COLLECTIBLE TIME: NECA 7" VINCENT PRICE ACTION FIGURE

I landed a NECA, 7", Vincent Price, Ultimate Action Figure, which represents the great thespian in a stylish, black suit with four interchangeable heads: two as Price appeared in the early 1950s (circa House of Wax and The Mad Magician), with one featuring eyes aimed straight forward and the other with eyes steered left; the second as he appeared in the late 1950s/early 1960s (circa The House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler and The Bat), and lastly (but not leastly), as he appeared from the early 1970s to the early1980s (spanning Scream and Scream Again, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, The Monster Club and House of the Long Shadows).

This spot-on collectible comes with other accessories, too: five hands (to support various objects), upper shirts (red cravat, standard tie and bowtie), a skull (with moveable jaw, which is designed to attach to the body in lieu of a head), a cat, a raven, a lower arm (upon which the raven may be perched), four cigarettes, a cup and saucer, flamed candle, cookbook and record albums. 

The figure is (as with all 7" NECA releases) housed in a vivid, flip-box, which in its own right works as a pleasing display case, the front of which features Price's distinguished portrait and elegant signature. 

I do believe this NECA release offers one of the best, Price representations ever rendered, and I'd love to see the company do specific Price characters to join it, in particular Dr. Phibes and maybe a Vulnavia to go along with it, including interchangeable Virginia North and Valli Kemp heads. 

The NECA, 7" Vincent Price, Ultimate Action Figure can be purchased at

https://store.necaonline.com/products/ultimate-vincent-price-action-figure?_pos=1&_psq=vincent+pr&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Collection Recommendation: Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia (The Last Man on Earth)

Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia presents (courtesy of oldies.com/DVD) the first film version of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend: The Last Man on Earth, starring the priceless Vincent Price. 

This 1964, low-budget submission was directed by Ubaldo Ragona (and for certain segments, Sidney Salkow) in Italy from a script by Matheson (under the name, Logan Swanson), which was revised by several writers throughout the progressing production. The results generate an unmistakable, pre-Night of the Living Dead vibe, but then that's no surprise, since the novel influenced George Romero/John Russo's flesh-feasting classic.

Last Man's locale also gives the outing an uncanny-valley feel, in that Italy stands in lieu of the U.S., but it all works to the story's surreal, black-and-white benefit. To boot, Price's nuanced performance as the anguished Robert Morgan enhances the nightmarish atmosphere. (There's nothing that pulls quite at the heartstrings than an erudite, family man who's forced to become a woeful vampire slayer.) 

To balance the unfolding tragedy, Mr. Lobo visits with the smitten Miss Mittens, as well as a brigade of lust-ridden ladies led by Sara Dunn's Queen of Trash, who intersect the dark venture with Valentine's Day amore, not to mention silly (and on occasion, scary) segments and endearing (if not demented) trailers: a satisfying, juxtaposing blend from beginning to end.

Add this essential Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia installment to your collection at

https://www.oldies.com/product-view/1170D.html

WELCOME SUMMER 2021

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: ANTON & VULNAVIA (PRICE & NORTH: PHIBES #1)

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: LEWIS, KEMP, PRICE (PHIBES RISES AGAIN)

A LAST OMEGA MEN TEASE (FOR WHAT EVER! #3)

What Ever! #3 will contain my essay, "The Last Omega Men" (an in-depth comparison of "The Last Man on Earth" and "The Omega Man", both based on Richard Matheson's eerie novel, "I Am Legend"). As a teaser treat for such, publisher Jim Main has just revealed the above illustration by the talented Kevin Duncan. 

I love the way Duncan crosses the movies' prime heroes and adversaries alike, with Anthony Zerbe, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Charlton Heston and Vincent Price each featured. 

More post-apocalyptic wonders are in store for What Ever! #3.  From what Main claims, its release is right around the bend.

Collection Recommendation: Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia (Set 5) on Alpha DVD

Alpha Video presents another set of "Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia" discs!!!

First up is the ghostly-dare/skeleton-hoisted favorite, William Castle's "House on Haunted Hill", starring the super-sinister Vincent Price.

This 1959, nightmarish hit never grows old. In fact, it seems to get better with each view. Now with Mr. Lobo on board, it becomes all the more enjoyable, since our sardonic host interjects it with related tongue-in-cheek tidbits and bodacious bridges, including a handy, jack-o'-lantern decorating seminar and a nice and snooty Ben Cooper fashion show. (Also, as an informative bonus, this special DVD release contains a historic, tip-top exchange between Mr. Lobo and the late, great Sid Haig!!! Whoa!!!)

In addition to the "Haunted Hill" release, Mr. Lobo pays a comedic, live-audience, guest-jammed tribute to Tom Graeff's "Teenagers from Outer Space": a low-budget labor of love that's heavy on character, not to mention flesh-disintegrating death rays.

In this instance, Earth is visited by young, intergalactic aliens on a mission to pepper the planet with colossal lobsters as a food supply. One of their crew, the compassionate Derek (David Love), becomes smitten with a pretty earthling named Betty (Dawn Anderson) and from there, the fiendish invasion can't help but go awry. 

Mr. Lobo supplements the film's intrigue with dry jest and fantastic fillers, making this 1959 drive-in classic all the classier. 

Purchase these magnificent "Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia" selections at oldies.com:

https://www.oldies.com/product-view/1141D.html

https://www.oldies.com/product-view/1142D.html.

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: THE (UN)USUAL SUSPECTS (THE COMEDY OF TERRORS)

FILMFAX #155: A NEW FIVE OUNCE TON OF INTELLIGENT FUN!!!

Filmfax #155 has arrived in time for Halloween, and what an apt issue to instill the chill.

This issue's focus is on the underrated (but to those in the know, much beloved) 1983 mystery movie, "House of the Long Shadows", which headlines the fearsome quartet of Vincent Price, John Carradine, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The film's production, with all its ups and downs, is explored, granting a revealing view of the cult, team-up venture. 

In addition #155 caters to character actor, Henry "Fu Manchu" Brandon; Seattle sci-fi filmmaker, Richard H. Lyford; Kirk "Superman" Alyn; Astounding Stories editor, John W. Campbell; and U.F.O. connoisseur Erica Lukes. 

To further the fun, we get insights on Willis O' Brien's planned adaptation of H.G. Wells' "Food of the Gods", along with more cool Eddie Wood and Death Ray coverage.   

Purchase Filmfax #155 today at your favorite periodical vendor. 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: BORIS, PETER AND VINCENT...THE RAVEN '63!!!

GET READY! GET SET! MAIN ENTERPRISES' *PPFSZT! #44 BRINGS WINTER FUN!!!

The latest issue of Jim Main's *PPFSZT! is here!!!

Though Kevin Duncan's splendid cover for #44 conveys a seasonal chill, there's nothing but creative warmth brewing from this 36-page, Winter installment, which includes tributes to "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", "Werewolf of London", "The Thing from Another World (with Fantastic Four's Ben Grimm), "Doctor Who", "The Witchfinder General/Conqueror Worm"...and for all you Bogie fans, "The Treasure of Sierra Madre". There's also Mike Maloney's moody "One Night in Noir" and Part 2 of Roger C. Keel's haunting "Prisoners of the Ice Kings".

Along with Keel and Maloney, the contents' slew of accompanying artists is also impressive: Roland Austin, Jack Bertram, Lance Doc Boucher, Troy David Boyle, Jason Bullock, Tom Doyle, Kevin Dale Duncan, Don Fortier, Anthony C. Gray, Rusty Gilligan, Marc Haines, John Lambert, Scott McClung, Robert J. Sodaro, Carl Taylor...Rick Williams. Yeah, takes one's breath away.  

I love the way Main blends so many different ideas, imagery and themes into *PPFSZT!: all invigorating, all edifying. There's no source quite as offbeat or special as *PPFSZT! Try an issue. You're guaranteed to be hooked!

*PPFSZT! #44 can be purchased for $6.50 (check or money order), from Jim Main/Main Enterprises at PO Box 93, New Milford, CT 06776. 

HAPPY SPRING 2018...FROM VINCENT AND I...

WISHING YOU A VERY VINCENT PRICE CHRISTMAS 2016!!!

Vincent Price as Dr. Strange?!

I usually designate quirky, off-the-cuff, "what if" images to Facebook or Twitter, not my blog, which caters to articles/reviews (with picture accompaniment, of course), but these particular, uncredited mock-ups of Vincent Price as Dr. Stephen Strange seemed too fitting not to share.

Such an adaptation was never considered during Price's peak. (Yeah, the Peter Cushing/Anita Ekberg costarring element would have been grand, as well). However, if a Strange movie had been produced in the '60s (or even early '70s) by AIP, Amicus or Hammer, when Steve Ditko's Sorcerer Supreme dominated the psychedelic scene, well, perhaps this how it might have been marketed. 

Anyhow, as the Benedict Cumberbatch adaptation dominates the box office, I hope you enjoy this alternate view of what could have been, though perhaps available for viewing in some parallel path right around the celestial bend.  

Long Live Stephen Strange!!!

Monster Team-up Reflection #27: The Hilarious House of Frightenstein

Produced in Canada by Riff "Randy Dandy" Markowitz in '71 and nurtured by the talented Billy Van (noted for his varied roles on "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour"), "Hilarious House of Frightenstein" was (and still is) a dream come true for monster fans, young and old alike. It became a monster-rally staple of after-school viewing (premiering in U.S. syndication in '74), right along with "The Addams Family", "The Munsters", "Ultraman" and "Johnny Sokko".

In addition to Van, the show featured other splendid actors who figured into its various vignettes, including Fishka Rais as Igor; Julius Sumner Miller, the "Mickey Mouse Club" resident Professor; Mark Markowitz as Super Hippy (a trippy version of the Man of Steel); Guy Big as mini, fanged Van; and the great Vincent Price, hosting the opening/closing credits and offering fun, creepy commentary among the bits. 

The majority of the roles, however, were Van's (though abetted by Bob Laden's excellent make-ups), with the flamboyant, green-skinned, Lugosi-pitched Count Frightenstein leading the pack. Frightenstein was a Dracula offspring, temporary master of Castle Frightenstein and doomed to fumble in his attempts to bring Brucie, the Frankenstein Monster (a mannequin in a Don Post Karloff mask) to life. Like "Groovie Ghoulies", which used a rapid-fire "Laugh-In" format to entertain its audience, Van would take viewers though a series of swift scenarios, each containing his eclectic homages.

Van's characters included the Wolfman (a merging of Lon Chaney Jr.'s legendary lycanthrope and DJ personality, Wolfman Jack), who'd play (and dance, along with Igor) to hit tunes by Three Dog Night and Sly and the Family Stone, before a psychedelic backdrop; the giddy Grizelda, the Ghastly Gourmet, a cross between EC's eerie host and Aurora's Salem Witch model kit; the Librarian, a haggard, old gent who (in the Count Floyd vein) would try to scare viewers with nursery rhymes and offbeat fables; the Oracle, a clumsy fortune teller with Peter Lorre's intonation; the Maharishi, an equally questionable mystic/hippy guru, who was showered by flowers at the end of each skit; the knowledgeable Pet Vet, who along with adventurer Bwana Clyde Batty (host of "Zany Zoo"), would supply facts pertaining to visiting animals; and last but not least, the Gorilla, who'd leap from a fabricated jungle only to be struck down by ping-pong balls. 

Most of the interaction took place between Frightenstein and Igor, where Van and Reis let their comical timing take hold. Sometimes Igor would be the focus, engaging with the offscreen Grammar Slammer (Joe Torbay) and the onscreen Bammer, a large, purple puppet voiced by Van, who would intimidate Igor into correcting his syntax.

In this regard, "Frightenstein" wasn't shy about teaching kids valuable tidbits, but done in a way to make the process enjoyable. At other times, the antics were just fun for the sake of fun, offering an hour (or in the case of the U.S. re-edits, a half hour) of ecstatic escape. 

The series, which consisted of 130 installments in its original Canadian run, was one of the last children's shows to be hosted by live actors, even though unlike similar shows that came before it, "Frightenstein" didn't host a live audience. In fact, most of "Frightenstein" was taped over a nine-month period, with Price's footage captured during a summer sojourn. (For the record, Van and Price never met, though their vignettes smoothly mesh.)

For whatever odd reason, "Frightenstein" fell out favor by the late  '70s, but has since resurfaced on DVD, and reruns can still be found on current cable channels. 

The series, indeed, deserves another look, and for children jaded by the bland, "it's-good-for-you", mainstream fodder, this series will be a welcome, eye-opener. For parents (or any adult who simply grew up with the show), watching Van and the gang indulge in their shenanigans will prove a happy-go-lucky excursion: a macabre, '70s Vaudeville concoction that anyone into the imaginative-know will surely savor. 

(FYI: The popular, Canadian horror magazine, Rue Morgue, #62: November 2006, paid tribute to "Frightenstein" with a Van interview, conducted not long before his passing. Most insightful and well worth seeking.)