I've always like monster/horror films. One of my earliest memories is watching Son of Chiller when I was three to four years old (1962-1963) and I've been drawn to old monster/horror films every since. In the late sixties, my sister's boy friend brought is small black and white television for her to use. We had a television, but this one had UHF channels and one of those channels had two horror hosted shows running back to back. I don't remember the first one's name, but the second one was Mister Mummy Movie Time. I stayed up late to watch both. We moved to another city in 1970 and in 1971 the show Creature Feature with Dr. San Guinary started much to my delight. I also discovered books were written about horror movies! Then I found magazines about horror and fantasy films were published, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and Castle of Frankenstein. I drew pictures of monsters. At school, I was called "Monster Man." Not always in a flattering way. My eighth grade art teacher asked me if I ever drew anything other than monsters. We did yarn work, and I did a werewolf. We did woodblock prints. Mine was Max Schreck from Nosferatu.
My brother and I had various eleven(ish) figures like GI Joe, Johnny West, the Gold and Silver Knights, and I used Elmer's glue and toilet paper to build up a Frankenstein Monster action figure, or cotton to make hair for werewolves.
Also, before we moved, I use to watch Dark Shadows everyday, except when they changed the time ( ). They changed it back later, and a few years ago I learned it was changed back because I was not the only kid that missed watching it. Once I ran home after school and my Nana was their and was so touched I ran home to greet her. I told her I ran home to watch Dark Shadows. I hope she was not hurt by that. Another Nana story was when I HAD to watch Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Opera on television and parts were in color so I had to watch it on the color set. Nana watched Lawrence Welk in my room, in the basement, on the black and white TV. I got in so much trouble for that. My mom and step dad yelled at me. In hind site, I understand, but at the time, Nana said it was okay. She did not mind. By the way, I miss my Nana.
I have always enjoyed good, mysterious, ghost films.
"Jump scary" movies are, for me, a cheap thrill, minus the thrill when done poorly.
I don't seek slasher films, but they can be suspenseful.
I love beautiful makeup, like the makeup of Jack Pierce. Absolute beauty.
Conrad Veidt - The Man Who Laughs
(Mr. Pierce is on the left) Boris is absolutely gorgeous.
Lon Chaney Jr. - The Wolfman. There is nothing sloppy about this makeup.