Many think of countries like America, Britain, Japan and Italy when asked to name countries known for producing lots of horror movies. But there’s one other country which also deserves to be on that list: Cambodia. Not only is there an entire Wikipedia article about the sizable number of Cambodian horror movies, there’s also a Wikipedia category devoted to the subject and a portion the “Cinema of Cambodia” article that’s devoted to the subject!
Speaking of Asian cinema, fans of Japanese monster movies often refer to the Godzilla and Gamera films from the 50’s-70’s as being the “Shōwa films.” But where does the term come from? It turns out it’s a reference to the reign of the emperor at the time. If we go to the entry for “Shōwa period,” it turns out the emperor in question was…oh…wow. Um…I think I’ll start referring to films from that time as the “classic films” from now on…
Let’s move on to jolly old England! Lock Up Your Daughters is a lost British horror movie which might feature a special performance by Bela Lugosi. Or maybe it’s just a clip show movie. You’ll have to read the article to see what I mean. The Wikipedia entry for Ghostwatch has a lot of fascinating details about the infamous British television special. The clear shot of the makeup used for “Pipes” the ghost is a special treat, as is the list of Pipes’ complete appearances throughout the special.
Speaking of ghosts, it turns out the original script for Ghostbusters was surprisingly similar to the Filmation Ghostbusters cartoon. Speaking of that cartoon, it turns out a episode recycled the character design and animation cycles for “Drac” from Groovie Goolies in an episode about Count Dracula! Getting back to the more famous movie, the entries on the proton packs and the “Ghost Blasters” dark ride are surprisingly lengthy.
For a brief time in the 90’s, horror movies inspired by fairy tales were a thing. Don’t believe me? Read up on Rumpelstiltskin, Pinocchio’s Revenge and Snow White: A Tale of Terror and prepare to be amazed. Just be careful of all the spoilers!
Speaking of the 90’s, that’s also when the urban legend about scientists drilling a hole into Hell was spread across the internet. Unsurprisingly, the story (and the audio recording of tortured souls) were a hoax. But the actual origin of the recording might surprise you! Speaking of urban legends, let’s read up on Bloody Mary next!
Have you ever wondered who owns the libraries for the various “Poverty Row” horror movies of yesteryear? You’ll have to look at the article about Republic Pictures (and its current owner) in order to find out!
Giantkiller was an awesome comic book miniseries which needs more love. I wouldn’t mind a live action or animated adaptation, either. Seriously, how can you not like a comic where watching episodes of Ultraman is considered proper training for battling giant monsters?
The list of all the various adaptations of The Phantom of the Opera is packed with information. It’s how I learned “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” was first played by the Phantom onscreen in the 1962 movie! Other interesting list on Wikipedia include the list of Sci Fi Pictures original films, the “Syfy original films” category and the list of numerous unrealized projects the channel has announced over the years.
