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Tag Archives: Hammer horror films

I Slack, But I Blog

This was one Slacker Saturday.  I don’t know why I am surprised.  I spent all week planning in my head everything I was going to get done today.  Have I not often observed that every time I make a plan, the plan goes to hell?   Still, I did not make a detailed plan.  Surely I could get at least a few things done (in this context, I am calling myself Shirley).

I successfully slept in, which I am not always able to do on a Saturday.  This was not part of the plan, but it felt good.  I had made my Friday blog post on Friday, so I had that going for me.  I had some coffee and eventually went on a long run.

I entered here during my run.

Maybe the run was too long and I wore myself out. Maybe the road trip to Liverpool last weekend followed by a mid-week drive to Rome had a delayed effect.  Maybe it was just a good day to do very little.  Maybe I am just a lazy bum.

Celebrating Dad’s birthday in Liverpool: Dad and Mom with my niece Jenna in between.

In any case, after the run, I managed to do only a very few things else.  At least I got a few post cards written and mailed.   People like to get post cards.

So this is my boring blog post about my not very exciting day.  I am going to call it a Blogger’s Sad Day and drive on.  Maybe I could just go back and add a few pictures to pep things up.

I guess I like it too, Dracula.

I just put in a Hammer Horror movie with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Michael Gough.

 

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I Decide on Monsters

I think I can just about manage a Monstrous Monday Post.  I must have used that sentence before,  because my predictive text thingy was way ahead of me.  As I composed it in my head while I waited for my Tablet to catch up with me, I followed it with the observation that “manage a Monstrous Monday ” was alliterative, and that made me feel better already.  As I pecked it in (one letter at a time with the stylus, I need hardly add, since I already mentioned the Tablet), I felt that “just about” and “Post” detracted from the alliteration, so I stopped feeling better.

What a ridiculous paragraph!  I am getting all bogged down!  Quick, throw in a monster to pep things up!

I should have used him last, to wrap things up.

He is not a particularly peppy fellow, at least in that shot.  But he is a monster I have not used recently, and I felt I should pick something.  I am dreadfully indecisive and must constantly fight with myself to make and stick with choices.

This guy looks a little more energetic.

My husband Steven and I just watched this movie yesterday.  I just loves me a Hammer horror movie.

Look out, monsters!

Before my indecisiveness conquered me completely, I chose this picture of Peter Cushing.  He was not in Dracula Has Risen from the Grave.  I missed him, although I enjoyed Christopher Lee, as always.

I see I am approaching 250 words.  That is surely enough nonsense from me for one blog post (and I will call you Shirley if I decide to) (then again, I am known to be indecisive).  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

Not Slacker, Not Scattered, and Not Even Saturday

It was partway through the evening last night when I realized I had not made a Saturday blog post and did not intend to.  It is not really a defense, but I worked all day and was having a very enjoyable evening.

Since I worked, I feel a Slacker Saturday Post is ineligible, and since I was only at work and home, it was clearly not a Scattered Sunday.  I have not started running, so no Saturday Running Commentary.  My husband, Steve, did watch a few movies.  Perhaps a Saturday Cinema Post.

Isn’t she pretty?

We started with Horror of Dracula, at my request.  It is another Hammer horror on DVD I got for Christmas.  Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, YES!  I spent a good deal of the movie telling Steven what was similar or different  from the book.  We readers often do that.  I have no problem with a movie making changes; it is a different medium.  I just like to point these things out, sometimes adding commentary on whether or not I approve of the change.  I’m sure some people would find me annoying to watch a movie with, but I mostly watch movies with Steve, so the problem does not arise.

He is the man!

We went on to watch a couple of episodes of Columbo, another Christmas present.  I received the entire collection, so we may be doing this for a while.

I see I am over 200 words, which is a good thing, because I am out of movies.  I will strive to make my Sunday blog post on Sunday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Some Skeleton, Mostly Cinema Sunday

We have been having an enjoyable, leisurely Sunday, and I am not that into making a blog post. What a bum.  However, according to my rules for me, I am obligated to make a blog post if I possibly can.  I am pretty sure I can, but it may be of the Wrist to Forehead Sunday variety.

He is fine, yes.

As often is the case, I watched a DVR’d episode of Svengoolie. I record that show every week. I love it.  We watched Brides of Dracula, a Hammer Horror Film, which I believe I have seen before, without benefit of horror host. I may actually have a picture of this movie in my Media Library,  but I despair of finding it tonight.

Three of my living room friends.

Here is Bonita, one of our skeletons.  I arranged her differently today for Halloween decorating purposes.  I mean to take some pictures for blogging purposes soon.  Santa, in the background, is also dressed for the season.  Darling Duck, not yet.

A young Christopher Lee!

How nice: I found a picture of another movie we watched: Horror Hotel.  It is creepy, yes.

I might look good in such an outfit.

We also watched The Invisible Man with Claude Rains.  What a marvellous actor that man was.  We also watched a DVR’d episode of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, but that one barely rates a mention.

However, I have managed over 200 words of a Cinema Sunday.  I guess I do not have to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead after all.

 

Oh Yeah, and I Watched Svengoolie

Hello, and welcome to another Slacker Saturday Post.  I did some yard work this morning, went to a neighbor’s graduation party this afternoon, and that is it.

He’s fun.

Oh yeah, and I watched a DVR’d episode of Svengoolie.  The featured movie was Curse of the Werewolf, a Hammer horror feature from 1961.  I thought, “Hammer horror!   Oh boy!”  Boy was I disappointed!

Sven’s pre-movie summary told me it was going to take a while to get to the werewolf part.  He was so right!  I fast forwarded it through some of the annoying set-up (which some people might have found entertaining; there’s no accounting for tastes).  In so doing, I may have missed some of the explanatory narration.  Still, I was able to follow things.

I could totally write one of my blow-by-blow movie write-ups, because I was taking copious notes in the TV Journal.  In fact, I would love to do so.  I enjoy writing them and have not done one in a while.  However, then this would not be a Slacker Saturday Post.

Now how dumb is this: I just looked at a previous paragraph and saw that autocorrect made “Sven’s” be “When’s”.  What the hell is that all about (and I mean hell not he’ll for heck’s sake!) (and it was heck’s sake, not Jack’s sake!) (I thought it would allow heck if not hell, but apparently not)?

Anyways, I have gotten myself over 200 words,  so we’ll call this OK for a Slacker Saturday Post.  I now continue to slack.

 

Just a Few Vampires…

After sharing horror pictures on Severed Head Sunday, I make bold to offer a Monstrous Monday Post.  I was watching Dateline (Murder Monday?), but Steven has switched over to another of his favorites, People’s Court.  On the brighter side, I find that less distracting when trying to compose a blog post.

He peeks through the window at the television set.

This is why we put panes of glass in our windows: to keep Nosferatu out.  He is scary.  I like him.  I feel slightly fraudulent sharing these monster pictures and acting like such a horror fiend.  The truth is, I do not like the really gory, nasty stuff.  Anything later than the Hammer Horror films of the ’60’s and ’70’s  leaves me cold.

Christopher Lee is OK by me!

Even some of the Hammer films have more blood than I strictly like.  However, they are most of them very well done.  Also, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.  There could be no possible objection.

A little sloppy, but so hot.

And here is some more Lee for you.  He may not be as dapper as Bela Lugosi, but I feel he is a fine addition to vampires of filmdom.

More dapper. Still scary.

Speaking of Bela Lugosi, I managed to find a picture of him, too.  I wonder if there is some way to organize my Media Library,  so I could find pictures more easily.  Really, I am sure I do not make the most of my WordPress account.

Then again, it is a Monday, and I am over 200 words.  Let’s call it a post and drive on.  Happy Monday, everyone!

 

In the Mood for Monsters

“Ya wanna see my bug collection?”

I need a little Tucker to cheer me up.  This is my friend Tucker in our recent murder mystery, Donate to Murder.  He was very funny.  I hit “New Post” wanting to make this a Monday Moan post, but it’s just a mood and there is no reason to inflict it on my readers (although I know I do sometimes).  So I thought a Monstrous Monday was in order.  When I went to my Media Library (you say “Media Library” in a pretentious tone of voice), this little gem caught my eye. I do feel a little cheerier.  I wonder what other monsters I can find to pep up my post.

Mmmmm… garlic.

I thought I’d throw in a little garlic first, in case I include any vampires.  This is from the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls, NY, last September.  Good times, good garlic.

“Curses! I forgot my sunscreen!”

It is ironic that the sign says “NO SMOKING” when Blackula is smoking hot.  I may have made that observation before, but even the best of us repeat themselves sometimes.

Christopher Lee is the favorite Dracula of many.

I do love a Hammer horror film.

Oh, he is a fine, scary dude!

You knew I was going to include Nosferatu, didn’t you?  I hope nobody minds a vampire-heavy Monstrous Monday.  After I put in the garlic, I felt kind of obligated. This has been, I admit, another foolish post. In my defense, I am working hard on the next mystery, A Trivial Murder.  More information on that will be forthcoming!  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

A Few Monsters to Cheer Us Up

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Monstrous Monday.  I am dead tired and quite frankly inclined to give the blog a miss for tonight.  However, I will feel sad if I do that, and I’m already kind of blue.  Maybe a few monsters will cheer me up.  I was looking on my monster pages on Facebook for something new and discovered this.

What a stylish poster! It doesn’t remind me of the movie at all.

I have Night Tide on a DVD collection, along with The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, The Atomic Brain, and Carnival of Souls.  I must confess, Night Tide is my least favored of the collection.  But maybe I need to give it another watch.  I haven’t done a move write-up blog post in a long time.

Alas, this discovery did not lead me into a theme for this post.  Instead, I found a picture I liked of horror icon Christopher Lee.

I think he looks hurt and confused. I often feel that way on a Monday.

I did not notice which Mummy movie this was from (perhaps The Mummy?), but I know it was a Hammer Production.  I like Hammer horror films almost as much as I like the older ones.

“Isn’t this where the party is?”

Speaking of older monster movies, why don’t we close with my favorite guy, Nosferatu from 1922.  And I see I am over 200 words.  I find that quite sufficient for a foolish post such as this. Happy Monsters — I mean, Happy Monday, everyone!

 

Various Movies on Monstrous Monday

I’m sure nobody expected me to get my act together overnight.  If you did, well, you realize you were setting yourself up for disappointment, do you not?  No matter.  We all have foolish expectations from time to time.

All this by way of introduction to another Monstrous Monday.  My only decision now is whether to use repeat monsters or search for new pictures to share.  I think I’ll look for old and try to think of new things to say about them.

Here’s a double bill I never thought of.

I do not remember why I downloaded this shot or when I used it.  Trog, for the uninitiated, is Joan Crawford’s last movie.  It is not my favorite cheesy horror movie featuring Crawford.  And before anybody hazards a guess, neither is Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.  I don’t think I have ever seen Taste the Blood of Dracula, although I have seen a few Hammer Dracula movies starring Christopher Lee.  I understand he kept saying each one was his last, but the studio would talk him into the next, often by pointing out how many people would get work thereby.  If that is true, it gives me quite a good opinion of Lee, even outside of his acting prowess.

“Did you think I would not pop in?”

What’s a Monstrous Monday without my favorite guy, Nosferatu?

He only looks harmless.

I end with a monster of the human variety, Robert Walker as Bruno in Strangers on a Train, on the right.  The other guy, looking a little apprehensive (and no idea yet how right he is to be so!) is Farley Granger as Guy Haines.  Good movie.  I’ll have to give it another watch soon.  But not on a double bill with Trog.