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SHOCK THEATER classics - need recommendations (1 Viewer)

Eric Huffstutler

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Eric Huffstutler
For those old enough to remember ;)

The classic late night SHOCK THEATER of the early 1960s-1970s (pre Elvira) which featured many of the Sci-Fi and Horror movies including those from AIP, most from the 30s-60s.

Can you recommend some movies which would make a perfect DVD collection that they would have shown during that period? Classic Shock Theater material or those regularly shown?

Grab a bowl of popcorn, a soda, lay in front of the old console b/w TV with the lights out, and think back :)

Thanks!

Eric
 

Gary Banks

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Sep 6, 2004
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Sadly some of these titles aren't out on dvd yet or not available in the US:

THE SHE CREATURE
BLOOD OF DRACULA
I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF
TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN
WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST
THE WASP WOMAN
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES
 

LaurenceGarvey

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There are boxed sets of AIP films available in England, and they're cheap (about $35 delivered to the U.S. for five films). Get an all-region player and snap them up.

Note that both LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES are public domain and available in the U.S. from several companies, usually in poor transfers.

Other recommended films on DVD in region 1: INVADERS FROM MARS, ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE, MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD, IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE, THE MUMMY LEGACY COLLECTION, I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE, CONQUEST OF SPACE, THE GIANT GILA MONSTER, THE KILLER SHREWS.
 

TommyJD

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I can recommend a few classics available on Region 1 DVD already:
THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON
ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS
THE MANSTER
GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN
FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER
THE FLY/RETURN OF THE FLY
CARNIVAL OF SOULS
HORROR HOTEL
HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL
IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA
MISSILE TO THE MOON
THE TINGLER
SHE DEMONS

The list of movies not on DVD is tremendous from that period.Hopefully someday we will see some of those classics again.
 

Ruz-El

Fake Shemp
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It's not a creature feature, but I'd love a good disc of "High School Confidential"!

Juvenial Delinquent films sorta fit with these, don't they? High School conf was fantastic!

Sign me up for all of the above!
 

Steve Phillips

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HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL is on DVD. The print is 2:35 to 1, though the packaging incorrectly states it's 1:33 to 1.
 

Ruz-El

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I had no idea High School was out!! Is it region 1? I have got to get this!
 

LaurenceGarvey

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Don't bother; it's from Artisan (which, loosely translated, means "looks like an Alpha disc at several times the cost.")
 

Dane Marvin

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Criterion has put out [at least] four great titles (in my opinion) that fall into this category:

Haxan (1922) & Withcraft: Through the Ages (1968)
The Blob (1958)
Fiend Without a Face (1958)
Carnival of Souls (1962)

And a lot of people have criticized them for releasing these as Criterions, but I hope they keep releasing stuff like this. I can't get enough of films like this, and it's nice to actually see some work put into restoration and extras for once. If film snobs have a problem with CC releasing them, they just plain shouldn't buy them. And for those who want them: sure they're pricey, but it's worth it!

On people's lists above, I see a lot of movies that were MST-ed (riffed on by Joel or Mike and the Bots on Mystery Science Theater 3000), and a lot of those episodes are on DVD. The MST3K collections are also expensive, but I could watch these until my eyes bleed.

God bless "Shock Theater" and its peers as well as all the men & women who saw fit to spend a couple bucks and spare a few days time to make something for people like me to enjoy decades later.
 

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