My Interview with Vincent Price’s Daughter, Victoria Price

On October 4, 2025 I had pleasure of meeting the daughter of Vincent Price, the celebrated author Victoria Price. At the Slash and Bash Film Festival in Topeka, Kansas, where all things spooky from classic to contemporary, convened in fandom. She is the author of a biography on her father, “Vincent Price: A Daughter’s Biography,” (1999), and inspirational memoirs, “The Way of Being Lost: A … Continue reading My Interview with Vincent Price’s Daughter, Victoria Price

Ice Cream Colors Splash of Horror in DOCTOR X

A hodge podge mix of tones – and colors- unexpected in a Pre-Code horror flick. Michael Curtiz’s DOCTOR X remains a stand-out, even more nine decades later. As we explore the filmography of director Curtiz, let’s begin early in his Hollywood years with a Warner Brothers rarity, a horror film. Based on the play “The Terror” by Howard W Comstock and Allen C Miller, the … Continue reading Ice Cream Colors Splash of Horror in DOCTOR X

WHAT EVER HAPPENED to BABY JANE?

We have arrived at the final film in this Bette Davis film study series. The opportunity for WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE came nearly twelve years after our last film, ALL ABOUT EVE. She continued working in those dozen years, but the golden era of Oscar nominated romantic lead roles was rapidly fading away. Now fifty-six years old, Davis was entering the last chapter in … Continue reading WHAT EVER HAPPENED to BABY JANE?

A Haunting Hometown: CARNIVAL of SOULS (1962)

A charming, small town in ‘Middle America.’ A simple way of life where neighbors are friendly, polite, but cautiously on guard of strangers that behave strangely. In Herk Harvey’s only feature film/now cult classic, CARNIVAL of SOULS (1962), the small college town of Lawrence, Kansas was the perfect setting for the eery, atmospheric horror. In the early 1960s, with a population of little over 30,000 … Continue reading A Haunting Hometown: CARNIVAL of SOULS (1962)

A Spooky Study: ARSENIC and OLD LACE

Today we’ll meet Cary Grant as Mortimer Brewster, a very different sort of ‘challenged married man’ than we met in his prior film, PENNY SERENADE. In contrast, Frank Capra’s ARSENIC and OLD LACE is madcap macabre whirled into a hilarious, bigger-than-Brooklyn tale. Before being made into a film, ARSENIC and OLD LACE was a huge hit on the Broadway stage. Playwright Joseph Kesselring was said … Continue reading A Spooky Study: ARSENIC and OLD LACE

WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935)

We’ve reached the end of our cinematic journey of Universal Classic Monsters. As we focused on Universal Pictures’ transition into sound production films and their successes in the genre of horror, we finish appropriately enough at the end of the Laemmle empire. Even with the financial and critical success of SHOW BOAT (1936), the too many flops and debts from over-spending added up. Carl Laemmle … Continue reading WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935)

A Case for Campy or Creepy-THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

We’re in for a real treat. Many consider, and I’m in full agreement, that James Whale’s THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) to be the best of the Universal classic monster films. The question is WHY? We’ll discuss that, and perhaps you’ll have your own opinions on this. We have studied several Universal horrors up to this point, along with the details of what was transpiring … Continue reading A Case for Campy or Creepy-THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

A Sinister Study: THE BLACK CAT (1934)

This marks the first of eight films that paired Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Both big names in Hollywood coming off of their huge successes of DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN. But while Karloff would continue his success in the years that followed, Lugosi’s career struggled. DRACULA would be his first major Hollywood role, and his biggest. Lugosi didn’t seem the right fit for many roles that … Continue reading A Sinister Study: THE BLACK CAT (1934)

Deep Focus on THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)

As we traverse into our latest Universal monster film, James Whale’s THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), we feel a sense of familiarity with another examination into madness. But this tale goes deeper and more personal than our prior films. This time, the scientist is not just driven into insanity by his passionate pursuits, but could he be the monster, too? H.G. Wells published his novel, “The … Continue reading Deep Focus on THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)

THE MUMMY (1932)

In our 3rd film in this Universal Horror series, we’re studying Karl Freund’s THE MUMMY (1932). While we travel to ancient Egypt via California and Universal City, this tale feels strangely familiar territory. Again, we see familiar faces. But have we been here before? One of the themes of THE MUMMY is reincarnation; but in many aspects, the story itself is a reincarnation of DRACULA … Continue reading THE MUMMY (1932)