Autumn of Terror: Who Was Jack the Ripper?

By @hmsbeefnuts

Last time I blogged about Jack the Ripper, we looked at his reign of terror, during the Autumn of 1888. Now his crimes were appalling, but the mystery of who he was still draws in people to this day. It’s time then to look into some of the likely, ridiculous and interesting suspects, that have been suggested over the years by various police officers, ripperologists, and so-called experts. Nothing excites those interested in Jack the Ripper like a new suspect and theory, so over the years, there have been many brought forward, and many rejected, so without further ado, lets name some suspects shall we?

Francis Tumblety

Tumblety was a homosexual quack doctor, who was said to have a deep hatred for women, and a collection of uteri, that he delighted in showing people. He was in Whitechapel at the time of the murders, although he was an American. He led a very interesting life, being arrested for his complicity with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, although he was released with no charge. I at one time spent a summer with a friend trying to write a TV show about Jack the Ripper, and Tumblety was our choice for the Ripper. He may not have been the murderer, but he was mentioned by police at the time, and he certainly is a fascinating character.

Sir William Gull

Part of the Masonic/Royal conspiracy theory that was popular for a time with certain people, and the killer in the Johnny Depp movie From Hell, Gull was the Doctor of Queen Victoria. There is not a lot of evidence that he was involved, but people love a conspiracy, and a conspiracy involving Royalty is even better.

H. H. Holmes

Another American, and a confirmed serial killer. In 1893 at the Chicago Worlds Fair, Holmes opened a hotel, one specifically designed to feed his lust for murdering women. It is claimed he may have killed more than 200 victims, although he only confessed to 27, and only 4 of those were confirmed. He is a Jack the Ripper suspect based on a hand writing experts opinion that letter Holmes wrote whilst in prison, are identical to those supposedly written by Jack the Ripper.

James Maybrick

More than a few years ago now, a diary was said to have been found that was supposedly written by Jack the Ripper himself. The diary was that of James Maybrick. I have read the published diary, and it is a good read, if you like that sort of thing, but it has been proven that the original diary is a forgery.

The Duke of Clarence

Supposedly driven mad by syphilis, mad enough to walk the streets of Whitechapel murdering prostitutes, Prince Albert Victor is the most important suspect ever named as the Ripper. Of course, it is certain that he didn’t do it, but he is also linked to the Royal Conspiracy theory with William Gull. Some people just want to blame the great and good, or not so good, depending on your point of view.

Others

Of course, there have been hundreds of suspects brought forward throughout the years. Even famous names, such as Lewis Carrol, artist Walter Sickett, and popular Victorian actor Richard Mansfield, who was thought a suspect because of his terrifying portrayal of Jekyll and Hyde, which was a popular stage show at the time. Also Dr Bernado, the famous benefactor of children’s homes was also thought to be a suspect, but there is no evidence to suggest that any of these men were responsible, and in some cases, it would have been impossible. It seems if you were a famous name who frequented London at the time of the Ripper killings, then you can become a suspect, well it will certainly sell books. Could the Ripper have been a woman? Jill the Ripper has been suggested over the years, from a crazed midwife, to a woman driven mad by the fact she could not have children, she took it out on the lowest orders of society.

Who really knows? Well we will never know for certain, unless some faultless evidence comes to light, but really, it is the mystery that keeps people interested in the Jack the Ripper case, no one really wants to know for sure, suggesting suspects is far too interesting.

Autumn of Terror: Jack the Ripper

By @hmsbeefnuts

So right at the beginning of the month, as we started this Autumn of Terror, I mentioned that I would like to write some sort of blog all about the events that were first termed the Autumn of Terror. Well, here it is. Better late than never. From the 31st August 1888 (perhaps before this date) and 9th November 1888 (perhaps even after this date) the London district of Whitechapel was stalked by the most famous serial killer of all time, Jack the Ripper. Now I have always found this type of thing fascinating, and the fact that to this day, no one knows who the murderer was, is even more intriguing. Now in this blog, I would like to just outline the basic information surrounding the case, and for next time, a run down of the weird assortment of suspects that have been suggested over the years. So without further ado, lets take a trip to Whitechapel circa Autumn 1888.

Jack the Ripper may have killed as many as 11 women during his reign of terror, but ripperologists usually only count 5 true victims, known as the canonical five. The murders grew in severity as time went on, with the last canonical victim being greatly disfigured and chopped up, not a very nice sight at all. Pictures were taken of the last victim Mary Kelly, but I will not post them here, a quick google search will give you all you need if you so wish. The murders started on Friday 31st August, when Mary Ann Nichols was murdered in Bucks Row Whitechapel. She had various ghastly injuries, including much trauma to her abdomen, and two cuts to her throat. The next victim, Annie Chapman, was found murdered on September 8th 1888, in the back yard of 29 Hanbury Street. Once again, her throat was heavily cut twice, her lower body was mutilated, and her uterus had been removed. Things were getting worse by the week in the extremely poor area of Whitechapel, and they were only going to get worse.

Sunday 30th September 1888, was a sad day for the people of Whitechapel. In what would later become known as the double event, two women were brutally murdered. Elizabeth Stride was found around 1 am, near Berner Street. Her throat had been cut, but no other mutilations had been caused. It is suggested that the murderer had been interrupted by a man and his horse drawn cart, and so he hadn’t had time to finish his ‘work’. He would soon strike again however. At 1.45 am, Catherine Eddowes body was found in Mitre Square, which fell within the district of the City of London Police, a different force from the other murders. The now usual throat and abdomen injuries were apparent, but also half of her kidney and uterus was missing from the body. Another very strange thing was said to have occurred on this night. In Ghoulston Street, not far from Mitre Square, a bloody piece of Eddowes apron was found, and on the wall near by, a chalked piece of graffiti was found. Seemingly blaming the murders on the Jewish community, although the graffiti might have been a weird coincidence, as there was no lack of anti-Semitism in London at the time. The graffiti was washed off the wall before being photographed as Sir Charles Warren, the Police Commissioner, feared anti-semitic riots. The graffiti is an interesting little aside to the murders, and experts argue over whether or not the Ripper actually chalked the message himself, or simply dropped his bloody apron near a piece of already written graffiti.

The last canonical murder victim was Mary Jane Kelly, on Friday 9th November 1888. Kelly was found in her living quarters, at 13 Miller’s Court, lying on her bed, with ghastly mutilations. Her throat was cut so deeply, her head was almost severed. Her body was eviserated, emptied of organs, and her heart was missing, and her face was hacked away. The canonical victims came to an end with Mary Kelly, which was also the most savage murder of the series.

The press had a field day with the Whitechapel Murders. They ran with the story and stirred up the populace of London. Letters were sent from the Ripper to the press, and other high ranking members of the community. There are some famous letters that are supposedly from the murderer himself. The ‘From Hell’, ‘Dear Boss’ and ‘Saucy Jack’ letters/postard are the most famous. There is great debate whether or not they are actualy from the murderer, or were in fact written by members of the press, or public who sought to further inflame the story. The Dear Boss Letter is below.

Dear Boss,

I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope ha ha The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn’t you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife’s so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck. Yours truly Jack the Ripper

Dont mind me giving the trade name

PS Wasnt good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say I’m a doctor now. ha ha.

The ‘From Hell’ Letter is below…

From hell

Mr Lusk Sor I send you half the Kidne I took from one women prasarved it for you tother piece I fried and ate it was very nise. I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wate a whil longer.

signed Catch me when you Can Mishter Lusk

Thats it for this blog. Next time, I will look at some of the suspects that have been suggested over the years.

Autumn of Terror: Scary Reads

By Geeky Gem

As Autumn of Terror nears its end, I have decided to look at some books that I have read that are classed as horror books. The ones on this list are just a few of the ones I have read and I have read loads of books not just horror but a whole heap more.

The Shining by Stephen King

This was one of the first King books I ever read and I loved it. My mum got it for me one Christmas and the thought of a family moving to hotel for work seemed a bit a dull. However my mum said it was a good book and so I cracked open the cover and boy she was not wrong. It’s a fantastic book and has lots of different twist’s in it I couldn’t put it down and have passed it on for other to enjoy.

I am Legend  by Richard Matheson

As with many books I read, I some times only get to them as Hollywood announce a big screen adaptation. I do however always tend to finish the book before I see the movie. So I only got to this as the version starring Will Smith went into production. I enjoyed the book a lot more than the movie. These vampires are nasty, and they do every thing they can to make life harder (as being the last man alive wasnt had enough) for Robert Neville.

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Now this book has been made into two very different movies and both movies are good but if you enjoy reading then you have to give this one a go. It’s really good and what seems like a simple story is actually very dark. At the heart of the story it’s about a boy meeting a girl and wanting to spend all his time with her but it’s so much darker than that as the girl will do anything to keep him safe, but what is she?

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

I only read this book earlier in the year and I loved it. It’s brillaintly gothic and fantastic in every way, I couldn’t put it down and have since passed it on to some one else to read. There was just something about it that wouldn’t let me put it down, the movie adaptation is also very good. The other thing I liked about this book is it’s a small book which made reading it very quick . The setting is prefect and the story is fantastic.

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

If you have ever read Empire magazine then you know who Kim Newman is, if you know this you are cool. If you don’t that ok, Kim Newman is a movie citric that has a thing for horror, so he thought he would write a book and what a book it was. If you like Kim Newman then you have to read this and you have to follow him on twitter as he is really funny. I don’t want to mention too much as you really have to read.

Well there we have it a short trip thought some fantastic horror books that I have read and enjoyed very much. Happy reading.

Autumn Of Terror: Classic Horror Novels

By @hmsbeefnuts

Autumn of Terror keeps on trucking like that big truck from Duel,down the highway of October. Only stopping once a day to deposit a blog and then ever onwards to November. Todays blog takes us back before there was electronic entertainment, before movies, before video games, when people had to read books in order to be transported to different worlds, that, or visit the local Opium Den. Anyway, this intro has become mired in awkward metaphor and strange references. Today, I hope you will enjoy my list of Classic Horror novels that have thrilled and inspired readers for hundreds of years, so lets get our book on shall we?

Dracula by Bram Stoker

I guess this would be the big one, the one most people will know, but it was not the first, and for my money, not the best on this list. Dracula is however, a fantastic read. I have read this book a few times and it always draws me in. If you have never read it, but have seen the numerous movies etc. I would definitely recommend reading the original, as it might be quite different to what you are expecting. Written as a series of journal entries and letters, from different perspectives, the story of the Transylvanian Vampire, who seeks a new home in Britain, and runs afoul of his greatest nemesis Professor Van Helsing, is a stone cold classic gothic horror novel. Sexy, scary, exciting, this book runs at a breakneck pace, particularly at the end. I highly recommend this book if you haven’t read it, and why not read it again, if you already have, it’s almost Halloween after all.

Frankenstein; Or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

Written during a ghost story contest whilst on holiday with her husband and Lord Byron, Mary Shelley clearly beat both men hands down when it came to hugely successful gothic horror behemoths. The tale of a scientist who wants to create life in his own unique style, Frankenstein is a classic of the horror genre. I will be honest and say that I didn’t initially like this book on the first read, but I gave it another chance, and it clicked for me. I think what I found off-putting at first was it was quite a bit different to what I had imagined it would be from all the films based on the book, I had watched. In the novel, Adam, or the monster, is not a shuffling moaning monster, as in the Universal films, but a scheming and intelligent threat to his creator. The novel may be seen as quite tame now, but must have been very controversial at the time. There are few novels more gothic-y than Frankenstein, and as such, it should be enjoyed on a cold, dark autumn night, whilst the wind blows and the rain pours, next to a roaring fire, in a grand drawing-room.

(The) Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

This was the first novel on this list that I read, when I was around 9 I think. It scared me, especially the cover of my copy which I could not find, but the painting of a simian looking man, in top hat and cane spotlighted in moonlight. The book itself is the tale of a good scientist who wants to release mans potential, but ends up unleashing mans animalistic murderous side. I suppose the scariest aspect of this novel is the suggestion that everyone has the potential to unleash the scary brutish nature that normally we keep to ourselves, just look at Dr Bruce Banner.

The Hound of The Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

My personal favourite book on this list, The Hound of the Baskervilles has been read and re-read by me countless times. There is just something about this story that I can’t get enough of. The story concerns the recent death of a Devonshire Lord, seemingly at the hands of a spectral hound, when the new Lord of the manor arrives to take up residence in Baskerville Hall, Sherlock Holmes is called in to offer advice and protection from the hell hound, or other evil forces. I do love detective fiction, and Holmes is the top guy in the field. When Conan Doyle added his love of the paranormal to his most beloved character, it was quite simply dynamite. Nothing would be scarier than being on a moor in the middle of the night and hearing that long mournful howl.

The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes

This book was influenced by the Jack the Ripper murders and concerns a similar serial killer dubbed The Avenger. A strange man moves into a lodging house, who’s owners are down on their luck. He pays his way and suddenly their fortunes turn around, but he keeps odd hours, and acts very strangely. Meanwhile, a series of ghastly murders takes place, who could be responsible for said crimes? Well, obvious really isn’t it? But that does not detract from the greatness of this novel, which is gripping to the last. As I am fascinated by the whole Jack the Ripper mystery, I loved this novel, but I think even if you knew nothing about the Ripper murders, this book is still well worth checking out.

Autumn of Terror: My Favourite Monsters Part 2

By @hmsbeefnuts

Yesterday I brought you part one of a two part blog about my favourite versions of all the classic monsters. Well guess what? Here is part two, so you know the deal, here comes some more monsters that I love, and some more honourable mentions that I love almost, but not quite, as much. Part One can be found here. Part Two starts…. Now.

ZOMBIES

Zombies really don’t have that much in the name of variety. You have your standard undead, raised by magic, meteorites or simply if Hell is full with souls, and your voodoo type slave zombies. I happen to like the undead type, and what better, more horrible zombies than the Nazi variety. Call of Duty is a great game and the zombie mode is always fun. The scary thing about zombies is that on there own, they can be quite manageable, it is only when there are a crowd that things become a problem. When that crowd comes running screaming towards you, dressed like nazis, shit has really hit the fan, all one can hope is the magic box grants you a ray gun…

HONOURABLE MENTION

Little girl rage zombies, well that is just scary as shit right?

WITCHES

Responsible for more children’s nightmares than any other monster on this list, The Wicked Witch of the West is the perfect embodiment of evilness. Green skin, perfect witchy outfit, broom stick, hatred of children and general goodness, and if that’s not enough, she has flying blue monkey soldiers, and it doesnt get more evil than that.

HONOURABLE MENTION

The head witch is very scary. That moment when she takes her face off, absolutely terrifying, and she looks grotesque. Imagine waking up to that? No thanks.

MUMMIES

I like my Mummies wrapped in bandages and the Hammer mummy looks creepiest to me. Boris Karloff may be one of my favourite horror actors, but then so is Christopher Lee, and his eyes are way creepier than the Universal Mummy.

HONOURABLE MENTION

If Karloff had stayed in the bandages all the way through the film, he would have been my ultimate choice, however, he doesn’t and is quickly portrayed as a Dracula type figure. Love that black and white picture though.

MR. HYDE

I have always loved this look for Mr. Hyde. Very simian looking, very primal, and a brilliant transformation scene. It has to be this version of Hyde, it is the greatest.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Forget the film, the comic version of this Mr  Hyde is king. The way he deals with the invisable man alone proves this.

HUNCHBACK

Lon Chaney Snr. old school make up job, say no more.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Bela Lugosi played an evil hunchback assisstant in Son of Frankenstein, almost the best.

Autumn of Terror: My Favourite Monsters Part 1

By @hmsbeefnuts

You may have noticed that around All Geek To Me, we like our monsters, we like them quite a bit in fact. As this month is our celebration of all things that go bump in the night, I thought that I couldn’t really let it pass without a look at my favourite monsters, so I wrote something about that very thing. I have picked my favourite iteration of each of these monsters, and as they have been put on screen many times, I hope this adds variety, as I could just choose the Universal or Hammer film versions, but I will try my very best not too. These choices are based on the look alone, film quality does not enter into my choices here, just this is my prefered version of the different monsters mentioned. So with that out the way, lets get on with some monsters.

WEREWOLF

I know the remake of The Wolf Man was not well received, but I liked it, I liked it a whole lot. Now yes, there is some dodgy cgi, but the main Wolf Man suit is quite simply spectacular. I loved it. It takes the look of the Lon Chaney Jnr. version and ups it to new super fearsome and crazy levels. This for me, is the finest example of The Wolf Man, all claws, jaws and ripped clothing. I will always have a soft spot for the 1941 original, but I don’t think you can argue that this design is far more awesome.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Van Helsing is another movie that everyone thought sucked. Well for all the cheese and bad acting, I still liked it. The Wolfman from Van Helsing is supersized, really huge and powerful, but once again, I really dug the design, I would definitely not like to meet this beast on a dark night.

VAMPIRES

For me Bela Lugosi owned the voice, but Christopher Lee owned the physical manifestation of Dracula, and so, as the Lord of all Vampires, he has to be my top pick for best Vampire. Hammer vampires were much scarier than Universal ones, all blood shot eyes and dripping fangs. Christopher Lee was just such a badass as Dracula, the embodiment of evil, however, Hammer did also show a talent for other types of vampires too, as we shall see below…

HONOURABLE MENTION

Hammer ruled the roost in terms of Horror sexiness, and thus any female vampire, bride or victim of Dracula, instantly becomes very appealing, especially Ingrid Pitt. I know it’s shallow and a bit sexist, but fuck it, vampire chicks are hot, and lesbian Hammer vampires are the hottest.

THE MONSTER

The Monster, not Frankenstein, has never been bettered since 1931 and Boris Karloff’s portrayal. The make up is stunning, the acting is amazing, the Universal Monster is the greatest that has ever been, and ever will be. Can’t really say any more than that.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Yes it’s Van Helsing again, but I thought this design of the Monster was unique, I liked the steam punk legs and the glowing brain. He may be a bit theatrical, but then wouldn’t you be if you had been cobbled together from a few dozen other guys?

GHOSTS

Ghost? Demon? Well it’s responsible for Paranormal Activity anyway, so I think it counts. I absolutely loved Paranormal Activity 3, and especially the bit from the picture above. I love how usually the invisible force is scary enough, but I couldn’t resist this sight gag, amazing. Paranormal Activity is so scary because it happens in normal houses to normal people. Those are my favourite kinds of spooky stories, the other being the classic Victorian ghost story.

HONOURABLE MENTION

The Woman in Black was a great return to form for the bleak and depressing Victorian Ghost Story, and is a great example of such a ghost. Vengeful, scary, and a bit of a dick.

SWAMP CREATURE

Universal’s Creature From The Black Lagoon, or Gill Man, if you prefer, is the classic beastie from the depths. It’s a great look for a sea monster, webbed feet and claws, and slimy skin. Enough to make you think twice about swimming in that lake or river.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Maybe not a typical Gill Man, however, the Fluke Man is disgustingly scary. One of the most memorable monsters from the X – Files, Fluke Man was horrendous. Just look at him. That shit is fucked up.

Autumn of Terror: How I Failed To Make A Documentary About Ghosts And Legends

By @hmsbeefnuts

You may know from recent blogs that I’m quite fond of documentaries, well one summer, about 5 years ago, or maybe more now, the exact date is lost in memory, a few close friends and I decided to film our own documentary. We are all from Barry, a large town near Welsh Capital Cardiff, in South Wales, an area that seemed to be rich in folklore, ghosts, legends, and even a few cryptids here and there. Now we had never filmed more than a few Jackass style stunts before, we were inexperienced, totally unprepared, but were enthusiastic and ready to bullshit our way around The Vale of Glamorgan, in search of myths, monsters and spooky stories. The team was set up like this, me, my Brother Ollie (camera man), our friend Matty (presenter) and another friend Clare (team complainer ‘It’s cold. It’s rainy. I’m hungry!!’. Sorry Clare, we still love you!). My role was basically handling director duties and trying to get everyone’s arse into gear.

Why would anyone attempt this type of thing for no money, in ones spare time? Well it was Summer, at the time none of us had full time jobs, we were young and bored, and it sounded like a good idea at the time. I still think it sounds like a good idea, and it was definitely fun, if I ever had a chance again, I would totally try and do something again, but life gets in the way. Anyway. I’m getting ahead of myself, things are better started at the beginning, and so, we shall start there…

A rushed ‘production meeting’ allowed us to talk about what things we wanted to cover in this exciting (for us at least) project. The local area turned out to be quite the hotbed of mysterious goings on, from winged snakes, hitch-hiking ghosts, white ladies, black dogs and big cats. We had a lot of ground to cover if we wanted to see it all. Instead, we decided to concentrate on a few of the more likely and believable stories. So winged snakes were out, they hadn’t been seen for 200 years or so, and were most likely the invention of a drunken mind. Ghosts were decided on as being the most interesting and probably the most likely too, and so, our documentary crew went off to their computers and tried to look up any information they could about ghosts in our local area.

A local pub called The Captains Wife, (after the spirit of the wife of a Sea Captain who never returned home from a voyage, the wife so distraught that she hurled herself into the sea, to join her beloved), was thought to be our first port of call, and so, with no script, very little research and a whole lot of youthful endeavor, we loaded up my car and drove to the pub. As we were very early, there were few customers, and so we quickly found the manager, and camera in hand, asked permission to film and interview a few of the staff about their experiences of a ghostly nature. We came up with a genius excuse for doing all of this. Clearly we thought that just saying we were a bit bored and fancied filming something fun for a few weeks wasn’t going to cut the mustard. Instead we invented a whole back story for our group, we had met at university, where we were all doing film studies, and that we had chosen this documentary as our final project. Clever right? Well whether they believed us or not, and they must have thought we were very disorganised film students if they did, they allowed us to film and interview the staff. We were actually doing it.

We interviewed 4 members of staff, who each had tales of ghostly happenings that they had experienced, from chairs that moved on their own, to turning around in an empty bar and coming face to face with the Captain’s Wife herself. Spooky indeed. We filmed the interviews in front of the impressive fire-place, it all looked brilliant and atmospheric, our cover story was holding up, and our first location shoot was a massive success… until we got home to edit the footage. Of course our camera wasn’t a HD expensive piece of kit, so the image wasn’t excellent, but it was passable, in any case, we had already clocked that our film wasn’t going to look as a Louis Theroux or Michael Moore, the problem was the sound. Umm, we had forgotten that microphones are a good idea, and tend to pick up sounds that people say. So excited were we to start our amazing new project, we had forgotten the one of the two most important things about a film. A whole day wasted, and worse, we now had to invest in some sort of microphone if we were going to continue. Also, could we go back to The Captain’s Wife and reinterview everyone? It would be embarrassing, and to be honest, although the stories were very good, we decided the shame of  admitting we were inept was too great. It was a dark day for our nameless production, one we never really recovered from.

We decided we would try one more trip, this time to a local country park, reputedly haunted by a White Lady, a legend that has a few stories based around it, but one that people saw every few years. The usual story went as follows; a group of teenagers go camping in the Park, near the large viaduct. During the night, they are awoken by wailing and a ghostly white figure of a woman is seen approaching the tents. The kids leave sharpish, and never camp there again. We had our interest piqued by a girl I used to work with who swore this had happened to her, the investigation was on… But there was another place we wanted to try too. Somewhere that didn’t really have a haunted reputation, but looked spooky as hell. An old abandoned mill on the outskirts of Barry, now in ruins, looked like a perfect place for ghostly goings on. We decided to investigate both. We found nothing, unless you believe that orbs are the spirits of the dead, and not like dust or insects. We spent half a night down Porthkerry Country Park, and an afternoon at the mill. Nothing happened, we went home cold and tired, and a little disappointed, but we were not bored.

Our project had ended pretty much as soon as it had started. We were unprepared and disorganised, we didn’t think it through properly and we had no chance of doing anything of any worth. However, for a few weeks during a long, boring summer, we were entertained and we did some cool research. I would love to do something like that again, giving it a much better go, if I won the lottery, I would be all over it again. Documentaries are hard work, and although ours was a blatantly pathetic attempt it did show us a little of what it takes to make one, and if nothing else, we got to hear some really awesome spooky stories, and wasn’t that worthwhile enough?

 

Autumn of Terror: Top 5 Universal Horror Films

By @hmsbeefnuts

Hammer Films are fantastic, if you don’t believe me, check out these five awesome examples of British Gothic amazingness, however… There is only one Daddy in the Horror business, especially when it comes to Monsters. For fans of Horror, Monsters can mean only one name, Universal. Since 1931, Universal Pictures has been the home of Monsters, solidifying the look, and sound, of some characters firmly in the minds of the audience, and creating a few characters themselves. With Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man, the holy trinity of horror, Universal has always been the place where Horror was taken seriously, mostly, and they delivered many quality films. When you add smaller characters, such as The Mummy, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Phantom of the Opera and The Invisible Man, Universal has a feast of high quality black and white horror classics that can not be matched by any studio. Recently released on Blu-ray, The Universal Monsters Collection is a must buy for fans of the genre. These films have never looked so beautiful and although they are no longer scary, the atmosphere can be cut with a knife. Clearly I love these films, and so, I have decided to give you guys a Top 5, so sit back, relax and remember, ‘Even a man who is pure of heart and says his prayers by night; may become a wolf, when the wolfsbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright’.

THE WOLF MAN

The Wolf Man is one of my favourite films of all time. I love it like few others, and for my money, it is the finest Universal Horror Film ever made (JAWS doesn’t count). Lon Chaney Jnr. plays Larry Talbot, with wonderful makeup effects by the peerless Jack Pierce. This film is kind of a Greek tragedy, once Larry is bitten, he is doomed to hurt those he loves, after all, a werewolf instinctively kills those that he loves. Bela Lugosi is great in a small role as a gypsy, Evelyn Ankers is adorable as Larry’s doomed love interest, and Claude Rains is brilliant as Sir John Talbot. However, it is Lon Chaney Jnr who steals the show, as Larry Talbot, he really makes you care about the fate of this doomed everyman. The effects are spectacular for the time, the film is set in Wales (yay) and is endlessly watchable. This film is just brilliant, and should be checked out immediately. I liked the recent remake quite a bit too, even though the CGI werewolf was a bit ropey, but for me, you can’t beat the original.

DRACULA

Universals first horror talkie, Dracula was a revelation and a bit of a scandal at the time. The movie was huge for Universal, and kicked off the whole horror stable. What can be said about Dracula? Well ask any child to do a Dracula impression, and I’m willing to bet that in almost 100 % of times, you get a Bela Lugosi impersonation back. Lugosi isn’t my favourite Dracula, but he set the blue print for all future iterations. The hair, the face, and the voice, all perfect for the Count, and it is no surprise that he is still the gold standard. There are so many good things about this film, the script is great, there are some amazing lines sprouted by Dracula, my favourite being his first encounter with Van Helsing; ‘For one who has not yet lived a single lifetime, you are a wise man, Van Helsing’. The atmosphere is thick and although some say the Spanish Version is a superior film, Lugosi cements this as the better version, at least for me.

CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

This film came out a few years later than the classic Horror films of the 1930’s and 40’s, but is no less a film for it. Once more, our monster protagonist is stunningly realised for what is ostensibly a rubber suit. An american research crew are travelling up the Amazon, when they come into the territory of the creature, the titular Black Lagoon. Disturbing Gill Man’s habitat and normal everyday life with beautiful bikini clad scientists. Whats a creature to do? He falls for the hot scientist and then the trouble starts. The underwater scenes are beautiful and terrifying. We all fear what lies below the surface of the water, was that a hand, or a weed that brushed our leg? Spielberg has said that this film was an inspiration to him whilst filming JAWS, and there really can’t be higher praise than that can there.

BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

Considered the best of all the Universal Horror films by many, Bride of Frankenstein is a bona fide classic. Directed by James Whale, who infused the horror with a very black sense of humour, the film is a delight to sit and watch. We get to see Boris Karloff’s Monster grow a little here, talking, and demanding a mate. The bride herself was another visual treat, with the lightning strike hair do and bird like head movements. If you only watch one Universal Horror film, critics say it should be this one, they are wrong, The Wolf Man is a better film, in my view, but this is an amazing piece of cinema. The Frankenstein franchise was Universals cash cow, and this is the finest entry in that franchise, but I would suggest watching the original as well, as it is almost as classic, if it does not quite reach the greatness of it’s sequel. Ghost of Frankenstein is also very good, and it is worth watching all of the Frankenstein saga, as it is worth watching most of the Universal Horror films, as they are always entertaining. Karloff is amazing as the Monster, adding pathos to a role that could easily be a mindless brute. He truly was the King of Universal Horror.

FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN

This is the sequel to The Wolf Man, and sees the titular monsters having a bit of a ruck in a ruined castle. This is my favourite of the monster mash up films, as the focus is once again back on my favourite monster, Larry Talbot. Larry is disturbed in his tomb by some luckless grave robbers and disappointed to find he is still alive, he decides to try and find a cure for his affliction with some notorious scientists on the continent. Of course he runs into Frankenstein’s monster, and a monster wrestling match takes place. Lugosi plays the Monster, with Lon Chaney Jnr. reprising his role as The Wolf Man and Maria Ouspenskyaya returning as the gypsy woman Maleva. One of the better sequels to the Universal brilliant originals, this is really worth a look, especially if you loved The Wolf Man.

Autumn of Terror: Top 5 Hammer Horror Films

By @hmsbeefnuts

If you like your Horror films with a massive spoonful of gothic, a healthy dose of sexiness and some of the finest British character actors ever produced, then you surely are in love with Hammer Horror films. I have loved these films for ever, they are responsible for my love of evil women in corsets, and they are fantastic examples of good old fashioned gothic horror. I have a large collection of these films on DVD, but my fondest memories of these films must be when I first caught them on the TV. I was at the right age, hormones raging, cleavage unbearably exciting, and the thought of a film called The Vampire Lovers was all a bit too much. Needless to say I tried to watch as much Hammer as possible, and although the chance of bear female flesh was initially the draw, I soon realised that the films were great too. So here, are my top 5 Hammer Horror films, I hope you enjoy…

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

This just happens to be one of my favourite films of all time. I love The Hound of The Baskervilles, and this version is my very favourite. Perhaps not a typical Hammer Horror, it definitely deserves it’s place on this list. Peter Cushing is the great detective, with Christopher Lee reduced to the smaller role of Sir Henry Baskerville. What we have here is a bit of a change of pace from our usual Hammer fare, there isn’t much sexiness going on here, but this film is all about atmosphere. Baskerville Manor is suitably dreary and gothic, and the moor is desolate and foreboding, and the howl of the Hound is heart stopping. I love the beginning, showing how the Curse of the Baskervilles came to be, and Hammer manage to add some occult overtones to the story. All in all, this is a sure fire hit for me, and I am bound to be slipping it in to my DVD player in the run up to Halloween.

CAPTAIN KRONOS VAMPIRE HUNTER

Not a success when first released, I had a few problems tracking this one down, but I have to say, this film is rather fantastic, and a whole lot of fun. Captain Kronos is a Vampire Hunter (obviously) but not really in line with Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing. He is more of a proto Hugh Jackman Van Helsing. In this film, Vampires suck the life out of victims, literally turning them into old haggard husks, when once they were beautiful women. As a former soldier, and ‘expert swordsman’ Kronos and his hunchback assistant travel the country dispatching vampires in a far more swashbuckling type manner than Professor Van Helsing, and this puts a unique spin on vampire hunting in the Hammer canon. Perhaps not for everyone, there are a distinct lack of Hammer Stars in this, however, the film, planned as the first of a franchise, deserves to be seen and appreciated. Highly recommended.

THE HORROR OF DRACULA

Hammer’s take on Bram Stoker’s original story, The Horror of Dracula is the daddy of Hammer Dracula films. We have Christopher Lee as the Count, perhaps the greatest person to ever play him, and his arch nemesis, Van Helsing, played by Peter ‘the man’ Cushing. This doesn’t quite match the original story, as Hammer took some liberties with the plot, but as a film, this is just fantastic. Seeing Cushing and Lee face off against each other is worth the price of the DVD alone, there simply aren’t many more Hammery Hammer Horror Films one can see.

COUNTESS DRACULA

OK I’ll admit it, this choice is based on Ingrid Pitt alone. She is one of the most devastatingly beautiful and downright sexy women ever to drain the blood from sexy virgin girls and bathe in it. The fact that I have also had a long fascination with Elisabeth Bathory, The Bloody Countess, which true story this film is based on, also helps a bit, but by all that is holy and innocent, Ingrid Pitt looks like a Goddess and could be forgiven for any crime, even the murder of a few hundred maids, as long as she looked that good. I feel at this point I must apologise, as this isn’t really a review as such, and I’m not really giving many reason why anyone should watch this film beyond ‘Ingrid Pitt is banging’. Well… does it help that Hercules himself, from Jason and the Argonauts, is in it? Or there is copious amounts of nudity? No? Well unlucky, Ingrid Pitt is hot as hell, and she is naked a lot in this film, and the story is fascinating, so, all in all, this movie is full of win.

CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF

The only werewolf film Hammer made, and quite a good entry in the genre. Werewolves are my favourite monster, and Universals The Wolf Man is one of my favourite movies of all time. Whilst Hammer’s take on the werewolf doesn’t quite reach the heady heights climbed by Lon Chaney Jnr, Oliver Reed gives a tragic performance as the man wolf. Hammer’s version of the monster is a mix between the Lon Chaney Wolf Man, and the earlier Universal film Werewolf of London, another film worth checking out Horror fans. There is quite a bit of werewolf myth going on here, particularly in the way werewolfism is passed on, or created. Set in Spain, this film is very atmospheric, and a perfect cap to any Hammer Horror Marathon.

Autumn of Terror: There’s Something in The Woods…

By @hmsbeefnuts

Here at All Geek To Me, we love our horror, almost as much as we love Superheroes, and Batman, but not quite. However, in line with our previous month long special events, Avenging April and Summer Knights, we have decided that October, the spookiest month of the year, shall be dubbed The Autumn of Terror here at AGTM.

Why Autumn of Terror? Well it’s a reference to the late Summer and Autumn of 1888, which in London became known as The Autumn of Terror due to Jack the Ripper. I personally find the mystery of who Jack the Ripper was fascinating, and as it was now 124 years ago, we felt that using the name Autumn of Terror was perfectly fine. There will (hopefully) be an article all about Jack the Ripper up-coming, as soon as I write it, as well as a month full of horror movies, books, monsters, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. It is only 30 days now until All Hallows Eve, when the restless spirits of the dead search the Earth for… ummm, pumpkins, or something I guess? They are definitely after something, so let’s get prepared as we dip into our first serving of the Autumn of Terror, I hope you enjoy this month…

I thought I would kick off AOT with a look at ‘real’ life monsters, things that go bump in the night, and the creatures that are said to inhabit the darkest and most remote places on Earth. Cryptozoology is the study of hidden animals, and there are genuine people who search for these creatures, known as cryptozoologists. Now I know that it is very unlikely that any of these creatures exist, yet people have seen them for hundreds of years, and in some cases, hundreds of times in one year. Who is to say that these creatures can not be real? People are seeing something, and the next time you find yourself in the woods, or on a lake, it may be worth being a little bit more cautious. You wouldn’t want to end up as a Sasquatch’s lunch…

LAKE MONSTERS

Nessie, or the Loch Ness Monster is the daddy of the lake monster class of monsters. First seen in the 6th Century AD by St. Columba, the monster didn’t really hit it’s stride until the 1930’s When a new road opened the Loch up to passing motorists. Every year tourists flock to the Loch in search of the monster, and there are sightings every year. Numerous searches have proved fruitless, but there are said to be caves under the Loch that link it to the sea, so maybe Nessie goes back and forth? Whatever the truth, I don’t think I’d like to swim across the Loch, and not just because it friggin’ massive either.

Lake Champlain also has a monster, this one dubbed Champie. First seen in 1883, there have been over 300 reported sightings of this Plesiosaur like animal, with no reported injuries to humans, but the important part of that phrase is ‘reported’.

BIG HAIRY MONSTERS

My personal favourite cryptid is Bigfoot. The picture above is taken from the Patterson/Gimlin film from 1966 the most famous piece of footage for any cryptid. Bigfoot, or Sasquatch has been seen for hundreds of years and is the best shout on this list for actually being real, along with his cousin the Yeti. Reports have stated that Bigfoots have kidnapped people, attacked people and are generally not a good a creature one should piss off. Around 8ft tall and hugely muscled, strong and fast, the Bigfoot isn’t a monster to be messed with.

The Yeti is a Bigfoot type creature found in the snows of Tibet as well as the temperate valleys. Also known as the Abominable Snowman, foot prints have been found in the snows since the 1920’s, but perhaps the best evidence comes from below the snow level, where the Yeti are said to spend most of their time in the forests and jungles. Makes sense really, I bet it damn cold up there, even if you have those big furry coats.

OTHER MONSTERS OF NOTE

In Britain we have our fair share of cryptids. There are said to be Bigfoot creatures seen on Scottish mountains, lake monsters and sea serpents aplenty, but perhaps the most common cryptid is the ABC (Alien Big Cat). Now it is quite reasonable to suggest that a population of big cats, perhaps puma or even panther do survive and prosper throughout the UK. Certainly many farmers have seen the damage that these beasts have done to their livestock. The Beast of Bodmin Moor, The Surrey Puma, and even the Essex Lion have all made headlines in recent years. Think twice before taking a walk alone in the countryside…

Many hundreds of people have also reportedly seen werewolves, yes, werewolves. Now this stretches credibility a bit far, but many rational people around America have seen a large wolf-like creature that walks on two legs. I should know, I read a book on it. Theories range from an adapted form of wolf, to a spirit animal, and everything in between, however, one man was reportedly attacked by one, so you know, maybe it was a bear or something, but maybe, just maybe it was a werewolf?

Mokele Mbembee is a surviving dinosaur said to live in the Congo jungles. A creature feared by locals, it is said to upturn boats, drowning those inside. Usually described as a long necked type dinosaur, like an Apatosaurus, which was a herbivore, perhaps the Mokele Mbembee has adapted to feast on the flesh of drowning locals?

The Jersey Devil is said to haunt the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, and woe betide any traveler who meets this horrific creature on their journey.

The Thunderbird is from Native American legend, and is a beast who is said to bring thunder and storms. Even though this creature is firmly set in myth, people do report seeing gigantic birds in the skies of remote parts of America, and there have also been reports of such birds attacking people.

People also from time to time report seeing much larger versions of regular animals. One such example are wolves. From time to time people are reporting seeing wolves of gigantic size, wolves that bear a striking resemblance to Dire Wolves, a now extinct, (or is it?) species of wolf that hunted the American forests thousands of years ago. The Dire Wolf is strong, quick and fierce and is much bigger than any known wolf today, not the kind of creature you want to meet on your way to Grandmothers house…