For a bit of a change of pace, in episode 95 of the Classic Horrors Club Podcast, Jeff and I discuss two films where there are as many songs as there are monsters: Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Both did their time on the Midnight Movie circuit before the advent of home video boosted one’s reputation and tarnished the other’s.
Be sure to check out the video companion on the Classic Horrors Club YouTube channel where we count down our Top 10… with a few exceptions due to copyright infringement.
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Next month on episode 96, it’s time to Go Ape as we’ll be taking a look at mankind’s future with the original Planet of the Apes (1968) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)!
Repo! The Genetic Opera Release date: November 7, 2008
Cast: Alexa PenaVega as Shilo Wallace Paul Sorvino as Rotti Largo Anthony Head as Nathan/Repo Man Sarah Brightman as Blind Mag Paris Hilton as Amber Sweet Bill Moseley as Luigi Largo Orge as Pavi Largo Terrance Zdunich as Graverobber
Written by Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Plot: It’s 2056 and after a pandemic left the world with organ failures, GenCo has risen to control the masses with organ replacements…at a very high price. If you fail to keep up the payments, the Repo Man will come to repossess the organ. And those who become addicted to surrey have also become addicted to a painkiller called Zydrate.
Richard’s Thoughts: I haven’t seen this since about 2009, so a solid 15 years has passed. I honestly remembered very little about it other than the song “Zydrate Anatomy”, which I’ve heard numerous times over the years. Terrance Zdunich does a great job of slinking his way across the screen and making a drug pusher seem engaging. Paris Hilton’s performance in that song isn’t too bad but Alexa PenaVega is a glaring weak link. Unfortunately, her solo songs and acting performance in the film aren’t any better.
I do remember liking this film a lot more than I did upon this revisit. Paul Sorvino comes across as bored and the stylized artistic visuals haven’t really aged well. Sarah Brightman, who has an incredibly beautiful voice, is wasted here with sub-par music. I really wanted to enjoy this one more than I did but I found myself becoming impatient for the end. Looks like I’ll keep listening to the Zydrate song and skip the movie going forward.
Trivia: Despite the obvious similarities, Repo Men, released in 2010, was based on a novel by Eric Garcia that originated as an unpublished story dating back to 1997.
Availability: Repo! The Genetic Opera is available on Blu-ray.
Little Shop of Horrors Release date: December 19, 1986
Cast: Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn Ellen Greene as Audrey Vincent Gardenia as Mushnik Steve Martin as Orin Scrivello D.D.S. Levi Stubbs as Voice of Audrey II
Based on the screenplay by Charles Griffith and film by Roger Corman Based on the musical by Howard Ashman Screenplay by Howard Ashman Directed by Frank Oz
Plot: When an odd looking plant materializes during a mysterious and unexpected solar eclipse, poor slob Seymour takes it home. However, he soon finds that the plant is hungry for fresh, human blood and that feeding it only makes it more hungry. Does Audrey II have more sinister plans in store for Seymour and the entire world?
Richard’s Thoughts: It’s been decades since I’ve watched this musical version of Little Shop of Horrors, so other than memories of some of the songs, I really had no recollection of the film. What I noticed almost immediately is how it’s a much more traditional musical than Phantom of the Paradise and Rocky Horror Picture Show. Rick Moranis really does quite well while Ellen Greene was more than adequate, other than annoying me just a little with the soft and squeaky nature of her character’s voice. The musical trio of Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell and Michelle Weeks also help the movie move along musically.
The numerous cameo appearances are quite fun with Jim Belushi as Patrick Martin, Christopher Guest as a customer in the flower shop, John Candy as Wink Wilkinson, a whacky radio DJ, and last, but certainly not least, Bill Murray as the pain-loving dental patient Arthur Denton. His scene with Steve Martin is a true highlight in the film.
Of course, the main highlight is the plant creature itself…Audrey II. Levi Stubbs, of The Four Tops, does a masterful job of voicing Audrey II. His big finale, including the song Mean Green Mother of Outer Space, is amplified by the amazing visual representation of Audrey II.
It was a lot of fun to revisit Little Shop of Horrors. From the top-notch cast to the music and great special effects, you can’t go wrong with this one. Highly recommended!
Karla’s Thoughts: This is my favorite version of the story, surpassing the original by far. I love all of the cameos and the music, especially the three singers, who provide continuity throughout the film. The music was definitely much more Broadway-esque. Steve Martin was truly hilarious but he was a little hard to watch when he was being so mean to Audrey. I love the happy ending and would gladly watch it again.
Trivia: The ending of the film was originally quite different but more faithful to the original stage play. At 23 minutes long, it featured Audrey and Seymour being eaten by Audrey II and the world being taken over by an army of Audrey IIs. The miniature special effects cost $5 million but, after two failed test screenings, the happy ending of the film was shot and it is what is now most commonly known as the true ending of the film.
Availability: Little Shop of Horrors is available on Blu-ray with both the original theatrical version and the director’s cut.
Jeff and I belatedly celebrate the birthday of Ol’ Blood and Thunder, or Mr. Murder, Tod Slaughter in episode 94 of the Classic Horrors Club Podcast! Slaughter has been called a British Boris Karloff. Indeed he made a series of films in the 1930s as similar to each other as Karloff’s mad scientist movies were in the United States.
However, with his roots in the theater, Slaughter was a unique master of Victorian melodrama, perhaps best known for playing Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, both on stage and screen. He stops short of being a moustache-twirling villain, but never retreats from a maniacal laugh.
Let your hosts be your guide for which of Slaughter’s films are hits and which ones are misses. They may not be your cup of tea, but we encourage you to take a sip. Just don’t drink too much in one sitting.
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We now have an Instagram account! Look for us at classichorrorsclubpodcast. We look forward to adding more content and connecting with all of you there!
Next month on episode 95, it’s time to jump to the left…and then take a step to the right…as we do the time warp back to the 70s for two classic horror musicals. First, we’ll take a look at Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and see if we’re up to the challenge of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)! Join us for the late night, double feature, picture show!
We conclude this special five-part salute to the legendary Tod Slaughter with a look at two more of his films and the events leading up to his death.
The Crimes of Stephen Hawke (1936) starts off much the same way Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1936) did by being set in modern times. However, this film opens at the BBC Radio studios with an odd sequence featuring Flotsam and Jetsam. This duo (Bentley Collingwood Hilliam and Malcom McEachern) were a musical act involving a piano and songs filled with social commentary. What they are doing in this film remains a mystery. I’m sure they were highly recognizable at the time but now, they are all but forgotten and serve no purpose in the story. We then are graced with the presence of Tod Slaughter, who is being interviewed by the radio announcer as he talks about his villainous acts in Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn (1935) and Sweeney Todd. From there, he begins to describe the details of his next film, which we are watching, and the story then finally begins.
Tod Slaughter plays the killer of the film, Stephen Hawke, and commits his first murder within moments of debuting on screen. He is mapping out a home with obvious plans to rob it. However, he is discovered by a young boy, whom he murders off screen. Hawke is known as “The Spine-Breaker” and is leaving a trail of death throughout Victorian England. In a change of pace from his other films, he is not out to marry a young girl as he is actually a father himself. He is still a money lender, as he often is in other films, but is also a crazier killer with no real motivation.
Upon being discovered by an employee, he is forced to kill the man and then leave town. With the dead man’s son hot on his trail, Hawke ultimately returns when, ironically, his own daughter is being forced into marrying an older man after the man discovers Hawke is “The Spine-Breaker”. The movie ends with a rather good climatic rooftop scene and interesting but non-relevant reveal at the end. Our final scene oddly returns to the BBC studio with Tod Slaughter leaving the now-sleeping radio announcer as he chuckles off screen. The Crimes of Stephen Hawke offers a different take on the familiar Tod Slaughter storylines. It is well-worth tracking down and, at less than 70 minutes, is an easy and enjoyable late-night flick.
In 1940, Slaughter was back to his killing and blackmailing ways in Crimes at the Dark House. In the opening moments of the story, Slaughter is a killer who murders Sir Percival Glyde in Australia and decides to assume his identity in order to inherit his England estate. The real Glyde had been gone so long that nobody remembers what he looked like. Once he has acquired the estate, the fake Glyde begins scheming to marry a rich heiress for her money while killing all who suspect he may be an imposter. The story is loosely based on the novel The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins and is actually one of Slaughter’s better and more cohesive stories. The usual elements are there but done well enough that they don’t seem too repetitive.
With the arrival of World War II, the British film industry went dark and Slaughter returned to the stage in such horrific roles as Jack the Ripper and Mr. Hyde. Once the war was over, he returned to the screen as Spring-Heeled Jack in The Curse of the Wraydons aka Strangler’s Morgue (1946) and in adaptation of Burke and Hare in The Greed of William Hart aka Horror Maniacs (1946). He continued to grace the stage as the film roles decreased, playing opposite a young Peter Cushing in The Gay Invalid as well as various early television appearances. He was still starring in a Maria Marten play when he fell ill and died of coronary thrombosis in 1956 at the age of 70.
Slaughter’s films were quickly forgotten and, most likely, would have remained that way were it not for film historian William K. Everson. Everson introduced many rare films through his screenings and the Theodore Huff Film Society. Everson’s original film notes are available online and highly recommended reading. As the video generation gave birth to an ever-increasing number of film buffs, Slaughter is slowly being rediscovered to this day. With the recent release of the Tod Slaughter box set by Indicator, I hope that an even greater number of horror fans seek it out to discover and enjoy Tod Slaughter on their own.
While Tod Slaughter will never be considered an equal to legends like Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi, his melodramatic horror films are certainly worth checking out. When the next rainy night leaves you searching for something to watch, do yourself a favor and discover Tod Slaughter.
A version of this article was originally published in February 2015.
Recommend Reading: Mr. Murder: The Life and Times of Tod Slaughter by Denis Meikle, Kip Xool & Doug Young is available from Hemlock Film.
The Criminal Acts of Tod Slaughter: Eight Blood-and-Thunder Entertainments, 1935-1940 is available on Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films.
Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror Release date: February 1938
Cast: George Curzon as Sexton Blake Tod Slaughter as Michael Larron Greta Gynt as Mademoiselle Julie Tony Sympson as Tinker
Based on the story The Mystery of Caversham Square by Pierre Quirole Screenplay by A.R. Rawlinson Directed by George King
Plot: Sexton Blake and his sidekick Tinker match wits with the criminal mastermind known as The Hooded Terror.
Richard’s Thoughts: This film stirs up the status quo a little with Tod Slaughter in a supporting role alongside George Curzon’s low-rent Sherlock Holmes wannabe, Sexton Blake. Slaughter does play the villain (of course) and is pining after Mademoiselle Julie (naturally). His character of Michael Larron aka The Hooded Terror, is essentially a Professor Moriarty-type arch rival to Sexton Blake.
Slaughter turns in his usually good scene-chewing performance. He just needed a more worthy hero to match wits with. Unfortunately, Sexton Blake isn’t quite it. I understand that Blake has his fans and is well-loved as an alternative to Sherlock Holmes. But in that comparison lies the problem for me. Here, he simply isn’t on the same level and his sidekick Tinker comes nowhere close to being as effective as Dr. Watson usually is. However, comparisons to Holmes were soon abandoned in his literary adventures. So, I can only assume the strong Holmes comparisons here are due to a conscious decision to do so from the director and screenwriter.
While Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror suffers because of that decision, in my opinion, I still enjoyed the film to a degree. But it is my least favorite of the Slaughters’ films from this time period. Yet, I would revisit this at some point in the future to see how my opinion might change over time.
Karla’s Thoughts: I struggled with this one because of the similarities between Sexton Blake and Sherlock Holmes. However, Sexton is definitely no Sherlock as he really didn’t figure anything out with his very low powers of deduction. The plot really was all over the place and I never really understood the Asian connection. Slaughter was good in his usual villain role but not his best performance. I did enjoy this one but I wouldn’t watch it again. I’d rather find a good Sherlock Holmes movie instead.
Trivia: The character of Sexton Blake was created by Harry Blyth in 1893 and has since appeared in more than 4,000 by over 200 different authors. He’s also appeared on stage, screen and radio.
This was George Curzon’s third and final appearance as Sexton Blake. His two previous films were Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle (1935) and Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor (1935), both of which also featured Tony Sympson as Tinker.
As we continue our retrospective into the career of Tod Slaughter, our next two films have very similar themes with slightly more horrific storylines. Both contain murder and deceit as well as torture and a maniacal madman.
Our first film this week is It’s Never Too Late to Mend (1937). Tod Slaughter heads up the cast as Squire John Meadows. He is the justice in the village as well as the local prison administrator. While most in the village believe him to be a trustworthy and upstanding citizen, those within the prison walls know him to be cruel and sadistic. Our story begins as people are leaving church and the Squire immediately makes his evil intentions known. He has eyes for the lovely Susan Merton (Marjorie Taylor) but she is interested in poor George Fielding. Her father sees no future for her in marrying George but also resists the Squire’s intentions upon his daughter. However, when the Squire saves Susan’s father from financial ruin, he becomes indebted to the Squire and forces Susan to marry him. However, George has left the village in search of fame and fortune. Upon returning, the Squire begins to show his true colors and turns to bribery and theft to ensure George is penniless, leaving Susan with the only choice but to marry the Squire.
The real horror in this film centers on the prison scenes. It is there that the Squire is in his real element. Addressing the inmates as his children, he relishes in their torture. He forces men into solitary confinement via a cell that is completely cut off from the outside world. A poor boy is encased in a cage and tortured, his only crime being the theft of some bread for his starving mother. Slaughter clearly has the “conniving rich man bribing the father of the young girl” role mastered. However, seeing him as the evil prison administrator was refreshing. One wonders if Boris Karloff was channeling Slaughter when he filmed Bedlam some nine years later. There are definite similarities at times. At a brisk 65 minutes, It’s Never Too Late to Mendis entertaining despite its obvious low budget and overall staged presentation. You’ll also have to get past the somewhat heavy handed religious melodrama from the prison chaplain, but it’s worth sticking it out to the end.
In 1939, Slaughter starred in what is one of my personal favorite films of his that I’ve seen to date. In The Face at the Window, Slaughter stars as Chevalier Lucio de Gardo, a bank examiner who is investigating a robbery at a bank in Paris. There are some immediately recognizable themes as he shows interest in the lovely Cecile de Brisson (Marjorie Taylor). As usual, she loves another, this time being Lucien Cortier. Lucien works at the bank under her father. He is quickly framed for the robbery by Lucio de Gardo, who is actually behind the theft. The tale turns murderous as Cecile’s father is murdered by Lucio de Gardo, who has discovered that Lucien was framed. Meanwhile, a murderous wolf man is being seen through windows and a trail of death follows.
Slaughter isn’t quite as over-the-top here and I think this film stands out with better production values and a less conventional story. The horrific images of the wolf man are effective, if not a little low budget. The reveal comes quickly at the end of the film and offers up a surprising twist that is never even hinted at earlier in the story. Overall, I think this is one of Slaughter’s best efforts and is well worth a viewing, especially considering its brief running time and easy availability.
Next time, we conclude our five part series on Tod Slaughter with two more films and the twilight of his career.
A version of this article originally published in February 2015.
Recommend Reading: Mr. Murder: The Life and Times of Tod Slaughter by Denis Meikle, Kip Xool & Doug Young is available from Hemlock Film.
The Criminal Acts of Tod Slaughter: Eight Blood-and-Thunder Entertainments, 1935-1940 is available on Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films.
The Ticket of Leave Man Release date: October 1937
Cast: Tod Slaughter as The Tiger John Warwick as Robert Brierly Marjorie Taylor as May Edwards Frank Cochran as Melter Moss Robert Adair as Hackshaw
Based on the play by Tom Taylor Screenplay by A.R. Rawlinson & H.F. Maltby Directed by George King
Plot: A man is falsely accused of a series of murders that were really committed by the mysterious killer known as The Tiger.
Richard’s Thoughts: The key to enjoying a Tod Slaughter movie is to only watch one at a time. A marathon will only expose the secret to his success in the 30s as there was a standard formula that he rarely strayed from. Slaughter plays the villain and he’s usually tricking everyone into thinking he’s a good guy. That is except for the father of the woman he usually desires. The woman may understand his nefarious ulterior motives but more often than not, she also sees him as a benefactor who is helping either her and/or her father.
This film doesn’t stray too far from that basic plot but is unique in several plot points. It was the first film at the time to benefit from the solid working relationship Tod Slaughter had with director George King and his cast of familiars, which helps the movie seem a little more polished. Slaughter’s character of James Dalton, who has a nasty habit of gruesomely killing people, sets up a poor hick from the country for counterfeiting as part of a ploy to win the heart of young May Edwards. Dalton eventually establishes a fake Good Samaritan Help Society as a scheme to trick unfortunate people out of their money.
Of course, things never seem to work out for Slaughter’s characters in the end as he doesn’t get the girl and the good guys always seem to catch up to him one way or another. Had I not seen the similar story a few times already in the days that preceded this viewing, I would have enjoyed this film more. However, this is one of the more enjoyable films in this run for Slaughter. I simply recommend you watch it as a standalone film rather than as a part of a marathon.
Karla’s Thoughts: After watching numerous Tod Slaughter movies all in a row, there are strong similarities in this one compared to many others from the same time period. Slaughter is evil, running a con and killing people, all while pining after a girl. He always plays essentially the same character with slight plot differences. However, he does play crazy quite well. So, even with the similarities between films, I definitely enjoyed this one and, while I wouldn’t seek it out, I would watch it again.
Trivia: The term “ticket of leave” was given to those convicts who received early parole from prison. Unfortunately, it was viewed as a symbol of shamen and those identified as having a “ticket of leave” found work and lodging difficult to acquire.
The tale of Sweeney Todd is well-known, especially today thanks in large part to the recent stage productions and 2007 film starring Johnny Depp. However, the story is an old one that dates back to the Victorian penny dreadfuls circa 1846. In 1936, Tod Slaughter turned in what may very well be his best and most memorable performance in Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
In the original story, Sweeney Todd is a barber who kills off his victims by pulling a lever which causes the barber chair to fall backwards through a trap door into the basement, plunging the victims to their death. Todd races to the basement to finish them off by slicing their throats with his barber’s blade. Then, his partner-in-crime Mrs. Lovatt assists him in dispatching the bodies by cooking them into her meat pies and selling them to customers.
The story first appeared in an 18-chapter penny dreadful titled The String of Pearls: A Romance. It was quickly adapted into a melodrama for the stage. A wide variety of stage and printed versions have followed over the years with various alterations to story and location. Some sources claim that Sweeney Todd is based on a real character while others profess him to nothing more than an urban legend. In either case, it makes for a good story and, in 1936, Tod Slaughter brought the tale to life in what would be the third filmed adaptation albeit the first sound version.
The film begins in the then-present day 1936 as a man enters a barber shop and begins to hear the tale of Sweeney Todd after commenting about a picture on a wall. The barber tells the story of how Sweeney Todd did his evil deeds on that very spot. We then flash back to the 1800s as we see Slaughter bringing his usual maniacal laughter and melodramatic evil sneer to the role. He lures wealthy and unsuspecting travelers into his shop to rob and kill them with the help of Mrs. Lovatt (Stella Rho). He acquires the services of an orphan boy (his eighth and the local police are becoming suspicious) to help set the stage before he pays the boy to eat a meat pie at Lovatt’s shop, allowing him peace and quiet to do the evil deed.
Todd also desires to marry young Joanna Oakley (Eve Lister) but must blackmail her father into consenting. Her father owes money and the only way Todd will not send him to prison is to marry Joanna. However, Joanna is in love with Mark Ingerstreet (Bruce Seton), a sailor who must acquire wealth in order for Joanna’s father to accept him. The stage is now set for murder and robbery with Slaughter going over the edge in his quest for riches and love.
I really enjoyed this adaptation despite its obvious flaws through its limited budget. The sets are minimal yet we do have several interesting scenes involving hidden passageways and creepy cellars. There is an odd sequence involving island natives and Mark’s ship that, while establishing how he gets money and position, seems a little out of place from the rest of the film. However, the film moves along briskly and I think it’s definitely worth checking out. You’ll have to endure some cheesy framing sequences but the crazed Tod Slaughter really makes it fun and worth the investment.
Next time, part four of our retrospective offers up a double feature with It’s Never Too Late to Mend (1937) and Face at the Window (1939).
A version of this article originally published in February 2015.
Recommend Reading: Mr. Murder: The Life and Times of Tod Slaughter by Denis Meikle, Kip Xool & Doug Young is available from Hemlock Film.
The Criminal Acts of Tod Slaughter: Eight Blood-and-Thunder Entertainments, 1935-1940 is available on Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films.
Jeff and I have once again been invited back to join our friends Greg and Jenius on their podcast Nightmare Junkead as they celebrate Into the Mouth of March Madness!
In episode 436, we journey back to 1984 to discuss the films that made the bracket. But, what movies will we talking about? Will it be Nightmare on Elm Street or The Toxic Avenger? The Terminator or Gremlins? Which franchise will we be talking about? Will Freddy Krueger be alive in our dreams or an afterthought the morning after? You have to tune in to fine out!
As always, we want to thank Greg and Jenius for having us back. It really is one of the best times of the year. I’ve said it before, who needs basketball when you have Nightmare Junkhead and Into the Mouth of March Madness! Check it out and be sure to tell ’em Monster Movie Kid sent ya!
Monster Movie Kid 