SCARY MOVIES WITH SINGLE WORD TITLES (1945 - 1985)

 

Here's a macabre Saturday Night Special concept for you, a list of scary movies with one word titles, and no "The's" invited.

To choose a one word title for a horror film, you need a strong word, a single word that invokes terror, dread, confusion, or somehow gives you the creeps just thinking about it like "IMPULSE" is a good place to start. The added daggers in this title card are just frosting on the cake combined with one of the creepiest characters William Shatner ever played!

And speaking of "MACABRE," the Merriam Webster dictionary defines it as "Dwelling on the Gruesome," and I'm pretty sure that's what Schlockmeister William Castle had in mind when he made this 1958 monsterpiece of horror!

 

"ROPE," it's a simple word really, but when it's the title of an Alfred Hitchcock film, then it takes on multiple new meanings. Hitchcock must have liked one word titles, because quite a few of his films fell into this category, starting with his most famous, "PSYCHO," and  including such titles as "NOTORIOUS," "SPELLBOUND," "SABOTAGE," "SUSPICION," "BLACKMAIL," and...

 

......."VERTIGO!" I get dizzy just thinking about it!

Then it just starts getting weirder and more psychologically difficult like

"TORMENTED" from 1960.

     

This 1977 Mario Bava movie has been released as more than one title like "Beyond the Door II," or "The Demon Is Nuts," but this is the simplest and  most shocking one,

"SHOCK."

 

 

Then there are titles that just scream fun like Freddie France's "HYSTERIA" from 1965.

Here's another one-word masterpiece from Alfred Hitchcock in 1972, that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy, "FRENZY!" 

 

 "SEIZURE" from 1974 is another comforting title because after all, 

"It's a children's story!"

 

After the seizure, the "DEMENTIA" sets it!

This 1955 classic was also known as "Daughter Of Horror."

Then you end up in this happy place from 1946.

"BEDLAM"

 

Let's see, then there's "SUCCUBUS," another fun family film from Jess Franco in 1968, that is literally defined as

 "a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men!"

 

 

So let's take a little "DETOUR," and "Get back on track, Jack," because in 1945, what was better than going to movie that you had no idea where it was headed?

 

Next is the "Are These Really Even Words?" Department, where they just made something up, and you had to go to the movies to find out what it even was, like "GOG" from 1954.

Believe it or not, "KRONOS" is still not a word some 67 years later!

Nor is the title of the 1962 film "ZOTZ!"

 

 

Some one word titles are very descriptive, like with 1982's "PIECES,"

 what else do you need to know?

 

Or how about "RATTLERS" from 1976? That title pretty much says it all!

 

 Now this 1966 title has charisma and plenty of mystery to it, because anything could happen in matter of  "SECONDS!"

 

For one word, it just doesn't get much more ominous than "QUICKSAND,"

and Mickey Rooney just sinks deeper and deeper into it in this 1950 film.

From 1968 we have "CORRUPTION," which is defined as "Dishonest or Fraudulent Conduct by Those in Power," so you immediately know this film's going to be a barrel of laughs!

I'll leave you with Argento's "CREEPERS" from 1985, because why not?

You're sure not going to expect sunshine and lollipops with a title like that!

Interestingly enough, this film was originally released as another single word title,

"PHENOMENA."

THRILLER - "Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper" (1961)

 

It's a Whopping Good Time Wednesday down in The Dungeon, and this week I've got a wild episode of the killer TV show "Thriller" for you!

I never have time to plan things, so let me take a second and tell you how this works. In my many emails with Lord Litter in Berlin, he is always asking about or suggesting shows for me, since a lot of this is new to him, having never aired in Germany the first time. He was watching "Thriller," and I told him that it was right up there with my favourite shows like "The Twilight Zone," and "The Outer Limits," and then I realized we had never written up a "Thriller" before!

 

So, after looking at who was in different episodes, I decided I wanted to watch episode 16 from the first season because not only did it have The Shat in it, but Donna Douglas of "The Beverly Hillbillies" was also in it, but there was only one problem, I don't have a copy, nor could I find one, so I decided to watch something else that had to do with Beverly Hills, and that was Episode 28 also of season one, titled "Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper."

 

The host of "Thriller" was none other than the phenomenal Boris Karloff who does an outstanding job, just like he always does, no matter what the assignment!

 

The story begins in the 1800's in jolly olde England.

 

Jack continues his nefarious ways, by preying on the ladies of the night!

The first victim was played by Jill (The Third Man) Livesey.

 

Flash forward to 1961 New York, and suddenly it's all happening again!

Pamela (Mutiny In Outer Space) Curran is the second victim.

 

It was at this point I realized that this story penned by "Psycho" author Robert Bloch was almost exactly the same story as "The Night Strangler" I watched recently that was written by an equally talented Sci-Fi writer Richard Matheson. This is also the same story that Robert Bloch used to write the "Star Trek" episode called "Wolf In The Fold."

 

Joan Blondell's younger sister Gloria (The Twonky) Blondell, has the role of ex-burlesque star Maggie who discovers the body. Maggie makes a point of letting the authorities know that they need to get her name right, because she used to be a star. Gloria was the voice of Daisy Duck in a couple of Donald Duck cartoons, which seems natural, because she is quite animated.

 

John Williams is Sir Guy, a British authority on the crimes of Jack The Ripper, who tries to explain to the police, just as Kolchak did, that he believes this modern day Jack The Ripper is the same guy who did it decades before. Of course no one believes him, at least not in the beginning.

John played William Shakespeare in "The Twilight Zone" episode known as "The Bard."

In 1954 John Williams was in Hitchcock's "Dial M For Murder" with Dungeon Hero Ray Milland who directed this episode of "Thriller."

The police don't give much credence to Sir Guy's theories and might possibly believe it's Jack's son or grandson, but not the same man, so Sir Guy and Police Psychologist Dr. John Carmody, join forces to try and figure this thing out, and they start by going to some of the Bohemian places they think might attract Jack. The Doctor is played by Donald (13 Ghosts) Woods.

Sometimes being an artiste can be frustrating!

Adam Williams is the creative artiste named Hymie Kralik who has great imagination. He dooesn't know why he sees his model surrounded by all these ominous objects, it's just a vision he has. Adam was in two episodes of "The Twilight Zone," The Hitch-Hiker," and "A Most Unusual Camera."

As it turns out, Hymies gruesome vision comes true, and his model Arlene is the next victim. Arlene was played by Nancy (The Black Castle) Valentine.

 

There's nothing much more fun than a funeral in the rain!

The Doctor and Sir Guy head on over to a strip club that Sir Guy has determined is the place where the next attack will occur according to the pattern he's laid out. Sir Guy is unfamiliar with the concept of a strip club, and the Doctor has to explain to him that you sit, get a drink and watch young ladies disrobe. And that brings us to the star of the show, a woman named Beverly Powers, aka Miss Beverly Hills.

Beverly Powers was a popular and a very real life stripper and actually performed as Miss Beverly Hills on stage in clubs.

 

Bev was also in movies as herself, and numerous films where she

 played strippers and showgirls, often named Beverly Hills.

 

This was Beverly's on screen debut, and she went on to be in three Elvis movies, "Viva Las Vegas," "Kissin' Cousins," and "Speedway."  

Bev was also in "The Comedy Of Terrors," "Brides Of Blood," and "Invasion Of The Bee Girls."

The guys and the gals in the audience love her act and applaud like crazy!

I normally avoid using any nude pics on this blog in order to keep it open to all ages, but I had this old pic of Miss Beverly that is so nothing by today's standards, so I thought I'd show you what they couldn't on TV in 1961.

Sir Guy was 100% correct, and Jack or John, or whatever his name is, just might still continue to live to this day!

THE PLOT THICKENS - "Pilot Episode" (1963)

Tonight I've got a real Saturday the 13th Special for you. It's the pilot for a crazy TV show called "The Plot Thickens" made in 1963, that never aired, and after I explain the concept, you'll probably understand why!

 

Let me see if I can explain this! "The Plot Thickens" was a game show with a panel of celebrities competing for $500.00 cash! The panel watches a special ten minute murder movie that was made specifically for the show, and afterwards, the suspects are brought into the studio and questioned. After a series of questions, the panel makes their choices of who they think the murderer is.

The wonderful Warrene (The Phantom Planet, Black Zoo, Rat Fink) Ott is the hostess/bailiff for the show. That's the black cat mascot of the show there with her!

The host of the show was Jack Linkletter, the son of the great Art Linkletter. Jack also hosted the great folk music show on TV called "Hootenanny" in 1963-1964.

The panel from left to right was Richard Halley who was an actual private detective, then Stanley Ralph Ross, Jan Sterling, and the always charming Groucho Marx.

Part of the deal was that if one of the panelists gets it right and the detective doesn't, then the prize money is doubled to a thousand dollars.

 

If you don't remember who Jan Sterling is, maybe this shot from "Women's Prison" will jog your memory!
 

The live audience seems to be enjoying the show!

Warrene wheels out the big screen TV so the panel can watch the ten minute production titled "Murder In The Crystal Ball."

This phony swami, his wife and his buddy have been ripping off a whole lot of people, and the swami is ready to call it quits, and get on out of town and retire, but his wife wants to do just one more seance for some high dollar big shots, so he begrudgingly agrees. His lovely wife Lois is played by Linda (Naked Flame) Bennett, and his pal Arnold is played by James T. Callahan, who was also in a "Twilight Zone" episode, "Ninety Years Without Slumbering."

The swami named Kazam was played by the remarkable Arthur Batanides, a staple of 60's and 70's TV. Besides shows like "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible," Arthur was in two "Twilight Zone" episodes, "Mr. Denton On Doomsday," and "The Mirror," and also the "Outer Limits" episode called "Specimen: Unknown."

By the time the participants all get there, kazoom Kazam is already in a deep trance!

The floating trumpet blasts squeaky notes ala Ed Wood style..............

...............And freaks out one of the members of the group, the guy who brought a gun to the seance, Jay Adler as Mr. Lowe. Jay Adler was in "The Big Combo," "The Killing," and also two "Twilight Zone" episodes, "The Jungle," and "He's Alive."

Before the seance gets a chance to be over, Kazam is shot, and now it's time to figure out whodunnit!

Luckily there was a detective hiding in a closet who heard and saw the whole thing, now we just have to see if the panelists can figure it out!

Pretty much all Groucho can focus on is how beautiful both Linda and Warrene are! Everything else is just a moot point to him!

The actors try their darndest to stay in character, but it's difficult when Groucho Marx is asking you questions!

Panelist Stanley Ralph Ross gets an extra shout out here for his accomplishments in pop culture. Stanley. The big man who did it all stood 6'6" and wrote many episodes of "Batman," "The Man Fron U.N.C.L.E.," and "The Monkees," etc. He also is credited with the ultimate sports comment "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."

When's the last time you saw anybody smoking a cigarette on a TV game show? Stanley Ralph Ross died from lung cancer at the age of 64!

Groucho's the only one who correctly figures out who the murderer was, and wins the thousand dollars, but it's not exactly the prize he was seeking!

Personally, I think everybody should see this krazy show, it is truly one of a kind!

Here's a couple more nails in the coffin of why this had the potential to be a great show, the story was written by Robert (PSYCHO) Bloch..........

 

..........And it was a creation of Dungeon Superhero, and gimmick master supreme,

Mr. William Castle. I rest my case!