HALLOWEEN FOCUS ON THE SHE CREATURE 1956

A slice of black and white monsterdom for Halloween Moonbasers. Courtesy of Mystery Science Thearte 3000 on You Tube, and their obligatory audience of three, I offer you THE SHE CREATURE.

"It can and did happen!"

Made in 1956 from a screenplay by Lou Rousaff, who later co-produced the seminal Black Sunday [US version], the She Creatue is about hypnotism and regression. So much regression in fact that the helpless hypnotee [just made that word up] turns into a tusked mermaid reminiscent of the alien Sil in Species 40 years later. Here's the cinema poster.

With special effects make-up by Jack Dusick, the face of the She Creature is one of the all-time great classic monster heads and featured on the covers of Monster World and Famous Monsters magazines during the Sixties-Seventies monster craze.

1964

1971

Consulting my books on monster collecting I can find only three collectables mentioned, the two magazines above and a Billiken model kit as shown below. I did think that Don Post issued a rubber mask as well but i can't find one. Obviously there will be cinema posters, press kits and lobby cards for this film but they are not listed in my books.

There is also a modern remake but I've yet to see it.

So, if the She Creature knocks on your door this Halloween, remember, it might just be a hypnotised and regressing kid!

HOUSE OF HAMMER

As Woodsy seems to be on a bit of a Halloween kick, I thought I'd better contribute something in case he decides to stick pins in his Scoop action voo-doo doll action figure!

I'm not really a fan of modern horror movies which seem to rely on graphic gore rather than good old fashioned suspense.

I do have a nostalgic liking for the old Hammer, Amicus and Tigon films though, mainly from the sixties and early seventies.

Comic and magazine editor, Des Skinn,( a legend in comic circles, and called by some as 'the British Stan Lee!) was also a big fan of Hammer horror and in 1976 came up with 'The House of Hammer' magazine.

Although, it was created to celebrate Hammer's film output, it did feature articles on other popular films (occasionally  abandoning horror for sci-fi as with  the original Star Wars film,)

I managed to hang on to a few copies, mainly for the Quatermass articles and the comic strip adaptation drawn by Brian Lewis.

The magazine did go through name changes  becoming known as  Hammer's House of Horror, and eventually Halls of Horror. It ended in 1978 at issue 23.

All in all,  H of H was a fun publication written by fans for fans.In fact it did look a lot like a fanzine. It was filled with grainy black & white photos with lots of info on my favourite horror flicks! Very useful in pre-internet days.

SCREAMIN' HALLOWEENS: ITS THE 2015 HALLOWEEN MOONBASE QUIZ

OK Moonbasers, its the heinous howlin' Halloween Quiz 2015. All you have to do is:

name the film/ show AND where possible, name the monster[s]!

Two questions per reader folks so at least ten of you get a go.

So TWO [that's 2] questions ONLY per reader! e.g. 2 and 13 or 6 and 9

Leave your answers in the Comments.

On your marks, Get Set, Grrrrr!

DUNKEL FESTER

Dunkel Fester!

My Daughter brought me this beer round for Halloween.

Its a play on the words Uncle and Dunkel, which is German for dark.

Prost!

SMOKIN' SAMHAIN

Hope your Halloween is a roarin' success so far.

Get your monster toys out and boys and ghouls!

TRI-ANG SPACEX NOVA HALLOWEEN FLIGHT TEST: GREEN FOR GO BY KEVIN

Hi,

I am pleased to have finally acquired a Green Nova1, the colour of the toy that I'd had as a kid but had not been able to get for my collection until today (lots of purple ones about). To celebrate, here is a picture I've taken of a flight of Novas (Novae?) about to be launched from the Spacex Flight Test Centre.

Take care,

Kevin

NEW THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO EPISODE

ITV has begun showing the next batch of 13 new TAG episodes beginning with 'Falling Skies' written by Rob Hoegee.

The action takes place aboard a space hotel designed by Brains. Lady Penelope and Parker arrive for an overnight stay just at the  moment when everything goes wrong - yes ,it's yet another rescue involving  the Tracy  family's close friends!

The opening scene of a shuttle entering the station docking bay is another homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey - someone at Weta really likes that movie!

An interesting point in this episode is we see Thunderbird 3's cargo bay which is in the section ringed by those cooling fins.

It's another colourful space story , full of techno babble that covers over most plot holes , but as the dynamic Kayo and the  Tracy brothers attempt to save the day, I'm sure the kiddies will love it.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN READERS!

I'm kicking off the celebration with the late Warren Zevon's howling success, Werewolves of London, courtesy of 1016vortex on You Tube. This is his live gig in Passaic, New Jersey, 1982.