Universal City Walk

Above, a sunny day at Universal City Walk. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My cousin Ralph came over today and after having lunch at the local El Pollo Loco, we headed off to Universal City Walk.

The place was reasonably crowded, so it wasn't overwhelming. This was the first time I've been to City Walk since I took Asya there last year.

We saw a few interesting things while wandering around.

Above, this appears to be an early Elvis jumpsuit before they got more
extravagant. It was on display at the Hard Rock Cafe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, purportedly worn by Jimi Hendrix, also on display
 at the Hard Rock Cafe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a Godzilla 2014 labled as a maquette in a comic book shop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, and here is the price of the Godzilla maquette. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, John Wayne collectibles, much of these I saw at
Gouldng's Lodge in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"Godzilla 2" and "Pacific Rim 2" Retitled

Above, the title card of the original Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956).

Legendary Pictures two upcoming sequels now have new titles according to Mirage News.

They reported:

“Godzilla 2” finally gets an official title. In a press release, Legendary Pictures announces that the upcoming sequel to Gareth Edwards’ 2014 monster movie “Godzilla” is named “Godzilla: King of Monsters”, AceShowbiz said. 

Meanwhile, Universal changes the title of “Pacific Rim 2”. Initially called “Pacific Rim: Maelstorm”, the follow-up to Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 film “Pacific Rim” is now named “Pacific Rim: Uprising”.

Although Godzilla: King of the Monsters is hardly what one would call "original", but it is fitting nonetheless.

To read more, go here. 

WSJ: Where Our Monsters Come From

Above, a Universal publicity photo for Son of Frankenstein featuring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.

Halloween is only days away and it is the perfect time to see where our monsters came from.

The Wall Street Journal has an article that does just that.

They begin with:

The Halloween season is upon us again and, with it, all the lurid paraphernalia of
assorted ghosts, ghouls and goblins. It’s all in good fun, but our favorite seasonal terrors
also say something deeper about what scares us and why. Halloween itself we owe to the
ancient Celts, whose festival of Samhain marked the beginning of the dark part of the
year, when the souls of the dead revisited the earth, but many of our current monsters
reflect more recent anxieties. 

Most anthropologists date the beginning of civilization to the institution of funerary
rituals and designated cemeteries, and it is hardly surprising that our imaginations,
even now, dwell on the disquieting line that separates the living from the dead. In many
cultures, too, ghosts are often angry because they represent, in guilty consciences, those
who been murdered, forgotten or somehow improperly laid to rest 

Religion also played a part. When the Protestant Reformation did away with the concept
of purgatory as a transit point to paradise, it opened the doors still further for unsettled
ghosts to roam the earth. Disputes between Protestants and Catholics over who could
best invoke angels and keep demons at bay ensured that those emissaries from the
invisible world would continue to be vivid realities for many believers.

Can you believe that 15 years from now the Universal Pictures horror classics Dracula and Frankenstein will be 100 years old?

To read more, go here. 

Frankenstein's Bicentennial

Above, Boris Karloff in The Bride of Frankenstein. Universal Picttures.

Noted dino expert, director, producer, writer and Godzilla fan Donald F. Glut posted something interesting:

This year is the bicentennial of Mary W. Shelley (then Godwin) writing her classic novel FRANKENSTEIN; OR, THE MODERN PROMETHEUS. No surprise, there have been, are and will be a number of Frankenstein-related movie projects in the works. This includes my own in-progress TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN, an anthology based upon five short stories included in my book of the same title (included in the upcoming THE NEW ADVENTURES OF FRANKENSTEIN COLLECTION, VOLUME TWO, from Bill Cunningham’s Pulp 2.0 Press). The movie, a "traditional" Frankenstein film written, directed and executive-produced by me, is being made via my new company Pecosborn Productions, LLC. We have already filmed the first story, “My Creation, My Beloved,” plus a framing “wrap-around” (featuring the original Monster) that links all five stories together (photos). 

As I am financing Pecosborn’s movies myself (no longer looking for investors, while crowd-funding has never worked for me satisfactorily), the TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN film is, understandably, going rather slowly. I’d like to speed things up and get the entire movie “in the can” this year to capitalize on the novel-writing’s 200th anniversary. And so, I’ve devised a plan to raise additional capital – without investors or crowd-funding – but involving getting a CO-PRODUCER credit in a motion picture (important for some peoples’ résumés) or, if you bring someone to the table who becomes a co-producer, a standard FINDER’S FEE, personal-message me for more information. But please, ONLY if you are seriously interested. 

Thank you.

"Young Frankenstein" Pushing 40

Time and life goes by so fast that it sometimes seems incredible that favorite movies are pushing 40 (or more) years.

Such is the case of Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein, the 1974 spoof of the Universal Frankenstein movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Young Frankenstein was released in December 1974, 40 years ago.

A 40th anniversary screening was held Tuesday at the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.

An article on the event was posted on the Japan Times website. It starts with:

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – “Young Frankenstein” is pushing 40, but is by no means over the hill. 

The film’s writer-director, Mel Brooks, and actresses Cloris Leachman and Teri Garr gathered at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday night for a 40th-anniversary screening of their comedy classic. 

As they posed for photos, Brooks and Leachman flanked Garr, who was in a wheelchair. Garr has long battled multiple sclerosis and also suffered a brain aneurysm in 2006.

To read more, go here. 

Carla Laemmle Dies At 104

Above, Carla Laemmle at Monsterpalooza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the last few remaining links to the silent movie era and the last surviving actress in the 1931 Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, has died at 104.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Carla Laemmle, a dancer and actress whose uncle, Carl Laemmle, co-founded Universal Studios, died Thursday night at her home in Los Angeles. She was 104. 

Her caretaker, Josephine Delavega, confirmed the news of her death to The Hollywood Reporter.

Laemmle was active in recent years at monster conventions. She has attended the past several Monsterpalooza conventions in Burbank.

Above, Carla Laemmle in her actress/dancer days.

She uttered the first lines of dialogue in Dracula as a passenger in a coach: "Among the rugged peaks that frown down upon the Borgo Pass are found crumbling castles of a bygone age…" She also served as hostess of the documentary, "The Road To Dracula" (1999), that was included in several DVD editions of Dracula. She also appeared in the Lon Chaney Phantom of the Opera (1925) as the prima ballerina.

To read more, go here.

5,600-Year-Old Tomb and Mummy Found In Egypt

Above, Karloff the Uncanny in The Mummy (1932). Universal Pictures.

After all these years, more mummies are being found in Egypt.

Jiji Press reported:

Archaeologists in southern Egypt have discovered a 5,600-year-old preserved tomb and mummy predating the First Dynasty of the pharaohs, the antiquities ministry said Wednesday. 

The tomb was built before the rule of king Narmer, the founder of the First Dynasty who unified Upper and Lower Egypt in the 31th century BC, the ministry said in a statement. 

The tomb was discovered in the Kom al-Ahmar region, between Luxor and Aswan, on the site of Hierakonpolis, the city of the falcon, which was the dominant pre-dynastic urban centre and the capital of the Kingdom of Upper Egypt.

To read more, go here.

Universal Releasing "King Kong vs. Godzilla" and "King Kong Escapes" On Blu-ray

Above, King Kong vs. Godzilla. Photo by Toho Co., Ltd.

Blu-ray.com is reporting that King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes will be released on Blu-ray disc on April 1 by Universal Pictures.

It appears that both will be "bare-bones" discs and will only contain the U.S. releases. No price information has been provided.

The U.S. version of King Kong vs. Godzilla was the first Godzilla movie I saw in a theater when it was first released back in June 1963.

As I have both movies on DVD, I will probably pass on these, but if either are not already in your video library, you many want to pick them up.

"The Black Cat" At The Chinese Theater

Above, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and David Manners in "The Black Cat."

Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi will haunt the Chinese Theater in Hollywood on April 13:

On Saturday April 13th, Kirk Hammett and Mad Monster Magazine will proudly present a special screening of 1934's macabre masterpiece "The Black Cat" at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA. One of Kirk’s favorite films of all time, and the first to pair his favorite actors Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi together, "The Black Cat" weaves a tale of mounting terror and tension as a pair of innocent newlyweds find themselves in the center of an unfolding nightmare revolving around Lugosi and Karloff's characters. A ground-breaking piece of cinema, we proudly invite you to join us for an audience-interactive Q&A with Kirk Hammett and friends before the screening. There will also be contests, prizes and exclusive merchandise, as well as monster goodies from KVH Toys and copies of Kirk's critically-acclaimed 2012 book “Too Much Horror Business”.

8:00 PM Doors/Monster Mingle Grab merchandise, view original props from the movie "The Black Cat", and other monster activities!

9:00 PM Q&A with Kirk Hammett and Friends

9:45 PM Screening Universal Pictures “The Black Cat" directed by Edgar G. Ulmer
 

2013: "King Kong vs. Godzilla" U.S. Version Hits 50

2013 marks not only the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, it also marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. release of King Kong vs. Godzilla by Universal International.  It was released on June 17, 1963.

Unfortunately, the heavily-edited finished product was not as good as the original 1954 Godzilla Americanization by Terry Morse.  The movie was originally scripted to be satirical, which was lost in the U.S. version.  Much footage (along with most of Akira Ifukube's score) in the U.S. version was also cut out.

On the good side, at least the movie did make money.

At the Mad Monster Party convention in March, I'll make sure it is covered during Haruo Nakajima's sessions.

Turhan Bey Dies At 90

Above, Lon Chaney Jr. (left) and Turhan Bey in "The Mummy's Tomb."

Actor Turhan Bey, who starred opposite of Lon Chaney Jr. in The Mummy's Tomb (1942), died at age 90.

Fox News reported:

Turhan Bey, who starred in Hollywood escapist fantasies with the likes of Errol Flynn and Katherine Hepburn, has died at age 90. 

His death in Vienna was announced Tuesday by Marita Ruiter, a close acquaintance who has exhibited his photos in her Luxembourg gallery. 

She told the Austria Press Agency that Bey died on Sept. 30 after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease and was cremated on Monday. 

Born Gilbert Selahettin Schultavey as the son of a Turkish diplomat, Bey assumed his stage name shortly after emigrating to the U.S in 1938 with his Jewish Czech mother to escape the Nazis and being discovered by talent scouts from Warner Bros Studios.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/10/09/turhan-bey-actor-who-performed-with-katherine-hepburn-john-wayne-dies-in/#ixzz28rEVuC4D

Monsterpalooza: Day One

Above, Carla Laemmle, 101 (born October 20, 1909), the last surviving actress of the 1931 "Dracula" and the niece of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle, enjoyed talking with fans.

Just got back from the first day at Monsterpalooza.

The convention itself was loaded to the Gill Man's gills with things to see and people to meet. I was able to meet Bela Lugosi, Jr. and we talked about how I came upon his Inglewood telephone book listing when I lived in nearby Hawthorne.

Above, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello meet Frankenstein again in Monsterpalooza's museum.

Miki discussed Japan with actress Julie Adams (Creature From The Black Lagoon). Adams said she was in Japan once for a USO show in the 1950s when the Korean War broke out.

Miki got Haruo Nakajima's autograph and posed for a photo with him. Earlier, she said that he is very famous in Japan. She is from Kyoto, Japan.

Above, the original Godzilla, Haruo Nakajima with Miki. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Later, I introduced Miki to kaiju suitmaker Shinichi Wakasa (below).



Monsterpalooza's museum again was loaded with some great wax figures that didn't disappoint attendees.

Above, Lon Chaney, Jr. as the Wolf Man prowled Monsterpalooza's museum.

At 7:00, I headed over to catch Peter H. Brothers's talk (below) on Godzilla director Ishiro Honda and prepared the table for sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. At 8:00, my presentation on Japanese monster locations began. Pete and I shared the table out side of the ballroom for book sales.



Although both of our presentations were well-received, unfortunately, the room for the presentations was away from the convention center and in the main hotel. (This was to make room for more vendors.) This resulted in a sparse attendance for our presentations. We each had about 35-45 attendees. Additionally, the people of the next presentation, "Zombies From The Supermarket" (John Naulin) sabotaged our book sales by grabbing the table immediately following my presentation. We were promised a table before and after our presentations. What gave them the right to grab our table?

Above, Miki in the Monsterpalooza museum.

The Monsterpalooza staff tried to get people over for the presentations by making announcements over a p.a. system, but we were told that the noise in the convention center drowned out the announcements. At past Monsterpaloozas, the presentations took place in the convention center, which was easily accessed. Having the room for presentations away from the convention center is like being out in the boonies. The Monsterpalooza planners need to address this problem for future shows.

Above, my "Scene To Seen" presentation in progress. Photo by Richard Pusateri.

Following my presentation (and table fiasco), Miki and I left for dinner at Fuddrucker's in the media center area of Burbank. We were both starved. We both enjoyed our meals.

Above, following my "Scene To Seen" presentation. Photo by Richard Pusateri.

Despite the aforementioned glitches, Monsterpalooza was fun. I'll be heading back tomorrow to take more of it in.

Lugosi's "Dracula" Hits 80!

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Okay, so what?

Well, it was 80 years ago yesterday that Universal Pictures' Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye and Edward Van Sloan, opened in theaters around the country.

Although it may be "slow and creaky" (according to some, but aren't we all?) in its staging, the movie still holds up thanks to the acting, particularly by Lugosi and Frye. For better or worse, Dracula made Bela Lugosi a star.

I still enjoy watching it.

House of Frankenstein

Above, Frankenstein's Monster (Glenn Strange) with an injured Dr. Niemann (Boris Karloff).

With the blistering heat in the triple-digits in Los Angeles today (I heard it reached 113 degrees in downtown L.A.) and being secure in my air-conditioned apartment, I was in the mood to watch the sixth Frankenstein movie in Universal Pictures' franchise, House of Frankenstein (1944). So, I got out my Frankenstein Legacy Collection DVD set and watched.

House of Frankenstein was directed by Erle C. Kenton and it starred Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish, Glenn Strange, and John Carradine.

This was the follow-up movie to Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man. In this one, Karloff plays an evil scientist, Gustav Niemann, seeking revenge on those who sent him to prison for 15 years with a hunchbacked assistant (Naish) named Daniel.

After killing the owner of a traveling horror show (George Zucco) to use the show as a way to "hide out in the open," Niemann uses Count Dracula (Carradine) to kill a burgomaster who was involved in sending him to prison. Following this, Lawrence Talbot (the Wolf Man) (Chaney), and Frankenstein's Monster (Strange) are freed from a glacial ice cavern. Karloff convinces Chaney to locate the Frankenstein records as a means to free him of his werewolf curse.

Naturally, Niemann is more interested in revenge (he kidnapped two more men who were instrumental for his imprisonment) and wants to use the brains of Talbot and the Monster as part of his scheme (involving brain transplants). Unfortunately, his scheming causes Niemann to breach faith with Daniel and Talbot. The Wolf Man ends up killing a gypsy girl (Elena Verdugo) who Daniel fell in love with. During her struggle with the Wolf Man, the gypsy girl fires a silver bullet into the Wolf Man, seemingly killing him.

In grief over the gypsy's death, Daniel begins to strangle Niemann. This arouses rage in the Monster, who was whipped earlier by Daniel while weak and helpless. The Monster frees himself from the restraining straps (at full strength after being re-charged by Niemann) on the operating table and proceeds to pick up Daniel like a doll and throw him through a window to his death.

While all this was going on, the villagers (out hunting for the werewolf) come to the laboratory and drive the Monster (who is carrying the injured Niemann) into a quicksand bog where they sink and disappear.

While not one of the best of the Universal Frankensteins, House of Frankenstein was still an entertaining entry.

Gloria Stuart Dies At 100

Left, Boris Karloff menaces Gloria Stuart in "The Old Dark House" (1932).

Actress Gloria Stuart died at age 100, Variety is reporting:

Gloria Stuart, who started out in the early days of talkies and returned to become the oldest Oscar nominee in Academy Awards history for "Titanic" at the age of 87, died in Los Angeles. She was 100 years old.

As Old Rose, the survivor of the sinking of the Titanic, she was nominated for supporting actress for the 1997 blockbuster as well as a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award, which she shared with Kim Basinger.

As a young blond ingenue, Stuart began her career by appearing at the Pasadena Playhouse. She was soon signed to a contract by Universal, and made her film acting debut in "Street of Women" in 1932.

Stuart was remembered as an early "scream queen" for her work in "Frankenstein," "The Old Dark House," "The Invisible Man" and "The Kiss Before the Mirror."

Read more: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118024684.html?categoryId=13&cs=1#ixzz10l0pRVwK

Lupita Tovar Celebrates 100th Birthday

Above, Lupita Tovar is about to get bitten by Count Dracula (Carlos Villarías) in Universal's Spanish language version of "Dracula" in 1931.

This one sure fell under my radar!

Actress Lupita Tovar celebrated her 100th birthday July 27. Who is Lupita Tovar?

According to Wikipedia:

Lupita Tovar (born July 27, 1910) is a Mexican actress, best known for her starring role in the 1931 Spanish language version of Dracula, filmed in Los Angeles by Universal Pictures at night using the same sets as the Bela Lugosi version, but with a different cast and director.

Tovar was born in Oaxaca, Mexico.

She played Eva (the "Mina" role played by Helen Chandler in the Lugosi version) to Carlos Villarías' Count Dracula. Both the Lugosi and Spanish language version of Dracula are available on DVD.

Many critics and fans say that the Spanish version of Dracula is technically better than the Tod Browning/Lugosi version. It does make better use of the sets.

Happy (belated) Birthday!

Universal Monster Legacy

As the new version of Universal's The Wolf Man is scheduled to be released in theaters on February 12, 2010, the studio has a new website called The Universal Monster Legacy.

Here, film clips and rare still photos (along with music) are presented of the past Universal classic monsters.

The rare photos includes this one of Boris Karloff from Frankenstein (1931):

Kirby Kin Seeking To Regain Copyrights

The New York Times reported Sunday that the kin of the late comic book artist Jack Kirby has filed notices to regain copyrights following the announcement of the sale of Marvel Comics to the Walt Disney Co.

The article stated:

Heirs to the comic book artist Jack Kirby, a creator of characters and stories behind Marvel mainstays like “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four,” last week sent 45 notices of copyright termination to Marvel and Disney, as well as Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and other companies that have been using the characters.

The notices expressed an intent to regain copyrights to some of Mr. Kirby’s creations as early as 2014, according to a statement disclosed on Sunday by Toberoff & Associates, a law firm in Los Angeles that helped win a court ruling last year returning a share of the copyright in Superman to heirs of one of the character’s creators, Jerome Siegel.

The sale of Marvel to Disney isn't final until it comes to an approval vote by Marvel's shareholders.

To read the full article, go here.

White Pongo Report: What To Watch On Halloween?

What To Watch On Halloween?

Labor Day came and went this week and next month we will celebrate Halloween. Some of us are too old to be going out trick or treating, but we can still enjoy Halloween.

While growing up in the 1960s, it was a tradition to tune in to the local CBS affiliate, KNXT-TV Channel 2, to watch Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. The movie played every Halloween on the station's Early Show, which had vintage movies every afternoon at 4:00 PM. Those days are long gone. Programs like the Early Show has been replaced by news programs or stuff like Ellen or Dr. Phil.

Thankfully, we have the advantage of doing our own programming via VHS tapes or DVDs. We can now pull out Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein on DVD or video tape and watch it to our heart's content and maintain an old childhood tradition.

For Halloween viewing fare, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is still my top recommended movie to watch on Halloween. However, there are others that can also be shown.

Virtually any of the 1930s and 1940s Universal horror classics are quite suitable for Halloween viewing. From the 1930s: Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolf Man (it's a 1941 movie, but it is a classic akin to the ones of the 1930s), The Invisible Man and Dracula's Daughter are perfect flicks to watch on Halloween. So are the ones from the 1940s (which are more in the B-movie category): Ghost of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, the Kharis/tana leaf Mummy movies, House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula.

If those aren't your cup of tea, newer classics can also be screened on your home theater for your Halloween party. The original Alien, the original Halloween (the introduction of Michael Myers) or the 1950s or 1980s versions of The Thing would also be good choices. I generally don't feel giant monster movies are quite in keeping with Halloween, although some can be nice and scary. Halloween seems more suited for ghost, vampire, werewolf or other human-sized monster movies. Don't forget the Creature From The Black Lagoon or its sequels.

Back in October 2005, I was vacationing in Japan and I noticed Halloween decorations, costumes and other items in stores at shopping malls and train stations in Tokyo. It appears that some Japanese have adopted Halloween and are getting into the Halloween spirit. I wonder if the aforementioned movies are available in Japan for Halloween parties there? Speaking of Japan, the original Japanese version of The Ring (or Ringu) would be a good movie to screen.

Whatever your choices for Halloween, you really can't go wrong with the movies that I mentioned above. The idea is to have fun!

P.S. You can even watch White Pongo on Halloween!

Universal Fire: King Kong & Godzilla Up In Smoke?

Sunday's fire at the Universal Studios backlot destroyed New York Street, Courthouse Square, the King Kong exhibit and a video storage facility.

It was reported that hundreds of videos were saved from the burning building by firemen and most of what was there were duplicates. However, much of what was lost involved music recording masters from the last century from artists including Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and others.

In addition, Universal sent out this message yesterday (June 1):

It is with great sadness that I must inform you that yesterdays fire destroyed nearly 100% of the archive prints kept here on the lot. Due to this we will be unable to honor any film bookings of prints that were set to ship from here. Over the next few weeks and months we will be able to try and piece together what material we do have and if any prints exist elsewhere. For the time being please check your rental confirmations and look under shipping instructions. If the print was set to ship from the studio then your date is now canceled. If the shipping
instructions say ship from Deluxe then those dates are still good. Please call either myself or Dennis Chong with any questions. I can be reached for the next two days at xxx and you can reach Dennis at xxx. I will be back in the office on Wednesday.

Paul Ginsburg
Vice President NBC Universal Distribution

Last year while assisting in the planning for G-FEST XIV's film screenings, I dealt with Mr. Ginsburg in arranging for the rentals of King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes. I was told at the time that they only had one archival print of each and didn't want the "heads or tails" of the films cut for mounting on a projector platter. We were told that since the Pickwick Theater did not have an older reel-to-reel projector, we would be unable to use the prints. As this was the case, that's why we had to screen the movies via DVD and still paid Universal for the screening rights.

If Mr. Ginsburg's message above is correct, then it is likely that both archival prints are lost. Naturally, Universal still has digitalized versions of both films that were used to create the DVDs. But the loss of the two archival prints would be devastating. This will be further looked into.