THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA / Universal Pictures - 1925

It's Classic Monster Friday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. We still have a nice pile of pre-fifties titles to post, like this awesome silent film starring the great Lon Chaney. One interesting behind the scenes story involves Chief Cinematographer, Charles Van Enger. In full makeup, Lon Chaney summoned him to his dressing room without telling him why, then, when he was standing closely behind the actor, Lon quickly spun around! Shocked, Van Enger fell back over a stool and landed flat on his back and yelled, "Are you NUTS?!" Chaney laughed, spit out his fake teeth and said... "Never mind Charlie, you already told me what I wanted to know." Also, Mary Philbin's reaction to the unmasked Phantom was real, she had no idea what he would look like until that exact moment! Now, that's what I call, fun.

Here's The Phantom and the makeup genius himself, Lon Chaney. His son Creighton would follow in his footsteps and eventually assume his father's famous name.

Hiding in the shadows, The Phantom seems to haunt the opera house!

In this scene, The Phantom pays a visit dressed as Death, creeping the Hell out of everyone!

He lures Christine to his lair in the catacombs in order to train her for the lead role of Marguerite in the production of FAUST.

I love this shot, showing what good lighting can do for a terrifying looking character.

And, this shot! Wow, the the movie audience must have crapped their pants back in 1925!!

Here are issues #3 and #16 of FAMOUS MONSTERS featuring amazing illustrations of The Phantom, bottom cover done by the fantastic artist, Basil Gogos.

Here's the box art for The Phantom by Aroura models back in the mid sixties.

This is a scene from the 1957 movie MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES starring James Cagney as The Phantom, another one I was lucky enough to see when it came out.

So, who remembers this excellent version of The Phantom?.. I do! There's a big mystery surrounding this photo, no one knows anything about where it came from! After studying it, I have concluded that it is not a mask, rather, an excellent makeup job.

The photo was used for this very nice cover of Charlton's HORROR MONSTERS #7 from 1963.

It was one of six 8x10 Universal monster photos offered by Charlton and was substituted for Lon's version! I will be doing THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME starring Lon Chaney on Monday, so, check back for that one.

And, by the way, today is my mom's 91st birthday - Happy Birthday, mommy dearest!!

THE WAR OF THE STARS - "Look Out Kid, Beware Of Your Id" - Fanedit (1977)

 One the funnest things about doing this blog is finding about all the krazyass wacko stuff out there that I didn't even know existed in the world like "Jack The Giant Killer: The Musical," or "The Potemkin Project!" Tonight's film is definitely no exception! What can I say? People just send me this stuff telepathically!! Welcome to WTF!? Wednesday and something that needs to be seen and heard to be believed, but I don't think that's going to happen, because Fanedits cannot be owned, and actually don't exist at all!  This project is the reason that terms like "what the fuck" and "fustercluck" have been created! 

That's Right! "Once upon a time....

And if all that isn't obscure enough for you, there's always the bonus features like this dude doing some kind of insane Dylan impersonation on a "Star Wars" version of "Subterranean Homesick Blues!" Have fun trying to get a handle on that one! "Look Out Kid, Beware Of Your Id!"

If you'd like to know more, or get involved yourself with these kinds of projects, then here's the place you wanna be! Have fun, and may the farce be with you Fan-Kenstein!

Fanedit.org

~ RARE SCI-FI PULPS FROM THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES ~

It's time for more great images from The Dungeon, this time we gots some rare pulps that I found across the street at a second hand store. I bought them for 75 cents each and sold them for between $20-$40 each!! I also found a big pile of rare sci-fi paperbacks for the same price. How freakin' lucky is that?!..

Beautiful women in futuristic danger always makes for classic cover art, and, there are plenty more fine examples in this post!

Here's issue #1 of FATE magazine from 1948, they specialized in UFO sightings from around the world. This cover shows classic flying discs.

Issue #2 has a round UFO coming out of the Crow River in Minnesota. That is NOT a flying disc!

This 1950 issue shows a great looking Nessie style sea serpent stating that they do exist!

And, there's this classic yellow Cigar Shaped UFO that was sighted in Italy from a 1957 issue!

This issue went for the most, besides the awesome cover art, it also featured interior nudity!

Could you imagine having this sexy Space Angel pay you a visit while you streak through space in your orange rocket?!

This beautiful cover art was definitely influenced by the great Maxfield Parrish!

Here are two very nice covers featuring Space Hardware from ORBIT Science Fiction, wow!

This is another very rare title, you just can't go wrong using robots for the main topic!

SATELLITE Science Fiction had some of the best cover art, here's a very fine example.

I love this cover from SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURES, it shows a space rescue and two Earth scientists who have contracted the space plague!

Now, here's a British publication featuring the amazing Criswell making predictions about Outer Space! Of course, our pal Ed Wood used Criswell in a number of his movies...

A great issue #1, this one even had an illustration by, get ready, the Fantastic Paul Blaisdell!!

There were many first issues in the lot of Sci-Fi Pulps I scored, it almost makes my head spin!

We'll end with this Science Fiction Novel about a Runaway Robot by legendary writer, Lester Del Rey!.. Check us out again on Wednesday as we get closer and closer to Halloween!

FRANKENSTEIN'S CAT - Terry Toons (1942)

Well, we got our Countdown To Halloween badge on, and I gotta say, there's no way you can go wrong with The Creature, good job John and Shawn!!  Thanx for putting it together again this year! So, here's just a sample of what I've got planned for you during this year's Countdown, a very strange but cool cartoon from 1942 called, "FRANKENSTEIN'S CAT!"

It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Just another awesome day in paradise!

Aw!! Ain't that cute! Another one of God's little creatures has been brought into the world!

But there's always trouble in paradise, or else there would never be any drama! The poor baby bird got caught up in the wind and was unceremoniously dumped off in some kind of living Horror Hell!

And who reigns supreme in this castle Hades' nightmares? That's right, it's "Frankenstein's Cat!!"

Frankiecat is literally electrified by the thought of some young fresh meat!

"Frankenstein's Cat" takes it out on himself when he fails!

In a scene right out of the first "Frankenstein" movie, the cat sees his ugly mug in a pond and is repelled by how hideous he is!

But he's hungry, and this is a cartoon, so it doesn't last for long!

 

The birds and the mice all join together to attack the cat and get back the bird!

Another scene right out of the movie, rioting villagers wielding clubs and torches!

"Frankenstein's Cat" remains defiant in the face of adversity! He's not one to be deterred by some stupid rioting mice!

Time to call out for some extra help!!

Who the Hell is this? "Frankenstein's Cat" was pre-Mighty Mouse, so the call went out to Super Mouse!

First, Super Mouse has to fight off the batty denizens of the infernal regions!

It appears that a Monster Cat is no match for a Super Mouse.......

......But there has to be one last mighty standoff before that proves to be true!

.....And the little birdie is delivered safe and sound back to it's loving parents!

Don't believe me? Go check it out for yourself!!

"Frankenstein's Cat" on YouTube