Good Terror

Having wasted several hours there, I must give a strong recommendation to TerrorTrap.com, "a comprehensive horror website specializing in horror 1925-1987." Though I searched in vain for an entry on Vampyros Lesbos (the works of Jesus Franco could stand to get some more representation), "Hunter" and "Jason" make a pretty fair claim to comprehensiveness, and their appreciations are written with a true fan's loving attention to detail. The review of Silent Night, Deadly Night singles out the only scene I remember from that film: "A hilarious montage includes a sequence of Billy turning down some liquor because he's drinking milk… " (Little did I know that the SNDN series went on to generate four sequels, "culminating with legendary Mickey Rooney as a mad toy maker in the fifth installment.") If you too thought you were the only person who had ever seen Alice, Sweet Alice—a wonderful mid-70s Paterson NJ period picture, Catholic horror travesty and pre-adolescent Brooke Shields vehicle—be of good cheer: Hunter and Jason saw it and loved it. Even more gratifying is an analysis of the Monstrous Old Broads genre that began with Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and continued through the early 70s. If you are a fan of Italian giallo pictures (I'm indifferent), you'll find special attractions here. In any event, it's good to see our culture's less celebrated orifices are still attracting dedicated spelunkers.

Comments

[matt]

I'm not a big horror fan, but the first time I saw 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?', listening to music on headphones with the TV ound off, just the sight of Bette Davis mortified me. Great performance. I don't know that I've seen any other "horrible old broads" films, but WHTBJ? is one of my favorites, so maybe I should.

[Andrew Lynch]

Mr. Cavanaugh, this is the most delightful Hit & Run post ever! I was going to hang out here on Reason and poke around, but I'm off to wallow in the horrifying cinema of my youth. They just don't make horror movies like they used to: cheap, revolting, and hilariously rude.

Thanks!

[Franklin Harris]

I don't know how you can claim to have a proper horror-movie site and not have references to Franco. They better at least have entries for Jean Rollin's lesbian vampire films.

[tim]

"Mr. Cavanaugh, this is the most delightful Hit & Run post ever!"

Aw shucks. Glad to be of service.

[tim]

"I don't know how you can claim to have a proper horror-movie site and not have references to Franco."

They do have some references to a few of his aliases, but he has almost as many aliases as he has movies, so it's hard for me to tell.