OT: Karloff's Farewell

[Gerard]

Back in the '90's, when what is now the "SyFy" Channel was the fantastic Sci-Fi Channel, airing classic movies and TV shows, it ran Thriller.  It usually came on Saturday night. 

Thriller was brilliantly produced.  It didn't achieve the ratings of fellow show like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits because it tried to be two things in one.  It would go back and forth between suspense and supernatural horror, hoping to appease aficionadoes of both genres.  One of the most frightening episodes, dealing with the former, concerned a woman who went on ahead to a vacation cottage she and her husband owned.  They were planning on spending the weekend together and since she had a chance to go up earlier and get the place ready, she did so.  While there, she found the body of a murdered woman and to her own terror she was being stalked by the man who did it.  I won't say anything more to spoil it for those who want to see the episode.  I saw it as an adult (it may have been on Sci-Fi, or when I watched it in syndication on another network previously) and it turned my blood cold.  I slept with the lights on.

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I have to say I've been enjoying watching Thriller, some eps more than others, but I just finished watching one of the best eps so far: The Hungry Glass. The synopsis for it -

A couple (William Shatner, Joanna Hayes) see faint images in the glass of their old home.

 - doesn't even begin to describe what a creepy vibe the ep has. And it even has sort of a DS vibe to it because the old house is located at the edge of a cliff and there are frequent shots of it atop the cliff and of the waves crashing against the rocks below. And for fans of '60s TV, it has the added attraction of appearances by Russell Johnson (Gilligan's Island) and Donna Douglas (The Beverly Hillbillies) before they became household names. And believe it not, William Shatner is quite good and seemingly doesn't display any of his mannered Star Trek tics - or at least none that I noticed.

All in all it's definitely an ep I would recommend watching if you ever come across it.

[Nicky]

I treated myself to the Thriller set of DVDs for my birthday a few years back; beautiful, just beautiful.  I had seen The Hungry Glass (based on a marvelous Robert Bloch story) on SciFi in college; "A Wig for Ms. DeVore" and "Pigeons from Hell" also lived up to their respective reps -- but the creepiest episode (and I can't for the life of my remember its title) involves a woman whose husband (or father?) is killed by a puppet/dummy that comes to life.  Has a super spooky denouement, if I remember correctly.

Gothy, PLEASE write a story where one of Cassandra's wigs pops up and does something DEEEEEvious!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

After watching The Hungry Glass, one may never look at or into mirrors in quite the same way again! 

[Midnite]

the creepiest episode (and I can't for the life of my remember its title) involves a woman whose husband (or father?) is killed by a puppet/dummy that comes to life.  Has a super spooky denouement, if I remember correctly.

This is the only episode that I've seen in recent years, and just a month or so ago at that.  It's called "The Weird Tailor" and was memorable because it was so unusual-- the black mass, the son in the freezer, the real horror of domestic violence, and yikes, that ending!

[Nicky]

Yes yes yes!!!  I need to rewatch it -- I was really freaked out the first time I saw it.  The Elizabeth Montgomery vampire episode is super interesting as well.

[Midnite]

Thanks, I'll watch for that one!

[Gerard]

I just watched two episodes on youtube:  "Pigeons from Hell," and "Parasite Mansion."  Both are creepy and scary beyond belief.

Gerard

[Uncle Roger]

There are some other ones to watch for like Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper and La Strega with Alejandro Rey, Jeanette Nolan and Ursula Andress. There's also a pretty good where Karloff appears as a mad scientist with Dick York as a supporting player.

[Gothick]

Karloff was brilliant in The Incredible Dr. Markesan which I finally saw a couple of years ago after having seen several stills from it in Famous Monsters as a child.

The final shot of that is so unbearably shocking. and it's accomplished with the simplest of means; lighting, music, make-up, and a really dedicated performance.

When you watch material such as this you really feel as if the classic Gothic horror of yore is much to be mourned...

G.

[Uncle Roger]

Thank you, Gothick! That is the title of the Dick York episode that I referred to earlier. Couldn't remember the title. And the ending is everything you say it is.

Gerard, I watched Parasite Mansion this evening and you were right on the money with it. The family was like the Clampetts going to the darkside

[Annie]

Wow  wish  i knew about this  would  of watched it.   Sure  brings back the good old days of
black and white tv.   I'm  not  sure but i  think Liz Montgomery had  a role  as Lizzy Borden.
 That was a scary one  as well.           Love  Anne

[Mysterious Benefactor]

There are some other ones to watch for like Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper

I was just glancing over what my DVR has programmed to record in the next two weeks and I saw where that ep will be on Friday, October 4th at 3am ET.

[MagnusTrask]

This program sounds incredible.  I want so much to continue my ongoing education of the stuff that was around before I seem to have been fully alert as a human being (as if that ever happens) in the very early 60s and before, that misty time when I existed but had a primitive brain....   I need me a big ass antenna to pick up MeTV after the glorious advent of totally digital TV however.   Eliz Montgomery + Tom Poston I want to see........

[dom]

I'm am currently residing where there is an incredible cable package and yet, no me-tv. I was informed that I can have a streaming netflix account. I know that is mentioned here on the Forums quite a bit as an alternative to DVDs, etc. (Though I wouldn't expect it to carry Thriller.) Honestly, I am somewhat tired of the genre as a whole and have no interest in anything new or tying myself to another must watch every episode series (as Josette stated in the Sleepy hollow thread) currently airing, but like you Magnus, I am very curious about (and more open to) the older stuff especially when it is touted here as being marvelously creepy and well done (pre-CGI, which is really saying something) and can be viewed as a stand alone property.

I saw Karloff's The Old House, or something like that - the movie that's been credited as where Wallace got the idea for Shadows On The Wall, and have been fascinated with Karloff's non-Universal monster work ever since. So I am really eager to catch some of these eps everyone is talking about, even if he's not in them all.