Tags: dracula

One of my favorite comedians is Stephen Fry, for his work on the sketch show A Bit of Fry and Laurie as well as the eternally amusing quiz program QI. So it was with much glee that I discovered a little nugget entitled "The Letter", which reveals that Fry had done some work in the horror genre during his time with Cambridge Footlights. Check it out after the cut.(read more...)

In a world that has become populated by hunky, teenaged bloodsuckers with a penchant for sparkling, this reviewer finds it very refreshing to go back to a time when vampires were of a charming nobility and still possessed an air of mystique and utter horror. Dracula is just the fix I need, providing an engaging adventure story set to the tone of the moody European Gothics. While it is not free from faults, this novel is a seminal piece of literature for serious fans of vampires, whether they be Edward Cullen or Max Schreck.(read more...)

Christopher Lee has been awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, for his services to drama and his charity work. Although the 87-year-old has over 250 TV and movie credits to his name, he will probably always be associated with horror films. It was his work with Hammer that made him an international star, playing, amongst others, Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Mummy and Sir Henry Baskerville. From there he went on to appear in other genre classics such as The Wicker Man (his personal favourite of any film he's been in) and Death Line, as well as playing Bond villain Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun. More recently he found a new generation of fans playing the evil Count Dooku in Star Wars Episodes II and III, and Saruman in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Aside from his acting work, Lee has also been a supporter of the United Nations childrens charity UNICEF for many years.

Back in December, we asked our readers to tell us which movies they'd like to see us review. We received a good number of responses and now, three months later, we've completed reviews for five of the requested movies. Which flicks made the final cut? You'll have to keep your eye on Classic-Horror for the next five days in order to find out. We'll be unveiling one title a day this week, starting Monday, March 9th and running through Friday, March 13th.(read more...)

Under my vidder alias "Jetpack Monkey", I recently created a fanvid for Universal's classic monster movies, set to Rob Thomas's "Ever the Same." I chose the song because I wanted something modern and poppy to create a juxtaposition with the Gothic imagery (in point of fact, I really kind of hate the song). I've embedded it below.

If you have trouble viewing the video on Classic-Horror, it is also available as a 26MB Quicktime file (right-click the link and select "Save as..." from the menu).(read more...)

Alex Proyas (I, Robot and Dark City) will direct Dracula Year Zero for Universal, reports Variety.com. The movie will be about Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure that served as an inspiration for Bram Stoker when he wrote Dracula in the late 1800s. Proyas was reportedly attracted to the screenplay, written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, saying that it plays off the horror and sympathy you have for Vlad, a man who "sells his soul to the Devil to save his kingdom and family."

Regarding the film, screenwriter Sharpless said, "One of the cool things about this is that we're doing it at Universal. This is the home of monster movies."

Yes, the Haunted Newsreel is back for a one-shot look at the news and highlights of San Diego Comic-Con 2006. This week, we'll be looking at Skinwalkers, Grind House, The Reaping, Pan's Labyrinth, The Wicker Man, Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror, and, oh yes, Snakes on a Plane.

The Con:

The 2006 San Diego Comic-Con was held from July 20th to July 23rd at the San Diego Convention Center in sunny Southern California. Each year, tens of thousands attend, and 2006 was no exception. The Fire Marshal actually shut down onsite registration on Saturday because there were simply too many people in the building (online registration had been disabled the previous night).(read more...)

A grade schooler would have a hard time identifying a picture of Humphrey Bogart from The African Queen. A pre-schooler would be equally baffled by a photograph of Vivian Leigh from Gone With the Wind.(read more...)

Early in September I was contacted by the two authors of a book entitled "Vampire Over London," a work that attempted to bring to light the 8 months that Bela Lugosi spent in England between 1951 and 1952. They wanted me to help publicize the book as they were publishing it independently. I agreed to interview the one in the United States, Frank Dello Stritto. What came from that was some fascinating insight into the secret life of Bela Lugosi.

CH: Tell us a little about your new book, "Vampire Over London."(read more...)