universal Monsters and the continued wave of monster magazines, model kits, and shows like The Munsters and The Addams Family, and the wave of gothic horror via Corman, Price, Bava, and a super-popular daytime soap called Dark Shadows. Dark Shadows and creator Dan Curtis are the subject of a new documentary due for release this spring. From the press release: "MPI Media Group today announced it has completed production on the highly anticipated Master of Dark Shadows, a comprehensive celebration of the legendary Gothic daytime series Dark Shadows and its visionary creator, Dan Curtis. The feature documentary, which was shot in New York, LA and London, includes interviews with key actors and filmmakers involved in the undyingly popular story of vampire Barnabas Collins and all the eerie goings-on at the gloomy Maine mansion Collinwood. The documentary was directed by David Gregory (Lost Soul, Godfathers of Mondo) and is set to be released this spring." More below.
"Narrated by Ian McShane (Deadwood), Master of Dark Shadows offers insights from Curtis himself in addition to Oscar-winning writer-producer Alan Ball (True Blood), screenwriter William F. Nolan (Trilogy of Terror), author Herman Wouk (The Winds Of War), veteran actors Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost), Barbara Steele (Black Sunday) and Ben Cross (Chariots of Fire), Dark Shadows stars Jonathan Frid, David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Lara Parker, John Karlen, Nancy Barrett, Jerry Lacy, Roger Davis, Marie Wallace, Chris Pennock and James Storm, plus other colleagues and family members. "In 1966, a phenomenon was launched when Dark Shadows debuted on ABC-TV as a daily Gothic suspense series. Airing in the late afternoon, the show attracted a massive youth audience as it shifted to the supernatural with the introduction of vulnerable vampire Barnabas Collins. Witches, ghosts and scary story lines turned Dark Shadows into a TV classic that led to motion pictures, remakes, reunions and legions of devoted fans who have kept the legend alive for five decades.
"The feature-length documentary Master of Dark Shadows reveals the fascinating history, far-reaching impact and lasting appeal of Dark Shadows with a compelling blend of rare footage and behind-the-scenes stories while also exploring the dramatic talents of creator-producer-director Dan Curtis. Known as the "King of TV Horror," the Emmy-winning filmmaker followed Dark Shadows with other iconic genre favorites including The Night Stalker, Trilogy of Terror and Burnt Offerings before earning accolades for the epic miniseries The Winds of War and War and Remembrance." More info at Amazon and the Collinsport Historical Society. Dark Shadows fans, stay tuned for another exciting DS announcement! I can't say anything yet, but there's another very cool project on the horizon. In other news, I have a new book out (over 700 pages!) about one of America's legendary cartoonists. Check it out! Enjoy!
New release: 1964 saw not only the Spy Boom launched by Goldfinger and The Man From U.N.C.L.E., but also the British Invasion led by The Beatles and the continuation of the Monster Craze with new programs like The Munsters and The Addams Family. And even as the Universal Monsters reigned via TV syndication, model kits, and magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland, there was still the kind of Cold-War anxiety about radiation and the Bomb that was reflected in the giant-mutant movies of the 1950s. Cue an independent film production from Connecticut about these tensions, mix in some teenagers, add a touch of surf music by the Del-Aires (ala Beach Boys 1961-1964), and you get a little monster cocktail called Horror of Party Beach! Note: this movie is a bomb- not the bomb, but it's still a fun ride. Maybe you saw the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version? Now Spy Vibers can dive into the deep end in glorious hi-definition with a new Blu-ray from Severin. From the press release: "In 1964, 20th Century Fox released an independent shocker – shot in two weeks for $50,000 outside Stamford, Connecticut by local producer/director Del Tenney – advertised as ‘The First Horror-Monster Musical’. More than 50 years later, this “absolute classic of exploitation cinema” (Legends Magazine) returns like you’ve never seen or heard it before: When nuclear waste dumped into the ocean mutates a shipwreck full of corpses, it will unleash an onslaught of bikini teens, surprising gore, dubious science, an intrepid maid, The Del-Aires, and arguably the greatest worst monsters in horror movie history. Severin is proud to present this cult favorite from “Connecticut’s own Ed Wood” (Stamford Advocate), now featuring a new 2k scan from the original negative and loaded with all-new Special Features like nothing that ever stalked this earth!" Bonus features include: Return to Party Beach: A Retrospective Documentary on The Horror of Party Beach, It’s the Living End: An Encounter with The Del-Aires – Interview with Band Members Bobby Osborne and Ronnie Linares, Shock & Roll: Filmmaker Tim Sullivan On Rock & Roll Horror Movies, Archival Interview with Director Del Tenney, Trailer. On DVD, Blu-ray and in a Blu-ray bundle with an enamel pin and your own beach ball! More info at Severin and Amazon. Below: Images from the Warren fumetti/photo-magazine by Wally Wood and Russ Jones, promo graphics, and video trailer for the new release. Enjoy!
