PDA

View Full Version : Any William Castle fans?


HardyGirl
Jun 26, '07, 12:24 AM
I've been enjoying old horror flicks (ala Chiller Theatre) on FearNet On Demand, and I've recently seen 3 of William Castle's pictures: Mr. Sardonicus, The Tingler and Homicidal. Really good movies. William Castle was a strange man, but he knew how to grab his audience and even make them a part of the movie, in the beginning, and towards the end of the movie.

Any William Castle film memories?
ctc
Jun 26, '07, 4:33 AM
Hmmmm....

He's one of my faves! He did something that I wish more folks did these days; he never worried about making a GOOD film, he made ENTERTAINING films. Even his cheapies were weird and unique. I sorta wish I'd been around for some of his gimmicks though.

Say; wasn't the guy in "Matine" modeled after him?

Don C.
palitoy
Jun 26, '07, 8:46 AM
Yeah, Goodman's character in Matinee was based loosely on Castle. I bet Castle had wished he'd thought of the gimmick in "MANT".

My friend is a huge fan of Castle and had seen many of his films in theatre with the gimmick. I think I'd appreciate it more if I had, I don't dislike his work but sometimes it feels like I'm watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show at home......
thunderbolt
Jun 26, '07, 5:15 PM
Love Castle's stuff. What exactly made him a "strange man" ?
Werewolf
Jun 29, '07, 10:48 PM
Besides the ones already mentioned, be sure to check out 13 Ghosts. The DVD has the "illusion-O" gimmick intact and even comes with a replica Ghost Viewer. Really fun movie.

But avoid the gory re-make like the plague. Terrible, terrible movie.
thunderbolt
Jun 30, '07, 5:18 AM
My fave has to be Straight Jacket. Joan Crawford as a axe wielding maniac. Talk about type casting. And one of her first victims is Lee Majors.
mego73
Jun 30, '07, 12:19 PM
Loved William Castle, wish we had an equivelent today.

13 Ghosts stands as a prime example of the horror films that were aimed at younger viewers. It was scary but somehow innocent.

Oddyly enough, Castle's biggest hit was not a usual "William Castle movie", it was Rosemary's Baby
Dr. Phibes
Feb 13, '08, 8:30 PM
B-4 his time... I heard when The Tingler was in theatres, he set up a device under some ot the seats that gave a lil zap after someone yelled the Tingler was loose in the theatre. It would be great to enjoy movie experiences like that today but I guess we're too lawsuit happy. Those were the days I'm told.