MEET MY MONSTER by: Zombie Zane

What it do what it do! Zombie Zane here once again coming to you live and direct from the Seven-Six-One-Oh-Seven. This week Sasha and I are paying tribute to Boris Karloff. That's right, Dead End Horror is rockin' it old school this week. Sasha has a bad-ass article about Mr. Boris Karloff, we got a cool Frankenstein poem submitted by a friend of mine, and as for me, I'm gonna be reviewing the movie, "FRANKENSTEIN." Not the piece of fuck with DeNiro, but the old school-one with...you guessed it, Boris Karloff. So kick on back and check out this weeks edition of DEAD END HORROR.

OK, so this week I viewed the film, "Frankenstein." "Frankenstein" is 1931 pre-code horror film directed by James Whale and adapted from a play by Peggy Webbing which, is based on a novel with the same name by Mary Shelley. Now obviously we are all familiar with the story so I'm not gonna go into the plot. If you aren't familiar with the story, then brother, (or sister) ya got no business here.

Now, I enjoy the old-school era of horror films and this film is one of my faves. It's more than just a monster movie. It has some depth, and you actually feel kinda bad for the monster. At least I did anyway. One of my favorite parts is when the monster (played by Karloff) finds a small child tossing flowers in the pond and accidentally drowns her. Not that I'm sadistic and want to see the death of a child. Don't get me wrong. It's just an important scene in the film. Another one of my favorite scenes is when Igor is fucking around with the monster by teasing him with a lit torch. I know it's mean and all, but Igor's face is priceless. It kinda makes me laugh. Does that sound fucked up?

Another one of my favorite scenes is of course the whole, "...It's ALIVE!! ALIVE!! " Fuckin' classic man! Ya got  thunder, lightning, a mad scientist and a hunchbacked helper. What's not to like? Again this film is iconic and if you ever get the chance to watch it, you really should. There's other/newer versions of this movie. Like the one with DeNiro. (Which in my opinion sucked nuts.) And I think that Andy Warhol made a Frankenstein film as well. But really, when it comes to it, stick with the classic.

And think about all the other fuckin movies and TV shows this film has inspired: Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein, Ghost of Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein, The Munsters!! See, there's tons. What about these films as well: Hancock, The Hulk, Nightmare Before Christmas, I mean even Friday the 13th! (Not sure the number but it's the one where Jason is brought back by a lightning bolt) So see, this was truly one of the most iconic and groundbreaking films ever.

So in a nutshell, I loved this film I give it a solid 4.25 out of 5. Great acting, great plot, fucking great everything!

Well, that's all I got for ya this week. Check back next time and see what we have on the slab. Until then, take care, stay a-scared, and I am out!

FRANKENSTEIN by: Anonymous

This awesome poem was given to me by a great friend. I have their permission to post it however, I forgot to ask them if I could use their name. So I'm publishing this bad boy under anonymous. I just want to make it clear that neither Sasha or I wrote this. (Shit, I couldn't write a poem to save my ass.) So no more talk, here's the poem, "FRANKENSTEIN."


                                                                 
I saw the black,

the white,

the grays

in the stills

and the partial clips,

you throw weight to the world.

And then I recognized...

Frankenstein

incarnate.

It was no horror

to turn away from

holler, shriek or shudder

quite the opposite

let me take a closer look...

interesting!

Frankie-baby!!!

Made up of spare parts

and demanding centers-

of attention.

Bits of limbs from here and there,

mared and divorced from their origins.

Late night grave robbing's bring about

plenty of natural charged electricity.

The monster doesn't want a bride.

They're too demanding,

and frightful in upkeep.

It's the wamth of a human-

being

a truer friend he needs.

One that will take all the puzzle pieces

and keep them safe in a locket,

next to a warm beating heart.

Till it's time-

to show Frank the culmination.

Lay 'em all out

on a table-

connecting the channels,

filling the holes,

and turning the keys,

to the bigger picture.

Honest and unfettered,

without any mad scientist potion

or monster mash.

Save him from burning fire,

and quell the internal combustion

to fully cognizant...

genuinely alive.

All talents realized-

The real true

bona-fide!

Boris Karloff Tribute by Sasha Slaughter

This week on Dead End we're celebrating the late, great Boris Karloff. He was born November 23 1887 in London England. His real name was William Henry Pratt. He was the youngest of nine children. He attended Kings College London, where he later dropped out in 1909 and then became a farm laborer. He worked various odd jobs until he got into acting. He began acting in stage shows all over the world, where he then changed his professional name to "Boris Karloff." He joined the Jeanne Russell Co. in 1911 and performed with them. In June of 1912 after helping with the cleanup of Regina Cyclone, he took a job as a railway baggage handler and joined the Harry St. Clair Co.

Once in Hollywood, Karloff appeared in dozens of silent films. Work wasn't always reliable, so he had to take on several different jobs such as digging ditches or driving a cement truck to earn a living. He appeared in many movie series such as The Masked Rider (1919), The Hope Diamond Mystery (1920), and King of the Wild (1930). The film that earned Karloff worldwide recognition was his role in The Criminal Code (1931). But his role as Frankensteins monster in Frankenstein made him a star. Karloff was chosen over his rival, Bela Logusi, to portray the monster in Frakenstein.

Though Karloff and Lugosi often worked side by side, they never had a close mutual friendship, though the actors did star in many productions together such as The Black Cat, The Gift of Gab (1934), The Raven (1935), The Invisible Ray (1936), Black Friday (1940), You'll find out (1940) and The Body Snatcher (1945).

Boris Karloff was also a guest on radio programs as well. He mainly starred in Arch Obolers Chicago based Lights Out productions. Being the great performer that he was, he returned to the Broadway stage in the original production Arsenic and Old Lace in 1941, which also became a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie which Karloff starred in in 1962. He played Captain Hook in Peter Pan and was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in The Lark.

He also hosted and acted in a number of televison series such as Thriller, Out of this World, and The Veil. In the 1960's he appeared in several films for American International Pictures including The Comedy of Terrors, The Raven, and The Terror. He is most remembered for his roles in for his portrayal of Frankensteins monster in Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and Son of Frankenstein (1939), which also featured Logusi. Karloffs best known non-horror role was as the Grinch in Dr. Suess's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The song "You're a mean one Mr. Grinch" however, was not performed by Karloff but by Thurl Ravenscroft. Karloff later would received a Grammy Award in the spoken word category.

Despite living and working in the United States, Karloff never became a US citizen. And he never formally changed his name to Boris Karloff. He was known to sign offical documents as "William H. Pratt, a.k.a. Boris Karloff" He was married six different times and had one daughter, Sara Karloff, by his fifth wife Dorothy Stine.

Karloff spent his final years in at his cottage in Bramshott. He suffered from arthritis and emphysema, he contracted pneumonia and later died because of it on February 2, 1969 at the age of 82. He was then cremated at the Guildford Crematorium where he has been commemorated by a plaque in the Garden of Rememberance.

Thanks for reading && don't forget to check out my partner Zombie Zane also! You'll be glad you did. As always, check back next week!