I was watching TV last night, when a rather clever 'infomercial' came on. It was several minutes before I realised it was plugging the release of the forthcoming horror schlockbuster "The Wolfman".
Initially there was a series of talking heads, extolling the virtues of the days of cinematic classic horror. As a teenager, I lived for Friday nights and the double bill of Hammer Horror films on television.
I loved snuggling up on the settee in the dark with a mug of hot chocolate anticipating thrills and chills.
I loved the classic horror stalwarts - Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Elsa Lanchester, and my personal favourites, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, whose voices could send shivers up my spine.
I read voraciously back then too, and devoured the horror classics, Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, along with the rather more graphic Pan Horror Stories, selected by Herbert Van Thal. I can still vividly remember some of those stories, which have stayed with me in a dark little pocket of my psyche for the past 30 odd years.
Anyway, back to the infomercial and after the classic Hammer Horror clips, the actual Wolfman trailer appeared, and very glossy and Hollywood it looked too with the added gravitas of Anthony Hopkins looking very Van Helsing-esque. Hope they've got plenty of silver bullets, which as 'any fule kno' is the only reliable way to kill a werewolf.
But call me an old reactionary, I'd rather watch the old versions any day. I may, in the fullness of time, get a copy of the new one on DVD but I could never, ever watch in the cinema. I like the safety harness of a pause button to enable me to gather my scattered wits and make a calming cup of hot chocolate.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions
Sorry, can't embed the 1941 Wolfman trailer so you'll have to click HERE.
7 comments:
aah a woman after my own hear Sandra, I was allowed to stay up late for the friday night hammer horror from the grand old age of 12and would curl up with my cushion ready for scary moments.I was determined to marry Vincent Price one day but strangely never got the opportunity !
I watched this trailer last night and think it looks like a lot of fun, definitely one for dvd with a wee dram and a fat cat on my knee to distract me at the scary bits :0)
julie xxx
There was something indefinable about Vincent Price's voice, scary and sexy all at the same time.
My favourite Price films are The Masque of the Red Death, The Pit and the Pendulum (I can still hear the steady 'swish' of the pendulum) and The Fall of the House of Usher.
Although The Raven comes close behind.
The old ones are the good ones Sandra. I love Lon Chaney.
Debie xxxxx
I loved the Pit and the Pendulum and the Masque of the red death,Oh and the House of Wax too but my favourite was The Fall of the House of Usher as a kid.
I watched it with my daughter last year after telling her how much I had wanted to marry Vincent Price ....... he was really quite camp in it LOL but still wonderful .I think the only dissapointment was The Abominable Doctor Phibes ,thought he was such a silly character !
now I'm feeling all nostalgic for a good old hammer horror,
julie xx
yes, with you 100% - have a massive collection of Hammer and old skool classics - all brilliant stuff, 100 times better than any of the modern films - I will give Wolfman ago - but I'll be straight back to Lon Chaney afterwards
Ha ha! A girl after my own heart - right down to the hot chocolate!
I can never foget the one were the parents faked a haunted house, and then the blood poured all over the little girls birthday tea. Nightmares about it for years...
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