The Horror Guys Guide To Universal Studios Shock Theater

Shock! TheaterFor the decades between 1930 and 1950, the undisputed masters of horror were Universal Pictures. From their early success with Dracula and Frankenstein to the later additions, such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal has created and popularized more memorable creature flicks than any other studio. By the time the 1950s had come around, filmgoers' tastes had changed from the supernatural monsters that Universal excelled at to more scientific terrors- atomic horrors, mutant animals, and other, more psychological fears. Not only that, but now films in the theater had new competition-- Television.In 1957, Universal sold a package of 52 mostly-horror films to TV stations around the USA. This package contained many of their greatest horror classics, along with some less-popular films that could round out the package. These films directly led to the invention of TV "Horror Hosts," who were used to introduce and pad out the shorter films. The film package was so successful that a few years later, "Son of Shock!" was released with twenty more films. This first book includes viewing synopses of ALL fifty-two original Shock! films, including the few non-horror films and even a few gems that are rarely seen today. Each film has some trivia and commentary. By examining each film in chronological release order, we can quickly see how tastes, values, budgets, and even special effects grew through the two decades these films were produced.

Shock! TheaterFor the decades between 1930 and 1950, the undisputed masters of horror were Universal Pictures. From their early success with Dracula and Frankenstein to the later additions, such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal has created and popularized more memorable creature flicks than any other studio. By the time the 1950s had come around, filmgoers' tastes had changed from the supernatural monsters that Universal excelled at to more scientific terrors- atomic horrors, mutant animals, and other, more psychological fears. Not only that, but now films in the theater had new competition-- Television.In 1957, Universal sold a package of 52 mostly-horror films to TV stations around the USA. This package contained many of their greatest horror classics, along with some less-popular films that could round out the package. These films directly led to the invention of TV "Horror Hosts," who were used to introduce and pad out the shorter films. The film package was so successful that a few years later, "Son of Shock!" was released with twenty more films. This first book includes viewing synopses of ALL fifty-two original Shock! films, including the few non-horror films and even a few gems that are rarely seen today. Each film has some trivia and commentary. By examining each film in chronological release order, we can quickly see how tastes, values, budgets, and even special effects grew through the two decades these films were produced.

Son of Shock!For the decades between 1930 and 1950, the undisputed masters of horror were Universal Pictures. From their early success with Dracula and Frankenstein to the later additions, such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal has created and popularized more memorable creature flicks than any other studio. By the time the 1950s had come around, filmgoers' tastes had changed from the supernatural monsters that Universal excelled at to more scientific terrors- atomic horrors, mutant animals, and other, more psychological fears. Not only that, but now films in the theater had new competition-- Television.In 1957, Universal sold a package of 52 mostly-horror films to TV stations around the USA. This package contained many of their greatest horror classics, along with some less-popular films that could round out the package. These films directly led to the invention of TV "Horror Hosts," who were used to introduce and pad out the shorter films. The film package was so successful that a few years later, "Son of Shock!" was released with twenty more films. This second book includes viewing synopses of ALL twenty Son of Shock! films, including the few non-horror films and even a few gems that are rarely seen today. Each film has some trivia and commentary. By examining each film in chronological release order, we can quickly see how tastes, values, budgets, and even special effects grew through the two decades these films were produced. In addition, there are twenty-seven EXTRA Universal films covered that were not included in either package but are otherwise considered essential viewing or historically significant.

Son of Shock!For the decades between 1930 and 1950, the undisputed masters of horror were Universal Pictures. From their early success with Dracula and Frankenstein to the later additions, such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal has created and popularized more memorable creature flicks than any other studio. By the time the 1950s had come around, filmgoers' tastes had changed from the supernatural monsters that Universal excelled at to more scientific terrors- atomic horrors, mutant animals, and other, more psychological fears. Not only that, but now films in the theater had new competition-- Television.In 1957, Universal sold a package of 52 mostly-horror films to TV stations around the USA. This package contained many of their greatest horror classics, along with some less-popular films that could round out the package. These films directly led to the invention of TV "Horror Hosts," who were used to introduce and pad out the shorter films. The film package was so successful that a few years later, "Son of Shock!" was released with twenty more films. This second book includes viewing synopses of ALL twenty Son of Shock! films, including the few non-horror films and even a few gems that are rarely seen today. Each film has some trivia and commentary. By examining each film in chronological release order, we can quickly see how tastes, values, budgets, and even special effects grew through the two decades these films were produced. In addition, there are twenty-seven EXTRA Universal films covered that were not included in either package but are otherwise considered essential viewing or historically significant.

In October 1957, Screen Gems made numerous horror movies available to local television stations around the country as part of a package of films called Shock Theater. These movies became a huge sensation with TV viewers, as did the horror hosts who introduced the films and offered insight--often humorous--into the plots, the actors, and the directors. This history of hosted horror walks readers through the best TV horror films, beginning with the 1930s black-and-white classics from Universal Studios and ending with the grislier color films of the early 1970s. It also covers and explores the horror hosts who presented them, some of whom faded into obscurity while others became iconic within the genre.

From December 1957 through October 1959, Chicago TV viewers were held in thrall by "Marvin," the ghoulishly hilarious host of WBKB-TV's late-night horror film series Shock Theatre. Marvin and his lady friend "Dear" (her face ever hidden from the camera) introduced thousands of Chicagoland youngsters to such classic Universal chillers as Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolf Man. This history of Shock Theatre focuses on the series and its creator, Marvin himself--in real life, the multi-talented Terry Bennett, whose wife Joy played "Dear." Terry's son Kerry Bennett provides an affectionate foreword, while celebrated horror host Count Gore De Vol (Dick Dyszel) supplies the afterword. Included are dozens of photos and vintage advertisement reproductions, as well as two appendices featuring a resume of Terry Bennett's career and a list of films telecast during his two-year Shock Theatre run.

While Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein (both 1931) have received the most coverage of any of the studio's genre releases, it is the lesser known films that have long fascinated fans and historians alike. Starting with The Last Warning, a 1929 movie released as both a silent and a talkie, Universal provided a decade of films that entertained audiences and sometimes frustrated critics. Each of Universal's horror, science fiction and "twisted mystery" films receives an in-depth essay for each film. The focus is first on the background to the making of the movie and its place in the Universal catalog. A detailed plot synopsis with critical commentary follows. Filmographic data for the film conclude the entry. Universal's The Shadow short film series is covered in an appendix. Many rare illustrations and movie posters are also included.

Vampires are ubiquitous in our popular culture--from movies to television, in fiction and art, and even within the hallowed halls of academia. But in the not-so-distant past, these undead creatures held more fear than fascination; they lived in the shadows and were the stuff of nightmares. In 1897, Bram Stoker introduced Dracula to the Western world--and our concept of vampires was changed forever. For over sixty years, the undead have bled the television airwaves, appearing in every type of programming imaginable. Un-Dead TV catalogues over one thousand unique vampire appearances—and is the first book of its kind to explore this phenomenon to the extent that it truly deserves.

A full-color officially authorized retrospective book celebrating the classic monster films that have haunted audiences for decades!

Winner of the 2011 Booker Prize and #1 international bestseller, The Sense of an Ending is a masterpiece. The story of a man coming to terms with the mutable past, Julian Barnes's award-winning novel is laced with his trademark precision, dexterity and insight. It is the work of one of the world's most distinguished writers. Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they navigated the girl drought of gawky adolescence together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they swore to stay friends forever. Until Adrian's life took a turn into tragedy, and all of them, especially Tony, moved on and did their best to forget. Now Tony is in middle age. He's had a career and a marriage, a calm divorce. He gets along nicely, he thinks, with his one child, a daughter, and even with his ex-wife. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove. The unexpected bequest conveyed by that letter leads Tony on a dogged search through a past suddenly turned murky. And how do you carry on, contentedly, when events conspire to upset all your vaunted truths?