Euro Horror Shock Show!

I know we posted about this back in January, but with the show only 2 weeks away, we wanted to put this little reminder out in case you forgot. But in two weeks from tomorrow, thanks to the wonderful House of Monsters, you’ll have the chance to see TWO Paul Naschy flicks on the big screen, as well as two other great Euro horror titles. Just think about that for a minute . . . when was the last time you had a chance to see the Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy in a theater, filled with other like-minded horror fans?

Wait . . . not too familiar with Naschy? Then now is your chance to see two of his best films, The Hunchback of the Morgue (1973) and Mummy’s Revenge (1975).

Kryptic World Tour Starts Next Weekend!

That’s right kiddies, next weekend we’ll be heading to Cincinnati for the HorrorHound Weekend, which officially starts our 2023 convention tour. It seems like it has been forever since our last show, so we are very excited to have another great weekend. Looking forward to seeing our friends there, getting to hang out and talk about movies, and just having a great time.

The following weekend, while we’re not vending, we’ll still be at Cinema Wasteland in Strongsville, Ohio, and is one that we’re really looking forward to. Not only do they have the last remaining cast members of Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but they also have writer Kim Henkel and cinematographer Daniel Pearl on the guest list. That show is always a great time and so much fun.

In April, we’re staying local and doing our second appearance at the Windy City Pulp and Paper show, which is more of a literary show, but if you’re a book lover, this is one to come to! Plus, that same Saturday, we’ll be leaving the show a little early to head to the Davis Theatre in Chicago for the Euro Horror Shock Show, put on by the House of Monsters, which will be screening 4 amazing films, including two featuring Paul Naschy!!! How can you pass that up!

You can see the rest of our shows that we have lined up this year at the top of our main page. Hope to see you at some of them!

House of Monsters Presents Euro-Horror Shock Show

Chicago fans are in for a real treat this April. House of Monsters is presenting a night of Euro Horror, some of which has probably never been screened in Chicago! Taking place on Saturday, April 22nd, at The Davis Theatre, they will be screening 4 different titles, two from Italy and two from Spain, but all giving fans a nice taste of Euro-Horror!

You’ll get to see Joe D’Amato’s first official directorial debut, Death Smiles on a Murderer (1973), starring the one and only Klaus Kinski. Then there is Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972), a dark and sweaty giallo about someone murdering the local children.

For the last two films, we travel over to Spain for a double dose of one of the most iconic figures in the horror genre, Paul Naschy! That comment won’t be a surprise to any regulars to this site. But now is your chance to see two of Naschy’s finest: Hunchback of the Morgue (1973) and then The Mummy’s Revenge (1975).

The doors open at 3pm and the features start at 4pm. There will be vendors, trailers, and free stuff! So, mark your calendars because this is an event that you will not want to miss. Presale tickets are available now and I wouldn’t wait too long because this just might sell out!

For all the latest information, check out the Facebook event page HERE.

Naschy Blu-Ray Sets On-Sale!

For those out there that either haven’t delved into the world of Paul Naschy, or even those that might have dipped their toes into the water but still haven’t dived in, now is your chance. Shout Factory is having a sale on their Box Sets, at 40% off retail price until this Tuesday the 19th, and both the Naschy Collections are included in there. Both are priced at $35.99, which includes 5 movies in each set. That’s like $7 a title!!!

Happy Birthday Paul Naschy!!!

Today would have been Jacinto Molina’s 87th birthday. But even though we lost him over a decade ago, I still think he is more alive with us than ever. When you think how many of his movies have been released in amazing looking Blu-rays, some titles seeing releases in any format for the first time, and even a few that were thought lost, but now are available for everyone to see. To me, that shows that the last impact of his work still is as powerful, if not more, than before.

Friday Favorites: Paul Naschy!

While I anxiously wait for my copy of Naschy’s Howl of the Devil Blu-ray arrive from Mondo Macabro, it got me thinking. I actually can’t believe I didn’t have this one way before now! I guess now is the time! Most of you that follow me and this site know my fondness for the works of Paul Naschy, from his many times as the tormented Waldemar Daninsky to the plethora of other characters that he has played throughout his massive career. From vampires to zombies to hunchbacks to even the devil himself, Naschy is one of the few actors to have played that many monsters on screen. And it was something he was very proud of.

Horror History: Alberto Dalbés

Alberto Dalbés
Born Apr. 3rd, 1922 – Died Sept. 14th, 1983

Spanish horror from the early ’70s, especially that of Jess Franco’s work, probably have seen Dalbés’ face at some point. For me, I first became aware of him from appearing as the mad doctor in Paul Naschy’s The Hunchback of the Morgue (1973). He really was fun to watch there, playing a scientist so driven in his plans to create a new life form, that he had no care or whims about other people, even having them killed to be used to feed this beast he was creating. Great stuff.

He made his screen debut in 1943 in a film called Youth Kicks and worked in quite a few movies before moving to Spain, where he continued to appear on screen. He appeared in other genre films like Maniac Mansion and Cut-Throats Nine, both from 1972.

He seemed to work quite a bit with Jess Franco, appearing in quite a few number of his pictures, such as Night of the Assassins (1974), The Demons (1973), Tender and Perverse Emanuelle (1973), Dracula: Prisoner of Frankenstein (1972), The Curse of Frankenstein (1972), and so many more.

So the next time you find yourself watching a Franco film, you just might want to keep your eyes open to see if you don’t see Dalbés come onscreen.

Javier Aguirre – Rest in Peace

Javier Aguirre is not a familiar names with most fans here in the US, mainly because he worked in Spain. But there are a couple of films that he directed that star Paul Naschy that you might be familiar with, Count Dracula’s Great Love and Hunchback of the Morgue, both in 1973. Aguirre has passed away at the age of 84 after a long illness. He was married to actress Esperanza Roy, who Spanish horror fans will remember from the second entry in the Blind Dead films, El ataque de los muertos sin ojos aka Return of the Evil Dead and Una vela para el diablo aka It Happened at Nightmare Inn, also both from 1973.

Being not only a director, but screenwriter, producer and even cinematographer, Aguirre was a true filmmaker. But we still have his work to remember him by, which is the best way to pay tribute to him, as well as the other people that worked on these films, by watching them and still enjoying them today. Gone, but not forgotten. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.

Gone…But Never Forgotten

I’ve been seeing posts all day on social media about today being the anniversary of the death of one of the greatest horror icons to work in the genre, Jacinto Molina. Or as most of us knew him as, Paul Naschy. I can still remember being at work when my friend Aaron called to tell me that he had passed away. Following genre for so long, it wasn’t an uncommon thing when a horror celebrity passes away, but this one stung.

The Year of Naschy Continues…

Finally! We can happily announce the titles for the Paul Naschy Collection Vol. 2! Now, not to diminish how amazing it was to get the films in Vol. 1 released on Blu-ray, but to be fair, those titles all had been previously released on DVD. BUT…Volume 2 is going to give us some that were not only never released on DVD in the states before, but one of them is probably one of the most sought after titles amongst Naschy fans. That title would be the 1975 masterpiece, The Werewolf and the Yeti (aka Night of the Howling Beast). We’re used to seeing copies from either the Super Video VHS tape, or the Greek PAL VHS, both of which didn’t look that great. The Super Video print was so dark that during the night scenes it was hard to see anything! Well, knowing Shout Factory’s quality, all of that should be corrected now.