I Am Legend (1954) - Richard Matheson - Book Review

[caption id="attachment_415" align="alignright" width="350"] Official Score = 4 Devils[/caption]

You know there is a novel that I would say is probably in the top 5 of the most valuable horror novels ever written... Not just because it revolutionized it's subgenre, but also because it helped set the stage (and in some ways could be said to be one of the bars), that filmmakers aspire to try to emulate when they are making their movies... that of course being the book that author Bram Stoker (1847 - 1912) wrote in 1897... 'Dracula'!

Another one that I would say that did that as well... But to a slightly lesser extent is, 'Richard Matheson's seminal 1954 horror novel, 'I Am Legend'!

Now if you could say that each generation there is some one who creates a work of art that helps to revolutionize the whole genre until the next generation... Well then I would say that the work that Richard Matheson did in, 'I Am Legend' is to the most recently previous generation, what Bram Stoker did for his generation!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="150"] A true masterpiece![/caption]

What I mean by this is that I think people like, 'George A. Romero', and other filmmakers emulated this novel when they created their masterpieces... (In the same way as Bram Stoker's work used to be emulated)..

But in the end, what I really liked about this novel is that it changed the concept of the (Zombie/Vampire) novel, and took the super natural element out of it, and replaced it with a more down home ailment, that nearly destroys the world!

As a side note, besides the fact that this novel has been emulated before, it has also been made in to movies that have stared the likes of Vincent Price (The Pit And The Pendulum) & Charlton Heston (Planet Of The Apes)!

In the end, this novel is an awful lot of fun, and if you get a chance to check it out, you might find that you like it!

Pit And The Pendulum (1961) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_557" align="alignright" width="307"] Official Score = 3 1/2 Devils[/caption]

Before I became a fan of both the Horror and Science Fiction genres my father was the huge fan of both Horror and Science Fiction movies (and to some degree, books.)

As a matter of fact I would have to contribute my love of horror movies and Science Fiction movies to my father, and the times that we would watch horror movies and Science Fiction movies together (such films as the Alien movies series, some of the, 'A Nighbtmare On Elm Street' movies, etc...)

Anyway a couple of the scary stories that he told both me and my sister was the story of, 'The Crawiling Eye' and, 'The Pit And The Pendulum'.

Now the first time I heard these stories, I thought that they were just stories, (The Pit And The Pendulum as it turns out really was a story that had been written by Edgar Allan Poe, and had been turned in to a movie by American International Pictures), but the rest of these stories that my dad had told us actually had been movies that my Dad had seen when he was a kid!

And now that I have had a chance to see, Pit And The Pendulum (1961), I can understand why my Dad liked it so much!

Written by: Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) and Directed by: Roger Corman (Death Race 2000). Starring: Vincent Price (Madhouse), John Kerr (South Pacific), Luana Anders (Dementia 13), Anthony Carbone (A Bucket Of Blood), and Barbara Steele (Black Sunday).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) with Frances Barnard (John Kerr) as Nicholas is about to play a deadly game with his house guest![/caption]

During the, 'Inquisition' people were being tortured as a regular practice, Pit And The Pendulum tells the tale of a post, 'Inquisition' family by the name of, 'Medina', (a family who's father, 'Sebastian' (Played by Vincent Price), used to torture people as a regular practice!)

Now this family has started getting past their horrible past, Sebastian's daughter, Donia Catherine (Anders) is living with her love in Barcelona, and Sebastian's son Nicholas has taken over the family home, and married an English noblewoman by the name of Elizabeth Barnard (Steele).

Now for the longest time, Nicholas and his wife are living a very happy and contented life as husband and wife, but when Elizabeth discovers the tragic past of her new family, she ends up killing herself in one of Sebastian's torture devices!

After her death though, various people start hearing Elizabeth's voice, hearing her play the harpsichord, etc, this happens to be slowly driving Nicholas insane (A role that Vincent Price played excellently!)

Anyway, after Doctor Charles Leon (Carbone), and Elizabeth's brother, 'Francis' shows up to investigate the death of his sister, these strange encounters start getting stronger and stronger and driving Nicholas worse and worse!

As these encounters start getting worse and worse, people begin to wonder if Nicholas has already lost his mind, or perhaps, has Elzabeth become one of the many ghosts that are sure to be haunting these tortured halls!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Don Nicholas (Vincent Price), with his wife Donia Elizabeth (Barbara Steele) in, 'Pit And The Pendulum' (1961)![/caption]

Now I have to say that everyone did a great job in this movie, but the truth is, is that besides the story, the best thing about this movie is Vincent Price!

I mean Vincent Price plays the role of, 'crazy' and, 'going crazy', perfectly! So much so that in my opinion, there is no one who has played these types of roles as well as Vincent Price did since!

So if your looking for a fun classic horror movie to really sink your teeth in to, then check t this one out as it is a fun one!

http://youtu.be/8xzdrffJ91E

Top 5 Films For Halloween 2012

With Halloween coming up real quick, and with the release of Hellinspace.com, A friend of mine and CEO of AwesomeBMovies.com, Matt Dowling helped give me this great idea for doing my top 5 choices for Halloween…

So please enjoy this list, and I hope you are able to find something to enjoy this Halloween from my top 5 list of films for Halloween 2012!

At Number 5: Slumber Party Massacre (1982):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] A truly classic horror movie that is a fun way to kick off a Halloween extravaganza![/caption]

The name may not win some people over, but the truth is, is this is a great scary Corman/slasher that is really worth sinking your teeth in to!

Number 4: Friday The 13th (1980):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Alice as she is about to meet the woman that will change her life forever![/caption]

Come on, you know I had to put it in there… I mean it is a truly genuine classic horror fest that is definitely worth watching on Halloween!

Number 3: The Changling (1980):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="627"] Home Sweet Home....[/caption]

A truly great paranormal classic that I do think you guys might truly enjoy!

Number 2: The Pit And The Pendulum (1961):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Damn if that ain't the biggest butchers block ever![/caption]

A great Vincent Price classic that was based on an Edgar Allan Poe novel and has some great scares in it!

And finally, for number 1 we got: Halloween (1978):

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="800"] This guy is taking out trick 'r treaters left and right![/caption]

The truth is folks, is that this movie is my absolute all-time favorite movie in general… And let’s be honest here… The name says it all!

Anyway folks I hope that this series of movies helps you in your decision making on what to watch on Halloween night… and hey… Happy Halloween to all you fright fans out there!

http://youtu.be/Dqxl33EFIYA

http://youtu.be/2S8YFTcEDME

http://youtu.be/xTzgXVosQOU

http://youtu.be/4INAmCYjWZk

http://youtu.be/WLPbtz19rng