Despite these increasingly turbulent times - or just to spite them! - I sat down again with Jaylan Salah to have a charming chat about The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Vampire Lovers, and more of our favorite Pride picks on The Jay Days Review YouTube Channel! I'm grateful to be an ally and discuss what our favorites get wrong as well as what rainbow they get right.
Desert Hearts and When We Rise
It was such a pleasure being asked by @AndrewCorns13 to take part in The Revisionist Almanac Podcast's Let's Get Spooky Project! My thoughts on my favorite horror films and a few more intriguing scary movie questions are included alongside several other podcasters. Listen now @RevAlmanac!
The 2024 Spooky Season Collaboration Project has arrived!
— The Revisionist's Almanac 🎥🎞️🍿 (@RevAlmanac) October 10, 2024
You’ll hear about some of our favorite horror movies, find out which horror sub genres we prefer, and much more.
Check out the episode which is available on all podcast streaming platforms. #Spooktober pic.twitter.com/I1qWq3LQOq
Also stay tuned for more 2025 spots at The Revisionist Almanac! You can keep track of my audio/visual guest appearances with our Podcast and Video labels and browse previous collabs:
House of Dark Shadows Guest Podcast
Monster Madness: The Golden Age of The Horror Film – Moody scoring, photo stills, archive
footage, and black and white clips accent this eighty minute
retrospective chronicling the silent horror classics and Universal
Horror glory from the famed Stage 28, The Hunchback of Notre Dame,
and The Phantom of the
Opera to Dracula,
Frankenstein, and The
Mummy. Guest speakers include
Carla Laemmle, Bela Lugosi Jr, and Sara Karloff alongside newsreels
celebrating The Bride of Frankenstein
despite Depression era censorship. The narration moves fast,
however – packing in a one and a half speed sentence before the
highlights chronologically discuss Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris
Karloff, James Whale, and the continued provocative power, nightmare
inducing effectiveness, and good versus evil morality plays of these
really nice guys creating monster men. Further success in The Old
Dark House and The
Black Cat would typecast
these favorites amid 1939 Hollywood heights and wartime escapism
scares, and MGM competition from Fu Man Chu and Mark of the
Vampire, Paramount's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Peter
Lorre in Mad Love add more
than just Universal to the conversation. Brief
side chats also mention the growth of horror makeups and effects, SF
horrors, Island of Lost Souls, and RKO's King Kong
before The Mummy's Hand and
The Wolf Man degrade into the
more juvenile fluff mash ups such House of Frankenstein
and Abott and Costello meet Frankenstein. At
times, this seems somewhat unofficial, with Monster Rally panel
interviews, repeated trailers, and an uneven focus – some topics
are fleeting, others ramble and stray from the comment at hand.
Lesser sequels are skipped entirely, and this leg ends on an abrupt
down note, unable to stand on its own and forcing viewers to continue
with Monster Madness: Mutants, Space Invaders, and Drive
Ins. While mostly superficial
with nothing new for longtime horror fans, fun anecdotes keep
this informative and atmospheric for newer genre audiences. 
Monster Madness: The Gothic Revival of Horror – This eighty-two minutes continues
recounting the horror history with Hammer Films' early struggles and
suspense pictures before edgy SF fare like The Quatermass
Experiment and the Technicolor
Hammer Horror renaissance with Horror of Dracula and
The Curse of Frankenstein. Tossing in Elvis, however,
alongside the state of fifties cinema and hammy television horrors
meanders, delaying more interesting talk on Christopher Lee's larger
than life monster stature and the beloved Peter Cushing as the
villainous Dr. Frankenstein. Rambling archive footage with Lee, Jimmy
Sangster, Freddie Francis, Ingrid Pitt, and Oliver Reed is also
difficult to discern at times while the chronology sputters over The
Hound of Baskervilles, The Mummy, and
Hammer's increasingly ambitious set design, colorful gore, and
saucy skin. Standalone
thrillers including Paranoiac, Scream of Fear, and
Curse of the Werewolf are
discussed alongside the varying success of sequels such as The
Revenge of Frankenstein, the polarizing Evil of Frankenstein,
Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and Dracula Has Risen from the
Grave. Other hits like
Psycho, Amicus productions such as The Skull and
The Creeping Flesh, and anthologies including Dr.
Terror's House of Horrors are
name dropped, but this session unfortunately wastes more time
missing famous horror classics such as The Innocents and
The Haunting – and
Vincent Price is never even mentioned! Censorship battles and raunchy
from The Vampire Lovers or
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde don't
hide the lagging mood, and this ostensible presentation ends on The
Satanic Rites of Dracula without discussing further Amicus and
AIP productions or even more Hammer gems such as Frankenstein
Created Woman and Countess Dracula. These Monster
Madness documentaries need to go
together, yet the series should have been either exhaustive
two hour slots or a half hour series with tighter focus per topic.
Despite a sentimental and flawed presentation, this video has enough
serviceable nostalgia for Hammer lovers and tip of the iceberg
information for budding horror fans.
The
Brides of Fu Manchu –
Christopher Lee returns for this 1966 second installment in the oft-adapted series,
and yet after 3 additional Fu Manchu films and all these subsequent years, it is
still a bit strange to see him in such Asian designs. Today’s audiences may
indeed find it difficult to accept that past producers found putting white
actors in this, for lack of a better term, Asianface acceptable. Though not as
demeaning as Karloff’s The Mask of Fu
Manchu, the iffy is still worse than the likes of You Only Live Twice. The villainous stereotypes and dated racism
can make the presentation difficult, but dang nab it, Sir Christopher is still
delightful here. He is completely transformed, yet his booming stature and
vocal command raises the plot above the erroneous portrayals. The action,
suspense, and adventure are well done, too, and again, if it weren’t for the
cringe-inducing Chinese perceptions, this is actually an enjoyable, well done
film with a bit of sixties kinky if you’re looking for it. Lee fans, sociology
students, and film historians should take a look. 
Corridors
of Blood – Obsessed doctor Boris
Karloff battles Our Man Christopher in this solid black and white tale of
macabre medicine in 1840s London. Karloff’s Dr. Bolton means well in his
research of early gaseous painkillers, but the barbaric surgeries, primitive
laboratory gadgets, and ghoulish amputation montages add to the debauchery. As
his medical compatriots warn, “The pain and the knife are inseparable.” We
don’t see one dang cut or ounce of blood, and yet when a little girl is put on
the table... Perhaps this isn’t true horror, but there are some cringe-worthy
delights here. Karloff provides great desperation and obsession in the search
for anesthetics, leading to criminal manipulation and intriguing addiction
angles. Lee, of course, is the young, imposing, and dirty henchman Resurrection
Joe. He’s seedy and salacious with no scruples, and the standoff between
Karloff and Lee makes for a dynamite finale. Adrienne Corri (A Clockwork Orange) and oft-Hammer gal
Yvonne Romain (The Curse of the Werewolf)
have some saucy fun as well, and the mid 19th looks both high and
low are lovely. The music is great, too, although I fear this 1958 treat may
suffer a touch from its lack of some expected Hammer color flash and scandal.
With so many connections to the studio, viewers today might take this for a
Hammer film and be disappointed. Thankfully, the Criterion DVD adds to the
entertaining 90 minutes with gasp! subtitles, commentary, archival interviews
with director Robert Day (also The
Haunted Strangler with Karloff), a half hour audio session with Yvonne
Romain, censorship cuts, and more. 
Flesh
and Blood: Hammer Heritage of Horror – It took forever for this
elusive 1994 documentary to arrive from Netflix! Nonetheless, this hour and
forty minutes narrated by Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing is chock full of
great photos, retro posters, archive footage, and film trailers illustrating
the behind the scenes stories and production highs and lows of the famed Hammer
Film Studios. Lovely reflections by Michael Carreras and Anthony Hinds help
recount the earliest Hammer films- from struggles in the thirties and World War
II to The Quatermass Xperiment and budding science fiction success.
Interviewees such as Hazel Court, Freddie Francis, Ingrid Pitt, Caroline
Munroe, Joe Dante, Rachel Welch, and our dear narrators seemingly touch upon
nearly every Hammer picture- the Frankenstein series, assorted gothic monsters,
the Dracula disagreements, blood, bosoms, and the studio’s eventual seventies
downfall. Understandably, some of the footage is lower in quality, the sound
remixing is tough, and there’s an obviously dry, British style to the
presentation. This documentary also shouldn’t be confused with The Horror of
Hammer trailer compilation companion or several other similarly themed
documentaries. However, this treat is essential for die-hard Hammer fans, horror
enthusiasts, and film historians. 
The
Hound of Baskervilles – A solid
and demented colonial prologue opens this 1959 Sherlock Holmes treat in the
expected Hammer Horror style, and oft director Terrence Fisher keeps the
suspense and thrilling moments going. Our dynamite duo has some sweet indoor
and outdoor photography and lush Victorian looks to play with, too. Peter Cushing is speedy and witty as Holmes,
with an extra suave pose and flair to his actions, and boy Christopher Lee looks
so young and smashing! He fits perfectly
as the snotty heir presumptive and should have been a traditional romantic lead
far more often. Andre Morell (Ben-Hur) is also quite the fun, capable sidekick
as Watson, and likewise Francis de Wolff (Scrooge)
as Mortimer keeps the plot chewed and juicy. This is a fast-paced hour and a
half with a smartly timed and unraveling puzzle. I definitely wish Hammer would
have continued a Sherlock series as planned. If the Doyle arena weren’t so
crowded today, I’d love nuHammer to try its hand. I suppose each generation
wants to put its stamp on the detective, and perhaps not all fans of the newfangled
Holmes approaches will enjoy the dry wit, British humor (should I say humour?)
or possibly stuffy style here. Cinematic tricks, visual cues, and action twists
are added to the tale, sure. However, all the traditional magic here exceeds an
old-fashioned audience’s expectations. Longtime
fans of the cast, Holmes, and Hammer designs will certainly delight. 
Lust
for a Vampire – I’ve finally been
able to see this 1971 middle Karnstein companion piece to The Vampire Lovers and Twins
of Evil, and it’s replete with fine gothic music, lovely outdoor locations,
and lots of great Hammer Red- costumes, blood, and décor. Although there are no subtitles, time was
taken for a DVD commentary, extras, and a fun menu interface, and Mike Raven (I, Monster) is dubbed over for a
bemusing Christopher Lee imitation. The film does lose some luster without
Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, and the regular Hammer cult names, but Yutte
Stensgaard (Scream and Scream Again)
is pretty and ethereal enough to carry the picture. Sure, the blonde girls look the same, and
they all look more seventies than 1830s with wispy nipple shots and ballet
routines, dorm school topless back rubs, and vampire skinny-dippings. A few
scary zooms and screams are nice, as are the foggy nights and period
atmosphere. Although I’m not sure about this ‘Strange Love’ over the top
vampire sex scene music montage. It really takes the audience out of the film,
ruins the spooky tone, and makes this one perfect for a juicy drinking game. This
isn’t all bad by any means-especially, if you like this type of film- but it’s
not as scandalous or polished as its predecessor was.
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) – Director Terence Fisher (Sword of Sherwood Forest, not to mention 4 Frankenstein sequels) puts the Hammer spin on this Mary Shelley classic with more frame and focus on Peter Cushing’s mad scientist Baron Victor von Frankenstein than his monster creation Christopher Lee. Robert Urquhart (Knights of the Round Table) is delightful as the tragic voice of reason, and Hazel Court (The Masque of the Red Death) adds the proper feminine screams, too. Although the colorful Victorian style is typical and the old time science is downright phooey, the creepy tone, kinky undercurrent, and sinister plots build wonderfully. Even knowing how this tale plays out, there are still plenty of scares, suspense, and unethical monstrosities to be had here. 
Horror of Dracula – Well, well. Director Terence Fisher is here again for the one that started it all! Even with little dialogue, Lee is tall and imposing, his stature and glare deadly and delightful. Appearing a half hour into the film, top billed Peter Cushing as Van Helsing is also simply badass. There are unique changes to the tale from Hammer writer Jimmy Sangster (Horror of Frankenstein) of course, with library scholar Harker engaged to Lucy and more character switcharoos. Dracula is also decidedly styled as an English gentleman yet the story never leaves Central Europe. This also doesn’t look 1958 as we expect from the Leave It to Beaver types. Yes, it’s bright and colorfully filmed in the style of the time, but this Dracula is dark, gothic, and feels earnest, passionate, deadly. There’s something so nasty about the way Lucy opens the door, removes her cross, lays out, and unbuttons the nightgown! All the staples- stakes, garlic, candles, coffins- are here; everything we expect a proper vampire tale to be twists together with great deception and scares. Hot damn! 
House of the Long Shadows – It’s Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and John Carradine all in one movie! Couldn’t a classic horror fan just die with glee? With a cast like that, you almost don’t need a solid plot. Wow. Nonetheless, director Pete Walker (Die Screaming Marianne, Frightmare) gives the audience a juicy and spooky tale of a cocky writer (Desi Arnaz, Jr.) holed up in a spooky Welsh Mansion on a stormy night with these secretive horror heavyweights, a clickity typewriter, and lots of candles. The music, atmosphere, and isolation here are everything a haunted house movie should be- even with the surprising ending. Though dated, low budget, and a little too dark in some scenes, there are enough scares and twists to be had here, indeed. Unfortunately, this 1983 treat is not available on DVD- what cruel trickery is that?
The House That Dripped Blood – This 1970 anthology boasting Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who), Denholm Elliot (Indiana Jones) and Ingrid Pitt (The Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula) offers four framed tales of witchcraft, murder, macabre, and vampires. Looking fittingly old, gothic, and atmospheric, the storytelling is also spooky and spot on with intelligent deraignment, timed scares, and finely disturbed performances. Even with a few plot holes expected in tying an anthology together, director Peter Duffell (King of the Wind) and writer Robert Bloch (Psycho, Asylum) keep the tales taunt, intense, and damn, downright frightening to even an advanced horror viewer such as myself. 
The Man Who Could Cheat Death – This 1959 Parisian bizarrity from frequent Hammer helmer Terence Fisher stars Anton Diffring (Where Eagles Dare, Fahrenheit 451) as a wonderfully subdued but no less maniacal sculptor with an unnaturally prolonged life. Hazel Court is again the juicy object of affections as always, and Our Man Christopher looks the Parisian suave and debonair good doctor. The mix of accents might be tough for contemporary untrained ears, but the European flair adds a nice authenticity and upscale feeling along with the lavish- if small- sets. Yes, the effects are cheap- amounting to shadow makeup and green lighting for the most part, and something that, well, looks like mud. Big whoop. Even so, Diffring’s perfectly brewing performance and Lee’s surprising antithesis to the sinister carry the creepy across just fine. Who knew?