Alien Invasion Films of the ’50s – I Married A Monster From Outer Space!

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Welcome to another edition of “Alien Invasion Films of the 1950s!” I was excited when Terror Dave Albaugh asked me to guest author today’s selection as it happens to be one of my favorites…and often disregarded. I guess that’s to be expected when a film is pegged with a sensationalistic moniker designed to attract 1958 teenagers like I Married a Monster from Outer Space, but don’t let it fool you. This movie is one of the genre’s best entries and absolutely worth watching regardless of its tabloid title.

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Chicago horror talents revealed at “Hidden Horror” launch party!

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It was back in September 2012 when horror writer/actor, Aaron Christensen (“AC” for short), approached me along with 100 others asking if I was interested in participating in a follow up to his book Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies. Just as the title suggests, the book features a list of “must see” horror films; each discussed by individual writers. His latest project features another collection of essays; this time focusing on the not so famous though still worthy of attention. I was a fan of Horror 101 long before my blogging days and was VERY flattered to be considered for its sequel…thus beginning my association with Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks!

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Godzilla Festival (G-FEST XX) Monster works of Art!

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In my short but proud Terror Dave history, I have NEVER been this behind with coverage. These shots from G-FEST XX’s art room should have been posted months ago but somehow got lost in a “draft” folder instead. “sigh” oh well, it’s not like Godzilla fandom has an expiration and it can be argued that 2014 is really more his year anyway. So please enjoy these homemade creations that were showcased at the 2013 event.

The sky’s always the limit when it comes to Godzilla-inspired creativity. But don’t take my word for it…see for yourself!

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Alien Invasion Films of the ’50s: “Invasion Of The Saucer-Men” (1957)

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The 50’s saw such a variety of great science fiction films and the creation of so many memorable monsters. My favorite of all of them are the aliens from the 1957 film INVASION OF THE SAUCER-MEN, created by none other than low-budget special effects genius Paul Blaisdell. The fact that this is a low-budget film doesn’t affect the final product in any way and though it comes off as cheesy at times, this will always remain a classic.

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Review: Strawdog Theatre’s “Pontypool”

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 Pontypool

Adapted by Tony Burgess
Directed by Anderson Lawfer

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Zombies have been undergoing a renaissance lately, much like vampires and werewolves have over the past 20 years or so. This past year there were two films that show the huge range of storylines now being told – the romantic comedy “Warm Bodies”, and the fast-zombie invasion “World War Z”.  To continue keeping the genre fresh, new ways of telling the same basic story need to be found.

Strawdog Theatre is presenting a different take on the zombie with “Pontypool”, a play adapted by Tony Burgess from his book Pontypool Changes Everything. Burgess originally adapted his book as a screenplay for the 2008 film “Pontypool”, directed by Bruce McDonald. I attended the January 11, 2014 performance with Terror Dave Fuentes.

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SATURDAY MORNING SHOCKERS: The Ghost Busters!

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Growing up, like every other kid, the weekends were times to look forward to and cherish. There were Saturday morning cartoons, pro-wrestling and weekend monster movie shows to look forward to. Before cable and stations like the Cartoon Network, there were only certain times we could enjoy cartoons and shows geared towards us kids. Sure we could watch UHF stations during the afternoon after school but it was Saturday mornings, on the three major networks, that we looked forward to the most. In addition to the latest offerings of animated bliss, we were also treated to some live action fare, usually thanks to Sid & Marty Krofft. Shows like LAND OF THE LOST, DR. SHRINKER and SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS stand out to many of today’s monster kids. On occasion though, there were some live action offerings outside of the Sid & Marty Krofft shows, that also stand out as fun and memorable. 1975 was one year that had one of these shows, called THE GHOST BUSTERS.

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