Every Other Day is Halloween (2010)

In C.W. Prather’s documentary Every Other Day is Halloween, viewers are taken on a nostalgic and whimsical trip back in time to the golden age of television horror hosts, a time when local TV’s witching hour was ruled by ghouls and boils introducing old black and white movies for a generation of delighted fans. Prather focuses on one of the most well-known and longest running horror hosts, Count Gore De Vol, played by Dick Dyszel, as we are given a glimpse into his wacky world.

Though Count Gore De Vol is a very recognizable horror host and still makes regular appearances at conventions and hosts his own online horror show, I wasn’t that familiar with the character’s creator, Dick Dyszel. This documentary does a wonderful job at connecting the audience to the kind man behind the well-known cape! From his beginnings as playing Bozo the Clown and Captain 20 for local kid’s shows on Channel 20 in Washington D.C., we see Dyszel’s growth and desire to do something for the adults – hence Count Gore De Vol’s first show in 1973!

We are shown lots of vintage footage of Dyszel as his different characters, with the focus of course on the Count. We also see interviews with people Dyszel’s show, Creature Feature, influenced, including writers like Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), filmmakers such as Jeff Krulik (Heavy Metal Parking Lot), Scream Queens Leanna Chamish (Stakes) and Eleanor Herman (Night Beast) as well as a new generation of horror hosts including John Dimes (“Dr. Sarcofiguy”) and Jerry Moore II (“Karlos Borloff”). There are also lots of nostalgic recollections from regular old horror fans who watched his show when they were kids as well as from the man himself, Dick Dyszel. In one touching segment Dyszel recalls having Forrest J. Ackerman on the show and we are treated to rare footage of the interview.

Much of the footage shown in this documentary is rare or has never been seen before, adding to the deeply nostalgic feel of the documentary. Though I was too young to recall Count Gore De Vol’s long-running TV show Creature Feature, I still deeply appreciate the era of horror hosts and especially pioneers such as Dick Dyszel. When horror hosts seemed a thing of the past in the early ‘90s, Dyszel resurrected Count Gore De Vol and decided to host his show on the Internet (and this was back when people were still on dial-up). He is considered the first ever Internet horror host!

Nowadays, we are seeing a resurgence of horror hosts, many who claim Dyszel and his Count Gore De Vol character were huge influences on them. Many of these modern horror hosts are interviewed, including Penny Dreadful, The Bone Jangler, Karlos Borloff and more! It’s amazing to see what a gigantic impact horror hosts like Dyszel made on today’s performers and it’s pretty heartwarming to see such a great guy like Dyszel still getting adoration from fans!

Hard-working horror hosts like Dyszel basically reared a generation of horror fans and influenced a whole new breed of horror hosts to go on and inspire another generation of horror fans. Since many horror fans have horror hosts to thank for introducing them to the genre, it’s quite a treat to watch this documentary and get a behind-the-scenes peek at Dick Dyszel’s long (and still going strong) career as Count Gore De Vol!

If you are looking for a superb documentary that takes you down memory lane, check out Every Other Day is Halloween. It’s a fascinating and fun look at horror host Dick Dyszel’s life and will make you nostalgic for the golden years of horror hosts as well as make you excited for the horror hosts in years to come!

Available from Amazon!

Interview with Filmmaker Reyna Young

Reyna Young has been labeled by press as “The Queen of Horror in the Bay Area”. Born and raised in San Francisco, she is currently working in independent horror as a director, producer, writer, model, actress, and horror host in the Bay Area.

Ever since she was a little girl and remembers seeing her first horror movie, John Carpenter’s Halloween, she has been in love with being scared. She then decided she wanted to give back to the horror community and make her way into the genre she bleeds for. Reyna began following around her film buddies and helping them out on set and acting in their films. She bought books and relied on the internet to teach her everything she needed to know. From there she created her production company Last Doorway Productions in hopes of bringing a little more horror to the world (never a bad thing). Since then she has written feature scripts, and created a series of short films, which she has produced, written, directed and starred in.

Aside from her film projects, she has also created a show for independent horror in the Bay Area, called The Last Doorway Show. It’s dedicated to independent horror and she hosts under the pseudonym Miss Misery.

If you thought that wasn’t enough she is also the festival director of a San Francisco short horror film festival “A Nightmare To Remember” and has self published three books (with more on the way).

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with horror?


Reyna Young: When I was a young girl I think around 8, I snuck into my father’s VHS collection and pulled out the first film I saw, John Carpenter’s Halloween! It scared the shit out of me but I loved it at the same time. After that I became obsessed and watched whatever I could that was horror and soon after that bought my first Edgar Allan Poe Book. I love that man!!!

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you?


Reyna Young: Horror means your inner fear coming out of you during a horror flick. When I first watched Halloween, there was this thrill of being scared, everything I ever was scared of combined into one and my imagination went wild. That is horror! The juice of being scared, the thrill of that tingle in your spine, the goosebumps on you arms, the fear of the serial killer coming through your door….

Fatally Yours: What are others’ reactions when you tell them you are involved in the horror genre?


Reyna Young: When I tell them the horror genre, they usually look at me and say “the whore genre” or I get the reaction that I’m committing a sin. Not a lot of people are into the whole horror thing. I also get some negativity from the females. Excuse me for not being girly. I get better reactions from the guys then the girls. Unless I’m around my kind of people like Goths and weirdo’s I’m only semi-accepted from others with horror but I don’t really care to much I just do what I love. It’s like a fifty/fifty thing with people.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think the horror genre has primarily been a man’s domain?


Reyna Young: Well, meeting a lot of women and hearing that they are not into horror at all, I can see why it’s been male dominated. I mean there are women out there thank god that love horror but a majority I have met just get scared easily. Of course men apply easily to that kind of stuff so it’s a give in but now a days more women are getting into the whole horror thing. But that’s me theory on why it’s always been male dominated.

Fatally Yours: As a woman, do you think you are viewed differently than your male counterparts in the horror genre? If so, how and why?


Reyna Young: I have worked with nothing but men and so far they have all been great! I think I am treated a little differently at times though but as one of those “Oh a girl can’t do that” kind of thing. Like for instance, I direct and produce and do a lot on  my sets and others when they need me but for some reason male directors will only call me for make up and hair. Just because I’m female means all I do is make up and hair for some reason. When I can do more and when I try to do more on set they ignore me. It’s not always like that but here is that line between being respected in what I do and just being labeled as I’m suppose to just do one thing, hair and make up! At least that’s how I feel. I have so many talents yet I’m called for one thing.

Fatally Yours: Even though women seem to be getting more and more involved behind the scenes in horror, why do you think there are less female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?


Reyna Young: Like I said earlier not all women are into horror or they can be hesitant to do it. I get e-mails all the time from women who want to do their own film and I help give them advice, they all seem to say the same thing. “But I may not be as good as Wes craven or John carpenter” I let them know it’s not a competition, it’s a talent thing. If you have the talent you’ll do fine. I think women are coming out of their shell more now a days but also a majority of women just aren’t into the horror thing.

Fatally Yours: What elements can female filmmakers/authors/journalists/etc. bring to the horror genre that are lacking in males’ perspectives?


Reyna Young: I think men do a great job don’t get me wrong but women seem to have this originality to them where they take they’re everyday life and turn it into a horror movie. Like for instance I’m doing a short film right now that I wrote and I get raped in the film. The reason why I put that in there was because I am scared of that happening to me. I turned a fear onto paper and I am going to be in it to help me through my fear. It helps me cope with the fact that I need to just be aware of my surroundings, I need to carry a stun gun on me and just be prepared, also just make sure I don’t put myself in that type of predicament. I think it’s a healing power for women to write down what they fear or what they are going through and get it out of their system.

Fatally Yours: Do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males?


Reyna Young: At times I believe that, I have been through that. I know even today I am going through that. I feel that there are men who love and respect us women in the genre, I have had a great welcoming, I really have but there will always be assholes. You know! There’s an asshole in every crowd and with the genre just like other genres I’m sure, women can be treated with disrespect because some men out there believe women are weak and not as smart when that’s not true. I just ignore them and thank god at the end of the day that I’m not them….

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles in the industry?


Reyna Young: Yes I have, I’ve noticed a lot more independent female directors, or actresses directing films. I must say I didn’t know very many women coming into this industry other then Shannon lark and Michelle Fatale but searching around and e-mailing people I found so many other women out there and have met through cons and events strong females in the genre who want to direct there own films. I think it’s fantastic and I love to help in any way I can, and I believe that in the end women will have the upper hand. There will always be actresses and scream queens but directors, fx, producers, I have met a lot more…. It’s beautiful!

Fatally Yours: Dario Argento once said, “I like women, especially beautiful ones. If they have a good face and figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or man.” Alfred Hitchcock elaborated by saying, “I always believe in following the advice of the playwright Sardou. He said, ‘Torture the women!’ The trouble today is that we don’t torture enough.” What is your reaction when reading those quotes?

Reyna Young: I can see a man saying that about wanting to watch only hot females being murdered. I mean when it comes down to it of course we’re stereotyped to only be one way. The second I gain a little weight I am freaking out because then I feel I am going to be hated or something. That’s what is stuck in my head right now I’ll admit it and it’s because of men like him. He’s great at what he does Argento but shit man give us females a break, we come in all shapes and sizes and we’re beautiful either way. Hitchcock is great too but I do like to be tortured in films and you know why because women do it the best. When it comes down to men being tortured, please! Women take the cake. We know how to be tortured and that’s probably why males like to watch it.

Fatally Yours: Do you ever get annoyed at how women in horror movies always end naked or with their clothes ripped off? Do monsters not like men’s abs?!


Reyna Young: Women are hotter then men. It’s not that I don’t want to see men naked I just think women are over all sexier so why not! Sex sells and women are good at looking good. When it comes down to it men and boys are the ones buying all the horror flicks, they out beat women in that category and men want to see sexy women. Therefore men will buy the film with the sexy hot naked chick being killed. When I’m watching a horror flick in the theater I have men surrounding me and when a hot naked chick comes on they clap or yell, they get very excited and sometimes it’s uncomfortable to be sitting around them but they seem to love it!!

Fatally Yours: What horror movie would you say is equally fair in terms of men being objectified or at least, losing the same amount of clothes?


Reyna Young: I think when it comes down to that it’s a lot of independent flicks. I think independent films showcase more of the men losing clothes then let’s say big budget theater films. I have seen a lot of that. I cannot think of one off top of my head but I know I have seen indie flicks that have men taking it off.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel you’ve become desensitized to stereotypical scenes in horror like the half-naked girl screaming and running for her life in slow motion? Or are these types of familiar horror tropes still effective and necessary?


Reyna Young: Nowadays women are becoming more of the serial killer type so I think the female running through the woods scenes are coming to a close, slightly. I mean they will always be there but now women are standing up and doing the killing. Plus women are better at running, crying and acting scared then a man is. It’s not that we’re given these roles because we’re female it’s because we can act!

Fatally Yours: Do you feel that other people view women as being “soft” and not able to endure horror as well as men? How do you fight this stereotypical view?


Reyna Young: I feel that men think they are stronger of course than women so they feel more superior but men get really whiney and cry a lot when they’re being tortured. Women can take more of the pain. I mean men don’t ever want to get pregnant and go through pushing out the baby, they whine about never wanting to go through it yet a woman can do it and go through the torture and it’s ok. Men cannot endure the pain women can. I do believe that people out there believe women are softer then men but when it comes down to it, it’s not true. I get really angry when a man tells me I can’t do something because I’m a woman, it makes me want to work harder to prove to them they are wrong. I can’t fight it, it will always be there and it’s just the way men will probably always be!

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Reyna Young: I admire all the women in horror who are doing horror! I don’t meet very many but when I do I just fall in love with them. I’m happy to see females who like the blood and gore and not just men. I get along better with guys, I always have but when a woman comes along with the same mind set I have I get very excited. I have been talking to and e-mailing back and fourth Brooke Lewis. She is an amazing person and I love her to death. She is one of my hero’s and I appreciate all her great advice and I appreciate her just being her!

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?


Reyna Young: Just do it! If you want to get involved and don’t know how to start just pick up a camera and shoot something, write a story, start a website, start a blog, take some hot bloody pictures. Al I have to say is that whatever you want to do, whatever your goal is go for it. I almost didn’t because I was put down and told I sucked and that I couldn’t do it but look at me now. I started my film company and shot my films and I have taken off. Nothing is stopping you but you! What ever it is you want to do, actress, director, you can do it. Anyone can e-mail me for any questions or help or advice anything, e-mail me at Reyna@lastdoorwayproductions.com

Fatally Yours: What’s the last horror movie that made you think “this is some effed up shiznit!”?

Reyna Young: In a good way? I would have to say The Strangers. I really enjoyed this movie because it kept you in the suspense and I did make sure my doors were locked while watching it. LOL, It was suspenseful not just this gore you see all the time and the ending was so fucked up, I felt for this couple that were in love and for this to happen to them was awful. When he turned to her and saw she had the ring he bought her on her finger, my god that was heartbreaking. It made me hold on to my man. It was really fucked up. But I loved the movie it did have me thinking, another great film was Funny Games that had me cringing. Another great movie yet so fucked up, that film to was like a rude awakening for me not to trust anyone no matter who they are.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?


Reyna Young: Anything original, like Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, anything Hitchcock, The Strangers, Santa Sangre, it’s hard to name them all! For reading I would have to say anything Edgar Allan Poe. In all honesty I will reveal this to you because I love you, my favorite movie of all time is Dirty Dancing I know it’s non horror but I thought I’d let that slip…LOL!

Fatally Yours: Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to talk about?

Reyna Young: Yes! I have my third annual “A Nightmare To Remember” film festival coming back in June of 2010, with guest of honor Brooke Lewis, the Women in Horror Con in February, which is a celebration of local horror females ranging from directors to fx. Also more short films and two features. I’ll be a guest at a bunch of conventions coming up, a Miss Misery comic book, and a special Miss Misery movie! Details coming soon…I will be hosting the very first “Thriller” dance off in New Orleans this Halloween for Cirque Du Terror Convention. It will be a blast, I’ll be hosting a bunch of events there Halloween weekend. I cannot wait…

Fatally Yours: What are your goals for yourself within the horror genre?

Reyna Young: My goal is to do everything that I can get my hands on and then some….

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?


Reyna Young: Go to:
www.lastdoorwayproductions.com
www.thelastdoorwayshow.com
www.anightmaretoremember.com
If anyone would like to e-mail me
Reyna@lastdoorwayproductions.com

Transylvania Television: Season One (2009)

Saturday morning cartoons were always my favorite. I’d get up super-duper early, get myself a big bowl of sugary cereal, plop myself in front of the TV to wait until the early morning agricultural reports were over to watch some toons…until my parents harassed me to get outside and play in the sunshine.

I grew up on puppet shows like Sesame Street, The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock and always marveled at the colorful and wondrous characters that were on the shows. Heck, I even thought they were real until my parents explained that they were puppets made to come alive by people. Despite the fact that I learned the puppets weren’t real, they still contained a certain magic for me. I still remember my giddiness and joy I had as a child watching these puppet cartoon shows.

So, when I received my copy of Transylvania Television: Season One the kid inside me was desperately clawing to get out. To satiate my inner demon child, I got myself a big bowl of cereal and plopped down in front of the TV to enjoy Transylvania Television.

Transylvania Television is a puppet comedy show that is populated by a bevy of colorful characters that run a television show out of a gothic castle in Transylvania. The characters include a vampire, a bat, a yeti and a Frankestein monster, among others! Here is the official synopsis:

A dysfunctional family of misfit monsters tries desperately to run an obscure television station deep in Transylvania, with worldwide broadcast power and the ability to reanimate dead TV shows.

The Vampire Le Shoc is king of his castle, but struggles vainly to maintain order while taking delight in the suffering of his motley crew of minions. And he ain’t your run of the mill Count, either, he’s a LeStat-dressin’, nosferatu-lookin’, Richard-O’Brien-from-Rocky-Horror-talkin’ creep with some serious issues.

Furry J. Ackermonster, the station’s new intern, is a bright orange yeti, who having recently graduated from an American college, is struggling with student loans, laziness, and a burgeoning pottery collection. Enjoys beer, snowboarding, and hairy chicks.

The station’s majordomo is Batfink, a surf-lovin’, kustom kar creatin’ bat. Think beach blanket beatnik with wings. He manages to keep the station running via the power of the Frankenstein Device, the same contraption that gave life to the Frankenstein Monster. When used to boost the signal of the station, it gives old shows NEW LIFE – and turns them into far-out parodies in the process.

They are joined by Dwayne Frankenstein, a fella who’s wired just a little bit differently than the rest of us. The Frankenstein Monster has been done to death, but you’ve never seen him like this: a brain-damaged, working-class Brit soccer hooligan made from 13 different people. He may sound dense but he’s not naïve, and has been known for moments of brilliance in the midst of an otherwise stupefying existence.

Tune in to Transylvania Television: the Retro Monster Comedy Series that’s really not for kids, not necessarily safe for work, and known to promote skull decay.

Watching Transylvania Television I got that same giddy, unbridled feeling from watching cartoons as a kid…only this time the jokes were dirtier and the language fouler. That’s not to say Transylvania Television has its mind in the gutter…I was expecting something along the lines of Avenue Q, but thankfully for my inner child the “adult content” isn’t that bad. And I still laughed my ass off. Creators Gordon Smuder, Michael Heagle and Clarke Stone have truly created something very special with Transylvania Television!

The look of the series is also great…anyone who loves The Munsters, The Addams Family, Groovy Ghoulies and old late-night horror shows will appreciate the gothic atmosphere of the meticulously decorated sets. Plus, the monster characters fit right in and are a riot! We have the old school Vampire Le Shoc who refuses to use computers…until he gets addicted to the Internet, the dull-witted Dwayne Frankenstein who uses a vacuum for landscaping, the Vampire Le Shoc’s right-hand man, Batfink, Furry J. Ackermonster (love the tribute!), a college graduate just trying to keep his neck and not have Fast Eddie’s House of Ax called on him if he screws up, and Esmeralda, the 90-year-old gypsy with her own variety show called Babushka Buzz. The look of the puppets and the performances of the actors behind them were all amazing. I really think this series deserves a spot on Adult Swim or one of the big horror/sci-fi networks! I would much rather watch the brilliance of Transylvania Television than the crap that is usually on TV!

I loved all of the short episodes included in the disc, but I also wholeheartedly enjoyed the extras! In the “Vintage” section we have older puppet sketches from the creators, including “Chasing Army” where two couch potatoes philosophize on who would win in a fight, the Tasmanian Devil or Animal, a hilarious Star Trek sketch called “Puppet Trek” where Spock keeps prank calling Captain Kirk and more! There is also a section called “Oddities” that features promos for upcoming episodes, contests and so on, plus a hilarious sketch called “Hey Hitler” where little demons are tormenting Hitler in Hell…with bad jokes. These extras are almost as delightful as the episodes!

Transylvania Television is a retro puppet show that is a whole lotta fun and will really connect with both horror and comedy lovers. It’s the perfect gift for yourself or that special someone right now, especially since it is so close to Halloween! You can buy a copy on Transylvania Television’s site!

So what are you waiting for? Put on your pajamas, grab that big bowl of Sugar O’s, sit down right in front of your television set and pop in Transylvania Television! It may not be kid-friendly, but it is Fatally-Yours-approved!

Visit Transylvania Television’s Official Site!

Follow Transylvania TV on Twitter!

Become a Transylvania TV fan on Facebook!

The Midnight Massacre Theatre

Remember the good old days of sneaking downstairs at midnight to watch your local horror host introduce a viewing of some god-awful B-movie? The movies might not have been memorable, but you no doubt remember the horror host!! Those hosts are what made watching such bad movies fun; they were like your own personal buddies whom you could poke fun at the feature presentation with.

You don’t see horror host shows that much anymore, but the Sinister Minister, host of The Midnight Massacre Theatre, wants to change that! The Midnight Massacre Theatre is a horror host show just like the good old days…the Sinister Minister, along with his Altargirls, introduces the night’s B-movie and while it plays cracks jokes at the movie’s expense.

The Sinister Minister is a fun character who is a corpse paint wearing, long hair rockin’ metalhead crossed with a black-clad, pointy-toothed vampire. Don’t let his dark good looks fool you, though, he is quite the amusing horror heckler when it comes to watching bad B-movies!

I was treated (or tricked?) to an episode where the Sinister Minister and his minions watched Lady Frankenstein, a frightfully bad 1971 Italian horror movie that pits a woman “mad scientist” against her father’s monstrous creation. The comments made by the Sinister Minister made me chuckle quite a bit! The Minister is quite a kooky character and I enjoyed watching him much more than the film! In fact, I wish there had been more of him and less of Lady Frankenstein!

Rather than popping up around commercial breaks, this show actually cuts back and forth between the movie and the Sinister Minister making his snarky comments. Though a bit distracting, you soon become accustomed to these welcome interruptions! I really also enjoyed the PG-13 humor employed by the Minister. It’s not completely dirty, but it’s also not safe for kids! Take for one a joke made about a woman’s place being on her back; when the Altargirls take offense, the Minister changes it to a woman’s place being on her knees! Mwhahahahahahaha! Not the best joke, but kiddies 13 and up will no doubt get it, despite its tastelessness!

The show’s technical elements were also impressive. The set looked appealingly dark, dank and like any Minister’s “Chap-Hell” should look! The Sinister Minister also got to sit on a big, black throne and was surrounded by ominous looking candles that added to the menacing atmosphere. The camera work was also very professional and crisp. Both of these elements gave the show a sleek, slick look. Even the special FX used (fake flame and so forth) looked pretty good, especially for a low budget production.

The Midnight Massacre Theatre currently plays in six different states and if you are lucky enough to live in an area where the show is broadcast I wholeheartedly recommend checking out the Sinister Minister and his lovely Altargirls! You can also check out episodes on the website! I know when you do you’ll have a gruesomely good time!

Check out episodes and more at Midnight Massacre Theatre’s Official Site!