Top 25 Horrors of the last 20 years

I admit I'm a bit behind with this post, as it was the 20th that B-SOL at Vault of Horror posted the list for the top 25 horrors since 1990, and again I was included in the polling. Although admittedly Classic Horror is by far more interesting to me I do acknowledge that this time frame produced some very interesting films for the horror genre. In fact there was a lot of discussion amongst the voters about what actually was the criteria for a horror film. And this topic of discussion was indeed enlightening. But in the end it really comes to the individual viewer and what their personal criteria is. Now as relevant as it is to this post, I'm about to drag my feet on that topic and post separately what my personal feelings and criteria for what constitutes a horror movie when compared to other related genre films. So for the moment I will stay on topic. From Brian at Vault of Horror here is the accumulated list:

1. The Descent (2005) dir: Neil Marshall
2. The Blair Witch Project (1999) dir: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez
3. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) dir: Jonathan Demme
4. The Ring (2002) dir: Gore Verbinski
5. Scream (1996) dir: Wes Craven
6. The Mist (2007) dir: Frank Darabont
7. 28 Days Later (2002) dir: Danny Boyle
8. Braindead (Dead Alive) (1992) dir: Peter Jackson
9. Inside (2007) dir: Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury
10. Shaun of the Dead (2004) dir: Edgar Wright
11. Saw (2004) dir: James Wan
12. [REC] (2007) dir: Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza
13. Audition (1999) dir: Takashi Miike
14. Ginger Snaps (2000) dir: John Fawcett
15. American Psycho (2000) dir: Mary Harron
16. Session 9 (2001) dir: Brad Anderson
17. Dawn of the Dead (2004) dir: Zack Snyder
18. Army of Darkness (1993) dir: Sam Raimi
19. Dog Soldiers (2002) dir: Neil Marshall
20. Cabin Fever (2002) dir: Eli Roth
21. Let the Right One In (2008) dir: Tomas Alfredson
22. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) dir: Francis Ford Coppola
23. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) dir: Stanley Kubrick
24. Halloween: 20 Years Later (1998) dir: Steve Miner
25. Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man) (1994) dir: Michele Soavi

Be sure to stop by his blog for further details on how the entrants were ranked, and some other interesting facts and in sites, not to mention the ensuing discussion.

I do well believe that it's a great addition to such as list to have the contributors sound off on why they selected some of the films they did. Lets face it every time a list as such is published the sabre rattling and guffawing can be heard from the other banks of the Styx.

Well I already bashed Blair Witch after the top 50 poll(to that nobody had anything to say) so no point being derisive there, but alas I have to admit my top ten actually rank on nether regions of the lists top 10. While titles like Descent: Kill Bill vs. Weekly World News' Bat Boy, The Bad Itch project, the Ring, and Scream never even got a sniff on my list. And while Silence of the Lambs was undoubtedly about to make the top 5 I chose not to include it for a couple of reasons. 1: I believe the elements of the film are far more grounded in the Thriller genre than the Horror genre as per my personal definitions and criteria, and 2: well it was going to make it anyway, why not put together a more interesting list.

Now you're wondering, what would G. Macabre, Classic Horror fan put on a list of top horror films since 1990? OK maybe you're not, but damn it you're still reading aren't you. So here it is my list of Top 10 Horrors since 1990.




1. Shawn of the Dead
2. Sweeney Todd
3. Night Watch
4. Gingersnaps
5. 28 Days Later
6. Dead Alive
7. Army of Darkness
8. The Crow (does that count as horror? Dead guy coming back from the grave
for revenge, close enough)
9. Sleepy Hollow
10. Shadow of the Vampire

I had originally penned Mist in the final slot, but recanted as I feel as much as I enjoyed the film, the finale was poorly written and inanely inconsistent with the characters' depictions as we had seen them up to that point. More the end was done for shock factor and media hype than any contribution to the film. Shadow of the Vampire when all is said and done, I felt was a far more unique and interesting film.

While on the former top 0 list I made my selections based on what I felt were movies of notable quality in a variety of aspects, this list was more a compilation of films that I found very much enjoyable on a more personal level.
I honestly feel that Sweeney Todd is completely under rated. Although everyone involved knew this wasn't going to make any waves, it was really about going out there to make a film that they simply wanted to make and push their own boundaries. Dark, angry Macabre and perverse, and out in left wing this is the kind of film I get into. I admit I'm saddened my comrades did not see it as such. And speaking of comrades (hows that for a segue) the Russian gem Night Watch to not appear while Cabin Fever makes the list is again disappointing. But hey I admit I don't swim in the same waters as may of the other bloggers that were polled, and that the contemporary view of horror films such as the pseudo psychological spook stories like Rec, Blair Witch and Ring leave me glassy eyed and in search of the remote.

So anyway if you're in need of some good unconventional horror themed movies of the 90's to today, you now have my suggestions.

Gary D. Macabre

A Christmas Carol: The Holliday's most famous horror tale

Greetings and Merry Christmas to all. What on a day such as auspicious as this you should wind up in my company is a puzzling and sad thought. But as you're here have a mug of mulled cider and come sit by the fire a while.

Christmas is a time of joy and happiness, it marks the birth of a savior, a time of giving and joy, the magic of a gracious and wondrous soul in a red coat and reindeer, or perhaps a time of death and rebirth at the marking of the winter solstice,(which was another post I missed incidentally, well such is the season now more hustle than bustle). But it has much rooted history with the horrors and trepidations that come with the long dark nights, thus the Krampus and it's other namesakes, the Belsnickel, and other aspects of pagan beliefs. But perhaps the best known horror tale of the holidays is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The tale has become such common holiday fare nowadays that it has become like most of the holiday traditions we celebrate today it seems, a shell of it's former self.
"MARLEY WAS DEAD" what a lovely way to introduce us to this gleeful holiday tale. But this book does not present us with heavenly angels, or merry elves, but true spirits, not present to pass on joy and good will, but to terrify and torment Ebeneezer Scrooge into repentance. And of grisly ghosts of the dead, tormented themselves for an eternity of which one can really only relate as a hellish existence. The Spirits themselves are all both horrible and wonderful in description, as the first spirit: It was a strange figure -like a child:yet not lo like a child as an old man viewed through some supernatural medium...the figure itself fluctuated in distinctness: being now a thing with one arm, now a thing with one leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a head, now a head without a body: of which dissolving parts, no outline would be itself visible in the dense gloom wherein they melted away..."

And such with the second spirit wondrous and splendid but beneath it's fine robes it houses two horrible figures: "It might be a claw, for the Flesh there is upon it," was the spirit's sorrowful reply... From the folding s of it robe, ti brought two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable...Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish. Where graceful should have filled their features out, a stale and shriveled hand, like that of age, pinched and twisted and pulled them into shreds.. Where angels might have sat enthroned devils lurked; and glared out menacing. No change, no degradation, no perversion of humanity, in any grade, through all the mysteries of wonderful creation has monsters half so horrible and dread."

And the third thusly simple in description: "It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. But from this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was enshrouded..."

These grim specters do not come to encourage Scrooge with hope, love and joy. No they bring remorse, dread and fear. The present him with moments in which Ebeneezer briefly looses himself in the gaiety of others, only to have the door slammed on the illusion with his own miserable existence. Dickens does not Speak of Christ's Love, the approaching rebirth of the spring, or the joys we have become accustomed to this time of year, his tale is of bleak and inward despair and horror with a fitting cast of phantoms. I encourage you my fellow travelers of these macabre shores, that if the time and opportunity befall you this Holiday season find a copy of Dickens' tale as he had written it. Settle in to a large chair in a darkened corner by light of tree and candle and read the greatest ghost story of the season in a less conventional perspective.

All my best to you this Christmas season, and happy solstice to my pagan friends.
G. Macabre

The Christmas Monster

During FJA week, I didn't get to mentioning Krampusnacht on the 5th. The Krampus being St. Nick's evil horned side kick or Père Fouettard, the black haired dirty butcher, whom offer up punishment for bad children (and house wives) with tales ranging from simple flogging to cannibalism.

So thanks go out to Tenebrous Kate for picking up these Macabre Holiday traditions while I was otherwise occupied with our dear Uncle Forry.









Kate's Krampus Blog entry







And for even more Krampus Fun Check out Monster Brains
























Kate's Pere Fouettard blog entry
G. Macabre

Forrest J. Ackerman: a week of tribute.

Just in case you haven't seen these they are a couple wonderful 4E videos.

Uncle Forry spent much of his life on his collection, thus it would be remiss of me if I weren't to include a video tour of the Ackermansion.



The second is an interview with 4SJ again at the mansion but this time it is more about him than his collection. I really Enjoyed this video, and hope you do to.

Forrest J. Ackerman: a week of tribute.

So if you're sitting about your computer, at work perhaps, here's something worth while to do with your time that Forry would approve of...

Watch Metropolis!

Forrest J. Ackerman: a week of tribute.

Here's a little trip down memory lane with some scans from various issues of FM featuring Forry with....




















.

Forrest J. Ackerman: a week of tribute cont..

Forry Fun Facts:

Forry's first encounter with science fiction was Amazing Stories magazine in October 1926 (whether this was the Sept, Oct or Nov. issue I don't know, any insight anyone?)

Forry's first Horror film experience was One Glorious Day in 1922 which he attended with his maternal grandparents.

Forry was likely that last remaining person to recall having seen London after Midnight, which he saw opening night 1929 (Chaney's top hat and teeth were among 4E's prized possessions).

Forry was named an honourary lesbian by the Daughters of Bilitis.

Forry wrote several lesbian stories under the pen name"Laurajean Ermayne"

Forry was the first sci-fi geek to wear a costume to a Science Fiction convention.

Forry qouteth "I was the only one out of 185 fans who wore a futuristic costume.. And in that costume I went out to the World's Fair. They had a platform there and a microphone and they were inviting people from around the world to speak in their native language, in Russian, in Spanish or whatever. So I got enough nerve in this costume to go up to the microphone and speak in Esperanto and I said that I was a visitor from the future where we all spoke Esperanto."

Forry's favourite film was Fritz Lang's Metropolis which he watched in excess of 100 times.

Forry attended a screening of Metropolis at a World Science Fiction convention with Fritz Lang himself.

Forry has said he believes that Phantom of the Opera is the best Horror film of all time.

Forry is on record as being "miserably disapointed" with the now cult classic film Forbidden Plannet at the time of his initial viewing.

Forry 's wife didn't think the term sci-fi would catch on.

Harlon Ellison loathed the term sci-fi and likened it to the sound of two crickets screwing.

At 14 Forry created The Boys' Science Fiction Club in 1930,

Forry helped found the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society and the National Fantasy Fan Federation.

Forry attended all but two World Science Fiction Conventions.

Forry was the recipient of Vincent Price's final autograph.

Forry was agent to over 200 writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Forry was Ed Woods agent.

Forry himself is accredited with over 50 publications including short stories and anthologies.

Forry is responsible for coming up with the name Vampirella and writing her back story.

Forry's Dracula cape is from the stage play.

Forry's Dracula ring is from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Forry claims the title of most film appearances with the least total screen time

Forry has attended parties at the Playboy mansion.

Forry got the idea for a one shot monster mag after returning from the 1957 World Science Fiction Convention with a copy of Cinema '57.

Forry initially wanted to name FM Wonderama.

Famous Monsters only initially debuted in two test markets, New York and Philidelphia.

The first issue of FM had 200,000 copies printed (damn, why are they so hard to find and $$$ now!)

Forrest J. Ackerman Shall Not Die! FJA: a week of tribute (and more)

In interviews 4E clearly stated that he did not have a favourite Horror actor, and that Lon Chaney Sr., Boris Karloff and Bella Lugosi were his choice as an unholy trio. Perhaps it was that Boris and Bella were still recognizable faces, largely due to late night television Horror programs like the SHOCK! package that helped fuel the market for FM. And that Lon Chaney the face of horror for the silent era was not quite as well known. But it is clear that Forrest was devoted to Lon Chaney and put forth much more effort at promoting the man of 1000 faces than the other members of his terrible trio.

This page from the 1969 Fearbook leaves little doubt of that.



















(click image for a really big version)




In fact Chaney as the Phantom graced the vast majority of FM covers as the magazine's corner tag after that proclamation was made.

In honour of Uncle Forry it is my intent to extend him the same respect and admiration in like fashion. First off you will notice that the image of Dr. Acula now graces the side bar of this blog and there he will remain as long as there is a Blogue Macabre. In addition I will pick up the mantle that Forry left behind (when FM proper ceased to exist). I will dedicate a full page post of Lon Chaney once bi-monthly (as FM was published bi-monthly) and again bi-monthly a full page post of the Ackermonster himself. No, Lon Chaney will not die, and neither will Forrest J. Ackerman.

Gary D. Macabre

Forrest J. Ackerman: a week of tribure.

I'm not going to bother to try to sum up who Forrest J. Ackerman was. Firstly, if you are reading this blog, you are likely already very largely aware of who he was and what he did during his time on the spinning orb on the edge of the infinite(?) cosmos. Secondly is that the premise of trying to encapsulate the the essence and the experiences that defined him in his 92 years seems truly absurd in every possible way. Especially that while I am a great fan of the man, like most of us I never had the joy of meeting him, spending time with him and truly getting a measure of what made him who he was. Certainly I can speak of his influences and the anecdotes from others, but there are plenty of great eulogies for him on other quality blogs like Vault of Horror and Scott Essman's post on Zombo's closet, and Aint it Cool news, but that's not me. So then what the hell am I going to talk about for the remainder of the week you ask? Well this week is going to be more of a wake, if you will. A celebration of his life's work and joys.

Uncle Forry's most visible work and the one he will always be best remembered for is, of course, Famous Monsters of Filmland. But being THE ultimate fan of Science Fiction and Horror films, it's only natural he would appear in a variety of cameos in his day. Here is a lovely little montage of 4SJ on film.




Here is a filmography of 4E films from Monster Kid Extrordinaire, George "E-Gor" Chastain's page of BOOS WHO: A classic horror player directory (Be sure to check it out!!!!)

Filmography as Acktor

Filmography adapted from a number of published references, including an undated list made by Forry Ackerman.

1944

• As his Government-Issue alter-ego, "Sgt. Ack-Ack," in Hey, Rookie, a World War II musical/comedy directed by Charles (Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein) Barton, and starring Ann Miller and Joe Besser!



1947

• As an audience member at the Finley political rally in The Farmer's Daughter, directed by H. C. Potter, and starring Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten and Ethel Barrymore. Forry is sitting behind and to right of Loretta Young in the auditorium, clearly visible in a contemporary "Life" magazine photo from the film.



• As himself, uncredited in The Homestretch, directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, and starring Cornel Wilde, Maureen O'Hara and Glenn (The Amazing Colossal Man!) Langan.

1948

• As an extra in winning-horse crowd scene in The Winner's Circle (1948), directed by Felix E. Feist. Starring Johnny Longden and Morgan Farley.



1962

• Toddling around in a street scene in the amateur film Chicon 62.



• Captured in a street scene in the amateur film Tyran the Terrible.



1964

• As "Technician #3," squaring circles in future Android Factory in The Time Travelers (aka Depths of the Unknown, The Return of the Time Traveler, The Return of the Time Travelers, This Time Tomorrow, Time Trap). Directed by Ib Melchior, and starring Preston Foster, Philip Carey, Merry Anders and John Hoyt.



1966

• As an aide to Dr. Faraday (Basil Rathbone), holding a tray of vampire embryos in the final shot of Queen of Blood (aka Planet of Blood, Planet of Terror, Planet of Vampires, The Green Woman). Directed by Curtis Harrington and produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, Roger Corman, George Edwards and Stephanie Rothman. Featuring John Saxon, Basil Rathbone, Judi Meredith, Dennis Hopper and Florence Marly (as the Alien Queen).



1968

• In an unused bit part as "Delegate A.C. Fogbottom," reading a paperback edition of Metropolis in a hotel lobby in The Power. Directed by Byron Haskin and produced by George Pal, with a first-rate cast of familiar faces including George Hamilton, Suzanne Pleshette, Richard Carlson, Yvonne De Carlo, Earl Holliman, Gary Merrill, Arthur O'Connell, Nehemiah Persoff , Aldo Ray, Michael Rennie and Celia Lovsky. Unfortunately, Forry's cameo wound up on the cutting room floor along with producer Pal's.



1970

• Providing the (uncredited) voice on the tape recorder in Equinox (aka The Beast), directed by Jack Woods and (uncredited) Dennis Muren, with great low-budget special effects by Dave Allen, Jim Danforth and Dennis Muren. Featuring Edward Connell, Barbara Hewitt, Frank Bonner, Robin Christopher, director Woods (as Asmodeus) and Fritz Leiber Jr.



1971

• As "Man in cinema" in Schlock (aka The Banana Monster), produced, written by, and starring John Landis (his first film). With Saul Kahan, Joseph Piantadosi and Eliza Roberts.



• As bad "Dr. Beaumont" (credited as Forest J Ackerman), killed by the Frankenstein Monster beside his car in Dracula vs. Frankenstein (aka The Blood Seekers, Blood of Frankenstein, The Revenge of Dracula, Satan's Bloody Freaks, Teenage Dracula), directed by ill-fated Al Adamson. Starring J. Carrol Naish, Lon Chaney Jr., Anthony Eisley, Regina Carrol, Greydon Clark, Zandor Vorkov (Count Dracula), Angelo Rossitto, Russ Tamblyn and Jim Davis.



1976

• As a party guest toasting "To Hollywood" in Hollywood Boulevard, directed by Allan Arkush and Joe Dante. With Candice Rialson, Mary Woronov, Rita George, Jeffrey Kramer, Dick Miller, Paul Bartel, Jonathan Demme (a Godzilla) and Robby the Robot.



• As an extra in the crowd running from Kong in King Kong, directed by John Guillermin and mal-produced by Dino De Laurentiis. Starring Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, Charles Grodin, John Randolph, Rene Auberjonois, Jack O'Halloran, Ed Lauter, John Lone and John Agar. ("Dino Disaster," sez Forry).



• As the title character in The Return of the Frankenstein Monster, produced, written, directed and edited by Walter J. Daugherty, who also plays the Blind Hermit in this 14-minute color spoof of a scene from Bride of Frankenstein. Cinematography and makeup by Mary Ellen Rabogliatti. Donald F. Glut's exhaustive The Frankenstein Catalog lists this film and describes the plot: "The Monster, angered by the blind man's sour notes on the violin, kills him and finishes 'Swan Lake' himself."



1977

• As a juror in the courtroom scene in The Kentucky Fried Movie, directed by John Landis and written by Jim Abrahams and David and Jerry Zucker (pre-Airplane!). With Marilyn Joi, Saul Kahan, David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, George Lazenby, Donald Sutherland, Henry Gibson, Bill Bixby, Rick Baker, Uschi Digard, Felix Silla, and Tony Dow.



1981

• Browsing in a Hollywood book shop in The Howling, directed by Joe Dante and written by Gary Brandner (novel), John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless. Starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, and and Dennis Dugan, with a great supporting cast including Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine, Slim Pickens, Elisabeth Brooks, Robert Picardo, Kenneth Tobey, Dick Miller and Roger Corman!



1982

• As the Curator of the last museum on Earth after World War III destroys civilization in The Aftermath, directed, co-written, edited and co-produced (with Ted V. Mikels) by Steve Barkett. Starring Steve Barkett (who else?), and featuring Lynne Margulies, Sid Haig, Christopher Barkett, Laura Ann Barkett, Mike Barkett, Eric Caidin, Jim Danforth, Larry Latham, Dennis Skotak, Robert Skotak, and the voice of Dick Miller.



1983

• As "Professor Fisher Trentworth" in a scene with the first screen "Superman," Kirk Alyn, in Scalps, directed by Fred Olen Ray. With Jo-Ann Robinson, Richard Alan Hench, Roger Maycock, Kirk Alyn and Carroll Borland!
  ("Went to my head," says Forry.)



1984

• As the popcorn eater sitting behind Michael Jackson and his girlfriend in the movie theater, and as a zombie in the final frame, in the epic video Thriller (aka Michael Jackson's Thriller), directed by John Landis. Starring Michael Jackson and Ola Ray, with monsterrific support from John Command, Ben Lokey, Michael Peters, Rick Baker (who also did makeup effects) and the "Voice of the Rap," Vincent Price!



1985

• As "Flustered Man" on phone in Attack of the B-Movie Monster, directed by Wayne Berwick and Ted Newsom. (never released under this title; see below) B&W spoof tribute to 50's Sci-Fi horor films with a fabulous cast including Kenneth Tobey, Brinke Stevens, R.G. Wilson, John Goodwin, Daniel Roebuck, Cathy Cahn, John Agar, Michelle Bauer, Bob Burns, Jeanne Carmen, Robert Clarke, Robert Cornthwaite, George Fenneman (narrator), John Harmon, Paul Marco, Lori Nelson , Linnea Quigley, Ann Robinson, Robert Shayne, Gloria Talbott, and Les Tremayne!
  Released in 2005 as a color film (re-edited, with additional footage and completely different monster effects) as The Naked Monster.



• Behind the stars in a coffee shop scene in Into the Night, directed by John Landis. Starring Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer, with some other interesting people in supporting roles and cameos including Dan Aykroyd, David Cronenberg, John Landis himself, Rick Baker, Paul Mazursky, Paul Bartel, Carl Perkins, Don Siegel, Jim Henson, David Bowie, Jack Arnold, Roger Vadim, Lawrence Kasdan, Richard Farnsworth, Vera Miles, Irene Papas, Beulah Quo, Clu Gulager and Jonathan Demme.



• Sitting at a discotheque table in the Into the Night promo by B.B. King.



• As a mad scientist menacing Bobbie Bresee on an operating table in brief test footage Fred Olen Ray shot for Beach Blanket Bloodbath, based on an unfinished 1978 script by Edward D. Wood Jr. Later included in a Johnny Legend video compilation (see next item), and as an extra on the DVD release of Bride and the Beast.



1986

• Included near the end of the video Sleazemania III: The Good, the Bad and the Sleazy; Johnny Legend's compilation of trailers and assorted film flotsam: Forry and Bobbie Bresee in the fragmentary test footage from Beach Blanket Bloodbath (1985), described above.



1987

• As the pool-cleaning man in Evil Spawn (aka Alien Within, Alive by Night, Deadly Sting,Metamorphosis), directed by Kenneth J. Hall, Ted Newsom and Fred Olen Ray (uncredited). Starring Richard Harrison, Gordon Mitchell, Jay Richardson, Suzanne Ager, Dawn Wildsmith, Melissa Moore, Bobbie Bresee, and John Carradine.



• As the future President of the United States in the "Amazon Women on the Moon" sequence of Amazon Women on the Moon (aka Cheeseburger Film Sandwich). Various other segments of this film were directed by Joe Dante, John Landis, Carl Gottlieb, and Peter Horton; Robert K. Weiss directed Forry's "Amazon Women" sequence. which also featured Steve Forrest, Robert Colbert, Joey Travolta , Sybil Danning, Lana Clarkson and Corey Burton.



1988

• As "Mr. Richardson," being cured of alcoholism (explodes on screen!) in Curse of the Queerwolf, directed by Mark Pirro. With Michael Palazzolo, Kent Butler, Taylor Whitney, Cynthia Brownell, Mark Pirro and Conrad Brooks.



• As "Harvey Kramer (Special Zombie)," the lead zombie smashing a window in Return of the Living Dead Part II (aka Revenge of the Living Dead), directed by Ken Wiederhorn. Featuring Michael Kenworthy, Thor Van Lingen, Jason Hogan, James Karen, Dana Ashbrook and Mitch Pileggi.



• As "Director of Supernatural Society" (a part cut from the film?) in Vampire at Midnight, directed by Gregory McClatchy. Starring Jason Williams, Gustav Vintas, Lesley Milne, Esther Elise, Jeanie Moore and Christopher Nee.



• As "Mustached Man at Garage Sale" (himself, with dark glasses, in "10" crowd) in The Wizard of Speed and Time, written, directed by, and starring Mike Jittlov. With Richard Kaye, Paige Moore, Deven Chierighino, Steve Brodie, Philip Michael Thomas, Angelique Pettyjohn, Greg Jittlov, Marie Jittlov, Ward Kimball, Jim Danforth, Karen Danforth and Michael Gough.



1989

• As "Corpse #1," the green-faced upstanding corpse in cavern in The Laughing Dead. directed by S.P. Somtow. With Tim Sullivan, Wendy Webb, Premika Eaton, Patrick Roskowick, Larry Kagen, Krista Keim, Gregory Frost and S.P. Somtow.



• As "Boris Faroff," near a rack of Famous Monsters, in My Mom's a Werewolf (UK title My Mum's a Werewolf), directed by Michael Fischa. With Susan Blakely, John Saxon, Tina Caspary, John Schuck, Diana Barrows and Ruth Buzzi.



1990

• As the assistant funeral parlor director in Transylvania Twist, directed by Jim Wynorski. Starring Robert Vaughn. Teri Copley, Steve Altman, Ace Mask, Angus Scrimm, Steve Franken, Monique Gabrielle, Howard Morris, Jay Robinson, Becky LeBeau, Deanna Lund, Brinke Stevens, Ronald V. Borst — and Boris Karloff (in archival footage).



• As "The Master" (a major role as himself) in My Lovely Monster, written and directed by Michael Bergmann. With Nicole Fisher, Silvio Francesco, Lincoln Bond, Matthias Fuchs, Bill Warren, John Baxter, Cathy Hill, Ib Melchior, Bobbie Bresee, Sara Karloff and Ferdy Mayne.



• In a good part as "Dr. Edward Newton," devotee of the occult in Hard To Die (aka Tower of Terror), directed by Jim Wynorski. With Gail Harris (as Robyn Harris), Karen Mayo-Chandler (as Lindsay Taylor), Deborah Dutch (as Debra Dare), Melissa Moore, Bridget Carney, Toni Naples (as Karen Chorak), Monique Gabrielle (as Lucy Burnett), Ronald V. Borst and Jim Wynorski.



1991

• As uptight "Judge Rhinehole," a major character who gets things rolling in Nudist Colony of the Dead, directed by Mark Pirro. With Bea Lindoren, Rachel Latt, Braddon Mendelson, Darwyn Carson, Dan Hartel, Kim Kingsley and Dave Robinson.



• As Yvonne DeCarlo's husband at the wedding in John Landis' "Family" comedy Oscar. Starring Peter Riegert, Chazz Palminteri, Joey Travolta, Paul Greco, Sylvester Stallone, Yvonne De Carlo, Don Ameche, Tino Insana, Jim Abrahams, Eddie Bracken, Vincent Spano, Marisa Tomei, William Atherton, Tim Curry, Kirk Douglas and Jim Mulholland as "Oscar."



1992

• As "Forry" at a New Zealand zoo in Braindead (aka Dead Alive), directed by Peter Jackson! With Timothy Balme, Diana Peñalver, Elizabeth Moody, Ian Watkin, Brenda Kendall, Stuart Devenie, Jed Brophy, Stephen Papps, Murray Keane and Peter Jackson .



• As "Stolen Car Man" (Fordless J Ackerman?) in John Landis' biting comedy / horror / gangster / romance Innocent Blood (aka A French Vampire in America). Starring Anne Parillaud, David Proval, Rocco Sisto, Chazz Palminteri, Anthony LaPaglia, Robert Loggia, Luis Guzmán, Don Rickles, Tom Savini, Frank Oz, Sam Raimi, Dario Argento and Linnea Quigley.



1994

• As "Sylvia's father," "Antonio Brindisi," getting his head blown off in the occult horror Ceremony, directed by Joe Castro. With Emilie Talbot (Sylvia), Amy Rohren, Mahbub Shansab, Steven R. Diebold and Don Short. This film won the Bronze Award at the 1994 Worldfest International Film Festival in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Category.



• As "Edward Van Groan" in introductory scene based on actor Edward Van Sloan's prologue to the original Frankenstein ("Well, we warned you!") in That Little Monster, written and directed by Paul Bunnell. With Melissa Baum, Reggie Bannister, Andi Wenning, William Mills — and Bob Hope doing cameo one-liners during the credits (uncredited!).



• As a bar patron in a scene with Ray Harryhausen in Beverly Hills Cop III, directed by John Landis. Starring Eddie Murphy, with Jon Tenney, Joey Travolta, Gil Hill, Al Green, Judge Reinhold, Hector Elizondo, George Lucas, John Saxon, Alan Young, Julie Strain, Heather Parkhurst, Joe Dante and Ray Harryhausen.



1995

• As a statue of Dracula in front of the Wax Museum in Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfolds, directed by Fred Olen Ray. With J.J. North, Ted Monte, Raelyn Saalman, Tammy Parks, Michelle Bauer, George Stover, Nikki Fritz, Russ Tamblyn , Ross Hagen, Tommy Kirk, Stanley Livingston, Ted Newsom, Jim Wynorski and Brad Linaweaver.



• As "Man With Insect Repellent" (patron escaping from smoke-filled car) in Bikini Drive-In, directed by Fred Olen Ray and Steve Latshaw (uncredited). With Ashlie Rhey, Richard Gabai, Ross Hagen, Peter Spellos, Sarah Bellomo, Rob Vogl, Steve Barkett, Nikki Fritz, Michelle Bauer, David F. Friedman, Conrad Brooks, Claire Polan ("Woman With Insect Repellent"), Fred Olen Ray, Becky LeBeau, Anthony Cardoza, Donald F. Glut, Jim Wynorski and John Carradine.



1996

• As the priest at Burt Reynold's funeral, delivering inaudible pun-filled Biblical/Star Trek service in Frankenstein and Me (working title Mojave Frankenstein), directed by Robert Tinnell. With Jamieson Boulanger, Ricky Mabe, Polly Shannon, Louise Fletcher, Myriam Cyr, Burt Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Rebecca Henderson, Jason Cavalier,Mélany Goudreau, Roc LaFortune, Lynne Adams, Jean Guérin, Sam Stone and Conner Vandeer (as Dracula).



• Dancing while the band is playing in Vampirella, directed by Jim Wynorski. Written by Gary Gerani, based on the Warren magazine character created by Forrest J Ackerman.
  (He originally had a scene as the hand-clapping Maitre d' of Necropolis discotheque, sizing up Vampirella with: "Say, that costume really drives me batty!" but it ended up on the cutting room floor.)
  Starring Talisa Soto, with Roger Daltrey, Richard Joseph Paul, Brian Bloom, Corinna Harney, Angus Scrimm, David B. Katz (as "Forry Ackerman"!), Robert Clotworthy, John Landis and Jim Wynorski.



• As "Acker-Man on the street" (himself, walking down a street) in Dinosaur Valley Girls, written and directed by Donald F. Glut. With Jeff Rector, William Marshall, Griffin Drew, Harrison Ray, Elizabeth Landau. Bill Warren and Karen Black.



• As himself, telling his famous story about a dying child and his idol, Lon Chaney, in the short video Letter to an Angel, directed by Ron Ford. With Ron Ford and Paula Pointer-Ford.



1997

• As "Park victim" in Future War, directed by Anthony Doublin. With Daniel Bernhardt, Robert Z'Dar, Travis Brooks Stewart, Kazja, Ray Adash, Andre Scruggs, and Peter Lupus III.



1999

• As the horror host introducing story segments on the direct-to-video Tales from the Ackermansion.



• In the first of his many cameos for "The Ed Wood of The Future, and Beyond That, Even," David "The Rock" Nelson, in Rocky's notorious direct-to-video "Monstapiece" Devil Ant. Forry gets attacked by a large rubber insect at The Monster Bash Convention — it's no picnic!



2000

• Trying to use his "hypnotism" to keep the Monster at bay in David "The Rock" Nelson's direct-to-video epic Frankenstein Stalks; (footage shot at Monster Bash in 1998).



2001

• As "Dr. Acula" in the short fantasy film SadoMannequin, written and directed by Jim Torres. With Corey Hannah, Colin Martin, Christie Snodgrass and Terry Pace.



• As "Forry" in the comedy / horror short The Vampire Hunters Club, directed by Donald F. Glut. With John Agar, William Smith, Bob Burns, David Donham, Daniel Roebuck, Dina Vernon, Mary Woronov, Nikki Fritz, Nick Bennett (Young Forry), Mink Stole, Carla Laemmle (Elder Vampire), Conrad Brooks, Carel Struycken, Brinke Stevens, Titus Moede, Irwin Keyes, David J. Skal, Brad Linaweaver, Michael Copner, Connie O. Barnett, Spider Subke, Buddy Barnett and Kathe Duba-Barnett.



• As the "Museum Caretaker" in The Double-D Avenger, written and directed by William Winckler. With Kitten Natividad, Haji, Raven De La Croix, William Winckler, Mimma Mariucci, and Sheri Dawn Thomas.



• As "Dr. Acula" the host of "13 O'Clock Theater," presenting the direct-to-DVD film The Creep, directed by Mark Del Rio. Starring Rodney Lee, Mel Sparks and Joey Garza. Forry's segments were filmed inside the Ackermansion (II).



• Game as always in another plucky cameo in David "The Rock" Nelson's direct-to-video Miss Werewolf. In this one, Forry is attacked by the lupine lead, whose viewpoint we see. You hear growls as the werewolf (Rocky holding the camcorder) comes toward Forry, who implores "Oooh, Nooo, Miss Werewolf! Nooo-ooo-oo!" Rocky told us that Forry got a big round of applause as he arose from bended knee at the end of this scene. Camera still rolling, to capture the moment for posterity, Dave asked him "So, what's it like being in David 'The Rock' Nelson's movies"? Forry looked up in the air, waved his fist and said, gleefully, "There's nowhere to go but UP now"! Rocky preserved this classic outtake at end of this video.



2002

• In make-up, using his "hypnotism" to keep "Tor" at bay in the second of three segments, "Tor Terrorizes," in David "The Rock" Nelson's direct-to-video trilogy of terror Monster Tales (March 2002); (footage shot at Ron Adams' "WinterFest" monster rally in January 2000).



• Pitching in with another gutsy cameo in David "The Rock" Nelson's direct-to-video Devil Ant - 2 (November 2002). The director explains that Forry survived his attack in the 1999 original "because his antibodies fought off the Devil Ant's bites."



2003

• Using his famous Bela Lugosi Dracula ring to hold off "Pumpkinman" in the "Night of The Pumpkinmen" segment of David "The Rock" Nelson's direct-to-video quintet of tales of the Pumpkinman.



2004

• As the voice of "Professor Bruno Lampini" in the opening for Professor Griffin's Midnight Shadow Show, a television horror host show based in Texas and signed for national cable exposure on Fangoria TV, the all-horror high-definition television channel. The unseen Professor Lampini, owner of "Lampini's Chamber of Horrors," is Griffin's boss, and he taught him everything he knows. This marks the one and only time Forry has played an official part of a TV host show on a weekly basis. His Lampini voiceover opening, recorded in March 2004, premiered in episode 38, the Vincent Price tribute, and now opens the show each and every week.



• As the biker with heart attack in Skinned Deep, written and directed by Gabriel Bartalos. With Eric Bennett, Karoline Brandt, Kurt Carley, Warwick Davis, Jay Dugre, Peter Iasillo Jr. Aaron Sims, Alan Tuskes and Linda Weinrib.



2005

• As "Flustered Man" on phone in The Naked Monster, directed by Wayne Berwick and Ted Newsom. A funny spoof of 50's Sci-Fi / horrors with an incredible cast including Kenneth Tobey, Brinke Stevens, R.G. Wilson, John Goodwin, Daniel Roebuck, Cathy Cahn, John Agar, Michelle Bauer, Bob Burns, Jeanne Carmen, Robert Clarke, Robert Cornthwaite, George Fenneman (narrator), John Harmon, Paul Marco, Lori Nelson , Linnea Quigley, Ann Robinson, Robert Shayne, Gloria Talbott, and Les Tremayne! For many of these genre stalwarts this was their last film, and a fitting tribute to their career. Revamped "official" color release of 1985 B&W Attack of the B-Movie Monster with additional footage and completely different monster effects.



• As "Man in Wheelchair" in The Scorned
  
  
• In a brief scene shot several years earlier at Monster Bash (when he was heavier), giving Dave's "Monsta" a good stare, in David "The Rock" Nelson's The Demon Monster From Outer Space.



2006

• As "Dr. Acula" in The Boneyard Collection

  2007

• As "Wheelchair ZomVamp in The Dead Undead (post-production)

200?

• As the President of the World in Turkeys in Outer Space (not yet released) .

Documentaries and Miscellaneous Non-acting Roles

1956

• Pulled the string that toppled the rocket model in Beast With a Million Eyes (aka The Beast With 1,000,000 Eyes), directed by David Kramarsky, Lou Place and Roger Corman (uncredited). With Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer, Dona Cole, Leonard Tarver , Dick Sargent, and Chester Conklin.



1965

• Technical advisor and writer of John Carradine's monolog for The Wizard of Mars (aka Alien Massacre, Journey Into the Unknown, Horrors of the Red Planet), directed by David L. Hewitt. Starring John Carradine, Roger Gentry, Vic McGee, Jerry Rannow and Eve Bernhardt.



1970

• Talked about his science fiction and horror collection in Science Fiction Films, a color documentary made by by the University of Kansas, shown at his personal appearances. This entry comes from a listing in Donald F. Glut's The Frankenstein Catalog (because Forry's collection contains so many items related to its subject).



1982

• Talked about his favorite subject in the Dutch TV documentary The History of the SF Film, written and directed by Thys Ockersen. Other guests included Harlan Ellison, Harry Harrison, Ridley Scott and Robert Wise.
  

  1985

• Host and narrator of the documentary Lugosi: The Forgotten King, made for cable TV. Written and directed by Mark S. Gilman Jr. and Dave Stuckey; Forry polished the script. Interviews include Ralph Bellamy, Carroll Borland, John Carradine and producer Alex Gordon.



1986

• Interviewed on the Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors video directed by Mike Hadley and Kerry O'Quinn. Others interviewed include Rick Baker, Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Albert Glasser, Alex Gordon, Clu Gulager, Tobe Hooper, Walter Koenig, Dick Miller, Dan O'Bannon and Elvira (Cassandra Peterson).



1987

• Told prehistoric stories on Hollywood Dinosaur Chronicles, a video collection of movie trailers and clips narrated by Doug McClure.



• Waxed nostalgic between the film clips compiled for Drive-In Madness!, directed by Tim Ferrante. Narrated by James Karen, with Linnea Quigley, Bobbie Bresee, George A. Romero, John A. Russo, Tom Savini, Samuel M. Sherman and Russell Streiner also commenting about the Good Old Days.



1988

• Writer and host of Mr. Science Fiction's Fantastic Universe, a tour of the Ackermansion (II).



• Interviewed in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait, a documentary about Tobe Hooper's original 1974 film, written and directed by Brad Shellady. With the stars: Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal, John Dugan and Jim Siedow.



1990

• Creative consultant and one of the award recipients in the TV special The Horror Hall of Fame, directed by Ron de Moraes and hosted by Robert Englund. Others participants: Linda Blair, Veronica Cartwright, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Phyllis Diller, Brad Dourif, William Friedkin, Catherine Hicks, Kane Hodder, Sara Karloff (recipient), John Kassir, Sam Kinison, John Landis, Janet Leigh, Tim Matheson , Roddy McDowall, Jason Miller, Anthony Perkins, Danny Pintauro, Vincent Price (recipient), Joan Rivers, Zelda Rubinstein, Ridley Scott, Tom Skerritt and Shadoe Stevens.



• Writer and host of the video Famous Monsters of Filmland — Hooray for Horrorwood.



1991

• Interviewed in Shock Cinema Vol. 2, a video documentary about low-budget and exploitation films hosted by Brinke Stevens. With Michael Burnett, Gary Graver, Deanna Lund, Melissa Moore, Steve Neill, Ted Newsom and Robert Quarry.



1992

• Talked about Edward D. Wood Jr. (he was Ed's agent!) in Flying Saucers over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion, Mark Patrick Carducci's documentary about the legendary director's Plan 9 from Outer Space. Others who appear include Carl Anthony, Stephen C. Apostolof, Conrad Brooks, Eric Caidin, Joe Dante, Drew Friedman, Gary Gerani, Rudolph Grey, Valda Hansen, Lee Harris, Verne Langdon, Paul Marco, Harry Medved, Sam Raimi, Tony Randel, Crawford John Thomas, Harry Thomasm Vampira, Gregory Walcott, Bill Warren , Scott Spiegel, and Edward D. Wood Jr. (archive footage).



• Writer and host of tthe video Forrest J Ackerman's Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction & Fantasy.



• Interviewed in Heartstoppers: Horror at the Movies, a TV documentary about horror / Sci-Fi films past and present, including a tribute to Forry. Directed by Steve Purcell and Neil Steinberg, and hosted by George Hamilton, with comments from Samuel Z. Arkoff, Rick Baker, Charles Band, Wes Craven, Alec Gillis, Gail Harris, John Kassir, John Landis, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), George A. Romero, Kevin West, Tom Woodruff Jr. and Jim Wynorski.



1993

• Interviewed in Dinosaur Movies, a video documentary written, directed, and hosted by Big Lizard scholar Donald F. Glut. With Christy Block (co-host), Jim Danforth and Ray Harryhausen.



1994

• Interviewed in Hollywood Goes Ape!, a video tribute to gorilla movies, written and directed by renowned Ape Man Donald G. Glut. Co-hosted by Ashley Austin and legendary gorilla suit actor Bob Burns, with comments from Ray Harryhausen and film scholar George E. Turner.



1996

• Polished the 5th British script and was associate producer for the Showtime release of Vampirella, directed by Jim Wynorski. based on the Warren magazine character Forry created. He also has a cameo; see acting list above.



1997

• Interviewed in Hollywood Rated 'R', a documentary about classic cult and exploitation movies directed by Dominique Cazenave and Doug Headline. Narrated by John Landis (voice), with Larry Cohen, Joe Dante, David F. Friedman, Jack Hill, Johnny Legend, William Lustig, Russ Meyer, Titus Moede, Charles Napier, Barbara Steele and Edward D. Wood Jr. (archive footage).



• Interviewed in Hollywood Aliens & Monsters, a TV documentary focusing on the history of science fiction films and their relation to the fears of the audience. Directed by Kevin Burns and hosted by Mark Hamill. Others interviewed include Ronald V. Borst, Bob Burns, Wade Williams, Robert Wise, Patricia Neal , Robert Clarke, Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, David Hedison, Barbara Eden, Saul David, Arthur C. Clarke, Charlton Heston, George Lucas, Veronica Cartwright, Sigourney Weaver, David Cronenberg, James Cameron.



• Commenting about his role as the subject's literary agent in the English TV documentary Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard, directed by Jill Robinson. Narrated by Nigel Anthony, featuring interviews with other people who knew and worked with Hubbard, and archive footage of the late author.



1998

• Interviewed in Universal Horror, a cable TV documentary about classic horror films, featuring film clips and extensive interviews, directed by Kevin Brownlow. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, with comments by Turhan Bey, Ray Bradbury, Jim Curtis, Curtis Harrington, Rose Hobart, Gloria Jean, James Karen, Boris Karloff (archive footage), Sara Karloff, Carla Laemmle, Fritz Lang (archive footage), Rouben Mamoulian (archive footage), Curt Siodmak, David J. Skal, Gloria Stuart, Lupita Tovar and Fay Wray. Originally aired on Turner Classic Movies.



1999

• Interviewed in the cable TV documentary about giant monster movies, Attack of the 50 Foot Monster Mania. Narrated by Bill Mumy, and featuring Elvira (Cassandra Peterson), Bob Burns, Donald F. Glut, Ray Harryhausen and Bill Warren. Originally aired on American Movie Classics.



• Interviewed in Keepers of the Frame, a documentary about film preservation and restoration, directed by Mark McLaughlin. Featuring Alan Alda, Laurence Austin, Stan Brakhage, Jean Picker Firstenberg, Bob Gitt, John Harvey, Herb Jeffries, Leonard Maltin, Roddy McDowall, Debbie Reynolds, Ken Weissman and George R. Willeman.



2000

• Interviewed in Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces, a cable TV bio-documentary directed by Kevin Brownlow, executive producer Hugh Hefner. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, and featuring Michael F. Blake, Teresa Blake, Ray Bradbury, Ron Chaney, Arthur Gardner, Mary Hunt, Sara Karloff, Patsy Ruth Miller, Edward J. Montaigne, malcom Sabiston, Budd Schulberg, Will Sheldon, Loretta Young (voice), and (in archive footage): Lon Chaney Jr., Lon Chaney, Jackie Coogan, Orson Welles, Tod Browning, H.A.V. Bulleid, Hazel Chaney, Joan Crawford, William Dunphy, Erté, Irving Thalberg and Waldemar Young. Originally aired on Turner Classic Movies.



• Interviewed for the "Lon Chaney Sr. and Jr." episode (# 3.34) of the cable TV program E! Mysteries & Scandals, directed by Joel K. Rogers and hosted by A. J. Benza. First aired on the E! Entertainment Channel on November 9, 2000.



2001

• Interviewed in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies, a documentary about independant exploitation filmmakers directed by Ray Greene. Also features Samuel Z. Arkoff, Peter Bogdanovich, Roger Corman, David F. Friedman, Dick Miller, Harry H. Novak, Maila Nurmi (Vampira) and Doris Wishman.



• Narrator of Polish Vampire: Behind the Fangs, a short "making of" documentary directed by Mark Pirro. Featuring Glenn Campbell, Tyrone Dubose, Marya Gant, Katina Garner, Bruce Heinsius, Pat Hunter, and other involved in Pirro's Polish Vampire in Burbank (1985).



2003

• As himself in Big, Fat and Tacky: A Trip to Karloffornia, a short Swedish documentary written and directed by Fred Anderson. With Fred Anderson and Erik Fägerborn.



• Interviewed for the 4-part Norwegian TV documentary Norwegian Actresses in Hollywood, directed by Oyvind Asbjornsen and Niels Petter Solberg. Also featured Greta Nissen, Vera Zorina, Greta Gynt, Sigrid Gurie, Anna-Lisa, Julie Ege, Virginia Mayo and Patricia Morison.



• Interviewed in My Life with Count Dracula, directed by Dustin Lance Black. A bio-documentary filmed during the last days of Dr. Donald A. Reed, founder in 1962 of the influential Count Dracula Society, which evolved into the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films. Also features interviews with Dean Devlin, George Clayton Johnson, Reed himself and Bryan Singer.



• Examined, interviewed and honored in My Memoirs of 4SJ — Famous Monster of Horrorwood Karloffornia, directed, produced and assembled by Bill "Drac" Edwards. A very nicely produced DVD-R tribute to Forry from one of his biggest fans. Includes: a complete personal tour of the Ackermansion (II), videotaped by Edwards in 1991; Forry's induction into the Horror Hall of Fame; on-the-scene video coverage of Forry's 86th birthday party; footage from the 1995 Son of Famous Monsters Convention in Hollywood; and an interview with Ackerman at his new home, the mini-Ackermansion. Highly recommended for anybody (like this writer) who never had the privilege of seeing Forry's collection intact at his old home. For more information, visit Drac's Mausoleum, Bill "Drac" Edward's website.



2004

• Profiled lovingly in the short TV documentary Monsterama: The Ackermonster, directed by actor / monsterfan Daniel Roebuck. Produced as part of the Monsterama series on Monsters HD, the first all-monster channel in high definition.



• Interviewed about the great Famous Monsters cover artist in the short TV documentary Monsterama: Basil Gogos, directed by "monster kid" / actor Daniel Roebuck. Rob Zombie and Gogos himself are also featured. Originally aired on the Monsters HD channel.



• Included in the behind-the-scenes hijinx, outtakes and bloopers of The Making of 'The Double-D Avenger', directed by William Winckler. Also features everybody else involved with the cult crowd-pleasing film. A special feature on the DVD Joe Bob Briggs Presents The Double-D Avenger.



2005

• Interviewed for the extras features on the stop-motion animation DVD Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection. Also wild about Harryhausen in this set: Jim Aupperle, Rick Baker, Craig Barron, Doug Beswick, Ray Bradbury, John Bruno, Bob Burns, Tim Burton, James Cameron, the Chiodo Brothers, Wes Craven, Joe Dante, Frank Darabont, John Dykstra, Peter Jackson, John Landis, Leonard Maltin, Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Stan Winston and many others.



• Featured among the Ring-bearers in Ringers: Lord of the Fans, a documentary/comedy about the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings on Western culture, directed by Carlene Cordova. Forry approached Tolkien about a film version of his trilogy in the late 50's! Narrated by Dominic Monaghan, with Elijah Wood, Peter Jackson, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, David Carradine, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Clive Barker, Andy Serkis, Sala Baker, Peter S. Beagle, Terry Brooks, Bill Mumy, Leonard Nimoy, Liv Tyler and many others.



200?

• Interviewed for American Scary (post-production), an exhaustive historical documentary about TV horror hosts, written by Sandy Clark and directed by John E. Hudgens. Interviews and archival footage: Dr. Shock, Ghoulardi, Svengoolie, Joe Bob Briggs, Bob Burns, Chilly Billy Cardille, Tim Conway, Dr. Sarcofiguy, Count Gore DeVol, Christopher Coffin, Professor Anton Griffin, Neil Gaiman, Commander USA, Baron Von Wolfstein, horror hostorians Curtis Armstrong, George "E-Gor" Chastain, and Frank J. Dello Stritto, A. Ghastlee Ghoul, Dr. Creep, Joel Hodgson, The Cryptkeeper, Mr Lobo, Leonard Maltin, Dr. E. Nick Witty, I. Zombi, Doktor Goulfinger, Dr. Mor B.S., Ghoul A Go Go, Baron Daemon, Big Chuck and Li'l John, Tom Savini, Son of Ghoul, Stella, Crematia Mortem, John Stanley, The Ghoul, Dr. Gangrene, Vampira, Bob Wilkins, John Zacherle and many others.

Year / Details Unknown

• As himself, club Treasurer of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society, in the amateur film LASFS Meeting (19??).



• As a cowboy in the amateur LASFS production Way Out West (19??).



• As himself in The Genie (19??), an amateur LASFS film also featuring Fritz Leiber and Bjo Trimble.



• War of the Worlds Sequel (year?) as himself (amateur film).



• In scenes with Jeff Morrow and Brinke Stevens in The Alien Within (unreleased?).



• "Crypt Keeper MTV -- self jiving closeup" (?; year?).



• As a private eye frightening girl in auto scene in Metamorphosis (year?).



• As himself in The Lucifer Chest (year? or not yet released?).



• As narrator and interviewer on the video release (year?) of I Was a Teenage Mummy, originally made in 1962.

list by George"E-Gor" Chastain

Gary D. Macabre

Goodbye Uncle Forry

Another Great man has crossed to the other banks late last night. Forrest J. Ackerman, father of Famous Monsters of Filmland and adopted uncle to monster fans everywhere. His passing was not sudden as his health had been failing him and he knew his time was coming to an end in the mortal world. I would like to dedicate this week to the man who touched the Monster in all of us.

I am reposting a letter (previously posted on the UMA forum by Bobby "Toyranch" Beeman) penned by Forrest himself with is impending mortality on his mind.



IN CONTEMPLATION OF MY INEVITABLE DEMISE
Mothers Day 2003

AT MY AGE, 86 going on 87, it is crystal clear to me that I am nearer the end of my life than the beginning and the thought passes my mind more frequently than it used to before I nearly died twice in 2002 that I’m a mortal man.

Bob Bloch paved the way for the following ruminations with his remarkable revelatory article in the October 1994 issue of the now defunct prestigious slick paper science fiction oriented periodical, Omni. He stated bluntly: I’m going to die. Soon.—Thus absolving me of Harlan Ellison’s bitter accusation, “Bob was a very private person and he and his wife Elly resented your blabbing about his impending death at the World Science Fiction Convention.” Charles Brown reported that I broke the bad news “in unctuous tones.” Gay Haldeman congratulated me on my “gracious handling of the sad news.” So much for my exoneration.

Bloch said: “I think anyone who isn’t afraid of dying is crazy.” So in Bob’s estimation I’m crazy.

I wouldn’t be afraid of going to sleep one night, having no dreams and never waking up to know I was dead. On his death bed, Al Jolson breathed “I’m going!” I hope kind fate allows me long enough when I feel the end is near to record on tape “Science Fiction”, to die with my lifetime passion on my lips, then close my eyes and wait for my last breath.

Let me turn back the clock a moment and explain something that most of you probably aren’t aware of. When I was a helpless child, unable to protect myself, my well-meaning parents subjected me to 7 different Sunday Schools before I finally rebelled. When I reached the age of reason, at 15 I had an epiphany and became a born again secular humanist before we had an euphemistic term for atheist. I realized in intellectual clarity that “God” only existed in the immature beliefs of inculcated humans, that ALL religions were unworthy, unnecessary crutches, remnants from supernatural times. Time for childhood’s end.

Two Star Gods Fought
With ax and mace.
A spark flew into
The womb of space.
Space nurtured it
And gave it birth.

Now men fight on planet Earth.
--Alan Moss

Peace on Earth.
We sing it.
We’ve paid a million priests
To bring it.
After 2000 years
Of Psalms
We’ve got as far as atom bombs.

Touched by the Holocaust, Wendy’s two brothers and sister-in-law gave up on God because He either gave up on them and millions like them or else He wasn’t the benevolent, all-loving, all-powerful Deity that priests and rabbis portrayed him to be. He either turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the suffering and extermination of impotent innocents or He didn’t exist. Same for a Czech friend, whose entire family was slaughtered by Nazis before her very eyes, then she was abducted and forced to be a sex slave for 6 years for Hitler’s henchmen. She bears the numbered tattoo of a concentration camp prisoner in case there are any Doubting Thomases that such things existed.

I’m convinced the colossal Cosmos couldn’t care less about the little specks of life on Earth called humanbeings.
Nothing has ever occurred in the ensuing 14 lustrums (7 decades, 70 years) to contravene my conviction.

Here’s the scenario. Quoting Bloch (I never knew this but suspected it) “The brain is technically alive for 3 or 4 minutes.” By prearrangement, a significant other will kiss my cooling lips and whisper in my ear, “Mi amas vin Kvari’—“I love you, Forry.” I will feel my eyelids being closed, I will hear a sobbing mixture of voices, “He’s gone”, We’ve lost him”, “How can we live without him?”, “Dear Forry, rest in peace”, “I’ll never forget you”, etc. It will be frustrating not to make a movement, utter a sound, but I know this is what I expected.

When my brain ceases to function and my consciousness evanesces, I will never know there was an individual named Forry Ackerman who loved science fiction with all his heart and nonexistent soul, that he read it, wrote it, collected it, agented it, joined clubs, received awards, attended more World Science Fiction Conventions than anyone else. He will never know he learned Esperanto, traveled all over the globe, welcomed over 50,000 fans into his home. He will never know he was an inhabitant of a planet variously known as Earth, Erde, Terre, Tero and other names in a multitude of languages. He will universe out there with billions of bonfires in the skies called stars. NOTHING will he know.

And what comes afterward among the living? MR. SCIENCE FICTION DIES headline in Locus, various Appreciations. Mundane newspapers give him attention somewhat less than Heinlein’s. Like Wendayne before him, a couple of weekends devoted to friends gathering and reminiscing about him. As time goes by, fans will occasionally visit his crypt and place red carnations in the vases there. He’ll appredciate it while he’s alive but will be unable to see or smell them. He’ll suggest photos be taken and sent to Joe Moe at Forry’s last address, and if his “Guardian Angel” receives enough of them he will print a page and distribute it to whoever may be interested.

Forry’s inert body will gradually molder away until nothing is left but bones once clothed with his flesh. Barring an earthquake, bomb or some unforeseen catastrophe , his remains will remain in his coffin beside his wife. A thousand years from now no one will know or care who Forrest Ackerman was. Maybe one day in the far distant future the very cement surrounding the crypts will crumble and his bones will join those of the dinosaurs before him.

But more immediately. He can imagine some annual award in his memory. Inclusion in a panoply of postage stamps (probably 50c First Class by then) in a sheet of commemoratives remembering important individuals in the development of Science Fiction: Isaac Asimov, James Blish, Hannes Bok, Ray Bradbury, Charles Brown, Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Campbell Jr., Arthur C. Clarke, Groff Conklin, Ray Cummings, Gerry de la Ree, Phillip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Virgil Finlay, Hugo Gernsback, H.L. Gold, Martin Greenberg, Robert Heinlein, David H. Keller, Damon Knight, Henry Kuttner, David Kyle, Fritz Lang, Ursula Le Guin, George Lucas, Robert Madle, P. Schuyler Miller, Catherine L. Moore, Sam Moskowitz, George Pal, Raymond Palmer, Frank R. Paul, Julius Schwart, Mary Shelley, Steven Spielberg, Olaf Stapledon, Harry Warner Jr., Stanley Weinbum, H.G. Wells, Donald Wollheim, S. Fowler Wright, Jules Verne and who have I overlooked? Shame on me. Descriptions on the back of each stamp by John L. Coker III.

A statue of me may be erected in the museum of the Science Fiction Experience, or better yet an animatronic robot in my form like the one of Abraham Lincoln in Disneyland. A play or movie may be made about me (think of all the roles for Gernsback, Wells, Heinlein, et al, and the challenge for two actors to portray Ellison and Ferry in reel life as mean-spirited toward me as they were in real life.

Well, that’s about as far as my ego-orientated imagination can take me.

Soon ring down the imaginary curtain and all aboard for Final Blackout.

Sorry I won’t be seeing you Bob Bloch, Hugo Gernsback, Sam Moskowitz, Boris Karloff, war-lost brother Alden, Wendy and scores more in Never Never Land, but you won’t miss me.

My maternal grandfather died with a beatific smile on his face as though he were seeing angels or loved ones. Maybe I’ll get lucky and imagine my mother calling, as she did when I was a child, “Forry boy, come and take your nap.”

My blest wishes for anyone who may care to have them.


Please continue on over to Max the Drunken Severed Head's blog for more on this topic.
Goodbye, Uncle Forry: Famous Monsters Speak
And John's blog at Theofantastique :
Forrest J. Ackerman: Horror Fandom Icon Passes Away
And also...
Zombo's Closet of Horror
Dinner with Max Jenke
Frankensteinia


Gary D. Macabre

LOTT D Top 50 Horrors: Thoughts for discussion

Greetings fellow travellers, there are unsellted winds all around tonight, so please be my guest at the fire and sit and talk a spell before continuing your journey. With the Top 50 Horrors of all time list still a part of the tempest that surrounds us, I thought I'd post a few more thought of my own on this topic and welcome readers (yes both of you) and those who have contributed to the list to offer some insight and discussion on some of the selections.

One thing I believe is that peoples various views on practically every subject imaginable are formed largely on their basic unique experiences. Even when one tries to be truly impartial these influences direct us. With this understanding I can completely support the LOTTD list although I would outwardly argue some selections on an academic level. The fact the list was formed openly with no pre-established criteria or set of titles is what makes this a good (and interesting) list. Unlike the HMV list which was a simply a ranking exercise of a preselected roster of titles.

That said I agree with John and his post on Theofantastique on the importance of criteria. I would personally love to hear what criteria was the basis for some of the more controversial selections, and the personal experiences that may have affected their inclusion.

As I am on record for bashing Blair Witch it seems a good choice for me to start the discussion with.

As I have stated that I believe experiences affect perception and personality, I have to admit that I spent much of my earlier years in the wilderness and continue to do so as much as possible to this day. As a result I find my own basement far more unsettling than being alone in the woods. That unquestionably makes the atmosphere which I would argue is the sole scary factor on the film moot in my eyes. However I can easily see how to many people that this is not the case, and being lost in the woods would be a rather terrifying experience. But atmosphere alone in my opinion cannot justify a top 15 ranking, so what other factors are in play here? Certainly some will cite the cinematic importance of the home video technique that has been emulated since and how it imparts a sense of "being there", but I don't buy that just because two recent, highly visible films, namely Cloverfield and Diary of the Dead chose to use this same technique it's that major of an innovation or coup to the genre. What it did do is provide an effective marketing ploy to the producers to make up a better story for promotion of the film than what we were fed on screen once they got our money. The characters were annoying, predictable and their actions and reactions were completely irrational from the onset of the film. None of what was shown on screen gave us any insight or depth to the characters, other than that they were potty mouthed buffoons running lost in the woods. The actual horror moments were few and far between, when they did occur they were entirely too breif and without good follow up. Just as I felt the movie was going to turn that corner, and yell boo (time and again), they turned the lights back on and started the whole damned process of setting us up all over again. Hell even that damned cat jumping out of the garbage can ploy would have felt like a big payoff. Nowhere was this more the case than with the climax of the film where we finally get to the house (which offered no reason to believe it was anything more than some abandoned dump, the like of which are plentiful and offer better atmosphere around here.) and when we dearly hope for something scary to happen, they give us some dude standing in a corner. WTF!!!!!!!

So there you have it, why I think Blair Witch is undeserving of the honour of being one of the top 50 Horror films of all time. Flame Away!

G. Macabre

100 things to do with a corpse

Use #68: Garden stakes.
(tip: the smell of rotting flesh seems to draw crows which also will keep your tomato plants free of horn worms)

Moment of Horror #3

Friday the 13th Part 3

Although none of the Friday the 13th films rank my top 10 horror films of all times, one would be remiss to not acknowledge their roll in the evolution of the Horror genre. As much as I prefer the Halloween series I must concede that the image of Jason as we have come to know him with the hockey mask which he acquired in part 3 is likely as well known in today's culture as earlier horror icons Universal's Frankenstein Monster and Dracula. So a tip of the tweed to the horror naysayers that figure I don't appreciate horror films that come in colour.

Macabre's top 10 Horrors

B-Sol over at the Vault of horror has bravely put his neck out by posting the League's top 50 Horror films of all time list. Now perhaps you're saying why is it his neck on the line, it's not his list, just his effort in polling and tabulating input. Well your right, as I was asked to submit my top 10 (and dutifully did so) my neck should be out just as far. So here is my list of top 10 Horror movies of all time.

Psycho

Exorcist

Bride of Frankenstein

King Kong

Frankenstein ('31)

Phantom of the Opera (I gotta say the '25 version among the other Chaney edits)

American Werewolf in London

Night of the Living Dead

The Haunting

Freaks (or maybe Wicker Man, or Dracula, or Nosferatu...)

OK the hardest spot to fill is definitely the #10 spot.

One thing of note, and I believe it to be significant and somewhat overlooked in he recent buzz this list has spawned, is that when polled the criteria was what we the voters thought was our favourite Horror films. Simple cut and dry, there was no criteria such as most influential, best written, best produced, scariest, etc. And as such my list absorbed some of every one of those categories and often considered on multiple levels. Everyone who submitted a list had to form in their mind what criteria they chose to select their list and voted accordingly to a pretty broad request. The grand scope of the question in my opinion only validates the list even more so.

The final list has some selections which I personally don't agree with (yeah OK state the obvious there bucko, if I did agree with it entirely the list would read like my top 10 now wouldn't it.), some of which I question how other's minds can conceiveably rank in the top 50. I'll say it out right here and now I thought Blair Witch was a bigger piece of crap than SAW, or even Children of the Corn 2, and likely one of my biggest horror film disapointments of all time. And I don't get how Thiller is on the list, but fact is more than one person ranked it high enough to count for whatever reason. But then I admit my mind works on a different frequency.

G. Macabre