MIDNIGHT LACE - Doris Day - "The Strangest Most Terrifying Game" (1960)

Tonight's Saturday Night Special is a movie I first saw a long, long time ago. It was made in 1960, and is titled......

.........."Midnight Lace!"

"Midnight Lace" stars Doris Day, whose body of film work is usually confined to the puppies and cotton candy realm, so it freaked me out as a kid to see her in a movie like this, kind of like how I felt when Frankie Avalon got stabbed in "The Haunted House Of Horror!"

Doris is a rich American in London!

Her British husband is played by the always charming Rex (Dr. Dolittle) Harrison!

I look at this shot, and the word 'stuffy' comes to mind first thing!

Hence the title "Midnight Lace!"

The 'Danger' signs come into play more than once to help deliver the foreboding overall feel! 

Dungeon stalwart Roddy (Planet of the Apes) McDowall 

has the role of an annoying possible suspect, a role that fits him well!

But all in all, "Midnight Lace" is basically a suspenseful showcase for Doris Day!

Gee Willikers, where's Rock Hudson when you need him?

Not really the best time to be celebrating anything!

Doris is stuck in the dark and claustrophobic lift going up to her flat!

These days any prank, annoying, or threatening phone call you make can probably be traced back to you, but back in the day when phone booths existed, it was a lot easier to hassle people on the phone anonymously! Like today, if you called your local dive bar and asked for mouse knuckles like Tabonga and I used to do, you'd probably have the authorities up your butt in no time at all!

Doris just turned 96 four days ago on April 3rd!

In a 60's male-dominated society, "Midnight Lace" was a film that had a female in the lead role, and supporting roles like Myrna (Nora Charles) Loy, and......

.....Natasha (The Fourth Square) Parry! Oddly enough, Natasha was also in another movie with the word midnight in the tile in 1950, "Midnight Episode!"

I don't have the exact calculations, but I'd bet that close to 40% of "Midnight Lace" is different head shots of Doris Day!

Doris Day has 43 acting credits to her name, but she was also a very successful singer, and songs with her vocals have been used in movies 117 times and growing, and that's why she will never be forgotten, because of songs like "Dream A Little Dream," "Tea For Two," and "Que Sera, Sera!"

Belated Happy Birthday Doris!! We love you!

FRIGHT NIGHT - J. Geils Band - "For Real" (1985)

 Halloween might be over, but as you well know, the horror never stops down in The Dungeon! So tonight I'm going somewhere that I'm usually too scared to go, the year 1985, and a fun little flick called..........

"FRIGHT NIGHT!!!"

 "Fright Night" is almost two hours long and is filled with frightening eye candy, and I've had to reduce it down to 20 pictures and two minutes! It was a daunting task! Although it doesn't sound much like it to me, the title song was performed by the J. Geils Band! The entire soundtrack is great with tunes by April Wine, White Sister, Devo, Ian Hunter, Sparks, Brad Feidel, Autograph, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Bert Kaempfert, and  the Fabulous Fontaines! Good freakin' luck finding a copy on vinyl or cd! The movie itself streams on Netflix!

There's no time to dilly dally around, so let's just cut to the chase! I've said it before, the really good thing about 80's and newer movies is that most of the people who made them are still alive! This is William Ragsdale as Charley Brewster in only his second film outing. William had his own TV series from 1991 to 1994 called "Herman's Head!" He has been a staple on TV ever since! Charley has just casually noticed some nasty going-ons through the bedroom window of his new neighbor!

That's it! It's on! He's been spotted, and Charley's troubles are just about to go full throttle!

Oh, shit!!!

Chris Sarandon is the especially evil Jerry Dandrige! I could tell you many things about Chris, but all you really need to know is that he is the voice of Jack Skellington!!

The always entertaining Roddy (Planet Of The Apes) McDowall is everybody's hero, the vampire killer Peter Vincent! Too bad his talents are only in the movies! Despite the hopes of everyone around him, in real life, he's a sniveling coward!
 

Charley's best friend is nicknamed Evil Ed, but it was just supposed to be a joke and not rise to this level. Evil Ed is played by Stephen Geoffreys who has had a very strange career going from "976-EVIL," to off Broadway, to a stint in the 90's in gay hardcore flicks like "Butt Blazer," and "Cock Pit!"  After taking a few years off after that, Stephen currently has at least four films in either pre or post-production!

When the wolf's eyes turn red, it's time for the fun to really get started!

Jerry Dandrige's best buddy, and all around evil bastard Billy Cole is played by Jonathan Stark, who probably never has to work another day in his life after creating and writing 182 episodes of the very popular TV series, "According To Jim" that ran for eight years 2001 to 2009!

When it comes down to the final play, the undead Billy Cole turns out to be just another dead wimp!

The big stained glass window in Jerry's house is used to good extent over and over!

Literally, all Hell starts breaking out!!

From "All My Children" to "Married With Children," Amanda Bearse as Charley's girlfriend Amy turned eternally evil has never looked sexier!!

I can just imagine Peg/Gemma saying, 'My Gawd Marcy, you need to brush more often, even Al's breath isn't that bad!' Just in case you don't know, Amanda was Marcy in a stunning run of 10 years from 1987 to 1997 on "Married With Children!"

Evil, Evil, Live, Evil, light good, light bad, depending on which side you're on!

And just about when it looks like Evil is going to persevere......

Hell No!! Die Scum OF The Earth!

Nothing like a good horror host ending! "Be sure and return on Monday when Tabonga! will rise again!"