A toast to Marilyn Burns

May 7, 1949 - August 5, 2014

Marilyn Burns played Sally Hardesty in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Perhaps the number one Scream Queen of all-time. 

Seeing the film at the drive-in twice, first in the Summer of 1975 

and then again in the Summer of 1981 was quite an experience.

Her memorable, intense, emotionally exhausting performance 

is one of the greatest in horror film history.

And everything I've ever read about her, says she was sweet and kind to her fans.

She will not be forgotten.

This post was written by Conrad Widener
and is the last ghost toast of Spectember.

Stay tuned for a big announcement soon!

A toast to my favorite Host

Cassandra Peterson AKA Elvira,

in celebration of her birthday!

And one to her pal Richard Kiel AKA Eegah!

Who sadly left this realm on the 10th,

just three days before his birthday.

I also want to toast my favorite Ghost Hunter,

Sharon Day of Ghost Hunting Theories,

whose birthday is also today!

Her and Elvira have another thing in common.

They both have one tattoo, on their shoulder.

Sharon has a lovely leaf, as you can see,

which represents Autumn.

And Elvira has the tat she sported in her first film,

which she got on the A&E show Epic Ink tonight!

Now I'll end this with a fitting song for Spectember!

Monster Monday: The Sleeping Room

This is a Gothic, psychological tale of Victorian revenge.

About a young call girl named Blue, drawn to Brighton - 

compelled to find out the truth behind her family history.

Discovering a hidden chamber within a Regency house whilst with a client,

a terrifying supernatural force is unleashed, infiltrating her psyche.

This monster from her families past seems hell-bent on claiming her future.

And nobody will escape its power unless a score for a heinous felony is settled.

The film is due out on DVD and VOD in the UK and the US in early 2015,

but the production company is raising funds for print and advertising now.

You can donate to their campaign, which ends in just three days, here!

A toast to Madeleine Collinson

July 22, 1952 - August 14, 2014

All the movie going years of my pre-teen and teen years were a lot of fun,

but 1964 and 1972 were extra special.

In the Summer of 1964, I saw my first Godzilla film on the big screen,

and my love of Hammer horror deepened with a re-release double bill of Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula, and new Hammer like The Evil of Frankenstein,

Curse of the Mummy's Tomb and The Gorgon.

It was also the final Summer before I started school and experienced real horror,

like the first day of kindergarten. The Summer of 1972 was special,

because it was my last Summer before starting 7th grade and high school.

The high school years were still carefree, 

but as they progressed they became more complicated.

It was the Summer I was introduced on the big screen to the Spanish Wolf Man, 

Paul Naschy, and more Hammer horror, and the Collinson twins, Mary and Madeleine,

in the outstanding Twins of Evil.

Twins of Evil was also the first film I saw that had nudity in it.

Even without the nude scenes, Madeleine Collinson's performance (Mary is equally great) 

was seared into my memory forever, and for my two cents,

she is one of the best cinematic female vampires of all time.

I kept waiting to see her in another horror film, but it wasn't to be,

and Twins of Evil, was, in fact, her final film.

I never met her and didn't know her personally,

but Madeleine Collinson lingered in my memory long after that night at the drive-in.

She was part of the carefree times and wistful innocence.

The elusive silver screen goddess I loved from afar.

May her journey and stay in the great beyond be one of peace.

This post was written by Conrad Widener.

It's Spectember!

Join us every week this month for a toast

to a favorite female star who's now a ghost

forever haunting our hearts.

Monster Monday: Ghostbusters

They came. They saw. They kicked Beetlejuice's ass!
In the favorite 80's phantom flick poll.
(Just by one vote though!)

Get the Ghostbusters Paper Dolls here!

Sadly I missed seeing Ghostbusters on the big screen last week,

but watched it on DVD, along with the behind the scenes stuff.

 Which I learned these two fascinating tidbits from:

1. The ghoul in this story from Vault of Horror #28

was going to be used as a character in the film:

You can read the rest here!

2. John Candy was set to play the role of Louis Tully!

They even drew storyboards with him:

Details on these deleted Bum Sequence storyboards here!

According to Ivan Reitman in the DVD commentary, 

John Candy quit the role because his ideas for the character were being rejected.

He wanted the character to have a German accent and a pair of schnauzer dogs. 

Everyone felt the German accent wasn't appropriate for the character though,

and that there was already enough “dog imagery” with the Terror Dogs.

So, he quit early in production and Rick Moranis was cast at the last minute.

You can see John and his dogs in issue #4 of the Ghostbusters comic though!

A toast to Arlene Martel

When Arlene Martel passed away on August 12, 2014, I couldn't believe she was 78.

To me, she was still Arline Sax (her real name), the hypnotically beautiful actress

I first saw in "The Hunted" episode of The Rebel starring Nick Adams.

I was a lad of five then, and Arline Sax was added to my list of favorite actresses.

Strangely enough, Arline's co-star in that episode is none other than Leonard Nimoy,

whom she would reunite with for Star Trek's "Amok Time"!

She changed her name to Arlene Martel,

appearing in just about every TV series from the 1960's and 70's,

including The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and The Monkees.

She was a welcome face in any TV show as I was growing up,

and my Mom even took me to see her in the biker film Angels From Hell (1968)

at my request.

Arlene as Ginger in Angels From Hell

Arlene Martel never gave a lousy performance, 

and will forever be fondly remembered.


This post was written by Conrad Widener.

I just want to add that I owe Arlene for my nurse obsession.

"Room for one more, honey"

It's Spectember!

Join us every week this month for a toast
to a favorite female star who's now a ghost 
forever haunting our hearts.