tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post870171859199201222..comments2024-03-08T18:49:51.289-05:00Comments on Classic Film and TV Café: A William Castle Double Feature: The Tingler and Mr. Sardonicus- An Undertaker Is Standing By In Case You Die Of Fright!Rick29http://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-66983576344300121032011-09-12T09:29:45.430-04:002011-09-12T09:29:45.430-04:00Why Mr. Castle, you surprised me with your ghostly...Why Mr. Castle, you surprised me with your ghostly visit! I shouldn't be surprised, though. You are the consummate showman, and would never let a chance go by for some good publicity! LOL! I'm glad you liked my little tribute, and I am sure interested in the "exciting House on Haunted Hill" news you mention!ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-71007903321701115532011-09-11T23:11:08.568-04:002011-09-11T23:11:08.568-04:00Thank you so much for this lovely article. I am h...Thank you so much for this lovely article. I am honored and hope to be able to put a smile on your face now that I am back "From the Grave!"<br /><br />Really, being remembered so fondly gives me goosebumps and you know how much I love goosebumps.<br /><br />Stay tuned because I will soon have some exciting House on Haunted Hill news to share with you.<br /><br />Until then...William Castlehttp://www.williamcastle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-20649256184891901292011-09-10T04:38:26.369-04:002011-09-10T04:38:26.369-04:00Thanks so much,Dorian -- Showman is the word for C...Thanks so much,Dorian -- Showman is the word for Castle alright! He was right up there with P.T. Barnum. Professional fainters, screamers, fake nurses - he knew how to do it! Kevin and I agree with you about Matinee -- wouldn't Castle have loved being given tribute by a movie! BTW, you remember Pee-Wee VERY well -- I'm not sure what to say about that -- LOL!ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-82983930185454703552011-09-09T20:05:40.727-04:002011-09-09T20:05:40.727-04:00Becky, I loved your William Castle post! I wonder ...Becky, I loved your William Castle post! I wonder if Pee-Wee Herman’s bit where he encourages everyone to “scream real loud” at the secret word was inspired by Pee-Wee watching Castle’s movies as a kid? :-)<br />It cracks me up that Castle had the cheerful chutzpah to hire professional fainters carried away on stretchers by fake nurses! They don't make showmen like Castle anymore -- which is why the affectionate Castle salute MATINEE is another Team Bartilucci favorite! Great job, my friend!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-35824483037498242722011-09-09T17:51:13.981-04:002011-09-09T17:51:13.981-04:00KEVIN: I did see Matinee -- Goodman was so much f...KEVIN: I did see Matinee -- Goodman was so much fun playing that character. And you are so right, Halloween without House on Haunted Hill, and actually most of the, would not be the same!<br />GOM: Scream for your lives! The Tingler would have been a lot of fun to see in a theatre and be lucky enough to have a rigged seat.Homicidal is one of the weirder Castles, but really good.<br />TOTO: I borrowed your phrase for my answer to GOM. Great, isn't it? I just loved that pic of Castle, and thanks so much for your compliment. I'm glad you liked my post.<br />RICK: Although Sardonicus is #1 for me (I love the Gothics), Tingler is a VERY close second (I also love Price!). I don't know about the oriignal with red blood and a faucet. I remember the hand coming out of the tub (brrr, chilled my blood. I'm going to re-watch Tingler tonight, and I'll watch for the blood out of the faucet. I'm with you - Macabre was not a favorite, but the insurance was! I'm glad you found my post entertaining. It's not hard when you get to talk about Castle!ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-37516907615753306162011-09-09T15:24:16.375-04:002011-09-09T15:24:16.375-04:00Very entertaining post, Becky. I enjoy many of Cas...Very entertaining post, Becky. I enjoy many of Castle's films, with my favorite being THE TINGLER (though HOMICIDAL, already mentioned by Sark, and 13 GHOSTS are a close second). The premise of THE TINGLER is just brilliant and I love the scene in the movie theatre. In the original version, wasn't there also one scene filmed in color where red blood flows out of a faucet? Castle knew how to make fun movies and market them brilliantly. About the only one I don't particularly care for is MACABRE...though the insurance policy was a marvelous gimmick.Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-42410318946579216272011-09-09T13:20:22.083-04:002011-09-09T13:20:22.083-04:00"Scream! Scream for your lives!" What a ..."Scream! Scream for your lives!" What a fun post, Becky! The guy with a thousand gimmicks must have been a marketer's dream. That is a great photo of William Castle you found, too. Loved this blog!toto2https://www.blogger.com/profile/09652682900471649463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-6979679954810875552011-09-09T11:12:34.617-04:002011-09-09T11:12:34.617-04:00Becky, a great and enjoyable post, and William Cas...Becky, a great and enjoyable post, and William Castle deserves reams of 'em! I LOVE The Tingler, which I think is one of the funniest movies about how we love to be scared at the movies. I've been in a theatre when the seats were 'buzzed' for the Percepto effect, and the audiences loved it. I'm with Sarkoffagus, I think Homicidal is just about Castle's best (always enjoy the Fright Break!); it's also a witty hommage to Psycho. Plus the gender-bending in the film is mind-boggling!Grand Old Movieshttp://wordpress.grandoldmovies.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-36598999468692300372011-09-09T10:46:36.790-04:002011-09-09T10:46:36.790-04:00Can't add much to this but to say these are my...Can't add much to this but to say these are my two of my three favorite William Castle movies as well. The third is "House on Haunted Hill." It's not Halloween without putting one of these on.<br /><br />Did you ever see the movie "Matinee"? John Goodman plays a movie director who is obviously inspired by William Castle. A wonderful film.Kevin Deanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697597405552599370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-53825236965518689222011-09-08T21:24:46.110-04:002011-09-08T21:24:46.110-04:00Thank you, Sark. Good to hear from you. Mr. Sardon...Thank you, Sark. Good to hear from you. Mr. Sardonicus is my definite Castle favorite, but there are few of his films I don't enjoy. Fright Break - I forgot about that one!ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-21403707419475010242011-09-08T20:42:16.861-04:002011-09-08T20:42:16.861-04:00Great write-up on William Castle, Becky. He'll...Great write-up on William Castle, Becky. He'll always be remembered for his gimmicks to get people into the theatres, but, as you said, Castle also churned out some good movies. I like both films of the double feature, but I really enjoy MR. SARDONICUS, where the titular character, to hide his creepy face, wears an even creepier mask! Of course, some of Castle's gimmicks weren't able to transfer to VHS/DVD, but my favorite of his movies is HOMICIDAL. It's predictable, but I love watching it, and I think it's appropriately eerie. Plus, its gimmick is still fun: the Fright Break, where the pansies were allowed to leave the theatre (and, I guess, the pansies watching at home have time to turn the channel or shut off the DVD player). Superb job, Becky!sarkoffagushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00922698736476674377noreply@blogger.com