Crypt of Curiosities: A Look Back at Universal’s Horror Films Featuring Rondo Hatton’s “The Creeper”
In the mid ’40s, the Universal Monsters were in a tough spot. Up until then, the ’40s had been a nonstop flow of sequels and one-offs, with an avalanche of Invisible Men, Draculas (Draculi?), and the odd Frozen Ghost here and there releasing at a steady clip. But this high release rate had made them stale, and by the time 1946 came around, the studio was in desperate need of a new, recognizable monster.
Enter Rondo Hatton. A journalist-turned-b-movie-bit-player, Hatton had been afflicted with acromegaly for most of his adult life, which enlarged his jaw and pronounced his forehead over the years. This distinctive appearance led to him being cast as nameless goons up until the ’40s, when he got his big, career-defining role as The Creeper.
Curiously, The Creeper’s first appearance wasn’t in a horror film at all. It was in The Pearl of Death (1944), one of the...
Enter Rondo Hatton. A journalist-turned-b-movie-bit-player, Hatton had been afflicted with acromegaly for most of his adult life, which enlarged his jaw and pronounced his forehead over the years. This distinctive appearance led to him being cast as nameless goons up until the ’40s, when he got his big, career-defining role as The Creeper.
Curiously, The Creeper’s first appearance wasn’t in a horror film at all. It was in The Pearl of Death (1944), one of the...
- 9/15/2017
- by Perry Ruhland
- DailyDead
Reactions from the talent behind films eviscerated on MST3k have varied (it could be a joke, but the crew claims Joe Don Baker of Mitchell fame wants to take a swing at them), though not as much as fans of the films proper. A famous, though unverified, story has Dennis Miller flying the cast to a filming of his HBO show only to scream at them for having their way with Marooned! In light of the recent announcement that creator Joel Hodgson wants to reboot the cult favourite, here’s a look at a few episodes that may not have been playing fair.
5. Revenge of The Creature (Season 8, Episode 1)
There is a delicate chemistry to enjoying trash on its own merit. Too bad or too good, it can easily throw things off-balance into the oblivion of the unwatchable. Creature upped the stakes of the classic original by bringing it to local beaches and,...
5. Revenge of The Creature (Season 8, Episode 1)
There is a delicate chemistry to enjoying trash on its own merit. Too bad or too good, it can easily throw things off-balance into the oblivion of the unwatchable. Creature upped the stakes of the classic original by bringing it to local beaches and,...
- 5/8/2014
- by Kenny Hedges
- SoundOnSight
DVD Review - Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume Xxii
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is really sort of a staple of geek culture. Even those who haven't seen the show have heard of it, and those who have seen it love it. It blends smart-ass comments with terrible B-movies to create something truly golden. Well, most of the time. Like every series, MST3K does have some occasional clunkers for episodes. With Volume Xxii fresh onto DVD shelves, you're probably wondering if the set is worth the purchase. In short, it is.
This release features four MST3K episodes, taken from various seasons of the show's run. "Mighty Jack" and "Time of the Apes" both come from the show's third season, while "The Violent Years" and "The Brute Man" come from seasons 6 and 7, respectively. Thankfully, these are all solid outings.
The best of the set is easily "The Violent Years,...
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is really sort of a staple of geek culture. Even those who haven't seen the show have heard of it, and those who have seen it love it. It blends smart-ass comments with terrible B-movies to create something truly golden. Well, most of the time. Like every series, MST3K does have some occasional clunkers for episodes. With Volume Xxii fresh onto DVD shelves, you're probably wondering if the set is worth the purchase. In short, it is.
This release features four MST3K episodes, taken from various seasons of the show's run. "Mighty Jack" and "Time of the Apes" both come from the show's third season, while "The Violent Years" and "The Brute Man" come from seasons 6 and 7, respectively. Thankfully, these are all solid outings.
The best of the set is easily "The Violent Years,...
- 12/18/2011
- by Sam McPherson
- TVovermind.com
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat is a monthly newspaper run by Steve DeBellis, a well know St. Louis historian, and it’s the largest one-man newspaper in the world. The concept of The Globe is that there is an old historic headline, then all the articles in that issue are written as though it’s the year that the headline is from. It’s an unusual concept but the paper is now in its 25th successful year! Steve and I collaborated recently on an all-Vincent Price issue of The Globe and he has asked me to write a regular monthly movie-related column. Since there is no on-line version of The Globe, I will be posting all of my articles here at We Are Movie Geeks. This month’s St. Louis Globe-Democrat is written as if it’s 1946.
Motion picture audiences may be curious who this odd-looking new horror star by...
Motion picture audiences may be curious who this odd-looking new horror star by...
- 6/15/2011
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
You just can’t keep a good serial killer down, especially when he only exists in our imaginations. Freddy Krueger returns once again this Friday, April 30, but this time without Robert Englund. Jackie Earle Haley slips into the scar makeup and knife-fingered glove this time around, hoping to give new life to an old favorite. Haley has already proven himself is short time to be one of this generation’s great character actors, with a knack for the dark and creepy side of the craft. In light of the new Nightmare On Elm Street film, We Are Movie Geeks has compiled our Top Ten List of the Best Creepy Character Actors.
Honorable Mention: Rondo Hatton
Of all the actors on this list, none has had a more tragic personal story as Rondo Hatton. As a young man Hatton was diagnosed with a rare pituitary disorder known as acromegalia (the studios...
Honorable Mention: Rondo Hatton
Of all the actors on this list, none has had a more tragic personal story as Rondo Hatton. As a young man Hatton was diagnosed with a rare pituitary disorder known as acromegalia (the studios...
- 4/28/2010
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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