The Night Stalker

This post was originally made on my Movie Ad blog, "Held Over!" but in case you missed it there, it fits here just fine (better, really) since there were a lot of monsters in it. The fall of 1974, when I was 15, was a memorable one, what with Kung Fu still on, and Night Stalker and Planet of the Apes starting up. These ads were clipped from the TV Guide and the article from the Macon Telegraph.

Since I only got to watch night-time TV when I went to my Grandmas's house, not at home, (at least, not what I wanted) I only saw a few of the Night Stalker episodes. But, I enjoyed them, and of course clipped out any article or TV Guide spotlights that I came across. I have lately been enjoying the DVD release of the show, and it takes me back to the 70's every time.

The Monster Times LIVES!!!

(Click on images to enlarge.)

Timeless genre classics like "Werewolves On Wheels" grace every two-color cover.

Yes, you heard (or read) the title correctly: The Monster Times newspaper from the 70's is returning! And we have the fine fanged folks at Fangoria to thank for it. They are going to be making available every issue of the late, great monster paper via digital download!

This is great news. I own 30 issues that I bought back when they were being published, and a look over this blog's reposting of elements and covers from it shows my affection for it. But they are a pain to scan the oversized newspaper-format pages, and require page scans in sections and stitching them back together in Photoshop. So not as many articles from it get posted here, as often as I'd like to. Also I would love to be able to read the issues I missed, so this is going to be a real boon to fans like me.

Here is the page to watch: http://www.fangoria.com/themonstertimes

And, they plan on releasing NEW issues in the future! Something to look forward to...

UPDATE: well, it looks like the excitement of the above post was premature... as of 01-31-2010, the site link above seems to be down. I suppose it was too much to hope for! But since this project is so delayed, I am starting to post more articles from this publication myself, so click on the "Monster Times" tag on the right to see all the posts that feature it! Also visit my other blog, "My Star Trek Scrapbook," and look for the same tag there to see the Trek-related articles.

Frankenstein: The True Story clipping

This article was clipped from the local Ft. Lauderdale newspaper's TV guide, the week of November 30, 1973. I was 15 at the time. I didn't get to see it when it played, but the article went right into my scrapbook.

Monster Week on Ch 7

These ads were clipped from 1974 TV Guide for the week of January 5th through the 11th. New York's Channel 7 (ABC) was showing these fun films, and by all accounts this was the first Monster Week of many.

For much more info on these week-long film features on Ch. 7, visit this page: DVD Drive-In!

Extra: I've just discovered three new (to me) blogs by the incredibly prolific Jon K who seems to have the same love for genre blogging as I do! For a monstrous good time, check them all out at:

The Blog Of Frankenstein

Dracula's Crypt of Collectibles

Go-Go Godzilla!

I thought I was doing a lot with my own four blogs (soon to be five) but this guy puts me to shame with over a DOZEN! And most have new posts every day! How does he ever get anything else done? Please, Jon, share your secret with me... do you have a cloning machine like Keaton did in "Multiplicity?"

VHS Ad for Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives

Do you remember when new movies on VHS videotape cost about $80 or more? In case you don't, I can assure you it's true; when video stores were just beginning, very few people bought VHS movies for home use, they rented them. Thus, the store owner ponied up the expensive price and then made his money renting the tapes out.

During that time in the early 80's I was pals with a guy that worked at one such store and he got me all kinds of promotional materials when they were done with them, or if they never used them. Here is a scan of the promo slick for the new release "Jason Lives." It's my favorite of all of the Fri the 13th sequels, and all this week I'm watching the movies in order leading up to the new remake release on the 13th.

Of particular interest to me are the tips and suggestions to help promote the movie. You wouldn't see that type of thing done very much in stores nowadays. If a family walked into a video store now with the kids, and saw the employees dressed like Jason's victims with fake machetes and bloody clothes, they'd scream and run out, covering the kid's eyes on the way.

The Wonderful Flight To The Mushroom Planet

(Click on images to view full size-scans.)

Written by Eleanor Cameron in 1954, this charming children's book is one that holds good memories for me. The cover art above is scanned from my copy, still intact but a little dog-eared after all threse years. Although not technically monster memories, I suppose the green, bulbous-headed aliens could be called monsters for convenience' sake in order to fit here. At any rate, when I was about nine years old, in 1969, I bought this through the Scholastic book program at school, and re-read it many times. The story of two boy's journey through outer space in a homemade space ship to another planet really captured my young imagination. The idea of a trip to meet aliens in an self-made (but alien technology-enhanced) ship was echoed in the film "Explorers," which I enjoyed many years later.

I remember reading some of this book while tucked in one of my own cardboard box spaceships, whixh made it even more fun. Of course, my parents worried how I could spend hours on end in a cardboard box, but little did they know my mind was soaring off on amazing adventures. With my canteen full of Goofy Grape soft drink, a peanut butter sandwich, and a good book, I would be ensconced for hours in my make-believe space capsule.

Did you ever do stuff like that when you were a kid? Discuss.

Update: G. W. Ferguson's blog has a delightful recollection of spending some memorable childhood hours in such cardboard boxes; enjoy it here!