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Showing posts with label Ansel Faraj. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ansel Faraj. Show all posts

Monday, November 16, 2015

Jerry Lacy kicks ass, takes names in AUGUST T. HARRISON


THE  LAST CASE AUGUST T. HARRISON, a short feature starring Jerry Lacy, is now available on Vimeo. The film stars Lacy (who played many members of the wicked Trask family on DARK SHADOWS) in the title role, a private investigator looking into a missing persons case. Here's the official summary:
"Set in and around Venice Beach, California - August T. Harrison, private eye, comes out of retirement to solve what seems at first to be a bizarre missing persons case, but as he digs deeper, he finds himself caught in the middle of a dark conspiracy involving the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Are Lovecraft's tales just fiction? Or do they hold the secrets of the cosmos?"
THE  LAST CASE AUGUST T. HARRISON is available to rent from Vimeo. You can watch a trailer for the film below.

THE LAST CASE OF AUGUST T. HARRISON from Hollinsworth Productions on Vimeo.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Jerry Lacy meets H.P. Lovecraft


The Lovecraft E-Zine will be live streaming THE LAST CASE OF AUGUST T. HARRISON this weekend.

The film stars Jerry Lacy (of DARK SHADOWS) in the title role, and Nathan Wilson as H.P. Lovecraft. It's directed by our friend Ansel Faraj. Here's a summary:

“August T. Harrison, private eye, comes out of retirement to solve what seems at first to be a bizarre missing persons case, but as he digs deeper, he finds himself caught in the middle of a dark conspiracy involving the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Are Lovecraft’s tales just fiction? Or do they hold the secrets of the cosmos?”

To watch THE LAST CASE OF AUGUST T. HARRISON, visit http://lovecraftzine.com/live-web-series/ on Saturday, May 9, at 9 p.m. EST!

You can see a trailer for the film below.

Monday, March 2, 2015

The CHS gets its third Rondo nomination for BEST BLOG!



The Collinsport Historical Society has received a pair of Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards nominations for its work in 2014! Not only has the CHS been nominated for BEST BLOG, but "Bride of Monster Serial," our collection of essays on horror films, has been nominated for BEST BOOK.

While DARK SHADOWS is sparsely represented on this year's ballots, you'll find several original cast members from the show mentioned elsewhere. An interview with actor Jerry Lacy about the indie film DOCTOR MABUSE has received a nod for BEST INTERVIEW, while THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: MADAME LA SOEUR (with Lacy, Lara Parker and Christoper Pennock) has been nominated for BEST SHORT FILM.

The Rondos are determined by votes from readers, so the results are quite literally in your hands. Here's how you can help.

____________________________________________________________________

There are 35 categories in all, but you DO NOT have to vote for each one in order for your vote to count. Visit the Rondo Hatton Awards site for the full list of candidates, or copy and paste the entries below and e-mail them to David Colton at [email protected] by midnight, April 19, 2015.

10. BEST SHORT FILM
THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: MADAME LA SOEUR, directed by Ansel Faraj. A seance, a disappearance, a mystery with Lara Parker, Jerry Lacy and Christoper Pennock

11. BEST BOOK
 THE BRIDE OF MONSTER SERIAL

14. BEST INTERVIEW (Award goes to interviewer)
 Rod Labbe, interview with DARK SHADOWS' Jerry Lacy in SCARY MONSTERS #90

19. BEST BLOG OR ONLINE COLUMN OF 2014
The Collinsport Historical Society
____________________________________________________________________


One vote is allowed per person. Every e-mail must include your name to be counted. All votes are kept confidential. No e-mail addresses or personal information will be shared.

If you're a regular visitor to the CHS, you're probably familiar with our MONSTER SERIAL feature. Our first collection of essays was published at the end of 2013, with "Bride Of Monster Serial" following in the early part of last year. We've been sharing complete essays from the book pretty regularly, and have a third book planned for release soon. You can read the entire MONSTER SERIAL feature by clicking this link. The book is also available on Amazon.

The Collinsport Historical Society was named BEST BLOG by the Rondos in 2012, and I'd love to see the website reclaim that honor this year. More importantly, I'm incredibly proud of the work done by the writers of "Bride Of Monster Serial" and hope to see their work recognized with an award. I'm honored that they'd lend their thoughts and names to my little website.

 The contributors are:
THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: MADAME LA SOEUR
Congratulations are also in order for Ansel Faraj. In addition to his work on "Bride Of Monster Serial," Faraj is also the director of the Rondo-nominated THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: MADAME LA SOEUR. The nominated interview with Jerry Lacy is also related to one of Faraj's films, DOCTOR MABUSE.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Monster Serial: PRINCE OF DARKNESS, 1987


By ANSEL FARAJ

This is not a dream ... not a dream ...

We are using this book as a receiver. We are unable to transmit through conscious neural interference. You are receiving this broadcast as an essay.

We are transmitting from the year 2-0-1-4.

You are receiving this essay in order to alter your plans for the evening and to watch John Carpenter’s most underrated movie, PRINCE OF DARKNESS.

Our technology has increased, our cinematic resources have increased and we are capable of making flashier, crazier films; but we are incapable of making horror films that understand that it is the idea of the unknown which is truly frightening.

John Carpenter has made some fantastic works of cinema — HALLOWEEN, THE FOG, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 and of course THE THING; but I feel PRINCE OF DARKNESS always seems to get short shrifted, and I don’t know why.


There’s a canister containing a swirling green liquid that is hidden in a set of catacombs beneath an run-down church in downtown Los Angeles. This liquid is actually a life-form that can perform telekinetic activity, mind control, body invasion. It’s even affecting the world on a cosmic scale — the sun and moon are aligning, the earth is changing, and this liquid life form is gaining power. It’s the “son” of a banished evil, a force of darkness — the antichrist, the “Prince of Darkness.” The Catholic Church has kept this a secret, forming a society named ‘the Brotherhood of Sleep’ to watch over it. Science must prove its existence and find a way to stop it. And whoever comes in close proximity to it, has the same dream ... a warning sent through time.

I first saw this film on Halloween night 2008, I was 16, and I found myself glued to my television, filled with the strangest sense of uneasiness. So uneasy, in fact, I had to take the DVD out mid way through and switch it for BLADE. I’m not sure if the uneasiness had to do with the fact that I was up really late at night watching PRINCE OF DARKNESS on Halloween night, or if it was because I was up really late at night watching PRINCE OF DARKNESS before I had to get up early the next day to take the SAT. But it must have been the former, because the next day, post-SAT, I resumed PRINCE OF DARKNESS and felt all chilly inside once more.


 Here’s why I love it:

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — if you can deliver effective atmosphere and a realized “world” in a film, then you have accomplished no small feat. And PRINCE OF DARKNESS has some of the best atmosphere I’ve seen in any movie. The story and mystery slowly get peeled away as the film progresses, fueled by a score by Carpenter and Alan Howarth that is icing on the cake. It’s a slow burn movie, filled with existential and scientific questions about life, our universe, God and the Devil, drenched in a Lovecraftian ooze. And when shit does get crazy, it’s pretty unnerving. There are multiple moments in the film where one can feel a chill down one’s spine. For me, it’s when Donald Pleasance’s unnamed priest loses his faith in the middle of performing the last rites on an unfortunate victim. The equal mixture of horror and “why bother?” that crosses his face stuck with me the first time I saw it.


The group of homeless people — some people have called them zombies, but I disagree — come across more as cult members, being controlled psychically by the Prince of Darkness locked up in his canister. I love how they watch from the sidelines, staring quietly, waiting to carry out his bidding. It always felt very INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS to me, and was something I referenced in my film, DOCTOR MABUSE. They bow to unseen forces, are covered in bugs, and are led by a sneering Alice Cooper. Carpenter uses them to great effect as they trap the unsuspecting group of physicists in the run down downtown L.A. church, a ploy he uses in most of his films, such as THE FOG and THE THING. These are films about people trapped together, fighting a force they have no control over, which something that is frightening in itself. We have no control over anything in our lives — we just tell ourselves we do. Carpenter’s work reminds us of that awful truth.
This column is among those featured in
 BRIDE OF MONSTER SERIAL, a collection of 
horror essays written by contributors to 
THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
Buy it today on Amazon!

Worse, how do we react when something beyond our normal perimeters of logic, common sense and human origin begins to control us? What if it always controlled us?

The crucified pigeon — it’s just a moment early in the film, but it’s the perfect prelude to what follows — is a symbol of how darkly surreal the film is about to get. Some moments feel like they’re out of a Dario Argento movie: There are scenes that would be at home in SUSPIRIA or PHENOMENA. And there are even moments where Carpenter seems to be channeling Jean Cocteau, specifically in his usage of mirrors as gateways to a dark dimension where the Devil, or more accurately, the Lovecraftian elder god we perceive as Old Scratch waits to be brought back through. There’s a great shot where a pair of fingers push through a compact mirror and come through on the other side, a dark watery abyss. It’s a moment that would not be out of place in a PHANTASM movie, and here Carpenter uses all of these moments to build up his atmosphere of dread — at what, or who, is waiting for us on the other side. 

I’ve got a message for you, and you aren’t going to like it.

PRINCE OF DARKNESS knows what lurks in the unknown.  It is evil. It is real. It awakened back in 1987, and got poor reviews. But the Devil always gets his due, and now’s the perfect time to go back and re-appreciate this film. Grab Scream Factory’s fantastic Blu-ray, turn the lights off, and watch. Seeing is believing.

Ansel Faraj is an award-winning independent American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He recently wrapped production on his latest film, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

DARK SHADOWS cast members star in MADAME LaSOEUR



A new film from Ansel Faraj is now streaming for free on Youtube.

MADAME LaSOEUR is a short featuring original DARK SHADOWS cast members Jerry Lacy, Christopher Pennock, Lara Parker and Lisa Richards. Set during the 1960s, the film follows the investigation of Dr. Henry Markway (Lacy), who is searching for a man who disappeared during a séance conducted by spiritualist Madame LeSoeur.

Faraj has a number of films streaming at the official Youtube channel of Hollinsworth Productions. You can find the company online at www.hollinsworthproductions.com.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

DARK SHADOWS news, notes and assorted weirdness



* Above is a video of the 1795 storyline of DARK SHADOWS,  re-enacted with a quickness. You're welcome. (Thanks to Shadows on the Wall for the tip.)


* DOCTOR MABUSE, which features Jerry Lacy, Lara Parker and Kathryn Leigh Scott, is now available for rent on VIMEO. The sequel, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR, will debut April 30 in Los Angeles. Click HERE for more details on that screening.


* BIG FINISH has launched a new Twitter feed dedicated to its line of DARK SHADOWS audiodramas. Go follow them!


You can find the Twitter feed here: https://twitter.com/darkshadowsbfp

* Speaking of BIG FINISH, here's a review of their most recent DARK SHADOWS release, CARRIAGE OF THE DAMNED. Read it HERE.




* THE AV CLUB has a well-reasoned response to the wave of Johnny Depp backlash. The writer manages not to mention DARK SHADOWS. Read it HERE.


* Finally, Hermes Press has announced it is publishing DARK SHADOWS: THE COMPLETE NEWSPAPER DAILIES AND SUNDAYstrips in hardcover. Expected to be released in September, the book is now available for pre-order from Amazon. (I'd expect the cover art to change between now and publication.)


Monday, April 7, 2014

Dark Shadows! Dracula! Doctor Mabuse!


Tickets still are available for this “DDD Double Feature” - “Dark Shadows, Doctor Mabuse, and Dracula” all together on one movie screen!

The event will feature two films, 4 four Dark Shadows guests in audience Q&A and autograph/photo sessions, memorabilia for sale, a charity auction of Dark Shadows items, a surprise Dark Shadows screening, and more.

The event begins 6:15 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles.

"Doctor Mabuse: Etiopomar” is the sequel to “Doctor Mabuse,” which starred DS actors JERRY LACY, LARA PARKER, and KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT. They reprise their roles and are joined by CHRIS PENNOCK in “Doctor Mabuse 2: Etiopomar ” Written and directed by ANSEL FARAJ, this is its world premiere. JERRY, LARA, CHRIS, and ANSEL will attend and be available for free autographs and photo opportunities with fans.

“Dracula” was a 1974 movie by “Dark Shadows” creator/producer Dan Curtis and stars Academy Award winner Jack Palance. Considered one of the most accurate adaptations of the iconic Bram Stoker novel, Dan’s version is newly remastered and is being shown on an American movie screen for the first time.

Dark Shadows Music Composer ROBERT COBERT also joins us as we celebrate his upcoming 90th birthday. He was the music composer for “Dracula” and will be available to autograph the debuting “Dracula” soundtrack CD.

Merchandise for “Dark Shadows,” “Mabuse,” and the “Dracula” soundtrack CD will be available for purchase. The evening will conclude with a surprise DS screening.

The event is at the Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90027  323-660-6639.

Tickets are $15 per person.

You can pay using PayPal, or by check or money order sent by postal-mail.

To pay via PayPal, the recipient email address is [email protected]

To pay by postal-mail:
Please make check / money order payable to:   ShadowGram.
Please include a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) and send to:

ShadowGram
Marcy Robin
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766

Advance order tickets must be received no later than April 23. Those who purchase their tickets in advance will receive a special DARK SHADOWS gift at the “Movie Night.”

Tickets also will be sold at the door.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

The CHS gets a Rondo nomination for BEST BLOG


The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards posted the ballots earlier this week for its 2013 nominees, and The Collinsport Historical Society was among the sites under consideration for BEST BLOG.

As usual, it's a pretty interesting list of nominees. Curiously, The Collinsport Historical Society is the only DARK SHADOWS item nominated this year. Granted, there was a flurry of news coming out of Collinwood in 2012 thanks to interest spurred by the Tim Burton film, so it's not unusual that fewer items were available for consideration a year later. Even so, I'm surprised that BIG FINISH isn't represented somewhere on the list. They did great work in 2013.

Peripherally related to DARK SHADOWS, though, is Ansel Faraj's feature DOCTOR MABUSE. The movie stars DARK SHADOWS alumni Jerry Lacy, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Lara Parker. It's been nominated for BEST INDEPENDENT FEATURE FILM.

In my opinion, we did a lot of good work on this site during the last year. Not only did the podcast evolve into a more polished product, we even added a second series to our roster with DAY DRINKING. The Collinsport Historical Society even published it's first book, which appears to have been enjoyed by all eight of you who've purchased it.

In all, there are 35 different categories in which to vote. BEST BLOG is #19 on the ballot, while BEST INDEPENDENT FILM is #9.

19. BEST BLOG OF 2013: Collinsport Historical Society  
All the comings and goings in Barnabas' home town. 

9. BEST INDEPENDENT FILM: DOCTOR MABUSE, directed by Ansel Faraj.

You DO NOT have to vote for each one in order for your vote to count. Visit the Rondo Hatton Awards site for the full list of candidates, or copy and paste the two entries above and e-mail it to David Colton at [email protected] by SUNDAY NIGHT at midnight, May 5, 2014.

One vote is allowed per person. Every e-mail must include your name to be counted. All votes are kept strictly confidential. No e-mail addresses or any personal information will be shared.

LINK

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Ansel Faraj is crowdfunding TODD TARANTULA



Ansel Faraj, who has worked with a number of DARK SHADOWS alumni over the last few years, is looking to crowdsource the funding for his next project, TODD TARANTULA.

Here's a brief summary of the film's story:
TODD TARANTULA is the story of a young rebellious man living under the shadow of his crime-lord father, set against the backdrop of an alternate Los Angeles. One evening while going out, Todd discovers the body of a recently murdered man in his apartment's garage. He immediately reports his discovery to the police, only to return moments later to find that the body and all traces of the murder have vanished.
The cast includes Christopher Pennock of DARK SHADOWS, and Steve Railsback, a veteran actor who could teach Nicolas Cage a thing or two about playing on-screen maniacs.

Faraj is looking to raise $25,000 to complete the film. His Indiegogo site has several tiers of donations, with rewards ranging from a cast photo to production credits. The campaign ends April 4, 2014.

CLICK HERE for more details.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Collinsport News Bulletins


* CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) has an update on the bid to win Jonathan Frid a spot on Canada's Walk of Fame. The late actor didn't make the cut during last year's campaign, but organizers hope to win him a spot in 2014.

“His Canadian identity was very important to him, and I think this would be the most important thing for him as a legacy,” campaign organizer Elena Nacanther told them. “He lived in New York for 40 years and he never got his American citizenship because he was so loyal to Canada.”

Read the entire piece at CBC-Canada.



* Joanna Going, "Victoria Winters" from the 1991 DARK SHADOWS series, has a lead part in season 2 of HOUSE OF CARDS. Going plays First Lady "Patricia Walker" in the Netflix original series, which became available Feb. 14.


Stephanie Ellyne
* Stephanie Ellyne returns in March as "Amy Jennings" in DARK SHADOWS: THE HAPPIER DEAD. The Big Finish audiodrama is written by Adam Usden and directed by Darren Gross, and is scheduled to go on sale March 31. Here's the official plot summary:

But no one is dying at Collinsport Hospital, even those who wish to. When student parapsychologist Amy Jennings is rushed into intensive care, she reluctantly begins to investigate, and soon finds the hospital morgue is anything but empty. But who is behind it? And what could they possibly want? Amy might be guaranteed to make it out alive, but she is about to discover there are fates far worse than death.



* On April 30, the world premiere of DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR will be held at the historic Vista Theatre in Hollywood as part of a double feature celebrating the 40th anniversary of DARK SHADOWS creator/executive producer Dan Curtis' DRACULA in a newly-restored print.

ETIOPOMAR stars Jerry Lacy, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Christoper Pennock are scheduled to attend the event, which will also include a Q&A with the film's director, Ansel Faraj. DARK SHADOWS and DRACULA composer Robert Cobert will be present to sign copies of DRACULA's new CD soundtrack, as well as the film's new Blu-ray release.

For more information, visit the official Facebook event page.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Christopher Pennock in THE MADNESS OF RODERICK USHER



At midnight last night, director Ansel Faraj posted a video package on Youtube that not only includes the first five minutes of his upcoming feature DOCTOR MABUSE ETIOPOMAR, but the complete short film, THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: THE MADNESS OF RODERICK USHER.  (Note: The preview of DOCTOR MABUSE ETIOPOMAR will only be available online until midnight tonight, Feb. 7.)

THEATRE FANTASTIQUE is an online anthology series revolving around tales of mystery, fantasy, and horror.  RODERICK USHER is the first of three scheduled shorts in the series, with Pennock scheduled to appear in the next two episodes, as well. Expect A DESCENT INTO A MAELSTROM and THE HAPPY HOME OF THE MURDEROUS MAHONES to hit Youtube later in 2014.

You can find these films on the official Youtube channel of Hollinsworth Productions.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Collinsport News Bulletins


Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Marie Wallace and Jerry Lacy are scheduled to appear at this year's MONSTER-MANIA CON. Are scheduled to appear are Robert Englund, Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Dee Wallace, Ernie Hudson and lots more. The event takes place March 7-9 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, N.J. For more information, visit the event's official website, www.monstermania.net.

Speaking of Kathryn Leigh Scott, she's interviewed about her novel DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HEELS in the latest episode of the Quotable Authors podcast.


Hollinsworth Productions "Theatre Fantastique" will release its first episode, THE MADNESS OF RODERICK USHER, on Feb. 7. Theatre Fantastique is an online anthology series revolving around tales of mystery, fantasy, and horror.  The premiere episode stars Christopher Pennock and is directed by Ansel Faraj. Pennock also is scheduled to return in the next two episodes of the series, A DESCENT INTO A MAELSTROM and THE HAPPY HOME OF THE MURDEROUS MAHONES, later in 2014. Look for these films on the official Youtube channel of Hollinsworth Productions.
 

A one-of-a-kind SEAVIEW TERRACE pillow is currently up for auction at Ebay. The auction comes to a close on Jan. 19, FYI.


Thursday, December 12, 2013

Watch Kathryn Leigh Scott in THE RISING LIGHT



Last week was a busy one for Ansel Faraj. Not only did his first feature, DOCTOR MABUSE, arrive on DVD, but his short film THE RISING LIGHT hit the interwebz, as well. Here's how he describes the 52-minute film:
"It's a road movie. It's an odyssey across fantastical realms and worlds. It's an alien drama that blends 50's sci-fi with existential themes, the exploration of an outsider, and a study of loss and failure. It's a tale of magic and sorcery."
The short features many of the conspirators behind DOCTOR MABUSE, including Kathryn Leigh Scott, Nathan Wilson, and Linden Chiles. You can watch THE RISING LIGHT for free streaming above. Enjoy!

Friday, December 6, 2013

DOCTOR MABUSE now available on DVD


The psychological thriller DOCTOR MABUSE, seen in limited theatrical release earlier this year, is now available on DVD, exclusively via mail-order from the Dark Shadows Festival.

The 95-minute drama stars Jerry Lacy as the nefarious and maniacal title character. Lara Parker and Kathryn Leigh Scott co-star as mysterious sisters in the supernatural.

The film had its world premiere in April, 2013, as part of the DS Festival’s “Dark Shadows Island Weekend” in Coronado, CA. The three DARK SHADOWS actors, director/writer Ansel Faraj, and other cast members participated in an audience Q&A and autograph session after the screening.

DVD special features include:
  • "Behind the Scenes of DOCTOR MABUSE," a 24 minute featurette detailing the making of the film, featuring behind the scenes footage, outtakes, and new interviews with writer/director Ansel Faraj, and actors Jerry Lacy and Nathan Wilson.
  • Deleted Scenes.
  • "DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR" The Comic Con 2013 Panel Footage of the sequel, in theaters Summer 2014.
Exclusively available now via mail-order, DOCTOR MABUSE on DVD is $19.95 + $3.00 shipping & handling).

Please send total payment of $22.95 by check or money order, made payable to:

Dark Shadows Festival
P.O. Box 92
Maplewood, NJ 07040

Please note that the Festival can not accept PayPal or credit card payments.

Faraj and Wilson were guests on the Collinsport Historical Podcast in January. Click HERE to listen to it.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Monster Serial: FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY (1973)

Hello, boils and ghouls! October is upon us and that means one thing: HALLOWEEN! While most holidays get a measly day or two of formal recognition, orthodox Monster Kids prefer to celebrate it in the tradition of our people: By watching tons of horror movies. This month at THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, we're going to be discussing some of our favorites every day until Halloween. So, put on your 3-D spex, pop some popcorn and turn out the lights .... because we're going to the movies! 



By ANSEL FARAJ

One of the most interesting and underrated versions of Mary Shelly's novel, FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY originally was broadcast as a two part miniseries on NBC in the fall of 1973.  Something of a curiosity, and very loosely based on the novel, despite the title - I feel that this is one of the best FRANKENSTEIN movies ever made.

The film stars James Mason (pre-SALEM'S LOT) as Dr. Polidori, sort of a Dr. Pretorius (see BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) figure, except his name is taken from history: The real Dr. Polidori was present that fateful weekend in the Villa Diodati  when Mary Shelly wrote FRANKENSTEIN - he was one of Lord Byron's guests and wrote THE VAMPYRE which was the novella that laid the groundwork for all future vampire novels and stories. But here, we have a Dr. Polidori, who is deep into ancient mystic arts and a progenitor for Dr. Clerval (David McCullum) and his colleague Victor Frankenstein (Leonard Whitting).

The story follows the basic routine of FRANKENSTEIN, but what makes it so interesting to watch is where screenwriters Christopher Isherwood (who wrote the novel A SINGLE MAN, and BERLIN STORIES which would eventually be turned into CABARET for those of you who are taking notes) and Don Bachardy go off on their own. The first thing they do is give Polidori and Clerval a homoerotic twist, which then spreads to Frankenstein and his slowly rotting creation, played marvelously by Michael Sarrazin.


Elizabeth (Nicolla Pagett, who resembles Emily Blunt at times) is another character they mess with, and this version of the classic "Oh no!! Victor I love you!!" character has been turned into a conniving and castrating woman who is jealous of anyone that comes within 10 feet of her Victor. Just the opening scene in which Victor tries to save his younger brother William from drowning, which Elizabeth looks on coldly, is so odd and dark - it's entirely refreshing to the viewer instead of the normal "screaming heroine" one is accustomed to in these films.

The "creation" scene and the monster itself is also different. Rather than the electrical storm as cemented by Universal Studios, we instead see the "Monster" brought to life via solar energy. It's a very ethereal sequence in the film and also fascinating, when one considers how solar energy is now being used almost as widely as electricity. The Monster is also interesting in that he's born "perfect", but slowly begins to rot over the course of the film, causing his father Victor to reject him, rather than continue to keep him as his housemate.

Polidori - as touched on before - is another interesting twist. With hands gruesomely burned away from an accident with some chemicals, and assisted by two Chinese henchmen, he is a traditional alchemist rather than a "modern scientist"; with his goal set upon conquering the world by using careful manipulation, magic, and hypnotism. Sounds like Dr. Mabuse. Hmmm..... When he entraps Victor into helping him create a female mate for the Monster, solar energy is ditched in favor of what I'm going to call "lava lamp mysticism" which then produces Bond Girl Jane Seymour. How awesome is that.


Prima, as "The Monster's Mate" is called, doesn't have hair standing up accessorized by white lightening streaks on the sides, but instead has a scar around her neck, which she hides with a choker - a la the classic tale THE GREEN RIBBON, which is only fitting considering what she's got coming to her.

The film features an array of great supporting actors which add to the film's production value: Sir John Gielgud, Agnes Moorehead, Clarissa Kaye (James Mason's wife), Ralph Richardson, Margaret Leighton, Michael Wilding and Tom Baker (the 4th Doctor!) all show up to the ghoulish yet classy proceedings, and the English locations really add to the flavor of the whole piece. It's more open aired WITCHFINDER GENERAL, than studio bound Hammer proceedings (though I am not digging at Hammer, believe me.)

At a run time of 182 minutes, it's a perfect film for a lazy October Sunday afternoon. Its strong cast, nostalgic effects, and 'ahead of its time' script, make it a piece of great entertainment that really needs to be rediscovered - both as a 1970s Gothic classic, and one of the best FRANKENSTEIN movies of all time.

Ansel Faraj is an award-winning independent American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He recently wrapped production on his latest film, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Monster Serial: MARK OF THE VAMPIRE, 1935

Hello, boils and ghouls! October is upon us and that means one thing: HALLOWEEN! While most holidays get a measly day or two of formal recognition, orthodox Monster Kids prefer to celebrate it in the tradition of our people: By watching tons of horror movies. This month at THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, we're going to be discussing some of our favorites every day until Halloween. So, put on your 3-D spex, pop some popcorn and turn out the lights .... because we're going to the movies! 


By ANSEL FARAJ

MARK OF THE VAMPIRE is an interesting film. On a technical level, it's the movie DRACULA (1931) should have been. But, like the following year’s THE INVISIBLE RAY (starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi for Universal), MARK OF THE VAMPIRE is a film which leaves many of its most interesting cinematic moments unseen, only heard about after the fact through dialogue. And what we do see doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

There are three variables that hold MARK OF THE VAMPIRE together on a ‘supernatural’ level: Cedric Gibbons' atmospheric production design; James Wong Howe’s evocative cinematography; and Carroll Borland’s haunting performance as Luna, whose visage has been the ground stone for all female vampires to come. Despite the film's “it was all a hoax” ending, these three people are the reasons we still come back to MARK OF THE VAMPIRE. Bela Lugosi’s presence as Count Mora helps too, but for my money its Gibbons, Howe, and Borland. Together each figure helps us be drawn into the convoluted plot and keep us engaged. There’s nothing more beautiful in the film than Carroll Borland wandering with a bat hovering nearby, through Cedric Gibbons’ fog drenched countryside listening to those “disembodied soul” howlings (I want that sound effect for my movies,) all captured by Howe’s constantly prowling camera. This is gothic cinema at its finest.


There are two other members of this company we need to address: Misters Lionel Barrymore and Atwill. They help us buy the whole plot on a realistic (though the term “realistic” is used loosely by me) level. The respected physician/occult expert and the inspector, both figures of authority and rationality, and both played by actors who can make any scene or line of dialogue work - (I mean, who doesn’t believe that Lionel Atwill’s arm wasn’t ripped out by Karloff in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN?) They believe the story of the vampires, even though both men are very much in on the hoax. And, for the first 50 minutes of the film's 61 minute running time, so do we.

Of course it’s all Count Mora and his daughter, and they’re obviously out to make Irena Borotyn (played by the underrated Elizabeth Allan) a vampire just as they did her father.

Right. Here’s where everything about ‘the plot’ of MARK OF THE VAMPIRE falls apart. It’s all been an elaborate “Mission: Impossible” hoax to get murderer Baron Otto (Jean Hersholt) to confess. But why go to such extremes when Jean Hersholt is barely around to witness half of the vampiric hoax? Why are you wandering around a deserted castle in the middle of the night with no one around? Why are you playing the organ and flying (in a fantastic shot) with bat wings - on the off chance that somebody might notice you? Are you that much of a ‘Method' actor? Are you just a plain attention whore caught up in the never-never land atmosphere of wherever MARK OF THE VAMPIRE takes place?

All of this brings us to a couple factors:

MARK OF THE VAMPIRE is a remake of the most famous of all lost films, the Tod Browning/Lon Chaney silent LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT from 1927, in which Chaney played both the vampire and a police inspector, which also combined the elements of the occult expert.  Because the film is lost, we can't say for sure if LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT also included moments in which the vampires do things for no apparent reason other than to act like vampires for the sake of the audience.But, we can safely assume that's the case. In 2002, TCM had film historian Rick Schmidlin ‘reconstruct’ the 1927 film using the original screenplay and stills from the project, distilling it into a 45-minute slide show that TCM hyped the hell out of. (You should have seen me with my VHS recorder, I couldn’t get the damn thing to record it fast enough I was so excited). So, for my take, I think a lot of this “why do it in the first place when no one is looking?” was there to begin with, and there’s nothing any of us can do about it. 


MARK OF THE VAMPIRE originally ran at 81 minutes, but 20 minutes were cut before it was released. What existed in those 20 minutes? Was it filled with more eerie vampiric activity such as Fedor (Henry Wadsworth in the role of the useless fiancée) being attacked by someone who might be a vampire as he was running for the train?  Was it a scene that explains the random other vampire who follows Lugosi and Borland around in the castle? Were there some moments that helped explain why the vampire actors are acting for apparently no one but the audience?

Or, even more tantalizing, was there a flashback scene detailing the history of Count Mora, his incestuous rape and murder of his daughter Luna, and subsequent suicide? (Note that random bullet wound on Lugosi’s temple.) Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case. In Kim Newman and Steve Jones’ informative and entertaining commentary on Warner Home Video’s DVD of the film (paired with the also fascinating MASK OF FU MANCHU,) they claim the majority of the 20 minutes was comic relief featuring the maid Maria.

One final factor - supposedly the entire cast and crew played the film as a straight vampire horror film, not knowing the ending. They filmed in continuity of the script and, when they reached the climax, they were given the pages revealing the whole deal was a hoax ... which also supposedly annoyed Bela Lugosi. He suggested that his character should later reveal himself to be an actual vampire, providing a second twist. Now this seems plausible, but Tod Browning supposedly screened his earlier LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT for the whole company, which would have revealed to them the twist ending. Confused yet? Either someone couldn’t get their facts straight, or MGM’s publicity department was working overtime, or - who knows?

But who cares, really? MARK OF THE VAMPIRE has proven itself over the years as a great genre classic, a wonderfully atmospheric film with a great cast and only the production values that powerhouse MGM could provide - just perfect for Halloween viewing.

Ansel Faraj is an award-winning independent American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He recently wrapped production on his latest film, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Trailer: DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR


The first trailer for DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR hit the Internet over the weekend. A sequel to last year's DOCTOR MABUSE by director Ansel Faraj, the film sees the return of much of the cast, including Jerry Lacy, Nathan Wilson, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Lara Parker, Christopher Pennock, Dane Corrigan, Bahia Garrigan, and Kate Avery. (Note: Corrigan plays a character named "Rotwang," which ought to be familiar to fans of Fritz Lang ... and cinema, in general.)

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Monster Serial: INFERNO, 1980

Hello, boils and ghouls! October is upon us and that means one thing: HALLOWEEN! While most holidays get a measly day or two of formal recognition, orthodox Monster Kids prefer to celebrate it in the tradition of our people: By watching tons of horror movies. This month at THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, we're going to be discussing some of our favorites every day until Halloween. So, put on your 3-D spex, pop some popcorn and turn out the lights .... because we're going to the movies!


By ANSEL FARAJ

INFERNO is the reason — along with ROSEMARY'S BABY, THE SENTINEL, and THE TENANT — that I am terrified to live in an apartment complex. You don't know who, or what, is living beside you. You don't know where that forgotten door down in your basement laundry room leads to. You don't want to know.  

You might say I'm overreacting, and that houses are just as bad. Look at THE AMITYVILLE HORROR or POLTERGEIST. Well, whatever ... you might have a point, but that's another essay altogether. We're here to discuss Dario Argento's follow-up to the brilliant SUSPIRIA, and second film in his "Three Mothers Trilogy," inspired by Thomas de Quincey's opium-inspired prose "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow."

INFERNO's plot is something of a conundrum. There's a very creepy apartment building in New York with mysterious residents, permeated by a very strange smell, and next to it is an old bookshop selling creepy books from a creepy guy. Then there's a young man who's going to music school in Rome seeing odd visions of a beautiful woman with a cat; and his friend going to a — once again — creepy old library run by the most horrifying librarian you'll come across in movies. And lots of cats. Lots and lots of cats. Hidden amongst the shadowy corners of INFERNO is the Mother of Darkness — Mater Tenebrarum — whose job it is to spread darkness and death across the globe.
 

But INFERNO, as with SUSPIRIA, is not a film for plot or great narrative structure. It's a cinematic nightmare, filled with dark threatening hallways and candy colored lighting. It's a film to get lost in, not to think about logic. Just watch it with the lights off and revel in that childhood fear of the dark ... a hooded figure might be lurking in the shadows, watching you.  Dario Argento's best work comes from building an atmosphere, something I strive to do in my own work. And, while INFERNO isn't quite as violent as SUSPIRA (or the third film of the trilogy, the miserable MOTHER OF TEARS,) it relies on the mystical atmosphere of the dark to draw you in and scare you. For what it lacks in Oscar-winning dialogue and acting, it has tension and dread in spades. And that, my friends, is better than all the gore you can throw across a screen.

Another thing that makes the film so great is that, while it doesn't have a concrete plot, it has an interesting layer that is both hidden and blatantly obvious at the same time: INFERNO is something of an interpretation of Dante's Inferno. The famous poem (read it if you haven't already) which details Dante's descent into the nine circles of hell guided by Virgil, is mirrored here in the story of Mark (played by Leigh McCloskey), guided by the writings of his sister as he descends into the whirlpool of ancient sorcery and horrors of Mater Tenebrarum. Watch the surrealistic climax and then tell me I'm wrong. Each new horrific fate dealt to the characters is a new circle of hell crossed, leading to the ultimate encounter of death and destruction.


INFERNO (along with SUSPIRIA) is a great film to study for its design — the garish lighting style Argento uses to convey a mood, and signify the presence of the otherworldly. The hidden alchemical symbols peppered throughout give the film a bit of weight. Designs in the floors and glass ceilings, and even in the blood splatters all represent some secret code of alchemists that we are not privy to, which just adds to the "mystical conspiracy" feeling of the film. It uses its architecture to really create another world - the apartment building is filled with secret passages, hidden listening devices, forgotten halls, and my favorite, the air duct. Argento has his camera travel down an air duct and amidst the rushing of air, we hear a strange disturbing whispering.

Even the real world locations of the film, such as the Central Park sequence is shot in such a stylized way that we forget it is Central Park. The great shot of the hot dog vendor running across the lake — not around but literally across the water — to stab a victim is a prime example. The world as we know it has been taken over by a strange evil, and this evil force is playing people like pawns in a supernatural chess game. Another evocative moment is the exterior shot of the apartment, and its windy street spot lit by street lamps, which slowly dim as the Mother of Darkness begins to exert her powers. Its these small detailed moments where INFERNO's strength lies. It also helps that the great Mario Bava was Argento's collaborator in the design of the film, building miniatures and helping with the optical work.

I hope during this Halloween season you take the time to check out INFERNO (and make it a double feature with SUSPIRIA. Wallace has a great appreciation essay on that film here at the Collinsport Historical Society). It's an unconventional horror film, but it's not one you'll easily forget. My only other advice to give - if you see a strange hole in your basement bubbling with what seems to be water, please, think twice before submerging yourself in it.

Ansel Faraj is an award-winning independent American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He recently wrapped production on his latest film, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Collinsport News Bulletins



* ROSEMONT BAY is a tabletop RPG of "supernatural relationship drama" aimed at fans of shows like DARK SHADOWS, AMERICAN GOTHIC and TWIN PEAKS. At least, it will be if it's funded. The game's creators have launched a Kickstarter campaign to help finance the project, and is a little more than half-way toward meeting its $6,000 goal. Check it out!

* The latest installment of DAVID-ELIJAH NAHMOD's new BARNABAS' COLUMN is now up at the FANGORIA website. David takes a look at the career of Jerry Lacy, his lengthy tenure with DARK SHADOWS and his dramatic readings.

* Now is the time to stock up on several DARK SHADOWS books. Amazon currently has LARA PARKER'S first novel, ANGELIQUE'S DESCENT, for a mere $6, while her follow-up, THE SALEM BRANCH, is a stunning $5.20. Meanwhile, KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT and JIM PIERSON'S DARK SHADOWS: RETURN TO COLLINWOOD, is $1.99 on Kindle.

* ANSEL FARAJ, LARA PARKER and KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT participated in the FAMOUS MONSTERS "Stake of the Union" panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif. Footage from Faraj's next feature, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR, was screened at the event, and the director shared a new photo from the film online (below.)

Lara Parker as Madame Carrozza, Jerry Lacy as Dr. Mabuse, Bahia Garrigan as Christina Novello, Kate Avery as Maria, and Nathan Wilson as Lohemann.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Collinsport News Bulletins


KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT, LARA PARKER and ANSEL FARAJ will participate in the Famous Monsters of Filmland Q&A panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif., on Friday, July 19. Faraj will be screening footage from his upcoming film, DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR, as part of theFamous Monsters "Stake of the Union" panel. The event begins at 7:45 pm in Room 5AB.

* The campaign to get JONATHAN FRID elected to CANADA'S WALK OF FAME has re-launched. "If we do nothing and don't promote nominating Jonathan now and for the rest of the year and also 2014 everyday, we will loose all the momentum that everyone has helped to build for him," the administrators of the campaign announced this week on their Facebook page. "Even though Jonathan did not get inducted for 2013, let me assure you everyone at CWOF absolutely knows who and what about Jonathan Frid implicitly. That's the power of all of you working to nominate him everyday. So please lets keep going."

At this stage in the campaign, people can nominate Frid on CANADA'S WALK OF FAME webpage. Vote often, and please help us spread the word.

* DARK SHADOWS: BENEATH THE VEIL is now available on CD and MP3 from Big Finish. The episode sees the return of MARIE WALLACE in the role of EVE, as well as NANCY BARRETT and KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT (she's everywhere!)

* And last, but not least, BARNABAS COLLINS MEETS ALF.
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