Horrorbles: Tales From A Monster Shoppe

"Hammer Time!"

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:22:00 +0000

Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man, were all defined cinematically by the actors of the 1930s; Karloff, Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. But that was all to change when a new legion of filmmakers and actors from across the pond put a new perspective on the “gothic horror”.

In 1934 a successful businessman and failed comedian, Anthony Hinds aka “Will Hammer” formed Hammer Productions Limited and began production of the first Hammer film, The Public Life of Henry the Ninth, a modest 61 minute comedy. In the summer of 1935, Hammer’s first full-length film featured Bela Lugosi, the star of Universal’s Dracula, in The Mystery of the Mary Celeste. The first ‘official’ picture from Hammer Film Productions was Doctor Morelle, released by Exclusive on June 27, 1949. By the mid-fifties, most Hammer films were produced by either Anthony Hinds or Michael Carreras, son of Hammer films producer & film renter Sir James Carreras.

The next major progression for the company was a color horror film titled The Curse of Frankenstein starring Peter Cushing as Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee in the role of the Monster. The British press found the film to be distasteful, responding with such quotes as “for Sadists Only” and “among the half-dozen most repulsive films I encountered”. The picture was a financial success worldwide and redefined the horror genre and breathed life into the phenomena of “Hammer horror.” Hammer would continue to produce six sequels to The Curse of Frankenstein between 1959 and 1974.

Having brokered a deal between Hyman’s Seven Arts production company and Universal-International, Hammer would make their own version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Hammer would grant distribution rights to Universal in exchange for permission to make the film. Christopher Lee took the lead role, no one else was auditioned. Upon release in the US, to differentiate Hammer’s version form the original, Universal chose the new title Horror of Dracula. The critics were once again repulsed by Hammer’s latest production: “I came away revolted and outraged” wrote the Daily Worker. Time has been kind to Hammer’s Dracula. When the film was briefly re-released in 1996, the Evening Standard’s Neil Norman described it as “romantic cinema that transcends genre. Unimpeachable and unsurpassed.” Hammer also produced eight other Dracula films between 1960 and 1974. The first five were direct sequels to the original and starred Peter Cushing as the Count’s nemesis Doctor Van Helsing.

In 1974 Christopher Lee had decided to don the cape for the last time. Despite Lee’s efforts to preserve Dracula’s integrity by paraphrasing from Stoker’s novel in each film, he could no longer work with the poorly written scripts. That year Lee firmly stated: “I will not play that character anymore. I no longer wish to do it, I no longer have to do it and no longer intend to do it. It is now part of my professional past, just one of the roles I have played in a total of 124 films.”

Hammer continued its largely successful horror pictures with a remake of The Mummy’s Hand. Ounce again it starred Peter Cushing (as John Banning) and Christopher Lee (as the Mummy, Kharis). Hammer’s The Mummy broke box-office records set by Hammer’s Dracula the previous year. By the mid-1960s, a total of four “Mummy” films were released, unrelated to the remake. The last of the Mummy movies titled The Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1971) was a modern day version of Bram Stoker’s The Jewel of Seven Stars.

Hammer also produced a series of “cave girl” films, most notably One Billion Years B.C. starring Raquel Welch. While the Gothic horror films were scaring up big money at the box-office, Hammer also produced a series of low-budget psychological thrillers such as; Paranoiac, Nightmare, and Fear in the Night. Hammer even dabbled into the ‘film noir’ genre, featuring American actors. Other notable films by Hammer include; The Curse of Werewolf (1961) Oliver Reed’s first starring role, The Gorgon (1964), The Phantom of the Opera (1962) starring Herbert Lom, Quatermass and the Pit (1967); US title “Five Million Miles to Earth”, and The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) a version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”.

By the early 1970s, Hammer had to change with the times. Audiences were able to see more explicit gore, in relatively mainstream American films. Hammer had to compete and thus the “Karnstein trilogy” was created; The Vampire Lovers (1970), Lust of a Vampire (1971), and Twins of Evil (1971). These films had the traditional Hammer production design and direction, but also an increase in scenes of nudity that were not of the norm for English films at the time. The Karnstein Trilogy were written by Tudor Gates, who also wrote two Hammer films that were unsuccessful but over time would become cult favorites; Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) and Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter(1974).

In the late 1970s, Hammer made fewer films and became a victim of its own notoriety. The Gothic horror films that put Hammer Films on the map were growing less popular and thus Hammer attempted to change by combining gothic horror with the martial arts genre creating The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974), unfortunately with little success. Hammer’s last production, in 1979, was a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes. The film was a failure at the box-office and nearly bankrupt the studio.

The 2000s marked Hammer’s revival with films; Beyond the Grave (2008), Let Me In (2010) the remake of the Swedish film “Let the Right One In”, The Resident (2011) marking Christopher Lee’s return to a Hammer production, Wake Wood (2011), and The Woman in Black (2012) starring Daniel Radcliffe. Hammer’s return to cinemas also included the return of all things Hammer to store shelves! You can find many Hammer collectibles at our shop Horrorbles, both vintage and new! From hand-crafted figurines, to drive-in posters, you’ll find that special gift for the Hammer aficionado in your family.

“Maniac” Matt

Movin 'dem Monsters!

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:29:00 +0000

It's no easy task to move 8 years of treasures & dreams in a week....but when you have good peeps believing in you anything is possible. Al, Raf & Raf, Lisa Jeff Steve and Matt...thanks gang, from the bottom of Horrorbles bloody heart.

Why did Horrorbles Move? It was right.

There are a lot of fond memories with the old locales..tin ceilings...theatres...but Horrorbles at its core is a magical monster shop where those hard-to-finds are found. We survived harsh economic times,& a few floods but found a new home in the Depot District in Berwyn.

Where you ask? Right next to Reel Art, sandwiched a few doors down from George's Tavern (Thanks for the cookies), Exquisite Revisit (thanks for the announcements of our opening) & Serendipty Antiques (thanks for the boxes). Horrorbles has been so warmly received...a lovely retail district housing the same numbers, 6729, but a a different street, Stanley Ave.

The store is still tight with goulish goodies, and familiar faces.....and we thank everyone of you that has kept us going all these years. We promise to please, and are super-energized to do so. A special thanks to Svengoolie also, whom gave his blessing on the new place....so it can't be all that bad.

"Monster Man" John

Evil Dead Reboot

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:45:00 +0000

I recently watched the remake of "Evil Dead" at my local cinema and I am not ashamed to admit that I was thoroughly entertained by this remake (reboot, re-vison, or whichever).

For those who aren't familiar with the franchise that made Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi household names, the plot is quite simple (and doesn't deviate too much in the remake) five friends travel to a remote cabin in the woods, where they discover a "Book of the Dead" and unwittingly summon demons living in the nearby woods. The original Evil Dead grew to cult status and spawned two, more comedic-than-scary sequels; Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness.

The remakes in the horror genre have had an arguably poor track record, many are quite hard to watch and some are down right insulting to their target demographic. So it was no surprise to see how hard the filmmakers were trying to "legitimize" the movie, i.e.; the backing and support of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. There was much hype prior to the release of the new Evil Dead to entice the horror community to embrace the fact that the beloved cult classic was getting a face-lift, such as; having a majority of the effects made practical, receiving a NC-17 rating for the first cut of the film, and releasing a "red band" trailer showing a glimpse of the carnage to behold in the final product. I ate it all up and was highly anticipating seeing it on the big screen.

The film was strong in some areas, and weaker in others. Its weakest was the script and some of the acting. The cinematography was beautiful to watch and Jane Levy's performance was delightfully creepy. If you are easily offended by gore and violence, then this movie is not for you. The blood in this movie is spilled, squirted, and regurgitated by the gallons, and is sure to quench the thirst of most gore-hounds. The scenes involving the demon-possessed are awesome and well directed. My favorite scene involved a deadite wielding a nail-gun.

If you are a fan of the original Evil Dead and love films with relentless gore, then I recommend you give it a chance. Just sit right back and enjoy it for what it is, a beautifully crafted gore-fest!

"Maniac" Matt Wilberg

Monster Decals!

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:30:00 +0000

America during the 1920s-'30s was a turbulent time. In the midst of the Great Depression, Americans sought refuge in new forms of entertainment as an escape from reality. Model A's rolled off the The Ford Motor company assembly line like there was no tomorrow. The picture shows were hopping as Universal Studios doled out creepy new horrors like Dracula & Frankenstein, each film more shocking & terrifying than its predecessor.

Flash forward about 30 years.

Just like the creation of Frankenstein's monster, a new generation of kids cooped themselves up in the garage, toying in their concrete-floored laboratories for countless hours bringing to life their own visions of "Frankenrods".

They took those old Model A Fords, chopped the tops, threw in a souped-up engine, and decorated the body full of flames & pinstripes. Their idols included Ed "Big Daddy" Roth & Von Dutch; eccentric car customizers who taught America's kids that it's okay to be a weird-oh -- in fact, it's cool! Wolfman charms and Dracula flicker rings flowed freely from gumball machines. Frankenstein could be seen everywhere from your Old Maid playing cards to the green-headed speaker at the drive-in.

This was a whole new era for classic monsters & the products to market them by; their resurgence was followed by a craze and demand for all things monster.

I'd like to think that cars & monsters make a great marriage (take George Barris' Dragula or Munster Koach, for example), and the kids of the '60s must have thought so too. No exception is hot rod decor & accessories. I could cover a lot of things like bobbleheads or rearview mirror danglers (shrunken head, anyone?), but for now I will zoom in on... DECALS!

Water slide decals.

A pain in the butt to get on your window sometimes, but boy do they look cool! Hot rodders did not want to miss out a single detail in making their ride truly unique, even if you couldn't afford to do a lot in order to stand out. So what better way to finish off your car and showcase your finkster taste than with a cool monster decal?

Probably most famous of kustom kulture decal artists is Ed Roth. His designs of monsters like "Drag Nut", "Mother's Worry", and of course, "Rat Fink" graced everything from t-shirts to model kits in the 1960s. Other companies like Impko caught on to the monster craze and decided to make their own line of off-beat auto decal characters. Though more obscure & simplistic, they were drawn in the same vein and often paired with sarcastic phrases to express the owner's loyalty to juvenile delinquency.

Having a sense of humor helps when viewing these decals, especially ones depicting witchy women and the word, "Pin-Up".

Here is just a small selection of cool decals. You can still find these or similar ones often on ebay, though some for a price. Impkos range anywhere from $10-25, while original Ed Roth vintage decals can ring in 60 bucks a pop or more!

But don't fret; you can buy repops for much cheaper (they're probably easier to stick on too... maybe).

So feast your eyes on some vintage monster madness and stay tuned as I highlight more '60s monster toys & accessories in the future, including original memorabilia that we carry in store!

Stay cool, Wheel Cats.

From the Land of All Things Horrorbles,

Lisa Louise

White Whale....or Female Creature?

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:35:00 +0000

Many have heard the Ahab's of the collecting world talk about the elusive "Female" Creature From The Black Lagoon by AHI. Horrorbles had the pleasure of holding one of these treasures in the store, and then watch it swim happily away with an equally enthusiastic collector!

What makes this figure unique? Well, when they were first released they had a "Female" look to them...larger hips, & a more pronounced, rubber painted chest...this was not to satisfaction of all the monster kids out there and there was a recall! The replacement was a darker green version, an all plastic body more reminiscent now of "Humanoids From The Deep!" Thanks to our friends at plaidstallions.com for their great pictures of the two side-by side! Ahoy, there she blows! If ye see one be sure to give us a holler!

You Never Know What Sunday Is Gonna Bring

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:22:00 +0000

Being that it's only a few days after ringing in the New Year I had resolved myself to a quiet Sunday at the store. I could work on the new newsletter, finalize the January Theatre schedule, and settle in for a long winters nap...uh, hold that. Strike the last part, Wrong Story!

To my amazement, like finding gifts under the tree, I had two people come in which resulted in me buying hundreds of pieces from there collections! There was a hand sculpted & painted foam bust of Sam from Trick R' Treat. Signed Street Trash posters & prop replicas (I know, Street Trash Right?). A Cenobite lair from Hellraiser signed by Clive Barker, & hundreds of Mezco & McFarlane monster toys. The oddest piecs is a framed piece from the movie "The Dead Girl" (2006) which display a picture of Brittany Murphy and a swatch from the actual vest she wore in the film. creepy, I know.

There you have it. so for two days I will be sorting out these treasures with my shoe-maker elves and getting everything out for sale. Chances are if you have been looking for some contemporary slasher or monster toy, it's now at the even-more-cool horror store right here in the midwest!

New York, What A Scream!

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:43:00 +0000

Tim Burton's museum show is a scream
--------------------
By Christopher Borrelli, Tribune reporter

While strolling the hallowed halls of the Museum of Modern Art in midtown Manhattan, most days, you don't come across many teenage girls, mystified by a work of postmodern illustration, loudly saying to themselves "Oh, no, he didn't, oh, no, he did not." You may catch the furrowed brow of a tourist startled by a Mapplethorpe or wrapping his head around those Warhol soup cans. But, then again, most days, the hallowed halls of MOMA don't usually spout ravenous fangs and murderous wild eyes. The complete article can be viewed at:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc-trav-moma-1215-20091218,0,5742712.story

Things That Go Bump In The Store!

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:14:00 +0000

There are times that I even catch myself in a sudden jump or gasp. Anyone whom has visited knows that there are more than enough creeps hanging around. Lifesize Leatherface, menacing Darth Maul, the cloaked Count...I can't tell you how many times I catch these out of the corner of my eye and jump when I know nobody should be in the store!

In the same fashion I was waiting on some self-guided haunt cd's to arrive at the store. They were hand delivered on a chilly Sunday afternoon. Thanks Bob of Reaper Madness! I took the newest editions to the store down into my office to retrieve a request slip for a customer whom asked to be contacted when they arrived. I came upstairs from the Galerie, called the number and asked for Joe...to my surprise I heard a voice from the back of the store answer and say "This is he." WOW did I jump!
It turns out he and his wife arrived while I was downstairs. What makes this serendipitous haunting even spookier is that he came in from Crowne Pointe Indiana only because hiw wife wanted to try the delicious Depot Diner down the street and he figured he would stop in since he was in the area!

Remember "When A Stranger Calls"...this was more like "When A Stranger Answers!" & when it is 5 feet away from where you are standing it's all-the-more creepy!

December 19th 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Horrorbles) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Well seing that this is my first post, I better make it a meaty one. Those whom have not heard yet, Horrorbles is in the works to open an organic horror themed cafe next to the store. More details to follow, believe me, but for all of us displaced souls looking for a haunt to linger in...this will be it!!