Monday, April 15, 2024

BE PART OF MY NEW HORROR-COMEDY PROJECT: DONATE TO ROBOT MONSTER COMICS IN 3-D TODAY!!!

That's right, Scared Silly fans... you can be in on the ground floor on a fantastic new project I'm editing and contributing some writing.

Check out all the details in this press release:

Cult Classic 3D Film Lives On in All-New Comic Book Adventures!

ROBOT MONSTER returns to its comics-inspired roots in crowd-funded graphic novel anthology from top comics, film, and pop culture creators, along with one of the film’s original stars!

April, 2024 – ROBOT MONSTER COMICS IN 3-D is here! Following a highly successful theatrical and home video release of its 70th Anniversary Restoration, the cult classic movie, ROBOT MONSTER spins off into a brand-new hardcover graphic novel.

Like the film’s restoration, the comics project is brought to life by the 3-D Film Archive. The 64-page hardbound book will be available for pre-order via a Kickstarter campaign launching on April 9, 2024.

The opening credits of the 1953 film feature a collage of images from horror and sci-fi comics that inspired it. Now, ROBOT MONSTER COMICS IN 3-D leans into those comics roots, continuing the saga of Ro-Man, Great Guidance, and Johnny, with adventure, laughs, and thrills for both longtime and new fans!

In an exciting twist, this graphic novel project features the direct involvement of the last remaining cast member of the film, Greg “Johnny” Moffett, providing story plots and autographed bookplates.

True to its pedigree, the interior pages are presented in 3D, offering a rare opportunity for readers to enjoy this unique printing technique that hasn’t been seen much since the 1950s.

Now, thanks in great part to the 3-D Film Archive restoring over thirty 3D film classics, interest in the process is at an all-time high, and not just relegated to celluloid.

“The enthusiastic response to our ROBOT MONSTER restoration was unprecedented,” says Bob Furmanek, president of the 3-D Film Archive. “Watching audiences go wild at live screenings inspired me to reach out to my good friend Paul Castiglia to see what else we could do with these charismatic characters.”

Castiglia, a veteran ARCHIE COMICS writer (notably on ARCHIE'S WEIRD MYSTERIES), editor, and historian who has also done work for DC COMICS, DARK HORSE, and others, jumped at the chance to transfer the mayhem from the screen to the page.

“What happened to Ro-Man before the events of the movie… and what happened after? Did he go on to conquer other worlds? Did he retire? Did he find true love? And what of the family? The possibilities are endless, and we’ll be presenting some of those ‘what ifs’ here,” says Castiglia.

Castiglia has assembled a team of creators from comics, film, and pop culture to concoct these tales.

Eisner Award-nominated 3D artist Charles Barnard oversees the 3-D production design, and there are two different covers for fans to choose from: one illustrated by pop-art pinup artist Mitch O’Connell; and the other painted by comics and novel cover illustrator, Jeff Slemons.

In addition to Castiglia, the writing talent is headed up by MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 writer-producer Harold Buchholz; Owen Kline, writer-director of the comics-themed indie film, FUNNY PAFES; Tom Hall, co-creator and writer of the critically acclaimed ROBOT 13; and horror podcaster and novelist, Chris Well.

Contributing artists are also an eclectic mix. Mainstream comics illustrators including Chris Allan (TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES), Glenn Whitmore (DC COMICE), and Ron Williams (BIG BANG COMICS), are joined by esoteric indie comics creators Jesus Marquez, Simone Arena, Erica Well, and Nikki Powers.

Best of all, the project highlights two dynamic new talents and one very special luminary. Comics historian Carl Scheckel writes his first published comics tale here, while exciting, early work from up-and-coming artist Marley Starr is featured.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE!!!

...and after you've donated, enjoy this trailer for the 3-D Film Archive's 70th Anniversary restoration of ROBOT MONSTER distributed by BayView Entertainment!

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

DID YOU REMEMBER TO SET YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD... TO RONDO TIME?!


Well, Daylight Saving Time is upon us once again, and that means we're inching ever closer to three of springtime's most glorious things: blooming flowers, baseball, and another round of Rondo Award nominations!

The latest nominations (for achievements in horror entertainment, merchandising, journalism and fandom during 2023) were recently announced. And yes, for at least the thirteenth (I think) time (!!!), this humble little blog about spooks and kooks, ghouls and fools, and creeps and clowns has been nominated for a Rondo award!!!

The Rondo Awards are the brainchild of David Colton. They are named after Rondo Hatton (you can learn more about Rondo Hatton by watching the video clip below) and are awards given to those who in some way are keeping the love for and appreciation of classic horror alive. You can learn more details about the Rondo Awards and view this year's ballot by clicking here.

"Scared Silly" has again been nominated in the "best website" category, so it is my hope that if you like this blog and the work I do, you will cast your votes for me.

Votes are due by April 16th, 2023. That should be easy to remember as it's one day after the horror of Tax Day! All voting is done by email only so you must email your picks directly to David Colton at taraco@aol.com

Until then, here's popular horror movie host and pop culture historian Svengoolie giving us all a little backrgound on the life and career of Rondo Hatton (don't be fooled by the thumbnail showing Paul Benedict) - ENJOY:

Monday, January 1, 2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR: 2024 EDITION!!!


Welcome to 2024... in the real world! Here in our world of reminiscing of decades past, welcome to 1950!:



No matter how much time marches forward, let's always remember to keep the very best of the past alive... especially when it comes to classic horror-comedy films!

HERE'S WISHING YOU EVERY BLESSING FOR THE NEW YEAR!

Sunday, December 31, 2023

NEW YEAR'S EVE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE: 2023 INTO 2024 EDITION!!!


Hmmmm…. Father Time is kinda’ scary, isn’t he?

Speaking of time, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for making the past few years so much fun for me. Thank you to all those who have tweeted about my blog, chosen to “follow” the blog, have left comments on posts and told others about the project. I am especially grateful to all the blogs, podcasts, and websites who have publicized this wacky endeavor over the years.

Special mentions for 2023 go out to Bill Groves and Jim Reid of Movie Nights & Matinees, Anthony Sessa of Sessa's Corner, and Dave Hoffman of Catastrophicon for giving me platforms on their podcasts to speak about this kooky, creepy, project of mine. I truly appreciate it. You can listen to all those interviews when you click on the highlighted links above. Most of all, there's no blog without you readers out there so thank you to ALL SCARED SILLY FANS!

It goes without saying that the past few years will go down as one of the most challenging times in history for the majority of us. My hope is that no matter what you’ve gone through or what you’re going through, you have a support system to turn to, for to have friends and family help you through such times as these is a blessing indeed... and in all cases, we all should just be loving each other. If enough of us go forth each day with love in our hearts, I am confident the year 2023 will end on a positive upswing, an upward trend from all we’ve endured the past three years. So... love.

As always, it wouldn't be New Year's Eve here without Vagabond Opera performing “New Year’s Eve in a Haunted House,” composed by avant garde jazz legend Raymond Scott, the man behind many of the melodies heard in Looney Tunes cartoons - enjoy everyone in your life and all your blessings as you enjoy your New Year's Eve!

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

SOME DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM ME TO YOU - 2023 EDITION!!!



















Hope your holidays were grand, friends! Here's a few additional goodies to keep you in the festive spirit!

(NOTE: Many of the feature films, shorts and animated cartoons discussed on this site, being from an earlier time, may contain elements considered insensitive and politically incorrect to us today. Any such controversial themes do not represent the thoughts and opinions of Paul Castiglia and the films discussed and presented here are done so purely for their inherent entertainment and historical value, apart from any such themes).

ENJOY!













Sunday, December 24, 2023

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE FROM VINCENT PRICE... 2023 EDITION!!!


Here's a curio: a rendtition of A Christmas Carol featuring as narrator one of our Scared Silly favorites, the Prince of Horror (often with tongue placed firmly-in-cheek), Mr. Vincent Price himself!

Believed to be the earliest television version of A Christmas Carol, it was produced as an advertising vehicle for Magnavox and aired on 22 stations across the nation on Christmas Day, 1949.

Dickens' venerable tale endures, much like the A Charlie Brown Christmas TV special, due to its underlying themes befitting from whom Christmas' name derives. In this case, we have repentence, redemption and re-birth at the core, all told to us in those dulcet tones that only Mr. Price could so eloquently deliver.

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

Thursday, December 21, 2023

THE HORROR OF SANTA CLAUS... 2023 EDITION!!!

















NOTE: This is an encore of a piece originally posted in 2011, with an added thought from 2019 regarding the song, "Here Comes Santa Claus"

What has to be one of the most surreal and (unintentionally) scariest children’s films ever made is director RenĂ© Cardona’s 1959 Santa Claus. Enterprising exploitation producer/distributor/showman K. Gordon Murray snapped this one up, dubbed it (poorly) into English and unleashed it upon an unsuspecting American public year after year after year.

I say “unsuspecting” because no one in America could have suspected the Santa legend was so different in Mexico. Or maybe it was just different for the writers and directors behind this cinematic oddity. I’ve read many articles about the film and I’m still not sure what the answer is. All I can say is that the differences are not subtle.

Some examples: In this version, Santa doesn’t live in the North Pole – he lives in a castle in the clouds! He doesn’t have real reindeer – they are mechanical! He doesn’t come down chimneys – he enters homes with a magic key. All this, plus he fights an emissary of the devil (no, the photo at the top of this post isn't photoshopped)!

It gets weirder… and scarier… from there. Santa watches over (or more accurately, spies) on the children of the world via a telescope whose unnervingly snaking appendage has a blinking eyeball for a lens! Santa’s right-hand man is Merlin (yes, the sorcerer from Camelot legends) and somehow Santa has gotten children from all over the world to perform for him in a lengthy and very politically incorrect sequence where he watches choirs from many lands sing to him. Oh, and speaking of children, Santa doesn’t have elves. He has children make the toys for him!















As if Merlin’s involvement wasn’t non sequitur enough, the film also shoehorns a distorted Christian sensibility into its core, as Santa basically works on Jesus’ behalf. Which of course makes Satan mad to no end and inspires the dark one to send his hench-demon Pitch into battle against Santa in both direct and indirect ways (in the form of recruiting bad little kids to bedevil the good ones who have Santa’s favor).

NEW THOUGHT I HAD IN 2019: Could this movie have possibly been inspired by the 1947 song, "Here Comes Santa Claus" by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman? I've always felt it had the same bizarre mix of secular and Christian Christmas concepts - "let's give thanks to the Lord above 'cause Santa Claus comes tonight!" I wonder what Esquivel would say about that?...



So it’s not technically a horror film… but it is quite scary. And it’s not a comedy... but it’s so bizarre and absurd that it can’t help but make you laugh in spots (even if that laughter is uneasy at times). For me as a Christian believer, there is an extra layer of weirdness in its cockamamie misrepresentation of the faith that is both scary and funny simultaneously (not funny “ha-ha” but funny as in, “I can’t believe what I’m watching!")...

...but enough of me talking about this film. It really has to be seen to be believed. That plus others have already done in-depth and entertaining examinations of the film which you can read when you click on the links below:

B-Movie Review of Santa Claus

Monster Shack review of Santa Claus

...and best of all, an official blog has been launched containing various articles and reviews of the film – not to mention your chance to vote on such pressing questions as “Which country featured in Santa’s Heavenly Workshop suffered the most ethnic stereotypes?” and “What is the creepiest gadget in Santa’s ‘secret’ lab?” Just click below to visit this new blog appropriately named...

Santa Claus Conquers the Devil: 50 Years of K. Gordon Murray’s Santa Claus

As we wind down the year here’s wishing everyone the safest, happiest and most blessed of holidays.

Now, here’s the trailer for Santa Claus – watch if you dare!