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Tag Archives: Straitjacket

Who Says You Can’t Get A Head?

An exceptional cast!

Yesterday I decided at have a severed Head Sunday.  Today I thought I would write about it in lieu of my usual Monstrous Monday Post.  I began with Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte with Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Victor Buono, and Mary Astor.  Just to name everybody.

One of my favorite shots.

I love Hush, Hush but do not pop it in very often, because it is so long.  I guess I have a short attention span, but I do enjoy watching several movies of 90 minutes or less.

She feels strongly about it.

A few days ago I was disappointed to be unable to find my DVD of StraitJacket (starring Joan Crawford,  of course). Yesterday I had better luck.  In fact, I was surprised I had not found it before, because it was not that far out of alphabetical order.  However, I feel it was just as well I had not watched it before, because it fits so well with my Severed Head theme of the day.

And here are a couple of the heads!

It seems this post is longer on pictures than words, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.  I’m not even sure it can count as a Severed Head Sunday since I only watched two movies with severed heads.  Full disclosure:  my first movie was Rope, which features a strangulation, but the victim’s head remains attached (that did not require a spoiler alert; it happens in the very first scene).

No matter.  It is Monday, and it has not been as monstrous as it might have been.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Short Straitjacket Post

This will be a Tired Tuesday Post. For one reason, I am so tired I almost forgot to make a blog post. What’s that all about, me?

Me, trying to sleep. The heads represent my petty problems.

When in doubt, throw in a picture. This is Joan Crawford in Straitjacket, a William Castle classic involving Crawford chopping off a couple of heads. I think many of us have considered taking an axe to our enemies, figuratively speaking, of course. Then perhaps we realize that violence is not the answer, and severed heads make rather a mess. Or so I have heard.

Teeheehee.

Here is the end shot from Straitjacket. It has always amused me.

A much better use for an axe.

I guess this is a Straitjacket post. And a short post. But why not end on Joan Crawford with a cake? Maybe tomorrow I will try again for the post I just couldn’t finish on Monday. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

I Do Love a Severed Head Sunday

This is the man of the hour.

I pause in the midst of my Severed Head Sunday to make a blog post.  I was semi-useful yesterday,  getting my container garden planted and hauling lawn chairs out of the garage.  Today I am watching William Castle movies and chilling.  I went for a long run this morning,  which may count as useful, and I took a nap.  That has been my day, and here is my blog post.

I just love Joan Crawford!

 

We started with Straitjacket with the wonderful Joan Crawford.  There are several severed heads in that one.  I have to respect Joan Crawford (I don’t feel right calling her just Joan or even Ms. Crawford) (Come to think of it Ms. wasn’t even a thing in those days).  She kept working, even if it meant taking part in cheesy horror movies.  Of course, I LOVE Castles oeuvre, but they do not garner the respect of Oscar nominees.

And who doesn’t love Vincent Price?

We moved right along to House on Haunted Hill, a longtime favorite of ours.  You don’t see any heads actually get severed in this one, but you hear about it and you see a couple along the way.

A delightful publicity shot.

I don’t know what we will watch next.  None of our other Castle features involve severed heads.  Alas!  But I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday as much as I am mine.

 

Will the Real Monster Please Stand Up?

I am going to make a fast Monstrous Monday post and not offer any excuses.  I hope.  In fact, a few little excuses may worm their way in, that is just how my mind works.  Never mind, let’s just fine a creature I have not shared recently.

I know, this is not a monster! Unless you ask Joan Crawford.

I was scrolling through my Media Library looking for a picture of Nosferatu when I came across this one.  This is the one I was looking for yesterday of Bette Davis in Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte.  Well, I think a psyco biddy in a graveyard is perfectly acceptable for Monstrous Monday.

“You were looking for me?”

Here’s my guy, Count Orlok.  Regular readers know Nosferatu is my favorite.  Full disclosure:  I do not pop the movie in very often, because I find it is too much effort to watch a silent movie.  You have to pay close attention, so it is not easy to knit at the time.

“What do you mean, Bette Davis isn’t a monster?”

I thought I would throw in another psycho, although I am not sure I would classify Joan Crawford as a biddy in Straitjacket.  What do my readers think?  Please express your opinions in the comment section.

In the meantime, I am over 200 words.  I’ll just close with one more monster picture. Happy Monday, everyone.

“Who are you calling a monster now?”

 

Monday Movies

How about Monday Movies instead of Monstrous Monday?  For one reason, we watched a couple of movies I think I have pictures of in my Media Library.  But can I find them?

And you thought you had some strange bedfellows!

Our first feature was Straitjacket,  a William Castle movie starring Joan Crawford.  Steven was feeling down, and I thought a sweet, uplifting story about ax murders would cheer him up.  Who doesn’t love a good ax murder?

Is all permissible for Science?

Our second feature was The Tingler, another William Castle, this one starring Vincent Price.   Who doesn’t love Vincent Price?

Another questionable act of Science.

And here is another scene from that movie.  After The Tingler we took a break from movies to fix and enjoy dinner.

Speaking of murder…

Monday, of course is Dateline Day, with multiple episodes airing on OWN.  I have in fact lost track of The Valentine’s Day Mystery while I wrote this.

I like cake, too.

Looping back to Straitjacket,  here is Joan Crawford again.  She sure takes the cake, doesn’t she?  Any way you slice it, she is sweet.  I ax you, is that a star or what?

Now all the pun hating readers are groaning while all my fellow punsters are coming up with further plays on words.  And that gives me an idea for another feature:  Monday Punday.  Sunday Punday could work to.  I hope you’ll all stay tuned.

 

I Made It To 200 Words!

I guess it’s Monstrous Monday after all.  Never mind why; explanations are tiresome. I just needs me some Nosferatu.

“You were looking for me?”

Well, that took a little scrolling through my Media Library.  I may not make my usual goal of 200 words, but I will share a few more monsters.  Who doesn’t love monsters?  Oh I know some people don’t,  but why would they read my blog?

Joan would like to axe you a question.

Here is a monster of the human variety, Joan Crawford in Straitjacket.  A William Castle movie about axe murders, what’s not to like?

I love the coloring.

Here are a few scenes from House on Haunted Hill,  another wonderful Castle flick. I just don’t imagine the skeleton is any relation to our Bonita, who graced yesterday’s post,  although I do see the resemblance.

“I know you were looking for me.”

Regular readers might have expected to see The Brain from Planet Arous, which I often show when I seem to be posting without getting much use out of my own.

OK, I tried not to say it, but I will:  I am STILL not feeling well.  I must learn how to write when I am ill.  And I will.  Starting tomorrow.

 

Chillaxing with Joan and Others

I understand the frustration,

I was scrolling through my Media Library,  looking for a picture I was sure I had from The Invisible Man starring Claude Rains. Then I found this lovely shot of Joan Crawford in Straitjacket, which we watched earlier.  I said this morning that Steve and I were going to spend the day “chillaxing,” a word I had never actually used in a conversation before.  Then I noted that chillaxing would be best enjoyed with an actual ax.

What a waste to not let the great Rains use his face!

Here’s my boy Claude, with the lovely Gloria Stuart.  The movie also features another favorite of ours, Una O’Connor.

“Somebody’s been sleeping in my bed!”

I couldn’t find Una, but here’s another picture of Joan in Straitjacket.  You may have guessed by now this is going to be a particularly foolish Monstrous Monday post.  I only feel happy to be posting on Monday and not early Tuesday morning.

We had a fun weekend, and I took today off for rest and recovery.  I don’t know how wisely I used my time, but we have enjoyed watching a few Halloween movies.

Now there’s a good use for an ax!

Now that my murder mystery is over, I hope to get back to more and better writing.  Starting with tomorrow’s blog post.

 

A Little Murder on a Sunday

OK, so I am still going to be two blog posts behind, because I only made one post yesterday and am only making one today.  Yes, I had big blogging plans.  They did not work out.  Now I am sitting on my couch,  typing one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet,  sipping 19 Crimes wine and watching an episode of Columbo on DVD.  I love Columbo.  And 19 Crimes.   It is the original red blend, by the way.

I thought I could make a Sunday Cinema post.  For one reason, I know I have pictures of the two movies we have already watched in my Media Library.

First we saw that heart warming Joan Crawford classic about the mother and daughter who reunite after 20 years, Straitjacket. I love that movie.

No, she is not looking for candy in the movie, but I can’t find the picture without the caption.

I loves me a little Joan Crawford and a little William Castle.

Next we continued the severed head theme with Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte.  I haven’t had a Severed Head Sunday in a long time.

“From right here I could spit in your eye!”

I loves me some Bette Davis too.

This is the picture I was looking for.

I was also hoping to share a picture of Peter Falk as Columbo,  but I am quite frankly tired of looking through my Media Library.   I want to get back to watching the show.  Happy Sunday,  everyone.

 

 

William Castle, Can You Help Me Now?

So there I was, groping for a brain cell left alive in my head to make at least a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  Nothing was happening.  In desperation I went to Facebook to a page about William Castle: Godfather of Schlock and downloaded a few pictures.  This could work.

“What do you mean, you can’t of a blog post? That’s scary!”

I love William Castle, producer of such classics of House on Haunted Hill (1959) and Straitjacket (1964).  I wonder when I will have time to sit down and watch movies again.  I have rehearsal again tonight. In fact, I should probably be studying my lines instead of typing in what I am afraid is turning out to be a singularly foolish blog post.

“Who wants a piece?”

Maybe I could just relax and have a piece of cake.  Nah, that would mess up my slow progress toward my weight-loss goals.  If I could get somebody to chase me with an axe, I would be motivated to start running again.  Just a suggestion.

He was a great director.

Full disclosure:  I have not seen all that many William Castle movies.   I’ll have to work on it.

“You weren’t going to make a post about William Castle and not include me, were you?”

 

Just Type in Some Foolishness and Hit Publish

I suppose the operative thing to have done today was to have written a blog post about one of the things I mentioned this morning.  Or I could have done a Running Commentary about this morning’s run (it was awesome, by the way).  But here I sit, looking at television and strongly inclined to just type in some foolishness and hit Publish.

Right now Forensic Files is on, but before that we were watching the divine Joan Crawford in Straitjacket.

Don’t lie; we’ve all been there.

During the movie we debated and debated what movie to watch next.  We still have not decided, hence our viewing of Forensic Files.  I was hoping to find the cheesier Deadly Women on ID, but no luck.  Not even a Snapped on Oxygen.  Some Saturdays are bad that way.

I must admit, it is quite relaxing to sit on my couch, wondering how best to veg out.  The last couple of weeks we have been moving and shaking. Even last night we were out and about (as I believe I mentioned).  It is fun to be out and about, but you can get too much of a good thing.

Just to make this a Scattered Saturday post, I will quickly cover today’s accomplishments, although they are a little thin.  My run was long and felt good.  Then I wrote some post cards and we left the house by the front door.  Regular readers will recall that our back door was ailing.  We went to breakfast at Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner then to Collis Hardware to get some screws for the door.

Back home, we fixed the door.  Woohoo, I think it was a success!  Then I had a headache so laid down with my heat-up face mask and took a nap.  On rising, I got on the laptop and typed in what I had written on my murder mystery script.  Later I thought how to finish up and made a few notes about it.  I anticipate finishing and polishing tomorrow.

And that was about it.  Eventually we got to the movie watching portion of the evening, and that is where we are at now.  If only we could agree on which movie to watch next.