Sunday, October 25, 2026
THE MERCURY THEATRE ON THE AIR: THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
In that I commenced the month with audio plays based on Planet of the Apes, Beneath the Planet of the Apes and Night of the Living Dead, it seemed only fitting to mark the later phases of such with one of the all-time greats: The Mercury Theatre On the Air's 1938 presentation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds.
This radio version, which was directed by Orson Welles and adapted by Howard Koch, hits close to home for me, since most of its locations are in (or near) my back yard. As a boy, I would listen the recording every Halloween and imagine the Martian Fighting Machines heading down my street. In this respect, I always understood why the provocative presentation struck so many as an unfolding of real-time events.
If you've experienced the Mercery Theatre play, you know how absorbing it is, and if this is your first time delving in, well, you're in for a chilling treat.
MR. LOBO'S CINEMA INSOMNIA, HALLOWEEN 2026 SHOW: HOUSE OF GHOSTS (10/31)
Beware, but more so, be prepared for Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia, Halloween show this Saturday night, October 31st (beginning at 10pm on Twitch, OSI74/Roku and Amazon Fire). The "misunderstood" stream will present Christopher R. Mihm's heartfelt, 2012 indie salute to the films of William Castle ... House of Ghosts!
House of Ghosts, according to writer/director Mihm, holds the uncanny means to place one before an unearthly dimension, where the most horrid specters can reach out and snatch one's soul (and maybe even turn folks zombie-fied). To prevent one's untimely demise, it's advised that one hoist a handy Fear Shield (see above) before one's face to evade the encroaching terror, which one can access for printing at ...
https://cinemainsomnia.com/fearshield/
Though House of Ghosts mirrors a number of Castle's creations, its plot leans on 13 Ghosts and House on Haunted Hill (with maybe a few invited dabs of Invisible Invaders and Night of the Living Dead squeezed in). Like Castle's gimmick-geared duo, Mihm's fable was filmed in black and white and shares an effectual ensemble visiting a foreboding abode, in this case for a seance on a snow-laden night. (The cast includes Mark Scanlon, Sid Korpi, Mike Cook, Catherine Hansen, Justen Overlander, Andrea Ropella, Anthony Koczar, James Norgard, Michael Kaiser, Mark Haider, J. Andrew Wilkins, Stephanie Mihm and as the narrator/guide, Mr. Mihm.)
House of Ghosts' nostalgic, throwback style is ideal for Mr. Lobo's genial, hosting skills. The presentation is bound to create fond, Halloween memories for all who watch it. Indeed, one would be foolish to bypass this grand, ghoulish delight.
Don't miss out on this Cinema Insomnia: House of Ghosts premiere. It's guaranteed to make your Halloween extra misunderstood and therefore, extra memorable!👻🎃
Saturday, October 24, 2026
SALLY THE ZOMBIE CHEERLEADER'S SCHOOL OF HORROR: THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE
For her Halloween 2026 School of Horror, Sally the Zombie Cheerleader resurrects an all-time, Grand Guignol favorite: The Brain That Wouldn't Die, on Friday, October 30th at 9 pm.
The 1959/1962, low-budget classic was directed by Joseph Green who cowrote with producer Rex Carlton. The result is a bold, gory achievement, featuring an attractive, severed head, "Jan in the Pan," kept alive by Frankenstein-like technology, in a story that brims of sex, violence and medical philosophy.
The movie stars Jason Evers as Bill Cortner, a desperate and unscrupulous surgeon, and Virginia Leith as his expressive spouse, the aforementioned head, which was lopped off in a car crash. Leslie Daniel (aka Anthony Penna) costars as Cortner's guilt-ridden assistant, Kurt, and Eddie Carmel manifests as the hideous specimen the men hide in a closet. To spice things up, Playmate Marilyn (Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster/In Like Flint) Hanold supplies a curvaceous cameo.
Sally serves a generous helping of sweet details on this cult classic, sprinkled, as they are, with flavorful, brain-food humor. (For example, the movie was originally called The Black Door. Bet you didn't know that!) To elevate the educational content, the presentation is underscored by insightful, pop-up, liner notes, and Sally's demonic dolls, along with her dear ol' Skelekat, interject more than a few sarcastic side notes, making this Halloween lesson one to relish and recall.🎃👻
The lurid proceedings can be studied at
https://www.youtube.com/user/thezombiecheerleader
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