The Tingler in PERCEPTO!

The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, MA is an independent movie house that's been operating since 1933. While they get first run movies, they also offer special programing year round. In addition to the 23rd annual 24 hour horror-thon, this year they also featured Schlock and Awe spotlighting the films of William Castle.

I discovered Castle from his movies with Vincent Price and ever since then, experiencing one his films as audiences did in the 50s and 60s has been a top time machine wish list destination.  

Castle mostly made B movies but his genius was in providing some sort of gimmick in the theater. House on Haunted Hill was filmed in Emergo where a skeleton would "come out" of the screen and float above the audience. For 13 Ghosts, filmed in Illusion-O, audiences were provided a ghost viewer that gave you the option of not seeing the ghosts if you were too terrified. 

You can see the movies offered on the poster above. Joe Dante's movie Matinee features John Goodman playing a William Castle type film maker. House on Haunted Hill is one of my favorite Price movies but I was more interested in experiencing The Tingler in Percepto!.

There was quite a turnout for the movie which made me really happy knowing there are so many other Price fans out there. I mean, I know there are but how often do you get to see one of his movies with an audience? And of course, I brought my Vincent Price action figure with me!

Halloween 2024 Recap

 This was certainly a different Halloween. I went into Salem as usual to stalk the streets...or rather I should say The Creep did.

Typically, Halloween night in Salem has an autumn chill in the air. There have been times when it was colder or warmer but this year was probably the warmest. When I got into town around 6:30, it was 70 degrees! We'd had a couple days of unseasonably warm days so I was prepared. It was the first time I've worn shorts and a sleeveless tee under the costume, and it was definitely the right call.

I know a lot of us Hallo-weirdos get into a funk after the big day so I wanted to share this Instagram post from Jason at The Cryptocurium. If you love Halloween and horror, go check out his art and figures!

I've still got at least one spooky post coming up to keep the vibe rolling.

There's probably plenty of random videos you can find of Halloween night in Salem. This one is just over 30 minutes and will give you an idea of the costumes and craziness. Ok, it's not really crazy, it's just a LOT of people.

Here's another video that visits the Salem Night Faire I posted about recently to give you a better idea of what it's like there. Derek Millen does a lot of Salem-centric videos and he's got plenty on his channel just from this October if you want to virtually check things out.

Monthly Media Recap - October 2024

Well, here we are at another Halloween! If you're looking for something to watch tonight, maybe something below will grab your interest.

Streaming Series

What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu)

Over the past few months, binged all five seasons. Kinda sad this year is the final season. The show is so damn funny with top notch performances and certain things that will no doubt linger in the pop culture consciousness for years to come.

Movies

Oddity (2024, Shudder/Amazon Prime)

I don't know if I would have watched this if not for the buzz I'd been seeing around it, but I'm glad I did! It's an...odd amalgamation of thriller, murder mystery, and horror that works very well. It actually feels like something that Hammer could have put out in the 70s. It's the kind of creepy that might have you turning on lights in the house when you're alone.

Rating: 7/10

*Labyrinth (1986, Hulu/Peacock/Tubi)

Not only did I get to introduce Mrs Dex to one of my all time favorite movies but we got to see it in a theater with a live band performing the music! It's quite an experience seeing this with an audience and the live music. There were a handful of people in costume but hearing the audience reactions was a real treat. The tour is going for quite awhile so check ticket availability!

Rating: I can't objectively give a rating to this, it's part of my DNA