A Tribute to William Castle

You know, there aren’t many gimmicks in movie theatres nowadays. Oh, of course there’s 3d…I’m sorry…’Real D’, and then who can forget the kid’s boxes you pay more for than popcorn, candy, and soda combined? But there was a time when going to the movies was more than just that. Specifically, this would be the time of William Castle, aptly known as the ‘KING OF GIMMICKS’.

House on Haunted Hill was one of my first William Castle films. Actually, it was one of my first horror films in general. His daughter would eventually co-produce the remake of this classic, but sadly without the gimmick (I should know, I saw the remake in theatres when I was ten.) When the film was shown in theatres, there was a climactic moment of a skeleton rising from a vat and pursuing the villainess until she found her own cruel demise. Right at this moment, a skeleton on wires would advance through the aisles to ‘terrorize’ the audience.

Don't let those smiles fool you. They're grins of fear!!!

William Castle was a producer, director, writer, and even occasionally an actor. It’s not surprising he was somewhat influenced by Hitchcock, when you consider the myriad introductions he did to a few films, as well as little conclusions. The one for Mr. Sardonicus is a personal favorite of mine. If you have not seen the film, and do not want to know the ending, forego this video clip. It does somewhat give a few things away. Also skip the next paragraph.

An awful lot of people debate whether an ‘alternate ending’ actually existed, because nobody ever really voted for Mr. Sardonicus to have a happy one. I don’t believe that alternate ending was actually filmed, because the…unhappy ending…is much more suiting.

I believe William Castle was brilliant, and not only for his games and surprises in the theatres, but because his movies were actually good (even without them.) Honestly, you don’t really get that with the few other films who’ve tried to do their own little surprises in theatres. I mean, as much as I love the Nightmare on Elm Street series, I’d be lying through my teeth if I said part 6 was an Oscar winner, with the special ‘3d’ moments, when you’d be able to see the dream demons properly through the magical dream glasses by the dream murderer’s daughter…it’s not dreamy.

Much like Orson Welles, Castle saw his career flourish from the very beginning in Hollywood..which makes sense, because they did work together in radio. Like Korman, he became an expert at making films fast under a budget. He was like Frankenstein’s monster of famous filmmakers.

A few other interesting gimmicks he came up with were as follows: buzzers in random seats for ‘The Tingler’, life insurance policies for ‘Macabre’ ($1000 dollars per audience member), a refund for pansies who couldn’t sit through ‘Homicidal’ complete with a coward’s certificate and an embarrassing march to a special booth, 3d glasses that would enable you to see the ghosts in 13 Ghosts, plastic axes for the audience seeing Strait-Jacket, seatbelts in some seats for ‘I Saw What You Did’…that one kinda falls short for me, but there’s only so many weird things you can do for your movies before the well runs dry.

He knew how to play his audience, whether he could see them or not, and I think when he passed away in 1977…good horror has never been the same.

This has little relevance, but...yeah, I think I can stand behind this political party...

Top 10 Creepy Movie and Television Show Intros

Whether it's the weekly television series that kept you snuggling your teddy bear as a kid for dear life, or a disturbing animation at the beginning of a bad-ass horror flick, a good intro can make for a wonderful beginning to start off the creepy vibes. Let us all now take a trip down memory lane, and watch the 'Top 10 Creepy Intros'...of all time.

Advisory: These intros are best watched in the dark, with plenty of space, completely alone, two feet away from the television set. Bonus points if your house is haunted.

1. Tales From the Dark Side

So it's not your average kind of creepy. It's got more of a 'Little House on the Prairie' vibe, provided pa is about to snap and paint the walls red with his own blood, whilst chanting a sweet song as he occasionally passes glances at his family whom he systematically killed and preserved so they would always remain forever un-corrupted by an ever-changing world. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but wouldn't that make a great episode?

2. The Outer Limits

This one is clever. I can honestly say on a few occasions as a kid, when we had good old-fashioned analog television sets, it was great fun to show this to friends for the first time and watch them freak the hell out.

3. Masters of Horror

It seems like a lot of shows, especially on HBO and Showtime, were starting to get really edgy around the time Masters of Horror came out. What starts out as possibly a bad-looking nosebleed, turns into a torrent of blood...and I say that's a good way to start two things: shows and meals. I especially like how simple this intro is, with the few transitions between a man holding an ax and a skull, an eyeball...

4. True Blood

In the interest of being somewhat up-to-date, I'd like to point out that any time children are eating something raw or bloody in a show, you need to be scared. Granted, this is a vampire show, but still. I'm sure we're all aware of the power of the creepy factor with children in movies and shows, not to mention rednecks, religious seizures, police brutality, creepy rednecks, animal skulls, and naked women. All of these things creep me out. Okay, maybe not animal skulls, but you get my point here.

5. Goosebumps

Though I'd desperately love to see an interview with R. L. Stine in-person, I hope he doesn't carry a briefcase with him. Even billboards get freaked out, and that's saying something.

6. The Twilight Zone

This classic intro gives the whole show a perfect feel. It suits the stories, and it suits the theme. Every time I see this, I know in my heart-of-hearts that every time I step through a door...I'd better hope it isn't the one leading here. Once you go through there, you don't come back out.

7. A Nightmare on Elm Street

God, everything about this intro is perfect. It really stood the test of time, and what's more, it launched one of my favorite horror franchises. It honestly makes me want to just turn my laptop off and watch the whole movie all over again (for the thousandth time). Say what you will about Freddy Kreuger in any of his incarnations, a majority of the openings to his films always bring their A-game.

8. Are You Afraid of the Dark

As an adult, you can sometimes forget how terrifying the world really is to a kid. You forget how terrifying the world still is, actually. Nothing changes, despite your age, and this intro stands as a chilling reminder. Even though a majority of the episodes may not have been mind-blowing (given that most kids aren't expert actors), this intro was always a pretty spooky treat.

9. House on Haunted Hill

Say what you will about my parents and their odd choices of films to take me to as a kid, this one I do not regret one iota. The opening is fantastic, and thankfully the rest of the movie is too. It sets a mood that promises either something absolutely amazing, or incredibly disappointing...you'd think nothing could live up to such an awesome title sequence. Thank god it did. In fact, this intro is so fantastic, I'm pretty sure just showing it to someone who'd never seen the film, would be easily convinced to watch the whole thing.

10. Tales From the Crypt

I don't think I need to explain why a gigantic cartoony and scary-looking mansion would grab anyone's attention. It is genius, though, how you're led by the camera through the door, the hallway, down the stairs, into a corridor, to a strange-looking desk, then right past a coffin-gAHH!!! Damn it, he gets me every time...

So there you have it, the top ten creepiest intros/title sequences. There are plenty others, of course, but these serve as a nice illustration that the key to good horror is a good hook. Maybe even one that doesn't get lodged in your back.