Tag Archives: House on Haunted Hill

Make Tea and a Blog Post and Call Me in the Morning

It seems I last posted early Thursday morning.  It is now mid-afternoon on Monday, and I could use a cup of coffee.  Or something.

Pause while I acquire a caffeinated beverage.

I made tea, but I found the Dyn’s Cider Mill mug.  I thought I could just about manage a Monstrous Monday post and perhaps get into some better blog posts as the week wears on.  I am feeling exceptionally useless lately.  I suppose the solution to that is to do something useful as say, “There!  What about that!”  Well, I did a load of laundry earlier and tried to clean out a tote in which I had thrown a ridiculous collection of things.  Perhaps tea and a blog post will revive me.

Some chicks don’t dig skinny guys.

Here is a shot from House on Haunted Hill, which I re-watched recently. It is a perennial favorite.  I refer, of course, to the original, produced by William Castle and starring Vincent Price.

“Hang a shining star upon the highest bought!”

I thought I would throw in a more seasonal monster with the Abominable Snowman, affectionately known as Bumbles, from Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  I though he had lost all his teeth by the time he wanted to put the star on top of the tree.  Just another continuity gaffe.

OK, he can call me a ho.

And another seasonal monster.  I need to find a Santa hat to put on Elliott Ghoul, who stands in my dining room window.  I put one on the Ghost that acts as a living room light.

Perhaps over the next few days I will complete my meager Christmas decorations and take some pictures for the blog.  I know some regular readers are interested to see Bonita’s Yuletide garb.

 

Some Semblance of a Saturday Cinema Post

I had some idea that  I would go ahead and make my Lame Post Friday post later on Friday, after I had made my Apologetic Post.  Of course that did not work out.  Then I thought I would do a post at some point on Saturday, at least before I had started my usual Saturday debauchery.  Doesn’t that make me sound like a lush?  Perhaps I am. On the other hand, I did not drink and drive, and I am in fact, ten finger typing on my Chromebook with some amount of accuracy.  So there’s that.

On the other hand, I do not feel up to making what I feel is a real blog post.  There are a couple of things I did last weekend and even this weekend.  To blog about last weekend, I would need to find my cell phone and add some photos to my Media Library.  Is that really such a problem?  I guess it is.  This weekend I took no photos, alas.  However, I said I was going to start posting daily again, so here I am, trying for some semblance of a blog post.

A delightful collection.

I am onto the movie watching portion of my Saturday.  I watched House on Haunted Hill, the Vincent Price/William Castle original, of course, and Rope, another favorite.  In looking  for another movie to watch, I considered The Best of the Worst,  a DVD collection a purchased for my late, dearly missed husband Steven’s birthday one year, although I confess to enjoying it more than he did.  I was not inspired by any of the choices so decided on Midnight Lace, a surprisingly cheesy Doris Day movie on a collection of her movies I recently impulse bought for myself.

EEEEEEE!

I confess to liking House on Haunted Hill better than Midnight Lace.  For one reason, Doris Day has no courage whatsoever.  She is on the phone with a guy who is saying he is going to kill her and she hangs up, unable to listen to another word.  It’s on the PHONE, for heavens’ sake!  He is not there, directly threatening her; she can’t even stay on the line long enough for her husband to get on the extension and listen in?  I prefer my movie females to have more spunk.  I guess there is not a whole lot more spunk in the females in House on Haunted Hill, but at least they are threatened by ghosts and skeletons that are right there.

But perhaps I malign poor Doris.  There is no doubt her tormentor is a consummate manipulator.  I shall not expound on this more, in case you have not seen the movie and care to some day.  I remember  being quite taken with it the first time I saw it.  I was younger and less critical in those days.

I would like to add a picture of Doris Day but, alas, have not yet learned how to do so on my Chromebook.  Still, I am approaching 500 words, which I feel is respectable for Some Semblance of a Post.  I will try to get on to those Mohawk Valley adventures tomorrow.

 

Monsters from my Media Library

How about a Mid-Week Monsters post?  For one reason, I can get a little more practice in navigating my Media Library on this new computer.  For another reason, well, I like monsters.

“You want to do WHAT?”

This was the first monster I came to, a nice wolfman (I don’t know why my computer is underlining it; isn’t that how you spell “wolfman”?).  He looks a little surprised.  I’m a little surprised myself, posting three days in a row not early in the morning. Has it been three days?  Of course I am too lazy to go back and check.

Accused by his wife of being “the only ghoul here.”

Here is my guy Vincent Price in House on Haunted Hill.  I just watched that again the other night.  Sweet!  I loves me some William Castle.

“A little more claw here!”

And here is the great Castle himself, directing one of his cast.  Actually I am not sure if this is actually a picture of him directing or a publicity shot, but I like it.

I think he is nice!

And here is a little cuteness to round out the post.  The awesome pot was sent to me by my good friend Marsha.  The vampire was given to me by my late, dearly missed husband, Steve.  The orange is a t-shirt I didn’t really like anyways (it was advertising for a place I used to work; I folded it so no logo showed).

Some of my Facebook groups are already counting down the days to Halloween.  I have other deadlines to worry about.  In the meantime, I see I am over 250 words. Score!  I must try for some more Mohawk Valley Adventures to blog about, if only the weather will cooperate.  As always, thank you for tuning in.

 

Another Stroll Down Movie Memory Lame

Hello and welcome to another late Lame Post Friday post.  I even got up up later this Saturday morning than I usually do, having stayed up later on Friday night.  I am sitting in silence, other than the sound of my furnace and the irregular tip tip tip of my stylus pecking in one letter at a time.  I hope to purchase a new laptop at some point.  Then I can ten finger type in more places and postures.

Yesterday was a Blogger’s Sad Day.  It would have been my husband Steven’s 68th birthday.  Birthdays were a big deal for him.  He always made mine special, and I tried to do the same for him.  I felt relieved that I did not have to work (took the whole day because I had an appointment).  I thought I should do something to mark the occasion.

Lots of screaming in this movie, but nothing like the scream queens of the ’70’s.

Since watching movies together was one of our favorite things, I popped in one of our all time favorites, House on Haunted Hill, the original William Castle version, starring Vincent Price (I have no use for the remake).  The first time we saw this, I was in the army.  We had taken the long drive to my first duty station, gotten signed into billeting, and had time to relax. It was a Friday, and I didn’t have to sign into my unit till Monday.  We saw House on Haunted Hill was going to be on AMC, back when AMC was good and showed all movies.  We loved it!

I think her braids are too tight.

Next I went to The Bad Seed, another long time favorite.  This goes all the way back to Norwood, NY, where we lived in the ’90’s and spent a considerable amount of time renting videos.  I miss those rental places!  I know, some people prefer streaming and the fact that they can sit on their butt in sweats and watch whatever.  I loved going to the place and walking around, finding things I didn’t know I wanted to find.

So this my stroll down Memory Lame.  See how I looped back to Lame Post Friday?  Sometimes I think I’m clever, but I daresay I flatter myself.

 

I Creep into a Monstrous Monday Post

Hello and welcome to another Monstrous Monday Post.  It has not been a horrible Monday.  It rarely is.  My life is not that bad, which makes my persistent depression difficult to understand and not a little embarrassing.  However,  my purpose now is to entertain myself and (I hope) others with a few creepy-crawlies, or perhaps gruesome movie villains.

Is he as villainous as he looks?

Here is one of the masters, Vincent Price.  I believe this is a publicity shot from House on Haunted Hill, which features the immortal line, said to Price by his onscreen wife, “Darling, the only ghoul in this house is you.”

I don’t think he is bidding us velcome.

And here is one of our finest ghouls, Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula.  He is looking rather malevolent in this picture.

Crazy love? Insane love? No, it’s…

I was hoping to find a creepy-crawly but will make do with creepy:  Peter Lorre in Mad Love, one of my favorites.

Not from a movie, but they will do!

Here are a couple of crawlies!  They were props for a murder mystery.  I do love fake bugs and often use them in my home decor.

I guess my gruesome friends have cheered me up.  At least I have made my blog post, which always adds to my level of contentment.  I will try for a more Mohawk Valley-oriented post tomorrow,  but, as usual, no promises.  Creep and crawl on, my friends!

 

Once Again, Monsters to the Rescue!

I want to make a blog post. However, I do not want to make yet another post about how I just can’t seem to make a post. I also do not want to spend any time whining about my personal problems. I know! Mid-week Monsters! That will solve everything!

It’s easy to lose your head over these things.

Here are a couple of creepy guys from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY. How many months till they open back up?

“May I have this dance?”

I’m not sure where I got this photo, but it appears to be a video case of one of our favorite movies, House on Haunted Hill. Old movie, old medium, I believe I am veering into Way-back Wednesday territory. Who says I can’t multi-task? Oh yeah, I usually say it.

Isn’t he cute?

Now I veer into cuteness, with this adorable little vampire. What a sweet smile! The awesome pot was sent to me by my friend, Marsha. She knows I love all things Halloween. The orange cloth is an old t-shirt which has a logo on it for a business I no longer care to promote.

Ooh, I am approaching 200 words. One more blog post in the books! By the way, in a very few days it will be ten years I have been writing this blog. Do you suppose I should celebrate? Discuss amongst yourselves.

Svengoolie, Can You Help Me Now?

Hello and welcome to another Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post. I suppose it could be a Scattered Sunday, though, because I have been all over the map.

I went on a long run this morning, did some house cleaning, grocery shopped, and mowed the lawn (no small task with my non-power mower and wimpy muscles). However, as is often the case, the highlight of my day was sitting in front of the television knitting.

He is the man, yes.

I enjoyed not one but two episodes of Svengoolie on my DVR. One was a Roger Corman movie with the rather unfitting title of The Undead. The other was a made-for-tv movie from 972 called Gargoyles.

In between Svengoolies, we saw House on Haunted Hill (the original William Castle/Vincent Price version) and Murder By Death, two of our go-to silly movies.

Aaand it seems my Tablet will not allow me to download pictures of those movies. No doubt I am too technologically ignorant for these things. In any case, I am soon switching over to Snapped, my usual Sunday thing.

I really need a wine glass with the logo.

It is becoming increasingly clear to me that I must reorganize and revitalize my life so that Monday does not bear down on me with swoon-inducing force. Unfortunately, I have few ideas on how to accomplish this. I guess all I can do is pick up my knitting and drive on. At least I have made my Sunday post on Sunday. As always, thank you for tuning in.

New Year’s with Vincent

I interrupt my New Year’s Eve celebrations to make a blog post. It was easy for my husband, Steven, and I to heed the calls to stay home and not gather for the holiday, because that is what we usually do for New Year’s Eve. Sweat pants, wine, and movies. What more could we ask?

I could ask that my Media Library be more organized, for one thing. We are watching familiar movies, and I know I have pictures of them. Movie pictures add so much to a post like this.

The master at work.

Our first movie was House on Haunted Hill, the original starring Vincent Price, directed by William Castle.  It is one of our perennial favorites. 

Me, trying to scroll through all my pictures.

I have some even better pictures of that movie, but it is too difficult to find them.  Perhaps I will make a New Year’s Resolution to find out how to better organize my photos.

We continued with both Price and Castle with The Tingler.

He’s feeding her a line, and she’s got him on a string.

I paused in my making a blog post to watch Carolyn Jones’ scenes in House of Wax, starring Vincent Price but not directed by William Castle. 

Now that I am over 200 words, I shall feel free to return to my holiday libations and movie viewing.  Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Mid-Week Monsters, Random and Related

I promised myself I could do a Mid-Week Monsters Post. Who could be uncheered by monsters? That is an homage to Winnie the Pooh, who famously said, “Who could be uncheered by a balloon?” I may have that quote wrong, but nobody is perfect.

It is no shame to be unable to pick.

Regular readers know who my personal favorite is, but I love them all.

He is fine, yes.

I continue with a picture of one of my personally owned monsters, Harold Ghoul. I got him at a neighbor’s garage sale last summer. I gave him the name.

He’s scary!

Back to movie monsters with my beloved Nosferatu. I am currently reading an annotated version of Dracula by Bram Stoker. It is absorbing and educational.

Talk about a hot flash!

Here is a dramatic scene from Horror Hotel, another favorite of mine. I guess this week’s monsters are not particularly interrelated, despite my using Nosferatu twice. But what is wrong with a random stroll among monstrous memories?

Not exactly a monster, but close enough.

Here is a picture tangentially related to the first one. Vincent Price was in The Fly. This particular picture is not from that movie, but please bear in mind my earlier assertion about nobody being perfect. In fact, I am not a fan of The Fly, but I LOVE House on Haunted Hill.

One of my favorite purveyors of monsters.

This picture is related to the one immediately previous. It is of the producer-director extraordinaire William Castle, coaching one of the other actors in House on Haunted Hill.

My Mid-Week Monsters Post has, indeed, cheered me up. I hope my readers are reasonably entertained. Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Monsters after Migraine

I look like one and feel like the other.

I am at the end (I hope) of a day long migraine but do not want to miss making a blog post. I thought I could manage a Throwback Thursday Post then thought it had been a while since I did monsters. How about Throwback Monsters? It! Could! Work! (That is a quote from Young Frankenstein, in case you didn’t know.)

“This is a good boy!”

I can tell I am getting old, because I can remember when Young Frankenstein was in theatres, and now it is an old movie. Perhaps we could substitute the term “vintage.”

“Who me? Old?”

Here is an even more vintage monster, my favorite, Nosferatu. He is scary, yes.

“Swimming, anyone?”

My post is becoming increasingly random as I just look for monsters and put them in. I say it is better than spending the entire post whining about my migraine. Is it? Discuss amongst yourselves.